Meh. Ick. Gah.

Grad school is stupid.

Or maybe it isn't and it's just that I am.

I'm supposed to be writing a paper. I was supposed to have written it yesterday. But here's the thing--it's the first one. I've been in class, doing lots of reading/discussion, but...it's my first paper since I've been back in school. Let me explain what this does to your psyche. It makes you insane. That's what it does. I haven't written a paper in ELEVEN YEARS, people. And when I was writing them, I never had to use the APA format. And...I feel a lot stupider than I did 11 years ago. For real. I was thinking about it yesterday while I stared at my empty Word document...what happened in the past 11 years that made me think I don't have anything intelligent to say? Funny? Sure. Smart? Not so fast.

So. I have an abstract written. And my first paragraph...kind of. And I'm sitting here still avoiding it and blogging for heaven's sake. Did I mention it's due tonight? Yeah.

Okay. I have to make this happen. Not sure how, but....wish me luck.

This little piggy...

I forgot to post this in the update.

I've been given two boxes of masks--in case of the predicted Swine Flu epidemic.

Cheers to possible mass hysteria on college campuses!!!

Sheeeeeesh.

Um. Hi.

I don't know where to start.

Let me 'splain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

1. I'm trying to find balance in this work/ministry/play/grad school thing. It's harder than I thought. Well. Maybe not HARDER, it's just...I'm way more tired. All the time.

2. That being said--I'm in love...with my freaking crazy life.

3. My staff is truly unbelievable. I love them so much already that I can't see straight.

4. I'm learning so much that it makes my head spin.

5. God is outrageously cool. And...I am completely in awe of Him and what He's doing. In my life and on this campus.

6. I need to go to bed because two of my RAs and I are driving out to Hermitage to get Starbucks in the morning.


XOXO.

Why I Love My Job--Reason #4, 609

Because the daily affirmation is amazing.

Outside of my apartment door, I have a cute little chalkboard. And I have a card that says "Carly is..." and I have other cards that say Dining Hall, In A Meeting, Off Campus, etc., to let my residents know where to find me (although one of them is "In love" and it gets put up more often than not by one of my RAs).

Some of my girls put it to good use the other night. Please see below.


Yessssss. Why, thank you.

Quick recap

So. What have I been doing the past month?

Going to street fairs in downtown Grove City and watching Mark and Justin trying to win goldfish...they didn't.


Um. Then we went up to the mountains and hung out together. Best.Time.Ever.


Then, the RAs came back and in the middle of training, we got to take a group of them to PNC Park for a Pirates game. It was a perfect night!


And finally, we got to my favorite part of training...alcohol & drug awareness. That is our dear RA, Jason Kish wearing the Beer Goggles and trying to walk the line.
Priceless, people, priceless.

After all that, we went on our RA Retreat--and it blew my mind. We have such an amazing group this year, I'm not sure where to begin. They're all so anxious and ready to serve --they're astounding.

AND. I had my first grad class last night. Yeah. Justin (see above) and I started the program together this year. We'll be getting our Masters of Arts in Higher Education. I can declare a concentration if I want--but I'm not sure about that just yet. If I do, I'm fairly certain it will be in Student Affairs, but oddly enough, the Campus Ministry one sounds oddly appealing. We'll see. So, yeah, I'm a grad student. I was holding the syllabus for my first class and just about tripped out. It's been a long time since I was a student. But the rest of the night I was completely enthralled by everything Don (Opitz) said. He was speaking my language--passion and giftedness and vocation--unbelievable. I'm really excited.

That's it for now...move-in for freshmen is tomorrow and my upperclassmen all roll in on Saturday (which will be cuh-razy)--yay for the beginning of the school year!!!!

Cuuuuuuuute....

Jess took this picture while I was busy trying to kiss her baby to death.

Me and Talia are pretty much BFF.

Blast from the past...

So, I went looking through some old journals tonight. I don't know why. I honestly don't. It makes me crazy.

But I stumbled across these gems, scrawled on notebook paper, that fell out from between the pages of one of the journals....

Truth is not beauty. Beauty is beauty. Without beauty, you have no voice.

(Yikes.)

