Booyah.

So . . quick story for your reading enjoyment.

I got back from class this morning and was exhausted so I climbed back into bed for a little nap. I woke up a few hours later and was wandering around my room putting stuff away and cleaning up a bit when T-Cloud knocked on my door. "There's an officer near your car . . I think you're getting a ticket." AHH!! I ran around to find my keys (that are never where I remember putting them) and busted it to the front door and out to my car that was parked on the street. I see an officer writing on a little pad of paper (crap) and before I can open my sweet-talking little mouth a car slows down in front of my house.

This girl (my new enemy) in a white car rolls down her window and says "I'm so happy you're doing this." The officer glances her way and doesn't really acknowledge her as I approach him and say "Hi, Officer - I can move my car . . ." to which he replies: "Well I've already got it written out." I take this to mean I'm getting a ticket and there's no maneuver I can pull to get out of it. He says "Do you know why I'm writing this ticket?" and I may or may not have played dumb by saying "Because I'm parked on the curb?" I knew my car was facing the wrong direction and that it's illegal - but I wasn't about to admit it. People park facing both ways in my neighborhood all the time - so I never thought twice about it. This is the point in the story I hear my dad's voice say "I don't care what everyone else is doing; I care about what you're doing." Thanks, Dad.
The officer told me my house had been warned about our cars facing the wrong direction (which is a lie - no one ever warned us about that) but he also said he understood that we were new tenants and we might not have gotten the memo. I apologized and said I would pass the information along to my roommates - and here's where it got strange. The officer said "Are you free for dinner tonight?" and I didn't know what to say - if I turned him down would he give me the ticket out of spite? If I went - would he expect a second date? This guy was at least 30 . . that's way older than I'm interested in . . I hit a standstill.

Weird, right? Yeah - I don't know what I would have done if that had actually happened. Gotcha! :) But seriously - the officer said "Well, the ticket is $15, or I can just void it." Gosh - what to do, what to do? Pay $15 or void the ticket - what a tough one. I said "Oh that'd be great - thank you so much & I'll be sure to tell my roommates!"

Moral of the story: Don't park your car facing the wrong way on the street & keep your eyes out for neighborhood haters. Later today when I head out for a run I'm keepin' a lookout for that woman's car. I make no promises regarding further actions I may or may not take.

Fall weather has finally hit the Bluegrass! I couldn't be happier to have a 67 degree house, flannel sheets on my bed & open windows throughout the night. This past weekend my roommate Kristina and her sister Brooke & I ventured out to an orchard south of Lexington to pick pumpkins and check out their corn maze. It ended up being a bust - their pumpkins were pitiful and we wanted to wait for Jenna to hit up the 9 acre corn maze in the shape of Abe Lincoln. So we got hot apple cider and sat on top of a mountain of hay bales watching kids run around like little banchees. Then we hit up Wal-Mart to buy 'Hocus-Pocus', pumpkins, knives & anything with "pumpkin" in the title. (No lie; pumpkin air freshner, pumpkin coffee creamer, pumpkin pudding). Told ya.

Some observations from & thoughts provoked by last nights debate.


For one of the first times in this election period I caught a glimpse of what people see in Barack Obama. Its a struggle to get there, but I made it. After listening to him artfully tip-toe around the questions and accusations he faced, it is clear why his poll numbers are higher than McCain's. He is a very talented speaker and effortlessly draws you into his powerfully deceptive verbal mazes. It's no secret that the majority of Americans are vastly un-educated on the candidates and the issues. It's sad that we don't have a single news channel that is unbiased. No matter where you get your information; Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, a local or national newspaper or even the Internet you're getting a slanted version of the truth. For many Americans it is too arduous a task to sift through left and right biases to find the facts, so the extent of their knowledge is the media's output. If you take away what you know about the candidates and their issues thus far you would be surprised how differently Obama appears. Words roll off his tongue with ease and his steadfast emotions lead you to believe this man could and should be the next president of the United States. Unless you have proper background information on both Barack and his presidential plans you can't decipher fact from fluff.


