Victory is mine!

Well, really, I share this victory with the entire Auburn family.

This past Friday, I attended my 3rd Iron Bowl as a student, my first as an Alabama student. For those of you wondering, I wore navy.

Truthfully, I dreaded the Iron Bowl this year. With all the mud-slinging going on surrounding my man Cam Newton and the Auburn Tigers, I knew tensions would be high and sitting in the Bama student section would be especially rough. As the big day approached, weather forecasts predicted rain and cold. So when I rolled out of bed-- my double bed that I shared with JoJo and Chasley-- that Friday morning, finding a warm, cozy place to watch the game instead was awfully tempting.

I fought the urge, though, and I braved the elements and the student section. A friend of mine and fellow Auburn alum in law school at UA invited me to sit with him and a few of his cohorts at the game, so I happily obliged. Little did I know I'd be sitting with 10 or more excited Auburn supporters.

Yes, we were booed. Yes, we were hissed at and cussed at. I've never seen so many obscene finger gestures nor heard so many f-bombs flung at myself and my team, but our merry band of fans just turned the other cheek.

Yes, the first half was tough. It was beginning to look like another shut out in Bryant-Denny was upon us, and I was dreading the shameful walk out of the student section. It was bitter cold, so I started dancing/jiggling to keep warm. And then it happened: we scored. Thrilled to at least have points on the board, I kept up my good luck dancing.

In the second half of the game, the Auburn Tigers really showed up. "We" didn't allow the Tide to score a single touchdown, and we pulled out victorious. I'm sure a lot of it had to do with my dancing.

It's amazing how much warmer it gets when you win.

To celebrate our victory, I headed downtown with some of my very best friends to dance the night away. As predicted, the tensions were high, and multiple bar fights broke out. Sure, it's dangerous and kind of scary, but it's really very entertaining to watch. It's amazing how fast the two fighters can move across the floor, and I'm pretty sure my life was saved by my dance partner shoving me out of the way at one point. Also very exciting: watching the bouncers put the most giant, drunkest guys into headlocks and remove them from the bar. Drunk people are funny.

So, even besides the win, with my best friends packed into my apartment and long hours of dancing and laughter, it was my best Iron Bowl in some time... possibly ever.

War Eagle to that.

Oh, the places you'll go.

i don't even know where to start.

My Thanksgiving break has been a whirlwind of activities, and I have loved every minute and slept very little.

Saturday, Clay arrived in Tuscaloosa, and we headed North to home. We packed an unwilling Macy into her Kitty Carrier and hit the road around 9. Around 10, Macy had a little oopsie. Unable to voice her need to hit up a gas station, she was left with little options. As we drove through Cleveland, Clay and I kept the conversation going as we both politely ignored the other one's outrageous gas... and then I heard Macy attempting to throw invisible litter on her... accident. Although I was glad to realize Clay wasn't suffering from horrendous gastrointestinal problems, the remainder of the ride home was pretty chilly with the windows down.

Sunday I went with Clay and his family to see Harry Potter. Whoa, whoa, whoa. I can't explain my emotional connection with this series. I just love it. I sob every time I read the books, and I can barely contain myself when even a preview comes on. Bring on Part II!

Monday, Chasley and I met Wade-o for lunch in Huntsville before we went shopping. Two things: Rosie's never disappoints and I could spend days in Forever 21. With Chasley's help, I found a gorgeous dress for KB's wedding at Belk. That wedding is on my "Things I'm Looking Forward To" list. Monday night, Clay and I went to see my dad's dress rehearsal for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Coat. As the title suggests, this show is uh-mazing.

On Tuesday I got to sub at the high school, and then I had to head to Tuscaloosa for class. Blah.

Erica and I met for breakfast and real talk on Wednesday morning. I love Huddle House with my whole heart, but I've got to be more persistent about Mama's opening for breakfast next time I'm there. After breakfast I went to blue grass practice with Dad. I think I nailed Away in a Manger-- a favorite since preschool-- but my attempts at Joy to the World were just plain scary. After that, I took Dad to get his very first spray tan-- a must for Pharoah Elvis. Later that night I did his make-up for dress rehearsal... Another things list: Things I Never Thought I'd Say, "I have to get home to do my dad's make-up."

Thursday thru Sunday were so exciting that they deserve their own blog posts. On a less interesting note, I'll be spending today unpacking and reorganizing my closet.

outwit. outlast. outplay.

