I am so embarrassed.

Well, I'm home from Austin now. Something terrible happened during my trip. Something that I am so ashamed of that I have to blog about it. I went to last Friday night's Midnight Book Release Party at Barnes and Noble of the sixth Harry Potter book. My friend in Austin claims to not be a fan, but if he's at the bookstore at midnight just so he can have a copy of the book in his hand before the preordered one arrives later the next day, that, my friends, is a fan. Now that I'm done pointing the finger elsewhere so as to get the attention off of myself...

It was embarrassing to be there. The place had hundreds of people there filling out trivia questions so as to win some kind of Harry Potter doodad. There were quite a few dressed in costume with cloaks/robes, broomsticks, wands, and those black round eyeglasses. What's worse, is that the costumes were aweful. Some were wearing cheap graduation gowns for the cloaks and straws with ribbon attatched as wands, or plastic GREEN handled brooms swiped from the kitchen pantry as their witch's broom. It was painful to watch.

For me, the only way to redeem this evening was to buy A Twist of the Wrist about cornering on a motorcycle.

Something interesting...

http://www.cedarislandpark.com/Models/Rides/DarkFunhouse/RAH749.htm

Apparently "Joy" isn't always a good thing.

I'm in TEXAS!!!

Hey everybody! I'm in The Great State of Texas!! There are things that I love about Texas, and then there are things that I prefer about my home states. I sometimes have to remind myself that I'm still in the United States because of all the Hispanics I see around here, but that's okay. It feels more weird about that because I'm not on my own turf, so I feel more like I'm no longer in the US. But Texas is still a great place. I feel weird about not having my gun with me. I feel like I don't belong, 'cause you know everyone here has a gun. I'm also afraid that people will think that I'm a yankee because I have a bit of an Atlantan accent, a yankee city. It is REALLY hot here. But it's worth it to put up with the heat to be in such a great state. They just put in an express lane on their death row, so this place can't be all that bad. Anyhow. I got things to do. I'll talk at y'all later.

I am SO getting a motorcycle!

Ok, so I finished the motorcycle safety course. And I passed! Considering I didn't even know how to turn on a motorcycle when I got there, I think I did darn good. There was a little bit of classroom time, but it wasn't a focus. The instructors really wanted us to get some good time on the bikes. I used a Honda CB125T for learning purposes. It's a pretty small bike, but it was perfect for my comfort level. There were a couple Nighthawks and a few Suzukis, but I like the one I got, plus, mine was RED.

One of the most difficult things they taught us was the U-turn. They put us in a box about the size of 5 parking spaces and told us to make a figure 8 inside the boundries of the box. I only managed to do that once the whole time I was there. They also taught us how to corner, using the outside/inside/outside method on curves. There were times when I was at a 45 degree angle to the pavement...it rocked. They taught us to swerve quickly. That was fun. They taught us how to come to a quick stop. They taught us other stuff, too, but it's too much to just list.

So...now I can be a safer motorcycle rider. Also I get a discount on insurance and sometimes they say dealerships will give ya a discount if you took the course. All I gotta do to get my endorsement on my license, is to wait for my certificate of successful completion, take that to the DMV, pay them $15 and get my new license! WooHoo!

The class had 12 people, 4 of which, including myself, were women. All passed, but two of the women, the oldest, about 60, and the youngest, about 21/22. Most of the guys were older gentlemen who used to ride years ago and were wanting to get back into riding and wanted a refresher course. It was an interesting mix once you threw in the two instructors. One had really long hair that he banded up in a long pony tail. They were funny. We all teased the chain smokers who kept trying to sneak off for a smoke. We had fun. I really enjoyed my time there. And I'm glad I did it.

Upcoming Events:

I got lots of stuff coming up soon. First, oldest sister with her youngin's are coming down so Mommy and Daddy can take off to a baseball game and leave the kiddies with Aunt Joy and Grandmommy. This is Thursday night.

Then Friday night, is the first class of my Motorcycle Fun!! It meets at 6pm, but there is no allowance for tardiness, so I shall be getting there plenty early, knowing my tendencies to be late. Then again Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 6pm.

I'll be spending this weekend at the house in the mountains so as to be closer to the location of the class. I am SO excited. I bought a jacket and gloves for the class. I still need to decide what type of bike I wish to get. I'm leaning towards the Ninja 500 now.

Last, but not least, Tuesday I'm flying out to Austin, TX, with a girlfriend to visit one of our closest guy friends, Aaron. You can find his link in the column to the right. He's in Austin pursuing a dream, and I am extremely proud of him, and look forward to see him again. I've not seen him since I've been back from Colombia.

Well, that's all for now. Everyone, have a nice weekend, 'cause I know I will!

Are these not two of the prettiest doggies you've ever seen? The German Shepherd is Whiskey Girl's Wendy, and the Weimaraner is my Titan. They're good friends. See? They're holdin' paws!!

Much better movie

So I saw a much better movie tonight than Mr. and Mrs. Smith: Batman Begins. All I have to say is go see it! My favorite thing was the first batmobile.

Movie Review

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

I saw this movie last night. I liked it. Not a fave by any means, but it was good. The best part was the banter between the two main characters. One example, but not one of the best from the movie: Angelina's character says, "Why do I get the girly gun?!?!" I just cackled at those lines. Angelina actually looks good all over, and not just her lips. And it's fun to see Brad get his butt kicked at times. So, go see it.

Progress has been made.

Today I went to the DMV and received my GA driver's license. I'm one step closer to getting my motorcycle driving license. There is a class being offered about 40 minutes away on June 24th - 26th. I gotta call in the morning to see if there is space available, and if I'm not too late to register since the only way to register that I can figure out by the website is by mail. I kept putting off signing up for the class in hopes that I could rope someone in to doing it with me, but no one would do it. So I've determined to do so on my own.

I know that I won't get to buy a motorcycle within the next month, unless I find one dirt cheap. But I'm going to go ahead and get the license so as to get the momentum going. I've fantasized about driving a motorcycle long enough. There's no good reason I shouldn't. So I shall. Next thing I know I'll be buying a helmet, armored jacket, gloves...the like, oh!, and a bike, too!

Hey fellas, how much should I expect to pay for insurance on a beginner bike like a Ninja 250, 500, Buell Blast, that type? I've been thinking maybe I should start off with a cruiser. I'd like to use Nate's, if he'd ever get the thing functional again. I know Red found an awesome deal. I could afford something like that by next month's paycheck.

I've been seein' a bunch of bikes out on the road. A guy on an Aprilla (sp?) passed by me today. He did a wheelie just after he passed me. I just 'bout went bizzerk with craze. It's amazing how a machine like that can be such a turn on. ;)

Haircut!

So here I am folks! 12 inches of hair lighter! I donated 10" of it to Locks of Love. I wasn't planning on cutting off this much, but the lady said that the donation required at least 10", so I went ahead and did it. I like it. The weight lifted from my head feels really good. I got a bit of a headache when she cut it off because of the drastic difference. Anyhow...here I am! I love having my curls back.

Now for something much more interesting.

This is MUCH more interesting than the previous post. I know, inquiring minds wanted to know.

