Ode To My Cowboy Boots

Oh, dear cowboy boots
How I love you so.
I fought it for a sweet forever,
but it's time I let you know.
Wearing you denies my own fashion instincts,
yet you've become my most comfortable shoe,
It's like you're hugging my feet.
I'm ashamed to say that it's so,
I shall never let you go.
Oh, dear cowboy boots,
How I love you so.


(These aren't my boots, but they sure are cute.)

Turning Indicator

Dear fellow drivers,

I have for you today, a word of the day. See below.

Turning indicator - Also called: blinker -- a device for indicating that a motor vehicle is about to turn left or right.

I hope this clears things up.

If not, I'll be happy to give lessons. For free.

Thanks,

Katie

When Will We Ever Learn?

My heart is heavy today and has been for the past couple of days as I see the devastation that is blanketing the Southern states.

People are losing lives and livelihood all over Tennessee and Mississippi because of natural disaster and nature is being destroyed while business owners on the Gulf Coast are scrambling to figure out how they are going to keep their heads above water (no pun intended) because of a man-made disaster.

I have just one question.

Why does it take two seconds when a natural disaster (i.e. flood, hurricane, tornado, earthquake) hits for neighbors and friends to help each other out but it takes sweet forever for the government to step in a take action on a man-made disaster than could have been prevented?

My heart goes out to the people of Nashville, even more the whole state of Tennessee, right now because of what they are having to deal with. Nineteen people in Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky were killed because of the storms that hit the South this weekend. People all over Nashville are doing whatever they can to ease the destruction that is being caused by the flooding river there.

Glory be to God for those people willing to help a situation that could not have been prevented and that we, as a human race, could not control.

My heart also goes out to the people on the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Fishermen and business owners are seeing their livelihood flushed down the toilet in front of their eyes and the whole world is watching God's creation be destroyed because our government is dragging ass (excuse my choice of words) in efforts to get this mess cleaned up.

There is a difference between these two situations. One was completely out of the realm of our control. The other was completely preventable.

Also we as civilians are able to extend a hand to those affected by the floods. We can't do that with oil spill situation. That is a circumstance in which the government has to step in and do whatever they are supposed to do best, when we can't.

The oil that is flood in the Gulf of Mexico right now isn't just something that can be wiped of with a towel. This is crude oil. It soaks into your skin and makes you very sick. It eats away at the materials that boats are made of. It KILLS plants and animals in the water and ultimately kills the ocean's ecosystems.

Now, I'm pretty dumb when it comes to government and economy and all of that stuff. But I do know that people's lives are more important than red tape and money.

This event happened two weeks ago and it's getting worse by the hour. When will our government learn that if it continues to neglect its people, they will have many more issues to deal with than just how much something will cost. And if you don't invest in the lives of the people who actually make your country what it is, then you aren't investing in that country that you are running. You are killing it. Two hours on the ground just to show that you've seen that damage doesn't mean squat if you aren't taking action to do something about it.

I could go to Nashville today and watch other people scoop buckets full of water out of their basements and cut down trees, but if I'm not helping, what's the point in my being there.

So, goverment, take a lesson from your people. Stop talking about what you are going to do and just DO SOMETHING!

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Check out the video below of the floods in Nashville. Word on Twitter is that people have come out in droves to help in the clean-up process. If you are in the area and want to help or even if you aren't and what to send a donation, contact the Red Cross. Also, if you are in the area and want to help, head over to the Crosspoint Church-Bellevue campus. They are sending out teams.

Blog-Linkity Goodness 11.4.09 and Random Dozen

Here are a few things I came across yesterday and today and I wanted to share the love. Also, as an added bonus, Lid's Random Dozen. As if you, didn't already know enough about me.

1. This video completely made my morning. My day was top-notch after viewing this. 252 yards of maroon and white goodness.



2. Boomama's post yesterday was one of my most favorite in a while. And she "wasn't even planning to write this post". Go read it now. It mentions Steven Curtis Chapman, if that helps at all.

3. Jon Acuff's post yesterday on Stuff Christians Like was all about "rooting for Tim Tebow". And if you know me, this is a cause I can get behind. Quarterback keep. Hut one. Hut two.

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1. It's early morning, about 2:00AM, and you're driving home. You come to a red light and sit there. There is no one in sight for miles around. Do you wait it out or run the light?
I used to do this all the time in Starkville. Well, not all the time. There was this one light though, between fraternity row and Bost Extension that never, EVER turned green late at night. Even when no one was coming the other way. I literally waited one night for 10 minutes for it to change in it never did, so I went. Sue me.

