And HAPPY SATURDAY!!
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Time for some Q&A....
That's right, friends, I'm going to do a blog or two answering YOUR questions next week. You can ask about anything.....traveling, 30 by 30 list, the new house/job/guy, growing up on a farm, running....up to you! So, leave your questions as a comment below.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Friday Letters
It's been a while since I joined in the fun of some Friday letters. SO here we go!
Dear next Friday: Please hurry your booty up and get here. Ft. Worth. Dancing. Eating. Drinking. Shopping. Ranger's game. Double date with Blonde Oklahoma Girl and her boyfriend. It's just cruel to make me wait 7 more days!
Dear hair: Brace yourself. You're going to have to be cut this weekend. By someone other than Mrs. Texas. Because we moved 12 hours away from her. I know, I'm not happy either.
Dear Hilarious List of Signs You Are Turning 30: Read it here. I nodded my head at just about every single one of your items. Friends posting about marathons and babies instead of parties? Check. Two day hang over and leaving a bar that is too darn loud? Check and check. Excited about low interest rates? Check again.
Dear William Clark Green: I used to think this song was mean. Until I listened closely to the last line. I now think it is adorable and have listened to it on repeat all week.
Dear Blog Readers: Here goes a shameless plug. Remember how I recently took a new job? Well, part of that job involves me having an agricultural law blog. I would love for you all to check it out and subscribe if you want to! (No, really, I get props for the number of hits and subscriptions...so help a girl out!) Here's the link.
Dear next Friday: Please hurry your booty up and get here. Ft. Worth. Dancing. Eating. Drinking. Shopping. Ranger's game. Double date with Blonde Oklahoma Girl and her boyfriend. It's just cruel to make me wait 7 more days!
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| Safety first when we're together... |
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| Me, and my hair, miss this girl! |
Dear Hilarious List of Signs You Are Turning 30: Read it here. I nodded my head at just about every single one of your items. Friends posting about marathons and babies instead of parties? Check. Two day hang over and leaving a bar that is too darn loud? Check and check. Excited about low interest rates? Check again.
Dear William Clark Green: I used to think this song was mean. Until I listened closely to the last line. I now think it is adorable and have listened to it on repeat all week.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Another Wedding, Another Speech
Yes, ANOTHER wedding. I know you guys must think I am going to run out of friends to get married one day, but that day hasn't happened yet! As you recall, I gave a MOH speech at College Roomie's wedding earlier this summer (which you can watch a video of here). So my speech at Cousin Whitney's wedding was speech number two for the year. And for the girl who had sadly given more eulogies than wedding speeches, it was a welcome change in my book! So, here were my words of wisdom for the happy couple.
When I was 9 months old, I got a red-headed cousin. In the last 28 years, that cousin has turned into my travel partner and one of my closest friends.
Whether it was eating at Tavern on the Green in New York City, biking across the Golden Gate Bridge, riding a train through the Swiss Alps, snorkeling on a cruise in Mexico, or wondering home at 1 in the morning in Rome, Whitney and I always have a blast when we're together.
All these trips have taught me a few things about Miss Whitney. I thought I would share a couple pieces of advice with Nathan tonight.
First, do not ever make her trip and fall down. There may have been an incident on a ski trip where Denton cut her off, causing her to fall down, which then proceeded into her screaming a choice cuss word, which I cannot repeat in church, and trying to stab him with her poles. Keep her on her feet and you'll be okay.
Second, when you tell Whitney to do something, she'll do it, so be careful. When our dads were teaching us to water ski, they made a big deal about how you don't let go of the rope. Which was good advice. Until Whitney fell. And kept on holding on to that rope. And almost drowned in Ute Lake. When you give her instructions, be sure you mean them.
Third, she does not deal well with motion sickness. Fortunately for Nathan, I have broken her into this. She has dealt with me throwing up in multiple states and two continents. My best advice for you is to always carry an airplane barf bag with you in the car. I took care of getting a couple ofr Nathan to take on the honeymoon to help you avoid any issues. *Here I walked over and handed him three barf bags. Classy.*
Fourth, listen to what she tells you. She doesn't talk much, but when she does, she means it. I learned this when about halfway up the steps to get to the top of St. Peter's Bascilica in Rome she said that she was hot and needed something to drink. I agreed it was hot and I was thirsty and kept on climbing. Once we got to the top, Whitney blacked out on me and was white as a ghost. I thought I was going to have to carry her down. Oh, on a related note, cold water and lasagna seem to be the cure if she ever does get faint on you.
