A pretty, little, green story....

It happens to the best of us, I guess. I'm a big enough person to admit it...so, yeah, I've basically morphed the green-eyed monster lately. But let me explain...

Here's the story-- Little girl grows up in little town and, through lots of hard work, becomes a big deal in this little town. She's on top of the world and gets a great offer to go to a big town. Then, she moves to that big town where she's really not even a little deal anymore. But, she's okay with that because at least there is no one around quite like her. Suddenly, one day, there is the possibility that somone may be moving into her town who is not only exactly like her, they are better. Not even just a little. This potential new person is and has done virtually everything this little girl has always aspired to....and she is pretty to boot! This is just too much for the little girl to take so she starts imagining all kinds of crazy scenarios where she runs away, makes the pretty girl not want to come to her big town, sucks up to get in the good graces of the pretty girl or just disappears because everyone in the big town forgets her. Either way you cut it, the little girl is more than a little insecure about pretty girl's arrival and not quite sure how she will feel/react when and if pretty girl comes to town. She, of course, realizes that logically the pretty girl is probably pretty nice but, she can't help but wonder if she's good enough to compete and stand out against such a special person.

So, peanut gallery, what advice would you give the little girl? Have you ever faced a situation that made you feel like her?

Ok, gotta gush a little bit....

I got these from my honey today at work for Valentine's Day! Sooo sweet and they're so beautiful. He sent yellow roses because he knows I think red ones are too cliche. Yellow roses signify friendship which is what we feel is the most important part of our relationship-- we're best friends first. There are also carnations (popular in Brazil for Valentine's), tulips, irises (one of my absolute favorites), lavender (another fav) and daisies. What makes it even more romantic is that he's currently 600 miles away so, he had to coordinate the long-distance send, look up my work address and confirm that I was going to be there at that time all without me knowing.

How awesome is that?? He's just the best and I'm so lucky to have him. It's crazy to think that a little over 3 years ago we were both feeling so trapped and hopelessly unhappy with our ex's. It was like we both had never felt love before we met eachother. When we first met it was like a lightbulb went off and we knew it was right. It hasn't always been easy and we've gone through some tough times but, we're still really in love. Nowadays, being apart, it's hard trying to maintain romance over a long distance but, I think we manage it. I sent him a special package for Valentine's Day filled with his favorite imported foods and treats from Brazil to give him a taste of home. Love is hard to navigate and it is always a challenge to keep eachother happy but, it is definitely worth it....

So, peanut gallery, how did you tell the special people in your life that you love them today?

Number One reason not to live in the Southeast United States....

...tornadoes like this one last night in the county next to mine....

...that do things like this...

...and this...

The storm passed right over my building and went right down my street toward the downtown area. The wind was howling so loud (no train sound, though) that I could still hear it through the walls and closed door of my bathroom (as I was sitting in the tub, my "safe zone"). The sirens went off and I freaked out, basically. The radio and TV announcers were telling everyone to take shelter immediately. We had golf ball-sized hail fall on the university; luckily, there was no damage to my building or my car. Being a WV girl, where natural disasters like this don't happen, it was really scary to go through this for the first time. As the locals tell me, it only gets worse in the spring-- particularly May and June. Peachy. So far, this is the only real down-side to living where I do. I love this area in all other aspects but, tornadoes are a tough pill to swallow. One guy in my first-year cohort is from Kansas. He told me today that he was actually walking around outside to see "how big it was" and only went back inside when he determined that it wasn't worth worrying about. Sheesh, and here I was huddled on my bathmat with a flashlight, radio and cell phone waiting for the Apocalypse! Silly me. It wasn't so bad in my county but, in the next county to the north something like 30 people were killed. They said on the local news that it was the highest human loss in one night from a tornado since the 1930s. It's scary to experience that, even with all the comforts and protections of modern technology, we as humans are still so small in comparison to the forces of nature. It's a lesson I'm sure not to forget any time soon. Here are video and photos of yesterday's tornado if you're interested---> CNN I-Report

Black Magic Green Pills

I tell ya, people. God bless drugs (legal ones, that is--don't start thinking things). F*#$ drug companies but, my goodness are drugs wonderful. Let me tell you about this little wonder known as Alka Seltzer Plus Night Cold...

Before I get into that--- so, yeah, I'm sick. It's rather pitiful that that is the big news lately in my life but, there you have it. Frankly, I'm a bit miffed at my body for being so weak and wimpy. I hardly ever get sick but, when almost everyone around you is sick, it's nearly impossible to dodge the bullet. I think I jinxed myself, actually. On Wednesday I was in class with my first-year cohort bragging, yes bragging, how I never get sick. Well, I guess my sinuses wanted to teach me a lesson and, here I am.

So, I'm whining on the phone to my honey-- as I'm prone to do-- and he recommends these liquid gel Alka Seltzer Night Cold pills. I thought, okay, it's worth a shot. I drove over to the local pharmacy and purchased said drug. I took the pills at 9:30pm last night and woke up...11:30am this morning; that's 14 hours for those of you good at math. I was out, and I mean out, unconscious, for 14 hours without even so much as a 2am bathroom break. Crazy. Not only that but, these pills gave me strange dreams. Like Salvador Dali-painting kinda weird, where things are attacking me and my body is melting away.

When I finally do wake up with a start (for no apparent reason), I'm completely disoriented. I don't know where I am or that I've been asleep for an ungodly amount of time. However, I do feel better. I still feel like I got hit by a concrete truck and I'm sporting a if-Britney-Spears-were-smart-and-short-but-still-screwed-up look but, I can function...basically. I stumbled through today in a veritable drunken fog of medical bliss and only now am I starting to wonder what the hell I did all day. Needless to say, this is not a cold remedy for the faint of heart (or mind). I've never been in a coma or drunk or high but, I imagine that my experience with this drug must be vaguely similar to what people feel in those situations-- combined. I would definitely recommend this product for people who want to knock the shit out of their flu but, be warned, it will do the same to you!

So, peanut gallery, what do you do to feel better when you're sick?