Friday night I was at work until about 8. About 15 minutes of that, though, was talking to the second-in-command in our department. I used to think she didn't like me, but the last few months she'd been warming up to me. Well, since I've been doing the job of two people, I've been working with her more lately, and I really think she really likes me now. In fact, on Friday I stopped in her office to ask me a question, and she said, "Can I just keep working with you? Can you just switch places with [the new girl who starts on Monday so I get to just be me again] so we can keep working together? I've enjoyed it." So that was cool!
I came home and started baking cookies again. I'd made some earlier in the week to send in a care package to K, but these were for a package for my brother. In talking to him since he's moved, I realized he doesn't really have any pictures of family in his apartment. I printed some off and bought a couple frames, and I resolved that problem! I also found him a cute Halloween card and put a bunch of cookies in there along with this cute little light-up jack-o-lantern that I'm sure I think is way cuter than my 22-year-old brother and his 21-year-old roommate will think it is. But it's the thought that counts. And what I think is the best part is that my brother doesn't know the package is coming. It's a surprise! :)
Of course, while I was at it, I got another package together for K, complete with everthing that wouldn't fit in the package I sent him the other day. I did manage to find room for a few more cookies. I can't eat all the ones that wouldn't fit in my brother's package!
I didn't get to bed until 2:30 Friday night from everything I had to do and getting ready for bed. I was pretty exhausted -- especially since I'd been working late every day on top of that. As soon as I woke up this morning, though, ER called me. She was going to be closer to where I live looking at some apartments. She wanted to know if I wanted to look with her. So I hurried and got dressed, then went to the post office to mail my packages and met her at the complex. She's looking at a really nice area, and what's cool is she'll be much closer to me than the 25-minute drive she is now. I'm all for that. :) A friend of mine I've met through my mode of mass transportation on weekdays also lives in that area, so we met him for lunch. I'm hoping they hit it off.
After that, I came home and took a nap -- a long nap. It was about 2 hours long. I got up just in time to see about the last minute of the Notre Dame-UCLA game, which was amazing. Brady Quinn is really good. I love football. :)
I watched Washington tie it up to go into overtime against Cal, and then I switched to the Tennesse-Alabama game. I wanted Alabama to win, but they couldn't pull it off. It was close, though, and I flipped back after it was over to see that Cal had pulled through in overtime. All the games I saw today didn't seem like they'd be that good by looking at just who was playing, but they all wound up being some pretty good football games.
I went to a co-worker's wedding party tonight. They had a destination wedding, so they had a party downtown complete with an open bar to celebrate. It was fun, but I really wished K was there. Since it was kind of a wedding reception, there were a lot of couple people there. I sat at a table with two co-workers and their spouses. It just seemed like something K and I would've enjoyed together. I really miss him. I haven't heard from him since Tuesday. I know he's fine and that he's just busy. He's started doing more humanitarian aid, which is usually reserved for infanry batteries, which his is not. He was excited when he was asked to do that. I'm anxious to hear how it's going next time I talk to him.
But for now, I'm exhausted. My two-hour nap was desperately needed, as is a full night's sleep before I get up for church tomorrow at 9:30. I fully intend on being more productive tomorrow and doing something other than sleep, watch football and drink wine. :) I'll let you know how that goes.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
I thought this might be fun ...
I was thinking about all the more-about-me surveys that I've seen on people's blogs, and I thought it might be fun to do a little switcheroo. :)
If you do decide to post your answers, feel free to do it anonymously if you'd like.
1) What one post of mine do you remember most or what post has stuck with you or affected you for some reason?
2) Do you ever think about me in your personal life? If so, what reminds you of me?
3) What's one thing -- if any -- that you've learned from reading my blog?
4) Do you remember what was the topic of the first blog you read of mine?
5) Do you want Noodle?
6) What's one thing you want to know about me?
7) What do you think I do for a living? (if you know this already, please don't answer)
8) If we knew each other in real life, do you think we'd be friends?
9) Has reading my blog ever put you in a better mood?
10) What one piece of advice do you want to give me or do you think I should take to heart?
Thanks for filling this out if you do, and if you don't, thanks for just reading my blog. :) I thought it would be neat to see what you all had to say.
Seriously, though, if you want Noodle ...
If you do decide to post your answers, feel free to do it anonymously if you'd like.
1) What one post of mine do you remember most or what post has stuck with you or affected you for some reason?
2) Do you ever think about me in your personal life? If so, what reminds you of me?
3) What's one thing -- if any -- that you've learned from reading my blog?
4) Do you remember what was the topic of the first blog you read of mine?
5) Do you want Noodle?
6) What's one thing you want to know about me?
7) What do you think I do for a living? (if you know this already, please don't answer)
8) If we knew each other in real life, do you think we'd be friends?
9) Has reading my blog ever put you in a better mood?
10) What one piece of advice do you want to give me or do you think I should take to heart?
Thanks for filling this out if you do, and if you don't, thanks for just reading my blog. :) I thought it would be neat to see what you all had to say.
Seriously, though, if you want Noodle ...
Liking Dallas is getting harder
My route to work involves getting onto a major highway in Dallas. The person who designed this major highway should be fired, because whoever tries to enter it on any onramp must fight to merge onto the road through people who are trying to get off of it. (Did you follow that?)
And where I enter the road is even worse because I only have so many yards to merge over at least two lanes to the left so I don't wound up heading onto a different major highway that goes a direction I'm not intending to go.
Yesterday morning, I had managed to move over one lane to the left. I had one more to go, and there was a break in traffic. However, as I had tried to gain speed, the person in front of me stopped. I had room to merge over, but there wasn't enough time to gain speed so the person I was merging in front of wouldn't have to slow down. The old hag behind me (I'm only calling her that because she looked like she was in her 40s, which isn't old, but it's old enough she shouldn't drive like this or be so cranky because she had to hit her brake) threw up her arms like I had dangerously cut her off or had pulled in front of her specifically so she'd have to slow down.
And this morning, as soon as I entered the highway, I looked for a place I could squeeze in and merge into the next lane to the left. I put on my blinker, and as I did that, I saw the man in the car behind me immediately throw up his hands.
So to you, impatient driver of the black car behind me, I offer you an apology. I'm sorry that I needed to go east instead of south. It was rude of me to not immediately slam my car into the white van in the lane next to me so you could continue your route uninterrupted (that is, until someone else needed to merge to the right to go the same route as you).
I apologize for forgetting that your time is WAY more important than mine. It was selfish of me to think that it would be acceptable to hold you up while I looked for a place to merge into traffic. I'm sorry for thinking that you could have just moved over to pass me on the wide shoulder like the logical people who want to head south do; clearly, you're too important to have to turn your wheel to get where you need to go when I could solve the problem simply by crashing my car so I could be out of your way and you could be on yours.
In case I wind up in front of you again, I'll try to do better tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Driver of the red Honda who is clearly in the wrong here
And where I enter the road is even worse because I only have so many yards to merge over at least two lanes to the left so I don't wound up heading onto a different major highway that goes a direction I'm not intending to go.
Yesterday morning, I had managed to move over one lane to the left. I had one more to go, and there was a break in traffic. However, as I had tried to gain speed, the person in front of me stopped. I had room to merge over, but there wasn't enough time to gain speed so the person I was merging in front of wouldn't have to slow down. The old hag behind me (I'm only calling her that because she looked like she was in her 40s, which isn't old, but it's old enough she shouldn't drive like this or be so cranky because she had to hit her brake) threw up her arms like I had dangerously cut her off or had pulled in front of her specifically so she'd have to slow down.
And this morning, as soon as I entered the highway, I looked for a place I could squeeze in and merge into the next lane to the left. I put on my blinker, and as I did that, I saw the man in the car behind me immediately throw up his hands.
So to you, impatient driver of the black car behind me, I offer you an apology. I'm sorry that I needed to go east instead of south. It was rude of me to not immediately slam my car into the white van in the lane next to me so you could continue your route uninterrupted (that is, until someone else needed to merge to the right to go the same route as you).
I apologize for forgetting that your time is WAY more important than mine. It was selfish of me to think that it would be acceptable to hold you up while I looked for a place to merge into traffic. I'm sorry for thinking that you could have just moved over to pass me on the wide shoulder like the logical people who want to head south do; clearly, you're too important to have to turn your wheel to get where you need to go when I could solve the problem simply by crashing my car so I could be out of your way and you could be on yours.
In case I wind up in front of you again, I'll try to do better tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Driver of the red Honda who is clearly in the wrong here
Thinking about quitting my job and becoming a bouncer
I broke up two fights last night. I was at my dining room table, which is in an area that connects my kitchen and living room. I was checking some things online when all of a sudden, I heard these terrible screams. I realized it was a cat fight. Noodle was outside. I ran to my window that looks out onto my porch, and sure enough, Shitbag (since you now know his real nickname, I might as well use it) had managed to jump onto the landing to the next floor even though I'd moved my table and chairs in hopes of preventing it. There he was, hissing and screaming at this Siamese stray cat that had made a visit or two by that landing before. I yelled at him to run away, and he did. I went outside my apartment and grabbed Noodle from the landing.
I normally leave my bedroom door cracked so he can come in my room if he wants but still be able to get to his litterbox, food and toys in the living room and kitchen. Last night, as usual, he was being a punk and clawing at things on my bedside table, so I closed the door so I could sleep without him bugging me. At 4:30 a.m., I awakened to screaming. It took just a second for me to be sure it was coming from inside my apartment. I jumped out of bed and was wondering how this other cat had managed to get into my living room. Yes, the window was open, but it was only just enough so air can get in but Shitbag can't claw his way out. I was hoping this other cat hadn't been in my apartment long enough to claw up my couch or spray everywhere.
I opened my bedroom door, and there was Noodle, perched rigidly at the window, screaming at whatever was outside on my balcony. I peered through the window, and there was the same stupid Siamese cat that Noodle had fought with hours before. I glared at him and said sternly, "You get off my porch now." Amazingly enough, he paused only for a second, as if translating my demand into kitty language, then leapt from my balcony onto the landing. Whatching him jump made me decide that cats are very aware of the fact that they have nine lives. Or this cat was very intimidated by my anger.
So now, I'm stuck. There are two stray cats that run around my area. Am I supposed to rig something to cover the space from my balcony to the landing so they can't jump onto my porch and so Shitbag can't be a shitbag and jump up there himself? Am I supposed to call my apartment office to let them know about the problem?
At this point, I think Noodle has lost his privilege of going outside, since he insists on jumping up to that landing, which always leads to trouble -- either through him running away, cat fights or through leaving scratches on me when I pick him up because he's so scared and stiffened because he doesn't know what to do now that he's up there.
Is leaving my window open any more than slightly cracked now completely out of the question, since Noodle can escape and since other cats have figured out how to get on my balcony?
This cat is totally not worth all these problems ...
I normally leave my bedroom door cracked so he can come in my room if he wants but still be able to get to his litterbox, food and toys in the living room and kitchen. Last night, as usual, he was being a punk and clawing at things on my bedside table, so I closed the door so I could sleep without him bugging me. At 4:30 a.m., I awakened to screaming. It took just a second for me to be sure it was coming from inside my apartment. I jumped out of bed and was wondering how this other cat had managed to get into my living room. Yes, the window was open, but it was only just enough so air can get in but Shitbag can't claw his way out. I was hoping this other cat hadn't been in my apartment long enough to claw up my couch or spray everywhere.
I opened my bedroom door, and there was Noodle, perched rigidly at the window, screaming at whatever was outside on my balcony. I peered through the window, and there was the same stupid Siamese cat that Noodle had fought with hours before. I glared at him and said sternly, "You get off my porch now." Amazingly enough, he paused only for a second, as if translating my demand into kitty language, then leapt from my balcony onto the landing. Whatching him jump made me decide that cats are very aware of the fact that they have nine lives. Or this cat was very intimidated by my anger.
So now, I'm stuck. There are two stray cats that run around my area. Am I supposed to rig something to cover the space from my balcony to the landing so they can't jump onto my porch and so Shitbag can't be a shitbag and jump up there himself? Am I supposed to call my apartment office to let them know about the problem?
At this point, I think Noodle has lost his privilege of going outside, since he insists on jumping up to that landing, which always leads to trouble -- either through him running away, cat fights or through leaving scratches on me when I pick him up because he's so scared and stiffened because he doesn't know what to do now that he's up there.
Is leaving my window open any more than slightly cracked now completely out of the question, since Noodle can escape and since other cats have figured out how to get on my balcony?
This cat is totally not worth all these problems ...
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Who'd have thought?
Having a boyfriend overseas is expensive. And tiring. I just finished everything I needed to do tonight after getting his care package ready.
I got off work late, so by the time I ran to GNC to get K's Mega Man vitamins and to Borders to get Maxim -- which, by the way, I had no idea you couldn't buy at Wal-Mart -- and finally got home, it was 8:30. I cooked myself some dinner, then watched TV for all of about 10 minutes. Then, I set to work on some homemade chocolate chip cookies to send to him. While they were baking, I wrote him a letter and planned how I'd get everything in the box to determine which size of tupperware to put in, which affected how many cookies I could send. I finally opted for the largest tupperware container that would fit. I'm going to just have to send another smaller package this weekend because not everything I wanted to send would fit.
In this package: a letter sprayed down with perfume; two crimson pillowcases, also sprayed with perfume and double-wrapped in freezer bags to preserve the scent; 4 pictures, including the "bridesmaid's dress" pic; Maxim; Men's Health; XMen III on DVD; 3 packages of Crystal Light individual mixes (since they can only drink the bottled water there); small package of animal crackers (big one to be put in this weekend's package); and Mega Man vitamins. I think that's all that's in there, but it'd completely packed.
And I'm completely exhausted. And I still have to shower ...
I got off work late, so by the time I ran to GNC to get K's Mega Man vitamins and to Borders to get Maxim -- which, by the way, I had no idea you couldn't buy at Wal-Mart -- and finally got home, it was 8:30. I cooked myself some dinner, then watched TV for all of about 10 minutes. Then, I set to work on some homemade chocolate chip cookies to send to him. While they were baking, I wrote him a letter and planned how I'd get everything in the box to determine which size of tupperware to put in, which affected how many cookies I could send. I finally opted for the largest tupperware container that would fit. I'm going to just have to send another smaller package this weekend because not everything I wanted to send would fit.
In this package: a letter sprayed down with perfume; two crimson pillowcases, also sprayed with perfume and double-wrapped in freezer bags to preserve the scent; 4 pictures, including the "bridesmaid's dress" pic; Maxim; Men's Health; XMen III on DVD; 3 packages of Crystal Light individual mixes (since they can only drink the bottled water there); small package of animal crackers (big one to be put in this weekend's package); and Mega Man vitamins. I think that's all that's in there, but it'd completely packed.
And I'm completely exhausted. And I still have to shower ...
Monday, October 16, 2006
The cat came back
Noodle ran away last week. I came home from my girls' night on Wednesday, and when I opened my door, Noodle wasn't standing right there like he always does. I didn't think too much of it, but when I didn't hear the little bell ringing on his collar like he was running to the door, I knew something was wrong.
I started looking around my apartment, and I couldn't find him. I happened to look in the corner of my living room to see that my window screen had been messed up. There was a gap just big enough for a cat to fit through. The punk!
He'd already messed up the screen in my room, and I had to white trash/ghetto tape it up with packaging tape. I'd left my windows open for weeks in a row before since I've had Noodle, and I never had a problem. The difference now is that the punk figured out that there are stray cats that run around and who will stop by and meow at him from the landing above my balcony when I'd let him outside.
Here I thought I was being a nice person by letting him take a break from being cooped up all day. How does he repay my kindness? By clawing through my screen, hopping on the chair and then the table on my porch, and leaping onto the landing above me.
I wasn't that upset about what had happened. Honestly, Noodle had been driving me nuts. He keeps me up at night; he licks constantly. He's ruining my things by clawing them or knocking them over and breaking them. I spent $15 on a stupid picture frame from Sea World because it was cute and it's something I'll have for a long time with the picture of K and me from our trip inside it. It has three orcas on it, and when Noodle knocked it over, it broke the tail and dorsel fin off of one. Super glue fixed it, but still -- you can tell it was broken if you look closely.
