MIA

First, let me just say that I realize that I have been MIA for basically he month of July.  I am so incredibly sorry for this, but I have had some computer problems and so now I am back online! Miss me?

A lot has happened, however, so the next few posts will likely be catching up, then, of course, be looking for the latest honorable mentions.

Update #1--Fireworks

Let's start with the 4th of July, since my last post was on July 3rd.  Almost all of my Mom's family was at the lake (my grandparents live there) for the 4th.  We had a practically perfect day filled with sun, food, laughter and fun.  Of course we had bought fireworks to shoot at the end of the day as well.  It was probably around 9:30-ish when we started doing fireworks.  One of my little cousins is not a big fan of loud noises, and like me as a child, is afraid of fireworks.  So my mom, dad, and I went up to the house and did a few alternative things.  The four of us were sitting at the kitchen table, my Dad was teaching him a card trick, when all of a sudden, all the power went out.  And at the lake when the power goes out...it REALLY goes out.  It was pitch black dark.  In the same split second that the power went out, my Aunt appeared at the back door, and in an alarmed voice said, "Kay, something's wrong with Daddy..." (meaning my granddad, Pop) Could the electricity have picked a better time to go out?  I don't think so... Needless to say, after that things got a little crazy.  For the most pa

rt, my family, immediate and extended, is very good in a crisis situation.  We all are of the philosophy that freaking out does not help a situation...it hurts it.  I basically played the role of runner, trying to fly through the house gathering flashlights and what not.  My Dad grabs a huge flashlight out of his truck for scavenging and my Mom jumps in the truck and drives it down to the lake to shine the headlights on Pop.  As told to me later, after things calmed a bit...Pop went to try and get out of the swing and couldn't move.  He couldn't move anything on his right side.  Luckily, my grandparents live next door to a nurse, who checked him out and said that he definitely needed to get to the hospital.  So, everyone except for me, my cousin, my aunt, and the 3 little kids, took off to the hospital.  The 6 of us stayed behind in the house with no electricity.  My cousin corralled the kids into one of the cars, while my aunt and I went through the house finding every candle and flashlight we could.  Finally, we got the kids inside, kept everyone in the living room with pillows and blan

kets on the floor, and waited.  It's hard to wait like that.  We received regular updates on Pop, however, so that helped a good bit.  The doctors said that he was okay, but that he definitely had suffered a stroke and he was going to have to stay in the hospital for a while. At around 2:30 a.m., the power came back on, and my Mom called to say they were coming back to the house, but that Meme was going to stay with him.  When my parents got back home around 3:15, we drove back home, made it back around 4:00 a.m., so that I could make it to a wedding the next morning (my friend Ali got married, Yeaa!!!!) So needless to say my family has been tracking the progress of Pop for about 3 weeks now.  He is doing much better, and after a stint in the hospital, was able to come home last week.  It will be a long process to get back to where he was, but he is making great progress and s extremely determined to do it.  Thanks for everyone's prayers and concerns! My family and I appreciate them so much, and I am 

proud to say that he is doing so much better!  So, my 4th was eventful to say the least, and at the end of the weekend, I got to sit in traffic like this...

Old Glory

In the name of Independence and all things American...

Happy 4th of July!!

P.S. I would just like to point out the majorly feathered bangs, coupled with the ultra sassy pose.

Honorable Mention - Ansley

Ansley, The Mover and Shaker

“Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine.”~Elvis Presley

26 Tidbits:

Elvis and Priscilla

David Yurman

Dressing up (even for class)

Trip planner extraordinaire

Gets things done, always

Future Ann Coulter (but a whole lot nicer)

Dransley

LOVES the 4th of July

CFA

ATL-and proud of it!

Hot shoes

Best trip partner in the world

Big sunglasses and hott black one piece

Make-up artist (should be paid for her ability to do eye make-up)

Dizzy pilates

Work-out queen

Loyal friend

Makes friends faster than anyone I've ever seen

Conquered two colleges in 4 years

Never misses a beat

Addicted to celeb gossip

"Movie Star" Phone

Trusting and trustworthy

Homemade guacamole maker

Has a huge heart

Always knows someone (even in the most obscure places)

ELABORATION:

I had to post Ansley's honorable mention as close to the 4th of July as possible. She loves the 4th of July more than anyone I've ever met. She actually used to dress up as Miss America on the 4th. Now that's dedication. But that's just who Ans is. When she is passionate about something, she's not passionate a little bit, she's passionate a whole lot. I chose the quote at the top for her for two reasons. One, Ans LOVES Elvis Presley, even more than she loves the 4th. I mean she's read several books about his life and even dressed up as Priscilla like three years in a row for Halloween. Two, the quote could not fit her any more perfectly. She has an incredible drive that is rare in people our age. She makes things happen. When she says that she is going to do something, you better believe she'll do it. She is such a hard worker. She's not one of those people who does anything halfway. It's hard to find someone who works as hard as Ansley does AND is able to let go and have as much fun as she can. I have more memories with Ansley where I had the time of my life than I can possibly count. I have only known Ans for 2 years, but I feel like I've known her forever. It's hard to explain how easily she opens up to people and how easy it is to open up to her. She makes every effort to make people comfortable and to genuinely get to know them as a person. I think everyone who knows Ans would agree with me on that.

CLASSIC STORY:

Like I said before, Ans and I have A LOT of memories, but the ones that stand out the most are from our spring break senior year of college. Our group of immediate friends were going in all different directions, so Ansley and I decided to hop on a cruise with several other people we knew. We had a cabin to ourselves and spent the whole week having an absolute blast. Our first port was in Cozumel. I cannot express the fun that we found here. I will not go into particular detail but you could ask the aforementioned Bo, or John Mark, or Trey, or any of the other tons of people on the beach that day. Our second port, however, was somewhere called Progreso, Mexico. It might sound familiar because people tend to go there for mission trips. We found out that a boat only stops there once a month, and the people make their money for the entire month from that one stop. Still, we thought we would give it the benefit of the doubt. We walked out of the ship that day, and not only was it raining, but we could barely see the town because a three mile dock stood in our way. We hopped onto a "bus" and teetered our way down the rickety 3-mile dock toward Progreso. The look on Ansley's face said it all, so this is why this cruise was cheaper. We got to the marketplace and after a Progreso native ogled us, and then made some weird, super creeper bird noise, we hopped back on the "bus" and headed back toward the ship. Somehow, that day was still SO much fun! We got back to the boat and spent the entire day relaxing and in conversation.

I could not have had more fun on that cruise and I attribute my experience to sweet and wonderful Ans! That's just how Ansley is. She makes fun in every situation, and lives life to it's absolute fullest. She's the kind of friend that I am very lucky to have.

