SQUEEEAAALLLLLL!!!!!!

Sorry for the random title today but after the day I've had, the news I received recently makes me just want to shout that from every roof in Norman.

Soooooo..... My news, you may ask?  The University of Oklahoma's star running back of the past few seasons DeMarco Murray has been drafted by my all-time favorite football team the Dallas Cowboys!!!! *SQUEEEAAALLLL*

I have been waiting for the Cowboys to draft a decent player for a long time.  I had high hopes for Tony Romo, like many die hards, and have thus far been thoroughly disappointed.  Roy Williams was the last pick I was actually happy with.  I really hope to be able to get tickets to a game or two this year.  Matt and I really want to go to a rivalry match.  His folks are Redskins' fans, so he, by proxy, is one too (sorta-ish, he prefers the Bengals).  He usually hates the Cowboys but according to his text message early he says "I guess I gotta watch them now."  First and foremost, we are Sooner fans.  Where the Sooners go we will follow.  So he now has to cheer for the 'Boys when we aren't playing the Bengals or Vikings (or as we call them, the Minnesota Sooners).

We also have Jeremy Beal, Quinton Carter, and Adrian Taylor (my buddy!) in the draft.  So far none of them have been drafted.  According to Taylor's NFL draft profile he will probably end up being an undrafted free agent because of his injury this past season.  I'm hoping all three will get picked up either in the draft or later.

DeMarco Murray in action against the Texas Longhorns

Source: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/2011_sooner_draft_central.html

Thankful Thursday

• The OKC Thunder basketball team.  They have made the time between football seasons sooo much more bearable!!  I'm actually enjoying watching basketball on tv now.   Our announcers crack me up too when they pronounce Nene (nuh-nay) NayNay.  It's hilarious!!
• Migraine medicines... I've been having some effin crazy migraines lately.  Back in November I had one that lasted 20 days.  When I went to the neurologist two months later the doctor gave me a low dose of seizure medicine commonly used for migraines.  He recently upped the dosage because I have been waking up with migraines every day.  Excedrin migraine works wonders!  It also helps when a coworker keeps migraine medicine on hand for when I forget to grab mine.
• My coworker with the extra migraine medicine!
• Finally getting rain!!!
• That my family wasn't affected too bad by the extreme floods in their part of the state.  This is especially good considering they live on Oklahoma's version of a bayou.
• Picking up new hobbies.  I'm slowly picking up crocheting again.  Once I get decent at it, I may do a giveaway.  Or birthday presents for my lovely blog friends!!  I do know that I am totally making dog beds for the kids and a blanket (OU colors of course) for my brother (who happens to be attending OSU in the fall lol).
• Frisbee Golf (frolfing).  It's so much fun and walking the courses is such a great workout!!  I kinda suck at it, but I just started and enjoy it immensely.  It's also another way for Matt and I to bond.  I like having multiple things to do together; having just a handful makes relationships boring.
• Losing 10+ pounds!!!  I'm super duper excited about this one!  I've gained quite a bit of weight since moving to Norman 2.5 years ago.  It didn't help that my back was really bad for awhile.  When I had my migraine, I lost 25 pounds because I couldn't eat, much less get out of bed.  I've lost at least 10 on top of that!  I still have a ways to go, but this is very motivating.  My secret?  To be honest, I was on a high powered diet supplement for awhile.  Now being a poor recent graduate helps because I can't buy all the greasy food I used to.  Granted, healthy food is more expensive, but I now pay more attention to what I'm buying.  I count calories too, but not in an extreme way just to make sure I'm not over doing it.
• Getting off early yesterday.  I went in at six to be observed for my annual review but wasn't supposed to be there until 11.  I ended up having to stay until about 10 because the actual opener had a horrible migraine.  I went home and didn't have to go back in until 4.  Our scheduled opener came in to help close and sent me home early.  I love her.  Not just for that.  She lets me vent.  She was there when Roxi was lost in Muskogee for 4 days and let me leave to drive 3 hours away to look for her.  And pulled me aside to let me cry to her about it.  She's very blunt with me, which is much appreciated.  No sugar coating and that's how I like work to be.  She's a doll and a half!
• DVR.  I can watch the Thunder game AND watch the new South Park!

I think that's it!  THUNDER UP!!!

Love!!

Wordless Wednesday: Newest Postcards!!!! (Made my day)

 

(Nadine)

 

(Jaimie)

Today was my first day off in two weeks.  It was soooo nice to have a day off!!  I was going to try to get things done around the house like cleaning the bathroom and laundry.  It seems like I can never get the things done that I want/need to on my rare days off.

So instead of cleaning, I went and played my first actual game of Frisbee golf.  So much harder than it looks!!  I haven't gotten up the courage to tally up my score yet.  I do know that my score on the front nine was horrendous but it got better on the back nine.  I never hit par on any of them, but I did bogey a few.  And by a few, I mean very few haha.  I did have a lot of fun with the boys.  I also realized that I don't really like the disc Matt bought for me.  Thankfully he does!

We were supposed to go play at new course a few hours later, but after a 3 hour first game I was exhausted.  I decided to let Matt have boy bonding time and watch a million more episodes of The Vampire Diaries.  It was a successful day, even if I didn't do anything productive.  Unless you count a 3 hour walk and playing sport during said walk as something productive.

We FINALLY got rain on Sunday.  We needed it so badly.  Unfortunately it rained and rained and rained.  So many places flooded.  The pond at the disc golf course was way up.  My brother has a picture of the bayou near my parents' house.  It's completely flooded!

This road is a good 20 foot longer than this.

The river we float on near by is up further than I have ever seen it.  You can read the news story about it here.  I have uploaded the video from a news story about it.

It's crazy what weather can do.  In fact, my front yard now looks like this

Ok, so maybe not exactly like this but pretty damn close.  It was getting bad before the rain but now it's growing exponentially.  We need a lawn mower badly.  That, however, takes extra money which as just about everybody knows, is hard to come by in this economy.  Meh, we'll eventually figure something out.  Until then, the dogs can have fun exploring this strange jungle we call a yard.

Bleh, I have to be up and at work at 6am so I should probably get off here!  Goodnight!!!

Love!!

Vampire Addiction

Ok, so if any of you really know me you know that I am OBSESSED with vampires.  Like, unhealthily obsessed.  Yes Matt is the one with I'm in love with, but vampires are what make me go "ooooooooo!"  My favorite show, True Blood, isn't on at the moment (it comes back June 26th!!!!).  I had to find something to hold me over that wasn't rerun upon rerun of Buffy and Angel.  I'm currently a little over halfway through the first season of The Vampire Diaries.  I have to say, for a show that is geared towards high school students and younger college students it's pretty damn good.  I hate to say I'm a little addicted.  The characters are cheesy, the dialogue is somewhat predictable, and the plot line has very few twists (a few but not many).  But god I can't get enough of it!!  Matt says it's basically Dawson's Creek with vampires.  Maybe that's it, cause I loved Dawson's Creek when I was younger.  Or maybe because the drama in it is real life drama.  Not all of it at once, but some of the things that happen actual happen in real life.  Not the vampires and other characters of course.

