So its amazing what happens in a year! This time last year, I was a nervous nelly trying to figure out what the heck I'm doing in freakin Alabama. Now, here I am a year later, thinking that I've become a fan of my life down here.
I know at one point I couldn't wait to move back up north, but now that I've settled into my job and have made some amazing friends, I can see myself as a southern girl for a couple more years.
Yay!
Thats all I have to say right now. :)
Friday, July 23, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
My Life In A Nutshell Since January
WOW!!!!!!!!! What a couple of months I've had...here is a rundown.
February - The swimming regular season came to an end on the sixth, but I was NO WHERE NEAR being done with the sport. The SEC Championships were the 17-20 and we were in Athens, Ga., for an entire week. My men won their 14th-straight and 16th of the last 17th SEC title and the women did well, finishing third. It was a rush and crazy busy, but a blast! I didn't get much sleep that week...hands down.
March - This month was NUTSO! Besides having to be at a handful of men's tennis matches, I was also preparing to be on the road for two weeks straight with...you guessed it...swimming!!! Women's NCAA Championships were March 18-20 in West Lafayette, Ind., and the women didn't do too well. They finished eighth overall, but I had a blast making new friends and getting to know others better...Brothers + $1 Long Islands = fun times had by all!
Following the women's meet, I headed over to COLUMBUS(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) for the Men's NCAA Championships and was there for over a week...LOVE IT! I definitely did not get much sleep that week...holler! Saw some great friends, hung out with Andrew and life was good. My team didn't do to well, but it is what it is. They finished sixth (should have finished in the top 3) and the final race of the meet was a huge disappointment. Needless to say, I was crying like a silly little girl because 1. I hate seeing my team (especially one I've really grown close to) not do well and B. I was leaving Ohio soon and was not happy.
It is now almost the end of April and my work-traveling days are pretty much over until August when volleyball rolls around. This weekend, I'm heading to GREENSBORO (!!!!!!!!!!) for my dear friend Jackie's wedding and am soooo excited to be a part of it! Its going to be a blast!
That's all I got to say about that.
February - The swimming regular season came to an end on the sixth, but I was NO WHERE NEAR being done with the sport. The SEC Championships were the 17-20 and we were in Athens, Ga., for an entire week. My men won their 14th-straight and 16th of the last 17th SEC title and the women did well, finishing third. It was a rush and crazy busy, but a blast! I didn't get much sleep that week...hands down.
March - This month was NUTSO! Besides having to be at a handful of men's tennis matches, I was also preparing to be on the road for two weeks straight with...you guessed it...swimming!!! Women's NCAA Championships were March 18-20 in West Lafayette, Ind., and the women didn't do too well. They finished eighth overall, but I had a blast making new friends and getting to know others better...Brothers + $1 Long Islands = fun times had by all!
Following the women's meet, I headed over to COLUMBUS(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) for the Men's NCAA Championships and was there for over a week...LOVE IT! I definitely did not get much sleep that week...holler! Saw some great friends, hung out with Andrew and life was good. My team didn't do to well, but it is what it is. They finished sixth (should have finished in the top 3) and the final race of the meet was a huge disappointment. Needless to say, I was crying like a silly little girl because 1. I hate seeing my team (especially one I've really grown close to) not do well and B. I was leaving Ohio soon and was not happy.
It is now almost the end of April and my work-traveling days are pretty much over until August when volleyball rolls around. This weekend, I'm heading to GREENSBORO (!!!!!!!!!!) for my dear friend Jackie's wedding and am soooo excited to be a part of it! Its going to be a blast!
That's all I got to say about that.
Friday, January 15, 2010
The Stuff That Triggers Memories
It is funny what kind of stuff sparks old memories in our minds of years long past. Today, it has been music that has brought a tear to my eye... :)
Rewind: I'm an active online radio listener...it is what gets me through the day. Every once in a while, I find myself singing a little too loud and the next thing I know, a coworker is peeking through my door and shaking their head with a smile. :)
For the last couple months, I've been addicted to Slacker.com. WAAAYYYYY better than Pandora. Anywho...
