tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53371969592572716112024-03-18T21:20:34.659-07:00Life Beside the Wicked StageCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-33377278656212433022014-04-26T20:47:00.001-07:002014-04-26T20:47:11.023-07:00Serving Others, Nourishing My SoulIn January of this year, I started working for a law enforcement agency as a Records Clerk. It's not somewhere I ever saw my career or life path taking me. I'm often asked how I like it, and I'm not sure how to respond. I took the position primarily for more stability: it was a full time position that provided better benefits than the administrative assistant position I was currently holding. The job itself, however, requires maddening attention to detail, deals with subject matter that is not particularly pleasant, and requires interaction with members of the public who are not particularly happy to be having to require your services. It can be mentally and emotionally exhausting.<br />
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I've been trying to use my spiritual life to help keep me centered and disconnect from work. I still haven't reached the consistency I'd like to have in my prayer life, but as I was confiding in a coworker who asked "Have you been praying?" I was very much reminded how essential and necessary prayer is to protect to exposure of the dark and evil side of the world.<br />
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Today in particular, I joined some fellow Catholic Young Adults from the metro area in the heart of my Archdiocese to volunteer with a grocery delivery service for families in need. I participated in thirteen deliveries today, while receiving an immeasurable amount of spiritual nourishment.<br />
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We traveled to a part of the city that is out of my comfort zone, as well as the other two people in my delivery group. There are worse parts of the city we could venture into, at worse times, but it was definitely a reminder to me that I am pretty well off. As I reflected on things from my own personal life, I realized what grace there is that. My family and I have certainly had our struggles, but I have never been in truly dire circumstances. Everything has happened in a way that I have been spared the worst the world has to offer. I have done nothing to merit the good fortune of being dealt a hand that has its own advantages (birth location, family status, ethnic favor). I have done nothing to earn God's favor, I couldn't possibly earn the grace that is freely given. I fall short constantly, and repeatedly, sometimes almost unrepentantly and stubbornly. I fail, at one time or anything, everyone I love. <br />
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Likewise, I can't apologize for having life advantages beyond my control, but I do have a responsibility to take the time, treasure, and talent I have and use it for the good of others. Today I met a woman who cried tears of gratitude over the food we delivered, and shared with us some of her struggles and prayer concerns, which concerned another family member and not herself. Several people wanted to know how to refer other families for assistance through the program we were a part of. Another woman warned us to be cautious of the weather this evening (we live in tornado alley after all). Sharing a piece of these people's lives for a brief moment did as much good for my soul as it did for them, I hope.<br />
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In the car between deliveries my fellow volunteers and I shared stories about our lives and our faith journeys. We talked about things we do daily for our spiritual health, and I can always benefit from others' ideas as I work to find the best fit for my own personal spirituality. After all deliveries were completed, the other half of our young adult volunteers joined with those available for lunch near the lake. We talked about secular things, as well as one person's conversion story and what it's like to be a cradle Catholic versus a convert, how sometimes those raised in the faith can take it for granted.<br />
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I suppose the take away from the whole day for me is how important community is for the spiritual life. Our relationship with each other, the love we show to other humans, is critical to our spiritual health. Take the time to have some real, genuine fellowship with members of your community and to serve others. <br />
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<i>"Whatsoever you do for the least of my people, that you do also for me."</i><br />
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<i><br /></i>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-8467836768315097062013-10-23T19:40:00.001-07:002013-10-23T19:40:31.706-07:00Here's what's happening in my neck of the woods. . .From a very young age, I have been a procrastinator. I put the "pro" in it y'all! One thing I've been putting off lately (and for quite some time really) is the urge to commit myself to writing in this blog. I have many excuse, and one of them is I didn't know a good place to start. Well, I think I will just bite the bullet and begin this evening by giving an overview of what has been going on in my life lately.<div>
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<u>The Daily Grind</u></div>
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Since January I've been working as an administrative assistant at a small financial planning office. I like to describe myself as and Administrative Artist and Manager of Mischief. Administrative Artist because I do things like taking an example form on paper, recreating it with our office logo, and turning it into an Excel worksheet that produces recommendations just from plugging in the numbers according to a client's circumstances. I have to give a shout out to one of my sorority sisters for helping me work around Excel's dismal lack of a subtraction formula. Manager of Mischief comes from trying to read people's minds and work through the bureaucracy of the financial industry. How did I get here? What are these numbers and accounts?</div>
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<u>Teaching Dance</u></div>
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In September I started teaching dance again. I teach two classes at a community theatre/arts education ministry. My students are ages 4 - 7 and are full of surprises. In October I started the hire process at the Y to teach 3 - 8 year olds. I'm still getting settled in at the Y. Kids definitely teach you a thing or two and can be quite humbling to be around. It's not just teaching them to dance, but sometimes teaching manners, discipline, and conflict resolution. Oh to be seven years old. . .</div>
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<u>Catholic Young Adults</u></div>
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I've been getting very involved in Catholic Young Adult events in the metro area of my city. My parish is supportive of its own young adult group, but there is definitely room for growth in my archdiocese. I'm the type of person who likes to be in the middle of things and enjoys meeting new people, so I'm happy to be involved.</div>
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<u>Friends, Birthdays, and Nerdiness</u></div>
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When I'm not doing any of the above mentioned activities or retreating in my humble abode, I'm hanging out with friends, often celebrating birthdays in October (a great month for birthdays, I must say). I've also managed to watch 3 seasons of Doctor Who in a couple of months during weekend viewing binges. I may or may not be waiting for a man in a blue box to show up. . .</div>
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So that's the overview of what I've been up to lately. Now that I've broken the silence I will try to be better about actually writing more than once in a blue moon. :)</div>
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Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-15809433381568849112013-08-13T21:17:00.000-07:002013-08-13T21:20:33.803-07:00Life Loyal: Sorority Recruitment from an Alumna's Eyes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As a new school year begins at college campuses across the nation, Greek women (and men as well) are preparing for their annual fall recruitment. As part of that preparation, alumnae are invited to their chapter to stay connected and see how their younger sisters are doing. Tonight, I went to my chapter's alumnae event.<br />
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It's only been three years since I became an alumna (and I haven't left the city), but the drive onto my small alma mater's campus does bring back four and a half years of memories. As I stepped through the door, the alumnae chair greeted me and introduced herself, which feels oddly formal and reminds me that I'm not there every day any more. Yet when I walk through the door, despite not recognizing any collegiate members (at least not immediately, there are a few I know from my super senior semester) I still know I'm home. The energy in the room is familiar. Girls are spread throughout the chapter room chatting, with a few milling around the kitchen. A few other alums start to arrive and we chat catching up about life, families, jobs, etc while intermittently meeting collegiate members who are on their A game when it comes to making a good first impression.</div>
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Formality gives way to that underlying bond that transcends familiarity from member to member. As I chat with a group of three girls, all in various studies of theatre, I find out that one of them is in my "family" (the line of mentorship known as big, little, grand big, great grand big, etc). I share with them the story of how I think the family name has changed, along with an anecdote of the year I became a big and dressed up like a ninja to drop off a gift to my little. They love the story, and I think I have resurrected the Ninja Fam as a group name. Which is awesome.</div>
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Moving from the kitchen into the couches of the chapter room with two alums, some of the collegiate members join us and want to hear stories from our days in the house. What has changed? At first it seems like not much has changed, aside from our chapter doubling in size from when we were first initiated. Then I realize that I went to school there as the dance school was just starting its pedagogy program and before it had a creepy scale that talked to you. I feel the distance of the years a bit more keenly with that realization. They ask what I'm doing now, and I'm so glad that I will be teaching dance in the fall so I have some aspect of my life still related to my degree. </div>
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The alums get to see a bit of what the collegiate members will be sharing with potential new roommates during recruitment and my heart swells with joy watching them share their talents with us and watching a video montage of their involvement with our philanthropy. Afterward we share stories, alumnae and collegiate members, of what our sisterhood means to us. Many themes are repeated: life long friendships, support through difficult times, helping each other meet our full potential, networking and gaining leadership opportunities. So much of my adult life has taken shape thanks to this sisterhood. I see pieces of myself and other sisters in the collegiate members. Each woman is unique, but we are all real, strong women who are genuine, fun-loving, and passionate. The traits that define the chapter now are still those that defined it during my college days.</div>
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As the evening draws to a close for alums (the collegiates still have work to do in preparation for recruitment) our younger sisters thank us graciously for joining them this evening and let us know that they look forward to seeing us again throughout the semester. I stay and chat with a few older collegiates and some alums. I wish my younger sisters the best of luck this week with recruitment and can't wait for them to welcome fantastic new women into our house on Sunday!</div>
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Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-26584969368053074592013-08-05T19:24:00.002-07:002013-08-05T19:30:47.952-07:00Loving My Life, While Still Appreciating Yours*****Disclaimer***** I read a blog today that was someone's thoughts after attending a rehearsal dinner for a wedding with a group of people whose lives were quite different from her own. Possibly not thinking that anyone from the table would read her post (and also possibly out of habit, because she posts every day) she candidly shared her thoughts, which hurt someone who was at the table, as well as friends who felt that their lives were misunderstood. The original post has been taken down, but it got me thinking about how it feels when someone trivializes your life because it doesn't match their own or meet their expectations. This entry reflects my thoughts on the topic.<br />
