Tuesday, August 31, 2010

My dogs are barkin'...

Settling down after working my first shift in music as well as my first time to close. Even though putting out new releases and such is a lot, it wasn't bad at all. It's just late. And in all of the hubbub to get finished and clock out, I forgot that I still had a phone on my hip.
Yep, it's sitting in my car overnight, and I'm going to have to bring it back in the morning. lol
And now I need a Tylenol PM.

I would like it known that the security camera behind the counter makes my backside look goooooood.

Today after I began shelving DVDs, the Store Manager finds me to ask the usual productivity questions and to give me the "Sell, sell, sell!" pep talk, but first, he had to let me know that if a customer approaches me and is not an appropriate customer-- like he's trying to ask me out-- to dial the M.O.D. (Manager On Duty) and to ask them to come to me, and we'll figure it out. Apparently a guy came into the store looking for me, asking for the redheaded girl, if said Manager would tell him my name because he'd like to meet me, etc.


*rolls eyes*


Really? Really...

Saturday, August 28, 2010

NOLA Pictures

Some of this I'm proud of for artistic reasons. Some are just to document a few of the places we went. You get to decide which are... which...




Outside the coffee shop where we parked.
Brilliant marketing strategy.


"Walking picture" on the way to the Confederate Civil War Museum


The front

The steps out. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside, but it was nifty.
From the sampling of uniforms they had in the museum, we decided that people in the next 200 years are going to be freaking Nephilim.


Across the street from the Confederate Museum, next to the Nat'l WWII museum


Have I mentioned how much I love clouds and looking at the sky?


Altar of St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square


I betcha their organ is better than ours...




I. Love. Stained glass.
I didn't find any literature in the church to prove this to be true, but I'm fairly certain the windows depicted scenes from St. Louis' life. If I think of it, I'll look it up and let you know.

If you watch the news or internet headlines at all, you know that tomorrow is the five year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. I ask that you join me in sending prayers and overall good ju-ju to the city of New Orleans and all who were and are affected by the hurricane.

They've come a long way, but they still have a lot longer to go before New Orleans will have returned to it's Crescent City Glory, and I'm sure other cities on the coast affected are no different.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Food, food, GLORIOUS food!

What do I do with my time off?

I
eat (apparently).



I was called into work at the last minute yesterday, so we decided to postpone birthday luncheon (which ended up being just me and Papaw. Just as well, I suppose.) 'til today.
However, I did make a pretty scrumptious dinner last night, if I say so myself. Papaw thoroughly enjoyed it, too. XD


Mmmm... three cheese tortellini & turkey meatballs with cheese breadsticks (and optional cinnamon breadsticks for dessert).

Mind you, none of this was made from scratch, but it was a really good combination of the store-bought.

Voila!

Lunch today wasn't quite as pretty looking as that, but it was pretty tasty.

Boar's Head ham, chicken & Sargento Swiss on French bread.
It was delicious, be we decided to rethink the French bread in favor of a rye loaf next time.
(Molly! The good people at our Publix deli know to give samples. It made me think of you and smile.)

Now, for the strawberry shortcake!

Most of this was from scratch, starting with the sour cream biscuits (thank you, Southern Living!).

1st batch... minus the two we used for our shortcakes...

2nd batch dough

2nd batch baked

Aren't they beautiful?

Key ingredients to my ideal strawberry shortcake:
homemade whipped cream, slightly smashed strawberries with straight-up sugar, and the aforementioned yummy biscuits.

Yup, it's pretty- even in a paper bowl.

I also have a few pictures I took in NOLA this weekend that I'm kind of proud of and I'd like to share with you, but that'll be later today. I have to go learn & practice my audition piece for next week!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Welcome Ava and Aunty Lori!

I officially have a handful of followers!

I warn you, this isn't anything interesting. I just do it for myself.

There. You have been warned.



"'Dear me, there is nothing but meetings and partings in this world, as Mrs. Lynde says,' remarked Anne plaintively..."


