Welcome to Procrastination Station

Prayers needed

2010-02-24T21:28:00.004-05:00

My heart has been heavy these past several weeks for two families. If you are a praying person, please pray for them.

Our dear friends gave birth to their precious baby girl at 24 weeks, and she is now in the NICU. You can find updates here.

On Tuesday, a sweet college friend passed away after becoming very ill with the flu, which turned to pneumonia and then septicemia. Jenny was so genuinely kind and full of grace. I cannot believe that this beautiful wife, mother, sister, daughter and friend is gone. I have no words to offer at a time like this that can ease what her family is going through. That said, a line from Marilynne Robinson's Gilead (where she quotes from Revelation 21:4) came to my mind today:

Augustine says the Lord loves each of us as an only child, and that has to be true. "He will wipe the tears from all faces." It takes nothing from the loveliness of the verse to say that is exactly what will be required.

Life does not make sense. I have no wisdom to give, and nothing but grief and anger. But I will still pray.

My perfect body

2009-10-29T22:05:00.012-05:00

I've got a perfect body
But sometimes I forget
I've got a perfect body
Cause my eyelashes catch my sweat
--Regina Spektor, "Folding Chair"

I heard this song yesterday, and the above lyrics really struck me. If one were to ask me to describe my body, "perfect" is probably the last word I would use. And, to be honest, asking me isn't even necessary -- I'm all too ready to volunteer to anyone the various things about my body that I dislike. Things that I see as flaws; that I tell myself I have to work harder to change. Like the pooch of my lower belly and the layer of fat that has collected there. The cellulite on my thighs. The size and shape of my butt. The number on the scale. The number on the tag of my jeans. How much my upper arms jiggle when I gesture or wave at someone. I could keep going, and most women I know have their own, seemingly never-ending list as well.

But how often do I stop to consider how amazing -- and indeed, how perfect -- my body actually is? Right now my fingers are moving across the keyboard to type these words, doing exactly what my brain is telling them to do. If I want a drink of water, I can get off of the couch, walk to the kitchen and pour myself one. I can walk and run. I can lift a box, drive a car, scratch my nose, read a book, go to sleep, see color, eat food, hear music....you get the point.

Actually, I take that back. I don't think we get the point. The fact is that I, along with most (if not all) of the persons reading these words right now, have a perfect body. A body that moves when I want to move. A body that functions exactly how it is designed to function. If I get cut or bruised, my body heals. My heart pumps blood to all of my organs. My face can change expressions at my command. And I have eyelashes that catch my sweat. Perfection. But the way we talk about and think about our bodies -- defining them by their miniscule flaws -- portrays the opposite.

It shouldn't take something going wrong, like an accident, or cancer, or a disability, or the flu, for us to appreciate how perfectly our bodies are working for us all the time. I often say that I want to be good to my body, meaning that I want to eat healthier foods and exercise more. But that's only part of it. I want to be good to my body in my thoughts and words as well. When I think and say things like "I feel so fat" or "my [miscellaneous body part] is so gross," I'm dishonoring the healthy and strong body that serves me every day and night. Comments like that are not okay. They are ignorant, harmful, and false.

As I was getting into bed last night, I said it out loud: "I have a perfect body." It felt strangely odd to say it; but I believe that it's true. And I think all of us, especially women, need a reminder of this truth to counter the barrage of messages we receive each day about what a "perfect" body actually is.

Grace Post 16

2009-08-21T23:18:00.003-05:00

1. A morning run on the beach with the love of my life

2. Sunscreen

3. Pina Coladas

4. A midnight text message announcing the arrival of beautiful Harper Belle

5. Spending an entire week without ever knowing what time it is

GiST 15

2009-08-09T20:41:00.002-05:00

1. A perfect, sweet nectarine

2. A debate, unresolved, that ends in hugs and civility

3. The feeling at the end of a run -- that perfect mixture of accomplishment, exhaustion, and "I'm so glad that's over...and so glad that I did it."

4. Picking which books to bring to the beach. So far: Ahab's Wife (which I haven't had a chance to pick up since our last vacation), The Bluest Eye, Home, and a bunch of New Yorker magazines. I'll probably be adding to this list.

5. N.T. Wright on women in the early church:

Grace 14

2009-08-02T20:38:00.003-05:00

1. Four-part acapella harmony

2. Barefoot Contessa Macaroni and Cheese (Make this. It is so easy and amazingly delicious -- trust me. I don't add the tomatoes because they are unnecessary, as the gruyere/cheddar cheese sauce with cavatappi is perfection on its own.)

3. A Saturday with no plans

4. Finishing the wine bottle while watching Arrested Development

5. Round tables

Grace 13 and other random notes

2009-07-26T21:34:00.004-05:00

I know these posts are lazy. I'd like to write more, but work has been too busy lately to take the time needed to do so. Matt and I went to see King Lear today at the Shakespeare Theatre Company downtown, and it was fantastic. The acting and the adaptation were outstanding. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though it was definitely the most violent play I've ever seen. Not much blood, but lots of dramatic and occasionally drawn-out deaths (not to mention the disturbing Gloucester blinding scene, for those of you who know the play). One character was strangled with a tie, and that scene lasted for what felt like ten minutes with lots of struggling. Matt made me laugh afterwards by saying that he was tempted to call out "okay, I think he's dead already, he's been without air for about ten minutes now!" Admittedly though, if I were a Shakespearean actor, and had a death scene, I would probably want to drag it out and make it as dramatic as possible too.

While we're on the subject of disturbing yet worthwhile activities, I recommend listening to this interview of Carroll Pickett by Terry Gross, from NPR's program Fresh Air. Pickett served as a death row chaplain in Huntsville, Texas for thirteen years. He ministered to 95 prisoners who were executed by lethal injection. Although when he began his ministry, he was supportive of the death penalty, his experiences led him in a different direction. The interview is quite moving, and discusses a documentary that came out last year called "At the Death House Door."

So...now on to happier things. The grace for today:

1. Cotton skirts

2. Freshly folded and cleaned laundry

3. Shared by a friend, with tears, John 11:40: Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

4. Frozen pomegranate margaritas

5. Lotil cream (the best stuff for cuticles -- trust me)

Grace Post 12

2009-07-22T22:19:00.002-05:00

1. Lemon Meringue Pie frozen custard
2. A tuned piano
3. Yoga in the morning
4. Sleeping next to the one you love
5. Cold water

Just something I want to remember

2009-07-21T21:23:00.005-05:00

Matt and I went to see the Indigo Girls a couple of weeks ago at Wolf Trap. I love seeing shows there -- the amphitheatre is beautiful, surrounded by nature, and has surprisingly great acoustics for an open-air stage. Plus they let you bring your own food and wine to picnic on the lawn while you watch a show.

We arrived just in time to see the opening act, Matt Nathanson. We found a small area of grass, set up our blanket, opened a bottle of wine and leaned back to enjoy the show. People around us were singing, and smiling. We ate sea salt popcorn, hummus with pita chips, half of a chocolate bar.

Raindrops started to fall, but our umbrella and an extra towel kept us fairly dry. Right before the Indigo Girls came out, though, the sky opened up. Matt and I huddled under our tiny umbrella, our hands slipping as we tried to cover up our cooler and other belongings, thinking that surely this would pass after a few minutes.

It didn't. It kept raining, harder and harder, and thunder clapped loudly, joining the harmony of the guitars onstage. "What do you think?" Matt asked. "I don't know. Maybe it's about to stop?" Another clap of thunder answered me, and I started to feel cold water gushing down my back. We were getting soaked, and the rain wasn't letting up.

We glanced at each other again, laughing, resigned. Time to make a run for it. So we hastily gathered up everything, trying not to slip down the grassy slope leading toward the stage. My hair was sticking to my face, dripping cold drops down onto my neck and shoulders. Carefully avoiding the poncho-clad fans still spread out on the lawn, who were determined to stick it out, we made for the car, laughing and yelling as we splashed through huge puddles that submerged our pant legs and soaked our socks. The rain continued to pour down, and we ran hunched over, as if it were possible to keep our faces from getting wet. I was giggling at the sight of Matt running, knowing I looked just the same.

When we reached the car, we threw everything in the backseat, slammed the doors and collapsed, soaking, into our seats. As we drove home through the rain, seeing flashes of lightning in the distance, we blared music from the radio, singing along at the top of our lungs.

Well done, Jimmy Carter

2009-07-20T15:42:00.008-05:00

Jimmy Carter has announced that he is leaving the Southern Baptist church based on its treatment of women. Although Carter had distanced himself from the Southern Baptist Convention back in 2000, his recent statement severs all ties with his former church, and comes as an indictment of all churches for their mistreatment of women. While it makes me sad that he and others have had to leave their church heritage over this issue, I admire him for doing so.

Grace Post 11

2009-07-14T21:50:00.003-05:00

More substantive post(s) coming eventually, once I have more of a moment. In the meantime, please check out all of the moving posts that are pouring in over at Rude Truth. I especially love Jeremy's poem, "Leaving Church."

1. Seeing a great musical (Spring Awakening) with girlfriends

2. Drinks on a roof deck overlooking the Potomac

3. 75 degrees with low humidity

4. Poetry that moves me to tears

5. Rainbow sandals flip flops

Grace in Small Things -- 10

2009-07-12T19:17:00.002-05:00

1. White pizza

2. Freshly-made quacamole

3. Chilled Peach Soup from Whole Foods

4. Another Reason Why I Don't Keep a Gun in the House by Billy Collins

5. Birds at the birdfeeder

Women in the Church of Christ: An Important Conversation

2009-07-08T08:34:00.010-05:00

Matt and I traveled to Nashville recently for the Christian Scholars Conference. It was an incredible experience, and I'm still trying to process all of the thoughts, ideas and emotions I took in during our time there. I initially wanted to attend the conference because Marilynne Robinson (author of Gilead, the most beautiful novel ever written) was a keynote speaker. And while Robinson, Barbara Brown Taylor and Billy Collins were all a delight to hear, to my surprise, I was most profoundly affected by three "paper and panel" sessions that all related to women in the Church of Christ.

For those of you that are confused right now, I am honestly glad if this doesn't make sense. This is an issue that has caused and continues to cause a great deal of pain, and one I believe is a significant impediment to the health of many churches. As a very brief explanation, I was raised in (and still belong to) a church heritage that traditionally excludes women from full participation in major aspects of worship, including preaching, teaching, praying, reading scripture, and presiding over or serving communion, to name a few.

At the conference, I had the privilege of participating in a panel discussion entitled "Women Speaking: Theological Reflections on the Experiences of Women in Churches of Christ." During the session, several women of various ages, backgrounds and vocations shared our individual experiences of being part of a church that, in various ways, denies us the opportunity to use our gifts and talents to serve the church. I was apprehensive about the panel, first because I thought it was likely that I would cry (and perhaps be unable to communicate what I wanted to share) or worse, that I would come across as bitter and angry, and thus any message I tried to communicate would be easy to overlook. Thankfully, I avoided getting angry. And I believe that what we each shared was heard and accepted with love by the audience. Alhough I did cry a bit, when I looked around the room I saw many other faces filled with tears. I couldn't help but think how every person in that room (women and men) had a story -- whether their own, or their mother's, grandmother's, sister's, daughter's. When another panelist apologized for getting choked up, a voice from the audience called out, "Some things are worth weeping over."

It's late, and I have so much more to say that I need to save for another post. In the meantime, I want to direct you to JTB's blog, where she is opening up a space for others to share their stories in guest blog posts. I encourage all of you who have something to share, or even simply questions, comments or general thoughts on the issue to join in this important discussion. Or just go and read the stories -- they are already starting to come in. These stories have been silenced for a long time, and they need to be told. More to come.

Seven

2009-07-05T21:04:00.009-05:00

A few weekends ago, Matt and I celebrated our seven-year wedding anniversary. I took Friday off of work and we slept in, went to brunch, and then strolled through the Impressionist section in the National Gallery. Then we went to the Sculpture Garden and listened to live jazz music while we drank sangria and dangled our feet in the fountain. It was a glorious day.

