Fa, la, la, la, la

Hanging out at the Rush homestead since Tuesday night. It's been a wonderful, relaxing, fun several days. Jeremy's parents joined us for about a day and a half, and the house was warm and full -- just how it should be. Today was our family Christmas. Jeremy and dad then headed off to the Chiefs game, hopefully the rain won't dampen their spirits too much (pun only sort of intended ;) Seven minutes into the second quarter we're up by 7....go Chiefs!!!

May God bless you with joy, peace and comfort.

Merry Christmas!

in case...

...anyone was worried (note the heavy sarcasm in my tone), i have finally done some Christmas shopping and am actually almost done. Now comes one of my favorite parts of Christmas...anticipating the (hopefully) excited looks on the faces of my friends and family when they open their gifts.

Christmas shopping

I feel behind on my Christmas shopping, but am working to get over that. By shopping, obviously, but also on not feeling behind. I think the feeling stems from my housemate having all of her Christmas shopping done. But as Jeremy reminded me...there is no behind or ahead, simply a deadline. My deadline happens to be a little early than some (we're celebrating with our Wilmington family on Dec. 19 and leaving to be with our biological families on Dec. 20) but doable. At least, that's what I tell myself! I enjoy the change of pace during the holidays -- regular activities are replaced by shopping, wrapping, writing Christmas cards, partying, caroling, decorating, and sometimes cooking or baking. Problem is, some of those regular day-to-day activities can't be ignored forever. Finding balance, that's the key. Finding time to enjoy those unique holiday activities while still making sure day-to-day life doesn't get ignored. And all this while remembering to relax and avoid the frenectic pace that can accompany December. Okay, just rambling now.

in other news, we went to see Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe last night. In my opinion...fabulous! Of course, I love the books, so I'm a little biased, but I still think it's a good movie. Courage, adventure, sacrifice, second chances...great stuff.

you would think....

...that since a Christmas station on satellite radio would play quite the variety of Christmas music. I like Christmas music, cheesy, non-cheesy...doesn't matter. I can even put up with listening to it all day at work but I really start getting grumpy when I hear "The Twelve Days of Christmas" for literally then tenth time in a nine-hour period of time. 10 times people! Please, XM Radio. No more "12 Days." No more.

I'm thankful....

for Jesus, grace, and the hope of eternity
for a wonderful family
for friends who are family -- those near and far
for a sexy husband who's also my best friend
for changing seasons
for all the free coffee I can drink!
for laughter
for the time to read good books and watch good movies
for music

Not an exhaustive list by any stretch of the imagination, but what's on my mind today.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!!

Goblet of Fire

Saw Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire tonight. Really good. Followed the story really well, especially considering how much you have to leave out in those movies. And you could see why they changed the things they changed; it all made sense. From a pure "film" standpoint, I'm not the best reviewer...I'm too wrapped up in Harry Potter from the book/story standpoint. But I can definitely say I enjoyed it. (oh, and Ralph Fiennes is going to make an awesome Lord Voldemort).

nanowrimo

Jasmine posted on her blog that nanowrimo is humbling. Have to say it's true. Doesn't seem like it should be so hard -- a little less than 2,000 words a day for 30 days. For me...HARD. I'm doing good to pump out 1,000. 1,500 is an awesome day. And every day for 30 days...HARD. But it's good for me, right? Good to push myself, right?

Here's to pushing yourself.

movies

Went to see "Brothers Grimm" last night at the dollar theater (it's kind of sad when I read my friend Jason's blog then come and write something about a movie that's been out for a while since it makes me feel behind the times. Oh well. :) . I have to say I enjoyed it, despite it's silliness and despite the fact that it wasn't widely liked. To me it had a similar tone to Van Helsing -- a fun, fantastical romp. "Van Helsing" just had a little bit darker tone and a little more action. Which is interesting because one friend that I went to see it with stood up afterword and basically said "what the heck was that" and not because he was impressed. Yet this same friend liked "Van Helsing" enough to own it. And the same reasons that he didn't like Brother's Grimm are the same reasons a lot of people didn't like "Van Helsing." I will never understand people.

I also rented "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" last weekend. Good movie, but another case of the book was better. But the actresses were awesome.

movie trailers

I love a good movie trailer. To me, if I watch a movie without some trailers in front of it, I feel gypped.

However....

