tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6541727303060576112024-02-19T01:52:56.738-06:00A View from the (Carrot) TopEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-41301651972474833592016-04-23T08:10:00.001-05:002016-04-23T08:10:40.812-05:00Readathon Opening MemeBringing this old thing back to life for the Dewey's Readathon!<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">Nashville, Tennessee, USA</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">Death by the Book by Julianna Deering</span></span></span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">Black-and-white cookies from Publix -- love those things!</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">4) Tell us a little something about yourself! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">I'm studying to be a librarian, but I work in data entry for the time being. Also, I</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"> moved to Nashville from Dallas, TX in September and I;ve been LOVING it so far!</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">This is my 2nd readathon after October--I'm a cheerleader this year, so I plan to spend LESS time reading and my time cheering people on! So who knows what I'll get read!</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-73928932888554399212014-04-22T16:53:00.000-05:002014-04-22T16:53:00.388-05:00Country by CountryUnited States--visited plenty of different places<br />
<br />
Mexico--Thanksgiving cruise--forgot year; high school mission trip<br />
<br />
Canada--day trip after Alaskan cruise.<br />
<br />
Guatemala--mission trip March 2012<br />
<br />
The Bahamas--Spring Break 2005<br />
<br />
Belize--Thanksgiving cruise--forgot year<br />
<br />
Italy--cruise Summer 2006<br />
<br />
Spain--cruise Summer 2006<br />
<br />
Croatia--cruise Summer 2006<br />
<br />
Monaco--cruise Summer 2006<br />
<br />
France--Cannes on cruise Summer 2006; Paris on Senior Trip March 2009<br />
<br />
England--Senior Trip March 2009<br />
<br />
Scotland--Senior Trip March 2009<br />
<br />
Finland--cruise Summer 2010<br />
<br />
Sweden--cruise Summer 2010<br />
<br />
Estonia--cruise Summer 2010<br />
<br />
Norway--cruise Summer 2010<br />
<br />
Denmark--cruise Summer 2010<br />
<br />
Russia--cruise Summer 2010<br /><br />Germany-- cruise Summer 2010Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-56000480764384925092014-04-21T16:35:00.001-05:002014-04-21T16:35:39.659-05:00State by StateI want to visit all 50 states in my lifetime, but I've already made a pretty good dent. Thought I would write down the circumstances of my visit to each state.<br /><br />Texas--Lived here 1998-present; been to numerous locales around the state<br />
<br />
Kansas--born here 1990 and lived here until 1991; frequent trips back to family's lake cabin; most recent visit December 2013 (Topeka + suburbs)<br />
<br />
Missouri--lived here 1991-1998; frequent trips back to see family; most recent visit December 2013 (Kansas City + suburbs)<br />
<br />
Iowa--went several times as a kid; most recent visit July 2012 (West Branch)<br />
<br />
Oklahoma--driven through a variety of times on the Texas-to-Missouri trip; have family that lives here; Most recent visit December 2013 (Oklahoma City)<br />
<br />
Colorado--went once as a kid (don't remember it); most recent visit was in high school for a choir tour (Denver)<br />
<br />
Washington--went to Seattle March 2010.<br />
<br />
California--went to Los Angeles in high school on family trip<br />
<br />
New York--went to New York City in March 2001.<br />
<br />
Pennsylvania--went to Philadelphia in high school on family trip.<br />
<br />
Georgia--frequent trips to family's beach home on Jekyll Island; went to Atlanta on a choir tour in high school; most recent visit January 2012 (Jekyll Island)<br />
<br />
Florida--one trip to Walt Disney World as a kid; most recent visit January 2012 (Orlando)<br />
<br />
Illinois--one trip to Springfield as a kid; most recent visit August 2009 (Chicago)<br />
<br />
New Mexico--one trip to Albuquerque as a kid<br />
<br />
Washington, D.C.---one trip as a kid; most recent visit on high school choir tour.<br />
<br />
Maryland--high school choir tour went to Baltimore.<br />
<br />
North Carolina--trip to Outer Banks as a kid.<br />
<br />
Wyoming--trip to Yellowstone as a kid.<br />
<br />
South Dakota--trip to Mount Rushmore as a kid<br />
<br />
Michigan--trip to the Upper Peninsula as a kid<br />
<br />
Indiana--went to a United Methodist Student Foundation conference in Evanston in May 2010<br />
<br />
Alaska--cruise in Summer 2005<br />
<br />
Massachusetts--trip to Boston March 2014<br />
<br />
Virginia--one trip to Mount Vernon/Monticello as a kid; most recent visit Summer 2013 (Williamsburg)<br />
<br />
Tennessee--trip to Nashville on high school choir tour<br />
<br />
Louisiana--one trip to Shreveport as a kid; most recent visit on a mission trip to New Orleans in high school<br />
<br />
Arkansas--one trip to Little Rock as a kid; various family reunions; most recent visit in September 2013 (Eureka Springs)<br />
<br />
<b>Other:</b><br /><br />I've been to these states but only briefly, thus I don't count them in my total.<br /><br />Delaware--Got lost driving in Pennsylvania and ended up in Delaware for a few minutes.<br />
<br />
New Jersey--Rode the subway to New Jersey from New York City and then came back.<br />
<br />
Alabama--drove through while driving from Texas to Georgia as a kid.<br />
<br />
Mississippi--drove through while driving from Texas to Georgia as a kid.<br /><br />Kentucky--drove through while driving from Missouri to Georgia as a kid.<br />
<br />
Nebraska--drove through while driving from Missouri to South Dakota as a kid.<br />
<br />
Minnesota--had a layover in the Minneapolis airport flying from Texas to Alaska.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-73013708817693134032014-04-18T10:00:00.000-05:002014-04-18T10:00:07.383-05:00Boston Day 7<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">On our last full day in Boston, our nice weather came to an end. We awoke to 20 degrees and snowing. We ate, checked out of our hotel, drove the car back, and was dropped off at the subway by the nice and cute car rental manager. We rode back to the hotel we previously stayed at, checked in to a different room, and then immediately went straight back out to Quincy.</span><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">Quincy, I’m sad to say, was nearly a total bust. We got out there and first stopped for Dunkin’ Donuts coffee (which I had never had before) because it was FREEZING. It stopped snowing though. We then walked to the Visitor Center, only to find out that it was impractical to visit the 2 birthplaces (John Adams’ and John Quincy Adams’). Additionally, the church where the 2 presidents + their wives are buried was closed. We could visit the house John and Abigail bought later in life though. We had known all 3 houses were closed for winter, but had hoped to walk around a bit outside them. It was too cold to walk all the way out to the birthplaces and there was no public transportation out there.</span><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">We ate lunch at Sher-a-Punjab, an Indian restaurant across the street from the Visitor Center. We then toured the Quincy Historical Society Museum, which was small, but interesting. There was a lot about the extended Quincy and Adams families, as well as the Hancock family. After that, we walked to Peacefield, the house John and Abigail bought later in life and took pictures. It was unpleasant though, due to the cold. I peered in the windows, but could not see anything. I’m glad I got to see one house though. We walked back to the Visitor Center. Mom and I stopped in the church graveyard to see the extended Adams and Quincy family graves (John Adams’ parents, siblings, etc.). The presidents + wives are buried in a crypt within the church though. We walked back to the Visitor Center and watched a movie.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgparKlp3okF7gb7qVuvzA-1QnWilLEdx3vT5u2-fZXsdZHbLyK7PCSi7plRkH-XGS-tQVGFixjHd2VRHh5GImpAYhzSvXou06ICYjKbT70NDAl-Ls_UDehDZjMkCRc_FNLJLI8TfVu9VM/s1600/DSCF3262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgparKlp3okF7gb7qVuvzA-1QnWilLEdx3vT5u2-fZXsdZHbLyK7PCSi7plRkH-XGS-tQVGFixjHd2VRHh5GImpAYhzSvXou06ICYjKbT70NDAl-Ls_UDehDZjMkCRc_FNLJLI8TfVu9VM/s1600/DSCF3262.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(Peacefield)</div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">We left about 3:30 and rode the subway back for the last time. We had a quiet night, eating in the hotel restaurant. Mom and I used the hotel hot tub, which we had been saying we would do all week. We flew back the next morning.</span><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">And so our trip to Boston ended with a whimper. I’m disappointed about Quincy, but I definitely plan to come back someday in the summer (or at least later in spring) to see all 3 houses and the graves in their glory. We were extremely lucky to have 6 days of good weather and only 1 of bad. I enjoyed Boston a lot, and am glad I got to go.</span></span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-67802836549528127772014-04-17T10:30:00.000-05:002014-04-17T10:30:02.461-05:00Boston Day 6<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;">We got up and had breakfast at the hotel. In the winter, everything in Concord is either closed or it opens late, so we started our morning by driving around to take pictures—we took pictures of Emerson’s house (closed for the winter season), Nathaniel Hawthorne’s house (closed for renovations), and Louisa May Alcott’s house. It was expected to rain in the afternoon, so we wanted to get our pictures done early. We still had to read in the car for 30 minutes though.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMbeyU2PTA492E7Sz7w-xe6_-MtbA0qwIDWLn8D_ZzDgHt_gjvFnny-MAHYEjdyDB0mu5SmAsh_MVbJ6Se2HvX4xjyCmJ0NOI8rAwPWJWk_W6jrq8Fa9pUD8TMuq4zVd87aeT8DTunaY/s1600/DSCF3240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMbeyU2PTA492E7Sz7w-xe6_-MtbA0qwIDWLn8D_ZzDgHt_gjvFnny-MAHYEjdyDB0mu5SmAsh_MVbJ6Se2HvX4xjyCmJ0NOI8rAwPWJWk_W6jrq8Fa9pUD8TMuq4zVd87aeT8DTunaY/s1600/DSCF3240.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(Emerson's house)</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VKz1ME1MBCxF2Lqz7zMGlxGZf6FJ3LGtAjqVCvb8yxy6mpXptYbTv3Vp4XmtxofFRIH7eXOecHS1MsLDucZg-gatZPxmnY0RpxR55PRnjxrLlOVQqTINH3EWuJTPJOP8xFCpjE3ZClM/s1600/DSCF3236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VKz1ME1MBCxF2Lqz7zMGlxGZf6FJ3LGtAjqVCvb8yxy6mpXptYbTv3Vp4XmtxofFRIH7eXOecHS1MsLDucZg-gatZPxmnY0RpxR55PRnjxrLlOVQqTINH3EWuJTPJOP8xFCpjE3ZClM/s1600/DSCF3236.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(Louisa May Alcott's house)</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br />At 11, the Concord Museum opened. It is a small, but well-managed museum. Thoreau’s original desk is there as well as Ralph Waldo Emerson’s entire study. (I never could figure out why it’s not in his house.) There are period rooms and lots of interesting artifacts. Concord has had an impressive history from Indian times on.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwD8Do8rtpwbZry5SB6z8kNrMz2X-WW5BVC-AfRQtg5yC59q2VRUHWm5uO1a9GN0ykd3KMDI4-1UaHQIaIBfAz53ttfrODufbuFlrZFAei6Q3AzCeme743rRf9ggXiliK9yrWuBOZqjtg/s1600/DSCF3245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwD8Do8rtpwbZry5SB6z8kNrMz2X-WW5BVC-AfRQtg5yC59q2VRUHWm5uO1a9GN0ykd3KMDI4-1UaHQIaIBfAz53ttfrODufbuFlrZFAei6Q3AzCeme743rRf9ggXiliK9yrWuBOZqjtg/s1600/DSCF3245.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqk_w_llscT3zJMeG7tIyHfLcMkKz3-4Wo5vtHOvUVqERIrgHRSTH-tekRhMcQ4QPHXlSxdXLZLgdn33geRofB4kR28F_VqFtwnD1WznfW-2bcHy6jiDEE69ljNa0njnBU_ThFmCOPs8/s1600/DSCF3252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqk_w_llscT3zJMeG7tIyHfLcMkKz3-4Wo5vtHOvUVqERIrgHRSTH-tekRhMcQ4QPHXlSxdXLZLgdn33geRofB4kR28F_VqFtwnD1WznfW-2bcHy6jiDEE69ljNa0njnBU_ThFmCOPs8/s1600/DSCF3252.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br />We had lunch at the Trail’s End Cafe, which was delicious. We lingered a bit, but about 1:30, we headed for a tour of Louisa May Alcott’s house. It was a fairly typical home, but I enjoyed seeing her bedroom. The tour felt a bit rushed—I would have liked to linger, in Louisa’s room particularly. But I was pleased to see it and to learn a bit more about her and her family.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;">While we were touring the house, the rain started. We made a quick stop at the Concord Free Public Library, which was a gorgeous place. There were busts of all the Concord writers and each writer had their own section. Definitely a place I would frequent a lot if I lived in the area.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVABNDMhUcASnXaAo34RQvoOMzkQU18P0l0U7218aP0uIaQb566TkBLkCyv3hgnLe1gZIEgcxtsdYc7ggBBGAyQ-GN7gb4Fu-9w3Ye3kyim7W2Ks4KYuG-k1NiSZL7kBajP3mvPYkI2Ro/s1600/DSCF3256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVABNDMhUcASnXaAo34RQvoOMzkQU18P0l0U7218aP0uIaQb566TkBLkCyv3hgnLe1gZIEgcxtsdYc7ggBBGAyQ-GN7gb4Fu-9w3Ye3kyim7W2Ks4KYuG-k1NiSZL7kBajP3mvPYkI2Ro/s1600/DSCF3256.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(Emerson statute at the library.)</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br />We went back to the hotel and rested. We had leftovers for dinner, but then went out for dessert at Margarita’s, the Mexican restaurant next door to our hotel. I had HUGE sopapillas. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Interesting fact of the day: we typically say Henry David Thoreau’s name Ther-row, but apparently the proper way to say it is just like the word thorough. The guide at the Louisa May Alcott house informed us of this.</span></div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-76884129529865207422014-04-16T10:30:00.000-05:002014-04-16T10:30:02.759-05:00Boston Day 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">We got up early, ate breakfast, and checked out of our hotel. We took the subway and then the local bus to Lexington. We had reserved a rental car for noon, but got there early enough to pick it up by 11 am. We drove to downtown Concord and ate at the Colonial Inn. I had the Alcott sandwich, which I chose mostly due to its name. It was delicious though. After lunch, we explored downtown Concord before heading to the North Bridge, which is where the “shot heard ‘round the world” was fired. It was a lot smaller than I imagined for some reason. The path to the bridge wasn’t clear so our shoes got muddy and wet. But I enjoyed seeing the bridge—the weather was beautiful and the river was so clear. You can also see the Old Manse House, which was owned by Ralph Waldo Emerson’s grandfather—Ralph created some of his earliest writings there. Ralph also let Nathaniel Hawthorne and his wife live there for awhile as well.