Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Laundry Day

Now, I consider myself a fairly competent housekeeper. There are even many days where I'd prefer to throw on an old t-shirt and dust and vacuum and windex away. I don't usually even mind laundry. But it's the folding of the laundry that really gets to me. Until now. I just discovered this Ingenious Way to Fold. And since I'm only here to help, I thought I'd pass this along.

Wednesday, November 24, 2004

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's crazy... as I've said many a time, only in West Tennessee... I went out earlier today to shop for Christmas decorations with my mom and thought, "this is so weird that I'm Christmas shopping in a t-shirt." Now, it's 36 degrees. Strange weather. But at least I feel normal listening to the Christmas music that I've been listening to anyway since September. Yes, I'm an early bird when it comes to the Christmas spirit, and yes, it's legal... no, you do not have to wait to put up decorations or address Christmas cards or plan Christmas parties (though the official season does not begin until Santa rides in a few hours in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, these things have all been done in our family for days). See, I promised you many answers at the commencement of this blog, and there were several, for your knowledge. Well, it's officially Thanksgiving now (it's 1:28 A.M.), so I hope you all have a wonderful "Eat All Day" Day! Be thankful!

Saturday, November 20, 2004

Health magazine

One thing you will probably discover about me sooner or later is that I LOVE magazines. I think this goes along with my love for reading (mags are like little books), but I think they are fascinating. One of my new favorites is Health magazine. It really is an excellent publication, but I have even more reason to love it lately, as my best friend is now a full time employee there. In the most recent (November) issue, she has her very first story. I'm like a proud momma showing this around to everyone. And I just didn't want to leave you all out. You really should check it out. I just wanted to brag on her one more time! I love you, G!

Wednesday, November 17, 2004

Hurray... People are reading!

A big THANKS to "Yoni" who is my first friend in the land of Blogging! It's fun to know that people are out there... we're not in Kansas anymore, Toto. I have officially entered the real world, commonly known to others as the 21st century. I could use your help for all you people who are more versed at this than I am. What is a Blog Roll and how do you make one? Anyway, until I find out, you people really should check out Yoni's site: http://collegeball.blogspot.com. There ya go.
I just have one tip to pass along to everyone today. This is actually an excerpt from an email I was writing to a friend, so you know if it doesn't all make sense to you, it wasn't written to you, unless you're Michael. But when I was done, and proofreading my email (I know, I know... I'm probably the only one who does this, but Ms. Goodwin, my high school English teacher, warped me), I thought this was possibly the longest, parenthetical sentence ever written, and quite humorous, if I do say so myself, but I just couldn't bring myself to fix any of it cause it's all stuff you need to know. Anyway, a helpful thought to keep in mind about cell phones:
"Drats on Rob for telling you I lost your number, because I specifically asked him not to tell you, but alas, I found it anyway, so it doesn't matter, and now it is safe and securely saved away on my SIM card in my new phone (by the way, I'm sure you know this, but you shouldn't just save numbers to your phone book, but also to your SIM card... a little more trouble, but very worth it in case you ever, say... wake up in the middle of the night and reach over for the glass of water you have on your dresser beside your bed because even though you never wake up in the middle of the night, you are a very prepared person in case you do, and also because you are prepared, you keep your cell phone beside you (if you were so popular as me and you are always awakened at all hours by adoring friends who just have to talk to you) and end up spilling the rather large glass of water all over your phone and it ends up never working again, unexplainably because your sister has the exact same phone as you do, and she once dropped it in a pool and claims it was emersed in water for at least 30 seconds before she got to it, but hers never broke but yours did and you never saved your phone numbers and so you lost tons of important people like yourself and had to gather them all back slowly and it's really annoying to them and you and it takes forever to put them all back in and even then, you know there are people you've forgotten, so you really just should save them all onto your SIM card at the beginning)."

Monday, November 15, 2004

Daylight Saving Time

I know it's been a couple of weeks ago now that we changed our clocks back an hour, but it just really hit me last night, as I was getting ready for church at only 5 pm, how dark it was. It's actually quite depressing, if you ask me. I heard somewhere that we used to always be on this schedule, called "Standard Time," but since everyone back in the day was pretty much a farmer, they needed an extra hour in the day in the summer time to harvest their crops, so they switched it back to let this happen. But since not so many of us farm anymore, I was wondering why we still have to switch our clocks back now. Just as it's starting to naturally get darker earlier anyway, we help it along and "fall back" to where it's even stranger. And as I'm not a night person anyway, as you've already discovered, this just makes me tired earlier, significantly less fun when I am tired, and worried that I have that Seasonal Affective Disorder (where people are depressed in the winter because they are exposed to less sunlight). Anyway, being the nerd I am, I decided to do some research on the real reasons behind all this madness. I actually found out some very interesting things. I'll share them with you now. First of all, to correct a common misconception: it is actually called "Daylight Saving Time," not "Daylight Savings Time," as I have mistakenly called it for years. Some countries don't utilize Daylight Saving Time at all. (Remind me never to move to those places... or the three U.S. states that never "spring ahead": Arizona, Hawaii, and Indiana) A pole was done by the U.S. Department of Transportation though that discovered that Americans liked DST. So why don't we just stay on it all year around? "Tradition?" you may ask, but actually, it hasn't always been done like this, and even since it has (Benjamin Franklin came up with the idea), it hasn't always even been done the same way year after year. Some years, it was just agreed upon to only change the clocks 30 minutes or even a few years bump them around 2 hours. This confuses me and this whole time thing really is so arbitrary (we humans just made it up to make people like me go crazy) that it really hurts my head. Another argument for keeping us on DST is that energy is saved. For all you environment lovers out there, power usage decreases by about 3.5% when DST starts. Other studies have shown that since there is "more light" in DST, and more crimes occur during "dark hours," DST even cuts down on crime! It makes sense to me. Well, since I guess the organized world concurs by this system, I'll just fall in line. However, it has been an enlightening topic. I hope this has helped all of you and if you want to read more, I got my information from www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving and www.timeanddate.com.

