A Couple of the 250+ Graduation pics...

Moving

I've moved a lot. Like, for real a lot.
I hate packing. And unpacking.
I told Joy last night that I am moving in a couple weeks, and she said "so, you're going to start packing the night before?"

I was helping one of my students move his stuff into storage the other day, and he was frustrated with himself for waiting so long to pack. So, I had to tell him about my own college packing joys. Many readers will remember the excitement... always last minute, always a mess, always confusing and dreadful. I always had so much stuff. It multiplies...

One of the years I was an RA, my parents came up with the minivan and took a load of stuff home in my car. I waited until all the residents had moved out, and loaded up the minivan. It took for-ev-er. And it filled the van from top to bottom. I couldn't see out the rearview mirror, and the passenger side mirror was broken. So the only mirror I had was on the driver's side. Luckily (???), I left G'boro in the middle of the night, so there wasn't much traffic to look out for as I drove 3 hours in the dark, stopping every so often to do sprints in a gas station parking lot so I wouldn't fall asleep.

This move shouldn't be quite that bad, since I'm just moving across the apt. complex. I've given myself 6 days where I'll be an official resident of both apartments, so I take as many trips as I need. My parents are bringing the minivan, though.

At Last

I am done with school.
Next Monday, they will proclaim me a Master of Divinity.

Almost...

So, I am a bit of a wizard.
I did get that crazy paper done the other day.
And I wrote 5 pages this morning to finish a 9 pg paper.

It's been a busy day:
Last paper... check!
Last presentation... check!
Last exam... check!


Last WTM retreat...
One more day...

Holy Crap.

I might be a wizard.
It remains to be seen.
I just wrote 5 pages in about an hour.
I have another half hour to write the remaining 5!

I'm eating skittles and drinking coke.
Seems to be helping.

Rock on.

Some stuff:

* I have two rather long papers due tomorrow. I'm about to email for an extension on one.

* I just ate some cotton candy, left over from the Braves game on Tuesday. It's the first thing I've eaten today. Mmm, breakfast!

* In a minute, I'm heading to campus for my final advising with LTJ. It probably should have been done a month or two ago. Rock on.

* I put on an outfit this morning, checked myself out, and decided I was way cute but looked too much like an Emory undergrad. Now I'm just wearing jeans and a brown tshirt.

* I got accepted to the CPE program I was hoping for. I'll be a children's hospital chaplain this summer.

* I emailed a guy about a job this morning. It would r-o-c-k (except that it's part time -- but I could tutor small Koreans again...) But I had to ask whether I should bother to apply since I'm doing CPE all summer and won't be available until late August.

* Tonight, I will flip pancakes for hundreds of Emory students. Should be an adventure. And adventure that will mean that I cannot work on my papers that are due tomorrow... but fun times nonetheless.

* I must go iron my hair and go to school. Good day.

No Place

I need to read.
Like hardcore.
For a solid two hours.
And there is no place for me to do it.

Pitts is cold, dark, and evidently today it's loud.
Woodruff is good for writing, but there are billions of people there.
Brooks has old people studying very very loudly.
I'm going to try sitting on one of the couches I selected
for their comfortability,
putting in earphones
and listening to some Schubert
while I try to plod through the Bonhoeffer.

Is it bad that I want to punch that lady across Brooks?
She's loud. "But, what I'm sayin' is that what happened is..."
Her bag has wheels. And an adjustable-height handle. If you know what I'm saying.

BAH!!!

More Candler Prom pics

Spring Banquet

Sara and me with our "dates." They sure look stoked to be there with us... I think they were just looking for a ride.

What's Going On

It's the last week of classes.
I have a project (10 "findings"/journal entries) & paper (12pgs.) due tomorrow.
I have lot of work to do, and of course I can't focus.

Tomorrow is Spring Banquet.
I have a pretty dress to wear.
I got a pedicure today, and it is not the best ever. In fact, it was a bit messy, and I had to clean it up. Terrible news.
I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow by Tami the hair wizard.
Today was rainy, so I'm all a-frizz.

Next week I have a Worship project due,
a 10pg. paper for my Bonhoeffer class,
and a project and 10pg. paper due for Images of Christ.

I need to figure out my housing situation.

There is a choir practicing outside my office, which happens often.
I must go try to write something.
Ugh.

Oy. I'm a nut.

I have a sermon to write.
It's a 7 Last Words sermon for the University Worship service tomorrow,
which means that folks from the whole university could be there.
I don't have any clue how to write this.
So, I'm sure I'll still be working on it tomorrow morning...
Rock on.

In just over an hour

I'm going to Charleston!

That is, provided I get all the stuff done that I need to in the next 60 minutes...

Bah!!

I can't focus.
This long overdue midterm is thus far only
eight sentences long.
Alas.



"sometimes we forget
who we got,
who they are,
and who they are not..."
~Amos Lee

screeeeech

The weather is lovely,
with blue skies and warm sun.
(We'll ignore the yellow pollen blanket.)

