WHENEVER

This is a rant I've been meaning to empty from my head for a long time now.

I'm sure more people do it than just Oklahoman's, but I've only noticed it here. They certainly don't do it back in Pennsylvania-- nowhere I've been anyway. So here is the offense: they say "whenever" at a time that they mean "when". For example:

"Whenever I was three..."

"Whenever I got home today..."

"Whenever I went in the room he was sitting on the bed..."

In SOME cases the last two could work, if it was really WHENEVER they did this action. If EVERY TIME they got home something happened, or EVERY TIME they entered their bedroom he was sitting on the bed, then it would make sense. But this isn't the case. Oh no. They really just mean to say that WHEN they got home, and WHEN they went into the room. Once. One time deal. When implies a single event and should be used in the appropriate way. It drives me BATSHIT CRAZY when people gratuitously use "whenever". YOU WEREN'T THREE MORE THAN ONCE!

I also dislike it when on signs the letters and/or numbers are upside down. Especially, but not limited to: 3, 8, S and B.

relationships

I'm terrible at them. Wait, actually that's a lie. I'm excellent at MOST relationships. Romantic relationships are another story. I guess it's more that I don't know if I'm BAD at them, persay, it's more that I don't understand what the big deal is. What is the difference, the line that is drawn where you say "Ah ha! THIS is why I'm in a romantic relationship rather than a friendship!"

I'm sure it's some shortcoming of my own that I can't make this distinction. Sure, some would jump to the obvious physicality of the differing relationships, but can that REALLY be the only difference? Then why do I love my friends differently than my family? Why would I love my boyfriend more or less or equal to any of those people? Plus, what about if you don't DO the physical things? Then are you in a relationship? A friendship? My own issues with physical closeness are mine alone, I accept that until I receive some sort of counseling I'll continue to have those issues, but I don't think that those problems alone can make or break having a committed relationship--can they?

Yesterday I was watching the show about the Morman family of soon to be 18 people, the Duggars. Seriously, get over the no-birth-control rule, it's getting ridiculous. They raise their children well, and the only reason I have an issue with it is that I don't think your older kids should have to watch your younger ones. They have lives they should be living. Anyway-- that's not the point, at all. So, in their religion, which they live strictly by, they aren't supposed to even kiss before marriage. The parents on the show did kiss before marriage, but the oldest son who is now engaged has not yet kissed his fiance, and both want to wait until their wedding day for the "special kiss". So, what is it that makes them a couple? HOW are they more of a couple than friends? Or is that all a couple is; good friends?

I went to a talk on the physiology of love while I was in college, and more or less there is a chemical reaction that triggers the feelings of lust, then love, within two people. I get why people start dating. Those endorphins are powerful little suckers, and they create the euphoric 'love' feeling. Then, supposedly, the love emotion does kind of fade out as the hormones are lessened, but you essentially make the subconscious decision to stay in love or not. But to me I think, now that you KNOW you took the pill, can you still feel that emotion?

I'm not saying that I don't or can't feel love, we're not going down that melodramatic route. I just can't understand how it really happens. I have had happy and long relationships in my past, but they don't last. I guess most will say "then you haven't met the right one yet". But how can you be sure? How do you know you weren't supposed to just CHOOSE to be happy with one that has already gone by? I mean, I COULD spend the rest of my life with someone, but how do you know you SHOULD?

Everytime I consider this conundrum I talk myself in circles, and it always seems to come back to the physicality of the relationship, even though I don't think that should be the case. Maybe it's because I don't live in a Mormon society and you won't find many-- maybe any-- guys who are willing to wait you out and understand your hesitancy. One has, does that mean I should spend the rest of my life with him? It's probably more on me than it is on the guys, actually. I think I feel more guilty because I understand that men show their affection through intimacy, and women through words. It makes me feel like I'm not fulfilling what a relationship should be in their eyes. Maybe the situation can be solved easily if I put all of this on the table the minute a few dates starts looking like a could-be-relationship situation.

We'll see.

cleaning out the closet

I was going through my thumb drive that contained most of my documents from my last semester of college. That was the semester I took creative writing with professor Kerry Sherrin Wright. She is nerdy to the point that it's graceful, and has a quirkiness that compels you to stay in her presence as long as possible (for the hope that she might say something unfathomably profound, or she'd trip on the carpet-- sometimes both). She was the kind of professor that changes your life in the same way a tiny pebble dropped into a pond changes the water. In my creative writing folder in my old thumb drive, I found several gems that I enjoyed reading and reflecting on.

I'll share one of the poems now, although I'm rather annoyed that I can't get the formatting to stay as it was in the original version. There should be some spacing and line breaks that you will not get the full effect of in this version, but I can't find a way to fix that. If anyone has any idea, feel free to fill me in.

September 24, 2007

The Girl

"You're mediocre, you know that?"

He's still yelling- then it really begins.
like a vacant nest during winter's first snow, emptiness
stares at me from the eyes of the mirror.
too tired to lift his hand again- or perhaps convinced of a hopeless cause
I am free to go.

bedroom door opens
a flood-gate of tears.
the first rain for a flower
that long ago withered
I throw a small glass bottle across the room
against the wall- it shatters.

the familiar, safe body sinks down next to me,
closes the door- keeping the family secret safe
inside the closet with us.
my brother pulls me close and I rest
my head on his shoulder.
His t-shirt becomes wet against my face.
He doesn't mind.
He sits holding me- strong, still
Silent.

supporting the hopelessness that consumes me.
validity evaporating
like breath into a bitter night
my resentment is not echoed
in his hollow gaze.
this closet- a tomb
for significance.

in the aftermath I learned to seek his comfort
in the aftermath I realized that it would never be enough.

Shih Tzu

Alright, so my roommate has a Shih-Tzu, for those of you who don't know what this is, I'll link a picture for your visual enjoyment.

My roommate's Shih-Tzu weighs around 12lbs. I know cats that weigh more than that. Sarah calls him something funny- Skippy? I can't remember- but that's the kind of dog it is, one whose name you don't even bother to commit to memory because it's never going to do anything worthwhile. This isn't the point. The point is-- WHAT are they bred for? What is their purpose for LIVING? As any good nerd would, I researched to find out, and do you know what I came up with? Nothing. Yep, this dog is as useful as a bag of hair. In fact, their reason for being was succinctly summed up as, "Today this breed is very popular, both as a companion and a glamorous show dog." Glamorous. Seriously? What do people THINK when they buy one of these dogs? Unless I was the recent recipient of a lobotomy, there's just no way. It's very similar to smoking cigarettes, I suppose, the warning is right there on the label, but you don't heed the advice of the SURGEON GENERAL.

To be fair, tiny dog behaves rather well around guests and the like. My dogs, on the other hand, act like it's the first time they've seen other life forms and go into a frenzy of tails and tongues. Tiny dog gets just as excited, but seriously, he weighs 12 pounds, what can he actually do? Oh wait, we covered that already, nothing. Plus, my dogs are actually DOGS-- and not the glamorous kind. It seems to me that some people get rather smug when tiny dog is all cute, and glamorous, just curling up on someones lap, and my dogs are behaving like-- SHOCK, GASP-- DOGS! Both of my dogs, however, are in advanced obedience. They will both be trained as search and rescue dogs, and on top of that Zulu will be trained as a Canine Good Citizen so we can make hospital and nursing home visits and bring a little cheer to people in need. They have jobs, their breeds have purpose. Both thrive on learning new things.

