As I write this post, I am sitting in a bounce house. No, don't worry, I'm not bouncing while writing. I am sitting in the parent observation section in the middle of the room, surrounded by bouncing plastic monstrosities.
Not sure how I feel about being considered a parent, although I don't mind being considered the responsible adult.
The lady I babysit for had some free visits, and it was too cold to play outside, so we bundled up and came here.
The door opened and I my eyes beheld a massive explosion of color and chaos.
We arrived just as the place opened. And when I say we, I mean the entire elementary school population of greater Greenville. And their parents. Or responsible adult.
The kids stowed their shoes in the little cubbies and ran into this magical plastic world, squealing with delight.
I sat down and began to observe.
The majority of children here are ages 4-7, although you are allowed to bounce until you are 10. There are a few ten year olds who are trying to pretend that they don't still love it here, and a few babies playing with toys on the floor, but most of the young patrons are running, frantic to get rid of all the post-school-pre-Christmas energy. Some are here for birthday parties, but most are here because their mother needed to get them out of the house.
Speaking of the mothers.
They are all tired. They sit on the plastic chairs, watching their children, drinking Diet Coke, and reading romance novels.
One is crying. She must be at a good part. UPDATE: I just got a look at her book. It is called "Finding the Dream." I'm sure it's a real thriller.
There are a few sets of grandparents reliving their childhood through their grandkids.
There is one middle aged couple holding hands and standing right next to their child, watching his every move.
I see one poor teenaged boy, probably dragged here by his mother, sitting alone and watching some basketball game on TV.
No, I don't know who's playing. I'm only 86% sure I got the right sport.
I don't know why, but I get the feeling that the most exciting thing any of these parents has done recently is sneaking in their own snacks, right past the college guy in a referee shirt at the front desk. Now that is what I call real skill.
Ok, I just had a mom ask me how old my kids are. I may need to get in the bounce house after all.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Monday, December 3, 2012
Remember, Remember the First of December
My family has many holiday traditions, starting with what we like to call, "December First"
We typically like to hold this occasion on December 1st.
You would think that with the high percentage of English teachers that make up the Yost/Stegall/ Hubbard clan that we would have come up with something more original by now. Unfortunately, we have not.
(We also like to call our weekly Sunday evening gathering, "Sunday Night." Go figure.)
Anyway, we have a party every year on the first of December. This annual tradition was started by my mother, aunt, and grandparents long before I was even thought of.
I don't think I'm supposed to end sentences with, "of." Oh well. All's fair in love and blogging.
The originally mission of December First was simple. Give each other gifts that can be used in the weeks preceding Christmas. I suppose my ancestors were tired of receiving holiday-esque gifts on Christmas day only to have to wait an entire year before putting them to use. Or they just liked having another excuse to spread Christmas cheer. Besides singing loud and clear, of course. Either way, our annual holiday kick-off celebration was begun.
I just love it when I am able to use sports in a semi-intelligible way.
For the past sixteen Christmases I have started off the season with my family's party. We have dinner, usually the last of the turkey made into my grandmother's amazing soup and cranberry Wensleydale cheese, open gifts, and then eat the Yost/Stegall/Hubbard TOP SECRET RECIPE Christmas Cranberry Cake.
It's so good I wish I could give you the recipe. But it's also so secret that I don't know it.
But this year, all that changed! Well, only one part of it changed, but when have I not been overly dramatic? No sense starting now!
This year we all kinda agreed that we had been given so, so much, and it was high time we shared with others. So instead of starting out the evening eating, we all met at Wally World to buy Christmas gifts for the ladies and gentlemen living in Miracle Hill facilities. The entire clan spread out all over the stores to fill shopping carts full of toys and soap and clothes and jewelry and balls and notebooks and just about anything else imaginable!
Yes, we got some strange, strange looks.
It was so great. Not the strange looks, I mean. but the whole shopping endeavor. Just wonderful. I am so incredibly blessed with absolutely everything I need, but there are so many people in my little Baptist, Republican, Southern community who aren't. And giving to them, especially around this happy season, was the best gift I could have received.
We typically like to hold this occasion on December 1st.
You would think that with the high percentage of English teachers that make up the Yost/Stegall/ Hubbard clan that we would have come up with something more original by now. Unfortunately, we have not.
(We also like to call our weekly Sunday evening gathering, "Sunday Night." Go figure.)
Anyway, we have a party every year on the first of December. This annual tradition was started by my mother, aunt, and grandparents long before I was even thought of.
I don't think I'm supposed to end sentences with, "of." Oh well. All's fair in love and blogging.
The originally mission of December First was simple. Give each other gifts that can be used in the weeks preceding Christmas. I suppose my ancestors were tired of receiving holiday-esque gifts on Christmas day only to have to wait an entire year before putting them to use. Or they just liked having another excuse to spread Christmas cheer. Besides singing loud and clear, of course. Either way, our annual holiday kick-off celebration was begun.
I just love it when I am able to use sports in a semi-intelligible way.
For the past sixteen Christmases I have started off the season with my family's party. We have dinner, usually the last of the turkey made into my grandmother's amazing soup and cranberry Wensleydale cheese, open gifts, and then eat the Yost/Stegall/Hubbard TOP SECRET RECIPE Christmas Cranberry Cake.
It's so good I wish I could give you the recipe. But it's also so secret that I don't know it.
But this year, all that changed! Well, only one part of it changed, but when have I not been overly dramatic? No sense starting now!
This year we all kinda agreed that we had been given so, so much, and it was high time we shared with others. So instead of starting out the evening eating, we all met at Wally World to buy Christmas gifts for the ladies and gentlemen living in Miracle Hill facilities. The entire clan spread out all over the stores to fill shopping carts full of toys and soap and clothes and jewelry and balls and notebooks and just about anything else imaginable!
Yes, we got some strange, strange looks.
It was so great. Not the strange looks, I mean. but the whole shopping endeavor. Just wonderful. I am so incredibly blessed with absolutely everything I need, but there are so many people in my little Baptist, Republican, Southern community who aren't. And giving to them, especially around this happy season, was the best gift I could have received.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
We Are Blessed
Today is Thanksgiving Day. Everything stands still and we eat.
And eat.
And eat.
I was in Tennessee for the holiday meal. My aunt and uncle live near Nashville, and my grandparents came down and we all ate dinner together. This was an unusual dinner for us, though. We ate out for dinner. My wonderful aunt found a restaurant called Monell's and we all headed over to eat. No prep, no clean-up, just food.
It was just great. Monell knows how to bake a turkey. Or cook or roast or grill or whatever one does to a turkey.
Here's the thing, though. We ate family style. As, expected, right? It's the family holiday and we ate as a family. In South Carolina, that's what family style is. Not in Tennessee, though.
Let me enlighten you. In Tennessee, family style means you eat with other families. You all sit around one big table and eat and talk and eat and get to know each other. And eat.
Now, at first I was skeptical. I know, big surprise. But it was nice. A good reminder of the big, beautiful, blessed world we live in that doesn't revolve around us.
And a new definition of family.
Happy Thanksgiving, y'all.
And eat.
And eat.
I was in Tennessee for the holiday meal. My aunt and uncle live near Nashville, and my grandparents came down and we all ate dinner together. This was an unusual dinner for us, though. We ate out for dinner. My wonderful aunt found a restaurant called Monell's and we all headed over to eat. No prep, no clean-up, just food.
It was just great. Monell knows how to bake a turkey. Or cook or roast or grill or whatever one does to a turkey.
Here's the thing, though. We ate family style. As, expected, right? It's the family holiday and we ate as a family. In South Carolina, that's what family style is. Not in Tennessee, though.
Let me enlighten you. In Tennessee, family style means you eat with other families. You all sit around one big table and eat and talk and eat and get to know each other. And eat.
Now, at first I was skeptical. I know, big surprise. But it was nice. A good reminder of the big, beautiful, blessed world we live in that doesn't revolve around us.
And a new definition of family.
Happy Thanksgiving, y'all.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
I'm A Tweeter
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT NEWS FLASH. I am on twitter. I am a tweeter. I tweet. Whatever the cool lingo these days is.
My name is @margaretmaus. Feel free to follow. I currently have one.
Be warned, however! I don't really tweet. I just read nerdy things like Jane Austen and Shakespeare and interesting museum facts. So don't get your hopes up:) But I'm active on social media. It's a big day.
My name is @margaretmaus. Feel free to follow. I currently have one.
Be warned, however! I don't really tweet. I just read nerdy things like Jane Austen and Shakespeare and interesting museum facts. So don't get your hopes up:) But I'm active on social media. It's a big day.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Instead
We had the opening night of Richard III tonight. Throughout the course of the play, I thought, "I should write a blog post."
Instead I took a nap.
After my nap I thought, "I should write a blog post."
Instead I decided to become the Queen of England.
After I got home I thought, "I should write a blog post."
Instead I ate a spoonful of chocolate ganache."
After that delectable spoonful I decided to go to bed.
Instead I wrote a blog post.
Instead I took a nap.
After my nap I thought, "I should write a blog post."
Instead I decided to become the Queen of England.
After I got home I thought, "I should write a blog post."
Instead I ate a spoonful of chocolate ganache."
After that delectable spoonful I decided to go to bed.
Instead I wrote a blog post.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Remember Me?
I don't even know if I remember how to post. How to write anything funny. It's not that I've forgotten about you, cyber world, but that I really haven't had anything especially inspired to write about.
But, fear not, I am alive. I am well. Life is running circles around me and I'm left in the dust, but that's ok. The dust can be a good place, I suppose.
In case you were wondering, here is a brief recap of the past few weeks of my crazy little life. In a list, no less. If you haven't noticed, I'm rather partial to lists.
1. In the weeks following the Wilds trip, I have done a whole lot of nothing.
2. I finished the first half of my Fundamentals of Electronic Media class, including a live webcast.
3. I managed to wear a green shirt on the day that I was assigned to do the weather, resulting in sunny skies along the midsection of the United States.
4. I continued training for my half marathon, the Spinx Run Fest, which I completed. Finally. I have not run since. I did love it, though! Running surrounded by hundreds of other people, hundreds of distractions pressuring me to keep running. The race ends triumphantly. Each runner is announced as they enter the final stretch into the baseball stadium. I began to sprint, faster and faster toward the finish line, determined to beat the old woman in front of me. I passed her, and man, did that feel good until I realized that she was probably three and a half times my age. Yay! I beat her. Big whoop!
5. I worked concessions at my school's Speech and Debate tournament. I was actually the Crew Chief. You can only imagine how that went.
6. We got our high school mock trial case. It's a civil case about a woman who was eaten by bed bugs in a hotel. I have itched none stop since it came out.
7. Rehearsals for my dad's lay, Richard III, have been in full swing. I am playing Young Elizabeth, Richard's niece. It's the best part ever: no lines, two costumes, and I end up the queen at the end. The play open next week, so we're practicing a lot this week.
Oh, and if you want to, you can check out the trailer here: http://www.bju.edu/events/fine-arts/cod/richard.php. There are also some photos of yours truly, although I feel like I look half-asleep in most of them. You can be the judge of that.
That's pretty much all the interesting stuff. Or at least all I can remember at the moment. Oops, that's my cue!
