that's what d said....

the times they are a changing...

2009-12-09T04:41:00.001-05:00

i officially don't live in chattanooga anymore. weird.

i journal. i change journals when i start a new phase of life. i'm starting a new phase of life.

my new blog locale is here:
http://thatswhatdsaid.tumblr.com/
enjoy, all five of you.

cue the sadness...

2009-11-13T14:05:00.000-05:00

up to this point, i've been wanting may 2010 to arrive as soon as possible. last night, though, cory played a show at mudpie, and it was indescribably fun. practically the whole PT department was there, including 3 faculty members.

it was hilarious. and amazing. and i laughed more than night than in the past week combined.

and i almost cried.

man, i'm going to miss these people.

"if you're not laughing, who is laughing now?"

2009-11-08T18:58:00.001-05:00

let me tell you a little story about a band named needtobreathe.

i think most of the people who actually read this already know about them, but if you do not for some insane reason, stop reading right now and go listen to them on itunes. unless you can't because you're at work, and then, shame on you. go back to work.

i'm a seasonal music person; some types of music just go better with the cold weather. now, it could be that their past two CDs have been released in the fall, or it brings back memories of going to shipwrecked at furman, but needtobreathe has always been a fall band for me.

so the other day, one of their new songs, "the outsiders" came on during a run, and i had a little moment. i was running the bridges, and as i came onto the frazier side of the walking bridge, the sun was setting just over lookout mountain, and the whole sky was beautifully orange and reflecting into the river. and the normal hilarious collection of people were on the bridge: hippies playing guitars, homeless people with their pots out, high school kids taking 9834983 pictures, families coming from clumpies, etc.

i got kind of nostalgic about the past 2 1/2 years in my crazy, hilarious life in this eclectic city that i live in with all the people i've come to know and all the times i've looked around and thought "seriously: what the hell am i doing??"

and................... i'm kind of going to miss it.

the outsiders
needtobreathe

shortfalls and little sins
close calls where no one wins
stand tall, we're runnin' thin
i'm wearing thin.

oh, why are we keeping score?

'cause if you're not laughing,
who is laughing now?
i've been wondering:
if we start sinking,
would we stand our ground?
and through everything we've learned
we've finally come to terms
we are the outsiders.

i'm not leaving without a fight.
i've got my holsters around my side
just 'cause i'm wrong,
it don't make you right.
no you ain't right.

oh, why are we keeping score?

'cause if you're not laughing,
who is laughing now?
i've been wondering:
if we start sinking
would we stand our ground?
and through everything we've learned
we've finally come to terms
we are the outsiders.

on the outside
you're free to roam.
on the outside
we've found a home.
on the outside
there's more to see.
on the outside
we choose to be.

((of course, after that, "ice cream paint job" came on, and that kinda ruined the moment...))

adventures in bi-lo.... no, i'm serious.

2009-11-06T12:22:00.001-05:00

my trip to the grocery store today was ridiculous. it's times like these that i look around and think, "really? there's no one else here to witness this?"

((first of all, prior to me arriving, dmx's "up in here" was on the radio. and yes, i still know every word. so i was in a good mood.))

now, i love grocery shopping during the day. why? well because it's all old people and little kids: my two favorite demographics. allow me to expound.

i'm in the produce section, getting some gala apples. the stormy noises start, and the inevitable sprayers come on. i look up from my apples to see a little boy hanging out of his seat in a shopping cart to stick his head under the sprayer, eyes closed, tongue out, for a good 30 seconds before his mom noticed. he was soaked at this point. hilarious.

now, i've been to this grocery store about a billion times. and today was the first day i noticed that there are quotes on the wall. random, you say? how about this little gem above the lettuce:
"it's not easy being green. --kermit the frog"

ironic, bi-lo. i like it.

next i had about a five minute conversation with an 86-year old woman about which type of sushi she should purchase. i know what you're thinking: why ask me?

"my sixteen year old granddaughter is coming to stay, and i needed a teenager's opinion."

16... 24..... definitely the same. glad to know i can still get carded for R-rated movies.

rounded the aisle from sushi lady, and the most hysterical thing i've seen in a while awaited me. miley cyrus's "party in the USA" was (naturally) playing on the radio, and as i entered the canned foods section, what did i see but a 65-year old man nodding his head like yeah... and then moving his hips like yeah.

GLORIOUS, i tell you. his wife was embarrassed. he was not. we became friends.

a couple of uneventful aisles, and i was in the deli meat section. there was a little boy campaigning for a pizza lunchable. now, i may or may not also buy these. judge me all you want, but they're good and sometimes i have to eat fast. so i attempted to stealthily snag a lunchable, but he saw me and exclaimed "SEE?!? she even eats them, and she's OLD."

apparently not, according to sushi lady. thanks, kid. ego boost.

passing by the adult beverage section, and there's a guy putting giant christmas bows on.... something, i don't know. i was looking at the bows, wondering if it was really time for christmas. apparently i was staring pretty hard because he all of a sudden starts talking to me.

"yeah, i know. my job is awesome."

sorry, bow dude. my condolences.

after exchanging a smile with miley cyrus's #1 fan over the OJ, i was ready to check out. of course i pick the slowest lane, but at this point, i don't really care. it's slow because the woman checking me out is approx 72 years old. but she's sweet, or so i thought....

i'm watching how much money i'm saving with my bonuscard (a little game i like to play), when i hear her say "oh, they'll love these. my grandkids do" as she's holding up my iced animal cookies.

"excuse me?"
"oh, do you not have kids?"

at that point, i realize that i eat like a five year old. my cart contained not only the aforementioned lunchable and iced animal cookies, but also capri suns and goldfish. whoops.

plus: identity crisis--- how old do i look to people?? i've ranged from 16 to mother of 2 in approx one hour. how is this possible.

so that was my day. someone give me a reality show, pronto. it would kill.

((bonus: when i got home, i realized i accidentally bought hint of lime tostitos instead of regular ones. i love the lime ones, but they're bad for you, so i don't buy them. my subconscious wins again.))

i may or may not have run a half marathon.

