beauty.

I set up a blog a few months ago: http://macgyverwithapurse.blogspot.com/ as a way to start documenting some of the really great things I see. I come from a "window shopping" family, meaning we didn't have the disposable income to just spend like crazy, but that has never deterred me from loving beautiful things.

As I've gotten older, I've come to realize the beauty in balance... spending for a good piece versus squandering money on a fad, if you get my drift. My favorite place to shop online is Swoozies.com, simply because I've been to their stores, seen the quality, and know I'm getting a good deal. I've purchased about 10 monogrammed bags (Screaming Mimi... yours is sitting in my car waiting for me to get off my keyster and mail it) and I love them. I wait until I get a steal of a deal (like $12.99/bag, free monogramming and free shipping) to purchase too.

But bags are my only love! I purchased a painting that hangs in my parents living room from a website that I've temporarily lost... but it's a 50's style rendition of the island of Manhattan in road signs... it's so cute!

There are so many other cute things, personal etsy's, art, clothing, sales, crafts.... the list goes on and on!

Now, I want to extend the olive leaf to you... both as blog authors and friends with an "eye" for things. I don't have everyone's email, so in the comments section, send me your email to add you as a blog author. If you run across something that you want to share... post it! Add pictures and links if they're available. Put a link up on the sidebar. I want this to be a collaborative effort because well... we can!

Love,
Jenn :)

the home of the brave.

I'm blessed to have family that has served our country.

My Father served in the Army.
My grandfather (Mom) was in the Navy.
My grandfather (Dad) served in the Navy and the Air Force because of a paperwork fluke in 1947.
My Step-Dad served in the Navy for 22 years.
My Step-Mom served in the Army.
My Uncle served two tours in the Army.
To my knowledge, I had 11 other uncle and cousins who had served as well.
Had my brother had not physiological nystagmus (his eyes constantly dance), he would probably have served too.

I have high school friends who serve at Dover Air Force Base, Fort Meade, The Pentagon, Fort Benning, Charleston AFB, Ramstein AFB in Germany, and Buckley AFB in Colorado... just to name a few. I have friends who have seen war, death, victory, defeat, insurgency, and patriotism like I'll never understand.

And today... I honor them. For their service, dedication, and sacrifice. For being an advocate for me, my state, and my country both domestically and abroad. For fighting for freedom.

For making this the land of the free, and the Home of the Brave.

This We'll Defend
Honor, Courage, Commitment
Above All
Semper Fidelis

"can you tell me how to get, how to get to..."

Happy Birthday Sesame Street!

As a tv-child of the 80's, I say without any hesitation that I adore Sesame Street! I'm not an "outdoors" type of kid, so staying in was right up my alley.

On my way in to work this morning, I got tickled thinking that part of my love for NYC and their oh-so-recognizable brownstones has a little bit to do with my love for that famous street!

There are so many aspects of that show that have impacted my generation, both intellectually (and educationally) as well as culturally. Here are a few interesting things that I relate too!

• Even at 30, I have a blanket of Kermit and Miss Piggy that I would kill you over. I'm not kidding.
• Who of you CAN'T imitate The Count's laugh? I bet you all could!
• Big Bird... enough said!
• I've referred to grouchy people as "Oscar" for years.
• My first thanksgiving in NYC, Grover was one of the inflatable balloons.... I nearly cried!
• In the ninth grade, I wrote a 10 page paper on the influence of characters from Sesame Street. It was that paper that got me into Honor's English in the 10th grade.
• JM and I had a Bert & Ernie playhouse when we were little. When our house burned, the playhouse did, but B&E were tucked away in my room. I keep them in a box at my Mom's house.
• The Swedish chef... classic!
• Dr. Bunsen Honeydew & Beaker... I love them. Thinking of them makes me crave Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.
• Sam the Eagle... quite the plush patriotist.

While these are nowhere near a complete list, I can't help but know that I'm a Sesame Street kid, and I can tell you how to get there, any day of the week.

joys of being an older woman, and because it's my blog and I can.

I have to share this:

I've spent a great deal of time on Lee's campus this semester, for a variety of reasons (as in, I've been on campus more than 12 times since September).

There has been a very handsome, 21-year old that I've come to know. Who is also 6'2 and makes a point to front hug me every. time. he. sees. me. (I have to make a conscious effort not to maul him or stare at him because he's quite a sight for single eyes... I'm awful, I know.) He is a Very Handsome 6'2" guy who loves Jesus AND hugs.

Being totally honest, he's not just handsome.

He's SMOKIN' HOT. As in I need a fire extinguisher for my loins, PLEASE&THANKYOUVERYMUCH.

TMI? Sorry! Seriously, my knees get all wobbly when I see him. It's embarrassing!

He sent me a message that was mushy and sweet and made me blush. It's beyond silly I know, but it TOTALLY made my day.

sometimes, it's just the small things. !!!

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While I'm on this topic, a word to all of you single, Jesus-loving, emotionally available men between the ages of 25-35 who are taller than 5'9" in the Cleveland/Chattanooga area: If you need a self-esteem boost, I'm your girl.

Love,
Jenn

ramblings.

Other than the fact that I would pay money for a nap right now, I'm having a slow, not-necessarily-blogworthy-day. I dropped the ball on nablopomo this weekend, but 'when in Rome', you know?

Homecoming was good. I had a few moments where I wanted to strangle a few folks, but it happens. The current members of my sorority are precious ladies. I want to squeeze them they're so sweet, and just did everything asked of them. Now if I could have only gotten a few of the board on the same page,... but oh well!

