The Vagaries of the Crowd

Memory Verse

2010-02-12T16:38:00.002-05:00

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding.

In all your ways, acknowledge him

And He will direct your path.

Proverbs 3:5-6

I've been saying this to myself a lot lately.

From the fam

2009-09-22T20:35:00.004-04:00

Um, I wish I could express just how jazzed I was when I got this on Saturday. The Great Mouse Detective is the perfect blend of old Disney craziness, Sherlock Holmes, and Willy Wonka.

The thing is, now I'm watching the Daily Show and Jon Oliver is doing his bit. Makes me wonder how impossible it would be for me to be a comedienne in England.

Sad news: my camera broke some time between Tuesday and Friday. I don't use it often, but I really was fond of that particular camera.

But happy days will prevail: the sun was out today, the rain is gone for a little bit, and I just rocked my US History exam.

Birthday List?

2009-09-13T13:02:00.002-04:00

Can I be 8 for a minute and make a birthday wish list? kthx.

A serger in order to "make more professional-looking garments." I don't know, that's what they always say and I do hate hemming things. I have a lot of dresses and skirts in my "Finish" pile only because I'm scared of hemming them unevenly.

A Nikon SLR camera. Mom has a Canon and it's amazing, but I'm incredibly partial to Nikons.

A Fleet Foxes CD.

these vintage coffee cups. They look like ones I had when I was 3 that came in a tea set. They had Barbie on them instead of the pretty green and blue. Not going to lie: I like them both equally.

This/A coin purse (in general) (This is also lovely)

Any art in general, especially Jessica Gonacha Swift and Flapper Doodle

I love this. I actually may buy it for myself.

Anything from Etsy.

Anything directly or indirectly related to Cher, Lucille Ball, Frank Sinatra, Humphrey Bogart, or Ryan Gosling in Young Hercules.

A date with Ryan Gosling. Sorry, those pictures really made me regress.

I could never date Ryan Gosling, because we'd be having a great time eating dinner or something and I'd be far to distracted thinking of him in Young Hercules costumes. And I'd ask him everyday to reenact this scene from YH until he was so fed up that he'd break up with me. Being realistic and everything.

Philosophy 1

2009-08-26T18:24:00.003-04:00

This semester's personal project is to find a philosophy each week (or every few weeks) and really try to apply it to my life. I'd like to see how my life could be changed just by thinking a little differently. The plan is to pseudo-/semi-document the occurrences here or other thoughts that come to my mind (you know, the general purpose of a blog) that are at least indirectly related to my new way of thinking.

This week's (and probably next week's, too) is "Fish where the fish are."

I have a tendency to be agoraphobic. I don't go out much without considerable coaxing. I could honestly stay in my room 23.75 hours a day as long as I had food, water, and a book. I like people, but I can often satiate my need for human contact by just listening to people, be it through walls, doors, or on the TV. Of course, there are sometimes when I wish I met new people easier. This is where the philosophy comes in: I KNOW that the new people aren't going to saunter into my bedroom and instantly befriend me. So in order to meet new friends, I must go where there are new people. Genius, I know :)

This also came to mind:

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

Luke 5:4-7

If you "fish where the fish are," sometimes God can come through in miraculous ways. It's a pleasant thought.

So here's to finding new opportunities and seizing them!

Housekeeping

2009-07-23T20:44:00.002-04:00

This fell by the wayside, didn't it?

Right now, there are many people in my driveway trying to un-break our minivan. Hopefully, it will be better soon.

Finished!

2009-07-03T12:10:00.005-04:00

Quilted Coasters have a place in my heart, and now have a place on my coffee table!

Ugh, they're dark because I took them at night because I was exhausted and not thinking clearly. On the camera, they looked like they were the right exposure. It's okay. They're good enough for me.

A "Wild" 12th Birthday

2009-06-26T11:52:00.001-04:00

Sister 1 and Sam

Sister 2
Dilapidated cake. I didn't notice the wonky bottom until just now.
The group we got together.
Grace and OUR best friend. I love her.

We don't look alike in this picture, but there was one on the camera where she could've been my blonde twin.

It was a good time. She received some great presents and spent time with some amazing friends (and one hilariously shy "boyfriend").

Happy birthday, sis!

The simple things

2009-06-15T13:10:00.003-04:00

I love quilted coasters. I know they're pretty en vogue in the crafting community, and I'm sure they're on their way out, but there's something about them that melts my heart. They're so simple to make, but they look so tailored.

Right now, I'm at work, putting invoices in numerical order, dreaming about making tens of quilted coasters tonight.

An Etsy Day

2009-06-13T22:17:00.004-04:00

I've been in kind of a funk today. I'm sure it has nothing to do with teaching 16 kids ages 4-6 for 2 1/2 hours Sunday through Thursday, then starting my real job on Thursday morning and working by myself all day Friday.

I overslept today. I woke up at 10:30. That's how I knew my day was shot. I NEVER sleep past 8:30. I've been to parties and gotten back at 4:30 in the morning and I still wake up at 7:00. It's just my nature. I also didn't put in my contacts when I woke up. "Glasses days" are hardly ever good days.

However, my ill mood was lifted around noon when I realized that moping wasn't going to solve anything. So this afternoon, my younger sister and I figured out the guest list and mailed out invitations for her "wild" 12th birthday! It's a jungle-theme, so we bought two sets of invitations: one pink set with leopard edges and zebra in the center and a blue set with blue zebra stripes on the flap and a purple stripe on the overlap. They are too cute. I'm making three skirts for the occasion, too. I'm making my sister and her best friend matching zebra skirts-- Grace's will have yellow fabric underneath and sewn with yellow thread and her friend's, Alex, will have pink fabric and pink thread. My skirt (I love sewing for myself. I get so tired of wearing the same thing as everyone else.) is made from a canvas-like material (but thinner). It's a natural, unbleached color with an eggplant trim and a zebra, a deer, and a bird looking around trees near the bottom. I love it.

That was a huge aside, and after the "invitations" talk, has nothing to do with this post. Since I wasn't really in a social mood, I spent a lot of time online. And since it's Saturday, NO ONE updates their blogs, (How selfish of them!) so I spent most of the day on Etsy.

