Quiet Happiness

I had the most relaxing night in Starkville last night. Low-key, good weather, good friends, cold beer, good conversation. There's few things in the world I love more than a night like that. I must admit, though, that the visit did not start out quite so pleasant.
First of all, my hair looked like I had taken a shower and forgotten to rinse the shampoo out of my hair. I did, however, rinse the shampoo, so I'm not quite sure just what the problem was.
Second, it rained for about twenty minutes in Starkville yesterday. I know... doesn't sound like a problem, right? Well, as would be expected, the twenty minutes it rained (and by rained I mean monsooned) were the exact twenty minutes I was trying to move some things into my apartment. Therefore, my moving was a little more difficult than I had originally imagined. Add in the previous notion of the problematic "shampoo-head," and it seemed that my visit was not off to the best start.
It turned around rather quickly, though, because I got to spend some time with two of my favorite people in the world. I had a great time talking and catching up with Katie and Megan, and then Meg and I had a fabulous sushi dinner. I felt like I hadn't gotten to see or catch up with her in such a long time, and it was great to get to relax and have one of our great talks. I'm looking forward to regular sushi dates with her this year! :)
After dinner, Katie, Megan and I headed to the bar. After a few minutes at Mugshots, Meg and I decided we were in more of a "Bin mood," so we headed over there for awhile. There weren't many people there, but it made for a really relaxing, laid-back night, and that's just the way I like it.
As cheesy as I already know this is going to sound, I'm going to say it anyway. As I've grown, I have started to really grasp the value of a quiet night with good friends; of course I remember the crazy nights, but, for me, the quiet ones are what provide substance, definition and meaning. I live for the quiet nights.

Now You Know

I can't wait to move back to Starkville. Everybody knows how excited I am, and I've been telling every person I see about it since April. I've bought all my furniture; I've ordered my new computer; I've packed lots of boxes and painted several pieces of furniture. I am SO excited.
But sometimes...
I get sad. There... I said it. There's a tiny (miniscule, barely counts for anything) part of me that knows how terrible it will be the day I load up that last box and drive out of my driveway. Every once in a while I think about it, and I have to force myself to think about something else. It hurts too much.
"Come on, quit being such a baby! You're only moving twenty-five miles away," you say. And you're absolutely right. But when you've been through as much with a person as I've been through with my mom, twenty-five miles sometimes feels like twenty-five hundred miles. It's unbelievably difficult to explain and impossible to avoid. It's not something I believe I will ever grow out of; I'm not even sure that I want to.
For all of her incessant nagging and millions of phone calls; for all of her "why don't you try it this way"s and her lists of things for me to take care of, there's also her cards for no reason and her "surprises" when she knows I need them; there's her unwavering support and her boundless understanding.
So, sure... I'm ecstatic to move into this new phase. Of course I am. But I would be lying if I said that there wasn't a particle of me that wished I could stay here forever.

On the Move

Over the last few days, I have turned into the biggest sap.
Seriously.
Yesterday I got teary-eyed watching both Legally Blonde: Red, White and Blonde as well as The Perfect Man. Humiliating... I know. And today I got a little choked up just listening to the soundtrack for Mamma Mia!; I think I'm suffering from some sort of chemical imbalance.
I have been quite the busy bee this weekend, doing everything from painting furniture to packing boxes and buying cookware. Move to Starkville '08 officially starts tomorrow and will continue for the next few weeks until school starts. Why do in a few days what I can spread out over a few weeks, right? Anyway, I'm going tomorrow to start getting things into cabinets, etc. and trying to do everything I can before my big furniture comes next week.
Not to mention the fact that I have been helping my mom get her school room ready (one of the things in life I loathe above all others), and there is an army of workmen at my house everyday painting and doing some repairs. It seems that they arrive practically before the sun rises, and it is impossible to sleep with them banging around outside my window and stomping around on the roof. I swear sometimes they bang extra hard just because they know I'm asleep.
Jerks.

The Crazy Group

I had the greatest weekend. It is a rare thing for me when Friday, Saturday and Sunday come together in all their glory to create an experience that is drama-free, fun and enjoyable all at the same time, but this weekend I somehow managed to achieve such a feat.

