A Good Cry

You know that a show is good when you cry through the whole last half hour!

My favorite show on TV is Grey's Anatomy. I love the humor and the relationships and the music.... It is just an incredible show. For the last few episodes it has just been good. Better than most shows, but not great. But last night the Grey's Anatomy I know and love returned. It had some humor, but mainly it was focused on relationships. Cristina and Burke took steps back towards each other, Meredith and her dad finally got some basics out in the air, and Alex and Addison finally kissed.

The biggest thing in the episode though was George dealing with his dad dying. First he was hopeful that everything would be OK, then angry when he realized it wouldn't and that the doctors listened to his dad's requests and didn't consult him on it, then confused when the family that he felt didn't respect him looked to him to decide whether or not to take his father off life support, then finally, the full force of grief when his father died. I started crying with George's anger and continued until 10-15 minutes after the show ended.

George said it so poignantly when after his dad died he told Cristina

"I don't know how to exist in a world where my
father doesn't."

Luckily I don't know what that feels like. But I kept thinking about how empty and lost I would feel if the people I love suddenly be gone from my life. And then talking to my mom I realized that that symbolized her struggle so well. How do you exist in a world where your parents or spouses or other loved ones do not?

That's the thing about Grey's- it makes you think about your own life and struggles. The characters are full of flaws, just like us and they sometimes make wrong choices when dealing with struggles. But that's the thing- they do struggle. You feel like things that happen in your life (or could happen in your life) are being played out on the screen. Grey's Anatomy is back!

Good show!!!

Barack Obama

Barack Obama has taken his first steps toward running for president!! YEAY!!! From what I hear he has filed the necessary papers to raise money for the election. WOOHOO!!!

I'm reading his first book right now and let me tell you- I used to be impressed with the man. After the first half of his book, its so much more- I no longer see him as a Black politician. He is a real person (not a career politician) who is incredibly insightful. His whole life he's struggled with race issues, yet he doesn't run his politics based on race- they are run on universal issues. He doesn't, as they say, "play the race card" and yet he could do more for race relations than any before him.

I absolutely support the guy 100% now! I hope he runs and I hope he WINS!!!!!!!!

Happiness = Hot Wings

Ya know, I'd always heard the saying "a way to a man's heart is through his stomach" but I'd never TRULY seen it in action until Wednesday. Since we've been married, Jason has randomly brought me home flowers and told me he loves me. He immediately would also tell me then that the flower guy who comes to the shop had convinced him (aka guilt tripped him into) getting me flowers! The sentiment was still there, but it did make me feel like I was living an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond! Now, recently he's taken to hiding my favorite candy in random places around the house so that I'll get one for no particular reason. It totally makes my day not only that I get to eat a delicious Mamba, but also that my hubby is that thoughtful!

Well, the other day I was at the grocery store after work and I got thinking about Jason and his thoughtfulness. He's been doing all these sweet things for me, and he manages to do them after he's just had a horrible day at work (which is almost every day). He puts aside his frusteration to do something nice for me so I wanted to do something nice for him! So, I swung by Applebees and picked up Jason's favorite food- Applebees hot wings. Because I couldn't remember the label for the hot sauce (Is it hot, extra hot, firey hot, what?!) I just said "put on the hottest sauce you can find."

I got my wings, drove home, and presented my hubby with his dinner. He was absolutely ecstatic! He said, "What a great day! I get surround sound on my tv, my wife brings me hot wings, this is great!" Then something happened that I thought might ruin it all. He started eating the wings. Now, anyone who knows Jason knows he pops peppers like they're grapes. The man lives for all things hot, and food that makes me fan my mouth and drink a glass of milk literally tastes bland for him. Now, Jason starts eating these wings and he's like "Whew! They used some crazy sauce on these- these babies are HOT!" Which of course I took as a good thing. Then the more he ate the more the heat built in his mouth. When he was about 2/3 through he was starting to make weird noises and everything. Finally I looked at him and knew that my effort was all for nothing- he could not be a fan of these wings and their crazy hot sauce anymore because the look on his face tells me he's about to die. That's right, die. His face was contorted, he was sweating and breathing heavy. I felt HORRIBLE! I said "Jason I am so sorry! You are obviously in pain!!!"

And that's when I realized that my Jason, the Jason who loves hot things was still in there! He looked me square in the eyes and said, "I AM in pain! These things are freaking AWESOME!!!"

The next morning, after his equally "awesome" churning gut was gone, I heard Jason, that's right- JASON, singing in the shower. :) The way to Jason's heart- and happiness- truly is through his churning stomach.

I'm going to have to stop by Applebees more often....

What Will Happen In Harry Potter 7?

Today, to say the least was a bad day at work. I had a headache when I left even. But one thing sustained me. Something that I have been looking forward to since Christmas. Today in the mail I received the book What Will Happen In Harry Potter 7? !!!!! I had ordered it with one of my Christmas gift cards and I was greatly anticipating its arrival. You all know me, so as you know I am a Harry Potter-aholic. I have read them all 8 or 9 times. I know almost every detail from these books. When I'm reading them I feel nothing but extreme happiness, and when I'm done and must move on to a new book I feel like I've lost a good friend. I mean, who wouldn't want to be able to vanish through the use of an invisibility cloak, move from place to place just by turning in place and apparating, or use the bat-bogey curse against someone who really ticked you off? Although it is riddled with bad guys and a war for the world, it is also (pardon the phrase) a really magical place that most people would dream of being a part of. (How many sixteen year olds wouldn't like a place where the tree you almost hit jumps out of your way?!)

