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C is for Cookie…

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Megan

…that’s good enough for me!

Tonight I decided to bake dishpan cookies or, as my coworkers and friends refer to them, Crack Cookies. It’s a recipe my mom came up with after taking her favorite ingredients from different recipes to make a brand new one. These cookies are amazing straight out of the oven and even better if you eat them straight out of the freezer (after baking of course). I think it’s the crystallization of the sugar…at least that’s what I tell myself. In fact, when mom makes these at Christmas, she fills up our Santa cookie jar and places the remainder in the freezer. The ones in the freezer always disappear before the ones in the cookie jar.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups oil
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups corn flakes
1 1/2 cups oats
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 (12 ounce) package chocolate chips
1 cup coconut

Directions:

Cream first 5 ingredients until light and fluffy in large mixing bowl.
Mix dry ingredients in large pan.
Pour creamed mixture over dry ingredients and mix well.
Drop by teaspoon on cookie sheet and bake in 350 oven for 8 – 10 minutes.

Note: Do not overcook. I spray my cookie sheets with non-stick spray before cooking first batch.

Yield: 10 – 12 dozen cookies

Roam If You Want To

Posted on July 15, 2010 by Megan

As I alluded to in my previous post, my family + Adam took our separate road trips and met for a week of relaxation on Kiawah Island in South Carolina. I feel it’s my duty as a blogger to share with my faithful readers (all 2 of you) a sort of vacation recap, if you will.

We [meaning Dad, Mom, Sister, and me] hit the road on a Friday, immediately after they got off work and I drove the 30 miles to meet them. During my drive down, I pass a woman broken down on the side of I-40. While I’ve passed broken down travelers before, this incident caused me to pay more attention than I usually would. Why? She was leaned up against her Ford Taurus, wearing thigh-high boots, a black mini skirt, partially unbuttoned white oxford shirt and a semi was backing up to help her out.

I make it to my parents’ laughing, because I couldn’t believe what I had just witnessed. Once I get there I’m shocked to find my dad holding a flip phone. I’m sure it doesn’t sound that shocking, as we are in 2010 now, but my dad has been using a Nokia brick phone for 10 years and has never had a desire to upgrade. Additionally, my mom and sister have upgraded to smart phones so I can only guess how much “tech support” Adam and I will have to provide on this vacation.

We finally get loaded in the Trailblazer and head for the coast. When we make a stop for dinner at a random combination KFC/Taco Bell drive-thru there’s a live chicken walking and grazing in the flowerbed. I guess we should be comforted by knowing the chicken was fresh? Or maybe it had the sense to jump truck? Either way, it provided unexpected entertainment during our wait.

After spending the night in a hotel somewhere in Mississippi, we drive the last 10 hours to the beach. Along the way Dad informs us that the iPod Shuffle we gave him for Father’s Day is an engineering feat, Mom is asking what apps she should add to her Droid, Maddie takes over driving telling us she doesn’t drive below 80 unless required, and I’m doing needlepoint in the backseat. 14 hours on the road together and no one was left on the side of the road, or killed. So far? So good.

When I wasn’t fielding questions from my dad like, How do I make this damn thing call? or I took a picture but I don’t know how to get to it, I was trying to show Adam as much as I could about one of my favorite places in the world. Literally. Our week was filled with drives along the live oak lined, spanish moss draped highways of South Carolina, where we took pictures of the 1500 year old Angel Oak Tree and the village of Rockville at the dead end of HWY 700 and made an unexpected, yet quintessentially southern, stop at the Charleston Tea Plantation. I shared the historic southern charm of Charleston with Adam by taking a horse drawn carriage tour through town and strolling through the straw market buildings. My sister and I persuaded Adam to drive us to the Firefly Vodka distillery, where we sampled [and subsequently purchased] sweet tea and lemonade flavored vodkas. We biked all over the Island on beach cruisers, enjoyed BBQ at Mingo Point and scarfed down a celebratory low-country boil, prepared by Adam, for my mom’s birthday. There was beach time too, which might have included a game of Mölkky [in which yours truly came from behind and beat Adam] and an embarassingly unsuccessful attempt of sandcastle construction.

