i already know this post will have 2 totally different metaphors. they kind of relate to each other, maybe. but you now know, if you've been a faithful reader, that i can only write in a stream of consciousness kind of way. bear with me. (every time i write "bear" i always want to follow it with: rawwwrr) :)
when i was 14, maybe 15, my oldest sister got engaged to the greatest guy. now, i knew i liked him-- i mean who couldn't, he's amazing-- but i had always had a hard time letting another person into my family. i'm super protective over the people i love. like sometimes it's out of control. all that protectiveness made me resent him for even TRYING to win his way into our hearts. boy, don't play. i've already got one brother, i don't need another one. (siiiigh...) i realized shortly after i turned on my, "ugh, you are ruining everything!!" attitude, probably the ugliest thing anyone could ever experience coming out of me, i became aware that i am Jo March. L.M. Alcott wrote about me before i was born. i, like Jo, refused to be pleased with the fact that my family was spreading and expanding. i also did the same thing with my other sister when she got engaged. we also kind of hated each other then, which was not surprising since i did not love the Lord at this time. anyway, i ended up coming around. my b-i-l, both of them, they are the greatest men. and i'm happy to be able to consider them my brothers.
shifting to my next thing, which is, again, maybe related to Jo, but maybe not. or maybe this is just my heart talking. like Jo (we're starting off on a good foot) i don't really care for change. i like the wildness of the world and i like to experience new things, but i do not like change within my close circles of life. when accepting my b-i-ls, it was a stretch for me. i didn't know how to love then. since becoming a follower of Christ, i want ALLLLLLL of my relationships to never ever end, but to forever grow deeper. which, i think, is something i've learned to treasure and desire since i want the same thing to happen with my relationship with Christ. i want growth. i long for growth. but instead of shrinking back the growth just to my family and a few close friends, i want the growth i desire to spread from my initially closed circle to everyone i know, like a wild fire. very little would please me more. but i also know that what i want verbally can not be executed unless i act upon it with a strong action. sometimes trees (oh dear, here's where i break off from Jo) need pruning so that they can flourish again. which means something has to die. i don't like watching things die.
i had a fish very recently, her name was Tennille (R.I.P. girl, R.I.P.), and i knew, from experience, with the behavior she was showing that she wasn't going to make it. i was way bummed when i walked out to see her dead in the tank 5 days after i got her. it was also freaking my frogs out -- i'll share the frog story one day -- and so everyone Tennille met, she had made enough of an impact to freak them out by her untimely death. i wasn't expecting to write and obit for her... well there you go, Tennille. anyway, back to pruning. i know that sometimes things need to die or be cut away because they will kill you if they aren't. but what you also may not know, is i seriously struggle with being controlling. i like to have my hand in situations where i've made myself believe i can use my wily ways to have an advantage, and BOOM! everything's goin' my way... not so much the case anymore. i've seen, with a sibling of mine, that if you let go and stop trying to control, Christ will be seen more clearly because all i'm doing is focusing on loving and waaaaay less on controlling. it's sad to prune, but it's good for growth, and i'd rather be a submissive, blooming tree than a writhing, little sapling clinging to life, refusing to let go of my dead limbs, and let my Master get rid of the things that are destroying me (whoa). a beautiful, fruitful life is much more impacting than a life that never had blossoms, fruit, or love.
so i am Jo March. i am also a lover of Christ. it seems i'm also a tree. and i'm happy.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
this was the day
i don't know if it is my severe kathleen turner voice or if it was because i watched william and kate last night, but today, i was incredibly bold.
voice: so i went to auburn this past weekend, and though we did almost nothing that would have made me lose my voice, i woke up sunday rendered voiceless. i can't figure out why i always lose my voice in that apartment. i guess i can't handle the awesomeness of erin... you're welcome for that little shout out. anyway, when i do lose my voice, i think i feel most like the women in the 80s with their powersuits and butch haircuts. I AM WOMAN. HEAR ME ROAR. but really... i growl when i talk right now. groooss. anyway, so i growl, i also become way outspoken, and i don't know if today was just special because i was in a great mood since one of my classes just became an easy A class or what, but something just ticked inside me.
