solar energy

I'll be the first to admit to you, along w/ many people, that the weather greatly affects my mood. I love the seasons and how they change. I do enjoy a bit of the cool, crisp fall and I love me a white Christmas. But on Dec. 26th? I'm finished with it. So the next few months are long, grey, and rather unexciting.

The past few days have been absolutely beautiful, though a bit windy for my liking. Still, I coveted them for so long and they're finally here. Days that are warm enough to wear basically whatever you want (yet I like to laugh at the people who eagerly break out their shorts and tanks so soon even though it's only 70 degrees--the flip flops, capris, and skirts are enough for me). Days where the sun shines, even if only for a few moments or a few hours, but it leaves a warmth and a joy behind that lasts longer than its light.

I love how I wake up in the morning and hear on WBNQ that the temperature is going to be 75 and it motivates me to get out of my bed. Work is so much more fun on a campus that is alive with people who are free to roam around outside and not be held back by a freezing, piercing wind and smoky gray skies for months. I love waking up and knowing that the sunshine isn't going to tease me into thinking it's warm out when it's really not. Now the sun will tell the truth. I love that I can spend my lunch hour and my evenings at the park reading or journaling or taking pictures or driving around w/ my music up and the windows down.

I love that I am much more enthusiastic and happy, even though I know it's temporal and based upon environmental circumstances, when it's warm. Everything is bright and cheery and yellow and pink and aqua blue. And right now, it's just the beginning, so I know there's so much more to come.

I'm happy because of the weather.

And that is why I also have considered moving somewhere where it's warmer year-round. That is why I searched monster.com and careerbuilder.com today for random jobs in Dallas, San Antonio, Los Angeles, and Nashville today. I don't know where I'll be someday, but I sure hope it's somewhere warm.

At least I know right now, in this very moment, it's sunny outside and even the rain and the thunderstorm that's on its way won't change my mood. The sun has left its mark.

my new love

ahh...

check out the new addition to my list of men i'd like to marry.

He's adorable. You can watch him Sunday nights @ 7 or Mondays @ 7. I prefer both.

I love me a good British accent.

my wishlist

Here's what I want in music these days (to some of you, yes, I'm a little behind on some of this music...but I have no $ to buy CD's, unless I splurge, which happens once in awhile...and will be again soon on one or more of the following. Also, some of them I have hardly even heard, so that's why I haven't bought them, but I want to!):

Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
Frou Frou - Details
Aqualung - Strange and Beautiful
Damien Rice
Postal Service
Missy Higgins - The Sound of White
The Killers
Jem - Finally Woken
The Postal Service
anything heard last night on Grey's Anatomy

speaking of that, that's one of my new faves. Check it out Sunday nights at 9pm central.

Songs That Make Me Want to Throw Up: Vol. 2

The time is here again, folks. (Please see Wed. Jan. 5th's entry for Volume 1.) Feel free to comment on your own songs that you'd add to this list, but here's what I'm doing. Using WBNQ's Weekly Top 30 songs as a resource, I'm going down their list and freely commenting on the songs that might make me throw up if I hear them again on the radio. I will refrain on those songs that aren't quite gag-worthy yet. I'm sure they'll be added later.

Let's begin (note: my #'s reflect which number these songs rate on WBNQ's list):

#1. Green Day - Boulevard of Broken Dreams... ~ Haven't we been down that road one too many times? I think I sure have. Even worse? The "remix" w/ Oasis's Wonderwall, that really is nothing special and I could have dubbed on my 1980s tape recorded by simply switching back and forth between the two songs. I'm sorry, but in my book, that's not really a remix.

#2. Jesse McCartney - Beautiful Soul... ~ Although this poppy tune is cute and was OK w/ me for awhile, it's starting to get old. It has played long enough for me to at least FINALLY get the words right. For the longest time, I kept singing "I don't want your silly wand to hold" instead of "I don't want just anyone to hold." RIdiculous, I know. You can laugh with me, not at me.

#5. Gavin Degraw - I Don't Wanna Be... ~ What don't you wanna be? An overplayed song? Is that it? I'm pretty sure I heard this song like a YEAR ago on Indianapolis stations. Why is it that we're STILL playing it? Let's move on to another Gavin soon-to-be-overplayed-hit.

#7. Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway... ~ You can't tell me this song is still playing. If you read my Volume 1 version of this list, you'll notice it was already on my list there. Enough said.

