let it snow!

More snow today! Nice, heavy, wet stuff. Going to make the morning pretty fun out on the roads. Good thing I don't really have to work tomorrow. And it still might be snowing tomorrow, which could be considered a pretty great birthday present. We'll just have to wait and see on that though...

Finally got to get caught up on Heroes tonight! That is such a great show. But I still don't really regret that I don't get to watch it when it is first on tv. Would much rather watch it on TiVo. Love those little things.

Got not one, but two replacement batteries in the mail today from Dell for my laptop. Pretty good turn-around time for them on getting them sent out. Impressive. I guess that's what happens when you are scared someone's computer might spontaneously catch fire because of a faulty battery that you supplied for it... Still trying to figure out why they sent me two though. Only have ever had one of them. Oh well, the more the merrier. Hopefully now I will be able to go more than twenty minutes without being plugged in. That'll be nice.

Got to watch the most recent installment in the Fast and Furious movie series on Tuesday night. Couldn't watch it until I was watchin it with my sister. It was hard to wait this long to see it! And yes, I know that they are ridiculously corny movies. I don't really know anyone who watches them because they have good plots or for the dialogue. I just watch them because of the sweet cars and the driving. And Tokyo Drift didn't dissappoint in those areas at all!

I think I am going to give myself an early b-day present and go to bed early tonight. I haven't decided what book I want to read next so I don't really have an excuse to stay up and read. And I think I am going to get up at 5 so I can be out shoveling at 6. Should be a great day!

mood: undecided
music: the endless iTunes...

amber

I finished! All 518 pages. Done. Think that that is the fastest I have ever read a book of that length. Not that it was terribly difficult to read or anything, but it is still a little on the longer side of things. And I was sorta trapped in a car with not a whole lot else to do for just shy of two thousand miles which allowed me to knock out about 95% of it. Could have read the rest of it in the car too, if it had stayed light just a few more hours there and back.

Always nice to finish things.

Christmas was great. Fun to see all the relatives. Scary how fast I get the Minnesota accent back when I go up there.

Scary how much stuff there is going to be going on in the next month!

mood: sleep, must sleep
music: "Bye Bye Blackbird" - Joe Cocker

Merry Christmas!

Ok, so it isn't really Christmas yet, but in some parts of the country it is, so that is close enough!

Merry Christmas!


Just spent about seven hours up with a bunch of the relatives and had a wonderful time. Got some cool stuff, ate some great food, and laughed a whole lot again. Last night I had one of my cousins crying he was laughing so hard! I love spending time with the cousins. At least the ones on that side of the family. The ones on the other side are cool too, it's just that they are all quite a lot older than I am so I don't know them as well. But I am the second oldest of the ones on my dad's side of the family and there are a bunch of us that are fairly close in age. We pretty much always have fun times together. Just wish that I got to see them more than once a year. Or at least kept in better touch with them. Maybe next year...


Well, it's another day full of more relatives tomorrow, so I better go get some shut-eye so I can make it through. I hope all of you have a wonderful day full of smiles and memories. And don't forget to remember the reason that we celebrate the day to begin with. I am most thankful that God did send us His son, Christ, all those years ago! It truely is a wonderful time of the year.


mood: coming down from the sugar high

music: computer hum and some movie on in the other room

sweet carolina rain

Why am I amazed at how God provides EVERYTHING if we just will hang in there and not despair. If if we do come to the point of giving up, He still will give us what we need.

I'm really off this time. Don't know if I will have access/time to post any for the next few days. So if I don't...Merry Christmas!

mood: better
music: "Sweet Carolinna Rain" - Kane

may it be

Well. I am off to trek to MN with the parents after all. So much for the nice, cushy ride in first class. Guess I am just destined to be mashed into the backseat of a Toyota Camry.

This month has just been really strange.

At least I have 518 pages of good reading to try to keep myself occupied with!