But, never fear, my dogs have given this jobless, purse-accessory a purpose in life: their personal squeak toy.

from the mouths of babes

From the archived files in my mind comes this following conversation:

[in an italian restaurant between Alora, 4, and Benny, 41]

Alora: Do you have a baby in your belly?

Benny: No.

Alora: Then you're fat.

Benny: Yes, yes I am.

man pee

Okay, what is it with men's urine that makes it smell like THAT. You know what I mean, that sort of acidic/sour smell. If it were a perfume it'd be Parish Hilton: The Morning After. What happens within the male body that causes such a rancid odor to emit from their PEE? Having to spray air freshener after a man does number 1 is just ridiculous. Any medical consult on this issues is appreciated.

Cape Town, South Africa

I just found out tonight, via voicemail, that I was awarded a grant from travelocity that I applied for about 3 months ago; it's called a Change Ambassador Grant, or CAG. Every quarter travelocity accepts hundreds of applications for four available $5,000 grants. They choose the recipients of these grants based on past volunteer experience and personal commitment to fighting for change, and for a better world. I am privileged enough to have been chosen to receive one of these grants and when I found out I was so excited that I could have pooed and flung it everywhere.

I found out as I left work, so on my way to class I called my mother to share my insurmountable exuberance-- no one informed her of the insurmountable part. I hastily- and excitedly- informed her of the great news to which she said something like, "Are you kidding? Why waste your time?" That isn't verbatim, but I was so in shock from the roundhouse kick to the teeth that I'm not sure of her precise verbiage. I think I blacked out for a second. Essentially she feels that, at 24, I should be looking for a job and settling down. I'm not entirely sure what this means-- husband, kids, finding some dead-end job to get stuck in for the next forty years-- I don't know for certain, but I could definitely ascertain that she felt my enthusiastic disposition was more than a bit unwarranted. I was then asked if I'd 'even' be making money while I was there. Money? I'm sorry, but let me jump up on my idealistic soap box for a minute and say-- NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT MONEY! *gasp* I'm sorry... did I hear you correctly? If by "money" you meant "gaining a once in a lifetime, irreplaceable life-changing experience that you'll never forget", then yes, I'll make plenty of that.

And, to set the record straight, Cape Town isn't exactly the middle of a third world country where I'll be hunting my own wild hog and narrowly escaping lions, it's one of the top tourist destinations in the WORLD right now. The program I'm going through, Cross Cultural Solutions, is an acclaimed organization that helps thousands of people plan their ideal "volunteer vacation". Another shock-- to some people, volunteering is exciting; helping people is rewarding. Coupling that with travel and the opportunity to explore an entirely different part of the planet makes for an experience unparalleled by any other. The program is inclusive of everything one might need while volunteering in another part of the world-- travel and personal insurance, 24-hour support, a huge house for all the volunteers to live together and share their experience, transportation to and from the airport, food cooked for us by locals who work in the CCS house, volunteer training and support, the list goes on but I digress. Sadly, my mother didn't hear about any of these things, in fact she didn't even ask. Because, here in America, first things first: SHOW ME THE MONEY.

tiger safari, heck yes!

So, I went to the tiger safari with Benny, Sarah, Chris, and Alora, and it was awesome! First of all, it was a beautiful fall day. The safari is set back basically in the middle of nowhere, and it felt like we traveled to another country-- or maybe that's because it's Oklahoma and it IS like another country... or planet. The entry fee was seven dollars, and worth every penny. Our tour guide took our group, along with two other families, around the park and talked with us about the animals. I might be a total nerd, but I enjoyed myself even more because it was so evident that the tour guide loved her jobs and the animals. She even said she was proud of me after I let her drape a SNAKE AROUND MY NECK.


Seriously, I must have been delirious with all the fresh air and sunlight to let this woman near me with a snake this size. Ick. That was luckily the first stop on the tour, and things only went up from there, in my opinion. We won't mention the fact that everyone else was perfectly fine with wearing the boa as a boa... as seen here:




and even this ridiculously huge snake that was being moved to a new home and made a stop for a group hug on the way:

Clearly someone should have flagged them on their fresh-air-intake, because this is the upper eshelon of insanity.

And now here are some pictures of far cuter animals that I enjoyed handling emensely more.



and I fed a tiger...


and-- MOST IMPORTANTLY-- I fed and posed for pictures with A LLAMA!!!

Look at the way he gazes at me. Notice also, the sheep. I'm like Dr. Fucking Doolittle.

Yes, LLAMA, eat the cornflakes I offer you.

To wrap the day up, some of the delinquents in our group defaced the sign at the safari...



When Sarah noticed that some guy was watching this debauchery we tried taking a nicey-nicey one to regain something that resembled dignity.

To my avid readers, I apologize.

I know that this blog is the sun and moon in many of your lives, and I have neglected it, and you, for far too long. I have been a busy bee, so let me share it with thee.

I have moved into the new place! I'm now living in Edmond, Oklahoma (that's just for my stalkers) with three roommates and four dogs. I finally have a backyard for the dogs, which is great to play some fetch and wear them out. Except for when I throw three tennis balls in a row over the fence and Lucy looks at me like, "Really?!" Zulu has NO IDEA why Lucy runs after the ball and brings it back-- over and over-- so instead she waits for Lucy to get the ball, and on her way back she attacks her for it, then plays steal- not fetch. Zulu would rather kill and eat the "prey" while Lucy's chase instinct is strong enough that she will bring it back to chase again. To each his own. One roommate has a small dog; a shitszu (spelling, anyone?). I'm not sure what the shitszu was bred for, but Lucy and Zulu are convinced it was to be a play toy. He's a good sport about it, so it usually works out alright. And the fourth dog is geriatric and pretty much hates my dogs. Zulu is therefore even more in love with her and CONSTANTLY tries to lick her face-- which surprisingly pisses her off to no end. I'm pretty sure the other day while Zulu was feverishly bathing her face with wet kisses and she thought I wasn't listening I heard her mutter, "I'll cut you." That dog is obviously crazy badass.

Also, I'm starting a new job and leaving AmeriCorps. There are many reasons, time, desire, purpose, etc, that have lead to this decision. Most importantly, to put it delicately, I'm finacially FUCKED. I need a real job and fast. The job I'm moving to isn't really a long-term committment, but it will make me more than I'm making now. I'll be a server at a country club in Edmond. Hopefully this will buy me time to finish my class here and pay my bills-- and apply for jobs at home. Hopefully I will have something set up by the time I get home and will be able to move forward with a new career, making actual money, paying back actual debt. Luckily I didn't get caught up in any credit card debt or anything crazy like that. So it will just be college loans and sanity that I'm regaining upong my move home. Currently I feel like I never know if I'll have enough money for gas to make it to work the next day, let alone pay back loans. So, by moving home and getting a job of some sort (even if it's serving full time until I find a "real job") I'll feel like I'm getting my head above water and the boot of panic won't be on the back of my head holding me to the hard, cold bottom in the pool of financial FUCKERY.

