Out of the Wild

Stuart and I have obsession with survival shows. Out of the Wild: The Alaska Experiment and Out of the Wild: Venezuela are my favorites, and we both love Man, Woman, Wild. I'm no "doomsday prepper," but I believe that everyone should know how to at least fend for themselves in the event that they lose their way while hiking, crash their canoe and hear banjos, or end up in Oz. But seriously, knowing how to survive in various situations never hurt anyone. In fact, if some people took survival skill training, they'd finally acquire some common sense. 
I hope to never have to practice the skills I have acquired through osmosis by watching television or listening to Stuart go on and on, but IF I DID... here's who I want to be stranded with and why (in no particular order):

Stuart - my boyfriend: This is The Most Obvious Choice besides like Cody Lundin or Mykel Hawke. He knows his stuff, and if I had him at my side, I wouldn't be afraid of anything. He could shoot us dinner, make a fire in five different ways, and build a shelter that could bear the weight of a teenage boy. He has a strong work ethic and a git-r-done attitude. With his knowledge and attitude, we'd be saved in less than a week.

Kate - my sister: Kate's got optimism like I've never seen. She's family-oriented and loyal... and crazy fierce! Thanks to her regular gym work-outs and cheer practice, she's got the endurance and muscle to pull her own weight in camp. Don't let her pink hair ribbons and perky attitude fool you... underneath she's a mother bear protecting her cubs! LOOK OUT!

Cameron - friend: Cameron was one of the boys back when we were still "a group." He's got mad camping skills, and he provides a moral booster. I don't know about trekking through the wilderness with a guitar, but if anyone's going to do it, it'd be Cameron. Not only can he play some tunes around the campfire, he's got one of the best senses of humor. He can get me cracking up hysterically to no end. Also, Cameron's got fantastic animal knowledge and I bet some tracking skills. Definitely a keeper!

Daniel - friend: Daniel's the guy that came along for the heck of it and you keep him around because he's good company. Daniel's been my bestie for over two years now, and he's the one who would say, "Lex, get the hell over yourself! Stop crying and get some firewood!" He's the strength I need to make it out of the woods. Daniel will also be the one butting heads with Stuart and giving the other side of opinions on how things should be done, but at the same time, he's a good team player.

Pawpaw - grandfather on my mother's side: Stuart can back me up on this claim... if you'd ever met Pawpaw, you'd want him on your team. He's nearing 70 years old, and he just went out and got his concealed carry permit. He was packing at my mother's wedding - a camera on one side of his jacket and a gun on the other!!! He's cool, collected, and he also has ridiculous amounts of knowledge about nearly everything! He grew up in coal mining mountains and has spent the vast majority of his life outdoors. If we lose Stuart to poisonous berries, I'm counting on my grandfather!

Tanner - Stuart's best friend and former roommate: It's not a wilderness trip without Tanner, according to Stuart. With Tanner's weaponry knowledge and Stuart's gun, we most certainly won't die because we were attacked by crazy mountain men or black bears! Also, I would definitely make Tanner entertain me with Sweeney Todd reenactments! Oh yes, Tanner, it's happening, sir!!   

Sparta - the cat: Fresh mice and small rodents, and plus it's Sparta! What more needs to be said? Daniel, you CANNOT eat him!! I don't care if we're starving!

To those of you not mentioned, don't feel bad!! Be glad you didn't sign up on the worst vacation ever!!! Please send help!!!

Hoping for Internet

It’s been one week that I’ve been living with my new roommate JC, my friend and boss! And, every day, I am cracking up with laughter at the hilarity of our friendship and the mountain, farmland environment we are living in. I know more about the livestock I’m living near than my human neighbors.

“Two months ago, living together with just a two text thought,” JC said. “Now it’s for realsy.”

…Yes, he actually said “realsy.” 

A neighbor. I call him Bruce

Tonight is just another night of me reclining in my bed and JC sitting on the cat hair-covered ottoman at the foot of my bed because my room next to the window is the only way to get Internet around here! Well, make that Justin just fell off the cat hair-covered ottoman! He has a habit of leaning back in his seat, which is quite impossible in the overstuffed handcrafted birthday gift from my grandmother.

Tonight, I decided to satisfy my sweet tooth and brought out a large bag of Jelly Belly beans that I bought at UNCG when I was trying to spend my declining balance points. Unfortunately, this bag isn’t an actual Jelly Belly bag; it’s a plastic bag that I shoveled unidentified and unlabeled beans into with a large metal scoop. There’s no flavor key to look at. We’re looking at the colors and hoping for the best! It’s not going very well…

Twice, JC has run out of the room to splash chocolate milk down his throat after eating a bean that he described as having “a kick to it.” I’ve spit out quite a few. Don’t trust the orange!!! It lies every time!! The flavors aren’t even starting to make sense anymore.

