The Philosopher Jagger

So as I sat here eating my spaghetti leftovers (which still rock btw), I started looking at my own facebook profile. I randomly and rarely update it. But a couple things stuck out to me that made me stop and (reflect? can I sound anymore lame??) on life and things. and i really like this direction.

One of those was that Dr. Zhivago was listed in my fav movies bc its 'a billion hours long and depressing as hell.' Granted, it is those things. And it is still one of my favorite movies. But I dont sit and watch it hours on end wrapped up in about 30 blankets feeling sorry for myself. I hear the theme song and get a sad feeling in my stomach, but not in the sense that it used to completely stop time. I know this sounds crazy, it most definitely it. But the way I associate things is very... intense? why can't i come up with words today.

The other is the list of things i 'have a serious dislike for.' (bc i can only say hate if i actually mean like and thats a whole other effed up scenario in andrea-land, eh?) I dislike the book 'i am the cheese' out of pure spite. i could probably read it now and it be an ok book. if i knew where it was. the other thing on the list is Cowardice. This is still something that irks me, in myself and in others. Especially when it's covered in a false bravado. Some of the biggest cowards in history were the cruelest, most outspoken people. This is the cowardice I have no respect for. I appreciate a strong opinion, but not when it comes through a twisted self preservation meanness. I've been known to be that person, and I don't like myself that way and I go out of my way to not be vile anymore.

It's interesting to recognize a lot of bad traits you pick up and later shed. I used to hate to be alone. I had to be in constant contact, if not physically than at least through the internet. Now I can honestly say I enjoy my own company and am ok with being by myself.

And it's nice to have a (dare I say it) adult routine. Cooking was never part of my life. and now, now I cook things. I eat regularly. I eat....healthily even. Being able to have a conversation or a heated debate or not even having to talk at all and all the options being acceptable and enjoyable. Not going out of my way to push buttons to start an arguement just to get some kind of emotion. I still know where those buttons are, I can always find them and I remember them like you remember how to ride a bicycle. But, it's nice not to have to use the buttons.

and while i know that anytime i have a highest high i have to be on the lookout for the lowest low, its nice to tread on the middle ground. things are just genuinely good. i have good people in my life who care about me and me them. everyone is happy and healthy (for the most part, if tonya would stop shutting appendages in things), and i realized that for the first time in quite awhile i'm not sitting around waiting for the bottom to drop out. do you know how great and crazy that is?

but on a less ridiculous and more practical note, it is Tonya's birthday, so be sure to wish her a happy one. She's had a pretty crummy last couple of weeks, but I see things going uphill for her. 25 has been pretty damn good to me and I hope the same to her. :) Plus I can't pass up an excuse for seafood. Let's get serious here. Today starts a long weekend of celebrations. And that's just how life should be.

I know I've put it in here before, and fairly recently too I think, but I love this quote from House. Bc it is what it is and I've found what I need.

Dr. Cuddy: (to House) Oh, I looked into that philosopher you quoted. Jagger. And you're right. You can't always get what you want, but as it turns out, if you try sometimes, you get what you need.

Memorial Weekend Lazy

Seriously, why didn't anyone tell me to watch Band of Brothers before now?

I'm now fascinated by the Easy Company and have put several of their memoirs on my amazon wish list. I watched all ten episodes over the course of the weekend. It is one of those topics you learn about in school but don't really know about. Now I'm hooked. These may be the stories I read for my 101 Goals list. I am all inspired now and I really wish I had gotten to hear more of Pappaw Frank (not my pappaw) tell about the war the few times he talked about it. It makes me wonder what the next two generations will think of our generation's participation in this war. Are they going to be looked at as heroes? I feel like WW2 has been so romanticized with the war bonds and victory gardens and everything, that those men and women are really looked at as heroes. I feel like our generation we're at least currently looked at like we're stirring up shit. I'm not going to talk about war now. It is too much of a hot topic. But yes. I have a new history project to immerse myself in and i'm excited.

Oher than watching movies we've been super lazy. Blackbear burritos, Terminator (I give it a C+ for actually having one of the characters say "I'll be back."), going to the pool, grilling out at Steffs, and as we speak I have a spaghetti casserole in the oven. with extra cheese. dont tell.

I do not want to go to work tomorrow. 'specially since I didn't wake up till 11 today. I have missed sleeping in. I won't get to next weekend. It's going to be super busy, but fun. I get to see a smattering of a-holes that I miss very muchly (and you know i mean it if i cal them names)



spaghetti is done. Hope you all have a good end to your holiday!

Mass Update for the Lefty

So tonya had to go and cut her hand off at work and is making me feel guilty about not blogging so she will have something to read while she's laid up. So here I am, bc guilt works well with me. You could probably guilt me into just about anything.

Note: she didnt actually cut the hand off. but she did get it stuck in an automatic door that dislocated and fractured and sliced open her finger. She'll prob put photos of it up here but be warned its not for the weak stomach types (re: ME). But she's out of commission for a few days, so I really am blogging for her.

So whats up, folks? Aren't you loving this sunshine. I'm sitting on the porch enjoying the last of it for the day. Much better than the monsoon we had this past weekend at Leah Marie's wedding.

