Who's Cooler

Okay. We've debated this in the office. As of right now, I'm outnumbered: 2-1. Who do you think is cooler: Stevie Nicks or Deborah Harry?

The Humor of Language Barriers

I love when I get to tell ESL students about English words they wouldn’t normally use (my favorite being “fart”—and yes, it comes up more often than you think).

The other evening I was working with an ESL student. When referring to a poor family whose last resort to earn money was to have their daughters sell their bodies on the street, he stated it a bit more bluntly:

“The daughters would have to be sluts and whores.” His professor had marked out “sluts and whores” and corrected it to say prostitute. I couldn’t stop laughing. I told him, you can’t say “sluts and whores” in an English paper.

Another error came when one of the daughters was mentally handicapped. Rather than say something pc, the student stated that “Her mother didn’t like her because she was retarded.”

I once again couldn’t control my laughter. I explained that “retarded” is considered an offensive term by some and it might be best to state it a different way.

It might sound cruel that I laughed at this student, but it was all in good fun. He laughed too, though he was laughing more at my reaction than his error.

Enjoy your weekend you retarded sluts and whores!

Why I Love Meat Loaf

I remember every little thing as if it happened only yesterday.

I remember the first time I was introduced to the wonder of Meat Loaf’s music. I was 13, in seventh grade, and I saw the “Anything For Love’ video at my cousin's house. Ever since then, I’ve loved Meat Loaf. Through my angst ridden, desperate to be loved years, Meat Loaf was there.

His singing is fabulous. He makes all lyrics sound beautiful and heartfelt. Somewhat cheesy yet profound lyrics (written by the equally awesome Jim Steinman) combined with Meat Loaf’s awesome voice make me love his music.

It's True: Mean People Suck

It seems like too many of my friends and family have had to deal with mean people lately. Yes, I know most of us deal with idiots on a day to day basis, but sometimes certain idiots can be meaner and more intentionally hurtful than others.

Seriously. Why would someone get irate and deface another person’s property just because they work for a company you feel is responsible for a problem they’re not actually responsible for and have no jurisdiction over? Why would you insist on cussing them out on multiple occasions? Obviously it’s not getting you anywhere. You are just trash. Redneck trash.

Also, if you don’t know someone, don’t read her blog and post nasty comments. You are no one to this person and your opinion means nothing. To be honest, this person does not give a ham sandwich about what you have to say. A blog is a place where a person can express her feelings. You don’t have to agree, but then again, you are not being forced to read it! Get a life! Why would someone even want to read a blog of someone he or she doesn’t know? How boring is that?

I hate that people are so cruel. I hate that people don’t take the time to realize the hurt they cause with their inability to be reasonable about a situation. I hate when anyone is mean to my friends or family and causes them pain or self doubt. It makes me upset because I feel like there’s nothing I can do about it.

Blasts From the Past

It’s been a weird weekend. On Friday, I went to Ludowici to a restaurant called the Greasy Spoon to celebrate my sister’s graduation. I must admit, I was wary of going to this restaurant, but it turned out to be quite fun. I got to eat dinner with my sister, cousin, husband, and a childhood/teenage friend who I haven’t seen in a few years. I was worried that it would be awkward between all of us and our long, lost friend, but things fell right into place as always. We ate and sang karaoke (yes, I did sing, but not by myself). Good times.

While at the Greasy Spoon, I also saw a girl I went to high school with. Though we were not good friends, we were friends. She was pregnant with her second child. She and her husband come up to the Greasy Spoon most Friday nights to hang out. She seemed so sad. She seemed like she wanted more from life, but was resigned to staying in one place. It could be that I was reading too much into our conversation or that I was placing my own insecurities on her. Maybe I’ll never know.

On Saturday, we went to my sister’s graduation ceremony in Hinesville. While at the ceremony I saw my best friend from childhood through our teenage years (Nikki) and another good friend as well (JV, he was graduating too). Again, I was worried it would be awkward, but it wasn’t. It was good to see them.

My last blast from the past happened after the graduation ceremony at The China Restaurant in Hinesville. My father’s old girlfriend, who moved in immediately after my mother died and stayed with us for 6 years came into the restaurant while we were eating. To be honest, I didn’t even recognize her. She (who I called Fatty Patty, but she wasn’t fat) was so skinny. She had long, curly hair and glasses. I glanced at her and saw her side profile and didn’t pay her much mind since I thought she was some young, too skinny army wife. Dad told me later that it was her. He and my brother in law recognized her. (I don’t know how my brother in law knows her, but he knows everyone.) I’m glad I didn’t recognize her. It would have thrown me off for the rest of the night. I don’t know why, but it would have and it did after Dad told me it was her.

I hate that the past has such an effect on me. I’ve spent too many of my “adult” years trying to run away from my past, only to find out that it’s actually something I miss.

A Day of Jennifer J

Jennifer J. just made a stunning observation, and I wanted to pass it along to everyone since I got such a kick out of it.