There are tiny people running around and screeching outside my office window.
That's how I noticed that I have a headache.

I jammed my thumb on the steering wheel last night
and my nail split --
not down the middle vertically
but across the side HORIZONTALLY.
That sucks. Pain, blood...
but it's no broken kneecap, so I'm good.
You don't realize how useful a digit is until it causes you great pain.

I got a weird phone call this morning
about, you know, being a minister
and I had to go eat some bacon and talk to Daniel.
I'm good now.

magnetic poetry in my office

* you look a little lost but fascinating
* together everybody was beautiful
* it's lunchtime
* don't worry I is eating
* dude nice pants!
* we like cute fabulous brilliant...whatever between
* delirious flower this is naptime
* she likes rock & roll beauty
* he wanted good food good times outrageous people
* yeah right she is hanging out with our hero
* the boring woman was his clown love
* family is different
* soon the comfort of sleep
* she let out a sweet laugh
* oh boy she wasn't queen you're bling?
* he liked serious drink dark
* you are a good friend
* this is that light secret smile

sometimes:

- it's too hard to explain what's going on, even to yourself
- you find the perfect song at the perfect time
- there is too much work to be done, and it's overwhelming
- the weather is pretty and the office is cool, the pollen is thick and the air is humid
- there's no explanation for where the time went
- it's just good to talk about nothing
- reconnecting is simple
- I'm totally ready to be done with school
- I can't imagine what comes next
- blogging is an excuse for not doing real work (I mean, it's called "Procrastinate with me")
- things work out better than you think, despite lack of planning


"strange how hard it rains now,
rows and rows of big dark clouds
but I'm holding on
underneath this shroud..."
~Patty Griffin

The Hirsch

"Ohh, I don't know what to do with this one wild and precious life!"

She was lying on the floor of our office, taking a brief break from the paper on which we are both working, and which was due in the class we are both currently skipping.

Older? Yes. Wiser? Um...

I have a paper due in the morning.
It's to be 8-10 pages.
In the past (which is either a couple weeks or over a year),
I have read most of both the books I plan to discuss/compare.
(That's right, I haven't read either book the whole way through.)
And I haven't started.
Good news: I'm taking the class pass/fail.

In better news,
the waitress carded me on St. Pat's
2 days after I turned legal+8.

Rock on.

Spring Break, part 2

After 12 hours in the ATL oon Wed/Thurs,
I jumped in my car and headed to my aunt's beach condo in FL.
Got in some good girl time,
visited my grandmother twice,
and saw Yetta on the way back home yesterday.

Spring break was good,
but not so much restful.

I did a lot of driving.
Luckily, I could be called a driving enthusiast.
Just don't tell Mitch.
("I mean, I like boats, but I don't want to be called a boating enthusiast...")

Spring Break, part 1

Headed to Alabama
with 8 undergrad students in my charge
to work on houses
and have some fellowship.
Back to the ATL on Wednesday
then headed to the beach for my birthday.

Rock on.

TO DO List for the next 36 hours:

1.) Finish Bonhoeffer's Ethics. I've read about 1/3 of the book, and it's crunch time so the rest will be skimmed heartily.
2.) Write 10 pages (which we all know really means 8 and 1/2) about Ethics by 5pm tomorrow.
3.) Write a worship reflection for 8am tomorrow. This will also require reading (obviously I mean skimming) something. And I bet I'm supposed to go to class, too.
4.) Go to a Candler student gov't meeting at lunch tomorrow. I sure hope there's food.
5.) Find someone to go with me to pick up the rental van, and then go pick up the rental van.
6.) Shop for the mission trip. This will include purchasing 5 pairs of gloves and safety goggles, 3 hammers, and 5 airmattresses. (Matt added 3 lbs. chicken and 4 basketball nets to the list, which is funny because he's vegetarian and not that tall.)
7.) Pack supplies for the mission trip.
8.) Pack my own stuff for the mission trip.
9.) Get donuts.
10.) Load the van for the trip at 7:30am Saturday, and roll out at 8am for southern Alabama.

Amen.

um, chel-lo.....

this song I'm listening to is called "Pickup Truck Girl"
and it's an instrumental
and the instrument is a cello
and the instrumentalist is Ward Williams.

oooh, now it's John Denver singing "Annie's Song" --
officially my favorite song of all time.
it's on the album my family always listened to on road trips,
an album we've had in many incarnations --
cd, tape, and yes even 8track.

so, I'm listening to music on itunes
because I was falling asleep trying to read.
I have loads of reading to do -- 2 entire books, in fact
by tomorrow
and one of them is Bonhoeffer's Ethics
which, let me just tell you, is no easy read.
turns out the prof was not joking
when he said that at the beginning of the course
6 or 7 weeks ago...
he suggested starting reading then...
interesting.

i like oreos.

paper...