movie: last night i watched william and kate... along with 300,000 other lifetime fans (judge away, you're more than welcome to). i went to bed with a new desire: i want a prince... NOW.
no joke. i woke up this morning and said, "pshh, ain't no prince here. i will say and do as i please,". did i ever. challenged one of the lawyers to a dance-off... then realized, "maaaaaybe i should wait to do that with a guy when i have on jeans and not a dress". good call clara. anyway, i don't know if the whole kate and william story just super charged me for boldness or super annoyed me that that only happens in fairytales, but i felt a little wild; being sassy to my employers and somehow got laughs and maybe a new found appreciation for my "humor", made the guy that i think is beyond precious and crazy out of my league laugh (always a bonus for me), and then... i did something else, but it must not have been as outrageous as it thought it was at the time. i don't know how diary-ish i'm being, but here we are. i have no prince options but...
all this to say: i wanna be a princess soooo baaaaad. because if you marry a prince, this happens:
 |
| thanks doll face... |
movie: last night i watched william and kate... along with 300,000 other lifetime fans (judge away, you're more than welcome to). i went to bed with a new desire: i want a prince... NOW.
 |
| dear prince charming, i'm here. |
 |
| bad actor, good face |
no joke. i woke up this morning and said, "pshh, ain't no prince here. i will say and do as i please,". did i ever. challenged one of the lawyers to a dance-off... then realized, "maaaaaybe i should wait to do that with a guy when i have on jeans and not a dress". good call clara. anyway, i don't know if the whole kate and william story just super charged me for boldness or super annoyed me that that only happens in fairytales, but i felt a little wild; being sassy to my employers and somehow got laughs and maybe a new found appreciation for my "humor", made the guy that i think is beyond precious and crazy out of my league laugh (always a bonus for me), and then... i did something else, but it must not have been as outrageous as it thought it was at the time. i don't know how diary-ish i'm being, but here we are. i have no prince options but...
all this to say: i wanna be a princess soooo baaaaad. because if you marry a prince, this happens:
 |
| i want to be a pez figurine |
Friday, April 15, 2011
short stories
these next few items are too short to have their own post, but i wanted to share them nonetheless. i was actually driving home from work and got so excited to write this post that i giggled with joy. *cough cough- loser- cough*
Date of the Century:
a few years ago, i think about 4-5 -- ugh... i'm old--, i was asked to accompany a guy to a baseball game. i heard that this one girl who was like the lowest of the lows, in my mind, said no and my heart went out to the poor guy, so i gave him a "oh yeah! that'd be so fun!!". i now know why she said no...
i had a boyfriend at this time and even he was like, "really? i mean, sure, but really? him?". i was so ashamed that all these people were so hateful. i got all proud and felt like i was doing my good deed, little did i know it would be my good deed of the year. he wanted to come pick me up at the casa, but i was determined to let him know this was definitely a friendship thing, not a "hey bebe... how you doin?" thing. i get to the meeting place, he's a little late, no biggie, i'm late for everything, get in the car and the awkwardness began almost as soon as i got in the bucket seat. small talk, small talk, small talk... and i start feeling a little rough. it's real hot outside, like muggy hot, and we didn't have great seats. we were at a work thing for him and we were eating dinner on the backside of the field-- dumb idea, stadium planner-- which was bbq... something i don't normally care for, especially in the hot, nasty sun, boiling in the grossness of its fat juices. anyway, back to the story, so i start getting all these stares and whispers by older women, pointing and going "ooooh!!", oh no. here it comes... him: "so how do i need to introduce you?" me: "i'm your friend. friend. friend. friend only." him: "oh, okay." sorry champ.
the night goes on. boring conversations, meaningless dribble... and then i think, "hey i have some great stories from my summer. i'll share those!". so i start sharing my favorite story about this little boy who had turrets syndrome and would run around the camp screaming every so often that it would scare the mess out of everyone. so as i'm telling this i'm laughing hysterically, because come one, it's a funny story, and an awkward silence falls over us. ... "i have turrets." OH FOR THE LOVE!!!!! (what do i say, what do i say, what do i sayyyyy?!?!) "so what's it like living with that?" he then goes into gross detail, that to this day sounds made up, and i'm mortified. there were fireworks, but i felt so horrible (physically) that we left. i get home and i had a fever of 103. goes down in history as the worst date ever.
