The Human Emotion

I didn't go to Vacation Bible School today. I know, I know, it's rude for the faculty to skip out on the last day of their obligations, BUT I had a very good reason. It's actually a horrible reason, but it's legitimate. So there's this guy who helps with the marching band named Roy, and his mother's been sick for a really long time. Well, a few days ago she died. I was really shocked when I went to the funeral today, and heard Roy speak. He cried. I know that this was a funeral and everything, but I've never seen the man cry before. He's always tough Roy, who yells at us and makes fun of us, and who we all know and love! So I was sitting there back in the choir loft, flabbergasted, gobsmacked even, to see tough, strong Roy, with tears steaking down his cheeks. And that's when I remembered my Grandmommy. She was the strongest person I had ever known, possibly even stronger than Roy. Not necessarily physically, but emotionally and spiritually, she could bowl anyone over. Even with various diseases to deal with, Grandmommy was a big fighter. She refused to let people do much for her. She was stubborn, like most of us in the family are. (No offense guys). But in a way that really made you feel like she could fly to the stars and back if she really had the mind to. She used to having a saying, that she would spout out several times whenever she came to visit us. ETSP. It stand for, Even This Shall Pass. And though sometimes I would only smile and nod to please her, deep down I have always known that her words were true. And watching Roy up there on the pulpit, trying to do and say the right things in the memory of his mother, I wish that I could have dug up that nugget of wisdom, from whatever cave inside my mind it was hiding in. The pain, the tears, it all fades with time, but the trick is to never forget the person whose memories have touched you in a way that changes your life forever. I know that sometimes, it feels like the world is falling down onto our feet, and that we will never find our footing again no matter how hard we persist. But the truth is, everything passes, and soon the world will be a blank canvas, ready for new problems and solutions. It has been a few months since my Grandmommy's passing, but only a few days for Roy's mother. The pain is still fresh inside of him, like a band-ade that has been ripped off of his bare skin. And even though I didn't get a chance to tell him at the funeral, I hope he knows that this pain will pass, and that even though she is gone, his mother's spirit is being carried on inside of him, just like my Grandmommy's is in me.



PEACE

What came first? The chicken, or the milk?

Well, as everyone may not be aware of, today is my mother's birthday. I will not reveal how old she is no matter how much any of you beg. Anyway, earlier tonight we went to Max&Erma's for dinner. (I got this amazing Tuscan chicken with artichokes and mushrooms in an herb butter sauce. Talk about delicious and probably completely fattening!). Well, my brother, my father, and I all got into a little argument while we chewed out simply scrumptious entres. Now, I'm not quite sure how this all got started, but it came to be that we were fighting over whether or not the egg is considered a dairy product. (Oh yes, we're deep people). My father's argument was that since the egg is located under the dairy sign at the Food Lion (which apparently a grocery store food placing is an authority on this matter) then they were, in fact, a dairy product. My brother and I were not impressed with this extraordinarily inferior tidbit of information. I mean come on people, dairy is a category that is described by any food made with milk. MILK. That comes from a cow, or a goat, or any such animal with utters. Last time I checked, chickens didn't have utters. They have eggs. Which has absoloutly nothing to do with milk. Well, it seems that my father believes that since he is now a doctor, he just automatically knows that what he says is true. (I tried to kindly point out that he is a doctor of THEOLOGY. Not eggs. But apparently you can learn a plethor of things that have absoloutly nothing to do with God in seminary). Well of course as soon as we got home, all three of us HAD to know. I would like to thank http://www.ochef.com/ for this lovely answer to our question!


But nowadays, the word dairy only has to do with milk and cream and related products: sour cream, butter, cheese, yogurt, etc. You may often find eggs and dairy categorized together (several Ochef directory pages lump them together, for example), but they remain as distinct as the species from which they come.


And so I must say to my father...BAM! (With, I'm sure the accompaniment of my brother). The egg is not a dairy product. How in the world does my family get into such arguments? Last time it was whether or not macaroni and cheese was a vegetable. But, that's a different story.


PEACE

Why Wasn't I Told This Before?!?!?!