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How do you respond when you are thrown out of your comfort zone, when you are at an event seated with people who may not reflect your own life's path? Do you learn from others and find common ground? Do you focus on the differences and feel the need to ponder why your way is the "right" way, not necessarily just right for you but absolutely Right and better than others?<br />
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Life in your twenties is a decade of "finding" yourself and laying the foundation for your adult life. Across this great land of ours, 20 somethings are committing themselves to family, career, self discovery, military service, etc. Sometimes it feels like in the South and in the church circles (I say church circles, because it's not relegated to Catholic or Christian churches, I have a Muslim friend who has had pressure from her family as well) there's a strong push to get married and start a family. Now, getting married and starting a family is a good and noble calling. God willing, I look forward to meeting my life's partner and starting a family some day. In the mean time, however, there is still a great deal for me to accomplish on my own.</div>
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Things I am grateful for at this point in my life:<br />
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*Living on my own: learning to be self-reliant, self-disciplined (a work in progress), and to be at peace in the solitude that will some day be distant memory</div>
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*Being able to embark on adventures on a whim. To decide to travel near or far, or even to just stay home for the weekend if that suits me.</div>
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*Being able to cook whatever I want, eat out wherever I want, or just eat whatever shamefully indulgent thing is easier than cooking or leaving my apartment for.</div>
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*Dedicating time to volunteer (and hopefully doing more of that in the future) or get involved in activities that suit me, without having to consult anyone else's schedule.</div>
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*Not having to pick between families for holidays (except for having to choose what friends house to celebrate at when I stay in town for a holiday)</div>
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My Facebook friends list is a beautiful tapestry of various walks of life. My newsfeed is flooded with production photos, show announcements, travel pictures, derby pictures, prayer requests, engagement photos, wedding photos, baby photos, updates on moves, and updates on deployments. My friends are artists, performers, mothers, fathers, military, civilians, cousins, friends, aunts, sorority sisters, and various roller derby affiliates. There is an abundance of humor, wisdom, rants, raves, recipes, tips, and tricks in the updates I scroll through during my day. I wouldn't have it any other way! I appreciate the diversity of those I have come in contact with, even though I may not agree with all opinions expressed. Sometimes I learn a little bit from those I don't immediately agree with. Sometimes I read and just scroll on.<br />
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There is a great deal to learn from those around us, even if they do not mirror us. I get to look at beautiful pictures from all over the world, thanks to my military and vagabond performing friends. When I'm at that place in my life where I am planning a wedding and eventually starting a family, I have friends that I KNOW have been there and can answer questions I might have. If I'm travelling anywhere, pretty literally, I can throw the question of "What to see?" out there and I'm pretty likely to get a response from someone who has visited that location before.<br />
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My life is not better than yours, yours is not better than mine. We are all taking the gifts, talents, and experiences that our Creator has given us and using them to the best of our abilities to share with others. At least I hope we all are. Just because I don't have a husband and children (yet) doesn't mean that I am waiting for my life to begin. I am living it right now, as a daughter, niece, cousin, friend, sister, coworker, employee, volunteer, teacher, and inhabitant of this beautiful world.<br />
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Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-23702023785829245832013-07-22T17:38:00.001-07:002013-07-22T17:38:44.824-07:00Welcome to the Center of the UniverseWhen I went to college and was looking for a way to meet people and form strong, reliable connections 500 miles from home, I decided to go through Panhellenic Recruitment (sorority rush) and consider joining a sorority. My friend Kim, who is a music theatre and Lord of the Rings nerd, told me about her positive experience while gushing "I'm SOOOOO not the stereotypical sorority girl!" I found many kindred spirits in Alpha Chi Omega's Gamma Tau chapter and accepted an invitation to become one of their sisters.<div>
<br />As you join a sorority, you immediately have a mentor to help you transition through the process from accepting a bid to becoming an initiated member. Your first mentor is paired randomly, but my Guardian Angel, as she is lovingly called, Twila, is amazing! She is originally from Tulsa, a little over a hundred miles from where we attended college. After she graduated and I visited her for the first time, she our other sister Amy took me to this spot in downtown Tulsa around 2:00 a.m.</div>
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They called it the "center of the universe," and it's a lot easier to experience than it is to explain. There's a lot of unique, interesting architecture in downtown Tulsa but there is also a special spot, a parabolic anomaly, that people who have lived in Tulsa their entire lives may not know of. Your voice echoes, only to you, in this spot, and the sounds all around you are heightened. Rulers would design their throne rooms to have this effect so they could clearly hear what people thought they were saying in secret.</div>
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This past weekend I found out that the Brady Arts District was having their first ever Center of the Universe Festival to raise money for the district and to upgrade their trolley system. Free concerts from up and coming bands, as well as headliners such as One Republic, OK Go, and Neon Trees. What better excuse to visit my lovely Twila and enjoy a quick get away?</div>
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Sitting with Twila, watching OK Go on a big LED screen</div>
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During Neon Trees set, we worked our way up to the entrance to Cain's Ballroom, a favorite smaller concert venue in Tulsa.</div>
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As close as you can get without being one of the "fancy people" as OK Go liked to call the folks who paid for closer concert access.</div>
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Twila told me there are special events and free concerts fairly frequently in downtown Tulsa. This was definitely a fun event and one of my favorite weekends recently. Actually, to be fair, this has probably been one of the most fun months I've had. I'll have to write a catch up entry about my road trip to Phoenix, and this weekend I'm going to float the Illinois River with some friends. Hurray for summer adventures!</div>
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Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-25765670511780284112013-05-21T15:40:00.002-07:002013-05-21T15:42:37.493-07:00The Spirit of OklahomaAs a little girl, I had recurring nightmares about tornadoes. I grew up in Louisiana where tornadoes happened occasionally, but weren't frequent. Still, I can remember being extremely anxious during a storm in 5th grade in a class room that had a wall full of windows and a door that opened to an outdoor hallway. With the recurring dreams about tornadoes, you'd never think I'd move to tornado alley (and stay there) for college.<br />
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I remember hearing my first tornado siren. It was a sunny Saturday morning, I was a bit confused and alarmed, until a friend who grew up hear reassured me it was only a weekly test. During my first storm season I was notably anxious. Over the years, I've grown a bit less panicky (I don't jump at EVERY thunderstorm anymore, I realize the sirens go off for the entire county when a funnel is spotted, etc). Nonetheless, when sever weather coverage is happening, I worry for my friends in the high risk areas and fret until the storm has passed and I can reach them. People speak about past devastating storms with reverence to their destruction. Everyone knows about the May 3rd tornadoes, and if you're new hear, they'll fill you in.<br />
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Yesterday I got a phone call from a friend who checks in occasionally (but not frequently) with me in the afternoon during a typical, not super scary, thunderstorm. Her greeting after I said "Hello" was "Thank God you're alive!" Well, it wasn't scary at MY home. I turned on the TV and couldn't believe my eyes. If my best friend wasn't in Arizona, I would have been hysterical. Moore, Oklahoma, a suburb just south of Oklahoma City and hometown to a few friends of mine, was hit. Hard. Right by the exit to go to her house. At the movie theater I'd made plans to go to this weekend. At another friend's house. All over the town. I made phone calls and sent texts, trying to make sure those I know who live there were ok. Some calls wouldn't go through. My mother couldn't even reach me, and I didn't know it until I had received text messages from friends in Hawaii and Georgia and decided I should probably post a status on Facebook letting everyone know I was safe.<br />
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My home had made national, even international news.<br />
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For the past 24 hours it's been both gut wrenching to watch television and hard to look away. Seeing areas I've driven by often, usually on the way to see people I love, to escape from a long week and enjoy a movie or anime or just good company, were leveled. It's been absolutely heartbreaking.<br />
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Oklahoma has a sense of community that is unshakable though. So many people were checking on each other and asking about friends and family as well, people they are not close to or know personally, but that they know mean a great deal to someone they are close to. In the aftermath of an E5 tornado that was two miles wide and literally scattered debris across the state, over 3,000 people have applied to volunteer with Red Cross, maxing out their volunteer capacity. A news station has collected over $65,000 in cash donations in 24 hours. Multiple corporations have donated $1 million dollars, EACH. Kevin Durant, the face of our NBA team, has pledged $1 million dollars from his charitable organization. Every Oklahoman is pitching in however they can. Restaurants and food trucks are cooking and donating food to relief workers. Local businesses are collecting donations. Artists are planning benefit performances and workshops. People are giving their time, talents, and treasure to help their neighbor. Humans are being cared for, animals are being cared for. Homes are being opened, dormitories are made available, rental properties are being donated for free use. Whatever resources we have, they are made available to those who are affected across the state. Moore isn't the only town that has experienced loss. It is a focal point because of the massive devastation, but we are reminded of Shawnee and Carney are in need as well.<br />
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I'm thankful that those I know and am close to are safe. They may have experienced damage to vehicles, or even to their house, but those material things aren't what really matters. We will come together, replace, and rebuild.<br />
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God bless Oklahoma. <br />
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<br />Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-34451336816554067492013-04-21T20:49:00.001-07:002013-04-21T20:49:10.753-07:00What a week! Praying for Boston while remembering 4/19/95 in OKCThis week was quite a tumultuous week. The news of the bombings at the Boston marathon were shocking and devastating. I immediately tried to mentally go through the list of people I know who moved to Boston after high school or college. They are all safe, and I didn't have any real reason to believe that any of them were at the marathon, but that is the same reaction I had on 9/11 (I have family in NYC. Only one cousin lived in Manhattan, so it wasn't probable that he was there, but in my mind there was shock, sadness, and "Please God don't let anyone I know be near there).<div>