What I don't like are movie trailers that give the entire movie away....the plot, the twist, the funny stuff, the dramatic stuff, the beginning, the middle and the end. Leave a little to the imagination people! Make me want to see it! Don't make the trailer all I want to see!
What I also don't like are completely misleading trailers. Now, I know enough to know that sometimes movies get further editing/reworking after the trailer is cut together. Understandable. But haven't you ever seen a trailer for a movie, then gone to see the movie and thought you were in the wrong theater? (or that your dvd got switched with another). Sometimes, what you acutally see is dissapointing (see: Cider House Rules). Often, it's a pleasant surprise (see: Wicker Park and most recently In Good Company).

What do you think?

Yankee Rebel

So my friend Jason posted a link to a quiz similar to this a while back. But now I want all of you dear readers to let me know....yank? rebel? or somewhere in between.

http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/yankeetest.html

p.s. I'm 50 % yankee

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Saw this at the dollar theater the other day and I have to admit I can't remember the last time i laughed so hard at a movie. Granted, I was in a very silly mood that night, but still. It tickled my funny bone anyway. A lot of that has to do with Johnny Depp's Willy Wonka who was pricelessly neurotic, crazy, and just plain silly. I didn't really enjoy the first Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory movie. As a child, I found it just creepy. So if you love the original movie, you may hate this movie (a girl at work did). And the grandpa (who I last saw in Waking Ned Devine) was great as well. All the cast were very well chosen and their characters well-played. If you're in a silly mood and you haven't seen it yet...watch it!

Go Astros!!!

World Series baby!!!

Music

At my former job in the suburbs of Houston, Texas, my office-mate (and co-worker, and friend) used to play DJ for us, and one recurring artist was David Gray. I haven't listened much to David Gray since then, but recently I copied a bunch of music from a friend's computer and guess what....there are a few David Gray songs on there! So as I sit and listen to them (sitting at a computer), it gives me nice warm-fuzzy feelings about sitting at a computer at a huge brown formica and metal desk.

Will I ever be able to listen to these songs and not be at a computer? We'll see.

Listening to: David Gray (duh!), White Ladder

yay fall!!!

Autumn is my favorite time of year. No questions. No doubt. I love the feel, the look, the smell...I love being able to live in my jeans again and wear long sleeves, sweatshirts and jackets. I love curling up under blankets and not because the air conditioning is set to sub-zero. I love not needing air conditioning; I never realize how stale the air is until I start breathing it fresh from outside again. I love hot apple cider and pumpkins (and pumpkin pie).

Happy Autumn everyone!!

Restlessness

Why is it that sometimes all I want to do is curl up with a good book. But usually when I can't. But when the perfect curl-up-with-a-good-book moment presents itself I feel restless and confined in my house. Is it the book? The house? The fact that I only slept four (interrupted) hours last night? The book, I can remedy. The house...well, I can go to a coffee shop or something. As for sleep, can't go back in time.

Just ramblin'

even though I don't live in Houston......

GO ASTROS!!!!!!!!

A difference

I enjoy rain most of the time. I have been known to applaud a rainy day even; especially if I don't have to get out in it. But I realize today that it makes a big difference when all of a sudden you live in a neighborhood where half the streets flood whenever you get torrential, downpouring rains such as we've been having the past few days.

But I still like rain.

Interesting names

Sometimes I wonder what parents are thinking when they name their children. Are they thinking at all? Granted, I've never had the honor of having to come up with a name for a child -- something they'll have with them forever. Or at least until they can legally change it. But who in their right mind names their kid

Nature
Tiger Lily
Shithead (for real, people. pronounced Sh-teed)
Emergency (also for real. pronounced eh-mer-gahn-cee, emphasis on the third syllable)
Cinderella Snow White (full name, first, middle and last)
And best of all....Douche. (why??????)

And none of these names are rumour. All witnessed first hand by friends of mine. Anyway. Just in case you need a Thursday afternoon laugh.

Listening to: Titan Moon K108, "You Go Away"

here's a funny

So, yesterday at work my friend/co-worker was talking about a t.v. show she was watching in which one woman called another woman a whore. The slandered woman indignantly replied, "I'm not a whore, I'm a barrista!"

This is funny when you remember what I do for a living right now. In fact, I think it should be my new catchphrase, don't you?

Rita

Okay, so accidentally posted a blank one. Anyway....

Just wanted to let all my homies in Texas know that we're praying for you out here. Love you all!

Rita

t.v.

A couple of weeks ago some friends of mine decided that we should watch the first season of Lost on dvd before the new season comes out. I was excited about this because for various reasons I had missed a big chunk of the season. So now I'm prepped for next week, but I've just got to say, how has anyone been able to wait a whole summer to see what happened!? Craziness.

I am also excited because supposedly Junebug is finally coming to Wilmington movie theaters. So maybe I'll get to see it before too long.