So as I have told all of you out there who take time out of your lives to come and read this thing, I depart in about 10 days for my first beach trip with Linda. I am fully excited. Anyway, last night I went to her house because both her and my mother are president of the band boosters, and so they had some things to work out. (I'm sure my mother told me what they were, but i don't remember. I really should pay attentiont more often). Anyway, I was there, and to fill in the stretch of time where nothing was happening, Linda and I popped in a movie. Actually we popped in 3. That's right 3. Our parents are very productive people. First we watched the mildly entertaining, License to Wed, with hilarious Robin Williams. Then we watched Hairspray, with the ever ambitious Zac Efron. Then, although we didn't get to watch all of it, we popped in A Knight's Tale, featuring the gorgeous, and sadly missed Heath Ledger. Well, we're girls, so we talked throughout some of the duller parts, but became agitated when we couldn't hear due to our mothers laughing, and the sounds of our brothers going nuts over some weird card game. But, we shrugged it off and started talking about the beach trip. Get this...the beachouse that we're staying in, has an ELEVATOR! AN ELEVATOR! Who in the world has an elevator in a beachouse? I mean is the place that huge? Not that I'm complaining. Huge is quite lovely. AND, we have our own personal pool so we don't have to swim in the ocean. Which, will actually be an experience that I may miss, but will totally catch up on when I shove off to the outer banks with Kaitlin, which I am equally excited over! The beach house this year looks awesome, although I think we both agreed that we LOVED the house we had 2 years ago. I don't why. It had some kinda charm that I can't quite put my finger on. Oh well. I am anxiously awaiting my beach fun! See you later in cyber space!


PEACE

Nothing Else To Do

There is absoloutely nothing to do. Seriously. Except, of course, the mundane which includes watching television and cleaning the kitchen. (Which is something I am trying to put out of my mind but really must do before my parents get home from work). I suppose I could continue reading the book I am on, but for some reason, I don't feel like reading right now. Wow. Did I just type that? I must be sick, or dying, or some equally terrible. Maybe I have the bird flu. Gosh I hope not. That would be awfully inconvenient. Anyway, whether I'm sick or not, I just felt bored enough to write a blog entry on absoloutly nothing, except the strange fact that for the first time in my life I don't feel like reading. I guess the reason is because I am reading a series, and I don't have the next book, so I am DYING to know what happens. That really irks me, especially if I have no immediate plans to go to Barnes and Noble. Maybe I can scrounge up a few people to go see a movie just so that I can get the next book in the series. But that would be a little sad and desperate don't you think? Well, nothing of incredible interest has happened today. I woke up at 8 this morning to get ready for VBS. (The color for today was red. Tommorow it's blue. I love being in the know!). The bad part was, I stayed up late watching a Matthew Maconahay movie. (And no I don't know if that's really how you spell his name). And I couldn't not watch that. So I've been a little more tired than usual while herding a bunch of small children onto a playground and having them throw multicolored hats at me while they play on the monkey bars. I like to help with VBS though, because I loved it so much when I was young enough to do it. Plus, there's all kinds of yummy food in the teacher's lounge!

<3 PEACE

The Anatomy of a Clarinet and My Thoughts on The Election. (No, I do not care that these two subjects are completely unrelated).

I know that I have already posted today. But, since the whole black hole incident, i feel the need to catch up with you, my fellow bloggers. (Good news on that front by the way, I haven't run into any errant black holes just swimming around in the streets, so for those of you who were worrying, you may walk around safely now). Anyway, earlier tonight I was playing my clarinet again because, let's face it, I really need to practice. And upon disassembling the instrument, it occurred to me that I should share with the world the anatomy of a clarinet. The diagram above pretty much covers everything, unless you wanna get into the whole register key, ligature thing, which most of you probably don't. People are always amazed when i tell them that the clarinet has five separate parts that I have to assemble in order to play it. (Well, the people who have no idea what a clarinet is, at least.) Apparently, they think that it just pops out of the case fully assembled and rarin' to go. On the contrary, it takes time. But luckily for me, I have become an expert clarinet assembler. I really should time myself and see how fast I can put mine together.