And since photos speak so much louder than words (thanks to Lish for taking photos and letting me steal them):

Here is the lovely couple right as they say their I Do's. Note they are under a tent. The only semi-dry place. They look lovely in spite of the weather.


All of us, post I Dos. The one time it stopped raining. I've known these assholes all my life. Most of them anyway. I'm glad we got to experience this together.


Now this looks like a seemingly good looking photo of Lish and I. Until you look at my chest (yes, i'm giving you permission to look at my chest.) You see that sunburn? Um yeah. My mom let me fall asleep in the sun earlier in the day and ended up burnt. What you cant see in the photo is the nice ring that is also sunburnt on my chest from that necklace. Yes. I fell asleep with that on and had to wear it to the wedding so I didnt look like I had the all-seeing eye on my chest. and it's STILL there. We are not pleased, but, it provided hours of amusement.


I wish I could find a photo that explains the rest of the evening. It was so wet and muddy, even under the tent for the reception that we all just kicked our shoes up and had a good time and danced in the rain and around the bonfire and had a hippie good time. I can't explain what it was like other than that it was the good feeling that being in braxton county gives me, and gives so rarely. But it was a great day, one that none of us will soon forget, no matter how much wine we had.

I am currently in love with this song and have deemed it one special ringtone on my phone. You may recognize it from the Bacardi mojito commercial, which is actually a pretty cool commercial as well. But I've had it stuck in my head for days now, but the upbeatness of it just perfectly explains how i've been feeling lately. The dancing with closed eyes and a smirk across a soaking wet dance floor with those I love and the sunshine on my face sitting on the back porch and the curling up at night. All these good things I periodically let myself forget that I regret forgetting later once I have them back. This is my summer happiness. Although this winter was probably the least bad I've had in quite some time, the summer is always so much better.

I am dogless this week, something I am both happy and sad about. She's staying in braxton on a 'vacation' and for the first few days I was glad to be able to get stuff done without having her chew on everything (i.e. the couch) but now, i'm startin to miss the evil poochie with her big sad eyes. I'll probably go get her this weekend, and then remember why I was glad I had the dog vacation.

What else. Little brother graduated from college and is not trying hard at all to get a job. This drives me nuts as you all remember how much I bitched about how I heard every day about not having a job. I guess they cant threaten him having to move home since he's already there. I sent out his resume for him to a couple contractors where i work, so hopefully someone will hire him. (Note: if anyone hiring computer nerds is reading this, my brother is a genius and i hate him for it. please give him job.)

So much is coming up in the next few weeks that I feel like my head is going to spin off. kellie's bridal shower and wedding, mom and dads 50th bday parties, shainna's bday and hopefully a trip with her to kings island, Aerosmith and ZZTop concert with brett, and dusty's wedding at blennerhasset (is that how its spelled, i'm too lazy to look it up), and hopefully HOPEFULLY a trip to the beach, though i'm thinking I might save my days off for when aussie ben gets here in december. but we all know i do better when i dont have time to think. and so that means i'll have a good summer. yes. i stand for that. this coming weekend is the first free weekend i've had in over a month and will have in around a month, so you better believe i'm sleeping and if its nice going up to Coopers Rock. I've not been to coopers in way too long now. Can't wait!

also i'm cooking now. i'll give you a second to read that again, process it, and restart your heart. yes. food. and not just shit out of a box, my friend. Ranae has inspired me, and plus now i'm not the only one cooking, and it's actually... dare i say it.... fun? Using spices at random without first measuring? Dicing veggies? Holy Shatner, the house hasn't burnt down yet and no one has died of food poisoning and i still have all my fingertips. Hooray for that, homies. hooray for that.

side fact. i just got made fun of for having a blog. tonya, you need to go show someone your hamburger finger. stat.


i think that's all i've got. or at least, thats all i'm going to put on here. some people dont want written about, haha. don't blame 'em, i guess the blogosphere is a pretty creeper infested place.


anywho. much love and sunshine from me to you until next tonya yells at me to write! :D

Dear Blogger

Dear Blogger,

I'm sorry I haven't been in touch lately. When I come home in the evening, the last thing I want to do is be online and write. Work is gearing up and it makes my brain tired. But I have stories for you, so many stories. I went to the Kentucky Derby this weekend, blogger. It was nuts. Big hats and stiff drinks and pastel seersucker suits and drunk people in mud and horses horses horses. I gambled and won 12 whole dollars. It is something I think everyone should experience at least once. I had fun with the girls and I love Louisville and Lexington even more than I did before. I do not, however, love high heels. I am a sandals girl and will always be a sandals girl. I met fun people, had overly alcoholy drinks, got super claustrophobic, received a mullet-inspired air freshener, spent time with my favorite cousin, wore a scary hat with hot pink flowers, and witnessed what they're calling the biggest upset in derby history. all in all, not too shabby.

The weather is gross here, blogger friend. My road was closed for most of the day and I wasn't sure how i'd be getting home. they cleared it by 530 but if it rains like it is supposed to for the next 4 days, i'll be taking the long way to work. and by long i mean a good half hr-45minutes. Oregon Trail prepared, we are not. If I see any dead oxen along the way, I'll not be pleased.

I'm going to see Aerosmith and ZZ Top next month, hooray! The next 2 months are going to be a whirlwind. I am excited and at the same time all i want to do is hide in my bedroom.

and now some photos.