nerd club

One of the staff members at the middle school talked me into leading "Card Club" as one of the enrichment activities after school.  Everyone at this school comes to me when they need stuff because I am such a sucker and can be talked into anything.  Don't get the wrong impression by thinking that they abuse my time.  I freely volunteer for a lot of things because I love hanging out with kids and I am genuinely up for a new challenge.

So back to Card Club... when they asked me to do it, I thought to myself, "This will be a piece of cake."  I already had plenty card games for therapy purposes.  I imagined that the extent of my efforts would be brushing up on my Uno and Go Fish skills.  Boy, was I ever wrong....

So I quickly learned that the population of students coming to Card Club would not have any interest in the card games I had to offer.  As self proclaimed "Nerds", this group of 7th and 8th boys had expected to play card games that I had no knowledge or skills in.  Ever heard of the card game, Magic?  Well, I hadn't and was in for quite the shock when I learned that this game would be the one we would be playing.

So the students in this club sort of renamed the club to be "Nerd Club"... for obvious reasons.  Magic is a game that to me, seems very similar to Dungeons and Dragons.  The students in this club are mostly avid collectors.  Some bring shoeboxes and extra backpacks full of what looks like at least a thousand cards.   There are so many rules and ways to attack an opponent.  You have monsters and swamps and have to build your own deck.  There are even some illegal cards, though I couldn't identify them to you.  Most of them already know how to play, and are very helpful and willing to teach the new comers.  Many have tried to teach me the complex rules of the game.  Their attempts are in vain.  I have decided that I do not have the IQ to learn the ins and outs of Magic.  This is not disappointing to me, I am completely fine with it.

If you so dare, here is a link to some rules for Magic Card Game:

http://www.wizards.com/magic/rules/en_8e_rulebook.pdf

The most important thing I have gotten out of my experience leading Nerd Club is the fact that I have come to love hanging out with this group of kids.  Never in my life did I think that I would be leading a club that plays "Magic the Gathering".  Next thing you know I will be leading LARP groups around the school.  Not only are these kids smart (that's a give in), but they are kind, and sensitive.  I honestly thought qualities like that didn't exist in 13 and 14 year old boys.  I find myself looking forward to Thursdays when we meet.  I often go to Walmart to buy booster packs for the guys because they get so excited when I have them (for Lincoln fans, you can locate these booster packs on check aisle 18 at the North Walmart).  It makes me feel cool (in a nerdy sort of way).  So my thought for the day is never say never and never just a book (or card deck) by its cover... you just might find a new hobby!

                                                             

     

                       

thankful

This year, just like any other year, I have many things to be thankful for.  I got to go down to Lubbock for an entire week to spend Thanksgiving with my mom, stepdad, and stepsisters.  As the days went by, I really thought about the things that I am thankful for... it's cheesy I know, so just bare with me.

Priscilla's Top 10 Things To Give Thanks


1.  Good Food and Good Cooks
This year I helped my step dad cook some of the food items on our Thanksgiving menu.  Kevin made the stuffing, side dishes, and desserts, while his brother, Todd, smoked all of the meat.  Both gentlemen are talented cooks.  Therefore, due to the efforts of our amazing cooks, I got to stuff my face with delicious eats!

2.  Nana
I am so thankful that I got to see my Nana this past week.  She and I got to spend some time together Christmas shopping and running errands.  She also came to Thanksgiving dinner at my folks' house.  Yeah for all the Nanas out there!

Nana and I on my wedding day

3.  Love
I am been very blessed to be able to love and be loved.  Though Adam stayed in Brasky to be with his family, I felt a tremendous amount of love for him and the marriage that we have.  I also got to feel the presence of love in another person's life.  My stepsister, Jessica, got engaged to her boyfriend of 8 years, Jate.  I am so excited for the both of them and can't wait to see them build a life together.

the blushing bride

4.  Lotion
I always forget how dry Lubbock is until I am in the midst of an itchfest.  Sometimes I have wondered if I scratched so much that only my third layer of skin is left.  Thank goodness my mom had some heavy duty lotion to ease the complete dry out of my skin.  I tip my hat off to Eucerin Skin Therapy!

5.  Chew Strips
You forget how much work a puppy can be.  Sometimes I think they are worse than a bratty child.  Being home for the holidays, I got to stay home with Lulu while my folks would go to work.  Man, it was hard to get anything done.  Thank goodness for chew strips!  That was a good hour or two of obsessive entertainment for this pooch.  Best puppy babysitter ever!

6.  Breaking Headboards
This is the new title that I give to Twilight's fourth cinematic installment, Breaking Dawn.  The film earns this new title from me because in its (and the book's) storyline, Edward and Bella get married and consummate there nuptials on their honeymoon night.  Edward, being a vampire and extremely strong, gets so wrapped up in the moment that he breaks the headboard of their bed.  The film's creators thought it would be a good idea to actually have the actors reinact this moment.  I don't know what kind of reaction they were anticipating from audiences, but they got a good laugh out of me.  I went to see this movie with my friend, Heather, her sisters, and her mom, while in Lubbock.  I expected to have an awkward moment of watching a teenage sex scene with my friend's mom in attendance.  However, because I felt like I was watching 2 hours of the CW, my amusement overrode my embarrassment.