I handed JC a red bean with white dots. Watching him chew with a disgusted face, I asked him what it tasted like.

“Dirt!” he promptly answered. “I’m going to add banana!” Then, he popped in a yellow dotted bean into his mouth.

Like I said, it’s just another night gathered around the window hoping for Internet…! So much for “quiet hours” after 11.

53. Lisa, Bright and Dark

Book 53: Lisa, Bright and Dark by John Neufeld (C+)

This novel was difficult to digest. First, it was shrouded in mystery until the very end. You have no idea what is going on with title character Lisa. The narrator Betsy is the only character that establishes a strong imprint on the reader of who she is, why you should read the story, and what type of person she might be in real life. The rest of the characters are brushed over, uninteresting, and simple. Second, the end is anti-climax and dull. In fact, the narrator isn't even there for the real end and brushes over it in a few paragraphs. All this time, the reader has been waiting for Lisa's parents to recognize how sick she is. And, the author does the end no justice in his quick overview through what's been told to Betsy. Finally, the novel was slow and nothing ever really happened but once so that even though it was only 143 pages, I took forever to finish it because I never wanted to read it.
Three girls, Betsey, Mary Nell, and Elizabeth, are worried about their friend Lisa. Every day, she has a contrasting personality type to the day before. In fact, Lisa is scarily maniac-depressive. One day, she's bubbly and too loud in her speech; the next, she refuses to talk, sleeps with her eyes open all through class, and barely recognizes friends, food, or favorite activities. Quite a few times, she cries out for help to her parents. But, they refuse to listen even when she is found under a teacher's desk poking a safety pin into her skin The girls decide they'll help Lisa in any way they can until her parents realize something is very wrong. Mary Nell takes the initiative to begin a group therapy for Lisa. While the girls know nothing about psychiatry or what's wrong with their friend, they ban together to provide the best support they know: just being there.
With "Over 2 million copies sold" blasted across the front cover, I expected more from this novella. What I got was bland, slow-moving story whose ending was as disappointing as the end result of paint drying.

Living Lesson No. 3

This semester hasn't gone as we've all planned, but I certainly have learned a lot in these past few months with "JoAnna." Here are some of life's valuable lessons I've learned while here in Greensboro. (And I hope my roommates appreciate this!)

Roommates

1. One bathroom is never enough!

2. If Mac squeaks, PUT HIM DOWN!

3. If the mail man won't pick up your mail, use a clothepin to tack it to the mailbox. Works every time!

4. Your landlord living in a different city is your friend!

5. Neighbors are nice... in small doses! If you see the pesky neighbor pull into her driveway, wait at least five minutes before stepping outside.

6. Kittens can escape out of windows. So can Mac-sized cats!

7. Never trust a puddle on the floor. I promise, it's not water or juice!

8. Fall Out 3 is entertaining to watch even if you don't know the storyline.

9. After the second time, riding the bus isn't a scary ordeal. And you can run after it and actually catch it!

Boyfriend and roommate

10. It rains in heavy doses everywhere. It's not just in Cullowhee.

11. Bigger kitchens are better... and messier!

12. Cats give hugs! And kisses!

13. Taste Yogurt Bar is the only place to get frozen yogurt!

13. Sparta will live from now on in a one-cat household! He demands it!

14. Best friends aren't always the best roommates. But you get by. You learn to take the bad with a grain of salt. You learn to hold your tongue and if you don't have the guts to say anything, then stop bitching. It's own fault that something didn't get fixed when you're the only person that didn't like the situation in the first place. You adapt. You love the little things, and that's what makes the place. Good times always follow bad moments. Dogs bark. Cat yowl. We laugh. We bicker. That's anywhere you live. It may be easier to run away, but sometimes, you get what you get, and it's your responsibility to make the best out of it. If that's not good enough, then fix the problem. If nothing's going anywhere, it's your call to step forward and try to make it better even if it's not your fault. But, it's got to be you. Don't let someone else speak for you. As soon as it's fixed, it's done. Don't bring the trash back in once it's already on the curb. No situation is impossible. There's always a common ground. And when there's not... bury their socks in the cat's litter box!!! 

