Scott "The Boy Toy" Courtney "The Bookworm" Sarah "The Wild One" Kyndra "The Voice of Reason" Kurtis "The Socialite" Joel "The Fashion Police" Steffen "The Storyteller" Greg "The Educator" Annie "The Looker"
Jessica "The Homegirl"
musicesque
Not Now But Soon // Imogen Heap
Who said it was over?
It's as good as it gets
But we got a few tricks up our sleeves
+++ If we swallow it's all over
An open wine bottle is made to believe
Silent you, love
Soldered soliloquies +++
Standing by the best days of our lives
Magnificent, the best days of our lives
Bing bang boom, the best days of our lives
Are coming right up
If we can just get through this one
I would really like your feedback on this as I am having a difficult time deciding if it is socially acceptable for me to indulge my laziness and avoid tying the drawstring on my athletic pants and khakis. You may provide assistance in your comment.
::What Really Grinds My Gears:::
Lately I've been thinking a great deal about the nationwide conflict to remove "Under God" from our pledge of allegiance. I took it upon myself to uncover the true definitions of the words pledge and allegiance because, in my HO (that's humble opinion not prostitute), many Americans are unaware of what they are doing when they say these familiar words.
allegiance - [uh-lee-juhns] –noun ♦ the loyalty of a citizen to his or her nation or a cause in which he or she is passionate about.
Another thing I feel of interest to note is that our forefathers founded this nation on Christianity and the very foundation of our soil was built under the one sovereign God. Here are a couple of quotes to support my argument. "Don't let anyone
claim to be a true American. Don't let them claim the tribute of
American patriotism if they ever attempt to remove religion from
politics." George Washington's farewell address
First chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John
Jay, wrote:
"Providence has given to our people the
choice of their rulers, and it is the duty ... of our Christian nation to select and
prefer Christians for their rulers." (1816)
There are more quotes like these on this page ... If you have some free time, do some reading. It is very captivating.
Of course, as we all know, statements like these would not be PC in today's world. You are thinking... "things have changed, though." or "people just aren't like that anymore." These thoughts and emotions should be terrifying to people of our nation. They aren't just simple phrases to pass off negligently. If things have changed and we just aren't like that anymore, our nation is vulnerable to great harm. I have a difficult time citing this statement as an "opinion" because I so desperately believe it to be true. So to wrap up the What Really Grinds My Gears section this time, I would like to declare that if you are unwilling or unable to include the words "under God" in our nation's pledge of allegiance, or if you believe that those words should be omitted, (even if you have good intentions) you are denying the repeatedly proven fact that, although you wholeheartedly disagree, or although you believe that "citizens should be allowed to delete the words if they choose to" the nation you live in was firmly built upon the bedrock of a powerful God. That is indisputable. So you may pledge allegiance, or solemnly promise to be loyal to, your own religion/beliefs (or lack thereof) or your family or your career or your favorite pair of sweatpants but don't waste your time pledging allegiance to a country in which you cannot consent to acknowledge the rich and sacred history that molded it. I tremble at the thought of God's wrath. And it cannot sleep forever.
I fully intended to push some buttons with that one. Let me know your standpoint. I am game for debate.
:::Scribbles and Scrawls:::
Today, I get my writing inspiration from a website called One Word which I was referred to by a boy named Scott. On this site, you are given one word and 60 seconds to write about it (60 seconds was a lot shorter than I anticipated). So I am adding my little 60 seconds worth of writing to this entry in hopes that you will enjoy what I had to say and maybe try it on your own. Today's is a little depressing but, in my defense, today's word is a little depressing.
Word: Somber
Dark shadows.
She sits on her bed. Window to her left. Book in her hands. But she is
having trouble reading. Other things on her mind. Through the window
she sees gloom. Misty and cool. An old oak tree is swaying gently. It's
leaves of golden yellow and soft orange. A constant reminder of the
soon-to-be death of the very nature outside her door. And possibly
within.
Here are a couple of other people's entries that I really liked from today's word: sometimes. i feel like listening to sad songs. i may not be in a bad
mood. i may in fact be doing something quite enjoyable, like defrosting
the fridge, or raking my back lawn. sad music makes the whole scenario
that much more epic. like it's a scene from a greek tragedy, updated to
the 21st century. by Brian
heavy grey hearts
listless on floorboards
lonely dust corroding their fragile forms
and all i see are shadows of who we were
beneath these last laments by Sydney
:::Farewell:::
Well, I should be getting to class. Don't ask why I am up so early rewriting my xanga. I had a few nudges from my loyal fans so I had to deliver. I love each of you. My heart is full.