I have a flimsy little three-legged, round table next to my bed, and there's a white tablecloth on it. I've only had that table cloth for, like, four months or something. Well, Noodle has managed to claw it and ruin it.
I take care of my things. They last for years. I like it that way.
At the same time, it is kinda cool to have a cat, and I didn't want Noodle to get sick or hurt. He's microchipped, so I knew he'd eventually make his way back somehow. I was hoping a nice family would find him, take him to the vet and discover he was chipped, and I could tell them they could just hang on to him because I'm not home enough to have a pet.
All my stuff would be saved, I wouldn't have to worry about what happens with him when I leave and I might even have a chance at getting rid of all the cat hair in my apartment.
But that wasn't the case. I was turning off my laptop in my living room when I heard (from my open window) a bell ringing and a cat's meow. It was Noodle. I opened my front door, and in the little punk ran. He laid right down on my floor like he'd only walked outside for a second. I started inspecting him for fleas, ticks, worms or any other disgusting thing when he got up and started scarfing down cat food. He then used his litter box. Thanks. All those hours he spent outside, and he waits until he gets inside to go to the bathroom.
Oh, well ... I already have the litterbox and cat food. And he is kinda cool sometimes.
I started looking around my apartment, and I couldn't find him. I happened to look in the corner of my living room to see that my window screen had been messed up. There was a gap just big enough for a cat to fit through. The punk!
He'd already messed up the screen in my room, and I had to white trash/ghetto tape it up with packaging tape. I'd left my windows open for weeks in a row before since I've had Noodle, and I never had a problem. The difference now is that the punk figured out that there are stray cats that run around and who will stop by and meow at him from the landing above my balcony when I'd let him outside.
Here I thought I was being a nice person by letting him take a break from being cooped up all day. How does he repay my kindness? By clawing through my screen, hopping on the chair and then the table on my porch, and leaping onto the landing above me.
I wasn't that upset about what had happened. Honestly, Noodle had been driving me nuts. He keeps me up at night; he licks constantly. He's ruining my things by clawing them or knocking them over and breaking them. I spent $15 on a stupid picture frame from Sea World because it was cute and it's something I'll have for a long time with the picture of K and me from our trip inside it. It has three orcas on it, and when Noodle knocked it over, it broke the tail and dorsel fin off of one. Super glue fixed it, but still -- you can tell it was broken if you look closely.
I have a flimsy little three-legged, round table next to my bed, and there's a white tablecloth on it. I've only had that table cloth for, like, four months or something. Well, Noodle has managed to claw it and ruin it.
I take care of my things. They last for years. I like it that way.
At the same time, it is kinda cool to have a cat, and I didn't want Noodle to get sick or hurt. He's microchipped, so I knew he'd eventually make his way back somehow. I was hoping a nice family would find him, take him to the vet and discover he was chipped, and I could tell them they could just hang on to him because I'm not home enough to have a pet.
All my stuff would be saved, I wouldn't have to worry about what happens with him when I leave and I might even have a chance at getting rid of all the cat hair in my apartment.
But that wasn't the case. I was turning off my laptop in my living room when I heard (from my open window) a bell ringing and a cat's meow. It was Noodle. I opened my front door, and in the little punk ran. He laid right down on my floor like he'd only walked outside for a second. I started inspecting him for fleas, ticks, worms or any other disgusting thing when he got up and started scarfing down cat food. He then used his litter box. Thanks. All those hours he spent outside, and he waits until he gets inside to go to the bathroom.
Oh, well ... I already have the litterbox and cat food. And he is kinda cool sometimes.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Long (but good) weekend
Friday night I worked late again. Overtime will be nice, but I was definitely ready to go. I had planned on going to the gym, but by the time I got home, I just wanted to eat and chill, so I did.
I woke up Saturday morning at 8:30, so I went to the gym. After that, I went home and cleaned my refrigerator, took a shower and then met K's roommate's girlfriend and her mother, who were in town visiting a relative. It was so good to see Cathy. I became such good friends with so many of K's friends, and I miss them all!
We went to lunch, then shopping. I had needed a new light jacket that's not denim so I can wear it with jeans. I found the cutest jacket at J. Crew for $20. I couldn't decide between green or khaki, so I bought them both! You can't beat $20!
We stopped by the Michael Kors store, and I found the perfect bridesmaid dress for when K and I get married.
Relax, I'm kidding. We thought it was pretty funny, though.
We all spent pretty much the whole day together -- Cathy, me, her mom, her cousin. It was really good to see her, and it was a really good day.
I actually finally heard from K. He'd e-mailed me twice last week and had told me he was going to call. In the second e-mail, though, he said the phones were down and he'd call when they were back up. I knew everything was fine, but it's just that when I don't hear from him for a while, part of me starts to feel like he's almost a figment of my imagination or something. I know that doesn't make sense and it probably sounds insane, but it's hard to explain exactly what I mean. It's just weird to have all these pictures and memories of a person and to miss him like crazy and think of him pretty much all the time. To have everyone asking me about him and wondering how he's doing and praying for him, and then to not get to hear from him very often. It definitely sucks.
So K called me Saturday afternoon. He's doing well. He finds out soon when he's supposed to be coming home. Just because they tell him one time, though, doesn't exactly mean that's when he'll be back. The bad thing, though, is that it's looking like it may be the end of February. He's supposed to let me know as soon as he does. I'm really hoping it's not that long.
Today, I lounged around doing laundry until I went to ER's parents' going away party. They're about to move to China. They're like my second parents. It was good to spend time with them before they leave.
The only bad thing that happened this weekend was the news of Adrian Peterson. He's out for the season due to a broken collarbone. He's practically our whole team! I wanted to cry when I found out. This will likely get rid of his chances for the Heisman. I didn't think he'd get it this year, anyway. He really should have gotten it his freshman year instead of Matt Leinart. Peterson will probably go pro after this year. I think he should, anyway. We'll have a new quarterback again next year, so it'll be another couple of years before we're back up to the level of playing Sooner fans had gotten accustomed to. Trying to look at the bright side, I think at least it's good that our team will have to fend for itself rather than relying on Adrian to pull us out of everthing. It'll give the team a taste of what it'll be like next year. I hate it for him, though. Just Saturday morning when I was getting ready to meet Cathy, I was watching ESPN Game Day. Kirk Herbstreit was talking about how Peterson's the best player in college football right now, and Chris Fowler and Lee Corso weren't putting up an argument. Saturday was the first game Peterson's dad had gotten to see him play since he was 12 because he just got out of prison. At least his dad got to see him play once ...
I had a really good weekend, but I still can't believe how slowly they go by. After pretty much 15 months of feeling like I blink on Friday and it turns to Monday, it's weird to have Saturday and Sunday feel like two distinctly separate days. Sometimes, two distinctly separate days that crawl by. I really hope K gets back before February.
I woke up Saturday morning at 8:30, so I went to the gym. After that, I went home and cleaned my refrigerator, took a shower and then met K's roommate's girlfriend and her mother, who were in town visiting a relative. It was so good to see Cathy. I became such good friends with so many of K's friends, and I miss them all!
We went to lunch, then shopping. I had needed a new light jacket that's not denim so I can wear it with jeans. I found the cutest jacket at J. Crew for $20. I couldn't decide between green or khaki, so I bought them both! You can't beat $20!
We stopped by the Michael Kors store, and I found the perfect bridesmaid dress for when K and I get married.
Relax, I'm kidding. We thought it was pretty funny, though.
We all spent pretty much the whole day together -- Cathy, me, her mom, her cousin. It was really good to see her, and it was a really good day.
I actually finally heard from K. He'd e-mailed me twice last week and had told me he was going to call. In the second e-mail, though, he said the phones were down and he'd call when they were back up. I knew everything was fine, but it's just that when I don't hear from him for a while, part of me starts to feel like he's almost a figment of my imagination or something. I know that doesn't make sense and it probably sounds insane, but it's hard to explain exactly what I mean. It's just weird to have all these pictures and memories of a person and to miss him like crazy and think of him pretty much all the time. To have everyone asking me about him and wondering how he's doing and praying for him, and then to not get to hear from him very often. It definitely sucks.
So K called me Saturday afternoon. He's doing well. He finds out soon when he's supposed to be coming home. Just because they tell him one time, though, doesn't exactly mean that's when he'll be back. The bad thing, though, is that it's looking like it may be the end of February. He's supposed to let me know as soon as he does. I'm really hoping it's not that long.
Today, I lounged around doing laundry until I went to ER's parents' going away party. They're about to move to China. They're like my second parents. It was good to spend time with them before they leave.
The only bad thing that happened this weekend was the news of Adrian Peterson. He's out for the season due to a broken collarbone. He's practically our whole team! I wanted to cry when I found out. This will likely get rid of his chances for the Heisman. I didn't think he'd get it this year, anyway. He really should have gotten it his freshman year instead of Matt Leinart. Peterson will probably go pro after this year. I think he should, anyway. We'll have a new quarterback again next year, so it'll be another couple of years before we're back up to the level of playing Sooner fans had gotten accustomed to. Trying to look at the bright side, I think at least it's good that our team will have to fend for itself rather than relying on Adrian to pull us out of everthing. It'll give the team a taste of what it'll be like next year. I hate it for him, though. Just Saturday morning when I was getting ready to meet Cathy, I was watching ESPN Game Day. Kirk Herbstreit was talking about how Peterson's the best player in college football right now, and Chris Fowler and Lee Corso weren't putting up an argument. Saturday was the first game Peterson's dad had gotten to see him play since he was 12 because he just got out of prison. At least his dad got to see him play once ...
I had a really good weekend, but I still can't believe how slowly they go by. After pretty much 15 months of feeling like I blink on Friday and it turns to Monday, it's weird to have Saturday and Sunday feel like two distinctly separate days. Sometimes, two distinctly separate days that crawl by. I really hope K gets back before February.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Enjoying it while I can
A girl in my office was just talking about how she doesn't eat beef or fried foods. She's 24. She's a very healthy eater -- kudos to her for that.
At the same time, I'm 23 years old. I'm 5'9" or 5'10"-ish, and my metabolism probably isn't ever going to get any higher than it is right now. I think it's already slowed since high school, but I'm still thin.
I go to the gym. But I don't worry so much about what I eat. A year ago, though, I ate pizza literally 3 times a week. I didn't ever consume anything that said "diet" -- why eat something that's bound to taste disgusting?
Since K, I eat better. He's not the world's healthiest eater, but he's pretty dang healthy. Now, thanks to him, I drink Coca-Cola Zero. I drink Diet Lipton Green Tea (with citrus flavor!) from time to time. I pay attention to labels that say "Light" and "Zero grams trans fat."
Granted, I still think the double chocolate fudge chunk ice cream in my freezer is healthy because it says "Light" and "Zero grams trans fat" and even "1/3 fewer calories than regular ice cream." I still eat pizza three times a week every two or three weeks.
But the thing is, I don't eat much of the ice cream when I eat it. I eat it out of the tub because it's only me who eats it anyway. If I were to put ice cream in a bowl, I'd put a lot in there. But when I eat it right out of the tub, I don't eat as much. I've broken into my tub 3 or 4 times and, combined, had less than what I would have put in a bowl in one serving. It's all about portion control. Lucky for me, I have a small stomach that has always been filled quickly, which also means it needs filled more frequently.
I had a turkey burger last Sunday for dinner, but it was only because I realized as I was cooking it that my BEEF hamburger patty had a black spot on it that made it seem like a bad idea to eat it. I'm sure it's much better to go to a place that offers soy burgers instead of Fuddruckers, with its wonderfully delicious, greasy cheeseburgers.
But we only live once. I'm sure I'm lucky to not care about labels and eliminating beef from my diet. At the same time, why sweat the small stuff? Like I said, I'm 23, and my metabolism isn't going to get any higher.
At the same time, I'm 23 years old. I'm 5'9" or 5'10"-ish, and my metabolism probably isn't ever going to get any higher than it is right now. I think it's already slowed since high school, but I'm still thin.
I go to the gym. But I don't worry so much about what I eat. A year ago, though, I ate pizza literally 3 times a week. I didn't ever consume anything that said "diet" -- why eat something that's bound to taste disgusting?
Since K, I eat better. He's not the world's healthiest eater, but he's pretty dang healthy. Now, thanks to him, I drink Coca-Cola Zero. I drink Diet Lipton Green Tea (with citrus flavor!) from time to time. I pay attention to labels that say "Light" and "Zero grams trans fat."
Granted, I still think the double chocolate fudge chunk ice cream in my freezer is healthy because it says "Light" and "Zero grams trans fat" and even "1/3 fewer calories than regular ice cream." I still eat pizza three times a week every two or three weeks.
But the thing is, I don't eat much of the ice cream when I eat it. I eat it out of the tub because it's only me who eats it anyway. If I were to put ice cream in a bowl, I'd put a lot in there. But when I eat it right out of the tub, I don't eat as much. I've broken into my tub 3 or 4 times and, combined, had less than what I would have put in a bowl in one serving. It's all about portion control. Lucky for me, I have a small stomach that has always been filled quickly, which also means it needs filled more frequently.
I had a turkey burger last Sunday for dinner, but it was only because I realized as I was cooking it that my BEEF hamburger patty had a black spot on it that made it seem like a bad idea to eat it. I'm sure it's much better to go to a place that offers soy burgers instead of Fuddruckers, with its wonderfully delicious, greasy cheeseburgers.
But we only live once. I'm sure I'm lucky to not care about labels and eliminating beef from my diet. At the same time, why sweat the small stuff? Like I said, I'm 23, and my metabolism isn't going to get any higher.
Monday, October 09, 2006
I jinxed us!
I was afraid today would be kind of rough at work. I'm the only Sooner fan in my department, which is definitely not short of texas fans. I haven't heard a harsh word, though, and honestly, I expected at least a bit of ragging. I couldn't blame them for a little, "Hook 'em horns!" or something like that. But no -- nothing. One big fan even stopped by my office, paused briefly and said, "Well, ya can't win 'em all. Texas can't either. We've certainly lost our fair share."
I wasn't expecting to be beraded by any means, but I was prepared for at least a little trash-talking. It is football in the South, after all. I'm not complaining, by any means, but I'm really surprised.
The big Ohio State fan in our office mentioned it to me as well. He said he was at a gas station Saturday and saw some people in a car with Oklahoma plates on it, and he thought, "Well, at least she doesn't have to make that long, sad drive" (talking about me). That made me realize that I never made that "long, sad drive." It was always a happy drive for me. Every time I came from Norman to Dallas to watch the game, we went home doing the longhorn-down with our hands and making O-Us with our arms out the window at other Sooners who were making the happy trek back along I-35 with us.
We won five years in a row. Last year, we lost. This year, we lost. Both years, I was living in Dallas. Both years, I went to the fair to watch the game, but didn't have tickets. Instead, I watched from a tent.
It's all my fault. Next year, I'll either have to shell out $200+ for a ticket, or I'll have to drive all the way up to Norman a couple days before the game, only to come down to Dallas on Friday like the Sooner fans in Oklahoma.
Or our team could play better next year. But that's beside the point.
I wasn't expecting to be beraded by any means, but I was prepared for at least a little trash-talking. It is football in the South, after all. I'm not complaining, by any means, but I'm really surprised.
The big Ohio State fan in our office mentioned it to me as well. He said he was at a gas station Saturday and saw some people in a car with Oklahoma plates on it, and he thought, "Well, at least she doesn't have to make that long, sad drive" (talking about me). That made me realize that I never made that "long, sad drive." It was always a happy drive for me. Every time I came from Norman to Dallas to watch the game, we went home doing the longhorn-down with our hands and making O-Us with our arms out the window at other Sooners who were making the happy trek back along I-35 with us.
We won five years in a row. Last year, we lost. This year, we lost. Both years, I was living in Dallas. Both years, I went to the fair to watch the game, but didn't have tickets. Instead, I watched from a tent.
It's all my fault. Next year, I'll either have to shell out $200+ for a ticket, or I'll have to drive all the way up to Norman a couple days before the game, only to come down to Dallas on Friday like the Sooner fans in Oklahoma.
Or our team could play better next year. But that's beside the point.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
You can't win 'em all ...