Limited Understanding:
one day i walking to the company parking lot to run an errand and there is a mexican* couple going in the exit of a private parking lot. (* i don't normally distinguish people because of their ethnicity... in the written word... but this time it serves a purpose). i see the window roll down and i hear them call out me,
-"escuse me... can you help?"
-awww, bless, "sure! what are you looking for?"
-"where is the electric?"
-"like the electric company?"
-"yes, electric."
-"well, hmm, i'm not sure, but you're at the water works building and i'm sure they can tell you where it is."
-"no, electric. where it is?"
-"i don't know. but the water company does, and since you're blocking their exit, it won't be too far out of you way to ask them, (i didn't really say that, but i thought it). it's just right around the corner (i did say that)."
-"electric?"
-"nope."
-(insert rolling eyes and a sigh of annoyance... ON HER SIDE OF THIS CONVERSATION!!)
-(in my head) dear woman, it took everything in me to decipher what you were saying so i could offer you help, and you roll your eyes at me?! your child isn't even properly buckled!! 2 strikes against you, chick.
and i walked away and inhaled horrible fumes from the exhaust of their car. lose-lose.
Hallways:
i work in a lovely, old building. those of you that know my obsession with architecture can now understand why i love pointing out, "that's my building" when we go to the alley. exposed brick, wood beams, warehouse ceilings... anyway, i digress. in this lovely building there are INSANELY long hallways, mainly just one that everyone gets trapped on in a, "how long do i look at them?" battle. it can be super awkward. i feel like when i'm walking down that hall like i'm 4 or 5 years old again in the back of the station wagon that we used to have and when you'd get trapped back there in bumper to bumper traffic, you'd be stuck trying not to make eye contact with the people staring you down and have to be stuck staring at the the back of billboards like they were interesting to you; "oh did you see how that was built? nice frame... why yes, that is a nice frame. ... hope they made good money off that one..." oh clara... always fall for those pointless rabbit trails. so here are a few scenarios which i have either done or seen done.
here's the sitch, someone walks out of their office and i someone else just so happen to turn the corner at the other end of the hall...
Date of the Century:
a few years ago, i think about 4-5 -- ugh... i'm old--, i was asked to accompany a guy to a baseball game. i heard that this one girl who was like the lowest of the lows, in my mind, said no and my heart went out to the poor guy, so i gave him a "oh yeah! that'd be so fun!!". i now know why she said no...
i had a boyfriend at this time and even he was like, "really? i mean, sure, but really? him?". i was so ashamed that all these people were so hateful. i got all proud and felt like i was doing my good deed, little did i know it would be my good deed of the year. he wanted to come pick me up at the casa, but i was determined to let him know this was definitely a friendship thing, not a "hey bebe... how you doin?" thing. i get to the meeting place, he's a little late, no biggie, i'm late for everything, get in the car and the awkwardness began almost as soon as i got in the bucket seat. small talk, small talk, small talk... and i start feeling a little rough. it's real hot outside, like muggy hot, and we didn't have great seats. we were at a work thing for him and we were eating dinner on the backside of the field-- dumb idea, stadium planner-- which was bbq... something i don't normally care for, especially in the hot, nasty sun, boiling in the grossness of its fat juices. anyway, back to the story, so i start getting all these stares and whispers by older women, pointing and going "ooooh!!", oh no. here it comes... him: "so how do i need to introduce you?" me: "i'm your friend. friend. friend. friend only." him: "oh, okay." sorry champ.
the night goes on. boring conversations, meaningless dribble... and then i think, "hey i have some great stories from my summer. i'll share those!". so i start sharing my favorite story about this little boy who had turrets syndrome and would run around the camp screaming every so often that it would scare the mess out of everyone. so as i'm telling this i'm laughing hysterically, because come one, it's a funny story, and an awkward silence falls over us. ... "i have turrets." OH FOR THE LOVE!!!!! (what do i say, what do i say, what do i sayyyyy?!?!) "so what's it like living with that?" he then goes into gross detail, that to this day sounds made up, and i'm mortified. there were fireworks, but i felt so horrible (physically) that we left. i get home and i had a fever of 103. goes down in history as the worst date ever.
