Master Plan

So I don't exactly have the best track record when it comes to keeping this little ole blog updated. The little number next to the months in the archives hardly ever goes above 4, if even that. I would say one of my new year resolutions would be to update this more, but a) that would be a lie and b) I don't make new year resolutions, so that pretty much just explains the first point. Anyway, if you're still reading, kudos! You definitely gained some cool points in my book, or you would rather just spend your Friday nights alone cuddled up in your jammies with a classic DVD in, a gallon of rocky road, some nice candles from Target (jasmine bamboo is my personal favorite-- it smells like an L.L. Bean catalog), and google reader just calling your name. But hey, that's just a guess.

Anyway, keeping on the track of self-disclosure, while I'm enjoying my typical Friday night (re-read that last paragraph one more time if you still don't get it) I usually paint my nails. I don't think it's any big secret that I'm not very fashion-forward, so trying to keep up with fun nail colors is about as trendy as I get. Enter my favorite nail varnish, possibly of all time: Essie in Master Plan. I wear it to class, to work, and I would have worn it to deb ball but my mom made me change it. It wasn't worth the arguement, you know? Anyway, I get SO many compliments on it! It's fun and fresh and a wonderful neutral but still a little understated and semi-professional. Bonus: it transitions seasons well because I wore it all summer, through fall, and into winter. Bam. Talk about bang for your buck.

Going back into my first thought of being a bad blogger, sorry this post is weird in my sad little attempt to give you something to gander upon on your kicking Friday night. Especially considering I just posted a picture of my fingernails for you to see. Awkward? Eh, good thing we're friends. And if we aren't, we sure as heck are now.

But what are your favorite nail colors? I've heard everyone talking about OPI's You Don't Know Jacques, but haven't been brave enought to try it!

My Life in Lists #14

Eleven Things I’ve learned from Mary Poppins:

1. Well begun is half-done.

2. Promises are like pie crusts: easily made, easily broken.

3. In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun, and snap! The job’s a game.

4. Supercallifragilisticexpialidocious: when the cat has got your tongue, there’s no need to dismay! Just summon up this word, and then you’ve got a lot to say.

5. When you’re with a sweep, you’re in glad company.

6. Practically perfect people never permit sentiment to muddle their thinking.

7. Never explain anything.

8. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down in the most delightful way.

9. Close your mouth. We are not a codfish.

10. Never judge things by their appearance… even carpetbags.

11. Don’t fall and smudge the drawing.

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to the coolest/sassiest/best dad ever.

To the man who taught me...

... it's okay to make mistakes.

... growing up is hard.

... being young should be fun.

... life's too short be be taken too seriously.

... ironing pleats is a useful skill.

... it's all right to stay young at heart.

... staking your claim on the beach early in the morning and rolling back to bed is the way to go.

... you can eat a grilled cheese anytime of day.

... everything doesn't have to be planned out.

... it's good to keep your options open.

... eating well is a key to happiness.

... laughter should come deep from your belly.

... keeping up relationships with friends and family is the best thing you can do.

... it's not about the grades you make, but the hands you shake.

... being silly is never overrated.

... I'm always welcome home.

My not-so-obligatory-yet-still-important "what I learned sophomore year: part one" list

I was going to wait until May to post this, but I learned a whole lot in one semester, so why wait?

1. You know that saying, "Revenge is a dish best served cold?" Oh no, it should be more like, "Revenge is dish that should be served as a corndog." Not quite as catchy, but wayyyy more true.

2. If you're going to whip your hair back and forth, just be careful not to shatter a glass.

3. Check the boxes before taking multiple cold medicines in one night.

4. Just say no to glitter. In any way, shape, or form.

5. Vienna waits for you.

6. True friends are the ones who will pee in their pants from laughter in front of you. And admit it.

7. Always grab your tiger card on the way out for a fire drill. And a bra.

8. Aerosols should always be sprayed outside.

9. "I was afraid it was going to rain" is not a legit excuse for taking jeep doors up the elevator in front of the RA.

10. Always keep a plunger in the guest bathroom.

11. Find the most private bathrooms. And keep them a secret.

12. You're never too old to watch childhood movies. And maybe even cry just a little bit.

13. Lygers DO exist.

14. It's okay to want your life to turn out just like Kathleen Kelly's.

15. Life's too short to eat bad steak.

16. Sometimes it's socially acceptable to make mildly inappropriate comments in class.

17. Never tweet negatively about Paula Deen.

18. Stalking members of the men's swim team is no big deal, as long as you feel good about it.

19. Having a name that fits perfectly on scantrons will never get old.

20. Mentally hashtagging life is a sign that you tweet too much. #totesoutofcontrol

21. Any word worth having in your vocabulary is one that can easily be abbreved.

22. If you're going to shower, at least jazz it up with some bath crayons.

23. Asian night in Tiger Zone will beat you. Every single time.

24. Outdoor concerts are the best kinds of concerts.

25. Live on the sassy side of life.

26. Maple doughnuts are only for people like Buddy the elf.

27. Sometimes you just have to throw away a trash can.

28. Don't eat waffles if you're allergic to them. Or go to a Waffle House.

29. Three turns should do it, I think.

30. Don't be a Connie.

31. 5 hour energy shots taste like chalk. Chase it down with some chocolate milk or something.