But, fear not, I am alive. I am well. Life is running circles around me and I'm left in the dust, but that's ok. The dust can be a good place, I suppose.
In case you were wondering, here is a brief recap of the past few weeks of my crazy little life. In a list, no less. If you haven't noticed, I'm rather partial to lists.
1. In the weeks following the Wilds trip, I have done a whole lot of nothing.
2. I finished the first half of my Fundamentals of Electronic Media class, including a live webcast.
3. I managed to wear a green shirt on the day that I was assigned to do the weather, resulting in sunny skies along the midsection of the United States.
4. I continued training for my half marathon, the Spinx Run Fest, which I completed. Finally. I have not run since. I did love it, though! Running surrounded by hundreds of other people, hundreds of distractions pressuring me to keep running. The race ends triumphantly. Each runner is announced as they enter the final stretch into the baseball stadium. I began to sprint, faster and faster toward the finish line, determined to beat the old woman in front of me. I passed her, and man, did that feel good until I realized that she was probably three and a half times my age. Yay! I beat her. Big whoop!
5. I worked concessions at my school's Speech and Debate tournament. I was actually the Crew Chief. You can only imagine how that went.
6. We got our high school mock trial case. It's a civil case about a woman who was eaten by bed bugs in a hotel. I have itched none stop since it came out.
7. Rehearsals for my dad's lay, Richard III, have been in full swing. I am playing Young Elizabeth, Richard's niece. It's the best part ever: no lines, two costumes, and I end up the queen at the end. The play open next week, so we're practicing a lot this week.
Oh, and if you want to, you can check out the trailer here: http://www.bju.edu/events/fine-arts/cod/richard.php. There are also some photos of yours truly, although I feel like I look half-asleep in most of them. You can be the judge of that.
That's pretty much all the interesting stuff. Or at least all I can remember at the moment. Oops, that's my cue!
Monday, October 8, 2012
Oh Brave New World!
I mentioned earlier that I spent a week in the mountains with my class. It was amazing. Absolutely incredible. At the end of the week, my fellow classmates voted me "Camper of the Week."
This may tell you why.
1. I only threw up once on the way up the windy rode, and that was after the bus stopped.
2. I rode the huge, enormous, terribly scary giant swing and opened my eyes at the top.
3. I allowed myself to be blobbed. That is, catapulted off of a giant air pillow into the frigid water below.
4. I played paintball. With a paintball gun. And I was wearing overalls. Enough said.
5.Although, I might add that I was only hit once and that it was in the armpit and that it didn't explode all over my shirt. Thank goodness.
6. I hiked to the Fourth Falls.
7. I jumped in the freezing water and swam to the water fall.
8. I shot guns at the rifle range. Real guns. With real bullets.
9. I didn't throw up at all on the way home. This was the first time I have ever not thrown up.
10. I ran ten miles.
Now, I know you're dying to know what my prize was for all these accomplishments.
Well, wait no longer. I will tell you. A free coffee coupon that I forgot to use and a sticker from the back of a Chick-Fil-A cookie.
I know. I have really generous friends.
This may tell you why.
1. I only threw up once on the way up the windy rode, and that was after the bus stopped.
2. I rode the huge, enormous, terribly scary giant swing and opened my eyes at the top.
3. I allowed myself to be blobbed. That is, catapulted off of a giant air pillow into the frigid water below.
4. I played paintball. With a paintball gun. And I was wearing overalls. Enough said.
5.Although, I might add that I was only hit once and that it was in the armpit and that it didn't explode all over my shirt. Thank goodness.
6. I hiked to the Fourth Falls.
7. I jumped in the freezing water and swam to the water fall.
8. I shot guns at the rifle range. Real guns. With real bullets.
9. I didn't throw up at all on the way home. This was the first time I have ever not thrown up.
10. I ran ten miles.
Now, I know you're dying to know what my prize was for all these accomplishments.
Well, wait no longer. I will tell you. A free coffee coupon that I forgot to use and a sticker from the back of a Chick-Fil-A cookie.
I know. I have really generous friends.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
I really do have a lot to write about. I just got back from an incredibly wonderful week in North Carolina with the rest of the seniors at my school, a great day working at a local special-needs camp, and an crazy Dramatic Arts Department party in our backyard.
So a lot has happened. But sleep was not one of those things. So that's what I'm about to do.
We'll talk about my epic life later.
So a lot has happened. But sleep was not one of those things. So that's what I'm about to do.
We'll talk about my epic life later.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
You'd Think I'd Have This Whole Gravity Thing Figured Out By Now
I turned seventeen-and-a-half on Friday. I have been walking on the earth for seventeen-and-a-half years.
You'd think I'd have this whole gravity thing figured out by now.
It is the law, after all.
But no, I do not. As previously mentioned, I took a little tumble on Sunday. The story goes like this:
As I headed down the stairs toward my Sunday School room, I saw a little boy racing towards me. In order to avoid colliding with him, a scooted over, right off the stairs. Down I went, head over heals, swiftly approaching the bottom. My only thought as I bumped and banged along was to stop myself before I reached the bottom and the lady holding her baby who stood there.
I stopped just in time, only to discover that the entire boy's teen Sunday School class had seen me. The Sunday Schoolers stood there, aghast, as I started to stand up.
"I'm fine," I laughed at myself as I rose. And then I saw my leg. It was red.
I know, you're on the edge of your seats.
As it turned out, I had just banged up my knees and legs. A few moments and about a hundred feet of gauze later, I was back in my class, good as new.
And then yesterday happened. As I ran with my mother along our city's wonderful Swamp Rabbit trail, I thought about how glad I was that my leg was healing and that I'd only really banged up one knee. As these thoughts escaped my brain, I started to tumble.
I was down again. For the second time in one week, I had fallen. I was on my back in the middle of the trail, and I now have matching knees. I have not had so many band-aids since I was probably seven.
Somehow, though, it's not as cute on a seventeen-and-a-half year old.
You'd think I'd have this whole gravity thing figured out by now.
It is the law, after all.
But no, I do not. As previously mentioned, I took a little tumble on Sunday. The story goes like this:
As I headed down the stairs toward my Sunday School room, I saw a little boy racing towards me. In order to avoid colliding with him, a scooted over, right off the stairs. Down I went, head over heals, swiftly approaching the bottom. My only thought as I bumped and banged along was to stop myself before I reached the bottom and the lady holding her baby who stood there.
I stopped just in time, only to discover that the entire boy's teen Sunday School class had seen me. The Sunday Schoolers stood there, aghast, as I started to stand up.
"I'm fine," I laughed at myself as I rose. And then I saw my leg. It was red.
I know, you're on the edge of your seats.
As it turned out, I had just banged up my knees and legs. A few moments and about a hundred feet of gauze later, I was back in my class, good as new.
And then yesterday happened. As I ran with my mother along our city's wonderful Swamp Rabbit trail, I thought about how glad I was that my leg was healing and that I'd only really banged up one knee. As these thoughts escaped my brain, I started to tumble.
I was down again. For the second time in one week, I had fallen. I was on my back in the middle of the trail, and I now have matching knees. I have not had so many band-aids since I was probably seven.
Somehow, though, it's not as cute on a seventeen-and-a-half year old.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
We'll Have to Save the Funniness for Later
You all will have to wait just a little longer for a brilliant post.
The reason: I fell down the stairs on Sunday. While my parents were off celebrating my dad's 50th birthday, I fell down the stairs at church. I didn't really hurt anything except my pride, but combine soreness and a little autumn cold, and you have a very unfunny Margaret.
I'll be back, though.
And I'll watch where I'm going next time:)
The reason: I fell down the stairs on Sunday. While my parents were off celebrating my dad's 50th birthday, I fell down the stairs at church. I didn't really hurt anything except my pride, but combine soreness and a little autumn cold, and you have a very unfunny Margaret.
I'll be back, though.
And I'll watch where I'm going next time:)
Saturday, September 15, 2012
A Second Chance for Ross
As in the store Ross. Not a person named Ross. Just wanted to clarify.
Let me begin by stating that I absolutely could not stand Ross for the following seven reasons:
1. The majority of clothes are on the floor.
2. The few clothes that happen to till be on a hanger are in the wrong section.
3. The size on the hanger does not correspond with the size on the garment.
4. There is only one employee.
5. That employee is going through a midlife crisis.
6. That employee isn't thrilled to be at the Ross, either, so
7. When you finally get to the register they seem put out with you. I mean, come on, why would you be shopping at their store?
However, today my dear friend Carly decided to change all that. She invited me to go shopping with her, and she loves Ross. And for good reason. Almost every time I ask her where she got her cute outfit, she says "Ross."
So today I decided to give it a shot, too.
Aside from the fact that the security tag on a dress I was trying on started beeping while I was wearing it forcing me to wear the dress up to the counter to get the tag removed, it was a great experience. I bought several things I had been looking for and for amazing prices.
And, to top it all off, all of the employees were great. Very helpful. One of them was even a graduate of my high school! It's a small, small world.
I wasn't crazy about setting foot in the store, but today proved me so wrong.
My Ross trip was well worth it. The lesson of today is, don't give up on retail. Or anything, for that matter.
Let me begin by stating that I absolutely could not stand Ross for the following seven reasons:
1. The majority of clothes are on the floor.
2. The few clothes that happen to till be on a hanger are in the wrong section.
3. The size on the hanger does not correspond with the size on the garment.
4. There is only one employee.
5. That employee is going through a midlife crisis.
6. That employee isn't thrilled to be at the Ross, either, so
7. When you finally get to the register they seem put out with you. I mean, come on, why would you be shopping at their store?
However, today my dear friend Carly decided to change all that. She invited me to go shopping with her, and she loves Ross. And for good reason. Almost every time I ask her where she got her cute outfit, she says "Ross."
So today I decided to give it a shot, too.
Aside from the fact that the security tag on a dress I was trying on started beeping while I was wearing it forcing me to wear the dress up to the counter to get the tag removed, it was a great experience. I bought several things I had been looking for and for amazing prices.
And, to top it all off, all of the employees were great. Very helpful. One of them was even a graduate of my high school! It's a small, small world.
I wasn't crazy about setting foot in the store, but today proved me so wrong.
My Ross trip was well worth it. The lesson of today is, don't give up on retail. Or anything, for that matter.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Creative People
I am surrounded by creativity. Everywhere I look, everywhere I turn, people are being inspired and inspiring.
Exhibit A: My family. My father is an actor, designer, director, artist. I have never known anyone else to set Shakespeare's As You Like It in the 70s and perform it all summer, just because he loves to make people laugh. But that's only one side. The maternal side of my parental unit is just as creative. Mama is an author, editor, song writer.
I might add that this is a wonderful assset when writing papers.
Exhibit B: The Indie Craft Parade. I could go on and on. Indie Craft is a fesitval of creativity and brilliance that our town has held for the last three years. Lots of artsy people come together in a big old mill building and sell their wares. I just love it. They have anything from jewelry to pottery to skirts to stationary to jeans to party favors to patches to bowties.
Basically fabulousness upon fabulousness upon fabulousness.
My friend described it as the real life Anthropologie. Different and trend-setting without the mass production.
I helped my dear friends at Illyia Pottery witht their booth, talking with customers, re-stocking the table, checking people out. It seems like I met every artistic person in Greenville.
