The Sayer and the Namer

Back in the Saddle

2010-07-02T11:31:00.002-05:00

"I will work on my thesis. I will work on my thesis. I will work on my thesis." -My mantra every single day from today until March-ish.

There are certain things I'm pretty genius at, if I dont' mind saying so myself. I'm brilliant at creating worthy side-projects to avoid doing a big yucky one. Masterful. I could teach an entire graduate program in avoiding that-which-you-don't-want-to-tackle. Course titles would include "Making the Diversion Count" and "Self-Delusion" and "Don't Worry, You've got *Plenty* of Time"(I could, quite possibly, be a leading expert in the last course. World-renowned. I'll sign autographs later, when I've got time...haha)

I've made this work throughout my entire educational career, all the way through Graduate School, and have been fine. I've managed to learn the materials, write the papers, do the research, etc. using my own weird process. However, let me tell you an area in my educational career where this process will not work. WILL NOT, ERIN...do you hear that?!?....writing a novel for my thesis. (geesh...I'm still not sure what I was thinking there).

I've had 8 chapters written for about 6 months now. I've written 2 this summer thus far. (Yes, we're in July, I know). That makes 10 chapters in 9 months of knowing about the novel. How incredibly sad. In the meantime, I've organized my ENTIRE house once, and I'm starting to go through it again, I've researched a ton about my subject matter, I even went on a trip to the setting of my novel, surely that counts for something! I could go on and on about the other stuff I've done in lieu of working on the novel, but you don't want to hear it, and I don't want to be that blogger who brags about silly accomplishments. I much prefer to be the blogger who uses self-deprecation techniques to motivate herself to do something.

I love to read writers' blogs and books on writing. Stephen King's On Writing is such an incredible guide, and such an incredible reminder of his crazy talent. It at once motivates me to get going and makes me want to hang my writing hat and leave it to people like him. Anyway, I've recently read King, Ray Bradbury (Zen and the Art of Writing), and heard Harlan Coben say pretty much the exact same thing: So you want to be a writer? Stinkin' write! (I added the stinkin; all 3 of those guys are way too cool to say that. I'm not.) Just do it! Every day! Don't stop! Even if you don't feel like it. Harlan Coben said that writers are just as professional as plumbers. Do you ever hear a plumber complain that he just wasn't feeling his pipe-fixing muse today? That he didn't feel like he had a connection to his tools? Of course not, it's crazy, just like it is for a writer to say the same about their craft.

So that's just what I've got to do. Write. Read. Research. Then write some more. Then some more. Then even more. How much happier will I be in March if I turn in a thesis that I'm proud of? Ooh, I'm gonna add that to my mantra.

Happy (writing) Friday, friends and family! Enjoy your 4th barbecues and fireworks :)

Teeter Totter

2010-06-15T18:11:00.014-05:00

It's been a very balanced day for me, equal parts good and bad. It started as soon as I woke up. I had a dream last night that my cousin Brian was still alive and grown up. It was such a great dream - he was fun and wonderful and vibrant and witty and mature, just as I know he would be. It was one of those dreams that you don't want to wake up from, a funny, goofy, perfect kind of dream where everything is right. That was the first good of the day (or night?). The bad - heartbreaking, awful kind of bad - came as soon as I woke up and realized that it was a dream.

The rest of my good/bad/happy/sad's of the day are not nearly as profound or important to me. My next bad was when I got onto the treadmill. As if running on a treadmill isn't bad enough, I wanted to quit after about 10 seconds. I usually have a (tiny) bit more motivation than that. The good came when some Bob Marley started singing "Don't worry about a thing; every little thing is gonna be alright," and it was absolutely what I needed to hear. I realized that I was making lists, guidelines, schedules, plans, daily goals, etc. I was also probably still a little shaken from my dream, the injustice in the world, the stinking ridiculous oil spill, stupid stuff to worry about because I have *no* control over it, stuff like that. Bob helped me chill out and gave me the clear headedness to finish my run. Author's Note: I'll be honest, when I say "run," I mean jog. Slow jog. Don't be impressed :)

Good/bad/happy/sad of the day #3: We had some flash floods yesterday in the old OKC. If we have not been plagued by bad weather this year, you can call me Shirly. (I have NO idea what that means or if it even makes sense. It might be from a movie? Or maybe I just made it up? Regardless, it just came out, and I thought it was so random and dorky that I didn't edit it out). You get my point. So anyway, word is that there were no casualties of the flood,

but I had a few little casualties in my front yard. I went out to get the mail this afternoon and saw this:

Our cute little bird nest in our tree got too wet/heavy from the rain and fell out! I was so sad! I got a closer look to see if maybe the babies had already hatched, and I saw this:

They hadn't hatched :( :( So sad! Poor little baby birds were casualties to the heavy rain yesterday! I don't think you can see by the picture, but two of the eggs were cracked. I tried to put the nest back into the tree, but I'm pretty sure it won't matter.

After my sad discovery, I continued on and got the mail, and my happy came in the form of this:

I don't know if you can read the tiny print on the bridge, so I'll translate: "Summer Fiction: 20 under 40" of the New Yorker. This is the reason I subscribe to the New Yorker - it's excerpts from 20 new/cool/hip/fab/trendy/fantastic/creative/I-want-to-be-them authors. It was joy and bliss when I realized what issue it was, because honestly, I kind of forgot about it. Like when you find money in your jeans type of happiness.

Overall, I like the way today played out. Sure, if I had my choice, everything would be happy all the time, and I would have avoided the bad. Who wouldn't want that? But isn't that a small picture of life: there's lots of happy and good, but there's lots of bad and sad. It's a balancing act.

Daydream Believer

2010-06-14T13:34:00.005-05:00

Here's what I want for my day today:

I want to be in London. Like, I live there, but just temporarily. Maybe for 3 months or something. Anyway, I'd be in a cool little flat - this one to be exact:

http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p166987 .

So I'd wake up at about 10:00. (By the way, I can just see you, my bloggy friends, with your judgement in your eyes about the time. Yes, I'm 29, and I still like to sleep in. I hate early mornings. It's my daydream, so there! Harrumph.) Anyway, I roll out of my bed and look out the windows and see this:

...and I'm pretty satisfied. Then I get a latte that is somehow already perfectly made. It's in a cool mug and it's got a design in the foam. Like this:

I'm gonna go ahead and say that I'll have two of these lattes along with my breakfast of cheese crepes. Since it's my daydream, calories don't exist, so that's that.

I'd take a shower and put on some really adorable romantic outfit from a little boutique in London, since that's all my closet will be comprised of, and I'll be out the door.

Justin and I will meet for lunch at a cute little bakery somewhere, and we'll get a yummy lunch and some tea, then it's off to work for the afternoon (here's where it gets really good)

I'll go to some really cool, old university building and I'll go to a class with a really brilliant instructor. I'll admit - it's gotta be a woman, because that'll make me feel more empowered. Don't get all touchy, I realize that's kind of a sexist statement, but I'm just keeping it real, bloggy friends. The subject of my study for my 3 month stay in London is American Literature. I know that seems a little backward, to go to England to study American Literature, but again, it's my daydream, so that's just the way it is.

Today, it's Walt Whitman on the agenda. It's not really a formal class I'm in, just kind of a study program kind of thing. We'll read parts of Leaves of Grass, then discuss and analyze. We'll do the same with my Transcendentalists (Emerson and Thoreau), we'll look at William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, Fitzgerald, Mark Twain, Sylvia Plath, lots of fun writers. We'll read and talk and read and talk about the diction, the structure, the flow, and the meaning. I'll learn some kind of amazing insight into Whitman that I would never be able to

know from reading it on my own, and I'm positive it will help me with my writing. My head will be full of all kinds of creativity and ideas, and I'll be tired and ready to quit for the day.

I'll meet back up with Justin and we'll go to a cool, trendy spot for dinner. We might run into David Beckham or Prince William or somebody, who knows? (Since it's my daydream, I can confirm that we run into both of these people, and they're the friendliest people in the world). Then we'll take a little stroll down the Thames holding hands and laughing about silly stuff. We'll get back to the flat and get Buckley to go to Hyde Park to play ball and go on a dusky, sunset walk.

We'll all be tired by then, so we'll hang out on the porch and look at London by night, then go to bed.

So there we have it, that's what I want to do today. Pretty sure my day is going to look just a little different than that though...and that's okay too :) Happy day (and daydreaming) everyone!

Reading Rainbow

2009-11-15T00:15:00.004-06:00

For you folks raised in the 80's (and 90's? not sure about that), do you remember Reading Rainbow on PBS? I loved that show, and my favorite part was at the end when the kids would give book reviews and tell you to go check out their recommendations. I always wanted to read those books. Today, I will be that kid on Reading Rainbow.

In case you don't know me well, I read a lot. Perhaps excessively. I'm not sure where to draw the line of an acceptable amount of time reading and excessive reading, so I'll go with acceptable amounts of reading. Whatever the case may be, I've got lots of words and lots of authors and lots of ideas floating around in my head. I used to be really good for about 8 weeks or so about blogging book reviews (ok, I'll admit it, I was required to do it for a class...), but like most things related to my poor, neglected blog, that fell by the wayside.

Anyway, since I'm a book nerd, sometimes people ask me what is the best book I've read lately. I figured I'd do a Book of the Year award blog series highlighting my top 10 books of 2009. I'm not sure I trust myself with this, however. Like I said, I've got a lot of good intentions with my blog and not a lot of follow through, so I'm gonna go ahead and spoil the two books that (according to me) you ABSOLUTELY MUST go to a bookstore, buy, and begin reading today.

#1. The Road by Cormac McCarthy

**Warning - I'm going to gush.** This is the most beautiful and haunting novel I've ever read. I can't say it's my all-time favorite because of the bleakness of it, but it's definitely top 5 of all time. It's probably crazy to say that a novel can be life changing, but I'm pretty sure this one was. The language used by Cormac McCarthy is astounding, and the images he creates are at the same time scary and gorgeous. The love of The Man for The Boy is transcendent. The innocence of The Boy is heartbreaking. The lasting impression this book left me with is one of deep gratitude for what we've been given. I read this book in the summer when everything was green and bloomed, and every time I would stop reading, I'd look outside and thank God that I live in this version of Earth, rather than the version presented in "The Road." It reminded me that I need to be proactive in preserving my preferred version of the Earth. It also reminded me about the beauty of relationships.

Buy it, read it, and like all books, DON'T go see the movie and think you've read the book. Please. I obviously haven't seen the movie yet (it comes out on Thanksgiving weekend), but I can tell you right now that there's NO WAY the movie can capture the book's heart. Impossible.

also #1. Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer

I hate to say it twice, but this is a life changing kind of book. It's Foer's first nonfiction book, and it's about an intensive study of the factory farm industry and the impact it has on us, the animals, and the environment. I know what you're thinking right now. "I already know that stuff. It's bad." I thought that too, but I read the book anyway, and I quickly realized that I didn't know even half of the issue. Without being preachy or feather-ruffling or anything, I'll just say that if it doesn't make you SERIOUSLY reconsider your food choices, you didn't fully read the book. It's not necessarily an argument for total vegetarianism, but is an irrefutable, multifaceted argument against industrialized meat, which is 99% of meat sold. If you buy it from the grocery store or eat it in a restaurant, it's industrialized. I wish I could buy it for every person I know and love, but I can't. Even if I did, I know that's no guarantee that you'd read it. If you're thinking that you don't want to read some hippie vegetarian book, at least take a peek at Amazon (watch the video and look at a few reviews) please...pretty please? It's that good... http://www.amazon.com/Eating-Animals-Jonathan-Safran-Foer/dp/0316069906/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

So there we have it! I kind of ruined my book award series by giving away the first two right off the bat, but I wanted to be sure they got out there! I promise this will be my only tie. Unfortunately, I can't promise I'll finish the other awards...I'll try, I'll try!

Happy reading!!

The post with no title because I've got writer's block...

2009-11-02T23:32:00.004-06:00

Hello. Welcome to 11:30 the night before a 15-page short story is due. Here I am, sitting on the couch. I've got my lappy, a blanket, some tea, and a Pandora Radio station playing. All good things to get the writing to flow.

Nothing. NOTHING....

It's driving me insane. What is this phenomenon called writer's block, and why is it so aggravating? I've got three stories started, about a page or two written, then dead silence. I've got nothing else to say. I don't know where I want the story to go. My voice is off-kilter. The character is unbelievable. I don't have a good plot. I have to go to sleep at some point. Why didn't I do this earlier? Seriously, what is wrong with me? (All counter-productive thoughts, I know, but I'm venting, so just bear with me.)

Where do I go when all else fails? Google, that's where. The interwebs will bring me comfort and hope. I typed in "Writer's block quotes" and following are some of my faves:

"Writing is 90 percent procrastination: reading magazines, eating cereal out of the box, watching infomercials. It's a matter of doing everything you can to avoid writing, until it is about four in the morning and you reach the point where you have to write."
(Paul Rudnick)

God bless Paul Rudnick - he really gets me. I actually employed 2 out of 3 procrastination strategies listed in this quote. I read a great article on Wes Anderson in The New Yorker, and I watched a meaningless NFL game. I'm pretty confident that Paul and I would be friends if we ever met. True procrastinators share a bond. The bond of a vicious cycle of stress, self doubt, self loathing, completion, pride.

"I only write when I am inspired. Fortunately I am inspired at 9 o'clock every morning."
(William Faulkner)

BOOOO to Faulkner. We can't all be inspired at 9:00 am. The only thing I'm inspired to do at 9:00 am is to go back to bed. As a result, I'm inspired to drink more coffee at 9:00 am. Actually, booooo to anyone who is inspired to do anything before noon. There. I said it.

"Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It's the one and only thing you have to offer."
(Barbara Kingsolver)

Barbara wins. This is what I needed to hear, because tonight, this is my problem. I don't have someone literally looking over my shoulder, but I'm really trying to figure out what other people (namely, the professor) want to hear from me. He doesn't like quirky and slightly silly writing. Bummer for me - that's what I do. He wants MANLY stuff. War and death and action and guns and sci-fi. In the spirit of Barbara Kingsolver, I say TOO BAD. I'll write the story I want to write.

Let's hope my newfound resolve lasts long enough to get me through the night. Cross your fingers, friends!

Falling Through the Ceiling

2009-09-09T15:06:00.010-05:00

I'll bet when you first read the title of this post, you thought it was some sort of metaphor for something else I wanted to write about, and I would somehow cleverly tie it in to "falling through the ceiling." Sadly, it is not. This title is very literal, because that's what I did yesterday...fell through the ceiling. Of my house. Yeah, I did....

To make a long stupid story a short stupid one, I have to go up to the attic every few months to clear out my dryer vent, and I have to balance on two ceiling studs with drywall and insulation surrounding me. Well, since I've never exactly been known for my graceful, yoga-style balance, I started to stumble and had to regain my footing by stepping through the drywall. My entire leg went through, and I had to scramble to get my arms balanced on the studs. You know in gymnastics how those guys have to balance their arms on those long parallel bars? Like this guy...

