The Fifth Element.

It's been a while since I've posted 5 things I'm thankful for... Today, here's what I've got:

1. New beginnings, and the opportunity and freedom to initiate those when it's time. (Like August of 2007, and October of 2008.)

2. Friends who freely give and accept love. It's great to know you have peeps who are there for you, and equally wonderful to know you can help them when your turn comes around. It really is more blessed to give than to receive!

3. My love for reading. Some probably view this as an issue of mine (not that I care at this point), but I LOOOOOOVE to read. So much. I mean, I'll probably be blind by 40. But you know what? I enjoy it. It helps make me who I am. And there's a whole world out there in the library. Yep, I'm a geek. And I'm proud of it. Bring on the books. :-)

4. The South. It's great to be where mostly, the weather is warm, but we also get some fall breezes and winter gusts. Lord knows I'm not cut out for real winter or too much snow, though I do love snow skiing, sweater weather, scarves, gloves, boots and hats. :-)

5. A safe downtown. One of my favorite things about Baton Rouge is how safe downtown is. I've heard from many locals that this did not come to the Red Stick easily, but I still appreciate it -- possibly more than most? -- having come from Jackson, Miss., where a girl could feel really sketchy downtown in the day, much less at nighttime. So yay for a fun, accessible, safe and pretty downtown. :-) And may Jackson get there quickly, too!

Lordy, Lordy, look who's 40!

My parents' marriage, that's who!

That's right -- as of October 4, 2009, my parents have been married for 40 years. (WOW.)

I'd love to speak for them and say they were all blissful, but since 32 3/4 of those years have included this feisty redhead, I'll hold off from doing that, and just focus on the enormity of forty years...of anything.

Day in, day out. In sickness and health. For better or for worse.

I don't really know anyone who has everyday memories reflective of a "Leave it to Beaver" or "Brady Bunch" type happy-go-lucky environment, but my sister and I did learn from our parents that sticking it out is the preferred method when it comes to marriage.

Congratulations, Mother and Daddy, on 40 years of ups and downs, good and bad, sickness and health, and showing us what it means to stick together for better and worse.

And, while we're at it, you're very welcome for being the good daughter. O;-)

The Bottom Line.

My parents are currently working on a HUGE project: reflooring their house. (I know -- ouch! But what a great reward once it's over.)

Anyway, when we were all home for my Daddy's birthday in September, they asked our opinions on the type of flooring they'd chosen. They had a sample and were showing us how it looked against the fireplace, etc.

Caleb was busy flying Star Wars ships around as we talked about it, and at one point when he landed near us, I asked his thoughts on the new floor.

As soon as my sweet nephew made an expression pretty close to the one in this picture, just like it was yesterday, I could see my Grandma Johnson's dining room table, and watch her rolling out the dough for chicken and dumplings while singing sweet hymns in her gorgeous alto voice.

And the ceiling in Nan's house in Woolmarket -- all the wood and knots and how fascinating it looked from way down where I was playing on her oval rug.

And my Aunt Mildred's dishwasher-less kitchen -- the stove and sink and how she was always ready with fun conversation and fresh pitchers of lemonade, no matter what time of year or day you visited.

And Uncle Gary and Aunt Renee's dining room, and the countless meals and birthday parties and cakes (by Renee!) that we celebrated so many fun years over.

And the light fixtures that hung from the wood ceiling (much like my Nan's) at Woolmarket Baptist Church, and how I always daydreamed about swinging from them off the balcony all the way into the choir loft.

It's a strong possibility that a few of those decorative items I'm recalling weren't top of the line, or the most updated recommendations from interior designers, yet they were and still are vital to my memories. They helped compose the lyrics of my childhood.

So, in that rush of memories, I wasn't too shocked when Caleb asked with a puzzled look, "Why would Grammi and Grandpa get a new floor?"

Pulling him into a hug, my mom said, "Well, this carpet is just too old to keep, but you can always remember Grammi and Grandpa's old floor."

And really, she's right.

No matter what floor we're standing on, our memories are a key part of our foundation.

And that (as infamous former Jackson, MS, mayor Frank Melton used to say), is the bottom line.

Y'all two sisters.

My 5-year-old nephew has taken to calling his mom and me "y'all two sisters."

I think he's grasping the concept of siblings, and of course the number thing, and I just love that he's tying "y'all" in with it.

Some of the ways Mr. Man will use this and similar phrases are:

• Are y'all two sisters about done talkin'? Dad and I are ready to go.



• Yep, that's what I thought y'all two sisters might say.
  (especially after we say something in unison, which we sort of do a good bit)



• Leave it to y'all two sisters to come up with that.



• Your OTHER sister said the same thing!



• Etc.

It's really too cute, and I've definitely added it to my list of things I wish he'll never self-correct, like "Behbeh" (first "Bekah" term, which is long gone), "lello" (kids' infamously adorable "yellow" pronunciation, also quickly self-corrected), and "zee-ert" (Caleb's very own term for dessert, which thank heavens, he still says).

The Banana.

When my cousin was student-teaching in history, he was across the hall from the high school's Spanish teacher. He would tell us about how low the quality of Spanish was that the students were learning because of the Spanish teacher's poor pronunciation, but I'm not sure we ever believed him until he told us this:

One day as class was wrapping up, he could hear from across the hall the Spanish teacher instructing her class about their homework. I believe her words were similar to, "Ok, be sure to have all that finished by the muh-nan-uh."

(As in, rhymed with "banana.")

Ever since, as a joke, I'll refer to manana (tomorrow) as "the muh-nan-uh," or sometimes, when under the influence of my silliest friends, "the banana."

So, goodnight, peeps. See y'all in the banana.

p.s. The pic was a total fluke. I searched Google Images for "manana," and pow! Cracked me up.