This morning, two successive songs brought huge smiles to my face. First, "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.
When I was in ninth grade, I developed a HUGE crush on a boy two years older than me. Trust me, when I say crush, I mean CRUSH. I was completely smitten by him. When I'd see him in the hallway, I'd try my hardest not to make eye contact due to the fact I would blush ridiculously with embarrassment. In senior high band, I'd go in every day and hope to the dear Lord above Mr. Larsen would never call on me. Travis was a stud football, basketball and baseball player...a great musician and loved Jesus. All I ever wanted (at the tender age of 14).
After many months and many dances, my friends finally convinced me to ask him to dance. I was soooooooo nervous but I did it! And guess what song it was....What A Wonderful World. I could barely breathe. I'm sure he tried to talk to me but I was so nervous that I don't remember even opening my mouth. But, the one thing that I do remember is how good of a dancer he was and how great he smelled...pathetic I know. So, when I heard that song this morning, I couldn't help but laugh a little because the flood of memories filled with my friends and I giggling, me swooning and that first dance all came back to me.
My other song is "More Than A Feeling" by Boston. This song has two memories with it...we'll start with the first.
During my two years in Ohio, my dear friends and I became hardcore Rock Band players. I LOVE THAT GAME! Give me that microphone and I could sing for hours (which we've done before!) The Boston song was my song...absolutely loved it! My favorite memory with it, however, doesn't involve me but my wonderful love Andrew. I believe he had a few too many beers at the time and was on a singing roll (not his strongest point...trust me). The sights and sounds of him singing this song was unbelievable and I don't know if I want to forget them or relive that moment. :)
My other memory of this song doesn't really involve this particular song but the genre it represents. My dad is a crazy person when it comes to his classic rock. Even on quick trips to town, he would blast either a CD or the radio whenever a solid song from the 70s came on. Some of my favorite memories of my dad and his classic rock were the many road trips we took as a family when I was young. Driving through Montana or Idaho or some other random state, he would go to no ends to find that perfect classic rock station when he was in the right mood. And when he found it, it was like a party to my 8-year old mind.
There would be those evenings when dad would drive late into the night when the rest of the fam slept and I, sitting in the front, would try my darnest to stay awake while we jammed to classic rock.
Those are the memories triggered for me this morning and it was a wonderful thing.
To Travis - I'm so sorry for being that weird, awkward girl in high school that blushed at the very presence of you. I'm glad we're friends now. :)
To Andrew - I have no words.
To my dad - Thank you for the great memories of early morning sunrises on the road and the love I have for your generation's music. It truly is classic...long live rock and roll. :)
Rewind: I'm an active online radio listener...it is what gets me through the day. Every once in a while, I find myself singing a little too loud and the next thing I know, a coworker is peeking through my door and shaking their head with a smile. :)
For the last couple months, I've been addicted to Slacker.com. WAAAYYYYY better than Pandora. Anywho...
This morning, two successive songs brought huge smiles to my face. First, "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.
When I was in ninth grade, I developed a HUGE crush on a boy two years older than me. Trust me, when I say crush, I mean CRUSH. I was completely smitten by him. When I'd see him in the hallway, I'd try my hardest not to make eye contact due to the fact I would blush ridiculously with embarrassment. In senior high band, I'd go in every day and hope to the dear Lord above Mr. Larsen would never call on me. Travis was a stud football, basketball and baseball player...a great musician and loved Jesus. All I ever wanted (at the tender age of 14).
After many months and many dances, my friends finally convinced me to ask him to dance. I was soooooooo nervous but I did it! And guess what song it was....What A Wonderful World. I could barely breathe. I'm sure he tried to talk to me but I was so nervous that I don't remember even opening my mouth. But, the one thing that I do remember is how good of a dancer he was and how great he smelled...pathetic I know. So, when I heard that song this morning, I couldn't help but laugh a little because the flood of memories filled with my friends and I giggling, me swooning and that first dance all came back to me.