This weekend was a good weekend. I worked Friday night until about 10, so I got overtime. That's good, right? Then, I joined Jeremy and one of his good friends at the West End for the annual OU-tx festivities. I only stayed for about 20 minutes or so. I guess everyone had been drinking for quite some time, because the majority of the people there were already so drunk they couldnt walk in a straight line. I watched one guy try to fight a girl and two other guys starting to get into a fight, and I decided to leave. Last year, it had been fun with K, his roommate and my old roommate. Not so much this year.
I got up early Saturday morning to watch the Pride rehearse. They're so good! I really miss the band. I have so many wonderful memories and had so many great experiences from that organization. I remember when my parents came up for Pride Parents' Day my freshman year. They'd started talking to this guy who was a Pride alum. He told them the 4 years he was in Pride was the best four years of his life. I thought about that as I watched them rehearse. I know what he means on one hand, but on the other, I hope I never think or say, "That was the best time of my life," because it seems like a sad thing -- like you peaked and things won't be so good again. I hope I remember my time in Pride as a time when I was able to grow close to so many people, have a blast being in band and experience things the typical Sooner fans (and most football fans in general) don't get to experience. I hope I remember different phases of my life fondly for their own unique reasons.
Anyway, so a few friends all met back at my place to carpool to the State Fair. We watched the game on a big-screen TV at some Toyota tent. It was fun. And there's definitely nothing like the State Fair of Texas.
The Midway, where the carnival-like part of the fair is.
They pretty much fry everthing!
My friend and I had to try a fried Coke. They're good to start out with, but I think it's impossible to finish one. And they don't really taste like Coke.
Big Tex, one of the most famous parts of the fair.
The texas fans celebrating after their win ... not something I wanted to see.
We lost the game. Not only did we lose, but we lost by 17 points. Our second-half team played terribly in the second half -- especially in the 4th quarter. The thing about being a fan when your team goes to national championships 3 out of 5 years is that it's easy to get used to winning. It's easy to be a fan when your team is so close to the top. Watching the Sooners struggle, though, makes me an even bigger fan because I'm proud of them no matter what. We lost a game -- it happens. From the way both teams played, the longhorns deserved to win that game. There's no doubt about that.
All I have to say, though, is, no matter what the outcome of the game, at least Sooner fans don't dress like this!
I got up early Saturday morning to watch the Pride rehearse. They're so good! I really miss the band. I have so many wonderful memories and had so many great experiences from that organization. I remember when my parents came up for Pride Parents' Day my freshman year. They'd started talking to this guy who was a Pride alum. He told them the 4 years he was in Pride was the best four years of his life. I thought about that as I watched them rehearse. I know what he means on one hand, but on the other, I hope I never think or say, "That was the best time of my life," because it seems like a sad thing -- like you peaked and things won't be so good again. I hope I remember my time in Pride as a time when I was able to grow close to so many people, have a blast being in band and experience things the typical Sooner fans (and most football fans in general) don't get to experience. I hope I remember different phases of my life fondly for their own unique reasons.
Anyway, so a few friends all met back at my place to carpool to the State Fair. We watched the game on a big-screen TV at some Toyota tent. It was fun. And there's definitely nothing like the State Fair of Texas.
The Midway, where the carnival-like part of the fair is.
They pretty much fry everthing!
My friend and I had to try a fried Coke. They're good to start out with, but I think it's impossible to finish one. And they don't really taste like Coke.
Big Tex, one of the most famous parts of the fair.
The texas fans celebrating after their win ... not something I wanted to see.
We lost the game. Not only did we lose, but we lost by 17 points. Our second-half team played terribly in the second half -- especially in the 4th quarter. The thing about being a fan when your team goes to national championships 3 out of 5 years is that it's easy to get used to winning. It's easy to be a fan when your team is so close to the top. Watching the Sooners struggle, though, makes me an even bigger fan because I'm proud of them no matter what. We lost a game -- it happens. From the way both teams played, the longhorns deserved to win that game. There's no doubt about that.
All I have to say, though, is, no matter what the outcome of the game, at least Sooner fans don't dress like this!
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Reasons today is/will be awesome
- I got to work and checked my e-mail, and I had this awesome e-mail from K -- the perfect way to start my day.
- It's Thursday.
- It's Thursday of OU-tx week.
- I'm wearing crimson for the 4th day in a row, and I pretty much plan on wearing it for the next four in a row too, no matter what the outcome of the game.
- I redid my MySpace page last night to look as awesome as my blog. (Hey, ya gotta be festive!)
- I found these awesomely bad (but great!) OU hip hop songs last night on MySpace. If you have a page, do a music search for Boomer Sooner. Click on the one that says "hip hop" for the genre. There are two songs -- "Sooner Bounce" and "Sooner Girl." Remember: I said they're awesomely BAD.
- I ordered a blue Razor phone last night for $100. When I get it next week, I'm so returning this crap phone I paid $200 for because Tyson at Cingular said I can.
- I'm having pizza and salad for lunch. For the second day in a row.
- I'm having a good hair day.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
On K and crimson
K called me last night. It was so good to hear his voice, since it's been five days since his last call. He had a change-of-command ceremony on Saturday, so he's officially over the soldiers in his battery now. I guess things have gotten pretty hectic since then.
He got the package I sent to him a couple weeks ago. I'd sent him beef jerky, which was molded by the time he got it; Jiff peanut butter he specifically requested, which is still awesome; a perfume-scented pillowcase, which still smells like perfume, he said; and a CD that I burned for him.
I had wanted to get The Fray's CD for quite a while, so I finally bought it online and burned a copy for myself and for him. I had started making a list of songs to send him, so I added those at the end: "Chasing Cars," by the Snow Patrol (because I love it and it always makes me think of him); "Looking Glass," by Stone Sour (because I had started liking it a lot right before he left); "Bad Medicine," by Bon Jovi (because it was his ringtone for me on his cell phone); "Sexy Back," by Justin Timberlake (because K is bringing sexy back, too); and "Boomer Sooner," performed by the 2004 Pride of Oklahoma marching band (because, hello, all the cool kids have a copy of it, AND because it's a recording from my senior year).
K told me that he'd listened to the CD many times, and he'd even fallen asleep the first night to The Fray. It's a really good, relaxing CD. If you like Howie Day (and you should, because his album is awesome), you'll like The Fray.
---------------------------------------------------
One of my co-workers came by today to give me kudos for following through on a statement I made Monday. I can't believe you doubted me.
In case you haven't heard (or haven't looked at my blog since Sunday), this week is OU-texas week. As a showing of my appreciation and love for the Sooner football team and the University of Oklahoma, I told my co-workers I'd be wearing crimson every day this week. And I have. Duh.
So she stopped by my office and said, "Wow ... you're really doing it." She's anxious to see what all I have that's crimson. I went to OU for four years. Trust me, there's plenty. :) Besides, it's just such a flattering color.
He got the package I sent to him a couple weeks ago. I'd sent him beef jerky, which was molded by the time he got it; Jiff peanut butter he specifically requested, which is still awesome; a perfume-scented pillowcase, which still smells like perfume, he said; and a CD that I burned for him.
I had wanted to get The Fray's CD for quite a while, so I finally bought it online and burned a copy for myself and for him. I had started making a list of songs to send him, so I added those at the end: "Chasing Cars," by the Snow Patrol (because I love it and it always makes me think of him); "Looking Glass," by Stone Sour (because I had started liking it a lot right before he left); "Bad Medicine," by Bon Jovi (because it was his ringtone for me on his cell phone); "Sexy Back," by Justin Timberlake (because K is bringing sexy back, too); and "Boomer Sooner," performed by the 2004 Pride of Oklahoma marching band (because, hello, all the cool kids have a copy of it, AND because it's a recording from my senior year).
K told me that he'd listened to the CD many times, and he'd even fallen asleep the first night to The Fray. It's a really good, relaxing CD. If you like Howie Day (and you should, because his album is awesome), you'll like The Fray.
---------------------------------------------------
One of my co-workers came by today to give me kudos for following through on a statement I made Monday. I can't believe you doubted me.
In case you haven't heard (or haven't looked at my blog since Sunday), this week is OU-texas week. As a showing of my appreciation and love for the Sooner football team and the University of Oklahoma, I told my co-workers I'd be wearing crimson every day this week. And I have. Duh.
So she stopped by my office and said, "Wow ... you're really doing it." She's anxious to see what all I have that's crimson. I went to OU for four years. Trust me, there's plenty. :) Besides, it's just such a flattering color.
Great things you can't see
I blogged this morning about last night. It was an awesome post, but my computer at work chose to act up and not post it, so it's gone. Too bad. You'd have loved it.
And the new look of my page? It's not quite what it's supposed to be. I've tried to fix it, but it won't work. Whenever I hit "preview" after making changes, I'm directed to the most beautiful, perfect page I've ever seen. The "About Me" text on the right is lined up so perfectly with the date header of my blog posts, and the wonderful cream, textured background goes in a perfect rail all the way to the bottom of the page. The text on the links/about me rail to the right has a slight margin so it's not bumping into the white background of the posts. It's gorgeous.
It's probably good that you can't see it, because I'm sure you'd probably just sit at your computer screen all day staring at how wonderful the page looks. You'd be very unproductive, and your boss would fire you, or your spouse would be mad at you, or your child would starve because you're so awestruck that you've forgotten to feed the poor kid. And my post was so magnificent you'd read it over and over, producing the same results as the glorious page.
So I hope you're glad that the Internet isn't being so cooperative right now. I just don't think I could handle having such bad things happening to you on my conscience.
And the new look of my page? It's not quite what it's supposed to be. I've tried to fix it, but it won't work. Whenever I hit "preview" after making changes, I'm directed to the most beautiful, perfect page I've ever seen. The "About Me" text on the right is lined up so perfectly with the date header of my blog posts, and the wonderful cream, textured background goes in a perfect rail all the way to the bottom of the page. The text on the links/about me rail to the right has a slight margin so it's not bumping into the white background of the posts. It's gorgeous.
It's probably good that you can't see it, because I'm sure you'd probably just sit at your computer screen all day staring at how wonderful the page looks. You'd be very unproductive, and your boss would fire you, or your spouse would be mad at you, or your child would starve because you're so awestruck that you've forgotten to feed the poor kid. And my post was so magnificent you'd read it over and over, producing the same results as the glorious page.
So I hope you're glad that the Internet isn't being so cooperative right now. I just don't think I could handle having such bad things happening to you on my conscience.
Just in time!
I'm really glad I went ahead and got my crappy new phone yesterday because K was finally able to call last night. He'd had his change-of-command ceremony on Saturday, and things have been hectic since then. He's doing well, and he actually got the second package I sent him about two weeks ago (the one with the pillowcase). Unfortunately, the beef jerky my dad made didn't last through the trip. K said it was covered in mold.
The peanut butter was just fine, though, so K's enjoying that. :) He said the pillowcase I sent still smells like my perfume, so that's good. I'd also just downloaded and burned the Fray CD, so I sent him a copy. I put some other songs on the end of it that I knew he'd like: "Chasing Cars," by the Snow Patrol (that one always reminds me of him), "Looking Glass," by Stone Sour (I was really liking it right about the time he left), "Sexy Back," by Justin Timberlake (because K's bringin' sexy back, too) :), "Bad Medicine," by Bon Jovi (because it's K's ringtone for me on his cell phone), and "Boomer Sooner," performed by the 2004 Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band (my senior year!). K said he'd listened to the CD several times, and he really likes it. He thought The Fray's CD was good, and he said he'd actually fallen asleep to it the first night he got it. It's really relaxing.
So he's doing well, and he's staying busy. It had been five days since I'd heard from him before last night. He said it won't be so long next time. He also said he'll find out in a couple weeks whether they're still on schedule to be back around Thanksgiving, so keep your fingers crossed!
The peanut butter was just fine, though, so K's enjoying that. :) He said the pillowcase I sent still smells like my perfume, so that's good. I'd also just downloaded and burned the Fray CD, so I sent him a copy. I put some other songs on the end of it that I knew he'd like: "Chasing Cars," by the Snow Patrol (that one always reminds me of him), "Looking Glass," by Stone Sour (I was really liking it right about the time he left), "Sexy Back," by Justin Timberlake (because K's bringin' sexy back, too) :), "Bad Medicine," by Bon Jovi (because it's K's ringtone for me on his cell phone), and "Boomer Sooner," performed by the 2004 Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band (my senior year!). K said he'd listened to the CD several times, and he really likes it. He thought The Fray's CD was good, and he said he'd actually fallen asleep to it the first night he got it. It's really relaxing.
So he's doing well, and he's staying busy. It had been five days since I'd heard from him before last night. He said it won't be so long next time. He also said he'll find out in a couple weeks whether they're still on schedule to be back around Thanksgiving, so keep your fingers crossed!
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Buyer's remorse
My cell phone died. It happened slowly. A few weeks ago, the vibrate option stopped working. I used to never use it, but with K gone, it's become pretty important.
Last Saturday, I woke up, and the display that shows the time or who is calling me when my flip phone is closed was no longer working. It was just blank.
Sunday, my display when I opened my phone wasn't being cooperative. Many times, it just showed a solid blue screen. I could turn it off and back on to solve the problem. By Monday night, it was all blue, all the time. I couldn't see who was calling me or what time it was. I couldn't set the alarm on my phone. I couldn't see if I'd managed to sleep through K calling me last night, although I'm pretty sure I didn't. I couldn't see if I missed calls today when I stepped away from my phone for a second.
Clearly, this couldn't continue.
I went to the Cingular store today after work. Electronics aren't that big a deal to me. I like the look of the new Razor phones, but I just can't justify spending so much money on something when I can get a phone for much cheaper that pretty much does all those same things. I looked around at the different phones and decided on a Nokia cell phone that was priced at $119 (It was the second-cheapest phone there.).
Honestly, I'd always gotten the free phones before -- the ones that cost at first, but you get your money back through the rebate. Those worked just fine. The phone that died on me today I'd had for about three years. It had survived being in the chest pockets of my band uniform in 100-plus degree temps. It made it through freezing temps in that same pocket, as well as in my purse. It made it through being poured on inside my purse on the 4th of July. It survived sand and salty air on beaches in California, Hawaii and Florida (and Galveston, Texas, if you can call that a beach). It made it through many, many falls, including two very rough ones in the last month and a half -- one at the gym from the elliptical, falling first from the screen onto the hard plastic running boards and onto the floor; and just a couple weeks ago, falling from my overloaded hands onto the hard concrete and bouncing onto a stone step after a stone step after more stone steps before finally landing on the second-to-last step.
Normally I'm not so hard on my phones, but taking a phone with you everywhere you go every second of the day can wear it out. My phone was just too old to take it. It was definitely time for a new one. But Cingular doesn't have the free ones anymore.
The phone I decided on was actually $69 without this service bundle thing, but I got it because it was supposed to be cheaper. The phone was supposed to be $119 when I got the bundle, which included a car charger and a bluetooth headset, as well as a carrying case. I also got a $50 rebate on the phone if I got a service bundle. I figured I'd be getting a car charger very soon anyway, and the bluetooth is pretty handy, so why not just save in the long run by buying them now?
Well, somehow my little $119 phone cost $194 by the time all the fees and taxes were added. That's one-fifth of the price of my brand new, awesome, has-everthing-I'll-ever-need laptop AND printer combined! The crappy part is that I can barely hear out of the phone, and I have good hearing. Luckily, I have 30 days to return or exchange it. I'm pretty sure I'll be revisiting Cingular on Saturday. Maybe I'll even already have a new phone from online.
Last Saturday, I woke up, and the display that shows the time or who is calling me when my flip phone is closed was no longer working. It was just blank.
Sunday, my display when I opened my phone wasn't being cooperative. Many times, it just showed a solid blue screen. I could turn it off and back on to solve the problem. By Monday night, it was all blue, all the time. I couldn't see who was calling me or what time it was. I couldn't set the alarm on my phone. I couldn't see if I'd managed to sleep through K calling me last night, although I'm pretty sure I didn't. I couldn't see if I missed calls today when I stepped away from my phone for a second.
Clearly, this couldn't continue.
