Just let me vent

I just need to vent. At my aunt's surprise 60th birthday party, my cousins and I were talking about New Years Eve. We spent last years together and it was the best one I ever have had. Aside from that whole being in Tokyo thing the year before. Anyway. So, one cousin was basically out right away. Her husband plays in a band and they have to play that night. One was pretty vague about plans, but asked that they be kept in the loop about things. Then there were the ones who were all about it, making plans for babysitters right there on the spot, texting friends to invite them. I dropped the ball on planning for a couple of weeks. Things had become busy in my life. I think we've established that here. So, I decide if we are going, we need to get on it and either try to get a hotel or that maybe we could come to BG and have a budget NYE and they could all stay with me. I sent a message to 8 people. Keep in mind, 1 person already said no (I didn't want her to feel left out, though), 2 people and I have been texting back and forth for quite some time about plans and they were always a maybe. 1 person has always been a maybe and is notoriously bad at fb messages (shout out, BTF!). The others, though. The ones who were all about it. Nothing. So, I've had it. I'm passive and decided to do the confronting fb style. One cousin OF COURSE turned it around to be about herself and my not replying to a message (that in my mind didn't warrant one) about sex...on Christmas Eve. The other told me to take off my diva shoes and that he didn't know he had to respond no. Out of respect for me, he should have told me that he changed his mind. It's not the no that upset me or hurt my feelings. Own up to the fact that you bailed and that you were in the wrong. Don't tell me about my diva shoes, because in a situation like this, they are pretty permanent. I don't forget too quickly without an appology. It's not one of my best traits. Once the tables were turned and I was told about my not responding on Christmas Eve, I wrote and apologized. I owned up to my mistake and explained myself. I'll never get that from them.

30 before 30 Update

I have decided to change several things on my 30 before 30 list. When I originally made this list, I really wanted to keep everything on it. There's a problem with that. The things that were super important to me a few years ago, aren't all that important to me now. That's why I decided to change a few. I deleted: Learn to take a compliment (there's really no way to measure this and who cares, right?!), Take a photography class (I'd like to get into photography, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I don't want to make it "work", I'd rather do it on my own), Move out of Bowling Green (it's just not so important anymore. If I do, I do. If I don't, I don't). 

1. Visit 3 new countries
a. JAPAN – 12/08
b. BAHAMAS – 7/10
c.
2. Skydive
3. Apologize to an old roommate
4. Visit 3 new states
a. Texas – 2/10/09
b. Illinois – 7/12/09
c. Maryland – 9/23/09
5. See Mt. Rushmore
6. Take an adult dance class
7. Get my master’s degree
8. Send a secret to postsecret
9. See Niagara Falls
10. Go to a pro-football game
11. Go to the NCAA Men’s Bball tournament (any round)
12. Complete a rubix cube
13. Have and maintain a savings account
14 Own all of Will Ferrel's movies up to date
15. Go to the Kentucky Derby
16. Ride on the Alpine Slide
17. Plant a tree
18. Play a round of golf
19. Juggle three objects
20. Run a 5K
21. Dive with sharks
22. Take at least 5 "frame worthy" (in my opinion) photographs
23. Try 3 new foods
a. Root Beer Float
b. Octopus
c. Curry
24. Have a Pen Pal
25. Be completely independent
26. See Martina McBride in concert
27. Go up in a hot air balloon
28. Create a class website
29. Go to a UK/UofL Bball or Football Game
30. Donate to a charity

And They Call the Thing Rodeo

Growing up, Garth Brooks was always the norm. His music was everywhere I turned. My Mom had all of his cassette tapes and while cleaning on Saturday mornings, his music would blare throughout the house. There's no way to sleep through, "Friends in Low Places". That's for dang sure. Take my advice. I can vividly remember staying with my aunt and her playing "The Thunder Rolls" on her record player. In high school, the dance team that I was a member of, did a kick routine to "Ain't Goin' Down 'Till the Sun Comes Up". Great routine. My friend, Michelle fell in the mud during this routine. I'll never forget it. When I went to the Christmas dance my senior year with a friend, my ex-boyfriend (who was a freshman in college at this point), brought me our pictures back together with a letter that actually read, "I'm glad I didn't know, the way it all would end, the way it all would go. Cause I'd of had to miss the dance (Snowball)." Yes, sirree...he used Garth in a bitter letter. Since high school, Garth has become more of a memory. He retired and has since gone to Vegas to perform alone. No band. My friend Anthony and I even contemplated going to see him, just because we thought we'd never have the chance. That is, until Garth decided to help out good ol' Nashville with flood relief efforts. Yep, a concert to raise some money. Then he kept adding and adding and adding shows. When it was all said and done, he had planned 9 shows. In the beginning, I didn't think that I was that hell bent on going to see Garth. I didn't look into tickets and didn't really talk to my friends about it. The closer the show got, the more I wanted to go. I put a plea on facebook and my great friend, Erin pulled through! She called me a few days before the show and asked me to go on Friday. The last day of school before Christmas break, and the day before I have to drive all the way to Frankfort (2 hours away). Sure! I'm in!

On Friday, I gathered my things and jetted out of school. I came home, changed and freshened up, got into my car and drove the hour down to Nashville. Once I got there, I parked and met Erin and Nick for dinner on Broadway. While eating, Erin gives us our tickets. Nick's face was priceless. He attends a lot of Predators hockey games and knew that we had great seats. I was oblivious. Just happy to be going, regardless of whether I get a nose bleed from being so high. We get into the arena, get an adult beverage and make our way to our seats. This is what we saw:

SIX ROWS from the stage. We were on the side of the stage, but it didn't matter. Remember the old Garth? The one that ran around like crazy in his videos of his concerts? Even though he's older...he's still got it! He was breathing a little heavy at some points and moved a little slower, but he was bound and determined to put on a good show. And boy did he!

One of my favorite things about some of the pictures that I have, is not only Garth, but the look of joy on all of the people's faces. He sure put a smile on my face. I was taken right back to my childhood in listening to some of his songs. WHOOWEE, Garth. I sure have a rekindled love for you. And my love sails like a vessel.

Reflections

I have totally slacked on writing lately. I have a whole list on my phone of blog topics to be. A whole list as in 9 topics. No big deal. Nothing to say. I will say that part of my slacking started with the ending of the semester. The ending of my graduate classes (two of them) and the ending of kindergarten before Christmas. All of this mixed in with three snow days, Christmas shopping, Holiday party planning, packing and cleaning. It has been a busy month! I will lay this out there, though. I think that since May, I have been a little depressed. I haven't been myself lately. December snapped me out of it. It was filled with traveling to see family and friends. That always helps. It was filled with giving to others. That always warms your heart. It was busy, which always helps me in some strange way. The slower things are going for me, the more time I have to think about EVERYTHING. I used to have panic attacks. I haven't had one of those in a few years (knock on wood) and I think that the way things were going, I could have possibly been headed that way again.

December has been a time of reflection for me, as well. I have thought a lot about my past year New Years Resolutions. It was more of a goal. One that I didn't tell very many people (3, I think) and will not divulge here. I met that goal and it took me nearly all year, but I did it. I have thought a lot about what kind of year I want 2011 to be. A new year means another chance to make your life better. I truly believe that everyone should have a New Years Resolution (or even a few). Something that you have reflected on and you want to make better in your life. This year, I have a few. Four to be exact. I decided to share them here, but will not talk about them anywhere else. So, readers, do not ask me about them later or talk about them.

