(insert clever title here)

it happens to everyone, right?!

2008-06-12T09:41:00.003-05:00

Ok, so let's say you're coming up to a red light and you think you've stopped but you're still rolling and you touch the bumper of the guy in front of you...or you're parallel parking and bump into the bumper of the car right behind you...or you see a friend in front of you and, as a joke, you bump their bumper to get their attention and then you laugh and wave. It's happened to all of us, right? That's what the bumper is there for--to absorb those little "taps" that happen occasionally! It's nothing to get worked up about...and it's NOTHING to call the freaking police about, right?! well, if you were the yahoo i bumped yesterday, that would be WRONG! Lets call the cops and get an accident report...and get you a ticket, Missy! UGH!

Here's the story: I was at an intersection in Lafayette and we were stopped for a red light. I saw the cars start to move on the side of me and in front of us so i started to apply the gas when I realized that the car directly in front of me wasn't moving yet. I immediately hit my breaks but i don't break before TOUCHING his back bumper. It was so light, i didn't even think he'd get out of the car...but he did so i did. There was absolutely NO damage! not even paint transfer! I think he got the lovebugs that were on the front of my car and that's it! And then he's talking about how he's ok--not hurt or anything--but he's shaken up! (GIVE ME A BREAK! It was LESS than a tap!) But it's his wife's car so he needs to call her to see what she wants him to do. He then tells her he was REAR-ENDED (a LITTLE harsh for what really happened) but there was no damage and wants to know what he should do. So she--having not seen anything and going solely on his overblown description of what happened--says he should call the cops and get an accident report done so that, if they ever want to sell the car, there's an accident file on record saying what happened if there's any damage to the vehicle! (Are you following that screwed up logic?! So now there WILL be a mark on the carfax for the car...idiots!)

So then he doesn't want to move the vehicles and we're causing traffic to back up during the lunch hour...so after about 10 minutes, he calls his wife again and asks if its ok to move the cars out of the road and she tells him yes, so we move the cars! (Are you picking up on one of my big issues with this fella?!) So then we wait 45 freakin' minutes for a cop to arrive! When he does, it is THE cutest cop that I've ever seen in Lafayette! He's really nice but i think he was secretly rolling his eyes at the accident he was having to report. He has us both fill out our descriptions of what happened and proceeds to type it all up. He gives the guy his insurance stuff back and then he gives me mine along with a ticket and tells me that we really didn't need to call the police if there's no damage! I agreed and said that it was the other guy's decision! He was really sweet and told me to call my insurance and just let them know how minor it was. I think he felt silly for giving me the ticket, but once they're on the scene, they have to file the report and give the ticket. On the ticket where it asks about the amount of damage, he wrote in "none!" I love that! There wasn't even an option for that and he had to write it by hand!

It was SO completely ridiculous! It was a tap! You're supposed to get out of your car, check for damage, and then just wave and say "No worries!" This is what normal people do, anyway! I hit the one panzi who couldn't think for himself and had to have his wife tell him what to do! UGH!!! Anyone have any advice on who I could talk with to get the charges reduced to a non-moving violation?! I mean, seriously!

delayed reaction

2008-06-03T08:42:00.012-05:00

Hi there, long-lost readers...or perhaps it has been I who's been lost?! May is always a ridiculous time of year for all of the end-of-school hoo-rah. My blogging absence has been partially because, after sitting at the computer for HOURS on end trying to design a semester exam that my students could have a fair shot at passing (which is NOT an easy task as my students were not really the "academic" type to begin with and I just cannot make a 'gimme' test to save my life!), I just didn't have the interest or wherewithal to compose intelligent and meaningful insights into my life! (Ha!) And then partially because my friend Sherry tagged me in her blog and I've been stuck as to what I might reveal about myself in my response! School has been out for one week now and summer boredom has set in, so I thought I'd take a moment to catch up on my lapsed blogging responsibilities...first order of business: the tag!

The instructions about this tag are pretty simple. I believe I'm just supposed to reveal three random things about myself...but that gets harder when I consider all of the things I've already blogged about in this forum! Lets take a jog down memory lane, shall we? WAY back in the infancy of my blog, I waxed eloquently upon the magic and wonder of Crayola Color Wonder markers (one of my favorite posts, I must say!) That first year of my blog gave me an opportunity to remember my Dad's legacy. I wrote about the impending doom and then the resulting catastrophe of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. On the lighter side, I also wrote about the crushes I'd developed on local and national meteorologists (with an oh-so-embarrassing response from said local meteorologist!) as a result of the obsessive amounts of storm coverage I was watching! As I look back and reminisce, I realize that I've covered many of the significant and not-so-significant moments of my life for the past 3 1/2 years. There have been times when I didn't feel comfortable revealing details, but I have used my blog to express the emotion I felt through the experiences...it's been a good place for me. I've definitely slowed down from my 'blog twice every day' momentum of the first year, but I have tried to stay somewhat consistent in my efforts!

And so now I must come up with three random things about myself to satisfy this tagging! Hmmm...I have thought about this for a while, but I'm afraid I've not come up with anything particularly exciting or revealing! My disclaimer thus given, I will begin!

1. I am ridiculously "connected": I have a blog, a myspace, a facebook, a blackberry curve (which I LOVE and which allows for a much more enjoyable texting experience!), and I twitter! I'm sure that there is more that I could do, but I thing I have my hands full at the moment!

2. I absolutely love, love, love LOST! Maybe it's the literature-lover in me, but I find the storyline absolutely fascinating! The writers have done such a good job of developing the characters in surprising and unexpected ways, yet still in keeping with who they are as characters within the storyline. And the storyline has expanded SO much since its inception! It's been a wild ride, but one I plan to stay on until the bitter end! I cannot wait to see how it's all resolved...but that will also be a VERY sad day! I also have a pretty significant crush on Henry Ian Cusick who plays Desmond (He also played Jesus in The Visual Bible: The Gospel of John) and I was quite relieved to find that he survived the season finale! ha!

3. If I could be independently wealthy and have whichever career I choose, I would become a professional photographer. I am well aware that with all of the advances in photography equipment and technology, this is a common interest for many...but count me in with that lot! I remember saying that I wanted to be a photographer when I was in junior high but dad said that I shouldn't make a career out of a hobby (dad-speak for "get a real job!") so I planned a career all around my love of academia, reading and literature! ha! But I've always loved photography. I am still very much a novice and I just don't devote enough time or effort to develop my skills, but it's fun to noodle around with a camera in my hand and see what I come up with! I am the most neurotic event photographer you could probably ever have, but I think the end shots are reasonably well-done. I like photographing people best. I enjoy scenic photography, but I think I prefer the range of expression in portrait and candid photography. Of course, I'd also love to try my hand at travel photography...which is a big part of where the 'independently wealthy' qualification would come in handy! ha! My nephew Grayson is my most common subject, so I thought I'd include a few of my favorite shots of him. (These were taken with my Canon Powershot A520 point-and-shoot. I have a Nikon N80 film slr...haven't yet upgraded to a dslr. I'm making myself learn the basics on film first!)

Ok, that's three random facts! These may not be particularly new or insightful, but I've fulfilled the tag and now I can move on to other things!! ha! ...and I'm not so great at tagging other people, so I'll let that go for now, but comment back and let me know if you choose to participate in this blogging foolishness!!

seizing the day...whatever that means

2008-05-10T22:55:00.003-05:00

Have you ever had a day where you feel like you're being beat over the head with some particular message? Over and over, from every different angle...today has been one of those days for me. Well, it's been something that's been in the back of my mind for the last couple of weeks, but today has been a solitary, reflective sort of day where I feel like I'm drowning in this theme of seizing the day and not allowing the moment to pass you by. It's been in everything from the cartoon that was playing on noggin when I turned the tv on this morning (my nephew was here yesterday and that was the channel the tv was on when I turned it off...I do not really watch noggin on a regular basis!) to the movie that I caught the last 30 minutes of this afternoon; it was the theme of three of this week's tv shows that I tivo-ed and watched today (yes, I watched a lot of tv today!) it was in the statuses of facebook friends and the particular Post Secret cards that caught my eye...it just seems like that message is everywhere today: Carpe Diem. Do what matters now. Don't let the moment pass you by!

And I think I've picked up on this theme so readily because that it has been my heart's cry (yes, heart's cry--it may sound cheesy but I don't know how else to say it!) for the past few weeks--longer, really. I try not to talk about it too often because it seems to be a reoccurring yet never-quite-satisfied longing which everyone is probably sick of hearing about, but it hasn't gone away...do they ever? But the thing I struggle with is not knowing WHAT it is that I'm longing for. What will satisfy me at that soul-level? I feel paralyzed by indecisiveness! I would go after it full-force...if I only knew what I was going after!

I've always been curiously drawn to this passage in Proverbs 13: 12 which says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." I'm drawn to it because I feel like my hope is deferred and my heart is sick, but I don't know what I'm longing for! I long for fulfillment and purpose. I want to do something that makes a difference. I want to have meaningful interactions with strangers and colleagues and friends. But I don't know how to make that happen! My days so often unravel into a jumble of frustration and disappointment and I definitely don't feel like I'm "sucking the marrow out of life."

For so long I've done what I thought I was supposed to do. I'm a rule-follower at heart, and I don't know how to function when I'm not following the rules. But I feel like, in order to truly do those things--in order to really live life--I'm gonna have to make choices that won't please everyone...and I've been a people-pleaser for so long. I've lived my life playing it safe...and I'm realizing that it hasn't gotten me anywhere I want to be. I chose teaching because it was safe and practical--teaching is a great job for a mom, ya know. Except I haven't become a mom...and while I love literature, I don't particularly love teaching. I am living in Lafayette because that is sensible and practical. My family is here. We all go to my mom's house for lunch every Sunday and that makes her happy. I am single because life is easier that way. I avoid intimate emotional attachments because those are often messy and involve me making myself vulnerable and bare--something I try my best never to do.

But I'm becoming aware that the safe choices I've made have, on some level, become the velvet cage in which I've enclosed myself. And I don't know what the next step needs to be. I am both ready for a change and scared to death to do anything to make that change a reality. I thought that change was going to become a reality last summer, but yet another unravelling and with it, a year of uncertainty, frustration and trial. So here we are on the cusp of another summer...back at square one, so to speak. As so I wonder: When will it come together? When will things 'click'?! What part do I have in making that happen? What part is out of my control? And why, even when I've accepted that I'm not in control, do I still feel responsible for the outcome...or lack thereof?! I realize that I'm not making much sense at all. I'm sure I'll come back and read this in the light of day and cringe at both the coherence and content...but it's what I want to express right now. It's what is real and painful at this moment. I will end with a poem by Langston Hughes which expresses these sentiments much more eloquently than I could ever hope to do:

Dream Deferred

What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink
like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

ready to ride!

2008-05-03T16:34:00.002-05:00

Grayson loves helmets...and glasses. This picture just makes me laugh! Watching him walk around with that helmet on always makes me think of Dark Helmet in Spaceballs.

it's a baby!

2008-04-27T18:59:00.003-05:00

Erica had her ultrasound last week and we found out...it's a baby! *whew!* we were worried there for a second! More specifically, we found out that it's a boy. So, no girls in the David Hintze lineage as yet! I guess it's all up to me...hmmmm, then we might never have a girl! Anyway, here's a few pics of the little guy. I will respect his privacy and not post the "boy" shot! I do have some boundaries!!

A profile shot

The top of his head--when Grayson saw it, he said "gawww, that's big!" Where does he come up with this stuff?!

A foot

A face shot--this pic is a little creepy!

Does anyone else ever think of the episode of Friends where Rachel can't see the baby in the ultrasound when you see ultrasound pics? It always makes me laugh!

my appreciation for smart-alecks in all forms

2008-03-28T09:25:00.005-05:00

I've been working on a poetry unit lesson on sonnets for when we go back to school (ugh!). As I was looking through some of Shakespeare's Sonnets, I ran across this one which I've always loved and thought that I would share it here with you!

"My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun"

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red:
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak,--yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go,
My mistress when she walks, treads on the ground;
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.

There is no real point in using it to demonstrate any aspect of the Shakespearean Sonnet to my students because they just wouldn't get it (ugh!), but I wanted to post it here in the believe that my average reader might be a little ahead of my dear repeater freshmen!

introducing Thomas Cooper Frey

2008-03-26T22:21:00.005-05:00

Cooper was born around 2:00pm this afternoon to my dear friend Joni (Hanks) Frey. Cooper was originally due on March 11th, but he seems to be a laid-back guy who was in no hurry to arrive--but arrive he has! Cooper is Joni and Tommy's first child. As I thought it best not to alarm a 6-hour old infant with bright camera flashes, these pics were all taken without flash in a dim hospital room...so they're a little blurry.

Joni and Cooper

Tommy and Cooper

Awwwwhhhh!

Erica and Cooper

Me and Cooper

(Erica did not have the same qualms about using a flash...and Cooper didn't seem to mind!)

I think Erica pinched him or something...

I leave you with a foot! :)

I'm sure more pictures will follow in the days and weeks ahead! You know how I love taking pictures of babies!!

Easter, part one: the hunt!