This is why I do NOT need a man. I always thought that I would get a man that has a bike that will take me for rides. Well, I'm tired of waiting for him, because what if he doesn't already have one? Then I have to go through the time consuming process of convincing him he needs one and get any notions of a chopper out of his head and more in the mindset of a streetbike. That is just way too long of a wait, especially at the rate I'm going.

So I'm getting my OWN motorcycle! I gotta switch my DL to GA so I can take the course down here and get my license and buy a bike. I'm thinking along the lines of a Ninja 250 or 500 for starters.

I give up.

I just do. That's all for now.

hehe, ummm, hehe

Uh humm. Well now. So there weren't 16 people. There were indeed 18 people...in a two bedroom condo. hehehehe. Amazingly enough everyone was able to take showers at least once a day. It was SO much fun! I really needed this weekend away from everything.

So we drive down Friday. Grill out Friday night. All day Saturday is spent on the beach and in the water. During this time we were attacked by a tent canopy caught in the wind. I got a little bit of a burn that day on my back and chest. While out in the water I saw fish. They had bright yellow tails. Saturday night we went out to eat at The Crab Trap. I ordered a Sex on the Beach. It was pretty good, but I liked the one Stephen made for me better.

Sunday we spent our second day on the beach and in the water. We had a water gun fight, that is until the people next to us complained about getting wet. I found that bizarre considering they were sittin' on a beach next to a large body of water in a swimming suit. Odd, I know. Sunday afternoon we all got showers then went outlet shopping. That was fun as well, however I didn't buy anything. Stephen stayed home and cooked for us. He made stuffed chicken. Some were stuffed with crab meat, and others were stuffed with peaches and apples. He also grilled asparagus, and made rice. All this to say, we ate really really well.

Sunday night the rain that had been forcasted all weekend came. So five of us decide to be special, you know, the short bus kind, and go out to play in the rain. It was a bit colder than expected, however we discovered that the swimming pool water was warm. So we all jump in. We're thinkin' that with the lightning, it wasn't the smartest idea to be in the swimming pool, so we run to go splashin' around in the Gulf of Mexico. Brilliant! It gets cold again, so we run back to the pool disregarding the thought earlier of it not being a good idea. After a few minutes in the pool warming back up, the storm starts picking up, and the thought reoccurs to us that we shouldn't be in the pool during a lightning storm. So we get out and rinse off in the outdoor showers...in the rain. Lovely. Anyhow, so then we go back inside and get real showers and then stay up and talk forever and get up in time to drive back home on Monday.

Memorial Day Weekend

Well, folks, I'm heading off to Destin, FL, tomorrow morning. So I shan't be postin' much, not that I have been anyhow.

Every year the cell group from my church I attended in Chattanooga goes to Destin. I went 2 years ago. I had a blast. We rent a condo for the weekend and pack as many in it that want to go. This year there will be 16! 9-10 girls and 6-7 boys.

With this many to split the bill with, the trip can be quite inexpensive. Two years ago it was $75 + one meal in a restaurant. That included food, room, and gas.

We drive, swim, eat, sleep, play sand volleyball, sit in the sun, shop, drink, and make multiple runs to the package store. It's a blast. Every once in a while we must cook and clean up, but we share those duties, too.

So life ain't half bad. I'm VERY much looking forward to the fun. I just bought 6 waterguns, so we can fight.

We're takin' my Rodeo down there. My sister, The Whiskey Girl, is awesome. She borrowed my truck to help move stuff around because she's watchin' over Titan while I'm gone, and before she returned my truck to me, she picked up all my junk in there and vacuumed the interior. I plan on runnin' through a car wash on the way out tomorrow, so we're smooth sailin' in a fine lookin' truck. It's awesome when all the chrome gets a chance to shine. Two years ago, the trip to Destin was my Rodeo's maiden roadtrip. We're happy to get to go again.

I hope all y'all get to have as fine a weekend as I plan on havin'.

Gun and Knife Show!!!

There is a Gun and Knife Show at the Gwinnett Co. Fair Grounds today and tomorrow. Me and Nate are going and maybe Whiskey Girl, too, if we can convince her there are enough adults left here to take care of the four youngin's. This is gonna be fun.

UPDATE:
It sucked royally. It was a shack with like fifteen people inside. Nate and I didn't even bother to get out of the truck. Oh well, we tried.

How irritating.

You know that cardinal rule to driving? "No cop; don't stop." Well, this no longer the case. There is now an intersection in Atlanta that I will from now on avoid. It's the crossing of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Drive, near Gwinnett Place Mall. There are now cameras at the intersection that photograph license plates as they pass under the traffic light. I was doing business at the bank, and there was another lady there that was telling everyone about these cameras. She got a ticket for over $100.00 for passing under a red light by 1/32 of a second beyond the yellow light.

We can kiss judgement calls goodbye. Our reflexes will now have to be superhuman. And now there will be more accidents because not everybody is aware of said cameras and will assume that the person ahead will go through the yellow, this IS Atlanta, after all.

A miseducated youth.

I remember when I was in elementary school we studied the Civil War. I learned that it was over slavery and that the South was inhabited by immoral rebels. What's sickening is that I learned this in a school in Manchester, Tennessee, IN THE SOUTH. But what's even worse is that I believed it because it was what the school said. History is fact, right? You just can't go back in time and change history. Or can you?

I can testify that the re-education of the South has been successful. I grew up thinking that the North was right, and it was a good thing that the North won. I remember actually stating that I was glad that the North had won. When we watched videos in school, they had me trained to cheer for the Yankees. They taught me in the South, people didn't believe that blacks had souls and that they abused their slaves. The North was our saving grace. They trained me to be ashamed of being a Southron, ashamed of who I am.

Then came along Nate. Nate had been enlightened about the War of Northern Aggression. He then tried to open my eyes to the deception. But you know what? It never really sank in until this past Fall when I read a documentary by some very pissed off authors, the Kennedys. Their book is called The South Was Right! I read it while I sat and watched my students on the playground during recess in Cali, Colombia. I would read this, and then it would have me fuming because the deception was being revealed, and the people around me wouldn't understand because they didn't know US History.

So it is finally sinking in, and it's pissin' me off. I came to understand that this isn't just a thing of the past. It is still very present today. It even got to little ol' insignificant me! Nothing makes me angrier than to learn that I've been decieved and taken advantage of. I see how the torture and the pain that my ancestors felt of their rights and freedoms being yanked out of their reach is still happening to us today. I think it's even worse today than it was back then. I mean think...not only are we being raped and plundered, but we're believing that it is the right and moral way to go. I shudder to think of how far this will go until it changes.

And people wonder why I'm a bit of a recluse that hates the public.

Let be heard now that I am damn proud to be a Southron, born and bred, and I shall never be ashamed of my heritage again.

This is so bizarre...

This is bizarre because it is actually accurate, and it got these results by asking me questions about animals! Go figure.

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to those who are unbridled, untrammeled, and free.

In love, you feel the most alive when things are straight-forward, and you're told that you're loved.

You'd like for your lover to think you are loyal and faithful... that you'll never change.

You would be forced to break up with someone who was emotional, moody, and difficult to please.

Your ideal relationship is lasting. You want a relationship that looks to the future... one you can grow with.

Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment.

You think of marriage as something precious. You'll treasure marriage and treat it as sacred.