Fifth, Whitney does not like getting her nice shoes dirty. When we were kids, Whitney hardly talked at all. I had never heard her yell at anyone in my life. One Friday they came up to the house and we were working cattle. Someone left a gate open and my Dad yelled at her to close the gate. She did not answer him and he yelled at her again. Then little, meek, mild mannered Whitney stood up on the gate, and screamed, at the top of her lungs, "I'm wearing my school shoes!!" We all looked around with our mouths wide open. My dad looked sort of shocked, said, "Well, okay then" and we just let the cows go right on out the gate. So be careful where you try to get her to step!
Despite my advice, I'm not too worried about Nathan. I think he will be able to hold his own. I knew he was a tough guy when he Family Ski Trip--both the summer and winter version--in the same year. For those of you who have not been on the ski trip, that's really saying something!
So in closing, Whitney, I'm so glad that God made us cousins. I'm even more glad that you have become one of my best friends. And Nathan, if Whitney is half as good of a wife to you as she's been a cousin to me, you're a very lucky guy. To Nathan and Whitney.
When I was 9 months old, I got a red-headed cousin. In the last 28 years, that cousin has turned into my travel partner and one of my closest friends.
All these trips have taught me a few things about Miss Whitney. I thought I would share a couple pieces of advice with Nathan tonight.
First, do not ever make her trip and fall down. There may have been an incident on a ski trip where Denton cut her off, causing her to fall down, which then proceeded into her screaming a choice cuss word, which I cannot repeat in church, and trying to stab him with her poles. Keep her on her feet and you'll be okay.
Second, when you tell Whitney to do something, she'll do it, so be careful. When our dads were teaching us to water ski, they made a big deal about how you don't let go of the rope. Which was good advice. Until Whitney fell. And kept on holding on to that rope. And almost drowned in Ute Lake. When you give her instructions, be sure you mean them.
Third, she does not deal well with motion sickness. Fortunately for Nathan, I have broken her into this. She has dealt with me throwing up in multiple states and two continents. My best advice for you is to always carry an airplane barf bag with you in the car. I took care of getting a couple ofr Nathan to take on the honeymoon to help you avoid any issues. *Here I walked over and handed him three barf bags. Classy.*
Fourth, listen to what she tells you. She doesn't talk much, but when she does, she means it. I learned this when about halfway up the steps to get to the top of St. Peter's Bascilica in Rome she said that she was hot and needed something to drink. I agreed it was hot and I was thirsty and kept on climbing. Once we got to the top, Whitney blacked out on me and was white as a ghost. I thought I was going to have to carry her down. Oh, on a related note, cold water and lasagna seem to be the cure if she ever does get faint on you.
Fifth, Whitney does not like getting her nice shoes dirty. When we were kids, Whitney hardly talked at all. I had never heard her yell at anyone in my life. One Friday they came up to the house and we were working cattle. Someone left a gate open and my Dad yelled at her to close the gate. She did not answer him and he yelled at her again. Then little, meek, mild mannered Whitney stood up on the gate, and screamed, at the top of her lungs, "I'm wearing my school shoes!!" We all looked around with our mouths wide open. My dad looked sort of shocked, said, "Well, okay then" and we just let the cows go right on out the gate. So be careful where you try to get her to step!
Despite my advice, I'm not too worried about Nathan. I think he will be able to hold his own. I knew he was a tough guy when he Family Ski Trip--both the summer and winter version--in the same year. For those of you who have not been on the ski trip, that's really saying something!
So in closing, Whitney, I'm so glad that God made us cousins. I'm even more glad that you have become one of my best friends. And Nathan, if Whitney is half as good of a wife to you as she's been a cousin to me, you're a very lucky guy. To Nathan and Whitney.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
30 by 30 List: Month 8
Well another month has come and gone. I can't believe how quickly this year is going by! Let's check out the 30 by 30 list progress made this month. To see the full list, click here.
1. Cook 10 new recipes (18/10 completed).
This month I added a couple more recipes to my list.
First up, summer squash casserole. I love me some squash casserole, and this recipe is super quick, super easy, and relatively healthy for something that has cheese in it! I'd highly recommend it.
Next, I tried this recipe for brown sugar garlic baked chicken. It looked so good in the picture. Mine did NOT turn out that way. It was edible, but not great. I don't know what I did wrong. Fail.
Then, I whipped up some oven roasted cauliflower. Y'all. It was SO good! Seriously, amazing. The only thing I did different than the recipe was to use fresh lime juice instead of lemon because, well, I had a lime in my fridge to put in Seven and Sevens and I didn't have any lemon juice. That's how I cook around here. But it made no difference, it still tasted great. This is going into the regular rotation for sure!
7. Read 24 more books (11/24 completed).
This book was written by a woman who was dying of Lou Gehrig's disease. She took the last year of her life and focused on really living, on making memories with the people who mattered most to her. It's beautiful. And heartbreaking.