I went to the Cingular store today after work. Electronics aren't that big a deal to me. I like the look of the new Razor phones, but I just can't justify spending so much money on something when I can get a phone for much cheaper that pretty much does all those same things. I looked around at the different phones and decided on a Nokia cell phone that was priced at $119 (It was the second-cheapest phone there.).
Honestly, I'd always gotten the free phones before -- the ones that cost at first, but you get your money back through the rebate. Those worked just fine. The phone that died on me today I'd had for about three years. It had survived being in the chest pockets of my band uniform in 100-plus degree temps. It made it through freezing temps in that same pocket, as well as in my purse. It made it through being poured on inside my purse on the 4th of July. It survived sand and salty air on beaches in California, Hawaii and Florida (and Galveston, Texas, if you can call that a beach). It made it through many, many falls, including two very rough ones in the last month and a half -- one at the gym from the elliptical, falling first from the screen onto the hard plastic running boards and onto the floor; and just a couple weeks ago, falling from my overloaded hands onto the hard concrete and bouncing onto a stone step after a stone step after more stone steps before finally landing on the second-to-last step.
Normally I'm not so hard on my phones, but taking a phone with you everywhere you go every second of the day can wear it out. My phone was just too old to take it. It was definitely time for a new one. But Cingular doesn't have the free ones anymore.
The phone I decided on was actually $69 without this service bundle thing, but I got it because it was supposed to be cheaper. The phone was supposed to be $119 when I got the bundle, which included a car charger and a bluetooth headset, as well as a carrying case. I also got a $50 rebate on the phone if I got a service bundle. I figured I'd be getting a car charger very soon anyway, and the bluetooth is pretty handy, so why not just save in the long run by buying them now?
Well, somehow my little $119 phone cost $194 by the time all the fees and taxes were added. That's one-fifth of the price of my brand new, awesome, has-everthing-I'll-ever-need laptop AND printer combined! The crappy part is that I can barely hear out of the phone, and I have good hearing. Luckily, I have 30 days to return or exchange it. I'm pretty sure I'll be revisiting Cingular on Saturday. Maybe I'll even already have a new phone from online.
Get in the game!
Song you need to hear (Click on "Longhorns Point Down")
Shirts you need to wear
Where it all goes down (and where to get such wonderful Southern food such as fried anything -- including Coke! -- and where to see a butter statue of Marilyn Monroe)
Who will come out on top
Countdown to Red River Shootout: 4 days!
Shirts you need to wear
Where it all goes down (and where to get such wonderful Southern food such as fried anything -- including Coke! -- and where to see a butter statue of Marilyn Monroe)
Who will come out on top
Countdown to Red River Shootout: 4 days!
Monday, October 02, 2006
It's 12:19 ...
AND texas STILL SUCKS!!!!!
(In case you were wondering, today marks Day One of the annual OU/tx week, which is also known as the Red River Rivalry and the Red River Shootout.)
Get excited!
(In case you were wondering, today marks Day One of the annual OU/tx week, which is also known as the Red River Rivalry and the Red River Shootout.)
Get excited!
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Better late than never
My stupid apartment office held my laptop hostage for a day. Actually, they close before I get home from work, so when I checked online and saw my computer had been delivered, I called the office to make sure the package was in there. The apartment manager lied to me and said it wasn't. Considering that I called at about 5:30, I know UPS couldn't have delivered it after I called.
I got home that night and sure enough, there was the "Oops, we missed you" slip from UPS. I went to the office first thing Saturday morning and picked up my laptop. It's totally awesome. It's the first new, nice electronic I've ever owned. In fact, it's really the most expensive new thing at all that I've ever owned. I've always gotten used cars. My clarinets (I have a plastic one and a wooden one, as do most people who play clarinet up until high school and beyond) were both used.
I'm pretty excited about this computer. :)
As promised, though a bit delayed, here are pictures of what K sent me from Afghanistan.
Noodle wasn't being very friendly.
So that's my gift from K. The little Army hat on it says "Bagram, Afghanistan." I named him Warrior. It works perfectly for so many reasons. K is mainly at Task Force Warrior in Afghanistan. He's a warrior in himself for what he's doing there. Plus, the little camel's face looks really hardcore for a camel. :)
I got home that night and sure enough, there was the "Oops, we missed you" slip from UPS. I went to the office first thing Saturday morning and picked up my laptop. It's totally awesome. It's the first new, nice electronic I've ever owned. In fact, it's really the most expensive new thing at all that I've ever owned. I've always gotten used cars. My clarinets (I have a plastic one and a wooden one, as do most people who play clarinet up until high school and beyond) were both used.
I'm pretty excited about this computer. :)
As promised, though a bit delayed, here are pictures of what K sent me from Afghanistan.
Noodle wasn't being very friendly.
So that's my gift from K. The little Army hat on it says "Bagram, Afghanistan." I named him Warrior. It works perfectly for so many reasons. K is mainly at Task Force Warrior in Afghanistan. He's a warrior in himself for what he's doing there. Plus, the little camel's face looks really hardcore for a camel. :)
Friday, September 29, 2006
Stay tuned ...
What K sent me from Afghanistan is so cute, and I guarantee it's not what you think it is. I'll post a picture tonight FROM MY NEW LAPTOP, which is supposed to be delivered today! Yippee!
Not a morning person
I didn't go to the gym (again) last night, but I had a good excuse. I didn't go Wednesday night, either, but again -- good excuse. Same for Tuesday.
See, I went on Sunday AND on Monday. Monday I just wasn't feeling it. I could feel myself getting cranky toward the end of my workout while I was doing cardio. It was kinda hot, and I'm just not a fan of getting sweaty. I'll do it, but I just wasn't in to it anyway, so why do two things that I wasn't really into that night?
I got off the elliptical 15 minutes into doing cardio (and really just 5 min. short of what I'd intended to do). I told Jeremy I'd be staying home on Tuesday for a break. I did. I liked it.
Then Wednesday I got the note about K's package and decided to go ahead and send his early. All I needed to do was bake the cookies. So I did, and I cleaned my bathroom. And I wrote K a letter to go in the package. And I did a little bit of laundry.
Last night, I was ready to go to the gym. I wanted to go to the gym, only I didn't have time. See, I'd intended to take some cookies to work because Sarah is leaving!! I'm really sad about that. Anyway, all the cookies I made on Wednesday night fit into the care package, so I shipped them all off. Literally. So I made more last night. I vacuumed my apartment since Danielle is coming over tonight to stay the weekend. I did a little more laundry. I cleaned my kitchen.
I made plans to go to the gym this morning. And it's funny that I did that, because just yesterday I finally came to terms with the fact that I'm not really a morning person. I don't want to admit that because I do want to be a morning person.
However, I value my sleep. Tremendously. And I don't go to bed early. I don't want to say that I'm not a morning person because it sounds like when I wake up I'm cranky or hard to get out of bed, and that's not really the case. If I have something fun that day or I'm excited about something coming up, you'd think I'm the biggest morning person in the world.
I set my alarm last night for 6:10 so I could get up and go to the gym before work. But I'd looked forward to today because I could sleep until 7:30 because I was driving to work rather than taking mass transit. I didn't want to lose that.
I woke up at 6:10 and thought, my bed is so comfy ... why would I want to get up? I wouldn't have had a problem getting up to get ready for work or something like that, but just the thought of getting up an hour earlier than I'd planned so I could go to the gym and do cardio for 30 minutes and get sweaty wasn't a good enough reason. So I stayed in bed. :)
The gym will still be there on Sunday (after Danielle leaves)! And just think how good my workout will be because I'll be all ready to be back in there, refreshed from my six-day absence.
See, I went on Sunday AND on Monday. Monday I just wasn't feeling it. I could feel myself getting cranky toward the end of my workout while I was doing cardio. It was kinda hot, and I'm just not a fan of getting sweaty. I'll do it, but I just wasn't in to it anyway, so why do two things that I wasn't really into that night?
I got off the elliptical 15 minutes into doing cardio (and really just 5 min. short of what I'd intended to do). I told Jeremy I'd be staying home on Tuesday for a break. I did. I liked it.
Then Wednesday I got the note about K's package and decided to go ahead and send his early. All I needed to do was bake the cookies. So I did, and I cleaned my bathroom. And I wrote K a letter to go in the package. And I did a little bit of laundry.
Last night, I was ready to go to the gym. I wanted to go to the gym, only I didn't have time. See, I'd intended to take some cookies to work because Sarah is leaving!! I'm really sad about that. Anyway, all the cookies I made on Wednesday night fit into the care package, so I shipped them all off. Literally. So I made more last night. I vacuumed my apartment since Danielle is coming over tonight to stay the weekend. I did a little more laundry. I cleaned my kitchen.
I made plans to go to the gym this morning. And it's funny that I did that, because just yesterday I finally came to terms with the fact that I'm not really a morning person. I don't want to admit that because I do want to be a morning person.
However, I value my sleep. Tremendously. And I don't go to bed early. I don't want to say that I'm not a morning person because it sounds like when I wake up I'm cranky or hard to get out of bed, and that's not really the case. If I have something fun that day or I'm excited about something coming up, you'd think I'm the biggest morning person in the world.
I set my alarm last night for 6:10 so I could get up and go to the gym before work. But I'd looked forward to today because I could sleep until 7:30 because I was driving to work rather than taking mass transit. I didn't want to lose that.
I woke up at 6:10 and thought, my bed is so comfy ... why would I want to get up? I wouldn't have had a problem getting up to get ready for work or something like that, but just the thought of getting up an hour earlier than I'd planned so I could go to the gym and do cardio for 30 minutes and get sweaty wasn't a good enough reason. So I stayed in bed. :)
The gym will still be there on Sunday (after Danielle leaves)! And just think how good my workout will be because I'll be all ready to be back in there, refreshed from my six-day absence.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
It's here! It's here!
When I got home tonight, I had a postcard in my mail saying that I received a package in the mail that I can pick up at the post office. The sender is K. I'm excited!!
So I'm driving to work tomorrow so I can pick up the package at 8:30 a.m. I'm sending K a package as well. I sacrificed a night at the gym to try my hand at baking some peanut butter cookies for him. From scratch, of course. And they're great! I'm sending them tomorrow.
I can't wait to get the package!
So I'm driving to work tomorrow so I can pick up the package at 8:30 a.m. I'm sending K a package as well. I sacrificed a night at the gym to try my hand at baking some peanut butter cookies for him. From scratch, of course. And they're great! I'm sending them tomorrow.
I can't wait to get the package!
Monday, September 25, 2006
Mingling with the stars ...
Last night, I did it. In a matter of days, I will be the owner of a brand new Dell laptop. I'm very excited.
I had a great time in Norman this weekend. The game was actually kind of boring, and I really felt bad for Middle Tennessee. We needed that game, though, after the previous week. Next weekend is our off weekend, so Danielle's coming to visit. I'm excited about that. And the week after that is the Red River Rivalry -- OU/texas weekend. Any other year besides last year, that's like texas' bowl game. This year, though, we're pretty much on a level playing field. It'll be a good game this year, I hope.
But Saturday before the game, I was walking around on wonderful campus corner. Billy Sims now has a store there, and Steve Owens and Jason White, two of our Heisman winners, were signing autographs and posing for pictures. So I was with a family friend, and we were waiting in line to take a picture. When we got to the front of the line, Jason White, who was at OU the same time as me, looked at me and said, "You look familiar. Where do I know you from?" (OU's a pretty big campus, so it could be from class or a number of other things.) I thought it was awesome that our star quarterback from my junior and senior years recognized me, but I played it off and said, "I was here at the same time as you, and I was in the band all four years." I had met him once before at Chili's, and he was like, "Oh, yeah. I remember that."
It was awesome. :)
I had a great time in Norman this weekend. The game was actually kind of boring, and I really felt bad for Middle Tennessee. We needed that game, though, after the previous week. Next weekend is our off weekend, so Danielle's coming to visit. I'm excited about that. And the week after that is the Red River Rivalry -- OU/texas weekend. Any other year besides last year, that's like texas' bowl game. This year, though, we're pretty much on a level playing field. It'll be a good game this year, I hope.
But Saturday before the game, I was walking around on wonderful campus corner. Billy Sims now has a store there, and Steve Owens and Jason White, two of our Heisman winners, were signing autographs and posing for pictures. So I was with a family friend, and we were waiting in line to take a picture. When we got to the front of the line, Jason White, who was at OU the same time as me, looked at me and said, "You look familiar. Where do I know you from?" (OU's a pretty big campus, so it could be from class or a number of other things.) I thought it was awesome that our star quarterback from my junior and senior years recognized me, but I played it off and said, "I was here at the same time as you, and I was in the band all four years." I had met him once before at Chili's, and he was like, "Oh, yeah. I remember that."
It was awesome. :)
Friday, September 22, 2006
Last one, I promise
The game is over, I know, and I'm as over it as I'll ever be. But this site is just too funny not to share: http://quacksquad.com/
Okay, I suck
The one other person in my office near my age is a girl who is 9 months older than me. She met her fiance last August (which is three months after I met K). They were engaged in September (still waiting on that one). She is leaving today to fly to San Francisco to get married. They combined their wedding and honeymoon. They're getting married on Monday.
And I'm totally jealous.
And I'm totally jealous.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Too bad it was just a dream ...
The weather is gorgeous. I've had my windows open the last two days and three nights. There is a bit of rain in the area, so there's some light wind. I can hear my windchimes on the porch. Every once in a while, the sound of a car door opening and the car leaving will drift up through the window. I can smell the air outside. It smells nice.
My shades will blow in every once in a while with the breeze. My apartment feels nice. It feels like home.
It feels like fall. Something about it reminds me of K. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's the fact I wish he were here with me right now watching TV, just lying on the couch cuddling and relaxing. That would be nice.
I had a dream about him last night. I didn't even remember when I woke up. Something while I was getting ready for work this morning, standing at my bathroom mirror putting on makeup and trying to push Noodle to the side so he'd stop licking me and I could put on my mascara. It was like K was with me in my dream, like it was real. We were lying on my bed, and I was snuggled up against him. I could smell him, and he smelled so good. I kept thinking, "This feels so great. Was it always this amazing just lying here?" And I said it, "Did this always feel this good?" But it did, and I know it did.
I'm hoping that was one of those premonition dreams. (Another cool part is that in my dream, I noticed K was a bit more buff than when he left, which he told me would happen because he's going to work out a lot while he's gone. I think his buffness level before was absolutely perfect, but in my dream he was obviously still freakin' hot with the added chest muscles.) :)
I got to work, and I logged on to facebook while I was bored at work. I saw that Brad's brother Kyle, who didn't really get along with Brad and who didn't really ever like me much (and honestly, he was a really hyper jerk who thought he was a pirate and used the "f-word" at least 4 times a sentence), had posted a note in response to one Brad posted last week. Brad had posted something about the troops. Here is a small part of his viewpoint:
I posted a response because I had quite a different opinion from Brad. Here is my response:
Then, Kyle decided to weigh in by posting a note of his own. His note was called, "Support Iraqi, Down with Freedom Crushers!" Kyle said some really harsh things in his note:
A few people posted in response to Kyle's note. One girl said some people join to get themselves out of trouble or because it's their only chance of having a steady job because they aren't very smart or for whatever reason.
Another person said some people join the military because it's the only way they can go to college, and because the benefits are so great. Both this person's and the other person's comments are true, but that's not the whole story.
Then, tonight, I checked again just to see what others had said. And I found this new note from someone who's actually friends with Kyle. This guy, Chris, fills in a lot of what I wanted to say:
It made me feel so much better to see someone not only defending the troops for the awesome thing they're doing, but actually calling Kyle out for calling me an idiot. And it was someone I don't even know.
So I sat here and watched Grey's Anatomy and Six Degrees tonight. Grey's Anatomy always makes me cry. I'm not a regular viewer of the show. I had just seen the last two episodes last season because I was recording them for a friend on the only TV I have in my apartment. I wanted to know if Izzy really quit.