7.  Good times with Old Friends
When I was grocery shopping the day before Thanksgiving, I ran into my old pal, Jason Coggins, and his new wife Ashley at the store.  It was so good to catch up with him and visit with Ashley.  I was so excited to here about their recent wedding in September and their urban, chic life in NYC.  Yeah for running into old friends!

Me and Jason back in the day

8.  Porcelain Dolls and Crochet Poodles
This is the nickname that my friend, Whitney, and I give to Lubbock Junior League's "Holiday Happening."  Holiday Happening takes place every year around Thanksgiving and is basically a bunch of vendors renting out booths and selling clothing, accessories, and anything else you don't need.  It is a smaller scale of Kansas City's "Holiday Mart" (see my post in October).  It is actually a lot classier than the title we gave it.  This year I went with my stepsister, Kayla, and my mom.  We had a lot of fun and got some exercise walking around.

9.  Mafia Queso from Orlando's
Hmm... so good.  I can't not go on a visit to Lubbock without eating at Orlando's and getting mafia queso.  Adam calls it "gansta cheese".  Basically, it is your average chili con queso, only with Italian sausage and you can dip garlic bread or chips into it.  My stomach is growling just writing about it.

10.  Gambling on College Football
I am not much on gambling, except when it comes to college football pools.  I get such a thrill watching the games and rooting on teams that I normally wouldn't think twice about.  Like Mississippi State?  Come on!  Surprisingly enough, I am kind of good at betting on football (if it is something anyone can be good at).  This year, I am in two pools and did well in both of them the week of Thanksgiving.  I even won $35 in one of them for the week!  Woo hoo!

lulu

My dog, Ella, has me spoiled.  I don't mean to brag, but she is the best dog I've ever had.  Being 10 years old, Ella is calm, obedient (most of the time), and a loving, good friend.  It has been a long time since she was a puppy.  I have forgotten how much work they can be.

My parents made the rash decision to purchase a bulldog puppy this summer.  Tallulah Elizabeth Taylor joined the family in June 2011.  With impeccable breeding, "Lulu", is a model bulldog with perfect markings, a "show" tail, an ugly/cute face, and the typical short, stocky build.  However, despite her regal demeanor, she really can be a little shit.

Like I said, I forgot how much work a puppy can be.  Always chewing on something, begging for food, and jumping up on you when you least expect it.  This past week spent in Texas was full of all these things.  While my mom and my stepdad would go to work, I would be in the house with Lulu.  Whether it was the simple act of sitting on the couch or taking a shower, I could not leisurely enjoy my Thanksgiving vacation without some form of Lulu interference.

Though many of my moments spent with Lulu were in sheer frustration, I will have to say that she grows on gal.  I have come to love her with sisterly affection, despite her negative puppy ways.  I, like the rest of the family, am patiently waiting for the day of maturation... sleeping 16 hours a day and not biting your fingers off.  Until that time, I will cherish her as my newly adopted sister.  Please just don't tell me that we look alike...

Lulu in her first week home

Lulu making herself at home in my luggage last week

bffs

I am very fortunate to have some amazing women in my life.  Some of them are related to me like my mom, my aunts, and my grandmother.  My proximity to them makes it easy to recognize the unique qualities that make them amazing.  Other women have entered my life by chance and have become the closest and dearest friends to me.  Two women I have been friends with for a long time are Whitney and Heather. 

I was back home in Lubbock, TX this past week for Thanksgiving and had time to reflect on the things that make Whitney and Heather so special and amazing to me.  I have known both of them for quite some time, meeting Heather in junior high and Whitney in high school.  Heather and I became friends in the 8th grade after spending the entire night talking at Kristin Hill's slumber party.  Whit and I became friends after meeting our Junior year of high school in Mrs. McDaniel's theater class.  As I look back on the times I spent with them during my teens, the memories reflect laughter, tears, joy, love, annoyance, pride, heartache, sorrow, honor, screaming, singing, and Virgiling (inside joke).  Looking back, I wouldn't change anything about my experiences with these lovely ladies.  I have been fortunate enough to maintain these relationships with both of them.  As time has past, all of us have changed and matured.  However, the consistency of our friendships has remained intact and I feel closer to them than I everhave, despite the fact that we now live many miles from each other.

During the precious years of growing up, I really struggled (and still am to an extend) to find my spiritual path.  My mother always tells me that even though I haven't quite found my way, I have found others who are secure in their faith and spirituality and they have guided me towards higher understanding and spiritual enlightenment.  Whitney and Heather have done this for me.   Both women have the courage to put their faith into a higher power and meaning that doesn't always make sense or have logic.  Both of them have been ridiculed and challenged in their beliefs and yet they still hold on to them so strongly.  These aspects of their character I am most drawn to, their faith, courage, and most important quality (in my opinion) grace.  I am so thankful that the universe has sent these amazing women my way to support and nurture me as I find my own spiritual path.  I love them with all my heart and only hope that I can provide a shred of the inspiration to them that they have provided to me.

