Back in time

The social media scene has been all a-Twitter today with news that Doc Brown set the DeLorean to enter the future on July 5, 2010 in the original "Back to the Future" 25 years ago. Turns out it's all a hoax, and someone had Photoshop and too much time on his hands.

So I guess Marty McFly didn't zip into today all those years ago. But it did get me to thinking about watching that movie 25 years ago. I was in junior high, and I saw it with my aunt Kathy and cousin Lonnie. I thought it was a great flick, if a bit farfetched. And I don't remember wondering what life would be like in 2010, but now I'm thinking that I would have had no idea how life would be right now.

For starters, I never imagined how my life would revolve around technology. That my iPhone would be permanently implanted in my hand. That I would incessantly check Facebook and Twitter for inane news from people I barely or don't even know.

I could not have imagined a life with DVR and satellite radio and iPods. A world full of laptops and iPads and on-demand movies.

Whatta ya know, Marty? The world is an interesting place in 2010. Wonder what gadgets we'll have by 2035?

10K on my Birthday

It's time for the rubber to meet the road. In a mere 34 hours, I'll be running my first 10K.

If you'll recall, I couldn't even run a mile at Christmastime. And now, three races, one new pair of shoes and hundreds of miles later, I'm upping my game. On my birthday.

I'm not sure what possessed me to awaken at dawn on my natal anniversary. A saner person would sleep in on the rare year that her birthday falls on a Saturday. But not this chick. I've paid 25 bucks to sweat like a hog and punish myself on the hills of Washington County.

Don't get me wrong... I know I'm physically capable of this. But mentally? I'm not so sure.

Even my boss gave me Gatorade today and prayed for my safety and willpower. He knows it's only by the grace of God that I'll run the whole thing without CPR.

I wanted to peter out and register for the 5K instead, but I figure even if I have to walk a mile or two, it's time for me to suck it up and meet the next challenge.

After all, it's for a good cause. So when I want to give up, I'll think of my mom and all of the other people living with cancer and I'll try to keep running.

It didn't really register for me how very far I'll be running until my aunt Kathy said, "That would be like running from Hartford to Midland." Indeed it will be. Wowzers.

Give me strength. But at least I get to carb up with Kelly tomorrow night.

6.2 miles, you will be defeated.

It's beginning to look a lot like...

I'm not quite sure why I bother to update this thing anymore, sporadic though it may be. According to my trusty web stats, I have fewer readers than ever. I've always known my life was dull, but evidently others are starting to figure it out as well.

My holiday plans have been hijacked by the possibility of winter weather. I mean, I'm all about a white Christmas, but can't it just be pretty on the trees and grass and leave the roads alone? I totally wanted tomorrow to just veg and finish last-minute tasks. Tonight I went to four stores in search of canned pumpkin so that I could make a cheesecake for Friday. I just hope it turns out okay after all of that schlepping around and heavy-duty mixing.

So, to the three of you who still read this thing, I am announcing a possible hiatus. Tomorrow afternoon/early evening I'll be headed south (so Memaw, if you're reading this, keep the couch warm for me), then Friday includes spending the morning with the kids and Vickie and then heading back to Memaw's for the traditional Hester Christmas fish fry. Saturday plans are still tentative, but Sunday I'm headed back to Texas, so I'll be out of pocket until the first of the year.

Hmmm... if I'm out of town for 10 days, are 37 outfits enough to pack? I'm sure I'll be throwing stuff in the car at the last minute since I'm headed out earlier than planned.

Just in case: Merry Christmas, everyone! Fleas on your dog. I leave you with a pic of Hope and me, at the Plunkett festivities last night.

Turkey Day

Eck and I have been in Texas for two days, most of which have been spent in the kitchen. Jen, Memaw and I cooked for hours to prepare our Thanksgiving feast (turkey, roast, mashed potatoes, wild rice casserole, sweet potato casserole, dressing, green bean casserole, homemade mac and cheese, hot rolls, cheesecake, chocolate sin, and pumpkin pie) and when everyone ate lunch and then dinner, we still haven't made a dent in it. I spent most of my life with no clue how much work and time goes into preparation for such a meal, so to all of those who slaved away and didn't feel the love, let me say, thanks for your work on Thanksgiving dinner!