House

Cullowhee - Where I Wanna Be

So it's now official.... For the past month, I have been deciding how I want to where I want to continue my college education. As you all know, UNCG has not been as great as I had hoped, and upon visiting Western to see my friends, I realized how much I missed being in that crazy, cold place. Yes, I complained about it a lot and it took some getting used to, but I realized I made a mistake and I want to go back.

Fun at WCU

My friends are there.
There's a nice, steady job waiting for me there.
There's a Creative Writing minor there.
There are two animal shelters there that I have loved and worked for and miss.

Kitten at animal shelter

I made a mistake, and now I'm taking the steps to reverse it. On Wednesday, I had a phone conference with a Western Carolina adviser from the English department. We talked, discussed, and planned out my return. That night at midnight, I registered for 13 credit hours of classes at Western Carolina. All that's left is to transfer over my financial aid (which no one seems to know how to do) and then I'm back!! I'm a Catamount again!!!
I am so excited about this! Justin is going to give me back my spot as News Editor and I will shadow him for the position of Editor-in-Chief. I will get to hang out with my friends, be at a place I know and respect, and my adviser is freaking awesome!!!!!
The only downside is I lose the short commute to Stuart's place. He will, of course, remain in Raleigh, and it's going to be hard for both of us. I hope we'll make it through just like we did last time!

The End of the Catamount Era

Thursday was my last day of college classes as a Western Carolina University student. This week is just a lot of exams!!

Twister Night

A sadness overwhelmed me on Thursday, to look around and know it was the end. No one could understand. When I texted Morgan that it was my last day, he sent back "Wohoo!" But that wasn't what I was feeling at all. So much has happened in the last two years, so many amazing or horrendous things. I guess you could say they were all amazing in either a good or bad way. Honestly, I couldn't tell you exactly if there was more good than bad or vice versa. I think it was an close equal dose of both.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not regretting my decision to transfer at all! No, I'd never regret that... unless I got to Greensboro and it's a holy disaster, but I'm confident that won't be the case.
But I am sad that I'm leaving behind good friends, a good job, and a beautiful view of the mountains. I wish I could take them with me, except the mountains (at least for Little Honda's benefit).
The following was written for The Western Carolinian in my column "Off Campus Living 101:"

Climbing a tree

"Catamounts, this is not only the last "Off Campus Living 101" article, it is also my last editorial column working for The Western Carolinian.
"I am saddended that for the fall semester I will not be returning to Western Carolina University. Instead, I am transferring to finish out my college career in a place that I hope will bring me new opportunities, new networks, and new experiences. In August, Sparta and I will be moving out of our Cullowhee apartment into a rented house in a quiet suburb to be near one of the UNC mid-state college campuses. It will be a big adjustment for both of us - me to be living in a house and the work that goes into that and Sparta adjusting to living with a Labrador retriever and another cat. It should be interesting!

Honors College Formal

"I wanted to take the time to thank everyone at The Western Carolinian for supporting me and helping me shape and strengthen my writing. When I started as a contributing writer in the Arts and Entertainment section working for free, I never thought I would become News Editor, at least not in the span of less than two years! Also, I would like to thank the readers who would randomly come up to me if they realized who I was to share their excitement about Sparta or my rain boot fiasco last year. You guys were the reason I asked Justin Caudell if I could start "The Freshman Fifteen" and writing that column and this has been my favorite part of my job.

Birthday dinner

"My two years at Western have been nothing less than exciting and dramatic. I have learned so much and grown as a person. College was nothing like what I expected and certainly attending college in the little town of Cullowhee is not for the faint-hearted. The incoming freshman class of 2009 and I have faced being snowed-in over Christmas break, endless rain, power outages, losing a chancellor and gaining a new one, and the invasion of zombies! The experiences I have had and the people I have met will never leave my memory, and I hope to visit on occasion for shows at FPAC, Mountain Heritage Day, and other events that can be found only at Western Carolina..."
In response to my hard work and dedication, I received this award from Justin and The Western Carolinian. I was shocked, thrilled, proud, and sad simultaneously. Thank you to everyone there. This is will always hang on one of my walls:

For the Record

I want this on record!!!!

Chris and I have made a bet. I don't know if he was serious, but I was.

Chris has made a verbal statement that he is the kind of guy who marries as soon as he gets out of college. And, I can see him doing that, too. Chris is an undercover romantic. He wants to be the person to ask a girl out instead of the girl asking him out. He doesn't believe in dating around. He practices abstinence. He is a true gentleman. And, I can see him in two years graduating with his diploma on a Saturday and getting married to his college sweetheart on the next Friday. And I'll be there for both of them!

