Saturday Nine

I had to laugh the other day when the folks on The Chew (I record it- one of the best shows on TV) were discussing Adam Levine as People Magazine's choice for Sexiest Man Alive. Everyone was very complimentary except Daphne, who winced and said he was cute but she prefers a bulkier guy, rather than Adam's small frame and thin "yoga body." I am totally with her on that (and to each her own- there are plenty of women who dig it)... but I think he is the "package" guy- he has a combination of several very attractive traits. The funniest thing about Adam at our house is that he's exactly halfway between my age and Lauren's age, and we both drool over him and giggle at all his jokes every week on The Voice, while Jeff rolls his eyes. Great pick, People Mag!


Saturday 9: Back to Black

1) Black is this week's signature color because Friday, November 29, was "Black Friday," when retailers cut their prices and consumers flock to the stores. Did you score any "Black Friday" bargains?
I scored big Black Friday bargains at the outlet mall on Tuesday. I got some new boots for half price. (BOOTS! Yay!) Got a couple of cute winter tops, too. I haven't started shopping for Christmas yet, but I'll do most of that online.

2) Legend has it that Black Friday began as a neighborhood phenomenon among store owners in Philadelphia back in the early 1960s. What else comes to mind when you think of Philly?
the Founding Fathers and American history

3) Feasting and football are also popular Thanksgiving weekend pastimes. Do your Thursday-Sunday plans include pigging out or watching a game?
We've already been watching games out the yang. Two huge games today- the Iron Bowl (Alabama/Auburn- go Auburn!!) and Texas A&M/Mizzou (BTHO Missouri!). We had Thanksgiving lunch at the Lakeway Spa and Resort. It was VERY good. I think we all did pretty well at not "pigging out" there. I have no desserts at the house, only cut up veggies, so there isn't any pigging out going on here.

4) At Thanksgiving dinners, Crazy Sam's homemade gravy is always a hit. (Probably because she's so generous with the cognac, which gives the gravy a nutty taste.) Do you have a signature dish?
Nah. Everyone likes my sweet potato casserole the best though.

5) Among the biggest the Black Friday advertisers are Target, Kohl's, Macy's and Best Buy. If you could have a $100 gift card to any one of those stores, which would you choose?
Target

6) You're in a public restroom that offers both paper towels and a hot air hand dryer. Which one do you choose?
paper towels

7) While Back to Black is the best-selling Amy Winehouse CD, her first was called Frank, named for her hero, Frank Sinatra. Tell us about someone who inspires you.
My grandpa inspires me. He's 93 and still very active in his church and with his friends. He goes to the gym every morning. He still has his great sense of humor and tells wonderful stories of all the interesting things he's done and places he's been.

8) Do you consider yourself a pessimist or an optimist?
optimist

9) Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone (a verbal conversation -- not an exchange of texts)?
Jen

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Zumbaaaa!

I've done a lot of Zumba, but I hadn't taken a Zumba class at a gym until Crystal and I went last Sunday morning. It was superfun! I'll go with a friend to a gym (depending on what we're signing up for), but I just don't ever see myself joining a gym again and going on my own. It's just too easy to work out at home, if it's not going to be a social activity. No makeup required, no perfectly coiffed hair, no extensive supercute wardrobe of workout wear, no driving and gas costs, no certain time I have to be there... But it's perfect for the Ladies of Data Ops workouts, especially now that it's 32 degrees outside! Most gyms do punch cards now, so you get 5 or 10 classes at a time.

Jennifer Lopez sang several Spanish songs at the AMAs last weekend. One of them is on the Zumba  DVD set. The second the music began to play, Lauren and I looked at each other and said simultaneously, "ZUMBAAAA!"

'Twas hilarious.

The in-laws are here through tomorrow. We'll be trying to figure out things to do today that don't require driving near any shopping. For those of you venturing into the Black Friday abyss, I wish you good luck! (I bought a bunch of stuff at the outlet mall earlier this week at the pre-Black-Friday Black Friday sales, where several stores were 50% off everything. Yeah, baby!)

