Monday, January 26, 2009

27 Things to Know

So kiddos, in lieu of my regular list of things I have learned recently, I'm giving you the opportunity to learn something new about me... albeit, not many of these things are "new" to some of you. I'm pretty open. Nonetheless, I'm bored and have gotten all kinds of requests to fill this little thing out. I have modified it as a salute to the coming close of my 27th year... therefore, I have amended the previously accepted "25 Things to Know" to "27 Things to Know." Stay tuned. It's random...

  1. I snort when I laugh really hard. I try not to, but that doesn't always work out.
  2. I started biting my nails when I became a musician at the ripe old age of 8 or so. My piano teacher was always harping at me that my nails were too long to play the piano. I would forget to cut them, so I started biting them off before I got to my lessons. It stuck.
  3. I love Food & Wine magazine. I copy down recipes that I may very well never use.
  4. I have an Excel spreadsheet of baby names that I like for each letter of the alphabet.
  5. I think I'm the only person on Earth who realizes that birthdays are a year behind. When I turn 28 in March, I will actually be beginning my 29th year of life. Which is 1 year away from my 30th year of life. Eek.
  6. Tax Return Day is my 2nd favorite day of the year. It's better than my birthday and almost as good as Christmas.
  7. I shared a seat on the metro in Washington, DC with Orlando Bloom. He was wearing a hat and sunglasses. In cognito. He asked me which stop is best for getting to the White House. I didn't know it was him until he got off the train, which is probably good because I probably would have proposed if I had known.
  8. I think the funniest thing on Saturday Night Live is when the actors crack themselves up and then try to hide the fact that they did.
  9. I don't like maple syrup and think grits taste like sand.
  10. I really do believe in Auburn and love it.
  11. I tend to give people nicknames based on their occupation.
  12. I believe that every argument can be resolved by saying, "I think you're pretty."
  13. I have never attempted to resolve an argument by saying, "I think you're pretty."
  14. I don't think skinny jeans look good on boys. There are no exceptions to this rule - not even for Pete Wentz.
  15. I would secretly love to open a kid-friendly restaurant called Peanut Butter & Ellie's that serves salads and sandwiches and homemade peanut butter. And there would be chalkboard paint on some or all of the walls.
  16. I do not like the words "moist," "juicy," or "taut." Or "commode."
  17. I have auditioned for American Idol twice.
  18. I believe that people are the music they listen to.
  19. I believe that people are the company they keep.
  20. It annoys me when people trade in their dreams for explanations.
  21. I'm glad I never lived next to the water so I could never get used to the beach.
  22. I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be famous.
  23. I subconsciously count my steps when I walk.
  24. The only regret I have in my life is that I quit practicing the piano.
  25. I believe that I am practical to a fault.
  26. I was the only person I know,to make a "B" in Choral Arranging with Dr. Smith.
  27. I really am afraid of Kevin Bacon, and the only movie I can tolerate with him in it is A Few Good Men, and then only because he loses.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Queen of the Amputees

I have been inspired to write yet again. It almost seems funny to say that I have to be inspired to get on here and write, but honestly I don't think I could describe it in a better way. I have made myself so busy (and God has made me so scatter-brained!) that it doesn't always occur to me that I should write. So thanks to y'all who keep up with my random posting schedule!! :)

I was catching up on my friend Natalie's blog (and if you haven't checked it out, you should... http://sequined-seafoam.blogspot.com/), and she made a statement about how so many people try to forget their past or forget how their past has made them who and what they are today. It really was a profound little post, and I loved that she gives God the praise for the things that have happened in her past to bring her to where she is today. And even more amazing is what God is teaching me here... stay with me people. This is quite a lesson!

In my Bible study last night (I told you a lot of posts would revolve around this because God has been waiting to teach me some things, I think), Beth Moore made a statement something similar to, "you can't fulfill your destiny by amputating your past." That's not the exact wording, but you get the idea. And I LOVE that she used the word "amputate," because that's exactly what I try to do. I try to forget, cover up, or otherwise AMPUTATE my past life. Just cut it off. And what's so funny is that I could look around that room full of women and see that some of them just didn't get the concept. Beth likened it to rowing a boat into shore... you have your back to the coming shore and your face toward the place you left. You're still rowing forward but you can clearly see where you came from. HOLY COW PEOPLE... ARE YOU LETTING THIS SINK IN?!?!

I don't know if it's as big a deal for you as it was for me. It was like a light blub went off in my head. Well, so to speak. In reality, it was more like God was whispering... "Blair, you better not EVER forget the crap that I pulled you out of." I have since dubbed myself the Queen of the Amputees. If anyone ever on earth was trying to outlive the past it has been me. I have made so many mistakes, and, oddly enough, so many of them have been with the best of intentions. If there is something you have questions about, you could probably come to me because I've probably done it, seen it, lived through it, felt guilty about it, done it again, and then bought it's t-shirt.