2009-11-01T12:44:00.001-05:00

yup, i did. it was a while ago..... but i did it.

race day was perfect: a little chilly in the morning (when we got there before the sun came up), but turned into a beautiful fall day. my parents came to watch, and naturally my mom had signs. she had to resort to those because i had already instituted a balloon-ban. pat and her balloons, i'll never understand it...

i actually wasn't too nervous until we were walking to the starting line and i was suddenly surrounded by all these very athletic-looking people, and i got to wondering if i was out of my league. my favorite part was the very tall, lone kenyan man standing under the 1:15 sign with a look on his face like, "yeah, you just walk on back to 2:00". yes, sir.

after i finished almost throwing up three times, the gun went off, and i kicked off the race with some beyonce. that's right, "all the single ladies" was my song of choice. good decision, i'd say. prosser's parents and mine had scoped out some great places along the race route to see us, so it was always great to see a familiar face (and a sign).

first 8 miles: amazing. next two miles: hell.

there was one part where my mom said, "yeah, when we saw you come in alumni drive, you looked pretty bad." thanks, mom. "but you picked it up on the way out!" yeah, a mile and a half later.

after that, it was just a battle of wills. i knew i could run three more miles, and i knew i would hate myself if i ran them super slow (up to this point, i was dead on my target pace, even a little faster). and i would REALLY hate myself if i walked. and then God told my iPod to play Vitamin String Quartet "Hallelujah". oh man, i got goosebumps. movie moment.

that last mile, we could see the lights of the stadium, and i was trucking for them like nobody's business. my feet hitting the track was the best feeling i've maybe ever had. i could see the finish line, and my dad being paparazzi right behind it, and i just booked it.

2 hours, 12 minutes, and 49 seconds. not bad for my first try, i'd say.

i still don't really believe i actually did it. i think i blacked out that morning for a while. but maybe it's like pregnancy: people say you don't remember the pain, so that you may actually do it again. and it's true, i will.

((someone remind me of that later))

(not) things i (don't) miss about atlanta.

2009-09-03T09:37:00.000-04:00

it's been almost a month since i left the ATL. (and yes, i referred to atlanta as "the ATL". that just happened). now, i'm not going to lie, atlanta is not my favorite place. i gave it a trial run, and it failed. however, a new wave of positivity is sweeping my life; so, these are the things i actually do miss about being in atlanta.

1. Bird: oh man, what would i have done without bird. been homeless, for sure. hated my life, definitely. watched less harry potter, true blood, and how i met your mother: absolutely.
2. Natalia: my favorite mexi-can. i miss her and her wild stories about the salon underworld. it's scandalous.
3. Chrissy, a.k.a. Doodle: i'd heard a lot about chrissy prior to my arrival in atlanta, and she delivered. my favorite time was when she brought over a dvd of her home movies....it made my ballet video look tame.
4. Knoxville/Furman friends: katie, christine, nancy, paul, allen, and now whit! man, that was great.
5. Mother Tucker: okay, that's not really its name. it's actually the Movie Tavern in Tucker, GA. eating dinner, having a beverage, AND watching a movie? what's not to love?
6. Children's Healthcare: i miss my kids. they were fun.
7. Fridays off: three day weekend? glorious. i will strive to work four tens in my future.
8. Dave FM: INCREDIBLE radio station. 92.9 for those of you who live there. if you don't, you can go here and look at their playlists. acoustic sundays were my favorite.
9. Figo: excellent pasta place. we went there for my birthday and it was fabulous. so...... we went again for bird's.
10. 85-North: oh wait. maybe not so much.

ah, rediscoveries.

2009-08-25T21:43:00.000-04:00

addendum to my previous post about running music:
i also recently unearthed a gem from approx sophomore year: the collision course album from jay-z and linkin park. glorious.

queue is a weird word.

2009-08-20T15:52:00.004-04:00

queue: 1 : a braid of hair usually worn hanging at the back of the head 2 : a waiting line especially of persons or vehicles 3 a : a sequence of messages or jobs held in temporary storage awaiting transmission or processing

oh, that's what all those things had in common. i was confused.

anyways, i got netflix for my birthday this year. CAN'T believe it took me this long to discover it's glory. any random movie/tv show you can imagine, and you don't have to do anything but mess around on the computer for a few hours? did the inventor of this company know me personally?

i kind of love it.

i've even begun keeping a running queue in my head for movies i need to see in theaters. (netflix, if you could figure this one out, i may explode with happiness). currently:

1. (500) Days of Summer

2. Away We Go

3. Funny People

4. The Time-Traveler's Wife

5. Spread

6. Ice Age 3 (yeah, yeah, laugh it up.)

any of you people who live around here and have a ridiculous amount of free time to see movies, let me know. we'll chat over a bucket of popcorn, and i'll update you on my queue. (and why is it spelled that way? it seems redundant.)

"from then on, if i was goin' somewhere-- i was run-ing."

2009-08-11T20:15:00.005-04:00

i've decided to train for a half marathon. rather, in a moment of weakness, prosser convinced me to commit. so now, on october third, in murfreesboro, tn, she and i will attempt to complete "the middle half". clever, i know.

it's hard.

((that's what she said.))

but really, it is.

you see, unless it's within the context of a sport or competition, i am not a huge fan of running. i'm an emotional runner. when i'm mad or sad or extremely happy, i run like a champ. on those other days, when i'm running because i know i have to, i hit the wall at about mile one. i'm not tired; i'm just not motivated.

the way that i've figured to channel these emotions is to motivate myself by music. some people may see me with my iPod on and think, hey, angry girl music, but we're not exactly talking about kelly clarkson here. i need something a bit more serious.

back in the day, i made a mean mix CD. (it's a lost art, really). but now, i'll settle for making some bad A playlists. here's my current run list: (they are in alphabetical order because that's the way i found them in my iTunes, i usually rock the shuffle)

1. black eyed peas: i gotta feeling

2. black ghosts: full moon

3. carolina liar: show me what i'm looking for

4. coheed & cambria: welcome home

(this has been, and probably always will be, my powersong. the first minute is like the theme song to some superhero movie...)

5. coldplay: life in technicolor

6. the frames: falling slowly

7. framing hanley: lollipop

8. the fray: absolute

9. kerli: not a barbie doll

10. kevin rudolf: let it rock

11. the killers: mr. brightside

12. kings of leon: sex on fire

13. mims: move (if you wanna)

14. muse: supermassive black hole

15. mutemath: noticed

16. pit bull: go girl

17. quietdrive: rush together

18. red hot chili peppers: tell me baby

19. ryan adams: so alive

20. syntax: bliss

21. timbaland: oh timbaland

22. wolfmother: joker and the thief

so, for every time you've ever seen someone in the gym and wondered what they were listening to, i hope you've satisfied your curiosity.

oh, it's back.

2009-08-04T14:20:00.005-04:00

does everyone remember the nike presto watch i had all through college?

does everyone also remember the very sad day of my life when it broke two years ago? and the even sadder day when i found out they didn't make them anymore?

well, it's back. and i'm pretty pumped about it.

thank you amazon.com and the birthday money that helped fund this little timepiece renaissance.

it's the little things, really.

(now that i think about it, i've had a rough go since PT school started.
things that have broken in that period of time: watch, iPod, cell phone, hard drive, passenger side window........)

consistency? fail.

