Saw this on somebody's Facebook page. Thought I would share it so that you might understand why I (generally) vote Republican.
WHY IM GOING TO VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT!
I'm voting democrat because Barbara Walters is my idol and so is P.Diddy.I'm voting Democrat because English has no place being the official language in America. I'm voting Democrat because I'd rather pay $4 for a gallon of gas than allow drilling for oil off the coasts of America. I'm voting Democrat because I think the government will do a better job of spending my money than I could. I'm voting Democrat because when we pull out of Afghanistan and Iraq, I know the Islamic terrorists will stop trying to kill us because they'll think we're a good and decent country.I'm voting Democrat because I believe people who can't tell us if it will rain in two or three days, can now tell us the polar ice caps will disappear in ten years if I don't start riding a bicycle, build a windmill or inflate my tires to proper levels. I'm voting Democrat because it's alright to kill millions of babies as long as we keep violent, convicted murderers on death row alive.I'm voting Democrat because I believe businesses in America should not be
allowed to make profits.Businesses should just break even and give the rest to the government so politicians and bureaucrats can redistribute the money the way they think it should be redistributed.I'm voting Democrat because I believe guns, and not the people misusing them, are the cause of crimes and killings.I'm voting Democrat because when someone with a weapon threatens my family or me, I know the government can respond faster through a call to 911 than I can with a gun in my hand.I'm voting Democrat because oil companies' 5% profit on a gallon of gas are obscene, but government taxes of 18% on the same gallon of gas are just fine.I'm voting Democrat because I believe three or four elitist liberals should rewrite the Constitution every few months to suit some fringe element that could never get their agenda past voters.I'm voting Democrat because illegal aliens are not criminals, are not sucking up resources through government aid, hospital services, education, or social services, but are just people trying to make a better life by coming to America illegally.We can't blame them for that, can we?I'm voting Democrat because the same teacher that didn't teach my child to read can reasonably educate them about sex.I'm voting Democrat because my trial lawyer's crippling multi-million dollar lawsuits against doctors, hospitals, drug companies, and HMO's will make health insurance and medicine much more affordable.I'm voting Democrat because Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan, and Jesse Jackson will end racism once and for all. because Christians in the Republican Party are intolerant, theocratic warmongers and atheists like William Ayers have never hurt anybody.I'm voting Democrat so that no family member of mine will die in a hospital bed. They will still be waiting in line for Obama's socialized medicine, so they will never actually make it to a bed. If you want more reasons just hit me up!
Yikes. Big, big yikes. Except for the first sentence. P.Diddy is pretty legit.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Election Hangover...
Greetings loyal subscribers. The campaign season has officially wrapped up and it's truly hard to believe. I honestly can't believe that Thanksgiving is only a couple weeks away! But let me back up and give you a little bit of an update.
I was one of two people in charge of planning and organizing the Election Night Victory Party for all of our statewide candidates here in Sioux Falls. That included the US Senate, US House, Governor, Sec of State races and on down the ballot. So needless to say, it was a pretty crazy process. I've never planned a party before (well, besides Student Senate parties...but those were easy = I make food, you bring drinks). This was on a much larger scale. I had to stay within budget, research venues, vendors, pick out the food, figure out music/staging, and make sure people were actually going to come to this thing. Angel (I consider her my mentor at work...I've learned oh so much from her during the time that I've worked at FOJT) was my partner-in-crime. And thank the Lord she had done this before. So we narrowed it down to which venue we wanted (Ramkota) and which vendors and we were planning on 400-500 people to come. We organized the program and gathered campaign signage to hang in the room. Things were definitely falling into place! And then...I was dispatched to partner with the Kristi Noem campaign and do advance work for the bus tour the weekend prior to Election Day.
First of all, I should say that I was super excited. I love traveling and meeting voters across the state...so I was pumped to get out of the office for a couple days. And then I realized that I would be dumping basically all of this Victory Party work onto Angel's lap. Realizing that this party could completely flop or succeed depending on the work that was put into the planning process, I briefly panicked, and then managed to gather my mental thoughts and move forward. The bus tour came and went (it was a huge success btw) and after returning to Sioux Falls, we had only 2 days before the big day!
After little sleep, Tuesday quickly arrived and Angel and I spent all day at the Ramkota setting things up for the event. We worked with great vendors who managed to get everything set-up and powered up around 5:30 so we even had time to change! Which was certainly something that we weren't expecting.
Then the doors opened.
And 800-1000 people showed up.
Oh my goodness. It was a mad house. But it was GREAT. Thanks to my good friend and former boss, Hugh Weber, he twitpic'd a comparison of the Republican/Democratic parties. Now...you tell me which party looks like more fun. (For more pictures from the party, visit John Thune's facebook page!)
Needless to say, the party went off without a hitch (I think) and every single statewide Republican candidate won! It was absolutely amazing.
We finished cleaning up/tearing down half of the room around 1:30AM and then hit the bar.
