Energy?

My New today was a little disappointing...

I see it every time I go into the gas station; I see all the annoying commercials, so I guess it's time to try it.

5 Hour Energy. You've seen it. It’s the little orange bottle with the running person on it. Now I'm not much for energy drinks at all, I hate the taste and I just think they are so bad for you (but I do like coffee:). But this drink was supposedly different, "healthy" or something. I've always wanted to try it, so I decide to take the plunge. I have been super tired recently; I could use that extra boost for the rest of the day.

I walk next door to the gas station from my work, and I find it where it always is. Next to the register. I got the berry flavor, it was either that or grape or orange, I like a lil mix of everything:) It was $3.06 for that little thing! Geez louis, this thing better be good.

I go back to work and I sit at my front desk. I read the label first before I open it. It says for just some energy drink to only drink half the bottle and for max energy, drink the whole thing. And I should not drink more than two in one day. Like I could afford that anyways...

So I open it and take the first sip. It was weird. It tasted citrusy and bubbly and strong, it made my jaws tingle. I could only take little sips at a time. It was such a little bottle, but it took me a long time to drink it!

And then I wait. And wait. And wait. The bottle said it was supposed to take effect immediately. I still felt tired. Maybe it gave me some energy I didn't realize, but I didn't ever notice.

I give this thing thumbs down.


Job 6:20
They are distressed, because they had been confident; they arrive there, only to be disappointed.

Inch Worms and Animals

I was quite the helper today with my new!

After I got off of work I didn't have any plans for the rest of the evening so I decided to clean my room. It was probably the worst it's ever been in it's whole life! I honestly don't know how is got that messy, it just did:) So I put Pandora on and went to work!

I ran out of hangers real fast... I have a lot of clothes and I don't wear a lot of them, but I don't have the heart to give them away! I just always feel like at some point I'll need them.

While I was cleaning, my roommate was talking to me and she started freaking out, like she always does, because she had a bulletin board she needed to put up tomorrow but she decided that tonight would be a better time for some reason. And when she gets something in her head, she cannot get it out and she worries about it to death. So she definitely wanted to put it up tonight, but she didn't have anyone to help her. She was waiting for our other roommate to get home so she could ask her. What am I? Chopped liver?

"Why don't you ask me?" says I.

"Well I just figured you wouldn't want to," Michelle's says.

How rude! Do I not seem like the helping kind of person? I mean I went to Africa to help the poor orphan children there, I'd help her put up her bulletin board if she asked.

"Well, will you help me then? She asks.

"Yes, I'll help you Michelle," says I. Haha, she is so funny. And I have never put a bulletin board up before so this would be my new!

It's about nine-thirty at night and we set out for Liberty. We also decide that bringing Jack, my puppy, was a good idea. When we get there she sets all of her stuff out and we get to work! She is so organized too, everything was separated and in its own little baggies.

The background was yellow and she had little plastic vines to go around the boarder. Her theme was jungle, because she was mimicking the book about how the inch worm measures all the animal's backs in the jungle so he could make it out alive. It was super cute! She had three different animals and she had made little inch worms on paper clips(and before she made them scrunch up I argued with her about how much they looked like little sperm) that could be used to measure the back of the animals. She also had numbers that could be velcroed underneath the animal to show how many inches that animal was.

I stapled all of the letters on the board! It was a job, but between the two of us we got it done in about 45 minutes. It looked great! And for all my help she bought my McDonald's on the way home! It was so nice, I got a hot fudge chocolate sundae with extra hot fudge:)

So whenever you get the chance, help a future teacher put up a bulletin board, they're going to be teaching your future kids for goodness sake! It's the least you can do.


Proverbs 5:13
I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors.

One Hour Massage

Today's New was probably one of my favorite news by far! As you can already tell from the title of this post, I did in fact get an hour massage today! Please don't think I would just waste a lot of money like that, you have to listen to the events surrounding today's new. And it all started three years ago...

I was in my junior year of high school and it was about 2 A.M. We were at after prom and quite ready to go home. But of course the school likes to wait until the last second to give door prizes out because they don't want us all running off and getting drunk and making babies. So of course I stay because any chance I get at something free I take!

They finally call my name and I go up and grab one of the bags that are lined up across the stage area. Inside is a bunch a useless coupons, but one good thing, a twenty-five dollar gift card to New London Steakhouse. That's not too shabby, it wasn't the iPod but it was still something. Well, only one table over this guy I knew won a gift certificate for an hour massage and I am all about massages! So I ask if he wants to trade and he certainly does, because apparently an hour massage is a girlie thing to do. I was very happy with myself that night.

But as the days went on I kept looking at that gift card and doubting my decision. The massage was supposed to be at this place called The Palor and it was downtown. Well it sounded very sketchy to me because I had never heard of it. I kept imagining this old man Barber shop with a little room in the back with a table in it. So I decided the best thing to do would be to shove it in my desk drawer.

Over the years I would find it again and put it back and then find it again. Well, one of those "agains" happened last week. I was looking through my drawers and I come across this certificate, and there is no expiration date on it! I couldn't believe my luck! So I decide to finally use it.

My massage was today at 4:30 and I had been anticipating it all week. I absolutely love massages and back scratches. I melt like puddy any time anyone does that to me. And it turns out that The Parlor downtown is one of the nicest places to go and get a massage.

I walk at 4:30 on the dot. I announce myself to the receptionist lady and my masseuse is standing right next to her. We shake hands and she ushers me into a room. The lights are dimmed down and she tells me to strip down to what I feel comfortable and lay on the table with the blanket on. I decide leaving the underwear on would be the best bet. When I take my stockings off I realize that I forgot to shave. Oops. Oh, well I guess she'll just have to deal with my stubbly legs.

When she started the massage, my head was first. As soon as she started I just wanted to laugh, I don't know why, it all just struck me as funny. But I got a grip of myself and closed my eyes and relaxed. It was amazing. I soaked up every second of it. She did my shoulders and neck and arms and then feet, oh the feet! That was so so good. Then she did my stubbly legs and then I turned on my stomach and she did the back of both of my legs and then my back. I can't believe I actually got an hour massage. It was surreal.

