Early-Onset Cat Lady

On Friday night, my family finally got together to watch How to Train Your Dragon. We saw it in the theater and adored it, so we were super giddy when dad brought it home from the store. But with our busy schedules, that night was the first opportunity for all of us to be together and enjoy the movie. As we watched the awesomely animated flick, we kept pointing out just how much the dragon Toothless was like our cat Zaboo. There were so many similarities, like the way he walked, his facial expressions, and his attitude, that it seemed as though someone had been watching Zaboo and modeled the dragon after her. But then I got to thinking, is it weird that I'm noticing cat-like behavior in other things? Maybe this is early-onset cat lady?!?!

Because I've been so clueless lately about what I want to do with my life, maybe this is a sign! Looking back on my childhood, I might have actually considered becoming a crazy cat lady without even realizing it. When I was little, mom would let me draw pictures during the sermon in church with the single condition that my pictures had to be about Jesus. I would often draw cats with the excuse that Jesus made them. And then in one very rare moment of bad behavior, I threw a fit in a Walmart so that I could get a Catwoman action figure. Unlike the villain she really was, I always played with her as the hero and saving people's lives. I thought she was cool. Still do, as a matter of fact.

And now, I'm obsessed with icanhascheezburger.com. All the captioned kitties make me laugh so hard as I think "Oh my gosh, that's exactly what our cats would say!!!" I have to go to the site everyday to get my daily dose of feline gigglez. One night, my sisters and I went through about 30 pages of the 1000+ page site and nearly died of laughter. We spent several minutes doubled over, sometimes on the floor, gasping for oxygen, and desperately fighting the unexpected call of nature as the tears rolling down our cramped cheeks taunted us. I don't think my sides have ever hurt near that much as they did that night.

Another thing I've discovered online are Simon's Cat videos. It's such simple animation, not near as awesome-looking as How to Train Your Dragon, but so adorable and just as revealing of a cat's life that I cannot help but enjoy it. And I think my early-onset cat lady-ness has made me quite attracted to the character I assume to be Simon. Too weird? Probably so. Here's my favorite video:





I vowed a long time ago that one day, I will have an orange kitty named Pumpkin. It's just a fact. If I ever happen to get married, my fella will have to love Pumpkin whether he likes it or not. And then maybe later, I'll have another one named Pi. I'm so mathematically punny.

So I loved Catwoman, I'm addicted to icanhascheezburger.com, I'm entertained by Simon's Cat, and I will have a Pumpkin kitty. I think the evidence is quite strong in support of my future cat lady-ness. Time to hit the thrift stores to buy some frumpy clothes and start stocking up on Fancy Feast. You can all start sending me your leftover milk rings and buying me lint rollers for Christmas.

Shoeboxes!

I love shopping. I've talked before about just how much I enjoy shopping. But even more than shopping for myself, I enjoy shopping for cutesy things to put in a shoebox which will be sent to an unknown kid in an unknown nation for a Christmas present. Operation Christmas Child, a program run by Samaritan's Purse, takes thousands upon thousands of stuffed shoeboxes to children in poverty-stricken countries. And I LOVE being part of it!

This year, I am the Operation Christmas Child coordinator for my church. Essentially, it's my job to make announcements, answer questions, and get all the church's shoeboxes to the local collection site. How they're all going to fit in my adorable, but small car, I've no idea yet. I normally make one box for a girl, but since I wanted to have examples in the sanctuary, I put together one for a girl and a boy. And I had a blast shopping for the stuff.

After picking up the basic hygiene items, I had more fun than I can remember while dragging that cart through the toy department of the Havelock Walmart. I strolled through the aisles and referred to my list as I ooh'd and aah'd at all the adorable stuffage. And a few times, I may have been guilty of a loud "OHMAHGOSH THAT'S SO CUTE!!!" Fortunately, the store wasn't busy at all at the time, so I got no weird looks around the corner. So after an hour of non-stop cute shopping, I checked out with $60 worth of adorableness. Here's what my girl box looks like:

Now I want to talk about a few of the things I absolutely loved!!

1. The girl's teddy bear. I almost didn't see this lonely critter hiding on the top shelf in the decidedly pink section of the department. But I knew as soon as I touched it that it would end up in my box. It was so ridiculously soft, I had to fight the urge not to massage it like a cat on a comfy blanket. Thinking back on it, I don't even think I looked at the price tag. I just threw it into the cart and went skipping down the aisle.

