oh dear...

Well, just trying to take care of last minute this and that before heading down to Dallas, spending the night, then flying out the next day. Apparently I have a job interview on Friday at an accounting firm. That is so awesome. I'm having trouble thinking about it now because I'm feeling kind of overwhelmed with not just getting last minute things together, but more kind of the stress of leaving all things familiar and comfortable here in Norman, OK. Completely unanticipated, too. Don't get me wrong, its not that I don't want to leave and be adventurous and get to know my in-laws better, and spend amazing time with Sam in his homeland and see Europe, and avoid the hotter 'n hell Oklahoma summer, but... I guess all of us are reluctant to leave our routine sometimes. I'm sure I'll find a new routine ASAP and enjoy being away infinitely more than I dislike being away. Oh well. It will be nice to finally get on the airplane and focus my thoughts on over there instead of in both places at once, if that makes sense.

In other news, Elise is running out of dooce archives, and is not very happy about that situation. Alright... off to the bank. Oh yeah, and if AA frowns upon my knitting needles it will be a very long flight. And I'll be pissed.

T-minus 3 days, give or take a few hours

So, goodbye to the ol' law firm yesterday. At least for a little while. It was really kinda sad. But it means that I only have 3 more days to shove stuff together and get ready to go, crazy. For my going away, though, they busted out the champagne! And, I received a Maya Angelou cookbook and some excellent mixing bowls. My co-workers rock, pretty much. I wonder if I will be able to find work over in m.o.e... I hope I don't cramp some crusty English lawfirm's crusty style by "misspelling" things. But, we'll see.

Today, though, to add to the rock-factor of my co-workers, one of the lawyers at the firm invited me to pilfer pretty much anything I wanted from her storage facility. So, dad and I hitched up the trailer and picked up a sweet coffee table, antique writing desk, antique curio cabinet, and a kitchen island on wheels (just what I've been looking for)! Who says Americans suck for having storage facilities?

So, today, other than pilfering the storage facility, has been trying to figure out what all to take to England and how to shove it all into my new suitcase. Packing is so annoying, and yet, so important. Oh, Dear. I think I'll pick it back up tomorrow and give it a rest for the evening. Tonight: jazz in june, wine, good company!

Are you a homeowner, Greg?

Well folks, its official, Samson and I have our own little Casa. Its done and dusted, not without a few nervous butterflies in my stomach at the closing yesterday as I signed document after document. But yay! Elise and I sat on the floor for a good while last night chatting about what colors and window treatments would look cool, and that sort of thing, and it was great! I woke up this morning and just thanked God for the blessing after blessing he has give me, and Sam too.

I regret that I don't have a photo to post of me shampooing the carpets with one hand whilst holding a bottle of Shiner in my other hand. But, I'll let you conjure the mental image on your own. It gave John and J-Do much pleasure, and it made the house smell so much better (not the beer, but the shampooer with lavender scented shampoo).

On the whole, though, I am excited, but will be more so when I come back from England, move more of Sam's and my stuff in, and generally settle and pick out color schemes, etc. Ooh, and I bought a sweet rag-rug this morning at quite a bargain. I look forward to inviting lots of friends over for enjoying. Good times! Yikes, I'm definitely leaving in 5 days and won't be back until NOVEMBER. How weird. I can almost smell the vinegar now.

"Whereas tater tots figure prominently in this film..."

There is definitely something funny about official legal resolutions talking about tater tots in conjunction with Napoleon Dynamite. Wonder if any of those crazy Moscow-ians are going to make it out for this one. Everyone better brush his or her favorite brown suit or homemade poofy-sleeved dress!

Tapping into my semi-hidden sci-fi geekness

I heard this story on npr this morning, immediately read up on it more on their website and it took me back to when I read "The Mote in God's Eye" by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle back in high school. A good read, incidentally. But, man a light sail... really sets one to daydreaming. If only it could be fitted with an improbability drive.