In this moment, you think of love as something you thirst for. You'll do anything for love, but you won't fall for it easily.

http://www.blogthings.com/keystoyourheartquiz/

Another reason I need a man...

One other reason I need a man is for the manual labor. I'm workin' on furnishing my new place that I got upon return from Colombia and have been buying furniture. Unfortunately, I'm having to move all this furniture in by myself. It was not a pretty picture this past Thursday. I just went to the Bombay Company, and purchased 11 items. All were heavy, and all were difficult to get up the many stairs, being that I live in a townhouse. Fortunately they're still in boxes, so I can "slide" them up the stairs, but even that doesn't work that well. It was a step by step process. But, being that they're in boxes, it means that they still require a bit of assembly, so that means a little more work. Fortunately the one that I've already assembled, a rolltop desk, was already partially assembled before being packed for shipment.

I have GOT to ge a man to help me with this stuff. By the way, Nate, while you're staying with me in a couple weeks, you're helping me move a desk downstairs. The desk can no longer remain in the dining room area being that I now have a dining room table, still lacking chairs though, but I'm getting to 'em. I've already spotted which ones I want to buy, but I've not had time to go get 'em since I decided on 'em.

When I get done decorating, I'm gonna HAVE to post pictures. I'm going to have put a lot of effort into it.

Seduction...

Your Seduction Style: The Natural

You don't really try to seduce people... it just seems to happen.Fun loving and free spirited, you bring out the inner child in people.You are spontaneous, sincere, and unpretentious - a hard combo to find!People drop their guard around you, and find themselves falling fast.

http://www.blogthings.com/seducerquiz/

A favorite song...

The Mississippi Squirrel

Well, when I was a kid I'd take a trip every summer down the Mississippi
To visit my granny in her antebellum world
I'd run barefooted all day long climbin' trees free as a song
And one day I happened to catch myself a squirrel
Well, I stuffed him down in an old shoe box, punched a couple of holes in the top
And when Sunday came I snuck him into Church
I was sittin' way back in the very last pew showin' him to my good buddy Hugh
When that squirrel got loose and went totally berserk
Well, what happened next is hard to tell
Some thought it was heaven others thought it was hell
But the fact that something was among us was plain to see
As the choir sang "I Surrender All" the squirrel ran up Harv Newlan's coveralls
Harv leaped to his feet and said, "Somethin's got a hold on me", Yeow!

Chorus:
The day the squirrel went berserk
In the First Self-Righteous Church
In the sleepy little town of Pascagoula
It was a fight for survival that broke out in revival
They were jumpin' pews and shoutin' Hallelujah!

Well, Harv hit the aisles dancin' and screamin'
Some thought he had religion others thought he had a demon
And Harv thought he had a weed eater loose in his Fruit-Of-The-Looms
He fell to his knees to plead and beg and the squirrel ran out of his britches leg
Unobserved to the other side of the room
All the way down to the amen pew where sat Sister Bertha better-than-you
Who'd been watchin' all the commotion with sadistic glee
But you should've seen the look in her eyes
When that squirrel jumped her garters and crossed her thighs
She jumped to her feet and said "Lord have mercy on me"
As the squirrel made laps inside her dress
She began to cry and then to confess to sins that would make a sailor blush with shame
She told of gossip and church dissension but the thing that got the most attention
Was when she talked about her love life and then she started naming names

Chorus

Well seven deacons and the pastor got saved,
Twenty-five thousand dollars was raised and fifty volunteered
For missions in the Congo on the spot
Even without an invitation there were at least five hundred rededications
And we all got baptized whether we needed it or not
Now you've heard the bible story I guess
How he parted the waters for Moses to pass
Oh the miracles God has wrought in this old world
But the one I'll remember 'til my dyin' dayIs how he put that Church back on the narrow way
With a half crazed Mississippi squirrel

Chorus

Snag-a-man

So, say I've found a guy that embodies everything I want, but I don't think he notices me that much. What can a girl do to grab a guy's attention and get him to see her potential? How does a girl lure a guy into wanting a relationship?

So guys: How were you caught?

Gals: How did you catch your man?

Relationship

For all you people out there with more experience than I have, which isn't saying much:

1. What is the difference between settling and allowing him to not be perfect?

I have the impression that it is a fine line, and if I cross it, then I'd better come to terms with it fast or I'll be miserable. I recognize that I'm not going to find perfect. I don't deserve perfect because I'm not perfect. But I also don't want to settle with someone who won't honor me or cherish our relationship. And with the way society is raising these so-called "men", the outcome isn't looking good. (Society's version of "women" today sucks, too.) I guess I'm just starting to doubt that the good men won't recognize me because of the jaded point of view because of all the "today's women" that they encounter. I've read that there is this "Men, Stay Single!" push out there now because so many people have been allowed to want what is bad for them. I don't think that staying single is going to solve the problem. I believe that we should recondition ourselves and what we look for in a mate. We need to look at what has worked in the past. Find people celebrating their 60th anniversery. Shoot, nowadays, finding a couple celebrating their 15th is a feat in and of itself. We need to learn what it means to be sacrificial, to put others' needs before our own, but also know how to not be walked over.

I say all this because I don't want to settle for an effeminite guy who thinks he's becoming what women want by getting in touch with his feelings. I don't want to settle for a guy without integrity or honor. But then, I come back to the question of where is the line between settling and allowing him to not be perfect? Is it okay if he can't get along with my family? I've experienced the heartache that can cause. Is it okay if he doesn't agree with a gun in the house? I mean, where's the line?

B. What is the difference between expecting change and expecting growth?

I know it isn't right to try to change a person, as much as it isn't right for someone to expect me to change for them. And I recognize the difference between adjusting to a person and changing for a person. I guess a lot of why I don't understand this is because I don't understand men. I grew up in a household with a mom and 3 sisters. That's it. My dad was absent, and I never lived with brothers. People tell me men are simple to understand, but it's not that easy when I'm struggling to figure out the women I've lived with. I think my biggest problem is that I've not had a MAN to be around and learn what it really means to have a man in my life to where I could recognize one when I see one. So what are the differences between a boy and a man, and a loser and a man?


Sorry about the bit of a lecture in there, but I'm discouraged. It seems that when I think I've found someone that is a good guy, he doesn't recognize me or he's all about being single. And then someone who I don't think is going to turn out to be my type does ask me out because I can already see signs of how he assumes all women want the "sensitive" type.

I want a man who will be a man. A man who is willing to be responsible as the head of the house. A man who has integrity, honor, valor, courage, determination, wisdom, and patience. I understand that I'm not going to find all that in a young man. But I'm uncertain what to look for that shows signs of these to be grown into.

Okay, with this, I will leave it up to y'all to comment or leave me with bits of wisdom and discernment.

Links!

I'm so proud of myself right now. I know nothing of this linkage stuff, and somehow I was able to figure it all out by simply copying and pasting in my template. So now Nate can no longer complain about not being able to link to other sites from mine, and having to use the "Back" button, 'cause you know it's such an imposition. But anywho. I'm really proud of myself for figgurin' it out! So y'all have fun surfin'!