I have to poop. Please refer to my blog about poo for my feelings about this.

Furthermore, the current SNL amazigness of Tina Fey as Sarah Palin is the only thing about this election that makes me laugh. Well, I usually laugh when the real Palin talks, but then I'm immediately clenched with GUT-WRENCHING FEAR that she could realistically run our country one day if the old man is elected and then kicks it (which he will). And that makes me want to weep. But, Tina Fey is too hilarious to not just appreciate. SNL should be bowing down to her and getting her lap dances for life for saving their tanking ratings. The whole show is better and morale has been visably boosted. So, horray for that.

And lastly, I'm addicted to crocheting. Probably in a creepy, and possibly illegal way. I have opened an online shop on etsy (which is a secondary addiction) and the address is KIMporium.etsy.com -- bear in mind that it's brand new and only has about 5 items on it, but I'm feverishly crocheting and the variety will definitely increase in coming months. Feel free to do some marketing for me to friends and family [[shameless plea for help]]

I said that that was "lastly" so I suppose I'm done for now! Within the next day or two I'm going to add some pictures from my most recent activities-- of which there have been many! So stay tuned, and I promise to be more vigilant of this blog as to not dissappoint anymore.

I couldn't say it any better myself

so I won't.

Just read this.

ERIN'S HERE!

Dear Lovely World,

Erin got here last night. After she was stuck in Chicago due to flooding, she finally decided to just fly from Chicago to OKC in order to keep me from papering my walls in magazine clippings while wearing a tin foil helmet.

This morning she was greeted into a new day by the dogs licking her so much I think Lucy reached her brain through her ear. They love her, which is typical, but usually Lucy loses interest much faster. She can clearly sense that Erin is my life-partner.

I'm taking off Wednesday through Friday this week to partake in as much debauchery as I can manage. We have a pretty good set of ideas as to what we're going to do, and Sarah will be joining us for much of this adventure. Perhaps Torrey will also take part... I may just kidnap her to make the decision making process easier on everyone. I'm not going to post a schedule of events, like I had thought about doing because I'm so excited, but rather I'll blog after the days unfold so I can include all the delightful tidbits that take place.

And with that, I bid you adieu. Until next time, take care of yourselves- and each other.

Sincerely,

Kim

Only in Oklahoma...

I was driving to class yesterday after work and was flipping through the radio stations and stopped on one to listen to the traffic report. Immediately following the report they segway into the Backstreet Boys- I want It That Way. My gut reaction was to quickly turn the station before the earth spontaneously combusted, but instead, I turned the volume up and rocked it out. Now, I honestly wasn't a BSB fan-- New Kids, now we're talking-- but BSB weren't my thing. Isn't it strange though, how everyone knows the words to those songs? I never sat in my room listening to the boy band, but I new every word! Maybe the government plays it very lowly across the entire US to keep people in a trance-like state. Anyway, I rocked it out, let passersby look at me like I had lost my mind, and thoroughly enjoyed it. As the song was coming to a close, I was smiling to myself at the absurdity of singing along with the Backstreet Boys like I was onstage at one of their concerts, when THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER starts to play. I kid you not-- the effing Star Spangled Banner. At first I'm like, okay, it's 9/11, they're probably playing it as an introduction to a piece about this day in history. Nope. They play the whole song through- naturally it's one of the looong drawn out versions that takes about 8 minutes to get through- then come back on the air and make NO MENTION of it.

I'm sorry, that's just weird. Oh, Oklahoma.

AMPED

okay, so I was just reading articles debating Palin/McCain and Obama/Biden. I know there are people out there who support the Republican "ME FIRST" egocentric bullshit, but it still shocks me EVERY TIME I see those sentiments in black and white. And to echo many voices so far: if it takes me giving a little more of my money (when I actually have a decent job making more money) so that my fellow HUMAN BEINGS in America can have health care, then YES-- TAKE MY FUCKING MONEY. Yes, please make sure there aren't millions of children, sick and dying, whose parents have to look them in the eye and just say, "I'm sorry."

Trying to move on from my ears literally BURNING WITH OUTRAGE... I'm going to rant about something completely different-- women who suddenly want to be "one of the guys". (this really has nothing to do with Palin, so put her out of your head or this will get confusing.)

Basically, it drives me catpiss crazy when all of a sudden the prissy little bitches, who MOCKED ME in adolescence for having all guy friends, wake up one day and proclaim, "Oh, I'm totally one of the guys!" WHAT THE FUCK?! Does something happen when you hit the College stage of life that suddenly makes it OKAY to be 'one of the guys'? COOL even? Because it's like an unavoidable STD these girls become infected with as soon as they set foot on a college campus. Nevermind the fact that as a kid they would call me "Timmy", or make jokes about me not really being a girl... or whatever else they might have been saying in their nail-painting-hen-parties while I was playing football with-- gasp-- the BOYS. NOW it's okay, encouraged even, to be a part of the sausage party... and not just as their receiving hole...

Well, ladies, you aren't fooling me! I can spot you girls anywhere... I can smell you out like a crack sniffing dog. You are like bad acid I took as a kid that is coming back in awful flashbacks in my adulthood. Many times you even make the attempt to dress in a way you feel will be conducive to being "one of the guys". Jeans and a t-shirt? Sure... oh oh... but what's that? You forgot to take off your strand of pearls (or single-pearl earrings)-- silly! Oh, I know... a hat- THAT will prove I'm totally down with the boys! But waaait... knowing the rules of football-- much less actually throwing one around-- might confuse you, or break one of your perfectly manicured fingernails. That is not to say that girls who take care of themselves in some way cannot have guy friends, or to say that girls who can have a catch with the boys are unkempt and dirty... it IS to say, though, that there is a BREED of girls arriving on the scene with a manufactured "I-like-totally-have-a-ton-of-guy-friends" look. AND IT DRIVES ME FUCKING INSANE!

Furthermore, when I am told that I'm "one of the guys" for any reason- I am not EXCITED. I don't think, "Oh gee, how lucky am I to be knighted with such a title!" No, in fact, what I think is, "Actually, I'm just a girl who happens to like video games." or beer. or football. or ultimate fighting. And, no, this doesn't make me "one of the guys", this makes me have friends with SIMILAR INTERESTS. Don't tell me you're jealous of my male relationships, which many girls have throughout my life. Go find guys who share YOUR interests if you want them as friends. NEWSFLASH: NOT ALL GUYS LIKE SPORTS, VIDEO GAMES, AND BEER. I happen to like those things, and have friends of both sexes who also like those things. Don't act like I helped Lewis and Clark by discovering some uncharted territory because I have befriended another human being. Then again, maybe it's shocking to your breed that I am able to maintain a relationship with a person who has a penis-- AND THAT PENIS NEVER ENTERS AN ORIFICE OF MY BODY.

