Sunday, February 27, 2011

Hello (3):Twelve(am); Hello (4):Thirteen(am); Hello? Sleep?

I am awake early this morning. Very early.

I used to sleep- I don't really remember when, but sometime back probably sometime in high school I used to go to bed nice and early and sleep until my Mom made me get out of bed and hit the shower... and then usually I'd sit back down in the shower and go back to sleep- which made for many a rushed-attending-school-wet-headed mornings. High-school was highschool. I took Advanced Algebra/Trigonometry which made for many a late night followed by many a sleeping in the shower mornings...

In Ecuador [I spent a couple of months there with Teen Missions International] I could sleep anytime and anywhere at the drop of a hat. Of course I had to wear ear plugs at night so I didn't hear the rats crawling on the roof... but a girl does what she has to do.

With the start of college at Liberty was the start of Debate. Debate - as if it wasn't stressful enough in the waking hours- has lots of late nights and early mornings. Many a time I would go back to my dorm, change in to practically pj's and walk back to the debate lab. Now, I must admit a lot of that time was spent singing show tunes with Stephanie, but I digress. And as any debater will tell you; there are few things less annoying than debate dreams. In these dreams you never have the right evidence, you can't ever find your tubs/partner/timer/flowpaper/computer/room/fillintheblank. As real as real can be these dreams plague your sleep on the bus to and from tournaments when you'd give anything just to sleep a little bit... and then as my non-debate roommate Martha would love to tell you... these dreams also just randomly have you yelling out arguments and begging the coach for just one more chance (please!) even once the debate season is over. [This is where I say I have been out of debate for what? Four or five years? And I still have nightmares about disappointing coaches and dropping topicality...as in had one two nights ago... as if thesis writing wasn't stressful enough]

Once I got to UNCG I slept a little better. Bigger bed, nice dorm, friends introduced me to the music of Ratatat and Beruit, and I was over all happier. But then, in my second to last semester I assistant directed < with Miss Alex P. > Jim Wren's production of Evil Dead: The Musical. Probably one of the most enjoyable experiences I have ever had in college. The show was raunchy, hilarious, and full of incredibly talented performers and yes, we had a splatter zone for those of you who were wondering. But everynight I would wake myself up singing "Good Old Reliable Jake" and "Cabin in the Woods." Yeah. Not harmonious for restful sleep.  But the show ended and except for waking up too early because I was worried I would be late for student teaching I found out how to sleep through the night again.

Summers are summers. I can sleep all day everyday. Must be the humidity and the heat.
Maybe thats the secret.

Here in BG its not the stress, its not the horrid weather, its not the living alone that is keeping me awake. MY BUILDING the literal building itself is REALLY loud. Water rushing through the walls, the shower upstairs, people walking to their apartments on the wood planked walkway... and that doesn't even begin to deal with the normal "I live in a college town apartment complex" problems. Holy cow. Now I will admit. I go to bed really early for a graduate student. Um the same time I went to bed in high school... but when you're waking up as much as I do you have to make up for lost time somehow!  Tonight/This morning was one of those more than normal loud nights. The people upstairs had friends over, okay it is a Saturday and some people do have lives, and those friends were standing on the aforementioned wood plank walkway that is right above my bedroom window [drunkenly] talking and smoking. Oh my goodness. I learned way more about them than I ever needed to know. Eventually, hood up and slippers on, I stepped out of my apartment and said, "Yall, can you be a little quieter, its really echo-y down into my apartment." They were really apologetic and its now quiet.

But its also 5:53 on a Sunday and I am awake.

Whats funny is now that I have been up for about 45 minutes or so I can go back in to my room, turn on some Adventures in Odyssey [again, I love it, always have, always will, don't judge it mutes out the loud apartment] and sleep till 9 or so.

Guess that's progress.
(Even though Graduate school has taught me to problamatize the Hegelian notion of Progress)

Good morning/night!


(don't get the title? Looks up "Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love" from A Chorus Line
-- yes. its a show tune [and as it seems to be happening a lot lately, a Glee] reference.)