**As a note, I hadn't had a drink in 90 days, and I've lost 35 pounds....so please keep my new level of "tolerance" in mind when reading the following section**
I had a tequila sunrise. And was incredibly buzzed. Should've stopped there. But no, I had some celebratory wine. Oops.
**Fast forward to the next morning at work**
Woof.
In conclusion, the election is over. For those of you who are concerned about my future plans, they're up in the air at this point. I'm employed at FOJT until the end of December, so I have some time to figure it out. I'm also going on a cruise in the beginning of January, so that's somewhat inconvenient when it comes to government jobs, but hopefully that's not a deal breaker. If anything develops, I'll be sure to let the blogosphere know.
Also, I'll be in Valpo a week from today. I can't wait to pretend I'm a college student again.
I was one of two people in charge of planning and organizing the Election Night Victory Party for all of our statewide candidates here in Sioux Falls. That included the US Senate, US House, Governor, Sec of State races and on down the ballot. So needless to say, it was a pretty crazy process. I've never planned a party before (well, besides Student Senate parties...but those were easy = I make food, you bring drinks). This was on a much larger scale. I had to stay within budget, research venues, vendors, pick out the food, figure out music/staging, and make sure people were actually going to come to this thing. Angel (I consider her my mentor at work...I've learned oh so much from her during the time that I've worked at FOJT) was my partner-in-crime. And thank the Lord she had done this before. So we narrowed it down to which venue we wanted (Ramkota) and which vendors and we were planning on 400-500 people to come. We organized the program and gathered campaign signage to hang in the room. Things were definitely falling into place! And then...I was dispatched to partner with the Kristi Noem campaign and do advance work for the bus tour the weekend prior to Election Day.
First of all, I should say that I was super excited. I love traveling and meeting voters across the state...so I was pumped to get out of the office for a couple days. And then I realized that I would be dumping basically all of this Victory Party work onto Angel's lap. Realizing that this party could completely flop or succeed depending on the work that was put into the planning process, I briefly panicked, and then managed to gather my mental thoughts and move forward. The bus tour came and went (it was a huge success btw) and after returning to Sioux Falls, we had only 2 days before the big day!
After little sleep, Tuesday quickly arrived and Angel and I spent all day at the Ramkota setting things up for the event. We worked with great vendors who managed to get everything set-up and powered up around 5:30 so we even had time to change! Which was certainly something that we weren't expecting.
Then the doors opened.
And 800-1000 people showed up.
Oh my goodness. It was a mad house. But it was GREAT. Thanks to my good friend and former boss, Hugh Weber, he twitpic'd a comparison of the Republican/Democratic parties. Now...you tell me which party looks like more fun. (For more pictures from the party, visit John Thune's facebook page!)
Needless to say, the party went off without a hitch (I think) and every single statewide Republican candidate won! It was absolutely amazing.
We finished cleaning up/tearing down half of the room around 1:30AM and then hit the bar.
**As a note, I hadn't had a drink in 90 days, and I've lost 35 pounds....so please keep my new level of "tolerance" in mind when reading the following section**
I had a tequila sunrise. And was incredibly buzzed. Should've stopped there. But no, I had some celebratory wine. Oops.
**Fast forward to the next morning at work**
Woof.
In conclusion, the election is over. For those of you who are concerned about my future plans, they're up in the air at this point. I'm employed at FOJT until the end of December, so I have some time to figure it out. I'm also going on a cruise in the beginning of January, so that's somewhat inconvenient when it comes to government jobs, but hopefully that's not a deal breaker. If anything develops, I'll be sure to let the blogosphere know.
Also, I'll be in Valpo a week from today. I can't wait to pretend I'm a college student again.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Cultural Experiences at the Nail Salon
So for girls like me, who like to get their nails done and don't want to spend an absurd amount of money to do so, we tend to go to the no-appointment needed, "we welcome walk-in" type nail salon. Typically, these are owned and operated by a lot of Asians. The store names are also pretty unoriginal: i.e. LA Nails, California Nails, Sun Nails, etc. Well this past week, I visited my very first, Asian-operated nail salon in Sioux Falls. After doing some brief research, I decided to go to Ann Nails (who's Ann? I wondered...) on the east side of town by Dunn Bros Coffee.
I walked in, and of course, there are five workers just waiting for the opportunity to touch my feet and hands. And as usual, I get stuck with the one Asian guy employee. Their super soft hands just creep me out. So I take my seat in the kinda nice massage chair and the pedicure process begins. Now the heels I had been wearing at work that day had left some damage on my big toe, yet the guy couldn't seem to avoid this area. I think he poured nail polish remover (aka pure acid) on the wound five times. I bit my tongue. After he mentioned that I have nice feet (thanks, guy?), he proceeded to massage my foot. Typically, this is my favorite part of the pedicure process. This dude, however, squeezed my foot so hard that he gave me a charlie horse. Of course, he didn't notice, even though my foot was stuck in some odd position and I couldn't move it. I wanted to kick him.