And lastly, my final peeve-- and breaking point-- is when these girls feel they're on the precipice of "male bonding" and boldly declare "I'M ONE OF THE GUYS". If this sentence, or any variation of it EVER HAS OR EVER DOES stumble across your lips, guess what... YOU'RE NOT. You are NOT one of them. If you need to utter this sentence, you're trying to convince yourself, as well as the people around you, that you have... what? Broken through the glass ceiling? You, and you alone, were able to overcome the great divide, walk on water, and BEFRIEND MEN?! Pathetic. And you know what I have to say about it? Suck it. That's right. To all of you who decide that NOW, after so many years of me taking your BULLSHIT, that being one of the guys is cool... EAT SHIT. They don't actually like you. They aren't your friends. And they only let you be their pong partner in hopes that because you suck so bad, you'll lose, have to drink a shit-ton of "icky beer" and your legs will magically open to them, allowing them entrance to THEIR ONLY REASON FOR SPENDING COUNTLESS HOURS WITH YOU EXPLAINING WHAT THE GUYS IN TIGHT PANTS AND HELMETS ARE DOING RUNNING AROUND ON THAT LINED FIELD.

Palin-- maybe even worse than McCain.

Yesterday was John McCain's 72nd birthday. If elected, he'd be the oldest president ever inaugurated. And after months of slamming Barack Obama for "inexperience," here's who John McCain has chosen to be one heartbeat away from the presidency: a right-wing religious conservative with no foreign policy experience, who until recently was mayor of a town of 9,000 people.

Huh? Who is Sarah Palin?

Here's some basic background:
She was elected Alaska's governor a little over a year and a half ago. Her previous office was mayor of Wasilla, a small town outside Anchorage. She has no foreign policy experience.

1. Palin is strongly anti-choice, opposing abortion even in the case of rape or incest.
2. She supported right-wing extremist Pat Buchanan for president in 2000.
3. Palin thinks creationism should be taught in public schools.
4. She's doesn't think humans are the cause of climate change.
5. She's solidly in line with John McCain's "Big Oil first" energy policy. She's pushed hard for more oil drilling and says renewables won't be ready for years. She also sued the Bush administration for listing polar bears as an endangered species—she was worried it would interfere with more oil drilling in Alaska.
6. How closely did John McCain vet this choice? He met Sarah Palin once at a meeting. They spoke a second time, last Sunday, when he called her about being vice-president. Then he offered her the position.

Here's a sample of Alaskians sharing their opinions:
--She is really just a mayor from a small town outside Anchorage who has been a governor for only 1.5 years, and has ZERO national and international experience. I shudder to think that she could be the person taking that 3AM call on the White House hotline, and the one who could potentially be charged with leading the US in the volatile international scene that exists today. —Rose M., Fairbanks, AK

--She is VERY, VERY conservative, and far from perfect. She's a hunter and fisherwoman, but votes against the environment again and again. She ran on ethics reform, but is currently under investigation for several charges involving hiring and firing of state officials. She has NO experience beyond Alaska. —Christine B., Denali Park, AK

--As an Alaskan and a feminist, I am beyond words at this announcement. Palin is not a feminist, and she is not the reformer she claims to be. —Karen L., Anchorage, AK

--Alaskans, collectively, are just as stunned as the rest of the nation. She is doing well running our State, but is totally inexperienced on the national level, and very much unequipped to run the nation, if it came to that. She is as far right as one can get, which has already been communicated on the news. In our office of thirty employees (dems, republicans, and nonpartisans), not one person feels she is ready for the V.P. position.—Sherry C., Anchorage, AK

--She's vehemently anti-choice and doesn't care about protecting our natural resources, even though she has worked as a fisherman. McCain chose her to pick up the Hillary voters, but Palin is no Hillary. —Marina L., Juneau, AK

--I think she's far too inexperienced to be in this position. I'm all for a woman in the White House, but not one who hasn't done anything to deserve it. There are far many other women who have worked their way up and have much more experience that would have been better choices. This is a patronizing decision on John McCain's part- and insulting to females everywhere that he would assume he'll get our vote by putting "A Woman" in that position.—Jennifer M., Anchorage, AK

So Governor Palin is a staunch anti-choice religious conservative. She's a global warming denier who shares John McCain's commitment to Big Oil. And she's dramatically inexperienced. In picking Sarah Palin, John McCain has made the religious right very happy. And he's made a very dangerous decision for our country.

In the next few days, many Americans will be wondering what McCain's vice-presidential choice means. Please pass this information along to your friends and family.

informative- and boring.

This is going to be a lame post to catch people up on my life.

The dogs are doing well. Class is still a lot of fun and they learn really quickly, so we're having a great time. We've already signed up for the intermediate obedience course to start about two weeks after this basic course is over. And a new fun development-- when they get back from the dog park and have been swimming for over an hour, they pee everywhere. Both of them peed on the bed yesterday, then Zulu peed again on the futon. Awesome. So the new precaution is to walk them evey half an hour after we get back from the dog park until we seem to be in the clear. Although I'm not sure yet when that is...

I found a place to live. I'm moving into a house with three other girls. And I'm sure that anyone who knows me just laughed, perhaps guffawed, heartily. My track record for living with women is... well... less than impressive. But, I'm going to give it the old college try (well maybe not college, seeing as that's when the problems were!). Plus, it's only for 6 months. And there's a backyard for the dogs, it's 10 mins from work, and it's in a nice neighborhood. Liz is the girl on the lease for the house, she's 23, and a nursing student at UCO. Torrey is the girl I was looking for places with before, she's 22 and a student. The third girl is unknown, but has a small dog, and I'm PRETTY concerned about that. My dogs are still playful puppies.... and they're going to play... and small dogs= chew toys... right? Shit.

Erin is coming in September. She gets here September 12 (right?). I'm way pumped about that and I'm going to take a day or two off of work to hang out with her. Then two months after that I'll be heading home for two weeks for winter break. I get back to OK January 3 and I'm done my service term March 3. So REALLY... it's not so bad. I have 85 WORK days until I'm home again for break. I can do this! The rest of my time here is divided up nicely, so I'm hoping I can just stick it out. For anyone who doesn't know my current... situation... I'm not going to post it on the internet. I'll do that after I'm done my term and can speak more freely without fear of backlash.

Zulu is cuddled in a blanket next to me, snoring happily, so I'm going to go snuggle up to her and enjoy my quite Saturday night with Harry Potter and his tales of witchcraft and wizardry! Sad news though for you Potter fans-- the release date of the next film, Half Blood Prince, has been pushed back from November 2008 to July 17, 2009. But, here's the trailer anyway. After you watch that, click on "daily prophet" and read about the HP exhibition and THEME PARK coming in sping of 2009!!!! WHO'S COMING WITH ME?!!

MY State of the Union Address

In trying to start writing this entry, I find it hard to know where to begin. To me, the state of affairs in this country is appalling, at best. There are so many reasons, I don't know where to begin. But, I'm going to ramble through it, expelling my ideas and hopefully inspiring some to actually THINK about what is going on, rather than just "taking the pill" they're given.