Carrot emergency

That's all I remember. I cooked for my mom's dinner party that was last night. There were 12 people there. The menu was pretty good:

chicken casserole
sour cream mashed potatoes
steamed carrots
green beans with almonds
baby spinach salad with poppy seed dressing
homemade dinner rolls
sweet mint iced tea with half an orange slice in it
coconut cream and keylime pies (bought)

Well, it all turned out well, except the carrots. Everything was ready to go, and the dang carrots were still sitting in the steamer and hard. It's funny. Two of the ladies that were there both gave me tips on how to cook carrots. And one of them who writes books on social graces fixed the table b/c I had it set wrong. I thought it looked pretty, which I thought was all that counted, but apparently I was wrong, again. In the end, all the guests gave me a round of applause for a "job well done", cheesy, I know, but it made me feel appreciated. The evening was a success as far as my part was concerned.

This doesn't work.

I keep checking this blog, and for some reason the site owner isn't keeping it updated. I look at it almost everyday, and Darlin' Joy just doesn't seem to add anything. Weird.

Flashback from hell

I had a moment of panic today. I was taking a shower and all of a sudden the water got cold! I thought "Oh no, this isn't supposed to happen here! The hot water heater must have blown out. I'm in the United States of America now! This only happens in Colombia!" Then I turn around and notice that I had knocked the handle to COLD. Whew! That was a close one!

It's about time!

Finally! I figured out the secret...girls, listen up! If ya wanna get asked out, go get your oil changed.

I'm about to head up to Nate and Julie's, so I needed to get my truck serviced. I always go keep an eye on what they're doing to my truck, so I also get to chat with the mechanics in the garage. While I was standing there, the mechanic and I struck up a conversation, Alex is from Mexico and studying ESL so you can see the connection. Another mechanic came up and started givin' him a hard time, so Alex told him to go away 'cause he was tryin' to get "hooked up". Funny. Well...my truck was done, so I say bye to Alex and go in to pay.

Afterwards I'm walking out to my truck, and one of the guys from behind the counter is also walking out to pull another car into the garage. He stops me and asks since I just moved down here, if I came to be near a man, or if a man came with me. I say no. He then asks if I like men. I say, well, I'm not a lesbian. He gets bright red 'cause he meant if I was heartbroken and angry. He then asks if I want to go get coffee. I ask, "well, first, what's your name?" He got embarrassed again because he had forgotten to introduce himself. Turns out his name is James.

Well, just about when James is as red as he can get Alex, notices what's going on, and pokes his head out the garage and yells, "Yo Alex, tu novia's on line 1!" which means his girlfriend's on line 1. Poor guy...I started feelin' sorry, so I gave him a break and let him go back inside with permission to call me sometime.

It had been so long since I'd been asked out, that I almost forgot how to react and what to say!

Change the subject!!

This picture is to serve as evidence that this actually happened. For some reason my phone wasn't charging. I just figured it was my car charger wasn't working properly. So that night I plugged it in by my bed to let it charge overnight. I woke up in the morning to the smell of battery juice. I checked out the phone, it was VERY hot, and it turned on just long enough to say that the battery needed charging. I took off the battery to preserve what little was left hoping to be able to salvage my phone book. When I popped open the back, it was stuck. I pried it open and discovered The Hole. Apparently there was a short in the charging connections in the phone, and it heated up so much that it burned a hole into the battery and the phone! That afternoon, I bought a new phone.

Something stupid...

Have you ever...

(x) snuck out of the house
(x) gotten lost in your city
(x) seen a shooting star
(x) been to any other country besides Canada
( ) had a serious surgery
(x) gone out in public in your pajamas
(x) kissed a stranger - one time I missed while greeting with a kiss in Colombia...oops!
(x) hugged a stranger
( ) been in a fist fight
( ) been arrested
( ) done drugs
(x) had alcohol
(x) laughed and had milk/coke come out of your nose
(x) pushed all the buttons on an elevator
( ) made out in an elevator
( ) kicked a guy where it hurts
(x) been to a casino
( ) been skydiving
( ) broken a bone - does fracturing or chipping count?
( ) been high
( ) skinny-dipped
(x) skipped school
( ) flashed someone
( ) done the splits
( ) played spin the bottle
( ) gotten stitches
( ) drank a whole gallon of milk in one hour
(x) bitten someone - I bit Dr. Who in the stomach when we were kids, I don't remember it.
( ) been to Niagara Falls
(x) gotten the chicken pox
(x) crashed into a friend's car - barely tapped the bumper, no damage
( ) been to Japan
(x) ridden in a taxi - One time our taxi wrecked in Colombia
(x) been dumped
(x) shoplifted - when I was like 4, and mom made me return the items
( ) been fired
(x) had feelings for someone who didn't have them back
( ) stole something from your job
(x) gone on a blind date
( ) had a crush on a teacher
( ) celebrated mardi-gras in new orleans
( ) been to Europe
( ) seen someone die
( ) been to Africa
(x) driven over 400 miles in one day - 36 hours straight driving from Mexico to Atlanta.
(x) been to Mexico
(x) been on a plane
( ) seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show
( ) thrown up in a bar
(x) set a part of yourself on fire - I lit my hair on fire blowing out my 21st birthday candles!
( ) eaten sushi
( ) been snowboarding
( ) met someone in person from the internet
( ) been moshing at a rock show
( ) been to a moto cross show
( ) lost a child
(x) attended an university
(x) graduated from an university
( ) done hard drugs
( ) tried killing yourself
(x) taken painkillers
(x) had someone cheat on you - well, one guy lied to me about the status of his previous g/f.
( ) cheated on someone

CAMMO ELI!!!!!

Where is he?? I don't see him!

Picture of Elijah John!!!

This is Elijah John! Isn't he adorable...reminds me an aweful lot of his father!

Love at first sight...

You know, I never believed in love at first sight...that is until I saw my sister's first child. At that very moment I fell in love. That child had all the love I have to offer. And now, I have four of these children to love with all my heart, for Elijah John was born tonight at 11pm exactly. 7lbs, 3 oz. 20". full head of dark curly hair. Dr. Who is doing great and is blessed with another son.

Better pic

This is me tonight...I'm tired, so don't be too judgemental.

I have a life...sue me.

So what have I been up to? I've been changing diapers. My two nieces are here visiting for Easter weekend. I've had the joy and priviledge of helping take care of them. I love getting to spend time with them and acting goofy and getting them to laugh...which incidentally isn't that hard.

For some reason I've noticed that everything I do with my nieces require a sound affect from me. Why is that? Pick them up...silly noise. Fill their juice cup...silly noise. Change the diaper...silly noise. Any of you parents out there got any ideas why I just can't stop myself?

Haircut!

While in Michigan, I chopped off about 10 inches of my hair and now I also have bangs!

Well, though it be true, the change is not obvious for the 10 inches came in layers, so the length is still two thirds way down my back, and the bangs come down to below my chin.

Security? I think it's just craziness

I heard on the radio today that in a couple weeks, I think, the airlines will no longer be allowed to permit passengers to bring cigarrette lighters on board the planes. This is just getting ridiculous.

Long absence

Sorry about being out of touch for so long. Nate keeps getting on to me to rejoin the 21st century and get internet at my home again. We're still in the process of flip-floppin' houses. I'm about to take off to Grand Rapids to visit my college roommate for a week. When I get back I'll get right on to getting the cable hooked up. Until then...sorry, again.