Patrick's Saturday Six

1. What about your current career would you most regret not doing if you changed careers tomorrow?
Contributing to a process that saves lives and improves quality of life. For example, I'm currently the DM on the study for a drug that appears to reduce the mortality rate for a particular illness from its current 87% to just over 1.5%.

2. When it comes to your weight and your mental picture of yourself, do you think it’s easier to see yourself heavier than you actually are or lighter than you actually are? 
I don't know which is easier, but I've looked in a mirror and seen myself at times in my life as thinner than I was and at other times as heavier than I was. It's not good to see yourself as anything but the size you are, so I think neither is easier. You really have to be aware of your body and it's true appearance to make better choices in eating and exercise, whether you're thin, average or overweight.

3. If you had no idea how old you actually were and someone asked your age, would your answer more likely be older or younger than your true age? 
younger

4. What aspect of your personality would most influence your answer to question #3? 
the desire to really "live" and have as many positive experiences in life as I can fit in

5. If you had to pick one or the other (no “equal mix of both”), do you tend to be more of a visionary or more practical in how you address problems? 
More practical.

6. Do you feel that you are better or worse at solving problems than a person who’d answer question #5 the opposite way you did?
I think 95% of the time, the practical solution is the most desired and most successful. I did make a notable visionary suggestion back in the day, when I offered the idea of using 3-part NCR for a study document that we were photocopying back in 1992. We used it for the next study we did and today it's the industry standard. (Not to suggest that I swayed the entire industry... I'm sure all the "occasionally visionary" data managers across the country were thinking the same thing! Why are we wasting time and causing ourselves problems photocopying these documents?)

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Don't Ship Your Pants, But...

...I may be the only person in America who had NEVER seen this commercial.



Bwahahaaaaa! *wipes tears*


Saturday 9: Sugar Shack
This song was popular 50 years ago today. Hear it here.

1) In this song, our hero orders espresso. What's your standard coffee order?
iced skinny mocha

2) Originally the phrase "sugar shack" meant a small cabin where sap from maple trees was boiled into syrup. So for breakfast today, would you rather pour syrup on pancakes, french toast or waffles?
waffles

3) The name of the group that recorded this song is The Fireballs. "Fireballs" is also the brand name of a red hot jawbreaker. Do you like cinnamon?
I like cinnamon, but not any of the cinnamon candies.

4) In 1963, when this song was a hit, newscaster Walter Cronkite was one of the most trusted and influential men in the country. Do you have a favorite TV newsperson?
Diane Sawyer and Anderson Cooper

5) The Rambler was named 1963 Car of the Year by Motor Trend, and their most popular model was a 9-passenger station wagon. What's the car of your dreams?
BMW Z4

6) The Zip Code was first introduced in 1963. How many different Zip Codes have you had throughout your life?
Nine-  67549 (Germany), 77502 (Pasadena), 66215 (Lenexa), 77507 (Pasadena), 77089 (Houston), 77573 (League City), 77840 (College Station... x2), 78741 (Austin), 78739 (Austin... x2)

7) What was the first thing you thought about when you woke up this morning?
My menu for tomorrow through Saturday, while the in-laws are here.

8) Are you a good pool player?
Not at all. Love to play though.

9) Do you actually make a wish when you blow out your birthday candles?
Always!

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The Thankgiving Meme

Congrats to LSU on their win yesterday. It's been a looooong time since we had a game like that. Hopefully it'll be a long time until we have another one! BTHO Mizzou!

This week on my radio station's morning show, they were talking about "tombstone texts." Your tombstone text is the last text you sent or received. That's what will be on your tombstone. The funniest one was Sandy's: "I got the big one this morning." (His buddy had shot a huge buck or bison or something.)

Ahaha!

My tombstone text is: "Back late tonight." (Kathy was on her way home from France yesterday and texted me from the Chicago airport.)