That weekend, we went to the Eastern Shore for a night, and spent a day exploring quaint little towns in Maryland, lounging, and reading books by the water. I spent a few hours sitting on a porch swing, reading and watching bluebirds come in and out of a little birdhouse. I could have stayed there forever. We had a dinner at a local Bed and Breakfast, where we ate on a porch in the company of fireflies and at least two cotton-tailed rabbits.

On our actual anniversary, we went out for a casual dinner with some pizza and wine. Not the best picture, but to commemorate the actual date:

Seven years. Even though anything I say in a blog post will be an inadequate reflection of my feelings about Matt, here are a few reasons that I hit the jackpot when I married him.

1. He is patient. So very patient. I learn from him all the time how to "not sweat the small stuff," and stay calm when I get frustrated. He's a master at this.

2. He's smart, and cares passionately about important ideas. Matt is always reading, always learning, and always interested in having a discussion about various theological and philosophical concepts. Even though I'm not always the best conversationalist on these issues (I'm not even able to describe them intelligently here), I greatly admire his passion for learning, and I am so thankful that I can (and frequently do) go to him as a sounding board with all of my deepest theological questions. Not that he has all the answers, but he always has a good idea of where to go to try to find them.

3. He makes me laugh every day. Not just a chuckle, or a cursory "that's funny," but really laughing out loud, often until my sides are hurting or until my eyes are watering. We love to laugh together.

4. He's egalitarian. Matt and I are equal partners in our marriage, and he does not ascribe less (or different) value to my opinions or decisions, or believe that I should be responsible for certain domestic tasks, simply based on the fact that I am a woman. I am especially thankful for this, because it was not something I was even cognizant of when we were dating, or when we got married. But by the grace of God, I married an egalitarian, despite the fact that I did not understand or appreciate what that word even meant at the time. (Like I said, I hit the jackpot).

5. He appreciates and loves the arts. I don't have to drag Matt to classical music concerts, the opera, plays, art exhibits, or obscure movies. He loves them just as much as I do.

6. I love eating meals with him. Matt and I share a love of good food, and we have so much fun eating, talking, or cooking together. Some of our best dates have been when we go through cookbooks to pick out an interesting recipe, shop for the ingredients, then spend the evening cooking and eating together. We also love the same types of food, so I'm glad I don't have to find someone else to eat Indian, Lebanese, Ethiopian or Afghan food with me.

7. He brings me closer to God, and makes me want to, and try to be a better person.

Matt, thank you for being my partner as we walk this journey of life together. If I ever have a son, I would want him to be just like you. If I ever have a daughter, I would want her to marry someone like you. You are more than I could have ever asked for or deserved. Happy Anniversary, babe.

And partly because I'm sentimental, but more because Ben Folds just says it all better than me:

And in a wide sea of eyes
I see one pair that I recognize
And I know
That I am the luckiest.

More on Arms and Legs

2009-06-28T21:25:00.004-05:00

Lots on my mind, that I'm still sorting through myself and also determining what should go into the blog post vs. what goes in a private journal. To be continued. But in the meantime, here's a fantastic and inspiring video. Many of you may have seen this already (I think I saw it a little over a year ago) but if you haven't, it's worth watching.

GiST 9 of 365

2009-04-05T21:43:00.002-05:00

1. Brunch with an old friend

2. Springtime in DC (despite the throngs of tourists)

3. Rachmaninoff's Vocalise with cello or violin. If you have a few minutes, listen to this. It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard.

Itzhak Perlman on violin:

Stjepan Hauser on cello:

4. Enjoying talking with Matt so much that a nine-hour car drive truly flies by

5. Glide dental floss. I know that's weird (and also kind of gross), but honestly, it's pretty fantastic that dental floss exists. What a great invention. I think that the best motivation for flossing is actually flossing. Once you realize how much it does, it's pretty hard not to do it every day.

GiST 8 of 365

2009-04-02T22:09:00.002-05:00

1. Watching A Room With A View with my mom. It's the newest version from Masterpiece Theatre Classics, not the Helena Bonham-Carter one from several years ago. I think it's much better, except for the ending, which I won't spoil.

2. Spending time outside on a rainy day

3. Being drawn into a good book (it took me about 100 pages, but now I am really loving it) Ahab's Wife, by Sena Jeter Naslund.

4. Comfortable cotton t-shirts (and a husband who loves when I wear t-shirts)

5. 16-year old Adidas slides that are molded to my feet

GiST 7 of 365

2009-04-01T15:58:00.003-05:00

1. Biking on the beach
2. Creamy clouds of foam scattered across the shoreline
3. Breathing in rich, salty sea air
4. Setting up the automatic "out of office" message on my blackberry
5. Firefly sweet tea vodka with lemonade

Grace in Small Things 6 of 365

2009-03-24T21:00:00.002-05:00

1. Being so close to the Kennedy Center. We saw an amazing piano concert on Friday with the National Symphony Orchestra and Jonathan Biss, who is only 28 years old. He played with no sheet music, and was just incredible.

2. DVR. I'm so glad I can watch Lost, the Office, 30 Rock, and other good shows even after having two crazy weeks at work.

3. Seeing buds on the trees and knowing the D.C. cherry blossoms are coming.

4. Broken-in Birkenstock sandals. Despite the three-year-old Papa Johns dipping sauce stain that will never go away.

5. This American Life podcasts.

GiST 5 of 365

2009-03-13T23:08:00.002-05:00

1. Dinner and a bottle of French wine with Matt

2. Playing Fur Elise

3. L'Occitane Milk Soap

4. A quiet house

5. The last month of sweater weather

Getting along just fine--without arms or legs

2009-03-01T18:37:00.004-05:00

For those that are curious, here is a video of my latest music obsession, Sia, describing the artwork on the cover of her album "Some People Have Real Problems." My brother's girlfriend introduced us to Sia during a roadtrip to my parents' house for Christmas, and I've been hooked ever since. She is incredibly talented, and I can't get enough of her music. I can't remember the last time that I heard someone (other than an opera singer) where I was truly amazed at their vocal ability. Sia's voice is completely unique, with beautiful depth and emotion. This video gives you a taste of her sound, along with a great moment when she explains the title to her album. It's worth a watch if you have a minute. It goes along with the Grace in Small Things project as well--I think too often I'm the girl who's sad because she was caught in a spot of rain, rather than being over the moon that I have arms and legs that are fully functioning.

If you're playing on iTunes and have a chance to check her out, I highly recommend "Lentil" from Lady Croissant and "Day Too Soon" and "Soon We'll Be Found" from Some People Have Real Problems. But truly, all of her songs on that album are fantastic.

I'm not sure how long this clip will be available, but here is Sia's performance of "Soon We'll Be Found" on David Letterman--he gushes about her voice at the end.

Grace in Small Things 4 of 365

2009-02-28T23:06:00.002-05:00

1. A warm sweater on a cold day

2. Wandering through the National Gallery of Art with Matt (and not rushing since we know we can come back any day)

3. A good cry

4. Having a husband that I can talk to (and listen to) all day

5. Spending an entire Saturday doing no work at all--including housework

GiST 3 of 365

2009-02-24T21:57:00.004-05:00

1. A picture* that made me laugh out loud

2. Laughing with Matt while watching The Daily Show and The Colbert Report

And to bring in my other favorite comedian, Ricky Gervais, here's a great clip, if you haven't seen this yet:

3. Kate Winslet winning Best Actress. It's about time. (As an aside, I think The Reader was better than Slumdog Millionaire, so I am especially glad that Kate's performance was recognized)

4. A cat who purrs when you pet her

5. Fresh mango

*I know it's doctored. But even knowing that, I still had to laugh. The made-up story that circulated via email is still hilarious, even if untrue.

GiST 2 of 365

2009-02-23T21:05:00.003-05:00

1. That I was never a contestant on The Bachelor

2. Margaritas with real lime juice

3. Listening to "A Tale of Two Cities" during my morning commute

4. Chanel Bois des Iles parfum

5. A real fire in our fireplace

Grace in Small Things #1 of 365

2009-02-21T14:31:00.005-05:00

It's funny how my blog started as a way to procrastinate...and has now turned into something that I procrastinate from. I saw this on a few blogs that I follow, and think it's such a great idea that it actually inspired me to post again.

So here's my first official Grace in Small Things post.

1. Sleeping in

2. Sia's "Some People Have Real Problems" album

3. Blogs of far away friends

4. A Valentine's card from my mom

5. Fage yogurt with honey

Laughter and wisdom from strangers

2008-08-09T20:19:00.010-05:00

It's been too long, friends (and strangers). I've been spending most of my procrastination time reading other blogs rather than coming up with original ideas myself. For those of you that are interested (and also to bookmark these for myself), I thought I would compile a list of some of the posts I've read over the past several months that are really too good not to share. Each was written by someone that I don't know personally. It's posts like these that give me such appreciation for this odd, quirky, huge and beautiful blogging world. I know it has its downsides, but I think it really is a special thing for people to connect through blogging and share their joys and sorrows with others through written expression. I've laughed, cried, gotten angry, been inspired, and felt kinship with people just from reading what they've written on their blogs. And as much as I enjoy reading blogs of persons I've never met, I also respect and understand those who make the decision to make their blogs private--even if it means I can't read their writing anymore. Blogging is a personal thing, and with the unknown audience factor, it can be a little unsettling to put so much out there. That said, here's a sampling of some good posts from people I don't know. In no particular order, and all across the humorous/heartbreaking/poignant spectrum:

Today is a Special Day -- a hilariously embarrassing moment that happened on the author's honeymoon.

Blaze of Glory (with party pictures) -- this post made me appreciate the beauty and joy of life and friends, particularly when one is facing horrific struggles. If I knew I were going to die soon, having a big party with good friends is something I'd want to do. The final lines bring tears to my eyes:

This is how I want my friends to remember me. Not crunched up vomiting into a sick bowl, miserable through the discomfort of chemotherapy. But as someone standing on their feet, fighting to make a small but important difference, and most of all laughing with those I love and with those who love me.

One in 43,200 seconds -- A woman who lost her son, six weeks after his birth, describes how the moment of his death has profoundly affected her faith. I can't write a quick summary that does this beautiful post justice--just read it.

Comparative Pain -- a good reminder to be sensitive to the unknown pain in others' lives, and not to compare our own degree of pain with that of others.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself" -- the author re-discovers the joy of conversations with God, and releases the bitterness and anger stored up from years of blaming God for the hurtful actions taken by others "in his name."

One -- the author celebrates the birthday of her daughter, whom she will soon meet in Vietnam, and shares the connections she already feels to her child and her faith in God throughout the referral process.

Those are just a few. Eventually I'll get around to posting something else here, but for the time being, these are definitely worth a read for any of you looking to avoid your other pressing tasks.

Oh, and I almost forgot--if any of you have come upon some good posts in the blog world, I'd be thrilled if you would give the link. Hooray for the internet.

Thankfulness and Honda stereos

2008-02-20T11:15:00.008-05:00

Our car stereo was stolen on Monday, along with my iPod. While this would certainly be a frustrating and stressful event for anyone, there's something a little...special about this particular theft. Namely, this is the FOURTH time (count them: 1, 2, 3, 4!) that our stereo has been stolen out of this particular car. Apparently, 2000 was not the best year for security features in the Honda Civic. Matt has read somewhere that the 2000 Honda Civic is the easiest car out there to break into. So let this be a warning to any of you considering purchasing the 2000 Honda Civic: it's a great little car, as long as you don't value anything that you leave inside of it.

To recap our previous stereo losses, I present the handy and overly detailed timeline below:

January 2003, Dallas: Our car was parked at a Hilton hotel, and the thief broke our window and took the stereo, along with a CD that had Christian music on it. Maybe they needed that CD more than we did. Thankfully, the sunglasses I gave Matt on our honeymoon were left behind. Matt was at a wedding in Oregon when I discovered the theft, and I drove back to Waco with Matt's younger brother Nick in the passenger seat, both of us braving the cold January air blowing in through the empty window space, our teeth chattering on the music-free trip.

