Happy 100th blog post to me...

This is my 100th post. It is tradition, I hear, to post 100 things about oneself when you reach your 100th post. So I will attempt to do just that. Forgive me if I bore you. I'm really doing this for my own amusement rather than to divulge some great universal truth, or a secret recipe for amazing cookies, or any of the other noble and good things one could share on a blog.

Here goes nothing....

1. I used to tell people that I was named after Jessica Rabbit (of Who Framed Roger Rabbit). I very seriously doubt this is true.
2. One time I sent a letter to the newspaper under a fake name.
3. It got published.
4. I once had a pet pig named Beethoven. He was not particularly friendly. Also pigs are not soft and cuddly as Charlotte's Web would lead you to believe.
5. I don't know how to swim.
6. I'm not really sure why I like Hello Kitty so much, as I generally despise cats.
7. My dog has a lobster costume and a bee costume.
8. I collect walruses. Not real ones, unfortunately.
9. I think it'd be really cool to have a pet walrus. And put a saddle on it and ride it into town.
10. I don't like donuts.
11. Also, English muffins seriously gross me out.
12. And Danishes. I can't even say the word "Danish" in reference to a pastry without feeling a little nauseous.
13. When Tony Blair was in office, I liked watching the British House of Commons on C-Span.
14. Gordon Brown hasn't been nearly as entertaining, sadly.
15. I think To Catch A Predator is both one of the most entertaining and one of the saddest things on television.
16. My interests in Shakespearean poetry were sparked when I heard Alan Rickman reading Sonnet 23.
17. I am very afraid of tornadoes.
18. Also house fires.
19. And bees.
20. I dropped my German class because I have extreme difficulty thinking in other languages. This includes math.
21. I have only ever lost one spelling bee. The word I was given was mispronounced and the judge was from a competing school.
22. The winner's word was "jaguar".
23. I'm still a little bitter about this.
24. Last semester I had a Jewish professor.
25. This is the first time I have known an openly Jewish person.
26. Al Gore really annoys me.
27. I think hot dogs are gross but they are pretty good with melted cheese and sauteed onions.
28. Though I work at a library and I am a bit of a nerd, I don't really read a lot. It's mainly the same books over and over.
29. My reading habit is something I inherited from my mom.
30. Unlike her, I have never made the decision to read at a stoplight.
31. I love English accents.
32. Also Scottish.
33. Brandon really likes Mr. Bean, and I think this is cute.
34. If I could make a living out of giving people presents, I would.
35. I have boxes of greeting cards, tissue, bows, ribbon, gift bags, and wrapping paper in preparation for these occasions.
36. I really miss Steve Irwin and I'm not quite sure why.
37. I have old pictures of Barry Manilow on my bedroom door.
38. Between that, the Star Wars posters, and the David Bowie albums, if you didn't know any better you might think it was 1977 in my room.
39. This greatly amused one of my favorite teachers, as she too had David Bowie on her walls as a teenager.
40. I don't miss high school. Rather, I miss the way some people used to be, and I miss getting to see my friends every day.
41. I also miss prayer requests in class.
42. And debates in senior Bible class. But that's it.
43. My senior year I got to play Eliza Doolittle in our spring play.
44. This is the most proud I have ever been of myself, one of the best experiences of my life, and I still smile thinking about it
45. One time I told my dad to go away when he came in my room to read me The Hobbit.
46. I felt bad about that for years.
47. I think that the only book I ever really read for classes in high school was Jane Eyre. And frankly I'm surprised I graduated.
48. I like old game shows.
49. Me and my dad used to watch Match Game when we were convalescing after our surgeries. It was cool.