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5yR7YvwHrdLoNql1woFRn57tooxuUqz-5L8BKVPp4_uxqF4B5ELi6B2LcdK9bcG5Ewi2No3qrdtotxW0DIAiLYzmC7JtHZ7mU3qzgdxH8j-WcQ_ltdWPVgRUADjT-01wuNG1Aqv7FvvI/s1600/DSCF3185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5yR7YvwHrdLoNql1woFRn57tooxuUqz-5L8BKVPp4_uxqF4B5ELi6B2LcdK9bcG5Ewi2No3qrdtotxW0DIAiLYzmC7JtHZ7mU3qzgdxH8j-WcQ_ltdWPVgRUADjT-01wuNG1Aqv7FvvI/s1600/DSCF3185.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /><br />Next, we drove to Walden Pond, which was the highlight of the trip. We had to walk a LONG way in snow, but the weather was beautiful. The pond was frozen and I walked on it for awhile. When we got up to the site of Thoreau’s cabin, there was only foundation markers. We sat on them and watched the lake for awhile. It was extremely peaceful, and I could definitely see the appeal of living out there. We walked back and looked at the replica of the cabin, which was surprisingly well-furnished. Thoreau used his space wisely! It was my favorite part of the trip by far.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMykWcV3U_RSrwjmebfmXiZ8r85mhFvxPpQNSg_r88JJWem641TGWJgQd3k80cni9fTjZK7kJ2gAUE0wJbr0ij6Ss4q8eLw1HJiE6MIai77X93ijHDlhCgDBURaZxnc2ZPEYL1KGYIqY/s1600/DSCF3198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMykWcV3U_RSrwjmebfmXiZ8r85mhFvxPpQNSg_r88JJWem641TGWJgQd3k80cni9fTjZK7kJ2gAUE0wJbr0ij6Ss4q8eLw1HJiE6MIai77X93ijHDlhCgDBURaZxnc2ZPEYL1KGYIqY/s1600/DSCF3198.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLnHLFymJkt9S1IYx_NQfQr-FsQqBdbeWD01rDJOVtZr4abfcEZ9yLjtZIX9aau_V_vSjeegmknCwNGGMl8mP34A34QV1U_ok2FhQRwITIT_PsXV44OUg77RZLJR5I-fIZ6FFvGa0v18/s1600/DSCF3208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLnHLFymJkt9S1IYx_NQfQr-FsQqBdbeWD01rDJOVtZr4abfcEZ9yLjtZIX9aau_V_vSjeegmknCwNGGMl8mP34A34QV1U_ok2FhQRwITIT_PsXV44OUg77RZLJR5I-fIZ6FFvGa0v18/s1600/DSCF3208.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiten8wlrrkfBeDz2_W3qSCn-3_VngzH7FLxwjEaNSDiugh3l-3siwOqKnvB1k996HFH2PbRYvIuXviJhA8DP5UTKiWvDwm3Lqm-gb04quTwToGKUN1VnIKSwHAZlpegP1SwywZd-znDCw/s1600/DSCF3210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiten8wlrrkfBeDz2_W3qSCn-3_VngzH7FLxwjEaNSDiugh3l-3siwOqKnvB1k996HFH2PbRYvIuXviJhA8DP5UTKiWvDwm3Lqm-gb04quTwToGKUN1VnIKSwHAZlpegP1SwywZd-znDCw/s1600/DSCF3210.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsiHbtV25sgIL7U1mivubXQxpThoEA6yR2a8OfFgGE1SeS8RZVBnZAui03yqLMzroxKSyego-vS6SaZ0nZ12GHKr4YLAJZCe4u-9WH1i9fTAfg_BeJsmDMkoDrLgPLFbGO8YEF_f9eJ8/s1600/DSCF3216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsiHbtV25sgIL7U1mivubXQxpThoEA6yR2a8OfFgGE1SeS8RZVBnZAui03yqLMzroxKSyego-vS6SaZ0nZ12GHKr4YLAJZCe4u-9WH1i9fTAfg_BeJsmDMkoDrLgPLFbGO8YEF_f9eJ8/s1600/DSCF3216.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9X7gl_Cx1CexQ5RcZ13lvDUtRWAowErolc3cFx0nd1Mgf1P0QLEj4sCQ7xg82GVhiZwswzlE_S9_BuA44QudhWbdysW4iKOJYMH0IJlti2E-5s8urRT0-WeZhWOOo8Co6xIGkRj2910/s1600/DSCF3214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9X7gl_Cx1CexQ5RcZ13lvDUtRWAowErolc3cFx0nd1Mgf1P0QLEj4sCQ7xg82GVhiZwswzlE_S9_BuA44QudhWbdysW4iKOJYMH0IJlti2E-5s8urRT0-WeZhWOOo8Co6xIGkRj2910/s1600/DSCF3214.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Afterwards, we drove to Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. My parents were worn out, so I walked up to Authors’ Ridge by myself and saw the graves of Emerson, Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, along with their families. It took me awhile to find the graves, and two gentlemen directed me. The path up was icy and one of the gents asked if I was sure I wanted to go up. I told him that “I’ve come all the way from Texas, so I’ve got to go up!” The walk wasn’t that bad—there were handles. The sun was setting and I sat on a bench opposite Louisa’s grave for awhile. It was quite lovely.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyvoAnbLelKI-OvHrW_AQWdSmBJoLwePOgIABI5ACZS0BAhFAwsBeSRw85gfLiVkhAn1FzjXpsyPjUROW3GLHI1xcAGqN8VxlioovtCVXkvW4ddY2Ey-xlvAUnWCwjuPSzM1v0INV47s/s1600/DSCF3218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyvoAnbLelKI-OvHrW_AQWdSmBJoLwePOgIABI5ACZS0BAhFAwsBeSRw85gfLiVkhAn1FzjXpsyPjUROW3GLHI1xcAGqN8VxlioovtCVXkvW4ddY2Ey-xlvAUnWCwjuPSzM1v0INV47s/s1600/DSCF3218.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /><br />We went back to the hotel via the scenic route and rested for awhile. We had dinner at Lemon Grass Thai Restaurant in Lexington. It was terrible service though—don’t go there if you’re ever in Lexington.<br /><br />The weather was amazing—sunny and crisp. We picked the right time to come in my opinion. The paths weren’t the best, but the solitude made up for it. Apparently in the summer it gets horribly crowded in Concord, which I would not enjoy. Sitting at Thoreau’s cabin or at Louisa’s grave alone for 10 minutes or so would not happen in the summer. </span></div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-55476672924441474422014-04-15T10:30:00.000-05:002014-04-15T10:30:03.319-05:00Boston Day 4<span class="dailyprophet" style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 5px 0px 0px;"></span><span style="background-color: #dcbebe; font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
We got up at 8, but it took us awhile to get down to breakfast. We didn’t leave the hotel until around 10. We took the subway out to Harvard. We went to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and the Harvard Museum of Natural History. They were both impeccably designed and managed. I got done early, and read my Kindle in the lobby. About 1:30, we walked to Harvard Square. We ate at Charlie’s Kitchen, a student hangout recommended by the museum front desk. Afterwards, we walked to the main library but couldn’t go in. : ( We also looked at the Divinity School and Law School. (Yes, I totally quoted Legally Blonde, what kind of woman do you think I am?) We ended by going to the Harvard Semitic Museum. We walked back to the subway and got back to the hotel at 5:30. We rested, then went for dinner at Mario’s, a local Italian place recommended by the hotel about 8. We had dessert—mine was the most delicious cannoli!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBlB-cyF2ATn3TWoI5Z3LEJExorFgYob28L6xhiSah6jXqSqIlaq1vQqhgW24v-NrrtF9fIZw-cy7DmC4YL1Xuj-vFkGP-p_NTiw1vHC_B93z1nvqqu7kQ2oo6DtFrOcKLkmWI9SARwc/s1600/DSCF3159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBlB-cyF2ATn3TWoI5Z3LEJExorFgYob28L6xhiSah6jXqSqIlaq1vQqhgW24v-NrrtF9fIZw-cy7DmC4YL1Xuj-vFkGP-p_NTiw1vHC_B93z1nvqqu7kQ2oo6DtFrOcKLkmWI9SARwc/s1600/DSCF3159.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(Harvard)</div>
<br /><br />I liked Harvard, though it seemed like a typical college for all the hype said about it. Granted, I didn’t attend any classes or look at the dorm rooms or anything. Just looking at the student body though—if you took off their Harvard sweatshirts, they’d be average people. Walking around Harvard Square was interesting—Cambridge seems like a typical college town albeit richer. There’s an Urban Outfitters and a Lush in Harvard Square, along with a variety of other stores. But we ate at a restaurant in the square that was said to be a favorite student haunt and my entree only cost $6. The museums all clearly had money invested in them. There were professor offices throughout all three museums and it was interesting to peek in the windows.<br /><br />I also like the red brick buildings of Harvard. I’ve always held that a college with red brick is the “standard,” despite going to two schools that have barely any red brick. I think I just like the romance of it, though the cold dissuades me from ever going to an Ivy League school.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-68343105011300135352014-04-14T10:30:00.000-05:002014-04-14T10:30:03.095-05:00Boston Day 3<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">We got up at 8 and ate breakfast. We were planning to go to the Adams house today, but had misread the hours. Luckily, we noticed it was closed on Sunday before we went all the way out to Quincy. It took us awhile to decide what to do instead, so we didn’t leave the hotel until 9:30. We took the hotel shuttle, the subway, and finally the shuttle bus to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library on the campus of UMass-Boston.</span><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">UMass-Boston has a ton of construction going on, so obviously some of the economy is doing well. The Library is gorgeous with white brick and huge glass windows that overlook Boston Harbor. We ate lunch in the museum cafe, which also has a lovely view.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MgyrtvD8tljmW9jwYltx803wvF2_7p-2YOFVRXRzjAlbRnwVE5JcLo1AG9vKtnILTsYu2I-wUntm3nQgpPmBUm984VX8hrGs9FtZqQz0pQNSQFmf6-Me4MHEZ6M0wOYfGro0BFi1_cM/s1600/DSCF3147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MgyrtvD8tljmW9jwYltx803wvF2_7p-2YOFVRXRzjAlbRnwVE5JcLo1AG9vKtnILTsYu2I-wUntm3nQgpPmBUm984VX8hrGs9FtZqQz0pQNSQFmf6-Me4MHEZ6M0wOYfGro0BFi1_cM/s1600/DSCF3147.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ftqcTDQPNBDJSI0K4Iotfph9cLeQpAUVYTSJcGYRKFk_vv0PavqlQWFs_dayNXhmmedbssuDHFuuXGBXkeJHaczlRhoQW4WnkmKqGlOp_UIN7nY4JLVK-2zz47uiGxDD00ZJh6bFMak/s1600/DSCF3146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ftqcTDQPNBDJSI0K4Iotfph9cLeQpAUVYTSJcGYRKFk_vv0PavqlQWFs_dayNXhmmedbssuDHFuuXGBXkeJHaczlRhoQW4WnkmKqGlOp_UIN7nY4JLVK-2zz47uiGxDD00ZJh6bFMak/s1600/DSCF3146.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(View of Boston from outside the library.)</div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">The exhibits were nice, telling about JFK’s life, times, and presidency. All the usual suspects were there: the first lady’s dresses, family photos, the family Bible, Oval Office replica, etc. When you’ve been to seven presidential libraries, you start taking a critical eye. It was a bit on the smaller side, due to his shorter presidency. Mom and I got done way before Dad so I read my Kindle and walked around the grounds a bit. My Dad finished about 3:30 and we went back via shuttle bus and subway. We got off at the New England Aquarium and walked to the Boston Tea Party marker. There was a museum about the event that was closed, so we just took pictures of the Harbor. We rode the rest of the way back and got picked up and taken back to the hotel.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOR6MYCQMJ1G2_NeuxpF6pfITWn-ANpxGLHJxC4HE4-GVMAfW4a1uYQb4a1ekoODvEZufOzYt2GHw8osZS8u3JGsxa7lHIQHllYdzqM0p0gQiXsQqPCkh8WNpGPz31JaED4291NBHeUg/s1600/DSCF3156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOR6MYCQMJ1G2_NeuxpF6pfITWn-ANpxGLHJxC4HE4-GVMAfW4a1uYQb4a1ekoODvEZufOzYt2GHw8osZS8u3JGsxa7lHIQHllYdzqM0p0gQiXsQqPCkh8WNpGPz31JaED4291NBHeUg/s1600/DSCF3156.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(At Boston Harbor!)</div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">Mom and I had leftovers so we ate those and then shared a salad at the hotel restaurant while Dad ate. We had a quiet evening, reading and whatnot. </span></span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-8642093380850857852014-04-13T10:30:00.000-05:002014-04-13T10:30:00.289-05:00Boston Day 2<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">We got up at 8 and ate breakfast at the hotel. We took the hotel shuttle to the subway stop and then caught the subway to Park Street Station. We got off right in front of the Freedom Trail Visitor Center. Before we even went in, there was a guy announcing a guided tour. My parents LOVE guided tours, so we went for 90 minutes over the first half of the Freedom Trail with him. It was ok—he showed us the current Massachusetts State House, the Old State House, the graveyard where the Boston Massacre victims, Sam Adams, Paul Revere, and John Hancock are buried, various old buildings, and the site where the Boston Massacre took place. I kind of wanted to go at my own pace but whatever. It’s a little odd because Boston is so built up now—like the spot where the Boston Massacre happened is now a busy intersection with honking cars.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXuYfFRT1hpsoE1MoQBvoFrGFwnzktS4vty0QpUEifYj9fXL5PZwkviqfFqMSj1aZl_UH_Tdp1v2C805CLosIQdM67gxJiHFywTcxv6Hm0W9o3Uy4elynR2E1mdPnm_oW6kWp9x3JoRU/s1600/DSCF3121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXuYfFRT1hpsoE1MoQBvoFrGFwnzktS4vty0QpUEifYj9fXL5PZwkviqfFqMSj1aZl_UH_Tdp1v2C805CLosIQdM67gxJiHFywTcxv6Hm0W9o3Uy4elynR2E1mdPnm_oW6kWp9x3JoRU/s1600/DSCF3121.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(Site of Boston Massacre</div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">After the tour, my Dad was hungry so we ate a light lunch at Salty Dog in Quincy Market. We then went into the 2nd Freedom Trail Visitor Center (there’s one at the start and one at the halfway point). We watched a movie and got maps. I was impatient to get going and was extremely glad when we finally started walking the second half on our own at 1:30.</span><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">We walked through a huge chunk of Boston (the Freedom Trail is 2.5 miles long total), and it was so beautiful. It was GORGEOUS weather—the tour guide said it was the best weather they’d had all year. In the second half, we saw Paul Revere’s house, Old North Church (where the lanterns were hung during Paul Revere’s famous ride), and another old cemetery. We got to the Boston Shipyard and watched a brief video. My parents wanted to tour the USS Constitution, but boats aren’t my thing so I walked to Bunker Hill by myself. My parents have been to Boston before and have already seen most of what we saw, so they wanted to do a new thing.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-rjyuAyHwn-8r9GhgV315ek0McHgHhsUnXfNcqrWhMD8Gt1J_yjA0WaIcYqrXKtJyeI8FHc45sTFN4U1NwkPFQCFoc1wf_AOq59IyApWYa2XddBWPCzRCLNE_4fRCqqJe64_AjDNbwg/s1600/DSCF3134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-rjyuAyHwn-8r9GhgV315ek0McHgHhsUnXfNcqrWhMD8Gt1J_yjA0WaIcYqrXKtJyeI8FHc45sTFN4U1NwkPFQCFoc1wf_AOq59IyApWYa2XddBWPCzRCLNE_4fRCqqJe64_AjDNbwg/s1600/DSCF3134.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(Marker at each Freedom Trail site)</div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">Bunker Hill was my favorite part of the day, partially because I was alone (my parents can be wearing) and also because Bunker Hill is more in the suburbs so the walk was quiet and pretty. Also, the monument is on a hill and looks down on Boston and it is a spectacular view. People live all-around the monument and they were out walking their dogs due to the nice weather. Kids were playing around the monument green and there was a wedding party taking pictures.