March (or thereabouts) 2005, Dallas: We were living in a "safe" (read: gated) apartment building about fifteen minutes north of downtown Dallas. Matt gets into his car on his way to class, starts the car and then notices that the stereo is missing. This time the thief didn't have to break a window, even though the car was locked. Everything about the car looked completely normal, other than the familiar-looking gaping hole in the dashboard. The only other casualty was our device to open the apartment gate that Matt had in the car--I guess to make it easier for the thief to get into the apartment complex next time. Our landlords charged us $50 to replace that thing, despite the fact that it was their lax security that resulted in the theft in the first place.

November-ish 2006, DC: Matt had parked the car on a street next to Catholic University during his class, and the theft occurred in broad daylight around 2 pm. It probably goes without saying that Catholic is in a not-so-safe area. Again, no broken window. We are beginning to think that our car might as well have a sign that says "Hello! I'm easy to break into! Want to see what I've got in here?" Additional loss: Matt's prescription sunglasses, which was extra annoying since we knew that they wouldn't do anyone else a bit of good, but cost us hundreds to replace.

November 2006 through January 2008: The Honda is stereo-free. After the third theft, Matt said that he didn't think his car was meant to have a stereo, so we didn't replace it for over a year. However, at the beginning of this year we decided to replace it. With our fairly long commutes in and out of DC, driving in silence was starting to get really old. (More for me than for Matt--he would usually just use my iPod). I was really excited when we finally got the new stereo put in, particularly since we had waited so long to replace it.

Monday, February 18, 2008: I'm at work when Matt calls me to tell me he's heading home from class. It's around 3:00 pm. We say bye, and then he calls me back instantly.

Matt: I just reached to turn on the stereo, and it's gone. Again.

Me: What?? Did you detach the face?

Matt: Yep. They took the stereo, the face that was in the glove box, the iPod adapter--

Me: And my iPod.

Matt: Yeah.

At this point, I'm somewhat ashamed to write how upset I was. After realizing that Matt wasn't joking (I think that's called denial), I was so frustrated and angry. Even borderline tearful. Then the humor of the situation hit me, and I started laughing. Matt picked me up from work and we shook our heads, and I laughed some more. And I thought, I am so thankful that I have someone to laugh with about this situation. This is just no big deal. There are so many people out there who are really facing horrible things in their lives right now, who would love for this to be the problem that is complicating their life. I held Matt's hand and said, "there is no one I would rather be with when my stereo and iPod are stolen."

And to keep you from thinking that Matt and I are good and mature people, who naturally turn the other cheek when someone wrongs them, I'll tell you that we spent a good part of the ride home brainstorming about a new invention: an electric charge device hooked up to a car stereo that administers a powerful shock to someone trying to steal it. Not enough to kill them. Just enough to incapacitate them for a few hours. Or days.

Everyone Should See This Movie

2007-11-17T22:43:00.000-05:00

The longer I go between posts, the more difficult it is to post one. I guess because I go so long without putting anything down, I can feel like whatever I write has to be something huge, and include everything that has happened since the last post. I realize this is ridiculous, and certainly no readers' expectation, but I can put this pressure on myself unnecessarily anyway. It reminds me of when you haven't spoken to a friend in a long time, and you hesitate to call them because you know that you have so much to catch up on that the conversation will inevitably last hours, which you don't really have because of x, y, and z, and after all you can just call them another time anyway. Would any of us be okay with someone who we haven't talked to in years calling us suddenly one day and just saying "Hi. I thought of you today because of X. I miss you and love you"? I guess probably not (and I don't think I would be completely satisfied with it either) but in some sense I think some friendships don't necessarily have to be marked by lots of time spent talking or hanging out together. I think there are some people that you can count as friends (real and true friends) whom you don't see regularly, rarely speak to, and who don't know the intricate, mundane details of your daily life. And sometimes it's those "after a year and three hours long" conversation that can hold those friendships together.

Sooo...now that I'm past the stream of consciousness, I'll move on to the point of this post, which is that if you are reading this (yes, that one person, you!!) please go immediately to a theater and see "Lars and the Real Girl." Matt and I saw this today and agreed that it's the best movie we've seen in years. I think everyone--really everyone--should see it. I remember seeing a preview for it awhile ago and it didn't appeal to me at all. I thought it looked like one of those movies that can't decide if it's a comedy or a drama. Because I really want you to see it, I won't say much other than it is a story about love. Not the romantic kind of love, but the kind of love that we all need from those around us--whether they are family, friends, or just our community of other people that we interact with daily. This movie shows how the love of a community of people can transform a person's life, and very effectively reminds us that we all have a need for this kind of love and acceptance from other people.

Go see it with someone in your immediate family/community. Or go see it alone. Just watch it.

Also, bring tissues.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! (thanks to John P for the link to the lolgrims). For those of you unfamiliar with the original lolcats, they are a fantastic way to procrastinate.

Long time, no blog (as usual)

2007-07-19T21:13:00.000-05:00

Although I've been away from blogging for awhile, thankfully I haven't been working that whole time. Matt and I went to Italy the first week in July, and it was wonderful.

We saw the pope in Rome (we really were this close):

We waited in line for the Vatican Museum:

...where we were roasting in the hot sun.

Matt drank out of a fountain that contained "non potable/unfit for drinking" water (oops):

We waited in line for the Uffizi Gallery:

But mostly, we ate a lot of really delicious food, drank great wine, and devoured mass quantities of gelato. We didn't really mind the lines. It was great to just spend time together and not have to worry about anything. The whole trip was a perfect respite away from our overly busy lives in D.C. As an added (and most exciting) bonus, my blackberry didn't work even though my firm had provided me with a converter to charge it while we were there. Woo hoo!

By the way, the best gelato flavor in the universe is Kiwi, from Vivoli's in Florence. (Matt disagrees and says that it's the Tiramisu/Crema/Chocolate Cafe combo from Vivoli's). But we both agree that Vivoli's is the best. On our last day in Florence we both bought enormous cups of our favorites and almost made ourselves sick eating it all. But it was worth it.

The other flavor with my Kiwi gelato is Pistachio. It gets second place in the best gelato in the world competition.

I have to give a special shout out to Rick Steves, our tour guide. I have taken Rick Steves along every time I have traveled in Europe and he has never led me astray.

Matt became a Rick Steves believer on this trip. One time we almost left Rick on a bench near the Trevi Fountain. We were so relieved that we realized he was missing and retrieved him in time.

Now we're back in D.C. and I'm back to....not blogging regularly, as always. It's amazing how some time away and R&R can suddenly make things that were stressing you out before seem not so bad after all. We definitely needed this break, and I'm glad (and somewhat surprised) to say that it feels great to be back home.

Random thoughts

2007-05-01T21:20:00.000-05:00

It's high time for another random thoughts post. (I know, it's high time for another post of any nature whatsoever). I apologize to my two faithful readers out there for not being more consistent. Truthfully, I have ideas of things to post about all the time...I am just lazy. So here for your procrastination pleasure, I present a sampling of some random thoughts I've had over the past several weeks.

1. I hate two-door cars. There's just no nicer way to say this. I started to say that I despise people that drive two-door cars, but really I just despise it when I have to slug with these people and ride in the back. Which brings me to another point: I guess it's time for me to confess here on my blog that I am a slug. Officially. This essentially means that each morning, I wait in line with strangers in a parking lot, and other strangers drive up that say they are going into the city. And then I get in their car, and they drive me to work. I know it sounds crazy, and when I first heard about it I swore up and down that I would never, NEVER do such a reckless and irresponsible thing. But I've been doing it for the past nine months, and it's really great. I get into the city in about half the time that it would take me on the metro (and about a third of the time that it would take me if I drove in on the regular (non-HOV) lane, plus it's completely free. And...good for the environment! *beams* To get on the HOV here you have to have three persons in a car, so that provides incentive for those who drive (and pay upwards of $250 a month for parking) to pick up a couple of "slugs" so they can get to work faster. On average, my commute into work lasts about 35-40 minutes, riding time. On the non-HOV lanes it's anywhere from 50 minutes (on a good day) to 2 1/2 hours. The metro takes about an hour. So the driver gets the benefit of getting to work an hour faster, while I get a fast and free ride into the city. One of the downsides (other than, well...riding with complete strangers) is that sometimes, while I am lugging my laptop, my tote, an umbrella (etc.) plus wearing my suit I have to squeeze myself into the tiny backseat of someone's annoying two-door sports car. I know, I know--sluggers can't be choosers. But I still get really frustrated with the two-door cars. It's especially annoying when I have to get out of the car (so the person in the shotgun seat has to get out, too) in the middle of a busy city street, while it's raining, and forget it if I'm wearing a skirt. Grrr. Note to anyone who intends to have more than two regular-sized persons in their car at any one time: Please get a four door car! (Sincerely, your ever-so-grateful slug).

2. I will never go on a cruise. I mean it. There are several people I know who love cruises, but I just can't stomach the thought. The tiny room...the rocking boat...the big open water...the (often inebriated) passengers who find themselves overboard (or simply "missing" forever)...the viruses/food poisoning...I could go on. It seems like every week I'm hearing another scary story about some awful thing that has happened on a cruise ship. Talk about cruisin' for a bruisin'. (Sorry, I couldn't resist). No thank you.

3. How many real (big girl) push-ups can the average female do? I'm curious about this. I can do...maybe one. I can do tons on my knees, but when it comes to push-ups on my toes, I struggle and ultimately fail after eeking out just one pathetic push-up. Is anyone else with me on this? What is the problem?

4. I think my favorite foods are fruit, cheese and wine. Not too much to elaborate on this one. I really love fruit and cheese (Really. A whole lot.) and I think wine is proof that God desires us to enjoy life. (I didn't say it first, Benjamin Franklin did).

5. I don't like Grey's Anatomy. Nope. I don't find any of the characters even somewhat likeable or compelling. They are whiny. And preachy. And they make bad, bad decisions. I don't care what happens to any of them. It feels good to get this off of my chest. (Yes, I still watch this off of Tivo occasionally. I guess I like to be annoyed).

6. I've been reading some great books since we've moved to Virginia. Although my new commute has been an adjustment, and makes my days much longer (I usually get up at 5:30 and get home from work at 8:00), one wonderful change is that I've had more time to read. I won't list them all here, but I'll just mention a few highlights:

Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson, is one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read. Just thinking about it now makes me want to pick it up and read it again. When I came to the end of this book, I had the unfortunate luck of being on my way home from work, on the metro, surrounded by strangers. I was sitting there in my seat, with tears streaming down my face, while all of these people tried not to stare and make the situation more uncomfortable than it already was. I simply couldn't help myself because I was so moved. I do not have children, but I think this book is the most beautiful written expression of a parent's love for a child that I've ever experienced. Also, you don't have to be religious to appreciate it. (After all, it did win the Pulitzer). I can't say enough about this book.

Lif e of Pi. Very post-modern, make-your-own-reality, fantastic adventure story. If you've read this, I want to discuss it with you. Our shortage of friends here means that even though I'm reading these great books I have no one to talk about them with!

Broken for You. For those of you who have "made" your own families (often as a result of not having the best luck of the draw when it came to the family you were born into), this book is for you. (I should add the disclaimer that I'm very blessed to love my biological family members very much. I just know many who are not so blessed, and their true families are those they have chosen, rather than those that they are related to by blood). This book has a story that draws you in and is filled with extremely creative imagery and symbolism. In what is apparently becoming an embarrassing pattern for me, I wound up crying in a stranger's car when I finished this one. Ah, the life of a slug.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. You could easily finish this one in an afternoon. The author (former the editor-in-chief of French Elle magazine) wrote this short, moving book by blinking his left eyelid after the rest of his body was rendered useless to him following a stroke. This might change your views of how we judge the quality and value of another's life (or it might not.) It's worth a read, though.