#8. Destiny's Child - Soldier... ~ No song makes me shiver with annoyance and turn off my radio like this one. The verses of this song have this annoying rhyme sound at the end of every line. I HATE the verse that ends each line with "leanin'........blah blah blah blah gleamin'....blah blah blah blah clean and......blah blah blah blah beatin'.....blah blah blah blah chiefin'....blah blah blah blah screamin'.... Ughh.....i think i might have nightmares of her singing that...

#10. Jay-Z & Linkin Park - Numb/Encore... ~ This song reached its title goal - I'm numb to it, and I do NOT want an Encore.

#11. Ersher, Jon & Luda - Lovers & Friends... ~ It's just gone on too long...

#13. Eminem - Mockingbird... ~ I never hope to hear an actual mockingbird sing this song. Could he have tried any harder to force rhymes in this "rap" song? I'm sorry, I'm not a fan of anything of yours Eminem.

#14. Tim McGraw - Live Like You Were Dyin'... ~ Why the depressing song? And all of a sudden it's a hit on pop stations. Didn't we already go there like a year ago with country stations? Or am I having flashbacks?

#22. Nelly & Tim McGraw - Over & Over... ~ Need we say more than the title of the song? That's all they say...over & over & over & over& over again......

#24. Eminem - Encore... ~ Again. I don't want an encore of this. Ever.

#26. Simple Plan - Welcome to My Life... ~ I'm just tired of this one.

#27. Nelly - N Dey Say... ~ It just makes me laugh that he titled this song "N Dey Say." I guess it doesn't make TobyMac look so bad for naming a song "Ill-M-I" now does it?

And that's as far as we'll go for now.

That was fun.

Stay tuned for future volumes. As fast as they keep pumping out new volumes of NOW CD's of today's hits (which really means "yesterday's"), I will be producing more volumes of this.

please add your own to this list if you'd like.

spring fever and random stuff

I've caught it. Evansville was nice and warm this weekend and it tricked me. I broke out my flips and even a skirt, and now i'm back to a sweater. What a tease.

Reminiscing: Lindsey & Matt Clark's wedding. So beautiful. Good times with the girls and good ol' friends that I miss a lot.

Ticked off: that I can't download Hello and put pics on here so you can see how beautiful she was.

Still laughing about: how Linds had to go to the bathroom 20 min. before the wedding, how we blocked the doors, and how we all were like prison guards keeping people and photographers from coming downstairs against Lindsey's will all day.

Thinking about: putting together a soundtrack from the weekend (preview: it will include lots of Rascal Flatts, some Motownphilly, Steve Tyrell, and others...)

Looking forward to: eating some Monical's pizza tonight...and even better news: 20% of it will go to Fuel. Yum.

Considering for a future blog: an updated version of my "Songs that Make Me Want to Throw Up" list. The radio stations are running low and the time has come once again.

Not feelin' it: I don't feel like a people person today. So I don't really want to be. Maybe I will when I leave this fluorescent lighting and have comfy clothes on.

Also ticked off because: I didn't get as much $ as expected from my tax returns. NOW how will I be able to plan my vacation to Cali?

Wondering: where i'll be in 5 years. heck, even where i'll be in 5 months!

Can't stop eating: those little black and red raspberry candies that kate got me from abe's. good breakfast? probably not. oh well, it was sufficient today. and i think i'll have another...

So thankful: it's Week of E so work is only 8-4 this week for us. yay! an extra 30 min. of AM sleep, another 30 min. of afternoon sunlight and freedom.

Forgot about: the plum on my desk that I brought to eat for breakfast. Oops. the candy worked instead.

March Madness

And madness it is, my friends. Complete madness that I, having not a single clue about basketball other than I want ILLINOIS to win, am doing great so far in my brackets. I filled them out the other night based on nothing but the numbers in front of me, and some choosing by color (thanks to Nate), but that's about all. All I have to say is this: so far I'm 4-4, and I'm on the way to being 8-8 if the 4 games going on right now continue the way they are. We'll have to see.


Oh yeah, and Happy St. Patty's Day.

Tomorrow I'm headed down to Evansville for the Clark/Jones wedding. Yay! Can't wait to see Linds and hang out before her big day Saturday. It will be a good time, and I must say that I'm quite happy with the tan I've attained after only 2 weeks.

Cheers to all of you, as I tip back my red water bottle as opposed to a green brew.

oh no you didn't

launchcast: oh no you did not just play wilson phillips for me. don't ever do that again. especially b/c it was their recent try-to-make-a-comeback. the only song you have permission to play is "Impulsive" or another oldie blast from the past.