It helps that two main male characters are yummy.  As are most of the other characters.  That always makes shows a little bit better.

What are your unhealthy obsessions?  Any shows you can't get enough of?  I love finding new guilty pleasures (plus I'm not sure if Matt will let me watch the second season of this or the third when it starts lol).

Happy Tuesday!

Love!!

Obscure Monday

Title: The people I've Slept With

The movie starts out with Angela starting a video to her child about how said child came to be.  She describes herself as a previous girl next door who liked sex. She likes having sex with both men and women.  She takes pictures of the people she sleeps with, says it's her pornography.  She finds out she's pregnant and isn't sure who the father is.

Her gay best friend is very supportive, but thinks she should have an abortion because she is not ready to have children.  Her sister, on the other hand, is completely against the idea of abortion.

Her family is not very traditional, other than her sister's part of the family.

The movie follows her search for the father and preparing for motherhood.  Her best friend cheats on a guy and then realizes he is love with him, so it is also following him and his journey.

This movie is comical, heartfelt, and at times sad.

I really liked the movie, but at times it was somewhat redundant.  There isn't really a moral to this one except maybe live your own life.  You kinda have to be in a certain type of movie for this one.  It's definitely a romcom, but it has elements of other things.  The storyline isn't the most exciting, but it is entertaining.


Off to watch the Thunder game!  Thunder Up!!!!!

Love!!

Crazy Oklahoma

So Oklahoma got hit by some massive storms yet again today.  Norman was bypassed, again.  While being saved from all the rotation and tornadoes is great, we need the rain badly.  I can't even move my little garden outside yet because it is so dry.  I'm very sad about this.  We have the humidity but none of the actual moisture.  That's Oklahoma for you, though.  Sorry this post is so short, I'm having one of my migraines right now.  More about that later.  Hope you are all safe tonight.

Love!!

Thankful Thursday

I figured after all the crazy things going on lately I needed to thank everyone for all the wonderful things in my life.

• My wonderful little family.  Matt, Tank, and Roxi make my days so much more enjoyable.  Tank with his silly, dumb goofiness.  Roxi and her motherly ways.  Matt for being my best friend and soul mate.  They are the loves of my life.
• Having a sturdy roof over my head.  Our rent house may be a major fixer-upper, but it will stand for as long as we need it.
• My job.  There are times when I want to throttle people, but everyone has those days.  My coworkers help me get through tough days and make me smile daily.
•  My wonderful blogging friends.  You guys help me through more than you can ever imagine!  I go to your blogs to get a laugh, feel some sort emotion, or when I just need to get out of my own world.  I love you guys like family.  Getting to know your through your writings has been the most truthful way I have ever gotten to know anyone.

I have so many other things but I think right now, these are the biggest in my life.  Have a wonderful night!

Love!!

Wordless Wednesday

Obscure Monday

Title: Were The World Mine
This was a movie my little brother recommended to me.  It's a musical, however, in the first few minutes it won't strike you as such.

The main character Timothy goes to an all male school.  The kicker is that he's gay.  He lives with his mother who has just recently gotten a job.  Timothy, played by Tanner Cohen ("The Life Before Her Eyes" and Tad Becker in "As the World Turns"), tries out for the senior play A Midsummer Night's Dream.

The movie follows Timothy and his mother as they deal with the daily challenges of his being openly gay.  It is heart wrenching but hilarious at times, as well.

Timothy gets the part of Puck and proceeds to pull a puckish trick on the boys at his school and the people in his town.  This brings about all sorts of troubles and funny events in his town.  The twists in this movie will have you begging for more.  Unlike most musicals, it isn't all music with a little dialogue.  The balance is amazing.

Oh my goodness, this movie had me in tears, both empathetic and happy tears!   It teaches you not to judge and to see the world through the eyes of other people.  You really need to have an open mind to appreciate this movie.

My favorite line: "I'm not a lesbian.  I'm hetero-flexible." boyfriend replies and she says "I'm straight but shit happens."

Just so yall know, I'm IN LOVE with this movie!!!  It is definitely one I would recommend this to everyone!

Photo Update

Like I said yesterday, this week has been exhausting.  From working just about every day to spending Tuesday playing sports, I think I may have realized my max earlier than I was expecting.

Tuesday I went to a local park and played frisbee golf (frolfing) with Matt and his best friend.

Okay, so TECHNICALLY I didn't play--I was caddy--but I still walked a good 3 miles.  I also seem to have better depth perception than the boys (even with bad eye sight) because I was the one who found the discs in the brush when they were thrown in there.  I've played before, but we didn't have enough discs for three people so I decided to work on my sunburn.

Later that day we played softball with a few friends (no pictures from this since I actually played).  I haven't played in years, but I did pretty damn good if I say so myself.  And I do.  Haha.  I forgot how much I love that game.  I also worked on my sunburn there too!  Let's just say I was pretty red until today.

Work has been kicking my ass lately.  We've been soooo much busier than we have been in the last few months.  Hopefully I get to paint the walls tomorrow instead of actual work.  I could use the break.  Plus I've been having this strange urge to paint lately.  Not walls necessarily, but that works for now.  I do have my hours back which is nice on the bank account--and my shopping addiction!

I do have one thing I need to ask the blogging world.  How the hell to I get a stubborn puppy to stop chewing on EVERYTHING????  We've tried punishment, bitter stuff, hiding things he likes to chew on.  You name it, we've tried it.  Roxi wasn't near this hard to train, although she really liked to chew on boxes and deodorant/bitter apple became like treats.  Hell, Tank even ate my entire thing of deodorant the other day!!!  I'm not sure what to do next.  Any advice?  Crating works, but he does it even when we're home.  Ugh, the joys of puppy motherhood lol.

Anyway, I think this is long enough for tonight.  Have a wonderful Friday night!!

Love!

I got my first POSTCARD today!!!

I'm uber excited to show you guys the beautiful postcard that the lovely Amber sent to me!

You should definitely check her out over at Social Butterfly!  If you want to join in on the postcard swap with us, check out her blog as well as my post here.

The last few days have exhausted me, so I'm going to leave you guys with this post.  I'll update you on my week tomorrow evening.  Also, tune in on Monday for my latest Obscure Monday review; I'm really excited about the movie.

Love!!

Obscure Monday

Title: Aaah! Zombies!!
The premise of this movie, which is what first interested me, is that is a zombie movie from the perspective of the zombies.

To the actual movie.

The beginning of this movie shows how zombies came to be.  Pretty run of the mill--experiment gone wrong.  Until you get to the WAY it got into the general public that is.  The doctor who created the virus relabels the barrels of the stuff as baby formula.

You have your stereotypical characters: ditzy blonde, dorky-awkward guy, party guy, the hot driven female, and the guy trying to be the hero.

I won't ruin the plot line for you.  The dialogue is atrocious, but the idea is good.  As with any zombie movie there is a lot of blood and gore, but not in the normal way.  The effects aren't the greatest, but they are comical.