2008-03-26T13:51:00.003-05:00

Well, of course there was a great lunch and lots of Easter candy to be had, but we start the picture-taking fest with the two big events of the afternoon: The Easter Egg Hunt and Pocking Eggs! These are the pics of the hunt. Pocking follows in a separate post.

Warning: I've posted way too many pics, but I like them all!

Eva

Grayson and Mammie are inspecting his basket.

Can you see the Easter egg? Yeah, neither could Peyton!

Presley caught on eventually!

And where was Damon during the hunt, you might ask?! hmmmm...

Easter, part 2: pocking eggs!

2008-03-26T12:26:00.005-05:00

I don't know what y'all do with a basket full of boiled eggs, but around here we pock 'em! Pocking eggs was always a part of our Easter family get-togethers, but I'm realizing more and more how strange and unfamiliar many of our South Louisiana traditions are to outsiders, so I'll explain: (actually, the person who wrote this blog will explain!)

It works like this. You take your hard-boiled egg, and your opponent would take his. Both of you would hold them with the pointy end exposed, and the two of you would rap them together until the point of one or the other broke. The broken egg became the property of the person with the intact egg. This would go on until nobody had an uncracked egg.

Here are some pics of this strange but really fun tradition!

Erica and Presley are really excited about their freshly dyed eggs!

Peyton and Presley are modeling with the eggs!

The girls are getting the hang of it!

Explaining to Pawpaw how it's done.

I just liked Presley's expression in this one.

The victorious pock!

Grayson and mom ditched the pocking for a serious conversation.

Erica with the last egg standing!

Presley with the victorious egg!

What do you do with a bunch of cracked, hard-boiled eggs? You peel them, of course!

Eva is saying "get off me!" You can tell that she has older siblings...and a pesky Pawpaw!

Me and my mom

Evidence of my mad photography skills!

2008-03-24T21:57:00.003-05:00

Well, I don't know about all that...but these are some pics from our "Trahan family photo shoot" at Rip Van Winkle gardens in New Iberia, LA, last weekend. We never did get a good family pic--2-year-olds can be a bit temperamental--but we got some cute shots of Grayson.

Soap

2008-03-24T09:57:00.002-05:00

"She hasn't blogged in a month and now she's writing about soap?!", you may say...but, I need to tell you, this soap is A-MAZ-ING! (And it's spring break and my randomness is in high-gear this morning!) I was shopping in TJ Maxx on Good Friday (because I had absolutely no idea what to do with myself on the first day of spring break, so I curled my hair, had a spontaneous lunch with a friend, and shopped! It was kinda fun, but I digress...) and while I didn't find the super-cute Easter outfit I wanted, I did find this amazing soap (along with the pretty new towels pictured with said soap, a sheet set that matches my bed set, and a great Slatkin candle which was WAY cheaper at TJ Maxx than at Bella Luna, which I had just been to before!) Oh, I WISH blogger had a 'scratch and sniff' function, because this soap smells great! And it's very aromatic--I can smell it when I'm standing in my kitchen! I want to take a shower every time I smell this soap! And do you see how big the tin is?! The soap is just as big--it's HUGE! I may never get to the end of this bar of soap...which is ok by me!

Ok, that's all I've got for this post. In summary: I have new soap and it smells great. Randomness has returned! :)

My Oscar Speech!

2008-02-24T10:39:00.003-06:00

Wow. Oh boy. I wasn't going to prepare a speech, but my sister, Erica, told me I'd jinx myself if I didn't. So, thanks, Buttercup!

[Pause. Inhale deeply. Nod to Jack Nicholson.]

I'd like to thank the Academy. I'd like to thank the sassy, beautiful, over-the-hill actors I was nominated with. Just to be included in a group with you all is an honor.

I'd like to thank my manager, Abe Goldstein, my agent, Ari, my stylist, and all the immensely talented people at Paramount, Harvey Weinstein, Toby, and Della Bridges.

I'd also like to thank my parents, who supported me through the death of my kitten, Snowball. And Tom Hanks, my one ... true ... love [gaze into audience].

Last, but certainly not least, we all just lost Mel Brooks, a truly stunning visionary and ridiculous soul. [Begin tearing.] I'd like us to take a moment to ... No! Yikes!!

Don't start playing that music, I have 68 more people to go!

My editor Jen Moy, my accountant Jessica Caperton, my lawyer Brian Hoffpauir, and my personal assistant Erica Trahan, Josh at Grendel Pictures. Brad Grey. When we started this project, declining standardized test scores in America was something no one wanted to talk about. Victims of childhood obesity, this is for you! Thank ...

[Music swells.]

You can write your own Oscar speech here. It's fun! :)

I may have posted this once before...

2008-02-04T08:43:00.000-06:00

but it deserves to be posted again! It makes me laugh (or cry...or laugh AND cry) and this blog is all about me, right?!

YOU MIGHT BE EMPLOYED BY A SCHOOL IF.....

1. You believe the playground/school quad should be equipped with a Ritalin salt lick.
2. You want to slap the next person who says, "Must be nice to work 8 to 3:20 and have summers free."
3. You can tell if it's a full moon without ever looking outside.
4. You believe "shallow gene pool" should have its own box in the report card.
5. You believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if anyone says "Boy, the kids sure are mellow today."
6. When out in public you feel the urge to snap your fingers at children you do not know and correct their behavior.
7. You have no social life between August and June.
8. Marking all A's on report cards would make your life SO much easier.
9. You think people should be required to get a government permit before being allowed to reproduce.
10. You wonder how some parents ever MANAGED to reproduce.
11. You laugh uncontrollably when people refer to the staff room as the "lounge".
12. You encourage an obnoxious parent to check into charter schools or home schooling.
13. You can't have children because there's no name you could give a child that wouldn't bring on high blood pressure the moment you heard it uttered.
14. You think caffeine should be available in intravenous form.
15. Meeting a child's parent instantly answers the question, "Why is this kid like this?"

I know where Satan dwells

2008-01-30T17:05:00.000-06:00

I firmly believe that Satan lives, firmly entrenched, in a Meche's king cake--raspberry and cream cheese-filled, to be specific!!! I know this beyond a shadow of a doubt because the remnants of said king cake now sit in my kitchen and it beacons me like nothing I've ever known!! Surely this MUST be Satan!! I bought a king cake yesterday because it was my turn to provide snacks for our English department's monthly meeting. Those English teachers did a good job, but there was still a bit left, so that came home with me...it's ridiculous! I had no idea how little will power I have! And of course, did I cut a normal piece and have that...no, I could never do anything so gluttonous! I must only indulge in a small piece here and there...so, the question is, of how many small pieces is a huge, freakin peace of king cake made?! Well, not to worry! I'm sure it will be gone soon...but I will also know where it's gone and I'm sure soon the shame and despair will follow. Oh well...it was good for the moment! SEE, proof that Satan has been here! ;)

Hi there!

2008-01-04T10:37:00.000-06:00

I figured it was time that I brought this blog into 2008! I start at OCHS on Monday, so most of my time has been spent trying to clean up my gross classroom and work on what I will be teaching on the first week back. I'm gonna rock some repeater-freshman worlds! Oh the pain I will cause. I'm almost kind of excited about it!! ...that's a little bit sick and twisted, but that's what happens when you sub for too long! I'm a mean ole' bird now! *insert maniacal laughter here*

Anyway, on a non-school subject, I've decided that it's time for me to take a trip. It's been way too long since I've been a tourist! But I have a few hurtles to conquer: 1-I need someone to go with! I'm not good at touristy stuff by myself--I need to share the experience! 2-Money, but that will come. I'm not too worried about that one. 3-I need a destination! Now, the destination is, of course, dependent on mainly #2 with obvious consideration to the feelings of #1...but if I had my druthers--and what exactly ARE druthers, anyway--this is what I would say:

US--New York City--late spring/early summer (because it's just time to go back!)
US--Chicago--late spring/early summer (because I've never been but I've heard good things)
US--Walt Disney World--mid-spring (because I love WDW and it's been too long!)

Europe--Ireland/Scotland/Great Britain (because I just saw P.S. I Love You and the Ireland scenes are just so beautiful!)
Europe--Italy(because I've wanted to visit for a few years now!)
Australia/New Zealand (because who doesn't want to go there! How cool would that be!)
Africa--South Africa (because I've wanted to go to Africa for a while now...I'm open to other areas of Africa and a mission trip to somewhere in Africa would be great, but I know that they speak English in South Africa, so I picked that country for a vacation destination--purely American egotism at work in that decision!)

So, anyone looking to take (and/or finance) any of these fabulous trips, talk to me! If you've got the money, honey, I've got the time! :)

My favorite Christmas commercial of the season:

2007-12-23T20:55:00.000-06:00

Old habits die hard...

2007-12-21T06:49:00.000-06:00

Ok, when I did my little experiment in November, it was not with the intention of flaking out on all of December...but it is beginning to appear that way, isn't it?! I'm blaming it on the SEASON! Nights that I would be home blogging 'til my heart's content, I have been at Church sitting through Sunday AM Christmas show production practices (We're doing a three-part thing on three consecutive Sundays) OR fuming in stupid Lafayette holiday traffic in an effort to find interesting and novel Christmas presents without spending exorbitant amounts of money OR at Mom's house wrapping her presents and trying to help out as best I can since she bears the lion's load of the holiday fanfare OR serving as a personal shopping assistant to dear ones who need someone along who'll say "oh yeah, she'll love that!" at the moment of indecision and frustration. I've had things that I wanted to blog about...but they occur to me at inopportune moments and then vanish like twilight dreams. And so this is a rambling apology and a promise to do better for the last 10 days of the year, or so!

Oh, and I am celebrating as today is my LAST day of Substitute Teaching--Hooray!!! I'll post more on the details later...

Oh #2, yesterday was Grayson's 2nd birthday. We had a party for him on Sunday at mom's house, and I took some pictures but Erica has confiscated my digital camera indefinitely (get your OWN camera, Trahan family!) so I don't really have any to post. I'll post a pic of him from just after he was born. It's hard to believe we started with such a fragile little creature now that we're in the throes of toddlerhood!

Just after he came home.

At Josh and Ashley's wedding this summer (all of my more recent pics of him are on film or in my camera, both of which are in Erica's posession!)

92.67%

2007-12-01T11:14:00.000-06:00

That's my blogging average for the month of November. I missed two days (11/24 & 11/30) and I'm only giving myself half-credit for the one day I posted late (11/19)...so 27.5/30=92.67%. Not so bad...I've always been ok with B's and, in honors classes, that would be an A! (Notice I'm still working off of the ole' 94%-A, 87%-B, 78%-C, 70%-D, grading scale...they've gotten a little more lax since my day, but I'm going old school! Or old school as I remember it, anyway.)

The experiment was interesting. I can't say that it's been my best work, but it forced me to be a little more aware of my thoughts and surroundings...which is a good thing, I guess?! My next experiment needs to go in the direction of exercising everyday! Ugh! That one might be a little more challenging!!

I think my leg is gonna fall off!

2007-11-29T21:28:00.000-06:00

Well, not really. But it is doing something weird and I thought I'd write about it here in the hope that some arm chair doctor would know what's going on! I have a spot on my left shin that will suddenly feel warm for a few seconds...and then it goes away. At first I thought I'd had my legs crossed and my nerves were just readjusting to the room temperature or something like that, but it does it randomly when nothing has been touching that spot. It doesn't hurt...although now I think I can feel the spot even when it's not warm (but I think that's just a psychosomatic symptom.) So? Anybody have any idea what it might be? I thought blood clot, but it comes and goes and the skin is not unusually feverish or swollen in any way. Maybe a nerve is just freaking out on me?! Stranger things have happened, I'm sure! Alright amateur Gregory House, MDs!! Get to work! Diagnose me!!

But what I really want to know is...

2007-11-28T22:01:00.000-06:00

I live on the red line. Not the red zone, the red line. Ya know, that fun little gauge often accompanied by a little light-up gas pump. I hate getting gas! For years my dream has been that someone would develop some little pill that I could just drop into the gas tank and PRESTO: A full tank! I hate tanking up! I've considered purchasing a hybrid vehicle, not because my heart bleeds for the environment (of which I support in all it's green glory!), but in the hope that better gas mileage would mean less trips to the gas station. Did I mention that I hate getting gas?

So tonight I saw a commercial for Honda's new fuel cell vehicle (FCX Clarity) and my first thought was not, cool! near-zero emissions! but hmmmm...I wonder if that would eliminate trips to the gas station?! Selfish and insensitive, I know, but if I can't be selfish and insensitive on my own blog, where else can I be?! And of course I would be delighted that the car helped the environment while simultaneously helping me! I'm not oblivious to the plight of the planet! Anyway, I digress. In case you're curious about this vehicle of the future, you can check it out on the Honda site. I also found this article explaining how you might tank up this wonder vehicle: a "Home Energy Station unit, which sits outside your house and reforms natural gas to produce enough Hydrogen to power both the car and the home's energy needs at around 50% of the normal cost and with a 30% emissions reduction." Isn't that GREAT?! I mean, if I still have to tank up, I'd much rather do it at home...assuming that, by the time these vehicles are available for the mass market, I would, indeed, own my own home! Well, lots of things to dream about...

Ah-hah!