As many of you know, Mr. Franklin also died of ALS. And although I spent a lot of time with him while he was sick, and we had a lot of conversations during that time, we never talked about the disease or about him dying. We both knew it was happening, but we just didn't talk about it. I felt a little like reading this book gave me some insight on what he must have been thinking during some of our conversations, and what he was feeling during his last months. Her stories of sitting in her back yards where he kids would come give her a hug when she could no longer hug them took me right back to Mr. Franklin's living room where I would kiss him on the cheek before I left for home after he could no longer lift his arms to hug me. It was hard to read, but I think it was a little bit cathartic for me.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes:
Don't search for answers. Live the question. Enjoy life more because of the uncertainty. Not less.
I have no idea the odds of being stuck by lightning. Or the odds that I would be struck with ALS. It doesn't matter. It can happen to anyone. Lightning strikes in the middle of paradise. ALS cuts down a famous baseball player, an older man, a son, a daughter, a mother, in the prime of life.
Don't miss the old. Embrace the new.
We live in the people we leave behind.
What do I do in such bright-line moments, where my handicap whomps me over the head? Dwell in what there remains to be grateful for. My hands are snarled, but I can still touch. I cannot hold, but I can feel. I have my connection to the world, which ALS will never take away.
Appreciate the life that comes. Work and strive , but accept. Don't force the world to be the one you dream. The reality is better.
Fearing the possible is no way to live.
I will not return to my children, at least not in the flesh. But I will, I hope, in spirit. In the things they see and feel. In the memories we made. Look for me in your heart, my children. Sense me there, and smile.
8. Send little gifts to my friends once a month.
So this month I owed a couple of guys some baked goods. Problem is that they live way far away. Pinterest to the rescue.....I found this recipe for muffins in a jar and this recipe for apple pies in a jar. Looked like something I could probably do.
For the muffins, I whipped up a packaged mix (just had to add milk!), sprayed the jar with Pam, scooped mix in, and baked. Easy peasy.
For the pies, I loosely (and by loosely I mean I didn't really) followed the recipe. I sprayed the jar, but crust, put apple pie filling, then put a sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg, a drop of vanilla, and a little butter. Then I repeated that again. I then cut strips of crust and put them on the top sort of in a criss-cross pattern. Viola!
I hate to put words in their mouths, but I think that it's safe to say that The Boy from Texas and The Godfather were happy when they found these in their mailboxes.
9. Eat in 10 new restaurants (14/10 completed).
Fuego. Dang BFF and Mrs. BFF took me here and now my waistline is not thanking them for it. This place has killer tacos and even better queso. SO yummy!
On the taco front, I am now equally obsessed with this restaurant here in town called La Bodega, which has the best steak taco that I have ever eaten. I've been twice. In a week. And another time last week. Three times, two weeks. I may have a problem.
Lastly, we have Grub Burger Bar, which is a popular burger joint in College Station. SO good. I had a burger with some sort of chipotle sauce and guacamole. It was amazing. Word is they have great milk shakes as well. Come visit and I'll take ya!
13. Create a gallery wall.
You guys already saw these and read about them in my House Tour blog. I'm also working on one at work in my office, so I hope to have photos of that next month!
19. Take my quilts to a quilter (1/2 complete).
My John Deere quilt that College Roomie's sweet mama made for me when I graduated from OSU has finally been delivered to a quilter and the quilting process is underway! I cannot wait to see the finished product!
That just leaves a small t-shirt quilt (really I don't need a big quilt, more like a throw blanket) that I need to find someone to piece for me and then have quilted. Any suggestions??
29. Buy myself flowers once a month (8/12 completed).
I found my very favorite flowers--peonies--for super cheap at the local grocery store here, so you know that I jumped on buying those! Even better, I was bummed that The Boy from Texas was leaving to go back home after coming to see me for the weekend, so I needed these to help cheer me up. Even more reason I had to buy them.
1. Cook 10 new recipes (18/10 completed).
This month I added a couple more recipes to my list.
First up, summer squash casserole. I love me some squash casserole, and this recipe is super quick, super easy, and relatively healthy for something that has cheese in it! I'd highly recommend it.
Next, I tried this recipe for brown sugar garlic baked chicken. It looked so good in the picture. Mine did NOT turn out that way. It was edible, but not great. I don't know what I did wrong. Fail.
Then, I whipped up some oven roasted cauliflower. Y'all. It was SO good! Seriously, amazing. The only thing I did different than the recipe was to use fresh lime juice instead of lemon because, well, I had a lime in my fridge to put in Seven and Sevens and I didn't have any lemon juice. That's how I cook around here. But it made no difference, it still tasted great. This is going into the regular rotation for sure!
