Did I go to Hell??...No just Pensacola

Just a picture of me and my friend Megan...I think it's cute.

Anyway this past Thursday I began the 9 hour drive to Pensacola Florida to work a Regional Flag Football Tournament. YEA I thought as I drove. The weather is going to be in the high 70's, I'll have some time to go to the beach, and I'm going to get to drink with some good friends that I dont get to see that often. Where did all my optimism go? Well first off I burnt a ton of CD's to make my drive solo a little easier. But, they didnt work. I almost ran out of gas in Alabama some where with no one around and no cell phone signal...great. Then, just as I pulling off the interstate onto my exit in Pensacola I hear a noise coming from my car. It almost sounds as though I blew a tire. So I immediately pull over on the side of the exit ramp and check the tires...good to go. So I start going again...and the noise is just horrible so I stop about 100 yards further on a state route highway. I get on my hands and knees and look under my car thinking i might be dragging something...that's when the cops pull up. He wants me to drive it up about another 200 yards to the shell station. I tell him he can drive it so that maybe he can hear the noise and tell me what it is. He's got nothing. Shocker...So they leave me at the shell station all by my lonesome. Way to protect and serve boys. My friend Ruckman comes to my rescue. He happens to think it is something with the transmission...well this is SUPER! But, nothing is open so my car sits at the gas station. In the morning we have it towed (for 60 bucks) to the Ford dealer. Well as I am waiting for the Ford people to look at my car we decide to go to the beach. It was sooo nice out...this was prolly the only highlight of the trip. They did not get to look at my car until the end of the day on saturday and it turned out to be something with the brake hardware so it only cost me 125 dollars. All in all not too bad. I was expecting a TON more money. On saturday the weather mysteriously turned freezing at like 1 in the afternoon...what happened to the 70's? I was absolutely freezing. I woke up on Saturday feeling like i swallowed razor blades, but only on one side. Tonsilitis everyone was telling me...sweet. Then Saturday night I ate about a whole pizza that had been sitting out for like 13 hours. You better believe that I was vomiting in the morning. About 5 times I believe...does that constitute food poisoning? Now the best part. I'm driving home and about 60 miles from home going 80 miles an hour when a raccoon the size of a bear jumps out in front of me. Of course I demolish said BEAR. Getting to the point...my fog lamp is hanging from my car.

Was I in Hell?? No just good ole p'cola!

Religion vs Counseling

Let me just prefaces this post by saying that these are my views, opinions, and biases. I accept all points of view, so please accept mine :)

As you may or may not know, I am in school to become a counselor. And, as you may or may not know, I am not the biggest supporter of religion. I often have discussions with my older sister about religion and her's and my beliefs. It has always been fairly difficult for me to explain to her exactly WHY I do not follow a god. The only things that I am able to tell her (or anyone) are:

1. I am my own god (Nikki loves that one).
2. My actions/choices create my destiny...no one else's.
3. Accountability in life is one of the best virtues.
4. I cannot blame or ask forgiveness for anything I have done on/from anyone else - or a god for that matter.
5. The major problem with christianity is the notion of forgiveness from God. A statutory rapist who is also a strict catholic may be granted forgiveness from a priest and feel better about the situation. But, guess who is not okay...that 5 year old boy.
6. Whether or not you believe in creationism or evolution they both take some level of belief as neither are absolutes.

Speaking of number 5, that is where my recent counseling educational background comes into this discussion. People need counseling. People also need to believe in something. For most that something is some sort of religion. The following passage is from one of my text books:

"Both religion and counseling help people ponder questions of 'Who am I?' and "What is the meaning of my life?' At their best, both counseling and religion are able to foster healing through an exploration of self by learning to accept oneself; by giving to others; by forgiving others and oneself; by admitting hurts and resentments; by dealing with guilt; and by learning to let go of self-destructive patterns of thinking, feeling and acting...However there are religious leaders who have reacted negatively to counseling as a secular force, and psychotherapists who have reacted negatively to religion describing it as a defense mechanism or as a form of denial."