Hopefully the little car can make it through all the carnge from the huge snowstorm that just went along almost the exact same route that we have to take to get to MN. I really am loving my little truck, it has gotten me through so much of this junk in the last couple of days, just almost wishing it had a crew cab now so we could take all the four wheel drive goodness with us.

Well, better run. Really should get a few things packed before I leave...

mood: think the post-Christmas depression is trying to set in early this year
music: "Criminal" - Fiona Apple

the mountains win again

Very nice day here in Denver. Almost wished I was back in school today, just so I could stay home from school. That was always the best feeling. I did wish that I had a sled and some friends to go sledding with. I guess I do sort of have a sled; just one that is four-wheel drive! And red! Don't know exactly how much snow we have supposedly gotten at this time. Hmm, maybe I'll go check, it has been a while since I went upstairs...(goes and checks) Ok, still don't know how much snow we have officially gotten so far, but I can tell you this. Holy crap, I am going to have to dig my truck out in the morning. And it is still snowing. But it looks like the wind has stopped, at least for the moment.

Glad I stopped and bought a shovel today.

And I still managed to get six and a half hours of work in today. And I very easily could have ended up with a big zero for hours, which would have been a very bad thing. Granted, all but maybe an hour of that time I was on the road, driving a very slow 160 miles, but I was getting paid. And the brief moments of open, snow-filled roads and a few other fun happenings out on the road made it a rather enjoyable experience.

So thankful that Betty Sue is four-wheel drive!

Now I am just praying that the airport will decide to re-open before tomorrow night, like they announced tonight, so I can fly outta here tomorrow like I was scheduled to. Even if I have to leave later in the day than previously planned. I just want to be able to leave tomorrow.

Cookies are good.

I like naps.

Waking up from naps isn't as fun a the actual nap.

I finished the second book today in the trilogy that I am reading. Very good. It was a little on the short side, which is how I actually managed to read it in just over a week, I think. The last book is a little longer though. Looks like it is as long as the first two books were together. Should be a good one though. Has the whole climactic battle for the world, end of a trilogy thing going for it. Can't wait to get started!

Can you bring snacks on planes?

Have I mentioned that I have great friends?

Found out a few days ago that on the Merriam-Webster web site, you can now listen to the correct pronunciation of words. Pretty cool.

Oops. Got a little sidetracked there. Now that it's getting to be a sorta close to the old midnight hour I guess I better be gettin off to some sleepy time.

mood: a little nervous
music: hours and hours of iTunes randomness

towards the end

Happy Holidays.

And since the formatting won't let me do what I want to with that sentence, I will just warn you that it was written in a very sarcasticly laden tone.

Not a good day at work today. Went to the meeting this afternoon, the meeting which everyone thought was going to be our lame little Christmas get-together, and well, it wasn't so much a little Christmas get-together. More of a, "you most likely aren't going to have a place to work in a couple of months, or possibly sooner", meeting.

On the up-side...at least I have a while to find a new job. And there is a tiny chance that we might be franchised, and be bought out and maybe still have jobs, possibly.

And, even more fun, is the date that we will most likely find out the final decision of all of this is my birthday. Yep, that's right. My birthday. The day that I have already all but given up on decides to throw me another good party. And this year I was actually kinda looking forward to my birthday. Thought it might actually be a good day and I could do something fun on it. Guess I should have just expected this year to finish out how the bulk of it has gone.

Ok, enough of all that. I really had wanted to have a better attitude for the rest of the year. And I think I can still do it. Just going to have to step my efforts up about ten notches higher than I thought I was going to have to.

And now totally changing the subject... I was watching Studio 60 while I was typing this up, and at the end of the show they had some musicians on there playing "O Holy Night". Just about making me cry right now. One, it is probably my favorite Christmas song, not so much for what its message, though it is a good one, but for the happy memory that it brings every single time that I hear it. And because it is just one of those songs, when performed well, that can give me goosebumps from its quiet power. And the cool thing about this recording of it, well there's actually two cool things about this one, is that the show was featuring displaced musicians from New Orleans who happen to be VERY good, and it is available as a FREE download on nbc.com. Just go to the page on Studio 60. It is well worth it. Actually have let a tear or two out now...guess it's just one of those days. And I really miss my sister. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all.

