ok it's official...i have become a slacker blogger. big time. i have no excuses...it's definitely not lack of anything to talk about (then again, is it EVER with me??) but more on the other side...too much to talk about and not enough time to talk!

I have been consumed this semester, and the past two weeks especially, with planning the Stennis-Montgomery Association's annual week-long trip to Washington DC. (WE LEAVE ON WEDNESDAY....FINALLY!!) It has been alot of fun deciding what our group of 30-something people should do every minute of every day for a week in DC, but it definitely gets a little stressful (ok, ALOT stressful) dealing with so many "big shots" in DC and trying to get them to fit into our schedule of tentative meetings and events. This year, we will be touring the Capitol and the House and Senate Flooors, the East and West Wing of the White House, and the Pentagon. We also have meetings set with the Republican National Convention, Dem. National Convention, Mississippi's 2 Senators and 3 Congressmen, a General, and a few Campaign experts. Not to mention some legit receptions every night hosted by Lobbying Firms, the Alumni Assocation, and the Stennis Institute. I could go on and on about what we will be doing, but I guess you will just have to take my word from here on that it is going to be action-packed. On top of that trip, we have been planning and conducting 3rd District Congressional Debates all over the 3rd District, and our final and biggest debate, which I will be serving as a panelist in, will be March 3rd in Lee Hall...the day after we get back from DC. (Everyone who lives in or around Starkville should definitely come- they are VERY entertaining and informative, esp. if you plan on voting in the primary on who will replace Chip Pickering in DC for our district...this is a big deal, people) That's all I will say about that.

Ok enough of me. Oh wait, that's the point of a blog isn't it? OH, THAT's why I love this thing...I had forgotten there for a little while!! I am really looking forward to work slowing down after this DC trip and debate, and I have alot of fun things coming up...namely, the CRUISE I am going on with a bunch of girls for Spring Break, Carley's Bachelorette Party Weekend in Destin (the DAY I get off the cruise...i hope I can make it through the weekend) and me and my parents visit to VIRGINIA BEACH over Easter!! Not to mention baseball game weekends (esp. Super Bulldog Weekend!!) coming up and my attempt to "chill" as much as possible before graduation. This semester is flying by...I don't know how to slow it down, so I might as well just hang on and enjoy the ride while it's happening....college unfortunately doesn't last forever...which majorly sucks.

I promise to post again after DC with lots and lots of good pictures! (the one above was from last year)

this is definitely my favorite post so far in my blogging career.

I found out today that I got accepted to LAW SCHOOL!! The school, since I failed to clarify in a previous post about it, is Regent Law School in Virginia Beach, Va. It is a Christian Law School located only a few miles from the BEACH and only a couple of hours from DC...SCORE!! I have been praying about this for quite some time now....I have always known deep down that I wanted to go to Law School, but my love for politics in college sort of took a front seat to the whole law school option. HOWEVER....I feel like there is a way to combine those two passions....and Regent is the best avenue to pursue that. Pat Robertson is the founder of Regent as well as the American Center for Law and Justice, a large Christian Advocacy group in DC, and I would LOVE to work with the ACLJ or the Heritage Foundation after Law School dealing with Constitutional Law and religious freedoms. I know beyond ANY doubt that God specifically put this school on my heart and that I was accepted for a reason...I cannot WAIT to begin!! He is SO GOOD!!

yack.

it's valentine's day. flowers. teddy bears. cards. chocolate. dates. wooo hooo. (insert sarcasm). i have revolted against V-day for quite a few years now....it's so pointless to me (except for the massive amounts of candy given out) but maybe that's just because I have never actually had a true "Valentine," at least not since those awkward jr. high/high school relationships that were just pointless in themselves. However, my wonderful parents have never let me go valentine-less...and this year was no exception. I had to go to Summit, MS last night to participate in a debate between the 3rd Congressional district candidates (I served as a Panelist and had SO much fun!) and when I got home LATE last night, I walked into my bedroom to find a vase full of pink tulips and a sweet card from my Daddy! He had snuck in my house while I was gone and put them where I would be able to see them right when I walked in..what a good man. And this morning, I came into work to find a present on my desk and some red and pink balloons from my mom! They are great at making me feel special all of the time, but days like this sometimes can get hard on us single girls and I am so glad God has sent me encouragement in my singleness through my parents. (yes, I am STILL....technically...on my guy-break....6 months going strong!! maybe I will celebrate THAT tonight?!)

As much as I really am content being "single" right now, it does help that I have so many guy friends to call up and hang out with whenever I'm feeling a little low. The other night, me and Mary Annette-my roommate- made some home-made Valentines out of construction paper and sharpies. While she was making one for her bf, I decided to make one for Jake, my BESTEST guy-friend. I should preface the picture by stating that he was watching me make it and wouldn't go home until I had finished it (right then), so I was feeling a TINY bit rushed...(I am going to make a few more this afternoon and hopefully those will turn out a little better)...but I think he liked his just fine.