Limited Understanding:
one day i walking to the company parking lot to run an errand and there is a mexican* couple going in the exit of a private parking lot. (* i don't normally distinguish people because of their ethnicity... in the written word... but this time it serves a purpose). i see the window roll down and i hear them call out me,
-"escuse me... can you help?"
-awww, bless, "sure! what are you looking for?"
-"where is the electric?"
-"like the electric company?"
-"yes, electric."
-"well, hmm, i'm not sure, but you're at the water works building and i'm sure they can tell you where it is."
-"no, electric. where it is?"
-"i don't know. but the water company does, and since you're blocking their exit, it won't be too far out of you way to ask them, (i didn't really say that, but i thought it). it's just right around the corner (i did say that)."
-"electric?"
-"nope."
-(insert rolling eyes and a sigh of annoyance... ON HER SIDE OF THIS CONVERSATION!!)
-(in my head) dear woman, it took everything in me to decipher what you were saying so i could offer you help, and you roll your eyes at me?! your child isn't even properly buckled!! 2 strikes against you, chick.
and i walked away and inhaled horrible fumes from the exhaust of their car. lose-lose.
Hallways:
i work in a lovely, old building. those of you that know my obsession with architecture can now understand why i love pointing out, "that's my building" when we go to the alley. exposed brick, wood beams, warehouse ceilings... anyway, i digress. in this lovely building there are INSANELY long hallways, mainly just one that everyone gets trapped on in a, "how long do i look at them?" battle. it can be super awkward. i feel like when i'm walking down that hall like i'm 4 or 5 years old again in the back of the station wagon that we used to have and when you'd get trapped back there in bumper to bumper traffic, you'd be stuck trying not to make eye contact with the people staring you down and have to be stuck staring at the the back of billboards like they were interesting to you; "oh did you see how that was built? nice frame... why yes, that is a nice frame. ... hope they made good money off that one..." oh clara... always fall for those pointless rabbit trails. so here are a few scenarios which i have either done or seen done.
here's the sitch, someone walks out of their office and
- smile
- hey... unless they're at the total opposite end, then it's a smile and...
- whip out the phone
- hey, lookie there! that's a wall.
- (inside head) please go into an office
- stare at the floor... did the cleaners vacuum?!?! .... nope.
- stare blankly off
- play with hair
- please, please, please go into an office
- look at what's in my/their hands... that's what i thought, i'm holding paper.
- oh crap, i have nothing to do with my hands...
Sunday, April 10, 2011
so golden
i'm sorry i haven't written in so long; i have a few pieces in the making, but for the meantime this should hold you over... i like to pretend that my readers are waiting with bated breath until i post again. please let me live in this fantasy.
so, i found this in a link, and HOLY. CRAP. this woman took those old golden books (remember those? all the disney stories or any other story that influenced you as a child) and pasted the pages together to create this masterpiece.
the bodice is made of the binding, the gold part of the book, and the skirt is all the pages, color coordinated to make this fairytale dress. the surface area of the skirt is 22,000 inches.
so, i found this in a link, and HOLY. CRAP. this woman took those old golden books (remember those? all the disney stories or any other story that influenced you as a child) and pasted the pages together to create this masterpiece.
the bodice is made of the binding, the gold part of the book, and the skirt is all the pages, color coordinated to make this fairytale dress. the surface area of the skirt is 22,000 inches.
go here to see the process of how the dress was made.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
lines
this will go down in a quote book one day; you know the one i plan on writing?
"Clara, stop talking like that; I can't hear you unless I pop my ears. Wait... (squeezing nose... POP), okay. Now, what were you saying?" - J.B.L.
