Once upon a time I had a roommate who pointed out during one of our countless conversations that I was very even keel when it came to matters. I rarely get worked up about much. It's true. I don't. That's the primary personality trait I inherited from my completely laid-back mother I believe. But every once in awhile I have soapbox moments. Take for instance ringback tones on cell phones. I loathe them. Don't get me wrong...I'm all about T.I.'s newest single but it's the last thing I want to hear when I'm returning phone calls at work. Primarily because I feel the need to bust out in random dance moves while on the job and I'm pretty sure that doesn't fit anywhere into the definition of professionalism. While I'm on the topic of music, I need to have a little chat with the person who deemed it appropriate to begin playing Christmas music on the radio the day after Halloween. To everything there is a season and Christmas music season officially begins on Thanksgiving Day in my world. Recently I've gotten up on my soapbox a couple of times about the feral cats in my apartment complex. Nobody likes feral cats except my dog. And he doesn't really like the cats per say, but he sure loves to "clean up" after them if you know what I mean. The first person who can give me a clear explanation as to exactly why dogs do that will be awarded a prize, by the way.
Over the past few days one of my favorite gal pals and I have been exchanging a series of emails regarding another topic that really gets me on a soapbox: incredibly intelligent women who live with completely unrealistic expectations about how life should be or is going to be once ____________ happens (a multitude of scenarios can fill in the blank, but in my observations most revolve around relationships). It frustrates me beyond measure and makes me sad for them all at the same time. Yesterday I spent much of the day thinking about this very subject (when I wasn't complaining to my co-worker, Erin, about how badly the stupid Crest Whitestrips that I had decided to try were making my teeth hurt), and then another gal pal and I got into a lengthy phone conversation about the same topic last night. Because you know, essentially the 3 of us have the world completely figured out and everyone should look to us as models of perfect decision makers. If there was ever a time that I needed you 4 readers out there to pick up on my sarcasm, it's here and now in that last sentence. Of course after hanging up the phone I had one of those moments. You know, the really convicting kind where the whole lesson about glass houses and throwing stones suddenly comes to mind. Who am I to determine what is "wise" or "unwise" regarding the decisions that other people make? And was I helping matters any by getting on my soapbox? Nope. Not in the least. Shouldn't I focus more on being a good example instead? Isn't that what we are called to do? I think so. All that to say that now I feel led to share a part of my story that you won't read much about here in the blogosphere. (Word to the wise: don't ever pray for transparency unless you have this burning desire to be very uncomfortable at times.) It has to do with matters of the heart, more specifically my heart, and oddly enough how The Shack has been instrumental in reassuring this little heart of mine and reaffirming my belief that God always works to the good of those who love Him. However this story is going to have to wait for a day or so because I'm tired and I feel like I need to bring my a-game for this one. So stay tuned, but not so tuned in that you forget to do things like eat and brush your teeth and go to work for the love of pete. It's really not exciting at all, but maybe just maybe someone will be a teensy bit encouraged by it. Hey, what's a girl got if she doesn't have hope?
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Demotivators
Check out this website that I stumbled upon today. I spent at least 10 minutes of my otherwise productive workday in a completely unproductive manner browsing the selection of demotivational posters. I'll just call it my smoke break and move on. Absolutely hilarious...if your humor is a bit jaded and laced with a dash of cynicism, that is. I can't pick just one favorite, but felt it appropriate to share this one here... 
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month...
an armistice went into effect which essentially ended the fighting during "The Great War" or what we know as World War I. This was in the year 1918 and many moons later in the year 1954, we began celebrating Veterans Day. Both of my grandfathers are veterans. So is one of my uncles. As are two of my cousins. Until the global war on terrorism that is currently being waged began 5 or so years ago, I honestly never really thought that much about Veterans Day. Sure, I knew that both of my grandfathers were in WWII and my uncle was in Vietnam but didn't everyone have grandfathers who faught in WWII and uncles who faught in Vietnam? In my mind, veterans were old men who fought in wars during a time long before I was even a figment of anyone's imagination and in places far, far away. I was far removed from the reality of war. Apparently I watched too many Miss America pageants as a child and somewhere along the way thought that the contestants' messages of World Peace had made an impression on the powers that be because I never imagined that my generation would be a generation of war veterans. Until 2003 happened and suddenly I knew people on the road to Baghdad. My former classmates. My friends. Fiances and boyfriends of some of my closest friends in the world. It put a whole new perspective on such matters for me when my peers became the ones who were responsible for leading Soldiers into battle and protecting the American people from harm. Sure, the fighting was taking place in a land far away but lives were impacted all around me. The word Veteran was no longer reserved for old men full of memories that took place years ago on foreign soil.