Our long drive home came all too quickly, but we made the best of it with Cash Cab, Don’t Forget the Lyrics, and Sporcle iPhone apps. Between CDs of Sam Cooke, The Turtles, Joe Cocker and The Beatles, my sister quoted Hamlet, my dad asked us about the Electronic Cowboy in Little Rock, our GPS told us it was recalculating, and we stopped at an interesting gas station in Nashville that had a ladies happy hour.

I can’t tell you how awesome it is to have a family that laughs together, as it makes long road trips more bearable and fly by faster. As for our week spent together on Kiawah Island? It was one of the best vacations I can remember. I’m truly blessed!

A Tale of Two Sisters

Posted on July 11, 2010 by Megan

My family made the 14 hour drive [each way] to Kiawah Island, SC without leaving anyone on the side of the road, so I say that’s a successful trip. 🙂 We had a great time: relaxing, visiting a tea plantation, sweet tea vodka distillery, Charleston, and, of course, the beach. We even spotted a few alligators in the lagoon behind our villa.

However, the purpose of this post isn’t to wax poetic about Kiawah or the tea plantation or the Spanish Moss that draped the highways. Instead it’s to share with you the perfect illustration of these sisters’ personalities that occurred on the drive out.

As we drove through Atlanta, the only thing that popped into my head was “Don’t be Tardy for the Party“, from the esteemed Bravo reality show, “Real Housewives of Atlanta“. I suppressed the urge to sing it, because no one else would understand. Then, about an hour later we had begun our trip on the scenic highways of Georgia. As we drove through Augusta and saw the quintessential southern mansions that lined downtown, I pointed to one with a white picket fence. My sister immediately replied, “Looks like it needs a little Huckleberry Finn action.”

Me: Reality television aficionado
My sister: Classic literature virtuoso

Let the Music Play

Posted on June 15, 2010 by Megan

I think it’s an annual tradition on my blog[s] that I do a post where I put iTunes on shuffle and tell you what 30 songs play. It helps flex my sometimes tired writing muscles and rescue me from boredom when there’s nothing to watch on my DVR. Here’s last year’s post.

Seeing as it’s a tradition and all, I can’t disappoint my readers [all 1 of you] now can I? Plus I need documented proof that my taste in music really is as schizophrenic as I claim it is. [Hmmm, maybe I should reconsider this whole idea now that I see it in writing] Oh well, here we go!