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwD2lPOUKwNZ6GgIOfOzsgB3vPehYoe5oJS5BsWSIbja-aBrNoGBRxGsr48Ryoriq0TyNx2xJ2guQ6oTr5fRYYg6naZ0fq5tavDh3SPa_FTlfpYoGiAQ0WN2u2zRy3ZDVfT_dU24iQFM/s1600/DSCF3135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwD2lPOUKwNZ6GgIOfOzsgB3vPehYoe5oJS5BsWSIbja-aBrNoGBRxGsr48Ryoriq0TyNx2xJ2guQ6oTr5fRYYg6naZ0fq5tavDh3SPa_FTlfpYoGiAQ0WN2u2zRy3ZDVfT_dU24iQFM/s1600/DSCF3135.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">I walked back to the Shipyard and read my Kindle while waiting for the parents to finish. At 4:15, we took the Charles River Ferry back across to near where we started. That was second-best part of the day as the view was lovely but it was cold. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHPZCdzHgZPfgb8CEMQ9F-LcgjfASt5w6XWRsoFKi9mxPDXMs-ccvOFKovsk0kEnZr_lMDSe0TrZb-8IvJIDV-zVBfzxzcsrqJkb9Nw9OA0qpUkgdDijMt0iFn67zKMBNqGTW4BVnKC4/s1600/DSCF3137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHPZCdzHgZPfgb8CEMQ9F-LcgjfASt5w6XWRsoFKi9mxPDXMs-ccvOFKovsk0kEnZr_lMDSe0TrZb-8IvJIDV-zVBfzxzcsrqJkb9Nw9OA0qpUkgdDijMt0iFn67zKMBNqGTW4BVnKC4/s1600/DSCF3137.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(Waiting for the ferry)</div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">We ate an early dinner at Union Oyster House, which is allegedly the oldest restaurant in America. Earlier in the day, the tour guide had told us there was going to be a reenactment of the Boston Massacre at the Old State House at 7. (The Massacre happened 244 years ago this week!) My Dad wanted to see it and get a good view, so we went back to the OSH and my Dad went to stand. Mom and I said no way to standing up in the cold for an hour, so we loitered in a nearby Staples for 40 minutes, sitting in their office chairs. We went back out 15 minutes before, but it was packed so we stood far back. We couldn’t see anything, but we heard it. It was actually funny because every time a Redcoat talked, everybody booed. It got over about 7:30, and Mom and I met up with Dad in the subway. We took the subway back and then had to wait for the shuttle. We got home about 8:15.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">In short: we walked a lot and Boston is cold. And the weather was only supposed to get worse unfortunately!</span></span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-36655514465572359462014-04-12T10:30:00.000-05:002014-04-12T10:30:00.925-05:00Boston Day 1<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">Thursday night I slept poorly due to a combination of coffee ice cream too late in the evening, excitement, and fear that I would oversleep. I got out of bed at 5:30, and got ready. I got Starbucks and caught the 7 am train. My parents picked me up and we were through security by 9. We had breakfast at TGI Friday’s—I had a cinnamon roll. After breakfast, we realized Dad had forgotten his suitcase at security. We found out it had been put in storage in Terminal E. Our flight was in Terminal A and there wasn’t time to retrieve it so Dad has no suitcase.</span><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">The flight was 3.5 hours long and they showed Frozen as the in-flight movie. I had not seen it yet, and I thought it was pretty cute. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjbDZomKlZmqnav0pefRWq-sgIyMR0hCtKsZjtcv3DV7MTHuaXf5mSQuTnueto95EqZrbgm8-viV8Bmb15QUPrrbzg3UEn3pyO7EvM8cEBredXYvp4dHAEF6qiw3ntnhlM7P7qwNVCbOw/s1600/DSCF3118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjbDZomKlZmqnav0pefRWq-sgIyMR0hCtKsZjtcv3DV7MTHuaXf5mSQuTnueto95EqZrbgm8-viV8Bmb15QUPrrbzg3UEn3pyO7EvM8cEBredXYvp4dHAEF6qiw3ntnhlM7P7qwNVCbOw/s1600/DSCF3118.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(First time I ever saw snow from above!)</div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Bodoni Recut FS', serif; line-height: 18px;">It was 3 when we arrived. We caught our hotel shuttle and rested in our room awhile. For dinner, we went to Jeraveli’s, the oldest Italian restaurant in Boston. When we got home, I took a 3-hour nap. After I awoke, I read awhile but I was so tired, I slept again at midnight. </span></span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-26887077806639818502014-04-11T22:35:00.000-05:002014-04-11T22:37:00.438-05:00SabbathI have gotten into the habit of going to Starbucks before church on Sunday mornings. Last Sunday, while I waiting for my drink, I started pondering whether going to Starbucks on Sunday was really a good idea.<br />
<br />
By contributing to Starbucks's profits on Sunday, I am ensuring that its employees have to work. That possibly deprives them of a chance to go to church or to have a Sabbath. Yes, maybe they can go to church on Saturday night or watch an online service later, but still. Contributing to worldly consumption on the holy day feels a bit off.<br />
<br />
And it's not just Starbucks. I grew up in a family where eating out for Sunday lunch was the standard. And we're by no means the only family to have that tradition--churchgoers descending on restaurants after church is universal--the "after-church lunch crowd." And when I worked at Target, it was a well-known fact that Sundays mornings were dead, but Sunday afternoons were nasty (because, you know, the ads came out and people wanted to be the first to get the good deal).<br />
<br />
There are a few places that close on Sunday--Chick-Fil-A and Hobby Lobby come to mind--but even then I know I'm just as guilty as anyone else of complaining that I craved CFA on Sundays and that I wished it was open. Target used to close on Sundays, but not so anymore. I'm surprised that they still close on Easter Sunday to be honest.<br />
<br />
What would it be like if Christians stopped spending money on Sundays? What if we went home for lunch and didn't get Starbucks (or donuts) before church? What if we didn't stop for gas or milk after Sunday Night Bible study? (These are all things that I have done in my life.) How would that change the economic patterns?<br />
<br />
Christians are good at turning out for causes they support--the CFA gay marriage scandal comes to mind. I remember watching the news and seeing lines wrapped around various CFA restaurants. What if we were that excited about NOT spending money on Sundays? Oh wait, that would inconvenience us. My bad.<br />
<br />
Recently, I have read two books about living purposely (<i>7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess</i> by Jen Hatmaker and <i>Flunking Sainthood</i> by Jana Riess). Both of these women did an experiment where they took the Sabbath seriously and did no work on Sundays. This was seen as unique enough to warrant an entire chapter of their respective books. Taking the Sabbath seriously in our culture is so rare that doing so can land you a book deal.<br />
<br />
So when we follow the Lord's command and take the Sabbath off, we give ourselves a pat on the back. Yet we don't seem to care if our brothers and sisters in the service industry get the opportunity to take the Sabbath. Is that truly OK?<br />
<br />
I think the problem is typically we DON'T take a Sabbath. Thus why would we care if others don't get one either? Busyness is so glorified now--Sundays are for sport games and birthday parties as far as Facebook is concerned. And we have to have fast food to cram into our faces between commitments.<br />
<br />
I think the problem is nearly insurmountable as long as our busyness culture prevails. Or at least as long as Christians subscribe to that mentality.<br />
<br />
Christians are a mighty force in American culture--we could instill major economic change if we put our minds to it and inconvenienced ourselves a bit. And maybe stores being closed on Sundays could be the norm again, and not the rare, applauded occurrence.<br />
<br />
And I'm going to stop going to Starbucks on Sundays.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-52321660681036886172014-02-24T16:37:00.001-06:002014-02-24T16:38:34.203-06:00Weekend at Home<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
I took the train home early Friday morning. My parents picked me up and we had a late breakfast. I went to the dentist and my Dad and I got Sonic drinks on the way home. We worked on tax things until 6. My brother got home and we had dinner at our excellent local BBQ place.<br />
<br />
Saturday, I flew with my Dad and brother to Lancaster, where there is a lovely restaurant at the airport. We ate breakfast and came home. I drove out to L & A's wedding. My friend K was there and we stuck together during the wedding. It was a fairly short event--I was home by 3:30. We didn't do much Saturday night--watched TV.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
<img data-mce-src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/088d65eabc68a86197386310c95e70a8/tumblr_inline_n1iubhAIGM1qajrvm.jpg" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/088d65eabc68a86197386310c95e70a8/tumblr_inline_n1iubhAIGM1qajrvm.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
(At the Lancaster Airport after breakfast Saturday morning. Picture by my brother.)</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
<img data-mce-src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/7f598a88e8f220aa1f510a750153204c/tumblr_inline_n1iulbdRA51qajrvm.jpg" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/7f598a88e8f220aa1f510a750153204c/tumblr_inline_n1iulbdRA51qajrvm.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
<span style="font-size: 14.44444465637207px;">(Waiting in the food line at the wedding. Picture by K.)</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
Sunday, I went to Sunday school and church. All 4 of us had brunch at a local restaurant that we love. My mom and I went to see "The Foreigner," a play at our local amateur playhouse. I got home about 4:30 and stayed home all evening. My mom and I watched Downton Abbey.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
<img data-mce-src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/3b053b555dc992b8eab6643e5e6cc10b/tumblr_inline_n1iu7jXfda1qajrvm.jpg" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/3b053b555dc992b8eab6643e5e6cc10b/tumblr_inline_n1iu7jXfda1qajrvm.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
(My brother and I after Sunday brunch. Yes, I did wear the same outfit twice. Picture by my Dad.) </div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 21.77777862548828px;">
Today, I packed up and put the guest room back in order. My Dad and I took the train to downtown Dallas and ate lunch down there. He rode back home and I rode back to school. Got home at 3. Now trying to force myself to do homework.<br />
<br />
It was a nice weekend. I'll see my parents in 11 freaking days when we go to BOSTON. I'll see my brother when we both come home for Easter.<br />
<br />
Also, at Sunday brunch, all 4 of us coordinated our calendars and dang is this summer going to be crazy.</div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-70609363124254003582014-01-02T01:17:00.001-06:002014-01-02T01:17:23.640-06:00Media Consumption 2013<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: 18pt;">I see WAY too many movies. I can barely remember what I’ve seen
and what I haven’t. So I’ve decided to keep a list of every movie I see in
2013. Unless otherwise noted, I’m seeing them for the first time.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: 18pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">1.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>The
Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) </strong>(previously viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">2.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Ruby
Sparks (2012)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">3.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Moneyball</strong> <strong>(2011)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">4.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Indiana
Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">5.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>Pitch
Perfect (2012)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">6.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>Groundhog
Day (1993)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">7.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Back to
the Future (1985)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">8.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Back to
the Future II (1989)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">9.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Back to
the Future III (1990)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">10.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Wimbledon
(2004) </strong>(previously viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">11.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Bridget
Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004) </strong>(previously viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">12.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>LOTR: The
Return of the King (2003) </strong>(previously viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">13.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Remember
the Titans (2000) </strong>(previously viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">14.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Atlantis:
The Lost Empire (2001) </strong>(previously viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">15.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>The
Breakfast Club (1985)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">16.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Kiki’s
Delivery Service (1989)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">17.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Oz the
Great and Powerful (2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">18.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Emperor
(2012)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">19.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Quartet
(2012)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">20.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Pretty
in Pink (1986)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">21.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Amelie
(2001)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">22.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Coffee
and Cigarettes (2003)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">23.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Clueless</strong> <strong>(1995)</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(previously viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">24.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>The
Aristocats</strong> <strong>(1970)</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(previously viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">25.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Beauty
