Take Time to Celebrate

I used to think a lot of celebrations were over-rated. Now, I think my nonchalant attitude is over-rated. It started with weddings. My father convinced me otherwise. Then I moved to office parties, but my communications professor convinced me otherwise.

Celebrations are important. Several close friends will be graduating this upcoming weekend, and that is a big deal. Don't take it lightly. It is an accomplishment that calls for a ceremony. It is taking a moment to reflect all the hard work it took to get your diploma. It is allowing your family and friends to see that you reached one of your goals because of their support. Make them happy by letting them see you happy.

Like I said earlier, my communications professor helped me realize the importance of celebrating. It was a brief discussion. With a straight face, she said one of the class's discussion topics for the day will be office parties. I thought that was funny, but she was serious. I found it strange to talk about parties in a communications class, but it makes perfect sense to do that! Celebrations are a way of communicating your accomplishments, your joy, and your thankfulness.

With that said, I'm excited to be a part of so many celebrations this upcoming weekend.

It's Time for a Good Laugh

As my friends scramble to finish their school papers and document their completed goals at work, I realize how stressful and tiring the end of the year can be. I am right there with ya, but my time in this frenzy is almost over. I figure this is a great time for a few good jokes brought to you by Conan 'O Brien.

"Scientists have discovered a Chinese herb that cures alcoholism in hamsters. They're hoping that it will cut down on the number of accidents they have on that little wheel."

"Oprah Winfrey issued a statement saying that even though she appeared on the Ellen coming-out episode, she’s not gay. Meanwhile, Ellen DeGeneres issued a statement saying even though she appeared on Oprah, she’s not black."

"A new study on Christmas has found that children find out the truth about Santa Claus between the ages of three and six. It also found that it happens much older for some U.S. presidents."

What Makes You Strong?

What makes you strong?

Is it your thirty minute workouts?

Is it winning a game?

Is it getting a raise?

Or is it your dad who can always fix your car, your mom who cooks the best food, your sister who always listens, and your brother who treats you like royalty?

Or is it your friends that always make time for you, always returns your calls and e-mails, and always laughs and cries with you?

Or is it your good health, your ability to think freely, and your capacity to empathize for others?

Not As Planned

Some of the best weekends are the ones that don't go as planned.

Dedicated or Stupid?

That's what I kept asking myself as I drove to class in ice and snow after work this evening. After my hour and a half drive home, I've decided that it was more stupid than dedicated. It was basically my car and a bunch of Mr. Plow's out on the road tonight. I had to stop twice because my windshield wipers iced to the point where I couldn't see.

I do admit, I'm glad I got the study materials for my test next week. Also, because this was the worst weather I've driven in, the driving experience was good for me. I'm sure this is just the beginning of the cold weather.

In the spirit of my Thanksgiving leftover dinner I'm indulging in, I'd like to share what I am thankful for tonight:
1. That I don't drive a badass Nissan 350Z.
2. That I don't drive a stick shift.
3. That I have a carport.

A Drink of Heaven

"It's like drinking a dream" as my friend put it once. Yes, I'm talking about Starbucks drinks. For me, it is a white chocolate mocha for the fall and winter seasons and a caramel frap for the spring and summer seasons. Both with whipped cream, of course. How posh do I sound already? I can't help what I like.

It was an interesting evening of reading and people watching. Despite the steady rain, people flowed in and out of the coffee shop. The angry businessman at the table in front of me made interesting entertainment. With 7 Starbucks cups cluttered on his table, he sported a laptop and bluetooth earbud. Furthermore, he kept getting refills. Perhaps he started a bar tab at Starbucks? It looked like an expensive one. I wonder where he works? I gathered he dealt with real estate and is in some level of management. A twenty something guy sat behind me reading a book quietly. I wonder what he was reading?

Most others came in pairs. Pairs of friends. Pairs of boyfriends and girlfriends. Pairs of parents and children. The most interesting pair was a pair of friends studying in the back. A guy and girl reading and conversing diligently. Reminds me of well... me in my "old" college days. I wonder what they were studying, what they hope to be, and if they'll become what they hoped for? I'm rooting for them, anyway.

Then I thought, "I bet most people here are doing the same thing as I am- people watching, and that includes me!" What do they think I'm reading? How do others guess what my life is like? I know I make up life stories about strangers. My life may be full of adventures I'm unaware of. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to my next trip to Starbucks.