And that's all the random thoughts for now. Procrastinate away!

Learning the Hard Way

2007-02-15T18:22:00.000-05:00

Matt and I are inexperienced with snow. We didn't realize that yesterday, while the snow was still fresh, was our best opportunity to clear the driveway. Unfortunately for us, by the time we went out today, everything had turned to ice.

I didn't realize that Matt was filming until he told me to say goodbye to the camera. I saw the camera in his hand but thought he was taking pictures while I struggled with the ice! Clearly we were not equipped with the right tools (or knowledge) to deal with the snow, so hopefully we will be better prepared next time.

My husband the comedian

2007-02-13T17:33:00.000-05:00

One of the reasons I fell in love with Matt is his ability to make me laugh. Those of you who know me can attest that actually, it's not that hard to make me laugh, but there's something particularly special about Matt's sense of humor that just clicks with me. My best friend Kristy also has this same sense of humor, and I'm sure that's one of the reasons I'm drawn to her as well. And probably one of the reasons they like being around me is that I make them feel like they are REALLY funny because I will sometimes be laughing so hard at things they've said that I start to cry. Or worse. But I digress--that's another story.

Anyway, despite how serious Matt seems at times (see, e.g., his blog), he really is hilarious. And now I have objective proof: two professional comedians have used some of Matt's "material" very recently. These guys that are PAID to be funny! And they got paid to say things that Matt thought of himself. Is that impressive or what?

About a week ago, Matt was driving me home from the metro and I was telling him about how Jessica Simpson is dating John Mayer. (Matt relies on me to keep him apprised of important news items like this.) Matt started singing "Your Body is a Wonderland," adding the line "Your Mind is a Wasteland." Ha ha. A few days later, Matt and I are watching The Soup on E!, and the very funny host Joel McHale makes pretty much the same joke (only replacing "wasteland" with "wind tunnel." I personally think wasteland is better!)

Okay, I know that is kind of a lame example because probably everyone thought of that joke when they heard about John Mayer and Jessica Simpson. Or every loser like us did. But wait, there's more:

Matt and I both love the latest Coldplay CD. We listened to it a lot on our drive from Texas to Virginia, and it's in heavy rotation around our house. Sometimes to be funny, Matt will come up with...interesting (but also: funny!) harmony parts and sing along with the CD. I know this doesn't sound that funny, but when Matt does it, it is. He is always in perfect pitch harmony, and usually singing in falsetto. He's done it to me before too--a few times I've been rehearsing a song to sing in someone's wedding, and he'll come up with a very cheesy-sounding high harmony part and sing along with me. Anyway, Matt has come up with a part like this for the Coldplay song, "Fix You." Great song. Sad song. But also: FUNNY song when Matt sings along! I know a lot of you are probably completely sick of our cheesiness by now.

However, Matt and I are not the only weird ones that think this is funny. The other night we were watching our new favorite show, Extras, and Chris Martin was guest star. At the very end of the episode, after the credits rolled, there was a brief scene with Chris Martin and Ricky Gervais sitting at the piano singing "Fix You." Ricky Gervais did the exact same cheesy high part that Matt does. In the exact same manner--same notes, same facial expressions. It was uncanny. Matt and I were sitting there stunned, there was that much of a resemblance.

So there you have it. My husband is as funny as Ricky Gervais. Okay, not even close, but maybe if this PhD/perpetual student thing doesn't work out, Matt can get a job writing commercials for Geico or something.

Public Service Announcement

2007-01-31T13:11:00.000-05:00

I'm just posting this briefly to let everyone know that I am alive and that Matt is in the doghouse for hijacking my blog. Rather than simply posting something, he truly did hijack it by (1) switching it to google blogger, which magically makes previous identifiable comments "anonymous"; and (2) somehow messing up the format/appearance of my blog and erasing all of my fun and informative links on the sidebar! This is very upsetting. I am going to try to get everything back to AS IT SHOULD BE this weekend, but simply had to post something now to let all of you know that this takeover will not stand.

And, speaking of procrastination, I have amazed even myself by not living up to my goal of getting our "Happy New Year" cards out before February. Whoops. If you are reading this and I know you and you haven't received a card (checking...yep that's pretty much everyone), would you please email me your address? (excluding, of course, the people who have already emailed me their address. Yes, I'm that much of a slacker.) I guess in a sense the Happy New Year can last until March, right? My email is my first name and last name (one word) at gmail.com. One of my New Year's resolutions is to keep in better touch with friends. I can feel the collective eyeroll of everyone reading this right now.

Oh, and here's a picture for fun. Courtesy of cute overload, which will return to the sidebar once I have reclaimed MY blog.

Carolyn I've got your blog and I won't give it back until you post again!

2007-01-21T16:00:00.000-05:00

In an effort to coerce Carolyn back into the world of the blogger I have decided to hijack her blog and rename it and put up my own post so that she will be forced to log-in and recapture it. Hopefully, when she does do this (if she does do it), she will feel the need to post a comment and communicate with all of the fans of procrastination station--fans who have waited a very long time indeed for a post.

Today, it began snowing in Springfield, Virginia, where we live. I've been waiting for the first winter snow for awhile. I thought the winter would come in December but thanks to the inconvenient truth of global warming it seems to be about a month late. Anyway, I am excited about the snow because I've never lived so far north before. I grew up in Orlando, and then moved to Abilene, TX for college. Both of these places were not cold at all (see pictures).

So, today is a special day: The first snowy day in our new home in Virginia. Here are a few pictures and a video to celebrate. I hope you like them and I hope that Carolyn will feel the need to stop her blog from being hijacked in the future by regularly posting on it! :) - Matt

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

I admit it: I love Weird Al

2006-10-24T21:53:00.000-05:00

Those of you who know me well know that I have a really cheesy sense of humor. (It's one of the reasons Matt and I get along so well). So it probably won't come as a surprise to you that I think Weird Al is absolutely hilarious. Seriously.

For those of you who can appreciate extreme cheesy-ness, you must click on these links. Especially if you have listened to the radio anytime in the past six months to a year.

White and Nerdy

You're Pitiful

And speaking of cheese, I made an amazing and wonderful discovery last week. So wonderful, in fact, that I wouldn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. There is an Uncle Julio's Mexican Restaurant here in Virginia. It's only about fifteen minutes away from our house. Matt and I ate there last week to celebrate his birthday, and it was like we had died and gone to heaven. The chips. The queso. The guacamole. The tortillas. The swirl margaritas. It was almost like we were in Dallas...minus the friends. (insert tearful sigh here) So I am feeling more like all is right in our world since we are so close to some good Tex Mex food. When I first found it, I seriously started singing that song from "Fiddler on the Roof" that starts out "Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles!" I am not making this up.

In other news, Matt has been working, I've been working, and we both face The Commute each day. I've finished more books. And gotten less sleep. We're adjusting. It's also starting to get cold here. After living in Texas for ten years, I think we are in for a bit of a shock. Especially Matt, who only lived in Florida before Texas. It is nice to be around the leaves changing color, though. I hadn't realized how much I missed that.

And finally: a Netflix recommendation for anyone out there who, like me, loves BBC period pieces. If you haven't seen "Bleak House" yet, you must rent it immediately. It is one of the best productions I have seen in a long, long time. Even when I force Matt to watch it with me he admits that it's very well done. It has Gillian Anderson in it, and she really does a great job--very non-Scully-like. So if you're someone who liked "Pride & Prejudice," "The Forsyte Saga", "Sense & Sensibility", etc., I guarantee you'll love this.

I hope everyone has a great week! I will try to help you procrastinate more than once a month--it's just difficult trying to get more sleep with The Commute waiting for me each day.

Getting settled. Sort of.

2006-09-30T19:59:00.000-05:00

I do apologize for the...procrastination on my part in posting. I realize that it makes everyone else's procrastination time must more difficult when I am not providing a frequent flow of pointless posts to waste your time reading! Please forgive me. I really, really am going to try to be better.

Just to catch everyone up, here's a summary of the past several weeks, beginning with the week following my last post:

Week One: We arrive to our house in Virginia, with the car and the cats intact. I would NOT recommend driving across the country with two people, two cats and luggage inside a Honda Civic. Thankfully we arrived safe and sound, and hopefully our cats are not permanently scarred by the experience. I would post a picture, if I had any to post, but as you remember our camera was stolen by a bandit from Arcodoro Pomodoro. Grrrr.

Once we arrived, Matt and I had lots of time to work on getting moved in. The only problem was that our stuff didn't arrive until week two (when Matt had already started classes). So week one Matt and I sat and slept on the floor and lived out of our suitcases. Even though it was a little frustrating having all of this extra time to "get settled," but nothing was here to "settle," it was still a very relaxing time since neither one of us had any responsibilities that week.

Week Two: Most of our stuff got here on Matt's first day of classes. I spent week two trying to get as many things unpacked as I could, and he did what he was able to considering his new courseload, reading materials, etc.

I could probably write several paragraphs about our overall experience with the moving company we used. However, I don't want to because I am trying to get over it and my therapist says that I need to let it go. Kidding. But seriously, we did not have a good experience and if any of you moves in the future, do not under any circumstances hire this company. Begins with a G and rhymes with "Ray-bell." Just say no to them. My car, which was picked up from our place in Dallas around August 17, did not arrive here until September 15. The entire time in between we had no clue where the car was and neither did the moving company. They also didn't know when it would arrive. Same with several pieces of furniture--we would call, and if they would answer they would have absolutely no clue where our stuff was or when it would arrive. All of our missing furniture got here the day after my car arrived, on September 16. I don't want to complain, really, because I know that moving experiences can be a lot worse, and thankfully we didn't have anything lost, damaged or stolen. The move was just poorly organized and executed, and the communication with the people "in the know" (or not in the know, as it turned out) was poor.

Weeks Three and Four: I started work. And I learned the meaning of the word "commute." Matt had been learning this during week two, but even though he had told me about it, I really had to experience it to understand. Essentially, I allow an hour to get to work and an hour to get home. Sometimes it will take less time, sometimes more, but it averages about an hour. Let me say too that I really am not complaining, it's just one of the biggest adjustments for us so far. The great thing about the commute is that it's all public transportation, so even though we are "losing" two hours each day that we used to have, we are not fighting traffic and we get to read. I have read several books already, which is great, and it helps me not see the commute as time wasted. I actually look forward to my commute on some days, especially if I'm reading a good book.

So far I've finished "My Sister's Keeper," by Jodi Piccoult, "We Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow We will be Killed with Our Families" by Philip Gourevitch, and "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel. All excellent. Perhaps book reviews to come later, but that would be too much for this post, right? Needless to say, even if I don't have time anymore to sleep, work out, keep up with friends, etc.--at least I will be very well read. That's really the biggest adjustment with the commute: the missing time. A typical day at the office for me is about 8:30 to 6:30, but when you add an hour to both sides it becomes 7:30 to 7:30, and if I have more to do at work (which I have for the last two weeks), it becomes 7:30 to 9:30 or later. Which doesn't leave much time for anything else. We're getting adjusted, but it is a challenge.

And another thing. I have become one of those women. The ones that wear the ugly comfortable shoes with the business suit. I always thought it looked so silly, but it is a necessity. I was wearing Crocs for the first few weeks (See photo. Yes, they really are that ugly) but since then have just embraced my fashion faux pas and have been doing sneakers with socks. Even with a skirt. Yep. I am seriously waiting to open up a Glamour magazine and see a picture of myself (with the ineffective black slashmark over the eyes to protect my identity) on the "Fashion Don't" page. Even though the Manolo does not approve, my feet are thanking me each day.

And speaking of looking ridiculous on the street, I had my first celebrity sighting last week. NBC's David Gregory walked right past me while I was crossing the street. (and when I say ridiculous, I mean me, not him.) He looked very nice and NBC correspondent-ish, while I was in my regular uniform of a suit and New Balance sneakers. I think he parks his car in the parking garage under my building. He's taller than he looks on TV.