I had to buy my sister (same one) a present. I plan on making her some things, but she loves ducks. I get that. When I was 12, my friends and I went through this weird "We love monkeys/frogs/ducks" phase. I thought I had seen a tutorial online about how to sew a stuffed rooster. My plan was to take that basic principal, then add felt feet and a bill. I couldn't find it, though. Which led me to Plan B- Etsy, of course.

I was surprised that even Etsy let me down a little bit. I searched for "duck" and "stuffed duck" (I felt a little weird typing that) and "plush duck." I was shown a lot of amigurimi ducks, but only a few sewn ducks. I found one that I liked, so I got it, even though it was a bit pricey.

After I found that, I decided to kill some time. With parties on the brain, I started to think about my own party in a few months. Even though it's in September, I've had the theme picked out since I was 16: when I turn twenty, my theme will be "The Roarin' Twenties." (It just so happens to work out that my mom accidentally bought me a fringed skirt from Urban Outfitters for Christmas). I have everything already: the clothes, the headbands, the boas, and the music. But a basic Etsy search led me to flapperdoodle. I absolutely love her things. I especially love that her biography is pretty similar to mine. She's two years older than I am and loves old movies and replaced Britney Spears with Frank Sinatra years ago.

My FAVORITE:Other gorgeous prints

(All images owned by flapperdoodle. I'm just a fan)

I love that one of her character's names is "Ramona." A few weeks ago, my sister and I were talking about what we were going to name our future children and I said "If it's a girl, Olive and Ramona. If it's a boy, Luc, Landon, or Macon."

This whole post was just a long way of saying, I love the 20's, Etsy, and my family. And even summer, but just a bit!

Love

VBS is not for the faint of heart

2009-06-09T16:53:00.004-04:00

After Mallory left for Honduras, I've been more conscious of my decisions. I've tried to not waste time and I've been attempting to listen more than I talk (it's harder than I thought!).

Sunday kicked off VBS at my church and I'm teaching Pre-K. This is a HUGE test of patience and love. Tonight is the 3rd night, but Sunday we had 13 kids and yesterday we had 15. Fifteen five-year-olds is A LOT, especially when our schedules were so messed up.

Mom and I were really bummed that we were getting so many directions that we couldn't do anything, so the kids missed both music AND crafts. I could tell she was becoming flustered and she could tell I felt like I was in over my head (I can deal with groups only if they involve people who are ages 10 and up. Give me 100 teenagers, and I'm okay. Give me 25 high school sophomores and I will show you a great time. Children, however, are a WHOLE different ballgame). But we both prayed to ourselves and God really came through (as did one kid's grandfather. There was no dealing with that one).

I felt especially guilty when I was pushing Kylie's wheelchair. Kylie is a 5 year old girl who was diagnosed with bone cancer in her femur in October. She's had so many rounds of chemotherapy and even had to have her femur replaced with a steel rod last month. Even after everything she's been through, she was the sweetest kid there. She listened to the stories, she didn't talk out of turn, and she still had fun and laughed and smiled. We were coloring while the other kids were on the playground and I taught her some French words. Her favorite, as is everyone's, was "bleu." It's just so much fun to say! But how on earth can I complain about bruises on my shins and how exhausted I am when sweet Kylie is looking at me and laughing with me? I have no reason to complain or worry. "Consider the sparrows," right?

We're learning about the underground church this week. We emptied out two Sunday school rooms: one for a prison cell where Paul and Brutus the Roman guard stay (Brutus lets us visit Paul for a little bit everyday. He's not really a bad guy deep down) and another for a "cave" so Christians who want to worship can do so without being caught. I know it's meant for children, but SEEING it, even on such a small scale really helped me to understand how MUCH Christians went through just to praise God. Every year, we hear stories about missionaries in other countries and how they have to worship in secret, too. I don't think we get it sometimes. I know I've never appreciated how much they put on the line just to praise God. It makes me feel incredibly guilty for sometimes oversleeping on Sundays.

I love working with children, though. They teach me so many things, both spiritually and artistically. One of the girls kept talking about sunflowers, so I think I'll try to make my sister a sunflower jumper!

Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! --James 3:3-5

Sometimes the truth just smacks you in the head

2009-06-05T14:46:00.002-04:00

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. -- Galatians 5: 25

A little nugget

2009-06-04T21:50:00.003-04:00

Dolls with freckles really bother me. I think they remind me too much of the Puzzle Place.

I loved them all except for Ben, the blonde boy. (Skye and KiKi were my favorites.) I think my distaste for him has stayed with me until adulthood. He's more than likely the reason why freckles on NON-LIVING things creep me out.

Just a walking cliché...

2009-06-03T20:12:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, I took (okay, dragged) my younger sister to Hancock Fabric because I wanted metallic thread. Unbeknownst to us, Hancock was having a massive sale on summer fabrics, including linen.

Any woman worth her weight in salt has either owned or wanted a pair of linen pants/shorts or a skirt. Any sewer (I don't like the word "seamstress." It sounds like "mistress" + "seam-ripper") who's sewn more than a patch on a hole has worked with or wanted to work with linen. They "ooh" and "ahh" and swoon and faint over how soft it is and how soft it becomes after washing it. They like how versatile it is and how summery it feels.

I am not that sewer. Last April, I bought some linen the color of sunshine to make myself a skirt for Easter. I imagined my finished project to resemble a linen skirt I bought from Old Navy ($3!) five years ago (I still have the darn thing, too. I actually wore it to ICE). Well,...it didn't. The material pilled in some areas and was too thin in others. It wasn't soft AT ALL. (Then again, I'm a cotton/silk blend kinda gal.) I cut the pattern out, pinned it together, and put it in my pile to "get to" where it still humbly lies.

THIS linen, however, was 50% off--FIVE DOLLARS A YARD! How could I pass that up? It was navy blue and calling my name. "Helloooo, precciiiooooussss. I'm the exxaaaaccccttt shaaaaaddeee ooof bluuuuuue yooouuuu weeerreee loooookiiiiinnngg foooor! Tooouuuucchhhhh mmmeeeee.." So I did.