Faces Going Places – Jose Vanders. A great young artist out of the UK you’ve probably never heard of.
The Acid Queen – The Who. You can thank the boyfriend for this one. He introduced me to the music of The Who via Tommy at The Rep. Yes, I had no idea what songs they sang or that they even sang good music, but I was proven wrong. Dang that boyfriend. My only saving grace was handily beating him at pinball during intermission 🙂
St. Judy’s Comet – Paul Simon. I have to be honest, I hadn’t heard this song until this little exercise but I find it quite enjoyable. I mean, who doesn’t like Paul Simon?
My Boo – Ghost Town DJ’s. aaaaaand the schizophrenia begins. Yes, I’m a fan of 90’s hip-hop and yes I actually remember the words to this song.
Never Surrender – Corey Hart. Did I mention I’m an 80’s music addict? C’mon, admit it, you know you are too… As a side note, did you know this song was 5 minutes long? That’s a lot of 80’s pop musicality.
Oh Yeah – Yello. I told you I was an 80’s music addict. Now do you believe me? I love the ch-chchikaaah’s in this song, btdubs.
Hold Me – Fleetwood Mac. Anytime a Fleetwood Mac song begins to play I smile. I don’t know what it is, but I like it. Plus, there’s some cowbell in this and I hear it’s a great prescription for fevers.
Jungle Love – The Time. Embarrassing, really embarrassing even if it is an early Prince track, but I can’t help but sing along with the “oh-wee-oh-wee-oh’s”.
Farther Along – Sam Cooke & the Soul Stirrers. “Oh cheer up my brothers live in the sunshine”. I need this reminder every so often.
Run Around – Blues Traveler. Ok this song? This song right here? Was one of my childhood jams. I LOVE[D] Blues Traveler and even had this on cassette. [For you young’uns out there, before invisible .mp3 files and CDs, there used to be these small plastic boxes with ribbon on gears inside. We’d put these magical boxes in a boombox, Walkman, or car stereo and our favorite music would play. It was truly amazing.]
What Have You Done For Me Lately – Janet Jackson. This song and I go waaaaay back. When I was just a toddler running and dancing around my parents’ house in diapers I learned the words to “Nasty” and this was the next song on the cassette, so I learned the words to its intro as well. In fact, my parents video taped me dancing and singing “Nasty” and the intro to this song, which you can watch on YouTube.
One Vision – Queen. My dad’s love of Queen was obviously passed down to me.
Be My Baby – The Ronettes. Fitting, since I carried a watermelon today.
Something Happened on the Way to Heaven – Phil Collins. Early 90’s Phil, is there anything better?
Then Came You – Dionne Warwick & the Spinners. Did I also mention I enjoy music from the 70’s?
What a Fool Believes – The Doobie Brothers. I rest my case.
Girls Just Want to Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper. You can’t say you’re a fan of 80’s pop and not have this song.
Sisters are Doing it for Themselves – Eurythmics. I cannot express my love for Eurythmics eloquently enough.
Mo Money Mo Problems – Notorious B.I.G. May he rest in peace.
Inside – Sting. Sting is my favorite artist of all time. Seriously, I cannot get enough of his music. Perfection, every.single.time.
The Boys Are Back In Town – Thin Lizzy. Yep, I also like classic rock. This is a sunroof open kinda song.
Yesterday – The Beatles. My favorite band of all time [closely followed by The Police]. This song is just so beautiful and I love the melody. McCartney is a musical genius.
Constellations – Jack Johnson. Obligatory college leftover. Surprisingly I can still listen to it. Not my favorite Jack Johnson, though.
Hey Baby – Bruce Chanel. My parents raised my sister and me on Oldies. I’m pretty sure this was played on a weekly basis.
Anyone Else But You – The Moldy Peaches. Anyone else a Juno soundtrack fan?
Loose Ends – Imogen Heap. If you haven’t heard of Imogen YouTube her now. This woman is amazing. She can and does make beautiful music from a radiator, a sweeping broom, and any other household sound you can think of.
Can’t Stop – Missy Elliot. Yeah, I listen to rap too. Missy is a favorite, even if I can’t understand half of the lyrics to her songs, her beats are sick. [Did I really just type that?]
Chameleon – Elton John. After going to his the Face2Face tour with Billy Joel with my sister I have become an even bigger fan of his music. A true entertainer and, I dare say, he gets better with age [without a shadow of a doubt].
Brown Eyed Girl – Steel Pulse. Is there any better summer beach music than this reggae standard? I didn’t think so.
Jesus & Gravity – Dolly Parton. Ever since my sister and I skated on/polished wood floors to Dolly’s “9 to 5” record I’ve been a fan. She’s like the Betty White of the country music world.

Life’s a Stitch…

Posted on June 11, 2010 by Megan

Sunday, I spent my evening mourning the loss of Rue McClanahan while having a “Golden Girls” marathon. I also began a new hobby: needlepoint. Monday, I turned 26.

I’m not sure what spurred this current “obsession” with needlepoint, but I’m pretty sure it had to do with these darling key fobs I found online several weeks ago, specifically the “cosmo” and “pig” fobs. As soon as I saw them I thought, “What a cute gift! I could do that!” and thus began my quest into the great unknown of needlepoint. A Facebook/Twitter friend suggested a store in Little Rock where I could start my journey and Saturday, I dragged my boyfriend to Yarn Mart [Quick, somebody get that man a cookie!] to find my first needlepoint canvas. I’ve been hooked ever since!!