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These kind of actions are heartbreaking and unfathomable to me, and yet, I live in a city that experienced its own tragedy 18 years ago. Everyone who lives here understands how the events of April 19, 1995 affected this community, even if they were not here at the time. Military stationed at Tinker Air Force Base come here as part of their orientation, as do members of the Oklahoma City Thunder. If you speak with someone who lived in the metro area at the time, they will share their memories of that day and how far away they were, yet still felt the after shock. </div>
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I already had plans to make a trip to the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial this week, but after everything else in the world seemed especially crazy the need to go, reflect, and pray was greater than ever. In this post, I will share some pictures I took at the memorial.</div>
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This is a statue on the corner of NW 5th and Hudson. Jesus is weeping with his back to the site.</div>
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A closer look at the face of Jesus covering his face and weeping.</div>
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Inscription</div>
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The view from outside the memorial, across the street from the statue.</div>
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This is part of the original fence used to protect the site. People began bringing tokens of love, hope, and remembrance. </div>
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People continue to bring and leave mementos today. Some are archived in the museum.</div>
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A view through the chain link fence into the outdoor memorial.</div>
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Remembering lost loved ones.</div>
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My sorority letters, left by or remembering an unknown sister.</div>
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Letters and pictures left by children who lost their mother in the bombing. They now have their own children and told their mother about her grandchildren and ways that they know she is still with them.</div>
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The reflecting pool, facing the 9:01 a.m. gate, the time of innocence one minute before the blast.</div>
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A sign explaining the field of empty chairs, which symbolize the 168 lives lost.</div>
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The field of chairs.</div>
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Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum, in the surviving building next door.</div>
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The field of empty chairs and flags flying half mast for Boston.</div>
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The flags against the skyline. The large tower is the Devon Tower, fairly new to the OKC skyline.</div>
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Each chair has the name of a victim. There are smaller chairs for the children lost. Families leave things for their loved ones.</div>
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The Survivor Tree, a 90+ year old oak tree that survived the blast and now stands for human resiliency.</div>
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Surviving structure on the east wall.</div>
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The surviving east wall with a list of survivors from surrounding buildings. The granite was taken from the wreckage.</div>
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The reflecting pool, facing the field of empty chairs and the 9:03 am gate marking the time when everything changed after the blast.</div>
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The Survivor Tree</div>
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The gates of time frame 9:02 am, the time of the explosion.</div>
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A message spray painted on the wall of the building next door by a member of one of the rescue teams.</div>
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Sunshine through the limbs of the Survivor Tree.</div>
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View from under the Survivor Tree</div>
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The reflecting pool is where NW 5th Street used to run.</div>
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I could hear families explaining the events that happened hear to their children. One child asked if they used airplanes. How sad that in my lifetime so many acts of terror have occurred and I will have to explain these events to my children. There is another area for children that I didn't venture to where they can share their art and feelings in chalk, near some painted tiles sent by other children in response to the event.</div>
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Surviving structure</div>
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Next weekend will be the Memorial Marathon. Many runners will wear green shoe laces and red socks in honor of Boston.</div>
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This life size crucifix is located in the east wall of St. Joseph's Old Cathedral at NW 4th and Hudson. The building had some damage from the explosion, but the crucifix on this wall was not damaged. You could literally sit at the feet of Jesus and pray during quite times at this church.</div>
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I had thought about going back and taking some pictures at night to include (the gates and chairs light up) but I think I have more than enough pictures for one post. I will continue to pray for those in Boston and remember that this is most unfortunately, not the first event of its kind.</div>
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Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-9535329160194222452013-01-31T22:09:00.000-08:002013-01-31T22:10:58.732-08:00There's a light at the end of the tunnel, but I underestimated the length of the tunnel. . .Today I really felt like I needed to write an entry or generally write more regularly in here. I have felt this tugging to write and share, but I hesitate because I don't always know how to balance what to say and what to keep to myself. I just want to reach out and if my experiences entertain, inspire, or encourage someone my goal will be reached.<br />
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At any rate, I've hesitated even more because after finishing a seasonal job and resuming my work search in mid-January I didn't feel what I had to share would be positive, and who wants to be a downer? Some local family stuff was going down about that time so I used it as an excuse to put off diving back in and kind of had a private pity party for a week.</div>
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This whole process has been challenging. I invested so much time and effort into MY plan and things not going my way are very disheartening. Maybe it's only child syndrome or I've just been lucky and spared this kind of struggle most of my life. I've had my struggles, but there was a light at the end of the tunnel and this tunnel seems longer than I expected. At any rate, I finally ended the pity party, let out all the frustration and got determined to start fresh.</div>
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I'm taking a break from skating because I can't afford to get hurt on a low budget with no health insurance, but instead I started training for a 5k. I focus on my job search, but I also focus on staying involved as a Non-Skating Official for derby, volunteering at church, and trying to be a good friend to my Okie family. I'm also trying to stay diligent in my spiritual journey. I stumble along the way, but things are looking up.</div>
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I signed on with an employment agency that recruits for temporary work as well as temporary to hire. It's mostly administrative assistance, which leaves me feeling unfulfilled but helps get by and keeps me from vegging out on the couch too much. This week I've been filling in so at least they are finding me things to do and I'm being useful to someone. Gotta find that positive spin! On Monday I have an interview for a job that looks promising.</div>
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Today during my down time at work (I'm limited in what I can assist with due to unfamiliarity and the phone calls weren't pouring in) I read <a href="http://newsok.com/hasheem-thabeet-is-having-a-career-year-with-the-thunder/article/3750500" target="_blank">this</a> article online. </div>
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To sum it up, OKC Thunder Player Hasheem Thabeet has previously struggled in his NBA career despite being the number 2 draft pick in 2009. He went through trades and coaches until he got picked up by the Thunder. Early in his career he was under a lot of pressure to perform very well while transitioning to a higher caliber of game play, as well as being criticized for not performing as well as other draft picks of the year. Through it he stayed positive, which STILL garnered criticism. Finally, he was traded to the Thunder where he was coached in a way that focused on building his strengths while still improving and equalizing his weaknesses. He didn't have to be everything to everyone, just focus on being HIS best and contributing to the team in the role that best suits his ability, skills, and talents. Not sidelining him completely for mistakes or because he hasn't fully grown into his potential. Most of all, he felt welcomed and included in the community of the team</div>
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Isn't that all we really need to thrive? To be accepted for our individual talents and contributions? To be encouraged to keep working and persevering? To know that if we make a mistake and haven't fully reached our potential, there is still plenty of road for the journey? I thrive most when I have other people to turn to as part of a caring community of encouragement, whether that be family, friends, scholastic, or professional. At the same time, when you're by yourself or when your community isn't as positive you have to have that inner light to stay positive and push forward. It may be unusual, but I found that article inspiring.</div>
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Well there's an update and hopefully some encouraging thoughts from me. I've stayed up a wee bit too late, yet again, so I'll end this for today. :)</div>
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Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-33883257518084572572013-01-04T23:26:00.000-08:002013-01-04T23:33:44.803-08:00It's all about perspectiveThis week at youth group, Rachel led the kids in making new year's resolutions. She had separate worksheets for the adults (just me and her this week) and the students. I really liked the worksheet for the adults, which wasn't a typical "My resolution is to do/not do this. . ." Instead it focused on wants, needs, what you can share during the year, and a word to focus on for the year. It kind of keeps your goals centered, without being restricted.<br />
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The word I chose to focus on this year is "peace." While this isn't always the case, I have some type A tendencies, control issues, and general anxiety issues. Part of this is my inherent high achiever, perfectionist nature while part of this was nurtured in college. All of it adds up to over-thinking and over-analyzing, which leads to unnecessary stress and worry. Not only that, but in stressful situations I often tend to have knee jerk reactions rather than remaining calm and thinking through a solution without getting emotional.</div>
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An example of this was my mother's recent visit for Christmas. As excited as I was to have my mother here for the holidays, there was an underlying fear that things wouldn't go as planned while she was here. My mother is bipolar and is still trying to establish a new routine after moving to Florida. While she has moved forward leaps and bounds in the past few years, I still worry that change in her routine will trigger a negative reaction. Thankfully, her visit went very well until we were on our way to the airport.</div>
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I have an older car and a notorious track record for shenanigans. The second day of my mom's visit, I started having trouble with the electric panel for the starter. Some wires weren't making good contact and needed to be adjusted occasionally before the car would start. It was under control most of the time, but the morning I was taking Mom to the airport it acted up. I got it started and we drove on without worry because once it starts it's smooth sailing from there. That is, until the car decided to coast in a non-responsive manner during the drive to the airport. </div>