I've heard some people argue that the war, even if it was/is unjustified, is started and we should "finish what we started". I don't even know what this means, nor do I think it should hold any merit in any educated argument. Backing out of the middle east is just what the doctor ordered, for us, and for them. The civilian leaders of this nation have the RESPONSIBILITY to not spend the brave and honorable blood of our soldiers without a danger to our nation, in a war founded on lies and falsities. We should not be fighting a war for "freedom" in another country. If their people want freedom so badly, they should stand up and fight for it themselves now. We have given them the tools necessary for them to continue on. They need to fight for their own freedom, just as our forefathers fought for ours. Freedom is not a gift. George W. and the US can't neatly package and deliver it to end the tyranny in Iraq or Afghanistan. Helping is obviously not bad, we wouldn't be free if others had not pitched in and helped our cause, but there is a difference between support and doing the whole damn thing for them.

Blindly following is not what democracy, the intention of our country, was built upon. We were formed on the idea that the citizens have the responsibility and DUTY to hold the leaders of this country accountable for their actions. To hold valuable the government "of the People, by the People, and FOR THE PEOPLE." These words are not heeded, and the condensing of the entire weight of the government into the White House-- into Mr. Bush's hands-- is terrifying, to say the least. He has far overstepped his boundaries, he has LIED to the country he serves- an impeachable offense- and still continues on his money-grubbing, self righteous war path. Using our freedom, OUR RESPONSIBILITY to our country to question this isn't unpatriotic. In fact, it is the most patriotic act one could make in these treacherous times. When our leader is subverting the Constitution of the United States, when Congress illegally abdicates it's responsibility to declare war-- the law has been broken. In order to remain a free nation, not a dictatorship, we must speak out against such injustice, such tyranny. If we do not, and we allow this type of mindless war to continue, it will undermine and weaken our defenses against ACTUAL threat. Currently the military cannot recruit enough soldiers to maintain the strong, robust militia we once boasted. It is a struggle to keep those already in the military after their term is up. Is it no wonder that these brave men and women no longer want to fight in a war with a clear agenda-- that has nothing to do with the American people and their liberties? Because of this, if there were to be an definitive, peril threat against our nation, our government has exceedingly weakened the capacity to which we may defend ourselves. This damage is tragic, and was avoidable, if Americans had taken their freedoms seriously and stood up for their inalienable rights.

Backing out of this war, as both Presidential candidates intend to do (thankfully), is the best way to revitalize our military. While, yes, there may be deaths- and some terribly tragic- because of it, it will be NOTHING in comparison to the devastation that will be felt if we stay in this wrongful, deceitful war. The soldiers and civilians deserve the right to regroup and rally around each other, to come home and lick the wounds that have been inflicted by our own totalitarian government, and to reclaim our FREEDOMS AND LIBERTIES from the dictatorship our country is turning into.

The Declaration of Independence says, "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, IT IS THEIR DUTY, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

My friends, our country is in a sad state of affairs, for sure. Our President (not MY president) has utilized his time in office to be self-serving and egocentric. He has fed his own mouth and padded his own wallet. And his last GREAT act was to allow off-shore drilling. Drilling that will not bring usable oil for over a DECADE, but will certainly grease the pockets of himself and his cohorts. Furthermore, the chance of irreversible damage to our country and its wildlife is dramatically exacerbated by this gluttonous decision. I am personally appalled by his very existence, and even more appalled by the puppeteers behind this slack-jawed yokel.

rank poop.

No, the title is not meant to be a commentary on the stench of poo-- or maybe it was? But, it was also meant for you to do this poll: poo

That's right. Let's talk about it. Because my next post is going to be about politics, so why not just talk about all the things you aren't supposed to discuss openly? I'll start with poo, move to politics, and round it out with religion. Somehow that seems to be a natural progression.

Anyway, back on track: poop. Poop is a necessary evil. Actually, I don't find it to be evil at all... so, really it's just necessary. It's mother nature's way of saying, "Alright kiddo, time to throw some dead weight overboard so you can stuff your face some more!" It's glorious the way our body naturally and automatically deals with the toxins and unwanted garbage that goes through our system. What a well oiled machine evolution has delivered us!

Plus, poop is ALWAYS funny. Even when most adults (and by this I mean women... and pretentious people) won't admit it... SHIT IS FUNNY. I haven't come across a poo joke I don't like. I mean, it's a common thread among all things living. Every living species has waste-- why are we ashamed of it? Clearly having an aversion to eating or touching shit is probably a good way to keep humans seperate from animals by a level of sophistication, but that doesn't actually make shit not-funny. I mean, who doesn't laugh at a monkey-flinging-poo story? Or when a grown man shits himself? Or when a child is startled by his father jumping through the window wearing a warewolf mask and shits himself... who DOESN'T laugh???

And lastly, it makes everyone seem more... something... human maybe? when they talk about their bowel movements. Has your boss ever suddenly digressed that he's been constipated? Has your teacher ever mentioned their current stomache issues? When people do, it sometimes breaks down barriers that are created by the social structure and allows us to be genuinely... human... with one another. If turds can do that-- why not love them?!

Besides, when you're at work and you take a shit, you're actually getting PAID to shit! How cool is that?!

Student Life

So, there's a student meeting in my office at work. I don't mind it, in general... you know, the incessant banter, the obnoxious "he said, she said, OH EM GEE DID YOU HEAR ABOUT SANDRA?!" stuff... but there's this ONE GIRL. I mean, she talks faster than any okie I have encountered thus far. In fact, I bet she'd put the majority of the east coast to shame. She's a serority girl/valley girl/asian... the combination equal MIND NUMBING CHATTER. Oh, and to add to it she literally calls EVERYONE her best friend. And I mean EVERYONE. When the group is talking about that special guy, she'll proclaim something like, "Oh yeah, I totally saw him at the fair the other day, and he asked me about our algebra homework, we're TOTALLY BEST FRIENDS NOW!" And everyone BUYS THIS SHIT... "oh really? that's so awesome!" Then two minutes later she's talking about how her best friend isn't talking to her and it's breaking her heart... due to some drama from the last frat party or some shit. And again, everyone swoons, "oh you should tell her if she's your best friend!" SERIOUSLY?! no. So, I was talking to Benny online, and the convo went like this:

me: "For FUCK SAKE that asian student is back in here for a meeting. The one with a voice that makes me wish I were being crucified, covered in honey, and put into a field of fire ants, rather than continue to listen to her. And she talks SO FAST. I've never heard an okie talk this fast!"

Benny: "Punch her in the head."

When I'm old...