Sunday Stealing: The Thanksgiving Meme

1. What do you have for breakfast on Thanksgiving?
Something small. Usually cereal.

2. Do you go to a Thanksgiving parade or watch one on TV?
We watch one on TV.

3. Do you serve appetizers, lunch, or snacks during the day?
Limited snacks for football game watching.

4. What are the traditional favorites?
When I cook: kicked-up Pepperidge Farm herb stuffing, traditional green bean casserole, a sweet potato casserole with pecan brown sugar topping (no marshmallow- Icko!), canned jellied cranberry sauce (the best!), rolls with butter, turkey, apple pie. Super traditional.

5. What new recipes will you try this year?
We're going to a hotel dinner with the in-laws, but I will be making a coworker's amazing Almond Joy Balls to have at home.

6. What part of the meal do you never compromise?
The sweet potato casserole is a requirement. I've occasionally switched turkey for ham, switched up the way I make the stuffing, done different breads, but the sweet potato casserole is always present in its native form. It's one of several fantastic recipes I make from my old BFF, Ina. Thanks Ina!

7. Who gets to carve the turkey?
Jeff, because he likes to use the electric knife.

8. Family style around the table or buffet style and everyone sits wherever there’s room?
Ha! We have it set up buffet-style, but we all sit together at the table.

9. How many will be at your table this year?
Should be 6.

10. Once you're at the table, do you say grace or a toast or does everyone go around and say what they're thankful for?
If the in-laws are here, or the past couple of years when we've had Thanksgiving with Scott-n-Julie, we say grace. Some years, someone will have everyone say what they're thankful for and some years, it doesn't come up.

11. Cranberry sauce… yay or nay?
Yay!

12. What time do you eat Thanksgiving Dinner?
Usually between 11 and 2.

13. Three best pies for Thanksgiving dessert?
apple, pumpkin and fudge pecan

14. Do you have dessert right after the main meal or later on?
Usually later.

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Hallelujah, It's Vacation Time!

I mentioned one of the songs that makes me cry, "Hallelujah," recently here in response to a meme question. The very next day, Matthew Schuler sang it on The Voice. OMG. One of the best renditions ever...



And I am officially on vacation for the next week. WOOO-freakin-HOOO!


Sunday Stealing: The ASK Meme, part one

1. What’s your favorite candle scent? 
I like apple and berry scents.

2. What female celebrity do you wish was your sister? 
Hmm. Interesting question, which I've never seen in a survey. I guess it would be fun to have Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as sisters.

3. What male celebrity do you wish was your brother?
Yeesh. Um... Vince Vaughn would be a good big brother to have.

4. How old do you think you’ll be when you get married? 
Ahh, now questions 2 and 3 are making a lot more sense. I think I'll be... 23 years and two months old.

5. Do you know a hoarder? 
I don't think so. Would many people actually know if they knew a hoarder? I'm guessing hoarders don't have guests over much.

6. Can you do a split? 
I wish.

7. How old were you when you learned how to ride a bike? 
We were in Kansas, so I must have been 5. Daddy taught me in the parking lot of our apartment complex.

8. How many oceans have you swam in? 
Two- Pacific and Atlantic. 

9. How many countries have you been to? 
10: Mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas, St. Martin (a territory of France), St. Maarten (a territory of the Netherlands), Dominican Republic, Haiti, Canada, Germany, Great Britain

10. Is anyone in your family in the military? 
My grandfather and my uncle are both retired army colonels.

11. Have you named any of your body parts? 
I've named my pinky toe Sparkles.

(Nah, I haven't.)

12. If you had a child today, what would you name him/her? 
Ethan or Samantha.

13. What’s the worst grade you got on a test? 
Something in the 30's in Circuit Theory in college.

14. What was your favorite TV show when you were a child? 
Electric Company, Zoom and Sesame Street

15. What did you dress up as on Halloween when you were eight?
I have no idea.

16. Have you read any of the Harry Potter, Hunger Games or Twilight series? 
Not a one.

17. Would you rather have an American accent or a British accent? 
I would rather have an American accent and go out with a guy with a British accent.