50. When I was little my mom told me that if I chewed up a Vitamin C drop, my teeth would be stuck together forever.
51. I still don't chew cough drops. And my mom is a liar. Ha!
52. Sometimes I wish I were a multimillionaire so I could provide Louisville with better libraries and museums.
53. I am totally not making that up.
54. If we had the money to donate, Brandon would have a Tasmanian devil exhibit added to the Australian section of the zoo, and I would add a walrus exhibit complete with show.
55. Also I might buy a penguin. For me.
56. I love shows about cooking competitions.
57. Top Chef is my favorite.
58. My history professor kind of reminds me of Anthony Bourdain.
59. I have seen the Lord of the Rings movies more times that I can count.
60. I cried more times during the season 4 finale of LOST than I have during anything else that's on television. And Brandon thought this was funny.
61. I probably watch too much TV.
62. But I make up for it by reading, too.
63. Odd Thomas is my new favorite literary character.
64. Excluding anyone in the Harry Potter series.
65. And Aslan.
66. Whenever I go to Brandon's house for dinner I keep my fingers crossed that they will be having mashed potatoes. Because their mashed potatoes are AMAZING.
67. Also when he had leftover sweet potato casserole one week I about died. I am considering having him tell them that's what I want for Christmas.
68. Starchy foods rock my world.
69. When I grow up I want to have like, six kids.
70. Actually I want to adopt most of them. It makes me sad that some countries look down on baby girls just because they're girls. It's something I feel pretty passionately about.
71. Brandon is a bit lacking in the passion department when it comes to this subject.
72. Along with my engagement ring, he gave me a Hello Kitty dvd for my 19th birthday.
73. It was pretty awful. The dvd, I mean. Not the birthday.
74. Actually I was pretty sick that day. But it was still the best birthday I've ever had.
75. Though I am greatly looking forward to making a home with Brandon, I think I will really miss my room. I've been in it a long time.
76. My room is purple. Before that it was gray. It was quite a change.
77. I really appreciated the change that this new paint brought, though, because at the time I was going through a lot of changes myself. The purple paint made me feel like I was living in a different place, and this, I feel, helped me move on during these changes.
78. Sometimes I miss the spontaneity my life used to have.
79. I have probably consumed several hundred dollars worth of free lattes in my lifetime.
80. Once I had to kiss a friend as a part of a mandatory audition for a play.
81. It was weird.
82. I didn't get the part.
83. I hate writing with pencils. I would be happy to never own a pencil again.
84. I don't drink, not just because I'm not 21 and it's stupid, but I don't like doing things that are probably going to make me barf and/or wreck a vehicle.
85. I like making lists.
86. Currently I am the tannest that I have ever been in my life. And that's pretty sad, according to some people.
87. Once my best friend said that she was so pale she has to go to the tanning bed to keep from going clear.
88. I'm determined to live until the American tricentennial.
89. Assuming this country still exists by then.
90. I probably have more than one cavity. In my teeth.
91. I hate math.
92. I've ridden in an ambulance before.
93. I acted out Jurassic Park on senior retreat.
94. I also won the name that tune competition. Partly because I had recently seen a few specials like "100 greatest one hit wonders" on vh1.
95. And in 12th grade I got the Drama award. it would sound better if they called it the "theater" award, or the "acting" award.
96. To be completely fair, there are many times in my life where I've deserved a "drama" award. 97. My topic for a science project one year was "Is there a taste difference between butter and margarine?"
98. It was every bit as exciting as it sounds.
99. There is a tiny koala hanging from my bulletin board.
100. It is not a real koala. I'm 98% sure.