And I ate a gluten free cheese biscuit.
It was a fabulous day.
Exhibit A: My family. My father is an actor, designer, director, artist. I have never known anyone else to set Shakespeare's As You Like It in the 70s and perform it all summer, just because he loves to make people laugh. But that's only one side. The maternal side of my parental unit is just as creative. Mama is an author, editor, song writer.
I might add that this is a wonderful assset when writing papers.
Exhibit B: The Indie Craft Parade. I could go on and on. Indie Craft is a fesitval of creativity and brilliance that our town has held for the last three years. Lots of artsy people come together in a big old mill building and sell their wares. I just love it. They have anything from jewelry to pottery to skirts to stationary to jeans to party favors to patches to bowties.
Basically fabulousness upon fabulousness upon fabulousness.
My friend described it as the real life Anthropologie. Different and trend-setting without the mass production.
I helped my dear friends at Illyia Pottery witht their booth, talking with customers, re-stocking the table, checking people out. It seems like I met every artistic person in Greenville.
And I ate a gluten free cheese biscuit.
It was a fabulous day.
Monday, September 3, 2012
I Was Made to Run in the Rain
An epic story of courage, determination, and the choices one makes.
By Margaret
Today I chose to run. I set out from my house in the heat of this summer afternoon. I was headed no where. I was determined to complete my assigned mileage. As soon as I stepped out my front door, I regreted that decision. Sticky sweat poured down my back, and my face was brighter than the stop signs I passed along my route. The sweltering Southern humity beat upon me until I cried for mercy.
Then came the mercy.
Halfway along my second loop I felt a change. Slight at first. The trees began to sway. The sky's blue added shades of gray.
Ahhh. A cool summer breeze. Relief.
Before I could fully appreciate the new condition in which I found myself, the clouds broke open, and a torrent of rain fell upon me. I began to race toward home.
Home.
"What am I doing?" I thought. "This is not where I belong."
Rain is not a time for running. It is a time for flannel and Kindle books and tea. Why am I here? Why am I sprinting from tree to tree, pausing briefly under swaying foliage to catch my breath? Why did I ever leave home?
I shouldn't leave home. I should wait beside my window always, waiting for the first droplets to hit the glass, waiting to jump into my jammies and take a nap. I will never miss another rainy summer afternoon. I will never run. I will swell up like a balloon. I will not fit into my jeans. I will lose all metabolism.
Wait. What am I saying?
No jeans? No metabolism?
Nevermind. I guess the loss of those lazy days is worth it.
Where are my tennies? I must find them, you know.
I was made to run in the rain.
By Margaret
Today I chose to run. I set out from my house in the heat of this summer afternoon. I was headed no where. I was determined to complete my assigned mileage. As soon as I stepped out my front door, I regreted that decision. Sticky sweat poured down my back, and my face was brighter than the stop signs I passed along my route. The sweltering Southern humity beat upon me until I cried for mercy.
Then came the mercy.
Halfway along my second loop I felt a change. Slight at first. The trees began to sway. The sky's blue added shades of gray.
Ahhh. A cool summer breeze. Relief.
Before I could fully appreciate the new condition in which I found myself, the clouds broke open, and a torrent of rain fell upon me. I began to race toward home.
Home.
"What am I doing?" I thought. "This is not where I belong."
Rain is not a time for running. It is a time for flannel and Kindle books and tea. Why am I here? Why am I sprinting from tree to tree, pausing briefly under swaying foliage to catch my breath? Why did I ever leave home?
I shouldn't leave home. I should wait beside my window always, waiting for the first droplets to hit the glass, waiting to jump into my jammies and take a nap. I will never miss another rainy summer afternoon. I will never run. I will swell up like a balloon. I will not fit into my jeans. I will lose all metabolism.
Wait. What am I saying?
No jeans? No metabolism?
Nevermind. I guess the loss of those lazy days is worth it.
Where are my tennies? I must find them, you know.
I was made to run in the rain.
Look! A New Gadget!
I know I missed a day. Again. But I'll be back tomorrow!
In the mean time, check out the spiffy new gadget at the bottom of my blog. I made a list of all the blogs I follow and draw inspiration from. They are all really cool, and they are part of the reason I started this blog.
I would also like to extend a special welcome to the world of blogging to my father and his new theater blog, Yorick & Co.
Welcome, Pops!
In the mean time, check out the spiffy new gadget at the bottom of my blog. I made a list of all the blogs I follow and draw inspiration from. They are all really cool, and they are part of the reason I started this blog.
I would also like to extend a special welcome to the world of blogging to my father and his new theater blog, Yorick & Co.
Welcome, Pops!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Food Network Syndrome
I'm not sure if it exists, but I have Food Network Syndrome. In other words, I'm obsessed with cooking. All of a sudden, I can think of nothing but flavor combinations and chopping techniques. I pour over episodes of Master Chef and Chopped and Pioneer Woman. I eye vegetables in the store, imagining them in a mystery box. I find gluten-free desserts I can imitate and improve. Starches are no longer carbs, but blank canvases upon which explosions of flavor can be built.
In other words, I will never look at food the same way again.
There is only one problem with this. I'm not the greatest cook. Sure, I'm creative, but as far as execution and condition of the kitchen following my escapades, I'm rather hopeless. I usually end up with a fairly good but terribly over seasoned concoction and a royal mess.
Tonight I tried again. I made a vanilla cake with key lime frosting, and in 11 minutes, we will see if I succeeded.
In other words, I will never look at food the same way again.
There is only one problem with this. I'm not the greatest cook. Sure, I'm creative, but as far as execution and condition of the kitchen following my escapades, I'm rather hopeless. I usually end up with a fairly good but terribly over seasoned concoction and a royal mess.
Tonight I tried again. I made a vanilla cake with key lime frosting, and in 11 minutes, we will see if I succeeded.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
My Western Fetish Continues
My new computer has required me to move things over and sort through a lot of files. This is a royal pain for someone with absolutely no techy skills. But, I did manage to upload my Vienna pictures and Norton Antivirus. In that order. And as I looked through files, I came across some poems I wrote for my tenth grade poetry project. Now, some of them are Dumb with a capital D. But others, and one in particular, I like.
So I will share it.
I know this may seem like a cop-out, but I just got back from Spinning class and I need to study for Mock Trial and iron my clothes. And I like the poem. It reminds me of Cowboy Kent and Ree Drummond and John Wayne and all other cool cowboys and cowgirls. So there.
At Home on the Range
I step off the plane and take a deep breath.
I can tell I am deep in the heart of Texas.
Although it is December, warm, sweet air fills my lungs as I breathe.
I love it here, where everything is big, and the land stretches all around me and goes on forever.
I love the smell of brown leather chaps and tamales cooking in hot oil.
I love the mixed music of the horses ad tractors and roadside stands.
I love the long green gras tat dances in the wind as if to say "This is where you belong. This is where you feel free."
I love eating real Mexican food outside on New Year's Eve.
I love the rows and rows of ranch houses, as far as the eye can see.
Someday, one will be mins.
And then I see the familiar face that has called me to the prairie.
I run toward her, picking up my cowboy bots with the speed of a prairie dog.
For it is not just the long grass or the lack of wintry mix that calls me here.
It is not the enchiladas or the habaneras or the turquoise.
It is something bigger, something stronger.
It is friendship.
And as I gaze at the clear prairie sky with my best friend,
I realize that someday I want to say
That I would not exchange my home on the range
For all of the cities so bright.
And Ashoken Farewell just came on Pandora. That song really gets me.
I am just testing something.
Sorry, nothing profoundly clever at the moment. I'm just trying to figure out why my post are delayed.
Monday, August 20, 2012
I'm Officially A Dork
I just cried at the end of the Chopped: Grill Masters Grand Finale.
I cried real tears at the end of a cooking show. A cooking show.
I just couldn't help it. Cowboy Kent won my heart. I'm so sorry for your loss, Kent. You should have won it.
I will now crawl into a hole of embarrassment forever.
Why did I tell you that?
I cried real tears at the end of a cooking show. A cooking show.
I just couldn't help it. Cowboy Kent won my heart. I'm so sorry for your loss, Kent. You should have won it.
I will now crawl into a hole of embarrassment forever.
Why did I tell you that?
Sunday, August 19, 2012
The Great Japanese Steakhouse Adventure
I know, I'm a little late with this post, but I promise I started it on Saturday! I recently acquired a new computer, and I'm still getting the hang of it.
Some friends and I met at a local Japanese steakhouse for dinner last night. Although it was certainly not my first time at such a place, it was my first visit to this particular establishment, causing my to make the following observations about Japanese steakhouses.
1. I am always exceedingly skeptical about the cleanliness of the grill, cooking utensils, and butter. Especially the butter. It sits out all day and is used over and over again, quite possible by different people.
2. Speaking of people. The entire success of the evening is dependent on the chef. In my experience, the personality of the chef can make or break the evening. We had a good chef last night. His name is Pedro and he's from Micronesia. Or so he says.
3. I probably should have put chef in quotation marks. Does anyone know if they actually attended culinary school?
4. The set up of steakhouses is not at all conducive to small groups. Unless your party is large enough (in number) to fill up an entire side, your meal will probably be awkward. Last night the group across from us was facing this dilemma. There was a group of three on one side, a couple in the middle, and another couple with a small baby on the end. The middle couple appeared to be oblivious to the world around them, but everyone else was attempting to make small talk. You are eating food that's all prepared together right in front of you, after all! But being complete strangers and unlikely ever to see each other again, the small talk only goes so far, leaving you and whoever you are with to tilt your chairs towards each other and avoid eye contact with your fellow diners.
5. All of the aforementioned "chefs" are pyromaniacs.
6. Babies dislike fire, leading them to dislike the "chefs" and the entire dining experience.
7. There are two types of diners. The ones who take home leftovers and the ones who do not. It's very easy to tell them apart.
8. The leftovers are even better the next day.
9. I guess anything that is drowning in white sauce would be, though. Can I get an amen? Amen.
10. I strongly dislike people who throw shrimp at me and expect me to catch it in my mouth. Perhaps that should have been mentioned earlier.
Some friends and I met at a local Japanese steakhouse for dinner last night. Although it was certainly not my first time at such a place, it was my first visit to this particular establishment, causing my to make the following observations about Japanese steakhouses.
1. I am always exceedingly skeptical about the cleanliness of the grill, cooking utensils, and butter. Especially the butter. It sits out all day and is used over and over again, quite possible by different people.
2. Speaking of people. The entire success of the evening is dependent on the chef. In my experience, the personality of the chef can make or break the evening. We had a good chef last night. His name is Pedro and he's from Micronesia. Or so he says.
3. I probably should have put chef in quotation marks. Does anyone know if they actually attended culinary school?
4. The set up of steakhouses is not at all conducive to small groups. Unless your party is large enough (in number) to fill up an entire side, your meal will probably be awkward. Last night the group across from us was facing this dilemma. There was a group of three on one side, a couple in the middle, and another couple with a small baby on the end. The middle couple appeared to be oblivious to the world around them, but everyone else was attempting to make small talk. You are eating food that's all prepared together right in front of you, after all! But being complete strangers and unlikely ever to see each other again, the small talk only goes so far, leaving you and whoever you are with to tilt your chairs towards each other and avoid eye contact with your fellow diners.
