Livin the Dream.

tornado fun.


You know what gets me ragging mad...popcorn seeds. Jolly Time Popcorn Seeds. I absolutely hate when I eat a piece of popcorn that looks fluffy white and delicious but when you bite down, needless to say, your whole jaw freezes up because you've just crunched down on a giant 'metal' seed. Crazy. What's more, when this very unsettling incident happens right at the most intense moment of a movie.

It's Tuesday night, nine o'clock and I'm in the middle of the last episode of the most intense 'storm chasers' ever. Tornado season. Oh yeah. Get excited. I am. In one segment I've eaten a whole bag of popcorn without even noticing, probably kernels and all...but doubtful.-Oh hold on, the commercial is over...wow, intense. An F4 rain wrap that engulfed an entire downtown area of a town the size of Lawrence-dude. Sorry for that rude break in this blog. My fault. I hate when they leave you on edge. I mean, yeah, it leaves you craving more..but really, that's just mean and ruins the moment! I hate it. I hate it so so so much. More than your average popcorn kernel interruption.

Did you know that I heard a myth once that Native Americans (who now would prefer that they be called First People) thought that when popcorn popped it was actually a persons little soul stuck in that seed ready to pop out and escape. Culture for your thoughts. It's funny, I looked to the right and discovery channel has a video on how popcorn works (video #4)...the myth I heard is incorrect. Darn. I felt very philosophical for a minute.

Another segment of the last episode for this seasons Storm Chasers just finished...even better than the one before. What a perfect time for this to air. The two days out of the winter season where it almost feels like spring. Kid you not, in the middle of a very very intense moment when the one vehicle team from Oklahoma (very energetic, dorky, but cuties just out of college) are being chased by a perfect F4 he cries out 'it's a cow!!'. So perfect. So perfect. Earlier there was a hog farm that was eaten by 100mph rfd winds. It was sad to watch. This is sad too, because people on the other side of the highway won't move, they won't move at all. Don't worry...it dissolves before anyone is hit. Thankfully. Ok, that is all for now, I need to finish this to see how this season turns out.

Thank you Discovery Channel.



.Karlie, side note: Sunday at seven, encore presentation of Planet Earth.

best commercial of the season.

Santa forgot mine...

Ging Gaow. Hong. Boon Rod.


Elephants.
They are my favorite.
Obviously.

This animal amazes me more than almost any other creature on the planet. The wonderful things that this beautiful creature contributes to life...I could talk about for days. However, I have chosen this specific blog to talk about something that I have a sincere passion for...art. What's more, art combined with healing.


A loving heart is a heart that gives, and a giving heart is a heart that contributes change.

Drama therapy, music therapy, art therapy-any therapy that uses the right side of the brain just fascinates me to no end. Elephant painting is a type of art and therapy that I have been interested in for a number of years...if only I could afford one. "The leap from doodling in the sand to painting on canvas requires training, encouragement, and art supplies-for both elephant and human artists...Moreover, very few elephants or mahouts(trainers)have ever set foot inside an art museum and, at least for the moment, most remain art-world outsiders...Elephant Abstraction may only be the first phase in the stylistic evolution of pachyderm painting. Perhaps some day soon we might see the development of Elephant Impressionism, Elephant Surrealism, even Elephant Conceptual Art. The future belongs to them..."--Asian Elephant Art Conservation

renee mural(right).
Nappakhao(below).
kam lai tong.
blessings.

A Time of Giving...Christmas Cards!

It would be nice this time of year to bring someone a bit of cheer.


A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20307-5001

Carrots.

Toes freak me out.
End of story.

Norad is neat.

I've blogged a freakish amount in the past week...but I'm catching up for lost time over the past semester. This will be a short one, I promise.

http://www.noradsanta.org/en/home.html#utm_campaign=en&utm_medium=mapshpp&utm_source=en-mapshpp-na-us-gns-gm


REALLY?!!?

A few of my favorite things...

Christmas is coming upon us very soon.
It doesn't feel like it to me yet.

This morning and the latter half of last night I haven't felt well and so I've been sleeping quite a bit within the last twenty-four hours. When I finally woke up this morning for church I stumbled down the stairs in a dazed confusion to make breakfast/lunch. I felt bad because I was pretty much miss. grinchzilla. At least I felt that way. Didn't say anything, had a huge headache, and only responded with silence or grunts while walking back upstairs to go back to sleep with hopes of awaking sick free. Didn't happen. Anyway, my wonderful roommate came in few minutes ago where upon we had a DELIGHTFUL and much needed talk about our lives lately that actually made me feel a lot better. Was my illness perhaps mental? I don't think so, but after living a life with my mom who works and breathes health care, I feel that uplifted and positive spirits help and cure a lot health issues sometimes. While she was up in my room she said 'You should blog about your favorite things-everyone is doing it'. Going with the theme of society in the blog world, here goes. Maybe these favorite holiday things will cure my grinchzillness this very cold and dreary day. :-)

1) A deep color of red sitting next to a gold or a burnt sienna.
2) Micro fleece wrapped around me like a swaddling baby on a freezing cold morn'.
3) The smell of a crackling fire and the silence of everyone watching in amazement as if we had actually just created it for the first time.
4) My uncle eddie and my cousin in law going at it neck deep over silly political issues that they will never let lye.
5) The smell of pumpkin spice or apple cinnamon.
6) The joy and childlike spirit my dad exudes when he comes home from work to find us decorating sugar cookies (the second love of his life which he counts down the days to eat ALL year long).
7) Picking up shifts at the old shop on the square where I worked in high school and watching 'White Christmas' over and over and over and over and over again while wrapping Christmas gifts.
8) Girls nights back home...star gazing in the cold and listening to the lives we're all two steps behind in now that school has consumed us all yet again.
9) Midnight Mass with the girls. I laugh every year (it doesn't help that they all look down the pew at me EVERY year waiting for Father Keith to come to the glorious part of the 'Ass (donkey)'. It's late, I'm tired...it was funny the first time many years ago.
10) My last and most favorite...waiting for my Grandad's blessing over the Christmas meal. I love Christmas so much. It is my favorite time of year, even more so than Halloween. Because, instead of dressing up in silly costumes ranting over someone or something that we are not, we are covered with joy and happiness of truth for all to see because of a beautiful and selfless man who was born on this eve'.


New favorite song: 10,000 stones by Adrianne.

Peppermint Puff Goodness

Seasonal bags.
Women across the world understand this phrase.
Seasonal bags, means this: happy times.
They almost have the same effect as coats do.
Picture this: Waking up with cold fingers, you go to leave the house and decide that it's winter weather so you walk to the closet. After digging and rummaging through boxes or hangers, you finally find the big heavy duty coat that will do the job. But, what's this-your gloves?! Where are they??? The other pocket? Nope-BUT there is a five dollar bill! Score.
Seasonal bags almost have this ordeal happen, however, it's way better.
Peppermints. I love peppermints. Not just any peppermints. The puffy ones that dissolve in your mouth peppermints. The kind of peppermints that bring joy and happiness to anyone anywhere all across the world! But...these peppermints don't really have a name and when you do find them...expensive. Well, at least for this poor college student. But-guess what I found when I broke out my seasonal Christmas purse today?????