I kicked off this fun-filled forty-eight hours with a trip to Starkville to spend the night with Katie. She will be moving from Starkville in the next two weeks, just about the time I will be making my highly-anticipated return to Oktibbeha county, so we knew there wasn't much time left for us to hang out. We had both been counting down the days until Mamma Mia! opened at the movies, and we planned to have a sushi date then head to the movie Friday night. I've said before that I'm a recent sushi convert, so sometimes I try new things or places and I'm not sure what to order. It's a gamble as to whether I will enjoy (or even remember) what I order, but it's getting better and better every time. Friday night I was not disappointed; given enough time, I WILL become a sushi lover.

After our fabulous dinner (the only drawback being that it took nearly two hours from start to finish...) we headed to the movie theater. Now, Katie and I sometimes like to do what we call a "double feature" where we go to the late movie and then stay for the midnight movie, too. Since we were dying to see not only Mamma Mia!, but The Dark Knight, too, we decided it was the perfect night for one of our infamous doubles. Great, great decision. Seriouly. No sarcasm. Both were amazing. Although the two movies could not have been more different, I loved them both equally as much. Who knew Meryl Streep could sing? Who knew Colin Firth had such skinny legs? Who knew Karen from Mean Girls could actually act? Who knew Heath Ledger could be so creepy? Even though we didn't get home from the movie theater until abot 2:45 in the morning, I loved every minute of it. Heath Ledger deserves to be nominated for an Academy Award... no ifs, ands or buts about it.

Saturday morning I came home and my mom and I went to a send-off reception for Elizabeth Lucas, this year's Lowndes County Junior Miss. She is just about the cutest thing I've ever seen, and I know she'll do great at the state pageant this week. Good luck, Elizabeth!

After the reception, I came home and started getting ready for Betsy's wedding. My mom, who is one of those people who is insanely early for everything, had us at the church almost an hour before it started, and we had to sit on the back row. Needless to say, the church was absolutely packed (no lie... standing room only), and it seemed like there were even more people at the reception. When we got on what I fondly referred to as the "night route" to ride from the Country Club to the reception at Betsy's house, there must have been more than a hundred people in line waiting for a shuttle, and there were more cars and people pouring in from every direction. We had the greatest time at the reception. The food was fabulous. The band, 24 Carat Gold, completely lived up to its name. The group of us there was nothing if not solid. The "people-watching" (which you know is one of my favorite pasttimes wherever I go) was potentially endless. No one even noticed that it was so hot we could have been on the face of the sun. (Okay, maybe we did notice that, but it certainly wasn't bad enough to make anyone want to give up and go home.) We ate; we drank; we danced; we took about nine hundred and twenty-six pictures; we put flowers in our hair; Lindsey threw lavendar in Becca's mouth. A good time truly was had by all.

Sunday morning, hard as it was for me to wake up, my mom and I left Columbus at about seven headed to Jackson for my baby cousin, Anne Melton's, christening. She's just about the cutest, fattest thing you've ever seen, and I don't think she made one sound the whole time we were there. She just stared around with her gigantic blue eyes and took it all in: my kind of baby. The event was even more special because Anne Melton wore the same christening gown that my mom, my cousin, Courtney (Anne Melton's mom), and I had all worn when we were christened. (My mom told anyone who would listen a detailed version of that story; be glad I gave you the abridged version.) It was really great to be able to spend time with my family; I don't get to see them nearly as often as I would like, and I love them more than I could ever describe.
I don't think I've had such a superb weekend in a very long time. Such a variety of activities, but each of them something fun and special for me. From family to college friends, high school friends and back again, each of these groups have such a strong influence and presence in my life, and I love when they can all come together and fit so well.

All to the Seaside

So, I just got back from the beach a couple of hours ago, and good Lord am I exhausted. Of course, I woke up super-early this morning to pack the car, then I drove all the way back while my mom snoozed the day away. I am so the man of this family. The week was great, though, and I really enjoyed getting a chance to relax and chill out for a few days. I ate some delicious seafood; I watched several gorgeous sunsets; I did a little shopping (in all honesty, I probably far-exceeded my credit limit, but I was on vacation, right?); I read three great books. It was fabulous.