Week Five: My parents came to visit, and made my stress level about 200% less. They helped us SO much with getting stuff unpacked, hung up, set up, painted, curtained, etc. I am so thankful and ever since their trip here our house has really started to feel more like home.

So there you have it. We miss everyone a lot, and are slowly but surely finding our way here in DC. Also, I'm sad to tell all of our ACU friends that we will not be making it our for Homecoming like we had originally planned. We are bummed about that, but it just wasn't feasible considering the recent move.

Hope everyone has a great week. LOST season premier on Wednesday!!!!

On the Road

2006-08-20T21:46:00.000-05:00

I thought I would do a quick post from our hotel room here in Nashville. We left Dallas this morning around 8:00, and arrived here safely early this evening. Tomorrow night we should be in Virginia, and then hopefully all of our furniture and household belongings will arrive sometime this week.

As strange as it seems, I think I may actually still be in denial that we are really no longer going to be living in Dallas. I don't think I ever quite prepared my mind for it, just because I was so focused on finding a job and then on the logistics of getting out here so quickly once I did.

So, as part of my early mourning process, I present a list of some things I will miss about Dallas.

1. Our friends. We have made such wonderful friends in Dallas. Amazing friends. Friends we truly don't deserve. I have been blown away the past several weeks by the nice things that people have done for us and said to us as we were getting ready to leave. I get a little teary-eyed just thinking about it. Probably will get a LOT teary-eyed once we are in Virginia with no friends! Everyone who is reading this, please make plans immediately to visit us in DC. Please?

2. My job. This is somewhat overlapping with number 1, because I work with so many people that I consider good friends. My former firm (makes me really sad to say "former") is a very special place, made up of many amazing people. I am thankful that I was able to go to work these past two years and be around people who were fun, intelligent, interesting, diverse, and yet somehow did not take themselves too seriously. Although I really am excited about my new job (and, by the way, don't expect me to post anything about it here), I will really miss my former firm.

3. Our church. This also overlaps quite a bit with number 1. We have been so blessed to have such a wonderful church home here in Dallas. We started going to the Branch when we lived in Dallas the summer before my last year of law school, and never visited another church. We felt at home there. We're excited about the ministry work we'll be doing in Springfield, but I know that we will miss a lot of things about the Branch. Our small group, the worship, the ministers...to just name a few things.

4. Tex Mex food. Our favorite Tex Mex restaurants in Dallas (in no particular order): Uncle Julio's, Mattitos, Mi Cocina, Mario and Alberto's, Taco Diner, Chuy's, Monica's....and a few others I'm probably forgetting. Tex Mex is one of those foods with which I have absolutely no self control though, so maybe my waistline will thank me when we can't get the fix out in DC.

5. The sunsets. The big sky in general. Since I grew up in the east, around lots of trees with mountains in the distance, the DC skyline feels familiar and comfortable to me. But at the same time, I know I'll miss the big sunsets that we get in Texas.

6. Northpark Mall. I know, I'm shallow. I will miss it though. I'll also miss living so close to all of that great shopping, since our apartment was only a 5 minute drive away.

7. Kidd Kraddick in the morning. I know! That is a very silly thing to miss, but there have been so many mornings that the people on that show have made me laugh out loud while I was driving to work. I know they can be over the top and cheesy, but it takes a lot to get me to laugh out loud so early in the morning, and they accomplished it on a regular basis.

Well, there's seven for you. All of the other ones that I thought of were either not really related to Dallas specifically (i.e. the big bathtub in our old apartment) or were just extensions of number 1. I also am reserving the right to add additional things that are just not coming to my mind now after being on the road for 10 hours.

I miss all of you in Dallas already. Please continue to pray for us, and hopefully we will get internet hooked up quickly in our new place and I'll send a new update soon.

Okay, okay

2006-08-12T17:32:00.000-05:00

Wow--officially my longest break from posting yet. I guess I could say that I was on a blog sabbatical, but the truth is that I've been so caught up in our plans (or lack thereof) for the move that I haven't had a chance to post. Even more truthful than that is that I've thought about posting, but didn't have very certain answers and wanted to know a bit more about some major details before I posted again. That doesn't really make sense, I guess, but that's how it was. I think that's also partially the result of having so many conversations (too many to count) that went something like this:

Kind Person: You're moving to DC? Wow! Where are you going to live?

Me: Don't know.

Kind Person: Where are you going to work?

Me: Don't know.

Kind Person: How are you moving out there? U-Haul?

Me: Don't know.

Kind Person: Have you started packing yet?

Me: Nope.

After which, I would typically spend the next six hours or so completely filled with worry and stress since WE DIDN'T KNOW anything (it seemed). It amazes me how much I worry, on a regular basis. I spend my life worrying, and no matter what, things work out. Always.

Over the last month, Matt and I have made two trips out to DC. He's gotten a job working with a church in Springfield, VA, and we've found a place to live in Springfield too. I have gotten a job offer (finally!) from a great firm. Thankfully, these major details have finally come together, so now we just have to plan out our move and get out to DC. No biggie. :-)

I want to take a minute and give a wholehearted thank you to each and every person out there who has been praying for us. We appreciate it more than words can say. In many ways, this has been a year of uncertainty for Matt and me, and since both of us are first-born, type-A, planner-type people, uncertainty is not something we like at all. So, in a way, it's been good for us. We have really had to trust God, and rely on Him to bring things together for us. And He has. So thank you.

In more recent news, I am writing this update from a laptop in a La Quinta hotel in Abilene, Texas. Matt just graduated with his M.Div. from ACU last night. Go Matt! Unfortunately, our digital camera was stolen on Thursday, so I cannot post any pictures of this momentous occasion yet. Once I get pictures from others, I will post them. As for the camera, the good news is that we had already uploaded most of the pictures that were on it. The bad news is that we lost our great digital camera that was a very nice gift from my parents. Matt left the bag hanging on the chair at Arcodoro Pomodoro, and when we realized it 30 minutes later, it was "gone." The management at Arcodoro seems to be taking the position that the camera vaporized into thin air, even though when we left the restaurant at 2:00 pm there was no one around other than Arcodoro staff. So, on top of being frustrated about our camera being taken, it was especially infuriating to have the manager of Arcodoro be so apathetic about the situation. We won't be eating there again. (Not that that really says anything, since we're leaving Dallas in about a week. But it still feels good to say it.)

On a completely different note, have any of you ever been to Schlitterbahn? I was watching Good Morning America a week or so ago, and they said that Schlitterbahn is the number one waterpark in the country. Number ONE!!! And now we are leaving Texas and will never be this close to Schlitterbahn ever again. So, I'm trying to figure out if there is a way for us to swing a trip to the NUMBER ONE waterpark in the UNIVERSE before we go to DC. I am not thinking that we have much of a chance, but I still want to try. Any Schlitterbahn experiences anyone can share? Is it okay that we will leave the state having never been? These are the types of issues that occupy my thoughts.

Okay, there's the update for now. More to come soon, possibly after we are in Virginia. But maybe sooner. Thanks again for all of your thoughts, encouragement and prayers, and please keep them coming as we prepare for the big move.

Possibly the most violent movie ever

2006-07-04T10:51:00.000-05:00

Matt and I watched Munich on Sunday night. What a mistake. I had no idea it was going to be so violent. (I know that most of you right now are going "duh.") But really, I didn' t know. I think I assumed that it would be violent, but the kind of violence that I've gotten accustomed to--lots of shooting, a little bit of blood, but that's it. Plus I was interested in the story and knew that it would probably be a good movie since Spielberg directed it. And, overall, it was a good movie. It presents some very difficult issues and has a powerful message. But that message is clouded in my mind now due to several extremely disturbing violent scenes that I can't erase from my memory. Even Matt, who has a much higher tolerance for violence than I do, said at one point while we were watching it that it was the most violent movie he had ever seen.

Yesterday at work I couldn't get several of the more disturbing scenes to leave my mind. When Matt and I had dinner last night, he told me he had been struggling with the same thing throughout the day. However, when we talked about the movie and its message, we both agree that it's an important movie. Even so, I wish I hadn't watched it. I think I could have benefited just as much by hearing a plot summary rather than having to experience the movie in its entirety, simply because of how disturbing some of the death scenes are. So consider yourself warned: Munich is good, but the violence is so unsettling that it may not be worth it (at least for those of you that have trouble with extreme violence, like me).

Moving on to something I can thoroughly recommend: I finished listening to the book The Kite Runner a week or so ago. My friend Karen (of Marble Slab infamy) recommended it to me and let me borrow her CD set so I could listen to it in the car. It's wonderful. It's disturbing as well, though, and because of that I don't think I would necessarily recommend that someone listen to it, like I did. There are several parts that are so upsetting that I found myself tearing up while driving to work. (And what better way to start the day than by arriving to the office crying?) But it is a beautiful story, and if you don't mind crying in the car, it's a great experience to listen to the CD because the author reads the story. It's one of those books that you can't stop thinking about; and several times while I was reading it I was thinking "I really want to talk to someone about this." So now Matt is listening to it so we can talk about it. Plus he wanted to read it anyway when he saw how much it touched me. So if anyone out there is looking for a good book, go buy The Kite Runner now. And if anyone wants to discuss the book, do so in the comments. I'm still eager to talk about this book with anyone else who has read it. I should probably join a book club or something.

Matt and I started watching 24 last night. Wow. What an intense show. I can tell that this is going to be just like Lost, in that we won't be able to stop watching at just one episode. I'm glad there are lots of seasons out there to get through! This will help us get through the Summer while we don't have any other good shows to watch. It's somewhat of an adjustment watching Kiefer Sutherland play a good guy. He plays bad guys so well. But I think he makes a great Jack Bauer.

Well, that's all for your entertainment update. Hope everyone is having a great Fourth of July holiday.

SNL

2006-06-18T11:13:00.000-05:00

I don't watch Saturday Night Live too often. Occasionally they will do something very funny, but frequently I'm disappointed with the show, and then mad at myself for staying up too late to watch it. There is one recurring skit that I think is hilarious, though, and am always thrilled if I manage to catch it. The skit is about a character named Debbie Downer (played by one of my favorite SNL cast members, Rachel Dratch). You all know someone like this. No matter what is going on, this person always has a way to bring the situation down by saying something negative. (We have all probably been a "Debbie Downer" before in some situation). I've seen several of these skits, but have only found a few posted on the internet. Here is a link to the first ever Debbie Downer skit. This one is classic, because the cast members cannot control themselves and nearly all of them end up in tears from laughing. Enjoy!

Random cool things

2006-06-14T22:13:00.000-05:00

Okay, you guys crack me up. I'm glad there are people out there who are willing to help out and guilt me into procrastinating.

I thought I would post some cool things that I've seen on the internet lately, for your procrastinating pleasure.

First, check out this site: http://www.johnsadowski.com/big_spanish_castle.html

It's an optical illusion that is pretty amazing. I cannot figure out how it works, but it really does trick your eyes.

Here's a fun video, when you have about 8 minutes: http://www.sickflash.com/dj.html

I know there are some other cool things that I've seen lately that aren't coming to mind. I'll post those later if I remember them. I should mention though that The Daily Kitten has been very cute lately.

