verbingnouns

2003-06-12T15:47:00.000-05:00

For My Next Move...

I've got a new blog! Since this one is nothing but dysfunctional, come see my new one here.

2003-06-11T13:36:00.000-05:00

As Good As It Gets

Some things just can't be improved upon. Take an umbrella, for example: you can get a big one, a medium one, or a small one in your choice of color. Those are your choices and those are the only choices you need. However, if someone could come up with a procedure to close the umbrella, get in the car, and get the umbrella into the car without getting water all over the driver and the car, I would call that person a genius and give him a dollar.

2003-06-11T12:47:00.000-05:00

Another Quote for Another Day

"Some luck lies in not getting what you thought you wanted but getting what you have, which once you have got it you may be smart enough to see is what you would have wanted had you known." - Garrison Keillor

How true.

2003-06-10T09:22:00.000-05:00

If you hit refresh enough, my comments will probably show up. Enetation is having some issues, which are (hopefully) being dealt with. I don't want to change comment systems again because I don't want to loose all my comments.

2003-06-10T09:19:00.000-05:00

I've got to stop having fun. It makes it so tough to get up in the morning.

2003-06-10T09:16:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope." - Bill Cosby

2003-06-10T08:06:00.000-05:00

Four Degrees of Separation

She's my brother's wife's brother's wife. She's the mother of two very cute kids (Wrenn and Eli). She's the wife of Patrick, who invented Triangulate!, the game that's sweeping the nation. She's Shannon. She's blogging. You should go see her.

2003-06-09T11:03:00.000-05:00

Blogger hates me

My blog broke. I didn't change anything on it, it just stopped working. I'm trying to fix it, but I don't really know what I'm doing. Hopefully, I'll get it fixed soon. If you have anything to tell me in the meantime, you can e-mail me at sarahchristin@hotmail.com

2003-06-09T10:10:00.000-05:00

I turned eleven in 1990. Wow. I remember thinking the 90's were going to be the greatest decade ever. I especailly remember thinking the fashions of the 90's, unlike those of the 80's, were timeless. While I've never been on the cutting edge of fashion, I've always known what was in style. I thought I would look back at pictures from those years and be proud that I lived through such a classic fashion period.

I was wrong.

I watched a movie from 1994 and the clothes and the hair just cracked me up. What were we thinking? (I'm guilty of at least 25 of these trends.)

It's hard to believe clothes will be so easy to date when I'm wearing them, but I'm sure I'll look back ten years from now and wonder why I dressed so funny in 2003.

2003-06-06T14:17:00.000-05:00

Words cannot express how much I love having someone else wash my hair. Someday, when I'm rich *evil grin*, I'm going to have someone wash my hair for me everyday.

2003-06-06T10:26:00.000-05:00

My dad sent me some quotes this morning, one of which reminded me of something funny. When I was a freshman in college, we had to do impromptu speeches in rhetoric class. We were given a quote and then had about 30 seconds to begin speaking on it. I like to think I'm better at giving speeches now than I was then, but man, I was really bad at it then. I doubt anyone else who was in that class remembers my speech, but it certainly made an impression on me. I had made very few speeches before and I was relatively shy (or at least self-conscious) so the thought of making up a speech on the spot terrified me. Here's the quote I was assigned:

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." (Albert Einstein)

I got up there, read my quote, and proceeded to do a stand-up comedy routine on human stupidity which included many examples I had encountered in my seventeen years of life. I don't know why I remember that speech more than any others I gave in that class, but the fear of the impromptu speech certainly made an impression on me, which was, I guess, the idea behind the assignment.

2003-06-06T10:08:00.000-05:00

I am, quite possibly, the worst video game player of all time. I don't know why, but for some reason, I'm just plain bad at them. Maybe it's because I'm a girl. Maybe it's because I've usually opted to watch instead of play. Maybe it's because I just don't care enough to learn how to play any better. Maybe it's because everyone I play against has played a lot more. I don't know what the deal is. I guess it's just one of life's mysteries.

2003-06-05T08:19:00.000-05:00

I'm an aunt again!

Well, I'm a psuedo-aunt anyway. Emma Elizabeth McIntosh was born to Jonathan and Annie yesterday. I can't wait to meet her!

2003-06-04T12:40:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"To really enjoy the better things in life, one must first have experienced the things they are better than." - Oscar Holmolka

2003-06-03T08:52:00.000-05:00

Triangulate!

Patrick recently told me about a new game he came up with called Triangulate!. Inspired by the phrase, "a little bit country, a little bit rock n roll," the idea of the game is to identify three facets of your personality. You can use 3 movies, 3 musical genres, 3 songs, 3 authors, 3 cars, 3 occupations, etc. to try to shows different sides of who you are. For example, I would say I'm one part banker, one part interior designer, and one part English teacher. Of course, these three things don't entirely define who I am, but they give you some idea of what I think about myself. This game is more difficult than you might think. It's tough to come up with different things that define your personality. It might be little easier to identify aspects of someone else...you can play it that way too. I believe this game is intended to be a roadtrip game...it can take a while to come up with three songs that tell who you are. It can also be a blog game or a party game. Think about it. You'll like it.

I hear that Patrick is already working on Triangulate 2!. Maybe it'll be a board game. Milton Bradley is going to be all over this!

Go ahead, try it. Define yourself.**

**Don't you think "define yourself" would be a good slogan for this game? I just came up with that. Maybe "identify yourself" would be better.

