Update and purging

I feel like purging usually has a very bad connotation. When the word purge is usually uttered in conversation it is in reference to purging food when you have an eating disorder. The dictionary.com definition is as follows:

to rid of whatever is impure or undesirable; cleanse; purify.

I have decided that I am now going to use this word to describe the changes in my life. I am no longer going to allow situations or people to be hurtful to me or treat me like shit. I am going to purge all the bad things out of my life (at least to the best of my ability).

Now on to good things: update. I have decided to go back to school. Again. Yes, I know that I already have two degrees. Unfortunately the first one turned out to be slightly useless without the second one. The second one is useless in a shitty economy. Although I am starting to believe that the second one is useless anyway because only coaches who don't know how to teach social studies actually get the jobs that I want and that I am qualified for. But whatever. So I am going back to school again, but this time for geography. I think I might want to be a professor of geography, because I think I still want to teach, but on a very different level. Going back to school to be a professor will require a minimum of seven years of school but I am focusing on getting into a masters program out west. I am only applying to schools out west because no matter what I do, I really want to be out west. Specifically somewhere in the Rocky Mountains or in the Pacific Northwest. Those places are just so amazing that I don't want to be anywhere else, and I've spent the last year trying everything I can think of to get out there. So if I'm going back to school, that's where I am going.

As a backup to graduate school, I have also finally received my Colorado teaching license. After seven months of waiting and getting it back because it wasn't completed correctly and then me letting it sit in my room for two straight months, then finishing it correctly and mailing it back, I finally have it. It is technically an interim license, but it can get me a job in Colorado now. That is what matters, because it is time for something else.

I also got to play frisbee this fall, which was a surprise on some levels. Thanks to Chris O'Cleary for being an amazing friend and me getting to try out for Midnight Train, I got to play (technically). I mean, I was on a team, but the team was HUGE so I didn't play a lot of points, but the points I played were awesome, I got to play my position, and I held my own when I had to play defense (very little defense did I play, but I didn't get scored on much, and for me that is good defense). The best part about the season is all the amazing people that I have met. I got to play on a team where I didn't know 50% of the team at all and another 25% very well. They were super fun and have made the last few months some of the best socially that I've had in Atlanta. They've made me realize that I need to purge the bad things and people out of my life that I continue to be friends with because that's just the way things have been, but those people don't necessarily treat me well. So no more.

And I like how I brought all this back around full circle :) Good times.

oh... and Chain is playing in UPA Open Nationals today! Here we go!

So those are the updates

Reading a book vs. Watching the movie

If you have not seen Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Gone With the Wind, The Godfather, and The Other Boleyn Girl do not read this post. I am probably going to ruin it for you. If you choose to read, don't blame me :)

In high school, we all were assigned reading for our English classes-- it was unavoidable. And every once in a while, we would get a book that also had been made into a movie. Oh happy day! This was the day that we all thought "This is going to be so much easier than reading the book! I can just go and rent the movie now, and only spend two-ish hours of my life getting the story instead of days (or even weeks) reading it!". So we watched the movie- sometimes we even enjoyed the movie. And then test time came around, and we were golden, or so we thought. Once we started taking the test, we realized that maybe the movie left out a few things... or a lot. The test asked for specific details... and those weren't in the movie! That scene never happened! The test had to be wrong. Then the test was graded, and we hoped we did OK. Wrong. We barely made it to passing. How could this have happened?

It may be a curious thought to wonder why I am going into a rant about reading a book vs. watching the movie based on the book, and why in the hell I would go all the way back to high school for the memory of this. Well, today I went and saw the latest installment in the Harry Potter movie saga, and while I wasn't disappointed, I certainly wasn't blown away either. But before I can truly explain why (if you are still wondering after reading this far) there are a few things about me that must be known first.

I am a reader. I love to read. I used to get in trouble in middle school (and in high school, and it invariable got me in trouble in college) for reading my "fun" books during class or instead of the assigned reading for the class. I couldn't help it, because once I get into a book I have a really hard time putting it down. When I read, I tend to get sucked into a different world, one in which I have no knowledge of prior to picking up the book and sometimes that world is just better than reality. Also growing up, I was the only person in my group of friends that loved to read (so I was usually thought of as weird) and it wasn't until college and then moving to Atlanta that I found other people that liked to read as much as I do (or rather friends that liked to read as much as I do).

But because America is what it is, best selling books usually get made into movies eventually. Hollywood loves to take a good story, one that has already been written (less work involved) and make it into a movie. Unfortunately rarely does it happen that the movie is ever as good as the book. Seriously. I don't know if I have ever seen a movie that was based on a book where I liked the book better. Usually the movie is so loosely based on the book that I don't believe that the two should even be associated with each other. I offer up 4 examples: Gone With the Wind, The Godfather, The Other Boleyn Girl, and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. (All of these books are works of fiction)

Let's start with a movie that has almost no resemblance to the book it is based on: The Other Boleyn Girl. Such a fantastic book! It is based on some true events, and Ann Boleyn did have a sister, but obviously the rest is fiction. The movie on the other hand looks nothing like the book. There are entire important scenes and characters left out, and some things that not only didn't happen, but also were never alluded to in the book. I came out of that movie believing that not only had I wasted $10 (yes... it costs $10 for a movie ticket in Atlanta) but also that I had just wasted 2 hours of my life and I was never going to get that back.