And then Six Degrees came on. It seems like a pretty good show. I was through probably half of it, when it showed this one character -- Laura, I think -- who'd been pretty down through the whole thing. She'd mentioned a husband, David, and how he wasn't coming back. She never said anything about how it happened. But she's sitting one night watching a news report. Someone comes in her living room, and she immediately shuts off the TV. When the person leaves and you hear her door close, Laura turns the news report back on. It's in the same spot as she stopped it -- she's watching a recording. She's looking at this man, a reporter for CNN, on TV. His name is David. He's giving a report, talking about bombings that have happened. He's hunched down behind something, and you can hear explosions. He says something about getting better cover, and right then, the feed cuts off and the screen goes to static. The woman in the CNN office says something about how they're having video difficulties. Laura starts to cry and rewinds the tape.
I immediately started bawling. I can't imagine what that would be like. I hope I never have to find out.
But knowing that there are people over there putting their lives on the line and that's their job ... How could Kyle not appreciate that? How can he be so clueless?
I'm just glad there are people out there who know better.
My shades will blow in every once in a while with the breeze. My apartment feels nice. It feels like home.
It feels like fall. Something about it reminds me of K. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's the fact I wish he were here with me right now watching TV, just lying on the couch cuddling and relaxing. That would be nice.
I had a dream about him last night. I didn't even remember when I woke up. Something while I was getting ready for work this morning, standing at my bathroom mirror putting on makeup and trying to push Noodle to the side so he'd stop licking me and I could put on my mascara. It was like K was with me in my dream, like it was real. We were lying on my bed, and I was snuggled up against him. I could smell him, and he smelled so good. I kept thinking, "This feels so great. Was it always this amazing just lying here?" And I said it, "Did this always feel this good?" But it did, and I know it did.
I'm hoping that was one of those premonition dreams. (Another cool part is that in my dream, I noticed K was a bit more buff than when he left, which he told me would happen because he's going to work out a lot while he's gone. I think his buffness level before was absolutely perfect, but in my dream he was obviously still freakin' hot with the added chest muscles.) :)
I got to work, and I logged on to facebook while I was bored at work. I saw that Brad's brother Kyle, who didn't really get along with Brad and who didn't really ever like me much (and honestly, he was a really hyper jerk who thought he was a pirate and used the "f-word" at least 4 times a sentence), had posted a note in response to one Brad posted last week. Brad had posted something about the troops. Here is a small part of his viewpoint:
I mean, I’ve heard the saying, “Even if you don’t support the war you have to support the troops,” before. I’ve also heard that the troops are fighting to protect our freedom and that as a result people shouldn’t be mad a protestors because the free speech they are exercising is the very thing the troops are fighting for.Upon reflection I think both of these ideas are absolute crap. You don’t have to support the troops and they aren’t fighting for freedom.
Being against the war is sort of like saying you are against the slaughter of animals to make fur coats. Fighting in the war is sort of like the guy that kills the animals. You can’t have a war if no one is willing to fight in it. ...
I am thoroughly convinced that my right to free speech (and my freedom in general) would remain in tact regardless of the U.S. occupation in Iraq or the war on terror. I would even argue that my freedom is somewhat diminished with respect to the new government surveillance and wire tapping laws that have stemmed from the war on terror.
I posted a response because I had quite a different opinion from Brad. Here is my response:
I think a lot of people who joined the military joined before the war started, but many joined after because they wanted to fight for our country. Yes, there are some people who want to just kill people or blow stuff up, but not all of them. K joined because he wanted to help people and do something good and get to see the world. Every once in a while, part of his job includes having to go somewhere on the other side of the planet to fight for our country and get us out of a mess. He's proud to do it, and I'm proud OF him for doing it. And he IS fighting for our freedom. If he and other soldiers weren't over there, the fight could come here. Just thought you needed a different perspective.
Then, Kyle decided to weigh in by posting a note of his own. His note was called, "Support Iraqi, Down with Freedom Crushers!" Kyle said some really harsh things in his note:
This note is in reference to Brad's note about troops. I can't show anyone what [says my name here] said... but I'm starting a new Facebook group about how she sucks.I know Kyle well enough to know that saying something would not help my case at all. I know it wasn't worth my time, but it still upset me. How could he seriously have no idea?
I'd like to reply to this note and all of the comments. I'm overwhelmingly in favor of our troops... as long as they are in America. I'm overwhelmingly against the "war" if you can call it that, and the troops who are occupying a formly sovereign nation. ...
Our troops, from all accounts of battle I've read (Memoirs of an Infantry Officer, Black Hawk Down, In Harm's Way, A Rumor of War, etc) are like all other troops in foreign wars. At first they are their expecting adventure, then they are caught in the heat of battle, then they are excited about triumphs and American military might, then they are disillusioned and want to see their friends come home safetly, and finally, they accept it as some kind of survival skill... just trying to get as many people as possible home in one piece.All of these things tally up to something we must all remember - Military service is a choice. There is not implemented draft. Either you are smart enough to stay out, or you might get shipped to some desert shithole and get shot. Plain and simple. SO!
[My name]'s comment. [My name again], you are an idiot. I've always admired that you can put your head in the sand and not see the desert for the cactus roots you're eating. No one is fighting for me. Not K (who I don't know... but sounds kind of lame), nor anyone else. ... I'm free to think and breath and laugh at your ignorance, and no one is fighting for that. In fact, shooting people in Afganistan, Iraq, Korea, South America, or anywhere else is against my freedom. This K is just not smart enough to have a better job NOT shooting at people. Or he has a hardon for killing and blowing up. Either way... I'm not impressed, and I'm not supportive. I support cops. At least they are bent on "keeping the peace," and for the most part - are helping my life... not fucking up international politics. ...
[referring to another person's comment about Brad's post] They didn't HAPPEN to be in the Army at the wrong time. It is always the wrong time if you don't want to be shot at. I'm pretty sure that is the whole point of being in the infantry. And amazing;y, having balls has nothing to do with getting involved in the military. It is more a lack of brains or good sense than a surplus of balls. I have about as much sympathy for people in the Army as people who are addicted to heroin. ...
That being said, I know all of you troop supporters are out there praying for the 10,000+ victims of our misguided bomb and rocket attacks. Praying for the safety of the children of these countries we are relentlessly killing and shooting up their streets. You are all feeling pangs of guilt and remorse for the tragic deaths of 1,000s of these people who never asked anyone to "liberate" them, and who never asked for bullets to be flying into their open markets. I say... support the Iraqi's. I support people who want assholes from other countries to stay the FUCK out of their country when they don't come in peace.
A few people posted in response to Kyle's note. One girl said some people join to get themselves out of trouble or because it's their only chance of having a steady job because they aren't very smart or for whatever reason.
Another person said some people join the military because it's the only way they can go to college, and because the benefits are so great. Both this person's and the other person's comments are true, but that's not the whole story.
Then, tonight, I checked again just to see what others had said. And I found this new note from someone who's actually friends with Kyle. This guy, Chris, fills in a lot of what I wanted to say:
I usually don't chime into things like this, but I may as well. I live out here on the left coast and I'm as liberal as they come, and don't support the war, but Kyle's sweeping statements on everybody in the military are ignorant and naive. I have a great friend who's in the Kansas National Guard, he's 32 and just became an officer. He's extremely well-spoken, and very intelligent. More intelligent than Kyle, in my opinion. He joined the Army at 18, before anyone had any idea of Iraq (saying people joining the Army because of Iraq is preposterous... enlistment's down more than it ever has been because of OIF). ...
He wanted to serve and protect, much like the police officers that Kyle cherishes. He joined because his goal for a vocation was not just to accrue as much money as possible, but to somehow sacrifice and give back. ...
My point is, it's not so cut and dry as "Guy orders guy to pull trigger so guy does it happily and kills someone." Especially in this country, where war and capitalism go hand-in-hand, where conflict breeds profiteering off innocents at home and abroad. It's truly fubar.And who calls someone an idiot in a public forum argument at 24 years old ? Especially when it concerns a loved one of theirs serving abroad? Have some tact.
It made me feel so much better to see someone not only defending the troops for the awesome thing they're doing, but actually calling Kyle out for calling me an idiot. And it was someone I don't even know.
So I sat here and watched Grey's Anatomy and Six Degrees tonight. Grey's Anatomy always makes me cry. I'm not a regular viewer of the show. I had just seen the last two episodes last season because I was recording them for a friend on the only TV I have in my apartment. I wanted to know if Izzy really quit.
And then Six Degrees came on. It seems like a pretty good show. I was through probably half of it, when it showed this one character -- Laura, I think -- who'd been pretty down through the whole thing. She'd mentioned a husband, David, and how he wasn't coming back. She never said anything about how it happened. But she's sitting one night watching a news report. Someone comes in her living room, and she immediately shuts off the TV. When the person leaves and you hear her door close, Laura turns the news report back on. It's in the same spot as she stopped it -- she's watching a recording. She's looking at this man, a reporter for CNN, on TV. His name is David. He's giving a report, talking about bombings that have happened. He's hunched down behind something, and you can hear explosions. He says something about getting better cover, and right then, the feed cuts off and the screen goes to static. The woman in the CNN office says something about how they're having video difficulties. Laura starts to cry and rewinds the tape.
I immediately started bawling. I can't imagine what that would be like. I hope I never have to find out.
But knowing that there are people over there putting their lives on the line and that's their job ... How could Kyle not appreciate that? How can he be so clueless?
I'm just glad there are people out there who know better.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
I can only imagine what the other shoppers were thinking ...
I got a call from K today. I wasn't expecting to hear from him until tomorrow. He's been able to call pretty much every three days or so, so it was a pleasant surprise. When he called, though, I was actually in line at the post office to send him a care package.
K had sent me an e-mail telling me a few things he needed -- some vitamins, facewash, deodorant. So I went to Wal-Mart and went to the men's deodorant/shaving aisle. I found the red Old Spice sticks, and I reached for the one that he had wanted -- "aqua-something." He told me I could pick whichever one I liked. Since he knew his had aqua in the name of the scent, I grabbed the only one that said aqua. I pulled the lid off to make sure it was the right one, and it smelled just like him. So there I was, standing in the middle of the aisle at Wal-Mart, smelling K's deodorant because it smelled like him. I even walked away still smelling it. I probably looked slightly (slightly) crazy, but who cares -- it smelled like K! I even briefly thought about buying another stick to just smell from time to time, but that thought only lasted about one second.
I sent K an e-mail telling him the story about Cody, his dad and the preacher (last three paragraphs), and he e-mailed me back saying that the story really got to him. He said all the prayers back home really help, and he really appreciated that the preacher was starting church praying for the soldiers. I think the story made both of us feel good.
He had said something in his e-mail, too, about hoping he'd get the first package soon that I sent him two and a half weeks ago. I had sprayed the letter I wrote him with my perfume and wrapped it in plastic so the smell would (hopefully) stay on it. In his e-mail, he said something about cuddling with whatever smelled like me. That gave me the idea of including a pillow case sprayed with perfume in this package. I was going to keep it a surprise, but I couldn't help it. I told K, and it turns out it's good I sent it because he did buy a standard-sized pillow, but he said that pillow cases there are the low price of two for $8. He just used a T-shirt and tied it around the pillow. Now, he'll have a pillow case, AND (hopefully) it'll smell like my perfume!
K had sent me an e-mail telling me a few things he needed -- some vitamins, facewash, deodorant. So I went to Wal-Mart and went to the men's deodorant/shaving aisle. I found the red Old Spice sticks, and I reached for the one that he had wanted -- "aqua-something." He told me I could pick whichever one I liked. Since he knew his had aqua in the name of the scent, I grabbed the only one that said aqua. I pulled the lid off to make sure it was the right one, and it smelled just like him. So there I was, standing in the middle of the aisle at Wal-Mart, smelling K's deodorant because it smelled like him. I even walked away still smelling it. I probably looked slightly (slightly) crazy, but who cares -- it smelled like K! I even briefly thought about buying another stick to just smell from time to time, but that thought only lasted about one second.
I sent K an e-mail telling him the story about Cody, his dad and the preacher (last three paragraphs), and he e-mailed me back saying that the story really got to him. He said all the prayers back home really help, and he really appreciated that the preacher was starting church praying for the soldiers. I think the story made both of us feel good.
He had said something in his e-mail, too, about hoping he'd get the first package soon that I sent him two and a half weeks ago. I had sprayed the letter I wrote him with my perfume and wrapped it in plastic so the smell would (hopefully) stay on it. In his e-mail, he said something about cuddling with whatever smelled like me. That gave me the idea of including a pillow case sprayed with perfume in this package. I was going to keep it a surprise, but I couldn't help it. I told K, and it turns out it's good I sent it because he did buy a standard-sized pillow, but he said that pillow cases there are the low price of two for $8. He just used a T-shirt and tied it around the pillow. Now, he'll have a pillow case, AND (hopefully) it'll smell like my perfume!
Monday, September 18, 2006
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Looking up
I haven't blogged in a while. Thursday night I opted not to because I was having the worst night ever:
-- Everything was fine until I got home from work. I checked my mail, and I'd gotten my electric bill. I opened it to see the damage, and it wasn't bad. It was about what I'd expected. I looked at the due date. It said "Payment Due: IMMEDIATELY." What? I looked at the top of the letter. It said "CUTOFF NOTICE." The bill said that my payment was past due, and my service would be interrupted if I didn't pay my bill by Sept. 22. I had never received my bill to begin with. So I called the electric company to resolve the situation. I was on hold for quite some time.
-- I had called the electric company as I was getting out of my car to head into my apartment. When I got to my door, there was a note on it saying I'd missed UPS coming by to deliver a package. Since I had just ordered my service flag for K the day before, I figured it was a package K had told me he sent, but I wasn't sure.
-- I entered my apartment and noticed it smelled faintly of bug spray. I had forgotten to leave a note on the door telling them not to spray because they make you pull everything out of all your cabinets in your kitchen and bathroom -- huge inconvenience. And I have a small pet, which they want either confined to one room or out of the apartment -- huge inconvenience. So I didn't know if the people had sprayed in my apartment or if I was just smelling the spray from everyone else's. I had to hope that they had seen Noodle and that none of my cabinets were emptied, said "Screw this!" and left. Or that they hadn't contaminated my countertops and such by spraying anyway wherever they could.
-- While I was (still) on hold, I watched Grey's Anatomy, which I've decided is a pretty depressing show. Someone always dies. I mean, the show takes place in a freakin' hospital! So I'm sitting on my couch bawling at a TV show.
-- I had picked my brother up from the airport on Tuesday, so he was back in OK, and he would be leaving soon to head to North Carolina and become a NASCAR superstar. I wanted to go see him over the weekend, but he had plans Saturday night and Sunday. My dad had plans Saturday night, too, which meant my family would be busy a large portion of the weekend. Saturday would be spent at my dad's store watching the OU game. My dad would be working while it was on, and my brother and I would be playing catchup with every customer who came in because they haven't seen us in so long (it's a real family store).
-- As Grey's Anatomy was ending, my mom called. I was telling her about how I felt like I should go to OK but didn't want to drive. She then said the one thing I knew she'd say but that always manages to piss me off because it annoys me when she says it: "Why don't you come see me?"Yeeeeeeeeah, 'cause that would solve the whole not wanting to drive part. Then, in our conversation, my mom asks me about my dad and whether or not he lives with his girlfriend. So now she knows that. Geez, it's not like they're both virgins or something.
-- Jeremy called me and said he wasn't going to the gym that night. I was kind of relieved, but at the same time, kind of sad because it meant I'd be staying by myself at my apartment, which gets kind of lonely. But I didn't feel like going to the gym, either.
-- I started getting that stupid girl feeling where you're depressed and kinda lonely, but you don't know why you're feeling depressed, which makes you frustrated because it doesn't make sense. I didn't know if I was PMSing or what. It was one of those days that I would normally just call K and unload, and just doing that always made me feel better. I just wanted to hear his voice, and I really wanted a hug. Of course, that made me miss him more.
-- I got in my car and left to go mail my electric bill. On my way, I listened to my new Fray CD. It's a good, relaxing CD, but I don't recommend listening to it the first time when you're feeling sad. With my frustration and then the CD, pretty soon I was bawling as I was driving. I wasn't even a block away from my apartment. I stopped off at the ATM because I needed cash to pay for parking the next day. I went to the post office, dropped off my bill and went home. As soon as I went to get out of my car, I realized I'd gotten my card and receipt, but had left my $20 in the ATM. I was so upset and distracted I hadn't even realized. I had just treated it like I was pumping gas. (I do that a lot more than I visit the ATM.) I jumped back in my car and drove like a mad woman to the bank again. I was praying the whole time that God would show me my night wasn't so bad by miraculously leaving my $20 there. When I pulled up to the ATM, there was a car in front of me at it. I wanted to jump out of my car and say, "Was there $20 in there when you pulled up, because that was mine!" The car was only there a minute, and then it left. My $20 was gone. I withdrew another $20, made sure to get the card, cash and receipt, and went back home.
