...and now I'm a grown-up

Just wondering....

2010-05-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

Have you come to visit my new blog yet? Huh? Have you? Well.... you should. :)

Just sayin'.

Here I am.

New bloggy home

2010-03-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

I’ve been working on a project for work that involves building an e-newsletter and blog with coordinating themes. And (shockingly) throughout the process, I’ve decided that I really like the way that WordPress is set up.

So…incase you can’t gather where this is going… I think I’ve decided to move.

Okay, I don’t think. I know. I already have a blog set up over there. I guess that’s kind of definite, huh?

To cut confusion, I’m going to keep my blogger account open – so if you can’t find me, you can always come back here and follow this link to my new blog.

I even kept the name the same.

You better come visit me.

Almost rid of the winter blues

2010-03-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: Share some photos and stories as well as what you love about spring.

(All images in this post are from weheartit.com)

Each year, my heart warms with the temperature as the last bit of winter chill leaves the air in the South.

The dull, gray mornings are replaced with brilliant blue skies. Bare trees bud slowly before blooming in various shades of beauty. Brown, crunchy grass begins turning a soft, lush green. And, of course, the sunlight that once faded by early evening stretches further into the day.

Can you tell I’m ready for this?

Over the last week, the air has been slowly warming. And despite my fear that it will backslide into frigidness again, I think spring might finally be here.

Which makes for a very happy Heather.

For me, simply speaking the word “spring” fills my head with images of sunshine, laughter, flip flops, singing birds and long weekend days outside.

Friends begin firing up the grill.

We spend days sitting by the lake. Fishing. Knowing it won’t be long before we can take the boat out and dive right into the cool water.

Not only is spring fantastic in itself, it’s also the gateway to one of my very favorite things – the hot, sunny days of an Alabama summer.

Which means even longer, warmer days on the lake and multiple trips to the beach. Barefoot days by the water. Ponytails and tan lines. Big sunglasses and lip gloss. Sun tan oil and Coconut Lime Verbena body lotion. And this year? Learning to wake board. Pray for me.

"You stole my heart, I couldn't leave you if I tried..."

2010-03-08T06:14:00.000-08:00

Okay – so I know throughout the life of this blog, you’ve seen a few furry friends come and go:

First, there was Toby – a Jack Russell mix who held my heart in his little paws. For those of you who don’t know, he’s been missing since October. A friend of mine went to pick him up from the boarder’s house for me while I was at work and he ran away, never to be seen again – despite our best efforts with posters, radio announcements and door-to-door inquiries. I still miss the little fella.

Then there was Ollie – the little orange kitten that someone dumped behind the building at work. I took him in for awhile. Then a man I know said his daughter’s cat had passed away and they were looking for a new kitten. Ollie now lives the life of a farm cat, chasing mice and such. Which is perfectly fine by me. I’ve never been much of a cat person…but took him in because I couldn’t stand the thought of him being homeless.

Then there was Maverick – the lovable German Wirehair Pointer I took in and got healthy. When I got him, he had gashes on his neck and had to undergo heartworm treatment. Unfortunately, at three and a half years old, the indoor training wasn’t going so well. In fact, it didn’t seem to be going AT ALL. I came home to a mess every single day for six months. And not just bathroom mess – which is bad enough. No, it was more of a “looks like my house was broken into and robbed” sort of mess. He destroyed EVERYTHING. Books would be shredded. Garbage cans scattered and plundered. Anything I was foolish enough to leave on the kitchen counter would be consumed. Crumbs everywhere. A friend of mine who lives in the country said he’d take him, so Maverick now has a huge yard to run and play in (with other dogs). And the great thing is I still get to see him any time I want.

However… that left my house empty and pet-free for the first time in years. I didn’t really know how to cope.

So…………meet Maggie Mae:

Maggie is a six month old Chocolate Lab/American Bulldog mix. Her owners had two other (much smaller) dogs, and wanted to find a good home for her. So, of course, I scooped her right up and brought her to my house.

And ya know? She’s kind of perfect. I’m in complete shock, actually. She’s not had a single accident inside. Hasn’t chewed up the first shoe, or anything else for that matter. She’s calm, well-behaved, sweet and really good-natured. I can’t imagine anyone getting rid of her.

We spent the day at the lake yesterday, fishing with some friends of mine and enjoying the nice weather. I see many, many more days like that in our near (and hopefully very distant) future. She’s already stolen my heart.

I think congratulations are in order

2010-03-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

Oh, the things you find out on Facebook.

For example, imagine my shock when I stumbled across my ex’s new girlfriend. Only to see that her profile picture was a shot of her brand new engagement ring.

Now, ordinarily this would not have taken me by such surprise. Perhaps the fact that he had literally text me 45 minutes before and said nothing about the fact that he was getting married threw me off a little. Nonetheless, I’m happy for them.

A little confused – but happy.

I mean, I devoted nearly five years of my life to this man and got nothing. No promise of forever. Nothing that lasted. Just a lot of hurt splashed with a few good memories. We’ve been apart six and a half months and he’s already committed to spend the rest of his life with this woman. A woman who, just months ago, he said would never compare to me. I guess he was right. In his eyes, she must be better.

Please don’t take this the wrong way. I’m not jealous. I’m not bitter. I’m in a really good place in my life right now. I’m happier than I’ve been in a very, very long time and I sincerely wish them the best.

But, since he made it clear yesterday that he has been reading this blog, let me take a moment say this: You said you wanted so badly for us to stay friends. You said you miss talking to me. That you’d love to hear from me every now and then and know that I’m doing well. That I’ll always hold a piece of your heart. As lovely as that all sounds, please know that it’s not going to happen. I’m not going to stay in contact with an engaged man. I don’t feel that it’s appropriate. If you want to know how I’m doing, just assume that my life is fantastic and that I’m happy. Because it is and I am.

These hips don't lie

2010-02-23T12:58:00.000-08:00

An hour of pouring sweat. Completely breathless. Body shaking from sheer exhaustion. Yet somehow wishing it wasn’t over…

I’ve become hopelessly addicted to the latest exercise craze.

When my friend Cat tried to talk me into Zumba classes, I told her the painful truth: I have zero rhythm. No coordination. I didn’t want to make an idiot of myself in a class full of people who knew what they were doing.

But then I gave in and tried it. And despite flouncing around like a total goober, I can’t get enough.

The lights are low and the music is loud. And no one is watching you – they’re too busy trying to keep up with the instructor. With hops and shimmies and hip rolls, who has time to make fun of the rhythm-lacking fool in the back of the room?

Before you know it, you’re drenched in sweat and the hour is over. I leave class in a great mood, pumped from the energy of the music, with an endorphin high like I’ve never experienced with any other form of exercise.

It’s fantastic. I can’t wait until tomorrow night, when I’ll be back in that room full of mirrors, shaking it to Shakira.

Umm, excuse me... what's this fluffy white stuff?

2010-02-16T06:11:00.000-08:00

When they said that our small southern town was expecting 4-6 inches of snow last Friday, I have to admit — I was skeptical. I thought, if anything, we'd get a little dusting of white. Nothing to play in. Surely nothing that would stick around for any length of time. Needless to say, I was wrong.

Here are a few shots from early in the day:

Not really sure who's barn this is, but I thought it was pretty.

One of the many trees painted white by the unusual winter weather

Our town square

Our redneck snowman — notice the John Deere cap and Miller Lite eyeballs. Very classy. This is what happens when you build a snowman at a guy's house. Your choices of accessories are slim to none. As a side note, please excuse the way I'm squatting. It looks like I'm trying really hard not to pee my pants.

Me and Cat at work Friday morning

Most everyone cleared out of work by 1:30, and the city closed the roads at 2 - supposedly because us southerners aren't used to driving on ice. To my surprise, we still had snow on the ground in some areas throughout the weekend. And remnants of some snowpeople are still standing around town, which is strange, considering it was a warm, sunny 62 on Sunday. (Unfortunately, it's a frigid 25 today.)

It has definitely been a strange winter, and I have to be honest here... I'm extremely ready for the hot days of a southern summer. Bring on the sunscreen, boiled peanuts, flip flops and days on the lake. You can keep this cold stuff. It was fun for a day, but I've had my fill.

Someone thinks I'm sweet as sugar

2010-02-10T12:04:00.000-08:00

Well, apparently my lack of posting has been noticed…. In fact, I’ve just received an award because of it. Now, Scarlethue, I appreciate the gesture, but are you sure rewarding me for my absence is really the way to go? I guess it’s kind of like positive reinforcement, though. “Here, have this award… but you’ll have to actually write a blog post to accept it. Gotcha!”

But I do appreciate this little gem:

Now, I suppose I’m obligated to tell you ten (more) things about myself. I think I’m running out of information – I’ve told you guys almost all there is to know! But I’ll see if I can squeeze out a little more.

I’m sick. And not just sick in the head… like really sick. I can’t breath, my voice sounds crappy and my chest feels like someone is sitting on it. I guess this is when most people go to the doctor… Instead, I’ve self medicated with enough Mucinex to drug a horse.

My purse was stolen a few weeks ago. Sad but true. And I made it super easy for the blasted thief, too. Genius here left her purse on the floorboard of her unlocked car. Luckily, my debt card and driver’s license were in my ID holder on my keychain, which was in my pocket. Still, they got my checkbook, a few prescription drugs, my bottle of Burberry Brit Red, my camera and my old iPod (THANK GOD it wasn’t my pretty new 32 gig baby. I would have been sick.) OH, and it was my very favorite purple crocodile Nine West purse. My heart still hurts a little.

I’m currently addicted to this diva:

I mean, seriously. Check out that album cover. It’s straight up glam-rock. 80’s style. The songs are catchy, upbeat and they make me want to dance.

I loathe the cold. I know I don’t have it near as bad as Diane, Andy or Jenners who are all battling some MAJOR winter weather right now, but this southern girl is pretty miserable in any temperature below about 65. Right now, it’s 41 with a wind chill of 32. We have a 70 percent chance of snow on Friday. SNOW. In Andalusia… Y’all, I live 20 minutes north of Florida. The Sunshine State. What’s up with the arctic wind that’s drying out my skin and chapping my lips?

I’m pretty sure I’ve lost my mind, as is evidenced by the fact that I recently ordered Beachbody’s Insanity workout program. It’s 60 days of crazy hard, fast paced torture. I’m going to start it as soon as I beat this nasty cold. Pray for me.

I got my hair cut last week for the first time in over a year. Yes, you read that right. Scissors had not touched my very damaged hair in close to 14 months. Because the LAST time I got a hair cut, I was a little traumatized. Check out this whack job from last fall (as in Fall of 2008):

Now, this is my hair a few weeks ago:

See how long it had grown? I was so proud. I wanted to keep the length, but add a little sumpthin’ sumpthin’. This isn’t a great picture (I don’t know why it’s so grainy?), but here’s my hair now:

You can’t really tell from this picture, but I have side bangs and layers now. I’m kind of loving it.

I have an unhealthy addiction to Lay’s Kettle Cooked Jalapeno chips. They’re crunchy and delicious. And I could probably eat an entire bag in one sitting. Right… did I mention that I ordered a crazy hard workout program? I need it. I blame the chips.

I’m wearing Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal while I type this post. I have a thing about teeth. My teeth are actually pretty white, as is. I just want to be sure they stay that way. I drink a lot of coffee and diet Coke and always stress that my teeth are going to get discolored. I don’t know about y’all, but one of the first things I notice about someone is their smile (right after their eyes). I just want to be sure mine stays presentable.

I don’t understand people who can’t branch outside their normal clique. I’ve always had a wide variety of friends, spread over several different groups. It’s great, but the problem arises when I’d like to do something with ALL of them, but they don’t get along with each other. Then I have to decide who to hang out with and I get accused of picking favorites. We’re adults, people. Why can’t we all just get along?

I sorta maybe have a Valentine… maybe more than a Valentine, as that is kind of limited to one day. Details later…

Well, there you have it – ten more random things about me. And now to pass the love along.

I’m going to give the Sugar Doll award to Brunch at Saks… because she is definitely a doll. And she posts some of the prettiest, sweetest things you’ll ever see.

2010-02-03T06:57:00.000-08:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: A song you can’t escape.

Call it fate. Call it a coincidence. Or call it plain ol’ annoying dumb luck. But shortly after me and The Ex broke up, there was one song that haunted me everywhere I went.

See, right after the big break, The Ex called A LOT. He sent texts telling me he missed me. No one would ever compare to me. I was the one that got away. Yada Yada Yada. I finally reached a breaking point and told him that I just couldn’t talk to him anymore. It was too hard. So, from then on out, he said the lyrics of this Lady Antebellum song always made him think of me:

It’s a quarter after one
I’m all alone
And I need you now
Said I wouldn’t call
But I’ve lost all control
And I need you now
And I don’t know how I can do without
I just need you now

Up until then I’d only heard that song once or twice. Ever. Suddenly the song was on every damn radio station. Nonstop. I’d go into a store and it’d be playing on the speakers. I’d turn on CMT and the video would be on. I’d get in my car and it would be the first song I heard. I’d change the station and inevitably find it again. Do you have any idea how obnoxious that became? There I was, trying to get over him, and every time I turned around, I had to hear some stupid song that he said reminded him of our situation. Then I’d have a weak moment and call or text him, and suddenly we were right back to that place I didn’t want to be in anymore. Trying (in vain) to be friends, when it was clearly impossible.

But then – after a few weeks of talking to him nearly every day, I had a revelation: he didn’t need me then... so why would he need me now? Sure, I was the one who ended our relationship, but only because I felt a distance that I couldn’t shake. I didn’t feel wanted anymore. Definitely not needed. So WHY would I let myself believe that anything had changed just because of some stupid song?

As it turns out, he was already dating someone new during this time. He was calling and texting me, playing this song and telling me that I was the only one for him – while he was with her! Poor girl… I feel bad for her. She has no idea that her new boyfriend is a manipulative man who will try every trick in the book to mess with someone’s emotions.

So I told him to give his new girlfriend the attention she deserves and quit calling me. I asked him not to text. I told him – once again – to leave me alone. And so far, he’s respected that.

I still hear that song from time to time. But now – instead of feeling nostalgic – I just laugh and roll my eyes.

2010-01-28T12:06:00.000-08:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: Share one piece of great advice you’ve received from someone who knows stuff…

Wow – it seems like I’ve only been posting assignments lately… I guess I haven’t taken the time to do much else. Sorry about that. Maybe I’ll get back to regular updates eventually. In the meantime, enjoy (or skip?) my response to this week’s prompt.

Why is it that we rarely take advice from people who have obviously had more life experience than ourselves? Or is that just me?? I’ve always been a “learn as I go” kind of person – and while that has provided some interesting (though sometimes painful) memories, I could have spared myself many headaches (and a lot of heartache) if I had just listened to some of those golden tidbits that had been passed my way over the last 25 years.

One of the greatest pieces of wisdom ever shared with me came from my mother. Growing up, Mama told me (on numerous occasions) that “friends will come and go but family is forever.”

I never really paid much attention to it – naively believing that the people I called friends would always be my friends. While a select few have remained a part of my extended family, the vast majority of people I once considered friends have, indeed, come and gone (sometimes multiple times over the past several years).

I had to learn the hard way that some “friends” are actually mere party buddies – there for a good time, but suddenly unavailable in the face of a crisis. You can call them at 2 or 3 in the morning if it’s to invite them out or suggest a bar crawl, but not to have a meaningful conversation if something is truly bothering you.

And that’s fine as long as you understand the dynamic of your friendship and don’t start counting on them for anything more than a fun night out.

The last part of her statement has also proven to be so very true: family is forever, or at least mine is. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve screwed up over the years, or the number of screaming fights I’ve had with my parents. I’m sure I’ve embarrassed them, let them down, stressed them out and generally driven them crazy. But when it comes down to it, I’m always forgiven and loved all the same.

And I’m so thankful for that. It’s good to know that at any given time, no matter how late or inconvenient, I can call my parents (either set) and spill my heart to an open ear. It’s a wonderful feeling – knowing that no matter how bad things get, I have four people who are always, always on my side. Always proud of me. And always just a phone call away.

Seven houses in five years...is that a record?

2010-01-21T08:55:00.000-08:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: “How many homes have you had? Write a journal entry about ALL the places you’ve called home in your life.”

Look, let’s be honest here…if I were to write about ALL of the places I’ve called home in my life, you’d still be reading this time tomorrow. I’ve only lived in five different cities, but have had a multitude of houses in each one. Four or five in the Mobile area, two in Madison, MS, two in the Birmingham area, seven in Troy and three since I’ve been in Andalusia – so we’re up to nearly twenty, right? Yeah… we’re not going into all of that.

What I will do, however, is give you a brief overview those seven, short-lived college homes: the good, the bad and the absolutely crazy.

Hamil Hall: My freshman year, my friend Christen and I decided to do the dorm thing together. We packed up our belongings and crammed them all into a little 10x10 cinderblock room. A few short months later, I was trying everything I could to get out. We shared a community shower with the whole hall, including the entire girls soccer team, who repeatedly washed their muddy cleats in the sink and shower stalls. YUCK. The heat NEVER worked. And then, of course, there were the bugs. No thank you. Next home, please?

The Paden House: Unfortunately, since we were freshmen, we were required to live on campus for our first year. Luckily, a room came open in one of the school’s on-campus houses. Think of it as a sorority house for girls who decided not to go Greek. We had a formal dining room, work out room, living room, kitchen, big back deck and semi-private bathrooms. I spent the second half of my freshman year here. Then I met Kailie – a wild child who quickly became my very best friend. By the beginning of summer, we were looking for somewhere off campus. Somewhere we could have… large study groups. *Ahem*… So, bring on home number three.

Park Street: Imagine our delight when we discovered a brand new, two bedroom, three bath townhouse less than a mile from the ~~fraternity houses~~ school. The house was great – we had a big back deck and covered front porch that we shared with our very cool neighbor, Clint. For my grades, this house was the beginning of a long downward spiral. We never slept. There were people at our house nonstop. By happy accident, we discovered that the window in my room offered easy access to the roof. We had cookouts, bonfires, card games… all of the necessary social events for college students went down at our house. It was all going along swimmingly until Kailie found out she had a little bundle of joy on the way. So mommy-to-be packed up her stuff and high-tailed it back to her parents’ house – leaving me with no living room furniture. Queue Brooke – long time bestie from back home. Less than a month later, she moved in and the party resumed.

Troy Place: At the end of our lease, Brooke convinced me to move into an apartment complex with two other girls. Now, I’m not sure how many of you realize this, but FOUR girls sharing ONE apartment… not a genius idea. In fact, it could possibly be the worst idea in the history of the world. Brooke and I lived with Erica, a grad student from Oswego, NY, and Julie, a general screw up from Nebraska. I don’t say that lightly, as I typically get along with pretty much everyone. But y’all…this girl drove me insane. My parents came to visit one day, and she answered the door in a pair of boyshort underwear and a bra. In front of my step-dad and then nine year old brother. It’s not her fault, really. That’s pretty much all she ever wore. As she laid around the house eating candy and bossing people around. The girl would call you ON THE PHONE when you were a room away to ask you to get her a glass of water because she didn’t want to get off the couch. And she hocked lugies in the kitchen sink…Anyhow, three short (yet waaay too long) months later, I was desperate to get out of that apartment. So I packed up and headed to home number five.

Forest Acres: My friend Jennifer had a three bedroom trailer and graciously offered to let me stay with her for awhile, so I could escape the crazy. My goal was to find a one bedroom apartment somewhere close to the school, but there was a waiting list. So for about six months, I lived with Jen. It wasn’t horrible. She was a sweet girl, even though she and her boyfriend would get into screaming fights and slam doors, stomp around and cause general mayhem on a regular basis. But it was fine for the short time I was there.

Thomas Circle: Finally, a one bedroom apartment came available and I was once again on the move. This place was SMALL. And old. And generally not very well taken care of. But it was MINE. And I loved it. Downstairs was a tiny little living room and even tinier kitchen, all in one room. The stairs led straight up into my bedroom – no doors, just a railing that looked down to the stairs. I had an itty bitty little bathroom. And two closets. I stayed here for awhile – until the rampant street parties that took place in front of my building were taking a toll on my sleep and making me pretty irritable. By this time, I’d been through my party phase and was in the “graduate and get the hell out of Troy” phase.

South Brundidge Street: And for the finale: House number seven! It was an old home near “downtown” Troy with a huge front porch and even bigger back deck. I lived here with two of my best friends, who happened to be sisters. The house had…. Charm. You know: sloping floors, unfinished baseboards… but it didn’t matter much to any of us. The deck was perfect for sunbathing, and there was a doggie door that led to our fenced in back yard, so the puppies could come and go as they pleased. Oh, I almost failed to mention that I lived in the living room. It was only a two bedroom house, but the living room was really long, so I built a divider and made half of it a bedroom. It was pretty cool actually. I bought a few unfinished doors from Lowes, a handful of hinges to connect them all, and a gallon of paint and got to work. Then I found some of those nifty wall transfer things with the words “Live long, love much, laugh often” for the side that faced the living room. It turned out pretty cute. And waaaaaay less expensive than any room divider I could’ve bought. My roomies were great, I liked the house and everything was finally feeling normal.

Then I started my internship and moved to Andalusia.

There are SO many stories I could tell you about each of these homes and my five long years in Troy – but this post is already ridiculously long. Aren’t you glad I didn’t attempt all twenty? You’re welcome.

Interesting... or not

2010-01-15T13:24:00.000-08:00

The extremely sweet mommy-to-be, Trudy at Third Time’s a Charm, has bestowed this lovely little award upon yours truly:

In order to accept, I have to share seven interesting facts about myself. Unfortunately for all of you, the word “interesting” is loosely interpreted as “random” in my book. So – interesting or not, here are seven things you might not already know about me:

I’m double jointed in my left thumb. You would think this makes me a killer thumb-war opponent, but it does not.

When my feet are cold (which is pretty much all the time), I get insanely excruciating cramps in my toes and up the side of my foot (from the big toe back through the arch). I’ve been getting them since I was a kid. I vividly remember sitting on the floor of my room in elementary school and crying because I couldn’t make my foot stretch back out. Now I feel it coming and know to stand up IMMEDIATELY and start stretching my toes.

People have a hard time remembering my last name. It’s Irish and starts with an O. You’d think it’d stand out in their memory. But in the last few months, I’ve answered to O’Keith, O’Rook, O’Rourke and O’Malley. HINT: None of those are right. And it’s funny because all of them could have been avoided if people would just call me by Heather. You know, my first name. Instead, most people I’ve met here greet me with my last name. So it should go, “Hey! O’Quin!!” when I walk into a room. But it rarely ever does. Now it’s become a huge joke, so I doubt I’ll ever actually hear my real last name again.