PUFFY YUMMY DELICIOUS SAVORY PEPPERMINTS OF COURSE!
A whole bag full of them. Not even kidding. You're probably thinking like a handful of them-nope. Almost half of a purse full. I don't know what Christmas party I went to last December, but they must have had so many that I guess I didn't feel guilty about the amount of melty peppermints I hoarded.

More so, look at what I found:

http://www.groovycandies.com/V2brand_listALL.asp?mfg_id=53
http://candy-crate.stores.yahoo.net/buttertoffee.html (on this site, click the bag, SO COOL!)

Winner.
Today is a good day.
I love bags.

bakersman, bake me a cake!

Can you imagine actually living in a gingerbread house? Talk about living a fairytale life. Oh food. Food is a funny thing. Also an art form.

Food network had a competition on yesterday for cake making. The twist: they had to be replicas of an exact house or mansion. It was crazy. I thought 'what a waste!'. They should have a food eating contest on after the cake making contest. In honor of this event, I've been googling funny food's the past day. I have many favorites. These cakes just make me laugh...


yeah titanic.


best note ever.


pretty pretty princess.


five year old boys dream birthday cake:lifesize. for real. i wish.



old man nation.


patty cake patty cake bakers man.


...my favorite. he's on rollerblades?

...Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

...Sometimes I wish I could write something amazing. I mean, something absolutely brilliant. Sometimes I'll be listening to someone like Grace Potter & The Nocturnals and I feel as though I could write something that could turn this world on it's axis. The problem is...I can't ever think of anything besides funny little tid bits or witty comments that have happened in my life or something that I've awkwardly seen by 'people watching'. I don't necessarily think this a bad thing though.

On my heart today:
The individual gifts that each of us are blessed with amaze me. We each have specific ornate gifts and talents that build us up to make the skin we live in and the lives we lead important and touching to others around us. 'Therefore, whatever gifts ye have received, it is from the free grace of God'. I love this passage, though in this blog, I'm not even necessarily speaking of spiritual gifts, just in general-more traits that shine through as positive to ourselves and to others I suppose.

I'm often asked what my pet peeves are or what drives me absolutely crazy...and honestly, there are very few things in this world that make my skin just itch with frustration. I feel like a parent or a teacher when I say this, but it's so true-my biggest frustration is when I see someone push themselves down to a place where they feel they are insignificant, not important, or that they are not talented. Whats more, when someone else pushes them to this point. It breaks my heart. What uplifts me more than anything is encouragement from others; what's more...when others encourage those around them with uplifted spirits and love. I feel that to function fully as a body and community we must encourage one another with our gifts and...well, there is much more that I want to talk about but it would go on forever. There are many elements that I feel need to happen within a community to really move...but the greatest of these is love. Love wins my friendly friends. Haven't you seen the back of my car? Hello bumper sticker. I love driving down the highway and having people look at it like 'whaaaat?' and then others that the look on their faces like 'yeeeeah!'. Makes me happy.

'Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.'

La la la la la...A good day.

Owls.

My new favorite.

Today my heart also beats for:
.Matt Costa. .Bombazine Black. .Priscilla Anne. .Jaymay.


I recently came out of a severe country kick. It happens every fall. I like it, but I miss my music. MY music. That music that puts everything into perspective and just makes you happy...makes your heart literally beat. The kind of music that you can live your life to. I missed it. These past few days we've been kindling a long lost relationship that was on a hiatus for a moment that was much too long. I'm grateful for artists, of all retrospects. I feel that every person that walks this beautiful earth is an artist in some form or another, there's no fighting it.

Artist: 'One who makes their craft a fine art'

We all create something, whether it be a composition or a thought. Each and every day we create something that is our own, that has our own personal and independent mark. It's beautiful. Individually each one of us strives to not only create something, but more so on a larger level, fine tune something that I feel we sometimes overlook as a major component to our happiness. Our life; our life as a whole.

For me what makes life so beautiful is the finer more simplier things that are overlooked. Much like looking at an abstract painting. I'm no painter, so forgive me if I'm explaining how to 'take in' a painting incorrectly, but I don't think there is a wrong way to interpret art. There's no telling what exactly it may mean from afar, there is so much to take in; but to look closely at the strokes, the mixture of colors, and the smaller details that the artist has thought carefully about but has also moved their steady hand with what their heart felt was right to complete this masterpiece of emotion-that's where the beauty is. Once you understand and have taken in the beauty of the components that make up the piece of art, then this is when you take a step back and take it all in. It's a whirlwind experience that is indescribable.

I know several people who have this figured out, but even more that don't. I think it's completely ok. No one really has life figured out...if they do, please write a self help book for 'dummies' that I can buy on clearance. Actually, no, I enjoy the process of figuring life out. It makes things that much sweeter when you do-like country music. I go on this kick and then the music that I LOVE, I respect and adore that much more when I return to it. It's steps and strokes like this that create this huge beautiful and wonderful piece of art we call life.

This is a corny metaphor, but I really wanted to write what I felt and sometimes, life is super corny. You just 'gotta go with it I suppose. Sometimes I feel that things are 'corny' because everyone wants them to happy...well, we all want happiness, right? So maybe this isn't as corny on the grander scheme of things as I thought...

Redirecting

I love gmail. It makes me really happy. I don't know why, but it just does.
However, because of KSU mail, I haven't been able to filter my ksu mail to my gmail. This makes me sad. I have, however, corrected this mistake a few minutes ago. To start, I sent myself a message of 'hi, hickory hurray!' to see if it would go through. Before I could even check, my inbox was FLOOOOODED with new mail. At first it was 60 and I was like 'WHAAAT!' I thought my e-mail to myself had multiplied or something. Then it reached 70 and soared to 90 and then rocketed to a 'mere' 179. (Do you like all my verbs that I tried to use as a type of imagery as well...). The number is now down to 146 as I attempt to delete the ones that I have already read from ksu and they just filtered my entire inbox to me. That was nice of them...but I yet to receive my hickory hurry e-mail. Sad day.


Do you ever feel like you have a day when you are in consistent prayer? I love these days almost more than I love gmail-though these days it's difficult for my to focus on much else because I'm just constantly thinking. I'm lucky I haven't run into anything-which brings me to my blog about the rock with coordinatesin the middle of the yard by my building on campus that if tripped on could kill someone. You will be able to read about that later. Promise.

Blessings.

Playbill in three acts: The Process

Tonight after watching a show with the company of dear friends, and then sipping on a peppermint patti in one of my favorite little shops in this place I now call 'home', I was overcome with a thought. Naturally, since I did not have my 'portable' laptop with me, I grabbed the first writable thing that I could to jot this little note down:



'Play of life in three acts:
1-Struggle
2-Boldness of Truth
3-Fulfillment'

'Though this lesson is preached all through our lives, in my opinion, it can't be preached enough. To wear a mask and conform yourself to views that are not your own, is no better than a crazed man convincing a sane one that they are of the same disciplines-it just doesn't work. Though I only have a few decades under my belt, I find that with this society, being the age that I am this issue is not only common, but is becoming a very fearful, dare I say, widespread disease. I can't help but look around at this secular world and become completely overwhelmed and distraught with the pressures that so easily influence and most of the time manipulate us to draw a facade over our eyes of our consciences of what we know is right and true. There are so many instances that I could use as examples to explain this, but there is not enough room in this McAlisters Deli advertisement.'

