Dear Body,

This is Mind. I know it's been a little while since we've had a formal discussion. I'm glad our relationship is going so smoothly. I really appreciate our teamwork especially in this whole jogging endeavor. After that first grueling week during which I forced you to do things that you weren't used to, and you let me know about it, we've been doing alright. However, there is one little matter that I'm still upset about. Right Clavicle, what the heck? Jogging barely touches you! If Shins or Calves or Quads or even Abs complain and lash out violently I understand. They're under a lot of pressure and even the calmest of us has a breaking point. But you, Right Clavicle, why are you so angry? Let's have it out, once and for all. In TeacherSpeak, See Me After Class (SMAC).

Love,
Mind.

I love summer

The weather forecast for today is (word for word, I promise) "abundant sunshine, hot."

I love it!

After a grueling and productive Friday in the library, I managed to relax for the rest of the weekend. Yummy break-feast, watching basketball, church, going for a walk, Mexican food with the redhead's family... it was lovely.

But there was absolutely no reason for me to dream about having a conversation with Brad Pitt. We were just chatting, blah blah. It was a little strange. But who am I to complain?

discipline.

this is not a post about discipline. this is a post about how i am reading blogs instead of doing my homework. i have a paper to write. bedtime is in 40 minutes. i have written 2 sentences so far.

but tomorrow is my last day of class for the week

AND

the r.t. roomie is playing a show tomorrow night! yay! good music and social interaction all in one.

How could I forget the bug binoculars?

I spent yesterday afternoon sprawled out in our sunny backyard. I read my Bible, finished up my homework, wrote some poetry that had been ricocheting around, and watched bugs wander around our garden. It was blissful. I was also blessed enough to play zoo and ride a small child's bike around a park for a while. More bliss.

And we're back in the scholastic saddle again today! Hurrah! I've discovered that my attention span is approximately 15 minutes when I'm moderately well-rested and interested in the topic. That's not very long. Especially when classes are 4 hours long. At least the teachers are super fun.

the situation

Yay! I hereby cast off my hobo-blogger cloak of mystery and return to the land of the living. Here's what happened: I was insanely busy training new people at work, going to a wedding and related festivities, starting grad school, remembering how to do homework, and trying to sleep. You may not hear from me as often as in the past, but I'll try to write a little bit. It might be therapeutic for me. To get back in the groove (rut, anyone?) of writing, I'm phrasing it like my former 5 yr old.

this is my sad:

My dad's birthday always hits me harder than I anticipate.

I become sullen and snappy when I realize that stress is making me needy.

Because I'm sullen, snappy, and needy I assume that no one wants to be around me and I become even more sullen, snappy, and needy.

this is my happy:

I am feeling pretty satisfied that my Monday homework is mostly finished.

I made some friends this week.

I went jogging (gasp! it's true) three times.

the adventure of the haunted cemetery

So, a certain Anonymous Commenter and I were hanging out on Saturday, and we happened to drive past a cemetery. Now this cemetery is small, fairly well-kept, and out of the way. However, it features an intriguing stone grotto complete with a tower on the top of a hill. I've wanted to go there since the first time I saw it, so we stopped. At the bottom of the hill is a handpainted sign that says "Rattlesnakes." Whatever. There are rattlesnakes around here if someone is foolish enough to go poking in holes in abandoned hillsides. We'd be fine.

We walked about halfway up the hill, Mr. A-C ahead of me by a few feet, when I saw this: I said in a calm and firm voice, "Mister Anonymous Commentator," and started running down the hill. When he turned around and said, "what?" I replied, "umm... there's a snake." He yelled and ran down the path a few yards. Then, out of some sort of masculine curiosity, turned back to get a closer look. That's when he found the OTHER one. We left in a hurry. Sandles aren't conducive to rattlesnake hunting.

Now, of course, my curiosity is piqued. Why are the rattlesnakes guarding the grotto? Is there some sort of treasure or mystery there? I need to get me some cowboy boots and a shotgun.

One Slighty Scandalous Story, Two Bits of News, and One Weekend Plan

Today's awkward moment: It was really warm this morning, so I wore my aforementioned floofy black skirt. As I was leaving work, I put my Weekend section of the paper, my notebook, and jacket in my left arm, and my coffee mug and purse in my right. It was still warm out, but there was a blustery wind. The second I left the building, the downtown wind definitely sent my skirt flying up around my waist, scandalous-style. My first reaction was to drop everything I was holding and scrunch down, clutching my skirt around me. My second reaction was to praise the Lord Jesus I wore sensible, full-coverage undies today. I went inside, repositioned everything in my left arm, and walked the four blocks (long blocks) to my car, desperately holding my skirt with my right hand, blushing furiously, and making absolutely no eye contact with anyone whatsoever. I am still slightly embarrassed, as I try my darndest to keep my Gulgy Butt well-hidden.

Miscellaneous news: I passed my Spanish test. I didn't do great, but I passed. Yay! No more tests! At least for now.

Funny conversations: My small client was talking today about boyfriends. I told her she had to be 18 before she got one. She asked me if I would rather have a boyfriend or a husband. I told her a husband, and she said, "Humph! Well I want a boyfriend and you do too. And if you don't like your boyfriend, THEN you get a husband. Why aren't you getting a husband?"

Enough of that. It's time for me to go admire my ridiculously talented roommate's portfolio downtown! Hurray for ridiculously talented roommates (of which I have many)!