What my morning was like

I'm sleeping during my first "snooze" of the morning, so it's about 7 a.m. I hear "nyeaaaaa hee hee hee hee heeeeeee" (think something like a laugh you might hear on one of those Halloween sound effects CDs) and then a lot of other chatter and then some banging around. I think there must be a large group of kids/teens walking past my house, and I also for some reason wonder if they're trick-or-treating, but that's just an aside. Then Nibbert starts freaking out, running around the room, from window to window. This of course gets my attention a little more and I am fully awake and look out the window where Nibbert is at and, whoa, there are legs. I realize what is going on and I go get Nibbert and force her back onto the bed and try to pet and calm her, but the whole time she is struggling to get free and also struck with bouts of trembling. In conclusion, I think I speak for everyone in the house when I say, "It would have been REALLY nice to know that our house is getting re-roofed today!"

things and more things

One thing I like about xanga is its "currently" feature, so I'll just rip it right out of there and post it in here.


The birthday celebration mentioned in the last post was a blast. It’s funny (and fun) how sometimes you can feel like you’ve just been transported back to a different time in your life. A couple of times—especially when we were laughing at her dad’s jokes—it felt just like we were back in middle school, giggling like crazy. I had to think of one of our P.E. teachers and her nickname for us, which she always signed to us whenever she saw us: giggleboxes.

We did the homeless shelter again Monday night. It was crazy busy. There were 27 residents (one of those a 5-year-old and one a baby, but still—SO full!), and I felt like I was running around the whole time. Other times I’ve had more of a chance to sit and relax and talk to people, but it didn’t feel that way this time. I did color with the 5-year-old for a while. I do say, my seahorse picture turned out quite nicely. But that was fun; some interaction time with the kid and her mom. Real sweeties. Having that many people there (and, in my opinion, so many young females) brought about more drama, and there were several interpersonal conflicts, and I had to tell a couple of women’s rooms to be quiet and go to sleep several times. The place is maxed out, and they can’t accept any more people.

Ok, this fork cracks me up. It came with some “just add water and microwave” “Thai” dish that advertised “fork included!” It’s seriously so small and frail. Yeah, I think I’ll eat a bunch of spaghetti noodles with a fork that will most likely break under the weight of them...



Its size does, however, provide for some nifty magic tricks:

What a difference a day makes

Ah. **sighs with relief

No, life's problems weren't magically solved, but I'm feeling so much better today. Despite my best efforts to be down and out, yesterday just kept getting better and better. The goodness of the day was not limited to the two following things, but they definitely played a big role. I had a voicemail from the aforementioned middle school best friend asking me if I want to go out for her birthday tonight. Sweet. And when we talked later yesterday evening, it was for an hour. How fun. While I was talking to her I was outside of Barnes & Noble, and who would happen to come out but a friend from high school who I hadn't seen since high school. She ended up going back into B&N and coming back out later, so I got to talk to her too. This is like the month of random reconnection (I also saw someone I went to elementary school with in Victoria's Secret on Saturday). Anyway, here's to possibly rekindled friendships...at least I'm successful sometimes at that...

Totally depressing

Wow, I've really dumbed down since college. I've recently been reading through some of my papers and wondered how I came up with some of that stuff. Not to say they're really great or anything, but I wrote things I wouldn't think now. I used words in high school papers that I don't even know the definitions of today. Like I said, totally depressing. I really need to do more to keep my mind active, thinking more substantial thoughts. Maybe I should go back to school. Of course, I need to work to make my car payments, insurance payments, etc., etc. Eh, it's one of those days.

Wow, this is one of the saddest

things I've read in a while:
Lynx and Lamb: thirteen-year-old twins...and white nationalist singers

Chance encounter

I happened to run into my middle school best friend over the weekend—at a restaurant she will soon be doing the interior design for, no less. I hadn't seen her in seven and one half years, and before that had only seen her once in the three years previous (she moved out of town after our freshman year). Needless to say, people's appearance can change a lot in ten years' time, especially the ten years between freshman in high school and whatever it is we'd be classified as now. We were across the restaurant from each other, and I could only see her side profile, so after we'd sat down, I thought that it could be her, but I couldn't be sure. I kept looking at her, several times making awkward eye contact with the guy at her table, and after a while I was convinced. Or I was at least convinced that the gal looked similar and had the exact same mannerisms. Memory and recognition are so intriguing; I wasn't sure based on her side profile, but the way she gestured with her hands and the way she held and drank from her straw was just as I remembered. Isn't it odd what your mind holds onto? Well, she eventually turned my way and looked at me and pointed, and we exchanged waves. And then she came over and we chatted for a bit. What a bright, unexpected spot in the evening.

mm hm

I thought this was a great concluding two paragraphs to the article Dobbs: Are you a casualty of the class war? By Lou Dobbs, posted on cnn.com:

Perhaps one of our nation's leading business magazines would like to create something called a Forbes or Fortune 250 Million list, which would reveal the dire financial pressures that our public policies have produced for working men and women and their families. It's time for all of us to focus on that deep chasm we have allowed to open between the wealthiest Americans and the middle class and those who aspire to it.