"Clara, stop talking like that; I can't hear you unless I pop my ears. Wait... (squeezing nose... POP), okay. Now, what were you saying?" - J.B.L.
Monday, March 21, 2011
SBXI
well, elusive spring break, you came and went... again. i don't know how this happened to me this year. i didn't get a lot of sleep, i didn't get much lounging around, i showered every day (who am i?!?!), and i only shopped once... did i just become an adult?!
so far in college, i've had pretty great breaks. freshman year: went to the beach and got a house with some friends. while some things were regretful, it was sunny, beachy and filled with fake tattoos... everything a girl needs in a week. last year: i was pining the absence of my boyfriend, but i'm pretty sure i went to the beach if even for a few days... or i did something where i got sun. lake? i don't know, but i remember relaxing.
this year: it started off with a bowling spree, a tequila sunrise, and warm face. it then crashed into being in a basement, organizing and sifting through files. running into people i've tried to pretend didn't exist anymore. having one night out where i had to leave early due to being at work the next morning, and the other night being forced to leave because i didn't drive. *lesson learned* i slept in until 1 on saturday, i guess because my body was trying to catch up on the sleep i was supposed to get that week.
i went to a lovely wedding saturday which further reminded me how unlikely it is that i'll be getting married anytime soon. and also that my little sister will probably beat me to the altar with the way my dating history has played out. i've accepted it and moved on... for the most part.
i keep forgetting the fine print on the "23rd year of life" contract that i signed. but if it isn't there... and it's not much to work with either, it's just scenarios. wondering if you're too old for trying to play young. making sure you really do have a future in the field of study you've chosen. desiring a life with a husband, but at the same time loathing the thought of having to give up freedoms.
i really like to go hear bands, whether local or from out of town, and i enjoy going to bars. clean ones on a regular basis. down-home-good-ole-bars that make me happy i grew up and got an education on the nights i need to feel better about my life. i do hate looking out into the crowd, because i'm a champ at people watching, and feeling the pain of, "am i going to be THAT forty-something one day...?".
the thought of feeling like i haven't actually chosen a field of study where i will be successful scares me. i don't mean money, that's just a perk, but what if i really suck at my profession? what if i never help anyone? what if-s could go on forever in my mind. i've discovered i'm a worst-case-scenario freak. it's weird and slightly disconcerting, just like my height.
i had a conversation with a girl at the wedding saturday and we both were talking about how annoying it is to be told "oh! i guess you're next in line aren't you? (smirk)"... for the love, back off my child-bearing hips and let me alone. there is really too much pressure on girls in our sweet, laid-back, southern society. it's really not laid-back at all. it's severely stressful. i know i've written about this before, so i won't fixate on that topic.
i love my mom, she's so funny and wise, but bless her, if she isn't trying to find me a guy every time we talk. we officially have a list of guys she wants me to try and "win" (<--- #thingsthatareimpossible). she actually told me on the way to the reception saturday, "clara, i want you to add _____ _______ to the list. he would be so fabulous!" he's added, along with 4 other guys, some of which are never going to happen because of the league thing (out of it).
anyway, all of this happened on my spring break; it's PAINFULLY obvious i like to think about everything i'm doing/ want to do. sorry you decided to endure that. anyway, i am excited about my field, if i'm unsuccessful, so be it. i'm sure God will use me in a way of "what not to do", and those people are necessary too. i might never get married, but i'll always love music. and i refuse to dress like the people i make fun of. i really hope you have a happy monday... it's supposed to be sunny, like it is in philadelphia.
so far in college, i've had pretty great breaks. freshman year: went to the beach and got a house with some friends. while some things were regretful, it was sunny, beachy and filled with fake tattoos... everything a girl needs in a week. last year: i was pining the absence of my boyfriend, but i'm pretty sure i went to the beach if even for a few days... or i did something where i got sun. lake? i don't know, but i remember relaxing.