2007-11-27T21:27:00.000-06:00

It's funny how sometimes the things I say--to others and to myself--will cause a song to stick. And it's rarely really great, powerful songs that get stuck. No, more often it's nonsense--some song that drives me nuts or a single line that repeats over and over. Grayson is a big fan of The Backyardigans so, needless to say, I've seen several episodes multiple times!

Earlier tonight I was looking for something in my kitchen and, when I found it, I said, "Ah-hah!" which is a very natural response...but now I've got this Backyardigans diddy running through my head. And it's not the whole song. Oh no! It's simply Pablo singing the, "Ah-hah!" part and it's driving me crazy!

Grayson knows many of the songs and he's been singing them lately. It's really funny because he'll just burst out singing something about Sherman and we know he's referring to Sherman the Worman (in Polka Party Palace) Or, if you tell him something that is actually a line in a song--like "Hold on tight!" he'll respond with a hearty "YAH!" ...it's a viking yell!? And it never fails that I keep singing the song he sings long after he's moved on to something else! Alright, I've gotta "go, go, go...I can't go fast if I go too slow..." Uggghhhh!! ;)

quantity vs. quality

2007-11-26T22:16:00.000-06:00

I'm afraid that it's quite evident that quantity does not guarantee quality when it comes to me and blogging! I wish I had more interesting stuff to write about. I'm finding that I write much more eloquently when I wait for inspiration to strike rather than forcing it as I've been doing...but this has been a fun and interesting experience. I am now more inclined to blog. I was definitely out of practice! And I have had some interesting ideas. I just haven't spent the time that it takes to sit down and compose my more thought-required posts. Believe it or not, if I want to write something of substance, it does take a little dedicated time and focus. So, on that note, I'll sign off and perhaps inspiration will strike tomorrow! :)

Oh, and for those of you who are keeping up with my job drama, I am back to general subbing for now. (That's enough to suck the inspiration right out of anybody!) I am supposed to start a full-time at OCHS in January...that's been confirmed twice by the principal, but I am not trusting anything until I have contract in hand! So, remember to be kind to your sub!!

Hallelujah!

2007-11-25T22:09:00.001-06:00

Relegated to the back roads no more: The Atchafalaya Basin Bridge reopened as of 7:00pm tonight! They've capped the blown well, escaping gases are being burned off, and official sniffers are checking the air quality, so all is good! Anybody wanna go to New Orleans?! I'm game!! :)

Striken

2007-11-23T22:34:00.000-06:00

Alright, this writers strike seems to be lingering on, threatening to change life as we know it!!! Well, maybe that's a little over-stated, but I found this listing on TVguide.com outlining when the strike will begin to effect original programming. I'm pretty interested, so I figured I'd bring the information to those of you who are probably more busy with the more important things of life than I tend to be! I'm not familiar with many of these shows (See, I don't just sit around watching TV every night!) and I've noticed that the list is not comprehensive, but it's a start. The article was posted on 11/23, so I'm guessing it's relatively current. Hope it helps!

Strike Chart

30 Rock: Ten episodes will be produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are four left.
Aliens in America: Seventeen episodes will be produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are 9 left.
Back to You: Nine episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are two left.
The Big Bang Theory: Eight episodes were produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
Bionic Woman: Roughly nine episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are two left.
Bones: Twelve episodes will be produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are four left.
Boston Legal: Fifteen episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are eight left.
Brothers & Sisters: Twelve episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are five left.
Carpoolers: Thirteen episodes will be produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are seven left.
Cavemen: Thirteen episodes will be produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are seven left.
Chuck: Thirteen episodes will be produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are four left.
Criminal Minds: Roughly twelve episodes will be produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are roughly two left.
CSI: Eleven episodes will be produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are three left.
CSI: NY: Fourteen episodes will be produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are five left.
Desperate Housewives: Ten episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are three left.
Dirty Sexy Money: Eleven episodes will be produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are three left.
ER: Thirteen episodes will be produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are five left.
Friday Night Lights: Fifteen episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are eight left.
Gossip Girl: Thirteen episodes will be produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are five left.
Greek: Eight new episodes will be produced. None have aired yet, so there are eight left.
Grey's Anatomy: Eleven episodes will be produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are two left.
Heroes: Eleven episodes will be produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are two left.
House: Twelve episodes will be produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are four left.
Jericho: Seven episodes will be produced. None have aired yet, so there are seven episodes left.
Las Vegas: Nineteen episodes will be produced. Nine have aired, so there are 10 left.
Law & Order: SVU: Fourteen episodes will be produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are six left.
Life is Wild: Twelve episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are five left.
Lost: Eight episodes will be produced. None have aired yet, so there are eight episodes left.
Medium: Nine episodes will be produced. None have aired yet, so there are nine episodes left.
Men in Trees: Nineteen episodes will be produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are 13 left.
My Name is Earl: Thirteen episodes will be produced (that includes two one-hour eps, which count double). Ten episodes have aired, so there are three left.
The New Adventures of Old Christine: Eight episodes have been produced. No episodes have aired, so there are eight left.
Numbers: Twelve episodes will be produced. Eight have aired, so there are four left.
The Office: Twelve half-hour episodes will be produced. Twelve half-hour episodes have aired, so there are zero half-hour episode left.
One Tree Hill: Twelve episodes will be produced. None have aired yet, so there are twelve episodes left.
Prison Break: Thirteen episodes will be produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are five left. (On hiatus 'til Jan. 14)
Private Practice: Ten episodes will be produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are two left.
Pushing Daisies: Nine episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are two left.
Reaper: Ten to 12 episodes will be produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are two to four left.
Samantha Who?: Twelve episodes will be produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are six left.
Scrubs: Eleven episodes will be produced. Four episodes have aired, so there are seven left.
Shark: Eleven episodes will be produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are two left.The
Shield: All 13 season-seven episodes will be completed. None have aired (the final season gets underway in '08), so there are 13 left.
Smallville: Fifteen episodes will be produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are seven left.
Supernatural: Ten to 12 episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are three to five left.
Ugly Betty: Thirteen episodes will be produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are four left.

Just Say No To Turkey!

2007-11-22T23:43:00.000-06:00

That's right dear reader! This year our family just said NO to turkey on Thanksgiving! How sick and twisted is that?! Instead, we had barbecue ribs and chicken, roasted corn grits (which I've recently become kinda obsessed with) and rice dressing along with the more traditional green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie. I must say that the meal was quite delightful! A wonderful time was had by all! Happy Thanksgiving, dear reader!! And if you're hitting all of those great Black Friday sales starting at 4am tomorrow, ...lemme know how that goes for ya! But wait until a little later to call because you won't catch me up and shopping at such a psychotic hour!

gotta love the small print!

2007-11-21T23:08:00.000-06:00

So I received a "pre-approved" credit card offer in the mail and, just for fun, I perused the fine print. This card is one that offers a 0% APR for 15 months which then switches to a fixed APR of 9.99%. If one is observant, one would notice a little 'a' at the end of that sentence indicating that you need to read on. When you find the little 'a' at the bottom of the page, you see this:

Rates, fees, and terms may change: We reserve the right to change the account terms (including the APRs) at any time for any reason, in addition to APR increases that may occur for failure to comply with the terms of your account. . .The APRs for this offer are not guaranteed; APRs may change to higher APRs, fixed APRs may change to variable APRs, or variable APRs may change to fixed APRs.

Now, is it just me, or is the concept of 'fixed' a little hazy to these people?! So it's fixed until they arbitrarily decide to change it? . . .by definition, wouldn't that be variable--which means subject to change?! (fixed--to make set or rigid; to put into permanent form. variable--apt or liable to vary or change; changeable; capable of being varied or changed; alterable.)

Perhaps I'm just old fashioned, but if I found this idea in a paper I was grading, I would FILL UP the margins explaining to the writer why he/she could not call something fixed if that thing can be altered at any time. . .apparently the writers of the Chase Visa Platinum Card mail-outs see have a slightly more modern twist on the terms?!

Happy Birthday to ME! Happy Birthday to ME!! Happy Birthday dear ME-EE! Happy Birthday to ME!

2007-11-20T08:15:00.003-06:00

So, you might have noticed that today is my birthday?! ;) I just wanted to be sure I'd posted since who knows where the day may lead!! ha! That would be a joke! And in case you were wondering, I turn 25 today! Isn't that great! I love being 25, and plan to keep being 25 for a while!! ha!

oops!

2007-11-19T23:55:00.000-06:00

I missed posting on the 19th...I didn't mean to miss it! I just forgot! How could I?! I've worked so hard!! I've dragged myself out of bed a few times so that something would be posted...and one simple slip of the mind and my record is shot! ugh! ...well, I'm dating this post for the 19th! It was there in spirit! Ok, here it is:

Have you seen this? (would have been my title if I were not readily admitting my indiscretion)

I have gmail and it often has random little website advertisements at the top of the page. I usually ignore them, but one will catch my eye from time to time. The particular line that caught me today was: Ben Stein is EXPELLED. I've been a fan of Ben Stein since the days of Ferris Bueller, so my interest was piqued and I clicked the link. This is what I found:

Ben Stein is EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed

It's a documentary of sorts by Ben Stein on the ways that "Big Science" has ostracized those who might believe in Intelligent Design. Here is the site's overview of the film that I found on the site:

Who: Ben Stein, in the new film EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed

What: His heroic and, at times, shocking journey confronting the world’s top scientists, educators and philosophers, regarding the persecution of the many by an elite few.

When: In theatres near you, starting February 2008

Where: Ben travels the world on his quest, and learns an awe-inspiring truth…that bewilders him, then angers him…and then spurs him to action!

Why: Ben realizes that he has been “Expelled,” and that educators and scientists are being ridiculed, denied tenure and even fired – for the “crime” of merely believing that there might be evidence of “design” in nature, and that perhaps life is not just the result of accidental, random chance.

To which Ben Says: "Enough!" And then gets busy. NOBODY messes with Ben.

The site is funny (Ben Stein in a prep school uniform is kinda funny to me) and the premise seems interesting! I'm curious to see this...which, I guess, is why gmail has the little advertisement ticker over the top of my inbox! Clever people!!

Still a place like no other!

2007-11-18T23:11:00.000-06:00

Earlier tonight a friend and I were talking about going to New Orleans around the Christmas holidays which reminded me of the really cool tradition of Reveillon and Papa Noel hotel rates. If you've never heard of these really neat New Orleans traditions, here is a brief explanation taken directly from the neworleansonline.com site:

Revellion--A French Dining Tradition

During the mid-1800s, New Orleans' Creole families celebrated the "Reveillon" (French for "awakening") twice during the holidays. The first Reveillon came after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, when families returned from St. Louis Cathedral to break a daylong fast with an elaborate meal. The meal consisted of egg dishes, sweetbreads, and Creole specialties such as daube glace. It often ended with a cake filled with fruit confection, dripping with wine or rum, and topped with whipped cream.
New Year's Eve brought another Reveillon, usually shared among several families. This more festive meal featured eggnog, fancy pastries, meringues, sugar sculptures, and crystallized fruits. By late afternoon, families would return home to a light supper followed by a night of singing and dancing, with wine and whiskey for the gentlemen and cordials and liqueurs for the ladies.
Today's Reveillon is celebrated nightly during the Christmas season in restaurants throughout the city. Menus combine ageless Creole cuisine with more contemporary New Orleans dishes, but the spirit of the past remains. In fact, three of our Reveillon restaurants–Commander's Palace, Galatoire's, and Tujague's–are more than 100 years old! So revel in nostalgia. Join us for the Reveillon–the authentic taste of Christmas New Orleans Style. (Taken directly from http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/seasonal/christmas/reveillonmenus.html)

Papa Noel Hotel Rates

December 1-31, 2007 based on availability
Linger longer with lower rates created just for the holidays!
Hotels throughout the city welcome you to Christmas New Orleans Style with discounted Papa Noël room rates. These special rates make it easier for you to spend more time enjoying the great food, music and events of the season.
This page details the offerings of the wide variety of participating hotels, bed & breakfasts and guesthouses. From historic homes along Esplanade Avenue to the courtyard classics of the French Quarter, from full-service, modern downtown hotels to luxurious inns in the heart of the Garden District—you choose the corner of New Orleans you want to experience this December.
Thanks to Papa Noël, your New Orleans holiday vacation will be more affordable than ever! (Taken directly from http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/seasonal/christmas/papanoel.html)

redecorating...

2007-11-17T22:27:00.000-06:00

I am bored with my blog template (not to mention all of the other blog templates that blogger has available). I have a few friends who've recently redecorated using pyzam.com templates, but I haven't found any of there that really grab me. Anyone have any bright ideas on interesting blog templates? Perhaps I should design my own...but that sounds like alot of work! Anyone want to design one for me?! yeah, I didn't think so! ;)

Yeah, go ahead and laugh!

2007-11-16T21:48:00.000-06:00

Alright, in a desperate attempt to find something to post, I am making myself a little vulnerable by admitting this: I watch (and quite enjoy) Moonlight. It plays on CBS on Fridays at 8:00pm. Other than my love for Smallville which has brought me ridicule on this blog before, I typically don't like shows of a supernatural vein. I've never been interested in shows like Ghost Whisperer, much preferring the copious who-did-it crime dramas that tend to dominate prime time television these days, but Moonlight has captured my fancy for the time being. I do need to say that the main drawing factor for me would be Alex O'Loughlin who plays Mic St. John, the main character. Oh, he's a cute one alright! I will not defend the writing or the story lines because I'm not immune from judging them myself, but I don't care! Mic is a cutie and that's why I watch! ...that and I LOVE the criss-cross built-in bookshelves that are in Mic's apartment! They are beautiful! I'm trying to find a picture but have had no luck as yet.