Peace

Ophelia

For those of you who aren't hurricane trackers, there's a little girl sitting off the east coast named Ophelia. She's a category 1 predicted to land really close to where I live on Tuesday. It's interesting to watch the response in light of Katrina. The North Carolina governor declared a state of emergency in order to call in the National Guard; one of the islands in the Outer Banks has issued mandatory evacuation; and people around town are stocking up on their hurricane supplies. I wonder how many hurricane seasons this uber-preparedness will last through.

On a different note-
Due to our move to North Carolina and a broken VCR, I missed a lot of Lost. In fact, I pretty much didn't watch the last third of the season. But I'm so excited that season 1 is out on DVD! I'm hoping to get it all in before the second season starts.

Oh, and the OC started last week. Yay! (my guilty pleasure, what can I say). The first episode was odd. Very non-first-episode, as someone on a message board put it. But still good, and leaving a lot of room for a good season. We'll see how it goes. Last season, while not as terrible as some would have you believe, had its dissapointments. But Trey is gone, Kirsten seems like her old self, Seth and Summer are together which can be good, Jimmy's around for at least a little while, and Julie is Julie.

Reworking

In a recent post I mentioned that I was having a friend edit/critique a mystery that I've written. Well, I got it back and I am really pumped to start making it better. This is the first time since creative writing in college that I've seriously attacked a project with the intent of making it a first-class read. Also a little daunting though. We'll see how it goes.

A question

Why do people insist on having someone or something to blame for everything that happens in this world? Why must it be someone's fault? Sometimes there is a target for blame, but you know what? Shit happens. Period. Welcome to the world.

Policies

A person I know has been sick for a while...the kind of sick where you have good days and bad days and can't really nail down what's wrong. Last week though, she got really bad and had to go to the Medac (critical care facility), who sent her to her doctor. Now, my friend doesn't have insurance, and had to go to the doctor several months ago as well. She has about a $1,000 bill with them, and has been paying on it faithfully every month. Well, this last visit they asked her how she was planning to pay her new $350 bill and she said that she had planned on just adding it to her existing bill. They sent her back to a little room with, I presume, a business manager-type person who told her that if comes again and can't pay the full amount, they won't treat her.

What?!?!?!?!

I'm thinking if someone is faithfully paying you back, then does it matter that they can't pay every bill up front? It really made me angry at that doctor's office. It's a medical group, so I guess that's why they have the impersonal touch, but still. You'll see people who don't pay (because Medicare pays for them) yet you won't see someone who will eventually reimburse you 100% of your bill, which I'm pretty sure Medicare doesn't do. Fortunately, I know for a fact that not every doctor is that callous.

I know everyone has differing opinions on healthcare (my current theory is that insurance screwed everything up by forcing doctors to jack up their prices so that you HAVE to have insurance) and I sure haven't figured it out, but I wish there were some way to make it less difficult.

I know that everyone out there is bound to have differing opinions on health care

vulnerability

A couple of days ago I emailed one of my first completed short stories in about 10 years to a friend to look over and edit. Lesley has this story, although she's a very busy girl what with moving and working and trying to finish a novel; and I've decided it's good to have at least two or three people who look over your writing because different perspectives are good. So I sent it to Adam. Adam and I are co-workers as well as friends but I'm still nervous. Sending out something creative into the world to be examined, critiqued and even judged is a little scary. You have to separate yourself from your work, but every story has a little bit of me in it. I worry that people will read what I write and think I'm weird or crazy, but mostly I'm afraid that they'll read it and pity me because I think I'm a writer, when in reality I have no skills at all.

My solution? The ostrich approach. Head in sand and all that.

What about all you other creative types out there?

quiz

Well, Jason had this on his blog, and since I can never resist talking about myself here goes....

Seven things I....

Plan to do before I die:
1. learn to swim
2. learn to play the guitar
3. hike the Appalachian Trail
4. become a published author (not as ambitious as Jasmine :)
5. take Jeremy to Europe
6. run a 5k race
7. visit Prince Edward Island

Things I can do:
1. make a fantastic cup of coffee
2. write
3. play the piano, although not as well as I used to
4. spend an entire day watching movies OR reading a book ;)
5. bake a loaf of French bread (just discovered this one tonight)
6. take a pretty good photograph
7. drive a stick

Things I can't do:
1. surf
2. play any woodwind or horn instrument
3. tolerate rudeness or meanness
4. see without corrective lenses
5. whistle
6. reach the top shelf of our kitchen cabinets without standing on a stool or a chair
7. go for long periods of time on very little sleep