5. All of the aforementioned "chefs" are pyromaniacs.
6. Babies dislike fire, leading them to dislike the "chefs" and the entire dining experience.
7. There are two types of diners. The ones who take home leftovers and the ones who do not. It's very easy to tell them apart.
8. The leftovers are even better the next day.
9. I guess anything that is drowning in white sauce would be, though. Can I get an amen? Amen.
10. I strongly dislike people who throw shrimp at me and expect me to catch it in my mouth. Perhaps that should have been mentioned earlier.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Day One?
Two days down, many more to go. Yesterday was my first day of school. Well, sort of. Yesterday was the first day we had to be at school, but I'd probably say today was the first real day.
Here's what yesterday consisted of:
6:52 I woke up in a panic that I had missed the Student Body program that I am in. I had not.
7:00 I headed out for a run. It was already hot.
8:30 My friend comes over before we go out for breakfast. She has recently been gallivanting around the Middle East doing some top secret spy work. Just kidding. I think. We hadn't seen each other in so long, and I was so happy that she wasn't kidnapped. She brought me back what is quite possible the best souvenir ever, a Burkah Barbie. A Barbie wearing a burkah. And a head scarf for me. I decided against wearing it so that no one would have to say,
"This is Margaret, our Student Body President. No, she's not Muslim. I really have no idea why she's wearing that head scarf."
Just thought I'd save everyone from that potentially awkward conversation. Maybe another day.
9:00 We meet many other seniors at a near by International House of Pancakes for breakfast. We don't see all the other seniors, so my friend and I settle into a booth on the other side of the restaurant. It is only after we have ordered our drinks that we see the enormous group and move all our stuff over there. I'm beginning to wonder whether or not the waitresses are spitting in our food. I, for some unknown reason, order black coffee and drink it all. I never drink coffee. I also order a fruit cup because that is about all I can think about eating without getting sick. At this point my nerves are in full swing.
9:20 I leave in order to meet the other officers. My fruit cup had still not arrived, so my friends agree to bring it. I fill a Styrofoam cup with more coffee and hit the trail.
Something about coffee makes me feel adventurous.
10:55 After several hours of practice and being nervous, we head onstage to do our program, a continuing skit called, "The Acad Bunch." I play the mother. Go figure.
After the program we have an hour for lunch and then 20 minute classes. This is why I say the firs day doesn't count. There is no way that 20 minutes is long enough for me to form my opinions on each class, and it's certainly not enough time for the teacher to completely introduce the class, leading to a partial lesson the next day. It really takes about a week to get going. By that time you've settled in, hunkered down, and are ready to brace the storm. You've also taken the first test, opened your crayons, attended opening meetings, and made new friends.
And formed opinions. That I am good at.
Here's what yesterday consisted of:
6:52 I woke up in a panic that I had missed the Student Body program that I am in. I had not.
7:00 I headed out for a run. It was already hot.
8:30 My friend comes over before we go out for breakfast. She has recently been gallivanting around the Middle East doing some top secret spy work. Just kidding. I think. We hadn't seen each other in so long, and I was so happy that she wasn't kidnapped. She brought me back what is quite possible the best souvenir ever, a Burkah Barbie. A Barbie wearing a burkah. And a head scarf for me. I decided against wearing it so that no one would have to say,
"This is Margaret, our Student Body President. No, she's not Muslim. I really have no idea why she's wearing that head scarf."
Just thought I'd save everyone from that potentially awkward conversation. Maybe another day.
9:00 We meet many other seniors at a near by International House of Pancakes for breakfast. We don't see all the other seniors, so my friend and I settle into a booth on the other side of the restaurant. It is only after we have ordered our drinks that we see the enormous group and move all our stuff over there. I'm beginning to wonder whether or not the waitresses are spitting in our food. I, for some unknown reason, order black coffee and drink it all. I never drink coffee. I also order a fruit cup because that is about all I can think about eating without getting sick. At this point my nerves are in full swing.
9:20 I leave in order to meet the other officers. My fruit cup had still not arrived, so my friends agree to bring it. I fill a Styrofoam cup with more coffee and hit the trail.
Something about coffee makes me feel adventurous.
10:55 After several hours of practice and being nervous, we head onstage to do our program, a continuing skit called, "The Acad Bunch." I play the mother. Go figure.
After the program we have an hour for lunch and then 20 minute classes. This is why I say the firs day doesn't count. There is no way that 20 minutes is long enough for me to form my opinions on each class, and it's certainly not enough time for the teacher to completely introduce the class, leading to a partial lesson the next day. It really takes about a week to get going. By that time you've settled in, hunkered down, and are ready to brace the storm. You've also taken the first test, opened your crayons, attended opening meetings, and made new friends.
And formed opinions. That I am good at.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Thus it Begins Again
Tomorrow marks the beginning of my senior year of high school.
Ahhhhhhhh!
Ok, I'm done panicking and ready to get this thing called high school done.
Think of me tomorrow around 11:00 a.m. I'll be doing something crazy onstage in front of hundreds of people.
I better go learn my lines.
Ahhhhhhhh!
Ok, I'm done panicking and ready to get this thing called high school done.
Think of me tomorrow around 11:00 a.m. I'll be doing something crazy onstage in front of hundreds of people.
I better go learn my lines.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
I Slept in a Tent Last Night
What you are about to hear may blow your mind. Especially if you know me. And my phobias.
I went camping.
In a tent.
My youth group has an annual camping trip, and this year, I was in attendance. I couldn't leave until late last night due to prior obligations (too bad) and didn't arrive until almost 10:00! By that time the camp fire was over, and I had successfully avoided smelling like smoke. Check. I got into my pajamas and found my tent. Then I laid out my sleeping bag. I did not, however, get into the sleeping bags. Sleeping bags were invented by the arch nemesis of some poor, claustrophobic person, and they are intended to make said person break out into a cold sweat. Thanks, but I'll pass on sleeping inside a cloth bag tonight. I got on my bag, wrapped up in a quilt, and, in true Margaret fashion, was asleep in three seconds. As I fell asleep I heard this,
"What time are you getting up?"
"6:00."
"What in the world?"
"I just want to see the sunrise. It rises at 6:24, and I want to be there."
"Oh, how great. I'll come too. Do you think Margaret will want to come?"
No, Margaret did not want to come. In fact Margaret apparently slept through a baby crying, a thunderstorm, the struggle to close the flaps during the thunderstorm, all attempts to wake her, and the sunrise. I slept like a rock all night, and while everyone else was making morning memories, I was far, far away. In a world that's disappearing I'm afraid.
Sorry about the random Sound of Music reference. Really not sure where that came from.
Please tell me you knew that was Sound of Music.
Anyway.
I rose right before breakfast, ate, had devotions by the lake, and tried out my new camera with some beautiful landscape shots. Then it was time for the annual canoe race.
Did I forget to mention I got in a canoe? And while I can now cross that off my list of possible Olympic sports, I didn't fall out of the boat. Ahh, sweet, sweet success.
The rest of the day was spent eating, taking pictures, tubing followed by showering, and watching sand volleyball. Notice I said watching. Actually playing would have put me over the edge. I can only be so adventurous in one day!
Now I'm home. I'm clean. I'm tired. Being outdoorsy is exhausting! But I'm glad for the adventure.
And for running water.
I went camping.
In a tent.
My youth group has an annual camping trip, and this year, I was in attendance. I couldn't leave until late last night due to prior obligations (too bad) and didn't arrive until almost 10:00! By that time the camp fire was over, and I had successfully avoided smelling like smoke. Check. I got into my pajamas and found my tent. Then I laid out my sleeping bag. I did not, however, get into the sleeping bags. Sleeping bags were invented by the arch nemesis of some poor, claustrophobic person, and they are intended to make said person break out into a cold sweat. Thanks, but I'll pass on sleeping inside a cloth bag tonight. I got on my bag, wrapped up in a quilt, and, in true Margaret fashion, was asleep in three seconds. As I fell asleep I heard this,
"What time are you getting up?"
"6:00."
"What in the world?"
"I just want to see the sunrise. It rises at 6:24, and I want to be there."
"Oh, how great. I'll come too. Do you think Margaret will want to come?"
No, Margaret did not want to come. In fact Margaret apparently slept through a baby crying, a thunderstorm, the struggle to close the flaps during the thunderstorm, all attempts to wake her, and the sunrise. I slept like a rock all night, and while everyone else was making morning memories, I was far, far away. In a world that's disappearing I'm afraid.
Sorry about the random Sound of Music reference. Really not sure where that came from.
Please tell me you knew that was Sound of Music.
Anyway.
I rose right before breakfast, ate, had devotions by the lake, and tried out my new camera with some beautiful landscape shots. Then it was time for the annual canoe race.
Did I forget to mention I got in a canoe? And while I can now cross that off my list of possible Olympic sports, I didn't fall out of the boat. Ahh, sweet, sweet success.
The rest of the day was spent eating, taking pictures, tubing followed by showering, and watching sand volleyball. Notice I said watching. Actually playing would have put me over the edge. I can only be so adventurous in one day!
Now I'm home. I'm clean. I'm tired. Being outdoorsy is exhausting! But I'm glad for the adventure.
And for running water.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Clogging Cousins
It's still Tuesday. I can still meet my goal. Phew.
It's all I can do to tear myself away from the Olympics. But I do, because of my dedication to this blog. And the fact that I hate to mess up on a goal.We'll see how that goes with the school year quickly approaching. I'm sure my school adventures will be fabulous blog fodder.
Speaking of adventures.
My wonderful grandparents celebrated 50 wonderful years of wedded bliss last Saturday, so we had a party for them the night before. We invited a bunch of their friends and family members to join us for dinner at my grandpa's favorite BBQ place. This was a great idea that my mom and aunt had. They also made a video documenting their marriage and a quiz about my grandparents. Also great ideas. My mom wanted to make them a calendar. My aunt wanted all the cousins to clog. We did both.
I repeat. We clogged. As in clogging. Dancing.With loud metal strips on your shoes. All six of us, ages 12 to 22 (poor, poor Kai), clogged for my grandparents on their anniversary. Here's how it happened.
July 4th: My aunt lets us know about her big idea. We watch a hilarious how-to video and vow to practice often.
July 30: The week of the party we practice for the second time. A clogging friend of my uncle's agrees to help us out. Bless him. My mom and aunt go about getting taps for our shoes.
August 1: First taps-on practice. We all diligently try to get this dance down so as not to make complete idiots of ourselves if at all possible. During the course of the evening a majority of the 12 taps fall off. The situation is looking grim. Even grimmer than ever.
August 3: We practice on the stained wood floors of the restaurant right before the party. We are afraid that the waitresses will ask the Clogging Cousins to leave before our debut. We kind of hope they will. Our routine goes smoothly, though. I don't fall on my rear, which, knowing me, is a real miracle. We also manage to stay relatively together, with the exception of my poor youngest cousin, who was perfectly opposite every time. We even got our next gig! We're supposed to clog six years from now for my great-aunt Sally's 50th anniversary party!
I'll be 23. Fun.
Happy Anniversary, Gram and Gramps!
We love you!