...I'll be the menace I always truely wished to be. In general I'm a law-abiding, first (okay maybe second) class citizen in the good old US of A. But, when I'm old, all that shit is changing. I'm talking smoking pot on street corners- unless there's a cooler drug by then, and I'll do that instead. I'll also refuse to wear pants, and even if I don't need to, I'll be sporting some depends. I'll even go in my depends if I want, then I'll get off my motor scooter, and change myself right there on the side of the road, or in front of the supermarket, or wherever I happen to be. I'll just stand up, rip off the old, replace it with a fresh one, and jump back on my motor scooter-- ciao! In stores I'll bump into children, and other objects, with my motorized shopping cart, still in only depends and a flowery, grandmother-eque, button down shirt. I'll fill the ENTIRE basket on the front of that damn thing with pickles from the barrel-- no bag, I'm environmentally conscious, thank you-- and top it off with a pack of depends. I'll go out with curlers in my hair, dye my hair blue; and not that HINT of blue that the old ladies do nowadays... no no, I'll go full on ELECTRIC BLUE. Plus, I'll stock my entire closet chock-full of mothballs. Not because I find it even remotely necessary, but because that's how old people should smell. And when I get ready and I'm WREAKING of those mothballs, I'll throw on a dash of baby powder and think to myself, "There we go, that'll do the trick!" There I'll be, rockin in my hideous shirt (I think you have to hit 70 to earn the right to wear one of those shirts), depends, a pair of filthy sandles (with socks, naturally), old lady cataract sunglasses- the brownish wrap-arounds, you know the kind- with my blue hair done up in some suh-weeet curlers, riding my motor scooter, or motorized shopping cart, smelling like mothballs... loving every minute of it.

a case of the Monday's

So, I definitely have it. A case of the "Monday's" that is... not VD. Still free and clear of that one. Instead of trying to find productive things to do at work, I'm looking up travel abroad, volunteer abroad, semester abroad, work abroad-- anything abroad-- and fantasizing about the day I can do some of these things :) I still haven't submitted my grant application yet, mostly because I'm apparently incapable of clicking a "submit by email" button the right way. So I've re-typed the damn thing 5 times, and you can't save it (fucked if I know why. Maybe they're worried someone will-gasp- save a copy of their grant application!) so I have to keep re-typing it when I SOMEHOW ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE BACK BUTTON AND IT'S GONE FOREVER INTO INTERNET OBLIVION! Which reminds me that I really like the song "beautiful oblivion"... by someone. So, anyway, I'm going to have to type it AGAIN... and hopefully actually submit it this time.

I've been feeling guilty about possibly leaving my dogs behind for a month... but then I think about it in the greater scheme of things, and it's not so bad. I had confirmation of this last night at the dog park. The people at the dog park are just as pathetic about their dogs as I am. I have a little group of people whom I know by their dog's names. Only one guy have I bothered to find out his real name- it's David. Anyway, Peanut's dad and David both agree that going away for anywhere up to a few months and leaving your dogs behind so you can fully experience a new culture and something different is totally legit. David is currently dog-sitting for two dogs whose parents (yes, we call ourselves parents, it won't change, so stop slamming your head against the keyboard... it'll be okay) are away for a month doing some fun European adventure. Being reassured that a getaway for myself isn't selfish or a rediculous thought, I'm excited again about the prospect of traveling! There are only two things that must be ordered off this menu: a month of volunteering in Cape Town, South Africa (what I'm sending in the grant for), and a semester of grad school abroad in New Zealand. These things would be seperated by at LEAST a year... so again, I feel vindicated in my desire to travel. My parents will watch the dogs if I go to South Africa for a month, so I could probably con them into it a second time :) Although I'm certain Zulu will shit ALL OVER for days after I leave because she can't just go down to the corner pub for a nip of gin to bust the anxiety she feels when I leave. Shitting on EVERY surface of the household is obviously my second choice to drinking away my sorrows.

Sunday Cuddle Day

Sunday's I have declared "Cuddle Day". This means that the dogs and I take the comforter from my bed and pile onto the futon to watch movies all day. Sometimes I order a pizza, or maybe I just have a bowl of ice cream for lunch, and we just enjoy the day. Currently, because I'm typing and not cuddling, Zulu is going all ninja-cat on me and keeps laying her head on the keyboard. When I was a kid my cat would utilize this tactic, as do most cats. If you're writing they use your pencil as a scratching post for their face, if you're reading they make your book their bed. Well, Zulu does that too, only she's NOT the size of a cat. She's 35lbs of dog. On my keyboard. And usually I'm the sucker who reinforces the behavior by putting down the computer and cuddling her-- which is what she wants. You would think this dog got no love whatsoever if you've been reading my blog. What with her shitting on everything, but honestly, she gets more attention than most children do. It's kind of sad, and I wish I had more to do so I could be less lame about my dogs... but I don't... so I am.

So now I need to go to blockbuster, rent two movies, come back and cuddle with the pups, then it's obedience class at 5 o'clock :) A nice little Sunday Cuddle Day.

5-OH!

So, last night we got home from a lovely evening out, and I'm all sitting here, minding my own, fussin' on the dogs, when I hear the tell-tale "BOOUP BOOUP" of the police siren. Now, I don't get the little "boooup" noise they sometimes emit from their cars. It's not the full siren action, it's kind of a little blip of the siren to just get your attention-- or be as annoying as fucking possible. Is there a button in there that the cop just gets all DJ Jazzy Jeff on? 'boop booup boop' jigga whaaaat?!!

So, then there's a spotlight, and I'm all- holy shit is that pointing at my car? Well, no, but there's a dude behind his car-- or his woman's car-- and he's standing behind it, in the spotlight... I'm waiting for JAZZ HANDS! none. So, these three burly cops are out there chatting with him. Well, two are talking him up while the third is all up in his car (like a mini horse all up in the booty of another mini horse). So I go all incognito and switch off the lights real fast- this isn't a DEAD giveaway that I'm spying on them, clearly. So, I eeeease open the sliding glass door... and try to take a listen. They're MAYBE 50 ft away, but somehow I still can't make out much of the conversation. The one burly cop is all rolling around in this guys car like a fat man in a cruise ship shower stall, and the other two are yacking it up and sort of chuckling with this guy... I mean, what's going on there?? "Ohh, hey Mr. Black crack-head looking guy, we're going to lube up this oversized cop and shove him into your car for some giggles-- sound good to you? Yes? great." So, I'm so proud of myself for how clever I am to think of inching open the sliding door so I could get a better listen... then I look around the area, which until this point was nowhere near as intriguing as the fuzz... and discover that the neighbors are out of their apartments and inching closer and closer to the scene. So here I am, kneeling by a cracked open sliding door in the DARK only 50 ft away... and they're out there climbing out of the woodwork, shamelessly walking up to the handcuffed crack-head and co. Aren't I silly.

At any rate, nothing seems to come of the encounter and the cops all leave with jovial laughs and handshakes, "oh, thanks for the good time tonight Mr. Crack-head! See you again next week, same time? Bye!"

serendipity.

basically I have nothing specific to say, so through serendipitous methods, I'll probably end up saying a lot... here goes:

I'm going to start with the fact that Melissa got ENGAGED last night! woot! I'm wayyyy pumped about that! This is a picture of the happy couple :) I get to be in the wedding! I'm no pro, so I'm kind of nervous, but I'm sure I'll be told what to do, and I can't wait!!!!!! okay, enough exclaimation marks... heh... but I'll wear a dress, get some gifts, and drink a lot at the bachelorette party! Word. Here are Mel and I... this is St. Patty's day 07. And the love continues to rock on :) Mel is great. She's smart and crazy and I love her! And Mike, her husband-to-be, is a pretty badass dude. So it'll definitely be great.

