Ignorant Historian

• Next week I’ll be spending my first Thanksgiving in North Carolina. I’ve been with my family in Kansas all but one Thanksgiving prior, but I knew it was time to break off and do my own thing. As much as I love my family, I struggled traveling for back-to-back holidays last year, and I allowed that to still some of my Christmas joy. This way, I’m already looking forward to Christmas in Kansas!

• Since I’m always traveling long distances on Thanksgiving, I never make any food for the Thanksgiving meal. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to make some Thanksgiving foods here or there, but never for “the” meal. This year I’m making the ham, sweet potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pies. I’m also planning on bringing a olive/pickle tray and spinach and artichoke dip for the all-important munching time.

• So yeah, I won’t be spending Thanksgiving alone, but my “family” here. I’m looking forward to it.

• And I’m also looking forward to decorating for Christmas next Friday. I still have a few “essential” decorations to pick up (basically everything associated with the tree). Can’t wait to show you guys pictures!

Showering Love on New Little Ones

• I didn’t apply for as many jobs this week, since I took a couple of days off of the search. I’m back at it though. My application count is now at 36.

• Working the election went well. It was much busier than the last time I worked, which is encouraging. I also saw about half a dozen people I knew, which I didn’t when I was working in my neighborhood.

• I took the day after the election completely “off” and just read all day. It was awesome. Unemployment definitely has it’s benefits.

• I got to spend some good time with people both in person and on the phone this week. Though it’s easy to get stuck in my self-made schedule, I want to make sure I’m always reaching out to others. I need that.

• I still haven’t turned on my heater. Neither the heat or air has been on since early September. It has become a bit of a game for me. I might have to turn it on this coming week as I’m having a few people over. I don’t mind freezing myself out (as if 57 degrees, the lowest my thermostat has gotten, is “freezing”), but I’m not going to do that to my guests!

I know I’ve shared how much I love my church on multiple occasions, but that love continues to grow. This past weekend my ABF group (Adult Bible Fellowship) went to the NC mountains. There were 14 adults, 7 teens, and 10 kids. We stayed in a bunkhouse with a huge common room, an industrial kitchen, and 16 rooms with 2 bunks each.

I love these people. If anything, the weekend seemed to go by too quickly. I’m sorry I don’t have any pictures of the beautiful property (the kids loved the horses, ducks, and kittens as well as a swinging bridge) or people, but since my cell had no reception, I turned it off immediately and didn’t carry it with me anywhere. Which also meant I didn’t have a camera, watch, or alarm clock.

As if I’d need an alarm clock when there were young ones running around…

One of the best parts of the weekend happened when we were leaving on Sunday. My friend Penny and I were the last to leave, as we were finishing up the clean up. When Penny put her key in the car to start it, the battery was dead.

Thankfully, her family lives in a nearby town, so we were able to get a jump from her brother so we could get into town and get the battery replaced. I’m glad that we got that extra time to talk, as at one point near the end of our 4-hour drive, tears were streaming down my face. She thought it was something she said, but really, it was just brokenness over my own sin. More on that later.

You can tell how much I enjoyed the company by how little I read. I only read 6 chapters of the Bible and maybe 15 pages of another book. Unheard of for me on a trip!

I’m very thankful for the refreshing, entertaining, and encouraging weekend. I have renewed my motivation to do what I need to do.

So, last weekend, I visited my college roommate in Texas. In the 6 years since we graduated from college, I’ve visited her at least once a year, and she has visited me a couple of times, too. We’re just that kind of friends.

But this trip was a bit different than previous ones. We still did many of the same activities. We went to the movies (so disappointed in the latest Pirates) and all our favorite restaurants (had to get my Mexican and barbecue fixes!).

But the Saturday before I visited her, her mother passed away. While she had had ongoing serious health problems, the timing of her death was still rather sudden as she had just been checked into the hospital the morning before.

So yes, the trip was much different than originally planned. But God knew and orchestrated the timing.