I used to check behind the shower curtain every time I went to the bathroom to make sure no one was hiding there. I don’t know why that used to worry me so much. Too many scary movies as a child, I guess. I still check the closet in my room before I go to sleep. Some paranoias never die.

I have horrible veins. No one has ever (ever) been able to draw blood from my arm. Ever. I tell people not to even try anymore. All blood work must be done from the top of my hand. And even those veins suck. They’re tiny and they run from the needle. This had led to blown veins, which are about the grossest thing I can think of. Imagine watching the top of your hand swell up like a big blue golf ball of trapped blood. Then imagine hearing the nurse nervously laugh and say, “Oops, let’s try the other hand.” And then having it happen AGAIN. Yeah. Did I mention I had to have blood work done yesterday? New doctor. New nurse. Thankfully no disasters this time, but I still broke out in cold sweats from sheer anxiety.

You can’t tell from my pasty-white profile picture, but I have an unhealthy addiction to sunshine. Even fake sunshine. I know it’s bad. I know it ages my skin. I know it can cause cancer. I know. But it feels so good. And it makes me happy. So… bring on the UV rays.

I am the most unorganized person I know. It’s borderline ridiculous. No. It’s past ridiculous. Every now and then I reach a breaking point and get everything super sorted. It usually lasts about two days before things are gigantic disaster again. The bad thing is that I KNOW what a mess things are, yet generally don’t take action until I absolutely cannot find something I’m looking for. Then I get frustrated, throw a mini tantrum and swear that I’m going to get things put back in their proper place.

AND (An eighth fact! As an added bonus!) Yesterday, a friend told me that I don’t know how to be serious. He’s wrong, of course. I just generally choose NOT to be serious. I tend to answer questions that I don’t like with sarcasm. Shoot – I often answer the ones I do like with sarcasm. I smile and laugh a lot in person, and I tend to say silly things when I’m in a good mood. If that means I’m not serious, then I’m not sure it’s something I want to be anyway.

So, there you have it. Don’t you feel enlightened now? Weren’t those facts just the most interesting things you’ve read today? No? I figured not…

And now I’d like to pass this one along to Scarlethue at A Beautiful Truth. Because I think she’s a pretty interesting chick (and I bet you would too!)

2010-01-13T11:33:00.000-08:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: Welcome to the most shocking rose ceremony in writing prompt history. Please award roses to the ten people (or items) in your life that you’d like to continue pursuing a relationship with.

Shall we begin?

Vitamin Water 10 (flavor “Go-Go”), you keep me hydrated and alert on days when I need an extra boost. The quirky wording on your label never fails to amuse me, and your delicious berry flavor never lets me down. Will you please accept this rose and remain my favorite morning (and afternoon) pick-me-up?

Sheldon Cooper (from the Big Bang Theory), your complete lack of social skills — paired with your cynical attitude and penchant for all things nerdy — keeps me laughing uncontrollably every Monday night. Will you please accept this rose and remain my favorite self-centered theoretical physicist? P.S. I promise to sing “Soft Kitty” to you when you’re sick…

Burberry Brit Red, you have been my favorite perfume for quite some time. Unfortunately, you were a limited edition, which makes you very hard to find these days. You can play hard-to-get all you want, but your long-lasting wonderful fragrance will keep me scouring stores and on-line perfume outlets to find you. Will you please accept this rose and continue bringing me compliments of, “Oooh, you smell good!”?

Flintstones Vitamins (Plus Iron), I will never be too old for you. For whatever reason, you are the only vitamin I can actually remember to take. Maybe it’s your fun character shapes or your tart, fruity flavors. All I know is you provide me (and anyone over the age of four) with 11 essential nutrients and 83 percent of my daily iron – that’s equivalent to five cups of spinach. Will you please accept this rose in the hopes that one day my iron level might actually be high enough to get me past the pre-screening part of donating blood? I’m tired of being turned away with the people who fail the “have you slept with anyone with herpesyphilitis in the last six months” survey.

Luke Bryan, I don’t care that your songs are waaay more country than what I typically like – you’ve had me hooked since you told me you could hotwire my tractor and plow up my land (And grow your own groceries and salt cure a ham. And wrestle hogs and gators with your two bare hands.). You ooze “good ol’ boy” charm – and that smile sure doesn’t hurt your appeal. Will you please accept this rose and keep me shamelessly singing along to songs about farms, hunting and all things country?

Well – that’s about all. I didn’t make it to ten, but I think I have my priorities in line. Vitamin Water, Sheldon Cooper, Burberry Brit Red, Flintstones Vitamins and Luke Bryan… what more do I need?

Ten of life's most important words

2010-01-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

My parents gave me this ring at Christmas, and it’s quickly become a permanent fixture on my hand.

I love that – from a distance – it looks like a simple silver band. However, when you look closely, there are ten words inscribed that serve as a gentle reminder of the important things in life:

Soul “Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.” – Oscar Wilde

“You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.” – C.S. Lewis

Wish “To a resolute mind, wishing to do is the first step toward doing. But if we do not wish to do a thing it becomes impossible.” Robert Southey

Faith “Faith is a knowledge within the heart, beyond the reach of proof.” – Kahil Gibran

“Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death.” – Author Unknown

Spirit “Great men are they who see that spiritual is stronger than material force, that thoughts rule the world.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Beauty "Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” – Ashley Smith

Imagine “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” – Albert Einstein

"Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass.” – Paul J. Meyer

Dream “You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'” – George Bernard Shaw

Peace “Peace is not something you wish for; It's something you make, Something you do, Something you are, And something you give away.” – Robert Fulghum

Hope “In all things it is better to hope than to despair” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Love “And in the end, The love you take is equal to the love you make.” – The Beatles

Different, yet somehow the same

2010-01-05T05:56:00.000-08:00

It’s funny how some people you think you’ll never hear from again can suddenly (and effortlessly) waltz back into your life.

Over the course of the last couple of months – and more specifically, the last week or two – I’ve reconnected with someone I haven’t talked to in nearly six years: my high school sweetheart.

The night of the Iron Bowl, I got an unexpected phone call from a number I didn’t recognize. When I answered, I was nearly floored at who was on the line. We talked for almost two hours.

During our recent conversations I’ve learned that a lot has changed for him since we broke up in 2004. He’s been married and divorced. Joined the Coast Guard. Moved across the country and back again. And he’s lost his southern accent. (Although he says I’ve found it in abundance.)

But some things have definitely not changed. He’s still the same good-natured guy he always was. He’s still upbeat and ridiculously funny. And he still has the ability to keep me talking for hours on end, like no time has passed at all.

In some ways, it’s strange to talk to him now – but mostly it just feels really good to reconnect with someone who was once my very best friend. Enough time has passed that we can communicate without the tension or emotions of a fresh break up. I think it’s good. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed laughing with him.

He’s known me for so long – he knows my dreams. The things I want to do in life. Places I want to see. And he readily pointed out that I haven’t really followed through with many of them. He asked me what I was waiting for and told me I was wasting precious time. I guess he’s right.

I don’t know if we’ll continue talking, or if this rekindling of our long-lost friendship is only temporary – but I hope this is only the beginning. He meant so much to me for so long. It would be great if we could be friends now, after all these years.

What do you think? Are any of y’all on speaking terms with an ex?

...and now I need a nap

2010-01-04T07:42:00.001-08:00

Whoa – what a weekend! It was face-paced, exciting, wonderful and tiring. Very, very tiring.

I spent most of Thursday believing I had no plans for New Year’s Eve. Nonetheless, I went home from work that evening and got ready, just in case something came up. Luckily for me, it did. In a big way. In a last minute decision, a friend and I jumped in the car and made tracks to Destin to ring in 2010 at Baytowne with some of our friends. It was fantastic.

(Imagine this, PACKED with people celebrating New Year's Eve... I forgot to take pictures, so this one I found through Google will have to work.)

If you’ve never been to the Village at Baytowne, let me help you out with the visual. It’s a cute little resort village that’s made up of bars, restaurants and shops. At night, you can hear a wide range of music floating from each venue as you walk down the lamp-lit streets. Dueling pianos at Rum Runners, an acoustic blend at Fat Tuesdays… and of course, my favorite: The Funky Blues Shack, which is where we all eventually wound up at the end of the night.

After a late (very, very late) night, we drove back to Andalusia in the early morning hours so I could pack and make my way to Birmingham to spend a few days with my family. While I was there, I shopped (and shopped and shopped), had lunch with an old friend and went to our family’s annual holiday concert: Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

(A little rough, but taken with my phone... those orange blobs are fire balls. Gotta love the pyrotechnics.)

This year was my sixth time to see them, and I’ve yet to be disappointed. Every year, I expect to grow tired of seeing the same show, but I never do. It’s always amazing, and I always leave with a smile, feeling as though I’ve been thoroughly entertained. Our second row seats this year were pretty great, too. Those guys put so much work into what they do – and I know they must end each concert completely exhausted. They run around the stage with so much energy. And they do 70 shows in 60 days… which obviously means they often do two a day.

And now, after a very high-energy weekend, I’m back in my sleepy little town.

Life in a small town

2009-12-31T08:42:00.001-08:00

When you live in the middle of nowhere, recreational activities tend to be pretty limited.

While there is an obvious lack of bars, restaurants, theaters, museums, retail developments, coffee shops or anything else of much interest, there is an overabundance of pastures, farms and dirt roads.

To the bewilderment of most people who have access to other forms of entertainment, riding dirt roads is actually a popular pastime in most small towns. Trust me — when I moved here, I didn’t get it either. But now, I actually enjoy creeping down a dirt road at snail’s pace with some of my best friends — good music blaring on the radio, windows down (when it’s not too cold), laughing, with camera in hand.

The camera is an important part of the experience because you never know when you’ll have the opportunity to capture something that is a blatant reminder of just how southern you actually are.

Yes. That’s a real road. And yes, I was so amused, I made Willis turn the Jeep around so I could go back and take a picture.

Welcome to Alabama.

Oh... you mean it's not a joke?

2009-12-29T12:27:00.000-08:00

For years I’ve joked about my focus problems – self diagnosed as ADD, my thoughts bounce from mundane to complete chaos and back again. Task lists are daunting. Prioritizing? Nearly impossible. I fidget constantly. I start projects with enthusiasm, then easily get sidetracked – never to return.

In school, I was a “doodler” – constantly moving my pen across my paper as I pretended to listen to whatever lecture was coming from the front of the room. I’d start class strong, but somewhere around the five minute mark, my mind would wander to something completely unrelated. “Hmm.. I need to do laundry when I get home.” Or “Oooh, don’t forget to get paper towels at the store later.” Or “I swear, if that girl smacks her gum one more time, I’m going to throw my shoe at her!” My notebooks were a jumbled mess of doodles and shopping lists. I got by. I made decent grades. But most of my work was done on my own. Usually at the last minute. With the aid of large amounts of caffeine.

Most of my professors either didn’t notice or didn’t care about my inability to pay attention. The one who did notice caught me completely off guard and really hurt my feelings. My junior year in Troy, a certain bow-tied professor called me into his office after class and proceeded to tell me how “rude” I was. He told me that it was painfully obvious how little I respected him. When I asked him why he thought that, he told me that day after day he watched me stare into space or scribble on my paper instead of “actively listening” to his lectures. Despite my effort to assure him that I didn’t mean anything personal by my lack of focus, he chewed me out and told me that my disrespect would not be tolerated. He made me feel so bad, I wound skipping several classes just to avoid him. Despite my steady stream of A’s on papers class assignments, he gave me a failure to attend and I had to repeat the course. (I chose a different professor for my second attempt.)

If you’ve read my blog for any amount of time, you might remember that my frustration with my attention issues had been building. It was affecting my work and causing some pretty extreme anxiety. Finally, after years of dealing with it, I saw a doctor and found out that my jokes about ADD were actually dead on.

Now (with the help of prescription drugs) I finally feel myself getting a handle on things. It’s a work in progress – along with the medication, I’m having to train myself to do things a little differently. The doctor recommended a few different techniques for tackling those daunting tasks lists. And the great thing? My doctor has ADD. And he made it through MED SCHOOL. If he can do that, surely I can handle whatever I need to accomplish.

Bring it on 2010

2009-12-24T13:33:00.000-08:00

It's been a strange year for me.

It feels like it's been a year of loss - first my mentor and college advisor passed away. Then my grandfather. I broke up with my boyfriend of more than four years, and even lost my little buddy - my puppy Toby. He's been missing since October. My dad's kidney disease has caused him to be pretty sick this year, and as I type this post, my little brother is laid up on the couch recovering from knee surgery.

But, despite the heartbreaks and obstacles that this year has presented, I still know that I am so blessed. I've made some wonderful memories with my family, and learned to finally stand on my own in a town where I knew no one. I've made some fantastic friends, gotten involved in my community and moved into a new home. I guess there have been just as many triumphs as disappointments, and I feel as though I've grown tremendously in a very short amount of time.

I look forward to seeing what 2010 will bring. I won't be naive enough to think there won't be more hard times - but I've learned that I'm more than tough enough to survive. It's a good feeling - knowing that I'm capable of handling whatever life throws my way. So bring it on 2010. I'm ready for what ya got.

I'm baaaaaaaack.....

2009-12-22T05:56:00.001-08:00

Remember me?

Okay - so I kind of disappeared for awhile. Unexpectedly. And for that, I'm truly sorry. (Heck, what am I saying... I bet you didn't even miss me!!)

My life has changed a lot over the last year, and as therapeutic as this blog had been, I think I just needed a break - some time to clear my head. Plus, I became so consumed in reading umpteen million blogs a day - it kind of lost its appeal.

But I've missed having an outlet for my thoughts, so... here I am. Back again.

If you're reading this, thanks for hanging in there... I guess that means you didn't unfollow me just because I bailed for a while. There are at least two possible explanations for that: 1) You had complete faith that I would one day return; or the much more likely 2) You didn't even realize I had quit posting. Either way... hello again.

I hope you all have a very merry Christmas. And I'll be seeing you soon :)

Busy, tired.... and thoroughly happy

2009-09-23T07:36:00.000-07:00

My life has been a whirlwind of activity lately, and I have to say… I’m loving it.

When I moved to this sleepy little town last year, I was convinced that there was NO ONE close to my age to hang out with. Ever. Anywhere. But I obviously wasn’t looking in the right places. Scratch that – I obviously wasn’t looking AT ALL. In any places.

Over the last two months I’ve met so many great people. I’ve gone from sitting at home by myself every single day after work, to almost never having a moment alone. I’m weeks behind on my TiVo – and I honestly couldn’t care less. Who needs to watch TV when there are other things to do? For example:

Last Wednesday night I went out with a few friends, stayed up way too late and had a fantastic time. Sometime in the wee morning hours, a long-time buddy from back home called and said he was going to come spend a few days on my couch. By the time I got off work Thursday and bought some groceries, Chris was well on his way to Andalusia. He, my roommate and I spent the remainder of the night with a group of people – playing cards, talking and just cutting up. Chris and roomie were both off all day Friday, so they were bums while I worked – then, as soon as I got off, we all piled in the car and bolted towards Montgomery for the Zac Brown Band concert with my buddy’s kids. After the concert, we dropped the kids off, then proceeded to enjoy the night. My head didn’t hit the pillow until nearly 5 a.m.

Of course, the older I get, the less I can sleep – so I was up at 8:15, ready to go. Got a shower, woke up the other bums at my house and we got the grill ready for a long day of football. Throughout the day, we bounced between my house and two others – constantly surrounded by people thoroughly enjoying themselves. Sunday was much of the same.

So far, this week’s been pretty low-key – just some down time with a couple of people each night. But tomorrow we’re leaving straight from work to head back to Montgomery for the Pat Green concert – which I’m pretty excited about. It’ll make for a long day Friday at work, I’m sure. But it’ll be worth it.

In the coming weeks, we have trips planned to Troy, Birmingham and Mobile. Not to mention my meetings in Destin next month and a trip to north Georgia for an apple festival with my family at some point in time.

I wonder sometimes how I made it so long without things to do here – how I let myself be so isolated and alone. At the time, I’m sure my reasoning made sense. At least to me. I didn’t want to rock the boat – I didn’t want to cause drama in my relationship. But now that the relationship thing is no longer an issue, I’m starting to loosen up and enjoy myself. And thank God for that.

So if you’re wondering why there have only been three blog posts ALL month… I guess I’m just too busy having fun to stop and write about it most days. Maybe one day I’ll get back on track – or maybe this blog thing has run its course for me… I haven’t really decided yet.

Either way, it has definitely helped me through some tough times over the past year – and for that I’m grateful. I had no idea how therapeutic it could be to spill my heart to a bunch of total strangers. You guys are awesome – and I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around this place sometime soon.

A ghost from the past

2009-09-16T09:09:00.000-07:00

My freshman year in Troy, I met Chuck. His warm personality and impeccable taste in music drew me in immediately. He had a contagious smile and a sense of humor that was out of this world. We were friends from the very start.

As the school year drew to a close, we both found ourselves free from past relationships and we tried our luck at dating. We spent all of our free time together – cooking, laughing, partying and just enjoying ourselves. But the chemistry was never there. Don’t get me wrong – we adored each other. But we lacked the spark that is essential for a lasting relationship. By the end of summer, we decided we were better off as friends, so we ended things with no hard feelings. He met my next boyfriend and I became close friends with his girlfriend. We still talked several times a week and remained very close.

As time went on, I began seeing a different side of Chuck. As happy as he seemed on the outside, he had his demons. He started dabbling in different drugs – always calling me for counsel when he started feeling guilty about it. He drank a lot, and often made bad decisions as a result.

In July of 2005, I got a frantic phone call from his then girlfriend. Chuck got behind the wheel after way too many drinks. He had a horrible wreck that took months of recovery. He had to have reconstructive surgery on part of his face. He needed braces to correct the damage his steering wheel had done to his mouth. It was bad.

I just knew that the wreck would serve as a wake up call – that he’d settle down some and surrender his keys when he wanted to drink. I was wrong.

On February 12, 2006, I got another phone call. This time it was from Kevin (my then boyfriend and most recent ex.). He worked for the Sheriff’s department and had been called to work a wreck at two that morning. When he got there and ran the tag, he immediately called me. It was Chuck. Kevin didn’t know his status, but told me he’d call me back as soon as he did. Instead of a call, I got a knock at my door. I opened it slowly, vainly hoping for good news – but instead, Kevin looked at me with sad eyes and shook his head. I fell to pieces.

I walked through the next few weeks in a daze. I went through so many different emotions. First, I was angry. I couldn’t help it. I was so mad that he’d do something so selfish and stupid – especially after his close call less than a year before. Then there was the overwhelming sadness of losing such a close friend. It seemed so unreal – so that’s when the denial started. I refused to acknowledge it for awhile – which of course just made it that much harder when I finally had to face the fact that I’d never see him again.

But then life resumed. It had to, you know? You get busy with your life and don’t have time to dwell on being sad. Over the past three and a half years, I’ve thought about him a lot. I stop by his grave and talk to him every time I pass by the cemetery, which isn’t that often anymore. I still think about him, but not like I did back then.

That’s why last night’s dream hit me like a ton of bricks. Out of nowhere, he was there – so real and just as vivid as life. I woke up so confused. Here’s what I remember:

I was lost – I know that much. I was wandering around the woods and came upon a group of girls sitting around a fire. There with them was Chuck. I can’t explain it, but I knew he was a ghost and that I was the only one who could see him. No one seemed to see me either, though. Chuck looked up at me and smiled. “I’m lost. I need you,” I said. He just nodded, stood up and walked over to me. He never spoke – but he put his arms around me. It felt so real. I could smell him – feel his embrace. He pulled away and looked at me, and although he still didn’t say anything, I knew what he meant. His look said, “Let’s go.”

He led me by the hand through the woods. At some point, we were swimming. I kept getting pulled under, struggling to keep going. He got behind me and pushed me through the water. The next thing I remember, he was standing on the shore, pulling me out. I was sobbing and he just looked at me with knowing eyes and gave me a sad smile. I leaned into him, put my head on his chest and just as he put his arms around me – I woke up.

What is that about? It was so random, yet it seemed so significant. I’ve been in a funk all day – I just can’t shake that strange feeling I woke up with this morning.

I don’t always put a lot of stock into dream interpretation, but if any of you would like to take a shot, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I'm still alive, I promise!

2009-09-11T07:09:00.000-07:00

Wow – so it’s been awhile, huh? I don’t have much time, but thought I’d stop by for a quick update.

I’ve been staying busy as best as possible. While I don’t have any terribly exciting stories to share, I have made a wonderful friend over the past couple of months that I’m sure I’ll write about soon. I’ve become more convinced than ever that some people come into your life at precisely the right moment in time. This is definitely once of those instances.

My focus and attention problems are getting worse. I’m having a terrible time concentrating on tasks and staying on top of projects lately. It’s one of the most frustrating feelings I’ve ever experienced — knowing exactly what needs to be done but being completely incapable of focusing long enough to accomplish it all. I make to-do lists like you would not believe, then feel extreme anxiety when I fail to cross items off. I’ve been thinking pretty seriously about talking to my doctor about it. I don’t know if my problem warrants medication, but I’m to the point where I feel like it’s worth looking into. My job requires concentration and I can’t afford to keep dragging my feet around here. People can only be so understanding. Speaking of doctors, I missed two days of work last week (like I needed to be any more behind) because I was out sick with bronchitis. Fun stuff.

I’ve been feeling particularly cold-hearted lately and I hate it. Kevin and I have been broken up for two months now, and I’ve pretty much cut all contact with him. I hear that’s what you’re supposed to do when you break up, but a part of me is having a hard time. I feel like we were friends for so long, so it’s a shame we can’t still talk. But the majority of me feels like it’s entirely too hard to try to be friends right now. It’s not that I don’t care how he’s doing – it’s just that I need time to heal and move on. And aside from the occasional text, he’s respected that. I sincerely wish him nothing but the best in life. I’m just not ready to be best friends.

On a positive note, it’s FINALLY football season. For me, there’s nothing quite like a Saturday filled with the excitement of college football. Can I get a ROLL TIDE?!

And more good news: Maverick is doing fantastic. His neck is healing up quite nicely and I honestly could not ask for a better dog. He is sweet, gentle-natured and loyal beyond belief. He and Toby have become the best of friends and I’m so glad he’s become such a perfect part of our household.

Well, I guess that’s about it for now. I plan on catching up on all of your blogs this weekend. I honestly have not even signed into blogger in over a week – so I’m a bit behind…

Happy Friday!!

My new hero

2009-08-28T07:54:00.000-07:00

Ever since I rescued Maverick, people have been telling me that I’m his angel here on earth. But I think it might be the other way around. He might actually be MY angel. He most definitely came to my rescue last night when I was right on the verge of desperation.