The reality show that started all reality shows: Survivor.

I had never really followed Survivor until last season's All-Stars series.

I was living at home last spring, and it became mine and Mom's bonding time (along with a number of other guilty pleasure reality shows of the Real Housewives variety).

For fall's Survivor season, the contestants are in Nicaragua and I'm back in Tuscaloosa.

My passion for Survivor has only grown, although I'm the only twenty-something I know that watches.

I love to hate the villains: NaOnka, a PE teacher straight out of Compton with the worst imaginable attitude; Brenda, a snake in the grass former professional cheerleader; and Sash, who frankly just gives me the creeps.

I love to love the loveable ones: Chase, who is pathetically in love with Brenda but still adorable; Fabio, who is a walking caricature of a surfer dude; and Kelly B, who competed with a prosthetic leg... and was incredible.

And I forget about the ones who fly under the radar: Dan (why is he still there??), Kelly Purple, Holly, Benry... there are probably others...

For months now I've had a dream: I want to try out for Survivor. Some people laugh when I say this, but I think they're underestimating my capacity for roughin' it.

I don't know if I'll ever pull the trigger. I think I could live in Survivor, but I'm not sure how well I would do in the challenges. Some of them are pretty crazy, but then I look at the people doing them and can't help but think, "If they can do it, surely I can." Surely. Maybe.

So we'll see. Maybe one night I'll get crazy and put in an application. Otherwise, I'll keep watching as long as they keep Surviving.

Here's what I do know.

I eat a bag of kettle corn for dinner at least once a week. My mom says she's worried about my diet, and I'm beginning to see why. My food intake today looks like this: rice & beans around 10:30 am, a graham cracker and peanut butter around 2:30 pm, two snack size Hershey bars, and a bag of kettle corn I'm munching on now. There's also a Diet Dr. Pepper in my near future.

I'm not sure how I made it this long without Otis Redding. This is the kind of music I listen to when I study-- much to my class's chagrin when I'm subbing: "Miss Hays, have you got the blues?"-- and every now and then I take a study break just to dance around the living room. It kind of makes me feel like Meredith Grey and Christina Yang.

Speaking of music, Christmas music before Thanksgiving is a MAJOR NO-NO where I'm from. For one, if I start listening to Christmas music too early, I'm completely over it before the glorious holiday even arrives. And secondly, give Thanksgiving some credit, people! Turkey Day is all too often looked over in anticipation of Christmas, and... it just ain't right. Take a moment and be thankful for Thanksgiving. And then, the day afterward, crank up the Christmas tunes and sing in the season to your favorite Christmas album. My personal faves are Mariah Carey and Bing Crosby, but this year I'm open for suggestions.

For one of my last assignments in my Thursday night class-- Principles of School Counseling-- I have to turn in a curriculum vita (it's like a big-girl version of a resume). I haven't started yet, and for good reason: it's just not going to take me that long to type out my half page CV. I mean, really, my professor's CV is 34-pages. I am a nobody with no experience. Ho hum. Maybe I'll list 'blogging' under skills... That's gotta count for something. It makes me media savvy, maybe?

I was going to devote an entire post to the Prince William and Kate engagement, and maybe I still will, but in case I don't get around to it... Congrats, kids. It's a long time coming. Wills, it never would've worked out between us. Frankly, I've been after your brother since my first trip to London the summer after 8th grade. I'll be back in May, so... double date? Better yet, I bet Harry needs a date to the nuptials anyway.

must. do. real. work.

Random thoughts on a rainy Monday

Now Playing: She Knows Her Way Around by Act of Congress

It's funny that it's gross here-- rainy and gray and in slow motion-- and my mom's sitting on the deck in Gulf Shores watching waves crash onto a sunny beach. But she deserves that. If I had to bet, I'd say she and my Aunt Deb are sipping Coca-Cola Classic and telling the same old stories.

I like having conversations with my dad about football and professors. It's like some kind of weird affirmation of my maturity, these grown up conversations. My mom is my very best friend-- maybe it's my ego that wants to say that we're closer than most, or maybe we just are closer than most mother-daughter duos-- but I'm very sentimental about my dad. Everything he does is special to me. I guess I'm just a daddy's girl. A very proud daddy's girl.

My remaining work load looks like this: 4-page paper, 10-page paper, curriculum vita, portfolio, study guide, three finals, and a few projects to do in my grad assistant hours. I need to cross a couple, or several, of those things off my list today, but my work ethic and motivation is about as crappy as this weather.