Tomorrow I have big plans of napping (got four hours' sleep last night) and maybe exercising a bit, then we're headed home on Saturday. I'm looking forward to seeing my brother and his family on the way home.

Everything's bigger in... well, you know

What a great weekend! Memaw and I got to Temple around 8 on Thursday night, and I arrived back in Siloam just after 6 last night. In four days we attended two parties, had one of our own, walked a 5K, attended a flag football game, witnessed a dance-off and multiple kid fits.

It's weird how, the closer you get to home, the more work and the daily grind begin to creep back into your life. Thankfully I get to go back to Texas in three weeks for Thanksgiving, and before that I go to Boston, an 80s prom, and have a Branson shopping trip with Alisa.

For now, please enjoy another entry in the Brady and Mini-Me dance-a-thon. And all the pics from this weekend are here, in case you don't have Facebook.



(This makes three family members dancing to this song. Memaw, you and Lon are next!)

Kitchen sink? Perhaps.

I'm currently packing for Temple. I know I've got too much stuff, but I never know what we'll be doing, and since I'm not flying this time, I can take as much as I want. Except Memaw, the garage sale queen, called to ask if there'd be room for her to take a large duffel bag in which to carry back all of her treasures (read: cheap crap no one else wants). If my car smells like old socks on the way home, I will NOT be happy.

Evidently our Friday evening plans have been hijacked by another doctor party. I swear, Lon and I need to invest in some sort of doctor-to-English dictionary before we embark on yet another evening of medical jargon. Perhaps I can find someone to play doctor with me before the evening's over.

When I said "I do," I meant that "I might"

I know, I know. I have absolutely no business talking about marriage because I've never been close to being there. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons why is because I take it very seriously. It's a life-long commitment. And it pains me that marriage these days has become so disposable.

While it may be easy to switch phone companies when your current one isn't meeting your needs, the same shouldn't be said for your spouses. If I'm not mistaken, you said " 'til death do us part." Not " 'til something better comes along."

I have so many friends who've recently divorced not of their own choice. It's painful to watch them go through that process, because it wasn't what they wanted. But they had spouses who thought their life would magically improve if they were unmarried.

After all, those "Sex and the City" chicks have glamorous lives, and they're single. So suddenly being single means that you'll have a glamorous life, right?

Yeah, not so much. And those girls didn't kick out husbands in order to sip on cosmos.

Marriage is a commitment, people. But it ain't always easy. I have a lot of respect for people like my aunt Kathy, who's been married to my uncle Paul for 37 years. And yeah, he's awesome most of the time, but if she wasn't the person that she is, she'd have probably left him a long time ago to travel the world looking for garage sales and eBay treasures.

But instead, she's honored her commitment because she loves him and she realizes that you have good times and bad times and sometimes you have to compromise to be a Mrs.

Since marriage is on the downhill slide, I'm wondering if we're going to start trading in our children next. "Junior, I'm kicking you out of your room for that boy down the street. He's better at sports."

A friend of mine once told me, "No one ever tells you when you get married that some days you'll wake up, look at your husband beside you, and think, 'I can't stand you.' " But she does stand him. She's still married to him.

So kudos to all of you men and women who are honoring your vows. Half of America can't do it. I respect those of you who choose each day to love your spouse, even if there is someone out there who's better looking, richer, or appreciates you more.

Here's to marriage, that grand institution.

Happy, happy day!

So excited about the start of football season! I had nearly given up on the 'Boys last night, but they managed to pull out the win. I'm afraid it's going to be another long season, Dallas fans.

In a few I'm headed south to pick up Chance and Hope (and maybe Taylor, if he's really, really bored) and go hang out with Jen, Lon, and Huey, Dewie and Louie. I'll spend tonight with Peep and Meem, and that's always interesting. Their house is like a zoo when we're all there. It's Beaver's birthday, so we're headed to his party at 2 p.m.