Strep = Love/Hate

In the past 3 days, strep throat and I have developed a love/hate relationship.

Here are the things I hate about strep:

1. Not being able to be productive -- at work or at home.

2. Feeling achy all over. Especially fingers and toes and bottoms of feet.

3. Random coughs.

4. Not being able to laugh or talk.

5. Being tired always.

6. Being shut in when I'd rather, as Caleb used to say, "get down and run around."

7. Getting worn out from a bath.

8. Having my face hurt.

9. Missing everything that's going on around me.

Here is what I love about the last few days:

1. Catching up on my new addiction that is "Lost."

2. Eating lots of popsicles.

You do the math.

Top 10 Southern Novels

My cousin Russ recently included on his blog a post about The Oxford American's Top 10 Southern Novels.

I'm reposting here, and strongly agree with RDM's comments about recently deceased Southern novelists Eudora Welty and Willie Morris:

The Oxford American magazine recently asked 134 scholars to vote for the ten best Southern novels of all time. The Nashville Tennessean has an article about it here.

Now, first of all, I haven’t forgiven the Oxford American for moving from Oxford, Mississippi, to Arkansas. Still, it’s a good magazine.

The top ten novels picked by their team of scholars:
1. Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner
2. All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren
3. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
4. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
5. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
6. The Moviegoer by Walker Percy
7. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
8. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
9. Wise Blood by Flannery O’Connor
10. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

I agree with many of the choices, especially the Faulkner, O’Connor, Percy, and Ellison picks. I wouldn’t count Mark Twain as a Southern author, although I would agree that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the best, perhaps the best, American novels of all time. Faulkner is, of course, inimitable and significant. Percy is likewise.

My main complaint is that Eudora Welty is not on this list and neither is Willie Morris. They should be.

FLASHBACK: April Fool's

As promised, I'm flashing back to some significant moments / trips / ideas / experiences as I have time. And when better to do so than when the meds kick in and is doesn't hurt to type?

My first flashback ties in with my most recent blog post, "A New Look."

On April 1 of this year, I decided it was high time to unleash 32 1/2 years of my mischevious nature the world. (Can you believe I'd NEVER done a for-real April Fool's joke till then? Such a waste.)

Anyway, with a little help from the awesome ALong, I decided to post on Fbk that I'd gone blonde.

Those of you who don't know me very well may not realize what a significantly big deal this was for peeps around me. My hair is red -- or as my Grandma Johnson always said, "auburn" -- and it's natural. I've never minded it, because a) I never got picked on about it, and b) always got plenty of positive attention for it. To boot, my hair is naturally curly, so I still get grief every time I straighten it and happen to be around my Nan or my Daddy. (Because heaven forbid a girl have more than one hair option after 22 years of the same old thing.) But anyway...you get the picture.

I thought when posting the statement on my Facebook status (Rebekah is blonde, and has decided that they DO have more fun!), I'd just get some fun feedback from my friends.

Well, that's pretty much an understatement of the results. The whole scenario was hilarious. A lot of peeps didn't believe me, so I (confidentially) begged every graphic artist type I knew to puh-leeze photoshop Reese Witherspoon's hair on one of my pics. Thankfully, Shannon's friend was about to do it quickly, so up it went.

Well, from there, the comments exploded. They included:

The skeptical:

• "This is fake! I see mountains in the background."


• "Is that a wig? That sort of looks like a wig..."

The incredulous:

• "You really DID it?! Wow!"


• "That red hair was so unique...but this looks good, too."

And the complimentary:

• "Whoa! You've never looked so good in your LIFE!"


• "Amazing! You should've gone blonde YEARS ago!"

Etc.

Finally, it was the complimentary that did me in. After a couple of days of gushing raves about how I looked better than ever, I became depressed at the same old dog staring back at me every time I passed a mirror. So I admitted it was a joke, and that was that. (Or so I thought.)

Somewhere around the-jig-is-up time, I was on the phone with my mom, who had found a great deal on some expensive towels I like and was seeing if I wanted any. My sister called in while we were talking, so I told my mother I'd call her back. My conversation with my (usually ridiculously sweet and mild) sister went something like this:

• RJ:
  Hey Kim!
  


• KJW:
  WHAT?! I cannot BELIEVE this. After all the pushback I got for a few highlights to cover my GRAYING hair, you go and DYE YOURS BLONDE????? TELL ME this is a joke.
  


• RJ:
  (laughing) Oh, you saw Facebook?
  


• KJW:
  YES, I saw FACEBOOK. This is unbelievable!!!!
  


• (in the background) Kim's husband Steve: Is it real? Well, IS IT?
  


• RJ:
  Kim. Of course it's not real. Can't you tell that's a Photoshopped pic? Why would I do that and not tell you?!
  


• KJW:
  Oh! Ok.
  (yells: Steve, it's not real!)
  


• RJ:
  If you saw it, do you think Mother did? Maybe I should call her back now...

So call my (typically sweet and gentle) Mother back I did. And that, my friends, is when the REAL fun began. THAT conversation followed THIS general line:

• RJ:
  (laughing) Hey Mother! That was Kim -- she'd just seen Facebook. She thought my April Fool's joke was REAL!!!! Hahahahahaha!
  


• Mother:
  WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT WASN'T REAL? THAT WAS FOR APRIL FOOL'S? I WORRIED, I STEWED, I HEMMED AND HAWED AT THE OFFICE. I MADE MY COWORKER PULL IT UP TO 1,000% TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T A WIG! AND IT'S NOT REAL????
  


• RJ:
  Um...are you still in the department store?
  


