bitty chick's room

03:44 pm - Odds-N-Ends to brighten your weekend...

Greetings all! So, I have a few things to share that I hope you will enjoy as much as I did. P.S. look for my upcoming new LJ solely for my DC excursion this summer. I think it will be easier than emailing something out everyday...

You are 100% Oklahoman if:
1. You can properly pronounce Eufaula, Gotebo, Okemah, and Chickasha.
2. You think that people who complain about the wind in their states are
sissies.
3. A tornado warning siren is your signal to go out in the yard and look for a
funnel.
4. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor on the
highway.
5. You've ever had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day.
6. You know that the true value of a parking space is not determined by the
distance to the door, but by the availability of shade.
7. Stores don't have bags, they have sacks.
8. You see people wear bib overalls at funerals.
9. You think everyone from a bigger city has an accent.
10. You measure distance in minutes. ("I'm about 5 minutes away.")
11. You refer to the capital of Oklahoma as "The City."
12. It doesn't bother you to use an airport named for a man who died in an
airplane crash.
13. Little smokies are something you serve only for special occasions.
14. You go to the lake because you think it is like going to the ocean.
15. You listen to the weather forecast before picking out an outfit.
16. You know cowpies are not made of beef.
17. Someone you know has used a football schedule to plan their wedding date.
18. You have known someone who has had one belt buckle bigger than your fist.
19. A bad traffic jam involves two cars staring each other down at a four- way
stop, each determined to be the most polite and let the other go first.
20. You know in which state "Miam-uh" is and ! in which state "Miam-ee" is.
21. You aren't surprised to find movie rental, ammunition, and bait all in the
same store.
22. Your "place at the lake" has wheels under it.
23. A Mercedes Benz is not a status symbol. A Ford F350 4x4 is.
24. You know everything goes better with Ranch.
25. You learned how to shoot a gun before you learned how to multiply.
26. You actually get these jokes and are "fixin" to send them to your
friends..
27. Finally, you are 100% Oklahoman if you have ever heard this conversation:
"You wanna Coke?"
"Yeah."
"What kind?"
"Dr. Pepper."


and sadly, I was going to post some pics but I have forgotton how (again). Bonny, you're going to need to tell me again... 

Love!

05:33 pm

p.s. I went back to Foley's on Friday afternoon and bought the sexy Rampage boots. Originally $79.99, 75% off, I had a gift card with $18 and some change on it... I only spent $3.43 of my own money on them. I think they are worth it. And I think D.C. will understand.

07:24 pm - It's Business Time

SEVERE UPDATE TIME:

For starters, I think you should go to www.whatthefolk.net and check out Attack of the Conchords and their song Business Time. I guarantee you many laughs.

I have discovered the glory of Thai food, thanks to Lizzie and our journeys into the world of unknown and unconquered food. Furthermore, I have decided to share our weekly trips with the masses so you can benefit from our calorie binges. Sala Thai on 23rd rocks. The staff is adorable and crazy friendly. I've had the Ginger chicken and Thai Basil chicken (both level 2 spicy). She had patang curry (level 3) and we shared Coconut chicken soup (level 2). The soup is INCREDIBLE. I want everyone to go to Thai Moon, also on 23rd, next to Blockbuster, and see my friend, Jackie Chan. Okay, he may not be Jackie, but the owner/manager/waiter looks just like him. They have sushi and Thai food and a hysterical menu (things like Beef People and Happy Cashew). He recommends "volcano soup" (every soup comes in a thing with fire shooting out the top--wicked cool), any curry, pad thai or spring rolls. I can tell you to try the chicken satay, spring rolls, Thai International Soup (spicy level 1) and California roll. It's also nice to have steamed rice to dump into your soup bowl to soak up the schtuffff... look for my critique on indian, german and greek food in the coming weeks...