One thing I still don't understand after following the election for months on end and watching each of the 4 debates is the concern over John McCain's "temperament". The media loves to depict Barack Obama as a level-headed, calm & rational debater, while they paint John McCain as a fervent, crazy, irrational loon. Take a minute and think about people that have influenced your life. Were those people calm & disconnected or engaging and passionate? I don't see how passion for America and the issues is a negative characteristic.


Going along with the theme of people not knowing the issues at hand - let's talk about taxes. Barack Obama talks about raising taxes for the richest 5% of Americans and giving a break to 95%. Sounds great for the middle class, right? Unfortunately Senator Obama is leaving a major statistic by the wayside. What percentage of Americans pay taxes? 100%? Cold . . . 85%? warmer . . . 70%? warmer . . . 60%. Ding ding ding! Only 60% of Americans pay taxes. Simple math tells us that if 95% of the American people are getting a tax break from Obama . . and only 60% pay taxes to begin with . . that leaves 40% of Americans that don't pay taxes receiving money from Obama's tax plan. 40% of illegal immigrants, non-working Americans and others who neglect to pay taxes in America will BENEFIT from Obama's tax provision. This has yet to be brought up to Obama, but I don't doubt he'd have a way of back peddling and skipping around his tax plan's flaws to con more Americans into thinking he's on track.

Enough of policy . . a few random observations.

What are the odds that both presidential candidates would be left handed? Yeah - I noticed.

Since when does Obama wear an American flag pin?

"You know, the truth is that right after 9/11, I had a pin. Shortly after 9/11, particularly because as we're talking about the Iraq War, that became a substitute for I think true patriotism, which is speaking out on issues that are of importance to our national security, I decided I won't wear that pin on my chest" - Senator Barack Obama

Does anyone else feel awkward when one candidate is attacked and they laugh and shake their head as they write notes for the rebuttal? I wish I knew their thoughts . .

I heard someone comment that Barack Obama has to be even-tempered in debates because if he starts to raise his voice or get emotional toward John McCain it will fuel racist comments regarding "black tempers". They went onto say that the reason Obama stays calm is so his critics can't say he went "ghetto" and lost his head. Wow.

Not a long one today - just random things goin' on as of late.

• Obamas up in the polls . . but G.W. was also down by about 10 points at this point in both the '00 and '04 elections. Stay strong, McCain!
• My facebook status has successfully peeved a number of people who take politics personally. I have been deleted from friend lists for saying Obama is a socialist. I stand by it - he is. If Obama wins I will gladly make a bumper sticker saying "Don't blame me - I voted McCain/Palin"
  
• Fall weather seems to be coming to Lex - mid 60's starting tomorrow! Woot!
• My landlord called me & said she wants to bring pizza and beer over so we can all "talk and drink" sometime. Ohhh if she only knew us. Let's just hope she doesn't show up one day expecting it to happen - things could get awkward.
• We've had our AC turned off for the past few weeks - anticipating fall & a cheaper electric bill . . . too bad it's been in the 80's and our house is blazing hot mid-day.
• I've had crazy dreams lately . . shark attacks, new age toaster ovens, front row seats for Sarah Palin speeches . . you name it.
  
• The debate tonight is crucial - - McCains gotta open up a can on Obama & his shady past & incompetence or it could be over.
  

Lately I find myself more disgusted with Hollywood than usual. I've made the analogy before that Americans view of Hollywood is like a high school clique. Celebrities are the "cool" clique in high school. You might not know or hang out with them, but you still hear about what goes on in their lives. Maybe a stretch, but it's all I've got.

I'm sick of turning on my TV & hearing about who's dating who, which celebs got DUIs the night before, and who's junk was hanging out for the paparazzi to see. If I could send one message to Hollywood I know exactly what it would be. "WE DON'T CARE!" I don't care what they wear, how their hair is cut, who they date, how much money they make or what they think. Yeah, I said it.