I make him feel good about himself. He makes me feel like I think I know how to feel.

(Okay. Whoa. Double yikes.)

I wish I could have saved you without drowning myself.
I wish what I offered could have been enough.
But I'm too weak and you're too wicked,
so I sink, my heart forgotten.

(And there you have it...)

There they are...

We went bowling the other night as a staff. I was cranky. I don't typically care for bowling...but Gabe, Renee, Gretchen and I kicked ass and took names. So I got over it.

At the end of the night, Jamie had us get the obligatory staff photo--so, I thought I'd share. We're a motley crew (although it just might be because it was almost a hundred degrees in the bowling alley), but they're some of my favorite people...

Why boys are lucky.

Well, I guess if you're asking me I'd say boys are lucky for a couple of reasons. The most important one being that they get to stand up when they pee (we've been over this, I know). Whatever.

Today I realized another reason. They never have to tape down their clothing.

Yeah. You heard me. I'm going to Stacy & Bart's wedding today. I have a super cute dress to wear. Unfortunately, there are parts of said dress, as well as parts of ME, that need a little help staying under lockdown.

So I bought this:


Yay for body adhesive and being a girl!!!

Happy New (school)Year!

Hi.

So, I just spent the past few days on a retreat with my coworkers. We went up to the mountains and stayed in a cabin for a couple nights--it was cuh-razy fun.

The thing is this--I had a great year last year. And I suppose I talked a lot about my RA staff being wonderful, but my RD staff was amazing as well. But there's something about this year that's blowing my mind a little bit. Since I got back to campus and have been with them all day for the past week and a half--it's been AWESOME. What's super crazy is that we have 3 newbies, too--and they just...belong. I've been having the best time with all of them and I suppose I'm realizing how blessed I am to be part of something like that. A common purpose. A shared vision. A genuine love for one another. I'm fairly certain that doesn't happen where most people work. And sure, maybe it's because we're res life geeks, and since we work, play, eat, live together--it bonds us in a way that is unusual to say the least--but I still don't think that what we've got going happens all the time--even in a res life capacity.

I'm super lucky to know these people.

As for the retreat, it was unreal--we had so much fun. The glory of being a bunch of self-proclaimed res life geeks is that you're totally on board for playing silly games until 2am. Or pass hours playing euchre and/or spades. You kill the TV and stay up til 4 talking about everything from calling and vocation--to body odor. I never thought I'd be such a fan of forced togetherness. Turns out that if it's this bunch, I am.

Hello, Cupcake!

Remember how I was doing those cupcakes/cake for that wedding?

Here's a pic my friend Carrie took for me!

Tied up...

So, I went for my follow up doc visit with Dr. Eichner today. He's the McDreamy oral surgeon who took out my 4 wisdom teeth last Monday.

He said everything looks wonderful and I can let go of my temporary, albeit irrational, fear of straws.

Here's what I would like to say about Dr. Eichner...he wears bow-ties. He's youngish. And handsome-ish. And he rocks the bow-tie. Which I genuinely believe makes him MORE attractive than he might actually be. Why, you ask? Because--if you're the dude with a set big enough to rock a fashion choice like that--you're oozing confidence and a little bit of a "what are you lookin' at" attitude.

I've thought entirely too much about it.

Gotta go lay by the pool.

Wha?!...

I'm just realizing that you've missed out on a lot. And I blame myself. I'm the negligent parent, the absent guardian. There's so much to say, so much to catch up on. Le sigh.

I'm so behind.

I mean, for example, did I tell you I did this?

Okay, you can't see it well. But I got a nose piercing in March.

Or....that I finished up the most awesome year EVER, with the most awesome RAs (see below for 3 out of the 7 of them) ever and still can't believe that I get to work with the most amazing men and women and THEN get 2 months paid summer vacation? Right. Well. Consider yourself informed.


I know there's more. But I have to go pick up cake supplies for a wedding I'm doing this Friday. I'm a little nervous, but it's my first paying/big deal gig!

So. I'll be back. With more outdated news.

You love it.

Tell Me Have You Seen Him?...

