So Sad

Have you ever been sitting at your computer very bored and clicked on the "next blog" button in the corner of the screen just to see what the next blog was?

Well I just did. Several times.

I am disappointed by the lack of good blogs out there.

I was however amused by the ones in foreign languages. I just made up what I thought they said. It's way more fun that way.

Can't Have It Your Way

Tamara and I ran into a little problem the other night when we went out to eat. I had to pay with plastic and she was paying with cash. Here is a conversation we had at Steak and Shake at the drive-thru:

Mr. Speakerphone: Welcome to mumblemumblemumble take your order?

Me: Ummmm... Yeah. I am going to place two orders, OK?

Mr. Speakerphone: Ma'am. We can't take two orders. We can only take one order per car.

Me: Alright. I am going to place one order and then back up, pull up here again and place another order.

Mr. Speakerphone: You can't do that Ma'am.

Me: Well why not?

Mr. Speakerphone: You have to drive all the way around the building and get back in the drive-thru.

Me: Says who?

Mr. Speakerphone: My manager.

Me: Well can I speak to your manager please?

Mr. Speakerphone: He's in a pretty grumpy mood. I don't think you really want to.

Me: No. I don't want to talk to grumpy people.

Mr. Speakerphone: You could place one order and pay for it two different ways. We can split it up anyway you want.

Me: THAT'S WHAT I ASKED THE FIRST TIME!

Mr. Speakerphone: No. You asked to place two orders. We don't do that.

Me: Ok. Hi. I would like to place one order and it's going to be split up 2 different ways.

Mr. Speakerphone: What can I get you?

When we got to the window to pay he explained to us that the building only goes one way and no. you couldn't back up and then decide you want to get back in the drive-thru without driving around the whole building. We could cause an accident. Whatever.

Ten bucks says he spit in our food.

Randomness

I go to Bible Study with some awesome guys whos first reaction, when confronted with unusual and slightly scary situations, is to pray. Thanks for being a great example guys!

***************
Overheard between two coworkers today:

Scott: Stephen, tell me if this has ever happened to you. Have you ever woken up in the morning to realize that you slept with your mouth open and your throat is dry? All you want is something to drink.

Stephen: Yeah.

Scott: So you go downstairs and you open the fridge and decide grapefruit juice would be wonderful. Have you ever thought while drinking it, "I sure wish I could have some alcohol in my grapefruit juice, because that would just get my day started off right"?

Stephen: Can't say that I have.

Scott: Well its not a good idea This morning I had some grapefruit juice that had been in there for way too long and it was definitely fermented. Not good at all. I really don't think that we will be seeing Ruby Red Grapefruit Wine anytime soon.

*************
I'm getting sick and I am being a real baby about it. Which is why I left work 1 1/2 hours early today. I never thought of myself as a baby when it comes to be sick, but today I realized that I am. Oh well. This cold is killing me anyway. I need to go to bed....

This really amazes me.

This made me laugh.

This just perplexed me.

Happy MOLE DAY!

Celebrate with some dirt pudding.

Thoughts on People

I generally like people. They are funny, quirky and all around interesting. However, people always come with drama and stress that I absolutely HATE. They are the source of great fun and excitement but they are also the source of my current eye twitch. Which, by the way, has moved from one corner of my eye to the top eye lid to the corner of my eye near my nose. It's so dang annoying.

One of the more quirky people I know told me about the time she witnessed a robbery. The guy ran out of the store and jumped in his car to speed away. However, a concerned patron pulled his car in behind the robber, blocking him in. Instead of getting out of the car and running away, the thief broke down and cried. Chris jumped in the passenger seat and led the man to Christ before the police came and arrested him. How cool is that?

My friend Meik explained to us all the other day that as a child he pictured Satan as a giant baked potato. With string arms and legs.

See. People are interesting.

But as much as I like people, I HATE GROUP PROJECTS. Unfortunately, all my classes this quarter have large group projects.