The rest of the pedicure was pretty uneventful. Except at one point he was basically punching my leg. Must be some new massage technique. Whatevs.
On to the manicure. So for those who don't know, I wear a sapphire ring on my right hand. It's nothing too incredibly special and it's not worth $5000. But this dude was FASCINATED by my ring. He nudge the neighboring Asian worker and said something like "She likes your ring." Ummm okay guy. Then they proceeded to converse about my ring in a language I clearly couldn't understand. The Asian woman than proceeded to stand up, walk over to me, pick up my hand and stare at my ring. It might not sound that bizarre to you, but trust me, it was awkward.
The manicure proceeded as normal...until Asian guy started singing along to Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight"....except he definitely didn't know the lyrics. I should've started singing along. Dang. Opportunity = missed. And then...we all got Rick Rolled. Clearly this wasn't an experience I could enjoy with others, considering the cultural barriers surrounding me. But I did giggle to myself.
All in all, it was quite the experience. And no matter what Asian nail salon you visit, you will notice the following:
1. The owner/manager lady is always wearing crazy/uncomfortable looking shoes
2. The TV is either turned to TNT/TBS or the radio is tuned to the "lite hits" station
3. There is only ONE male worker.
4. You will never have a good conversation with your manicurist.
Anybody else have nail salon stories to share?
I walked in, and of course, there are five workers just waiting for the opportunity to touch my feet and hands. And as usual, I get stuck with the one Asian guy employee. Their super soft hands just creep me out. So I take my seat in the kinda nice massage chair and the pedicure process begins. Now the heels I had been wearing at work that day had left some damage on my big toe, yet the guy couldn't seem to avoid this area. I think he poured nail polish remover (aka pure acid) on the wound five times. I bit my tongue. After he mentioned that I have nice feet (thanks, guy?), he proceeded to massage my foot. Typically, this is my favorite part of the pedicure process. This dude, however, squeezed my foot so hard that he gave me a charlie horse. Of course, he didn't notice, even though my foot was stuck in some odd position and I couldn't move it. I wanted to kick him.
The rest of the pedicure was pretty uneventful. Except at one point he was basically punching my leg. Must be some new massage technique. Whatevs.
On to the manicure. So for those who don't know, I wear a sapphire ring on my right hand. It's nothing too incredibly special and it's not worth $5000. But this dude was FASCINATED by my ring. He nudge the neighboring Asian worker and said something like "She likes your ring." Ummm okay guy. Then they proceeded to converse about my ring in a language I clearly couldn't understand. The Asian woman than proceeded to stand up, walk over to me, pick up my hand and stare at my ring. It might not sound that bizarre to you, but trust me, it was awkward.
The manicure proceeded as normal...until Asian guy started singing along to Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight"....except he definitely didn't know the lyrics. I should've started singing along. Dang. Opportunity = missed. And then...we all got Rick Rolled. Clearly this wasn't an experience I could enjoy with others, considering the cultural barriers surrounding me. But I did giggle to myself.
All in all, it was quite the experience. And no matter what Asian nail salon you visit, you will notice the following:
1. The owner/manager lady is always wearing crazy/uncomfortable looking shoes
2. The TV is either turned to TNT/TBS or the radio is tuned to the "lite hits" station
3. There is only ONE male worker.
4. You will never have a good conversation with your manicurist.
Anybody else have nail salon stories to share?
Friday, October 1, 2010
The power of a good Hallmark card...
I'm the first to admit that I generally do not read the cards that I receive. I should clarify by saying that if I receive one completely out of the blue, I'll *mostly* read it, but as for birthdays/graduation, forget it. Skip the mass production language and get to the good stuff. And everybody says that a handwritten card means more than just buying one off the shelf. But at this point in my life, I think I'm going to have to disagree. I think both handwritten and store-bought cards can provide incredibly powerful messages.
I don't know why I recently started reading cards. Maybe it's because I also had to buy a couple and really took some time to find a card that seemed personal and relevant to the relationship/friendship I had with the individual receiving said card. Anyways...here are two examples of cards that truly moved me (and made me cry). The first is from my great, awesome, fantastic, loving, beautiful, hilarious friend Rachel and the second is from my grandparents :)
Card #1:
"For My Friend:
It's hard to put into words all the things that come to mind when I think about how many happy birthdays we've wished each other through the years.
We've been through so much together.
We've done the whole laugh-till-it-hurts thing more times than we could ever count.
We've loved and lost and loved again.
We've talked through feelings and dreams too embarrassing to share with just anyone, and shared the details of the everyday stuff of life no one else would probably care about.
And even though we've seen our lives change so much from one year to the next, I know without a doubt that nothing will ever change how much your friendship means to me.
Happy Birthday."