Hi. I've been on hiatus. Okay, really, I've just had 2 months off--paid summer vacation and been a bit lazy. I'll catch you up on all the fabulous details soon. But right now I feel like blogging and this is what I wanted to blog....

If you know/see/find the man she's talking about in this song (see below), please give him my number. He has to be single--don't bother telling me if you're currently dating/married/sleeping with him. I want him all to myself.

You're the prince to my ballerina
You feed other people's parking meters
You encourage the eating of ice cream
You would somersault in sand with me

You talk to loners, you ask how's your week
You give love to all and give love to me
You're obsessed with hiding the sticks and stones
When I fear the unknown
You feel like home, you feel like home

You put my feet back on the ground
Did you know you brought me around
You were sweet, and you were sound
You saved me

You're the warmth in my summer breeze
You're the ivory to my ebony keys
You would share your last jelly bean
You would somersault in sand with me

You put my feet back on the ground
Did you know you brought me around
You were sweet and you were sound
See I had shrunk yet still you wore me around
And 'round and 'round

(Somersault-Zero 7/Sia)

the gospel according to george strait...

'Cause I finally got my first good look,
a little fire was all it took.
An' as the flames grew brighter,
I saw everything that I'd missed.
Once you get your courage up,
you light a match an' your eyes adjust-
It's amazing what a man can see,
by the light of a burnin' bridge.

Preach, son.

Movie Gallery part 2.

Yeah, so on Sunday I went to return my DVDs and get the last two in the season I'm watching. I go to the counter and it's not Brenda...sadly. But it's another chick who's younger but just as...interesting. And this is what happened--she actually said the following:

"It says here in the computer that if you pay an additional $3.71 today, your next rental is FREE!"

Err...no. If I pay an additional $3.71 today, my next rental isn't free...it would've cost me $3.71.

I was never good at math, though.

SEATTLE!

Wigs, this is for you. ;) Finally!

For those of you who didn't know, I was in Seattle for about 5 days back in March. I fell madly in love with that city. It wined and dined me and then broke my heart.

I had close to 300 pictures when I got home but I made an album with my favorites...there are about 75. Go see the slide show HERE! And you'll see awesome pics like this:


Okay...so, I promise the ones in the album are way cooler.

Project Eve

(I know, I know...I don't blog and then I can't stop. It's also what happens with me and Cheez-Its.)

I wanted to put this up before I forgot.

Last month, there was an event on campus called Project Eve. It's an art show that is made up of all women artists. There are paintings, sculpture, performances...it's awesome. An RD friend of mine (Ms. Dana Krepps--who I adore) talked me into submitting something. It took me awhile to figure out what I wanted to do, and or say with my piece.

This is what I came up with:


I took a pair of awesome stilettos and I decoupaged them--with scripture about women. Esther, Eve, Rahab, Mary, Gomer...it was fantastic.

I titled it "superficial substance." And I have to say, I made me feel like I had a voice. It didn't matter all that much that people might not get it--I got it, and I expressed myself exactly how I wanted to...which was awesome.

Upgrade this, sucka.

It's really cold here in Grove City today, and it's raining. But not even a hard, steady rain. It's the real shitty kind where it's sort of just misting/spitting and all of it just pisses me off.

I'm not sure why that's relevant to my story, but it's kind of how I was feeling. So, I've decided that I want strangers to leave me alone. Just leave me alone. Please don't put your 12-year-old daughter in a way too short "cheerleading" skirt and have her stand outside of Bi-Lo asking for money. No, I don't want to buy popcorn from the Boy Scouts. No, I'm not interested in supporting the Lady Tigers softball team. And for God's sake--don't come up to me in my car while I'm in traffic trying to fill a coffee can with ashtray change for the Baptist Voice.