After reading this paragraph I felt a little closer to describing my non-beliefs in a higher power. I never really thought of counseling as a contrasting view point to religion (you know like science or being agnostic or aetheist), but maybe that is the church that I belong to...the Church of Counseling. I mean I do often see religion as a defense mechanism and as a form of denial. But does that mean that I wont be able to counsel devout christians?

I believe in the power of people. I believe that I have achieved all things outlined above without counseling or religion. The bottom line is people need help being the best person that they can be. And whether that comes with believing in God, believing in counseling, or believing in both...it's a win/win situation when one can honestly say that they ARE a good person.

6.5 months...or HALLOWEEN!

So October 31st was not only Halloween it was also T'rone L'bone's 6 and a half month birthday. I had class so I was not able to take him trick-o-treating, but he did have a tricerotop costume that was just precious. As you see in the picture, he did not like it as much as I did. But, I had fun with it while he let me :) I bought 4 bags of reese's cups to hand out thinking I would need all of them since I live in a house now that is in a poor area. Well my roommate decided to not be home during trick-o-treat (I had class) because he didnt want to deal with the mini-thugs not in costume by himself. Thats great now I have 4 big bags of candy...but dont worry the case of beer that was on the front porch sure is gone.

Anywho there is my halloween story. The first picture is of T'rone when he was 10 weeks old. The second one is when he was three months old. The third one is 6 months old. The fourth one is us crying when the cardinals won...and the fifth one is the scary tricerotop:)

CoRec Dodgeball Champions

Seriously the best picture that I have ever seen...I'm a pretty sweet ass dodgeball player. Yeah just about as good as my sister is at getting up on horses :)

The beagle howls at night

So it seems as though all I can talk about lately is my puppy - sorry at least I am posting. But, yesterday he started doing two new things. The first was playing fetch. Usually I will throw a toy and he will fetch it, but he wont give it up again so I can throw it. Last night I threw it, and then he ran back and set the toy in my lap. He has also began to go in his cage at night without crying or barking - which I"M happy about. Except last night. Last night he began to howl. I had never heard him howl before just bark and whine. When I tell people that I got a beagle their common response is, "beagles howl." Well I just thought since T'rone was a breed he didnt...but oh yes he does and let me just say for the record it is horrible.

I've also begun putting him outside in the fenced in backyard after breakfast so that I can go back to sleep for an hour or two...and he HATES it. I dont understand. There is a whole backyard...GO PLAY! I just leave him out there... he stops whining after about 2 minutes. I'm sure my neighbors love it ;)

No-mess in the house count: 48 hours. He pooped in the house on Sunday, but that was kinda my fault I knew it was his pooping time, but I accidentally fell asleep while I was waiting for him to finish eating...

This is the last week of classes - final on Friday. Then, I will have 7 Masters classes under my belt and 6 to go...I'm over half way done.

Worms, Fleas and Mites...OH MY

So I took my little lover to the vet on Friday. The little bastard has tapeworms. A dog gets tapeworms by eating a flea that has eaten tapeworm eggs....SWEET! So, unless I completely get rid of ALL fleas in my indoor and outdoor environment, then the tapes will be back in about two months...which is nice. And, being the hypochondriatic that I am - my butt keeps itching ;) I've been treating T'rone with Frontline, but we'll have to see in two month if there are rice like worms in his poo again. Also when he was at the vet they found a mite in his stool - what does that mean? Oh man...

On a positive note, I have moved into my new home. There are still some boxes and cleaning to do at my old apartment but hopefully I will be fully moved by the end of today. The gas just got turned on here - so now I can take warm showers!!! It's starting to look like a home ;)

Introducing T'rone L'Bone

Seriously...is he not the cutest thing that you have ever seen???? So, the dog in the previous post had been adopted by the time I was able to adopt a dog...but, I think I got a better puppy in T'rone L'bone. Right now he is about 12 pounds and is 12 weeks old. The Humane Society said they did not know exactly what type of dog he was, they said he was a hound mix...but I have been telling people that he is a beagle. I have never really had a dog before so the whole experience is kinda new to me.

