The Tip.

After a long day (and long week already) of packing, working on my statement of purpose, juggling finances, accounts, reservations, flights, gifts, and my shredding sanity, a friend said "you're doing a good job."

Matthew had said this earlier, and it didn't sink in.

Thank you for saying that. You weren't even refering to my life, just the part of it you were writing about, but it helped Matthew's words permeate that thick skull surrounding the now-mush of a brain. Reading those words somehow cracked me open. And somehow in the stress and craziness of this week and this little point on my life's timeline, it was exactly what I needed to hear.

And also, I'm going to bed- taking your advice :)

Thank you friend.

Notes from ATL.

A few notes / observations from the Atlanta airport:

-The last time I was here, I was coming home from my honeymoon.

-It's "FOH" not Four.

-Garbage cans that have to plug in seem... too complex. MWT you'll be glad to know I wasn't defeated by them this time :)

- Krystal Burger was no where to be found in the terminals where I was... why? It eludes me every time.

-I don't like how the terminals go T>A>B>C>D>E Why is T in the beginning? And... well, why T? Also, for the record there is no rhyme or reason to the way Delta lands and departs their gates- none. Domestic Arrival T. International departure B. Domestic departure A. International departure T. WHAT?

- Atlanta feels like (and, oddly, smells like) vacation.

-There is a Bare Escentuals store in the ATL airport... and yet Utah doesn't have a SINGLE one? But Georgia gets one in the airport? Boo. But, v pretty stores.

- Little black baby boys are so cute, especially ones named Maurice, aged 2.

- They have free wireless in the airport. That is neat.

- I saw an ABP and it made me think of NYC.

- For some reason I thought of LR and JZ frequently. I thought of them getting married and going on their honeymoon whether to VT or MX, and just having a great time. I was thinking of them, for the record, in a wistful celebratory mood, not a creepy one.

- I thought of Whitney and my dearest sister when I saw their fave, Popeye's.

- It is strange when you have flown enough at age 23 (I'm 23 now, weird) to be extremely familiar with multiple airports. I blame this on living in Utah, of course, where you pretty much have to fly for an hour and a half at minimum to escape the state boarders.

For some reason I was thinking of these little tidbits I feel so familiar with:
Ex: The Relay opens at 6am in the Delta Domestic terminal 2 at JFK. Also, there are almost always birds if you have go to the higher number gates and pass through the open area with the Burger King. In concourse B at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky airport there is a Wolfgang Puck that features a delicious chicken caesar salad, and a little store called Zozo that has fascinating little gifts. Also, Gold Star Chili has a pretty decent taco salad, if you're ever on the run. And in Atlanta there used to be this awesome southern food bar that has now converted to a Checker's which actually has decent burgers, and NASCAR cups. There's a Brookstone on every corner in ATL, and there are TGIFriday's in terminals E and B, at the least. And... the garbage cans are crazy.

I don't know. I suppose its just weird to think of how many times I've been in these places- they so often feel familiar even though I don't really know them. So there's that, for what its worth.

Anyway... I'm at my Aunt's house in Virginia and it is so beautiful here. I'll write more again, probably next week before I head off to see my husband for the first time in 3.5 weeks. WOOHOOOO!

The Tour.

Well here are a few pictures of our apartment. Since I'll be taking it apart and packing it up I thought I'd snap a few shots. Also, we have to take pictures of our furniture pieces so when the military moves them in May we'll have a decent inventory...

The door... currently adorned with a wreath made my yours truly.

My sad, sad efforts at fall decorations. I had thought I'd get a little table to put right there, but after a while buying furniture when you know you're moving thousands of miles multiple times in a span of 6 months seems... dumb.

Le Kitchen.

The table. This also happens to be the table I built forts under as a child, and where the famous "mashed potatoes in the face" and other fabled childhood moments. A great inherited piece :)

The fabulous wine tower, a gift from my dear brothers and their better halves.

The living area and our extensive DVD collection.