Reflections on what never was

2007-11-15T21:47:00.000-06:00

On a random Tuesday night while driving to my small-group, I had a phone conversation that I thought had the potential to seriously alter life as I knew it. The call came because of a well-intentioned and well-timed reference from a close friend regarding an open editing position at a Christian publishing company which primarily produces student Bible study materials. The call was exciting and all-the-more surprising because I had decided only the week before to not renew my contract with the school I'd been with for three years. My plans were to apply for a position with the Lafayette Parish School System unless something more interesting came along, and this call seemed serendipitous...God-ordained, even!

The call lead to a job interview which, after a couple of nail-biting days, lead to a tentative job offer and an opportunity to do some contract work for the organization. The contract work--something I have had no experience with before then--gradually turned from a simple, straight-forward lesson update sort of situation to an overwhelming, disorganized mess. I was in way over my head while still teaching full-time and tutoring 3 hours a day! After being shuffled around between editors, I landed with my third and final editor and pressure was mounting.

I trudged through as best I could while also dealing with all of the end-of-the-school-year hoo-rah. Once summer started, I felt that I would have the time to devote to this time-devouring contract work. I worked 10-12 hours a day in an effort to catch-up because I was not working at the pace they wanted. Some reorganization started happening in the office and, as I heard more and more, I began to have an impending feeling of doom.

Eventually, the call came--they decided to go with someone who had more experience and had been working with them on a contract basis for a while. I can't say that I was surprised. I think I knew it was coming. Suffering from a strong case of wounded pride, I struggled with understanding what had happened. What was this all about? Why did God bring this amazing opportunity before me and wave it under my nose only to snatch it back? It just seemed so mean.

I would never call this an unanswered prayer--oh, no! This was a clear and definite, "NO!" But I still couldn't understand why. Mom always said that my favorite question as a child was, "Why?" and almost 30 years later, that doesn't seem to have changed much! Once the pain and tears subsided, I realized that I was actually relieve that it had not worked out. I was so overwhelmed and, had I been hired, I don't know that I would have enjoyed life in that particular field!

I may never know how that small piece of fabric will be woven into the tapestry of my life, but I do recognized so many reasons that I'm glad it didn't happen. Most specifically, I am glad that I have been here through Erica's recent medical situation and near my family in the wake of Brandon's death. Had the job become a reality and I had really moved, I would have felt so isolated and alone as I watched from afar. I am not saying that I would never move away from home, but I can see God's hand in keeping me here for this time and these events.

I will probably go on asking why, but I continue to do so with the understanding that my life is in God's hands and He ordains my path. Some people prefer to think that we determine our own paths, but I see no comfort in that way of thinking. I would never want to think that I might be stumbling around blindly trying to find my own way to oblivion. I am comforted by the fact that I have a relationship with a personal God who created me and has a plan for my life. I live a life of faith and hope. I may doubt at times and question often, but I continue to follow by faith.

FYI

2007-11-14T22:40:00.000-06:00

Well, I have nothing to post today...but in an effort to follow through on my commitment to post everyday for the month of November, I'm writing a post to tell you that I have nothing to post...it's been a long--and not particularly fun--day. For those of you who are familiar with my extended family, my Aunt Sussie's 22-year-old son Brandon died Friday from complications following an epileptic seizure. His wake was today and his funeral is tomorrow. Please keep his parents and older sister Kristen in your prayers in the days and weeks ahead. He was a sweetheart, and I still don't think I've realized that he's really gone. I will miss him.

Help! Help!

2007-11-13T21:33:00.000-06:00

Ok, I need your help! I don't often ask anything of you, dear reader, so in this you MUST indulge me!! Alright, now that I've declared my need in glaringly dramatic fashion, I shall humbly present my request. What novels do you remember reading (and liking) in high school and why? I will finally be teaching full-time starting in January and the unit I start with is "the novel." I'll be teaching regular freshman English classes and the kids in there are predominantly 1) male, and 2) completely uninterested in literature. As I am an almost 32-year-old woman who loves literature, I'm having a little difficulty coming up with novels that they might possibly be interested in reading. I doubt that we'll have time to read more than one novel (I may do a class novel and have them pick their own for a second novel if time allows) and I have a few ideas that would be both convenient and obvious picks for a 9th grade novel assignment, but I thought I'd throw it out to you just in case you had some great ideas! So, let's hear it!! Thanks for your help!!

If 24 were filmed in 1994...

2007-11-12T21:04:00.000-06:00

I don't watch 24, but I thought that this was pretty entertaining!

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1788161

So, is the whole world going on strike?!

2007-11-11T22:10:00.000-06:00

...ok, perhaps it's just MY world! Ha! Now Broadway stagehands are on strike:

Theatres turn away thousands as Broadway stagehands strike

The entertainment world has surely gone amuck! What's next?! The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon holders?!?! When will it end?! Where is the justice, people?!?! ...ok, I really don't know what I'm talking about. I'm just glad I didn't have Broadway tix! Those suckers are expensive! I wish someone would form a picket line in support for cheaper tickets! Now, that's a picket line I could get behind!

The Mysteries of TVland

2007-11-10T22:33:00.000-06:00

A random collection of observations and curiosities...

In TVland, people always drive with their windows down. I only ever roll my window down to engage in some drive-thru transaction, but people in TVland always ride with their windows down all of the time...and their hair never gets messed up...and they're usually not listening to the radio, either.
No one ever goes to the bathroom (unless it progresses the storyline, that is.)
It would be really cool (and convenient) to have background music--it lets you know when you should be concerned, it enhances the romance and drama of significant moments, it sets the mood...background music would be SO neat in real life!
If my car ever becomes a crime scene, I could only hope that it would be as clean as the crime scene cars in TVland! Seriously, they would never find significant fibers or scene-stealing clues in MY car...but they would find lots of random junk and a dashboard in serious need of some detail work!
The plethora of beautiful people always amazes me. I realize that TVland does not represent reality, in part, because the whole idea of TV is to escape reality, but seriously, there are no ugly people...and if they are ugly, it's bizarro ugliness that is intended to set the character off as an odd-ball or quirky. (i.e., I have NEVER been on a plane with as many beautiful people as those that populate the cast of LOST!)
And, while fat leading men can be found--usually with stick-insects for wives--you rarely, if ever, see fat women in leading roles unless they are the mother-figure of the show.
No one ever runs out of anything--like bread or toothpaste or clean underwear--unless it progresses the storyline and you never see anyone going grocery shopping or doing laundry.
No one pays bills.
Broke people still manage to have amazing apartments and great furniture.
Children are only rolled out when it advances the storyline...and then the rest of the time they seem to only be in the living areas of the house when it's time for meals or bed.
No one in TVland seems to have a living room lay-out designed around the location of the TV--ironically, most TVland homes don't seem to have TV's in their living rooms at all!

Alright, I could go on-and-on, but I'm sure you get the gist. And I know that having these things would take away that which makes TVland special and fun...but it's just stuff I've noticed in my wide range of TV viewing! Anyone have their own observations...other than the fact that I watch and/or think about TV too much?!

Happy Birthday Mom!

2007-11-09T22:31:00.000-06:00

Today is my sweet momma's birthday! I'm quite sure that she will never see this unless I show her myself, but I just thought I'd write the post anyway. Happy 55th birthday, Mom! I love you!!

Someday...

2007-11-08T21:51:00.001-06:00

I've wanted a Mini for a while now (go ahead and laugh Phillip!) ...it may just happen one of these days. But i don't think it will be blue...not sure what color I want, but I do want a convertible. This much I know!

A thought to ponder...

2007-11-07T22:40:00.000-06:00

Topic: Plastic...what would life be like without it?! Talk amongst yourselves.

Wise words from Currier Bell

2007-11-06T21:21:00.000-06:00

As I am an English teacher on occasion, I do enjoy a good literary classic every now and again. I spent my summer reading, for the most part, pure junk. Since school started and I wasn't doing any thing other than babysitting semi-functioning middle schoolers, I thought I'd delve into something challenging; something that I've always wanted to read but was never assigned. I had a fine at the public library, so I decided to search my own shelves for this heretofore undiscovered (by me) literary classic. I eventually decided on Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. With my copy coming in at just over 500 pages, it's always seemed a daunting task, but as I wasn't being daunted by anything else at the moment, I thought I'd give it a try. I won't give a synopsis of the novel, but if you're interested in the storyline, you can check out the Sparknotes for the story here.

I don't typically read novels with a highlighter unless I'm preparing to teach them, but the wisdom of this particular passage really struck me, so I thought I'd post it here:

Laws and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation: they are for such moments as this, when body and soul rise in mutiny against their rigour; stringent are they; inviolate they shall be. If at my individual convenience I might break them, what would be their worth?

Isn't that a good quote?! I'm a fan of good quotes and I'm always excited when I discover one on my own. The book was (surprisingly) really good and not hard to read at all. I highly recommend it!

...and in case you're wondering, Currier Bell was Charlotte Bronte's pen name.

...and in case you're keeping track, I am trying to use the word heretofore in as many posts as I can, just for fun!

strike = STROKE

2007-11-05T21:10:00.001-06:00

Having had a natural mistrust of the recording capabilities of VCR's in their heyday, I have--at times--been somewhat metaphorically chained to my TV set because of my love of prime time television programming. With the creation of such wonderful new inventions as the DVR, I've experienced a freedom heretofore unheard of...I could be a die-hard fan AND be away from home between the hours of 7-10pm! This independence has been sweet...but now we face another foe. Soon there will be no new shows for my lovely little DVR player to record! Yikes!!

Perhaps you have discovered by this point that the Writer's Guild has gone on strike over contract disputes with regard to DVD and Internet sales of the TV shows that they write for...I don't quite understand the fine details of this matter, but, based on what I'm hearing, I am beginning to understand how this will effect ME and I'm not so happy!!! Dear reader, you must understand: I am a single woman of limited financial means and no children or small animals to keep me occupied. I must have SOMETHING to fill up my evenings and keep my mind off of my impending spinsterhood!

If you're looking for a little info on this most unfortunate turn of events, check out this short interview and article. I will cut-and-paste a portion of the article that causes the most pain:

Are shows like 24 and Lost in Jeopardy? USA Today runs down the many other ways the one-day-old strike has already impacted the TV season, including the cancellation of NBC’s planned Heroes spin-off, a possible postponement of the new season of 24 and a potentially shortened (to eight episodes!) season of Lost.

Oh my!! What will we do?! This is just too much! The cost is too high!! Give these writers what they want oh present-day money barons of the network conglomerates!! Can't you see what you're doing to us common folk! I might be forced out of my home--bored with re-runs and suffocated by obnoxious reality TV--and forced to interact with actual human beings for evenings on end! This is something I cannot comprehend! Please, for the love of all that is good and pure in this sad little world of ours, don't let this drag on for months as some are predicting! Give us our first-runs back!!! Thank you for your prompt attention in this matter.

PS...I'm with the writers on this one. I realize that this could cause me much pain if it continues, but I do think it's only right that they are fairly compensated for their work in all areas of revenue. That's my two cents, anyway!

Christmas (music) comes early...

2007-11-04T20:47:00.000-06:00

Now, I am not one to start the Christmas festivities too early--I'm a fan of my birthday AND Thanksgiving, both of which come before--but I must say that, when I learned that Josh Groban had FINALLY recorded a Christmas CD, I rushed out to buy it! I've been waiting for this for years now!! So, sad as it is, if you happen to see me on the road, suffice it to say that you will probably catch me listening to some Christmas tunes a month too early. . .I mean, it's Josh Groban, people!!

Day 3: pics from Josh and Ashley's wedding

2007-11-03T22:09:00.000-05:00

My cousin Josh married this beautiful girl named Ashley--who's WAY out of his league, if you ask me! ;)--this summer and I realized that I never posted any of the pics from our trip. So, here are some pics from the trip!

Grayson and Erica before the service...and right before a very active Grayson went to meet his new cousin Mikey in the back!

Josh (the groom) with his nephew Jackson and Uncle Donald in the background.

I wasn't a shutterbug during the ceremony, so I'm afraid those are all of the pics from the ceremony. The rest are really just us entertaining ourselves at the reception. I've tried to limit those to spare the innocent (which would be you, my dear readers!)

Grayson being his jolly self at the reception.

My Uncle Warren showing his better side...and if you think this pic is weird, I'll spare you from the REALLY interesting ones that he took! My family has a warped sense of humor! ha!

Erica in rare (?) form...with Damon looking on in the background and probably wondering what he's gotten himself into! ha!

Warren teaching Grayson how to play with fire.

More playing with fire while Aunt Frieda looks on.

My Uncle Donald...I really look up to him!

The happy couple! Aren't they cute?!

It was a really fun trip, and I'd like to thank Josh and Ashley for getting married so that we could visit again so soon--that's twice in less than a year, I'd like to point out!