Card #2:
"Life Legacies: Thoughts for my Granddaughter on her Birthday
Live Deep: Never stop learning, playing, or finding wonder in the world around you. Live the length of your life, but live the depth of it as well.
Travel light: There is no use in carrying around worry and regret. They only weigh you down. Always keep yourself open to hope and to love. They give us wings.
Forgive imperfections in yourself and others. Imperfections keep things interesting. They're the cracks where the light shines through.
Own beautiful things: And not just to keep in the drawer, tucked away for a perfect day. Surround yourself with things that make you happy, that remind you of the beauty all around us if we only keep our eyes open to it.
Make mistakes: Follow detours. Sometimes it takes an unexpected turn to help us find the life that is waiting for us around the bend. Trust yourself and the path that is meant for you.
Take care of yourself: And sometimes that means you need the ice cream. Be good to your body, but also to your mind and spirit. You're the only one who can.
And always, always know you are loved. You are a gift to this world and a blessing to us. And that will never change."
So to all of you greeting card writers out there, keep up the good work. Because when I read those cards, I heard the voices of one of my best friends and my grandparents. They truly moved me.
On that note, I challenge you to send a card to the first person you think about when I say the word----luau! GO!
I don't know why I recently started reading cards. Maybe it's because I also had to buy a couple and really took some time to find a card that seemed personal and relevant to the relationship/friendship I had with the individual receiving said card. Anyways...here are two examples of cards that truly moved me (and made me cry). The first is from my great, awesome, fantastic, loving, beautiful, hilarious friend Rachel and the second is from my grandparents :)
Card #1:
"For My Friend:
It's hard to put into words all the things that come to mind when I think about how many happy birthdays we've wished each other through the years.
We've been through so much together.
We've done the whole laugh-till-it-hurts thing more times than we could ever count.
We've loved and lost and loved again.
We've talked through feelings and dreams too embarrassing to share with just anyone, and shared the details of the everyday stuff of life no one else would probably care about.
And even though we've seen our lives change so much from one year to the next, I know without a doubt that nothing will ever change how much your friendship means to me.
Happy Birthday."
Card #2:
"Life Legacies: Thoughts for my Granddaughter on her Birthday
Live Deep: Never stop learning, playing, or finding wonder in the world around you. Live the length of your life, but live the depth of it as well.
Travel light: There is no use in carrying around worry and regret. They only weigh you down. Always keep yourself open to hope and to love. They give us wings.
Forgive imperfections in yourself and others. Imperfections keep things interesting. They're the cracks where the light shines through.
Own beautiful things: And not just to keep in the drawer, tucked away for a perfect day. Surround yourself with things that make you happy, that remind you of the beauty all around us if we only keep our eyes open to it.
Make mistakes: Follow detours. Sometimes it takes an unexpected turn to help us find the life that is waiting for us around the bend. Trust yourself and the path that is meant for you.
Take care of yourself: And sometimes that means you need the ice cream. Be good to your body, but also to your mind and spirit. You're the only one who can.
And always, always know you are loved. You are a gift to this world and a blessing to us. And that will never change."
So to all of you greeting card writers out there, keep up the good work. Because when I read those cards, I heard the voices of one of my best friends and my grandparents. They truly moved me.
On that note, I challenge you to send a card to the first person you think about when I say the word----luau! GO!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Lets talk about....birthdays.
Last week, I celebrated my 23rd birthday. Actually, there was a lack of celebration, but alas, my 23rd birthday did come and go. This was my first post-college birthday, and needless to say, it was different than the past 4 years. On the other hand, it was the first birthday in four years that I was able to spend with family, who probably didn't have to look at Facebook to remember that indeed, I was born on September 17th. But all in all, it was a good day. Got free lunch at work, got off work two hours early, and got to see both of my brothers. While driving down to Iowa State that afternoon, I thought about past birthdays...and thought I would share some memories with you:
--Elementary school birthdays: Lets face it. They're all pretty much the same. Generally theme-oriented. Invites are a must. And ice cream cake. I specifically remember making a list of approximately 12 different types of "tag" to play at one birthday party. I was a cool kid. These birthday parties were either held at my house, Carousel Skate, Gigglebee's, or this one giant indoor playground place (the name is currently failing me). I also recall my mom reminding me to be somewhat secretive about giving out the invites, so the un-invited weren't offended. Also, these were "no boys allowed" events. Should've kept it that way.
--Middle school birthdays: Slightly less organized and more focused on sleepovers. They were the COOLEST THINGS EVER. I also ventured to a bowling alley and even to a showing of Pearl Harbor. I finally got to the point in which I realized I didn't have to invite every single girl in my class to my birthday party. The most popular gift? Either cds or lotions/shower gel from Bath & Body Works. I seriously think I have some left from that 7th grade birthday party. Ridiculous. I can't even smell Country Apple or Cucumber Melon without thinking of middle school.