-- When I got home, I noticed that Noodle had knocked over the cup I'd left on my coffee table. Luckily, it was pretty empty, but there had been ice in it that had melted a bit, and it was just another thing to add to a list of greatness that night. I had left drinks there before, and he hadn't knocked them over.
So all those things together made for a pretty crappy evening. I talked to ER, who I managed to get in touch with finally after I was leaving the ATM the second time. She offered to meet me or even come all the way to my apartment for ice cream or a sleepover or anything to make me feel better. The thought itself (and the fact that she listened to me unload) made me feel better.
I went to bed early that night. The package the next day was my flag. Still exciting, but not as much as K's package.
Anyway, I wound up going to OK last weekend. I'm glad I went. All the things I was worried about or dreading wound up taking care of themselves. I think God was really looking out for me after Thursday because of how crazy everything worked itself out. It really is the only solution.
Saturday was a nice day spent watching the game. It was really a good game. The first half was scary, and the second half was awesome -- until the last 3 minutes, when the Pac 10 refs, who were officiating, decided to hand Oregon the win. It sucked that we lost because the refs made calls that were clearly bad calls. They reviewed both and didn't overturn them. Earlier in the game, OU had scored, but the guy had barely stepped out of bounds on his run to score. Barely or not, he was out of bounds. I was glad that the play was reviewed and overturned because that way, no one could say, "Yeah, well, you guys only won because of that touchdown where the guy went out of bounds. Ya'll got lucky/Oregon got screwed there." I said I didn't want a tainted win.
So what does Oregon get? Two calls at the end that put them one point ahead of us. All three ABC commentators -- one of whom was an Oregon alum -- all said that not reversing it was a terrible call. It sucks that we lost that way.
Then, today was a nice day. I woke up, and it was raining! I went to church with my dad and his girlfriend. At the beginning of church, the preacher asked if anyone knew someone overseas. No one moved. I raised my hand. The woman in front of me raised hers. The preacher, who is a close family friend and has met K a couple times, called us up front. He had us each light candles and say the name of the person we lit the candle for and where he or she was serving. Then, we prayed for all the troops overseas. It was really neat.
What made it even cooler is that my dad's girlfriend had told me more about my friend Cody, who I went to high school with and who was injured in Iraq a couple weeks ago. She said that Cody's dad had come in my dad's store (where she works, too) one day when the preacher was in. Cody's dad said that he had a bad feeling about where Cody was going, and he wanted the preacher to pray for Cody. The preacher just had Cody's dad sit down with him at a table in the store, and they both prayed for Cody. The next day, Cody's dad came in and said that night he and the preacher prayed, Cody's unit had been hit, and Cody was the only survivor. After that, the preacher started a prayer chain.
So I thought that was especially neat that today, the preacher called us up and had us say the names of the soldiers. My dad said the preacher had been starting church up with prayers for the troops, but this was the first time he had people go up and light a candle for individual soldiers. I hope that the preacher's prayer -- and the prayer of the entire congregation -- gives K the same guardian angels it gave Cody.
-- Everything was fine until I got home from work. I checked my mail, and I'd gotten my electric bill. I opened it to see the damage, and it wasn't bad. It was about what I'd expected. I looked at the due date. It said "Payment Due: IMMEDIATELY." What? I looked at the top of the letter. It said "CUTOFF NOTICE." The bill said that my payment was past due, and my service would be interrupted if I didn't pay my bill by Sept. 22. I had never received my bill to begin with. So I called the electric company to resolve the situation. I was on hold for quite some time.
-- I had called the electric company as I was getting out of my car to head into my apartment. When I got to my door, there was a note on it saying I'd missed UPS coming by to deliver a package. Since I had just ordered my service flag for K the day before, I figured it was a package K had told me he sent, but I wasn't sure.
-- I entered my apartment and noticed it smelled faintly of bug spray. I had forgotten to leave a note on the door telling them not to spray because they make you pull everything out of all your cabinets in your kitchen and bathroom -- huge inconvenience. And I have a small pet, which they want either confined to one room or out of the apartment -- huge inconvenience. So I didn't know if the people had sprayed in my apartment or if I was just smelling the spray from everyone else's. I had to hope that they had seen Noodle and that none of my cabinets were emptied, said "Screw this!" and left. Or that they hadn't contaminated my countertops and such by spraying anyway wherever they could.
-- While I was (still) on hold, I watched Grey's Anatomy, which I've decided is a pretty depressing show. Someone always dies. I mean, the show takes place in a freakin' hospital! So I'm sitting on my couch bawling at a TV show.
-- I had picked my brother up from the airport on Tuesday, so he was back in OK, and he would be leaving soon to head to North Carolina and become a NASCAR superstar. I wanted to go see him over the weekend, but he had plans Saturday night and Sunday. My dad had plans Saturday night, too, which meant my family would be busy a large portion of the weekend. Saturday would be spent at my dad's store watching the OU game. My dad would be working while it was on, and my brother and I would be playing catchup with every customer who came in because they haven't seen us in so long (it's a real family store).
-- As Grey's Anatomy was ending, my mom called. I was telling her about how I felt like I should go to OK but didn't want to drive. She then said the one thing I knew she'd say but that always manages to piss me off because it annoys me when she says it: "Why don't you come see me?"Yeeeeeeeeah, 'cause that would solve the whole not wanting to drive part. Then, in our conversation, my mom asks me about my dad and whether or not he lives with his girlfriend. So now she knows that. Geez, it's not like they're both virgins or something.
-- Jeremy called me and said he wasn't going to the gym that night. I was kind of relieved, but at the same time, kind of sad because it meant I'd be staying by myself at my apartment, which gets kind of lonely. But I didn't feel like going to the gym, either.
-- I started getting that stupid girl feeling where you're depressed and kinda lonely, but you don't know why you're feeling depressed, which makes you frustrated because it doesn't make sense. I didn't know if I was PMSing or what. It was one of those days that I would normally just call K and unload, and just doing that always made me feel better. I just wanted to hear his voice, and I really wanted a hug. Of course, that made me miss him more.
-- I got in my car and left to go mail my electric bill. On my way, I listened to my new Fray CD. It's a good, relaxing CD, but I don't recommend listening to it the first time when you're feeling sad. With my frustration and then the CD, pretty soon I was bawling as I was driving. I wasn't even a block away from my apartment. I stopped off at the ATM because I needed cash to pay for parking the next day. I went to the post office, dropped off my bill and went home. As soon as I went to get out of my car, I realized I'd gotten my card and receipt, but had left my $20 in the ATM. I was so upset and distracted I hadn't even realized. I had just treated it like I was pumping gas. (I do that a lot more than I visit the ATM.) I jumped back in my car and drove like a mad woman to the bank again. I was praying the whole time that God would show me my night wasn't so bad by miraculously leaving my $20 there. When I pulled up to the ATM, there was a car in front of me at it. I wanted to jump out of my car and say, "Was there $20 in there when you pulled up, because that was mine!" The car was only there a minute, and then it left. My $20 was gone. I withdrew another $20, made sure to get the card, cash and receipt, and went back home.
-- When I got home, I noticed that Noodle had knocked over the cup I'd left on my coffee table. Luckily, it was pretty empty, but there had been ice in it that had melted a bit, and it was just another thing to add to a list of greatness that night. I had left drinks there before, and he hadn't knocked them over.
So all those things together made for a pretty crappy evening. I talked to ER, who I managed to get in touch with finally after I was leaving the ATM the second time. She offered to meet me or even come all the way to my apartment for ice cream or a sleepover or anything to make me feel better. The thought itself (and the fact that she listened to me unload) made me feel better.
I went to bed early that night. The package the next day was my flag. Still exciting, but not as much as K's package.
Anyway, I wound up going to OK last weekend. I'm glad I went. All the things I was worried about or dreading wound up taking care of themselves. I think God was really looking out for me after Thursday because of how crazy everything worked itself out. It really is the only solution.
Saturday was a nice day spent watching the game. It was really a good game. The first half was scary, and the second half was awesome -- until the last 3 minutes, when the Pac 10 refs, who were officiating, decided to hand Oregon the win. It sucked that we lost because the refs made calls that were clearly bad calls. They reviewed both and didn't overturn them. Earlier in the game, OU had scored, but the guy had barely stepped out of bounds on his run to score. Barely or not, he was out of bounds. I was glad that the play was reviewed and overturned because that way, no one could say, "Yeah, well, you guys only won because of that touchdown where the guy went out of bounds. Ya'll got lucky/Oregon got screwed there." I said I didn't want a tainted win.
So what does Oregon get? Two calls at the end that put them one point ahead of us. All three ABC commentators -- one of whom was an Oregon alum -- all said that not reversing it was a terrible call. It sucks that we lost that way.
Then, today was a nice day. I woke up, and it was raining! I went to church with my dad and his girlfriend. At the beginning of church, the preacher asked if anyone knew someone overseas. No one moved. I raised my hand. The woman in front of me raised hers. The preacher, who is a close family friend and has met K a couple times, called us up front. He had us each light candles and say the name of the person we lit the candle for and where he or she was serving. Then, we prayed for all the troops overseas. It was really neat.
What made it even cooler is that my dad's girlfriend had told me more about my friend Cody, who I went to high school with and who was injured in Iraq a couple weeks ago. She said that Cody's dad had come in my dad's store (where she works, too) one day when the preacher was in. Cody's dad said that he had a bad feeling about where Cody was going, and he wanted the preacher to pray for Cody. The preacher just had Cody's dad sit down with him at a table in the store, and they both prayed for Cody. The next day, Cody's dad came in and said that night he and the preacher prayed, Cody's unit had been hit, and Cody was the only survivor. After that, the preacher started a prayer chain.
So I thought that was especially neat that today, the preacher called us up and had us say the names of the soldiers. My dad said the preacher had been starting church up with prayers for the troops, but this was the first time he had people go up and light a candle for individual soldiers. I hope that the preacher's prayer -- and the prayer of the entire congregation -- gives K the same guardian angels it gave Cody.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
They DO work!
Yesterday I got an e-mail from K -- not long after I posted my blog. It's amazing how much a simple e-mail could make my day so much better.
And then last night, he called me! I miss him like crazy, so something as small as an e-mail or 20-minute phone call (that's how long we get before the phone hangs up on us) can easily become the highlight of my week.
K was in really good spirits last night. He sounded really happy, which made me feel good.
I told K I had ordered the single-star service flag I posted about yesterday. He was totally fine with it. I figured he would be.
He told me that he actually sent me a package the other day with his beloved Motorola Razr and watch so they won't get messed up in Afghanistan. He said there are also some souvenirs in there that he had bought himself, and there's also something in there for me. He said I'll know which one is for me when I open the package, which makes me very curious ...
Now I have two things to look forward to coming in the mail!
And then last night, he called me! I miss him like crazy, so something as small as an e-mail or 20-minute phone call (that's how long we get before the phone hangs up on us) can easily become the highlight of my week.
K was in really good spirits last night. He sounded really happy, which made me feel good.
I told K I had ordered the single-star service flag I posted about yesterday. He was totally fine with it. I figured he would be.
He told me that he actually sent me a package the other day with his beloved Motorola Razr and watch so they won't get messed up in Afghanistan. He said there are also some souvenirs in there that he had bought himself, and there's also something in there for me. He said I'll know which one is for me when I open the package, which makes me very curious ...
Now I have two things to look forward to coming in the mail!
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Is it gross
that sometimes when I finish my lunch, I floss at my desk (in my own office)? I mean, it's better than just leaving junk in your teeth, right? And I use actual floss -- not hair or loose string pulled from my clothes. Does that make it better?
My e-mail (and phone) must be broken
It's been just four weeks and two days (since it was a Monday) since I last saw K. Honestly, it feels like it's been about a month and a half at least. I wish it had been two, because then it would be even closer to when he comes home -- not that either of us knows for sure when that'll be.
I ordered one of those single-star service flags today. (I didn't realize this picture would be that big, but you get the idea.) According to the American Family Traditions Store, where I got this picture, this flag "is displayed by immediate family members of a person serving in the Armed Forces during a period of war. ... The family member who is in the service does not need to be stationed overseas in order for his or her family to display the Service Flag or Service Banner." As far as I know, though, it's traditionally hung in the windows (although it can be flown as an actual flag) of family members of a person who is overseas. The flags can come with multiple stars to represent multiple family members as well.
K isn't immediate family technically, but he's everything to me, and he will be immediate family. Heck, he already would be if I had my way. It'll happen, though. I found a place in Dallas that makes these flags. Go figure, they're only open 9 to 5 Monday through Friday -- and I find them the week before I go full-time. :) I spoke with someone at the store yesterday, but I hesitated on ordering one since K isn't actually a member of my immediate family. I had mentioned wanting one of those flags to him before, though, and he didn't say anything against it or seem to object.
When I called the store today to go ahead and order one, they were on sale. And there was only one left, which they will ship to my apartment. Clearly, God wants me to have this flag.
Part of me is wanting my neighbors, who I don't really know, to know that K and I are still together. Even though I don't know them really, they've seen K and his car, which has Army stickers on it and non-Texas plates (so they know he's not local). I'm sure they noticed when my car was gone over the weekends. They've seen us together, and I don't want them to think we're broken up or something. Or that guy friends who come over to my apartment are something else and that I've become a slut or something. And they'll know why K's car will reappear in our parking lot all of a sudden in a couple months (or more). I don't know why it matters that my neighbors know that, but whatever.
I also want to hang the flag for support. I read on a site yesterday that one tradition is that the service member removes the flag when he or she gets home. That would be cool. At the same time, it'll be a while before K will get to come back to wonderful (exaggeration on my part, but I'm sure after Afghanistan, he'll think it's wonderful) Dallas. He'll get back to Louisiana first, and then he'll have to go through all these reacclamation classes or training sessions or whatever they're called. I never realized the military does stuff like that, but it makes sense.
Basically, the soldiers are reminded that while they've been gone, their families have had to carry on and pick up the roles that they normally play as leaders of or members of the household. The soldiers can't just walk back into their families' lives and homes and pick up how they left off. Everyone will have to get used to the person being back in the home and learn they don't have to be as independent as they were while the person was gone, if that makes any sense. Anyway, I think it's pretty cool that the military does that. I'm sure I'll really appreciate it once we're married and in the same house -- especially when we have kids.
I haven't heard from K in a couple days, though. He called me late Sunday night. We weren't able to talk long. He had told me that he'd be calling me "in the morning," but I didn't know if that meant his morning or mine. The call hasn't come yet. I'm sure he's just gotten bogged down with work and moving. I know he was going to be moving from the base he was at to another that's newer and less built-up. (He said the one he's going to -- and probably at now -- doesn't even have a gym yet!) It seems rational that that would mean it's also a little tougher to get to phones or the Internet. So I'm not worried or anything, but I'm carrying my phone with me everywhere, as I have been doing pretty much since he left.
Where I go, my phone goes -- the gym, the bathroom (even at work), my boss's office ... I don't know what I'll do if I get to my phone one Sunday and find I missed his call while I was in church. I'm definitely sick of my phone, though. When K gets back, I'm going to just leave it and not carry it with me or touch it for days. That'll be nice ...
I ordered one of those single-star service flags today. (I didn't realize this picture would be that big, but you get the idea.) According to the American Family Traditions Store, where I got this picture, this flag "is displayed by immediate family members of a person serving in the Armed Forces during a period of war. ... The family member who is in the service does not need to be stationed overseas in order for his or her family to display the Service Flag or Service Banner." As far as I know, though, it's traditionally hung in the windows (although it can be flown as an actual flag) of family members of a person who is overseas. The flags can come with multiple stars to represent multiple family members as well.