I'm over it. And I'm also over the incredible asshole push I get every time I go into a store to buy anything. I went to Movie Gallery today. I was getting more Lost episodes. Brenda, the lady behind the counter tried to sell me some dumb membership. Then she tried to sell me popcorn and gummy bears. Then she reminded me that I qualified for some "upgrade" that would only cost me $8.76 per month. Riiiiiiiight. The DVDs I just rented cost me $2. Times are tight everywhere, Brenda. Leave me alone. No, I don't have a value perks card. No, I don't want to save 10%. No, I don't need any purse-sized hand lotion/antibacterial gel/lip balm. What I want is for you to leave me alone. Let me make my purchase and get on with my life. Gah.

stage left

I'll be over here-
desperate for my exit.
Another curtain call,
another early morning review
that has found me lacking.
A "star that has lost her shine"
delivers, at best, a truly forgettable performance.
Your stamp of disapproval
echoes the others-
upstaged and unimpressive.

parison

Crafted from grit--
sand beneath my feet.
Fired in flames--
molten glass of my heart.
I hand yours over willfully,
resisting the urge to throw it to the ground,
watch it splinter,
hear it shatter.
I have been allowed to hold it,
but been proven unfit to carry it.

How I feel about the Duggars...

I'm dyin' here...

Little, or maybe not so little, known fact about me: when people fall--I.LOSE.IT. And I understand that karma is a bitch, but...holy cow. So. I decided to share what, currently has me sitting at my comp laughing so hard I'm crying.

Exhibit A:


Exhibit B:


I'm going to hell for the second one. For real.

Sisters....sisters...

Okay, so I went to a college that didn't have greek life.

Which is why, when I got this email today, I stared in complete and utter bewilderment. Sorority girls are tres interesting. Fo sho.

A reminder about silence period: there is to be NO CONTACT between sorority members and girls who Rushed. This includes face-to-face conversation, telephone, text messaging, Facebook, e-mail, AIM, and all other forms of communication. It is up to the sorority whether you have your fall social bids on the Rush side of silence period or on the active side of silence period. Of course, you can remain friendly to everyone- a “hello”, wave, or smile are acceptable. Silence period does not apply to roommates or biological sisters.

Whaaaaat? Oh how I wish I could invoke a silence period for certain people in my life. A wave? Ok. A smile? That's "acceptable." But other than that, how about you NOT being allowed to contact me. Fabulous.

These chicks might be on to something.

23/365

Okay, I'm cheating. I took this pic last night, too. But to be honest, I loved it so much, I wanted to use it.
So I am.
It's my hot body, I can do what I want.

I love the street sign (hell yes, Art Rooney!) and then the cityscape.

22/365

I was in the city on Thursday and I drove by Heinz Field.

What I'm thinking...

1. I think I have an actual crush on Brian from Family Guy. Is that even possible?

2. It's super weird that I feel a little bit validated and affirmed when I'm playing Bejeweled and do something good and it says, "Excellent!"

3. Fast-drying 60 second nail polish is awesome, but it chips after one damn day.

4. Clint Eastwood is, and always will be, badass.

5. My inability to actually finish a knitting project makes me worry about my ability to commit.

6. I can't wait for June.

7. I should've ended on #5, but I added #6, which makes me want to end on #7.

21/365

There it is, Mike Wise.

20/365

Preach.

19/365

Pretty much the best restaurant ever. Fo. Real.

18/365

Me and my mom.

17/365

Yeeeeah. These are the posters that Justin and I made for RA Hiring. There are 12 of them and they're really pretty incredible.

For all of you (Kin) who think my handwriting should be a font--well, we made it happen!

And if you want to know why I do what I do and why I LOVELOVELOVE what I do, go to the link and see the YouTube ad we made.

16/365

A tree in the inner quad...

15/365

Time to play catch-up...

I was tired. And a little crabby.

Yessss...

Okay, so I have a college ID because of my job, right? It gets me into the dining hall and the res halls, etc.

The glorious part of said ID is that unlike Geneva, they don't put "Faculty/Staff" anywhere on the thing.

So, tonight, when we went to the movies, I slapped down my 10 dollars and my "student" ID and the cute kid behind the counter who looked like Josh Hartnett but with acne, handed me my discounted ticket for Gran Torino.

Hey. Two bucks is two bucks.

14/365 (+a crazy note to go with!)

Okay, so I know it's ONE picture a day, but this required two. Just because it was amazing.

Tonight, I was at dinner with Jess, Reid & Dana. At one point, Campus Safety Extraordinaire, one Mr. Jerry McCarthy (or "Mac") came and sat down with us. He nursed his Dunkin Donuts coffee, picked on Reid and told us stories. His stories are AWESOME.

