Happy Hump Day!

This past weekend, I ventured to Selmer to see my family and my high school friends. The majority of my friends are still in college/grad school & this just happened to be fall break for everyone, so it was a great reunion. I looooved high school. I had a really, tight-knit group of friends that literally did everything together. It's amazing that four years later we can still get together & pick up exactly where we left off.....

Everytime I leave Selmer after a weekend like I just had, I always end up reminiscing about the good ol' days when I had absolutely nothing to worry about besides some boy I liked or where to go after the football game on friday. Due to my reminiscing, I caught myself looking at some photos from high school and thought I would share....

The Boys - Senior Trip '06

My Cary..Love this kid!

Lindsay - high school best friend :)
Almost the whole crew... gotta love prom pics!

BFFs since age 2 and still going strong....Love Karen!

Hope everyone has a safe & spooky HaLLoWeeN weekend!

Defying Gravity

I love the The Orpheum. There is just something about getting all dressed up and going into this building that gets me all excited. This past Saturday, I third-wheeled it with the parents to see Wicked. Let me start off by saying that I have wanted to see Wicked for like four years now. When I was in NYC my senior year of high school, it was on Broadway at that time and there were billboards EVERYWHERE advertising the show. At the time, I had no idea what it was even about. However, you can bet your bottom dollar that I googled it as soon as I got home (no iPhones to help with a quick google question back then). I was so interested to learn that it was a spin-off of the Wizard of Oz because I have loooveddd the story of ol' Dorothy since I was little... even though the munchkins used to scare the bejesus out of me. Anyways, fast forward to four years later, and I can finally say that I have seen Wicked.

It was everything that I hoped it would be. I have never laughed out loud in a Broadway show as much as I did with this one! AND, I love that I knew most of the songs prior to going... although I'm fairly certain my parents and the people around me certainly wish that I had not. My absolute favorite is Defying Gravity, which is the namesake of this post. I just love the lyrics and the moment when Elphaba and Glinda are singing this together. It is just so powerful, for lack of a better word. My favorite line:

"I'm through accepting limits cause someone says they're so. Some things I cannot change but till I try, I'll never know. Too long I've been afraid of losing love I guess I've lost. Well if that's love, it comes at much too high a cost. I'd sooner buy defying gravity. Kiss me goodbye. I'm defying gravity.And you can't pull me down!

All in all, great night and great show! I highly recommend!

I be up in the gym just working on my fitness... well not really.

I have a problem. My problem is that I am totally, most assuredly, without a doubt unhappy with my weight. There's no denying that I could stand to lose a few pounds... and by a few, I mean like 50 lbs. I have struggled with the lose weight, gain weight fiasco ever since I started college. However, I always blamed the fact that I couldn't hit the gym regularly on the strenuous schedule that I tried to keep up. It is not easy balancing classes like organic chemistry, biochem, and anatomy with 25 hours at work and a sorority that is guaranteed to have at least 4 activities to attend during the week. That was my excuse anyway. But now, here I am, nothing to do except work, and I have created new excuses for myself. Well, I am sick and tired of claiming that I am too sick or too tired to hit the gym. I have a new-found pact with myself that I will at least do something physical every, single day. Whether it be a class at the gym (there's a lot I really want to try like Zumba, kickboxing, core ball, etc), the elliptical, or even just a walk outside, I HAVE to do something.

The biggest struggle I have, though, is with food. I don't mean that I take a bag of Cheetos, a 2 liter, and a box of cookies and gorge out on the couch. I definitely do not do that. My biggest problem is that I eat out entirely too much and that I, well, basically just love food. One of my favorite pastimes is going to a restaurant with friends... without a doubt. AND at this restaurant, I am usually drawn to what is probably the most calorie-packed item on the menu. Extra cheese? Don't mind if I do! Or....... Chocolate molten cake? Well the meal wouldn't be complete without it! Yea, you get my drift..... I recognize that I need to make a change. I need to learn to rewire my brain to think that grilled chicken breast with a side of broccoli is what I really want. (HA! yea right). Regardless, though, I have in my mind now that I need to make these adjustments in my everyday life, and when I have a goal in mind that I really want to accomplish, I am usually pretty driven to complete it. That's the plan at least.... I am so tired of comparing myself to other people and hating how I look in every picture that I take. I am starting a new challenging phase in my life next year, and I want to start it by being the healthiest version of myself that I can be. Therefore, by the time I start school next year, wherever that may be, I want to be at my goal weight. AND I am starting today!!

