Dreamy

So, I'm still not used to this new schedule,
and I took a nap this afternoon.
I had set my alarm, but I hit snooze for like another hour.
So, in the dream I had woken up, and I was trying to explain something to my friends who were there, but I couldn't stop laughing because even though I was completely earnest about it I knew it would sound ridiculous.
I said this:

"Do you want to help me get the clothes off the baby hippo?"

You see, because it was so cold, I had put clothes on the baby hippo.
It had a fleece lining, and then like a jacket, but it was all fitted like it was made for this baby hippo.
And let me tell you, this was one cute baby hippo. Very small.

So cold

Oh so very cold.

Wear a hat today.
I think my ears are going to fall off.

I'm listening to music

in my office.
I'm supposed to be working on any number of things, including:
- my CPE application, so I can have something to do this summer
- reimbursements for work, so I can have some money
- reading for class tonight, so I don't look like a total idiot
- reading for my 4 classes tomorrow, so I don't look like a total idiot
- reading for class Wednesday, so I don't look like a total idiot
- planning the Wesley programs for the semester
- writing a recommendation letter for one of my students
- unloading all the drinks I bought for Wesley yesterday that are still piled in my back seat
- getting the Sentra a long-overdue oil change

So, um, maybe I'll go do some of that stuff.
I will at the very least drink a Coke and listen to more music.

Also, I must mention that it is insanely cold today.
It's bright and clear, and really freakin' chilly.
John and Russell went running, and John said that at one point
Russell told him that there was ice on the hood of his sweatshirt.
His sweat had frozen.
That, my friends, is really cold. And really gross.

Good day, now.

new schedule

I now have class from 6pm Monday until 9:30am Wednesday,
except for while I'm sleeping or eating.

Tuesday, I have class from 9:30am until 9:30pm.
But every other day of the week I just have one class.
It just turns out that the Monday and Wednesday ones
back right up to Tuesday.

I might have to start going to bed at 10pm.
I'm really dragging today
and I took a 3 hour nap when I got home from my morning class.

Oy with the raining poodles already

It's wet and cold in Atlanta.
I don't really like that.
I had to carry a bunch of stuff from the car into my office
so I am soggy.

But, we are having Game Night tonight
and eating pizza, chips, and cookies
so I'm pretty stoked about that.

Also, I dig Regina Spektor.

That's all.
As you were.

courtesy of Ben Lee

"thinking 'bout the city...
it's living proof
people need to be together..."

First Day of Classes

Classes started today.
There are 143 people in the class I have at 8am tomorrow.
I must sleep now so I can get there early and get a seat.

Driving

I must sleep.
In just 7 hours, I'll be on my way to pick up a rental van
which I will drive to New Orleans.
I'm going on a work trip with folks from school and 2 local churches.
Should be an adventure, and I'm interested to see the city.
I wonder what/how much has changed in the 10 months since I was there.

Epiphany

My whirlwind roadtrip has spun to an end. Over 10 days, I saw (more than) 28 people who have been part of my life in various significant stages (Candler, US-2, college, high school, family). Candace pointed out that that's 2.7 people per day. I also slept in 8 different beds (one of which was actually a couch). I saw folks in 11 cities/towns, and stayed overnight in 7 cities/towns (2 nights in Roanoke and 2 in Greensboro).

Here's the Whirlwind List of who I saw:
Dana, J, Sara, Craiggers, Shelly, Beth, Kevin, Rachel, Leslie, Anjie, Andy, Lane, Ben, Allen G., Betsy, Sharon, Mollie, Brian, Sissy, Nick, Alanna, Becca, Dr. Tatum, Kev-bo, Robin, Allen P., Ceanna, Kenny

In the List, I didn't include other people's kids (even though seeing them was certainly a highlight of the trip!) or other family members, who were also lovely to see, including:
Dana's entire freakin' family, Craig's grandma and dog, Ben's grandma and aunt and her friend, Mollie's daughter, Sissy's husband Charlie, Nick's girlfriend Ashley, Alanna's husband James (who I just saw long enough to hug) and son, Robin's husband Doug and daughter, and Ceanna's son.

Also, I ran into a couple bonus people at GC:
Danny and Damon, and Ron the security guard

And tonight I went to Josh's birthday party and saw him, of course, and Jody, and a bunch of current or recent Candler peeps.