Calling all men with commitment issues!

So, guys, if you have a problem with commitment...spend a couple months dating me, and then the next girl you date you'll want to marry...that seems to be the trend.

grrr...


UPDATE:

Ok, I'm over it now...the world is right again.

Superbowl

I just finished watching Superbowl XXXIX with my brother-in-law. We were the only two that watched the whole thing. Of course the only other people in the house were my mom, two sisters, and two young nieces, and I don't think that any of them really care to watch football. Now don't get me wrong, I don't know much about the sport. I know the basics, objectives, some rules, and some scoring. I'm all the time asking questions whenever I have a guy there with me while I'm watching to have him explain to me why things are called the way they are. I've been going to football games since I was a little girl. My stepfather was the high school football coach, and I was in a marching band for 5 years, with sisters in the marching band 6 years before my years. So I spent some time in the stands. That's when my mom taught me what little she knew.

This reminds me of my freshman year in college. I was living in the dormitory, and Superbowl time came around. Of all the girls in the entire dorm, I was the only one that watched the Superbowl. There were two TV lounges. I was forced to go to the one less used upstairs because all the other girls were watching something like Buffy or Angel or Dawson's Creek in the regular TV lounge. I sat up in that room all by myself the entire game yelling and screaming at the TV screen, calling up Nate from my cell phone occasionally asking him to explain to me certain calls or just to comment on an awesome play or a funny commercial. I don't know if I annoyed him that night, I probably did, but I really had to have someone to "watch" the game with. Thanks, Nate. I love ya, man. **tear rolls down my cheek**

Slippin' and slidin'!

ICE!! Fun fun fun. Roads are covered with ice and water. Grass is covered with ice and water. Sidewalks are covered with ice and water. Trees are covered with ice and water. Catchin' on yet? That's right...a winter storm that has basically consisted of sleet and freezing rain for the last day and a half. I've not ventured out in my Rodeo yet. I was planning on driving around the corner to bring a load of chairs and a computer to my mom's place, but I walked out on the alley behind my townhouse, and it was too slippery...'bout busted butt a couple times. hehe. 4-wheel drive may help me go, but won't help me stop. And I don't want to send my truck to the shop after a wreck for the 3rd time! Roads should clear up tomorrow. That'll be soon enough.

Now that the scene has been set, let me tell ya how this ice storm entertains me so. My sister is here with her German Shepherd, Wendy. Wendy and Titan are good playmates. My sister and I love to go with our dogs out to this little park across the street from my home to play fetch with a frisbee. Titan and Wendy can be quite competitive at being the first one to the frisbee. Well, imagine a german shepherd and a weimaraner running full speed across a park covered with solid ice after a frisbee in the air. Quite entertaining. And you know they won't stop fetching if a frisbee is still being thrown...determined little buggers. My sister and I almost felt cruel for taking them out there to play, but it was just so funny that we couldn't resist. Of course, an other very entertaining moment would have been for anyone watching my sister and I slipping and sliding our way to and from the park.

Mudslide

Yum...I've stared at those things on the Drinks & Desserts menu at Applebee's long enough. I finally got one today, and it was really good. It was basically a milkshake form of a White Russian. I'm gonna have to attempt to make 'em at home. The tricky part is to get it to look as pretty. I'll have fun with it. Anyone want to tastetest?

Titan got a beatin'

It's the first beatin' since he's been back with me. Only took him 5 days. I hadn't taken the time to set up the kennel for him mainly because I can't decide where to put it. I've decided the garage now. It's gotta go up somewhere. Mom and I ran to Staples to copy papers and then to dinner. I left Titan in the garage loose hoping that there wouldn't be anything in there that he could damage. Well, he didn't damage anything IN the garage, but he did find a way to damage the garage itself. He is a very determined dog, apparantly. In the 3 hours that we were gone, he tore to shreads the weatherstripping to the door into the house, gouged the doorframe with his claws, and somehow managed to open the door. (it's a round doorknob, I haven't a clue how he managed that one.) No other damage was found in the house, thank you, Lord! Thankfully it's all stuff that can be repaired for the most part. I've relearned my lesson that Titan is not to be left out of his kennel while I'm gone.

...even though I almost killed him, I am glad that he's back with me. I think I'm just gonna have to resort to what I had to do with my students in Colombia. The behavior finally got so bad (kids biting other kids) that I stopped all lessons for the most part, and focused on behavior almost completely for about 3-4 weeks. In the end, aside from the twins, I had the best behaved class in the Preschool section. And of the twins, mine was the one that was adapting the best and good days more often. The way I did it was I didn't let them get away with even the slightest thing. I got really strict, made them follow rules, and didn't make exceptions often. I guess Titan is about to experience some times strict training and behavior modification.

This is good for us anyway. It will get both Titan and me back into the proper relationship we should have. I don't need to spoil him as much as he's being spoiled now, and he's young enough to adapt to this change. I'm excited about it really. It'll be fun.

TITAN!!!!

I got my doggy with me!! I'm so excited. As soon as my laptop will cooporate by starting up Windows, I'll try to get online and post a picture of him. I'm so glad to have him here. It's nice to have a good excuse to get outside the house now that I work at home.

Well, it's now 3am, and I just finished working. An 18-hour day...not fun. Mom's got some serious deadlines to meet this week, so we're working hard to not be late. Good thing is that as soon as these deadlines over the next 3-4 weeks are over, it will all be quiet until the Fall when the new edition to her book gets started up again.

I really need to go pick up some rawhides and a bed for Titan's comfort and entertainment while I'm working. He's such a good dog; he was no bother this entire day. He was well behaved. It's funny though, he goes bizzerk when he sees another dog outside. Don't know why, but for some reason he thinks he should be out there playing with them...hehe...in due time.

My place is still in boxes. My mirror isn't yet attached to my dresser. I need to do some serious shoppin'. My sister is coming up this weekend to help me do some of said shoppin'. That's what sisters are for.

Well, I'm really pooped...Mountain Dew keeps my body moving, but not my brain. I should go wind down with some readin' and maybe a little mindless TV if I can find anything on at this hour...doubt it. Do you think a White Russian would counter the affects of the Mountain Dew? hrmm... I'm an amature when it comes to alcohol, I've never even been drunk before. Oh well. Ok, well my fingers keep going, but my brain has stopped. I'm going. Goodnight, err...Good Morning.

Eye candy

I'm really enjoyin' this new subdivision. Not even half of the houses are finished being built yet. So what good news does this imply for a gal? This means that I'm constantly seeing big pickups driving in and out...which is hot. And I get to see bulldozers and backhoes at work...which is hot. And I get to watch the manly builders at work...which is hot, too. Granted there are a considerable amount of Hispanic workers, but my eye is caught with the supervisors and contractors that come and go in there big pickups. Also, there are various companies delivering Mom's new furniture, which I have the job of being at the house to receive the loads...no complaints here. I have a little over another year of this joy. I tell ya...it's good to be home.

Woo Hoo!!