7. Read 24 more books (11/24 completed).
Until I Say Goodbye by Susan Spencer-Wendel
This book was written by a woman who was dying of Lou Gehrig's disease. She took the last year of her life and focused on really living, on making memories with the people who mattered most to her. It's beautiful. And heartbreaking.
As many of you know, Mr. Franklin also died of ALS. And although I spent a lot of time with him while he was sick, and we had a lot of conversations during that time, we never talked about the disease or about him dying. We both knew it was happening, but we just didn't talk about it. I felt a little like reading this book gave me some insight on what he must have been thinking during some of our conversations, and what he was feeling during his last months. Her stories of sitting in her back yards where he kids would come give her a hug when she could no longer hug them took me right back to Mr. Franklin's living room where I would kiss him on the cheek before I left for home after he could no longer lift his arms to hug me. It was hard to read, but I think it was a little bit cathartic for me.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes:
Don't search for answers. Live the question. Enjoy life more because of the uncertainty. Not less.
I have no idea the odds of being stuck by lightning. Or the odds that I would be struck with ALS. It doesn't matter. It can happen to anyone. Lightning strikes in the middle of paradise. ALS cuts down a famous baseball player, an older man, a son, a daughter, a mother, in the prime of life.
Don't miss the old. Embrace the new.
We live in the people we leave behind.
What do I do in such bright-line moments, where my handicap whomps me over the head? Dwell in what there remains to be grateful for. My hands are snarled, but I can still touch. I cannot hold, but I can feel. I have my connection to the world, which ALS will never take away.
Appreciate the life that comes. Work and strive , but accept. Don't force the world to be the one you dream. The reality is better.
Fearing the possible is no way to live.
I will not return to my children, at least not in the flesh. But I will, I hope, in spirit. In the things they see and feel. In the memories we made. Look for me in your heart, my children. Sense me there, and smile.
8. Send little gifts to my friends once a month.
So this month I owed a couple of guys some baked goods. Problem is that they live way far away. Pinterest to the rescue.....I found this recipe for muffins in a jar and this recipe for apple pies in a jar. Looked like something I could probably do.
For the muffins, I whipped up a packaged mix (just had to add milk!), sprayed the jar with Pam, scooped mix in, and baked. Easy peasy.
I hate to put words in their mouths, but I think that it's safe to say that The Boy from Texas and The Godfather were happy when they found these in their mailboxes.
9. Eat in 10 new restaurants (14/10 completed).
Fuego. Dang BFF and Mrs. BFF took me here and now my waistline is not thanking them for it. This place has killer tacos and even better queso. SO yummy!
On the taco front, I am now equally obsessed with this restaurant here in town called La Bodega, which has the best steak taco that I have ever eaten. I've been twice. In a week. And another time last week. Three times, two weeks. I may have a problem.
Lastly, we have Grub Burger Bar, which is a popular burger joint in College Station. SO good. I had a burger with some sort of chipotle sauce and guacamole. It was amazing. Word is they have great milk shakes as well. Come visit and I'll take ya!
13. Create a gallery wall.
You guys already saw these and read about them in my House Tour blog. I'm also working on one at work in my office, so I hope to have photos of that next month!
19. Take my quilts to a quilter (1/2 complete).
My John Deere quilt that College Roomie's sweet mama made for me when I graduated from OSU has finally been delivered to a quilter and the quilting process is underway! I cannot wait to see the finished product!
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| Sister Lisa and me with the quilter extraordinaire! |
29. Buy myself flowers once a month (8/12 completed).
I found my very favorite flowers--peonies--for super cheap at the local grocery store here, so you know that I jumped on buying those! Even better, I was bummed that The Boy from Texas was leaving to go back home after coming to see me for the weekend, so I needed these to help cheer me up. Even more reason I had to buy them.
Monday, July 8, 2013
When Little Cowboy Met The Boy From Texas
Be honest, how many of you got ridiculously excited when you read the title of this blog?
That's right kids, two of our favorite blog characters met in real life last week at Cousin Whitney's wedding. Here are a couple of exchanges between Little Cowboy and The Boy from Texas.
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| Little Cowboy and the bride. |
Little Cowboy to Cousin Gramps: Did you know Tiff is dating The Boy From Texas?
Cousin Gramps: Yes, I knew that.
Little Cowboy: WELL NOBODY TOLD ME!! *Stomps off with his arms crossed.*
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| Me and Little Cowboy hunting bad guys at the family gathering. |
The Boy From Texas: You calling me fat?
Little Cowboy: Nope. I'm just saying you would have been the biggest one there.