and the Beast (1991) </strong>(previously viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">26.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>The Lion
King (1994) </strong>(previously viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">27.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Tangled
(2010) </strong>(previously viewed) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">28.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Brave
(2012) </strong>(previously viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">29.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>42
(2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">30.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>The
Great Gatsby (2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">31.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Star
Trek Into Darkness (2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">32.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Iron Man
III (2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">33.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Blazing
Saddles (1974)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">34.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Made of
Honor</strong> <strong>(2008)</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(previously
viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">35.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Love is
All You Need (2012)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">36.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>The
Kings of Summer (2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">37.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Zero
Dark Thirty (2012)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">38.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Blue
Like Jazz (2012)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">39.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Fill the
Void (2012)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">40.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Monsters
University (2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">41.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Despicable
Me (2010)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">42.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>Despicable
Me II (2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">43.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>Casa
de mi Padre (2012)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">44.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>Wreck-It
Ralph</strong> <strong>(2012)</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(previously
viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">45.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Blue
Jasmine (2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">46.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>Jurassic
Park (1993)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">47.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>Catherine
the Great (1995)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">48.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>Star
Trek (2009)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">49.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Sixteen
Candles (1985)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">50.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>Cast
Away (2000)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">51.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>The
King’s Speech (2010)</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span>(previously
viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">52.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Apollo
13 (1995)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">53.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>When
Harry Met Sally (1989) </strong>(previously viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">54.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Wall-E
(2008)</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(previously
viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">55.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Parkland
(2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">56.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>12 Years
a Slave (2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">57.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Diana
(2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">58.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>My
Week with Marilyn (2011)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">59.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>Hocus
Pocus (1993)</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span>(previously
viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">60.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>The
Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(previously
viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">61.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>You’ve
Got Mail (1998)</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span>(previously
viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">62.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Philomena
(2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">63.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Catching
Fire (2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">64.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>Elf
(2003)</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span>(previously
viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">65.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>The
Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug (2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">66.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>Saving
Mr. Banks (2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">67.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>Nebraska
(2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">68.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>Inside Llewyn Davis
(2013)</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">69.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><strong>The
Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug (2013)</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span>(previously
viewed)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">I don’t watch that much TV, but here’s the
shows I watched in 2013: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">1. 8 episodes of <strong>Mad Men</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span>(Season 5)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">2. 24 episodes of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Boardwalk Empire</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(Seasons 1 and 2)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">3. 9 episodes of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>How I Met Your Mother</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(Seasons 2 and 3)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">4. 17 episodes of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Smash</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(Season 2)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">5. 12 episodes of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>The Supersizers Go/Eat</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span>(Seasons 1 & 2)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">6. 2 episodes of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>Almost Human</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(Season 1)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
I claim to be a fan of these shows but am not caught up:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Downton Abbey</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">(missing most of Season 3) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Boardwalk Empire</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">(missing most of Season 3 and all of Season 4)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 18.0pt;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Mad Men</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">(missing most of Season 6)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-17487692248271630652013-12-16T10:37:00.000-06:002013-12-16T10:37:14.034-06:00A Long Weekend in Kansas CityThis past week, my great-aunt Charlene died. I didn't know her that well, but my Dad has fond memories of her. He and I decided to use her funeral as a catalyst for a short trip to Kansas City since we are not planning to go up for Christmas.<br />
<br />
Wednesday, my Dad arrived in Denton about noon. We had lunch at Cool Beans, a bar and grill close to my house. We got on I-35 N. We first tried to stop in Ardmore, Oklahoma for Sonic Happy Hour drinks, but missed the turn for the Sonic and just went on. We later stopped in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma and there got both our Sonic drinks and cherry pies at McDonald's. We got gas in Guthrie, Oklahoma. I drove from Guthrie to Wichita. We stopped for the night at Wichita, staying at a Motel 6. We had a very nice dinner at Hangar One Steakhouse.<br />
<br />
Thursday, we left the hotel about 9. We stopped for coffee and gas on the turnpike, and made it to Topeka around 11. We got our car washed, and then headed to see Mrs. G and her husband Max. Mrs. G is my "third grandma" who is 98. Max is 92 and is Mrs. G's 2nd husband. We had lunch in the dining room of their retirement home and then visited until 2:15.<br />
<br />
We left and stopped briefly at the Kansas Expo Center in Topeka to see if we could find the brick with our names on it in its pathway. There was too much slush though, so we headed to Meriden, where my family owns a cabin. We checked up on it and my Dad swept the deck. We then drove to Oskaloosa, the county seat, to pay the cabin taxes, but the office was closed.<br />
<br />
We drove on to Platte City, Missouri, which I consider to be my family's "homeland." We got McDonald's, checked gas stations for hotel coupons, and finally checked into the Super 8. We changed into our funeral clothes at the hotel, made a quick pitstop at Walgreen's to buy hearing aid batteries, and went to the Platte City United Methodist Church. We arrived shortly after 6, got in the visitation line, hugged many people, then sat in the pews and talked with our closer family members. At 7:30, they showed a slideshow and then the pastor spoke. He didn't know her so it was a tad generic. One of her grandkids got up and gave a lovely speech. After the service, we stood around and talked awhile.<br />
<br />
After we left the church, we got MORE McDonald's (definite roadtrip trend) and went to Aunt L and Uncle J's house to hang out with their family for awhile. We left around 11, went back to the hotel, and chilled.<br />
<br />
Friday, we had breakfast at the hotel, went to mail a letter, buy a brake light for my Dad's car, and visited the Platte City Cemetery, home of my family's plot. My cousin Bradley died in May and we went to check out his headstone. After all our errands, we drove to North Kansas City to see another great-aunt, my Aunt Bert. We went to lunch at Frank's, an Italian restaurant in Parkville. We then went back to her house where she had peach cobbler, homemade candy, and homemade caramel corn to snack on. We talked and looked at old pictures until 4:30. We then left to go back to Platte City. On our way, we got gas, bought oil, got drinks at McDonald's, and bought some goods at the local store. We picked up my cousins R and M at their home, and headed to Aunt L and Uncle J's home. We ate Mexican food and desserts. We had alcoholic eggnog, but I did not enjoy it. We talked and watched Elf. We left about 10:30 and went back to the Super 8.<br />
<br />
Saturday, we had breakfast at the hotel and left about 10:30. We drove to Cameron, Missouri, to see my Grandma. We had lunch at Dino's Diner, went to Wal-Mart, the hardware store, and Sutherland's. We went home and visited a bit. About 3, we drove back to Meriden. We arrived at the cabin around 5. We got the woodstove and propane heater going and then left to go to dinner. On the way to dinner, I discovered my phone was missing. We tore apart the car and wondered if I had left it in Cameron. We ate dinner at The Flying Tiger in Topeka. Afterwards, we drove home and found my phone (!) in the grass outside the cabin's front gate. We were pleased. We sat by the woodstove and read until about 11. We then slept--I slept well; Dad did not.<br /><br />Sunday, we got up and sang Christmas carols in lieu of church. We left about 10 and headed to Wichita. We stopped for coffee and gas in Emporia. We ate lunch at a BBQ place in Wichita. We kept driving and stopped for Sonic and gas in Guthrie. I drove from Emporia to Guthrie. We stopped once more for a bathroom stop, and then made it all the way to Denton. We had dinner at Red Lobster, and then went to see Desolation of Smaug. We finally got to my apartment about 11:15. We went to bed around 12.<br /><br />Today, we got up and had breakfast at IHOP. We went to pay my rent and stopped at Starbucks. Finally, my Dad packed up his stuff and headed home about 10. I'll go home tomorrow, but am spending one free day at my apartment. Tomorrow I have training for my volunteer position at 1 pm in Rockwall, and then I'll be home for the rest of the holidays.<br /><br />It was a sad reason to go up, but it was a lovely trip. My Dad and I had not traveled alone since I was 9 and we used to go back to St. Louis for my annual check-ups. We got along fairly well, with a few minor exceptions. (We have similar tempers, he and I.) We probably won't be back to Kansas City until summer. Our next trip is already planned---Boston for Spring Break! Hopefully there'll be a trip update then. And (hopefully) a few posts on this blog between now and then.<br /><br />I have a lot planned for my Christmas break! Fingers crossed that this was only the first adventure of the season. Hope everyone has a lovely Christmas! Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-64363279587504352772013-06-30T15:00:00.002-05:002013-06-30T15:02:30.642-05:00The WeekendI'm having a particularly good weekend and wanted to record it for my memories.<br />
<br />
Friday morning, I was at Union, a coffee shop on Dyer Street that is part church, part community gathering space. I was there for a session on the difference between ordained and laity ministry. It was an interesting talk---I have absolutely no desire to become ordained, but I love hearing other people's stories about their calling. I enjoyed an iced latte and a (especially delicious) strawberry-banana smoothie over the course of my 4.5 hours there.<br />
