During my hike to campus, I am frequently in contact with a team of construction works erecting a series of new buildings. In the months that I have traipsed my way through these area, it has come to my attention that I have in no way been harassed. Have construction works transcended their stereotypical "in the gutter" mentality? It may be that this breed (i.e. Central Illinois) have taken the step above their cat-calling counterparts. Who knows? Whatever the case....hats off to you Bob, Dale, Mike, Timmy, Stan the Builder.

No post for a month and this is the depth of thought you get.

The latest things on my mind have been:
1.) I need to find and buy rain boots and a big obnoxious cane-like umbrella.
2.) Lindsay is having a celebrity themed birthday bash and I need to figure out how and who I'm going to be. Any suggestions?
3.) I need to fit running into my schedule. I used to love running nearly every day. Ok, yeah...I'm working this into my schedule.
4.) I want to frequent garage sales this summer.

Oh, the depth of my thoughts.

Sarah and I watched a whole mess of movies last night. We watched Jack. Robin Williams. Unusual aging disorder. We googled pre-mature aging disorders and the results did not yield images of gracefully aging 10 year olds who looked like hairy comedians.

Oh, happy day.

I have been thrilled by the simpliest of life's pleasures lately. I will do this things and think to myself, "man, I love this a lot. Why don't I do it more often?" and then other things that I do often, but don't love it any less. Wanna know? Ok, just don't tell anyone world wide web.

1. Writing e-mails. I love it. Used to do it often. Miss doing it. Anyone want to be e-mail buddies? Toni, I need to send you an e-mail.
2. Sleeping in leggings. What is it? It's less than flattering to be seen in a tank top and leggings, but it's my favorite nocturnal attire.
3. Having the windows open in my apartment. Maybe it's because my mother keeps our house as cold as a walk-in freezer and never allowed us to open the windows (think "Do you think I'm cooling down the whole neighborhood?" sealed house compulsion). My windows have been open for a week and half and it makes me smile everytime I step foot into my apartment.
4. Salt water taffy. Way underrated.
5. Humidity. Ok, most people hate it. However, rain + humidity=my favorite.
6. Online shopping. Well, mostly browsing. Keeps me entertained forever.
7. Guacamole. Avocados in general. Ole.
8. Having pillow talk with Dillon. Who doesn't like chatting and giggling with their best friend?

Ok, well I'm just going to sit in my apartment with the windows open eating guacamole and writing an e-mail wearing leggings.

Anyone for a nap?

Eyelids=droopy and stubborn
I'm fighting the force to crawl back into bed and snooze through this glorious rain storm with the window open. Oh, word.
Fighting the urge with blogging.
This will become a regular thing...blogging. Kind of fun?
Did I ever mention that Toni Oberto is a gosh darn genius?
Yeah, I went there.

Oh, wow.

Well, dear friends....it's been awhile. I cannot understand why I decide to blog at the times when I am the most busy. This semester has decided to take a turn for ugly and suck the life right outta me...

I really do not have anything blog-worthy to contribute to the world wide web, but I just feel like typing I suppose. Typing. Typing. Typing. Typing.

There is something that I have recently recognized. Sarah has been talking about getting a kitten. Ok, I don't like cats, but everyone likes kittens right? Wrong. We went to the Humane Society and in a room full of kittens all I wanted to do was run. I tried holding one. I didn't like it. I tried playing with one, but it was only satisfactory because I was teasing the sack of fur. Show me a picture of a liter of kittens in a basket surrounded by flowers and I'm not getting anything out of it. Not a tongue click, not an aww. My heart is missing that feline attraction part. Sorry bout cha.

Oh, yeah and have I ever mentioned I've never had a PB&J (a bite...once.....a week ago). Talk amongst yourselves.

A rather ungraceful day..

I have never claimed to be graceful, but I've been having one of those overly clumsy days today.