Honorable Mention - Emily

Emily, The Mastermind

"Everything that I decide to do means something, otherwise I don't do them."~ Celine Dion

26 Tidbits:

Obviously Celine
Watched CSPAN as a child (therefore missed out on every Disney movie, yet somehow we are still great friends)
Very texture-oriented person
Dancer
Wonderful Aunt to little Dave
Can't stand a liar
Loves her friends deeply
Obsession with cars
Theologian
Only speaks when she has something to say
Broad vocabulary
Would be a hippie, but thinks things through too much
Tunic and hoodie lover
Advice guru
Fearless (except for things with peanut butter or shrimp)
Will buy new hair products based on the bottle
Dancing with the Stars
Hates to pack/unpack
Should have been born in Italy
Hates to wear black
NBA fanatic
Always drives the boat (figuratively and literally)
Future WEGP Advisor
Loves to argue, but only when it's a fun argument
Claims she looks nothing like her family (truth: she looks like her mom)
Never falters on her beliefs

ELABORATION:

Em is without a doubt a unique person. Other than my Mom, who Em is very much like, I've never met anyone else like her. She is a melting pot of personality, knowledge, and skill. She gives some of the best advice I've ever received. She is truly talented in that. The quote at the top could not be more perfect for her. To say Emily loves Celine Dion is a huge understatement. I was fortunate enough to experience Celine's show in Vegas with Em. She loved every minute!The show was simply amazing, I do have to say. But the quote also fits so perfectly because Em doesn't second guess her decisions. When she decides something, she follows through with it, simple as that. I think this partly is because before she makes a decision, she thinks about it from every angle, dissecting every piece of information she can. She is incredibly intelligent, as proven by her words, that most of us have never heard before, that she interjects into every day conversation. She loves her friends and family and she would do anything for them. She has an ambition to do great things in life, and she no doubt will for sure do it because she is so dynamic. She's a fun-loving person, too, which makes her even cooler. Em and I are great friends. I only hope I complement her as well as she complements me.

CLASSIC STORY:

Over the years I have accumulated many a memory with Em, but this one is one of my favorites. I mentioned that we went to Vegas together. It was MLK weekend during our Junior year of college. She and I were walking through the Bellagio casino, on our way to see "O", when we noticed someone who looked strangely familiar. He was passing us in a very casual manner. Being the Southern women that we are, we kindly smiled and said hi as he was passing by (because somehow we knew him, and it would be rude not to say hello.) The minute he passed us, it clicked with both of us who he was, Scott Caan from Ocean's 11, 12, and 13! We just casually spoke to a celebrity! And how ironic that we saw him in the Bellagio casino. We felt like we were in a movie. We decided to go and walk the strip that night, but it was unusually cold for Las Vegas, in the teens I believe, so the next night we decided to bundle up in our room robes and stay inside the hotel. We were wandering around on our floor when we ran into Mr. Caan again, only this time he was going into his room, only a few doors down from ours! We ran to the room and got Em's camera and decided to do some scouting. We never saw him re-emerge from the room, but we did catch up with some interesting fellows from Great Britain. I videoed and Em interviewed. The guys were making conversation and talking about our accents. They were getting a bit fresh, and something very strange happened. ONE TRIED TO UNDO HER ROBE! Are you kidding me, Em gave him a glare, I shut off the camera, and in unison, we tromped back to our room. Creep.

This story is just one example of our double trouble nature. Needless to say we had a great time in Vegas, but the truth of this story is that when you are with Em you can always plan on having an adventure of some sort. We have had some amazing times, and I attribute them all to Em's amazing unique self.

Honorable Mention - Bo

Bo, The Practical Optimist

"Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did."~Newt Gingrich

26 Tidbits:

Master fisherman

Country Music (and singing along in the car)

Garth Brooks

Wakeboarding

Steak and BBQ

Carl Edwards (and everything NASCAR)

To say he loves Coca-Cola is an understatement

Driving the boat at Wedowee

Auburn Football

Major golfer

Sporting Clays

The Wash House Restaurant

Epitome of a Southern Gentleman

Quick-witted

Loves to give surprises

Loves to be the host (and is a very talented chef!)

Allergies (sorry I had to put it in...it's part of what makes you, you)

Big Disney Fan

Karaoke star

Knows how to cut a rug

Everything in government

Road-trips (especially to away games)

Auburn Football

Family time

The Office

Smiles all the time (Always makes everyone feel comfortable)

ELABORATION:

I chose the quote at the top for Bo, not only because of his love for politics, but also because I feel like it describes him so well. He does every job to the maximum degree. He works as hard as anyone I have ever met in my life, and he wouldn't have it any other way. He is the kind of person that would sacrifice every bit of his own happiness so that someone else is happy. Don't get me wrong, he stands his ground, but he makes it a point to make sure others are content and comfortable. He is a decision maker, but has the amazing ability to quickly make decisions that somehow appease the whole group. Everyone loves to be around him. His personality is contagious, along with his smile and laugh. He can relate to anyone anywhere, and quickly makes newcomers feel welcome. When he asks how you are, he is the type that listens intently with sincerity. He treats every person he meets with the equal compassion and congeniality. He is a true Southern gentleman in every sense of the word. He's hysterically funny. His dry-witted sense of humor is accented with perfect comedic timing. I would say he's a pretty likable guy...

CLASSIC STORY:

I really got to know Bo the summer after our junior year of college. I always knew who he was, but I didn't really know him. On this afternoon, I was returning something to him at his house. He invited me to go and sit under the tree by his house and have a Coke, something Bo practically considers part of his family. We hadn't known each other very long, but we just got started talking. He made conversation go by so easily, and before I knew it we had been sitting for about two hours. After we finished our Coke and there was a break in conversation, he asked if I wanted to throw the frisbee. Sounded like a great idea to me! We threw the frisbee back and forth a good bit, and chatted in the afternoon. He also has a pretty good reputation for being pretty smooth, but on this day he lost his footing for just a second. I threw the frisbee, and somehow it slid right through his hands and hit him in the face. He quickly shook it off, laughed at himself, and we continued to throw the frisbee. He thinks that it was a slip on his part and that he lost "cool points," but I don't think he realized how impressed I was at his ability to laugh at himself and joke and have fun with it. I will never forget that! Some of you might be wondering why I didnt include the Magnolia Ball (Round 1) story here...I think that story deserves a blog post of it's own.

This story just goes to show what a genuine person Bo is. He makes every effort to be congenial and friendly, and to make people feel comfortable. Like I said before, people, obviously including me, just can't help but like him!

Honorable Mention - Mom & Dad

Mom & Dad, No Description Necessary

"A child's job is to test her boundaries, a parent's is to see that she survives the test."~Dr. Roger MacDonald

26 Tidbits:

10 on Mom:
Dancing with the Stars
ANYTHING with George Strait
Witty as can be (I have fallen victim to the quick wit before)
Power shopper
Master trip coordinator
Cruises while listening to Jazz Cafe
Oldest child (Always wants to make everyone happy)
Destin
The Grand Floridian
Has been known to make up words like ump-teen (meaning "a lot")

10 Tidbits on Dad:
Master Golfer
NEAT FREAK
Anything to do with building science
Dead shot (in sporting clays of course)
Loves to give people surprises
Chilling at the beach
Boat captain
Loves to teach people things
Sam Cooke (and all oldies for that matter)
Hardly ever gets stressed out, pretty much goes with the flow

6 Tidbits for Both:
The Wash House Restaurant
Master daughter nickname makers (hot rod, petunia, tina, bets, bug, lily, sis, etc...)
Having fun is their speciality
Biggest Auburn fans in the world
High School Sweethearts
SUPER loving/wonderful/caring/fun/cool parents

ELABORATION:

I chose the verse at the top because my parents always say I was a difficult child to raise. I thought it was fitting. Even if I am that way, they are really good at being parents. I should probably explain why I am doing theirs together. While they are very different and unique in their own personalities, my parents are still a unit. A very tight knit unit. They have been married for 33 years. My family is extremely close and we know probably just about every detail of each other that you can possibly know. Seriously the best way to describe us is that we are just tight!

