Randomly Happy

Look at me, all keeping up! 

I heard a story this morning on the radio and I decided that I really want to tell another good story. The only issue is, I don't have any! 

Most of my good stories came from the interesting people I met at work and now that I'm not working at the same place, those stories just aren't there. 

There are no interesting people for me to interact with. 

How boring is that? 

No, there are interesting people. Plenty of them. They just don't do anything that is unusual for me to make fun of. 

This is totally random, but I just decided to do a quick google image-search of my name and found some strange stuff. 

The first thing that stood out was the DVD cover of a movie (I think...) with the title, "Accidents Happen". That's terrible! Let me just go bash my head into a wall. 

It is not a sign... it is not a sign... 

My father told me when I was a junior in high school that I was an unplanned baby. He quickly informed me that the rest of my siblings were as well, so I felt a little bit better. I don't remember why, but I chose to share that information with the kids in my AP history class and for the rest of the year they called me "Misty" --because I was a mistake. 

They quickly forgot about that sweet nickname and it didn't make it through to senior year. 

Was it mean? Yeah kind of, but it didn't bother me because I thought it was rather clever and very funny. 

But no, you may not call me Misty.  

My dad thinks he's funny. 

(Don't tell him, but I think he's pretty funny too.)

This is him laughing at himself after he discovered photobooth on Mary Catherine's computer. I think there may be some kind of effect still working to distort the right side of the picture. Or maybe not.

He cracks himself up. The pictures he took with the effects in place are all on lock-down. I'm not allowed to post them anywhere after I put one on facebook. 

But let me make this clear- I am not above taking bribes, and the pictures he took are HILARIOUS. 

Just saying.

But anyway, dad has since revealed to the rest of the family that I am his favorite child, so all is forgiven.

(For those of you who take life too seriously, he was totally kidding. We bug him all the time and he's become a good sport about it. So now when we ask, "Who's the favorite child?" in our sing-songy voices, he responds with the name of whoever is not in the room at the time. One day it will be Kyle because he's away at school, and the next it will be MC because she's at musical practice. Even so, we all enjoy our time in the spotlight because it doesn't usually last long until we ask him again and it's time for someone else to shine.)

Speaking of shining, the sun was putting on a show the other day- it was all up and bright well past 5pm- finally! 

And today is so nice that they've got all kinds of little elves out mulching! 

I don't think it's normal for people to mulch in February, but it smells like home, so it works. 

 

Last week Skye and I were walking to class and as soon as we got outside, she wrinkled her nose and made some comment about smelling poop. Of course I knew what she was smelling, but unlike her, I was inhaling deeply through my nose and enjoying the "fresh" smell of mulch. I was a bit embarrassed to admit that I enjoyed it so much. And I know, mulch is not fresh- mulch is horse poop and dirt- but the smell reminds me of Spring and Summer and that (to me) is fresh! 

She then laughed at me for being so Lancaster County, and when I told her we used to climb on the mulch piles, she was pretty grossed out. 

That was my favorite thing as a kid- to climb on the mulch piles and squish it between my toes. But that happiness was usually short-lived because mom needed help hauling the crap to each flowerbed all over the stinking world. 

That part was NOT fun. 

Good thing Dan and MC were attacked by vicious yellow jackets one year while they were pulling weeds. I used that terrible event to get out of yard work of any kind. 

No, I don't want an ugly yard when I'm married mother. 

But I'm sure that my wealthy husband will be able to hire a gardener. 

And a maid... 

and a cook...

maybe I'll just never leave college. 

What else? 

Oh! My Toms came yesterday! 

Toms are shoes. They're so cool. 

I'm wearing them today.

I got them with my birthday money.

Happy birthday to ME! 

They're black and sparkly. 

See?? Perfect. 

I'm also wearing a scarf today, although I totally don't need it. It's about 60 degrees right now. 

This week was really cold though. And when I say "really cold", we're talking mid 40's all week. 

And rainy. 

Damp and cold. 

But now it's nice and I'm so glad. I would definitely support anybody's decision to move south. I mean, 60 degrees in February is a pretty good deal. 

What am I going to do now? I'm going to spit out my gum (because it has lost all traces of its original spearmint flavor) and I'm going to skip merrily over to work and see if they need me. 

We're hosting 176 high school girls this weekend for interviews for the honors program. I have to help out on Sunday, but until then they're using me to stuff folders and file applications. 

Each day I go to work and pray that I don't get an awful paper-cut from the mounds of applications and folders and emergency contact sheets and schedules! 