Anyhoo, the big election is coming up, and may I say that I couldn't be more excited! I know that I can't vote, but still, it's nice to keep up with things like this. Anyway, I am living in an Obama Mania household. My mom and my brother and me all want Obama for president. And then there's my dad. He's a Mcain man himself. I don't know why though. He keeps saying the man has character because he was a prisoner of war, so I guess that's his basis for voting for him. Oh well, whatever will be will be. So far though, alot of the friends I have talked to about the election want Obama for president. (Props to Shannon for being the 'O' in 'Obama' at his big speech. Without her, he'd just be Bama). Then again, I don't really talk politics with alot of my friends. It gets kinda hairy, and I prefer to veer away from the path of confrontation if I can help it. Anyway, I, like the rest of America, will be waiting quite impatiently for the results of the election! Don't pull your hair out waiting for the outcome!

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Woah...Are You Serious?!?!?

Something truly amazing has happened if I do say so myself. I did something yesterday that I haven't done in AGES! I actually (getting ready for this now ya'll) PLAYED MY CLARINET! That's right, I, the ultimate procrastinator, actually practiced my intsrument. I know this will make Kaitlin oh so proud, yet slightly angry because she's a Flute Fool and practices that thing at any chance she can get. But sadly, her little Flute is in the shop right now, and she's going mildly insane over it. (And I use the term 'mildly' loosley). Anyway, after I played my lovely instrument, I cleaned it! Which is an activity in which I should partake more often. That thing was G-R-O-S-S gross. But, no worries, for now it idles in it's lovely case all clean and shiny, and raring to go for the next time I practice, which I fully intend to some time soon. Perhaps even tonight! See the thing is, I really have to practice my bum off this summer, because if I don't, Mr.U will have a cow that I haven't memorized my music for next year's marching show. Which, by the way, will be totally awesome. The shirt design is quite loverly and was designed by Devin, the french horn player and arTIST. For some reason I can't get it up here, but I'll keep trying. Hopefully I won't let myself get distracted this summer that I can work out all the kinks in the music, which is also awesome. (Props to Mr.U for picking some kick-butt music for next year's show).


In other completely unrelated news, I started Vacation Bible School today. I'm a floater, which basically means that I do whatever people tell me to. But the good news is, I have complete access to the teacher's lounge and all the food that comes with it! Quite yummy. The only strange part was, I didn't get the memo to dress in orange. WHOOPS! I wore a black shirt and showed up, and EVERYONE was wearing orange! I felt like a fish out of water! luckily, I know to wear red tommorow. I will not look like a fool again! Or I'll try not to anyway!

<3 PEACE

BREAKING NEWS!

Well hello there bloggers of the twenty first century! This is the twenty first century right? Oh well, in any case, you may have been wondering where I have been all this time. Well, the answer is quite simple my friends. I have been trapped in a black hole. Yes, I know this sounds a little far-fetched, but it is the truth, and I will not spen time rambling on about the details. Ill just leave that up to your imaginations. Anyhoo, something darn near amazing has happened! My father (who is also coincidentally a father of the church, something to chew on in your spare time) has actually BLOGGED! For months now he has been avoiding it, and I dont know why because he seems just oh so excited to become a part of the world wide web (for those of you who dont know, that's what the www thing is at the beginning of a url. I know, I'm just filled with nuggets of knowledge). He has submitted his first blog in his cozy little homepage, which I hope many of you will enjoy. My dad's all into the philosophy of popular television shows. (Figures).


And for those of you who dont know yet, I didnt make drum major. Which, most of you probably do, considering the fact that I moaned about it to just about everyone that would listen. Not that I'm upset or anything. I'm quite happy with my lowly little job of Personnel Manager, which, I am ecstatic to say, I will be doing with my friend Cassie. Yes, life is good as of now.

I also get to go to the beach TWICE! For an entire week both times! In two gigantic amazing beach houses! Once with Kaitlin, whose blog page you may view if you look under peeps, and Linda, who, sadly, has no blog page. But thats quite alright with me, because I get to go to the beach with her anyway!


Well, I must depart now. Here's hoping that I dont run into anymore black holes this summer. I shall be back soon to ramble on about my dull life, which you people seem to be so interested in reading. Oh, and props to Ronnie and Chelsea for all that BLOG SPAM!




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