<br />
At 1, I returned home, quickly packed, and walked to the local DART station. I caught the 1:50 train to Rowlett and Mom came to pick me up. We ran errands and returned home where we got into the pool. It was my first time swimming in the pool all year, so it was particularly wonderful.<br />
<br />
At 6, we left (with Dad in tow) to eat at Luigi's, the best Italian place in town. We then saw 1776 at the local theatre, a wonderful show that I fully enjoyed. I'd seen the movie in AP US History back in 11th grade, but I ADORE Revolutionary History and musicals, so I was totally up to see it again.<br />
<br />
Saturday morning, Dad got me up at 7:30 (after not getting home until 11:30) and we went to ride our jet skis out on the local lake. It was wonderful--perfect temperature smooth waves, not many other water crafts Lovely, lovely. One day, I want to write a more detailed post on why I love jet--skiing. It was, once again, my first time to get on the jet skis for the year. We got home about 11, changed, ate our Italian leftovers, and then headed out (with Mom in tow) to see Monsters University at 12:30. I wanted to see it purely for nostalgia. I enjoyed it, but I'm definitely too old for cartoon movies--every single one of the previews just seemed so stupid to me.<br />
<br />
After the movie, we went back home to nap. I slept for 2 hours--it had already been a long day and we still had more to do! At 5, we drove to the local airport and loaded up in Dad's plane to fly to Sulphur Springs. We walk across the road from the Sulphur Springs airport to eat at the Red Barn Cafe. We had delicious sea food and saw a host of interesting people as always--SS is much more rural than our town.<br />
<br />
We flew back and then drove to the Harbor, a local shopping district by the lake. We set up lawn chairs by the lakefront and waited an hour for the Harbor's firework display--I of course had brought a book. The fireworks were spectacular, but they only lasted about 2 minutes so we decided we wouldn't go again. We came home, ate turtle ice cream, and then I stayed up far too late.<br />
<br />
Sunday, I got up, packed up my things, and had Dad drive me to church at 9 am (Mom goes to the early service, which I've haven't gotten up for in about 2 years). I attended my College Sunday School class and then the contemporary service with Mom. Afterwards, we met Dad at the Harbor to eat at the newest restaurant there. It was a seafood joint--I had tilapia.<br />
<br />
Mom had a visitation to go to, so Dad drove me back to my house in Dallas. We stopped at Target and then for shakes at Twisted Root Burger Company on the way back. Now, I'm home ready to begin week 4 of my internship!<br />
<br />
I have so many things to write about, including my internship, my postcollege life and plans, and just day-to-day things. But I'm too busy at the moment. Maybe one day I'll get back to work on this blog. But for now, Happy Summer!!Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-52938272772000386182012-12-03T21:04:00.001-06:002012-12-03T21:04:14.775-06:00Weverb Day 3--Staying in the MomentI'll admit that it's hard for me to stay in the moment. I spent my year wishing for summer, then wishing for school, then wishing to know what was happening after graduation. I'm definitely future-oriented--I'm up to my eyeballs in grad school things right now.<br />
<br />
For me, sitting in the Wesley garden is one way I slow down and appreciate the moment. Drinking cups of tea is another. Observing people is the best way I know to appreciate the moment though. You sit and watch and just think about everything that's going on around you. Staying in the moment is definitely hard for me. I'll try to be better in 2013.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-88643770581638589812012-12-02T22:47:00.000-06:002012-12-02T22:48:31.998-06:00Weverb Day 2--Movie Recommendations<span style="background-color: white;">To answer the question simply: My #1 movie this year was Bernie. Absolutely hilarious film. Encourage everyone to see it!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Movies I Would Recommend that were released in 2012: </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Avengers, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Frankenstein, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Dark Knight Rises, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Brave, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lincoln, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Hunger Games, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Lorax</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Movies that I will probably recommend in 2012: The Hobbit, Les Miserables, Hyde Park on the Hudson</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Also watched The Sandlot for the first time at the Wesley and saw Titanic 3D with a group of Wesley girlfriends. Both enjoyable movie experiences. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But my most memorable movie experience in 2012 was in April when my 6 cousins, brother, and I went to see Pirates: Band of Misfits the day after my aunt's funeral. We ordered way too much food, sat there in the dark dealing with </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">unwieldy</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> emotions, and had a bittersweet bonding experience. Sometimes it's not about the movie, but who you're with. I don't think I'll ever forget it.</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-27347275433295073692012-10-11T17:26:00.002-05:002012-10-11T17:27:59.591-05:00Fall Break 2012What inevitably happens, when I decide I'm going to be a cool blogger and take pictures of every second of my life, is that I forget to take pictures about halfway through the day. That's exactly what panned out over Fall Break.<br />
<br />
I had grand plans of taking a myriad of wannabe-Instagram pictures and making a "photo essay" of my time off. That failed because halfway through Monday I got bored with the picture-taking. Regardless, here's what I did over Fall Break.<br />
<br />
My break started at 8:50 on Thursday evening. I celebrated with eggrolls, coffee ice cream, and 2 episodes of Mad Men.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fIrjFzXSHwAA_YCQks0SlNBtMwn-NBy20dt-TCmEENabwWEewSj0Gmae3p2_RzNKGtiiGaA6KSsX_5RdeZVHOzEV5ATjf8v2nBYRBfMK8jAgxiLln36PLRhrbBhhk_rzv7yy4xmB12k/s1600/S7301650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fIrjFzXSHwAA_YCQks0SlNBtMwn-NBy20dt-TCmEENabwWEewSj0Gmae3p2_RzNKGtiiGaA6KSsX_5RdeZVHOzEV5ATjf8v2nBYRBfMK8jAgxiLln36PLRhrbBhhk_rzv7yy4xmB12k/s320/S7301650.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Friday morning, I stayed in bed way too late, and didn't leave for Rockwall until 11:30 am. But once I got home, my Dad took me to the new Greek restaurant in town. I had an excellent chicken shawarma and then we had baklava.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95RJbFoKXrrprOty7B2hzco7H9gcq9sJQWBP1ot86ENXGjd0vy4tgABKGO4qwzD08EcKeBS8Bl1j2Q2PL-DNicyd_txlzMLF2qK6_x__sfqJ3Z-l-1KAQQI1d-RfXrUwwVxR675oju58/s1600/S7301652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95RJbFoKXrrprOty7B2hzco7H9gcq9sJQWBP1ot86ENXGjd0vy4tgABKGO4qwzD08EcKeBS8Bl1j2Q2PL-DNicyd_txlzMLF2qK6_x__sfqJ3Z-l-1KAQQI1d-RfXrUwwVxR675oju58/s320/S7301652.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After lunch and a Starbucks stop, we came home and I spent the afternoon reading magazines--<i>Texas Monthly</i>, <i>Entertainment Weekly</i>, and <i>Guideposts</i>. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlUFHeGmD2spTH58VfDEAAB7wbBj6JmBMik2NIe_vYt-WaVTtl_jCENqr_cYc7sB9gOE6KXtsg4A-BDyJ1ZRM526zD2YDR8iSEx9vhe9WbAylhz_FfjGTeH4d8ZQVdwJ7xTR5jKT3AkY/s1600/S7301654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlUFHeGmD2spTH58VfDEAAB7wbBj6JmBMik2NIe_vYt-WaVTtl_jCENqr_cYc7sB9gOE6KXtsg4A-BDyJ1ZRM526zD2YDR8iSEx9vhe9WbAylhz_FfjGTeH4d8ZQVdwJ7xTR5jKT3AkY/s320/S7301654.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Friday evening, my Mom and I saw 9 to 5: The Musical at our local theatre. It was a nice mother-daughter date.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBddihpEDOaCSQttebgn2jYdgAdasK9jG3133NITnaAU1q-7v_Zrkzu8megjCd63Ri0BScYYoPz8KWHW7ht4ymlV9hRliPVG3b69exd0fWoq8DoIXutsE9uZdO8YhGSvx1BHSwF6vQoxE/s1600/S7301655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBddihpEDOaCSQttebgn2jYdgAdasK9jG3133NITnaAU1q-7v_Zrkzu8megjCd63Ri0BScYYoPz8KWHW7ht4ymlV9hRliPVG3b69exd0fWoq8DoIXutsE9uZdO8YhGSvx1BHSwF6vQoxE/s320/S7301655.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Saturday morning, I did nothing productive. I messed around on the computer, drank coffee, and stayed in my pajamas until 2 pm.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNGvc7KHGxPKkNg2m4trAOImKDjuluKFVZivUp7mq_xrKqXqqEB_lZjYGcFwTNtEgGNOJErNWp771ZFvDClD_wWM2kE0Ng0cHnJkhAtxD4ZLE67flgtfXQF2gm4aFOe1l-cYcrgMw1p4/s1600/S7301658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNGvc7KHGxPKkNg2m4trAOImKDjuluKFVZivUp7mq_xrKqXqqEB_lZjYGcFwTNtEgGNOJErNWp771ZFvDClD_wWM2kE0Ng0cHnJkhAtxD4ZLE67flgtfXQF2gm4aFOe1l-cYcrgMw1p4/s320/S7301658.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I attempted to read some Faulkner around 2:30 or so, but my parents were watching TV, so I got sucked in.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzA5LHvrQExr8cC3ImAw62eEGdGVjPk6KecZAV8D7sRuNOAACxvrE9oFEBBngE222wOkhZYNrP1nT958AOzF-AQUBd-P0e2F8glAptfJiMGY-q7pIZlKH4JeTAB66GjgSW8uSBLHdKxk/s1600/S7301659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzA5LHvrQExr8cC3ImAw62eEGdGVjPk6KecZAV8D7sRuNOAACxvrE9oFEBBngE222wOkhZYNrP1nT958AOzF-AQUBd-P0e2F8glAptfJiMGY-q7pIZlKH4JeTAB66GjgSW8uSBLHdKxk/s320/S7301659.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We went to see The Trouble with the Curve with Clint Eastwood and Amy Adams at 4 pm, just so we could get out of the house for awhile. After the movie, we drove down to Quinlan and ate at Richard's BBQ. I had excellent pulled pork.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjtxfnw5_AI3tEWUyuqhNjJF_t5u7N9zTvUV0fDY2tk8-RYGNc3QX_ONxn4S0ImtCkjysEy2Dtd6pADTmZVdzu60PGUfZpULlMSdqvX5Cz3-FNqdRBKvUzHhvjKAdZZ29YitU_m_AHqk/s1600/S7301662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjtxfnw5_AI3tEWUyuqhNjJF_t5u7N9zTvUV0fDY2tk8-RYGNc3QX_ONxn4S0ImtCkjysEy2Dtd6pADTmZVdzu60PGUfZpULlMSdqvX5Cz3-FNqdRBKvUzHhvjKAdZZ29YitU_m_AHqk/s320/S7301662.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Saturday night, we watched my parents' Australia pictures.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Sunday morning, I went to church at 11.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JFMJL6zLAo7sYOuz4ffRkKwNucxhnApFzc6ULc7khgQ1yNskzGaBdG4lK5yj07ozpYqbz1vc7Ac0HyOdEhaZNJUmDMQS7O7X3F1O9c3CIPk2lPhzyJ8lE9tW5e_I10u_OM4wA8wFToI/s1600/S7301663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JFMJL6zLAo7sYOuz4ffRkKwNucxhnApFzc6ULc7khgQ1yNskzGaBdG4lK5yj07ozpYqbz1vc7Ac0HyOdEhaZNJUmDMQS7O7X3F1O9c3CIPk2lPhzyJ8lE9tW5e_I10u_OM4wA8wFToI/s320/S7301663.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My cousin Caleb was in Dallas for the weekend, and came to have lunch with my parents and I. Afterwards, the two of us drove to Forney to go antique shopping.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3jujRLeN_eaq0xWni-zjd3hH7eP6XbacXRsw64JExPfqGRn-3EzmAZTkFYzJMXALECtGEOZOUwSjfrHMLHEmcHqayPJFFBTGCgMSjsPIbXLDmXWN4cFEIttgs9F68AYP4YeQyc-E_-8/s1600/S7301665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3jujRLeN_eaq0xWni-zjd3hH7eP6XbacXRsw64JExPfqGRn-3EzmAZTkFYzJMXALECtGEOZOUwSjfrHMLHEmcHqayPJFFBTGCgMSjsPIbXLDmXWN4cFEIttgs9F68AYP4YeQyc-E_-8/s320/S7301665.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOyXHU3c5NuaTG7hbfNah5DJKms3-_WNCujaH1-rU_AUf8_MQ0wbaX2Ul1z0Saz4gYG49QJs6zEAHFBFNECirkyApzF6aZHacKdIuTqI41svMDphZU27SDLPHTWiWCTKmQgmbCkYnbgU/s1600/S7301669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOyXHU3c5NuaTG7hbfNah5DJKms3-_WNCujaH1-rU_AUf8_MQ0wbaX2Ul1z0Saz4gYG49QJs6zEAHFBFNECirkyApzF6aZHacKdIuTqI41svMDphZU27SDLPHTWiWCTKmQgmbCkYnbgU/s320/S7301669.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We stopped for frozen yogurt at the Sweet Frog in Forney on the way home.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWlxX-ylqkNoiedTh9Z0C9Zb7GnalXxhZ9qHFMUicQIpr-YPbmOsnOEigIk9PDRibGORxdnfYthLs2myIuhhUYlFPZ7i1Z72jyTy_jCw8QLS4pyGCRS92mfmqJz3ffXPqlLnju2kHUys/s1600/S7301670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWlxX-ylqkNoiedTh9Z0C9Zb7GnalXxhZ9qHFMUicQIpr-YPbmOsnOEigIk9PDRibGORxdnfYthLs2myIuhhUYlFPZ7i1Z72jyTy_jCw8QLS4pyGCRS92mfmqJz3ffXPqlLnju2kHUys/s320/S7301670.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After he left, I took a late-afternoon nap. Both of my parents were busy during dinner, so I ate leftover BBQ and enjoyed one of my favorite bad habits: reading while at the dinner table.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDsFiY2WkTtOomBVvmjqtkJG8f_7sm3pveHmaRq1CMTn9_ysebHwLPrsFYxTjUqCUHvbBCUrGAwAm9G44J4QjfTWw-alZewVsARqtmk7btmavA3GqXn5d1sAwbV1KWxm3wxYnaBFYltGc/s1600/S7301673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDsFiY2WkTtOomBVvmjqtkJG8f_7sm3pveHmaRq1CMTn9_ysebHwLPrsFYxTjUqCUHvbBCUrGAwAm9G44J4QjfTWw-alZewVsARqtmk7btmavA3GqXn5d1sAwbV1KWxm3wxYnaBFYltGc/s320/S7301673.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Sunday night, my parents and I watched a TV special on Margaret Mitchell and I stayed up too late messing around on the internet. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Monday morning, I got up for a doctor's appointment, but it was cancelled. So I went back to bed until 11. I drove up to Greenville to have lunch with my dear friend Karen. She volunteers at the Greenville hospital MWF, so we just ate at the hospital canteen.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ5jXKFzpUdj2AHLX9GY-1hwI6IkJn_EXLDiad0UKIsF60u1LjvY31-qLNQME8qCezQP2ISPeD99iyyAhhk7cPo_jvpvi_wyh7KMk6loIfXYeOtmpczNolHtRv9vPXHd6R5IK-64JzOfM/s1600/S7301674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ5jXKFzpUdj2AHLX9GY-1hwI6IkJn_EXLDiad0UKIsF60u1LjvY31-qLNQME8qCezQP2ISPeD99iyyAhhk7cPo_jvpvi_wyh7KMk6loIfXYeOtmpczNolHtRv9vPXHd6R5IK-64JzOfM/s320/S7301674.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