"Why is Charlie Brown the only bald kid in school?"

JJ also told me the story about a screaming child at her cousin's birthday party the other weekend. She was sitting there and a mother walked by with a screaming child. The child was hysterical and was wailing as if it was being killed. Apparently, at the birthday party, there was a pinata. This particular pinata was Thomas the Tank Engine. The child in question, being an avid Thomas fan, was deeply distressed by the beating Thomas was taking and completely lost his marbles. Part of me knows that is sick, but another part of me thinks it's hilarious. As my father would say, I'm a sick puppy.

Go up, thou bald head!

It's Been So Long

I couldn't resist. I even have permission from Brandi (who makes fun of my love of cute animal pics) to put up some cutsie animals on account of the end of the semster. Enjoy! I hope everyone gets all As!

The Lusty Month of May

Victory! I’m done with finals. I can finally breathe again. Being the nerd I am, I love school, but I always question my love of knowledge around finals. However, as soon as another semester rolls around I’m raring and ready to go again. Maybe if I had better time management things would be different. Thank goodness I can sneak in reading for class and writing research papers at my job. If not, nothing would ever get accomplished.

Like Alicia, I too have a reading list I’m excited about (it’s posted on her blog if you give a ham sandwich and want to see it). It’s mostly trash, but that’s the exciting part. Nothing too thought provoking until Dr. Winterhalter’s class starts in June (although I’m already very excited about it and may have to buy my school supplies early because of my excitement).

I’m also looking forward to getting some sun on my pale body (a special thanks to Power Tan located 2 miles from my house—and yes, I’m aware I will look like a leather sofa in 10 years) and starting an exercise routine. Stop laughing. I know I’m opposed to exercise, but I think I can handle 30 minutes 4 times a week. I’ve joined Curves. I’m aware of the cheese factor in this. I know this draws me closer to those puff paint kitten t-shirts I’m always threatening to wear, but I don’t care. I need to do something to get healthy and this sounded like the path of least resistance.

I’ll also be going to Orlando for a weekend in May with Jon, Kasey, and Melanie, so that’s exciting too. I just wanted to share my elation with being finished with finals and my plans for the respite of May. Please feel free to share your own.

Pfffttt

Not inspired. Just swamped. If I'm not working on papers or reading, I'm playing too much on Myspace. It's addictive. I feel like a traitor to the blog. I promise as soon as finals are over I will be more active when it comes to blogging.

P.S. For those of you who were following my saga with the house and I have not already told, the pseudo farm was a bust. The house just needed too much updating. Actually, it's a relief. I appreciate my house all the more now.

Going to Look

I'm just going to look. It's nothing to freak out about. I can freak out if I decide I want it. I'll post again on Monday when I have some news to report.

Give Me the Bible

My favorite Bible verse is Psalm 114:4

The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.

I like this verse best of all for two reasons. 1) It rhymes 2) it talks about lambs.

However, I have a new contender that just may overtake the rhyming lambs:

2 Kings 2:23-4

And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.


And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.

I like this verse for two reasons. 1) I picture a gaggle of kids following the man taunting him because he's bald. In my vision, the children are skipping and eventually form a circle around him and dance around it like a maypole 2) the bears eat 42 of the kids. Not all of the kids. I think the exact number of 42 is funny.

I know God did not intend this verse to be humorus, but I can't help myself.

A Pseudo Farm

I've mentioned on various blogs in the past (or if you know me well enough you already know) my desire to live on a farm. Not necessarily a farm complete with ducks and cows, but a farm that consists of at least more than 2 acres of land complete with a dog, cat, and horse. I would also like a 4 wheeler and a pool.

I'm not in the market for a new house, but I was looking at houses for sale in nearby counties yesterday and found one that has the potential to be perfect. It's in Rincon (yes, stinkin Rincon), but it has 5 acres, is over 2000 square feet, and has a pool (it's an above ground pool; not as cool as inground, I know, but it'll do). It's farther away from work and school than I am now (24 miles compared to 12), but it seems like what I've been wanting.

I drove by the pseudo farm last night to get a look and see if it was in a ghetto. Not at all. True to the picture. It still seemed delightful. I called my realtor and asked if we could go see it on Saturday.

Last week, a friend mentioned that my neighborhood seems very "adult." I am living an adult life, but I still feel like a kid playing house.

Why am I in such a panic already? Nothing is even remotely close to being set in stone, so why am I already on the verge of freaking out? I do make adult decisions, but making those decisions causes many sleepless nights for me. I can't trust that I'm making good, sound decisions. Nor can I trust that even if I make a bad decision, it can be fixed.

Though nothing will probably come of it, I just wanted to share the exciting possibility and the panic of it all. How do I know if I'm making good choices so I won't freak out during the process?

A Safe Haven

Alright. So I haven't posted anything in a while. I can't get away with another list or another cutsie picture. The thing is, I don't really have anything to say. I could write an update of what I've been doing lately, but that seems a cop out at this point too.

