Less stress?

Ahhh. This week in class is a waiting week so I don't have anything to do for it. So now I get to pack all my stuff up. And work on my resume (does anyone know how to insert letter accents on blogger? hmmm). And make final decisions about wedding plans. One thing is off my plate for the next few days, though, so I feel a little better.

I don't quite know when I'm officially moving my junk outof my apartment, but it still has to be done. It's so weird packing this time. My stuff will only be packed for a month, month and a half, before I move it into wherever Ray and I decide to live, and it's hard deciding what I can live without for that long (or short) period of time. I'm such a packrat and I think that if I don't have one little thing the world will end. My art supplies that I don't use that much here? What if some random art project comes up? What about all those knick-knacks from foreign countries on my bookshelf? They might get lonely in a box! And of course I still need my old class notes... for reference, duh! (Okay, I've actually used those once this summer already...)

But this apartment actually felt like home. I decorated walls, got crafty, even. I was settled for more than nine months and the change is... I don't know. I guess it's combined with knowing I'll never be in Athens again. One month, it's over. I was sitting outside at Starbucks downtown the other evening with a friend and we talked about how we're still sorta planning on going to classes in the fall, because it's what we're used to. So much change, good changes, but it's one of those times when you wish you'd made a point to do more big things, remember more little things. (Not) studying in a friend's dorm, walking through a secret path to get to class, the kind of things that seemed necessary and mundane but really made college a special time. I just want to take the environment with me. There were moments that I thought, this is how I'm going to remember UGA, but there should have been more remembering instead of taking it for granted.

But anyway, good times. I also wish I'd had a digital camera. And still want one. I don't have anything to take pictures with once I'm married. How are we going to record my (most likely hilarious/life-threatening) first time kayaking on the honeymoon? Or Ray's boredom at Biltmore?

On a high note, I got an email from the store where I bought my wedding dress... they said it should come in next week... so exciting!

Sad day for the Dawgs

Uga VI passed away yesterday... he was a good one. Hopefully the new one will follow in his daddy's pawprints and lead us to the championship this year!

Here's the press release on UGA's athletic site:
/http://www.georgiadogs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8800&ATCLID=1504393

Uga, you will be missed...

Another day, Another post.

Phew. These past few days have been crazy! Cancelled plans, changed plans, lots of random things to do. Today's going to be a small, teeny rant, so bear with me.

I don't like it when people change plans. I like to be very scheduled in everything I do. I understand a little flexibility is a good thing, but appointments are appointments and should be kept. They should also include the people they are supposed to. I was supposed to meet with a few people on Wednesday. I left class early to meet them, because this wasn't just lunch with friends, this was kinda business. They called to tell me that the main person I was supposed to meet with is out of the country. Shouldn't you already know that? And if you're going to reschedule, shouldn't you get their schedule before you call back? Hmmmmm? Needless to say, other things were going on and I never had the chance to meet them. I think I'm done with these people.

My aunt had some serious surgery yesterday, so pray for her. A lot is going on with her health-wise and it's pretty tough on the family. Went to see her twice yesterday but she was just going in or coming out of the OR. But it was nice to see so much of the family in the waiting room.

I had another appointment with a florist yesterday, too, who also called to change the time on me (see why I needed a specific meeting time with those people? Anyway...). I liked her and her price range, but I want someone whose creativity I can trust. Don't know if I can get that. The problem is that I love a really expensive florist who won't change his prices. Sigh. We'll see.

Random: Someone guy is screaming outside my apartment right now...

After all the insanity during the day, Brooke and I went to Screen on the Green at Centennial to watch Footloose. I love that movie and it was a great night. Some highlights: There was this guy who got up and started dancing in true '80s fashion, way more entertaining than the show. There was another guy who was dressed like a fairy wandering around. The DJ before played the electric slide and everyone was dancing... fun stuff ( I wanted to join, but I honestly don't know how to do the electric slide) There was also an older (40ish) couple sitting next to us on a date. A first date. An AWKWARD first date. Heehee. The man kept on cracking these weird, suggestive (or outright sexual) comments about everything--preacher's daughters, eating peaches, you know, normal date talk (I even heard him mention something about the weed someone was smoking a few blankets away). I really wanted to know how that one ended. Score?

Today I drove back to Athens and had to stop to pick up some stuff for class. I was 45 minutes late because I got the worst directions ever. I had an interesting conversation about the weather with a guy from N.J. in line for the ATM... he came down here for a motorcyle convention or something and hates our random rainy weather (he also has the same bike as Ray!) And I got back and took a nap.

So maybe this wasn't so much of a rant. And maybe yesterday wasn't so bad... I just think I'm going crazy. Maybe I should move myself into a padded room til the wedding, just to be safe.

