I love Fall...I do, but there are 2 things I HATE about it getting cold.
1. Getting a cold. I woke up at 6:30 this morning feeling great. I bounced out of bed, was going to get to work early....things were going great. By 9 I just couldn't think straight and I was so tired. Throughout the day my head started hurting more, my throat got dry, and somehow a billion cotton balls found their way inside my head! I left work a couple hours early to "work from home"...does it count if I dreamt about work??
2. Dry Skin. I only noticed this problem after London but my skin cracks really bad in the winter. Thank goodness for the amazing goodness of Bath & Body Works Shea Cashmere Hand Lotion!!
I actually went to the grocery store to load up on Zicam, Advil, and Mucinex to try to kick this nasty cold, BUT Bath & Body Works is right next to Tom Thumb! So I got to solve both of my cold weather worries in one trip (well...the cold isn't exactly SOLVED but I should be on the road to recovery).
I have a lot of trouble going into a store and walking out only with what I went in for. For instance: Sunday night I went to Tom Thumb for cheese and milk- that's it. What did I walk out with? Cheese, Milk, Tilapia fillets, yogurt, jello mix and bananas. Today I went in for Zicam and Advil and I got some Reeses too (I'm sick, I deserve them, right?). I went into Bath and Body Works for this Shea Cashmere goodness and I walked out with that AND 3 amazing Holiday scented candles (that I can't actually smell right now because I can't smell anything). I got Homemade Cookies (that I hope doesn't make me crave the actual thing!), Autumn, and Twisted Peppermint.
Love the holiday scents...hate the cold and dry skin!
Just when I thought I was turning into an introvert and it was impossible for me to make new friends, I sit down by Michael on the plane to Birmingham. I'm not really one to strike up a conversation with a stranger on a plane. I always thought that was weird, but I know now that I just hadn't met the right stranger yet.
Michael is in the Army, married, and has a baby on the way (due in April-ish). Our conversation started when I asked, "Are you coming or going [from war]?" And therein launched our 2+ hour conversation. He actually wasn't coming or going, he was going to training for the weekend. He had been to Iraq and by summer he'll be in Afganistan.
I (probably like most Americans) avoid thinking about the fact that America is at war. Or maybe it's just that we've been at one war or another for my entire life, and we've been at war in the Middle East for the majority of my formative years, and just I've become numb to it. Honestly, I think the media does a poor job of telling American citizens just exactly what's going on. I'd wager that the average American couldn't tell you the difference in the Iraq and Afghan wars- why each started, and what our mission is in each. Actually, I couldn't honestly tell you before I sat down by Michael.
I learned a lot in those 2 hours. I learned about why the wars started, what we're trying to do, why that probably isn't working, what we probably should do differently, what it's really like in infantry, what our soldiers are going through physically and especially mentally, and then we ended with a great talk about women in infantry. When we landed, the lady sitting in front of us said, "I was trying to sleep but you two were yacking away the whole flight!" We both felt bad for a mili-second, but then he said, "Sorry- it's a public flight!" Haha
He was on my return flight, but got bumped up to first class so we didn't get to talk any more except at baggage claim. A friend said I should get his address and have a soldier pen-pal. I'd feel weird about that. I also feel weird about saying cliche things to strangers. I should have said something along the lines of "Congratulations on becoming a daddy come spring" and "Thank you for serving our country," but I don't say things like that (at least not without feeling fake). I think he can tell just in my showing interest that I was more than just interested in his service- I genuinely appreciated it. I hope he knows that. If not, then this will be more formal "thank you": I truly thank all the men and women of this country who fight for us each and every day while I go and sit behind a desk and live my life in a comfortable denial that we're even at war.
At baggage claim, Michael said he'd be making that same flight back to Birmingham a lot and asked if I flew it every month. I told him I probably wouldn't go back until May. He said, "Well I hope I'll get to see you again in May." I made a new friend! Meeting him reminded me that our soldiers need our support whether or not we support the politics behind the wars. These men suffer physically and mentally for us. I can't really express my gratitude.
So that whole deal about me posting a different Weepies song every day didn't quite work out because I slacked off on my trip to Birmingham, but the break from the Internet was refreshing.