Whitney, Me, and Heather

my favorite reads

For those who know me pretty well, they would deem it very appropriate that I work in a middle and high school.  One of the many reasons that I get along so well with this population of kids is the fact that I love to read young-adult books.  Unlike regular people books, or just your average novel, young adult/teen authors usually write their books in series.  Yes, that's right, I have read all of the Harry Potter, Twilight, and Hunger Games Series.... more than once because I love the experience of reading all them so much.  I've read about vampires, werewolves, witches, wizards, zombies, "Utopian" societies, magicians, time travelers, fairies, and the Apocalypse through the imaginations of many talented writers.  As you can see, I like fantasies and asking the question "what if?"

If you're not into this kind of stuff, you might want to quit reading my blog post now.  I won't take offense to it, I know how nerdy it is to have such an interest.  I have listed below my top favorite young adult books (in order of most favorite) and series and why I enjoy reading them so much.  Warning:  this is kind of a long post, so you might want to skim.

Priscilla's Top Young-Adult Series

1.  "Harry Potter Series" by J.K. Rowling
I know, it's so cliche.  I can't help it, I love the story of Harry and his friends.  Though the final, and seventh book has a happy ending, this series does not fail to acknowledge the suffering individuals go through, especially during a war... even if they are wizard-folk.  I feel like I have grown up with this series, if you count being in high school when the first one was published.  I really feel like Ms. Rowling did an excellent job of adapting each book to Harry's current age (each book spans a consecutive year and begins on Harry's birthday).  These books are each an excellent read for varying reasons.  However, you can expect humor, adventure, and a little bit of sadness in every one.  It's nerdy, I know.  In fact, my husband calls it Nerdy Potter.  You don't have to tell anyone that you read them :)

2.  "Hunger Games Series" by Suzanne Collins
Most of you are probably saying "Duh" right now.  This series consists of three books.  I really can't say more than that.  These books are awesome. They speak for themselves.  These books are about a post-Apocalyptic United States that is divided into 12 districts.  Each year, two kids (one boy and one girl) from each district's names are drawn to compete in a death match on live television.  These books not only question morality, but take a closer look into the laws of a society and more importantly, humanity itself.  These books are not for the weak-hearted.  However, if you have the courage to read them, I promise you won't be sorry.  I read all three books in one weekend.

3.  "The Mortal Instruments Series" by Cassandra Clare
This series was originally composed of three books: City of Ashes, City of Bones, and City of Glass.  However, the author decided to extend this series by adding three more books.  This series encompasses a nerd like me biggest dreams.  Vampires, werewolves, and demon slayers.  The stories follow Clary, a young girl born into a race of half angel/half human citizens.  However, Clary is brought up as a "mortal" unaware of her heritage and in hiding from her lunatic, ultimate villain father.  Clary meets a group of demon hunters, or "Shadowhunters", and each book follows their adventures.  There is also a love triangle, which a hopeless romantic like myself can't resist.  Ms. Clare has also come out with a companion series, "The Infernal Devices", which serves as a prequel to "The Mortal Instruments".  This series is equally entertaining and the second book is being released on Dec. 6. Like I said before, this is a nerd's biggest dream to read these books.

4.  "The Matched Series" by Ally Condie
This series which will be a trilogy, questions whether a society is truly Utopian.  It takes place in the future in a setting that you assume is the United States.  The stories follow a young woman, Cassia, and what it is like for her to live in a society that controls everything that she does.  Every citizen is monitored by a government that determines everything in one's life.  Cassia doesn't even get to choose what she eats, how she exercises, and even who she will marry (or be "matched" with).  These stories follow her as she questions whether life is really all that good when you don't have a choice, especially who you love.  The second book, Crossed, just came out and I couldn't put it down.  I can't wait for the final and third book.

5.  "The Peaches Series" by Jodi Lynn Anderson
This is kind of like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, only I think that this series is much better.  Set on a Georgia peach farm, this is the coming of age story of three girls and how their lives shift dramatically after going to work on the farm and meeting each other.  There are three books in this series, Peaches, The Secrets of Peaches, and Love and Peaches.  All the books involve love, heartache, and most importantly, personal empowerment.  Sorry guys, this is probably not the type of literature that you would prefer to read.  Then again, guys are probably not really reading my blog anyway...

6.  "The Maze Runner Series" by James Dashner
Now for the two guys that are reading this blog post, my step dad and father-in-law, you might enjoy this series as much as I did.  The three books that make up this series take place in the future, in what once was the United States.  The first book opens with the character Thomas, who awakens in an elevator shaft with no memory, no idea of where he is or who he once was.  The elevator takes him to a village of young men like himself whose memories have also been erased.  The village is surrounded by walls that lead into a maze.  At night the walls close to protect the guys from robotic killing mechanisms that patrol the maze at night.  So, during the day, a group of the guys must run through the maze to find a way out.  Throughout the stories, Thomas comes to find out that he and the other guys are part of an experiment and they are being observed through all of their trials (like lab rats).  You also learn as the reader that the United States has been nearly been annihilated by a virus strain that attacks the mind and turns you into a sort of zombie.  Thomas and the other "subjects" are in the experiment to find a cure for the virus.  These books are thrilling and exciting the whole way through.  I highly recommend them for guys and girls.