The past few weeks have been somewhat eventful. I cut my hair. I also cut a corner too closely in the parking garage and dented the right side of my Camry on a large white pillar that jumped out of nowhere. My car is too old for collision insurance to make sense, and fixing the dent probably would cost about the same as what the car is worth. This resulted in Matt and me thinking that perhaps it was the right time to go car shopping. So we almost bought a car, but then came to our senses. We actually had our exciting new car for the whole weekend (we hadn't been able to sign the financing information on the day we bought it because we had a dinner to attend) and then when we returned we thankfully realized that this was NOT the right time for us to be purchasing a new car. So I have the trusty dented Camry back, and I feel great about it. The new car was shiny and nice and everything, but my Camry just feels right. Even with the dent. Plus Matt's car is dented too, so now we match. :-)

I've officially begun the job search. I've stayed relatively busy at work, which has made it somewhat challenging to devote the necessary time to searching for a new job, but I have managed to make a few contacts and should be making many more in the coming weeks. At times I find it difficult not to get really overwhelmed or discouraged, simply because of the uncertainty of the future. I don't know why I do this. It's not rational. Matt and I have been in a period of uncertainty for the better part of this year, really--between wondering where (or if) he would be accepted to a Ph.D. program, and whether we would have to move, and now the logistics of moving. For those of you who pray, I would really appreciate your prayers now. Ultimately, I do know that everything will be fine. I will find a job. Matt will find a job. We'll find a place to live. We'll get him through the program. I'm just impatient, and I'm ready to have all of the unknown variables become known and not feel this sort of floating uncertainty around me all the time. All of this is somewhat laughable, really, because after all, none of us really know what the future holds. So I don't know why I let it get to me when I don't know certain major details about the future.

And, last but not least, Matt and I celebrate our 4-year anniversary tomorrow. Happy Anniversary honey!

Overdue update

2006-05-25T22:37:00.000-05:00

Sorry to everyone (both of you) for the lack of posts over the past several weeks. So much has been going on that I haven't even been able to procrastinate by reading others' blogs, much less updating my own.

The BIG news is that we are moving. Matt is going to be getting his Ph.D. at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. We're a mixture of excited, sad and apprehensive right now. I'm excited that Matt will be studying what he's passionate about at a great school. I am sad about leaving Dallas with all of our friends, my job that I love, our church, and too many other things to list right now. And I know we're both apprehensive about the process involved, including finding a new job, finding a place to live and just adjusting to a new place and new people in general.

Things have been so busy at work that I haven't had the time yet to start the job search, but I plan to start looking in the next week or so. Really. By writing it, that means it's going to happen.

All of that said, I would really appreciate any thoughts/prayers/good vibes you send our way.

In other news, apparently skinny jeans are back in style. This is very disturbing for a number of reasons. First of all, even though I've always heard how everything ends up coming back in style, I really thought that tapered-leg pants would be the exception. Didn't we all learn something back in the 80's/early 90's? After seeing multiple pictures of myself in skinny/tapered jeans, I promised myself never again. And I thought everyone else had the same realization, but apparently not. I guess it's easy to be deceived when you see pictures of Nicole Richie, Mischa Barton and Kate Moss sporting the jeans, but none of these women have body fat or hips. And in my opinion, the skinny jeans don't look too great on them either. (Okay, maybe they look alright on Kate Moss. But she's Kate Moss.) So, for the rest of the population, please: Just say NO to skinny jeans. Don't give in. You will regret it later. And don't even get me started on all of the leggings that I keep seeing everywhere. There are just some fashion eras that do not need to be relived.

Matt and I saw Da Vinci Code on Tuesday night. I give it a B-. It was a bit slow, but somewhat entertaining. After all of the hoopla surrounding the release, I was expecting to feel somewhat uncomfortable with the movie's "attacks" on the tenets of the Christian faith. But I ended up just feeling...well, not the least bit swayed or even tempted to think that the "history" presented in the film is correct. It was just like every other movie that I've seen that is somewhat historical. It's not accurate, and anyone who leaves the movie thinking that now they finally know the truth about Christian history has some bigger problems. Of course, I do see the point that it wouldn't be politically correct or "okay" to make a movie attacking the basic tenets of another religion, such as Islam, Judaism or Buddhism. But...let's be honest, Christianity has faced far more serious attacks and challenges (the Roman Colosseum, anyone?) and has survived, even grown stronger as a result. Christianity can handle this one. And maybe people will start learning their history too.

And finally, the LOST finale. I enjoyed it, but ended up being disappointed since the show decided to raise many more questions than it answered. And "answered" is a loose term as well, because at the end I couldn't really determine what, if anything, had been definitively answered. I was really frustrated with Locke and Michael, and love Desmond even though he gave me the creeps at the beginning of this season. It will be a long summer waiting to see what happens to everyone! I will be reading up on various theories and possibly starting a new TV show addiction by watching 24 on Netflix.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Quiz (kind of like tag)

2006-05-04T23:36:00.000-05:00

Okay, this is yet another "lazy" post. I have been working a lot lately, and while I've definitely been doing my fair share of procrastinating, it's been mostly through reading and commenting on other blogs rather than posting on this one.

And, before I get started, I must let everyone know that The Daily Kitten site is back up and running, so all is right with the world again. They even posted a picture for each day that they were offline, so go back through the archives and soak in the preciousness!

My lazy post today is from one of those email quizzes that goes around between friends. My friend Kate forwarded me this one, and I thought, what a great way to procrastinate! So here we go:

1. If you could build a second house anywhere, where would it be? Well, being that I do not have a first house, but assuming that I do, I think that I'd like to have a house on the beach in Kiawah or Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. South Carolina beaches are so beautiful, natural and peaceful. I get relaxed just thinking about being there.

2. What is your favorite article of clothing? My Adidas blue/white striped slides that I have had since high school. Or perhaps since middle school. I wear this all the time around the house and they are perfectly molded to my feet, and super comfortable. And durable, obviously.

3. Last CD purchased? I think it was Mendelssohn's "Elijah" performed by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. It's fabulous. Barbara Bonney has one of the clearest, most beautiful soprano voices I've ever heard. I have purchased music since then, but mostly just individual songs off of i-Tunes.

4. What time do you wake up in the morning? Ummm...that depends. I try to wake up before 7:00 but sometimes it just doesn't happen. I would say on average sometime between 6:45 and 7:30. On Saturdays, about 9:30 or 10:00. I am a very heavy sleeper, and will hit the snooze button multiple times without realizing it. If I have something really important to wake up for, I have to make sure that my alarm is somewhere across the room so I have to get out of bed to turn it off, and often need a backup alarm even then.

5. Favorite kitchen appliance? I'm a big fan of the garlic press. And a big fan of garlic in general.

6. If you could play any instrument, what would it be? The piano, definitely. And I will one day. Once we have a place big enough to have my piano around, so I could practice, I want to sign up for lessons and really learn to play.

7. Favorite color: Today it's dark olive green.

8. Which do you prefer, sports car or SUV? If I had to choose, probably SUV, just because I think I would look ridiculous in a sports car. I've been thinking a lot about getting a new car lately (even though the good ole '94 Camry is still running great, knock on wood) and the more I think about it...the more I think I just want to get another Camry. Boring, I know, but as well as mine has held up I can't really imagine getting anything else.

9. Do you believe in afterlife? Yep.

10. Favorite children's book? I love many, but the first that comes to mind is "Holes" by Louis Sachar. And a special mention of course to all of the Harry Potter books.

11. Favorite season? Spring. Hands down the best season. Too bad we're not really getting much of one in Texas!

12. Tattoo? No. I drive a Camry, what do you expect?

13. Can you juggle? No. Well, sort of, but not really. And I also cannot whistle.

14. Person from the past you wish you could go back and talk to: I would really love to meet and talk to my dad's mom, Carolyn. She died when he was in high school, but I would have loved to have known her. She sounds like an amazing and wonderful woman, who had a hard life but was incredibly loving.

15. Favorite day? Thanksgiving. I love the food and being around family, and not having the distraction of Christmas gifts, etc.

16. What's in the trunk of your car? Matt's dirty hiking boots (ahem, which need to be thrown away), a bunch of CD cases, an atlas.

17. If you could have one super power, what would it be? Definitely flying. Like the characters in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

18. Sushi or beef? Sushi.

19. Favorite flower? Roses. So perfectly beautiful, and they smell so good!

20. Favorite meal? This is hard. I have about ten different meals going through my head right now! I think it might be chips with queso/guacamole/some other type of unhealthy dip. Or maybe it's spaghetti with meat sauce. Or Thai pineapple fried rice. Or sushi, since I'm thinking about it from the question above. Perhaps I just should have passed on this question.

21. Birthday? August 15.

22. Do you watch Oprah? If I happen to be home and it's on, yes. So probably once or twice a year.

23. Watch Survivor? No.

24. Favorite T.V. Show? Definitely Lost. Followed closely by Curb Your Enthusiasm, which we're watching via Netflix right now.

25. Celebrate Christmas? Yes.

26. Favorite movie? Another hard one. I think it's probably The Sound of Music. Or else BBC's Pride and Prejudice. Can't resist posting a pic for that one:

(picture from www.janeausten.co.uk)

27. Vanilla or chocolate? Vanilla. With something fruity please.

Okay, so sorry again for my boring "my preferences a.k.a. all about me" post, but this has been a nice diversion from the work I'm doing tonight. And feel free to treat this like tag and post it on your own blog.

Caffeine is a good thing.

2006-04-21T01:52:00.000-05:00

I'm up late tonight working, and thanks to a grande nonfat (with whip. I know.) White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks, I am not tired. That amazing drink has kept me going way past my bedtime, and I'm very thankful. I think it was worth the $4.20 that I paid for it.

I try to reserve my caffeine indulgences to the moments that I truly need it, mostly because I fear becoming so addicted that if I were to go without it in the morning, I would get a headache, be grouchy, etc. Plus, I like the fact that I just need one Starbucks to keep me up all night when necessary, rather than several cups. In law school, I saved caffeine for finals week, or for early morning classes when I had only gotten a few hours of sleep the night before. My drug of choice then was Mountain Dew Code Red. Good stuff.

Since most of my brain power has been spent on work-related stuff over the past couple of weeks, I just thought I would post a few interesting links I found for those that are looking to procrastinate. Also, I've been trying to update the site links to the right periodically when I discover new fun sites.

I'm sure most people already know this, but it's really refreshing to see the proof: the models and celebrities in magazines do not really look like that. They have been slimmed down, airbrushed, had wrinkles and cellulite and blemishes removed, eyes brightened, teeth whitened, etc., all with the touch of a computer mouse and a fancy retouching program. I found a site that shows some pretty interesting examples:

http://homepage.mac.com/gapodaca/digital/blonde/blonde1.html (roll your mouse over the picture to see the original)

I think it never hurts to be reminded that what we are constantly bombarded with via magazines, TV, movies, etc., is just not real when it comes to women's bodies. This is a big reason that I love Dove's new ad campaign. It's wonderful to see real women in these ads, who are truly beautiful without all of the airbrushed retouching and computer alterations.

To close, I also have to post one of my most favorite photos from the internet. It could just be that I'm really weird, but the first time I saw this picture, I was laughing for about five minutes.

I think in general, the pancake bunny should brighten anyone's day. Especially since the Daily Kitten is still down.

Random thoughts

2006-04-11T23:28:00.000-05:00

Things have been very busy at work lately, so I haven't had the time or energy to properly procrastinate by writing a complete and coherent post. Apologies to all of my fellow procrastinators. Blogging can be therapeutic for me, in a way, so I decided that even a post that just has a few random musings is okay.

RT (random thought) 1: Does blogging bring us all closer together or farther apart? I love to read blogs. I read blogs of friends, acquaintances, and persons that I've never met. But I know some who think that blogging is just a shallow way of connecting with people. That blogging actually brings us farther from "true" relationships with others. I was at a party not too long ago, and I heard someone say "well, I really don't feel like rehashing that story again, so you can just go to my blog and read about it." So I can see, in some ways, how blogs could potentially become a replacement for actual, physical connectedness with others. But at the same time, I know that I've made connections with people through blogs that I couldn't have made otherwise. I can know what is going on in my friends' lives even without talking to them every day. The fact that I read someone's blog makes me connected to that person in a unique way, such that the next time I see them, we can have a conversation about something they wrote. Anyway, I don't have a conclusion, and I'm guessing the answer is something like "it's good, but in moderation," but would love to hear anyone's thoughts on this.

RT 2: The Daily Kitten website has been down for several days now, and I think my stress level is actually higher because of this. Things have been busy, as I mentioned before, and I really do calm myself down sometimes by looking at cute pictures of kittens on that site. I know. Please don't tell anyone. Anyway, if anyone knows how to fix websites would you please help out the Daily Kitten people??? I am having serious withdrawal symptoms.

