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

Wednesday, November 30, 2005

New York pictures are posted! Excuse the captions.... I was pretty tired last night and couldn't think clearly. I'll fix it later... gator :o)

Sunday, November 27, 2005

What are you thankful for?
I'm thankful for a lot of things. I think they would best be written in list form.

I'm thankful for:

* The fact that I am a child of God and bride of Christ.. and the promise that nothing can change that.
* A wonderful family that loves me and that I love back with a vengeance :O)
* The fact that I have a home (believe me, living in DC reminds you that a home isn't a promised key on the key ring)
* Wonderful-dunderful friends that make life a party :o)
* I got to go to the Macy's Day Parade in New York
* I have the greatest family and friends... seriously the greatest... they're worth repeating
* I have food in my fridge.
* I am an American and a Texan :o)
* I attend the greatest university in the world! WHO6P!
* I am in stinkin' DC working on the Hill for a Congressman!
* I am going to Estonia on Dec. 28 with a great set of folks
* My friend Kendra is coming to see me in a few short days and we're going to have a blast and a half!
* I have more freedoms and blessings than I know what to do with!

I am thankful that my blessings far surpass any word limit or site information load. I am thankful that I can go to bed because I'm tired.

I am thankful for you!!! What are you thankful for?

Saturday, November 19, 2005

My emotions are a little indescribable. It’s weird- it’s like my life is alive and moving inside of me instead of externally. Okay, that sounds even weirder. I crave companionship, but when it’s offered, I turn inward and just want to be a fly on the wall. I love walking by myself and watching everything around me- soaking up other people’s lives and feelings. For example, tonight is one of the interns last work day in DC and we decided to go out and celebrate. Since I’m in this mood, on the way to the place I stared down and drank up every single person that passed. The windows in the Cannon building were lit up and I could see people working inside. These are the people that are shaping policy in America. I don’t know about you, but anything past securing a personal opinion is overwhelming to me with it comes to the government. It’s easy to say that education is important and complain that the system is flawed, but it’s hard to say how to fix it. That’s why I’m a voter and not a runner for officer. Anyway, as I passed by their offices, I could almost feel their passion and drive for what they were doing. I envisioned their emotions, gave them names and imagined their lives. The ATM on the corner had a line stretching 5 people. Two of them were sweethearts and were taking advantage of the lock on their time by smooching. A guy was smoking a cigar by the bookstore. The aroma almost melted into who he was. The shops were lit up and provided individual illuminated situations to contrast with the cold street. The outside world was just as captivating and tactile… yet, ethereal. The pattern the cobblestone streets spoke just as soundly as art on canvas. The moving lights on the road made it even more animated. So- there’s no point. No reason to any of this except it’s kind of fun to be a snoop you know?

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

I'm reading Jane Eyre and I absolutely L-O-V-E it! I don't think I can ever go back to normal - well, what's normal anyway? - books. You know, the kind that you don't have to turn your brain on to read. I like those books, but man... Charlotte Bronte can write! Everything is so beautiful. It's a sad story, but written with such lovely language!

Continuing with the random information:
I went to a hearing today. They're trying to decide whether manure should be labeled as a hazardous material. Hmmm... yeah. How about that. Way to go Waco. It was very interesting, but at the same time very frustrating. Random two: I get to go to the CHC weekly meeting tomorrow and very excited about that.

Arrrggg... I think my office wants everyone to have a backside the size of Mount Vernon! They keep buying candy. What's your fancy? Snickers? Got 'em! Milky Way... oh they're there too! Pretzels, Nipps, Three Musketeers, chocolate covered popcorn, Hershey Kisses, Twix, Carmel, Hershey bars.... Grab 'em while they're hot, er wait, fresh, er dag'nabb'it, here :O). Goodness! I have learned a lot the past couple of months I've been here, but self-control is still on my "yet to do list." Maybe it's time to realize that dream :O). It's so hard because the candy sits on my desk and is located right in front of my face.... the face that loves chocolate :o).