Went to NOLA this weekend to bring Richard the rest of his things and officially bid him farewell. I was the fifth wheel to his parents, his brother, and Richard's other best friend/his brother's girlfriend. We stayed at his "aunt" and "uncle's" home just outside of New Orleans.
All in all it was a good weekend, though emotionally charged (vacillating between positive and negative). Love the Hebert fam and LJ, though. :)

It was just difficult because (well, a number of things, actually, but mainly) we didn't get to see Richard as much as we wanted. Thankfully, we did get a couple of quality hours before we left Sunday, but the girls all teared up when we said good-bye, and Richard's mom and I were weepy pretty much the whole way home. I got a hold of myself a little bit the last couple of hours of the trip back, thanks to LJ and some choice tunes, but once I got in the car by myself, I sobbed. Got home to Mom and my eyes were, no joke, redder than my hair--about like this. It was the ugly kind of cry with the twisted face and the hyperventilating... and the remnants of redness and puffiness this morning.

Thankfully, today was a good day. Went to work this morning (It's pretty sad when work makes me feel better... Have I mentioned I love this job?), and by the end of the day I helped to sell a nook©-- my very first! I feel like a retail goddess...

Okay, not really, but it was exciting.

Then came home, ate dinner, and watched True Blood (wtf, Alan Ball????!?!?!?!??!) before Mom and I went to Publix to get stuff for Papaw's birthday luncheon tomorrow. Mom has to work tomorrow evening, so we're having a nice lunch together with strawberry shortcake for dessert. I've been daydreaming about strawberry shortcake all weekend.

If I'm as cheesy as I think, I'll take pictures and upload them.

With that, I bid you all adieu. I am going to pop a couple Benedryl and read myself to sleep.

Green Gables, here I come!

P.S. The sweetest boy in the world is snoring next to me. I love that he hangs out with me now that I actually enjoy being in my room. He's such a love!

Friday, August 20, 2010

See ya Sunday!


Don't worry, my bed is made now.

My closet!

To the left.

To the right.

Isn't it beautiful?

Jenna, that big, black bag from Charlotte Russe is filled with more stuff for you guys.

So, things aren't exactly in the places where they'll live permanently, but they are getting closer.
My hope is to turn one or two of those shelves into bookshelves, and then who knows what I'll do with all of those stuffed animals...

I totally rocked some of my newly acquired shelving skills.

And I suppose that's more than enough of that.

I should be leaving to go to NOLA for the weekend soon. I'm going to help Richard's family move him into the dorm completely.







Is it weird that I'm more nervous than excited about it at this point?

Fail... Ah, well!

#1 It's 12:03, and I'm posting.
#2 I didn't get everything finished per se.
#3 I feel like there should be a number three, but those were my only 2 major failings as far as the room and this post is concerned...

Eh, you don't really care about it as much as I do, so let's move on, shall we?

WAIT! Here's failure #3. I took the "After" pictures around 11:10, and then I continued to clean up, so they are now inaccurate. AND I forgot to take a picture of the inside of my new make up drawer. I'm very proud of it. So, ya know what?

Pictures will come after I've slept approximately 8 hours.

This post is a huge disappointment, so let me try to increase it's appeal by leaving you with one of the distinct differences between my dogs.

They have been observing this process for the past few days, and sometimes even spend time with me while I am (or am not...) working in here. They'll stop outside my bedroom door, look at me, and do that cute little head tilt that says, "What exactly are you doing again?"

[I ask myself that EVERY day.]

Well, tonight my floor began essentially invisible. There was one of those long under-the-bed Rubbermaids (teehee... that sounds dirty...), a gift bag I'm putting together for Lauren and something else I can no longer recall stretched across the entrance to my room.

First Brooklyn peeks in my room, sees me on my bed (checking facebook), and proceeds to leap over the blockade and onto my bed in two bounds. He chilled there with me for about ten minutes.

Then about five minutes later, Heidi's form darkens my doorway, and she begins to do her little "Roo-rooey" thing. I look at her and ask, "What?"
"Roo ROO rooooo roooo..."
"Ya think so?"
"Rrrrruff."

Yes, the little princess needed me to move everything so she could come into my room, and she had no qualms about letting me know.

It's a similar situation when they go outside.
Brooklyn's all chill and goes with the flow (baha), and whenever you open the door to let him back inside, he's cool. Whatevs.

When Heidi, however, is ready to come inside, she's good and ready. She's a lady and begins with one patient scratch, but the longer you make her wait, the more insistent her scratches become. If you are REALLY taking your sweet time, she'll become more vocal about it.

Granted, Brooklyn has a foot/shoe fetish, but when it comes down to it, boys will be boys and girls will be high maintenance.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Must. Finish. Today...

"The third stage of grief is making piles."
~Lorelai Gilmore


She wasn't lying, kids. These are the before shots from when I started this project Monday.

