Amen. Oh... and A-woman, too.*

So I live in Virginia, Richmond to be exact, and in Richmond we have these guys:

And they are doing pretty good in basketball (I don't know if you've heard about that or not). Pretty impressive. There's a billboard on I-95 Southbound that gets me a little vheclempt whenever I see it. I don't know what it is, at first glance it does nothing to stir my emotions. I think it's when I read the high school's that these two attended and I think, "That's right, they're from here, they're our boys." Mind you, this was long before I ever dreamed they'd be in the final four. (I could also be getting emotional because they have the years that these gentlemen graduated high school and that makes me realize that we are not the same age, even though I feel like we should be).

Anyway, since they've been doing so well in March Madness, Richmond has gone a little Ram Crazy. I was driving in to work today and saw a billboard that said, "We're Ram Proud", which I thought was pretty clever. People are just filled with some Ram Pride. I don't know if I can really say that I am, but I am enjoying seeing others. I haven't seen such craze since Elliot Yamin was on American Idol...I also didn't share in that craze, probably because I didn't watch American Idol and people would say, "I saw Elliot Yamin at Westbury Pharmacy today!" and I'm like, "That's awesome! Who the heck is that?" One lady had even deleted pictures of her kid's field day from her phone just to snap a photo of this guy getting out of a limo in a parking lot...really? I mean, does anyone even know what happened to Elliot? I know what happened to that woman's child, he went to therapy because his mom was so quick to erase a big moment of his life for a fuzzy, half profile pic of some guy from Richmond who can sing.

Whoa, bring it back.

Anyway, I'm more inclined to approve of the Ram Pride. So - the story that brought about this post. At work we have/had letters up on the wall in the training room that read our company name. We had those taken down to reuse them elsewhere. I got a phone call this morning to tell me that the letters had been removed so I went downstairs to retrieve them, and this is what I saw:

I had to come back upstairs and get my camera. I think this is my favorite manifestation of the excitement over this basketball team and I wanted to share it. That is all. Lildonbro, Out.

Now they know that we know that they know that we know!*

I was hoping that today's post would be filled with pictures and adventurous stories about having changed my shower head. My dad said that changing a shower head was super easy and that I could do it myself. Having mastered the drill and helping to put up a fence last week I thought, "I can do this!" So I opened up my new shower head and put the parts together like the instructions said to, then I looked at my old shower head. I said to myself, "I guess it just unscrews or something." So I reached up and started to turn it. The whole thing came out of the wall and I shrugged my shoulders and thought maybe the new one screwed right in to the wall. I tried that...it didn't work. So I put the old one back on and decided I would call Dad later. I then proceeded to scrub that shower (yes...I needed a nap after this because I am still feeling a little drained for my unidentified sickness). I turned on the shower to rinse the wall and the water barely came out, so I reached up and tried to twist the shower head, thinking maybe I hadn't put it on tight enough (don't worry, I turned off the water first). Then the shower head got stuck upside down in all the turning, so I tried to turn it the other way to loosen it and that's when it happened...the shower head just SNAPPED! I was a bit shocked; I just don't know my own strength sometimes.

The trip to see Dad became imperative at that moment. I took some pictures and the shower head over to my dad's to have a look. We're going to fix it at some point this week. I have another shower in the house, so there's no rush.

Later though, I was cleaning the dishes and I was washing one of the spatulas when it suddenly SNAPPED. ...for someone who is feeling weak I sure do seemed to have my muscularly arms on this weekend.

Saturday afternoon I went over to Joanna’s house and Jacob got a book about Atlas(es?) In the back of the book was a map of the world. Jacob showed me all about “Japand” (would that mean that people there are Japandas?) and “Alasisika” and a few other places. Then he walked off while Jo and I started to talk. Then Jacob came back over, pointed to a little dot on the map and says, “Is this where your boy is?” I was a little thrown off by the question, but I looked down at the map and he was pointing to a little dot, just east of Madagascar called “Reunion”. I looked up at Jo and was like, “Who taught him that?” and she said he must have just heard her talking about my “boyfriend” and just calls him my boy now. So my nephew knows exactly where Bryan is…kind of cute and pretty amazing for a little kid. We showed my parent’s later and I pointed at Reunion and said, “Who’s there?” and Jacob said, “Your boy!” …It just made me smile (3 months left btw).