The whole weekend was just really refreshing in general. I've only taken 2 days off since I started my job on June 1, and I really needed Friday off. It was great. I got some good sister time, I got to visit with my favorite professors (yes, I'm a nerd), and I got to see my wonderful friends!
Going back to see my professors made me realize what made Samford so special. I'm always hearing my coworkers talk about their state school experiences, and yeah, its sad that I missed out on the Big 12 football rivalries and Samford football isn't much to write home about, but I walked away from college with more than just school spirit. Samford isn't the kind of place you can show up on the first day of class and for every test and still make it out of the class okay. You can't just "borrow" an old test from your sorority sisters and expect an 'A'. Samford professors know you. I went to a number of Samford prof's homes- including the President of the university! I babysat for my professors, I ate around their tables. I can tell you the names of my favorite professors children. I had several professors multiple times...a couple I had back to back classes with, which wasn't always as fun as it may sound. At Samford, my professors were my teachers, my mentors, my advisors, my guides, and now they're my friends. It was good to visit with them. They played a big part in getting me to where I am today, and I'm thankful for them.
I had some good conversations with my ol' girlfriends. These girls are the friends that I may or may not have the time to see or talk to much when we're grown and have our own families, but I know that no matter how much time goes by between our visits, we can sit down and pick up where we left off- talking 100mph until....well...we may just never stop. I'm so glad to have those close friendships, and I was truly blessed by our conversations this weekend and just the time I got to spend with them (over some great food!)
This is my first ever blogpost from my phone! I can't say it's easy. It's like I'm writing the worlds longest text message and the screen looks just like a typewriter except it catches typos and let's you backspace!
I'm writing from my phone because I'm at dfw airport waiting for my flight to Birmingham that won't even start boarding for another hour!!! I wasn't sure how bad traffic would be during rush hour or how many idiots....oh, I mean "inexperienced travelers" there would be in front of me in the security line.
I'll be the first to admit I have a bit of a complex when it comes to traveling. I was blessed to grow up in a family of travelers and grew up going places. In 2008 I got to see the world (well just highlights of the northern hemisphere really). In January 2008 I took 11 flights and slept in at least 8 different hotels and I LOVED it! I absolutely love airports, I love flying, and I love passport stamps. I even enjoy the stress that comes along with language barriers. Maybe it's just the sense of accomplishment I feel after getting myself out of a pickle like getting lost in Italy and then locked out of our hotel, or missing trains, or dealing with cab drivers who don't speak English. I just love it all. What I DON'T love is people asking stupid questions in security lines like "do I have to take my socks off too?" NO. Gross. Please don't.
I don't know if you saw "up in the air" with George Clooney but he was a master at getting through security. He had it DOWN. That is the kind of traveler I aspire to be. Get in and get out without making the buzzer go off or getting patted down! Some people travel with too much STUFF it just doesn't make sense!
Anyway, that's my rant for the day. I could start a whole new blog on people watching in airports and posts pics of all these interesting folks. My weepies song of the day is "the world spins madly on". Quite appropriate for the airport scene. Sorry I can't embed. I'm running low tech today but here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdoI_ZHdRPA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Exciting times are ahead! Now doesn't that sound like an awful fortune cookie? It's true.
Exciting times are now actually because I have a coupon to DSW and I'm craving some boots. I'm so bad! Didn't I mention I have a coupon!?
MY TWO CENTS:
Dear Democrats,
Quit gettin' yo feathers all ruffled because the Republicans have a House majority. You still have the Senate and the President so you're going to be okay.
Dear Republicans,
Don't rub it in the Dem's faces too much. They're sensitive.
I know mid-terms are a big deal, but don't you think we'd realize by now that politics follow a cycle? That's why we call it a "balance of powers." The balance doesn't sit still- it shifts. The Democrats got their turn in '06 which paved the road for Obama to get elected. Now Republicans are taking their turn, and while I can't guarantee anything, don't be too shocked when a Republican gets elected in 2012...just sayin' (but at the gym tonight I saw something on the news about Trump 2012...NO...Donald Trump is not allowed to be my President. That is where I draw the line.)
Everyone take a deep breath. Elections are over, power is changing, but welcome to this horrifically beautiful thing we call a Democracy.