Movie 2: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. OK... so I literally went to see this movie today (and it is what inspired this post). This summer was the first time that I have read the Harry Potter series, and I was not disappointed. I think that I read all 7 books in about a month, including a week of vacation where I didn't read anything. I loved them. While yes they are juvenile in nature, they are so easy to read and well written that you feel yourself transported into Harry's world instantly, and it makes you wish that all the things in the books were real. The Sunday after I finished the series I chose to have a movie marathon of the first 5 movies. It was a good day, but I noticed that as the movies progressed they tended to stray farther and farther from the books. Now I am one of those people that does understand that sometimes things have to be left out, characters aren't as developed in movies as we would want, but still. Important characters (the Weasley twins, Ginny, the older Weasley brothers, Luna, Tonks, etc.) are not developed nor are their relationships with Harry. This is an important part of the whole story from book 1 to book 7. If those relationships are left out in the beginning, how is the movie to get to it's correct ending? The movies did a pretty good job, but I am definitely still a fan of the books. Well, the newest movie, while good, was something that was maybe half true to the book, half invented. And it bothers me immensely. Some things that literally never happened in the book happened in the movie, and many events were moved up in the story line with no background of when it happened ever. And many important characters and events were either left out or changed- some of them events that are needed to finish the series! So frustrating. Still a good movie, but a little disappointing.

Now onto two movies that I believe are very true to their book counterparts, or at least two of the closest I've ever come in contact with. The Godfather and Gone With the Wind. Both of these I saw the movie first and then read the book... it just happened (not usually my M.O. when it comes to these situations). GWtW I saw as a kid and immediately fell in love with it. It was not unknown for me to sit at home all day on a Sunday and watch it on TV- which can take up to 6/8 hours. I love the story of the Old South, I love Clark Gable as Rhett- someone who is so far from the southern idea of a "gentleman" but an adventurer, and I love Vivian Leigh as Scarlett. In middle school I tried to read the book, and while I finished it, it didn't really sink in because I feel like I was perhaps a little young for such an undertaking. This past spring I reread the book, and I loved it. Many things are very different- such as the fact that in the book Scarlett has two children before Bonnie (one from each previous marriage) and in the movie those children do not exist. There is more courting by Rhett of Scarlett in the book before her second marriage while in the movie you only get glimpses of these. But overall, I believe that the book and the movie are very much alike, enough that I dislike the movie or the book any less because of the other.

The Godfather on the other hand is so much like the book it is sometimes hard to really find faults. What is left out, event wise, from the first movie is shown in the second one. The only thing that makes me love the book more is the details that you need to know about Italian family life in the 1960's (here and in Italy). Those details are necessary to understand many of the insignificant details that are shown in the movie but explained in the book for a better understanding of various scenes.

When it comes to Book vs. Movie, book is going to win every time with me. I personally love the character development and the minor details that a book provides, and that is one of the major problems I personally have with the Harry Potter series. And the fact that they change major events that are necessary for the future story line to work out correctly. Having those characters come to life is what makes a book transporting and wonderful.

Needless to say, I am currently out of series to read until September and January when two of my favorite series have new additions. So if anyone has any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it (and I've already read Twilight so not that one).

Weddings

I've written about weddings recently, but mostly about my hangups on going to weddings alone. Today though, will get a different take on weddings.

Today, two of my favorite people (and very very good friends) are getting married. I am sad because I cannot make it to both weddings, but that's life sometimes. I feel horrible, and have, about making that decision-- which wedding do I go to?-- but it had to be made, and honestly, just because you can't make it to one wedding doesn't mean you are any less friends with that person, right? (please someone agree with me).

Anyway... weddings. So, two friends-- and I think I have at least 4 other good friends getting married in 2009, and know of three more people (that just aren't as good of friends, more like frisbee acquaintances. It's kinda weird to think that I am at that age where my good friends are starting to get married. A few years ago I was on a wedding blitz due to the fact that I tend to hang out with older people, and I always have. At this point in my life, I have lots of friends that are my age, and those are the ones that are getting married now. And I am so happy for them, but at the same time it is a little weird because I am so far from that place in my own life. And I have other friends that all they want to do is get married, and I definitely am not in that state of mind AT ALL. I mean- I think I want to get married some day, but I feel like there is so much to life before marriage and kids. And those two things are not mutually exclusive to each other, I realize this. Leeann is the perfect example of that. She and Reed are living their lives how they want to, they've been married for nearly 4 years, and they both know that at this point they do not want kids. I envy them that kind of knowing. But so many people I know believe that life starts at getting married and settling down! And honestly, that is a fine goal in life, it's just not one in my life. I want to see more of the world, live outside of the southern United States, fall madly and deeply in love, and just live it.

Wow... this post took a very weird turn that was unexpected (and I'm not sure I know how to come back...). I guess having two people that mean so much to me get married on the same day makes me think about marriage and weddings. I know that both of these people are making the right decision, and they are happy. That's what is important to me when it comes to my friends- if they are happy then all is right in the world. I just wish there were two of me today, or that someone had finally perfected the art of teletransporting. So here's to the wedding season, 2009, officially starting.

Thoughts

Just because you talk to someone everyday doesn't make you more than friends. But on the flip side, just because you don't talk to someone everyday (or even every week or month...) doesn't make you less than friends. Sometimes those are the best friends. I need to remember the first more often, and others in my life have never understood the second.