Everyone go to www.mencanstoprape.org and let me know what you think of the organization. It is one of the places that is interested in hiring me as a summer intern in D.C. (p.s. if you didn't know already I'm going to D.C. this summer, as I have been accepted to the Service, Advocacy and Arts program through the Washington Center for Internships in D.C. This means I got into the non-profit program I wanted and now I need money to go). MCSR is the first to email me and my application was sent to RAINN and D.C. Coalition for Domestic Violence (Prevention? I can't remember the full name). My title with MCSR would be "Development Assistant" and I would assist the Development Director with fundraising, grant research, and event planning. Lloyd, my liaison in D.C. asked if I wanted him to send my app. to Feminist Majority and I had a good laugh. Would I be able to shave my legs or underarms if I worked there?

Meeting the bestest's young lad of a boyfriend manana. Thank goodness for Andrew--he will save the lad from any severe questioning by me. We're going bowling. God help me.

Andrew gave me an orchid for V-Day and I named it Felicity Zoe Penelope II, and I bought Crystal a Venus Flytrap whom we have lovingly named Spike. They get along well.

And finally I almost bought some sexy cowboy boots for 75% off today at Foley's, but stopped after reminding myself that I leave for D.C. in two and a half months and have to save money, as I may not get a stipend... sad times...

"When I'm a walkin' I strut my stuff and I'm so strung out. I'm high as a kite and I just might stop to check you out. Let me go on like a blister in the sun, let me go on on on, big hands I know you're the one..."

Current Mood: jubilant

11:14 pm

Okay, my sister sent me this. It's kinda like the pirate site we all went to at Girl's Night a while back to figure out our pirate name, except this is you slogan... here are a few examples...

Ashleigh: The future is bright. The future is Ashleigh.
You'll look a little lovelier each day with a fabulous pink Ashleigh.
Run for the Ashleigh.

Crystal: They're yummy for your Crystal.
Pardon me, do you have any Grey Crystal?
Let loose the Crystal.

Andrew: Andrew comes to those who wait.
Sharing the Andrew of your life.
The Right Andrew at the right time.

go to http://www.thesurrealist.co.uk/slogan.cgi and let me know what you come up with.

Current Mood: curious

07:16 pm

To apply to D.C. or to not apply to D.C. for a summer internship? That is the question...

In other news... It has suddenly turned very cold and it may snow tomorrow. But no worries, it will be back in the 70s on Wednesday...

I no longer work in the office I have worked in for three years (!!). I am exclusively a fin aid gal now...

I have a dvd player that WORKS!! Woo-hoot!

I'm ready for another break. This is a bad sign.

Current Mood: cold

08:53 am

Okay, I officially know SIX couples getting married in the next 8 months. That's almost a couple a month!! I received an email from my mom's best friend (and my surrogate mom) informing me that her son has proposed to his girlfriend of five years. Wes and I grew up together and at one point, both of our families thought we would end up together. In typical me fashion, you know I tried my hardest to make it happen at the grand ol' age of 15. sigh. How things change! I cannot believe he's getting married. It'll be an interesting wedding, if I get invited, seeing as how he and I have grown so far apart since he and Ali started dating in high school. We used to talk at least once a month; not we're doing good to talk once a year. Oh well. I hope he and Ali are happy. And I can actually say that now and mean it.

The agency is short 400 toys. The Christmas party is Saturday. Everyone freak out with me.

Bonny to the Bishop to the Coats is graduating tomorrow (as I was typing that out, I wrote getting married and then thought, wait, no, that's already happened...). Hip Hip! Hizzah!

I want to go home, lay in MY bed (with broken spring and all) and watch my sister's season's 3 and 4 of CSI: back-to-back. And sleep until sometime next spring. And make gingerbread men and tempura chicken (random mix, right?)

BLAH!

Current Mood: blah

06:11 pm

alsdolhjowbgobbdoghwqnmm aod iwen oidgh ngna...

05:10 pm

Mmm, Thanksgiving update from the crazy world of Sorrelldom...

1. My sister-in-law is having a little girl. Her name will be Jordan Rachel. I hope I get to see her more in her early baby hood than I saw Adam.

2. My sister hardly spoke to my brother during Thanksgiving. same ol' same ol'.

3. Granny remembered her homemade stuffing this year. Thanks be to Jesus. And Granny.

4. My sister and Brother-in-law bought a bottle of wine, left it in their freezer over night, and it exploded the next morning. SO, this meant nothing to take the edge off of all the animosity and turkey. Not that we've ever had wine at Thanksgiving before, but my sister and I had a feeling this Thanksgiving would be especially tense. We were correct.