And I guess they're not technically the official "Before" shots because I'd already moved my bed and such, but it's when the mess REALLY began to take shape.

Bed is now in the corner of the room.
Taboo? Probably, but I want more floor space, and my room is just too small to keep it in the middle. Sorry, Papaw!

After moving a majority of my clothes into the walk-in closet in the master bedroom, I moved my dresser to the closet. Again, more floor space!

A good bit of the stuff had to line the hallway while I moved the aforementioned furniture.

That's how far my door would open at the time. I'm proud to report it now opens as far as the hinges will allow.

It is my greatest wish of the day to post the "After" shots before midnight.

LOTS to do, folks! Lots to do.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Permit me voyage...


That is my request, LORD, if I may request anything of You.

I've been listening to the Morten Lauridsen arrangement of this text as sung by the University of Utah Singers (iTunes U is your friend. Go download it for free).

It has been a balm to my soul; "all is healed, all is health."


Sure on this shining night
Of star made shadows round,
Kindness must watch for me
This side the ground.
The late year lies down the north.
All is healed, all is health.
High summer holds the earth.
Hearts all whole.
Sure on this shining night I weep for wonder wand'ring far
alone
Of shadows on the stars.

Notes

The poem comes from a book by James Agee entitled Permit Me Voyage published 1934 by Yale University Press.

"Badgers, badgers, badgers, badgers..."

["Mushroom, MUSHROOM!"]

Do you remember that li'l internet funny?

["Ooooh, it's a snake!"]

I thought of it because I'm eating mom's tuna noodle casserole (YUM), except I pick around the mushrooms.
Today's helping is served with a side of sour cream 'n' onion chips and pink lemonade to drink.

Classy, right?

As I pick around the mushrooms, I think of how many people I love who love mushrooms more than a person should, in my opinion. These are the people to whom, whenever I'm with them, I would normally give my mushrooms (tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc.) so they didn't go to waste. ("Clean your plate" mentality-- a subject for a later blog). My mom and Papaw like them just fine (hence why they are in the casserole), but I know a handful of people who could eat them like candy, and not a one of them is in Tuscaloosa county. So, I definitely can't share with them today.
Well, technically one is at the moment because she works in TC, but she doesn't live here; however, that is neither here nor there.

I'm here and they're there, and THAT is the point.

It's kind of sad, really... Poor mushrooms...

These are the kind of things my mind thinks of at lunch time on a happy Wednesday.

I'll have you know that I shelved like a motha this morning at the B&N- the spatial reasoning was particularly keen today. Then I got to put fixtures (display shelves) together and move games and puzzles and such to their appropriate fixtures (as much as possible, anyway).

And, I know, it's weird, but I love doing stuff like that. It was kind of like a game.

[cue "A Spoonful of Sugar"]

It's safe to say that I adore working there. I know I haven't been there two whole weeks, but the people I work with are great, I love what we sell, and I like helping people, so it's kind of a perfect fit.

And did I mention work stays at the store? I may have before, but it bears repeating: I GET TO LEAVE IT ALL THERE.

Then, on a day like today, I get to come home, eat lunch, and then do basically the same thing in my room. Haha!

But there's a 30% chance that it's raining right now, Heidi is 100% pawing at my hands to comfort her, and I see a 50% chance for a nap in my own forecast.


This is what happens when we get scared by the thunder.

Monday, August 16, 2010

"Don't do sadness"


...in bed.

Mom came into my room today with two fortune cookies in tow. Naturally I took the one that was pointing at me most, and this is what it said. All I needed was the first sentence, but then it reminded me that not only do I have social skills, but also that some people think they need them.

It was a good day for fortune cookies. Mom's was exactly what she needed, too.

The overhaul of my room continues. Some of the loot today included Giga Pets, middle school ID cards, lots of receipts and gum in old purses (I'm finding more similarities between my grandmother and I everyday... lol), a post-break up e-mail from high school, drawings, sermon notes, cards I received from old friends (two that made me Boo. Hoo.), and letters I never sent.

Dear Melancholy,

Please let it be you and not sadness that's visiting me.

Tell Leah thanks for sharing.



katherine elizabeth

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Is it a buggy or a cart?

I don't know about you, but I love Amazon.com.