My econ group is causing me the most stress. I mean is it too much to expect that seniors would know how to properly document sources in a research paper in MLA format? Apparently it is as my section is the only one properly referenced. I love it that my grade depends on their incompetence.

One girl in another one of my groups brought me a video that "I need to watch" for my section. Like I use videos as references. Last time I tried to highlight key points in a video it didn't work. Besides, this girl had gotten the video from the library. Apparently she doesn't realize that the county library system is threatening to turn my name into a collection agency because of overdue fines. I really don't need the risk of forgetting to return her video.

I also hate group projects because I feel the need to become the anal one in the group. I mean it takes a lot of effort to successfully work in groups. If you don't do your part you are screwing up everyone else. So yeah. I'm that girl. The girl that sends out the e-mails telling everyone to reference sources and asking to meet at 8am. I hate being the girl. But I would rather be that girl than the girl that has to repeat the class because her group project sucked.

Well I am off to be "that girl" some more. Oh for college to be done.

My eye twitch is back. Thank you group projects.

This means minimal blogging for the next few weeks. I'll do my best.

What Did You Say?

ehT hsilgne egaugnal semoceb hcum erom gnitseretni nehw uoy etirw ti sdrawkcab. eW tog a ssertiaw ta s'eebelppa ot tel su redro sdrawkcab no yadsendeW. yaW oot hcum nuf. dnA ehs yllautca tog ti thgir. yarroH rof ttocS dna sih yzarc saedi!

In other news:
Someone hit my car at the mall yesterday and didn't leave any contact information. While this dent and scratch do not compare to the Sue-dent in my fender, they could have at least left me a note appologizing. Even if they didn't leave their contact info - a "Sorry" would have been nice.

Word of the day:

floccinaucinihilipilification, n. an act or instance of judging something to be worthless or trivial Etymology: the parts of the word each mean 'at nothing' or 'with a small price'

My Bread

I don't have a funny post. Just a serious one. So if you are looking for an funny, amusing, and entertaining post, go here. Otherwise, feel free to keep reading.

I had forgotten how much I love to study the Bible. Not just read it, but study it. Like spend-days-on-the-same-passage-and-feel-like-I-am-just-getting-the-gist-of-what-it-really-says kind of studying. I really, really enjoy that. It pushes me intellectually and challenges how I live.

The problem is that this kind of study takes a whole lot of time and it's easy to forget to make time for it. Plus there are a million and five other things out there that will try and keep me from this. And a million and four times I rationalize why God would understand if I just skimmed this chapter.

But it's that one million and fifth time that is WONDERFUL. It is then that the sweetness of learning more about my God breaks through my excuses. It makes me want to rationalize less and study more.

So thanks small group for asking hard questions that force me to do this kind of in-depth study. I need it.

And you know. As I type this, I can't really explain it. So I am going to stop trying.

A Disciplined Me

I must admit that I am not a disciplined person by nature. Thus the reason for posting instead of studying for my mid-term tomorrow. But I realize that I need to be more disciplined and that's part of the battle right? Well I've come up with some tricks that are helping me become more disciplined. Since I am probably not the only person who struggles with this, I will share my tips. Here are eight areas that you can become more disciplined in:

1. Take a short nap. It is very easy to lay down for a 20 min nap and wake up 2 hours later. The key is waiting until you have to pee before you start your nap. You then time it so that in 20 minutes you can't help but get up and run to the bathroom or wet your bed.

2. Go Running. The biggest battle for this is actually starting the run. Once you do that plan to run near a place with TONS of biting flies. Like a cattle farm. This way you are motivated to keep running since everytime you slow to a walk you are attacked by millions of insects. Swamps and mosquitoes also work. You could also wear shorts and a t-shirt outside in the winter to encourage you to keep running to stay warm.

3. Save Money. The key here is to make your money inaccessible. Use a bank that has very inconvenient hours, like 9-4:30, and no ATM's. This will make sure that you can only withdraw money early Saturday morning.

