The South Will Rise Again!*

In 2007 I purchased my very own car. I have had cars before, inherited or "earned" them (I nannied for a whole summer to get a beautiful 1995 Ford Taurus Wagon, Gunther. He was a trip). Gunther had finally had it and couldn't keep his doors closed. That can be pretty dangerous with all the driving I was doing for work at the time. So to Carmax! (said with fist in the air). I was just going to "look" - isn't that always how it starts? It seems so harmless to just look. But then your eyes fall on a beaut and suddenly you can't remember your loyal car that you've just stepped away from. I test drove two cars and the Altima won out. Gunther was "sold" for $500 and Stewie and I embarked on a beautiful journey....to Roanoke, VA. We've been besties ever since that trip.

But about 18 months ago, Stewie started to get sick. I took him to several people to try and diagnose the problem and in the end I had spent roughly $1,000 fixing him up. Then we went to Ohio to see Cassie, Sarah, and Tami.

Upon returning - one morning I went out to my car, ready to go to work and be ultra productive, but I couldn't get the car to come out of park. I jimmied the steering wheel, I restarted the car, I cried, I beat the steering wheel, but nothing seemed to work. My dad came over and after making sure that I didn't miss the obvious, we googled options. We concluded that it must be the solenoid - whatever that was.


Having just dropped $1000 on Stewie's health and not knowing how much a solenoid could cost, we found a way around the situation. For the last 18 months I have been using a small screw driver to shift gears (it was annoying at first and at times I leave my car with it still in drive - I quickly figure it out and fix it...but I've gotten used to this).


Last week I got some coupons in my e-mail inbox from the dealership for a $16 oil change - oh yeah, I'll take that! There were also coupons for discounts on parts - so I figured now was as good a time as any to get this taken care of. I put in the work order and in addition to the oil change, added to have them fix the splash guard and the solenoid bit.

I pull into the dealership and a salesman directs me to the right place. He starts talking to me right away about why I've brought my car in, etc. He starts talking to me about 2012 models and test drives. He's got a Turkish accent and lazy eye are both are kind of endearing (I won't lie). But I resist and Ryan gets me out of there before I can be pulled into anything else.

Ryan and I walk into Kyle's office and I feel like we are at the doctor's office...I say so and then I say, "Give it to me straight, I can handle it." Kyle laughs. We are best friends. We leave the car and go to lunch. An hour later Kyle calls me to tell me that the diagnostic test has come back. For the gearshift - they can't replace only the solenoid, they have to replace the entire gearshift! What does that set someone back? $750!!

So there I am, sitting at my desk thinking, "Put me on the phone with the Turk, he can get me a deal." I ask Kyle if I can think about it. I call my dad, hoping/knowing he'll talk me out of whatever my impulsive desires are driving me to do. Dad debates it - it almost sounds like he wants a new car and wants me to get a new car. Where is the dad that would drain piggy banks on cars just to get a little more time with them? But then Dad pulls through and mentions all the other expenses I currently have or am sure to have being a homeowner. Seal the deal. No new car for this girl.

I felt confident about my decision, I called up Kyle but he was at lunch. I missed his return call but called back right away. "Let's go for it!" I tell Kyle. But I also had some questions. Kyle had mentioned the splash guard, the oil pressure gauge thingy, and the rear brakes. I ask him how much the breaks would cost - $385 *ugh!* (that's what I said) and there's the oil pressure do-hickey - did I want to take care of that now? I ask how much...$90."Is it really important Kyle? Is a dohickey really important?" Actually it came out like this, "You're killing me, Kyle!" He nervously laughed. It is like the doctor - he has to be the bearer of bad news.

I take a deep breath and think:

Oil Change - $16

Replace breaks - $385

Fixed splash guard - $25

Oil Pressure dohickey - $90

Gearshift replacement - $750

Labor Costs - $Who knows how much!?

Paying an arm and a leg to have a car like new - limbless, err, priceless

"Okay, let's just do it all now and get it over with." (Same mentally I have with a box of Twinkies).

Kyle informs me that I will pay $600 for today and the rest next week when they are able to replace the gearshift. Ryan picks me up from work and we go so I can give them all my money.

Saul (the Turk car salesman) sees me come in and runs over to tell me what else he can give. Free oil changes, state inspections, car washes, tire rotations...for life. Car payment less than what I pay now for a car 6 years newer and several thousand dollars more (before rebate and trade in). "Just take a test drive, no hard feelings if we get back and you say 'no thanks'." So - we go for a test drive.

Nothing too spectacular - nothing that would get me to purchase a new car. But as we talked about what Saul could get me and I considered what the future expenses could be on a car that has already put me through a lot - I went with it.

