eudaemonic- (adj.) producing happiness and well-being

Thursday, June 30, 2005

Stephie's Funny Corner!

SET SAIL FOR A LAUGH ON A CRUISE TO AMUSE
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=29&art_id=iol1119948826743L200

"A British cruise company is launching what it claims is the world's first ocean liner holiday devoted to laughter therapy." Since we can't just pack and jump on a cruise ship, I've decided to lend my services free of charge. As you know, I have an fondness for corny jokes... here are a few "best of the best" for your enjoyment. None of them are mine, but I like to take credit :) :

Why don't lions eat clowns? --They taste funny!

What tool does a mathematician have in his tool box --Multi-pliers!

What does an invisible cow give? --Evaporated milk!!!

Why can't flying ducks tell jokes? --They'd quack up!

Why didn't they play cards on the ark?--Noah was standing on the deck!!!!

what did the girl sea say when the boy sea asked her for a date? -- shore!

What are sailors' favorite fruits? -- naval oranges!

How do you turn soup into gold? -- add 24 carrots (karats)!

What do wolves say when they are introduced? -- howl do you do!

how does a man on the moon get his hair cut? -- eclipse it!

***I know I know, you can thank me later :)

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

MAN DELIVERS PIZZA AFTER BEING SHOT IN LEG
http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050608125009990007&cid=936

Man, this is the kind of job I want after graduation.... noooo, not a pizza delivery man! I'm talking about matching the passion that this man has for his career.
Thomas Stefanelli, a pizza delivery man, had the pizzas, but the house that he was supposed to deliver them too was vacant. Odd? Yes, but not as odd as the next three events. A masked man with a gun approached him and commanded that Stefaneilli give him money (odd thing number one). The devoted pizza steward said no and FOUGHT BACK eventually receiving a bullet to the thigh (odd thing number two). Well, Stefanelli didn't realize that he had been shot, but when he did, his cell stopped working. So, he went to his next stop, delivered the pizzas to some hungry and I'm sure quite surprised customers, and called his boss from their phone. Then he sat down, wined and ate their pizza... NOT! Stefaneilli got back on the road to make THREE more deliveries! Wow. All I have to say is he better have received best tips of his adult life!

Goodness! Stefaneilli obviously found pride in his job. I mean, you could say he fed the hungry. But, truthfully although he may wear his hair net as a crown, others see his profession for what it says on his resume: pizza delivery man. Yikes, that sounds awful disparaging! I promise I don’t mean it as such! In conclusion :O) that the story just shows that lemons can be made into lemonade... you just have to get off your hiney and make the drink.

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

NATIONAL HANDSHAKE DAY!!! "Shake a friends hand, shake the hand next to you!"

I'll do it tomorow

To all that doubted... I took my Freshman English CLEP test yesterday. Ha, take that you naysayer! I'll admit, it was the last possible day to take it before I jumped over that maximum hour requirement, but I made the deadline! I have a love/hate relationship with deadlines. On one hand, they stink because more times yes than no, you have to rush your work to meet that little designated box on your calendar. Normally rushed production leads to work that is, let's just say, not high quality. However, on the other hand, if I didn't have deadlines, I wouldn't get anything done. NOTHING. Case and point: I like to scrapbook and crochet. I have a box of half-cut decorations and a file on my computer with unprinted pictures. Yep, that's definitely not a scrapbook, it's a black hole where Hobby Lobby tells me to throw my money :O). To the accumulating amass of yarn in my closet... um, what can I say? I just don't get anything done if I don't have a deadline. You may suggest that I make a self-imposed deadline, but no... if it's not mandatory, do it today or do it never, "rake you over the coals if you slack on this one" type of deadline, I'm not doing it. Bummer!
I am what is called a structured procrastinator (http://www-csli.stanford.edu/~john/procrastination.html). I put off some things in order to do other things. Gotta’ love lists! When composing them, you start with the most important things on top… they could be bolded, in caps or highlighted, and then round out the list with tasks that are valuable, but just not as important. Well, what does a procrastinator do? Of course, complete the tasks at the bottom of the list before the headliners. Is this a problem?… haha, here is where we cheat the system. Those neon blinking lights that fill the No. 1 and 2 spots on the to-do list are often mandated tasks, meaning they have a deadline GIVEN TO ME BY SOMEONE ELSE! Yes! Foiled the character flaw once again!