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I pull off to a safe side road and started the usual trouble shooting, which wasn't working. Panicked, I called in for back up and a rescue ride for my mother. While I'd love to extend her stay, she doesn't have an option for a direct flight home and I didn't want either of us to deal with the stress of re-routing her travel plans. I nearly started crying in a "Woe is me! Why can't anything ever go according to plan?" sort of manner. I'd try to take a deep breath and finagle with the wiring again, to no avail. As the minutes ticked by, my panic started to increase. Would her ride get here in time? Would she check her bags and get through security without any trouble? What if we had to reschedule? Would my car get fixed? Why was it doing this?!?! I finally took one more deep breath and adjusted the key, only to realize I didn't even have the key in the right position to see if the wires were making contact and registering again. DUH!</div>
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Fear, panic, and anxiety had blinded me to an obvious stumbling block to fixing the problem. It's amazing how just taking a deep breath and calmly taking a second (or third, fourth, fifth. . .) look can quickly solve the problem. There is no place for over reaction in that situation, and it just wasn't necessary.</div>
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This morning I was locked out of my office, as I was the second to arrive and don't have a key. As I was getting ready to call to have the door opened, a coworker pulled into the parking lot. I got out of my car, locked, and closed my door. Then I checked to see if my keys had been put in my purse. Not finding them right away, I checked my pockets. Definitely not there, I double checked my purse, which sometimes eats my keys. Still not finding them, I looked inside the car, finally checking the ignition where the keys were hanging. Great! I remained calm, walked in the office and started asking for a wire hanger and planning my break in. Nobody had anything that would work. One of my coworkers asked the obvious question of whether or not there was a spare anywhere.</div>
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Aha! I do happen to have a spare in a trusted location accessible to someone who might be able to bring it to me. After a few phone calls and text messages, I'd not only arranged for the spare to come to my rescue, but I made a lunch date with my sister who is in town from Hawaii. We hadn't had a good time to sit and have a heart to heart chat during her visit, so this morning's rough start turned out to be a blessing in disguise.</div>
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Experiencing these two stories, one before and one after my resolution to make peace a focus for 2013, has helped me realize that there is a lesson to be learned in the most ordinary yet annoying mishaps. Whether it's the reminder to calmly take another look or seeing the opportunity disguised in a typical nuisance, just because something stressful happens doesn't mean the situation is ruined.</div>
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Wishing you peach and clarity in the moments that try your patience and stress levels,</div>
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Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-23334197505478788002013-01-01T12:43:00.002-08:002013-01-01T13:05:19.283-08:00Reflections on 2012As 2012 came to a close and 2013 was approaching, I could not help but reflect on the events of the past year. It was a roller coaster of a year and quite certainly did not end the way I expected it too. Yet it is undeniable that through everything, there was a lot of growth that occurred in the past year.<br />
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In the beginning of the year I had resolved to work on my spiritual and financial life. I took a class that helped me delve deeper into my faith and become more habitual about practicing Catholicism. Through this class, I got more than just a deeper and renewed knowledge and practice of the faith. I made a better relationship with a friend which led to later becoming involved in youth ministry with junior high students in September.<br />
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Through that friendship, I also got involved in roller derby. After going to a 4th of July party at Rachel's house, I met some roller girls and found out that a new recruit class was beginning the following week. I tried it out and have been sticking with it, though last month I was pretty busy and slacked off on skating. Skating has helped me get active again and given me an outlet and release when things have gotten stressful. I met some great people and gotten motivated to stay physically active. I actually rang in the new year by officiating at some exhibition bouts as part of the New Year's Eve events downtown and then watching the ball and fireworks with some of the girls.<br />
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In September I had the biggest change and challenge of the year when I became unemployed. I've been praying about what the next step of my journey is, and found a temporary home where my skills have been greatly appreciated. It's not what I'd like to do for the rest of my life and will be over in a couple of weeks, but it was great to get some confidence back. Mean while, I've got one or two things I'm waiting on and back up plans after that. I just keep praying that I follow God's will to build a career that fulfills His purpose for my life.<br />
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Throughout the year I also reflected on some relationships, past and present, that have affected my life. I made amends with an old friend whose relationship with me had fallen apart dramatically and left a lot of residual negativity. I finally answered the call to not only forgive, but to make amends. I also finally opened up and honestly discussed my feelings with someone else whom I had been holding back from. That was necessary in order to open my heart up to other possibilities. It has not been easy, but I am resolving myself to open myself up to move forward into the new year, rather than hold on to the past and possibilities that aren't really in my future.<br />
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The most important thing throughout this year though, is the renewed strength in the relationship I have with my family. In May, I went home to Louisiana to see my cousin's graduation. I got to spend time with my step-father's family, whom I haven't gotten a chance to see since his funeral in 2009. Louisiana overall still holds a huge place in my heart and always will because of my history there. It can be bittersweet, but I know that I needed to make peace with it and my trips the past two years have been important for that purpose. <br />
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In June I went to my family's reunion in Las Vegas. I got to see aunts and and uncles that I have only seen a few times in my life, and mostly for sad occasions such as funerals. I got to meet my cousins who had only been anecdotes before, as well as their beautiful children. I built relationships in that week that have lasted throughout the year. In November, I went back for my cousin's wedding and was blessed to see many family members again. It is a blessing for my large family to reconnect like this and to become more involved in each other's lives. A great shout out to Facebook for helping keep us in touch!<br />
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I also got to spend extra time with my mother this year. In October she, my aunt, and uncle moved to Florida and I got to celebrate my birthday with them there and see the end of their move into a permanent residence. My mother also came to visit me for Christmas, which was a wonderful opportunity and redemptive trip from the last time she was here. It is so great for me that I have spent almost an entire month with my mother this year!<br />
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All in all, I don't know for sure what 2013 will bring. My need for control, certainty, clarity, and plans would normally make me a ball of anxiety, but I am trying my best to stay grounded and remain at peace that everything is going to work out. Despite my anxious tendencies, all I can do is live in the moment one day at a time.<br />
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Happy New Year everyone!<br />
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<br />Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-7656380307010526392012-11-10T17:31:00.000-08:002012-11-10T17:31:24.844-08:00I always say thank you to our troops at the airport. . .So. . . I have definitely NOT kept up daily blog posts. Are you surprised? My gratitude has not needed as much elaboration as I thought, and honestly a few days it was kind of hard to find something different to be thankful for. Not that I wasn't thankful, I just couldn't find an angle worth gushing about on here.<br />
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Today, however, I jumped ahead of my pre-planned gratitude. I was going to wait until Veteran's Day to gush about my patriotic thanks for our nation's military, but between the Marine Corps birthday and video footage of LSU's tribute to our veterans ("Taps" makes me teary eyed!) I couldn't help it, I had to say it today.<br />
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I suppose that's a pretty cliche thing to be thankful for (I would hope that everyone would understand and be grateful for the sacrifices of a volunteer military like no other) but it's something I feel is deeply rooted in my heart. I grew up in a community anchored by a large Army base, as the granddaughter of a retired sergeant. I spent my fair share of time on base in my early years. My grandfather was very sick and had many appointments on base, eventually having to be hospitalized in San Antonio. My grandmother worked at the Child Development Center, where I went to pre-school. There were also many shopping trips at the PX and the Commisary. From an early age I was taught about the daily flag ritual and that you ALWAYS stopped and put your hand over your heart during the national anthem. My grandmother taught me patriotic songs and even after she passed on, I continued spending time on base visiting friends from school and work who lived in military housing.<br />
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In my adult life, I have many friends who joined the military or are married into the military, not just in the Army but in pretty much every branch. The gratitude and pride I have for those who serve and the families who support them only grows stronger. <br />
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<br />Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-38141822291053706632012-11-03T12:55:00.003-07:002012-11-03T12:55:49.643-07:00Thanks be to BlogI've been pretty bad about consistently blogging for a plethora of reasons/excuses including but not limited to:<br /><br />
1) Difficulty discerning what is/isn't appropriate to share with the WORLD<br />2) Not necessarily feeling like what I share is worth sharing to anyone else<br />3) Generally just not making it a priority<br />4) Etc. . .<br /><br />BUT<br /><br />I jumped on the November thankful Facebook status bandwagon, and thought that some of those status updates could be expanded upon into blog entries. Wham, bam, thank you ma'am! A blogging incentive strategy was born.<br />
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I won't back track though (at least not right now) so I'll just start with today.<br /><br />Today, dear internet readers, I am thankful for lasting, meaningful friendships. Yes, I know that sounds cheesy and trite, but it's true damn it. Today I reunited with my old roommate after, well I'm not sure how many months. She moved to Dallas this year and we kind of drifted while living our own lives. She made an impromptu road trip back this weekend though, so we caught up on life. It was great to chat, catch up, and most of all give each other perspective and support on the things that have been weighing most heavily on our hearts. I love that we can keep in touch and catch up despite the usual distance.<br />
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I'm blessed with several friendships like that. Some of my dearest friends live across the country, or even the world! Two of my particular best friends are military wives I've known since elementary school. During college we would get caught up in our own lives, sometimes not talking for months. However, as soon as something big happens we'd reach out via phone call, text message, email, FB message, whatever and it's like NO time has passed at all. We just pick up where we left off and mix our extensive history with the wisdom from our new experiences and help each other navigate life's journey.<br />
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Even living in the same city sometimes my local friends get caught up in life and don't get to chat or hang out every day, or even every week. Still, we are there for each other and I know that if I wound up moving away there are those friends here who would transition into the same kind of friendship I have with my friends from my hometown.<br />
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So the next time I'm having a moment of loneliness, I just have to remember that I've got an unusually high number of top quality friends, in various time zones, to be awesome no matter how long it's been since we've gotten a chance to catch up. I've got friends for all occasions.<br />