We enjoyed visiting with other people who aren't pictured here like Phillip, Jenny, Mikey, and Aunt Debbie...but I really didn't take very many pictures (and I'm not sure what's ok to post on their end), so I didn't get a very good representation of the fam. Sorry guys! Maybe next visit!

Day 2 and already out of ideas!

2007-11-02T20:43:00.000-05:00

Hmmmmm...this posting everyday thing used to be a breeze! What happened?! I guess I'm just out of practice. I did find something the other day that might be of interest to any LOST fans out there!

http://dispatchesfromtheisland.blogspot.com/

It's Jorge Garcia (Hurley)'s blog. He doesn't give away any plot spoilers (by way of contractual obligations, I assume) but it's fun to see what the other side blogs about! Enjoy!

abandon...sweet and otherwise

2007-11-01T18:53:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I was chastised today for my lack of blogging. I don't even think anyone (other than Lynette, the said chastiser) even reads this anymore, but I am repenting of my lack of blogging by committing to a full month of blogging fun! That's right, I commit to posting every day in the glorious month of November...so let's see how long THAT will last!

For my November 1st post, I have pictures of Grayson in his Halloween costume! Enjoy!

A cheery pirate, he is!

Arrrrgggghhhhh!

Damon got in on the act!

Damon and Grayson playing around.

An impromptu Shakespearean performance, mayhaps?

Hey, Pirates like to look good!

in my humble opinion...

2007-09-03T12:48:00.000-05:00

SOMEONE needs to tell the Jolie-Pitt conglomerate that they need to slow their roll! Now, perhaps you have a different opinion, and you are perfectly entitled to that opinion--so go write about it on your own blog--but I'm kinda tired of hearing these two talk about having children like they're collecting webkinz or something! As reported in an article on people.com, "When asked by Italian state TV if he and partner Angelina Jolie were ready for a fifth child, Pitt replied: 'Yeah, we're ready.'" What?! Can someone please remind Brad that they already have four kids! And has anyone stopped to add up the months in between each of these new additions: Jolie adopted Maddox in March, 2002; three years later, she adopts Zahara in July 2005; 10 months later, Shiloh is born in May, 2006; 10 months later they adopt Pax in March 2007...other than the gap between the first and second, that's only a 10-month stretch! Most mothers I know would have had a stroke by this point! It MUST be nice to have nannies!

Ok, I have no problem with the idea that the Jolie-Pitts are genuine, open-hearted people who want to create a loving environment for international orphans and the like, but they aren't running an orphanage, they're adopting these kids--taking on the responsibility of raising them to become mature, reasonably normal adults. I guess my burning question is how do they give each of these children the nurturing and attention that they need from both their mother and their father? Yes, children often grow up in much less desirable environments, but ole' Brad and Angie are choosing to live and raise these children as a couple--a Hollywood couple, at that. Yes, rich people have been letting other people raise their children for hundreds of years, but those are generally the children that they choose to bring into the world. The J-P's are choosing to create this environment and then hiring other people to make it all happen. I am having trouble seeing their benevolence as anything other than the newest collecting trend among the rich and eccentric.

The report goes on to say, "Brad Pitt says that with four children, 'sleep is non-existent' and some days fatherhood is a roller coaster ride." How in the world do they expect anyone to believe that, if one of the children cries out in the night, Brad is the one who jumps up to calm the tears?! When do you ever see ole' Angie trying to wrestle all four kids into the family mini-van so that she can get Maddox to school on time?! OH, and where in the world is Maddox in school? They're in a different state every other week...and Angie's off in Iraq!

"It's the most fun I have ever had and also the biggest pain in the ass I have ever experienced," [Brad] told reporters at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday. "(But) I love it and I can't recommend it any more highly." Well sure, Brad...I'm sure everyone would love to be a father when they want to...and then hand them off to the nannies when it's time to go play cards with Clooney and the boys! bleh...

[Please note: this is only MY humble, uneducated opinion based on info I'm getting from People.com and Entertainment Tonight! I have not thoroughly researched the effects of stacking up kids like cordwood and hiring a hoard of people to care for them so that you can jet-set off to Venice and Hollywood for glamorous film-festival after glamorous film festival. I'm sure the kids are fine...and living in much better digs than I ever will!]

Summer 2007 in a post

2007-08-20T20:35:00.000-05:00

My summer? Somewhat uneventful. These pics (and my next post) pretty much sum it up. We begin with Jen's wedding. The next pics are the highlight of my summer--our trip to Kyle and Katie's house. The pics were mainly taken with a film camera and scanned on my dinky free-with-computer scanner, so sorry about the quality! I'll be posting a few pics from Josh and Ashley's wedding soon...

Jen's wedding party

who doesn't love a wedding cake?!

ABC friends 4 life!

Lynette and Janie...and don't we all wonder what THEY were talking about?!

Patty and Aggie--the twinkies!

Oh, yeah!!

We're goin' to see David and we're SOOOOO excited!!!

Bathtime fun

We're clean and we're LOVIN' it!

David is hilarious!!

David and the giraffes

David and Katie are chillin' in the penguin house.

Erica, Grayson, and Mom

David, Erica, Grayson, and Mom

Erica and David

Grayson and Kyle jammin' out

polka-dot buddies

uhm, I don't even know how to label this one!! :)

...coming soon, pics from Josh and Ashley's wedding!

I'm confused...am I actually supposed to WANT to eat Sour Skittles after watching this?

2007-07-26T23:15:00.000-05:00

Yuck!!

growing up!

2007-07-18T22:45:00.000-05:00

I realized that it's been a while since I've posted any pics of the 'fam'. I bought a Nikon N80 a few months ago and, since then, I haven't done much with my digital camera (nor have I done a good job of developing the film, but that's a whole 'nother story!) I shot these pictures of Grayson out at Mammy's house (that's what he calls Mom--it's supposed to be Grammy, but he's changed it to Mammy! Now, had any of US suggested that she be called "Mammy," she would have hurt us, but since it's Grayson--he who does no wrong--she's ok with it! I still think it's funny, but I digress...) a few weeks ago and just picked up the film tonight, so I've scanned some of them on my dinky little scanner and posted them here for the delight of my one reader!! We just got back from a trip to Missouri to visit Kyle, Katie, and David, and those pics are off to be developed as I write...so maybe I'll post them soon! Until then, Grayson (age 18 months) at Mammy's:

"CHEEEEEESSSSSEEEEE!!!"

The solemn profile shot

The kid likes to clean...he takes after his aunt! What can I say?! ha!

Get ready GQ!! ;)

NO WAY!!

(I think this is my favorite of the bunch!)

Forget avatars...now you can be an M&M!

2007-07-10T19:07:00.000-05:00

It's me! Neat, neat fun!! Try it out!

external motivators

2007-06-29T12:18:00.000-05:00

Everybody loves the lofty ideals that are at the base of intrinsic motivators--to know that you're doing something because you love it on some deep, soul-satisfying level, or because at it's essence, this activity or behavior is leading to a higher quality of life. Heck, it's the stuff of blockbuster movies and best-selling novels! But we all know that intrinsic motivators aren't always enough, otherwise we'd stop at red lights and obey speed limits because it feels so good to do so, and we'd pay all of our bills on time because it fulfills some deep emotional level in our souls.

Yeah, I'm afraid to say that external motivators are here to stay because it becomes exhausting to live with our fingers on the pulse of our deep psychological needs. Rules are easier. Negative consequences, while ugly and hard to accept, are often larger motivators than simply doing things for the right reasons...and no, I'm not making some big argument for legalism vs. grace.

What I'm talking about here is dieting! I'm awful at it and I need to get a whole lot better. There have been times when it's not been as hard. I've psyched myself up and developed a plan and a system--and I achieved modest results. But it's so much easier to fall into not doing anything, and so often I have. Part of my problem is, while I realize the intrinsic benefits that come with exercising and losing weight, I don't have any extrinsic motivators that are strong enough to kick-start my psyche into action...until now! I've made a 25-week dieting and exercise pact with a dear friend and I created my own external motivator: a haircut! If I don't lose a rather significant amount of weight (the amount of which is known only to her and a few others) by December 21, 2007, I will have to submit to a boy-short haircut! Yikes!

I realize that this may not sound so awful to boys and women who have embraced the short haircut, but for one who's instructions to her hairdresser always include the stipulation, "it needs to be long enough to pull into a pony-tail," this consequence invokes pure terror! And so now I have my external motivator--and a friend who will hold me to it--and I'm raring to go!! So look for me at Christmas...a good bit thinner with flowing locks, OR chunky and boy-short! It scares me just to think of it...I'll leave you with a parting shot for visual reference (although I have a feeling that the look won't be quite as cute on me as it is on Natalie Portman!)

I'm no Jay Leno, but...

2007-06-14T10:15:00.000-05:00

When did orange juice become a dairy product?!

Bar-be-que: ordained by God?!

2007-06-06T15:28:00.000-05:00

Verses I found after a recent search on BibleGateway.com:

Exodus 29:18Then burn the entire ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire.

Exodus 29:25Then take them from their hands and burn them on the altar along with the burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to the LORD, an offering made to the LORD by fire.

Exodus 29:41Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight with the same grain offering and its drink offering as in the morning—a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire.

Leviticus 1:13He is to wash the inner parts and the legs with water, and the priest is to bring all of it and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.

Leviticus 1:17He shall tear it open by the wings, not severing it completely, and then the priest shall burn it on the wood that is on the fire on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.

Now, is it just me, or does it seem like the LORD likes the smell of a good bar-be-que?! And apparently, he prefers his well-done. ;) [Please know that I mean no disrespect...it's just what I always think of when I read those passages about burnt offering...and ya know, since we were made in His image...]

huh?

2007-05-27T23:31:00.000-05:00

Ok, I have no real interest in the details of this particular story, but I loved the title so I thought I'd link it for fun!

Brown favors Green over White

...those colors just never seem to get along, do they! ha!

random funniness

2007-05-26T16:14:00.000-05:00

Ok, I'm sure you know (or have figured out by this point) that I enjoy good, random humor--unique and interesting ways to be funny in a positive yet up-beat manner. Well, I have stumbled upon yet another new item of random funniness today: Improv Everywhere

Here's the 'about me' info from the site:

Improv Everywhere causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places. Created in August of 2001 by Charlie Todd, Improv Everywhere has executed over 60 missions involving hundreds of undercover agents. The group is based in New York City.

My favorites thus far have been Best Buy , Slo-mo Home Depot and Best Gig Ever.

the first day of summer...for me, anyway

2007-05-26T08:00:00.001-05:00

This is it! School ended yesterday and now I have arrived at those glorious lazy days of summer that I've heard so much about over the last several years. No rushing off to camp this year! (I would have been there for four days already--deep in the midst of bonding and planning--had I worked this summer.) Not to worry. I have plenty to keep me busy and the uncertainty of potential unemployment or a big move looming in the distance. But for now, I think not of that. I appreciate the fact that school is OVER and my time is my own...sort of. ;) [No, that is not ME in that hammock. This picture is just representative of the plans I have for the summer...first on the list: get a hammock!]

So what might you imagine my life is like now that the days of summer have begun? Well, around 2am I am awakened by strange dreams of having messed up while grading my 7th graders' final exams to find that I have heartburn (ugh!)...so I stumble to the dark bathroom, chew on a few of those awful, chalky flavored wafers (a side question: why do they flavor those things? is ANY flavor going be appealing if your stomach isn't feeling well???) and return to bed, planning to sleep until I wake up naturally...something I rarely have the luxury to do. And so after a period of lovely, restful dozing, I awaken imagining it to be oh, probably 8:30 or 9am by this point. I hear birds chirping; the sunlight is streaming through my dinky mini-blinds. My curiosity as to the time finally gets the better of me and I open my eyes to look: 7:20am!! ugh! And then I'm almost simultaneously struck by another awful realization: My throat is sore. It figures! My first day of freedom and I wake up early and with a sore throat. Blah.

So far these lazy days of summer haven't been so glorious to me! Perhaps they'll get better...perhaps not, but for the moment they are mine. A glorious paid summer off. And do not ever let anyone fool you. These long breaks are not for the students. They are so that the teachers can forget why they were on the verge of resigning before the break!

every new beginning...

2007-05-19T16:41:00.000-05:00

'every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end'

It's a line from an over-played song by Semisonic circa 1999, but while the song is out of vogue--forgotten, along with a plethora of other songs that are relegated to the dungeon of non-peak play lists--the sentiment is timeless. Graduation was last night. It was our school's first graduation. And while it was beautiful and special, I can't help but be a little melancholy today as I think back over the last three years and recognize all that has brought us to this point.

I started teaching at Highland as a last-minute replacement for a middle/high school math position that had become vacant at the end of the first quarter. My initial encounter with the then 10th graders was probably less than warm. They were not happy about the turn of events that brought me to the school, and--according to Hanna--they had planned to dislike me from the start. I was stressed out about teaching Geometry, so I really didn't pick up on the coolness of the group, and, as I was a close friend of their class sponsor, I tagged along on many of their fundraisers and outings. I guess they eventually came to accept me and we all survived that year of Geometry.

