boy magnet.

my friend susan and I think we should write a show. or something. because all those weird things that happen in relationships on TV shows that you think *there's NO WAY that could happen in real life!*...well, they're happening to us. what the eff? and yikes.

if you want the skinny, I'll give it to you, but I'm not posting it on here 'cause I dunno who reads this, really. but trust me, this isn't something that normally happens. of course, this is coming from the same girl who guys just randomly decide to kiss. this has happened to me more than once. what gives?

but sigh.

in just an hour or so my potential roomie is supposed to drop by to see the apt. I hope she likes it. I'd sure like to have Otto not here...I'm sure you understand.

mmmmm back to cleaning. OK update soon I swear!

soon, soon.

I'll start the tulsa update. I've got so many pictures to share!

but first, check this out.



Create your own friendquiz here


I made a silly quiz. Everybody else is doing it. So take it and then make your own!

Oh and for you ladies out there. If you need/want fancy shampoo and conditioner that's supercheap, go to Trade Secret. They have these box sets of Matrix and Biolage products that are half off--meaning you get a regular sized bottle of each for $9 and change. This is almost as cheap as buying suave! :D

i am the luckiest.

because I have all of these wonderful, WONDERFUL people in my life. thank you for being a part of it, each and every single one of you. *hugs and kisses*

also, I am not being very productive today, and I haven't begun to regale you with my tulsa tales. all in good time, my dear, all in good time.

for now, feast your eyes on these beauties from tulsa--or at least I think they're beauties. I think this one is my favorite. and special thanks goes to brooke, jackie and shannon for suggesting that I take pics of bells!


love love love. and time for some sushi.

merry christmas!

so, a short short preview of the trip thus far: our twelve days of christmas lyrics this year.


twelve turkish towels
eleven random gifts from aunt gayla
ten bowls of chili
a new female kitten
an infinity sign sideways
final fantasy seven
six pieces of chicken
five hoegaarden beers
a noogie from adam
a salt shaker on mountain dew
two turtle doves
and a beer in a tree.

I'm just saying. Expect a plethora of pictures. PLETHORA.

and so far, kudos to: sterling, ocd, sydney c, my wittle, tom, jessica, renee, cody, mike, ellen, chrissy, tim oneal, chris, christal, am (or em?), jackie, brooke and shannon for making my tulsa trip more fun!

yet to come: tales of hair, dresses, a yarn about yarn, theories about people who wait in line for bars at 145am, playing the cup game in a restaurant, a tale about girls who talk in bathrooms, lunches, my granddaddy, high heels, funny pictures, a very cute house owned by b&p, fun with jackie, shannon and brooke, how I should maybe be a patent lawyer/national geographic photographer, the disadvantages of having this and this (there are hand motions involved), beautiful art, funny family things (like my popsicle sticks I got as a late birthday present), how kids say the darnedest things et al.

just. you. wait.

happy holla-days and all, everyone! hope you and yours have a great time celebrating--I'm sure yule all enjoy it! :D

zero. aka dude.

I soooooooooo wish my flight were, oh, not at 735am. I mean, um, I'm super glad to be going to Tulsa, but seriously? Uh, yeah. Not so early. ugh.

It prolly wouldn't be so miserable if Mary Alise and I hadn't decided to have two and change bottles of wine this evening. Maybe my superpower really is drinking.

Also? theres not a *zero* thing for the twelve days of christmas countdown. i'm just sayin'.

this time tomorrow, which is 1130ish, pm, Tulsa time, I do hope I'm drinking with the coolest people in the city--meaning you better be there! my cell number is first 919, then the number of degrees in a circle (if you don't know google "how many degrees in a circle"), then 7+7=? then nine then zero. I, like Jackie, am e-stalker paranoid, just a tad. So, um, call, should you not have gotten the evite d'jour.

loves, my lovelies. and, um hooray!

i don't look back much as a rule.

-the shins.

Today is a Shins day. Every time I listen to their music I am happier. I heart the Shins. They're good stuff. Go watch Garden State and then listen to Chutes too Narrow. It's good for your soul, I swear. And New Slang? That song will change your life.

so.