It's all I can do to tear myself away from the Olympics. But I do, because of my dedication to this blog. And the fact that I hate to mess up on a goal.We'll see how that goes with the school year quickly approaching. I'm sure my school adventures will be fabulous blog fodder.
Speaking of adventures.
My wonderful grandparents celebrated 50 wonderful years of wedded bliss last Saturday, so we had a party for them the night before. We invited a bunch of their friends and family members to join us for dinner at my grandpa's favorite BBQ place. This was a great idea that my mom and aunt had. They also made a video documenting their marriage and a quiz about my grandparents. Also great ideas. My mom wanted to make them a calendar. My aunt wanted all the cousins to clog. We did both.
I repeat. We clogged. As in clogging. Dancing.With loud metal strips on your shoes. All six of us, ages 12 to 22 (poor, poor Kai), clogged for my grandparents on their anniversary. Here's how it happened.
July 4th: My aunt lets us know about her big idea. We watch a hilarious how-to video and vow to practice often.
July 30: The week of the party we practice for the second time. A clogging friend of my uncle's agrees to help us out. Bless him. My mom and aunt go about getting taps for our shoes.
August 1: First taps-on practice. We all diligently try to get this dance down so as not to make complete idiots of ourselves if at all possible. During the course of the evening a majority of the 12 taps fall off. The situation is looking grim. Even grimmer than ever.
August 3: We practice on the stained wood floors of the restaurant right before the party. We are afraid that the waitresses will ask the Clogging Cousins to leave before our debut. We kind of hope they will. Our routine goes smoothly, though. I don't fall on my rear, which, knowing me, is a real miracle. We also manage to stay relatively together, with the exception of my poor youngest cousin, who was perfectly opposite every time. We even got our next gig! We're supposed to clog six years from now for my great-aunt Sally's 50th anniversary party!
I'll be 23. Fun.
Happy Anniversary, Gram and Gramps!
We love you!
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Tax Free Weekend
I had my last day of work yesterday, and I was all ready to post "Things I Hear at Work, Part 2."
And then I went to Walmart.
Da-da-da-dun. (My best attempt at dramatic music)
Today, I, along with every other living being on planet Earth, went shopping for school supplies, and I discovered the following:
The Four Groups of Back to School Shoppers.
1. The Mothers with Children
This is, by far, the largest group. And I mean large as in percentage of shoppers. This group is easy to identify. The mothers are wearing either jeans or sweatpants and a t-shirt. She is followed by a group of anywhere from two to four elementary aged children wearing shorts and Miley Cyrus tank tops, one teenager in a hoodie, and one or two babies. One or more of said babies is in the cart, the teenager is dragging behind texting, and the rest of the children are screaming and trying to talk their mother into letting them buy a Hello Kitty notebook. She instead goes for the traditional, and cheaper, black and white composition books and buys Bic pens in bulk.
She looks very tired.
2. The Unnattendeds
This group is also very easy to spot. It is comprised of mostly middle school aged children wearing the same thing as the aforementioned elementary school children, plus a cell phone. They are usually in groups of three or four girls, and their mother is who knows where. Probably in the home goods section taking a nap. They spend most of the time texting each other, browsing the Justin Bieber paraphernalia, and applying lip gloss.
They speak very loudly.
3. The Grandmothers
Grandmothers are usually found with one child. They have no idea what they are looking for, so they have to rely entirely on their grandchild, leading them to buy a bunch of unnecessary things, like locker lamps. They actually have those! The cart is full of brightly colored Sharpies, sparkly binders, and almost nothing of educational significance. The child is taking full advantage of his or her grandma. I especially love it when the child is wearing a "Spoiled Rotten" shirt.
How true.
4. The Fathers
My personal favorite. Why is it that men with children act as if every trip to Walmart is their first ever? They wander around, unable to find a thing. The child gets lost in the mayhem. The father finds said child in the electronics department, and then is unable to find his way back to the school supplies. So they call the mother, who is, undoubtedly, relishing the break from children and school supply shopping. Below is an actual conversation I heard today.
Father: "Hey, hon, it's me. We're at Walmart, and I'm having trouble finding the 1/2 inch binders. The list says it has to be 1/2 inch. If I get 1 inch, do you think the teacher will know? Call me back when you can. I will probably have more questions. Oh, Timmy wants to know if he can get an Avengers lunch box. Bye."
Nothing like tricking the teacher with another 1/2 inch on that binder.
However, with credit to the dad, it is hard to find things. You know what the hardest thing to find is? Crayons, the most necessary school supply in history. There are huge displays of locker shelves and hand sanitizer (also very necessary) and pencil pouches filling the aisles, but you know where the crayons are? In a tiny corner at the end of an aisle that doubles as the beginning of home goods.
Now, you say, why were you buying crayons? Aren't you too old for that? Well, I say, it has been six years since crayons were a school requirement. But I buy them year after year, because the first day of school is not the first day of school without a new box of Crayolas.
And then I went to Walmart.
Da-da-da-dun. (My best attempt at dramatic music)
Today, I, along with every other living being on planet Earth, went shopping for school supplies, and I discovered the following:
The Four Groups of Back to School Shoppers.
1. The Mothers with Children
This is, by far, the largest group. And I mean large as in percentage of shoppers. This group is easy to identify. The mothers are wearing either jeans or sweatpants and a t-shirt. She is followed by a group of anywhere from two to four elementary aged children wearing shorts and Miley Cyrus tank tops, one teenager in a hoodie, and one or two babies. One or more of said babies is in the cart, the teenager is dragging behind texting, and the rest of the children are screaming and trying to talk their mother into letting them buy a Hello Kitty notebook. She instead goes for the traditional, and cheaper, black and white composition books and buys Bic pens in bulk.
She looks very tired.
2. The Unnattendeds
This group is also very easy to spot. It is comprised of mostly middle school aged children wearing the same thing as the aforementioned elementary school children, plus a cell phone. They are usually in groups of three or four girls, and their mother is who knows where. Probably in the home goods section taking a nap. They spend most of the time texting each other, browsing the Justin Bieber paraphernalia, and applying lip gloss.
They speak very loudly.
3. The Grandmothers
Grandmothers are usually found with one child. They have no idea what they are looking for, so they have to rely entirely on their grandchild, leading them to buy a bunch of unnecessary things, like locker lamps. They actually have those! The cart is full of brightly colored Sharpies, sparkly binders, and almost nothing of educational significance. The child is taking full advantage of his or her grandma. I especially love it when the child is wearing a "Spoiled Rotten" shirt.
How true.
4. The Fathers
My personal favorite. Why is it that men with children act as if every trip to Walmart is their first ever? They wander around, unable to find a thing. The child gets lost in the mayhem. The father finds said child in the electronics department, and then is unable to find his way back to the school supplies. So they call the mother, who is, undoubtedly, relishing the break from children and school supply shopping. Below is an actual conversation I heard today.
Father: "Hey, hon, it's me. We're at Walmart, and I'm having trouble finding the 1/2 inch binders. The list says it has to be 1/2 inch. If I get 1 inch, do you think the teacher will know? Call me back when you can. I will probably have more questions. Oh, Timmy wants to know if he can get an Avengers lunch box. Bye."
Nothing like tricking the teacher with another 1/2 inch on that binder.
However, with credit to the dad, it is hard to find things. You know what the hardest thing to find is? Crayons, the most necessary school supply in history. There are huge displays of locker shelves and hand sanitizer (also very necessary) and pencil pouches filling the aisles, but you know where the crayons are? In a tiny corner at the end of an aisle that doubles as the beginning of home goods.
Now, you say, why were you buying crayons? Aren't you too old for that? Well, I say, it has been six years since crayons were a school requirement. But I buy them year after year, because the first day of school is not the first day of school without a new box of Crayolas.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Things I Hear at Work, Part 1
As promised, here is the first batch of things I hear from my three-year-olds. Names have been changed to protect the not so innocent.
1. "Sally, look, I took my band-aid off!" Johnny
"Oh, I'm so impressed." Sally
2. "You know, girls who wear necklaces get stung by lightning!" Tommy
3. "I'm gonna swim all the way to Pickens." Johnny
4. "I think bugs eat boogers." Janey
5."I love wet wipes. I could eat a thousand wet wipes." Frankie
Well, I love wet wipes too, but not that much! Part 2 to follow shortly:)
1. "Sally, look, I took my band-aid off!" Johnny
"Oh, I'm so impressed." Sally
2. "You know, girls who wear necklaces get stung by lightning!" Tommy
3. "I'm gonna swim all the way to Pickens." Johnny
4. "I think bugs eat boogers." Janey
5."I love wet wipes. I could eat a thousand wet wipes." Frankie
Well, I love wet wipes too, but not that much! Part 2 to follow shortly:)
Monday, July 30, 2012
Where I've Been and Olympic Inspired
I am alive! I promise! And you've been in my thoughts, dear old blog, but alas, work has come between us. The last few weeks have been crazy! I've been working four ten hour days a week. Ten hours. With a room full of three-year-olds. So, needless to say, I'm not exactly in tip-top creative shape when I get home. But I have been gathering tons of material out of the mouths of babes. I'm working on a "Things I Hear at Work" post. And that brings me to one of my purposes for writing this post. I have decided to write at least twice a week. I will post every Tuesday and Saturday. Maybe more if you're lucky, but at least then. It may not be much, but my dear readers will get at least an indication that I am still alive and kicking. Figuratively, of course.
And now, without further ado, the real post for today.
Olympic Inspired.
I love, love, love the Olympics. Always have. This is incredible ironic because I am the world's least athletic individual, but I love them anyway. And today, I think I found my sport.
I need to preface this post by saying that I spent the weekend at my aunt's lake house, boating and swimming and tubing and watching my brother fish. I don't really touch fish or worms, and for some reason that is a problem when fishing. Go figure. But, when we came inside to re-apply sunscreen and eat Pringles, we would watch the Olympics. We watched my favorites, swimming (poor Michael Phelps) and gymnastics (Jordyn Wieber, if you're out there, I thought you should have made it!) We watched beach volleyball and water polo and skeet shooting and tennis and men's volleyball. I cheered for the USA and thought, when I grow up, I want to be in the Olympics. I used to think I would bike, but I wasn't balanced enough. Then I thought I'm swim, but I wasn't strong enough, and several water skiing attempts showed me that that wasn't it either. You have to stretch to do gymnastics and aim to shoot skeet. I just wasn't finding the right one for me.
Until this morning.
We had the television on as we packed to come back on. We saw the queen's stunt double and last night's recaps. And then I saw it. My sport.
Olympic Power Walking.
Ladies in Miss W.'s 7th grade P.E. class, you know what I'm talking about. Yes, that's right, it's an Olympic event. Elbows in, legs straight, rears out. Just like we used to do. We all used to hate it. They all laughed at us flailing around the track.
Who's laughing now?
And now, without further ado, the real post for today.
Olympic Inspired.
I love, love, love the Olympics. Always have. This is incredible ironic because I am the world's least athletic individual, but I love them anyway. And today, I think I found my sport.