--High school birthdays: I started to lack any and all motivation to have a party for my birthday in high school. It's probably because I was also in marching band, so the weekends in September were typically spent at competitions. I did, however, have a SURPRISE 16th birthday party :)
As I said, I was in marching band, and we had practice at 6:45AM every morning. But that September morning sophomore year, I was woken by the sound of people in my room at like 5 in the morning. And they were boys. Two of them, in fact. Eric Lindquist and Matt Hitchcock. Two guys that probably hated each other, but yet I was their common thread. Bizarre. Anyways...Missy and KTF were behind it all and the four of them got me out of bed, made me wear some ridiculous combination of clothing that they grabbed from my closet, and brought me to breakfast at Denny's. Or Perkin's. I can't remember. They let me go home and shower before band...so I came home and my lovely, awesome, '88 Chevy Celebrity was decorated in "Ahhh it's my birthday!" slogans. Thanks, Dad. Throughout the school day, I also pieced together the fact that a surprise birthday party was also happening that evening. Mostly because people weren't talking to me. At all. And then I got home from school and my dad said that our family was going to go bowling (we never go bowling). When we were pulling up, I saw Collin walking in late anyways haha. But it was a great evening filled with an incredibly eclectic group of friends.
I think for my 17th birthday, we had a marching band competition in Eden Prairie. But we won best drum majors (I was a drum major), so that was sweet.
I don't really remember what I did senior year. Oh well. Should've kept a diary. WAIT. I HAD XANGA. (this is a strict copy/paste from my Sept 18, 2005 entry):
my birthday was also yesterday, which was very cool...got some sweet things. the celebration started friday night with an amazing trip to olive garden with missy, kt m, sadie, anne, and jen....a good time to be had by all. as for yesterday, for supper we made a stop at applebee's....in which, danny managed to tell the waitress that it was my birthday. applebees was unfortunately understaffed that night, but my good 'ol friends still managed to some what sing the applebees "happy birthday" song. after realizing that i was really embarrassed, all 12 of them gathered closely around and sang the classic happy bday song, at a high decibel level. but you know, i laughed a lot...and what's life without a little embarrassment? i love all of those guys, they're great. after we got back to sioux falls, missy, rachel n, justin, and i made a short stop at fryn' pan, because we were hungry, but yet still delirious from the bus ride home. just ask justin, he was unconscious, trust me.
*unrelated to birthdays, you all should read my xanga. and justin's xanga. and collin's too. Please forgive me for my obnoxious layout. If you want to know what we were like in high school, this is probably a good representation* Thanks Xanga!
--College birthdays:
Freshman year...my roomie, KadSchmad, decorated our door with an awesome birthday message on our white board. Which was awesome. Then that weekend, Collin, Justin, and Ryan took me on a trip downtown Chi-town. Tons of fun was had at the North Face store and at Rainforest Cafe, in which we got a chocolate volcano (because we thought it was free), but it ended up being $12. Pictures are posted on my fbook...probably in a Freshman Year album, since that would seem to make the most sense.
Sophomore year...the big 2-0. Mary and Collin completely decorated my dorm room with streamers and tons of balloons while I was at the library being a good student. Came back after midnight with Rachel and saw the party in my room...I was then sprayed with silly string. Lots of it. Pictures are on fbook. Check the sophomore year section. A bunch of us girls also went to dinner at Abuelo's, a fantastic, absolutely incredible Mexican restaurant in Merrillville. So good. I think that was it.
Junior year...epic. First of all, (on a completely non-alcohol related note), my dad told me that he sent me two dozen roses. Well, I hadn't received them, so my dad called the company and they agreed to send two dozen more. A day after I received the replacement roses, another two dozen roses arrived and Rachel and I were forced to use all cups/glasses/water bottles available to fit these roses into our dorm room. They were everywhere, and it was awesome. Anyways...moving on. At midnight, I took my first shot. I'm pretty sure it was Malibu. Rachel planned the whole evening in which I would walk around campus and meet up with 21 people at 21 different spots and have a drink. For those of you who don't know, I didn't drink until I was 21, so this was a pretty big deal. And since Rachel didn't want to kill me, she made mixed drinks for me instead of forcing me to do endless shots. It was seriously the best way to spend my 21st...with tons of friends and tons of surprises :) Photos are on facebook.
Senior year...22 isn't as exciting as being 21. But we did go out to Duffy's and celebrated there! I'm not sure if there are any photos of this evening. The best thing about this birthday was that the vast majority of my Valpo friends were also 21, so they could come out and celebrate as well!
I think that's all of the birthday memories I have today. How about you? Share some of your favorite birthdays below!
--Elementary school birthdays: Lets face it. They're all pretty much the same. Generally theme-oriented. Invites are a must. And ice cream cake. I specifically remember making a list of approximately 12 different types of "tag" to play at one birthday party. I was a cool kid. These birthday parties were either held at my house, Carousel Skate, Gigglebee's, or this one giant indoor playground place (the name is currently failing me). I also recall my mom reminding me to be somewhat secretive about giving out the invites, so the un-invited weren't offended. Also, these were "no boys allowed" events. Should've kept it that way.