4. Wake up-on a Saturday and be Productive. See tip number 3. Or break the snooze button.

5. Read your Bible Regularly. Have a friend call you every day to see if you have. This will help you both.

6. Go to class. Don't buy the book. You have to go to class, because you can't make up any information that you miss.

7. Drive the speed limit. Two Words. Cruise. Control.

8. Eat Right. Develop severe allergies to pop, chocolate and french fries. I'm not exactly sure how this would be done but it seems like it would be a good way to eliminate junk food.

9. Learn a foreign language. Move to another country. Buy only books in that language. Listen to only songs in that language. You will either become a mute and a hermit or learn the language.

10. Eliminate junk. Move periodically. Probably every 6 months should do it. If you can't fit it inside your car, pitch it.

Well there you have it. 10 ways to become more disciplined. Now if you will excuse me, I have some ice cream to eat and TV to watch.

Could You Please...

I am always amazed at the things that people will do if you just ask them. My friends and I tend to take advantage of this trait. Amberly and I especially. Here are some of the random
things she and I have gotten people to do:

• Cram 9 people into a cupboard just to see if they could.
• Squash 8 girls in my little 626 to go get ice cream.
• Volunteer to speak at our parade for the Yugoslavian Children's Sock Fund. (I mean kids in Yugoslavia need socks too!)
• Shove his head into one of those large barrels that are filled with ice water to keep pop cold. Just because.
• Allow us to bring a "seeing eye dog" into a video rental store because Amberly is "blind". You remember.

Other random things that my friends and I have gotten people to do are as follows:

• Share how "far" they have gone in a relationship for the sake of a "sociology survey".
• Give up their bed at a retreat because they "ran out of rooms". (Ok. So maybe we did have a room.)
• Switch drivers while driving.
• Go dumpster diving.
• And more that I can't remember right now.

Oh the joys of peer pressure. You should try it. Ask someone to do something random for you. They probably will.

And while you are at it... could you dress in a chicken suit?

From my Global Economics course:

Prof: Any interesting news in the world since our last class?

Girl in Front Row: Ummm..... I went to Subway yesterday and they told me they didn't have any banana peppers because of the hurricane.

(How this is relevant world news I just don't know.)

Prof: Because of the hurricane?

Girl in Front: Yes...... Did they lie to me?

Prof: Yes. Class. The moral of the story is: Don't get your global economic news from Subway.

Two Plates Please

As you drive around Ohio you will notice that almost all the cars here have front and rear license plates. This is because it is required by law to identify both ends of your vehicle. This dual identification aids our fine law enforcement personnel in catching you coming and going.

Occasionally you will see a car that doesn't have a front plate. These are either people who live in another state and are here visiting or people who have moved here and don't know the double plate law. This last group is generally comprised of Hoosiers and Kentuckians who somehow made it across the border.

Now one would think that when the license bureau gave you two plates, you would either ask why you got two or notice that every other vehicle around you has a front plate and follow their lead. But not everyone does this. Some consider the extra plate a gift or a souvenir. To quote my Pastor after he got he got ticketed for his singular license plate, "Apparently they don't just give you an extra one in case you lose one!"

Yesterday Tamara noticed that our friend Scott (who is from Kentucky) didn't have a front license plate on his jeep. We figured he probably didn't know that this was a mistake that could cost him quite a bit of money. So we decided that we would enlighten him.

Unfortunately he didn't believe us. It couldn't be the law because "they only gave me one plate." Tamara astutely guessed that he probably got two plates and put both of them on the back of his car.

No amount of arguing would convince Scott that he was breaking the law, so we had to go check out his car. Sure enough, there were two plates attached to the back of his jeep.

We brought him out to show him his mistake and in the process of pulling the plates apart I broke the license plate cover. I still feel really bad about that. But it didn't really matter because Tamara and I were right and Scott was wrong. Which means that all is right in the world. Plus I offered to glue it back together and he wouldn't let me.

Scott is convinced that the license bureau should have to hand you the two plates separately so they don't get stuck together and both end up on the back of the car.