I thought that Memphis had the worst drivers. I was wrong. Atlanta does, and all they have done besides almost hitting my car is make me a much angrier driver. Seriously-- some people need to review the meaning of a "yield sign".

There is nothing better than getting to spend the weekend completely alone.

I have come to realize that I will never have a dog until I own/rent a place that has a backyard. And I am too selfish to have a dog- sometimes I want to sleep past 6am, and sometimes when I get home at 1am I want to get straight to bed- not walk a dog.

I wish that I could take my friends, put them in Nashville, and pick Nashville up and put it in the mountains. That would be perfect. I love my friends here- they are absolutely the best friends I could ever have. I love the city of Nashville, always have. It's the perfect size, with many different scenes and areas that fit me, but it's not in the mountains. Someone come up with a way for this plan to work.

Currently my biggest fear is going to Josh's wedding alone in September. I really don't think I can handle going there, seeing people that I haven't seen since high school (or at least since sometime in college) alone.

http://www.sfromlastnight.com/ is maybe the worst thing that has happened to my productivity in a long time. Thank you to the person that told me about it for ruining me and making me a bigger procrastinator than I was before. On the bright side, at least I didn't know about it in grad school.

Ingram Hill

Ingram Hill was in town this past Thursday... and of course, I went to see them. Although, truthfully, the fact that they were playing at Peachtree Tavern in Buckhead almost made me not go, because well, it's Buckhead. I HATE Buckhead, and I usually am not a very big fan of Buckhead people either. But I mean, seriously, I can't let Buckhead stop me from seeing my favorite band! And as it turns out, Peachtree Tavern is way less douchey on a Thursday than it is on the weekend.

So, yeah. Favorite band. Also pretty good show. As much as I like shows where I don't have to stand shoulder to shoulder with anyone, I wish for Ingram Hill's sake that more people had been there. I mean, the standing crowd was probably only 4 people deep, and that was when I was standing in the back of the "crowd". I think the only downer was that I had to go to the show alone. My two Ingram Hill buddies live just too far away to join me (St. Louis and Tampa), but on the bright side, in the last two days I have found two other people that not only have heard of Ingram Hill, but also that like their music. I find this exciting, because outside of people from Memphis or that went to UT, most people have never heard of them.

If you haven't heard their music, it is a fantastic mix, mostly southern rock. I compare it to Counting Crows and Sister Hazel, with a little Blues Traveler and a definite Elvis influence. I love them. Check it out. www.ingramhillmusic.com. Best Show EVER. Definitely the pick-me-up I needed this week :)

Dear Alcohol

My cousin found this email, and I thought it summed up the weekend (Savannah Hat Tournament) perfectly.

Dear Alcohol,

First and foremost, let me tell you that I'm a huge fan of yours. As my friend, you always seem to be there when needed. The perfect post-work cocktail, a beer at the game, and you're even around at the holidays, hidden inside chocolates, as you warm us when we're stuck in the midst of endless family gatherings. However, lately I've been wondering about your intentions. While I want to believe that you have my best interests at hear, I feel that your influence has led to some unwise consequences:

1. Phone calls: While I agree with you that communication is important, I question the suggestion that any conversation of substance or necessity takes place after 2 a.m.

2. Eating: Now, you know I love a good meal, by why do you suggest that I eat a taco with fire sauce, along with a big Italian meatball and some stale bbq chips (washed down with WINE and topped off with a Kit Kat after a few cheese curls and chili cheese fries)? I'm an eclectic eater, but I think you went too far this time.

3. Clumsiness: Unless you're subtly trying to tell me that I need to do more yoga to improve my balance, I see NO need to hammer the issue home by causing me to fall down. It's completely unnecessary, and the black and blue marks that appear on my body mysteriously the next day are beyond me. Similarly, it should never take me more than 45 seconds to get the front door key into the lock. (And I know what my bathtub looks like I don't need a close up of it after falling off the bot, it's really hard to get outta there)

4. Furthermore: The hangovers have GOT to stop. This is getting ridiculous. I know a little penance for our previous evening's debauchery may be in order, but the 3pm hangover immobility is completely unacceptable. My entire day is shot. I ask that, if the proper precautions are taken (water, vitamin B, break products, aspirin) prior to going to sleep/passing out face down on the kitchen floor with a bag of popcorn, the hangover should be minimal and in no way interfere with my daily activities.

Alcohol, I have enjoyed our friendship for some years now and would like to ensure that we remain on good terms. You've been the invoker of great stories, the provocation for much laughter, and the needed companion when I just don't know what to do with the extra money in my pockets.

In order to continue this friendship, I ask that you carefully review my grievances above and address them immediately. I will look for an answer no later than Thursday 3pm (pre-happy hour) on your possible solutions and hopefully, we can continue this fruitful partnership.

Thank you,
Your biggest fan

PS: THINGS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO SAY WHEN DRUNK
1. Innovative
2. Preliminary
3. Proliferation
4. Cinnamon
5. Statistic

THINGS THAT ARE VERY DIFFICULTY TO SAY WHEN DRUNK
1. Specificity
2. British Constitution
3. Passive-aggressive disorder

THINGS THAT ARE DOWNRIGHT IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY WHEN DRUNK
1. Thanks, but I don't want to have sex
2. Nope, no more beer for me
3. Sorry, but you're not really my type
4. Good evening, officer. Isn't it lovely out tonight?
5. Oh, I couldn't. No one wants to hear me sing
6. Fight? No way. Let's sit down and talk this out
7. Text Message? no I have sent enough for the night
8. Dance? No I shouldn't I should just sit here on the bar stool.