There are specific things about celebrities that just send me over the edge. Take award shows, for example. Let's have celebrities get together, wearing millions of dollars in clothes & jewelry, to tell each other how great each thinks the other is. "You pretended the best." "No, you did!" "Oh, you!" To top it all off: Americans tune in! Millions watch. Mind-boggling.

Another celebrity irk of mine? Standards. Mostly (to follow my recent blog theme) marriage. How many times have you heard someone (talking about a celeb marriage break-up) say "Well 4 years is a long time in Hollywood." Really? I didn't know there was a space-time continuum in California. In that case - 4 years must be like, what - a lifetime?! Great job! You paid your dues. Go ahead & get divorced & move on to someone else. Or just find someone new & attend to the divorce later, whatever. After showing such poor examples of what marriage should be, these celebrities then stand on their soap boxes & tell the world how homosexual relationships "deserve" marriage. After all, they clearly have a strong grasp on marriage and it's values. By all means they should be the ones to "expand" the definition of marriage to include two men or two women. Disgusting.

Add to this outrageous paychecks (when teachers & nurses & so many other societally valid professions are severely underpaid), ignorance of world affairs, egoism & complete lack of connection to anything not "Hollywood" and you begin to see my point.

I can't help but find the humor in celebrity attempts to "go green". Who is the genius that decides that the best way to convey an energy-saving message is to put on a massive concert event complete with lights, speakers, soundboards, & amps. Anyone else see this logical fallacy? They're so wrapped up in the celebrity world they can't see how their actions impact the world they live in. Their assistants will take care of it. I love how celebrities are always in public service announcements giving advice about family life & parenting. Like they're worth listening to.


One more rant & I'll end it. I love how celebrities are always in public service announcements giving advice about family life & parenting. Like they're worth listening to. Along those same lines - it always strikes me a bit odd when celebrities who make multi-millions per movie role have the gall to get on TV and tell Americans to start donating money to various causes. Not that everyone shouldn't contribute, but let's be honest - who is in the best position to donate some of their wealth to charitable organizations? Exactly.

I hope the next time you flip to E! or a see a magazine that catches your eye in the check-out line you think twice before giving it (and them) anything more than a casual glance.

Ephesians 5:22 (NIV)

Wives and Husbands

22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

I think so many young people today have completely lost sight of the Biblical role of husbands & wives. We hear it at weddings, then we say 'I do' and conduct our relationships as we please. God tells us to love, submit to, and respect our husbands. Love? Sure. I would say that for the most part, wives love their husbands. Submission. This ones a bit more tricky but mostly, wives submit to their husbands. Not entirely, not around the clock, not always, not freely. There is always room to improve. Now the hard one. Respect. R-E-S-P . . you get the idea. I swear, the girls around my age with husbands/boyfriends/fiancees always seem to struggle with this one. Seems like a no brainer. If you don't respect the man in your life, why is he in it?

Again - you might think this is a bit off since I'm not married & haven't experienced that relationship yet, but from what I've seen, the majority of my friends are getting it wrong. I'm sick of hearing complaints about spouses & negative attitudes overall.

Husbands & wives are supposed to be best friends, not annoyances & gossip fuel. It's sad, but I feel like people I know are getting married because they think it's the next step. They've been dating for x number of years, and they need relational change. The road forks at "break-up" and "get married" and too many couples wander the wrong way. I can't tell you how many conversations I've had with girls who are convinced they should break up with their boyfriends, only to say "We talked it over - we're gonna stay together. I mean, I do like him". Boom - married within a year. A marriage built on "like"? Good luck.

I've never had a serious enough relationship to have considered marriage, but I can tell you this: I cannot even fathom transitioning from a mindset of breaking up to one of marriage. I just think there is so much time to enjoy each other in a dating context, get to know one another, grow in that and other relationships (friends, God) and have certainty in your hearts before you make a lifetime commitment.