Yeah, that was me...except in the attic with my right leg hanging out of the ceiling into my shower. OK, I didn't look anything like that except my arm position and the leotard. :)

So my dog is barking and howling and growling because he thinks there's an intruder coming through the ceiling. I would have been proud of his guarding in any other circumstance, but in this case, the barking/growling/howling exacerbated the stress of the situation. I had to pull myself out of the ceiling (which is a challenge for a girl with extremely wimpy arm strength) and figure out what to do next. I had a banged up knee with fiberglass insulation in my mouth and on the rest of my body. There was nothing to do at that moment except to call Justin and plead with him to come home, call my Dad to ask about who to call/what to do next (God bless Dad), and go check out the damage. It wasn't pretty. The following picture is after clean up, so it's a prettier version of a very ugly incident:

I figured coffee makes things better, so as Justin was on his way home, I decided to brew a pot. After Justin came home and we assessed the damage, I went to make some nice warm coffee to try to make things better, only to find that I forgot that I cleaned the part of the machine that filters the water through the grounds, so there were wet coffee grounds spewed all over my counter. Fantastic.

Basically, I had a day of utter failure at day-to-day life. I spent the rest of the day nursing my bruised knee and reading a book. I figured the less I moved, the better chances of not screwing something else up. I succeeded.

On Jaws, writing, and the lack of both

2009-09-01T11:11:00.011-05:00

Hello Blogosphere-

Long time no talk! Where have I been, you may ask. I've been around. It's not like I've been absolutely too swamped to write, that's not it. It's not like I've got nothing to write about. Actually, I've got a million things I could write about, which is probably the cause of the extended blogging hiatus.

Once I get out of the habit of blogging, I get a little self-centered and think that my first post after the hiatus has to be some profound statement about life and the discovery of some obscure truth. Of course it doesn't, and when have any of my posts been profound discoveries of truth? That's not really my bag; I'm much better at writing about stupid stuff like mopping floors or taking my dog to the park. I'm okay with that, which either means that I'm content or that I'm intellectually lazy. Possibly a little of both.

Whatever the case may be, here I am. And my super-important topic of the day is my irrational fear of Jaws. The shark in the movie, not the body part. Although come to think of it, I wonder if anyone has ever been afraid of the body part...how would that work? What would cause that fear? I know one thing, that person would probably be very skinny! Perhaps unfortunately for me, however, mine is the fear of the Great White shark variety of Jaws.

I was finishing a short story for one of my classes (Short Story Writing...how convenient), and I made a Pandora station of ominous opera music. "O Fortuna" station on Pandora is guaranteed to get you in the mood to write a tragic ending to any story. I have no idea what they're saying in Italian opera, but you don't need to understand the lyrics to know that it is the most dramatic music possible. After a few operatic songs, the theme to Jaws came on. If that's not the scariest song in existence, I don't know what is. Seriously - I think a chill went down my spine. I had to quit writing altogether and listen to it in a stunned awe of its creepiness and the horrific shark death images that are partnered with it. Then I was just spooked. Perhaps it's because I saw Jaws at an age when it's impossible to understand that sharks require salt water and cannot survive in the sewer system in Kenton, Ohio. I was scared to take baths, because who knew if Jaws would pop out! I was scared to swim in Galveston, because who knows what's in that murky water...including Mr. Bad Guy himself. Now that I live in a totally landlocked state with no saltwater in a 500 mile radius, my fear of Jaws is definitely placed on the back burner, but it's still there...

When the song was over and regular dramatic opera music returned, I went back to writing, and even added a line about the cold, calculated eyes of a Great White shark. So thanks for the line, and kudos to John Williams and Steven Speilberg. Have a listen and a looksey in honor of the terror that is JAWS! duhhhhhhhhhhhh duh....... :)

Beginning "The Road"

2009-05-23T15:10:00.003-05:00

So I started reading "The Road" by Cormac McCarthey. He's kind of a big deal. Like a living legend type of writer. This is my first experience with Cormac, because he's a southern gothic/western writer, and that's typically not my bag. For that case, neither is post-apocalyptic writing such as "The Road," but I decided to give it a go. This novel won the Pulitzer in 2007 for best fiction, and is highly praised by all of the lit critics that have cred, so post-apocalyptic fiction, here I come! I'm only on page 40, and I'm already in love. McCarthy. is. a. pure. master. of. the. English. language. Read and adore these quotes:

"A corpse in a doorway dried to leather. Grimacing at the day. He pulled the boy closer, Just remember that the things you put into your head are there forever, he said. You might want to think about that. You forget some things, don't you? Yes. you forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to forget." p 12

"The lake dark glass and windowlights coming on along the shore. A radio somewhere. Neither of them had spoken a word. This was the perfect day of his childhood. This the day to shape the days upon." p 14

"It's snowing, the boy said. he looked at the sky. A single gray flake sifting down. he caught it in his hand and watched it expire there like the last host of christendom." p 17

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. He has this amazing poetic/prose style of writing that I've never seen before. He doesn't use quotation marks, uses strange words, and combines words incorrectly. I'm not sure why, but it's different and kind of wonderful.

Overall, read the stinking book. Even if you don't like post-apocalyptic storylines. Even if you don't think you can appreciate the style. Even if you don't like reading anything. It's worth it, and I'm only on page 40.

Book Review: Pygmy

2009-05-20T18:34:00.003-05:00

Oh, the joy of summer reading. I'm not taking any classes this summer, so I'm enjoying the freedom to read whatever I want. I've missed out on a LOT of current fiction due to being lost in Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and other great writers. I can't complain about that, but when summer hit, I was itching to read something modern, edgy, different, obscure. I looked on Amazon and Library Thing (some of my biggest online time-sinks), and came up with Pygmy by Chuck Palahniuk (which, after extensive YouTube research, I found is pronounced pollen-ick.) Palahniuk isn't really obscure, he has a pretty large audience due to his most famous novel, Fight Club. My other criteria of modern, edgy, and different definitely apply.

I'm actually a little confused on if I liked the book or not. It was so different than what I'm used to reading that I was definitely intrigued, but I'm not sure if it was in a good way. Much like the movie version of Fight Club, there are scenes that make you feel like you need to scrub your brain clean after reading, but he wrote them in such a funny way that I didn't know whether to laugh or be offended. I guess that's Palahniuk's charm - the random scene in which the absurdly disgusting occurs written in biting humor. If that's your thing, then Palahniuk is your guy. I can't fathom where he comes up with his plot lines, and I'm sure a psychologist would have a field day trying to analyze his psyche. One thing is for sure: the man is an insanely gifted writer.

The book was told in 1st person point-of-view from a 13 year old terrorist from some unnamed fascist country. He was sent by his country to pose as a foreign exchange student in America, meanwhile plotting "Operation Havoc" with his fellow comrades. His English is very broken, but his insights into American life are funny. I found myself laughing despite myself. The entire novel is written in broken, fragmented sentences, which has put off several readers, but the book would not have worked without it. His language makes the unbelievable circumstances surrounding Pygmy work. (Sample sentence: "Next now, eye new positioned, locked door slip unhealed, latch loud clack, sound angry humming." ...definitely takes some getting used to!) The unusual prose made the book enjoyable for me. Palahniuk wrote of everyday American events through the cold eyes of this outsider - events such as trips to Walmart, middle school show choir, dodgeball, church - and made these events spectacles. Very creative.

So overall, I liked it. It was a quick read, definitely unique, made me laugh. I wouldn't recommend it to a large audience; he's pretty irreverent, and there are definitely some graphic descriptions that I could have done without. I'm not sure I'll ever read another Chuck Palahniuk book, but he's a good writer with some crazy ideas. How's that for a lukewarm review? :)

Next book on the chopping block: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Melancholy Musings on Family

2009-05-15T12:27:00.003-05:00

Once in awhile, when it's good

It'll feel like it should

And they're all still around

And you're still safe and sound

And you don't miss a thing

Till you cry when you're driving away in the dark

Oh, John, you know how to cut to the core of me. In all seriousness, these lyrics make me cry almost every time I hear them, which is often, because I'm obsessed with John Mayer's music. Ok, who am I kidding, I'm obsessed with all things John Mayer.

Anyway, I think this makes me cry when I hear it because it's such a poignant and melancholy metaphor of how deeply we love our families, yet with that love comes a certain feeling of foreboding. This feeling is magnified when you don't live near your family. I cried every time I left my parents house for about 3 years after leaving for college. Poor Justin knew it was coming and did his best to make it better each time it was leaving day. You're forced to recognize that family is home, but family is not forever. The comfort of "everyone together" is fleeting and precious. Having lost two grandparents in the last 6 months, I realize how safe it is knowing you have grandparents. Knowing there is a place that exemplifies unconditional love. Knowing there are four people in the world outside of your parents who are rooting for you no matter what. I was blessed with the best 4 grandparents known to man.

Shosh and Pops were the connoisseurs of the backyard barbecue, owners of the world's greatest screened in back porch, workers in an immaculately groomed back yard, bakers of bread and noodles, chefs of french toast and peanut butter and honey sandwiches (Shosh would write my name in honey on the bread...sometimes I still do it!), and parents to 4 kids who adored them. There was always laughter at Shosh & Pops' house. Always. Even if someone was getting in trouble (Adam's dog with the purple tongue, I got my mouth washed out with soap the first time there, and I could hear Shosh & Mom laughing as I was in the bathroom). I always felt fancy at Shosh's house. I wore her robes, brushed my hair with her brush, painted my nails w/ her. I have some of my favorite memories with Morgan and Adam there. Lots of funny, quirky moments, big celebrations, fun holiday gatherings, quiet and simple summer afternoons. It was a beautiful house full of love and memories, and I'll always miss it.

Grandpa & Grandma Holliday were owners of a child's paradise. A big, old house out in the country where kids were no longer burdened by the tedious rules of adults. Aunts, Uncles, and cousins abounded. There was never a dull moment. Horseshoe and croquet tournaments sometimes got a little heated. An endless supply of Wintergreen Lifesavers. The river and the old bridge was an endless source of entertainment. The infinitely proud grandpa who would boast for hours on his family. The grandma who would quietly agree, but was never the center of attention. The kitchen was packed with people, the food was always available. Imagination and make-believe abounded for the grandkids. Laughter and storytelling abounded for the adults. Almost all of my memories of the Holliday grandparents involved LOUD talking. It was always loud and buzzing with activity. The Holliday family was also full of love. Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents always made me feel like the world's most successful and interesting person. Another corner in the world where comfort and love lived that cannot ever be replicated.

I would love to go back to where "it'll feel like it should, and they're all still around, and you're still safe and sound," but I can't. The only thing to do is to try my best to recreate their love for future generations. Love my parents, love my siblings, love my extended families and their extended families. Love my husband's family with the same ferocity that my aunts/uncles-in-law love me. Stay connected. Stay interested. Stay family, not a bunch of people who happen to share some DNA. I'm definitely not perfect at this, not even close, but I recognize that I need to work harder at it.

Well, enough soul-bearing for one day. Talk about a schizophrenic blog - you never know what you're gonna get here, folks. I'm sure I have a grand total of 2 readers by this point, so have a good day, you two! (probably Mom and Justin)

Erin vs. Housewivery: Floors Edition

2009-05-13T14:13:00.003-05:00

In a moment of acute stupidity followed by several hours of misguided, OCD type determination, I did something that I have never done before and will never do again. I scrubbed my tile floors. Like, hands and knees type scrubbing. Each tile, one. at. a. time. In hindsight, there were some definite red flags concerning this decision.

I first had the idea while watching an episode of The Tudors (which, by the way, Justin loves and I've grown cold toward. I can't stand King Henry VIII, and will never forgive him for his treachery. He's a bad, bad man.) Anyway, in one scene of The Tudors, there was a servant scrubbing the floors in a lovely dress. Her hair was perfect, she had a smile on her face, and there she was, just polishing the floors. I thought to myself, "wow, I'll bet those floors are impeccably clean. Maybe I should do that...doesn't look that hard!" hmmm. I'll spare you the wondering and tell you that it was not easy, I was not wearing a lovely dress, my hair is a sweaty mess, and I did not have a smile on my face. Oh, the inaccuracies of TV.

The next red flag occurred just minutes before making my ill advised decision. I was reading Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook (which is the most amazing book ever. I use it all the time! If you don't have it, you're not truly living! Here's a link to see it http://tinyurl.com/pjreyq) I was reading about mopping, and she wrote something to the effect of, "if you've neglected mopping your floors regularly (I have) you might consider putting a little elbow grease into it and hand scrub them. It will make it easier to keep your floors clean for an extended period of time." Great! Just like that lady on The Tudors! I'm in! Well, "elbow grease" is a little different in Martha Stewart terms than it is in Erin Cowan terms.

The good news of this event is that I'm pretty sure I'm exempt from about a month at the gym. Surely I burned about 9 million calories. Ok, maybe a little dramatic, but seriously, Bob and Jillian on The Biggest Loser are missing a serious opportunity for some extra calorie burn! Also, my floors really are perfect. I've included a picture to show off my hard work. Notice the cat, who's about to screw it all up. NO CLEO! haha. Finally, I have divined an effective punishment for my future children when they do something really bad. This will be an effective parenting tool for me in the future.

Have a happy Wednesday, and don't get any hare brained ideas of hand scrubbing your floors!!

25 Things

2009-01-29T19:47:00.003-06:00

This is my addition to the crazy Facebook phenomenon that everyone is doing. All the cool kids are doing it, so I thought I'd pitch in as well :) Following are 25 random facts about me:

1. I'm currently working on a Master's degree in Creative Writing, so I'm sorry if these facts are too long :)
2. Justin and I have been together since I was 18 years old. I just turned 28, so this fall will be TEN YEARS of being with him! That's just nuts...but I'm SO lucky :)
3. I consider myself a pretty good cook, but making a good baked potato is impossible for me. I don't know why or how, but every time I attempt them, they suck.
4. I wear crazy socks almost every day that I wear pants. Why wear plain white socks when you can wear argyle socks with Golden Retrievers on them? My sock drawer is a menagerie of color, and I love it.
5. Sometimes I like to look at words to see if the letters can be rearranged to make new words. I blame this on my 5th grade teacher who gave the "accelerated" english kids a busy project consisting of coming up with 200 anagrams. It was intense, but it made me really good at Scrabble.
6. I am beyond obsessed with Earl Grey tea. If I don't have a cup every day, I'm not complete. While tea isn't as unhealthy as crack, the addiction is just as strong.
7. I taught 7th grade English for 4 years, and my favorite part of the job was hanging out with 13 year olds. They are completely hilarious and endearing. I wish I kept up with more of my former students, and hope they're all doing well!
8. One of my biggest pet-peeves is people who wear pajama pants or slippers in public. I'm all for dressing comfy and casual, but why do people think it's ok to go out in flannel pajama pants? It's not.
9. I'm terrible with impersonations, but I can make the sound of a dolphin chirp. I have NO idea how I discovered this talent, but it sounds exactly like it. It always made my students crack up.
10. When I'm cleaning the house or doing tedious chores, I always have music playing on an ipod dock. I have random breaks and have a dance party with my dog, Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, and Rhianna. They're awesome. If someone secretly recorded it, I'd be a Youtube sensation, and not in a good way.
11. I have the MOST precious dog and cat in the world. They are darling, sweet, and funny. My life is better with animals in it.
12. I pass out every time I get a shot. Then I wake up and throw up. Awesome, I know. I'm really scared of how this is going to work when I'm pregnant...
13. I love to read, and I love the smell of books. When you open a book and smell the pages near the spine, it's one of the best smells in the world. ahhhhh, I just did it :)
14. I'm the luckiest person in the world when it comes to family. I have the best immediate family, extended family (on both sides), and in-laws. I don't know how I got so lucky, but I love them lots, and am so grateful for all of them.
15. Sometimes when I cook, I pretend that I'm on a cooking show. It makes it more fun!16. I wish I had kept in touch with my high school friends better. I miss a lot of them!
17. I have a crazy fascination with Russia. It all started when I read Anna Karenina, and now I'm taking a Russian Lit. course. I love everything about it...from what I know. I want to go to St. Petersburg SO badly, and when I go, I'm not sure if I'll come back.
18. I think it's really funny to sing really bad and really loud. I'm pretty sure my mom is the only other person who thinks it's funny.
19. Speaking of my mom, she's my best friend in the world. We call each other Boof. (don't ask)
20. I was the school mascot my senior year. My name was Willie the Wildcat. I did it on a whim, and I'm glad I did...it was SO fun!
21. Justin and I have been really wishy-washy about having kids, but I think we're both ready.
22. I LOVE basketball and football. I love sports, and I love watching them, but I am totally not athletic. I've never hit a baseball or softball in my life.
23. My 3 favorite writers are F. Scott Fitzgerald, Leo Tolstoy, and Henry David Thoreau. I would sacrifice a limb to be half as prolific as any of those guys.
24. I wish I did more with my time. I don't think I'm as efficient as I should be sometimes.
25. I'm on my last one! Hooray! Both my parents and my in-laws are still married and still in love. This makes me really happy, and I know the same thing will be true for Justin and me.