Love,
Do I stress you out? You must wonder why I'm relentless and all strung out. I'm consumed by the chill of solitary.
i have just typed up the radical rant below this heading. i realize now that maybe it is for my own benefit that i spew these hateful words, but, nevertheless, you might get a tinge of enjoyment from the mindless banter.
i know that maybe good customer service comes with a bad stigma. a sort of "i don't wanna go in there because they are going to try to make me buy something i don't want" mindset. i understand that. i'm a poor college kid too, quick side note though: if anyone makes you feel like you have to buy something you don't want, they are obviously not doing their job correctly. all of that being said, there is one thing at buckle that consistently annoys me. it's a brief (i mean, like one sentence brief) conversation with a customer that usually goes something like this:
::customer enters store:: "Hey there, how are you doing this morning?" "I'm just looking."
now, really. is that necessary? if i wasn't worried about my job being on the line, i would love to reply with: "oh, ummm okay! thanks! but that wasn't the question at all. i asked how you were doing this morning? did you misunderstand me or do you need to go back to first grade literacy class to understand what the hell that statement means? because if you do, just let me know. i mean, i'm studying to become a school teacher so i might be able to help you get your foot in the door at some pretty prestigious elementary schools around here." honestly... i don't mind that response when i ask a question like: "what are you guys out shopping for today?" or "hey, is there anything i can help you find?" "i'm just looking" is a perfectly acceptable response to a question like that. and, in fact, that is the response we get about 96% of the time. cool. just answer the question i ask you, and everything will be fine. i might be being a little ridiculous here but basically, what those three words imply is, in the words of my beloved soulja boy, "get out my face hoe!" all we are doing is trying to make a living just like you. it's our job requirement. if you aren't into customer service, don't go into the buckle. it's that simple. and while you're not shopping at buckle, we will be denying the managers to the other pee wee retail stores you are shopping at the information as to why our store grew 35% in the stock market last year and their company dropped significantly along with every other retail business in the united states.
here is a review written on a website titled Stocks to Watch Today to prove my point.
THE WORLD’S GREATEST RETAILER EVER IN HISTORY
There’s one spectacular performer in the retailing space, one franchise
that stands several head’s taller than its brethren in the
merchandising universe, one player in the rag-trade that has the secret
sauce that everybody seems to want. And it’s a complete enigma to those
of us who swipe our debit cards in the northeast. Because there ain’t
no Buckle (BKE)
stores located here. (Anybody who has been to one should feel specially
invited to share their experiences with us.) But look at it: back in
March, when retail analysts expected the apparel merchant to report a
12% rise in same-store sales - a double-digit improvement, mind you -
Buckle turned in a 22% advance. So for April, those forecasters turned
in their panty-waists for some big britches. They estimated that sales
grew 15% for the month. Uh-uh. Sales rose 38%. That’s thirty-eight.
Percent. This kind of performance deserves the kinds of kudos we only
reserve for the real titans of our corporate landscape. We’re talking,
like, sponsoring a Nascar race. Or a college football bowl game. Or an
NFL pre-game show. Hey, if they repeat this kind of blow-out
performance in May, we should name a day of the week after ‘em. Monday,
Tuesday, Buckle-day, Thursday. Catchy.
and that's my rant. thanks for your time.
now, to go an almost absurdly different direction, i will let you all in on the three things that i personally think are absolute must-haves for the summer.
a good pair of flip flops.
seriously. who can survive the summer without a good pair of flip flops? NO ONE!! THAT'S WHO!! some of my favorite brands include
Old Navy
more like Old Faithful these flips have been around forever. perfect for guys or gals. tons of colors to choose from. i love the black ones. they go with everything! always affordable and always comfy as can be!
Roxy
Roxy makes flips for gals only. they come in so many fun patterns and colors. very summer-y and there's gotta be a perfect pair to match your bathing suit!! can be purchased at buckle :)
Reef
perfect for guys and gals they're a little pricier but totally worth it. maximum comfort and tons of cool additions. like a slide-out heel to hold your keys, credit cards, etc. a bottle opener and even a pair for guys that mixes and pours drinks. find em at bke.
full coverage sunscreen
i'm all about protecting my skin from the sun. being careful with UV rays can mean the difference between a wrinkly, elastic, you-look-20-years-older-than-you-actually-are face and a smooth, fresh, young complexion. in fact, research shows that 90% of wrinkles come from the sun's UVA rays. make sure you get SPF 15 or higher.