2. If you had the chance to re-do the last 24 hours, would you change anything?
I would have gotten more work done yesterday.

3. When you reply to someone's comment on your blog, do you reply in your comments or go to her blog and comment? (Or email her)
I usually go to the other person's blog to comment.

4. Your favorite Disney movie is:
Toss-up. Mary Poppins, The Lion King or The Santa Clause movies.

5. Do you recycle?
I used to at the place I lived at before I moved but they don't come and pick up recycling where I live now. However, I will recycle if there is a receptical nearby.

6. Games of strategy or games of chance?
Totally strategy. More opportunities to win. You can control stategy. You can't control chance. That's why I don't gamble. Plus I like to figure things out. I'm a puzzle nerd.

7. Do you have any recurring dreams?
I used to have a lot of them when I was little. There is one, though, now that tends to come back often. I'm at a water park. That's about all I can recall.

8. What did you learn from your first real job?
I learned how to make a mean sno-cone.

9. Do you buy or borrow most books?
I like to buy because I like to write in my books.

10. What fashion trend of the past did you say you'd never wear again but did?

I don't think I've wore anything again that I have before. I will never where sturrip pants again, though. Or roll my jeans. I did cave on the leggings thing though.

11. When do you start Christmas shopping?
I pretty much Christmas shop all year round. If I see something that I know someone would like, I'll get it then. If I have the money. But usually I'm buying presents like two weeks before.

12. Have you ever been so happy that you literally jumped up and down for a few seconds? If so, what was the occasion?
Yes. Most of them have had to do with the Mississippi State Bulldogs winning. You know, it's a big deal when we win these days in football. I do have to say that the most crazy I've ever gone after winning a game was after we beat Alabama at their place in 2004 to win the SEC outright.

D'Ya Miss Me?

Well, hello there blog! It's officially been six days since I've updated. I know you feel neglected. I'm sorry. Work, laziness, exhaustion and DVR have been kicking my butt lately. You know that DVR. He's a real workhorse.

Anyhoo. I really have nothing to say at this point of the day because well volleyball and cross country advances as well as SAAC (Student Athlete-Advisory Committee) meetings have completely sucked the words right out of my head. Not to mention that concentration has completely run away from me and I can't for the life of me seem to get the little booger to come back. It's a tough world without concentration, folks.

So, as I usually do when I have nothing else to write about, I'm just going to post one of those blog listy-survey type things.

Enjoy reading about things that you probably would otherwise not care about. And feel free to walk away from the computer at anytime due to the feeling of utter boredom that might overcome you. It's symbolic really.

1. Tell something about your favorite teacher.
I've had a few favorite teachers in my life. A lot in high school and just a few in college (props to Karyn Brown). However there are two from high school that will always hold a special place in my heart -- Coach Rob(inson) and Mr. Avalon.

Coach Rob taught me 10th grade World History. This guy made me love history, and that's a feat in itself. His style of teaching was unlike any other style I've ever known and his love for Christ exuded every day. In a public school system, where prayer was not aloud, he was bold enough to give us a bible verse to memorize as a bonus question for each test. His enthusiam about teaching made me enthusiastic about learning and he genuinely cared about each one of his students.

Mr. Avalon taught me AP English but I was privileged enough to spend two full years with him in journalism. This guy sparked my love for writing and creativity in a way that I cannot explain and he singled-handedly made me the most sarcastic and boldest person that I've ever been. He taught me how to write 10-12 page paper with exstravegant wordy language in one class and then taught me how to be creative and interesting through clear and concise writing in another. He is the reason that I'm doing what I am doing right now -- writing. And he always started every one of his senior English classes (the first class of every year) telling his students that they had one get out of jail free card to use on him and that was it. And he meant it. I still haven't had to use mine. Yet.

2. Tell about one pivotal moment in your life.
Yikes. I feel like I've had several pivotal moments in my life. Of course, I could always play the God card and say that the day that I was saved was the extreme pivotal moment in my life and that would be exactly right. I could also talk about that one morning that I just woke up and realized that I didn't need a certain friend in my life anymore. But I will say that getting "the call" from my sister one day saying that I needed to come home because my dad was in the hospital had to have been one of the most pivotal moments in my life. That day, that weekend, I learned to lean not on my own understanding for what seemed like the first time in my life. The weird mix of peace and confusion that I had was surreal but at the end of the day, I knew that my God reigned and that this was just another battle that he had conquered on His own.