When I got back home, the fun times were over. My parents are looking into changing my room into a guest room, so I spent Monday afternoon cleaning out stuff that I no longer want. I took down all my posters and gave a bunch of stuffed animals away. I cleaned out so much that I was able to give away an entire shelving unit. (Well I say give away...my mom took it for her own use. The Sears family is full of packrats I must say.)</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNgWuse1XS7xjw-U60MC8AQsfE98ST121qCD_Eek-hmVm1ZeXiMtS0-fQld0O5pKA9HPyrO22SnNXrm05Q26aeMsWRMBNp3qeX9I20YVBWH2nR5xKR_DFcxPvwEP6KjfE-WbotS7D7uQ/s1600/S7301676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNgWuse1XS7xjw-U60MC8AQsfE98ST121qCD_Eek-hmVm1ZeXiMtS0-fQld0O5pKA9HPyrO22SnNXrm05Q26aeMsWRMBNp3qeX9I20YVBWH2nR5xKR_DFcxPvwEP6KjfE-WbotS7D7uQ/s320/S7301676.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(During)</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMRVJ7kJ0t1NJkzy3RBRy-CDmVZzk20Ig522TUAkOvzJCAH82kMPft0qWIR5FmPkANi542VJWOCVDNIC6cZpzaBLew3jJU__8XCcPVIK7Acd3-aKONrLCJhcW-Q-07d-EhjE9nnHGP4w/s1600/S7301677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMRVJ7kJ0t1NJkzy3RBRy-CDmVZzk20Ig522TUAkOvzJCAH82kMPft0qWIR5FmPkANi542VJWOCVDNIC6cZpzaBLew3jJU__8XCcPVIK7Acd3-aKONrLCJhcW-Q-07d-EhjE9nnHGP4w/s320/S7301677.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(After)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Monday night, I spent a lot of time looking through our Marfa pictures (blog post about that trip coming soon I hope) and packing up the laundry that my Mom did for me. (I know, I know...I should be doing my own laundry. But she and Dad were doing their Australia laundry, so she told me to throw it in with theirs.) I attempted to read more Faulkner, but it didn't happen. My mom had bought a package of carmel apples for me, and I had one for my Monday evening dessert. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0E8hguwmNPJuzFfLjq74K5Q2pVmr8WoGSftehtoFxiC6u1jjnog9DzUUm-HBSMQWa6kjtJ2ThnX-3kGVRmPqkdAODa9dbPdVnSWtqbUWWFv-DWL0PPcvZZJGFIPxkhbg5LlwZRwNkKTg/s1600/S7301679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0E8hguwmNPJuzFfLjq74K5Q2pVmr8WoGSftehtoFxiC6u1jjnog9DzUUm-HBSMQWa6kjtJ2ThnX-3kGVRmPqkdAODa9dbPdVnSWtqbUWWFv-DWL0PPcvZZJGFIPxkhbg5LlwZRwNkKTg/s320/S7301679.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Tuesday morning, I got up at 10 and packed the car. At 11:45 I drove to church--my Mom volunteers there Monday and Tuesday. I ate lunch with her and her coworkers. My Dad came to church and we drove to get gas (he bought me a full tank of gas--Thanks Dad!) and then to Walmart to buy some new windshield wipers for my car which he installed. Then we said goodbye, I got in my car, and I drove back to Fort Worth. I stopped for Starbucks at the University Plaza before arriving at my apartment around 3 pm.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiVV1bfkeMDNBO49OXWbDi92c1OQ1KNQJi4FWX7Szb4FKsre_kvRjton2xc5ZqitqMVupAN94EPjE0PjXQ6-2ONPfTUDvDtW-g-eSBRG4JGFhbkEjG-18ErBRpfdeIHxb9D3NTrkfMNM/s1600/S7301680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiVV1bfkeMDNBO49OXWbDi92c1OQ1KNQJi4FWX7Szb4FKsre_kvRjton2xc5ZqitqMVupAN94EPjE0PjXQ6-2ONPfTUDvDtW-g-eSBRG4JGFhbkEjG-18ErBRpfdeIHxb9D3NTrkfMNM/s320/S7301680.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
(This drink marks my 30th Starbucks purchase this year, making me a Starbucks Gold Member. Yeah for disposable income I guess?)</div>
<br />
After getting back, I unpacked and put away my laundry and started this blogpost. At 5, I decided I needed to get serious about my Faulkner, so I went over to the Wesley to read. I lasted 30 pages before I decided I couldn't stand it anymore. I decided to make cupcakes for the Wesley leadership meeting instead. <span style="text-align: center;">They came out great and we had a nice meeting too. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwUZrf9mg8ZPSt3Zqh8a6wzkc-ntTTSEWbHK6Dl-g1SCk8sU3fE1-gx9HhgmDJbIsrzL__zXTSaSC79uxpMpyYnWp3E606W2ZwIi4ucJI94Emdj9jqJU4uXbEKp8QYict-L5ECx2M3bM/s1600/S7301682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwUZrf9mg8ZPSt3Zqh8a6wzkc-ntTTSEWbHK6Dl-g1SCk8sU3fE1-gx9HhgmDJbIsrzL__zXTSaSC79uxpMpyYnWp3E606W2ZwIi4ucJI94Emdj9jqJU4uXbEKp8QYict-L5ECx2M3bM/s320/S7301682.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmzqSEdHPGBK4HY7aOb2_xrtD4YYLdxWh0Flc_he95GEkCJv6Pdrw1Ol_kqr7QVjfvOocFn3Spu681enoUhbk9byUzoyx0mn1tfMAbMsHnqCWmfjm3LFZUEHKmGE-F4wNTkGZlgatjrU/s1600/S7301684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmzqSEdHPGBK4HY7aOb2_xrtD4YYLdxWh0Flc_he95GEkCJv6Pdrw1Ol_kqr7QVjfvOocFn3Spu681enoUhbk9byUzoyx0mn1tfMAbMsHnqCWmfjm3LFZUEHKmGE-F4wNTkGZlgatjrU/s320/S7301684.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1GDItzZcLibJA7Q_74i0SYB_Vw32WXAu3o90dQ18YhweaANrrMud2va0d5Mawud3ctZaEmcmp3z_56qYcyxy18kr6ZBbDuywJZOlxRgkKCOCbh5h6y6wdxgYFWAp-fKKSbP79orKDI8/s1600/S7301685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1GDItzZcLibJA7Q_74i0SYB_Vw32WXAu3o90dQ18YhweaANrrMud2va0d5Mawud3ctZaEmcmp3z_56qYcyxy18kr6ZBbDuywJZOlxRgkKCOCbh5h6y6wdxgYFWAp-fKKSbP79orKDI8/s320/S7301685.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCnG-euWKZz0f0StkIJYHvIpQzrsPQVq8-CvK69lMKzc1h7t0gxVm4mUYgilSEP3Awh1-LuYTRaCK3JT56GZxqqL2D4BUiDA300NqPeT99rRyV0JIpInyAWfWbh3eVwPcDCwwZdZvvV4/s1600/S7301686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCnG-euWKZz0f0StkIJYHvIpQzrsPQVq8-CvK69lMKzc1h7t0gxVm4mUYgilSEP3Awh1-LuYTRaCK3JT56GZxqqL2D4BUiDA300NqPeT99rRyV0JIpInyAWfWbh3eVwPcDCwwZdZvvV4/s320/S7301686.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Wednesday, Fall Break was technically over. However my one Wednesday class was cancelled, making it a pseudo-vacation day for me. I went to the Mission at 10 as I normally do, went out to lunch at El Rancho Grande with my fellow volunteers, came home and took a nap, and then went to the Wesley for Wednesday worship. All in all, not a bad day. And I didn't take a single picture.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I had class this morning, but I'm already done again for the week--this was the easiest school week in existence. Have plenty of homework to do and Mad Men episodes to watch tonight though. Also have a busy weekend ahead--movie night, working in the Wesley garden, watching the TCU-Baylor game, church, and small group.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hopefully, I will get my Marfa recap posted sometime next week! Until then, enjoy your weekend!</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-48555792762324121512012-08-20T15:16:00.000-05:002012-08-20T15:48:37.207-05:00Scholarly Summer: A Reading List<br />
<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">One of the things I do every summer is read a lot of books. Since this was possibly my last free summer, I decided to keep a list of all the books I read during these past 14 weeks. But now that the first day of school's arrived, the list must be considered finished. </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Part of the reason I kept this list is because I love reading about famous people's favorite books and their reading lists. I was recently fascinated by this list of Steven Soderbergh's pop-culture consumption (http://media.wnyc.org/media/resources/2011/Apr/06/Soderberghs_list.pdf). The man read multiple books a week while directing a major motion picture! There are a plethora of news articles and blogs that record celebrity pop-culture consumption. And I read all of them.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Back</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> in Harry Potter's heyday, Daniel Radcliffe used to occasionally update his website with the books and movies he'd consumed lately. Seeing as he was Daniel Radcliffe, he only listed about 2 or 3 books at a time. Since I'm not world-famous and have a bit more free time, I managed to get through 17 books this summer. Not bad. Here's the list in the order that I read them:</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<em style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">A Treasury of Great American Scandals: Tantalizing True Tales of Historic Misbehavior by the Founding Fathers and Others Who Let Freedom Swing</em><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">by Michael Farquhar</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">The Hobbit</em> by J.R.R. Tolkien</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">Breakfast at Tiffany’s</em> by Truman Capote</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
A collection of 3 short stories by Truman Capote: <em style="margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">House of Flowers</em>, <em style="outline: none 0px;">A Diamond Guitar</em>, and <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; outline: none 0px;">A Christmas Memory</em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life</em> by Donald Miller</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">Writers Gone Wild: The Feuds, Frolics, and Follies of Literature’s Great Adventurers, Drunkards, Lovers, Iconoclasts, and Misanthropes</em> by Bill Peschel </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes</em> by Elizabeth Bard</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">Atonement</em> by Ian McEwan</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">A Question of Attraction</em> by David Nicholls</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">One Day</em> by David Nicholls</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">Calico Joe</em> by John Grisham</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">A Long Fatal Love Chase</em> by Louisa May Alcott</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">In Cold Blood</em> by Truman Capote</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">The Fellowship of the Ring</em> by J.R.R. Tolkien</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">The Two Towers</em> by J.R.R. Tolkien</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">The Return of the King</i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> by J.R.R. Tolkien</span><br />
<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></i>
<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Summer at Tiffany</i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> by Majorie Hart</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
And though I didn't read every single page, I still must include the <i>Kaplan GRE 2013 Premier</i> in my list because I spent a significant amount of time this summer pouring over it.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
Before this summer, I had never read any Tokien. Nor Capote. Nor any of Alcott's work for adults. My goal this summer was to read as much important literature that I could. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
It wasn't all serious though. I indulged my love of trivia by reading the books of Peschel and Farquhar and my love of travel with Elizabeth Bard. I learned more about the art of writing with Miller. The Grisham and Hart books? Pure fun--I read both of those books in a DAY (two separate days mind you, but less than 24 hours for each one).</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
My reading of <i>Atonement</i> is a bit complicated. I have this quirk where I refuse to watch a movie without reading its book first. Well, I wanted to watch <u>Atonement</u> because Benedict Cumberbatch is in it. (I may be a tad obsessed with BC.) But my rule stuck. So I read <i>Atonement</i>, and at the time of this writing, I STILL have not actually seen the movie. (Fun Fact: BC is also in <u>Starter for Ten</u>, which is the film version of <i>A Question of Attraction</i>, but I didn't know that when I read the book. And I watched that film shortly after finishing the book and it was great!) </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
Also through my reading this summer, I found what kind of book I want to write---a interesting, unique, chockfull-of literary references book like Nicholls has done (twice over). Nicholls' writing made me feel that my knowledge of important books was severely lacking. When I finished <i>A Question of Attraction</i>, I went "Man, I hope I can write a book that good one day." And then I drove to the library and picked up <i>One Day</i> the next day. His writing is deceptively simple--intense emotions in few words. If I ever become famous for my prose and they ask who or what inspired me, I'm going to list Rowling, Fitzgerald, and Nicholls.<br />
<br />
As for my last book of the summer, I began <i>East of Eden</i> by John Steinbeck while on vacation. I was reading it for fun, which I realize makes me ridiculous. But I didn't finish it, and who knows when I'll get those last 200 pages read. Maybe Thanksgiving?</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
And now that school begins again, I'm still reading. My first book of the school year will be <i>Light in August</i> by William Faulkner for one of my English classes, the first of five Faulkner novels I'll be reading this semester.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">I really like keeping a list of the books that I read. Once I get out of school and have more free time (and more choice over what I read), I may make this a permanent habit---a never-ending list of books. </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-top: 10px; outline: none 0px;">
<br /></div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-78818406061544664682012-08-10T12:20:00.003-05:002012-08-12T15:28:35.744-05:00(Not) Looking for Love<i>I'm weird in that I read a lot of blogs written by women who are married and/or have children. One of these is <a href="http://modernmrsdarcy.com/2012/08/welcome-to-the-perspectives-on-life-and-love-carnival/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ModernMrsDarcy+%28modern+Mrs.+Darcy%29">Modern Mrs. Darcy</a>. This week she's doing a link-up post on love and marriage stories. Since a lot of her readers appear to be at a similar point of life to her, I thought I would offer a different perspective to the link-up, as someone who is not anywhere near ready for marriage.</i><br />
<br />
A few weeks ago, a friend of mine, a 21-year-old, and a fellow senior in college, updated her Facebook relationship status to Engaged. There were romantic pictures, plenty of likes and comments, a wedding date set for June 2013, and the realization that we are all getting older.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That last one was just me though. I think.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am 22 years old. I feel like my life is just beginning. I don't know everything. For all my boasting of being a grown-up, I don't truly know how the real world works. Life is easy when your parents pay your rent.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Shortly after this engagement announcement, my brother and I made a late-night run to Jack-in-the-Box. As we ate our burritos, I pondered.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"How can she get married? She doesn't even know what she's doing with her life yet!"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My brother, older and wiser at age 25 with a broken engagement under his belt, replied, "Marriage is about saying I put you first no matter what. She'll make her life plans adapt."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There are obvious reasons why I'm not the one getting married next summer. No boyfriend for one. But more than that, I want time to myself first. I have to learn how to "do adult life" before I add another person to the mix. I want to pay my own rent, have my own cat, buy my own car, go on my own vacations, and start saving for my own house before I share those responsibilities with another.<br />