K isn't immediate family technically, but he's everything to me, and he will be immediate family. Heck, he already would be if I had my way. It'll happen, though. I found a place in Dallas that makes these flags. Go figure, they're only open 9 to 5 Monday through Friday -- and I find them the week before I go full-time. :) I spoke with someone at the store yesterday, but I hesitated on ordering one since K isn't actually a member of my immediate family. I had mentioned wanting one of those flags to him before, though, and he didn't say anything against it or seem to object.
When I called the store today to go ahead and order one, they were on sale. And there was only one left, which they will ship to my apartment. Clearly, God wants me to have this flag.
Part of me is wanting my neighbors, who I don't really know, to know that K and I are still together. Even though I don't know them really, they've seen K and his car, which has Army stickers on it and non-Texas plates (so they know he's not local). I'm sure they noticed when my car was gone over the weekends. They've seen us together, and I don't want them to think we're broken up or something. Or that guy friends who come over to my apartment are something else and that I've become a slut or something. And they'll know why K's car will reappear in our parking lot all of a sudden in a couple months (or more). I don't know why it matters that my neighbors know that, but whatever.
I also want to hang the flag for support. I read on a site yesterday that one tradition is that the service member removes the flag when he or she gets home. That would be cool. At the same time, it'll be a while before K will get to come back to wonderful (exaggeration on my part, but I'm sure after Afghanistan, he'll think it's wonderful) Dallas. He'll get back to Louisiana first, and then he'll have to go through all these reacclamation classes or training sessions or whatever they're called. I never realized the military does stuff like that, but it makes sense.
Basically, the soldiers are reminded that while they've been gone, their families have had to carry on and pick up the roles that they normally play as leaders of or members of the household. The soldiers can't just walk back into their families' lives and homes and pick up how they left off. Everyone will have to get used to the person being back in the home and learn they don't have to be as independent as they were while the person was gone, if that makes any sense. Anyway, I think it's pretty cool that the military does that. I'm sure I'll really appreciate it once we're married and in the same house -- especially when we have kids.
I haven't heard from K in a couple days, though. He called me late Sunday night. We weren't able to talk long. He had told me that he'd be calling me "in the morning," but I didn't know if that meant his morning or mine. The call hasn't come yet. I'm sure he's just gotten bogged down with work and moving. I know he was going to be moving from the base he was at to another that's newer and less built-up. (He said the one he's going to -- and probably at now -- doesn't even have a gym yet!) It seems rational that that would mean it's also a little tougher to get to phones or the Internet. So I'm not worried or anything, but I'm carrying my phone with me everywhere, as I have been doing pretty much since he left.
Where I go, my phone goes -- the gym, the bathroom (even at work), my boss's office ... I don't know what I'll do if I get to my phone one Sunday and find I missed his call while I was in church. I'm definitely sick of my phone, though. When K gets back, I'm going to just leave it and not carry it with me or touch it for days. That'll be nice ...
Monday, September 11, 2006
The REAL reason gas is cheaper
Today marks one month since I last saw K. It feels like longer. When he left, gas was about $2.70 here in Dallas. Now, it's $2.32 at the gas station by my apartment. Proof that K is doing a heck of a job kickin' butt in Afghanistan. :)
Football weekend
K finally called me Friday night. It was actually about 1 a.m. on Saturday morning. I was so exhausted because I was in bed, but I wasn't sleeping well. I was half asleep, but I was thinking at the same time. K and I were only able to talk for just under 20 minutes, but I felt so much better after we got off the phone. I slept great.
The way that K is able to call from most bases in Afghanistan is via satellite. He gets on a phone and talks to an operator, who connects him to whoever he is wanting to call. It's a cool system because he can call for free. Evidently when he called me Friday, the operator said that that's coming to an end. So many soldiers are calling at once that beginning Oct. 1, they're going to start charging the guys to call. I guess I'll be sending him calling cards in his care packages now ...
Saturday was a good day. A group of us went to ER's to watch the OU-Washington game. We won. It was a bit closer than I'd have liked, but Washington is at least a Division I school, and the score was 37-20. It WOULD have been 37-13, but Washington scored in the last few minutes. Oh, well -- a W is a W.
After the game was over, we all went outside and threw the football around for a little bit. It was fun. :) I never played sports growing up, but I can throw a football okay. Every once in a while, I can even throw a spiral! Of course, I took goofy pictures.
And then came the two best parts -- pizza and the Ohio State-texas game. Now, I like Ohio State any other day of the year, but when they're playing Texas, I love them! And they didn't disappoint.
So we spent all day watching football -- pretty much 8 hours. Whew!
This morning, we went to church at Prestonwood Baptist Church, which is in Far North Dallas. It's HUGE! It's been referred to as the "Baptodome," "Prestonworld" and "Six Flags Over Jesus."
This picture really does the size of it no justice -- this church is huge. I didn't think I would like it because I'm used to a smaller church. It was pretty cool, though. The music -- the choir, the pianist, the band -- was amazing. As ER put it, it was "very impressive."
I went to a wedding shower for a girl from work tonight. It was kinda fun. I wish K could have been there.
Tomorrow is officially one month since I last saw him. What's crazy is how s-l-o-w the weekends are when he's not here. When he's here, they fly by! It feels like just one day, MAYBE one and a half at the most. When he's not here, they feel like three days at the least, and sometimes even four.
K actually called me while I was writing this post. We only talked a few minutes, but he's going to call me back since I'm not working tomorrow. I'm excited because it's the last Monday I have off. This is my last week as a part-timer! I'm so excited! I think next weekend, I'll even order my new laptop! Woohoo!
The way that K is able to call from most bases in Afghanistan is via satellite. He gets on a phone and talks to an operator, who connects him to whoever he is wanting to call. It's a cool system because he can call for free. Evidently when he called me Friday, the operator said that that's coming to an end. So many soldiers are calling at once that beginning Oct. 1, they're going to start charging the guys to call. I guess I'll be sending him calling cards in his care packages now ...
Saturday was a good day. A group of us went to ER's to watch the OU-Washington game. We won. It was a bit closer than I'd have liked, but Washington is at least a Division I school, and the score was 37-20. It WOULD have been 37-13, but Washington scored in the last few minutes. Oh, well -- a W is a W.
After the game was over, we all went outside and threw the football around for a little bit. It was fun. :) I never played sports growing up, but I can throw a football okay. Every once in a while, I can even throw a spiral! Of course, I took goofy pictures.
And then came the two best parts -- pizza and the Ohio State-texas game. Now, I like Ohio State any other day of the year, but when they're playing Texas, I love them! And they didn't disappoint.
So we spent all day watching football -- pretty much 8 hours. Whew!
This morning, we went to church at Prestonwood Baptist Church, which is in Far North Dallas. It's HUGE! It's been referred to as the "Baptodome," "Prestonworld" and "Six Flags Over Jesus."
This picture really does the size of it no justice -- this church is huge. I didn't think I would like it because I'm used to a smaller church. It was pretty cool, though. The music -- the choir, the pianist, the band -- was amazing. As ER put it, it was "very impressive."
I went to a wedding shower for a girl from work tonight. It was kinda fun. I wish K could have been there.
Tomorrow is officially one month since I last saw him. What's crazy is how s-l-o-w the weekends are when he's not here. When he's here, they fly by! It feels like just one day, MAYBE one and a half at the most. When he's not here, they feel like three days at the least, and sometimes even four.
K actually called me while I was writing this post. We only talked a few minutes, but he's going to call me back since I'm not working tomorrow. I'm excited because it's the last Monday I have off. This is my last week as a part-timer! I'm so excited! I think next weekend, I'll even order my new laptop! Woohoo!
Friday, September 08, 2006
Is it time to leave yet?
My first thoughts when I woke up this morning to my alarm were, "Why isn't that my phone ringing?" K was supposed to call me last night, and he didn't. I'm sure for whatever reason he was busy. He is in Afghanistan, for Pete's sake.
I got ready for work, and as I was sitting on my couch eating my cereal, a news update came on Good Morning America telling us that 16 people were killed in Afghanistan. Only two were U.S. soldiers, and it happened in Kabul. As far as I know, K is still in Kandahar. Those are a ways apart, according to this map.
As I was getting to my mode of mass transportation today, I was bummed. Fewer people use mass transportation on Friday for whatever reason. Since I hate taking it anyway because it takes so long, it was making me wish I'd driven, too. Only it's so much cheaper to not drive. Oh, well.
I got to work, and there was something in my chair showing me a mistake I'd made yesterday at work. It was a pretty good-sized mistake, but I guess it could have been worse. Anyway, I still felt like crap for messing up. It makes me feel like my boss will think I'm less competent or like he has to babysit me or like he messed up in hiring me.
It's been a pretty standard, dull, slow day at work today. Slower than usual. ER sent me an e-mail inviting me to her place tomorrow to watch our football game. Of course I'm going, but she asked for my office phone number, since we usually just communicate through e-mail. When I answered, she didn't recognize my voice and asked if I was tired or cranky or something. I told her it had been a crappy day pretty much, and I told her about how K didn't call me, and then I saw that story. She'd seen it too, and that's why she was calling. She wanted to make sure I was doing okay.
It was only two U.S. soldiers who were killed, and I don't think K is in Kabul. Plus, if something had happened to him, I'm sure I would have found out somehow. Except his dad is listed as the person to call if anything happens, and I don't know if he has my phone number. Still, though, his unit would know, so his friends would know, and one of them would have called me.
Besides, K is supposed to be in Kandahar. Ugh. I'm just ready for today to be over.
I got ready for work, and as I was sitting on my couch eating my cereal, a news update came on Good Morning America telling us that 16 people were killed in Afghanistan. Only two were U.S. soldiers, and it happened in Kabul. As far as I know, K is still in Kandahar. Those are a ways apart, according to this map.
As I was getting to my mode of mass transportation today, I was bummed. Fewer people use mass transportation on Friday for whatever reason. Since I hate taking it anyway because it takes so long, it was making me wish I'd driven, too. Only it's so much cheaper to not drive. Oh, well.
I got to work, and there was something in my chair showing me a mistake I'd made yesterday at work. It was a pretty good-sized mistake, but I guess it could have been worse. Anyway, I still felt like crap for messing up. It makes me feel like my boss will think I'm less competent or like he has to babysit me or like he messed up in hiring me.
It's been a pretty standard, dull, slow day at work today. Slower than usual. ER sent me an e-mail inviting me to her place tomorrow to watch our football game. Of course I'm going, but she asked for my office phone number, since we usually just communicate through e-mail. When I answered, she didn't recognize my voice and asked if I was tired or cranky or something. I told her it had been a crappy day pretty much, and I told her about how K didn't call me, and then I saw that story. She'd seen it too, and that's why she was calling. She wanted to make sure I was doing okay.
It was only two U.S. soldiers who were killed, and I don't think K is in Kabul. Plus, if something had happened to him, I'm sure I would have found out somehow. Except his dad is listed as the person to call if anything happens, and I don't know if he has my phone number. Still, though, his unit would know, so his friends would know, and one of them would have called me.
Besides, K is supposed to be in Kandahar. Ugh. I'm just ready for today to be over.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Different now
I just found out that a guy I went to high school with -- a guy I actually went to daycare with when we were little, so I've known him literally since we were in diapers -- was injured in Iraq. His platoon was hit yesterday by a roadside bomb. He's the only survivor. He was burned over 52 percent of his body. I called my dad immediately when I found out. I'm from a small town, and my dad still lives there. Naturally, he already knew about it. He knew last night. I didn't even realize Cody was in the Army, much less over in Iraq.
They were going to do surgery on him in Germany, but Cody's dad was called a couple hours after he was told about the incident. Cody was heavily medicated, so the Army was bringing him to San Antonio, and he'd have surgery there, I guess. I'm glad he's back over here. I think that will help his recovery, since his family will probably be able to be there.
I know Cody's parents. I know his sister. They're all really nice people. It's so sad that this happened. But the thing is, it could happen to a lot more people I know. It really changes your perspective.
My job is okay. It's not anything that I'm going to be doing in five years, I don't think, but it's good for now. It's awesome for just out of college, and it will look great on my resume. But I want to do something that deals with people, and I'd love it if I could do something that helped people.
Before I got my recent great news at work, I had met with ER's parents, who are like my second parents, to talk about different things I could do if I left my job. They know a lot of people around Dallas and were willing to help me. With my TV reporting background and experience in college, in addition to my desires of what I want to do in a job, they suggested I be a spokesperson for something. They said maybe NASCAR, since I enjoy that because of my brother. They suggested the American Heart Association. They suggested the Susan G. Komen foundation, which is close to my heart because my grandmother is a breast cancer survivor. Then, they suggested the Army. K has said something similar to that before, too, but I think he may have been joking (slightly).
Now, I'm pretty sure it's next to impossible to just walk up to some bigwig at a company and say, "Hi, I'd like to be your spokesperson." I'm not famous. I'm not a supermodel. I'm not Jessica Simpson (If I were, she'd still be with Nick!).
But after hearing about someone like Cody, and especially after meeting K and all his friends, it would be absolutely awesome to do something that helps out people in the Army. Something more than greeting them at the airport and sending care packages.
Before I met K, I had a completely different view of the Army and those who are in it. Before I met K, the only people I knew in the military were my mom's two brothers. One of her brothers is in the 82nd Airborne; the other is a Navy recruiter. These guys are both hardened and stubborn. They're pretty "different" characters. So is everyone else on my mom's side of the family, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt and blamed their oddness on the military.
I knew I'd never date anyone in the military. They have that weird haircut, and most of the people I knew who joined even the reserves somehow didn't seem to fit the cookie-cutter shape that everyone else in our town managed to fit into. I had this whole false perspective of the entire military.
And then came K. He's a sensitive, normal, down-to-earth, American Eagle-wearing guy. He cares about his family, loves his mom and just wanted to do something that makes a difference. I thought he was just different, that I had lucked out and found the one normal guy in the whole U.S. military. But his friends are all great, too.
I wasn't exposed to a lot of the military growing up, and, to be honest, I didn't think much about it. I thought a little about it after the war. But it somehow still seemed just enough removed that I felt terrible for the families and the soldiers, but it still wasn't completely real.
Now, I hear "The Star Spangled Banner" differently than I ever have before. I see the flag differently. I even watch fireworks differently -- they're no longer pretty explosions in the sky; they're a celebration of the soldiers.
And when soldiers current and past are recognized at sporting events, concerts, events and piano bars, I see them differently, too.
I really wish there was something I could do to help them. What Cody did, what K is doing, what all the soldiers who've been there and are there are doing is amazing and tough and selfless and scary. I love supporting K, and I'll stand behind him no matter what. But I want to do more. I just don't know what "more" is ...
They were going to do surgery on him in Germany, but Cody's dad was called a couple hours after he was told about the incident. Cody was heavily medicated, so the Army was bringing him to San Antonio, and he'd have surgery there, I guess. I'm glad he's back over here. I think that will help his recovery, since his family will probably be able to be there.
I know Cody's parents. I know his sister. They're all really nice people. It's so sad that this happened. But the thing is, it could happen to a lot more people I know. It really changes your perspective.
My job is okay. It's not anything that I'm going to be doing in five years, I don't think, but it's good for now. It's awesome for just out of college, and it will look great on my resume. But I want to do something that deals with people, and I'd love it if I could do something that helped people.
Before I got my recent great news at work, I had met with ER's parents, who are like my second parents, to talk about different things I could do if I left my job. They know a lot of people around Dallas and were willing to help me. With my TV reporting background and experience in college, in addition to my desires of what I want to do in a job, they suggested I be a spokesperson for something. They said maybe NASCAR, since I enjoy that because of my brother. They suggested the American Heart Association. They suggested the Susan G. Komen foundation, which is close to my heart because my grandmother is a breast cancer survivor. Then, they suggested the Army. K has said something similar to that before, too, but I think he may have been joking (slightly).
Now, I'm pretty sure it's next to impossible to just walk up to some bigwig at a company and say, "Hi, I'd like to be your spokesperson." I'm not famous. I'm not a supermodel. I'm not Jessica Simpson (If I were, she'd still be with Nick!).
But after hearing about someone like Cody, and especially after meeting K and all his friends, it would be absolutely awesome to do something that helps out people in the Army. Something more than greeting them at the airport and sending care packages.