Sure I've always been know to trip, slip, shimmy my way to the ground on many occasions, but today has been absolutely a mess.

I decided to get the ball rolling and head to the library an hour early today. With my McDonald's coffee in hand I began my typical hike through the sketchy alley behind an equally as sketchy bar to get to campus. I was cutting through the parking lot across the street and I normally walk down the right side. Hooooooowever, I was having a left (not right that's for sure) kind of day and veered to the left. I stepped off the curb on what I thought was damp cement, but what was really SLICK MUD! There was no way I was breaking that fall. Let me explain I was carrying a white canvas bag that my aunt got me for my birthday. It is really cute and has a cheesy quote about being a teacher on it and I was really trying to wait to use it until practicum because I didn't want to get it dirty...ha. With my coffee in one hand and my perfectly white canvas bag on the other side, both of my feet flew out from underneath me. As I was going down I was thinking to myself "Wow, Vanessa. You are really going down right now. Have a nice fall." The good news is I didn't spill all of my coffee. The bad news is it did get in my bag and stain most of my papers. I had to march my muddy butt home (literally...all over my last clean pair of jeans) and throw my dirty boots and jeans in the bathtub.

Later in the day I was walking through a building that I always walk through and approaching the exit doors chose the left (not right) door. Guess that sucker needs a little WD 40 because my body was for sure moving faster than that door. Crash goes Nessy's face and glasses into the door.

Let's not talk about my cereal pouring fiasco this evening either.

Meh,
V

Late night entertainment...

I canNOT fall asleep for anything. For me, being up late usually leads to infomercial viewing. Oh, my favorite.

I say I hate infomercials, but I get sucked into them within the first 2 minutes. I am completely, 100% amused at the creative ways in which the geniuses in the ad department figure out how to make the alternate to their product as awkward and infuriating as possible. Sure, if you are trying to cut a tomato with a dull butter knife there's going to be problems. The Miracle Blade is not going to solve all your problems.
My favorite would have to be the Magic Bullet. The temptation is so intense to purchase it every time I view the infomercial. I'm convinced that a party is not a party without the blended masterpieces created from the Magic Bullet. Oh and that's not all...not only is it good for tasty party drinks, but you guessed it...it'll whip up a hangover remedy just as grand. With such dialogue as "Whoa John [not sure that's the name used, but it fits] you're looking like you had too many cocktails by the pool last night. How about a smoothie for breakfast?" I cannot help, but love the magic that is the Magic Bullet.

My least favorite....Ped egg. Oh, wow. An infomercial showing me how easy it is to deposit of skin shavings from my feet into a trash can with no liner...um...no thanks.

Maybe, I'll try to go to bed?
V

25 things about Denny Ross

Recently, notes including 25 random things about yourself have been all the rage on facebook. I conformed to the masses and did one on myself, but I feel like my dad deserves one as well. He is such a character that I would be doing you a disservice if I didn't include 25 random tidbits about Dennis Edward Ross.