'I'm a hopeful person. This is a positive trait that I am hopefully known for, but it is sometimes difficult for me to have this outlook when a dark cloud of materialistic sin overhangs so closely to us all. There IS hope, and a large amount of it as well-it's a matter of boldness. For those of us aware and who see these struggles of life with sin, or just weight on someone, I feel as a body it is imperative to somehow show hope through love and encouragement.'

'This is just a thought, and an unfinished one at that from influences of many different situations that I have experienced or seen in my life (perhaps I'll blog about it later) and these words may be bold and possibly misunderstood, but are written with hope that I may have the disciplines to act out boldly with love when struggle of any kind is brought into my life either for myself or others around me. It just kills me to see someone say 'Oh-just this one time' 'It won't matter tomorrow' 'I'll figure it out later' 'I just need to work through it on my own' 'Who cares, live today to the fullest, right?!'...The lives we lead now are only for a set of moments which should be moments that are not for ourselves and that also combine into a continual process. This 'process' that we live is always working and is always changing...the love and grace that we have received is neverending and neverfailing. If we consistently speak words of truth and love and act as boldly and lovingly as easily as we sometimes slip into the materialistic facade of this secular world, this process of life that we live might just be a little more joyfilled and easier to understand for us all.'

One of my favorite songs right now, Casting Crowns-Slow fade.

"Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-8SYA6rfbs

One of many things

Today was a strange day.


The first thing I noticed,
I wore two different shoes.
Black flats.
One had a bow.
The other, ridges.


Today was a strange day.

Sourthern Delicacies

I wish I lived in the south. What delicacies they have...

Bologna Cake

1 1/2 lb. bologna
2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

Get 1 1/2 pounds bologna sliced 1/2-inch thick. Take 1 piece of bologna and cover with a layer of cream cheese, lay another piece of bologna on top of first piece. Then cover second piece with cream cheese, continue to do this until all 1 1/2 pounds are layered in the form of a cake. Then take remaining cream cheese and cover top and sides, just like you were icing a cake. Chill, slice and serve with crackers or chips.

Memory of Water

"They say that water has a memory...That in a solution of arsenic, perhaps -- diluted and diluted and diluted again until it might as well be pure distilled water -- in the vibration of its molecules some ghost of the original poison lives on.But they also say the memory of water changes things. The ghost of the poison becomes a remedy. In the memory of water things are changed into their opposites...It is important for me to remember these things. My Irene has been dead for two years now and with each week since her passing it has become harder to remember who I am, where I am. Last week my great-nephew, George, called from Boston, and when I answered the telephone I spoke in German. The keys under my fingertips might be the keys of an Enigma machine. The light that comes from the little window near the ceiling might be the light coming through a machine-gun slit into a bunker in the Libyan desert..." - - Carl Holtzmeyer


Things I hope to never forget...




my influences.





my family.








my blessings.






my roots.

ELF

I feel awful. My last post was the biggin of 100. I wasted it.
I wasted my 100th post of the sadness that followed an acting exercise I did this past week.
I should make up for this somehow...but I don't know how.
I'll think on it.


It feels like winter right now.
Fall has very quickly come and is almost gone.
First freeze tonight. We brought the mums in. Silly things, they're still budding, they think it's ok to grow right now...I mean, really mums, don't you know you're in Kansas and your lifespan will be cut rather short...?

After the venture of my long lost friend Damien last night, today I have been listening to a lot of old friends and current blues/jazzeque artists. Par example: Amos Lee, Norah Jones, Kt Tunstall (some of her), Anna Vandas, Michael Buble, as well as the greats.
These tunes mixed with the cold winter wind veering it's ugliness against my windows, the early darkness, and my coffee makes me want to decorate the house for Christmas.

You know, a few weeks ago driving home NPR told me that to boost consumer confidence most stores were going to put Christmas stock out extremely early this year as well as advertise for it. I thought "wow...that's neat, but I'm still not ready for that". Wrong. You forget how happy 'tis the season' time of year makes you until you're surrounded by it. Walking around in Target today, buying a heater for my room no less, I stopped in amazement at the end of the greatest isle ever created. The Christmas tree isle. They were not up yet mind you, but they were still in the boxes, just lying there in the back of the store. My mind was racing with all the ideas of what Christmas will be like this year, how many families will own those trees and what they will look like, the happiness they will have decorating, baking, eating cookies and turkey along with wonderful things like listening to Holly Brooke drinking coffee after a long day of visiting families and unwrapping gifts. Not to mention the long marathons on ABC family of ELF, White Christmas, and every claymation Holiday film ever created. Those are the best. I love my red and white Christmas stripped socks. It will be cold enough tonight to wear them...to bad they are three hours away at home because winter was not supposed to be here yet. I wonder if all this early advertisement has not only tricked my mums but also the weather. Blast this trickery.

Christmas is coming consumers.

labryinth

cold water.
damien rice.


someday i will own my own dance studio. when i do, first recital theme: damien rice.
all dances to the good ol' tunes of damien.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

life tends to rotate in circles and this cycle has been very nostalgic for many reasons.
'every breath we drew was hallelujah...'

something interesting that i learned this week is that emotions and instances in our lives are sometimes kept within certain muscles in our bodies. when released... 'it's the wrong time, if somebody knew';'cold water, surrounds me now, and all i've got is your hand'-just a big ol' mess.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

side note:
i found a friend to sing with today.
i miss teaching.
i miss dancing.
i miss singing.
i used to miss my free time but now that i have it...i don't know what to do with it.
i find myself just reminiscing of what i used to do with all my time.
i could do those things again, but it's very difficult to start in the middle.

santa brought me a violin for christmas this last december, maybe i could play it now.

Konza.

Tomorrow I am going home. It's been a long time and this visit is very past due. My brother his girlfriend and I are having a 2/3 double date in Lawrence. A good friend of mine has a show at the Granada so we're grabbing dinner and going to the show.

I-70 is beautiful. For some it is a long dull drive. Not for me. Gorgeous. The Konza in the fall. Ahhh, I can't think of anything more beautiful. Today at work all I could do was sit there looking out the window wishing so badly to go play. Childish? Ahh, maybe. You can't help but revert back to childhood habits when the weather is 'text book' perfect though. I hope this weather continues. I am in my happiest state when it's like this. Everything is perfect. Really, it is. Horrible rotten things could go wrong in my life, and I would still walk outside with the biggest glow you've ever seen...because it's fall. A beautiful fall it's turning into no less. Wonderful.

Midterms.
Enough said.