5. Escaped to Dallas (!!) on Friday and Saturday. Now have stayed at the same hotel for so long that they leave complimentary drinks and food in our room, happily awaiting our arrival.

6. Andrew experienced the Ashleigh in Dallas mode. And he still wants to spend ... with me.

7. I had the best, most amazing chocolate I've ever tasted on Saturday. EVER TASTED. Godiva has got nothing on this chocolate. I was in Neiman Marcus' Epicure shop, and this lady approached me and asked if I like British chocolate. I told her I wouldn't know a difference. She said this specific chocolate (gesturing to a tray fullll of chocolate samples) has a mint taste and is meant to cleanse the palette after eating. Then she asked, "do you like the rosewater your grandmother used to use?" And I said yes, I love the smell of rosewater. And she said "do you REALLY love it?" And handed me a little chocolate with a pink petal on it. She said it was infused with rose water taste. IT WAS INCREDIBLE. AMAZING. They also have lavender chocolate. It wasn't as good as the rose, but still incredible. If the box hadn't been $32 and had had more chocolate in it, I might have purchased it.

8. This same lady gave me a butter cookie cigar later on. It was good too. Basically, we're friends for life now.

9. Northpark Mall in Dallas has expanded so much. And it is amazing. I love Anthropologie.

10. My mom and I went into Tiffany's together. sighsighsigh. She said if a salesperson approached, I was to tell them that we were looking for ideas for me. MY MOTHER SAID THAT! I mean, I can't lie, I secretly was, but that's me. and who is surprised? I basically would take the little blue box with nothing in it.

11. Got horribly nauseaus as we left Dallas. Threw-up in Denton. And Pauls Valley. And then at home last night. And then three times today. I'm afraid to eat now.

And that about does it. Looking forward to Girl's Night at Bonny's this week. And the fact that school will be over in three weeks. Praise Jesus.

12:01 pm

Get a load of this... ice cream, anyone?

Savoury ice cream has become a popular fad in trendy Western restaurants, but Taiwan vendor Liny Hsueh is whipping up business with an even stranger range of flavours -- seafood.

Hsueh's "Dr. Ice" brand offers ice cream, "snowflake ice" (shaved ice) and "bubble ice" (thinly shaved ice) made from shrimp, cuttlefish, tuna, seaweed and laver (purple seaweed) combined with fruits, mint, wasabi, peanut and wine.

Salty, pungent seafood does not seem ideally suited to traditionally sweet and soft ice cream, yet Hsueh has managed to find a harmony between the two to create the island's only seafood flavoured frozen desserts line.

The combination might even peak the interest of Ferran Adria, Spain's experimental chef famed for his startling combinations of seemingly incongruous ingredients often based on their their similar molecular structure.

Hsueh's ice cream booth sits amongst stalls at an indoor fish market in Bisha port in northern Keelung city which tout live fish, shrimp and squid swimming in tanks or spread on ice to preserve their freshness.

She launched Dr. Ice in 2003 and now has two shops in the city better known by their Chinese name "Shia Bing Hsieh Chiang" (shrimp ice crab sauce).

The 13 flavours on offer include pineapple shrimp, wasabi cuttlefish, strawberry tuna and mango seaweed, all in stark colors from orange to green to black.

All are served in white or blue shell on fish-shaped plates and bowls, and some also come with a sprinkle of small dried fish, roe or chopped squid.

During a weekend afternoon in October, customers who braved a cold sea breeze and drizzle to visit Bisha port to buy or eat fresh seafood crowded Hsueh's small store.

"I walked by 'Shia Bing Hsieh Chiang' several months ago and entered out of curiosity. Now I visit the store often with my classmates," said 14-year-old student Yvonne Yen.

"I like the ice cream here, especially the cuttlefish flavour, because of the rich texture and lighter sweet taste. The color (black) is really cool," added Yen, sitting with five girls of her age.