RT 3: I'm wearing regular shoes again! The incision marks are still there, but fading gradually, and I'm still doing exercises to increase the flexibility in my feet. I'm so glad to be done with the velcro boots and the black lace-up sneakers. This recovery time is going quickly and hasn't been so bad. I'm thankful every day that I had the surgery.

RT 4: LOST is such a great show. I can't stop thinking about it for days after I see an episode. I'm still creeped out by what happened at the end of last week's show.

RT 5: I've been on a "younger readers" book kick lately. I realized that there are a lot of classic books that I've never read that I need to get around to reading. I read "A Wrinkle in Time" while we were in NYC, and now I'm working my way through the Anne of Green Gables books. I always loved the PBS movies based on this story, but somehow never read the books. Any other childrens'/young adults' books that I need to put on the list? I'll eventually get around to more "grown up" classics too.

Well, I've got an early start tomorrow, and these random thoughts could keep going on indefinitely so I will sign off.

Faith the Dog

2006-04-02T21:26:00.000-05:00

All of you must watch this video. It will only take a couple of minutes and it will really touch you. I guess I can't promise that, but it definitely touched me. My friend Grace posted this link, and I can't remember the last time I saw something so adorable. So you must go to the link and watch this, especially if you are not having a good day.

http://www.faiththedog.net/video.asp

Playing tag, procrastination-style

2006-03-27T21:53:00.000-05:00

In the blogging world, I think that to play a "tag" game one needs to be tagged. Okay, I know those are the rules in the real world, too. However, since I am always looking for new ways to spend my time while procrastinating, I decided that I will not abide by this rule. If I see a fun tag game on someone's blog, I will not wait to be tagged, but instead will go right ahead and play. And then instead of tagging a finite number of people, I will open up the game to any other blogger who would like to procrastinate along with me. I am an equal-opportunity tagger, you could say. Hopefully by breaking these rules I will not be exiled from the blog community at large.

This tag game requires one to list five quirks/peculiarities/weird habits about oneself. Shouldn't be too hard. I think.

1. I don't like potatoes. Never have. Apparently when my mom tried to introduce the potato to me as a baby, I spit them right out. This was very sad for her, as one of her most favorite dishes (if not the most favorite) is mashed potatoes. I think it's a texture thing, but I'm not too sure. I actually have a gag reflex that gets triggered if I try to swallow a bite of potatoes. I have discovered a few ways to eat potatoes that don't cause me to gag, though:

McDonald's French Fries, with ketchup. Wendy's fries are too thick, and forget the "steak fries" that you find at nicer restaurants. It's best that the amount of potato in each fry is as small as possible.
Hashbrown casserole from Cracker Barrell. I am not sure what goes into this delicious concoction, but it makes potatoes edible for me which is saying a lot. I can tell it has cheese, butter, garlic...and the potatoes are finely shredded so I don't get the potato-ey texture.
Sweet potato casserole. With marshmallows, pecans, and possibly pineapple. Does that count?
Tater tots. Really, who couldn't like a tater tot? Must be very crispy, and preferably dipped in ketchup.

2. I love smelly things. Way too much. I have more candles, lotions, and fragrances than I care to count, but I also love non-bottled smells too. Cut grass. (Matt says this is because I have never mowed a lawn). Rain. Orange blossoms. Roses. The laundry detergent aisle at the grocery store. Driving by a Krispy Kreme store when the "Hot and Now" sign is on. Smelling good smells just makes me happy, and if I enter a store that carries any type of fragranced products, I really have to restrain myself from smelling every single scent they offer in the store.

3. I have worn my retainer faithfully ever since I had my braces taken off in eighth grade. I don't think this is really an odd thing, because in my opinion, everyone who went through the pain, humiliation, and cost of braces should preserve what they received in return. Plus, I know it's working because if I forget to bring the retainer with my on a trip, when I come back it is really tight. So I know if I don't do it, my teeth will become crooked again. No one can convince me otherwise.

4. I hate walking around barefoot on a non-carpeted surface. I just can't stand the feeling of dust or dirt particles accumulating on the soles of my feet. For this reason, if I am at home, I am probably wearing slippers for the occasional walk to the kitchen, laundry room, bathroom, etc. When I get out of the shower, I cringe at the thought of stepping onto the tile floor, and will always put a towel down so I don't have to set my newly-washed feet on the floor.

5. I'm not a fan of chocolate. I don't hate it, but I can take it or leave it. If I have a choice between a fruity dessert or a chocolate dessert, I will pick the fruity one 9 times out of 10. And that 10% is only when Matt and I are splitting a dessert rather than getting our own. Same with my drug store moments of weakness--if I am on the candy aisle, I'm stocking up on Sweet Tarts, Sour Patch Kids and Spree and am not interested in the chocolate bars. I get cravings for sour/fruity candy sometimes that can only be quenched with some sour gummy worms.

I realize that these "quirks" are pretty lame, and I know there are much weirder things that I do that just aren't coming to mind right now. Oh, I just thought of another one: I can't sleep with the sheets tucked in at the bottom of the bed. My feet feel too enclosed, so I have to untuck the sheets and let my feet be free while I sleep. I guess that I could have grouped that one in with the number four category, though.

Anyway, it's been fun procrastinating, and if you're reading this consider yourself tagged. If you are a "by the rules" person then you can say that you were tagged by me, and then tag five people after posting your weird quirks.

Back from New York...and procrastinating

2006-03-19T23:56:00.000-05:00

I know some other bloggers suffer from something like writer's block, especially once they realize that people are actually reading what they write. Seeing all of those comments on my "Crash" rant made posting suddenly seem daunting. Like whatever I post has to be good, thoughtful, well-written, etc. This feeling of apprehension inevitably just leads to a lack of posting. But, I realized, that's just ridiculous. Anyone who reads this blog is looking to procrastinate, right? And sometimes that means just reading (or writing) something simple or shallow, that doesn't require a lot of forethought. So, no promises that I'll write anything thought provoking. But if a discussion does get started, participating in such a discussion sure is a great way to procrastinate! Also, if you have been way too productive and are in desperate need of some quality procrastination, many of the links at the right should be of great help. There are hours and hours to spend on the internet, people!

Matt and I returned from NYC on Thursday afternoon. My feet are beginning to forgive me, and I think that they realize that the trip was good for them. The trip was so wonderful and fabulous in every way that it's hard to narrow it down to a few highlights, but I'll do my best to name a few.

We went to see the musical Sweeney Todd on Wednesday night. When I was in high school, a guy in my voice class sang a song from Sweeney Todd called "Not While I'm Around." It's been one of my favorite songs ever since. It's such a sweet and lovely song that one would never think that it comes from a musical like Sweeney Todd. This is a story about revenge. Sweeney Todd, the main character, is a barber who is out for blood (literally) and seeks revenge against the people in his town who destroyed his life. The musical is violent, dark, disturbing and sad. And it's probably one of the best performances I've ever seen. The music is hauntingly beautiful, the characters are multi-dimensional, and the story makes a profound moral statement. If you ever have a chance to see this, I highly recommend it. Just don't bring your kids, and don't expect a "light and fluffy" musical experience.

We ate a LOT of good food while we were there. Good thing we were doing so much walking. The best food we had was from a small Italian restaurant in Brooklyn called "Queen." Everything we ate was superb, and even Matt (who grew up eating homemade Italian meals) said that it was the best Italian food he had ever had. Just don't tell his grandmother. On the night that we saw Sweeney Todd, we ate at "The View," which is at the top of the Marriot Marquis in Times Square. They definitely call it "The View" for a reason. This picture doesn't do it justice but I'll post it anyway. Matt took this picture while we were having champagne together before we met my family for dinner.

As it got darker outside, the view from "The View" became a bit more....interesting. There is a W hotel directly across the street from the Marriot, and for some reason, several people who were staying there did not think there was a need to close their blinds. We didn't see anything too crazy, but that's not really the point. The point is, we could have. We mentioned it to our waiter, and he said (I quote) "I've seen better shows looking out this window than I have on Broadway." Yikes. So all of you travelers, please remember to close the blinds! If it's dark outside and the lights are on inside your hotel room, then people can see you. I repeat: The waitstaff and diners at "The View" restaurant are watching you. Ick.

The final highlight I will mention here is my fabulous experience at Barneys. One of my (many) vices is a serious addiction and fascination with scented items, especially perfume. I have more bottles, samples and decants than I care to count. Barneys is a perfumista's Mecca: there are so many rare and hard-to-find fragrances there that it's a bit overwhelming. But in a good way. After wandering around to a few counters, I settled down at Frederic Malle and got to experience fragrance testing in a new way. Malle has three large glass columns that run from the floor to the ceiling. After the sales associate narrows down which scents might be "you," she somehow disperses the scents into these columns so that you can open the doors on the side, put your entire head and shoulders into the column, and experience the "aura" of the scent. I realize I'm not describing this too well, and now I am kicking myself that I did not take a picture. It was so much better than trying to sniff a scent on a paper strip. After trying all three of the columns she had made for me, I fell in love with the third. So my big souvenir from NYC is my very own bottle of Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur. (photo by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle). It smells like nothing else I own, and nothing else I've ever worn. The top notes are Lavender and Bergamot, middle notes are clove and cinnamon, and the base notes are Gaiac wood, cedar, sandalwood, vanilla and tonka. I can't really identify any of those specific notes when I smell it. To me it smells a bit spicy but still very smooth and soft, and really not very musky at all. Matt says he smells a bit of powder, but I don't detect that too much. It's a captivating scent, and not work-appropriate in the slightest. I also bought some fun new makeup from T. LeClerc that I'm really excited about...as soon as I get the hang of applying it. Matt gets an A+ award for being a great husband and hanging around while I sniffed perfumes, candles, lotions and got made up by the T. LeClerc rep. And he didn't complain once! What a guy.

It was a little sad to leave and come back to normal life. I'm sure my feet are relieved, though. And the cats are pretty grateful too. Sometime while we were gone they found the balls of yarn that I've been keeping in a drawer while I try to learn how to knit. We arrived home to long strings of yarn strewn about the living room floor in all kinds of directions. I know it was just their way of telling us that they missed us.

Hello from New York

2006-03-14T21:49:00.000-05:00

I've been in NYC since Saturday, so I haven't had as much time to procrastinate. This is my very first time to the Big Apple and we are having a blast. We're visiting my brother, who lives in Brooklyn, and my parents from South Carolina are here visiting as well.

So far we've been trying to hit all of the must-see places in New York. There is no hiding that we are tourists here, especially since Matt and I are wearing matching New Balance sneakers everywhere we go. Matt also has one of those stretchy bracelets that hooks our wrists together so we can't get separated. Just kidding about that last part. We do have the cheesy matching shoes though.

Some of you know that I had surgery in January on both of my feet (which I'm sure I will post about in more fascinating detail at a later date). As a result, walking has been a bit of a challenge, but overall it hasn't hindered my enjoyment of the experience at all. I just make sure to have a book with me if I need to sit out for awhile.

On Sunday we toured the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which was wonderful. That night we saw a fabulous musical called "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." It was hilarious. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard during a play.

Yesterday, we were this close to Lady Liberty, but no closer. Since the attacks in 2001, visitors are no longer allowed to go up inside the statue. After touring the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, we walked for what seemed like many miles to the "best" pizza place in New York, Grimaldi's. Do all the pizza places in New York say that they are the best? I'm guessing probably so. Anyway, this pizza was really good and I enjoyed it immensely. As a result of our long trek, however, I wasn't able to do nearly as much walking today. It's pretty funny that after hardly walking at all over the past two months, I come to New York and really "break in" my new feet, so to speak. I think my feet might be upset with me for awhile, but I also think it's good for them to get used to walking again.