Sunday my mom looked at my blood tests results. She said everything looked good except the glucose levels (which, now that I think about it, all I had had that day was a sprite right before the doctor but nothing else). So I said, “That’s it, I’m giving up sugar!” which was immediately followed by responses from all three of the peanut gallery.

Mom: No you’re not

Kat: Don’t forget your cookies

Jo: Don’t forget your peeps.

Me:…Alright! Alright! But I’m cutting back.

Is it any wonder I can’t give up sugar for good? I get NO family support in this!

And I'd be watching you, like a dingo watches a human baby!*

I'm back at work today. Not really feeling 100% but not feeling sick enough to use up any more PTO (paid time off).

I had an interesting two days, most of it was spent asleep. I fell asleep about 3 p.m. on Wednesday and aside from waking up every few hours (only to fall right back asleep) I slept until 9:30 a.m on Thursday. You'd think after all that sleep I would be wide awake...and I was, for about two and half hours. Then I fell asleep again for about two hours. Then awake for two hours, asleep for two hours. Then awake...for good. I finally made myself go to bed around 11 last night.

Doc is still out on the results. I say there is no mono, I feel better today too (like I said not 100% and actually, the room is not so much spinning as just rocking back and forth slightly). We shall see.

The point of this post was not a medical update. It was something I found rather interesting and maybe no one else will. But I will say it nonetheless.

One of my tasks today is to call a lady from Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus. They want to put a flier up for our employees to be able to call and get discounted tickets. No cost to us so what the hey? The lady I need to contact....Glinda...where have I heard that before....hmmm...

I just don't see it as a coincidence...granted it is probably not P.C. to assume that midgets work for the circus but I've never really fancied myself as P.C.

I wonder if I just click my heels together three times the flier will just appear?

If I fake it, then I don't have it*

So for the past two weeks or so I have noticed something different about me physically. I have just been drained. Our last basketball game of the session I felt too tired to even play, but I kept going because I love basketball. I haven't really had it in me to continue my training for the 10k, but I have been running on the Wii in case I need to stop. A few days after the fatigue set in I got a sore throat, then a headache, and I trudged through that. I just didn't have time to rest. Just when I thought I was feeling better I came home last week and crashed on my bed, falling asleep instantly. Then I was feeling better, I played Frisbee (with labored breath), I started to run again. I was still exhausted but I attributed that to being so busy at work. I would come home exhausted and if you know me you know I hate naps (I mean, I'm sitting here blogging when I should be sleeping) but I would be begging for a nap, or to lay down. Then, aside from not sounding good I felt decent. Yesterday the sore throat came back, last night I started to feel sick after dinner but figured that it was because I ate too much. I was pretty emotional last night too, I'm embarrassed to admit because I don't like my emotions getting the better of me. I went to bed early, woke up around two, and then just cried (hard core) for an hour until I could fall asleep again. I was beginning to think I was depressed (where does depression hurt? Everywhere*).

Then this morning I could barely stand up while getting ready. I kept sitting down, crouching on the ground, going back to bed. I made it to work where everyone told me to just make a doctor's appointment. I called my old doctor and they asked if I was a current patient, I said 'yes'. She took my DOB and last name and said, "Come a little early, you'll need to fill out some paper work since it's been so long since you've been here." ...oops.

I go early and then I sit in the waiting room (makes you wonder if I would have waited the same amount of time had I just come on time). I sign two pieces of paper and then go to sit back down. I was freezing, I have no idea how everyone else felt, but I had goosebumps and was shivering even with my winter coat on. They took me to the back and weighed and measured my height. Then I went and sat in the examination room. My favorite person was Deborah (new BFF), we joked around about my health (the good stuff) and she filled out all the "paperwork". Then she left, forever and a day later the doctor comes in. She was about 14 - she looked like she was only two years older than my dermie. Why do all these people look so young?? I'm not that old!

