The past week or so has been pretty fun. I saw "Inception" which was amazing(^4328415), I got a manicure for the first time ever- just for fun. It lasted two whole days... don't think I'll be doing that again for a while. :) I've also deeply sunk into my obsession of two tv shows- Pushing Daises (adorable, much?!) and Criminal Minds. The minds of serial killers just fascinate me, I have no idea why.

Working at The Nanner has been fairly uneventful, and also kind of non-existent lately- boo. I did get some rad silly bands from my friend, Renee. I got a porcupine and a pipe wrench! Teehee.

I'm trying to quit spending nearly as much money as I have been, for two reasons. One- I need a new laptop. Mine is borderline geriatric by now... and Two- I've decided to get a tattoo. My sister is designing it, and I'm really looking forward to it. Maybe not the pain that may be involved, but the fun of having a tattoo. Yay!

Yesterday, Heather called me up and told me a man she works with has a niece or something that is looking into Asbury. She's from New York (the state, not the city), and was down to visit the school. He had asked Heather to come talk to her, and Heather asked me to come with her. We ended up taking her around the school, talking to her mother, telling them how much we love Asbury, and eating dinner with the family! It was a fantastic afternoon... and it made me realize how much I'm going to miss Asbury, and just being a college kid in general.

Life lately has been mostly uneventful. Working at the Nanner has been going well, though I didn't get many hours this week, sad.
One very exciting thing is that Kelsey is back! Yesterday, we all woke up early and drove to Cincinnati to pick her up at the airport. She had spent a couple weeks in Oregon with her family- but we are really happy to have her back!
I think I've decided to get a tattoo. I asked my sister to design it for me- it should be pretty sweet. However, with expenses mounting and school looming a mere month away, I am not sure exactly when I'll get it. Maybe Christmas break, maybe sooner, if I can afford it.
I finished watching through "How I Met Your Mother" and am now working on "Pushing Daisies." It's a super cute show, and inspires me to own a pie shop someday... then I remember what owning a pie shop would really be like - early mornings and probably grumpy customers- and I think... no, thanks.
Still don't know what I'm going to do with my life. I have ten months until graduation, and I just don't know. I keep reminding myself that I don't actually have to plan my whole life just yet... I just need "the next step." But I don't know what that will be either. Huh... stay tuned, I guess. :)

Affirmation

So the past few weeks have been fairly uneventful, mostly full of work (even a couple overnights at "The Nanner"). The lack of sleep had been a bit draining, though. And this week, when I've needed it most, several people have stepped up.

Susan, our GM told me that I was doing an awesome job at work, that I'm quick to pick things up, and that they have their eye on me.
Sam, another manager, told me she used me as an example to new hirees about how if you do well, you'll get more hours.
Jessica randomly gave me a call to say hey and left a really encouraging voicemail.
Friends have called and texted and just generally been the pick-me-up that I've needed.

Yay, friends! And yay, Jesus.

Viva Football!

So what's with the big stink about soccer? I don't think I've ever seen America more united on a subject than their apparent hatred of a single sport. Why soccer?

Is it perhaps because you can't push one easy button and have a dinner ready in three minutes? Or because there are no awesome car chase scenes or cars knocking helicopters out of the sky, Die Hard style? Perhaps it's the lack of apps to buy or flashing, colored lights... Maybe it's just because in this one area, America is not dominant. Or maybe it's like Glen Beck, a conservative talking head, says: “It doesn’t matter how you try to sell it to us. It doesn’t matter how many celebrities you get, it doesn’t matter how many bars open early, it doesn’t matter how many beer commercials they run, we don’t want the World Cup, we don’t like the World Cup, we don’t like soccer, we want nothing to do with it.”

Soccer is not a thrill-a-minute game with non-stop action and slam dunks and huge hulking men clashing helmets. It's a game that shows skill and a lifetime of dedication. I'm an American, and guess what-- I like soccer! (sorry, Beck. I'm not a part of your America) The second half of this blog will detail why I enjoy this sport...

Why I Like Soccer

-I like soccer because of the passion I see. Passion in the players, and in the fans.
-I like the unity brought around-- countries around the world close down stores and schools, and huddle around televisions to watch. Collective moans at a missed shot, cries of outrage at a perceived bad call, the excitement felt by so many... all over the world.
-It's one arena where it doesn't matter how big a country is, or how much money they have-- in the end, the best team wins. (Need I remind you of the USA-Slovenia game? Slovenia has the population roughly the size of Houston, Texas...and still gave the US a run for their money!)
-The commonality you suddenly share with someone when you discover you both are watching the World Cup. Or that you play soccer... and it doesn't matter what language you speak or anything!
-How silly things like vuvuzelas can create a buzz all around the world (teehee- pun completely intended)
-I've played soccer. Okay, I am no pro. But I played for about four years when I was younger, in a youth league. Stuff like that gets under your skin... And can create a love for a sport, especially when you know what it's like to play.


So come on, America. This world is so much bigger than you! Instead of whining about how exciting it isn't or completely trashing something you don't understand, join the rest of the world and learn something new. You might find you enjoy it.



Yeah, it's not all like this-- but things worth having are the things that are worked hard for!

Hot/ Not

So I've seen in many a magazine a column entitled "hot/not" and decided to make one myself based on the events of the past week or so...


HOT
Euchre and Poker with friends
Graduation Open Houses for little sisters
Working out and feeling really good
Ice cream from Ivanhoe's, two weekends in a row!
Lots of delicious food in general
WORLD CUP... and having ESPN for the summer!
Drinking tereré with my roommate Elisa
My roommate Kelsey, in general :)
A really good sermon on Sunday that applied to my life a lot


NOT
Driving four hours in rain so hard I could barely see
Picking up some sort of bug from my sister
Losing horribly at Euchre.

Overall, as you can see, the good has outweighed the bad- hooray! :)

Nothing

Nothing makes me more proud or feel more old than to see my baby sister cross the platform today to graduate from high school.

I have walked five hundred miles

New discovery: Audio Books
I drove 6 hours home the other night, and it felt so short! I usually listen to music and sing along and dance in the car, which is fun... But in listening to an audio book, I was not only driving home but "reading" a book I wanted to get done.

Realization: My sister is going to college.
This realization hit while I was putting some of my dorm room stuff into storage. I remember standing in an unfamiliar dorm room with all this new and unfamiliar stuff that was to become my home and... my things. Things that have stayed with me through four years, and have become more familiar than my parents' house now... And then it hit me that my little sister will be having this same experience soon. Ahh, the powers of a good egg-crate foam(which sparked this realization... and is comfy to sleep on).

Confession: I have never watched Star Wars.
None of them. Okay, maybe five minutes of one. And, to be honest, I'm okay with this. Though I realize this will probably change someday. But the conditions have to be right. That's all I'm saying...