Peter Lin, a first-time customer who tried shrimp and seaweed flavored ice cream, said he was surprised that it didn't carry the smell or salty taste of seafood.

"I was a little worried that it would taste disgusting and weird," said the 41-year-old man who paid 35 Taiwan dollars (about 1.04 US) for each scoop.

Hsueh's family initially expressed similar scepticism when she announced she was going to make "snowflakes ice" from shrimp.

"They thought I was crazy because shrimp seemed an impossible ingredient for frozen desserts," said the spirited Hsueh, 45, who grew up in a fishing village in Keelung.

"I had to find a niche in the crowded market of ice desserts and I thought that even though Taiwan is an island with abundant oceanic resources, seafood was never used to make them and I wanted to give it a try."

Before her venture only seaweed was used to make shaved ice in Green Island, an islet off southeastern Taitung county, for a small local market.

Hsueh was also encouraged by an old Taiwanese saying which goes, "The number one job is selling ice desserts and the number two is being a doctor".

More inviting still was the dessert market, estimated by industry watchers at over ten billion Taiwan dollars a year.

The novelty proved an initial success, with Hsueh greeting patrons from all over the island at her small store and making up to 700,000 Taiwan dollars a month during summer.

In less than a year she opened her second branch shop in the capital city Taipei's bustling Tung Hua Street night market, popular with locals and foreign tourists, but it flopped and closed after six months.

Hsueh decided to focus her efforts in Keelung and opened a booth in Bisha fish market last December, developing a new line of seafood sausage, dumpling and meat balls to make up for the slow winter season.

Now, she is ready to expand again and this time is targeting sunny southern Taiwan where ice desserts business has an average ten-month sales season compared with five in the north.

"I am continuing to experiment with different seafood to create new flavours," she said, adding scallop could be the newest addition to her "Dr. Ice" line.

09:06 am

Alright, blame this on the Bishop to the Coats...

MY CHRISTMAS WISH LIST:

-oh so many soundtracks... Bridget Jones' Diary, Prince and Me, Love Actually.... the list goes on and on...
-That flippin' sweet O.C. game on Bonny's site.
-For music and more funny banter to return to the O.C.
-The CSI trivia game. That's right, CSI trivia. I'd be playing it by myself because no one else loves the CSI like I do. Unless you count my parents... and my sister...
-For that matter, how about DVD seasons of CSI? that would be awesome too...
-Season 6,8,9 and/or 10 of FRIENDS on DVD. I lack those.
-That flippin' awesome Sex and the City all-in-one DVD collection
-The Brat Pack collection, with three Brat pack movies and an all-in-one soundtrack from the movies
-A new cell phone
-An ipod
-a smore maker
-a home hibachi(is that the right word? it's at Target and it's wayyyy cool) machine (cuz I needs some fried rice)
-a fondue set!
-Madagascar
-Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
-A good steak dinner. Or lobster! I've never had lobster! get me a lobster and a fancy drink! woot! epitome of class...
-and most importantly... 1,980 toys for all my beautiful brown babies. Or the agency's kids. whatev.

Current Mood: crazy

08:37 am - A little humor for your day...

What I'm doing right now: sitting at work in the VPSA, drinking coffee with vanilla-caramel creamer and listening to "Someday We'll Know" by the New Radicals.

What I wish I were doing right now: Sleeping.

What I'm going to do in an hour and twenty minutes, and then again at 12:20: Sleep.

Now for the humor...

Okay, so I work in Financial Aid too, and my boss is my former suitemate/lil/good friend's mom. So yesterday, I'm sitting at work, at my little desk, munching on snack-ey foods because it was Boss' Day. My boss walks up and beckons me into the filing room (across from my desk). Upon entering, she begins to zip up my sweater and pull up my spaghetti strap shirts (layered) that I had on. Then she fluffs my hair. THEN, as I'm going, "what the h? What are you doing to me?" she says, "Andrew's dad is in my office, I told him you work for me and that you were here, and asked if he wanted to meet you. He said yes, so let's go."

WHAT?!