this year: it started off with a bowling spree, a tequila sunrise, and warm face. it then crashed into being in a basement, organizing and sifting through files. running into people i've tried to pretend didn't exist anymore. having one night out where i had to leave early due to being at work the next morning, and the other night being forced to leave because i didn't drive. *lesson learned* i slept in until 1 on saturday, i guess because my body was trying to catch up on the sleep i was supposed to get that week.
i went to a lovely wedding saturday which further reminded me how unlikely it is that i'll be getting married anytime soon. and also that my little sister will probably beat me to the altar with the way my dating history has played out. i've accepted it and moved on... for the most part.
i keep forgetting the fine print on the "23rd year of life" contract that i signed. but if it isn't there... and it's not much to work with either, it's just scenarios. wondering if you're too old for trying to play young. making sure you really do have a future in the field of study you've chosen. desiring a life with a husband, but at the same time loathing the thought of having to give up freedoms.
i really like to go hear bands, whether local or from out of town, and i enjoy going to bars. clean ones on a regular basis. down-home-good-ole-bars that make me happy i grew up and got an education on the nights i need to feel better about my life. i do hate looking out into the crowd, because i'm a champ at people watching, and feeling the pain of, "am i going to be THAT forty-something one day...?".
the thought of feeling like i haven't actually chosen a field of study where i will be successful scares me. i don't mean money, that's just a perk, but what if i really suck at my profession? what if i never help anyone? what if-s could go on forever in my mind. i've discovered i'm a worst-case-scenario freak. it's weird and slightly disconcerting, just like my height.
i had a conversation with a girl at the wedding saturday and we both were talking about how annoying it is to be told "oh! i guess you're next in line aren't you? (smirk)"... for the love, back off my child-bearing hips and let me alone. there is really too much pressure on girls in our sweet, laid-back, southern society. it's really not laid-back at all. it's severely stressful. i know i've written about this before, so i won't fixate on that topic.
i love my mom, she's so funny and wise, but bless her, if she isn't trying to find me a guy every time we talk. we officially have a list of guys she wants me to try and "win" (<--- #thingsthatareimpossible). she actually told me on the way to the reception saturday, "clara, i want you to add _____ _______ to the list. he would be so fabulous!" he's added, along with 4 other guys, some of which are never going to happen because of the league thing (out of it).
anyway, all of this happened on my spring break; it's PAINFULLY obvious i like to think about everything i'm doing/ want to do. sorry you decided to endure that. anyway, i am excited about my field, if i'm unsuccessful, so be it. i'm sure God will use me in a way of "what not to do", and those people are necessary too. i might never get married, but i'll always love music. and i refuse to dress like the people i make fun of. i really hope you have a happy monday... it's supposed to be sunny, like it is in philadelphia.
Monday, March 14, 2011
experiences
last may, my family went on a camping trip up at tumbling waters in NC. it was the most beautiful place i had been to in a while-- shortly after this trip i went to africa, so it got one-upped. the terrain is lovely, the sky was lovely, the air was unpolluted loveliness, and the people there were lovely. all in all, a super wonderful experience. what could mess it up?
there were 3 families up there: mine, the morrison's, and the ... crap, i'm blanking on their last name... oh well, we'll call them the other family. we took the first day and went tubing down this freeeeezing cold creek/river/glacier.
so we head down the c/r/g, and after the first trip down, once we got used to the subzero temperature, someone had the "brilliant" idea to lay our tubes next to each other and hold on to each others handles aaaaaall the way down. "... ... THAT SOUNDS GREAT!!!!" (it should be noted that our bodies were in shock from the cold water which resulted in our thought processes being low) and we're off.
we grab hold, and at the beggining it was really fun. we were laughing, and then we remembered the rapids...
okay, so they weren't that terrifying, but when there are 8 tubes that are being pulled in 8 different directions, it felt that scary. one of the girls, leigh ellen, got ripped from her tube and was being thrashed between rocks. i got this crazy surge of motherhood protectiveness-- must have still been under the influence of cold water-- and jumped into the water to pull leigh ellen out. her poor little face, bless it. i could tell she was watching her life flash before her eyes. i saw all kinds of terror. her brother, on the other hand, was laughing at us. looking down from his protective tube, laughing at our pain. my foot started to get lodged between two rocks in the middle of a rapid. i was freaking out, but i had to save lellen. as i am trying to get her out of the water and into her tube, i feel my foot go one way and my ankle pull the other. i somehow get lellen out of the water and pulled myself out. it was most definitely the most scared i've been whilst in water, and that's including the time i almost drowned in CO white water rafting; i still don't forgive you, john.