2003-06-02T10:33:00.000-05:00

Random Musings

(to be written stream-of-consciousness style)

Yesterday was my one year anniversary of living in Monroe. It's hard to believe I've been here for only a year. I've forgotten what everyday life was like in Nacogdoches and Moscow life is growing dimmer by the day. I've lived in two different places here and had two different roommates. I've made lots of friends and learned a little more about life. I like it here. I'm not saying I'll live here forever, but for the present (and the foreseable future), Monroe is home. Tomorrow will be my one year anniversary of working at the bank. Wow. I've had a real job for a year. I've been a grown up for a year. Who knew I would actually get a job that requires me to get up early and therefore go to bed early?...and I usually don't mind....except for this past week when Emily, Matt, and Josh (my roommate and our neighbors) were all out of school/out of work for the week. They all got to stay up late and party like I did when it was 1999. I had to cash in my proverbial chips at midnight and the partying was just beginning for them. I was jealous. We did get Matt pretty good for his birthday Saturday. It was no "sugar and birthday candles in the car" as has happened to someone else, but we did manage to fill his apartment with a lot of balloons and an enormous banner. The best part was the old "shoe polish one the car" trick. He was not too proud of that and washed his car immediately...but deep down, he knew it was funny. Today is Amy's birthday. I don't intend to sabatoge her in any way. I sent her a real gift instead. I thought about going out to their house tonight, but I already went Friday and Saturday. They might get sick of me hanging around. Today is also the day Annie's baby is due. I can't wait to find out if she has a boy or a girl. I'm looking forward to seeing pictures. I'm also looking forward to having them only 5 hours away instead of 35 hours away. This week should be fairly uneventful for me (for a change). I still have the notary class, which is eating away my social life. Oh well. I volunteered to take it. It's only for 3 more weeks anyway. I'm finally back in the comfort of my own office this week. The lack of blogging last week was due to the fact that I was filling in for a nearly indispensable person. What a week. I've still got lots of summertime events coming up. Next up is the mystery dinner I'm planning for Matthew and Christie...should be fun. And finally...blogspot is killing me. They're going so slow. I'm tempted to change sites, but I don't want to do all the work involved with moving. Maybe they'll pick up the pace soon.

That's all.

2003-06-02T07:06:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"In India, 'cold weather' is merely a conventional phrase and has come into use through the necessity of having some way to distinguish between weather which will melt a brass doorknob and weather which will only make it mushy." - Mark Twain

2003-05-30T14:27:00.000-05:00

I try not to be critical of people's fashion choices, but yellow skirt, black tights, white pumps? How could you?

2003-05-30T13:55:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of Lucy

Which Peanuts Character Are You Quiz

2003-05-29T14:00:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"There are some circumstances which even women cannot control. Female economy will do a great deal...but it cannot turn a small income into a large one." - Jane Austen, The Watsons

2003-05-29T13:12:00.000-05:00

I went to see Sophie last on her one week birthday. Wow. She has got the cutest toes you could possibly imagine.

2003-05-29T11:56:00.000-05:00

One of the funny things about living in the south is that, even though I've lived here most of my life, there are still some times that people say things I can't understand. The reason I bring this up is because there's a particular saying that I've heard all my life and it never made sense to me. Finally, after all these years, I've realized that the southern accent disguised what was actually being said. (People who have never lived in the south have probably never heard this expression anyway.) Here it is as I always heard it: "working you like a barred mule." Barred mule? What's that supposed to mean? A mule who passed the bar exam?** This saying has mystified me for years...until now. It's actually "working you like a borrowed mule," which makes so much more sense. I know what someone means if they say, "can I barra that?" but I never made the connection.

When I realize things like this, as I do from time to time, it makes me love the south even more. The fact that I can go into a store in Bawcomville (read: readneck capital of La) and need a translator to communicate with people who live 15 miles away from me is just amusing. I can understand someone from NY much better than I can understand a cajun from south Louisiana. That cracks me up.

That generic accent that so much of the US has takes some of the comic effect out of life.***

**So many lawyer jokes in my head, so little time to type them.

***I realize I had a generic TV accent for 5 or 6 years. What can I say? I pick up accents easily.

2003-05-28T08:54:00.000-05:00

Ultimate Questions

Goobers or Raisinets?

2003-05-27T14:38:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don't recognize them." - Ann Landers

2003-05-27T14:30:00.000-05:00

Well, I started out this morning writing a really long post of all the things I've done over the past 5 days, but I'm so busy now that there's no way I'll get through the second half of the story, so I just deleted it. I can sum it up this way though: Wednesday - had a neice - lots of time at the hosptal; Thursday - got to visit with old friends, go out to dinner with my parents and watch a good softball game; Friday - 7:45-6:20: work. Friday - 6:21pm through Monday 10:30pm - one big party, including (but not limited to) such events as staying out until the wee hours, dancing, playing cards, ordering 16 pizzas, having 30 people in my apartment (once again) and kicking them out when I couldn't hold my eyelids open anymore, not sleeping, cooking out upstairs, playing (and winning) Trivial Pursuit, margarita night at Chili's, and watching the guys play Halo, pool, and Ms. Pacman. We ended the night with some good old-fashioned bowling, which I haven't done in forever. Those are just the high points. Everyone else continued to party until 1 or 2 am, but I was a good girl and went to bed at 11. Now I need a holiday to recover from the holiday, but alas, it's back to reality. I'm working all day and I start notary classes tonight...fun stuff!

2003-05-23T16:59:00.000-05:00

Intensity in ten cities

I really intended to post something today, but I have been unbelievably busy at work. How dare they make me work hard all day!

2003-05-22T09:02:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"To do is to be." - Descartes

"To be is to do." - Voltaire

"Do be do be do." - Sinatra

2003-05-22T08:59:00.000-05:00

I've made many road trips and have had to use many nasty public bathrooms. As I was hanging out at the hospital yesterday, waiting for the baby, I had a great idea: next time I'm on a road trip, instead of stopping at fast-food places and questionable convenient stores, I'll just stop at hospitals, where I know the bathrooms are clean. There are even special roadside indicators of the nearest hospital. Why didn't I think of this years ago?

2003-05-22T08:45:00.000-05:00

We're getting an alarm intalled in our apartment this morning. Other than the fact that the guy woke me up early on my day off, I'm pleased to be getting an alarm. Emily and I were standing in the kitchen chatting and watching the overall-clad, mullet-headed guy install the system and as he bent over to plug something in, Emily said, "Plummers should just wear overalls." I thought, "Oh?.....Oooohhh!"

Problem solved.

2003-05-21T21:41:00.000-05:00

I'm in Love

(No, it's not what you're thinking.)

