The Woman in White Snowy Range

September has come alas! It may be 90 degrees outside, (and they're turning off the air conditioner at work... yipee) but I get the slightest hint of fall's arrival in the early morning and dusk. It could not come any more quickly.

I got back yesterday from a brief trip to Colorado. I had such a good time with Jon. Other than a beautiful trip to the snowy range, (destination: Lake Marie) we basically hung out, watched the progression of his house being built, took walks after a home made dinner, etc. It was nice.




Even the plane rides to and fro were very entertaining. I've finally settled into my The Woman in White to begin the R.I.P Challenge. Oh how I love this story so far! Sir Percival is currently being introduced, so I have a feeling that I'm about to witness some good ol' fashioned evil. I have to thank my friend Amanda for reintroducing me to the classics. They are honestly better when I can read them at my own pace and not be forced to identify every incidence of ambiguity, foreshadowing, and allusion. My Amazon wishlist is currently heavy with classics, and I intend to read every one of them at some point. More on The Woman in White when I finish!

I'm lucky that I have things to currently make me happy. I have friends going through some yucky personal and professional stuff, ill family members, etc. that I have been praying for/thinking about for weeks now. It's always something, and all I can do is hope that everybody gets through things in one piece.

Oh so Ready for a Change...

It's really difficult for me to pinpoint my favorite season. When people ask, I usually say "fall" because it's pretty and the weather is mild. As I get older though, I've come to appreciate seasonal change. Lately, in this awful heat, I've been longing for winter, which rarely happens because I'm not a fan of the extreme cold and I like snow, but it scares the crap out of me to drive in it (and yes, I have done so when I lived for two years in a place that does get a moderate amount of snow). When I can find the good in something that I usually don't like so much, (excellent reading weather and warm socks) I know that I must just like change.

While fall hits Georgia much later than many places, I find myself daydreaming about the oh so wonderful things that happen in the cooler weather:

-Foliage: I think the colors of autumn are the best of any season.

-Good reading weather: Fall is the perfect time for Gothic novels, mysteries, scary reading challenges, which are rapidly becoming my favorites (or is it the approaching season change).

-Football: Okay, I am not a sports fan, (and luckily, I don't go to a huge football school anymore) but it's kind of fun to watch other people get really worked up (and drunk) over a stupid game (and occasionally keep up with the scores and rankings for the sake of my family). I just can't bring myself to get emotional about it all like everybody else does, but when I look at it's bare bones, it's kind of fun.

-Spices: pumpkin cookies, bread, pie, cup cakes, ginger snaps, spice drop cookies, gum drops, etc. I love (not as much as Jon though) all things pumpkin (excepting my allergy to the seeds) and fall is the perfect time for all things baking oriented.

-Bubble baths and candles: It's kind of hard to take a hot bath in the summer because, well, it's so hot outside. But during fall, I can kick back with my "Autumn Leaves" scented candle, turn off the lights, and relax in the bathtub after a stressful 12 hour work day.

-Fall clothes: I love wearing textured tights, nice closed-toe heels, layers, long-sleeves, bold colors, anything J. Crew in the fall.

I have spent a good portion of my recent days pondering these awesome aspects of the approaching season. Then reality hits and I realize that it's still 100+ degrees outside, my car is a furnace even when driving home from work at 7pm, kids aren't allowed to play outside at the elementary schools, my friend can't rehearse her color guard outside without getting a million parent complaints, and I can't walk outside without my hair becoming a poofy mess.

I heart Georgia! I'll probably be longing for this hotness come January and February, but what can I say? I like change.

Just a side note... thanks to all of the R.I.P. Challenge folks for the encouragement. I'm looking forward to reading all of the fantastic reviews about your reads. I will begin The Woman in White come Saturday, September 1st on my 2.5 hour flight to Denver.

BEHOLD!

As our rare books cataloger was cataloging a book tonight, he called me into his office to decipher some weird handwriting and a picture on the back of the cover. Turns out, this 1930s copy of The Shape of Things to Come was not only signed by H. G. Wells himself on the title page, but the book was also owned by a lady named Hazel Lavery who was an Anglo-Irish artist and second wife of Irish painter Sir John Lavrey. I emailed Amanda right away about this and her response was as follows:

"bookgasm*bookgasm*bookgasm*bookgasm*"

My thoughts exactly.