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Fabulous Valentine's Present

So Chase ordered my Valentine's Day present off of Etsy. Which I love love love.
But it had to be shipped all the way from TURKEY!
It arrived this morning... and I really love it!

Take a look!


(No thats not me...)

Very happy Lauren. Chase always picks out great jewelry! Love it.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

13 Things That Make Me a Lousy Progressive

(+ some of the things that make me a Lousy Evangelical)


I thought I’d share 13 things that make me a lousy progressive:
1. I don’t have any tattoos.
2. I actually think it’s possible to overanalyze a metaphor.
3. The word “inerrant” may make my scalp itch, but the word “inspired” still rings true.
4. Sometimes I shop at Wal Mart.
5. I’ll probably never drop the f-bomb in a lecture just for kicks… I’m afraid my mom will find out.
6. Voting for pro-choice candidates still makes me uncomfortable.
7. Sometimes I get tired of “living in the tension” and I long for the days when everything in life fit into neat and tidy categories of right and wrong, black and white, good and bad, us and them. I don’t want to return to those prideful days of unassailable certainty, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss them now and then. They were easier.
8. Thick-rimmed glasses make my face look fat.
9. I think it’s possible that some of the things that go wrong in the world are not the fault of white males.
10. I talk a big game about going green and saving the earth’s precious resources, but I always leave the faucet running when I’m using the restroom at someone else’s house because I don’t want anyone to hear me pee.
11. Al Gore still gets on my nerves.
12. If conservative evangelicals are at times guilty of perpetual self-congratulation, then progressive Christians are at times guilty of perpetual self-doubt. Sometimes I want to shout, “Of course we haven’t included everybody! Of course we’re not saying this exactly right! Of course we there’s more to it than that! But let’s stop hedging and second-guessing and splitting hairs for five minutes and actually just affirm something!” (Which, I realize, is sort of a self critique in and of itself. Hmmmm…)
13. Hamburgers, bacon, and steak. (No vegetarianism for this Southern gal!)
 
-Plus- 
2. Sometimes I vote for democrats
4. I’ve never read The Purpose Driven Life
7. I ask a lot of annoying questions
11. I support gay rights
12. Occasionally I have nightmares about Sarah Palin becoming president
13. I have vowed never to use the phrase “It was really good for a Christian movie"

Are you a progressive? In what ways do you break the mold?
Are you a conservative? How might you differ from your peers?
Don't take this one too seriously. Have fun with it!


This post is taken directly from blogger Rachel Held Evans.
Please see her blog here-- she has some interesting things to say!

I'm still here

.... I am just crazy busy writing my first thesis chapter and getting ready for three presentations.

I'll be back during Spring Break--

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Oh Great. Its snowing again.

I must admit. I'm not surprised it is snowing again. I knew all along that the 50/60ish degree weather was just a tease. But somewhere deep down... maybe really deep down... I was hoping that I could get rid of my snow boots. Nope. That is what I get for hoping for warmer weather.

Bloody Poetry ran this weekend in the Joe E. Brown. It was kinda cool to see costumes my two little hands had worked on being worn on stage. The show was good and some really great work went into the whole production. Bravo BGSU.

I don't have anything good to type. Its hard to blog with out new episodes of Hoarders.
I'll try again tomorrow.

Monday, February 14, 2011

College Curry



Hello! I am sitting here in my office in my apartment...
sweatpants on and listening to This American Life




I have decided to go a whole week with out Facebook and very limited television. Before you ask- yes I watched last nights Big Love. And I will watch House tonight. I am just not going to channel surf. I could watch Law and Order till my head explodes -- that is a waste. I have writing to do!

On top of that I am still trying to eat really well and get to a little bit healthier weight. So right now I'm eating what I call College Curry. It is basically take all of the veggies that would work with curry (I did onions, cubed sweet potatoes, garbanzo beans, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms) and cook them in a pot without any oil or anything bad for you. (Veggies in general are 0 on the Weight Watchers Scale) Then add some Light Coconut Milk and some Trader Joe's Thai Red Curry. Let slowly slowly slowly simmer.  Then Eat.