They are both meticulous but in very different ways. My Mom is meticulous when it comes to details. Rocks beware, because none of you will be left unturned. She knows how to dig out every single detail of every single thing. It is an amazing quality, because she is always on the ball. It's impossible to argue with her because she's not one step ahead of you, she's 15 steps ahead of you. She has a natural ability to help keep everyone else on top of things, too. Which is so helpful to me because I'm not always that way. Mom is good at enjoying life, and her number one priority is to spend it with the people she loves the most. She's hilarious by the way. She has that really smart dry wit humor. And if you do something that lends itself to her witty phrases, be prepared to fall victim to her antics. No one minds, though, because she has you in stitches, laughing so hard.

My Dad, on the other hand, is meticulous in the physical aspects of life. He is the very definition of a neat freak. Everything has a place, whether in the house, in his office, in his car, and even in his appearance. "Cleanliness is next to Godliness"...yeah, that kinda neat. But you would think a person that tidy would be a bit uptight, which could not be farther from the truth about my Dad. He is "cool as a cucumber" you might say. He has a pretty low-stress personality and an adept ability to always see the big picture. He never really gets frazzled, even though he has an unwavering drive to work hard. He has a hard time sitting still, even on the weekends. He's always either out in the yard or doing work around the house. He handles work and life like a champ. My Dad is hilarious too! His humor is different from my Mom's, but still keeps everyone laughing all the time.

My parents balance each other so well. I can only hope that one day I have a marriage like theirs. Like I said they were high school sweethearts. He was the Key Club President and she was the Key Club sweetheart. He asked her to Homecoming on the first day of school their junior year of high school...she said yes...and here they are! Their names even rhyme...Trey & Kay. You can't get much cuter than that. They just fit.

CLASSIC STORY:

You can imagine over the years I have accumulated a number of favorite memories with my parents. They are very unique, special people, and we have fun no matter what we are doing. I used to love it when we would get lost, like say if we were visiting a city that we didn't know well, because my parents wouldn't get frustrated, they would just get funny. That humor I was mentioning. Yeah, it would come out then. SO many of my favorite memories also happened in Disney World. It is not only my favorite place to be, but it's also my parent's. And of course the numerous trips to the lake and the beach.

One infamous story sticks out in my mind that pretty accurately portrays my family. My grandparents used to live on Wolf Bay, down near Orange Beach. My parents and I made it a tradition to go out on the boat when we were down there, and many times we would go shrimping. (If you've never been shrimping, this is my plug for it. It is SO much fun). When you go shrimping, you pull a huge net behind your boat. Porpoises follow the boat, and when you pull in the net, they swim to the boat. You empty the net into a big tub and see what all you've caught. You catch all kind of things. It's so cool. On this trip, I was probably 7-yrs-old, a particular age where I had a reputation for being quite the drama queen. Well, this time we were shrimping in Wolf Bay, and our net got hung on something I assume on the bottom on the bay. I played it cool for a little bit until....a barge started coming. Now I didn't mention that a channel runs through the bay and barges pass through there regularly. The barge starts to blast it's horn even though it's decently far away. All the while, Mr. Fix It, or Trey the Toolman as I like to call him, is trying to save the net and get us free. I, clearly, start to panic. Give me a break, water was starting to seep into the boat, and I was in no mood to play chicken with a barge.

"We're sinking!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are all gonna drown!!!!!!!!!" I shriek. My Mom is multi tasking by trying to calm me down (she was giggling under her breath), trying to help my Dad, and trying to keep calm herself, because it was a little nerve-racking. She has this amazing panic mode though. She and my Dad. Neither of them ever really panic actually. The barge continues to tell us to move in it's bellowing voice, "PLEASE MOVE OUT OF THE WAY, PLEASE MOVE OUT OF THE WAY, PLEASE MOVE OUT OF..." You get the picture.

Finally, we cut our losses, quite literally. Dad cut a chunk of the net off the boat so that we could get away. It was scary for a little bit, but now it's just the perfect story that's been told time and again. It was worth it, simply for story value. All in all, my parents are great. They love me as much as parents can love a child and they put up with my craziness. Like for example this story, or when I locked my keys in Haley Center and they brought me an extra key, or when I left my cell phone in my parents car before they drove an hour and a half away from me. They are just great in every way! Thank you & Love you Mom & Dad!

Honorable Mention - Riley

Riley, The (Organized) Free Spirit

"Living in the moment means letting go of the past and not waiting for the future. It means living your life consciously, aware that each moment you breathe is a gift."~Oprah Winfrey

26 Tidbits:

Design

Creativity

WALL.E

Dressing up for work

Shoe obsessions

Favorite Aunt/Babysitter

Healthy eater

Laughter

Curls

Edgar's

Non-chain restaurants

Exercise

Suits (not one that she would wear...)

Trying new things all the time

Never liking to say goodbye

Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss (for reasons known to Riley and other's that were there that night)
Rap music

17th Floor

Feel good movies

Engagment ring designer

Yelling "That's not possible!" to Indiana Jones.

Mob Wars on Facebook

Photography

Celeb gossip (me too, no worries.)

Road-trips to see friends

Beautiful writer

ELABORATION:

The quote at the top reminded me so much of Riley. Just the other day, she and I were talking about living in the present, and she was mentioning how there is no point in worrying so much and getting flustered over things that you have no control over. "Just be happy!" she said. I don't think she realizes what an inspiration that is to people. Because she doesn't just speak those type of things and make them idle words, but instead she lives this philosophy every day. You will be hard pressed to find Riley when she is not smiling. She is a naturally happy person, and she just makes you want to be around her. I mentioned laughter in things that identify her. This girl LOVES to laugh. And she has the kind of humor that is genuine and contagious. Riley has the coveted quality of being able to laugh at herself, which makes you like her all the more. She is not one to argue with you, but she is not a push-over in any sense either. She has a way of giving her opinion that makes you appreciate the fact that she said it, instead of making you feel like she is running you over.

CLASSIC STORY:

One of my favorite qualities about Riley is how candid she is, which brings me to one of my favorite stories involving her. It was a random weekend our senior year in college and we were at a cookout. We were all sitting around talking. I'm pretty sure that the boys outnumbered the girls like 6-3 or something. Somehow Riley started talking about different things that she had going on in her life. She was so open and honest about how she felt about different things and different topics. The guys looked flabbergasted. It was clear that they rarely found a girl who would give them a straight up honest answer about anything they asked. The cookout soon became an information session. When Riley left, the guys could not stop talking about her. They were absolutely enamored with her. So I thank Riley for being a visionary in communicating with the male persuasion, and simply speaking her mind.

I think that this story is simply a testament to the kind of genuine, heart-felt, candidly wonderful person that Riley is! I am blessed to be one of her friends and to get to spend time with her daily!