My first niece, Sophie Adelaide, was born today! She's beautiful! I'll let Aaron post the vitals and maybe a picture when they get home from the hospital.

2003-05-21T13:39:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"Put all you eggs in the one basket and - WATCH THAT BASKET!" - Mark Twain

2003-05-19T15:22:00.000-05:00

Goodbye Ari Fleischer. I'm going to miss you.

2003-05-19T13:06:00.000-05:00

I have a confession to make: ever since I stopped going to grad school last year (and even before then), I have had no desire to read. I've often felt guilty of my lack of desire for books, but everytime I pick up a book, I can only get half way through it (at best) before I put it back on the shelf indefinitely. I used to like to read. Even after graduating from New St. Andrews, which has a notoriously heavy reading load, I chose to enter a master's program studying English. After 2 semesters of graduate school, I couldn't take it anymore. I was reading over 1000 pages a week (for two classes). When I went to buy my books, people in the university book store were stopping and staring at me and my enormous stack of books. That was the last straw. After I quit school, I went cold turkey. I've lived on the bare minimum amount of reading for a year now, and I'm just beginning to have some (small) desire to read again. I don't think I'm a lost cause. Thay say recognition is the first step to recovery, right?

Friday night, when I got home from having dinner and seeing a movie, the night was still young. I decided to pick out a book to read. I went to my bookshelf to pick something out. I've read at least 90% of the books already, 5% are cookbooks and other manuals, and the other 5% are things that I just don't want to read. So the question was: what did I want to re-read? Jane Austen? I've read her novels so many times...I need to read something that I can't quote. The last classes I took in grad school were: The 18th Century Novel, Kurt Vonnegut, and Shakespeare. I don't want to get back to those yet. How about philosophy? I don't want to jump in the deep end without warming up. I almost chose The Divine Comedy, but the covers were too far apart for a "get back into reading book". Of course I could always choose some Wodehouse or Harry Potter, but that feels like cheating. I also didn't want to read what I call an "airplane book": something that can be read in a day and has little substance (like Bridget Jones' Diary). In the end, I picked up Robespierre, by Otto Scott. I read it in my history class about 5 years ago, and I remember liking it, though I don't remember much about it. I only got through 2 chapters Friday night, but hopefully, I can get all the way through it and begin to enjoy reading again.

2003-05-19T12:55:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"Learn to say no. It will be of more use to you than to be able to speak Latin." - Charles Spurgeon

2003-05-19T12:53:00.000-05:00

Strange Food

In last week's peanut butter poll, Dawn mentioned that she likes crunchy peanut butter on her BLTs. While that does not sound at all appealing to me, it made me think about how a lot of people have unique food combinations, which usually sound gross, but they're not always bad. My prime example would be the famous LaMoreaux chilli and cinnamon rolls. (You must dip the cinnamon rolls in the chilli...sounds nasty, huh? It's actually pretty good.) My roommate puts Worchesteshire Sauce on her pizza. Micah likes ketchup on her popcorn. I know a guy who puts orange juice on his cereal (he's a lactard). I can't think of any strange food combos that my family does. Then again, maybe we have some and don't realize they're strange.

2003-05-16T17:26:00.000-05:00

Does anyone else find it ironic that in Iraq, the Christians own the liquor stores and are being persecuted because they are resisting the prohibition?

2003-05-16T13:44:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"It's over and can't be helped, and that's one consolation, as they always say in Turkey, when they cut the wrong man's head off." - Charles Dickens

2003-05-15T17:16:00.000-05:00

Poll of the Day

Peanut Butter: creamy or crunchy? You be the judge.

2003-05-15T13:48:00.000-05:00

Another Number to Remember

I finally submitted to the fact that I live in Louisiana. I've been putting off getting a LA drivers licence because I haven't wanted to pay for it. Louisiana is notorious (in my mind, at least) for its poorly run government: corruption (Ouachita Parish Police Jury), scandal (Edwin Edwards), and long lines (though I haven't actually experienced this, I can only imagine the Monroe social security office) are only the beginning. While I hate contributing my money to this state, my $23.50 is only a drop in the proverbial bucket. I already pay the oppressive sales tax and income tax, so I might as well face the fact that my meager income supports the "government" of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.

I do have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by my trip to the Department of Motor Vehicles. I was expecting a Walmartesque trip. Either 1 o'clock on a Thursday is an ideal time to go or I just got lucky, but when I walked in, I had to take a number: I got number 67 and the screen said "now serving 66". I could hardly believe it. I was in and out of there in less than 15 minutes. The people who worked there were friendly, and though they're not much in the photography department, overall, they were quite efficient...and I think that's the first time I've ever praised a DMV.

2003-05-14T20:51:00.000-05:00

Quote ala Day

"Her face...was one-of-a-kind, a surprising variation on a familiar theme - a variation that made observers think, 'Yes - that would be another very nice way for people to look.'"

- Kurt Vonnegut, The Sirens of Titan

2003-05-14T09:15:00.000-05:00

Confessions of a sucker

I am a marketer's dream. I will buy just about anything that has the words "new and improved" printed on it in a bold color. I love sleek packaging: *aerodynamic* is a good quality in a bottle of dish soap, right? A quality toothbrush must have at least 5 different colors of plastic and/or rubber to be effective. The bristles should slant in every possible direction. My eyelashes can double in length *and* be 3 times as thick...and they're not just black, they're "blackest black." My bathroom is cleaner, my car is shinier, my clothes are whiter, and not a germ could survive in my kitchen. The products I buy are not just new...they're better than any human ever dreamed possible.

That being said, I bought a ridiculous new product yesterday. I mean, really: can toothpaste possible get any better? I bought Aquafresh Extreme Clean Triple Protection Fluoride Toothpaste. This toothpaste is extreme! We're talking ESPN2 extreme clean. The most interesting feature of this toothpaste is it's dynamic foaming action. Aquafresh does not mess around when it comes to foaming. You'll be foaming at the mouth like Old Yeller. While I usually walk around a bit while I'm brushing my teeth, with this stuff, I couldn't get 3 steps away from the sink without needing to spit again. I actually had to change clothes this morning because I stepped too far from the sink and I couldn't stop the foaming action. It was out of control!