2. The boy's t-shirt. I did not intend to buy this at all. I was going from one department to another when I passed the little boy's clothes. And then it grabbed my attention - a Buzz Lightyear glow-in-the-dark t-shirt! Excited, I found the size I thought would best fit a boy age 5-9, and it was on clearance for $3! The lucky boy that gets the shirt is gonna be so thrilled when he wears his shirt to bed the night after opening his box and sees the glowing silhouettes of Buzz's ninja-like moves.

3. Coloring books!!! What kid doesn't like to color, right? Heck, I'm almost 22 and I still like to color on occasion! I got a Lisa Frank book full of cats and butterflies for the girl, and then a Disney heroes book complete with Robin Hood and Hercules for the boy. I also got 24-packs of Crayola crayons and some colored pencils in addition to sharpeners for both boxes.

4. The girl's hair accessories. It doesn't matter what country you live in, little girls love playing with hair. I don't know what kind of hair my little girl will have, but she'll have a pretty pink brush along with sparkly butterfly clips and soft hair ties accessorize with! I can just imagine her getting together with all her little girlfriends and getting all prettied up!

5. The boy's toy cars. I know nothing about cars, but I picked up two little Matchbox ones. One is yellow and looks like an old Camaro, and the other is a sleek blue Porche-looking thing. Again, I know nothing about cars, so I may be totally off. But anyways, they look awesome and I'm sure he'll have them speeding down the walkway within an hour of receiving his box. Although I hope his neighbor didn't get a police car in his box, or he could have some unwanted citations...

I got so many other cutesy things like a tiny plush elephant and a sketchbook for the girl, and a ball for the boy. I'm so super excited for the kids who get my boxes! While I may not know the recipients of my boxes, I will be using a new feature that allows to find out where my boxes end up, and I'm so looking forward to that!

Much more important than the tradition of Christmas gift-giving is the meaning behind Christmas itself. God sent Jesus to earth so that He could take our punishment, giving us a way to have a real relationship with the God who made us and loves us dearly. And that's why Samaritan's Purse and I do this. The gifts are awesome and put big smiles on these kid's faces, but while volunteers are handing out the boxes, they're telling these children about God. These shoeboxes can make kid's day, week, or month, but what they could hear from God through this program could change their lives. And I hope and pray that it does!

My Legal Drug

For the last few nights, I have been fiercely craving chocolate. Last night I ate a few of Sam's Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, but still was far from satisfied. I was so obsessed with getting chocolate last night that for a moment I considered leaving the house in the middle of the brand new episode of NCIS to go to the convenient store and buy a few bars. And that was crazy because I HAVE to get my weekly dose of McGee and Abby. But Mom had some M&M's hidden in her purse, so I was ok. I love my Mommy.

But I have to wonder, is this addiction good or bad? Well obviously, it's not good for you physically. That pack of M&M's contained like 240 calories, which will show up on my hips in the next few days, I'm sure. Although, I can counter that with my morning walks. (But my thighs, hips, and backside are sore from walking for the first time in three weeks, so Imma have to delay that a couple days.) And then there's the side effects that show up on my face. Too much chocolate can make little unwanted blemishes appear, but my makeup can cover up some of that.

On the other hand, chocolate does something awesome in the nerves. It releases endorphins, which are sort of like the brain's natural happy drug. I even wrote a paper about this in psychology. And got an A. Here's part of it...

I absolutely love chocolate. This sweet substance always calms me down in stressful times, and makes me feel happy when I’m far from alright. But why does chocolate do this to me? It has this affect in people because it activates the release of endorphins.

Endorphins, also called endogenous opioids, are neurotransmitters that act in a way similar to morphine, a strong pain reliever. Although they play a role in processes of motor coordination, learning and memory, gastrointestinal function, the control of seizures, and the hormonal regulation of the reproductive system, endorphins are most often recognized for their central role in modulation of pain. The affects of endorphins are obvious when the body is under stress, and then they reduce the effects of pain. As inhibitory neurotransmitters, endorphins are released from nerve cells to influence cells that have opioid receptors, thus dulling the activity of those cells.