It was like she was reading my mind too! When she was doing something I would think to myself, I wish she would use her thumbs, and the next thing I knew, she was! Oh my goodness, it was so fantastic!

And when I walked out I gave her a tip and acted like I was rich and saying I'd be back and probably bring my mom back for a day at the spa there. Oh it was fun!

If you ever get the chance to get a massage, do it! Even if you have to pay for it yourself, it is worth it! Maybe I'll make it a routine:)

Job 7:13
When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint

The Pink Octopus Necklace

Well, my New for the day was certainly on accident that's for sure.

I have a research paper due in two days and I totally had forgotten about it. Great. But it's only got to be 4 pages, which isn't too terrible. So when I finally get started, I decide on the topic of  "Show how a certain social aspect (music, philosophy & etc.) in history influenced fashions." I decide to talk about Hippies and how music influenced their fashion choices among other things. Seems easy enough.

After finding a couple of sources I decide to reward myself by browsing EBay. I just love EBay so much! Anything you can possibly want is up on there! Except for plaid jackets, they are impossible to find! Anyway, I was recently introduced to the designer Betsey Johnson; she makes really cute girlie girl things with a punk twist. Her line runs all the way from puffy dresses to shoes and jewelry. So I start browsing her stuff.

I have a real fetish for rings and other jewerly so I browse those things and then I switch the viewer to look at things that are "time ending soonest." And the first thing that comes up is this pink octopus necklace and there's only a minute left to bid and it looks as though I can get it for only a dollar! Well I placed the bid with 30 seconds left on the item. I have absolutely no idea what I was thinking. It was a huge pink octopus necklace for goodness sakes! When I impulse buy I usually have someone in mind, and I guess I figured in that 5 seconds that there has got to be someone I know that would like to have this pink octopus necklace. But now, when I actually think about it, I can't think of a soul. And the worst part is, I got so excited that this thing was only a dollar that I forgot to look at the shipping, $8.99. Fantastic! I'm paying about ten bucks for something I don't even really like in the first place. I trusted you EBay! How dare you.

So if you see me across the way with something pink that takes up half my chest and has eight tentacles, just know I put it there on purpose. I have to get my money’s worth somehow, even if it only causes staring and laughing, at least I brightened your day with a silly sea creature around my neck.

Psalm 148:7
Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths

Mexican Food & Wedding Hair

I know what you all are thinking. I have forgotten all about my New project because I haven't posted in two days. Well you are wrong! I have been busy busy busy. Then I lay down in my bed at night or I fell asleep before I could pull my computer out. I will try my best to not let it happen again. I am ashamed and embarrassed.

Even though I haven't been posting I haven't forgotten about my project at all. Let me fill you in on the past two days.

There has been quite the slow spell these days at the salon where I work. Saturdays are usually the busiest days we have and it was slooow. Carolyn (one of the owners) says it's because it's tax season and people don't want to go out and spend money on their hair right now. Well whatever the reason, it was slow and boring. Then I got a text from my friend/ex-roommate Jessie, inviting me and Jacob to her house for dinner and a movie with her and her husband Pili. I have gotten these invitations from her before, not many but a few and have always declined. I don't know why. I guess I was either busy or I just didn't feel like walking across the street to her house. But tonight I decided to accept the invitation with zeal! I did warn her though not to make anything too spicy, she reassured me I would be just fine. Her and her husband pretty much only eat Mexican food because she is fluent in Spanish and her husband is from Honduras and that’s all they like.

She invites all my roommates as well (she used to lived in the house with us), but I'm the only one that goes, so I'm under the impression that we were the only ones invited so I don't mind looking like a bum to walk across the street and have dinner with them. Well I was certainly wrong. Someone answered the door who I have never seen before and didn’t speak that good of English, and then there was another guy there I didn't know, along with two other girls who showed up as well.

Well I was a little embarrassed of my appearance, I had a Coca-Cola t-shirt on with gray leggings and red legwarmers and boots and a sweater thing. And my hair was dirty. Good first impression:) I was just really glad that Jacob was with me.

Jessie wasn't there yet because she went to Kroger to get the meat she forgot. Oh Jessie. I expect nothing less:) She has never been keen to the kitchen, but she is learning, or so she says. So we made small talk, very small talk with Pili, he doesn't speak the best english either but he is very nice.

We are having quesadillas! It was actually really very good! There was a flat hard shell on the bottom and then mountained on top was meat and veggies and cheese. I decided the best way to eat it would be to break up the chip and eat it with the fork, but apparently that was not the right way. Everyone else was picking up the whole chip with that huge mountain of food on top and taking bites. It did not look safe. It looked like the food was about to fall into their eyeballs. I asked Jessie for a fork. And it turns out my way was the best because about half of them got forks too. I was the only one who had seconds! I was proud of myself.

After chit chatting for a while, they started the movie, but me and Jacob decided it was time to go. We said our Thank you's and Goodbye's and left. It was a lot of fun! Jessie is always fun to hang out with, she is hilarious. I have to share one of my favorite Jessie moments with you.

It was last year and Jessie was actually my prayer leader. Our hall had some combined prayer thing in another building on campus and I had driven my car there because I didn't want to walk. Afterwards I told Jessie I'd give her a ride back. I drive a little white Honda Delsol. It's a tiny little two seater. She had never seen my car before and she comments she thinks it's so cute and she likes it and then she says,

 "So does it cost less because it only has two seats?"

"Um, no..." says I.

And then I start laughing so hard, it was so funny! She is always just silly like that.

There ends my New for Saturday, it's always great to be a guest in someone's house, even if they aren't very experienced at it:)

Acts 14:17
Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”

My Sunday was actually very different. It was the Bridal Expo at Liberty that our Salon was doing. I was going to wear the wedding dress I had been fitted for at Celebration and be a model! How exciting. When I got there I didn’t have any make up on because I didn’t know if she wanted to do it for me. She said she didn’t care so I just decided to do it myself. While I was in the bathroom I had apparently missed all the drama! So apparently, the Celebration lady came over to talk to my boss about the show. Tonda explained she was going to talk about our hair and how it was done, and The Celebration lady could talk about her dresses and her business. Well that lady about had a cow. She said she didn’t know she had to talk and Kim (the lady who is in charge) didn’t tell them anything and never gave them enough information and blah blah. Well, let me just tell you, this lady knew. She was just bitter against Kim because she took over this venue that she had wanted. She was trying to spite her in any way possible. And she said we couldn’t use her dresses anymore! I was so sad! My dress was so pretty. And we were all in a panic trying to find some wedding dresses for our show.

