Photos_I'm a Delighted Person and I'm Raising My Hand

It's not everyday that someone takes time to honor a special someone; to recognize their talent, their contributions to society, their unique mark branded in our collection of memories.

I thought I paid sufficient respect to the infamous Sufjan Stevens when I photoshopped my face in place of his "wife" in his Christmas album artwork, or when I dressed as a Hooper Hero for Halloween 2009, or when I referred to myself as Mrs. Sufjan Stevens when I introduced myself at dinner parties. But this, my friends, puts all my efforts to shame. Behold the wondrous Amy Jones and her friends who put together a lovely dinner party honoring the King of all things Indie: Suf and his jan. Feast your eyes on this (pun intended):

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This kind of devotion inspired me to do this... something I should have planned to do a long time ago:

Cheers to Amy Jones and her genius, most dedicated friends.
And to Sufjan, see you on November 9.

Photos_Texas Forever

Robbe's current location: Texas

If Robbe was a cowman from Texas, I'm pretty sure this is how we'd end up together.

Words_Can I Get a Jehovah's Witness?

This has nothing to do with Jehovah's Witnesses. I just thought it would be funny. I'm regretting that decision right now.

There are numerous times when I've witnessed my niece or nephew (all under age 7) fighting over a toy; one is awarded the toy for a set amount of time and the other is doomed to find something equally if not more entertaining. Usually this search is futile. The emotions exchanged during this polarized battle of haves and have nots are so over the top, I find myself unable to empathize with these little ones and attempting to talk adult sense into them. I know I'm not alone in this when I hear their parents respond by saying, "Yeah, well life's not fair," or "It's just a toy! You have five other ones exactly like it right there! Why do you care if you she has one of them!" We try to make them see what we see; to apply adult logic to a mind that is not nor should be ready for that kind of application.

I see this in myself a lot. Robbe and I have our share of squabbles over what can be such trite, insignificant things. In the moment, they're fierce and unsettling and no matter how logical it would be to surrender my pride and come to a resolution, I instead can only fight and focus on my selfishness while wallowing in my have nots. In these moments, I need a hefty reality check; someone to tell me to take a step back and examine everything I have that is wonderful and good; to not waste this time on such trivial things because what we face now is really the easiest part of life and it would be a shame to continuously clog it up with unnecessary hurdles. We have so much to be thankful for and so much to enjoy, but we make it unnecessarily difficult for ourselves.

So. Who is going to be that person who drops this reality check on me on a regular basis? Please leave your contact information and how often you're available. And $5. You'll get it back if you're good enough. But probably not.

Photos_Hey Pixie, You're So Fine

Love Harry Potter (I'm almost finished the last book! Gagagagagagaagaga).

Love Emma Watson.

Love Emma Watson's pixie cut.

As Mandy would say: "I love pretty people. Ugly people are the worst!"

Words & Photos_A Heart of Rold Gold

Last night I inadvertently created a heart shape out of my thin Rold Gold's pretzel snack. (Dream big, Kimi.) Upon this revelation, I decided to put it aside, which Ray interpreted as "you're gonna take a picture of it and post it on Twitter or something, aren't you?" Do you really think I am that predictable Ray? I mean, really. So I decided to post it here on Blogger instead. (In your face!) Now, I have to be honest. Last night, when I retrieved my heart-shaped pretzel snack for its first photo shoot, it broke. My heart that is, but also the actual pretzel. I achingly relayed this to Ray who reassured me that God has bigger and better pretzels out there for me. He was right. When I checked my she-mail this evening, I found a pretzel heart waiting for me in a message from Ray. This pretzel heart is the one you're viewing above. Yes, it's much different than my other pretzel, but that doesn't mean I care about it any less. So, cheers to Ray and to my new pretzel heart. This one is for sure unbreakable.

Words_From the Heart of a Hillbilly

There are some changes going on around these parts. I got me a new banner. I made me some fancy picture pages. And by fancy, I mean I used the microwave looking screen and punched some funny buttons and vwa-hool-a, I got me some new boxy thangs that say a buncha stuff bout yours teee-ruly. What I can't seem to figure out is how to make all them letters on the daggum page the same kinda style, or as some of them tie wearing people be saying: fonda or fonta or maybe it's just font. I really don't know. Font sounds like the cousin of a baby deer. Perhaps it's the three cans a me-moonshine I drank or maybe it's cuz I fell asleep next to a goat for two hours, but I can't seem to figure out what I thought was a simple push this here button or push here that button. So if any of yous readers out there who know what I'm talking bout, it would be mighty helpful to help out your ol' pal Kimi. I'll even repay ya with some quality, homemade, heart-stoppin moonshine that I make me-self when there ain't no more trees I need be choppin or corn I be huskin' or banjo I be pluckin. And I pluck a mean banjo. Believe me, I'm trying to take some words to heart that my ball n chain be saying to me one day about making my moving picture pages a bit more fancy. "Add some pictures here" he say and "make this colored here" and Lord save me from strangling him that crazy buffoon. So ya'll need to help me keep on it and stay ahead of his ramblings so he can stop telling me what to be doing. I'm holding ya'll to it. Bahbye now.

Words_Back to School, to Prove to Daddy I'm Not a Fool

Today was the the first day of school, so, like any sucker of "fresh starts" and "new beginnings" or any other smile-numbing, feel-good, self-help slogan, I am compelled to document a few painless, non-interesting details, of course, or I wouldn't be me. The start of anything is cause for good documentation, really, so let the games begin.

The weather here in Maryland today was absolutely gorgeous which was an automatic schwing! for the books. A tourist could have easily mistaken Annapolis for the geographical temperature of San Diego, that's how beautiful and non-sweaty it was. All I could think about all day was the amazing run I was going to have at exactly 5 p.m. My iPod strapped to the arm; This American Life streaming through my ears; and the bay wind blanketing my arms and face. No humidity. Just awesomeness.

The day went by pretty smoothly for the first day of school. There were only two surprise-don't-drop-everything-but-a-few-things-would-be-good-to-make-room-for-this-other-big-thing phone calls. I only had to explain to someone once which pages they had access to on our Web site which I guess was not clear in their URL or what they see when they login to update their pages, but that's okay. It's the first day which is the perfect day to be as stupid as you want to be without serious ramifications or judgments.

Around lunchtime, I started to feel a little queasy. A little discomfort. Honestly, crampy with a side of bloatedness. And then I realized...my monthly bill had come a day early. Blast! My insides instantly became cramp city with those ruthless sharp pangs that you have to literally brace yourself for. My fantasy of that five o'clock run with the wind whipping through my hair and the taste of salt water on my lips quickly shifted to a date with my bed smothered in my covers with a plate of plump and spicy chicken wings from Chevy's and a gleaming, salted 32-ounce margarita. But no wings or margarita came to my rescue. I ended the day with a few Maryland crabs, courtesy of my brother, two Corona lights, a Mexican hat dance party with my niece and nephews, and a lazy rest of the night watching high quality TV: The Bachelor Pad, Miss Universe, The T.O. Show, Wipeout, Dance Your A** Off, and Tosh.O.

For a first day of school, I can't complain. I didn't get to go for my coveted run but I foresee this in my future (a 5K perhaps?) as well as that delicioso margarita. Ole!