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| Funny faces. |
Little Cowboy: You calling him fat?
Me: No, I didn't call him fat.
Little Cowboy: Good.
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| Little Cowboy sitting with me and The Boy from Texas at the wedding party table. |
Little Cowboy to The Boy From Texas *Looking straight up at him with his hands on his hips.*: If you're dating Tiff, I am not going to be your friend.
Little Cowboy to The Boy from Texas (about an hour later): I'm sorry for that mean thing I said. I didn't mean it. We can still be friends.
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| More funny faces. |
Little Cowboy to The Boy from Texas: Tiff says I'm a better dancer than you.
Little Cowboy to me: You can date The Boy From Texas. So long as you don't get stinkin' married.
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| Me and The Boy from Texas (photo by Little Cowboy) |
For those of you who feel bad for Little Cowboy, or who are worried that he might be heartbroken, don't worry. This last comment will tell you how quickly he moved on.
Little Cowboy: Tiff, I have a secret to tell you, but you can't tell anyone else.
Me: Okay, buddy.
Little Cowboy: I have a crush on Haley.
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| The new crush. |
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| Me, Little Cowboy, and his new crush |
Friday, July 5, 2013
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
ABCs of Me
My blog friend Prairie Princess tagged me in this little survey, and I am a little out of blog ideas right now, so here goes nothing!
A. Attached or Single? Attached. You've all met the Boy from Texas by this point.
B. Best Friend? I have a group of about 8 people who I'd put into this category. I'm a lucky, lucky girl!
C. Cake or Pie? Cake. Pretty sure it's genetic from my Aunt Evil Kineval who shows up with cake at every single family event. Every.single.one.
D. Day of Choice? Toss up between Saturday and Sunday. Just relaxing and hanging out outside and enjoying some down time.
E. Essential Item? Cell phone. I'm a talker.
F. Favorite Color? Orange. Thank you, OSU for getting in my blood!
G. Gummy bears or worms? Is there a difference? I like my gummy vitamins, so I choose those. :)
H. Hometown? Logan, New Mexico. Never heard of it? No one else has either.
I. Favorite Indulgence? Chocolate chip cookies or ice cream.
J. January or July? Usually I'd say July, but now that I live in the sauna that is south Texas, I'm less sure of that choice.
K. Kids? No. But I have kept a plant alive for three months. Progress, folks!
L. Life isn't complete without? My family and my friends.
M. Marriage Date? Hold up, let me pull out my crystal ball...
N. Number of Brothers and Sisters? 1 little brother.
O. Oranges or Apples? Apples. Oranges give me heart burn.
P. Phobias? Feet. Snakes. Hair in the shower drain. (What? It grosses me out.)
Q. Quotes? Oh geez, I have so many. I'll pick two though. "Don't question the story God is writing for you and don't discount the one He is writing for your neighbor." "When God blesses, I cannot complain that the details are not how I would have chosen."
R. Reasons to Smile? Funny stories. And this kid.
S. Season of Choice? Fall. For sure. Cooler weather, changing leaves, hoodies, and COLLEGE FOOTBALL!
T. Tag 5 people: Bri, Britt, Kelly, Katy, and Amy.
U. Unknown Fact about Me: I faint when medical procedures are done to me. Drawing blood. Taking my blood pressure. Eye doctor. Cutting off a cast. Pass out cold.
V. Vegetable? Cauliflower, squash, broccoli, peas. Love them all.
W. Worst Habit? Worrying, biting the inside of my lip, procrastinating.
X. X-Ray or Ultrasound? What a dumb question....I pick neither. See "U"
Y. Your favorite food? Mexican.
Z. Zodiac Sign? Scorpio
The ABCs of Me
A. Attached or Single? Attached. You've all met the Boy from Texas by this point.
B. Best Friend? I have a group of about 8 people who I'd put into this category. I'm a lucky, lucky girl!
C. Cake or Pie? Cake. Pretty sure it's genetic from my Aunt Evil Kineval who shows up with cake at every single family event. Every.single.one.
D. Day of Choice? Toss up between Saturday and Sunday. Just relaxing and hanging out outside and enjoying some down time.
E. Essential Item? Cell phone. I'm a talker.
F. Favorite Color? Orange. Thank you, OSU for getting in my blood!
G. Gummy bears or worms? Is there a difference? I like my gummy vitamins, so I choose those. :)
H. Hometown? Logan, New Mexico. Never heard of it? No one else has either.
I. Favorite Indulgence? Chocolate chip cookies or ice cream.
J. January or July? Usually I'd say July, but now that I live in the sauna that is south Texas, I'm less sure of that choice.