It's not you, it's me.

2009-01-08T23:25:00.004-06:00

Well, my poor Sooner heart is broken. 5 BCS games in a row. 3 National Championships in a row. Bowl season is a lesson in humility for any Sooner fan. As I began to think about all of the teams I root for, I notice a common theme.

College Football/Basketball: Oklahoma! They are almost always amazing in the regular season. They set National records. They win Heismans. They win BCS votes. They get to the BCS game, and they lose. All. The. Time. After Oklahoma, I root for Ohio State. They are consistently good. They have amazing athletes, and they also get BCS votes. They get to the BCS game, and they lose. All. The. Time. They can get to the basketball NCAA championship, but they lose those as well. *Sigh* Disappointment at the end of the year for college sports.

NFL: I'll admit, I'm a lot bigger fan of college football than I am of NFL, but I root for the Cowboys and the Texans.. Let's look at them:

Cowboys: I love Tony Romo and Jason Witten. Really, other than those two and the team's close proximity to OKC, that's the only real reason I root for the Cowboys. They are decent in the regular season, then drama, drama, drama. I'm not going to lie, I kind of like the drama of the Cowboys. I know it's ridiculous and annoying, but you have to admit, it adds to the intrigue. It's like a man soap opera! Good TV! Anyway, poor Tony Romo just cannot win the big game at the end of the season. They lose the big game All. The. Time. *Sigh*

Texans: In theory, they should be good, but they're not. That's about all on the Texans front.

*Sigh* Disappointment at the end of the year for NFL football.

NBA: Well, I'm a charter fan of the OKC Thunder, and a longtime fan of the Houston Rockets. Sadly, we'll start with the Thunder. They are just...bad. I hate to say it, I really want them to win, but they're just really terrible in the 4th quarter. They play the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd quarters really well, but they seem to forget that there's a 4th. *Sigh* Disappointment all year long for the Thunder. Then there's the Rockets. Much like the Texans, on paper they should be a great team. Injury, sick, injury, sick, and then they make a great run at the end of the season and make the playoffs! Yay Rockets! Then comes the 1st round....and they lose. All. The. Time. *Sigh* Disappointment at the end of the NBA season.

Baseball: Sports offseason for Erin! If I had to say who I root for, I would say the Astro's, but I couldn't name 5 players on the team. I hate baseball, and could care less who wins. As long as it's not the Yankees or the Redsox. They're both obnoxious.

My long, frustrating point here is that perhaps I'm a curse on my teams. Maybe I should root for the teams I really hate, and then they'll start losing and my teams will be rid of the unluckiest fan there is! From here on out, I declare myself a fan of the LSU Tigers, The USC Trojans, and the Florida Gators. I will root for the Boston Celtics and the New England Patriots. I'll cheer my heart out for the New York Giants, and for the Yankees and Bosox. Those are my new teams that I hope I can curse. Gag....I can't do it. I'll have to secretly root for my real boys, heartache after heartache. Disappointment after disappointment, because that's what a sports fan does. We have to be long suffering. If we won everything, that would be no fun! The heartaches make the victories better. I'll keep rooting for my teams, I just won't let the sports fates know :)

Let me drown in my sports misery tonight. Tomorrow will be better. I'm going to the Thunder/Rockets game, so either way, one of my teams has to win! Horray for a victory!

My Attempt at Sportsblogging

2009-01-08T15:41:00.003-06:00

In the world of blogs, there are two types of blogger who must have extremely thick skin: the political blogger and the sports blogger. I am neither, and I really don't have thick skin, so I hope random people don't crucify me here. I'll preface my thoughts by admitting that they are extremely biased. I love Oklahoma, Bob Stoops, Sam Bradford, and everything else related to the Sooners. So there. I admit it :) So here are my 2 cents about tonight's BCS National Championship. (No relation to Kelly Ogle's My 2 Cents...how annoying is that?!?)

The following things I KNOW...

1. Oklahoma NEEDS this win tonight. Florida wants the win, OU needs it. "Big game Bob" has had 4 straight BCS losses, 2 for the championship, and another would be bad. Really bad. If OU loses tonight, I will not watch ESPN for a few days, because it will be a massacre. Perhaps it should be...

2. Florida is focusing a lot on the trash talk. I know it all started with the whole "Tebow would be the 4th best QB in the big 12," but still, they've retaliated and then some. Enough already!

3. Oklahoma has an insane offense. Florida has a good offense. Oklahoma has a decent defense. Florida has a good defense. Florida has good special teams. Oklahoma has terrible special teams. The only team that has an IN-credible aspect of their game is Oklahoma. This fact alone should put Florida on the defensive.

4. If we ever want Texas to shut up about Oklahoma going to the National Championship and not them, we have to win. Please, for that reason alone, let us win! ;)

The following things I BELIEVE...

1. Kirk Herbstreit and ESPN are bigtime Oklahoma naysayers. Say what you will, maybe I'm crazy, but I believe it. I can't say that I entirely blame them, because they're smart fellas and they remember all of our losses in recent years, but still, for being "unbiased" media, they have some issues. I would L-O-V-E for Oklahoma to win after all of the Florida hype.

2. I think whoever wins, even if it's Oklahoma, that they should share the championship with Utah. Maybe that's not being die hard enough for some people, but it is not right that a team goes 13-0 and beats a team that spent 5 weeks at #1 and doesn't get a piece of the pie. What are they even playing for? Where is the reward for them? It's really not right.

3. Whoever wins, life will go on tomorrow. Sure, there's a lot of nervous anticipation, a lot of supersitition, and a lot of excitement here today, but ultimately it's a game. An important one, but a game nonetheless. Now, our party will be a huge bust and that we'll be depressed for the night if we lose, but we'll wake up tomorrow and look forward to next season. And in the meantime, we always have the Oklahoma Thunder to root for! hahahaha :)

BOOOOOOOOMER SOOOOOOOOONER!!!!!!

Rip Van Winkle

2009-01-06T08:11:00.003-06:00

I've been asleep for a while now. Not 100 years, thankfully, but for about 1. I say asleep because I obviously haven't been dead (thank God), but I haven't really been living either. I've been living, but not LIVING. You know the difference. I've been asleep because I've made myself insignificant. I've made myself small. I've made myself believe all of the self doubt that comes with not making myself a priority. It's sad, really, but there's good news in this nasty beginning of a blog post. This morning, I woke up. Honestly, it was as simple and profound as that. I was literally and figuratively asleep, and today I just opened my eyes. I was back. I don't know where I went, but I realized this morning at 5:00 am (which, most of you know, I only see one 5:00 in any given day, so that's a work of God in itself) that I have been asleep. There's been a fog around me. A dullness about my senses, and it's been lifted. This is certainly not something that I did for myself, it's one of those realizations that can only come from God.

Who am I serving by making myself insignificant? Who is my God when I believe the deceitful, deconstructive phrases, "I can't do that" "I'm not good enough" or "I don't really care." I'm serving negativity. My God is the nasty side of myself. Really? REALLY?????? How utterly lame of me. The truth is that I can do it. I am good enough. I do care. God does care. I've been created in His image, and I've spent a year squandering it away. Well, I'm done.

It's a funny thing when a piece of information travels from your head to your heart. All of these things I have "known" for a long time. Today, however, I don't just know it, I believe it. I wish I could tell you how that occured, but I can't. So there it is. Public. On the World Wide Web. That's kinda scary, but now that it's out there, I have to do something about it!

Tabula Rasa

2008-12-30T21:43:00.003-06:00

New Years Eve is here! Christmas has come and gone, 2008 has come and gone, and it's time to start a bright shiny new year. Hooray! Now it's time to start thinking about.....resolutions!

It's hard to avoid making them. Whether they're conscious or subconscious thoughts, this is the time of year that we want to change things about ourselves. Lose weight. Spend less. Budget more. Give more effort towards a goal. Work smarter. Whatever goal one may have, it seems to come from a negative image of oneself. I'm TOO fat. I'm TOO lazy. I'm NOT good enough. Self-loathing goals are probably not a good thing because they don't come from a good place. Instead, my resolution this year is to be the best version of myself. I'm not necessarily changing anything, I'm just tweaking a few things. Abraham Moslow (the educator's hero for his "hierarchy of needs") said "A musician must make music, a painter must paint, a poet must write if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What one can be, one must be." I love that thought. In order to be at peace with myself, I must be what I can be. Not what someone else can be, or what I think I should be, but what I can be. Can I eat less junk food? yes. Can I look like Heidi Klum? Sadly, no. Could I be a better writer? sure. Could I be Leo Tolstoy? I can dream. If I honestly think about being the person God created me to be, that person would probably look a bit different than the person I am now. In 2009, I want to figure out a little bit more about who that person is, and strive to live like her.

...all of that to say, "Happy New Year!" I hope this year brings lots of love and hope to you.

Scrooge, Advent Conspiracy, and me.

2008-12-21T07:06:00.002-06:00

I've got a sad Christmas confession. I have never read or watched A Christmas Carol until yesterday. I knew the general premise of it, I knew that Scrooge was a greedy guy who said "Bah Humbug," and I knew that Tiny Tim was some sort of tragic character who said "God bless us, every one." That's about it, though. So on a lazy Saturday with not much going on, I watched the made-for-TV-Patrick Stewart edition. It was not masterfully produced, but it is a GREAT story! Obviously I should have known that; Dickens wrote in the mid-1800's, and for a story and its characters to survive over 150 years is a true literary feat. I love the message of the story; that Christmas is about social justice, about living outside of yourself and living for a purpose. That's the "original" Christmas message that Jesus came to deliver, and that's the message we should remember. I also think it's amazing and rather sad that we haven't progressed much as a species. The same struggles that Jesus talked about in the Bible are the same struggles that Scrooge dealt with in 1850, and they're the same struggles we deal with today. Greed, selfishness, entitlement.

I hate it when people say/think/live by "well, it's just the way things have always been, so it's the way they'll always be." What a lazy way of thinking! I'm not trying to pretend that I'm above this line of thinking, because I'm not. I'm grateful for organizations or people who think in broad strokes to solve some of these human conditions. Several people have mentioned a movement called The Advent Conspiracy, and I'm really inspired by their message. It's actually the EXACT message Dickens was going for in A Christmas Carol, and the EXACT message that Jesus was going for in the Bible. Funny how many times we hear the same simple message, yet implementing the message is so difficult. Anyway, I'm really going to try, try, try to live by this theme. Not just at Christmastime, but all the time. Watch the youtube video promotion, and check them out! Simplify, simplify. That was preached by Jesus and Thoreau...both way before our time. I hope I can follow their advice in a crazy, hectic, fast paced 2009!

Merry Cowan Christmas!

2008-12-20T12:39:00.001-06:00

We had the family over for the Cowan gift exchange last night. It was lots of fun! We all got some fun gifts, had way too much candy, and went out to eat together. Here's Justin and I chillin by the cozy fire...hah
Our little family minus Cleo. The ottoman is the only piece of furniture Buckley is allowed to get on, so he has claimed it as his own. I just didn't want you to think that I've got dog hair all over my furniture...just don't sit on the ottoman!

Jereme and Janae discussing the etymological foundation of Christmas. Just kidding, in reality they're probably discussing their favorite scene in South Park! hehe :)

Poor Buckley has the worst skin allergies right now. He's a mess! Jereme calls him a little nerd dog, because he always has some kind of sickness. Maybe I'll do a nerdy dog picture soon!

The siblings minus David. Poor David is celebrating Christmas with his family in Hawaii!!!! Janae is leaving Sunday. Don't you wish we all had the hardship of having family in Hawaii that we just HAD to visit? Poor them! hehe :)

Dad Cowan! I'm so sad that we don't have any pictures this year of Cheryl, she was there too, I promise!

An Experiment.

2008-12-17T21:17:00.005-06:00

So my best friend, Martha Stewart, had a really great idea on her show last Friday. So great, in fact, that I decided to try it. She wrapped silk napkins around a ball jar, then arranged a short arrangement of flowers in it. Love it!

Here's her example:

And here's how mine turned out:

Not too shabby, eh? Granted, it took her about 3 minutes to do it in her gorgeous greenhouse on a segment of TV perfection, and it took me about 2 hours and a messy kitchen, but it's done, and I was pretty pleased with the final result. The world would be a sad place without Martha giving us ideas.

Woof!

2008-12-11T13:49:00.005-06:00

There are 3 types of domestic animal people in this world:

1. The Cat Fans- They're a pretty unified group. They love all cats. Perhaps this is because cats are all so unique that you don't know what you're gonna get with a cat, so you'd better be prepared for anything, thus loving them all.

Dog lovers are separated into two distinct camps:

2. The Large Dog Fans- They want dogs to hike with them, to go on runs, to wrestle on the ground with them. They want their dogs to have a scary bark, but to be gentle giants. They think that little dogs are yappy, snappy, and too big for their britches.

3. The Small Dog Fans - They want dogs to cuddle with, to dress up, and to take everywhere. They want a dog to sleep with them, to be their little companion. They think that big dogs are dirty, hairy, and obnoxious.

Of course, there are variations of the three types of people. I'm a card-carrying member of the Large Dog Fan Club, but I generally like all dogs, and even some cats. (I'm one of those cat owners who loves MY cat, and that's about it.) I'm basically just a sucker for animals; anything on 4 legs works for me. I really haven't been around too many small dogs for an extended period of time, so when my friend asked me to babysit her Maltese puppy, I was really excited! I'll be honest, Sophie makes a good argument for the Small Dog Fans. She is cute and a half, and is so sweet and easy to take care of. She's 12 weeks old, so she has a lot of puppy energy, but she is so small that her destructive capabilities are minimal. Buckley, on the other hand, destroyed pretty much everything. Clothes, towels, baseboards, remote controls, the boy's jaws knew no limits. Sophie's potty accidents take 1 paper towel and 1 sanitizing wipe to clean, as opposed to Buckley's 5 or 6 towel gifts.