Saturday morning, we were serenaded (if you will) by three ladies in their 60's. I hope that, when I am cruising the senior citizen discount, that my comedic timing does not leave me like these women. I stood in the back of the room crying from laughing so hard at them!

The only thing that made me, well it didn't make me sad, just made me wish I'd conveyed more, was the people not in the room and the people who'll never get to come in the room. Even now, eight years after college, I still have people who realize that I was in a sorority and tell me 1) in college, they didn't want to buy their friends, and 2) who stuck-up they thought we were. Sororities are such a place for specific community. Yes, there are some downsides (stick any number of women together in a room and you'll have that), but the pros outweigh the cons by leaps and bounds. I'm thankful for my sisters, both those I'm close to and those I'm not close to. Proximity is irrelevant, it's all about relationships. And with some people, you have a bond. It's not necessarily close or deep, but it's a bond, and both of you get it, and there is a deep profound respect.

I had a funny conversation a few weeks ago by a fellow college alum who was a part of a cultural club on campus. (We were both at Lee at the same time.) She told me that she felt my entire sorority was made of snobs and that she could never have befriended us, even if we paid her. I couldn't help but laugh out loud, sharing with her the story of why I didn't attend a formal my first year that I'd been invited to attend. The guy who had asked me, a handsome student from India, was shunned by his friends because I was "too white". While it didn't prohibit me from continuing to be friends with him, it just made me realize that he valued those girls WAY more than he'd been inclined to share with me (he eventually married one of the girls). When I finished my story, the alums face got red, and she had to confess that she had been one of those girls, not realizing I was the person!

I have a lot of other stories like that, from ladies who attended college with me and had totally inaccurate ideas of what was going on.

There's a scene in Drive Me Crazy where Keri Lynn Pratt's character, Dee Vine, is talking to Adrian Grenier's character, Chase Hammond. They're discussing how to be one of the 'popular kids', and she tells him that it's all about having one person accept you into the group. "The other kids are too afraid to question it." It's so true! Often being accepted is not about what you bring to the table, it's just getting that one invite to the table.

Okay... that's all for now.

Tawk uhmungst yahselves. Buhbye.

healing.

"It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone."

Rose Kennedy

college homecoming looking glass.

This weekend is my college homecoming. It should be filled with wonderful memories and excitement about seeing old friends, but the last four or five years, I've found myself filled with anxiety and dread.

It's the annual litmus test that I wasn't good enough back then, that I haven't accomplished enough now, and that I'm still single.

and it's a good chance to throw a pity party.

But this year, I'm forcing myself NOT to do that. Will there be uncomfortable times? Yes, almost assuredly. Does that have any bearing on who I am inherently as a person? Not. A. Chance. It may have some stake on my skills as a conversationalist, but you know, that's just me.

While this year will be different and strange since a few friends aren't able to make the trip, I'm going to have a good weekend anyway. I'm going to enjoy the present and try try try not to dwell in the past.

I feel like my motto for the weekend is the line in a girl scout song...

"Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, and the other gold."

I googled the song and realized I'd forgotten some of the most important lyrics:

Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, the other is gold.
A circle is round, it has no end. That's how long, I will be your friend.
A fire burns bright, it warms the heart. We've been friends, from the very start.
You have one hand, I have the other. Put them together, We have each other.
Silver is precious, Gold is too. I am precious, and so are you.
You help me, and I'll help you and together we will see it through.
The sky is blue; The Earth is green. I can help to keep it clean.
Across the land, Across the sea, Friends forever we will always be.

maybe except the part about being "green".... that's not really my motivation this weekend.

But remembering that I am a part of the memories and not just the one who remembers them is critical. It's easy to live life as though you're looking through a lens, and just as easy to forget that you were there to look through the lens in the first place.

This weekend, I'll be doing both.

the girl who cried surgery.

a few months ago, I went back through my archives to determine how many times I'd talked about potentially having a surgery of some sort.

i'm ashamed to mention that I've blogged about some surgery or another more times than fingers on one hand.

shame. SHAME. shame.

well, my days of "crying" surgery are over as I have a hot date with a surgeon, specifically November 20th at 9:15am. the surgeon is also bringing his kind friend, the anesthesiologist, to make the surgery extra smooth. in other words, i have a ridiculous gag reflex (triggered from having my wisdom teeth removed nine years ago) and instead of fighting me for 20 minutes, it's just easier to knock me out.

i should be less excited, but after bouncing from dental physician to dental physician, yesterday's surgical scheduling came as a huge relief!!

the only part that freaked me out was when he mentioned propofol. Just fyi, propofol is what killed Michael Jackson.

I would be remiss if I didn't do this... If you happen to live in the Chattanooga area, and need more extensive dental work, I HIGHLY recommend Dr. John Hoover. He's incredible, his staff is awesome (they've checked on me for two days... just because), and he doesn't put you in pain... i've had two root canals and NO pain at all... he's just that good!

the other fun part was getting a dental CT scan. i've had to get 8 dental x-rays and with my freakish afformentioned GR, that's been no easy task. But the dental CT, you hold still and a tube flies around your head to give you the following final product:




in other news, I'm tempted to stay close with the surgery center so I can have one of these every few years. SWEET!

a letter.

Dear Dental Professionals of the World,

When you encourage parents to be the tooth fairies of the world, you may also encourage them to give more generously than say 25cents or $1.00.

If the tooth fairy wouldn't mind hitting up the ATM and dropping several Benjamins into a fund for later use, it would be MUCH appreciated.

Love,
Jenn

Dear Dental Insurance Company for my job,

You suck.

Love,
Jenn