I spent the majority of the evening cleaning my house, doing laundry and replacing light bulbs (I swear, every fixture in my house had at least one blown blub). By the time I finally stopped to catch my breath, I realized that it was after 10. I figured I’d let the dogs out, finish the dishes and get ready for bed. Of course, things NEVER go as planned.

Toby apparently thought it would be a terrific time for a late-night sprint – so before I could shut the gate behind him in the yard, he shot off down street. Now, if you’ve followed my blog for any time at all, you probably know that this isn’t such an uncommon occurrence. In fact, you’re probably wondering why I haven’t learned my lesson yet, or how the hell I keep letting that ignorant dog get away from me. Well – he’s MUCH quicker than you could ever imagine. Seriously – sometimes I don’t even realize he’s gone until he’s halfway down the block.

Maverick, being the wonderful dog that he is, only trotted to the edge of the yard and quickly came back as soon as I called after him. I put him in the backyard and shut the gate before I took off down the street after Toby.

After several minutes of running, he finally found a fenced in yard that looked inviting. I snuck in behind him and shut the gate, feeling better now that he was corralled in one area and not roaming along the highway. Unfortunately, the yard was huge and I kept worrying that the owners would eventually come out yelling (or shooting) at me for being on their property at such a late hour.

We literally ran circles around this yard for twenty minutes. I was sweating and tired and on the verge of tears. He played deaf and refused to come to me, no matter how many times I pleaded. I honestly thought very seriously about leaving a note on the door of this house telling the people that they were more than welcomed to keep the dog that was now penned up in their backyard.

Finally, exhausted and frustrated beyond belief, I sat down on the edge of a plastic slide, trying hard to keep my angry tears held inside. About that time, I heard a noise at the gate and I figured the owners had reached their breaking point and were coming to kick me out of their yard. Only when I looked up, I realized the noise had come from my new hero, Maverick. The little angel had managed to open the gate at our house and TRACK me two blocks down the road. He sat there patiently waiting for me to let him in this stranger’s yard. As soon as I did, Toby came up to us and I was finally able to pick him up and take his little miscreant butt home. Maverick led the way and was waiting at the door when Toby and I got there.

I curtly told Toby that I was ashamed of him, for what good that did. He has been treated so well and spoiled beyond belief for the past two years, yet every chance he gets, he runs off. Then there’s Maverick – the poor dog has never been properly trained, yet he minds so well. And not only does he not run away – he follows my scent over a quarter of a mile to find me and lead me home.

Maybe he can teach Toby a thing or two.

Say what?!

2009-08-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

Holy cow!!

I just realized that I now have 104 followers! Who are you people and why do you care about my little mundane life?! That’s incredible.

When I started blogging, I had no idea what I was getting into. I thought I’d publish a few posts, then move along. But something amazing happened. I started getting comments from complete strangers. I started seeing visitors coming in from around the world: Australia, Spain, Romania, Japan, India, Germany, Canada, Mexico… I was hooked. I never thought I’d feel such strong feelings of friendship for people I’ve never met in real life.

So thank all of you who take the time to stop by each day and read my random thoughts. If you leave comments, you have no idea how much appreciate your kind words – they get me through the day sometimes! And if you don’t leave comments… well, that’s okay too. But I’d really like to hear from you! Even if it’s just a short hello.

Don’t be a stranger!

Not for the squeamish...

2009-08-26T08:53:00.001-07:00

I picked Maverick up from the vet yesterday and got some heartbreaking news: the poor puppy has heartworms. I have to take him back in two weeks to have his wounds reevaluated and we’ll discuss treatment options then. Thankfully I have a wonderfully supportive family that has been very generous in my efforts to get Mav healthy. My dad and stepmama have helped fund this initial visit (THANK YOU!!) and my mom and stepdad have offered to help with the heartworm treatment (THANK YOU!!) I’m so glad I come from a family that understands and shares my love for animals. You guys are awesome!

The vet gave me two weeks worth of oral antibiotics that I have to give him twice daily, as well as a solution that I have to dilute with water. Each day I have to fill a syringe with the mixture and flush out his wounds. Thankfully Mav is a really sweet, laid-back dog and he’s been very good at taking his treatments so far.

He and Toby have gotten along splendidly. They play (and nap) together quite well. I’ve yet to introduce him to Ollie – I don’t think he has any experience with kitties, so I’m keeping them separated for now. In fact, as much as it breaks my heart, Ollie may be going to live with a friend of mine pretty soon. She’s about to move into a new home by herself and I think the company would be good for her. And with two dogs (one wounded and one just plain retarded) I think I’m going to have my hands full.

Now – if you’re at all squeamish, please discontinue reading. I’m about to post a few pictures of the damage to Maverick’s neck and side. You’ve been warned.

This first picture isn't so bad. If you look closesly, you'll see some old wounds that the vet found when he was doing his physical. Apparently he’d been bitten before and received no care then, either. These aren’t nearly as bad as whats on his neck.

Now, here’s the really sad one. You can see the two wounds, with the bottom one obviously being the worst.

I know I’ve said it before, but I just DO NOT understand how people can let their dog get hurt like this and not do something about it. You better believe that if Toby were to get chewed up, I’d be rushing his little butt to the vet so fast it’d make your head spin. If the office was closed, I’d be calling the vet at home and telling him to get to the clinic ASAP.

Anyway, despite the pain that he has to be in, Maverick remains in good spirits. His tail wags constantly and his tongue is permanently hanging from his mouth. He’s such a good-natured goof.

How can you not love this face?

Call me crazy...

2009-08-25T07:45:00.001-07:00

I think I’m going to make a big sign to hang on my front door that reads, “Heather’s Home for Lost, Unwanted and Mistreated Animals.”

My little furry family has gained another member.

Meet Maverick the German Wirehair Pointer.

Pitiful, right? Y’all, he is about the sweetest thing I have ever met and his story broke my heart.
To sum it up shortly, he is a very expensive hunting dog who was no longer wanted after the novelty of a having a puppy wore off. His owners dropped him off at my friend’s house. Unfortunately, this particular friend and his family already had three other dogs and they weren’t too keen on having another one around to feed. They talked a lot about getting rid of him – joking that they’d just drop him off on a dirt road if they didn’t think he’d find his way back again. Y’all, I don’t joke like that. I told them I’d take him home with me. They didn’t think anything of it, and I didn’t pursue it like I should’ve until this past weekend.

Friday night I noticed that Maverick had a big spot of discolored, badly matted fur on his neck. I asked what happened and my friend casually said, “Oh, Miller (one of their other dogs) bit him.” I looked closer and saw two HUGE gaping wounds on Maverick’s neck. I asked what they were going to do about it and this is the response I got: “Nothing. He’ll be fine.”

They proceeded to tell me that if it got too bad, or if he got sick, they’d just take him to the woods and shoot him. I almost threw up. I said, “LIKE HELL YOU WILL.”

Needless to say, first thing Saturday morning I showed up and informed them that Maverick was coming to live with me. I took him home, bathed him, cleaned his wounds and introduced him to Toby.

I took him to the vet yesterday and they kept him overnight. They said the wounds were badly infected and they’d need to clean them out and start him on antibiotics. Apparently Maverick’s old owners took him this vet once upon a time, so they had his records on file. Turns out, he’s just shy of three years old, but has not had any shots or medication in the past two years.

I’ve never understood people who get pets and then don’t take care of them. They aren’t toys to play with until something new comes along. They’re living, breathing, feeling beings who will love you unconditionally. All they need in return is a little nurturing.

People complain that vet bills are too expensive. “They’re just dogs,” they say. Yes. They’re dogs. Dogs that you didn’t have to get in the first place if you weren’t willing to make a commitment to their health and wellbeing. Dogs that deserve a loving, happy home. Dogs that do NOT deserve to be in constant pain because you let their neck get so infected it started oozing puss. (Sorry for that last one. I know it’s gross. I saw it first hand yesterday.)

Anyway – I’m getting off my soapbox now.

I’ll keep you updated on the healing process. I’m sure I’ve gotten myself in too deep – I’m sure I need another animal like I need a hole in the head. But regardless, he’s here now and will be taken care of and loved very much.

It's not easy being this smart...

2009-08-19T07:12:00.000-07:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: Hi, my name is ______ and I am a _______. (inspired by Emmy from Emmy Mom One Day At A Time.)

Hi, my name is Heather and I am a COMPLETE MORON!

Let me explain.

Yesterday afternoon I found myself locked out of my house. Barefoot. In the rain. On my lunch break.

I was wearing a really cute (but totally impractical) pair of heels that I slipped off as soon as I walked in the door. I ate a quick lunch, did a few chores around the house then decided I’d go back to work a little early (it’s been a busy week). Without thinking twice, I walked outside to get Toby from the yard and pulled the door shut behind me. Only Miss Genius here automatically locked the door out of habit and found herself standing under the carport barefoot with no way to get back in. Brilliant, right? Luckily I had my cell phone in my pocket. I tried my landlord with no luck. I tried several people from work with no luck. I tried my friend Jessica, hoping she could bring me a pair of shoes and drop me off at work, but she was out of town for the day. FINALLY, I got in touch with a lady from my office who was able to come pick me up – and she just so happened to have an extra pair of shoes in her car. Halleluiah. I don’t know what I would’ve done if she didn’t. My purse was locked in the house, so it’s not like I could go buy a pair to wear.

My landlord finally called me back late yesterday afternoon to inform me that she is OUT OF TOWN until tomorrow. Awesome. So a friend dropped me off after work and I waited patiently in the rain for a locksmith to come and let me into my house. Ten minutes and forty dollars later, I was finally in.

Moral of the story? It’s a good idea to have a spare key or two incase you’re an idiot.

Oh, the irony....

2009-08-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

Life is funny sometimes, isn’t it?

Growing up, I had big dreams. I wanted to travel – wanted to see the world. I dreamed of living in an apartment in New York. I imagined all of these grand adventures I would have and interesting people I would meet.

In high school, I started dating a guy who changed some of those dreams. I was “in love” and we talked about our future life together. He wanted to stick close to home and told me numerous times that he had no desire to travel anywhere too far away. We made it through high school and I chose a college in my little southern state so I wouldn’t be too far away from him. In the beginning, I hated my small-town life. I was bored and constantly thought about leaving and starting over somewhere new. But a funny thing happened at the end of my first year. By the time me and my childhood sweetheart broke up, I was in love with my life in Troy. I made friends and eventually began dating my most recent ex, who was even less keen on the idea of moving away from his hometown. So I did what I had to do to make sure I stuck as close as possible – that’s how I wound up here at my current job.

And I’ve learned to love life in my small town. I enjoy the slower pace and friendly people and I’ve tried to become as involved in my community as possible, joining service groups like Junior Service League and Kiwanis Club. I go to church and have a good circle of friends. I enjoy the rolling pastures and lake views that my little town offers – and overall I’m very satisfied with where my life has brought me. But there are days I still dream of something more exciting.

And you want to know the funniest part? A few nights ago I spoke with my high school sweetie – the one who wanted to stick close to home. The one I made sacrifices for several years ago. As we were catching up on life and everything that has gone on since we broke up five years ago, I couldn’t help but laugh a little. Mister “I want to stay in Alabama” is currently living in Hawaii and is relocating to Miami at the end of next month. He joined the Coast Guard, and as a result, has been able to live in some gorgeous places. And mister “I have no desire to travel overseas” will be heading to Spain for training this year. So, as I volunteer to make funnel cakes and judge the photo contest at the county fair in the fall, he’ll probably be seeing some of the most gorgeous beaches in the world.

Yep. Life sure is funny.

Where's the love?

2009-08-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

I’ve been thinking about faith a lot lately – well, religion in general, I guess. I’ve noticed (with startling frequency) the number of people who have a really bad impression of Christians, and after some soul searching, I think I’ve figured out why.

A lot of people who call themselves Christians have stopped practicing the way of Christ. We’re taught that He was compassionate, loving and accepting of everyone, no matter how tarnished their reputation. Yet today, too many of us are judgmental of those who don’t fit our idea of an upstanding citizen. Some so-called Christians preach fire and brimstone, eternal damnation and the wrath of God, yet often forget to preach love, compassion and forgiveness – which, in my opinion, are some of the most wonderful aspects of the Christian faith.

Instead of leading by example, too many of us try to scare people into salvation. For example, take this verse from Corey Smith’s song “Where’s the Love”:

Young boy from a trailer park is lost and confused,
Lost faith in God after all the shit that he'd been through.
One day the preacher drops by, says "Boy, you had better change your ways,
Lord knows you're a sinner, son, and you'd burn in Hell if you died today."
Well, that news didn't sit too good with a boy who had done the best he could.
Church talk has scared him to death like his drunken father said it would.

Where's the love?
Where'd your love go, my savior?
Oh where's the love?
Where's the love that Jesus spoke of?

I don’t know – I’m not trying to get preachy here. I generally keep my religious beliefs off of my blog – but I couldn’t get this off my mind today.

What are your thoughts?

Do think some Christians take the wrong approach when talking to nonbelievers?

The perfect storm

2009-08-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday y’all got to see my sassy side. See, I’m not all smiles and sweetness. Bet ya think I’m a real tough cookie now, huh? Yep. That’s me. You should be scared.

Or not.

Anyway, moving on…

I saw the most incredible lightning storm last night. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it before, but I have always been completely fascinated with lightning. I could watch it for hours. There’s something about it that sparks a childlike excitement in me. And last night, I had the perfect view. I was sitting on a big front porch, overlooking nothing but pastures and ponds. No buildings to block my view. No city lights to take away from the effect. I’ve never seen so much lightning so continuously. The sky lit up with Mother Nature’s very own fireworks for over an hour. The only sound was the soft patter of rain and the rolling booms of thunder. It was fantastic.

I was much too preoccupied enjoying the sights to snap a picture, but I found this one online and thought it was pretty:

Is it sad the the highlight of my week so far has been watching a storm? Guess that shows you how exciting my social life is :)

If I only had the hutzpah... whatever that is

2009-08-11T09:45:00.000-07:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: List ten things you would say to ten different people in your life...if you had the hutzpah. (inspired by Cassandra from Cassagram)

It’s been awhile since I’ve done one of these, so I figured I was overdue.

We all have things that we hold back – comments we want to say but simply don’t have the “hutzpah” to spit out. I’m using my context clues with this one, seeing as I have no idea what hutzpah actually is… I guessing it’s nerve? Gall? Guts? Am I close? (We’ll just pretend I am.) So, if I had the hutzpah, I would say:

To a certain self-pitying friend: Enough already! We’re here if you need us, but there’s only so much anyone can do when you lock yourself in your house. Sometimes life sucks for no apparent reason. Move on and LIVE YOUR LIFE.

To an old college professor: Dude, I missed two classes all semester. I came in late (still during roll call) a few times. You gave me an FA. Failure to attend. Seriously? Then you told me I could write a paper for each absence, which I did. With a broken wrist. And you still failed me. Oh, did I mention I made an A on every paper I turned in that semester? Yeah… I loved repeating your class. Jerk. Get over yourself.

To the woman wearing a tube top and falling out of her hip hugger jeans at the grocery store: No one needs to see that while they’re shopping for food. You’ve single-handedly made the entire store lose their appetite. Thanks. Please come back when you’re not dressed for the Jerry Springer show.

To someone who will remain nameless: You frustrate me beyond belief. I’m not sure how to handle myself around you and that terrifies and confuses me.

To my parents: Where are my musical genes? Where is my rhythm? Why can’t I clap to a beat or hum a damn note on key? I blame you. Seriously. I could’ve been a rock star.

To one of my long-time besties: Honey, I love you, but a giant Coach bag (while gorgeous, I’m sure) is not something I want to hear about when I’m telling you about my breakup. I’m very excited that you have a generous boyfriend who spoils you rotten, but bringing that up when I’m telling you about my misfortunes? Not so cool. Just sayin’.

And finally, to myself: Loosen up and believe in yourself, chickadee! Life is too short to doubt yourself so much. Have fun and quit worrying and over analyzing every situation!

Well, I didn’t make it to ten, but that’s all I have for now. And ya know? It felt good to get a few of those off my chest. I might have to do that more often.

Friday ramblings...

2009-08-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

Another weekend - woo hoo!

I honestly have zero plans for tonight, which scares me a little. I've gotten so used to staying busy. The idea of sitting at home is a little overwhelming. It's still early evening, though, so maybe something will come up. Don't get me wrong...I'm not afraid to be home alone with my thoughts. I've just become so used to being constantly entertained. Constantly surrounded by friends. Maybe I've become a little dependent.

Tomorrow morning should be fun, though. I'm going to go over to a friend's house to swim and layout. Good Lord knows I need some sun. I'm beginning to get transparent. After that I have plans... I just don't know what they are yet. Apparently there are few options on the table.

Anyway - no matter what I wind up doing this weekend, one thing is for certain: It'll be here in my sleepy little town. And you know what? I'm finally okay with that. Just a few months ago (maybe even last month) I had my bags packed and ready to go when I got off work every Friday. I found every excuse I could to leave. Birmingham, Destin, Mississippi, Mobile - not to mention Montana and Wyoming. I just had to get out of here. Not anymore. I have realized that I actually really, really like it here. Which is definitely good for my gas tank (and my wallet).

Therapy, of sorts...

2009-08-05T08:23:00.000-07:00

In all honesty, I’m not sure how to do this. Granted, I’ve never had any problems expressing my feelings… but these are feelings I’d really rather keep to myself. However, it’s been suggested that it might be therapeutic to type out some thoughts regarding last month’s big break up.

Let’s see… how do I feel? Sad, disappointed. Like I lost my very best friend. I think that’s actually the hardest part. As in any relationship, we shared a lot of laughs and there were times I felt he understood me better than anyone else ever had. Of course, there were also times when I wondered if he knew me at all.

It’s hard to face the realization that someone you care for so deeply might not be the right person for you. I’m not going to go into personal details here. I’m not going to point fingers or place any blame – but I will say that my heart had been hurting for quite some time. In the end, it was a hurt that I couldn’t deal with anymore. A pain that I just couldn’t face for the rest of my life.

So, I’m dealing with it in my own way. I’m staying as busy as possible and trying not to dwell on my sadness. I want to move on with my life. I want to be happy. And I want him to do the same. No matter how things ended for us, Kevin was a huge part of my life for a very, very long time. (We met when I was 19.) I genuinely hope that he can find happiness. I wish him nothing but the very best in life.

I find myself wondering how long it’ll hurt. It’s been about a month, and there are still days that it feels brand new. I came across some pictures yesterday and nearly fell apart at work. Not good. But then there are also moments - when I’m surrounded by friends, laughing and enjoying life - that I almost feel normal. It’s like a see-saw.

Anyway – I know I’ll be fine. These things happen every day and my case is not unique. Things WILL get better.

What bad mood?

2009-08-04T09:39:00.000-07:00

“Man – I’m having one of those days. I knew it would happen eventually. I knew all of my positive thoughts and good vibes would waiver at some point. I’m not saying that they’re gone – they’re still there, relentlessly fighting to get back to the surface and kick this sullen mood I’m in.

For the most part, things have been good lately. I’ve been putting in a lot of time with friends, staying busy and trying to keep my mind occupied. I know that I have to deal with memories, thoughts and sadness – I know I can’t put those off forever. But sometimes they hit me so hard.”

I was in the process of writing this yesterday and never finished. As I sat there, struggling for the right words, a friend of mine called and asked if I wanted to come over and help her babysit her brother-in-law’s kids. So, having nothing better to do, I happily agreed. And you know what? That was just the thing I needed.

I had the best time with those adorable little kids. We laughed, played games and acted as silly as possible. By the time I left, I didn’t even remember being in a bad mood. I signed back into blogger this morning and saw that I had a draft saved – I couldn’t believe how drastically my mood had changed since then.

There was definitely a bit of magic in their laughter that brought me back to good spirits. There’s something about hearing a six year old tell you, “YOU’RE FUN!” that really makes things better.

And their charm has held. So far today, I’m upbeat and staying positive. Next time I’m feeling down, maybe I’ll ask to borrow them for awhile. It seems that playing make-believe, eating ice cream and having my hair “fixed” made all the difference in the world.

Thank ya... thank ya very much

2009-07-31T13:09:00.000-07:00

Big shout out to RileyScott and Judge Fudge who both gave me terrific awards last week (or the week before…or the week before the week before? I’m a little slow sometimes.)

First, is the Kreativ Blogger award from the very funny Judge. To accept the honor, I must tell you seven things I love. And here they are:

Meeting new people. This has been a big deal for me lately, as I’m trying to make my little town feel more like home. I’ve been pretty successful and am feeling pretty good about my expanding list of friends. I’ve even discovered that not ALL of my neighbors are retired with great grandkids. Some of them are actually pretty close to my age. Score.

Sweet tea, which was sorely missed on my trip out west. Why is it that NO ONE else in the United States knows how to make sweet tea like us Southerners? It’s not a tough concept people! Add sugar while the tea is hot, then pour over ice. The end.

Thunderstorms. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sunshine and blue sky kind of girl most days… but I love sitting on a covered porch and watching a thunderstorm. I love the sounds and the smell of rain. And I love watching the sky illuminate with each bolt of lightning.

Good ol’ fashioned belly-laughs. The kind that you almost can’t recover from. When you laugh so hard you find yourself short of breath but still can’t stop laughing. Those are the best.

Unexpected good news. For instance, I just found out today that instead of decreasing (as predicted), my dad’s kidney function is actually INCREASING. Hallelujah!

Coffee. And more coffee. And maybe a little bit more – just to be sure I’ve had enough.

YOU. All of you. Anyone who takes a minute or two out of their day to check in on me and read about my boring little life. And those of you who leave sweet, funny, thoughtful comments? Yeah… I definitely love you.

Now, moving right along… RileyScott kindly passed the Honest Scrap award my way. To accept this one, I have to tell you ten random (yet honest?) things about me.

I hate scary movies. I do. So much. I watched one Wednesday night with some friends and literally could NOT sleep all night long. I kept the light on in my room like a baby. With every creak of my old house, I prepared myself for the worst – convinced that Jason was going to come slice me open if I fell asleep. I’m such a wuss.

I talk to my dog like he’s a person.

I thrive on change. To say the very least, I’m definitely not set in my ways. Sometimes I daydream about moving somewhere new and starting from scratch. It seems pretty exciting.

When I was little (like four years old), I wanted to be Johnny Appleseed. I had a book about him and thought that it would be so much fun to roam around planting trees all day. I thought he was the coolest. (Shut up. I was four!)

Don’t tell anyone, but I secretly watch Hannah Montana. Hmm, I guess it’s not such a secret anymore. Oh well, it’s not like I said that I secretly thought Billy Ray Cyrus was cute (even when he had a mullet.) Nooo… I didn’t say that.

I think I could survive off of mashed potatoes.

