Go Twinkies!

The best e-mail of the entire day!

"You can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl."

Well it's true! I love the city life, I really do. But sometimes I'm tired of hearing the city's hustle and bustle. I can go about two weeks before I explode. I finally figured out why people take Sunday drives in the countryside. Back when I lived in the rural area I thought they were crazy people and not to mention the slowness in their driving was KILLING ME. Now I'm the one doing it. It has actually been over a month now since I've been in a rural area. All I've been able to do is leave the Beltway for a bit. But even outside the Beltway I feel cramped and pushed around.

So I've found an oasis. On occasion, when at work or home, I will pop in my "A Priairie Home Companion" soundtrack and read Agri-News. It's sometimes as close as I can get to the farm. Granted I can do it in heels and the comfort of my chair; it helps. My mind settles. I tune out the airplane flying overhead into DCA or the annoying hum of the printer. I think of brunch on the farm with my father; sitting there and reading the various ag magazines and talking local news. Sometimes it's nice when your 'big' local news isn't even "Extra" worthy for KARE11.

While I continue to love my version of city-life livin' I know I'll never be able to fully give-up/let go of my rural roots. They are deep. Very deep. Yes, I will still "oohh" and "aaahhh" over pictures of cows or threaten you with a pitchfork (which I don't even own) while dawning my pearls and an updo. It's just something that some of us country kids can do.

Now I'd pay anything to see some of my city friends on a farm. Nothing gets more entertaining than that. Not even Paris Hilton or Nicole Richie.

Something About Getting Old

There’s something to be said about getting older…it’s tough. I’m talking about not only myself but also people like my parents, friends’ families and so on.

I’m young but I’m at a stage where my last e-mail to an old friend was about his mom’s health, my grandma’s fall and my father’s MS. No one told me that it would be like this so soon. When you’re younger (elementary-teenager) you think that your parents will always be the same. It’s crazy. Eventually you notice the gray hairs, the slower walking and then the health complications. It sucks. And selfishly I can’t handle it yet. But I will and I’m ready to drop everything to be there. My Plan A in life has no set dates, places or time but my Plan B is all in order. Some days’ I feel as if I will be getting that call at any moment; the one where I actually need to use Plan B. But until then I will stick with figuring out Plan A…..whatever that is.

*** Final Plug***

Thanks Gophers for attempting at the Frozen Four. Even though I couldn’t watch the game (I was curling) I was still devoted by having friends update me via text and voicemail. Maybe next year *fingers crossed*.

***My Friends***

I laugh. Sometimes I have the craziest friends because yes, they will call me about anything! Within a period of 4 hours I had 3 phone calls with the following messages:

“I just wanted to call and let you know that it is currently 81 degrees F in WI. This is crazy. Never have I experienced this in March. Crazy.”

“HEY! Guess what I did today?! I filled-up the tire on my bike!!”

“Put wine in the freezer, I’ll be home in less than 5.”
They were obviously the most important messages in my life. Hahaha. At least they were good ones.

Cup of Tea

So I guess that’s it. This just isn’t my cup of tea. Wow, that sucks. The move – yes. The friends – yes. The job – no. What do you do? Do you sit it out or do you move on right away? Eh. I’ll figure it out.

On another note – I think I need check on a friend. Let’s just say I didn’t give out my best ‘girl’ advice last night. It seemed like whatever I was saying wasn’t stopping the fire so the next thing I could think of was “You really should just go, grab a 24 pk lock yourself with some buddies away from your cellphone and e-mail and just get crazy.” Not too surprisingly, he agreed and said goodbye faster and I’ve ever witnessed. So, I wonder how the night went?!

And finally – guess what’s just around the corner? That’s right, baseball! I can’t wait. I’m doing the little kid ‘I’ve got to pee badly’ dance right now, that’s how excited I am.

Happy St. Pat's Day.....late

Right now everything has been late. Getting to parties, dinner, work that's due, and the list goes on. So I apologize to anyone who is sitting and waiting on me because, yes, I may be just a little late.

But it's never too late to report that the Gophers (wrestling team) pulled through with a NCAA Championship. I'm proud but even more so ecstatic! After 5 hours of beer and college basketball on Saturday I got to tune into the finals for college wrestling. MN was sitting neck and neck with ISU (my other alma mater) for the title. As much as I loved ISU and my big freshman crush (a.k.a Cael Sanderson and current ISU head coach) I am still true to my homestate/team. The boys pulled through and many thanks to Cole KonRAD (yes, I emphasiszed the RAD in his last name for that very point).

Wrestling obvisously holds a special place in my heart and it showed on Saturday when I sat around all day very tense waiting for team placing updates. Luckily I don't bite my nails cause let's just say they'd be no more of my nails left! Then that night I made TC literally run the 4 blocks to our friend's St. Pat's party during a commercial break so I wouldn't miss the 157 match. And when we did make it to the party - I went straight to the TV and stood there until the end. After all was done everyone at the party knew I who I was and asked me if my team won (which I'd yell, OF COURSE! every time). It was an amazing victory.