Russian Collection - COSMO - Not Tonight Honey

South Beach Collection - Bronzed To Perfection

Why, O why do I love Amazon.com? Because they let me find things I want as I think of them, add them to my cart, and then save them for later. It's online layaway.
Do you remember those days?

Let's have another look into my cart right now...

This AND the soundtrack.



I also need to add the following Disney DVDs to my cart before this life is over:

The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Peter Pan
Sleeping Beauty
Sword in the Stone
Robin Hood
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The Great Mouse Detective
The Rescuers & The Rescuers Down Under
Mulan
Fantasia & Fantasia 2000
Alice in Wonderland
So Dear To My Heart
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Pete's Dragon
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Enchanted
DuckTales the Movie
A Goofy Movie
Nightmare Before Christmas
Meet The Robinsons
And ALL of the other Pixar films I don't have.

I think I may also move into buying TV series DVDs via Amazon, since I'm not a baller and don't have Netflix.
Series such as:

The Gilmore Girls
Ally McBeal (Thank you, Mol Page.)
NCIS
Ugly Betty
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Thanks again, Molly.)

O, dear. Now Han Solo is on the television. Must leave you.

Love • Time • Think

According to the application on fb, these are my most used words in recent status updates.

(I'd also like to point out that "Molly" and "Page" were near the top of the list.)

Oddly enough, that's pretty much me in a nutshell...

Note: This post is rather disjointed. Enjoy.

I've acquired another nickname at work: "Red." Ü

Speaking of my hair, I've decided that if I make Secret Garden, I am not going to cut my hair until after the show, and then I'm going to donate it to Locks of Love.

Granted, I didn't go to bed until a little after 4:00, but I didn't get up till 1:05 today, and I'm still in my PJs. Papaw decided we are ordering pizza for dinner (especially since Mom's in NOLA for the weekend).

We're currently watching Because I Said So. Yes, I'm watching it again... This time it's on Lifetime. Papaw is actually watching it and laughing, which lets me know he's been asleep every other time it's been on our TV screen. Haha!

My new, big girl driver's license just came in the mail.

I love Saturdays.

I can't think about this one too much, though. This Saturday, while appearing typical, is not.

However, I'm going to go on with my day and pretend it is.

That is all (for now).

Friday, August 13, 2010

"NO is not a dirty word."

"It's okay to not do it all."

"Never look back. That's where the shadows are."

Dove Promises really can be brilliant sometimes.

I called the Presbyterians this morning and declined the job.

Mark it down, ladies and gents, I said "No."

I know I want to write more regarding this, but I'm sleepy and have to work tomorrow.

It's a good thing. :)

Thursday, August 12, 2010

THAT girl whether or not...


This is my Angel of No Regrets. An old friend gave her to me after I'd told her about my philosophy of no regrets.

I figure everything happens the way it does for a reason.
All of the mistakes I make are the only ways I'm going to learn whatever lesson it is I need to learn from said mistakes. And the things that you've already done can't be undone, so why worry about them? Don't look back.

As for things you haven't done, well, they are still a possibility. They have kinetic energy; they are still a "could be," and a "could be" is infinitely better than a "what if."

Those are the things with which I have the most trouble.

I worry about the future so much more than is healthy. Well, not all the time. I'm mostly pretty good at suppressing those worries by keeping busy. I'm fairly optimistic and can find joy around me.

Yes, even though I'm a little more jaded than I used to be, I'm still pretty much Li'l Mary Sunshine.

But when I'm not that girl, I'm definitely THAT girl.

I'm THAT girl who worries about...

•whether or not she'll ever find somebody who can love her AND want her at the same time.
•whether or not she'll have any immediate family to be at her wedding if/by the time that she does.
•whether or not she'll be young enough to have a child of her own when the time comes.
•leaving her house everyday because her grandfather is left alone with the dogs essentially all day.
•whether or not she'll ever leave this town. Do I really have what it takes?
•whether or not she'll ever get her $#!^ together enough to begin to feel normal again.
•whether or not her car is going to last as long as she needs it to, and if it doesn't, how is she going to go about acquiring another one?

I know, I know...

Matthew 6
26AR)">(AR) Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.AS)">(AS) Are you not of more value than they? 27And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to hisAT)">(AT) span of life?g]">[g] 28And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you,AU)">(AU) even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you,AV)">(AV) O you of little faith?

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.


But this is what comes of realizing that you're human.


My emotional heart feels the need for Jesus to send a Knight on His behalf to rescue my wounded heart.