Honorable Mention - Katie

Katie, The Loyal One:

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view." ~Harper Lee

26 Tidbits:

Celine Dion

Whitney Houston

Any Diva that can belt music as well as Katie can on karaoke

TLC Shows (Little People, Big World and Jon & Kate Plus 8)

Black & White

Ann Taylor

Polo Shirts

Mark Ballas

Dancing with the Stars

Dance Parties

Cooking

Museums (just kidding)

NATURAL blonde hair

Her laugh: "I love it when she gets all excited and does her super excited laugh!" -Ansley

Tennis

Anything from China

Eating healthy

Exercise videos with Ans

Loving people whole-heartedly

Riding in the car, windows down, singing

Michael Bolton

Professional Sunscreen Applicator
Medical Things

Nursing

INSISTS that she doesn't fall asleep watching movies (even though she does)
The fact that she LOVES to be first (therefore the reason why she is first on the blog)

ELABORATION:

Katie, and people who know her well, will understand the obvious reason I attached the Harper Lee quote to her name. But another reason I found it fitting is that Katie has an uncanny ability to see things from other people's point of view. She is not one to make a snap decision. Rather, she is one to see things from different sides, and like any great friend, finds a way to gently remind you when you are being stubborn and refusing to look at the big picture. She is a very compassionate person and she is so incredibly smart, mainly because she makes it a point to know as much as she possibly can about the things that she is passionate about. She is one of the most loyal people you will ever meet. She will take up for you in a heartbeat. Do not ask Katie for an opinion on something unless you want the honest heartfelt truth. I love that I can always count on her to give me an honest opinion about something, because I know without a doubt that she is doing it for my own good.

CLASSIC STORY:

One of my very favorite stories is from our Sophomore year of college. Katie was walking back to the dorms after class and she saw a "friend of a friend" that she had met a week earlier. Imagine that Katie was standing at one street corner, and the other person was standing across the road at another street corner. Katie proceeded to yell a friendly greeting to the new friend across the street. The girl obviously could hear Katie but for some reason (traffic noise or other) she could not tell that katie was the one that had yelled the greeting. Katie tried once more, trying to still seem casual. Still the girl on the other side could not see her. On the third try, Katie yelled the girl's name and emphatically waved her arms to catch her attention. (I should mention that obviously, several other parties are involved, seeing this take place, because in between classes several people are walking at the street crosswalks.) Finally the girl sees that Katie is the one yelling the greeting. Either because she couldn't see clearly to the other side of the crosswalk, or she had forgotten their brief meeting, the girl yelled back, "Do I know you?" And then proceeded to walk away.

Although Katie's good intentions were in vain, this story is a testament to what a truly fantastic, loving, caring, endlessly friendly person Katie is. She will always speak to you, always smile, and always genuinely ask how you are doing.

Honorable Mentions

Ok, so I was sitting at my desk and looking through some things on the Internet, when a thought occured to me. It has always been a special interest to me to somehow randomly honor people who do things in their every day life that deserve so much recognition and do not recieve any that they deserve! So, what I am deciding to do is highlight a different person in each post. It may be one of my close friends, maybe family, maybe someone I kind of know, but I thought it would be a good idea to honor those around us who truly deserve it. If you would like, feel free to add opinions and comments to the posts.

Wishful Thinking

I mentioned that I would be giving an update on the status of my weekend on Monday, so I am doing what every good working girl does and following through.. My roommates are so sneaky, but I fell for a well thought out lie...hook, line, sinker.

I arrived home on Friday to see roomie RT walking into our building. I waved enthusiastically and pulled into to park as well. She was already well on her way into the apartment, so I didn't question the fact that she didn't wait for me so that we could walk together. I got into the apartment and found KM, other roomie, who we were supposedly going to dinner to celebrate, milling around "getting ready to go." RT was doing the same. I was told earlier in the day that RT no longer had to baby sit and that the three of us should go to dinner to celebrate KM passing her nursing exam, but that it was a surprise for her as to wear we were going.

In true blue "I know where we're going, and you don't" fashion, I kept badgering KM, asking her where she thought it might be and if she was excited. She was kind enough to follow along. RT came into the living room and announces that she got our reservation pushed back to 7. Sounds good to me! I say. So we continue to chat and catch up on the day. RT has also changed into more casual clothes. Apparently she needed to run by her parents house before she came back to get ready. I thought nothing of this, and assumed she was being truthful. I also ask RT what I should wear to this place, considering I had never been.
"What is BS's (boyfriend) favorite dress on you?" she asked.

Instinctively I exclaim, "WHY? IS HE COMING?!?!"

She plays it incredibly cool and explains that no, he's not, she just thought it might narrow the choices a bit. I knew in my mind not to get my hopes up for the possibility of him coming because I knew he was leaving early in the morning to go on a trip. There was no possible way for him to be able to visit, and it was not going to be possible to see him until 4th of July weekend, if that. (I should mention at this point that I have not seen him in 2 weeks).

So RT leaves to go to her "parents" house. About 15 minutes after she left, some one bangs on the door. I was so startled. I walked over to the door, and upon realizing that I am not nearly tall enough to see out of the peep hole, I wimpily ask "Who's there?"

"Hello?"

I knew in a nanosecond who was on the other side. I threw open the door and literally attacked him! He was leaving until Sunday and had kept it a secret! He and my roommates completely kept me off of the trail. I had no clue that he would be coming.

In reality, RT did have to babysit. BS was the one taking me to dinner and we were going to Bottega's which I was SO excited about, and rightfully so I might add. Afterward we went to see Wall.E....it was ADORABLE! One of the cutest funniest movies I've seen. Please go see it, even if you are cynical about animated movies. On Saturday, we bummed around, went to Johnny Rockets, drove around, went to Target and then came back to the apt.

RT, BS and I decided to go to the driving range. SO much fun! and might I add, I am so SORE still today. But the weather was perfect and if you ever get started then you get hooked. The three of us met KM at Cracker Barrel (which has become a tradition for when BS visits). And then we sent BS on his way. He had to be back to a catch a plane early Sunday morning ::sigh::

But the two days were so wonderfully unexpected, and I was thankful for every minute!

The rest of the night, KM and RT and I rented "Diary of a Mad Black Woman." If you have not seen it, then you don't know what you are missing. (For those who have seen it, the part where she and Madea destroy her ex-husband's house may be one of my favorite movie moments ever. Madea's quotes when she encounters the mistress are priceless)

Sunday was perfect as well! I went to church with KM and RT. After which RT and I joined her parents for lunch. And then I went home and CLEANED! I love a clean place and I am quickly becoming a neat freak in very aspect of my life. I didn't used to be, but it's slowly but surely becoming that way. My apartment is SPOTLESS right now. I love it.

Then Mom and Dad came to visit! We hung out, drove around town, looked at potential cars (fingers crossed) and then they took me to one of my favorite restaurants ever...J.Alexander's. Absolutely delicious! So my weekend was fabulous, and now I have leftover steak kabobs for lunch today. Clearly my weekend revolved around people and food, my two passions (sad? maybe.)

So what I need now is car suggestions...anyone?

Oink

I have gotten into looking at different events going on around town, simply because Birmingham is such a cool city, and so high class. This is what I found...

Event: Wine-tasting

Date: June 27, 2008

Location: Piggly Wiggly

Somehow, they cancel each other out.

TGIF

It's Friday!! I'm so excited! I love Fridays! The atmosphere is just so happy on Fridays. Everyone can't wait to spend the weekend doing whatever it is they want to do. For me, this weekend = relaxation.

Tonight we are celebrating that one of my roomies, KM, passed the NCLEX!!!!!!!!! She is a for real nurse and we love her! I can't say where we are going because it is a surprise for her. I am so going to take advantage of her instead of going to the doctor. I have to say that this week has been filled with celebrating, and it all has been centered around this one test. Tuesday, we celebrated because she finished the test by going to Edgars and going to Jackson's. Yum! And now we are celebrating because she for real passed it!

Tomorrow, I plan on trying to get this pasty white skin of mine tan. I am tired of reflecting underneath the flourescent lights in my office. (Side note--the phones here ring just like the ones on The Office...10 points for realism NBC) I have no idea what I will be doing Saturday night...any ideas?