3. About favorite colors -- a lot of people will ask you what it is, but why. What feeling or memory does it evoke.
This may come as no surprise for most people that read this blog. And it's completely and genuinely true. Maroon is my favorite color. It evokes feelings of pride and excitement in me that really not a lot of things can. It recalls memories of great wins and awful losses, sitting through scortching temperatures and frigid ones, rain and tornadoes until the last second has run off the clock. It causes my heart and soul to swell up with pride that I had fallen in line of a great family legacy and become a MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOG!

4. What is a sure sign that you are getting older?
Lately, I would say forgetfulness because y'all, that has become my demon recently. But I would have to say worry. I'm not the worrying kind but I feel like I worry more now than I did when I was little. I know it's because I know more now than I did then.

5. Halloween -- it is a yes or a no for you (don't sermonize)?
Give or take with me. It's no Thanksgiving or Christmas or Easter or 4th of July (all coincide with athletic events or some kind of fancy parade), but it has its moments. To me, I'm not a big dress up and go party person (sometimes I am) but I L-O-V-E carving pumpkins. It's the creativity bug. And don't forget the candy.

6. What is your favorite musical?
Hands down, Wicked. I have no words to explain. I get misty-eyed just thinking about "Defying Gravity". And now I'm going to have to go lock myself in my car and sing it at the top of my lungs.

7. Are you more of city mouse or a country mouse?
I would love to say I'm a little of both but my trip to NYC this summer proved that I'm more city than I am country. Given the boldness to live in a place like the Big Apple for a while, I think I'd do just fine.

8. Did you know that it is possible, for a small fee, to name a real star after someone? (It's true! Google it!) If someone were to name a star foryou, would you appreciate it for its whimsy and romance, or would you say, "Are you kidding me? For $19.95, we could have gone to the movie and actually bought popcorn."
We first of all, I'd never actually say something like that to someone. I'd think it. But I wouldn't say it. After all, I am a Southern girl. Anyway, my best friend in high school had a guy do this for her and although I acted like it was sweet at the time, I thought it was kind of weird-o. However, I can appreciate the act and the thought that go into it. But I'm more of a tangible girl, stuff you can touch. Like food. Now there's a good gift.

9. What is the craziest thing you've ever been doing and texted during it?
I've texted while on the elliptical before. That's a crazy as it gets for me, folks.

10. It's not a party unless ____________________."
It's not a party unless you have Lisa Hart there playing Mad Gab. That's when things get rowdy, people.

11. When you are stuck in traffic or a waiting room, what do you do to pass the time? (P.S. There are no magazines available.)
True story from the three-hour roadside wait: I pull out my iTouch and start playing games or a pull out the camera and document the occassion, thinking this will make such a great blog post later.

12. If you weren't yourself, would you be friends with you?
Seriously? Why wouldn't I want to be friends with me. I'm my own friend now.

Football Observations

- The Samford press box isn't big enough to have 40 Auburn fans in it watching their team lose. I really want to yell, give up and go away. I mean I know my team lost but at least we made it somewhat of a game.

- The Samford band plays a song that I can only recall as "Jesus Is Still Alright WIth Me" by DC Talk. I know the Doobie Brothers sang the original but I still only hear Toby Mac..."Toby Mac, and the Mac is back, no slack. On a DC track that jacked..." Oh boy. I should stop now.


- I just don't think being the only guy on the cheerleader squad is worth it. There's got to at least be two. You know, the buddy system. Otherwise, you're just "that guy" that is on the all-girl cheerleading squad.



- There's always that one old guy who will shake is boo-tay for a free...well anything.



- Along with cheering, whistling marching band tunes, should be prohibited from the press box.



- Rain always makes things more fun.


- And it's always a good day when Ole Miss loses.

Random Dozen

1. Please share one middle school memory. It can be good, bad, ugly, funny. Pictures or words, I don't care, just share.
Two come straight to mind. 1) There was a fight one day in seventh grade and a girl got her face bashed into the floor and her hair pulled out. Don't ask me why that is stuck in my head besides the fact that I managed to stay clear of the of the girl who beat her up for the next year and a half. 2) My friends and I rolled our eighth grade English teacher's car after Mississippi State won the Egg Bowl that year. She was an Ole Miss fan. She also happened to be our best friend's mom. We talked our art teacher into letting us out of third period to do it. Fake suspension papers were drawn up. Good times.