--Middle school birthdays: Slightly less organized and more focused on sleepovers. They were the COOLEST THINGS EVER. I also ventured to a bowling alley and even to a showing of Pearl Harbor. I finally got to the point in which I realized I didn't have to invite every single girl in my class to my birthday party. The most popular gift? Either cds or lotions/shower gel from Bath & Body Works. I seriously think I have some left from that 7th grade birthday party. Ridiculous. I can't even smell Country Apple or Cucumber Melon without thinking of middle school.
--High school birthdays: I started to lack any and all motivation to have a party for my birthday in high school. It's probably because I was also in marching band, so the weekends in September were typically spent at competitions. I did, however, have a SURPRISE 16th birthday party :)
As I said, I was in marching band, and we had practice at 6:45AM every morning. But that September morning sophomore year, I was woken by the sound of people in my room at like 5 in the morning. And they were boys. Two of them, in fact. Eric Lindquist and Matt Hitchcock. Two guys that probably hated each other, but yet I was their common thread. Bizarre. Anyways...Missy and KTF were behind it all and the four of them got me out of bed, made me wear some ridiculous combination of clothing that they grabbed from my closet, and brought me to breakfast at Denny's. Or Perkin's. I can't remember. They let me go home and shower before band...so I came home and my lovely, awesome, '88 Chevy Celebrity was decorated in "Ahhh it's my birthday!" slogans. Thanks, Dad. Throughout the school day, I also pieced together the fact that a surprise birthday party was also happening that evening. Mostly because people weren't talking to me. At all. And then I got home from school and my dad said that our family was going to go bowling (we never go bowling). When we were pulling up, I saw Collin walking in late anyways haha. But it was a great evening filled with an incredibly eclectic group of friends.
I think for my 17th birthday, we had a marching band competition in Eden Prairie. But we won best drum majors (I was a drum major), so that was sweet.
I don't really remember what I did senior year. Oh well. Should've kept a diary. WAIT. I HAD XANGA. (this is a strict copy/paste from my Sept 18, 2005 entry):
my birthday was also yesterday, which was very cool...got some sweet things. the celebration started friday night with an amazing trip to olive garden with missy, kt m, sadie, anne, and jen....a good time to be had by all. as for yesterday, for supper we made a stop at applebee's....in which, danny managed to tell the waitress that it was my birthday. applebees was unfortunately understaffed that night, but my good 'ol friends still managed to some what sing the applebees "happy birthday" song. after realizing that i was really embarrassed, all 12 of them gathered closely around and sang the classic happy bday song, at a high decibel level. but you know, i laughed a lot...and what's life without a little embarrassment? i love all of those guys, they're great. after we got back to sioux falls, missy, rachel n, justin, and i made a short stop at fryn' pan, because we were hungry, but yet still delirious from the bus ride home. just ask justin, he was unconscious, trust me.
*unrelated to birthdays, you all should read my xanga. and justin's xanga. and collin's too. Please forgive me for my obnoxious layout. If you want to know what we were like in high school, this is probably a good representation* Thanks Xanga!
--College birthdays:
Freshman year...my roomie, KadSchmad, decorated our door with an awesome birthday message on our white board. Which was awesome. Then that weekend, Collin, Justin, and Ryan took me on a trip downtown Chi-town. Tons of fun was had at the North Face store and at Rainforest Cafe, in which we got a chocolate volcano (because we thought it was free), but it ended up being $12. Pictures are posted on my fbook...probably in a Freshman Year album, since that would seem to make the most sense.
Sophomore year...the big 2-0. Mary and Collin completely decorated my dorm room with streamers and tons of balloons while I was at the library being a good student. Came back after midnight with Rachel and saw the party in my room...I was then sprayed with silly string. Lots of it. Pictures are on fbook. Check the sophomore year section. A bunch of us girls also went to dinner at Abuelo's, a fantastic, absolutely incredible Mexican restaurant in Merrillville. So good. I think that was it.
Junior year...epic. First of all, (on a completely non-alcohol related note), my dad told me that he sent me two dozen roses. Well, I hadn't received them, so my dad called the company and they agreed to send two dozen more. A day after I received the replacement roses, another two dozen roses arrived and Rachel and I were forced to use all cups/glasses/water bottles available to fit these roses into our dorm room. They were everywhere, and it was awesome. Anyways...moving on. At midnight, I took my first shot. I'm pretty sure it was Malibu. Rachel planned the whole evening in which I would walk around campus and meet up with 21 people at 21 different spots and have a drink. For those of you who don't know, I didn't drink until I was 21, so this was a pretty big deal. And since Rachel didn't want to kill me, she made mixed drinks for me instead of forcing me to do endless shots. It was seriously the best way to spend my 21st...with tons of friends and tons of surprises :) Photos are on facebook.
