confession

i'm going to admit something right here, right now. i am totally one of those people who thinks her hometown is way better than yours. actually, i think my home state is better than the one i live in now. 

quick aside--i LOVE living in indianapolis. it's a great blend of city and country. people are genuine, real, and just plain nice. this has been a wonderful experience, and i might even stick around here after i graduate. unless something better (like a husband or dream job) comes along. so, what i'm about to say is out of love. 

anyway, here's why michigan is better: 

1.weather isn't classified as "breaking news" unless they get over a foot of snow 

2.when they do get snow, they have the equipment and manpower to take care of it

3.there are winter-related activities in which to participate during the inevitable winter weather

4,people in general know how to drive in snow and are thus well-equipped to live their normal lives 

5.i can point to my home on my hand. out-of-staters LOVE that. i mean, they really get a kick out of it. "where are you from?" they ask. and i whip out my trusty HAND to show them. to their awe and admiration. i've made at least 2 friends this way. 

6. seriously.

all that to say, we have a snow day today! in grad school. was not expecting that. however, it's almost 11 and i'm getting a little stir crazy. so the plan is to finish reading for one of my classes, catch an episode of "what not to wear" while i run on the treadmill (gotta look good), and then camp out at panera or borders for most of the afternoon. this is, as my mom would say, an introvert's holiday.  i'm not really an introvert, but will make the most of it anyway. 

a hearty "stay warm" to my indy friends, and "hope to see you soon" to those elsewhere. have a great day wherever this finds you!!

you hoosiers and your snow...

snow team 13 had the limelight on the 5 o'clock news tonight...there's 2.5 inches of snow. most commonly used adjective: "treacherous!" 

anyway, my two favorites quotes.... 

"if you have to go somewhere...don't!"

"there have been lots of accidents and many traffics" 

on being a good friend and neighbor

my parents like to refer to my "record" /slash/ "run-ins" with the law. before i go any further, i should qualify this. most of said run-ins were just minor traffic violations. i've been pulled over several times (three times in the same quarter-mile stretch of demorrow road)--but i've never been ticketed; merely warned and cited for not carrying a certificate of insurance. (THAT's another story) i have a tried-and-true system for dodging tickets--another day, another time--which is no longer being put to use. i am a reformed speeder. 

ANYWAY, i did get the police called on me once in high school--for loitering in cognito outside a liquor store. i was wearing an egyptian wig. i also once topped off an evening (of dancing to baby got back in the high school parking lot) with driving on the sidewalk behind the stadium. 

i was, in a word, a rebel. (kathy, please confirm)

back to my point--the other night i had to call the police on my upstairs neighbors. there is constant yelling, and recently thumping sounds that last for 15 or 20 minutes at a time. slamming doors, stomping down the hall, etc. anyway, the two people that i've seen coming and going both look pretty able to fend for themselves, so my call to the police was motivated just as much by my own desire to live in peace as it was to protect anyone from any bodily harm or abuse. i don't know what happened as a result of the call, but i was very impressed with the police dept--they took me seriously and transferred me to 911. the dispatcher was really nice, too. i think we could be friends. 

speaking of friends, i think it's rude when people defriend you on facebook. 

there. i said it.

first off, i'd like to thank

Wow, what a warm reception this little project has gotten. I'd like to thank the 2 or 3 of you that have bookmarked this page. It's an honor and a privilege. my dad told me he's copyrighted his own image so i either need to take that picture below off this site, or i'm going to be hearing from his lawyer(s). what i love about my dad is that he didn't let us win monopoly when we were kids. so this is no threat. the man means what he says.

i've emerged relatively unscathed from another saturday class. to be honest, they're not that bad. it's from 9-3, and sure by 2pm we're all ready to go. but the first 4 and a half or 5 hours aren't that bad. and after today's class i'm thinking of changing directions entirely and looking into working in career development at a college or university. all along i'd considered working in a college counseling center, but i'm wondering if i'm more cut out for career counseling or undergrad career development. those in my class today may call me crazy, but it is what it is. i think i identify with the whole concept because the issues i'd address as a career counselor are the very issues i wrestle with --daily--in my own mind. who i am, what i'm doing, and how i'm making a difference in my (tiny) sphere of influence are constantly on my mind. some people go into counseling to help others who were addicts, who have survived abuse, who have lost loved ones. i've never experienced these things, so i wonder how effective i'd be in "wading in the river" with those who have. BUT i have struggled with my own identity and choices pertaining to my future. in fact, i'm still living right there. The thought of helping others see who they are --figuring out what they value, who they they are or want to be, and how they can live consistent to those things excites me. the thought of sitting alone in a room with someone who needs to work through abuse issues terrifies me.

anyway, stay tuned on THAT. college counseling has always been plan B... that may change.



i went running --in shorts--yesterday. therefore, it's almost spring. and that's good news.

on a final note, my mom told me a really cute story the other day. there's a little boy at her school who's having a hard time learning to count. he's in kindergarten, and, even up until christmas break, they couldn't get him to count. anyway, he came back from christmas, and his teacher asked him to count to 5. and he did! so, she asked him to count to 10. and he did! so she encouraged him and asked him "what comes after ten?" his response?...."ready or not, here i come"

how precious is that?