The writers and directors tried to make the movie into somewhat of a love story.  The zombie makeout scene is pretty funny.  As is finding out what happens when zombies have sex.  Then there's the epiphany, that oddly sounds like the founding of America.

My favorite part?  Finally learning the origin of Thing.  Haha, just kidding, but you'll understand once you watch it.

All in all it's a good movie if you like strange and awkward spoofs.  It does have a moral oddly enough: Accept yourself.

I recommend it.

New Start?

So I'm finally trying really hard to get this weight loss thing going.  I signed up for SparkPeople the other day so I can keep up with my goals (and hopefully hold myself accountable).  I'm eating much better.  I made scrambled egg whites for breakfast along with an apple and water.  Of course I need my coffee, but I made sure I had my water first.  I'm walking to work almost everyday.  However, since there is a not so good neighborhood between my house and work, I won't walk home at night.  I'm even taking a supplement.  I really hope this helps.

This weekend I'm going to check out a 24 hour gym that isn't too far from my work.  I really hope it isn't that expensive.  The cheaper ones are across town and with gas as high as it is I just can't do that while Matt and I are sharing the car.

On another note, I can't wait to get my first couple postcards in the mail!  Matt is almost as excited as I am.  I think because I'm finally taking my mom's advice and finding a new hobby that doesn't cost much money, haha.

I gotta finish getting ready for work and document my breakfast (for record keeping), so I'll post again later.  We're going to watch an obscure movie tonight so I can start the new Monday feature I talk about here.

Have a good Monday!!

Love!!!

I love me some Snail Mail!

Yes, three posts in one day (gotta catch up somehow!)

I was browsing around the blog world and came across a wonderful project that was started by Miss Nadine and Miss Amber (completely separate from one another, oddly enough).  How's about a postcard swap???

I'm not the most creative person in the world, but I love getting to know people and receiving snail mail that doesn't end up costing me boatloads of money.  I don't care what kind of postcards, as long as they aren't blank.  Handmade?  Awesome!  Tourist-y?  Kickass!  Prints of paintings?  Yes!  Like I said, anything.  However, I personally would prefer if they had something to do with your personality or something you like.  It's more personal that way.

If you want to join me, email me your address at ogleam{at}hotmail{dot}com
I promise your addresses are safe and will not be shared with anyone.

Please include your address, blog link, and "Postcard Swap" in the subject line.
Let's make this fun and have equal participation on all sides.

I know I don't have a lot of followers, but for those that do follow me and decide they want to do this too, would it be possible for you to link back here and to the previously mentioned women as well so as to get as much participation as possible? 

Can't wait!

Love!

Baked Catfish

I don't have a picture of this one, but it is absolutely amazing!

I grew up eating fried catfish in small town Oklahoma.  When I started high school my father started baking it occasionally.  He also grilled it, but we don't have a grill.  When I think of fish, I always think spring and summer camping and fishing trips.

Here's what you need:
several fillets of catfish (or other fish you enjoy)
Butter
1 Lemon
lemon pepper
salt
baking sheet

Here's what you do:
Thoroughly rinse the fish
Spray the baking sheet with nonstick spray (I prefer Pan vegetable spray), lay fillets out flat
Preheat oven to 350
Melt butter in microwave (how much you use depends on your preferences and how much fish you use)
Cut lemon in half, squeeze juice out of one half into the melted butter.  Thinly slice the other half.
Using a basting brush (or spoon if you don't have the brush) lightly cover the fish in the lemon butter mixture.
Sprinkle lemon butter over the fish (I use a grinder).
Very lightly sprinkle salt over the fish (just enough to enhance the flavor, not over power it)
Place a lemon slice on top of each fillet.
Bake for 20 minutes.

The seasoning is all to your personal tastes.  I prefer moist fish, so I put more of the lemon butter mixture on it.  Matt likes it drier so I add less of the mixture.

Not only is this very tasty, but if you don't add too much butter it is very health for you as well.

Enjoy!!

Life happens, I guess

I feel awful that I haven't posted in awhile.  Things got a little dramatic for awhile.  Had a major falling out with someone I thought was a good friend.  After several weeks of feeling used and manipulated, Matt and I were basically dropped after introducing her to new people.  I've been trying to sort through my feelings and reactions to the whole situation but it's hard. 

I've never had many female friends that I could really rely on.  Throughout my short 23 years, I've only really had one that has stuck around for any actual length of time (that being about 5 years and counting).  Recently, I've had a woman come back into my life that I thought I had lost forever.  We had a really rough time of it not long before I moved to Norman.  Before that, she was my best friend and confidant.  I've seen her maybe twice in the nearly three years I've been in Norman.  Those few times were enough for both of us to see how much the other had grown up.  Now we talk almost every day, and she is moving up here (possibly moving in with us) in August.  Even Matt, who for the last several years has professed a strong dislike (very close to despising) for her, is convinced she has changed and is good with idea of her being in our lives again.

Maybe it's because I've been hurt so many times by the women that have come into my life, but once a female wrongs me it's hard for me to ever trust them again.  Or maybe it's because I was raised around men for the majority of my life other than my mom and Meme (grandmother); we all have more masculine personalities than many of the women I have come across.  I still have my petty/catty moments and love to dress up and make myself up, but I don't want to deal with drama.  I basically refuse to.

So maybe I blew this whole situation out of proportion, but I don't like being treated like shit.  I definitely don't like it when someone makes me feel manipulated or used. 

Sorry to vent at you guys like this, but I had to get it out.


My next post will be another successful recipe.  Hopefully I'll start watching more movies so I can review them for you guys, like I previously suggested.

Love!!

Picture of the soup!!

Chicken Noodle Soup

I FINALLY got my dad's chicken noodle soup right.  I know it's spring time, but here in Oklahoma it's been cold.  That's not abnormal, so I thought a nice homemade soup would help keep me warm.  The hard part is the chicken if you use a whole chicken.  This isn't a quick recipe, so make sure you have enough time to make it.  The time is definitely worth it though!!

Here's what you need:
1 whole chicken
several stalks of celery
2 white onions
2 large bell peppers
2 bags Amish extra wide egg noodles
salt/pepper
large pan (super large is great, as is a cast iron pot)


Here's what you do:
Skin the chicken, place in your pot/pan.  Fill with water.
Boil the chicken for approximately 4 hours (or until the chicken is literally falling apart).
Keep a watchful eye on it, adding water as it boils down (trust me, don't let it boil away!).  Basically, keep the chicken covered in water (it will float as it gets done).
Take off heat when done.
Using tongs (easiest way), pull out all the chicken and place on plate(s).  Sift through pulling out bones and cartilage and random bits of fat.  This is messy and hot, so just be aware.
Put chicken back into water.
Cut up onions, celery, and bell peppers any way you like.  Throw in pot.  You can add as little or as much as you like, my amounts are just an estimate of how much you could possibly need.
Throw in egg noodles (again, as much or little as you want)
Turn on low/medium heat, cook until vegetables are tender.
Serve.

Keep it refrigerated.  Make sure you have a bowl big enough to transfer it to or your pan will fit in the the fridge.