Sadly, they were down two people in the finance department - so Ryan and I ended up being there from 5 - 10:30 (I didn't decide to buy the car until 6:30 though). Saul brought lemonade for Ryan and me and we played Boggle on my phone. We got a tour of the place, we emptied out my car, Saul changed my license plates over (and gave me a special VIP license plate holder thingy). Saul even said that if there was anything I didn't want - leave it in the car...there were 5 bags of Goodwill stuff I have been meaning to drop off for quite possibly a year. So - new car and a goodwill run checked off of my to-do list....bonus.

And what did I do with my new car? I drove to Carter Mountain on Saturday (details to come....like tomorrow or something).

P.S. the new car's name is Diego - inspired by the great movie, Mask of Zorro. Thanks Ryan for the suggestion!

I'm sailing! I sail! I'm a sailor!*

9 Loves (in no particular order)

1.

My family

Um - cause they are awesome!

2.

My religion

I really do just love my religion (and of course this includes God and spirituality and what have you)

3.

Adventures

I like to go places - I don't always think I want to because I feel like I am a homebody - but I really do like to see new things and be spontaneous.

4.

Sugar (I'm trying to be honest here)

5.

My friends

There is no safe picture to put here - I can't possible fit all the friends on want to into this area and so I am going to just avoid any drama and not put anyone :) But I love my friends - I honestly do. I feel that I have surrounded myself with some of the best people and I am so grateful to each and every one of them for what they teach me and how they inspire me to grow.

6.

Joanna's Cakes

(And comic book heroes for that matter)

7.

Books!


I love a good story. I even love some bad stories at first (until the end ruins it). It's not just that I love reading, I love BOOKS. I love to flip the pages between my fingers, to smell them and to feel the weight of them in my hands.

8.

Writing

I love writing. I love getting to know my characters and see what happens in their lives. Writing is hard - but it's something that is hard but pays off for me. Even if no one ever sees the stuff (though I really hope that one day they will...on a bookshelf :)

9.

Fall

This is my favorite time of the year. I love how it gets chilly and the leaves change colors, how it gets darker in the evenings and the way the air smells like camp fire.

What are some of your loves?

Hello Worthless, Miss Me?*

Today I came to a haunting realization.

Nerds as we know and love them aren't nerds. They are really attractive guys dressed up to be nerds.

I cam to this realization when I was looking for an image of a typewriter. This picture popped up. I passed over it quickly not really giving it much though but then suddenly I thought, "That isn't a real person - that's some model made to look like a nerd." And then this blog post was born.

Then I thought it was probably just the guy from X-Men first class - but my eyes are too bad to be 100% certain.

Granted I have known some real life nerds who are pretty good looking (I've dated quite a few of them). But I was thinking about it - I have always loved Entertainment Nerds, as I will call them - the ones found in TV shows and movies. I have always shied away from Real Nerds. I attract Real Nerds and a lot of them scare me. But then I came to another realization - I am also attracted to many Real Nerds and I myself am one. I mean - how else am I connecting with these boys on things like Star Trek, science fiction and comic books.

I guess I'm not even mad at Hollywood for trying to deceive me since in some cases I can have attractive nerds...

I just noticed that Hollywood always make such endearing nerds that happen to be super attractive (and maybe they wouldn't be so endearing if they weren't attractive?) It's like when I realized that girls don't want guys to behave as guys do in the chick flicks...they want the actors to appear and behave as they do in the chick flicks. Some of the behaviors are downright creepy when guys which aren't interested in apply them to real life. Sorry - random thought for the day.

I know I'm not the only nerd lover out there (I dare say many of you are) so what are your thoughts on Entertainment Nerds and Real Nerds?

You know what I've discovered about your daddy? He likes to eat cookies in bed. *

I want to blog again - I feel I have neglected it. So two things -

1) Brad Pitt is the Robert Redford of his generation.

2) I have stolen an idea from another blog. Vanessa stole it first! She is using it to get back to blogging and so I will too.

So I guess you guys luck out and get to learn all about me. So here it goes - 10 secrets...that won't be secrets once this blog is posted.


I have a giant notebook of pathetic poetry I wrote all through middle school and high school. I cringe when I read most of it but can't bear to toss it.

2.

I used to have a picture of Jason Priestley on my ceiling so I could see his dreamy face every night before I went to bed.

3.

When I am alone in the car I sing as loudly as I can. In the summers - when my windows are down - I will roll them up at stoplights so people nearby can't hear me.

~4~

I used to day dream about being interviewed as a famous actress (despite the fact that I can't act and I hated being up in front of people).

5.

I secretly love being up in front of people.

6.

I think I subconsciously hold myself back - I have been calling it 'procrastination' for years. But I think that I am too afraid of being rejected to really put myself out there (career, publishing, etc.)

-7~
I don't like to feel stupid and I resent people who do/say things to make me feel that way.

8.

Despite the fact that I don't eat chocolate and it doesn't tempt me - I love the smell of chocolate.