And then the next year I transitioned into teaching English and Bible. I was their Apologetics teacher and as we had a very open curriculum, the class gave us wonderful opportunities to plumb the depths of many ponderous mysteries--mainly those of God and boys. I continued to participate in those fundraisers and we went to NYC that spring. Now, you haven't really been to NYC until you've been there with a group of 16-year-old girls...and Aggie! Truly one of the most memorable experiences of my life!

And then this year they were seniors. I had a mixed class of juniors and seniors for Speech I--a class that no one wanted to take! Gone were the days of in-depth conversation which could be considered class discussion. We now had a defined subject matter and a classroom infiltrated by another group. With a larger group and some serious cases of senioritis, we lost some of the camaraderie of before. No princess parties to commiserate over. No trip itineraries to plan. It was par-for-the-course, so to speak. Relationships ebb and flow, and I thought it a natural separation as these girls began to plan for the next phase of their lives.

And then came graduation. I expected to be more emotional about the whole thing, but I had a camera in my hands and I was more concerned with preserving memories than I was about processing them. I listened to speeches and presentations with the ear of a speech teacher and I watched it all with the eyes of a photographer. I was excited to see them in their caps and gowns. I was amazed to see Brittney looking out at the crowd as she gave her speech. I laughed at this ridiculously entertaining German in his Italian suit as he talked of his upcoming debate with the guest speaker. (Becca's gonna be the only one who gets that.) I hurriedly ate my meal and chatted with co-workers and then I wandered around the restaurant snapping pictures of the chatty family and friends of the graduates.

And then I brought the film in to be developed. As I looked through the pictures, I was struck with a bittersweet reality--it's over. We are now at 'some other beginning's end'. They've graduated. They're moving on to exciting new beginnings. They will never all be together again as they have been...and for a group of five girls who have been in school together since elementary school, that's a big deal. And while I'm sure that each of them will be successful in the days and years ahead, I still grieve for the days and years left behind. Time is such an interesting concept. You cannot speed it up, you cannot slow it down, and it will not be stopped. I just wish that it came with a pause button! Change is exciting and surprising and a necessity, I know...but it involves some growing pains and loss that catch me by surprise from time to time.

So to the class of 2007, I will remember you...

every time I see a Louis Vuitton purse

every time I hale a cab

every time I see a crystal tiara

every time I hear The Prayer

every time I eat an airplane biscotti cookie

every time I avoid a geometry proof ;)

every time I see a little Chinese man fall through a wall (...hopefully never again!)

every time I wear camo

every time I see Christmas decorations

every time I eat a 'Big Bertha' or a Caramel Cream

every time I hear Wicked or Phantom

every time I read Donald Miller

every time I see prom dresses

every time I run into Brittney's future husband!!

every time I encounter a group of girls as diverse as can be, but who still know and love each other like sisters

...in short, I will think of you often! I love you!!

an open letter to the seniors of 2007

2007-05-13T18:36:00.000-05:00

a few months ago i had some deep thoughts regarding that annual launch into the real world that our little bunch of seniors (along with many others) will be experiencing in the next few weeks. this was the result. i post it here just because it's something that i enjoyed writing and i wanted to share.

Ok, here it is…Hintze’s long-winded letter of unsolicited advice and admonition! You had to know it was coming!! I tease, but please know that I’ve been writing this letter for a while now. It is a composition that has grown in my heart over a vast multitude of experiences—some directly related to you and others of a personal nature—that have caused me to pause and ponder the deeper significance of the new and exciting opportunities you will face as you graduate and enter a different stage of life. So without further ado, here is that unsolicited advice!

First of all, I encourage you to develop relationships with your professors and then work to make them proud. We will strive to blossom in the light of those to whom we admire and recognize as people of significance in our lives. One of the most dangerous choices you can make is to stay on the side-lines and look for ways to do the bare minimum. Yes, you will find that the route of mediocrity has it’s immediate benefits, but you will rob yourself of the rich feeling of a job well-done and eventually, that habit of mediocrity will combine to launch you into a mediocre job in a field where you will then have to exercise long-atrophied muscles in an attempt to climb a ladder of increasing opportunity. Whereas, if you strive at the little things—that first big paper or project in your chosen field, shooting for the high ‘A’ rather than the minimum requirement in your field ‘C’, making a dedicated effort to work far enough ahead of time so that you can sleep the whole night when something is due the next day—you will earn the respect of people who are in positions to advise and direct you and to recommend you highly when the time comes. And yes, perhaps you may still land that mediocre job, but you will be far more prepared to climb that same ladder where better opportunities are waiting.

Remember that, if you are a Christian, you are always a representative of Christ. If you are kind and sincerely helpful to a fellow classmate who is struggling with the course, gracious to a rude graduate student, or dignified in a heated class discussion, you represent Christ. If you are easily swayed into trying “new things” that you know you should abstain from, curled over the edge of the nearest waste-holding receptacle in your body’s effort to right itself after an evening of over-indulgence, or develop a reputation as a very friendly, helpful girl amongst the guys in your circle but find yourself at the sharp end of every gal-pal’s tongue, you represent Christ. Being a Christian does not hinder your ability to make your own decisions because we are all given the free will to choose how we will behave in every instance. Being a Christian means you should desire to make those choices in a way that will glorify the One through whom you claim Life. You can and will make mistakes, but your mistakes should be innocent in their intent. Be on guard, because Satan can use a new “church” friend just as easily as he can the hard-partying frat boy. Some of his efforts will be more obvious than others.

The world has developed a sense of what Christianity is based on the people who claim to represent its values. Oftentimes, those people only represent particular ideals that they naively believe to be biblical rather than seeking to represent the One to whom they claim relationship. Show your world the authenticity of a true relationship with Christ in such a way that they will notice that even though you claim the same Christ, you behave in a very different manner. In order to do that, you must know for yourself how Christ behaved and then seek to actively model that behavior. He did not shrink away from those of lowly profession or design, but neither did he engage in the deviant behavior of others in a way to “connect.” He stood as one of compassionate strength in the face of embarrassing weakness, and he stood as one of uncompromising integrity in the face of misapplied religious intolerance. He was gracious with those who recognized their errors and adamant against those who sought to mangle the Truth that he came to fulfill. He was an advocate for the down-trodden and the mighty hand of judgment for those who used religion to judge. Seek to emulate Him in ALL you do.

Finally, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18).” Wise words from Paul—a man repeatedly tested in his faith and who had every right to harbor bitterness and seek revenge. Choose peace—a peace that comes from doing the right thing; a peace that recognizes the trials of life, but chooses not to succumb to the cowardice and self-loathing that come with compromise. There will be times when you will be falsely accused, discriminated against, and rejected, but let these experiences be an act of pruning rather than a source of bitterness.

I love you dearly and I will always hold a special place in my heart for each of you. I pray God’s blessings and favor upon your lives and I hope that you continue to recognize His guidance as you grow and mature. You are beautiful young ladies with such promise…I look forward to the day when I’m able to see the fruition of the hopes and dreams you carry today. The choices that you will make in the next few years are significant—make them wisely and with much prayer.

I leave you with the words of Peter, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Ptr 3:18)”

Blessings,
Beth Hintze

long time no see!!

2007-05-13T18:04:00.000-05:00

no, i have not forgotten that i have a blog. yes, i do miss blogging. i still find myself composing potential posts in my head from time to time. my absence has been a forced hiatus of sorts. i just have not had the time these days...well, "not having the time" is not truly accurate. i'm still finding the time to watch LOST and Grey's Anatomy pretty religiously. i got a new camera that i've been having fun playing with. i just found a new nail color that i'm loving something fierce so now i have really cute toes!

i guess it's better to say that i've been mentally removing a few irons from the fire. blogging is fun, but when i'm creating a bevy of notes and assignments and tests, and then doing contract editing in the meantime, my words are maxed out--and no commenting from the peanut gallery! ;) i'm only blogging now because i'm looking for a way to procrastinate a little before going back to work! yep, too many irons in the fire. hopefully, things will be easing up soon. school is finished on May 25th. I'm not working camp for the first time in SIX years, so i plan to spend the time catching up on the contract work and enjoying the down time. i'm still not sure what will happen this fall with regard to jobs and where i'll be living and all, but i don't need to decide any of that in the next two weeks, so i won't worry about it now.

i just wanted to say hi and apologize to my one reader for abandoning my blog! i'll do better this summer, i promise!

Is anyone else addicted?

2007-02-24T12:44:00.000-06:00

I'm one of the millions who have Google as my Internet default page and recently I've made it my own and I must say I've quickly become addicted to the how-to of the day! The topics range from the helpful to the truly bizarre. I've read about finding the ideal apartment and planning a trip to Europe, and then there appears to be a whole bunch of tips for having and creating an appealing environment for your pet rock. And yes, as a matter of fact I have managed to whittle wasting time down to a fine art!

They don't call it "going postal" for nothing!

2007-02-23T10:53:00.000-06:00

I think my postman hates me and I'm not really sure why. True, I've never done the "Christmas bonus" stuff that the etiquette books say we should do for everyone-and-their-mother, but I have never seen the guy (or gal? as I've never seen him/her, I have no clue!) and isn't a paycheck payment enough? It's not like I get a bonus--and I'm busy shaping young, impressionable minds all day long! Anyway, I digress... But is that one seasonal etiquette faux pas enough to deserve mangled mail all year long?? Seriously. I do have one of those ridiculously small apartment boxes...but I'm thinking, so do alot of people! And does their mail get treated so poorly? I'm pretty good about clearing my box out on a daily basis, but I do go out of town from time to time, so in the matter of a couple of days the junk mail really starts to stack up...but there are no stacks! It's like he/she just jams the new stuff in behind the day-old stuff so that I can see it all in a rather misshapened chronological order. Sometimes it looks like he/she has literally balled the letter up and shoved it in there! I've actually had a cd broken in this process...and has anyone ever tried to call the post office to complain?! Yeah, don't bother. And then this morning I hear the truck back up to the building and then I hear a loud thud. Thinking that a truck has hit the building, I stick my head out of the door to find that I have a package on my mat. No one walked up to my second story apt. to place this at my door. No, the postal person chunked it at my door from the ground level! Is that not a little scary???

Wisdom of the ages

2007-02-06T21:26:00.000-06:00

My aunt Sussie took this picture at Thanksgiving. This is my Pawpaw with two of his great-grandchildren--Grayson and Austin. I ran across this while I was looking for something else, and I love it, so I thought I'd post it.

uncanny

2007-02-01T22:19:00.000-06:00

Ok, this really only applies to people who 1)actually read my blog, 2)live in Lafayette, and 3) watch Grey's Anatomy AND watch the evening news on KATC...so that's pretty much Brian and Erica, as far as I know! ...but have you noticed the uncanny resemblance between KATC's Julia Kelley and Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) on Grey's Anatomy?! I do say that kinda tongue-in-cheek, but the hair is especially reminiscent. These aren't the best pics for comparison but they've both been doing the hot-roller hair lately and I must say that they both have good hair! Feel free to chime in!

classmates

2007-01-24T22:03:00.000-06:00

I'm taking a continuing ed. intro to photography class this spring (nothing to report yet. the weather has been miserable and tonight was my second class. i'll post assignment pics if it ever stops raining so that i can get out! anyway, i digress...) and the class contains 29 adults and Uzi Tenenbaum! I will have a stroke if this kid comes to class in a red warm-up suit! He's also one of those annoyingly vocal kids (now, not all vocal kids are annoying, but the ones who think they're cute are!) who likes to tell pointless stories in a room full of adults. Ah, gotta love public education! ;)

if you're looking for a nifty little time waster...

2007-01-04T21:21:00.001-06:00

check this out! :)

reflections on 2006

2007-01-01T10:23:00.000-06:00

as this year is still pretty new, i don't think it will mind if i pause for a moment to randomly reflect on the last 365 days. most of this won't make sense to most of you, but as this is a personal reflection, i guess you're just kinda along for the ride! ;)

having nephews is fun!
a year that starts out rough can still turn into a pretty good thing by the end
Grey's Anatomy can have a tremendous influence on one's musical interests
setting up the ipod is no guarantee that actual exercise will follow (...but that was my plan!!)
you can have the best of intentions and still be a crumby friend
camp is a lot of fun even when you're 30...and your camp friends are always the most exciting...and the most random
traumatic events, while awful at the moment, don't always lead to death...sometimes they lead to life! (...or at least I hope so)
roadtrips are always an adventure...i wish i'd have taken a few more
i love the mountains!
people can have high-flown ideals and godly callings...and still come off as manipulative and self-serving...experience and perspective are truly double-edged swords
i got lots of compliments as a brunette...but i still prefer being a blond
if your tv seems to be going out, be sure you check the $10 cable before shelling out the $$$ for a new one! (and making your poor brother-in-law haul it up to your second floor apartment for you!)
knowing your way around New York City has it's ups and downs
if you find something that you REALLY want, you should get it then instead of waiting and figuring that you'll be able to find it again later...because chances are, you won't and then you'll always think of it as the one that got away!
Chinatown is a dangerous place! ;)
film SLR cameras are lots of fun
sometimes you only get one shot...and you have to be ready to take it when it comes
good books make themselves known in the strangest of ways sometimes
sometimes it's easier to know what you don't want, than to figure out what you do!
you can have profiles on myspace and facebook and still feel disconnected
feeling significant has little to do with how much the people around you seem to value you--knowing that God has placed you here--in these circumstances, with these quirks and foibles--for such a time as this (...whatever that might be) and knowing that HE sees you and that HE will sustain you is where you find true significance.
executing a tyrannical leader does little to wipe out tyranny in the world
consumer-driven philanthropy is a CROCK! (i'm gonna be blogging about this soon because it drives me absolutely nuts!!) if you want to give, then GIVE...it shouldn't be about what you get in exchange!
those who find beauty in ugliness are truly blessed in this world. and we should learn to look beyond the seemingly repulsive surface to see the beauty of God's creation.

i'm sure there is more...2006 has been a full year! i'm excited to see what 2007 has in store!