Don't get me wrong, Buckley is honestly the best animal in existence, but I think one of the reasons that he's nearly perfect is because he's rewarding us for not killing him during his two years of total insubordination. He was always sweet and mild mannered, he just didn't listen to a single thing we told him! Now, however, he is the best dog around Sophie. He lets her jump all over him. He plays with her outside (100 lb hunkering dog running around the yard with 2 lbs of cotton fluff! What a funny sight!) He lets her play with his beloved Hedgehog. He checks on her in the chair in the morning. Sweet, sweet, sweet.

Basically, my point is that all dogs can be good dogs. (Sadly, all dogs can be bad dogs too, but that's another story) Big, little, purebred, mutt, it doesn't matter. I'm an equal opportunity pup lover :) And what's an animal post without some pictures?

SOPHIE! Not the sweetest picture in the world, but maybe the funniest! Doesn't she look ornery in this one? Love it! She's completely adorable!
A shout out to Cleo, who has stayed away from all Canine action. She's way too prissy to get into that mix! God forbid she get a paw dirty...
Buckley: Please, stop taking pictures and help me out here!

Sophie: Huh? I'm not doing anything wrong! Just play, play, play!
This is the common scene in the Sophie/Buckley saga.
She's almost completely on his chest! Poor boy! Sophie is having such fun, though!
A good size comparison shot...she comes up to half of his leg! FUNNY!

Monday, Tuesday, Happy Days!

2008-12-07T14:51:00.004-06:00

As I was reading back on some of my recent blog posts, I realized that they're all pretty melancholy. I had good reason for many of them, I suppose, but the truth is that what I blog about is what I think about, and it hasn't been flowers and sunshine lately, which makes me sad. I know things can't be great all the time, but I've tricked myself into thinking that I'm more joyful than I really am. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but it does to me.

Regardless, I've had some fun times lately. Christmastime is here! We finished with all of our decorating last week, and here are a few pictures. I'm especially proud of our outside lights, because I did a vast majority of them by myself, and it was HARD! (and freezing cold!) I can just hear you applauding me from your computer, and I thank you. Thank you very much ;)

We've also had a lot of fun watching our Sooners play football this year, capped off with the Big 12 championship AND a National Championship to look forward to next month! Justin and I both LOVE football, and have had lots of fun having Sooner parties this year. Thanks to our family and friends for coming over and watching with us - it's always more fun to watch your team win with friends :) Watching them lose, however, makes for a bummer of a party, which is why we've had a good Sooner party season! haha. I had to include a picture of SoonerPup in his personalized jersey, because he was also a good party host. He kept the begging for food to a minimum, and faithfully wore his jersey each game.

Community

2008-11-30T21:01:00.002-06:00

Much is made of community. Churches strive to create a community. Charities ask you to give back to your community. "Community Organizer" has become a political buzzword. Neighborhoods are being created with front porches and alleys to re-create small communities. What is it that is so appealing about being a part of a community? Is it the comfort of being a part of a group of people? Is it the feeling of knowing you can make a difference? Is it the need to be needed? I'm not sure about the reasoning, but community is important. In my not-so-intellectual opinion, we need community because we were created to love and be loved. We have an innate desire for community. Regardless, I saw an incredible example of community this week at my Grandpa's funeral.

My Grandparents lived most of their 77 years in a small town in Ohio. They raised their 6 kids there, and my Grandpa was one of the only stone masons in town. Needless to say, they became part of the community. They weren't the richest people in town, and they weren't the most important members of society, but they helped people out. They became involved in people's lives. They loved their neighbors, and they loved each other. They weren't perfect, but their investment into the community didn't go unnoticed. At my Grandpa's viewing, my Dad's high school friends came to pay respects to his dad. All of their neighbors were there. Their church family was there. There were people who worked with my Grandpa 35 years ago that came. For the funeral, not only were all 6 kids and their entire families there, but every ex-husband or wife of the kids and their families came, cousins and 2nd cousins were there for support, the High School Football coach came because he knew how much my Grandpa loved his team, and the list goes on and on. That is community. The people who show up. The people who are there when things are hard. Those who come to respect a life well lived. Those who bake hams and pies when they know that food won't really help, but they do what they can.

Community is important. It is a two-way street. A life lived in community won't just come to you, you must invest in the community. I am learning these lessons (perhaps the hard way), and while community life isn't always pretty and easy, it is necessary. I'm so thankful for my Grandparents' community, for their love and support, and for their example of the necessity of being a part of an authentic, albeit imperfect at times, community.

Grandpa.

2008-11-24T13:23:00.003-06:00

My grandpa died this morning. He has been sick with cancer for a several years, so we knew it was coming, but somehow it didn't soften the blow. What is it about death that leaves an indescribable ache in your heart? Nothing feels like death of a loved one feels. There are lots of painful things in this world, yet death is a whole separate kind of pain. All of the human knowledge and forethought in the world can't take away the sting. I know that he has been dying for years. I know that he was suffering. I know that he was a believer and is now in heaven, free from pain. I know all of these things, and while those facts add up to significant cause for gladness on his part, any relief I should have is covered up by sadness. Sad that I won't see him again in this life. Sad that my grandma is alone. Sad about the unknown thing that is death. Sad for my Dad and Aunts and Uncles. Sad to go to one of my favorite places on earth and see his chair empty. Just plain stinging-in-my-heart sad. I know its selfish, but isn't that what grieving is all about?

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

2008-11-17T22:22:00.002-06:00

Home. Aaahhh. So warm and cozy. So welcoming and peaceful. I will sound like an awful daughter when I say this, but it's been 10 months since I've been home! I've seen my parents a lot within those months, but just not at home. It was fun pulling into Humble again, sad to see the remnants of damage from Ike, and great to pull into the driveway. I saw sweet faces of friends from church on Sunday, and had a fun dinner with a high school friend. My mom and I have done lots (too much) shopping already, and we still have a few days left to do some damage. My dad and I are going on a bike ride tomorrow. All of these things are so much fun, and such a nice respite from everyday life. Don't get me wrong, I love my life, love OKC, love my husband, love my daily responsibilities, but there's something so comforting about being at home, being a daughter, and having no responsibility other than to hang out with my parents! Why do we take that for granted when we're young?

Since I'm waxing poetic about home, I'll throw one more sentimental tidbit. It's so fun to come home to the home I was raised in since 4th grade. I love all the memories in this home, this street, and this neighborhood, and I love coming home to different surroundings, explosive growth, but the same house that I went to elementary, middle, and high school in. Went to prom and slept in the night before my wedding. Watched Jurassic Park 10 trillion times with my brother in. Good memories of good times.

OK, I'm finished with the sentimentality of home, and I'm just glad to be on a mini vacation :) Happy Monday everyone!

Self Discovery Through Rock Band 2

2008-11-09T21:56:00.004-06:00

I really don't play any console games, with the exception of Mario and Wii Bowling (Morgan, Jessica and I ALL have the sparkly "professional" bowling balls. We're legit.) However, I'm slightly obsessed with Rock Band 2. I never knew how much fun it is! Well, let me rephrase. It's not necessarily the game that I like, it's the SINGING part of the game that I like! It's soooo much fun to get a mic and sing a bunch of rock songs! And, just let me tell you, I'm good at it!
My obsession began one night when Justin and I were bored, so we went to his office to play darts. They have a gameroom with darts, shuffleboard, foosball, and a PS3. When I saw all of the Rock Band instruments, I had to play. I saw the microphone laying on the console, and it called to me. "Erin, you know you want to sing Bon Jovi songs!" I gave it a whirl, and it was so fun! Who knew that I would enjoy it? I love listening to music and singing along (loudly and obnoxiously sometimes...ask my mom about "I Will Always Love You") but the microphone added a whole new fun aspect to it. I would *never* want to perform in front of an actual audience, but it's so much fun to pretend to preform, belt your lungs out, and get scored on it. I tried the drums and the guitar, but nothing beats singing. Allow me to brag for a moment. I scored a 96% on HARD level on an Alanis Morriset song. I was pretty pumped. Get a 96% on a research paper = decent. Get a 96% on Rock Band vocals = Horray! Go figure.

My obsession doesn't stop there. I was at Target tonight, and Justin had to stop by the electronics section. He's like a moth to the flame; I can't put up a fight. BUT, this time, I saw a game that I want! Yes, I said that. Here it is:

http://www.amazon.com/Karaoke-Revolution-Party-Playstation-2/dp/B0009Z3K3U/ref=pd_sim_vg_1

Seriously, does that look like the MOST FUN GAME EVER or what?! Duets, song & dance, etc. And look, Mom, "I Will Always Love You" AND "Uptown Girl" are two of the songs! I'm sure that I'm completely lame that I want a video game for Christmas. It'll be my first video game request EVER, but I'm crossing my fingers that Santa will deliver it to my house this year :)

Red/Blue/Donkey/Elephant...no thanks

2008-11-04T13:47:00.002-06:00

It's here! Election day! I am beyond thankful that the day has come for several reasons. I'm ready for the decision to be made already. I'm ready to move forward with whomever is elected. I'm ready for the negativity and name calling to finish (to some degree), and I'm ready for a small level of certainty. Hopeful, I know, but it's what I want.

I'm really happy that more people are taking their civil duties seriously and voting this year; news sources are projecting that voting could be at a record high today. Kudos to us. However,
It seems like we all recognize several fundamental problems with the electoral process. The extreme partisanship, the catering of certain parties to certain race/age/sex/socioeconomic classes, the grandstanding, the mudslinging, the tip-toeing around issues that are huge, yet that nobody wants to talk about. I'm not naive enough to think most of this will ever change, but I'm hopeful enough to think that we are fundamentally good, that our country is based on solid principles, and that everyone wants to do what they think is right. Whether those convictions lean to the left or the right is not my issue. My issue is the increasing blind allegience to a particular political party.

Political parties are necessary, I understand that. They give a general insight into what a person believes in. However, the importance of political parties has gotten way out of control. I understand that politics are a very personal decision, and many of us have deep convictions that determine our stand on certain issues. I have strong opinions on fiscal policy, social programs, and how much control our government should have over our everyday lives. However, I refuse to be politically categorized anymore. I'm changing my voter registration to Independent. I think that if more people registered independent, it would heal political wounds, and it would cause politicians to be more upfront and honest. A strong 3rd party (or, more like a lack of support for the 2 existing parties) would change the way politics are done. Here's my logic:

1. I don't want any politician to think that they automatically have my vote because we happen to belong to the same party. I want whomever I vote for to earn my vote, not to assume I'm in their pocket. We always hear pundits wonder, "who's going to get the independents?" I want to be one of those swing voters. Registering independent gives the voter more power.

2. I don't want to live in a state that is assumed to be a lost cause for any one candidate/party. If more people registered independent, it would alter the current "battleground state" model. I hate it that because I live in Oklahoma, my vote virtually doesn't matter. Nobody cares what we vote for, because we're a Republican state. End of discussion. If more of us were independent, we would keep pundits on their toes, and the wouldn't automatically assume things about us that may or may not be true.

3. The truth of the matter is that I'm disappointed in both parties. The party I'm currently associated with and the other party. They both do stupid things in the name of partisan politics. Partisan politics has led to insane amounts of Pork-Barrel spending, needless spending, political spin galore, and I'm just done with it. I can honestly say that I don't fully support either party. My beliefs align with a particular party, but that doesn't mean that I support the leaders of that party or their actions. My new independent status won't change the way I vote, but I don't feel comfortable anymore being labeled with either one of those tarnished brands.

So there we have it, folks. I'm not one of those raging, crazy people that hate everything about everything involving politics. On the contrary, I'm really hopeful about the future, and think that the lessons we learn can be applied to make us better people. I hope you all consider registering independent, and perhaps Wolf Blitzer (what kind of name is that, btw? honestly!) and George Stephanopoulos (yes, I googled it to get the spelling) will have a different story to tell in 4 years.
Ah...the power of the therapeutic blog post.

A Letter of Concern.

2008-11-03T14:43:00.003-06:00

Dear Left Sternocleidomastoid Muscle,

Hi. It's me, your body. Or at least the brain and fingers of your body. I feel compelled to write concerning your recent behavior. I know that you're obviously upset at the way I'm sleeping, but you are really making things difficult for the rest of the body in which you reside. Is it really necessary to tense up the way you do? Must you cause our head to hurt? Not only that, but your recent negative behavior is beginning to rub off on your neighbors. Mr. Digastric Muscle isn't too happy with the stress you are causing, and that is the last thing the rest of the body needs. Also, you're causing me to favor your twin, Right Sternocleidomastiod Muscle. Let's just say that he's not your biggest fan right now. Multiple insubordinate muscles? No thank you.

Is there any way I can convince you to respond a little quicker to Physical Therapy? I can't promise you that I will change the way I sleep, but I promise to be much nicer to you in the future if you can grant me this small favor. I'd love to promise you frequent massages (good feeling ones...at a spa!), but that is something I'll have to take outside of our body and confer with my husband on. I'll get back to you. Perhaps your acting up will help me out in that regard. For that, I am thankful. However, until then, please refrain from further aggrivation.

Warm Regards,

The rest of Erin

Werewolf Bar Mitzvah

2008-11-01T21:00:00.020-05:00

Spooky Scary! We had a fun Halloween last night. Our church had a Trunk or Treat event, where people come and decorate their trunks and pass out candy. I wish they did this when I was a kid! Maybe they did, and I just didn't know about it, but it's a pretty cool idea. Laziness factor is high; trick-or-treaters get a lot more candy per square foot than going door to door. Friendliness factor is high; no creepy people answering the door or rude/stingy candy givers. Fun factor was sky high; I think the trunk decorators had more fun than the trick or treaters! We were asked to decorate with a theme, and there would be prizes for the top 3 trunks. Our idea was "The Cave of Doom", and we created a cave out of the trunk of our Hummer. We had a sign that said "Beware of Monster", and the monster was Buckley. He was crazy scary...just kidding. I looked everywhere for an outfit for him, but dog costumes for 100lb dogs just don't exist. On a sidenote, anyone who wants to create a Big & Tall store for dogs, let us know, and we'll be investors! :)We had scary spiders, yucky moss, and broken chains to add to the spook factor. We were planning on having dry ice for the smoke, but we forgot. In hindsight, the smoke might have put us over the edge, but we'll never know. Sadly, we didn't win, but we've already got ideas for next year! We had a lot of fun, saw lots of sweet little kids, and got to celebrate our silly little holiday with friends. Hope everyone had a fun Halloween!

Our pumpkins! I did the goofy face, Jessica did the howling wolf. Why do continue to craft/do artistic things with her? I've come to accept that she is miles ahead of me...and now I take advantage of her and have her carve my pumpkins :) haha

The cave of doom while it's still daytime...not quite as spooky

Jessica's bug of bugs...get it? The giant spider on the top was attached to a rope, and as the kids were reaching in through the spider web, it would drop down...very funny to see (or hear) kids scream all night! We're not sure what the teapot had to do with the theme, but she looked cute :)

Getting darker...see our cool pumpkin in there? You can also see the cave effect. Fun times.

As for the blog title, Justin and I were singing the song "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah" all day on Halloween. It's a spoof song from 30 Rock. If you don't watch that show, you really should. It's the best show on right now (with the exception of Mad Men). Watch it next Thursday! In the meantime, here's an incomplete version of our funny song. Long live Tracy Jordan!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG65axXE-HY

A Study of Opposites

2008-10-25T21:55:00.002-05:00

Today was a great Saturday. I did two completely opposite things, and loved both of them.