Crazy good y'all. Its kind of like a dump curry. Just throw everything you can in the pot and eat. I was going to add some spinach but I simply forgot it until now. Its not cultured. People who make real curry might scoff at its rudimentary nature. But oh well. Its nice to make food that tastes good and is tasty. Just have to be careful with the coconut milk and the curry sauce. Thats what would get you.

This week I really want to make some progress on my thesis chapters. By the end of this month I want to finish the chapter on 19th century melodrama. That means I'll be still on schedule. I love me a schedule. It got up to 42 degrees today. That is also something I love. Minus the puddles and the fear of someone splashing me with their car...




I am counting down the days till I head to Lynchburg. This has been the longest stretch of not seeing Chaser. I don't know how military wives do it! I cannot imagine going 6 months with out seeing him. I have nothing to complain about. G-chat is awesome. Seeing his face makes a big difference.

Well Loves, thanks for reading. Let me know if you have your own "college" version of good recipes.

Happy Valentines Day. I  think lots of people hate Valentines Day. "Single Awareness Day" they call it. I think that we as friends and family need to fight against this. I love lots of people. I want to let those people know. I'm going to work on that. See what I can do to spread the love... in a perfectly non-weird day.

So. Lots of love. If you need me- I'm here.


Photos via Design Crush

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Good (literally) Morning

So how did y'all like my super emo post last night? I am feeling much more positive today than I was last night... So it is okay to blog now. :)

I was having a moderately stressful very long day.  I worked in the costume shop in the morning. Its really growing on me. There are some really lovely women that work there (yes its all women) and I enjoy just chatting with them about simple and lighthearted things. Plus it is great to get to learn sewing skills. I love the crafty stuff - especially what I find online - and I would like to start sewing more fun clothing and accessory type-things. I'd also like to really like to (someday in the future) make baby clothes!

Afterward I had my thesis prospectus defense. Which basically means I meet with my committee and they give me the go ahead with what I have planned. Basically what they told me was that I was trying to accomplish too much --- thats what my advisor at UNCG used to always say -- in too short of a time. So today I am going to revise and limit myself down a little bit. Narrow the scope to a manageable level. I also want to work some on the paper I have been assigned for my Cultural Contexts/Theatre History Class. It would be nice to be ahead of schedule so I can focus on my thesis at the end of the semester. I am still trying to think of a sorta witty title. But thats the least of my worries!

Then after that I went to work in the box office-- believe it or not I actually sold tickets! First one's all semester! Amazing! I will be house managing next weekend which is good because I get a lot of work done while waiting for the show to finish. We are doing Bloody Poetry in the Joe E. Brown. I know how to get ya some tickets if yer interested.

Then I trudged my way home in the not as cold cold and ordered a pizza. :) I had eaten very well/healthy all day so I guiltlessly ate some delicious Hawaiian pizza. Who gave it that name? Isn't that kind of offensive? To essentialize  Hawaii and its citizens  down to ham and pineapple? Wow I have been in grad school too long... See here if you're thinking of going to Graduate School... :)

It was a nice relaxing evening. I got to talk to Emily and to Chaser. Thats always uplifting. I ordered some clothes to replace some of the stuff I threw away and watched the hilarious Travel Channel Show Ghost Adventures. It is a bunch of Bros who ghost hunt. They say "Dude" a lot and are hilarious. They then replay all of these "unexplained" occurrences-- which I never see or hear. Makes me laugh and lets me just relax... thats kind of weird to read but hey-- its the truth! Its just so ridiculous that its entertaining. All of the seasons are on Netflix... I suggest y'all give it a try.

I am still singing the praises of the new jeans that I bought-- girl let me tell you-- I love them. Emily loves them too. She ordered a pair and thinks they are great. So much she bought another pair. Total converts... here is the link to them on Zappos. (You can get free overnight shipping both ways-- which is great!) Here is the Levi's website. 