Sunday, maybe I will go to the lake with Mom and Dad, not entirely sure, but I do know that exerting energy will NOT be a part of my day. I might try to ski...I will let you know how that goes on Monday. Last time I tried, I lost both my skis and for some reason thought it a perfect idea to keep hanging onto the rope. Nose full of Lake Martin...ouch.

Sorry, this post is pretty boring. I will step it up next time.

Confection Confession (with a side of Nerd)

Confession...I'm a slighty sugar-obsessed patriotic nerd.

I had a very good day yesterday! Work rocked along very smoothly (always does), but I was mostly looking forward to 5:00pm. Not because I dislike work, but because I was going to EGDAR'S! If you have never been, then your poor tastebuds have missed out on the same thing mine have been. It was amazingly good!

You see, my office building is very close to Edgar's and every day when I head home I see the bakery. I've heard about it several times and I've even driven by slowly, peeping into the windows. Yesterday, I bit the bullet. I finally had a reason to go to Edgar's. One of my roomies took the NCLEX exam (an exam for nurses that they must pass in order to become an R.N.) that morning and didn't have to study anymore. I'm not entirely sure what all it entails, but NCLEX sounds like a villian from a MARVEL comic book. Not fun. But thank you roomie, for giving me a reason to go to Edgar's!

When I left work, I headed straight there. (I feel like I should give a shout out to my friend that called from Switzerland...sorry I was distracted by all the cakes! I was SO happy to chat with you!) I entered the heavenly doors, and immediately smelled the freshness and purity of bread and cakes just out of the oven. I browsed for probably 30 minutes. They had cupcakes, cookies, pettafores, brownies, and beautifully mastered confections that I almost do an injustice by simply calling them a cake. I searched and I searched for the perfect dessert. I could have gone a number of ways, but instead I settled for 4 mini desserts. They were ADORABLE! I chose a mini chocolate bundt cake, a chocolate iced cake with chocolate bars stuck in it, a chocolate dessert shaped like a little ball that had pecans and chocolate shavings on it, and my personal favorite....COCONUT CAKE. The little coconut cake was so beautiful!

Before the 4 of us that were celebrating dove into the desserts, we decided it best to go and eat dinner. The minute we stepped back into the apartment we took the sweets by storm. They never had a chance poor things. We polished those little suckers off while watching National Treasure 2. Now, thanks to the movie, I have this incredibly nerdy desire to learn as much as I can about American History. All those myths and legends, is there even the slightest chance that some of them are true? It was when I was tempted to comment on a "The Book of Secrets: DOES it Exist?" discussion board that I realized that maybe I should take a step back, re-evaluate and decide whether or not I wanted to commit to this much nerdiness.

Answer: Been there, Done that....And apparently I'm continuing it.

It's so interesting though! No, there is no proof that such things are true necessarily, but there is no proof that they are entirely false either. I choose to think there are secrets locked in the past that only our ancestry know and ever will know. That is what a secret is correct? Things no one is supposed to know? For that purpose, I choose to speculate...it makes it all so much more interesting. Am I alone in my nerdiness?

grumpy, dopey, doc, SNEEZY, bashful,sleepy and happy

This is so funny.

Maybe It's Just Me But...

Maybe she didn't have a mirror....

white, sweater knit, tight, tight, tight short, spaghetti strap dress, with black pointy-toe pumps that, don't worry, matched her black undies that I could see straight through the dress...wow.

Jeepers CREEPERS

Pick-up lines...I'm so glad this is not a lost art. I have such fun examples of these. If you have any to add, please do!

Example #1 (The Awkward Reference)

"You remind me of my daughter." Not the best opening line. How am I supposed to respond to that?

"Awesome. You remind me of the creepiest guy ever."

(In true Jeff Foxworthy form...) IF you can honestly say that the 20-something girl that you are hitting on reminds you of your daughter.... YOU MIGHT BE A CREEPER!

Group of men at LuLu's---take note that you are no longer in college and there is no excuse for leaving your wedding band in your golf bag...not cool.

Example #2 (Pulling the God Card)

I had the privilege to spend this weekend at a bachelorette party. I love bachelorette parties. I am telling you what, stick a veil on one of your friends, and see what happens. People go crazy. They treat the bride like a celebrity (which she should be) and they treat her lucky little followers like prey, assuming that each girl who is clearly a bridesmaid or friend of the bride is so depressed and bitter that she is not the one getting married, that her inhibitions and standards have been considerably lowered.

I am so glad that people think that this is the case, because how else would I be able to blog about all the fantastic interventions I was privy to this past weekend. The first night we went to dinner and then went to a place called Live Bait (if you have been to Gulf Shores, you might have been here). Upon entering, a guy approached us, rather he pounced on the group almost in an "I saw them first" kind of way. Immediately, he bought us a round of drinks. Okay, this is not all that out of the ordinary for a bachelorette party. We tell him we went to Auburn University. "Oh!! I go to LSU!"~like that was suppose to be impressive. He said it in a way that sounded like he expected us to know all the same people, I guess because we go to SEC schools? So we played the name game (one-sided). He asked if I knew some girl he knew in high school who had decided to come to Auburn (only 24,000 people go to Auburn and NO, I do not know your needle that could be found in the proverbial haystack of Auburn University).

But, just for fun, I said "Oh yeah! I know her!" Haha awesome. He described her as "one of those good Christian girls," which actually we happen to have quite a few of at Auburn.

"We tend to hang out with those kind of girls," which was not only true, but was the only thing I could think to say. Apparently he found that to be his way into our group, because not only did he talk repeatedly to me about his personal spirituality (while he was very drunk) but also to everyone in our group. First he told us that he had just graduated from college and now he was exploring whether or not he wanted to go into the ministry. He told me and the rest of our group that he was "pure" (too much info., pretty sure I didn't ask) and that dancing was his outlet.

What on Earth is THAT supposed to mean? What the heck? Needless to say the avoiding process started with dancer dude. As if this couldn't get any better, he made an appearance the second night, and told us he couldn't remember what he said the night before (bad start bud, on round 2 no less), but that he was actually a senior at LSU and that he became a youth minister at 19, and took a group of 20-30 high schoolers on a mission trip...righhhhht, those parents were trusting with a 19-year-old supposed youth minister.

You were funny dancer dude. You made several of us very uncomfortable with your dancing near us because we wouldn't let you dance with us. Notice the difference.

Example #3 (The Surprise Attack)

On this same trip, I was standing at the Florabama, a place which needs no other explaining except that it is a melting pot of mullet haircuts, crop tops, tight pants, rebel flags, and the occasional college-y group that has come for the experience alone. We were one such group. I was standing talking to one of the other members of the bachelorette party, when out of no where I hear, "I'm Brian." Whoa...little close. Not to mention he didn't approach from the front but instead snuck up beside me where I was not prepared for this interaction...definition: creeper. I was so caught off guard I could not think of what to say. This awkward little interaction lasted for about 3 minutes and included him asking me questions in rapid succession before I could possibly answer him, "Where are you from? Where do you go to school? Do you like the football team? What are you majoring in? What are you going to do with it? Why are you here?" I wanted to say "No. Why are you here?" When I was rescued by a friend who saw me struggling. Thank you again!

Example #4 (Please Pity Me Approach)

This may be my favorite of the Florabama experience. Sometimes you can receive a pick-up line out of the clear blue just by walking by. A couple of my friends were walking by this one guy and for no particular reason he blurted out "My boat sank today."