Senior year...22 isn't as exciting as being 21. But we did go out to Duffy's and celebrated there! I'm not sure if there are any photos of this evening. The best thing about this birthday was that the vast majority of my Valpo friends were also 21, so they could come out and celebrate as well!
I think that's all of the birthday memories I have today. How about you? Share some of your favorite birthdays below!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Lets talk about fall...and Twins baseball.
Although summer isn't "officially" over. It actually is. School has started for the young ones and the pools are closed. And here in Sioux Falls, B&G Milky Ways are starting to close for the season...so regardless of the official calendar....it's time for fall.
I love fall.
Not only is it the best time EVER to go to Starbucks and get a tasty pumpkin spice latte or the classic white chocolate mocha (although I can't have any on this diet...I'm referring to previous fall experiences), but it's time for some solid layers of clothing. For those of you who actually know my personal style (which is kinda weird because I'm not even sure I know what my style is), you would most likely observe that I wear a lot of layers. Now that it's cooling off, my layer options have multiplied. And it's awesome. If anyone's looking to get me a gift, please consider getting me a jacket. Or a new North Face/Mountain Hard Wear coat. K thanks.
Another great thing about fall: fall scents. i.e. pumpkin, cider, cinnamon, apple orchards, yum. I spent this past weekend in Lincoln, NE with Abbalange and we ventured into a Yankee Candle store, in which I purchased three car scents. All appropriately fall scented. I think "Farmers Market" is currently hanging from one of my air vents. Check it out. It smells like a fruit basket with spice.
Great thing about fall: fireplaces. No need for an explanation.
And I would talk about the start of football...but lets be serious...I'm clearly most excited about post-season baseball. Anybody who knows anything about me probably knows that I'm a Twins fan (and they're kicking butt right now). I can't wait until October when I can wave my Homer Hanky like a mad woman and cheer for my boys!! (P.S. I'm going to another game on Wednesday....pumped!) I would also like to take this opportunity to say that if you either don't have a particular team that you cheer for, or if your team has sucked this season and won't be making it to post-season, you should cheer for the Twins. Because they're the best "team" in baseball.
But perhaps the most relevant reason as to why I love fall is because it's truly "campaign season." (47 days until Noem beats SHS) It's exciting to see people get involved across the state as November draws closer...but at the same point, even I get sick of the political commercials. However, if you're lucky enough to live in SD, you can spot me in an occasional Dennis Daugaard for Governor commercial. He's shaking my hand/you see the back of my head/I'm shaking my head like a fool.
Now that I've rambled on and on about why I love fall...take a minute and tell me what you love/hate about this fabulous season :)
I love fall.
Not only is it the best time EVER to go to Starbucks and get a tasty pumpkin spice latte or the classic white chocolate mocha (although I can't have any on this diet...I'm referring to previous fall experiences), but it's time for some solid layers of clothing. For those of you who actually know my personal style (which is kinda weird because I'm not even sure I know what my style is), you would most likely observe that I wear a lot of layers. Now that it's cooling off, my layer options have multiplied. And it's awesome. If anyone's looking to get me a gift, please consider getting me a jacket. Or a new North Face/Mountain Hard Wear coat. K thanks.
Another great thing about fall: fall scents. i.e. pumpkin, cider, cinnamon, apple orchards, yum. I spent this past weekend in Lincoln, NE with Abbalange and we ventured into a Yankee Candle store, in which I purchased three car scents. All appropriately fall scented. I think "Farmers Market" is currently hanging from one of my air vents. Check it out. It smells like a fruit basket with spice.
Great thing about fall: fireplaces. No need for an explanation.
And I would talk about the start of football...but lets be serious...I'm clearly most excited about post-season baseball. Anybody who knows anything about me probably knows that I'm a Twins fan (and they're kicking butt right now). I can't wait until October when I can wave my Homer Hanky like a mad woman and cheer for my boys!! (P.S. I'm going to another game on Wednesday....pumped!) I would also like to take this opportunity to say that if you either don't have a particular team that you cheer for, or if your team has sucked this season and won't be making it to post-season, you should cheer for the Twins. Because they're the best "team" in baseball.
But perhaps the most relevant reason as to why I love fall is because it's truly "campaign season." (47 days until Noem beats SHS) It's exciting to see people get involved across the state as November draws closer...but at the same point, even I get sick of the political commercials. However, if you're lucky enough to live in SD, you can spot me in an occasional Dennis Daugaard for Governor commercial. He's shaking my hand/you see the back of my head/I'm shaking my head like a fool.
Now that I've rambled on and on about why I love fall...take a minute and tell me what you love/hate about this fabulous season :)
Friday, September 10, 2010
Adventures into Fall: Real Life Style.