Dr. Cone

Nice ring to it? Hope so... BECAUSE I GOT INTO OPTOMETRY SCHOOL and that is what I will be known as in 4 1/2 years (that is to say that I don't flunk out or something tragic doesn't happen but I'm thinking positive! Just in case, I just knocked on wood). I'm on cloud nine to say the least. This is the only goal that I have ever had for myself besides marraige and children and who would have thought that the latter would be the harder one? haha. I traveled down to Ft. Lauderdale on Tuesday of this week, had my interview on Wednesday, and was accepted on Thursday. It was such a quick process, but it was sooo exciting! It is such a relief to know that this is actually happening. I DID NOT want to sit out another year twiddling my thumbs waiting for this to happen so it is such a blessing that I am now officially on my way to a career. I finally feel like I am not a worthless blob with no school or activities to attend to. Well, I take that back... currently, I am still a worthless blob... BUT, a worthless blob who is headed to optometry school next year!! I applied to other schools in addition to the one in Florida. Therefore, I definitely don't want to turn my back on any other opportunities just yet. I want to be confident in wherever I go to school because, after all, I will be there for the next 4 years of my life. Regardless, I will be somewhere! So, YAYYYY!

Mr. Right

This past Wednesday night, one of my good friends Megan & I started a class together through Highpoint church. The class is for single women, and it's basically all about dating and relationships. I like to think of it as Hitch for the church going people. Supposedly, it's going to be about what qualities to look for in a guy, as well as what qualities we should build up in ourselves in order to have a lasting relationship. There is no denying that I need some guidance in this field because, let's face it, I haven't done just a fantastic job with my relationships in the past, obviously, or I would still be in them.....

Nevertheless, I was a wee bit apprehensive about what to expect from this class. It sounded like a support group to me, which I am most assuredly not into. However, now that I have been, I am so glad to be doing this. I loooove the girl who leads the study, Emily, after just meeting her once. She has such a great personality, and I really found myself hanging on to every word that she said.

The first thing that she had us do was to write down five traits that we want in a potential mate, as well as five things that we absolutely do not want. Believe me when I say that I do not have a problem doing this exercise. I think everyone and their mom has had to do this for something at some point. Usually, I stick with the same ol, same ol. You know what I mean.... funny, cute, sweet, blah, blah, blah. This time, though, I really took the time to ask myself what i truly want and not what I think I should want. Here is the list that I came up with:

The Come-Hither's:

1. Intelligent/Educated (self-explanatory.... no one wants an idiot)

2. sarcastic (notice I did not say funny. I don't need a joke teller. I know this is a weird quality to want in someone, but I honestly can't live without it. I'm a very sarcastic individual and I really like dry humor. If you have quick wit, I'm your lady)

3. Loves God (I don't want the perfect Bible-beating Christian, and I am certainly not saying that. I just want someone who believes in God and spends time in prayer. Too often in the past, my relationships have inhibited my relationship with God instead of strengthening it and obviously this is not good.)

4. Respectful & Thoughtful (Even though I am not your typical romantic girly girl, I still like to be reminded that you care even the slightest every now and then.)

5. Outgoing/Social (I don't want to take a guy out, and he cower behind me. I want someone with a big, contagious personality who can find some way to make anything fun...even grocery shopping)

The No Thank-You's:

1. Not driven/not ambitious (I don't care if your dream is to clean toilets. Just aspire to be the best dang toilet scrubber you can be and work towards that!)

2. Lazy (Ok, I know I have no room to talk sometimes... Everyone has their lazy days, and they are amazing, but if your lazy "day" is actual lazy week or lazy month, then I don't really have compassion for you.)

3. Unclean/Slob (Proper hygiene as well as taking a clorox wipe to the counter every now and then won't kill you)

4. Trustworthy & Honest (again... self-explanatory)

5. Smoking (The fact that I want my lover to live as long as possible aside, cig smoke bothers my contacts. AND I can't be all lovey dovey when my eyes feel like acid has been poured into them)

There you have it... my perfect man. Too often, I find myself settling or making excuses for why there is one quality that I really want that someone doesn't have. BUT I am done, finito, throwing in the towel... you get the point. I'm crossing my fingers that there is a smart, sarcastic, godly, thoughtful, ambitious, non-smoking man out there... and I WILL find him... just not as creepily as that sounded :)

Don't sweat the small stuff.