2. What's your favorite Beatles song?
Wow. Seriously. This is so hard. I'm going to go with "Hey Jude" right now.

3. If I asked you to describe your most comfortable outfit, what would it be?
Most definitely, t-shirt and capri sweatpants.

4. Would you rather host a party or be a guest?
Guest. The host has way too much to think about it. As a guest, you just show up.

5. Do you think we will move completely from traditional books to digital ones, and if we do, are you OK with that?
I don't think so. There are way too many people in this world that love to mark all over books just like me.

6. Do you learn best by reading, listening or experiencing?
Definitely, experiencing. I'm a hands-on, see-it-to-believe-it, watch-and-learn kind of girl.

7. If you are (or when you were) single, what is the kiss of death for you concerning the opposite sex? (That is, what is one trait or behavior or habit or anything at all that immediately turns you off from considering that person a potential match for you?)
Smoking cigarettes and dipping are definite deal-breakers for me.

8. Snacks. Salty or sweet?
I like a mix of both but I guess I'll say salty.

9. Look around you in a four foot radius. What object is around you that you didn't realize was there or forgot was there? How long has it been there?
My "FAITH" photograph art piece. I forgot to get Dad to hang it when he was here and just haven't thought about it since.

10. What is your favorite Tom Cruise movie?
A Few Good Men. No question.

11. You buy a bottle of shampoo and discover that you don't like what it does to your hair at all. What do you do with that full bottle?
Save it for a rainy day. Or a day I run out of the kind that actually like.

12. Your favorite Fall comfort food? (Last week it was beverage.)

Candy corn.

Things That Have Made Me Happy Today

1. This little bit of goodness from Ree at Pionneer Woman. Just look at that picture. Pinapple wrapped in bacon?!?! Is this what they will serve in heaven along with Krispy Kremes and cookie cake?

2. My sister sent this to me today and I immediately want to pick up and move to NYC only for the reason to go work at FAO Schwartz. And well, the afore-mentioned obsession too.

3. Shanna is a friend I acquired through other friends that I grew up with. (And she also happens to be married to a guy I went to high school with.) She went to school with my church friends and one thing my church friends were good at were intermingling friend groups. Anyway, it makes me giddy inside to see people use their unbelieveable talents to glorify the Father, and that what Shanna does along with Blake (who just happens to the husband of another one of those friends, Sarah.). The duo started back at MSU at the Wesley Foundation and have been leading worship since. They are simply called, "Blake and Shanna". Based in Nashville. And they are good. The proof is in the video. I've been watching/listening to these all day long.

A Meme Is A Terrible Thing To Waste

Heard about this from Melanie at This Ain't New York. Got it here from The Lid. Looked like fun.

1. When you go to Wowmart, what one thing do you get every single time, besides a funky-wheeled squeaking cart full of frustration?

Usually a DVD from the $5 bin. I'm going to have to find a new constant. The bin is running low of quality material.

2. What is something that people are currently "into" that you just don't get or appreciate?
The Twilight books. At first I thought is was weird, but I've started to warm up to it. I just don't have the time to read right now.

3. What is something that really hoists your sail that other people might feel "ho-hum" about?

Hmm. This is hard because I don't get really excited about a lot of stuff. I do get a little giddy when cookie cake is involved, but I know other people who do the same thing.

4. Favorite song to sing in the shower or car?
Sadly, I don't really sing in the shower these days. But my favorite song to sing my car, with the volume on say 100, is "Unto The Lamb" by Christ For The Nations Music or "In Christ Alone/Solid Rock" the Brook Hills version. You might catch me raising my hand if I'm really into it. And if I'm at a stop light, you can bet that both hands are probably raised.

5. A really great salad must have this ingredient:
Black olives. Period.

6. Advice in a nutshell to new bloggers (one or two sentences):
Know that you know that you know you really want to say that.

7. What was the alternate name that your parents almost named you? Do you wish they had chosen it instead of the one they gave you?
Virginia. And they were going to call me Ginny. And no. I love having the name Katie. It totally fits me better than Ginny.

8. What in your life are you waiting for?
The One.

9. You get a package in the mail. What is it, and who is it from?
Well today, I got a random picture of Jason Varitek from Kumar. But usually is a book or a CD. Or a random funny card from Bethany.

10. Today--what song represents you?
Workin' For The Weekend

11. What is one thing that blogging has taught you about yourself?
I'm better at writing than I really think. And apparently, I can be funny sometimes.

12. How are you going to (or how did you) choose the clothes you're wearing today? What do they say about you in general or specifically how you're feeling today?