She asked me a bunch of questions that I felt as though I had already answered. She checked my breathing, my ears, she pushed on my stomach and I tried not to laugh because I am very ticklish. Then she asked more questions and told me that it didn't sound like the flu, but maybe mono or strep. ?? You kidding me ?? I'm a hypochondriac - and I didn't even think of those. So part of me feels that my new doctor has hypochondria for her patients. So here's how it went from here, she turned to a computer and started ordering a bunch of lab work...all I could think was, "How much is this going to cost? I can tell you right now I just need antibiotics and sleep, just give me those!"

First - the swab test. Open wide, say 'ah', and here is where she thrust two swabs in and circles about super fast. I gag, wave my hands in the air like that's going to stop me from throwing up and then apologize. I asked if that happens often and she said that's why she stands to the side. That made me feel a little better. Then they took me to the lab for the *gulp* blood work. They set me up in the chair, I tell the lab technician that I will try to be brave and then I look away. It didn't really hurt, it was more just knowing that the needle was in there (and I hate having the tourniquet on my arm...ouch!) She has me hold the gauze up to my arm while she labels my blood and then my mouth starts to water, my tongue feels heavy, my head hurts.

"I think I'm going to throw up," I croak.
No words, just sounds of a trashcan skidding across the floor to land in front of me. I look down in to the tissues and paper towels of victims past and then I spit, hoping I was just over reacting. Then...it happened. I threw up. I had nothing to give, but I gave it. It was not a color I ever thought I would see come out of me, for a moment I wondered if I had swallowed neon yellow juice (no joke). The lady ask if I had eaten and I said 'no', I had told the doctor that I hadn't had an appetite all day and I felt like I was going to throw up. They asked if I felt okay to go to the examination room. The funny part was, I felt 80% better, I was about to tell them that I could just go home now, but I figured I'd better be sure there's nothing else wrong with me. As we are leaving I apologize to the technican for the trash can.

Side note: Best part, Karl, a security guard at work said a few weeks ago that we should donate blood together at the next blood drive, since we both have a fear of needles. I said, "Tell you what, the next time I get blood taken at the doctor's I'll see how I do and if it goes okay, then we'll do it!" Guess I have to tell him I can't do it. I am not throwing up at work!

I go to the room and the doctor comes and talks to me and she asks how I am feeling, "OK" I say. Then she tells me that because I threw up they weren't able to read the whole order and they didn't take enough blood. Yeah, she hadn't read the order before I came in and before she started to draw my blood. Yeah, make it seem like it's because I threw up...whatever. Oh and they also said, "They didn't know were felt like throwing up." Oh? That's what I thought I conveyed when I said I felt like vomiting and then said, "Sorry, I don't know a better way to say it." Don't blame the sick girl!

Anyway. So the doctor is talking and I start to get really hot all over, I had been freezing just moments before. I was trying to listen but felt like I would pass out so I said something. She had me lay down and kept talking, she says that the mono test came back negative, as did the strep, but since I could have had it for two weeks there were other mono tests that they had to do at an outside lab. That would take a few days, but go home today and call out tomorrow and they should have something on Friday. She leaves, Deborah comes in with a sandwich and a Coke. Not a Coke fan, but not about to tell the nurse and doctor that I don't want any. They said my blood sugar was probably low...so that's what that feels like.

I go back to give more blood and they recline me. I closed my eyes and tried not to focus on anything. The other lady said, "Oh wow, you're really pale!" I weakly smiled and said, "Um, thanks I guess." I don't know what to do, I don't know I'm pale, I've been in the doctor's office for TWO HOURS. The lady drawing the blood says, "You okay?" I said, "Are you done?" and she said yes and then I nodded and said, "Yeah, I'll be fine." She didn't even have me hold the gauze, she just taped.

So now I wait. It's probably nothing, though right now it feels like something. The good doctor gave me anti-nausea pills, so I took one just in case...and they make me a little drowsy, so I think I'm going to go nap.

Side note: Totally fell asleep before posting this, just woke up at 10:20 in time for my anti nausea meds...and boy do I need them :(.

No, give me a noble mission, father.*

Another busy weekend under my belt. I feel very productive/exhausted. Almost too tired to write, but I do like writing. Friday night I went up to the Temple. I was going to go Saturday but I really needed to work on my fence. So I left work at 4 on Friday and drove up, barely hitting any traffic and getting home around 11-11:30. Saturday morning I woke up early and ran 4 miles, then went and got my oil changed, and then I met up with Dad so we could get down to business, fence business that is.