The end of loopy's bad decisions

From left to right: Manhands, Blair, Tracy, Kara, and Ellen. I love all these girls-- Kara and Tracy have usually been around for the aftermath of my bad decisions. Not so much there as I was making them :)
It's happening.

On Saturday, May 9, will be the end of the time when I make 95% of my bad decisions and stupid actions. No seriously.

The Event: Manhands, Blair, and Ellen are graduating from Auburn.

The reason this is the end of my bad decisions? Because for whatever reason, the combination of Auburn and those three girls equals trouble for me. I believe that Manhands is the primary enabler, but Blair, Ellen, and Annie are prime encouragers of these bad decisions, and do not believe in allowing me to forget them. And I love that. The fact that I could go down to Auburn, throw down, make a bad decision, and them leave and not worry about it for a few months was heaven. I have by far done more stupid things down there in the last three years that I have ever done anywhere else.

So, to Ellen, Manhands, and Blair: congrats on graduating. Yall are awesome, and you gave me a second college experience that I needed. But remember. I do stupid things in Auburn, so they don't count in real life :) Love you girls :)

Birthdays

So... this week I was told the following statement (or rather along these lines): The point in our lives when people should stop expecting their friends and family to make a big deal over their birthday is 12 years old.

This of course, was while I was relating the events of my birthday celebration. So I was slightly offended, because to me, birthdays are always a reason to celebrate! I love celebrating my friends birthdays, because it is the one day a year that they get to be the center of attention, and really, who doesn't love a reason to party? And also, I am not someone who generally likes being the center of attention. On my birthday, I love being the center of attention, just for one day (or rather, on the day that I choose to celebrate my birthday, which this year was about 4 days early). So yeah... I believe it is OK to celebrate your birthday and want to have a small deal made about it, but really as long as you are willing to do the same for your friends. :)

So anyway- birthday celebration extravaganza shindig! It was awesome! Parag and I decided to celebrate together since we wanted to both do our things on the same night. We started with my part, dinner/drinks at Six Feet Under- west side. I was hoping to get some serious patio time in, but alas, it was an hour and a half wait for the patio and immediate seating inside at the bar. Bar it is then :) So that was fun, people came and went, had a drink, chatted. Parag and I had car bombs (which I smoked him at, btw). Good time. Eventually we headed to the Masquerade for Parag's half of the night- dancing. Surprise!

I have never been to the Masquerade before, and it was amazing! Two different rooms for dancing with different music in both, so a pick your poison kinda option. Good friends dancing, some people that I didn't expect to see but was a wonderful surprise. Erin, who loves to send text messages to people that are no more than at least 10ft. away from her sent me one at some point saying "I'll give you a dollar if you make out with _____________". Hilarious. At some point we completely lost Parag- in reality apparently someone finally took him home only about an hour or so into his part of the birthday shindig...

Eventually there were only five from our little group left: me, Katherine, Erin, Poole, BoBo, and Spears. We actually closed down the Masquerade after dancing there from around 11:30/midnight-ish until 3:30am. I didn't get into bed until 4am, then woke up three hours later to go to work, worked for 4 hours, then came back home and went straight into nap mode. Needless to say it took me all day to recover fully. Honestly, making it the best birthday. EVER. And it makes me want to go dancing again. Sooner rather than later.

A letter to the car Fates

Dear car Fates:

I don't know if you have looked in on Sally Saturn recently, but she is not doing well. Last night as I was driving home from Athens, all of a sudden her coolant temp lights started flashing! I of course freaked out- I can't let my baby overheat. So we pulled off at the closest exit and let her rest. As soon as I started driving again, the lights came back on! So we drove home so that Sally could cool off. When I took her for a checkup this morning, she needed coolant and a new water pump!

Sally Saturn has lived a nice long life car fates. She has been with me for six years, and seen 99 thousand miles of the southeast United States (and parts of Ohio). She has been a good tournament car, and good kid car for picking them up, and a good city car. But is her time. No matter what happens, she just seems to hang on. She needs to go to car heaven. So if you could possibly allow her to die a quick and natural death, she (and I) would greatly appreciate it.

Love,
Loopy

Feel-good Sports Movies

Recently I was at the YMCA working out, and to make my cardio go by faster I was watching TV. And what happened to be on but Rudy! I love this movie-- it doesn't matter that I've seen in a thousand times or so, I can always watch it again. And inevitably I always cry at the very end of the movie, when Rudy gets to play in the game, and is carried out of the stadium on the shoulders of the other players. I mean seriously, if you don't get a little choked up at this point in the movie, you don't have a heart.

So, I was thinking about how much I LOVE feel-good sports movies. Like Rudy, they all make me want to watch them over and over again. So here is my list of my favorite sports movies (in no particular order:

Rudy: already mentioned this one. It is about a boy who's dream is to play on the Notre Dame football team, despite coming from a steel area, small stature, and not being a natural academic, he works hard and eventually not only gets into Notre Dame, but makes the football team as a walk on.