<br />
Right now, my future plans are more important than my future husband. Is that bad to say? Going to grad school and getting a job consume me right now. My husband is merely a abstract figure that I sometimes dream about and pray for. And while I pray for him, I don't typically pray to find him. I pray for grad school exams and entry and for job opportunities, but not to find my husband. I think this is because I really don't have strong feelings about finding him right now. But I know that I'm too focused on my perceived goals. I need to also be keeping my eyes open for the possibilities of something else. And it's unrealistic to think that I'll be 100% settled when I marry. Part of marriage is going through the unsettled parts of life together.<br />
<br />
I've always been independent. It's thanks to my mother, the Montessori mom who, while getting married at age 23, still got her law degree and waited 10 years to have children. My mom was a working mother who taught her daughter that marriage was not a requirement. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I think a lot of women are afraid of not getting married. I'm afraid of the opposite: getting married and finding out it was a mistake. I want to be absolutely sure when I get married, and I don't think I would have that certainty right now. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As for being alone, I'm used to it. I spent my high school years being the girl who ate lunch in the corner while reading a book. I'm an introvert. I like choosing what to do and where to eat and making important decisions.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
At age 22, I've never been kissed. I'm certainly not actively looking for a boyfriend. It isn't that I've stopped looking really, it's that I've never seriously looked in the first place. I've had crushes before obviously, and I even have certain requirements for my husband. I may even have too many requirements. I don't worry about when or if I'll get married. I figure if I'm meant to be a wife, God will send the right man my way. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
With this logic, I already realize that there's a high probability that I'll end up a cat lady. But it's OK. My brother has ambitions to be a husband and father. I'll spoil my nieces and nephews rotten if I don't have my own children. Heck, I'll spoil them even if I do have my own!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Matthew Paul Turner has written that humans were made to have a spouse, that life was designed that way. I definitely get that. No doubt my future adult life would be easier with a husband who could do home repairs and open jars for me.<br />
<br />
Another deterrent is the divorce rate--I worry about getting involved with something that only has a 50% success rate. But I can't let that stop me either. If I meet the right man, then it's not going to be about the "institution" of marriage, it's going to be about him and me and the work we do to keep our marriage going. I do think humans as a whole are too independent. Society tells us that we should be happy ALL. THE. TIME. Which in a relationship with another human being is not going to work. People have to be wiling to struggle in a marriage sometimes.<br />
<br />
So Dearest Husband, I'm waiting for you. But I'm not mindlessly waiting I assure you. I'm getting my college degree, and going to grad school, and paying my own rent, and buying a car, and when you show up (or at least make yourself known), we'll do life together.<br />
<br />
So, after all those words, here's my story: Girl lives independently for as long as she needs to, Girl meets Boy, Girl and Boy date for at least a year, Girl and Boy have proper engagement and small wedding, Girl and Boy face the ups and downs of life together forever. And Girl gets to still be independent at times. Also Girl gets to always have cats. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-76563960313645902972012-08-09T13:38:00.003-05:002012-08-09T13:38:36.455-05:00It's OK Thursday<center>
<a href="http://www.brunchwithamber.com/" title="Its Ok Thursdays"><img alt="Its Ok Thursdays" src="http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac293/munchkin_land_designs/BlogDesigns/Buttons/ItsOkThursdaysButton.png" /></a></center>
<br />
<br />
It's OK to go to Chipotle multiple times a week.<br />
It's OK to always order the same thing at Starbucks. But it's OK to switch it up sometimes too.<br />
It's OK to get excited about your new planner.<br />
It's OK to stay up until 3 am (but only sometimes).<br />
It's OK to still be obsessed about the Olympics.<br />
It's OK to think Phelps is cuter than Lochte.<br />
It's OK to still love Disney movies at age 22.<br />
It's OK to spend two nights in a row hanging out with your parents.<br />
It's OK to be jealous that your parents are going to Australia.<br />
It's OK to be Type-A.<br />
It's OK to want a new kitty, but it's also OK to miss your old one.<br />
It's OK to be stressed about the GRE.<br />
It's OK to be interested in the workings of the United Methodist Church.<br />
It's OK to read JSTOR articles for fun.<br />
It's OK to be ready for summer to be over.<br />
<br />
What's OK with you this week?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-52774034934514428372012-08-07T12:42:00.000-05:002012-08-07T14:53:41.022-05:00I'm a Senior...Shouldn't I have this College thing down by now?My senior year of college begins in less than two weeks. In high school, being a senior was exciting. Now it's just terrifying. In about 40 weeks, I'll be out in the real world.<br />
<br />
Because the real world is getting closer and closer, I'm determined to make this last year the best one yet. To do so, I'm getting my organizational skills into gear! I want to do only things that will bring me success!<br />
<br />
I'm so Type-A that I've already written out a daily schedule for the semester and I hope to stick to it. And by daily schedule, I truly mean a DAILY schedule. Y'all, I've decided I want to sleep 12am-8am every. single. night. Do I actually believe that will happen? No. But I wrote into my schedule anyway because positive thinking yeah?<br />
<br />
The most obvious thing that would bring me success this coming semester (and school year) is to limit my tumblr, facebook, and Google Reader consumption. If I said I could view those things only on Sundays, then my school life would play out much better. I have a blocking program on my computer. Why don't I use it?<br />
<br />
I think in the past, I've had too much free time, so I have a false sense of security of what I can get done. I say, "Oh, I have 2 days to write that paper!" But then something unexpected comes up and I find myself up at 2 am the night before it's due, frantically writing. This semester though, I'm volunteering both at the library and the local mission, so I have more things to do. Less free time = tighter schedule. In addition to my volunteer gigs, I have Wesley activities and grad school/employment applications to fill my time. Plus, you know, actually doing all my homework in a TIMELY manner.<br />
<br />
In addition, I want to start living a healthier lifestyle. My plans for this goal include cooking healthy meals (microwaving may be quicker, but it's not good for you!), getting the afore-mentioned 8 hours of sleep a night, and working out regularly. In addition, I want to make time for daily Bible\God time. <br />
<br />
Also, writing regular blogs would be nice too.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
If I just did the basics every day, I'd have a lot less free time and wouldn't NEED to fill my time with the internet.<br />
<br />
I have the blessing/curse of having class only 4 days a week this semester, meaning my Fridays will be completely free. If I use those Fridays wisely and work on homework all day, then I will be much better off the rest of the week. I'd like to make it where I don't do homework on Sundays and if I really focus on Fridays, I can meet that goal. I shall see how these Fridays play out.<br />
<br />
I think another reason I always get behind is that I slack off the first week of school because it's "syllabus week" and classes are usually shorter and there are no assignments due yet. But if I got AHEAD on my reading (shocking I know) and worked hard on grad school stuff and other non-school things, then I wouldn't be wasting time and I wouldn't be so stressed later.<br />
<br />
The blessing of being a History major and English minor is that you get to READ a lot. Which is great because I love to read. But it's assigned reading and not always the most interesting stuff. I'm taking a class on Faulkner where I have to read FIVE books by Faulkner and one book of criticism on his work. That's a lot of Faulkner. I've never actually read any Faulkner before. Let's hope I like him.<br />
<br />
Also, here's an interesting thing. Despite being a history major, I'm not taking a single history class this semester. This is because I've finished with my history plan (besides my thesis), so any history classes I take now would only count for hours, nothing else. I'll be writing my thesis in the spring (which is totally NOT recommended by the History Department. But since I didn't become a History major until the spring of my sophomore year, I was behind on the typical history major plan.)<br />
<br />
It's my senior year. I'd like to end my college experience on a positive note. Sure, I'm probably headed to grad school, but it's not the same really. If I just force myself into a regular schedule of useful activities, then I'll see many benefits I'm sure. I don't want to be stuck in the same rut of the past three years. I want to do more than I believe I can.<br />
<br />
<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-28894331169572916772012-07-24T20:55:00.000-05:002012-08-01T10:16:01.979-05:00A Midwestern JauntI haven't written a blog post in over a year. This is because during school I'm too busy and during the summer I'm too boring. But since I've just returned from a lovely trip to the Midwest, I figured I could write down a few things about my time there. It won't be a blow-by-blow, but rather some general impressions.<br />
<br />
As always, I was in awe of the journey to Kansas City in the plane. It took us four hours, which is a great relief after years of the ten-hour car trip. The clouds on our return trip were so puffy that I felt that if I could open my door and jump out, they'd catch me. I hope in heaven, one can ride on a cloud. I'm looking forward to it. On the way there I slept 2 of the 4 hours, but on the way home I found it harder to do so. Instead I watched the scenery. Flying over Kansas City itself is always a treat, as we see things like the Royal Stadium, the shuttlecocks on the Nelson lawn, the Plaza, the building where my Uncle John works, and more. But the plains of Kansas are almost as interesting to see--miles and miles of nothing and then a solitary house pops out of nowhere! But always, the most exciting part is flying over Rockwall and knowing that we're nearly home.<br />
<br />
As for Kansas City itself, it is always full of adventure. We spent three days at our lake cabin in the heart of Kansas. It is outside of a farm town of only 800 people called Meriden--the only restaurants are a Subway, a pizza place, and a hamburger joint. But it is only 20 miles to Lawrence one way and 20 miles to Topeka the other. And most importantly, the cabin is only 3 miles from Perry Lake.<br />
<br />
We didn't go to the lake though. We hung about the cabin, reading and napping and cleaning. I got 400 pages of the Lord of The Rings trilogy read (all of The Fellowship and half of The Two Towers). The first night we were there, there was an absurdly loud storm--lightning and thunder galore! The cabin has no insulation, so the rattling was quite apparent.<br />
<br />
The cabin is both worst and better than I could ever describe. There's no running water and no electricity, but we do have a port-a-potty and a generator to run fans at night. The view is glorious and we have a deck that is shaded by the most beautiful trees where we spend the days. We shower at the Perry Lake Campsite showers--always a fun time with the slimy floors and no shower curtains!<br />
<br />
But the cabin will always be dear to me, as many of my fondest childhood memories took place there.<br />
<br />
(And I've already decided that any future husband of mine has to survive at least three days there before I'll agree to marry him.)<br />
<br />
On the second day at the cabin, we went to Lawrence and ate BBQ with my dad's family. Afterwards, we had absurdly expensive cupcakes at the shop next door, and then I went with my cousins to Platte City, Missouri to spend the night at their house. We stayed up late, watched a weird movie, tried on clothes (hand-me-downs galore!!! I love having older female cousins!), and in general had fun. Sleepovers at Aunt Libby and Uncle John's are looked forward to, believe me.<br />
<br />
The next morning, we all went back to the cabin and spent the day together. The boys shot their guns, we ate too much food, and it was a typical Sears-Miller family gathering.<br />
<br />
But now I must tell you about the thresher reunion. The thresher reunion was in Meriden all weekend. Friday afternoon we went for 2 hours--we watched the local farmers thresh hay, pull tractors, chop wood, and toured the facilities. There's a blacksmith shop and a cotton mill on the grounds, along with several other buildings. It was so absurd to me--how many people even know where Meriden, Kansas IS, much less spend a significant amount of time there? And who else besides the Sears family would spend an afternoon at a thresher reunion? But then on Saturday, after our family left, we went back to the reunion to listen to music in the local dance barn. My mom and I danced the Cupid Shuffle, and I did the Twist by myself. We got our money's worth out of that reunion. And a nice button to boot.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOYRhE7vifoeiT0jGOja0-wDVA9SMSrJu77nUGz11O193L6VWKXNVc2NLS3-oz6uHcVwW7o9F-x97M5RvC1TDCd_0qqgtZ0GIf4EVPjjgF-WAB3oy7V7UNq0q_0Gk9NRGXvftFqBJZbX0/s1600/SAM_0033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOYRhE7vifoeiT0jGOja0-wDVA9SMSrJu77nUGz11O193L6VWKXNVc2NLS3-oz6uHcVwW7o9F-x97M5RvC1TDCd_0qqgtZ0GIf4EVPjjgF-WAB3oy7V7UNq0q_0Gk9NRGXvftFqBJZbX0/s320/SAM_0033.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(This is actually from later in our trip, but it's a good representation of the things we saw at the thresher reunion.)</div>