I believe that laughter and chocolate have healing powers, and when combined they can make miracles. Right now I'd love to be in mine or Erica's room, eating sweet treats, with Erica and Anna (although I'm sure Anna would abstain from the treats; she has a defective sweet tooth) and going over every detail of our lives in disjointed, interrupting conversations. I'm already in my sweat pants and fleece pullover, now I just need the baked goods and my two best friends.

Over the holidays, I'm going to read as many books as I can get my hands on-- novels, biographies, series. And I hope I go to the movies several times. Sometimes it's inconvenient that we have to drive all the way to Huntsville to see a movie, but most of the time it's nice to pile into the car with your nearest and dearest for a mini-road trip. And I love-love-love watching a movie in a theater. What comes out Friday? Harry Potter. Could I be more excited? Definitely not. And besides Harry Potter, there are a host of other movies coming out just in time for the holiday break.

I have little to no food in my apartment, but I refuse to leave my apartment and fight the drizzling rain. Looks like instant grits and Ritz crackers for dinner! Although Chasley said my Ritz crackers were a bit soft...

And with all that said, I'm off to buckle down and get to work. Probably. Maybe.

Good, Great, Grand

I have great friends.

No really: they're the best.

One of those best friends came to visit me this weekend, and honestly, I don't think she could be a better best friend if she tried... and the thing is, she doesn't even have to try. That's just who Chasley is.

I could go on and on about everything I love about Chas: she's adventurous and fearless, she dresses like a real life Carrie Bradshaw (and she's not a bad writer to boot), her faith in God is unshakeable, and I can't say how much I admire her love of people-- all people. But I won't go on and on. I'll just say that Chasley is one of the rare people you meet in life that will truly inspire you to be a better person... to be more like them... to be more like Christ.

I've seen other acts of friendship lived out this weekend that have warmed my heart more than I can say.

People ask me often if I've run into my ex-boyfriend since we broke up. The answer is no. Even though we share a hometown and a university, we have blessedly had no painful/awkward run-ins. This weekend, as my friends and I walked up to a restaurant for lunch, I saw someone standing in the door wearing a t-shirt that sparked the immediate thought, "He would have liked that shirt." Why would he have liked that shirt? Oh, because that was him. Right there in the doorway. I turned to my friends and said, "I can't go in there. He's right there." Without questions, my sweet friends turned and started looking for another restaurant. They didn't make me feel like a baby or say I was making a big deal out of nothing, which for guy friends I thought was kind of major since the male species is not exactly known for it's sensitivity.

Later this weekend, we went out to hear live music-- this band was pretty much amazing-- and I danced and laughed with three of my best friends for hours. And Chasley didn't even complain when we had to walk over a mile back to my car... in heels.

Today I finished out the weekend with lunch with David, our game day weekend tradition. (Sorry, Dad, still no romance blooming). I think David and I see the world through the same lens, although he's quite a bit calmer than I am. The conversation is always top-notch though, from high school stories to favorite tooth paste.

And of course the weekend was sprinkled with text messages from Anna and a phone date with Erica, as if we could go more than a day without checking in.

I know most people hate to see the weekend end, and I probably fall into that category more often than not... but this Sunday evening, I'm looking forward to tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that and so on... My mommy is coming to town this week, and then I'm heading home for the holidays (minus a few days for finals). And with the holidays come more great times with grand friends, not to mention my wonderful parents and family.

Here's the outline version of Weekend Update:

-Sushi and shopping with Chas

-Dinner and drinks with Dave and friends

-Tailgating on the quad

- My first ever Yellow Hammer at Gallete's

- Chasley's first ever Bama game

- Auburn victory over Georgia (who we never beat in my entire tenure at Auburn; you can thank me for graduating later, AU)

- Dancing at The Red Shed to ZZTop, Hank Williams, Jr., and the like

- Lunch at Mellow Mushroom (not quite the same as Mama's)

- House marathon and much needed rest

bring it, Monday.

the silver lining.

On the phone with Mom:

L: And I'm just going to leave Macy at home when I come back from Thanksgiving for finals. I just don't want to have to pack her up so many times. And it'll only be for a few days.

C: Are you sure you can go that long without her?



I guess one way of look at it is this... if nothing else, I've accomplished one thing this year: I am quite possibly the world's youngest cat lady.