Now, I cannot say for sure, but I imagine that serving in the military is much like being a parent in the sense that it has potential to be a pretty thankless job. When I was growing up, my parents always provided for my every need (and most wants) without expecting anything from me in return. Did I ever think to tell them "Thanks" for things like food or school shoes or ballet lessons? Of course not. Yet they continued to do their job of parenting. I didn't really know what it was like to not have something. But when something went missing, who did I look to first to fix the problem? Dear old mom and dad. Well, the same goes for us living here in the United States. We don't know what it's like to not have the rights and privileges that we do. But if we woke up one morning and suddenly they were gone, who would we look to first and wonder what happened? Not mama and daddy, but Uncle Sam's nephews and nieces. Of course the people responsible for fighting for these freedoms we have lived a long time ago. However it's the generations that have followed who were and are responsible for maintaining them. I mean, one can't lose a bunch of weight and then immediately revert back to eating cookies and cheeseburgers and expect to keep the weight off right? It has to be maintained. The same goes for the protection of a nation. If we had no military, I imagine that we would all be saying things like oot and aboot or however it is that those crazy Canadians to our north say things. Or we'd all be taking an afternoon siesta between lunch and the end of the work day...ok, that might not be so bad. The point that I'm trying to make is that I think that we all have roles to play as Americans. If we aren't cut out for camo and combat boots, then we need to do our part to show our appreciation to those who are. So all that to say...Thanks. Thanks Pop and Papa and Uncle Hugh and Kyle and Kasey. Thanks friends. Thanks prospective student who I'm working with as he is making plans to get back into school next fall after he serves his last few months in Iraq. Thanks. And Happy Veterans Day.
Now, I cannot say for sure, but I imagine that serving in the military is much like being a parent in the sense that it has potential to be a pretty thankless job. When I was growing up, my parents always provided for my every need (and most wants) without expecting anything from me in return. Did I ever think to tell them "Thanks" for things like food or school shoes or ballet lessons? Of course not. Yet they continued to do their job of parenting. I didn't really know what it was like to not have something. But when something went missing, who did I look to first to fix the problem? Dear old mom and dad. Well, the same goes for us living here in the United States. We don't know what it's like to not have the rights and privileges that we do. But if we woke up one morning and suddenly they were gone, who would we look to first and wonder what happened? Not mama and daddy, but Uncle Sam's nephews and nieces. Of course the people responsible for fighting for these freedoms we have lived a long time ago. However it's the generations that have followed who were and are responsible for maintaining them. I mean, one can't lose a bunch of weight and then immediately revert back to eating cookies and cheeseburgers and expect to keep the weight off right? It has to be maintained. The same goes for the protection of a nation. If we had no military, I imagine that we would all be saying things like oot and aboot or however it is that those crazy Canadians to our north say things. Or we'd all be taking an afternoon siesta between lunch and the end of the work day...ok, that might not be so bad. The point that I'm trying to make is that I think that we all have roles to play as Americans. If we aren't cut out for camo and combat boots, then we need to do our part to show our appreciation to those who are. So all that to say...Thanks. Thanks Pop and Papa and Uncle Hugh and Kyle and Kasey. Thanks friends. Thanks prospective student who I'm working with as he is making plans to get back into school next fall after he serves his last few months in Iraq. Thanks. And Happy Veterans Day.
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13
Sunday, November 9, 2008
A Dahlonega Kind of Day
After looking at the weekend weather forecast on Friday, I decided that a trip to the mountains was in order for Saturday afternoon. It worked out perfectly since I was already going to be halfway there and Marley (Allison's dog) was very gracious to allow Cash to hang out on the bottom level of her home for the morning. Side note: Marley is the sole reason why I no longer roll my eyes at little dogs. She's the greatest little dog I've ever known. Just look at this cuteness...
I knew early on Saturday morning that it was going to be a great day. Just look at how little I paid for gas... 
After a few more minutes of wading, I decided to head over to the square....
Welcome to Mayberry, folks. My favorite part of driving into Dahlonega is driving over Crown Mountain. But as I was driving in yesterday I couldn't help but to think about how my perspective of the town has changed since I've been gone. It's so small. I've grown accustomed to the convenience of living in a bigger place. (I act as if Athens is the ATL...I'm such a small town girl at heart.) While I miss it, I couldn't imagine myself living there again. After walking around the square, I headed over to campus...
It has changed with the addition of two new buildings since I moved, but whenever I think of North Georgia, this is usually one of the first images that come to mind...the drill field with the Price Memorial steeple in the background. I sometimes think of this place too... 