MY 2011 RESOLUTIONS

1. To start and keep a savings account. Don't judge. I don't have one. at all. It's embarrassing. I have had  one a couple of times, but always end up having to drain it for something. I want to keep one and put a set amount of money in it each month. Sure beats that coffee can buried in my yard. ;)
2. I want to take at LEAST 2 vacations this year. Of these two vacations, I want to visit at least one new state or country.
3. I want to have a regular work-out routine. No more "donating" to the gym. I need to go. At least regularly. Maybe start with 2 times a week and work my way up to more. 
4. To keep in touch better with Nikki, Matt, and Henry. I got the chance to visit with them on Christmas Eve. For those who don't know, Nikki and I have been best friends since 8th grade. We met in 7th grade, but really decided to like each other when we did family trees and we both have the same Polly Feltner in our family tree. We are related, but not sure how distant or exactly how. Maybe she's like my 7th cousin twice removed or something? I don't understand how all of that works. I digress. Seeing them on Christmas Eve made me realize that I need to call more often and visit even more often. There are not many people in life who just "get you". Nikki will always be my best friend for that exact reason.

So, before you pop open that bubbly, ask yourself, "What kind of year do I want 2011 to be?" Reflect on the past year and think of ways to make improvements.

I Love Snow Days

I love my career. There are so many reasons to be happy with the choice that I have made to become a teacher. One of the many perks is having snow days. What other careers will people be able to wake up, look out the window, check the polar report, be filled with joy and then go back to bed? Not many. Being a teacher, I will forever have that excitement that a snow day holds. My excitement started being jeopardized when people on facebook started their complaining. You know? I'm so sorry that you had kids and now do not want to have them at home with you. Instead, you'd rather risk driving on snow covered roads or putting them on a bus. All so you can go out to Panera to meet up with the stay at home mom's club. GAG. Don't worry your little head, lady. We have to be in school 177 days regardless of whether it's now or in May. You'll get your alone time. As for me, I'm gonna keep hoping for the occasional snow day. Even more now that I know how much it pisses you off.

"She's a kindergarten teacher, but she's got a wild side!"

Over Thanksgiving, I traveled to visit family. First, I went to Hazard to spend time with my Dad's side of the family, then over the weekend, I went to Frankfort (shout out the the state capital!!) to visit with my Mom's side of the family. Friday night, in Frankfort, my cousins and I partook (is that even a word?!...partaked...)...we participated in a Thanksgiving "bar hop". We started at my cousin, Curtis' girlfriend's house. Stephanie's house is close enough to walk to some of the bars in downtown Frankfort. We had a couple of drinks at her house, played old school music and Meloldy, Nanci and I had a dance-off. We were having a blast, actually!

The first place that we went to, was called The Dragon. The Dragon must have been so exciting that we stayed there the whole night and never ventured over to any other places. What a bar hop! We started upstairs listening to a live band. It wasn't a very good band, but we were still dancing around and being goofy. It's my family...what did you really expect? I went downstairs to get a drink and spotted a guy that I thought was rather attractive. I mentioned this to my cousin, Melody. Within minutes, she's telling a bartender that she knows that I think this guy is good looking and before I know it, I'm sitting with this guy at the bar and talking. I find out that he is the owner of the bar. He was a very nice guy, very good looking, successful...okay, what's wrong with him? He got up to do some work and so I took this as an opportunity to ask the two bartenders if he is seeing anyone. Their answer was awkward and vague. I didn't like their reaction to this question. I am NOT a home-wrecker. AT ALL. Contrary to popular belief...I will not "stick my fangs" into anyone else's man. He's yours?! Good for you! Moving on, now.

So. Since I am unsure if he is seeing anyone...I tone down the flirting...a smidge. Not by MUCH at all. I still have no confirmation. At one point during our conversation, My cousin Nanci yells out to him, "She's a kindergarten teacher and she's got a wild side!" Have I mentioned how much I love my family?! Well, he gets up again and I take this as an opportunity to talk to the bartenders again. Now, they start eluding to the fact that this guy could possibly be a homosexual, but they aren't sure about him. I thought he was just metro. He had a faux-hawk, was dressed in nice jeans and boots, with a plaid button up. Doesn't sound like a flamer...right?

So, now...not ONLY do I have to worry about whether or not a guy is taken, but now I have to worry about whether or not they are straight. Men should really just wear a sign that says, "I'm available!" Kinda like a scarlet letter. That would make dating SO much easier for women.

Class Friends

When first seeing a guy out somewhere and having that initial attraction, I always look at their left hand for a ring. It's become sort of a habit of mine. That way, I can kinda tell if I can even pursue this attraction or if I just have to admire from afar.

This summer, I took a statistics class. In this class was a good mix of males and females. This is not likely in many education classes (they are almost always full of females), but there were some other majors in this class, as well. The first day is always a bit awkward if you do not know anyone. Where do you sit? When you choose your seat, you are socially expected to have this seat for the remainder of the course. I took my seat beside of a girl who looked friendly enough. The seat to my right was open. It remained open, so I was pretty happy. We were seated at long tables, so I could spread out and have as much room as I'd like. I noticed a hot boy seated on the right side of the room at a table that was perpendicular to my table. He was just my type. He was stocky, good muscles, dark hair and eyes, good dresser. We made eye contact a few times and smiled. When the professor would make goofy jokes, hot boy would look at me and roll his eyes or smirk. A day or two of this went on, but we never spoke. Class would dismiss and I would be on my happy little way to walk to the car and head home. A few days into the class, I walk in and hot boy is sitting in the previously empty seat beside of me. We chatted a little bit. Talked about where we taught and what we taught. We shared notes and compared homework. He was becoming my "class friend" and I was enjoying this. We started walking to our cars together and chatting about more personal things in life, like where we went to college and where we were from. The class lasted for a month and during the last week, I overheard the professor saying something about hot boy having to take the final early and they were working out a time where this would be possible. I figured it had something to do with hot boy's baseball team. He coached the baseball team of one of the high schools here in Bowling Green. When hot boy returned to his seat beside of me, I asked about him having to take the final early. His response was that he was getting married this weekend, so he would be on his honeymoon. HOLD UP! Men should have to wear engagement rings...I'm just sayin'.

Match.com

Yep, bloggers. I actually ventured over to match.com during one of my lonely moments. I created a profile and signed up for the free 7 days. I lasted 3 days on the site before I canceled it and terminated my profile. YOWZA! If this is what my options are...count me OUT. No, thank you. Yikes.

Punch People Who Deserve It

I saw this book at Barnes and Noble. I thought it was hilarious, but at the same time, many of the reasons listed inside do make me wanna clench my fist and punch someone in the face. This has inspired me to make my own list of reasons to punch people who deserve it.

1) Talks in only inside jokes girl.
You know her. The girl who, in a large group of people, becomes insecure. She has to find the one person that she knows really well and has an inside joke with. She leeches on and then only talks in their inside joke lingo. It's not cute.

2) No clear guidelines professor
This professor might have a syllabus, but they might not. If they have a syllabus, the dates are all wrong, because they have failed to update it this semester. When they assign a paper or project, there are unclear guidelines of what is expected.

3) Makes excuses parents
These parents give excuses for everything. They are exactly that...excuses. These are given for things such as not emptying their daily folder, not sending in snacks on the week requested, not reading with them each night, losing their word ring...etc, etc, etc. Please just own up to it and say, "I just didn't do it."