I also spent a large amount of time taking part in one of my favorite beach pasttimes: nosily staring/eavesdropping on the people surrounding me, or, what is commonly referred to as, "people-watching." I truly feel that I could "people-watch" at the beach forever. There are endless people and happenings that fascinate me, and I love playing that game where you try to figure out the backstory for surrounding groups. Do other people do that, or is that just me...? Here are a few of my favorite genres to observe: The high school couple, whose parents are undoubtedly less than two-hundred-yards down the beach and have given them very specific limitations as to just how far they are allowed to go on their walk. The tell-tale signs that always give these couples away are 1) braces 2) excessive PDA (and you know exactly what I mean here... hand-holding, piggy-back rides, pretending to throw the girl into the water, blah blah blah) and 3) a freshly purchased t-shirt from the it-establishment for teens at the beach (it's okay... I went home and immediately put on my Fudpucker's t-shirt, too...). Next, I love to watch the huge haven't-all-seen-each-other-since-this-time-last-year family/friend groups. They're loud. They're often drunk. They're multi-generational. They have a small army of tents and coolers. At least one member is out on the beach at 8AM, and the last one doesn't leave until well after dark. They're playing loud music. There's always a rousing game of kickball or volleyball going on. They're hilarious. I can't fail to mention the older couple who you wish would take their intimate moments inside their condo. Or the kid who stands on the balcony and screams down to his dad on the beach. Or the ghost family who looks as though they've never seen the sunlight, who you believe will have third degree burns before they can all get their sunscreen on. It blows me away that I was able to get even one paragraph read with all of this going on around me.

There is one thing that, even after all of the times I have been to the beach, I still cannot seem to grasp. Have you ever noticed those people (it seems, more often than not, to be women that stand out) that, whether they've just walked out of their condo or they've been laying under the July sun for the past six hours, just look good all the time? These people are a constant source of fascination and wonder for me. I look at them and just wonder how they do it. Some of these people don't ever put their hair up, and if it's up it's stylish and perfectly windblown. They don't look sweaty. They don't look hot or uncomfortable. They don't have sand all over everything they've touched. Again I ask, how do they do it? I start to sweat before I've even walked out the door. No matter how careful I think I am, I manage to get sand inside of everything around me--my phone, my iPod, my waterbottle, everything. I guzzle water constantly because I am so hot I feel like my face might melt off. The wind has its' way with my hair and makes it stick out at odd angles. Maybe someday I'll figure out this mystery that continues to allude me...

In closing, I've included pictures from a few memorable beach trips over the past several years. I have had many an experience at the beach, and there's one thing I know is true. The beach is a place that makes me think. As I observe the people around me, it makes me think about relationships. It brings back memories of trips taken before and the people who made them memorable. It tempts me to think about the future and dream of what could be. As the sun sets over the white sand and the clear blue water, it leaves behind a tinge of hope and the idea that tomorrow can be anything we make it.

Finding My Way

Since I have started working toward moving into my apartment (about which I am a tiny bit excited, if you didn't already know), I have basically turned into Suzy Homemaker2K8. I'm tearing recipes out of magazines; I'm thinking of places I could plant a few flowers to "add a spot of color"; I'm looking up Farmer's Markets in the area; I'm going to antique shops. I'm one step away from donning an apron and sticking an apple pie in the oven.
And do you want to know the funny thing about all of this?? I LOVE it! I am really, really excited about some of the ideas I have. Yes, I'm well aware that I am the biggest dweeb on the face of the planet right now, but what else is new? (I am, in fact, the same person who reads classic novels for my own enjoyment, remember?)
Over the weekend my mom and I went to several antique shops in the area, and I had the greatest time. I found some awesome pieces I'm going to be able to integrate into my apartment, and I got some great ideas of stuff I might be interested in for the future. I even found these awesome silver goblets/cups that I'm going to start collecting. Like I said, I know... dweeb for sure. I am officially the oldest twenty-three-year-old on the planet.
Continuing on in the spirit of oddities in my life, I had my first violin lesson today. In all honesty, it was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. Apparently, I have the stiffest wrists east of the Mississippi, and nub-like fingernails are a prerequisite to achieving success on the violin. Practically the entire hour today was spent trying to loosen up my wrists in order for me to hold it correctly, and once I did get the grip correctly, my fingers slipped off because my damn fingernails were too long. Typical. I refuse to be discouraged, though. I've already cut my fingernails off, and I've practiced in front of my mirror so that I can see (and potentially correct) the rigor-mortis-like grip of my left wrist. At least the lesson was private today; I was expecting it to be a group lesson. Thank God I was spared the humiliation of having to discover my death grip in front of a group of six-year-olds. (Because you know that's about the age of all the other beginner students... Can't wait for the Christmas concert! :) )
In other news, I'm leaving for the beach tomorrow, and I could not be more excited! My mom and I are going for a relaxing week before everything starts to get crazy with both of us heading back to school. A little shopping, a little seafood, a little sunshine, some good books, maybe a Rolling Rock or two... who could ask for more??