2009-08-02T18:37:00.002-04:00

i once again have become delinquent in my blogging, which has recently been brought to my attention. apologies.

it's been a crazy summer: clinic, hospitals, birthdays, weddings. i'm a big fan of lists, so here are some for you.

things i've learned recently:

wearing scrubs daily = glorious.

cities cupcakes > the cupcakery.

kids really do say the darndest things.

i sometimes still miss furman, and that's okay.

life shouldn't be as hard as we all make it.

things i newly enjoy:

coffee

how i met your mother

TOMS

running (who knew?)

things i have greatly begun to appreciate:

living around mountains, trees, and green things.

the afternoon nap.

individuality.

things i'm looking forward to:

being a third year.

new needtobreathe cd + concert in chattanooga.

running my first half marathon.

figuring out how to be a grown-up.

bored in class...

2009-04-10T22:25:00.006-04:00

grad school is realllllllllly hard. and serious. here's proof:

my album is being released soon. look for it on itunes.

i think i was also attempting to "listen" to debs during this one. think she bought it?

that's cory's finger, by the way.

a heart-shaped nostril? hot.

a square forehead? equally as hot.

heyyyyy, look over there

easily the sketchiest of the batch....

quite the schnoz you have, sir

dat's right, we got a grill...

this is cory's "big league chew" face...

olive oyle.

meanwhile, we were ichatting these pictures around the room. clearly, we have absolutely no fun.

oh, when times were simpler...

2009-04-06T09:36:00.003-04:00

i don't often think back and say, "hey, i miss those times from high school."

but today, sitting in class talking about lymphedema for the 5,000th time, i really really missed "movie day". remember those times? when you were thinking about your day, and there, in third period, was a bright spot..... all because you were watching the dead poets society for the umpteenth time while coach carter went to the vending machine for eight bags of m&ms so he could flirt with the receptionist in the east mall.

so, here i sit, still listening to a lecture about morbid obesity that could easily be taught by a couple episodes of the biggest loser or what's eating gilbert grape. think i should bring it up to the PT faculty? i'm considering it.

go mocs!

2009-03-19T22:15:00.003-04:00

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

so: UTC isn't exactly known as a basketball powerhouse, BUT we won the SoCon, and we're going to the NCAA tournament! unfortunately, we drew a 16-seed, and no such team has ever won a game in the tourney. however, i love march madness, and i'm a sucker for the underdogs, especially when they're in any way related to my life.

therefore, when i saw that someone else (jimmy fallon) shared my enthusiasm, i found it utterly hilarious. this is the video from the first night; even better was the following spot, when the roots serenaded a photo montage of our coach, john schulman, who is apparently "the don juan of the SoCon". hysterical. they're all on nbc.com if you are bored/wish to laugh a little.

and in the words of my professor dr. hanks:

wacca wacca wacca,

go big mocca,

kick 'em in the buns big shoe!

is this real life?

2009-03-13T17:27:00.007-04:00

for a couple days, i wasn't sure. spring break in LA with three of your best friends?? get the heck out of here. of course it was amazing.

thank goodness philip drove caroline to the airport, avoiding a severe traffic jam at LAX. i think i actually saw him physically restrain her from doing a tuck-and-roll out of the car when she saw the three of us on the sidewalk. there were hugs and crying and lots of girly smiling and staring at each other wondering: is this real life?

it was, and for several days, some of the best i've had in a long time. i don't think i realized how much i needed time with those three girls until i had it. how i am lucky enough to have friends like these in my life, i don't know, but i am surely grateful to the Lord for these three incredible blessings.

what did we do........ what did we NOT do? we had a list, which we accomplished (mostly), with a few substitutions/modifications: eat at a 24 joint (Mel's Diner), watch the sunrise (Griffith Park), watch the sunset (Venice Beach), go to Mosaic, get a henna tattoo (see above), bowling at Lucky Strike, sing "Shine On" loudly in the car, eat at Geoffrey's, make brownies and ice cream, and complete the..... challenge. i won, by the way, and someone owes me my prize. pay up, ladies.

we also got to eat an incredible dinner at Bella with my dad, which is always a good time :)

as much fun as all that was, i think my favorite times were just sitting in caroline's apartment around a meal (that philip had probably made, thanks phil :)) and talking and laughing and just enjoying life with each other. it's cheesy, but we really are meant to be friends. something works when we're all together, and it's in those times that i truly know that the Lord has his hand in these friendships.

love you girls :)

He's just that into you.

2009-03-01T23:48:00.003-05:00

i've had some tough times in my life, and this past year has been a doozy. as much as i hate to admit it, i always come out the other side of these trials with a strength and a renewed sense of the power of the Lord. it's so trite, but so true, that God really does speak the loudest when we are our lowest.

the next passage is one that i've grown to rely on, and have recently appreciated that power of. if you know me at all, you'll see it too.

i will exalt you, O Lord,

for you lifted me out of the depths

and did not let my enemies gloat

over me.

O Lord my God, i called to you for help

and you healed me.

O Lord, you brought me up from the grave,

you spared me from going down into the pit.

sing to the Lord, you saints of his,

praise his holy name.

for his anger lasts only a moment,

but his favor lasts for a lifetime;

weeping may remain for a night,

but rejoicing comes in the morning.

when i felt secure, i said,

"i will never be shaken."

o Lord, when you favored me,

you made my mountain stand firm;

but when you hid your face,

i was dismayed.

to you, o Lord, i called;

to the Lord i cried for mercy:

"what gain is there in my destruction,

in my going down into the pit?

will the dust praise you?

will it proclaim your faithfulness?

hear, o Lord, and be merciful to me;

o Lord, be my help."

you turned my wailing into dancing;

you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.

psalm 30 (NIV)

praise be to God for His faithfulness. he speaks in the silences of our hearts and the loneliest of days.

this week's sign of the apocalypse:

2009-02-23T00:47:00.003-05:00

i'm giving up facebook for lent.... and it's actually a sacrifice.

seriously, i am. and even though lent doesn't officially start until wednesday, i already deactivated. it's been less than twenty-four hours and i've already had to stop myself several times from typing in that oh-so-familiar web address. ridiculous. i embarass myself.

there is a method to my madness, however. if you look below, one of my new year's resolutions is to be better about keeping in touch with people. facebook seems like a cop-out to me. seriously? if i want to check in with someone that badly, i can just as easily call them, or at least do them the courtesy of an email. technology is great, but let's show people we care, shall we?

so, wish me luck. and don't try to write on my wall. it's not there. i've depleted the facebook world of one more rapkowicz.... we're down to just three now, i think.....

there's no place like home.