I have 968 words.
The max is 1200.
I have completed 2 sections of the paper, for the most part.
That leaves one section and significantly less than 300 words
until I can go to sleep.

Must focus on "how Word and the Holy Meal refresh one another."
Must first figure out what the heck that means...

I'm wearing a purple raincoat

because it's DREARY!
It's all gray and hazy and misty outdoors.
Yesterday was GORGEOUS. And I loved it. Sun, blue sky, light breeze...
No more.
Rain, you are tedious!

However, something to be glad about
is that I have a giant purple flower pen
to write with that Candace made for me.
It's pretty ridiculous. Also it's pretty. And it's ridiculous.

Dave Scott is on our couch.
I mean maybe not right this second,
but he has been sleeping and sometimes lounging there
for the past week
and the weather has extended his stay one more night.
He said this to me at breakfast yesterday:
"The majority of my leisure activities involve exercising my id."
(Maybe he said "exorcising" -- it's hard to tell the difference in pronunciation,
and although I used context clues like we were taught in elementary school
I may well have made the wrong vowel assumption.)

We have also gotten to hear loads of stories
recounting Dave Scott facilitating the learning of small children.
* Trapezoid. Auuuuggggh!!! Dodecahedron. WOAHHHHH!!
* Benevolent... Malevolent!

ugh

I'm getting sick.

On Friday, I thought my throat was just sore from breathing all that cold air at frisbee.
I might have been mistaken.

I am achy and exhausted, despite a nap yesterday and at least a full 8 hours sleep last night.
My throat hurts and my head feels cloudy.

I have class tonight, and I don't want it.
I have so much class tomorrow I can't even focus on it.

Here's where you cheer me up by saying:
"But Beth, it's a beautiful day
and there's a fun bird on your shirt!"

you are dust...

It was POURING this morning
and I got to class
soggy and furious.
Maybe more grumpy and whiny than furious,
but soggy nonetheless.


It's Lent now.
There are ashes on my forehead.
I read in the noon service at school.
I'll go to another service at church tonight.
I'm going to have to remove these ashes so I can get more later.

I've never been successful giving stuff up for Lent.
Usually I try cussing and coke.
This year, I think I'm limiting myself to 1 coke a day (that's reasonable, right?)
and I'm going to try to give up candy. I eat a lot of candy.
The other thing I'm going to do is
every day
call someone who I love that lives far away from me.

just thinking...

I'm going to hear a guy speak on Sunday night. His name is Shane Claiborne, and he and his friends started an intentional Christian community called the Simple Way.
I read some of the stuff that he wrote about living out faith in community, being a neighbor, living out justice... and I feel more connected to it than most of the stuff we talk about in our seminary classes. I don't care at all about Public Worship. Not at all. I don't care much about UM Polity. The classes that have stood out to me have been ones that talked about stuff I already knew I loved -- Urban Ministry, Church and Community ministry, even women in the NT... But I am enjoying Howard Thurman, and I should pay more attention to Bonhoeffer. They both speak a lot to what it means to embody what you believe.

I'm sure I'm thinking about all this stuff because I'm starting to get antsy. I'm getting close to time to move on. And I'm not really sure what's next. I haven't been able to make myself focus on the CPE application long enough to finish the page-worth of writing I have left. Does that mean I don't really want to do it? Or just that I'm being my usual procrastinator self? Who can say...

I love Candler. And I really like being the Wesley campus minister. Applying for that job has crossed my mind, but I really really believe they need someone with a passion for campus ministry who can commit 5 or 10 years to them. And I don't have those qualifications. I think I could love full time campus ministry, and I think I could be way better at it if I could focus, and maybe someday down the line I will come back to campus ministry.

But for now, for the whole time I've been here really, I feel compelled to get back out there, to do more real things. Not that campus ministry isn't real. But it isn't where I feel most alive. I loved working at the shelter. I hated living there, and I hated the way things were for people. But I loved being there with and for people, sitting on the stairs talking with the moms, playing with the kids in the parking lot. I loved advocating at the capitol and going with people to appointments to advocate for their rights. I loved making presentations about homelessness and what people could do to help things change.

This guy writes about the stuff that fills our conversations here -- community, embodiment, ministry of presence, living into the Kingdom... the difference, you see, is that he is really doing it. And we sit in my living room drinking beer. Or we hurl empassioned emails at each other in our online forum. Or we gather in our common space at school, on the pretty new couches I worked so hard to get (why did I choose that to be determined about? couches? really?). We speak in theory, and this guy lives in reality. I know we have to live in the tension... but it drives me crazy.

I came here to figure out how to do those things better, how to work harder for love and justice and peace to guide our lives and our society. And I have grown farther from what I was doing, farther from where I want to be, and I am less connected to the real work of justice. At Emory, I am farther from the real world, farther from the margins than I have ever been. And I don't know how to get back.