It's crazy to think that I lived two years of my life here in this building. I wouldn't trade those two years for all the money in the Federal Reserve though (ok that's not really saying much these days, but just roll with it). What fun we had on the hall...in spite of the pepto bismol pink paint and Laura Ashley wallpaper. I wonder how Gretchen the ghost is doing. I wish that she would come and fold my laundry. I guess that she lives amongst all boys now since it's no longer the Greek dorm. (note: when I worked at North Georgia I was giving a tour to a family and I mentioned that Sanford was the greek residence hall and the girl goes "really, you have that many Greeks on campus?"...as in people from the country of Greece. Lawsy.) Cash's favorite part of the trip to campus was running on the drill field...
It's always a big hit with all the canines. I thought for sure that this dog would sleep all day long today after playing in the lake, running on the drill field and hiking a trail yesterday. No such luck. All of those things were just a faint memory of his past at 6:21 this morning. Walking back to the car I took one last picture of Price mainly because I liked the tree in front of it...
However when I uploaded these pictures to my computer last night I realized that the window to my first office is in it too. I wonder what it says for my career when my first office was a front corner office with a window and I've been windowless for over 4 years now. I'll think about that another day. Conveniently, the tallest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River is just a mere 20 minutes from Dahlonega...
And since my family has forgotten what I look like, they decided to meet me there in the late afternoon. Because it's been so long since I've been home for a visit, mom had to take multiple pictures to remember me so she won't be alarmed when I show up at Thanksgiving...
This is just one of many failed attempts to get a picture of me with my dog. Note the middle child in the background. Poor thing, no one ever gives that boy any attention. Except for Cash who was so intent on watching him instead of looking at the camera. Right before we left mom did manage to get one where we were both paying attention though...
He was a big hit with fellow hikers and we were a sight to behold as he pulled me back down the mountain. Fortunately for me, the paparazzi was at the other end of the falls when that happened though. Since mom loves and photographs all of her children equally (I have to write that so their feelings won't be hurt should they ever stumble upon this blog one day) here are some other shots from the day...
I know what you're thinking so I'll go ahead and clear up any speculation. No, I did not get another little brother. For a moment I was worried too when 3 boys tumbled out of the truck instead of the usual 2, but turns out the addition is just one of Ethan's buddies. 
However in this picture, Patrick and Micah favor more than Ethan and Micah do. Interesting.
I wish that I could say that when this picture was taken, Micah and I were having some sort of brother and sister bonding moment. Well, in a way I guess we were and it played out like this... Me: "Micah, stop spitting." ... Micah: "Why Heather? It's not getting on you so it's not a big deal." How can I argue with that? 
Shortly after that exchange, I took this picture. I imagine that he was just taking a moment to think about how fortunate he is to have both a set of parents and an older sister who tells him what to do. Not to mention the sound "advice" he gets from this one too...
Oh when did he grow up? It must have happened when I blinked. I'm almost done, I promise. Fortunately it's a free country so you could have chosen to stop reading 15 pictures ago but for those of you who are still with me, here's one more...
I knew early on Saturday morning that it was going to be a great day. Just look at how little I paid for gas... It's the simple things that make me happy, people. Petrol is still around 2.09 in Athens and honestly I can't remember the last time I paid under $2/gallon so I felt a photo was necessary to document this momentous occasion. Cash and I finally arrived in Dahlonega around 1:30 or so and the first stop was the reservoir...
This arrived in Dahlonega a few years after Wal-Mart and cable tv in the dorms (excuse me, residence halls) arrived. I'm pretty sure the county went into some sort of large-scale debt over this big mud puddle as well, but nonetheless, it's very pretty and my puppy loved it...Welcome to Mayberry, folks. My favorite part of driving into Dahlonega is driving over Crown Mountain. But as I was driving in yesterday I couldn't help but to think about how my perspective of the town has changed since I've been gone. It's so small. I've grown accustomed to the convenience of living in a bigger place. (I act as if Athens is the ATL...I'm such a small town girl at heart.) While I miss it, I couldn't imagine myself living there again. After walking around the square, I headed over to campus...It has changed with the addition of two new buildings since I moved, but whenever I think of North Georgia, this is usually one of the first images that come to mind...the drill field with the Price Memorial steeple in the background. I sometimes think of this place too...
Saturday, November 8, 2008
I Saw God Today
Here I sit on a Saturday night and I've been up since 4:50 this morning for fall Open House at the GC after a very long week. It goes without saying that I am tired. But I'm also very content because this afternoon I went to the place that I have missed so much here lately...Dahlonega. After a couple of hours there, I met my family at Amicolola Falls and here are just a few snapshots of this oh so pretty world that we live in...