4) Stops in the middle of the store aisle
These people really, really annoy me. They stop their cart or even just themselves right in the middle of a store aisle. This is especially frustrating when you are in a hurry to get somewhere else. Or really, just frustrating at all times.

5) Laughs annoyingly girl
Those girls with high pitched squeals really grind my gears. Their laugh is like nails on a chalkboard. I shutter just thinking about it...

Couldda, Wouldda, Shouldda

I don't have many regrets. Very few, to be honest with you. Most decisions that I have made, were made for one reason or another, and every decision has made me who I am today...blah, blah, blah. There is one decision that I made that I don't necessarily regret, but I wish that I could fix it now. Does that make sense? Let me explain.

Recently, my friend, Anthony asked me if I regretted breaking up with an ex boyfriend. My response? No. I don't regret it. I had turned into this horrible girlfriend. I was jealous, needy, controlling. Not myself at all. If this boyfriend (let's call him band boy) wanted to have a night with his guy friends, I would get upset. I had to be where he was at all times. One night, a friend of his approached me and told me that I was the reason that they were not friends anymore. All of this started eating at me. Was I the reason? I didn't mean to be. I sure never came right out and told band boy not to be friends with this guy. It was common knowledge that I didn't particularly like this friend, but I never said that they shouldn't be friends. But, in an indirect way, was I the reason that they were no longer friends?

I knew that for my sake (and sanity) and for band boy's sake, that we needed to break up. It was a hard decision that I struggled with for weeks, it made me very sad and I have thought a lot about it in the years since. Even all through the time that I dated suit boy and the time I have been single since, I can't help but wonder, "What if?". Band boy always pops up in my mind and it's never bad memories. I think fondly of him often. I miss him more often than not. I wonder sometimes...was I mature enough to handle being with someone at that time? Was I independent enough to be with him? While band boy and I were dating, all of my friends moved away, I got a new job, I made a few new friends, but my life had become so different. I didn't really have anyone to hang out with or to do things with other than band boy. So, when he wanted to leave me and go do things with his friends, I was lost.

"So, what about now?" I was asked by Anthony, the friend who had asked about the regret factor. I have a feeling that Anthony is rather hopeful for a rekindling of this relationship. Well, now, I think that I am actually ready to be with someone. I am independent enough, I enjoy my alone time, I now know how to entertain myself and I think I could be completely happy with someone else. I just wish that I didn't have to wonder, "What if?"

CKR

You might be wondering what CKR is exactly. This is the nickname for my closest group of friends. We were given this nickname by some other people and we didn't exactly give it to ourselves. I'll explain later in this blog. I've referred to this group of friends as my soul mates on countless occasions. You can view a picture of these fine people on the top right of my blog homepage. What a good lookin' bunch! Throughout college, I became friends with this group a few at a time. I met two by living on the 23rd floor of PFT our freshman year, some by joining Omega Phi Alpha, and more through other friends.

There are 8 of us and some plus ones, who are considered to be an important part of our group. I have something in common with each of these friends in different capacities. When this amazing group of friends get together, we laugh almost the entire time, say the most bizarre things, make fun of others (and each other), and gather quotes and memories for the next time that we are able to see each other. When a CKR is in the works, my heart swells ten times its size. Unfortunately, it doesn't happen as often as I would like. It's so difficult now that we are all "grown-ups" with real jobs and responsibilities. It doesn't help that we live in several different places; Bowling Green, Owensboro, Louisville, Nashville, Chapel Hill, Jackson. At least it's only 2 states right now.

We were given the nickname of CKR by a few girls who were (in my opinion) a little jealous that we were all getting together. We had graduated college and some had moved away, but several of us were still in Bowling Green. Our group wanted to plan a weekend to get back together to catch up, laugh, and be ridiculous. These girls dubbed us the "cool kids". So, we of course went with it. We added the "R" to the end ourselves. This weekend would now be called the "cool kids reunion". It stuck. I admit, it doesn't make a lick of sense when referring to our group of friends now, but hey, it's another reason to laugh at others and it's a memory. Am I right or am I right?

Here's a picture from the very first CKR. 

I'm always sad that Anthony's not in it...he was the photographer. This might still be my favorite picture, though.

This is a picture of all of us at Katie and Hunter's wedding in Cincinnati. I've had this picture framed in my apartment for several years now. Such a great memory!

This was when we went canoeing while staying at Erin and Nick's. If you know us, then you know how NOT outdoorsy and athletic we all are. 

The calm of the storm passed and then we all wondered, "Are YOU the river rat?" (P.S. Sammi missed out here. Sad).

You know in every group, you are closer to some than others. Don't get me wrong...I love each and every one of my friends in CKR. But this boy here below, is one of my closest friends that I have ever had. It's rare that you can be completely yourself around someone and talk to them about anything and everything. This would be that person for me. Meet Anthony!

 This is a recent picture from Katy and Daniel's wedding. Almost all of us are in this one. I think it's the closest! We are just missing 3 of our plus ones; Hunter, Maegan, and Jered. Still such a great picture and another fun weekend in Cincinnati!

So, now you may have a better understanding of CKR. But, in all actuality, if you don't, it doesn't matter. They will still be my soul mates regardless of what others think or say. I love my friends and wouldn't trade them for anything!

My Now Not-So-Secret Single Behaviors

I re-watched an episode of Sex and the City the other day that made me start thinking. I have seen this episode several times, because I now own all of the seasons (Thanks, Deb for getting me addicted)! Each time that I watch a season, I relate to something new. This episode is the one where the girls talk about their SSB, better known as "secret single behaviors". Carrie says that hers is eating jelly on crackers while standing on one foot, reading Vogue. Charlotte's is that she likes to look at her pores in the mirror for hours at a time. Let's just say that my SSB's are not as "classy" as these ladies. I think they just tried to "glam" it up a little for the sake of Hollywood. I have several SSB's that I indulge in more than once a week. There are only a couple that I am even willing to share. Everyone has them. Even if you are not single anymore, think about what do when your significant other is not around. There's something, I assure you. Here are a few that I am willing to share with you...

1) Eating a bowl of cereal, popcorn, chips and salsa or any other junk food for dinner.

2) Drinking a beer while shaving my legs in a bubble bath...with the bathroom door wide open.

3) While we are talking about the bathroom door wide open, I poop with the door wide open. Everytime. Unless I have company.

4) Turning on music really loud and dancing around my apartment..."bad dancing" purposefully. I sometimes like to stand in front of the mirror and make up the worst dance moves ever known to man. I'm practicing for my wedding reception.

There are so many more, but I thought I would "glam" them up for the sake of bloggywood.

Alright, people. Comment away! What are your SSB?

And now you know....the rest of the story

So. I have kept quiet for long enough. I want to put the real story out there. My version, at least. This also might help some of you understand why I have been so "gun shy" when it comes to dating.

My friend Gina Marie was getting married and decided on a destination bachelorette party. Her choice was Destin. OF COURSE, I was in! I had a wonderful time with her and made a few new friends. Our last night down there, we went out to celebrate her "last fling before the ring".

Almost at the very end of the night, we met a group of guys. There were two of them in kilts and then two in suits. Of course the girls took a liking to the kilt boys. As I stood by watching, one of the boys in a suit started up a conversation. He made a joke that included a Talladega Nights quote. I got it right away, of course. Duh...I am Will Ferrell's second wife, after all. Nothing happened between suit boy and I this night. We only talked. At the end of the night, we exchanged email addresses...yeah, who does that? I do, apparently. We emailed a few times back and forth, nothing too serious. He lived in Japan and I lived with my boyfriend. What could possibly happen? We ended up becoming myspace friends. There was a lot that happened between then and the rest of my story. Long story short...we ended up dating. A boy in Japan and a girl in Kentucky. I was crazy to think that this could actually work out. Unfortunately, I really thought so. We were together for a year and a half, so I wasn't exactly THAT crazy.