I was confused as to why all of a sudden this hobby had consumed my thoughts. Then I began thinking about the lovely childhood weekends I spent alternating between my grandmothers’ homes, which I’ve mentioned in previous posts (HERE and HERE). Thinking back, I faintly remember sewing at Ottie’s house and of those memories I most vividly remember her tracing illustrations onto muslin for me to cross-stitch. Currently, cross-stitch isn’t appealing to me, but maybe one day…

Ottie was a very talented needleworker (is that a word?), making needlepoint stockings for my sister and me [that we still use every Christmas] and small pillows with pictures of our childhood pups Sugar and Isabelle [that still grace our beds in our parents’ house]. My mom also reminded me that Ottie helped stitch the beautiful needlepoint altar rail kneeling cushions in my hometown church.

So perhaps this sudden “obsession” isn’t so random in the grand scheme of things. Maybe it’s just in my blood…

Weekend Recap

Posted on June 2, 2010 by Megan

This weekend, Adam and I enjoyed all that Riverfest in Little Rock, Arkansas had to offer. Well, almost. We only made it there for 2 nights, but we still had a blast! Earth, Wind, and Fire, fireworks, and Ludacris, what’s not to love? We also got to see each of our families. All in all, we kept I-40 hot…

Here’s some highlights:

Friday:

Heidi Montag left Spencer, is the world coming to an end?
Watching Adam rap and groove to Outkast – Ms. Jackson while driving to Riverfest is one if the funniest things I’ve ever witnessed…
The streets around Riverfest are filled with cars blaring 90’s rap/hip hop and all the drivers are white.
Waiting patiently for Earth, Wind, & Fire http://twitpic.com/1ryqkj
A DJ is spinning mixes of old-school rap/hip hop. Think O.P.P. and Da Dip and Hip Hop Hooray into Usher’s Yeah.
Save me. Adam is quoting Spaceballs while we wait for Earth Wind & Fire…
There is nothing better than watching white people with no rhythm dance to hip hop music.
At Earth, Wind, & Fire, Adam’s first impression of the band is “That tall guy is wearing some interesting pants.”

Saturday:

On our way to lunch, Adam says/sings, “I’m a Rock. It. Man!” just in case I ever doubted his geek status…
Protein. Dairy. Grains. Veggies. Totally healthy right? http://tweetphoto.com/24547642
This bike shop is named Poppa Wheelies? Really?
I just missed Adam’s fist in a fist bump. #IAdmitMyFlaws #IFail
Today I learned that Adam has never seen “Catch Me If You Can”. Tonight we’re watching it together.

Sunday:

Dad: “What is box wine?”
Dad: “I had some of that behind the blue moon beer”.
Oh Sonic, does it really take 5 minutes, 1 callback, and 3 tries to order 2 shakes? Oh, it does? Yay!
After Ludacris sang “Move B!tch” Adam and I left. We didn’t want to disobey Mr. Luda, as he had an entourage.
Listening to the LRPD scanner. Glad we got out when we did…

image via LITTLE ROCK CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

Why I want to move…

Posted on May 27, 2010 by Megan

[See also: Why I despise my downstairs frat boy neighbors]

11:40: Just got off the phone with Adam and am walking back to my bedroom.

11:41: Changed into my PJs, ready to read Jen Lancaster and fall into a sweet sweet slumber

11:42:30: Is that ABBA?

11:42:35: It IS ABBA, but what song?

11:42:45: OMG the frat boys are blaring “Dancing Queen”

11:42:47: I hit the floor, ear to carpet, listening and giggling at this picture I’ve drawn in my head of frat boys dancing around their apartment and singing “Dancing Queen”

11:43:15: Man, I’m tired. I need to sleep. [Gets up off floor]

11:43:18: But what if the next song is equally entertaining? [Walks and stands in the corner to listen to more music]

11:43:20: What’s this?

11:43:32: It’s The Eagles…

11:43:34: It’s Hotel California

11:44:25: I call Adam.

11:44:27: Adam’s working, and says, “That’s umm interesting” as a I regale him with the scenarios that are popping into my head at this very moment about the neighbors’ playlist.

11:50: Adam tells me he needs to get back to work so he can finish laundry and pack to visit me on Thursday.

11:50:10: “Don’t go!” I shout, not wanting to miss the opportunity to share the next song choice with him.

11:50:30: Distract Adam with my sleepy ramblings while I try to figure out the next song…

11:50:35: It’s the Bee Gees, not nearly as random, we say our goodbyes.