I really would like to be held the way I know I deserve to be held.

I also should probably go to bed. I have a date with a T Woolf tomorrow.

Ah, well. Let the tears fall, let the tears fall where they may.


"Please give me time to decipher the signs
Please forgive me for time that I've wasted..."

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

"I was addicted to saying things and having them matter to someone."

I still can't find my copy of Waitress. It breaks my heart a little.



I spent yesterday evening with my fellow Narrator, Karen, and it was one of the best things I have done in a while. We had one of those girly nights where all we did was talk-- for about 5 hours.

Prior to meeting up with Karen, I had 3 fairly lengthy conversations with colleagues/friends/mentors/employers about the Presbyterian job. I have not called back yet to let them know what my decision is, so I am not going to go into a whole lot of detail on here (yet), but they were all incredibly beneficial for me not only in this particular instance, but for me in general.

Once I got to Karen's temporary place of residence, she had a plate ready for me to fill with the amazing chicken-broccoli-cheese-pasta-bake deliciousness she'd made and a yellow, plastic goblet awaiting me to pour juice into it.

It was manna from heaven. Ü

After watching another one of our friends eating ice cream straight from the freezer, we decided to go get some of our own, and since I was driving, I took us to Cold Stone.

Guys, they brought back the peanut butter ice cream.

If you don't understand anything about me, understand this: I love peanut butter.
I also love ice cream. Putting the two together is pretty genius.
And Cold Stone's peanut butter ice cream is sheer genius.

We both got our Like Its of peanut butter with Reese's mixed in, sat down, and really, really started talking. The car ride over had served as the appetizer, I suppose, and this was when we began the five course meal. A meal that was apparently more appetizing than our ice cream, because neither of us finished it. I WAS TALKING SO MUCH, I COULDN'T FINISH MY PEANUT BUTTER ICE CREAM. O_O

We babbled about essentially everything that we'd felt we couldn't say to anybody else (because, well, we can't haha!), and I felt like I was 16 again, and we genuinely listened to each other.

It was so therapeutic.

I tend to surround myself with people who like to talk because, in general, I like to listen. We complement each other and it works. But sometimes, I need a turn to talk as well, and I generally have a different set of friends who know how to listen to me.

Because I don't typically talk too, too much, I am not very... eloquent when I speak. My brain moves faster than my mouth and I fumble over my words or I have to think a long time before I can even attempt to form a coherent sentence and it's. just. bad.

I talked to Karen about things I'd never mentioned to anybody else before, and it was absolutely liberating. I told her today (and I meant it) that I felt 10 lbs. lighter after having talked with her. She is a spectacular individual-- a true woman of God whose brilliant light and love for others is a force to be reckoned with-- so watch out, Mobile. She's gonna change your community for the better.

Did I mention she leaves to go to Mobile in 8 days?

Did I also mention that my very best friend leaves to go to New Orleans in 5?

I'm gonna be a MESS next week.

I'm just thankful I have friends who'll still be here and will help keep me together. Especially when life rears its ugly head like it tried to do tonight.

Mom had another one of her hypoglycemic episodes, so she spent a better part of the evening in the Emergency Dept. I was spending time with some of my favorites (Molly, Richard, and Molly's roommate) discussing the inner sanctum of sororities, lol, when one of the nurses called to let me know she was there and would need a ride. I didn't know what had happened yet, but knew I needed to get over there to find out. Without skipping a beat not only did they offer to come with me, but also to drive me-- partially because they are wonderful, and partially because they know me well enough to know that my car is a mess and would not fit all of us in its current condition.

When we got there, they still had to do a CT scan on her, so it'd be a while before she was ready to go. Her personal effects were still on the psych unit (where she works, if you are new to my life and musings, even though she fits right in), so I grabbed her keys, grabbed my friends, and they saw a glimpse of the inner workings of The Harbor. Well, at least how to get there through the interior of the hospital. Then I grabbed her things (less her glasses and two bottles of Diet Coke I neglected to recover for her), we walked back to the E.D., I dropped off her phone so she could contact me, then walked back through The Harbor to get to her car so I could move it to the parking on the other side of the hospital closest to the E.D.

Lots of grabbing and lots of walking.
Also lots of driving on my bestie's part.

After all that was situated, we drove back to Molly's apartment for a bit before Mom called again to say she was ready for me. [Cue "On The Road Again."]