So chocolate is my morphine, my legal drug. While my body may not like it, my mind most certainly does. It's not just a myth that chocolate makes a girl happy, it's a scientific fact. I also believe that chocolate is the reason that mankind has survived for so long, because without it, many women would have been overcome with anger and murdered their hubbies. And now that I've blogged about chocolate, I need to go to the convenient store and buy some Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. And maybe a bar of Dove chocolate. Or a Twix...

And Then There Were None

Several months ago, I listed a few books that I wanted to read in the post Summer Reading. While I did not complete my entire list by the end of summer, I did however check one more off that list earlier this week.

While mom was out of town visiting her aunt, my sister and I were covering her shifts as secretary of a nearby church. God bless my mama, she worked hard before and after her trip to make sure that she completed most of her work and that her girls didn't have to do too much. But that left me with a dilemma. I was going to sit in a church office all morning with absolutely nothing to do.

I had wanted to read "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie for a while but just hadn't got around to it yet. And this was the perfect opportunity. So after completing the couple of tasks for Tuesday morning, I settled into the less than completely cushy office chair and began to read. The first two chapters were a little show and boring as I was being introduced to each one of the characters, but then it quickly picked up speed and captivated me. The story was thrilling and intriguing, but not until the end would I realize just how brilliant it was.

The story of the book begins as follows: Ten guests are invited for a variety of reasons to a remote island surrounded by rumor. When they arrive, they are informed that the host would be arriving the next day and instructed to enjoy their first night in his absence. After dinner, they settle into the living room and suddenly a voice is heard calling each of them by name and accusing them of murder. In the next three days, the host is still not there and one by one the guests are killed, leaving the remaining guests and the reader to figure out who is behind the deaths.

I did not think I would like a mystery novel, but this one had me obsessed with finding out who done it. First I thought it was William Blore, who initially lied about his identity and then was discovered to be an ex-investigator. Who else would have known all these details about the guests? And then I thought maybe it was Dr. Armstrong who knew everything possible about different poisons and strong sedatives. And then my suspicions shifted to Philip Lombard, the mysterious survival genius who carried a gun and smiled way too much. All the baddies smile too much, right?

Without revealing the end, I will say that I absolutely did not see that coming. The second to last chapter had me entirely clueless as I had run out of guesses. But the final chapter had my jaw dropped so long I'm surprised I didn't find a fly in there. I admired the total geniosity of the villain, and even moreso the author behind the geniosity who was able to put the entire story together in a way that so fascinates her readers. I was literally on the edge of my seat in anticipation almost the entire time, which consisted of less that two days.

This seriously was an amazing book, and I suggest that all of you read it. Read it, I tell you. Now please excuse me while I raid my sister's Agatha Christie book collection.

Thank You, Ladies

Ok so I don't want to talk about politics. I hear enough political discussions on my radio station from Rush Limbaugh and others, and I like to keep my blog generally fun and lighthearted, so this is a politics-free zone. But this was too much fun, I just had to tell you all about it.

I got a letter in the mail today from the Carteret County Democratic Women. I considered burning it, but that would have been rude and mommy would be disappointed. So I curiously opened it to read about the local candidates they were promoting. When promoting a candidate for senate, they took a few lines to talk about all the "horrible" things that the current Republican senator had voted for, one of which was giving tax breaks to the wealthy. I said to myself "But I LIKE all these things this guy voted for! I'm totally voting for this dude in November."

This afternoon, I wrote a thank you letter to the Carteret County Democratic Women. They helped me choose the best candidate for me, so I should at the very least thank them for it, right? It will go out tomorrow morning. Here's what I wrote:

Dear Carteret County Democratic Women,

I would like to thank you for your very informative letter. Because of your efforts, I am even more convinced that voting for Richard Burr is the right choice. Do you realize that when the wealthy have tax cuts, they use the money they save and hire people, therefore stimulating the local economy and providing jobs to those who need them? Again, thank you for your letter and God bless!

Sincerely, Amanda

I nearly put my full name and return address on the card and envelope, but I don't want to be bombarded with all their other propaganda just out of spite. For a moment I thought about putting some baby powder in the card just to have a little extra fun and scare them. But that might have backfired, possibly giving them a chance to show up on the news due to an Anthrax scare and promote their cause. They ain't getting no free publicity because of me, no sir!