I'm sorry this is almost a journal-like entry.
I haven't had a chance to blog in quite sometime because of the show, so it's taking me a while to be in that routine of this again.

Top 5
(Haven't done one in SO long. It's past due).


5)Love Story - Taylor Swift
4)Racing like a Pro - The National
3)In our Blood - Horse Feathers
2)Johnny & June - Heidi Newfield
1)November - Max Richter


Vent: On campus, Between 14th and 15th on Anderson...Crosswalk; please do not push the button. By the time the stoplight changes, traffic haults, and the little guy on the screen motions you to walk...it's too late. The traffic flow and circulation of the light changes from other intersections will allow you to walk across with plenty of time to not be hit. I promise. By the time you are long gone...the other innocent walkers are left to face the faces of angry drivers that will sit at that light for 3 minutes for absolutely no reason. Don't push the button.

Here fishy fishy fishy.

I love it when it rains.
I love it when it rains and it's fall outside.
I love it when my little ichthus 'fishy' tattoo had a piece of dirt on it today to make it look like a little eye.
I hate it when the worms are flooded out of their homes, come to the sidewalks, and the entire campus smells like fishies.

Craved Reality.

Too busy to blog.

Coming soon:

Bank shoots: 'What are they? How do they work? and What ifs...'
McDonalds Ice Cream Machines are always broken. 'Cry out for help.'
NPR vs KPR
Baldcaps.
Fake Babies.
Thought: Sheridans?! No...freddies.
Autumn in Thati-is there one?
Countdown: 42 days.
Countdown 2: 23 days!!!! (More important countdown from today).
Bouquets of pencils.
Gum on the ground countdown.
Klove: Love it no more.
Mysterious Headaches.
Spoiled Children.
My love of Birds: New art exhibit: 'Birds on a Line'.
The smell of Christmas in my house.
Spring schedules up.
Top three dreams.
Pictures on my desk.
The Show (four shows left: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday).
Scarves. Always.

That took longer than expected.
Back to my design analysis.

Cover Up

I've been sitting here 'working' on homework for the past two hours.
I broke up the coffeebeans and have been munching on them and realized how much I miss studying at Radinas/Bluestem.

I love what I do in the process of my 'schoolin' but I am very very very excited to have my life back again so that I can do the other things that I love. I don't ever have time to enjoy the things that first made me fall in love with college. Ichthus. Coffee dates. Music nights. Walks in the park. Long talks with my mom. Bike rides. Studying after class. Game nights. Porches and roofs. Dinner with roommates. Late fall/winter nights studying and smelling of coffee beans. Gilmore girls.

One more week and I can go back to doing the things that make my heart pitter patter and give my life wings.




The leaves are starting to smell like fall.
Crispy. Lovely. Beautiful.


Lastly: I've been strongly considering not necessarily switching majors again, but I have been reeeeeeeally thinking about education. I wonder how long it would take me to switch and complete theater ed...? Ahhhh. I am ridiculous.

Fionna Apple would have a field day with this.

It's been a long week. It's been a weird week.
Tech week, school, work, projects and tests galore, and three shows.
So naturally, at the end of the week around 1:30 in the am, I realize I haven't eaten since lunch and I'm starving.
Deciding I want pizza and since we're at a friends house a block from Aggieville a close friend and I decide to leave, grab a pizza a walk back; Leaving the men to play video games, of which they were entranced by.

Needless to say this was the worst idea-EVER.

Not only was Gumby's packed from counter to door, they don't sell by the slice. I wasn't hungry enough to eat a whole 'big ass' by myself. Noooooo thank you.

'Well...' says my friend 'Burger King is still open'.
'WHOOPER! Deal.'

Needless to say THIS was the wooooorst idea ever.

I hate aggieville more than ever.
I realize it was not the smartest idea for two females to walk through the most inappropriate place in town. I mean, Fred Phelps and his amigos screamed through these streets not but two days ago for a veeeeeery slim degree of reason- but I wanted food.

Never have I ever felt so absolutely degraded in my entire life. Never ever. Not once.
I understand oogling and cat calls. I can ignore those-but in the course of two blocks for various grown men to invade your space and slap you from behind or grab a hand full of your ass-I am in NO way ok with that. I swear to you if there weren't any sense in my mind two of the men last night would have been on the ground in pain. I was that livid. Me-mad. Those don't go hand in hand very often. I hate violence. I hate it. I don't 'hate' many things in the world because I don't agree with the word 'hate'. But I HATE with every fiber of my being violence. More so, I hate how when men have alcohol in them, all sense leaves their brain and they feel they can get away with murder.

After a block away from gumby's and after the third time this had happened, thank the Lord we ran into my friend from high school. He may not be the strongest man in the world, nor the soberest...but he agreed to walk us the rest of the way to burger king where I helped feed him a whopper that I bought for his kindness of going with us. (Even if he insisted that he walk in the middle so he could look like a pimp.

Sooo. That was my week.
recap: I hate aggieville. I'm not near as excited to turn 21 and venture down there anymore. Not at all.

Bleed Purple.

No one loves k-state more than Bosco.
No one.
'I drive a purple jeep, I wear purple ties and shirts, and I looove K-state. GO CATS!'
Not an actual quote. But it is in my mind.

Just an observation I made today on campus.

Orange is a comin soon.

Ok, that was a bit extreme. I'm sorry.

Do you know what else is extreme?
FALL.

It's here...Or so we're told.
A few days ago it was officially the first day of autumn for the year 2008.
Today's high on September 27, 2008, 80something.

I will patiently wait with my scarves aligned straight and neat in my closet for the day that they will keep my little neck warm.



Sidenote: Half of Manhattan decided to go grocery shopping at 9:30 pm tonight after the game.
Crazy.
I still, always and forever, hate walmart.

my week in in detail:

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.


hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.




go figure, right?!

wow.

ventastic.

Lillies are wonderful in the fall.

I am sick.
I am sick and it is awful.
God gave us a nose with two nostrils to breath out of and I can only utilize 1/2 of one at the moment.
My head hurts.
Medicine has no effect.
Nedipot has had zero effect as well.
Sinus infection?...maybe.
However, my stomach is doing this funny thing too where it churns the wrong way.
(Isn't if funny how you'll skip classes telling yourself that you're 'sick' and then a few weeks later you really are sick and you feel guilty to skipping so you go while you could actually be contaminating others around you? Fickle fiend you germs).

Three happy places during this time of yucky:

1-I was SO lucky in that my parents came down this weekend and I got to puppy sit Lilly while they stayed in a hotel all weekend. So so so so so so so flipping wonderful. I had so much fun with her. I want a puppy. Or maybe just for Lilly to live with me. She is so funny.

2-One of my best friends from home came down this weekend. Kind of a surprise, but kind of planned too. So we stayed up late last night talking and giggling like old times and it was SO perfect. I miss her and her cute little laugh.

2-Tomorrow, in two and a half hours, is the FIRST official day of autumn for the year 2008. Nothing horrible can go wrong on this day of beautifulness. Nothing. ((Knock on wood)).