Well...classes have started again. Except I'm not taking any, which is pretty bizarre. After years and years of going to school, it's strange to not have a class-oriented schedule that's oddly comforting. However, I am very thankful that I haven't had too much time to think about it as I'm staying busy at the campaign. In summers past (2008 and 2009 in particular), I had become so involved in the campaigns I was working on at the time, I didn't want to go back to Valpo. So now I have the unique opportunity of actually finishing out a campaign...which is pretty exciting for me!
That being said, I won't be able to return to Valpo for Homecoming, which is disappointing. It's just too far of a drive for such a short period of time during a busy campaign weekend. Fortunately, I've been lucky to spend occasional weekends with friends, either here in Sioux Falls or in Minneapolis! I've been to Target Field (twice!), had Abby come up for the weekend (twice!), and even had tons of Valpo people here in SF for Charli and Drew's wedding at the end of July. And there have been occasional days when high school friends have traveled home for the weekend...so it's been great catching up with them too! But I still miss all of my underclassmen friends, so I'm hoping to make it out to Valpo post-election but pre-Thanksgiving. So brace yourself!
Speaking of post-election, I'm starting to get questions about what my plans are after November. Well...to be honest, I'm trying to not have plans. I'm waiting for a certain indication from a certain politician before moving forward with anything else. I did turn down a DC job, which was one of the toughest decisions I've had to make up until this point. I would have been working with people I love, for somebody that inspires me, and in a city that I cherish...but it just didn't feel right. After lots of prayers, sleepless nights, and conversations with close friends, family, and co-workers, I said "thanks, but no thanks," and have continued to work here in SF. Some people call me crazy, but those who know me best, know that I'm confident and comfortable with my decision, which is ultimately the most important factor.
Another new career development in my life is that I've been looking at pursuing my Masters of Education in Teaching. There's no doubt that I love politics and the political process, but I think that can trickle down into different arenas as well. So I would also love to teach government/history at the high school or middle school level. Since I didn't major in education at Valpo, this Master's program would not only allow me to earn a post-grad degree, but would also grant me my teacher certification. This program would start next fall (plus it's online and night class based = super flexible!), so I have some time to wait and see what happens with my current job and where that could potentially lead. But I know that I would be comfortable pursuing the teaching path as well...so things are looking up!
In other (definitely more personal) news, I've dropped 20 pounds in 5 weeks! I've just really wanted to get rid of the weight I gained from eating El Amigo and drinking too much in college...so I'll probably look different to most of you by the time you see me next! It's not something I want to boast about, but it is something I'm proud of and it's something I want to be honest about.
On that note, I really don't have anything else to say...so thanks to all my loyal followers for reading my quarterly updates...and I hope all is well with you too :)
I also turn 23 next week. Ugh.
That being said, I won't be able to return to Valpo for Homecoming, which is disappointing. It's just too far of a drive for such a short period of time during a busy campaign weekend. Fortunately, I've been lucky to spend occasional weekends with friends, either here in Sioux Falls or in Minneapolis! I've been to Target Field (twice!), had Abby come up for the weekend (twice!), and even had tons of Valpo people here in SF for Charli and Drew's wedding at the end of July. And there have been occasional days when high school friends have traveled home for the weekend...so it's been great catching up with them too! But I still miss all of my underclassmen friends, so I'm hoping to make it out to Valpo post-election but pre-Thanksgiving. So brace yourself!
Speaking of post-election, I'm starting to get questions about what my plans are after November. Well...to be honest, I'm trying to not have plans. I'm waiting for a certain indication from a certain politician before moving forward with anything else. I did turn down a DC job, which was one of the toughest decisions I've had to make up until this point. I would have been working with people I love, for somebody that inspires me, and in a city that I cherish...but it just didn't feel right. After lots of prayers, sleepless nights, and conversations with close friends, family, and co-workers, I said "thanks, but no thanks," and have continued to work here in SF. Some people call me crazy, but those who know me best, know that I'm confident and comfortable with my decision, which is ultimately the most important factor.
Another new career development in my life is that I've been looking at pursuing my Masters of Education in Teaching. There's no doubt that I love politics and the political process, but I think that can trickle down into different arenas as well. So I would also love to teach government/history at the high school or middle school level. Since I didn't major in education at Valpo, this Master's program would not only allow me to earn a post-grad degree, but would also grant me my teacher certification. This program would start next fall (plus it's online and night class based = super flexible!), so I have some time to wait and see what happens with my current job and where that could potentially lead. But I know that I would be comfortable pursuing the teaching path as well...so things are looking up!
In other (definitely more personal) news, I've dropped 20 pounds in 5 weeks! I've just really wanted to get rid of the weight I gained from eating El Amigo and drinking too much in college...so I'll probably look different to most of you by the time you see me next! It's not something I want to boast about, but it is something I'm proud of and it's something I want to be honest about.
On that note, I really don't have anything else to say...so thanks to all my loyal followers for reading my quarterly updates...and I hope all is well with you too :)
I also turn 23 next week. Ugh.
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