Things that attract me to the opposite sex:
1. kindness
2. Christian
3. eyes
4. smile
5. genuineness
6. hard body ;)
7. being named Jeremy Waters

Things I say most:
1. "I was like..."
2. "Good morning, what can I get for you?"
3. "Would you like any cream or sugar?"
4. "I love you"
5. "Fantastic"
6. "Thank you"
7. "I'm hungry"

Celebrity Crushes:
1. Hugh Jackman
2. John Cusack
3. Bradley Cooper
4. Ewan McGreggor
5. Jason Statham
6. That's all...
7. I can think of

People I want to take this quiz:
1. Erin
2. Steve
3. Nicole
4. Katie
5. Lesley
6. Dave
7. Jeanette

Even after...

...a few weeks, I have really nothing to say. Is my life exciting or what? Everyone check out Steve's blog, though. i heard about Pat Robertson on NPR today, and boy....CRAZY. Like, lock-him-up-in-a-padded-room-crazy. Who says stuff like that? On TV? Even if you think it. People, those are the things you keep between you and....well, you.

In other news, the parents came to visit for several days. It was so great to see them; one day I hope that I'll be able to see them more often. I do okay living so far away, except when they leave after a nice visit. It was a very relaxing trip; played a lot of cards, watched a lot of movies, most of which I had seen before but one of which was Texas Rangers (Dylan McDermott, James Van Der Beek, Usher -- which, by the way....what????) a movie I had never seen before. Wow. Who knew Texas was made of cheese. :)

my stint as a matchmaker

Okay, so a while back I mentioned how I was setting up two friends on a blind date. Finally happened and...success! I mean, they aren't declaring undying love or anything, but that's a little farfetched, despite what people like to tell you. But they exchanged phone numbers and both said they'd like to hang out with each other again, which I consider success.

Oh, and in a somewhat related vein....on the date (which was a double date because my friends Camille was a little nervous having never been on a blind date before. But which was more fun for me anyway because I got to witness the fun first hand) we watched the movie Swingers which I had never seen before. But I've got to say I really enjoyed it. It wasn't what I expected from what people had told me, but I found it amusing and entertaining which is about all I need from a comedy.

Happy Monday everyone!

confessions

I'll confess. About a year and a half ago (give or take) I stumbled upon a web site I know many of you are familiar with -- televisionwithoutpity.com. Fantastic web site where admitted t.v. junkies write witty and sarcastic and sometimes scathing recaps of many current hour-long television shoes, cable and network. Anyway, if you have a favorite t.v. show or shows, you should check it out.
But my point is...you should also check out the Tubey Awards. This is where loyal readers submit categories and nominations for those categories regarding the 2004-2005 television season. Some categories include standards like favorite actor, favorite actress, best new show, best returning show, etc. But my favorite categories are the ones like best performance by an inanimate object, best "hell, yeah!" moment, least favorite character, and most redemptive character in an otherwise sucky show. Now, since I don't have cable and haven't for the past year, I couldn't really comment on a lot of the nominations. Technically, my vote isn't as balanced since I can only compare a limited number of the nominations. But who cares! It's just plain fun.

Now go vote!

too junky, perhaps?

Ebay, how you have failed me. I listed three items on ebay last week, selling only one and only for $2.77. Were my sights set too high? Too low? (after all, I didn't have a reserve price). I haven't decided yet if I'll try the other two items again, or just thrift store them.

contradictions

I love when I have the opportunity to be a contradiction. For example...because of my short (5 minutes) commute and Jeremy's long one (30 minutes) I've been driving the truck to work. And sometimes, I am in the mood to listen to NPR. Contradiction: a girl driving a rusted-out pick-up truck listening to classical music. Sometimes I'm not a contradiction -- I'm as predictable and typical as you would find. But I love those moments when I manage to slip out of the mold.

Ah, ebay

I'm attempting my first sales on ebay. Junk, really. But junk I want to get rid of and I hear that people buy junk on Ebay, so....we'll see.