After a while of scrabbling around, we found two dresses. Mine was not very pretty. I was disappointed but oh well, at least we had one.

While we were waiting for the show, we walked around to all the other booths and boy were there a lot of samples! I ate a lot. I should come to these things more often! If not just to eat lunch.

We went back to our booth and I got my hair did. Lorik did my hair and she is the queen of undoes! It looked beautiful, the back had some weaving and I had some curls and she put jewels in my hair that looked like I had a crown.

When I went to put the dress on, it was WAY too big. It looked dreadful. We didn’t know what to do! Then Tonda yelled for Lorik to come in and fix it! She’s a seamstress, pretty much a jack of all trades. She put safety pins all the way up the back of the dress and it fit perfectly. And you couldn’t even tell!

The actual show went…alright. We didn’t really know what was going on because we never practiced and didn’t really know the order. But after all was said and done and after all the chaos, I thought we did pretty well, it wasn’t a disaster…

Joshua 24:20
If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.”

Having the Pilot Back

                                           (Lego Pilot)

It's super late and I am so so very tired, therefore this post isn't going to be super long and there may be a few miss spellings along the way. I ask you to forgive me in advance!

I woke up at 3:17 A.M. this morning. Why you ask? Well today I got off work and skipped school so I could FINALLY go and get my boyfriend back from the Army! He's been away from me for almost 7 months and today he graduated from AIT(advanced individual training) for black hawk mechanic. Which is the last step until he goes to flight school in Alabama. He will be in Lynchburg until almost the end of the year! It is going to be SO so nice. I think people were starting to think I was just making this guy up!

This was definitely a great New today that will lead to a new part of my life where I'll actually have someone to do things with and follow me around everywhere, like a little puppy, but he hates when I say that haha. Even though we are both so very broke, we are going to be creative and think of new things to do.

I also attended the Coffeehouse tonight. You know, it's the talent show that Liberty University puts on and bands play and people dance and they play videos that people make, and I made this awesome video and they did NOT pick mine to be in it. I was bitter. I had to go see what videos they picked instead of mine. I was biased but I have to admit, all of them were pretty good. It made me mad. Mine could have still fit in there somewhere. Oh well. Life goes on, whining about it won't help any.

Lesson from today's new? I am ready to have some fun adventures with my boyfriend Jacob and I will stop whining! Amen.

Numbers 14:27
“How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.

Wedding Dress

My New for the day was a continuation from last week's disappointment. If you are familiar with one of my posts, I don't remember which one it was, but I was supposed to try on wedding dresses that day but it didn't work out. Now if you're unfamiliar or you just forgot your probably thinking, "What the heck?! When are you getting married?!" Don't worry! it's okay, keep your shirt on. I am not getting married. The salon I work at is doing a bridal show on Sunday and I have to be one of the models.

Well, to refresh your memory, as soon as my boss talk me I had to get fitted, I went over to Celebration to get fitted right after work. The girl that was working there had no idea what the heck I was talking about so I left, disappointed, and just because the word hadn't been passed along to her yet.

So today, I call over there because supposedly the lady in charge of the show finally talked to them. The girl answers the phone and I explain to her that I am one of the models and I need to get fitted and when would be the best time to come over.

"Well, I need to see when you can come over first," she said. I know. Duh, that's why I called.

"How tall are you?"

"I'm 5'4". "

"Oh, well can you wear really high heals? Because we really need someone who is 5'7"."

Geez louis. Who really cares? Doesn't she want her dresses sold? She's being mighty picky. They already have a real bride and her dress that are walking down the runway and she just really didn't want to deal with me at all. But that still didn't make sense to me because don't you want the women to see the variety of dresses you have to offer? Whatever , it's her business.

She tells me the only times she has available for me to come in are in an hour or tomorrow at 3 in the afternoon, which I won't even be here. And I do not think those were the only times, she was just trying to make it hard so I wouldn't come. So I guess I'm leaving now!

I leave work and drive all the way downtown to this place. When I walk in I again explain who I am to this woman. She is nice, but I can just sense the strong feeling of annoyance. She quickly shoves me of to another employee to find me a dress. This girl doesn't seem all that interested either. She starts going through the rack and picks out two gowns, both of which I probably would not have picked, and I try on the first one. It fits pretty much perfect! It's a mermaid style and there is a clasp at my hip and tons and tons of layers that falls into a beautiful train. I look so pretty! But the girl was just not satisfied because he gown still touched the ground and she did NOT want to get dirt on it. So I borrowed her heels and then put on one of those puffy things that makes the dress go even bigger. It wasn't touching the ground finally. And she was satisfied.

The first dress was a keeper:) I got outta that thing real fast and walked out quickly as well. The whole thing took all of 15 minutes. I don't know why that lady was freaking out about scheduling me at the right time.

It wasn't as a fun experience as I was hoping it would be. Mainly because the girls there acted like little snobs and I only got to try on one dress. I can't wait to try on a zillion dresses when I'm getting married! I'm going to like that part the most I know it! Klienfelds, here I come!


Ezekiel 16:10
I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments.

Jala Jalapeno

My plans changed on me again. I had to improvise a little, a last minute New, but it turned out just fine:)

The weather has been super nice for about a week now and it's been great! Well today it was supposed to thunderstorm starting in the evening and continue throughout the night. But it didn't last long at all. My plan for my New today WAS going to be going for a run in the rain/storm. It was going to be really awesome and epic! But the stinkin sun just had to come out and ruin everything. I guess it's okay, things happen for a reason, maybe I would've been struck by lightening or something.