• Mother:
  YES, I'M STILL IN THE DEPARTMENT STORE! Buying towels for YOU! Who almost gave me a HEART ATTACK. I told them at the office: "That is the WORST frost job I have EVER seen in my LIFE!"
  


• RJ:
  Mother, it was a joke.
  


• Mother:
  A joke? A joke. It was a JOKE?! Well, I hope you got a good laugh out of it, little missy. Do you know what people would DO to have your hair color? And you have it NATURALLY!
  


• RJ:
  And it's still its natural color. That was Reese Witherspoon's hair Photoshopped on my face.
  


• Mother:
  Little lady, ANYONE can be a blonde. ANYONE. But not everyone can have your shade of red hair. If you EVER get a frost job like that...
  


• RJ:
  I don't think they call them frost jobs anymore...
  


• Mother:
  It doesn't matter WHAT they call them! It's awful, your hair is perfectly FINE like it is, and ANYONE can be a blonde.
  


• RJ:
  Um, are you still in the store?
  


• Mother:
  Yes.
  


• RJ:
  And there's probably one or two blondes who can hear you?
  


• Mother:
  :: sigh :: Well, maybe. But THEY KNOW. They chose that hair color because they didn't have hair like YOURS. NATURALLY.
  


• RJ:
  Should we talk later, maybe?

And on it went. For about two weeks.

The hits kept on rollin' -- I actually got a CALL from a cousin whom I NEVER hear from personally. I didn't even have the number he called from in my PHONE. I've basically communicated with his wife or his assistant for the past five or so years, unless we were in person, at a family gathering. But he called all by himself...for this?! Oh, but yes.

My Nan gave me about the same drill as my mother, but louder.

(And people, I'd just like to say: blonde hair is beautiful. As is straight hair. My family just has some sort of...obsession?!...with curly red hair. So do NOT take it personally. As Angela says about this and the ex-boyfriend who flipped every time I got my split ends cut, "Apparently, it's really not your hair after all. It's everyone else's, to tell you what you can or can't do with it.)

So from this experience, I learned why it took me 32 1/2 years to do an April Fool's joke. And why the next one probably won't come around till I'm 64 1/2. Those suckers are EXHAUSTING!

Also, actually getting highlights this summer to cover my gray strands was much less painful than it could've been.

Thank you, April 1, 2009. It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.

A New Look

As a grandiose welcome to Autumn 2009 (and a result of being homebound with strep throat), I've decided to play around and give this ol' blog a new look.

Whaddya think? I'm liking the color scheme so far...

Pretty good for 60.

Early this month, my Daddy celebrated his 60th birthday.

To our surprise, he actually let us actually CELEBRATE instead of pretending it was just another day, or becoming quiet and withdrawn about "getting older."

(I put this in quotes because my Daddy's NEVER seemed old to me, but has also never loved those "milestone" birthdays. And I understand that numbers can make a person feel this way, so I'm not judging. I'm just sayin'.)

So, all this said, we were excited to host a small birthday celebration for him in Gulfport, and were thrilled to have our whole (immediate) family there, and many of his brothers and sisters, as well. (He's the youngest of 11, so with location and schedules, getting 2 or 3 there is really good!)

Among my favorite parts of the weekend and event were:

• Daddy's love for the theme my mother, sister and I came up with via email:
  Kent's gone from 0 to 60 in no time!
  (Daddy loves cars, and is amazing with them, and still mourns the '55 Chevy he gave up after he and my mother married.)



• The delight on my daddy's face as he enjoyed his brothers and sisters, our immediate family, the entire gathering, and (I think) just knowing that we all made time for him on his special day. He's not a natural attention-seeker (I know; I'm totally adopted), so it was fun to see him enjoy this facet of life that I've been promoting for years!



• Caleb leaning over to me during the bday party and intiating this convo:
  
  Caleb:
  Bekah, how old IS Grandpa?
  
  RJ:
  You should go ask him.
  
  Caleb (looking at Daddy surrounded by his brothers & sisters):
  No, thanks. I thought I'd just ask you.
  
  RJ:
  Well, why don't you guess?
  
  Caleb:
  60?!
  
  RJ:
  That's right -- that was a REALLY good guess.
  
  Caleb:
  Well, I might've heard it at home or something.
  
  :: pause ::
  
  :: leaning in ::
  
  Ya know, Grandpa can do perfect push-ups. Not just one, but a LOT!
  
  RJ:
  Yes, I know -- Grandpa's in really good shape!
  
  Caleb:
  Yep. That's pretty good for 60.

As usual, well said, Mr. Man. The wisdom of a 5-year-old. :-)

And happy 60th birthday to my wonderfully kind and talented father... I love you so much!

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.

I'm so thankful for so many blessings in my crazy life (despite my attempts to mess it all up):

1. Friends in many places -- high and low (geographically, of course) -- who actually want to spend time with me. Wha?!

2. FOOTBALL SEASON!

3. Good music. I do love a good lyric, and set to fun tunes, even better. And LIVE..... ::happy sigh::

4. The option to look at a situation, make the best of it, and find ways it can be improved. For whatever reason, this never gets old for me. (Ok, maybe some days at 4:45pm it gets old. But usually, I'm all up for it.)

5. Pop Ball. I talk a lot in conversation and in writing about my Nan, and many times include stories about The Colonel, but I know for a fact that I don't give him the "air time" he's due. Mr. Cliff has not only been wonderful for my Nanny and for our family, but he has led a rich, full life in which he's done #4 on this list tirelessly, and has done it with gusto and without regard for age, life hindrances, or disasters of any kind. I admire this man more than I could say, and thank him with all my heart for being the only grandfather I can remember ever knowing. It can't be easy to jump into a family like ours, but he did it, and last weekend he turned 87. God bless him.

Sounding the Barbaric Yawp: Publicized or Privatized?