Speaking of things that are definitely NOT junk...my friend Erin Lonard sent me the CD that she made to raise money for her family's upcoming adoption. And it. is. awesome. Erin, you totally blew me away. Thank you for sharing your heart with the world.

living at the beach

Is it okay to rub it in that I live 15 minutes from a beautiful beach? I never really considered myself a beach person...always was a mountain-girl at heart (and still am) but I'm really growing attached to the sound of waves, the smell of salt water, the warmth of sand between my toes. And the best part is seeing the beach in all seasons and all weather -- in the hot summer, when the water feels so refreshing and in the winter when it's wild and cold and empty. In the morning when the water is a clear, cool blue and you can watch the beach slowly come alive, and in the evening when everything is cozy and mellow.

okay...I'm done waxing "eloquent" for now. :)

And speaking of nothing...anyone as I excited as I am to be reading the new Harry Potter book? Any Harry Potter fans out there? Any Harry haters? because I'd love to change your opinion. ;)

back to the real world

One of the best things about camp is that it truly takes you away from the world. For a week I existed in an isolated world where the biggest worries were looking for scorpions in my shoes. It's a great place to remember what's important...and what's not. So while I'm bone tired from a week of keeping up with teenagers and 44 hours of driving, I'm feeling deep down good. Because in addition to isolation there's the goodness of seeing old friends and giving to others.

blind dates

I'm setting two people up on a blind date this week, a girl I go to church with and a guy I work with. It's really fun! I wish I lived in a culture that used matchmakers because I could get all over that career. Although I am a little nervous that if they don't have a good time they'll both hate me. ;) Anybody out there with some good blind date experiences? I've never been on one myself, and of course you always hear about the bad ones.

In other news...camp next week. Jeremy and I are driving (aak!) to Oklahoma to be counselors at Camp Sooner again. We're leaving Friday. It should be a lot of fun. It'll be good to see some of the Tomball crew again, as well as the rest of the camp people. Last year I was a cook, and this year I'm a counselor, so it'll be fun to do something different this time and get to spend more time with the kids.

Happy Fourth!

Watching a garden grow

I've been watering my friends' garden for the past week while they are out of town. It's still in the early stages of growth. Except for the cayenne peppers which are hitting their prime and the sugar snap peas which have passed their prime. The tomatoes are starting to ripen and other plants are beginning to flower. But gardens are interesting to me, because you wait and wait and wait for things to grow and bloom and produce, then one day you walk outside and....tada! The plants are six inches higher. A week later you go out and...tada! Flowers or fruit or vegetables have appeared. Do we just not notice the growth until it's significant or do the plants grow in bursts. And why do they always grown when we're not looking?

Happy Friday!

Regardless of whether or not you're working (like me) or relaxing this weekend, take some time to enjoy the company of friends or a hobby or a pet or family or a good book or a good movie....whatever makes you smile. And take some time to call up a friend you haven't talked to in a while.

Later

change

All things must change to something new, to something strange. -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

This is a plea to anyone who feels stuck in a situation and therefore feels very discouraged and/or unhappy:

Do something about it.

I know, I know. it sounds easy to say it and it's hard to do. Believe me, I know. But if you never try, you'll never know, right? Look good and hard at what's holding you back....is it worth your misery?
But I can't do a complete 180, you say. Well then, there has to be some way to still do something beginning with perspective. The Bible study I attend is studying the Old Testament book of Ecclessiastes, otherwise known as the book of meaninglessness. Sounds depressing right? But it's not. It's all about perspective. Let's take Bob for example: Bob lives in Cityville (know it's lame, but just go with it) and hates it. His friends and family are all hours away and he hasn't really found a place there. But at this point, he doesn't feel like he can move because of his job. Bob becomes depressed and bitter. Then one day, Bob decides he's tired of being depressed and bitter and realizes that in the grand scheme of things, where he lives doesn't matter; it's meaningless, if you will. And even if he can't change the big, he can change the little. He starts taking one day at a time; doing different things; looking for joy in something besides where he lives or where he works; focusing on the good.

An overly-simple illustration I know, but my plea is still the same: don't let anything steal away your joy. Take it back, even if that means acknowledging a sucky situation and just choosing to ignore it. Even if it means braving the uknown. Even if it means risking failure to try something new.

If I sound preachy or self-righteous, I'm sorry; not my intent at all.

until later...

Garden State

Watched Garden State last night and enjoyed it....Steve, you were right. :) However, stupd Blockbuster online sent us a DVD that crapped out in the middle. So i missed about three scenes in the middle -- it froze up during the hampster burial and let us return to the action when Largeman and Sam were in a bar right before jumping half-clothed into a pool with a bunch of other people. Has anyone seen this recently enough to fill me in on the missing chunk?

But aside from that, I liked the movie a lot. I loved the character progressions and randomness and humor and heart. And the actors were all fabulous. I did think it sad though that part of the main character's big epiphany was that this life was all there is, so he better live it as hard as he can. While I can jump on board with the live life to its fullest part, the best thing about life is that this ISN'T all there is.

So....

Moving...done. Unpacking...mostly done. Let's all breath a sigh of relief. Now, if I can just remember to do all the other little things I need to get done.