32. If you're going to faint at the doctor's office, best go to Urgent Care on South College.

33. Sometimes you just have to cry on your way to class. Life happens.

34. You can't sweet talk your way into the hay field parking the night before a big game. No matter how cute you are.

35. Life's weird.

words to live by

now i lay me down to study

One of my favorite shows of all time (Pushing Daisies, too bad it was cancelled after only two seasons) best describes how I feel about hugs:

It's like an emotional Heimlich. Someone puts their arms around you and they give you a squeeze and all of your fear and anxiety come shooting out of your mouth in a big wet wad and you can breath again.

(go to 1:25)

In the midst of midterms, I find it so easy to lose sight of what's important and throw myself thoroughly and wholly into school. Yes, that's why I'm in Auburn, but I can make myself absolutely sick just dwelling on tests. So I've finally figured out some of the best ways to combat test anxiety:

1. Prayer. Giving it all to the Lord is the best way to go, but that doesn't excuse a lack of sufficiently preparing.

2. A hug. For real, I thrive on hugs. REAL hugs. Not wimpy side hugs.

3. Taking a walk. Auburn is seriously the best place on earth to take a walk. Either a brisk walk to get the blood flowing or a leisurely stroll. However, it's not usually relaxing unless with a friend.

4. Taking a drive with the windows down. I was never a believer in this until Abby showed me how it was done.

5. A cup of mint tea (sans caffeine). There's just a relaxing property to mint like nothing else.

bloom where you are planted

"I've been praying for like-minded people."

Oh, how this has been the theme of our room thus far. I never knew so much encouragement and pure, unadulterated elation could live within four walls. It's so amazing how much easier it is to just do the gross and gritty stuff of life when you live with your biggest cheerleaders. Their love for me and each other isn't even an iota of our Savior's love for us. How satisfying is it to daily feel the Lord directing our paths and delighting in every detail of our lives? I've learned to rest in the promises of the Lord, even today as I drove home in the pouring rain (Genesis 9:11). This has already been such a year of growth: in who I am as a person, a student, a friend, a sister, and a daughter, despite everything being really crazy. It's that good crazy, you know? The chaos that comes with an overabundance of joy.

"Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know Him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring." Hosea 6:3

"i'm a major weeper"

"Jesus wept."

John 11:35

Preface: I'm a nerd, in a big way.

I'm in a few literature classes this semester, but today in British Lit I we were discussing a text from the fourteenth century. In the midst of our ridiculous class discussion (my class seriously rocks) the question was raised: was this woman crying merely for attention or as a true display of her penetrating sorrow? One point, which I found particularly convincing, was that her tears were a sign of her vulnerability and since she was weeping in public further drove home how humiliating this must have been for her to openly display such an intimate expression of emotion. Since the text we were reading was a religious work, the allusion to Jesus Christ's overwhelming sorrow in the Garden of Gethsemane soon before His crucifixion was made (Mark 14:32-52). How humbling of an experience must it have been to beg before the Father, asking Him to take away the cup of suffering? What a mighty love did it take for God to follow through with His plan, and Jesus to willingly partake? Sometimes I learn more in the classroom than I ever bargain for, and I'm so thankful for that.

motivation

There are days (such as today) that I just have to write down my goals and remember that every little thing, no matter how trivial, gets me one step closer.

I have learned, that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

Henry David Thoreau

pondering...

Not that I'm very math-minded, but I bet if we were to graph all of the fire alarms in Auburn dorms, the all-girls dorms would have more than any other buildings on campus.

a strange new phenomenon

I love back to school shopping. Seriously, it's like a sick pleasure how much I love trips to office supply stores. I wish someone would send me a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils one day. Anyway, this year's shopping list included the usual suspects: binders, paper, felt tip pens, good ink pens, post-it notes of many colors, index cards, so on and so forth. But upon going to class for the first days, it became apparent that I was indeed missing something that I found to be of great necessity.

I said I would never wear one.

I felt like I never understood people who did.

It never dawned on me how much I was missing.

The satisfaction that comes from it is positively disgusting.

So, I caved.

I did what I said I wouldn't.

I bought...

...a wristwatch.

Not only did I buy it, I sport it every single day. And I'm a huge advocate of the previously misunderstood accessory. Even one of my roommates was coveting said watch so much, she had to go out and buy one, too. And the other roommate is going to get one as well.