My other song is "More Than A Feeling" by Boston. This song has two memories with it...we'll start with the first.
During my two years in Ohio, my dear friends and I became hardcore Rock Band players. I LOVE THAT GAME! Give me that microphone and I could sing for hours (which we've done before!) The Boston song was my song...absolutely loved it! My favorite memory with it, however, doesn't involve me but my wonderful love Andrew. I believe he had a few too many beers at the time and was on a singing roll (not his strongest point...trust me). The sights and sounds of him singing this song was unbelievable and I don't know if I want to forget them or relive that moment. :)
My other memory of this song doesn't really involve this particular song but the genre it represents. My dad is a crazy person when it comes to his classic rock. Even on quick trips to town, he would blast either a CD or the radio whenever a solid song from the 70s came on. Some of my favorite memories of my dad and his classic rock were the many road trips we took as a family when I was young. Driving through Montana or Idaho or some other random state, he would go to no ends to find that perfect classic rock station when he was in the right mood. And when he found it, it was like a party to my 8-year old mind.
There would be those evenings when dad would drive late into the night when the rest of the fam slept and I, sitting in the front, would try my darnest to stay awake while we jammed to classic rock.
Those are the memories triggered for me this morning and it was a wonderful thing.
To Travis - I'm so sorry for being that weird, awkward girl in high school that blushed at the very presence of you. I'm glad we're friends now. :)
To Andrew - I have no words.
To my dad - Thank you for the great memories of early morning sunrises on the road and the love I have for your generation's music. It truly is classic...long live rock and roll. :)
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Transient In The Making
Dearest loved ones and followers of my pretty pathetic blog,
I would first like to apologize for my lack-luster approach to this blog. I've been a super crazy person in the last few months and am usually mentally burnt out by the time I even think of writing or doing any form of updating on this thing. So please accept my apology...muchas gracias.
Now...on to what I wish to say!
First, what is a transient you may say? Have no fear my friends! I shall explain! A transient (coined by my dear friend Ashley Cummings a long time ago...kind of), is a person who stays put for a very short period of time. For those that know me well, that fits me to a tee!
Since the start of October, I have been to the states of...Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Louisiana, Texas, Minnesota, North Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio. All but Indiana and Wisconsin included at least one full day and night's stay.
So, you may say that is a lot of travel and could be the cause of wear and tear and so on and so forth. However, the more I travel, the more I'm excited for my next trip. I love love LOVE being on the road, seeing new sites and meeting new people. I find that when I do come back to my apartment, the only thing I truly missed was having my own bathroom. "Not even your own bed?" you may say. "Nay!" I say! The hotels that my teams stay in are superb and the beds all have at least 5 pillows...huzzah!
Looking at the rest of this month through the end of April, I will be going back to Florida, Indiana and Ohio and also making a trip to North Carolina once or twice (I'm in a wedding!). I simply cannot wait for these trips!
Not only am I looking forward to the quick trips in the future, but I'm also anxious for my next major adventure. Where will my career take me next? Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy Alabama, but I'm not willing to call this place my "home" at all. I'm thinking my only options are to either move back to Ohio or to Minnesota. Heck, I'd be a fan of living in Colorado again!
So in conclusion, I do believe I'm a transient in the making. I simply cannot stay put for more than a year or two it seems...sometimes less.
Me and my dear friends Katie and Kyle...they live in Austin and I got to spend a lot of time with them while in Texas. I love having great friends in almost every state! :)
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Real Football
So, I'm sitting in the pressbox right now, watching a very good Auburn/Kentucky football game and enjoying myself very much. I don't do a lot during the game so I thought this would be an opportune moment to do a little blogging.
It is officially 40 degrees here in Auburn and I can't help but giggle. Everyone and their mother (except my wonderful friends who hail from the North as well) are going on and on about how this is not proper football weather. Boy do I beg to differ! There is nothing better than layering on the long underwear, longsleeve, sweatshirt and jersey and heading out to the game (granted, I've only been a fan once so I can't really say...just what I've heard).