I'm so glad I did. This linen was 300x better than the first. I took less than half a yard and made my youngest sister a simple skirt with hidden pockets made from a fat quarter of Gaughin's Garden. The entire skirt cost about $3.50 to make. I love it. (She has a funny way of showing appreciation, so I'm not sure if she loves it as much as I do. I DO know that she'd begged me for a week to make her a skirt with pockets, then pitched a fit when I asked her to try the finished project on for size. And after the fit was pitched, she asked me to make her another skirt and a wallet. I think I'll focus on my other sister for a bit to see if SHE's more grateful.)

Again, I wish I had my camera, since I'm pretty proud of my pocket-making abilities (Thanks to a pattern in Weekend Sewing!)

Since I have over half a yard of this delicious fabric left, I think I'll attempt to make this now.

Happy crafting!

PS: How cute are these?!

First weekend

2009-06-01T09:50:00.004-04:00

Saturday night, one of my closest friends left for and arrived in Honduras for a six month mission trip. I thought she was leaving next month: Saturday night, I was at a party.

Sunday morning, I realized how much I should be doing and how little I really am. I don't want to waste any more time.

Saturday morning, a very good friend and I went to the Indie Craft Experience in Centennial Olympic Park. We bought presents for people we love and a few things for ourselves, including two delicious cupcakes from Dulce Vegan! I love ICE, because it's just miles of inspiration and good conversations.

So between two days of inspiration (I took my mom and sister on Sunday after church!) and God, I think I can stop wasting time. I'm writing it here, because even if no one reads it, it still solidifies it in my mind. I need to be held accountable to what I promise myself and others.

I will not waste my precious, limited time with trivial, shallow, and stupid activities. I will treat my body like a temple and know that it is an amazing thing. I will spend more time with my family and less time trying to salvage relationships that I shouldn't be in anyway. I will stop undermining God and pretending I know better than He does. I will love with all my heart and try to let things roll off my back. I will continue to be optimistic, but still work hard towards what I want.

Now, I am going to help my sister with her writing. Mom bought her advanced kindergarten books to do during the summer so she won't fall behind when she goes to first grade in August.

(I had pictures, but my camera is on the lam again)

(P.S. Jessica Gonacha was at ICE and I LOVE her art. It's unique, but not too abstract)

Tea from Jittery Joe's

2009-04-20T08:52:00.002-04:00

Is it just me, or does the Chinese Flower Green Tea from Jittery Joe's smell like Trix cereal?

Adulthood, meet Childhood.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

2009-04-14T10:27:00.007-04:00

(And Mayflowers bring Pilgrims)

It's raining pretty substantially now. It makes me happy that I didn't wash my car. It rained/hailed on Friday, cleared up on Saturday, and it's been raining since early Monday morning.

I absolutely love it, though. I love it when I'm at home. I like driving in it (well, 80% of the time) and I like walking in it (again, ~80% of the time!). I love that it takes away some of the pollen from the air. I love that Lake Lanier is less than 8 feet below full pool. I love how GREEN everything is lately! It's easy to forget how pretty spring is when summer is so blistering, fall is so busy, and winter is so long. In contrast with the dull background, the green is especially bright.

Actually, I supposed I walked away longer than I thought because now it's stopped raining and while the sun isn't out, it is shining through the clouds. And according to the weather, that's the end of the rain for the week. Hm. I'm going to miss it.

For Easter, I bought Toms Shoes for me and my sister. I've been meaning to buy some for years now, but they slipped my mind until a few days ago. I was getting tired of wearing my burgundy moccasins from Old Navy that I've worn almost every day since November. I had brown ones, too, but the weather forecast in New York didn't predict snow, so when I wore them and they were exposed to frozen water from the sky, something happened and they turned white and splotchy after they dried. I found my Keds from four years ago that romped around Rome and Pompeii and Delphi and I've been wearing those lately. They're still comfortable and everything, but they're blue and I hate wearing blue shoes with blue jeans. It's a stigma from my all-blue outfit from 3rd grade--ill-fitting white shirt with tiny blue flowers all over it over dark powder blue leggings with blue Reebok sneakers and a blue necklace. I thought I was stylish. I thought that's what Claudia Kishi or Stacy McGill would wear. Years later, I still cringe that I went out in public like that. (The description is nowhere NEAR as upsetting as the vivid imagery I have in my mind.)

I hope you enjoyed that long aside. Whether you did or didn't, buy Toms Shoes! It's a great cause and a great shoe.

Drip drip drop, little April Shower / What can compare to your beautiful sound?

[Edit: I've tried to edit this 3 times and nothing works. I apologize!]

A conversation with my mom today

2009-03-31T21:07:00.005-04:00

"I am really smitten."

"I'm happy for you."

"You know the best part?"

"Riding the bus with him?"

"No, but close. He has laughing eyes. Like upside down u's. You can't find those in Forsyth."

"No, you can't."

"It's all farmer's eyes with wrinkles and sunburns and the perpetual scowl of 'Boyh, git in here!'"

"It's very slim pickin's."

"I'm glad I'm here."

"Me, too, honey."

Weekend Sewing

2009-03-30T11:18:00.009-04:00

I love this book! I'll admit that a few weeks ago I read it in Barnes and Noble and liked the ideas, but didn't buy it at first. During spring break, my mom and I went to Crate and Barrel and I was looking at the desks and armoires because I remembered that the book mentioned something about putting your machine and fabric/notions in a computer armoire for easy access. I couldn't exactly describe what it looked like to my mom, so I bought the book to show it to her this weekend. I'm so glad I did!

I made four checkbook covers out of scraps and fat quarters (kind of lame, I think, but I love to make small things).

