Aerodynamics

So, I started thinking last night (which is never a good idea) about some of the experiences I had with one of my old roommates. It's crazy how you forget all the funny times. If you're anything like me, your memory is shot! I have a few specks of memory from significant points in my life, but overall I would classify my memories as lost, vetoed, or even irresponsibly misplaced due to too many parties. Though, I do have one that stands out. One terrifying, life-changing moment that remains a vivid memory...I thought I would share it with you.

My best friend, and roommate at the time, and I were on our way home from one of our many nights out. On our way home at 10:00am in the morning mind you. Yes, driving without any sleep does sound like a bad idea...now. At the time the idea was brilliant. You know, you get that feeling of, "Ok, I'm done being here and I'm ready to go home, get a shower, and be in my bed." So that's what we did. This was a few years ago and I was driving my 2001 MR2 Spyder convertible (very cute car by the way) that only sat approximately a foot off the ground...give or take some space (hey, I'm a female...those statistics are irrelevant to me). Anyway, she and I were jamming out to some overrated hip-hop, as usual, not paying much attention to our surroundings. We decided to take a shortcut to our house rather than staying on 400 the whole way. So there we are, top down and making our way north towards Forsyth County. Our shortcut turned into a not-so-shortcut once we proceeded to get behind a geriatrically driven four door sedan. Paying no mind to the 20mph decrease in speed we continued with our chatting and piercingly bad singing. Then, out of the corner of my eye I see what looks like a groundhog running abnormally fast towards the highway. Living in the country, I see groundhogs all the time. They spend their afternoons grabbing some grub near the highways or observantly perched on their hind legs peaking over the kudzu all attentive to any danger that may arise. So you can understand my surprise when I see one hauling some serious butt towards a highway. My pulse starts to race as the furry, fat-rolled marmot continues it's course towards the road. My thoughts at this point (considerably slower than normal) didn't even reach my mouth; before I could mutter a word the rodent was in full motion and headed straight for the car in front of us. Within seconds the groundhog collided with the back rear tire of the sedan. The car didn't even jerk. The couple probably didn't even realize what had happened, but us on the other hand...we were in trouble. I was immediately informed of my copilot's awareness of the groundhog as she clenches the door handle and the right side of my seat all in one terrifying motion. I, with my hands firmly at 10 and 2, squeezed the wheel and tensed up my entire body. Have you ever seen a groundhog fly? No? Me either until now. The speed from the vehicle and the speed from the groundhog must have amplified the reaction, because the groundhog was instantly propelled into the air. I remember thinking, "There is no way that is a groundhog!" But it was, and it was headed helicopter style towards us. I am not even kidding. All that we could see coming towards us was snout...tail...snout....tail. I didn't even swerve (there was no time). Luckily, given the aerodynamics of the rodent and the limited height of my car, the groundhog flew right over the top of the convertible and into the grass on the opposite side of the highway. I don't know about you, but seeing the underside of a flying groundhog was definitely on my things-to-do-before-I-die list. Needless to say, the lack of sleep and alcohol consumption the night before coupled with our little groundhog incident resulted in an extreme case of the shakes for the both of us. So, I pulled over for a few minutes of recuperation before continuing our journey home.

I thought this might assist with that mental picture!

Identity Update

There have been some changes to the identity theft situation I experienced last weekend, so I thought I would do a short update. Another piece of valuable information to those of us naive, somewhat illiterate, bankers who miss the fine print...apparently my savings account is somehow directly linked to my checking account. Excuse me, what? Could you please repeat that information and slap an IDIOT sign on my forehead?! What do you think I'm am? Yes, I know that I can access both accounts from the ATM, but...

Ahhhhhh man....

Wait, what is that huge light? And that distinct "ding" sound I hear? Oh, nevermind that's my light bulb going off. Don't mind the flickering, it hasn't been used in some time so it takes some warming up.

Does this mean he got into my savings account too?