Robin Williams said it best in "Dead Poet's Society" when he quoted Walt Whitman to his class -- sometimes we just need to sound our barbaric yawps, and it often feels really good to do it over the roofs of the world.

My own barbaric yawps have been known to sound like a wide variety of things: delirious, deep-bellied laughter, principal's-office-sobs, screams, shouts, top-of-the-lungs singing, and even silence. (And if you know me, the last one is the most unbelievable. But for real. It's happened.)

Lately, quite a few public figures have gone on their own special rants and have been publicly sounding their barbaric yawps.

Unless I'm missing something before this instance, Representative Joe Wilson (South Carolina - Rep.) kicked off The Public Barbaric Yawping by screaming "You lie!" to President Obama during a speech about Obama's infamously controversial healthcare plan.

Acclaimed tennis player Serena Williams soon followed suit with her less than ladylike suggestion of what the referee who called her foul could do with the tennis ball during the U.S. Open.

And most recently, Kanye West gave America yet another sequel to what seems to be a bad habit of Public Barbaric Yawping when he stole Taylor Swift's microphone (and moment, and ability to speak) after she won a VMA, letting the audience know his opinion that Beyonce' should have been awarded instead.

President Obama didn't realize he was publicly yawping when he spoke his mind "off the record" to a reporter about Kanye's actions, but it turned all too public, thanks to an errant (?) tweet by a CNBC reporter (whom I now feel pretty sorry for).

Beyonce' Knowles followed up Kanye's rant with a LOVELY public (but not so barbaric) yawp when she gave Taylor Swift her much-deserved moment to shine. (As if we could possible love Beyonce' more these days!)

There've been plenty of other Public Yawps: Tom Cruise's not-soon-to-be-forgotten couch dance on Oprah's show about Scientology, post-partum, and who knows what else; Mel Gibson's untimely drunken rant on the Jewish community while being pulled over for a DUI... and the list could go on.

You should know as you read this that I'm all about a barbaric yawp. Truth be told, sometimes it's the only thing that saves my redhead from insanity. And Lord knows that when I'm feeling less than sane, I have a LOT to yawp about. And it's often quite barbaric.

My question is: Is public yawping ok?

While I'm embarrassed to admit I have definitely done it, my opinion is no. Public ranting is NOT ok. I look at it much like PDA (public displays of affection): keep that private. Show the world your best, because you have plenty of time to be overly detailed when you're alone.

So why are so many public figures these past few weeks ranting...and doing it in front of cameras, audiences filled with dignitaries, and in an age where everything is instantly YouTubed, Tweeted, Facebooked and texted? Is it a full moon? Or have we simply lost our value for privacy?

I know my opinion's not the only one, so I welcome yours, too. Is public ranting ok? Should we -- public figures and peons alike -- feel free to say whatever, whenever, to whomever?

I'd love to know what you think.

Let the flashbacks begin!

In an effort to catch up on some very procrastinated blogging of trips, life events, etc., I'm shamelessly ripping off my friend Presley's idea of Flashback Blogs.

(Ok, she sweetly gave me permission, but still -- it's NOT an original concept by RJ!)


So watch this space... Hopefully the catching up will begin sooner as opposed to later. :-)

This time of year.

This week, I'm going to see Better than Ezra in concert for the first time ever! This is shocking for many of my BR peeps, since Ezra got their start in Baton Rouge, went to LSU, and played at Ole Miss a good bit, but it will be a fun first for me.

I've been re-familiarizing myself with many of my faves, including "Good," "Desperately Wanting," and the great fall classic, "This Time of Year," which I've posted the video and lyrics of here:



"This Time of Year" by Better Than Ezra

Well there's a feelin' in the air
Just like a friday afternoon
Yeah you can go there if you want
Though it fades too soon

So go on, let it be
If there's a feelin' coming over me
Seems like it's always understood
this time of year

Well I know there's a reason to change
Well I know there's a time for us
Think about the good times
and you live with all the bad
You can feel it in the air
Feelin' right this time of year

Well there's a football in the air
Across the leaf-blown field
Yeah, and there's your first car on the road
And the girl you steal

So go on, if you fell
If there's a feelin' that there's somethin' else
Seems like it's always understood
this time of year

Well I know theres a reason to change (this time of year)
Yeah I know theres a time for us (this time of year)
Think about the good times but you live with all the bad (this time of year)
You can feel it in the air
Feelin' right this time of year

Well theres a feelin' in the air
Just like a friday afternoon
Yeah you can go there if you want
Though it fades too soon

So go on, let it be
If there's a feelin' comin' over me
Seems like it's always understood
this time of year

Well I know theres a reason to change (this time of year)
Yeah I know there's a time for us (this time of year)
Ya think about the good times,
and you live with all the bad (this time of year)

You can feel it in the air
Feel it in the air
Yeah I can feel it in the air
Well I can feel it in the air

Yeah you can feel it in the air
Feelin' right this time of year

Nobody puts baby in the corner.

Today, Patrick Swayze lost his battle to pancreatic cancer. Besides being a fantastic actor in so many coming-of-age movies, Swayze seemed to be a great all-around kind of guy, and lived a lotta life during his 57 years.

Some friends and I are considering a "Dirty Dancing" night -- complete with appropriately named refreshments and, of course, suitable 80s attire.

Long live the ghostly king of dance....because as we all know, nobody puts baby in the corner.

Game Day!

It's college football game day across the nations, and I'm headed to Death Valley to watch the Tigers stomp Vanderbilt. (At least I'm hoping that will be the outcome!)

Southern Miss has a home game today, too... I'm hoping to make at least one of those this season.

So Geaux TIGERS! And Southern Miss, To The Top!