So I hadn't left work yet and I had to think of something for my New! Well one of the girls at the salon had these jalapeno stuffed olives. How strange! I like olives a lot but I'm not a big fan of spicy things, but I don't mind a little zest, for example I do enjoy the occasional fried jalapeno popper. The ones sold at Sheetz are great! But I didn't know if I wanted to try these because I am scared of spicy things.

After I eat dinner at my parents' house and watch a little Drop Dead Diva on Netflix, I realize how late it's getting and I still haven't done anything new today! I gotta hunt down these jalapeno stuffed olives.

I get in my car and start driving. Then I have this huge internal debate with myself as to whether I should go to Walmart or Foodlion. "I don't know if Foodlion is closed already, so I should go to Walmart, but Foodlion is on my way home,  but what if I get there and they are closed then I have to go all the way out to Walmart." I even call my roommate to see if she knows when Foodlion closes but she has no idea and she's no help at all. But she wishes me luck and we hang up. I finally decide to go to Foodlion.

When I pull in the parking lot, it is completely empty. Not one car. And Foodlion was illuminated, every single light was on. I park and sit in my car and look at it in hesitation. I guess it's open. I get out and walk to the front and the doors open, it is open! But I was the only person in the whole store. It was really strange! I go over and find the olives section, they're next to the pickles and there was quite the selection! On the very top shelf I find them, "Jalapeno stuffed Olives." They were the same ones the girl had at work! And they are $4.99. That's a little steep. Before I check out I also get a pack of bagels so I can have them in the mornings:) I think it was the strangest combination I ever bought.

I come home and announce in achievement to all my roommates what I have found and bought! They all just looked at me really strange. Whatever. I thought it was exciting.

I popped the jar open and plopped one in my mouth. It was good. Really good! Just the right amount of spice for my mouth not to catch on fire! I recommend them, they would be a good appetizer for company! I think I will definitely get them again.

Even if you think your scared of a little spice, it's still good to try some from time to time, you might be surprised and find it a great and new way to spice up your life!


1 Kings 10:10
And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

P.S. Sorry this post wasn't posted yesterday, my internet wasn't working last night:/ Please forgive me!

Unpopped Popcorn

I must say I was highly disappointed with today's New. I thought it would be so cool and weird, but it was definitely a huge let down. But I'm getting ahead of myself; let me start from the beginning.

A while back I saw this news story about how there are a lot of people that believe that excessive use of the cell phone could be linked to brain cancer because of the radiation that it puts out, (some people are such cowards when it comes to death and disease) but an extensive study has shown that this is not the case. Cell phones don't put out nearly enough radiation to cause any kind of damage at all.

I decided that this would be a good conversational piece that I could humor my dad with because he enjoys little weird facts such as this one.

"Hey Dad! You know how people are always paranoid about cell phones causing brain damage?" says I, "Well there was a study done on it and it isn't true at all!"

Well he did find it interesting, though he did expect as much because he's a wise man and draws conclusions very well. He goes on to tell me about how it is possible to pop popcorn with cell phones by having them in a circle around the kernel and having them call one another. The radiation between the phones is supposed to do the job.

"Really?!" says I, "That is fascinating! Are you sure that's true?" He confidently assures me that it is true! There are videos on the YouTube demonstrating such a thing.

I want to try! So I manage to collect several phones (I didn't steal) and found an appropriate popcorn kernel to use. We have the phones call each other and I stared so hard at that little kernel. I probably could have popped it with my stare. Then while I was staring at it, my roommate had to go and crush my dreams, “Its impossible, It was just a trick,” she found out on the internet. It didn't work. But how could it not work?! It makes perfect sense to me! But I guess they just doesn't put off enough radiation. Maybe if there were 100 phones, that could work! We definitely need Myth Busters on this, they could figure it out.

Oh well, I guess I'll have to count this New as a fail. But as least I know and won't be tricked like the Dad was, I was skeptical until I tried it out myself! That’s what the true wise people do! But although this was a fail I still came out on top for the day, my bathroom just got painted, courtesy of Luke Thornley and it looks top notch! And I also got in a good run for the day!

All in all I learned how not to pop popcorn. But I need to find a new way soon because our microwave is about to be buried soon, besides microwaves are old news

. Watch the video here!


Joshua 21:45
Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

Getting a Head Start

This is something I have definitely never done before and it took all my will power to actually do it. For my New today, I actually started my homework for my online class early. It literally takes so much for me to actually sit down at the table and do my homework, let alone in advance!

I don't know what provoked me to do this for my New at all. It isn't an easy online class either! It's Biology. Ewe. I only say ewe because it's just a lot of information to try and digest, not because I don't think life isn’t a beautiful and wonderful thing. I’m a big fan of life! But boy oh boy do we have a lot of information and work in the first week! There are two discussion boards, which is something you have to answer and post for the rest of the class to see, and we have FOUR quizzes! Holy moley. I guess I'm glad I did choose to get a head start this week.

There was information flying out the wahzoo, I just didn't even hardly know where to begin. First I took a quiz thank made me promise that I had read the syllabus and student expectations which I actually did skim over maybe...which is probably a lot more than the rest of the class! Then after trying to figure out and organize a little bit, I took Quiz 1, which was about the syllabus and the checklist. I got a 16 out of 20. I missed two dumb questions, they weren't even fair. I don't want to talk about it...

And that's about as far as I got tonight, but hey, give me some credit please! That's a lot for me! And I also plan on finishing the rest of the work ahead of time as well, so I'll be stretching this New out for a couple of days. It will be nice too to get it all over with before the weekend to I have more time to have a life and make other adventures.

Mark 13:23
So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.

Lets go for a run

What is it about Sundays that make you so tired? No matter how much sleep you got the night before, after lunch all you can think about is a nice long nap. But I decided to resist the nap today and go to Starbucks instead.

I went over my lesson for the Pioneers Club class I teach on Sunday nights. I love my kids I teach, but you never know how they're going to act from week to week. The church also just moved into a new building and it is itty bitty! Plus they gave us the smallest classroom out of all of them, and I have quite a few kids! Whenever we play a game, we have to put the table and chairs away, and when we have snack we have to set it all back out, the we put it up again because we have another activity. It is endless. But the lesson went pretty well tonight.