Okay, now that I've sufficiently talked too much about... un-funny things... we'll move on to the fact that Zulu (I seem to write a lot about this dog) tried to kiss me last night, but only succeeded in drilling her tooth directly into the bridge of my nose. It's now bruised, somewhat swollen, and has a cut on it. I swear, this dog must eat demons when I'm out of the house, because she's a piece of work. She's more protective and loyal than any creature I've known, but damn can she do some damage. She can even hurt you with her tail! None of it is intentional, she had a rough beginning, but I'm going to make her a puppy slipper if this shit doesn't calm down. I don't know if I've mentioned-- but I'm going to basic obedience with both of them, and I really enjoy it. I'm probably a dork, but I like going! And I like having training sessions with them every night... it's fun for us :)

Other than that, it looks like a house of some sort will pan out with Torrey and Tadra, the two girls I found on craigslist who go to UCO. I met Torrey, she's really cool, so I'm excited. I think I found the only other liberal in the state! hahaha...

And that's going to conclude this post... more to come. Same bat-time, same bat-channel.

hokay, so...

So, my lovely dog, Zulu (top picture), is about 9 months old. I was given an approximate age, so from there I decided her birthday was October 29th, 2007. Therefore she is 9 months old-- today, in fact. She is awesome 95% of the time. Then, sometimes, just for fun, she'll shit somewhere. Today it was in her crate while I was at work. I know, as a fact, that her previous owners would hardly ever let her out of her crate, so she did everything in there... ate, slept, pooped... and that's sad and disgusting. But since I've had her she's gotten better in leaps and bounds. So, I know that when she has a small backwards slide like this that I shouldn't get mad at her- but sometimes it's REALLY bad.

Today I walked in my door to have the stench of feces jam itself up my nostrils and down my throat. It was repulsive. I got to her crate, where she was fullly covered in her own shit... and it was everywhere else, too. I had to lay a towel down so she could walk out of her crate on to it, then carry her to the bathroom and put her in the tub. After scrubbing her, I had to throw away the blanket in her crate and clean both of her toys that were caked in shit. I had to scrub out the tray in the bottom of her crate three times with disinfectant. Next I had to wipe down her crate, and the walls around it. I then emptied an entire bottle of fabreeze throughout the apartment.

After all of that, I was sweating like a whore in church, and feeling rather angry. The whole apartment still smells like shit, and it's hot as hell so opening the windows would only serve to cook the shit-house.

This proves that I love my dog-- but doesn't take away from the fact that I want to make her into a doggie slipper right now.

probably a boring update :(

Okay, from now on I promise to try and write in here a few times a week, so I won't have to do some super lame summary. I'm probably not going to really go BACK at this point... I'm just going to update on where I am now, and where I'm moving from here. So here goes:

Currently I am in the last month of my lease at the apartment complex that I'm in (Raindance). I will not be resigning another 6 month lease, because if I do they're going to jack my rent up by like 50 bucks, which on my poverty wages is an effing joke. So, I met two girls through craigslist, and I'm moving in to a house with them at the end of the month. It's near the dog park- which is so money- and it's $100 less per month. That's what I'm talkin about, bitches! Plus, we'll be splitting utilities 3 ways, so hopefully they go down a little as well. They are two 22 year old UCO students. They seem pretty suh-weet, and we'll be getting together tomorrow night for dinner... thai food. I've been dying to try some thai, so that works out beautifully!

As far as work goes... I'm enjoying what I'm doing and I'm learning a lot of stuff. It will be a great experience when all is said and done. I have about 7 months left. But that includes a few days off here and there, Erin visiting in September, and two full weeks of winter break :) After I'm done my year term on March 1 (I think) I'll be heading home within that week. I'm currently toying with the idea of temping, or working for my mother for a month, so that in April I can volunteer abroad in South Africa. I found a grant that will pay for volunteer travel, so I'm going to apply for that. If I get it, then I'll do it. If not, I'll decide whether I want to fundraise all the money, or if I should think about doing something else... or maybe I'll just temp longer to get the money :) At any rate, that's my asperation, and I'll probably do it... because that's how I roll. After I get back from that I'll continue taking American Sign Language courses at Philadelphia Community College. I'm starting the ASL courses here at OSU-OKC in a few weeks, and I want to finish the program through and be certified as an interpreter. I think it will be a good skill, and a great way to earn extra income, or even as a full time job for when I have kids or want to travel. I can make a flexible schedule to accomodate either of those things... so it sounds perfect to me! After I finish that program I'm going to start applying to get my master's. I'll probably apply to Drexel, Widener, St. Joe's, Villanova, etc... local colleges to get my master's from. For work during that time-- who knows? Hopefully I'll get a decent job that I can hold down and enjoy for a few years that will help me go toward the type of job I would ultimately like.

Okay, enough about all that... I guess that's all been in my head and I didn't realize it until I started to write it all down!

Other than that, both Zulu and Lucy are doing very well... I'll try to add pics of them on here tonight-- if I remember. My computer is floppy and pretty much a POS... so I'll have to go through and add them through their picture URL. Fun.

I've made some friends along the way here in OKC so far. I hang out with Sarah and Chris the most. They're a pretty bad-ass couple and I enjoy doing stuff with them. Sarah and I are going to a free women's self defense class this Saturday morning. We have played disc golf together, gone to a movie or two, some dinners, some drinks, many nights at their house playing pong, guitar hero, and just chatting. All-in-all, I'm actually kind of happy here, but I do look forward to getting back to the Philly suburb area... even though it's nowhere near as nice, or pretty, as OKC is. And I'll also miss the friendships that I'm finally fortifying here! It's always a catch 22 in my life. But I think it'll all work out for the best. Mostly because I'll make it :)

you say dress; I say fooling the MAN

Before I do a blog-update, I'm going to fill you all in on the glory (that I have just discovered) of dresses! I know, for me to say that somewhere very hot must have just gotten very cold. Anyway, I've decided that dresses are THEE best tom foolery since Freud being a coke head.

Wearing a dress is like wearing your favorite, giant, comfy t-shirt-- and it's publicly acceptable-- even at work! Seriously, a dress is the soft, flowy, not-so-distant cousin to the moo-moo. And I'm allowed to wear it to WORK, and I'm considered dressed UP! How clever, I say!

I just tried to look up the history of a dress, but it was a no-go. There's apparently a class I can take somewhere that will inform me about the history of a dress. I'll pass. For now...

Furthermore, wearing a dress makes getting ready even EASIER! Not only does it make you look more dressed up than usual-- it's EASIER! How fantastic! Putting on a dress removes the stress of having to find pants, a matching shirt, perhaps layered shirts, shoes, jewelry, etc. Putting on a dress cuts the majority of that headache out. It's like only having to find a shirt! No need to put pants on, no sir!