Otherwise, there will be 250 million casualties in what has become nothing less than class warfare.

[In case it expires, find the full text here: Dobbs: Are you a casualty of the class war?]

Where did the weekend go...

Monday again. Where the weekend went: Saturday from 11am-7pm (with maybe a 45-minute break in there to watch an episode of *cough* onetreehill) I was cleaning. Glad that's finally done. I really wanted to go on a bike ride because the weather was great, but by the time I was done with my cleaning I was hungry and tired and feeling dirty...in a dirt/germ sort of way, you sickos. I felt more tired than I do after a 10-mile bike ride. And I still had to make my food for the potluck the next day. And Sunday was completely full too, mostly with a birthday party for my aunt, which took a good seven hours of my day.

Something to look forward to: Possibly going to Dallas at Thanksgiving. Mark (no idea if you read this), did you know that Dougs are going to be in Dallas over Thanksgiving? McDougles.

Most recent favorite discovery

Well, I actually discovered it a few months ago but at the time was too lazy to do anything with it. Glad I finally did.

pandora

Great for listening to music at work—especially since I've recently been mildly bored with my iTunes Library on Shuffle.

How's that?

Ok, you know the recently declassified docs that say that terrorism is a threat more now than ever? I wouldn't have thought those could be used to support what the U.S. has been up to in Iraq. But no, they found a way:

For Republicans, the excerpts of the document -- declassified under orders from President Bush on Tuesday -- are more evidence that Iraq is central to the war on terrorism and can't be abandoned without giving jihadists a crucial victory. (from cnn.com)

Eh? How is it not obvious that what we've been doing for the last five-ish years is the cause of an increased terror threat?

S&B GOLDEN CURRY SAUCE with VEGETABLES

I was just cleaning out a box in my office that has various food items in it. For whatever reason, there was a bag with a can of tuna and a box of curry (full name above); probably possible lunch items. I got to reading the back of the box of curry and wanted to share a few fun parts with you. P.S. It is a product of Japan; I got it at the Asian Market.

{MICROWAVE OVEN DIRECTIONS}
1. Remove pouch from box. Cut pouch open and pour contents into a microwave-safe casserole.
2. Cover and cook on High 1 MINUTE or until hot, and LET STAND 30 SECONDS. Carefully remove casserole from microwave and serve over food ( steamed rice or noodles etc. ) .

So...first I have to have a casserole? And then I put the whole casserole plus the curry sauce on top of rice or noodles?

{SUGGESTIONS}
Excellent when served over grilled or sauteed cubed beef and rice. Also good with roasted chicken or boiled shrimp. If you prefer, simply add any of the following ingredients:
*Noodles, mashed potatoes, tacos, hot dog...

Hm, just add tacos...never heard that one before. If it works on this box of curry, why not try selling “Tacos In A Box—Instant Tacos*” *just add: tacos

recent things (a numbered post)

1. Like I told my brother, I'm now lusting after a Sea•Doo. Words can't do justice to how much fun that thing was. Of course I've had to have my bubble burst more than once by people reminding me that not only would I have to buy the Sea•Doo, but I'd also need a trailer to pull it on and a vehicle with which to pull the trailer. Well, I guess I'll just keep hoping that my cousin continues to provide me with opportunities to ride hers...much like I keep hoping that my uncle (her dad) continues providing me with opportunities to stay at his time-share condos during ski season...
   
   ah, bliss
   


2. My cousin's kids are adorable. She and her husband rock pretty hardcore too.


3. Confession: I love to drink coffee out of paper cups that have "Java Jackets" and lids. So even though I bought a mug that would give me 10% off of each coffee purchase at the local coffee shop, not to mention be better for the environment and not wasteful, I will almost always get it in a to-go cup.


4. Saturday is the MCC Flat Lander, so I'm trying to get ready for it. I'm going to end up only doing the 35 mile route because I haven't been able to get as much training in as I would have liked. Before yesterday, I hadn't ridden in for sure over a week because of being sick. I still had to stop for nose blowing like every two miles yesterday which sucked, but I was able to do 17 miles, which is pretty good, considering the lack of training.