I was so happy I walked up on this conversation. This poor fellow and his friend seemed so sad, but I very highly doubt that his story was true. The more he talked the worse it got. Apparently this is the story...

He and his friend sank a deep sea fishing boat in the bay that afternoon. For some unknown reason, the boat began to take on water. He looked back from the tower and the motors were thoroughly under water. As the boat was going down, the hero in the boat, in true 007 fashion would hold his breath and dive underneath the water's surface and go through the water filled cabin and collect their belongings. According to him, he was breathing only gasoline-filled air while doing this. Riddle me this wonder boy... How do you breathe under water?

As tempting as it was to ask him this, I let him continue which was much more entertaining. He told us that they did manage to save the cooler of beer which was floating in the water after the boat sank. Thank goodness, I was almost worried. I asked if they got the boat out of the water already or if they just left it there. He says that as soon as he saw the motors underwater, he gunned it (doesn't seem like motors underwater would "gun" very easily, does it?) and rammed the boat up on land next to a dock. When the boat continued to sink, he simply stepped off of the tower onto the dock.

"So when was all of this swimming, and underwater breathing going on?" I ask. "I'm divorced," was his response.

"Okay....." Not the best approach but he does however get 10 points for creativity.


If you have fun pick-up lines or stories about them, please post them in comments!

Just Because

My big tiger (we go way back), Lindsay, passed this along to me. Read her blog...it is SO much funnier than mine.

1. What was I doing ten years ago? I remember loving 1998. I'm not sure why but I just thought that it was the coolest year ever and I especially loved that summer. I remember there was an Old Navy t-shirt that simply had an American flag on it the year below it. I LOVED that t-shirt and of course I wore it on the 4th of July. I was about to start 7th grade, so I guess that means I was about graduate into make-up. I had also just finished up playing in the band...yes, I was in the band, and I played the flute (not well, but I played it at least). I had tried out for cheerleading in the spring and made the squad. We were starting summer practices and I think we had cheer camp for a week. Wow, I can't believe that I remember that much.



2. Five items on your to-do list:

1. Write sorority recommendations (ugh...can't believe I'm old enough to do that)

2. Take my clothes to the cleaners to be dry-cleaned.

3. Call the apartment people to come install my fan.

4. Go by Urban Outfitters.

5. Call a couple of friends to catch up.



3. Snacks I enjoy: My newest favorite snack is pita chips and feta cheese. Try it some time! I would rather eat cookie dough than actual cookies, except for mint milanos....I love those. other than that, I don't snack all that much I guess. When I eat, I EAT. I don't just snack, sadly for me.



4. What would you do if you were a billionaire? I was asked this question when I was in Pre-school, except they asked if you had a million dollars what would you buy? I said a wallet. Seemed like the most logical choice. I'll stick with that. (except I would totally go on lots of trips, and I would love to just be able to find people who deserve a gift in some way and buy something for them, especially for the people that I love.)



5. Places I have lived: Montgomery, Auburn, Birmingham.



6. Bloggers I am passing this challenge onto: I am going to pass along this challenge to Katie Martin for her new blog.

Friendly? Maybe Not.

I have a confession to make. I really don't like riding in the elevator with other people. I genuinely cherish those few moments that I get to spend alone riding up to the sixth floor of my office building. At work, you are expected to talk to one another because you are supposed to know each other. Don't get me wrong, I am not asocial. I just prefer to have those 20 seconds to myself.

Of course if someone is closely walking behind me, then i will hold the door for someone, but if the distance is questionable as to whether or not they could make it, I usually speed up the process and hit the "door closed" button. I know it's bad. And as superficial as this sounds, I like to check my appearance out in the mirrored doors before I step off on my floor. I just like to make sure that I don't have anything in my teeth, or that my clothes are situated right, and my hair is doing ok, before I go in.

I have to admit one time though, I almost got caught on my way downstairs. I was close to the mirrored doors and I was checking my teeth, you know smiling into the mirror. And the doors opened unexpectedly to let people on and I scurried away from the doors. I know they saw me haha, but at least I didn't know them at all. What is your confession?

Counseling for One

I don't know why I have forgotten to post this so far, but it is definitely a blog-worthy story. It was my first week of work, in fact my first day of work this summer, and my mom was staying with me. We actually were staying in a hotel together, because I couldn't move into my apartment until that weekend.

We decided to go to The Cheesecake Factory to celebrate my first day of work. It was raining a little bit, so I dropped my mom at the door. I parked the car, and as I got out and I was trying to juggle my bag and the umbrella. I really didn't want to get my cute new business casual clothes wet.

Mom and I sat down and talked about every detail of my day (which was pretty cool, but that's another post). We had a fabulous dinner and it lasted for about 2 hours. When we were finished we started to walk outside and were excited to find that it had stopped raining. I started to fish for my keys through my bag, and was having a little bit of trouble. We are coming closer to my car.

"Are your lights on?" my Mom asks. She was not prepared for what had really happened.

"Um, no, it's looking like I left the car running," I replied.

Sure enough, when we got to the car, I key-less-ly opened the door and was set to drive away.

HOW DID I DO THIS!? Are you kidding me? Had I lost my mind? Someone could have stolen my car with zero effort! I had practically asked someone to at this point. The same thought crossed my Mom's mind because she then proceeded to ask me with her stunned expression, "I mean, should you go to counseling or something?"

She said it in all seriousness, and honestly, I don't blame her. I wondered the same thing. I was even more shocked than she was. It didn't make it better that I had lost both of my rings and my bracelet (sorry, Bo) twice the week before. Lucky for me, I got those back. My dignity, however, is still trying to find its way back home.

Falling Over

I think that my rolling chair at work is a Democrat.

It constantly leans to the left.

Catch-up on Ketchup

Ok so I have a question...


Why is it that I get ridiculed because I do not put the ketchup bottle in the fridge?

And before you get all grossed out:


1) check the bottle, nowhere on it does it say those three vital words refrigerate after opening.


2) if it is really all that gross, then why have you been eating it at restaurants that leave the Ketchup bottle on the table?

Most Embarrassing Moment #1

I was telling Ansley this story over Spring Break. I had forgotten about it until then. Maybe I blocked it out of my memory, I'm not sure. Somehow, this particular story always slipped my mind when asked "What is your most embarrassing moment?" I might just have too many options to choose from and this one was hidden in the back of the filing cabinet.

At the very end of my sophomore year of high school, I was chosen to represent my school (super nerd overachiever, I know I know) at something called HOBY, Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership. Some of you reading might know about this.

Well, the first night we were there, we had a limbo contest. Those of you who know me might infer that I am very good at limbo given how much closer I am to the ground than anyone else. So I was excited, blissfully excited because there were cute boys (albeit nerdy) and surely they would be very impressed and notice the limbo champion. I hopped up and on about the fourth round, things started to get serious. The bar about 2 feet off the ground and there were probably four of us left. It was my turn to go. Easy does it, scooting forward, bending, holding my breath and......under I go! Hooray! Victory over another round!