It is cold, all of a sudden.

I'm considering a career as a pirate.

Never mind the fact that I generally despise boats and bodies of water larger than a whirlpool tub (remind me to tell you about senior retreat sometime). Yesterday we went on our "Belated Happy Fiftieth Anniversary Mimi and Pappaw Brunch with Elvis-slash-Johnny Cash- slash- Wayne Newton Ohio River Cruise". It was pretty fun. We sat for a while, and then were allowed to eat, and I discovered that looking out the window on a boat while eating is not the best idea. The food was all right. They had a waffle bar, which was pretty exciting, and also some breakfast potatoes that were probably the best of their kind that I have ever eaten. We went out on the upper deck early on, and again when the multi-talented Elvis impersonator became a bit too much. We spent the last part of the cruise up there watching various unmarked restaurants and hills of road salt pass by....well, technically we were the ones doing the passing, but you understand.

And now I am waiting to go to work. How very exciting. My room is atrocious, I probably have some homework to do, and what am I doing? Blogging. Oh well. One of these days I may get my priorities in line.

I like chocolate milk.

Things I could be doing:

*Wrapping Christmas presents (insane, I know)
*Reading for school
*Cleaning
*Grocery Shopping
*Taking a nap

What I am actually doing:
I'm not really sure. I got distracted by the television. Brandon got me the Office, season 2, on dvd. And so I am quite distracted by blooper reels, deleted scenes, and commentaries.

Also tomorrow we are going on a breakfast cruise at 12pm and apparently Elvis will be there. I don't know what that's all about. Hopefully it will be fun. The best midday brunch cruise with Elvis I will ever go on. Heck yeah.

Why shouldn't dogs wear clothes?

I went shopping at Target today. Target is pretty much my favorite store. Well, one of them. Anyway. I went to look for pants. I ended up trying on coats and getting Polo a Halloween costume that was on clearance with the money I got from selling all my Family Guy DVDs (it's a long story).

I think Polo hates me. Well, he does for now, anyway.

In case you can't tell, he's a bee.

He loves peaches. No, really.

In these difficult economic times, it is important to find the small things throughout the day that will put smiles on our faces and generally lift our spirits. One such way we can accomplish this is to celebrate historical milestones such as the birthdays of important Americans. Friends, today is one of those days. Today is Jeff Goldblum's birthday. I know, right? Very exciting. In honor of this esteemed thespian and all-around weirdly amazing fellow, why not bake some cupcakes? Or at least treat yourself to a sundae at McDonald's. They are only a dollar. Plant a tree, or perhaps go play some cards with an old person. They get lonely sometimes. Just make sure that whatever you do to celebrate, you tell everyone you know that you are doing it in honor of Jeff Goldblum. That will be sure to put a smile on their face. They might also laugh so hard they fall down. But it's all about lifting our spirits, right? Right?

Yeah. Of course it is.

Very sad.

Please keep our friend Brooke in your prayers, she had a miscarriage this morning. She and her husband just got married in August and were very excited to be expecting their first child.

Birthday part deux.

Today is my dad's birthday. He does not believe in blogs, so he won't read this. But it wouldn't be fair to ignore his birthday since I posted for mom's. So happy birthday, dad. Maybe thirty years from now you will decide that blogging is a legitimate pastime and decide to drop by. You will be seventy-five years old. How's that for a happy thought?

This is not my dad but I had a friend who said he looks like Uncle Pennybags of Monopoly fame (he doesn't, but he does have a mustache and he is a banker guy).

Where's the cake?

Today is my mom's birthday. She is pretty awesome. If you haven't already, you should read her blog. Apparently she is going to have a slideshow. Do not let this stop you from visiting anyway. Ha. She is a very special person and an entertaining writer, much more so than I am, apparently. Anyway. Happy birthday, mom!

Yeah, we're pretty adorable.

Zoo Day, two days late

Brandon, Kelli and I went to the zoo in celebration of Fall Break. Here are some pictures.

It's time for the World's Largest Halloween Party at the Louisville Zoo

Wallaroos

Scotty the baby elephant came over to visit me

He's so adorable!

This is really weird.

The snow leopard spies a tasty child.

My best friend Kelli and Willy...I mean, Winnie the Pooh

And there's more, but I won't bore you with them. I just felt like memorializing an ok day on the internet.

Bleargh. I say that a lot.

My dogs are asleep, I am waiting for Brandon to call me, and it's only a few hours before fall break is technically over.
I have accomplished nothing.
I haven't done anything special or fun.
But things are slowly getting better, I guess.

For fun this evening I went back and read a few entries of an online journal I kept in 2005. I was kind of funny at times. Very self-deprecating and spending way too much time and energy focusing on one person, but funny. I said things like "he is a pez dispenser of broken promises" and "at least I have my shattered dreams and broken milk bottles to keep me warm on the side of the road".
Yeah, it was pretty weird.

