MLK, Puns, Domestic Godessness, and other News

Having MLK Day Off threw me for a loop. Not quite sure what day it is anymore, but I do know that I haven't posted since Friday (though due to my current disoriented state it really doesn't feel like that long ago). And for that, I apologize. A few thoughts...

• I have some pictures to show you. From the Eye Ball. That's right. The Mister and I got all dudded up for a little dinner and dancing at Southern College of Optometry's annual par-tay. And anyone with even the smallest sense of humor could not resist calling a party of future eye doctors by that delightful pun of a name. I heart puns.
• I cleaned my house last weekend. Significant? Yes. Because, honestly, I can't remember the last time that I seriously cleaned the house. I know that it was sometime before Christmas. Probably around December 19th, because we had company. Yikes.
• I cooked up a storm on my Monday off: barbeque beef for sandwiches, orange brownies, applie pie, quesadilla filling (I need to post this recipe...tasty, healthy, quick, and easy), and rosemary white bean soup. The freezer is stocked, so come on over!
• I am still choked up by scenes of yesterday's Inauguration. Such a momentous day. Oh, and Michelle Obama was workin' it...loved the gold suit and white ball gown!
• I am a busy bee at work: learning some new areas of responsibility to fill the gap for a departing coworker, gearing up for a new semester of activities, and getting the Greeks ready for Spring Recruitment.
• We are starting to attend a Community Group at church tonight and I can hardly wait to start building some deeper relationships with new friends there. Makes me miss my Grace Waco family!

So there you go: a pathetic attempt at an update. Coming soon: pics from the Eye Ball, the latest from Weber, and a killer recipe for quesadillas that will make you swoon. (In a "that's so good way," not in an "I have food poisoning way")

Pray for Harper Brown

Please click on the "Praying for Harper" button to the right. Kelly Stamps is a friend-of-a-friend who lives in Northwest Arkansas. She and her husband, Scott, dealt with infertility for several years before finally becoming pregnant with sweet baby Harper. Harper was born earlier this evening, but her first few hours of life have been very difficult and she has been airlifted to AR Childrens' Hospital in Little Rock.

Please take a moment to pray for Harper, Kelly, and Scott. More specifically, pray that Harper's lungs will be strengthened to full functioning and that Kelly will be released from the hospital as soon as possible in order to join Harper at Children's.

Hummm...

I got in the elevator, joining one woman who stood in the back corner.

She was humming a little ditty, and I thought to myself: "Hee hee...I just caught you humming a little ditty to yourself in the elevator! I bet that's embarassing!"

But nope. She wasn't embarassed. She kept humming her little ditty.

All

the

way

down.

Eight floors.

Interesting.

It reminded me of the time in first grade that I was humming in class. My teacher, Mrs. Johnson, reprimanded me and told me to stop humming.

I was shocked.

You see, up until that day, I believed that because humming does not require the projection of sound out of your mouth, it can only be heard by YOU and no one around you. Its a fun little ditty in your own little head that no one else can hear. Or so I thought.

With one scolding, Mrs. Johnson shattered that belief to bits.

Perhaps I should have filled Elevator Ditty Lady in on the secret?

Upgrade

In two weeks, I will go from this:

(Not my actual cubicle. Picture a cube half as narrow and twice as long. That's right...I have a double-long cubicle. And it is not covered in tacky posters and calendars).

To this:

(So maybe my new office won't have a luxurious desk, ample meeting space, or a doubly awesome view of the ocean AND a city skyline... But it will have a door! And a ceiling! And...get this...a WINDOW! You gotta start somewhere.)

Unfortunately, this little workspace upgrade has come my way because one of my favorite coworkers just got a new job in Pennsylvania. Which makes me very sad; I would exchange her for an office any day. But since that is not an option, I'll take the office, thank you.

Bitten and Smitten

I have a slight obsession...


Who knew teen vampire novels could be so delightfully addictive?

The movie left something to be desired, but at least it contained some lovely eye candy. Don't worry, Jonathan has approved of my new crush on Edward Cullen. He's cool like that.

Justice

Last month I got a speeding ticket. But I don't know that you could even call it that. Because in my book, going 42 in a 40 when trying to get into the left lane to avoid an accident on the right shoulder is not speeding. But apparently it is to Memphis' Finest.

So as I was saying, I got a ticket. I had two choices: #1, pay up, or #2, go to court. If you go to court, the ticket is supposedly wiped from your record. I chose option #2.

My court appointment was last Friday at 1:30 p.m. That morning, I was sitting in a room with all 25 presidents of our fraternities and sororities for the final presentations of our Greek Presidents' Class. We were having technical difficulties, so I decided to fill the time by making some small talk. Many of the students are Memphis natives, so I decided to break the ice by asking if any of them had ever been to court for a ticket.

The little crowd erupted! Apparently, the courthouse is downtown, parking is for the birds, the line is ridiculous, and you wait forever only to have the ticket dismissed. AKA: my entire afternoon was going to be wasted on ridiculous beuracracy. As they grumbled about their past misfortunes at the hands of the Memphis legal system, I asked them for directions to this particular division of city court.

One student in the row behind me (Who just so happens to be one of my favorites because he dresses very nicely, complete with suspenders, almost every day. And I'm not talking dorky suspenders, folks, I'm talking slick suspenders. The kid is fly.) offered to call his dad to double-check the location of the courtroom. Before I could turn down his offer, he was on the phone:

"Yeah, dad...where is Division 2 city court?...."

"Its a speeding ticket..."

"Its just my Greek advisor here at school..."

"What's the ticket number?...."

{He reaches out for the speeding ticket in my hand}

"Number yada yada yada.....Leslie Poe....Sam Cooper Boulevard....yada yada yada"

He hangs up.

"My dad said not to worry about it...he's gonna go take care of it."

What!?!

I was shocked. "Garrison, who the heck is your dad???"

"Oh, he's just an attorney downtown. He said he'd just go across the street and get it taken care of."

Are you kidding me???

Then I started to worry. What if this is a joke? I don't go to court and then next thing I know my face is on a milk carton for Memphis' Most Wanted?

But 20 minutes later, Garrison's phone chirped with a text message from his dad.

"Yep. He said you're all set! Its off your record and you don't need to go to court!"

"Garrison, I owe you a big batch of cookies."

Justice is served.

Involuntary Workout

I got a workout this morning.

Against my will.

The elevators are broken in Wilder Tower.

I work on the 8th Floor.

I should have taken it as a sign that work was cancelled.

But, alas, it was not.

So I hiked.

Still feeling a bit dizzy.

8 flights of stairs + Monday morning + first day back from break + no breakfast = Yuck