If you don't want to go through the hassle of skinning and boning the chicken, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breast.  I'm not sure how many to use (we never do that), and personally the soup wouldn't be as good without the marrow flavor and the mix of white/dark meat.  I believe that it is healthier with the marrow and mix, but don't quote me on that!

Writing Blog

I finally got my new blog up and running!  Like I have said, I like to write.  This blog is dedicated to that part of my life.  Everything posted is very much rough drafts (unless I say it's an edited version), which to me means that any and all constructive criticism is welcome.  I'm a very blunt person, so some of what I write may not be appropriate for all audiences. 

Here's the link: Confessions

No, this is not a blog of "fictional" confessions from my life.  It is me confessing the literary ideas I have.  It will include both poetry and prose.

Thanks for taking a look!  Enjoy!

Love!

Started the garden finally!

Matt and I finally started working on our little garden today.  I'm so excited!!!  Like I said before, I prefer the taste of homegrown food over store bought any day.

We still need to dig up the plot of yard, but we have a few weeks to do so.

Spinach, Cucumbers, and Radishes.  YUM!

The one on the left has chili peppers, okra, and banana peppers.  The right is the one above.  And the bottom one has grape and large tomatoes.

I'll keep you updated with pictures as things go along, and share with you any tips or tricks I learn as well (or things that you shouldn't do).

Love!

Stuffed Portabellas

Like I said last night, I made stuffed portabellas for dinner tonight.  WOW.  That's really all I have to say for this one.  I kinda just flew by the seat of my pants on the recipe.  Oddly enough, its very spring flavored to me.

Here's what I used:
1/2 cup long grain white rice
3 large portabella mushrooms (whole)
1/2 lb ground beef (93/7)
1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce
4 tbsp cream cheese
1 clove garlic, diced
chives
oregano (optional)
garlic powder (optional)

Here's what I did:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook rice according to packaging.
Brown ground beef, season with oregano and garlic powder to your liking (seasoning optional).
Mix and heat spaghetti sauce and cream cheese in small sauce pan with chives and diced garlic.
Carefully spoon out the feathery underside of the portabellas, along with a small part of the meat of the mushrooms (I added some of this to the sauce, but not too much.)  The excess can be a good salad topper.

 

Before and after spooning out the underside.

 Measure out equal parts rice and hamburger meat, add sauce until you reach your desired consistency, without making it running,
Carefully spoon the stuffing mixture into the mushrooms, making sure they are well stuffed (you have to be careful, though, they fall apart very easily).
Spoon a small amount of remaining sauce on top of the finish mushrooms.

Pre baking

Spray baking sheet with pan or other nonstick spray (I cover with foil, as well).
Place mushrooms on baking sheet.
Bake for 12 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

Finish product!

The flavor of the portabella is still noticeable even with this flavorful filling.

After making this, I realized you can alter this to suit your eating habits as well.  Instead of hamburger meat, you can use ground turkey (for those who can't have hamburger) or ground soy meat (for vegetarians or vegans).  I'm sure the vegan alternative for cream cheese, Vegan Gourmet Cream Cheese, would taste great as well.

Hope you enjoy this wonderful recipe!

Love!!

I can't seem to sleep...

Another late night for me...

OMG this sounds SOOOOO good right now!!!  Where can I find this???  Not in Norman, that's for sure :(

This always seems to happen when I get sick.  One of my roommates had a stomach flu that I caught and proceeded to pass on to Matt (at least, I think that's what happened).  So I decided going to work was a bad idea seeing as how vomiting on donors would probably get me fired...

My unplanned day off consisted of laying around, blog hopping, and puppy watching.  Oh and getting into a huge fight with my mother.

My mother is one of my best friends.  While this wasn't always the case--in fact, we hardly ever got along while I was in high school--it is now.  I really don't remember the last time we had an actual fight.  Until today.

For some reason, my loan bill is going to her, my co-signer, and not me.  So instead of enlightening me on this odd occurrence, she's been paying on it.  Well, when my dad got my taxes done a few weeks ago, he failed to send me the check he always sends (back story-he sends me a check for the difference when they run me as a dependent and not as one).  I saw my mom when Matt and I went to Tulsa to visit my Meme last week.  She told me they were keeping my tax refund.

I have been stewing over this for a week now.  I finally told her I didn't want to come visit when Matt and I drove down to see his folks.  This ended up causing a big argument in which I basically refused to sign the check over when it comes in.

I realize all this sounds very childish, but I feel that I have earned that money.  I know I am young and my mother does still help me out financially if its needed, but keeping MY money to pay on a loan I didn't know had started billing me is absolutely ridiculous.

I think this is why I can't sleep...

Ugh... I don't know how I feel about venting on here quite yet....

On a lighter note, I plan on cooking stuffed portabella mushrooms and ribs for dinner tomorrow (I will totally share the recipe if it goes well!!),

Nom nom nom, I love portabellas!!!

starting my little garden (at least in peat pots),

Hopefully mine look this great in a few weeks!

and watching an obscure movie so I can review it for everyone.  Hopefully I have time for laundry during all of this!!! :)

Love!

I love reading!!!

Yes, I'm still awake.  Imagine that.  Actually I fell asleep for a few hours and completely missed a good friend's birthday.  I feel like shit for that, but I really didn't mean to fall asleep.

Anyway, I was blog hopping (which has become quite the time consuming activity lately) and I came across a few reading challenges on Let's Start Saving Now.  Being the reading buff that I am, I was instantly hooked.  So I am now participating in a few of these challenges.




Very excited about this one.  I can definitely read 100 books by the end of the year.

I hope.

Thankfully, this one can be combined with other reading challenges she has listed.  A few of which I'm excited about.




(6 or 12 King books)


(24 of these)



(all 10 in this series)

I'm super excited about this.  My mother recently told me I needed a new hobby, maybe this counts?  Meh, I don't care.  I love to read.

Love!

Lessons from Childhood

Oklahoma can be so beautiful.  I'm sitting in my yard right now looking at whatever tree it is that I have in my front yard (its some sort of odd, bush-like tree; not very tall, but the branches reach wide and start low to the ground).  The purple blossoms make me happy.  As does the bird's nest near the top.

My purple tree

I've always been a country girl.  I grew up in southeast and northeast Oklahoma.  Until I moved to Norman a few years back, I'd always lived outside of town (unless you count Tahlequah in the dorms, I don't).

Sitting here makes me think of my childhood and the lessons I learned.

• Living in copperhead country, you never went outside barefoot.  Unless you wanted daddy to yell at you and send you back in for tennis shoes.  No flip flops, except in town, because they didn't protect your feet from all the things that could bite you.  Not only did we have copperheads, we had a few rattle snakes, blue racers (extremely fast snakes that came in pairs.  EEK!), scorpions, centipedes, all sorts of things.  All this paranoia about us kids getting bit has made a little too overcautious I think.  I always check my shoes for spiders and scorpions (even though I have never seen one since leaving southern Oklahoma).  I won't go outside barefoot unless I know there are no snakes or other biting creatures.  My yard has hundreds of ant hills (don't know if they are occupied though), so I always check my dogs for ant bites and won't go out back barefoot.