Exhausted

I slept through class this morning.
I spent most of the day sitting at my desk in the more-empty dining library.
I made potatoes, and they were different from the last time, but quite good.
I'm wearing comfortable, baggy, soft clothes and my eyes still look bright.
I've been reading about an idealist, really-lived-out Christian community and I feel more connected to it than to 75% of my classes at seminary.
I just read a blog by a friend, and I am overwhelmed at human cruelty and despair.
I have to write a sermon on the Transfiguration, and I think I'll talk about transformation in general as a Christian practice.

I have no idea what to do next.

Coasting

It's cold and dreary.
I am about to get on the road and drive 5 hours to the coast
for a retreat with the Wesleyans.
I have stocked a small squishy cooler with drinks.
I cleaned out the car.
I grabbed the games and some movies.
I packed a bit of homework and stuff to start my sermon for next week.
I even threw in some crocheting.

I don't really want to go.
I'm sure it will be lovely,
but I really just want to go put on pjs and
curl up in bed or on the sofa and watch movies all weekend.
Alas.

I'm off.


Oh, one more thing.
I skipped my first class of the semester today.
It has begun.
Rock on.

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..."

Driving, surrounded by mountains and trees

Today was good.
It was mostly uneventful, but really nice.
And so I will tell all about it, complete with beautiful, mundane details.

I woke up lazily, rolled out of the daybed in Dana's magic attic, climbed into the rocking chair and lolled around on the computer for a while.
I got cleaned up, and called an old college friend who lives near Dana's folks.
Dana and I went on a consumer mission, and I found excellent deals on memory (card for camera and stick for computer).
We had lunch from the Sheetz, which I have to say is just as exciting as I had heard. That ordering kiosk is fancy.
Then I put practically my whole computer on my newly acquired flash/jump/thumb drive.
Mid-afternoon, I headed out of Roanoke on I-81 North, hit I-66 East, and drove curvy, hilly roads passing numerous cows.
On the drive, I listened to Ben Kweller and Ben Lee. (I decided that the Bens -- Lee, Kweller, Folds, and perhaps Harper -- should get together and have some collaborative efforts. If they already have and I am oblivious to the existence of what is no doubt magical music, someone had better clue me in.)
I also utilized some drive time to call some friends. It's always good to catch up with folks, and it's especially nice when you are making plans to see them soon.
At some point, the sky started to darken as the sun set, and the mountains and the clouds began to blend together. I love that. I stopped at a rest area, ran across the parking lot, jumped on top of a picnic table and got some photo documentation of the blending.
I stopped at Target. I heart Target. I bought some champagne, a purple table runner (on clearance after xmas), and some Cheerios.
I proceeded to Beth and Kevin's house in Springfield, the next stop on my journey. Beth is all pregnant and gorgeous and lovely. And I get to hear her preach in the morning.
I drank the rest of their milk with my ham sandwich, so I went out to the grocery store while Kevin went to bed and Beth set out to finish her sermon. I bought the milk, and picked up more champagne. (I really like champagne, so I might be a little extra excited about New Year's Eve tomorrow.)
And now, I'm sitting in the papasan in Kevin's lime green office while Beth types away, listening to Christian music.

I love this roadtrip so far. It was a very good idea.
This morning, Dana and I counted up all the people on my "to see" list and I had at least 19 people on there from several categories/arenas of my life -- Candler people, college friends, high school friends, and relatives (both mine and those of my friends).
The stops on my whirlwind week and a half adventure include:
Roanoke, VA
Lexington, VA
Springfield, VA
Middleburg,VA
my aunt's house in Maryland just north of DC
Richmond, VA
Greensboro, NC
Mooresville, NC
(possibly Raliegh, NC)
and Lancaster county, SC
Then back to the ATL.

I really love Atlanta, and I am glad my parents live closer to Charleston and the ocean now, but there is just something about the mountains. You know on those old profile emails that used to go around like crazy, one of the questions was usually "Mountains or Beach?" I always had a very hard time deciding. I love them both. There is a serenity and beauty about the rolling mountains, the various shades of green (or blue in the early evening), the old and new farmhouses, the cows and their paths along the side of the hills, the twisty roads... And a similar peace and beauty comes in the warm sand, the roaring waves, the birds walking along the water's edge, the sea oats blowing in the warm breeze...
Here's the thing. I just love the world. I love being in it. I love travelling. I love seeing people, sharing stories, laughing over how things were and how things have changed.

Tigger in the Christmas tree. She would jump in the bottom branches, wind her way up, resting just about here... before flinging herself off the tree and across the room. 

Mom's kitten Tigger at Thanksgiving. She likes holidays... 

In Virginia Now

Had I written this at 4:30 yesterday, I could have said
"I've been comfortably in three states in 24 hours"
which would mean that I was hanging out at Grandma's in Florida
until about 5:00pm on Wed.,
slept Wed. night and had breakfast Thurs. morning at my mom's house in SC,
and got to Dana's in VA in time to shop a bit before dinner yesterday.
Since I didn't write this yesterday at 4:30pm, however, I will just write random stuff.