My life is boring.

That's all.

Two in one day?

I know, two blog posts in one day... I have a reason. The other one, the KC post, was supposed to be up on Thursday when I had my few moments of bliss, but due to random computer problems I couldn't post it til today. So for the rest of my weekend...

I went to my soon-to-be-nephew's seventh birthday party on Friday night, and his parents are nuts. A kiddie party on Friday and leaving for vacation the next morning? Whew. But it was sorta fun, and the kids enjoyed themselves. About 15 kids from six weeks to eight years old. Yikes! It scared me a little, to be honest. I still don't want to give birth to children and I still really don't care for babies (thank goodness there were enough people around so I didn't have to participate in the "Pass-the-Baby" circle) but one of the kids there was adopted and I'm actually excited about that. Ray worries because he wants children (and he'll make a great dad), but I really do want (adopted) kids eventually, as long as they're potty-trained :).

On Saturday the whole family went to our appointments for cake tastings (me, Ray, Brooke, and my parents), and it was okay. I'm just ready for wedding planning to be over. The further I go along I realize how all this is kind of dumb. All this preparation and stress for one day? We'll spend the rest of our lives together and I'm worried about one day?

But am I going to stop stressing? Probably not.

And UGA won their baseball game! Go Dawgs!

So today I'll be packing to go back to Athens for class. I still have to make a few charts for it (yay for researching demographics) but I'll be there for a few days before I come back again for more appointments. Sigh. But good news for planning: We are going to get really cheap tuxes! Gotta love family connections.

P.S. I love this kind of Georgia summer weather we're having right now--hot days with storms every afternoon... It's nice, and it brings me back to memories of playing in puddles. Maybe I should do that today if it rains... anyone want to join me?

Oh, the goodness...

Why do you think I'm making these faces?

It's simple.

Kola Champagne.

No alcohol. Just LOTS of carbonation, corn syrup, and artificial flavoring designed to play a symphony in my mouth.

But why the faces (and no, I'm not faking!)? It kinda burns the tongue because of the carbonation that is apparently like champagne and its... unique citrus flavor is a tad tart. But the end result...

Utter happiness and contentment.

So how did I discover this drink? A few visits to Jamaica. Our church takes the youth group every spring break on a mission trip, and on one of our trips to the market, against my better judgment, one of the guys on the trip convinced me to try his freeze-dried shrimp snack. Yeeeaaaah. The only thing he had to wash it down with? Kola Champagne. And I was hooked. I don't even drink regular soft drinks because the carbonation gives me headaches, but this stuff is aaaaa-mazing!

So how did I manage to get my hands on a bottle in Georgia? Northlake Mall. It has an authentic Jamaican restaurant in the food court that I originally didn't want to eat at because I didn't know it was authentic (SOOOO upset I didn't get some real jerk chicken!) but Brooke bought a Ting and bought me a KC. She didn't get them to open it for me (the bottles have the old metal caps) because she wasn't sure if I wanted to save it for later, but when I took it up to the counter, the girl just grabbed the top and twisted it off. I was pretty impressed until I actually looked at the cap...

Oh, yeah, and I tasted some really good cake.

And drank some Kola Champagne.

Anna is happy.

The best part of wedding planning (and more randomness in my life)

Cake hunting. Anna is happy. And just woke up from a suger crash from earlier. I don't care what my cake looks like (well, there are a few design elements that I could do without), but man, I do love tastings. I went on my first one today... sooooo yummy. Cake, cake, cake. Mmmm. A tasting tomorrow and I think three (?) on Saturday. The great thing about this stage of the planning is that I let my sister and my mom pick, call and make appointments with all the bakers. I've been able to sit back and relax. I think I should have done more of this before. All along I've known what I wanted and any input muddled my thinking (or made me seem mean when I wouldn't listen to anyone... sorry, everyone) so I've pretty much found everything by myself (I even picked out my dress all by my lonesome). I still need a florist...hmmm :) Anyway, I like cake and Ray might even come with us on Saturday! Yay!

In other news, Brooke and I took a walk last night with our poodle Crackers and we ran into some friends that used to lead our youth group. One of them works for a ministry that sends short-term mission trips to the Caribbean, South America and Africa. We got to talking and he mentioned that they needed someone to help them out with promotions and fundraising. Um, kinda where I want to start! So I mentioned this and he said he would talk to his boss, but then he said there was absolutely no budget for anyone else. At all. I would have to raise my own salary. And of course it got me thinking about my future. My entire life, no matter what I wanted to do, I eventually want to start my own business. When I got into PR, I started thinking it would be really cool to have a consulting firm for ministries, non-profits and small businesses because I love being involved in something new, people in these fields tend to be super-passionate about their work, and I get bored easily with the same thing everyday.