•  Animal care is of utmost importance.  My dad always had at least two bird dogs while I was growing up.  Not much has really changed there.  The only time I ever saw my dad discipline the dogs harshly was when they would get out of huge yard.  He had them trained very well, even my mutt puppy knew better.  One day my Meme (grandmother) surprised me with a rabbit.  Even though I hadn't asked for it (I HAD asked for a rabbit but not from her or really expected one), I was told that she was my responsibility.  That rabbit was the biggest baby you have ever seen.  She was spoiled rotten.  I had her for almost 6 years before she died, which considering she was full grown when I got her is a long time.  I joined 4H and started raising rabbits.  To pay for their food, I bred them and sold the babies.  The earned their keep and gave me much pleasure throughout the years.  Now that I have my own dogs, I try to take very good care of them.  They are fed on a schedule, trained (well Tank not so much yet, we're working on that), and treated very well.  While I was taught animals are for outside and are not people, I've fallen victim to letting them think they are people and keeping them inside.  It suits their personalities and fits our little family well.  They are my children and are raised as so.  I detest animal abuse and will quickly turn in anyone I suspect of it.  No animal deserves that.

The Kids

• Property boundaries are there for a reason.  Living in the country, this was somewhat blurred since we all walked across each others' pastures to get from house to house, but it was still known that you did not alter another person's property.  We had neighbors that insisted part of our land was theirs, even though our deed specifically stated it was ours.  The man who thought this was former State Representative Mike Mass.  He tried to push my father into agreeing to this because of his political standing (very corrupt man, look him up).  His sons would ride their four-wheelers through our fences and tear up our pasture.  It was quite aggravating and caused my father much frustration.  I don't know what exactly stopped them, but one day it all stopped.  Now that I live in town, this has come in handy.  I know better than to just chill on someone else's yard.  Unfortunately, my neighbors have not taught their children this.  I've come multiple times to them playing my yard, which while not that big of a deal, drives my pit bull crazy and she barks and growls through the door at them.  I'm afraid they think she is a mean dog (which she isn't, she's a big puss), but they are in fact invading her territory and she can't go out to investigate them.  Also, one of the neighbor kids continues to come into my backyard and steal our dog toys (only the Kongs, which if you know dog toys, are somewhat expensive).  It's infuriating. 

• Home-grown and homemade food always tastes better.  We had a HUGE garden when I was young; seriously, it was at least an acre or two.  I hardly ever remember buying vegetables.  I loved to help in the garden.  My favorite was when it was time to dig up the potatoes.  I think I would eat half of what I dug up.  If you've ever been a super serious gardener, I know you're grimacing thinking about what you put in the soil to make things grow bigger and better.  At the age, I didn't care.  I still really don't.  I know what we put out there, and I'm still alive today.  I think you develop a tolerance to that sort of thing when you grow up around it.  No pesticides (other than the necessary) or shine spray to fuck with the taste.  I hated it when winter would come and we would have to buy tomatoes from the grocery store.  They tasted like cardboard, and still do come winter.  We would buy ingredients for certain things, but for the most part everything was homemade (minus cake mixes, bread, and dairy/meat products).  I'm wanting to get a garden started here.  I'm not sure how well it would do, though.  Vegetables are SO expensive, yet we are constantly told we need to eat healthy.  It's hard to do so when you can't afford it.  It's also very meditative for me; it takes me back to a simpler time in my life.

• Oklahoma weather is unpredictable.  I call it bipolar.  I remember being rushed to the basement hundreds of times.  Dad would stand outside and watch it while talking to his brother to keep up on the forecast.  The next day it would be pretty and sunny.  No matter how many times the sky turned green or a tornado formed above our house, we were never hit.  We did have one go through the backyard and pick up my rabbit hutch about ten foot in the air and drop it.  Boy did Jim Giles get an ear full that night.  He never showed any rotation in our area, not even close to it.  Dad was furious.  I was oblivious: at a friend's house, aggravated that the internet wouldn't work because I wanted to talk to a boy.  Typical 13 year old.  Even as I sit here, the weather can't make up its mind.  For a few minutes it's warm and sunny, then the clouds roll in and I want a light jacket, then it's sunny again.  I was told it was supposed to rain.  I'll believe it when I have to take my computer inside for fear of ruining it.

I think I'm going to continue to sunbath in my tennis shoes now ;)

Love!

Idea? Possibly

So I just finished the movie Bitch Slap.  It has no actors that should be named and no plot line to really talk about.  It jumps around a lot and has some interesting girl-on-girl action (interesting because they somehow have sex with ALL of their clothes still on).

This isn't the point of my post, well not completely anyway.  I'm going to toy with idea of starting a weekly post about movies.  Preferably movies that few have seen or even heard of.  I'll give it a go and see if there is any response or if I even enjoy doing it.

This is going to be a short post, I think.  My friend who had heart surgery is doing very well by the way.  Bitching about not being able to get out of bed or the hospital, but that's expected lol.

Wow these credits are ridiculous.  Considering the movie I just sat through, that's saying something.  Lots of women dancing sensually in their underwear with the Asian chick from the movie (named Kinky) singing about herself.  It's too much.  I think my brain has been officially mushed....

Good night all!  Have a safe and happy St. Patrick's Day!

Love!

Not sure where I'm gonna go with this

It has been way too long since I lasted posted.  I feel like I completely failed on the 30 Days of Truth Challenge.  Right now, life is way too complicated and busy for me to commit to an every day challenge.  I think I'll pick up where I left off shortly, but my posts will be an "as they come" format not necessarily every day.

Our dog Roxi was deathly ill a few weeks ago.  Tank dug up an old phone line and she chewed on the end of it.  We found out the hard (and expensive) way that this can lead to copper poisoning.  We woke up to what looked like a murder scene in our kitchen.  I've never seen so much blood, other than in the movies.  Poor baby girl was urinating blood, which was her body's way of trying to flush the toxin out.

We rushed her to the vet, where she stayed overnight.  Copper poisoning is very rare and hard to prove unless the animal swallows a penny (specifically one dated 1983 and earlier) and it can be seen on an x-ray.  Apparently one tiny flake can cause what we experienced.  With her at the vet, I had the task of taking care of both Matt and Tank.  Both were severely depressed.  Matt made himself sick with worry and barely slept.  Tank wouldn't eat without his big sister at home.  My poor bubbas (his nickname) was skin and bone by the time we brought Roxi home.  I fear he would have starved himself if she hadn't have made it.

Matt dug up 20 foot of phone line from the backyard.

Both dogs are doing very well now.  Tank has been to the dog park twice now, he's a big hit out there.  When our "roommate" finally moved out and the backdoor has been open more often, he picked up on his house training very quickly.  It's amazing how intelligent dogs are when given the chance to show you.  But you know, I don't know anything about my own dogs.  It's not like I live with them and work with them everyday or anything.  Oh the ignorance of some people amazes me.