I have some fun and/or lovely pictures.
I will post them, never you fear.

Things:
- My brother got his bi-annual haircut. Praise the Lord.
- I did get to see some of my cousins, which was lovely.
- Not only do I really like brunswick stew and london broil, I'm also a big fan of honey-ham and delicious turkeys named Hank.
- I need to get another memory card thingy for my camera, some conditioner, and toothpaste.
- My winter coat (the new, fun purple one) is, as Anjie would put it, janky. The zipper got stuck last night, and will not get unstuck.
- Dana's parents have a whole room that is their shower, with no door.
- My one aunt gave me a subscription to Money magazine for Christmas, and another aunt gave me a cactus.

Today, we (Dana, Sara, and me) are going to see Craiggers!
We're having lunch, taking a tour of his historic town, and meeting his grandmother.
I'm stoked.

Here are my top albums right this minute
(which might really mean Top Roadtrip Albums right this minute):
Despite Our Differences by the Indigo Girls
Taking the Long Way by the Dixie Chicks
In Between Dreams by Jack Johnson
Awake is the New Sleep by Ben Lee

Christmas in Florida

Here are some things:

1. I like brunswick stew.
2. I like london broil.
3. I do not need to eat beefaroni again this week.
4. My brother has weird longish hair.
5. My aunts are plotting to marry me off to a guy from Grandma's church. (Never mind that he lives 7 hours away from me and is moving to New England, and I don't know him very well at all, but they think it would be soooo cute, and wouldn't it be great to unite our two good families from the church they all grew up in? I tried telling them that I'm 28 and can handle this sort of thing... )
6. I love my new purse that my dad gave me (that I picked out and that is quite similar to one I already have.)
7. I got some odd presents from the relatives.
8. I will not get to see all of my cousins this Christmas, and I got them really awesome gifts.
9. My brother and I are making delicious burgers tomorrow. I am stoked.
10. I'm going to Virginia on Thursday.
11. My aunts, brother, grandmother and I saw Happy Feet today. It was cute, and Sara was right -- she would love it.
12. Dinner was too big and I could not have reasonably been expected to eat pie.
13. I'm going to have to leave this house soon, get some air.
14. We are supposed to clean out the attic tomorrow. That does not sound fun to me. And it does not sound like I'll get to leave. Unless, of course, I follow my aunt's plan to stalk that guy in the church directory and get him to go to coffee with me.
15. My grandma has been officially diagnosed with Alzheimers, which explains some things and makes me very sad.


Merry Christmas, folks.

Finally Finished

I turned in my last final of the semester this morning.
Rock on.

We are watching a Gilmore's from a couple weeks ago,
and we're going to watch Christmast movies in a minute.

That's a fresher.
I'm going on break.

It's the middle of the night

and I'm working in the main Emory library for the first time since I started school here 2 and a half years ago.
I'm sitting with Candace, Sara and Parker on the main floor near the elevator, and it keeps dinging.
These college chickadees with their 80s throwback clothes and hair make me think Molly Ringwald is going to stop by any minute and put on lipstick with her cleavage.

More stuff I've learned:
* It's hard to be sneaky in cordoroys.
* I want some cookies.
* You know how in movies when they show college libraries, they have a huge room with rows of long tables with little lamps on them? Well, it's true. I was there, in that room, earlier.
* Snacks are helpful when trying to stay awake and write. (Sara and I took a field trip.)
* They will kick you out of the library for being too loud, but not for doing lunges while you walk.

oy with the exams already

I am:
- sitting at one of the new tables in Brooks Commons
- working on Theology of Wesley
- trying to finish this one essay before dinner at 6
- listening to classical music on my ipod, which I thought might be broken (it's not)
- getting restless

I have learned:
- that I like Schubert better than Tchaikovsky
- that my back hurts if I sit in these roll-y chairs too long
- John Wesley had quite the love ethic, arguing that love existed before faith and endured when faith fails
- that not many people are in Brooks on a Sunday afternoon

I wish I was:
- napping
- playing frisbee in the nice weather, though the sun is now setting
- going to the movies
- lying on the couch eating cookies
- able to finish this stuff quickly

I am ridiculous

I have LOADS of writing to do.
Tonight, we're having dinner with friends who can pry themselves away from their books.
Tomorrow, I have church and Wesley dinner.
Monday, I have a lunch for work.
And then everything is due Monday by 5:00.
I mean, holy crap.

And, I'm off!

Put some Poetry in my Life!

The Crazy Woman

I shall not sing a May song.
A May song should be gay.
I'll wait until November
And sing a song of gray.

I'll wait until November.
That is the time for me.
I'll go out in the frosty dark
And sing most terribly.

And all the little people
Will stare at me and say,
"That is the Crazy Woman
Who would not sing in May."