9.

I run races (5k, 10k, 8k, half marathons) so that I can get a shirt, a bib, and breakfast afterwards.

10.

When I am sitting next to a guy (any guy will do) and he leans forward, I have a strong desire to just scratch his back...but I refrain since he might get the wrong idea and it's probably socially unacceptable.

That's because you are stupid*

This weekend I had the chance to go to Lexington, Virginia. Lexington is about two hours west of Richmond. It's home to VMI and Washington-Lee College, and is very close to Southern Virginia University (question - do most states have so many colleges and universities packed together?)


I saw a deer, in the daylight, on the side of the road...still alive! I also saw a dog and cat chilling together. I ate ribs for the first time too. (hmm - those contradict each other - sweet animals, living in perfect harmony and then me eating ribs...)


Friday night - Ryan and I went to see "The Wizard of Oz" at Southern Virginia University. The director has seen Monty Python on stage where they had as few actors as possible had a twist to it and so he worked with the actors and they came up with The Wizard of Oz...with a twist. There were 9 actors, the scene changes happened right before our eyes, their was a comedic twist. Nothing from the movie script was changed (though there was an addition or two). It was the way they said the same words that just made it so funny. The actors even sounded like the characters in the movie - especially Dorothy - she did a great job!


She even looks like her! This is the only picture I could find. Toto was a hand puppet - usually attached to a girl in a black outfit but sometimes just carried under Dorothy's arm. I loved the Tin Man - I think he was my favorite. Mostly - I was completely in love with the whole thing. I think they did a fantastic job!

Saturday I got to tour Lexington - which is pretty historical. I walked around Washington-Lee and VMI and they both have museums so we went in those. I got to see a stuffed horse (sorry - no picture). I also got to see Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson's graves. Here are some pictures. First from Washington-Lee







Then VMI (Virginia Military Institute):


And then Stonewall Jackson's grave:


Best official sign of the weekend (doesn't sound very mature does it?)


And finally - what I could see from Ryan's driveway...I thought this was pretty cool. This guy and I bonded - I mean - look at the eye contact

So that was my weekend in Lexington. Coming Soon - Dad's Birthday dinner.

Hello my blueberries!*

Last night I started a 14-week Beginner's Wheel Throwing class.

This was another one of my impulsive moves I am known to make from time to time. G-sauce threw out an e-mail to a bunch to people to see if anyone was interested in taking this class with her. At the time I had one of those impulsive thoughts, the kind that get me into pickles. But then another came, I was not in a financial position to do it (wait...what? That means I actually stopped myself from doing something impulsive!)

Don't worry - it didn't last long. I responded to G and told her that I couldn't at that time, but to let me know anything else she might do later. She responded that if no one wanted to do it then (this was in the summer) that she would sign up for the fall. "Count me in." ...eek, I did it again.

I kept waiting for G to say, "never mind", but that never happened. She e-mailed me a few weeks before to make sure I was doing it, "of course!" how dare she think I wouldn't?! But secretly I was like, "I can't really afford this right now - money or time wise". Then last week she said she was registering. So I freaked out a little, what if I pay all this money, commit to this time, and I SUCK at it!? G slapped me across the face and told me I would be fine (okay, okay, she didn't slap me - she responded to my text message with a laugh and a "you'll be fine").

So last night I learned how to "wedge" the clay (p.s. the clay stinks...like nature). When I was watching the instructor it looked a lot like kneading bread - I've done that before so it seemed easy enough. Guess what? It's not exactly like kneading bread - cause you are trying to make a cone shape. She had us "wedge" two blocks of clay and then she said we could just shape the other two into cones. Wedging was easier than shaping - plus - I'm a closet perfectionist and wanted to get this down. I think I mostly had it by block 4. And by that I mean - it looked a heck of a lot better than block 1.

Then it was to the wheel! Eek! I set up my wheel with the splash guard thingy and I grabbed a bat and placed it on the wheel (a bat is like a tray that fits on the wheel and then you place the clay on it). I got my bucket of water and made sure I had my rib (wooden tool), pokey thing (can't remember the name), and sponge.

I wanted to make sure my clay was on there securely so with a loud SPLAT I thrust mine on to the bat. Then I dipped my hands in the water and stared at the clay for a while. I was trying to remember what we were supposed to do first. So I rewet my hands and pushed my foot down on the peddle and tried to smooth out my clay. The instructor went around to each of us to help and we were supposed to make cylinders. My first one was a cylinder - but I also had a lot of help from the teacher. My second one was a bowl - which we weren't doing bowls last night but the instructor said I could keep it, so I finished it up and put it on the table for the next step.