1. He went to school in Miami to be a marine biologist, came back to go to school at SIUE, owned a bowling alley, and is now a carpenter.
2. He is one of the few people I know who have catch phrases worthy of repeating (e.g. "Hey, hey now we're cooking," "hey, baby you/we/he/she/I be stylin")
3. He curses a lot when my friends around. I think to look cool.
4. He is a subscriber to American Snowmobiler and National Geographic Adventures.
5. His favorite shirt is a denim House of Blues shirt that he wears all the time with jeans.
6. He has recently become obsessed with buying vests (down, sweater, fleece, you name it) and shows them off to me when I come. He has asked me on numerous occasions if he looks good in vest. Yes, Denny. Of course.
7. He loves our dog, Loki, more than I will ever know. That is his favorite child. Even though she is hell on four legs, he still thinks she can do no wrong. She goes with him EVERYWHERE and sleeps outside his door every night, but on most nights she sleeps in my parents room because my dad will plead that he won't be able to sleep otherwise.
8. He is obsessed with eBay and is always getting weird packages. He buys "cat eyes" on a monthly basis.
9. Instead of listening to the radio, he likes to listen to his iPod on headphones in the car.
10. He's been known to keep a journal.
11. When we have a cleaning day he keeps a towel in his pocket and dances around shaking his butt to make the towel sway.
12. He brags about his dancing skills, but really he only has about 3 moves.
13. He is obsessed with lucky charms. My mom once commented that she is always finding good luck charms in his pockets when she does the laundry. Just a few months ago, he gave me an Indian choker that he had sought out on eBay that he claimed was VERY lucky.
14. He got married in a peach tuxedo and a Burt Reynolds mustache.
15. When we are driving home from dinner, he likes to do what my mom calls fart torture and will pass gas and lock the windows.
16. We call him the Rolodex of jokes because he has a joke for every occasion and every subject.
17. He is shorter than both my mom and me.
18. He laughs at all of my jokes.
19. When my brother and I used to sleep really late, he would come in our rooms with a blow horn. Thank goodness that thing pooped out.
20. He loves to karaoke. I have a vivid memory of going to a karaoke place with my parents when I was younger and my dad sang Great Balls of Fire and Strokin' (his number one favorite karaoke song in which he likes to freestyle and say stuff like "Mark be strokin' in the bathroom, Jeff be strokin' all the time, Mike was strokin' last night). He and I once sang "Summer Nights" from Grease and got a standing ovation.
21. He wishes he was Italian because he is always trying to act Italian.
22. He is the only non-Asian in the house and has no problem constantly cracking Asian jokes.
23. One time when my brother was in high school, he threw a big fit because his friend and he thought that a Ouji board was real. My dad told them to prove it to him, but they got mad at him because he proceeded to stand up and say "If this is real strike me down right now!" and laughed.
24. My first day of freshman year of high school I was hysterically crying and threatening never to go back and my parents were trying to console me. My dad disappeared and came back with a hat that he probably had gotten free somewhere and said "here, babe. I want you to have this." He desperately tries to do anything to make me feel better any time I'm sad.
25. That man never is without a smile on his face. Seriously.

I hope anyone who is reading this and knows Denny gets a good laugh.
V

TGIF!

Thank goodness it is Friday (even though I didn't have too rough of a week). I took a mental health day on Tuesday and skipped my class to go hang out with Dillon. We were talking on gchat about how hungry we were and I told him we should go to lunch. He asked if I was crazy, I said of course and then I left to pick him up. Haha. We went out to lunch and took a nice long nap. Pretty much a perfect Tuesday.

My parents are coming up to Charleston tomorrow for the day. I'm finally getting a bed frame for my bed and Denny is going to hang some pictures and shelves that I got recently. My apartment is finally starting to come together. I mean, I've only been living here for a semester. I have some other stuff coming in the mail that I ordered so I'm anxious to add them to my new and improved apartment. It is currently the bare minimum. I'm talking bare, bare. The entire western wall of my apartment is wood paneling....sick. I don't have a chair, only a couch which means no kitchen table. That's what my coffee table is for! And forget about central heat or air. Dishwasher, well, that's just a luxury that I don't have the pleasure of enjoying. Oh, yeah and the little heater in my room overheats and shuts off in the middle of the night so I don't even bother with it. I just bundle up and I've actually gotten used to it. I'm pretty much just excited to add some flair to the a-p-t.

Happy weekend,
V

Luck of the Japanese...

I went home this weekend for my family's annual Japanese dinner. My mom and I prepared for it all day on Saturday. Apparently, Saki bombs are a new addition to the tradition. Dustin was the Saki bomb fairy and poured them every 10 minutes I would say. This was the first time that Dillon attended. I was a little worried because he isn't too adventurous when it comes to Asian cuisine, but he said he liked all of it. I helped a little with everything, but this year I did all of the sushi on my own (at least 10 rolls!).