It was still an enjoyable evening because my friends are pure amazing, and Richard had made a pretty awesome playlist for us to listen to on our second outing.



I share all of this not because I think you are really interested in the tiny details of my life, but because my friends deserve credit where credit is due; and because they help me make it through the monotonous, tiny details of my life, I love them all the more.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Katherine called "Kate" called "Francine"

My first official day of work at Barnes & Noble was today.

In the words of another famous redhead, "I think I'm gonna like it here!"

The people there seem to be kinda great. I'm really excited about this job. It's new, and it stays at the store.

There's a paycheck and a pretty sweet discount involved, too. Can't complain!

I also got a call from the Presbyterians. They would like to hire me.

My heart is a house divided...

(to be continued)

Thursday, August 5, 2010

I like...

I like...
stealing blog posts from people. (Thank you, Jenna-Benna!)

I like...
cheese. Mini Babybel, Swiss-almond, cream, cheddar, mozzarella, American, provolone... all kinds. It is powerful, and it stands alone.

I like...
coming home early in the afternoon and taking a nap on our sectional.

I like...
buying my own groceries and eating at home.

I like...
feeling small; being keenly aware of my own insignificance. It's probably why I like flying, wide-open spaces, mountains, and tall buildings.

I like...
dreaming, making lists, and organizing.

I like...
having wiggle room-- in my clothes; in my schedule; in most anything that doesn't need to be firm, grounded, or sturdy for safety's sake.

I like...
using ellipses, semi-colons, hyphens, and dashes (correctly). That, to me, is word art.

Parenthetical phrases? I like those, too.

I like...
snuggling.

I like...
having moments of unmatched wittiness and/or sheer brilliance. It doesn't happen often, but I surely do like it when it does.

I like...
reading in bed all day long. Usually sci-fi/fantasy is my favorite all-day-in-bed reading material. I really like reading the rest in the midst of life. For example, in a spare moment or while waiting at a doctor's office or while using public transportation. Excellent reading times.

I like...
that nostalgic and precious feeling you get when talking with children or watching them at play.

I like...
random "peachy" days such as yesterday. I also like how they're usually singular and stuck right in the middle of a long string of "weird" or "off" or "ehh..." days.

I like...
taking pictures. I will never by any means be considered an artist or professional, but I think it's just fun. I also love when someone like me just so happens to capture a genuinely good photograph. It's the epitome of serendipity.

I like...
watching TV with my grandfather.

I like...
blogging...so much so, that I'll probably post again today.



Interview with the Presbyterians at 5:00. Please, LORD, make clear what you'd have me do about this job. If this is a door that can be closed, I ask you to do just that.

<3

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Dear You

Dear You

O, boy does THAT hit close to home...

Also this one.
Dear Short Fingernails
It's kind of a personal philosophy of mine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today was kind of a spectacular day.

√ Drop off shoe boxes to the church.
√ Pick up substitute teacher application.
√ Fill up gas tank. Pump #7, $22 even.
√ Stop at Ulta, pick up "necessities" and linger over a few non-essentials WHICH I did not purchase.
√ Mom did my hair in two French braids. (We had a spontaneous shopping spree last night, and I asked her then if she would do it for me. I am still not very good at the French braiding...)
√ Replaced my windshield wiper blades. Now if my brakes go out in the rain, I'll be able to see where I'm crashing.
√ Birmingham and Iguana Grill with Richard and Momma B. 'Nough said. Wait, I lied. We went to B'ham to pick up his MacBook that he's been saving for all summer. Now it's enough said.
√ Church. I absolutely love Wednesday nights. Don't take this the wrong way, but my church family is better than yours. :P
√ Oreo McFlurry while listening to Nickel Creek (again) and driving through the midnight construction on 69 S.

Now, I'm spending time with my doggies before I get ready for bed.

To quote a couple favorite people of mine,
"Check-check!" and "Well played, Wednesday. Well played."

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

For Reelz

Renée Radick: Snow White. Cinderella. All about gettin' a guy. Being saved by the guy. Today it's the Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Pocahontas. All about gettin' a guy.
Ally McBeal: So basically we're screwed up because of...
Renée Radick: Disney.

•Thank you, Reelz Channel, for airing episodes of Ally McBeal at exactly the right time.