Shoe In

Today I have officially been indited into the office.
My boss gave me a shirt with our company logo on it.
"Hey, will this fit you?"
"Umm, yes, why?"
"You need a shirt, so here you go! Enjoy!"
"Ooh...Thanks!"

It's pretty exciting.
It looks kind of like this.



...except that mine is white and doesn't have buttons.

I am a member of a company.
Yes.

Web-Sam, curse you.

As you all know, I hate french.
I wish that I better understood this language so that I would not have this deep seated hatred of firey passion for it.
But I don't, so I do.
Our assignment: web-sam. Simply put, Web-Sam is, Online homework, or the devil. Whatever way to choose to look at it
Buckets and buckets of homework assignments come out of Web-Sam and are to be completed before the test day (tomorrow).
Long story short as much as I hate this devil homework, there is humor in it. After trying and trying to submit an answer that I believe is correct (there were too many spaces between a word...two spaces instead of one) I look up to find this: 'You have unlimited attempts to complete this activity'...UNLIMITED, cool! So I try try and try again before finally giving up, deciding that my B on this assignment is fine. Then this screen pops up:

"You have asked to see the answer key for this activity even though you have 9988 attempts remaining.

WARNING: Seeing the answer key will finalize your grade at 85%."

WHAT!?

Web-Sam, you lie.

Stars Hollow

Gilmore Girls marathon tonight.
Me.
My room.
My tv in the corner.
Clean room.
Unintentional marathon.


Great Friday night.
What's that you say, what am I doing Saturday night?
My guess, probably the same thing. Maybe I'll start a new show tomorrow night since I'm almost finished with all the seasons for this one.

I can't look at my bed.

I want a larger bed. Not to sleep in because, silly me, who sleeps anymore??? I don't know if you know this or not, but my homework and research needs a place to sleep and rest too. After giving this some thought, I feel that I have been blogging so much lately because of my minimal human interaction. I'm busy. Family is busy. Friends are busy. Everyone is busy. No big deal. I go from dawn to past dusk and yes I see and speak with actual eating, drinking, sleeping, breathing human beings...but I...'I' don't actually speak. Lack of time for this increases my silliness of words when I do open my mouth and words come out. I feel kind of like someone has a vue do doll for me controlling what I do or say. (This is also the girl who still hoenstly thinking The Truman Show is real). Today in one of my classes I had to teach a short lesson out of the book and I honestly couldn't tell you what I said, I mean literally...not a word-something about shampoo...maybe, or was that a bad dream? I hope I got through. My French paper will be interesting that I'm working on right now. It's like running a marathon, I have to save my energy for certain legs, you know?



I did the math: 15 hours of class
19 hours of work
15 hours of rehearsal = 45 hours of thinking/week
15 hours of studying per week after above things = more thinking.
42 hours of sleep per week sun - sat (guessing) = hahahahahahahaha


I wish I were in high school again and my mom could call me in 'sick' so I could have a me day with Gilmore Girls and soup. I love what I do and I can do it, it's just been one of those weeks so far and it's ooooonly Tuesday.


Hey, good talk computer.

Horatio!

Apparently, this lil' guy has been swimming around for five years upside down. HOW COOL!

This makes me miss mon petit poisson.

The owner, like any of us would, first thought he was dead, until he flicked the glass and he moved. Lil Horatio the Japanese coldwater fish, enjoys to swim belly up but turns upright to paddle up to eat. The owner named his goldfish Horatio after Lord Nelson because he married his wife Diane, 62, on Trafalgar Day. (Traflagar Day: 'the celebration of the victory won by Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson's British fleet over the combined French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805.' Thank you wikipedia). Horatio always floats under a spot in the take where air bubbles are (more oxygen). The owner has two theories: 1-Constipation 2-The roots of this fish are from Australia and he can't tell which way is really up. Fish experts dispute these and say he has something wrong with his 'swim bladder'.

Town Troubadour

Today the weather feels like spring but it's starting to look like fall.
Talk about perfect.

We now have a legit town troubadour.
Talk about perfect.

Today for lunch I wanted noodles with italen dressing but we didn't have any. So, I used olive oil and some other spray stuff. It was waaaay better.
Talk about perfect.

Tuesday, that's today, is the day of ultimate projects and things due.
I'm glad that they are done.
I would take a moment, and I have but it's sad to think I have at least twice as many things to do for the rest of the week-mainly tomorrow.
Talk about not perfect.

I want to work outside today.
Sadly, there is no time.
My wish and order for you-go outside! NOW. Please?

I DON'T WANT TO SING IN THIS.

There is absolutely no hope of me going back to sleep.
About two hours ago at two something in the morning there was the loudest crash I had ever heard. I literally thought there was either a war going on, Ft. Riley blew up, or God's wrath had finally come. I mean, really, it was huge. I don't wake up for anything. Ever. So this was insane. Since then I have gone to the bathroom, accidentally woken a roommate up, I think, listen to a lot of my ipod, prayed a whoooooole lot, done quite a bit of thinking about life, and made the decision that it's now five in the morning and this storm is ridiculous. There was just another loud boom and I about peed my pants. My headphones are cranked and I can still hear every bit of this storm. I love storms I do, but I wish this one would stop. I used to have heart problems and I think they are starting to come back. I wonder if the dam will break? Oh gosh, why do I wonder these things. That was also another thought I had at two this morning when I was startled awake. It's times like these that I wish...You know, I don't really know what I wish, wait, yes I do. I would like to go back to sleep and wake up on time. I know that if I fall asleep now there is NO hope of me waking up at seven when I'm supposed to. No way. I can't just stay awake either. Going straight on my fifteen hour Monday's with two hours of sleep....hahahahahahahahahahaha. Funny thought girl, funny thought.

I shouldn't have had that large coffee at ten last night. Maybe this is why I can't go back to sleep. I'm staving...there's NO way I'm going downstairs to get food, scary. Are you kidding me. I wonder how many of my roommates are awake just lying there wondering how many of us are awake as well...I bet none of them knowing my luck. However, this storm is crazy stupid. I bet half the town is flooded...I mean really. I feel asleep around twelve thirty and it was POOOOOOOOOOOOOURING then, it's worse now and I have a feeling it hasn't stopped at all but probably has picked up. I think once I wake up for good...like decide to stop trying to sleep, that I'll go work out-no, just kidding, I'm going to buy a pair of galoshis (it's sad when google doesn't even have a suggestion for how to spell a word that you don't really know how to spell). Yes. That is what I'm going to do. I will also wear my raincoat today. My blue raincoat with bright yellow galoshis. Halloween for me is coming early. Yippie.

The rain is letting up...wait, just kidding. Funny joke weather, hahaha, but really, could you stop for a bit please. I have a long day tomorrow. I'm tired of counting sheep. When you honestly HONESTLY have counted sheep to three hundred seventy-two...you know you have problems. I bet the dam will break. I really hope not, but I bet it does. This storm is wild. It's scary when it does let up for a bit, I feel like something really bad is about to happen. It's bittersweet. I wish I could sleep. I hate coffee. Thank goodness for Guster. They're gettin' me through this.