Back to Reality...


So I included a few more books for you that are not in a series and you may find that they actually have a legitimate message that they send to the reader.  Not that the other books don't send a message, it's just that these books fall into a more serious category, but are equally as entertaining to me.

1.  Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Okay, yeah this book is a fantasy, but it is really good.  It follows the character, Katsa, who is a Graceling or one born with an incredible, beyond human ability.  Some Gracelings can read minds or knit really well.  For Katsa, it is the ability to kill anything and anyone in anyway possible.  At 8 years old, Katsa discovered her ability when she accidentally killed a man with her own bare hands.  Pretty intense character trait if you tell me.  Her whole life, Katsa has lot of herself as a monster, as someone who can't be trusted.  She can't even trust herself because of her abilities.  This book follows the story of her self discovery and acceptance.  She through her trials and the rescuing of a young child she realizes how her abilities are really a positive thing.  That's right, killing people can be positive.  This author has also written a companion novel, Fire, which is equally as good.

2.  Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
This book follows the freshman year of Melinda, a girl who is publicly ostracized by all of her friends and peers after calling the cops at a party before school starts.  Melinda has lost her ability to speak out and advocate for herself and you really get a good glimpse into what it is like to be a depressed teenager.  As you read the book, you learn that there is more to Melinda's story and what really happened the night of the party.  She didn't call the cops to narc on her friends.  In fact, Melinda experiences a traumatic event that night and you discover how she learns to cope with it through art.  I highly recommend this book, especially if you are an educator who works with young adults.

3.  It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

You probably heard about this story because the movie was released a few years ago.  Again, this story gives you a glimpse inside of teenage depression and the pressure that our society builds on young adults today.  It's like Girl Interrupted meets One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, but a couple of years younger.  The movie and the book are both very good.  If you don't have time to read the book, watch the movie... it helps that it has a really good soundtrack.

4.  Dear Bully by Various Authors

Again, if you are an educator, you should read this book.  It is written by several young-adult authors as they tell their experiences with bullying when they were younger.  I like that this book takes on different perspectives of bullying.  Some authors are the bullies themselves, while others share their experiences as victims and some as bystanders.  A good, educational read in my opinion.

learning to let go

Yesterday I was supposed to run in a race called "Beer and Bagels".  My sister-in-law, Gretchen, and I were going to participate in it because it sounded like a lot of fun and it was only four miles long.  This sounded like a good idea when I signed up a couple of weeks ago...

Since running in the Kansas City Half Marathon, my body has been gradually telling me that running is no fun right now.  My legs cramp up, my mind wanders, and I lose motivation.  It has happened before... I like to call it burnout.  In previous years, I would switch to another mode of exercise for a few months and give my body time to recoup.  When I signed up for "Beer and Bagels", I was definitely feeling burnout, but I thought I could push through.  It was only four miles after all....

I got an email about the race on Friday and to my surprise, learned that this wasn't your average four mile race.  It was an "off road" race that involved running through trees, brush, and even through creeks.  There were also going to be some obstacles and minor ropes activities involved.  I ran in a race similar to this with my friend Heather back in April.  Races like these are not ones that you want to do "halfway".  After reading my Friday email, I knew that I was doomed.

I made the difficult decision on Friday evening to not participate in the race.  I berated myself for this decision because I am not one to give up on things.  I am a pusher.  I push myself to do things, and do them well, even if I hate the process completely.  So you can imagine how I felt when I had to tell Gretchen that I was not running this weekend.  I felt like I had failed her and myself.

Being a pusher has it's good aspects and bad.  It works really well for me in situations where I have to finish something otherwise the consequences are not going to be good (i.e., work, school, taxes, etc.).  However, this characteristic can negatively affect me in my everyday activities.  This is often a burden for me when it comes to excercise and eating well.  Like many women in our society today, I don't have the best body image.  Often, if I fail to workout one day or eat some Cheetos at lunch, I am berating myself for not making wise, healthy choices.

Over the years, I have gotten better about letting all that go.  I am not at 100% yet, and sometimes I slip.  Yesterday was a real challenge for me in letting go of my negative self talk about skipping out on the race.  What I later learned was that my body was trying to tell me it was tired and sore.  This race would not be beneficial to me, but detrimental. 

Adam talked to his sister after the race and she told him that it was intense.  Crowded with lots of obstacles, Gretchen ended up turning her ankle (she is okay).  She commented that she had fun and would do it again, but after hearing about her experience, I knew I had made the right choice. 

Yesterday was a lesson for me to listen to my body.  When it tells me no, it means it!  It is often hard to imagine that no action at all can be much much better than any action taken.  I realized yesterday that sometimes when I push, I created a great deal of resistance.  This makes the work so much harder than it needs to be.  So, my message to you is to let go and let nature run its course.  In other words, let go and let God.  I give you full permission to slack off today, it did me a great deal of good yesterday!  Enjoy and take care of yourself!

wheels of life

Last month, I began the first of twelve monthly training sessions to reach my 200 hours towards yoga teacher certification.  The two day experience was amazing!  I not only gained a tremendous amount of knowledge, but I was given unique opportunities to meet and connect with all of the members of my cohort.  I quickly found myself to be so excited to be apart of this year-long journey with all the brilliant STFs (student-teacher-friends).