I look back on "high-school-me" and I remember the times that my friends and I would drive to the Macon Mall and sometimes just look, but mostly just buy useless stuff. Being 16, our favorite stores were usually Gap, American Eagle, Hollister, and Abercrombie, of course. But we weren't just teenagers. We were also a bit pretentious. So, being snobs, our ultimate favorite place to go was Mori Luggage to look at the Vera Bradley bags. I remember on a few occasions laying down twenty-five dollars for a simple checkbook cover. I'm shaking my head in past regret-- oh, youthful arrogance. When I sat down to make these, all of my fabric was bought on sale from purl or from a local fabric store, For the Love of Stitches (I love that name). I made all four of my covers for less than $10.

I love it so much more than my old Vera (and that's saying a lot, because even though I can't believe the price, I still love my green elephant cover even after 4 years!)

This pouch was pretty easy except for the edge stitching where my needle insisted on sticking. It's okay, we all made it through relatively unscathed. This is actually my favorite pouch that I made, which is why I haven't picked a closure for it yet. I don't want to mess it up by rushing into a decision. Velcro seems like the smartest choice (opening and closing would be easier and would reduce pressure, less pressing on the precious goods INSIDE, etc.), but snaps look so nice and professional. I'll probably resort to asking a friend and just going with whatever they say. It's a win-win-lose situation, and that's as good as I can hope for in these types of problems!

The great news is that my neighbor saw my work (I made more than just these two, I promise!) and loved it! She owns a tea room in a nearby town and she said that if I could make enough to form a stock, she would let me sell them in her company! I'm praying that this really will happen, because goodness knows I could use the pocket money!

Sewing was a wonderful way to relax after such a rough few weeks! I can't wait to do it again.

Baggu Grosgrain Guest GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-03-27T10:28:00.000-04:00

I LOVE these! Not only do I want one, but I want another one to put in my car, another to put in my purse, one to give to my mom for her car, purse, self, and a few to hand out to strangers! They are just too cool!

Baggu Grosgrain Guest GIVEAWAY!!!!

I miss my Mac.

2009-03-12T08:15:00.002-04:00

Our new iMac is coming in tomorrow. We're all excited about it.

I made a skirt for me last night and when I went to hem it, I accidentally melted it. It should be easy to repair, but I'm just a little frustrated. I think I'll take a break and sew a nightgown and some coasters.

I already miss the warm weather. Yesterday was wonderful.

Now that the sun is up, I think I'll start working.

I just realized what's missing.

2009-03-05T11:47:00.001-05:00

I've lost my camera cord.

I have some amazing pictures on my camera. I guess there they'll have to stay.

"At least you're functioning"

2009-03-02T21:29:00.003-05:00

Thanks, One Pearl Button, for my gorgeous clutch and vintage finds!

Today I realized that I'm not a big fan of snow. It's pretty and all, but a little inconvenient. And it's more destructive than most of us realized. Pine trees were uprooted, branches are down all over the state, cars abandoned, and the poor daffodils suffocated.

And power outages city-wide, just in time for midterms!

But, I'm pretty studied up, thankfully. So now I'm working on a blanket and I'm excited about it. It's more tedious than I expected, but right now, I'm knitting with a color called "Almond" and it's really raptured my heart (the other colors are violet and "lake" *swoon*.) I've been taking pictures of the progress, but I've misplaced my cable to connect it to l'ordinateur!

I'm wearing burgundy nail polish (Ms. Can't Be Wrong by O.P.I. for Sephora. It really is my favorite, besides Skinny Jeans, Madame President, and Cab Fare. And "Note to Self" which is on my left hand... who am I kidding? I love 95% of those colors. Probably more) and with my fair skin, all I can think of is a grown up Wednesday Adams (I was more of a "Munsters" baby myself, though).

I'm excited about Spring Break for the sole reason of my sewing machine. I had plans to go to Chicago, but those fell through. Believe me, I'm not upset at all. Sheila has been calling my name and I have plans for her!

I have to say, though, even though I'm not a big fan of snow, I do enjoy snow days. Especially when they give me three extra days to study for a midterm!

Love and scribbles,

( Every time I watch a Harry Potter movie, I'm always really glad that Snape wasn't all bad. I love flawed heroes the most, because the world is full of them. )

Midterms.

2009-02-28T11:59:00.001-05:00

Midterms are going to be the death of me...

Note to Self: Putting a little pressure on this blog

2009-02-25T20:34:00.004-05:00

I promise never to discuss my weight in front of my children.

I hate dysmorphia. And I hate that I feel like I'm using a scapegoat when I say I "sorta" have it.

I hate standing in front of the mirror, looking at a picture, and worrying about the scale.

I hate KNOWING that I'm normal, but that not being good enough for me.

About once a week, I stand in front of a wall and do the Tinkerbell nonsense and justify my measurements to myself. I look at how far apart my hands are, then imagine a girl that size walking by me and I judge myself on how I would judge her. It's the worst thing I could possibly do. It's not healthy for me, nor for the people who are my size.

I hate hiding the crazy.

Usually, writing bad things down helps me work on them.

Started fantastic, ended with an elevated leg

2009-02-16T23:11:00.002-05:00

With 4 days before the best weekend of the year, and after about 12 hours of sleep over the span of 3 days, I pretentiously decide to pass a girl on the sidewalk. I didn't HAVE to, but I hate being behind people, so I thought, "Why not?"

Here's why not: After stepping off the sidewalk and taking three steps, my right foot finds a HOLE in the asphalt and decides that it's a good place to rest, while the rest of my body wants to keep on trekking.

Yes, that's right. Right now, I'm in my bed, where I have been for the last 10 hours, with my foot on top of two pillows and under a bag of ice, with a sprained ankle.

And the only thing I can say besides "WHY!?" is this:

Zut alors.

Hopefully, it isn't too bad and I can be out and about by Wednesday. My mom is on her way up here, because I'm five, and though I thought I could handle the excruciating pain on my own, I was wrong. She's bringing me my ankle brace (this is my third sprain on the same ankle, but my first one in 6 years) and she thinks it's fractured. God, I hope not.

I wanted to work out today. It was supposed to be a simple day. I even went to class instead of skipping my last class to nap like I'd originally planned!

The good news is, many fantastic things did happen this week. It kind of keeps my mind off the throbbing.

Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream

2009-02-12T16:58:00.007-05:00

Last night was incredibly emotional for me. I felt overwhelmed and under-qualified at my life. It started by reading the Post Secret blog and book, then I cried at a Mr. Rogers video, then I read my Bible until I got a tear on one of the pages. Then I freaked out because I hate when paper is damaged. I didn't go out last night because I was too embarrassed and I didn't want to shower again.

Today, the world was ready to make it up to me. I saw a wonderful old friend and learned about water conservation in my favorite class. I got a cute skirt in the mail and then went to a friend's to watch "The Office." I ate a McFlurry for the first time in 9 years then came home and ate a clementine.

It doesn't seem like much, but I had an excellent day.

(Aren't they gorgeous? See why my day was brightened?)

Well, be careful what you wish for

2009-02-11T17:00:00.004-05:00

Well, I did see a deer. Three, actually. One on the side of the road (kinda sad) and two on a woman's skirt. The BACKSIDE of the skirt.

By "deer," I don't mean those cute Bambi-like deer or the Japanese-style deer that are cute and whimsical. I mean wild, find-'em-in-my-yard-and-feed-'em-corn, have-a-friend-whose-dad-hunts-and-has-one-on-his-wall, ACTUAL deer. (I can't find a picture of the skirt, but it was knitted and the deer looked exactly like this, position and everything) And by "woman," I don't mean a hipster college girl who's too cool to care what she wears and thereby, pulls off [almost] anything she wears. I mean that girl's mother. A mother who was obviously scared to death of her age. Even my grandma commented on it, and she thinks EVERYTHING matches (no lie-- every day, she tells either me, my mom, or one of my sisters that "It doesn't matter what you put together. These kids nowadays are just wearing whatever. Everything matches everything!" to which we reply half the time with, "No, not exactly..." and the other half, "Lousy kids").

Dear potential, future child(ren) of mine,
Hello. This is a nice little blast from the past, n'est-ce pas? You're welcome. In return, you must NEVER let me wear a skirt with wild animals on it. I don't care how old I am, because I figure that if I'm old enough to have kids (let alone kids who can read), I'm too old to be whimsical (read: crazy).
Thanks kid(s),
Love,
Treena (What I will be called)

Since I'm on this kick of getting what I want (or at least what I write down), I want something fantastic to happen this week.

Living on the sly

2009-02-05T16:53:00.000-05:00

So far, I've kept 2, nay, 3 secrets this week!

I've forgotten how much fun it is to keep something to myself.

I've also forgotten how good I am at it!

Why did I stop?! Desperation obviously leads to undesirable situations.

["Situations" is obviously not the right word here, but I can't for the life of me think of any other word!]

The week is almost over and I should pack up tonight.

I have a project to my right that I'm in love with. It's coming together nicely and even though it's simple, it's a little more intricate than usual. I've been picking up and putting down every few minutes for a week now. If I could just FOCUS, I'd have finished by now (well, and if I hadn't gotten halfway done then unraveled the whole thing last week!), but school tends to get in the way. These papers are killing me. I have a headache that no amount of ibuprofen can settle. The only thing that slightly helped was an HOUR of cardio. (What was I thinking?! I won't be able to move tomorrow! I need to move! Or, even worse, I have an hour and a half drive tomorrow morning. What if I get used to sitting, then fall out of my car when I get home? Oh, dear.)

I know it's winter, but when I go home this weekend, I want to see a deer. I hadn't realized how much I've missed seeing wildlife until yesterday (and the "dear" helped jog my memory, too!) "City" life isn't what I remembered. It's not as fun. People are a little pretentious and no one here wants to go fishing (ha ha, 'Spring Break 09!' I suppose).

I put a lot of exclamation points in this. I'm usually not a very emphatic writer.

There's something that I want, and I'm drooling over it. I can hardly wait!

I'm really bad at ending things. So, from now on, the safe word is "lapel."

(Lapel)

Happy Birthday

2009-02-04T00:11:00.008-05:00

Happy birthday, Hanna, my favorite 6-year-old in the world!

I'm sorry you're sick and I hope you feel better.

I wish I could be with you, but I'll see you Friday.

Build-a-Bear party Saturday!

I love you, and I'm sorry you miss being 5.

Hello, Hanna-roo. Good-bye, heart. Sweet Hanna-roo, I'm so in love with you. I knew, Hanna-roo, we'd never part, so, hello, Hanna-roo, goodbye, heart!

Thank you

2009-01-31T13:44:00.005-05:00

Dear Jessica Simpson,

Thank you for not freaking out when everyone else... well, freaked out. Thank you for not being a waif. Thank you for not flying away whenever you or someone near you sneezes. Thank you for that cute belt. (My eyes loved it and my heart leapt for joy.) Thank you for your normal body. And thank you for, at least not yet, going on a crazy diet so you can "feel better about yourself and be healthier." Jennifer Love Hewitt tried that, but we all saw right through it.

I understand--it's fun to be thin. It's cool to snap on a size 4 without rolls or suffocation. (I'm sure a 0 would be fun, too, but I look trashy when I'm that thin.) But, to me, it's more fun to eat Greek pasta salad and pizza (both of which are currently beside me. Well, were beside me.) They are delicious and I hate to be hungry.

So, please, Jess (may I call you that?). I'm begging you. Please stay strong. Don't let this get to you. It's not a big deal; I was really mad when it was all over the internet. If you do become a little upset, because sometimes it is hard to deal with criticism, just come visit me. Athens needs a little JSimp. No, no, it'll be GREAT. We can run 1/2 a mile, then come back to my place and eat chili, sandwiches, chicken, then go to the Ben and Jerry's store! We can laugh and sing karaoke at the Japanese restaurant.

It would be so fun and so good for our souls.

(Let me know if you're up to it.)

Love,

Nikki

Where is the harmony?

2009-01-28T18:52:00.004-05:00

I've forgotten how much I love Friends.It's just CLASSIC.

I just typed out a whole post, then decided against it.

I really like Twitter because it's my favorite part of Facebook (status updates) without any of the stupid stuff (♥ Taylor and Danielle ended their relationship, Jordan K updated "Favorite Books")! Thank you, Jillian!