I think this sudden change of heart stemmed from the fact that professors have gotten really hard on cell phones in class. Some of mine even threatened to kick students out if they even lay eyes on a phone. And apparently Auburn can't put clocks in all of the classrooms...so, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Who knew such a tiny device could bring so much unadulterated delight.

And this is the part where I apologize to all the wristwatch wearers out there, and hope that you will accept this convert into your special society.

Observations from suburbia...part three

I had a great summer job. Really. It was so perfect for right now. But it had its...moments.

For example...

Wednesday. A lady comes and buys a robe for her daughter. Mom picks out monogramming. Great. Saturday. Daughter comes to pick up robe. She cries. Literal tears streaming down her face. No, it's not the wrong initials. No, it's not a family heirloom that has been ruined. She just hates the font. She thinks it's too "scripty." The font used was almost block. Picks another monogram. Leaves. Tuesday. Daughter returns to store. Picks up robe for the SECOND time. Just looks at it. Manager asks if there's anything wrong. Girl stares some more. Monogram is fine. Manager asks if we need to take it out. Again. Girl quietly says no. Girls Leaves. We take bets on if she went to her car and cried. There are just bigger things in life to worry about, you know?

I can't leave this kind of drama.

But it gets better.

This is the story that will forever go down as the best work moment of all time:

I'm in the back of the store taking inventory. Cake is sitting on the table. Owner is holding a stocking in one hand and juggling something else in the other. Stocking and cake make contact. Icing is on stocking. Owner licks icing off of stocking. I stare. I ask owner, "Did you just lick that stocking?" Owner responds, "Well, I guess I just did." Owner giggles. I stare. No further conversation needed. (Side note: the stocking never made it out to the sales floor.)

Or this one...

Owner is helping customer. Customer finds aromatherapy bottles. Customer wants to smell a different scent. Owner opens a different bottle. Owner spills liquid everywhere. Owner walks in the back and says, "I spilt that stuff all over me, and now I smell like a french whorehouse." More expletives used. Question remains: how does she know what a french whorehouse smells like?

But then again, sometimes my job involves just listening to people.

One day, a lady told me that she needed a gift for a cousin with whom she had just reconnected. Great. That's still a little more than I need to know, but not too intimate. She keeps going. Apparently, said cousin's great grandparents took a covered wagon out to Idaho. This is when I know I'll be keeping on my fake smile for quite some time. Customer continues to tell me about what life was like out west back in those days. Lady, I took years of American History classes AND played Oregon Trail back in the day. I think I have an idea. Plus, YOU WEREN'T THERE. I don't care how much it snowed. Does that affect the huge linen pillowcase you're buying? Didn't think so.... The things we do to make sure customers are happy in the store.

Frequently overheard phrases:

Crap-a-doodle-doo

If it's not one thing, it's your mother

Shut the front door.

Oh, WHOA.

Are you KIDDING me?

I'm having a hot flash.

You're a hot mess.

We got another email from Indonesia...

My Life in Lists #10

ten songs GUARANTEED to get stuck in your head...all. day. long.

1. Private Eyes Daryl Hall and John Oates Basically, all of their songs are super catchy. But, that double clap thing is the clincher, for sure.

2. (I Just) Died in Your Arms Tonight Cutting Crew I don't even know what it is about this song that makes it so addicting. But it is.

3. Ice Ice Baby Vanilla Ice When have you heard someone say, "Stop," and you (either verbally or mentally) add "collaborate and listen"? That's right, word to your mother.

4. Never Gonna Give You Up Rick Astley Does it count as being rick-rolled if it wasn't a surprise?

5. Just Dance Lady Gaga Because this song is SO catchy, it is seriously the best to use when you're trying to memorize information quickly. If you ever need to know the 17 essential elements for plants, Lady Gaga and I have you covered.

6. Whip It Devo What is this song even about?

7. What Is Love Haddaway A Night at the Roxbury, thank you.

8. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go Wham! This song is my alarm on my phone. Just in case you wanted to know.

9. Everybody Have Fun Tonight Wang Chung Everybody have fun tonight...

10. The Lion Sleeps Tonight The Tokens Wimoweh. Wimoweh. Wimoweh.

observations from suburbia...part two

Back in 8th grade, I took an etiquette class with a bunch of my friends. We addressed the usual: table manners, ballroom dancing, phone etiquette...pretty standard stuff. However, we neglected to bring up the entirely different code for another place: the gym. If you spend enough time in there, you pick up on the rules pretty quickly, especially if you're the subject of nasty, sweaty-browed glares and you can feel the judgement strapping you in like a decent sports bra.