I need to preface this post by saying that I spent the weekend at my aunt's lake house, boating and swimming and tubing and watching my brother fish. I don't really touch fish or worms, and for some reason that is a problem when fishing. Go figure. But, when we came inside to re-apply sunscreen and eat Pringles, we would watch the Olympics. We watched my favorites, swimming (poor Michael Phelps) and gymnastics (Jordyn Wieber, if you're out there, I thought you should have made it!) We watched beach volleyball and water polo and skeet shooting and tennis and men's volleyball. I cheered for the USA and thought, when I grow up, I want to be in the Olympics. I used to think I would bike, but I wasn't balanced enough. Then I thought I'm swim, but I wasn't strong enough, and several water skiing attempts showed me that that wasn't it either. You have to stretch to do gymnastics and aim to shoot skeet. I just wasn't finding the right one for me.
Until this morning.
We had the television on as we packed to come back on. We saw the queen's stunt double and last night's recaps. And then I saw it. My sport.
Olympic Power Walking.
Ladies in Miss W.'s 7th grade P.E. class, you know what I'm talking about. Yes, that's right, it's an Olympic event. Elbows in, legs straight, rears out. Just like we used to do. We all used to hate it. They all laughed at us flailing around the track.
Who's laughing now?
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
A No Good Very Bad Day
Everybody has bad days. They are inescapable, no matter how hard you try. As previously mentioned, interesting things happen to me all the time. No matter where I am, bizarre circumstances find me.
Today should have been a normal day.
Famous last words.
1. I wake up only to remember that it is water day at the Child Development Center that I work at. I cannot find my only pair of water-wearable capris.
2. After taking EVERY SINGLE THING out of my drawers, laundry basket, and washing machine, I leave for work late, still unable to find the aforementioned capris.
3. After water day has begun and I have already been soaked by three year-olds armed with sponges, my father shows up waving my capris (they were in Cole's laundry basket of all places) and yelling my name. My three year-olds find this amusing. I do not.
4. On the way back from talking to Dad, I am, for the first time in my seventeen years, stung by a bee that wandered into my Croc and places it's stinger in my big toe.
5. This is also amusing to the three year-olds.
6. Having never been stung before and being an extreme hypochondriac, I assume I'm allergic and go inside to clean my aching toe.
7. Time passes, rather uneventfully.
8. I go to my car after work only to find that, also for the first time ever, I have locked my keys in my car.
9. I go to pick up my brother from my grandparents house and am forced to watch the penalty kicks of some soccer game because he has to see the end.
10. On the way home I am pulled over by Public Safety for the second time this month.
Please tell me this sort of thing happens to other people.
My life is an adventure. I can't wait to see where tomorrow leads. I will now go massage my big toe.
Today should have been a normal day.
Famous last words.
1. I wake up only to remember that it is water day at the Child Development Center that I work at. I cannot find my only pair of water-wearable capris.
2. After taking EVERY SINGLE THING out of my drawers, laundry basket, and washing machine, I leave for work late, still unable to find the aforementioned capris.
3. After water day has begun and I have already been soaked by three year-olds armed with sponges, my father shows up waving my capris (they were in Cole's laundry basket of all places) and yelling my name. My three year-olds find this amusing. I do not.
4. On the way back from talking to Dad, I am, for the first time in my seventeen years, stung by a bee that wandered into my Croc and places it's stinger in my big toe.
5. This is also amusing to the three year-olds.
6. Having never been stung before and being an extreme hypochondriac, I assume I'm allergic and go inside to clean my aching toe.
7. Time passes, rather uneventfully.
8. I go to my car after work only to find that, also for the first time ever, I have locked my keys in my car.
9. I go to pick up my brother from my grandparents house and am forced to watch the penalty kicks of some soccer game because he has to see the end.
10. On the way home I am pulled over by Public Safety for the second time this month.
Please tell me this sort of thing happens to other people.
My life is an adventure. I can't wait to see where tomorrow leads. I will now go massage my big toe.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
A Much Delayed Update
Ok, so I'm officially the worst blogger in America. I know. But that's what I get for starting a blog in the middle of chaos! Besides traveling and writing debate cases I've been working at the CDC and helping my parents get ready for their play, As You Like It, that starts tomorrow! I am so excited to see it come together with the audience!
Nationals went well. I did not break in LD, but I did make it through seven rounds of Spar debate (an abbreviated form of debate: each round only lasts about 20 minutes!) I ended up somewhere between number 41 and 70 out of 792 in that event. I won't ever know my number for sure. Alas. However, after I was eliminated Nichole and I were able to judge the National Junior Forensics League Original Oratory Semi-Finals! That was so fun and such a good experience! I found out later that one of the boys in my round who I gave a win to ended up being the National Champion!
I have loved all my traveling, but I'm certainly glad to be home. I'm so excited for the rest of the summer! Babysitting, working, selling Figgy Whigs cupcakes! How much better does it get? Hopefully all this extra time will translate into more blogging, since that's the reason it was started! So many funny things seem to happen to me, and I can't wait to write them down!
If you really want a laugh, come to As You Like It! This year's play is sure to be a hit! The cast includes old favorites and new additions! Tickets are still available for all nights next week, especially Saturday, and once again, Figgy Whigs will be available each night! We are having our top three flavors this year: Strawberry, Orange Cream, and the number one best seller, Reese's!
At some point I will post Nationals pictures and Summer Shakespeare pictures. We even have a trailer this year! Oooooh. I know, super cool. Stay tuned!
Nationals went well. I did not break in LD, but I did make it through seven rounds of Spar debate (an abbreviated form of debate: each round only lasts about 20 minutes!) I ended up somewhere between number 41 and 70 out of 792 in that event. I won't ever know my number for sure. Alas. However, after I was eliminated Nichole and I were able to judge the National Junior Forensics League Original Oratory Semi-Finals! That was so fun and such a good experience! I found out later that one of the boys in my round who I gave a win to ended up being the National Champion!
I have loved all my traveling, but I'm certainly glad to be home. I'm so excited for the rest of the summer! Babysitting, working, selling Figgy Whigs cupcakes! How much better does it get? Hopefully all this extra time will translate into more blogging, since that's the reason it was started! So many funny things seem to happen to me, and I can't wait to write them down!
If you really want a laugh, come to As You Like It! This year's play is sure to be a hit! The cast includes old favorites and new additions! Tickets are still available for all nights next week, especially Saturday, and once again, Figgy Whigs will be available each night! We are having our top three flavors this year: Strawberry, Orange Cream, and the number one best seller, Reese's!
At some point I will post Nationals pictures and Summer Shakespeare pictures. We even have a trailer this year! Oooooh. I know, super cool. Stay tuned!
Monday, June 11, 2012
Debate, Day One
Phew! I survived day one. We woke up early this morning and headed over to Ben Davis high school, a ginormous school in Indianapolis. The school is big enough to house almost the entire tournament. We found my room really early, so we just sat in the hall and I worked on my case. My first round was in a teeny tiny office, so there wasn't room for Mom and Nicholee to observe. Too bad. They were able to watch second round, though. My mother was so nervous she thought she would have to leave, so she decided to sit my next rounds out. It was so nice to have someone to run and buy fruit and have snacks ready. At lunch time they brought in local food trucks of every variety! There was a taco truck, a health food truck, a potato and BBQ truck, a soul food truck, and a cupcake truck! We sure did meet a lot of interesting people in the food line! I ate delicious nachos with mango salsa. It was very nice. We finished my rounds and headed to The Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner. They had gluten free pasta! So yummy! After a little retail therapy we headed back to the hotel to get ready for tomorrow! We'll see how it goes! I have two guaranteed rounds and then they break the top 60! I'll keep ya posted!
And We're Off!
Sorry about the lack of post yesterday, everyone. I was up late preparing for today and then fell asleep.
Anyway, today's the big day! I have rounds at 9, 11, 2, and 4. Hopefully I can give you a play by play tonight:)
Anyway, today's the big day! I have rounds at 9, 11, 2, and 4. Hopefully I can give you a play by play tonight:)
Saturday, June 9, 2012
We Have Arrived
Well, we are in Indianapolis. We left around 8:00 this morning, the car packed with snacks and more snacks. They were all very healthy, of course. Nichole and I spent the ride up talking, watching Monk, Cranford, and our very old favorite, Andy Griffith! We love Andy Griffith. Mostly we just laughed. A lot. We can get a little loud sometimes, so my mother deserves a medal of honor for putting up with us:)
We love you, Mom.
We arrived at our hotel with relatively little problem and headed upstairs to unpack. It's hard to believe that we could be living here for a week! I unpacked all my debate stuff. Oh yeah, that's why we're here.
Haha. Just kidding. I remembered:)
Soon it was time to find our way around the city. We discovered the Zoo, the Stadium, and the Conference Center where registration takes place. We headed downtown for dinner. It was so fun to run into other competitors from South Carolina! Nichole and I observed that you can tell which high-schoolers are competing. I guess we speech people stand out.
One of the highlights of the evening was the prom that was going on in the mall. It was held in what was a sort of atrium, but everyone had to walk around it, so they had put fences up. We enjoyed watching them through said fence. And yes, we got a picture in front of the prom sign. I will post pictures as I am able, so keep checking!
We love you, Mom.
We arrived at our hotel with relatively little problem and headed upstairs to unpack. It's hard to believe that we could be living here for a week! I unpacked all my debate stuff. Oh yeah, that's why we're here.
Haha. Just kidding. I remembered:)
Soon it was time to find our way around the city. We discovered the Zoo, the Stadium, and the Conference Center where registration takes place. We headed downtown for dinner. It was so fun to run into other competitors from South Carolina! Nichole and I observed that you can tell which high-schoolers are competing. I guess we speech people stand out.
One of the highlights of the evening was the prom that was going on in the mall. It was held in what was a sort of atrium, but everyone had to walk around it, so they had put fences up. We enjoyed watching them through said fence. And yes, we got a picture in front of the prom sign. I will post pictures as I am able, so keep checking!
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Yes, I've Been Procrastinating
As expected, I started this blog, did really well for a while, and then promptly stopped using it. I know you are all anxiously awaiting my sappy post. We shall see about that.
However, I wanted to let you all know that I will start blogging regularly again next week. On Saturday I am going to the National Forensics League competition in Indianapolis to debate, so I will try and keep you updated. The fact that I am taking my friend Nichole, the queen of taking pictures of every single thing that occurs, may help with the pictures I post. Maybe.
So, don't give up on this ole blog. I may keep it going, after all.
We shall see.
Oh, and as a completely random side note, my father's Shakespeare company does a play every year, and this year they are doing As You Like It. Check it out and get tickets at www.summershakespeare.org.
I know. I'm such a good daughter:)
However, I wanted to let you all know that I will start blogging regularly again next week. On Saturday I am going to the National Forensics League competition in Indianapolis to debate, so I will try and keep you updated. The fact that I am taking my friend Nichole, the queen of taking pictures of every single thing that occurs, may help with the pictures I post. Maybe.
So, don't give up on this ole blog. I may keep it going, after all.
We shall see.
Oh, and as a completely random side note, my father's Shakespeare company does a play every year, and this year they are doing As You Like It. Check it out and get tickets at www.summershakespeare.org.
I know. I'm such a good daughter:)
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Home, Sweet Home
I have finally made it back to my wonderful family. It's so good to be home. Ahh. Sigh of relief.