I just randomly chose what I wore today but they definitely said that Katie is a hot little number today. Too bad it was wasted on the people I work with.

Answer the questions in the comments or on your blog and let me know if you do. I wanna know!

I Press On Toward The Prize

I never win anything.

NEVER!

(Except for that one time I won that contest in third grade for composing my own piano piece, but I'm convinced that I was the only entrant so the above statement still rings true.)

You know those contests and giveaways that give you more than one chance to win a prize. Like you can enter a bazillion times to increase you chances of winning. Yeah, I could be the ONLY person to enter a bazillion times and I still would never win.

I would lose.

L-O-S-E. Lose.

Losing is no fun at all.

I'm convinced that God thinks that I have all I need right now and that I don't need that glow-in-the-dark shark pen that that lady is giving away on her blog nor do I need the 7.2 million dollars from the Florida lottery.

(However, I'm pretty sure the lottery is like gambling and I'm pretty sure Jesus was against gambling, so maybe God has a good point there. But I promise I'll give a portion of my winning to the down-trodden. Deal? Huh? Bueller?)

Anyhoo.

So I've set out to change my fate.

I'm going to enter every single legitimate contest/giveaway/sweepstakes I come across however many times I'm allowed, to prove to myself and all the world that I am, in fact, not a big ol' loser. No siree.

Let the games begin...

More Random Musings

Why is it that I'm so surprised to see people I knew why back when "lovin' the Lord with all their heart" these days? I mean, it's obviously not who they were way back when, but why does it surprise me? I'm not who I was way back when. And praise the Lord, a change has a-come.

Lord, rid me of my soapbox.

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My OCD has official gone up about 20 levels, according to the outer-body experience I had last night.

See, I do things a little differently, which makes people think I'm a smidge obsessive-compulsive.

Things must go back where you found them. The rule applies to everyone, except for me on occassion. But I try to lead by example.

The kitchen must be semi-clean before I can sleep soundly.

I eat skittles by the color. The color groups have to be even numbers. I separate the odds out into a separate pile and begin eating those two-by-two (symmetry is crucial to the consumption of Skittles). (What happens when you have an odd number of odds, you ask? Why, I halv-sies the last one, of course.) Then I start with either my least favorite color or the group with the least Skittles (depending on my mood) and make my way through the groups, two-by-two mind you, until all Skittles have been consumed.

Same goes for M&Ms.

I eat Peeps by body part.

I have to have no unread emails or items in Google Reader before I can leave my desk. And furthermore, I have to have no unread emails period when I'm at my desk. Otherwise, the little Miscrosoft Outlook envelope at the bottom of the screen taunts me.

But last night, I realized that I've hit a new low.

For 20 minutes straight, I hovered over my body watching myself sit in the bathroom floor, lint brush in hand, de-linting the rug. Although, the rug is my roommate's and she decided to wash it, I always take it upon myself to conquer the de-linting process. The roommate? She cares not.

I've done this three or four times before but I've never actually realized how ridiculous this actually was. I would roll the lint brush over the rug and then pick at each square until I was satisfied with the lint-to-rug square ratio.

In case you are still confused as to what the problem is, let me clarify:

THIS! IS! BANANAS!

(Apparently, I've watched too much Rachel Zoe Project.)

Don't be surprised when my next post is about how the new psychiatrist I'm seeing says that there's a connection between my lint obsession and the reason I collected wallpaper samples on our Sunday afternoon trips to Sears when I was little.

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My friend Kumar just texted me and said he just met and shook hands with Julia Stiles on the streets of NYC while he was leading a group to their mission. Forgive me, Lord, for jealous abounds in my heart.

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And this one is serious. I've talked about this before but it's become apparent to me in the last few weeks that I can't just kick it around like a soccer ball, playing with the idea of it. I've got to actually take some steps toward this goal if I want to actually do it.

I think I've reached the point that God's is now yelling at me that this is what I need to do and I don't so much like the "yell-y God voice." I like the nicer one better.

I need you guys to pray with me about my deep desire to do something bigger with my life. I talked last night with a friend who is going through the same thing, and we both agreed that we are at the crossroads where we know what we want to do but we don't exactly know how to get there. I'm in a little bit of a better spot than he is because I actually have a steady income and he doesn't but we both feel like our calling is bigger than what we are doing right now, but we aren't sure what steps we are supposed to take.

I was asked today if I could do anything in the world and get paid the same as I am getting paid now, what would it be? And my instant answer was to be working for, or ultimately running my own charity/ministry. I would also love to just be able to write for a small newspaper or magazine - personal interest stories or whatever. But I'm not sure where or how to start either of those.