So far there has been only a little blood shed, but I think I can stay strong and skillfully work those papers so as to avoid any kind of strategic attack.

Oh my word, I need a hobby.

 

20 Dollars- Okay. 20 years? No Way!

My fingers are so cold right now. This is crazy. 

A couple of weeks ago it was pushing 70 degrees, and now it's suddenly struggling to move past 45. 

To say that I am unhappy and disappointed in the weather would be an understatement.

I came to the south because of the warmth. 

This is not acceptable.

It's also a bit crazy that I continue to NOT write about my life. It seems every time I write I have to play a quick catch-up. 

I have lived my first two weeks as a 20 year old. My goodness that's freaky.

Mom, Dad and MC came down to spend my birthday weekend with me. We went bowling, shopping, and ate some stinking great cake. 

Unfortunately, I can't post pictures of our weekend together because my camera somehow managed to hide in mom and dad's car and made it all the way home without me. 

Good thing I remembered to get my battery charger out of mom's purse before they left. 

So now I have the battery charger, and they have the dead camera. 

Thus, no birthday pictures. 

It takes a special kind of family to pull off something like that. 

I do have this picture of mom, MC and I at dinner. 

Thank goodness for iPhones! 

My birthday was really fun though. We had a great weekend, and I was really happy that they could come spend it with me! 

My family loves me =)

I've also been trying to keep my crap together as far as school-work is concerned. My goal this semester is to do just as well as last semester, or better. 

But that means a lot of working ahead. 

My weekends now consist of sleeping, eating, and homework. 

That's basically it. 

Although today I did venture out to the mall, that was an experience. 

I spent about 20 minutes driving around this massive parking lot trying to find a spot to park. When I finally found a spot way in the back of the mall, I think I might have started dancing in my car. 

The bad thing was that I was so disoriented when I went into the mall. I walked in and just stopped. I looked around and was all, "This is men's clothing. I don't need this." 

I think I walked around for another 20 minutes or so trying to find the store I was looking for. I was upstairs and downstairs and in the food-court and a shoe store... it was bad! 

But I just laughed at myself. 

I did finally find the store I was looking for. And then I treated myself to a Gloria Jean's Coffee!

I was so excited when I found it a few weeks ago. That's where my Aussie friend Bethany works! It's apparently an Australian coffee co. but there is one in Crabtree Valley Mall now! 

It was seriously the best coffee I've ever had in my life. 

I got a vanilla latte and I was in love. 

Newest favorite coffee. 

I'm always surprised by what I see in stores today. I consider myself  pretty open to all of these crazy fashions and such- but sometimes I just don't understand. Maybe that's why I like to go to the mall. It's just fun to laugh at people and clothes and children- etc. etc. etc. 

This steals the show. 

I could totally see myself in it. 

Even so, I didn't buy it. Just wasn't my color, you know? 

What else happened in January? 

Well... Jenna came for a visit...

I waited in line for roughly 6 hours on a wet, dreary day to see Alice in Wonderland...

 The line got really long- we were luckily near the front and got GREAT seats. 

Every 4 years, the Meredith faculty performs Alice in Wonderland for the students. It's a huge deal for everyone on campus. 

Yes, that is a stage filled with professors dressed up as fairies and animals and flowers! 

Seriously though, it was so funny. 

Can you imagine watching your business professor dressed as a Cheshire cat, running around stage "licking" herself?

That's why I love Meredith. 

On one of the warmer days I played in the leaves with Hurley.

And today, between writing papers and preparing powerpoint presentations, I admired the big blue sky. 

I don't know how many times I've said it, but I'm going to say it again. 

I love the blue skies of North Carolina. 

They're my favorite. I could just sit outside and stare up at them all day long. I wouldn't get bored, I wouldn't get tired, and I wouldn't get cold.

They're inspiring and beautiful!

God's got some great things going on- for sure.

My fingers are still- so cold. 

And a little bit sore. I'm learning how to play the guitar. Did I say that before? 

I rock out- hard-core- on my professor's electric guitar. 

And when I say "rock out", I mean struggle. 

I struggle. 

My fingers haven't completely calloused yet, so it's still slightly painful. But with the cold, they tend to go numb pretty quickly. It's a nice arrangement. 

Less than 3 weeks until I go home for Spring break. 

I'm almost finished with my second year of school.

I'm almost halfway finished with my entire college career. 

Holy moly. 

Good thing I declared a major! 

I'm officially majoring in Communication with a concentration in Interpersonal Communication. 

Just call me your little talker!