I'm a Celebrity...

In other news...

I've finally made it! (totally kidding) I'm on the cover of the spring '05 Restorer. (if I ever measure my success by that, please humble me by smacking me in the face.) At least it shows how outnumbered I am in this Admissions department. I hate how ridiculous I look, but I guess it's cool that we're standing on a giant Monopoly board.

Just so ya'll know, we didn't even take that picture altogether...I had to stand by myself for it. I felt kinda stupid, but at least the crew is with me on the front. At least Sarver didn't make me pretend to hold the Monopoly dog piece like he was going to...

Baby Got Book

You absolutely HAVE to go to this website and watch the video for "Baby Got Book" if you have not already seen it. SOOOOOOO funny.

EMHE: How'd They Do That?

So my sister has already once written about Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, the best show ever, but I'm proceeding to write about it again.

These people know what they're doing. Aside from actually having a relationship with Christ, it seems they have Christianity down. They've got it down what it means to love people. They show how beautifully the Church could work together. They provide for the needs of people, and they go beyond those needs and fulfill their dreams and desires without reservation. I think it's astonishing.

Here's a quick synopsis of last night: The Okvath family--Mom, Dad, Kassandra (their 8 yr. old who has survived cancer twice), another daughter, and 4 little boys. They didn't even want their own home fixed up, other than some paint touchups. Kassandra selflessly wanted to repaint the walls in the children's wing of the hospital so their lives could be filled with joy. They brought in a Disney volunteer team and, by her leadership and design, painted Disney themes and an overall "It's a Small World" theme with each room displaying a different country or story. This alone made me cry.

Meanwhile, the EMHE team COMPLETELY destroyed the Okvath's house only to rebuild them a gorgeous 6000 sq. ft. home (i think). This home included an actual movie theater room and a kid-friendly backyard equipped with a carousel, several play houses, a healing garden, and a ton more. The team added these so the family could, as much as possible, keep Kassandra out of public places such as movie theaters or amusement parks where sickness among kids is almost unavoidable.

And this is even more amazing to me: the day after the walls were repainted in the children's hospital, all the white blood cell counts of the children went up!!!

I think this show is one of the greatest things ever done. It's not just another Habitat for Humanity, building an impersonal low-budget home. They just do incredible things. I can't get over it.

I'm learning to love people by what I see on this show. Sometimes I learn more about love from this show than I do from the Church. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I don't know, but it always makes me pray for God to cultivate that kind of love in my heart for people. It's not necessarily about the giving of material possessions as it is just having genuine love and compassion for His people...which means EVERYBODY.

Changes

Here's a blast from the past: the Cranberries' "Zombie" just came onto my Launchcast radio station. nice. if I wasn't in the office, I'd certainly be singing along.

So here's where my mind is right now:

Life is changing really fast. All the time. It makes me smile. Sometimes it makes me want to cry. Sometimes it makes me laugh. Sometimes it is frustrating and confusing. It makes me wonder. It makes me look forward. It makes me see with wider eyes... telescope eyes...sometimes kaleidoscope eyes when it's whirlwind-ish. But I love it. I love to see things work themselves out. Or rather, God working things out, often without us even noticing or thinking or thanking.

I have a love/hate relationship with change. And I love how I fabricate and develop my thoughts as I write them out on here. They may not be what I think or feel in an hour, but they are what I think and feel in this very moment. Is this the beauty of blogging? I think so.

on a lighter note, here are songs I'd love to hear (off the top of my head) on my Launchcast radio right now:
-"Sway" by Michael Buble
-"Get Right" by J. Lo.
-"Hey Mama" by the Blackeyed Peas (i'll settle for "Shut Up" which is playing right now)

my night

-a nice 10 min. nap in the tanning bed

-fixing dinner for Chels & Courtney

-hanging out w/ an old friend and looking forward to rebuilding that friendship that I've missed and longed for during the past 8 months...

-probably watching my taped episode of Newlyweds from last night...yes, a guilty pleasure

-now defending myself to those of you who say that Jessica Simpson is an idiot...i'm pretty sure I'd be the same way if my life was videotaped and you caught only my dumbest moments. they happen a lot.

-going to try to drink more water...just for fun. and of course, good health.

that's a Thursday night for me.

no strings attached

Nope, we're not talking about the NSync CD...