I'll never forget a Concordia football my junior year of college. We were playing in either the first or second round of the NCAA tournament in the middle of November...THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER!!! See, here is the thing...middle of November in Moorhead, Minnesota, has the possibility to be borderline arctic and let me tell you what my friends, it was that day. The air was so cold that the sound of colliding football pads rang throughout the stadium (and probably all the way to Prexy's Pond...look it up.) There is no more beautiful sound than that...maybe besides the sound of my many aunts cackling at something ridiculous at Thanksgiving (I'm talking about you Pat...ha.)
To all my dear southerner friends, you have not experienced what a real football game should be like. I truly believe that the founding football fathers would have wanted their sport to be played in the toughest conditions and I can't think of anything tougher than running around in freezing cold weather.
Oh...and another thing that really irks me is that they call their winter hats tobaggans...seriously? We Scandinavians know that the true meaning of a tobaggan is that its a sled people...a sled. I'm just sayin'
Go Bucks, go Cobbers, go Gophers and War Eagle (I have a lot of teams to associate with...yikes)
It is officially 40 degrees here in Auburn and I can't help but giggle. Everyone and their mother (except my wonderful friends who hail from the North as well) are going on and on about how this is not proper football weather. Boy do I beg to differ! There is nothing better than layering on the long underwear, longsleeve, sweatshirt and jersey and heading out to the game (granted, I've only been a fan once so I can't really say...just what I've heard).
I'll never forget a Concordia football my junior year of college. We were playing in either the first or second round of the NCAA tournament in the middle of November...THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER!!! See, here is the thing...middle of November in Moorhead, Minnesota, has the possibility to be borderline arctic and let me tell you what my friends, it was that day. The air was so cold that the sound of colliding football pads rang throughout the stadium (and probably all the way to Prexy's Pond...look it up.) There is no more beautiful sound than that...maybe besides the sound of my many aunts cackling at something ridiculous at Thanksgiving (I'm talking about you Pat...ha.)
To all my dear southerner friends, you have not experienced what a real football game should be like. I truly believe that the founding football fathers would have wanted their sport to be played in the toughest conditions and I can't think of anything tougher than running around in freezing cold weather.
Oh...and another thing that really irks me is that they call their winter hats tobaggans...seriously? We Scandinavians know that the true meaning of a tobaggan is that its a sled people...a sled. I'm just sayin'
Go Bucks, go Cobbers, go Gophers and War Eagle (I have a lot of teams to associate with...yikes)
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Walking With Larry
I am currently on the road with the volleyball team in Statesboro, Ga., the home of Georgia Southern University. Its located in the southeast corner of Georgia which = BACKWOODS.
Want to know how I know its backwoods? Well, let me tell you!
Yesterday (Friday, Sept. 11), after our match, the team headed to Longhorns Steakhouse for a postgame meal. I was still working on some stuff in the bus, so our bus driver Larry waited for me to finish. Larry is a 6-foot 5-inch black man that is in his late 40s-early 50s and has an attitude that cracks me up...in other words, he doesnt take no crap. :)
I finished up my stuff, he locks up the bus and we walk towards the restaurant. As we were walking, a pair of white elderly couples were walking in the opposite direction. And let me tell you what, I have NEVER in my life been stared down the way those four individuals stared down Larry and I. One guy never gave up his stare and in fact, I'm convinced he was more glaring than staring. Larry, with his ridiculous attitude, said, "Good evenin folks, hows y'all doin this fine night?" Did they respond? Did they give up their glare? Oh heck no they didn't!
After they had passed and we entered the restaurant, more dirty looks were poured on until we arrived to the team's table in the back room.
I hadn't really experienced anything like that in my life. Larry and I decided that when that happens again, he's going to put his arm around me just to see what happens.
But seriously...this is the 21st century people. Grow up and realize that God does not see color and neither should you. Creepers.
Welcome to the south Kendra, welcome to the south.