We went to one of my favorite places (Lowe's) and purchased supplies for four, 6 foot segments of vinyl fencing. I have to say, I like the idea of having a wood fence for a privacy fence, but the vinyl quickly grew on me.

This is the first hole that Dad dug for the post. Notice all that water? It rained a lot this past week I guess. I saw the hole and said, "So that's what my well probably looks like!" ...Gross.

Dad working on the first section of the fence.

Finally Dad gave me something to do and once I got the hang of it I really went with it. It was so much fun. I measured first where to put all the brackets, then I drilled holes for the screws, then I screwed the brackets in to place. After the fence was up I also drilled holes and screwed some other part of the fence.

Me, drilling the holes. I'm still geeking out about how cool this is (for me).

Just so you know, Theo was there and he wanted to take pictures, that's why I have so many of me working. Plus, why wouldn't I want to document this awesomeness?

The first section of the new fence...only a few more dedicated Saturdays (and budget) to go.

Now my fence reminds me of a black and white cookie, but this is also a cool way to see a before and after. The new vinyl fence to the left and the "original" fence that came with the house to the right. I feel good about this.

Sunday I kept sneaking a peek out my back window at the fence. I think it's safe to say that I'm a little bit in love.

Where we're going, we don't need roads!*

So today I accidentally sent out an appointment request for an event that happened on March 8th. MARCH 8TH! Oops.


I realized what I did immediately when a reminder popped up on my screen telling me that I was ten days late for the meeting ("Ten days late" are also lyrics from a song that is now stuck in my head, 20 blog bucks to whoever can name the band!). I hate when I make big boo-boos like that. So about 20-or so people got the reminder for a meeting they had already attended. I sat there, starring at my computer and wondering what I should do next. "Maybe they won't notice." I lied to myself.


So I sent a message to all the attendees, I had to make it quick before anyone could get their smart remarks in (cause with this group there's bound to be at least one) this is what it said:


I apologize for the invite that just went out for the brown bag that has already occurred. It was a slip of the mouse. Thanks for your understanding.


Despite my apology I still got this:


I will not be able to attend the March 8th meeting due to space/time constraints imposed by the laws of physics.


I love/hate the people I work with. Mostly because they are smart mouths like me.

This isn't the first time that nature's lashed out at you like this.*

I don't know if I have told you about the squirrels. Granted, depending on who you are you're thinking of different times in my life when squirrels have been a "situation" or you're thinking, "Why would she even have to tell us about squirrels?" Hmm...let's see:

• The summer I was chased and subsequently stalked by a squirrel (Whom I named Mr. Chuckles - think I got that from Seinfeld) Tami - you remember.


• The winter that Mr. Chuckles found me at my new home and terrorized me (not to mention how his gang of thugs terrorized the whole complex...three cars in the parking lot mysteriously breaking down, coincidence? I think not!) Mur - you may remember.


• The squirrel stampede of Boston Commons (ok, maybe not a stampede but that thing was coming for me!)

And now this:

This is the story I meant when I asked if I had told you about the squirrels. Many, many months ago I became privy to a story involving a home invasion, teen angst, family trouble, and murder.

As I retell this story I will change the names of the characters to protect the innocent...and even the not so innocent. As I said, many, many months ago there was someone at work who had an infestation of squirrels in their home. They decided that they would get a squirrel trap (the killing kind) and take care of the situation.

My part in the story comes after the first squirrel has been murdered. I was walking with, we'll call her name Pam, one afternoon when she told me about the squirrel infestation at someone's (who we'll call...John) house. John had told her about his squirrel problem and that he was going to buy a trap. She asked that he buy the humane kind that kills them (softly with his love?*) but he wasn't going to shell out money for a death trap. He informed her a few days later that they had killed one of the squirrels and judging by the size of it, it was a teenage squirrel.

The following conversation ensued:

Me: So, it was a teenage squirrel?

Pam: Yeah

Me: Oh man. He was probably sneaking back into the house after a night out with his friends and BAM! His parent's are probably heartbroken.

Pam: *Laughing* probably! (I have no clue what she said here, my self-centered memory is only good for my side of the conversation).

Me: John's a home wrecker (3.5 seconds of silence) Don't tell him I said that!