The choice of a machine is a potential hotbed for latent anger by fellow gym-goers. Unless you go to an all-ladies fitness center, the boys bring their similar attitudes about urinals with them to the gym: it's practically a sin to pick a machine right next to someone.
First it's awkward.
Then they think you're trying to one-up them.
So it turns into a race.
First it's who can actually move the fastest.
Then it's all about bumping up resistance/slope.
Then whoever appears to be in the most distress is automatically deducted points.
But whosoever shall abandon his or her machine first is automatically the loser, especially if it was the person who started the whole controversy in the beginning.

So...there's a lot to learn.

Then there's the whole "wipe down the machine with the provided moist towlettes" thing. Watching someone walk up to a machine without first wiping it down is like watching someone leave the bathroom without washing their hands. Utter disgust. Especially if you're on a treadmill or an elliptical, or any other machine that is sweat-inducing. So it's expected that everyone wipe it down before beginning. But then there are people who sweat exorbitant amounts. Like just walking into the gym kicks their sweat glands into overdrive. Hey, I'm one of them. It's cool. But if you're going to sweat all over the place, it's a common courtesy to also wipe down the machine post workout. Look, we don't want to spread swine flu, hepatitis, or the bubonic plague here. Just keep your germy business to yourself and we can all workout peacefully.

And then there's the locker room.

Let's be honest; I spend as little time in there as possible. And when I say that, I really mean I will only enter if I absolutely MUST use the restroom right at that very moment. But it's just an awkward place. Not that I spend an extensive amount of time in men's locker rooms, but I have a feeling the women's locker room atmosphere is like another world entirely. Firstly, it's always clean. There's no water splashed around. And it is every woman's responsibility to keep it that way. You just stare straight ahead at the lockers. You don't even talk. You gather your stuff as quickly as possible. You leave. Personal stuff can be taken care of at home. No need to do it in front of everyone else.

I mean, those are just the basics. You can REALLY get yourself in hot water if you run the wrong direction on the track. Or if you stand too close in line at the water fountain. Or if your stare starts to linger, then turns into full on creeping. Or if you start singing out loud to your music. Or if you yell at the TV. (Exception: During World Cup games, it's okay to yell. Everyone does it.) Or if you try to talk on your cell phone and workout, because, really, who are you kidding? Someone needs to write a book on this. Or offer a class. Let's save some people some embarrassment and help them out.

my cup runneth over

I'm getting ready to get personal.

(So bow out now if you can't deal with mushy-gushy feelings.)

But it is because my heart is happy and my boots are light.

(And maybe because I watched Peter Pan last night.)

This is such a sweet, sweet phase of life I'm in right now.

Seriously, as I drove home tonight I just thanked the Lord for where I am in my life right now. I'm not in a hurry to grow up, but I have a satisfiable degree of independence. I'm confident in myself, but aware that I still have plenty of growing to do and mistakes to make. I'm not worried about the pressures of this world, but have hope in the eternal. I have precious friends who are each a blessing in their very own way. Laughter, joy, and encouragement are never lacking. I don't want to wish away the rest of my life to stay in these moments, as greater things are yet to come, but I will always cherish this special time.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.

"By the grace of God, I am what I am..." I Corinthians 15:10a

Maybe I'm the only one who missed it, but "Peter Pan" has some pretty deep themes on life, love, and happiness.

the love of God

"The love of God is one of the great realities of the universe, a pillar upon which the hope of the world rests. But it is a personal, intimate thing, too. God does not love populations, He loves people. He loves not masses, but men. He loves us all with a mighty love that has no beginning and can have no end. In Christian experience there is a highly satisfying love content that distinguishes it from all other religions and elevates it to heights far beyond even the purest and noblest philosophy. This love content is more than a thing; it is God Himself in the midst of His Church singing over His people. True Christian joy is the heart's harmonious response to the Lord's song of love."

A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy

if you're happy and you know it

laissez les bon temps rouler

Tonight I made this jambalaya for Beck, MB, and C. I love love love Kraft recipes. They're always simple, always delicious, and relatively inexpensive. As much as I feel like being a professional when a recipe calls for teaspoon after teaspoon of some exotic spice, I like the freedom that Kraft recipes bring. Tonight, I was feeling like using Turkey sausage instead of regular sausage (SO much better, it is a great substitution) and then I felt like doubling the sausage because it's so good. So I did. I increased the amount of oil I needed. I cooked the rice with the chicken broth and tomatoes and THEN mixed everything else I sauteed. I didn't use a whole green pepper. I just feel like such a rule-breaker (terribly out of my character), but it's nice. I feel like I'm actually learning to cook this way. And it's kind of a metaphor for life. You don't always have to measure everything out perfectly. Sometimes you need to take a chance and mix things up a bit. Who knows? Something even greater could be the result. But then again, I learned that from making JAMBALAYA. Who knows what all I could learn from cooking a 5 or 6 course meal...