Our main area of focus on the two days of the training was the chakra system.  For those of you unfamiliar with this concept, a chakra is a major energy center that exists in our bodies.  We focused on the seven major chakras that run along our spine and we explored how they are interconnected with each other.  Each chakra plays a vital role in our physical, mental, and spiritual health.  Likewise, chakras can become unbalanced which can result in deficiencies or too much of something in our daily lives.  In preparation for this training session, we were asked to read "Wheels of Life" by Anodea Judith.  She explains each chakra beautifully.

As I mentioned before, each chakra plays an important part in our development, coping strategies, and how we live our lives.  Furthermore, each chakra functions in conjunction with the other chakras.  They are an integrated system.  In other words, one unbalanced chakra can create an imbalance in one or more other chakras.  Here are brief descriptions of each chakra and how they function in our bodies.

Muladhara Chakra - root center of physical experience, located at the base of the spine, represents Earth, represented in the color red, governs our basic needs, survival, and stability, the fight or flight system, when balanced a person is grounded, stable, and has trust in self and some others, excessive imbalance can be seen by hoarding, greed, and/or sluggishness, a deficient imbalance can been seen with restlessness, fear, and ungroundedness

Svadhisthana Chakra - positioned between the pubic bone and the navel, represents water and fluidity, its color is orange, influences the reproductive organs, aspects are procreation, family, creativity, and fantasy, when balanced a person can be creative, secure, and have healthy expression, an excessiveness can be addition and emotional instability, a deficiency can be frigidity, rigidity, numbness, and/or feelings of guilt

Manipura Chakra - positioned in the navel region or solar plexus, color is yellow represents fire, influences our will and our power to act, associated with the pancreas, when balanced a person can be self assure and vital, an excessiveness can be aggression, dominance, and hyperactivity, a deficiency can be passiveness, sluggishness, and shame

Anahata Chakra - positioned in the heart region, color is green, represents air, influences our ability to love and be loved,  when balanced a person can be compassionate and balanced, an excessiveness can be lack of boundaries and jealousy, a deficiency can be isolation, loneliness, and sorrow

Vishuddha Chakra - positioned in the throat, color is blue, represents ether, influences our to speak and express ourselves,  when balanced a person can clear speech and communicates well, an excessiveness can be lying, too much speech, a deficiency can be seen as lack or speech, fear when speaking, and poor rhythm

Ajna Chakra - positioned between the eyebrows, is the "third eye" or conscience,  color is indigo, represents light, influences our intuition, clarity, and understanding,  when balanced a person has wisdom an excessiveness can have headaches, delusions, lack of concentration, a deficiency can be seen as poor vision, lack of memory, and denial

Sahasrara Chakra - positioned at the crown of the head,  color is violet to white, represents thought, influences our awareness, knowing, and spirituality,  when balanced a person has spiritual connection, excessiveness can be dissociation, confusion, and spiritual bipass, a deficiency can be seen as skepticism, apathy, and materialism

Our instructor gave each of us an "om"work assignment.  We had to write our very own chakra story.  In other words, we had to write about whether each of our chakras are or have been balanced or not and how they got that way.  This assignment was very personal and emotional for me to write.  I have contemplated whether I could blog about it or not (which is why it has taken me a month to create this blog post).  In addition, we had to create a playlist with seven songs, each representing a chakra.  The playlist came easily to me.  Talking about my story was another thing.

Muladhara Chakra - At first this chakra was imbalanced for me, but over time I have been able to find some stability in my life.  Growing up with an alcoholic father, I learned from an early age to not trust anyone and brace myself for the "worst case scenario".

1. American Pie by Don McLean - This song is nostalgic for me and relates to my upbringing because it is about the day Buddy Holly died.  The song lyrics include "the day the music died" which is how I felt when my father died.

Svadhisthana & Manipura Chakras - Basically to sum both of these up, I developed intense insecurities as a result of the emotional neglect from my father.  I had difficulty in romantic relationships, never trusting the other person or myself.  My creativity and will were blocked due to my intense insecurities. All and all, I felt ugly and unloveable.  These feelings resulted in anxiety and depression for me.

2.  Run (I'm a Natural Disaster) by Gnarls Barkley - the lyrics and fast beat of this song represent my anxiety

3.  Swimming in the Flood by Passion Pit - the hopeless lyrics and dissonance of the music represent my depression

Anahata Chakra - This became balanced when my husband, Adam, entered my life.  He has told me everyday since we started our relationship that I am beautiful.  At first I didn't believe him, but he taught me to love and respect myself, something I had never done before.  For the first time in my life, I felt beautiful and worthy of being loved.

4.  Bonita Applebum by A Tribe Called Quest - I chose this song for this chakra because it is one of Adam's favorites.  Listening to the lyrics, I learned it is about a guy who is into a curvy girl who he thinks is beautiful.  She is skeptical about him, but he tries to convince her that they would be a good fit because it just feels right.