Pam: I won't.

About thirty minutes pass by and I am working at my desk. John walks by with a grin on his face and stops.

John: So I hear you heard about my squirrels.

Me: *sheepish grin* yes.

John is still smiling.

John: Yeah, Pam told me your story.

Me: I told her not to tell you!

John: *shrugs shoulders* I thought it was funny. It's okay, she told me not to tell you she told me.

John walks off, I grab the phone and dial Pam's number.

Me: I told you not to tell him! He ratted you out that you ratted me out.

Several months later (yesterday) I relate the story to my coworker and we laugh about it (it helps if you know the two people involved too) and we start saying how we should buy him a little squirrel with a sign that says, "Please don't kill me" or "Home wrecker!" and put it on his desk. Or better yet, Pam should put a picture squirrel with a red lined slashed through it on a slide at our next communications meeting.

P.S. My friend posted this to my Facebook wall yesterday and it was just so appropriate I couldn't resist sharing. ...People really should start to take me more seriously.

We're going to play a wonderful game called... "Who is my daddy and what does he do?"*

This past weekend was very busy for me...okay, Saturday was very busy for me. Friday night Amber and I went and hung out with Marissa and Lori. I love these girls. They may think I'm a bit over the top in weirdness now...now that they know I make up diseases for myself. We planned an awards banquet for our basketball team (details to follow in this post).

Anyway, on to Saturday!

17th Annual Shriner's Pancake Breakfast

No pictures...sorry. We had our 17th annual pancake breakfast, which in reality is probably our 5th? Maybe? We throw out random numbers each time. And it's not even annual, random would be a better world. This time when I made the Facebook invite I added at the end that this was a real event because in the past I have gotten e-mails asking if it was real or not. So having put that, one of the girls I invited wrote on the wall and asked if we were making donations. Cause Shriner's do that...I laughed and apologized and explained that the event was real, but not that real. In others, the pancakes will be real, the lineup of deceased guest speakers are not, and we are not actually affiliated with the Shriner's...oops.

I wouldn't say it was a huge success, but we had our food, and we had fun. My favorite was the Jesse showing up around 2 p.m. long after the pancakes were gone. It was a nice gesture though, I'll give him that.

Moving on.

1st Annual Chippenham Women's Basketball Awards Banquet

Thursday night it was decided that we would have an awards banquet with...awards. Marissa and I decided that it needed to be in a public place, because something about being in public just screams 50% more fun. So we made it to be Cici's because 1. It's cheap. 2. You can't go wrong with pizza. Unless you have a girl on your team who is allergic to cheese...oops again. BUT CiCi's will make a cheese less pizza! Okay, now on to pictures (I swiped these from Ashley because I forgot my camera).

Carolyn with her "Best Shot" award

Lori with "The Squeezer" Award (she would just squeeze right through two opponents who were trying to block her way.

Ashley and Drew (and me)
Ashley with her "'Sock' it to 'em" award (I'm pretty proud of that one) She wore crazy socks at our second and final 'win'
Amber, Lori and me presenting the awards...right there in the middle of CiCi's

We had lots of other awards, such as the "White on Rice" award presented to Erica for her incredible pressing skills on the court. There was "Minute Ballah" and the "Not Afraid to Use What God Gave You" awards. It was a lot of fun, but felt pretty short lived. If I am playing next year I think we shall do this again at the end of the session.

The Fence - First viewing

Hello neighbor...

I looked at some prices online and it turns out that Dad went to the store on Saturday and priced out some. We figure I'll change out a little bit here and a little bit there until the whole yard has a nice new fence...and then it will be time for something else to break.

I've never taken drugs because I missed the sixties, I was an accountant.*

I've been listening to British music, I mean, at least I think it is. She's got an accent and one song is about "Londontowne" I threw the 'e' in there because I feel like Londoners write "town" as "towne"...what do I know? I'm a pompous American.

Wait - In my defense, I don't even know what goes on in my own country. So I'm not pompous anything, I'm just lazy and ig'nant.