I heard a girl I went to school with talking about her husband recently. She was talking about another guy & how she thought he was perfect & very attractive. What she said next was unbelievable. "Sometimes I wonder if (husband's name) & I should have gotten married at all." Really? Really. Wow. She went on to say that she had always pictured herself getting married right out of college, so when she was dating a guy around that time, marriage seemed like what was supposed to happen. Quick check: since when do things happen when we think they are supposed to? Some people are so tightly wrapped up in their plans they're missing His.


All that being said: I do believe when you know you know. Some people have perfectly healthy, God-centered relationships & absolutely know after a few dates they God's best for one another. Way to go! Too bad it's not always that easy.

I'm not bashing relationships. I just think they've been skewed. This blog is as much for me as it is for anyone else. A reminder of roles & reverence is good for all of us; it's not always easy or fun but I know in the end the rewards of a healthy, Godly, passionate & protected relationship far outweigh the costs.

I'm not married. I'm not engaged. Heck, I'm not even dating anyone. Just wanted to share that. Stay with me, this is going somewhere.

I've been thinking about marriage lately. Not the typical girl's fairy tale, Prince Charming, happily ever after thoughts. I'd like to think it's a little more fundamental & unique than that. Being a 22 year old college student I've seen my fair share of dating relationships, engagements & weddings. Fact: the three girls I lived with my sophomore year at UK are all engaged or married. That house had a 75% relationship success rate. Just call me the outlier. :) It's been an interesting & humbling experience to be on the spectator side of the dating game, but it has also radically altered my thoughts & ideas.

Recently I've noticed some comments I would have previously ignored. It's an awkward situation because I never noticed it before, mostly because I haven't had married friends until now. Hopefully no one takes offense to my observations. That being said - - story time!

A few months ago I attended a friend's bachelorette party. It was a fun day of swimming, laughing, eating & relaxing in Kentucky. Before the fun started all the girls met at my house to change & caravan to a local pool. Of about 10 girls in attendance all but 2 (yours truly being 1/2 that equation) were engaged or married. While we waited for everyone to arrive we all started talking. Quickly the conversations turned to husbands and fiancees and the comments shared were sad & shocking.

These Christian girls - all twenty-somethings - talked about their husbands like sitcom wives. All the usual jokes were employed, how to "train" a man, what to expect when he's "away from his parents for the first time" and so on. Listening to these girls denigrate their husbands was literally nauseating. I had to leave the room. These girls stood around for nearly an hour talking about mistakes their husbands make daily. True story: "I was cleaning the kitchen floor & had moved the stools into the living room. I left to get ready & when I came back the stools were still where I had left them. I was so furious! Can't he do anything on his own?" Wow. So let met get this straight. You moved chairs, left the room, and your husband didn't read your mind & know you wanted them moved back? What a jerk. He's got a lot of nerve, this one.

I can honestly say if the male counterparts had been present the conversation would not have occurred, which is an important indicator. Husbands were painted as incompetent, helpless & almost burdensome.

Take into consideration, this is a single girl's perspective. The grass is always greener on the other side, you always want what you can't have, blah blah blah. I don't care if I'm single or not - these girls are ignoring common sense. Marriage aside, these men are people. How does standing around complaining about them like they're some parasite help?

I heard another group of girls recently talking about "deal breakers" for relationships. Not an uncommon conversation to have, but this one took an unexpected twist. After "deal breakers" were brought up, one of the girls at the table said that anything else that is undesirable about men can be "changed". Her point was there are some things you should require for a husband, but if all the requirements aren't met you can demand the most important qualities & mold a man to fit the rest. Again, maybe this isn't unheard of, but I just kept flip-flopping the situation. If I were married and found out that my husband was telling his friends that I "met enough requirements" and that he was just planning on changing me to meet the rest I would be heartbroken. I know couples aren't entirely perfect for one another - in any relationship there will be compromises, but if you feel the need to find someone to "change" to make yourself happy I think the problems start with you.

I'm busy - back off.

Recap of the events since my last post.