Miracle: The story of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team. So good. This is definitely a must see- the ups, the downs, and if anyone has ever played any sport ever, you get the feelings of being the underdog and the high of winning a big game.

Mighty Ducks (any and all): Another hockey movie, but this one is about kids. The first one is about a rag-tag team of kids playing in a city league in Chicago (i think) and they are taken over by Amillio Estevs who is preforming community service by coaching. The second movie tells the story of the same group of kids plus a few new faces, and they have become the Junior Olympic (i think) representatives for the US. The third movie is about how the entire team is asked to become students at a very elite private school and become their JV hockey team.

The Legend of Bagger Vance: Golf movie, starring Will Smith as Bagger Vance, a caddie who guides a down and out golfer back to his glory.

Remember the Titans: Another football movie, this one about the integration of a high school and in effect the football team during the 1960's.

I realize that I am missing many many good sports movies on here, least of which is Hoosiers. I haven't seen this, ever. I know, sacrilege as someone who loves sports movies. Maybe one day. But this is my list so far. Funnily enough, these are all Disney movies. Huh- weird.

When traffic lights go out

OK... so I have had so many things that I want to blog about but haven't done it for sheer undecidedness. But today, I made the decision for the blog, at least for today's subject.

What should happen when traffic lights go out, and what actually happens.

So... way back when we were all learning to drive, for me at 15, every once in a while parents would ask: "What happens when (insert situation here)?", testing the knowledge of the soon to be 16 year old driver and their knowledge of as many situations as possible that would/will/do arise while driving alone in the big bad world.

Parent: "What happens when you get to a traffic light that isn't working correctly and is blinking (either red or yellow... just blinking)?
Teen Driver: Well, you treat as a four way stop. Everyone, as they come to the intersection, stops. Then the person to the right of the previous car that went through the intersection is allowed to go, continuing around to the right.

Now obviously this is the best case scenario. I seriously don't think these words ever came out of my mouth in that order for this particular question, but at some point we all learned that this is how you are supposed to treat a blinking traffic light-- as a four way stop.

This unfortunately doesn't happen. At least not in Atlanta.

In the last few days, lots of parts of Atlanta have been without power due to high winds and massively crazy storms on Monday and early Tuesday morning. This caused lots of tree limbs and trees to come down on power lines, as Atlanta is a city of above ground power lines. it happens. Lots of roads closed and/or partially blocked, and hence lots of traffic lights out and blinking.

In Atlanta, apparently blinking traffic lights are not the equivalent of a four way stop. It can, if you are smart and a courteous driver. Or, it can mean whatever the hell you want it to mean, as the case is for 95% of the drivers in Atlanta. I mean seriously: how is someone supposed to get out of a parking lot at a light and a major road if no one will stop?

Needless to say this has caused me much stress being that person trying to get out onto any and all major roads, and has caused large amounts of expletives to be yelled at a very loud volume from my mouth when someone else won't let not only me, but others out (even if I am on the major road-- I have been stopping trying to let others out).

I mean seriously people-- it's OK if you are late to work. Everyone understands. Just because a light is out doesn't mean you have to be a douche.

*I have just been informed that I am apparently wrong and not all blinking lights should be treated as 4 way stops. It depends on what color the light is blinking at you. Bullshit. It should always be treated as a 4 way stop to keep confusion and asshole-ery at a minimum.

Spring Break 09!

It's been just over 3 years since I graduated from college (undergrad). And yet, somehow, I have managed to obtain a decently long winter break, spring break, and summer (or sorts) since then. Part of the current break has to do with being under-employed, and Claire being in the same position. But the rest, I guess, have been pure luck and the fact that I have been back to school for another degree and finished in the last year or so. But whatever, I believe in taking the opportunities that life provides, good and bad. So I took the opportunity of going on spring break with Claire and her family and going to Pawleys Island, SC.

First off, this is the most beautiful place I have been in a long time. It's funny, because I tend to say any place I visit on some version of vacation is beautiful, and truthfully they all are beautiful, in completely different ways. The house we are staying in belongs to one of Joe's clients (he's a tennis pro at the Buckhead YMCA, and Carly's husband... or Claire's brother-in-law). It is amazing, and apparently worth millions. And it looks like it-- I have my own bedroom and bathroom, it is on a private beach, has a view to die for, and is seriously amazing. So amazing that when I go to Savannah in a month I'll feel like I'm slumming it, even though I LOVE our house for Savannah. It is that good- pics to follow soon.

And the beach is so pretty. There is definitely something to be said about Atlantic coast beaches. For me, they are just so prettier than Gulf beaches, and I don't know if I can describe why. They aren't as touristy (or at least the one's I go to aren't). They don't have lots of sand-- when the tide comes in, it comes all the way up to the dunes, and I love that. We have our own entrance to the beach, and the stairs drop us off on the beach. It is all hard sand because of the tides, and makes it easy to walk on. During low tide it is easy to find lots of tidal pools, and there are all kinds of little things living in them. I love it. To me, it is a less obvious beautiful than the Gulf, and I like to think I can relate to that sometimes.

