Lots of Random Information

So, you might as well prepare yourself for lots of randomness. Because that's just how the Nilla rolls. Allow me to tell you a lovely story to begin... It's about me. So, I was telling Virginia the other day that I am reading Pride and Prejudice. It's a great story. However, I have had a hard time plowing through all the wordiness. I said to Virginia: "I don't like wordy! Just get to the point! Don't beat around the bush with 5 million descriptions!" And as I said those words, it occurred to me how ironic they are. How often do I share 5 kajillion (not just 5 million) details with each of you to finally arrive at my point? An innumerable amount. My apologies. Do forgive me. However, I won't say that I will change. It seems to be in my nature to give the whole history. I'm not sure why. The story just isn't complete without it. But you can laugh at me and my irony. And oh, I really am liking P&P. It just took some getting used to to try to get into the language.

Okay, so to begin, I figure I should at least categorize things for you so you know what's coming. So, here we are:

Memory Lane:
So last week, I was sitting here at work, thinking of Panama and the Shorty & Slim song talking about the song from the 3rd album called "Transismican" and these lines:

Driving by cement plant one day where de trees dem a covered with poison dust
I saw a Mac dumper full of scrap metal racing a chino man fruit truck

So that reminded me of the cement plant (and seriously, the trees around it really were covered in poison dust... you'd drive in and start seeing the gray trees and it would get thicker and thicker as you got closer to the plant). And that reminded me of this time we were headed somewhere as a family (probably to the river). Christina was young and she was calling out all the billboard signs. Only she wasn't reading them, she was assigning them a description. For about 10 in a row, they were all billboards for Camel cigarettes. So she called those "camel". Well, then, I guess to break the monotony, there was one with a hand holding a dart. And she dubbed that one "poke." Okay, so it's not that funny like this, but at the time, listening to Christina say, "Camel, camel, camel, camel, camel, camel, camel... poke" out of the clear blue was hilarious. So, I was all proud of this memory, because it's one Brad and I haven't laughed at for years. So, I waited all day until 9:00 when my minutes were free to call him. And he's such a loser! I got the lamest response ever! He said, "Yeah, I remember that." No laughing, nothing. I had waited all day for that?!? And so when I told him what a disappointment he was, that's when he started laughing. That loser.

Bad News:
Okay, so this isn't really tragic or anything (well, that's not true, of course it is!)... NKOTB (or New Kids on the Block) have tour dates and places posted on their website. I'm just going to say that I feel jipped. They aren't even leaving the Northeast! They are going to Canada. But I think the farthest South or West they are going is Illinois. A whole heap of good that's going to be doing this gal who'll be in Seattle. Sigh...

Good News:
Two items of business here... I have made an amendment to my future plans. I will not be working until August 1 as previously planned. I have decided that, since I don't get off early anymore on Fridays, I'm just going to make July 31 my last day of work. Then I'll leave work and head straight to Dothan that evening. That way I have that Friday to run around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to say my goodbyes to everyone in Dothan. As a sad side-note... I want you to know that I have realized in the last week that leaving Alabama will be bittersweet. Aside from birth, all of the major events of my life have happened here. I know there will be more major events to come one day. But there is a sadness in realizing that... And the other piece of good news? Cheesecake Factory is awesome! So, when I went with Karen the other weekend, my receipt printed out with a survey thing. I filled it out online and they sent me a $10 gift certificate that is good at any Cheesecake Factory! Yippee!!! And I know if I don't use it here, I'm positive they'll have one in Seattle!

My Weekend:
And finally, as I usually update the world on my weekend or my days... Mostly for journaling purposes for myself... On Friday, Emily S came over to my place and we went to Northport Diner. It was down-home cooking, kind of like Kathy's Kountry Kitchen in Dothan. But it's set up like a real diner on the inside. So that was good. I, of course, got mac and cheese as one of my sides. And they had delicious yeast muffins. Oh my goodness, those were good. (I'm having a strange craving for bread lately). Then we returned to my apartment and made cupcakes with homemade frosting. Yum. And we watched French Kiss. Then Stefanie got home (she'd been at work) and we ended up staying up until 2 a.m. talking about life. See, sometimes I am not so old... On Saturday, I slept in until noon. Mostly because I could. And because I'm lazy. And because I had a good excuse: I'd been up until 2 a.m. Hahaha... Stefanie and I decided to take a long walk down a trail that goes right by the river. It also goes right by a restaurant that looks out on the river, and the restaurant is open on that end. It felt awkward to walk in front of all those people. But whatever. We just talked and kept on walking. At the end of the trail is a water treatment plant. It sounded like a waterfall. I told Stefanie I wanted to walk over and see it. Well, we didn't get very far when the wind turned against us and we got a whiff of what that smelled like. We pretty much sacked the idea of getting any closer and turned around and headed home. That was gross! I even got a little sun on my face! My legs, though, which are incredibly white, seem to be beyond help. Virginia and I headed to her friend Tim's house. Tim lives with and takes care of his mom. Anyway, we had Stake Conference, and since we are not lucky enough to have the stake center here (I got spoiled in Dothan, because that was the stake center), we decided to stay at Tim's house that night after Stake Conference. That way we didn't have to use as much gas (because his house is about 30 minutes from here rather than 45, plus we only drove over and back once). So, after Stake Conference, we watched 27 Dresses (thanks Emily for letting me borrow that!), and then we went to sleep. And on Sunday, Tim's mom cooked a huge breakfast of eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast, and I had scupernong jelly for the first time ever. Then it was back to Stake Conference. After that, we ate some lunch (which Tim's mom erroneously refered to as 'dinner' and I didn't have the heart to correct her ;)), and then Virginia and I drove home around 2:30. Yesterday was a pretty plain old day. I got off work at 11:15 and went by the bank (because my ridiculous bank closes at 5 on Friday, so I missed it on Friday). Then I went to the grocery store to pick up a couple of ingredients for Stefanie to make dinner for tonight, since she signed up to feed the missionaries. I also spent the afternoon watching Ice Age 2 and taking a nap (because I'd stayed up until 2 a.m. again talking to my dad on the phone) and then getting a shower, making meatballs for spaghetti, and then watching Another Thin Man. I have really enjoyed those movies. Today, of course, I'm back at work. Until 4:45. And then we're feeding the missionaries. And then we have Institute! Yay!!! I get to go to 2 whole weeks of Institute, before it's interrupted by 4 weeks of school. And then 4 more weeks of Institute, or at least a couple, I hope. So, now you are caught up... Don't you feel better?

Answers:
Also, since I was posed a couple of questions in my blog comments...
Julie -- I have thought I would eventually use the same movie again with a different quote. But I haven't yet, so your guess is not correct. But I know you know the movie.
Elka -- every once in a while I hear squeaky springs, but not very often anymore (which is a wonderful thing). I do, however, get the pleasure of hearing him pee. I can seriously hear it through the ceiling. Lovely. And I was woken up by another argument about 1 1/2 months ago and it sounded like he was fighting with an elderly person. Not physical fighting, just yelling. He was being berated by the older-sounding person for taking someone to his grandmother's house.
Nicole -- I'm sorry to say I cannot give you a gold star. I can, however, recognise your movie-quote expertise by listing you as one of the correct guessers! (And I can also say that, in my real life, I actually spell recognize like an American and not an Englishman. I guess P&P is rubbing off on me! -- but I'll leave it like it is in here for your pleasure and because it gives me a chuckle, especially with this little explanation at the end!).

*And on that note: Elka, Stacy, and Nicole have guessed the movie quote correctly!*