I got my own place to live in!! Today was moving day. Mom moved her things to her new house. I moved my things into the townhouse, and now I have the fun of finding a new home in new rooms for all my stuff. I'm going shopping with my sister for fun new home stuff when she comes to visit in two weeks. I got way more space than I had before so I got lots of potential in every room. It's very exciting.

Now accepting applications:

In the year 2005 I resolve to: Get knocked up...twice. Get your resolution here.

I'm so excited, I just cain't hide it!

I'm getting Titan back!! I had given him to a couple that were the leaders of my church home group. When I returned, they talked it over and decided to offer him back to me. This couple are great people. I don't know what I would have done if they had not been there to take him in. I felt very comfortable leaving him with them because I knew that they would keep up his training and thoroughly enjoy having him in their household. Thank you C & C. I look forward to seeing you in a few days.

Something to think about

I stumbled upon this article. Kinda makes even me mad...

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0101Comic01.html

This is why I need a man...

I have an Isuzu Rodeo that is in dire need of a grille guard. It's got a chrome package and will look sweet with a chrome grille guard. So I start making phone calls and searching the web for prices and locations that sell, you know, general research. So everywhere I call they tell me no one makes a chrome grille guard for a 2002 Isuzu Rodeo. I find this hard to believe, but it seems to be the general consensus. I finally got a hold of someone that was willing to help me rather than just chime "sorry, no one makes those" "sorry, no one makes those" "sorry, no one makes those" GAH! It was SO annoying.

Anyway. This is why I need a man...no girl should have to worry about her truck having a grille guard.

So, any of you single guys out there care to carry this torch?

My Dad rules!

I got an early inheritance this Christmas. My father loves hobbies. When he chooses a hobby, he goes all out. When he got into scuba diving, he bought all the equipment, BCs, tanks, depth gauges, everything. He even got certified as an instructor. Unfortunately, that equipment slipped out from beneath my sisters and me before we could lay claim. Despite that loss, here comes the good part...

I just brought home with me from my dad's place his Nikon F5. It is freakin' sweet! If you don't know much about film cameras other than the point-and-shoot kind, then this won't impress you much. This is a professional caliber SLR film camera. It has remained at the top of the market for the last 9 years, and with the growing popularity of digital cameras it's likely to remain there.

He also sent home with me a Speedlight SB 28 strobe flash, a 35-70mm zoom lens, three professional studio lights (you know, the kind at the Sears Photo Studio with the white umbrellas), a tripod, a monopod, a daylight film loader, and a black tent so I can work with exposed film at home. Thankfully he also sent 2 boxes full of books to teach me how to use this stuff. Dad bought me my first SLR when I was a freshman in college. It is a Nikon N60. I have two lenses with that which are compatible with the F5 body.

I'm so looking forward to learning how to use all this. I'm so glad I decided to come home and stay.

Ok, things will be settling soon

Hey y'all! Sorry for my long absence. I flew home and immediately turned around and visited 5 different homes. So I finally am in the place that will be my home, but not until January 17th when mom moves out.

I've had 5 job opportunities. Two I'm not really interested in, translating/traveling for the FBI and aiding a mortgage company expand into the Hispanic community. The other three were considered. One was to return to teaching. My former boss in Chattanooga called my cell phone when she heard I was back and asked me to apply for a teaching position she wants me to fill. The other is working with a UMC pastor in an outreach to the Hispanic families in Chattanooga, mostly families of my former students there. The last is being a PA for my mom.

I chose the last. This is the best deal for me. I'm excited at the kind of work I'll be doing. Also this job will leave time for me to visit friends and family, which is currently my heart's desire, and time to play...hiking, camping, shopping, traveling, and developing my skills in things I enjoy. I'll also help my mom with interpreting and translating, and this will allow me to keep my Spanish. She also travels a lot and usually invites me to come along.

I still don't have a place to set up my computer yet, so my internet access is a bit limited because my mom's DSL is constantly being interrupted. We'll be switching to cable soon enough.

Well, I hope all had wonderful Christmas and New Year celebrations!

P.S. by the way, I picked up my gun Monday. This makes me a happy camper again. :)

Big News

I have a confession to make. I've been leavin' y'all in the dark about a lot of things simply because I couldn't put it online until I was safely home. But here is the biggest most important news: I'm not going back in January; I'm staying home. I've already arranged a place to live and work. But since people have found out that I'm not going back and am available, I now have several job opportunities, including the FBI. We'll have to see. Some actually sound good, but I just got home, I need to enjoy this time for now, at least a couple weeks.

Ok, so now you know. I'll be changing all the settings in here to reflect this decision soon enough.

I'M HOME!!

The moment the wheels of the plane touched ground I thanked God for contact with American soil. The trip itself is an annoying tale, but for now I believe I will just be thankful that I'm home. I'm sure everyone has been over to Nate's and seen that I've been home now for a few days. Sorry I didn't get on here sooner; I've been busy, you know. Anyhow, I'm traveling visiting family until after Christmas. So I'll catch y'all up on some doings then.

This is the hard life...

Let me tell you just how horrible it is down here. I got off of work 2 hours early. Call a taxi and go home. I take an hour nap. Then a lady arrived, and I got a manicure and a pedicure in my apartment for guess how much total...$5.38. Yeah, there will definitly be at least a handful of pleasant memories.

Yeah, I know, I'm a wuss.

When it comes to scary movies I'm the biggest wuss you will ever know. I made Nate tell me the whole story, beginning, middle, and ending, before I would watch the Mothman Prophecies. He practically had to hold my hand.

That being said, I just watched one of the fakest movies ever made, Sleepy Hollow. I was bored so I turned on the movie channel here. It was on, my roommate was here, so I thought I'd give it a try. It was scary. Then my roomie left. It was still scary, 'cept now I'm home alone.

Guys, I'm not kiddin' you when I say it was scary! I had to keep reminding myself, "It's just Hollywood. It's just Hollywood!" I get so involved in the stupidest of movies I end up scaring myself with even the most trivial things. People's heads were getting chopped off! A stupid tree was bleeding. There was witchcraft, skeletons, and crap. I know it looked fake, but even the idea was enough to get me.

I have to say, that for me, scary movies are to be reserved for when there is a cute and protective man there to protect me from the bugie man. Like I said, I know that I'm a wuss.

Traditions

What is your favorite Christmas tradition? Stockings? Opening one gift on Christmas Eve? Singing carols? Decorating the Christmas tree? Day away from work?

Mine would have to be mistletoe. I remember watching Dr. Who climbing up a tree on the side of I-24 to get mistletoe. In high school I would always search out a good climbing tree with mistletoe and tie ribbons around clumps and give them away at school. I remember seeing lots of guys having fun harrassing cute girls with it. I was entertained. (One of my guyfriends from high school said that years later he still had that mistletoe hanging on the wall in his bedroom.)

Even though mistletoe has always been a favorite tradition, I've yet to ever be kissed under the mistletoe. Guess I've just never been caught standing there.

The "Purification" of Christmas

Okay, I mentioned in the previous post about how the winter scene on the Christmas gifts was irking, and indeed it is. Here goes...

This year is the first year the school is officially a Christ-centered school. So with Christmas, all things must be and can only be thematically centered on the birth of Christ. When I inquired of other things, like Snowmen, that weren't contradictory to Christianity, they said 'no' because it wasn't a part of the culture here. Okay, so we're not supposed to use non-Christian nor non-cultural things for Christmas. That would be fine if it weren't for...