He is in the Air Force and therefore, was required to travel quite a bit. I was invited on several of these trips. We met up in Nashville a few times, I went to Japan, Texas, DC, Baltimore, Cancun and New Orleans with him. New Orleans was the last trip we took together and the last time that I saw him.

The first night of this New Orleans trip, we got into a HUGE blow out fight. I will not go into details of this blow out. All that you need to know is that I was alone on the streets of New Orleans. I was lucky to find our hotel and the room...they don't mess around with their hurricanes. When I got back to the room, suit boy had already made it and was fuming. Things were thrown (not at me - somewhat to his credit) and I confessed my love for him. I told him how much I cared about him and that I was in love with him. What a wonderful time to let him know how I'd been feeling for months. It had been a year and a half since we first started seeing each other. We had made it through a 6 month deployment and living in two different countries. We had made it through his neglecting to call me when he said that he would and his lying to me on countless occasions (this is only a STRONG suspicion). So, I fell in love. How? You tell me, because looking back, I never want to fall in love with anyone like this again. After my regretful love confession, he said nothing in return. We went to sleep and didn't talk anymore about it. The rest of the trip was rather awkward, but I was trying my best to have a normal time. When suit boy dropped me off at the airport, I knew that it would be the last time that I would ever see him again. Call it a woman's intuition or whatever you want. I just knew. I even made a point to tell him that I would miss him.

Keep in mind, suit boy still hadn't broken up with me. We talked on the phone shortly after and he said that he needed some time to think. He had just moved from Japan to Texas and had a lot of change. This was in February. MONTHS went by. I gave him space. No texts, no phone calls, no facebooking. I'm not an idiot. I knew that it was over after the first night in New Orleans when we had our blow out. We finally talked in like April or May and he "officially" broke up with me...way to go, suit boy! You did it! (I sincerely hope that you sense my sarcasm here)

These are my questions...Why would you ask me to travel to all of these places with you if you didn't care about me at all? Why would you want me to be the last person to see before a deployment and the first person to see after a deployment? Why would you pay to fly me all the way to Japan? I do not know a single other man who would do any of these things unless they really cared about someone. I was fooled and played.

Looking back, if you were to search all over his myspace or facebook page, you would never know that he had a "girlfriend". I didn't exist in his world. The whole thing hurt me a lot. BUT, I have been single (in my opinion - "official" or not) since February 15th. It has been the best thing to happen to me. I have really had time to think about what is important to me and what I want. It has taken me a long time, but I think that I am really ready to move on. It took me deleting suit boy from everything. I have thrown away countless amounts of pictures and other momentos. Even a book that I was given to read, because he desperately wanted to convert me to a Republican....trash. I am happy to say that I just don't even care. Sayonara, Suit Boy.

Falling Apart

I hate fall. Everyone around me and all sorts of posts on facebook tell me that everyone else seems to love fall. They are able to find the beauty in the changing of the leaves and the cool weather. These people are excited, because it's finally "football weather". Not me. I see the changing of the leaves as the fact that the trees are dying. I don't enjoy the weather, because I never know how to dress. I have to actually think about what to put on, because I have to layer myself, because I know that it's going to warm up as the day goes on. The time changes and it gets darker so much sooner. I am not a huge football fan. See? I don't like fall.

But, the true reason that I don't like fall is because it is when everyone in my family passes away. My Grandfather told Mom once, "When I die, it will be in the fall." Guess what? It was. I remember it so well. I was young, too. I remember coming home from school and my Dad telling me that I had to go pack a bag to travel back to Hazard for my Papaw's funeral. I'll never forget sitting with my cousins, Nanci, Melody and Jess while my Mom and her sisters mourned the loss of their Dad. More than likely, I didn't REALLY understand death at this young age, but I sure knew the feeling that I had at that time and my heart hurt.

My Granny died in the fall. It was in November, actually. I hate this month. Every year during this month, I become an emotional wreck. I cry over small things that any other time, I wouldn't cry about at all. This lady held my family together. She was the glue. I would spend my summers with her in Hazard when I was little. She always took up for me when anyone was being mean to me or picking on me. I know she did that for both of my brothers and all of my cousins. But, that's what made her so special. It was her huge heart. She loved all of us so much and she made sure that it was evident. She was a strong person, who worked hard. I miss her year round, but my heart feels especially empty during the fall.

If these two losses weren't enough to make me despise the fall, my Granny "up on the hill" (as we all called her) also died in October. I fell apart when I heard what happened. I was at recess, when my brother, Adrian called. I remember vividly hearing him say, "It's Granny and it's not good." I had to leave school, because I couldn't hold it together. Stephanie, the principal of my school even had to drive me home. It was so unexpected. I had tried to see her and spend as much time with her as I could, but it's never enough. I didn't get enough time with her. I will always regret not seeing her more. What I wouldn't give to see her now.

Two years later (in October), my uncle, Danny passed away. I was in the Charlotte airport on my way back from Cancun. The flight had been delayed, so I was at an airport bar. Delayed Flight + Beer + Bad News = An Emotional Wreck. My brother, Shane called to tell me what happened. Not again. Not someone else in my family. The last time that I saw him, he was doing somewhat better. Danny had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis several years prior. He was living and being cared for by my Papaw and my uncle, Ken. I visited as often as I could. Every time that I was in Hazard, I went to visit them. I thought that was my mistake with Granny and that's what made it hurt more. I was wrong. It still hurts. Regardless of any circumstance. Some say that if you know that it could possibly happen, that it hurts less. Wrong. I'd known for a while that the possibility of Danny passing away could happen at any time. It still broke my heart. I lost it in an airport. A passerby even stopped and said to me, "I heard your conversation on the phone, and I am so sorry for your loss." Bless that man. I needed that at the time. My boyfriend at the time just kept telling me to "pull myself together and stop crying." I couldn't do that. It hurt too much.

I hate fall. I hate lung cancer. I hate multiple sclerosis. I hate heart attacks. I hate stomach cancer. I hate fall.

Run, Forest, Ruuuun!

I did it! I ran my first 5K. Well...the term "ran" is used loosely. I didn't exactly run the whole thing. I walked part of it, but I must say that I ran more than I walked. While on the Topperettes at WKU, we were forced to run the 10K two years. The first time, I didn't run the whole way. I walked. a lot. The second time, I ran the entire time and was very proud of myself. I might have been in the back with all the firemen wearing their equipment, but garsh darn it, I finished that sucker with pride! The sense of accomplishment didn't mean so much to me, however, because I was "forced" to run them.

That is why, when making my list of 30 before 30, I decided that a 5K needed to be included. I wanted to do this on my own terms, because I wanted to. Not because some coach told me that I HAD to, because she was running obsessed. I registered online and paid the $30 fee. Mainly to get the t-shirt. It didn't really happen after all if I don't get the t-shirt to prove it. I let my facebook friends know that I had registered to run and was worried, because let's face it...when given a choice between eating a huge cheeseburger followed by a blizzard or working out, you know what I'm going to choose. My friend, Erica decided that she wanted to torture herself with me. What a great friend! So, we researched training routines and had a strong start. We would run after school on the greenways behind my school. She even joined the gym that I donate money to each month (because let's face it, I haven't been in quite sometime. Donation), so that we could get in shape and run this thing. Yeah...that didn't last. Life happens. Especially when you are a kindergarten teacher who leads an exciting life. No, in all seriousness. Things got busy and I began spending a lot of my free time working at school.