Five minute after posting update: The rain has stopped.
I'm waiting for it to jump out from behind the clouds with a loud boom of 'Just kidding Erica! Got you good!" I hear movement in the room next to mine...yes. I'm not alone. Good.
Six minute after posting update: There it was. Freaking thunder. Freaking freaking thunder. Oooop, wait for it...wait for it...rain. And it stops?! WHAT!?!? I don't get this. Here it comes again. I hate this. I freaking hate this. I need a dog.

It's not the power of the curse, it's the power you give the curse.

Penelope.

My new favorite movie.
Have you seen Pushing Daises?
Also a HUGE favorite of mine.
So many adjectives for that show that are parallel to this movie.

I loved this series and I love LOVE LOVE this movie.
It was wonderful before but what pushed it over the edge for me...first huge movie that I've seen to have Sigur Ros as the 'climatic scene' song.
I cried, I did.

Another bonus: Reese Witherspoon.
Also a big favorite.

Go rent it.
I've had it for a week and it's late, but It's going back soon.
If you're looking to buy it you might be out of luck.
It's quite possible I'm going to go buy all of them in case my first, second, or third somehow becomes ruined.

Brownie High Card

At times I have this massive urge to just hurl my computer across the room. Either that or to just simply close it, and drop it on the floor next to by bed as I would a book or something like that.

My hand hurts.
I played a meeeeeean game of slap jack today. Actually, It played me.
I won by a landslide in...not nertz...not poker...pitch. Today I played pitch and I won. The last time I played was in high school and I hated it because I never knew how to play. Plus we played in math class...and I hated math, still do.

One month mark today on how long I've been constantly listening to Horse Feathers. It is something that is unavoidable because they are just so darn good. Each of their songs is dramatically different.

I think tomorrow might be the first official 'skip' day of my 08-09 collegiate year.
We'll see. That's also one less day I can work to get myself mentioned in the forum-which, I thought about today. I don't read the paper every day, so...how will I ever really know...?
I'll have to create this habit. Soon.

Oops for today: *many, but here it is* making brownies. I glance at the box 'Pssh, I know how to make brownies, I've made them plenty of times before'. Wrong. Apparently the recipe calls for three fourths cup water...not one and three fourths plus two eggs and a half cup water. So I made two batches. One: suuuuper watery. Two: not enough water because I was too scared I would mess them up. I mixed the two batches and sent them away to friends. This is how much I love my friends. Free wetdry bars of chocolate mess.

collegian goal

student #1's goal for ksu year 2008-2009: "Gee golly, I'm going to earn all A's in every one of my my 20 hour classes!"

student #2's goal for ksu year 2008-2009: "Uhh, yeah, I think I'm gonna try to lift three times my body weight...yeah."

student #3's goal for ksu year 2008-2009: "Umm...Maybe I'll try to tan every day instead of every other day, that way, like, I can look hott for spring break-what? School goals? Oh, I don't have those."

student #4's goal for ksu year 2008-2009: "Yes, I'm going to try and round more students to take a firm stance for the issue of Women's Activisim this year on campus."

student #5's goal for ksu year 2008-2009: "You know, I think my goal is to not eat Panda everyday for lunch...yeah, I think that's a good goal."

student #6's goal for ksu year 2008-2009: "...not smoking a cigarette on campus-oh the one I have right now? Well...after this one maybe I'll start".

student #7's goal for ksu year 2008-2009 (my goal): "I will do my best in every way shape and form to get myself mentioned in the forum. Every way-shape and form".



Fact: I had panda today. not everyday, but today i did.
Fact: I 'might' be in the picture that the was taken in front of Seaton today-Like I said, every way shape and form.
Fact: Not real students or interviews-but I assume there are exact replicas of them on campus. Just a guess though.
Fact: I researched it-Tiger Woods does in fact, play GOLF with his own balls.
Fact: It was very apparent today 1-who checks the weather before they dress 2-who LOVES fall. the ones that love it...wear scarfs. Or vests. or hats. or colors of fall. true lovers do. this is true.





Fact: I was not in the picture. I almost did-so maybe not every way shape and form. But a lot of them.

'non stop music'

so it goes like this.

the man is awesome in every way shape and form.

driving home today i couldn't remember the lyrics to amazing grace.
i know, silly. i just couldn't though.

anyway, after being completely frustrated (which reflects many areas of my life right now as well), i turn up the radio.
k-love. always.

guess what starts playing?
chris tomlin-amazing grace.

i loose it.
tears, sobs, the works.

it was just one of those moments that you realize things like this are not a coincidence. i don't know why i became so absolutely overwhelmed because of this moment, but i am very glad i did. very glad i did.

i love i-70.
now, i love it even more.



...k-love is getting a phone call tomorrow.

soapy

Sitings today:

1-man on mo-ped with girl on his back talking on the phone holding the phone on his shoulder.

2-man on bike who looked to be smoking but was eating chocolate while heaving and puffing biking up a hill.

3-bird poop outside my office window that looked to be artistically in the shape of the backside of an man.


i wrote all of these and more on my hand as i saw them today.
i washed my hands and thesea re the top three i can remember.

Mad as a red hen!

I gave in.
...
I clicked on a facebook ad.
I know, I know, you can say it-whimp.
I couldn't help it though-each day I would look to the right and see these little balls in this guys hands and I would think 'whaaaaaat?'. (They are tea balls, relax). So today, I clicked.
Ooooooh boy. What fun happened after that. I'll let you click too.
So funny.

The way he speaks is priceless. Slow in the beginning and then he speeds up at the end of every sentence. Mono tone is a given, it adds to the classicness of internet ads, obviously.

http://easyweightlosstea.com/





Ps-I have the cutest puppy ever. I've spent the past week at home with her. Soooooo precious in every way. Honestly. Even when she piddles by the door. I'll see it, call her name, and I don't hear anything. So I go straight for her bed-there she sits looking up at me with a guilty but forgiving look on her face like 'I tried to hold it, but I'm too young to bark loud enough for you to hear...I went on the wood so it's easier to clean for you, please forgive me??' Lilly Anne is only nine weeks old but so smart. She knows sit very well. Stay is something that is 50/50. She also really likes the game 'where is lilly???' screamed across the house and she comes running. It's cute. She sleeps a lot as well. I know that every morning I'll wake up with her looking up at me like, 'hey hey hey, I've been awake since seven-lets play!!' and then twenty minutes after we play she gives up and simply walks up to my lap, and curls up for a nap. It's wonderful. Lilly Anne does NOT like walks. She's ok in the front yard, but the minute she hits the road she's like 'Ummm...no thanks. this is uncharted territory and I'm not comfortable enough yet to go nuts over it. Lets go back on the grass please?'


She weighs four pounds now. Getting so big. Cutie.

Sidenote: As smart as they say Boston Terriers are, why does mine eat rocks? She likes them. Chickens eat rocks. Chickens are the dumbest creatures known to man. Honestly, they are-look them up. I don't understand this.

I want a bigger bed. I forgot how great it is to sprawl out in a large bed. You can't do this in a twin bed. It's nice at home.