Thought of the day: how much stuff is too much stuff? I ponder this question every time I move, and have yet to come up with a satisfactory answer.

Peace.

Miriam's back!

My car (Miriam for those out-of-the-know) is home from the mechanics and (so far) running right again! It's very exciting, and a real load off my mind. We had some friends here who suggested a mechanic, and it turned out to be a good reference, which is also a nice thing.

We're moving this weekend. Just down the street, but packing is still a pain and I HATE it. Oh well. It'll be over soon.

Anyway. That's a nutshell of what's going on with me right now. I've watched House of Flying Daggers and Thelma and Louise (can you believe I've never seen it?) this week. Both good movies, although I liked House of Flying Daggers better. Really stellar fight scenes, expectedly good cinematography (I know that's spelled wrong) and a good if simple story; one of those classic stories that can be just as moving even if you've heard it before.
Thelma and Louise was interesting because it could have been terrible, but it wasn't. The main police officer was kind of annyoing to me; I didn't feel like they really illustrated his motivation very well, which to me made his actions seem too out of the blue and intense. But Gena Davis and Susan Sarandon rock the house. Oh, and Brad Pitt looks almost like a skeleton he's so skinny.

Happy Friday.

movie notes

I know I'm behind on my movies these days, but everyone should see Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Great movie. A little odd and different, so if you don't like odd and different you might not like it. But I thought it was really creative and poses an interesting question...if we knew the outcome would we still make the same choices?

Happy weekend!

Fairness???

Fair warning: this is a rant about a somewhat controversial subject. Today in the Wilmington newspaper there was an article about a bill that's been proposed in the state legislature that would allow illegal immigrants -- excuse me..."undocumented students" -- to pay in-state tuition rather then out-of-state if they are North Carolina residents. Opponents pointed out that this would just increase the odds of actual American citizens being pushed out of spots at colleges and universitieis. Supporters said the higher tuition just hurts these students and that making education easier will benefit everybody. Oh, and we're also supposed to be offended because these same illegal residents can't get federal aid like grants and student loans.

Am I the only one who is dumbfounded by all of this? I am all for immigration. I am all for individuals and families moving to a country where they can find better opportunities for themselves and their families. I want these immigrants to have equal opportunties as American-born citizens, with no fear of discrimination. I have the deepest respect for people brave enough to uproot their families and enter a new culture with a new language and customs. It's really awesome. But why can't people do it legally????? Hundreds of thousands of people have immigrated legally and we as a country are spitting in their face by allowing -- no, by making it easy -- for people to live, work and study illegally. And we're not only mocking them, but ourselves and our own laws by essentially rewarding people for breaking the law. This is insane! How about next time someone goes out and steels a car, we just let him or her keep that car, as long as they really need it. After all, it's not fair that they should be penalized just because they don't have a car like everybody else, right?

Utter. Madness. I mean, if we aren't going to enforce our own laws, then let's get rid of it. by all means, open the borders and let it flow. But if not, then let's actually enforce the law. Let's stop doling out health care and education to people who aren't paying taxes. Let's help them go about things the right way, instead of positively reinforcing -- rewarding -- illegal behvior.

okay. rant over.

June, june, june

It's not even June 1, and already the month is jam-packed. On Friday, Jeremy's parents come into town for a few days. June 11-ish, we move to a new house, and before that have to get ahold of our new landlord for some lease and pre-lease discussions. Somewhere around June 15, Jeremy's brother comes to visit. And in the midst of all of that are the usual: work, laundry, cleaning...oh yeah, and getting our decrepit cars fixed. I am looking forward to all of these things, especially the visits from family, and really want to savor and enjoy their visits, not view them as one link in an endless chain of events. Last night, I nearly had a nervous breakdown thinking about it all, but my wondeful husband reminded me that the only thing to do is take each event, each day one at a time. And when you look at it like that, it really isn't as overwhelming, but I have a hard time with that, you know? Piece by piece, moment by moment, one at a time. Why do I have such a hard time with that? I love it in theory, and have even vowed that our next home-improvement project will be tackled that way, but sometimes I take the whole "keeping an eye on the big picture" to the extreem.