Speaking of which, I don't get the point of these ads and letters talking about your opponents issues. All it does is provide free advertising for your enemy! Why don't you just talk about what your issues are instead of what your opponent stands for? Oh well. I may never understand political campaigning. I'll be so happy when elections are over... and the Carteret County Democratic Women are mourning all their political losses.

Now, please no political comments in my comment boxes. You can talk about my awesome
political activism, but remember, this is a politics-free zone. Thank you.

Why I Like Football

Ever since actually learning the rules to football in 9th grade P.E., I have been quite fascinated with the game. I don't get to watch it often because the girly shopping urge always hits me during the weekend and I don't ever realize there's a game on tv. But I did happen to watch the Arkansas/Alabama rivalry match a couple weekends ago, and it reminded me of why I love football so much:

1. I live vicariously through the players. I've been brought up to be a polite and proper young lady, so rough housing isn't really an option for me. But football is the absolute opposite of polite and proper girliness. In watching my team tackle the enemy to the ground, I feel like I'm letting out some built up aggression. Is it wrong that I feel good when the other team gets an injury?

2. It gives me a reason to be loud. When I'm watching a player run down the field toward the end zone, I steadily move up from my cushy seat on the couch while yelling at the tv. Then I throw my hands up in the air, scream at the top of my lungs, and do a happy dance when they score a few points. Mom always has to cover her ears and then she'll say something about how we're being too loud, but I can never understand what she says because my ears are still ringing from my own loudness.

3. I feel like I know something when I'm heckling the refs for bad calls or the players for doing something stupid. While I am by no means a football expert, I can say whatever the heck I want at the tv and feel justified because no one else in the house is paying enough attention to challenge my limited football knowledge. Of course, I've no idea why I talk at the tv so much, because nobody on the other side of the screen can hear me.

4. It's a reason to eat tons of salty, buttery popcorn. You see, popcorn is best in only two situations: Watching a movie and watching a ball game. So when I have the chance, I'm eating some popcorn, dangit. I know that I would probably regret it later, but I eat it anyways.

5. It absolutely wears me out, perfectly preparing me for a good post-game nap. Without even stepping onto a field, I exhaust myself with all the jumping, happy dancing, and screaming. And then there's the emotional exhaustion either by pure happiness or utter disappointment depending on the outcome of the game. What weekend wouldn't be complete without the ritualistic nap anyways, right?

While I enjoy watching football games, it is definitely not an obsession of mine. I'm not one to spout off stats of popular players or tell you which quarterback is better than another. I just enjoy the excitement of the games along with the excuses to be unapologetically noisy, potentially gluttonous, and encouraging of bodily harm. Sooooo not polite and proper.

To Die Is Gain

After getting out of the shower Monday morning, I noticed there was a missed call on my cell phone. As usual, it was mom. I swear she always calls when I'm not available. So I called her back, expecting it to be a cute question on how to make something on her computer work. But she answered with the voice of one with a very heavy heart as she gave me some unexpected news.

An acquaintance from my high school days had been murdered over the weekend. I barely knew Jonathan, but the news still hit me hard. Everyone I know thought very highly of the young man who was participating in Youth and Family studies at a nearby Christian college.

I pulled a yearbook out of my closet and found his senior page decorated in pictures of him with his family and friends. Amidst the photos of good times was a verse, Psalm 56:11 "In God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Man did the very worst possible thing to him by taking his life. But what did that really do? That brought him immediately into the presence of the God he loved and lived his life for.

I'm reminded of Philippians 1:21, "To live is Christ, and to die is gain." As much as I can remember and what I have heard of him tells me that Jonathan's life reflected Christ. He passionately followed God's leading in his life and wanted to help people as He instructed. But his death was not the loss of his life. Jonathan gained an eternal fellowship with God that I can't even begin to imagine. I mourn for his family, but I'm also rejoicing in the fact that he is face to face with his Creator and Savior at this very moment.

While I'm looking forward to being in God's presence as Jonathan is now, I am in no real hurry to get there. God had a plan for Jonathan's life, He fulfilled it, and He took Jonathan home. Apparently God still has a plan for my life, and when I complete it, then I will gain that face to face fellowship with the God that I love too.

Please pray for Jonathan's mom, dad, and little brother. I know they're relying on God during this time, but it's still going to be difficult for them. Thanks.