The day of the 5K came. I showed up at Erica's house and we leisurely walked down to Deb's house to meet her and Todd (those crazy people would be running the 10K). When Deb saw us, her reaction was, "Um, I think you are supposed to start running soon." Sure enough...we had 15 minutes to make it to our race, check in and get to the start line. We had to run to get to our 5K run. No bueno. I made it to the end of her street and had to start walking. I took this as a bad sign. We actually made it on time and were able to start at the back of the pack.

And I finished. I ran more than I walked and I finished. I didn't die. And, if truth be told...I actually enjoyed it. There was something about it that made me feel very accomplished. I had decided to do this on my own and I had followed through with it. I am proud of myself. Next time, I want to improve my time. Yes, you read that right, no reason to go back to re-read for comprehension. I said, "Next time."

"All I Could See Was Teeth Coming At Me!"

I wrote a list of random thoughts a few days ago and posted it. The last item on that list told you about my new hippo mittens. I'm seriously in love. They are a lot of fun. They were fun the night I bought them. I enjoyed waving at people with the mouths wide open and teeth showing and seeing the reactions that they received. On Bardstown Road in Louisville, we ran into a wedding party leaving the reception. There was a guy blowing bubbles and my hippos were right there to pop them. Talk about fun times! My friend, Sarah was lucky enough to be able to document this occasion on film.

See how fun! We have named them, Henry and Henrietta. They are a fun little couple. They provided some great entertainment for the two hour car ride home from Louisville, as well. I can't wait for it to get cold enough outside for me to wear these around town. I think the most fun, however will be wearing them at recess. My students are going to love them as much as I do. Don't you think, Henrietta?

Remember When?

Remember when I said that I wanted to try to participate in "No Shave November"? Yeah...that didn't last.

Remember the girl who called me a cougar? I saw her on Wheel of Fortune several evenings ago. SMH.

Tell Me What You Don't Like About Yourself

I miss Nip/Tuck. I hated it for a long time, because of the grossness factor. I can't handle needles and blood. Let alone seeing fat sucked out of people. But, I grew to love that show. That is neither here nor there...My post is about something totally non-Nip/Tuck related.

I grew tired of my old blog. Not so much my postings. I actually cut and pasted them to this new blog for your reading pleasure. I more or less grew tired of not being able to edit the background, text, add gadgets, etc. So, here's my blog's face lift. A whole new site. And I must say, I enjoy this site much more. I can waste all sorts of precious graduate homework time editing and posting for hours at a time. I hope that you appreciate the new and improved blog as much as I do.

Do What?

So, how many of you have honestly had a song that you really enjoy, so you listen to it frequently? Or maybe it’s a song that you just hear on the radio or Pandora several times a day? How many of you have sang at the top of your lungs to one of these songs when you are alone? You think that you sound like Miley Cyrus or even Lady Gaga, right?! Well, I must admit, I am very guilty of all of the above. Even when I don’t know all of the words, I still belt it out like I know what I’m singing about. Maybe I’m even the song writer…right? We can all dream. One of these songs for me is Rihanna’s Umbrella. I love the song. Always have. I love the meaning of this song. I always sing at the top of my lungs to this song and really get into it. There’s one part of this song that I didn’t know the words to until recently. As in the past few weeks. I want to see if you know the words (without cheating and using google). I’ll put the blank where I didn’t know the words. I will even attach the youtube video of the song, so that you can take a listen.

Because, when the sun shines, we’ll shine together

Told you I’ll be here forever

Said I’ll always be your friend

_______________________________

Now that it’s raining more than ever,

Know that we’ll still have each other,

You can stand under my umbrella,

You can stand under my umbrella,

ella, ella, ay, ay, ay…..

Yep…that blank is where I made up my own lyrics. Now that I know the real ones, I can’t remember what I used to say. Here’s the music video. See if this helps you.

Now…you may still not know what it says. This didn’t even phase me for a few years now that I didn’t know the words to this song. I still sung at the top of my lungs proudly and even did a little jig to go along with it. Recently, I found a really great acoustic version of this song sung by Marie Digby. I really liked it. So much, that I downloaded it. I’ve listened to a few of her other songs, but this one is a good one. I finally heard what the lyrics actually were. I’ve put this video below, so that you, too can hear the clarification. Amazing what an acoustic song does for my mind and soul.

Start thinking of all the songs that you make up words to…there are lots, I’m sure. And if anyone can sing all the lyrics to Yellow Ledbetter, I’d love to hear it….no google!

Deep Thoughts....By Ashley

1. My cat, Addison snores pretty loud.

2. My CKR friends are my soul mates.

3. I now love to laminate, because I have my own at home.

4. I love scary movies, but I’ve never seen Child’s Play, Pet Cemetery or Children of the Corn. They all seem terrifying.

5. Being single has been the greatest thing to happen to me in a while.

6. Although I’m loving the single life, I get pretty lonely.

7. I want to try sour cream again. I haven’t tried it for several years and the last time I did, I hated it. I want to love it.

8. I have a big heart and when I truly love you, I will stick by you and take up for you no matter what. It’s why I almost got in a serious fist fight with a boy one time. I loved that friend enough.

9. I have a secret crush on someone I’m not sure I should…

10. I decline friend requests on facebook often. If you are a kid at my school, a creepy father of a previous student, a stranger or someone that I just don’t like…I don’t want you to see my bid-nizz.

11. I want a new sweater. and a fedora. and a purse that goes across your body.

12. I haven’t shaved my legs at all so far this November. Thinking of partaking in “No Shave November”.

13. A major highlight of my life has been getting to see Martina McBride in concert. It was a childhood dream come true.

14. I didn’t get accepted to teach overseas in Turkey and this is the first place I’ve ever told anyone. I haven’t even let my parents know. It makes me feel like a failure and I’m sad about it.

15. So now I think I’ll apply to teach in South Korea instead.

16. I want to volunteer my time more. I’m thinking of the humane society.

17. I’ve been attending Crossland Community Church and I have loved it there. They aren’t afraid to admit that sin is inevitable and that they have all sinned. No tip-toeing around it.

18. Laughing until I cry is the best feeling in the world. It doesn’t happen often enough.

19. I should really be working on homework, but I am SO OVER school.

20. My new hippo mittens are my favorite purchase of the entire year. They make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

We've Got a Stage-Five Clinger

I could blog about a variety of strange things that happen to me. Many of which, you probably wouldn’t even believe. Unless you’ve been there, they just seem so far fetched. Like the time that I was offered a soldier’s class ring on a flight from Atlanta to Louisville. Yep. This stranger actually argued with me and wanted me to take it very badly. So much in fact, that he dropped it in my lap and then refused to take it back. I didn’t end up with it and sometimes I regret that. Maybe then, I could post a picture and you might believe me. The most recent story that I am about to tell you about still “boggles my mind”, as my dear statistics professor, Dr. Miller would say.

Have you ever been on a blind date? I have. Once. I never will again. I was set up with this guy by someone I work with. She invited us both to dinner at her house on a Saturday night for the grand introduction. The food was great, I enjoy the company of this friend, her husband and children…and the guy was pretty cute and seemed nice enough. After dinner, we had some conversation and watched some of the WKU football game on TV. He asks me if I would like to go get some coffee. Sure. Why not? He’s nice enough. We get coffee and hang out for a little bit and then I go meet up with some friends.