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Blessed and thankful,<br />
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<br />Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-68029920010481760742012-09-18T11:02:00.000-07:002012-09-18T11:02:18.758-07:00A message to all girls and young womenMy cousin is preparing to celebrate her daughter's first birthday and asked family and friends to write letters for a keepsake book. I'm in a particularly introspective point in my life at the moment, so I wrote this really verbose letter than my precious baby cousin will not understand for at least 10 or 15 years. However, I feel like this is worthy of sharing because these are the words of advice I will one day offer to my daughter, to nieces, to young female cousins, to young girls I teach, to any girl or young woman who will listen! These are the words I wish I had heard and absorbed years ago when I was starting my journey to becoming a mature woman. How luck is she to have it in writing so she can always refer back to it in difficult times and situation.<br />
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Now that I've blown my own horn, here's the letter:<br />
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My sweet, precious cousin,</div>
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Happy first birthday! You are a beautiful baby girl with an open, promising future. As you grow up, you will most likely change your mind several times about your dreams, goals, and heart's desires. That is ok, because you are going to journey through life finding your skills, talents, and passions along the way, carving your own path to happiness. People are going to try to tell you what a "lady" is and what is feminine. Some may try to limit your options because of this, do not let them. With hard work and determination, you can achieve virtually anything. </div>
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While some women love sparkles, ruffles, high heels, and other traditional "girly" things, others are content to adorn themselves simply, and that is fine too. I could very well be considered a typical "girly girl" who studied dance and loves all things sparkly and shiny. That is only one facet to who I am though. I am also a determined, fierce, strong competitor and when you add a pair of roller skates that led me to train to compete in women's roller derby. It looks rough around the edges, and it's not for everyone. What I'm trying to say is the only person who can limit what you can achieve is YOU. Chita Rivera says "Bring your own shoes." In the movie "Whip It" they tell the young woman awed by their team to "Be your own hero." This really just means be yourself and live your dreams.</div>
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As you journey through life, the path is going to be filled with mountains and valleys. When you find yourself losing your footing and falling into a valley, just know that in front of you is the next mountain to climb. God and your family are always going to be with you to help pick you and and get you to the top of the next mountain. When people say things that are meant to tear you down, rest in comfort that you are "fearfully and wonderfully made" in the eyes of the Lord. We all want acceptance in this world, but we can't always see the bigger picture and whose opinions of us ultimately matter the most. I have lost my way a few times, and while I pray that your faith will be steadfast, I also know that when I have come back from losing my way my faith has returned and grown with greater strength and conviction. I pray that you always find your way back and that each lesson in life makes you stronger and takes you closer to the woman you are called to be.</div>
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I will leave you with one Bible verse that I think all women, of all ages need to memorize. When the world tries to tell us who we are meant to be, we must remember who God our ever loving Father calls us to be:</div>
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"She is clothed with strength and dignity and laughs at the days to come. She opens her mouth in wisdom; kindly instruction is on her tongue" Proverbs 31: 25 - 26</div>
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I encourage you, when you are old enough to read and understand, to read Proverbs 31: 10 - 31 for the full poem of woman's worth. In the meantime, remember always that you are a daughter of the Lord, clothed with strength and dignity, laughing in the face of uncertainty rather than cowering in fear and anxiety. You nurture others with your wisdom, guidance, and kind instruction. You build up those around you rather than tearing them down.</div>
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I love you my sweet cousin, and I so excited to see the young lady and mature woman you grow into throughout your life!</div>
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Love always,</div>
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Cousin</div>
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Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-68920820903719761302012-08-08T23:20:00.000-07:002012-08-08T23:20:02.231-07:00When it rains, at least you find the rainbowIt's pretty safe to say that my sanity has held on by a thin thread the past month or so. Truthfully, this year has been trying for me and my friends (some of them have had FAR worse years than me, but I'm the type of person who cares too much, heart on her sleeve, close friends are like family, etc). Every now and then Murphy's Law comes into play and I start to wonder where the hidden cameras are.<div>
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Take Tuesday afternoon for example.</div>
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I had big plans for Tuesday night, so I wore my favorite work dress to look classy and fantastic. I wasn't completely pleased with my hair, but when you're blessed with a lot of naturally curly hair, you learn that it has a mind of its own and you should learn to live with it. Anyway, I was gearing up for an afternoon of errands. These errands included a personal trip to bring donations for families who lost everything in wild fires across the state last week. I drove to one of the burbs, dropped off donations from a coworker, and headed back into the city to finish running errands.</div>
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Now, it's kind of a running joke how awful my luck is with cars. Read <a href="http://crazylifeofcassie.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-automotive-misadventures-fall-2011.html">this</a> for example. . .</div>
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So I'm driving toward the highway and all of the sudden my car doesn't want to keep going. I've had a few experiences this summer in which I was driving around in the crazy heat and my car was reluctant. I thought maybe it was the battery being affected by the gross triple digit plus moderate humidity summer. It usually restarts, but not this time. I'm in the middle of the road, barely out of an intersection, and I'm kind of panicking. So I called the troops, got a push from some strangers (and an offer for a push start, which I declined so someone could check out my engine) and start the waiting game.</div>
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Well, it was too darn hot to wait outside in a nice, mostly black suit dress, so I went into the nearest shop for A/C. Turns out it was a natural herb store with a lot of witch references and a robe. That was weird, but I guess it's quirky and adds to the story. Suffice it to say, the men folk showed up, tinkered under the hood, tried replacing a part, etc. I tried very hard to keep a decent attitude (and not have a road side mental break down) and not get crazy and cranky thanks to the heat. If you know much about how I deal with stress, conflict, and bumps in the road, keeping my mouth in check was quite a feat. </div>
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Two hours after the initial car betrayal I was home to clean up, find a new outfit, go out to dinner and recoup. My big plans included a show and after party featuring a Broadway legend. I'll be honest, I was almost so fed up that I wanted to curl up on my couch and reschedule, but I needed to keep moving to not really break down.</div>
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The show was AMAZING. As a dancer and musical theatre lover (I swear my inner monologue is a song and dance) I couldn't help but feel blessed to experience this show. It was Chita Rivera in concert! I would say I smiled the entire show, but there was one number that was kind of a crazy song and in my hyper-anxious mood it was almost enough to set me into an attack. (The song is called "Carousel" and was done extremely well. I think my almost panic attack is a testament to how effectively it showed the emotion of crazy, frantic carousel rides as a metaphor).</div>
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At the after party, I got to meet Chita briefly. Oh. My. Gosh. I want to be as vibrant as she is when I grow up. She literally made my day. I think that when I'm overwhelmed for the rest of the year I'll just look at this picture and remember how blessed my life really is:</div>
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It's the little things. Seriously though, this is how musical theatre can totally turn your day around. This woman can move, sing, and fully embrace life at an age when most people are well into retirement. Truly an inspiration. So much so, that she really deserves her own post. Perhaps later, but for now I'm just so grateful for the happy moments that can be the rainbow after the storm.</div>
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Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-89486958360892844362012-07-26T22:11:00.001-07:002012-07-26T22:11:14.682-07:00The Call that Broke the Ticket Girl's Filter<span style="font-family: inherit;">Long time no see! It's been an ever eventful summer, as always. Things started off slow, but I have quickly come to regret ever feeling disappointed to be less than sprinting, as the last week or two has been nothing short of a marathon. I always say my job tends to be all or nothing, and we are all in baby.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My ticket office manager is currently performing in our show, and he is wonderful might I add. The only hitch is that leaves me as the person with the most experience in the box office. That gives people the impression that I know things, which leads them to believe I should be in charge of things. Yeah, that would make sense. Still scary!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's just say, I have a new and undying admiration, respect, and dare I say love for anyone who runs a ticket office. On top of all else, it's season renewals time, when I'd normally need to be there every night to help but now I want to be in two place at once handling all questions, issues, and snags. I haven't a time turner or a clone though, so I have to remember to actually TELL people what's in my head and not assume they know so they can be as awesome as me. That's working pretty well. Now I see where OCD and control issues come from. Perhaps that's a trait across the management board. I've got my system, I know where my piles are, but for the love of all that is good in this world do NOT put more paper on my pile!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">*ahem*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have discovered neurosis I never realized I had.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Most of all though, the days are long and the patrons are crazy, which leads to worn down patience. Take this conversation for example:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: Ticket office how
may I help you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: Yes, I’d like
two tickets, best available.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: “Best available”
is a matter of perception. Did you want
closest to the stage? I have some in the
pit area, added in front of the orchestra section, literally front row
center. Our star could reach out and
touch you if she felt so inclined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: No, that’s
too close. How about something in the
first 5 rows of the orchestra section on an aisle?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: I don’t have an
aisle in that area. How about orchestra
left row F seats 3 and 4? Seat 1 is the
aisle closest to the center.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: You don’t
have ANYTHING orchestra center?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: Not until row R sir<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: Oh that’s too
far back. Do you have any first level
box seating?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: Box 4 on the
right hast two seats available. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: Oh, I don’t
know. Which do you think are the best
seats?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: It doesn’t matter
which I think are the best seats. It
matters what YOU think are the best seats.