That's right ladies and gentlemen, the thief made out with $200 more of my money. Luckily, the bank only allows for a max withdrawal of $200 in a 24 hour period at an ATM. That could have gotten real bad, real quick seeing that I have well over $200 in savings. Gah! Makes me ill just thinking about it. So, I have to head back over to the bank again this afternoon to fill out more paperwork.

Although, there was a glimpse of hope for human honesty yesterday and I was lucky enough to experience it. On Wednesday nights I have a class from 6:30pm-9:00pm and the instructor always allows for a 10min break. Well, I'm not much of an avid breaker, but yesterday I thought a little caffeine might help with my tired state. So, several of my classmates and I headed down to the vending machines. After inserting $2 for my Dt. Coke, I sluggishly grabbed my refreshment and made my way back up to class. I only made it about five steps before hearing one of my classmates say, "Hey, you forgot your change!" My heart leapt with joy...no, I'm not cheap (even though I do think $1.25 is a little steep for a Coke), I was just pleasantly surprised by her honesty. The only thing I could think to say (overly exaggerated I might add) was,"Thank you SO much! I really really appreciate your honesty."

Given the awkward, rather scared look on the girl's face, I then realized my reaction may have been a bit much for three quarters. I'm sure I came across as an extremely gracious penny pincher, but I took the walk back to class to explain my reasoning for such a response. Of course she completely understood then, but felt compelled to throw in a "maybe next time you should try to remember you card." Genius! Why didn't I think of that one?!

So that's my story. I felt like maybe reinforcing the fact that honesty IS appreciated would help my matter in some future karma retrospect.

Up the Creek...

I'm not sure I can even find words to explain the Friday night I had. A learning experience to say the least. There are some things in life you have to go through (several times it seems) in order to come to a realization of...I'M AN IDIOT!!

Believe me, there wouldn't be enough space on my blog to try and explain all of it. Ok, so there is probably enough room, but not near enough self-confidence to share my experience. However, I can say that I have managed to discover several things about myself: 1. I'm not above taking a cab when the circumstances call for it...regardless the company or the cost, 2. I can now say I am a victim of identity theft, and 3. Sometimes I allow my pride to make decisions for me that I would otherwise rethink.

The whole weekend wasn't bad. Saturday was spent in recovery mode and Sunday I helped my sister and her boyfriend renovate a house they will be moving into soon. I have to say, Friday night wasn't really even bad until the clock struck 2:00am. Ah, time is still healing that wound and my pride.

Anywho, let me elaborate on that #2 of discoveries listed above. Words of advice: PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING, regardless the time or how much you may have had to drink. Some things in life are free...identity theft isn't one of them!

You see, it's a funny thing. The ATM prompts for a "would you like to make another transaction" and if you are on the phone, your hands are full, AND you're trying to catch the cab before they leave you, it makes it a little difficult to remember to grab your card. Right? Please say you might have done the same thing if you were me. Plus, I was ALONE...a cute female that is alone in Atlanta during the wee hours of the morning can make any girl rush through an ATM transaction. Not to mention a suspicious guy walked up behind me during this whole deal, so my mind was on getting my money and getting back to the car as quickly as possible. Luckily, I have an awesome bank! Out of the $500 charges that were made, I'm only out about $100.

So, you can see how waking up Saturday morning with a message from the Fraud Department at my bank could only add to the mayhem that already consumed my Friday night. I got through it though. The guy was really nice and even threw in a, "Well at least you weren't driving drunk" comment. There is hope for mankind.

I do have a special thanks to give though. This girl is awesome.

Though her matchmaking skills sometimes don't work out like originally planned, her personality is one of a kind! Seriously, even at 2 in the morning she is still as sweet as can be! I wasn't exactly sure who to call during the whole fiasco, so I called Jessica and she stayed on the phone with me the whole time. That takes some serious commitment...listening to me yap about the crazy night (and yell at my cab driver on several occasions). You're the best, Jess! :)

Precious Ellie

So, it's been a few days since I've had an opportunity to post. This one will be pretty short and sweet itself. Kinda random, but I just wanted to share this little video of Ellie I took over the weekend.