I would ask everyone to say prayers for my Grandma Ski- she fell and broke her hip. Pray for heeling and no stress while she's in the hospital.

Happy Valentines Day.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Yawn...

I just ate some pizza and now I am watching re-runs. Pretty satisfied.

This week was a long week. I'm tired. More than just tired. Exhausted.

I don't want to complain.
I feel like If I start writing a blog now I'm just going to complain and hold a pity party for myself.
But life is so good. I really don't have a lot to complain about. My life is pretty good.

I'm going to not blog right now.
Focus on those who love me and how blessed I really am.

Did I mention that graduate school has made me tired?
Oh yeah. No complaining. Forgot. Sorry.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

I learned today...

...that if the Steelers had done the Thriller dance they would have won the Super Bowl.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Food for Thought

I Survived the Wimpy Blizzard of '11.


I have a funny little story. 

They (every news outlet in Ohio) predicted that the world was going to end because of snow. 

It didn't. Didn't even get close. The school didn't close so I left my house at 11:45 to make it to my 12:30 class. Wanted to take my time. I bundled up in my fabulous parka and my big snuggly hat with the pompom on top (which in the South we call toboggans- which apparently is a sled- wha?) and started my trek through the snow. Two things:
  1. I am very thankful for the parka that Ashley helped me pick and that my parents paid for - its very warm. 
  2. I really really love people who shovel and salt their sidewalks. 
I got to campus and received an email saying class was canceled. Thats fine- I had to print something anyway so I printed and headed back home. I got all the way back to my door  and realized I had left my keys at school. So I turned around and walked back to South Hall. It was kind of hilarious. The only foot prints in the snow were mine and there were three sets. So then Christina who had a good laugh and offered to take me back the last time. So only three sets of footprints.

The rest of today has been pretty mild. I don't have my 8 o'clock class tomorrow which is super nice. I have actually been productive today and that makes me feel good. 

I also really want to suggest everyone go through their closet and just get donate the things you don't wear anymore. Just stop looking at them. Clear them out of your closet and dresser and give them away. I have been doing that the past couple of days and it feels really good. Now I wont lie- I have been buying new clothes to replace the old ones, but the new ones fit, are still in good shape and just make me feel more confident. I found a bunch of really great deals and have made what I feel are wise purchases. And I found a great great great jeans. That weren't super expensive.  Do clothes make the [wo]man? No. By no means. But feeling good about yourself by simply wearing clothes that fit properly is something I am not ashamed to admit I believe in doing. 

(via)

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Snowpocalypse.


See the top left corner of Ohio?
Yeah thats where I live... in the 12-16 inch range.

So today as I walk to school I will pray that I don't slip and fall because I might never be found in the snow. And frankly, I have a lot of new clothes coming in the mail that I'd like to live to see. Not to mention a thesis to finish, a wedding to have, and time to spend with those I love.
Come on... you know I have my priorities straight.

Yeah, new clothes. I found a great article in Real Simple Magazine that helped me decide that I needed to clear out my closet and make a big donation to Goodwill. But then I realized I had nothing that was in the category between tee-shirts and dresses. So I searched and searched and found some great deals on quality clothes that should arrive today. I have high hopes.

School is school. Working and trying to stay motivated.  The end.

Only 30some days till Spring Break. Very nice. I can't wait to see my parents and Chaser. And my lovely freshmen-year-roommate Martha! She lives in Lynchburg and I cannot wait to spend some time with her! She's really a beautiful woman inside and out-- not to mention she's funny as all get out. 

If NPR tells me that we have a record snowfall coming one more time I might cry. Come on Morning Edition I am already not looking forward to going to school!

I am trying to think of a fun name for my thesis. The title is the most important part, I mean who really cares about the context as long as the title is fabulous.  Suggestions?

Okay. Now I'm just typing non-sense.

Time to pile on the clothes and venture beyond the walls of my warm little apartment.

It was nice knowing you.