Finding My People

You guys.  I don't want to brag, but I might have found my very favorite away-from-home job ever.  Make no mistake, I leave my heart asleep in her crib every morning when I drive to my office (which is only 3 days a week!).  But if I can't be there I so very much want to be here.

If only every day were Family Beach Day

I could tell you all of the awesome things about being a professor, and how I get hours of time in which to do what I want in terms of teaching whatever I think is pertinent and prepping in whatever way seems good.  I could tell you about the veritable smorgasbord of office supplies available to me.  Spiral bound.  Quad-ruled.  3 holes or 2.  Its like Christmas!  I could tell you about the friendly camaraderie that somehow already exists between myself and the other people who work here.  But all of that pales in comparison to my classes.

The sweet, precious sophomores this morning, when I asked for Pandora requests during in-class problem time, do you know what they said?  Ke$ha?  Nope.  Top 40?  Huh-uh.  The words that came out of Plaid Shirt, Second Row (don't judge, there's 38 of them!) were "Could you play the Garth Brooks station again?"

Bless.

They wear camo and chambray shirts with the arms cut off, and not ironically.  There is a Steeler's shirt in every classroom. There is, sadly, a shortage of sweet tea in this strange land, but I am beginning to suspect that, against all odds, I may have once again found some people to call my own.  It is beginning to feel familiar to me here, seeing these young adults as my own classmates looked so many years ago.

Its not the same, and it won't be.  There's a part of me that wants to wallow.  Preferably from the comfort of my bed with the fan on to make it cool enough to justify the duvet I'm wrapped in.  I want to just sit and just miss everyone we left, because I do miss them so bad.  And I want to lament about our house, the one I swore I'd never love and didn't want to grow old in, that I now somehow pine for.  I want to pout about the clouds and the lack of proper beverages and southerness.  But there's no value in that.  I do miss our Southern life, and you people down there, we miss you like whoa and probably will for eva.  But we're in a new place now, and so its onward and upward.  To the tune of "I can still make Cheyenne".

<3 M.

What I Sing

All babies need lullabies.  Here's one I sing to my girl, that I thought you might enjoy.  Except I switch out "Charles Bronson" with "John Goodman".  Girl's got the chin, there's no denying it.

 

<3 M.

Fair to Middlin'

If you said to me: Bonjour!  Comment ça va? 

I would reply: Comme ci, comme ça.

If you said to me: Hey darlin'! How ya doin' tah-nigh'?

I would reply: Fair to middlin'

If you said to me: WHAAAAZZUUUP!?

I would ... well, I would not reply to you.

TCoTFW: As a direct result of writing that French phrase up above (which originally said "Comment t'appelle tu?" which means "What is your name" and not "How are you?"), I've just spent 6 minutes with google translator, typing in 11th grade French and trying to remember the right syntax for "I lost my cow on the mountain.  He was wearing a hat".  

I've had a lovely day, a productive day, and am going now to sew something.  Hopefully something inspired and exciting.  Possibly something dull, and there is a chance it will just be downright ugly.  Its just one of those nights.  We've just been given a tornado watch (or warning, which ever is less severe), so I guess it could get more exciting.  It's a wait-and-see situation.

Finally, I have this song stuck in my head.  You're welcome.

Love in a Tornado,

TFW

Things That Are Not: Running Music

So, apparently, I got my hands on some heavy-grade narcotics a while back.  I don't remember it happening, but I know it must have, because I have playlists set on my Zune that only a person under the influence would put together.

Let's have a show and tell.

Example I:



I love this song for running.  The pace is right for me, the words are fun to try and say.  Running Music.

Brain Dump to Lighten the Load

Tomorrow, I get on a plane.

Tomorrow, I fly far far away, to a land where there is snow and cold and F-22's.  

Tomorrow I'm going to Utah (but "I'm Going to California in my Mind", please put me out of my misery and tell me what song that comes from!)  I've got 4+ hours of plane time to log.  I should be packing.  I should be getting the meals ready for Handsome to eat while I'm away.  I should be doing pretty much everything but updating my etsy shoppe, typing away on here, and drawing purse pictures.

SOOC (straight out of camera), no lie.
This place where I live, this little hidden gem?
It's completely beautiful any time of year.
I hope Utah is beautiful.