Besides all the obvious reasons for loving being here, I'm not in Atlanta. I'm not thinking about my under-employed status, or stressing out about tests or making my bills this month, or anything. I'm just being. I'm just being here, eating when we want, walking on the beach, reading on the deck chairs on the boardwalk to the beach, taking pictures, watching pelicans dive (which is awesome), and just kinda contemplating life without actually having to do anything about it. And it's nice. I've also gotten to hang out with people that have known me for far too long for us to still be friends, and talk about how we've all changed since high school and they understand. It's nice for someone to see how different I can be, and not only understand, but can relate to it. I can talk about the things that bother me, the things I miss from the past, and the things I don't. I get to just be me without any explanations for my words or actions.

There will be pictures to follow soon of this amazing place, but I just can't bring myself to download them off my camera yet, as that will also require me to download work pictures that I need to upload to my boss. But it will come. Otherwise, I'm going to continue to check out of life for the next three days, and return to Atlanta just in time for league on Saturday (if it doesn't rain out again!) and bar golf that night.

Best spring break yet :)

Pay Attention!

PAY ATTENTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the phrase that I have been yelling at myself inside my head for the last three weeks. I have a to take a middle grades math certification test this Saturday, and I can't make my attention span last more than about 45 minutes to an hour without getting utterly bored and either blogging, watching TV, or pulling out my "for fun" book that I've been reading. Why can't I make myself study for this test?

I mean, here is the deal: I currently hold two degrees one of which is a masters in social studies secondary education, a minor in history, and four certifications (6-12 History and Geography, MG Reading and MG Social Studies). And I can't get a job. Seriously? So I signed up to take the MG math test to be certified in that in the hopes that it will at least get me a job. Unfortunately the debt payments won't wait for me to find my dream job in my dream city teaching my dream subject. Apparently life doesn't work that way. So here I am taking a MG math test.

Problem: I am not a math person. Not to be understood that I am bad at math, because I'm not. I'm not amazing at it like Manhands and Blair, but I'm not terrible at it. I always did well in my math classes, mostly because it was just filling in formulas and finding an answer. I just don't particularly like math. That is all my hatred for math boils down to- I just plain don't like it. Even in college, I took the two easiest and lowest level math classes that I could get credit for. And even then, I made a perfect grade on the hardest test we had (it was five questions, and to solve each you had to use a sheet and a half of paper).

The thing is that this math certification should get me a job. The key word in that sentence being should. Will it for sure get me a job that will allow me to live on my own, pay my bills, and hopefully one day replace my POS Saturn? That is the true question. But it is at least supposed to up my chances.

So I guess I'll just keep telling myself PAY ATTENTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spring!!!!

I love spring. It may be my favorite season. And I love fall, and everything fall represents- changing of the leaves, football games, all that. But spring- love it! That first time you can wear short sleeves after winter without a coat of jacket of some type. The first time you can wear flip flops/sandals all day! There is nothing better than that- except the first time you get to walk around bare foot. I love being bare foot more than anything in the world, which is probably why I hate shoes and wear sandals from late February until late October, with a few days here and there in the months between when a southern winter turns into a nice day (really anything above 50 degrees).

I had this epiphany today while out watching Grady at High School Terminus-- walking around barefoot on a frisbee field (and one you don't have to worry about stepping on needles or broken glass or anything else of that disgusting variety). It was warm outside, but cool enough with the wind blew to need a long sleeved maybe, but the sun was out enough for me to start off my sun burn season right (but not too bad). And on top of all that, Grady played AMAZING- better and harder than I have ever seen them play. So good that they do not have an excuse anymore for playing any other way :).

So over all, good day, good weekend (league started yesterday- RAWR!!!!!!!), welcome to spring.

St. Pattys Day- that was it?

Today (or rather, 1.5 hours ago) is St. Patty's day. I've heard much about this day. It is the celebration of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland... or at least I'm told this. Presbyterians don't have saints, but I'm also Scot Irish, which I guess still makes this holiday kinda cool (even though technically I'm Scottish- but whatever). People wear green on this day. And from what I have been told, people over the age of 21 go out and drink. A lot. There are car bombs, Guinness, and all things Irish galore apparently. I unfortunately, I have to disagree. Due to circumstances beyond my control, today was my first experience going out on St. Patty's day- since I've turned 21. I expected it to be awesome. My real impressions: It felt like going out on any other Tuesday night, except that there were more people wearing the color green. Maybe it's because it is a Tuesday, maybe it is because I'm still slightly sick, or maybe the holiday has been hyped up too much in my head. But whatever it is, I was sadly disappointed. I had a few beers, did my car bomb, almost stabbed a few super drunk sorority girls, and went home.

Can someone tell me how today was supposed to go again?

Post Secret

Super fun website: http://postsecret.blogspot.com/

The Cold From Hell

Ok-Seriously? I feel like I have been sick for the last three months. At least. I mean, the year I worked at the preschool I wasn't sick this much. So I've had the basic cold/sinus infection a few times this year (including twice this past summer). After Mudbowl I developed a case of something that I am pretty sure was the flu. I haven't had a fever since I don't know when, so I am assuming that with a fever of 102.6 it is safe to say it was the flu. Since then, I felt like I was over it, finally got over the cough, and then this past Wednesday it came back, and fast. There may have been some environmental factors in place (going to bed with my hair wet the night before certainly didn't help the situation), and I have been stressed about life and the job and all that. So I think between the wet hair, stress, and the emotional roller coaster that was not getting the job, my body gave up and the cold came back. It's so bad that I couldn't make it through the whole day at Terminus (but the rain and 45 degrees had nothing to do with it).