Me...the budding photographer ;)

2006-12-27T09:22:00.000-06:00

I took these pics for Erica and Damon the weekend after Thanksgiving, but she wouldn't let me post them because she was giving some of them for Christmas presents...so now i can finally post them!! (They're scanned from 4x6 prints.) I am having lots of fun with my Aunt Sussie's old Cannon AE-1 Film SLR camera! (I don't know what I'm doing, so I'm always excited when the pics turn out well!!)

Grayson actually looked AT the camera and said "cheeeeessssseeee"!!!

I believe it was THE only time he actually looked at the camera the whole time!

Grayson hasn't quite started walking on his own yet, but he loves to toddle around with help. I just thought this was a cute, candid pic.

Damon, Grayson, and Erica
Christmas 2006

He was always more interested in what was going on somewhere else, so this was a common occurance. We just thought it made for a neat shot.

I love the colors in the stones and columns in this shot.

And here Grayson looks like an old cajun man telling a story. He's a hand-talker, for sure!

just one more day...

2006-12-21T16:45:00.000-06:00

yes, we ARE still in school! Crazy, i know! And we're all feeling it, but just one more day to go and then two glorious weeks (plus weekends)!!! i just felt like sharing that. i feel quite neglegent in my blogging and i'm sure i've lost my one dear reader, but perhaps i'll pick it back up over the break. tonight i'm getting together with my lovely friend Joni. Kyle, Katie and David are coming in on Friday night and we might hang out a little this weekend. ;) Grayson turned one this week (on the 20th). We had a birthday party for him Sunday. I'll post pics as soon as I have them on my computer...which will be whenever I figure out where I put my camera! ok, this is quite random and very boring, so I'll stop now.

Apparently, the world no longer lay in sin and error pining

2006-12-09T19:21:00.000-06:00

Il Divo was on Oprah the other day performing the song, "O Holy Night." I wasn't paying much attention but I was following the song in my head and I thought something sounded off, so I backed it up on my handy ole' DVR and watched a little more carefully. I was right. Something WAS missing! They jumped from the dear Savior's birth straight to a thrill of hope with nary a pause! I was prepared to rip Il Divo a new one as I googled their lyrics to the song but I found this:

"O Holy Night"

[Urs:]

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,

It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.

[David:]

Long lay the world in sin and error pining.

Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.

[Carlos:]

A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

[Sebastien:]

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!

O night divine, oh night when Christ was born; etc.

So apprently it's Oprah who doesn't like the idea of recognizing that the world lay in sin and error pining, till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. Hmmmmm...how interesting!

our own little pot-o'-gold

2006-12-02T15:03:00.000-06:00

i just thought it looked neat!

This pic is from a little covert op that I was a part of last night...What might that be? you may be asking! ha! you'll just have to wait and see!! I'm sorry, but we're working on a need-to-know basis and you just don't need to know! ;) more details coming soon...

Yeah, but you should see the OTHER guy!

2006-11-26T20:21:00.000-06:00

Actually, it was a set of stairs and they're just fine. Grayson just got a better look than he'd (and we'd) have liked. Thankfully, the injuries were minor and Grayson was soon charming the socks off of everyone around. He's such a cute kid! I felt it necessary to document the injuries so I thought I'd post a few here.

This is his fight club pose.

Awhhhh, I'm ok!

By Thanksgiving, Grayson is all but mended...and looking for the next adventure!

evidence of a week off

2006-11-26T20:04:00.000-06:00

I think this picture says a few things about me...
1. I don't do the dishes as often as I should
2. I like coffee
3. I stayed in alot this week

I cannot begin to describe how much I have appreciated the Thanksgiving break...and how I'm just not ready for it to be over! oh well, back to the grindstone we go!! ...but just four short weeks until the Christmas break!! :)

I'm a good girl, I am!

2006-11-24T21:39:00.000-06:00

My life is rated PG!

Your life is rated PG!

What is your life rated? (MPAA Scale)

Take Other Caffeine Nebula Quizzesoh, and Phillip, this is NOT an official indication of anything...it's just for fun!

I knew it!

2006-11-21T23:00:00.000-06:00

People always tell me I don't sound like I'm from South Louisiana...some say I sound like I'm from the South, but I definitely don't have a Cajun accent. So there ya have it!

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
The South
Philadelphia
The Inland North
The Northeast
The West
Boston
North Central
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

Thanks for the survey Damon! :)

neglect

2006-11-14T22:25:00.000-06:00

Wow, it's been a while since my last post...and then that was just a bunch of pics! no updates on my life. no random rants. no bizarre-o observations. just silence. it's been a challenging season of life. nothing dramatic. i just feel as if i were being nibbled to death by minnows. feeling over-extended and under appreciated at times. lots of deep thoughts. many decisions that need to be made NOW and a few that are looming ever nearer.[*] i will share decisions as they become final and hopefully, there will be new options on the horizon. in the mean time, i'll try to do a little better about dropping a line from time to time.

i am excited about the upcoming thanksgiving break!! believe me, we ALL need it! i firmly believe that these school holidays are not so much for the students as they are for the teachers...because we may very well do permanent damage if we were forced to go without!! ;) erica, grayson, and i will be embarking on a little roadtrip to visit some of the extended family. looking forward to that!!

...and then there is that little matter of my BIRTHDAY coming up in just 6 short days!! but i'll save that post for when i have a little more energy...i am getting old, ya know, and the bedtime just keeps getting earlier and earlier!

well...i think that does it for my i must write something post. i plan to do better!! ...so see ya next month! haha!!

*edited

Fun in a Pumpkin Patch

2006-10-19T23:51:00.000-05:00

We did the whole pumpkin patch photo shoot with Grayson a couple of weeks ago. Lots of fun...lots of pictures...a few that turned out pretty cute if I do say so myself.

There are a few more that I wanted to post, but Blogger is being fussy, so we'll try it again later...

I don't even know what to title this!

2006-10-02T21:03:00.000-05:00

I turned on the tv this evening so that I could listen to something while I was putting my groceries away, and the channel happened to be on abc, so I caught the first hour of the season premiere of The Bachelor. I would not typically watch, but it's kinda like a train wreck. As much as I wanted, I just couldn't look away! This year the gimmick seems is that the guy is actually a prince and the whole shin-dig is happening in Rome. All I have to say is: What in the world?! These people cannot be real! Those girls have to be the most obnoxious group of people I've ever seen...and I've been around a group of people or two in my day! The guy is cute and seems normal enough...as normal as one can be who would try to find love in a group of stategically placed Barbies! I watched the initial introductions and I can't figure out why he'd be interested in 90% of them! And if THAT is how one must act in order to snag herself a man?!...well, bring on the cats and the tacky teacher sweaters because I am OUT! It was all quite interesting...I wonder who the lucky Barbie will be?!

Who the heck is Chester Bennington?!

2006-10-01T17:19:00.000-05:00

the blog, she is a changin'

2006-09-23T18:18:00.000-05:00

i am completely bored with all of the blogger.com templates...but i'm also completely html illiterate! so this is as good as it gets for the moment. bonus points for identifying the quote! (i realize that it's a piece of cake for some of you.) feel free to impart any html wisdom you might have lying around!

Oh Willie!

2006-09-18T22:08:00.000-05:00

Willie Nelson and four others were arrested in St. Martin parish earlier today on misdemeanor drug charges. Police seized marijuana and mushrooms. Nice...

I don't get it

2006-09-17T18:38:00.000-05:00

Perhaps it's because I was an English ed. major and as such, was subjected to a wide range of literary genres, but I've always had an appreciation for styles and techniques that I may not personally enjoy. With a few notable exceptions, (The Grapes of Wrath and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn topping that list) I like--or I should say that I can appreciate--most everything I read. That tends to extend into my movie-viewing as well. I love solid writing and a well-developed plot, but I feel like I am intelligent and educated enough to enjoy other cinematic aspects as well...clever camera angles, quality editing, good lighting...even a quirky storyline. But I am afraid that my appreciation seems to have found its limits. I recently watched The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and I must admit...I don't get it! I don't understand under what circumstances this movie might be considered entertaining! I will say that there were a few humorous moments, but overall, it was not an overwhelming success in my book. I have even searched my beloved imdb.com in search of message boarding that might shine some light on this movie, but alas, I still don't have a clue as to it's appeal. Now, I know some people LOVE this film and one such person has recently tried to explain its appeal...but to no avail. I believe that I will continue to 'not get' this film, no matter what the explanation. I hate it when I can't figure something out!

I love Hanna Elise!!

2006-09-13T22:58:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to make sure she knew that!

Now...here are a bunch of pics of her and some other fine people I know!

can't you tell I'm getting SO much done on my day off?!

2006-09-04T14:31:00.000-05:00

this is a little slide show of some of my pics from the summer...isn't it fun?!

wasn't it only yesterday?

2006-09-04T09:33:00.000-05:00

Andre Agassi retired from professional tennis yesterday after losing in the third round of the US Open. He played professionally for 21 years. If you knew me very well when I was in high school, you'd know why I care. I became a little obsessed with Agassi while studying a unit on tennis in PE my sophomore year. Of course, he was not the sedate, 30-something you see here now...no, he had hair any 80's metal band guy would envy and an attitude to go with it! He was--in his day--the bad boy of tennis...and I loved to watch him play! I checked tv guide every week and recorded any televised match I could find. I am not normally given to extravagant expressions of affection, but I was willing to suffer a little embarrassment in my dedication to this particular athlete. I'm sure I still have dog-eared magazine pics floating around somewhere in my high school memorabilia. I never bought one of those crazy Nike tennis shirts that he wore at the time...but I definitely considered it! I was a dedicated fan, to say the least. I followed him religiously for a few years, and then kinda lost interest in the whole tennis scene, but Agassi has always had a place in my heart. Even now, when I ran across a Agassi v. somebody match, I'd pause to watch for a moment--sorta like checking in on an old friend. I felt it only right and proper that I acknowledge his retirement. He had a long and varied career and I suffered through it with him for a few short years. Funny, it doesn't seem all that long ago!

My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine...nothing?!

2006-08-24T10:18:00.001-05:00

Pluto's been DEMOTED! You can check it out here.

tap, tap..."is this thing working?"

2006-08-22T18:17:00.000-05:00

Apparently, my powers of mind control are on the fritz these days! UGH!!! Why won't people do what I want them to do! I'm gonna leave that vague and cryptic. Maybe it's YOU I'm talking about! That's right, YOU!!! So why don't you just stop right now and think, "hmmmm...what might Beth be wanting me to do???" You just keep thinking until you come up with something--nice of course!--and then you DO IT! ;) In the meantime, I'll keep working on it on my end. Who knows, maybe it will happen?! That's all I got for tonight, folks! Peace y'all!

done with reality...tv, that is

2006-08-16T20:10:00.000-05:00

WHAT is the deal with all of these America's "something" type shows that seemed to multiply like rabbits over the summer??? I don't watch tv for a couple of months and I come back to all of these performance shows: America's got Talent, Rockstar SuperNova, So you think you can dance?, America's Next Top Model, etc. Not to mention the shows coming out this fall ranging from Celebrity Duets to another installment in the endless run of American Idol I'm sure. And then we have shows like Amazing Race, Fear Factor, and Survivor. I'm sure I'm leaving plenty out. When will it ever end? Why are these shows so popular? I don't understand the fascination. Feel free to explain.

one can only hope...

2006-08-13T17:50:00.000-05:00

As I drove through the booming metropolis of Lafayette this afternoon, I marveled at all of the new construction around town. It's amazing how much things can change in the matter of a few months. Apparently, we have people with lots of money (or debt--my theory) who are just aching to move into high-end apartments, condos, and planned communities as well as spend oodles of money in cutsy little boutiques and expensive restaurants. I even hear we're supposed to get some sort of organic/whole food's-esque market. With all of this development, a small hope began to grow--more of a dream, really. I dream of a day Lafayette is home to a Panera Bread restaurant!! I've had the opportunity to dine at Panera Bread on a few occasions, but I fell in love with and promptly became obsessed with the place while in South Carolina this summer. Sadly, I have perused the site and their is nary a PB in sight! The closest in Houston--and while I love it, four hours IS a little far for lunch! So, my hope is that some ambitious local entrepreneur finds the same delight and seeks to open his or her OWN Panera Bread! I don't have the money or desire to do it myself, but I would surely be a dedicated customer!!

Home

2006-08-06T22:17:00.000-05:00

i am.

Home from camp.
Home from the family visit in Missouri.
Home.

it's nice to be still for a moment.

...oh yeah, teacher days start tomorrow! uuuggggghhhhh!!!!

the ways God speaks...