“Let’s all thank God for our Ears so we can hear! Very good!  Did you know that there are people who can’t hear at all? Do you know what we call them? No, not DeaTH people, DeaF people. Very good! And Jesus healed the DeaF man in the Bible! Very good!”  It’s hard to pronounce an F loudly.

I decide on the way home what I should do for my New today, I'll go for a run along Wyndhurst! For those of you who don't know, Wyndhurst is a small part of Lynchburg that is like a little Pleasantville and everyone in the world loves to walk and run up and down that road, but I have never tried it. And with the summer coming up I could really use the exercise.

So I get all ready in my little running outfit and I get my sneakers on, but they really aren’t running shoes so I need to remember to snag a pair of my sister's old ones for the future. I park and where I think is a good spot to start and I get out and start to stretch. I should stretch more but I find it a little annoying because it takes a long time. My iPod is also dead and I don't know where the charger is so I listen to Pandora from my phone. The station it's on is Coldplay and it played some pretty good songs! When I start to run the songs just flow. I think I found my new favorite running song too, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For by U2. It's a classic.

Well the run went by a lot faster than I had anticipated. Wyndhurst seemed a lot longer then what it really is, probably because the speed limit is so ridiculously slow. I only ran about two miles. When I usually get in my spurts of running, I go about 3 to 5 miles, but I must say it was a pretty good run. I can see now why people like it so much. But there were two spots on the road that it smelled really potent of smoke. It was really weird. There was a cigar shop (the one I went into the other day) and it was open, but I really wasn't anywhere near it. And when I actually passed to cigar shop I didn't smell anything. I don't know, it was just really very strange. But besides the cigar smoke, the run was very pleasant and refreshing. I felt a little weird on the drive home, but it's probably because I hadn't run in eons.

Then to reward myself for such a good run, I ate another amazing chicken salad sandwich and a big'ole piece of cake! It's pretty much the only reason I run, so I can eat these kinds of things:) What's the point of living if you don't indulge from time to time?


Exodus 23:27
“I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run.

Plans Change

I was planning on doing something new tonight, or if I couldn't think of anything I was going to finish Transformers and my harsh critiquing on it. But plans changed.

When I got home from work I HAD to do the dishes. I let them pile up because my roommates aren't here. So after I became pretty pruney, I went to my room and I was going to lay down for a second and then finish cleaning the rest of the house. Well 5 hours later I wake up. Oh great. Now it's super late and there’s nothing to do. So I turn on my computer and iTunes happily lets me know that my rental time for Transformers is up, so I can't even do that.

But now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I've never taken a 5 hour nap before...good for me! I did my New for the day without even planning it! And you know what? It was so nice:) I recommend it. The only down side of it, is now I'll probably be awake until the wee hours, but that's fine because that'll be a nice change of pace in my life.

I just ate my dinner and its 12:30 A.M. I'm pretty sure I've never done that before either. AND I had this chicken salad that my mom made and it is absolutely fantastic! She has never made it this good ever! I don't know how she did it! I'm going to need more very soon.

I also might get a head start on my online class which would definitely be a new for me. I am the biggest procrastinator you have ever met, and that's the truth. So maybe I'll wait on that homework, I don’t know, we'll see;-)

Moral of the story is plans change. It wasn't a big change of plans, but sometimes it can be and that can be frustrating. It's better not to fret though because it's usually just God guiding you along a better path that you have no idea about. For me it was just God letting me know I needed some rest and I greatly appreciate that:) Maybe He's resting me up for a big adventure this week!


2 Corinthians 1:12
[ Paul’s Change of Plans ] Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.

Assuming Gets You a Headache & Wet Car Seats.

Well, my new for the day wasn't the best thing ever...but let me start from the beginning.

First of all I just want to say, I took a break from Transformers, that first hour was enough for me so far.

After I got off work, it was such a nice day I had to go to the park and soak up the sun! I've been doing this recently, ever since I first tried it as my New the other day, I liked it so much I made a routine of it. But I had to stop at Starbucks before I went because an unexpected New happened to me today. I usually have coffee or a Diet Coke before or during lunch just about every day, but today I hadn't had either. Well right after I finished my lunch, I got this massive headache, and the only reason for it that I could think of was because I hadn't had any caffeine today. Great. I'm now addicted to caffeine. One more thing sucking my wallet dry.

It was almost instant after I started drinking my coffee, my headache was gone.

After I left the park I went out to Panera with my best friend Audrey and her friend Zachary and then saw a late movie (side note- there were previews for the new Transformers movie, it was a good preview too which made me mad), The Adjustment Bureau (really good, I recommend). Well, as I stated earlier it was a nice day outside today. Blue skies, birds chirping, the usual. So naturally I take the top off my car and it's great! Well me, Audrey and Zach all ride together to Panera and the movies and I leave my car at Audrey's house. But before we left I looked at my car with its top still down and ask Audrey,

"Do you think it's going to rain? Should I put my top up?" She simply replies with an "I don't know."
I look at it, sigh, and get in the car and drive off.

And of course. The story of my life. The cherry on top. The greatest thing ever. We walk outside after the movie and it had rained. Thank you. I have never driven home with wet car inside and out. My New. I guess God just wanted to help out with my project.

Moral of the story, never assume that just because the sky is blue, doesn't mean your butt won't be wet on the way home.


1 Samuel 14:47
After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them.

Transformers Part I

When I see previews for a dumb movie, sometimes I have to make a proclamation to myself or the people around me, "That looks so dumb! I will never watch that!" One of these movies in particular that I have made a proclamation about is Transformers. From the moment I saw the first preview I thought it looked like one of the dumbest movies ever made. I mean come on, cars and trucks turning into these killer robot things sent from outer space or something? And don't even get me started on Megan Fox. It's not even that all the guys in the whole world are in love with her, I'm pretty sure it's just her and her personality that irks me so bad.

Anyways, I just remember nobody thinking this movie was going to be any good, but apparently there are three now and everyone loves them. Well I stuck to my vow, I never watched a single one and I stood by my opinion of the stupidity of the movie. Until now.