This afternoon is Dudy-Gras. For all my non-State readers, Dudy Noble is the name of the field that the MSU baseball team plays on and is also the home to LEFT FIELD LOUNGE...the single greatest place in Starkville, and possibly the world. Left field lounge is State's version of baseball-tailgating. I cannot even really give it a just description because it is just that wonderful. ..just imagine old trailers with stadium-style wooden seats positioned all around the outfield area of a baseball field, and add thousands of students and fans all seated on and around the trailers cooking out on grills with plenty of cold "beverages"in hand on a beautiful southern spring afternoon....heaven on earth. WELL.....Dudy-gras is a new tradition in Starkville where all of the trailers meet up at Ricks and parade down through the Cotton District onto campus on their way to officially set up the trailers for the season. Me and Jake just happened to be sitting on my balcony in the Cotton District last year when we saw this gloriousness go by, and we are determined to make this a lasting tradition around the cotton district. I have already invited like 20 people over to the balcony to watch the parade today, including CARLEY ACY, my long-time best friend, who's BIRTHDAY happens to be today!!!!! She's turning 23 today, and is one day away from closing on her NEW HOUSE....wow, my friends sure are growing up fast!!!! Congrats, Car...and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Turns out, Valentines Day may be a good one after all....

LENT

I have decided to participate in Lent this year. Am I Catholic? no. Episcopalian? no. Methodist? no. However, alot of my friends are one of the above, and I thought it would be good for me to participate with them in hopes of encouraging one another for the next 40 days to give up some sort of eating, drinking, saying (or rather...not saying), or doing something that we consider a big part of our lives. I chose to give up Diet Coke. As most people know, I am somewhat addicted to DC. I usually drink about 3 or 4 per-day, depending on my stress level that day (more stress= more DC). I started last Wednesday (don't worry, I went to the gas station Tuesday night at 11pm and got a BIG GULP in hopes of tying me over the next 40 days). WELL....I made it to Saturday before I started second-guessing myself. I mean, do I REALLY need to participate in this?? After all, I am non-denominational, which means I can pretty much get away with anything (i'm kidding...but maybe a little serious about lent) so I reasoned for a while with myself...and tried to convince Stuart to convince me...that it was ok to have just ONE diet coke and that it was all about moderation (his words, not mine). So this conversation goes down like 5 minutes from Louisville (on our way to Jackson) and I make him pull over at the first gas station we see and I immediately ran inside and got the BIGGEST fountain drink of DC I have ever seen. It was glorious. But my cheating doesn't stop there...I ended up drinking like 4 more glasses over the weekend because Natalie's mom had a whole 2- Liter at their house (I mean what else was I supposed to drink?? I can't get dehydrated!!). I have cheated twice more since this weekend (once last night at a catfish dinner...a story which deserves a whole seperate blog post entirely....at which Dylan ATTEMPTED to take the drink away from me and I pitched a fit until he gave it back) and then today at lunch, but ONLY because I had a coupon for a free 21oz. fountain drink with my subway sandwich (I can't turn down free diet coke, are you crazy?!) And this has been the most stressful day EVER...so i think I deserved it. But that doesn't matter during Lent, now does it?

I say all of this to say....I am still going to try to do this Lent thing. For REAL from here on out. I obviously have little to no self-control, but I guess you gotta learn sometime. I ask this: if you are around me in the next 30 something days and I have a diet coke in my hand, make me feel REALLY bad about it. I need it. And if you are DRINKING one around me, well then we are not friends anymore, because friends don't needlessly TEMPT their friends.

i just wanna DANCE with somebody...

well, this weekend was everything i thought it would be. mollie headerman and tyler young tied the knot last night in jackson...one of the biggest weddings i've ever been to, and so much FUN! They had an awesome band (Dr. Zarr and the Amazing Funk-Monsters....i think they used to play at Starkville Academy's prom back in the day?!) and they played pretty much every kind of music...and you better believe I didn't leave the dance floor the whole night!! After my fun last night, I have come to this conclusion: I am OBSESSED with dancing. I could seriously dance anytime, anywhere, with any...well, pretty much, anybody. I love rap music for this very reason...i mean, you can pretty much pop, lock and drop it (0r however you prefer to break it down) to any current rap song. Speaking of current rap songs...or not so current...I also have a huge obsession with the CUPID SHUFFLE. (Or the "Cuban Shuffle" as Jenn calls it) I first learned about this amazing dance this summer in DC (at one of tyler young's "diddy parties" actually) and continued to BEG FOR IT at every social function thereinafter. If you don't know about this song/dance, well..I am just sorry for you. And don't even worry...they played last night, and it was AWESOME.