Rah! :-D

When The World Stopped Turning.

Never Forget.

Thanks to Marshall Ramsey for once again putting his rare and extreme talent to work so that we can remember that September day eight years ago when our seemingly safe, American world stopped turning:

Full Heart.

Five things I've been thankful for this week are:

1. Having a job. That pays me. Especially in this economy, but period.

2. Getting to see my family last weekend. My heart is ridonculously full from my time with my parents, grandparents, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew -- not to mention the million other relatives I received hugs and happiness from, plus a few friends, too.

3. Where I'm from. I don't care where we rank on national scores for every last thing ever; I'm so proud to be a Mississippi girl. (Ok, I DO care, but I'm just sayin'. That doesn't diminish my pride at all.) Where I'm from is amazing, colorful, full of life, and the absolute heart and soul of kindness. Without home, I obviously would and could not be me. Going back there is just like taking a long, hot shower after a month of sponge baths.

4. My puppy, and how sweet she is, and what she means to my family. I could -- and surely will -- write a whole blog on precious Tractor, but for now, I'll just say that especially for an outside, stray, mutt-of-origin, squirrel-chasing, happened upon our family little runt, that Tractor sure has made the Johnsons' lives sweeter, more protected, and more loved all these years.

5. LSU FOOTBALL. Welcome back, my friend. Sure has been lonely here without ya.

Independence Day.

I do love the feeling of putting things that have passed in the past.

I can learn, and grow, and love the memories I want to hold onto.

IMHO (in my humble opinion), Nichole Nordeman does an excellent job of capturing the essence of my day -- along with the freedom offered us by our Savior -- in "Finally Free."

Video is here; lyrics are below.




Finally Free by Nichole Nordeman

v.1
No chain is strong enough,
no choice is wrong enough
No mountain high enough
that He can't climb
No shadow dark enough,
no night is black enough
No road is lost enough
that He can't find

*chorus*
And if the Son has set us free,
then we must be free indeed
Let the chains fall away, starting today

Everything has changed...
I'm finally free

v.2
No pain is deep enough,
no heart could bleed enough
Nothing but Jesus' love
can make a way

*chorus*

Heart of Life.

I have a new favorite happy-place song to add to Gabe Dixon's "All Will Be Well":
"Heart of Life" by John Mayer.

I'm pasting the lyrics below the video; hope you enjoy, too!




"Heart of Life" by John Mayer
I hate to see you cry
Lying there in that position
There's things you need to hear
So turn off your tears and listen

Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
No, it won't all go the way it should
But I know the heart of life is good

You know it's nothing new
Bad news never had good timing
Then the circle of your friends
Will defend the silver lining

Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
No, it won't all go the way it should
But I know the heart of life is good

Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
Fear is a friend who's misunderstood
But I know the heart of life is good

I know it's good

Sunrise: Part II.

*** I'm adding the video to this post now that I've gotten past my remedialness and remembered how! ***


I am a longtime lover of Nichole Nordeman's music, and came across the song "Sunrise" this morning.

Perfect timing, perfect lyrics:

Sunrise

If I had the chance

To go back again

Take a different road,

bear a lighter load

Tell an easy story

I would walk away

With my yesterdays

And I would not trade

what is broken for beauty only

Every valley

Every bitter chill

Made me ready to climb back up the hill

And find that . . .

You are sunrise

You are blue skies

How would I know the morning

If I knew not midnight?

You’re my horizon

You’re the light of a new dawn

So thank You, thank You

That after the long night,

You are sunrise

There’s a moment

when Faith caves in

There’s a time when

every soul is certain God is gone

But every shadow

is evidence of sun

And every tomorrow

holds out hope for us

For every one of us

You are sunrise

You are blue skies

How would I know the morning

If I knew not midnight?

You’re my horizon

You’re the light

of a new dawn

So thank You, thank You

That after the long night,

You are sunrise

You alone will shine

You alone can resurrect

this heart of mine

You are sunrise

You are blue skies

How would I know the morning

If I knew not midnight?

You’re my horizon

You’re the light of a new dawn

So thank You, thank You

That after the long night,

You are sunrise

You are sunrise

Home Sweet Home.

There's nothing like home.

Family.

Love.

Comfort food.

Puppy.

::happy sigh::

Geaux....

Finally, it's that time again!!!!!

GEAUX TIGERS!

Quality vs. Quantity

Twice as much
Ain't twice as good
And can't sustain
Like one-half would.

This wanting more
Is gonna bring me to
My knees.


from John Mayer's "Gravity"

5th Element.

Five things I've had to be grateful for this week:

1. Inspiration to do and be better. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....

2. Exposure to the "If God is so great, why am I so pathetic?" sermon series. Much needed.

3. A nephew who counts down days till he can see me. For real?! Preciously sweet.

4. Pre-fall breezes...in AUGUST. God bless.

5. The first-time-ever decision to separate myself from the bad, at least for 24 hours. Very liberating to someone who has marinated in sad memories / guilt / the loss of her Coast way too often these past 4 years.

High Five.

It's been way too long since I've posted my 5 things I'm thankful for. Or maybe it's just been way too long since I've sat down and thought about all I'm grateful for. Either way, here I go:

1. My family. I have an amazing, precious, sweet, loving family, and I'm not sure how I ended up with them (other than the sheer fact that God knew no one else would put up with me and love me unconditionally!). I'm so excited that I will see them Labor Day weekend, and that we'll get to celebrate my sweet Daddy's 60th birthday together!

2. Where I am. A long, winding road led me to Baton Rouge, and while many of the factors that brought me here are no longer relevant/active, I can't imagine a better, funner city to be in at this stage of my life, or cooler peeps to be here with. Rah, Red Stick!