18. Did your mother go to college? 
No. She went to secretarial school and then straight to Europe to meet hot foreign guys work.

19. Are your grandparents still married? 
My maternal grandparents were married were until my grandmother died. Then Christine and Grandpa were married until she died. My paternal grandparents were also married until Dad's father died and then again until his stepdad died. Hmm! Hadn't thought about that.

20. Have you ever taken karate lessons? 
Nope.

21. Do you know who Kermit the frog is? 
Yes.

22. What was the first amusement park you’ve been to?
I'm pretty sure my parents took me to Six Flags Over Mid-America when we lived in Kansas when I was in kindergarten.

23. What language, besides your native language, would you like to be fluent in? 
German

24. Do you spell the color as grey or gray? 
"Grey," because that spelling seems greyer than "gray."

25. Is your father bald? 
Nope.

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Pets and Furniture

Yesterday, we were shopping for a new sofa. We mentioned to the sales guy that we have two cats, so not only are we limited to colors that won't show black, white or orange fur, but we are limited to non-leather fabrics that won't show or be damaged too much by the occasional claw mark.  They don't scratch on furniture, but they do run around like mad every now and then, leaving claw marks here and there.

The sales guy laughed and told us about his yellow lab, who "ate a chair" when he was a teething puppy. They had an old upholstered chair in a spare room they just let the puppy chew on. When the teething process and chewing ended, they put the trashed chair in the back of a pickup and drove it to the nearest "Dempsey dumpster."

Stop here to note that I haven't heard anyone refer to a "Dempsey dumpster" since 1978. That made me laugh.

They asked the store owner if they could throw it away in their dumpster.

The store owner said, "Sure, but what IS it?"

Ahahaa!


Saturday 9: 1, 2, 3, 4

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) In this song, the singer tells his girl he appreciates how she makes him feel. Who is the most supportive person in your life?
CJ. That girl would support me masterminding a bank heist. She would say, "Have you thought this through? Okay, well... I always thought you'd be a fabulous bank heister! Call me when you're done, because I want to hear all about it!!"

2) Our singer only has to count to 4, which is a cinch. Do you understand the more sophisticated math sciences, like geometry and algebra?
Oh yes. Calculus. Diff EQ. Whatever. Bring it on.

3) This video features a couple who shared their first kiss behind the high school. Tell us about your first kiss.
My first real kiss was with my first boyfriend when I was 15 (he was 16). We had just come home from a date and he lingered on the porch with me for a few minutes, before kissing me goodnight. I was very cool and said goodnight and then he headed out. I went inside the house and as soon as the door closed, I started squealing, "Eeeeeeeee!" and practically ran to tell my mom he had kissed me. (Lauren finds this story hilarious.)

4) Filmed in Chicago, this video features the Art Institute of Chicago, home to works by Monet, Gauguin and Van Gogh. How do you express your creativity? (Draw, paint, write, sing or play music ... )
When I have time, I write song lyrics. I've written several parodies of popular songs as well. The past few years, I've created Photoshop birthday messages and images, from several "custom Google pages" to a Real Housewives of Austin photo with our heads on the NYC Housewives' bodies.

5) Chicago is home to two of the world's tallest buildings -- the Willis aka Sears Tower and The John Hancock Center (which appears briefly in this video). Both have observation decks that offer panoramic views of the city. Are you afraid of heights? 
Sort of. I would more specify my fear is of looking down from a height, when there is a possibility, no matter how remote (like the CN Tower glass floor), that I could fall over, through or down. I do love a great view from an airplane or the top of a building.

6) The Plain White T's got their start in Lombard, a suburb of Chicago and home to Yorktown Center -- a huge, two story shopping mall. Do you enjoy going to the mall, or would you rather shop online, or in small, independent stores?
I like all three!