So I say again- seriously?! Colds are stupid, and I believe that I have had my fair share of them this year. Mother Nature can keep her colds and give them to someone else more deserving.

Theme Song

So, I honestly believe that everyone has a theme song that describes their life. No seriously. If you think about it, it's kinda awesome. A song that can tell a listener exactly what they need to know about your life without investing too much time and without giving them all the details (good and bad). Mine is "The Long Way Around" by the Dixie Chicks:

My friends from high school
Married their high school boyfriends
Moved into houses in the same ZIP codes
Where their parents live

But I, I could never follow
No I, I could never follow

I hit the highway in a pink RV with stars on the ceiling
Lived like a gypsy
Six strong hands on the steering wheel

I've been a long time gone
Maybe someday, someday I'm gonna settle down
But I've always found my way somehow

By taking the long way
Taking the long way around
Taking the long
the long way around

I met the queen of whatever
Drank with the Irish and smoked with the hippies
Moved with the shakers
Wouldn't kiss all the asses that they told me to

No I, I could never follow
No I, I could never follow

It's been two long years now
Since the top of the world came crashing down
And I'm getting' it back on the road now

But I'm taking the long way
Taking the long way around
I'm taking the long way
Taking the long way around
The long
The long way around

Well, I fought with a stranger and I met myself
I opened my mouth and I heard myself
It can get pretty lonely when you show yourself
Guess I could have made it easier on myself

But I, I could never follow
No I, I could never follow

Well, I never seem to do it like anybody else
Maybe someday, someday I'm gonna settle down
If you ever want to find me I can still be found
Taking the long way
Taking the long way around
Taking the long way
Taking the long way around

Cheesy? yes. True? completely. I'm still trying to figure out who I am , and I know that whenever I make friends that are based out of somewhere esle* I tend to be a different person to them than my friends in other places. I think this is me trying to find me, and that happens.

What's your theme song?

*I tend to keep my friends away from each other at all costs possible-- for some reason I don't like my worlds to mix. My Memphis friends don't know my ultimate friends, my knoxville friends don't know my Atlanta friends, etc...

Disappointment

So... that whole taking chances thing? Not so sure about it anymore.

Ok, so maybe that isn't totally true. But I will say that when I take a chance and it doesn't work out over something ridiculous and miniscule (or at least to me), it makes it harder to remind myself to keep taking chances. Obviously, I heard back from the school in Colorado that I had an interivew with last Wednesday. Needless to say, I didn't get the job. The message left on my voicemail said that the main reason that I did not get the job is because I do not currently hold a Colorado teaching license. I find this reasoning absolutly ridiculous, because there is absoluty no reason that I won't receieve it from the CDE, but at the same time I understand where this decision came from. What if it hasn't gone through by the time school starts in the fall? The school would be out a teacher, and that would be awefully for everyone, and it still wouldn't be any one person's fault (well- it might be the fault of someone down at CDE...).

So I came home today, napped off the crying hangover, and then poured myself a giant glass of wine. My mother apparently called my cousin and she brought home chocolate milk, cookies and ice cream. The sad girl trifecta. And I applied to 7 more openings in DPS. Back to the grind I guess.

Taking Chances

Taking chances in life is probably one of the hardest things to do. I mean seriously, what's the point except that you increase your chances of failure and getting hurt exponentially.

OK... so it maybe isn't all that bad. When one takes chances, the opportunity for new things, new people, and new experiences comes around. The chance of finding out a little more about your own limits might happen. But really, what after that?

For me, I don't generally take chances all that often. I usually stick to the fairly safe decision when it come to deciding between two choices. I can't help it. And I do this in all things. When I graduated from college, I moved to Atlanta, and took a job working at the same place that Samantha worked. I mean, she got me the job basically. Many said (Tom mostly) that by moving to Atlanta I was taking a chance, and leaping into the unknown. I literally graduated and then moved out of town immediately- on the same day. But really, what chances did I take? I moved to a city that I had never lived in, true. But I moved in with family. No scaries there. Then I took a job with Samantha who is a friend of mine, and her dad was basically my boss. Again- no scaries there (except that I had to be a receptionist in a body shop... that part was kinda scary). I didn't move to Atlanta knowing nobody. Like I said, I did have some family (aunt, uncle, cousin). I also had a small group of friends from Shotgun, and I thank whatever deity is up there looking over the universe that I had them. I know that I wouldn't have gotten through those few months without them. So really, no scaries there--- not best friends, but they all turned out to be after just a few months (and still are). Since then, I have kept living with my family, played ultimate with basically the same people that I knew when I first moved here, and gone to graduate school. Grad school gets its own scary category, but not in this post.

I sometimes wonder why I didn't really try to go to school out west. That would have been super duper scary. To literally move across the country at 18 and completely start over would have been amazing and pee in your pants scary at the same time. I admire LP-eezy for doing it! I wish I had known about federal loans a little more so that I could have done something crazy like that. Instead when my parents told me "No Caroline, you can't even apply to schools out west because it doesn't matter if you get in. We can't afford it, and your test scores and grades are not good enough to get enough scholarships to cover the difference" I just applied to one school. ONE. I applied to the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, and obviously I got in. 3.5 of the best years of my life (yes- I graduated a semester early. No, I do not recommend this path to ANYONE). I didn't do the Greek thing, I played ultimate, and I kinda started over with that crowd. But in the end, I still had my security blanket that is my friends from Memphis. So, no chances there.