I think they should just keep Kentuckians in Kentucky.

Just Stop

I feel like I am disappointing you all. You expect to come to Old, Comfy Shoes and find entertaining stories and funny comments and instead you read my strange dreams and poorly told stories. I'm sorry. I'm trying to step it up a notch for you all - BUT SCHOOL IS DRAINING MY BRAIN!

College is the devil. I can't wait to be done.

Seriously. I really think college is holding me back from doing all the things I really want to do with my life. It's really pulling me down from achieving my life goals. Graduation can't come soon enough.

As soon as I graduate I am going to start saving up money to take flight lessons. (As in learning to fly an airplane. Why won't people believe me when I say I am going to do this?) And I am also going to start learning Spanish. I don't have the time or the money now to do either one of those things - but I am hoping that after I graduate I will.

I also want to take a trip this summer between graduation and working full-time. A big trip. Like outside of Ohio kind of big. Preferably outside the US kind of big. Any suggestions on where I should visit? I am open to pretty much any place except for Antartica. I have no desire to go there.

hmmm....so instead of giving you another quality post - I rambled. Oh well. I guess you could just stop reading my blog.

I would.

Physics and Subways

It's happened twice now. This is the second time that I have dreamed that the weird guy from swing dancing who can't remember my name is stalking me and I have to run for my life. This dream was alot more intense than the first one. In the first one he caught me on a roller coaster that had replaced the elevator at the hotel we were staying in. We were there for some convention on physics - which is funny because I've never taken physics before, but I was a key speaker. I guess it's a good thing my stalker kidnapped me before I got up to speak and disappointed the physics community with my lack of knowledge.

I didn't get caught in this second dream - thanks to my mad skills in running down stairs. I couldn't run up stairs but I sure could speed down them. I could also jump from hand rail to hand rail like a little squirrel. My lack of cordination in real life would probably get me caught should someone be chasing me.

At one point in the dream I barely eluded my stalker and jumped onto a bus. The nazi bus driver wouldn't let me pay my fare at the end of the route. So instead of letting me off, he pulled onto a softball field and hit up 3rd graders for change for my fare. This confused my stalker so much that I escaped. And then I woke up in a cold sweat convinced I had almost died.

On another random note I've been e-mailing Ryan and was reminded of a funny story about him. Ryan was a friend of a friend and through strange circumstances we kept in touch and are now good friends. We run into each other in random places all over the country. Like New York City. Neither one of us live in NYC, nor do we spend a lot of time there. But last Christmas we were both there over break and met up. Ryan was staying with a friend and was kind enough to explore the city with Tamara and I.

24 hours after we left NYC we called Ryan and told him that we had gotten lost in the subways and had spent the night homeless in the Bronx. He proceeded to freak out. Before I could explain that it was a joke he interupted the family's dinner and was walking out the door to come get us. By the time he got back on the phone we were laughing so hard that he had figured out it was a joke.

When Tamara and I got in a car accident later that trip it took a while to convince Ryan it was true. He kept saying something about crying wolf....

Ok so that story seemed a lot better in my head than it does now all typed out. Sorry. It was supposed to be funny. Just forget you read it.

Take That You Mailbox

Proof that Jr. High stories are the best:

Mark: "My thumb's kind of messed up from a mailbox."

Me: "A mailbox? You took out a mailbox with your thumb?"

Mark: "Yes."

Me: "How in the world did you do that?"

Mark: "Well when I was in 8th grade I had just started lifting weights and my friend said to me 'I bet you can't tear that mailbox off.' ...... So I did. Then I had a mailbox and a messed up thumb."

Me: "Doesn't that seem stupid?"

Mark: "Well yeah! That's what I told my friend but he kept saying that I couldn't do it. Now I feel bad. That guy had to buy a new mailbox."

From my friend Monica on the presidential debate and the length of time it takes the candidites to respond:

Kerry = 40 seconds to argue with himself
Bush = 3 seconds to say "superbulous"