•Little boys make my heart and my face smile. Today I went into camp for a couple of hours to help with the cleanup process, and some of my precious green group boys saw I was doing some heavy lifting, and they eagerly asked if they could help. Granted, the main two reasons they wanted help were because 1) they were in trouble and 2) they wanted an opportunity to be boys and show off how strong they are. I was willing to overlook that, though, because I'd done all I could by myself. They were so confident and started talking like little men after I told them what needed to be done. I definitely had a good, inward chuckle.

Men are so much more likable when they are little.

•I've remembered how much I love Nickel Creek.

•I got to talk to my Ava Kelley on my way home from camp. It was so good to hear her voice, and to learn that she is doing well. I miss her.

•I miss Lindsey, too.

I guess, now I need to get back to work. I'll start doing laundry during the last 40 minutes of this episode of Ally, and then continue with the rearrange, reorganize, and remove aspect of my life. First stop: wardrobe.

Next stop: Narnia?

Monday, August 2, 2010

Wouldn't it be loverly?

Frederick- "peaceful ruler"

Audrey- "noble strength"

Thank you, Molly, for tonight.

My Fair Lady + junk food = divinity.

Holy movie trivia, Batman! Freddy's singing voice in the film is the same guy who played Prince Phillip in Sleeping Beauty! It's all so clear to me now...


I really needed today. I really need this week.
I got Karen to sub for me the entire week so that I could, in essence, come and go as I please. A part of me feels badly because it's almost like I'm "abandoning" my kids at camp, but I desperately need to breathe.

*inhale*
I need to take a step back and look at where life has brought me.
*exhale*

*inhale*
I need to visualize where I might go next.
*exhale*

And then I need to take steps to make it happen.

I've had several really great conversations within the past couple of days about what to do next. I'm beginning to feel a bit better in general after beginning to step away from camp. After making it through Joseph and VBS and now the musical, I can separate myself from the, well, sometimes poisonous nature that has seemed to pervade the interrelationships of the counselors.

After this weekend when we prayed before the musical, I thought people had really realized the hurtfulness of how we've behaved this summer-- talking behind people's backs, being indignant and self-righteous, and not communicating well, if at all.
But I returned to camp this morning to find we'd returned from the mountaintop and resumed said behavior. I found that the suspected source was from the top of the day camp hierarchy; from those whose tears flowed freely as we spoke to God and each other of how precious each person involved in this ministry is, whether young or old; from those who, I thought, had shown remorse. From those whose hearts I'd thought were sincere.

O, wouldn't it be loverly...

And again it occurred to me how much the show and the manic, emotional displays of spirituality irritate, and sometimes even infuriate me in a manner unspeakable.

"All they're looking for is something real
Not manufactured for the largest appeal
Someone to find them with an answer that heals..."

Matthew 6
1"Beware ofA)">(A) practicing your righteousness before other people in orderB)">(B) to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven..."

Matthew 23
"1Then JesusA)">(A) said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2B)">(B) "The scribes and the PhariseesC)">(C) sit on Moses’ seat, 3so practice and observe whatever they tell you—D)">(D) but not what they do.E)">(E) For they preach, but do not practice. 4F)">(F) They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear,a]">[a] and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5G)">(G) They do all their deedsH)">(H) to be seen by others. For they makeI)">(I) their phylacteries broad andJ)">(J) their fringes long, 6and theyK)">(K) love the place of honor at feasts andL)">(L) the best seats in the synagogues 7andM)">(M) greetings inN)">(N) the marketplaces and being calledO)">(O) rabbib]">[b] by others. 8P)">(P) But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you areQ)">(Q) all brothers.c]">[c] 9R)">(R) And call no man your father on earth, forS)">(S) you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor,T)">(T) the Christ. 11U)">(U) The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12V)">(V) Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Give me a real heathen over a fake Christian any day.

If you want others to know why and how much they need Jesus, you have to remember it yourself.

Perhaps I've become lax in my religion, but everyday I practice my faith.

I could not make it day to day without the LORD carrying me. He is The Source and my reason for breathing. He is Perfect, and I am not. I've never claimed to be, and I never shall, but I've never understood how lowly I am and how desperately I need Him as well as I do now. I am not worthy on my own, but because I am His creation, I have worth. Simply because He is, and in Him, I am...

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. "

If I may generalize a moment, people don't want to be told they're lost. People don't want to be told they are dirty, unclean, and on the road to hell.

They want to be understood. People want to be healed. They want to know why it is they hurt, how to make it stop, and they want to be loved. WE want to be loved.