11:51:35: We are done saying our goodbyes.

11:53: Oooh! Foreigner, “Feels Like the First Time”

11:54: Seriously, WHAT are THEY doing down there…

11:54:45: Ok, the charm of this is starting to wear off. Maybe it’s something to do with the fact that it’s almost midnight on a school night.

11:54:46: Did I just say school night?

11:54:50: Head to bathroom to wash face, brush teeth, etc. etc.

11:58: Get into bed with Jen’s new book.

11:58:09: New Song!!

11:58:10: No. Freaking. Way.

11:58:11: Jump out of bed and begin to dance.

11:58:30: Grab hairbrush and lip-synch to Manfred Mann “Blinded by the Light”

12:04: Ok, seriously, Megan. Get in bed and stay there, you have to be at work in 8 hours.

12:04:30: Fleetwood Mac begins.

12:04:45: It’s “Dreams”. Fitting since it’s way past my bedtime.

12:04:50: Continue reading Jen.

12:06: Oh no they didn’t. I KNOW they didn’t just skip “Dreams”.

12:06:10: I’m pissed and I’m tired.

12:07: An unidentifiable song begins blaring.

12:07:30: I text Adam saying I’m about to go postal.

12:08: No response.

12:09: Continue reading.

12:10: This music is getting louder (and not any better).

12:14: I call the courtesy officer pager.

12:14:30: Courtesy officer calls me right as the music is shut off.

12:14:32: Of Course.

12:14:40: Apologize for bothering her, tell her I can’t hear their music anymore, and not to worry about it.

12:14:45: She tells me not to hesitate calling her back if the music comes back to an unacceptable level.

12:15: Remember nothing after this point.

7:10: I wake up with “Blinded by the Light” stuck in my head.

image via MAZZALIARMADI.IT on Flickr

A Phone Call

Posted on May 6, 2010 by Megan

You know in Father of the Bride (the remake), when Annie is introducing her fiance, Bryan, to her parents? And he goes into a spiel about being an independent communications consultant? And he says “European banks run on what’s called a Dot25 network…blah blah” and her parents look totally lost?

Well, I’ve come to realize that Adam is TOTALLY Bryan. He started a techie monologue with “X Product was written with what is called a [insert some techie term here] language, which means blah blah blah…”

I’m not sure what’s worse. The fact that I’ve memorized the entire movie or the fact that my life is starting to remind me of movie scenes.

Mambo Italiano

Posted on May 3, 2010 by Megan

I’ve been looking for easy one or two serving recipes that I can cook when I get home from work. And now that I’m done with Grad School [at least until August] I’m hoping to have more time to cook in my neglected kitchen. After work and a workout I came home and decided to try my first new recipe of the summer…

I actually had no idea what I wanted to eat for dinner tonight, but I surfed on over Tasty Kitchen and decided to peruse the sandwiches. Man, did I hit the jackpot!! I’m a huge sucker for Chicken Parmesan, but the prep is hardly easy and the cleanup, at least for me, takes longer than the cooking. Plus, you can’t ever make just one serving. Luckily, I found I could have the taste of Chicken Parmesan that I love without the frying and the pie tins of egg, flour, and breading strewn across my counter. YAY!

This recipe is simple, hearty, and cheesy and would pair perfectly with a light green salad. Buon Appetito!

Chicken Parmesan Subs

adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients:

1-⅔ whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Halves (cooked)
⅓ Jar Of Spaghetti Sauce (28 – 32 Ounce Jar)
2 whole 6″ Hoagie Buns
1 tablespoon Butter (enough to butter the bread)
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Pinch (or more) of Red Pepper Flakes
Approximately 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasonings
⅔ cups Shredded Mozarella Cheese
1 tablespoon (or more) Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Chop cooked chicken breasts into small 1/2-inch pieces. Heat spaghetti sauce in saucepan and add red pepper, italian seasonings and chicken pieces. Cook until chicken is heated through.
Slice hoagie buns in half.
Mix softened butter and and garlic until well incorporated. Spread garlic butter over bread.
Preheat broiler. Place bread on a pan, butter side up, under broiler. Broil until golden and crunchy.
Distribute the chicken mixture over bread. Top generously with cheeses.
Return to oven and broil until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 3 minutes.
Remove from oven and let set a few minutes.