The first half of our extended weekend was spent with her extended family (some were in from Alaska), simply being. It wasn’t awkward…I fit right in. Despite the circumstances, they got some good time together, and I was glad to be a part.

I’m very thankful for the friendships I have. I love that I we can spend a year apart with only occasional interactions (need to do more!), and still pick up where we left off.

My birthday yesterday was just perfect.

There wasn’t anything flashy or over the top, but that’s why it was so great.

Tuesday (birthday eve), I worked from home as I had a package coming that required a signature.

What was in the package?

A Nook (thanks, Mom and Dad!).

That’s right, I’m now one of the growing population of readers who is reading electronically.  I haven’t given up paper books, but when I can, I’ll be reading electronically.  I’m a lazy reader, and prefer not to actually have to hold a book open.  I also like that it automatically remember where you were…once again, I’m lazy.

Then Wednesday, my birthday, was just right.  Lots of birthday wishes from friends and a generally pleasant day.  In the evening, a few friends came by and we had some appetizers, played some games, and of course, followed it up with some cake.  Looking back, it’s hard to describe why I enjoyed it so much, but trust me, I did.

1.  If you had to purchase all your friends’ gifts at one store for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

Does Amazon count? Because that’s pretty much where I buy the bulk of my gifts. If I had to pick a brick and mortar store, I guess I’d choose Target…at least it’s my favorite place to buy stuff for myself.

2.  What is more difficult for you: looking into someone’s eyes when you are telling someone how you feel, or looking into someone’s eyes when they are telling you how they feel?

Looking into someone’s eyes when they’re talking to me. Because I don’t know what they’re going to say, but I (usually) know what I’m going to say to someone else.

3. Not counting in the midst of a storm, where’s the windiest place you’ve been?

Definitely where I grew up: Wichita, Kansas.  It’s pretty much always windy there, and is like the 7th windiest city in the United States.  I remember watching outdoor scenes in movies growing up and thinking how fake they were because they wouldn’t have wind.  I didn’t realize that in many places, wind is abnormal and not an everyday thing.

Now, any time it’s windy, it reminds me of home.

4.  In what way is today better than yesterday?

I’m wearing socks that match my outfit. Yesterday I accidentally wore white socks with brown pants and shoes, and it bugged me all day.

5.  Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?

Yes, but probably not because I blog, but because I’ve graduated and all that.  Though reading book blogs has made my TBR list huge.

Since we all enjoy laughing at me (or the 22yo version of me), here’s another couple of posts from my Xanga days.  It’s amazing to me how much it reads just like a journal, and an un-interesting one at that. And clearly I didn’t know that it’s a big blogging no-no to write about your company on a blog.

Sunday, April 17, 2005
Today has been totally awesome…everytime I turn around I see another blessing from God!

This morning Dana and I went shopping and I bought an outfit for the Spring Banquet. It’s so cute! Then we went to lunch at Ted’s…it was delicious and complete with a Dr. Pepper to go.

At work I got trained on the Service Desk. It was a great change from regular cashiering and chances are I’ll be doing SD not too unfrequently now. It’s sad to see what people try to get away with. And not just your “average” criminal either. Anyone, from someone who looks like your grandma to someone who looks like your minister try to mess with Wal-mart and get money for free.

Being at the Service Desk is nice because the customers come and go, and I have a chance to walk around a lot as well as talk to people. I haven’t really had anyone get mad at me…yet. Though I’m sure that will happen soon.

Sorry to ramble on about Wal-mart. It’s just been cool to see how God’s been placing opportunities for me to develop relationships with my co-workers right in my lap!

