Centuries Ago, A Stupendous Saturday

Now that my first quarter of college is complete, I have time to blog! …and do a million other things that I just haven’t had time for. For example, in the past 72 hours, I’ve learned how to make a yummy dessert, started reading Catch-22 (which has been on my list for ages), have actually made my bed, cleaned up my room and focused on MY own piano life, rather than those piano lives of my 7 peanuts (and large walnut – sounds offensive, but she’s older than me!)    (;

Let me continue from where I left off –

On Saturday in Arkansas, we slept in (er, Cody did – I was up at 7 and watching CSI with Momma =]). I can only take so much mystery so early in the morning, so I got my hoodie (it was that kind of chilly morning, where you can just feel autumn starting to take over), slipped my flippy floppys on (mistake? there was heavy dew – not quite used to it in Chicago) and walked outside to just take in all the green. I had remembered that last time I visited (in July), Cod and I took their 4-wheeler and drove full speed on the pasture  around his home (I love saying that.. straight outta a country song: “pasture around his home..”) I realized, however, that there were plastic bags tied around the fence. Thank goodness Cody told me about that when I was there in July because being a city girl like myself, I assumed that the plastic bag had flown out of some litterbug’s hand and gotten stuck on their fence. I… was very wrong. Turns out the plastic bag serves as a warning that the fence has an electric current running through it, thus shocking whoevers feels the need to trespass (read “Third Times the Charm” at the bottom of this post for a related story). Point is – I couldn’t find the entrance to the pasture and was beginning to wonder why a pasture should exist if one can’t even walk on it. My reflective mood morphed into a confused one, and a confused prettynerd isn’t a happynerd.  Obviously.

I heard “Marco!” from afar. I had to smile, and answered “Polo!” Cody found me and asked what I was up to. I expressed my sadness at not being able to run around the pasture to let free the suppressed country girl held inside my silly yankee body. He smiled and led me to this entrance (a huge thing that keeps the horses in?) and swung it open — I didn’t know I could have opened it! In the movies, only the cowboys do it! I, clearly, am not a cowboy. I was stunned, but very happy that I could now visit the green waiting for me.

It was gorgeous. Huge trees surround the property.. green, freshly mowed (and there is A LOT to mow), and morning dew on my feet. Their two horses were grazing; it was just a picture perfect moment.  The horses must have seen us and assumed we had food, because they started walk on over to us. We pet them for a while and then started walking back towards the house. As we were walking, the horses started following very close behind and, “Momma,” I believe her name is, started nudging her nose into Cody’s back. I say this while shaking my head.. those horses are not horses. Cody said it best: “What do you think y’all are? Yard dogs?” I’ve got to say, it’s the first time I felt I had bonded with a horse. She was nudging her nose into my hand! It was adorable! And yes, very dog like. Anywho.

We walked home hand in hand and had a nice breakfast and headed off to a purty lake – Lake Catherine. We took the boat with the tube and went tubing — I did get knocked off, but it took Cod’s dad quite a while – I wouldn’t go down without a fight! It’s fun shaking your fist, challening the guy on the boat. I wouldn’t suggest doing it often though – you might not handle the next gigantor waves they throw at you.

Dinner on Saturday was fantastic. I got to meet a lot of Cody’s cousins and yes, we played Uno again. See? The north and south aren’t that different after all. We just all need to play Uno as an ice breaker every now and then. If only it had existed before the Civil War broke out, huh? =)

**Third Times a Charm

Cody’s mom told me a story that included this evil, electric fence. Cody’s dad was sitting on porch looking onto the pasture and saw a baby deer. This deer tried passing through the pasture (smart deer, I think; s/he must have heard from somewhere that nothing good can come from playing on pavement). Poor guy got shocked once (stupid, I guess, who wouldn’t know that the plastic bags mean stay away!?), jumped back, walked forward again, got shocked again, and finally – after getting teased a third time (I feel so bad for just having exploited a deer for the entertainment of those reading my blog, but hey), the deer moved around and moved on.

Probably the best time of the weekend was Sunday, and that’ll be posted another day =).

Arkansas Adventures, Part I

 Family Friday

Forget about the fact that the first day of autumn is a couple days away and pretend today, Monday, September 20th, is the Friday of Labor Day weekend – a day where dreams of the possibilities and expectations arise in hope that what this one last summer weekend can offer you really is the topping on the cupcake. I had such dreams (goodness, sounds like I’m 80 and telling the miserable-version story of my life) on that Friday, and they were quickly coming true. You see, I’m in a long distance relationship (and have been for two years). The jam to my jelly lives in Philadelphia because of school, but he was raised in Arkansas. I was trekking my way over to O’Hare Airport to meet him, because his layover from PA to AR was in ORD (Why there’s a ‘D’ in O’Hare’s airport code has always buffled me). We met and giggled like five year olds finding out that our moms will let us play outside while we waited for our flight.

The flight was so fun. First off, I’ve never experienced a shorter flight. My first flight was to Poland, and it was a good 9 hours (count more, though, because we had a 2-3 hour layover in London). My second flight was also to PL and my third was to Costa Rica. The total flight time was about 7 hours (because we had to fly to Atlanta, then transfer to fly the rest of the way). SO – this 1.5 hour flight to Little Rock was so nice. It’s kind of peaceful knowing that, if I ever needed to, I could leave in 10 minutes (4pm) and be there by (5:30). Cody and I couldn’t sleep (as you could imagine – 5 year olds can’t really sleep when on a natural high), so we played individual games of Sudoku and manuevered our bodies to manipulate the direction the plane was headed (Cody swears that when he hugged me to him and brought me towards the window, the plane tipped every time. PS if I wasn’t the skinny minny I am, I would be offended, I’m sure. As luck would have it – the only thing that I can tip is.. no… wind tips me. Damn). We landed shortly and I got to see his beautiful parents – they really are a purty couple.