I’m determined. Others might say relentless. Or stubborn. Or hard-headed. Or nagging. Or that I tend to beat a dead horse. Whatever. I just like to get my point across.

I tend to invent words. It started early. Apparently, my word of choice when I was about seven was “cinchy.” As in “That’s a cinch.” or “That’s easy.” Only it’d come out, “Oh, that’s cinchy.” My mom and stepdad say they hated it because it made me sound like a know-it-all.

I hate shoes that have to be tied. I especially hate shoes you have to wear socks with. I hate it when one shoe is tied tighter than the other, or when your sock gets a wrinkle in it or bunches up near your toes, or around your heel. I don’t know how many times I adjust my socks or retie my tennis shoes when I wear them. It’s my very own little obsessive-compulsive tick.

I’ve been practicing my cursive. Some girls have the prettiest flowing handwriting. Me? I was told that my cursive looks like a five year grabbed a pen and started scribbling. So I’ve been working on it. And personally, I think it’s getting much better. If you squint and tilt your head sideways, it’s almost legible now.

Well, that’s it. Nothing left to do now but share these with a couple of deserving bloggers.

For the Kreativ Blogger award, I choose Trudy at Third Time’s a Charm.

And for the Honest Scrap… scarlethue at A Beautiful Truth.

Want more?

2009-07-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

Okay - here's a link to my Flickr page so you can see more vacation shots. I didn't upload all of them... that'd be a little overwhelming. We'll take baby steps here, okay?

Anyway, go check it out if ya want. If not, then just ignore this little post. :)

I'm baaaack....

2009-07-29T07:32:00.000-07:00

And feeling so good! My trip out west was just what the doctor ordered. We had such a good time.

Y'all, I've never in my life seen such gorgeous scenery. I still can't get over it. We flew into Billings, Montana, and over the course of a week, circled Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park before flying back home (at 6:00!) yesterday morning.

The weather was warmer than we expected - they would have a heat wave the week we roll into town - but it was still pleasant. The lack of humidity was a wonderful thing. My hair actually stayed straight everyday instead of turning into a big frizzball like it does down here.

I can't begin to describe the landscape. Everywhere we went was so different. One day we'd be looking at rolling fields of wildflowers in front of a mountain backdrop, then the next day would be an uninhabitable terrain of boiling water and bubbling mud pits. Still another day was an arid landscape of red rocks jutting from bare earth. I, personally, really enjoyed the Tetons, which were still capped with snow in some areas.

As a family, we shared a lot of laughs over the week (mostly at each other's expense - at least we can joke on each other). It was wonderful to spend a week with my little brother, who is growing up faster than I'd like to admit. I got to see, first hand, how smart (and goofy) he is becoming.

I'm sure I could ramble on and on about my time out there, but it wouldn't do it any justice. So, without further ado, here are a few pictures from my trip. I'll try to get a Flickr page up and going soon with the rest - I don't want to bog Blogger down with too many right now.

The Tetons

South of Cody, Wyoming

My mom and stepdad

We saw SO many of these guys - one even crossed the road in front of us.

Elk - we actually saw a lot of wildlife. We saw antelope, bison, big horn sheep, a wolf, grizzly bear, mule deer, bald eagle, moose... and probably lots more that I'm not thinking of right now.

Old Trail Town in Cody, Wyoming - home to several old cabins, stores and saloons from the days of Jeremiah Johnson, Buffalo Bill Cody, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

During a hike in Alta, Wyoming

Lower Falls at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

The canyon

Part of the Yellowstone River

Outside the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana

Excited? Duh...

2009-07-20T08:35:00.001-07:00

Guess what time it is?!

Time for me to get super excited about my trip. Yes, friends. As soon as I get off work tomorrow afternoon, I’m heading to Birmingham to meet up with my family. By Wednesday evening, our adventure out West will officially begin.

We’ll fly into Billings, MT and make our way down to Jackson, WY over the course of the week. We’ll explore as much of Yellowstone as we can, before reaching the Grand Tetons and seeing some of – in my opinion – the most spectacular scenery in the country.

I still haven’t packed. I know, I know… way to wait till the last minute, right? I spent most of the weekend swimming and hanging out with friends and just couldn’t get myself into organize and pack mode. I have my very first Junior Service League meeting tonight (yep, I’m trying to get involved in my community) but as soon as that’s over, I’ll be running around like a chicken with my head cut off, throwing anything and everything I can think of into my suitcase.

I’m dropping Ollie off at my friend Kelley’s house tonight – then running by the doggie daycare first thing tomorrow morning to drop off Toby. I’m a little sad to be leaving my babies for so long, but I know they’ll be well taken care of.

Anyway, this will probably be my last post for awhile. I’ll be sure to take lots and lots of pictures of the gorgeousness to share with you when I get back. In the meantime, check out some of these images I stole from various places on the Web:

See you on the other side of my vacation!

Go ahead and laugh - it's okay

2009-07-16T07:19:00.000-07:00

So, are you guys ready to laugh at my expense? Come on, you know you want to. Just listen to a few of the things that went down yesterday.

We had a company wide pizza luncheon, so the boardroom was filled with people hanging out, eating and watching Andy Griffith DVDs on a giant projector screen. Everything was going fine – we were all sitting around, talking and enjoying ourselves. Then I thought I’d get back to work a little early and get some things done. So I stood up and started making my way down one of the long aisles of tables and chairs. Suddenly, my foot caught something and CRASH. I knocked over a chair. Loudly. And then I nearly fell over it. With my plate and Dr Pepper in hand. And everyone seemed to stop what they were doing and look at me. I lost it. I just cracked up and could not stop laughing. Half the people I work with probably think I’m a klutz now. The other half either already knew, or had already gone back to their desks.

Then, as I was getting up to leave work, I stepped on my own toe with my high heel. OUCH. Who does that? Me, apparentely.

So, I made my way home, ready to relax and enjoy my afternoon. I got out at the house and opened the storm door. I put my key in the inside door and – per routine – leaned into the door with my shoulder to push it open (it tends to stick). Only when I leaned into the door, it suddenly felt like someone lit my arm on fire. Wasp. Or yellow jacket. Or some type of flying, stinging devil bug. I don’t know. I didn’t look too closely. I was too busy yelling obscenities at it while rubbing my arm, convinced that it might soon fall off.

After making sure the stupid thing was gone, I changed clothes and started some laundry. It was raining, so I had not taken Toby out yet. I guess he was extra eager. As soon as the door opened even a few inches, he shot off down the street before I could stop him. Great. So, on top of my toe hurting from stepping on it with my heel, and my arm hurting from being stung – I had to chase my idiot dog down the road barefoot. In the rain. By the time I caught him, we were both covered in grass and mud.

Yeah. Yesterday was a good day. At least I was able to find a little humor in it all.

But I survived. And today I’m starting fresh. A good friend of mine told me that you have to “Dominate your day. Don’t let your day dominate you.” Yesterday totally kicked my butt, but today? Who knows? It’s looking pretty good so far.

Sounds like life to me...

2009-07-15T13:21:00.000-07:00

Hello again.

Have you ever had weeks, or maybe months – or how about entire years – that seem to be working against you?

*sigh*

Because I definitely have.

But you know what? The other day, while I was wallowing in my sorrows, I heard a song on the radio that made me nod my head and say, “Yeah… that’s a good way to look at things.”

Check out the lyrics to “Sounds Like Life To Me” by Darryl Worley:

Got a call last night, from an old friend’s wife.
Said “I hate to bother you,
Johnny Ray fell off the wagon,
He’s been gone all afternoon.”
I know my buddy, so I drove to Skully’s
And found him at the bar.
I say, “Hey man, what’s going on?”
He said, “I don’t know where to start.

Sarah’s old car’s about to fall apart,
And the washer quit last week.
We had to put Mama in the nursing home
And the baby’s cutting teeth.
I didn’t get much work this week
And I got bills to pay.”
I said, “I know this ain’t what you want hear,
But it’s what I’m gonna say,

Sounds like life to me. It ain’t no fantasy.
It’s just a common case of everyday reality.
Man I know it’s tough, but you gotta suck it up.
To hear you talk, you’re caught up in some tragedy.
It sounds like life to me.”

Well, his face turned red and he shook his head.
He said, ‘You don’t understand.
Three kids and a wife depend on me,
And I’m just one man.
To top it off, I just found out
That Sarah’s two months late.”
I said, “Hey bartender, set us up a round.
We need to celebrate!

Sounds like life to me. Plan old destiny.
Yeah, the only thing for certain is uncertainty.
You gotta hold on tight, just enjoy the ride.
Get used to all this unpredictability.
Sounds like life.

Man, I know it’s tough, but you gotta suck it up.
To hear you talk, you’re caught up in some tragedy.
Sounds like life to me.”

Pretty good, right? I mean, apart from all of the “ain’ts” and such. But the part that really hit home for me was the, “Man, I know it’s tough. But you gotta suck it up.”

I guess that’s where I’m at right now. I gotta just suck it up and get on with life.

And for those of you wondering… I’m single again. Things didn’t work out. And I really don’t want to talk about it right now.

All you ever wanted to know (and probably some you didn't)

2009-07-09T13:57:00.000-07:00

The very sweet Kelly over at My Voice, My View knew that I’d been hard pressed for blog material lately. So, being the sweetheart that she is, she tagged me for this fun little meme. It's kind of long, but let's face it - I know you lie awake at night, wishing you could know a little more about me. So here ya go. You're welcome.

The Rules:

1. Respond and rework. Answer the questions on your blog. Replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention, and add one more question of your own.

2. Tag other people.

What is your current obsession? The Sookie Stackhouse book series and TrueBlood DVDs – thanks Jen! Add that with my love for Twilight and people are going start thinking I’m a vamp lover. (Or Fang Banger, as they’re so delicately called in the books.)

What are you wearing today? Black pants, and magenta shirt and white, strappy sandals – at least that’s what I wore to work. Now I’m in a pair of plaid lounge shorts and a tank top.

What’s for dinner? I don’t know yet – that’s usually a last minute, what-can-I-grab type thing for me.

What would you eat for your last meal? Roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, butter beans, mac and cheese and a roll. And banana pudding. Yum.

What relaxes you the most? This week has been all about my gianormous Jacuzzi tub and a glass or two of wine.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? I’d get a head start on my trip to Montana.

Which language do you want to learn? I would absolutely LOVE to learn Italian. It’s not exactly practical, but I think it’s a gorgeous language. And who knows? Maybe I’ll move to Italy one day and it would be really handy.

What do you love most about where you currently live? It has a lot of small-town charm. The street lamp-lined sidewalks, town square and local farmer’s market – I love it all. I miss being away from my friends and family, but I couldn’t ask for a better little town to call home.

What style is your current home decorated in? Is comfortable a style? Ha – I don’t know what you’d call it, but it fits me and feels very much like home. It has a warm and cozy feel to it.

If you were a time traveler what era would you live in? The 60s, for sure. I did a post on that one time – see?

What is your favorite color? Blue – all shades and variations.

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe? I don’t normally wear 'em, but right now I’m digging this pretty little skirt I bought a few weeks ago. It’s so girly, which is normally not me at all. Here it is:

What were you doing ten years ago? I was 14 and about to start my freshman year of high school. I had an infant brother that I was still getting used to and life was a little chaotic.

If you had $300 now, what would you spend it on? A new iPod – mine’s full and I need more space!

What are you going to do after this? Remember that gianormous Jacuzzi tub I spoke of earlier? It’s calling my name.

What are your favorite films? I’m a big fan of the Boondock Saints, Across the Universe, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Sabrina (the original), the Godfather trilogy, Spanglish, The Princess Bride, Gone With the Wind, Dazed and Confused (it has a great soundtrack!), and…more than I can name. I love movies – hence my ever expanding Netflix queue.

Your favorite books? Okay, now this is just impossible. I love every word Greg Iles has ever written, along with James Rollins and Chuck Palahniuk. Aside from that, my bookshelves (and Kindle) are usually filled with either action/adventure or mystery/suspense. I love books that grab your attention from page one and keep you reading well into the night – turning pages with speed to see what will happen next.

Do you collect anything? Nope – but my floor and furniture tend to collect dog hair.

What makes you follow a blog? It varies, but most of the blogs I follow belong to funny, insightful, honest people that I can relate to in some way or another. Monetary bribes don’t hurt, either. Just sayin’.

What’s your favorite candy? Mike & Ikes – I love the fruity, chewy goodness. Man, now I want some!

Ann's Question:What makes you comment on a blog? I used to comment on every blog I read, every day. But I’ve been a lurker lately, only commenting on the posts that I really have something to say about. I guess I’ve just been short on words.

Amy's Question: What is your favorite thing to do when you have some free time? Read, talk to friends, hike when the weather’s nice and I’m somewhere pretty, watch movies, go for a drive, play with the animals… I’m pretty self-entertaining.

Tonya's question:What is a talent you wished you had? Well, I’d love to pick up the guitar that’s sitting in my guest room and magically know how to play it. My lessons fizzled out and the whole “teach myself” thing hasn’t worked, so far.

Gena's question:As you may know, I am all about "Serene Moments", so what is your "Serene Moment"? I might have mentioned it before – but see, I have this great big tub… and I can turn on some music, soak for awhile and forget everything else.

Noelle's question: If you could go to heaven, who would you see and why? My granddads, Prof. Warden and my friend, Chuck. I miss them all very much.

Vickie's question: Who is your favorite actor? I don’t really have one. But I do love Hugh Laurie, who plays House. He embodies the character SO well.

Kitten's question: Other than Blogger, Facebook, and/or Twitter, what are your most frequently-visited websites? I don’t check any site frequently, but I do update my queue on Netflix pretty religiously.

Kelly’s question: What was your favorite subject in school? I loved my journalism and literature classes – but I probably had the most fun in my mythology class. The professor was hilarious and each class was like story time. Surprisingly, I also loved my Western Civ. classes – but again, I think it was the professor who made them so good.

My question: Are you an early bird or a night owl?
I used to be a night owl – I could easily see the sun come up before heading to bed. Not anymore. I’m sleepy by 9:30. In bed by 10. But I’m most definitely not an early bird either. Do not expect me to get up cheerfully. Smiles are not usually handed out until after my morning coffee. I guess I’m more of an early evening gal. How exciting, right?

Now it’s time to pass it on. Savannah, Jen and Kim – I’d love to read your answers! Be sure to add your own question at the end to keep things interesting. Anyone else who wants to do it, feel free! I don’t discriminate. Just let me know you’ve done it so I can come learn more about you.

My apologies...

2009-07-09T09:45:00.001-07:00

I know I’ve been MIA a lot lately. From my own blog, as well as yours. I’m sorry for the lack of comments. I’m still hanging around, lurking in the shadows most days. I’ll try to do better, but I’m not making any promises. I was falling into that dangerously consuming obsession of feeling like I was missing something if I didn’t read a billion blogs a day and I felt like I should take a few steps back.

Plus there really hasn’t been anything blog-worthy in my world lately. Sure, there’s a lot going on – but it’s not all been fun and games and I just don’t have the energy or the desire to drag it all out into the open.

Let’s just say that my trip out west could not come at a better time. We moved it back a week, so now I’m counting down the days to July 22 – when I’ll be on a plane to Billings, MT to start a week worth of down time surrounded by some of the country’s most beautiful scenery. I’m so glad that my family enjoys outdoorsy stuff and that (even though I’m technically grown and gone) they’re allowing me to be a kid again and crash their vacation.

So, only thirteen more days until I get a chance to see one of these guys:

I'll be happy when...

2009-07-01T14:20:00.000-07:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: I’ll be happy when…

You know what? Scratch that. Why do we always say that? “I’ll be happy when…” Or, “I’d be happy if…” Why can’t we just be happy now? That’s my philosophy today.

We should all quit waiting for something or someone to make us happy.

So today, I am happy because:

We have a three-day weekend and I’ll be in Birmingham with my friends and family for the Fourth of July.

I have the first two disks of True Blood: Season One waiting on me at home for my viewing pleasure.

It’s summertime and I’m planning on hitting the pool at some point this weekend for some much needed sunshine.

I know that even though he’s over an hour away, I have someone who loves me and has my back no matter what.

I have an amazing family vacation just around the corner and will get to see some incredible, awe inspiring views.

OH MY GOSH – TIME OUT! I just realized that I never told y’all the best news! My stepmom is a kidney match for my dad! They found out a few weeks ago. I can’t believe I didn’t blog about that already. What’s wrong with me? He won’t have the transplant for awhile, but it’s such a relief to know that he has a match and won’t have to go on the donor list. I literally danced a little jig the day they called to tell me.

So yeah – as you can see, I have plenty to be happy about today And most everyday for that matter.

Won't you share in my excitement?

2009-06-29T17:12:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry to inform you that you'll have to look elsewhere for reading material July 14-20.

Because I'll be at YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK!

I found out today that I'll be able to take the time off work to fly to Montana with my family. Two weeks from tomorrow. As in really soon. Which is good, considering I've never been much for the whole "patiently waiting" thing.

I cannot begin to tell you how stoked I am about this. I've wanted to go there ever since I can remember. The mountains. The hiking. The fishing. The rafting. The horseback riding. The wildlife. The views. Are you kidding me? It's like heaven on earth. And according to the Web site, the highs for July are in the 70s. Hallelujah. Some relief from this 100 degree weather!

You know I'll bring back plenty of pictures to share. If only I was a talented photographer like the impressive Dan Felstead. Dan, your pictures never cease to amaze me. I need a crash course in photography ASAP! I want to snag a close up of a bison.

Anyway, Montana and Wyoming ... here I come!!

Back from Destin

2009-06-29T06:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back from another fantastic weekend. I only wish it had lasted longer!

We had a wonderful time in Destin - even though our feet never actually touched the sand. Weird, I know. Saturday was spent strolling around the Destin Commons, finding some cute summer clothes for work. I found two adorable skirts at Ann Taylor Loft - which was a huge accomplishment for me. I NEVER wear skirts.

Saturday evening we went to one of my favorite places - AJ's Seafood and Oyster Bar. YUM.

We had to wait for awhile because it was slam-packed with people ready to get their eat on. Luckily for us, the place sits on the water, so we strolled up and down the harbor looking at the boats and enjoying some icy margaritas. By the time our drinks were finished, our table was ready.

After supper we caught a late showing of Transformers, which I LOVED. Kevin mentioned that he wanted to see the new Terminator flick, too - but it was 12:30 when our first movie was over. We could have caught the 12:40 Terminator, but were both too tired, so we called it a night.

We stayed at the Grand Sandestin at Baytowne Wharf. It was beautiful. The resort sits on the bay and is surrounded by a cute little village of shops and eateries.

I tried to take more pictures, but y'all it was so humid, my camera lens kept fogging up. Look:

We slept in and took our time getting ready yesterday morning, then headed over to the outlet shops to browse for a bit. Then, after a yummy lunch at Hogs Breath, we sadly began our drive home. But not without a quick stop at the Eglin Air Force Base Armament Museum. Kevin is a helicopter nerd. He loves them, so he really enjoyed walking around and looking at all of the aircraft.

We're definitely going to go back soon. Hopefully for a longer stay. And maybe we'll even make it to the beach next time!

Beach bound

2009-06-26T15:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday!

Wanna see where I'll be this weekend? Do ya? Okay... here, take a look:

Kevin and I are leaving tomorrow to spend a couple of days in Destin. There will be much shopping, seafood and soaking up the sun. Maybe even a game or two of minigolf, if I can talk him into it.

I hope you all have a great weekend. See you Monday!

Fast friends

2009-06-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

Just a quick picture post to show you how well the furry ones are getting along:

Yep... pretty much inseparable.

Help wanted

2009-06-24T06:38:00.000-07:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: Create a Help Wanted Ad. (inspired by Jenners)

Wanted:
Diligent reader to review and report upon the eleventy-billion blogs I’ve missed in the past week. Applicants must have an impeccable memory and keen sense of humor. Must be willing to post witty comments under my username. Only payment will be my undying appreciation. Nonnegotiable.

Wanted:
An individual skilled in the art of canine obedience. Applicants must be patient, firm and tolerant of loud, obnoxious barking. Should be able to reinforce the idea that kittens are not chew toys. Will be expected to trim razor-sharp puppy talons on a regular basis. Hog wrestling experience is a plus.

Wanted:
Human alarm clock. Applicant must be willing to stand motionless for eight hours. At determined time, must turn on the lights, turn off the ceiling fan and remove my covers. If I still remain in bed, qualified applicant must turn on loud music and physically remove me from my comfortable spot of slumber. Will be expected to continue efforts until I am fully awake and functional. Omelet-making skills will increase chance of hire.

Itty bitty kitty

2009-06-16T05:58:00.000-07:00

Meet Ollie:

Ollie is scared to death and wondering where he is.

Toby couldn't be more excited. If he could play a little gentler, I might consider leaving them out together. But as it is, he'll have to watch through the bars for now. At least while I'm not home. He tried to pick Ollie up by the neck and tote him off last night. I didn't figure that was a good idea. Poor Ollie.

This is as still as Toby got all night. And it was only after several warnings from me, to lay down and stay.

Anyway, the next few days should be interesting. Like I said, I've never had a cat before, so I'm a little out of my element. He handled a bath quite nicely last night. Didn't even squirm as I scrubbed all of the dirt off of him. I have a feeling that won't last. But I hear they're self cleaning, so maybe another bath won't be neccessary. The toughest part is going to be getting Toby to calm down and relax around him.

If we were a Disney movie, this would totally be us:

Back from the river

2009-06-15T16:23:00.000-07:00

As promised, I'm back.... with pictures! I decided NOT to charge my camera, but to buy a water proof disposable camera. With my obscene clumsiness, I can't be too careful. Sure enough, five minutes down the river and I dropped the camera in the water. Anyway, I took the thing to Wal-Mart today and they burned the pictures onto a disk for me. Yay!

We left out around 10 Sunday morning.

Don't let that look fool, ya. He was excited, too. He just needed some help smiling. I had to show him how to do it:

Anyway, we got to Coldwater around 11:30 and got signed in for the noon river trip. We got our tubes ready and piled into the van to head up stream. Of course, as soon as we got in the water, I was ready with the camera.

I found out pretty quick that there's way more to tubing than I thought. I was thinking we'd just float along, take a little nap here and there. Ha! Who knew you actually had to steer? Apparently Kevin, who kept reminding me around every bend to paddle harder. I'm sure he wouldn't have been nearly as worried about me paddling if our tubes weren't tied together, though.

See... here he is trying to get the knots out of the rope at the end of the day. At first, he just tied the cooler tube to his and let me float along on my own. But after we got separated around the first bend, I made him hook me to the group!