I’d like row R. Row F sounds the
most like what you asked for, the box has the leg room you’d like if you prefer
aisle seats but is probably about as far back as row R and is off to the side. It’s really up to you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(This is clearly where I am losing my filter, and where a coworker sitting in the lobby is laughing at me.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: Ok, row F
then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I capture the seats and am reviewing the order<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: Oh I’m sorry,
can I switch to the box seats, will that mess you up?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: *eye roll that thank God the patron can’t hear* No sir,
I can switch it out. Give me a moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: Now what credit
card would you like to use today?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: I was hoping
I could use yours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: No
sir. You have to use your own credit
card to pay for this.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sadly, this conversation isn't too far off from a typical crazy patron phone call. Ok, the time the person wanted to LIVE at the venue was a bit more strange, but that was a REALLY crazy patron. I've even heard the line about using my credit card before. They think they're being cute and funny. I am never amused.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This call was the straw that broke the ticket girl's back, or at least the call that almost broke her filter. After that one I told my other cohort that I was no longer allowed to talk to people, I was sure to start saying things everyone would regret. Only three more shows and then a week's break from extended show time hours! :)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pray for my sanity y'all. I have started song and dance numbers that make my fellow musical theatre peeps ask if I'm losing my mind. That's never a good sign. . .</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBG_tGPxfnaWrjfwuJW7he-MrOFGPtfIkAQM2RsNTeygeu2fr4xyWtdH1mTLAYXWwD485KWith-qECw-PtCuVWXhA3NTLWuId6whGJg60lfvBdhyphenhyphent9ZW9diqrXQyVxartuvHbV0GWQNOMB/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBG_tGPxfnaWrjfwuJW7he-MrOFGPtfIkAQM2RsNTeygeu2fr4xyWtdH1mTLAYXWwD485KWith-qECw-PtCuVWXhA3NTLWuId6whGJg60lfvBdhyphenhyphent9ZW9diqrXQyVxartuvHbV0GWQNOMB/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-35348607326408753332011-10-25T20:47:00.000-07:002011-10-25T21:04:47.808-07:00Everybody cut FOOTLOOSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!While I know and acknowledge that the original version of "Footloose" is a classic and there are many people out there who feel it should not have been remade (I'm looking at you <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/entertainment/">Pioneer Woman</a>), I still felt the need to see it. Well ok, maybe it wasn't the top of my list of things to do until a friend offered to take me to see it for my birthday, but it still somehow felt RIGHT to watch this movie. Now, I had to do my preparation mind you. I'd only seen "Footloose" on stage at my university, not the hit movie. I assure you, I watched the movie BEFORE seeing the remake so of course the 2011 version had some mighty big shoes to fill.<br />
<br />
Let me also say that because I work in the theatre, it is not uncommon for works to be revisited. Ever heard of revivals on Broadway? They are especially secure for producers in hard economic times because a lot of the revivals are classic, feel good shows that are proven to resonate with audiences. The thing about movies is that you can take them home and watch them over and over again. For the price of a DVD or Netflix subscription you can feel good watching your favorite movie hundereds of times if you choose. The thing about theatre is it's never the same show twice. Each no production breathes new life into a script. Even a different performance of the same production is never quite exaclty the same! With an old movies, well you always know what you're going to get. It's always the same. . .<br />
<br />
My point is, don't knock the fact that a new creative team is taking on the challenge of a classic movie. I had high expectations for this movie and boy, did it rise to the occasion! Original dialogue, similar wardrobe, props, settings, etc. were all included in this movie, all without making it set in 1984. While there were some tweaks to the story and how it was presented, it was not (in my opinion) greivous and detrimental to the entire point of the movie. In fact, I think it made the story and the characters stronger because of the choices made by the writers, director, actors, whomever. Choreography was updated, and I felt that some of the choices did a better job of telling the emotional story of what was going on for the characters. There was still enough cheesy dance moves to make it fun and light hearted though. Random jazz squares anyone?<br />
<br />
Most of all, I think I fell in love with this movie because it was easier for me to fall in love with Ren. That might be because Kenny Wormald looks like a young Johnny Depp a la 21 Jump Street<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.teenidols4you.com/blink/Actors/Kenny-Wormald/kenny-wormald-1318354203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="http://www.teenidols4you.com/blink/Actors/Kenny-Wormald/kenny-wormald-1318354203.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxkl9SQMuLhTSXAJyVnOy5z7mCLAbkE-5_crQPDq9QrQazRKxxpECI6F_uGwpuXCPg6gwgXBYyGPWfJ6DiUxCndqn9ux2yheUfjT5IxLu6708zbrt7i65ygv1WepiilohANRKhHiGkFA/s1600/o-johnny-depp-cameo-in-21-jump-street-a-possibility.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxkl9SQMuLhTSXAJyVnOy5z7mCLAbkE-5_crQPDq9QrQazRKxxpECI6F_uGwpuXCPg6gwgXBYyGPWfJ6DiUxCndqn9ux2yheUfjT5IxLu6708zbrt7i65ygv1WepiilohANRKhHiGkFA/s320/o-johnny-depp-cameo-in-21-jump-street-a-possibility.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> See what I mean?<br />
<br />
In all seriousness though, it's his character development over the course of the movie that won me over. From the moment he steps off the bus and hugs his cousins (who are the <strong>cutest girls on the planet</strong> btw), to the moment he refuses to let Ariel play games with him, to the moment he has a mature, sincere, almost bonding sort of moment with Reverend Moore, Ren is a strong character that makes me say "Where as that guy at MY high school?" Kevin Bacon also did a great job and I definitely loved his version of Ren. I think the real champion of 2011 Ren's character development lies in the choices of the writer, director, and of course Kenny in how Ren was presented and portrayed.<br />
<br />
Anyway. . . that's my rave about 2011's "Footloose." While I am tempted to join the petition to save "Dirty Dancing" from a remake, I'm quite pleased with how this film turned out. I actually think that if the generation who fell in love with this movie orignially gave it a shot and went with younger family members to see it, they might be pleasantly surprised and a good time shall be had by all.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">One more thing though: In searching images of "Footloose" (trying to find a good compare and contrast picture to show how they diversified the cast in 2011) I remembered that Zac Effron was originally considered for the role of Ren. While I do love Zac and his dreamy blue eyes, I think he already got his fair share of angsty song and dance. "Never" definitely gave birth to "Scream" from High School Musical 3:<br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/FsCO-YkDgnY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/WIg7M1yOfdI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBG_tGPxfnaWrjfwuJW7he-MrOFGPtfIkAQM2RsNTeygeu2fr4xyWtdH1mTLAYXWwD485KWith-qECw-PtCuVWXhA3NTLWuId6whGJg60lfvBdhyphenhyphent9ZW9diqrXQyVxartuvHbV0GWQNOMB/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBG_tGPxfnaWrjfwuJW7he-MrOFGPtfIkAQM2RsNTeygeu2fr4xyWtdH1mTLAYXWwD485KWith-qECw-PtCuVWXhA3NTLWuId6whGJg60lfvBdhyphenhyphent9ZW9diqrXQyVxartuvHbV0GWQNOMB/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" /></a></div>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-76653869865829356742011-09-17T17:34:00.000-07:002011-09-17T17:37:53.315-07:00My Automotive Misadventures: Fall 2011 EditionEver have one of those weeks where you are <u>convinced</u> there have to be hidden cameras somewhere? A week where your life is just too outrageously dramatic and hilarious to not be somehow scripted as a sitcom or dramedy?<br />
<br />
About once every six months I have some sort of catastrophic car situation that makes me feel <u>exactly</u> like that is the case in my life.<br />
<br />
On Labor Day I was driving down the interstate, smooth sailing, when all of the dashboard lights of death came on. Calmly, I pulled over to the safest place I could decelerate to. The "safest place" happened to be in a spot I will forever refer to as the "triangle of death." This space with that tiny triangle of white caution lines between the interstate and the on ramp. Translation: No matter which door I exit out of I run the risk of getting hit by a car going around 65 miles an hour or so, or more. Since I'm not a big fan of death, I put on my hazard lights, called road side assistance, and got ready to hunker down for a nice hour long wait for a tow truck.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, the tow truck arrived in about 15 minutes. We called for a police officer to direct traffic, but the tow truck beat him. After getting the car to a garage that was closed for Labor Day and having my best friend's husband attempt a basic diagnosis, nothing was clear except that this car had no intention of starting whatsoever. The next day, it was pronounced dead. As in, the engine was locked up and the cost to even tear the sucker down in labor wouldn't be worth fixing.<br />