I guess I need to be more discriminating when it comes to purchasing household products. Just because I need more toothpaste, does not mean I need orange and white striped, super-dynamo toothpaste. ~~I will not be a sucker, I will not be a sucker, I will not~~.....but the package was so shiny. I couldn't resist.

2003-05-14T08:43:00.000-05:00

You are Jean Grey! Beautiful and smart, you are still just beginning
to fulfill your potential. You have a strong
sense of right and wrong, but are open to
discussion and changes of opinion.
Unfortunately, when it comes to love you are
often torn between two options, and can never
seem to make up your mind.

Which X-Men character are you most like?
brought to you by Quizilla

2003-05-13T13:16:00.000-05:00

Well, there are about two weeks until the big conference at AAPC. It is time for the "should I go to the ball" debate which ensues in my head about this time each year. Picture me with a little cartoon angel on one shoulder and a cartoon devil on the other. (I won't say which one represents which side of the debate.) It's always such a tough decision.

Which reminds me of....

The Quote of the Day

"It may be possible to do without dancing entirely. Instances have been known of young people passing many, many months successfully, without being at any ball of any description, and no material injury acrue either to body or mind." - Jane Austen, Emma

2003-05-12T15:48:00.000-05:00

RE: Anonymous posting

There have been several discussions recently about people who leave a comment without leaving a name or any identifying information, so I thought I'd put in my two cents: most of the time, people who are posting anonymously are doing so because their comment is rude or inappropriate and therefore should not be stated at all. You see, it's just like in real life: you have to use the filter between your brain and your mouth (or your fingers, as the case may be). If you're saying something so off color that you don't want anyone to know you said it, the blogging world would probably be better off without it. If you're posting anonymously to be funny, well, it's about as funny as a junior high prank call. Grow up. If you're just doing it to be annoying, well, it's working. You're annoying. You probably don't have any friends. I don't like you either. Go home.

2003-05-12T13:09:00.000-05:00

So, here's the question: is it better to post something on my blog everyday, even if the item I'm posting is not fantastic *or* to wait until I have something interesting to say before posting at all?

2003-05-12T13:06:00.000-05:00

As my mother used to say...

"Never endeavor to ascertain the numerical calculation of feathered fowl within your possession until the period of incubation is fully materialized."

2003-05-09T12:29:00.000-05:00

Words to Live By

Leave while you're still having fun.

2003-05-09T11:25:00.000-05:00

A Song for Every Occasion

*Song that reminds me of being a kid - You're the Best Around, Karate Kid Soundtrack

*Best Song for a Couple Skate - (I've Had) The Time of My Life - Bill Medley (from the Dirty Dancing Soundtrack)

*Song that reminds me of high school - The Sweater Song, Weezer

*Song that reminds me of hanging out with Annie & Oriel in college - Eternal Flame, The Bangles

*Song that reminds me of Jill - Rock DJ

*Song that makes me laugh - Dinner Bell, They Might Be Giants

*Song that makes me really sad - Fred Jones Part 2, Ben Folds

*Song that makes me really happy - The Luckiest, Ben Folds

*Song that makes me depressed - Time and Time Again, Counting Crows *or* Everybody Hurts, REM

*Song that makes me think, just for a second, that I could marry a cowboy - Cowboy Take Me Away, The Dixie Chicks

*Best Song to Karaoke - ~~Spin the Black Circle~~ Son of a Preacher Man

*Best music to go to sleep to - Sabrina Soundtrack

*Best first dance at a wedding song - The Way You Look Tonight, Tony Bennett

*Best slow song to sing along to - Never is a Promise, Fiona Apple

*Best fast song to sing along to - It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine), REM

*If I had a theme song, it would be - ~~Damn, It Feels Good to be a Gangsta~~ I don't know. Any suggestions?

2003-05-07T18:11:00.000-05:00

It's a sad day in blogdom.

2003-05-07T09:50:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"Once a woman has forgiven a man, she must not reheat his sins for breakfast." - Marlene Deitrich

2003-05-06T13:44:00.000-05:00

I think hickeys are just one indication that God has a sense of humor.

2003-05-06T13:42:00.000-05:00

Life Lesson #176

When you take your car to get the oil changed, go ahead and spring a few extra bucks to get your tires rotated, because if you don't and ~~one~~ two of your tires wear out prematurely, the warranty is void and you'll have to replace the tires with your own money.

2003-05-06T13:40:00.000-05:00

One of the fun things about hosting a party is the challenge (after the party is over) of finding all the random places people left their glasses and napkins and such.

2003-05-06T11:18:00.000-05:00

Lyrics of the Day

"Well don't know which one is worse, Doing your own thing or just being cool." - Bob Dylan, Gonna Change My Way of Thinking

2003-05-06T11:09:00.000-05:00

How is it that kids of all ages from all over the states say things like, "na-na-na-boo-boo?" I find it interesting that things like this are so ingrained in society that we pass them on. Remember when you had to pick who was going to be IT, you said, "eenie-meenie-minie-mo?" What's that supposed to mean and why did we say it? There are even longer chants and sayings that kids pick up that every kid knows by the time they're in elementary school. We all know the same tunes and the same words (with only slight variation). Just yesterday, I heard someone (who is 12 or 13 years older than I and from a different region of the country) say, "U-G-L-Y, you ain't got no alibi. You're ugly!" Hearing her say that took me back to when I was a kid. I'm sure I got in trouble more than once for saying that one. Of course, you don't want you're kids saying things like that, but somehow, we all learn that sort of thing.