2009-02-16T18:01:00.012-05:00

so last week i went on a whirlwind adventure tour of the south. here's how it went:

chattanooga to knoxville to chattanooga to rome to chattanooga to atlanta to chattanooga to bristol to boone to bristol to chattanooga.

oh, and i was the driver on all these trips. whew. it was fun, but tiring.

first, we went to rome to hear THE cory tucker play at the peach palace. interesting place. apparently the dance party with dj slick rick happening upstairs wasn't ready for our dance moves. oh, and also i had forgotten my crazy slutty tank top at home. darn. so i just hung out downstairs with cory and the PT crew and BIRD, yay! and, i got an incredible cinnamon pretzel at schroeder's deli. highly recommended.

back to chatt-town and then to atlanta (to see bird, AGAIN, how am i so lucky?) for the Bodies exhibit. it was a required "field trip" --- wasn't sure those were still allowed in graduate school. buthey, randy walker does what he wants. it was incredibly interesting, however, and reminded me of the many many things that i have already forgotten from anatomy. fabulous.

cory conveniently parked at the outlets in calhoun, so naturally the girls did a little shopping on the way back. hey, everything was on sale.... and it's for clinic! (the new excuse to buy clothes...)

back to class for a few days, and then we were on the CSM break. the whole point in going to bristol/NC was for skiing purposes. however, seeing

as how i had never skiied a day in my life, and didn't really want to break anything that particular day, i hung out and studied in the lodge-place until IZZY got out of class!! it was great to finally see where she lived and get to hang out with her for a few hours. gotta love my moneyball :)

i love road trips, and had a blast going all of these places. you would be amazed at the randomness that can happen on a simple overnight trip. they are great memories. but i don't know if i am getting older, or what, but for some reason, when i got back on friday, it felt good to just be home. even though it's not really home, it's a place with my stuff in it: my bed, my food, my clothes that are not in a suitcase. it's weird. i used to have the travel bug like crazy. and even though i still want to see so much more of the world, for now i'm kind of content to be where i am. weird, huh?

ding dong, the MRSA's gone.....

2009-02-02T22:38:00.006-05:00

NO. MORE. MRSA.

i'm pretty pumped. this is me being excited.

thanks to everyone who sent prayers and positive thoughts and mashed potatoes my way. :)

i used to hate valentine's day...

2009-01-26T23:43:00.002-05:00

but i'm not going to this year because i'm being positive. yay love.

anyways, if you feel yourself (not) loving the (not) wonderful holiday that is february 14th, watch this. it will make you love at least a little part of it. maybe?

MRSA can suck it.

2009-01-26T23:33:00.004-05:00

yes, this is in my body.

for those of you who don't know, i spent the better part of christmas break/january being really sickly. it was awesome.

syke.

it started out as a stomach bug, and then a stomach bug that wouldn't go away, and then oh crap this isn't a stomach bug, and then what the heck is wrong with me.

when we finally did find out the diagnosis, i was terrified: being in a medical professional program will teach you to fear MRSA quickly. so when my doctor told me i had it, i suddenly had images of myself laying in a negative pressure isolette, holding my mom's hand through some plastic thingy while she stood there in a hazmat suit. it was not a good feeling.

luckily, that is not what happened, and i have been feeling somewhat better. but let's look on the bright side of things, since i'm being more positive in 2009. i have lost weight, which is never a bad thing. i have become a relative connoisseur of mashed potatoes. i got to catch up on my couch/tv/dvr/rented movie time that i never get during school. and it didn't happen during school, which was a huge blessing.

look at me, being all glass half full. who knew.

anyways, keep me in your prayers. hopefully God will de-MRSA me soon.

2009.

2009-01-13T14:38:00.002-05:00

so in an attempt to be completely unoriginal, i have decided to write about the new year.

it's amazing that something as simple as the change of a date affects our psyche so drastically. it drives people to join gyms, buy nicorette, and clean out closets--real or metaphorical. it's like we have a clean slate, a chance to be something in this year that we weren't in the last. i don't know who came up with this whole resolution phenomenon, but they were a genius.

i'm usually not a big resolution maker, because, like most of the things i set out to do, i usually don't do them very well. however, perhaps by publicly declaring them (and by publicly, i mean to the 7 of my friends who read this) i will actually perform said intentions. so here they are: d-rap's resolutions of 2009.

1. be a better daughter/sister/friend and CALL people. i'm not a big phone person. so it doesn't hurt my feelings when people don't call me. apparently, however, not all people are like this. so, to show people in my life how much i care about them, i am going to talk on the phone more. verizon, rejoice.

2. worry less. enough said.

3. stress about school less. enough said.

4. be more positive. i've recently fallen into a routine of cynicism and sarcasm that, although witty and often amusing, is not good. let the self-deprecation cease.... now.

5. take more time for myself. i don't do this enough. and i should. so i'm going to.

there they are. let the accountability commence, people.

"don't go ningyin' nobody that don't need ningyin'."

2008-11-14T16:37:00.005-05:00

words to live by, for sure.

our PT class has a fun time post-lunch, pre-afternoon class where we are so bored that we sit around and look up videos on youtube to play over the giant projector. for your entertainment, here are the recent/classic fruits of our labor.

The Kung Fu Hillbilly.

regular guy in a cape you say? no says i.

Bon Qui Qui.

but he got two strikes so don't get his order wrong....

Ken Lee.

tulibu dibu douchu.

Can I Have Your Number?

can i? can i? can i? can I?

procrastinate on, friends. enjoy.

dan-ielle in real life.

2008-10-18T12:36:00.008-04:00

"you don't have to smile."

"it's better than the alternative."

---dan in real life---

you know when you have one of those times in your life when nothing seems to really go the way you planned? like in one of those state farm commercial big red dot sort of things that mcdreamy keeps narrating: yeah, i'm there.

and i'm not talking like, i had a bad hair day and someone took my parking spot (although my car did get towed the other day, THAT was awesome). it's more like that quote from love & basketball: "it's a trip, you know. when you're a kid, you see the life you want, and it never occurs to you that it's not gonna turn out that way."

fyi: i tend to relate my life to movies and music. lay off.

it's like i have this person in my head that i want to become, and she's out there in the distance, somewhere, and this little person i actually am is running my legs off to catch up to her. and failing miserably.

anyways, i sat down to write this thing and realized just about.......now........that i was doing a really bad job of explaining my thoughts. so i decided to scrap it for the day and go on to the next thing on my agenda: listening to the mosaic podcast. for those of you who i haven't told about this, mosaic is the church caroline goes to in LA, and when i went to visit her, i had the opportunity to go there. it. is. incredible. i would move there just to get to go to that church every week. but since i kind of like it here, for now i've settled for the podcasts of their sermons, which are just as good except for i don't get to go with my little cp. :)

it' funny how the lord works because i chose the most recent one, which happened to be entitled "dreams". it centered on the dreams we all have for our lives, how to discern the dream God has for us, and finally how to pursue those dreams violently. and suddenly, for 40 minutes, erwin mcmanus talked about exactly what my heart had been feeling, but my mind was unable to comprehend. it was awesome. i love when things happen like that.

here are a few quotes from the sermon that really grabbed me:

"it may be in the most difficult times of life; that's when it's most important to dream."