Today was the Best-Worst day ever, which are actually my favorite kind of days. Here's how it went down:

Best: I got 9 hours of sleep last night.

Worst: I overslept.

Best: I got ready in record time and my makeup went on flawlessly

Worst: Diane Sawyer was on TV, which is at an angle so I can see it from the bathroom mirror.

Best: My hair looked great this morning

Worst: It was cloudy all morning and rained in the afternoon.

Best: Psychology class was let out early

Worst: I RAN to Moore, and burst into my Linguistics class. There were no seats, so I had to sit in the back in a CHAIR, not even a DESK!

Best: I wasn't late.

Worst: I was TEN MINUTES EARLY AND interrupted the linguistics class BEFORE me.

Best: It was Haley's class and I got to talk to her for a few minutes.

Worst: I don't know how to make consonants syllabic, and today made that apparent.

Best: I got a 96 on my quiz.

Worst: Was hit on by a creepy kid with a hole in his shirt.

Best: My iPod shuffled to "Pennies From Heaven" by Louis Prima while I walked in the slight sprinkle.

Worst: The sprinkle evoked my newest irrational fear: black ice.

Best: I found a new word to describe how it is currently raining at any given time. "Sizzling" (The sound it makes when it hits your window/windshield. If we ever meet, I'll demonstrate.)

Worst: When I went to Walmart to buy toilet paper and notecards, the HEAVENS opened up and I was soaked by the time I walked 40 feet from my car to the door. Then the Walmart patrons JUDGED ME.

Best: I talked to my mom 5-6 times today.

Worst: My phone died in the middle of one of our conversations and would NOT recharge.

Best: It's fully charged now.

Worst: AFTER I drove to the Verizon store, stood in line, and made a complete fool out of myself when the guy hooked it up to a charger and said "It's working now," hooked it up to my charger, "Still working," and hooked it up to ANOTHER charger and said "I don't know what it was doing before, but it's fine now."

Best: I had some really good tea.

Worst: My stupid classmates convinced my Linguistics teacher to postpone the test from Monday to Wednesday because they're all 12 and not adults and can't study on a Sunday night. This is the easiest stuff, too! ARGH.

Best: I am halfway done with my Psychology research participation.

Worst: /Funniest (This is Best/Worst/HILARIOUS to me) A blog I read is dedicated to a 4 year old girl at my church who has bone cancer in her femur. It's really inspiring and sad, but today her mom wrote "[She] wanted her pink blanky. Lord knows the Earth would stop on its axes [sic] if she didn't have it." I laughed, just imagining the world stopping on thousands of axes. Hopefully that would happen in a desert location somewhere so no one would be hurt.

Best: A really good stand-up special was on Comedy Central when I got home.

Worst: I can't remember why I laughed.

I just remembered that I have to do something before I leave in an hour!

Life and life more abundantly

2009-01-23T13:32:00.005-05:00

I LOVE these hearts. I've made at least 20. I can't decide if I want to just make 8-10 (for each person) to make a pennant/banner or if I want to make them larger and embroider something on each one of them specific to the recipient.

I guess I could do both.

(Ignore the loose ends)

Youth Quest is in less than a month. I've been distracted because it's ALL I can think about.

Athens has the prettiest stars ever.

I'm not in a paragraph mood.

Yesterday's playlist was Christian rock and Christian rap circa 2002. I love Jesus, but Christian rap is TOO much. I laughed so hard all day. My French test was sprinkled with a few giggles just remembering "Pullin' out my big black book/ 'Cause when I need a word defined, that's where I look / So I move to the L's, quick, fast, in a hurry / Threw on my specs, thought my vision was blurry. / I looked again, but to my dismay / It was black and white with no room for grey. / Ya see, a big 'V' stood beyond my word / And, yo, that's when it hit me that luv is a verb / ... / Thinkin' of a way to explain-o / 'Cause you knowin' I'm flowin' like a bottle of Dran-o..."

Today's is musicals--Broadway and movies.

Between Nikki Blonsky and Christian rap, I'd take the latter. Nikki can be shrill. dc Talk is talented and at least has a good message.

But I am enjoying the Peter Pan (2004) soundtrack.

This weekend is my roommate's birthday. (J'ai peur de le boom!) I think I'll make her a heart and a cupcake. (I won't make the cupcake. I've baked enough to last me a good 2 years.)

(Central Park Zoo)

It makes me want to plant a tree now. I don't think my apartment complex would like that too much! If I can't have a pet larger than fish in a 20 gallon tank, I don't think they'd be too keen on me ripping up their landscape.

You smiled and then the spell was cast

2009-01-21T13:12:00.002-05:00

Today I

Let my imagination run away from me for at least an hour and a half.
Amped myself up
Bummed myself out (Both thanks to my imagination on the lam)
Forgot about my tests
Wanted tea, but everyone was out.

It's been quite a day.

I only want 3 things right now:

1. A good night's sleep

2. An "A" on my test/quiz

3. A positive response later today.

That's all, I think.

Day 7

2009-01-17T09:26:00.006-05:00

I am thankful for unusual things. I am thankful for creativity and people who are strong enough to do their own thing, but aren't pretentious about it. I'm thankful for new ideas or old ideas used in new ways. I'm thankful for splashes of color in a gray and brown world.

I'm thankful that everyone's different, no matter how much we try to assimilate ourselves with cultural norms and fads.

I am thankful that I stumble upon things that change my outlook on life and myself.

I am thankful for ice cream in 12 degree weather and the memories of a fun trip.

Seven days of being thankful for small things has really put things in perspective for me. I've really enjoyed looking for small things to be thankful for. It made me realize that I have A LOT of great things going for me; the stuff on here was only a small portion of what I've noticed over the past week. With all these small and large things, the bad things pale in comparison. The cold weather couldn't touch the way my soul was warmed by the sight of the sun between the buildings and trees or four new friends eating Thai on a Thursday night.

I also cleaned out my car, which really helps my mood.