I'm not a nerd... or AM I???

My First Challenge

I've decided to participate in my first reading challenge. I'm somewhat scared to do this because while I read habitually, I'm not exactly up to the standards of my friends with their English degrees. After all, this is NOT a book blog, nor do I plan on starting one because I would just appear to be an idiot! The theme of this challenge though, is particularly alluring, so if I was ever going to get the nerves too participate, now is the time.

This is the second year for Readers Imbibing Peril, R.I.P. for short, which will take place from September 1st through October 31st. There are many different options for this challenge, but I'm going to opt for the "vanilla" peril and read 4 books of any length. Each book should be creepy, scary, eerie, Gothic, you name it... basically, perfect Fall reading.

The following are the 4 that I plan to read (in no particular order):

-Dracula, by Bram Stoker
-The Fall of the House of Usher and other Writings, by Edgar Allan Poe (I'm actually going to read something other than a novel for once)
-The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins
-Blood and Chocolate, by Annette Curtis Klaus

I'm really happy that he included the YA genre in the challenge, because it comprises the majority of my reading piles. Excepting some Poe short stories, I picked books that I have never read before (Yes, I've never read Dracula nor The Woman in White).

If I have time, I might add in a couple more like:

-Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
-The Thirteenth Tale (a reread, but I like it still) by Diane Setterfield

Sadly, my current books are paling in comparison to my September and October TBR pile.

Join if you like to read!

I'm a Sucker for the Blood Sucker

What can I say? I LOVE Vampires. Okay, if I encountered a particularly thirsty one, I don't think I'd venture to say that I'd love them so much, but they make great creepy/hot characters in books.

My very first vivid nightmare as a kid involved a vampire (à la Bela Lugosi style). The dream was in black and white and this freaky undead one (who lived in a coffin standing on end like a fantasized mummy would) was after my dad. The vampire was trying to lure my dad with an apple, like the serpent in the Book of Genesis or something. I remember waking up frightened out of my mind at the scene and wondering if my father was okay.

Luckily, my dad survived the ordeal and here I am today, completing what feels like my 17th vampire novel since August 2006 (Eclipse, part of the Twilight series). I think I've gotten to the point where I'm no longer creeped out by the nightmare itself and can "research" vampires with interest. I started reading the first two books in the aforementioned YA series, then read some of Scott Westerfeld's vampire novels (not as good as his Uglies trilogy, but alright), then read the book that sealed the deal, The Historian (yes, a best seller I actually loved for once). I've never been so thoroughly scared in my life as I was reading this book. The connection for me felt real as well, since a good chunk of my heritage is based in that part of the world. Plus, Vlad Ţepeş was a real person, and his history alone is enough to make any sort of vampire lore seem a bit pale in comparison. While I was reading the book, it got to the point that I was thinking about vampires so much that I freaked myself out and couldn't read at night, nor alone in the house.

I always wonder why I like reading about something that scares me so much, when I'm the biggest scaredy cat when it comes to watching horror movies, and I'm not interested in reading about zombies or other creepy beasts/undeads of legend. It's probably the nightmare from my childhood and wanting to kick my dream vampire's ass for going after my father, or the fact that they seem to be so suave and hot in literature and movies (thanks to Gary Oldman and Stephenie Meyer) but can suck the life out of you.

Ah well, I suppose confronting my own fears is a good thing. :)

Reality leaves a lot to the imagination

-John Lennon

Why is it that vacations always go by so fast? My 10 day vacation went by like a blur and now I'm back to work work work. School starts up next week (I think) and suddenly I realize that I've been at Brenau for a year this coming Wednesday. Wow. I'm just thankful that the faculty retreat won't be half as overwhelming as it was last year. Although a day at Lake Lanier trying to be professional is going to be pretty difficult, considering the 100+ degree heat currently taking over Georgia. WHY?? I hate winter, but I'm psyched about fall clothes, as they are my favorite. It can't come soon enough. Plus, the cold is such good reading weather (I can finally read Dracula).