So with the weekend gone and my old roommate out I am now sitting alone in an empty aparment. I cannot emphasize the word 'empty' enough. I have no furniture in the living room so I sit on a pillow infront the TV. Only a 1/3 of the kitchen is in existance and the pantry looks as if a robber came and decided to take everything but the pinto beans. It's sad and awesome. It'll probably get me on the road to my 'minimalist' lifestyle that I've been craving. Though, I'd love to crave it on a couch.

"Hey Everybody! Come and see how good I look."

I laugh at that line everytime.

I might be one of the few people who enjoys the antics of Anchorman but they make me happy and give me a flood of memories. It seems like ages ago when I saw the movie for the first time. It was on my 22nd birthday, with my mom and aunt. I giggled a little, but they roared with laughter. They got it and understood it. I just checked it as another Will Ferrell, goofy movie. And really, that's what it is. But then I met some people who changed my perception of the movie. Not that they made me appreciate it or thought of the deep symbolism (if there is any). But they reminded me of the characters to the T.

Soon after this little experience of meeting and getting to know these people I ended up rooming with the Ron Burgundy of the group. Ron was well...crazy, funny, nice and slowly became my friend. More times than not he'd yell to me from his room "Hey, come and see how good I look!" or when he'd start drinking scotch you would hear "Scotch, scotch, stoch, I love scotch." At that time I'd mumble a little laugh and shake my head. But now, when I hear those lines while watching the movie I giggle a little harder and even start quoting it myself.

I just watched the movie again last night with a friend while my current roommate was packing to move. I laughed at the dumb lines and would even get caught quoting it. I was very alone with much of the laughter .... no one got it. Just like I didn't get it the first time. Maybe it's not the movie - maybe it's the correlation. Regardless, I love the movie and I miss my second favorite roommate;)

So now I wonder what I'll correlate with my soon to be old roommate....perhaps Natiaonl Lampoon's Family Vacation......or FoxNews.....or crazy Beck music. It's hard to tell. But I'm sure time will give to those memories soon.

Closure

Whoever said closure was necessary is an idiot because they are right. There have been some things bothering me latley and I couldn't figure out why. And then it hit me (more like someone reminded me) it was because there was no closure. This isn't just for past relationships...it goes for everything - a project, groups you used to be in and so on. Unfortunately mine is a little of everything. I feel like a horrible person because I didn't let it happen or maybe because at the time I walked away I thought that was it. But now...oh yes now....it's back and it's creepin' me out.

So what can I do to close them? Nothing. I've actually tried but the damage has been done. It's not like when you ruin a good sweater and you can just go and buy a new one. Nope. And that stinks. It makes me wonder if how I'm feeling now is how people felt then? And I'm really crabby...since when did I grow a darn heart? I'm a Repub - supposedly I don't have one! (sorry, lame joke.) So I ask you, my friends, any advice? How do you rid of that crappy thing that supposedly recquires closure? And please don't go saying "drink" because all that would do is create an alcoholic of me.

Congrats Gopher Wrestlers!

The 'real' men in my life made me proud this weekend. They took home the Big Ten Title for wrestling. When it comes to my alma mater rarely can I count it for anything other than a decent education, a chance to be a part of the Big Ten conference and remembering to hang-up when I get phone calls asking for a donation. Not to mention when we are talking U of M sports I'm a far cry from enthusiastic (ahem, Gopher Hockey...what's going on?!) right now. It seem that I have very little to tout about. But my shining army of Gopher Wrestlers are there for me this year. So congrats boys - you pulled through and made me proud.

Now please do that at the NCAAs!

Stuck in the Middle

I don't know why but this happens about once every 9 months or so.

I get restless.

And now, I'm stuck in the middle. The middle of what to do next. This isn't anything new for me, my friends or even my generation. I'm growing restless for several reasons. Most not worth mentioning. Though, they do include higher education, living expenses, friends.....anything to do with the future. It's the anticipation that is just killing me. I like to be prepared but I don't know what exactly to prepare for. Should I move? Should I stay? Do I need a new job? Is the current one statisfying me? These are questions I want answers to but just can't seem to find the darn answers. So I fill them in with mock answers of: I like my friends here AND there. It's too expensive but yet, a great location. The job could be better but well, it could be twenty times worse. After I chew on them I start to go stir crazy.

If anything changes what will hurt the most is the leaving or staying apart from all of my great friends. A few days ago I received an e-mail from one saying "MN misses you." I giggled and then fell silent. A few hours later I explained to another that I may not be here a year from now. Again, the room fell silent. As if not knowing what to do career wise was difficult enough I get stuck in the feeling of losing touch with the past and barely grasping the present.

The simple stress of it all built up and then finally exploded. The funny part - nothing was solved. Instead it just got worse and then I experienced a little luck. A friend and I were given two free tickets to watch the Caps (literally 3 rows up from the glass on the red line). Though it was a temporary reliever it helped and the game was awesome. I guess sometimes you can't solve all issues in one day (I'm not what you call patient). Sometimes you just need the temportary relief whether it's going to a hockey game, a guy in a U.S.A. shirt, shopping or working out - it's relief nontheless.

So I'm sorry my friends, I don't have the answers to the questions you ask me. But I'm told good things come to those who wait. I'm going to give that a go for a bit. Will report back later.