So here's what I wager.... if Chris marries three months at most after graduating college with his bachelor's degree and stays with this girl for at least five years... I will buy him a wedding gift over $300 at the end of that five years. (Originally, I said over $100 but he said, "Well I expect you to do that anyway!" So I'm upping my bid!)

If Chris doesn't... well then he's out of a bride and a $300 gift. If I win, well... I've got $300 more in my bank account and a best friend who isn't too busy to hang out with me because he's busy with his new bride! Also, if I lose... well I don't really lose. I get to see my best friend happier than ever married to the love his life just like he said he would be. Either way... Win!!

How's that New Boy

I've been pretty mum on my relationship with Morgan. Aside from his right to his privacy, my blog post haven't mentioned him much because my family reads this blog. My parents in particular... well, there are some things I'm just not going to tell them about him and me. They don't need to know. We're not sharing diseases or running the risk of getting me pregnant (for abstinence is the best birth control), but I'm sure there are a few things that would make them blush or they would frown upon.

Then, I had a long discussion with Chris. Last year, Chris was my rock when things with The Viking and the boys got shaky. I was telling Morgan today that the great thing about Chris is that he has an opinion about EVERYTHING which means I can talk to him about ANYTHING! Whatever I have to say, he already has an entire string of thoughts on. Mostly, I pause after being asked an opinionated question. I need a moment to collect my thoughts and really mull over what I think about the topic. Chris doesn't have this problem. You ask him a question and he immediately has an answer. It makes me wonder how much time he has on his hands to think about all these possible opinions. Chris is my go-to guy for just about anything, but specifically for Christian-related stuff. He was raised by a pastor and his love for God is some days above comprehension for me. He is honest and direct and is not afraid to hurt my feelings. So I felt completely comfortable and knew that I was getting the truth when I began to ask him about my relationship with Morgan and what were good boundaries to set when it came to physical stuff. And even though he's a guy, it's not weird between us. We're not like that. Like we're brother and sister without the awkward "hey we're related we shouldn't talk about sexual stuff."

Chris likes to believe his opinion is "a standard." And while I rely on him, I don't need an opinion from him to get me through the day... though sometimes it may have seem that way to him. Like the time The Viking made me upset and I ran to his room sobbing asking "What should I do?" Like the many times that happened last year!

On relationships, Chris has strict opinions. He has himself a mini checklist in what he wants in his perfect woman, like no smoking and a love for God. Chris hates drama! He doesn't date around. If he dates someone, it's because he can see himself marrying this girl in the next two to five years. He has standards I look up to. He also doesn't believe in living together.

Now, Morgan and I... I don't consider us living together. Neither does Morgan. But Morgan does sleep over in my bed. And, I was afraid to tell Chris this because I was wary of a long-winded speech full of opinions.

Moment...

Ma and Father (until this moment in time) don't know Morgan sleeps over. In fact, I'd be surprised if I didn't see an eyebrow-raising Facebook Wall post or get a phone call after they read this. But I've learned a thing or two. I know a few family secrets. I've seen some questionable stuff. And, I'm not afraid to stand up and say first off, my boyfriend leaves for Raleigh in December permanently and I'm going to spend all the time I want with him and secondly, I know a few secrets that I don't consider to be secrets but the people they are about do...............is my underlying message getting through? Personally, I don't think Morgan sleeping with his arm around me all night is half as bad as some of the things I know about my parents! You gotta love it! ;)

With that said, I'd like to direct a line to my dearest sister Kate: darling sister whom I adore and protect, you are in high school! And you may be in love with your Eminem-look-a-like but baby, don't be sleeping around with some boy, and I'm talking about sleepovers and/or sex. You are very young, and I know you don't feel that way, but when you look back and Eminem isn't still with you, you're going to regret all those boys you let sleep over because there should only be one that really sleeps over every single night. And you are going to love him more than anything in the world. And you are going to want to give your life for him. And he is going to put a gigantic rock on your left ring finger. And he is going to give you the world. And you two are going to have a beautiful family. And this may be Eminem and if it's not, you're not going to remember him anymore. Or least I don't want you to because you're going to be remembering him as the boy who you loved too young and the one you let spend that one night that wasn't so great after all. Hey, maybe you two have already shared a bed. I like to pretend you're still my baby sister but you are a big girl now and can make those decisions. Just keep a clear head and don't let him talk you into anything!