Knowing me, I will probably write a long, kind of sappy last post. Later. After I've recovered:)
Knowing me, I will probably write a long, kind of sappy last post. Later. After I've recovered:)
The Grand Finale
I am currently sitting in the Vienna airport waiting for my flight. We had to get up at the crack of dawn. Ok, 5:15. Same thing. I made a stop for one last Almdudler. I could write all day about Almdudler. I will one of these days. Then I hugged Missy goodbye and headed for my gate. This is where the trouble started. Turns out you have to go all around in circles before finding the checkout line for gate B37. I think every get has it's own very specific place. Finding said gate can be a challenge when every airport employee seems bent on making the little American tourist cry. Ha! I didn't, though!
So now I am in the Vienna airport waiting for my little flight to Munich. And writing about our grand finale. That I haven't gotten to yet:)
Missy, Herr Dr. Kai, and I had the most wonderful day yesterday. We slept in and then took a bus and a train along the beautiful country roads to Dürnstein, a tiny village about an hour outside if Vienna. We explored the village and then climbed up to an old fortress on the mountain. The view from that mountain was gorgeous! You can see for miles and miles. Everywhere you look you see mountains and vineyards and tiny cottages. It's fabulous. When I get home I will upload all my pictures. You won't believe it:) While we were up there it started pouring! We ended up ducking into some ancient cave that was part of the fortress that King Richard the Lionhearted was held captive in! How cool is that? We waited out the storm with an older couple from Lindt (yes, as in the chocolate!) They were so sweet an we had fun talking to them, auf Deutsch, of course!
Then came my favorite part. We picked up bikes and rode along the Donau river. We rode on tiny country roads through the vineyards. We rode from little village to little village, stopping along he way to take pictures and eat carrots. It was amazing! Everything is green and luscious. Truly amazing. When it started raining again we ducked into a tiny restaurant to have a little snack. We all ha super fresh grape juice with sparkling water mixed in. Besides Almdudler, that's basically all we drake. Juice with sparkling water. It's so wonderful. We ended our wonderful day with dinner in a quaint little restaurant in Dürnstein. I had a yummy salad. It was beyond words. Let's just say that bacon, goat cheese, and plums were involved. And balsamic vinegar. Yes. I miss it already.
Our little last adventure was a wonderful end to a wonderful trip. I'm so sad to see it ending. Missy and Herr Dr. Kai were so sweet. We already have my next trip planned! Yay! I'll see everybody real soon:)
P.S. It is approximately 2:36 a.m. If any of you are reading this now, go back to bed. Aaggghhh! That means that I should be going to bed! The return of Jetlag!
I may not see you for a very long time.
So now I am in the Vienna airport waiting for my little flight to Munich. And writing about our grand finale. That I haven't gotten to yet:)
Missy, Herr Dr. Kai, and I had the most wonderful day yesterday. We slept in and then took a bus and a train along the beautiful country roads to Dürnstein, a tiny village about an hour outside if Vienna. We explored the village and then climbed up to an old fortress on the mountain. The view from that mountain was gorgeous! You can see for miles and miles. Everywhere you look you see mountains and vineyards and tiny cottages. It's fabulous. When I get home I will upload all my pictures. You won't believe it:) While we were up there it started pouring! We ended up ducking into some ancient cave that was part of the fortress that King Richard the Lionhearted was held captive in! How cool is that? We waited out the storm with an older couple from Lindt (yes, as in the chocolate!) They were so sweet an we had fun talking to them, auf Deutsch, of course!
Then came my favorite part. We picked up bikes and rode along the Donau river. We rode on tiny country roads through the vineyards. We rode from little village to little village, stopping along he way to take pictures and eat carrots. It was amazing! Everything is green and luscious. Truly amazing. When it started raining again we ducked into a tiny restaurant to have a little snack. We all ha super fresh grape juice with sparkling water mixed in. Besides Almdudler, that's basically all we drake. Juice with sparkling water. It's so wonderful. We ended our wonderful day with dinner in a quaint little restaurant in Dürnstein. I had a yummy salad. It was beyond words. Let's just say that bacon, goat cheese, and plums were involved. And balsamic vinegar. Yes. I miss it already.
Our little last adventure was a wonderful end to a wonderful trip. I'm so sad to see it ending. Missy and Herr Dr. Kai were so sweet. We already have my next trip planned! Yay! I'll see everybody real soon:)
P.S. It is approximately 2:36 a.m. If any of you are reading this now, go back to bed. Aaggghhh! That means that I should be going to bed! The return of Jetlag!
I may not see you for a very long time.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Now is Later
Sorry about the pictures!
I did not realize the pics were so blurry. That's what I get for trying to use my iPod to post, I guess! I have better copies. I will try to put them up via computer later!
Sunday, May 27, 2012
I Know You've Been Waiting on the Edge of Your Seats
I'm so sorry that it has taken me so long to talk about Salzburg! It was just so wonderful that I have needed time to process. That is a beautiful, beautiful city. Everything is old and quaint and wonderful. Everywhere we looked we saw churches and houses and statues. We saw the birthplace of Wolfgang Mozart and the birthplace of Mozart chocolate! Both are cool!
Then there was the Sound of Music tour. Let's just say that Missy and I both are now on a SOM fix. We have been watching it and looking for all the places we saw! The houses and lake and hills and churches are even more beautiful in person. I've been singing a lot:) One of my favorite movies is even better now! I didn't think that was possible! We were led by a hilarious guide named Günther! He was a hoot! And believe it or not, I was not the craziest fan there. One lady had even dressed up like Maria. Sadly, I did not get a picture. This is one of the great regrets of my lie. However, enjoy the pictures I do have:)
On Saturday we chilled. Herr Dr. Kai made us a yummy breakfast. Then Missy and I rested and read about all the things we could have been visiting. We were very, very tired. But we eventually realized that we could actually be visiting the places we were reading about, so we got ready and headed downtown. Unfortunately, we barely missed seeing the Dalai Lama. He was visiting just like me!
I have this thing about Catholic churches. They scare me. They really scare me. I think it's all the learning about the Inquisition and watching "Flame in the Wind." But yesterday we went into two churches, St. Peter's and St. Stephan's. They were both so beautiful and yet so sad. It really makes me thankful for the hope that we have.
Today I had a great day with the Hudson family and their church. I will have to write about that tomorrow:) It is so late and I am tired. Enjoy the pics, and I will try to post again tomorrow night!
Then there was the Sound of Music tour. Let's just say that Missy and I both are now on a SOM fix. We have been watching it and looking for all the places we saw! The houses and lake and hills and churches are even more beautiful in person. I've been singing a lot:) One of my favorite movies is even better now! I didn't think that was possible! We were led by a hilarious guide named Günther! He was a hoot! And believe it or not, I was not the craziest fan there. One lady had even dressed up like Maria. Sadly, I did not get a picture. This is one of the great regrets of my lie. However, enjoy the pictures I do have:)
On Saturday we chilled. Herr Dr. Kai made us a yummy breakfast. Then Missy and I rested and read about all the things we could have been visiting. We were very, very tired. But we eventually realized that we could actually be visiting the places we were reading about, so we got ready and headed downtown. Unfortunately, we barely missed seeing the Dalai Lama. He was visiting just like me!
I have this thing about Catholic churches. They scare me. They really scare me. I think it's all the learning about the Inquisition and watching "Flame in the Wind." But yesterday we went into two churches, St. Peter's and St. Stephan's. They were both so beautiful and yet so sad. It really makes me thankful for the hope that we have.
Today I had a great day with the Hudson family and their church. I will have to write about that tomorrow:) It is so late and I am tired. Enjoy the pics, and I will try to post again tomorrow night!
Friday, May 25, 2012
I have such smart friends!
I am overwhelmed by the response to my spelling issues! I now know how to spell falafel:) thanks, guys! I don't know what I'd do without ya!
We are currently on a train to Salzburg. Our tour start in a few hours, so we will have plenty of time to do what we do best, shop! Then it's SOM time!
We are currently on a train to Salzburg. Our tour start in a few hours, so we will have plenty of time to do what we do best, shop! Then it's SOM time!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Wien, Tag Zwei
Today we began our second day of touring. we stayed up late playing games last night, so we slept in a little this morning. Then we headed to the huge market in Vienna, where we were greeted by people trying to sell us all sorts of German paraphernalia. I love using my favorite words:) I was so glad to have Missy there to help me bargain auf Deutsch, and we got some good deals. After seeing everything that there was to see and getting yelled at by a strawberry selling man, we headed over to one of the many, many food stalls. Every other booth sells about one hundred different kinds of hummus, and they let you try it on yummy warm falafel. I don't think that is spelled right. Anyways, we bought some to take with us and headed over to Schönbrunn castle.
That is an amazing, amazing place. Thanks to Herr Dr. Kai I already knew about the Hapsburg family. On my first night here I watched his favorite movie, Sissy, Forever My Love. It's a terrific movie about Emproer Franz Josef and his wife, Empress Elizabeth, who everyone and their mother love and call "Sissy." Yes, Cole. They call her "Sissy," too! We toured the gardens, ate our lunch, got locked out of a bathroom, climbed to the top of the property, passed one million school groups, and had a fabulous time! It is so beautiful! I made a quick tour of the house, and then it was time for Kaffee und Küchen. YUMMY! So good! We had a lovely little table outside, and we continued our "No-English during times when food is involved" policy!
All this walking and modelling for pictures really wore us out, so it was back to the apartement for a little rest. Herr Dr. Kai soon came home, though, and we headed out for wiener-schnitzel! Finally! We went to a really, really authentic place, and by authentic I mean lots and lots of grease. Herr Dr. said that makes the food takes better. It makes me want a shower. The food was great, though. I had schnitzel, pommes (french fries), German potato salad, and cucumber salad. We also had their version of ketchup. Mom and Dad, you'll be glad to know that I think I'll stick with the non-homemade variety:) Now we're back home getting ready for another busy day...tomorrow is the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg! Hooray!
Ok, I have a hundred and one pictures to post, but I can't really figure it out right now. I will post them later:)
That is an amazing, amazing place. Thanks to Herr Dr. Kai I already knew about the Hapsburg family. On my first night here I watched his favorite movie, Sissy, Forever My Love. It's a terrific movie about Emproer Franz Josef and his wife, Empress Elizabeth, who everyone and their mother love and call "Sissy." Yes, Cole. They call her "Sissy," too! We toured the gardens, ate our lunch, got locked out of a bathroom, climbed to the top of the property, passed one million school groups, and had a fabulous time! It is so beautiful! I made a quick tour of the house, and then it was time for Kaffee und Küchen. YUMMY! So good! We had a lovely little table outside, and we continued our "No-English during times when food is involved" policy!
All this walking and modelling for pictures really wore us out, so it was back to the apartement for a little rest. Herr Dr. Kai soon came home, though, and we headed out for wiener-schnitzel! Finally! We went to a really, really authentic place, and by authentic I mean lots and lots of grease. Herr Dr. said that makes the food takes better. It makes me want a shower. The food was great, though. I had schnitzel, pommes (french fries), German potato salad, and cucumber salad. We also had their version of ketchup. Mom and Dad, you'll be glad to know that I think I'll stick with the non-homemade variety:) Now we're back home getting ready for another busy day...tomorrow is the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg! Hooray!