This is spring break for those still in classes.  I took off the whole week to spend time with Matt, and for a much needed reprieve.  Tomorrow one of my best friends is having heart surgery.  I'm not sure how I'm reacting to the idea of it.  I've lost so many people in my life.  Just the thought of losing him kills me.

It's times like this that the wall from my past goes up and I shut every one out to keep from getting hurt.  I have no where to go to think in Norman.  I miss my dock on the bayou, my days in the trees on the bank.  I miss the NSU campus where I could find a secluded place and just sit.  I miss the Honors' Lounge.  Sitting on the couches, watching my peers socialize and do their homework.  Don't get me wrong, I love Norman.  But I haven't found my quiet place yet.  If I could I would drive to Grandpa Del's and sit in the backyard in the trees near his pond.  I can't do that anymore though.  Not only have the trees been cut, but it's not the same without him there.  The house is cold, dark and empty.  The ghosts that are my childhood memories haunt me there.

Matt has said that we will have a house of memories like that one day.  Thinking about how I feel about the house now, part of me doesn't know if I want it.  I don't want to leave those I love a house of ghosts.

Sorry about the sudden turn of mood.  I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, which isn't always a good thing.

However, I have been thinking about picking up my writing again.  Fiction and poetry, not just blogging.  I kinda want to publish some of it on here, but I don't know if anyone would be interested in reading my ramblings.  I don't know... It's like putting part of my soul on display for the world to see and pick apart.  I would appreciate some feedback on the idea.  I think I may put up some of my old stuff just to gauge the response.  Maybe I'll create a blog just for my writings so that I still have this one for my more personal postings.

I think I have written enough for now.  I'll probably be on here quite a bit tomorrow while I sit at the hospital.

Love.

Sick... Again

It seems I'm sick.  AGAIN!  I may be doing many more posts while I'm sick, so please endure the bored postings.  I can't believe how under staffed the clinics are in times when the flu is running rampant everywhere.  It took me an hour to be told I have an upper respiratory infection and needed a z-pack, some weird cough medicine (disgusting too btw), and lots of liquids.  The cure-all, right?

2 hours later I had my prescriptions and essentials in hand headed out to my car.  I have never, NEVER in my life seen Wal Mart that ridiculous.  I was in line for an hour at least to buy $50 worth of everyday things and two 'scripts.  It's like Y2K is happening all over again.  I don't want to know how bad it will be when 12/20/12 comes around.  Not like you would need anything if the world ends, but people will still think every item in the store is necessary.  I understand getting the essentials: toilet paper, milk, water, medicine, nonperishable foods, etc.  But things like makeup, razors, and dog treats (not food, treats) blow my mind.  You aren't going anywhere important if you get snowed in and your dogs can go without things that will make them fatter than just sitting in a warm house will.  We checked the dog food and soup stocks as well as toilet paper and bottled water (in case of frozen pipes) before we made our short list.

I ended up having to pick Matt up from work tonight and got caught in my first Thunder Snow.  It's trippy when you have snow falling on your windshield with lightening and thunder all around you.  I was momentarily confused and then mesmerized by the new experience.  Thankfully I only had to drive one way on it, Matt prefers to drive if we're both in the car.  Then we braved the other Norman Wal Mart... not near as bad as my first trip, but still ridiculous.

Tank isn't sure what to think of all this cold, wet stuff on the ground and in the air.  All he wants to do is eat it.  It's too cold for him to want to play in it or even pee in it, but he'll eat it just fine.  Roxi on the other hand, can't get enough of it.  It's her favorite weather, which is odd because she doesn't like to be cold.  They're getting along so well now, it's like they've always been together.  Roxi would have made a great mother if we would have decided to breed her.  She plays with him kinda rough, but then comes to him if he cries to make sure he's okay.  It's precious.

Well... I've been thinking about posting up some of my writings up here.  I'm not sure if anyone would actually read them though, so if you think you'd be interested let me know and I'll slowly put some up.  I just need to start writing again, other than actual blogging.  It's a great way for me to really say how I feel and what I think.

My head is really hurting, so I think this is going to be it for tonight/this morning.  I'll probably have more up in like 12 hours.

Love!!

30 Days of Truth--Day 11: Something people seem to compliment you on the most

This isn't very hard for me.  I've always gotten compliments on my hair, even after I started dying it.  I've always had long, curly hair (minus the few times I chopped it off).  It is naturally dirty, strawberry-blonde, but right now it is a dark, bright red.

Even dyed, people love to play with my hair, which is fine with me since it's one of the only ways I sleep lol.  They say it's really soft.  It's so thick though, I don't know how they don't get lost in it.

I used to get comments on my eyes and ass, as well.  My eyes, if accented correctly, stand out really well.  I love it when I get pictures where all you can really focus on is how pretty my eyes can be.  My butt, well, it's always been something I'm proud of.  It's not a typical white girl ass.  I would show you pictures, but I'm not quite that crass. 

When I find my portable harddrive in this crazy mess of a house, I'll post pics of my hair and eyes.  Personally though, I'm partial to my boobs.  Wow this post makes me seem conceited.

30 Days of Truth--Day 10: Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn't know

This topic is rather difficult.  There are many people I wish I hadn't met in my life but I know that even the littlest change could change my present.  However, there is one person that I think what little influence they could have possibly had would not change my current happiness.

In high school there was a girl that seemed to thrive on the drama she caused others.  She would pretend to be friends with you one day and stab you in the back the next.  She often times would tell people she was pregnant with the child of another girl's boyfriend.  Her favorite target seemed to be me.  She would tell people I was cheating on my boyfriend, that I bad mouthed my good friends, that I was a slut (with fake stories), that sort of thing. 

The day my grandmother died she told everyone, including myself, that I deserved for her to die.  She said I was a horrible person.

My high school career was drama filled because of the things she would say about me.  I wanted to leave Fort Gibson so badly that my mother considered leaving her excellent new job just to get me out of there.  The treatment that her rumors got me led me to contemplate and even attempt suicide a few times.  Graduating was the best thing I ever did for myself there.

30 Days of Truth--Day 9: Someone you didn't want to let go, but just drifted

Day 9: Someone you didn't want to let go, but just drifted
Oh goodness, so many people fall in this category.  I've had many people come in and go out of my life in the short 23 years I've been alive.  I know there is a saying that people will always come and go in your life, it's just the time period that changes.  Some people are meant to stay until one of you leaves this life.  Some people are meant to be a big part of your life for a few years or more and then leave.  Others only fleetingly come into your life.  All of them make a difference, and almost all of them are hard for me to let go.

First is my high school best friend Lacey.  She and I were so close our first couple years.  Every weekend we were at each others houses.  We would perfect card games while watching B-rated movies.  We got our first job together at Simple Simon's Pizza, and then worked together for a short time at Red Lobster.  We basically had two sets of parents and two homes.  Junior year she went to Vo-Tech in the afternoons and got a crazy boyfriend (who she later married and then divorced).  We slowly grew apart.  We had our drama throughout high school, usually about boys.  I missed her.  We both started to hang out with new people.  I joined color guard and become somewhat of a band geek (not very much so).  We still talk occasionally, but not very much.  She lives in Muskogee with her two sons, stepsons, and new husband who I have never met.  I miss her a lot.