Today's gray skies and rain didn't help my homesickness for London. It was the first cold day and I pride myself on bearing the cold because I loved walking the streets of London in the freezing cold.
Then, to make it worse, I had a call with a lady in London. She happened to mention that there are only 4 people on her team and they have lots of work to do. LET ME GO HELP! Then my coworkers and I launched into London stories. Maybe its just the fact that I get to see my London Ladies (the girls I spent my semester abroad with) on FRIDAY! I cannot wait!
I never thought the day would come that I would read an old textbook for fun. Let me first say that I have started reading the news more (I read guardian.co.uk and thetimes.co.uk because I don't trust the American media haha. I like to see what other countries think about America, and I think the UK does a better job of reporting on the rest of the world).
ANYWAY, reading the news has really sparked my interest in history, because, as we all know, they're interrelated. One of my favorite classes in college (and probably my favorite Political Science class) was International Relations. In this class we had some insanely short amount of time to read The World Since 1945: A History of International Relations. That's a LOT of history to cram into 600 pages of text.
It has always amazed me how much history can actually be squeezed into a single sentence. Take this sentence for example (from the chapter on the Decolonization of Africa), "Three years later the colony, now renamed Ghana, was made self-governing under Nkrumah's leadership, and in March 1957, Nkrumah, now prime minister, was able to announce that Ghana had won its full independence." There is a lot going on there, and a lot had to happen for everything in that sentence to come about. Maybe that's just one of those weird things I think about that leaves everyone thinking, "....O-kay Hayley...that's just great."
I never really finished reading this book. I was drowning in other homework and usually skimmed through the reading (about 100 pages per class if I recall correctly). I remember I completely skipped half the history of Latin America and a good bit of China/Taiwan. This time I'm determined to go through the ENTIRE book no matter how boring it may seem to get because it is ALL relevant today and I think it is important to know!
Here's something to think about:
The book opens with the end of WWII and it raises the question of whether or not the US dropping the atom bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was necessary, justifiable, or even ethical.
"OF COURSE NOT," would be my initial reaction. All those innocent lives...and Japan was struggling to stay afloat in the war despite their stubborn refusal to surrender. I read John Hershey's Hiroshima in high school and it is so sad. In all honesty, atomic weapons (or WMDs in general) are way too over the top and that was an unfair situation Truman walked into and was ill-advised on- but alas, history is history.
The World Since 1945 suggests that if the US hadn't dropped the atomic bomb, the war would've carried on much longer and many lives on both sides would've been lost. That made me think: my grandfather, a medic in the Navy, was stationed in the Pacific from 1943-1946. He hardly ever talks about the war, but he did tell me one time that there were Japanese subs and all around his ship and the crew never knew it. I wonder, if the US didn't drop the atom bomb, would fighting have continued? Would more soldiers really have died? Would my grandfather have survived WWII? Would I be here?
Is it okay to support the US dropping the atom bomb for selfish reasons? At the same time, there is a Japanese 22-year old girl who isn't writing this blog because her grandfather did die in WWII.
First and foremost: WELCOME TO NOVEMBER! November is fabulous- It was always a sign that the end of the semester was coming (so to those of you in school...it is coming!) I guess in the business world we've entered Q4...(well I think that began in October and it means absolutely nothing at all to me, BUT one day when I become an important executive, I'm sure it will mean something).
In attempt to gear up for the Nov. 19th WEEPIES concert I will share a piece of Weepies-wonderfulness with you! This song "I Was Made for Sunny Days" hooked me on the Weepies. I first heard it on July 6th (because I was introduced to KXT on July 5th). It's such a happy song.
All happy songs take me back to London- my happy place. One day I'll go back and walk through Regents Park and stop by to see John at La Liason just around the corner from the Gloucester flower shop. Maybe when I retire I'll go buy that flower shop next to the Gloucester tube stop :)
I wonder how Thomas Eddison feels about Anthro selling his invention for $98. I mean...really? Is it the actual lightbulb or just the wiring that costs $98? Oh, but wait, for only $40 more (or 2 monthly payments of $19.99), you can add a variation of wire framing around this lightbulb.