One of the counselors (poor unsuspecting soul) held up her hand to give me a high five. (I should tell you that for some reason we were limbo-ing in the dark with a disco ball). I was bouncing around and so excited, and I went to give her an enthusiastic high five back. I did it in an upward motion with cheerleader sharpness and somehow...ONE OF MY FINGERS WENT UP HER NOSE! Poor girl, she had to be bleeding, and/or have a broken nose. Needless to say she ran off. Not knowing what to do next or if anyone really saw the exchange, I tried to put it out of mind and continue to limbo. I'm not sure if I won that cheap little trophy or not, but it was definitely worth to keep this story around. In my defense, I was probably a little dizzy from holding my breath and limbo-ing in a dark, discoball filled room. Either way, I'm not sure I ever saw her the rest of the time.

Too Much Information

Yesterday, I was running errands, and decided to go to Target. Target is a lovely store, and I am ecstatic that I have a SUPER Target about 2 miles from my apartment. Usually when I go into Target, I get way to excited and buy lots of things that I don't need.

But yesterday I had a plan.

First, I went in with a list. I thought this was a genius idea. Limit myself to only things on the list. Got it.

Second, I decided to carry a basket, rather than a buggy. I thought that the basket looked a bit more chic. Answer: The basket does not look chic when you are cramming things into it that you forgot to write down on the list, and your arm is about to fall off.

Moving on. I decided that my arm would break if I put anything else in the basket, so I decided to check out (so maybe my theory worked somewhat.) I hobbled over to the check out counter and got in line behind an older couple. I noticed that it seemed they were having a very personal conversation with the cashier. I wondered how they knew each other so well. I soon found out.

"I can't eat anything because they cut out all my molars. Doctor said they couldn't keep'a one of 'em." The cashier said as the sweet older couple kind of nodded and picked up their groceries, and scooted on out.

Noticing that her momentary captive audience had suddenly shifted to me, she began ringing up my groceries.
"::long drawn out sigh::Well I had surgery yesterday." said the Target team member.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," I stammered. I guess she didn't know the couple in front of me until they dared to stand in her line.

"Can't eat anything. Doctor had to cut out two of 'em. Said he might have to cut the rest. Don't know how I'm going to eat."

Well I guess you're out of luck...I wanted to say.

"I had some chicken fingers and french fries today. Gnawed on 'em with my front teeth. I'll figure it out somehow, but oooweeee does it hurt."

"Oh, that's good. I like chicken fingers," I tried to say as normal as possible. The whole time I was thinking, you are totally going on my blog.

"Yep, them chicken fingers are good." She said.

"Ok, well bye," I said as I tried to get my things and leave.

I saw my new friend greet the next customer with the same deep sigh and downtrodden look. But I know she was excited because that customer had a lot more in her buggy than I did.

Barbie...Not so Much

Let me ask you a question.

What color shoes would you put with a purple button-down, white pants and bleached blond hair down to your waist?

Neon hot pink strappy satin evening shoes of course!

Or so thought the woman that I saw yesterday.

"Ever Thine. Ever Mine. Ever Ours."

I saw Sex in the City last night! It was such a great movie! I don't think you necessarily have to watch the show to love it. I came to the conclusion that Steve is my favorite guy on the show. I think he is just precious. Anyway, just thought I'd share! Such a good girl movie! Must-see.

I do have to say, though, that I am OBSESSED with Beethoven's letters to his "Immortal Beloved." You know, what I'm talking about. It is the letter that Big reads from Carrie's book toward the beginning of the movie.

Here is the one used in the movie.

Good morning, on July 7
Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us - I can live only wholly with you or not at all - Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul enwrapped in you into the land of spirits - Yes, unhappily it must be so - You will be the more contained since you know my fidelity to you. No one else can ever possess my heart - never - never - Oh God, why must one be parted from one whom one so loves. And yet my life in V is now a wretched life - Your love makes me at once the happiest and the unhappiest of men - At my age I need a steady, quiet life - can that be so in our connection? My angel, I have just been told that the mailcoach goes every day - therefore I must close at once so that you may receive the letter at once - Be calm, only by a calm consideration of our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together - Be calm - love me - today - yesterday - what tearful longings for you - you - you - my life - my all - farewell. Oh continue to love me - never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.

ever thine.

ever mine.

ever ours.

I liked it so much that I clearly looked it up when I got home. I found that this is only one of three letters Beethoven wrote to an unknown recipient. The letters were found in his desk after he passed away. The one above is the third letter of the group. Click here to see the other two.

Sweet Home Alabama

This summer is going to be a learning experience for me. I am doing an internship in order to graduate, and I am having so much fun. I learn a lot all day long, somethings I learn about PR, but other random stuff I am just picking up along the way. For instance, I am learning how awesome the State of Alabama is. I have lived here my entire life and I am not sure that I completely appreciated everything Alabama had to offer. Especially now, since so many new developments are taking shape.

The first day of my internship, I learned that Alabama ranks 4th in the country for number of quality spas. FOURTH! We are ranked ahead of New York, Hawaii, Georgia, Texas, South Carolina, new Mexico, and 40 others! I think that's pretty neat. Check out this one in Point Clear at the Grand Hotel. I've been inside it, and the ammenities are to die for.

While you're checking out the spa, check out the Grand Hotel itself. It is purely amazing. It was built in 1847, and is still rich in the history of the South. It is a AAA Four Diamond Award winning hotel. Check it out.

The Grand also offers premier golf through the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trial. There are two courses here, The Magnolia and the Dogwood.

Right down the road in Mobile are two other beautiful hotels that I have recently been introduced to, The Battlehouse and The Riverview Plaza. They are equally remarkable but they are so different at the same time. The Battlehouse is GORGEOUS! I had seen pictures but they could not do this beautiful, antique hotel. It feels as if you have just walked into the 1800's (which makes sense because it was built in 1852). It will be opening a spa later this year.

The Riverview Plaza is literally 20 steps down the street from the Battlehouse. It boasts a different brand of elegance. It is New York City style and flare with a nautical theme.


All three of these hotels offer amazing restaurants and nightlife. They are basically suited for any need any one could possibly have.

Moving a bit north, the new Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Spa has yet another appeal. Each of these hotels are equally elegant but have a unique ambiance. Not only does this hotel offer luxury guest rooms, a magnificent lobby, fine dining, and a spa, but it also holds an 1800-seat Broadway level theater. This theater and hotel alone are raking in the entertainment.

Take a short trip to Prattville and you will run into the Montgomery Marriott Prattville Hotel and Conference Center. This hotel is built on the courses of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Capitol Hill. These courses also hold an annual LPGA tournament. The hotel itself is magnificent, but they also offer a 10,000 sq. ft. presidential cottage with 5 additional suites, just in case you want to stay there.

In Birmingham, there is the Ross Bridge Resort and Spa. The spa here is also amazing, not to mention the golf can't be matched (it has the third longest golf course in the world). The hotel looks like a castle. (PS all of these hotels are built beyond Ritz-Carlton standards). Ross Bridge is also unique in that it has a bagpiper that plays in the morning and at night.

The Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa is in Florence, AL (who would ever think to look there?). I think it is rated as the #2 Marriott in the country. It has a 360-degree revolving restaurant on the roof, and once again, championship golf. I've never been but apparently the spa here is unmatched.

And by the way, did anyone know that Alabama has a winery. You can take tours and do wine-tasting for free. How cool is that? Check it out...Morgan Creek.

Anything else to add to how awesome this state is?

Favorite's Have Feelings Too!

I realized something about myself the other day. I can never pick a favorite...in anything. I don't really have a favorite color, favorite food, favorite song, favorite music. I have a really tough time choosing favorites.

Emily pointed something out to me, and this realization may support my inclination that I might be a little crazy. You tell me...