The trip only took about three hours, which was shorter than I expected. Of course, we didn't stop at any of the sandbars along the way. Overall, we had a fantastic time. The weather was beautiful, the water was cold, and I couldn't have asked for better company. I can't wait to go again!

In other news, I brought a kitty home today. Seven kittens were found behind the building at work - no mama in sight. We're trying to find homes for them, but you should know that I had to save at least one. I took him to the vet this afternoon and they said he was about five weeks old. He's orange and fluffy and absolutely precious. I had the vet give him his first set of shots, then headed to the store to buy some kitty food and other essentials. I've never had a cat, so this should be interesting. Pray for me.

Toby adores him, which is one less thing to worry about. He's been covering him in dog kisses all afternoon. I'm trying to keep them separated when I'm not giving them my undivided attention - at least for now. Toby doesn't realize how rough he plays, and I'd hate for him to accidentally hurt the poor little guy. I haven't quite decided on a name yet. He reminds me of Oliver from that Disney movie. Maybe I could call him Ollie for short? I don't know... I'm finicky about names. He'll go through 12 before the end of the day.

I'm charging my camera now, so I'll be back tomorrow with pictures!

Ready for the weekend

2009-06-12T10:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday!

If the weather cooperates, this will be me Sunday:

Kevin and I have decided (or I decided and begged Kevin - who happily agreed) to go tubing in Florida. I've been needing some outdoor fun to make it feel like summer. I figured this would be a relaxing way to soak up some sun.

I was shocked to realize that June is nearly half over. I haven't done any of my typical summer activities. No swimming. No time at the lake. Or the beach. No wonder I've been in a funk lately. Oh well. I hope to remedy that this weekend.

I almost felt bad asking Kevin to go. It's about an hour drive, which means he'd have to be at my house early Sunday to leave. Basically, he'll have to work until 7:00 Sunday morning, then drive an hour and a half to my house, then another hour to Milton with no sleep. I know he likes to use Sunday as a day to catch up on some rest, so it means a lot to me that he was so willing to appease my whim.

In shredding news, I'm disappointed to tell you that I haven't lost any more weight. I'm on day eight (well, I skipped yesterday - so today will actually be day seven), so I guess I still have plenty of time for progress. I promise I had good reason for skipping yesterday...

Yesterday morning I led a two hour tour of of one of our power plants. Outside. In 98 degree heat. And inside around very HOT equipment. With a hard hat on. YUCK. My hair was disgusting when I took that thing off. I figured I burned some calories, though. Oh, and guess what else I got to do yesterday! One of our line crews sent me up in a bucket truck - nearly 100 feet in the air! I'm sure they don't see the excitement in that, since they do it all the time - but for someone who sits behind a desk 90 percent of the time, it was a fun change of pace.

Anyway, I hope you all have a great weekend! I'll be back Monday. Possibly with pictures. (If I can remember to charge my camera.)

The things we take for granted

2009-06-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: Describe something someone has done to make you feel special.

If you’ve been following this blog for any time (or you happen to know me in real life), you know that my boyfriend and I went through some very difficult months earlier this year. In fact, I called it quits for awhile. I won’t rehash that story now, but for this post it’s important to know that I broke things off and he had no reason in the world to do anything nice for me. But he did anyway…

Somewhere around the end of March, I came down with a pretty vicious virus. I couldn’t eat for two days. I literally threw up everything I tried to put in my mouth. (Disgusting, I know. Sorry.) I went to the doctor and was so weak after a shot of Phenergan that the nurse wound up driving me home. Around day three, I quit throwing up, but still felt absolutely awful. Kevin had been calling to check on me throughout the week. He sounded concerned, but I assured him I’d be fine. I just needed to rest. He kept asking if I wanted company and I told him no. He lived too far away to come by just because I was sick. And he didn’t need to chance getting whatever I had.

But he came anyway. He drove over an hour to bring me my favorite kind of Gatorade and some cream of potato soup – my favorite when I’m sick. He put it all away in my kitchen. Then, with hardly a word, he walked to the living room. As he sat down on the couch, he grabbed a blanket and told me to lie down. I laid with my head in his lap for who knows how long, while he sat there patiently playing with my hair so I could sleep.

Y’all, we weren’t even together. I had broken up with him – and according to him, broken his heart. Yet he still sacrificed his time and chanced getting sick to come take care of me. It made me realize just how much he really loves me, something I had questioned when we broke up. It made me rethink a lot of things. I realized that I took so many things he did for me for granted.

It was just shortly after this incident that I asked him if we could start over and try “us” again. I’m so glad he was willing to give it another chance, because things have been so fantastic lately. We’re really working on a lot of things and I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time.

Who knows what might’ve happened had I not been sick? Would I have realized how much he still cared? Would we have given the relationship another chance? I guess we’ll never know. But if those few days of Hell were necessary to get us to where we are now, then I’m so thankful for them.

Although, I’d be just as thankful if we’d reached this point without all the vomiting. Just sayin’.

Still kickin' (and squatting and lifting and punching and sweating)

2009-06-07T13:13:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that I have made it through four sweaty days of the 30 Day Shred - and Jillian hasn't killed me yet.

In all honesty, the workouts (while tough) aren't nearly as scary as I thought they'd be. After reading several blogs about the intensity of the program, I had a sinking feeling in my heart that I wouldn't be able to make it through my first few days. But here I am. And guess what? I've lost 3.2 pounds - SINCE THURSDAY! Heck yeah!! Jillian - I will follow wherever you lead me, my dear.

After only three days of Level 1, I decided to kick it up to Level 2 today. Crazy right? I think most people do Level 1 for at least a week. But I was getting bored, so I figured, "Hey, why not?" Good grief... ten minutes in and I was wondering what I had done. But I made it all the way through, which made me feel really good. Maybe I'll attempt Level 3 tomorrow. (Hahaha... yeah. That was joke.)

In other news, I'm missing my family reunion in Mobile today. While I'm pretty bummed about it, I think I really needed to stay home this weekend. I've been on the road so much lately - I felt like it was time to get caught up on some things here. There's a line in one of my favorite songs that says, "I'm buried in my bedroom until 14 feet of clothes. I could drown in all this clutter, I suppose." Yeah... I know the feeling.

On that note, I hear the dryer buzzer. Time to fold...

New career?

2009-06-04T09:44:00.000-07:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: If you could change career paths now and be anything you wanted to be...what would you be and why?

The possibilities are pretty endless here, aren’t they? But I’ve always been a dreamer, so I don’t think I’ll have a problem coming up with alternative career choices.

Let’s see… OH, I know! What about a treasure hunter? An “Indiana Jones” of sorts – only female (obviously). Is that considered a career? Probably not. I don’t imagine there are many benefits. No 401k or retirement plan. But it would be fun, wouldn’t it? Traveling all over the world, searching for lost artifacts? I guess I could have said “archeologist,” but that doesn’t sound nearly as exciting as “treasure hunter.” But now that I think about it, Indy always had someone chasing after him with guns, didn’t he? I might have to rethink this one…

Okay, here’s another. It would still allow me to travel, but would be considerably safer – not to mention offer important things like medical and dental insurance. I could be a wildlife photographer for National Geographic (or NatGeo, as they’re now called). Yeah, that could work! I can almost picture myself on a safari in Africa – getting up-close and personal with a giraffe. (I would’ve said “lion” but that didn’t sound nearly as safe.) Oh, wait. You actually have to know how to take beautiful pictures to be a photographer, don’t you? Well dang. Moving on…

What about an astronaut! Why didn’t I think of that before? I’ve always been entranced by the stars and have often dreamed about exploring space. I can’t imagine how surreal it must be to look down on Earth from such a distance. Of course, astronauts have to stay in pretty confined spaces for months on end. And I’m a tad claustrophobic, so I don’t think this career path would really suit me either. I’m beginning to get discouraged. Surely there’s something else I could do…

Oh! I have it! And is PERFECT! It’s not really that drastic of a change, though. In fact, it involves the same skill set I already use, only on a MUCH larger, more exciting scale. I could be a journalist for Rolling Stone magazine! Not only would I get to write – which is something I truly love to do – I’d get to meet and interview some the music industry’s biggest stars. A perfect marriage of my two greatest loves.

Time to shred

2009-06-02T07:44:00.000-07:00

Yeah... so all of those posts that mention food (like big, greasy 5 Guys burgers) have made me realize how much I need this:

Last week, my cousin Jen started Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred. Now, I’ve done Jillian workouts before. The woman is tough – but she is highly effective. I’ve been tossing around the idea of doing this particular program for awhile, and after hearing about Jen’s success – I’m sold. The girl lost three pounds in her first week. Go Jen!!

Anyway, my very own copy of 30 Day Shred will be delivered to my door Thursday (thanks to Amazon.com). And y’all – I’ve got to commit to this. Sitting behind a desk eight hours a day/five days a week is not doing nice things to my midsection. In fact, what it’s doing is downright hateful.

I’d love to post before and after pictures, or even do one of those neat little tracker things that shows my progress, but I’m just not that brave. I’m sure it would help make me more accountable, but it’s still not happening. Just trust me when I say I need this badly.

I will, however, let you know how it’s going on a periodic basis. Maybe weekly? I’ll probably wind up posting about what a major you-know-what Jillian is. Or how I think I’m dying. But either way, I’ll try to let you know if I’m Shredding properly.

On a completely unrelated note – have any of you ever watched Saving Grace? I don’t know what channel it comes on – but a co-worker recently recommended it, so I added it to my Netflix list. The fist two discs of Season One came Friday, and y’all… I’m hooked! It is faaaan-tastic. Basically it’s about Grace – a wild, but lovable woman on a fast track to Hell, who winds up getting a “last chance” angel named Earl, who tries to steer her down the path of righteousness. It’s hilarious. Earl is an unconventional, tobacco-chewing angel who literally fights Grace every step of the way. I love it.

Oh, and it’s June now. Were you aware? Because I wasn’t. When did that happen??

Test results and a huge hamburger

2009-05-30T07:42:00.000-07:00

So, remember the whole "part of me is aching to be there for him" bit from yesterday's post about my dad? Well, that part won out and (thanks to my wonderfully understanding boss) I left work around lunch-time and came to Birmingham to be with him.

I got to the hospital before they met with the last doctor, and she was gracious enough to let me stay in the room while she talked to my dad and stepmom about his test results.

It seems like we were able to get a few answers yesterday, but in the long-run, those answers only led to more questions. I'm not going to go into all of the details here, mainly because it's not my body and I don't want to go splashing my dad's medical info all over the web. I'll just say that we're not quite out of the woods yet.

But we should know by June 10 if he's approved for a transplant, and Michelle's test results should be ready in about 2-4 weeks, letting us know if she's a donor match.

And on a lighter note — after we left the hospital we went to eat at a place called Five Guys. I had never heard of it, but apparently they are pretty famous for their hamburgers. Holy cow. That was the biggest, messiest, greasiest hamburger I have ever eaten. But it might also be the best. Ever. And their fries.... WOW. They hand cut their fries daily and they have a sign on the wall by the door that tells you where the potatoes came from on that particular day. Yesterday they were from Driggs, Idaho. Sixteen hours later, I'm still full.

A full day of tests

2009-05-29T08:01:00.000-07:00

Well, Daddy had to be at UAB's Kirkland Clinic in Birmingham at 5:30 this morning for a full day of tests. Today is the day we’ll find out if he’s a candidate for a kidney transplant. (Click here to read why he needs a transplant.)

Sometime before 7:00, my stepmom said they had already drawn 15 vials of blood. Good grief. That’s a lot of blood, folks.

From what I understand, he’ll undergo several tests today and then sit down with a panel of doctors who will review his results with him in detail.

I found out a bit of good news yesterday. Daddy said that if the doctors discover he’s eligible for a transplant, they’ll immediately test Michelle to see if she’s a donor match. We could know something in as little as two weeks. That would be such a relief.

I know that he’s busy with tests today, and that even if I could be there, I probably wouldn’t get to see him very much. But y’all, part of me is aching to be there for him. I’m having such a hard time focusing on things at work today – I can’t keep my mind from wondering how things are going in Birmingham.

Once again, I’m counting on y’all to keep my family in your thoughts and prayers.

Be the change

2009-05-27T09:31:00.000-07:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: What is your life's anthem? You know...that song that is ALWAYS in your head. The one you'd go to sing first if someone told you to sing a song right NOW. What is it and what does it mean to you?

This is tough. I have songs for pretty much everything – and like my moods, they change daily. I couldn’t possibly pick one and call it my life’s anthem. That’s just not fair to all of the other perfectly good songs out there.

But I will share today’s song with you. Today has been one of those reflective days for me. Maybe I’m thinking too much, or maybe I’m just not getting enough sleep, but it seems like a lot of people out there want radical changes. For our world, our country, our way of life. But instead of actively trying to make a difference, most people sit around and wait for someone else to do something for them.

That’s why today’s song is “Be the change” by Corey Smith:

Open your eyes up people, and take a good look around,
Catch the tears fillin’ up all those cracks in the ground.
Turn off your televisions; leave your picture perfect neighborhoods,
A lot of folks out there ain’t doing so good.

Too many of us left out in the cold…
No invitations given, no welcome mats unrolled.

But you can be the change you wanna see.
Be the hope to those whose lives are far from easy.
Reach out and lend a hand, share everything you can,
And be the change. Be the change.

Carry the world on your shoulders, for a little while,
Put on someone else’s shoes, and walk a mile.
So many cups runneth over, while so many goin’ dry.
The grass ain’t always green on the other side.

There’s still a lot of work to be done.
A lot of wrongs to right, a lot of battles to be won.
If you can be the change you wanna see,
Be the hope to those who lives are far from easy.
Reach out and lend a hand, share everything you can,
And be the change. Be the change.

Reach out and lend a hand, share everything you can,
And be the change. Be the change.

I love this – the whole idea of it. It’s perfect. Corey has the right idea. We should all do our best to be the change we want to see.

So how ‘bout it? Why don’t we quit waiting on someone else to make a difference and just step up to the plate?

America's Next Top Mommy has some excellent ideas on how to do just that. Go here if you need help finding ways to get involved. And if that's not enough to keep you busy, check out Be the Change, International.

Weekend recap: Part II

2009-05-26T11:13:00.001-07:00

As promised, here are a few pictures of my precious little cousin:

Adorable, right? I think so.

Also, I didn't realize until I started reading your comments, but I made quite a pig of myself this weekend, didn't I? Looking back at the post, I see references to pizza, Japanese, Italian, Mexican and Krispy Kreme... and I wonder why my body isn't quite swim suit ready this summer!!

And I somehow neglected to tell you about my little run-in with the law yesterday...

Shortly after I got off the interstate in Georgiana, I heard a lovely gagging/yacking noise coming from my backseat (where Toby had previously been napping). In my concern/horror/disgust, I turned around to make sure he was okay, only to see him spewing multiple piles of vomit all over the floorboard. Well, apparently in the short time that I was distracted, the speed limit dropped from 50 to 40 to 35 - and guess who neglected to slow down? Yep.... the Po-Po got me. And he obviously could not have cared less about the multiple piles of yellow puke that were accumulating behind my seat. So on top of scrubbing doggie vomit off my floor mats, I now get to pay a speeding fine. Nice.

Home from a fabulous weekend

2009-05-25T17:47:00.000-07:00

After a wonderful weekend, I'm once again home in Andalusia.

If I thought I missed Birmingham before, the last three days only cemented that feeling in my heart.

Friday night was spent lounging around the house with my family - eating pizza, laughing and catching up on some Tivo. (They had still not watched the season finale of American Idol!) After once again seeing my boy Adam walk away without the title, I turned in and caught up on some much needed rest.

Saturday morning I went to Montevallo to spend the day with Brooke - my long-time best friend and old roommate. Brooke and I met when we were 10, and despite our many differences, we're still as close as ever.

I know I promised plenty of pictures from the weekend, but I got so caught up in enjoying the moment, I didn't actually break out the camera. But see if you can imagine this:

Picture two friends sharing a plate of spicy tuna rolls at a Japanese steak house. Sitting in front of the hibachi, watching the chef make volcanoes out of an onion. Trying in vain to catch food in our mouths as it's flipped off the grill - watching it hit the floor as the chef laughs and tells us to try again. Picture us talking and cutting up like it hasn't been six months since we last hung out. Like no time has passed at all.

Later that afternoon, as Brooke got ready for work, I made my way over to my friend Chris's house. Again, no pictures... so try to use your imagination:

Picture good friends catching up after more than a year of not seeing each other. Playing multiple sets of Rock Band after a yummy dinner at the San Antonio Grill. Laughing and promising each other it won't be another year before they hang out again.

Sunday was another great day. After sleeping in, I went to visit my cousin Jen and her precious little family. She and her husband Marcus are fabulous, and together they have the single most adorable child in the world. I actually did manage to take a few pictures of Deano the Bambino, but my camera is in my car and I'm entirely too lazy to go get it. I'll post them later, I promise. After Dean went down for his afternoon nap, Marcus snuck out to fish while Jen and I sat around and talked about a little bit of everything - from music to our similar experiences with loser guys and their lame-o pick up lines (and everything in between).

That evening I spent a little one-on-one time with my step-dad. After striking out on three different restaurants, we finally found an Italian place that was open and we proceeded to stuff our faces with some of the biggest calzones I've ever seen. Afterwards, we may or may not have hit up Krispy Kreme for some chocolate covered donuts. Back at the house, we watched Seven Pounds (which was so sad) before calling it a night.

I have to admit - I was pretty sad when I had to come home today. I never have enough time to see everybody while I'm there. I'll definitely have to go back again soon.

Until then, it's back to the daily grind...

Headed to the Ham

2009-05-22T11:47:00.000-07:00

After work today, I will be taking my happy butt to Birmingham for a few days. And while I’m not looking forward to the two and a half hour drive, I am excited about seeing my family and friends.

Tomorrow I’m having lunch with my long-time bestie, Brooke. I haven’t seen her since my birthday way back in December, so we’re long overdue. I’m sure we’ll have plenty to talk about.

My only other real plans include going to see my fabulous cousin Jen and her cutie-pie, Dean. I can’t wait to see what new tricks he’s learned since I last saw him. I hear he’s running and climbing stairs now. Jen and Marcus must have their hands full!

I’ll be back Tuesday with plenty of pictures, I’m sure.

Have a wonderful weekend and don’t let Memorial Day pass you by without remembering all of the brave men and women who have served our great country.

Photo from democracycellproject.net

Time for a getaway

2009-05-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: Put an outfit together using pictures you found online and show us what you'd LIKE to be wearing today. (inspired by Lace)

Well, how bout that? Good thing I just recently discovered Polyvore, huh? Since I don’t have much to really blab about today, I figured I’d make you suffer through another one of my would-be outfits:

beach by bama_girl_84 featuring Kirra sunglasses

I wish I was wearing this today – for obvious reasons. Mostly because it would mean I was at the beach with my man. And I can think of no place I’d rather be right now.

Thank you all for your supportive and uplifting comments yesterday. I didn’t mean to sound quite so pathetic. I know these feelings won’t last. Maybe I need a beach getaway to take my mind off things?

Happy? So-so...

2009-05-20T08:13:00.000-07:00

Diane posed an interesting question on her blog yesterday. She wanted to know how many of her readers were truly happy with their life and how many weren’t quite there yet.

And it really got me thinking. See, overall I’m a pretty happy person. I try to be positive and remind myself numerous times a day how very blessed I am. I have a loving family and a wonderful job that I was able to land just out of college. (Literally – I started the day after I graduated.) I am able to support myself and occasionally splurge on things that I want. I don’t have to worry where my next meal is going to come from, or if I’ll be able to pay my rent next month. I have a fantastic church family. I have someone who loves me unconditionally. I have so many things to be happy about…

So why do I find myself so down some days? Why do I feel so restless? There are days that I find myself so overcome with self pity that I find it hard to function. I know I have a good life, but some days I want more. I want excitement. I want a change of scenery. I want friends my age. I’ve been here a year and have yet to make many strong friendships. In a lot of ways, I still feel like an outsider. I miss being near my family and I miss seeing Kevin. Once a week just isn’t enough.

I joke about my boring life a lot, but in reality it’s not that funny. I leave work at 4:30 everyday and spend the rest of the day completely alone (with the exception of Toby). It might be different if Kevin didn’t work nights in another county. Maybe we could have dinner together a few times a week. But as it is, I find myself alone the majority of the time. And it gets old.

I’ve really been missing my friends from back home. With the start of summer, a lot of them are going to different outdoor concerts and spending weekends by the pool. They see each other after work and go to baseball games. They grill out and watch movies. I miss having people to hang out with.

But enough of that. I know how very blessed I am to have a job I love. I know things will get better. I’ll eventually find my place in this town. Kevin and I won’t always live an hour and a half away from each other. Things will change. I know. But I can’t help those feelings that keep creeping up – reminding me off all the things I miss about my home town.

Just what I need... another thing to waste my time

2009-05-15T07:50:00.000-07:00

Well, thanks to Lacey over at Lacey in Love, I have a new obsession. See, Lacey does this thing called Fashion Friday where she "de-funks" different bloggers' fashion. Every week, she comes up with these adorable outfits, complete with accessories - and until recently I had NO idea how she was putting them all together in a cute little collage. Well, I finally clicked on one of them (duh- the obvious answer) and it took me to polyvore.com. Holy cow, guys... how much fun! You can browse pages and pages of pants, tops, dresses, rings, bracelets... pretty much anything your little heart desires. Then you just drag and drop them into a a little box and arrange until you're happy with the way it looks.

Here are a couple of examples of the fun I had yesterday:

At the office by bama_girl_84 featuring Juicy Couture Accessories

This one is for work. Note the iPod and coffee that is needed to get me through my day.

And this one:

Lazy day by bama_girl_84 featuring Old Navy Clothing

Well, this one is the perfect lazy day set up. PJs, books and my favorite candy...

Y'all, I'm addicted. The coolest part is it breaks it down item by item, telling you how much each thing costs and the Web site you can go to if you want to buy it.

Genius.

Okay... just one more and I'll leave you alone so you can go play!! This is just a casual weekend -sitting around, strumming my guitar (that I still can't play...)

Untitled by bama_girl_84 featuring Monsoon Accessories

A play, a book, some sunshine and a movie: My weekend in review

2009-05-11T06:54:00.001-07:00

Wow. You guys were a busy bunch of bloggers this weekend. I went down my blog list, clicking on each new post and somewhere around 32 my Internet Explorer decided to call it quits. You froze my computer! It couldn’t process the overwhelming number of posts that I have to catch up on. I’ll have to try again later.

I trust that you all had a fabulous weekend and a well deserved Mother’s Day (if that applies to you.) Mine was everything I could have hoped for.