I think girls learn more of these chants than boys. Sometimes, I think girls are born knowing these things (sort of like we're born knowing how to make a towel into a turban when our hair is wet). Even my friends from thousands of miles away knew the same songs I did. Remember the old favorites: "Cinderalla, dressed in yella, went upstairs to kiss a fella. Made a mistake and kissed a snake. How many doctors will it take?" or "Miss Mary Mack (mack, mack), all dressed in black (black, black), with silver buttons (buttons, buttons), all down her back (back, back)..." or "Miss Lucy had a baby. His name was Tiny Tim. She put him in the bath tub to see if he could swim. He drank up all the water, he ate up all the soap. And now he's just a baby with some bubbles in his throat. Miss Lucy called the doctor. The doctor called the nurse. The nurse called the lady with the alligator purse."

I also find it fascinating that a kids' song about the black death has been passed on for hundreds of years: "Ring around the rosies" is probably one of the most well known kids folk songs around. I wonder if kids in Europe still sing about it or if it's just an American thing. Or how about "London Bridge is falling down"? Now there's something to sing about!

2003-05-05T14:01:00.000-05:00

Well, I got a couch and a loveseat. It took an act of congress to get it into the apartment, but it's there...and not coming out for a long time. The set I ended up buying was my third choice: the first one was returned, of course, the second one was a little out of my price range (and I wasn't sure if it would fit). I'm really happy with the one I bought (and the store I bought it from). This is my first time to own NEW furniture though, and I'm beginning to understand why those old ladies put those plastic slip covers over their sofas...if only they weren't so darn sticky!

2003-05-05T08:22:00.000-05:00

Quotes of the Day

"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." - Winston Churchill

"A fanatic is a man who does what he thinks the Lord would do if He knew the facts of the case." - Finley Peter Dunne

2003-05-02T14:44:00.000-05:00

Now this is impressive.

2003-05-02T09:41:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it emotionally." - Flannery O'Connor

2003-05-01T14:41:00.000-05:00

Furniture update (continued from below)

Well, I got a refund for the returned furniture. I lost $35 for the nonrefundable delivery charge, but I expected that. I didn't find anything else at that particular store that I liked, and I'm kind of glad because the guys that work there are smarmy. I know of another sofa which I think I like (I can't remember exactly what it looks like, but I remember liking it). Unfortunately, I won't be off work before that store closes for the day. Maybe I'll be able to get it tomorrow. I'm having company on Monday and I would like to have somewhere for them to sit.

2003-05-01T11:33:00.000-05:00

I decided several months ago that I wanted to get a new couch, so I've been shopping for a while now to find the perfect one. I've been to every respectable furniture store in the city and I finally found the one. Actually, I found a couch and a love seat which fit into my budget, so I bought both of them. They're so pretty: modern, yet classic; formal enough, yet casual enough; stylish, yet functional. They were scheduled to be delivered today between 9 and 12 (don't you love how vague delivery and service people are?). So, the delivery people called at 8:45 saying they were almost there. I stayed home to see it (which made me be late to work). They got it halfway in.

That's right: halfway in. It would not fit through the poorly designed entry way. The couch is not exceptionally large: I would say it's slightly larger than an average couch, but the architectural geniuses who designed my apartment thought it would be a good idea to put a wall 30 inches in front of the door, making it very difficult to move furniture in or out. I know it can be done. I had a couch in there yesterday and we moved it out (with difficulty). As I mentioned the other day, Matt has 4 couches in his apartment, which is designed just like mine (well, actually my apartment is "bizarro Matt's apartment" - everything is oppisite). But alas, the new couch won't fit. The loveseat would have fit, but if I can't have the couch, I don't want the loveseat.

So now it's time for my lunch break. I'm going to the store where I purchased the furniture to make sure I can get a refund. I'll update when I get back.

2003-04-30T15:08:00.000-05:00

Just when I thought I had heard every excuse for losing a debit card....

This guy just came into the bank and said his dog ate his debit card. He brought it in to show us the remains.

2003-04-30T10:11:00.000-05:00

My Sentiments, Exactly

"Fishing is boring, unless you catch an actual fish, and then it is disgusting." - Dave Barry

2003-04-29T14:48:00.000-05:00

I've been sitting at this desk for three days now (not continuously), and I've just realized that I can see The DejaVu from my window.

Did I already say that?

2003-04-29T09:39:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"Women are successful in the business world because the business world was created by men. Men are babies. And women are ... good with kids." - P.J. O'Rourke

2003-04-29T08:56:00.000-05:00

Where Couches Go to Die

I would just like to point out that Matt's apartment is like an elephant graveyard, expect that instead of being for elephants, it's for couches. He's got four circa 1980 couches, all of questionable origin. It's quite a sight.

2003-04-28T19:02:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"You provide the noblest materials for building, when a pick-ax and a spade are only necessary; and build houses of five hundred by a hundred feet, forgetting that of six by two." - Henry Fielding, Tom Jones

2003-04-28T17:43:00.000-05:00

I feel kind of bad for the people who are doing legitimate searches on the internet and end up here on my blog. From my site meter, I can tell that those searching for Kid Cratic and the movie Equalibrium end up here, even though I've only ever mention each topic once. (Of course, now that I'm mentioning them again, it's probably only making the problem worse.) If you ended up here just by searching for either topic, here's some help for you: try www.kiddlive.com. It's actually spelled Kidd Kraddic, which might help your search (and will probably bring even more unsuspecting searchers to my blog *evil grin*). If you're looking for the movie Equalibrium, this is the only place I can actually find anything about it. I only happened upon it because my roommate works at a video store and she brought home a preview copy.

2003-04-28T17:37:00.000-05:00

A Dear Diary Moment

I attribute it to the 'grass is always greener' syndrome. Or the precocious nature that we were when we were younger reinventing itself in our 20-something world. I remember when I wanted to get my ears pierced, then I wanted to get a perm, then I wanted to wear makeup -- my Mom told me that each would come with time, and if I had done all of those things at once, what would I have to look forward to? I'm thinking it's the same thing, just in today's context. We couldn't wait to graduate high school, to get to college; couldn't wait to get a job; couldn't wait to find a boyfriend, can't wait to get engaged, can't wait to get married...it continues. It's the 'wishing your life away' syndrome, the wanting it to be Friday every Monday morning, the looking ahead that appeals to us that sadly, when thinking back upon it, makes me think that I'm barely living in the moment and just waiting for the future. That said, I want to settle down. NOW. (If only I had someone to settle down with...)