We started the day getting all prettied up and going to a wedding. It's always fun getting dressed up, listening to romantic music, watching two sweet people commit their lives to each other, and eat yummy cake and mingle with people you don't see often enough. Janae was a completely gorgeous bride, and Ryan was a dashing groom. There was also a pretty awesome maid of honor! :)

After the wedding, we came home and got un-dressed up. I put on a big sweatshirt, ratty jeans, and slippers. This is a classic college football viewing outfit. I've already blogged on my love for college football, and today was a great day of wasting the daylight inside watching game after game. OU won big, but I'm still a little scared of Texas Tech and Ok State! Boomer Sooner, boys! Get it together! I hope we can continue to improve. Texas and OK State was an awesome game, but I wish Ok State could have pulled out the victory. Ohio State and Penn State was completely boring for 3 quarters, then in the last 2 minutes, it turned into a game! So sad the Buckeyes couldn't pull off the upset.

We humans are complex little creatures. We love sweet, romantic flowery weddings and hard-hitting, smash mouth football with equal fervor.

Random Picture Time!

2008-10-23T07:46:00.005-05:00

I haven't posted pictures for a long time, so here are a few random ones that I've taken over the past month.

Is there any dog on earth cuter than him? Nope! Also, please notice my lovely, colorful, and STILL ALIVE flowers in the background. Victory!

This is a card I made for my friend, Morgan. Guess how old she is!?!?!

This is a card Morgan and I made for our newly pregnant friend! We're so excited for her :)

I had to take a picture to honor my morning power hitters. Where would I be without coffee, soymilk, splenda, and oatmeal? Still in bed! hehe. I've found the perfect blend of morning happiness for my stomach. Try it sometime!

Brevity is Wit

2008-10-21T10:50:00.003-05:00

It's been a blah book week. I love to read fiction, and I always have to be in the middle of a book. This week, I'm struggling through The Life of Edgar Sawtelle, and I'm not sure why. It was raved about in Bookmarks Magazine, it's Oprah's Book Club pick, it's up for several national book awards, so why don't I love it as much as everyone else? I really enjoy the setting of the book, and the characters are endearing, but I'm at a really dry part in the middle of the novel, and I can't seem to find much motivation to finish. I hate it when writers do this. They start their novels with a bang, they develop an interesting plotline, then it seems to flatline in the middle. There's one consistency among each of these flatlining novels: they're too long.

I have a strict brevity rule that I use for books and movies. If a movie is longer than 2 hours, it had better be an epic story brilliantly written. If it's not, it breaks the brevity rule. 3 hours is too long to be sitting watching a movie, no matter how epic it is. Sorry, I know that a lot of people disagree with me, but I don't think a movie should ever be that long. You know that Braveheart and Saving Private Ryan could have cut a few of those fighting scenes, or that Lord of the Rings could have cut...a lot. SNOOZE!!!

For books, I think that they should all be under 400 pages. Anyone can tell a brilliant story in under 400 pages. If a book is over 400 pages, it had better be an epic retelling of some unbelievable historical event. I'll also give a pass to Leo Tolstoy or Henry David Thoreau, because I'm in love with them. Either of them could write a 2,000 page novel about dust and I would read it. Other than Leo and Henry, if an author is writing a book longer than 400 pages, it is too long to be fully enjoyed. Brevity is wit, get to the point!

I notice the irony about my complaining about brevity while writing an extremely long blog post about it. Maybe I should make a brevity rule for blogging. Maybe not, because I'm sure I would break my own rule!

OKC Thunderrrrrrr!

2008-10-18T00:07:00.004-05:00

In keeping with my current tradition of blogging a few days behind, I thought I'd share my thoughts about Oklahoma City's newest plaything: our NBA team! Hooray! I love the NBA, so I was way excited when we got the Sonics. Sure, maybe the whole deal was a little shady, but I'm happy regardless. Tuesday night was the first home pre-season game, and I was ready to go get a peek at my new boys. Kevin Durant looked good, and I give him props for playing a fair chunk of time in a pre-season game. Usually the big stars of the team sit a lot of time out to avoid injury, but not KD. I also liked Johan Petro, he's a hustler! (in a good way..haha)

Justin and I got season tickets, and here's the view from our seats:

So we got there, got all settled in to our comfy seats, then the greatest thing happened. The man with the seats next to us (remember...season tickets....as in, we're next to him every game this year) enters. With three beers and a mouth full of chew. And a moustache and a rattail. Now I swear that I'm not an elitist jerk, and I don't judge people based on looks. Usually, even grown men with rattails. I'm sure there are a lot of quality people who for some reason like one strand of hair running down their back. So none of this would usually bother me (too much), but then he opened his mouth. He opened it loudly. I am sorry to say that I have tickets next to the most obnoxious heckler the world of sports has ever known. I'm not even kidding - it's not even funny stuff he's screaming at the top of his lungs - it's really mean personal attacks. The kind of thing that you hear and think, "Thank God I'm not next to that crazy person." Well, I'm next to him. I really hope that he doesn't stumble upon my blog, or that I don't know his kid or anything, because frankly, I'm sorta scared of him. If he can come up with insults about professional athletes on the fly the way he does, I don't even want to think of what he would say about me!

I swear, we are going to be on TV or in the paper at some point this year because of our lovely neighbor. The really scary part of this story is that he was yelling and screaming this much at a PRESEASON game...just think of how he'll be in a game that actually matters! I shudder at the thought. I'm going to make a small sign that reads "I'm not with him---->" and hold it up anytime he screams profanities at the refs or the other team. It will have to be small, because he can't see me hold it up. I'm scared he'll spit chew in my face or something.

So as the season progresses, check the Oklahoman sports section for me and Justin with grimaces on our faces, because we'll be in there someday. If not us, someone from Element Fusion. Justin will have to warn them all about him so they can mentally prepare!

Beyond that, I'm pondering signs for opening night. "Roar, Thunder" or "Can you hear the Thunder"....which do you prefer? Any other lovely ideas? I'll bring my camera so that I can get some better shots than the iphone shot above.

Go Thunder!! Hooray!

Coming Out of the Closet

2008-10-17T09:49:00.003-05:00

Hah! Did you like my shameless attempt to entice you to read because of a juicy title? That was my intention, anyway. Are you wondering who's coming out of the closet, and which closet? Good, that was my plan. Muahaha :)

Well, I am coming out of the "superhero" closet. That's right, folks, I have a superhero ability. I discovered it a few weeks ago, and I am finally brave enough to go public with it. I can.....injure myself while sleeping!!! That's right, how heroic is that?!?!?! Sure, some superheroes can fly, or have super speed, or can do other cool things, but the ability to injure yourself when you sleep, (or "sleep mutilation" as those of us in the hero community call it) can be really beneficial in certain situations. Say you're in high school and you want to miss gym class? SuperSleep time! Or say you're fed up with work, and you'd like to get some sick leave? Superhero Erin to the rescue!

I discovered my super ability when I injured my shoulder while sleeping. Apparently I sleep with my left arm above my head, and it's torn a weak spot in my muscle. It hurts, I have to take medicine, and I have to go to Physical Therapy for it. Go Go, Super Powers! Unfortunately for me, this is the 2nd time I have injured my shoulder sleeping. When I was younger, I broke my collar bone because I fell out of bed. My parents or I should have recognized the super skill it takes to accomplish a broken bone while sleeping, and it would have saved me a lifetime of denial concerning my super sleep. Sometimes the price heroes have to pay for their abilities is steep, and for me, that price includes Physical Therapy and a stupid new "ergonomically correct" pillow. Oh, the sacrifices we make for heroic greatness.

So, my friends, I shall try to use my new found heroism for the greater good. Please, next time you see me, try not to treat me any differently. Really, we're more alike than we are different. Except for my awesome new ability, I'm just an average person. I know that there are a lot of people out there seething with jealousy, wishing "I wish I could injure myself while sleeping," and to those of you out there, I say be patient. You never know when you might be bestowed a superhero power of your own. Until then, keep sleeping safely!

Creepy Crawly!

2008-10-13T01:34:00.005-05:00

My poor little lonely, neglected blog. I'm not too sure why I haven't blogged lately, because a lot of blog-worthy things have happened in the week since I've typed out my usually mundane life. Here are a few highlight:

We went camping last weekend. I didn't take any fun pictures, because we went to the Wichita Mtns. in Lawton (like we always do), so the pictures are starting to get pretty redundant. However, there were two noteworthy differences in this Wichita camping trip:

1. We went on a hike, and we let Buckley lead the entire way back. He didn't miss a step! There were at least 5 decisions he had to make, and he didn't even hesitate! He led us all the way back to our exact campsite...little smarty dog! We were pretty impressed.

2. I saw.....a tarantula....in. my. campsite. I wish I could tell you that I was kidding, or that I'm exaggerating, it wasn't really that big, but unfortunately for me, I'm not kidding, and it WAS that big. And fat. And hairy. It was dark, and I saw something scurry by our campfire (maybe 4 feet away!) Justin looked, and by the time he said what it was, I was already about 20 feet away! Now, for the record, I hate it when animals die needlessly. Really hate it. I don't like to eat meat, hate to see roadkill, would never go hunting, and close my eyes when I'm watching nature shows and the predator kills its prey. It's just too sad for me. However, when there's a tarantula encroaching on my campsite (I know, I'm encroaching on its home, but I had to SLEEP there!), it must die. Justin didn't want to kill it, but after much deliberation, the poor little guy had to go. I'm sorry, poor spider up in heaven that you had to die because I'm a chicken, but I wish you wouldn't have gotten so close to the campfire. Ignorance is bliss when it comes to spiders and camping.

Rag and Bone

2008-10-05T21:57:00.003-05:00

*A Glimpse of Holliday Family Movie Viewing History*

My dad loves to watch mystery movies and figure out the ending before it's revealed. We love to watch my dad watch mystery movies, and we anticipate the moment when he pronounces the ending halfway through the movie. He's pretty good at it, so when he gets stumped on those rare occasions, we deem the movie that tricked dad to be a quality mystery movie. Unfortunately for me, I didn't inherit my dad's sleuth ability. I'm just not observant enough, I guess. I love watching movies like Rear Window and The Usual Suspects, but one of the things I love about them is the gasp of surprise when the plot twist is revealed. Good stuff!

*How This Relates to Rag and Bone*

Rag and Bone is a mystery novel by Michael Nava, and is the last in a series of mysteries starring Henry Rios. The good news is...I FIGURED OUT THE ENDING! Yes, it's true! Unfortunately, it would be awful of me to write out my proudest mystery moment, because I can't do so without ruining the mystery for everyone, so you'll just have to take my word for it. According to the Holliday family mystery rating scale, I'm sure that the fact that I figured out the ending before it was revealed would equate to a low ranking storyline. However, I liked it. It was entertaining and fun to read. Maybe I liked it a little more because it gave me hope that I could become a mystery figure-outer like my dad. Probably not, but at least I'm on the map now with one victory under my belt.

Paradise is...paradise :)

2008-09-28T13:15:00.003-05:00

I was beginning to think that I was in a book funk. The last few books I've read have failed to inspire. They haven't been "bad," any of them, but they haven't been amazing. I know it's not good when I begin making schedules of pages I have to read in order to finish it by Saturday. I've just read my amazing book of the month. Toni Morrison's Paradise is A-mazing. I loved it. The characters were rich and complex, the setting (Oklahoma!) lended itself to a mysterious isolation that became a theme of the book, and the writing was beautiful. I don't think I can think of one negative to the book. When I read its reviews on Amazon, it got really mixed reviews. A lot of people said it was too confusing (it wasn't), too long (I wish it was longer!), and not engaging. What?! A few commented that it was Toni Morrision's weakest work. If that's her weakest work, I'm convinced to read her best work. (She won the Pulitzer Prize for Beloved, so that's on my "books I want to read" list now.)

Without going into detail that you wouldn't understand if you hadn't read the book, I found it very interesting that the cultural struggles that occurred in the town of Ruby, Oklahoma are similar to the cultural struggles of modern day America. The founding fathers of Ruby wanted to create a town where they were free from tyranny (slavery and racism). They wanted to work for themselves, to have a little piece of earth to call their own. Nobody could tell them what to do, and nobody could tell them they were worthless or less valuable than anyone else. (Sound familiar?) The first few generations of Ruby worked hard at keeping the forefather's ideals and morals, but in doing so, created a lot of rules. Rules that didn't make a lot of sense, but rules that were put in place for the greater good of Ruby. As a result, the leaders of Ruby saw an increase in power. (Sound familiar?) The younger generation in Ruby sees a lot of faults in the system. They want to leave Ruby to go to other towns where the needless rules and empty threats don't apply. They want freedom from the system, and they are looking for change. (Sound familiar?)

Now, I don't mean my comparison to be Anti-American or anything of the sort. I'm beyond thankful that I live in a country such as America. I'm not hinting at the "Obama for change" theory that everyone else on the Internet is. For the record, I think that BOTH candidates are for radical change, and that McCain is a more proven proponent for change than Obama. But all of this is beside the point. All presidential politics aside, I just found it incredible that Morrison could write a book about a small, inclusive town and in doing so, she painted large, uncritical, non-partisan brushstrokes of an America that has let politics get in the way of freedom.

Read Paradise.

Nip Tuck

2008-09-27T00:04:00.001-05:00

My blog just got a face lift..isn't it lovely? The website I got my shiny new background from has all kinds of cute choices...and some questionable ones too, but that's neither here nor there. Take a look at it, but only if you're a girl. If you're a guy, don't bother, because there will be nothing of interest to you. They're all very scrapbook-ish, girly backgrounds.

www.thecutestblogontheblock.com

I feel like I just got a face lift too. I don't look any different, but I feel about 1000 times better. Goodbye Amox-Clav, you diabolical drug! I've even started making lists again. I know that I'm feeling back to normal when the list making begins. I love lists, and lists love me. Really, I'm a fan of any kind of list. Grocery list, to-do list, wish list, top 10 list: I lovingly accept them all. Is there anything better than the sense of accomplishment you feel when you draw a nice bold line through a to-do list item? Maybe there are a few things better, but the list is pretty short. ha!

Viva la Vida!

2008-09-25T23:42:00.000-05:00

OK, so I don't really speak Spanish. I may speak the fragmented I-grew-up-in-Houston variety, but that hardly counts. I can't watch and understand Telemundo, so I don't officially speak the language. I didn't even take high school Spanish; I took French. Maybe not the most practical choice, but it's so pretty! J'aime Francais! When I go to Paris to stay in the Ritz, wear striped shirts and high heels with a beret, and ask "what time is it?" (Quel heurs et il?) and say "I speak a little French." (Je parle un peu Francias) I'll laugh at my high school naysayers who said "why are you taking French when you live in south Texas?" le hoh hoh hoh. OK, off topic.

I'm not blogging about the (awesome) Coldplay song, even though now that I think about it, I really love the musicality of it, and I think the lyrics are poetry. The song has a type of epic feel to it. Kind of like Camelot-ish. I'm not sure if an American band could pull that song off. I don't know why, I just think that the fact that they're a British band makes that song better. I have no logical explanation for that, but I stand by it. Regardless, I love Chris Martin almost as much as I love John Mayer. OK, not even almost as much, but I do love him. I'd like to think that John wouldn't name his kids Apple and Moses. Off topic again.