The Chiefs vs the Raiders

Between getting the 24-hr flu and driving home for Thanksgiving, I now have a chance to sit and write about my first NFL game experience. You probably have guessed that going to a Kansas City Chiefs game is awesome! The Chiefs fans are known for their tailgating. With their grills and impressive flag poles set-up in the parking lot, the fans know how to do it right. My group and I tailgated before AND after the game and still had leftovers. I had the best 1" pork chops ever with cheesy poofs.

The game was exciting with a Chiefs win against their rival, the Raiders, with a final score of 17-13. My favorite part, however, was the surprise fly-over of the B2 stealth bomber during the national anthem performance. That was absolutely breath-taking.

The B2 is in the upper-right corner of this picture on its way to Arrowhead Stadium. I didn't take this photo, though. I was too mesmerized and too engaged in the whole experience.

This was my view, and I had a great seat on the second level. My friend insists we'll get front row tickets next season for a game of my choice. I think that's a great idea.

This is my siblings and me enjoying the game.

Stepping Into MySpace

No I haven't, but I'm thinking about it! I've actually been meaning to join MySpace for awhile now. I have a handful of friends on MySpace, instead of facebook, that I would like to keep in touch with better. So what's been holding me back for the following months from joining MySpace?

1. When I pull up a MySpace page, I feel like I've just walked into a casino: overwhelmed. There are flashing banners, music, busy wallpapers, and moving pictures. I am still accustomed to the simple document style of facebook. I'm sure the MySpace format just requires getting used to it.

2. It's one more login. I keep asking myself do I want to have one more thing to check? I already check 3 e-mail accounts, facebook, blogger, and webct regularly. That's before I begin surfing the net. How much more should I tie myself to my pc?

3. How comfortable am I about posting more information about myself online? The more time I spend online, the more comfortable I get with revealing more information about myself without realizing it.

Perhaps one day I'll join the MySpace craze. For now, I'll spend my time going out... or uh... writing in my blog.

Warmer Days

The temperature is 37 degrees F with a windchill of 28 degrees F right now. This combined with the fact that I wake up to a sunless morning just to leave work with the sun already fallen has made me think of wamer days...

This was when I ran track for Corporate Challenge for my first time this past summer in KC. I have never eaten so healthy for 2 weeks in my life as I did while I prepared for my track events. I also learned that running relays is nerve-wracking, especially running against the Cerner team. The Cerner team should really consider quitting their day jobs and trying out for the U.S. Olympic track team. I think they have a good chance for the gold.

This is a picture of me taking a picture. I actually like this picture better than the one I took. This was my summer excursion to Stillwater. My fond memories of the Student Union mostly revolved around food: Chick-Fil-A and pancakes. In the old days, Chick-Fil-A AND Burger King served the many hungry students of OSU on campus, but I guess those are off-campus now.

Here's me picking out some peaches at downtown KC's City Market. Can you find me? It's like finding Waldo, except my shirt's not as cool. I loved going to city markets and even had a chance to check out Overland Park's city market before the summer ended.

I'm glad I got all my warm, summer memories out of my system now. I'm ready for the cold. Bring it on.

Livin' On Tulsa Time

I kicked off my weekend in Tulsa with the 5k Tulsa Run. The morning was very cold, but gradually warmed up toward the end of the race. One suggestion for improvement is the bus system that takes the runners from the parking lots to the starting line. My brother and I waited for 45 minutes without getting on a bus. We decided to run to the starting line instead, which was about a mile away. We got to the start with 3 minutes to spare, just enough to catch our breaths. The picture above is at the beginning of the run. I'm in the middle with the black outfit.

This is my brother and me right after crossing the finish line and right before we raided the tent full of candy bars, yogurt, and fruit.

On the drive back from the race, I stopped to take a picture of the fall trees.

I'll Drink to This!

Here's a recent article on the debated issue of wine and health published in the Wall Street Journal.
Substance in Red Wine Appears to Let Mice Live Longer

Hi. My name is -----, and I don't watch Grey's Anatomy.

How many characters can you name out of the picture above? I admit I can name two: Meredith Grey and Dr. McDreamy (but knowing that answer was school related). Grey's Anatomy has been a huge hit in the U.S., but it hasn't tapped into my tv schedule. I simply prefer other shows. What I find interesting is my exclusion in conversations because I don't watch the show. Here is what happens:

Friend: Hey... did you see this week's Grey's Anatomy?

Me: No.

Friend: But you watch it, right?