Andrew, by the by, is my boyfriend of 5 weeks and about 9 hours... he's met my folks, they adore him, and basically everyone else who meets him. But, I haven't met his family because he's from Fort Worth. His dad, however, just got a big fancy, schmancy job here in the city at Devon Energy. He had come up to fin aid to drop off proof of somethin somethin to my boss (to get Andrew yet even MORE money. WOOT!). Thus, he was there yesterday. Evidently, amidst the business chit-chat, Denise just happened to say, "so, I hear Andrew is dating Ashleigh..." and his father said something like, "yes, he is. Do you know her? I haven't met her yet and I'm very anxious to do so. Evidently my son has pretty strong feelings for her." Then he asked if she knew me very well...
"yes, actually, she lived with my daughter last year."
"does she come from a good family?"
"yes, yes, good, strong, supportive Christian family."
"oh good."
"also, she's really reeeeally involved in school, makes really reeeeally good grades (which, I found out later, she wanted to tell him my GPA. Oh gina...), and is just cute as a bug."
"well, I better tell Andrew not to let this one get away."
"oh yes, she's a keeper alright. Definitely a keeper."

...I know all of this, by the way, because I went back to her office after he left and demanded that she tell me EXACTLY what she told him...

So, enter her fluffing and primping me (evidently, what I was wearing was "lovely" but not what one should wear when meeting the folks--HAD I REALIZED I WASN'T JUST COMING TO WORK, BUT INSTEAD MEETING MY BOYFRIEND'S FATHER, I WOULD HAVE DRESSED UP...--grabbing me by the hand, and dragging me down the hall to her office. I don't really remember what happened next because I was totally overwhelmed and freaked out by Denise. His father is really nice (of course) and sounds just like Andrew. I do remember he kept saying "it's a pleasure to meet you" over and over. And he said he wanted to take me to lunch and get to know me better. And I said congrats on the new job and something about how I probably smelt like food because I had been snacking... oy vei.

Afterwards, I practically sprinted down the hall to my cell phone and called Andrew. This is basically how our conversation went:
(me) "hey, guess who I just met?'
"who?"
"your father."
"YOU JUST MET MY FATHER?"
"uh-huh."
"Where is he? Is he with the president? or what? you just met my father?"

Basically, I went on to tell him that Denise had done the introducing (at which point she had walked up to my desk and was laughing at me on the phone, hysterical...)and he said he was going to yell at his dad, and I told him to yell at Denise instead. He's disappointed because he wanted to introduce me. But, evidently, he called his dad immediately after getting off the phone with me, who had nothing but nice things to say about me. So, it could have been worse I suppose. Although, it was pretty mortifying. I told him (Andrew) I wasn't going to lunch with his father without him. ever.


So, hope everyone enjoyed that. If this all works out, someday it'll be a good story to tell our kids. how crazy Denise the money lady introduced me to grandpa and daddy didn't even know he was on campus...

Current Mood: amused

10:20 am

WHY DOES IT SMELL LIKE A STOCKYARD OUTSIDE?!

I'M WALKING AROUND CAMPUS AND IT'S LIKE I'M IN HAPPY, TEXAS!

BAH TO COW PATTY SMELL!

in the words of my dearly departed and missed Aunt Sweetie, "well baby, it just smells like Texas gold!"

Current Mood: annoyed

09:23 am

It's almost Halloween. You know what that means...

my toy drive starts next week.

what?



P.S. I HEART THIS WEATHER! Mazatlan!



Also, I need a money tree. I have to have $350 BY NEXT FRIDAY to go to Italy on Spring break with the Sociology dept. hmmm...

Current Mood: bouncy

12:55 pm - My 21st Birthday, PLAYAS!

Holla Back from the Old Fart's room.

So, I changed my work schedule last week so that I work a hour less every Monday, in order to maintain my sanity. Today I wasn't hungry, so lunch took about 15 minutes, and now I have an hour and a half till my next class. which we are watching a movie in. woop.

Am I studying, reading, or doing spanish homework? nope. Cuz it's my birfday, fools.

Per a conversation with a certain individual last night, I have some thoughts to share on the topic of "Quality Time."