Anyway......... I never told Chris that Morgan and I had sleepovers of the innocent kind. Of course, Chris pulled one over on me and figured the freaking thing out himself!! And when it slipped out yesterday, he was totally cool about it. Of course, I'm freaking out.
 "Wait a minute, you knew?!" I shrieked.
"Um, Lex... of course you guys are sleeping in the same bed."
"But I thought you had a vendetta against that."
"Look, you're not dumb. You have morals," he began to preach. "I know that waiting and not having sex mean something to you. It's important and you want to share that with your husband." He added something along the lines of what did he care if Morgan and I were sleeping in my tiny twin bed every night.
It made me realize and feel so stupid for ever trying to hide something from my best friend. When it comes to Chris, I should have known better!

.......More on Morgan and myself later! Must. Get. Some. Sleep!

Lynn Rushton, Trust, 2007

Electrified

Some people believe happiness comes from giving.
Some people believe happiness comes from achieving your goals and gaining success and recognition.
Some believe believe happiness comes from doing something adventurous and new.
I believe in all these thoughts, but I'd like to add one more.

I believe you can achieve happiness by sitting and listening to others.

Last night I was in the arms of Morgan. We were talking quietly, getting to know each other, exploring each other's minds and making random comments after lounging on the love seat for an hour or so watching Super Troopers. Sparta was quietly playing on the floor. Everyone else in the apartment was tucked away in their rooms.

Without warning, my bathroom light blacked out.
"Huh, my light died!" I said.
Suddenly, there was a shout.
"POWER'S OUT!" called Cody and CC, heading into the hall. Kayla also hustled into the hall.
"There's a flashlight in the far kitchen drawer," I yelled from my room.
"Is this the Black Out?" asked Kayla.
"I thought that was last week," I answered. "That's this week?"
"Yeah," replied CC.
I turned to Morgan."Well!"

From my place in bed, I could see the bobbing beam of the flashlight in the hallway. Then, there was the Cinnamon aroma of Kayla's candles and the flickering shadows making figures on the walls. Other than that, only the street lamps across the highway visible through my window were the only other sources of light.

I haven't experienced a power outage for some time. The email two weeks ago said the outage would last until 8 a.m. We had eight hours to go... and it wasn't so bad. Yeah, I complained a bit at first because I'm afraid of the dark and I can't sleep without the sound of my fan, but then... it was nice. Kayla, CC, and Cody settled into the living room where their hushed voices about silly things and stories were a kind comfort as Morgan and I murmured to ourselves in my bedroom.The candle's aroma, which usually gives me a headache, wafting around the apartment.

Suddenly, it didn't matter that I had an 8 a.m. class in the morning. It didn't matter I couldn't get on the Internet or run my fan for the night or see my toothbrush unless by candlelight. It didn't matter my head had been pounding all day from the cold Morgan had shared. It didn't matter I had a paper due in eight hours. I knew I wasn't going to get to it. It was peaceful. It was quiet. It was one of those moments where you'd bet everything that the world had stopped spinning just for you. It was exactly what I needed after the past two weeks. Listening to Morgan, listening to my housemates in the living room, listening to Sparta's little pitter-patter, smelling the candle, watching the light bounce about in the hallway, snuggling warm in the dark... I was happy. And, I didn't have to do a thing.

Nightmare Part Duex

Another nightmare:

It was the end of class and we were returning from a trip outside. The class and I exited the elevator, and I was standing in the hallway next to a water fountain. My brown school bag was slung over my shoulder, I think I was wearing a scarf and a jacket. In my hand was my Samsung cell phone. It began to ring Adam’s ringtone so I answered.

“Hello?”

“Uh, who is this?”

“Lex. Who is this?”

I don’t remember the rest of the conversation word-for-word, but the caller was The Viking. Apparently, Adam had tricked The Viking into calling me by telling him he was calling someone else. In the real world and in this dream world, The Viking and I are not allowed to speak to each other as ordered by Western Carolina University. And here we were on the phone breaking that rule. It was horribly awkward. And, it was upsetting. The Viking got off the phone as soon as he could. There was no talk of reconciliation.

As soon as I hung up, Adam jumped out from behind a corner and was jumping up and down, grinning.

“You two talked!” he cried.

I began to scream at him, telling him how horrible he was for forcing me to talk with the one person I never wanted to speak with. Even worse, forcing him to talk to me when that’s all I wanted but that’s all he didn’t. I woke up after I told Adam we were no longer friends.

I don’t know what was worse: the dream or waking up and realizing I hadn’t actually talked to The Viking after all.

When I relayed this dream to Cody, he laughed and couldn’t understand why it was a nightmare.

…Anything that deals with The Viking IS a nightmare!

It's like the Old Days

Well, the rain has begun!