K. Kids? No. But I have kept a plant alive for three months. Progress, folks!
L. Life isn't complete without? My family and my friends.
M. Marriage Date? Hold up, let me pull out my crystal ball...
N. Number of Brothers and Sisters? 1 little brother.
O. Oranges or Apples? Apples. Oranges give me heart burn.
P. Phobias? Feet. Snakes. Hair in the shower drain. (What? It grosses me out.)
Q. Quotes? Oh geez, I have so many. I'll pick two though. "Don't question the story God is writing for you and don't discount the one He is writing for your neighbor." "When God blesses, I cannot complain that the details are not how I would have chosen."
R. Reasons to Smile? Funny stories. And this kid.
S. Season of Choice? Fall. For sure. Cooler weather, changing leaves, hoodies, and COLLEGE FOOTBALL!
T. Tag 5 people: Bri, Britt, Kelly, Katy, and Amy.
U. Unknown Fact about Me: I faint when medical procedures are done to me. Drawing blood. Taking my blood pressure. Eye doctor. Cutting off a cast. Pass out cold.
V. Vegetable? Cauliflower, squash, broccoli, peas. Love them all.
W. Worst Habit? Worrying, biting the inside of my lip, procrastinating.
X. X-Ray or Ultrasound? What a dumb question....I pick neither. See "U"
Y. Your favorite food? Mexican.
Z. Zodiac Sign? Scorpio
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
That Time My Plane Almost Crashed
"What's right and good doesn't come naturally. You have to stand up and fight for it -- as if the cause depends on you, because it does." ~Bill Moyers
I have some bad luck with airplanes. I'm delayed seriously all.the.time. There was the attempted hijacking in Costa Rica. And the emergency landing in Kansas. But the little adventure that I dealt with last Thursday takes the cake.
So there I was, on a flight from Dallas to Amarillo for Cousin Whitney's wedding. It was a 45 minute flight and The Boy from Texas and Sister Lisa were going to pick me up at the airport. About 30 minutes into the flight, they turn on the seatbelt sign and say that there was a little storm. So there was a bit of standard turbulence, no big deal.
Well when it was about time to land, all hell (sorry, Bible Belt Moms) broke loose. It seriously was like that movie Flight when the plane is crashing and the pilot has no control over it. It was jerking every which way, dropping in a free fall then pulling up. At one point it was completely sideways--like wing pointed at the ground--and they had to jerk it back around. It seriously felt like the pilots had zero control and that something was wrong with the plane. People were screaming. Overhead bins were coming open. The toilet somehow broke during all of this, so it smelled like sewer. It was horrible. So then we ended up going back up in the air and making a circle to try again.
So, I pretty much resigned myself to the fact that the plane was going to crash. Like, seriously, decided I was going to die in a plane crash. I put on a calming song on my iPod (Heavenly Day). I prayed a lot. I also found the safety information card to be sure I knew how the overhead exit worked in case I somehow survived and needed out. (Listen, I'm practical even in a panic.) But I was really upset when got to thinking how my untimely plane crash death was really going to ruin Cousin Whitney's wedding. That's the mark of a good maid of honor, kids.
Anyway, back to the story. Mind you, we know nothing at this point, we had no idea it was weather and not something wrong with the plane, we had no idea that the pilot tried to land the plane three times and could not get it stable enough to come down, we had no idea that we were running out fuel and he had to decide whether to try a 4th time to land or divert to Lubbock, but that we didn't have enough to do both things. Finally, the pilot comes on in a voice that sounded pretty shook up, and says he apologizes, that we never should have had to experience that, he is sorry, and that we will be diverting to Lubbock and landing in 10 minutes. By the time he put the plane on the ground, I was crying and my hands were shaking so bad that I couldn't hold my phone to text. Yea.....it was that bad.
Anyway, we're in Lubbock and the airport is already closed, lights off, like 3 people still there kind of closed. So they hold us on the plane, and the pilot announces that we will "try" to go back to Amarillo and land and we will "hope" that it's not as a bad as the last experience. Um.....HELL NO (sorry again, Bible Belt Moms). I was getting of that plane. So I went to the front and told them I wanted off in Lubbock. I was told that was not an option.
And then, I went to the lawyer voice. I threw out words like "false imprisonment" and "wrongful death" and threatened to sue American Airlines. Not 3 minutes later, I was told they would allow me to get off the plane and were getting me (and anyone else who wanted off) a police escort. So me and one other guy with half a brain got off the plane at 11:30 pm.
My dear friend JB got a text from me at that time asking her to come to the airport. Being one of those small town Eastern NM kids who is always game to help out a friend, she came, picked me up, and headed towards Amarillo. Her friend, Bracket, came along with us and told me several hilarious stories about him flying on airplanes, which helped to ease the tension a great deal. I like that Bracket kid.