Thank you, God, for opening my eyes. Help me keep them open. Help me love unconditionally and help me be more tolerant. Help me love myself, because it's hard to love others when you hold so much resentment against yourself. Help me serve, and help me with you-know-what. I'd really like that to happen.

Day 6

2009-01-16T01:19:00.007-05:00

Today, as an "arctic express" rushed through Georgia, I am thankful for clothes. Scarves, earmuffs, mittens, hates, North Face jackets, pea coats, socks. Thermal underwear has been my best friend this week. I love cold weather, but this week has been strange.

I am thankful that I am able to have warm clothes and that I've always had warm clothes.

I thought of that when I walked from the bus stop to the Student Learning Center. It was probably 1000 feet, but the wind was bone-chilling.

It was a really good day, today, though.

Green tea, potential presents, chocolate chip cupcakes, and one of the best soundtracks of all time make me forget about how harsh the temperatures are.

Day 5

2009-01-15T01:18:00.004-05:00

I am thankful for sushi, French class, and The Office.

There's nothing profound about these things, but I am glad that they're in my life.

Sushi makes me feel mature, French class broadens my mind, and The Office makes me laugh every time.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven; a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-4

Day 4

2009-01-14T01:14:00.003-05:00

I am thankful for order, control, traditions, and friends.

Every Wednesday, we all get together to watch Project Runway or Top Chef or whatever is on TV and talk and eat during the commercials.

Sometimes, we do good things, too.

Like making Valentine's Day cards for charities (Some of us are more creative than others.)

I like to be spontaneous, but sometimes, it is nice to have something that you know will be constant. Like Wednesday night TV or Saturday morning brunch or study sessions eight hours before a test. I am thankful that my life is stable.

Day 3

2009-01-13T19:18:00.003-05:00

I'm thankful for the opportunity to serve.

I will serve by leading or serve by serving. I will serve by leading an example and I will serve with all my abilities.

If your gift is serving, devote yourself to serving others. If it is teaching, devote yourself to teaching others.
Romans 12:7

I will stop looking for thanks and I will stop feeling resentful when I don't get a "thank you."

Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in Heaven. When you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do--blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Matthew 6:1-4

I will give as much as I can, as often as I can.

I'm thankful for my health. I read Kylie's page every day, and it's hard to believe that a girl who lives in my town and is younger than my sister was diagnosed with bone cancer. I sit here, lazily, avoiding my homework, and I know that my family is safe, even though they're 70 miles away. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to any one of them. I'm thankful for their health, too. I really couldn't get through the day if I knew that something was wrong with them, or, worse yet, if something happened to one of them.

I'm thankful that God always seems to have a hand in my life. Even in small things that most people call "chance" or "luck," I see God looking out for me.

That's a good thought.

Day 2

2009-01-12T21:30:00.007-05:00

Today, I am thankful for my family. I don't seem to appreciate them as much as they deserve. They really have been too good to me. And I know without a doubt that our vacation would NOT have been the same without tiny Hanna here. I would not have made the world's tiniest snowball, nor would I have made a "snow angel" (actually read "snow mixed with dirt angel" seeing as there was only an inch of snow on the ground!) for the first time in 7 years. I wouldn't smile as much, either, because every time I talk to her, she says something funny.

I am also thankful for music. Not just any music, because, let's be honest, some of it stinks (see: The Fray, Nick Carter solo).

I'm thankful that some people can play the piano. I am thankful that I can read music and can at least play the melody of a song. I'm thankful that some people can play other instruments, like the euphonium, the flute, and the guitar.

But more than anything, I am thankful for the emotions that the song "Zero Percent" by Jason Mraz evokes. Every time I hear it, I feel ecstatic, content, excitement, giddy, and even a bit sad and overwhelmed. I hope I never become callous to this song.

Zero Percent- Jason Mraz
Well our friends on the front porch, well they're telling jokes
And they swing swiftly towards them happier times.
They're expending a line and finding more energy for the effort
And getting distance from that front porch spotlight.
But, us, we found peace in the shadows
Long enough to see the monsters rise.

Candy's got some space to fill in her daydream
Living high on yesterday's lies
Talking to me about some zero percent interest
And how she got a better deal than the next guy.

Oh my God, and the way the lightning shocked us
When we were lost and we were looking down that long deserted highway
Your hair was longer then and now I can remember
See now I remember oh, so well.

Oh, the roads encumbered by cats
They're burning like wet matches
Through my miracle mile mind

You left your thumbprint inside me now for months it seems
But mine only brushes your soft surface
And somehow,
Somehow it leaves me listless
My tongue curls under my lips, oh, oh, yes.
So I can't speak to tell you of the months before I met you

And the way the truth it locked us, oh,
Right 'bout the time after the lightning shocked us
I'll say it again.

When we were young, when we were young and missing
'Round that small New England byway
Our lives they were sheltered then and now I can remember
See now well I remember, oh, so well, almost too well
Well, it's not even being about that anymore
I gotta get you down tonight.

Those tiny fragments of perfection
They please me in a time unchanged
When it's not the same beginning
Or a long-awaited end.

If I knew all the words,
I would write myself out of here.
If I was all the colors
I would paint you pretty in gold
In a picture, so I'm told, little sister.

So now I'm sold, little sister
Why don't you tell me all about the sunsets in Sweden
And the laws of Eden
And how you were the rock of Gibraltar
And how they called you "foxy."

Well, that's another whole box of Pandora's,
That's another whole box of them ties.
Slide your foot off the gas
Before we crash
Right back into the median, Lord.

It separates our house
From the middle of the street.
Mi casa, en el medio de la calle.

Our house.
It's on the front porch where we're telling the jokes and swinging oh, so swiftly toward those happier times.
They're expending all those lines and finding more energy for the effort and getting distance from that front porch spotlight.
But us, we found some peace in the all of them shadows, oh, long enough to see that monster die, oh long enough to see the monster die.

Is it long enough? Is it long enough for me?
Oh, my. If it isn't, and if it isn't, and it ain't, and if it don't. If it can't, then it won't.
And that's just the way that it goes, over and over again.
That's just the way things go.

She said, "Hello, Country Bumpkin"

2009-01-12T17:45:00.010-05:00

When a Georgia girl sees snow for the first time...