Friday night, my friend Kelley and I grabbed some dinner at a local place called CJs. Its one of those cute little neighborhood grilles, right off the town square. Great atmosphere and even better food. Then we headed over to the theater to see the play “Lying in State.” And you know what? I didn’t find it all that risqué. Not that I’m that surprised. Sure, there were some choice four-letter words, references to exotic dancers and one character who was constantly strung out on some form of prescription pills (pain, anti-depressant, anti-anxiety… a combination of them all) But you know what? It was pretty dang funny. Oh, and after the play, I may or may not have consumed a huge, chocolate-dipped waffle cone from Dairy Queen before calling it a night.

Then there was Saturday. Glorious, divine, wonderful Saturday. I slept in until I absolutely could not stand to lie there any longer. Then I grabbed a pitcher of ice water and parked my lazy butt here:

With this:

My hand looks freakishly large there... weird. And it doesn't even look like it's attached to me.

Its no hammock, but it definitely proved to be a comfortable enough retreat. And it would have been perfect, had I not forgotten one important detail. Unlike books, Kindles need to charge. Especially when you read them for prolonged periods of time. Obviously, mine had not been plugged up for quite some time and about five minutes into my relaxing Saturday, my screen went blank. Great.

Lucky for me, I have a stash of books on my bookshelves that I’ve yet to read – so when I went inside to plug up Mr. Kindle, I grabbed this off the shelf:

And I am so glad I did. Like every other Palahniuk book I’ve read, Lullaby is crazy good. I still have a few chapters left to read, but I’m sure there will be some insane twist at the end that will leave me speechless. It’s a story about a culling song that appears in a common book of poems. When read aloud, the song kills anyone who hears it. A journalist who is investigating strange deaths among children comes across it and (through trial and error) discovers that it doesn’t even have to be spoken aloud. With strong enough intent, someone can kill just by thinking the song. I’m not going to tell you anymore. Trust me when I say it’s well worth the read.

Here is where I throw in the disclaimer that I always use when talking about Palahniuk: He’s not for everyone. His style is brash, often vulgar and very twisted. Dark comedy at it’s best. If you prefer a lighter, happier read – look elsewhere.

After a few hours outside, I decided that 92 degrees was a little too warm to lounge comfortably much longer. So, I retreated inside, to the cool bliss of the air conditioner and an afternoon filled with House DVDs. I told you I was going to be a bum this weekend.

Sunday was pretty great, too. Church, followed by an afternoon with my boy. We lounged around awhile, then grabbed some Mexican (and maybe some more Dairy Queen) before going to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I’m not sure that it was as good as the others, but it definitely gave a little more insight into the mind of one of my favorite characters. I’d say it was worth the ticket price. (Not that I even know how much that is…Kevin never lets me pay for anything. I think he thinks I’m poor.)

So there you have it. An incredibly long breakdown of my fantastically lazy weekend. Maybe next weekend will be more exciting... or maybe it will be a carbon copy of this one.

I've been crowned

2009-05-08T07:51:00.000-07:00

The fabulous Sally over at Sally’s World has crowned me “Queen of ALLL things!”

Isn’t that spectacular? I get a crown! Just what I’ve always wanted. Thank you Sally! I will try to be a fair and just ruler.

Upon accepting this honor, I have to tell you seven “Awe-summm” things about me:

I am scary-good at word searches. I don’t know why. I guess my brain is used to making sense out of a seemingly jumbled mess.

I’m a scavenger in the kitchen. I tend to skip recipes and throw together whatever is available. My latest creation was a box of Velveeta shells and cheese, mixed with a can of stewed tomatoes and a can of chicken. It was delicious.

I try to speak to everyone or at least throw them a friendly smile. This includes strangers in the grocery store. And I get upset when they don’t smile back

I am very forgiving. I tend to look past people’s faults and let go of the past. Sometimes I wind up getting hurt because of it – but that’s just who I am.

I’ve grown up A LOT in the last few years. I look at the some of the things I did or said in the past and have a hard time believing that was really me. I know they say you shouldn’t have regrets – you should treat past mistakes as a learning experience – but I’m so glad those times are behind me now.

I have an impeccable memory. Let me clarify that. I can recall exact places and conversations like no one’s business – even things that took place years and years ago. I can recite conversations word-for-word. I remember the exact layout of a house I haven’t been in since I was six. The list goes on. However, I have a terrible time remembering little everyday things. Like where I left my keys.

I have been blessed with the best friends and family anyone could ever ask for.

Now it’s time for me to pass the crown to another deserving Queen. And I choose:

Kelly at My Voice, My View: Kelly is a wonderfully talented writer. She’s sweet, funny and always puts her family first. So here ya go, Kelly. Wear it with pride!

An island daydream

2009-05-06T14:21:00.000-07:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: Time for a trip? Where are you headed this summer? Or where would you go if you COULD?

Unfortunately, I don’t have any exciting summer trips planned out (as of yet.)

But that doesn’t stop a girl from dreaming.

In fact, there are several places I’m itching to visit.

Such as:

Ah, yes. Fiji. I figured I should dream big. After all, I’m just over an hour from Florida’s best beaches. If I’m going to dream of a beach vacation, shouldn’t it be to somewhere I don’t see on a regular basis? Yes. I think so. I can almost feel the warm, Fijian sun shining on my beautifully bronzed body (this is a dream…remember?) I can feel the glorious sand between my toes and see all of the little fishies swimming around in the crystal clear water. I hear the palm leaves overhead rustle as a tropical breeze rolls off the cresting waves. I feel the condensation trickle down my ice cold bottle of Corona and hear island music lazily drifting up the beach from a local bar.

*sigh*

If only.

You know, I actually had more destinations in mind, but now I seem fixated on this particular daydream. I can’t stop imagining the calming sound of waves as they break upon the sand. So on that note, I’m retreating to my island fantasy – where, if only for a moment, I’m sitting by the ocean with a cold drink in my hand and a smile on my face.

Weekend plans...or lack thereof

2009-05-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

Oh, man. I am having the hardest time getting myself back into a routine. Today is the second day in a row I’ve had to pull my towel dried hair into a ponytail while running out the door. My mind is scattered, my body feels exhausted and I can’t seem to get a handle on either. I try to focus with very little success. I try to sleep but find myself restless. I think I need some “me” time.

And that’s exactly what I plan on having this weekend. I know Sunday is Mother’s Day, but Mama and I have discussed it and I intend on sitting my butt here in Andalusia and catching up on some much needed rest. This will be the first weekend in SEVEN weeks that I’ve been able to stay home and relax. I’ve put over 2,000 miles on my car since I got the oil changed April 3rd. And my house is a mile and a half away from work, so it’s not from commuting.

Friday night, my friend Kelley and I are going to grab some dinner and see a play. And I honestly don’t even know the name of it – I just agreed to go. She said it’s a bit risqué, so I’m wondering what I signed myself up for. Should be interesting. Although, I have to wonder what’s considered risqué in small-town Alabama. Surely we’re not talking about nudity – I don’t see the citizens of Mayberry allowing that one. Not that I’m complaining. I’ve yet to see anyone walking around Wal-Mart that’d I’d give money to see naked. In fact, I’d pay a few of them to wear more clothing – or at least clothing that fits properly.

Anyway…moving on…

I’ve decided that I might not even change out of my pajamas on Saturday. Seriously. I might find a comfy spot on the couch to park my rear end and catch up on some reading. It’s supposed to beautiful here this weekend though – if I only had a hammock. Then I could be lazy outside. And maybe get some much needed sun. I might have to find one by this weekend. I can picture it now… me and my hammock, my trusty Kindle and a cold beverage (or two). Talk about the perfect day.

What about y’all? What’s your idea of a perfect Saturday? Relaxation or something more exciting?

You will be missed...

2009-05-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

When I wrote this, I never imagined it would be printed and distributed to visitors in a funeral parlor – to family and friends who lovingly paid their last respects to a man who had a profound influence on their lives. I never imagined the sheer number of people who would read it and tell me how accurately it described their father, grandfather, husband, brother, uncle, friend...

Instead, I hoped that the man for whom it was written would make a miraculous recovery and read it when he returned home from the hospital. Unfortunately it did not work that way.

Mack Harvie Reed - a strong, generous, loving man - passed away April 30 in his ICU hospital bed in Mobile, Alabama.

After much heartbreaking deliberation, the family decided to take him off the ventilator Thursday morning. The doctors had taken away our last glimmer of hope, saying he would more than likely never wake up from his coma. And if he did, the chances of severe brain damage were very high. He’d never be the man we remembered. His quality of life would never be the same.

At 5:30 Thursday evening, after seven hours without breathing assistance, Grandpa was gone. As I tearfully watched him draw his last breath, I tried to find peace in knowing that he was no longer in pain. Still, the sadness was almost overwhelming.

The next few days were filled with family stories – a mixture of tears and laughter as we remembered the life of a wonderful man.

Grandpa had a beautiful military funeral yesterday morning, complete with a twenty-one gun salute. Local Marines presented Grandma with the American flag. As I stood there in the rain, listening to the final notes of Taps, I couldn’t help but wish he was there – if only to see the number of people who showed up to say goodbye.

Although we’ll no longer get to see his face or hear his deep, baritone voice, I know his spirit will live on in the values he instilled and the memories he helped create.

Grandpa – we know you’re in a better place, but we sure will miss you.

Today...

2009-04-29T08:15:00.000-07:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: Today I will...

Today I will have a positive attitude. I won’t dwell on the things I cannot change, but rather embrace the things I can.

I will find things to smile about and reasons to laugh.

I will do at least one thing for me.

I will let the people I love know exactly how much they mean to me, for I’ve come to realize that tomorrow is not promised.

Today I will thank God for the many wonderful blessings in my life.

For you and you and you and you and you...

2009-04-28T08:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have a confession to make. I’ve been a bit of an award hoarder lately. In fact, I have five that have stacked up over the last month (or longer) that I’ve yet to pass along. So, without further ado, it’s time to spread these around to some deserving bloggers:

First of all, thank you to Missy and Licha for this little blue ribbon:

I’m not sure the word “hottie” really describes me, but I appreciate the gesture! You girls always make me laugh.

Here’s the description of this lovely award:

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

Okay, so I’m not going to list eight. I have too many other awards to pass out. But I would like to send this one to:

Kim at The Child: Kim is the beautiful mother of Deaglan. I LOVE reading about her day-to-day life as a mommy. She’s thoughtful, creative and true to herself. Not to mention a wonderfully supportive blog friend.

Next, my cousin Jen honored me with a Say It Forward tribute on her blog. This is supposed to be a shout-out to a fellow blogger who loyally leaves comments on your posts.

I can think of none so loyal as the wonderful Jenners. Not only does she faithfully follow a billion blogs, she leaves thoughtful, often in-depth comments on each one. AND she faithfully responds to the comments you leave her. She’s an honest, hilarious, chocolate-loving, game-playing, not afraid to be who she is kind of woman. And I admire her for it.

This little award was bestowed upon me by the lovely Kim:

It’s supposed to be passed along to a blogger who shows a great attitude on their blog.

Bethany at My Life in Black and White has one of the kindest dispositions of anyone I’ve ever met. She’s sweet, sincere and honestly grateful for all of the blessings she has received in life. She’s currently expecting her first child (a little girl!) and I know she is going to be a wonderful mommy.

Incidentally, Bethany gave me the Kreativ Blogger award last week, prompting me to list seven things I love before I pass the award to another deserving blogger. So, here we go:

Warm, sunshiney days - Thank goodness it’s finally spring in the South! I’m loving the beautiful weather.
Gerber daisies - The bright, happy colors make me smile.
Looking through old photo albums - I love looking back and reminiscing on different times in my life.
Random road trips to the beach - I often get the spontaneous notion to hop in the car and head to Destin for the day. The past several months it’s been too cold to enjoy the beach, so I’ve walked around the shops and indulged in sea food – but now that the weather is nice, I’ll be able to hit the sand and soak up the sun.
My family – I firmly believe that I have the BEST family in the entire world. Sure, we’re often dysfunctional, but we make each other laugh and we support each other though all of life’s trials. To all of you – parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, etc… - thank you for making my life a little more interesting and a lot more bearable. I LOVE YOU!

Okay, so that’s only five, but this post is getting ridiculously long and I still have another award to give away. So, for the Kreativ Blogger award, I choose this guy:

Andy at Wild ARS Chase: Andy has to be one of the most creative guys I know. He’s pee-your-pants funny and will blow your mind with some of his regular features. He blogs about everything from infomercials to celebrity gossip and everything in between. And he has mastered the art of using pictures to illustrate a story.

Okay… last one, I promise! Last week, Jenners deemed me “A Blogger’s Best Friend”

The "A Blogger's Best Friend Award" shall be given to your most loyal blog readers. Thus, the award should be given to a follower of yours who takes the time to comment regularly on many of your posts. In addition his or her blog should be creative, funny and always entertaining. Upon receiving this award, pass it along to two fellow bloggers who fit this criteria. Congratulations!

So, who get’s this one?? Drum roll please……

Lacey at Don’t Make Drugs: Lacey has been one of my favorite bloggers for quite some time. She’s is uber funny and definitely fits the “always entertaining” requirement for this award. She just finished school, is in the process of buying a house and loves animals as much as I do. Not only is Lacey hilarious, she’s a loyal commenter on my posts. She always seems to be able to relate to the things I’m going through. I love it. I makes me feel a little less crazy!

So there you have it. Sorry for the incredibly long post… I guess it would be easier to just pass these along as I get them. I promise a much quicker turn-around next time.

Hello again...

2009-04-27T06:37:00.000-07:00

Remember me? It's been awhile. I just want to start by saying that I am so very behind on reading your blogs, and I'm sorry. I'd love to say that I'm going to sit here for the next several hours and play catch up, but I'm not going to lie to you like that.

I got home from Mobile last night. I'd been down since Thursday - spending the majority of my time at the hospital with my family. My grandpa is still very sick and continues to be nonresponsive. The neurologist told us that he has slipped into a deep coma, and he's afraid he won't come out of it. I don't think any of us are ready to deal with that possibility yet. We're trying so hard to hold on to hope. But at the same time, I know we need to be prepared to deal with whatever happens. It's just so hard. I pray we will all have the strength we need to get through this.

I was lucky enough to pull baby duty Friday morning so my aunt could go to the hospital with Mama. Her kids are precious. Blaize, her fiery four year old, is hilarious. He has declared me his new best friend. His favorite questions were, "Hey, what you doin?" and "Where that dog?" I had to keep assuring him that Toby was outside. His sister Calleigh, who is a few months shy of two, proved to be quite the little instigator. She would swipe whatever Blaize happened to be holding (a book, the remote, a pillow) then run off, laughing hysterically. Keeping up with them is a full-time job. I have the utmost respect for my aunt and uncle! They must end each day utterly exhausted.

I wish I had taken some new pictures... the best I have to offer are from last August:

And yes, Blaize is always that excited. About everything. And the fact that both of them have their mouths wide open should be a hint that they love to talk. To everyone. All the time. Even strangers. It must run in the family.

I'll never forget...

2009-04-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: Why won't you forget? List six true sentences that begin with the words 'I'll never forget...' Then use all six of your sentences in a paragraph, poem, or longer descriptive piece.

I’ll never forget your hands – rough from years of hard work, stained with grease from working on cars. The smell of Lava soap. Hands that provided for your family. Hands that nurtured, loved and occasionally disciplined. Hands that once held me upside down by the ankles and shook me when you thought I was choking on a peppermint. Hands that I held this weekend as I watched you sleep in your hospital bed.

I’ll never forget your voice – loud and authoritative, yet somehow comforting. A voice that takes me back to childhood. A voice that told some of the best stories I’ve ever heard.

I’ll never forget your bookshelves – lined with classic westerns. Tales of cowboys and Indians, great loves and bar fights. I can see you sitting in your chair, absorbed in a story. Always reading.

I’ll never forget your smell – a mixture of aftershave and peppermint. Warm, inviting, familiar.

I’ll never forget your smile – though often absent in pictures, always present when watching your grandchildren. A smile of true joy, delighting in moments with family.

I’ll never forget you – the strongest man I’ve ever known. A man who would go to the ends of the earth for the people he loves. A man who taught me that families stick together, provide for each other and never give up. A generous, selfless, goodhearted man who will forever hold a very special place in my heart.

Not much to report

2009-04-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

Thank you all so much for your kind words and prayers yesterday.

So far, not much has changed. They did a CAT scan yesterday and said it didn't appear as though he'd had a stroke, which is good news. However, he still has not been able to wake up, and his pupils are not responding to light. They're supposed to run an EEG today to monitor his brain activity. Hopefully we'll hear something soon.

Edited to add: They neurologist is doing the EEG this morning, and is also doing a lumbar puncture to check for meningitis. We're in day six - still nonresponsive, although the doctor said there has been a slight improvement in his vitals. Doc said it could be days before there are any more improvements - weeks before he's able to leave.

I need a favor, friends

2009-04-20T06:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday. I hope you all had a good weekend. Mine? Well, mine was rough. I’m afraid I need your prayers again, dear friends.

Early Friday, my granddad was rushed to the hospital as he gasped for breath and his heart rate skyrocketed. My granddad — the strongest man I’ve ever met. A retired Marine with a booming voice and solid body. My granddad, who I’ve never seen sick a single day in my 24 years.

Grandma said that he’d been fighting a cold for awhile, but refused to go to the doctor. By the time he arrived at the hospital, his “cold” had become full-blown pneumonia. He had a lot of fluid on his lungs, which was putting an enormous strain on his heart. They quickly moved him from the ER to the ICU, where he’s currently still hooked to a ventilator, heavily sedated.

They said he appears to be doing better. His heart rate has dropped from the upper 160s to around 95, and his oxygen saturation is back in the 90s, which the nurse said is a good sign.

They pulled him off of the sedative briefly yesterday to see if he could respond to some simple commands. They asked him to squeeze their hands and open his eyes. He could do neither. They think he might have been consciously trying, though. Each time they’d ask him to do something, his heart rate would increase, but nothing else would happen. Maybe it just takes time.

As worried as I am about him, I know that if anybody can beat this, he can. He’s a fighter. He’s stubborn and hardheaded (in the best way possible) and has never been one to give up. I have faith.

Plus, now he has all of you thinking about him and praying for him, too – right? That’s got to count for something.

From Cheerios to Chicken Tetrazzini

2009-04-16T13:25:00.000-07:00

Hebba (aka: JeepGirl) is a fabulous list-maker. I’m serious. She makes lists for everything. I wish I could be that organized! See, I start making a list and somewhere along the way I lose focus or get sidetracked. Not Hebba. That girl is a list champion. One of my favorites is her periodic list of current addictions — and as I’m strapped for something to write about today, I thought it would be a good time to ~~viciously steal~~ kindly borrow her idea. So, without further ado, here are the things I can't get enough of:

Banana Nut Cheerios – Holy cow. These things are amazing! I’ve always been a Cheerios fan, usually gravitating toward Honey Nut, as I love anything with even a hint honey. But these bad boys are delicious. I pack them in zip lock bags for afternoon snacks at work, or grab a cup to munch on when I’m loungin’ round the house. At 100 calories a serving, I could do a lot worse. Plus, aren’t Cheerios good for your heart? Oh, Cheerios, how I love your banana-ie goodness. (Side note: I actually hate bananas, but love all things banana flavored. Oh, and banana pudding… I love that stuff!)

Gatorade Rain – The really light purple colored one. They say it’s “berry” flavored, but it doesn’t really taste like berries to me. Tastes more like cold, refreshing spring rain, flavored with a hint of heaven and caught in a bottle. Ha! Okay, so maybe it’s not really as delicious as heavenly rain -whatever that tastes like- but it’s pretty dang good, if you ask me. (Which you didn’t, so I’ll move on now….) Burt’s Bees Honey Lip Balm – Perfectly moisturizing, without being sticky. Plus it smells like honey. Need I say more?
Victoria’s Secret Sweet Daydream body fragrance – YUM! This stuff smells delectable. It’s a blend of apple, raspberry and vanilla. I keep a thing of body lotion in my bathroom for after-shower use, a tube of hand and body creme in my purse, in case my hands get dry when I’m out and about, and a tub of the body butter at my desk. Excessive? Probably. But the body butter is great for moisturizing your hands without leaving them all greasy, which is good when you’re typing all day. You don’t want a slippery keyboard! Or at least I don’t.
Cupid – Have any of you watched this new show on ABC? Basically, Cupid (you know, the god of love) gets kicked off of Mt. Olympus for making too many casual matches. So, he’s sent into the real world with the task of matching 100 people so he can return to his godly home – oh, and all of the matches have to be “true love," not just random hook-ups. Sappy? Predictable? Unrealistic beyond belief? Yes. But still charming.

Adam Lambert – Look, I know there are a lot of people bad mouthing this guy right now. Saying he’s weird or criticizing his sexual preference. But you know what? The bottom line is that this boy can sing. And not only can he sing, he can put on one heck of a show. He delivers week after week. And if he happens to like boys, well, that’s none of our business. What about Freddie Mercury, from a little band called Queen? Or Elton John? Or Boy George? Or Lance Bass? Or Clay Aiken? Leave him alone and let him entertain us, because he’s doing an amazing job. I’ve watched his last few performances more times than I can count. Love him.

Cooking – I’ve actually cooked two meals this week. That’s a record for me. At my house, leftovers last forever because it’s usually just me. And Toby totally doesn’t appreciate my chicken tetrazzini. Unlike Paul, who recently appeared on the Maury show. He apparently loved someone's chicken tetrazzini. Too bad that someone was his girlfriend's best friend.

I accept cash, checks and money orders...

2009-04-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: If I sent you four hundred dollars today what is ONE thing you would spend it on and why? P.S. I want my change.

With the wonderfully warm, beautiful days of summer just around the corner, I can think of one thing in particular that would make my backyard absolutely divine:

What’s that you say? $400 won’t buy me Matthew McConaughey? Not even for a few hours? Well, fine.

I’ll settle for a hammock:

This little piece of pillow-top heaven would make the perfect weekend retreat. I can see myself curled up with my Kindle, soaking up the sun as I read. Or I could put it in the shade and let the warm summer breeze gently rock me into a relaxing, afternoon nap.

And Kat, this comfortable little gem is only $359, so you’ll be getting back a little bit of change, just as you requested. Now, if you’d be so kind as to send me my money.

I’ll be waiting…

I have a new friend...

2009-04-14T09:58:00.000-07:00

He’s tall, dark and handsome. He has big, soulful eyes. And he’s oh so lovable as he freely passes out big, wet kisses.

Want to know his name?

Well, so do I. Unfortunately he’s been hanging around my yard for a few days without a collar, so I don’t know what to call him, or who he belongs to.

Yes, my new friend is a dog. A beautiful black lab, to be specific – who showed up out of the blue and doesn’t seem to want to leave. And honestly, I’m okay with that.