There are things in my past that have happened TO me. There are things in my past that have happened WITH me. There are things in my past that have happened BECAUSE OF me. And I can assure you, not many of them are pleasant, happy memories. I have tried to laugh about things, downplay things, and ignore things altogether. I have stolen and lied and schemed and manipulated. I have suffered and given physical abuse and mental abuse and emotional abuse. I have felt ashamed and guilty and sad and embarrassed. And I venture to say that most of you have done/said/felt most of these things because the funny thing is that the past is common to all of us. Did you hear me?? THE PAST IS COMMON TO ALL OF US.

Of course my experiences won't be the same as your experiences. My enemies won't be the same as your enemies. My fears won't be the same as your fears. But trust me on this one: the shame and the guilt and the sadness and the emptiness and the loneliness and the embarrassment... they're common to us all. WE ALL TRY TO FORGET WHAT'S HAPPENED TO US, WITH US, BECAUSE OF US IN THE PAST. ALL OF US.

But you can't forget your past because, like Natalie mentioned in her post, the past makes you who you are. And you better believe God wants you to remember the crap He pulled you out of. Don't misunderstand me... I don't think you should negatively dwell on your past. Memories can become little altars that we worship everyday, and I don't think we should spend the present worried about the past. But I don't think it does God justice for us to forget it either. He is not shocked by your past, and just like so many others in the Bible, YOU CAN'T FULFILL YOUR DESTINY BY AMPUTATING YOUR PAST. You just can't. He made you. He watched you. HE SAVED YOU. It's important!!

Oh, I wish that all of you could feel the freedom I feel right now. It's liberating in a strange sort of way. I have a past, and it's OK. It's not a great past, I can promise you. And it's not a forgotten past, because that is a worthless and unattainable task anyway. But it is in the past. God has already pulled me from the fire. And I can rest assured that He will pull me out again. I don't want to forget because THAT IS REDEMPTION!

I'm skipping the list today... this is just too important to be overshadowed! Love you all!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Lucky You!

Well kiddos... it's officially the middle of the first month of 2009. Weird. I haven't put the wrong date on any of my checks thus far, though, so maybe that's a good sign. I have joined the choir at church (AMAZING) and started the new Beth Moore Bible study on Esther (FANTASTIC), and you guys get to follow me along my meaningless banter...

Last night at Bible study, the big question was "What are the three toughest things about being a woman?" That was our first thought-provoking discussion, and I really thought the answers would come easily to me. But they didn't. Of course, there's the obvious: the hormones, mood swings... and the physical consequences of the hormones and mood swings. And of course there's the balance... how do I get everything accomplished that I'm supposed to?? And I know that's not three things, but it's the best I could come up with last night. But, today with a bit more thought, I have decided to share with you (My Faithful Readers) the three toughest things about being a woman... (Get ready... this is HUGE!)...

1. It's tough wearing panties and then dealing with the stress of trying to hide the fact that I do. OK, seriously. Once you stop laughing and compose yourself, read on... Britney Spears is ruling the world. She has a team of cohorts that include Miley Cyrus, Paris Hilton, and Lindsey Lohan. Oh, and People Magazine publishes her every move. It's magical, really. The panties. Really. Britney Spears was so worried about her panty lines that she just didn't wear any. And to make sure that she documented the fact that it really is, in fact, uncool to have panty lines, she made sure that People Magazine was there to publish her without any on. Now, I realize that this may be a bit... taboo. But I don't know a woman in the world who doesn't worry about her panty lines. So in order to alleviate this, I am vowing in 2009 to make panty lines cool again. Hey, at least you know we're wearing some.

2. It's tough being a woman in another woman's shadow. For anyone who has done the Esther study, you'll recognize this statement as the first scenario statement. And at first I blew it off because, honestly, I have always thought that you only live in the shadows if you choose that for yourself. I'm a firm believer in standing out. But then I thought about it... and I mean REALLY thought about it... and maybe one of the toughest things about being a woman is... OTHER WOMEN!! And trust me, I have been there and not even realized it. I'm pretty sure at some point during my college career I actually made the statement that I was going to make some ugly friends so I could be the pretty one for a change. (OK, maybe more than once.) I have been in the shadows... behind the "pretty" women, behind the "popular" women, behind the "good Christian" women, behind the "genius," behind the "musician," behind the "man-magnet." Oh, I have been in the shadows, all right. So I vow in 2009 to find ways to let God make me special. Hey, you gotta shine sometime.

3. It's tough accepting that you can't be everything. I don't know if men struggle with this. Frankly, I've never been a man, so I can't speak from personal experience. But women are bombarded ALL THE TIME... Be skinnier! Be prettier! Be younger! Be smarter! Be more nurturing! Cook the meals! Do the laundry! Raise the children! It's exhausting trying to be and do everything you're supposed to do. So I vow in 2009 to clear my schedule, reorganize my priorities, and learn to say NO every once in a while. And if (WHEN!) I don't measure up to Mary, Mother of Jesus or June Cleaver or even Roseanne... I'll just have to get over it. If I'm late to church because I overslept and I feel like people are staring at me, I'll just have to get over it. If I get a spot on my white blouse, I'll just have to get over it. If I don't lose the last 5 pounds, I'll just have to get over it. Hey, I can't be everything.