Why am I so taken with purses?  I have no idea.  I just can't stop sewing them.  I can't keep sewing the same ones over and over, either.  It's an adventure, I believe.  Exploration, discovery, creating and all that.

Remember when I said I wanted to be a baker?  And now I'm a candlestick maker doing this purse thing?  I still love baking.  I still might be a baker.  Just a baker with a really nice purse, maybe?  

Meh.  The future.  Who needs (to know about) it?  I've got no idea what's coming down this pipeline called life (terrible metaphor, sorry!).  

I do know that Jj Heller is pretty awesome.  Sometimes I need music that really gets me pumped and ready to fight or run or just... calls to action.  Jj doesn't do that.  She sings prettily, and makes me want to be her friend and eat scones and sip tea at her house.  

I've got a $5 amazon mp3 gift card as a small consolation prize for buying a way-too-expensive textbook.  Perhaps I'll download some of her songs to keep me company on the plane tomorrow.  Got any other suggestions for my plane trip, music related or not?

Thank you for stopping by here.  I'm sorry I'm so scattered and have so little of substance to offer you.  You're a peach for reading this entire thing.  You're a peach for just existing, as far as I'm concerned.  I'm also unsure why anyone would ever want to be an actual peach, but that is neither here nor there.

Randomly Unorganized,

TFW

Christmas Love

Hey.  Let's ignore the fact that I haven't been around here for the better part of a week, k?  m'kay.

I wanted to share with you my favorite present I've gotten on a Christmas, and the favorite one I know I'll get this year.  Yes, I already know, because that's the beautiful thing about a Christmas tradition.  See that tree up there?  It's pretty fabulous, and no thanks to me.  Handsome's Grandma is the (nearly) sole contributor of ornaments up there.  She makes handmade ornaments for all 35+ of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren,  and ever since my first Christmas at the Magagnotti's, she's included me in the mix.

I Had Christmas Down In Africa

You. Have. To listen to. THIS.

NOTE: I'd put it on this actual site, but it's so good, it's restricted.  Sort of like a banned book.  Which makes it better.

Yes, it's from 1998, but it's just about my favorite.  EVA.  I may or may not replay from the 1:50 mark repeatedly.  I will NOT judge you if you decide to do the same thing.

In other news, I'm closing out the last week of the semester - Finals Week!  I've always loved the week of finals, what with it's lighter load and infrequent class-going.  Fantastic.  And please, don't ask me, "So how long do you have left?" as though I (a) should be wrapping this up already, and (b) should even have the next 2 years of my life planned out.  I have no idea, and yes, I know I've been here forever, doing these homework things and attending these class-type things.  Let's just say there is not a light yet at the end of the tunnel, and I'll let you know when there is, m'kay?  'kay.

Along with finals, I'm working on finishing up Christmas presents, which I'd love to tell you all about and share pictures of, because they're AWESOME, but I can't because that'd ruin the surprise. 

Speaking of ruining surprises, I accepted a package from the FEDEX guy today.  It's my present from Handsome & Co.  I really really REALLY want to open it.  But again, that'd ruin the surprise. 

I'm considering a new button, whaddaya think?
Or perhaps just a t-shirt.
Who's with me!?

But I still really really REALLY want to open it.  

What about you, do you peak?  Do you snoop?  I usually do everything in my power to keep it a surprise, while simultaneously trying to find out.  Yes, there is a lot of conflict within me.  It's kind of my "thing".

Hoping the shipping tape breaks,

TFW

All I'm Gonna Say

All I'm gonna say is that Handsome has Friday, Saturday, and a large chunk of Sunday off this weekend.  So I'll see ya around ...

I'm so excited I can't stand it!
Your song(s) for the day here.
Irish Christmas Music also makes me make that face up there.
It's fan-fogerty-tastic!

I'm in love, I'm in love, and I don't care who knows it,

TFW

Nobody but Nobody

Nobody puts baby in a corner.

I don't even know what that quote means.  It's also not what I intended to talk about here.  But I do love some good quotes.

What I really wanted to tell you was this: Nobody beats Frank. Nobody.

My favorite song can be found here

This is my all-time favorite album.  I have loved Frank for a long time, but only just discovered this CD.  And yes, it's a CD, not available from Amazon in MP3 format.  Because Frank is a classic, that's why.  And by "a long time," I mean that as a 14-year-old, I was buying his CD's.  Because that doesn't make the home-schooled girl any more awkward at all, nope.