Today we visited the World Trade Center site. It's overwhelming. Seeing the huge space where the towers once stood is mind-blowing. I find myself humbled to the point of tears when I think of all the emergency rescue workers who made the ultimate sacrifice while trying to save other people. I had to ask myself: if that had been me, and I had just seen the first tower fall down, would I be running inside the second tower to save people? I'm ashamed to say that I don't think that I would. Many of these men and women were far out of harm's way that day. Completely safe. But rather than staying where they knew they would be alright, they went directly into the danger. All of them are heroes. I am so thankful that there are people like this on the earth, and I pray that God can give me that type of sacrificial character.

Next, we visited the Frick Art Museum, where Matt was kind enough to wheel me around in a wheelchair. This is the second time we've done this since the surgery, and it is always a very interesting and enlightening experience. People have varying reactions when they see us. We get looks of pity. Matt often gets looks of admiration (I guess for staying with me even though I'm disabled). Some people are incredibly nice and some people are just plain annoyed. It's a great social experiment, I think. I'll post another time about our trip to Northpark Mall in the wheelchair, which was quite educational.

So I guess that's all for this post. Sorry for the lack of controversy today but I figure we all need a breather after that last post. Procrastination is supposed to be fun, right?

Oh, and speaking of fun, I found a new fun way to procrastinate! Myspace. Check it out only if you have some time on your hands. I've been amazed at the number of old friends with whom I've been able to reconnect through this site. A warning though: it's pretty addictive.

Crash. Ugh.

2006-03-07T00:38:00.000-05:00

Last night I lost my faith in Hollywood. That's such a laughable statement, really. First of all, who really has faith in Hollywood? I know I certainly don't. But yet every year, I get so caught up in the "best" movies, performances, and overall work in the film industry, as defined by The Academy, whoever they are. And pretty much every year, I'm disappointed. Some years are worse than others, though, and this one was a doozy.

Now I feel the need to put a simple disclaimer here, which really should be a given for pretty much all of these blog posts: All of this is Just My Opinion. And most of the time, there are fantastic people whom I love and respect who disagree with me. I know that's the case here. Many of my friends happen to love Crash. And they are friends whose opinions I normally value and trust, at least when it comes to movies. So when I go on here to rant about how I think it's not a good movie, don't get upset if you think it's better than Citizen Kane. Like Oprah does. Ugh. Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is I know that I can take it personally when someone doesn't like movies that I adore. The English Patient, anyone?

So, nobody get too upset, because if you are someone who loves Crash, at least you know that most of Hollywood agrees with you. :-) And, feel free to comment and tell me that I'm wrong. My favorite teacher from high school English always used to say "We can disagree and still be friends." Okay, moving on from the disclaimer.

I've realized after talking to many people about Crash, that for some reason I'm not very good at articulating what it was about it that I found so underwhelming. So for help, here are links to some critics with whom I agree that say it much better than I can:

Erik Lundegaard (another good one by him here)
Dave White
And a link to a discussion on a movie blog I visit.

Several comments from these articles/discussions express what I was thinking when I kept hearing raves for Crash. When I watched Crash, I felt like the movie producers thought I was ignorant. For whatever reason, they felt the need to make the SAME point again, and again. Racism is here. It's bad. Everyone, including you, is a bit racist. I guess the problem was that I knew all of these things already. I know racism is still around. I don't claim to be so highly evolved that racism doesn't impact my life. And I know that racism is a problem.

Now, don't get me wrong, a movie doesn't have to tell me something I don't already know for me to enjoy it. I think what turned me off about Crash (or at least one of the things) is that it came across as so self-important, grandstanding, and preachy to me. Again, it's hard to explain it other than what I said earlier--I just thought the movie took me for a fool, and felt the need to explain out its message very slowly and carefully so I would understand.

Now I should also add that Crash was the only nominee for best picture that I have seen. However, that fact alone made me absolutely certain that it couldn't (shouldn't) win. Cinderella Man was better than Crash. Walk the Line was better than Crash. And they weren't even nominated! So I knew that most, if not all, of the other nominees were most likely better than Crash too. They had to be. As a side note, I was rooting for Brokeback Mountain, which I haven't seen yet but intend to. Even though Brokeback is the one that's been lambasted as having the "agenda," Crash is by far the worst offender. If Brokeback has an agenda, at least it tells it using the medium of a beautiful, moving story with great writing and acting, etc. The producers made their point without shouting it or spelling it out. That's what art is supposed to do. Crash struck me as nothing but an agenda. No real story, not much writing, acting just okay (other than Terrence Howard, who I thought was excellent).

I guess what made this a bit more annoying, was that Hollywood takes itself so seriously. I thought that Jon Stewart was hilarious, and those stars could barely crack a smile. They consider what they do to be very serious and important. I'm not saying it isn't, but if they want to play the part of being serious about choosing the best performances, they need to vote like it. Does anyone actually think that George Clooney put in a better performance than Paul Giamatti?

Or, going back a few years, can anyone look me in the eyes and tell me that yes, Shakespeare in Love was the best picture of the year, instead of Saving Private Ryan? Well, I guess some people would. But most would agree that those wins were nothing but politics, as was Crash's victory this weekend.

So, I guess all I'm ranting about is something that we all know. The Oscars aren't really about the best movies, the best performances, the best movie work of the year. Now if I can just remember that next year, you all won't be subjected to another bitter blog like this one. I know you are all looking to procrastinate, and I will be more fun and focus on the fashion next year. I can count on the movie stars for that.

Or maybe not.

Sigh.

Four Things

2006-03-01T23:47:00.000-05:00

I was tagged via email by my friend Erika, but I just decided to post the answers here. These tag games are a great way to procrastinate, especially since I don't even have to come up with an idea for a post!

Four Jobs I have had in my life:
1. Babysitter
2. Hostess/Singer at Macaroni Grill (yes, I was that girl)
3. Cashier/clothes folder at Banana Republic.
4. Cashier/clothes folder at Gap Kids/Baby Gap

Four Movies I would watch over and over.
1. The Sound of Music
2. Pride and Prejudice (BBC version)
3. Meet the Parents
4. The Lord of the Rings (all three, but especially the first one)

Four places I have lived
1. Jasper, Alabama
2. Greenville, South Carolina
3. Abilene, Texas
4. Waco, Texas

Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. LOST
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. The Daily Show
4. The Office (BBC version--I know I need to watch the U.S. version, I just don't ever seem to be home when it comes on!)

Four Places I have been on vacation:
1. London
2. St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
3. Sonoma, CA
4. Whistler, Canada

Web sites I visit daily: (most of these are to the right)
1. MSNBC.com
2. The Daily Kitten. I challenge anyone to look at this site and remain in a bad mood. If I'm stressed I go to this site and look through the archives, and suddenly the world doesn't seem so bad anymore.
3. Most of the blogs to the right
4. Netflix--usually to check to see if they've received my latest movie back or if there are new movies that I want to add to my queue.

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Tex Mex, especially chips and queso, guacamole and Mexican rice
2. Baked Macaroni and Cheese
3. Mango Pina Colada smoothie
4. Tomato Mozzarella salad with pesto

Four Places I would rather be right now
1. In the bath reading a book
2. Having dinner with Matt
3. Visiting my family in South Carolina or my brother in NYC
4. Going on rollercoasters at Orlando's Islands of Adventure

As far as tagging others, if you are reading this and have a blog, consider yourself tagged. Or not. Just trying to help you out with your procrastinating.

No Ice Cream for YOU!!!

2006-02-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

We had a very bizarre experience at Marble Slab Creamery on Saturday evening. This ice cream shop used to be one of Matt's and my favorite guilty pleasures. During the first year of our marriage, we visited Marble Slab way too often, and started calling it "Marble Flab" because of the results.

For those of you that may not have experienced Marble Slab before, it's an ice cream shop in which the ice cream is scooped out of the container and mixed up with various toppings on a piece of marble before being served. I remember the first time I had it I was so enamored that I think I talked about it for weeks to anyone who would listen, because it was SO GOOD. Plus they had fresh strawberries as a mix-in option, rather than just frozen syrupy strawberries that don't taste like real strawberries anymore. (As a side note, sometime in the past year they stopped offering fresh strawberries and now have the syrupy strawberries like everyone else. In hindsight, I should have realized that this was just the beginning of a downward spiral.)

However, even with the absence of the fresh strawberries option, until our experience this past weekend I probably would have recommended Marble Slab to you. Not anymore. I am not really sure what is happening at the top of this company, but if this experience is any indication, I am thinking that someone may be a little too confident in their product because they seem to have decided to forgo any customer service training for their employees.

Interestingly, this weekend was not the first bad experience Matt and I have had at this particular Marble Slab. A few months ago, we stopped there for ice cream. I tried to order a small cup of my favorite combination, Birthday Cake with Strawberries. The employee behind the counter told me that he could not sell me a small cup. He then said: "To order a small cup, you have to be a child or other person." Other person. Other person. So, I guess, a person other than me. I am sure that the company policy is, in fact, that to order a small cup one has to be a child or senior citizen (i.e. older person) but this is not what he said. I gave him a blank stare and asked "Other person? So, just someone else, not me?" He nodded. Apparently in that Marble Slab there is a picture of me behind the counter with a big crossmark over my face, and the words "no small cup for her." I could write another post on the actual policy and how it's a bit ridiculous to force me to buy a ginormous cup of ice cream because of my age, but I'll leave it, especially since this employee was apparently not aware of the actual policy, but only knew that I was NOT going to get a small cup. Unless I was an other person.

Okay, so fast forward to this past Saturday. Same Marble Slab. Matt and I are there with our friends Paul and Karen. I order my ginormous cup of Birthday Cake and Strawberries because I don't want to make trouble. Karen orders her favorite flavor: Double Dark Chocolate with Strawberries. After Karen ordered, the woman behind the counter made her a cup of Chocolate Swiss with Strawberries. Paul brought Karen her ice cream, and Karen knew that it wasn't the Double Dark Chocolate. She tried it anyway, but after a bite wasn't eating much because she didn't like it. Paul, being the good husband that he is, takes the ice cream back up to the counter to get Karen the Double Dark Chocolate that she had ordered.

This is when the story takes an unexpected turn. The women behind the counter told Paul that the two flavors are the same. When he tried to argue with her, saying that no, actually one is Dark Chocolate and one is Swiss, she whipped out a spoon, scooped out some of the Double Dark Chocolate, held it out to him and challenged him to taste it. "Taste it!" she cried. "But, it's not the same," Paul tried to reason. He even tasted the ice cream she offered, and pointed out that the ice cream in the spoon was several shades darker than the ice cream in the cup. But to no avail. She stated plainly that the flavors tasted the same and that she was not going to re-make the ice cream.

After this surreal encounter, Paul returned to our table looking a bit stunned. Karen then decided to ask the other employee in the store for her money back. She waited in line again until she could speak to the other guy behind the counter. Once she explained to him that the ice cream wasn't what she ordered and she wanted a refund, he pointed to the woman behind the counter (the Ice Cream Nazi from before) and stated that she was the shift manager, so it was up to her. Ice Cream Nazi told Karen that she would not refund her money because she had already tasted her ice cream. Karen protested that she had tasted it only to realize that it was not what she ordered, because she always gets the Double Dark Chocolate. But the Nazi didn't budge. Karen ended up throwing away her cup of ice cream, and we all left. (But not before Paul had snapped a few photos with his camera phone of the two containers of the different chocolate ice creams as well as the Ice Cream Nazi herself). Paul and Karen should be commended for their efforts to stand up to this totalitarian ice cream regime. And all of you readers, beware of the Ice Cream Nazi at Marble Slab.

Better Late Than Never

2006-02-25T00:06:00.000-05:00

I have started this blog as a storage bin, in which I can place all of the random information that comes to my mind (for the benefit or detriment of anyone who attempts to read along). There's something a bit daunting about writing something and knowing that it can be read by anyone in the world who has a computer, but overall I'm excited to have an outlet to express my thoughts, both deep and shallow. Okay, mostly shallow.

I need to go to sleep because I have an early start tomorrow, but I'll leave you with a funny link that Matt found this week. Check out this fat cat!