Oh, work stories. Everyone has them. Anyone that works with the public is always going to have some crazy stories to tell. I, myself, have had plenty of encounters at work where I am left wondering, did that really happen? I say this to tell you that I definitely had one of these "encounters" today. Here's a little replay of how this particular conversation went:

(telephone rings... I answer with the appropriate greeting....)

Man: "Ummm yes. This is ______. My daughter purchased glasses there a couple of months ago, and her nose piece has fallen off. Where do YOU get off selling such an expensive pair of glasses that can just fall apart so easily?"

Me: "Well, sir, that is a fairly common occurrence with any pair of glasses, no matter the price. It is something that can easily be fixed in store. In fact, if you would like to bring those in today, we can have them ready for you in just like five minutes time."

Man: "I live all the way in gosh darn Mississippi. There is absolutely no way that I am driving all the way there for this!"

Me: "Ok, well I can understand that. If you want to take them to an optical place near your house, you are more than welcome to. Any place that sells glasses should do this adjustment for you at no cost."

Man: "I'm not doing that either! This is your responsibility!"

Me: "Ok, well my hands are kind of tied with this matter, Sir. If you won't bring them here or take them anywhere else, what do you want me to do?"

Man: "I want you to mail me the parts to fix it."

Me: "Ok.... I can try to do that for you. But, are you familiar with performing adjustments on glasses?"

Man: "I'm an aircraft engineer...."

Me: "Ok...... So you do think you will be able to handle it? It can be kind of tricky....."

Man: "How dare you insult my intelligence!!! I will definitely be taking my business elsewhere from now on if I have someone like you disrespecting me!!!!"

(Sound of phone slamming down.)

After I got over the shock of what had just happened, I couldn't help but to start laughing. I honestly feel bad for those people who walk around so angry all the time.... I'm sorry sir but if the worst thing that has ever happened to you all your life or even today for that matter is that your daughter lost a nosepiece, then consider yourself pretty dadgum lucky! Ok, there was my venting session for the day. Now, I'm done. On a more positive note, I got another interview with a different school in Philadelphia! YEAAA. I'm a traveling machine this month!! More info to come in a later post.....

Beach, Beach, Beach!!!

Ok, so I have some news. I'm trying really hard not to get overly excited and start daydreaming about various scenarios like I always do.... butttttttt... I got an optometry school interview!! WHOOO HOOOO!!! Ok, that was me being excited, which I just said I was not going to do... but I can't help it. It is at a school in Florida between Miami & Ft. Lauderdale. Here's the story:

So, I'm at work checking my mail when I get an email with the subject line: NSU Interview Invite. As soon as I saw it, my heart immediately started beating so hard, I thought it was going to literally explode. When I get excited or nervous or scared or basically any adrenaline-type emotion, I start shaking... hardcore. So, here I was trying to control my hand long enough to click on the email.... and then there it was.... my first school interview invite. I'm fairly certain I hugged everyone within a 2 mile radius. Ok, so I know that this seems stupid to be so excited about... I mean I'm not even in yet. BUT, you have to know how little I expected this to happen so soon. I mean my application is nothing to write home about... average grades, average OAT score, average everything. I'm just your run-of-the-mill average person. Therefore, I did not expect to be bomboarded with "we want you!" emails. Nevertheless, here it was....

When I finally got ahold of myself long enough to actually read the email, I found out that I had to go within the next three weeks. HOLY CRAP! My mind immediately started reeling with how I was going to find a cheap flight, hotel, transportation, etc. By the grace of God, within two days, I had found a "cheap" flight out of Memphis and a hotel right next to the school that even had shuttle service to and from the university! Therefore, on October 12th, I will be leaving Memphis and heading down to the Sunshine State for a couple of days. I'm waiting for the nerves to hit because I'm sure they will.... probably right about as I'm having "breakfast with the dean" which is first on the schedule.... Here's a little photo of where I'm heading... Oh, palm trees on campus... bliss.