Thursday, May 26, 2005

As most of you know, I work at Wal-mart. It’s a pretty decent job, and it’s a company that really looks out for the little people. However, over the past few months, one thing has became more and more obvious to me…

Wal-mart is obsessed with Sam Walton. Not just a little obsessed…majorly obsessed. The other day I took the time to look at how many mentions of him there are in the breakroom alone (it’s not just a closet, it’s 2x as big as the normal classroom at OU). There were 6 portraits of him, of only two different poses, and 12 quotes of things he said. This is in the breakroom alone, not counting the many quotes and pictures there are of him throughout the store. Every month in the employee’s magazine, there generally is an article that is republished from a speech he said back when he was still alive. Oh yeah, if you didn’t know, he died some time ago, in the early 90s I believe. That just makes everything more creepy. It makes me feel like he’s Big Brother or something.

Enough of that; I just had to get it off of my chest. It’s been bugging me. In less than a month, I’ll no longer work there.

I’m starting a new series here at the Ignorant Historian.  As I’ve been talking lately about my starts in the blogging world, it occurred to me that there were a few, umm, “gems” from my Xanga-ing days that I don’t want to lose sight of.  I won’t be featuring everything, but just a few here and there that made me snicker.  I think you’ll come to realize I wasn’t always quite the eloquent blogger I am now (ha!).

Here, with my first 3 Xanga posts in their entire, is my start in the weblogging world.  These are from the tail-end of my senior year at the University of Oklahoma.  I’m surprised anyone read these at all.

Friday, April 08, 2005
Okay, so it took me awhile to decide, but I figured I might as well start a xanga. I like hopping on the bandwagon as it starts to slow down. Actually, I generally like hopping. I should be researching for my 15-page research paper (due Tuesday). I suppose that was the final straw in my joining-xanga decision.

Saturday, April 09, 2005
So, an actual post. I’ve had a problem these last few days with my attire. The problem is, you see, that I have matched. Yesterday I matched (my nail polish and my shirt, of all things!) and Thursday I matched (my cute flip flops, my shirt, my bag, and my nails!). I’m having a major fashion crisis here! I am not cutesy enough to always match! That is why today, I am wearing a t-shirt.

I’m in the middle of writing my research paper over the constitution of Japan. It’s going fairly smoothly, but I would much rather be doing pretty much anything else.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005
I got found out.

Today at the Union, I tried to kick Mindy. However, my legs (being short, just ask Mindy) I have a very short radius on who I can kick so she quickly got out of harm’s way. However, I was caught. Brian snuck up from behind me and saw the whole thing. I publicly apologize for any harm I have caused.

Then, we went up the elevator. On the second floor the door opened, and there was a cart there. Mindy said, “Uh…I don’t know what to do…um…do I need to scoot over?” I just laughed and said, “Mindy, I don’t think the cart is going to come in on its own…”

Next, we went to Wendy’s where another “finding out” happened. I was publicly rebuked. I really can’t tell too much of the details, but if you are a girl, ask and I’ll tell you. Sarah, I thought we were better friends than this. I can’t help it if my shadow does everything I do.

In class today, I turned in my paper! I also gave a 5 minute presentation about my topic. I’m glad that’s over. I got to go second, which is awesome so I had the rest of the 2 hr. 50 min. class to sit there and zone out (I’m sorry, I tried to listen!) and do my best to comment on others’ presentations.

After class, Mindy and I went to Wal-mart, where we were promptly checked out (it’s not just me after all!) with my only purchase, Ocean’s 12! I only went about 20 feet and 2 minutes into the store; it was so nice.

Last, but certainly not least, I came home to my hall full of girls and was pleasantly greeted by the hottest member of the hall, Kerie. (she says Amen to that!)

Tonight will be my last night to sleep in my apartment.

While the big move is happening on Saturday morning, I’m taking advantage of my future roommate’s hospitality by not staying the night in my already-packed apartment.  I love the flexibility in this move (I’ve been bringing little stuff over for weeks).

As of this weekend, I’ll no longer be an apartment-dweller.

It feels like this move has been a long time coming.  I suppose that’s because I’ve known the whens and wheres of the move since last August.

As sad as it is to leave my roommate of 3 years, I’m ready for the change.  Living with Jen will be different, for sure.  It will take some adjusting for both of us.  It will force me to be less of a hermitess.

But yay for new beginnings!