1. 1 roommate decided to go AWOL & move out. At the end of September one of my roommates decided to interview for (not take) a job in Cincinnati leaving my three roommate & I to foot her bill for the house. Ohhh it gets better. She says she'll pay for October's rent to give us a bit of a cushion, nice of her. About a week later she texts the roommate who has her check to tell her that check is "bad" and that another check is in the mail. Check #2 arrives - but for $300 less than promised. Perfect.

2. AWOL roommate moves out and keeps her key. We ask her to return it and she tells us it's in the mail. I receive an envelope within an envelope about two weeks later. One envelope is from AWOL, and it sits inside a post-office envelope apologizing that my mail has been ripped open. You guessed it; no key. I would like to think the key fell out in a mail bin - but common sense tells me there are other possibilities. Someone could have felt the envelope - figured out it had a key in it; because AWOL didn't wrap the key in anything, include a note, or make any effort to disguise the contents of the envelope, ripped the letter open and stole the key. My roommates & I decided the best thing to do is get new locks - because who knows where the missing key is and who might have it. So last night - at around 9:00 I headed to Wal-Mart where I spent $40 for two new door handles & 2 new deadbolt locks. Fear not - they are installed & we are safe. Safe from burglars - not from idiots.

3. I had a summer class this past summer - and I got a random facebook message from a boy in my class just saying "What's up". Totally normal - except it was during class, he didn't know my name, and we never talked aside from his random message. Strange - but whatever - maybe he saw me on my computer & got my name from there? Whatever. I'm over it - UNTIL I OPEN THE PAPER AND READ HE'S BEEN ARRESTED FOR STALKING. I'm serious. Crazies are everywhere!

4. Jenna, T Cloud & I made the trek to Lebanon (KY) for Ham Days. I have heard all about Ham Days since I met Jenna a few years ago - but have never experienced it for myself. Folks; it did not disappoint. There were thousands of people in the small town of Lebanon. Saturday morning the girls & I got up bright & early to take it all in. Instead of taking the standard route through Ham Days, we mixed it up & experienced it from a window. A bridal shop window. Wearing wedding dresses & veils. For 2 hours we stood in a bridal shop window to advertise wedding dresses. We were all hesitant, but it was hilarious. The three of us in wedding dresses was funny in itself; we're nowhere near marriage & I think it was the first time we'd each seen each other wearing formal wear. As funny as we felt the people outside were even funnier. Most would walk by, smile & wave but others were shocked. I'm not sure if they didn't pay enough attention to realize we were real people, but some passers-by would walk along and then JUMP when they paid enough attention to see we were people. Too funny. People took our pictures, men proposed, little girls waved & girlfriends glared. Good times had by all.

5. We switched rooms! AWOL left us with an empty room - so the four of us decided against trying to find a random roommate to move in & spread out in the house to our own rooms. Luck of the draw gave me the master bedroom! T Cloud & Jenna moved upstairs & Courtney stayed put. Moving days were heinous - I had bruises & sore muscles from moving beds, desks, dressers & mattresses up and downstairs. It was well worth it; we all love having our own rooms & a place to call our own. This whole situation was a blessing in disguise - with a higher rent rate to boot. We'll manage.

6. I killed the biggest spider I've ever seen today. It was in a hallway closet in my house as I was digging around for anything that might be mine. I was on my hands and knees when a spider with a body the size of a quarter (no lie) scurried toward me. I jumped up & my first instinct was to shut the closet door. I did, but logic told me that wasn't the smartest decision. I opened the door up & found a snow shovel inside. I grabbed it and did work on the spider. So gross.

I think that's it - - I'm happy to report fall has arrived! I wore a sweater tonight & it felt wonderful. 65 is just about perfect weather in Lexington. Sunny skies & a slight chill in the air - just enough to make you want a hot cup of somethin' to sip on. I can't wait for the leaves to change & fall, the return of socks & shoes, coats & Halloween! Before you know it it'll be winter & Christmas!

I'm in the midst of an all-nighter to study for an 8 a.m. exam. I haven't even begun studying - but that's the joy of all-nighters. I've got so much TIME. In fact; I've got ALL NIGHT. (You should have seen that coming). Wish me luck!