Sunday, November 14, 2004

Things that used to be funny

It's a beautiful, fall Sunday afternoon, and I've already done all that you do on these kinds of days: eat, watch football, take a nap... and the afternoon is still not done. It's so rare that I have complete free time like this. There's nothing even that I "should" be doing. So as I have nothing to do, I thought I'd just think of a topic that I would write on here. So, here is what I've been thinking a lot about lately. It's ironic how things that used to just amuse you to no end, just end up not being all that funny. I was trying to explain to Jeremy the other day all these inside jokes that my group of friends from high school used to have (I love you, Ashley, Bobby, and Matt), and while they still make me smile, it's just not the same. And then, another friend just reminded me of that website, Homestar Runner. Now don't get me wrong, if you haven't been there, you really should check it out. It's a classic, especially if you are young-ish. But I used to be able to spend hours cracking up over those things. Seriously, there was one time that I was finishing a paper at 4 in the morning (and granted, I am not a night person, so just being up past midnight makes me delirious and giddy), but I watched one of the Strong Bad emails called "English Paper" and I lost it laughing to the extent that I woke up my roommate. Now I just watched a few new ones, and I think I'm getting old. Maybe the new ones just really aren't that funny. I know everyone says that you're only as old as you are in your heart and all that jazz, but still... when does the point come when you are no fun anymore? No one wakes up and decides to be an old fuddy-duddy. I think maybe it's just all this graduation stuff is kinda freaking me out. I don't know anything, and I'm certainly not mature enough to be pushed out into the real world. I know what you're thinking: I need to just stop worrying and chill out, huh? Or maybe I'll just move to Never-Neverland.

Thursday, November 11, 2004

Ginger of GingerLand

About Me
Well, as you have taken time out of your important life to read this, I thought it might be nice if I graced you all with some information about myself. Despite my mother's crazed warnings not to divulge too much personal information, I'll give you what I can. (Sorry, I just can't let you in on my home address, social security number, etc... I mean, I wanted to, but mom just says it's not a good idea.) But then again, you aren't a psycho lunatic trying to stalk me, are you?
Some basic information (in whatever random order these things come into my head):
Sex: Female
Occupation: Student (a small, private college in Tennessee)
Physical Appearance: 5'4", 115 lbs., long brown hair, brown eyes... just your average gal
Hobbies: reading, shopping, karate (a new found love), watching college basketball
Originally From: Kentucky... the Bluegrass State!
Aspirations: graduate (in May!!!!), grad school, possibly doctorate someday in Child Psychology to be an elementary school guidance counselor or perhaps have my own family practice... but ultimately, I would love to be married and have a family and be a stay-at-home mom
Favorite City: Chicago
Nicknames: Spice, G-G, Ginger Snap, Ginger Bread (every variation of that spice there ever was, I've been called it), Dream Princess (only Daddy is allowed to call me that)... I also answer to Beautiful, Gorgeous, etc. :)
Siblings: I have one precious younger sister... she is hands-down, the funniest person I know.
Favorite car: I love my Sweet Pepper (Ford Escort ZX2), but I'd love a Jag or Mercedes someday... when I meet and marry that rich husband of mine.
Collections: I collect those squashed pennies. You know those ones that you get for $0.51 at every touristy place and then you lose them by the time you've gotten home? Well, I still have all of mine. I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE books. I have a ton of those. Oh, and quotes... I've had a quote book for many years, so feel free to submit any you think are worthwhile.
Ethnic Background: My grandmother is Irish and other grandparents are German.
Pets: No pets
Religion: Christianity
Smoke: nope... ew.
Best Friend: Ginny
Favorite Color: red
Pet Peeve: Fake people
Favorite Food: Chocolate!!!!
Favorite Disney Movie: Beauty and the Beast
Favorite Game: Monopoly
Favorite Outfit: Any one of seven (yes, I bought the exact same shirt in seven colors I loved it so much) of these stretchy, balet necked shirts from Express and my white Banana cords. And no outfit is complete without a great pair of hiiigh heels. (Of course, this changes once a week... so I'll keep you posted.)
Favorite Season: Spring
Resturant: Maccaroni Grill or McDonalds

Well, I'm sure much more will come out as the years go by. I hope this just helps get that meaningless, first date kinda info. Until next time...

Saturday, November 06, 2004

Dramatic Prelude Music...

Wow... This is so exciting. The dawn of a new day... the most traditional, unrevolutionary, conservative, non-risk-taking girl you'll ever meet (who hasn't even turned on her PC in months) has entered the world of Blogging. I'll never forget reading a blog for the first time my freshman year of college. I'd never heard of this apparent phenomenon before, and quite frankly, thought my friend, who shall remain nameless (D.H.), was a dork. And now, thanks to a book by Hugh Hewitt, my life has changed. And now, yours too, if you are reading this. Mr. Hewitt encourages all those, particularly young adults, wishing to have influence in the world to start and maintain a web blog. And of course, all healthy, red-blooded, young Americans want... Influence. However, this comes with a great deal of pressure and many unanswered questions. Will I too be thought of as a dork? Will I be able to be interesting and witty enough that anyone will actually read my Blogging? Will I, as refered to earlier, be able to remember to get online on a regular basis and maintain this, my very own GingerLand? Will this make me check my email at least once a week? (That's for you, Baxter.) We shall soon find out. This and many other answers (or at least more unanswered questions) to come next time in the next issue of... GingerLand!