This genius device cleverly hides itself by being "too girly" or "too much fuss"... but where did it catch this bad rep? Smart, smart women over the years have kept this brilliant scheme to themselves to prevent a wide-spread dress epidemic. If dresses became the norm, there'd be no way to go up from there. So, instead, ladies have quietly discovered, then kept hidden, the secret of the dress.

it's been a while.

Hello,
...probably to no one. because it's been far too long between entries for people to still be checking this! I'll have to put up an away message soliciting viewers... how lame.

well, anyway, I'll try to give an update on my life, but sadly not much has changed or happened that would be of interest. I'll put it out there anyway. Let's see... it's been a month. I can't recall if in the last blog I mentioned the addition of my puppy to my life. Lucy is home, and after parvo, pneumonia, various upper respiratory issues, mange, and lots of antibiotics (and money), she's doing great! She has gained 10-12 lbs in less than a month that she's been healthy. She's almost fully german shepherd, if not full-- according to the vet. She's absolutely lovely-- minus the phone charger chewing incident-- and learns very quickly. She starts obedience classes when I get back to OKC from PA on July 20. I'm excited about it, which is kind of sad. haha... but such is life!

Now, as I mentioned above, there is a visit scheduled to PA for Saturday, July 12- Saturday, July 19. During this visit I'm going to spend as much time as I can with my parents, obviously. So I'll probably have people over, mostly. But, I really want to go to the shore- at least for a day. Maybe stay over night if the people that accompany me want to stay and booze one night in Wildwood :) and then spend another day on the beach. Which sounds lovely to me. I think leaving early Monday or Tuesday morning for that would be our best bet. I might also take a day trip to New York to visit Alex... if I can't convince her to come to the shore with me, that is! Other than that, I need a good night out around the UD, which will obviously consist of Cawley's and perhaps a visit to the Tavern... and perhaps Cuddy's to round out the night... and stumble home!

Backing up for a moment, about two weeks... no... three... well, whatever... I had surgery on my ovary-area. They found that I had scar tissue on a lot of my ovary and it was attaching my ovary to the fatty tissue on my colon. Which, apparently (strangely), isn't normal. The Dr. said she had never seen that before, which is encouraging. haha... but, long story short, I should be find and it could greatly reduce a lot of the pain, and maybe some ovarian problems, I've had for YEARS. Which for the people who know me well, know that it's been getting rather difficult. So, yay for that. She also gave me a medication (that I have yet to start b/c I need to pick it up) that should help with insulin levels that are thrown off due to my poly cystic ovarian syndrom-- which henceforth will be called PCOS. It can also help regulate weight, which would be awesome--mostly because I'm fat and lazy. hahahaha...

A week after the procedure, ZENA came to visit me!!! REALLY exciting! We went to the arts district, which in reality is about 2 blocks long, but it was actually really cute and we throughly enjoyed it :) We had Sonic for lunch, at Zena's request, and we walked around the Bricktown Canal. We visited the OKC memorial. We had Ted's (great mexican food) for dinner, and went to see Benny at the Wormy Dog and imbibed some tasty drinks :) and we also stayed in one night and played cards, drank, and ate pudding shots we had made the night before! All in all, it was a fabulous visit and I'm soooo glad she came!!

This past weekend I worked a concert for the Wormy Dog and was slinging beer all night and made REAL good money. Hopefully that happens again.

Currently, I'm sitting at work, procrastinating. Summer is a slow time for work in the student life department of a University. And if I need to explain why, you're slow too. Anyway, I have to learn- or I should say re-learn- how to use SPSS because it's been so long (and quite frankly, I didn't get it then either) since I've used it. My boss seems to think that psych major= expert in SPSS functions. False. So I'll have to Google stalk it... and fake it. haha... if anyone reading this has any clue about SPSS, let me know. I'll repay you with... kind words and hugs.
...not all at once now.

Bah-- anyway... I think that about rounds out this blog entry. Like I forewarned- nothing interesting, really.

Oh, and if anyone has any suggestions on how to make friends when you aren't in school, feel free to enlighten me, because it's just NOT happening here. I've tried contacting a place I want to volunteer for, they haven't gotten back to me. I joined rugby, but that's done now because the school year is over. I got a dog and as of the first of June I'll be able to go to the dog park with her (that's when she gets her rabies shot), but I don't see that as being a smorgesboard of potential friends... but maybe. So, any other suggestions or tips are much appreciated.

puppy fever!

for anyone who has not been filled in (I don't know how that would be possible since I tell strangers!) I have adopted a puppy from the animal shelter in OKC!! She's beautiful! She's a shepherd mix-- sort of just looks like a german shepherd with shorter hair. Don't worry, I'll post pictures as soon as she's home! I found her in the stray section so I have to wait until she's fixed with all her shots and everything, then she's mine! They're going to call me when I can pick her up and I just can't wait. I almost used an exclamation mark again but realized that was getting redundant. hehe...

actually, that's all I have to say right now. I'm baby-proofing the apartment for when I bring baby home!!!!!

pictures to follow :)

quick update

hey everyone! I'm not sure if anyone is actually reading this or not, but I figured I'd update anyway :) Where to start? Work, I suppose. It's okay. Still the same really. I'm trying to make more appointments with the non-profits so I can have up to date information and try to get them more help with volunteers. Also, I'm organizing an informative luncheon and inviting all of the organizations we partner with. I'm trying to get a speaker to help them with maybe grant writing or volunteer recruiting.

Moving on... rugby is going... well enough. Tomorrow night I leave with the team to drive to Nashville for a tournament called NashBash. I'm pretty excited about that. I've been dying to go to Nashville so it's a good opportunity! Then next weekend I'm going to St. Louis to play for Heart of America select side. Basically it's a better team--supposedly. But they're short people so I'll be there to fill in as needed. Also a good travel opportunity so I won't be sitting in my apartment Friday and Saturday night while Benny works, bored out of my mind. After that their rugby season is pretty much over, which suits me fine. The money is a bit too much, between dues and the hour and a half round trip three times a week to the pitch would really take its toll on my budget. So, all in all I'm content with that situation.

I've discovered through talking to several people in the same situation that meeting people and making friends as an adult is nearly impossible. Most people here have been here their whole lives, so they all have friends here. They aren't looking for more friends, especially after college when the majority of people here get married right out of college and have families. That's not a bad thing, but they aren't looking to add the girl from Pennsylvania into their social circle. So I'm working on finding new ways to meet people. I'm thinking about joinging Junior Hospitality. Long story short: it's a group of young women who do things to help in the community. I might also volunteer with one or two of my non-profits that have sparked my interest and hopefully meet a few people that way.

I have a few pictures of me drinking... solo... on St. Patty's day, when I get back from Nashville I'll post some of those pictures as well as pictures from my nash bash travels for your viewing pleasure.

Sadly, that's all I have to update right now. There were things that I thought of during this week that I actually wanted to journal (or I guess blog) about. But I don't remember now what they were. From now on I'll make notes so that I can entertain you all with my senseless babble.

Thank you and good night.