POINT being - sorry, I have a head cold and my mind wanders when it is cold. My coworker is wearing glasses today, I don't know why he's wearing them. I tend to not mention I notice things to people so that if they are feeling self conscious they won't. It's like, "Oh, she didn't say anything, I must blend in today." But...I notice things. So we were walking down the hall towards each other and I just wanted to tell him that he is looking pretty dapper. Two things stopped me though:

1. He's married, I don't much like complimenting married men (call me strange, but I think it's smart).
2. I'm not British! (Much to my dismay, I would love to have an accent like that and refer to the bathroom as 'the lou', the elevator as 'the lift', etc. etc. etc.). I would mean it sincerely but wonder if I sounded as though I was mocking.

See my dilemma? So...I say nothing. ...and now I have the song stuck in my head.

C'est La Vie.

Wait, I'm not French!

And what else floats in water?*

So word is spreading about my fake engagement. I learned from my "fiance", Matt, that someone came up to him and was like, "Are you engaged?" I didn't spread this, I think the guy who asked Matt overheard Amber when she was talking to him (Matt). Marissa, Matt, and I decided that we should start up rumors about me and Matt decided that he wants to be a rumor consultant. He gave us his pitch and I think he's got a bright future ahead of him.

Spring is the time for people to get married though, at church we have three weddings in three weekends (at least that's what I am thinking, someone correct me if I am wrong). Yesterday Nate and Erica passed out their announcements, very cute. Of course, they are a way cute couple. Matt and I looked over the announcement to see what we wanted to do with ours (again - fake). We have to hurry, because I am pretty sure the wedding is either this weekend or next cause we agreed on a March wedding.

At one point Matt was talking to Marissa about dating and he said, "Jessica excluded of course, every girl can do no wrong in my eyes until I've been on a couple of dates with them." That was interesting and I had to think about it for a while, Matt was backtracking though, saying it came out wrong. So he offered this instead, "It's good to date people to get to know them." Or something like that. Totally different. But that got us talking, I can apparently do no wrong because we've never been on a date, so we agreed that we would skip dating and just get married. I double checked the facts:

Me: So, as long as we never date, I'm perfect?
Matt: Correct.
Me: I was right, my mom's gonna love you! (I told him long ago my family would love him).

So that's the update with the engagement.

In other news : Twelve feet of my fence in my backyard fell down during the last rainstorm (pictures to come soon). So I will be starting a new "home improvement" project: The new fence. For now we have a quick fix, which is good that we could at least do that because I don't have a free weekend until April. But I will see if I can squeeze a little work in here and there. The Bishop and I were talking at church yesterday and he was asking me about the house, I told him about the fence and he was like, "Tell the guys! We can get people in on that!" That's weird to me, I've never thought of them as an option. I figure, once I know the details, I will see if I have the nerve to ask the guys for help. Major pride issue for me, I hate asking for help.

I'm continuing training today through the end of next week, I am getting more comfortable with it, but worry I am leaving stuff out when I train these people. I hate not getting feedback, things like, "Slow down!"

The 10k is coming up...I really need to get out there and run more. I run at least once a week and I can do three miles straight that I know of. I could probably do more if I tried, I just need to try. This weekend I had some kind of cold, I had a soar throat, running nose (still have these things by the way) and have just felt fatigued. Then I get headaches probably because I can't get enough oxygen to my brain. I think I will attempt running after work today, but we'll see how I feel. If not run, at least walk the same distance. I can do that now because it doesn't get dark so early.

Okay. Signing off.

The doctor's considering it doubtful whether he will ever recover the use of his legs, which prevents his holding a pen.*

I found my book!

The only problem is that while I was in my 'lost book' depression I started to read several others, just to try and fill the void. I am now currently reading 8 books. ...I have a problem.


In other news: Today I trained employees on the electronic timesheets. I haven't done any short of training in 3 years. When I first started to train for Ukrop's I watched the other trainers for several weeks, wrote up all the important things, wrote an outline for myself so I wouldn't forget the most important stuff and then practiced it until I almost had it memorized before I ever trained anyone (p.s. this is due to nervousness, not perfectionism - there is a big difference. I do the same kind of prep for when I have to give a talk or lesson at church - well, almost the same, but I can tell you I usually have at least half of it memorized).