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Ode to a study-free day:
oh, that I would ever see
a day without studying... what fun that would be!

I would come home after a hard days work
and not do anything... it would keep me from going berserk!

I like to learn, I really do!
But when it's just too much, I have to say BOO!

What would I do on this day you may ask?
I'll tell you, for it's something that puts a smile on my face, a permanent one like a mask.


I would read a book, yes that sounds nice
I would make some tea, and put it on ice.

I would run without pondering ag policy definitions,
and simply rely on my own thoughtful premonitions.

I would paint my toes.
I would take time to powder my nose

I would scrapbook
Or, I could even cook!

Someday, I really believe I’ll see
A study-free day… oh my golly gee!

Until then, I’ll continue my trudge
And if it gets to be too much... in my cabinet, I have some really great fudge!



Thursday, June 16, 2005

Relax by James Bowie- The gently tapered wings of swift lake swallows, cut through the air like soft whispering sighs, while they dart in and out of a clustered hovering mass of mayflies, that drift just inches above the shimmering lake that reflects the orange hued light of the setting sun. On a floating dock, worn in spots by the rubbing of moored boats, I sit in a weathered Adirondack chair with the purpose of only to relax to the rhythmic rocking caused by small rolling waves from cruising pleasure boats, with people waving as they pass by. Looking down through the clear jade tinted waters I notice the octagonal amber markings on a small box turtle that seems to be ambling, rather than swimming through the still water as it passes by, seemingly without a care for anything but its mysterious unknown destination. These moments pass fleetingly, but remain ingrained in my mind for those times where I feel the sides pressing in, my escape is into these simple moments, where all that the world requires of you is to sit back and take in what is offered, without asking for anything in return. ___________Aaaah. Have you ever had a moment like that? A moment where the only thing that needs to be accomplished is the task of watching what's going on around you? Stalking...errr, I mean people watching is my favorite, hahaha. After my exam this morning, I had about 20 minutes to kill before Ag Policy. I know what you're thinking, "Stephanie, why didn't you go to class early so you could organize your highlighters and get you post-it notes ready?" Yes friends, I won't deny it, the thought did go through my mind. However, I decided to pursue a different option. There's this arborists dream on campus beside the Chem building, across the street from Reed McDonald. If you sit in the bench to the left of Chem, the tree branches overhand just enough where it knocks out the vertical and right side view. With the Chem building and its beauty to your left, you're in a little nature green box! It’s fantastic! The H20 fountain offers the relaxing sound of running water and you have a perfect spot to watch people. It's almost like you're invisible... that is until the person you're watching catches you staring! Oops :O) When I watch people I like to guess what kind of person they are. Are they going home this weekend to celebrate Father's Day? Do they like the ocean or the lake? Chocolate or vanilla? What do they want to be when they grow up? And... oh yeah... am I crazy or just weird?

So instead of contemplating that, hahah :O) , go sit in your favorite spot, relax and enjoy!

Thursday, June 09, 2005

Man, have you ever noticed how quickly joy can dissipate? Really. It seems like you let down your guard just for a week, and suddenly you're at the bottom of the pile, literally and figuratively. I have the bad habit of taking on too much. I think I can do everything. I guess that's a good attribute to have if you want to get things accomplished, but it's not good when you're already overdrawn. I want to do a lot. I want to help people who need help. For me the battle doesn't lie in the desire to complete tasks, but is fought between the tedious relationship of time and the ever growing to-do list. I'm a happy person, and I like being happy. So when I see myself letting go of joy in the name of getting things done, I have to stop. I can't let school, work and meaningless tasks steal my joy! I promise friends, this is not a gripe session. It's actually written in encouragement. Ha! I bet you're wondering when that encouragement is going to pop in. Right now: POP!