She just makes me melt. She's getting so big! That's her new thing right now, saying "I don't know" and "No"...which I can foresee not being near as cute when she gets a little older. It sure is cute now though. :)

Lesson Learned

Let me just start by saying....who had the bright idea to have a concert on a Wednesday night? Those of us that can afford to go to a concert work during the week. My next question, what was I thinking actually going to the Wednesday night concert? What can I say, life is too short not to indulge in the simple pleasures like AWESOME concerts!

So, a friend and I went to the Jack Johnson concert at Lakewood last night and had a blast.

There we are, enjoying a little JJ and some darn good seats (which is a completely different story). The downfall...parking. Which leads me to my next question. Who builds an amphitheatre without thinking parking through? Are there even any answers to these mindless questions?

So, we sat in traffic forever, but that's going to happen regardless the parking situation. The real thing that gets me is the small forest we had to park in a mile away from the place. Yes, we did pay $20 for that spot next to the big oak. Who knew there were still trees in Atlanta? And gravel?

No complaints from me though, the show was well worth it!

There's nothing like getting home at 3:00AM on a week night. You know, your hamster just doesn't work quite as hard when it hasn't had the adequate amount of sleep. The wheel is there and the hamster is alive, but there isn't the slightest hint of activity. The repercussion of three hours of sleep.

I must say, that type of lifestyle takes some serious practice, dedication, major conditioning and a whole lotta Red Bull. Yeah, I remember the days...working in a bar until 3am, going out after work and then finally crashing for a little mid day shut-eye before doing it all again. Ah, the memories. Thank the Lord I don't live like that anymore! Nope, just the occasional night out for me...which I appreciate so much more now.

So, not properly conditioned for these circumstances, you can imagine how I was feeling today. Aside from the slightly blurred vision, clammy skin and the occasional cold sweats, I've been dealing with a bit of disorientation. I managed to run into my desk three separate times before 9:ooAM this morning. I've been working there for two years and never randomly collided with my desk. Not this morning though, in a two hour time span I did it not once, not twice, but three times. We know the importance of "wet floor" signs and "do not enter" signs, but who knew I needed a padded suit to make it through the work day safely. The recovery period just isn't what it used to be. Lack of sleep mixed with a mildly aggressive hangover = an interesting morning to say the least.

So, ladies and gentlemen, what can we take from this educational experience? Tylenol is your friend...take it with you to work!

Good Stuff

A million sperm and she was the fastest.

Just kidding! My baby girl is a genius...I have proof! This next picture was taken before she was even a year old. You can't tell me she isn't just like her mommy!

And this last pic she's only 6 months!

LOL Oh man, she's such a doll! Just looking at these old pictures makes me laugh. She has been so much fun!

Well, my week is shaping up quite nicely. I have class tonight, a concert tomorrow night, and some shopping with a friend planned for the weekend. Sounds pretty good, huh?! I'm probably going to be pretty tired by the weekend, but it will be worth it!

Walker and Dalton

I had such a wonderful weekend! I got to spend Friday with Felicia for her last night here, which was fun as usual. Then, Saturday morning Mom, Dad and Felicia left for the long ride to Kentucky.:( That's where they were meeting Jack rather than having to drive all the way to Indiana. I'm sad Felicia isn't here anymore, but it makes me excited about the next time we get to spend some time together!

So, it was just Ellie and I at the house. It's always a breath of fresh air to be home alone. Not that I don't LOVE having family around, but sometimes it's nice to not have any plans...just to enjoy the weekend. That's just what we did too! Jessica, Corey (her husband), Dalton and Walker came over to swim with us Saturday afternoon. We had such a good time. We got some sun, played in the pool, ate lunch and just relaxed together. Let me just say those little boys are so precious! I have some pics to share too...