Last night was the first time I got to run through my head what I wanted to train them on, I went through the system and the job aid I created and took notes (the important points I didn't want to miss, etc.) and that's when I noticed a problem in the job aid. So I had to open that up and make the changes and send it to my boss. Then this morning I printed out all the copies for the employees so that they would have them during training to take notes. I went down to the training room and set everything up the way I wanted and then I spent 30 minutes sitting at my desk trying to calm myself down. There are reasons I didn't continue to pursue a career in education. I don't know how to calm down except to stop caring, but I can't stop caring because this is all me in front of these people, if I stammer or mess up...it's me. So I get nervous. And want to throw up, or quit, or die, or something.

The biggest group was first - it was actually probably the funnest group too, it had enough people that I felt comfortable enough to make jokes.

For time off request you can put a reason for request and Angie was speaking while I was typing in my reason, "Going to Italy to visit my male-model boyfriend. Need to buy plane tickets." People seemed to like that one. So I liked training (again, I used to be one, so it was almost like going back in time). But now I'm signed up to teach three other classes! What the mess?!

In other news - we had our last game tonight. We played Bon Air (who read my blog but never comment so I totally forget that they read it). I had a good 'stuffing' night, not as good as last time though. I got Stephanie a few times. I fouled Stephanie a few times too...

My favorite was at one point when I kind of, sort of pushed Steph and she fell out of bounds (it was an accident by the way, I didn't just reach out and push her) and one of the refs, Fred (my favorite) just stood there for a second and our eyes were locked and part of me hoped he wouldn't call anything, but I knew it had to come...but it wasn't coming! I theorize that maybe he was afraid to call it on me because I always give him grief when he calls stuff on me. Finally he blew his whistle and called a push. But the delay really made me laugh.

Over all, a pretty good day.

All of these plants in the middle of the city, it's like...a garden.*

So far this week I have had to eat lunch at my desk. Today I had a little bit of time, but not enough to go somewhere (even to the conference room) so I sat at my desk and read. The problem with reading at your desk is people might think you are slaking off. I didn't want that to happen, so I labeled myself for 30 minutes today while I put in my iPod and read:

...the bummer: No one even stopped by and saw it.

M.I.A.

Object: Book, couple hundred pages or so, medium height, adequate width. Missing since March 3rd. Last seen - can't remember.

I am missing one of my books.

I was really interested in what was going to happen too, but I can't seem to find my book anywhere. I have searched the car, checked around at the office, looked under my bed, in the kitchen, on the bookshelf, everywhere. I really want to know what is going to happen!

Looks like I'll be deep cleaning the entire house this weekend. Le Sigh.

We're Gonna Win!!*

Tonight was an incredible basketball game. I mean, I'm still geeking out about it. We started off the game pretty good and I felt like people were all generally in a good mood too (despite the loss we had the night before). It just kept going, I mean, the score was close, we were ahead, fell behind, ahead again...like a horse race. My favorite part of the whole evening however was the fact that I was taller than all of the other team's girls. This means one thing and one thing only to me - stuff after stuff after stuff. And clean stuffs too. The refs can't call a foul on you when you stuff a short girl cause they can see clearly that there is no foul. There was one point when I stuffed three people in a row. That's a proud moment for this little ball player.

At one point I did get frustrated and that's when I looked at the scoreboard and we were behind, but I could have sworn that we had just made several baskets, I wasn't accusing the score keepers of foul play or anything, it was just frustrating. Like being at work and thinking an hour has gone by when it's only been 20 minutes, you know. I said something to Amber about it and she gave me a look so I apologized, I wasn't trying to sound negative or anything.

I did receive a little bit of karma this evening. In last night's game I knocked down/tripped/tackled at least 3 girls from the other team (it wasn't malicious intent, I was just after the ball) and tonight I got knocked down...it was awesome. I only hope it looked as cool as it felt. I fell on the ground and I guess I had a lot of momentum and I flipped around. I'm kind of a "pain is glory" type of person, I mean, right now I'm pretty stoked that I have bruises all up and down my arm, two bloody knees (with lovely bruises to the side), a very tiny bruise on my face from last night's game...you get the idea. Long time reader's have seen the pictures (sorry - I'm almost certain no one enjoyed seeing all those bloody photographs). Best part, the refs called a foul and I got to take a shot. The other team had fouled us so much that it was one-one. If I made this shot I could take another, and by the look of the score it could bring us closer. There wasn't much time left in the game, but I wanted to do all I could to help get us that much closer to winning. I believe in Miracles, I believed that somehow these girls could get 5 points in under a minute.