7) Naturally Yorktown Center has a food court. Would you prefer a pretzel from Auntie Anne's, a cinnamon roll from Cinnabon or a cookie from Mrs. Field's? 
pretzel from Auntie Anne's

8) While we're at the mall … Imagine you're at the customer service counter of a big department store. As you wait for help, you see an older lady pocket a Timex watch. Would you turn her in or look the other way?
I would TOTALLY turn her in. I would probably make a scene, actually.

9) Which puzzle would you have more success with: crossword or sudoku?
Sudoku

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Random Wednesday

It's incredibly strange to see a friend become Facebook friends with the ADULT CHILD of one of your high school pals. I just can't believe my high school buddies have adult children. The whole thing is just superweird.

Speaking of adult children, my baby turns twenty this weekend, so, there's that.

And speaking of disturbing things (segueing--- it's an art)... Is anyone else completely creeped out that there is a student/school-nurse relationship happening on Glee? That's how you know you've run out of plot lines. You pitch the idea that a student gets it on with the nurse. During school. And your colleagues go, "YES! Let's run with that." Set it to happy, cheesy music and no one will notice the inappropriateness. Ack.

Speaking of boyfriends... Cathy has a new boyfriend. Billy! (♪ Weeee waaaant Biiiilly. Wheeeere iiiiiiis Biiiiilly? B-I-double L-Y, we're aaaaaall hiiiiiiis...) Billy lives here in Austin, so she'll be here more often. How awesome is that? We're going to do the double date thing next time she's up. She was here last weekend and he had to work on Saturday, so she ended up going to the game with me. It worked out perfectly! Maybe she'll finally move here. We'll see if Billy makes it past Cathy's three-week relationship limit. (Ahahaa. J/K, CJ!)

Speaking of... um... quantum leaps... Most of the girls from work feel guilty about things like getting manicures on their WFH days. I go grocery shopping on my WFH days and I don't feel guilty one bit. I do feel guilty writing in my blog at the moment. But I can't access the work computer right now, so what am I supposed to do? :)

During my teleconference this morning with Matthew at our England vendor, he told me that they are in the middle of their company's annual "American Thanksgiving Bake-Off." He has entered a Coca-Cola Pecan Pie. If he wins the department, he advances to the company-wide competition. Winners from the company-wide contest are able to enter the Christmas Bake-Off in December. Superfun!!

Meanwhile, back at my company, a data management girls' trip is in discussion. I was thinking Vegas. Crystal was thinking New Zealand. Seriously. (I guess if I were 29 and single, I'd say New Zealand, too. But mama needs a new kitchen, so not this year.)

Alright... going to try my work connection again...

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Thanks for the Memories

Emotional final game at Kyle Field as we know it. It was Senior Day most likely Johnny's and definitely all the seniors' last game there. (Probably Evans's as well. Waaah!) The players' parents were on the field with them for the pre-game War Hymn. The big donors did the Kyle Field renovation ground breaking. President Bush Sr. and Barbara were there. Michael Wacha was on the sidelines. Dat Nguyen popped in. The Governor was the co-pilot on the flyover (really? Is Goodhair qualified for that?) and made an appearance. Just a VIP afterparty vibe all night.

The game couldn't have been more exciting. The blocked punt for a safety in the first quarter was the play of the game. It really got the crowd excited and the mood only grew from there. And OMG- HELLO DEEEEE-FENSE! Amazing D. I was so happy for them and the great plays they had. They're finally getting those tackles consistently. And they're still a bit smaller and younger than the SEC competition, so their success is especially impressive.

The big play offense continued its roll. Evans was double-covered all night, so he was limited, but Labhart was able to step forward and was SO terrific! What a great night for him, his last game in College Station.

And of course, Johnny was... well... Johnny F'in Football, y'all. The O-line let at least one defender through on most downs (what was up with that?), but Manziel avoided defenders most of the time, in typical fashion, with a lot of fancy footwork and amazing vision to receivers who eventually become open and make huge plays.