"it (your dream) may depress you when you begin to measure your own life against it. but it's not meant to depress you; it's meant to inspire you so that you can unleash it and begin to pursue it."

"the tragedy isn't that this isn't their dream, it's that there IS a dream that should be their life and they've given up on it... they're living a life out of obligation, rather than a life of passion."

and finally, the macdaddy ending that blew my mind for the next day:

"we have a barricade between the life that we live in fear, and the life that we could live in our dreams. and this isn't supposed to be a life that you dream of with your eyes closed, it's a life that you dream of wide awake... God will not do for you what you must do. 3,2,1 life is quickly slipping away... you and only you must choose to jettison your life forward... there is a part of this journey that you cannot do alone. a journey to pursue a life that is bigger than you... it is inspired by the spirit of God whispering into your soul 'you were meant for more than this'. "

there it is. my thoughts, His words. infinitely more eloquent that i could have stated it. so for now, i'm dreaming with my eyes open (since i don't sleep anyway) and trying to stop life from slipping too much further into the future before i figure out who that person looks like off in the distance.

my sweet boy.

2008-10-09T23:21:00.003-04:00

i just realized that when i posted about my entourage, i forgot an essential member: my puppy! well, i guess he's almost done being a puppy, but he's still little. duke is my first dog ever; he's a miniature dachshund, and i love him a lot. i've wanted a dog pretty much since forever, and he is so perfect. his hobbies include eating anything that hits the floor, playing with his aldergator, and snuggling in anyone's lap who will sit still long enough to let him. his worst enemies are the vacuum and the big red exercise ball. he's quirky and clumsy, like me, and i think i forgot what it was like to not have him around. even pat rap loves him! oh, and did i mention he's probably the cutest thing ever?

love actually is all around.....?

2008-10-01T22:29:00.005-04:00

disclaimer: this post should not be viewed as a "woe unto me, lonely hearted girl" post. for real. sympathetic comments will not be tolerated. and if anyone, anyone tries to tell me that everything happens for a reason, or quotes me jeremiah 29, i will e-punch you in the face.

that being said, i'm a little down on the whole subject of love.

it's not just my own pathetic love life, which, if you know me at all, you know is virtually non-existent. i'm twenty-three years old and i have yet to be in a serious relationship. i know about nine males in the city of chattanooga, most of whom are either married or seriously taken. it's been so long since someone kissed me and meant it that i pretty much can't remember what that's like. and i'm mayor of the freakin' friend zone. but as bad as all that is, it's not just that.

i've lost faith in the whole institution of love. not friendly love, or family love. i have been more than blessed with the experience of both of those. i'm talking about love love. you jump i jump, if you're a bird i'm a bird, meet me at the top of the empire state building kind of love.

and i know that real love isn't like the movies. i get it. but when i look around, i am saddened not because so many others have love that i don't, but because i don't have it and i can't see it anywhere else. all i see are relationships ending, marriages being ruined by selfish needs and wants, and the word love generally being batted around like a beach ball at a rock concert: without care or direction, without purpose, people just trying to get their hands on it to make themselves feel important. i'm tired of counseling my friends who have had their hearts broken by those who say they "love" them. i'm tired of going to weddings where i can't be happy because i know that the "love" between the couple is a fleeting fancy.

this is where my mother would yell at me for being a cynic. and this is where i tell her i'm just being a realist. because in this world today, it's actually scary how un-shocking the absence of love is. google "pastor cheats on wife" and see for yourself how realistic i actually am being.

by the way, it's 638,000. get it yet?

i'm not completely writing off love. yet. i'm maintaining hope at the moment for the sake of sanity. but i will remain in an innocent until proven guilty sort of state, and i will continue in this train of thought until someone proves me wrong. i sincerely hope this will be the case.

if this was depressing, i apologize. anytime you need good dose of jaded discussion, i'm your girl for sure. if you need a pick me up, however, this little guy is your best bet.

apple store, here i come...

2008-09-20T16:39:00.007-04:00

moment of silence for my ipod. i turned it on the other day at was greeted not by the outdated black-and-white screen, but an image that looked much like this:

really apple? this is the icon you came up with?

anyways, as you can tell, my ipod is OLD. i've had it for four and a half years, which officially marks the end of my longest relationship. we had some good times: parties, trips to the park, hanging out while i was studying, laying out on the beach, plane rides, bus rides, car rides, van rides. we went to so many places: florida, furman, turkey, greece, italy, mexico, colorado, myrtle beach, costa rica, chattanooga, los angeles. ah the memories.

so currently my face looks like this:

rest in peace, little pod. it was a good run. i will miss you dearly.

"let's hug it out, bitch."

2008-09-14T22:38:00.030-04:00

i love entourage. i know i shouldn't, being as i'm a girl, but it is truly hilarious. the way they mess with each other cracks me up because it reminds me of how my crew here in chattanooga gets on each other all the time. i could easily write a book about each of them, because i love them so much, but i'll just give you a quick summary for future reference. so here's my entourage: (not that i'm the famous one, they're the celebrities of my life.)

rachel burks: my roommate and the best bet to assume when i am talking to you on the phone and refer to the ambiguous "we". noted for her dance moves, corny jokes, and love for the town of cookeville, tn. if not with me, she can usually be found at stone cup or napping under her thousand toss pillows on her bed. strengths: cookie baking, social event planning, and making out (apparently). weaknesses: spelling, taking shots, and technology. i've gone on more "dates" with her in the past year than real dates in my whole life. we pretty much spend twenty four hours a day together. she is a rare find, and i honestly don't know what i would do without her. seriously. famous quote: "hiiiiiiiiii, miname's raaa-chel."

abby jones: proof that great things come in small packages. i can always count on this girl to laugh with me about random events that i relate to friends episodes. note also that she has quite possibly the loudest laugh imaginable. but i love it. she is also my nacho-eating partner in crime. strengths: photographically documenting our pathetic lives, ALWAYS having gum, and texting during class. weaknesses: using an inside voice, reaching things on tall shelves, and dislike of mushrooms (it makes it hard to split meals with her). i always have a great time with abby; she is up for anything: random or planned. and i love it. famous quote: "this is a fun song....."