No, today I'm blogging about the literal translation of the phrase en espanol - Live the Life! That's what I want to do! FREEEEEEDOOOOOOM! (in my best Braveheart voice) My 10 days on the couch has given me serious wanderlust. I don't know where I want to go, and I don't know what I want to do, but that's what I want. To go and to do. I want to live in infinitives: to go, to see, to do, to laugh, to play, to enjoy, to cheer, to wander. I know that going somewhere just for the sake of going is futile. Doing something just for the sake of having something to do doesn't fill that void in your head? or heart? Where is the void? Why do I have the void? That's how I know that my wanderlust isn't a matter of external circumstances or boredom, it's a matter of internal discontent. Places and activities don't make people happy and content. Being constantly on the go doesn't bring fulfillment. Vacations don't bring true peace. Relationships make people happy and content. Faith brings fulfillment. God brings true peace. Living outside of yourself makes wanderlust disappear.

...but its difficult to live outside of yourself when you're stuck on the couch. Life's the game, and I'm riding the bench. However, the 10-day forecast is sunny. I'm done with my medicine. I'm off of my dependency of Kleenex. I can breathe and I can talk. Dizziness and nausea are minimal. "I can see clearly now the rain is gone..." haha :) So life goes on. I'm ready to regain my focus, to live outside of myself, and to live outside of my house. My couch, my dog, Martha Stewart, and Oprah might miss me a little bit, but I think their lives will go on as well.

Maybe when I get back to living, my blog posts will stop being a billion words long. Sheesh, Erin!

Love My Martha!

2008-09-20T08:20:00.004-05:00

I love Martha Stewart. Yes, I said that. She is the epitome of a modern woman. She's an expert on business, fashion, homemaking, crafting, entertaining...well, almost everything. Maybe she isn't the best wife, or maybe she doesn't always make the most honest financial transactions, but we all make mistakes, right? :) Regardless, I've been a Martha fan for a long time, like since I was a teenager. I remember Shosh (my grandma) had Martha Stewart Living magazines that I would love to look through and admire. Martha always has the most beautiful photography in all of her publications, and even when I was a teenager and didn't cook, could care less about gardening or homekeeping, I still liked her magazines. There's something about pretty pictures on glossy pages that make my heart swoon. When I got married, I started watching her shows in the summer. I loved all of her "good things" and helpful tips about living. I was infinitely proud when I successfully made my first Martha meal. I'm now a Martha cookbook junkie. I have (and love) almost all of them.

One of the best things about Martha is her adaptability. I DVR her show and watch it when I can, and today's show was an entire hour devoted to blogging. It's amazing that she blogs every day (even though she admits that her editor does a lot of her entries for her), and she knows a lot about blogging! She keeps a blogroll of her favorite blogs, had Perez Hilton (yuck) and the guys on politico.com on her show, as well as some other notorious bloggers. Good for her! How many 66 year olds do you know that blog? Or that know Perez Hilton? hehe

Her business is inspiring because while it isn't about spirituality or relationships, it's about doing simple things to make your life beautiful. She teaches very practical lessons about managing a beautiful home, keeping a peaceful garden, cooking delicious favorites, or crafting lovely gifts. She loves simple beauty, and she has successfully built a multimillion dollar company around it.

So, in honor of my self-proclaimed Martha Stewart Appreciation Day, go check out her blog!

http://www.themarthablog.com/

I'm Glad I'm not Speaking From Experience Here...

2008-09-19T15:35:00.006-05:00

My book of the week was Less than Zero, by Bret Easton Ellis. It was...sad. Ultimately just all-around sad for every character in the book. The amazing thing about the characters is that I don't know anything at all about one of them after reading an entire book about them. They don't even know themselves, which is where the sadness lies. It is a book about a group of extremely rich Beverly Hills kids who are back home after their first semester of college. Very Paris Hilton and Nicole Richey.

This is the kind of book that makes me SO THANKFUL that I was raised in a sweet family in Humble, TX. With two parents. That I'm in a secure, Godly marriage to a fantastic man. That I have friends and family that love me just because. That even though I get a little bored sometimes, my little life in a suburban house in OKC is pretty dang great. Reading a book about 18 year olds who have unlimited money, flashy cars, ritzy parties, beautiful tans, etc, but have no emotions or real relationships really makes you thankful for those things.

I'll admit, I'm a celebrity gossip addict. It's a disease that I wish I could get rid of, but I haven't yet. I check TMZ frequently to see what's going on in these people's lives. I really don't know why I care, or even IF I care, but as I was reading this book, I could see just how realistic it is. It was written in 1982, but it seemed like it could be a headline on TMZ or People. It's so sad that these people who live lives that others admire, and who seem to have everything, actually have nothing of true value. That's why most of them get divorced. That's why many of them have addictions. That's why many of them self-destruct. Because there is no joy and meaningful relationship in their lives. Add to that the fact that their unhappiness is captured on camera, and it adds a whole new layer of misery. I'm glad that I don't know anything about this first hand, but I can somehow sympathize more with those who do after reading Less Than Zero. (And I really should stop reading TMZ...this I know).

So be thankful for the sometimes mundane lives you lead, friends! We're really so blessed. If you are unconvinced, take a peek at Less Than Zero, and you'll become a believer in the simple life.

Best Website Ever!

2008-09-19T11:54:00.002-05:00

OK friends, I've found it. The very sweetest website on the Internet. It's make-your-heart-hurt cuteness. Lots and lots of it! I'm currently a hermit trying to get rid of my sinus infection, so needless to say, I've had lots of time to surf the web. And watch TV. And do my nails. And read books. And sleep. Rinse and Repeat. Anyway, in my recent web endeavors, I found this website, and had to give it a shout out. The very funniest and cutest animal pictures ever! Love it! It's a fantastic way to waste time online.

http://www.cuteoverload.com/

Enjoy!

P.S. I have gone through an ENTIRE box of Kleenex today. Today's only about half over. Too much information? Probably, but I was too amazed and disgusted not to share it. Sinus Infection=1, Erin=0, box of Kleenex=-1. Boo.

Fear of Flying, and an even bigger Fear of Denigration

2008-09-14T19:15:00.005-05:00

I'm really loving the selection of literature in my class, Post WWII American Literature. My professor has chosen such an ecclectic group of books that I admittedly would NEVER have read if left to my own devices. So I'll start with a shout out to Dr. Hochenauer for requiring me to read works that are off the beaten path!
Erica Jong is a tough author to read, but I believe she is a product of her time. She's a crazy feminist. Angry. Selfish. Wants-it-all-no-matter-who-it-hurts. Not the standard of an empowered woman in 2008. Now, I'm all for equal rights and breaking the glass ceiling, but we've come a LONG way since the 1970's. However, I believe that this novel stands the test of time not for the validity of its arguments, but as a type of time capsule into the struggles of women in America.
Since I obviously wasn't alive to witness the sexism of the 1960's and 1970's, I rely on media for my knowledge. I know that TV and books do not compare to experience, but the AMC show Mad Men is an eye-opening glimpse of sexism in the workplace in the 1960's. I almost quit watching the show because the way that women are depicted is really disturbing. In the time before phrases like "political correctness," "equal rights," and "sexual harrassment" existed, many businessmen were openly sexist while thinking they were doing these poor things a favor by giving them a job and letting them use typewriters and answer their phone calls. If you haven't seen that show, I really recommend it. It's a really unique look into life in America 48 years ago.
After watching the way that women were viewed in the 1960's, I'm thinking that if I was an adult woman back then, maybe I'd be buds with Erica Jong after all. Probably not, but just maybe :)

Sad. Again.

2008-09-13T13:40:00.002-05:00

OK, I've got a serious case of the grumpies. Or maybe a serious case of the feel-sorry-for-yoursef-ies. Maybe even a case of worst-case-scenario-thinking-ies. Whatever my prognosis, I'm glum. I am usually not a gloomy person, so when I am feeling gloomy, it's worse than the average case of grumpiness, I think. Please allow me to share my gloominess with my bloggy friends.

While I'm up here in Ohio with my sick Grandpa AND Grandma, the news of Ike keeps going from bad to worse. My parents can't hear anything from anyone, but they know that there is no power in all of Humble. Not good. They know that there is no flooding. Good. They know that there are trees down everywhere. Not good. They know that they have a huge Live Oak in their back yard. Not good. They know that the eye of the hurricane passed directly over Humble/Atascocita. Not good. That's quite an imbalance of good/not good, yes?

Without going into too much detail and further boring you with my gloominess, there's quite an imbalance of good/not good here in Ohio as well. I feel pretty awful for my poor grandparents. Life is hard in the country, and harder when you don't feel well. I will say, it's been quite the experience having to cook with bottled water, burn your trash (bad, I know, but you've gotta do what you've gotta do!) hand wash everything you dirty, etc. I've given my grandma props all week for doing this her whole life while raising 6 kids! You go, Grandma! The lack of communication with the "outside world" is also getting me down a little bit. We have no cell phones (gasp), no high speed Internet (double gasp), and so on and so forth. I know that life is going on without me in this little vortex that I've lived in this week, but it sure doesn't feel like it.

OK, I'm done. As I'm re-reading this post, it's already annoying me. Down-in-the-dumps, blah blah blah. Complain-about-everything, blah blah blah. Nobody wants to be around Erin when she's in a funk - maybe it's a good thing that I'm in a vortex away from everyone but family - they have to love me! haha!

I'm saying prayers for my hometown that they will come together and work to repair the damage that stinkin Ike did. I'm saying prayers for my family that we will work to repair the damage of illness and hurt. I'm saying prayers for my hubby that I MISS a lot! I'm saying prayers for my yuckiness to go AWAY! God is bigger than the hurts of this world!

Huh? Lot 49 something?

2008-09-07T21:33:00.002-05:00

I just finished reading The Crying of Lot 49, and it was....interesting? confusing? frustrating? odd? All of the above. I've never read a book like it. If I could compare it to a movie, maybe it would be a mixture between Vanilla Sky, The Matrix, Memento, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I know that's a random selection of movies, but all of them have a kind of depth while still embodying a sense of confusion. They aren't "obvious" movies; you really had to pay attention to detail, symbolism, and small nuiances.

I really like this type of story, because it keeps me on my toes. It's always changing, shifting, and with each sidenote, I'm wondering what the meaning is. Thomas Pynchon is also funny - like laugh out loud funny. It's pretty rare for a book to make me laugh out loud, but certain random funny parts of this book did. I can't begin to describe it, but there is a scene where a father, son, and their dog die in a submarine. I know this sounds morbid and awful, and I'm the biggest dog lover on earth, but the dog's death scene just cracked me up. Again, out of context it doesn't make any sense - even in context it doesn't make much sense - but I would recommend this book purely based on the unique reading experience it provides.

Happy Reading, and Happy Monday! I'll post some Ohio pics soon.

Leaving on a Jetplane: A Tribute in Photos

2008-09-06T08:02:00.008-05:00

I'm leaving today for Ohio, and what better way to commemorate my departure than to do a tribute to Peter, Paul and Mary? (Or in my case, the Armageddon soundtrack)

"All my bags are packed, I'm-a ready to go"

"I'm standin' here outside your door"

"I hate to wake you up to say goodbye"

"But the dawn is breaking, it's early morn"

"The mini-van's waitin, he's blowing his horn"

"Already I'm so lonesome I could die..."

"Cause I'm leavin' in a mini-van, I don't know when I'll be back again..."

Sad.

2008-09-04T23:25:00.003-05:00

My grandpa, one of the very sweetest people in the world is sick. Really sick. Like not-going-to-make-it sick. It's just...sad. It's sad for a lot of reasons.

1. He's such a hard working man, and he's had cancer for the last 4 years, which has effectively taken him out of commission since its onset. I'm sad that this has been such an ongoing source of pain for him.
2. I haven't been there with him through his sickness. I've been in Oklahoma, he's been in Ohio. I'm sad that I haven't done more. I know that thought is kind of irrational, because there's not really anything to "do" to make cancer better, but I'm still sad.
3. He and my Grandma have been married for 54 years. I'm sad for my Grandma. This is what I'm most sad about.

So I'm off to Ohio to be with my family. The good news -the really great news- is that there is still joy in the midst of sadness. We just have to be aware of it. God has created a world of balance, and where there is sadness, there is also joy. So therefore:

1. I'm thankful that I've been blessed with such a great example of a man as my grandpa. I'm thankful for the exceptional family I was born into, and the happiness I've experienced because of them.
2. I'm thankful that I'm able to go spend some time with him in Ohio. I'm blessed to be able to spend time with my family without worrying about life here. (I'll miss Justin, and I'll have school work to do while I'm there, but other than that, I have a very flexible schedule.)
3. I'm thankful for the legacy of love that my Grandparents have. 54 years, 6 kids, and a lot of craziness later, they are still in love. Amen.

It feels better already to have the words typed out. Now I just have to spend the next week or so believing them. If my bloggy friends get a chance to pray for my Dad, Grandma/Grandpa and Aunts & Uncles, etc. it would be much appreciated.
And thanks for the therapy session, Blogger :)

An Unhealthy Relationship

2008-08-31T22:53:00.001-05:00

I have an unhealthy relationship with my dog. It's very one-sided. Basically, he tells me what to do, and I do it. It's pretty sad, really, that a canine can control a human the way he does. A typical day goes like this:

Buckley: (puts front paws on bed at 7:45. This is about 10 minutes after Justin leaves for work, because he knows he can't tell Justin to get up, but he can command me to get up)
Erin: "Oh, are you ready to go out and get breakfast, Buckley? Ok, let's go!"

Buckley: (goes to the laundry room about an hour after breakfast, then looks back and whines)
Erin: "Buckley's ready for a walk? Ok, better go then!"

Buckley: (does nothing.)
Erin: "Poor Buckley is so bored, let's go on a car ride! Or maybe I'll give him a bone! Or how about play ball?"

Buckley: (droops his head and gives me sad eyes when I'm about to leave the house)
Erin: "Poor Buckley (I guess the Poor Buckley is a reoccurring theme for me), I'm sorry I'm leaving you! I'll stay and pet you for another few minutes."

Erin: (gets a piece of fruit to eat...anything, but especially a pear, banana, or apple)
Buckley: (puts his nose about an inch from the fruit. Never grabs, but lets me know he wants it.)
Erin "How cute! My dog is healthy and wants to eat fruit! Here you go, eat some!"

These are just a few examples in a given day of how my dog controls me. One might wonder what he has done to have gained such power. I think Buckley is a lot smarter than I give him credit for, and he knows that if he's a perfectly well behaved dog, he basically gets everything he wants! He's never bad, he always does the right thing, he's never annoying, therefore, he's eternally spoiled...it's ridiculous. He also knows who the easy targets are. Unfortunately, I have proven to be the easiest target, but there are a few choice other people in his life who are powerless to Buckley's tricks. He knows it.

I hope I'm not quite so easy when I have children, or I'll be in for a long haul with parenting. However, if my kids are half as sweet and endearing as my dog is, I'll be in good shape.