<br />
Rest In Pieces Bessie, aka Old Blue.<br />
<br />
Supposedly this car was meticulously cared for until I came along. I certainly didn't abuse her! I changed her oil, gave her a new battery, new computer,transmission flush, etc. Cars close to two decades old just tend to wear out eventually.<br />
<br />
In order to maintain my preferred life style of transportation independence and stay within my budget I am driving a car from my Okie family that was set aside for just such inevitable mishaps. One thing about it though:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODrI_-_sKtAf-ix2WKXXyfvJVAzjQ4Yuj6riOgeJTWIg6TMC0Hgq1F8jLFhdO4IQc97VrAVBKS_Au8rO92m9oJIiqJnpVasn7FN-DWhXrag1_jc8xnzClW0N9Y5ruBMcg_QRq7j9U2Vas/s1600/DSCN1843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODrI_-_sKtAf-ix2WKXXyfvJVAzjQ4Yuj6riOgeJTWIg6TMC0Hgq1F8jLFhdO4IQc97VrAVBKS_Au8rO92m9oJIiqJnpVasn7FN-DWhXrag1_jc8xnzClW0N9Y5ruBMcg_QRq7j9U2Vas/s320/DSCN1843.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
That's right: Manual Transmission.<br />
<br />
Now, I've always wanted to learn to drive a standard, and in theory I did actually know how (thanks to lessons from my sorority sister who was the former owner and driver of this car). It looked like fun, people who drove them were speedy and cool. In fact, every time I got in a car with someone who drove a standard I gave them a few bonus points of new found respect. The other thing is though, that when I was learning to drive this bad boy, I had considerable anxiety stopping and starting as well as on hills. I would only drive with Jenn, anyone else putting in their two cents would make me nervous. Well, Jenn wasn't around, but her dad was. It went pretty well, but occasionally he'd talk too much and I couldn't compute what he was saying because all I was thinking was "Shift now?"<br />
<br />
So I made peace with it well enough to drive it 10 miles across town and start getting used to my new driving style. Well, two days later I was still working through stall out panics, upshifting while merging onto a highway, AND I just felt like something wasn't right (and it wasn't not my novice driving). <br />
<br />
Turns out a whole bunch of stuff in the front end was going awry because the wheelbearing needed to be replaced, and hadn't been.<br />
<br />
Do I have excellent car mojo or what? It's like I'm a therapist for cars. I drive them and all their hidden issues suddenly emerge!<br />
<br />
So we get that fixed and I've been driving happily ever after (for the most part) for a week. Just when I think I'm getting the hang of it, I get lost somewhere and stall out because I'm frustrated, or something else like that.<br />
<br />
Lists of reactions to this news from friends and acquaintances:<br />
<br />
1) Good for you for learning how to drive a standard. I couldn't do it.<br />
2) About time you learned how to drive a standard! (All males have said this, btw)<br />
3) How do you like it? Would you actually want to keep driving a standard when you get a new car?<br />
<br />
I'm still in the love/hate part of this relationship. Mostly I like it because a) I don't have to depend on anyone else for transportation and b) it really is kind of fun to drive, even though it takes a little more thought. I don't know if I'm so in love with it that I wouldn't go back to an automatic yet. We'll have to see if I truly master my driveway of death (so far I've been either parking on the street or gunning it up the driveway so I don't stall out and roll back). That might have to be the tell tale sign of whether or not I'm ready to call myself a master at driving a standard.<br />
<br />
Please remember though drivers, that it is not always necessary to slow down to a complete stop (or close to one) to make a turn, especially of the right hand variety. Also, don't pull up super close to the car in front of you at a stoplight. It might be a neurotic girl just learning to drive a standard who will get really nervous when she can't see your headlights in her rearview mirror. Be nice!<br />
<br />
Safe driving,<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXIKmLygn-7IaTRhpTtnR4B9AJ-T32lGRUEPqZhkDtdK1bQ6rq00eC5Ib8CG8y7kdLlvZzk2s7vnead5ePlgRbxzmqFXMcpydMkWktuQ3x_02OQh5I95s7-uRTrGpxXr_rkS7WWQsBYTk/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXIKmLygn-7IaTRhpTtnR4B9AJ-T32lGRUEPqZhkDtdK1bQ6rq00eC5Ib8CG8y7kdLlvZzk2s7vnead5ePlgRbxzmqFXMcpydMkWktuQ3x_02OQh5I95s7-uRTrGpxXr_rkS7WWQsBYTk/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" /></a></div>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-13333938210471454652011-07-17T16:24:00.000-07:002011-07-17T16:24:13.991-07:00Harry Potter Identity CrisisAs I anxiously awaited the release of the FINAL (sob) Harry Potter movie, and as it was an off week at work with a certain lack of phones ringing to keep me occupied, I took some of those "Sorting Hat" quizzes online. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-xZ3hhtoQdhkCtJTeyMH0TjgiLWcb_XtDKdwRZfb6XZtt4NEP3dvP-G_AIFeudNbekq5DpYAbWrn2nuaFoVfXlqeV9PSwmCnBv0dNgDP1jKgouFbxzLwFKhTMuRU9r7BSd0_aKapwZvK/s1600/Harry-Potter-sorting-hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-xZ3hhtoQdhkCtJTeyMH0TjgiLWcb_XtDKdwRZfb6XZtt4NEP3dvP-G_AIFeudNbekq5DpYAbWrn2nuaFoVfXlqeV9PSwmCnBv0dNgDP1jKgouFbxzLwFKhTMuRU9r7BSd0_aKapwZvK/s320/Harry-Potter-sorting-hat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="left" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">I'll admit, part of this had to do with a discussion with friends about which house we saw oursevles in. Someone put me on the fence between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. REALLY? That's not how I pictured myself. Let's go to the quizzes and find out</div><div align="left" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">Quiz #1 Results: </div><div align="left" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hp-lexicon.org/images/icons/shield_rav.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="http://www.hp-lexicon.org/images/icons/shield_rav.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Meh. I mean, I got good grades in school and I'd like to think I'm fairly clever, but I'm not sure that's the best fit. Besides, that quiz was one of those "What's your favorite color, animal, class" type quizzes. I don't trust it! Time for a second opinion. . .</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hp-lexicon.org/images/icons/shield_huf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="http://www.hp-lexicon.org/images/icons/shield_huf.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Hmmm. Well, I suppose I do try to be fair, inclusive blah blah blah. Hufflepuffs have good qualities. Tonks was a Hufflepuff! Still, maybe a third opinion will clarify which one I am once and for all, even though this was more of a genuine "personality" quiz.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hp-lexicon.org/images/icons/shield_01-5B1-5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="http://www.hp-lexicon.org/images/icons/shield_01-5B1-5D.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Well hot dog! This IS what I thought I'd be in the first place (I like to think of myself as a more extroverted version of Hermione, huge curly hair and all) but now I just feel like I'm dealing with an identity crisis. No, I didn't take a fourth quiz to see if I'd get Slytherin and complete the confusion. I'll just leave it at this, with my Hermione comparision standing as the trump card (and my roommate's comment on my loyalty as another defining characteristic.<br />
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At least I didn't wind up like <a href="http://larainydays.blogspot.com/2010/12/sorting-hat-humiliation.html">this</a> lady who didn't quite make it into Hogwarts all together.<br />
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P.S. In case you were wondering, the final movie is epic. I bawled, no surprise. The book is, of course, much better but the film adaptation is pretty much as good as you'll get. Visually stunning, great portrayal, included the REALLY important stuff. I'm satisfied, and somehow empty because it's over. *sigh*<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBG_tGPxfnaWrjfwuJW7he-MrOFGPtfIkAQM2RsNTeygeu2fr4xyWtdH1mTLAYXWwD485KWith-qECw-PtCuVWXhA3NTLWuId6whGJg60lfvBdhyphenhyphent9ZW9diqrXQyVxartuvHbV0GWQNOMB/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBG_tGPxfnaWrjfwuJW7he-MrOFGPtfIkAQM2RsNTeygeu2fr4xyWtdH1mTLAYXWwD485KWith-qECw-PtCuVWXhA3NTLWuId6whGJg60lfvBdhyphenhyphent9ZW9diqrXQyVxartuvHbV0GWQNOMB/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" /></a></div>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-82623868646870254562011-07-12T19:00:00.001-07:002011-07-12T19:16:23.506-07:00The Inferno!Attention readers: It. Is. Hot.<br />
<br />
I seriously think I might melt like a popsicle. We were blessed with rain today, which helped provide some relief from the sweltering heat wave we've recently been experiencing. Seriously, with today as an exception, I don't remember the last time I checked the weather and it did NOT reach 100 degrees or more. The local water park must be losing a ton of money from their partnership with the top 40 radio station. Basically whenever the temperature reaches 103 degrees, water park admission is $10.30. If I didn't have reliable air conditioning, fair Irish skin, and a job that keeps me busy until at least 6 pm, I think I'd have to resort to the water park for a cool down.<br />