prosser: her real name is ashley prosser, but i've officially nixed the ashley part because absolutely no one calls her that. so she's just prosser, like cher, or madonna, or jack on will and grace. noted for her impeccable taste in music as well as her extensive knowledge of every scrubs episode ever made. she also has the best smelling hair of anyone i've ever met. strengths: sarcasm, being a ridiculous volleyball player, and commiserating with me on our greek life experiences. weaknesses: bees, shellfish, the "skater" move in kickboxing class. sometimes i think that prosser and i were quite possibly siblings raised by different parents. she and i understand each other so well, and it is wonderful to have her in my life. famous quote: "hey sweetness..."

brandon ellison: what is there to say about this kid? i can always count on him to have studied less than i have, which is saying a lot. we are both champion procrastinators, which often leads to us doing ridiculous crap at the worst possible times; including, but not limited to: frisbee golf, greek-watching, clearance aisle at wal-mart, or general couch laziness. strengths: eating, finding deals on craigslist, asking questions in class. weaknesses: flexibility, musical knowledge, and his terrible taste in beer. i think he can read me better than most people i know, which messes with my attempts to be mysterious. jerk. but seriously, he's another one i don't know what i would do without. he's always there with a hug when you need one, and he'd do anything for any one of us. famous quote: "i'll beat you like you stole something."

cory tucker: super-smooth soulful singer boy from rome, ga. he seriously has one of greatest voices i've ever heard in real life. and he's also one of the most caring individuals i've ever had the privilege to know. i think i could order for him at any restaurant, being as he always orders some form of grilled chicken sandwich and a sweet tea, with a pink packet, that he has to smell before he puts it in his drink. and his voicemails always involve the word "shawty", which i enjoy immensely. strengths: randy walker impressions, drawing cartoons of our teachers, the snaps game. weaknesses: knowing how to work blinds, leaving EVERY WEEKEND, locking it up during class. i always, always have a fun time with cory, even if it is just sitting next to him in class. he has the ability to love people so completely and so easily, which i am extremely envious of. famous quote: "lllllleemmmmmmme do dis."

josh wiegand: oh, josh. where do i begin? in our little entourage, josh would be johnny drama, in that he is most often the brunt of our jokes. he's just so easy. he asks too many questions, confirms everything, has toes that look like he's half eagle, and is dating a girl the same age as my little sister's boyfriend. but we love him still for his childlike innocence about the world. he is currently my biggest advocate for the spring break disney world trip, if that tells you anything. strengths: texting, making homosexual drinks (aka mudslides), and killer ups. weaknesses: ankle stability, attention span, and dance moves (or is that a strength? i'll let you be the judge). josh has quite possibly the biggest heart of anyone i know, and he takes our joking so well, it makes me love him even more. famous quote: "so what you're saying is..."

that's the crew. i love them all, and each one has helped me in the past year more than any one of them know. once again, i am constantly amazed by the people the Lord puts in my life everywhere i go. He takes care of me through my friends in a way that i will never understand, but always appreciate.

"above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. if anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. if anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. to Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever."

1 peter4:8-11

really, reali?

2008-08-30T15:38:00.002-04:00

ok, so, i love around the horn and pti. probably the best hour of afternoon television there is. and a large component of that is my minor crush on tony reali. what's not to love? attractive, argumentative, stubborn, sarcastic, and sport genius. sounds like my perfect man.

recently, however, he's begun sporting a jerry seinfeld-like mullet. i'm incredibly disturbed by this. who is making these important coiffing decisions at ESPN? if the answer is stuart scott, then perhaps sportscenter needs another facelift, because they need to bring in a professional for this situation. seriously.

here's reali pre-mullet:

tune in at 5 pm to see him in his now-unfortunate state.

a thing not worth doing isn't worth not doing well.

2008-08-30T15:03:00.002-04:00

apparently, i haven't been doing this blogging thing very well, due to the sarcastic and/or borderline harsh comments i've been receiving from the approx five people who read this. apologies.

lots of life-altering changes have happened since i've last written about anything: i got a dog. i finished my first year of pt school. i got my best friend back from mexico. i saw the dark knight. i went to los angeles. i cut all my hair off. i mastered the easy level on guitar hero. you know, stuff like that.

now i'm back in chattanooga to start my second year of pt school with my sweet puppy, having my best friend only and hour and a half away in atlanta, sporting a new haircut and on to conquering medium. and i'll probably see the dark knight again.

it's a new year, and great things are going to happen. or at least i'm going to tell myself that. so, i'm making a new blogging resolution here and now: my five readers will no longer be kept in the dark about my deep thoughts and important life events. this is my solemn vow.

and to prove it, i'm going to make another post about half an hour after this. hah.

"best week ever!"

2008-03-18T18:48:00.024-04:00

so there is one perk of stilllllllllll being in school: a little thing i like to call spring break. i mean, i didn't go get crazy in PCB or anything, but i still had some good times. so here's a quick rundown of d-rap's SB2K8: whoo.

i started off the week with a trip back to good ole furman university. i hadn't really been back since graduation, so it was both weird and wonderful to be there. i loved seeing everyone, and eating at my favorite spots, and just being in a city i grew to love and now miss a lot. however, it was a bit odd being back. i guess sometimes when i leave a place, the way i deal with not being there anymore is to think that it doesn't exist anymore, like things don't keep happening when i'm not there. but they do. and so it's weird.

3 of my favorite things from the g-vegas trip:
1. izzy totally got my YL girls to ambush me, that little stinker. they all came and jumped on me saturday morning and i was completely confused. once i found my glasses and figured out who these twelve people were in bed with me, though, i loved it. we all ate breakfast together and just caught up on life. i miss them so much--i can't believe they're almost old enough to go to college!

2. needtobreathe at mcalister auditorium. if you haven't discovered this band yet, do so immediately. the show was awesome, and the encore was incredible.