"So just call on me brother when you need a hand, cause we all need somebody to lean on!" Hehe :O) Offer your arm to someone who's struggling to stand up straight. Show understanding for a busy schedule and buried friend, and maybe, if you can, offer to help! At the same time, don't pardon a pal's mistake of letting the world take over their life. Brag on your friends in front of them. Let them know they're loved. Pat their back and help them dig out, but remind them that "this" is not the most important thing! When we give our time away to random tasks there isn’t any left to give to passion. When time is gone, we can’t spend it doing what we’ve been called by the Lord to do. Sometimes just noticing a struggle can help it become conquered. I have to brag on my wonderful roommate. Honestly, she has a superhero strength sense to see when someone needs a boost. She's the trigger of this ramble :o).

I’m not completely out, but slowly and surely I’m scratching things off the list. So if you’re smooshed between a rock and a hard place, take care my friend, and for goodness sake, holler so at least we can laugh about it later!

Saturday, June 04, 2005


42 at conference Posted by Hello

Thursday, June 02, 2005

The future…. Oohhh ah ah ah (erie sound of the rest of my life).

Umm, yeah, how ‘bout that word? I’ve been hearing it more often than usual this week from professionals in agricultural journalism. While it isn’t always backed up with chilling sound effects, it always makes my heart constrict. Just tonight over a lovely dinner, a co-worker started talking about graduate school and why it’s important. He chatted about the difference between a BS and a BA, how one can help, and how the other can actually hurt depending on what I want to do… here come the dreaded words… “for the rest of my life.”

After dinner, we headed over to the Landing and listened to some really great jazz.

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Woohoo! Yea Spurs! We're staying in the Marriott in San Antonio and all I can hear from my hotel room is “HONK HONK HONK HONK!!!!” These poor folks from other states must think Texans are crazy! It's past midnight and we just came back from the hospitality room on the 38th floor. We didn't have to work it tonight, so we got to lounge and talk with an old Ag who is receiving an award at convention. Calvin Pigg was the editor of SW Farm Press and graduated from TAMU around '58 with, can you believe it, an Ag Journalism degree. It was great talking with him and his sweet wife (Tommiee I believe). He had a lot of great stories of “when there was plenty of parking.” Hahaha! I'm really enjoying this year's conference. Starting this morning, Meg, Crystal and I woke up this morning at 5:45 to walk across the street with the intent to pay for parking. From what we understood the day before, parking ended at 6 am… so off we went. Unfortunately, it was POURING! I'm talking lighting, thunder and wind. After trekking across the street, no one was there to accept our money! The very helpful custodian at the garage said the workers arrived at 7:30. Eeekk!!! We went back to the hotel and went back to bed! When we went back, the garage employees said payment wasn't necessary until we left the garage! We took sad face pictures just to be silly :O).
Our sessions were pretty informative, especially the graduate school help sheets! Man, working with Hispanic audiences just sounds more and more like something that I'd like to do! We had our awards dinner and I got 5th place in the news category! Well yea! We had ice cream on the river walk and just chilled. It was great! I love San Antonio, but right now I really need to sleep! Honking is not helpful, but congrats to them!
I'm coming to appreciate the role conventions play in the professional journalist's career. It seems every time you turn around, you run into someone you know. Being able to keep contact annually with great contacts can really improve your work, at least I think so :O). I've gotten to meet so many really neat people. Working with Extension has really helped start a lot of conversations since it's a national agency. Creating social based programs for Hispanic audiences would be FANTASTIC! Man, but so would writing for a living, photography, teaching and public relations. Hehehe, maybe I should start narrowing down my passions!

(honk honk honk)