The Boy From Texas and Sister Lisa, by the way, had headed towards Lubbock the second he found out that was where we landed. I asked him what he would have done if they wouldn't let me off the plane. He said that he had zero doubt that I would talk my way off that airplane. Kinda made me like him even more, that rationale.
So anyway, I end up back in Amarillo at 1:30 in the morning thanks to my rescue squad. What about the rest of the nimrods who stayed on the plane? They sat on the runway in Lubbock, on that death trap of a plane that smelled like sewer for THREE HOURS and did not get back to Amarillo until 3 am.
I now have a whole new respect for people who are scared to fly. I've never been afraid, but I have to tell you that I was a bit of mess crawling on a plane to come home on Sunday evening. Fortunately, I had a perfectly normal flight and am hoping that having been back on the horse (as we country folk say) will end this crazy fear of crashing.
Oh, and for the record, my three years of law school were worth it just to have the ability to talk my way off of that plane alone. I'm about 96% sure that there was not a false imprisonment claim against American Airlines, but you best believe I was glad to have that term to throw around come Thursday at 11:25 pm! Thank you, UNM School of Law!
I have some bad luck with airplanes. I'm delayed seriously all.the.time. There was the attempted hijacking in Costa Rica. And the emergency landing in Kansas. But the little adventure that I dealt with last Thursday takes the cake.
So there I was, on a flight from Dallas to Amarillo for Cousin Whitney's wedding. It was a 45 minute flight and The Boy from Texas and Sister Lisa were going to pick me up at the airport. About 30 minutes into the flight, they turn on the seatbelt sign and say that there was a little storm. So there was a bit of standard turbulence, no big deal.
Well when it was about time to land, all hell (sorry, Bible Belt Moms) broke loose. It seriously was like that movie Flight when the plane is crashing and the pilot has no control over it. It was jerking every which way, dropping in a free fall then pulling up. At one point it was completely sideways--like wing pointed at the ground--and they had to jerk it back around. It seriously felt like the pilots had zero control and that something was wrong with the plane. People were screaming. Overhead bins were coming open. The toilet somehow broke during all of this, so it smelled like sewer. It was horrible. So then we ended up going back up in the air and making a circle to try again.
So, I pretty much resigned myself to the fact that the plane was going to crash. Like, seriously, decided I was going to die in a plane crash. I put on a calming song on my iPod (Heavenly Day). I prayed a lot. I also found the safety information card to be sure I knew how the overhead exit worked in case I somehow survived and needed out. (Listen, I'm practical even in a panic.) But I was really upset when got to thinking how my untimely plane crash death was really going to ruin Cousin Whitney's wedding. That's the mark of a good maid of honor, kids.
Anyway, back to the story. Mind you, we know nothing at this point, we had no idea it was weather and not something wrong with the plane, we had no idea that the pilot tried to land the plane three times and could not get it stable enough to come down, we had no idea that we were running out fuel and he had to decide whether to try a 4th time to land or divert to Lubbock, but that we didn't have enough to do both things. Finally, the pilot comes on in a voice that sounded pretty shook up, and says he apologizes, that we never should have had to experience that, he is sorry, and that we will be diverting to Lubbock and landing in 10 minutes. By the time he put the plane on the ground, I was crying and my hands were shaking so bad that I couldn't hold my phone to text. Yea.....it was that bad.
Anyway, we're in Lubbock and the airport is already closed, lights off, like 3 people still there kind of closed. So they hold us on the plane, and the pilot announces that we will "try" to go back to Amarillo and land and we will "hope" that it's not as a bad as the last experience. Um.....HELL NO (sorry again, Bible Belt Moms). I was getting of that plane. So I went to the front and told them I wanted off in Lubbock. I was told that was not an option.
And then, I went to the lawyer voice. I threw out words like "false imprisonment" and "wrongful death" and threatened to sue American Airlines. Not 3 minutes later, I was told they would allow me to get off the plane and were getting me (and anyone else who wanted off) a police escort. So me and one other guy with half a brain got off the plane at 11:30 pm.
My dear friend JB got a text from me at that time asking her to come to the airport. Being one of those small town Eastern NM kids who is always game to help out a friend, she came, picked me up, and headed towards Amarillo. Her friend, Bracket, came along with us and told me several hilarious stories about him flying on airplanes, which helped to ease the tension a great deal. I like that Bracket kid.
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| Me and JB at the Color Run---it was the only picture I could find. |
The Boy From Texas and Sister Lisa, by the way, had headed towards Lubbock the second he found out that was where we landed. I asked him what he would have done if they wouldn't let me off the plane. He said that he had zero doubt that I would talk my way off that airplane. Kinda made me like him even more, that rationale.