He first showed up Sunday afternoon – wagging his tail with a big puppy-dog grin on his face. He played with Toby for awhile, then stood on his hind legs, with his front paws resting on my shoulders and proceeded to lick my face. I doubled over laughing, which only brought me down closer to his level – an open invitation for more puppy love.

A little while later, a little boy rode by on a bike with a yellow lab walking beside him, and my friend ran to join them. I assumed he belonged with them.

But when I went to get Toby from the yard last night, I was nearly knocked over as my new friend happily jumped up to greet me. He tried to follow us into the house, and I sadly told him he had to stay outside. Toby walked from the bedroom to the carport door whining for thirty minutes. He’d only pause long enough to look at me expectantly, as though I’d change my mind and let our new friend in.

He doesn’t look to be more than a year old, and he’s been neutered. As far as I can tell, he’s full-blooded lab, which means someone, somewhere has to be missing him.

When I took Toby out this morning, our friend walked lazily from my back yard, where he apparently spent the entire night. That’s when I noticed how hungry he looked. I began wondering if he’d been fed recently. So, of course I promptly went inside, fetched the biggest bowl I could find and filled it with Toby’s small-breed dog food. I wasn’t sure he’d like it, but he gobbled it up in a few, short minutes. I put some water out for him, too. When I left to come to work, my new friend curled up on the carport floor and watched me drive away. I have a feeling he’ll still be there when I get home.

I guess I need to start looking for his owner. He’s far too sweet and beautiful to not have a home. And if I can’t find his home… well, I have been wanting another dog. In fact, I’ve been wanting a lab. And this one just showed up on my doorstep.

In the meantime, any suggestions on how to handle the situation? I feel like I need to put him in my back yard and shut the gate so he doesn’t get hit by a car. We live near a fairly busy highway and I’d hate for something to happen to him. But I don’t want his owners to start looking for him, see him shut up in my yard and think I'm trying to steal him. They’d understand that I was trying to keep him safe, right?

I guess doggie dilemmas are going around these days, huh Diane?

100 for my 100th

2009-04-08T13:15:00.000-07:00

The wonderful Kim, over at The Child, tagged me to share a little list of things about myself. I think she's getting more than she bargained for! Since today is my 100th post (seriously?!) I decided to shoot for 100 ~~interesting~~ random facts. Brace yourself. We could be here for quite some time.

1) I desperately wish I could sing.
2) You don’t want to hear my try.
3) But I am learning to play the guitar.
4) I’m not doing a very good job.
5) I blame my teacher.
6) And the fact that I haven’t had a lesson in three weeks.
7) I haven’t practiced, either.
8) I’ve always wanted to go sky diving.
9) I’m an adrenaline junkie.
10) But I don’t want to bungee jump.
11) I’m afraid the bungee will break.
12) Or be too long and I’ll splat on the ground.
13) Strangely, I have no problem with parachutes.
14) I believe in coffee.
15) And Dr Pepper.
16) And sweet tea.
17) From the neck up, I look like my daddy.
18) Well, except for the long hair and make-up.
19) Neck down, I’m all Mama.
20) I’m not sure how that combination works for me.
21) Me and my ex are taking things slow, but trying to work things out.
22) I guess you could say we’re back together.
23) I snuck that in as nonchalantly as possible.
24) (I really missed him.)
25) When I was little, I had a Cabbage Patch doll named Ravioli.
26) My pasta obsession is still intact.
27) I really want to go to Italy.
28) Especially Tuscany.
29) I’d probably gain 20 pounds.
30) I actually used my treadmill yesterday.
31) Then I got off and ate chips and salsa.
32) That might be counterproductive.
33) My dog is an idiot.
34) But I love him with all my heart.
35) Even when he eats my socks and throws up on my bed.
36) If I ate my socks, I’d probably throw up, too.
37) I talk to strangers at the grocery store.
38) And pretty much everywhere else I go.
39) Basically, I talk all the time.
40) Mama said one of my first words was “French fry”.
41) And I wonder why I’m not skinny.
42) My backyard currently looks like a jungle.
43) There are random ~~flowers~~ weeds growing everywhere.
44) They’re taller than Toby.
45) My neighbors probably hate me.
46) I plan on doing something about it this weekend.
47) And by “I”, I mean “Kevin.”
48) I don’t own any lawn equipment.
49) I thought that was what landlords were for.
50) I just realized I’m only halfway to 100.
51) I don’t think I’ll make it.
52) Let’s see…
53) My favorite movie is Boondock Saints.
54) Don’t watch it if you’re easily offended by violence or bad language.
55) Do watch it if you have a penchant for hot Irish guys.
56) I want to go to Ireland.
57) But not for the guys.
58) The landscapes look incredible.
59) I’m a self-proclaimed nerd.
60) I’m not that smart, I just like to read.
61) I got an Amazon Kindle for Christmas.
62) I love it so much.
63) I can’t believe they killed off Kutner on House this week.
64) I read that Kal Penn, the actor that played Kutner, quit the show to go work at the White House as a public liaison for Asian-Americans.
65) Ha. From House to the White House…
66) Do any of you watch House?
67) It’s pretty much my favorite show.
68) I watch way too much TV.
69) This list is getting ridiculously long.
70) And I’m bored.
71) So I’m quitting now.
72) Oh, I just remembered….
73) Don’t you hate it when people do that?
74) Like when you try to get off the phone, but the other person just keeps “remembering” something else to say?
75) I do that a lot.
76) Refer to number 39.
77) But seriously…
78) I forgot to tell you something.
79) I’m a huge Alabama football fan.
80) But I’ll watch any sport that’s on TV.
81) I’ve never been a girly girl.
82) The only thing I can do with my hair is “up” or “down.”
83) A full face of makeup takes me about five minutes.
84) I haven’t worn a dress in over two years.
85) And that was to my grandparents’ 50th anniversary party.
86) I’m severely clumsy.
87) I run into door frames on a daily basis.
88) I like to claim I have inner-ear problems that throw off my sense of balance.
89) Honestly, I think I’m just a klutz.
90) I once saw a sticker that said, “Don’t follow in my footsteps – I run into walls.”
91) I should have bought it.
92) I also have a habit of falling down stairs.
93) I broke my tailbone that way.
94) The pain pills they gave me made me loopy.
95) While I was on them, I tripped walking up the steps to my porch.
96) My knees hit the concrete and got all scraped up.
97) My head hit a step and I wound up looking like a unicorn (from the huge knot that formed on my forehead.)
98) I took another pain pill and went to sleep.
99) This has been the most random list of junk.
100) But now it’s over! (Aren’t you glad?)

With age comes... crispy skin and a short attention span

2009-04-06T08:43:00.000-07:00

Several things have recently become painfully obvious.

First of all (and most literally painful), my skin is not the same as it used to be. I didn’t realize that it changed as you got older. In my mind, I still have the golden tan skin of my childhood and adolescence. The skin that never burned, but instead continued to grow darker and darker all summer long. In fact, check out this picture of me and my old roommate from last spring:

Notice the tan? That’s after being in the sun one or two times – I think it was April.

Now check out a picture from today – one year later:

See the difference? Notice the pasty-white face and the ridiculously red chest? Ouch. This was after being in the sun for two hours on Saturday at my brother’s baseball game. TWO HOURS people. Not all day. Not even half a day. Two stinkin’ hours and I get THIS. What the heck is going on?! I don’t get it!!

Secondly, I have got to get a hold of my inability to focus on simple tasks. This, too, is getting progressively worse with age. It leaves me scatter-brained and daydreaming when I’m supposed to be diligently working. I’ll sit down to write an article and stare at a blank page for ages. I find myself zoning out when people are talking to me – when I finally snap to, I realize I haven’t heard the last several sentences. I lose stuff all the time. I misplace keys or papers. I walk into rooms and forget what I’ve gone in there for. And it’s not just every now and then. It’s ALL the time. I took an online ADD assessment last week and it told me to seek medical help for my strong ADD tendencies. I don’t know if it’s a serious problem, or if I just need to clear my head and get on the ball, but it seems like the harder I try, the worse the problem becomes. It’s starting to be a pretty significant hindrance at work. I feel like I’m constantly behind.

Next on my list of realizations – I’ve got to start actually using the treadmill that sitting in my guest bedroom. My clothes are getting too tight for comfort. Plus, it’s almost summer, and as of right now, this girl is NOT putting on a swimsuit. If I’m going to be red this summer, I need to at least be skinny and red. As of right now, I’d just look like a big ‘ole tomato. Nobody wants to see that.

Also, I need to figure out where I’m going to live in a couple months. My lease will be up the 1st of July and I haven’t decided what to do. Renew and throw away another year’s worth of rent money? Or try to find a house of my very own? I like that idea, but then there’s the issue of repairs (landlords are handy that way) or trying to sell if I eventually decide to move (there are houses on my street that have been for sell since last summer when I moved here.) I don’t know what to do…

But I’ll have to think about it later. Right now I’m going to go try to focus… wish me luck.

Do yourself a favor...

2009-04-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know I've made several references to Sister Hazel over the life of this blog - either through song quotes or while raving about my favorite music... but trust me when I say they deserve every kind word ever written.

I have been so impressed with lead singer Ken Block's dedication to their fans. Several weeks ago, he responded to one of my music posts and today he showed me some love on the Sister Hazel message board by linking my blog post from yesterday. How cool is that? Very cool, my friends. Very cool, indeed.

If you've never listened to their music, do yourself a favor and check 'em out. They're kind of an eclectic blend of alternative, folk and southern rock. Ken's voice is refreshingly unique - it will pull you in and make you crave more. I can literally go days without listening to anything but Sister Hazel or Ken's solo album (which is also fantastic, by the way.) And the lyrics... don't get me started on the lyrics - we'd be here all day! Let me just say I know that there's at least one song you can relate to. The words speak timeless truths, offer bits of inspiration and often tell magnificent stories. You know you're a fan when you can find a song lyric to fit nearly every situation. Or when you find yourself saying, "Oh... that reminds me of this Sister Hazel song..."

So, stop putting it off. Start your Sister Hazel education today. Seriously - start here. Then come back and tell me how much you loved it.

P.S. If you live down here in lower Alabama like me, they're going to be performing at Huntingdon College in Montgomery tomorrow night. I won't be able to make it, but you should definitely go support them. I saw them last year in Troy and they were amazing. :)

Spinach, anyone?

2009-04-02T17:37:00.000-07:00

"By simple definition I'd be scattered. Oh where do I begin? Well I'm stuck within the mortal framework of having to use words... In some regards I'd use the term eclectic -the merging of experience and different points of view. Well I think, I learn, I listen and I sift my way right through. And I'm always the one with fascination." ---Sister Hazel, Sometimes

I've always loved the idea behind this song. It's like someone has asked you who you are and given you a limited amount of space to answer. How would you do it? Where would you begin? What could you possibly say to give someone who's never met you a vague idea of what you're like?

For instance, I could say:

I'm five feet, three inches of music-loving, book-reading, fierce independence.
I call it like I see it, then worry that I've hurt your feelings.
I'm trusting enough to want to believe you, yet jaded enough to have my doubts.
I hold tight to what I believe, but remain fascinated by new ideas.
I'm a firm believer in a soft couch, a warm blanket and a good book.
I'm irrational, impulsive, impatient, and otherwise imperfect in every way. And I'm okay with that.

But no matter how many ways I try to say it, the chorus of the song says it best:
"Mostly I'm just me! "

Or, to steal a line from my favorite sailor, "I yam what I yam, and that's all that I yam."

Dyslexia of the mouth and other charming traits

2009-04-01T19:29:00.000-07:00

This week's writing assignment from Mama Kat: In what ways are you turning into your mother?

Oh. Dear. Lord. To say that Mama and I had a rocky relationship for the majority of my adolescence would be putting it mildly. We screamed, argued, slammed doors and called names. I was sassy, hard-headed, trying and disrespectful. Plus, she was "like, totally overreacting" about everything, right? I didn't understand why she'd get so mad at me for leaving towels on the floor. Or for letting my laundry pile up for a week before taking it all down to the laundry room. Or why it was such a big deal to leave a glass sitting on the table for hours after I was done with it. I mean, she would eventually pick it up anyway. No biggie.

Had you told me that one day I would be just like her, I probably would've rolled my eyes and said, "Uh, whatever." (I was a charming teenager.) Little did I know...

The first time I heard her words fall from my lips, I nearly passed out. I FINALLY got it. I was living with a slob of a roommate and it was wearing on my patience. It seemed like every time I cleaned the house, she'd come through and mess it up. I'd wash dishes, and she'd leave five dirty ones on the counter with food stuck on them. We had a dishwasher. What was the problem?! She'd leave clean dishes in the dishwasher for DAYS if I didn't unload them. It was driving me mad. One day I snapped. I said, "Do you think that this thing just unloads itself?! NO. I do it! Every time!" Then I froze in terror and had a small panic attack when I realized that, not only did I speak my mother's words, but they came out in the exact same tone of voice that she always used when she was frustrated with me. Whoa! When did that happen?

Since then (after five years of various roommates with various degrees of nastiness), I've really come to understand her years of frustration with me. It's exhausting to spend so much time and energy cleaning, then have someone come through and mess it all up in a matter of minutes.

And it's not just the cleaning thing. Oh, no. Our similarities run much deeper. For instance, I also inherited her totally inappropriate sense of humor, which leaves me giggling uncontrollably when I see someone fall down. And her dyslexia of the mouth that makes me say things like "trow slucks" when I really mean "slow trucks." Oh, or what about the ability to invent all new words, like "expressionful," when I really mean "expressive." Yep. I got that too. The goods just keep coming.

But you know what? I've come to realize that being like Mama isn't such a bad thing. In fact, I'd be pretty proud if someone compared me to her. Know why? Because, despite all of our past bickering, I've discovered that Mama is a pretty cool person. She's strong and funny and completely unafraid to say what she thinks. She stands up for what she thinks is right and does things her own way. And she's not afraid to laugh at herself. I like that.

So all in all, I might be turning into my mom in some ways - but that's okay. Things could be worse. I could still be a moody teenager who rolls her eyes and says, "Whatever."

Toby? Trained? Hahaha....

2009-03-31T10:49:00.000-07:00

I think Toby has (undeservingly) earned himself a bit of a bad reputation.

While talking to my landlord this morning, she excitedly told me that she had run across some dog training videos that she had forgotten about. She said she immediately thought of me and would bring them by this house this afternoon. Really? I mean Toby’s not that bad, right? If you were to randomly come across some form of doggie behavior-modification video, would you immediately think of me? Sheesh. I guess I need to get a handle on the situation.

Oh, yeah. I didn’t tell you why I was talking to my landlord in the first place. (She didn’t actually call me about the videos – that was just a happy coincidence.) I locked myself out of my house this morning. I know. Smart, huh? See, I had my hands full with food that I was bringing to work and stupidly thought my keys were in the mess of other stuff I grabbed off the kitchen counter. Apparently not.

I was a little scatter-brained (more than usual) because I got out of the shower to find my living room covered in little bits of paper towel. Hundreds of tiny white scraps covering the couch and floor. I was dumb enough to leave an entire roll sitting on the coffee table last night. Incidentally, I took them into the living room after Toby ate a bug that he later regurgitated on the rug. So I guess all of this comes back to him. Maybe that reputation is well deserved, after all.

But you know, despite the mess, the dog hair, the damaged shoes, missing books and destroyed cell phones - despite the hassles and headaches, the incessant barking and constant neediness – I don’t know what I’d do without him. I complain about him a lot, but he always keeps things interesting. And he always makes me laugh (Eventually. Some things are only funny later – after the anger wears off.)

So bring on the training videos. I don’t know how successful they’ll be, but we’ll give ‘em a shot. If nothing else, maybe they’ll provide some interesting stories.

Prayers needed

2009-03-28T09:32:00.000-07:00

So, I know I've been MIA lately. Sorry. The past week has been rough. I won't go into all of the gory details, but let's just say I had one heck of a stomach bug. Thanks to my new friend Phenergan, I was finally able to keep fluids and small amounts of food down by Thursday. Now, nine pounds lighter and significantly weaker, I'm just trying to build my strength back up.

In other news, I need all of you wonderful people to do me a favor, ok? I need you all to send up prayers and positive thoughts for my family. My dad's kidney function has dropped pretty low and he's going to need a transplant soon. My step-mom is being tested to see if she's a match. If so, hopefully things will happen pretty quickly and Daddy can be on his way to feeling better by early summer.

I don't think I've ever mentioned it on here, but there's a genetic disease that is pretty prevalent in our family called polycystic kidney disease, or PKD. My grandad had it, and my dad, aunt and cousin Jen all have it. They tell you to stay active and keep your blood pressure under control, but beyond that, there isn't much you can do. (Daddy, AJ, Jen... feel free to comment and tell me if I'm wrong about any of this. Y'all know better than I do.)

I really want to be tested so I can donate if Michelle isn't a match, but I've been told that the hospital won't even consider me because I've yet to be tested for PKD. (There's a 50 percent chance the the child of a PKD parent also carries the disease.) Obviously, if I have it, my kidney wouldn't be of any use to Daddy. Apparently it can lie dormant until your mid-thirties, so even if I'm tested now and the results are negative, I wouldn't be eligible to donate because of the chance of a false-negative test result. It's really frustrating to know that there's nothing I can do to help.

Anyway, if you want to read more about PKD, click here.

I know that things will be okay. My family is strong and faithful, and I know many people are praying for us. This isn't the first tough time we've been through. A little over a year ago, our prayer's were answered when my Aunt Jenny received a healthy kidney from a young man at her church. To read more about that, click here.

The more people we have praying for us, the better shot we'll have - so please, keep Daddy in your thoughts and prayers.

Sitting and waiting.... again

2009-03-21T09:55:00.001-07:00

I've truly developed a loathing for airports this week.

I got to Reagan National this morning to find that my noon flight had been canceled due to a "mechanical problem." Obviously I don't want to be on a plane that's experiencing any such problem, but the extra four hour wait will be pretty boring - which is why I just paid six bucks for a two hour Internet connection.

Man, I can't believe the week is over already. It seems like just yesterday I was checking into my hotel. And although I miss everyone back in Alabama, I honestly wish I could stay here awhile longer. There are so many things I didn't get to see. Of course, I think you could stay here for weeks and not see it all. Maybe months. I'll definitely have to come back soon when I have more time to sight see.

I was fortunate enough to spend yesterday evening and this morning with the wonderful Diane. Be very jealous. For those of you who read her blog on a regular basis, I want you to know that she is even more fantastic in real life (I didn't think it was possible!) She is warm, funny, intelligent, charismatic, compassionate, open-minded, non judgemental, thoughtful, honest and interesting. And those few words don't do her justice at all. If - for some crazy reason -you don't already read her blog, you should definitely start. She'll often make you laugh, occasionally make you cry, and always make you think.

Well - I'm off to bury myself in my Kindle for awhile. I have a pretty good book that's just begging to be read. Or maybe I'll stretch out across the seat here and take a nap. Think they'll wake me up before my flight leaves? I probably shouldn't chance it....

Alive and well in D.C.

2009-03-18T12:16:00.001-07:00

I just got out of my first day of conferences and thought I'd take a minute to update y'all on my trip, thus far.

My flight (that was supposed to leave at noon on Monday) was delayed (joy). Instead of taking off on time, I didn't actually get air-born until sometime after 2:00, which made it equally joyful to make my connecting flight in Atlanta. I should have had an hour and twenty minutes to leisurely make my way to my gate. Instead, I had 10 minutes to get from concourse D to concourse A - not an easy task. Of course, by the time I got to my gate, that flight had ALSO been delayed. They apparently decided on that little detail while I was running on the moving walkways.

I landed in D.C. around 6:30 and took an exciting shuttle ride to my hotel. I got out of the van grateful to be alive after several near-death experiences and two near-collisions with pedestrians. After sorting out some issues with my check-in, I happily ordered room-service and sprawled out on my "heavenly bed" (that's the actual trademarked name - and not an exaggeration. It's amazing.) I ate a bellyful of of seafood pasta and the biggest slice of cheesecake I'd ever seen, then drifted into a deep, wonderful sleep.

Yesterday, I proudly made my way around the city by myself. I caught the Metro and rode to the National Mall, where I spent most of the day touring around the museums. I found that it's actually really relaxing to be able to do things on your own time and see exactly what you want to see, without having to wait around for someone else. Not a bad deal. Later in the afternoon, I headed to Arlington National Cemetery and spent some time reflecting on the men and women who have given their lives for our freedom. Seeing the sheer number of headstones is both visually breathtaking and emotionally overwhelming.

I got back to the hotel just in time for our welcome reception last night. I met a lot of interesting people from all over the country. I'm really looking forward to getting to know them better over the remainder of the week. Some of us tried to go to a local Irish pub last night to celebrate St. Patty's day, but after seeing a ridiculously long line wrap around the building, we decided to grab a bite to eat somewhere else and call it a night.

Today, I heard several speakers and learned a lot about my role as a communicator. I think it's excellent that they offer things like this for those of us who are new to the industry. Not only are we learning valuable information, we're building a wonderful network of peers.

Well, it's time to wrap this up. I'm about to head out for a tour of the FDR Memorial and dinner at Union Station. Stay tuned for more updates...

Hope y'all are having a fantastic week!

Oh... check out my new friend:

Ha!! The squirrels here are very.... friendly. I was sitting on the bench eating a cookie and apparently this guy wanted a bite.

Gone again...

2009-03-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd take a break from packing to catch up on y'all's blogs before I abandon you for another week. I leave tomorrow for Washington, D.C. and won't be back until next Saturday. I'm taking my laptop, but I honestly don't know how much time I'll spend on it. I hope to stay pretty busy.
I'll get into D.C. late tomorrow evening then have all day Tuesday to sight-see before my conference starts Wednesday morning.
I'm a little nervous about being in an unfamiliar city by myself, but I'm independent enough to know I'll be fine. Although, to be honest, I'm a little on edge about my cab ride from the airport to the hotel. I've been told that the cabbies drive pretty crazy up there. I just have to remind myself that thousands of people safely make it to their destinations every day. No need to worry...
Well, that's all for now - not much time to post today. I have a lot to get done before I leave. I hope you all have a fantastic week!

You might be a Southerner if...

2009-03-13T07:20:00.000-07:00

I've been struggling to find things to write about lately. While there have been several things occur over the past few weeks that would make for interesting blog-fodder, I'd rather not shine the spotlight on them just now. There are too many thoughts bouncing around in this little head of mine to make much sense of anything. So, instead of updating you on my life (which is feeling a little surreal right now) I'll pass along a southern-fried meme. I don't remember where this came from, but I've been saving it for a rainy day.

1. Have you ever gone muddin'?
Of course! We used to go “muddin’ at sunrise” in my friend’s Jeep. Of course, that’s back when I could stay awake long enough to see the sun come up.