In the stands, the last two minutes of the game were CRAZY. We were all chanting "One more year! One more year!..." and a long-ass row of guys took off their shirts to reveal the "ONE MORE YEAR" message on their chests. (I hear that made it on TV. Awesome.) The band was playing "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again" over and over and over, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, even when the offense was preparing to start a play (take-a-knee plays at that point... although there was way too much time left when they started that.... what was happening there?! We didn't care much, because we were chanting and clapping and jumping around, but every now and then we would stop and ask each other what the hell they were doing, dorking around with the knee plays so early.). The band bass drummer was getting fancy with his drumming, which got everyone hyped even more.

Every time Johnny encouraged the crowd to get louder, everything would raise to another level of insanity. The band would start playing the Johnny song again and we would start chanting and screaming. Just. Superfun!

My throat hurt afterward. But that's happened several times at Kyle Field over the years. Just another memorable game at home.

:)

There's some football season left, but we'll miss Johnny and Mike and the seniors at Kyle. Keep on keepin' on, Ags! BTHO LSU!


The What's What Meme

What is on your bed right now? 
Jeff

What’s your favorite word or phrase? 
awesome!

What is the best ice cream flavor? 
mint chocolate chip

Did you wake up smiling this morning?
 
Yep!

Is there something in your life you used to have, and now miss? 
I miss volunteering at the elementary school library.

What major company would you like to work for? 
Eli Lilly (just too bad they're in Indianapolis)

(sorry, Indianapolis)

What time do you wake up on a typical morning? 
5:30

What holiday makes you sad? 
No holidays make me sad.

Where does a good night’s sleep rank on your priorities? 
very high

One song that makes you cry? 
ONE? "Hallelujah" Jeff Buckley. This is one of those songs that made me cry the very first time I heard it, and I wasn't really listening to the lyrics very closely. It was the melody and the tone, where the singer seemed crushed by an exceeding weight of despair. Listen again and really hear the lyrics and, yeah, it's a sad one.



...Maybe there’s a God above
But all I’ve ever learned from love
Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you
It’s not a cry you can hear at night
It’s not somebody who has seen the light
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah...

How old was your mom when she had you? 
22

When is the last time you went to the beach? 
two weeks ago in Corpus

What is the most random object around you?
My Kevin Murray autographed Aggie baseball cap. I was going to use it as part of my Halloween costume for work, but I ended up using another cap, so this one is just sitting here on my desk.

What is your favorite sushi? 
Although technically not sushi- spider roll. Mmmm. Real sushi- spicy tuna roll.

What food do you find disgusting? 
Catfish in any form other than deep-fried. Otherwise, it's slimy and disgusting.

If you could have any type of dog in the world, what would it be?
I don't know much about dogs. I would have a small-ish (not tiny), cuddly one.

What was the last meal that you made for yourself? 
Sausage and mac-n-cheese.

Is the hard drive on your computer full or getting close to being full? 
My hard drive is never anywhere near full.

Are there any songs that you prefer the acoustic version over the regular version? 
"Disturbia" Vox Collective

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Thanks, Mom!

First off... BTHO Mississippi State! WHOOP!

OK. Sit down kiddies. Auntie Kath is going to tell you a story - or a few stories.

(OH. That reminds me- I have my first official nickname in the history of my entire life. I've had cute nicknames by which people have somewhat routinely addressed me in notes or letters or yearbooks or texts/IMs, but never one that anyone called me on a day-to-day basis. Ready? Our company COO calls me Kath. Not here and there, but every single time he talks to me. He's not that guy who just shortens everyone's name either. I think it's because we have history and we're buds from way back. Yeah sure, I'd rather it were something cool, like "Stretch" or "Glitter," but Kath will do. So cool!

Crystal has a nickname for almost everyone except me. I hate it. She says it's a good thing, but I disagree. She calls our HR girl "Lois" because she looks like Lois Lane. She calls one of her clients "Martine" because she likes to imagine that he's an exotic, handsome foreign man, when in actuality, he's a geeky American statistician. One day I will get a Crystal nickname. One day.)