I was just thinking about the last Christmas I spent in Tulsa-in 2005. I had a really good time, and I was there for a week, and I saw my friends and I met a guy who turned out to fall for me waaaay too hard, waaaay too fast, and I hung with my family and took pictures and saw lots of used-to-be-cool-in-high-school people. It was good. GOOD.

but this time is gonna be different.

and I'll tell you why.
Because if I'm seeing you or calling you or hanging out with you or drinking with you this weekend I WANT to see you. I LIKE you. And I'm (hopefully) going to see a lot of damn cool people--Sterling, Jessica, Cody, Renee, Mike, Sydney C and her Tom, my OCD, Randi, Brooke, Jackie, Melissa, Chris, the other Chris, Tim, Ellen, Andrea, Brian, Chrissy, my Wittle, maybe my Grandlittle and who knows who else I might be leaving off here but the point is--I'm going to have an AWESOME time. I've got it all planned out. And I'm pumped.

things I really hope to do (in no particular order):
~haircut
~eat zio's, mazzios and if I can swing it big al's
~have me some blue bell ice-to-the-cream
~go out on brookside with my friendy-friend-friends
~see my fam
~try on bridesmaids dresses
~see my granddaddy
~go to hob lob.
~see christmas lights, perhaps rhema?
~take lots of tulsa pictures, such as the driller and ones on TU's campus and one of that cool three-faced clock thing that was donated by a/the chi omega(s)
~take pictures of the impala
~get my oklahoma sky fix
~have someone sing "here's to sister Carrie" so then I can drink mf-er, drink mf-er, drink mf-er, drink!
~sing the twelve days of christmas with my fam
~play the piano.
~party like a rockstar.

etc.

aaah! so excited! yikes, must think about packing...

I don't look back much as a rule
And all this way before murder was cool
But your memory is here and I'd like it to stay
Warm light on a winter day.

~pink bullets, by the shins

one.

one ring to rule them all.
one day left until I go to tulsa way-the-hell early in the morning.
one for the little bitty uh, uh, uh, uh baby! who was born, born, born in bethlehem!

one finger for a thumbs up, and for giving the bird, and to indicate that you're dainty while drinking a beverage. and to point. except then there's four fingers pointing back at you. :D

my turtleneck was worn and I'm wearing another today. and should you be rocking out with us tomorrow night (email me if you don't know the deets) there's a reasonable chance you'll see me in a turtleneck. I'm lovin' me some turtlenecks.

last night, for dinner I had polenta, leeks and fennel. (and no he isn't a vegetarian. I wanted to say no he isn't a veggie but I figured someone would say, what is he? broccoli? a carrot? hey, in the book zero there's this proof that says that winston churchill is a carrot, isn't that funny?--okay, so I'm the only one reading this that knows things like that but ANYWAY....) three things that were wholly new to me. and know what? I liked 'em! a little weird, but certainly yummy. pretty much anything is yummy if there's garlic on it. well, except pie. which we also ate--my great grandmother's recipe, the one that Jackie made for her work!

today I've already done two REALLY dumb and clumsy things. I should not have come to work. I came home TOO LATE!

1. Just a little while ago I tried to tighten the tie strap we're using on our nitrogen line because above ~15 psi it starts to hiss/leak. It's our quick-fix method until our shop guy can find something better. Anyhoo, the strap broke, and the due to the force with which I was pulling I hit myself in the face with the pliers I was using. I now have a nice little red spot on one side of my mouth/cheek that I'm hoping will go away soon. I don't think it was hard enough to bruise. I hope.
2. Also, shortly before the pliers incident, I managed to open a door into my foot. It was like stubbing my toe without moving, and with a pointy edge. very pleasant, very pleasant indeed. It makes me think of when I was on crutches my freshman year because I got a little too fresh with the door to Laura Craft's suite. Bad news bears.

alright. go time on finishing plating and permeating, then going home to do laundry and pack, then having girl time with Mary Alise and then--THEN---YAY TULSA! Hope I get to see everyone!

and a partridge in a pear tree.

two.

dos.
duo.
double.
di.

and the number of fingers used to make the *peace* sign, the *rock* sign and the *hang loose* sign.

only. two. days.