I know my parents are not that happy about me getting this puppy. In fact I can hear my mother saying..."you dont have a pot to piss in, and dogs cost money." I think my rationale for getting a dog was twofold. I am moving into the ghetto in two weeks (and when I say ghetto I mean ghetto...as in meth labs and crack heads). It would be nice to have a little company in my new house until my roommate gets back into town. Also, I miss...well everyone. I miss my family and friends and all things familiar. By getting something that needs me just as much as I need it creates a sense of family. To be honest having this puppy IS a lot more work than I thought it was going to be. The last two weeks all I have done is work and take care of him, but I am thinking it will all be worth it :)

Chris

I'm currently in the process of adopting a DOG! His name is Chris and he is absolutely adorable...shhh dont tell my parents :)

Speaking of my parents...happy 37th anniversary to them today! I'm not sure that I will ever be able to live with someone for that long! I applaud them...they are truely role models of marriage :)

I'm batting 100%

So about that writing on my blog once a week...get off my back it was busy at work and it was also finals.

Speaking of finals, my grades came out yesterday for Spring of 2006. Yes, that is right folks I got all A's again. I am batting a perfect 4.0 for the 2005-2006 academic school year. Don't mind if I brag for a moment. I just have to say that for all the people that laughed in my face when I said I was going to get my PhD within 7 years of graduating undergrad. So perhaps I wasnt the best undergraduate student. What are you to expect when you are a recreation major, who almost worked full time and attended the number 2 party school in the nation - well we were number one while I was there...I'm just saying :) So now I am half the way to a Master of Arts Degree, and doing well at it in fact. Dont be surprised when you are calling me Dr. Noble in 5 years. And yes, I am implying (I said applying before, get off my back i was writing it at 6 in the morning) that getting my PhD is more important to me than getting a new last name. "Using the full fist there doc? Moon River..." C'mon people it is a quote from Fletch...

Ok so let's talk Grey's Anatomy. My two favorite characters are Dr. Burke (of course) and Denny. Needless to say I was having a heart attack after the first night of the finale. How could they possibly being killing both my characters. Well giving the prominance of the two characters, you kinda knew that Denny was going to die and Dr Burke would be alright...eventually. But, I still cried when Denny died. Man...I am getting soft.

Tonight - LETS GO PISTONS!

This weekend - Jen's wedding...I try to stay away from the wine this wedding around. I dont know how to handle wine. Interesting when my mother is such a fan! Like you mom :)

Someone or Something is looking over me :)

Today is a GREAT day! Today is a PHENOMENAL day!

If you keep up with reading my blog, you heard that my camera got stolen. Today is such a SPECTACULAR day because my camera was returned to me last night. Its a great story actually...a great story that I am going to safely opt out of publishing, but if you want to know give me a call - IT'S A GREAT ONE! Basically I took the high road and used my "verbal judo" skills to have it handed over on a silver platter!!! YEAH! I'm so frukin PUMPED right now. I didnt even need to have my friend beat any bottoms either. I AM A GOOD PERSON...and my shit came back to me - YEAH! Sorry...I'm under control now :)

On an unrelated note, I had a meeting with my big boss yesterday. I left the meeting feeling positive because I laid all my issues out on the table about him and the department and he laid out all the issues that he has about me. It probably was a bit hurtful for both of us, but in the long run I think it will make me a better professional. I'm cognizant of some areas of improvement and will stive to become the best in those lacking areas.

Thats all...Memphis this weekend - GOOD THING I HAVE MY CAMERA BACK TO DOCUMENT IT!

NEW DO

So I got all my hair chopped off :)

I go to get a new color in two weeks, I'll have a new picture of that when that happens! Have a great weekend!

The Circus cometh...