An Ode to Autumn

2008-08-30T21:38:00.004-05:00

I love the first game of the college football season. It's so full of hope - a clean slate for all of the teams. It's a first look at your team's strengths and weaknesses. I love seeing the stadiums with the monochromatic shirted fans supporting their teams. I love the buzz and excitement before the games. And best of all, the beginning of college football is the ushering in of fall. I just adore fall. I love college football, the state fair, the crisp mornings, the beginning of the school year (complete with school supply sections at every store...I love school supplies!), wearing sweatshirts and jackets, leaves changing colors, camping and hiking, cold snaps, the works. I love the names of the months: September, October, November. I love the smell of fall. I think it's the leaves and grass dying, but whatever it is, there is a distinct, earthy smell in the fall. I love it all! If there was a place that had eternal fall, that's where I would live.

As you can see, it doesn't take much for me to wax poetic. Happy fall, Happy college football season, and Happy 1st Sooner victory!

Words over Content

2008-08-29T21:53:00.001-05:00

I just finished reading On the Road by Jack Kerouac. I know that Kerouac is one of the founding writers of an American artistic movement (the Beat Movement), and that his writing was prolific for its time, but this book was not one of my favorites. It embodied a free spiritedness that was endearing, but I just didn't like (or relate to) any of the characters. It's hard to really enjoy a book when you don't like any of the characters. I'm sure that one of the reasons I didn't love it is the content - it chronicles a road trip for a disenchanted young man searching for meaning and understanding while hitchhiking across the country. It was a major throwback to a time period that simply doesn't exist anymore, and therefore probably led to my lack of attachment to the characters and their adventure.

One thing I loved about Kerouac's writing was his choice of words. He wrote with a great combination of beautiful, traditional language with 1940's slang, and the result was a unique style. I loved the way he chose to describe certain things. For instance, he used the word lugubrious several times in this story. What a great word! He also had a childlike, innocent way of descibing Sal's relationships with women, which is very uncharacteristic of the character of Sal Paradise. The notion of a "girlsoul" was an entirely unique perspective, and I really enjoyed the way Kerouac wrote about the few female relationships Sal had. I also liked the stark contrast between Sal's relationships with females and his relationships with males, especially Dean.

Overall, not my cup of tea, but I can't say that Kerouac didn't write a good novel.

OB(ama)SESSION

2008-08-27T20:32:00.005-05:00

Without getting too political here, can I just vent for a minute about "Obamamania"...or "Ob(ama)session" (Like my play on words, there? You can use it if you want to.)For real, when will it stop? At Barnes and Noble, this was the current events magazine section

I swear I didn't rearrange the magazines for dramatic effect; it really is that ridiculous! He was on an additional cover in another section, so that makes at least FOUR magazine covers for him this month. He has been on the cover of Time 7 times this year, as opposed to McCain's 2. It's pretty unfortunate that the media is so obviously biased, and is not making any apologies for it. They all but admit that they are biased, but that McCain just isn't as intriguing. Hmmm...I, for one, am sad that our "freedom of the press" has seemingly turned into propaganda. We'll see if McCain is on 5 magazine covers at the same time when the RNC comes. Doubtful.

*Vent Done* :)

Modern Invisible Men

2008-08-20T23:11:00.003-05:00

I'm reading Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, and while I'm not quite finished with the entire novel, the most intriguing thought came in the prologue. Not only is it beautifully written, but it is articulated in a way that is really heart wrenching and stark in its reality. I'm not sure that these random excerpts from the prologue will make sense in short, but at least the impeccable language will be apparent:

"I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me...that invisibility to which I refer occurs because of a peculiar disposition of the eyes of those with whom I come in contact. A matter of the construction of their inner eyes, those eyes with which they look through their physical eyes upon reality...you ache with the need to convince yourself that you do exist in the real world...I remember that I am invisible and walk softly so as not to awaken the sleeping ones. Sometimes it is best not to awaken them; there are few things in the world as dangerous as sleepwalkers."

The comparison to the oppressed (in this case, black Americans before the Civil Rights movement) as being invisible and the oppressors as sleepwalkers was simply stunning to me. I don't know if I love it for its honesty or loathe it because it's close to home. There are numerous "invisible" people in the world with heartache so large we have to shield our eyes. Who are the most invisible?

Homeless?

Illiterate?

Diseased?

Mentally Ill/Disabled?

Orphans?

Divorcees?

Starving?

Perhaps it is the people who are truly "invisible" that we should make a conscious effort to serve. People who have no voice because their struggle isn't a political "hot topic" or the solution isn't an easy fix. People who Hollywood types or Oregon hipsters wouldn't embrace as a service project. The truly undesirable lot is the lot we should strive to make a difference for, because they are the ones with no voice, no advocate, no visibility. I don't necessarily have any practical "do it tomorrow" solutions to the invisibility of these and countless others, but I will unshield my eyes.

Wasting Time Online

2008-08-15T14:15:00.005-05:00

Jessica found a really funny site that morphs two images together, so here are a few of my experiments.

My favorite, Me + Justin:
Next up, we have Me + George W:

And finally, Me + John Mayer:

...way too much time on my hands today. But seriously, how funny are those?

A Mish-Mash of Thoughts...

2008-08-15T12:23:00.021-05:00

I know this probably won't constitute a blog posting (a good one, anyway), but following are a few musings on this fair Friday.

What does this sign mean? Am I the only one who thinks this sign is completely incoherent? It's on County Line and Expressway, and it has several issues:
1. "No Parking." Where could you possibly park at that intersection? Look around, there's only traffic lanes, no medians or anything! On the other side of the road, there's a ditch, so I'm pretty sure nobody will be tempted to park there.
2. "On Right of Way." What is a right of way? I thought "right of way" was a state of being, like "I have right of way" or "don't go...she has right of way." I didn't know that a "right of way" place existed in which you could not park. I'm so confused...anyone have any insight into this mysterious sign?

The Weather is IN-credible. For real! I went out at noon today, and it was 79 degrees. In August. In Oklahoma. It also has that fresh summer rain smell that is just indescribably appealing. Everything is still lovely and green, as opposed to the scorched brown grass we're used to seeing in Oklahoma this time of year. Hooray for beautiful nature and perfect weather! When I went out today, I rolled all the windows down in my car. I even stuck my arm out the window. I felt like I was in a Nova in 1974, but it was still fun :)

Cards! Here are some cards I've made over the last few weeks:

Justin and I went to see Tropic Thunder last night. It was goofy and funny. Robert Downey Jr. was great, and I thought Tom Cruise was a total scene stealer. He was GREAT! He was wearing a fat suit and a bald wig, and he danced to rap music. Bald, fat white guy dancing to rap = funny. It was extremely crude with insane amounts of bad language, but other than that, it was funny. Props to Ben Stiller!

While I'm handing out props, I'll give a few to myself. I've had one tank of gas for almost.....wait for it....drum roll please....THREE WEEKS! I say almost because sadly, there's no way I will make it a full 3 weeks. I filled up on Monday, July 28, and there's no way I can make it until next Monday. I guess I could take Justin's car everywhere this weekend, but that's kind of cheating, and that's not what I'm about. I know I don't have a daily commute, which cuts down on my gas consumption, but I'm still pretty proud of my almost 3 weeks!

College football starts in TWO WEEKS! Oh the anticipation! I vowed at the end of last season to not watch "College Football Game Day" or follow any of the polls, so we'll see how that goes. I'll try with all of the restraint I have. After Kirk Herbstreet saying DURING the OU game that we don't deserve to go to the National Championship (while we're beating the #1 team in the country in the Big 12 Championship) AND listening to the Ohio State bashing during the National Championship, the College football commentators have made an enemy out of me. They are so biased it's depressing. OK, after writing all of that down, I have a new found steadfastness to boycott the talking heads of college football. Thanks, Blogger!

Welp, there you have it. My day in thoughts. Happy weekend to all, and to all a good night!

European Thieves!

2008-08-14T10:38:00.002-05:00

I'm really bummed about all of the chatter about our NBA stars (Kobe and LeBron) going to Europe to play in the Euro league. It's just not right! Word is that there are billionaire owners of several Euro teams that are willing to pay LeBron $50 million a year. He's currently making a mere $20 million. Now I know that people go where the money is, and of course I have no problem with people wanting to get paid well....but $50 million a year to play basketball? Seriously, how much money does one single man need? Not only that, but he'd have to leave America. I know that sounds awfully separatist, but honestly! I'm not huge fans of either guy (even though they are both incredible to watch), but DON'T GO!

However, upon further consideration, I guess it's only a matter of time before our international stars go...international. David Beckham is like a God in England, and he defected to come to America to try to make soccer a tiny bit more popular (I don't think it's worked). Also, we have Yao, Manu, Dirk, and others who come to the NBA from all over the world. Obviously it isn't too uncommon for American sports to recruit internationally, but it just shouldn't be reversed! I guess we'll just have to wait and see; neither Kobe or LeBron have contract negotiations for 2 years, and a lot can happen between now and then.

On a relatively unrelated note, I think it's really funny that LeBron's new nickname is LBJ. Add that to King James, and we have a solid case of hero worship!

On a completely unrelated note, hooray for James Blake! He just beat Roger Federer, and will move on to the semifinals! Good job, man!

Can you tell that I'm slightly obsessed with the Olympics? It's true. I will go through serious withdrawls on August 24th. What will I do at 7:00 each night? I'll be lost.

8-8-08

2008-08-08T07:16:00.004-05:00

Today is a cool day. Not only is it 8-8-08, but it's also the opening ceremony for the Olympics! I'm an Olympic games junkie - I absolutely love them! I love it that we automatically have people to root for, even if we don't know anything about them or anything about the sport (fencing or badminton, anyone? How about trampoline or synchronized swimming?) The opening ceremonies are incredible to watch when all of the nations come together in celebration and the athletes parade in, representing their land and their people, full of hope and pride. I cry when NBC does the special interest stories on our athletes, complete with sad music, about the lifelong training and dedication these people have had for their sport. National pride wells up inside me when our guys/girls win the gold and our national anthem is played, the whole nine yards. Am I being overly dramatic? Yes. But that's what the Olympics are all about, and I'm happy to buy into the drama every two years.

In my Olympic fervor, I've unearthed a little bit of fun Olympic trivia! Upon doing a little research on the Olympics, I learned that the ancient Olympic games were reserved exclusively for men, and that the men competed naked. Huh? The historian (from National Geographic, so he's got cred) said that it was partially due to the heat, but also because the Olympic games were a tribute to the achievements of the human body. Remember the Seinfeld episode where Jerry and George distinguish the difference between "good" naked and "bad" naked? That's exactly what came to mind as I read about the naked Olympics. I'm sure the athletes had fantastic bodies, just as I'm sure that they do today, but that doesn't mean that we want to see them compete naked. Naked men running track? That's definitely "bad" naked. Naked women playing ping-pong? Funny, but still "bad" naked!

I'll be glued to the TV watching our clothed athletes win it up for the USA!

Cowanstrong

2008-08-02T12:19:00.004-05:00

In Justin's attempt to get another notch on his outdoor activity belt, we got bikes. Justin was, of course, crazy excited about them. I was, of course, not. I'm always hesitant to try new outdoor activities primarily out of fear of getting hurt. I am such a weenie when it comes to anything that could be construed as dangerous, and I've heard lots of bike accident stories. Actually, almost everyone I know that rides bikes has gotten hurt! Irregardless of my caution, I got a bike to ride with Justin. I have to admit, it's really cute. Justin's is below the pic of mine, and it's pretty cool too.

So, now that the fun shopping part is over, the riding must begin. We rode around the neighborhood a few times, which was fun. I rode in the mornings right after Justin left for work, and I even took Buckley with me! He was so good; he just ran beside me the entire time. We didn't go too far, but he was a happy tired pup when we were finished.

Then.....Overholser. I know in the grand scheme of things, a 9 mile bike ride is nothing. However, if it is your first 9 mile bike ride, it's rough. First of all, it was HOT. We went this morning, but it was still hot. Then, the butt. That's all I have to say about that - you know what I'm talking about!! Overall, the most memorable part was the sense of accomplishment. I know that I can bike for 9 miles now. That means that after riding a few more times, I can ride 10, then 15, then the Tour de France! OK, maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but I really enjoyed the ride other than the aforementioned factors. Biking is a lot less chaotic than running or even walking fast. You really have time to soak in the sun and enjoy the great outdoors. I still get a little freaked out when I think I'm going too fast, but I'm trying to get better :)

No doom and gloom here...

2008-08-01T10:49:00.002-05:00

I think that anyone who watches the news or keeps up with current events can clearly see that America is in a funk. We're just not happy. I blame a large portion of our funk on the media...they know what we want to hear and they run with it. However, it IS what we want to hear...and I'm not sure why.

People are in mass hysteria because of gas prices. Why? It's affected our budget by $15 a month..and we have a HUMMER! Nobody's gonna go bankrupt because gas has risen by 10 cents a gallon. Not only that, but lately the prices have fallen back to where they were last summer, but the hysteria continues.

Don't get me wrong; I'm very interested in preserving the environment and in finding alternative fuel sources; that's not the issue. The issue for me is the doom and gloom predictions about our current state of affairs. I'm well aware that America is not perfect; we definitely have flaws that need to be addressed and fixed. However, it's as if the end of the world is near, everything that could possibly go wrong has, etc, etc, etc.

I'm really not a fan of negative thinking (I'm sure nobody is really a fan of it, but some people sure have fun thinking of "worst case scenarios," and lately people have really bought into them). I think in a lot of ways, negative thinking and too much criticism becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. (If we think and act as if we're in recession for long enough, we will be. If everyone thinks America is so wrong, soon enough, we will be).

I was reading the Economist online - which, by the way, is THE BEST news source in my opinion...I think everyone should read it every day for an educated, unbiased view of international news. Anyway, as I was reading it, I came across two refreshingly positive and clear minded articles on this exact topic. Enjoy, and happy August!

"Still on the Right Road"
http://www.economist.com/finance/displayStory.cfm?story_id=11850301&source=features_box_main

"Unhappy America"
http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?source=most_commented&story_id=11791539

p.s. I tried really hard to do the cool embedded article thing, and I could not figure out how to do it. It was gonna be so cool, but alas, it was not to be. Dang.

A shoutout to my girls

2008-07-30T22:25:00.005-05:00

Do I have the most beautiful friends or what? The astounding fact of the matter is that each of these girls are more beautiful on the inside than they are on the outside. I learn so much from them. I am SO thankful for the blessing of friendship, and the freedom and silliness that friends allow. We laugh a solid 90% of the time we spend together, which I think is a good indication that we sorta like each other :) I'll miss Britz and McCallann, and I didn't get to hang out with them nearly enough this summer, but I know they'll have a great time in Chicago/Seattle. You guys are the VERY best! XOXO

It's all about the issues...

2008-07-30T15:18:00.013-05:00

Well, it's officially here. TV ads for McCain and Obama, VP talk, conventions coming up. As I look at the political landscape and the decision to be made in November, I must contemplate the real issues; the ones that really matter in the grand scheme of the American presidency. First order of business: who's the best lookin?!

Winner: MCCAIN! Stuldy military man with a square jaw? Yes, please. It's just not fair to judge them in the present state because McCain is way older than Obama. Therefore, I will prove my point by displaying images of former presidents in their 20's and 30's. McCain would follow a long line of hottie Republican prezzies:

McCain:

George W:

George H.W:

Reagan:

Let's compare these Republican cuties with some of their Democratic counterparts:

Obama - OK, kinda cute, but not in an "I'm a Navy General" kind of way:

Clinton - Both of them....too funny!

Lyndon B. Johnson:

I would be remiss if I didn't include the obvious hottie Democrat. There are exceptions to every rule...

