Memories and Rebuilding

photo credit: http://cheftami.blogspot.com/

It is only fitting that I should take a moment to blog about memories and rebuilding on the 3rd anniversary of Katrina, with storms swirling out in the Atlantic that could cause us to relive the memories.

My mind is searching, searching for the sentiment that would be most fitting for this occasion and what strikes me in this moment is this: I find my heart reaching. I find myself preparing for thinking of how I can help if Gustav brings devastation again to the Gulf.

Following Katrina I was part of a group in my home county that offered aid to some of those displaced Katrina victims. We served them food and listened to their stories. It was the most engaged I have ever felt...offering what we had to people who were in search of the basics: food, shelter, clothing. It was the christian mission in place, although not everyone I worked in this with was a christian, and certainly not all those coming to receive help were christian either. However, it was human helping human. It was "if you've done to the least of these my bretheren, you've done it to me" in action.

I don't know what happened to the people we served. I don't kow if they stayed in GA or were able to go back to their homes and rebuild. I know they were survivors. I hope they got an opportunity to rebuild.

For all of those who are on the Gulf Coast of the USA, you are in my thoughts and prayers. I pray that the hands that rebuilt the levees made them strong enough and that through the Katrina experience, those in government have become wiser and far more proactive, rather than reactive. Whatever happens in the coming days...my heart goes out to those who may be put in harms way. I don't wish to need to be a part of another effort similar to that made on behalf of Katrina again, simply because I hope it does not become a necessity. However, if Gustav or any storm to follow makes it a reality again, I hope that I can be a part of helping again.


PEACE SPEAKER Geron Davis/Meadowgreen

It was such a lovely day The sun was shining bright The gentle wind was blowin' my way Not a storm cloud was in sight Then, suddenly without warning, A storm surrounded my life. But even in the storm I could feel the calm,And here's the reason why.

Chorus
I know the Peace Speaker, I know Him by NameI know the Peace Speaker, He controls the windAnd the waves.When He says, "Peace, be still," They have to obey. I know the Peace Speaker, Yes, I Know Him by Name.

There's never been another man With the power of this friend, By simply saying, "Peace be still" He can calm the strongest wind. And that's why I never worry When the storm clouds come my way, I know that He is near to drive Away my fears And I can smile and say:

Peace, peace, wonderful peace Coming down from the Father Above. When He says, " Peace be Still, " They have to obey. I'm glad I know the Peace Speaker, Yes I know Him by Name. I know Him by Name.I know the Peace Speaker, Yes I Know Him by Name.

I'm so sleepy

Ok, I am not an insomniac. Not even close. Usually my head hits the pillow and I am out! Lately though, I've had a ton on my mind and I can't sleep.

It's nothing bad on my mind...mostly new ideas and thoughts about my job (which I LOVE), but nevertheless, I lay awake at night.

In fact, it is to the point that pretty much if I feel really sleepy, I just want to make a mad dash for the bed to try to get some sleep while I can. I'm not one to want to take medicine to make me sleep, although Tylenol PM has been a friend on several nights in the past few months.

Even when I do sleep, I find that I am dreaming much more---or, at least dreaming to the point that I remember what I dream, which seems to make me more tired when I awaken.

I am usually a person who goes to bed about 10 pm because quite honestly, my body prefers 9 hours of sleep over 8. However, in the past couple months, I am not getting to sleep until midnight, sometimes one...and then I usually start waking up around six even though I try my best to lay there until 7:10 (did I mention that I am not a morning person. Even when I've had plenty of sleep, I don't just "pop" out of bed.)

Last night I went to bed at a little after 10...but laid there listening to the snores of my husband for about 45 minutes before finally deciding to get up because my stomach was feeling a little queasy. I got up and went and browsed some things on the computer that had been racing through my mind and about midnight, Richard woke up and called out wondering where I had gone. I went back to bed. I laid there a little while longer before finally managing to drift off to sleep. When the alarm went off this morning, I was still deep in dreamland. I can't remember what I was dreaming although I know that while I was sleeping, I was aware of what I was dreaming. Many times when I awaken, if I don't consciously think about the dream, I'll forget it soon after (unless it is one of my wackier dreams, which I tend to have on a reasonably frequent basis).

I was sooooo wishing that it were Saturday this morning. I crawled down under the cover for a few more minutes until I had to get up. So, anyway, now I am here...but I am so wishing I could just crawl back under the cover and get some zzz's!

High School Reunions and other Musings

This year is my 20th! Wow, I can remember when I thought that meant folks were OLD!

I hadn't really been getting any info on ours although I kept being told it was in the works, in the works, so I finally started an event on classmates at least to gauge interest in one since I'd been hearing buzz all over about people wanting to have one.

By golly, I figured if one wasn't planned, then I (with some help) would plan one...and if one had been planned, we'd find out. Crazy statement coming from someone who most people didn't even know in high school.

Last night I got an email back from the class president indicating that there is one being worked on. It's funny how there is a committee working on something that I can find no one that knows anything about it, and nothing has been promoted, etc. Oh well. I had previously been told it would be in September, and since Monday is September 1st....I'll be surprised if that happens. And, if it does, I'll be surprised if many folks can agree to make it.

I was really a nobody in high school, but a lot has changed since then. I read online that it is amazing that you find that the really "snobby" people in school usually turn out to have been just insecure teens looking for acceptance and that 20 and 30 years later you find that the wallflowers have turned out to be quite fascinating people. When I read that, I had to sit back and make a little smug "hmmm..." I was a wallflower in a sense. People might have known of me, but very few, if any, really knew me. And, it is funny that most of the people who were cheerleaders and football players, etc., aren't even on classmates. Most of the people are just the plain ole people...not the ones that were superlatives or class officers, etc.

So, that makes me think a reunion will be even more interesting. If I am so different, how different must these people be as well? I still revert to my shyness in new situations, but I'm quite a different person than I was. I pretty much like who I am. I am not perfect. I should lose some weight, be more active physically, etc., but overall I've had some great life experiences and even some of the bad experiences have really been instrumental in teaching me about life and about who I want to be or who I don't want to be.

I think I'm different from most people...but I like it that way. According to a personality test, I am in a group of only 2% of the population. That wows me. But, again, I've learned to embrace that and like it. It also gives me a bit of an excuse when I do something totally off the wall, or just downright weird.

If I could just boost my confidence level, I'd be good. I'm not good with thinking that when I meet new people or am in new situations that I have anything to add. I even have that issue when trying to come up with something to blog. I have a hard time just talking for the sake of talking. I like to TELL a story, to SOMEONE, and ideally, someone who cares ("here's a quarter..."---sorry, got sidetracked). Writing or speaking my story for no reason seems strange to me. Some people can talk to anyone...but I shy away and wait for when I think there is a connection.

I keep telling people that one day I'm gonna write the memoirs of Christy---but it'll be called something much more exciting than that---I can't have something that plain (people who know me well are shaking their heads in agreement as they read that statement). I have so many stories of the nutty things I've done and the experiences I've had---particularly that people wouldn't expect from a wallflower. Maybe that's it....Memoirs of a Wallflower.

Ayyyy, Gustav!

Well, here we go, Gustav threatens the Gulf Coast. I was still thinking about Fay and then I hear about Gustav. Who is Gustav?????

The info says that Gustav is potentially headed for New Orleans, and to the oil rigs....so look out gas prices! Better fill up now as the oil companies are already raising prices amid the terror of the possibility of Gustav following in Katrina's footsteps.

And, it appears that Gustav will hit just 2 days after the anniversary of Katrina. I'm sure the people in N.O. are nervous, and this time hopefully much more prepared to at least make evacuations.

There is something strange in my DNA that makes me crave info on storms. I'll likely go home tonight and, if Richard doesn't give me grief about it, turn on the weather channel and start watching. I don't know if it is the innate human trait of needing to see a "train wreck" in progress, or just the scientific awe of such a natural phenomenon, but I would stay glued to the weather channel 24/7 in times of storm. I am dazzled by Jim Cantore. In fact, I should put meeting him on my "bucket list" to the left. I love, love, love to watch him---but not only him. I like Stephanie Abrams and Steve Lyons, the hurricane expert as well. Maybe meteorology was my calling and I missed it. I used to love science as a child...but more astronomy than meteorology.

As I've gotten older, I have begun to have more appreciation for weather, and particularly storms. I don't know that I'm your chasing twisters kind of girl, but I do think it is incredible. On two of my last vacations, I've gone during tropical storms. A little less threat, but still amazing. I didn't do it on purpose---maybe they crave me too---lol!

At any rate, to our friends in the Gulf---my prayers are with you. I pray safety for you.

Homesick!

Well, today I got a call from my step-mom. Seems my new SIL is a bit homesick. It's a big adjustment for her!

After all, she graduated high school, moved from her mom's to her dad's, then got married and moved from her dad's to GA. That's a LOT to deal with in just a few months.

Now she's stuck with a family she really doesn't know, no driver's license, and no friends there. It is hard to tell someone that it is going to get better when they don't quite see it that way.

It reminded me of when I went away to college. Boy, the first week, I wanted to come home.

I didn't know anyone and I'm shy anyway, my roommate went home for the weekend, I fell on a swing and bruised my tailbone (which hurts a lot, thank you very much), had to get used to school food on a daily basis (and let me tell ya, it wasn't the good stuff they give you now---it was like the regular ole high school cafeteria food---just in a college setting) and was 250 miles from home. I'd been sheltered, so I didn't know how to do anything without mama and daddy.

So, I understand my SIL's feeling. I remember. But, I also remember that it was because my mama and daddy didn't let me just pick up and come home that I got to experience some great things and meet the person who, 20 years later, is still my best friend. I met people, I tried new things, and I grew as a person. I'm not going to clami that I grew a huge amount academically in college---although I definitely wish I had grown more....but I did mature socially and emotionally in a huge way. So much so that my senior year of college, I up and transferred to a whole new school where I only new OF two people and had to change my minor and live in the city.

From then on, I've learned to adapt. I admit, I still resist change unless I am the instrigator...but my friends will tell you that I will instigate pretty easily nowadays.

So, for Morgan---hang in there sweetie! I don't think you'll regret it.

It's yellow and blue and green, oh my!

Ok, not really...but it is yellow and a little greenish yellow.

What is, you ask?

Remember when I said I got conked with a drumstick? Well, I meant I got conked! The bruise is there today to prove it. So, for all you gals out there who've been told to get a baseball bat after a guy who has done you wrong...I say go for the drumsticks!

On a side note...I got an email today from the guy who gave me the ticket to the show. I had managed to get the set list off the floor following the show for LeAnn, and I gave it to him. Seemed only right---he was the reason I even got to go. So today, in my inbox, there was a scanned copy of the set list. How nice.

Yes, My cat would do this

My cats, Tanger and Kirby, are hilarious. They believe that they are human and if we can do something, they should be able to do it too.

I saw this online and I thought....my cats would definitely do this! Just this week Kirby has scraped Cheerios from the table to eat, and both Tanger and Kirby have indulged in their favorite, spaghetti. I love spaghetti, so they come by it genetically (lol---it's a joke).

They had ham for breakfast.

Of course, they also eat their fair share of kitty food as well, but I'm certain that they can't understand why I don't partake in their Cat Chow!

Chapter in the novel I call life: concert karma

First of all, let me say that people in the south sometimes have negative vibes from those of us we might refer to as yankees. I've been guilty myself---sometimes thinking that those from the northern states tend to be a bit more curt with their words and just not naturally ingrained with that good ole southern hospitality. After yesterday, I have to say there are some very nice northern folk too!

I had planned for weeks to go to see Kenny Chesney, but I thought I'd fair better by waiting to buy tickets for a Thursday show from ebay since I wanted good seats. There was a problem with that. My husband ended up not being able to go, and my friend I asked couldn't decide....so I kept waiting and missed out on several pretty good offers. But, all things happen for a reason right?

As I lay in bed last night, I couldn't help but think that good karma, or whatever you want to call it had come back to me. A little over a year ago I ended up with 3 sets of tickets to a certain show. I wasn't able to sell the other two pairs, so I gave one set to a relative...but the other set I gave to complete strangers. I placed an ad offering them to whomever could give me the best story and I chose a person to give them to (you can click the link to read the story). Well, yesterday, the karma paid me back.

I was desperately searching last minute for tickets, but either they were far too overpriced or not good enough for me to warrant buying them. I have a friend that plays for LeAnn Rimes (opened for Kenny) and I had hoped to catch the show to be able to see him. I ran across an ad that a guy placed that said he had front row tickets. He was apparently going, but he had an extra ticket to either sell or "give away". I inquired about purchasing the ticket, but the price he paid was too steep for me and I indicated as such. After many emails back and forth, he said he'd let me know. As it turned out, in the afternoon he called and said if I wanted to go, I could. He said the amount didn't matter. If I was ok with meeting at the show, let him know. I struggled. It was a stranger. I made it very clear that I was married and was not looking for a date. He was also married. Finally, I decided this was an opportunity I just couldn't pass up...a front row seat. So...I did it. As it turned out, the man was very nice...and normal. He wouldn't take my money, and all I promised was to send him the great photos I was able to take as a result of his generosity. I hope he thinks it was a good trade-off. So, to the yankees out there...you've proven to be some nice folks. Hope we southerners still offer the hospitality we claim.

Incidentally, I came home with a knot on my head. Seems my friend (Will) who plays drums tossed his drumsticks to me (I had requested them) and one bounced right off my head. What a souvenir, huh?