Serves 2

Note: You can prepare the chicken breasts however you like – baked, sauteed, rotisserie, etc. Leftover is perfect!

I Love to Laugh

Posted on March 26, 2010 by Megan

Growing up my sister and I split our weekends at our Grandmothers’ homes. This is the last in a series of two reminiscing about those weekends.

On the weekends we stayed with GranMerle, we’d make spaghetti, eat Oatmeal Creme Pies like they were going out of style, play smut, dominoes, and a host of other card games, listen to GranMerle recall moments from her childhood, listen to 8-track tapes, play with the Playmobil dollhouse, and eat the best homemade banana pudding (made by GranMerle, of course). Not to mention accompanying her to her weekly hair appointment, playing Barbies, and generally being her shadow for about 36 hours.

But one of the things I remember most is watching Mary Poppins practically every weekend we stayed with her. [Which led me to buy it when the limited DVD edition came out]. What is it about Mary Poppins that is so intriguing? Is it the fantasy sidewalk chalk world they jump into? The practically perfect measuring tape Mary uses? The spoonfuls of sugar she encourages the children to take medicine with? Or maybe dancing chimney sweeps, which I’m pretty sure led to me inquiring to my parents about a chimney sweep of our own once or twice. There’s also that hilarious guy named Dick van Dyke…Through it all, I fondly remember Grandmerle often opening up her hide-a-bed sofa for us to pile up and watch Mary Poppins on, she would always be totally concentrated on the movie just as we were, until we bribed her for another Oatmeal Creme Pie, that is…

I don’t know if it was coincidence or not that Julie Andrews had the starring role in both movies that we obsessively watched at our Grandmothers’ homes, but either way it helped me name her one of my favorite actresses of all time. To this day, I cannot get over how much love our grandmothers gave us when we visited them. I’m sure they could quote the movies in their sleep, but they never once complained about having to watch them over and over and over again with us. There truly is nothing like a grandmother’s love.

The Hills are Alive…

Posted on March 26, 2010 by Megan

Growing up my sister and I split our weekends at our Grandmothers’ homes. This is the first in a series of two reminiscing about those weekends.

On the weekends we stayed with Ottie, we’d make homemade potato chips, walk across the street to Maxine’s Diner (now Mama Max’s) for burgers, “ice skate” on [aka polish] her hardwood floors to a Dolly Parton record, play with our aunts’ old Barbies and make their furniture out of shoeboxes, have a nightcap of Coca-Cola in a small glass, and pick cherries off her cherry tree. Not to mention playing with her dog, Foo-Foo, planting flowers in her flower beds, and generally being her shadow for about 36 hours.

But the thing I remember most is watching The Sound of Music practically every weekend we stayed with her. So it shouldn’t surprise you that it is one of my favorite movies of all time. In fact, I consider the opening scene to be one of the best in the industry. It’s perfect: the blue ski, the lush mountains, the perfection in Julie Andrews’ voice. Every time I watch it, I want to be her. There are so many things about the movie that I love, like the confidence she finds in herself, because really? What is so fearsome about 7 children? Then there’s the strapping Christopher Plummer as Captain von Trapp. I mean, hello. Then towards the end of the movie there’s one of the best scenes, the talent contest. I remember Maddie and me laughing and laughing at the lady who bows her way across the stage to accept her award, then bows her way off the stage with flowers in her arms when we watched it with Ottie, sometimes even rewinding just to laugh some more.

I don’t know how Ottie never got tired of watching this movie over and over again with us. I mean even classics can get old after a while, but she was always there, in her chair doing needlepoint or a word puzzle or absolutely nothing but watching along with us. It’s just one of the many ways I remember Ottie today.

Up next? Weekends with GrandMerle…

Alpha Delta Pi Directory Update

Posted on March 25, 2010 by Megan

Oh how I love sorority directory update time.