So I had to post this random happening - I thought my sister would get a kick out of it :)

The building that I work in (the student recreation center) is attached to the Show Me Center. Well the Show Me Center is an event arena that holds mainstream events. This week the circus is in town - nikki I think you might know where I am going with this :) Well last night I went to go work out in the rec center and I had to park in the back because of the lack of parking due to the circus. When I got to the back of the building there were about 50 trailers that I assumed the cast travels in. At this point I felt no anxiety about parking back there - it was still light out. However, when I got done working out it was about 10pm and was most certainly no longer light out. As I was walking to my car, I notice that it was also the same time as the "circus folk" were returning to their tailers. I didnt see any unusual characters, but the movie Big Fish still managed to float into my head...the fat man, the bearded lady, the little people....THE CLOWNS. OH NO! The thought of clowns officially marked the beginning of my feeling of anxiety - and the beginning of my RUN to make it to my car before any eye contact from the "folk." Circus folk are weird, and clowns are scary - it was a double whammy. I'm scared of clowns, get off my back :)

He is Risen

HAPPY EASTER...and, am I the only one in the world that is concerned the church uses incorrect english every Easter?

I got a card from my mother in the mail yesterday. It had the usual easter card sayings. On one side the card read "Love on easter and always." Underneath the typed saying my mother wrote, wait for it..."Have a good life!" HA...can you feel the love?

Another holiday alone...In the last few years I have made many decisions to further myself professionally. I have moved across the country and halfway back in just over a year, I have moved away from family, moved away from friends, love and enemies to places where I knew NO ONE...Only to make new friends, lovers and enemies. I feel like because of those decisions I am missing out. Missing out on what? I'm not sure. I suppose missing out on seeing my family, missing out on foundations of relationships that were never fully built, missing out on not being the eternal student :) I can't say that I didn't and don't love being in Denver and now Cape Girardeau, cause I did and do:) Isn't that grass always greener on the other side...or something like that? I always seem to reflect on the decisions I have made on days typically spent with loved ones. This makes me think of a quote from Wedding Crashers that Christopher Walked says to Rachel McAdams. "We have no way of knowing what lies ahead for us in the future. We can only use the information at hand to make the best decisions possible." I may not believe in organized faith, but I have FAITH and I believe that I have made the best educated decisions for me!

Also, here is picture of me and my friend Carolyn for Louisville last week!!!! Thought it would go along with the "new friends" portion of the post.

Next weekend, Andi Malicks birthday!

WASP-O-RAMA 2006 has begun

Yes folks it is true. I woke up this morning and heard the buzzing behind the blinds. Then I felt the overwhelming sensation of both fear and anger that I have not felt since last September. Where in the hell are these F-ers coming from? What is the first thing that I did? Oh that's right I called my sister. There I am scared out of my mind hiding under my comforter with a 25 foot range wasp spray in my hand talking to my sister in Pittsburgh. No seriously what was she going to do? I never can decide which scares me least: killing the wasp by hand, or using the spray to kill it and one day get lung cancer because the shit is so potent. Yes...I have thought about those pesky little bastards in depth. I have a fear, get off my back. Needless to say, I was late to work and no one believed me when I said it was because there was a HUGE wasp in my apartment. Damn those White Anglo-Saxon Protestants.

I've decided to added an old picture of one so you can feel my fear too - I would have taken a new one with my digital camera...but lemme mention this again - it got stolen. Yes, I am bitter.

Ok...back to work :)

Yes I am alive...

I have had a few comments from people that I dont update this enough, and those TWO people would be right. It just hard you know? When someone works full time, goes to graduate school full time, and then lives life full time...it's hard to recount it for the people who are not with you full time. It's funny though I always manage to read my sisters posts. And, if a mother of FOUR wonderful children can find time to entertain me...why can't I find time to update my blog. That is why I am making a vow to update this at least once a week. I have a bad habit in that when things in my life are getting busy - I do nothing. So, for a while there my life was getting off track professionally, personally, and academically. After some wise words from the platonic love of my life Matt Ruckman, I think I am back in the game.