Harry Potter 7, or Harry Potter and the Deadly Hollows as it is now titled, comes out on July 13th. I can't wait for this and yet I dread it. I want to have another 900 pages to be with my HP friends, and yet I know that the brilliant and evil J.K. Rowling is planning on killing off 1 or 2 of them!!! Will Harry die? Or Ron or Hermione? Will they return to Hogwarts? Is Sirius really still alive, like I've thought all along (he wasn't hit with the killing curse!!) and is RAB really his brother?

I have SO many theories! I can't wait to see what happens. But, as Dumbledore would say "Alas, it is yet 7 months away". So until then I read what other people think is going to happen. What theories can we already disprove by what JKR has let slip? *SPOILER ALERT* (Mine about Crookshanks being the animagus RA Black is out the window, as is Mom's that Dumbledore is still alive.) This book is awesome for Pottermanics like myself. So if you want the book, you can get it at Walmart.com- http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5041043 or check out the site that published it to get many of the facts there- http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5041043.

Now, to show you how truely obessed I am- I dug out this old paper from one of my computer files and thought I'd share! This was an introduction to a math portfolio I wrote in college! That's right- we were asked to share what we'd learned about ourselves in a math class, and I made it about Harry Potter!! (I was given extra credit for creativity also!!!)

My name is Lisa and I am a Harry-Potter-oholic. I absolutely love the books, not just because it is a children’s series and I will be working with children, but because they are just plain good books. There are three main characters: Harry Potter, Hermione Grainger, and Ron Weasley. I am a lot like Hermione. Hermione likes to be “the smart one.” She prides herself on being able to answer other’s questions. However, there are times that she just doesn’t understand something. It is in those times that Hermione works for as long as she needs to in order to comprehend what she is learning. Most math comes easy to me. However, the times that I just don’t understand are the times that I work harder and take as long as needed to learn the material.

I am also like Harry Potter. Harry is a very smart student who has the capability of getting great grades. However, there are times in which Harry makes the decision that friends, family, and saving the world are more important than schoolwork. Although Harry is not learning how to transform a cat into a saucer, he is learning a lot about life, people, and himself. There are times when I know I should be studying those difficult areas of math. At the time though, my husband, family, and friends, and maintaining my relationships with them seem much more important. It is in these times that I put off my homework and concentrate on more important things.

Finally, I am like Ron Weasley. Ron understands something that I definitely do. Who wouldn’t much rather be watching quidditch and trading chocolate frog cards than be doing homework?! I am also like him in that I always stress later if I put things off until the last minute!

When you put the three together you get the perfect combination. You have three people with courage, loyalty, and hearts of gold. The main thing I learned this year is when I put the three together, and I get the perfect combination. I know when to work hard until I get it, I know when I need to take a break for more important things, and I know when to put my books down, my feet up, and play a game of wizard’s chess.

Happy New Year!!!

*NOTE- I have been trying to post this since New Years Day!!! I wanted to get some awesome pics from Christmas and New Years in so I'll post this but keep trying to add the pics. Must be some sort of computer glitch!!!


What a whirlwind the past two weeks have been!!!! Christmas this year was INCREDIBLE!!! It's funny- when you're a kid Christmas is all about what presents you get. As an adult it's about the presents you give. Not that I didn't get awesome gifts, but my favorite parts of Christmas were seeing Alan engrossed in the Italy scrapbook I made him, Jason appreciate the unexpected stein with a 60's Dodge truck in the pic, and hearing about how 2 & 1/2 yr old Amber is going around trying to scare everyone with the car we got her that morphs into a shark. ("Rarrrrr!!!!") I absolutely love seeing the excitement on everyone's faces and feeling the happiness in the room.
And going along with the whole "being an adult" theme, Alan got a Nintendo Wii for Christmas and we had so much fun!!! ;) We (Mom, Dad, Al, Jason and I) were BOWLING in our living room!!! And GOLFING a 9 hole course in our LIVING room!!!! That Wii is sooo awesome- you move your hand slightly in any direction and your ball hooks to the side! I swear you could never bowl in your life, practice on the Wii, and go in and bowl an incredible game in the bowling alley. It is SOOO realistic.

Can I just say again that we spent Christmas day BOWLING in our living room?! How cool is that?!

But, Christmas ends. Work begins again. And you go back to every day life.

Until New Years!!!! We spent New Years Eve with Jason's cousin Carrie and her hubby Riley again this year. The new bonus this year was Austin, their 4 month old son!! It was so great to spend time chatting, eating, and playing cards with them. It was so much fun that Austin wanted to stay up for the festivities (so he got to see his first New Years firsthand) and we ended up staying there till 3 in the morning!!! By the time we were all settled into bed and attempting to sleep (I was on a sugar high!!) it said 4:15 on my clock!!! I haven't done that ... ever!

Anyways, I hope your Christmas and New Year were as incredible and full of fun as mine were!!