His question to me: Is quality time relative? Meaning, does quality time mean a different thing to every individual. And if it does, does every instance of "quality time" contain one concrete and particular aspect for everyone? Such as, just being in the presence of another individual? Does the type and condition of "quality time" change according to being in a group, with two people, or with yourself?

Quality time does mean something different to everyone, and I believe it changes according to the situation too. Certainly, your idea of quality time will change when in the presence of a group of people, rather than when it is one-on-one time. He also pointed out that in this respect (quality time being relative and changing according to every situation), the five languages can, essentially, be interpreted as a type or variation of quality time--or perhaps a facet of quality time.

Now, you don't go around asking every single person you meet their idea of quality time. That would scare them. No, instead, you wait for that specific individual (with whom, presumably, you will be spending some type of quality time with) what their preferred way of spending quality time is. Ahhh, my dears, that age old friend CONVERSATION...

The interesting thing about our conversation is this: I didn't get a chance to actually ask him his preference. Time intervened. grrr. This shall be fixed soon.

Another thing: I think he brought on this question of relative quality time because, instead of just the two of us hanging out, I tried to juggle some friends' needs for cake AND spending time with him. Alas, I hope I can fix this as well. I keep repeating the same mistakes. But, never fear, I'm educating myself. And reading Five Love Languages for Singles (the Singles in big letters on the cover is kinda sad, but it said most people under the age of 25 aren't married, so never fear...)

Good birthday fun this weekend. Thanks to all who came and took part in the shananigans with me. Lovelove.

Current Mood: calm

08:45 pm - Things that Make Me Happy

Cao Nguyen Supermarket
It has been decided that every weekend I shall go to the Asian market, because to me it is the happiest place on earth (I've never been Disney World, but even so). My roomie and I went today and I ate sushi for the first time, and enjoyed some green tea with passion fruit. I also bought the big straws that come in bubble tea and they make any drink 12 x's better. I have been several times before and it seems the simple pleasure of exploring new things cheers me up every time. Also, I will be giving any person I meet that doesn't know how to use chopsticks their own set and lessons on how to use them.

Salsa Music
It makes my roomie and I dance around like fools and turns any dull moment into a party. Vamos a bailamos!

The Honors Lounge in the Library
I've fallen asleep in there twice. It is wonderful. And it might be good for studying, but I fall asleep before I have a chance to find out. But oh, the wonderful sleep...

Lifesavers
I highly recommend giving up gum and switching to lifesavers. They come in bags now with like 16 flavors. For a gal with severe TMJ who cannot chew gum for very long without getting a headache, Lifesavers are like a party for my tastebuds.

Learning Italian
Io mi chiamo Ashleigh. Ciao!

Practicing Spanish
Between my precious latin twins, Pedro and Luis, and attempts to speak with Christina, my spanish-speaking skills are quickly improving. But the Argentinians speak some crazy kind of spanish that makes no sense to me...

Current Mood: crazy

08:31 am

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight." Proverbs 3:5

Wow. Devotional hit it right on the head today. This is the scripture that was featured.

Current Mood: calm

11:12 pm - Frustration

Do I desire familiarity?

Or, do I see a rash decision coming back to haunt me?

Or, was the decision right, and things are actually falling into place like they should have before, and that's just life?

I need some God guidance. Because I'm totally thrashing around right now.

"These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." John 15:11

"It takes courage to faithfully follow what we know to be true." -Sara E. Anderson, American Writer

Current Mood: contemplative

11:49 am - Haa CHA-CHA

Glorious Sunday mornin' to everyone! It has been a while, I fear, since I have come to the land of LJ, and I glad to see that not a whole lot has happened in my absence.

Last night, we rocked the kasbah and celebrated the Erin of the Lynn's 22nd birthday (or 16th, if you listened to the silly little waitress announcing it to the world of t.g.i. fridays). It was wonderful, complete with paintings of gnomies, woot bracelets, good food, lots of peeps, s'more makers and lobster eyes. All pray for Mr. Kyle Anderson and his knee, fingers and entire body, as he took a six-foot fall from a gate trying to free us from an apartment complex. He also ripped his shorts and his flip-flop in the process, as well as scared the living fire out of all the women folk (ah, and Tom-Tom) when he went thud in front of our eyes.