What's your favorite Christmas album?

  (a close second)

Sinatra or Bust,

TFW

Home Again Home Again Jiggity Jig

I've just decided, in the time it took me to write that title (and then in the long extended pause it took me to think of the word, "title") that I am going to share my favorite Christmas songs with you, each time I post.  A few months back I declared (mostly to myself) "There will be no post if there is no picture!"  Likewise, for the foreseeable Christmas season (which someone just informed me can legitimately last until January 6, something about 3 Kings Day or something), I again decree, "There will be no post if there is no song*!"

<3

Handsome is home again.  He did not kill Bambi's father, which is a source of sorrow for him, and probably a bit of relief for Bambi's Mom, who just isn't ready to re-enter the workforce full time after all of these years.  I'm so glad (that he's home, I really don't feel for Bambi's mom.  Get a job!).  Even though he isn't technically home, because he came back to SC just to hop back on the shift train, but I know he's closer; that's enough.

Apparently, it's enough for my appetite, because I made myself dinner tonight.  While he was gone, I just didn't feel like eating dinner.  You can chalk it up to desperate romanticism if you would like, but I think it has more to do with dirtying the kitchen for just one person.  If I lived alone, I think I might eat out all the time.  And live on cold cereal.

More to December than Christmas

I know December is not 31 days of Christmas.  In fact, Christmas is only one day, 2 if you count Christmas Eve.  There are several more celebrations going on in December.  For example: My cousin Jeremy's birthday.  He's turning 26, just 4 weeks ahead of me.  We were very close growing up.  That has nothing to do with this post.

Another celebration in December:  Hanukkah

Now, my knowledge of Hanukkah is limited to (1) The oil lamp song I sang in 8th grade chorus, (2) Adam Sandler's influence [via movie and song] and (3) something about potato pancakes.  I'm not proud of this.   In fact, I'm pretty sure that Hanukkah is a beautiful and (sometimes) more meaningful celebration than Christmas.  It saddens me that I am, for all intents and purposes, ignorant of this celebration.  But I am also honest, which should earn me some street cred.  

To increase my knowledge (and yours, too!) might I suggest this awesome little album, FREE today on Amazon!

Available HERE

I've only listened to one song, so I can't really vouch for all of it, but that one song + the free price tag made me say "Yes!  Send it to the cloud!"  I thought you might want to, as well.

Wishing for a menorah for Christmas,

TFW

Getting Crap Done Music

I'm in need of assistance here.  See, it's Friday, and I've got fun waiting for me, but I have un-fun things to do first.  And, perhaps because I'm not very grown-up yet, or because I'm merely human, or for whatever reason, I'm lacking motivation to get the stuff done I have to do, so that I can move on to the things I want to do.

I want to skip to the end, like eating ice cream for breakfast.

Not that I've ever done that.  And, hypothetically speaking, if I had done that, it's really not like music would have helped.  Hypothetically, of course.

But today, it feels like music would help.  The problem: ever since music started costing money (i.e.- napster became illegal and disappeared/went legit), I haven't really added any songs to my music collection.  And, curiously enough, the music I found inspiring back then (uhm, at... 14?) is not really doing it for me any more.  

Enter you.  What music really gets you inspired, gets you moving?  I'm talking fast-paced, exciting, non-explicit music that I can rock out to on my headphones whilst getting crap done.  I recently got a gift card in the mail from the Blood Donation Center or Red Cross or somewhere for 5 free songs, to thank me for giving blood.  Hi, have we met?  I'm an American Hero.

My playlist so far:

Yes I have a Zune.
No, I don't wish it was an iPod.

Crazy Train (Black Sabbath)

Foreplay/Long Time (Boston)

Eye of the Tiger (Journey)

I Got a Feeling & Pump It (Black-Eyed Peas)

Rock You Like a Hurricane (Scorpions)

We Built This City (Starship)

Centerfold (The J. Geils Band)

So this should give you an idea of where I'm starting from.  Yes, I know only two of those songs were actually recorded while I was alive.  I can't help that I'm ahead of my time.  I'm not opposed to new music, I just never really know what to look for.  I only know about the 'Peas because of Sunday/Monday night football. 

Grateful for your assistance,

TFW