2006-07-27T15:22:00.000-05:00

I had to run an errand this morning and as I was driving back, flipping through the amazing selection radio stations in the greater Greenville area, I came upon a song that reminded me of the hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness. I'm not sure if the song was a version of the hymn, or if it just shared a similar melody, but as I listened, I began to think about the words of that hymn. I think I often forget to just rest in His faithfulness. I'm so focused on what I am trying to do or what I want to happen...I forget to just trust...trust and obey, for there's no other way...;) well, i'll skip the "hymn sing" for now, but I thought I'd post the lyrics. I hope it can be just as great a reminder for you as it has been for me today.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

our BIG night out

2006-07-23T15:43:00.000-05:00

At the end of our coodinator's visit, we always go out to a 'staff appreciation dinner.' This year, we went to The Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. It was AMAZING!! It's so fun to see us all so dressed up...although i'm still undecided as to whether we should actually be seen in public! A group of 35 people is always a spectacle, but make that 35 fuge staffers, and you've got a whole new level of ridiculousness!

me and my date! dave and I were sitting across from meredith cromer and brian and she told me that brian was her date, so since i was sitting between a wall and dave, dave was my date! i think my date was the cutest, but shhhhhh! don't tell any of the others! ;)

me with ashley and kim, aka "mindy and wendy" in our am show

stephanie, tuba, cromer, and brian

mike, me, andy, and meredith

chase, acting like he owns the place! ;)

a lil' dance party errupted in the lobby as we were gathering to leave. you just can't take these people out in public!! and NO, we were not drinking! we come by this fun the good, ole' fashioned way! we create it ourselves!!

i only put this picture in because i know deanna will see it eventually and will absolutely LOVE it! ;)

ok, i've tried to add more pictures, but blogger isn't letting me. so this will have to do it for now and i'll post some more soon!

Get THIS!

2006-07-20T07:20:00.000-05:00

Josh Groban wants ME to add HIM on my MySpace friends list! I just got the email this morning. In case you're in doubt, here is the text of said mass-generated email:

Hi beth,Josh Groban would like to be added to your MySpace friends list.By accepting Josh Groban as your friend, you will be able to send Josh Groban personal messages, view Josh Groban's photos and journals, and you will be able to interact with each other's friends and network!

I just thought it was kinda funny! ;) Of course I'll add him (or whichever publicity intern is managing his MySpace account)!! I mean, why wouldn't I?! It's Josh! Oh, maybe I could get free tickets seeing that we're "friends" and all. Ha!!

In other news, I actually took some pictures recently and I'll be posting those as soon as I don't have a million other things to do. (or when I just need the break from the million other things!) And look for a new blog design coming soon, I hope! My suitemate and dear friend Amy Haywood is not only a fabulous videographer, but is also a html savvy web page designer as well and she's supposed to help me create a new template for my blog! :) Let's hope we just don't get too busy in the days ahead. ttfn! I'm off to save the world one excel spreadsheet at a time!!

My random thoughts on hammocks, husbands, and a trip to Lake Nelson

2006-07-09T22:11:00.001-05:00

This was a great weekend! After camp on Saturday, most of our staff went to Mooresville, NC, to stay at the home of our own Christie Craig. Said home being conveniently located on lovely Lake Nelson in North Carolina (which I'm liking more and more every time I visit, folks!) It was beautiful and Christie's parents are most gracious hosts!! Within minutes of our arrival, people were relaxing with chilled drinks (Cokes, people...not THOSE drinks!!) , roaming the Craig's beautiful home, checking out the dock, and vying for the great hammock that was hanging gracefully between two trees. (I'll discuss the hammock in more detail in just a moment.) We were soon served hamburgers with all the fixins and had a grand ole' time just being together in a relaxed, home-y environment. During some casual tv viewing, it was discovered that I gave a decent back-rub (I'm being modest here folks, the praise was overflowing but I don't like to brag!! ;) and had many customers, but eventually it was time to hit the sack.

The next morning brought more incredible food, this time in the form of Panera bread bagels and freshly ground coffee, which was followed by more dock-lounging, card-playing, lake-boating, and general loafing. I really wish I'd brought a book! (I brought many books to camp and haven't cracked a one yet! I'm a little busy these days.) I left just before a very bountiful lunch was about to be served. Those Craigs...they know how to do it up right!

I wasn't able to stay for lunch because I needed to get over to Ridgecrest Conference Center to pick up my dear friend Emory. Emory went to camp at Ridgecrest last week with her church's senior high group and was supposed to return to Nashville on Saturday, but one of the middle-school chaperones backed out and she was needed to fill in. The middle school group is coming to North Greenville this week, so instead of driving home only to drive back again, she stayed at Ridgecrest and I brought her over to North Greenville. We had a wonderful late lunch at My Father's Pizza and coffee at the Dripolator in Black Mountain, NC, and then came back to North Greenville where we did a little laundry, had a little dinner, and spent a whole lot of time just catching up! We've both had pretty eventful summers, it seems--or maybe we're both just really long-winded--so there was indeed alot of talking, folks! But we're all caught up now and winding down for a long summer's nap...I don't know why but I'm feeling very narrative at the moment!

Anyway, that was my weekend. Full of fun and relaxation. Only three more weeks of camp left! It's winding down and that makes me a little sad...

As I leave you, I feel it necessary to talk just a moment on the subject of hammocks. I have always been a fan of the hammock. I don't know why, but they fascinate me. Perhaps it's the potential danger of sitting incorrectly and therefore causing acute embarrassment and potential bodily harm to one's self? Maybe it's all those slap-stick comedy routines involving unfortunate hammock incidents? I'm not sure, but I've always been fascinating by this lounging ensemble. Well, the fine folks who raised Christie to be such a wonderful woman also had the incredible foresight to invest in one said hammock! I must say that it was much appreciated by all who chose to swing in it's delicate embrace, myself being one such person. Alright, I'll quit with the Austenian dialogue. I loved the hammock! So much so, that I managed to take a lovely nap in it Saturday afternoon...well, lovely except for brief moments of fear when I opened my eyes to find Sarah Edwards standing over me with an evil glint in her eye and then later when she felt it necessary to take somewhat unflattering pictures of me sleeping in said contraption! I did get made fun of a little for monopolizing the hammock, but it didn't bother me one bit! It was a great nap!!

I have now decided that I need a hammock. I like them too much to allow this enjoyment to elude me. But in order to have a hammock, it is necessary to have two trees...and in order to have two trees with which to hang such a hammock, I need to NOT be living in an apartment...and to have two such trees would mean that I'd need to be living in a house with a yard...and having such a yard would mean one of two things: 1. I need a better job so that I could afford to hire someone to take care of said yard or, 2. I need a husband who can do the yard work (ok, I'd help!)...and bonus! HE could hang the hammock!!) So in summary, I have decided that I want a hammock and a husband to hang it...or a better-paying job! ;)

I managed to not charge my camera batteries, so I have no pics from the weekend but lots of other people took pics, so I'll try to nab those and play them off as my own a little later! ;)

Missin' my boys!

2006-07-04T06:57:00.000-05:00

This was a picture of David and Grayson's first time to "meet" (well, not literally in that moment--but the first visit amongst cousins.) David saw Grayson within a few hours of his birth, but they were heading back to Missouri and didn't get to stick around for all the NICU fun back in December! Kyle, Katie and David came in early May for a visit and the boys hit it off just fine.

I believe I may get to go with Erica and Damon to visit our Missouri folk at the end of the summer and I must say I'm kinda excited about that...and just thinking about them makes me miss them all so much! This going to camp gig is much different now! Erica says Grayson has changed so much since I left and I believe it. He would change so much in a day or two when I was there...I can't imagine what almost 10 weeks will bring! He's sitting up now and I can hear all of the fun new sounds he's making when Erica and I talk. He has yet to make many of those sounds when Erica holds the phone up to his face! She says his eyes just get big and then he tries to eat the phone!

I'm also excited to visit with David! He's a fun kid...and I can't believe he's old enough to be a kid! He has quite a Thomas the Train collection now, and I'm looking forward to some introductions! [I've been giving him Thomas the Train trains since he was born and Katie says he has a different voice and personality for each of them.]

And of course I'm missing Kyle and Katie and Erica and Damon...but they don't change quite as much! I am having a great time in South Carolina but I must admit I'm missing the fam just a little!

In unrelated news, this past week was our Christmas week and we capped it all off with a tent camping trip and rafting on the Nantahala in North Carolina. It was my first tent camping experience and I will say that it was kinda fun! I can't imagine tent camping in South Louisiana would be quite as enjoyable, but in the mountains of North Carolina, it was a great experience. We were on the grounds of Ridgecrest conference center and spent a little of Saturday afternoon in Black Mountain which is such a cute town! And then the river was absolutely breath-taking! It was like canoeing on the Ouiska Chitto, but about a million times better! This whole area is just so beautiful! I'm thinking I could live over here. Just a thought...no plans as yet!

Alright, I'm rambling like a fool so I'll end this now. I know I've done a horrible job of posting this summer. I do actually work, ya know!! I took a few pictures this weekend and I know some of the others took rafting pics so I'll try to nab some of those for all of my avid readers! ...hmph, yeah all those avid readers that as yet have NOT taken my very subtle hints about care packages!!! Well, except you Patty Marx--I KNOW you love me!!! :) Thanks for the cookies and the letter, Patty! It was great to hear from you! And yes, I know that the care package jokes are getting old...it's just that I so love to make them! :) I'll stop now...would have stopped sooner had I actually gotten some, but oh well! ;)

howdy folks!

2006-06-25T21:15:00.000-05:00

Well, week 4 is about to begin! I can't believe I've been here for over a month now! Time flies, but it also feels like I've known these people forever. It's so cliche to say, but it's true. I have really enjoyed getting to know my staff this summer--and it helps a whole lot NOT to be in charge!! My job this summer is very behind-the-scenes and I really don't get much of an opportunity to get to know many of the 800+ people who come through here each week, so the relationships that I have with our staff seem all the more significant this year. I have not been doing a very good job of taking pictures but this one is a shot of (from l to r) Amy, Zack, Christie, and Jason at Waffle House. For anyone who'd be interested to know, I think Jason's eyes kinda look like Daddy's-- feel free to chime in with your own opinions! ;)

I'm sorry I've not done a very good job of blogging. Camp is also kinda strange in that I have lots of neat experiences, but 98.2% of them are "guess you had to be there" kind of moments! This is Christmas week so we'll be having lots of fun after hours. I'll do a better job of taking pics so that you can see all sorts of pictures of people you don't know! ha!!

For those of you who might be curious as to how quickly you need to be mailing in those care packages (eh-hem!!), our last day here is July 31, so I should be home August 1...with one week to spare before the teacher days start at school! Well, we still have a little while, so lets all try to enjoy it!!

...and in case you were wondering, Zack does look like a normal guy when he's not making a funny face! ;)

Bitter

2006-06-15T23:23:00.000-05:00

Yes, that's me. I'm bitter! Why, you might ask?! Well, not only have the care packages and visible expressions of love NOT been pouring in (except for my sister--who sent a few cute pictures of Grayson and my camera pouch that I left at Jerry's house before I left for the summer) but I am the one who checks the mail and gets to cart everyone else's huge, overflowing care packages back to the staff office when I check the mail--and on a staff of 36, there are alot of care packages!!! So where's the love people?!?! Alright, I'm just kidding. I would feel really really horrible if I started getting guilt care packages. It was just really funny because it took two trips to bring all of the boxes and mail back to the office. I was having a good ole' time composing this post in my head while I was carting the boxes over. I did get something...a dell printer cartridge! yip-ee!! ;)

Bring on the flowers!!!

2006-06-08T23:00:00.000-05:00

My physical address:

Beth Hintze--Fuge Staff
North Greenville University
7801 N Tigerville Road
Tigerville, SC 29688

Well, since you asked for it...

2006-06-06T22:35:00.000-05:00

Hey! This is the staff picture that I was looking for the other night...aren't we precious?! And since I know so many of you are DYING to send letters and care packages and large bouquets of flowers (not you Jonathan! ;) , here is my camp address:

Beth Hintze--Fuge Staff

North Greenville University

PO Box 1892

Tigerville, SC 29688

Bring on the packages!! (And I am afraid I have alot of competition around here! These people are always getting stuff in the mail!)

Here we are!

2006-06-04T22:04:00.000-05:00

Well folks, here we are! These are the neat people I'll be working with for 9 1/2 weeks. They're a great bunch of people and we're all rather photogenic if I do say so myself! :) This isn't the picture I wanted to post, though...there was another one that I liked more, but I apparently saved the wrong one. Sorry! I would give names, but there are just too many of them this year! If you are curious about anyone, lemme know and I'll be sure to spill the beans! Oh yeah, and this is the Ya-hoo who's serving as our camp pastor for the next two weeks! ;) I'd tell ya more about him, but apparently he reads this every once in a while, so I should probably behave! ha! Just kidding. It's been good to visit with James and I'm looking forward to hearing him in worship.

We've had a great time so far. Busy beyond belief, but having a good time while we're at it! Camp starts tomorrow! YIKES!!! The first week is always a little scary, but we're looking forward to it. We have so many neat people and I'm excited to see how God will use them this summer. Well, it's late, I'm tired, and I have a ton of things to do tomorrow, so I'll make this short and sweet!