Well that was quite a digression. And I know I'm neither a Stretch nor a Glitter. Probably a good thing not to be a Glitter.

Anyhoo... Years ago, my mom had a big garage sale, before moving to Austin. Laura and I went down to help her price things. The "Greeeeeat! Byyye!... She's not coming" story came from that weekend.

At some point, we were looking for a missing little metal chain piece to something. As a perfect example of how organized my mom was, despite appearances at times, she instructed us to go into the garage, make a path through a metric buttload of garage "stuff" under two inches of dust to a secretary desk underneath a bunch of boxes, a stack of magazines and a old coat. In the pull-down part of the desk, there were little drawers and shelves. "Open the pull-down and in the second shelf from the top on the left, way in the back, behind the spool and the empty ring box, you'll find that chain."

Laura and I looked at each other like Mom had lost her mind.

Right.

Well, the chain was RIGHT THERE, in that anonymous little spot, where it had been resting since before Reagan was president. We couldn't believe it. I can't even locate the sunglasses I had on five minutes ago.

Another side note- In the hours after Mom died, while we spent time with her, I never felt her "there" in the room with us (my uncle Rob and me). I had been prepared for her passing, as she was very very ill for about a week prior and we had known she wasn't going to make it. I had a very strong feeling that she was going to always be with me afterwards, in a spiritual sense. We were very close and I just knew I would be able to feel her energy around me after she was gone. But the minute she died, I was keenly aware that she wasn't around.

Matter-of-fact, I never felt her anywhere for a long time.

It really upset me, because I had anticipated something so different. I even went into a whole questioning of my faith and if there is an afterlife at all. (WOW. This took a turn, eh?) I talked with my aunt after several weeks and told her about it. I asked if maybe she felt Mom was with her, because she certainly wasn't with me. She told me, "YES. She's definitely here! I've really needed her. Maybe that's why.." etc. etc. I wasn't sure if she was trying to help me cope with the loss of my mother or my crisis of faith or if she was being honest, but it was a little reassuring and I was happy that she felt Mom was with her if she needed it at the time (she wasn't able to come to see Mom just before she passed).

So. Fast forward to yesterday. I was working on a budget issue for one of my studies.

About 2 months ago, I had written notes on a small piece of paper- a list of casebook pages and explanation of how I had come up with some prior budget numbers around the casebook design. Back when I put it in the stack of trash paperwork I keep by my desk to take to the shredder sometime, I remember thinking I should possibly keep it. But I didn't.

I usually go to the shredder every couple of weeks, but every time I've picked up that stack recently, the phone has rung or something has come up to stop me. I've been thinking how tall the stack is getting for a while now.

While I was trying so desperately on Friday to remember what was on that silly piece of trash paper, and wishing that I had kept it, I finally thought I should take a chance and look through the trash stack. Who knew. Maybe it was in there somewhere, although I had most likely tossed it with the last batch.

I reached up and grabbed most of the stack, down to about the bottom 15 pages or so. I lifted it up.

That paper was sitting, face up, with those glorious numbers I needed, RIGHT IN THAT SPOT. I kid you not.

First thing that popped into my head was that Mom had directed me there. Totally random thought. Go to your shredder stack, pick up about 224 sheets of garbage paper, about 15 from the bottom...

So yeah. Thanks, Mom!

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A&M UTEP Roundup

Nice win, Ags!! I love night games. Especially in the cold. It was about 50 degrees.

The Aggie D was pretty darn good last night! Whoooooop! Ever improving.

And thank goodness Tra Carson is okay. Geez could you hear a pin drop in the stadium for a full ten minutes when he was down on the field.

We were a bit sad to see our (former A&M QB) Jameill Showers on the opposing side, but I heard via the kiddo/Twitter that he was "sawin' 'em off" with the Aggie football team after the game. Pretty darn cool. (We miss those games last year when the score was getting high and we could say, "Looks like there's a chance of Showers!" HA!)