nd, cool treat, b&b

Last weekend, Brian and I met up with the Kaufmanns in Wichita for some good eats at Bella Luna Cafe and then a sweet, sweet deal that Grayce had found out about—free admittance to Joyland. Woo hoo! Joyland holds a special place in my (and my brother's) heart since our family used to go there about once a year when we were younger. I informed my bro of this awesomeness, and he and his friend Sarah partook as well. Now, it's been many years since Joyland really seemed to be a happening place, but it seemed very much in disrepair now. At least the last time I was there (about seven years ago maybe), the roller coaster was still operational. When we got to the parking lot, the only letters of the sign that were lit up were "ND." Sad. Poor Joyland. Not to say I didn't have a great time though. Mark and I have fond memories of the Wacky Shack, although it hasn't been awesome or scary for many years. When we were there on Saturday, it had to shut down because the cars kept getting stuck inside. But at least we got to go on it before that. Sadly, the other sweet ride Log Jam wasn't running either, but it might not have been too much fun to go on that night since you do get sort of wet. I thought it was pretty cool that the Sky Coaster thing was included in the free admission, even though I'd never have the guts to go on it; watching Mark and Sarah go on it was enough of a rush for me.

Recommendation: chocolate malt crunch from DQ. Mmm, deliciousness. And I don't even really like malts all that much. The "crunch" are those little cookie crumbles from the orgasmic center of DQ ice cream cakes.

Except for the fact that I'm sick, I'm really looking forward to tonight/tomorrow. My uncle rented out a bed & breakfast, and he and my aunt, my parents, Brian and I, and my cousin's family are going there this evening. And then tomorrow we're going to my uncle's lake. I hope it's warm enough to do some Sea•Doo-ing. I'm excited to see my cousin's kid, who was born last December, maybe? I haven't even seen him yet, but in his pictures, he's adorable.

Just watched this again last night

and was reminded how funny I find this part.

Pretty schweet

I saw this on Inside Edition yesterday; it was all filmed in one take.

Pork and Beans?

The other night at our kick-off picnic, I walked past a group of boys (young kids). A father of one of the kids was kneeling down in front of him trying to help him with his shorts zipper, which looked to be about halfway down. I don't know if he was trying to help him get it up or down, though, because I heard one of the other kids exclaim, "That sounds like it would HURT!" Couldn't help but wonder if there was a little Something About Mary moment going on there.

At D'Angelo's over lunch

[I approach the buffet from one room as a man approaches from another room; the restaurant is quite empty]

Man: You guys got that song in my head!
Me: Huh? [thoroughly puzzled]
Man: Are you with that guy singing "The Hustle"?
Me: Uh...I don't know, I'll have to check...
Man: Now I'm singing that song. He was singing the dang "Hustle"! That song's from the disco days...

[When I return to my seat, I find out that, yes, apparently I was "with that guy singing 'The Hustle.'"]

Remember the "Mansiere" or the "Bro"?

The other day I saw the oddest thing walking down Spencer. And by that I mean the oddest thing was walking, not I was walking and saw the oddest thing. There was this man walking wearing a white...tube top, I guess. It reminded me of the Mansiere/Bro, except it wasn't covering his nipples, so it wasn't really functioning as such.

Tourism-drawing rooster killed by dog

[[ok, what happened isn't really funny, but this reads pretty funny...]]

SCIO, Ore. (AP) — Big Red, a rooster who drew tourists with his daily stroll down Main Street, died this week after getting mauled by a dog.

The Rhode Island Red was attacked Tuesday while walking to his home at the Scio Feed and Country Store in this town of about 700 people. The dog leaped through the open window of a parked car and pounced on the rooster, said Marian Heikkila, who had cared for the bird.

Heikkila said Big Red staggered for several steps before collapsing at the front door of a veterinarian’s office. The cause of death was broken ribs and internal bleeding, the Albany Democrat-Herald reported.

“I just said ‘Oh Red,’ and he took a couple of breaths and died, and then everyone started crying,” Heikkila said.

So it's been a while

In the past month or so, I've...spent a week at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp and turned 25. In fact, I turned 25 at RMMC. Gosh, I guess I haven't done a whole heck of a lot... Yeah, took the youth group on a service trip to RMMC a couple of weeks ago. We did a lot of painting (the main lodge, if you're familiar with the camp), split and stacked wood, and dug a trench for a propane line. It was good times. The group was good and without drama (yay!). It was good to be away from work and home for a while but also good to get back. On our day off from working, we went rafting on the Ark. It was fun but not quite as exciting as I expected. The trip also marked my last official duty as youth leader! A highlight of the summer occurred soon after returning from Colo.—the party at the Waltners'. It was great to see everyone there. On the 4th, we went on a historic tour of Newton, which was quite interesting. I was not aware of the Chisholm Trail stagecoach ruts that are very near to my house. I didn't blow anything up for the 4th, but my brother had some unique items to explode, so that made for good times. Also saw the Newton show, which did not disappoint. This last weekend had a couple of belated birthday celebrations—took off Friday afternoon for shopping and then ate at P.F. Chang's, and on Saturday had a family celebration at Passage to India. And Cold Stone twice. Mmmmmmm. Ok, well, looking forward to the wedding at the end of the month, heading out to Colo. another time, and probably counseling at camp.