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Let's compare weather from my three "home towns" shall we?<br />
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Home Town #1 (where I grew up, in Louisiana)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRf-Sn1NY8MgdfRiD3IgDMYDJQEa0U4_bcDkpCHqt3CWvsU7PnlSMfy0vr4CRbevVzlOyiDMhI1HSlxTLzBMlxCDbisLCNUE3kePUXJutI1i_woIqTwIqWqX3b1G-w-BI3AhoaPHn-bk2N/s1600/Louisiana+Weather.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRf-Sn1NY8MgdfRiD3IgDMYDJQEa0U4_bcDkpCHqt3CWvsU7PnlSMfy0vr4CRbevVzlOyiDMhI1HSlxTLzBMlxCDbisLCNUE3kePUXJutI1i_woIqTwIqWqX3b1G-w-BI3AhoaPHn-bk2N/s320/Louisiana+Weather.png" width="213" /></a></div><br />
Home Town #2: Where my family currently resides (in New Mexico)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlsBYTFY4tv1js8omNE0QNYV5EL_7Q1AWmnRk1zoeMCMXodLJlE3onGF7zqW8ziWzvsdM6MP2LETI3sknbeebVCFEKnEbFHuAITp1DI0ymBhyvf-R0b6IWj1WcenlQbxo0z33Xrw7W_bA/s1600/New+Mexico+Weather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlsBYTFY4tv1js8omNE0QNYV5EL_7Q1AWmnRk1zoeMCMXodLJlE3onGF7zqW8ziWzvsdM6MP2LETI3sknbeebVCFEKnEbFHuAITp1DI0ymBhyvf-R0b6IWj1WcenlQbxo0z33Xrw7W_bA/s320/New+Mexico+Weather.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
Home Town #3: Where I currently live and melt (Oklahoma)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpG_BsoqbwpciJH9N128hriD7PZHZ2_k-ukNV7xmWWA3VIgVqkMRlbJIVV2FJaLLWZ4lhR-F1ZKToH81YptQ2P0txoDWpAuFh7ux3iQ2i_fgrfmYXU1sVSf5v39fELN22-e-UrMr5b4l3/s1600/Oklahoma+Weather.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpG_BsoqbwpciJH9N128hriD7PZHZ2_k-ukNV7xmWWA3VIgVqkMRlbJIVV2FJaLLWZ4lhR-F1ZKToH81YptQ2P0txoDWpAuFh7ux3iQ2i_fgrfmYXU1sVSf5v39fELN22-e-UrMr5b4l3/s320/Oklahoma+Weather.png" width="213" /></a></div><br />
Yup, you saw correctly. The semitropical swamp and the arid desert are both COOLER than my midwestern abode, which has a severe heat advisory until Saturday, which doesn't even look like the hottest day coming. 109 degrees on Sunday. You'd think on the Lord's day he'd want it to cool off. Oh how he works in mysterious ways, probably tricking people into resting because it's too darn hot to do anything else.<br />
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I'm gonna go chase down the icecream truck, then the sno cone truck. Then water ever truck has frozen refreshment that hasn't yet been invented but soon will be out of survival necessity.<br />
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Take care, stay hydrated!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6R1vFK3I3OLHVROqwrrhL14VUUQYum45QSrITTWCtaQ7BUXpLS8G5ivBcXw-iqnklh1tSXdP5E-S8VPUEdVuXC22vtyvwX-psElHxi0OlKl3kefz8CGIY3R-gFUIM4e5zRCnV_WOZ9hR/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6R1vFK3I3OLHVROqwrrhL14VUUQYum45QSrITTWCtaQ7BUXpLS8G5ivBcXw-iqnklh1tSXdP5E-S8VPUEdVuXC22vtyvwX-psElHxi0OlKl3kefz8CGIY3R-gFUIM4e5zRCnV_WOZ9hR/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" /></a></div>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-3178723185718275572011-06-07T20:38:00.000-07:002011-06-07T20:38:11.303-07:00Summer Time!Schools have let out, Memorial Day has passed, everywhere you go summer is in the air!<br />
<br />
After a crazy vacation (more on that later) I returned to work yesterday for all of the things that kick off the summer season in the theatre world: the first meet and greet! Our summer staff slowly started trickling in during the month of May: Business Office Assistant, additional Ticket Office staff, new Technical Director, Assistant Company Manager, interns, etc. Meet and greet is the day that all of the cast comes together for the first rehearsal of a show. We open our season on June 21st, so that means the cast is only rehearsing for about two weeks before opening. Crazy, huh?<br />
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Our first show is huge! Pretty good sized cast and ensemble, then over 50 kids participating in a musical theatre summer camp. The kids started camp yesterday too. The energy in the air with everyone singing, dancing, practicing lines, and doing other rehearsal things is electrifying. This time of year, crazy as it is, is what I live for! I may not be on stage or backstage, but everyone has a part in making sure the season is successful. Selling tickets, advertising, welcoming donors and patrons, and making sure everyone has the office supplies they need are just a few of the tasks the administrative team at any theatre does to make sure the season is truly spectacular off stage as well as on.<br />
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I'm so happy to be where I am. It's been one year since I started at my theatre. I've still got a lot of learning curves since I'm not working in the same area as last year, but in general I know what kind of things to expect. I even helped on of the assistant stage managers with the copier today. A silly little thing perhaps, but last year I was the one being trained in that area.<br />
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Anyway, I'm just really excited to be back!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXIKmLygn-7IaTRhpTtnR4B9AJ-T32lGRUEPqZhkDtdK1bQ6rq00eC5Ib8CG8y7kdLlvZzk2s7vnead5ePlgRbxzmqFXMcpydMkWktuQ3x_02OQh5I95s7-uRTrGpxXr_rkS7WWQsBYTk/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXIKmLygn-7IaTRhpTtnR4B9AJ-T32lGRUEPqZhkDtdK1bQ6rq00eC5Ib8CG8y7kdLlvZzk2s7vnead5ePlgRbxzmqFXMcpydMkWktuQ3x_02OQh5I95s7-uRTrGpxXr_rkS7WWQsBYTk/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" t8="true" /></a></div>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-66128794189706837542011-05-23T05:52:00.000-07:002011-05-23T05:52:39.860-07:00If I have to get up every morning this early (and it looks like a decent possibility) this is going to be a looooong week.As you can tell, I am not the best at keeping up with blogging. I'll try to get better within the next week or so when I go home for a vacation/reunion/adventure (more on that later). As for today, my adventures with the DMV. . .<br />
<br />
I am officially becoming an Okie! I live and work here now and for the forseeable future, and my old driver's license expires on my birthday in October this year. Well, wouldn't it make sense to get an Oklahoma driver's license? Yes, yes it would. Should I get it before my trip back to Louisiana? Yes, I think so. Unfortunately, there's always red tape (and a line) at the offices that grant you such things.<br />
<br />
I got up early this morning to be at the Oklahoma Highway Patrol office right at 7 am when they open up (gag). At 6:40 am there was already a line. At 6:55 the only guy working there split the line to separate the driver's test only crew from the miscellaneous business. Later (around 7:10), he gave instructions to the miscellaneous crew as to what you have to have. For license transfers that included a birth certificate. Guess what I didn't have. *sigh*<br />
<br />
The thing is, I searched for it last night and couldn't find it (while on the phone with a friend). Couldn't find it, couldn't it, looked several times couldn't find it. When I got home from OHP, it was laying exactly where it should have been, folded over so distracted-by-shiny-things me didn't notice it. Rawr.<br />
<br />
Take two tomorrow morning. This time I'm heading north to a (hopefully) less popular Driver's License Exam Office.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBG_tGPxfnaWrjfwuJW7he-MrOFGPtfIkAQM2RsNTeygeu2fr4xyWtdH1mTLAYXWwD485KWith-qECw-PtCuVWXhA3NTLWuId6whGJg60lfvBdhyphenhyphent9ZW9diqrXQyVxartuvHbV0GWQNOMB/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBG_tGPxfnaWrjfwuJW7he-MrOFGPtfIkAQM2RsNTeygeu2fr4xyWtdH1mTLAYXWwD485KWith-qECw-PtCuVWXhA3NTLWuId6whGJg60lfvBdhyphenhyphent9ZW9diqrXQyVxartuvHbV0GWQNOMB/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" /></a></div>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337196959257271611.post-30348594268169792242011-02-09T11:46:00.000-08:002011-02-09T11:46:56.379-08:00Snowklahoma!Ok, let's get one thing straight. I am originally from, and will always claim, Louisiana. I am a Southern girl, from the Deep South. This whole snow thing is a fascinating (and right now frustrating) phenomena for me. I don't know how to "winterize" a home or a car. Until recently I had never had to worry about letting the faucets drip for a deep freeze over night, but I learned.<br />
<br />
Or so I thought.<br />
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Then I forgot. . .<br />
<br />
Thankfully no pipes have burst (yet) from my forgetful nature. However, the only water in my house consists of the two gallon jugs I bought last week for round one of the snowpocalypse.<br />
<br />
I take refuge in the fact that:<br />
<br />
1) The Pioneer Woman didn't have water last weekend (but she lives on a rural cattle ranch)<br />
2) My neighbors did the same thing I did (but they're Chinese and also assumedly unaccumstomed to ridiculous freezing weather)<br />
<br />
So as for now, my faucets are on and cabinets open to help ensure that the thawing process (whenever that is) goes smoothly. Fingers crossed, rosary out!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBF2weWjKsB8VWLmQCjMRNnm4kQ3j_tGE9DNKiVbQB-A9a_sRw0hG_gn2YASxJ7-4dMJJ-tkTgzHUNzh0-7ep1GXlVOFMvcIJ1vs_C3_L1G4VC_B2R4CVWk0Cb22bFq1Fx-pBbW5FBZ9lJ/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBF2weWjKsB8VWLmQCjMRNnm4kQ3j_tGE9DNKiVbQB-A9a_sRw0hG_gn2YASxJ7-4dMJJ-tkTgzHUNzh0-7ep1GXlVOFMvcIJ1vs_C3_L1G4VC_B2R4CVWk0Cb22bFq1Fx-pBbW5FBZ9lJ/s1600/BlogSignature.JPG" /></a></div>Cassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293208563265824764noreply@blogger.com0