And now that that is all out of the way, I am going to make a cd for my parents for their car ride to MN. Yes, THEIR car ride! I was offered the opportunity to fly (as a birthday present)and I am definitely not going to pass that up!! So I guess there is at least one good thing happening because of my birthday, even if it isn't technically ON my birthday...

mood: getting better, but this is recording of the song is kinda sad sounding, so it isn't really helping as much as it could be
music: "O Holy Night" - New Orleans musicians (go download it. go, now. just go)

p.s.
I went swing dancing last Friday night. Yes, you read that correctly. I went swing dancing. I was absolutely horrid at it, but I tried. And you know what? I had a blast. Wish I would have pushed down my "i'm horrible at this and need to sit here and only dance every once in a while" thoughts and gotten out there a little more than I did. I know. Ya didn't think you'd ever hear that coming from me, did ya?!

they just fade away

I am so sore right now. Worked kinda hard today. Got to rip flooring up. Hard on the legs. But it is a good pain.

Can't believe that it is almost Christmas!

I get to dog-sit on Sunday and Monday. Haven't ever done it for this dog yet. But I do know the puppy a little bit and he seems like a really nice guy.

It worries me a little that I actually am liking dogs now. Means I'll probably end up letting someone talk me into getting one someday. Still going to take some persuasion though. Only problem with that is the fact that I am typically very easy to persuade.

Got hit in the face with a basketball tonight. And now, every time that I rub or scratch my nose, got the nose itch for some reason, it hurts. Oh well. Just my nose. Not like I can't use my hands or something. I can still smell. And I do kinda smell, come to think of it.

mood: hungry and tired, but more tired than hungry
music: "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" - Poison

love stinks

I think Wednesday is the black hole of work. I can't remember the last Wednesday that I have had any work on. Like the middle of the week just sucks all the work into itself and makes it dissappear. At least the other days of the week haven't made the work totally dissappear, just in parts. I am excited about the rest of the week though. Sounds like I actually have full days Thurs and Fri. And, if that happens, that means I will get to work 30 hours this week! Getting a little closer to 40 at least.

And I was able to accomplish something productive today. Went and applied for a job at the new Bonefish Grill that is about to open in Littleton. And I already got a call from one of the managers to come in for an interview next Thursday morning!! I had to take a test after I filled out the application and I was the only one there during most of that time. The two managers were in there talking and they both kept asking asking me a questions about stuff they saw on my app, so I am thinking (hoping) that that is a good sign. I think it would be a pretty cool place to work.

And I got to watch like five episodes of Alias today. Always a good thing. The Alliance is no more! Yes, I am still on season two, but almost done now.

And I put a bunch more of my old cds on my computer this morning. Up to 3783 songs on the old iTunes now. Supposedly 43 days worth of music. Always a comfort to know that I could listen to music for over a month without hearing the same song twice if I needed to.

mood: kinda secretly glad that I can't go to basketball practice tomorrow morning...
music: "Long Day" - Matchbox Twenty

i saw you walking

Why is it that sitting and watching three basketball games can make a person feel absolutely exhausted? Well, I guess it could have been the fact that I did a consideral amout of yelling (it's the only way to make anyone hear you during games) while I was just sitting there. And I kept track of shots and turnovers and assists and steals and rebounds for two of the games. And the other game was the girls game which I just got to watch. And they actually played pretty decently. Wish I could say that about either of the guys games. It was pretty bad. And it isn't cause they were playing teams that were better than we are. We were probably the better team. Our guys just haven't quite figured out how to play, and play together as a team, and it is very very very very very very frustrating. And it makes a person tired.

But I do know one thing for sure. I have some incredible friends. This fact just keeps proving itself over and over the last few months. I don't know what I have ever done that God decided to bless me with all the awesome people that I can consider friends, but I am continually thankful that He has.