a day at the grocery store

Why would a person spend a day at the grocery store, you might ask. Well, you might if you were getting paid to be there. No, I don't work at the grocer store, but I am occassionally scheduled to man the coffee bar owned by our coffee shop. But that's not the point. The point is, it's BORING. Seriously, one day I read two Entertainment Weeklys cover to cover, did two crossword puzzles and read at least two chapters in the book I was reading. Needless to say, any time I'm working there I'm always trying to occupy my time, and last week I decided to exercise my writing skills a little by practicing my people descriptions ( I had read an article on that in a Writer's Digest magazine), trying to make my descriptions more interesting and alive. So I got out my notebook and started describing various grocery store employees. It was actually very interesting and fun, although technically I guess I was "reading a book by it's cover." What made it more interesting was later in the week hearing someone I work with comment about the same people....the difference being she actually knows them a little better. It's always fun to see how your first impressions jive with reality. And it was fun creatively to stretch myself, trying to get away from "She had dark eyes and blonde hair and a pretty smile." or "His eyes were as blue as the sea, his hair like corn." whatever.

Okay, so not terribly interesting post. just a slice from my life. happy Memorial Day.

I'm terrible at titles

I'm also terrible at all decision-making, or at least most of it. But let's not dwell on that. Let's dwell on a very hilarious and happy movie that I saw last night: Bride and Prejudice. For those of you who haven't heard of it, it's a Baliwood (India's Hollywood) remake of Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice. Bride and Prejudice is a full-scale musical extravaganza complete with colorful costumes, cheesy songs and exuberant dancing. It's a little like watching a Disney cartoon musical but live-action, and a little like watching a classic musical such as South Pacific or State Fair. For a modern remake of Pride and Prejudice it remains very true to the original story, although it does add a cultural element -- modern versus traditional, England versus India, America versus India. Fans of the t.v. show Lost should know that the actor who plays Said is one of the main characters. Basically if you enjoy movies that are outrageously cheesy, but don't take themselves seriously, and if you want to see a little bit of India, here some great Indian music and end the movie wanting to dance...then you'd like Bride and Prejudice.

A little bit of everything

So...

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith was pretty sweet. I mean, it's Star Wars, so color that with whatever that means to you (if you hate Star Wars, you'll hate this; if you like Star Wars you'll like this; etc.). One thing I really noticed especially was how much the soundtrack rocked. It really added to the emotion of the film.

On the vehicle front: AHHHHHHHH!!!!! That's all I can say. But I'm feeling more optimistic today that it will soon be fixed. I guess this is what you get for driving around a car with 149,000 miles on it.

Other stuff: I've realized that I put too much stock in things, life being "in control." I want things to be ordered, stable, ducks-in-a-row type stuff but you know what? Life isn't like that. I can't control it. I'm not the one in control and the sooner I realize that and just hop along for the ride, I think the better off I'll be. Not that it's a bad thing to want order and stability -- it's just part of my personality I think, and not a bad part. But my problem is that I try and put my faith in that rather than where it belongs -- in my Lord. Anyway...deep thoughts for my day off (which...I also have tomorrow off, the first Saturday in at least two months and I'm so excited!).

Happy Friday, ya'll!

vehicle frustration or why friends are the bomb

So the transmission went out on our 1980 GMC truck (and most of you who know me are not at all surprised I'm sure. After all, the truck is just a miracle on wheels anyway). Sharing a car until Jeremy can get it fixed has been tricky, but thanks to rides from friends it hasn't been impossible.

Then today, the Honda won't start. And I had to be at work at 6:30 a.m.

What a way to start the day, right? Two cars...two cars down. Which just reafirms my dream and desire to live someplace where I don't have to own a car at all. Or I can at least get to work and the grocery store without a car. Public transportation is something this country really needs to get a handle on. I mean, I know that we're a nation that's in love with our vehicles, and that's not inherently bad (my sources tell me it helped us win WWII), but come on people. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. Those are not dirty words.

Okay, rant over. Now to the good part of the day. If I didn't already know it, Jeremy and I have some awesome friends. Not only have they dropped us off at work, picked us up from work and unflinchingly let us borrow their cars, they didn't bat an eye when I called at 6:30 this morning to borrow the keys to their car so I could get to work. It always humbles me when I think of the kind of true and generous friends God has blessed me with (and not just here in Wilmington -- in Houston, in Arizona, in Arkansas, in Georgia, in Missouri...), and that has never been more apparent than the past couple of weeks.

oh, and does anyone know someone selling a running-condition vehicle for under $500? (haha...in my dreams. Doesn't hurt to ask though, right?)