I went to Philadelphia last weekend. We drove up early Friday morning (HOORAY for our nation's veterans... and not just because we got a day off!) and spent the day in one massively historic place. Wow, I learned I don't know anything about our nation's history. Texas history I know....
State bird: Mockingbird
State song: "Texas, our Texas, all hail the mighty State. Texas, our Texas so wonderful so great. Boldest and grandest, withstanding every test. O Empire wide and glorious, you stand supremely blest. God bless you Texas and keep you brave and strong. That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long. Ba ba ba ba ba ba BAAAAA."
State tree: Pecan
State insect: Monarch butterfly

Did I know anything more about Benjamin Franklin other than he was a man of many interests (inventing, politics, scientist and musician) always full of clever quips and was pretty instrumental in the development of our nation? Nope. Do I know now? Way more than I knew before. I learned "way more than I knew before" about a lot of things. For instance... the Liberty Bell. I didn't realize just how important it is to our nation's history. It was given its name by abolitionists. They used to put bells on the slaves' heads back in that time. The "Old Statehouse Bell," as it once was called, got a new name as a reminder of the freedom we have. It's just a pretty awesome thing.

I'm not sure how you're supposed to feel when you're witnessing history. I tried to put myself in a state of mind where I could feel and imagine what it was like or what this could mean to someone else different than me. There's something.. oh I don't know.. stable yet unstable about it. It's like, these people did _(blank... rebelled for a cause, risked death, were ostracized....)__ to make our nation like it is today. They provided us with a democracy... but now it's our job to keep it. You know? It makes me a little nervous. I think our generation is up for it, but we don't react to challenge very well. I read an article that described our generation as a group that was never told no. We were praised for
everything. We were handed everything. There's not a lot of fight in us. But, sorry, that wasn't the point of this post. Just doing the whole, update.

I saw Betsy Ross' house where she sewed the flag. Saw where Ben Franklin is buried. Saw Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed. It's also where the Constitution was debated, drafted and signed! Oh- and something else really cool. In the FFA opening ceremony, there's a roll call of officers and as the position is called, the officer gives a little spiel about their responsibilities. The Vice President articulates the President's role. Well, part of the Vice President's responsibility is to, "preside over meetings in the absence of our president, whose place is beneath the rising sun." The question is asked why, and the VP answers, "The rising sun is the token of a new era in agriculture. If we will follow the leadership of our president, we shall be led out of the darkness of selfishness and into the glorious sunlight of brotherhood and cooperation."

Well, the president's chair.. the one on which George Washington sat while presiding at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 at Philadelphia’s Independence Hall... has the rising sun emblem on it's top! Isn't that way fascinating?!? AAAH! I loved it. To give you a quick quote by Ben Franklin about that chair-

“I have often and often in the course of Session, and the vicissitudes of my hopes and fears as to its issue, looked at that sun behind the President without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting. But now at length I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting sun.”

Oooooh, I really liked it. Too bad they didn’t have one in the gift shop :o)

Hehehe, thanks Miss Meg

What kind of princess are you?

I'm the Fairy Princess

"You are youthful, cheery, and exuberant with a sunny disposition and a mischievous sense of humor. You are very lively and are always up for a good bit of fun. You have a deep love of nature and animals.

Role Model: Titania

You are most likely to: Convert a pumpkin into a useful mode of transportation."

You know... it almost works.

Monday, November 14, 2005

It's pretty late Monday night and I just got in from our intern dinner with Cady. I can't stop coughing so I just figured I would blog. My roommates are at it again. I am so tired of coming home to a war zone! Do you see that man... there's a reason I'm not pictured there with saber in hand! We're here for an internship, not verbal combat.
I want everyone to just get along. My wish can be even simpler. I wish that those who can't get along leave each other be. You don't have to be best friends, just don't egg each other on. Each of these girls are wonderful... why can't they see this about each other? Why do girls fight over silly things? What is it about the female brain that creates drama? What part is this? Do we have an over-reacting reactor? An always cocked trigger?

When people fight, I hide. I dislike it very much. I hate the build up of "the big one." I hate watching and listening to cattiness and cruelness slice back and forth on the ice created between people. I hate the tempo and pitch change voices make when gearing up to the red zone. I hate the way words cut. If I were still little I would be hiding in the closet right now. Instead I've found a safe place in my room.

Most of all I guess I hate what it does to people-- anger anyway. It cools something inside.. that special part of you that reaches out to people. When anger rules, that part dies. My friend Kendra found a quote that I really enjoy. It shows women, or people in general :O), as something distinctive, singular, numinous, unique, rare, luminous, weightless. It goes, "The only way to catch a butterfly is never waiting for the wings." In this case.. the only way to catch a butterfly is to tear off the wings. No one wants to be mean deep down inside. We really were made for relationships. There's something deep down that wants to connect with someone else. That part of us, the part that needs someone, is just as fragile as the butterfly wing. Hurting people hurt people.... why are we hurting?