My vacation was fun. I spent part of it in Keystone, Colorado for Jon's family reunion. I spent a good portion of it being shy around his family, but it was easier to communicate with them once card games were involved. I'm a card and board game fanatic. I also went white water rafting for the first time. We went on an intermediate course, but in level 4 rapids (or whatever you call it) because the season is about to end. Our guide tipped us over once going down a waterfall. Once I was able to breathe from the shock of hitting 40 degree water and having said water fill up my nose and mouth, I had a lot of fun and was a bit less nervous about never having rafted before. I also got on a bike for the first time in something like 15 years (I was awful for about half of the ride) and rode down the continental divide area in Vail, in the freezing rain.

The second half was spent in the Black Hills in South Dakota. This was my second time to the area (Badlands, Custer State Park area) but my first time in both Wind Cave and Jewel Cave. Jon and I had a lot of fun everywhere we went, and even got to ride a gigantic jakalope at Wall Drug. There is something very calming about the prairie and I think summer is the best time to visit the area... especially to see the prairie dogs!

Now I'm attempting to get back to normal. Indeed, it leaves a lot to the imagination...

Quick, Short, and to the Point

I'm/I've...

-Leaving for my final summer vacation on Thursday (10 days, a few in Dillon, Colorado for Jon's family reunion, a few days in South Dakota visiting America, and a couple just chilling with my guy)

-Back to where I left off reading Dickens (with the exception of the August 7th release of Eclipse) and hoping to get through it fast so I can alleviate some of this book anxiety

-Been finding myself often as of late in a state of reverie, dreaming of traveling to far away places, the future, Gloria Swanson and how freaky she was in Sunset Boulevard, how much I liked Harry Potter and His Dark Materials, and why my dog insists on making love pals out of any stuffed animal that I try to sleep with (not that I still sleep with stuffed animals... come on, I'm 25 *coughs*)

-Wondering why my face looks simultaneously like I'm an 18 year old and an Italian entrée

-Been loving SCRUBS with my friend Adrian, as we are the female versions of J.D. and Turk

-Wondering if this will be the first summer since 2002 that I haven't had a killer tan (maybe I will thank myself when I'm 40)

-Remaining amazed at my paternal grandfather, who has recently been diagnosed with two types of terminal cancer, and is only getting palliative treatment, got off his hiney after having a serious surgery on his colon, and went into his part time job (that he doesn't need to have in the first place)

Be back in August!

Woman Problems, Weddings, Getting Dusty, and Finding the Meaning of Dust

I apologize for my absence, but vacation and just general chaos have gotten in the way of blogging. I'm finally relaxed after having to leave work early this afternoon, as I found myself in quite a bit of pain. Normally I don't leave work early for a little pain, but my reproductive system was on meltdown mode, as it decides to do every once in a while, and I found myself going to my boss, who told me to, by all means, go home.

After a very hot (yes in the middle of July) bath, and taking a fish oil pill (I took too much naproxen sodium already today), and having dinner brought to me in bed, I finally feel better. Thanks mom for the great dinner (and the not so great genes)!

Anyways, vacation was a blast. Both weddings went very well. I especially enjoyed both the food and the low-key ceremony of the Vegas wedding and the UGA flagline reunion of the Georgia wedding. If I wasn't at a wedding, I was hiking with Jon (and sometimes Jon's friends) in Utah and Colorado national parks and monuments. I kept up very well (and complained little once I realized that people do rarely see mountain lions) on strenuous hikes and I survived camping (with an air mattress). The state parks were well-kept and I longed for their shower facilities later in the week when I was all dusty with desert sand. I enjoy not being too girly, but also not being too hard core, but rather somewhere in the middle (obviously this is my own opinion on myself, and might not be other's). You won't catch me at the mall every weekend, but you also won't catch me peeing in a pit toilet infested by large crickets (I will squat in front of a large audience before that ever happens again... and I'm dead serious).

Anyways, now that people know about my feminine problems, and fear of large bugs, and falling into pits of sewage, let's move on...

I don't know what kind of hole I was living in to not know about the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. I'm kind of glad that I'm reading it now though, instead of as a teenager because they're so literary (Paradise Lost anybody?) and complicated. It's difficult to tell who's good and who's bad in the books at times. I love the main character Lyra, because she reminds me of a mix between Hermione Granger, Vicky Austen, and Meg Murray. Plus the concept of dæmons is amazing. He's such a fantastic story teller. I totally recommend the series, especially if you're a bit more, um, open minded about religion (and realize that he's not attacking religion, but an oppressive earthly component of religion). If these books are approved and hailed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, then I'm going to read them. If Laura Mallory only knew about this one, she'd think Harry Potter was something to be taught in Bible class (although again, I think they're too long for her to actually read).