peace

Other people's expectations

There are certain expectations that society puts on a person; certain "norms" that most of us feel some pressure to live up to. Now, some of these are good and productive for a harmonius society -- the expectation to not be a murderer for example. But others I'm not so sure about. Like the expecation to have a certain type of career or a certain kind of home. But why do we let ourselves feel pressured by this? Okay, I'll just be honest: why do I let myself be pressured by this; by what other people think? Are there people out there who can honestly say they don't care what other people think, and if you're out there.....how do you do it!!!!???? I try, and sometimes I just go ahead with what I want to do despite how strange it might seem to some people. But deep down I wonder what those people DO think. But I'm working on it. Thankfully I've got some wonderful friends and family who even if they think something I do is weird, they never show it and are nothing but supportive; I hope I never underestimate that blessing.

who knew

Blogs are popping out of the wood-work! Who knew that so many people are keeping in touch/expressing themselves/igniting discussion on the internet. It's like I've now been inducted into a secret society with friends that I've known in other contexts for years. Fabulous.

Also randomly fabulous:

Cars that no longer overheat (this is a shout-out to Jeremy, who has once again breathed life into my Civic, thanks to a God-given ability to work on cars).

Ansel Adams calendars

Chocolate biscotti and fresh coffee

Lime (the color and the flavor)

God's faithfulness

Hot-Lanta

Just got back from visiting my good friend Lesley in Atlanta this week. An awesome trip, if not nearly long enough. We did have some crazy times getting there and back. On the way there we discovered our slight radiator leak had become a raging river of leakiness. Jeremy replaced the radiator on Monday (the first day of our trip, but fortunately the day with no activities planned) so we could get home. And on the way home on Wednesday, there was a bad wreck on I-20 in Columbia, SC that included a Medi-Vac which meant the interstate was shut down and we sat in Columbia for two hours.

But aside from those two things, we had a great time. Atlanta is a cool city, and it's always nice to see good friends. Lesley is one of only a few friends from college that I've actually gotten to see since graduation, and now that we live in North Carolina we're actually within driving distance which rocks. I've had a little post-trip funk though. Why is it that seeing people after a long absence often makes you miss them more? It's as though it reminds you of how much you wish you could be with them in person all the time. Ultimately though, I am thankful when I do get to see those friends, even with the post-visit ache, because there are a lot of people I love who I haven't seen at all in quite a while.

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them" -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

The caffeine world

You would think working in a coffee shop on the upper-middle class side of town wouldn't be full of excitement or surprises but...well, you'd be surprised. Thursday night, for example, just before closing a couple came in and after staring at the menu (and singing along to the radio) all they walked out with was a cup of ice water and some free honey. Last night I had a customer cuss at me because I didn't know how to make the drink he wanted (all I did was ask him what exactly it was and I was perfectly willing to make it for him, but apparently my ignorance was just too much for him to handle). Then just before closing two older couples came in, likely from dinner, and let's just say one of the gentlemen may have had a few too many glasses of wine with his dinner. The fun never stops!

Miscellaneous happenings

Tonight's another episode of the Amazing Race!!! I'm such a goober, I know, but I just love that show. Best reality show, in my opinion. And if the couple from Houston doesn't win...well, let's just say I'll be less than happy.

I just got done watching the movie Napolean Dynamite, and I have to say I love that movie! Funny, silly, and characters who either remind you of yourself or someone you know. And the thing I love most about the characters is that they never apologized for who they were. Inspiring.

I also recently finished a mystery novel called "Death by Station Wagon" bought for 50 cents at a library used book sale. It was really good, and I think the first in a series. The main character is a former Wall Street guy whose career tanked and now he's trying his hand as a detective in suburban New Jersey. It's kind of a cross between a mystery and a commentary on American suburbia.

Until next time.

A long day

I love reading Erin's posts! I couldn't sleep last night, too wired for some reason. A lot of stuff going on in my head I guess, part of it being an upcoming trip to Atlanta. The problem: had to get up at 5:30 a.m. this morning and work a 71/2 hour shift. Normally I do all right, but today I was exhausted. Did a lot of laying around (and dozing off) this afternoon, but made it on a two-mile walk with a friend. Then went to watch a movie; ended up watching Fight Club, which I had never seen. Interesting movie. Guys are crazy! That's all I've got to say.

Okay, to be fair, girls are crazy too. Just in different ways I guess.

Looking forward to sleep.

Trying something new

So, recently I entertained the idea of getting my own blog after discovering some friends' blogs; it was fun reading their thoughts and opinions on things, especially because they live far away now. But I'd generally stayed away from blogs because of the hate part of my love/hate relationship with computers and technology. However today, I got a link from my friend Erin who just started a blog and in order to comment on her post, I had to register. Now, I am admitedly rather ignorant of computer and online and general technological things so there was probably a way to comment without registering but instead I took the plunge. We'll see if it leads anywhere.