Saturday, November 12, 2005

New pictures :O)

I had Ramen Noodles for lunch Friday. I was reading mail and just casually looked at the nutrition packet. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH SODIUM IS IN ONE OF THOSE 15 CENT PACKETS? I’m not a complete idiot; I knew it was sky high. What I didn’t know is that the number would ‘round the moon and back!
FAT: 8
CALORIES: 190
SODIUM: 850

It all seemed mildly innocent enough… until you looked at the serving size. That little 3X3 inch block of bonded noodles is labeled two serving sizes. That means multiply the sodium by 2! Good grief! If our bodies are 90% water, I just turned my innards into an ocean! Don’t pull off your shoes and use your toes for the calculation... I’ll do it for you. That makes the 3 ounce and self-proclaimed “America’s finest Ramen Noodle Soup,” have a grand total of 1700 mg of sodium! Eeek! Ohh!

Sodium regulates the body’s fluid balance and blood pressure, aides muscle relaxation and caries nutrients to cells. However, we only need 500 mg a day to fuel these important reactions. This is a very strange thing to think about, and I don’t normally mull over my salt intake (or in this case marinate in- hehehe)… at least not until two weekends ago. Yes, Nov. 3…. a great day…. the day… the date of my Aggie ring arrival.. the Aggie ring that is too small! So when I eat too much salt I can’t get the thing off! But then, I guess, why would you want to take it off :o) ? When I was flying home from getting it, the Texas November heat and weekend travel made my fingers swell. When I was the security line to get on the airplane I was so afraid that the security guards would make me take it off with my other jewelry. I stood there and tried to wiggle it off, twist it off but anything short of cool water wasn’t going to get the gold disc off my digit. No worries though- they didn’t even ask for me to take it off :O). To back a little more in time, on first flight down I had to eat lunch in the airport and I seriously walked all around the food court to find a place that I thought wouldn’t use too much salt.

Give neither advice nor salt, until you are asked for it.
English proverb

Oops :O)

Sunday, November 06, 2005

I'll admit it, I doubted the purchase a little, but my $200 plane ticket returned big time. My weekend in Texas was wonderful!!! It reminded me that even when I'm selfish and a misfit, the Lord has blessed me mucho grande! I'd say the trip was worth a love note from my Savior!

I left my apartment at 5 AM and caught the metro, and then the Amtrak train to Baltimore... where I was informed that I had missed my plane. They added my name to the next possible departure, making my takeoff a 9ner instead of a 7er. Oh well... I got a hot coco, found a seat and did two things that I had been itching to do- paint my nails and write in my journal! Hoooray! I love to write in my journal. There's something about paper that allows me to communicate truthfully. I don't have the concern of "keeping face," because my journal is just for me. It's like my soul sprouts lips. Well, I was able to write for a little bit and then catch the flight.

Chris picked me up at the airport and drove me to my parents house. It was a lovely ride. My Stephie met me at home and we drove to College Station. Then we picked up Katherine and Tamara and went to the Association where Edith and Meg were waiting for us. These people dropped what they were doing and spent their night with me! We got my ring (WHO6P)! The plan was to dunk the ring in ice cream at Swensens, but they aren't in business anymore. Not to fear! HEB has a lovely selection of ice cream so we went to survey their offered options. Carmel, whipped cream, chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry in the basket, Mom, Dad, Stephie and I checked out to gorge at home.

My grandparents came, Chris came, Jason and Elizabeth came, I got to see sweet Crystal's face (and left ring finger :O) )!

Tam, Kat, RoseAnn and I put our new golden fancies at the bottom of ice cream and went a diggin' without a spoon :O)

I looked around (after I wiped the chocolate off my face) and was just struck with gratitude at the people standing around me. I have been beyond blessed! I have the best family and friends possible. I'm not talking about the BFF that writes "stay cool" in your yearbook. No, these people are life changers. I feel understood when I'm around them. I feel loved in their presence. I'm joyful! There's a really corny quote that was being passed around on e-mail. You know the kind I'm talking about.... they're always followed by a "pass this on to 20 of your friends. If you don't you'll have bad hair for the rest of your life." However, it just might work in this instance since I know from where these people come from.

"The Lord puts some of His angels on the earth... they're called friends."

Yes, corny. Yes, dumb. Yes, these people aren't angels, but they are part of the grand tally- the blessing score.

So, what are we at? Gifts to Stephanie from God- 100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000.......

Friday, November 04, 2005