3. The things we leave behind. I feel strongly about not having regrets, but I also feel more strongly than ever about being thankful that the past is the past.

4. Newness of life. The world got a little happier, a little sweeter, and a little more precious this past Thursday when Noah Price Densmore graced us with his presence. I love the reminders that births bring....freshness, innocence, and a lifetime of new experiences waiting to happen. And I cannot WAIT to meet the precious little guy! I already know he'll be among my faves, since his mommy and daddy are!

5. Trained professionals. I am beyond grateful for the people many people in my life who are good at what they do -- in every capacity -- and that they're using their gifts and talents for good and not evil. And I'm especially grateful this week for those who have used those skillz to help this redhead. :-)

Casablanca

I can't believe I am 32 1/2 and just watched "Casablanca" for the first time today! I didn't feel so bad, though, when I learned that most of the girls I was with were seeing it for the first time, too.

The big-screen showing was part of BR's downtown summer movie classic series at The Shaw Center. It has been one of the most fun parts of the summer. Several girlfriends and I bought tickets to three showings -- one movie per month -- and wrapped the summer series up today with "Casablanca." The first was "Gone with the Wind," and the second was "Wizard of Oz."

As embarrassed as I am to admit my lack of having seen (or that as a kid, I fell asleep in) many of the great classics long before now, I'm also excited to have finally watched the movie where so many great (and often quoted) quotes originated, including:

• "Here's lookin' at you, kid."


• "I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship."


• "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she had to walk into mine."

A funny aside from the movie is that Baton Rouge has its own Cafe Americain, but I never knew where the name stemmed from. Now that I do, of course, I'm craving it. ;-)

But back to topic: if you're like me and haven't seen "Casablanca," you must. Now. Today.

If you have, maybe watch it again, just for fun. The humor is timeless, and the history was poignant.

And the acting... Humphrey Bogart. Ingrid Bergman. :: happy sigh ::

Fiver.

Five things I'm grateful for this week are:

1. Getting to work with people who also happen to be really good friends. I seriously don't know what I'd do without my girls at CitiPlace!

2. My relationship with my sweet sister. She is precious beyond belief, and I thank God that we remain so close, and that she puts up with me even though she can't possibly understand my life 92% of the time.

3. Living so close to New Orleans.

4. The ability to realize a seasonal thing, that seasonal things are only good for me during their seasons, and that when those seasons are over, it's ok to let go.

5. Having goals to work toward. Sometimes I get frustrated that I'm not at an end result, but I should be thankful for something to strive for. And I'm going to try harder to remember that.

Three Little Words

Last week, boot camp ended.

I have participated in it for the past 8 weeks (give or take -- I'm sort of a slacker), and would probably have seen more drastic results had I a) eaten better, b) exercised between classes, and c) pushed myself harder.

However, I did learn today what I suspicioned: those 8 weeks paid off in stamina.

For the first time, I did not just walk in my Tuesday night running club. (I didn't run, either, but half jogged/half walked, and it really was rewarding!) I am still hoping to be able to at least jog the three miles at some point, but I feel this is a huge step.

If you're in the Baton Rouge area and are curious about boot camp, I strongly encourage you to check it out. It's very reasonably priced and a great way to either increase your current exercise level, or, like me, jump-start yourself into a regular exercise routine.

And those three little words I refer to in the title? Well, I've learned this year that maybe the standard three little words aren't all they're cracked up to be, but these two sets of 'em certainly are:

"Aaaaight, water break." -- Walker

"Good job, guys!" -- Jenn



Rebekah's General Warning: Don't bother looking for me in the picture above, although some of the peeps I met through boot camp are in it. Believe it or not, I was not invited to the photo shoot. I'm sure it was just an oversight.

Good Quote

Let me tonight look back across the span
Twixt dawn and dark, and to my conscience say --
Because of some good act to beast or man --
"The world is better that I lived today."

- Ella Wheeler Wilcox



Amen, amen.

Big Girl.

I've been meaning to post a blog for ages about my recent (and ongoing) display of immense bravery and stamina: I'm giving myself shots every week!

It's true. After being sick every other week since I moved to BR, I was diagnosed this past winter as allergic to almost everything in the air and on the ground in this state. So thankfully, there are injections for that!

I went for a very long time to the clinic to have them administered to me, but finally decided I would -- pun intended -- give it a shot myself. And it hasn't been bad at all.

For me, it's just more convenient, but I can definitely see why many peeps prefer someone else to take care of it for them. And trained professionals, no less. Thankfully, I've never had that commonly held fear of needles. (I guess my phobias lie in other, more random areas?) But it does work out well for my allergy shots.

So....mommy, wow! I'm a big kid now. Yes? ;-)

Cinco de Julio.

Five things I'm grateful for today are:

1. A job that allows me to work hard, play hard (on my off time), and enjoy both...even on some Mondays. :-)

2. Peanut butter.

3. Boot camp. I know I have griped about it incessantly for the past 8 weeks, but I think I'm gonna miss the stinkin' class, after all.

4. Living in part of the world, country and region that is relatively unaffected by the recession. The more I talk to friends in other (and literally higher, more northern) places, the more I realize how fortunate I am to be in BR, where some prices have gone up and some jobs are in jeopardy, but at least peeps are able to get out and about with smiles on their faces and plans on their agendas.

5. Nephews, their loose and lost teeth, and their plans to whip their aunts into shape via the Wii (and boundless, 5-year-old energy) during upcoming visits. :-)

Lordy, lordy, look who's....

....40:

The moonwalk!

Nah, not the one MJ did (though that may be 40, too), but the one Neil Armstrong did (or did he? hmmmmm).

It's interesting, though, how fast technology has moved along. I was surprised to learn this happened a mere 7 years before I was born. Really? I figured it was way earlier than that.