Now if I were a good photographer instead of just a girl who points her camera at something kind of cool looking and presses a button, I would have gotten the trees in this picture also instead of just their reflection in the pond. There really is something about the trees in the fall that I just love...
I guess it's all of the vibrant color combinations. I can never get enough of them...
And notice the Blue Ridge mountains in the background. It wasn't until I returned home from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado that I could see the "blueness" of the mountains here. Now every time I look at them, I think to myself how it really does look like a ridge of blue meeting the horizon. 
Told you that I can never get enough. I decided that less is more in terms of sharing my pictures with the blogoshpere though so be thankful that you've been spared from viewing the entire photo shoot. One of the things that I love about the mountains in the fall is that I am so captivated with the beauty of everything about them. When I truly take the time to look around and take it all in, it's essentially a spiritual experience. It is here in these moments when I am reminded that God is in the details. He could have just as easily made it so that all of the green leaves would just die, turn straight to brown and wither away in a matter of days. Instead he gives us a beautiful back drop made of multiple colored leaves for enjoying and living everyday life. Even more amazing is that he is in the details of his entire creation and that includes us. We all have purpose and a reason why we are here, but he has made us unique in our own gifts and talents so that we all carry out our purpose in different ways. Imagine if he had given us all the ability to sing and none of us the ability to play an instrument. (Or if you are like me, he gave you neither.) While singing is nice without music and vice versa, put them together and whoa...incredible. Finally, as I sit here and look back through these pictures I remember that this is just a mere glimpse of what is to come. My cup runneth over.
Now if I were a good photographer instead of just a girl who points her camera at something kind of cool looking and presses a button, I would have gotten the trees in this picture also instead of just their reflection in the pond. There really is something about the trees in the fall that I just love... I guess it's all of the vibrant color combinations. I can never get enough of them...And notice the Blue Ridge mountains in the background. It wasn't until I returned home from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado that I could see the "blueness" of the mountains here. Now every time I look at them, I think to myself how it really does look like a ridge of blue meeting the horizon. Told you that I can never get enough. I decided that less is more in terms of sharing my pictures with the blogoshpere though so be thankful that you've been spared from viewing the entire photo shoot. One of the things that I love about the mountains in the fall is that I am so captivated with the beauty of everything about them. When I truly take the time to look around and take it all in, it's essentially a spiritual experience. It is here in these moments when I am reminded that God is in the details. He could have just as easily made it so that all of the green leaves would just die, turn straight to brown and wither away in a matter of days. Instead he gives us a beautiful back drop made of multiple colored leaves for enjoying and living everyday life. Even more amazing is that he is in the details of his entire creation and that includes us. We all have purpose and a reason why we are here, but he has made us unique in our own gifts and talents so that we all carry out our purpose in different ways. Imagine if he had given us all the ability to sing and none of us the ability to play an instrument. (Or if you are like me, he gave you neither.) While singing is nice without music and vice versa, put them together and whoa...incredible. Finally, as I sit here and look back through these pictures I remember that this is just a mere glimpse of what is to come. My cup runneth over.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
I'm a Georgia Voter
When I woke up this morning, I wasn't really sure what this day would bring. I was filled with a mixture of emotions ranging from excitement and hope to uncertainty. Up until yesterday I was trying to determine if I was going to vote before going into the office or if I would go to work first just because this is not the best week for me to be away from my desk for an extended period of time. However I was banking on my previous theory that there would be no lines at the polls today since all of those early voters did all the waiting over the past couple of weeks. So I took a chance and went to work first. It was there that a few of my co-workers advised me to call the dermatologist to see if I could get an appointment today after I asked for their expert medical opinion about a small chain of mountains that had popped up on the side of my face. More on that later...
Around 9:00 I decided to go ahead and vote. I arrived at my voting precinct around 9:20. During the drive over I mentally prepared myself that I would more than likely have to wait a long time so I must be patient. Considering I was a Brownie Girl Scout, I went prepared with a new book to read. Sure, I should have taken a school book, but Marley and Me was so much more appealing when I saw it on sale at Publix this morning. By 9:35, I was back in my car proudly wearing an "I'm a Georgia Voter" sticker on my red shirt. What can I say? I like to dress appropriately for special occasions. I was a little disheartened that I didn't get to read any of my new book, but the pride that I was feeling from exercising democracy far outweighed that. Besides, I had a doctor's appointment in just a couple of hours which guaranteed a lot of time would be spent waiting. You know, there really is something liberating about voting. I know that I've said it before, but I don't think that it can ever be said enough...I'm so thankful that I live in a land where I have the freedom to make such decisions.