She said that I don't pick favorites because I am afraid of hurting the others color's, song's, etc. feelings. Feelings? Yes, feelings. I won't pick a favorite color, because I am afraid of hurting the other colors' feelings....

Scary? Yes.

I think this might possibly stem from me being an only child. I don't know why but I like for everything to be even all the time. I don't like choosing favorites because that means that someone (or in my case, apparently something) gets chosen to be the non-favorite. Why not avoid that altogether.

So here is my question...What should my favorite color be?

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Ok, so here is a random thought...

Everyone is born with an internal monolgue. It is one of those things that everyone has, no one has to try to have it or obtain it. It's one of the "free gifts with purchase" when you are born, like blinking. Everyone has it, even if sometimes you don't use it as much as you should. Some people should use it more often. I have been accused of that once or twice, but that's a different story.

This story begins with a question. I was sitting in my marketing class about to take my final (it was my last final I'll ever take at Auburn, so when I say final, I mean FINAL), when I asked my bf if he had an internal monologue. He responded with a reluctant yes, and a look that said "where on Earth is she going with this one."

"Does your internal monologue have an accent?" I genuinely mused.

In response to my question, I got a confused, one-eyebrow-raise look, that turned into a smirk, that turned into uncontrollable laughing.

"Excuse me?" he chuckled. "What do you mean?" (he said it in a way that I could tell he wanted the explanation for pure enjoyment purposes)

Let me explain to you what I explained to him...

My marketing final was not the only one that I was blessed to be taking that day. I had a finance final that morning at 8. Why I took these two miserably, boring, awful, would-rather-be-standing-outside-in-the-South-in-August-on-black-pavement-in-a-black jumpsuit classes at the same time is beyond me. Not the smartest thing I have ever done. Moving on...

Let me also say that I had been studying for a very long time and I had not had much sleep. I walk into my finance class, the first torture of the day, and I sit down. I came prepared with two pencils and scratch paper. Everyone is shuffling papers and finally the teacher starts to hand out the final.

"Please clear your desk of everything but your pencil, scratch paper, and one page cheat sheet."

Awesome. Don't have that. Oh, well.

As I was trying to figure out the problems in my head, I noticed that my internal monolgue was talking like a...drunk girl. I mean like an absolutely smashed girl...slurred speech, varying volumes, the whole shebang. Since then I have started to notice and sometimes it will be different accents.

Worried that I might be a little bit crazy, I asked my parents if they knew what I meant. From my Dad, I got the same reaction as the bf, but my Mom agreed with me. Whether she was just being nice to me or she really has an internal monologue with an accent I'll never know.

Does your little voice have an accent?

When You Wish Upon A...

Think back to the Super Bowl. It doesn't matter which one. Just think about a Super Bowl. At the end of the Super Bowl, when the media rushes the field, and the quarterback answers questions, what is the one question that has gotten more publicity than any other?

"You've just won the Super Bowl! What are you going to do now?"

And the quarterback says...

"I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!"

Yes!! Just like the quarterback, I will be heading to Disney World as well. Unlike me, however, I doubt that the quarterback has been to Disney World 16 times. Yes, 16 times. I truly love Disney World. It may just be my demeanor, I don't know, but I love it. My whole family does. This year I am going with my boyfriend's family. It will make six years that I have been in a row. I am only going for the weekend, but I plan to do as much as humanly possible.

Many people scoff at my love for Disney. And you may scoff too, but before you do, ask yourself this question, "when was the last time I went?" If you've never been, don't knock it til you try it. If you went when you were little, that doesn't count anymore. And if you went recently and didn't like it, you did something wrong. I honestly believe that I could make business out of telling people how to "do" Disney World. If you don't do it right, you won't have fun. Although there are far too many details to express on this blog for how to have a successful Disney trip, I will give a few main points that are helpful:

1) Don't go with a chip on your shoulder. If you go in with the predisposed notion that you are going to hate it, then you will! Go into it with any open mind, and look at it as a time that you get to be a kid. On that note, it is not only a place for kids, and many people make that very mistake. It has something for people of every age.

2) Don't think that you will be able to do EVERYTHING. You simply can't. There is far too much to do. As much as I have been there are still things that I have not done. If you run around trying to do every single thing, you will get stressed out and you won't enjoy anything.

3) Yes, you are going to wait in a couple of lines. It is just part of it. But there are ways to avoid the busiest of times at the park, and to cut down and lines. For this explanation I would need a lot of space.

4) Make reservations at places you know you want to eat, and eat on property. It's part of the whole experience. If you don't make reservations, you may not get into the restaurant. You can always make reservations and not go, just remember to cancel them.

5) Try to stay in a hotel on property. Once again, it is part of the whole experience, and property guests many times receive several bonuses others may not.

I know that seems like very little information, but trust me there is so much more. Fortunate for you, I made a ten page "cheat sheet" if you will, that is available upon request. Just Ask!

For fun, here are my top ten favorite things to do at Disney World, in no particular order:

1) Stay at the Grand Floridian Resort.

2) Ride the monorail in the front car.

3) Ride the mountain trifecta at Magic Kingdom: Splash, Space, and Big Thunger Mountain.

4) Watch all the firework shows at all four parks.

5) Go on Kilimanjaro Safaris at the Animal Kingdom.

6) Ride the Rock-N-Roller Coaster at MGM.

7) Explore all the countries at Epcot (and eat at one of the country's restaurants).

8) Go to the Grand Luau at The Polynesian Resort and to the Hoop-Dee-Doo Review at Fort Wilderness.

9) Walk around Downtown Disney and Disney's Westside (great restaurants here too!).

and finally....

10) Get Mickey's autograph!!!!

If you are going to Disney World, give me a call. I have no problem with giving personal tours of the parks!

What's in a Name

So I decided to give blogging a shot. As I have gotten older, I have found that writing is something I greatly enjoy doing. So instead of constantly scribbling down things in obscure areas, I decided to try cosolidating it all. So here is my first attempt...

Honestly, I am sitting here trying to decide what to write for this very first post, and I keep thinking, "What direction should I go here...man, I wish that I could just get the first one out of the way...then I could really write about fun things...this should be so easy....then why am I just sitting here?...ugh, if i only had a first topic to start with and then I could go on and on...hmmmm." I feel so much pressure in the first post. If people read the first one, and don't like it, CLEARLY they won't read it anymore.

The title actually has a fairly interesting story. I was sitting in Riley's room (my friend and now roommate) in Auburn (moment of silence for times gone by....::sniffle::tear::), and we were talking about changing the world, you know, everyday conversation for us. Before you are too impressed, we were probably taking a break from talking about something like Bobbi Brown lip gloss, or even worse, celeb gossip. But our friend Rosie, who really IS going to change the world, came into the room. She is working for The One campaign in DC this summer. Naturally our conversation suddenly turned upward, and found ourselves in this shining (although brief) intellectual conversation. We started talking about world hunger, which turned to other worthwhile causes, which turned to non-profits in general. I won't go into detail of the plan that has been concocted over several conversations, but in this particular instance we were brainstorming for names for our idea. Someone mentioned that we could call it Chatter. From that we started talking about the different directions you could go with Chatter, not to be confused with Chat, or Chatting, or Chat Rooms. We are talking about Chatter: a constant buzzing back and forth (definition provided by me). This would include in chattering and chit chatter. I hope all that decide to read this blog will engage in chatter. I would love to hear back from people all the time!