we made it out, almost unscathed. most of us had some nasty bruises, but no bones were broken.
we needed a pick me up, so that night we went up to tellico gap to climb the fire tower and watch the sunset. the hike was about a mile or two and we were racing against the sun. btdub, when you're running up a mountain to beat the sun and watch it set, a lung will collapse. just a forewarning. well, once i learned how to breathe on one lung, and after i climbed to the top of the fire tower, conquering my fear of heights, we saw this:
and then, by default, this happened:
on the way home, we saw lightning bugs. all the girls went, "awwww". then we turned this corner and saw a field that was lit up like christmas with lightning bugs. we jumped out of the car and sat on the side of the road for about 30 minutes just watching them. it was magical. as a joke we played the song "fireflies", but then we realized that was dumb and turned that trash off. that day ended up being pretty awesome... now on to the next.
so i had to work on monday, and my famjam wasn't going to leave until monday afternoon, so scott and i left sunday after lunch. scott had been kind of ill the whole trip, but was such a trooper to join us on everything, and laugh in my face as i was saving his sister's life... not bitter...
so we get on the road. i'm almost completely worthless on road trips. i either get car sick or fall asleep. my body chose the latter, and about as soon as we hit the interstate, i was gone. so scott's sick and i'm passed out cold. recipe for disaster.
we get to atlanta and stop for a drink and to change drivers. scott is feeling worse than he had all day, so i think out of guilt i step up and drive. i grab my bag to go get something to drink and it is dripping wet. no joke, the whole bag is sopping. the passenger side floor board is covered in liquid. i go in the store and buy paper towels. scott, in the meantime, met a new friend. i'm going to call him bubba because it is the only name that can describe him perfectly. bubba is wearing a talladega super speedway hat, a shirt with the wolf howling at a moon, and some work boots. he kindly offers his help to these two confused souls that can't figure out why the floor of the car is now a pool of liquid. i'm standing back watching this whole thing play out. B: "well now, whut's wrong, son?" S: "umm, i'm not sure. we don't know what this is and how it got here. it looks like it's draining in from the engine." B: *puts finger in liquid, and licks said finger* "well, it t'ain't an-tuhfreeze."
scott and i both drop our jaws... uhhhhh... did that just happen?!
B: "see now, son, i usta work in uh car shop down the road... bin dealin with cars fer twenuh-two yers. i'd knowd an-tuhfreeze if i tasted it." S: "oh, okay. well thanks, sir. we should probably get going. we still have a long drive." B: "better get that car into uh shop when yous get home now, ya hear." S; "yes, sir. thanks again."
so we head out. scott and i are still reeling from the events that transpired. he falls asleep... the car starts to fail. no lie, less that 15 miles down the road, every single light on the dash comes on. there is some massive engine failure going on. i felt like sandra bullock in "speed". i kept telling myself not to let it drop below 65 mph for fear of exploding. as we exit to get to my house, the car almost completely stops. we pull into the entrance of my neighborhood and the car dies. completely dead. i have never in my life seen scott so angry and i've known him for about 13 years. he tells me to stay in the car to steer and he'll push it until it gets to the hill. the car goes down the hill, around the pond, and my neighbors stare. not a single person tries to help; dear neighbors, oh, you are the worst. i get out and start pushing it myself. <--- something i NEVER want to EVER do EVER again for the REST of my life. scott joins me and we get to my house. he is fuming with frustration, illness and rage. i give him the rest of my starburst and drive him home to sleep. i tell him he'll laugh about it soon... to this day, i don't know if he's laughed, but i certainly have. the car was fine. leaves had clogged the air conditioner thing and the water flooded the inside of the car. cost nothing to fix. what a happy ending to a wonderful weekend. just lovely.
there were 3 families up there: mine, the morrison's, and the ... crap, i'm blanking on their last name... oh well, we'll call them the other family. we took the first day and went tubing down this freeeeezing cold creek/river/glacier.