The following day was Sunday and I went shopping with my friends in Nashville. On our way home, he texts me and says that he took a chance and stayed in town (he’s from Indiana, by the way) in hopes that I would have dinner with him. Sure. He’s nice enough. Dinner goes well and we have good conversation. This guy is actually a nice person and is pretty cute. We say our goodbyes and then Monday and Tuesday during the day, we text a little. I was feeling under the weather, so I doped myself up on some nyquil and passed out at around 8 pm on that Tuesday. When I woke up on Wednesday morning, I had FIVE missed calls, THREE voicemails and  a few text messages. From this guy. I actually noticed that one text was from about 6:30 that morning. At 7:10, he calls me while I am brushing my teeth. I answer and let him know that I am brushing my teeth and will call him back. I finish my whole bathroom routine (washing my face, brushing my teeth, etc, etc) and then call him back. His response? “Took you a long time to brush your teeth.” Okay, guy. Calm down. I wasn’t lying, number one. And B, I met you on Saturday. I let him know that I am busy and running behind and have to hurry to get ready for school. He texts me a little while later and it says, “I’m just a little discouraged. Can we start over?” Excuse me? Start over? We just met! What do we have to do over? Needless to say, I pulled a typical “guy move” and didn’t return any phone calls/texts and didn’t have any contact with him. He texted often, called several times, even showed up at my door on a Saturday morning. It has been since October 4th since I have heard from him. He looked up my school email and sent me a message. Then called to make sure that I had gotten the message.

I have never had anyone be that persistent in pursuing me. It wasn’t flattering and I didn’t enjoy it. I’m not so sure that there are any men out there that are middle of the road guys. Anyone who will do the pursuing and treat me well. Actually call when they say they will and pay some attention to me….but not overkill like my stalker story above. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

Where I've Already Been

Why’d you call me today with nothing new to say?
You pretend it’s just hello, but you know what it does to me to see your number on the phone.
Now tell me, what do you want? What do you want? What do you want from me?
Are you tryin’ to bring back the tears or just the memories?
You keep takin’ me back, takin’ me back where I’ve already been.
When we hang up it’s almost like I’m losing you again.
Can’t you see?

So what do you want, what do you want from me?

I get so tired of living like this.
I don’t have the time, neither do my friends,
To stay up at night, to pull me through,
And to find the things to keep my mind off of you.

So, now tell me, what do you want? What do you want? What do you want from me?
Did you call to say you’ve found someone and I’m a used- to- be.
You keep takin’ me back, takin’ me back where I’ve already been.
If you’ve moved on why does it feel like I’m losing you again?
Can’t you see? So what do you want? What do you want from me?

What do you want me to say?
That I’m content? That I’m on the fence? That I wish you would’ve stayed?
Oh baby what do you want, what do you want, what do you want from me?
To come here and make love tonight cause you’re feelin’ lonely.
You keep takin’ me back, takin’ me back where I’ve already been.
When we wake up and say goodbye it’s like I’m losing you again.
Can’t you see? So what do you want, what do you want from me?
What do you want, what do you want from me?

Just Sayin'

I deleted you from facebook, my phone, my email contacts AND skype, because I do not want to have anymore contact with you. Take the hint and do not send me a message asking me about the KY senate race. In the year and a half that you knew me, did I EVER care about politics? No. So why would you think that I suddenly started caring and would want to respond to your message? Just sayin’.

Teacher Nerdiness

For several years, perhaps as long as I have known Sarah Marcum, the two of us have talked about making a trip to Atlanta to The Lakeshore Learning Store. Until this past week, it was only a dream of ours. On the way home from a Bahamas Cruise, we made our dream a reality! We only purchased a few items…

Making Progress

I’ve had a busy summer marking a few things off my list of 30 things to do before 30. I’m hoping to get way more done soon! I’m about halfway finished with my Masters and then I’ll possibly move out of BG. I have people who want to skydive, ride the alpine slide, go up in a hot air balloon, and see Mt. Rushmore. Hopefully this fall I can make it to a Titans game.
1. Visit 3 new countries
a. JAPAN – 12/08
b. BAHAMAS – 7/10
c.
2. Skydive
3. Apologize to an old roommate
4. Visit 3 new states
a. Texas – 2/10/09
b. Illinois – 7/12/09
c. Maryland – 9/23/09
5. See Mt. Rushmore
6. Take an adult dance class
7. Get my master’s degree
8. Send a secret to postsecret
9. See Niagara Falls
10. Go to a pro-football game
11. Go to the NCAA Men’s Bball tournament (any round)
12. Complete a rubix cube
13. Learn to take a compliment
14. Take a photography class
15. Go to the Kentucky Derby
16. Ride on the Alpine Slide
17. Plant a tree
18. Play a round of golf
19. Juggle three objects
20. Run a 5K
21. Dive with sharks
22. Move out of Bowling Green
23. Try 3 new foods
a. Root Beer Float
b. Octopus
c. Curry
24. Have a Pen Pal
25. Be completely independent
26. See Martina McBride in concert
27. Go up in a hot air balloon
28. Create a class website
29. Go to a UK/UofL Bball or Football Game
30. Donate to a charity

I Don't Get It

Why Sex and the City DVD’s don’t have a “play all” option…It really frustrates me.

Why people say “kiddos”. That’s an extra syllable than just “kids”…and it’s not cute. I hate it.

Why it’s so expensive to travel

Dead beat parents

The weather in Kentucky

Hatred for animals or children

Racism

Phobias…I have one, but I don’t get it…

Fanny Packs

While I’m on fashion…Rompers…If you aren’t 12, just say NO!

People who do not read

Why it’s so dang hard to fall in love

Artificial grape flavoring

…so much more…

I've Had Enough So-So for the Rest of My Life

So, over a few years of dating, I have composed a list of what I would call “deal breakers”. Some of you may think that they are silly and that I am too picky. You can think that if you want. I am just not desperate enough to have a boyfriend or to get married, so I choose to call them “deal breakers”, because I refuse to settle.

1. A man with no ambition. If you are happy with what you are doing right now, that’s great! I’m not asking you to become a brain surgeon. But, the world is constantly changing and evolving. What do you want to do in the future? You have to have a plan and goals.

2. My family doesn’t like you. Been there, done that. Didn’t really know until after the fact, but I wish they would have told me, so I didn’t waste my time! My family doesn’t even have to have a good reason not to like you. If they don’t, adios.

3. You hate animals or are a bad pet owner. I love animals. If I lived in a larger place, I would have more than I do already. I used to have a dog and I wish I could have kept him, but I simply couldn’t, because I live in a one bedroom apartment. It would have been cruel to have a Border Collie locked in this small area. It broke my heart, but I knew what was best for him. If you have a pet, you should take care of them. Take them to the vet, bathe them, feed them and care for them. Pets are meant to be companions, not just for show, to pick up chicks, or to only look at. None of this keeping your dog chained up outside in 100 degree weather! Bless their hearts…

4. You hate sports. Yes, there are men out there that do not enjoy sports at all. If I know more than you do about the sporting event that happens to be on in the restaurant we are eating at, that’s a problem. Also, if you have a problem with me wanting to watch a UK Basketball game…sorry, this just isn’t working for me.

