Nervous?

So I had a couple of "nervous" moments this week and I was thinking about all the things that I do when I get nervous. Not only things I do to make myself feel better but also characteristics I have that show others I'm nervous. So once again here's a list.

These are five things I do when nervous. They are in order of #5 I do that sometimes or slightly to #1 I do it everytime or extreme.

5. I eat-- Often when nervous I tend to eat junk. Fries, candy, cookies. The whole idea of comfort foods I guess.

4. I watch TV-- See I watch TV all the time but when nervous I do nothing else while watching tv. No computer or talking just mindlessly watching tv. And I usually watch shows that I normally wouldn't watch like cartoons or the disney channel.

3. I sleep-- Usually when I go to bed really early. It's due to 1 of 2 reasons. I'm either sick or super nervous.

2. I get really quite-- For those of you who know me, I'm not really a quite person. So, when I just have nothing to say and I miss prime opportunities to make jokes I'm usually nervous or worried.

And the #1 thing that will give away to anyone around that I'm nervous...

1. I stutter-- I also do this when I'm super stressed, scared, or sad. The range is from I just repeat a word or phrase...a word or phrase. To I can't get the word out and have to change what I...what I...the words I was trying to use.

The World Moves With or With Out Us

This is a "video" I made. It's about stuff and people and things and the world around us.

To quote Ferris Buller, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

100 post and 13 jobs

So I've been looking around for something interesting or at least entertaining to blog about. It's been a little while I knew I needed to touch on something. Also I was kind of eager to blog because ladies and gentlemen this is my 100 post. Now to some of you that may make you laugh but I think that's pretty cool. Triple digit posting. Woo hoo!

I noticed that list seem to be popluar on blogs. It gives people a chance to add their own list in comments and a small insight to my life. So here's what I came up with:

I was talking to my friend Jen the other day. Someone had mentioned to her that I used to teach preschool. Now Jen and I are pretty good friends so when she was suprised by this so was I, in that I thought I had told her. So I guess you could say..."Jen, this blogs for you."

1. I unloaded books for a bookstore for YEARS
2. I worked in a restaurant behind a counter
3. I was a waitress later in the same restaurant
4. I sold sweatshirts in a school store
5. I taught VBS for years and years
6. I was a counselor at a summer camp
7. I work at TCBY (mmm...yogurt)
8. I worked at an afterschool daycare (3 different ones)
9. I taught the third grade
10. I taught preschool
11. I was a codirector of a daycare/preschool
12. I worked for Chi Alpha on a campus
13. And I currently work as an administrative aide in Chi Alpha (a job I created)

So there you go. Now you all know a little bit more about me.

Once again a borrowed thought

I once again come to you all with another stolen idea again from my friend Courtney. This time with a list of things I would tell a younger version of my self to do if there was some way to go back in time and talk to me. However I would go a little farther back than just 21. Now the top 10 things I would tell the 16 year old me.

10. Get contacts.
9. Don't quit softball because in college you'll regret being so out of practice.
8. Invest in Krispy Kreme because everyone and their mom is going to love them in about 2 years.
7. Go to church! You're going to anyway in a little over a year.
6. Be nice to your friends and let the small things go. No need to harp or point fingers.
5. Study for math!
4. I know you quit piano in 3rd grade but take it back up and stick with it.
3. Super Nintendo is so not cool. Just wait and see what's ahead.
2. Take the video editting elective at Franklin and stop avoiding things you think will be too hard.
1. Step out of your comfort zone more and talk to everyone. In a few years you're going to be that way anyway. It'll make high school so much better with tons of friends. Don't be shy.

"Aw No Way"

Okay so my friend courtney, note her blog on the side bar to the right, posted a comment about her new mascot, the Temple Owls. I was going to comment on her blog of some other "bad" mascots I knew of of, but after looking up one to find out why they are what they are I found some of the saddest mascots out there and had to make my own post about it. I hope they make you go "aw no way." like they did me.

Cheers

Fair Haven Slaters (VT) -- The town of Fair Haven was a center of slate quarrying for the last half of the 19th century.

Fair Lawn Cutters (NJ) -- I think this is another example of mascot word play based on the school's name. Either that or they're named for the type of ship.

Fall Creek Crickets (WI) -- Also used by the middle school and symbolized by a cricket that resembles Disney's Jiminy Cricket.