Tomorrow I'll be on Nebo with Scott, Alisa, and Grey. Not sure what we're doing since all our best laid plans got either rescheduled or are tentative due to weather. Nevertheless, I haven't seen them in months and can't wait to just chill and eat.

Have a great Labor Day weekend, everyone!

Just one of those days

Do any of you ever come home from work, exhausted, and yet wonder what you did all day? That was my day today. Nothing crossed off the ol' to-do list. Stuff added to the list, but nothing accomplished rather than meetings, meetings, meetings. And today was my extra special work-from-home day. How did that happen?

Granted, part of my tasks today included getting a pedicure and tanning, but still.. I did work stuff, too. I suppose I was getting too used to accomplishing things, so I needed to meet with some people to add to my list.

As part of my new look fabulous everyday campaign lest I run into anyone I need to impress, I have now started keeping my outfits in an Excel spreadsheet so that I don't repeat anything too often. Yeah, I'm so out of control, but when I changed offices, the chances of my running into someone and needing to look good increased exponentially. This morning I had to make friends with the tailor at my dry cleaners' (another personal errand... oops!) because none of my work clothes fit. Oh, I know... boo hoo. But this weight loss is getting expensive. And my belly fat remains, no matter how many crunches I do.

On a happier note, happy 37th anniversary to Memaw and Peep! Hope you enjoyed your anniversary cereal. Here's to 37th more years of wedded bliss!

Poor Dorothy

My aunt Kathy sent this to me. It's a real obituary. I'm all for honesty, but I hope my family doesn't write my obit like this.

Weekend update

First of all, Happy belated Mother's Day to all of the special women in my life. Yesterday was a sad day for me because I've really, really been missing my Mom lately. Mostly when I need to vent. Or when I need someone to tell me I'm really special, even if I don't feel special. So yesterday I was bummed because I miss Mom, but I was also grateful for all of the outstanding women God's given me to pick up the slack. My grandmother, who tells me to take care of myself (and makes me crazy). My aunt Kathy, who tells me what to do, but only when I ask. My surrogate Mom Estella, who teaches me how to cook and gives me work advice. Even friends like Sorne, Kelly, Alisa and Shauna, who are loyal to me, even when I'm a jerk. I am supremely blessed!

LB and I haven't kissed, but we did make up. We're making our way back to being really good friends and figuring out what that means for us. He's really an amazing, wonderful person and I'm lucky to have him in my life in any capacity. I mean that. (Of course, that doesn't mean I'm ready to go to his wedding, but I'll get there.) If nothing else, this past week has proven to me how much I mean to him, which is flattering.

Work continues to be a big struggle, but I'm trying to learn my lessons. I've made a lot of mistakes these past few months and some of the things I've had to do haven't been easy. But sometimes you have to speak out, even if it's hard. Sometimes you have to be silent, even when you don't want to be. And sometimes you have to take the blame for things that aren't your fault. I suppose that's part of being an adult.

Ugh. I can't believe it's Monday. Long week ahead! And five days of more rain is really gonna suck.

Hello... anyone home?

Girl is full of it. Yeah, I called him back. He was as excited to hear from me as one can be when they're awoken from sleep. In my defense, it was just past 10 and he is not that old.

Last night I had an amazing dinner at Michelangelo's and got to catch up with my friend Joe. The only drawback was that they were out of tiramisu, but my rear end is probably thankful. If only I'd hadn't eaten that three cheese pizza and shrimp brandisi. But oh, it was so yummy.

Now I'm sitting at a job fair in NLR and so far, there are no degree seekers.

Yesterday I subjected myself to searching for a dress at the mall. I don't even own one. But when you wear jeans to church and pants to work, the need to show your knees diminishes. Anyway, it was totally a depressing endeavor. How is it I can lose 30 pounds and still look like a stuffed sausage in this season's cute belted dresses? I may have to wear my housecoat to the wedding next weekend. Memaw would do that, right? (Just kidding, Memaw... love you!)

I'm determined to find a dress this afternoon before heading back northwest. Perhaps a muumuu would be in order. If I put an orchid behind my ear, it would be festive. Aloha!