Over these next three days I'm going to use watching these Transformer movies as my New. I will critique each of the movies as I watch them. I am going to try my hardest not to be biased against this movie, but I fully believe after I watch them all, they'll be categorized in my life as a big'ole waste of time.
Now if you’re thinking to yourself, "Well if you're so positive on the foolishness of the movies, then why watch at all?"

Well it is very simple my friends, every time I try and explain to people why I won't watch these movies and why they're so utterly ridiculous, they just freak out because they swear up and down and sideways that I am wrong and these movies are great and I can't say anything because I haven't seen them. I guess that’s partially true.
So I will not be ignorant in my opinions any longer! And I will finally have the last word. Let’s just see if this movie can transform my opinion. Haha.

Here we go.

Okay, the cube? Really? Who likes cubes? I think a pyramid would've been better for sure.
Wow, very dramatic beginning.

Okay, so I fell alseep. True I was already tired, but it will cost them major points deducted for that!


1 Kings 19:5
Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”

Close but no Cigar

An unusual end to a normal beginning. My day was just as plain and boring as you can imagine. Just work with nothing interesting happening. But just when I thought all hope was lost, my boss informed me that our salon was going to do another show just like the one at Liberty but a bit smaller and it was going to be a bridal show. Well, she asked if I wanted to help because it was on a Sunday, and she said I could be a model and wear a wedding dress and get my hair done.

"Well of course I will!" says I. What kind of girl doesn't want to get pampered and all prettied up?

All I had to do was go to Celebration Bridal and get fitted. Yeah! I couldn't wait, this was going to be so fun! I've never gone and tried on wedding dresses before, this was going to be my new for the day!

So I go pick up Audrey, my best friend, and we go downtown to Celebration. But as soon as I walked in there I knew that girl didn't know what the heck I was doing there or what the heck I was talking about. I told her I was going to be a model and I needed to get fitted, but she just didn't believe me. She called her boss and said they were closing in ten minutes anyways so she'd give me a call and let me know what was going on. What a let down. I was ready to look beautiful in an expensive dress. But I guess I wasn't that disappointed because these things just happen to me some times.

We decided to salvage the night and get some Olive Garden to go and have a movie night:)
After the first movie and the delish food (I got spinach and artichoke dip again) I decided I needed coffee so we made a trip out to Starbucks. When we made it there it was only 9:30 but they were closed! I was sorely disappointed. I feel like I have been very loyal to Starbucks over the years, but they have just been letting me down recently.

On the way home we saw that the Muse was open so we stopped! I got this drink called a Red Tea Latte. It was so good! I loved it. They concentrated some red tea and added milk and a little more flavor. It was basically a latte but a shot of tea instead of espresso. Audrey got this berry smoothie thing and she loved that, but I didn't. I'll stick to my red tea.

Before when went back to the car I noticed the store next to the Muse was this cigar place, so I decided for it to be my new that day! It was like a bar for cigars.

We walk in and there is smoke and men everywhere. They're all quiet and watching something on the TV, and they all turn and look at us. I make my way to the front and this nice cute fella stands up to help me. I start talking to him about buying a cigar, but everyone is quiet so he ushers me to a smaller room with a bunch of cigars and it smelled like cedar. We were surrounded by cigars, floor to ceiling! So anyways this fella goes on to tell me that the men are doing a Bible study and didn't want to disturb. Then he asks me what range I want to pay, and I reply with "Low please!" I told him it was for my boyfriend. He said the cigars' low range was from 5 to 7 dollars.

"What's the next range of prices?" asks I. He said they can go all the way up to $35 for one cigar. Geez! Then he asks if my boyfriend likes coffee.
"Not really," says I. He tells me he has a cigar in mind so we walk out of the little room and back up to the front. He found it and put it on the counter.

“Eight dollars and forty four cents.” This better be some cigar.

The fella told me his name was Kyle and I told him my name was Jenny. I asked him what church it was that all these men were from. He didn't remember one church but he was from Brentwood. I've been meaning to visit there. I think these men just wanted an excuse to get away from their houses and smoke some cigars. It was cute.

I still smell like smoke.



Genesis 19:28
He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.

P.S. We’re watching Forrest Gump and I guess I just have never really paid attention to this movie because I feel like this is the first time I’ve ever seen it. It’s so good!

Cleaning Lady

I stayed up too late last night and I paid for it today. I'm pretty sure there was a cloud that followed me around too. But it was a slow day at work so I got to read a little and get back into my book. I'm reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It's pretty good, a mystery. It makes me want to go get a dragon tattoo though. He makes this girl seem so cool haha.

My new for the day is actually going to turn into a weekly routine. I am now officially a cleaning lady! Like Audrey Hepburn in How to Catch a Thief! Or so I'm told…

I am going to start cleaning a house once a week! My mom went with me for this first time so she could help me get the gist of things and get in a routine for myself. I don't mind cleaning at all, I actually kinda enjoy it. It just takes all the energy out of me!

The house wasn't in that bad of shape, just the normal cleaning that needs to be done; dust, sweep, mop and mop again. Now again, if you no me at all you will know that I HATE bugs. Something that I inherited from my mom. And I truly believe that this house is one of the breeding grounds for stink bugs. They start at this house and then travel out into the world. There were so many! I'll have to work on my courage for next week, but I think my mom was worse off. All I heard coming from the upstairs were screams and "Oh my gosh!" in a strangely low voice. It was so funny.

After all our hard work the house looked great and we were hungry! We decided to go to Vinny’s for dinner and it was delish! We got this appetizer that was to die for! Spinach and artichoke dip with little slices of garlic bread. I highly recommend!

Overall it was a good day, good work and good accomplishments. I've turned into a lady today:) I don't think I would have done it if I weren't doing news things, plus I get to make some extra money! Which is always gone before it gets put in my hands.


Leviticus 10:10
So that you can distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean.



P.S.
The Avatar people are so strong! Now they know how to live!

Grand 'ole Time!

Prologue-
Please pardon the lateness of this post and short conciseness of it as well. I'm a little cranky at this late hour but I feel I shouldn't wait until tomorrow to write it either.
-side note: I really don't understand why some novels have prologues anyway, just get into it! Make it be chapter one! Is it supposed to catch my eye or something? No, it just makes me want to skip it. If it was important enough it would be in the actual counting of the rest of the book.