Just how I kinda feel sometimes about my life. Obviously there are strings like to my family and some temporary "strings" to my job, ministry, etc. But really, I could do anything and go anywhere I pretty much want! And to some people that's a good thing but for me it's overwhelming. I'm just not sure what to do with it.

I've written about this before, but I just am so unsure about my future. I know that's normal, but it has been enhanced in my mind since talking to my friend Faith yesterday. Just the thought of moving somewhere new, starting in a completely different, fresh place sounds so good to me...but where is that place? I don't even know. Maybe NYC, maybe California, maybe Chicago, maybe that place is even right here in Lincoln? Weird as it is to say, maybe my being stretched is taking place right here in Lincoln. Surrounded by the familiar. Familiar places. Familiar people. Familiar jobs. I guess I'm just figuring out if I should be here or if I need to go somewhere else. It's never a matter of what I want necessarily or where I want to be, but it's a matter of where I am led or called to. Maybe I just need some discernment in that.

So, if you have a direct line with the Guy upstairs, and he lets you in on anything I should know, I'd like to hear it. If not, just let Him know I wouldn't mind a little nudging in any direction!

Enough of the heavy stuff...

-I can't stop listening to my Steve Tyrell CD.
-I also can't stop listening to Marc Broussard. Go to Best Buy. Your $9.99 spent will make you happy.
-I am so tired and can't wait for my 10 min. nap in the tanning bed later today.
-I'm jealous that Doug is leaving tmw for Florida, I won't lie.
-That's all I got. i'm fresh out of things to say.

So I Says...

So Cory and I were in Target this weekend and found the BEST magnets ever. We both wanted to blog about it, because we can't stop laughing about them. They're these old-fashioned black and white things that have cute phrases that women say like "My house is cuter than yours" or "Ohmigod, no way. She did? No way! I don't believe it!" It's very '50s-ish and probably fits the Desperate Housewives outbreak this year.

Anyways, I bought them for my mom for her b-day because of one specific magnet that says this:

"So I says to Mabel, I says..."

You may need to say it out loud to yourself for it to be as funny as it is to us. Our Dad says "I says" all the time, and we think it's hilarious. you have to love good ol' Streator folk.

I can't even think about it without laughing now!

What do people from your town say?

yuck

so i might use a couple of sick hours today...i'm thinking since most of our campus visit day stuff is done, i'm going to go home if i can. my tummy hurts and i'm spaced out from my favorite equate cold/allergy/sinus (i don't know which one or two it is) medicine from wal-mart. it makes me feel good, but weird. but i'm not happy w/ my stomach hurting right now.

but the good news is, i don't have shingles. my arm stopped tingling finally. Still, my family could attest to my paranoia in checking my arm for red bumps or blisters every 5 seconds all weekend.

And my arthritic knees have stopped hurting.

On a different note, I had a really great weekend staying at Cory & David's. Cory and I had quite the time being silly and dancing around saturday night for a couple hours (even tired and sick-feeling as we already were), and then we laughed till we almost cried at maddy whispering and mouthing words. she's the funniest child ever.

my fav. quote from the weekend...

Cory: How did I make this child?
Me: I don't know, but i want the recipe!

hypochondriac much?

My right arm is tingly. don't know why. Hoping it's not shingles again. Having the shingles sucks.

I also think I'm getting arthritis in both my knees and my right hand/wrist. Or maybe carpal tunnel syndrome.

did I mention that my back hurts?

Or that I'm only 22 and I'm an old lady?

Twixters?

As I sat in the waiting area at Jim Xamis Ford yesterday while my car was getting a check-up I found the issue of Time Magazine from Jan. 25, 2005. The cover story was titled "Grow Up? Not So Fast..." I had heard about this article that has entitled our 18-29 year old age range the "twixters." I proceeded to read it and found myself feeling better about my uncertainties and indecision in life, because it has somehow become the norm for us twixters.

If you can find this article and you're between these ages, read it. Find a library or some intellectual who subscribes to Time and read it.

I'd love to chat about it, so if you've read it, let's talk.


P.S. As you all know, I love to color coordinate my fonts with something of the day (i.e. a new purse, an article of clothing, my mood, etc.). Just thought I'd inform you that I'm wearing my highlighter yellow shirt. Get out your sunglasses.

London, anyone?

Travelzoo's Top 20 this week:

Roundtrip flight: Chicago to London = $179 (must order by tomorrow at midnight, depart on Monday, and return after 3/13)

After completing this search more, it would end up being about $289.59 per person.

