Welcome March

Greet the Day

Find the Car

Not So Sure About This

Driving on 15th Street

After Church (what a difference 3 hours can make)

X-Snowman

Doing the Math

Somethings should be done (or not) regardless of what the math says. Too bad my brain usually does the math anyway. For example, one should never do the math on a pet, or the food a teenager ingests. I am REALLY excited about meeting my son in Mongolia and serving as his junior companion for a couple of weeks after his release date. This is a priceless experience but some part of me just had to consider alternate uses for the money (around $2000 just for the airfare) . . . I can see why some folks think I'm no fun. In this case I am glad that I have to sacrifice to make the trip happen; there is power in making a good choice that has significant cost. Besides, I have certainly spent more because I allowed myself to be pressured into going along with questionable choices in the name of getting along. Thankfully that trait is in remission.

Birthday Presents

They say it is the thought that counts... I say what were they thinking.

Action: Your spouse you birthday party the weekend before a test in a graduate class that is eating your lunch.

Reactions: Everyone makes a big fuss over the spouse for being so thoughtful. You are thankful that everyone tanks the test and the entire class gets a do-over. You later find out it was part of a smoke-screen to cover his extra-marital activity.

Action: your abuser blows his brains out on your 17th birthday.

Reaction: You wonder why he couldn't have done it on your 4th which is about the time the 8 (or 9) year nightmare started.

Action: You give your self a headache trying to be nice to someone else.

Reaction: Isn't it about time you started giving yourself the presents you want and need . . . if you don't you might keep getting the same old #^*@%.

Puppy Love

Cute when they are asleep and cuter still when awake. Take a peek! Oh and if you are wondering, yes they are all spoken for when they come of age.

Time for a Change

Funny in a creepy can this really be happening sort of way:

Shame on Me

So how bad is it when a guy friend is let go from his job and your first thought is cool maybe he will move to within driving distance ... ;-p (too bad I haven't figured out how to get the cool emoticons to work in blogger)

She Does Math

From my friend Lynn:

"Whatever you give a woman will multiply. If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.

So, fair warning... don't give her any crap."

On Mental Pin Ball

So the latest from Elder Byrd is that he's been singing again.

Got duped into singing “Zuud Noirondoo” by The Lemons in English class, but they have to sing “Mr. Lonely” by Akon. So that’ll be cool.

To my surprise my reaction to Akon's plight was amusement rather than the empathy. Let's face it, at some point in our lives many of us girls have harbored unspoken hopes that "he" will have a change of heart before it is too late. Then one day the song playing in my head morphed into "I'm so ronery" . . . at least now I know what I found funny. The empathy and melancholy finally came when I found an "enhanced" Akon video. Maybe it is time for Ginny to realize that he wouldn't be the first guy to use his wounded heart to gain the sympathy of another rather than meet you half way.

More Election Coverage

Peace in the Pieces

I decided to partake in some of the after hours opportunities on campus. I'm not sure what it says about me but my choices have been (1) a lecture on viral plagues, (2) a discussion by Norman Fischer on zen and the creative experience, and (3) Pieces of War. Maybe I should round out the week my attending some of the tailgating activities this weekend! One thing is certain, I won't be waiting around for someone who wants to tag along.

ONN Campaign Coverage

Try not to blink, you might miss the irony.


Portrayal Of Obama As Elitist Hailed As Step Forward For African Americans

Peaches

On the way back to Tuscaloosa, I stopped and bought a basket of peaches. I had forgotten how much I LOVE Chilton County peaches and that song! For the record, I have never been to the peach festival, maybe next year.

Anyway back when Elder Byrd was in elementary school we would listen to alternative music anytime his dad wasn't in the car (he insisted on a more enlightened fair) and this was one of our favorites. Since moving back to Tuscaloosa in 2005, I have realized that at some point he squishes a rotten peach and thinks of a love gone wrong (let's hope he's not a misogynist). So if one of my peaches goes bad before I eat them all, I may just have to squish it and smile ;-p

A-Day Fun

The plan was go to work early so I could get a parking spot before the fans arrived for the A-Day scrimmage game. Around 11:30 I decided I should take a break from grading and make a donation to the Theta Tau Charity Raffle. Then I thought, it was too nice of a day not to go check out the action on the Quad. The next thing you know I am in the nosebleed section of the northwest corner of Bryant Denny Stadium and it is already half-time and I really do have over 100 exams to grade.

So I go back to my office to find a voice mail informing me that I won!



Now the plan is to see how close they are to funding the dog and if necessary put the football back on the market to raise some more money. Why you ask? Because it is what I require of myself (darn do-gooder gene) . . . just like getting back to grading these exams.

50 ODD Things About Me

Something I found on a visit to Myspace.

1) Do you like blue cheese?
Of course

2) Have you ever smoked heroin?
No -yuk.

3) Do you own a gun?
Indeed

4) What flavor do you add to your drink at sonic?
Ice Cream (floats are yummy)

5) Do you get nervous before doctor appointments?
Not really, but the doctor should.

6) What do you think of hot dogs?
Good ones are fun occasionally.

7) Favorite Christmas song?
100 way tie.

8) What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
Hot chocolate

9) Can you do push-ups?
Yep

10) Can you do a chin-up?
Maybe half a regular chin up but I can do the girlie kind

11) What's your favorite piece of jewelry?
Not much into bling

12) Favorite hobby?
Martial arts

13) Ever been in a car wreck?
Several – “best” one was as a passenger in a 720 barrel roll.