-- Gwendolyn Brooks



little tree
little silent Christmas tree
you are so little
you are more like a flower

who found you in the green forest
and were you very sorry to come away?
see i will comfort you
because you smell so sweetly

i will kiss your cool bark
and hug you safe and tight
just as your mother would,
only don't be afraid

look the spangles
that sleep all the year in a dark box
dreaming of being taken out and allowed to shine,
the balls the chains red and gold the fluffy threads,

put up your little arms
and i'll give them all to you to hold
every finger shall have its ring
and there won't be a single place dark or unhappy

then when you're quite dressed
you'll stand in the window for everyone to see
and how they'll stare!
oh but you'll be very proud

and my little sister and i will take hands
and looking up at our beautiful tree
we'll dance and sing
"Noel Noel"

-- e.e. cummings




Hey, Bacon!

The moon like:
mischievous bacon
crisps its desire

(while)

I harbor myself
toward two eggs
over easy.

-- Richard Brautigan

A Middle of the Night Collaborative Procrastinative Story

(A friend, or two, and I wrote this between 1:30 and 2:45am. Just guess which parts I wrote...)


When Alicia was 5 years old, she loved to climb trees.
One day, as she was climbing the tallest tree in the forest, she was attacked by a mutant super monkey who lived at the top of the tree in his high-tech simian lair.
The monkey's mutant trait was an excessively sophisticated wit, with which he verbally assaulted the startled but amused little girl.
Along with his wit, he was also a ninja monkey whose goal was to lead a primate rebellion and wipe out all of humanity, leaving himself as ruler of the world.
Luckily, young Alicia's strange childhood provided that she had several things going for her in this seemingly desperate situation: her mother was also a ninja, not to mention a mediator in the courts, and her father a gymnast, both of whom rigorously trained Alicia in their specialty arts from birth; her youth and small stature made her a quick, tiny target for the bumbly mutant ape; and her laughter was infectious.
Yes, the infectious laughter. For young Alicia had also been trained to use her voice as a weapon. It's sub-harmonic registers playing havoc with the monkey's inner ear.
But the monkey was prepared for this eventuality. He had tangled with Alicia's family before, as they were the only thing between him and his goal of conquest. The monkey activated his sonic dampeners. He then called for his gorilla henchmen to take care of the pesky Alicia.
What he didn't know is that Alicia, a very smart child whose grandfather was a zoologist, spoke gorilla and that she had befriended these gorillas on her way into the forest, when she had stumbled on an injured baby gorilla wedged under a log and had helped it become untrapped.
Unfortunately, this "baby" gorilla was a sleeper agent, whose task it was to insinuate himself into the good graces of Alicia's family. The Mutant Super Monkey had been searching everywhere for Alicia's grandfather, who had gone into hiding as he researched the secret of the monkey's power. The monkey knew that Alicia's grandfather, indeed her whole family, must be stopped.
"HMPH!" said the monkey.
Unfortunately, the infectious laughter was no laughing matter. It made it's way through the town below which is the reason Alicia climbed the tree in the first place. The people below belonged to the evangelical church that loved to laugh. They laughed so much, and blamed it on some deity mind you, that they all ended up dying. Twas a sad day indeed. The few remaining went to the tree on which Alicia climbed to find her...they were not pleased with her "infectious laughter Disease" in the least bit. And don't even get me started on what the monkey did when he got ILD.
When the townspeople arrived, however, Alicia knew she had a lot to deal with, especially for someone of her age. Unfortunately, the monkey's territory got so overrun by the townspeople and he was so affected by ILD that he didn't know where to start. The townspeople tried to grab Alicia, and the monkey tried to work his ninja moves on her. But no one could grab her. Rather their fingers all just grazed her, and Alicia was incredibly ticklish. Again, her laughter rang through the forrest, and the "baby" gorilla sleeper agent she had rescued fell victim to ILD. Alicia was distraught. She didn't like for anyone to be hurt, especially not at her own doing.
As the townspeople were tearing themselves apart, destroying their civilization, sinister alien forces were watching, waiting for the opportunity to strike. Little did Alicia know that she was the Earth's only hope, and a slim hope it was.
She was certainly slim, for her parents were health nuts and made sure she ate well and exercised plenty for her age and height. Regardless of her size, she possessed a wellspring of hope that had always impressed all who met her. She bubbled with joy, which, sadly, only increased the ILD. At this moment though, the one weapon she most regretted having -- laughter -- might be the only thing that could save the planet. If only she could convince the ninja monkey that they could work together, that her grandfather was not trying to harm the animals of the woods but wanted to find ways to use their collective powers for good. For she had learned much from her grandfather about love and kindness to others.
As she said these things to the monkey, she realized what a dirty hippy she truly was. "Oh my," said Alicia, "I sound like a nutjob."
Unfortunately, the aliens chose this moment of self-doubt to launch an all-out assault on the planet.
Since she was five and had no idea what the word "nutjob" could mean, it sounded incredibly funny to her. As tiny little kids often do, she couldn't stop laughing once she became amused with this word. She couldn't stop thinking about the acorns and pecans in her yard putting on clothes and going to work. And as she laughed, a strange thing happened. The aliens were not affected in the same way as humans. That is, it didn't kill them or cause them to thrash about as if in a demon-possessed trance. On the contrary, the aliens froze, listening to the magical sound of Alicia's laughter. Since they had been farther away before, the laughter had not reached them until they came close enough to launch their attack. Something began to change in the aliens. It was quite mysterious, and they couldn't quite explain it, though one tried, saying something about the "lifefluid-pumping internal organ" in his chest "becoming oddly less chilled." Sadly, the laughter was the end of the deranged ninja monkey. But the aliens had a change of their strangely warmed hearts, and simply picked a few flowers and grabbed one dog to take back with them to their own galaxy. Alicia climbed down from the tree, skipped home, and told her story to her parents. Interestingly enough, they did not believe her, which is a common problem for five year olds with incredible stories to tell.