Speaking of backup quarterbacks, Hill was GREAT. Loved it!

Anyone finally figure out what the heck all those stringy white things were, floating in the air throughout the game? Was it cotton? Pollen? Creepy stuff!


Sunday Stealing: Time Keeps on Slippin' Meme

1) Do you think Daylight Saving Time is still necessary? 
Nope

2) How long does it take you to adjust to the time change? 
It's harder to adjust in the spring, I think. I don't have trouble adjusting to this one.

3) What's the hardest part of the time change?
changing clocks

4) How many clocks are in your house? 
13, plus one we always forget. It's a different one each time, but it's there.

5) Are you generally early, late, or on time? 
early

6) If an invitation to an event listed the time as 8-11pm, what time would you arrive?
Depends on the event. Game night, dinner, party... 8:05-8:10. Awards ceremony, concert, play, etc... 7:35-7:45. A sports event... 7:30. 6:30 for an A&M football game.

7) Do you wear a watch?
No

8) Have you ever glanced at the time and had to glance again because you didn't pay attention the first time? 
yep

9) Are most of your clocks digital or dial? 
half and half

10) What does your alarm clock sound like? 
It's my iPhone marimba. Oops, it's called something else now. Whatever Apple changed Marimba to in iOS7. Calypso? Yeah, yeah... my phone is downstairs. Shoot me.

11) Do you use the snooze feature on your alarm clock? 
Never. I'm a "pop out of bed at the sound of the alarm" kind of girl.

12) Does clock ticking drive you nuts? 
Yes. There was a ticking clock in the room down the hall when I was a teenager. I had frequent nightmares that it was scooting along the floor towards my room, ticking louder and louder as it approached.

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Eerie Elevators

I'm convinced the elevators at work are haunted.

The doors of one in the parking garage have the creepy habit every now and then of closing about halfway and then opening again, as if someone were stepping in. But no one is.

In the building, my company is on the second floor. The floors above us are taken up by another company and can only be accessed by key card on the elevators. Once, after I had pushed 2 in the building elevator, it skipped 2 and continued to 4. The 2 light went out as we passed. At floor 4, I was thinking I would finally see the top secret goings-on of our building mates. Mwahahaha!

But no.

The doors stayed closed and the elevator just sat there. I pushed 2 and it wouldn't light up. Just as I started to realize I may be STUCK, the button finally lit up and the elevator went to 2 and opened.

Good grief. Freaky!


Saturday 9: If It Makes You Happy
Sheryl Crow is a breast cancer survivor and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please spread the word about early detection.

1) What's something that always makes you happy?
music

2) In the lyrics, Sheryl refers to a poncho. How do you usually protect yourself from the rain? Poncho? Umbrella? Raincoat? Hat?
umbrella

3) Early in her career, Sheryl made ends meet by singing commercial jingles, including one for McDonald's. When was the last time you visited The Golden Arches?
I grabbed a coffee there on the way home from an Aggie game within the past couple of months.

4) Sheryl rode a horse into the ring of a Wyoming rodeo and then sang. Have you ever been to a rodeo?
Honey, I'm from Houston. I've been to a heap o' rodeos.

5) Sheryl lives outside of Nashville, which is known as Music City. What type of music do you listen to most often?
pop and alt-pop

6) Crazy Sam is a massive Sheryl Crow fan, and is sure that the only reason why she and Sheryl aren't best friends is that they haven't met. What famous person do you think could be your BFF?
Sandra Bullock

7) Sheryl and cyclist Lance Armstrong were once engaged. Had they tied the knot, she would have become stepmother to his three children. Are you a step-parent, stepsibling or stepchild?
Technically, I have 3 stepbrothers and a stepsister, but my dad remarried when I was an adult, and they all live on the east coast, so I don't have the typical step-relationship with them.

8) Sheryl has performed carols at the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington DC. Have you ever visited our nation's capital?
No, but I would love to!

9) Do you consider yourself easy going or do you have a fiery temperament?
Easy going. :)

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