Chapter one-
If you know me at all, even the least little bit, you know that I LOVE movies! There's just something about a movie that can just take you away from everything for a while. I'm a fan of pretty much all movies and for a while I've just always wanted to go to a small little theatre that shows those independent films and foreign films. There's nothing around like that here!
So for my new for the day I decided I wanted to find one of these theaters and go.

Chapter two-
Well the search didn't turn out so well. I don't think I'm very good at searching for things on the internet. But thanks to my trusty stead of a best friend, Audrey conferred with me about a quaint little theatre in downtown Roanoke called Grandin Theatre. It does sometimes show more obscure things but it wasn't unfortunately showing any tonight, but I still wanted to go.

Chapter three-
Audrey, my best friend, Sarah, my new friend, and I drove off to Roanoke to have a new adventure! We went to the mall first, but we weren't even there a half hour when we had to evacuate because there was supposedly a gunman in the mall. How annoying is that. I don't get to go to Roanoke that often and expose myself to descent shops very often. How rude.
After dinner and Starbucks, (by the way their new 40 year symbol thing is just plain and dumb, not very creative of them) we made our way to the theatre.
I was such a legit theatre! It's something I wish I could own! It's just small and cute and had the blinking bulbs on the sign like it's supposed to and everything was just how it was supposed to be. Our movie wasn't in the bigger theatre, but we still went in to look at it. It was so neat! It had stone walls and two balconies, I wished it was mine. The theatre our movie was in was very small, but it made me love it even more.
We watched The King's Speech. It was really good, I enjoyed it. Colin Firth has always been on my good actors list.

Conclusion
Going to a new theatre was definitely a good choice for my new of the day! I had a fun time with my girlfriends and I will definitely be going back when Jane Eyre opens there! What a disappointment. I was all excited to see Jane Eyre when it came out on March 11th, only to find out that it only came out in very select theatres. I have to wait until April 15 before itll even get to the Grandin Theatre. Lame.


Daniel 6:18
Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.

Snooze it or Lose it

The official first day of Spring Break and I must say I did a great christening. I was lazy and tired all day:)

It was a rough beginning after waking up to a wet bed, courtesy of Jack Jack the puppy. And I am a little mad to say that this was not a new thing that has happened in my life. I had no idea it would ever be this hard to potty train a puppy. Apparently he is one of the worst breeds to try and potty train. Lucky me.

So after my slow start to the day, I go to eat lunch with my lovely family. And I must say I think the newness in my everyday life is rubbing off on my mother! To my pleasant surprise I found her to be wearing leggings with a new dress today! She looked absolutely fantastic! I felt so proud of her, like a mother bird watching her young take her first flight in life.

While it was new for me to see my mom in leggings, it was more new for her to actually wear them! So needless to say this doesn't count for my quest.

For my New of the day, I decided to continue with my lazy streak and incorporate it in the day. I decide to go to the park and take a nap. I have always seen people do this, and I’ve always thought it was because they actually have either no life or no friends. But I believe I have both of those things, so for me it’s just because I love to nap and have never tried it under a tree in a park by myself. Technically speaking though I wasn’t by myself because I had Jack Jack with me, but I've never been to the park with him either so it still counts as a New! More like a double-new though because he's never been to the park either! (If you didn’t figure it out by now I pretty much just make up these rules along the way, but it’s worked out good so far)

After I went over my lesson plan for the night (I teach a Kindergarten class Sunday nights, which we didn't end up even having for some reason and there wasn't even an e-mail sent out about it), I fell asleep. But it was hard trying to stay asleep because Jack was pulling on my arm and all the people around me were being loud because Jack always hypnotizes them to come to him and they make noises three octaves higher than normal to try and get Jack to like them. Maybe that's why he likes me more than everyone else...

Anyways, after snoozing in the warm sun for a while, we went and found out there was no Pioneers Club for no reason and went to Starbucks. We read a little while, listened to some ladies planning a lame party, then I went over and sat in this gazebo and read the Bible a little. It was a perfect end to a restful day.

I can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store, I sense adventure! Bring it on.

Genesis 2:3
Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Fried green...come again?

What a crazy busy day! It was not the normal Saturday at work. I am a receptionist at a hair salon, and my boss decided to go to the Lynchburg Women's show today, aka pack up the whole salon and move it to Liberty. We also picked out four women to do makeovers on! After we were done with them, each woman looked completely different! They were beautiful. Two of the women also won a $250 shopping spree at JCrew for having the most extreme makeover.

I also found out something new about myself I didn't really know before, I am a pretty good sales person! We needed to sell the product that we had and boy was I sellin'em! It was a lot of fun! It is going to bring in a lot of good business for us I'm sure!

Now, I have sold things before, so I didn't want to count this as my new thing for the day, so I had to think of something else. I got home at around 7:30, but it felt like midnight I was so tired, but I still wanted to go do something. I am one of those people that loves sleep, but hates to go to bed. I decide to call my parents to see what's going on over there. Andrew answers of course.

"Hey Ang!" says I, "Where is everyone?"

He answers in his lowest voice possible(I think he pretends to have gone through puberty), "They're still at the wedding."
Oh yeah! How could I forget? The wedding I wasn't invited to. Along with the other 20 thousand weddings everyone else is invited to but me. This is what the invitation always says,

                             Mr. and Mrs. Jon House, Kimberly, Emily, Heather

Why?! I don't understand! I'm not a child, I'm 20 years old for goodness sakes! I mean my sisters have been IN weddings I haven't been invited. to And the last one was only three months ago. Riddle me that!

Anyways, I am sorry to have gone on a tangent like that but it really bothers me, more or less because I just don't understand why.

So back to Andrew and him answering in a deep voice, I ask for Justin. I tell him that I want to do something fun because I'm bored, so we collaborate and come to the conclusion of getting food and coming back to my house to watch something. The only rule is that we each have to get something from a different place.
At first I wanted 5 Guys, but it was too far, so I got West Side Deli instead; Justin got a Papa Johns pizza and Andrew got Subway. Now I want to note the several new things about this night already; firstly it was only me, Justin and Andrew hanging out which I really don't remember ever doing. Secondly, we all got something from a different place, which certainly spiced things up!