Vishuddha Chakra - This chakra really became balanced for me after a UT professor had the confidence in me to publish my master's report in grad school.  He taught me to believe that I was a good writer.  I learned that I had something to say and I said it well after so many years believing differently about myself.

5.  I'm Coming Out by Diana Ross - this song really speaks for itself

Ajna Chakra - I feel that I reached a balance with this chakra while in graduate school.  I felt that I had learned so much about myself during this time and was finally able to find peace in my experiences with my dad.

6.  Comes a Time by Neil Young - I was listening to a lot of Neil Young in grad school.  This song depicts the knowledge of that time period and also a sense of peace and acceptance for me.

Sahasrara Chakra - This will always be a work in progress for me, but I do feel a strong connection to those who have passed on from this life (i.e., my dad and Granny).  This life force of loved ones' spirits is always with me through the joys and hardships of my life.

7.  Unforgettable by Nat "King" Cole - Granny's favorite song.  The ultimate spirituality for me.

Some books and websites that were helpful to me while learning about the chakras are:

"Wheels of Life" by Anodea Judith, Ph.D.
"Chakras: Energy Centers of Transformation" by Harish Johari

http://www.iloveulove.com/spirituality/hindu/chakratantra.htm

hmm hmm good

As the weather begins to cool down, I begin to crave fatty foods.  Comfort food is a much better way of thinking about it.  Hmm.... soups, chilli, and carbs.  What more could a Nebraska girl want?  Well, I guess I am a Nebraska girl by way of Texas, so you can add queso to that list. 

One of the students I work with mentioned to me that she had had some chicken and dumplings the other day.  Man, that got my mouth watering.  After meeting with the student, I texted my stepdad, Kevin, asking for his recipe.... he makes the best chicken and dumplings.  I made them last night to Adam's and my delight.  It is a bit of a process, but if you have the patience and the appetite, this meal will treat you right.  I usually use Kevin's guidelines and then kind of wing it the rest of the time.  Because of that, measurements and amounts are not exact.  Here is the recipe for your enjoyment.

Kevin's Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

a whole chicken OR 2 boneless breasts and 6 thighs
approx. 7 large carrots
sweet onion
1 red, orange, yellow bell peppers
approx. 5 celery stalks
crushed red pepper
salt
black pepper
Bisquick
1-2 cups of milk (depending how many dumplings you want to make)

Boil chicken in water with chopped up onion, 1/2 of the carrots, 1/2 of the bell peppers, 1/2 of the celery, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper.  To boil the chicken, I bring the water to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer.  I then cover it and let the chicken cook for 60-75 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken).

Once the chicken is cooked throughout, I keep the chicken water (which is now a broth), straining out the vegetables.  I then add the other 1/2 of the carrots, bell peppers, and celery to the chicken broth.  After cooling, I take the skin off the chicken and cut it off the bone.  I add the chicken to the broth and vegetables.  Put it back on the burner and bring it to a boil again.

While waiting for the vegetables and chicken to boil, follow the instructions to make biscuits (add milk) on the Bisquick box.  Pack biscuit dough into golf ball size balls.  Add dough to the boiling chicken mixture, cover, and let cook for 5-10 minutes.  After that, it is ready to eat (though you might want to let it cool for a bit).  Enjoy!

all hallows' eve

I love Halloween.  It is one of my favorite times of year.  For one day, you get to live the life of somebody else.  You can be famous, rich, eccentric, or dead and decrepit.  This Halloween I had huge plans to spend the evening with my husband, carving a pumpkin and watching a scary movie....

Well, we didn't even come close that this year.  Halloween took place on a Monday, which is my least favorite day of the week.  I came home tired and cranky.  In addition to my foul mood, the pumpkin that Adam had purchased for us to carve, was already rotting.  I ended the night by falling asleep at 8:30pm while Adam watched Monday Night Football on the couch (his preferable choice of a Monday evening).  Boo.

Oh well.  There are worse things that could have happened that night.  The important thing is that I have had some pretty rockin' Halloweens and have had opportunities to be some really great characters.  Over the years, I have assumed the identities of a pumpkin, a witch, Marilyn Monroe, a boxer, Tinkerbell, a bumble bee, a genie, and Cameron Diaz from "Something About Mary".  Here are a few photos of my documented events.

Pumpkin - 1983

Tinkerbell and Witch - 2003

Glinda the Good Witch with Posh Spice - 2008

I missed out this year, but I'm not worried about it.  It only gives me more time to plan the perfect Halloween next year...

a story in a t-shirt

Sunday is usually a day that I do laundry.  So you can appropriately guess that a couple of days ago I spent the majority of my time washing, drying, and folding.  My husband, Adam, has always been a t-shirt guy. In fact, being that he works at a construction company, t-shirts and Levi's make up 90% of his daily wardrobe.  So I wasn't surprised to be folding what seemed like a hundred of Adam's t-shirts on Sunday.

I don't wear t-shirts that often, except when I am getting my lounge on at home or working out in the gym.  Despite the minimal wear I get out of them, I seem to have an arsenal of tees in my closet.  In addition to not wearing them that often, I only wear a certain few from the stash.  These are the ones that I wear over and over again, until they become rags and I can't wear them anymore due to the indecency of the hole sizes. 