(Top picture, not my puppy, but I forgot I had pictures of her until after I loaded this one. But she looks exactly the same. It's wild).

apc2

I'm not sure exactly what it was.
However, what left the scene of the crime looked soooomething like this...









but not before it scratched me and left a mark on my arm.

badger.












ok ok ok, i'm just kidding.
the bush just smells.
there is nothing in it.
it just smells funny.
literally, i smelled the bush all up and down that green, the leaves just smell.

August Safari

It's getting worse.
Way worse.
There are swarms of flies developing now.
I took the afternoon off and I'm grabbing the fireplace sticks and going in.
Wish me luck.

Boogy

The boogy I am referring to is not the British accent for the green pickle treasure that comes out of your nose if you dig for it. No. I am referencing the boogy thing in my bush in front of my house.

I feel like there is something dead in it. Every time I walk by the bush of green out front, it smells like...words cannot describe. If death smelt like this, maybe so, but I'm not sure. It's awful. I would call the landlord, but what if it's nothing? Loser. That's what I would be. I would peek my head it...but-ha. No.

I will just wait for the boys to come into town.
Until then, Christmas is early at the Pierre house with decorations of Pine Tree car jars

Look their-there car is on fire-see!

There was a car on fire in the parking lot of burger king about thirty minutes ago.
I first sought out the smoke to see where it was coming from.
Then I did a loop to see what was going on after I saw flames.
By the time I drove through city party (because I missed by turn-distracted by calling a friend telling him to drive by and see the sight) I had missed the actual distinguishing of flames.

I am from a small town.



Farmer's market tomorrow followed by an amazing garage sale. I mean amazing. I would capitalize 'amazing' but I don't want to flaunt the word. Trust me though...life changing almost.

T9 mess ups are great.
Funny.
I like when people write in 'slash' or ''quote' because it takes to long to actually find the little thing. Lazy. But I do it. Hypocrite.



I don't understand how you are able to pass 3rd grade English without knowing certain English skills which are 'required' for all types of writing.
Example: it's (apostrophe goes before the s. it and is are pushed together). not its.
they're (they & are meshed together. not theyre, not their, and NOT there.
they're.
their (possessive).
there (direction).
You should also add an 's to things that are possessive. Such as 'the owner's
car'. ALSO, some plural words. 'Houses' roofs'.

I hope I'm right...or as some might say 'write' about these apostrophe words because that would be really embarrassing. However, the only ones that really bother me are their, they're and there. So simple yet so misunderstood...well, no, so overlooked and uncared for.
For more information or to correct my false tellings of the apostrophe please visit http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_apost.html
Good ol' Purdue.



Words in this blog I have had to google spell check and copy slash paste over.
distinguishing
capitalize (forgot the a, not my fault)
hypocrite
apostrophe
My spelling is not great, but I know where my commas go.

Inch Worm Inch Worm Measuring the miracle...

You know how some things you'll never in a lifetime forget? You might not think of them often but once in a while something will spark that memory with flashbacks and instantly everything will replay through your mind in full detail? I love that.

Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too.

I haven't read Where the Sidewalk Ends in YEARS. Today I picked it up, dusted it off and began reading. When I got to this poem suddenly in my mind, my mom was reading it. It was in her voice. Then it all came back in one giant storm of memories of how my nightly rituals as a child would go.
My mom would tuck me into bed first, then she would leave to tuck my brother in while my dad would play guitar sitting in that old wooden chair until his hand fell asleep and then my mom would come in and sit with me stroking my hair or rubbing my back singing the same songs dad did. Inch worm was a favorite of mine.
...or, she would read to me. For some reason I remember her reading this poem.

Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too
Went for a ride in a flying show.
"Hooray!"
"What Fun!"
"It's time we flew!"
Said Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too.

Ickle was captain, and Pickle was crew
And Tickle served coffee and mulligan stew
As higher
And higher
And higher they flew,
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.

Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
Over the sun and beyond the blue.
"Hold on!"
"Stay in!"
"I hope we do!"
Cried Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.

Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too
Never returned to the world they knew,
And nobody
Knows what's
Happened to
Dear Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.

Zoe

I have a new sister.
She's wonderful in every way.
I haven't met her yet, but I can't wait to!

Keep in mind my new sister is an eight week old boston terrier.
Our families dog, daisy, died this fall of old age. It was traumatic.
We didn't know if we could have another dog, but my parents ran across an ad in the paper this morning, went to meet the litter and feel in LOVE. I'm so glad that they did.

Sad story, she doesn't have a name yet.
I put in my bit.
Zoe.
I wanted stella, but I"m saving it for my dog.
They want to name her susie q or oreo.
I hate them both.
It's silly to name an animal after food or tacky things.
Sad story.
I can't meet my new 'sister' until mid August. I was actually really really upset about it.


I cut my hair.
I wanted a change.
It's short and brunette.
I like it and I don't like it.
It's different. So I like it.
My face looks different than it did when I used to have short hair, so I don't like that. I also can't put it up without (literally) have a can of hairspray and 17 bobby pins.
Changes are changes so I'm happy!

Stamp in upper right.

Wolfgang Tillmans.
Fun photo.
Great postcard.


I received the best wedding invitation I've ever seen in my life today. It's exciting.

Two for Two.

Brandi Carlile reminds me of good times.

I'm in one of those reminiscent moods; Have been for a couple of days now.
There's no real reason for it, except for the fact that I think I need a change in my life.
What that change is exactly, I'm not really sure.

Maybe I just need to buy some fresh flowers...
Maybe I need a haircut...
Maybe a new music mix...
Maybe a new good book...
Maybe some serious quiet time...
Maybe some serious time with close friends...

I feel that all of these would be useful.


My dad is learning how to text.
It's funny. It will take him four minutes to send 'hi'. I love him. He's learning.

I want to learn how to play guitar.
My dear friend bought me a book last Christmas so I could learn. Honestly, it, combined with the second half of his gift, was the sweetest most thought out gift I have ever received from a friend. I feel bad, I never did learn. It's not a smack on our friendship or my commitment to him as a friend, more important things just slowly began to override my want to learn.

Do you ever wonder how your life effects others? Recently my mind has been reeling with thoughts on how even brief interactions with others might alter their life dramatically. Not so much the content of that interaction, but more of a pace, such as time. What would happen if they were to walk this way home instead of another because of a long overrun conversation you had with one another? The idea of connections between people in our lives is always an amazing thing to me.



I like to count things in twos. This is a habit that I have been doing for as long as I can remember. Funny thing though, I think I figured out how it started. Guilt. I was sitting in the dentists chair this past week and I realized that I was counting the ceiling tiles by twos. First the entire ceiling tile, then the top corners, then the bottoms, then the right side, then the left side, and finally a cross from top right to bottom life and reverse from left to right. I realize this sounds insane-it is. When I cought myself doing it I thought it was to just pass the time by counting them in twos. Not true. There was something so comforting to me about counting this way. It always has been. Anyway, I think I do it out of guilt. When I was younger I didn't ever floss. As a result, I spent many a hour in my grandfathers dentist chair. To relax me I began to count the ceiling tiles. Simply counting by ones was no fun. So I upped it to two. Out of guilt I self consciously began to count the tiles once again when I was told 'Erica...you'll have to come back and see us so we can fix this little problem here, have you been flossing...?'
Old habits die hard.
Guilty.