The awesome table, another wedding gift, but its awesomeness
doesn't come across well on camera.

Larger look at the living room. Yes, I was watching TV. I'll buy lunch for anyone who can tell me what I was watching.

The dreaded and pestilent futon. This WILL disappear from the
collection as soon as we settle...anywhere...

The couch looks hideous in this picture, but keep in mind the reds are a bit more vibrant, and the quilt actually matches well, I love that thing. On the right you'll notice the fabulous quilt stand with the only two blankets we have...a lovely gift from the O's.

The bedroom- I love our lamp.

I love the bedspread. Guess which side is mine?

Our IKEA piece, holds quite a bit of clothing.

The closet.

And now... over to the kitchen again. Our fabulous and unbeatable knives.
Amazing. I highly recommend them.

The elmazing coffee maker.

Out of order, but there's another shot of the ol' quilty thing.

And the one place we have framed things on the wall.

A few of our cookbooks :) It is a blossoming collection.

And there you have it. A nice little tour, minus the bathroom but its
pretty boring and I forgot to take pictures of it anyway. Tada!

Guiliani wins Robertson, Loses Me?

Read this

I think it is possible that this is a BAD sign for Guiliani. Not that he had me, because I'm very much floating in moderate luke-warm indecisive waters these days, but still.

"You say you're supposed to be nice to the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians and the Methodists and this, that, and the other thing. Nonsense. I don't have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist. I can love the people who hold false opinions but I don't have to be nice to them."
-- Pat Robertson, The 700 Club television program, January 14, 1991

Umm... Ok.

"The feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism, and become lesbians.:
-- Pat Robertson, fundraising letter, 1992

Umm... Ok.

Just like what Nazi Germany did to the Jews, so liberal America is now doing to the evangelical Christians. It's no different. It is the same thing. It is happening all over again. It is the Democratic Congress, the liberal-based media and the homosexuals who want to destroy the Christians. Wholesale abuse and discrimination and the worst bigotry directed toward any group in America today. More terrible than anything suffered by any minority in history.
-- Pat Robertson, interview with Molly Ivins, 1993.

Umm... Ok.


I guess those are a few examples of why Pat Robertson does not represent my Evangelical Christian vote.

As If....

As if I wasn't in love with this grad program enough, I just found out that I could learn....

Arabic
Hebrew
Greek
Semitic Inscriptions
Ugaritic
Aramaic
Syriac
Akkadian
.... on top of any romance language or euro-lang. NERD ALERT! Goodness, this makes me want it even more.

Ayayay!

Today I begin the statement of purpose. Please ask me how its coming along- this will help me get it in gear :)

I Voted!

Did you do your civic duty and exercise your constitutional right today?

Coming to a Blog Near You.

Just a quick note to say that yes.... I will be posting soon.

Unexpected.

Well hello.

Sorry my blog the other day was a bit dramatic. But hey... being separated from your new husband is pretty dramatic, not gonna lie.

So.... in other news.........

I told you that I had heard back from two of three professors about grad school, both yeses to my request for a recommendation letter. I sent those out 2 weeks from yesterday ago (forgive the... whatever that was). I was talking with matt the other day about how I was kind of frustrated because I had tried two different e-mail addresses and there isn't really a way to call him. So I decide I'd take a risk and e-mail my Public Service professor. He would be a "better" recommendation than the unresponsive professor, but I hadn't had his class since Junior year so I was naturally a little worried about whether he'd remember.

I'd been putting off sending him an e-mail (the new prof) but today after a long meeting at work I decided to pull the trigger on the e-mail and just DO it to make sure I had given propper time for him to respond either way.

I then went over to hang out with my mom for a few, and about an hour later came back.. just now. And I had an e-mail... from THAT professor! HOLY CRAP! And he said that yes, he did remember me, and he'd be happy to recommend me! WOW! What a perfect twist! Not only is he willing, but he will be a much more "prestigious" recommendation, particularly for my chosen program, etc. I am so excited!

What an unexpected little gift!