Sonic Impact

I went to Sonic today for the first time in at least six months. I ordered mozarella sticks and a Dr. Pepper, which is, for me, the iconic food of summer. Strange, I know. I think that started when I was about sixteen years old, and it was the summer between my sophomore and junior years of high school. Jenna, Cam, Patsy and I spent practically every afternoon of the entire summer at Mama Dear's pool (yes, there were others who made regular appearances, but the three of us might as well have lived there), and the afternoon was not complete until we piled into Patsy's Jeep, put in some "cool" CD (undoubtedly some offensive rap or possibly a sickeningly sweet ode by the boy band of the minute... for some horrifying reason O-Town sticks out in my mind...) and made our pilgrimage to Sonic, all ordering mozarella sticks and our drinks of choice, of course. In my mind that was just a couple of years ago, but in actuality that was SEVEN years ago... how did that happen??

I've included a photo with this post which I dug out of the archives, just so that everyone can get a clear vision of me, circa 2001. (It's okay to laugh... really.) I believe this photo to have been taken in Destin, Florida in June of that summer. My hair was unnaturally (to say the least) blonde, those glasses were not, in fact, mine (I wanted my own glasses SO bad... damn 20/20 vision...) and my eyebrows were, well, practically caterpillars. Thank God for Mandy Farmer is all I've got to say; she knew I wasn't cut out to be Goldilocks in the first place...

Lazy Days

The last few days have been pretty low-key, with not too much going on. (Which, I suppose, is a good thing based on the ridiculousness that was the weekend.)
Monday my Mom and I went to Brookhaven to see my grandmother, and Lord knows that was a trip. My grandmother is something like 82 years old, and she can ask some of the most absurd questions you've ever heard. On top of that, she can't really remember all of what you answered, and she doesn't hear perfectly, so you're guaranteed to, for one reason or the other, be asked the same question at least six times. But she sure is sweet to me, and I love her a lot. She's also giving me a good deal of furniture for my apartment, so that's not too bad, either.
Apparently, President Bush was in Jackson yesterday (who knew?), and, of course, my mom and I were coming through Jackson just about the time he was heading back to the airport. There were cars everywhere, all over the interstate and highway, and no one really seemed to know exactly what was going on. Only in Mississippi would the President of the United States be visiting and driving around on the roads without the newscasters even giving anyone a heads-up. I'm sure he enjoyed his visit immensely...
Today has been spent combing Columbus establishments for usable antiques and affordable furniture to use in my apartment. It seems, slowly but surely, to actually be coming together, and I'm starting to get really excited. (I still don't actually have my hands on any of the furniture that has been "promised" to me by family, etc., but, due to my incredibly overactive imagination, I'm having no trouble visualizing it in my head. Yes, I am aware that it will undoubtedly look nothing like what I've pictured, but I'm keeping the dream alive.) I'm hoping to get some major stuff taken care of before I leave for the beach next week so that I can look for some accents and accessories while I'm there. Also, this morning I finally finished the book I have been reading for a MONTH (unheard of, I know...), and, I must admit, it was almost worth the time it took to finish. I never would have thought it when I started it, but it had quite the surprise ending. I guess you really can't judge a book by its' cover. I'm starting Lolita now, and I'm very excited; there's nothing I love more than a racy novel disguised as a classic...
Tonight I'm having sushi (yes, I'm officially converted) with Lindsay, and I'm so very excited because we haven't hung out in oh-so-long. I have so much to catch her up on, and I can't wait to hear all about her trip to Italy (of which I am insanely jealous!!). Becca and I have decided that our next trip simply must be international, but who KNOWS how it will take for the two of us to save enough money for an adventure of that magnitude?? And we should probably also allow PLENTY of time to warn ANYONE we might come in contact with of just what they're getting themselves into...