OK, enough with the wisdom beyond my years. Onward to the list! I think some of you might be shocked at what I've learned lately...

1. Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez are BROTHERS and Martin Sheen is their DAD!?!?! WHERE HAVE I BEEN?? Martin Sheen changed his name from Martin Estevez because he thought the American film industry would be more accepting of a less ethnic-sounding name. Charlie followed close behind, but brother Emilio politely declined. I'm impressed with old Emilio for standing up for himself. KUDOS! I can almost forget that he was once married to Paula Abdul...

2. Drinking 16 ounces of ice water requires the body to burn 17.5 calories to warm the water up to body temperature. So if you drink the recommended 64 ounces of water as ice water, your body will actually burn 70 calories.

3. Pop Rocks contribute to global warming. To make Pop Rocks, the sugary candy is mixed with carbon dioxide at 600psi. Carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gasses contributing to global warming. When you put Pop Rocks in your mouth, the candy melts and the 600psi carbon dioxide is released from the bubble. JUST SAY NO!

ENJOY!! :)

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Oh, The Things You Learn!... My Personality Test

So I took this color personality test thingy, and it says I'm a BLUE personality. Check for comments in BLUE in parentheses...

Congratulations, Blair, you are a BLUE personality. The Core Motivation that drives you through life is "Intimacy". BLUES need connection - the sharing of rich, deep emotions that bind people together. (TRUE) As a BLUE, you will often sacrifice a great deal of time, effort, and/or personal convenience to develop and maintain meaningful relationships throughout your life. (PROBABLY TRUE)

BLUES seek opportunities to genuinely connect with others, and need to be understood and appreciated, especially by their partner. (TRUE) Everything you do as a BLUE has to be quality-based, or you won't do it at all. (MOSTLY TRUE... I'm sure there have been 1 or 2 school assignments I turned in that weren't exactly "quality-based." More often, I just didn't do it at all.) You are incredibly loyal to friends, employers, employees, and above all to your significant other. (TRUE) Whatever or whomever you commit to is your sole (and soul) focus. As a BLUE, you love to serve and will give freely of yourself in order to nurture the lives of others. (TRUE)

BLUES have distinct preferences and are the most controlling of the four personalities, although they may not acknowledge (or even realize) the fact. (SAD, BUT TRUE) Your code of ethics is remarkably strong and you expect others (not only your partner and those closest to you, but everyone) to live honest, committed lives as well. (TRUE) You enjoy sharing meaningful moments in conversation with your partner as well as remembering special life events (e.g. birthdays and anniversaries). (TRUE)

WHY YOU'RE HOT:
1) You Put Your Partner/Relationship First
People like to feel important, especially to their significant other, and you have the natural ability to make that happen. (MAYBE TRUE?) As a BLUE, you tend to be very selfless, and your first thought is always "how will this affect my partner?" You would be willing to sacrifice going out with friends or engaging in an activity that you enjoy on your own to do something less exciting with your significant other - not that they would necessarily ask you to - but just knowing you would is a great feeling. (MMM... DEPENDS ON HOW "LESS EXCITING"...)

2) You Make Events Magical
When planning something such as an anniversary dinner or a birthday party, you don't like to go through the same old routine that everyone else does. You have a flair for the creative and you seem to have a sense of how to create an ambiance by adding special touches that you know will be perfect for the occasion. (VERY TRUE. I am over-the-top... OTT.) For example, you might have personalized gifts or you might recreate something meaningful that happened previously in your relationship. You make ordinary things extra special, which is very endearing.

WHY YOU'RE NOT:
1) You Tend To Blame Others For Your Unhappiness (Oh, come on now... I don't think this is true!! Is it??)
As a BLUE, you hold high standards for yourself and tend to have unrealistic expectations of yourself, your partner, and how things "should be," (OK, that's TRUE) so when things go wrong, you turn to others, such as your partner, as the source for your unhappiness. (I'm still not convinced.) You might say to him, "if only you were more attentive / caring / interested / loving (you name it), this wouldn't have happened." This is obviously not a great way to maintain somebody's affection.

2) It's Hard For You To Relax (You Require A Purpose To Play)
BLUES tend to be overly guilt-prone, and so if you are doing things that are not purposeful by your standards, you probably feel guilty about it. (DEFINITELY NOT TRUE) Ergo, you tend to require a justifiable reason to just play and enjoy life - which usually defeats the purpose and makes it feel unnatural or forced to others in your life. Your tendency to be high-strung in this way can be alarming to a potential mate who is stuck wondering if you'll ever be able to calm down enough to enjoy a life together. (EGADS!)