Last week I had talked to my Grandma on the phone and she was talking about how excited she was to see me when I came into town. She also mentioned something about my numbers coming up in the lottery and Josie (her friend) having something for me. My parents and I went out to lunch with both of them at Olive Garden on Sunday. Before we even got our drinks, Josie handed me a Godiva chocolates box. She said, "It's not much...just a little something for you." I opened the box to find an envelope that said "Miss Vanessa." I pulled the envelope out of the box and it had all of the cash that Josie had won playing my birthday numbers in the Pick 3! $500! I was speechless. I've never been able to figure Josie out and then she does something like this that surprises me even more! She said that they say if you do something nice for someone it will come back to you.

I was so sad coming back to school this weekend. I forgot how much I miss hanging out with my parents. We had so much fun hanging out all weekend.

Stay warm out there,
V

Got a case of the giggles...

Don't you hate when you are thinking of something funny and can't stop laughing and then the people around you seem to question your sanity. Today, while working I could not stop laughing whilst roaming through the stacks looking for lost books.

One of the ladies I work with told me about a time that she pushed an entire cart of books down an elevator shaft. Hahahaha. It makes me laugh out loud right now as I type this...still in the library.

I claim to be the Lady of the Library, but I never talk about books. Doi. I'm a reading fool and I'm always devouring a good read.

Last week I read Loving Natalee: A Mother's Testament of Hope and Faith by Beth Holloway. It was about the girl, Natalee Holloway, that disappeared in Aruba in 2005. It was really interesting to get an insider's view of what was going on. A short and easy read.
DISCLAIMER:I then became obsessed with reading about this case though.

I'm a sucker for memoir's...especially the crazy-I-can't-believe-this-really-happened ones. If you like the same, read Jesusland. The author's name escapes me, but it is really good.

Ok, off to class to talk about books and kids and developmental reading.

Toodles,
V

Pfffft...

Dear 23 year old quarter life crisis Nessy,

As I inch closer to the end of my belated college graduation (inching ever so slightly), I begin to freak out even more about the whole grown-up charade.

I've grown up so much in the years since college and it scares me half to death. It's even scarier how well aware I am of my maturation. They say that college are the best years of your life and as much fun I've had the last 4 years, I refuse to believe that this is as good as it gets.

I'm getting older and I constantly worry about money, bills, and working enough. Even though I couldn't be happier with my major switch (as delayed as it was), I sometimes question myself if I'm positive. Beyond my major, I worry if I'll be any good molding young minds when I do get a job. I want to experience so much in my life and I'm scared I won't do it when I have the chance. I'm saddened by the people who I thought I'd know so well forever who are hardly part of life.

As depressing as all of those thoughts and revelations are I realize it'll make me appreciate life to come even more. Sure I realize I won't be a millionaire as a teacher, but I know I won't be struggling. I may question my major switch now, but the bursting excitement I feel when talking about children's literature or educational tools is enough to assure me this is so right. I try to set aside an thoughts of possible failure as a teacher because I'll be just fine. People have been telling me I should be teaching from the day I learned how to play "school." Even though I've seen people drift away from my life, I am eternally grateful for those people I still call my best friends and know that they'll be around forever.

Growing older if tough, but I'll be fine. I needn't worry. Head up, young person.

Love,
Me

Oh, Grandma.

I got a card in the mail yesterday from my beloved Grandma Edith. She is seriously a complete doll. She is one of those neat grandmas that does special stuff for her grandkids. For example, when I was in elementary school she planned a tea party for me and my friends. She made little finger sandwiches and decorated her patio for us to enjoy our lunch. Our birthdays are only a couple days apart so we always celebrate them together. A couple years ago she had me over for lunch and she had this spread of all my absolute favorites. She is just an absolute doll.