The rest of the morning was a whirlwind and then I headed over to the dermatologist's office. Verdict: I have shingles. On my face. Awesome. Nothing 3000 mg of medicine per day can't handle. According to the dermo it will not spread anymore than it already has. Nor will it scar. Nor will it be too painful since I caught it early. I'm cautiously optimistic. At least I got a lot of recreational reading done.
Of course I worked late (read: cleaned my desk and then blogged about a clean desk) before I headed home to settle in and watch the returns. My political advisor, Emily, who I work with, was so kind to print off a blank map and another map with the projections going into the election for some of us at work to follow along with at home and color in as the states were called. This amounted to all kinds of fun for the girl who keeps her NCAA playoff bracket by her computer each year during March Madness. When I wasn't on the phone with Maggie or my mom or texting Allison, I spent much of my evening like this...
Around 9:00 I decided to go ahead and vote. I arrived at my voting precinct around 9:20. During the drive over I mentally prepared myself that I would more than likely have to wait a long time so I must be patient. Considering I was a Brownie Girl Scout, I went prepared with a new book to read. Sure, I should have taken a school book, but Marley and Me was so much more appealing when I saw it on sale at Publix this morning. By 9:35, I was back in my car proudly wearing an "I'm a Georgia Voter" sticker on my red shirt. What can I say? I like to dress appropriately for special occasions. I was a little disheartened that I didn't get to read any of my new book, but the pride that I was feeling from exercising democracy far outweighed that. Besides, I had a doctor's appointment in just a couple of hours which guaranteed a lot of time would be spent waiting. You know, there really is something liberating about voting. I know that I've said it before, but I don't think that it can ever be said enough...I'm so thankful that I live in a land where I have the freedom to make such decisions.
The rest of the morning was a whirlwind and then I headed over to the dermatologist's office. Verdict: I have shingles. On my face. Awesome. Nothing 3000 mg of medicine per day can't handle. According to the dermo it will not spread anymore than it already has. Nor will it scar. Nor will it be too painful since I caught it early. I'm cautiously optimistic. At least I got a lot of recreational reading done.
Of course I worked late (read: cleaned my desk and then blogged about a clean desk) before I headed home to settle in and watch the returns. My political advisor, Emily, who I work with, was so kind to print off a blank map and another map with the projections going into the election for some of us at work to follow along with at home and color in as the states were called. This amounted to all kinds of fun for the girl who keeps her NCAA playoff bracket by her computer each year during March Madness. When I wasn't on the phone with Maggie or my mom or texting Allison, I spent much of my evening like this...
Please note the lapboard that I am using from my Phi Mu days. Kelly, if by some chance you are reading this, I hope it makes you proud that I still use it! Right before 11:00 EST my map looked like this...
but then to be quite honest I didn't feel like using up all the blue ink from my marker to color the entire left coast. Like I said before, I don't really "talk politics" with those who are outside of my inner circle so I'm not going to choose this moment when I'm sleepy to begin. However, I will share my initial feelings. Honestly, my hope and excitement from earlier today has been replaced with more uncertainty. I realize that I must be proactive in educating myself even more on the new President-elect so I fully understand his policies and how these policies will impact the people I love and myself. I'm also burdened for the country and the people who comprise it. I have been for awhile, but this burden is so much greater now. This means that I must commit to pray regularly for this home that I love so much....including all of our leaders. I hope that others will join me in this. As a Christian, the one thing that I always have in spite of the uncertainty that I feel or the burdens that I carry is hope. Hope in something much bigger than even the most powerful leader in the free world. And when I rest in that knowledge, I'm not quite as uncertain as I was just a little while ago.
We all knew that history would be made either way during this election year which is exciting to think about. Change would inevitably take place. Research shows that people resist change more than they embrace it. Time will tell.
"...one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Workspace
Remember how I mentioned yesterday that this week would be very busy? If a messy desk directly correlates with the amount of work one has to do, then I'm the busiest person I know. I mean, seriously-it's a little embarrassing...
Can someone please explain to me why I have this many writing instruments out at once? 
There are 7 total for those of you who are losing count due to the sheer quantity. And who put the scissors there? I'm just glad that there is a mini jar of honey on hand too in the event that Winnie the Pooh stops by and inquires about admission into the college. Geez. I had finally had enough and determined that order must be restored. And so it was...
I can't wait until I get an actual office with a door and 4 real walls in a few weeks. I'm going to make it so cute and decorated.