I had many friends in college whose grandmother's had made them quilts out of their favorite t-shirts.  I got to thinking about that yesterday as I was folding, wondering what shirts I would select if I were getting a quilt.  It's funny how a simple tee has a long story behind it.  As I was going through Adam's and my shirts, I began pondering how long we had had each one, where we got it, why we liked it so much, etc.  I became nostalgic with many of my t-shirts, realizing that I had had some of them since childhood and the array of memories tied with that.  I woke up this morning still thinking about those shirts and decided to share some of mine and Adam's favorites with you. 

Heads up...  if you are thinking that I once was a groupie and have an amazing concert tee from that Phish concert in 98, well think again.... I'm not that cool.  However, hopefully you will find some of my shirts funny and maybe a little cool in their own way.

Keep Austin Weird w/Willie Nelson Shirt
It's hard to tell from the picture, but this shirt has a characture of Willie Nelson, standing on an armadillo, and smoking a joint.  This shirt is hilarious and it depicts the carefree yet unique way of life in Austin.  The "Keep Austin Weird" was started by various business owners in efforts for the public to support local businesses.  I bought this shirt at a locally owned store called Tyler's that sits on Guadelupe St. (aka The Drag) which is directly across from UT's campus.  I remember that I bought this shirt the first week of graduate school.  My undergraduate experience at UT had not been the best, partly due to my own decisions to not become involved.  When I got accepted into UT again for my master's degree, I made a promise to myself that I would do everything in my power to make this experience unforgetable (in a good way).  This tee was significant for me because it symbolized my commitment to be apart of a community for the first time.

Southeast Knights Football Shirt
This shirt belonged to Adam in high school and he gave it to me in the early months of our budding relationship.  This tee is one of my favorites because it is huge and soft, but also it represents a big step that AP and I had taken to be together.  This shirt had been a favorite of Adam's for the same reason's I like it.  It was almost painful for him to part with it, but it was something that he wanted to give to me.  I had asked him for a t-shirt of his that I could keep so I could be cliche and "have one of my boyfriend's shirts."  Adam took a risk by giving me this one because he was so closely tied to it.  That was a turning point in our relationship when I realized that he was legit and wasn't going anywhere.  Had he had any doubt that our London romance was going to be doomed, he would have given me a stupid, scratchy shirt he didn't want or he would have not given me one at all.  Now that's love....

New York Ballet Shop
My mom bought me this tee when I was 8 years old on our trip to New York.  Yes, by some luck of the universe it still fits and I wear that shirt to sleep in.  I was an avid ballet dancer, even at the young age of 8, and I remember that I was ecstatic to get this shirt.  One, all my ballet buddies were going to be jealous that I went to a ballet shop in New York.  Two, I was going to be even cooler when I cut the neck out of it (because that was how we did it in those days).  Three, my grandmother (Granny) took me, my cousins, my mom, and my aunt all on that New York trip.  My friends would be so envious that I had a cool grandma to take us on trips like that.  Twenty years later, when I wear this t-shirt, I remember my ballet days and the many times I wore this shirt, leg warmers, and trash bag pants (looking cool no less) at Nutcracker rehearsals.  I also remember the fun times and laughs that my family had on that New York trip...  eating at the restuarant at the top of one of the Twin Towers, going on a 2am limo ride, and haggling over a fake Louis purse on Canal Street.  I will never throw this tee away because of those memories.

BB King's Blues Bar T-Shirt
I got this shirt in Memphis, TN on a family trip with my mom and dad.  I can't remember the year that we went... I was pretty young.  I do remember that we flew into Arkansas and drove all the way to Memphis and then onto Nashville.  We drove through some pretty backwoods country, but the scenery was undeniably beautiful.  If I would have known about the movie Deliverance then, I would have hummed that banjo tune in my head the whole way there.  Though I never would have admitted to it at the time, I had so much fun sitting in the front seat (I got really carsick in the back) with my dad listening to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Magic Johnson T-Shirt
This is another tee bestowed on me by Adam.  However, unlike the Knights shirt, Adam only gave this one to me because it was his as a young kid and it is a bit snug on him as a middle aged man Also, he doesn't pull off the pop-punk look off very well.  Anyway, at the time of receival, I had strick orders to take care of this shirt because it is a classic.  Adam has loved the Lakers ever since he can remember and his favorite player was Magic.  Anytime I have this on he tells me I am wearing a legacy.

Ice Cube T-Shirt

I included this shirt because I find it hilarious.  This is really Adam's shirt, I might only wear it if you payed me.  This shirt is a relec of his disturbed teen years living in the Midwest.  Every once in a while AP will come down this stairs wearing this item and I have to chuckle to myself.  First of all, its got the arms cut out like he's about to go lift something heavy.  Secondly, it represents the legendary rap icon, Ice Cube.  Finally, I love when he wears this shirt because I get to ask him, "Are we there yet?"

santa on crack

This weekend, my good friend Tanya Spratt and I ventured down to Kansas City (my second weekend spent in the wonderful city) to shop and enjoy the Junior League of Kansas City's Holiday Mart.  To describe Holiday Mart, I have to refer to this blog's title, "Santa on Crack."  Yep, that's right.  Holiday Mart is compiled of over 200 vendors selling clothes, accessories, food, and you got it, Christmas decor.  The "Mart" was held at Kansas City's convention center downtown in one of the humongous exhibit halls.  As one walks in, she (and the sparse he who is either shamed into it or trying to rack up points with his lady) is confronted with an abundance of color, crowds, useless crap, and Christmas music.  I got so overwhelmed with the sensory overload that I physically became dizzy.  I had to sit down on a catwalk for the Dillard's Holiday Style Show.... oh my Lord.