The night before last, I took the bestest out for her 21st birthday (belated) celebration at Brother's, our favorite and traditional birthday pub/eatery. good times, good times. Erin, she didn't doubt you were 21!! yesssssssss!

Less than a week from today, we will have celebrated the Bishop's singlehood at her bachelorette parrrr-tayyy and it will certainly be the gathering of the summer. well, that is, until the next weekend, when we rock her wedding to The Josh. She surprised us all (and by all I mean her lovely cake-cutter and servers, Bonnie, Stina and myself, and her M.O.H. the Erin of the Lynn) with presents last night, and we all got purses. My purse, because I know you are all dying to know, is a little mini 9West number in green. I must find an outfit to suit its HOTNESS.

It is time to cut my hairs. They are dreadfully long (I'm thinking two inches since school got out in may) and in need of a little sprucing. I will also be waxing le eyebrows, and all will be done before the Bishop's wedding. My mother has even offered to pay for a manicure. ha cha cha.

I bought my Rita some new tires and an oil change last weekend, and she is just a divine little ride now (not that she wasn't before, mind you).

Less than two months till DALLAS with my gurrrrls for my 21st birthday (and Stina's 21st, and Bonny's 22nd...). I need to make reservations soon, but not until we find out when Stina's gorgeous little sister will be rocking homecoming in Frederick, America, so as not to coincide the events. Every homecoming queen deserves her own personal cheer squad...

So, I have a roomie this year. It shall prove to be interesting. She is one of my KP sisters, which is good, and she is a doll, which is even better. Our room is actually made for one person, which will prove to be a living challenge when we move all of our stuff in, but, fear not my pretties, crafty storage will prevail in the end. Two weeks, two weeks, until I'm back with the group and breaking in the honors' dorm. Oh, and my R.A. is one of my male friends, so this could prove comical as well. tra-la-la-la, la-la-la-laaaaa...

One of my favorite people at OCU was recently fired and I am outraged. I can't wait to get to the bottom of everything when I show up to work in the president's suite in a few weeks... "nobody puts baby in a corner"

Way flippin' expensive books? sadness. paychecks and bonus checks spent before their deposited? typical. new running shoes? a figment of my imagination. two weeks left of full-time work at the boutique? glorious. waiting to see what God has in store for me this year? giddy with excitement. Junior year starting off with a bang? priceless.

xoxoxo!!!!

Current Mood: energetic

10:22 pm - a little F*R*I*E*N*D*S* for you, if you will...

Okay, so my bestest Erin emailed this to me. She found it online and sadly, much of the following applies to us. We need help, truly. Perhaps this explains why we have remained best friends for so long--no one else gets the FRIENDS thing... enjoy, my fellow friends (ha! pun totally intended)

You Know You're Addicted to Friends When...

You named your cats Chandler and Phoebe

You have had dreams where you're the seventh Friend.

You *seriously* consider naming your future daughter Emma. (Erin)

You can tell within 10 seconds of the beginning of the episodes exactly which one it is - and you can instantly remember what will happen. (Ash and Erin)

You can't go one day without a Friends reference. (Ash and Erin)

You are forever writing scripts for a Friends movie and sending them in (even if you have received several thousand rejection letters)

Your favourite words are - Doi, Yuh-hu and Nu-uh (Ash and Erin)

You only ever buy magazines because they have something to do with FRIENDS in them (Ash about 45% of the time)

You get your hair cut like Jennifer Aniston's (even if it looks terrible on you)

You are able to perfectly re-enact every episode line-by-line (let's just say you don't want to play the friends trivia game with me or erin as the opposing team...)

You are always refering to real life incidents as 'The One With......' (ditto)

You have made a soundtrack out of all of Phoebe's songs and you listen to it all day long

You've taped every episode of FRIENDS since the very first one, and watch the tapes continually (VHS? ha! between the two of us, we have almost every season on DVD...)

You refuse to drink any beverage (especially coffee/tea) if it isn't served in one of the cups like the ones they have at Central Perk (no, but I probably would if I could find a cup...)