Anyway. I found a fun little survey on there, and I think I will re-take it (it's been three years, I'm sure my answers have changed). Maybe you would like to take it, too.

::15 Random Favorites::
Pink, purple, window shopping, craft stores, Wednesdays, not being at school, gift cards, movies, walruses, rolling nickels (ok not really), things that make me laugh, Christmas cards, cupcakes, making people smile, eyeliner.
::14 Favorite Foods::
Pralines, McDonald's french fries, diet coke, diet cherry coke, bottled water, bread products, cheesy things, Christmas cookies, chicken salad, scallops, chicken, noodles, chicken flavored noodles, jammy dodgers.
::13 Most Watched Shows::
The Office, The Soup, the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the Colbert Report, the Cosby Show, House, Morning Joe (I'm a nerd), Jon and Kate Plus Eight, Ghost Hunters, erm...the Golden Girls, Wife Swap, Best Week Ever, and...I can't think of anything else. I don't even watch these all that much, I don't think .
::12 Good Bands in your Opinion::
Sheesh. We'll just say musicians. David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Rufus Wainwright, Journey, Barry Manilow, David Crowder Band, Casting Crowns, the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Queen, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton. I can think of a lot more that I like. Isn't that a weird, eclectic list?
::11 Memories::
Fun times senior year, graduation, waking up from surgery, being mesmerized by the muppets as a child, several horrible proms and homecomings, going to the David Crowder concert at church, my Disney World graduation trip, the amazing feeling of being on stage for "Pygmalion", many fun weeknights spent with friends that I no longer speak to, my first day driving to school on my own, Brandon proposing.
::10 Close Friends::
*snort*. Kelli. Brandon. Jess. Uh...my mom? Does she count? Jesus. My dogs. I might have to count them individually. And....erm....Creed Bratton. Not really.
::09 Things you're looking forward to::
Moving all of my junk into the house that I do not have, getting married, graduation from some school-type institution, quitting my job, eventually going to the Indianapolis Zoo to see the walruses, paying off my car so I can start paying off something else, tomorrow afternoon, Christmas, breakfast (we're having pancakes!)
::08 Things you wear daily::
My engagement ring, some other ring (probably my class ring), mascara, clothing, shoes (usually), lip gloss...gosh, this is hard! Does toothpaste count? Because...you wear it on your teeth. For a few seconds. Ok never mind.
::07 Things That Annoy You::
Liars, broken promises, baby-killing, hearing people say things that I really want to argue with but I cant' say anything, eating potato chips for breakfast because I'm picky and there's nothing else that looks reasonably appetizing, having to do the work of four people at work while getting paid one lonely salary, the new sermon format on our church's website (instead of taping the service, it's the pastor sitting in his office, I guess, pretty much saying whatever he talked about in church. But without the atmosphere and spirit)
::06 Things You Touch Everyday::
My bedroom doorknob, some sort of food, my dogs, my hair (I twirl it), a wintergreen lifesaver, my cell phone
::05 Movies You Could Watch Over and Over::
Moulin Rouge, Willow, the Lord of the Rings, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the Muppet movies
::04 Of Your Favorite Childhood Toys::
Play food, Asian Barbies (because they had black hair and I was jealous), stuffed animals, Jonathan's Batman figures
::03 People You Have Kissed::
Um, I had to kiss a friend for an audition once. For a play. Not a kissing audition. And then there's Brandon. And...my dog. But not in a gross way.
::02 Of Your Favorite Songs::
"Kathy's Song" by Simon and Garfunkel and "Faithfully" by Journey, partly because I just listened to them.
::01 Person You Could Spend the Rest of Your Life With::
Brandon. You know what my answer was three years ago? "Jeff Goldblum. I think I love him."

Is it time to eat yet?

Well, I'm back. It's been an...interesting few days, for lack of a better word. I'd appreciate it if you can keep both Brandon and myself in your prayers, as we are dealing with a lot right now. I'm not going to go into any kind of detail, but your prayers would be greatly appreciated.