My friend Kevin.  I've known him for about 10 years now.  We met at church camp and were basically inseparable the entire week.  We then went about 3 years before we saw or talked to each other again.  When we did, it was again at church camp and it was like we hadn't missed a beat.  I had had surgery a few weeks before camp, so I couldn't do many of the activities I usually did at camp.  He sat around with me and kept me company all week.  After that, we talked all the time.  At one point we almost dated.  Part of me regrets never getting the chance to see what that was like, but at the same time our lives wouldn't be where they are now.  We still talk occasionally, but after I broke his heart he has become somewhat distant.  I visit him as often as I can when I go home, but that ends up being about once or twice a year.

30 Days of Truth--Day 8: Someone who has made your life hell, or treated you like shit.

Day 8: Someone who has made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
This one is really hard for me to talk about.  When I was young, I was the biggest daddy's girl you would ever meet.  He wasn't home most weekends, but when he was I was always by his side.  I wanted to be just like him.  He has been self-employed most of my life, but always worked long hours.  He didn't take a day off for anything.  Unless I was sick.  He would call his customers and reschedule repair jobs (if they could be postponed).  I remember he would make me tea with honey and lemon to help me get better.  I hated having lemon in my tea, but he tried to get me to enjoy it enough to help.  I drink it that way now sometimes.  During the summers, he would let me go with him to work.  I knew most of his customers by the age of eight.  He even helped me to start a little business of my own changing a/c filters for local businesses to teach me responsibility.

This made what happened after we moved to Fort Gibson so much harder.  All of a sudden he wanted nothing to do with me.  He wasn't very nice; it felt like nothing I did was good enough for him.  He called me names and treated me like I was a burden.  These feelings were multiplied by the fact that I was in high school dealing with petty teenage drama.  My attitude probably didn't help things.  My mom and I didn't really get along, so I felt completely alone.

I don't remember him going to any of the plays I was in.  I think he attended one color guard competition, that wasn't even the state championships my senior year.  Even now it's hard to think about how he goes to all the football games my little brother marches in.

After I went to college, things got better but not great.  I lived 30 minutes away on campus, but he still tried to control what I did after wanting no say in my life the few years prior.  When I told him I was transferring to OU, he told me I was going to ruin my life.  He said I was making a stupid decision and end up making nothing of myself.  Since moving so much farther away, though, things have gotten much better.

When I come home now, he makes my favorite meals and takes my car in for regular maintenance.  He calls me to ask when I'm coming home and sends boxes of food with me when I leave.  He wrote me a little note not long before graduation telling me he's proud of me.  It's still on my refrigerator.

It's been too long

 Sorry I haven't posted in awhile.  Life has been somewhat hectic lately.  My 23rd birthday was Tuesday. My good friends Kyle and Marchel made me dinner and a cake.  There is apparently pictures of me with my cake on Facebook somewhere, but I haven't seen them yet.  I'll add them when I do.

After a good night with good people, Marchel and I went to the shelter the next day to possibly pick out a new puppy.  We played with sooo many puppies.  I finally picked out the cutest little pit mix ever!  We think he's part German shorthair pointer.  He has the build and face of a pit bull, but the coloring of a gsp.  He even points occassionally!  It took Roxi a little bit, but she finally accepted him.  They love to wrestle.  She's become protective of him as if he is her puppy.  The only issues we've had with him is his trend to only sleep through the night every other night and his hardheadedness when it comes to potty training.

I need to catch up with my 30 Days of Truth, but I think I will just pick up where I left off.  Keeping up a blog and chasing an ankle biter who likes to pee in the floor and climb on my computer is quite difficult.  If there is another break in my posts, that's why.

Matt and the Kids

Happy-ish Almost Birthday to me?

It's been interesting here lately.  I went out to Partners and The Copa last night with a co-worker and her girlfriend.  I had a lot of fun.  Partners is basically just a bar where (mostly) lesbian couples go.  They have a few pool tables and a small dance floor.  It was pretty dead last night, I was told Saturdays are much better.  I enjoyed being able to sit with a beer and play pool without having to worry about us hogging the table or losing our seats.  Partners has probably the second best wait staff I've had at a bar (Sooner Legends being the best, but I'm sure it helps that we're on a first name basis with them).

At The Copa, the atmosphere was much much different.  It's a gay/lesbian dance club.  That is the first place I've ever seen old gay cowboys all decked out, one even had on a floor-length fur coat.  It was nice to see people being themselves and being comfortable with that.  Saw my first drag queen NOT in a show; actually I saw two.  Copa is a very out and crazy place.  We had jello shots and watched the near-naked male dancer (who changed his boxer briefs twice while we were there, talk about diva lol jk).  We danced and people-watched.  And of course, had several jello shots :).

I was super comfortable at both locations.  It was nice to not have to hide.  I guess I need to clarify that statement some.  I know some of my sorority sisters follow this, but I think it's time for me to be honest.  I'm bisexual.  After a big argument with a sister my first year about her belief that our sorority having open and out members would harm us, I decided to keep my sexuality to myself.  All everyone knows/knew is that I'm dating Matt and have been for years.  I'm head over heels for that boy, that hasn't changed; he isn't some sort of cover or anything, I genuinely love him with all my heart.  I've never been attracted to any of my sisters, they have always been like real sisters to me.  I feel like I've been hiding a large part of myself from the majority of those who know me, so this is my "coming out" I guess.  It needed to be done.  You can't really know me without knowing such big part of my personality.

Anyway, today I've been lazy.  I'm not hungover, but I just haven't felt the need or drive to do anything.  After chillin with Matt's boss and her two pits, I brought him home.  I cooked some kickass baked spaghetti!  It's basically veggie spaghetti since I didn't have any hamburger meat.

I've decided I'm getting another pit puppy.  Matt and I have been talking about getting another dog.  We had almost agreed upon the scottish terrier breed, but those dogs always get adopted and have homes.  Pit bulls do not.  There is a beautiful blue brindle pup that Tia Torres of Villalobos Rescue Center (aka Pitbulls and Parolees) has on her website.  I am in love with this baby girl.

I'm actually watching the newest episode.  I'm in tears watching them evacuate the dogs to save them from a wildfire.  I'd die if I had to fight to evacuate Roxi to save her life.  Tia is so attached to those dogs.  Her heart and courage always astound me.  She is definitely one of my heroes.  Her work is one of my inspirations to create a pit bull rescue.

Well, Imma get off here to finish this episode and enjoy my hard smoothie :)

Love!!

Ugh...

Today was an off day.  I work at CSL Plasma and we closed early today.  Normally I'd love that but the weather is horrendous right now: icy rain, minute snow flurries, and fucking cold.  I haven't been sleeping well either.