But on a better note: our volleyball team is beating these backwoods jerks so all is well in the world. :)
Want to know how I know its backwoods? Well, let me tell you!
Yesterday (Friday, Sept. 11), after our match, the team headed to Longhorns Steakhouse for a postgame meal. I was still working on some stuff in the bus, so our bus driver Larry waited for me to finish. Larry is a 6-foot 5-inch black man that is in his late 40s-early 50s and has an attitude that cracks me up...in other words, he doesnt take no crap. :)
I finished up my stuff, he locks up the bus and we walk towards the restaurant. As we were walking, a pair of white elderly couples were walking in the opposite direction. And let me tell you what, I have NEVER in my life been stared down the way those four individuals stared down Larry and I. One guy never gave up his stare and in fact, I'm convinced he was more glaring than staring. Larry, with his ridiculous attitude, said, "Good evenin folks, hows y'all doin this fine night?" Did they respond? Did they give up their glare? Oh heck no they didn't!
After they had passed and we entered the restaurant, more dirty looks were poured on until we arrived to the team's table in the back room.
I hadn't really experienced anything like that in my life. Larry and I decided that when that happens again, he's going to put his arm around me just to see what happens.
But seriously...this is the 21st century people. Grow up and realize that God does not see color and neither should you. Creepers.
Welcome to the south Kendra, welcome to the south.
But on a better note: our volleyball team is beating these backwoods jerks so all is well in the world. :)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
What Have I Gotten Myself Into?
So I know it's been awhile since I most recently blogged so I apologize.
In the last couple of weeks, I've realized what it truly means to live in the south. What does it mean you ask? Three words: cockroaches and condensation.
One early morning, I was awoken with the urge to use the little girls room. So, as I'm sitting there doing my business, a little friend decides to scurry across the floor right towards my bed. Sitting there in shock, I did nothing. I have never seen a cockroach in my place of residence before and wasn't sure what to do. There was NOOOOOO way I was going to go after it. I attempted to sleep on my futon but the thought of gigantic bugs crawling all over me caused me not to sleep at all. When I went into my office the next morning, it was apparent that I had not slept and thus, told the story of my misfortune. My boss's response: "Welcome to the South." and everyone went about their business.
The following day, I went to the grocery store to replenish my cupboards and fridge (it was quite a delightful trip because I got a lot of fresh produce at the farmers market on the way back from Kroger). So, as I'm putting the cold items in the fridge, I realize that my arm is completely wet. I wondered out loud what this may be. I looked at the top of my fridge and low and behold, it was covered in dripping water! What the heck? I called my friend and this was his response: "Welcome to the South."
So, I ask myself...what have I gotten myself into? I have no idea. Between the cockroaches and condensation, there is continually a new adventure in the world of 95 degrees plus a ton of humidity.
In the last couple of weeks, I've realized what it truly means to live in the south. What does it mean you ask? Three words: cockroaches and condensation.
One early morning, I was awoken with the urge to use the little girls room. So, as I'm sitting there doing my business, a little friend decides to scurry across the floor right towards my bed. Sitting there in shock, I did nothing. I have never seen a cockroach in my place of residence before and wasn't sure what to do. There was NOOOOOO way I was going to go after it. I attempted to sleep on my futon but the thought of gigantic bugs crawling all over me caused me not to sleep at all. When I went into my office the next morning, it was apparent that I had not slept and thus, told the story of my misfortune. My boss's response: "Welcome to the South." and everyone went about their business.
The following day, I went to the grocery store to replenish my cupboards and fridge (it was quite a delightful trip because I got a lot of fresh produce at the farmers market on the way back from Kroger). So, as I'm putting the cold items in the fridge, I realize that my arm is completely wet. I wondered out loud what this may be. I looked at the top of my fridge and low and behold, it was covered in dripping water! What the heck? I called my friend and this was his response: "Welcome to the South."
So, I ask myself...what have I gotten myself into? I have no idea. Between the cockroaches and condensation, there is continually a new adventure in the world of 95 degrees plus a ton of humidity.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