3. monday morning i dropped izzy at her internship, and then proceeded to have one fabulous morning. first, i breakfast at greenfield's with my girl alex and got caught up sice she was out of town that weekend. then i had about two and a half hours to kill and it was too early for anything to be open so
i headed downtown and i walked. just walked. for blocks and blocks. and took pictures. it was a perfectly beautiful day........ the most relaxed i've felt in a long long time.

i was sad to leave but i headed home for a few days. nothing terribly exciting, it was just nice to be home and hang out with mom and alpal for a few days. shoutouts to:
1. emmy mathews, whose 21st birthday i helped celebrate on tuesday.
2. my hairdresser tracy who got engaged!

my tour of the south brought me back to chattanooga on wednesday night, when i was introduced to my new favorite activity: geocaching. it's like a treasure hunt in your backyard that no on else knows about. seriously, i felt like freakin' nick cage in national treasure or something. here's the website: they describe it way better than i can.

after hanging out and watching basketball for a few days, we celebrated saint patrick's day in grand fashion at murphy's on our last night of freedom. hilarious. here's a few snapshots, but see facebook for way too many more.

on a beautiful sunday, we ate lunch downtown at mudpie and sat on the deck enjoying the day. then, after almost eight months of living in chattanooga, i finally got to go hiking! we took a trail from snooper's rock, did some climbing, got saved by brandon and josh from certain death, and took some incredible jumping pictures.

it was a great week.

i saw so many people i love, and it was so incredible to relex and find rest and comfort in those relationships. i feel so incredibly blessed to have all of you in my life, so thank you for being such a source of strength in my life.

and for those i didn't see, i miss you a lot. expect a road trip soon. unless you've decided to live really far away, like say, i don't know, mexico. or california. you jerks are SOL. i'll have to love you from afar.

like it's just r-r-random, r-random.....

2008-03-01T01:24:00.008-05:00

alright, sarah, here you go.

7 random things about me:

honestly, i'm pretty random, so it was more an issue of narrowing this list down to the most random. however, i'm getting pretty good at "choosing the BEST answer" because my teachers are psycho test-makers, though, so i hope i chose the seven BEST things.

1. i'm a compulsive sequential tv flipper. i watch the preview channel, identify however many show i wish to watch, and in what order those channels are arranged on comcast cable. for example, let's just say what not to wear, scrubs, and rob and big are all on. (key to this technique is that it can't be any super-intense shows like CSI or house hunters--- i hate it when i watch the whole dang show and miss which house they pick.) i'll watch what not to wear until it goes to commercial, then flip to scrubs and watch that until it goes on commercial, and then go to rob and big (people let me tell ya bout my beeeeest friend...). here's the really weird part: if they're ALL on commercial, i watch a commercial on TLC, and if stacy and clinton don't immediately appear at the conclusion of that commercial, i go to comedy central and watch that commercial to the end, and i'd better see j.d. or you know i'm going to MTV. that's right, i am a psycho.

2. slightly less complicated than #1, i have exactly three beverages in my daily repertoire: water, milk, or diet coke. yes, i am from the south, and no, i do not drink sweet tea because it is deeee-sgusting. i know. apparently it's blasphemy and i could probably get banished to missouri for it. keep this one on the DL.

3. i pump gas and tip to the even dollar. the gas thing is all john rap's fault, he's the one that taught me how. the tipping thing is just my own weirdness. i'm a good tipper to begin with, but sometimes, i tip like 80 cents extra just so it'll be even. but i figure, hey, i've been a server and it sucks 72% of the time, and my 80 cents could easily make someone's day. it's all about giving back, people. remember your roots.

4. speaking of work, let's have a rundown of the random jobs i've had, shall we?
- countless babysitting jobs/ tutoring/ getting roped into helping with preschool biz-nass (props to patty cake for those.)
- birthday party hostess at Smart Toys and Books (where learning is fun.....)
- ice cream scooper at Baskin Robbins (i make a mean cappucino blast.)
- lifeguard at Whittington Creek Pool (thanks katie.)
- water aerobics instructor for Furman Learning In Retirement (and....jog it out..)
- server at Italian Market and Grill and also Cozymel's a.k.a. the Cozy (none otha........)
- nanny to the most adorable baby on the planet. (see below for proof.)

5. i buy books like most girls buy shoes. seriously, barnes and noble is my financial kryptonite. if i go in there, i'm dropping at least forty bucks on books i may or may not have time to read. i'll wander in there for hours, sit on the floor and look through the photography books, whatever. i love it. it's very soothing. i think it's the coffee/new book smell.

6. i am terrified of any and all things related to E.T. i watched the movie as a kid and it scared the junk out of me. if anyone so much as does the "E.T. phone home" voice, i flip out. reese's pieces are ruined for me. i still cannot watch it. people keep telling me "oh, it's such a sweet story." h-no it's not. finding nemo: sweet. ice age: heartwarming. monsters inc: precious. what is so adorable about a boy who befriends a slimy brown alien and keeps him in his closet and then they both almost die? no, thank you.

7. i have random pet peeves. to name a few:
- children on leashes. seriously. if you wanted a pet, you should have gotten a shi tzu.
- slow walkers. especially in the mall. move it or lose it, sister. i got places to go.
- when people use homonyms in the wrong place, a.k.a. your/you're, there/their/they're. i know this is picky, but annamarie hughes ruined me for life in the ninth grade with that freaking green pen of death and i never forgot.
- people who don't use blinkers. really, is it that tough? burn a calorie or two, save a life; it's a win-win situation.
- usage of the phrase "all that and a bag of chips". it made me cringe in '98 and still does now.

so there you have it. all my deepest, darkest, most random secrets.

oh, and here's my nayla bug :)

semi-deep thoughts.

2008-02-15T14:11:00.002-05:00

anyone who has known me for more than an hour knows that i love music. ALL music. and i know so many people say "i listen to everything!" but they are liars. you know these people i speak of: the ones who play the same five songs over and over every time they get ahold of your ipod in the car? yeah, those.

anyways, when i say that i love all music i suppose i should clarify that i love all music that makes me feel something. it can be anything. it can be a ridiculous rap song that makes me laugh or dance like a fool, or some crazy rock song that makes me want to run a thousand miles, or some guy with a guitar that makes me wish there really were guys out there that believed the things he was saying. the playlists on my ipod are actually organized this way. (10 loser points for that)

what i appreciate the most are songwriters that are still trying to make music that is meaningful, that makes us stop and reevaluate what we think about our own lives. i wish i had that kind of ability; to have a talent that touched the lives of others. that would be sweet.

my new guy of the moment is brett dennen. he has this voice that is haunting, but beautiful in his own uniqueness. and his lyrics blow me away...they make you think. i can only listen to one of his songs at a time because i have to take time to digest what he's saying. i love it.

below are the lyrics to his song "make the most". it's about truly appreciating the time we have and learning to live it to the fullest. at this time in my life, when i have so much stress and work, i find it easy to wish life away, just hoping to get through days, weeks, years. why?? what am i waiting for? my life doesn't start at some arbitrary point somewhere in the future, it's happening right now. i don't want to wake up one day and realize i've tried to fast forward my whole life. so i've been listening to this song every day, to try and make myself grasp what i've been given, to pour a cup of life. the Lord has filled my whole life with so many wonderful blessings; i need to live everyday in celebration and appreciation of all that He has given me.