Last year, we used to say if it's not raining, it's snowing. If it's not snowing, it's foggy. If it's not foggy, it's cold. If it's not cold, then holy crap it's a sunny day!! Five out of seven days you can bet it was raining here in Cullowhee. For the three weeks I've been here the notorious downpour has been misplaced... until today!

I was drove into Sylva today to look at some art for the living room when the drizzle turned into a downpour. I couldn't see a thing through Little Honda's windshield. The car beside me had caused a wave of water to cascade over my car, it was raining heavily, and to make matters worse when I tried to make the windshield wipers go faster, I accidentally hit the cleaner button and had cleaner fluid spray all over my windshield!!!!

Then, when River and I came back to the apartment to hang out, a wall of rain hit us like a tennis racket smacking the poor tennis ball. The noise was deafening and scared us so badly we both cursed simultaneously. I nearly hit a car again that time as I suddenly couldn't see. It's like that moment when you crest a hill and the setting sun hits you directly in the eye as well as everyone else so they all slam on their brakes. That's the easiest way to get into a wreck, people! C'mon!

The rain lasted throughout the day, though stopped for a few short hours which coincided with the home opener football game (that I did not attend because I was doing more important things). Apparently, we were creamed in our second straight loss. Yes, nothing has changed at all. There's a reason why Western's tuition is so low!

There's been an entertaining, lovely lightning show playing outside, which is a rarity around here. Oh we get the rain alright but we usually miss out on the beautiful side of rain: thunderstorms! I love a good, calm thunderstorm to read or write to. Nothing gets my creative juices flowing like the sporadic extra wattage of light followed by the low grumble of thunder. Such majesty.

Even with the rain, which usually gets me into a fight with town of Cullowhee, it's been an enjoyable day! I purchased a cool hand painted white feather at a deco art/ice cream shop in Sylva. That was pretty sweet! And I got to hang with my awesome friends at Taco Bell where afterward I was challenged to a duel by Christian. Cody ran headfirst into his closet doors on purpose because he was that bored... this was after he beat himself with a wrench. Christian stole my cow-jumping-over-the-moon-patterned bathrobe and wore it around the apartment. He actually looked kind of good. That pastor in Florida didn't burn the Koran... that's a good thing! This day could have gotten seriously out of control around the world. And, I finished another chapter in my novel. That makes 23. I am pleased with the day's events.

So bring it on rain... you will not ruin my day!

Rain outside my apartment door

Newsie

After four long classes, I walked to the Old Student Union Building for a meeting for my boss. And guess what? He has promoted me to News Editor-in-Training! I couldn't be more thrilled! This is a huge step in the direction I want my career to take off in. Journalism was always supposed to be a back-up plan if my novels failed, but who knew I would enjoy it so much? Thanks, Bossman! This means so much to me, and I won't let you down!

Tonight, Kayla, CC, and I had a family dinner. CC and Kayla grilled chicken, I boiled macaroni, CC microwaved broccoli, and I set the table. It was a trip seeing us all hopping around the kitchen or running outside to the grille around the back of the apartment building while a "NCIS" marathon on USA played in the background. When Kayla and her friend brought in the chicken, we all sat down together at the dinner table and dined like I haven't since I left home two weeks ago!

My gosh... has it been nearly two weeks already?! And no school on Monday?!?! Can I get a happy dance!?!

Anyway, that dinner... that meant so much to me to be able to sit down in a family setting with my awesome roommates. If only Cody had been there! I feel like I'm living in a 4-bedroom apartment with only two other roommates! Where is my Cody? He either hates me or he hates our roommates or he hates this apartment. But I'm at a loss for words when it comes to him. He was part of my family last year, and now I never see him! It's heartbreaking. 

Back to the dinner... "Sooooooo who's going to do the dishes?" I asked when my plate was bare. Then, it was that Nose Goes game... and guess who lost! *Raises hand* But we pulled together again, rinsed off our plates individually, and filled up the dishwasher. And today CC cleaned all the kitchen counters. They were all shiny when I got home! He may have done it out of boredom, but thanks anyway! And, he's working on a cast iron skillet now... really cleaning and seasoning that thing. Man, whatever classes he's signed up for, I would like to take them because if you're bored enough to clean the entire kitchen, your homework load must be extremely light, haha!