I AM PUMPED.

except I'm also sick. still. bleh. and I'm bummed because I got my grade back in my class and I don't like the letter of it. booooo. my final, the one I thought I kicked its arse? yeah, not so much. ugh. I need to go to school full time.

also, question. so, girl and guy have established that they are both sick with the same thing. they have a date planned, and they're both pleased to keep it because, well, who goes on dates if they don't want to keep 'em? anyhoo, so. jokes are made about drinking glasses of robitussin instead of wine, sharing boxes of kleenex and having vitamin c drops as after-dinner mints. wearing "I'm sick" clothes, like pajamas or sweats is mentioned and then decided against. so, girl is thinking about what to wear with jeans...

and she picks a turtleneck. with cute heels. and is told by her friends "noooo! no turtlenecks on dates no matter how cold it is or how crummy you feel. noooo!" is this true? I'm kind of thinking that red-from-blowing noses equal i-don't-have-to-dress-real-sexy. right? right?!? sigh.

eh. whatev.

boys should not like me for my clothes. they should like me for me. I mean, it matters a little, you've gotta dress correctly, but really? It's what's inside that counts (and I'm not meaning inside the clothes, I'm meaning the brain and the heart, sillies).

also, in an audrey-inspired way...here are my new faves for taking care of myself while sick, especially since it's just *whatever bug is going around.* ugh.

aquaphor is incredible. it is helping keep my rudolph-look to a minimum. it's kinda oily, but it's never made me break out and it isn't crazy menthol smelling.








airborne. seems to help. also, don't try the target version in lemon-lime. take my word for it.

vicks vapor inhaler--the benefit of menthol cough drops without the cough drop breath. use sparingly.





sugar free vitamin c drops. soothes your throat, good for you, no extra sugar and no icky cough drop breath.






burts bees lip balm. good all year. don't try the honey kind or the lifeguard kind--one has a terrible consistency and the other turns your lips white!







and tea. thank goodness for tea. this lemon ginger stuff is suuuuper yummy, and I've also been having red rose and also peppermint tea. and I bought this neat little thermos that I keep at my desk--very handy so I have hot liquid constantly!






oh, and? I'm *thinking* about applying for a national leadership position with kappa delta. I'm kind of excited about the idea. Since I graduated I've been trying to give back to the organization that has already given me so much, and this seems like a wonderful opportunity. maybe my life plan will change again, huh? ah, the fun of being young and having the world as your oyster!!!

this, by the way, is a long post. oopsie. ooh, and? new pictures are UP!

two turtle doves.

three.

the number in the trinity.
a three-pointed shape, the equilateral triangle, is the strongest.
three for the hebrew-uh-children.

so, three days and counting. and what am I? sick.

sick, sick, sick.

I'm headed to the doctor. I hope that I have something that they'll either1)give me drugs for or 2)tell me will go away real real soon. Because, well, I want to have fun in Tulsa, and I want to see my granddaddy, and if I'm sick they might not be so keen on it. 'Specially 'cause he now has pneumonia. :(

three isn't that interesting. maybe I'll get to post again later.

three french hens.

four.

is two squared.
and it is a number with homophones.
and it's four for the four who stood at the door.
and it's the number of fingers people have in the simpsons.

and? it's tuesday. g-l-o-r-i-o-u-s tuesday. and I like it! I cannot wait to be, as Brooke so correctly put it, "unemployed" for a week. 'cept for the whole PTO thing that's just icing on the cake!

so, if you:
1. like Neil Gaiman's work or
2. like Claire Danes or
3. like Michelle Pfeiffer or
4. are a cool person

you should check this out. And if you read PinkIsTheNewBlog then you might've already seen it. But I still think it's AWESOME. Good airport reading for upcoming travels: Stardust. Do it.

Today, yes, today, I decided that I'm going to grow my hair out longer. Like, oh, 2-3 inches for starters. I know you're all terribly interested, but I'm kinda happy about my decision. I'm never completely happy with my hair, but I think I might really dig it being just a little longer. Plus, perhaps I'll try to be like Olivia (and Kat, didn't she do it?) and grow it out long enough to give to Locks o' Love, maybe. Except I've gotta have hair left over when I'm done--no shorty short cuts for me!