5. You constantly talk about your money or lack thereof. Money is a personal subject. I don’t talk about it with you unless I truly trust you. Don’t ask me how much I make or tell me how much you make. I don’t know how much my best friends make…we never have discussed it. Also, don’t talk about how broke you are. If you are, you are. That’s fine, but let’s not discuss it.

6. You don’t like to read. at all. I don’t care if you aren’t into the classics. I don’t even mind if you just don’t prefer to read fictional stories. But, come on! Read SOMETHING. Whether it be on MSNBC or Maxim. Just please, act like you are somewhat literate. Nothing bugs me more than reading someone’s info on facebook and it says beside of books, “What are those?”

7. You hate Will Ferrell. I personally just don’t see how this is possible. He’s a comedic genius. Okay…that might be stretching it a little, but he is my favorite. I don’t expect you to be able to quote every movie that he is in, but I do expect you to know what some of the more recent movies he has been in are. It’s only bonus points if you get a joke that eludes to a movie.

8. You only text me to ask me out. Not gonna cut it. I like to take it back a little old school. Pick up the telephone and ask me on a date; don’t take the easy way out! I want to hear the nervousness in your voice.

9. You text/call TOO MUCH! I know, I know…most women complain about you not calling or texting her enough. I am the complete opposite. I don’t want to talk to you everday. At least not at first…not to say that could not change. Our relationship might evolve into more and there might be a natural progression. It’s just that, though. NATURAL PROGRESSION. Not too fast.

10. You don’t want to get married. ever. I’m not looking to tie the knot next year. Not even in the next few years. But I do value marriage and I want that one day.

11. You never want children. I’m a kindergarten teacher. Let’s think about this for a second…do I like kids? I want them eventually. Not now…not even in the next several years. But I do want them. eventually.

12. You do not like to travel. It’s a priority in my life, especially while I am young. If you will not fly on an airplane, chances are that I will just have to find someone else to take those vacations with, because I am not missing out. You really get to know someone when you travel with them.

13. You are annoyed by the fact that I do not like to eat seafood. Ask my Daddy, ask my Momma, ask my brothers or my cousins. In my family…we just do not eat seafood. Never have. Never will. I’ll gladly go to a seafood restaurant with you, but I’ll order the chicken or a salad. Don’t take it personally. It’s just food. I’m 99% sure that there is something that I like to eat that you will not touch. Same, same.

14. You do not get along with my friends or their significant others. They are my friends for a reason and they will remain my friends. They were here long before you, so recognize that they take priority in my life right now. At least act like you like them for my sake.

15. You do not tip well at a restaurant or bar. If someone only brings you one drink…tip them. For goodness sake, I cannot stand to see a $2 tip for an entire meal. They earned more than that just for the amount of time that we have been sitting here! 10% doesn’t cut it anymore…at least not with me.

16. You live with your parents. I don’t think this needs an explanation.

17. You will not dance. It’s okay if you cannot dance great…admit it to me and then let’s dance, so I can see how foolish you look and we can have a good laugh. Everyone can dance. It’s the skill level that’s debatable.

18. You have no hobbies or interests. I hate the question, “What hobbies do you have?” I panic everytime. I am not sure what an activity has to consist of to get the label of a hobby. You have to be passionate about SOMETHING in life, however. I don’t care if it’s rock collecting…just enjoy something and be knowledgeable about it.

19. You aren’t handy. I live alone. Yes, I own a toolbox and yes, I know how to use (most of) the tools included in it. There are times that things break around the house. I might call my Dad panicked at first, but I man up and try to fix it myself or find a solution. If you just pick up the phone and call someone to come fix a door hinge, we are gonna have a problem. On the other hand, don’t act like you know all about something when you don’t. Google or the Wiki are great for that.

20. You have poor grammar – Spoken or written. I don’t like getting an email from you or even a comment on facebook with incorrect grammar/spelling. I want to get out a red pen and mark all over it!! There’s a difference between YOUR and YOU’RE. If you are unsure of which to use and when, there’s a problem.

21. You have a problem with my music of choice. We don’t have to agree, but let’s compromise. I like just about every type of music there is. My favorite, however is country. If you absolutely refuse to let me listen to it in your presence or you cannot go on Broadway in Nashville and enjoy the music, that’s not good!

There are SO many more where these came from. I actually have a handwritten list tucked away and there are some that I consciously didn’t include here for your viewing. Seriously…just a taste of why I remain single. You might call it too picky. I call it refusing to settle.

My Tribute to Corndogs

They are my favorite food. Whether they be from a box at the grocery (State Fair brand is preferred), mini, at an actual fair, from Sonic…heck, our school even has decent corndogs! If that wasn’t enough, now there’s an air freshener shaped like a corndog and it’s mustard scented. Amazing.

Stranger Danger?

I like to talk. a lot. to strangers.I don’t really believe in “stranger danger”.  But, in my defense, I must have an appearance that just invites them to strike up conversations with me as well, because I am not always the one to initiate the talking. Last summer, I went to visit Sammi and Trevor in Jackson for July 4th. We decided last minute to go to Memphis, since I had never been. That Memphis trip is a whole other blog in itself. Fast forward to July 5th. Sammi and I like to shop. a lot. So, we drug Trevor to the mall with us before heading back to Jackson. When we first got there, we decided to go to the food court for lunch. They went to the restauraunt of their choice and I chose Subway. While waiting in line, the older man in front of me started talking to me. Conversations with strangers always start out awkwardly. This one was no different, but then it turned into actual conversation. He works in the mall and was getting something to eat before his shift. When we got to the register he offered to pay for my meal. Didn’t ask for a phone number, didn’t try to hit on me. Just simply paid for my meal, said, “nice to meet you” and was on his merry little way to work. It was awfully strange for me and I had never had that happen before. It hasn’t happened since. Until this morning.

I am taking summer classes and I have Spanish II on Monday thru Friday from 8-10:15. Ouch. Happy Summer! I had my first test this morning, so I thought I would treat myself and use up part of my Starbucks gift card to get a coffee on my way to campus. I pulled into the drive thru that was wrapped around the building and began the long wait. To pass the time, I got out my spanish note cards and studied some vocabulary. I eventually made my way to order and continued to study while waiting. Minding my own business, right? I get up to the window, begin to hand her my gift card, when she says, “The car in front of you paid for your coffee. Have a happy Thursday!” WHAT?! I can’t even remember what kind of car it was in front of me…did I know the person…was it a cute boy? I was grateful and it put me in a good mood, but I was a little surprised. I thought getting something paid for by a complete stranger only happens once in your life (if you’re lucky)…that’s twice now.

So…who’s paying for dinner tonight?!

Creatures Crawl in Search of Blood

I don’t have dreams very often. If I do, they are not vivid enough to remember. However, this past week, I woke up super early (on summer break, yes…bummer) in one of those cold, clammy sweats. I was breathing heavy and felt terrified. I lay there thinking why this happened to me. Then it all started coming back to me. Like I said, my dreams are not usually vivd enough to remember, but this time was definitely different. This was the dream:

I was staying in a hotel in downtown Nashville. I had a nice view of Broadway from my room and it was a nice hotel. There was only one problem with the hotel. Zombies. Yep. You read that right, no reason to go back and look…zombies. Who dreams about zombies?! They were everywhere in this hotel and they were unescapable. The first zombie sighting was when I opened the door of my hotel room. They were everywhere in the hallway. They were all walking “Michael Jackson Thriller” style. There was no MJ background music, though. Sad, I know. Then when I ran to the elevator and pushed the button frantically (which must be why I woke up sweating…I don’t run), the doors to the elevator opened and it was full of zombies! Strange thing was that they were all men zombies. Do women zombies even exist? Or do I not believe in women zombies, similar to how I feel about women playing basketball? So, anyway…here I was in this nice hotel and I spent my day running from zombies. *Side note: I have stayed at this hotel several times and never have I spotted a zombie. Next time I will have an escape plan.
I think I might go purchase the “Zombie Survival Guide”. I attached it below if anyone wants to get me a nice summer gift.