Today, I [finally] stopped putting off calling to verify/update my information for the Alpha Delta Pi international directory. Luckily on the other end of the line was a very nice black woman (I could tell her race from her voice, you know). Anyway, she’s asking me about my initiation year [2002], college [University of Arkansas] and major [Journalism] and then goes into my current job title [Training and Development Specialist]. All of a sudden she stops and says (in that ghetto fabulous way) “Giiiiiirl, why you giving up that degree? That’s a heavy major, you could be the next Diane Sawyer.” [I smile, I’m sure she felt it through the phone.]

After we finish my updates I’m told for 2 easy payments of 49.95 I can have the newest international directory. I said thanks but no thanks, I’ve got Facebook.

Year in Review

Posted on March 24, 2010 by Megan

It’s that time of year again. The time of year where I reflect over the last 365ish days of my life and post my observations. For your reading pleasure, I present 2009 vs. 2010 (thus far):

2009: Strangers who think flirting while driving is attractive are wrong, extremely.
2010: Cars with random sayings written on their back window should be taken off the road. Today’s quote? “Porno Country” written in white shoe polish.
2009: One of the best feelings in the world is getting mail that is not a) a bill, b) junk, or c) expected, especially when said mail is on handmade stationery. That is quite possibly the most heartwarming envelope to open.
2010: Speaking of handmade stationery, I began designing my own stationery this year. You should check it out 🙂
2009: Reading in bed until late at night can be quite relaxing.
2010: Watching Food Network in bed is the best way to unwind and head to dreamland.
2009: Season 8 of American Idol was not hyped up enough.
2010: Season 9 of American Idol was horribly over-hyped. Can we just go ahead an give Crystal Bowersox the title?
2009: Ellen DeGeneres is the new Oprah. If you don’t believe me Google their ratings.
2010: Ellen DeGeneres is the newest American Idol judge. Watch out, she’s about to take over the World.
20o9: Using Facebook as a verb is acceptable.
2010: Using “tweet” as a verb is acceptable, so is using “tweep” as a noun.
2009: Watching a wannabe model have a nervous breakdown because ANTM or Make Me a Supermodel wants to chop her hair off is good television, no matter how bad you feel for her.
2010: Watching crazy housewives act like high school mean girls [or mafia members] all season and then meet up for a reunion long after the filming has wrapped is good television.
2009: Long late night phone calls with your boyfriend who lives 30 minutes away are a great way to relax.
2010: Long late night phone calls/video chats with your boyfriend, who moved 8 hours away last May, are my favorite way to end a long day.
2009: My iPod is one of my proudest investments. Every song it plays is either “my jam”, “my favorite song ever”, or a song “I LOVE”. I’m not ashamed.
2010: My iPhone is my single greatest investment ever. How did I survive without it? [see also: Words with Friends]
2009: Despite looking like you could break your back doing the workout, Afro-Latin is one of the most fun workouts I have ever done…despite being a sweaty mess afterwards.
2010: Despite hearing how cheesy it is or remembering the unfortunate neon leotards from 80’s that many still [wrongly] associate with it, Jazzercise is the single best workout I’ve ever done, not to mention the only one I’ve stuck with for over 4 months without complaint. I? LOVE. IT!
2009: Twitter is overrated, sort of.
2010: Twitter is how I make it through my work day.
2009: Facebook is overrated.
2010: Since when did Facebook become the place for High School “spirit weeks”. I don’t care about the color of your underwear, your birthplace, or the celebrity you most resemble. What happened to original status updates??
2009: Mini watermelons from Fresh Market are a seasonal yet delectable treat.
2010: Cupcakes from Cupcakes on Kavanaugh are a delectable treat.
2009: Why have I not seen “Princess Bride”?
2010: Why have I not seen “This Is It”?
2009: Cooking/Baking is my new stress relief.
2010: Jazzercise is my new [and hopefully permanent] stress relief.
2009: Girls’ nights will teach you more about your friends that you would know otherwise.
2010: Girls’ nights, with friends you can be truly yourself around, are few and far between.
2009: Despite how silly you look while doing it, the Masala Bhangra workout really does work.
2010: Despite how much of a mistake they were in the 90’s, Hammer Pants are back. did we not learn anything?
2009: Did I mention I’m going to see Billy Joel? In concert? With Elton John?
2010: Did I mention I’m going to my favorite beach this summer?!?!?!