Before I met K, I had a completely different view of the Army and those who are in it. Before I met K, the only people I knew in the military were my mom's two brothers. One of her brothers is in the 82nd Airborne; the other is a Navy recruiter. These guys are both hardened and stubborn. They're pretty "different" characters. So is everyone else on my mom's side of the family, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt and blamed their oddness on the military.
I knew I'd never date anyone in the military. They have that weird haircut, and most of the people I knew who joined even the reserves somehow didn't seem to fit the cookie-cutter shape that everyone else in our town managed to fit into. I had this whole false perspective of the entire military.
And then came K. He's a sensitive, normal, down-to-earth, American Eagle-wearing guy. He cares about his family, loves his mom and just wanted to do something that makes a difference. I thought he was just different, that I had lucked out and found the one normal guy in the whole U.S. military. But his friends are all great, too.
I wasn't exposed to a lot of the military growing up, and, to be honest, I didn't think much about it. I thought a little about it after the war. But it somehow still seemed just enough removed that I felt terrible for the families and the soldiers, but it still wasn't completely real.
Now, I hear "The Star Spangled Banner" differently than I ever have before. I see the flag differently. I even watch fireworks differently -- they're no longer pretty explosions in the sky; they're a celebration of the soldiers.
And when soldiers current and past are recognized at sporting events, concerts, events and piano bars, I see them differently, too.
I really wish there was something I could do to help them. What Cody did, what K is doing, what all the soldiers who've been there and are there are doing is amazing and tough and selfless and scary. I love supporting K, and I'll stand behind him no matter what. But I want to do more. I just don't know what "more" is ...
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
How would you know?
I got an e-mail from Old Navy about the store's Labor Day sale, and it had some really cute stuff in it. Clearly, I had to go to Old Navy after work today. I found a couple cute shirts (go figure -- it's pants I could really use more of) that will work great for work or for outside of work, which is my goal for my wardrobe. I took my cute new shirts to the cash register. There was one open, and it was empty. I walked up, and the cashier, whose eyes were coated in purple glitter, began her Old Navy Staff/cashier intro:
cashier: "Hi, how are you doing today?"
me: "Good, thanks."
cashier: "You look kinda tired."
me: [crickets] " ... Okay."
cashier: "Well, are you?"
me: "I guess so. I'm always a little tired. Who isn't?"
I'm not one of those people who would let such an off comment ruin my whole day (or my day hadn't been dramatic or bad enough for me to care, since it was neither dramatic or bad), but it was definitely a weird thing to say.
I'd never seen this girl in my life. How the heck does she know if I look tired?
cashier: "Hi, how are you doing today?"
me: "Good, thanks."
cashier: "You look kinda tired."
me: [crickets] " ... Okay."
cashier: "Well, are you?"
me: "I guess so. I'm always a little tired. Who isn't?"
I'm not one of those people who would let such an off comment ruin my whole day (or my day hadn't been dramatic or bad enough for me to care, since it was neither dramatic or bad), but it was definitely a weird thing to say.
I'd never seen this girl in my life. How the heck does she know if I look tired?
Monday, September 04, 2006
Missing K and Norman
The game Saturday was awesome. I woke up to "Boomer Sooner" and was raring to go. I drove to ER's, and her parents showed up a little before 8 a.m., and off we went! Our first stop was Wal-Mart for paunchos, since it was raining a little bit. It was good to be back in the land of the Sooners and see crimson and OU stuff everywhere. I always feel like I'm home when I'm in Norman.
ER's parents are absolutely awesome. As soon as we parked the car, her dad went to the back and pulled out beer. It was 11:30. A.M.!! I have never had any alcoholic beverage at 11:30 a.m.! But it was game day, and the first one of the season at that, so we had beer. We walked around campus corner and had really yummy pizza at Hideaway Pizza.
We went and watched the band warm up and to see the preconcert and parade. I saw a ton of people I hadn't seen in forever and several I didn't expect to see. It was nice. It's one of the things I miss about Norman.
The game was good, but it was a bit closer than what I expected and what I would have liked. I'm hoping, though, that maybe we just had the season-opener jitters. Hopefully we'll play better next week when we play Washington, and hopefully we'll be even better than that the following week when we play Oregon.
(I started this video after this had been going on a while, so it's not as loud as when it just starts.)
I was sad when it was time to leave. I miss Norman so much, but at the same time, I think I left at the right time. This way, I will always love Norman. All my memories of Norman will involve the band and some of the best friends of my life living there with me. My memories will be college and working on campus and interning and journalism and football and our Saturday night girls' night. If I stayed, some of my friends I started college with would have graduated, and I would have felt left behind. Whenever I go back, it feels like home, and I'm always excited. That's how I want it to stay.
We drove home that night. My car was at ER's, so we got there at 2:30, and I was home and getting in bed at about 3. I was exhausted. I slept in on Sunday, and then we headed out to Addison. We got a group together because every Fourth of July Addison does this big fireworks show called Kaboomtown, and it got ruined by a little rain. They scheduled the make-up for Sunday night. All these restaurants in Addison have watch parties, so we went to Champps, which is a sports bar (I love sports bars!). I guess there was an air show, too, because all these old planes kept flying over. They weren't doing stunts or anything, but it was neat to see them. The fireworks show was really good. It was the awesome finale that made the show.
There was a live band at Champps, and one of the guitar players had his two kids go up. His 12-year-old daughter sang, and his son, who was 2, had a little mini-electric guitar. He was so cute (I'll post a picture here later -- I haven't uploaded it yet.).
After the fireworks were over, we headed across the street to Pete's Dueling Piano Bar. I'd never been before, and I'd always wanted to go. As we were crossing the street, the live band at Champps started playing "Jesse's Girl," which is one of K's and my songs. (The groomsman I walked down the aisle with at the wedding we met at was named Jesse. AND the groom sang "Jesse's Girl" at the karaoke bar the first night K and I actually met.)
We got into Pete's, and the first song they played when we were there was "Sweet Home Alabama," which is K's and my actual song. (K, the groom and his brother sang it at the karaoke bar the night we met because the DJ was terrible and I requested it. The DJ was so bad that he didn't even have "Sweet Home Alabama," but he said he did have it on karaoke, so maybe the three guys at our table should sing it.) And of course, they played "Jesse's Girl." At that point, I was getting a little teary-eyed because I miss him. It makes it harder knowing that it'll be a long time before I see him again, and I'm not even sure how long a "long time" is. Then, the pianists played Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," which is another one of our semi-songs. And they played the song "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love," which is another awesome song that always makes me think of K because on the line "You know I like my girls a little bit older," K always changes the words to say "a little bit younger" since he's 28 and I'm 23.
Then, one of the pianists called up all current and former military people in the crowd, and they played "God Bless the U.S.A." And I was crying again. I miss him like crazy! I would give absolutely anything to just be able to hug him right now.
I had gotten to talk to K very briefly earlier that day, but he'd said he would call me later that night my time. I took my phone out a little before 11 and put it on vibrate so I wouldn't miss it, and I held it in my hands and kept checking it because I'd also told him that if he missed me the first time, call right back so I'd catch it then. (The first time he called me, I was out wtih friends celebrating my birthday and Jeremy's birthday. I looked down at my phone right as he was hanging up. The words "Private call" changed to "1 missed call" as soon as I looked at it. I had just missed him. He called back like 30 minutes later, after I'd been watching my phone the whole time, decided he wasn't able to call back and walked away for 30 seconds.)
Well, we left the piano bar a little before midnight. I was glad I'd be home probably by the time K called, so I'd get to talk to him in peace and quiet and not have to worry about answering and weaving my way out of a bar to talk to him. I was standing outside my car outside my apartment talking to Jeremy and another friend who'd met us at my place since she wasn't familiar with the area. As we were talking, I was playing with my flip-phone and barely opening and closing it. It was still on vibrate.
When I walked away from my friends and up the stairs to my apartment, I saw that I'd missed his calls. Two of them, so I knew he wasn't calling back. I had just missed them. I was so upset because I was holding my phone when he called. I was missing him like crazy and really wanting to talk to him, and I missed his call. Naturally, I started bawling. I turned on my computer and sent him an e-mail. I told him about the bar and about how they kept playing our songs -- and we heard the Journey song again on the way home.
He called me this morning, though, and we were able to talk for just under 45 minutes. It's no hug, but it's always nice to just hear his voice. I miss him so much. And it's only been two weeks!! :(
ER's parents are absolutely awesome. As soon as we parked the car, her dad went to the back and pulled out beer. It was 11:30. A.M.!! I have never had any alcoholic beverage at 11:30 a.m.! But it was game day, and the first one of the season at that, so we had beer. We walked around campus corner and had really yummy pizza at Hideaway Pizza.
We went and watched the band warm up and to see the preconcert and parade. I saw a ton of people I hadn't seen in forever and several I didn't expect to see. It was nice. It's one of the things I miss about Norman.
The game was good, but it was a bit closer than what I expected and what I would have liked. I'm hoping, though, that maybe we just had the season-opener jitters. Hopefully we'll play better next week when we play Washington, and hopefully we'll be even better than that the following week when we play Oregon.
(I started this video after this had been going on a while, so it's not as loud as when it just starts.)
I was sad when it was time to leave. I miss Norman so much, but at the same time, I think I left at the right time. This way, I will always love Norman. All my memories of Norman will involve the band and some of the best friends of my life living there with me. My memories will be college and working on campus and interning and journalism and football and our Saturday night girls' night. If I stayed, some of my friends I started college with would have graduated, and I would have felt left behind. Whenever I go back, it feels like home, and I'm always excited. That's how I want it to stay.
We drove home that night. My car was at ER's, so we got there at 2:30, and I was home and getting in bed at about 3. I was exhausted. I slept in on Sunday, and then we headed out to Addison. We got a group together because every Fourth of July Addison does this big fireworks show called Kaboomtown, and it got ruined by a little rain. They scheduled the make-up for Sunday night. All these restaurants in Addison have watch parties, so we went to Champps, which is a sports bar (I love sports bars!). I guess there was an air show, too, because all these old planes kept flying over. They weren't doing stunts or anything, but it was neat to see them. The fireworks show was really good. It was the awesome finale that made the show.
There was a live band at Champps, and one of the guitar players had his two kids go up. His 12-year-old daughter sang, and his son, who was 2, had a little mini-electric guitar. He was so cute (I'll post a picture here later -- I haven't uploaded it yet.).
After the fireworks were over, we headed across the street to Pete's Dueling Piano Bar. I'd never been before, and I'd always wanted to go. As we were crossing the street, the live band at Champps started playing "Jesse's Girl," which is one of K's and my songs. (The groomsman I walked down the aisle with at the wedding we met at was named Jesse. AND the groom sang "Jesse's Girl" at the karaoke bar the first night K and I actually met.)
We got into Pete's, and the first song they played when we were there was "Sweet Home Alabama," which is K's and my actual song. (K, the groom and his brother sang it at the karaoke bar the night we met because the DJ was terrible and I requested it. The DJ was so bad that he didn't even have "Sweet Home Alabama," but he said he did have it on karaoke, so maybe the three guys at our table should sing it.) And of course, they played "Jesse's Girl." At that point, I was getting a little teary-eyed because I miss him. It makes it harder knowing that it'll be a long time before I see him again, and I'm not even sure how long a "long time" is. Then, the pianists played Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," which is another one of our semi-songs. And they played the song "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love," which is another awesome song that always makes me think of K because on the line "You know I like my girls a little bit older," K always changes the words to say "a little bit younger" since he's 28 and I'm 23.
Then, one of the pianists called up all current and former military people in the crowd, and they played "God Bless the U.S.A." And I was crying again. I miss him like crazy! I would give absolutely anything to just be able to hug him right now.
I had gotten to talk to K very briefly earlier that day, but he'd said he would call me later that night my time. I took my phone out a little before 11 and put it on vibrate so I wouldn't miss it, and I held it in my hands and kept checking it because I'd also told him that if he missed me the first time, call right back so I'd catch it then. (The first time he called me, I was out wtih friends celebrating my birthday and Jeremy's birthday. I looked down at my phone right as he was hanging up. The words "Private call" changed to "1 missed call" as soon as I looked at it. I had just missed him. He called back like 30 minutes later, after I'd been watching my phone the whole time, decided he wasn't able to call back and walked away for 30 seconds.)
Well, we left the piano bar a little before midnight. I was glad I'd be home probably by the time K called, so I'd get to talk to him in peace and quiet and not have to worry about answering and weaving my way out of a bar to talk to him. I was standing outside my car outside my apartment talking to Jeremy and another friend who'd met us at my place since she wasn't familiar with the area. As we were talking, I was playing with my flip-phone and barely opening and closing it. It was still on vibrate.
When I walked away from my friends and up the stairs to my apartment, I saw that I'd missed his calls. Two of them, so I knew he wasn't calling back. I had just missed them. I was so upset because I was holding my phone when he called. I was missing him like crazy and really wanting to talk to him, and I missed his call. Naturally, I started bawling. I turned on my computer and sent him an e-mail. I told him about the bar and about how they kept playing our songs -- and we heard the Journey song again on the way home.
He called me this morning, though, and we were able to talk for just under 45 minutes. It's no hug, but it's always nice to just hear his voice. I miss him so much. And it's only been two weeks!! :(
Friday, September 01, 2006
BOOMER!!!
ER and I are going to Norman tomorrow for the OU game. I'm really excited. I've been waiting for this football season pretty much since last season, when we weren't good. Luckily, as Sooner fans, that doesn't happen often. I was actually glad to go through a season like that, though, because it makes you appreciate more when your team is not on top, but especially because I can say I've been a Sooner fan through a bad season. And I'm just as proud and yell just as loud (if not louder) in a bad season as a good one.
Work was actually really good today. Our department head is on vacation, so out second-in-command was in charge, and she's a huge UT (University of texas) fan. OU and ut are HUGE rivals, and she told me I'm the first Sooner fan she's met that she likes (Obviously, she hasn't met many of us, because, while I am really awesome, we all rock.). Anyway, at the end of the day today, she stopped by my office and told me she really appreciated my extra help this week and that I had been a huge relief to Sarah today because I'd helped her out so much. She told me I'd done a great job, which was cool because she's one of those people who doesn't compliment you unless she really means it.
I talked to K for a while today. He's still doing well. He's finally with his soldiers now. I got some things to send to him in a care package last night. I'm planning on baking cookies on Monday and sending the package on Tuesday, since the post office is closed for Labor Day. I got all kinds of goodies to put in it -- protein bars, his favorite gum, little Crystal Light individual packets that he likes. I'll put cookies in there and then some recent pictures. I wish I could put myself in there ...
ER and I are leaving tomorrow morning at 8, and that's AFTER I drive to her house to meet her parents there, who we're riding with (saving on gas, AND her dad wears "magic" cargo pants that produce Bud Light!). I've got to get to bed -- an exciting day tomorrow!
I'll leave you with what I'll have in my head while I'm sleeping, all day tomorrow and probably through January. Get excited! :)
Work was actually really good today. Our department head is on vacation, so out second-in-command was in charge, and she's a huge UT (University of texas) fan. OU and ut are HUGE rivals, and she told me I'm the first Sooner fan she's met that she likes (Obviously, she hasn't met many of us, because, while I am really awesome, we all rock.). Anyway, at the end of the day today, she stopped by my office and told me she really appreciated my extra help this week and that I had been a huge relief to Sarah today because I'd helped her out so much. She told me I'd done a great job, which was cool because she's one of those people who doesn't compliment you unless she really means it.
I talked to K for a while today. He's still doing well. He's finally with his soldiers now. I got some things to send to him in a care package last night. I'm planning on baking cookies on Monday and sending the package on Tuesday, since the post office is closed for Labor Day. I got all kinds of goodies to put in it -- protein bars, his favorite gum, little Crystal Light individual packets that he likes. I'll put cookies in there and then some recent pictures. I wish I could put myself in there ...
ER and I are leaving tomorrow morning at 8, and that's AFTER I drive to her house to meet her parents there, who we're riding with (saving on gas, AND her dad wears "magic" cargo pants that produce Bud Light!). I've got to get to bed -- an exciting day tomorrow!
I'll leave you with what I'll have in my head while I'm sleeping, all day tomorrow and probably through January. Get excited! :)
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