Anyway, tucked in the card was a little note on lined paper. This is what it said:

Vanessa,
We didn't get together this year. I missed that. maybe we can get together when you get home. Give me a call. Didn't get to talk to you much Christmas. Everyone was having a good time. I loved it. I am so proud of all my family.
Come see me.
Love,
Grandma

That little note just melts me. I am so blessed with such a sweet and loving family.

Enjoy your Hump Day,
Vanessa

P.S. This is also the grandma that bought a cake and had the bakery write "Merry Christmas Jesus" on it for Christmas. I just love her.

Dear Diary,

Pummelo's suck.

Love,
Me

It's just to that point that I'm just getting older.

Today is the day that I make my descent into the "old as balls" bracket. It's true...I am 23 years of age this day. Twenty-two was pretty good, but I anticipate this year to be great, grand wonderful, because really what else do I have going for me at the boring age of 23.

This birthday has been the absolute greatest. I woke up this morning to text messages and an e-mail from Erin with the greatest card Liza Minelli's face smiling back at me) and song. Dillon has been here all week so I got him stirring and he drove me to get my hair cut. New 'do for a new year. No? We came back to my apt. just to fart around really. We did some tidying up. Later in the afternoon, flowers were delivered to my apartment from Toni! I cried. Not only because I miss her terribly and this will be the first birthday in many years that we will not be able to celebrate, but also because it was seriously the sweetest thing ever.

I got many calls and messages throughout the day from everyone wishing me happy birthday and I greatly, greatly appreciate it. It made my birthday grand really.

Dillon ordered me this amazing coat from Urban Outfitter's that I have been wanting really, really bad. Ugh, I just love it and him for being an awesome mate and getting it for me for the big 2-3.

We had chili mac for dinner. Pretty standard for a cold evening like tonight. When we went grocery shopping on Monday, we each picked out an exotic fruit to try. He picked out a guava and I got a pummelo? Whatever the heck that is. We also got plantains just because we've never tried them. Anywho, that's for dessert. An American classic with an exotic touch on my birthday I suppose.

This weekend a whole clan of hooligans will be visiting to continue with the festivities. I am so excited!!!!

Try and stay warm on this dreadfully cold night!
V

Back into the swing...

It appears that I have neglected my blogging. This is an absolute tragedy considering my life is so very fascinating.

I'm back at school and since I'm almost always bored here the blogging will resume.

Winter break was so short, but I loved every moment of it.

I feel like the only thing I did from the Friday I got home from school until Christmas was shop. I was not really expecting anything for Christmas. I didn't tell my parents to get me anything and they hadn't asked too much (because they are paying for me to go to Europe over spring break and that is WAY more than enough). On Christmas Eve, Sarah and I were shopping at Target and we ran into my dad. He asked to borrow my phone because his was dying. When I got home he claimed to have "lost" my phone. Hahaha. I knew the moment that he asked to borrow my phone that he was going to get me a new one. This is so classic of my dad to try so hard to make surprises special. On Christmas morning he wrapped just the phone and called it, but forgot to turn the ringer on so it didn't ring. Hahaha. I had to act like I didn't know what was going on. He finally just told me which present it was. My mom figured out that my dad had bought the Wii so she bought ROCK BAND. The biggest shocker of Christmas. I nearly dislocated my jaw when it dropped in surprise. Overall, Christmas was so fantastic. Everyone was so excited about the gifts that I had given them and I got to spend lots of time with my friends and family.

New Year's Eve was equally as wonderful. Dillon and I decided to try a German restaurant called The Gast Haus in St. Louis and had a lot of fun. As usual the evening included laughter and sarcasm. We went back to his parents where they were spending their NYE with a few of their friends and played games and snacked all night.

I must confess that I just vegged out and spent hours just doing nothing with friends, but I couldn't have asked for a better break.

Oh, yeah and Sarah and I played Rock Band for 8 hours one day. We kicked Dillon out of the band.

Toodles,
V