So, I need you all to pray with me about the opportunities that God has out there for me. Pray with me that I will be sensative to those opportunities and not just push them off to the side when they come to me.

I struggle with the idea of not giving my all to something I'm committed to. I struggle with the fact that something may come up in the height of my job that I have now that may distract me from doing my best. And I struggle with knowing whether that is God's will or temptation trying to get the best of me.

Pray that I will trust God wholeheartedly to lead me in His way and to discern for me what is true and what is right.

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And lastly, to end on a much lighter note, I'm taking this from Bryan Allain and I want YOU to answer a few questions. Given that I know about eight people read this blog, half of them being my family, I want to know a little more about you. Feel free to be honest, funny and clever. So, without further ado...

1. If I could do anything else for a living and make the $$ I make now I would be __________.
2. If I could remove one tv channel from existence it would be ________.
3. If I had to move more than 500 miles away, I’d move to _________ because _________.
4. When I think of Wal-Mart I think of ___________.
5. The one place on earth I’d like to visit before I die is __________.

Like Bryan did, I'll go first in the comments.

Thinking About Leaving Work Because THIS Is What I'm Doing

My Life According To Dave Matthews

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to 12 (or a million) people you like. Do not repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Repost as "My Life According to (BAND NAME)"

1. Are you a male or female? “Rapunzel”

2. How do you feel? “Crush”

3. Describe where you currently live? “One Sweet World”

4. If you could go anywhere, where would you go? “Grey Street”

5. Your favorite form of transportation? “Smooth Rider”

6. Your best friend? “Too Much”7. What's the weather like? “Don’t Drink The Water”

8. Favorite time of day? “Seven”

9. If your life was a TV show, what would it be called? “The Best Of What’s Around”

10. What is life to you? “The Dreaming Tree”

11. Your fear? “You Might Die Trying”

12. What is the best advice you have to give? “Break Free” and “Dive In”

13. Thought for the day: “Shake Me Like A Monkey”

14. How I would like to die: “Lying In The Hands Of God”

15. My soul's present condition: “Hunger For The Great Light”

16. My motto: “Two Step”

The Ology Post

...because everyone else is doing it. Blasted peer pressure.

FOOD-OLOGY

What is your salad dressing of choice? Ranch. The most fattening. Of course. I also like a good vinegarette, though.

What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? Tough question. I love some Cheesecake Factory. But P.F. Chang's is oh, so good. But my heart always belongs to O'Charleys. Those rolls are like crack.

What food could you eat for two weeks straight and not get sick of it? Shrimp. No question.

What are you pizza toppings of choice? Black olives and mushrooms. No meat.

What do you like to put on your toast? Peach jelly

TECHNOLOGY

How many televisions are in your house? Four. Three work.

What color cell phone do you have? Black

What does the first text message in your inbox say and who sent it? Please pray. Tonight I meet a prospective adoptive family. From a sweet and special friend.

Who was the last person to call you? Ann Weisman to ask me to babysit next Friday.

BIOLOGY

Are you right-handed or left-handed? Lefty.

Have you ever had anything removed from your body? I think only wisdom teeth.

What is the last heavy item you lifted? Probably my nephew. Kid is a chunk.

CRAP-OLOGY

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? No way.

If you could change your name, what would you change it to? I really wouldn't change my name. I have a good name.

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? Seriously?!?! No. But I know a few guys who probably would.

DUMB-OLOGY

How many pairs of flip-flops do you own? Maybe 7?

Last time you had a run-in with the cops? Probably two years ago. The last time I got a ticket.

Last person you talked to in person? Hollie, of course.

Favorite Month? July

CURRENT-OLOGY

Missing someone? Yes, all of my family.

Mood? Is there such a thing as longing for a pool?

What are you listening to? What I Like About You on ABC Family

Worrying about? Nothing.

RANDOM-OLOGY

What's the last movie you watched? Inside Man, last night at movie night

Do you smile often? More often than not.

Do you always answer your phone? Not always. I don't answer when I'm not around it or when I don't hear it or when I don't know the number.

It's four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it? Three years ago, I would've said Jason. Now? There aren't many people who would text me at 4 a.m. Maybe Casey or Bethany or Hollie in an emergency.

If you could change you eye color what would it be? More blue.

What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic? Cherry. Always cherry.

Do you own a digital camera? I own two.

Have you ever had a pet fish? Not really. My mom did. Some of her students gave her one of those Beta fish thingies.