Me: No.

Friend: Oh. Nevermind. *Silence*

(End Conversation)

I think it's funny, but this has happened to me at least three times this past month. Crazy.

Random

This is how I spend my study breaks, taking pictures of my stuffed animals. Say hi to Pika and Euka, everyone!

Angels & Airwaves

Optimistic. Influential. Mature. Angels & Airwaves has not disappointed this Blink 182 fan. Tom DeLonge who founded Blink 182 and now Angels & Airwaves has really shown himself through his music. Most songs begin softly with just enough notes for you to anticipate the upcoming musical crescendos and the lyrics' story. As a husband and father, DeLonge's lyrics voice a tone of affection and concern with topics of relationships and war. Profanity is also reserved for his angrier songs showing how he has grown to control his music instrumentally and lyrically. This is definitely worth checking out. Here's a link to Amazon Music for song samples: http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Need-Whisper-Angels-Airwaves/dp/B000F8DTDC/sr=1-1/qid=1162139691/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-5733424-5114513?ie=UTF8&s=music

5k or (for the British fans) 3.1 miles

THE TULSA RUN. NOVEMBER 11, 2006.

http://www.tulsarun.com/

I signed up today. I better start running again.

Out of Words

Out of words. Not because I found myself in an amazing situation that has left me speechless or because I was uninterested in my activities today, it's because I'm tired. oiasdlkjalk... I start to mumble like that! I pulled one of those on my classmates today. I'll work on my pronunciation and articulation another day, but today, I type.

Homecoming

The much anticipated weekend came and gone with every expectation fulfilled. I spent time with everyone I wanted to see and ate at my favorite places in Stillwater.

I didn't take many photos hoping others will eventually share their photos. I did get one copy!...

I've decided that homecoming is more fun as an alumni.

I Thought I Didn't Look Good in Hats

I wore four hats today; my employee hat, my student hat, my friend hat, and my family hat. This cute cliché of saying hats to express the many roles people play everyday is a reality. I am learning that juggling these roles becomes more difficult as I undertake more responsibilities in each of these categories of my life. It’s really all an equation anyway.

Employee + Student + Friend + Family = Me

So, you probably just felt a big cheese ball hit your forehead. Yes, it’s cheesy, but it will prove my point. I am a constant. I have limits on my capability and time to fulfill these roles. The quality of each of these roles can fluctuate, but another role (or variable) will have to inversely change with it. There will be times when I spend more time at work, but will cause me to spend less time on school or socializing.

This leads us into a discussion of prioritization. I would like to claim that I choose family first, but, in practice, maybe I’m speaking from a soapbox. I had a sobering moment tonight when I was talking to my dad about plans for the weekend before Halloween. I know that’s the next weekend I’ll be able to return home, yet, if my parents didn’t NEED me home, I’d rather join my friends at a huge costume party in downtown. From my microscopic view, I think this is a tough decision. From a macroscopic view, the answer is obvious to me. I should go home. I don’t doubt the party will be fun. It might even be legendary among my friends here, but most parties are fleeting moments and only a few will truly be remembered. The question is if I look back 10 years even 5 years from now, will I regret more skipping the party or a visit home? After my casual conversation with my dad on the phone, I realized my Family variable was not reflected the way I intended it to in my equation since I’ve moved away. I’m glad I’m catching it early on, and I hope to continue to weigh my variables according to my priorities.

Disconnected by Being Connected

Why is it so difficult to meet people? I hear this from friends, from reading articles written by twenty and thirty -somethings, and somewhat experiencing it myself. You would think that the internet would connect people more, but then why are all the dating services gaining popularity? Perhaps the internet is beneficial to keeping existing contacts and not creating new ones. Perhaps the time spent in front of computers is costing the time people would spend outside socializing and physically meeting others. I still find it puzzling that the communication channels have widened so extensively, yet people are having a harder time meeting new people. A large factor is the changing social mindset. A great push for a successful career has left other aspects of life on the curb. Personal expectations have also left this generation wanting more of everything. I'm not advocating lowering your standards, but in general, this generation has demanded and received. This idea has propogated to our relationships. The demand for someone who does everything is preferable.

So it seems that the changing social aspects and psychology distances people from one another, and the networking power of technology can't keep up. Then again, there's no substitute to meeting someone face-to-face.

Tator Tot Casserole

Someone brilliant made it happen: Tator Tot Casserole. I am full of tator tots tonight.