I am going through an interesting season in my life right now (again, I use "interesting" because I don't have a better word_. Work is...messy. And mildly insane. School is both extremely boring and incredibly time consuming. Remember how I said that I didn't want to be at Bellarmine anymore? I've almost decided that I'm so apathetic about school, I'd rather switch majors and stay there than move somewhere else, deal with all that change, and stay in school longer to get a lesser degree. never mind that I'm going to be $10,000+ more in debt. I'll be in debt anyway. Who cares anymore? Not I, said the duck. And I don't even know what that means so don't bother asking.

So yeah. It's really difficult to maintain a positive outlook on life when not only is my little world falling down around me in that I seem to be too inadequate to manage my work, academic, and/or personal lives without trauma, but apparently the rest of the world is losing its collective mind, too.

I take solace in the fact that I don't have classes Monday or Tuesday. I still have to work, but it's a start. I have a boatload of homework to do (most of it advance work so I won't have to deal with it later), and Brandon and I are going to try to go to the zoo, maybe. And then next Saturday I am off work, so I'm going to possibly do my field study at the art museum with Kelli. They are having an exhibit of classic American art from Yale. Maybe we will have the opportunity to do some shopping, too. If only we had some money to throw around...hmm. That would be nice.


On a very happy note, though, Mrs Amy had her baby, and there is a picture on her blog. So go look at it because she's pretty much adorable.

Hey.

My heart hurts. A lot.

Please pray for me.

Thanks.

I have some depressing news.

I think my fish may be dying.

Oh, the times Fernald and I have had together. First he was on top of my bookcase. Then he moved to the top of my desk. He has had many bowls, and many colors of gravel. Because that is easier than cleaning a bowl. Just getting a new one at the Dollar Tree. Or at least new gravel.
I bought Fernald on a whim after I graduated in 2006. I thought to myself, hey, I haven't had a fish in a while. So I got a little purple tank, and some gravel, and a tiny walrus statue. I picked Fernald because he was a nice mixture of both blue and red, which is close to purple, which is my favorite color.
Fernald's name was originally Bertrand. And then a few hours later it was Harold Ramis. And then about a week later he was rechristened Fernald. He seems happy with it.

Fernald has been acting weird for about a week now. I changed his water and stuff a few days ago and that normally perks him up, but he has been lingering in the corner of the top of his bowl for a day or two. His fishy chin (or is it his chest?) is gray. And most of the time he isn't even fluttering his little fins. He just...lays there. Drifting...drifting...it's really depressing to have a possibly dying fish in your room.

Should Fernald pass on to the big pet store in the sky soon, I hope he goes peacefully. And also when I'm not home. And maybe mom will find him first and flush him so I don't have to suffer that emotional trauma.

Those were the days...when Fernald was happy and shiny and bright.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I am guilty of treating God like a wishing well.
As in...
"Hey, God, how's it going? Can you please make my stomach stop hurting at work?"
"Hi, God. Sorry it's been a while. Please let me have an easy week. Things have been tough lately. Thanks. "
"While I'm not 100% sure about your feelings on lottery tickets, God, it would be really cool if you would give me a sign that I'm supposed to buy one, and also that you would allow me to win exactly enough money to buy a house. I found a really nice one online. It's blue. Ok, talk to you later."

This is a really bad habit of mine.
I think perhaps the first step in breaking a bad habit is realizing that you have one. Maybe?

The weekend has been relatively non-eventful. Sometimes that is a blessing. I mean, there weren't any major tragedies. That's a good thing. It's getting colder, I find myself very shivery in the night and plan on washing my large pink blanket soon. This blanket is amazing. They still sell it at Target, it's called the "cozy blanket", and I swear it feels like it's made out of clouds, or something. It is amazingly soft. Not to mention pink. Unfortunately I don't think I washed it before storing it this spring so it kind of smells like Diego. OK it really smells like Diego. That's why it's hidden away in a box in my closet.

I don't really have anything spectacular to say. I never feel very...profound during the school year. Sorry to disappoint. Hopefully something exciting will happen in someone else's life this week and I can post about that.