Favorite Christmas song? Three way tie: O Holy Night!, Up On The Housetop, and Children Go Where I Send Thee

What's on your wish list for your birthday? This requires a whole post. Stay tuned.

Can you do push-ups? Push-ups. Meaning more than one. Yes. I can do two.

Can you do a chin up? Maybe.

Does the future make you more nervous or excited? Considering that God is in control of my future...excited

Do you have any saved texts? My phone saves my texts until I choose to delete them.

Even been in a car wreck? Five, I think.

Do you have an accent? A Southern one, I suppose.

What is the last song to make you cry? God Of This City. See below post.

Plans tonight? Take KFC to Highland Manor and hang out with Randall and Kisha and the small group folks.

Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? Definitely, earlier this year. God brought me out though.

Name two things you bought yesterday? Gas and...that's all I bought yesterday.

You ever been given roses? Yes.

Current hate right now? This article about Adam Lambert. I guess it's more of a disgust than a hatred.

Met someone who changed your life? Definitely.

What song represents you? Right now, I'd say Coldplay's "Fix You"

What were you doing at 12 a.m. last night? Slipping into a sweet slumber where I dreamed that Hollie and I robbed a bank, then I ran out of makeup and then our oven got an upgrade, "You know, like the computer gets an upgrade? That's what they did to our oven!", said the roommate.

What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? I loved the fellowship last night but I wish they would've left earlier.

Blog-Linkity Goodness 4.22.09

Internet friends,

There's been way too much interweb-y goodness out in cyberspace today that I couldn't help but sharing with you people. So is tender and some is just funny but it's all good. Range Rover all wood.

Anyway, I'll cut the fat and get to the good stuff. Here goes...

1. You have to read this post by MckMama. The woman is a rock. And you know why? Because she's a true believer in the Most High God. In this post, she talks about the purpose of prayer. And why we pray if God never changes his mind. Prayer is not for God, although he loves when we come to him on other people's behalf and plead with him in our most desperate of times. Prayer is not just us going to God with a laundry list of prayer requests asking him to make them all better. Prayer is a building and maintaining a relationship with the One who made us.

Read it. It will do your heart good.

2. This guy at Stuff Christians Like is awesome. He put the Truth in words that are so funny but yet drive deep to the heart of what we deal with every day. Today's post really spoke to my heart. God doesn't NEED me at all. He loves me and I am so amazed to know that he just WANTS to use me for His glory so that I can see His glory. Amazing.

3. Rick Cleveland puts his two cents in about all the happenings this week in Mississippi Sports. And I have to say, I agree with it all.

4. And I've saved the best for last. Dave Barnes and Mocha Club. Two of my favorite things. This is awesome.

Waddaya Know?

So it seems that people actually read this thing. My sister asked me the other day why I haven't been posting a lot lately.

To be honest, there's been a lack of two things: a) time and b) material.

Work is beating me up right now and new friendships have caused the blog to be put on the back-burner because those two things have seriously taken up all of my time. Not to mention, the absence of a computer at home doesn't allow for much blogging in the off hours.

I hope to blog a bit this week because there have been things on my mind -- deep thoughts, you know -- but I goal is to get past this weekend and to next Tuesday right now.

What does this week hold for me, you ask?

I'll list for easy reading.

Monday - Jam packed full of work and interviews with senior softball players.
Tuesday - The same thing as Monday, with a possible trip to Auburn to see Samford baseball play.
Wednesday - Start to get things together for the weekend softball and Senior Day. I must be on my toes this week because I won't even be there Sunday for the final home game/Senior Day.
Thursday- Same as Wednesday with a little bible study added to the end of the day. At my house no less.
Friday - Baseball. Crawfish. Madness.
Saturday - Softball doubleheader. Track conference championships. Make sure all my i's are dotted and t's are crossed for Sunday.
Sunday - Wake up at the butt-crack of dawn and head to Jackson for Julie's Wedding. Finish Julie's wedding and hopefully go to FBCJ for a choir concert and somehow write a softball recap and a track recap somewhere inbetween.
Monday - Get up at the butt-crack of dawn again and drive back to Birmingham for work and get ready for the SAMPSYS (Samford version of the ESPY's).
Tuesday - Pass out.

I hope everyone has a great Monday. April 20th is not my favorite day of the year.

Things I've Thought In the Last Five Minutes

I really need a window in my office.

Lunch was good today.

I drank way too much sweet tea at lunch.