Wow. I don't know the girl who made that comment, but she captured my feelings almost perfectly. Sometimes I stop and realize that I spend so much time planning for the future, that I forget that the things that happen to me in the meantime are my life. Don't get me wrong: I'm not discontent with my life. In fact, I rather like it. But I do sometimes find myself wishing for the weekend when it's only Monday, or wishing for that next big step in life without being thankful for where I am and what I have. I remember all that time I spent in high school waiting to move on to college, and once I got in college, I remember wondering what life would be like in "the real world". Well, I guess this is it, huh? Sometimes it's hard to distinguish between setting goals for my future and daydreaming my life away. I need to live in the now, but not live for the moment. Easier said than done.

2003-04-28T12:30:00.000-05:00

Did you get that memo about the new cover sheets for the TPS reports?

I'm having an Office Space day.

I've actually intended to post several things recently, but I've been staying busy both at work and at home. I'm jotting notes here and there, though, so when I finally get a chance to both think and write at the same time, I'll remember what it was I was wanting to say.

2003-04-25T13:49:00.000-05:00

When one 24 year old girl is shopping for clothing, one can't help but notice that most women's clothing falls into one of these three categories:

*Childish

*Matronly

*Skanky

2003-04-25T11:23:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"If A is a success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut." - Albert Einstein

2003-04-25T11:13:00.000-05:00

All I'm saying is, if you ever want to work anywhere besides Papa John's or the Kangaroo, you might want to spend some time reconsidering that unhideable tattoo.

2003-04-24T12:41:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"Having your book turned into a movie is like seeing your oxen turned into bouillon cubes." - John LeCarre

2003-04-24T12:38:00.000-05:00

Theories on Creation and The Waffle House

Earlier today, I was discussing creation/evolution theories with someone, and I brought up the whole "created with the appearance of age" thing. You see, it's sort of like The Waffle House: even if it's brand new, it looks like it's been around forever. The color scheme and the waitresses look like they've been there since the 70's and they somehow import that smell of greasy food and cigarette smoke. Of course, with the earth, we're dealing with a much larger scale.

2003-04-23T16:21:00.000-05:00

Enetation has until next week to get their act together. After that, I'm going to try a different comment system.

2003-04-23T12:36:00.000-05:00

You would think the people who design apartment complexes would have, by now, figured out a way to isulate each apartment so that every move made by a neighbor would not sound like a proverbial herd of elephants. This is the second apartment complex I've ever lived in and in both cases, I've had loud neighbors. In the first apartment, I lived upstairs, so we didn't hear the walking. However, we frequently heard the downstairs neighbors singing along to Ricky Martin, Britney Spears and other pop stars (which was amusing, since they were from Saudi Arabia). We also had "the drug dealers" and "the loud walker" both of whom caused disturbances. Now I live downstairs from "the bowlers" (who I've mentioned before). "The bowlers" are the worst kind of people to have living upstairs from you: they are three single guys who keep crazy hours, own a foosball table, like to entertain guests, and like their music loud. Sunday night, they kept me awake until 3 am with all their talking and music. I discussed the problem with Emily and Matt and they suggested that I bang on the ceiling when I get up in the morning (5:30 am). I was hesitant to solve the problem with revenge until they woke me up at 2:30 this morning. So when I woke up at today, I was ready to get the broom to bang on the ceiling until I realized THEY WERE STILL AWAKE! Oh well. I guess having loud neighbors is a risk you take when you live in an apartment.

2003-04-23T12:22:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"Children of the same family, the same blood, with the same first associations and habits, have some means of enjoyment in their power, which no subsequent connection can supply." - Jane Austen, Manfield Park

2003-04-22T19:55:00.000-05:00

Procrastination is the mother of invention

I have no motivation to do the things I really need to do at home. I really only have a few hours between the time I get off work and the time I'm ready to go to sleep, so I should probably do something productive, huh? I've got the old "better grades through notebook reorganization" syndrome: my house is clean, but those other things just seem to be neglected. So here I am writing about it instead of taking care of business. Better go.

2003-04-22T16:47:00.000-05:00

Things that are cool

*Unexpected gifts (Thanks, Annie and Jennifer!)

*Expecting a niece

*~~Linen~~ Wrinkle free fabrics

*Online bill pay

*Getting enough sleep

2003-04-22T07:55:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death and stuff." --Mariah Carey

2003-04-21T13:07:00.000-05:00

Public Service Announcement

I haven't put away all my black clothes, but I have mixed with them an array of light springtime colors, thus rendering me "the new, (even more) fun Christin."

2003-04-21T07:10:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"One boy will be better adapted for the study of history, another for poetry, another for law, while some perhaps had better be packed off to the country." - Quinitllian

2003-04-19T21:57:00.000-05:00

Experimentation

I thought, since I was home for the weekend, I'd get my dad to show me how to put images on this baby. So this is just a trial run. This is a picture of (from L-R) myself, Annie, and Oriel, from last March, the day before Oriel's wedding.

2003-04-18T09:03:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"Nothing is easier than to keep a secret: there needs no more but to shut one's mouth." - Unknown

2003-04-17T14:07:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"You can marry more money in five minutes than you can make in a lifetime." - My Granny, Lucille Booth

2003-04-17T11:15:00.000-05:00

Birthday?.....Schmirthday.

So this Sunday will be my birthday. I was thinking about how excited I used to get when my birthday was getting close. As soon as the new year started, it was a birthday countdown, and once April started, I began making party plans and looking for cards and gifts to come in the mail. Now than I'm older, I don't get as excited as I used to. I know my birthday is just another day. Everybody (myself included) just goes about life as usual, but some part of me still hopes my birthday will be the most exciting day of the year.