Falmouth Yachtsmen (ME) -- This name is also used for the girls' teams.

FAMU Baby Rattlers (Tallahassee, FL) -- The school is on the campus of Florida A&M University, whose athletic teams are known as the "Rattlers."

Frankfort Hot Dogs (IN) -- Symbolized by an angry dachshund. The town's signature event is the Hot Dog Festival, named in part for the school's mascot.

Franklin Electrons (Philadelphia, PA) -- More than likely for namesake Ben Franklin's work with electricity.

Freeburg Midgets (IL) -- I've heard two stories about this name. The first one states that in the early 20th century, Freeburg had a very successful basketball team, yet no one on the team was taller than 5 feet 10 inches tall. Sports writers started referring to them as the "Midgets." The second credits an announcer for coining the name for Freeburg's short basketball team.

Freeport Pretzels (IL) -- The town had two major economic products: beer and pretzels. Since the "Brewers" was deemed inappropriate for a high school mascot, the school went with the other choice.

Glenville Tarblooders (Cleveland, OH) -- This name comes from a football battle cry in the '40s, declaring that the team would whack the blood and the tar from its opponents

Grafton Spoilers (ND) -- This name dates to the 1930's. Grafton's boys' basketball team, a decided underdog, defeated one of the big schools in the state to win the state tournament and "spoil" their opponent's expected victory.

Grambling Kittens (LA) -- Grambling State University uses the name "Tigers" for its athletic teams.

Hereford Whitefaces (TX) -- Named for the breed of cattle, numbering in the millions, that the town is also named after. The teams are called the "Whitefaces," sometimes also "The Herd."

Hesston Swathers (KS) -- A "Swather" is a farm machine used to cut grass, wheat, etc. The school logo is a large and surly-looking machine.

Hickman Kewpies (Columbia, MO) -- According to legend, the Hickman football team was getting beat but they continued to fight on. A newspaper account either stated the players were taking the situation in stride and "smiling like Kewpies," or the players kept "bouncing back up like Kewpie dolls."

Highland Home Flying Squadron (AL) -- This name is used throughout the K-12 school.

Highland Springs Springers (VA) -- I think this is derived from the town name.

I have to say I love the pretzles, hotdogs, and electrons the best.

a day in the life

Here's a basic idea of what my day my look like. I tried to make it as short as possible. It's still on the long side. But I guess 24 hours crammed into under 8 mins ain't bad.

Is college utopia?

So tonight I am out in Charlottesville, VA and UVA. This is our biggest group (in numbers at the large group meetings) in the district. The meeting tonight was more like a conference with almost 300 students rather than just an average Chi Alpha. It was neat though. And what an incredible campus. College campuses are truly their own worlds and that is so incredible to me. It's almost like a little utopia where you learn, live, eat, party...all your friends live there and the world goes on around you all why you get yourself ready to be a "grown up". Awesome. Wouldn't it be cool if you take that with you even into regular life after college?

time

have you ever had an off day? how about an off week? i don't know what it is but ever since i've been a "grown up" (what ever that is) I feel as though i have more and more of these. and it's never anything in particular. for example...this week one of my off things has been that i can't sleep. every now and then this happens. but for me it's usually like i'm laying in bed tossing and turning and i can't turn off my brain but this week it's been more like i can't even bring my self to get into bed and try. now i know there are lots of us out there who have had these weeks. where we're so stressed we can't consentrate. or we're so tired we can't sleep. or we're so overwhelmed we can't get anything done. the ironic thing to me is that if we could consentrate, sleep, and get things done, we wouldn't be stressed, tired, or overwhelmed. anyway, i don't really have any plan to fix this or any advice to give but i do have a thought.

I remember when i was a kid and i thought how much better life would be, how much easier, how much simpler life would be when I "grew up". Well, i did that and i want to go back. i want "i can't sleep" to mean that i couldn't get to sleep until 10pm instead of 9pm. i went my stress of tomorrow to be a math test or what i'm going to wear to the dance. i want to be overwhelmed by how i'm going to beat mario bros. or tetris and if i am going to go to Chris's party or not.

i guess i just don't want to worry about bills. or have to think about the life and death of those closest to me. or process marriage, work, and money all in one package. now i'm not trying to say i hate being my age or anything but i am saying i had one of those weeks and my best solution is coming from my time machine i built last night. hello 10 years old again, here i come.