The school posting Santa Claus pictures everywhere even after specifically telling teachers we were NOT allowed to use him in decoration. Snowmen aren't cultural? Okay, fine, people here have never touched snow...BUT there are snowmen in every store now for sell or to decorate for Christmas. Stockings aren't cultural? Then why are they sold in stores? Not supposed to use non-nativity decorations? Then what's with all the garlands, wreaths, and Christmas trees all over the school grounds? It's like they're begging teachers to go exactly against what they say.

If you're gonna purify Christmas to make a statement, then do it! Don't do it half-assed. It sends a mixed message when you're shouting "No Santa Claus", but then you see a huge Santa and reindeer on display first thing when you drive onto school property. Frustrating. So as we are told to not have snowmen, we're allowed to use a winter scene with PINE TREES and snow! Pine trees don't grow here. Snow doesn't fall here. And even though we're told to not use non-cultural decorations, our project was approved and "aww"ed over even with the winter scene.

Did I mention that snowmen are one of my favorite parts of Christmas decorating?

Blue fingernails

So, if you ever see a chick with a blue hint to her fingernails, or any other color for that matter, chances are she's either a painter or a preschool teacher. I would fall under the category of preschool teacher. Yes, we have been doing art project after art project this last week and will continue doing them until Christmas celebrating is over. It's all fun though. I'm glad that I'm getting a chance to go home with a nice taste in my mouth about the school. The students have been so much fun to have now that we're not 'learning' anything new and are basically just playing.

We have our Christmas play this Friday. We have half day rehearsals every day now. My students are learning the song "Open the Eyes of My Heart" sung by Michael W. Smith...not my choice, I just do as I'm told. They are playing the part of little angels, hehe, that's entertaining to me. So while we're not sitting in rehearsal we are eating/playing and doing our art projects. We're making a Christmas gift for all the parents, Christmas card to go with the gift, and lanterns for their Virgin Mary celebration down here. The gift is a doorknob hanger, a winter scene with a pine tree. There's a story of irking behind this that I can explain later. The card is a manger scene made out of popcicle sticks and paper and paint; it will have writing on the inside to be done in Spanish class. The lanterns are made of thick paper with images punched out with plastic paper for the glow of the candle to shine through. (They have these sticks with a thumbtacklike thing coming out one end that they use to punch holes in paper...a weapon if ya ask me.)

Well, it's all fun.

Birthday wishes

This is just to say Happy Birthday to you, mom. I love you!

Funny picture

Sorry, Nate, but your truck pics are movin' on down... :(



Time to fess up...how many times has this happened to you?

Ok, I know this pic is a little late for Turkey Day, but oh well, it's still funny.

Sideview of Nate's badass truck

There's no mistaken this truck for an "estrogen wagon"!

Nate's badass truck

Ok, here are the pics of Nate and Dr. Who's new truck as promised. Yeah, I provided the "Confederate Naval Jack" plate, aka stretched out battle flag. :)

I love my sister!!

I just have to take a moment to brag on my sister, number 3. I received in the mail today a care package from home. It was so special. She sent me some lion houseslippers, random fun toys, and some stickers for my students' classwork. There was also a card where she said she misses me lots and lots and lots and lots and lots...hehe. (she'll understand that) It only took 11 days to get here. I would have expected longer.

Well, sister no. 3, I just wanted to say thanks and brag on ya bit. I love you lots and lots and lots and lots and lots...hehe.

Did you see that cow today at school?

That was the most often asked question among all students and teachers today. Yes, there was a COW at school today. The Transition classes, AKA Kindergarten, is doing a project about dairy products. So today when we arrived at school, there was a cow standing in our playground tied to the flagpole. Apparently the teachers wanted the students to have first hand experience seeing a cow being milked. Most even got to go up and give it a whirl themselves. My students got a chance, too. It was fun to watch them pull and sqeeze and spray anyone within reach. It was funny watchin' the way these cityfolk behaved around her.

Well, I got a chance to milk that cow. It was cool. I grew up around farms. My parents never had one, but many extended family did. (I even got to visit a relatives big dairy farm and see the cows being milked mechanically. It was a Weaver farm, if you've ever seen the rigs drivin' down the interstate.) I had been told how to milk a cow, but never actually had had the chance to do so. And if I do say so myself, I was quite good at it.

DOH!!

OK, something really funny happened at work, one of those "Doh!" moments.

In class we are coloring turkeys with drawings of things or people we're thankful for. I was going around writing at the top of the paper "I am thankful for (what they drew)." This one girl is really shy and doesn't like to talk sometimes. She had drawn a girl. I asked her who this girl was...mom, sister, aunt, doll? She wouldn't say. Finally her classmate sitting next to her said that it was her mom and that she didn't want to say because "le da pena" which means 'it gives her shame'.

Sidenote: My Spanish is not perfect in any sense of the word. I often put the wrong ending without thinking, correct it, and keep going...usually not even noticing the mistake. For instance, I might say "banca" = bench, when I meant "banco" = bank. Well this happened to me in this instance...

I asked, "¿Por qué le da pene, pena?" (See? I made that correction.) I get a really weird look from the little girl that told me she drew her mom. I take a second to think about the question I had just asked. "Why did it give you shame?" Then I remember that I had made a mistake. I try to recall the word I had accidentally said. And it hits me! What I had actually asked this timid little girl was...."Why does it give you penis, shame?"...DOH!

december 16th, baby, here i come!

one month from today and i will be on homeland soil! i'm so excited, you truly can have no idea! first things i want to do, as of yet...

put on a coat! it's been high of 85 here, low of 65. i'm ready for some cooler weather.

drive! i've not driven in over 3 months. going cold turkey with something that is such a part of your daily life is really frustrating. and i gotta check to make sure my Rodeo is back the way it was after the...um...mishap.

go to walmart and bow down at the door and just revel in the presence of selection and american products that i'm used to. i don't care if i buy anything, i just want to see it with my own eyes again.

go to a restaurant...any restaurant. maybe chili's or applebee's or cracker barrel or a taco stand or wherever. the point is to get some food i love.

wash all my clothes in a washing machine with SOFTENER...then dry them in a dryer with a SOFTENER sheet.

find out where my dad lives...he and my stepmom have moved since i've been gone. i haven't a clue how to get to the new house.

call all my friends and family and talk for however long i choose. none of these 2 minute conversations b/c the phone bills are too high.

go to family Christmas get-together in Oak Ridge, TN. the drive there alone makes the trip worth it. but getting fed all that good country home cookin' is just icing on the cake. i miss my family so much, i'm so ready to be able to see them all in person again. i've gained a new appreciation for my family after having them in an absence for so long.

watch a fire burn in a fire place or bonfire, either or, both are fine by me. i just love fire so much, it's terrible to be too hot to have a fire and hot chocolate year round.

ok, that's the list for now...all tenative, but still important.

earthquakes suck...