Some other weekend highlights....BROTHERS AND SISTERS was NEW tonight!! Totally made my weekend complete. It is hands down the BEST show on TV, and we have been having withdrawls lately because of the silly writers strike...but apparently it is over?!? THANK GOODNESS. AND.....my bike tires FINALLY got aired up so i am ready to ride again...just in time for some warm weather. WOO! Should be a pretty easy week this week...no tests or projects due...man, Life is good good good.

blah.

well, I wanted to post today...but as I sit at my desk in my office- needing to do a MILLION things for the DC trip and not doing any of them at the moment- I can't think of anything super interesting to write about. It's been one of those weeks. So busy, yet with what?? I need a vacation, asap. Me and Jake just started a workout plan where we alternate nights of running and swimming together. (we've only actually stuck to it 2 days so far this week though...some plan, huh.) We have GOT to get in shape for our swim-tests for summer camp (We are both working at camps this summer as ski instructors at the lake...only his camp is a Jewish all-girls camp- i can only imagine the stories I am going to hear) We have to swim 11 laps- down and back equal 1- and we almost passed out after 6 the other night, so this should be interesting...to say the least. If you see us in the Sanderson or on University Dr...give us a little encouragement...cause we DEFINITELY need it! Nothing else really exciting is going on right now...I can't wait for the weekend- as usual. I am going to Mollie Hederman and Tyler Young's wedding in Jackson and it's going to be LEGIT. I can't wait to see all my DC friends!

As for my political commentary (that I try to keep out of my blog normally), Huckabee made some positive strides on Super Tuesday..finally! I believe Romney is about to "suspend his campaign" today (THANK GOODNESS) and between Huckabee and McCain, I would say we are doing ok as a Republican party. I think McCain has the experience we need in a leader, but Huckabee has the ideals that I value, which is very important to me. Can McCain appeal to the conservative base enough to swing that vote? My advice (not that anyone is asking me)...if McCain continues to surge in the primaries...put up a McCain/Huckabee ticket...give Huckabee some experience as a VP and set him up to run in 2012. Done and done.

Looks like a had more than I thought.

A Special Day!

Today is one of my FAVORITE reader's birthday...Mama Kay! My mom is the most amazing lady in the entire world....she is the best listener, cook, hostess, MOM, wife, advice-giver, boss, and friend I have ever known. I know that many people have been influenced by her friendship and hospitality, and I am so thankful to have such a wonderful mother and mentor. Happy Birthday, Mom...you're the best!

some perspective

second post of the day...go me.

i heard this story in church yesterday and wanted to share it with my readers...really makes you wonder which twin you would be...

There was a family that had two twin boys, and these boys were complete opposites in every way except for their looks. One liked sports, one liked theatre...one was outgoing, one was a home-body, etc. etc. The most important difference in the boys (for the purpose of this story, at least) was that one was an extreme optimist and the other one an eternal pessimist. The father of these boys decided to try out a little test on his boys for their birthday to see how they would each react. In the pessimist's room, the father covered the room in every kind of toy and game imaginable...and in the optimist's room, he covered the room in only manure. The next morning, the father went into his sons' rooms to see their reaction to their surprises. As he walked into the pessimistic twin's room, he found his son sitting on the ground crying. When he asked what the matter was, his son explained that because he had all of those toys, his friends were going to be jealous and mad at him...and on top of that, he was going to have to read through all of the manuals, replace the batteries so often, and the toys would all eventually break anyway. As he walked into his other son's (the optimist) room, he found this son jumping up and down in the manure laughing. Confused, the father asked the son why he was so excited. The optimistic son replied....With all of this manure, there has GOT to be a pony around here somewhere!!

wow. That really makes me think about all the times I have been sitting in a pile of toys whining about putting together manuals...or even worse, when I have been surrounded by manure and never realizing the "pony" that is somewhere in my situation. I hope this means as much to y'all as it did to me.

get it, Eli!

so my amazing weekend was completed with the Giant's win in the Super Bowl last night. One of the best games I've seen in a long time...although me and Eli have had our run-ins (well, just one really...he was being way cocky at the Fair one year...my friend's cabin and his cabin are next door to each other... and I thought I needed to put him in his place...I am an IDIOT...I should have been FLIRTING with him instead of bashing him to his face...lessons learned, I guess) In spite of all that...my reasons for rooting for the Giants? Glad you asked...

1. Coach Coughlin is the cutest thing EVER.
2. I consider Eli to be a product of MISSISSIPPI, regardless of what color jersey he wore in college. (I realize he was not raised in Mississippi...but I'll take whatever I can get at this point)
3. I do not believe ANY team in NFL or any other league, conference, etc. should have a dynasty on a sport...and the Patriots were just getting too close for my comfort.
4. Get over yourself, Tom Brady. Yes, you are gorgeous. and so is your girlfriend. Ok, maybe I'm just jealous, but my statement still stands.
5. one word: UNDERDOG. I mean, come on, I go to MSU...I ALWAYS go for the underdog.


A few other highlights of my weekend included: A trip to Pap's Place in Ackerman (yes, they DEFINITELY "filled up my belly!"...A bonfire/cookout with Jenn's "Young Professional" friends (who I need to clarify most of which are neither young nor professional-acting...but still really fun!) and lots of food consumption after church at my parents' house...and later at Lee's Super Bowl party. wow...I just realized that every highlight of my weekend revolved around food. Story of my Life.