Can someone please explain to me why I have this many writing instruments out at once? There are 7 total for those of you who are losing count due to the sheer quantity. And who put the scissors there? I'm just glad that there is a mini jar of honey on hand too in the event that Winnie the Pooh stops by and inquires about admission into the college. Geez. I had finally had enough and determined that order must be restored. And so it was...I can't wait until I get an actual office with a door and 4 real walls in a few weeks. I'm going to make it so cute and decorated.
Monday, November 3, 2008
The Wrong Side of the Bed
That's exactly where I woke up this morning. Figuratively, not literally. In fact, I'm surprised that I was even still hanging on to my usual corner of the bed with my getting-bigger-by-the-minute puppy all sprawled out across it. His new favorite place to lay his head is on my pillow which does not bode well with me. I shouldn't have caved by allowing him to sleep on the bed in the first place, but now that it's cold he does serve a purpose...foot-warmer.
Enough about him though...back to me and my mood. I don't know why I was such a grouch when I woke up this morning. It's not like I was coming off of a terrible Sunday or anything. In fact, yesterday was probably one of my best days in Athens yet. The weather was absolutely amazing. I've discovered that fall does come to Athens but just a little later than it does in the mountains. I guess we are "peak" leaf season right now...for the 14 trees that are in Athens. Since I go to church downtown, afterwards I walked over to Starbucks and got a hot chocolate and coffee cake. I don't like coffee, but I'll never discriminate against coffee cake. Then I took my cup and bag of excess calories and made myself at home outside amongst the Townies and did some reading for class. After I finished my reading I headed home and made it there just in time for my Sunday afternoon nap. So, I can't even blame the absence of a nap on today's grouchiness. When I woke up, there was still plenty of daylight left so I loaded the pup up and headed back downtown. Much to his delight we spent the majority of our time walking around North Campus. I'm pretty sure there is a squirrel colony there. I'm also pretty sure my shoulder was pulled out of joint because he felt it necessary to run after every one of those furry-tailed rats. All in all, it was nearly a perfect day in the Classic City.
So maybe that's the reason for the funk I'm feeling. I woke up knowing that the day was going to be the exact opposite of yesterday. It would be harried, my patience would be tried (and tried some more), and there was no way possible that all the items on my to-do list would be crossed off today. Twenty-four hours simply is not enough today. Speaking of hours, when I reset my watch this morning somehow I switched the mode to military time and all afternoon I've had to subtract 12 every time I check my watch. Bother. As I was driving to work this morning I recognized that I needed to check myself before I wrecked myself so I tuned in to some Jesus music. I wish that I could say Matt Redmon and Hillsong did the trick and the rest of the day has been filled with nothing but sunshine and puppy dogs, but that would be a lie. And you know what the song says about where liars go...
A pep rally ensued in my workspace not too long after I arrived at work. Normally I'm all about a pep rally, but not today...too much to do. I'm not going to bore you with my to-do list, but let's just say it involves planning and organizing 2 parties called Open House (aka, fall visitation preview day for both campuses of the college), a bazillion files to evaluate and make admission decisions on, school work, ironing my red shirt, and painting my nails. I only added in the last thing for dramatic effect. Yes, I've been known to use it now and again. Anyhoodle, today was not the day for fun or games. So my not-so-cheery disposition ensued for the remainder of my work day. Now, I'm sure that the fact that I neglected to eat lunch had nothing at all to do with my mood in the afternoon. I tend to get a little cranky even on a good day if I do not have proper nourishment and while Harvest Cheddar Kettle Chips are absolutely amazing, I'm pretty sure they are not a friend of the food pyramid.
Now please know that I have a purpose in broadcasting the news of my grumpiness to the blogosphere. And it's not to have you tremor in fear should you cross my path anytime in the near future. All too often I put on this mask of being fine...a-ok...not a stress or a care in the world...all is happy-go-lucky and carefree. I shouldn't generalize, but I'm going to. I think much of this due to the fact that I'm female. We women are always out to conquer the world with a smile on our face even though our cute heeled shoes are causing us to writhe in pain. And I'm even going to go one step further and say that it's kind of a cultural thing too...given the Southern hospitality those of us below the Mason Dixon have been taught to show towards others at all times. Or maybe I'm just old-fashioned and living in the wrong decade. That's probably the most likely case. The truth is, we all have bad days...everyone last one of us. I don't like having bad days and fortunately I have many more good days than I do bad ones, but I believe that it's alright to have an off day every once in awhile. Personally I need to be a little more sensitive to others who I come into contact with when they are having a bad day so I'm going to work on that. I'll add it to the growing list of self-improvement projects I've started.