Current Mood: amused

01:32 pm

Love or lust?

Due to recent events (i.e. my recent relationship and break-up)I have been left to ponder these words. First, I'm learning that falling into love is dangerous; being in love is the safe way to go. The difference between the two is this: when one is falling, you don't know of the outcome, aside from the fact that you will ultimately hit the ground. Then what? Some would say you spent all that time falling being passionate and giddy that you didn't stop to really look at the person you were sharing the fall with. Being in love is different because everyday you wake up and make the decision to love that person. You take the time to know them, know their future plans, know their wants and wishes, know their past and know them as they interact in general society--KNOW THEM. Then, or as you learn about the person and vice versa, you choose to love them.

Lust. It's a tricky little devil. People define that word differently. Some make it out to be dirty and X-rated. Some make it out to be transitory and without value. And still others see it as a necessary part of a relationship. Well, therein lies the pickle. If you see it as a necessary part of the relationship, how do you, after weeks and weeks of kissing and holding each other and being together, and thus probably liking all that, tell whether it's love or lust? Are you simply falling? Not until you take a step back and see that you really don't do much of anything else aside from cuddle and talk about silly things in between it all that you begin to realize you don't KNOW the other person. Sure, you know they're a great kisser or whatever, but when they start to change or feel so comfortable as to truly be themselves--and you don't know the true self and feel betrayed--what do you do? You realize that in your quest for human contact, you got carried away, telling yourself that the serious talks would come later and that getting to know each other would be a gradual thing as well in between lusting for each other, you forgot to get to really know the other person involved. Then you might take a stab at a serious talk, reach for what is important in their life and future. However, you might discover that in their big picture, you simply don't coordinate well. And it makes you feel sick, uncomfortable and sad. Because by that point you might have confessed feelings that you thought were love (and maybe they were; you still haven't decided) and then enters the fear of getting hurt, but you realize that you cannot see the relationship going anywhere in the future because you don't have any of the same hopes and desires. Come to think of it, you don't have very much in common in the present! How did that happen?

This has led me to a very interesting conclusion: Yes, I need human contact. I need to be held. I need to feel the warmth of someone and made to feel desirable and wanted. But I also have boundaries. I had boundaries going into my past relationship, put up as a result of yet another previous relationship that I'm still sometimes feeling the brunt of. But upon further scrutiny, I think my boundaries need to be set higher. Or I need to alter how I allow someone to break them down. I guard myself, yes. In doing so, I've gotten very good at saying no. But perhaps I should say it earlier on, before all the greatness and power of some pretty dang good kissing clouds my judgment and makes me postpone any deep thoughts. Then, I take the time to ask the serious questions, probe into the person's mind and choose whether to love them. Once I know for sure, and feel comfortable knowing that person, and realize what I'm getting myself into (wow, sorry that sounds blunt but it's the truth), and only after all that, will I feel safe to share my loving feelings and actions (PG-13 folks, PG-13) with that man.

It would be so easy to be in love with a guy best friend. You know? Does every girl have loving feelings towards a best guy friend, or is that just me? I mean, I start out loving them as a friend, but then I just feel more and more drawn to them. I let myself think "what if..." a lot too. Then reality sets in (and sometimes friends and their advice and confounding variables like other girls, geography, jealousy, etc. sets in as well). The whole being in love with a guy friend has always seemed so romantic to me, and I don't know why. Maybe it's the security of knowing that on some levels they already care about you, they know your family (and in some cases are adored by your family) and friends, and you feel comfortable around them no matter what. Maybe you've grown up with them. Maybe your families are friends. Maybe you went through some really difficult times with them. Maybe you've seen them hurt and vowed that if you were in their shoes, you would never do the same. Maybe they're just always around and you grow accustomed to seeing their face and receiving their hugs. Whatever the case, unrequited love seems reign, and reality slaps you around a bit.

So, until I am blessed with someone to know and decide to love, I will continue to pray for a good man, a Godly man, an honest man, a real man, an open-minded man, a family man, a gentle man, a goofy man, a strong man, a happy man...

Current Mood: thoughtful