I've become addicted to Myspace. I finally opened a Myspace account and didn't delete it. Guess what. The world didn't end. I actually have friends. (I was worried I wouldn't and then I'd look like a nerd. Let's face it, Myspace is a big popularity contest anyway.)

However, I can't bring myself to blog on Myspace. Many people do, I know, but I have blogspot. Some part of me doesn't want any of my "Friends" on Myspace to hear what I have to say. I want to be stingy and keep my thoughts private. By private I mean the people who I care about that know about my blog. I like it that way, and I want to keep it that way. A safe haven.

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

I hope when you read the title of my blog that you sang it in a Julie Andrews voice.

I'm awfully fond of lists, so even though my last blog consisted of listing 5 new things in your life, I'm going to do another list. Please feel free to join in.

A Few Of My Favorite Things

1. Family and friends
2. Slumber parties
3. Flip flops
4. MeatLoaf (the singer, but I enjoy the dish as well)
5. Freshly cut grass
6. purring cats
7. books
8. purses
9. shoes
10. lazy days
11. blogs/myspace
12. paydays
13. grocery shopping
14. first day of school (it happens every semester!)
15. Ranch Doritos

Interactive Update

Alright ladies. What's new in your lives? Little things I mean. We get so caught up in blogging "important" things that we forget to update our friends and loved ones on the small things. Stuff that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, but little things that we would tell people if we were on a lunch date. Little things that matter to us.

Here are 5 things new in my life. Please feel free to list as many or as few new things going on in your own lives.


1) The day is drawing nearer. April 11 I will finally be going to hear David Sedaris in concert with a group of lovely ladies. (Do you say concert if it's not music?) I'm very excited.

2) I opened a Myspace account. It's not as bad as I thought it would be.

3) I'm going to Universal Studios in May with my husband, sister, and cousin. I feel like a kid because I'm so excited already that I don't think I can wait until a month and a half. I may pop before then.

4) I'm beginning to feel antsy because this semster is nearing a close, and I'm nowhere near prepared for it (but whoever is?).

5) I got my windows tinted on my car, and now it's an even phatter ride than before.

Infant Bunny

I know some of you get annoyed by my cute animal picture postings, but you'll just have to get over it because I don't plan on stopping. Ha! Enjoy!

Searching for the Witch's Grave

This past Sunday I spent the day at my sister's house in Ludowici (the town I grew up in) with my other sister and cousin. I was possessed with the urge to drive into Ludowici and see what's changed since I've been gone. For those of you who don't know, Ludowici is a very small town with only one redlight, so any change is major. My two sisters, my cousin and me piled into my car and we drove into town.

We took the "scenic route" in and looked at all the new things and visited some old haunts (actually we drove by real slow, but it seemed like we visited them). Then Kasey and I had the brilliant idea to show Teri and Melanie the witch's grave in the old cemetary behind the old elementary school. Of course there is no witch's grave; it was just a grave that boys would show their girlfriends so the girls would be frightened and cling to them thus giving the boys an easy in to a steamy make out session (and yes, I've been there before).

After searching for the witch's grave and not finding it, we drove by Thurman Martin's house (the site of the Ludowici Tomato Patch Murders) and our tour was complete. We returned home.

I've been thinking about this past Sunday on and off this week, and I've realized something. I've spent my whole life running from being a southerner. My New York cousins used to make fun of my accent when I was younger, so I learned not to talk with one. When I tell anyone I'm from Ludowici, I'm slightly embarrassed and mock myself and the education system. Not anymore. I realize that I am a hick. I hate wearing shoes, I like trucks, and if I'm not careful, I very easily slip into a natural, southern accent. I also can't do math thanks to the kooks at Walker Elementary who taught me the wrong way to do subtraction. Big deal. Who am I trying to impress? I guess being a semi redneck is ok.

Swamped

I'm beginning to feel that panicy feeling about school. I feel like I have a lot to do in a little time, so I probably won't be posting anything else until next week. Cheerio.

Modern Day Miracle

I'm sure all of you already know about this fabulous website and I'm the last one to catch the bandwagon, but if you don't, and if you love great shoes, purses, clothing (but especially shoes), then you must go to bluefly.com. I wanted to squeal with delight. I swear, as I looked at the vast and divine selection of shoes, I had mini multiple orgasisms. Right here in the AASU computer lab! Please, go there soon and look if you haven't already.

(Malinda, I'm sure you have been a shopper at this site for years; you're always so trendy.)

Out of the Office

I'm talking a few days off. I'm taking advantage of spring break at SCAD to get caught up in my homework and reading for Armstrong. (Yes, I know. I'm a party animal.) Since Jon won't be able to take vacation time until he has been at his job a year, I thought I might as well as go ahead and use up some of my vacation time. Waste not want not.

So, I won't be back at work until March 24. This means I also won't be near a computer until March 24, so if you need to reach me, don't e-mail, call instead. I'll try to check my e-mail at school before class. I just wanted everyone to know, so when you don't see anything new posted for a week, you know why.