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| blissfully ignorant |
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| there we go, all smiles... |
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| death |
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| do you see our determination? holding those handles till death do us part. |
we needed a pick me up, so that night we went up to tellico gap to climb the fire tower and watch the sunset. the hike was about a mile or two and we were racing against the sun. btdub, when you're running up a mountain to beat the sun and watch it set, a lung will collapse. just a forewarning. well, once i learned how to breathe on one lung, and after i climbed to the top of the fire tower, conquering my fear of heights, we saw this:
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| worth it |
on the way home, we saw lightning bugs. all the girls went, "awwww". then we turned this corner and saw a field that was lit up like christmas with lightning bugs. we jumped out of the car and sat on the side of the road for about 30 minutes just watching them. it was magical. as a joke we played the song "fireflies", but then we realized that was dumb and turned that trash off. that day ended up being pretty awesome... now on to the next.
so i had to work on monday, and my famjam wasn't going to leave until monday afternoon, so scott and i left sunday after lunch. scott had been kind of ill the whole trip, but was such a trooper to join us on everything, and laugh in my face as i was saving his sister's life... not bitter...
so we get on the road. i'm almost completely worthless on road trips. i either get car sick or fall asleep. my body chose the latter, and about as soon as we hit the interstate, i was gone. so scott's sick and i'm passed out cold. recipe for disaster.
we get to atlanta and stop for a drink and to change drivers. scott is feeling worse than he had all day, so i think out of guilt i step up and drive. i grab my bag to go get something to drink and it is dripping wet. no joke, the whole bag is sopping. the passenger side floor board is covered in liquid. i go in the store and buy paper towels. scott, in the meantime, met a new friend. i'm going to call him bubba because it is the only name that can describe him perfectly. bubba is wearing a talladega super speedway hat, a shirt with the wolf howling at a moon, and some work boots. he kindly offers his help to these two confused souls that can't figure out why the floor of the car is now a pool of liquid. i'm standing back watching this whole thing play out. B: "well now, whut's wrong, son?" S: "umm, i'm not sure. we don't know what this is and how it got here. it looks like it's draining in from the engine." B: *puts finger in liquid, and licks said finger* "well, it t'ain't an-tuhfreeze."
scott and i both drop our jaws... uhhhhh... did that just happen?!
B: "see now, son, i usta work in uh car shop down the road... bin dealin with cars fer twenuh-two yers. i'd knowd an-tuhfreeze if i tasted it." S: "oh, okay. well thanks, sir. we should probably get going. we still have a long drive." B: "better get that car into uh shop when yous get home now, ya hear." S; "yes, sir. thanks again."
so we head out. scott and i are still reeling from the events that transpired. he falls asleep... the car starts to fail. no lie, less that 15 miles down the road, every single light on the dash comes on. there is some massive engine failure going on. i felt like sandra bullock in "speed". i kept telling myself not to let it drop below 65 mph for fear of exploding. as we exit to get to my house, the car almost completely stops. we pull into the entrance of my neighborhood and the car dies. completely dead. i have never in my life seen scott so angry and i've known him for about 13 years. he tells me to stay in the car to steer and he'll push it until it gets to the hill. the car goes down the hill, around the pond, and my neighbors stare. not a single person tries to help; dear neighbors, oh, you are the worst. i get out and start pushing it myself. <--- something i NEVER want to EVER do EVER again for the REST of my life. scott joins me and we get to my house. he is fuming with frustration, illness and rage. i give him the rest of my starburst and drive him home to sleep. i tell him he'll laugh about it soon... to this day, i don't know if he's laughed, but i certainly have. the car was fine. leaves had clogged the air conditioner thing and the water flooded the inside of the car. cost nothing to fix. what a happy ending to a wonderful weekend. just lovely.
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