There were a few moments at lunch when I thought I was going to spew my drink onto the table because of funny things. I'm glad I was able to retain my dignity.

141 points is a lot of points.

I can't believe he said "Girls are satan."

Must've been a rough break-up.

I really need a window in my office.

Someone please tell me why the baseball team is practicing when there's a yellowish tint outside that only leads to thunderstorms and tornadoes.

Oh, hello Mr. Tornado.

I really need a window in my office.

Why is it taking so much motivation to write just ONE paragraph?

Going to lunch a 11 a.m. only makes the day seem longer.

I wonder if I could teach a class in Samford's new Sports Admin major.

What the heck is going on next door?

Um, Vaughan? Are you still alive?

I really, really need a window in my office.

The TV just ain't cutting it today.

Peanut.

Pe-nit.

Peanuuuut, peanut butter, jelly.

Seriously?

Are you kidding me with this?

Clean Up On Aisle Four!

Wow! I can't believe it's been over a week since I last posted. I had lots of stuff up my sleeve to blog about and it all seems very irrelevant now.

It's that time of year again...a time of year that approaches about every three months. I've hit the wall of exhaustion. Hard. When Sunday comes, I will have worked over 90 hours in the last 10 days with multiple days of 10 hours or more.

I know I can't really complain because there are doctors and accountants out there that have definitely worked more than me but, most of the work I've done this week has nothing to do with my sports, so humor me.

The past week and a half has included (and will include) five softball games (one extra inning), four baseball games (one game of 12 innings), two football scrimmages, a golf tournament, an impromptu lunch with two baseball players who introduced me to my new favorite Philly eatery, and one interesting work scandal (that has nothing to do with me). Oh, and two free lunched, thanks to new sponsors. Yum!

Last night, at bible study, was the first night this week that I've been at home, and awake, for longer than 30 minutes.

And with that, sports have overtaken my dreams. This time, that means that in my dreams, I'm driving Samford baseball players around in my mom's minivan and worrying about what hole on the golf course my softball players are on.

Still, that doesn't begin to scratch the surface of crazy dreams in Katieland.

I didn't get to blog yesterday and I so wanted to because my parents celebrated their 32nd year of marriage. I could write a book about what great parents I have but I'll just say that they've shown me what a great love is and have truly displayed Christ's love for His church through their relationship.

My best friend Lauren Brown Pape also turned 26 on Wednesday and I was a bad friend and didn't think about it until 5:30 that day. LB and I have been through big stuff together and I can't believe that we have lasted 26 years together. It's incredible how God keeps people in your life even after a six-year silence. Wow! Much love to you, LB!

I wish I had pictures to complement this post but I just cleaned off my pictures from my work computer so I don't have any.

Well, the DAWGS are down by two right now in Tampa so I need to stop blogging and start cheering!

Until we meet again...

Observations

* I've blown my nose five times in the last four minutes. Yuck.

* I've been telling people that I've given up Coke for Lent. Then I realized today that I should probably say that I've given up carbonated beverages due to the fact that when I say Coke, it could possibly be interpreted as cocaine. And seeing as I've never taken up the "crack rock", nor do I ever plan to in the future, I surely could not have "given it up". Plus, I don't want people thinking I'm a recovering crackhead. However, giving it up for Lent might be a step in the right direction.

* Onions and chili on hotdogs make my gag reflexes kick in. I learned this last night.

* Facebook is officially a verb. Someone call Merriam-Webster. Ex: "I Facebooked her earlier today."

* White Exterras take me back to a time goes by. My heart rate increases slightly at the sight of them. They haunt me to this day.

Randomness In My Head Pt. 2

1. Praise the Lord! My friend Raymond announced tonight that he "asked Jesus into his heart" on Sunday.

Confession: I knew on Sunday but couldn't congratulate him when I saw him because he wanted to wait and tell everyone at bible study tonight.

I'm so excited that he's a part of the family now! PTL! A star is born!

2. I never knew that reading random sentences from a book out of context could make me cry...from laughing so hard. It's even funnier when you think about it in the context of someone randomly reading them during a bible study.

3. I just realized how much I hate being talked over or interrupted while I'm talking. I loathe it. You'd think I'd be used to it since I'm the youngest but no.

4. Maybe that's why I come from a loud family. You have to fight to be heard as a Stone.

5. Have you guys heard of Landon Pigg? This guy is great. Go to iTunes and check him out. Or MySpace. He's great. I just downloaded about every song he's ever recorded. Good stuff.

6. Pico de gallo is my new obsession. It's so incredibly good.