Ok, I have a hundred and one pictures to post, but I can't really figure it out right now. I will post them later:)
I figured it out:)
Ok, not a million, but here ya go. I will try to do more later. Give me a break! The whole computer is in German! Ha! Enjoy!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Tour de Vienna
Today was our first real day of touring auf Wien! We headed to Todd and Sarah Hudson's house where I met their fabulous kids for their speech lesson. I say fabulous, because they call me "the speech goddess." Yes, they really do. I hope they weren't disapointed! Haha! I talked about Mock Trial and Forensics, and then we did a Spar debate! So fun! Then we had another German-only meal. Those are always adventures:)
After lunch I visited my first German grocery store. I have never seen so much amazing candy in one place! I did find myself wondering why there were so many things auf Deutsch, though! Oh my.
Then we headed downtown to meet Herr Dr. Kai Soltau and pick up bikes. There are rent-a-bike places everywhere that are free for an hour! We rode all around der Ring and saw all the important stuff, as seen by the pictures below. However, being the Margaret that I am, I forgot my camera at the apartment, so these pics are courtesy of Missy's iPhone.
And yes, being an American tourist, I had to get fries at McDonalds and then take a picture of it. Actually, buying something at McDonalds is the easiest way to have access to a restroom, which are in low supply in Austria. I am happy to report that although we are behind Europe in the overall coolness of our atmosphere, we definitely have them beat in the French fry department. Ah, autocorrect. I love people who capitalize my favorite foods:)
After lunch I visited my first German grocery store. I have never seen so much amazing candy in one place! I did find myself wondering why there were so many things auf Deutsch, though! Oh my.
Then we headed downtown to meet Herr Dr. Kai Soltau and pick up bikes. There are rent-a-bike places everywhere that are free for an hour! We rode all around der Ring and saw all the important stuff, as seen by the pictures below. However, being the Margaret that I am, I forgot my camera at the apartment, so these pics are courtesy of Missy's iPhone.
And yes, being an American tourist, I had to get fries at McDonalds and then take a picture of it. Actually, buying something at McDonalds is the easiest way to have access to a restroom, which are in low supply in Austria. I am happy to report that although we are behind Europe in the overall coolness of our atmosphere, we definitely have them beat in the French fry department. Ah, autocorrect. I love people who capitalize my favorite foods:)
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
MOM AND DAD, I MADE IT TO MUNICH
FIRST LET ME SAY THAT I AM USING AN AIRPORT COMUPUTER THAT IS STUCK IN ALL CAPS. I AM NOT YELLING AT YOU ALL.
SECOND LET ME SAY THAT THIS KEYBOARD IS FUNKY, SO ANY GRAMMATICAL ERRORS MUST BE EXCUSED:)
THE FLIGHT WAS PRETTY UNEVENTFUL. I DID GET TO USE MY GERMAN, THOUGH. I MET AN OLDER ROMANIAN LADY WHO SPOKE LESS ENGLISH THAN I DO GERMAN. I HELPED HER BOARD THE PLANE, FIND HER SEAT, AND THEN GO THROUGH CUSTOMS AND FIND HER GATE WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT. SHE WAS SO SWEET, AND IT WAS NEAT TO SEE HOW HAPPY SHE WAS THAT I COULD UNDERSTAND HER (SORT OF) AND WANTED TO HELP!
RIGHT NOW I AM STUCK IN MUNICH DUE TO SOME TECHNICAL PLANE DIFFICULTIES. WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THIS WILL TAKE! I ALREADY MANAGED TO GET IN SOME SHOPPING (THERE IS SOCCER STUFF EVERYWHERE! COLE, YOU WOULD BE SO HAPPY!) AND HAVE DELICIOUS GERMAN HOT CHOCOLATE.
I SHOULD FIND OUT SOON WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY FLIGHT AND I'LL LET YA KNOW!
SECOND LET ME SAY THAT THIS KEYBOARD IS FUNKY, SO ANY GRAMMATICAL ERRORS MUST BE EXCUSED:)
THE FLIGHT WAS PRETTY UNEVENTFUL. I DID GET TO USE MY GERMAN, THOUGH. I MET AN OLDER ROMANIAN LADY WHO SPOKE LESS ENGLISH THAN I DO GERMAN. I HELPED HER BOARD THE PLANE, FIND HER SEAT, AND THEN GO THROUGH CUSTOMS AND FIND HER GATE WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT. SHE WAS SO SWEET, AND IT WAS NEAT TO SEE HOW HAPPY SHE WAS THAT I COULD UNDERSTAND HER (SORT OF) AND WANTED TO HELP!
RIGHT NOW I AM STUCK IN MUNICH DUE TO SOME TECHNICAL PLANE DIFFICULTIES. WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THIS WILL TAKE! I ALREADY MANAGED TO GET IN SOME SHOPPING (THERE IS SOCCER STUFF EVERYWHERE! COLE, YOU WOULD BE SO HAPPY!) AND HAVE DELICIOUS GERMAN HOT CHOCOLATE.
I SHOULD FIND OUT SOON WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY FLIGHT AND I'LL LET YA KNOW!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Today's the Day!
I am finally leaving! After months and months and months of planning, today's the day I will board the flight for my solo journey across the Atlantic. And by solo I mean me and probably one hundred other passengers:)
Here's the itinerary:
1:00ish: leave my humble abode. Moment of sadness. Ok, sadness time is over.
3:00ish: hopefully arrive at the Charlotte airport. I say hopefully because recently, my family has had the strange problem of not being able to get to or from Charlotte without getting lost. Strangely, this problem only seems to be in affect when I am in the car. That doesn't mean anything, does it?
3:00-5:10: all the airport stuff. Security, customs, snack, restroom stop, etc. They tell you to arrive at least two hours before your flight leaves. However, doing all the airport stuff either takes approximately 20 minutes, leaving you to wander around the airport for what seems like forever, or it takes 2 hours and 10 minutes because you get stuck in line behind an older couple, both in wheel chairs, behind a single mom with 7 kids all under the age of 6, who is behind a man who insists on bringing all of his cats with him to El Salvador, who is behind a women whose heart medication made the alarm go off., by which time you have missed your flight. Yes, I'm slightly worried. Can you tell?
5:10-7:50 (1:50 in the U.S.): arrive in Munich, Germany. Go through all the customs stuff again, find something delicious and German to eat, buy my brother and male cousins something soccer-y because that's what you do in Munich, according to Cole.
9:20-10:25: arrive in Vienna! Yayayay!
After that I will simply try to stay awake as I adjust to the time change! I'll keep you posted as I am able:)
Here's the itinerary:
1:00ish: leave my humble abode. Moment of sadness. Ok, sadness time is over.
3:00ish: hopefully arrive at the Charlotte airport. I say hopefully because recently, my family has had the strange problem of not being able to get to or from Charlotte without getting lost. Strangely, this problem only seems to be in affect when I am in the car. That doesn't mean anything, does it?
3:00-5:10: all the airport stuff. Security, customs, snack, restroom stop, etc. They tell you to arrive at least two hours before your flight leaves. However, doing all the airport stuff either takes approximately 20 minutes, leaving you to wander around the airport for what seems like forever, or it takes 2 hours and 10 minutes because you get stuck in line behind an older couple, both in wheel chairs, behind a single mom with 7 kids all under the age of 6, who is behind a man who insists on bringing all of his cats with him to El Salvador, who is behind a women whose heart medication made the alarm go off., by which time you have missed your flight. Yes, I'm slightly worried. Can you tell?
5:10-7:50 (1:50 in the U.S.): arrive in Munich, Germany. Go through all the customs stuff again, find something delicious and German to eat, buy my brother and male cousins something soccer-y because that's what you do in Munich, according to Cole.
9:20-10:25: arrive in Vienna! Yayayay!
After that I will simply try to stay awake as I adjust to the time change! I'll keep you posted as I am able:)
Friday, May 18, 2012
So Long, Farewell
I'm involved in a love-hate relationship with something called Mock Trial. This thing called Mock Trial is far too complicated for me to go into at the late hour that I find myself writing this post, so let's just say it's an intellectual contact sport, and leave it at that.
Tonight I had all my fellow Mock Trialers over, as I do on occasion, but tonight was different. I joined the team as a freshman, and since that time I have been privileged to work with the five greatest high-schoolers in the whole wide world. There was only one problem with this set-up. They were a year older. So each year the thought crossed my mind that at some point they would graduate and leave me in high school all alone.
I quickly tried to banish the thought.
Tonight, however, it escaped banishment and came back to the forefront of my mind. I'm sure that this had nothing to do with the fact that we were having a party to send them off into the big, scary, college world.
So tonight we said goodbye. Hopefully not forever, of course, but we said goodbye. And I hate goodbyes. I hate change. I hate not having them to lean on and to talk to and to cry with.
But, I love the lessons they taught me. I love the way they've changed me, made me stronger. And I love the possibilities that lie ahead.
So, let us not say goodbye, but as the French have it, Au Revoir!
And yes, that does mean that I am two for two on the Jane Austen references in these blog posts. Get used to it.
Tonight I had all my fellow Mock Trialers over, as I do on occasion, but tonight was different. I joined the team as a freshman, and since that time I have been privileged to work with the five greatest high-schoolers in the whole wide world. There was only one problem with this set-up. They were a year older. So each year the thought crossed my mind that at some point they would graduate and leave me in high school all alone.
I quickly tried to banish the thought.
Tonight, however, it escaped banishment and came back to the forefront of my mind. I'm sure that this had nothing to do with the fact that we were having a party to send them off into the big, scary, college world.
So tonight we said goodbye. Hopefully not forever, of course, but we said goodbye. And I hate goodbyes. I hate change. I hate not having them to lean on and to talk to and to cry with.
But, I love the lessons they taught me. I love the way they've changed me, made me stronger. And I love the possibilities that lie ahead.
And yes, that does mean that I am two for two on the Jane Austen references in these blog posts. Get used to it.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Thank you, 21st Century. It's nice to meet you too.
Please don't tell Jane Austen I'm here.
You've got to admit, I've held out a long time. You've thrown a lot at me. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest. Not that I don't think those things are great...for people with a whole lot of time on their hands. :) Something that I, unfortunately, do not have. In fact, I should be researching an affirmative constructive speech about the government's obligation to lessen the rich-poor income inequality gap (more on this later) or writing a speech for my graduation from Youth Leadership Greenville. Not to mention packing for Europe or cleaning my room or doing laundry.
Despite the fact that life is crazy, I am starting this blog for the sole reason of making myself write more. I don't expect to write everyday, but if joining the world wide web can make me set aside time to hone whatever creativity I may have, it will have been a pleasure knowing you.
You've got to admit, I've held out a long time. You've thrown a lot at me. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest. Not that I don't think those things are great...for people with a whole lot of time on their hands. :) Something that I, unfortunately, do not have. In fact, I should be researching an affirmative constructive speech about the government's obligation to lessen the rich-poor income inequality gap (more on this later) or writing a speech for my graduation from Youth Leadership Greenville. Not to mention packing for Europe or cleaning my room or doing laundry.
Despite the fact that life is crazy, I am starting this blog for the sole reason of making myself write more. I don't expect to write everyday, but if joining the world wide web can make me set aside time to hone whatever creativity I may have, it will have been a pleasure knowing you.
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