Secret...Shhhh

(pssst, halloween 08)

as we all know, this is my favorite holiday.
we also know, that i plan for this faaar in advance.
i also usually keep my costume a huge secret, this year, i've decided to make it publicly known once, then that's it. not that halloween is a huge deal, i just find it WAY fun that everyone dresses up together on the same night. it's like we're all five again and playing make believe. well...sort of.
anyway, that's my spiel and my spilled secret.
i firmly believe that this will beat all other costumes i've had in the past.

There is a red ribbon in my hair

Red is not my favorite color, but I find it highly attractive.
Same with yellow.

I have a red ribbon in my hair.
I like it ok.
I have yellow daises on my desk.
I love them.


This morning I was supposed to have my teeth cleaned and x-rayed.
Supposed to.
My dentist is an hour away from my home (either homes).
Because of a surgery I had a while back I now have to take medicine before I even sit in a dentist chair.
So I travel all this way to the dentist, stay with my grandparents, wake up suuuuper early, wait forty five minutes past my appointment due to tardiness of the office...and I make the tragic decision of sitting in the odd smelling plastic dentists chair without taking my medication.
I now have to cancel my hair appointment Thursday morning, travel back to my grandparents tomorrow to gain an hour of sleep and wake up Thursday to have my teeth cleaned.
So instead my grandma took my shopping and bought me my lovely daises that are now smiling back at me to my right.

I had a huge list of blog topics I have been eager to write about.
I had a list.
I don't know what happened to it but it has left my brain for good.

Last week at work it was themed to Dr. Seuss.
"I say totally you say awesome-totally-AWESOME-totally-_____!"
I have a red ribbon in my hair.

I tragically miss my friends here in Manhattan.
Tragically miss you all.

Beaming with delight.

Annie loves to be the center of attention.
Today Annie decided she was a magician.
Annie took her water bottle walked up to a teacher and very firmly demands 'cover you eyes Miz Lindee'.
Annie is five and is still making that transition from Chinese to English.
After squimishly doing what she was told, Miz Lindee covers her eyes with just enough room to watch the questionable five year old work her 'magic'.
Annie quickly slides her water bottle under her teachers chair and pops back up with an extra spring.
She beams with delight.
'Annie...tell her to open her eyes now...'

'ahpen yur ii's mz lindee ahpen ahpen AHPEN!'
'...Wow Annie. You have great magical skills!'
Annie beams with delight.

She turns to me, but first crawls under the chair to retrieve her prop. (A magician must never reveal their true secrets).
'mzz erEca!!'
'Yes Miss Annie!!?'
'i show you my majic now!'
'Really?! Ok! Go for it!'
Apparently she I wasn't ready for her to 'go for it'. Bending over with hands on hips, squinted eyes with puckered lips, 'mz erEca-cloze-yur-eyes!!'
'Oooh, ok. Sorry. Ok Annie, Go for it!'
Repeating the same process of placing the water bottle under the same chair of which I am now facing 'AHPEN YUR EYZ MZ ERECA!'
Trying desperately to hold back tears of laughter 'ANNIE!! Where did it go!?!!??!? Oh my goodness, you're so good! Will you perform at my birthday party?!'
Beaming with delight hands tucked behind her back swaying back and forth, 'yesss.'

Two hours later in the middle of a mass chaotic game of 'freeze character', I feel a fierce tugging on my shorts.
Looking down I see five year old little Miss Annie, water bottle in hand.
"Yes ma'am?"
With her hands still folded behind her back, head tilted up toward the ceiling and swaying back back and forth as if she had to use the restroom, smile smeared across her cute little face, 'mz erEca?...when iz yur birfday?'

Boston Tea Party

I love Harry Potter. Don't get me wrong, it's wonderful.
I also love abcfamily. My favorite shows are on that channel.
Well...just Gilmore Girls.

Though I love them both I find them irritating at the same time.
Abcfamily uses Harry Potter as a 'themed' marathon for almost every holiday.
Halloween I understand.
Christmas is pushing it, but I still kind of get it. (Christmas scene...snow, ok).
Fourth of July...? They-are-not-even-American. They have accents-if that's not obvious enough then I don't know what is.
If they're trying to drive that magic=fireworks...maybe, but still, not true.

A different glass floor

I am sun burnt.
I am burnt from the sun by walking one block to the park from work two times.
Once at noon. The other at four.
Twice yesterday and once today.
Just on my shoulders.
Non the less, it hurts.


There was an attempt-an attempt-to make my own chocolate covered coffee beans yesterday.

It was awful.

They were, instead of delicious little beans of wonder and joy, globs of funny smelling beans stuck in mounds of almond bark.
Luckily, I salvaged them.
Peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate chip, brazillan roast with almond bark cookies.
They are yummy. Not the best, but every once in a while you bite into a chunk of chocolate and coffee bean and it tastes like what I wanted to achieve in the first place. So it's not all that bad.

The same commercial has been on twice in a row. It wouldn't bother me if it weren't so awful and tacky.

I'm at the point in my job right now where I love it again. With teaching it's a roller coaster. At the beginning I'm vulnerable as well as the students. So it's kind of freaky but exciting. Then there's the breaking down of the walls and trust issues. Once that's over...the fun really begins. I'm at that point now but a little further off. I'm at the point with my students where they're not only understanding what is going on, but they're excited and interested in what they are learning. More so, I am seeing REAL truthful progress. It's really exciting and it makes me realize that maybe this is what I am supposed to do. No matter how far I push this idea away, it always comes back to me. Whether it be in a traditional classroom or in the theater or dance studio.



Song for today. Matt Redman. You Never Let Go.

'Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go.
Lord, you never let go of me.
And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We’ll live to know You here on the earth.'

It's Academic

Today I realized how much I oddly am fascinated with rulers.
Honestly. How COOL!

Twelve inches, 30 centimeters, and fourths, eigths, and so much more in between.
It's so exact. All this work prepared so we can have an easier life.
No more measuring with our feet or spit marking things after the measurement of our palm to palm.




Think of all you can do with a ruler.
Measure things. Lengths or Widths to be exact.
Draw things-boxes.
Throw them as daggers-ok maybe to a five year old boy.



I must admit, the soul purpose of me owning my purple stainless steel non-skid ruler, is so that I am able to draw straight lines when I'm making a calendar or list of some sort of organizational tool.

I have organization ocd.


-----


Going to a dear friends wedding this weekend with an even dearer friend as my date. Oh how I've missed him while he's been away. I'm excited.
I hope I am paid soon...It's been a while. I'm out of peanut butter, jelly, almost out of bread/milk, but I have plenty of cereal. Not a lot of noodles though. Noodles don't go in cereal, but they go in soup, and cereal reminds me of soup. It's liquid.