So, today is Epiphany. It seems fitting, or perhaps merely rockin', that my whirlwind roadtrip should end on the 12th day of Christmas, the day we celebrate the Wisemen's roadtrip and arrival at the manger.
I didn't have a stated agenda for this trip, other than to see as many people that I love as possible. That meant that my timetables were flexible, so I drove during the day when most people were working and I only saw some people for a meal or a couple hours. It was a good trip. There's something about seeing people who knew you when you were almost failing physics, or who stuck with you through fights and struggles and loads of drama, or who believed in you when you couldn't figure out why, or who went egging with you in high school, or who slept in the bunk above you for months, or who gave you responsibility and trusted you to live up to it, or who wrestled with heavy issues with you... There's also something about seeing people you've interacted with on a daily basis outside that context, with their families or in a new home far away.

I really loved this trip. It was good to see so many people. It was good to have the few hours of driving time to myself each day. It was good to spend so much time listening to, absorbing, memorizing, singing, repeating, and shouting music.

And tonight as I was driving to Josh's, I realized how good it is to be back in this city. I love Atlanta. I love the sparkling skyline. I love the variety of foods available. I love that you have to go really stinking far to get to a Walmart. I even love the traffic. Navigating the interstates around DC was easier because I live here. The I-85/40 connections in Greensboro used to freak me out, but they were a piece of cake after I-75/85.
And I love having such wonderful people around me. It's been really, really good to see people who have known me at other stages of my life, but it's also amazing to have people here everyday who are pushing through the same classes and professors, wrestling with similar career decisions, and who are supportive in those and a billion other struggles.

May I help you?

Of course, I had to stop by Ryan's where the folks are friendly and see my old manager Kenny...

In the southern Carolina

I had breakfast with Allen, Ceanna, and her son. (I thought better than posting a photo of someone else's kid, so stalked Allen in the Walmart parking lot to get another picture.)

Heading south

I met Kevin for lunch near his hometown...
Our funny British waitress took this pic.

At GC

Back campus at my college -- there's my climbing tree, and the tree with the swing... I spent loads of hours in this green space surrounded by brick buildings...

Photos of the Carolina segment of the Whirlwind tour

Before I left G'boro I had breakfast with Tatum...
(note his halo... fabulous!)

At Mollie's. Aren't we cute? 

crazy faces... 

Squishy faces...

"just do it, whatever it is..."

Yesterday, I drove into Greensboro as the sun was preparing to set. I went to Sissy's, and then we headed to Friendly Center for dinner -- delicious pasta and delightful conversation. After dinner, I returned a sweater and bought a dress. The dress is gorgeous, and luckily I had bought myself the perfect new pair of shoes at an outlet before Christmas. So, I have one pretty outfit ready for a special occasion. Now, all I need is an occasion...
Anyway, Sissy and I hung out for a while last night and this morning.

Then I got a phone call. I had called a college friend named Nick who lives in Raleigh, telling him that I was around briefly and would like to catch up if possible. So, this afternoon I drove to Raleigh and saw him and met his girlfriend, and had a generally lovely visit.


So, after meeting up with Nick and Ashley, I drove back to G'boro, bought a burger at Cookout, and went to Alanna's. We talked while her kid ate (and made adorrrrrable faces), and while he watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (which is a totally nutso movie -- I hadn't seen it since I was a kid -- about kids being locked up and adults acting crazy).

Tonight, I'm staying at Becca's. We chatted until way past her bedtime, and tomorrow morning she'll be wishing she hadn't offered me her couch.

So, Sissy and Becca were not caught on camera, and I don't have a picture of both Alanna and me together. Becca, however, says she'll take a pic of herself on my camera in the morning -- something about a special teacher shirt.

Tomorrow morning, I'll have breakfast with a professor, depart Greensboro, have lunch with Kevin in Charlotte, and go to Robin's for dinner. Then Saturday, I'll hopefully have breakfast with Allen before heading back to the ATL.
Now, though, I must sleep.

Visual Representation of DC Adventures

Photographic Documentation of New Year's fun

Scenic-ness near and around the camp at New Year's

On the road leading to the camp






























Around the camp

"We're All in This Together..."

I woke up yesterday to hot tea in bed, which my aunt evidently does every morning. I got ready and my aunts and I took the Metro to DC. Instead of it being overrun with people wanting to pay their respects to a dead president, most people must have thought everything was shut down for the national day of mourning. There were very few folks around. My aunts and I saw the Rembrandt exhibit at the National Gallery of Art. I quickly popped through a photo exhibit about NYC, and found the William Blake paintings in the British Romantics exhibit.
I dig museums, and I love art. It was good.