Bull Frog,Kiehls, and Oil of Olay have some really good options.
also, i am a big endorser of California Tan spray tans if you need that summer glow.
a kick ass summer playlist
i, if anyone, need a super-fantastical list of tunes to rock out to every summer. something i can put in the disc player for a cookout or a picnic, bump on the ipod on an afternoon walk, or just to jam to while i drive around with the windows down. i will share with you 5 of my favorite summer tunes so far with a link to the whole song on youtube. seriously, give em a shot and check em out. you're not THAT busy. just keep an open mind :) i would also love to hear about any gems you have stumbled upon!!
my list of awesome summer must-haves will probably continue throughout the summer. here is a vintage pic of me enjoying summer about 19 years ago with old raggedy ann... the good old days.
anywho, i guess i should get to bed. i hope everyone has a good night. leave me a comment!! i will love you more if you do.
i would like to begin this post by asking you to think about the worst thing that could happen to you on finals week.
of
course, this thing has to involve finals. you can't be thinking about
getting buried alive in a coffin made of rotten meat or being trompled
over by a group of angry rhinos or anything like that. although those
things would be horrifying. the question is, what do you fear the most
when you are going to take a final?
now i will tell you the story about how the thing i most fear happened to me today.
this weekend was awesome. i made it up to mustang to visit some family that i dearly love. sunday night, scott was
going to drive me back to stillwater but, since i didn't have a final
on monday, my aunt talked me into staying another night there and
volunteered to drive me to stillwater monday evening so i could start
my hardcore studying. before scott left, i took another look at my
syllabus from each class. yes, there it was on my math syllabus (the
only one i was unsure about)
Final Exam: Wednesday 2-3:50
i
told scott it was a go, he went back to the city, i spent the night and
all day monday hangin out with my baby cousin, and hit the books hard
monday night. so this afternoon, i began to feel sort of uneasy around
noon. like something wasn't right. i looked at the syllabus again and
there it said
Final Exam: Wednesday, Dec. 13th, 2-3:50
apparently,
i had completely skipped over that middle part the other 706 times i
had checked the date and written it in my mortar board and scheduled my
time off at work around it. guess it was still on that syllabus from
last semester.
of course, i start panicking. i had just gotten
back from the drive thru at taco bueno and suddenly that taco was NOT
lookin so bueno. i felt like puking. i pulled the final exam schedule
up from the osu website and sure enough, there it was. if your class
was mwf at 1:30, your test was monday at 2. systemic nervous breakdown.
not
my math class. not the test that counts for two test scores. i call the
number that's printed on my syllabus asap and get transferred to the
front desk at the math dept.
"hi. i need to talk with kathy dearinger please."
"she's not in her office right now."
"okay" sniffle-sniffle. bring on the tears. "well, i'm afraid i missed my final."
"okay, what time is your class?"
"it's monday, wednesday, friday at 1:30."
"oh, no. it's today at 2! everything's fine sweetheart."
"o thank god!! thank you thank you thank you."
click.
i
rush to mscs. still have a terrible feeling. taco still no bueno. sit
down out in the hall because there is an asian girl doing a powerpoint
in my classroom. and wait. and wait. and wait. 1:57 and not another soul. i text a girl in my class...
"oohh, yikes. it was monday at 2."
and that, my friends. was my worst fear come frighteningly true.**
i made some sweet shoes with kurtis'nikeid thing. couldn't figure out how to get them to show up like he did so now i'm just pissed that i wasted so much time. gay.
once in a while, i am lost for words. it's rare. and usually in awkward situations. like yesterday at buckle. i went up to a couple highschoolers. a boy and a girl. chick had green hair. both had tatoos and piercings all over their faces. i said. "hey! what are you guys out doin' today!?" the guy turned toward me slowly and said... "contemplating suicide." i think he got just the reaction he wanted. i
kinda pasted on a smile and nodded for like a whole thirty seconds
straight and managed to say... "ohh, yeah? well, it is finals week..."
followed by a choked laugh.
well i guess that's about it for my life to date. i am about to hit the sack. it is calling my name rather loudly and i have to open tomorrow.
loves!!
** how was that for an open ending!!? i am retaking the final with the other section on friday at 2!
I
highly recommend this song. If you don't like it, you're crazy. but you
gotta listen at least until the chorus! :) great summer jam.
happy summer everyone
You gotta spend some time, love. You gotta spend some time with me. And I know that you'll find, love. I will possess your heart. I Will Possess Your Heart // Death Cab For Cutie
somewhere between eating way more hot and ready pizzas than anyone should transforming into a nocturnal creature. watching and rewatching every episode of the office ever made cursing the garbage man outside my window at 7 in the morning and writhing in the floor with uncontrollable laughter i have missed the point of school. and now it's almost over. so i am once again faced with the age-old question: will my alluring, magnetic personality suffice for a passing grade in this class in which i have applied about one-eighth of the blood, sweat, and tears it required? generally, and quite surprisingly, the magnetism pays off. i'll keep my fingers crossed.
on the other hand, however SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE BABYYY.
i couldn't be more excited either! actually i take that back. like four times. i would be more excited if a) i didn't have to take 9 hrs of class this summer b) scott was going to be here c) anyone else was going to be here d) i didn't have to work full time to get by
psh, ooookay debbie downer. whatev.
my back has been really itchy lately and i can't figure out why...?