I am beginning to forget what watching tv is like. Especially spending an entire evening watching tv. Don't think that I have done that in at least two months. It is amazing. Didn't think that I would ever be able to say that. But I have found that I really don't miss it at all. Quite nice.

mood: very tired considering the earliness of the hour
music: "Safer On The Outside" - American Hi-Fi

the good, the bad, and the ugly

Thought today was going pretty well.

Actually got some good stuff out of both Sunday school class and the morning serivce.
Spent a nice afternoon at the parents.
Made contact with someone about possible part-time work.
Finished reading the first book in the series I am reading. Great book!
Back to church for the children's Christmas program. Always worth going to see what those little buggers are going to do...

Not a bad day up to that point.

Then........

On my way home from church tonight, I got pulled over. Been a while. And that specific thought that it has been a while since I had been pulled over actually just crossed my mind sometime last week. Can't remember the exact day. But it was last week. And, to make things even better...I had no current proof of insurance. Had the card with me that expired at the end of September. Don't ever remember getting new ones from the insurance company. But that is besides the point. Because I didn't have current proof with me, I have to go to court in January to show that I did, indeed, have insurance when I got pulled over. Big fat YAY! Always wanted to be able to say I have been to court. Wait. NO! Wrong answer!

And here is the real kicker in this one... While I was standing in my parents kitchen this evening, just before leaving to go back to the church, I was looking thru my wallet for some reason and saw that the insurance card I had in there was expired. Yes, this was probably a mere three hours before being pulled over. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!!!!

Not happy with myself at all right now. Because my money situation which was VERY tight is going to get extremely tighter now. Because the officer who pulled me over informed me that after you move to Colorado, you have thirty days after finding a place to live to get you driver's license and plates changed. So I am thinking it would probably be a good idea to get that done before I have to go to court. Which means I have to pay several hundred dollars for all of that. And also change my insurance to CO, which is more expensive than what I was paying in Mississippi. So I either need to sell a kidney or go rob a bank.

Maybe someone will buy my ring soon...

I did like what the kind officer said as he was walking away from my truck though. "Have a better night, sir." Thought that that was a nice touch.

Just a bad way to end an otherwise very enjoyable weekend.

Think I am going to go to sleep now and see if I will wake up with a pot of gold next to my bed.

At least I haven't seen my little buddy, the mouse, for the last couple of weeks.

mood: do I really need to say?
music: "24" - Jem (a rather fitting song, I think)

Werewolves of London

I had forgotten how comforting my writing hat could be.

I actually watched tv tonight. First time since Sunday really. The four episodes of Alias I watched on Wednesday don't count as tv. They were on dvd. I watched actual tv tonight. While I was reading. So at least I didn't totally kill my brain. But I had to sqeaze SI in somewhere. Thankfully there wasn't a ton of interesting stuff in this weeks issue. And then I read more of my book during the second show that I watched. Getting pretty close to the end of it already. Hasn't even been two weeks yet. Love books like that.

I know. This sounds like a pretty lame Friday night. And throw in the fact that I did a load of laundry...and you'll definitely be thinking that. But that's ok. Go ahead and think what you will. I actually think that I needed this and it was rather enjoyable. And the most important thing right now; it was cheap. Didn't cost me a penny.

Now the only question is, should I stay up and watch a movie or get some sleep? Hmm, a movie is sounding pretty good.

mood: happy
music: "Warrior Poets" - James Horner (from the More Music From Braveheart soundtrack)

famous people

Whoa. So it's Thursday already. And, actually, by the time that I am done typing all this, being the slowness that I am, it will already be Friday. What a week!

Basketball games started this week for the JV and varsity teams. JV had a game Monday night so the varsity guys practiced in the morning. Long day. Tuesday night the varsity had a game, so I ran the Jr high/JV practice after school and then ran off across townto the varsity game. Long day. Wednesday...absolutely nothing. Yeah! Thursday, JV and varsity have games. This means four games in one night. They ran long. Of course. Six hours of high school basketball... LONG NIGHT! Didn't leave the school till about ten thirty. Yikes! But it was good. I think I am learning a lot. Just need to learn how to keep my mouth shut sometimes...