So here is a little update of what I have been up to:

February: In February I traveled to Austin, Texas for the Region IV Student Lead On Conference. This one was an interesting one. The region is comprised of Missouri, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas...and maybe some other state. I'm not sure. But the point is...according to TEXAS, they are the only ones that matter:) I got to see a great friend from Ohio University - Stephanie. She now works at Texas State. As always I had a great time with Stephanie and I got to meet a lot of new great people. Austin, Texas is a great town. And...and we found Stephanies keys :) Yeah she dropped them behind some permant bleachers. We had to wait until the whole bar cleared out so the worker could use a drill and unscrew them and get those little bastards. :)

March: March of course was Spring Break. I think it is fantastic that I am 25 years old and I still get to experience a week in the sun. I went to Pensacola, Florida to visit some friends that work at University of West Florida. It was interesting to see that some of the damage from hurricane Ivan still had not been restored. I cant imagine how long it is going to take to get New Orleans back to its original state. I had fun giving Ruckman excuses to not go to work and to hang out and drink with me. I know he hated me by the end of the week...but I also hated his snoring by the end of the week ;) His classic quote is "If you hear me snoring, then you havent drank enough" HA...For a weekend I went to Gainesville for the Swamp Shootout. I got to see Kristin Hace and also some Gator wins in March Madness. I have great pictures from Spring Break...however my camera got stolen. The Man Eating Clam will forever live on in my memory only.

April: I have just returned from the NIRSA National Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. I had a great time drinking and networking with other recreational sports professionals. I think I attended a few sessions too...I am on a search committee for a job that is posted at Southeast, so it was good to meet with some of the candidates and get a feel for who they are before we bring them on campus. One of the nights a tornado touched down in Louisville. Interesting seeing how when this happened I was eating at Hard Rock Cafe. They evacuated the whole restaurant into the basement. Yes that is right, through the kitchen, past the service elevator into a very cramped basement hallway. No, they did not comp anything but, they remade our food that got cold.

Update on what is coming up in the next few months:
April 22 - Memphis for Jen Landers bachelorette party and Andi Malicks birthday
First weekend in May - Memphis in May...live bands
Second weekend in May - Kim James will be here :)
Third weekend in May - Jen Landers wedding
Fourth weekend in May - Hopefully a trip to the dirty ATH
June - Trip to Detroit to see the fam
August - moving out of the ghetto to a nicer house in a bigger part of the ghetto

So, THERE. I hope those two people got their fix of my life as it is right now.

"Moving at the speed of life, we are bound to collide with each other." Just a line from the movie CRASH that I love ;)

2006 Student Lead On and...

So I just got back from a 12 hour van ride from beautiful Mount Pleasant Michigan. It was neither a mount nor very pleasant...but we did have fun, and I learned a new idea to motivate my un-motivatable staff. Is being good a barrier to being great? I'll give you some time to ponder that thought...

As per usual the time spent with all my NIRSA friends was spent getting beligerant and being the elitist pigs that we are ;) On Thursday night we went to BWW and met up with the OU crowd. I miss them ;) We continued on to the casino where I proceeded to lose 50 dollars playing black jack and I also had to pay for drinks...yea not cool. Perhaps I would have won some money if I managed to stay sober. Dale got into town as we were ariving back to the hotel. So I stayed up with him and Merrill until 6 am drinking Jonesy's (crown and ginger). Oh wait...what was not so good about that? The conference starting at 9am. I passed out in Dale's room only to wake up at 830 am. I did the wonderful walk of shame (only I did not hook up) back to my hotel room, but it disappeared. No seriously...i couldnt find it. The first two people i see when i walk in the hotel front doors are my two bosses. Did I mention I was wearing the same outfit that they left me in 10 hours earlier. PERFECT!

Friday night started off actually slow. But by 2 am I was in the same boat as I was the first night. After trying to drink in Merrill and Dale's room, I ended up in my own bed waking up at 8 am with popcorn all around me. Classic...

On the ride home, we stopped at Cracker Barrell for some dinner. I got taunted becuase I had never been to one. Sorry fellas...I am a yankee. There is nothing like taking 4 tylenol PM's and passing out the whole 12 hours home.

We have registered for another round of Shape Up Southeast. We will see if we win again. This time our team name is Lotsa Donkey. Donkey...ass...get it?

My family has safely returned home from Disney World. I dont wanna say anything, but I think you know I;m upset. I wish I could have been there, but I had to train IM officials...my life rocks. I guess my wonderful neice Trisha asked my mother, "is aunt kristin ever going to get married?" Okay seriously...GET OFF ME! Ha...