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

Rah!

Who are the College World Series champions?! Well, not Southern Miss (yet, though they made an EXCELLENT first-time showing in Omaha), but as a good second-best for this USM-alum-and-BR-resident, LSU is the big winner! Yay!

The Tigers pulled past Texas last night with a fun win (especially if you're a Tiger fan!), achieving the best 2 of 3 for the past 3 nights.

Baseball, while fun, is definitely not football, but as I have learned from experience, any LSU enthusiasm is worth the participation and more contagious than anywhere else I've ever been.

So, it must be said -- congrats, Tigers, on your 6th College World Series championship! Sweeeeeeet!

The South

I saw the saying below on a plaque in a store window when I visited my friend Rachel in Oxford, and am so glad I took a picture of it so I could look at it again and again.

I'm also so glad I am from the South. So glad. :-)

The South

/tha sou'th/, noun

The place where...

1) Tea is sweet and accents are sweeter.

2) Summer starts in April.

3) Macaroni & cheese is a vegetable.

4) Front porches are wide and words are long.

5) Pecan pie is a staple.

6) Y'all is the only proper noun.

7) Chicken is fried and biscuits come with gravy.

8) Everything is darlin'.

9) Someone's heart is always being blessed.

Southern Miss: To The Top!

I haven't always been as gung-ho about my alma mater's athletics as I should be, but moving to a place where SEC is king and sports fans are rampant has changed my tune and raised my awareness about sports in all conferences, including USM's.

And how timely.... for the first time ever, Southern Miss is going to the College World Series in Omaha!

(Of course, so is LSU, but my loyalties must remain true to USM...as much as possible, at least. I have actually contemplated wearing all gold, then accessorizing one side of my body in black and the other in purple for times like this...)

The games kick off this weekend (Saturday, LSU plays Virginia at 6pm CST; Sunday, USM plays Texas at 6pm CST). Unfortunately, I'll miss most of the action because of an out-of-town shower I'm helping to host. Fortunately, it's baseball and not football, so it won't seem so action-packed every second of the games. :-)

It's so hard to imagine that my Golden Eagles might actually end up playing the LSU Tigers for the championship, but an idea I'm willing to cheer on and anticipate till all's said and done!

So geaux Tigers, but Southern Miss: to the top!