In other news... closing on this house is more frustrating than I was anticipating despite everyone's warnings that it is a major hassle. At least dad is coming with me, though, since that red-headed kid had to go back to A-town to wrap up some school whatnot and whathaveyou. But, I shall keep you all updated on how the house goes, my loyal throngs of readers. And in the meantime, I'll try to tie up the rest of my affairs here before I head back to merry old England (henceforth "m.o.e.") with Samsung. I leave a week from tomorrow, people, and won't be back until November. So call me if you want to hang out, and maybe I'll have time. But first read the npr story, cause its pretty incredible.

the bus, people, the bus

I just dropped Sam off at the bus station up here in the OKC megalopolis. He rode with me up to work because we had a meeting, and then $2.25 later, he's on his way back down to the Campus on the Sooner Express. (Now, disclaimer before I start this rant-- if you are reading this and thinking "Hey, I'm not that way!" or something to that effect like, "Hey, you ARE that way!", then clearly this isn't for you, so just be about your business.) As we were waiting for said Sooner Express and chomming some chik-fil-a (nothing like real lemonade on a hot day, incidentally) he realized, incredulous, that I have never, ever caught a city bus in Norman.

I was thinking after that how catching the bus, other than the one from Lloyd Noble to the South Oval, is not really a thought that occurs to most Normanites, or, well... I guess I can say most of the people I associate with or know. I know I certainly wasn't taught by adults or peers that it is a viable option. In fact my friend Todd's parents once threatened him, at their wit's end with his high school boy bad attitude, to take away his car, and that he would have to ride the bus all summer if he wanted to go anywhere. Whoa, that was so harsh. And, my question is, why do we not think of public transport as a viable option from point A to point B? The arguments are, I assume, the following, to wit:
1. Freaks and weirdos;
2. Schedule restrictions;
3. The bus doesn't stop right in front of my house;
4. I have to haul "stuff";
5. It costs money, and my car doesn't.

Ok, so of these four main arguments, three or more can be answered with a raised eyebrow. Why have I allowed myself to believe these arguments and suffered them from my friends and fellow citizens? I mean, seriously, how far out of one's comfort zone is a Norman weirdo? We're not in, like, New York City or anything here. Furthermore, who do we think we are turning up our noses at the "lower class". As for schedule restrictions, well boo hoo maybe you won't have exactly what you want, exactly when you want it. Thirdly, GET OFF YOUR LAZY ASS. Next, you probably don't need to move more stuff than you can carry anyways, and lastly, clearly you don't understand the bus fare to gas cost to car repair to car insurance ratios. Incidentally, did you know that if you drive your car within a certain number of miles per week, you can classify it with your insurance company as a "recreational vehicle" and get a lower insurance rate?

The facts are, we're a sickeningly consumptive society, and this is a good example of it. So often things are just about comfort. I mean, I really disgusted myself just thinking of all the gas money I could have saved if I had just ridden the Sooner Express to work these past 5 months. Furthermore, I'm sure the company would have been more than happy to pay my bus fare, since it is considerably less than a parking fare. And, we're not even talking about doing my small part in helping be a good steward of the environment. ("You can't change the world, but you can make a dent.")

I feel like I'm not even scratching the surface in this rant. Maybe I'll blow it into a full essay. There are so many tangents it could take. And I haven't even mentioned walking or riding one's bike as an alternative to driving. I guess I'll end it with this: Think about it, next time you have to get from point A to point B, my fellow Normanite (and if you really can't be bothered to hop on your bike) well then, consider paying the 50 cents, experiencing the weather on your way to the closest stop, experiencing people around you (possibly *gasp* from a different class than you), creatively figuring out how to take your kids with you, or carry your groceries home and then maybe do it. If we all did it, think of the impacts.

p.s. my apologies for any hypocritical righteous indignance. I mean, I've been driving since age 16 with the best of them, I admit. Its just Sam coming through, but I fully plan on carrying this mindset out when I get back from England. Believe you me. Except mostly it will probably be my bike and not the bus, per se.