Fantasy Fun...

I probably won't write again for a couple of weeks. I have a wedding to attend this weekend, followed by a week of vacation (to attend another wedding) out west with my guy. Try not to cry while I'm away. :)

Random Thoughts, by Traci Peter (or Peber, depending on what you think my last name is)

1. Negative thoughts currently running through my head

-I don't like passive-aggressive people... not at all
-You don't have to be a psycho female dog to be a bridezilla
-The main lobby in the 'brary smells like yuckiness since the carpet was cleaned earlier in the day

2. Positive thoughts currently running through my head

-Talking obsessively about Harry Potter with others helps me cope with the book anxiety
-His Dark Materials series shall be arriving on my doorstep in a few days
-Only 6 more work days until I'm on vacation, and spend time with my beau

3. Questions in which I am currently pondering

-What do I want for dinner tonight?
-Where do I begin to write a collection development policy?
-Does my mom want to go with me to Target on Friday?

4. Things I wish I could do right now

-Amanda's dirty dolphin impression
-Travel to New Zealand, my new obsession
-Know the secret to creating a half giant

5. Present irritants

-Politics (and not just federal)
-YA Chick Lit.
-Dolores Umbridge

6. Present delights

-Rufus the pink elephant
-Being productive (I'm just taking a small break to write in here)
-Writing with a brand new pen

7. Things I hoped to have accomplished with this post

-Create somewhat of rant, without getting into details
-Show that my mind is a bit cluttered
-Stay in touch with the beloved internet

Summer Time's Almost Here...

nataliedee.com

This is a post in place of a rant that I would really really like to do, but alas, I will keep my mouth shut. :)

It's that time...

I'm back from vacation. I'd say that I'm well rested and relaxed, but let's face it... it wasn't that kind of vacation. I did, however, see a ton of the southwest and am forever grateful for the beauty of places like the Grand Canyon and such. I also got some good family time in and proved about 95% successful as a travel agent.



Mesa Verde National Park, Spruce Tree House



Jon and I at Four Corners



Grand Canyon, North Rim (highly recommended)



KICK ASS Dinosaurs on historical Route 66



Petrified Forest National Park


I'm putting Dickens on hold for the moment in order to pursue what I anticipate to be the highlight of my summer... yes, the final installment in the Harry Potter series. I'm going to reread all 6 books (something I do twice a year anyways) with the hopes of finishing the 6th book just in time for the 7th. I think it will be the ultimate moment of both happiness for finally knowing the ending and sadness of having it all end. The younger folks at work are so excited that even the UPS guy is preparing himself for the book arrival. The fifth movie (the 5th book is my current favorite) is also coming out July 11th, so my mom and I will be making our traditional trip to the theaters. I hope all of you book nuts will enjoy it just as much as I.

Holiday

I'm about an hour away from 6 glorious days of vacation. My parents and I are packing up to fly to Albuquerque tomorrow (where Jon shall meet us), rent a car, and explore the many vistas of the Southwest.

I can't wait to breathe a happy sigh of relief as the mad months of April and May (well most of May) will be behind me, and SUMMER can finally begin.

mmmmmm NERD!

Your Score: Pure Nerd

56 % Nerd, 26% Geek, 21% Dork

For The Record:



A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.

A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.

A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.



You scored better than half in Nerd, earning you the title of: Pure Nerd.



The times, they are a-changing. It used to be that being exceptionally smart led to being unpopular, which would ultimately lead to picking up all of the traits and tendences associated with the "dork." No-longer. Being smart isn't as socially crippling as it once was, and even more so as you get older: eventually being a Pure Nerd will likely be replaced with the following label: Purely Successful.



Congratulations!





Also, you might want to check out some of my other tests if you're interested in any of the following:



Buffy the Vampire Slayer




Professional Wrestling






Love & Sexuality




America/Politics




Thanks Again! -- THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

Link: The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test written by donathos on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Tag, I'm It!

I have answered Amanda's challenge to complete the "8 Things" meme.