Georgia in the House
courtney has been having issues. while lying on my bed the other night, she claims to have seen someone walk by my door through the big glass mirrors on my closet. after scoping the house for any trace of our other roommates, courtney begins to tell of the haunting scene in grave detail. the mere look on her face prompts me to lock my bedroom door and arm myself with one of my cheaper bottles of perfume** she explains that she saw the back of a red-haired woman walking "as if she had a purpose" past my door and into the living room. we didn't check her room for an intruder and, because it would be very easy for someone to have hidden in her room while we searched the living room, i was prompted to lock the door to the adjoining bathroom between our rooms as well... and with great haste. at this point, i retire from my station at the computer desk and the two of us pull my covers over our heads. courtney describes this woman as about 5'5", slender build, dark orangish-red hair that is wavy and comes to the nape of her neck. she was wearing a solid white tee shirt and brown terrycloth drawstring pants. she wasn't able to see her face since she was walking by, but we imagine it to be very disfigured. remember that scene on the sixth sense where that red-haired dead woman walked by the bathroom while the kid was in there? that's all i could think about. later, she included "for some reason when i think about that situation, i have a feeling that her name is georgia." we aren't sure if georgia is a poltergeist haunting our apartment or if she has some sort of connection to courtney but since then, straaaaange things have been happening. let us know if there have been any georgia sightings in your area.
**side notes: that would hurt if sprayed in one's eyes and i didn't want to waste my expensive perfumes.
we have a softball game at 7 this evening so wish the sunshine cadets some hella luck!
The Usual
i am tired and missing class and about to go get a pizza. it is very nice outside but our dryer is making a weird noise. like it's churning an entire laundry load of chains. the air from my window is warm and summery i'm a little homesick and i'm comfy in my sweats which leads me to say it's a typical day in stillwater USA.
We are so fragile. Our cracking bones make noise. We are just breakable breakable breakable girls and boys. Breakable // Ingrid Michaelson
so i have to give the people what they want. what is it they love so much about my rantings, you ask? could it be my stirring eloquence? the persuasive wordplay? my quick wit and subtle charm? we may never know. but nevertheless... i'm back and it's been awhile. i hope not only to match but to exceed the expectations. i know the tensions are high and the suspense is utter torment. there will be a press conference in the break room in 15 minutes.
maybe i should have thought of something gripping to write about before i sat down...?
we are experiencing the first hurricane in Oklahoma history. streets are flooding. dirty napkins. half-eaten sandwiches. hair pieces. cattle. wal-mart bags. can be found in just about any tree that is still standing. the wind is howling savagely. the terrified cars have no defense but to sound their screaming alarms outside my window with each crash of thunder. just a few restless nights. staying up watching steve wilkos verbally abuse the child molesters and wife beaters of the world. you tell em steve. in your oversized solid button-up shirt. blue, black or an optically puzzling pattern of muted fall colors. kick that chair.
i've come to find that amongst all the tolerable pain in the world my least favorites is a paper cut. it
is unbelievable how one tiny TEENY cut in one's finger could lead to a
full week of "just enough discomfort to irritate the living hell out of
you" pain.
honorable mention hangnails curling iron/oven burns toe stub canker sore
for
my children's literature class, i have been asked to read extensively
in all genres of children's picture books and short chapter books i have rediscovered some classics and found some new favorites. it may sound totally lame but rereading these books is a total guilty pleasure of mine. and if you like to read, you should try it this summer too.
highly recommended children's books:
there is a pair of shoes i have been eyeing online *buckle.com* for about a month. i think they are so adorable! but i am also sort of poor. and we never had them at our store so i was safe to talk about how much i need them. until today. my manager called and said they came in. in my size. and she put them on hold for me. goodbye nest egg.
bring on the debt.
well,
i have a class tonight from 4-10 and i am very seriously considering
taking a nap before i head out. so i better get down to it. what could
be more important that sleeping in the middle of the day? i honestly have no idea.
it's been real. it's been fun. but it hasn't been real fun. i'll be back with more tomfoolery soon. don't miss it.
that's my name in Japanese.
ps - if you like my blog you should check this out
...that's what she said.
you wouldn't have to look too far or too long awhile to make a lengthy list of all that i enjoy it's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile that moths and rust thieves and such will soon enough destroy
+++ If we swallow it's all over
An open wine bottle is made to believe
Silent you, love
Soldered soliloquies +++
ns