So I have to wonder, do I want to work in this ministry or do I just want to help them because they are the kind of people I want to work with in the future? And I need a job that has a steady paycheck because my wonderful fiance decided to work for what he wants to do, not what makes the moolah (and I really do love him for it). But working with the at any level would give me great experience. Lots to think about!

More randomness... I'm going to see E.T. at Centennial tomorrow night with Brooke and some friends... I need to clean out my car... I need to do research for my class... I get to go to my future nephew's sixth (?) birthday party Friday (more cake!)... it should be a fun few days... Sugar-filled days!

Lots to do!

Huuggghhh. Big sigh. I'm on my way home to Dallas. Again. I was home probably twice a month or more spring semester, I spent three weeks there after spring semester (with an Athens break in between), and I was home for Father's Day. Back to Athens for class for less than twenty-four hours and this time it's a doctor's appointment and a party (yea, high school friends!). I swear, with Georgia heat and the amount of time I'm spending in the driver's seat, my rear is making a permanent indentation in the leather. I suppose I should get used to it. After all, if I ever find a real job I'll most likely be commuting at least an hour each way. I just want to feel planted, like I have a permanent place to stay, because in both places I just look around to see what needs to be packed up. I think when Ray and I finally get a house, I'm going to name it after a tree. (Get it? ...ha.)

Here's the dilemma. I don't have class Wednesday, so the option of staying home another week to do wedding stuff is possible. And my dad is having surgery on Friday and Ray's nephew's birthday party is Saturday. BUT, my mom really wants to be involved in the last steps of planning for the wedding (because I've kinda been running the show) and she most likely has to work this week. SO, I would have to drive home again to finish planning next week. Oh, the joy. I think I need to go ahead and get my car seat re-padded.

*Side note: I feel like my posts have all been fairly negative (or weirdly contemplative), So I apologize. I am a positive person, I promise, I just have a slight sarcastic streak that tends to come out when I vent. Next post WILL be positive! Or I could just use a lot of exclamation marks!!!!!

Old Friends

I've finally discovered a use for Facebook. I've been really bored lately because I'm sick (boo, sick friends and fiance!), so lots of pictures on there keep me plenty occupied. Spending a little time (okay, hours) doing this (plus a great conversation about friendship the other day and a call from an old friend) have gotten me thinking about how much my relationships have changed since high school, even the beginning of college. How is it possible for us to really experience friendships online? Sure, connecting with people in emails or blogging is great, but is it really a friendship if all they are is a name on a list? When I was making my wedding invitation list, I went through my Facebook friends. I think it would have been a lot easier to think of the people who are near and dear to me than go through and pick out all the people who I see the most but have never had an honest, real conversation with half them.

In that list, I included some high school friends. Not too many, but some that I either reconnected with in college or who made a real impact on my life then and I felt like they needed to be included. But those friendships just... died out. Why is it that when a friendship is failing, people don't try to fix it? Or at least talk about it? I know people think that DTRs (Defining the Relationship talks) are only for lovey stuff, but seriously, I would love to have had some kind of talk about what was happening. With a few people. I realize friendships end. But why do we have to let it get awkward? What's wrong with saying, "Hey, we've changed, is this something we can honestly make it through?" Some friendships stay surface-level, and those are fun--the people come and go and make life more worthwhile as a result. But what about the ones that really impact your life? Should we really just let those go?

My best friend from high school and I met a few years ago after not seeing or talking to each other for more than two years. When we talked, I think we both felt like we changed too much to reconnect, but neither of us said anything. That's the stuff I'm talking about. I would feel better every time I saw pictures or had a good memory if I knew there was closure.

So, moral of the story: Keep a few friends that will stick with you, know you inside and out and still love you. And for goodness sakes, try your darndest to keep the ones you love close. Just use something other than Facebook.

My first post...

So, a blog. I've been wanting to for awhile, but why? Who knows. I recently joined Twitter and PROpenMic for class because "social media is the wave of the future" (so says every Grady professor), so maybe this aspect of social media will actually interest me. It took me long enough to get into Facebook. Oh, well...

I've always been told (well, since I got into journalism) that in order for a blogger to be successful, you've got to have something to talk about. I'm not that cool... but my life is changing in sooooo many ways right now, so maybe someone will be interested. Graduating, getting married, finding a job... big-girl life decided to sneak up behind me and kick me in the butt. So my bumpy journey into adulthood will be chronicled for everyone (or anyone who stumbles across this accidentally) to see.

I would recommend to anyone to hit the "NEXT BLOG" button at the top of most Blogger sites. There are a lot of interesting people out there (and I saw a lot of cool pictures on the blogs from people in other countries...I should have payed more attention in my foreign language classes).

Enjoy!