Hate to break it to you, but I missed the shot, the other team got the rebound and headed down the court. But my girls (and since I am coach I can call them "My girls" and do so proudly) picked up the defense and the other team didn't make a shot. We were killing it with defense, rebounds, passes, and putting the ball up. I loved it. Like I said earlier...geeking out about it! We didn't make any more shots, but neither did the other team. We did our cheer for them and gave them high fives and told them how they did. My friend Renada gave me grief because I told her to go easy on me tonight and she says that she did...and I stuffed her twice (and tripped her once - but only I really knew that - until now I guess). My team called me over and they were debating doing the victory circle. Sometimes some of the girls do a victory circle around the circle in the middle of the gym (like in Wii soccer, as Erica put it). Then I heard someone say, "We probably shouldn't since we lost." But I had already walked away and I ran the victory circle by myself, my team cheering for me...I normally don't run the victory circle because I am too self conscious, but I was so proud of the way my team had played I was on a little bit of a high.
Everyone was still talking about it as I walked over to the bench to get my stuff and I said, "I don't care that we lost we played really well!" One of our male cheerleaders looked at me and was like, "You guys won."

Me: Whatever! (walking over to 'the book')
Cam & Drew: Look at the score, 31 to 27.
Me: (looking down at 'the book') Where's the score in this thing?! (then...lightbulb*)Oh my gosh, I've been looking at the wrong score. We won!

I had assumed all the excitement was over how well we had played as a team. I honestly thought we lost. A bunch of us went out for ice-cream afterwords (and I got free ice-cream - go feminine wiles!) I made a toast to the team and Amber let everyone know that we did, in fact win, in case I wasn't the only one who didn't realize it.

I don't know how I am supposed to sleep tonight. I shall dream of our sweet, sweet victory.

Winter, slumbering in the open air, wears on its smiling face a dream... of spring.*

I've just found out some horrible news! Absolutely dreadful!

March 13th is daylights savings!

Spring Forward!? Lose an hour!? Wake up late everyday for the following week?

Gross.

...I thought I had more time. Good news - at least it will be brighter in the mornings, maybe I'll run before work rather than after. And it means that spring is finally coming.

I feel like I just found out my favorite love song was written about a sandwich.*

So I had my iTunes DJ on this morning and Nelly's "Hot in Here" came up and it made me laugh. Not because I have that on my iTunes - cause I know why I have it on here, it reminds me of college.

So, Rexburg, Idaho for those of you who have never been is cold most of the year. Not just cold like here in Virginia in the winter...it's FREEZING! So one group of roommates once broke in to this song, except that it doesn't work in Rexburg so they changed the words to, "It's getting cold in here so put on all your clothes."

And that's kind of how Rexburg was, you wanted to wear ALL of your clothes. Anyway, I just had a little flash back.

It makes me laugh when people change the words to a song, or even when they just flat out misunderstand a song.

I used to think that "Brick" (Ben Folds Five) went, "She's a breaking up proud and slowly." (the actual lyrics are "She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly").

So - any songs you've changed the words to or totally had wrong?

"I cannot live without books."

Two months down, ten to go.

...7 books down...43 to go...eek.

January - 4

February - 3

I had trouble getting into this one at first, but I hit a spot and couldn't put it down (helped that I was flying coast to coast while working on this one). Very good read, made me cry at the end, which not a lot of books really do to me. I just have to say, Markus Zusak does a good job of making you believe a curse word is a term of endearment (if you read it you will see).
The Book Thief is set during the Holocaust so I was hesitant to read another Holocaust, but while I was in California, Mur suggested I read this one. It's a quick read and as with almost all books of this type, doesn't really have a happy ending. But it was worth the read.

I got to the end of this one and was like, "LAME ending!" But then I discovered that it has a sequel (and possibly part of a series). So, with the lame ending gone, I really enjoyed this book. Scott Westerfeld is the same guy who wrote The Uglies series. This book is historical fiction, there are events and people from history (just before WWI) woven throughout the story. At the end he points out what parts of the story actually happened. It's very interesting. ...I've already ordered the sequel.