Room-a-Mate Up-a-Date

Nine out of ten people won't show you their strange quirks and identifying behavior when you move in with them, especially not in the first week. But Kayla is so herself that she can't help it! I don't want to say I have her pegged to some sort of stereotype because I don't! In fact, it's just the opposite. I can barely keep up with her as she bounces around the apartment in her polka dot bathrobe or wild child jeans. And, she is now one of my favorite people because of this quirk:

After trekking through Cullowhee Creek for the entirety of Saturday afternoon, the boys and I collapsed in the apartment with four boxes of Pizza Hut. Kayla and CC were in the background, stepping around us to make their own dinner. They had been sitting at the dining room table watching Cody flip through the TV channels when Kayla stood and began rummaging in the cabinets again. I turned to glance at her when she said, "Does anyone want to try blackberry jam?"
I didn't respond. I prefer jelly to jam, and I was tired and couldn't figure what she was trying to get at. The boys glanced at her as well not really responding.

"Blackberry jam, anyone? No?" she asked.
Cody mumbled about possibly trying it, but when she felt it wasn't a definite enough answer, Kayla used a different tactic.
"You see, the thing is... I don't like an odd number of bread slices in my loaf."
This got our attention, and I turned to stare at her with a smile splitting across my face. Her face was dead serious.
"I just can't stand it," she said, "and yesterday I only had one piece of bread so I have an odd number. You want to try the jam, Cody?"
The hilarity and oddity of this struck me full force and I began to cackle hysterically.
"I'll just take the bread," Cody said, and Kayla moved behind me to give Cody the oddball piece of bread with me still cackling, which gets Kayla laughing. One of the boys, River, is grinning away at me as he always does when I get tickled. By this time, I have tears rolling down my cheeks, still laughing.
"See, what you're supposed to do now," stated CC, "is have two people say they want to try some jam."
"No!" Kayla cried. "Only one piece of bread," she insisted, which got me coughing from laughing so hard!
Eventually, I calmed myself but it still gets me when I think about it!

Now, I absolutely adore Kayla! That girl is something else, and I'm so excited I get to share this apartment with her! I can't wait to see what she'll be up to next!

Cheers to Friday

"Culture shock." It's a term we've been studying in Human Society class. It's like a Chinese man walking into a Charlotte "cowboy" bar. My friends, that would be a nasty bite of culture shock.

Last night wasn't quite so much culture shock as it was a new experience. In many ways, I was so far gone out of my element that the usual sensations of nervousness or plain fear were gone. I actually had a great time! And for me, doing something "new" or "different" nine times out of ten gives me no "great times."

 Down the sidewalk, my friends from last year "Woodstock" and "Charlotte" have an apartment with two other roommates. Woodstock isn't so much as partier as he likes big get-togethers, especially if there's going to be weed. Weed... yeah, not my thing. It was the main reason out of many why I broke up with my last boyfriend. I do not find it or what it does to your psyche appealing. But, when Woodstock asked me over to a little get together he was having as we passed each other in the pizza line at the UC, something told me to agree.

 "Yeah, sure I'd love to," I answered with an easygoing smile. Woodstock and his roommate Charlotte are good friends that I want to become great friends, and not because I want Woodstock to hook me up with some weed or beer... heck, I don't have to be his friend to get that stuff from him. But, both of them are really good people.

I met Charlotte in English 101 class when we were paired up together for an assignment. Concidentially enough, our assignment was to write an essay on the other, so we got to know each other (on the surface) quite quickly. From then on, it was the nice nod and say hey every time we passed each other, which was often as I was always on the fifth floor with the boys and he lived there as well. We had quite a few things in common, including a love for horses and growing up in the same area of North Carolina. And, he's pretty easy on the eyes.

Everyone knows Woodstock by reputation. I met him officially in Global Issues class where I tried my best to nudge him awake as he worked off a hard night of partying or whatever he did every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning. While he can be lazy and people may judge him as shallow at first glance (I can only imagine what my grandmother would say about him), Woodstock is such a thinker! He would have me read his response papers for Global Issues because I fixed his grammatical errors. That boy can write! And, not that he just writes correctly... he put so much into it! I was amazed and did not hide my amazement when I read his first paper, which made him laugh. I would love to sit down and pick his mind for a few hours.

So, with this in mind, I decided to head over to their apartment and check out this "party."

When I arrived, I was one of four girls, and there were four guys already well into the beer. Charlotte, the perfect though tipsy host, constantly hovered near me for the first 15 minutes making sure I didn't want anything to drink.

"No, I'm fine," I answered. "No, I already had dinner." "No, you guys go right ahead."
Soon, the vodka appeared from the freezer, and the mixing of juice, V8, and various alcoholic substances began. But you know in the time that I stayed (God knows what happened after I left), no one was falling over themselves, no one barfed everywhere, none of the guys were stumbling over me trying to get my attention. Everyone was really genuine and just having a good time, and I sat back and laughed and laughed. Woodstock is very conscious, even in a buzzed and "gone" state, of how I feel towards drugs and alcohol and was very respectful toward my wanting to remain clean. No one made me feel like a "party pooper" or stupid for not wanting to participate in the active members of the party, and it was great. I got to hang out, meet some cool people, and sit back in different company in a new scene I wasn't used to. I honestly don't ever remember doing that my entire freshman year, and isn't that the whole point of college? Trying out new environments, making new friends, and getting out of your comfort zone? Ok, when the guidance counselor taks about that, I'm sure he or she is not referring to a party with booze and pot, but I wasn't drinking, and I wasn't smoking. I was hanging out with a new group of people, and even though Charlotte swears that I didn't have a good time because I wasn't drinking, eating, or really talktative to a big part of the group, here's a message to him: Charlotte, I had a great time last night!!! Thank you for letting me hang! It was awesome!
 There was that one part though... when a few people went to the back rooms to smoke then came back to the front room afterwards... wow, yeah me and pot... I have a zero tolerance. So when this aroma began to permeate the front room where I was sitting... yeah, I got a bit giggly. But that could have been all in my head.

 Afterwards, I went to Dave's apartment to hang out with the boys as it was BAD HORROR MOVIE NIGHT!!!!!! Which is my favorite night, by the way!! We gather around a television and make fun of, crack up at, and make up our own dialogue to crappy, cheap horror movies. Last night's film turned from a slow, boring another-babysitting-night-gone-wrong to holy freaking crap, she's baby-sitting Satan's own child!!! This kid had horns!! And the "evil man" trying to kill the kid was actually a priest trying to get rid of the mark of Satan from this world. And the parents walk in... "Last time I saw that guy he had a hachet in the back of his skull in Translyvania," said the father, him being the person who put the hatchet in the man's head. These people are completely bewitched by this demon child and they kidnap "pure" girls because that's what the demon child eats: pure, female flesh! Yummy! Talk about a plot twist! Amazing!

 All in all, it was a successful Friday night! There was booze. There was loud music making the floorboards jump. There was meeting new people and socializing. There was hilarious movies that weren't supposed to be hilarious. And there were great friends! Cheers to Friday!

River is Home!!!!!

I'm so excited! I can't believe this!!!
Last semester, the boys and I said good bye to "River" as he packed up not for the summer but from Western for good! He was going to head out west to study wolves, his true passion! It was a tearful good bye, and over the past few days, we have all really missed his infectious laugh and warm presence. He is as close to Jacob Black as I'll ever get!

This evening, I was sitting in my apartment reading "Kayla's" Spanish text book out loud to her in my best Espanol accent when Christian called.

"Hey, you have to come to dinner with us!"

By this time, I'd been through a mountain of homework and four classes since eight that morning, really didn't feel like walking over to campus or driving, and Kayla was going to cook dinner! But, Christian was insistent, saying he needed everyone in "the group" to come to dinner to tell us "my plan." I was completely baffled and slightly annoyed, but I drove over to campus, parked, and entered the dining hall before anyone else even got there.

The cafeteria food hasn't changed. It still sucks! So, I was kind of annoyed by that as well as I sat down with the gang and picked at my slimy pizza and spoonful of pudding since there was nothing else worthy of eating. Suddenly at the other end of the table, Dave started making some kind of hoopla and I heard an exclamation from Cody. I glanced up from my plate and walking toward the table is a tan guy with long black hair, baggy shirt, sunglasses, and a familiar-looking face. As my brain tried to piece together who this person was, I grew afraid then shocked and confused. This person isn't here anymore! As it finally dawned on me that River was actually back, a huge smile swept across my face, and I nearly started to cry. Cody's expression was beyond description and beyond hilarious. Here was River, one of my beautiful, amazing boys come home to all of us! And Christian and Dave had known the whole time! Those boys! My annoyance and frustration immediately disappeared as I was so happy to see River again!

After dinner, we headed over to Walker, our dormitory as freshmen, and proceeded to go back to the 5th floor where it all began: "My Boys," "The Group," "The High Five," everything that now makes up my world. Christian and Cody filled in a freshman about what kind of year he was going to have based on whose past room he was residing in. Cody dismantled a poster. Christian punched a door with his foot.

"Did we ever even leave for the summer?" I asked Adam after we left as Christian pulled another "Stranger Rodeo" stunt. "I mean, I think we just moved houses."

Nothing could prepare me for seeing River walk up the group. It was one of the best surprises I've ever had! Notice the difference between how I reacted to the first time I saw The Viking again? I certainly did!