Mmm and. Last factoid. So, I thought my voice was just sore from the SEVEN and change hours of singing this weekend. And while I think that's true, I also think I'm getting sick. Not sure with what--but a month of staying up too late, going out too much, stressing a lot and getting too little sleep seems to be catching up with me. So, I'm going crazy with the Vitamin C.

by the way, what color do you associate with Vitamin C? I'm just curious.

Now, I usually have a lot of this, buuut...I decided to do a little math, and...I have already had nearly 1000% of my daily recommended Vitamin C. And I haven't even eaten lunch yet. I get at least 100% every day (I am completely addicted to orange juice--Tropicana Pure Premium no pulp with calcium and vitamin d--accept no substitutes) but really? Yikes. This is a lot.

have some molecules, people.
and drink your OJ! (it's why I chose KayDee! longish, random but important story, trust me.)

ah, so very very close to going to Tulsa. I'm suuuuuper excited. I need to delete bunches of pictures off my camera so I have room for a new batch. yip-to-the-ee!

four calling birds.

five.

five five five five five.
now we're down to only one hand--and soon we lose thumbkin!
five for the gospel-uh-preachers!

:D

carrie=gloriously happy! and this is a week of chilling out, and seeing friends, and baking pie, and having wine and getting enough sleep. yippee! and I might might might even paint!!!

also, my voice is sore.

and a weird thing: so, I hung out with my friend susan last night and we had some wine and talked about guys. and we think it's weird--a good percentage (um, 66.67%, to be accruate--well, or 66.66 repeating%!) of the guys I've been interested in/flirted with/gone on dates with recently have had names that begin with the letter K. It's kinda crazy. (I sooo wanted to spell that krazy but I just couldn't bring myself to do it...) And Susan? 75% of her guys have names that start with B's. What? Super weird. Super super weird.

I have a most-substanceee post rolling around in my head, but it's still working its way up to being real. five golden rings.

six.

six for the six that never got fixed!--and the best part? this song was played at our "christmas unplugged" thing tonight--I'd never heard it played at christmas before!

so, it's six days. only six!!! I'm pumped. I can't wait to see all my friends (jackie, brooke, are you in on saturday?)!!!

and the cantata? AWESOME. so much fun. so glad I did it. I am so loving being a part of this church. love-iiiiing.

and tomorrow I'm going to have to tell you about my new(ish) friend susan. she's swell.

bedtime, dearies. I stayed up too late drinking wine and talking to susan and then talking on the phone. oops.

six geese a laying.

seven.

seven is a good number. it's my third favorite. and today was a good day--from midnight on. :) I like days like that.

after the end of my date and not enough hours of sleep, I got to sing for three hours. while this might not sound enjoyable to all of you, it was for me. singing can be really relaxing, if you know the notes.

and then there was the really long nap. and taking pictures of the flowers I was given by a very nice guy. (it was my christmas present and a very very nice suprise. I loooooove flowers. looooove) and planning stuff for the holidays. and talking on the phone. and the one low point of the day--mel gibson's new movie apocalypto. don't see it. it's bad AND it's gory.

and now I sit listening to some music a friend told me about (anybody heard of the be good tanyas or jolie holland?), getting ready to take a bath, read and go to bed.

seven is good.
I like seven.

oh, and here's Gobi and Hazel helping me study. I am pumped about getting back that grade, by the way. I really think I kicked that test's ass.

and, another christmas thing that makes me really happy. last year I got my own nativity scene. I've always loved this one my mom has that's terribly ugly. It's wood and there's this ugly glitter stuff all over it and yuck. But it has meaning. And that's why I liked it. I looked all over the triangle area for a nativity scene that I wanted. I missed it so much on the Christmases when I wasn't at my mom's. And for Christmas last year (well really I got it in May 'cause she never mailed it!) I got this. It's cheesy and I'm sure I don't care. :)


goodnight, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite.