For me whenever I'm having a bad day it seems that there is usually a turning point during the day when I realize that my day really could be so much worse. And no, it wasn't the double cheeseburger from McDonald's that I had after class that did it today. Reminder: I didn't eat lunch and it seems that Mount Kilimanjaro has relocated to my chin...this girl needed some comfort food. Quite possibly the best $1.27 I've spent all week. I didn't even mind the $.20 price increase. The turning point came during class when we were watching a video. It featured a gentleman who grew up on an Indian reservation in Western Canada. Long story short, he had lived a very hard life with abuse and neglect and he suffered from Muscular Dystrophy. He was speaking of a colleague of his who in a speech simply said "I love this guy" in reference to him. The man said that it hurt to be loved because no one had ever told him that they loved him before so he didn't really know how to properly react. How heart-breaking to live an entire lifetime without feeling loved. My looming to-do list seemed much less important. Because I know that even on my very worst day that I have love. My parents have to love me...I mean, it's their job, right? Then I've got other family and my friends who love me too. Even more importantly though, I know that Jesus loves me. And then I take a little break from writing this post and happen upon these kinds of stories. Why was it that I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? Exactly...I can't remember anymore either.
Enough about him though...back to me and my mood. I don't know why I was such a grouch when I woke up this morning. It's not like I was coming off of a terrible Sunday or anything. In fact, yesterday was probably one of my best days in Athens yet. The weather was absolutely amazing. I've discovered that fall does come to Athens but just a little later than it does in the mountains. I guess we are "peak" leaf season right now...for the 14 trees that are in Athens. Since I go to church downtown, afterwards I walked over to Starbucks and got a hot chocolate and coffee cake. I don't like coffee, but I'll never discriminate against coffee cake. Then I took my cup and bag of excess calories and made myself at home outside amongst the Townies and did some reading for class. After I finished my reading I headed home and made it there just in time for my Sunday afternoon nap. So, I can't even blame the absence of a nap on today's grouchiness. When I woke up, there was still plenty of daylight left so I loaded the pup up and headed back downtown. Much to his delight we spent the majority of our time walking around North Campus. I'm pretty sure there is a squirrel colony there. I'm also pretty sure my shoulder was pulled out of joint because he felt it necessary to run after every one of those furry-tailed rats. All in all, it was nearly a perfect day in the Classic City.
So maybe that's the reason for the funk I'm feeling. I woke up knowing that the day was going to be the exact opposite of yesterday. It would be harried, my patience would be tried (and tried some more), and there was no way possible that all the items on my to-do list would be crossed off today. Twenty-four hours simply is not enough today. Speaking of hours, when I reset my watch this morning somehow I switched the mode to military time and all afternoon I've had to subtract 12 every time I check my watch. Bother. As I was driving to work this morning I recognized that I needed to check myself before I wrecked myself so I tuned in to some Jesus music. I wish that I could say Matt Redmon and Hillsong did the trick and the rest of the day has been filled with nothing but sunshine and puppy dogs, but that would be a lie. And you know what the song says about where liars go...
A pep rally ensued in my workspace not too long after I arrived at work. Normally I'm all about a pep rally, but not today...too much to do. I'm not going to bore you with my to-do list, but let's just say it involves planning and organizing 2 parties called Open House (aka, fall visitation preview day for both campuses of the college), a bazillion files to evaluate and make admission decisions on, school work, ironing my red shirt, and painting my nails. I only added in the last thing for dramatic effect. Yes, I've been known to use it now and again. Anyhoodle, today was not the day for fun or games. So my not-so-cheery disposition ensued for the remainder of my work day. Now, I'm sure that the fact that I neglected to eat lunch had nothing at all to do with my mood in the afternoon. I tend to get a little cranky even on a good day if I do not have proper nourishment and while Harvest Cheddar Kettle Chips are absolutely amazing, I'm pretty sure they are not a friend of the food pyramid.
Now please know that I have a purpose in broadcasting the news of my grumpiness to the blogosphere. And it's not to have you tremor in fear should you cross my path anytime in the near future. All too often I put on this mask of being fine...a-ok...not a stress or a care in the world...all is happy-go-lucky and carefree. I shouldn't generalize, but I'm going to. I think much of this due to the fact that I'm female. We women are always out to conquer the world with a smile on our face even though our cute heeled shoes are causing us to writhe in pain. And I'm even going to go one step further and say that it's kind of a cultural thing too...given the Southern hospitality those of us below the Mason Dixon have been taught to show towards others at all times. Or maybe I'm just old-fashioned and living in the wrong decade. That's probably the most likely case. The truth is, we all have bad days...everyone last one of us. I don't like having bad days and fortunately I have many more good days than I do bad ones, but I believe that it's alright to have an off day every once in awhile. Personally I need to be a little more sensitive to others who I come into contact with when they are having a bad day so I'm going to work on that. I'll add it to the growing list of self-improvement projects I've started.