Choob

So, this isn't especially deep or thought provoking, but whatever. Today I wore one of my favorite skirts of all time that I've had since I was about 17. $5 on sale at the Limited, still a favorite after almost 7 years, you really would have a hard time beating that. The only difference between now and then, however, is that back in high school, it used to sort of tend to sink down onto my hips and was a touch too big and now, well... I'll admit I wore it today with the side zipper zipped a little bit down. My shirt more than covered it, though. And really, who gives? I think at other times in my life this would have disturbed me more, and honestly, some days when a particular piece of clothing doesn't fit like it used to, it can make me a little cranky, but usually its because I really liked that white lacey skirt and it was going to be perfect to wear to Laurie's wedding and I had to go and pick out a whole new outfit. But, on the whole, we grow and change and that's just life. What am I going to do, throw up? I don't think so. Besides, I hadn't discovered beer yet back in high school. Not going to apologize for that.

Not as sweetie sweet as yesterday's

Ok, so no more flowers, birds, or countdown references today. I just really liked seeing that one on Kelly's blog, so I took the idea for mine own. Today, though, on this dark and stormy day in the Megalopolis, I share some thoughts on discussion. What I mean, is, I was involved in a discussion last night with a few good friends (on a porch over some beer) and I really appreciated it. I appreciated the content (government, church involvement therein, and things of this nature), but I also appreciated my sort of evolving understanding of opinions and how discussions work.
By nature I am a somewhat non-confrontational person (I'm being generous with myself in that comment) so I am, by that nature, led to feel sometimes that discussions/arguments = fighting, which is untrue. Sometimes going back and forth in an argument doesn't always feel comfortable, but its OK, because if you just push through the argument, and all involved parties are generally respecful of each other, you come out having learned something, and the discomfort rarely lingers, but in fact often serves to both make me feel better about my opinions and be more positively connected with the others involved (who would've thought).
Also, I've learned in the past few months about the practice of asserting one's opinions in discussion or argument, but at the same time not holding those opinions too tightly. Again, not something that comes naturally to me. I've learned not to necessarily worry about that opinion getting shot down, because I'll be the better person if it does, for the most part. (If the other parties involved are not terribly obtuse, or known by the name Sauron.) But, its a simple but difficult lesson, because there is humility involved. And I must give credit to Sam for helping me develop this, mostly by loving me and wanting to hear my thoughts, regardless of their lack of succinct-ness, what a dear. Good thing I'm marrying him.
So, to sum up, I think many people, myself included, could stand to get their opinions out there more often, but with the attitude of wanting them critiqued and changed. And, I guess on the other side, we should critique others in such a way that helps them want to get their opinions out there. Thus, we all move toward more clear thoughts, better understanding of truth, etc. Those are my thoughts on that for today. Man, its really coming down out there.

the Countdown

Primus Blogus

Well, Douglas, I hope you're happy. No, but really its not for you, is more or less so that I can write out my thoughts for my own enjoyment as well as that of others, and hopefully not so much help people procrastinate as possibly help them think about things, deep or shallow, maybe get a chuckle from time to time.
So, today is a usual day up in the Megalopolis (a.k.a. downtown OKC), bustling with shops, services. Somedays I have to wait a whole 10 seconds before crossing the 5-lane street to the building where I work. Today was not one of those days, though. But I did eat my lunch at the Myriad Gardens and read some thoughts by brother Lawrence whilst chomming and enjoying the sunshine. They were good thoughts. I find his simplicity convicting. One quote I particularly liked is as follows:
"He (Lawrence) believed that God is much greater than any of the simple gifts He gives us. Rather than desiring them from Him, he chose to look beyond the gifts, hoping to learn more about God Himself. Sometimes he even wished that he could avoid receiving his reward so that he would have the pleasure of doing something solely for God."
"Oops," I thought. This doesn't so much describe me as not describe me.