And to think that my Grandma Johnson, who was born in 1904, saw everything from horses and buggies....to birthing 11 children (!) in her home (!!)....to automobiles....to electric lights....to outdoor plumbing coming inside....to bought milk and chickens....to -- gasp! this was a horrid day that I WELL remember! -- 2% milk!....to television....to girls showing not only their ankles to men they weren't married to, but also their legs....to telephones....to an actual boombox....all all by the time she passed away in 1991.

Whatever side of the walk-on-the-moon debate we're on, we gotta admit: a lot has happened in the last 100 years, much less the last 40.

You go, Neil, and Grandma Johnson, and Pop Ball, and Nan, and Aunt Mildred, and Uncle Isaac, and all the others who did and continue to stick with this crazy fast world for as long as you have.
One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.

So, so true. With every step we take.

Long live the progress.

Sweet C

Today after music camp at church, my nephew stopped at Sonic's happy hour with my sister to get one of life's most wonderful delicacies: sweet tea.

Mmmmm.

Reportedly, Mr. Cool took one sip and declared, "This is the good life."


Ain't that the truth, Mr. Man.

Ain't that the truth.

Blego.

This week, I learned a great new term: blego.

Definition? The blogger's ego.

Pronunciation? Blee-go.

Apparently, those who follow closely (and can ultimately profit from) well-read blogs are intensely aware that commenting on blogs strokes the blogger's ego, enhancing the commenter's credibility and accessibility to more info.

Interesting, eh?

Christmas in July

I feel like I had Christmas last night!

I got to hang out with two of the coolest, most fun guys on the planet! And just a month ago, I got to hang out with their brother and his fun family! And I'm RELATED to these awesome peeps. And not that long ago, I had the best family reunion with cousins from my Daddy's side, too. FA LA LA!

As usual, I forgot to take pics last night, but I do have a few from times past with my fun and classic Moore cousins:

Pic 1 - Maria, Jonah, Russ, Benjamin, Samuel & Timothy Moore! I love this pic of their sweet, fun family. They are so beautiful and precious!

Pic 2 - Greg, Jeff, Matt (not our cousin, but a wonderful Moore nonetheless) and I at a cookout last summer. Sadly, we have not had professional pictures taken, so this meager snapshot will have to do.

Nissan to debut electric car August 1!

Nissan is set to debut its first electric car in less than a month! Here are the details, straight from the horse(power)'s mouth:

Zero emissions isn't a future endeavor. It isn't hype. It's happening.

Right now, Nissan is doing everything it takes to make electric driving a daily reality. Starting with a pure electric car. Not a hybrid, not even a plug-in hybrid. But a zero-emission electric vehicle made for the real world of highways, morning commutes and everyday living.Of course, the car is only part of the solution. Nissan has developed a lithium-ion battery that's re-usable. And we're teaming up with communities and businesses to create an accessible charging network. This is a brand-new way to move.

Driving electric. We're making it happen. You can, too.

So cool...can't wait to see it!

The things we carry.

In college, I was required to read an extremely raw yet touching piece of contemporary lit called The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien.

The book was about war, and it affected me as much as the movie "Saving Private Ryan." The title of the book stemmed from the items found in soldiers' backpacks, and the stories those items told about the person, the function, the duty, and the life.

Thankfully, the things I carry each day (in containers and in life) are not nearly as physically or emotionally heavy as what soldiers have to deal with.

But I still found the newest exhibit at the Louisiana Art & Science Museum (LASM) very interesting, since it deals with the history of what women have carried throughout the years. (Of course, it certainly didn't hurt that the featured item is one of my very favorite things: purses!)

My sweet friend Erica and I checked out the exhibit entitled Purse and the Person: A Century of Women's Purses last weekend, and we thoroughly enjoyed it!

Disclaimer: I'm not making light of what our military does (and carries) by comparing that to

what women have carried and how they've carried these physical and mental items over the years. The exhibit was educational and thought-inspiring, as both Erica and I pondered questions about how women went about certain daily but difficult tasks without anything to hold pertinent items. No place for not only fun things like lipstick, but also for the essentials (especially back in the day) like money, snacks and toys for kids, a pencil or pen, etc.? So foreign to us.

I strongly encourage you to go to LASM and check out this fun and informative exhibit! There are tons of purses from throughout the decades displayed creatively, as well as thought-provoking written descriptions displayed throughout the exhibit. And there's a whole room dedicated to shiny objects (Judith Leiber's infamous beaded, bejeweled, and bedazzled bags -- one of which is pictured below in the shape of a butterfly)!

If you're not into purses, then clearly, there's something very wrong with you -- hee hee ;-) -- but there are still many other fun things to see at LASM, including a MUMMY!

I hope you enjoy checking out LASM, just one of the Red Stick's many cultural (and AIR-CONDITIONED) opportunities that are within arm's reach.

The bitter end.

Recently, I've gotten into (what I consider) the horrid habit of involuntarily skipping ahead while reading.

I've always been a ridiculously avid reader -- from backs of cereal boxes to loads of library books to re-reading books I can practically quote by heart -- and could never comprehend this desire peeps had to see what the ending was like before they were there.

And I still can't.

But somehow, when I'm reading, my eyes have begun to drift toward the end of the paragraph, or section, or chapter. I've never actually gone so far as to turn a page to see an ending, and I've never delved into finding out the bitter end by turning to the back of the book, but still. I can't help but wonder if this is a first step toward a vicious cycle, and one I don't want to participate in!

To date, I haven't learned any major plot twists or secrets or revelations or story climaxes, but still. You know it's coming.

It's a bad, bad habit. Gotta break it. Even if it's the last page I read....I mean, last thing I do.*

* Apologies for the terrible joke/pun/whatever that is. I'm kind of not on my A game as I write. Clearly!