Kennedy:

Overall, I think I've proven my point. If you want a studly president, vote Republican. If you actually care about other silly issues, like the economy, war strategy, foreign policy, stuff like that...well, I can't really help you there! :)

The "Bear" Necessities

2008-07-20T10:31:00.003-05:00

OK, this is a completely random posting that really has little to do with anything, but I had to blog this picture because it is the cutest. picture. ever.

I told you! Look at the boy bear with his legs spread apart! Total Boofiness :) When we were in Colorado, we went to the Denver Zoo (which is incredible, by the way...lots of diversity and great habitats). The Grizzly Bears were receiving treats from their trainer, and she made them do this trick...I was dying it was so cute! I was probably the obnoxious zoo goer that was annoying everyone around me with my squeals of "aww...look at em!"...but I don't care. It's hard to be scared of animals that are as plush and cushy as these. Don't get me wrong - I'd pee my pants if I saw one while hiking, but at first I'd think "aww...look at his big belly! I want to rub it!" before I would get to the panic phase. I'd like to think that the bear would sense my benevolence toward him and let me live. Maybe he'd even let me rub his belly.

So there we have it...my new bear friends, my random musings on bears in general, and even a hypothetical bear situation. More than you'd ever want to know, and more than I intended to write on the subject of bears.

Lazy Sunday

2008-07-20T10:02:00.004-05:00

...That's what I'm having today. Justin is playing in a golf tournament, so I am left alone on a Sunday afternoon with nothing to do. Scratch that; I have plenty to do, it's just a matter of it being Sunday and I don't WANT to do anything. That's the truth of it!

Following are some pictures of two cards I made this week:

This is my brother's Birthday card. I like the way it turned out. It's very "him." The list on the right side is some of his favorite bands (Some are shortened versions of his favorite bands, because the stamps were too big for the paper, so I had to get a little creative there..haha).

This is my Brother-in-law's Birthday card. I severely messed up on the "Happy Birthday" pillar, so I won't be trying that again...

I hope everyone has a fantastic Sunday, and that you can be as lazy as me :)

Playing Catch-up, part 2

2008-07-14T09:24:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Colorful Colorado!

Justin and I went to Colorado for vacation 2 weeks ago. (I told you...I'm really behind on my blogging events!) We had a great time. Justin's parents came as well, and we stayed with Justin's Aunt and Uncle. We had a fantastic time with the family - We don't get to see the Premo's nearly enough, and we had a lot of fun meeting our new cousin Sam Premo-Hopkins - he's cute and a half! :)

Don, Cheryl, Justin and I went up to Pike's Peak in a cog train, and that was so fun! It SNOWED while we were up there. It was incredible to see the "purple mountains magesty." Actually, the woman who wrote "America the Beatuiful" wrote it when she was visiting Pike's Peak! No joke!

Then, the hike. Oh where to begin? For Justin's 30th birthday last year, I got him an adventure package, and he used it to get a mountain guide to take us on a hike up a mountain. Not just a leisurely stroll up a path, A MOUNTAIN....I was not too excited about this, but Justin wanted me to come with him, so what's a loving wife to do? ;) We had to get up at 4:00 AM to get to Boulder, and we started hiking at 5:00. It was hard - that's it in a nutshell. It was uphill, through snow (which was killer on the legs). At one point during a break, I told Justin "this is the worst thing I've ever done in my life...I hate this." When we reached the top, I softened a little bit. I know it wasn't the most challenging summit in the world, but for all I cared, I was on top of Everest. It was IN-credible. Beautiful. The best view I've ever had. Rewarding sense of accomplishment. All of the things you hear, but don't really know until you do it.

We also went on a hot air balloon ride. Neither of us knew what to expect on this adventure, but it was surprisingly relaxing and chill. It was another 4:00 morning (yeah, I got a little sick of those). It was interesting to watch them get the balloon ready, blow it up, etc. The basket was a little cramped; there were 5 of us in it, so there wasn't much moving around. We had stellar views, a soft breeze, and a nifty floating sensation. I highly recommend a hot air balloon ride, but only in a scenic area, because looking around is pretty much all there is to do. (i.e. do not take a hot air balloon ride in Oklahoma City, because it would be pretty boring)

Welp, there's the Cliff's Notes version of the travel journal...we had a great trip, but there's always something great about coming home, seeing a happy pup at the door, and crawling into your very own bed.

Playing Catch-up, take 1

2008-07-09T19:06:00.003-05:00

I realized that alot has happened in the few weeks that I was on blog-hiatus, so I should probably make new blog posts about old information - put it online for posterity's sake. I figure this will work, since I only talk to about 5 people about my day to day life, which is kinda sad, but true. Then again, those same 5 people are more than likely the 5 visitors to my blog....sad realizations that I'm making while going completely off topic...reign it in, Erin.

I'll start with my fabulous father in law and my fabulous new landscaping. If you don't know my father in law, he's basically the Energizer Bunny. He has limitless energy, and he is nonstop. Don and Cheryl accomplish in one day what I accomplish in 3. No lie. So when he was coming to OKC and wanted to help us with our backyard landscaping, we were pretty pumped. I wish I had HGTV quality before-and-after pictures, but I wasn't that with it. I'll just preface the pictures by saying that we had a perfect blank canvas before. Like nothing. At all. Well, we had a lovely patch of green grass and a fence. Needless to say, the landscaping transformed our back yard!

Thanks a ton Don! We promise we'll water them like crazy :)

The Grind

2008-07-08T11:37:00.002-05:00

Well, my Blog-a-day mission has gone terribly awry...I have to start setting smaller goals for myself, rather than my usual unrealistic ones like "I'll blog EVERY DAY until eternity," or "I'll be as good a housewife/cook as Martha Stewart," or "I'm going to finish one book a week for a year, so that I can read 52 books a year." While all of these things are great goals individually, combined they conflict with each other, and make a scrambled mess of unreached goals.

So my goal for this week....ironic, I know....is to set small goals. I will not be mad at myself if I don't blog with regularity. I will laugh at the notion that I could attain Martha Stewart levels of perfection...she practically invented perfection, and it didn't get her too far, since she's a divorcee and an ex-con. I will not finish a book if I don't like it for the sake of finishing a book - it's a waste of time, and it will make me hate the book even more than if I just quit reading it.

Meanwhile, I've got lots of catching up to do with my class. Taking an online class and going on vacation sounds like a great idea at the time, but in reality, not so great. I had to sit up in a bedroom and read and post a response about a mother who lost her son in Vietnam, while Justin was playing croquet with his family. Not cool. I was hearing screams of laughter and teasing while I was reading screams of agony and proclamations of "I have NOTHING..." it just doesn't work well. (Also, in a mini-movie review, I had to watch Full Metal Jacket and write a report on it...and I hated it. With passion. Horribly sad and depressing, which I know is the point of the movie, but still, that doesn't mean I want to watch it.)

Happy Tuesday in July!

Agent Zigzag

2008-06-24T21:50:00.009-05:00

I just finished reading a really good book called Agent Zigzag. It was an incredible true story about a double agent during WWII. He was an Englishman who was a career criminal, and through a series of events went to a prison that became occupied by the Nazis. I don't want to write a book review, but I do want to write about a particular aspect of the book.

The reason that Eddie Chapman (Agent Zigzag) initially agreed to become a Nazi spy against his native country was his indifference. He was not an angry person, didn't hate his country, didn't want to "even the score" for his imprisonment. He just didn't care, and the Nazi's offered a lot of money. That was all it took for him to betray his country. I'm not trying to say that Chapman was a bad man, because he came around and realized his indifference was killing innocent British people. This book made me realize the danger of indifference.

Obviously, I'm not going to become an Iraqi spy and betray my country, but what is it that I'm indifferent about that could be harmful to others or myself? I think that any emotion, whether it be love, hate, impatience, compassion, inaction or action is better than indifference. At least the subject is breached, despite your opinion. Indifference, however, is dangerous because you completely ignore the topic, make it insignificant, no matter how significant it really is. What are we as a country indifferent about that is harmful? These are tough questions, but ones that I think I need to ask myself.

On a more "book review" level, I highly recommend the book. If it wasn't a true story, I would say it was highly unrealistic. Seriously, this guy lived one crazy life! It got off-the-charts reviews on Booklist, but I was unsure about it because it deals with WWII. I'm not a huge war genre fan, but this was completely intriguing. Go read it, even if you're not a war buff it's good, but especially if you ARE a war buff you'll love it!

The Paris of Oklahoma

2008-06-22T19:06:00.007-05:00

Remember in Friends when Chandler had to move to Tulsa for his job? He was trying to convince Monica that Tulsa is comparable to New York, and he says "Tulsa is sometimes compared to Paris....it's the Paris of Oklahoma!" hahaha...good old Chandler Bing, I miss him.

We were in the Paris of Oklahoma this weekend to celebrate Justin's Mom and Dad's birthdays. We had a good time relaxing with the fam, looking at homes, eating yummy Nachos a la Jereme, and catching up with everyone. It's so nice that they live close enough to see on a regular basis!

Buckley adores Don and Cheryl's back yard - it backs up to a woodsy area, and there are lots of new sniffs, lots of running room, and lots of sticks to be thrown. It makes me feel guilty when we come home to a little square of grass with nothing for him to do. I told Justin we need to move to a house with a big back yard for Buckley, and he said as soon as Buckley pitches in some of the cost, he'll consider it. Oh well.

So Happy Birthday to Don and Chery, and happy play weekend to Buckley!

Don's birthday card...he's a die-hard Arkansas Razorbacks fan, so it was fitting :)

Funkytown

2008-06-19T23:21:00.002-05:00

I am in a funk. I've been in one all day. It all started when I woke up and had a headache, and it was all downhill from there. I know I have nothing to be upset about, which makes me more upset that I'm upset at nothing....see that? A perfect example of my funk. Blah.

So what does one do when in a funk? Well, I went to the gym to try to release some of those fabled endorphins, but no runner's high for me. Then I decided to do something fun with Buckley, who also seemed like he was in a funk. (Yes, I believe I can read my dog's moods.) Following is a chronicle of Buck and I trying to rid ourselves of our moodiness.

ME: Buckley...(waits for his ears to perk)...WANNA GO TO THE PARK?

BUCK: (pause to see if I'm serious, then profuse tail wagging)

ME: Ok then, let's go for a CAR RIDE. FYI, all of the bolded words are words in Buckley's vocabulary.

BUCK: (scampers around excitedly. His bad mood was a lot easier to cure than mine...go figure)

I decided that Sonic drinks were a good idea because:

1. It was 2:00, thus making it Happy Hour at Sonic!

2. It was 2:00, thus making it 1,000 degrees outside.

3. Buckley can't go on a walk longer than 1/4 mile without wanting to stop when it's hot. He's a total baby.

I had to stop for a photo shoot. Ths is a regular occurance for my poor dog; he has more pictures taken of him than most children. It doesn't help that he's the best picture poser in the world. Seriously, how cute is he? Sure, his head doesn't really match his body yet, but still.....

The sky was gorgeous. There are few things in this world better than:

-A dark blue sky on a summer day

-A walk in the park with a happy dog

-Sonic drinks purchased during happy hour

-An afternoon of relaxation

So after my idyllic afternoon, I came back to my house, and within 10 minutes was back in my funk. Then I felt bad about being back in my funk, and thus returned the vicious cycle of a bad mood. I promise tomorrow will be better!!

Card Mania!

2008-06-18T22:59:00.010-05:00

Here's my first attempt at Picture Pages:

My friend Jessica is crafty. She makes really cute cards. So cute, in fact, that although I have pictures of her cards, I refuse to post them because they put my attempts at cardmaking to shame. To my credit, she is much more experienced than I am, so maybe I have hope and a future after all!

Regardless of lack of talent, I am diving into a deep expanse of sea otherwise known as cardmaking. It's pretty much like scrapbooking, except you give your projects away rather than keeping mind-numbing amounts of little books that you feel compelled to show people when they come over. I really love giving and recieving great cards. In fact, I am pretty religious about throwing away anything even bordering on junk, but cards are my one exception. I have a giant box full of practically every card I've received since I was a teenager. So when Jessica introduced me to cardmaking, despite my general lack of "craftiness", I thought I'd give it a go.

I began this venture in May with Mother's Day cards (...and they were bad), then I made Father's Day cards (which were marginally better), and following is my third attempt at card making:

This one is my Mother in Law's Birthday card. She lives in a house with a great back yard for watching birds, and she has a few "pet" birds who come around a lot.

This one is made with the same paper as the previous card, but I wanted to use a few more embellishments. I have no idea who this is for.

I'm not a big fan of this one. I must have been thinking "let's use every single pattern of paper that somewhat matches"

Time to get your crayons and your pencils

2008-06-17T23:45:00.000-05:00

I was thinking of adding daily pictures to my blog. Things that are relevant to my life in any given day. Then I tried to come up with a name for my daily pictures. (again with the naming obsession...why do I have to name everything?!) My mind wandered from "a day in the life" to "this week in pictures", but then I realized that all of my names were just ripoffs of other picture sites, so that's no good.

For some reason, the jingle from Picture Pages came into my head. Does anyone remember those short videos on Nickelodeon in the 80's featuring Bill Cosby? I loved those videos, and I coveted that drawing board. So the search for the name of my pictures led me to Youtube to search for a video of this long lost treasure. If I tried to count how many times a random thought led me to either Youtube, Facebook, or Wikipedia, well, I'd get really sick of counting....you get the idea. So here's a link to Picture Pages for your viewing pleasure.

Henceforth, my tag name for my daily pictures is "Picture Pages."

I also want give a shout-out to myself, because it is a monumental victory that I was able to embed that video into my blog! Yeah, Erin!

Click and drag to rearrange page elements on your blog.

2008-06-16T23:34:00.000-05:00

"Click and drag to rearrange page elements on your blog."

That's a direct quote from the blogger instructions on how to arrange your blog. I'm clicking, I'm dragging, and nothing is moving. Why, oh why can't I customize my blog?!?!?! Please be more specific, instruction writer! I know this is not rocket science, but goodness, please don't write one line of instructions when the one line of instructions doesn't even work!

I'm probably destined to have an off-centered blog title for life. Booooo.....

Ralphie

2008-06-16T23:09:00.000-05:00

I don't know why, but I had a tough time deciding on a name for my shiny new blog. Should I go with something cute and witty? Probably can't pull that off...How about pet nicknames? Cheesy...Something about my hobbies? "Bookworm Housewife" is embarassingly unflattering...Ah, yes! A quote! Those quotes will always save you in a pinch, no?

Now that the quote idea was settled, which quote will I go with? Bible quote? Book quote? These questions opened up a whole new can of worms. What will my blog be about? Why am I even creating this blog? Why do I overthink stupid decisions? Finally, a random flashback of American Lit appeared, and my favorite quote from the clever transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson popped into my head: "The poet is the sayer, the namer, and represents beauty."

I would be completely insane if I considered myself a poet, or even a writer for that matter, but I love this thought by Emerson so much because it puts a value on writing. All writing, whether it be Emerson-quality poetry or Cowan-quality blogging (which I must admit needs some polishing), is valuable. Even though I am quite sure that this blog will be of little value to anyone but me, it is still valued because the act of expression through the written word is valued.

So there we have it. I like my blog's name, "The sayer and the namer," and will try to be a good owner to my new little online pet - After all, its name demands some respect! Representin' Emerson! :)