Even though my birthday is just another day, here are some fun facts about April 20:

*This year it's Easter

*This year, I'll be exactly the same age my mother was when she gave birth to me

*Several world rulers shared my birthday: my mother (who may not have ruled your world, but she ruled mine), Adolph Hitler, Napolean, Edward IV of England, and Marcus Aurelius (Queen Elizabeth II's birthday is April 21, so she almost counts)

*Other somewhat famous people who share my birthday: Don Mattingly, Lionel Hampton, Jessica Lange, Joey Lawrence (Whoa!), AND Olympic silver medalist Townsend Saunders (freestyle wrestler)

*For you history buffs: 1139, 2nd Lateran Council (10th ecumenical council) opens in Rome; 1861, Colonel Robert E Lee resigns from Union army; 1879, 1st mobile home (horse drawn) used in a journey from London & Cyprus; 1902, Marie & Pierre Curie isolate radioactive element radium

*Inordinate amount of Baseball history: 1912, Fenway Park officially opens, Boston Red Sox beat New York Highlanders 7-6 in 11; 1912, Tiger Stadium in Detroit opens, Tigers beat Cleveland Indians 6-5; 1916, 1st National League game at Weeghman Park (Wrigley Field) in Chicago opens, Chicago Cubs beat Cincinnati Reds 7-6; 1920 Phillies manager Gravvy Cravath puts himself in as pinch hitter, his 3-run homer and beats New York Giants 3-0; 1939 Ted Williams' 1st hit (off of Yankee Red Ruffing) a double; 1941, Dodgers start to wear liners in their caps; 1950, Baltimore's Memorial Stadium opens - Orioles of International League; 1988, Baltimore Orioles set worst record to start a season 0-14 (will go 0-21)

With fascinating history like that, maybe it's not just an ordinary day after all!

2003-04-17T10:17:00.000-05:00

A Rainbow of Terror

I'm not trying to be cynical, but the color-coded terror alert system doesn't seem like it has much of a function. Of course I could be wrong. It's possible that having the "red" terror alert a few weeks ago saved thousands of lives. Maybe civil servants know a lot more about what each color means so it really affects their jobs. However, I don't see the point of constantly telling the American public what "color" we're at each day. I don't know about you, but the color has little or no effect on my daily life. This morning, Kid Cratic (radio talk show host), said he was dissappointed they changed the color from orange to yellow because he had spent all that money on orange clothes.

But seriously, we know we're at war. We know many nations are not happy with us right now, so we know that terror attacks are a possiblity. Don't you think people in Iraq are watching CNN and finding out when our government is telling us to let our guard down? I don't see how that makes us any safer.

2003-04-16T13:48:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"I insist on thinking that a lot of their troubles would be lessened if they both took to drinking only unfermented beverages." -- Flannery O'Connor

2003-04-16T12:57:00.000-05:00

A Work in Progress

In the process of trying to get my old comment system to work properly, I ended up totally messing up my blog. I deleted blogout and reinstalled it, per Jon's advice, but it didn't fix the problem, and somewhere along the way, I must have deleted another tag, so I ended up with a page that had nothing but comments. So I had to reset my whole template to get things back to somewhat normal. Unfortunately, I lost all previous comments, but I hope this will be a change for the better. The only problem I have now is that my blogroll has an unusually large font. If you can tell me how to fix that, I will be extremely grateful.

2003-04-16T07:58:00.000-05:00

Remember when my comment system used to tell you how many comments there were? Yeah. That was cool.

2003-04-15T11:25:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." --Galileo Galilei

2003-04-15T10:51:00.000-05:00

So, I went to Walmart yesterday and as I was making my way through the store, I saw the little Easter egg kits and I was very tempted to buy one. Quickly, I remembered all the time and money I've spent on Easter eggs in the last few years and decided I should use my resources elsewhere this year.

Last year, I covered 1 dozen eggs with tiny glass beads and another dozen with glitter. They were pretty, but I don't think they were worth the $25 I spent on them. They sat on the table as a centerpiece for about a week, so they weren't edible. I meant to take them to some kids at church so they could hunt them, but alas, I forgot and ended up throwing them away. It was a sad day, but that was nothing compared to the Martha Stewart incedent of 1998. Two of my friends and I spent days gathering all the right ingredients for these "naturally dyed" eggs that "Martha" showed how to make in her magazine that year. We had purple cabbage, spinach, beets, turmeric, onion skin, and all sorts of vegetables and spices that were supposed to, when boiled in water or wrapped around the egg, dye the egg all sorts of fascinating shades. After shopping for all the special stuff, we spent several hours working on the eggs. It was all very exciting until we brought the eggs out of the dye: they were all varying shades of brown. Now, you may or may not be aware that you can buy brown eggs at the store: no dying required. It was rather dissappointing. We ended up putting food coloring in with the so-called "natural dyes" and acting like we had made something special.

I'm not messing with eggs this year. Next time I do dye eggs, I'll just buy the most basic, inexpensive kit possible, make plain old Easter eggs, and call it good.

2003-04-14T12:48:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"He gave her a look you could have poured on a waffle." -- Ring Lardner

2003-04-12T15:43:00.000-05:00

I never thought I'd pay $1.33 for gas and be happy about it.

2003-04-12T13:59:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"Man only can be aware of the insensibility of man towards a new gown. It would be mortifying to the feelings of many ladies could they be made to understand how little the heart of man is affected by what is costly or new in their attire." -- Jane Austen,

Northanger Abbey

2003-04-11T11:37:00.000-05:00

The Comfort Zone

I'll be the first one to admit it: I have a long break-in time. It takes a while for me to feel really comfortable around people and I think it takes people a while before they feel comfortable around me. I'm comfortable with silence. I don't mind being a bystander. It takes a while before I'll admit how I really feel around a group of people or before I'll joke around with people. It takes me a while to settle in to a new job and it takes some time before my house feels like my house. I'm not sure how long the transition takes (though it's usually around 1 year). It usually happens before I'm aware of it, and somewhere along the way, when I least expect it, I find myself thinking, "This (person, place, or thing) is mine."