Now, I have decided to turn over a new leaf on life. I'm taking chances. I mean, why not? What have I really got to lose? Like I said, the chances of me failing or getting hurt go up, but what am I missing if I don't take those chances? I'm pretty sure I would regret never knowing more than the outcome. So, I'm still putting all my energy into getting a job in Colorado. I am currently waiting on the results of last week's phone interview. I hope that I get this job so that I can stop stressing about it. But if it doesn't work out, well then I keep trying. This is something I want. I don't think I'll live there forever- unfortunately the South is in my blood, and I love it. But it is definitely time for something new and different. I want to experience life somewhere else. I want a real winter! Eventually, I'll come back south though---it's just too good (green and beautiful, memories all over the place, and nothing in the world beats the people!). But for now, the west is calling my name, and I'll do everything I can to get out there and start over. It's so time.

Other than that, I've decided to take more chances in every part of my life. If I want something I am going to go after it, because that is what life is about. I can't be afraid of always getting hurt, because then nothing good will ever happen to me. So this time, I really am going to live life by my motto:

No regrets. No exceptions. No excuses.

The 3 Elements that Make a Good Party

Ok... so it's been a while. And no, I'm never going to explain about my hat. As long as I remember what happened based on that picture, that is all that matters. Besides- it's not that good of a story any way, except to me :)

So instead, I'll write about the three elements that make a good party. Now, most of you might be thinking, those are simple. the main one being beer, the second on being anyone of the opposite sex, and the third one being a personal preference.

Oh but wait, you would be wrong! The 3 elements of a good party are not quite that simple. The 3 mentioned above are very good elements, but those are all necessary for any party once you reach a certain age. The 3 that make a good party are:

Blood
Tears
Nakedness

Now these do not have to go in any particular order, but they are all necessary for a good party. Loopy, why are these the things? Wouldn't two of those things make a bad party? No my dear (and two) friends that read this terrible excuse for a blog, they do not. Here is how these things came to define a party:

It was a few summers ago, back when I was still making an ass of my self when I would go down to Auburn for fun. I was friends with the girls, and friends with Ray, J-Vo, and Robert. I didn't know any of the boys then (and sometimes I look back on those days fondly). I went down there to hang with Annie, and once down there I was told we were going to Sexton's lake house. I am up for anything. We get there, and start drinking, and everyone is having a good time. I'm mostly hanging with the girls, but eventually start talking to some of the guys. At some point, we are all a few sheets to the wind. Annie is taking on the boys for one-on-one beer pong challenges, and winning btw. She is just tearing it up. I have mentioned at least a hundred times throughout the night that we have to go skinny dipping... we HAVE to since I never have before. Ray is having some issues. I have earned the name Ms. Loopy (which i hate), and started to make some friends. Well, at some point, A-town tries to pick Annie up by throwing her over his shoulder. Unfortunately, he is drunk, the floor is wet, and all of a sudden they go down in a heap of arms and legs. Annie, once hitting the floor, bites down on her own lip so hard that she basically bites right through it. There is blood (Element #1) everywhere, the girls are freaking out trying to help her, A-town is crying (Element #2) because he hurt Annie. Annie, needless to say goes on to beat the rest of the guys at beer pong and promptly puts her and her swollen lip to bed.
So, we have two of the elements, and it's still fairly early in the evening. At some point, Blair calls me out on wanting to skinny dip. I put it off and put it off. I sit on the dock watching other people swim, talking, having people give me shit and then turn around and try and talk me into my earlier statement. Eventually, mostly because I can't back out at this point and to prove everyone wrong, I get naked (Element #3) and jump in. This is not something that I do at this point in my life. I'm pretty reserved still (well, that isn't true anymore). I am the only girl that actually gets naked the entire night, but many of the boys do. Most of the girls that are still up get thrown in with all their clothes on. Needless to say, it was a good time.

Now I know that this does not sound like the best story. But if you know me or any of the Auburn kids (or you were actually there), you know this is a good story. I was by far at my best drunk state ever- super fun, but not sick drunk. Willing to do something slightly stupid that most people thought was pretty funny and sometimes still give me shit for. In the end, totally worth it.

But think about it- don't most of the really good, even great, parties have these elements incorporated into most of the stories? I thought so. Case rested.

Next time you go to a party, you should think to yourself: "Now how am I going to make this happen?"

Ransomed Hat

Dan Konisky has found my hat that was left at Grant park last week, and is now holding it ransom. this picture was received in an email a few minutes ago...

I am now taking all donations or suggestions for a rescue mission.

Observation on Life 1

the following gchat status was left by me today for others to read:

"I have finally defined HELL as being eternally in the friend zone. seriously"

the best comment left in response to this?:

"Frito: ouch... Caroline - I wake up in the morning with an extreme interest in what your status message is going to be for the day because I always know that it is going to be something worth reading and asking about :)"

my response? well... this is not an observation made from one single case... this is something made from multiple cases. and no... you are not going to find out from me who these "cases" are. if youare observant, you should know.

at least unemployment keeps me entertaining my friends.