I think maybe tomorrow night I am not going to do anything at all. After practice, that is.

But really, by the time I got home tonight... Tiredness is not even close to how I felt. And so hungry! I checked one of my friends blogs and she had changed her background template; almost made me throw up I was so tired and stuff. (sorry Jess)

And I am stressing over other stuff. Just have a lot on my mind right now. And there really doesn't seem to be anyone that I can talk to about it. There probably actually is, I just can't ever decide if I actually want to take that step of talking to people about the things that I need to talk to someone about. Ya know? Probably just should. Or something.

There I go with the vagueness again. Oops.

And it was SI Thursday today, as it is every Thursday, and I haven't had a chance to look at more than the picture on the cover. Yet another good reason to do nothing Friday night.

I think I need a haircut. Just can't figure out how much of it I want to cut off. Maybe all of it...

Update on my truck's attempted coup on Sunday morning. Got a jump from my rooommate, Andrew, finally, and drove down to Checker auto parts store. Got my battery tested and they said it was dead. So all I had to do was buy a new battery. Yeah, is sucked; but it is always a blessing when the fix is probably the cheapest thing that could have been wrong with it to fix!

Think I better get some sleep before my body just gives up on me. I think that it may any minute now. This is pathetic. It is barely past midnight. Think maybe it is more the fact that all I have had for food in the last eighteen hours might equal one meal. Maybe. But that's my own stupid fault. Idiot.


mood: confused, happy, distraught, and something else I can't quite put my finger on. and this
is all over the same issue
music: Dashboard Confessional

you take the way home

I woke up this morning with a line from a song running through my head over and over and over again. And it wasn't jogging, the little bugger was sprinting. "what does it matter if I change the world at all"

Don't even know where to start on that one. And, seen as how I am soon to be late if I don't leave, I am not going to start on it anytime soon.


mood: need some coffee
music: "The Old Rugged Cross" - Alan Jackson

EDIT: 8:55 AM

Guess I won't be going anywhere for a little while. Truck is definitely not starting. Think it is the battery. Hopefully it will start with a jump. Now if my roommate that has a working car will just wake up anytime soon...

you can't get very far

So, apparently the first step I took will be the last step. At least in this particular direction. But there are a couple of other variations in the same general direction that I can attempt to take. Just a matter of choosing which one to try to step into next.

Also, I found something out about myself tonight. Or, maybe confirmed would be a better way to put it than found out. Cause I know that I already knew it, just didn't think that it was necessarily to the extent that it is.

Isn't vagueness fun?

Finally got to watch The Office tonight. (and apparently i can't use the italics function on here anymore. how nice) So, so funny. But the episodes never seem to last long enough! And I think that Kevin is becoming one of my favorites.

My parents were getting all their old cast iron pipes from under the house replaced today. So, I got to help with that for a few hours this morning. Not a horrible way to spend a Saturday morning. The first thing I got to do when I got there was to get down in a nine foot deep hole (yes, that is three feet deeper than your agerave grave) and dig out three or four buckets worth of dirt from around the pipe. Oh, and it was snowing. It was actually a very nice day outside. And working makes the time go by faster...

For some strange reason I actually enjoy economics.

"You are a sad, strange little man."


mood: tired and just getting past the being mad at myself stage...
music: a collection of beverage songs

good enough

I think I may have just taken the first step in something. Something that could take my life in a totally new direction. But it could be nothing.

Guess we'll see.


mood: finally sleepy
music: "Reason Why" - Rachael Yamagata

title and registration

It's Friday!

And December!

And payday!

And my rent is due.

That last one isn't so good.

Going to practice now...


mood: optimistic? ok, at least i'm trying...
music: "Got You (Where I Want You) - The Flys