14) Do you have A.D.D.
Perhaps if I were younger – they called it sassy or undisciplined back in the day

15) What's one trait that you love about yourself?
That gene that makes one run into a burning building to save people instead of running out to save oneself.

16) Middle name?
Irene

17) Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment?
I need to go to bed.
I am glad tonight is “Email from Mongolia” night.
I need to finish the laundry.

18) Name 3 things you bought yesterday?
Zip, nada, zilch

19) Name 3 drinks you regularly drink?
Water, milk, and cranberry juice

20) Current worry:
Nothing major

21) Current hate right now?
Mean people

23) How did you bring in the New Year?
Don’t remember

24) Where would you like to go?
to bed

25) Name three people who will complete this?
I don't know

26) Do you own slippers?
Yes, awesome lamb sheerling ones

27) What shirt are you wearing?
a girlie brown & black spandex t-shirt

28) Do you like sleeping on satin sheets?
I like sleeping--sheets are a plus

29) Can you whistle?
yep

30) Favorite color?
Red

31) Would you be a pirate?
Only if I can run with Jack Sparrow or Cap’n Kirk Redgrave(Pirates of the Great Salt Lake) and NEVER the sort from Hook.

32) What songs do you sing in the shower?
I hum along to whatever is rolling around in my head, but don’t sing.

33) Favorite girl's name?
?????????????

34) Favorite boy's name?
Christopher

35)Whats in your pocket?
Air, I don’t like carrying things in my pockets.

36) Last thing that made you laugh?
A student

37) Best bed sheets as a child?
Clean ones.

38) Worst injury you've ever had?
Not sure – either back trauma from the 720 barrel roll or a broken heart.

39) Do you love where you live?
Town – most of the time . . . Apartment - not so much

40) How many TVs do you have in your house/apartment?
1

41) Who is your loudest friend?
Mary

42) How many dogs do you have?
No live ones, but I believe the dead ones are waiting on me.

43) Does someone have a crush on you?
I’m afraid so, how odd is that.

45) What is your favorite book?
Scriptures (followed closely by another 100 way tie).

46) What is your favorite candy?
Chocolate

47) Favorite Sports Team?
My nephew’s pony league baseball team

48) What song do you want played at your funeral?
Something y’all can dance too.

49) What were you doing 12 AM last night?
Working at my office.

50) What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up?
Why am I awake at 5:30 (I had set the clock to sleep in until 7)

On the Origin of Butterflies.

I will NEVER look at butterflies quite the same way!

Time Stands Still

The Excuse: This was the 'fridge calendar used so my youngest and I could have some idea where the other was. Therefore, I haven't needed it since he reported to the MTC.

The Reality: Complicated, but I had been so focused on his reaching that goal that I hadn't planned much beyond. Thankfully, one was forming in the background. Now all I have to do is bring it into the light.

Parting Comment: It's not I haven't been doing anything. I've taught an extra class each semester AND my tax refund was in the bank by February 19th. This has been a nice experiment but I really do prefer a concrete plan even now that I know that almost nothing goes as planned.

Old, New, Borrowed & Blue

Spent the afternoon making new memories at Tannehill State Park. Many of the historical aspects of the park have been updated since I first visited the park when my missionary was four. A major part of the new memories involved roaming around the Trading Days area for the first time, I forgot my camera so I guess I'll have to go back.

It had stormed Friday night and Saturday morning so the sky was clear and almost as blue as the tarp in the picture. However, the blue of which I speak is a sad little corner of my heart. First, I was hoping to get a glimpse of the deer. Tim informed me that someone had taken the buck's head and entered it in a trophy contest. After that a decision was made to remove the enclosure and let the deer roam. I guess the good news is that since the buck was a local legend, the moron was caught. I wish I could say that there was no sadness for either of us from sharing memories of our kids from this place with each other than with our former spouses, but at least we can take a hint from one of the T-shirt designs to "Put on Your Big Girl/Boy Undies and Deal with IT!" Without commitment, love the feeling can never grow into love the verb.

When love meets no return the result is suffering, and the greater the love the greater the suffering. There can be no greater suffering than to love purely and perfectly one who is ben upon evil and self-destruction. That was what God endured at the hand of men.
Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, April 1997

At least our sadness comes no where near that of Heavenly Father. More importantly, with commitment, love the verb can overcome all things; so there is always hope.

Dangerous Cupcake

So would you eat a cupcake baked by a stranger? A couple of students gave one of my colleagues a homemade chocolate cupcake. She said she was afraid to eat it and gave it to me. I ate it, it was yummy. If there are no more posts you'll know why.

Fly Like a Beagle

I LOVE this little guy's attitude.

Resume Padding

Do you ever wonder why someone would falsify academic credentials? Then if one banks on being trusted rather than being trustworthy, I can see several short term advantages. However, the Internet has made it easy to check. For example, I ran a verification search on my graduate degrees and had the following in less than 5 minutes.



Why? Why? Why? Paraphrasing John Candy in Cool Runnings -- a graduate degree is a wonderful thing, but if you're not enough without it, you'll never be enough with it -- it follows that you won't become enough by adding an illusion. Sad...sad...sad.