Beware of Black Birds!

I booked a trip to Chicago yesterday and in doing so, I started thinking about the trip I took there this past summer. It was one of my favorite vacations. It is such a fun city and there is so much to do! While we were there this summer, we visited the Field Museum. This was one of my favorite places in Chicago. It is where you can find “Sue”, the most complete T-Rex. Pretty impressive! After our visit to the Field Museum, Sarah and I were hanging outside and taking some pictures. There was a ledge and I thought that it would be a good idea to get up there and sit, so that we could get some cute pictures. I climb up there, Sarah gets up there and we start snapping away. I handed Sarah my camera to take a picture of me with the city as the background. We were sitting kinda close to one another, so I leaned back to get a good picture and she did the same. I smiled, she clicked and all of a sudden we hear, “CA-CAW!” A black bird flew out of NOWHERE and attacked my head! When I say attacked, I am not exaggerating. The thing dug its claws into my scalp for a brief moment to let me know that I was not welcome there and then he flew off. It was pretty funny. I was terrified of birds for the remainder of the trip and I think I will be for the rest of my life! It’s a funny story, laugh…you know you want to. The only sad part of this story is that the bird attacked AFTER the picture!! I have attached the picture for your viewing pleasure.

Kitty Skinny Dipping

For as long as I have had Addison, my oldest cat, she has followed me into the bathroom. Shut up, it’s not weird and I am not the old cat lady. I got into the shower recently and sure enough, poking her head behind the curtain looking at me was an orange and white curious kitty. She does this often and she will lick the wall of the tub. Shut up, it’s not weird. I continued taking my long, fantastic shower until it was interrupted by a scrambling kitty. She had slipped and fallen into the tub. She was scrambling and trying to get her traction. You know in cartoons when it shows a character running in place for quite sometime before they finally take off? Picture that, only I’m in the tub screaming and she is trying to get out. The only thing that her claws could latch onto to help her get out of the tub was the shower curtain. During this fiasco, she managed to pull the whole thing down, tension rod and all. I don’t think she will be skinny dipping again anytime soon.

Man Is Cougar's Number One Prey

What is the true definition of a “cougar”? This term has become widely used recently. There is even a TV show with Courtney Cox (whom I love very much) called CougarTown. So, what exactly is a cougar? When you look it up on Merriam-Webster.Com, a website that I frequent, there is only one entry found. That definition is: A large powerful tawny-brown cat. Since I couldn’t find the definition that fit what I was looking for, I was forced to turn to Urban Dictionary. This website never fails to disappoint. I definitely found the definition I was looking for. This definition of “cougar” is: A 35+ year old female who is on the “hunt” for a much younger, energetic, willing-to-do-anything male. The cougar can frequently be seen in a padded bra, cleavage exposed, propped up against a swanky bar in San Francisco (or other cities)waiting, watching, calculating; gearing up to sink her claws into an innocent young and strapping buck who happens to cross her path. “Man is cougar’s number one prey”.

Now that you know what the real definition of cougar is, onto my story. Early last week a friend who I have not seen in a number of years asked me to hang out on Friday. He and I share the same last name and I also have the exact same name as his sister. Doesn’t get more platonic than that, right?! We met, because I was engaged to one of his fraternity brothers and we always ended up hanging out when we were at the same places as one another. I agreed to go to a house party with him. He said that there would be a number of people in attendance and that we would be playing the wii and some board games. We get there and there sure is not a number of people. There are exactly 5 couples. We are considered to be one of those five. I can see the panic on his face, because it now seems as though he has asked me on a date. I let him know I will enjoy myself and be his faux date regardless.

I was enjoying myself and had even been doing pretty great in some of the games that we were playing. During the last card game of the night (That I won, might I add), the people in attendance started talking about how old they are. The conversation started out like this: Girl, “I feel like I have done everything that I need to in life. I am married and ready to have kids now. I mean, I am 23.” I just sat there speechless. What do you say to something like that? I do not feel like I am anywhere near accomplishing what I want to in life. I hope that when I am married I do not feel like this. There are still so many places that I want to visit and there is so much more that I want to and need to do in my life. I sat there in a panic as everyone around the table chimed in adding how old they are. It was everything from 22 to 24. I guess that they realized how quiet I was being, because someone asked me how old I am. My response being, “I will be 27 next month.” This was followed by the sound of crickets. If I had dropped a pin, you would have definitely heard it. The girl proceeds to laugh and says, “Oh! You’re a cougar!”

Turning Into The Incredible Hulk

I’ve decided to turn my blog into a recounting of all of the insane, stupid and just plain ridiculous stuff that happens to me just about daily. If you know me, I constantly say and do things without thinking and therefore, I have to deal with the consequences. I have slowly learned to laugh more at myself and the things that happen to me.

I decided to start writing about these things on the morning of January 2nd. I had a hotel room for the night of New Years Day in Louisville. I went out with my friends from High School, Ian, Brian and Keebler. At the end of the night, Ian and Keebler came to stay with me in my room. We woke up the next morning. I showered and decided that I wanted a sprite from the vending machine. The first stupid thing is that I pushed the Sprite button and out came a Coca Cola. WHAT?! I take a few drinks and go back to the room. I finish packing and we got ready to leave, so I could take them to a friend’s house and then I was going to lunch with someone else. I carry a pretty large purse and decided to put the coke down in there so that I would have my hands free to carry the rest of the luggage that I had brought. We made it to my car and I put my suitcase in, another bag of shoes (yes, a bag for just shoes), and a shopping bag of food (again, yes, a bag for food only). I get into the car and put my purse down. When I do, coke splashes out of it EVERYWHERE. I had apparently put the coke bottle down in my purse without the lid on it. WHO DOES THAT?! Coke was all over my car, I had no napkins and there was a puddle down in the bottom of my purse.

The second event that further encouraged me to write this blog happened to me this morning. I woke up in a pretty great mood. I considered it the last day of school this week, because I am banking on a snow day tomorrow and Friday. I have car duty, so it takes me about 15 extra minutes to dress in the layers that I put on. Example: Today it was opaque tights, leggings, knee high socks, black dress pants. Two tank tops, short sleeve shirt, long sleeve shirt and Natcher tee shirt. I wore my North Face fleece, a coat, a hat and gloves. The real life saver this week has been “hot hands”. I get all bundled up, get my to-go coffee, my purse (the same one from the coke incident) and I waddle down the steps. I had to waddle, because of all of the layers. Don’t judge me. I got to the car and went to open the door. When I did, the door handle ended up in my hand. I turned into the Incredible Hulk sometime throughout my morning routine. It was a clean break. Not the whole handle, only enough to not allow me to get in through the driver’s side door. I had to open the back door and use my “go go gadget arms” to open the driver’s door. I couldn’t even be upset this morning. I had to laugh, because it was one of the more random things that have ever happened to me. I get the car started and scrape the windows. All the while laughing at the fact that I have enough strength to break my car door handle off.