(having a) blast

my friend beth and i have a longstanding addiction to twizzlers twerpz. you know what i mean...those tangy-filled chewy drops of sickeningly sweetandsour goodness, and the pinks are better than oranges. right? 

well, i have sad news my friends. sad news. no more. twerpz have left the building. they have checked out. they are no longer. sad day. 

anyway, i think part of the reason i loved them so much is that they were a vital part of my friendship with beth. i'm talking, for years, she and i would eat them til our mouths got those sores on them. there were occasions (plural) where we'd get done with whatever we were doing, look at each other, and just know, no words exchanged, that the next thing on the agenda was go to walgreens and get twerpz. 

it was a spiritual experience. 

so there's not tons to do in st joe when you're bored. in the winter anyway. so beth and i spent a considerable amount of time at walgreens. first of all, there's no lack of abundance of junk to waste your money on there. and it's all piled up above the shelves for you to see 

...(one word, two syllables: precarious)...

i mean that place is a treasure trove. give me a few extra dollars of disposable income and i will give you... saint joseph michigan souvenir t-shirts, animal/patriotic themed ceramic figurines (think... eagle, draped in an american flag, nested inside a dream catcher. add a little camo in the ensemble, and you get the drift), seasonal costumes for your pet OR YOUR CAR, phone cards (the wave of the future), celine dion perfume. give them a few months and i'm sure you can get your hands on a snuggie. 

seriously, i actually love walgreens. because in additon to the junk (which, let us not forgot, SOMEONE is actually buying) you can get anything you need there. 

if it's not there, you really don't need it...

 save, one. major. thing.

blast.

in other news, i had a jam-packed day and am heading to bed with a grateful heart. went to breakfast and hinkle with grandpa, workclassstudymeeting, and then had dinner with two new quality friends. i am amazed by god's grace in providing for me in my transition to this community and new way of life (read: haven't seen a paycheck since july). oh happy day. 

they were right. this was easy.

hello, ones i love. 

and welcome. 

most of you know that i have a thing about lists and new years resolutions. i love them. can't help it. it's who i am. i actually make lists of things that i've already done, just so i can turn around and cross them off. it's totally frivolous, rather proud, and utterly fulfilling. and a little- bit ocd. 

so i made a list of new years resolutions. i've always wanted to keep some sort of journal, but in the past, i've given up on it by about january 3rd. so this year i am re-attempting. this time online. check. 

(i might be the only person who ever reads this, which is totally fine. but seriously this was so easy to start. i didn't even have to go to target to get a cute leather-bound book of blank pages. and this was free. you do the math. win-win-win.)

anyway, this is like a whole new world for me. welcome to the 21st century, libby. and in all seriousness, i've been learning lots about myself over the last few months, and i'm excited to kind of process it in your presence. i've also committed to reading more books this year so hopefully i'll have something intelligent to write about. and if not, i'll just regurgitate what i've learned on my daily installment of jeopardy! (uzbekistan is the "stan" that touches the most other "stans.")

speaking of game shows, next time i'm in new york city i'm going to try out for who wants to be a millionaire. and i'm taking applications for phone a friends. i'm looking for a team player with a diverse knowledge base, excellent typing skills, and a reliable internet connection. i'm willing to give you a cut of my earnings. the percentage is negotiable, but only valid if i win more than 25,000. gotta pay for the trip there, people. 

make an offer. 

cold feet

literally. my feet are freezing. so this will be short. 

HOWEVER, i just talked to my friend kathy and we, along with her sister and a friend, are going to run the chicago marathon this year. this is actually a huge deal for me, even though i've run several longer-ish races before. after doing my last 25k (see below) i vowed to remember the exact feeling of physical pain (forget the emotional euphoria) and never ever (even under pressure from fun friends) sign up for a marathon. well, kathy's asking me if i wanted to run chicago was far from pressure-filled (it was on instant messenger, for goodness sake). and i still said  yes. without hesitation, i might add. probably because i like the idea of a challenge, and it's still january (see previous post...resolutions, lists, etcetcetc).

anyway, i'm sure i'll have much more to say about this in the coming months. training for a marathon is a like a part-time job. 

meanwhile, i'm running a 5k  (the "cupid fling") on valentines day... a.)so i will have something constructive to do on said holiday and b.)my running buddy likes this event's token t-shirt.

we all have our reasons. 

exhibit a: the finisher's medal (aka, "A for effort")