The rules -1: Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
2: People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 8 random things, and post these rules.
3: At the end of your post you need to tag 8 people and include their names.
4: Don't forget to leave them a comment and tell them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

1. I have broken my right arm on two occasions. The first was as a toddler when I got pissed at my mom for putting me down for a nap, so I threw myself out of the crib. The second was in the third grade when at my neighbor's outdoor play set, I decided to cross the monkey bars with gloves on. Neither were very good ideas and I definitely paid for it!

2. I have a major fear of social dancing. I feel like there should be steps for me to learn. It's not fun, I feel like the world is looking at me attempting to dance, and I hate it when men I don't know try to come up and dance behind me. This is why I don't go out dancing, or to crowded bars, mainly because I'm not comfortable with people I don't know.

3. I knew that I wanted to be a librarian after the first semester of my second year of college. Journalism wasn't doing it for me and I needed a career where I could help find information for people without skewing people's views.

4. I question a lot about Catholicism. There are so many things that I don't agree with, the main item being the use of birth control. I just don't think that a group of old men should determine a woman's right to well, anything. I can't leave though. I go to church every Sunday and remain in awe of the mysteries and feel like I can see beyond the preachy part of Christianity straight to it's roots. I can't leave simply for that reason.

5. I have never been more insecure with my life than I was with color guard. I thrived on thinking that I was terrible for nine years. I wanted more than anything the approval of my instructors (especially in drum corps and winterguard) and to know that I was doing well, despite not having much talent. As a teacher, I miserably failed multiple times. I stayed in it about two years too long. Once I discovered my self-destructive tendencies and insecurities only seemed to lie in color guard, I quit. I don't regret quitting, but I do regret the fact that only a handful of people ever got to know the real me. I will never take something like that so seriously again.

6. I always have to do everything on the right first... from applying eye shadow to the right eye, to putting on the right shoe first, to sleeping on the right side of the bed. Somehow things will go wrong if I start on the left.

7. One of my biggest fears of getting old (like elderly old) is losing my mind or losing a functional body. I would hate to not be able to walk or remember the names of my own family.

8. My heritage is as follows: German, Czech (the main players), Irish, English, Cherokee Indian

Okay, so I tag the following (it will not be 8):
-Brett
-skwinkle
-Andrew
-Samantha
-anybody else who wants to!

May Flowers, New Hobbies, and Family Gatherings

I can't believe that it's already the middle of May. A year ago, I was preparing to move back to Georgia and desperately seeking a job.

I've taken a sudden interest in gardening. I like the smell of dirt and flowers and enjoy daydreaming about my future garden (whenever I move away). For now, I'm slowly edging myself into the gardening water, so to speak, by helping my parents out with menial tasks in their new yard. While I'm weeding, avoiding bees, and dead heading plants, I can watch them do the actual landscaping. It's good to watch before I actually attempt to do something myself (maybe in a few weeks), considering that it amazes me how I've kept an indoor plant alive for 3 years. I feel like I'm going to have even more trouble keeping outdoor plants and flowers alive.

I feel like I am truly becoming an adult with these new hobbies of mine. Long gone are the color guard days of yore. I'm really really wanting to learn archery for some reason (and maybe even some hand gun action). Not that I'll be hunting, seeking out any urgals, joining a role playing game, or joining the NRA any time soon, but I think it would be fun to learn how to shoot, especially an arrow (yes, I've been made fun of for this already, so no need to drag it on). Maybe I've been reading too many fantasy novels lately.

After sitting through two weekend graduations (punishment for not going to my own last year), we're now on summer schedule at work. I'm looking forward to shorter weeks (when I'm not working in weekends to build time) and more time to write policy and such.

Jon visited this past weekend for the first time since Christmas. It was only for maybe 36 hours at the most, but we somehow managed to squeeze in a LOT of family time. The mothers had good Mother's Days and my brother and his brother seemed to get along really well. Now both families are acquainted and I feel like I will be a little more comfortable come his family reunion in August. I can't wait for our trip to the Southwest, which is officially two weeks away from now!

Nothing else to update...

Book Blog

I don't really feel like updating my life (there aren't any real updates), so I'm going to talk about some of my recent, and upcoming reads. So some of you can skip this post entirely if you don't like books, and some can move on.