My neurologist finally saw me the other day.  He was not the best doctor I've ever seen.  Ever watched House?  Yeah, when it comes to patient contact, mine was way more afraid of it.  I mumbled and sat across the room with his head behind a laptop.  He also didn't order my CT results so had no idea what they showed.  I was told they were clear, but its the principle of the thing.  All he did was poke me with a sharp stick (to make sure my nerves felt sharp supposedly) and prescribe me some anti-seizure medicine.  He said it would help me sleep and relax my nerves.  So far both are a fail.  However, it does make me sleep deep enough (when I actually get to sleep) that I talk in my sleep and carry on coherent conversations.

I'm still sick.  I feel like I'll never get over this crud.  I'm coughing and sneezing and am congested.  It sucks.  I think I'm gonna try to go to bed now to get over it...

Oh, slowly making my way through the 30 Days of Truth.  It's getting a lot more personal than I anticipated.  Please forgive me for anything that is incriminating or makes me look horrible.  This is a type of catharsis for me so I'm trying to clear my conscious.  I'll probably open up more as I go through it.  Hopefully.

Night world, love!

Self-Reflection

So I've been reading my sister's blog aiukli, and have decided to do the 30 Days of Truth challenge.  I've realized I need to do some serious self-reflection.  I've been really confused as to where I'm heading in life and if that direction is where I really want to go.  Knowing myself better will help me better decide what is best for me.

On a less depressing note, I've found an amazing new show.  It's called The Dresden Files.  I found it on Netflix, so I'm not sure what station it's on.  If you've ever read Jim Butcher's books by the same name, you'll probably love it.  It doesn't really follow them too terribly well, but it has the same bones and if you recognize that the stories are major side stories you'll like it.

Check this out: dog toy  We are definitely ordering this for Roxi!  It should be hours of fun for everyone, Roxi included lol.  She LOVES chasing laser pointers, so this just takes the effort out of it for us lol.

Well, I guess that's all I have to say tonight.  Gonna start a new page for the 30 day challenge, so check it out.

Love!

Gettin Ready for Christmas

Today was my first Wednesday to work in what feels like forever.  Definitely was not on my game today. 

Matt and I cleaned the room the other day.  It was ridiculous how bad it was.  Ever seen an episode of Hoarders?  Yeah, almost that bad.  It was mostly my clothes everywhere, so it wasn't hard to clean.  I guess that was our way of making up.  Bonding experience lol.

I went in yesterday and got my trageus pierced.  A graduation present from my second favorite little brother, Jace.  Definitely didn't hurt, a little sting, but no pain.  No pop sound either which was weird.  I hit it earlier which hurt like a bitch though.

This Christmas should be interesting.  First year without Grandpa Del (didn't go last year due to snow).  I'm half tempted to stay home and be a hermit.  I love my family and all, but it's hard for me to be around them without him.  Graduation was hard enough without him there.  I wish I had gone to see him more often before he got sick.  I feel bad about that still.

This is probably the most pointless post I've made yet.  Oh well.

Starting a new chapter

Tomorrow starts my first Monday as part of the "real world."  Yes, the girl who never knows what she wants to do with her life from day to day has finally graduated.  All I know is that I have no idea what I'm doing from here on out.  Part of me wants to do what I did when I gained my collegiate independence and party every night I can.  On the other hand, I want to be more responsible.  Is it possible to do both?  Maybe we'll try that out for awhile.  I'll let you know how that goes.

Went to my work Christmas party last night.  We ended up back at the bar at Sooner Legend's (which is where I celebrated and got completely hammered after graduation Friday night).  I proceeded to again get smashed.  Had a lot of fun though.  Matt didn't feel well and went home.  I stayed with Kyle and Marchel.  Now he won't talk to me... I'm not sure what I did wrong.  He didn't feel well and didn't seem to want to be there so I let him go home.  He knew I wanted to be there.  I didn't try to make him feel bad or guilt him into staying.  Should I have gone home with him?  Probably.  Would I have been happy about it?  No.  I would have ended up being a bitch which would have us in an even worse position than we already are.  Why is it that when I try to do right, I end up fucking up?

Anyway, I'm sure no one wants to here sob stories so here's what's been hot in my mind lately: Poe.  No, not Edgar Allan the writer, Poe the singer.  Her music seems to speak to me no matter what s going on.  A couple songs that are really speaking what I want to say are these:

Both good songs.  And Poe is amazingly beautiful.  From a conversation had last night, she is definitely my type and I would take her home in a heart beat.

I'm not sure who I continue posting for.  I know no one reads this.  I guess this is cleansing or something.

Whatever, goodnight to whom ever reads these.

This weekend was definitely top 10 all time greatest weekends!

So this weekend was OU/saxet weekend and Matt and I had tickets (finally!). I booked an amazing hotel (that oddly enough would upgrade you to romantic stay with wine, chocolate covered strawberries, and rose petals but I digress). We needed something to do Friday evening so we went to Northpark mall. Dear god I've never seen a mall with stores devoted to specific designers! There was a Versacci store, a Louis Vetan (sp?), an Armani store. It was ridiculous! Anyway, we ended up not going to get sushi like our tradition entails, which was a bummer, but we did get to go to the game for the first time ever and had AMAZING seats. I'm soooo glad we won this year! The fair was decent. Maybe it's because we didn't explore as much as we have before, but I wasn't very impressed this year. I did buy my B-52 model airplane though, Grandpa would have loved it. Met Matt's friend Nate (again, finally lol). Pretty kick ass guy. He crashed on our chair Friday night.

That basically covers this weekend. Went to Babe's in Sanger on the way home like always. Not much else lol. I guess the actual game took a lot out of us.

Matt and I

The view from our seats

Touchdown!!

Adrian Taylor claiming the field as ours!

Yay!

Headed to Texas for OU/TX in less than 7 hours. I'm super duper excited!! Our hotel is 12.1 miles from the fair grounds, 4.2 miles from Market St, and pretty bomb! Have more to post later! Good Night!

New Beginnings

I haven't posted an actual blog in god knows how long. It's been a crazy time. Life has thrown me some curve balls, but I haven't struck out yet which is a good thing.

I applied for graduation from OU today (Wednesday). It's crazy to think that after 18.5 years of school I could actually be done. I haven't decided if I'm going to go to grad school or not, but I know that I am at least taking this coming spring semester off so I can work and take a break from all the papers and such.

Matt and I have moved in together officially. On one hand, it's weird because I'm actually living with someone and making a life with someone. On the other, it's what I've always wanted--to find someone who can put up with all my bullshit and quirks and issues but still love me and want to be with me. We've actually started talking about the future, which in the past made me run, but with Matt it's different. It's not just wishful thinking. It's real and here. I'm still not sure how we got to this point, we've had one of the strangest relationships I've ever seen. Maybe that's why we're good together. We have a 4-legged child named Roxi, she's a 15 month old red-nose, brindle pit bull. She is seriously my child. I look at her and just wonder if I love her so much how I would be if I ever had an actual child. She's spoiled rotten and doesn't know she's a dog. She's a person in her mind. She sleeps in the bed with us, uses a pillow, and crawls under the blanket when she's cold. She even has a place on the couch. She is also our bedtime alarm; if she's not in bed by about 11:30 she gets grumpy and huffy. It's quite adorable.

I think this is long enough for my first new post. More later. Good night!