...she will want to make a snowball. There wasn't a lot of snow at first, but it was enough to make us all happy. And cold. As cliche as it is, it really did feel like we were in a snowglobe (which aren't allowed on airplanes!).

It had only been snowing for less than an hour, but it was still nice to see it.

Baboons...in their natural habitat?

The biggest bear we'd ever seen.

Lovely ladies under a bridge hiding from the snow.

At that point, I had my camera in one hand, a hotdog in the other, and a prayer in my heart that God would keep my feet from becoming frostbitten.

Day One

2009-01-11T14:50:00.003-05:00

Today, I am thankful for

Going to the University of Georgia, one of the few colleges with green spaces; I love the way the campus looks when the sun is rising
When the clouds ACTUALLY look like sheep.
Country music when I'm driving
Rock when it's raining
Rap on good days
Pop on bad
Jazz when I'm cooking
Bluegrass when country gets old
The 366th day
Red hair.

10 Things

2009-01-08T12:43:00.000-05:00

That I Like
1. Seat belts
2. Text messages
3. H&M
4. Green tea
5. Automatic spell check
6. Typewriters
7. Clementines
8. Finding a friend in a new class.
9. First coffee dates
10. Banana splits without the bananas

That I Love
1. God
2. The first day of classes.
3. When the call log on my cell phone shows that I have more calls coming IN than going out.
4. Jason Mraz
5. The sky
6. Jazz Music
7. Macs ♥
8. Brightly colored umbrellas
9. Athens, Georgia
10. Prospects of an amazing future.

That I'm Surprised I Like

1. Longchamp

2. Toby Keith's older songs.

3. Bass Pro Shop

4. Service projects

5. iPhones (JUST A LITTLE)

6. Down Home With the Neely's

7. Bell Peppers

8. The song "Mary Jane"

9. Purple

10. Jewelry

That I Don't Like
1. UGLY BROWN SHOES !!!! (Eco friendly does NOT have to be Fashion hateful)
2. When people touch my hair
3. Fur lining in jackets.
4. Shorts in the winter.

5. Extra-long jeans
6. Thrift/Vintage stores
7. Katy Perry
8. The Fray
9. Eggplant
10. That when I laugh, my face turns burgundy and stays that way for hours. STOP FLUSHING.

That I'm Thankful For
1. That I have an amazing family
2. That people are embracing the color yellow.
3. That I've proven that I can do anything I set my mind to.

4. That I need help in the things that I don't totally set my mind to do.
5. That I have 4 friends who would do anything for me and I can tell them anything without feeling like I'm weighing them down or bothering them.
6. That I have other good friends who are always there for me, too.
7. That I've been given many more opportunities than my parents and grandparents had.
8. That I live in America, but am free to go wherever I like (except Cuba and Aruba, but I'm okay with that)
9. That I can read, write, spell, walk, talk, love,
10. Jesus, bien sur!

This week, I'm focusing on being thankful. I tend to say "Thank you" for a lot of things. I told God "Thank you" for the color of the sky every day last week (it was absolutely gorgeous) and for the stars that I could finally see. I told a friend "Thanks" for holding the door open for me. I told a stranger "thank you" when she told me that she liked my scarf. It seems like I say it every hour. Which is good, it means that my parents raised me to be a polite Southern girl. But I'm starting to wonder what being thankful ACTUALLY means. Right now, I believe that being thankful for something, like the color of the sky, means that you are incredibly glad that it is in your life and you don't know what you'd do if it weren't.

I think saying "Thank you" should be a humbling experience. Not all the time, of course-- that would be exhausting. Sometimes it is okay to say it just to be polite. But truly being thankful for something has to be bigger than that. If I tell say "Thank you, God; the stars are beautiful," if I MEAN it, I'm saying "It is truly amazing that You are bigger than I could ever be and that even though I don't deserve it, you show me glimpses of beauty in this world." The words mean that you owe the person you are thanking, in a way.

And I'm falling in love with that idea.

Thank you, God, for everything you've given me. Everything on the list and everything that wasn't.

To take or not to take...

2009-01-06T11:55:00.000-05:00

My sewing machine is glaring at me. I finally fixed her and made stockings, but then I went on vacation and she's been sitting there, unused, ever since Christmas Eve. It's so sad. Her little light is on and everything. In a few hours, I will pack up to go back to Athens and I'm contemplating bringing her. If I did, I would have to buy a card table to put her on, but I'd also be able to sew whenever the notion strikes (it's really awful when I wake up at 3 AM with an idea for a picnic blanket. It starts out so wonderfully-- the lights go on in my room, the fabric comes out of the drawers,...then my face falls when I realize that both my sewing machine and my scissors are a la maison).

I have a hundred ideas for Valentines/Mardis Gras/birthday/Special day presents.

And I have three others that I'm trying to keep a secret. Only one of the pictures requires a sewing machine, and only two of the secrets needs a sewing machine, but it really is a drag to WANT to make a blanket or something and have to haul myself 140+ miles just to THINK about making it.

New York was loads of fun, ruined surprises and all. I took pictures, but I haven't uploaded them to my computer yet. When I do, this blog will have them. Go see The Little Mermaid on Broadway! My favorite movie turned into one of my favorite plays!

The packing must commence, and I should at least sew SOMETHING before I leave, in case poor Sheila the Singer has to stay home.

P.S. I hate PCs. I miss my Mac.

I am a rockstar, and rockstars do not pick up crap.

2008-12-28T22:12:00.001-05:00

It's one of those days where I have nothing to say and plenty to do.

The surprise was ruined. I had to remind myself that we were still going to New York even though my sisters knew about it now. My mom and I were pretty angry when someone told Grace.

All that being said, I have nothing packed. That's not a hyperbole. I don't even have my suitcase out. I know that I want to bring my red corduroy pants along, but that's as far as my planning/packing has gone.

I made a butternut squash casserole that came out less than delicious, but was definitely edible.

I'm sewing a boatload of things tonight. After sewing my own Christmas stockings, I'm of course, stoked. I like getting better at things.