Just a Few Things

* Dana says I am a bluebird, if I were to be an animal that is. She says I am generally cheerful, and I flit from place to place. I contend that I am a cat. Evidently, I have a different image of cats than other people, because she said "nooo" and squished up her face in that Dana way. Here's my case: I like to climb things and I have a compulsion to try to fit into small spaces (like I always want to crawl under my desk in my office -- I know I would fit). Also, I have lots of energy and curiosity like a kitten, and I like to wander like an outdoor cat. Although I am usually pretty happy, I can be finicky and it's pretty easy to tell when I'm upset or unhappy (I don't hiss, but I may growl a little from time to time). I like to be near people (but I don't need to jump all over them like a dog, just graze them and perhaps get a bit of attention or affection, maybe curl up next to them). Although I like to be active and adventurous, I can lie on the couch for hours on end (usually watching some reality tv marathon or Gilmores on dvd).

* The Christmas party tonight at Wesley was fun, and we made a huge mess. Also, I am not good at estimating how much food we'll need. I have a really good group of students.

* I really like my Christmas tree. It's fake, but I so don't care because that just means I get to keep it. It has white lights and silver and red ornaments and a big star on top, and I love seeing it through the window when I get home and walk toward the apartment.

* It's really hard to find gingerbread houses, and even harder to find gingerbread people.

* My fingers and wrists hurt right now. They don't usually anymore, so it's startling. I wonder if the weather is changing.

* I'm excited about my plans for break. After spending Christmas in Florida with family, I'm hoping to head up to Virginia around New Year's to visit a lot of folks I know from different stages of my life who are all connected to this one commonwealth. I'll stop by G'boro on the way there or back and hopefully get to see a lot of wonderful people that I love and miss. And maybe I'll get to meet a Hokie chicken. ("You put your right wing in, you put your right wing out...")

* I'm going to need to watch some Christmas movies soon. Here's the list: It's A Wonderful Life, White Christmas, Love Actually, Home Alone, Mighty Ducks

I'm halfway normal, according to this quiz

Your Quirk Factor: 49%

You're a pretty quirky person, but you're just normal enough to hide it. Congratulations - you've fooled other people into thinking you're just like them!

How Quirky Are You?

It's the last day of classes

And I skipped them.

I have a paper to write.
Huge surprise.
And I haven't been able to make myself do it.
Again, shocking, I know.

I have half a page out of 5.
I'm 1/10 of the way there.
Awesome.

Ugggh.

Some tidbits

* In the last week, I drank 256 oz of orange juice. That's 2 gallons. That's 32 glasses, which averages out to 4.5 glasses a day, but really it was in more concentrated bursts than that. Like some days I drank 8 glasses and today I just drank 1 and a half.

* Today, I have eaten about a half a box of Andes mints. That's about 14 mints. According to the nutrition facts on the back of the box, that's less than 2 servings.

* I am only halfway finished with my tiny little 4 page paper, but I am out of things to say.

* It has gotten really cold here. Like freezing. Seriously, it's 32 degrees in the ATL right now.

* I'm over this semester. I'm not technically finished with stuff until the 18th, though, so I have to find a way to keep my head in the game for two more weeks! But really just through the end of this week, and then it's reading week and I will have spurts of productivity as things approach their due dates.

* I'm kind of stoked about the Fall Social on Thursday, which is really just a coffeehouse with Candlerites performing. There will be desserts, though, and I'm bringing my alltime specialty. That's right, the Rice Krispy Bars will make an appearance.

* This is US-2 week in the ATL. Three former US-2s are converging upon the city, and I get to hang out with them! Super stoked about that!

* Please please please go to www.mississippibelieveit.com. Read some of the ads. It's worth it. And be sure to check out the store. The drinkware category made me laugh aloud.

4 Pages

I have a paper to write.
Only 4 pages.
Not that hard.
So why can't I start it?

Ugh!