Reid leaves and we're still there talking away when we hear from across the way,

"SECURITY!? EXCUSE ME! We have a problem!"

We look over and there's water just POURING out of the ceiling in the Caf.

Glorious.

It flooded the room. It set off the fire alarms. Jerry proposed to me. And mayhem ensued.

I live for this crap, people.

GAH!

It will NOT stop snowing! I'm in the friggin' snow belt up here.

It's insane and I'm a little angry. I want it to be sunny. And warm. And not snowy.

13/365

One day at work, I was on the phone with my friend Jordan. We got into a bit of an intense conversation and he ended up telling me this. I scrawled it on a post-it note.

I still have it up where I can see it. Today I needed to be reminded of it.

12/365

Yesterday. I was on my way to Target.

11/365

Sunday. Steelers vs. San Diego...or "whale's vagina."

Bring on Baltimore.

10/365

This was from Saturday--I had a snow day (after the night before), so I stayed in all day and spent my time knitting and watching the Travel Channel.
I took this shot from my living room.

9/365

Seriously, this one almost didn't happen. I had just spent 2 hours trying to get home. The snow was AWFUL. I actually teared up on several occasions. I've never driven in snow that bad.

Welcome to the snow belt, Baumer.

8/365

I've wanted to be back in that thing since I got out of it this morning.

I think I'll go there now. Niiiiiight....

Redbox dating

Tonight I went to the North Country Brewery with some friends (it was good times, as usual). On my way home, I stopped at Giant Eagle in Slippery Rock because they have two Redbox rental things. I've been looking for "Burn After Reading" for about a week.

I check the one outside. No luck. I'm checking the one inside when two guys walk in. They're in their mid-forties, bearded and wearing camouflage. I hear the one tell the other that he's going to check out the one outside. I look, and "Burn After Reading" isn't there, so I cancel it out and step away. I turn and walk away and hear Jim-Bob say, "What you lookin' for, babe?"

Babe? Really? Babe?

But I'm not rude. So, I turn back around.

"Oh, I'm just...I was looking for 'Burn After Reading.'"
"Izzat any good?"
"Uhh...I don't know."
"Yeah. I'm lookin' for this." (He points to the "Righteous Kill" poster)
"Oh? Good luck..."

I start to walk away. He continues to talk.

"Yeaaaah, honey--Deniro and Pacino!..."

(Does the 'honey' supersede the 'babe?' I'm not sure how that works.)

Thank goodness for automatic doors...and that they close.

7/365

I'm watching 'Top Chef' on Bravo. And I'm apparently real into it.

6/365

I'm just sayin'...

I lied...

I've decided that instead of sending you to Flickr to check out my Project 365--I'm going to post them here, as well. I need to be better about posting and I figure that it'll keep me honest-even if it is just to post my picture for the day.

I know. You're thrilled. Overjoyed. Ecstatic, even.

I'm pretty excited. I hope that it'll give me practice with my awesome camera and that at the end of the year, I'll have a bit of a visual diary. 2009 in my pictures. Bring it.

Here are my first five:

1/365--I think it speaks for itself. It is, in fact, the thing.


2/365--My friend Jess gave me that pin. My nephew Logan gave me the seashell. I bought the turquoise cuff in Phoenix with Shane and Karrie. And the little bowl holding all those treasures was given to me by a poverty-stricken little boy in a church in Mexico City.


3/365--I was just missing somebody. And how things used to be.


4/365--My first day back at Grove City. An empty dorm, and a fresh new year.


5/365--I don't know that I have a reason for taking this shot, other than I think it's beautiful.

Project 365

Hey peeps.

I decided, albeit a tad late, that I wanted to participate in Project 365. If you don't know what that is, it's a fairly simple concept--it's a picture a day for the whole year.

You should track my progress on Flickr.

Clicky HERE.

Glorious.

This New Year's Eve was especially memorable, because one of my favorite people gave birth to one of my new favorite people.

Everyone, say hello to Talia Eve Bovard...

As you can see, Max is an excellent big brother.