Family Road Trips

Posted on February 1, 2010 by Megan

Kiawah

Every summer, for as long as I can remember, my family would pile up in our gray Chevy Astro Van with GrandMerle and Ottie to begin our 18 hour drive to Kiawah Island, SC. Most drives were straight through the night [Thanks, Dad!] but I never remember them being stressful. Perhaps this was due to my naivety at a young age or perhaps my family really was a perfectly happy traveling family [the latter would be proven incorrect circa 1999], either way my memories are fond of that entire trip.

I remember my family’s stops to Shoney’s, Casey Jones Village, and Cracker Barrel along the way. [Remember that line in Father of the Bride: II, “that’ll be economical: one child, two seniors, thanks”? For us it was 2 children, 2 adults, and 2 seniors. At Shoney’s? That was a STEAL!] I remember being somewhere between Arkansas and Georgia popping an occasional VHS tape into our van’s TV [yeah, we were soo high-tech], eating our weight in Peanut Butter Logs [courtesy of Ottie], playing Skip-Bo, Old Maid, or Go Fish! while driving down the road, or singing along to oldies [since that’s all my dad ever played on the radio]. And who could forget those overnight drives when my sister and I thought it was so cool that our backseat folded into a bed?!

Then came the invention of the Walkman and my purchase of Lisa Loeb’s Tails cassette tape, coupled with my discovery of The Boxcar Children, and my sister’s discovery of the Thoroughbred series and these trips were forever transformed. I’m sure my parents and grandparents were very happy about this newfound distraction on the long drive to SC, because my sister and I both became occupied with our respective traveling libraries.

Nevertheless, all of my memories of family road trips are like this [except for the one involving an RV, but we’ll get there soon enough] and while I’m sure getting there was the biggest relief for the adults on the trip, some of my fondest memories lie in that old gray van. Whether it was sitting behind my dad listening to Lisa Loeb and reading the Boxcar Children or putting my head through the hole of a plywood painting of Casey Jones, it was getting there that was half the fun.

And so it begins…

Posted on January 30, 2010 by Megan

A year and a half ago, my Mom, Sister, and I traveled to Finland to visit an “old” exchange student and meet his family. I’ll post my reflections in reverse so that you can easily click through and read them in the order in we experienced Finland. Enjoy!

My trip to Finland began at 1:30 on the afternoon of June 17, I had just quit my job and was in an empty state of mind. No stresses to think about, just excitement about the journey ahead.

My flight didn’t leave for a couple of hours so I took time to people watch in the waiting area of Gate 1. I saw families heading to vacation, business people making phone calls and checking emails, students reading textbooks, and a Texas Longhorn fan. I say the latter of that group had a death wish, proclaiming his love for the all things Longhorn in an Arkansas airport, but my boyfriend begged to differ.

In the plethora of personalities that surrounded me, one specifically stood out. An older lady wearing a brown linen tunic and khaki pants was traveling with what I assumed were members of her family. (For most of my trip I think I’ll be with them, I just heard them mention going to London.) This lady was striking. She was talking about all of the traveling she had done, the types of coins she had in bags at home, and a fleeting mention of 200,000 frequent flyer miles. She seemed so full of life that she reminded me of someone. It wasn’t until I was on the plane at our cruising altitude somewhere above Arkansas that I realized who I was being reminded of.

Ottie, my late grandmother (Dad’s side), was one of the dearest souls I knew (and know to this day). Ottie loved to travel. She was in Switzerland in a gondola above the Swiss Alps on the day I was born, had been all across the US with the “Trailblazers” (a group of retirees from my hometown that took twice yearly charter tours), and had taken an Alaskan cruise, among other trips.

She was also an educator, gardener, and inspiring Christian. I often find myself wishing Ottie was still with us, that I could call her and tell her all about my life, my travels, and my hopes. But, in this moment, on this journey, I know she is with me and smiling.