<br />
<br />
But once we moved on from the cabin, it was time to go to Iowa! My parents, my grandma, and I drove from her home in Cameron, Missouri to West Branch, Iowa to visit my fifth presidential library, that of Herbert Hoover. It was a lovely drive through the plains and cornfields of Iowa. And in Iowa, we got around to taking pictures!<br />
<br />
We stayed in Iowa City and had a wonderful dinner at the Iowa River Power Company, with a gorgeous view of the Iowa River!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyW5d3b12EiBbhMjhFQYbAXCZt1DRl9AycTH4pkRL7qi_hJhyphenhyphengmsXNqcSpXwPTGw7A78ULdHG3IQrUfWIK32HCihh_08_slbUceDnZkpTwHpwkbfVCoIZSLbTIclQG5JZij0jeeBN-OI/s1600/SAM_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyW5d3b12EiBbhMjhFQYbAXCZt1DRl9AycTH4pkRL7qi_hJhyphenhyphengmsXNqcSpXwPTGw7A78ULdHG3IQrUfWIK32HCihh_08_slbUceDnZkpTwHpwkbfVCoIZSLbTIclQG5JZij0jeeBN-OI/s320/SAM_0002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(The outside of the IRPC)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1098611961"></span><span id="goog_1098611962"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs69zdT301AGrC_-sL9lIDNTCSWk4OI1IcAGYM__bLyXNlQdqd024mHH7u6Dv_kIauMxOxbiKThlgTXruGFl8v09Qb2NpejsPcGIirWBoe6S2lCzAGXSNyYxIKJOcrryakx0Efm-J2sos/s1600/SAM_0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs69zdT301AGrC_-sL9lIDNTCSWk4OI1IcAGYM__bLyXNlQdqd024mHH7u6Dv_kIauMxOxbiKThlgTXruGFl8v09Qb2NpejsPcGIirWBoe6S2lCzAGXSNyYxIKJOcrryakx0Efm-J2sos/s320/SAM_0007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(The view from our table)</div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">The next morning, we visited the library--despite being the first presidential library built in the 1950s, it was very well-done. We were all impressed and we learned a lot. Most people think of Hoover as a bad president, but his accomplishments were numerous and diverse. We also visited his boyhood home, his father's blacksmith shop, the Quaker meetinghouse where his family worshipped, and the graves of him and his wife. It was a very beautiful place.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJOrK3BV8tf1pIFbFb5_PJpnQwsCHjIoSBNdm2LQoejpPU2D2iAbFJ3LvDcs5-JZsy2BgkDS-QswcNgtOuRnut8Lv3_TkQd7vf7PF03Ezc1kws6qifTl2cUwEVXio7ihzhwabJBZ_7Ko/s1600/SAM_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJOrK3BV8tf1pIFbFb5_PJpnQwsCHjIoSBNdm2LQoejpPU2D2iAbFJ3LvDcs5-JZsy2BgkDS-QswcNgtOuRnut8Lv3_TkQd7vf7PF03Ezc1kws6qifTl2cUwEVXio7ihzhwabJBZ_7Ko/s320/SAM_0023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10jhdL2a-cbRoHDQAnUS2bpfHi_mJg9SOtGafFwajTbwJh-SfFrtq_Tta7EACftj7t8p8IrCoDa1mulBxdhuIhlwhcUEZetw3R4qsp5-NXYOi-kuNnlBT9Z1k9XyfVzzlcVHMxOpZyeo/s1600/SAM_0030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10jhdL2a-cbRoHDQAnUS2bpfHi_mJg9SOtGafFwajTbwJh-SfFrtq_Tta7EACftj7t8p8IrCoDa1mulBxdhuIhlwhcUEZetw3R4qsp5-NXYOi-kuNnlBT9Z1k9XyfVzzlcVHMxOpZyeo/s320/SAM_0030.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(The birthplace of Herbert Hoover)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Q3zHtc7tkfCWXn_4kimIKqJAoCE3H5E-Rx8MYvTdBkMv1L-6QaDcc_6vXly07zuLpwHu3pwvpcVZ_2OvsH84UCVeG0Dzrwr4j2ShMfGrcNJ0tbj2q_dDCffTq6CUGjgKTkeMvrzxeck/s1600/SAM_0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Q3zHtc7tkfCWXn_4kimIKqJAoCE3H5E-Rx8MYvTdBkMv1L-6QaDcc_6vXly07zuLpwHu3pwvpcVZ_2OvsH84UCVeG0Dzrwr4j2ShMfGrcNJ0tbj2q_dDCffTq6CUGjgKTkeMvrzxeck/s320/SAM_0026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The Hoover graves</div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Afterwards we had lunch at Hamburg Inn No. 2, near the campus of the University of Iowa (for TCU people--I would say it's the Iowa equivalent of Dutch's, in terms of history and decor). I had the most amazing Eggs Benedict of my life there. Also, the university's campus is beautiful as well as very large. Little small school me couldn't deal with it.</span><br />
<br />
Our drive home was uneventful, but we did stop twice. Once near St. Charles, Iowa to take a picture of the Imes Covered Bridge, one of the famed bridges of Madison County. And then once in Lamoni, Iowa for ice cream at an Amish-run restaurant. And while we there, we saw two Amish couples riding by in their horse-and-buggies. But it wasn't entirely 1800s--they did have cans of gas in their trunks. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmdFofWYl6EsQFn0fPGAfykRH5tqYSGgXwNmlNMNzb81oQehwrU7pW6IbI03u5jMLwy2seCLnaV4GvB0GV8yWqUwwSRg93pimp5lYWA7E3kk4U3d2H9v8pVoIGCj4RPDCt-qccP8LvX8/s1600/SAM_0044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmdFofWYl6EsQFn0fPGAfykRH5tqYSGgXwNmlNMNzb81oQehwrU7pW6IbI03u5jMLwy2seCLnaV4GvB0GV8yWqUwwSRg93pimp5lYWA7E3kk4U3d2H9v8pVoIGCj4RPDCt-qccP8LvX8/s320/SAM_0044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(The Imes Covered Bridge)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKe81TuzxqMRt0SCXFLQ0Uq6F16IeQVAsMIrlh6jl6NpbYQFjdsj6ootPmxoLDLcKSRSYN224QI5-HijyO0elrQ5Nz_HxuN3KfLyW_-WqK2LOfBlLLP44eRj6ki2NwjMJXJcpQd2gkOOA/s1600/SAM_0049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKe81TuzxqMRt0SCXFLQ0Uq6F16IeQVAsMIrlh6jl6NpbYQFjdsj6ootPmxoLDLcKSRSYN224QI5-HijyO0elrQ5Nz_HxuN3KfLyW_-WqK2LOfBlLLP44eRj6ki2NwjMJXJcpQd2gkOOA/s320/SAM_0049.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(Cows outside the Amish restaurant in Lamoni)</div>
<br />
<br />
So basically, this trip proved what a nerd I am. As I said on Facebook, I read Tolkien and went to a presidential library. My life in a nutshell.<br />
<br />
Every time I go to Kansas City, I wish I lived there. It'll take a few days for my Texas love to return. But a part of my heart will always belong to the Midwest.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSVdQJnbh8QBVfq5F4rktT2cJjLjc416qJm4sV-TKXMRMt0ZnCxqg2dONkdSw_C_SNrUYX3mv9i30BQ16pEOuWdgH5qhAF44I1Itl66J066fubE0dbqPFLa47Zc_59e3aveT1GAj8Y00/s1600/SAM_0050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSVdQJnbh8QBVfq5F4rktT2cJjLjc416qJm4sV-TKXMRMt0ZnCxqg2dONkdSw_C_SNrUYX3mv9i30BQ16pEOuWdgH5qhAF44I1Itl66J066fubE0dbqPFLa47Zc_59e3aveT1GAj8Y00/s320/SAM_0050.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(My grandma and I in front of the Amish restaurant in Lamoni)</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-62259302786463124652011-06-06T00:21:00.002-05:002011-06-06T00:21:59.649-05:00Love<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So I read this blog where people post notes to their future girlfriends/boyfriends, and it is quite interesting. Some of them are sweet, some are funny, some are risqué, some are lists of specific qualities they are looking for, some are describing like the perfect date they have planned. They are all different and I like to read them. I like to imagine that my future boyfriend has posted one of the sweet notes and is out there waiting for me.</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But there is one aspect of these notes that I don’t agree with really. Most of the notes end with “I love you. Love, Me.” For some reason, it kind of bothers me that they say “I love you” to an abstract person that they haven’t met yet. Now some of the note-writers have met the person they are writing to and are crushing on them and hoping that one day the feeling will be mutual. Saying “I Love You” in that case is OK with me. But when you haven’t met yet? I just feel like how can you love someone you don’t even know yet?</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now I know what you are going to say, “But Emily! I’ve heard you say that you love Rupert Grint! You haven’t met him and yet you say love him!”</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I guess I don’t “love” Rupert Grint. My infatuation with him was more a product of teenage fantasy. Do I think Rupert Grint will ever be my boyfriend? Nope. And honestly? I don’t think being his girlfriend would be that great. I mean getting chased by the paparazzi all the time doesn’t sound very romantic. So I guess I promise not to say that I love Rupert Grint anymore. I admire his acting. I think he’s attractive and funny. But I do not love him. Besides…having a crush is definitely different then loving someone. </span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now I love many people at the moment and I love them for specific reasons. My parents? I love them because they gave me everything and more. My brother? I love him because he is funny and caring and helpful and cool. My family? I love them because no matter how long we are apart, we still come back together so well. My friends? I love them because they make me laugh and make my life more interesting. I even love inanimate things—like history and TCU and my car. Why? Because they have changed my life for the better. And of course I love Jesus because He is all of course.</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But my future boyfriend(s)? Nope, I can’t say that I love him/them yet. Even if my future boyfriend is one of my current male friends, I wouldn’t say I love them yet. I love them as a friend, platonically. Not romantically. I can’t even say that I love any crushes I’ve had—I think love has to grow over time. I’m not a love-at-first-sight girl. Attraction at first sight? Sure. Love? No.</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I was trying to think of another scenario that would make this easier to understand. The only thing that I could think of is my future children. I guess abstractly I love my future kids. It’s just so hard to imagine having kids right now. I mean I’m 21! But I’m sure when/if I get pregnant I’ll immediately love that baby the moment the strip turns pink. It’ll be no larger than a peanut, yet I’ll love it. But right now? If someone asked me “Do you love your future kids?” I’d say “No.” Does that make me a bad person? I hope not. I love the idea of having kids when I’m 30+. There’s an ad in the Target baby department with a red-haired baby and his mom and every time I walk by it I smile. I smile because hopefully one day it’ll be me giving a red-haired baby a bath. (I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned this on Facebook, but my ovaries long for a red-haired baby really bad!) So do I love my kids right now? No. Will I someday? Absolutely. I want to be the best mom I can possibly be.</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I guess what I’m trying to say is I love the idea, the potential, the dreams. Not the actual person yet.</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So if I was going to write a note to my future boyfriend on the blog, it’d go like this:</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dear Future Boyfriend,</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I can’t honestly say that I love YOU yet, but I do love the thought of you.</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But I promise to fall in love with you while we date as long as you treat me well and like Harry Potter. Also I would prefer if you weren’t allergic to cats, as I plan to have at least 2.</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Unfortunately, I do have two demands of you….you must be a Christian and you must have redheaded genes. Other than that? I’m cool. Oh sorry one more demand……you must always wear a belt if you need it. Baggy pants aren’t sexy.</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Can’t wait to discuss literature with you!</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Love (in a platonic way for now),</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Me</span></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-654172730306057611.post-70776617271221693262011-05-20T01:39:00.002-05:002011-05-20T01:49:27.874-05:00Blogging<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I read a lot of blogs. A LOT. Yet my own blog is dead at the moment--hence the fact no one will read this post. So how do I get my blog going?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've read plenty of tips about increasing traffic on your blog, and the time has come for me to apply these tips. It's summer after all so I have more time to focus on my blog. I have more time to think up posting ideas. I have more time to visit other blogs. So here is what I need to do to get my blog up and truly running.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1) I need to comment on a lot of the blogs I read--people will read my comments and if they like them, they will click on my blog. My only problem is I read a lot of blogs of people who are in their mid-to-late 20s. I don't really follow that many people who are college-age. I am worried that people will think it is odd that I read their blogs when I'm obviously not in the same place in life as they are. They might think it's weird that a college junior is following them. I've always been mature for my age though and I like reading about their lives. I guess if they want they can just delete my comments from their blog if they don't like them or think I'm too young or naive.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2) I need to post regularly on this blog! Obviously you can see from my sidebar I have not been posting regularly--I average a post every couple of months. Regularity is key. Several people I follow write a whole bunch of posts at once and then time them to be released at certain times. I could write a bunch of posts this summer and then when I am really busy doing the school year I can put up pre-written posts. I just have to have the motivation to do it! I have sooo many things to do this summer, but I need to make room for this if I want a popular blog.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3) I need to focus on a theme, but I am not sure how. The tips I have read say to pick one topic (like cooking or traveling or weddings) and focus only on that. But I have too many interests to do that. I guess my overreaching theme is Issues of a College Student. I know a lot of the problems I have are probably not very big compared to post-college issues, but I believe I can make some insights, and maybe I will gain a topic-appropriate audience. So I will try not to focus on petty things or not to complain too much.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4) I need to dress up my blog a bit--maybe learn HTML or use my basic design skills. I do not know yet how I will do this, but I think attractiveness does attract readers. I also need to work on my photography skills and maybe invest in a better camera. People like pictures to break things up.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So this summer will be the summer of the blog. I hope. </span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054233743215800226noreply@blogger.com0