This is Walker...he is such a ham! :) He has the best personality. He's four and so much fun! My arms are still sore today from picking him up out of the water all day. We had such a blast!

This is little Dalton! He's two and SO freakin' precious! He would just laugh and laugh when he was in the water. Ellie got such a kick out of having them there too. Definitely something we'll have to do again soon!

Ellie went to stay with her dad Saturday night, so I had the night and house to myself the rest of the weekend. I think I got more done in one day than I've managed to get done all year. It was so nice! I have to admit by Sunday evening I missing my Ellie and ready for her to get back home. Yes, I enjoyed having the day for myself, but I missed my little munchkin'.

The Dark Knight

Can you say BAD?!! Holy crap, that movie was awesome!. My niece and I went yesterday afternoon to see what all of the fuss was about and we came out of the movie lovin' every minute. I wouldn't say it is a replacement for my current favorite, Transformers, but I would definitely say it breaks even. I waited until about a week ago before seeing Batman Begins and I thought it kicked some serious movie-going butt! I was actually wondering how they were going to make the sequel just as good, but they did!! Two enthusiastic thumbs up! :)

Party Time!

I have been meaning to post about the birthday party Ellie went to for three weeks now, but I kept forgetting. It was a party for two precious little boys, Walker and Dalton Young. Their mother, Jessica, has become a really close friend of mine. She and I both work at the hospital, so we get to brag to one another about our little ones all the time. :)

Jessica had their birthday party at a water park in Gainesville and it was so much fun! That's the place in the picture above. It was cloudy, but we were lucky it didn't rain for their big day. Man, those kids had a blast. Walker, who was turning four, didn't slow down once. He was running around the whole time enjoying himself. It was too cute! I wish I had some pics of him. I do have some sweet shots of Ellie though (of course :))...

She is such a mess, I could just eat her up!

She was pretty timid at first. I think all the adults, kids and water fountains caught her by surprise. It didn't take her long to warm up though. Here's a little video of her playing...so cute!

Rocky Top

Yep, headed to Knoxville for the weekend! Ellie will be with her father this weekend and rather than missing her at home, I'll be missing her in Tennessee. We are going to have a blast though! Felicia, my niece, is going with me to visit Lauren. Even though I love my time alone, it's going to be great to have a traveling buddy...and who better than my precious niece?!

See, my brother and his wife are headed back to Indiana today (tear), but Felicia will be staying with us another week! :) I don't think I have mentioned much about Felicia thus far. She's ten and the youngest of my brother's girls. He has one other sixteen year old, Elizabeth, who didn't have the chance to come visit this go around. Hopefully soon though!

So anyway, I have a cute story about Felicia. Ellie has been SO taken by her this whole visit. The first night they arrived Ellie was crawling up into Felicia's lap begging for her attention. It usually takes Ellie a day or two to warm up to new people, but not in this case. She's been following Felicia around this whole week...it's so cute!

On Wednesday, when I got home from work I asked Dad how the day went with the grandbabies. He smiled and said great. Then, he proceeded to tell me earlier that morning Felicia had taken Ellie upstairs to play with the toys in Ellie's room, but Felicia came back down a little later alone. Of course Dad asked where Ellie was and Felicia just replied with a, "She was falling asleep while we were playing, so I put her down for a nap in her crib." I just thought that was so precious. Here is a girl who is the youngest, so she hasn't really had to "care" for anyone. She can barely reach Ellie's crib as it is, but she took the initiative to tend to Ellie's needs regardless. I just thought that was so sweet. I guess I just look at it like I was the youngest and at ten I probably wouldn't have done the same.

We have a fun weekend ahead of us. Lauren and I are taking Felicia to see the new Batman movie and to do some other fun stuff. I have to say, I think I'm more excited about the movie than she is. I'm pumped! Seriously, we watched Batman Begins last night and it was AWESOME! Where have I been? I can't believe that was the first time I watched it. I can honestly say it won't be the last time! I'll let you know how The Dark Knight goes. :)