seven swans a swimming.

eight.

so, eight days a week?
eight for the eight that stood at the gate?
eight-errific?

yup yup.

so, I realize I have been sorely lacking in girl-time. it was brought to my attention last night, as mary alise, betsy and I enjoyed some artichoke tomato pasta, pesto bread, a lot of wine and a little sex and the city. I hadn't seen the non-tbs versions in a long time, and I didn't remember just how much of samantha's nakedness you see. yikes. anyhoo...it was good times!

and mary alise gets the coolest-friend-of-the-day award. because, well, she rocks! and I love her to bits and pieces.


so, my final? I know you're all in suspense...but it went REALLY really REALLY well. I. Am. Amazed. Like, I kept thinking, "holy sh!t I know how to do that one...and that one...and that one..." There were two little things that gave me trouble, and some of the multiple choice were toughies, but overall? Left feeling good. Went to Old Navy and bought Harvo his Christmas present, and myself a fleece with this hideous ribbon thing on the inside, which I promptly removed with my seam ripper when I got home! I mean, I'm sure some people will like it. But I just thought it was u-g-l-y, you ain't got no alibi. But without it? Supercute fleece!

oh, and I found this picture of baby gobi, and so now I have to show you baby gobi and baby hazel. because they're the cutest. they were so adorable last night, and pleased to have company to pet them. they like their aunties. :)


mmm...and that's it, except that it's only EIGHT days! And it's my blog-i-versary. Two whole years of fun. But this year I'm keeping the name. I like it.

So, this weekend I'm gonna go to see the 'Canes play, sing sing sing and sing (I have to be at church at 9am tomorrow and 8am on Sunday! I'll be glad when the cantata is over, even though I'm really enjoying it) and I'm going to rest and relax and try to convince my body it isn't sick. (because all of the coast-to-coast traveling, drinking, late night dates, studying and stress has finally caught up with me!) And maybe, just maybe, I'll paint. It's been many many months. But I think I want to. We'll see.

have a faboo weekend!!!

eight maids a milking.

nine.

nine for the nine, oh so fine.

man, I have a church camp song stuck in my head. you might get this part every day from here on out in my count down. "one for the little bitty-uh!-baby, who was born, born, born in bethlehem." :)

I did something weird last night. When given the choice between seeing the Monet exhibit and going to a Carolina Hurricanes game I chose hockey. Now, don't get me wrong, I like both things. It's not like I hate hockey or something. So that's not why it's weird. It's just that it's a MONET exhibit. But know what? Large volumes of beer, bad-for-you-hot-dogs, super size pretzels with lotsa salt and yelling while wearing a sweatshirt/fleece sounds much more fun than wearing heels and talking quitely about the colors in the paintings.

because it's been that kind of a week.

did I mention I have a final in 2.25 hours? shudder.

so, since I'm missing/delaying seeing the Monet exhibit (it's here for another month) I thought I'd add one to my post today--here's one called Sunrise.

also, Jessica pointed out to me last night that I like my guys *just dorky enough.* Not too dorky. Not nerdy. And not un-nerdy. But just dorky enough. And she's sooooo right. Per usual. Well, unless recipes come into play. ;) I like 'em dorky, punny and musically inclined, to be precise. It was tres amusing to talk to her about it. As I said to someone on the phone last night, talking to Jessica or Renee always leaves me in a better mood than I was when I got on the phone. :)

ooh, and neat tech thing--google offers a google reader that functions like bloglines, but should actually tell you when people using the new blogger beta have added a post. it's under "all my services" in gmail, and it's a piece of cake to set up. (and now I have neil young's piece of crap song in my head, except with piece of cake instead of piece of crap. anyhoo)

my brain is not el-function-o. it is mushy. I am sincerely excited about this being OVER.

oh, and? choir is really fun now that I know all the notes, or at least most of them, in the cantata. I'm a skosh worried about Saturday morning's practice though--I have to be there at 9am, which means leaving my house at 845. That's earlier than I leave for work some days! I just hope I wake up. But maybe I'm turning over a new leaf...drumroll please...I was five minutes early to choir practice last night. Go me!

oh, and...

nine ladies dancing.

ten.

we're down to two hands, people! you can use two hands to get ten--no toes needed! yippeeee! and also? I really need to reserve that rental car. oopsie.

also, just for the record, I'm not an imbicile. even if I'm sometimes percieved as one. man, it's hard to keep my cool around work sometimes. grr.

tonight, it's study study study for my final that's tomorrow. and go to choir. and study study study. sigh. I. Can't. Wait. For. It. To. Be. Over.

and an interesting factoid: it's a lot easier to talk to my ex now than it was two years ago, or even one year ago. and I'm digging it. now, if only thomas would be my friend. :)

ten lords a leaping.

ooh and....more new pictures.

check it out.



here's an example!

eleven.

and by protecting by heart truly i got lost in the sounds i hear in my mind all these voices
i hear in my mind all these words i hear in my mind all this music and it breaks my heart

that's the song that *was* running through my head this morning.

but now there're no songs...just thoughts of anger at the rude woman from the McKimmon center who just scheduled my test. What a pain in the butt, that jerky lady. Gah. "You should have called earlier," she said. Because, really, saying that sentence to me was so helpful. It's my final exam, sweetheart, give the life lessons a rest.

Also, I think boys are more drama than girls. I'm just sayin'.

and I want it to be the weekend already. This is going to be the slowest week evar!!!

eleven pipers piping

I wonder if God ever feels about people like I feel about these cookies.

I just made five dozen mediocre cookies.

They were from a Hargrove recipe, which pretty much guarantees that they'll be good. I followed the recipe closely. Might have had a tiny tiny bit too much flour. And I did something a little different with the chips, but still, nothing ground-breaking. Also, side note: the recipe says it makes three and a half dozen cookies. Either it is not telling the truth, or the Hargroves prefer their cookies frisbee-sized.

but the cookies?

they're mediocre at best.

oh, they could *try* to be good. they might pair up with some ice-cold milk, or maybe in some was go well with vanilla ice cream. and I'm sure they'll be a treat for someone who doesn't know any better.

but really? they'll never live up to the potential I had planned for them. I *hoped* to send them to people, to brighten their day, or to give them a treat. But instead? These cookies can't possibly do what I need them to, they can't serve their purpose. Instead, they'll be relegated to the dumpster, and I'll try for more cookies tomorrow.

I am disappointed, but since God loves everything that God has made, perhaps I, too, should love these cookies?

perhaps it's worthy is the cookie that was made?


and apparently? though c is for cookie, this time that's just not good enough for me. alas. on to the weeping and the gnashing of teeth--good thing I've got a mouth guard and the muscle relaxers to help with that!

twelve.

That’s how many days until I go home. Now, I firmly believe that home is where the heart is. I mean, right? It’s not a place, it’s an idea. And for me, a lot of it is my family.

“Maybe that’s all family really is. A group of people that miss the same imaginary place.”

Gosh, I love Garden State. And I do miss my crazy-ass family. Anyhow. So, today my brother reminded me of something that’s just WONDERFUL.

And it’s the Twelve Days of Christmas. My family isn’t big on traditions, but we’ve got a few, and this is one of them. And I Can’t. Wait. To. Sing. It. Every year, on Christmas Eve, usually while eating chili and drinking cider or eggnog or whatever, we sing the song, and we put on our ornaments. We have a Twelve Days of Christmas set, you see.

Sometimes we make up the lyrics. And some times we fight over who gets to put on which ornaments. And sometimes we all sing a different word, and do so loudly, in hopes of overpowering the others. And sometimes we try to hold out five golden rings (or rotten things, or roast beef sandwiches, or snorts from gracie, or whatever) for as long as we possibly can...And every time we laugh and laugh and laugh. It is my favorite part of the holiday, I think.

So, I know that the twelve days of Christmas really come *after* Christmas, but I don’t care. I’m going to count down Carrie’s own Twelve Days of Christmas, anticipating the fun to come.

So here’s a picture for you. Can you beat it?

And, should you be in town on the 23^rd, please shoot me an email. We’re going out on the town, and you’re invited. Yippee!

twelve drummers drumming.

sweatshirt chromatography

holy cow! this made me laugh so hard. SO HARD.

if you've got at least one nerdy bone in your body, you've gotta check out toothpastefordinner because, well, it's so friggin funny. I think I'm going to have to start labeling my posts.

oh, this one is going to keep me laughing all day. ALL DAY.

ps: pun alert. did you catch it?

the one thing that stinks about using the new beta blogger.

which they FINALLY let me move to...

is that is won't update on bloglines. like, I'll post, but if you use bloglines to check my blog, then no dice for you. which is crummy.

so, uh, since there's no dice for the bloglines, thought I'd give you some. with love from me. ;)

do you want to know a secret, do you promise not to tell...

whoa oh, oh.
Closer.
Let me whisper in your ear...

pssst! psssst! hey you...yeah you...so, if you're reading my blog right now, and you comment, and you've been reading since september-ish or longer, then chances are that you have influenced the most recent decision in the carrie-is-trying-to-figure-out-her-life book. I’m sure it will always be a work in progress, but it’s nice to have made some. So, anyhoo…

in the past few weeks I’ve been trying to step back and evaluate what’s going on with me—what I want, what I need, what I’m doing what I should do…and I realized that my actions (or lack thereof) were speaking so much louder than my words. Sooo…

new plan. I’m going to just finish my master’s. And I’m not going to do it online. I’ll go somewhere that will transfer my credits or continue at NC State. I’m about to finish my third class, and I was hoping to take another one this spring—so that’s over a semester’s worth of coursework completed, and it would be a shame to lose it. And I’ll find a way to take photography classes too. So I’ll do both—grad school AND photography.

It’s not like I want to BE a photographer. At least, that’s not a factor in the plan. I just want to learn how to do it better.

And I don’t think I want a PhD anymore. Part of it is having nothing to prove, and part of it is just not having the need/desire. I do know I want to learn more about materials science, because I think it’s really interesting. But for now, at least, I’m not sure enough of anything to make that kind of a commitment.

so I guess I owe some of you a thank you because, well, if it weren’t for your encouragement and positive reinforcement I might have started down a path that wasn’t the one for me. so thanks for offering opinions, making purchases and being so darn supportive! :)

hugs and kisses for all of you. And, if it’s cold where you are, then hot chocolate too!

kinda freaked out.

my granddaddy is in the hospital having double bypass heart surgery right now. they scoped his heart, and saw two arteries that were 99% blocked. so, they put him into surgery, saying that if he didn't then the blockages would kill him.

I know that bypasses are pretty routine now, but it's super scary 'cause he's 79 and not in awesome health anyway. That, and he is the most wonderful man in the whole world.

so, if you're the praying type, or the good thought thinking type, please say a little prayer for my granddaddy. and while you're at it, if you would, one for my granny too.

thanks, y'all.

update: he just got out of surgery. they did a triple bypass instead of a double bypass, and the doctors are really positive, saying that it went much better than they'd anticipated. we're not in the clear yet, but this is definitely a step in the right direction.

...but the girls want to know why the boys like us so much...

ah, gwenny gwen gwen.

Her new cd? Rockage. Well, more like rappage. Or somethingage. But in any case? I like it! Now, I've got to say, some of it is eeeeh. But overall? There's some dance-in-the-car tracks in there.

and, well, Wind It Up features parts of Rogers and Hammersteins "The Lonely Goatherd." Only Stefani can take oldie but goodie tunes like that and make it into a song that's dance-able.

check it out. $10 at Target. You'll groove to the tunes, methinks.

yodellay, yodallay, yodal-low

i love these people.

and I miss them.