For me whenever I'm having a bad day it seems that there is usually a turning point during the day when I realize that my day really could be so much worse. And no, it wasn't the double cheeseburger from McDonald's that I had after class that did it today. Reminder: I didn't eat lunch and it seems that Mount Kilimanjaro has relocated to my chin...this girl needed some comfort food. Quite possibly the best $1.27 I've spent all week. I didn't even mind the $.20 price increase. The turning point came during class when we were watching a video. It featured a gentleman who grew up on an Indian reservation in Western Canada. Long story short, he had lived a very hard life with abuse and neglect and he suffered from Muscular Dystrophy. He was speaking of a colleague of his who in a speech simply said "I love this guy" in reference to him. The man said that it hurt to be loved because no one had ever told him that they loved him before so he didn't really know how to properly react. How heart-breaking to live an entire lifetime without feeling loved. My looming to-do list seemed much less important. Because I know that even on my very worst day that I have love. My parents have to love me...I mean, it's their job, right? Then I've got other family and my friends who love me too. Even more importantly though, I know that Jesus loves me. And then I take a little break from writing this post and happen upon these kinds of stories. Why was it that I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? Exactly...I can't remember anymore either.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Sad Face
I like to think it's because she was sad that I was leaving. Let's not kid ourselves though...it's more likely that she was just tired of her mommy's friend with the crazy hair taking her picture.A Son. A Brother. A Friend. An Uncle.
Three years ago yesterday a young man by the name of Evan left this world and went to his forever home in Heaven. You see, Evan is my dear friend, Suzanna's baby brother. A couple of weeks ago I asked Suz if I could write about Evan. At the time I wasn't really sure what I was going to write and honestly I'm still not. This is the 5th time I've sat down to write in 3 days. Normally when I blog, if the words don't come pretty easily I just scrap that post and forget it forever. However this post is different because you can't just forget a person like you can ideas so it is important that I finish it. Probably one reason why I'm struggling to find the words is because there are none in the dictionary that can truly sum up a person's life. Words are one-dimensional while people are three-dimensional.
In my mind, Evan will always be Suzanna's cute little brother. Evan was about 12 or 13 when Suz and I first became friends during our freshman year of college. I met her entire family one night when they were in Dahlonega for something...probably some sort of Honors Dinner knowing my smart gal pal. I immediately felt comfortable around her family because they reminded me very much of my own. In fact over the years, Suz and I have compared stories between Evan and my brother, Ethan. Even though there is an 8 year age difference, those two boys were cut from the same cloth. Adventurous...strong-willed...fun-loving...daring...all boy to the core. Suzanna wrote a great tribute to Evan yesterday and I would encourage you all to check it out here to see what a great young man he was.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to spend some time with Suzanna and her family out at Granny and Pop's house. (Side note: I love the fact that I now live so close to Suzanna's family because if I can't be close to my own, her's is a great stand-in.) One can easily see the love that this family has for each other by the way that they treat each other and enjoy spending time together. I know that beyond a shadow of a doubt that Evan lived his entire life knowing that he was surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, a mama, a daddy, and a sister who will always love him. I believe that being raised in a loving home and environment is one of the greatest gifts a child can ever be given because in turn, that child learns to love others and love life. That is exactly what Evan did during his short 20 years here. And this world is better for it.
In my mind, Evan will always be Suzanna's cute little brother. Evan was about 12 or 13 when Suz and I first became friends during our freshman year of college. I met her entire family one night when they were in Dahlonega for something...probably some sort of Honors Dinner knowing my smart gal pal. I immediately felt comfortable around her family because they reminded me very much of my own. In fact over the years, Suz and I have compared stories between Evan and my brother, Ethan. Even though there is an 8 year age difference, those two boys were cut from the same cloth. Adventurous...strong-willed...fun-loving...daring...all boy to the core. Suzanna wrote a great tribute to Evan yesterday and I would encourage you all to check it out here to see what a great young man he was.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to spend some time with Suzanna and her family out at Granny and Pop's house. (Side note: I love the fact that I now live so close to Suzanna's family because if I can't be close to my own, her's is a great stand-in.) One can easily see the love that this family has for each other by the way that they treat each other and enjoy spending time together. I know that beyond a shadow of a doubt that Evan lived his entire life knowing that he was surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, a mama, a daddy, and a sister who will always love him. I believe that being raised in a loving home and environment is one of the greatest gifts a child can ever be given because in turn, that child learns to love others and love life. That is exactly what Evan did during his short 20 years here. And this world is better for it.
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