Here's the itinerary:

Chicago (ORD) to London (LHR)
Monday, Mar 7
United Airlines 928Boeing 777
Mar 07 6:05 pm depart ORD Mar 08 7:55 am arrive LHR
Stops: Non-stop
Class: Coach

London (LHR) to Chicago (ORD)
Monday, Mar 14
United Airlines 929Boeing 777
Mar 14 10:25 am depart LHR Mar 14 1:10 pm arrive ORD
Stops: Non-stop
Class: Coach

Total Airfare Per Person (including taxes):
USD 289.59
Total Airfare (including taxes):
USD 579.18
Who's with me? Anyone?

best friends

i can't wait to have a best friend.

don't take this the wrong way, i definitely have lots of friends who i consider to be "my best friends," but no one particular "best friend." See the difference? maybe not.

it's funny how those best friends change throughout the years. i can usually remember them by grade:
Preschool: Lindsy Corcoran
Kindergarten: Stephanie McGee
First grade: Meagan Nink
Second & Third grade: Shayh Moore maybe? don't remember
Fourth & Fifth grade: Audrey Yusko?
Sixth grade: Erica Cole, Jessica Salaz, Kunjali Padhya
Seventh grade: Erica, Jessica, Amanda Cole, Kunjali Padhya
Eighth grade: same as before
9-12th grade: Kristy Kerestes & Jenny Quinn, still Amanda Cole

In college it changed again and each year altered it a little more. I could probably list off at least like 12 people I'd consider to be my best friends at this moment, but I always wished I had one of those best friends throughout my entire life. I look forward to having one for the rest of my life (whoever i marry) and continuing the close friendships I'm blessed with at the moment.

thanks, God, for friends. i love them. and i can't wait to see what new ones you bring into my path someday.

the end. i didn't mean for this to be cheesy, but it kinda turned out that way.

oh, and p.s. I got a new purse yesterday in this exact color! i'm starting to have a colorful purse collection almost as large as my colored pants collection...we might have a battle someday: purses vs. pants.

dorky fun survey from myspace

Describe yourself using one band and only song TITLES by that band: I choose Matt Wertz.

Are you male or female: Marianne

Describe yourself: Hiding Behind a Smile

How do some people feel about you: In on a Whim

How do you feel about yourself: Everything's Right, Wandering Eyes

Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: Can I say what it wasn't? If so, I choose Honest Man. If you can even count him as a boyfriend. I'm pretty sure I don't really count the 11 days from 4 years ago.

Describe your current girlfriend/boyfriend: Counting to 100

Describe where you want to be: Green Pastures

Describe what you want to be: That For You

Describe how you live: This Moment

Describe how you love: Sweetness in Starlight, Faith and Compromise

Share a few words of wisdom: I Will Let You Down

-I definitely spent WAYYY too much time on this...and it's sad that I had to look at all of Wertz's song titles to be make sure I chose just the right one!

-Do this, it's fun!

The Bachelorette: Season Finale

Out of curiosity, how many people fell out of their seats last night at the end of The Bachelorette? Anyone?

Not me. Honestly, I kind of expected something similar to happen. I knew Jen would pick Jerry (as she did), but then I knew it wouldn't work out (as it didn't). I sort of thought she'd still want to date him rather than saying "let's just be friends." But whatever.

I will say that I like Jerry a whole lot more than I used to. There was a possibility w/ progression for their relationship. He had a problem with communicating, so it was something she could help him work through. With John Paul, there was nothing to progress really, unless he could talk her into truly liking him. She just wasn't feeling it, I'm pretty sure. He was too smothery and all up in her face. Even when they kissed her face was covered with his hand plastered all over it.

I can't believe the ridiculous "After the Rose" show, however. Could you make things any harder for these people and could you make this "reality" show anymore unrealistic?

And a memo to the lady in the audience who asked if they broke up because they weren't "sexually compatible": What were you thinking? Is it really your business? Is it really the public's business? And honestly, I think you are stupid for asking that question on national television. Besides, "sexual compatibility" is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of for a relationship not working. I'm pretty sure we're all compatible (guy w/ girl, girl w/ guy) if I have it figured out right...

The most enjoyable part of the evening was watching it w/ 3 guys and hearing their comments, which were quite hilarious!

A little Q & A about the season:
Q: Was it worth it to watch this entire season all for that ending?
A: Other than the fact that it was actually somewhat classy and not skanky as the upcoming Bachelor appears to be, my answer would be NO. For that ending, it was not worth it.