But for the cherry on top, for the truly different and new thing that I did, I ordered a small size of fried pickles. Who in the world would even think of such a thing? It probably happened by accident! Which is usually the recipe for all great things:)

But my verdict on this strange new dietary substance was actually good! I was pleasantly surprised. Who would've thunk it?

The lesson to take home today is to spend time with crazy brothers and try weird fried things, it will open your eyes to a whole new potential of fried foods!


Proverbs 30:20
"She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’"

TransAmerica

Well today's new was quite an experience. I definitely did not think this would have happened to me in Lynchburg either.

Okay, so I went to Starbucks this morning because I had a free coupon for any drink for my birthday. When I walked in, I saw this "woman" sitting by "her"self and "she" had the cutest boots on! So I walk over to "her" and the closer I get I realize "she" isn't a "her". Oh my gosh, "she's" a transvestite! In Lynchburg! I could not believe my eyes! Maybe Lynchburg is becoming a big city. . .

Anyways, back to reality. So I'm too close to "her" and I'd been staring too long just to walk away and I really didn't want to walk away anyways, so I tell "her" that I really like her boots and I asked where "she" got them from. "She" starts speaking in an English accent and "she" says she got them from Charlottesville. "Of course!" says I, "you definitely can't get shoes like that here in Lynchburg!"

"I wouldn't know," she says, "I'm just visiting a friend, I've never been here."

How lucky is it that the one day a transvestite decides to visit "her" friend in Lynchburg, I run into "her"!

"Oh!" says I, "Where are you from?"

"Germany originally," she says.

"Oh wow! That's neat!" says I.

Then I start to get  a little nervous, I mean you would too meeting your very first transvestite! I really don't like that word, transvestite, it sounds like a bug. Anyways, I think I start talking a little faster and I tell her about the one and only good shoe place in Lynchburg called Must Have Shoes. SUCH a great place! Then I somehow rap up the conversation smoothly, but I don't remember, it was really all a blur. I tell "her" it was nice to meet her and tell her my name and she said "her name was Vasomething. I guess it was german.

It was really a good experience all around! I thought he did a great job at pulling off a girl! His hair could have used some work, but pretty good makeup and wardrobe!

But, I kinda think he really wasn't from Germany, I think he was playing his "character". I want to believe him though! He was pretty shy.  Maybe I'll see him again:)

1 Corinthians 11:15
"but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering."

Hotdog Lady

My new of this day wasn't planned, but just happened, which is how I hope a lot of this year goes.

I was working as usual and always, and my boss wants a Mountain Dew, so I go next door to the gas station to get one(because I'm such a great receptionist). Now before I walked in an old lady was walking in too, so I open the door for her and we exchange "thanks" and "your welcomes" and grateful smiles as normal.
Then I go and get the Dew and this old lady is just walking over and looking a little confused, so I ask her if she needs any help, "I want a hot dog," she says. "Okay," says I, "I'll get it for you." So I go on to get the bun and I put the hot dog on it and this lady asked me to put on this nasty combination of condiments. Now I've worked at a baseball stadium for 6 years, and this did not look the least bit appetizing. She wanted coleslaw, mustard and these chopped onions that came in a package. Then I asked if she wanted a drink and she said no but asked me where she needed to pay for it and I pointed at the clerk in the front. She didn't know that I didn't work there and was pleasantly surprised when she found out. After she paid for her hot dog with coleslaw, mustard and packaged onions, I paid for my Dew and told her to have a good day and we went our separate ways.
I don't mean to toot my own horn, but it just feels good to help an old lady with a hot dog! Spread the love:)
I just hope this she has loving family to drive home to. She probably shouldn't be driving though, she could barely walk. But I won't get in to how I feel about the elderly behind the wheel, I will just leave it at the hot dog lady driving away into the sunset.

Leviticus 19:32
“‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD.

It sounds dirty to me...

(it was hard to find a good picture)



I was unable to post yesterday, and it was not all my fault! First of all, I worked all day and then I went straight out to dinner with my parents and then straight to Liberty to work on a project in a group and didn't leave until about 2A.M. I HATE group projects. We literally took 3 times as long as it should have taken. Needless to say I was tired and forgot...But I apologize! It is still no excuse! So I will continue to write this post as if it were yesterday:)

So today was my birthday! Again! I couldn't do anything on my actual birthday because I was making the video for CoffeeHouse, so my parents took me out to dinner tonight. I chose to make it my "new thing" where we ate, so we went to this place called Geralds. Now if you're thinking that going to a new restaurant is too common, and shouldn't count as what I am trying to do, I would have to agree with you. Everyone goes to new restaurants and it's not a big deal. So instead of being lame and just saying I went to a "new restaurant", I got something there that has always scared me a little.

Shepards Pie. "I think its Irish," and thats all I really knew. Why in the world would you think that something called Shepherd's Pie sounds appetizing? It sounds dirty to me. Shepherds are in the fields all day, playing with the lambs and sheep, and carries around an old stick, and then he pulls out some pie and eats it. It just sounds like it would be a really dirty pie if you ask me. But I decided to try this thing. Not for those of you who don't know, a Shepherd's Pie consists of mashed potatoes, veggies and traditionally lamb.

Let me just say before I continue, what kind of person would eat lamb right in front of all the lambs! How sad.

Now I didn't have lamb in my "pie" and I was also mislead to believe it was going to look like a pie. It pretty much juts looked like stew. There was a layer of mashed potatoes and then veggies and then beef, which had been slow cooked all day and it was all in a bowl. I thought it was delicious! But I also feel like if I had went any where else and gotten it, I would not have liked it. This restaurant was really homemade stuff! It is a family business and they have only been there for about a year. My dad got a hoagie thing, but he didn't want the bread so they stuck it in the bowl for him and it was so good! But I believe my mom won the best meal award with her honey chipotle skirt steak over rice and a side of grilled veggies. It was a really unique place and I will definitely be going back to try new things on their ever changing menu.

Jeremiah 23:1
“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD.