I'll Second That

There are many things in life that we do quickly- driving, talking, and eating for example.

One lesson I learned this week:  don't wash knives hastily.  My hope is that through sharing this story you will be spared an accident.   The other night I was washing dishes- it was no fun, so I was hurrying.  Bad Katharine had left them in the sink overnight (a usual no-no in this house), so I had to scrub them pretty hard.  I had no problems with the tervis tumblers, spoons, cups, etc., but then came the meat cleaver.

Ok, I exaggerate, but only slightly.  One of my Pampered Chef knives definitely gives this apparatus a run for its money.  This same knife was used in the last Freddy vs Jason movie and also by Miley Cyrus's hair dresser.

I digress.

I was almost finished scrubbing the blade, when - SLICE, human Hawaiian punch box.  You never realize how much you use your thumb until you cut yourself, and every task (ex. digging in your pocketbook) is painful.  Thank the Lord I didn't lose one of my piano/organ fingers during this episode, or else I might play a scale and miss a note each time.

Do re me fa so la __ do.

Other accomplishments recently include branching out in the cooking department.  That's right, I made real, homemade fried chicken.  I may or may not have asked a fellow Bi-Lo customer meandering around the dairy section to show me what buttermilk was, but I found an easy chicken recipe online and was able to follow it.

There was one part of the directions that puzzled me, though: "cook in 4 inches of oil."  Huh?  I've heard of cups, pints, and quarts, but inches???  How on earth do you measure that?

I used my Emeril pot and discovered that it actually had lines and numbers inside.  I poured every last bit of a large canister of oil in there and had slightly over 3.5 inches- or so I thought.  Turns out that measurement was in liters.

I couldn't even see the chicken cooking, but I guess ignorance is bliss.  It was pretty delicious.

It's hard to believe that Taylor is a freshman at USC!!!  Last week I met her awesome roommate, Pressley, took a tour of their dorm, and had an incredible lunch at Blue Marlin.

They actually had succotash on the menu.  What exactly is that, besides something Daffy Duck says?

"Suffering succotash!!!"

Yes ma'am, I'll have a side of succotash, hold the suffering.

We topped off our lunch with a trip to the INCREDIBLE Cupcake.  Last time I went there I told the customer behind me that the place smelled so good I wanted to lick the floor.  With no hesitation she agreed with me.

The cupcake weather report.

I LOVE sweets.  Just the other day Jeannie bought me an awesome surprise to work:

It's a cookie, shaped like a piece of candy, with edible GLITTER on it!!!  I can't handle the excitement.

Let's be honest- sweetness pays, whether it's something edible, or your attitude.  Have you ever been set up to expect excellent service?  I pulled up at McDonald's the other day and was greeted by a most pleasant (recorded) voice in the drive thru:

"Welcome, customer!  Thank you for coming today!  Please order when ready!"  Assuming Mickey Mouse himself was taking my order I cheerfully said, "Well, I'll have a cheeseburger happy meal, please, only ket-"

:::Interrupted by Oscar the Grouch:::  "Hold up, you want wut?  You gonna have to repeat that.  And hold on a min."

Please explain to me the point of having a recording that gives the false impression of being happy to see your customers.

Don't let the smiles fool you.  There is no "happy" in this combo meal.

Last weekend Mama & I did some shopping in Florence, and I was wearing a new pair of shoes for the first time.  They fit fine when I tried them on, and the shoe salesman gave me one of those I-hooked-you grins, but now they were very painful.  Every corner I turned I would take off a shoe and pull it in six different directions trying to stretch it out.  I'm sure I was a suspicious suspect on the security cameras.

After parading painfully around Kohl's and Home Depot, my mother felt sorry for me and took me to the dollar store to get bandaids.  I got to choose between super heroes, plain colored, and Barbie ones.

The obvious winner.

We eventually made it to Belk, and I discovered that they had the SAME shoes, on display (the last pair), that were one half size larger than mine.  I was sick!!!  I ran into Ryan's family in the store and told them about my predicament, to which they said, "Oh, just buy the shoes again.  It'll be worth it."  This was obviously not the Moody side of the family; Ryan would have told me to cut a hole in the foot and let my toe stick out.

So, I did what any sensible citizen would do; I decided to just buy them again and suck it up.  Spending $20 or so dollars not to be miserable wasn't the worst thing in the world, I figured.  But would you believe that the cashier in Belk actually let me return the shoes???  Maybe the Barbie bandaids elicited some sympathy, or maybe she wanted another coveted customer service button.  Whatever the case, this lady ROCKS!!! As if I needed any more motivation to support Belk...

"Thank you for calling Wells Fargo, may I help you?"

"Yes, I've decided to skip my mortgage payment this month and support Belk's shoe department instead.  Thank you for your understanding and cooperation."

Last weekend we went to Myrtle Beach for Michael (Hayes) and Erica's wedding.  We had a great time, and Pine Lakes Country Club is GORGEOUS!!! 

October - December are my favorite months of the year.  I just love that the past several mornings have been in the 50s/60s.  A change in temperature also means saving money on air conditioning!  My mother is obsessed with opening the windows in the fall.  This fascination was probably heightened by the fact that until they replaced all the windows in their house a few years ago, most of them were nailed shut.

Last Saturday, Ryan got up 4:00 am to go hunting.  He can have that!  On the one day of the week that I get to sleep in, Mama comes barging in my room a couple of hours later to-what else? Open the windows.  Very noisily, might I add.  You see, most of us don't fall asleep at 8:30 pm watching lifetime movie reruns and wake up at the crack of dawn- emphasis on crack here because there was a lot of noise going on.

I was almost back asleep when I was abruptly STARTLED by a symphonic flock of birds.  They were SO LOUD.  I swear one of them swallowed a megaphone.

Or Steven Tyler.

I was finally able to go back to sleep, but perhaps I should make one of my infamous signs ordering no one to bother me while I'm sleeping.

And speaking of animals, last Sunday we didn't get back until almost midnight, because Ryan's cousin Connor shot a deer- which fled the scene and ran away- and they had to go looking for it???  I'd say the deer had the last laugh.  Three or four men went frolicking through the forest unsuccessfully, one of whom fell chest deep in a swamp.  I can't make this up.

Re-living the deer shooting.

But I guess hunting is a part of fall.  I get super excited once I start seeing Halloween candy in the stores, because I know the holidays are right around the corner.  That- and my Birthday- October 2nd!!!  I hope that this next year will bring amazing opportunities.  I'm ready.  

I am loving the Bible Study I'm a part of.  Here is Ryan reading my Ever Loving Truth book out loud during our drive.

Last Sunday I was also introduced to 'I Am Second' - it's about living for God and for others.  Discovering your purpose.  Serving.

I'll be the first to admit that it's easy to think of yourself sometimes before others.  I was given this bracelet last week in Sunday School and have been wearing it proudly ever since.

It is a humbling reminder that Christ comes first.  If we put Him first, everything else will fall into place.  It won't be rainbows and butterflies all the time, but at least you'll have peace knowing that you are living your life in a way that glorifies Him.

"My old self has been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Galations 2:20

I have a MAJORLY busy weekend ahead- lots of CD work, music, several a few fast food trips, etc.

May you have a wonderful week full of blessings.

I'll second that.

     

Making Notes

This has definitely been a September to remember.   My time has been split between three major things:

1) I've spent countless hours in the recording studio finishing up a CD that I aim to have ready in November.  Be praying about this one.  I am beyond excited and want to bring Him all the glory!!!

2) I'm in the beginning stages of coordinating my ten year high school reunion.  I and the other committee members will make sure it's EPIC, but it's sure to be lots of work.

3) My JOB.  I've come to the realization that a very important requirement was left off of my job description: schizophrenia.   

My typical "day"- which in sales, there is no such thing- consists of a format similar to this:

An unannounced meeting, about which I panic, a customer calls with a crisis (expecting me to stop what I'm doing and fix it), someone needs me to coordinate delivery and pick-up of a loaner machine (I'd rather have my spleen extracted with a rusty knife and no pain meds), someone's ranting, my company rolls out another new process, just when I've gotten used to the last one (back to square one), the door buzzer is pulsating in time to the migraine headache I've acquired, 6 phones are ringing, people are yelling, and all the while I've been trying to finalize numbers on a proposal that I've now misplaced, because eight people have interrupted me.  It's probably only 8:30 am at this point.  Do you get the picture???

One thing is for sure;  I'm requesting a shock system to be installed in my cubicle for all the impending heart attacks.  

The stress ball stopped working a long time ago.

Stress aside, one of the perks of having a job is- every once in a while- earning enough money to buy something.  In today's SUPER exciting news update:  I have been bugging/begging Ryan to buy a sectional since we've been married- for over 15 months.

I've learned that I must approach the subject cautiously and when Ryan is in the right mood.

Sometimes you get the hint that now may not be the best time...

I had to wait for just the right moment to ease this subtly into the conversation.  Allow me to give you some examples:

• Ryan, how would you like me to cut your PB&J sandwich; do you want it in sections???
• This isn't a purchase; it's an investment.
• If we can please, please buy this sectional it will be my next Birthday, Christmas, and Valentine's Day presents, and if I ever lose a tooth in my old age, it will even cover my visit from the tooth fairy.

Ryan finally agreed gave in, most likely for negative reinforcement.  For the non psychology majors, this means the removal of something annoying, like my whining voice (hypothetically speaking, of course).

Now... about that kitchen remodeling...

In my mind having more places to sit means that you can invite more people over and have more fun!!!  Speaking of having fun with friends,  last weekend I got to do just that.

My Meagan and me.  Two best friends that are "opposite, but the same."

Let me explain a few examples of how:

I am blonde; she is brunette.

I have blue eyes; hers are brown.

I like the bananas in a box of Runts, and she doesn't, so I get to eat them all- no sharing needed.

She lets me have all the brown tootsie roll pops; they're my favorite.

I like diet soda; she likes regular.

We do, however, find the same things hilarious and therefore have a blast together and can pick up right where we left off at any time. It's a perfectly matched relationship!!! : D

We also love games.   First up was the great Disney Scene-It debate, usually over one of these topics:

•  Whose turn is it?
•  Who gets to use the race car piece??
•  Why was your question so much easier than mine???

This green drink has Dawson's stamp of approval.

The next game on the list was Don't Wake Daddy.  Don't the characters look just like two girls you know? : D

Shhh...you get the Cheetos, and I'll go for the Mountain Dew.

The next day Brandy and I had a delicious lunch at King's.  My definition of a salad = ham and lettuce. Oh, and crackers.  Lots of crackers.

As for Ryan, this weekend marked the most torturous time of year:  feeling torn between the deer stand and the USC football stands.  No Shakespearean sonnet could quite put into perspective Ryan's love of hunting.  I absolutely, positively do not get it.

Sifting through the 73 and 90% lean meat packages at Bi-Lo is the closest I will ever get to hunting.

My grandmother is so hilarious.  We had delicious dinner at their house last week, and- regarding the deer stand- Nanny asked Ryan how many people it held.  Ryan misunderstood her and thought she asked how many FEET it was.   He said 19.

"19 people can fit in a deer stand???"

This is one of the many reasons why I love my family.  Hunting is- to us- a completely foreign concept, as is classical music to a majority of the world.  But at least the Carlsons get that.

My next very exciting news is the discovery of a life saving new website.  And I mean that literally.  I can't tell you how many days I run late, because I can't find my cell phone.  I have seriously considered getting a landline for the sole purpose of contacting myself.  Back when I lived with Dorothy she was practically programmed to ask me if I needed her to call my phone before she left for work.  But Ryan leaves earlier than I do each morning, leaving me to fend for myself.

Behold wheresmycellphone.com: the greatest invention since crustless bread.  It is not a joke or a scam.  The concept is simple: go to the website and enter your number, which will be followed by a phone call and a happy reunion with your phone.  Note: the success of this experiment is predicated on your lap top being charged, or knowing where your power cord is.

Now watch me lose the power cord....  But at least this website is a step in the right direction!

We live in a society where it seems that almost everyone-myself included-is completely dependent upon their phones and computers.  Just a couple of decades ago "Facebook" was an encyclopedia, and twitter was a Bambi reference.  The technology in this generation is advancing at a rapid pace, and unfortunately so is an overall decline in morality.  I'm not saying that there is anything morally wrong with my iPhone, I'm simply reiterating that the time in which we live is becoming more and more dangerous, especially for Christians.

Last night I took part in the first session of a several week Bible study at my church: the Ever-Loving Truth.

It is led by Jamie Arnette.  I've been asked many times over the years about the greatest Christian influences in my life.  Aside from my parents, Jamie Arnette and Jill Renfrow always come to mind.  I wouldn't have traded my years at Dillon Christian School for anything.  Jamie was my Bible teacher in 7th and 8th grade (and quite frankly, he still looks the same to me as he did in 1997)!  I have met few people in my life who embody Christ as passionately and genuinely as Jamie does.  I knew I couldn't miss out on this study that he was leading (and fortunately for me- there will be no weekly tests this time around).

We discuss real topics that are more relevant today than ever.  This study is amazing, and one thing that really resonated with me from yesterday was the question of why Jesus is so "taboo" today.  Why is it okay to openly talk about other religions and gods, but not Jesus?  The answer is because there is power in His name.  Romans 14:11 says "For it is written, as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."

Make note- Christians are like lambs among the wolves while on earth.  Persecution is going to happen.  You can't worry about what other people think when you stand up for the right thing and walk as Jesus walked.  Because as it is written, you will one day bow before Him on your own.  No one else can answer for you, and Jesus isn't going to compare you to anyone else.  What will matter is whether or not you welcomed Him into your life and had a personal relationship with Him.

This evening ask yourself this question:  Have I welcomed Jesus into my life?

Do not wait.

"Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven.  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven."  Matthew 10:32-33

And on the subject of welcoming, I'll end with this tactful little tidbit:  I was leaving my parents house last Sunday evening when I informed Daddy that I had done him a favor.

"Daddy, I fixed your garden flag by the driveway.  The "welcome" was backwards."

"That's so you can see it in your rear view mirror as you drive away."

Oh, Daddy.  Always so quick.  And honest. Gotta love him.

Until next time,