So anyway, I end up back in Amarillo at 1:30 in the morning thanks to my rescue squad. What about the rest of the nimrods who stayed on the plane? They sat on the runway in Lubbock, on that death trap of a plane that smelled like sewer for THREE HOURS and did not get back to Amarillo until 3 am.
I now have a whole new respect for people who are scared to fly. I've never been afraid, but I have to tell you that I was a bit of mess crawling on a plane to come home on Sunday evening. Fortunately, I had a perfectly normal flight and am hoping that having been back on the horse (as we country folk say) will end this crazy fear of crashing.
Oh, and for the record, my three years of law school were worth it just to have the ability to talk my way off of that plane alone. I'm about 96% sure that there was not a false imprisonment claim against American Airlines, but you best believe I was glad to have that term to throw around come Thursday at 11:25 pm! Thank you, UNM School of Law!
Monday, July 1, 2013
Meet the Cast Monday #47: The Boy from Texas (Part 2)
Well, by some miracle, we didn't run him off last week, so we're back with Part 2. This guy is either awesome or completely crazy. Turns out there is a fine line, apparently. Here's his answers to your questions.
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| At Cousin Whitney's wedding this weekend. |
(From War Eagle) What's your advice on long distance dating? How do you make it bearable? Big cell phone bills. Facebook. Emails. Plane tickets.
(From War Eagle) Do all your exes really live in Texas? :) Uh, no. I'm not George Strait. {We're all sad about this fact...} And I don't hang my hat in Tennessee.
(From War Eagle) When you are driving to College Station after a couple weeks away, what is the thing about Tiffany that makes you most excited to see her again? I'm mostly excited to see her smiling face and give her a kiss.
(From Chicken Plucker) Can you cook? I am afraid that my friend, while making a valiant effort, might need some supervision/guidance in this department until she gets it all figured out. {I could pretend to be offended, but we all know it's true.} Yes, I can cook. {Here is some photo proof. Please note that no firemen were called during the making of these meals.}
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(From Grady Girl) Do you two-step the correct way (the New Mexico way) or do you two-step with a strange half-step or pause like other Texans I know? If you do dance like a Texan...are you willing to convert to the proper steps? I can dance both ways. Or any other way she comes up with. {He may be able to dance both ways, but he shall only dance the correct way with me. Let's be real here.}
(From Loud Oklahoma Girl and War Eagle) Who is your favorite college football team? Oklahoma State. {Obviously he's smart enough not to screw that up.} Or whoever is beating Texas.
(From Fellow OSU Alum) In referencing the movie "Runaway Bride," how do you like your eggs? Scrambled with cheese and bacon. And biscuits and jelly. That's how my Nana makes them. {Two thoughts: 1. Great question!! I think that the whole egg theory from that movie highlights a serious issue for a lot of women in relationships. 2. How adorable is it that he love his Nana?}
(From my mom) If you had one week of no responsibilities, what would you want to do? Go on an overseas trip with Tiffany. {Can we go, like tomorrow?}
(From Gut Girl and Illinois Transplant) Name a place on your travel list; preferably one that you envision you would go with Tiffany on. I want to go to Ireland to hang out at an Irish pub in a little bitty town where there are green fields, friendly people, oceans and mountains. {Again, can we go, like tomorrow?}
(From Mrs. B) If you look at your debit card statement, what would be the most frequent entry? Food. {This bodes well for a chubby girl like me who likes to eat!}
(From ND Friend) Are you (or would you be in the future) be open to trying fancy pancakes and yankee hashbrowns with Tiffany? (You need to read this blog to fully understand this question...it's a classic.) Heck yea I'll try the pancakes. I'll try just about anything once. That guy was a [non-Bible Belt Mom appropriate word]. {Best. Question. Ever. Go read that prior blog if you missed it. It was one of my finest blog moments if I do say so myself!}
(From Uncle Black Belt...obviously) Do you own a van? No sir. A water bed? No sir.
(Uncle Black Belt again) Do you have an earring? No sir. A tattoo? No sir.
(Coach A) Are you ready to share Tiff with my daughter (who is her Goddaughter): Yes, of course. {Good thing, because I wouldn't take no for an answer. Look how darn cute my little GBaby is!}
(From Sister Lisa) What would you do if a friend of Tiff's decided to call you at crazy hours of the night and leave you long messages on your voicemail? I would listen to the voicemail and call her back. At 6:00 in the morning. {It's possible that this was not a hypothetical question. It may have happened. Except instead of calling the guilty party -- cough cough, Sister Lisa, cough cough -- he called and woke me up bright and early! Punk.}
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