So it's possible that you can't believe this

but I'm still sick.
I think I'm finally on the upswing, though.
My voice is considering negotiations
after going on strike yesterday.

Here's the update:
When I went to the doctor on Friday, she said that it was a turning point day.
She said that I would either get better or worse, and that I would know in 48 hours whether I should fill the prescription she gave me for a z-pack.
She was right. I knew.

Now, admittedly I did sing along to a few songs at the Dixie Chicks concert on Saturday, but I did hold back on most of them -- I either just listened or silently mouthed the words along. But I woke up Sunday morning with no voice. Well, perhaps with the voice of a frog. Ribbit.

Then yesterday, I was supposed to serve communion at church. So, I went and found the lady who coordinates communion.
In my froggy voice, I said "I'm supposed to serve communion, but I'm sick."
She said "You certainly are."
I said "What should I do?"
She said "I think it would be best if I take your place. It's very considerate of you to forego this opportunity so that others don't get sick."
And then she told someone else that I was going home.

Instead, I planned the Love Feast service for Wesley last night -- even typing out the prayers I would use and what I would say at transitions, which was helpful since Matt had to read most of it.
I think the service went well, though, and Dana sharing about her tradition gave the service a deeper significance and broader context.
And the cider and hawaiian rolls were delicious.

Here's some other news:
-- I like wearing scarves. Flowy, solid-colored ones.
-- I have a lot of work to do. Tomorrow, I have a presentation, a paper proposal due, and a paper due. Wednesday, I have another paper due.
-- I have been drinking a LOT of hot tea and orange juice this week.
-- This is the last week of classes.
-- It's cold.
-- It's also bright and sunny.
-- The little old lady who volunteers in the office at my apt complex is both grumpy and really funny.

Rock on.

Tis' the Season!

It got cold today, like the weather knew it was December now.
Yesterday it was hot. In fact, this morning it was hot.
But now it's colder.

I just put up the Christmas tree.
We have yet to decorate it,
but I'm listening to Burl Ives.

Christmas is coming...




p.s. I'm still sick. But I went to the dr. and she said that fluorescent snot is normal at this stage...

functional

I'm still sick, but it's a bit better.
I just finished the gallon of OJ I bought on Monday afternoon.
I have definitely been drinking plenty of fluids.
In fact, I think I'll have some hot tea now.

sniffle, sniffle, sigh

I'm sick.
My brother coughed all over me all weekend.
I have avoided being sick all semester.

I made a pot of veggie beef soup when I got home last night.
Delicious, nutritious, and soothing.

I slept in 2 hour spurts.
I think the next one is coming...

Here's something I remembered yesterday:

One of my favorite things about small, southern country towns is that most gas stations have a kitchen with potato wedges at lunchtime and biscuits in the morning.

I went to my old high school yesterday see a friend of mine who is now a math teacher there, and afterward I stopped at the gas station across the street. I got a bottle of water and a bacon biscuit. Less than $2. Awesome.

The Turkey Day

So, my parents have 2 parsonages (houses).
Mom's has beds and satellite.
Phil's has a dining room, cell phone reception, and internet.
Thus, we have shuttled back and forth all weekend.
We slept at Mom's (home -- where our beds and tv is)
but we had Thanksgiving dinner at Phil's.

Just as we were about to start cooking the turkey,
Phil got a message from a church member who had
a half a fried turkey that he wanted to give us.
That was fine with us -- way easier.
So, I made some rockin' mashed potatoes and green beans,
Mom made stuffing, some cranberry something, and several pies.
Shannon made the gravy, and he and Phil both helped with the potatoes.
Now that I've given culinary credit where credit is due,
I'll say that it was quite delicious
and I did not feel compelled to eat until I popped.

Then I took a shower
(I had spent most of T-giving in my pjs),
took a 2 hour nap,
and woke up in time to watch Grey's Anatomy and ER.

Good day.

Friday and Saturday, Shanfro and I went to Charleston.
I heart Charleston.

Good weekend.

waiting...

I'm sitting in Brooks Commons
waiting for my project-group-mates.
I have nothing to do while I wait.
I suppose I could read the ethics book in my backpack.
I already tried to call a couple people.
And I'm more than a little sleepy.
Which is weird because I slept plenty.

So, I'll make a list of things I'd rather be doing:
1. eating chocolate chip cookies
2. sitting on the couch in my pjs watching movies (which is what I did all yesterday)
3. taking a nap
4. going out to dinner
5. shopping for new sweaters
6. playing frisbee, though it's a bit cold today
7. doing cartwheels in my office
8. climbing something, or hiding under something
9. talking to someone
10. swinging on the swings at Turner Village with a friend
11. jumping on a trampoline
12. crocheting a scarf
13. climbing a tree (that's more specific than the earlier urge to just climb something)
14. cooking and/or eating turkey
15. listening to the new cds I bought last week

Peaceful, after John knocked the plant into the lamp onto Jay some times.