It’s a 45 minute drive from the airport (WHICH, FRIENDS FROM CHICAGO, HAS ONLY 1 TERMINAL AND.. 12? GATES. I was definitely south of the Mason-Dixon line =D)  to “Wit’s End Manor” so we talked and I got to drink in all the green I don’t see every day (If anyone ever feels the need to drown in steel and bricks, I can definitely provide; my hometowns got it all). After some dinner and dessert, we (Cody and I + Cody’s sister and her boyfriend + Cody’s momma) sat down and played some oldschool UNO (when you don’t have the color or the number, keep drawin’, baby!!)

It really was a great night — Quality time with family, AMAZING food, and three more days left until I had to fly back to Chicago. This really was a great weekend. I’ll write about Saturday, Sunday, and Monday soon! Subscribe to get the updates when they come! To the right of this post is an envelope icon. Click it, type in your e-mail address and you’ll get my posts (but you can always unsubscribe if you so desire – no hard feelings, because I don’t know who’s subscribed in the first place).

Happy Reading!

Beginnings (and excuses).

I woke up at 6:30 this morning to get ready for my 9:40am class. Why disturb my heavenly sleep so early? I’m asking myself the same thing. My initial reasoning was that I was being smart and allowing myself [plenty of] time to commute (bus, train, train) and find the building my honors world lit class would be housed in because I never walked by it before. I knew the general direction, and when I saw a building with vines, I figured it was time to change course and move east. I did, and wha-la, there stood my building. I glanced down at my phone (remember when, in the olden days, they used to say “glanced down at my watch.” How regal that sounds now) and saw I still had a whollleee hour before my class. So, rather than be lame and wait 40 minutes away on a bench like an elder feeding ducks (and even their time would be more exciting – they actually have ducks), I decided to explore. I am going to school in Chicago after all. I get off my tush and start walking, noting my backpack feels a tad heavier than I originally presumed it was going to be. I see a pretty building…. White, with small balcony-looking things on the window…. Hey! Look! A McDonalds!

And here I am.

In hindsight, I’m an idiot for waking up so early.

Moving on –

Since I’ve been busy, everyone seems to be asking how everything’s going since I just returned from a trip I took Labor Day weekend (I visited my boyfriend’s family in Arkansas). I have so many different things going on with school and my life and school and my life (intentionally repeated, don’t worry), that I feel like I can’t keep up with everyone I would like to. I love my friends to the death, but goodness do I feel overwhelmed. So – rather than respond to 2039470932742y facebooks individually (basically telling the whole story), I decided to write a post during my breaks between classes. Oh, and if you’re thinking “What!? I’m not worth a personal story?!” This should make you feel better.. It’s the honest truth that, because of my crazy busy schedule, you’d probably only get one or two broad stories. Here, you’ll get all the stories and all the details. Yay!) In the midst of this, however, I really am grateful that I have so many different people interested in what the hells going on in my life. If nothing else, y’all are just [forcing] me to write down memories that I know I’ll want to look back on when I’m 90. If it weren’t for you, I might not have even thought of creating a written record of this crazy transition in my life this week. Point is – thanks for honing in on the ‘nosy’ in you – it’s appreciated! =D

I’ll try really hard to get some of this last week posted soon. Stay tuned!

Don’t Question My Question!

The Grizzwells

Leave it up to Fate

I’ve been thinking the last couple of days about what topic to write about to interest my readers. The ones that have subscribed until now are either my best friends or those who have the same type of humor that I do: smart, dumb, random and nerdy. Inspiration has struck. Finally.

I have opened iTunes and will press play, hear one phrase, write it down, and then press “forward,” where iTunes will shuffle and find another random tune. I may skip two songs, rearrange phrases for comic purposes, and add a couple transition words every now and then.

I wonder if this will actually make sense. Enjoy!

Waitin’, watchin’ the clock; it’s four o’clock
Lazy yellow moon comin’ up tonight.
Four wheels tearin’ up a fresh green pasture,
Wind blowin’ on my face,
I got a pocket full of sunshine.
I would have given you all of my heart,
when I dropped to my knees in that field on your daddy’s farm.

Baby, I’ve been drifting away
I don’t know where I’m goin’,
I got my toes in the water.
I could hide ‘neath the wings of the blue bird as she sings.

I came to dance
Where the boys are.
Well I walked in, the band just started
Five p.m. rolls around,
Time goes by so slowly.
He didn’t have to wake up
I’ll never forget the first time that I heard,
“The lady that I know just came from Colombia. We met on the highway.”
It’s strange to hear your voice
I don’t want to hear about it anymore.

I was sittin’ on the doorstep
Phone rings, baby cries, TV, diet, guru, lies, “Good morning hunnie”
You told me, “I want a girl that won’t talk back.”
I close my eyes.
“Baby girl, I’ve been watching you all day.
Lay your head down on my shoulder.”
Just look at us, dust on our hearts.
How am I supposed to breathe without air?
All he could think was, “I’m too young for this.”
Seein’ you sittin’ alone
Honey, why you callin’ me so late?
“Because it’s a bittersweet symphony, this life.”
I will remember you.

I’m enjoying this. I can’t believe this became something. Can’t wait to do this again next time I’m bored hahahah

Ciao!