I so need a Diet Coke...

Happy (belated) birthday, bro!

My aunt Kathy called today, disappointed that there wasn't an embarrassing pic of my brother on my blog to commemorate his birthday yesterday. I didn't forget, I was just distracted by the ice storm. But here you go.



And just for good measure, one of Kathy and Brad together.



Happy birthday, bro! A day late, but I love you!

Tuesday in Texas

After several hours in the car, we finally made it to Temple. The trip didn't seem quite as long as last time. I'm not sure if I had clearer expectations, or if listening to my grandmother tell the same stories over and over again made it seem shorter, but I'm guessing the detour to Cheesecake Factory helped a lot.

All three boys wanted to come back to the hotel and spend the night for some reason, and since I'm not insane, I told them that they could take turns and one of them come over each of the three nights that we're here. Peyton disqualified himself from the who-can-act-the-best competition early, so Peep finally flipped a coin and Avery won the right to spend the night in a mediocre Hampton Inn with an 84-year-old and a spinster. Brady and Peyt were both crying when we left. It's been awhile since boys fought over me.

My GM has been riveted to the TV for hours, awaiting the results of Dancing with the Stars. Interestingly enough, I doubt she watched five minutes of presidential election coverage, but these results were quite important to her. Guess the oval office is not quite the prize that a mirrored disco ball is.

Jen took Memaw to the ER about an hour ago to have her weird puss-filled eye checked. Pink eye. Guess I need to wash my hands...

Answered prayer

An amazing thing happened today.

As many of you know, my mom's sister, my Aunt Kathy, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma a few weeks ago after a visit to Mayo Clinic. The doctor who called her with the news gave her a grim prognosis. We were all devastated.

Many, many prayers were said. Last week she went to UAMS, one of the nation's leading hospitals in the treatment of the disease, for testing.

This afternoon she met with the doctor to talk about treatment and found out she doesn't have cancer after all. They're not quite sure what happened with the initial diagnosis. I choose to believe that one of the nation's most prominent hospitals wasn't that far off, God just had bigger plans for her. He answered our prayers in the most absolute of ways.

Yes, sometimes His answer is no, but sometimes it's a resounding yes.

As my nephew Taylor so eloquently put it when I texted him, "Go Jesus." Indeed.

Happy birthday, Mondo!

Belated birthday wishes go out to my cousin, Lonnie. Hope you had some Texas-sized fun!

(There you go, Memaw, an embarrassing pic of your son.)

Happy anniversary, Paul and Kathy

Happy 36th wedding anniversary, Memaw and Peep.

{Memaw, it wasn't the pic you expected, was it?}

Happy birthday, Memaw

Guess who turns a year older today? Happy birthday to Memaw Kat.

Happy birthday to me

I am in official birthday countdown mode (it's a mere five hours for those of you who still need to overnight my presents).

I love any day when others realize that the world revolves around me. All kidding aside, I don't need presents. I just demand that everyone acknowledge my natal anniversary. I've already gotten five birthday cards (thank you Granny, Memaw Kat, Estella, Paige and Kelly), and that makes me so happy.

Tomorrow three guys from work are taking me to lunch. Granted, I dropped hints for about a week to get a lunch invite, but still... there will be frivolity and hopefully some singing. Then Dad and Vickie are meeting me in Fayetteville for dinner. This weekend I'm headed up to Mount Nebo to spend a couple of nights with Scott and Alisa, so I'm managing to stretch this birthday into several days.

Only 366 more days 'til the next one.

An abbreviated post

Wow. I haven't updated this thing since Tuesday.

I was talking to my Aunt Kathy tonight and she mentioned that she thought about calling me today since I hadn't written on my blog in a few days. I responded that the reason I've been lax in writing is because I really have nothing to say. She said that I could just write about how awesome she is.

So that's what I'll do. My Aunt Kathy is amazing. And I'm not just saying that because she told me to. Well, I sorta am. But it's true, anyway.

That's all for now. I'm excited about watching "Army Wives." So I'll write more tomorrow.