After lunch at the museum, we headed back to their house. I packed the car and headed for Richmond, just in time for rush hour. Because I am a genius.
The slow traffic just gave me lots of time to listen to Ben Lee, with "Gamble Everything for Love" on repeat. When I needed a rest stop, I pulled off the interstate, found a Best Buy, and bought "The Crane Wife" by the Decemberists which has the song "Sons and Daughters" on it. I had told Anjie that it was weird for that song to be so uplifting and fun because most of The Decemberist songs I've heard have been about death or war. So, it turns out that most of the rest of the album is in fact about death or war, and even our newly beloved song talks about coming out of the bunkers, keeping arms to shoulders, and the bombs fading away. I think it's the cinnamon that makes it so cheery. And the dirigibles.

So, I got to Mollie's in time for dinner last night. I played with her daughter for a few minutes, and then Mollie and I headed out for some mexican food (and margaritas). Dinner was delicious and we quickly caught each other up on the major excitements in our respective lives. Of course, we had to stop for some cheesecake before going back to her house, where we talked about college adventures and friends until we were both ready to fall asleep on the couches. Since her girl is sick, she's been home today, so we've spent the morning watching America's Top Model and looking at my pictures on my computer.

I love how it's possible to be so much yourself around someone even if you haven't seen them for years.

I posted a couple pictures from my early VA exploits, and more will come...
For now, I must be off, headed southward toward G'boro! I need to go wander around the old college and see what they've done to the place, sit on the swing, climb a tree...

"I say GC, you say Pride.
GC..."

Dinner with Shelly at Macado's... rehashing college adventures... KC's Chicken Mac and Cheese, and the best cheesecake covered with strawberries... 

The First of the Photo Documentation of the Whirlwind Roadtrip

In Lexington with Craiggers, Sara and Dana... Jackson the dog is behind us.

Cinnamon, Dirigibles, and 3D glasses

If you've never heard the song "Sons and Daughters" by the Decemberists, goGoGO listen to it right now! It is positively enchanting. A lovely way to start the new year.

I stayed with Beth and Kevin Saturday night, chatted with Rachel and Leslie before and after church, heard Beth preach, and had french toast for brunch at a texmex restaurant. We took pictures in front of the Christmas tree, and then I piled my stuff and self into the car and hit the road, abandoning my pillow and new tweed pants. Alas.
(Don't worry, Rachel is bringing them to the ATL for me.)

"we'll build our walls
aluminum;
we'll fill our mouths
with cinnamon..."

I spent New Year's Eve and most of New Year's Day at Andy and Anjie's brand spankin' new house at the camp. Lane, Ben and Allen were all there, too, and we had a delightful time. We took a walk around the camp, getting the lay of the land, so to speak. We (and by "we" I mean mostly "they") cooked a rockin' dinner, complete with pot roast, cheesy cabbage, black eyed peas, greens, fruit salad, roasted potatoes... We drank buckets of champagne, played with sparklers in the damp front "yard," and listened to "Sons and Daughters" over and over and over...
This morning, Lane, Ben and Allen left at 6ish a.m. for Atlanta, and then the rest of us slept more, ate more, watched the first Harry Potter movie (which I forgot to grab when I left...), and took another long hike around the camp. In the late afternoon, I left, setting out for my aunts' house in MD.
The road leading from the highway to the camp is curvy and a tiny bit hilly, with farms on either side the whole way. The farmhouses are mostly old, and the road is lined with short (like 2 or 3 feet high) stone walls. Cows and sheep wander through the fields along the way. I told Anjie that if she has to move to the middle of no where, at least it's gorgeous!

I got to my aunts' house this evening around 6. The fog had set in during the drive, but their directions were quite detailed so I had no problem finding the house. We had brunswick stew (made in the crock pot -- which was easy to clean up thanks to these nifty crock pot liners my aunt found). Then we layered our clothes and headed to an xmas light display at a botanical garden nearby. They have 3D glasses you put on to look at the lights. (Actually, they were sold out in the gift shop, but my aunts had kept theirs the last time so we used those.) The glasses have a predetermined shape (of your choosing, from a small selection in the gift shop -- ours were the star of Bethlehem) that eminates from the lights. I'm not sure how all that works, but when you look at the xmas lights (any lights, really) through the glasses, each light is surrounded by that shape. So, I walked through this crazy lit up garden seeing billions of different colored stars of Bethlehem. It's incredibly difficult to describe, but it was fun.

Tomorrow, my aunts, Betsy and Sharon, and I will head into D.C. for some touristing. Ford's funeral is tomorrow, so it could be positively insane in the city. But we're going to try to go to the National Gallery of Art and the Lincoln Memorial.

Tomorrow evening, I'll head to Mollie's in the Richmond area. I'm super stoked to see her and Brian, and especially to meet her little girl.

I have some pictures, which are forthcoming... just not right this minute.

Happy New Year!

"by land, by sea,
by dirigible...
we'll leave our tracks
untraceable..."