This was my second year to go to Holiday Mart.  Tanya and I made a tradition of it last year when we went with her mom and a friend.  We had so much fun that we decided to come again this year and most likely will make the trip down next year.  The experience is really not about the shopping, even though we never have a problem with that...  Tanya and I just have so much fun together laughing and most often being inappropriate that we keep find ourselves in the mix of this holiday craziness.  http://www.jlkc.org/?nd=photos

So this trip, I learned some valuable lessons that I will most likely revisit if we make the trip down next year.  Here is what I concluded from our trip:

1.  Eating Chick-fil-A in St. Joseph, MO is better than any fancy meal in Kansas City.
2.  I do not like sleeping on Sleep Number beds in hotels.
3.  I become a major beast when I am hungry.
4.  Don't underestimate the sheer pain a stroller can cause when rammed into one's shins and knees in a large crowd.
5.  If you think that the Cajun, Garlic, or Fiesta dip mix you bought last year are going go great with all the parties you have, well think again.  You suddenly remember as you are lured in by the same cute old man at that booth this year that those mixes are still in your pantry.

6.  The coolest thing you could buy for yourself is really a t-shirt that says, "On my way to Skanky Town.  Wanna Go?"

7.  And finally, you can take the girl out of Austin, but you can't take Austin out of the girl.  In other words, I spent the majority of my time (and funds) at this cool girl from Austin's booth.  She made unique jewelry out of hammered metal and various leathers and hides.  I love the cuff I bought from her.  You can find her pieces at http://www.leighelena.com/

chasing pavement

This Saturday, my step-sister, Jessica, and I ran the Kansas City Half Marathon.  It was Jessica's first race and she did phenomenal.  I was so proud of her and I know it felt good for her to run across that finish line.  Though we had to tackle some daunting hills throughout the race, I was distracted by the city's scenery of beautiful parks, cool artwork, and quaint hipster neighborhoods.  My favorite part was running through the Westport area.  I also really liked running by a piece of art that was stacked train cars.  Here is a picture of it that I found on the internet.

Not to brag or anything, but I do have to say that I am proud of myself for running despite some obstacles.   As mentioned above, it was a pretty hilly race.  My shins are screaming at me today for that... But what I was really concerned about before the race was the fact that I forgot a hat and my ipod.  I'm not superstitious or anything, but when you train for a race a certain way, you get used to the feel of certain things.  Jessica and I both trained with ipods and we both forgot them.  Also, I always wear a baseball cap when I run and she wears sunglasses.  Guess what, we both forgot those items, too.  Despite it all, we pushed through and I am proud of myself for that.  However, I was disappointed that I didn't get to listen to the special playlist I made just for this race.  I share it with you even though I didn't run to it.

KC Half Marathon Mix

1.   Canto de Ossanha  -  Jurassic 5
2.   Hip Hop Hooray  -  Naughty by Nature
3.   Animal  -  Miike Snow
4.   Murs Iz My Manager  -  Mr. Lif
5.   The Power is On  -  The Go! Team
6.   Run (I'm a Natural Disaster)  -  Gnarls Barkley
7.   Ladies First  -  Queen Latifah
8.   I've Just Seen a Face  -  Arlo Guthrie
9.   Now That We Found Love  -  Heavy D & the Boyz
10. Helena Beat  -  Foster the People
11. Quiet Dog  -  Mos Def
12. Everybody C'mon  -  Ugly Duckling
13. Grand Prix  -  Giant Panda

My mom and Adam were our cheerleaders and snapped these pictures of us after the race....

After the race, Jess and I rewarded ourselves with some deliciousness and gluttony at the Cheesecake Factory.  I ordered chicken and biscuits it was the largest portion I had ever seen.  Thankfully, I didn't eat the whole thing, but I did enough damage to look like a heifer.... oh well.  After that (and a hot shower), the girls headed to The Plaza for some shopping.  I normally refer to the store, Anthropologie, as the Devil because of it's amazing clothing finds at atrocious prizes.  However, my mom was there to help me out with some darling pieces.  My friend, Whitney, refers to an experience like this as "the magic hour."  Man, this moment with my mama was magical...  God Bless You, Betsy!  After the shopping and upon leaving The Plaza, I was rewarded with the creepiest fountain I've ever seen.  I will share a picture with you because I want you to be creeped out like me.  I don't really have to describe it because it speaks for itself...

All in all, it was an amazing weekend.  Lots of exercise, shopping and good eats, but most importantly I got to spend it with my loving family (here is where you say "aahh").