SO MUCH.

can't wait to see you, my cft bffs.

so, saturday and sunday and monday, oh my!

monday was mostly uneventful. when I woke up that morning I'd had a sum total of, let's see..fifteenish hours of sleep? riiight. AND the dang holiday inn desk people DID NOT give me my wake-up call. double boo on them!

so I kinda panic-packed, panic-rode to the airport and panic-checked-in. I think I made all the cutoff times (for checking baggage, boarding the plane, etc) by like five minutes!

but I made my flight, had a mostly uneventful trip back, cuddled with my kitties, watched the fall finale of heroes (so good!!!) and found out that SoaP guy--(scrabble on a plane!)Kelly--had commented on my blog. Carrie es laeta.

monday flew by. [insert groan here]

ooh, and on monday I found out two other things.
bad thing: I did really poorly on my last test. I didn't fail. barely.
good thing: I must not have been the only one 'cause the prof decided that he'll drop our worst test.

whew!

so, saturday and sunday and monday, oh my!

this picture should set the tone. eek!

saturday morning we had brunch with lauren barrett, who is an incredible musician and a friend of ariel v. merritt. I met her at ariel's wedding, and we talk occasionally. she lives just a little ways from where Sterling lives, so we got together. At this point I'd slept for five additional hours. we're up to a total of twelve now.

but we look cute.

here's lauren and me


and sterling and blake.
then we went to Tower Records, which was going out of business, so everything was marked down and half off or both! I got the Follow That Bird, Vanilla Sky and Labyrinth sountracks (they were $1.50 a piece!) and cds by Semisonic, Fiery Furnaces, Jim Noir, Tegan and Sara, Remy Zero, Calexico and I can't even remember who else. It was so easy to go out of control, but I'm pleased with my choices. :)

we swung by Sterling's office, where I met GJ (who is Sterling's boss).

and then? a few WONDERFUL things! spring rolls, dr pepper, brown cons for carrie, a thrift store coat and big sunglasses (apparently you could tell I was from out of town because my sunglasses were so small--kind of like how americans are obvious in europe due to their bright colors and obnoxious speaking voices). here's some bench cuteness...



and finally...drumroll please...or maybe it should be strumming please...

guitar shopping!!!

now, to answer some questions...
~no, I do not know how to play the guitar. "there's only two [chords] in me, and I just [played] the third" to paraphrase TMBG :)
~yes, I want to learn how. I've tried three times, but all of the guitars have been too big for me. and if it hurts my arm to play it then it's a bit tough to want to keep going.
~why now? why not?

I. Am. Pumped.
but, of course I find the one I want (it was actually the first one I picked up) and there's a problem. Fender has made this very pretty parlor guitar. It is still a "full size" acousic, but is petite. And a bit unusually shaped, such that a normal case is too big for it w/o padding. gee-double-r.

Rob, the guy at the guitar store, is still working on what to do. I'd really prefer for this puppy to be as lightweight as possible so getting a smaller case is ideal. Currently I own a tuner and some picks. but...

all in good time, my little pretty, all in good time.

Sterling got a guitar too, see? It's tres cool 'cause up close you can see the wood grain underneath that blue, and it's a matte finish that's desidned to wear off. really really cool.


next came pizza dinner and then drinking. When I asked if they did anything for birthday girls they gave elizabeth TWO glasses of sangria--one for her and one for me! yippee!

and these are all okies/people who are boomer sooners. wow.


and then off to the fox and hound. you'll see two slide shows at the end...that's cause we went around the table taking pictures.

oh oh oh, AND.
I forgot to tell you. I was proposed to TWICE this weekend. Man, I almost forgot.

Once by this guy, Cole, at Elizabeth's party (I was gonna put a pic of him, but I decided not to 'cause he's making the shocker) and once by the guy at the bar when I went to get a shot for Elizabeth--he asked me a few questions (where was I from, what did I do) and as soon as I said I was a Chemical Engineer he said, "Pretty AND smart? Wanna get married? No, really, would you marry me?"

yikes.

anyhoo. back to the fun of the slideshows. see? fun!

elizabeth and I did a whole little dance--it was awesome. we got along so well--and she decided I could be her older sister she'd never had. :) (ps, why is my tongue orange??? all the airborne?)


| View Show | Create Your Own

and then here's where we all went around making happy and sad faces, alternating. so so amusing.

| View Show | Create Your Own


and I thought this was cute.

and this funny.
and here's a loopie.
and this is artistic (taken by sterling--not me, for the record)
and to close the night, a pic of me and my best friend sterling. awww....