I've either been reading British classics or YA literature as of late. After Tithe, which I discussed a few posts ago (eh, alright, but not willing to read the sequels), I ventured on to the latest Printz Winner, American Born Chinese. I read it in about half an hour and loved it. It's a graphic novel that weaves three seemingly different stories (The Monkey King, Jin Wang, and Danny with his cousin "Chin-Kee") into one. The drawings were beautiful and the stories focused both on cultural identity and more importantly, self-acceptance, which is key in almost all teen literature. I HIGHLY recommend the book.

After the Printz Winner, it was time for me to try another classic. I would like to eventually read all of Jane Austen's novels, so I started with Sense and Sensibility. I loved this novel (and the movie too). My favorite characters were Elinor and Colonel Brandon (especially after seeing Alan Rickman in this role). I found this novel easier to follow than my initial reading of Pride and Prejudice, but that's possibly because I'm 7 years older and have a much wider knowledge of history and literature at this point in my life (and that whole reading for pleasure thing).

Post S&S, it was time to read more YA lit. I decided on the second and third books in the "Internet Girls" series called TTFN and l8r, g8r, by Lauren Myracle. I read TTYL last summer. I'm slightly embarrassed for reading these and actually liking them a little bit (hey, I'm, um, conducting research). The books are written entirely in IM (the pages look like an instant message screen) and detail the lives of three girls in Metro Atlanta from their sophomore through senior years of high school. The jargon is actually readable (I'm just barely too old for that "lol" stuff) and the girls experience all of the normal drama associated with high school. Overall, not too bad.

On to another classic, my most recent read was Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. My boyfriend (the one who is all about some nonfiction) lent this book to me, and it is excellently creepy! Vanity, vanity, vanity... I forgot all of the drama that comes with being vain (granted, we all are vain in some way, but I used to hang around a few VERY vain people, males and females). I'm truly coming to love the Gothic horror novels because they contain elements of romance (basically, I can handle the horror). I paid close attention to Dorian's physical descriptions, but I can't get it out of my head that I think he should have a completely different physique (maybe I'm basing it on the picture below). Regardless, I almost always imagine characters different from the way the author thinks they should be. Next up, the movie!

I'm now moving on to another book, but I'm thoroughly happy with what I have read lately.

May Day

(married to the sea)

Ah, if only I could...

Nerd Love

Domestic...







International...






I.can't.wait.

I'm back

That's right folks... I'm ready to blog again. The party can now start.

Ha, anyways.

I have quite a summer ahead of me. As of right now, it seems that I will be visiting 7 national parks (I've only visited one of them before)! I will also be traveling to three new-for-me states (Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada), which will means that I will have only 4 more states (Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota, Idaho) to visit before I've seen them all. I will also be visiting the cultural landmark known as Vegas (and don't forget the Hoover Dam), when I attend Jon's best friend's wedding in July. Basically, I can't wait to get started with all of this traveling!

I've read some fun stuff lately. I finished all that has been published thus far by Paolini. Although I could kind of predict the end of the second book, I was really happy with the ending of Eldest and thought that his writing definitely matured (well obviously, since he was in his 20s when he wrote Eldest). I then read Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar (yes for the first time). While I can't exactly relate to the book, I did enjoy reading it. My mother is convinced that everything I read is really depressing and she definitely places that stereotype on Plath. While it does discuss a suicide attempt with autobiographical elements, she does a good job of rationalizing her feelings and actions to the reader. She also adds a little humor in the book every once in a while. Anyways, I enjoyed it. I'm now reading another teeny novel called Tithe by Holly Black. I love fairy stuff, so it's a good read, although, not the best thing written ever that's for sure. I can see how teens would be drawn to it though. Next up is American Born Chinese, the most recent Printz Award winner.

In other news, my boyfriend bought a house! How crazy is that? I know a lot of people younger than me are doing these kind of things these days, but I honestly still feel like a 12 year old and sometimes forget that I'm at that age where people buy houses. I was with him in Colorado the other week when he signed the contract. He didn't even flinch. I am so proud of him! He's a bit stressed out about the planing and finding the best lender and such, but I think he'll come through just fine.

Not much else to update. I've been working weird days/times and will continue to do so until after graduation Mother's Day weekend, when my schedule will change for the summer.