Southern Living

My friend Angelle so beautifully pointed out that so much of what we learn comes from Southern Living (the magazine and the life, I suppose!).

So she took the time to share a recent article with her friends, and I feel totally compelled to share it with you. (I got permission from AAB.)

So pour yourself a glass of sweet tea, sit back, and enjoy!

From Angelle: Everytime I go home, I find my mom's most recent issue of Southern Living. The July issue has a great article on the very last page. I think it's cute and most of it is very true! I think #2 and #9 are my favorites. I thought you would enjoy...

15 Ways to Charm Her

By Amy Bickers

Southern Living July 2009

Number one: We still expect you to give up your seat for a lady. On a bus, at a bar, on a train...we don't care where you are. Unless you are at a restaurant and the only lady in sight is the one taking your order, stand up. Now. On a recent Friday night at a bustling restaurant bar, two friends and I waited for our table to be called. The barstools were occupied so we stood patiently, sipping wine and chtting about the workweek. When a couple nearby stood up, another woman -- who had been there less time than we had -- swooped in, reaching across us to put her purse on the stool. This isn't the worst part. It's what happened next: Her male companion then slid onto the other barstool. Hang on while I do a geography check. Are we not in the South? If ladies are waiting for a seat and you have a Y chromosome, do you sit down? No, sir. No, you do not. We know modern life is confusing. The roles of men and women have evolved over the years. As Pink once sang, "Shorty got a job, Shorty got a car, Shorty can pay her own rent." But come on, let's keep some things old-school. My late grandfather -- he's of the East Texas upbringing, U.S. Navy captain status, and Cary Grant good looks -- would never have allowed a woman to stand while he sat. And if you want a Southern woman to love you, neither will you.

So, men, here's a short list of things Southern girls still expect from you.

WE STILL EXPECT YOU TO...

1. STAND UP FOR A LADY. Actually, this doesn't just involve chairs.

2. KNOW THAT THE SEC HAS THE BEST FOOTBALL TEAMS IN THE NATION. Big 12 fan? Hmm, perhaps you should keep walking.

3. KILL BUGS. Delta Burke as Southern belle Suzanne Sugarbaker on Designing Women said, "...Ya know,...when men use Women's Liberation as an excuse not to kill bugs for you. Oh, I just hate that! I don't care what anybody says, I think the man should have to kill the bug!"

4. HOLD DOORS OPEN.

5. FIX THINGS OR BUILD STUFF. I once watched in awe as my stepfather built a front porch on the house he shares with my mother. He knew just what to do, cutting every notch, hammering every nail. The project was complete by sunset.

6. WEAR BOOTS OCCASIONALLY. Not the fancy, I-paid-$1,000-for-these kind. We're talking about slightly mud-crusted, I-could-have-just-come-in-from-the-field boots.

7. TAKE OFF YOUR HAT INSIDE.

8. GRILL STUFF.

9. CALL US. If you want to ask us out, don't text and don't email. Pick up the phone and use your voice.

10. STAND WHEN WE COME BACK TO THE DINNER TABLE. "just a little half-stand is enough to make me melt," my friend Stephanie says.

11. PULL OUT OUR CHAIRS. Wait, that's not all. Scoot them back in before we hit the floor.

12. PAY THE TAB ON THE FIRST FEW DATES. "If you ask me out, you pay," Stephanie says. "If I ask you out, you should still pay." Listen guys, it's just simpler this way.

13. DON'T SHOW UP IN A WRINKLED, UNTUCKED SHIRT. Care about your appearance but not too much. Don't smell better than we do. Don't use mousse or gel. You shouldn't look like you spend more time in front of the mirror than we do.

14. NEVER GET IN BAR FIGHTS. Patrick Swayze might look cool in Road House, but in reality, bar fights are stupid and embarrassing. You don't look tough. You look like an idiot.

15. KNOW HOW TO MIX OUR FAVORITE COCKTAIL JUST THE WAY WE LIKE IT. Fix your favorite too. Sit down on the porch (it's okay if you didn't build it), tell us how your day went, and we'll tell you about ours.

We'll leave the long list to the girl who falls in love with you.

Gratitude.

It's been a while since I've posted things I'm thankful for. This isn't because I'm not thankful; it's just pure negligence!

So here we go...today, the top five things I'm grateful for are:

1. Family. I have gotten to see my sweet sister and her family TWICE in two weeks, and have a trip planned to see them AGAIN in less than a month. ::bliss::

2. Work. Even on days when I'm pulling my hair out (and when peeps are surely pulling their hair out over me), bottom line: I have a job, and I'm so thankful for that.

3. Independence. I'm ridiculously grateful that I live in the land of the free, and I'm also thankful that I'm personally independent. I like my life, and my place, and my job, and my friends. I like choosing where I want to live and what I want to do and who I want to spend my time with. I love answering to God only (and publicly, if I choose), and I know none of this would be slightly possible without the brave acts of so many of my forefathers, and so many of my peers today. God bless America!

4. Culture. It's so much fun to visit museums and see new exhibits and to do this all in the town where I live. I heart culture, and I heart Baton Rouge!

5. Variety. I have been blessed with a ridiculously wonderful variety of friends and family members, and it's crazy-entertaining to get to spend time with them and to see and appreciate facets of their personalities that amaze and amuse me. I love my peeps!


In honor of my overflowing cup, I'm including one of my favorite songs ever, by one of my favorite musicians ever. "Gratitude" by Nichole Nordeman has been a personal anthem since the day I first heard it. I hope you enjoy, as well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bQ8Ry2D8Wg&feature=PlayList&p=67CF255806A8EE91&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=21