My third one...oh my third one. I mostly practiced center the clay with my third one (I had to do that with all of them but I wanted to get that part down - it's when you are spinning the wheel and getting all the bumps out of the clay - you make it tall, then you bring it back down and then you spin and spin and spin* until it feels smooth as it spins against your hands - no bumps or anything.

But I thought I would try for a cylinder again. The instructor helped me a little and then I got to work on opening up the clay (creating the hole in the middle). She came over and was like, "It looks like a..." and I know she wanted to say cylinder but I also knew she couldn't lie, "bowl." she finished with a sad little smile. Then she went on about how it naturally wants to be a bowl and I said, "if it wants to be a bowl who am I to say it can't be?"

G-sauce had the cylinder down. I told her that was great - but when we get to bowls I'm going to rock it.

I'm actually pretty excited to go back next week - and I might even try to slip in this weekend to get more practice with centering and making a cylinder...we'll see. (Tami - I will try to get pictures - just seemed a little ridiculous to try and get some last night, being the first day of class and all).

Surprise! He's the Real Hero.*

So, last Saturday we had a hurricane.

The end.

Just kidding! I got up early and cleaned a lot, did laundry in case the power went out, etc. Forgot to charge my cell phone - but...whatever. Christian kept trying to talk us in to coming over to his house but he didn't have power and we still did, so we hesitated. Finally he talked Kami in to it and then he sent me a text message personally inviting me to his Hurricane Party and asking me to bring Sequence and some cards. So we went, Ryan came too cause he was already going to come over and hang out. So we all go over there and hang out. The boys order pizza and Christian sets up Dr. Mario on the laptop so we can play a few rounds. We played foosball, and Boggle, and then we played Beat Bot on some iPhones and then we pulled out the guitar, harmonica, and shakers and had a little jam fest...pretty much - you could say that we were all suffering from Cabin Fever. Christian got himself all suited up and went out in the storm. It was REALLY windy and rainy but that was about it from our perspective.

Boredom took us out on the streets Saturday night to go over to Erin's place at U of R (she still have power). Then Sunday we went out looking for service opportunities since church was cancelled.

My dad had a chainsaw and a neighbor in need so we went over there. We ran into troubles of course - there were tress down all over (we had the same trouble Saturday night).

Sometimes the trees looked like shadows across the road as we were driving up on them. Luckily, Kami was driving and she has better eyes.
The boys got out and checked out the tree while Kami and I yelled at them not to get too close to the wires.


This is Matt by the roots.

My dad's neighbor loved that we had come to help. We used chainsaws and bare hands and ripped that tree apart! He was laughing and asked if we were beavers or something. It was a lot of fun and super messy, we were covered in sap.

Here's the tree that was blocking our road for a while - this is after they cleaned it up a bit though.


We lost power for a couple of days. We hung in there and hoped for the best as far as the food was concerned - but Tuesday afternoon I went home during my lunch break and dumped everything. It SMELLED! The meat was bad and leaking and who knows what happened in the fridge. But I wiped it all down and it was as good as new.

Just in time for the power to come back on Tuesday afternoon...

That was an accident! I loved my mother!*

January - 4

February -3

March - 4

April -5

May - 4

June - 3

July -5

August - 3

Strength Finders 2.0 by Tom Rath
Amber recommended this book to me and I decided to do it for two reasons. 1) She said it was a quick read and I am all about getting some of those as time counts down. 2) I had gone through Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and I feel I have improved because of it, so - what the hey. I found the book's intro to be very insightful and I enjoyed reading about my possible strengths. So far it's already helped me to deal with a few situations in my life better than I would have.

Prologue: The Brothers by Chris Stewart

Volume 1 of the Great and Terrible Series...And.

It.

Is.

Great and terrible.

I got so frustrated that right near the end I started to underline the terrible lines and descriptions so I could ask someone else if I was just being too hard on the book. "Sneered with emotion" - that's an example. I just feel like saying, which emotion - how am I supposed to know? In all of my creative writing courses we were told to show not tell. I feel as though Chris Stewart never heard that. Yes - I am probably being really hard on him. I have committed to give book 2 a try - but that is it - if I don't like book 2 I am not continuing with the series (7 books).

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Pretty good. I was hesitant at first, can't really say why. Of course - it came right after finally finishing the Great and Terrible book - so I could just like it because it was so much better. But really, it's a quick read. The way it is written makes you want to keep reading - even by flashlight, at 12:30 in the morning. I started this book on Sunday and finished it on Wednesday - I would have read it quicker had it not been such a pain to read by flashlight. Warning - the book is darker, dealing with suicide, high school bullying, etc. I wouldn't recommend it to my 13 year old cousin or anything, but I think it fairly portrayed what it might be like for a (bullied) girl in high school these days. Also, it's a little more than depressing at some points but I think the main character turns it around at the end to be a bit hopeful, or at least - not a total waste. I can't say more without giving anything away. So proceed with caution if you don't like darker books.