That's why Jesus utterly humbled Himself to live among us. To show us by example, to teach us through stories and experiences purely out of His matchless love for us. But His Love did not just extend to those weak, wounded and broken sinners who'd never met Him before.
It extended to those He kept closest to Him.

And we as a church fail to follow that example.

We profess to lead lives of love to those who we perceive to need His love most, but then we act hatefully to those who are supposed to be our brothers and sisters in Christ.

It's a wonder people steer clear of the church doors, no matter how wide they are flung open.

We walk on eggshells so as to avoid stepping on toes and bypassing edification, correction, or, if necessary, conflict when others behave shamefully, when Jesus wouldn't have stood for it.

I say all this because I am just as guilty of it, but also because this is the kind of behavior I'm tired of being surrounded by and/or being a part of (preposition preposition... O_O).

I am happy to get away from that behind-the-scenes aspect of camp.

I need the time to detox, and for once, I am taking it.

Thank You, Father God, for granting me this time, and for giving me the ability to accept it.

I also thank You for the many beautiful aspects of day camp's ministry. Some of my altogether favorite people with the loveliest hearts are a part of it, and they have made my time spent there worthwhile.



But once you've seen better and experienced, say, Ascot Opening Day and danced with royalty, how can you go back to being a flower girl?

If you've any respect for yourself, and the Energy and Effort poured into the creation of that self by those who Love you, you can't.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

What's in a name...

[The "L" key on my keyboard has been wonky for a while now, but the "V" key has just begun to give me fits. If "O" and "E" leave me next, I know I'm doomed. lol]


Within the sermon this morning, our pastor mentioned name meanings, and I started thinking about my favorite names. Some of them are my favorite because of what they mean, but some I just think are pretty, and I didn't know what they meant, so here I went, here I am, and here I go.


Aidan-"fire"
Rhys- "enthusiasm"

Nicholas- "victory of the people"
Ryan- "little king"

Evan- "YAHWEH is gracious"
Eric- "ever ruler"


Charlotte- "warrior"
Faye- "fairy"
Harriet- "home ruler" (SO true...)
Eowyn- "horse joy"
Meredith- "great lord" or "sea lord"
Bronwen/Bronwyn/Gwen/Gwendolen/Gwendolyn/Mairwen- "white, fair, blessed"
Maren- "of the sea"
Miriam- "wished for child;" "beloved"
Ingrid- "Ing is beautiful" (Ing from Norse mythology)
Susanna- "lily"
Isabelle- "consecrated to God;" "my God is abundance"
Margaret- "pearl"
Briseis- Greek mythology
Iris- "rainbow"
Evelyn/Evelina- "desired"

Evangeline/Evangelina- "good news"
Rose- (I thought this was interesting.)
ROSE

Gender: Feminine

Usage: English, French

Pronounced: ROZ [key]

Originally a Norman form of a Germanic name, which was composed of the elements hrod "fame" and heid "kind, sort, type". It was introduced to England by the Normans in the forms Roese or Rohese. From an early date it was associated with the word for the fragrant flower rose (derived from Latin rosa). When the name was revived in the 19th century, it was probably with the flower in mind.
~http://www.behindthename.com



Tonight was the last performance of the day camp musical. Now we just have to clean up. It's the last week of day camp for this summer (and it's time- for kids of all ages to go back to school; or in my case, to not). After spending way too much time at the church over the past week, God moved and did some amazing things this weekend. The Holy Spirit definitely quickened my heart, opened and softened the hearts of us counselors collectively, and I'm sure planted many seeds in the hearts of all of those involved. <3

I am looking forward to having my jobs nailed down within the next couple of weeks. I interview with First Presbyterian this Thursday to see about me being the college intern there for this school year. I'm praying for God to make His will for this job clear to me and those at the church. I am trying to not overbook myself, as I tend to do, and I really, REALLY want to be able to audition for shows (well, just one show in particular, but still...), and to have time to work on grad school applications. I am going to have to say "No" to a couple of job suggestions, I believe, but it'll be good for me. I need to exercise those "No" muscles a little more...

I also REALLY want to organize our house, rearrange my room, clean up, clean out, and plan a trip to Michigan.

Till then, I have to make it through this week, be in a wedding this weekend (which is actually going to be a lot of fun. I'm kind of excited right now), begin training at one new job, and help my best friend move away to begin the rest of his life.

Never a dull moment.