For the past few years, whenever anyone has asked me where I'm from, my standard response has been, "I'm homeless," but that's not true. The fact is that there are several places that are "home" to me. I lived in Texarkana from the time I was born until I was 17. While I don't feel particular attachment to it now, so many of the stories of my life took place there and involve people who live there. There are still people there who I have great affection for and I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to make the 3 hour journey to Texarkana just to see it again. I would love to go to the mall, where I spent so much time working and playing while I was in high school, to visit places I've been to so many times, to see those people that I never met, but I always seemed to spot wherever I went, to drive on those roads where I first learned to drive and see how the city has grown and changed. Texarkana will never be home, but it will always be my hometown.

In 1996, when I was just 17, I moved 2500 miles across the country to Moscow, Idaho, which is in the middle of nowhere, yet in the middle of everything simultaneoulsy. The first year was my "break-in" time, and while I enjoyed that year, the next four years proved to be most delightful. Of course there were many times when I wanted to be near my family and I had to settle for a phone call. I especially rember Thanksgiving time, when all the rest of the family would be getting together, but I would be stuck in Idaho. There were occasions when Moscow, Idaho was the last place in the world I wanted to be, but somehow the bad memories grow dim while the good times stay fresh in my mind. I've visited Moscow twice since I moved back to the south and both visits were great, but the facts of a college community rang true, even though I never imagined they would: there are constantly people moving there or moving away. The first time I visited, it was only 2 months after I had moved but things had already started to change. The second time I visited, which was nearly a year after my move, the city was the same but the people were remarkably different. Not only were there many so new faces present and so many old faces absent, but even the poeple who had lived there while I lived there seemed different. I'm sure I did my fair share of changing in that year, but everyone else did too. It makes me sad to think that if I visit Moscow in 5 years, many people there will never know who I am or that I had ever been there before, not that I'm the most important person ever, but it's strange how a town could have so much impact on me, yet I had so little impact on it.

Some things never change though, and those are the things I miss the most about Moscow. I would love to be there right now. Spring was always my favorite time of year. I miss the tulips and the lilacs. I miss the white and brown hills turning bright green. I miss the delights of a pedestrian friendly small town. I miss the cute little downtown. I really miss having somewhere to go where I could get away from the stresses of life. I used to love to drive to Pullman to go to Starbucks or Lawson Gardens. Just the 8 mile drive to Pullman was enough to ease my mind. The last month I lived in Moscow I had to prepare for my thesis defense, which involved a presentation and I also had a big choir concert. I probably drove to Pullman 1000 times reciting my speech aloud in my car until I had it down or singing every chorus from Messiah until I new each note. I miss those roads. While I don't really have a desire to live in Moscow again, I'll always miss it. And I have to admit: the last 2 years at Thanksgiving, though I enjoyed spending it with my family, I couldn't help but think of the Thanksgivings I spent with the LaMoreaux's in Moscow and a part of me wished I was there.

After I left Moscow, I lived in Nacogdoches, TX for a year. I moved there because my parents lived there and I must say, the transition was tough. To go from a town where I saw someone I knew almost everywhere I went to a place where I knew about 10 people was somewhat traumatic. For a while, I was too stubborn to let myself feel at home in Nacogdoches. I went to grad school there and, while the school work itself was fine, the professors were less than I had hoped they would be. I waited tables part time at the Bistro (AKA the den of iniquity) with a bunch a reprobates. I never really met any piers there that I connected with. There were (and are) people in Nacogdoches who I love. Besides my parents, of course, I loved the people I went to church with. I just needed someone near my age who I could hang out with. In March 2002, I drove to Virginia for a wedding and on the way back, I found myself thinking, "I can't wait to get home." That's when I realized (after 10 months of living there) that I really did consider Nacogdoches home. Coincidently, it was that same trip to Virginia when I made plans to move to Monroe. However, I still refer to going to Nacogdoches for the weekend as "going home."

I've lived in Monroe for 10 months now. I think the "break-in" period is almost over. I'm finally comfortable with my home. I'm happy with my job. I have lots of people around who I love. While I don't necessarily feel like there's one group of friends that I belong to, there are several groups that I'm comfortable with. I'm so pleased to live near my siblings and I know that once my niece is born next month, I'll be even happier. It's also nice to live in a place that many of my Texarkana/Moscow/Nacogdoches friends are likely to visit.

This post is much longer than I ever intended it to be. I've been adding to it, sentences at a time, as I've had a chance throughout the day. All I ever really intended to say is that I wish there was a place in Monroe where I could go when I needed to get away for a while, like the mall in Texarkana, or Lawson Gardens in Pullman. I wish I felt about the roads here the way I felt about the roads in Texarkana and Moscow. I think once I find that place and those roads, I'll know I've made it home.

2003-04-11T09:27:00.000-05:00

Some of Life's Great Mysteries

Why is it that men feel the need to back into parking spaces? Is it easier to back into a space now than to back out of one later?

Why will a woman wait 10 minutes for someone to back out of a parking space, causing a sever parking lot traffic jam, rather than park a little further away, walk a few extra feet, and get into the store sooner?

2003-04-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day

"Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love." - Charlie Brown

2003-04-10T09:27:00.000-05:00

Early to rise, early to bed, makes a man healthy but socially dead

I was off work yesterday, so I decided to sleep as late as I possibly could. I figured I would wake up by 9 at the latest, but somehow, I ended up sleeping until 11:30. I can't believe I spent over a year of my life sleeping that late almost everyday. Of course, back in the day, I didn't go to bed until 3 or 4 in the morning, but because I never did any work after 10 pm, I basically only had 8 hours of productive time rather than the 16 hours that I have now.

All that is to say: my day flew by yesterday. By the time it was 4, I felt like it should only be noon and by the time it was 8, I felt like it was only 4. While it's nice to be able to sleep in from time to time, I don't recommend it.*

Another side effect of sleeping for 12 hours is that I have a serious case of Gumby neck. What I mean by that is that I woke up with a major crick in my neck so I can't turn my head. If I need to look at something, I have to turn my whole body, like Gumby.

*If my dad is reading this, I'm sure he's enjoying it. He told me a thousand times that I should get up early and I never listened.