...especially at 4:05 in the morning! i wake up to my bed being violently shaken. i set my feet on the floor, which is swaying. it seems my eyes are playing tricks on me because the walls are moving. i made my way to my roommate's room, who had just woken up, then we hear the voices of people outside from where they had run out. an hour later things are settled back down, and i've calmed down a bit after experiencing my first earthquake. things are better now.

after doing some research online, i find out that it was 7.2 on the Richter Scale. it was centered on the coast on the other side of the mountain range from where i'm living. it was felt over the entire country. here's the damage report:

Two people injured, two houses destroyed and eight damaged at Pizarro; one
person injured and four houses destroyed at Usaraga; about twelve houses
destroyed in the Buenaventura area. Slight damage and power and telephone
service interrupted at Cali. Felt at Armenia, Bogota, Pereira, Quibdo and in
much of western Colombia.

i didn't know this, but i do now: Colombia is located in the northwestern corner of the South American plate, where it meets the Nazca and Caribbean plates. if you want more info or a map, go to these websites: http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/bulletin/neic_qwat.html and http://www.rms.com/Catastrophe/Models/Colombia.asp

i'm comin' home!!

well, at least for christmas break. yesterday i bought my plane tickets to come home for winter. i arrive at 2:25pm on thursday, december 16th. on december 17th i'll be in oak ridge, tn, visiting my family. after that i'm not sure where i'll be when but the places i want to hit are west virginia, chattanooga, atlanta and clayton. i might have to go to north carolina to visit my dog, if he doesn't make it to chattanooga with his owners. when i return, i won't have driven in 4 months! i'm SO lookin' forward to getting my isuzu Rodeo back! i've not decided where to spend christmas or new years. something funny is that all my parents have moved since i've been here. at least i got to see my mom's new place before she moved in (she tried to bribe me with it) but i don't even know how to get to my dad and stepmom's place any longer. well, i don't leave until friday, january 14th. ALMOST A WHOLE MONTH! now that i have the tickets in my possession i feel like i can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

and yet, one more pic from colombia

this one is just to envoke pure jealousy. this pic was taken at a restaurant called "Crepes & Waffles". most excellent. twelve of us met up there for my birthday celebration while my mom was here visiting. these are some of the desserts we ordered after a magnificant meal. the one in the very front left corner was mine...'amaretto fantasy'

pic from colombia

this is my classroom. remember how i keep commenting on how it is open air?...here's the proof.

that was freaky

ok, this is really weird. i'm sitting at my computer, and this soap bubble (about 3/4 inch diameter) comes out from behind my laptop screen. it then proceeds to float around my bedroom for a few moments until it lands on the base of my floor fan. it's still there. what's really strange is that my room is not likely to see soap bubbles. sure my shower is here, but i've not used it since yesterday. just plain strange.

TITAN!!! i miss you!

This is my *grumble* former *grumble* doggy. His name is Titan, named after the Tennessee Titans, at Nate's mom's suggestion. He's a weimaraner, for those not familiar with his breed. This is a picture of him while we were camping in north Alabama near Rock City. I gave him away before moving to South America to a lovely couple, who have done a good job keeping up his training and loving him. Whenever I get sad about not having him any longer, I repeat to myself several times, "He peed on my bed. He peed on my bed." Anyhow, when I get back...I'm getting a dog, though I've not decided if I want another Weim or a German Shorthaired Pointer.

caution! about to get personal...

I'm having problems in just about every situation there is in my life. And being in another country just seems to magnify everything. Or maybe it just needed time to show up. About a year ago, I started questioning just about everything that I've ever known about God, being that I’m mainly from the charismatic background with knowledge of how the Church of Christ felt about things as well, but I thought they were crazy. I had this fear of not being in "God's will" as the charismatics stress in their religion. When it finally dawned on me that even after 24 years, I was still unable to decipher God's will for me; I decided that I had to question all the charismatic stuff. I've been 'stung' by church leaders (both CofC and charismatic), time after time, and we're talking serious stuff here (especially with the charismatic). So, I've officially stepped into a crisis of faith by way of beliefs.

I guess one way that Nate describes it is that some try to manipulate God to get what they want. That seems to define how I've always been. I've had more than that kind of a relationship with God, but that has been a part of it for so long. For instance, I really want to get married. And I wasn't even that much into dating, least of all marriage, more than the average female fantasy of having a home, until I started to seek the Lord on what kind of a wife and mother I should be. Well, I read many books for young singles. I've tried every method there is for making God realize that I'm ready to get married. I tried looking, tried not looking, tried patience, tried praying, and the list goes on. Apparently God can't be manipulated like that, 'cause I'm still single. I got mad because I felt it was God's fault that I wanted to be married, I felt like it had been a passion ignited by Him...but then He wasn't fulfilling that desire.

Well, a while back all hell broke loose in my life, and I started drowning. I finally came to the realization that I needed to take responsibility for my own life and to stop passing off everything to God to take care of. (This is how I ended up in Colombia...long story, but basically, yeah). It hit me that nothing was ever even attempted in my life until I took control. And now I'm starting to second guess all the decisions I've made since then because I still have a conscience, dang it! As you can tell just a bit from my blog that I'm not happy here, in fact, I'm quite miserable. There have been some good things that have come of my taking control of my life, but then some bad have happened, too. For instance, I came to Colombia to prove to myself and others that I could fulfill my "calling" when in fact, I no longer really want this calling. It's a bad thing that I'm now stuck here for the year, but a good thing that I discovered on my own that this is not what I want to do, as so many had "prophesized" I would for the rest of my life. That also solidifies the disbelief of the charismatic religion. Or maybe I’m just “running from God”.

Well, since I've had the rug yanked out from under me...I'm left kinda wishing I had taken the blue pill. I can only handle introspectiveness for so long, and then I get tired of it. So I'm gonna quit typing now.

God's involvement

just a quick survey...how involved to you think that God is in our lives? Is it the kind of life where you can ask Him where you should eat for dinner, or where He just drops hints occasionally to guide us? where in between could He be?

election day

can anyone tell me how the votes are going? the one and only English speaking news channel, world version of CNN, has chosen TODAY of all days to go off air. i have no clue what's going on. someone, please...help!

my Beretta

ok, this is my Beretta. it's a 9000s type D, .40, of course. my dad gave it to me for christmas right after i turned 21. he also supported my getting the carry permit. i enjoy going to the range and practicing with it, and i even enjoy getting to clean it afterwards.

being that i'm in an extremely liberal country, i'm not allowed to have a gun here. my sister is currently keeping it for me. it's funny how in the countries where you most need a gun, you can't have one. it's crazy. no citizen is allowed to have a gun here unless they need it for work, being military or security (personal or business). oh, and criminals get to have guns, too! how dandy is that! if i mention i have a gun back home, people look at me like i'm crazy. they've been so conditioned here to think that only bad guys and military are supposed to have guns here. they have no concept of self-protection. they expect someone else to do it for them (liberal mentality). being the current situation in colombia, the government has proven to be futile. they truly are at a place where voting does no good. i don't even see how it can make anyone even feel like they "did their part" in the process.

i even have a friend that was mugged on a public bus at the beginning of september at gunpoint. he just handed over what he had and was grateful at not having been hurt. these people have lowered their standard so much, that they have lost respect for themselves and their property. it's a shame.

anyway...all this to say...I MISS MY GUN! i need it here more than at home!