"i have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." john 10:10

make the most

and in the morning when i rise

one question, that feels like the sun in my eyes:

am i making the most of this life?

so much trouble and so much strife.

and in my guilty hour

through all of my shame,

when all my love is run sour,

i have no one else to blame.

'cause it finds me through the mask i wear

and i see it through my eyes closed.

but still i cannot bear to stare into my worries and my woes.

there's comfort in self-loathing and it's easy to slip into it.

but still i must learn to lead my life with no regrets.

all the time it all moves in the same direction,

so don't let it pass you by.

because it moves so fast, there's no time for perfection.

so make the most of this life,

make the most of this life, oh

make the most of this life

make the most of this life.

and when i fall i fall hard.

and i dwell too often in my faults.

i must accept it and move on,

there's just no shame in having to crawl

'cause it finds me through the mask i wear,

and i see it through my eyes closed.

but still i cannot bear to stare into my worries and my woes.

there's comfort in self-loathing and it's easy to slip into it.

but still i must learn to lead my life with no regrets.

all the time it all moves in the same direction,

so don't let it pass you by.

because it moves so fast, there's no time for perfection.

so make the most of this life, oh

make the most of this life, oh

make the most of this life

just make the most of this life.

and if you come to me smiling

oh i, will see you shining out from within.

such a beautiful grin,

falling down on me and freckling my skin.

wake i and pour i a cup of

wake i and pour i a cup of life.

boonya.

2008-02-11T00:11:00.002-05:00

quick shout out to my DUKE BLUE DEVILS who conquered the carolina tarheels last wednesday.

double boonya to my father for all the smack he talked for approx two months leading up to said defeat of his beloved team.

and yes, i am a duke fan raised by a tarheel fan. what can i say? stupidity is not hereditary. luckily i was able to see the erroneous decision made by john rap circa 1970 and alter my course accordingly so as not to end up a poor miserable wretch.

another shout out to dick vitale. we missed you, bay-bee, with a capital M.

the one with all the learning.

2008-02-04T22:53:00.000-05:00

i'm in physical therapy school, which basically means i spend my life learning. constantly. there's always a test or a practical or a clinical or a something else that you'll feel dumb in if you don't know the answer. i study A LOT.

when i try to describe my particular situation to those outside of my department, they don't really believe me. they make a face like i told them i'm 6'5" and play for the denver nuggets and say something like,"there's no way you study that much" or "you have to go out sometime" or my favorite "no one studies on saturday night!" au contraire, my friend. welcome to my world.

don't get me wrong, we have a good time. i have met a group of wonderful people who make me laugh to the point of crying at least once daily. seriously--we are funny. and if you think jokes about overpressure are great, then you'd probably find us hysterical as well. someone should give us a reality show. i can see it now..... "true life: i'm in PT school." you think you know, but you have no idea. it'd be like grey's anatomy (minus the hot doctors) meets friends (minus all the guest stars) with a dash of survivor. dr. walker would naturally be cast in the jeff probst role. "the tribe has spoken, as they did it to vote it as to where we are in the jungle."

i digress.

and when i look back at how far i've come in the past 5 months, it's actually pretty incredible.................................. that i haven't failed out of school. no, in all seriousness, i have grown. and just so you don't have to go through the pain and suffering and emotional turmoil like i did, here are some tidbits i've been learning about lately.

1. it is possible to sleep with your eyes open.

2. normal range of motion for wrist flexion is 80 degrees. (normally this would be expressed in a pseudo-homosexual type voice......"ayyyyyyyy-ty")

3. the christian student center provides 2 dollars worth of lunchtime goodness every monday and wednesday.

4. i never make decisions, and that's not really a good thing.

5. catch phrase = hours of instant fun.

6. greenville, sc is a great city and i miss it a lot.

7. a semester can simultaneously fly by and drag on forever.

8. DO NOT leave your purse in your car.

9. california is a dumb state that keeps stealing all my favorite people. (same goes for london and mexico)

10. dr. dale has approx 5 "non-dr. dale" voices. (my personal favorite is "ah-nold")

11. distal attachment of the iliopsoas is the lesser trochanter.

12. i am hypermobile, hyperreflexive, and have terrible balance.

13. God's timing is different than we'd often wish, and it's hard to run a marathon when you've only trained for a 5K.

14. urbandictionary.com is the authority on key terminology such as fire hazard, facebook rape, and thousands of other gems i'll allow you to discover on your own.

15. you (unfortunately) never realize how lucky you are to have people in your life until they aren't there anymore.

16. the big chill = approach with extreme caution. it cannot be beaten and has claimed many victims.

17. the long thoracic nerve is commonly injured in a knife fight. (i swear, it's in my anatomy book)

18. hi, my name is danielle and i am a youtube addict.

19. courtesy of donald miller: life is not a story about me. (it sounds simple, but it'll blow your mind if you really think about it.)

20. life is short, and made shorter if you don't stop and enjoy it every once and a while.

as i write it....to where i am....

2008-01-21T23:03:00.000-05:00

seriously, katie bondurant is to blame for this whole charade.

my original excuse was that i didn't have time because my life is consumed with school. but let's get real here: i'll do anything to put off studying. so then, i phased in complaining that my life was not interesting enough for other people to read about. this was much more effective, largely due to the aforementioned studying i do "all" the time.

oh, and for future reference, any word enclosed with "" indicates high levels of sarcasm.

then i wrote an email to the old monterrey's mondays crew (holla) and realized how much i had to update them on, and how much i couldn't even fit in the email. even though i spend approx 6 hours a day in davenport 305 and i only know 36 people in the city of chattanooga--including my professors, which officially makes me a loser-- it doesn't mean that there aren't things going on in my life.

for example, i have a professor who literally ends 73% of his sentences with some version of "as you do that. " (clarification: this is a direct quote, so it's not sarcastic. i'm not a fan of hard and fast rules.) sometimes it's "as you work that" , sometimes "as to where we are", or my personal favorite "what am i talking about as i talk about that?" it's hysterical. sometimes i cannot control myself in class when he goes on a tear like "as we work it to where we are in a working profession."

what??

and he can't NOT say it. it's a compulsion. this man literally has a disease. i've personally identified it and named it EPPD: Explosive Prepositional Phrase Disorder. it's similar to Turrett's, except minus the inappropriate-ness. WebMD or Dr. Phil or someone else important is investigating as we speak. i'm expecting a large check soon.

so there. it's not much, but it's something. i mean, i'll probably be telling stories about this man for the rest of my life. it's the little things that make me happy, i guess.

oh, and we're working on a plan to video this particular phenomenon. cross your fingers. if it happens, you better believe it'll be on here.