2. Have you ever lived on a dirt/gravel road?
Yep. And it gets even better. I lived at the very end of a dirt road… in a camper… all summer long! I couldn’t find a rental house last summer while I was doing my internship, so a friend of mine let me stay at his camper on the lake. It was actually a lot of fun. I had a GORGEOUS view.. and the camper wasn’t one of those really nasty, trashy ones. It was pretty nice, as far as campers go.

3. Ever been swimming in a lake or river?
Absolutely. Like I just said, I lived at the lake all summer. Of course I went swimming!!

4. Ever been to a bonfire party?
More than I can count. I’ve also seen a drunken frat boy try to pull an Evil Knievel and jump the fire on a dirt bike. Never a good idea.

5. Have you ever driven a tractor?
No, but I have sat on the hood of a tractor while someone else was driving – and I fear that’s much worse.

6. Have you ever been on a horse?
Sure have.

7. Ford or Chevy?
Chevy.

8. Kissed someone in a pick up?
Yep. In the cab, and on the tail-gate.

9. What’s your favorite country song?
Fishin’ in the Dark by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band… or Cross My Heart by George Strait… ooooooh OR Amos Moses by Jerry Reed. Yeah… definitely Amos Moses!!

10. Ever done 90 miles per hour down a dirt road?
No…never quite that fast.

11. Worked / Lived on a farm?
Dated a farmer – does that count?

12. Been to a rodeo?
Yep.

13. Do you own cowboy boots?
I actually don’t. But I do own steel-toe work boots.

14. Do you have a cowboy hat?
Nope.

15. Have you ever said git r done?
Only when joking.

16. Country skyline or a city skyline?
Country skyline –definitely. Nothing like it.

17. Can you name a rodeo star?
Not one that’s alive. I know Lane Frost, but only because of the movie 8 Seconds.

18. Do you think tractors are sexy?
Not the tractor – but the hard-working guy driving the tractor

19. Ever rode a 4-wheeler?
Yep. Click here to learn how I almost lost a leg…

20. Are you from the country?
Not really… but I’m not from the city either.

21. If so, are you proud of it?
I would be, I guess?

22. Gone hunting?
Nope. I’ve helped plant deer plots and set tree stands, but never actually been hunting.

23. Gone fishing?
Oh yeah! I love fishing. Another perk of living at the lake all summer.

24. Is your heart in Dixie?
I live in Alabama, formerly known as the “Heart of Dixie” before they took it off of our license plates… so I guess so.

25. Been on a hay ride?
Yep.

26. Have you ever line danced?
Not since grade school.

27. Camped under the stars?
No.. but I want to.

28. Have you ever been cow tippin?
Negative.

29. Do you drive a pick up truck?
Nope – an SUV.

30. Fell asleep in a hay stack?
Negative. It’s kind of itchy.

31. Own a pair of overalls?
Nope. Not since I was 12.

32. Drank Moonshine?
Can I plead the 5th?

33. Include the word "yonder" in your daily vocabulary?
Not normally. I do say “reckon” a lot. As in, “Well, I reckon…”

34. Ever shoveled manure?
No. And I’m grateful for it.

35. Milked a cow?
No, but I have fed cows plenty of times.

36. Plucked a chicken?
Yuck. No. I have been inside a chicken house, though.

37. Is sweet tea your favorite drink?
It’s right up there with Dr Pepper.

38. Been to a race?
Never been to NASCAR, but my high school boyfriend used to drag race.

39. Know all the words to at least one David Allen Coe song?
Yep. The perfect country and western song…
“Well, I was drunk the day my Mom got outta prison. And I went to pick her up in the rain. But, before I could get to the station in my pickup truck, she got runned over by a damned old train.”

40.Have you ever made out in a back of a pick-up?
I think you should probably mind your own business. Nosey much??

Nothing stays the same

2009-03-11T07:22:00.000-07:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: What happened in the last year? Write about something you can do now that you couldn't do a year ago.

This past year has definitely been an eventful one. I can honestly say that almost every aspect of my life is different today than it was last March.

I’ve completed an internship, graduated, taken my first “real-world” job, moved, lost friends, lost a mentor, lost a boyfriend and struggled to find myself in the midst of all of the change.

Last March was my last semester of class in Troy. I was frustrated with school and terrified that I’d never find the internship I needed to graduate. I worked a crappy part-time job (with full-time hours) at a clothing store – letting myself constantly be pushed around by my idiot boss. I had no time to do anything but go to class and work. Finally, when I realized I’d never graduate if I didn’t get busy and line up an internship, I quit the crappy job. Thanks to a tip from a fellow journalism student, a wonderful reference from my beloved advisor and some form of divine intervention, I wound up snagging an internship with the company that I now work for full-time.
When I got here, I instantly fell in love with the people and the town (small as it may be.) I felt like I was home. I didn’t want to leave, and began dreading the whole job-search ordeal that would have to take place before the end of summer. Thankfully, a few weeks before I graduated, my boss offered me a job. I interned up to the day before my graduation, and started full-time the day after. It was seamless.

When I came here, a lot of things changed very quickly. I went from living with two other girls and both of their dogs, to living in a house with just me and Toby – from paying a third of the bills, to paying all of them on my own. From living in a town where I knew everyone, to living in a town where I knew virtually no one. From seeing my boyfriend every day, to seeing him once a week or less. I had to learn to adjust. I had to learn how to be on my own in every sense.

And you know what? It’s hard. I’ve struggled with a lot of emotions over the past several months. I’m doing fine, but it definitely hasn’t been a cake walk. The last month or so has been the hardest – dealing with the pain of realizing a relationship that I had been in for several years might not be the best thing for me. The hardest part is knowing I’ve hurt someone I care about.

But I can honestly say that I’m stronger, wiser and more independent today than I was this time last year. I know that I can count on myself to get by. I think that’s probably my biggest accomplishment to date – feeling secure in my ability to provide for myself.

I can’t wait to look back this time next year and see what’s changed.

I'm back

2009-03-07T09:58:00.000-08:00

I'm alive!! I know I haven't been on here in a week, and I apologize for getting so behind on all of your blogs... I'll have to try to play catch up this weekend!

First of all, can I just tell you how exhausted I am?? It has been a long week, folks. I left early Tuesday morning to pick up the Youth Tour winners from our local high schools and drive them to Montgomery to meet with other kids from across the state. We spent the next few days touring the capital city. We went into the State House, the Archives building, the Capital building and the Rosa Parks Museum. Then there were socials in the evenings, meant to serve as a way for the kids to get to know each other. The first night was a river boat dinner cruise with a DJ and the second night was cosmic bowling. Overall, everyone had a great time, and I think I did my chaperoning duties well. No one got hurt or snuck away to do drugs, drink or ... have relations. I consider that a success.

I realized on this trip that I'm nowhere near as young as I like to think I am. I had a hard time keeping up with a group of 125 sixteen and seventeen year olds. They had an 11:00 curfew each night, but were allowed to stay up later as long as they were hanging out in a chaperone's room. I thought I was going to have to tape my eyelids open at one point - no lie. I really think we should have scheduled in a nap time at some point each day. Ha. Can you imagine telling a group of teenagers that it was time to take a nap?? Yeah right...

There are so many stories I could tell about what we saw, the drama that played out between some of the girls, or some of the conversations I wish I had never overheard - but frankly... my brain is way too tired to think of any of those right now. I went to a little hole-in-the-wall bar with a friend from work last night to see a band. I had a great time, but I stayed out waaaaay past my bed-time. I feel pretty useless today. It's funny how just a few years ago, I could stay out till sunrise, then go to class all day and work all evening. I almost never slept. Now, if I get any less than my full eight hours of sleep, I feel drained and worthless. Weird.

So, I'll save those stories for later. As for right now? I have a ton of laundry to do, and even more work to catch up on from being out of the office most of the week. Blah.

Oooh, and for all of you Twilight fans out there: one of the kids on the trip this week looked just like Edward Cullen. The girls were going nuts. It was hilarious to watch. The poor boy looked terrified as groups of girls would ambush him and beg for pictures. I didn't take one, but I will leave you with the real deal:

Snow in the deep South

2009-03-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

So, Friday it was 72 degrees. Today? This:

The back deck at Mama's house when I woke up this morning.

The front yard.

Ignore the fact that I look like a total doofus. My ears were FREEZING!!

Overall, Toby was pretty unimpressed by the snow - although he did seem to like the way it felt on his tongue.

The strangest, biggest-headed snow man I've ever seen!!

We really enjoyed the weather today, but I decided that I definitely could not live somewhere where it snows all the time. I hate wet, soggy shoes. (I guess I could wear snow boots?) By early afternoon, the sun broke through and things melted pretty quickly. It was fun while it lasted!

Friday randomness

2009-02-27T07:55:00.001-08:00

Well, either West Nile has come to my street, or Toby finally caught himself a bird. I walked into my backyard yesterday afternoon and nearly stepped on a poor little dead robin. Toby had a really proud look about him, but I haven’t figured out how he could have possibly been the culprit. Birds fly, right? Surely he’s wasn’t quick enough to pounce on it before it could fly away.

The saddest part was trying to figure out what to do with it (besides giving it to Toby, who seemed all too eager to chew on it for awhile.) I ended up tossing it in the outside garbage can, but that felt pretty cruel. What’s the proper way to dispose of a dead bird, anyway?

On a completely unrelated note, are any of you following American Idol this year? I’m kind of in love with Danny Gokey and Adam Lambert. But a little part of me feels like I’m betraying David Cook… I’m allowed to have a new Idol boyfriend since it’s a new season, right? I think those are the rules. (Jen, help me out here.)

Yes, even with the black outfit, black finger nails, black hair, black gloves, black eyeliner and giant gold chains, I can't help but love this guy.

Oh, and one last thing -

I found this little game at over at BookKitten's blog, it's called Friday Fill-ins. If you want to play, go right ahead. It's pretty self-explanatory.

1. I'm clumsy, I'm sarcastic, I try to find humor in everything.

2. Why do I have short, stubby legs and not long, graceful ones?

3. How does this whole "being a grownup" thing work, anyway?

4. Every morning, I put a big, steaming hot cup of coffee on my desk.

5. I consider myself lucky because I have a wonderful family and friends who love me and make me laugh.

6. One day we’ll see God.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to having dinner with my family in Birmingham, tomorrow my plans include going to Chase's Blue Gold Banquet and Sunday, I want to come home and rest from my weekend on the road!

Have a great weekend!!

I'm NOT old!! Right??

2009-02-26T12:32:00.000-08:00

Somebody please tell me when 24 became old. Seriously… last time I checked, I was still a young woman, right? I don’t know. Several people have been saying otherwise.

For instance, when I called to tell my little brother happy birthday this morning he responded by calling me an old woman. Look here Bubba, you’re not that much younger than me! It hasn’t been that long since I was 17, too. (Okay… it’s been seven years. But it doesn’t feel like it!)

And he’s not the only one. My guitar teacher told me I was nearly ancient. He’s only two years younger than me! As far as I’m concerned, that makes him decrepit, too.

Then – and this one might take the crown – I was called an old maid by the waiter at the Mexican restaurant a few months ago. His exact words were, “Wow, 24…shouldn’t you be poppin’ out some puppies pretty soon?” Poppin’ out some puppies?! What the hell, man??

Guys, let me assure you – you get no points for calling a woman old or ancient, and you get NEGATIVE points for telling her to hurry up and pop out some puppies before she can’t anymore. Just thought I’d give you a heads up on that one.

But seriously, happy birthday Sean. Just remember – one day you’ll be old, too. And trust me, I’ll be the first to call you names and steal your walker.

Sean and his friend, Ricky, celebrating their birthdays together.

My piggyback post

2009-02-25T07:08:00.000-08:00

Well, today I’m going to be a follower (yet again). I know what you’re thinking. “Be original, Heather. Come up with your own ideas…” Well, lately my brain is feeling pretty mushy. So until it starts acting right, I’m going to piggyback off of other people. And you’ll just have to like it. (Or not read it. I guess it’s up to you.)

Diane, Mel and Jenners have all done the now infamous Google meme. It’s pretty basic. You just go to Google and type in “Your name needs” (don’t literally type “your name”- you know what I mean, right? Don’t be dumb.) Then make a list of whatever it is Google thinks you’re lacking. As many people before me have realized, Google can be a jerk. Here’s what I supposedly need for a fulfilled life.

Heather needs:

…two therapists. Really? Is one not enough? Am I supposed to play them against each other?

…something more to be satisfied. This is probably true. What do you recommend Google?

…to grow up. Oh, come on! I’m trying.

…a childhood. Well make up your dang mind, Google. Which is it? Grow up, or be a child?

…men. Multiple men, or just men in general?

…some body guards. Is that a threat, Google? I don’t like your attitude.

…a new shrink. You mean besides the two you already recommended? So we’re up to three therapists now. Greeeat. It just keeps getting better.

…Gatorade. Well, now that you mention it, I am a little thirsty.

…a joint. Umm, Google?? I think you have me confused with someone else.

…a vacation. FINALLY.. something I actually want.

…£10,000 a day. Again.. you’re beginning to redeem yourself Google. We could be friends.

…to talk about the weather. Well, it’s sunny and about 60 degrees today. Pretty nice, overall.

…your financial support. Yes. You can send checks, made payable to Heather to… Oh, what’s that? You don’t want to send me a check? Oh. Well, fine.

…protection. Again with the threats. Is there something I need to know, Google??

…to go. Go where? Could you be more specific?

…help. On so many levels.

…prayers again. Again? Well, okay. I’ll take ‘em if you think I need ‘em. Pray away.

… a triumphant return to TV. Well, that could be fun. Although technically I think you need to have been on TV before to make a triumphant return to TV. I’m just sayin’.

Well, that was interesting. Google seems a little two-faced though, if you ask me. One minute it’s threatening me and insulting my sanity, the next it’s suggesting large sums of money and a much needed vacation. Make up your mind, Google. Quit toying with me!

And now, one last little bit of piggybacking. I saw this on Dan’s blog yesterday and thought it looked like fun. Basically, you’re creating your own CD cover. Here are the rules:

Go to “Wikipedia.” Hit “random” and the first article you get is the name of your band.
Then go to “Random Quotations” and the last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.
Then, go to Flickr and click on “Explore the Last Seven Days” and the third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
Use Photoshop or some other image editor to add text & spiffify.
Post a link to your band's album cover here!

Here’s mine.

My band is apparently called Clerks Regular of Our Saviour. It’s a bit of a mouthful, so I have a feeling people would wind up shortening in some way. Maybe just Clerks Regular. Or CROS. Anyway, their first album is called “Travels Faster Than Light.”

From the look of it, I’d say they're an alternative rock band. I might be putting my own musical bias on that though.

If you decide to do either of these, let me know so I can come look!

Toby tells all

2009-02-24T09:28:00.000-08:00

Not too long ago, Sundance (Diane’s four-legged friend) took over her blog in the form of a doggy interview. Toby was totally jealous and decided he needed a little face time, too. Since I didn’t have much to say today, I figured I’d let him at it.

1. Do you think you’re hot? Only after I make a few laps around the backyard and get all sweaty…have you seen how fast squirrels can run? It’s insane. I’m going to catch one soon though, just wait. Oh…what’s that? You mean am I cute? Seriously? Have you seen me?

2. Upload a favorite picture of you. Why do you like this picture? Oh, man… that’s my ball. It’s all chewy and bouncy and stuff…I love my ball.

3. When was the last time you ate pizza? Mom usually gives me a bite of everything she eats, but I haven’t had a whole slice in awhile. One time, she left her plate on the coffee table, right in front of my nose while she went to the kitchen. What’s a dog supposed to do?? I thought she was sharing…

4. What was the last song you listened to? Song? That’s a stretch… all I listen to lately is Mom butchering songs on that thing with strings. It’s awful.

5. What are you doing now? Laying around the house while Mom’s at work. I’m usually a bum till she gets home, then it’s full throttle until bed time.

6. What name would you prefer besides Toby? Toby’s not that bad, considering I usually hear “Retard” or “Bad Dog!” She says she loves me, but sometimes I wonder.

7. What’s your favorite thing to do? My favorite thing is keeping those pesky squirrels out of the yard. One time, I sat beneath a tree and barked for three hours, just to be sure none of those furry-butts tried to come back down. I didn’t even budge when Mom threatened me. That’s determination. And she says I have a short attention span…

8. Where do you sleep? On the bed. That’s normal, right? You mean some dogs sleep somewhere else? Why?? Not this dog. I gotta be under the covers. Mom keeps the house cold at night.

9. Do you have a favorite toy? Didn’t we already go over this? My ball…duh! Remember, it’s chewy and bouncy? Don’t you listen?

10. Are there any other animals at your house? No… Mom brought home a really mean dog one time. It didn’t work out. I wanted to play, but he wanted to chew my neck off. And he wouldn’t let me near Mom… Jerk. He had to go.

Update time

2009-02-20T08:19:00.002-08:00

Well, there’s not much going on in my sleepy little world right now, so I don’t have much to post about. I’ll give you a brief run down just to keep you updated:

I had my second guitar lesson last night, and thankfully, I seem to be improving. (Maybe?) I now know all of my chords in D and A, and can practice songs like “Wild Thing” and “Amazing Grace”. (Glad to know the genre gap is wide open.) I also learned how to tune my guitar by ear. Needless to say, I don’t plan on doing that very often. I think tuners were invented for a reason. But it’s nice to know how, I guess. My teacher is still being very patient. I keep waiting for him to snap and ask me if I have a learning disorder.

After my lesson, I headed over to the college in town to watch Bye, Bye Birdie. They brought actors in from somewhere (?) and they did a fantastic job. I left the theater singing, “We love you Conrad. Oh, yes we do…” It got pretty annoying after about 10 minutes, but by then it was stuck in my head.

Kevin didn’t sell his land, or his cows –and I’m not sure he really wants to, deep down. We’re not together, and I doubt we ever will be. It hurts, but in the end, I think it’s for the best. We want different things in life, and I don’t think either of us should give up our dreams to make the other one happy. It wouldn’t be fair. I can talk about it like a mature adult, but deep down, I’m sort of a wreck right now. But thanks to the loving support of my family and friends (including you wonderful blog-buddies), I know I’ll make it. So, thank you.

And that’s pretty much all there is to tell, for now. Hope you all have a happy Friday.

"Don't go in the kitchen...."

2009-02-18T07:38:00.000-08:00

Weekly writing assignment from Mama Kat: Write about something mean you did to a sibling growing up.

First of all, let me clarify that I am NOT mean. Really, I’m not. But at times, I feel that it’s my right as the oldest sibling to shake things up a bit and scare the pants off my younger brothers.

Okay, so maybe it was only once. But you better believe I made that one time count.

When I was fifteen, one of my neighbors was at the house watching a scary movie with me. (This is before I got to be such a wuss and quit watching scary movies.) My brother, Sean, was probably eight or so, and he and his friend thought they were big and bad enough to watch the horror flick, too. I told him it was a bad idea. I told him he’d have nightmares. But he insisted. He was determined to watch. And to my surprise, he didn’t flinch once during the whole movie. He didn’t seem scared at all. I had to fix that.

Once the movie ended, Sean and his friend went to his room to play, while Anni and I plotted our very own little house of horrors.

First, we took out a butcher knife and covered it in a nasty mix of ketchup and maple syrup (to look like blood, of course.) We left it laying on the kitchen counter and smeared some more of our sticky, sweet, tomato based blood all around it.

Then, we hid in my step-mom’s office and used the separate phone line to call the house and torture my brother. When he answered, I said (in my raspiest, scariest voice) something along the lines of, “Don’t go in the kitchen.” It took several calls to get him sounding a little shaky. By the time he finally made his way to the “crime scene”, Anni was sprawled across the floor, pretending to be dead. She must have been pretty convincing. Sean and his friend FREAKED out.

At first it was hilarious. But once he started crying, I felt like crap. I was sure that I had scarred him for life.

Luckily there was no permanent damage to his psyche.

And believe it or not, I never did anything like that again.

Birthday bubbly and Satan's slots

2009-02-16T07:47:00.000-08:00

For all of you who celebrated love this weekend, I hope you had a wonderful and fulfilling Valentine’s Day.

Me? I went to the Gulf Coast to drink and gamble my problems away.

Just kidding.

Sort of.

Tomorrow is my grandmother’s 80th birthday. (Happy birthday Grandma!!!) She lives in Ocean Springs, near Biloxi (the Gulf Coast’s very own version of Vegas…on a MUCH smaller scale.) So, Sunday we hit up the Hard Rock for a birthday lunch. And since it was Valentine’s weekend, there happened to be free champagne with all meals. I might have had a few glasses. Then I might have felt lucky and decided to play the slots. It was, after all, my first time in a casino. Luckily, I set a very low ($20) limit and swore once I blew that, I’d step away from the machines. Needless to say, I didn’t hit it big. I walked away very disappointed. Those bright flashing lights will never fool me again. Alas, the thrill is gone.

My Aunt Jayme, me and Grandma after our lunch at the Hard Rock. Grandma's a hottie for 80, huh? She's a feisty little spit-fire, too! I hope I'm that much fun at 80!

On a completely unrelated note, I started guitar lessons last week. My attempts to teach myself proved pretty futile. As Mitch Hedberg said, “I taught myself how to play the guitar, which was a bad decision... because I didn't know how to play it, so I was a crappy teacher. I would never have went to me.” So, I decided to bring in professional help.

The bad news is I’m terrible. The good news is my teacher swears he’s taught worse. I guess that’s comforting? The majority of the lesson was spent correcting my apparently horrible pick-holding technique (or lack-there-of). The rest was spent listening to me completely screw up basic chords. Thank God my teacher is one of the most patient people I’ve ever met. I’m trying hard not to show him how impatient I am. There were times I wanted to yell at my guitar for being so obviously at fault when I couldn’t get my fingers on the right strings. Instead, I took deep, cleansing breaths and probably looked like a total lunatic. I told him to let me know if he ever decides there’s no way in Hades I’m going to learn. No use wasting time on a hopeless case, ya know?

Oh, and for an update on my last post: Kevin and I are currently not together. According to him, we’re on a break until he can prove he’s capable of compromise. He has two people interested in his land and cattle and he’s talking about selling them and moving closer to me. I hope he means it. But I also hope it’s what he really wants. I don’t want him making sacrifices for me that he’ll regret later. I don’t want him to look back and wish he hadn’t given those things up.

In the meantime, I’m going to throw myself into life here in my new town. I’m going to do things for me (like my guitar lessons) and see what I can do to become involved in my little community.
And I’m definitely NOT going to retreat to drinking and gambling. So, no worries. I don't want to be a loser.

Me and Mama after the slots proved to be hateful little money stealers. (That's my sad face.)