well, there's no white Christmas this year...

Christmas has sure changed hasn't it? As you grow up...it seems to take on all sorts of new identities. Remember when you were little and the most important thing was waking up as early as you possibly could to open up all your presents? This morning, my mom had to call and wake me up so I could drag myself out of bed and get over to her house. I get over to her house around 9...and she asks me if I'm ready to open presents. I ask her if breakfast is ready. Her boyfriend looks at me and says "You know you're not a kid anymore when you'd rather eat breakfast before opening presents." So true.

Reese (where I work) sponsored a family this year. Since I'm the "social director," this was part of my job. Reese paid for a Christmas dinner for them, and then all the employees donated money for presents. After actually dealing with the grandma of this family of seven kids, I wasn't very happy about helping them anymore. She seemed demanding. I didn't like it. You can ask a few of my friends. I had a short little rant about it. I hadn't dealt with a family like that before. Anyway, a verse in the Bible kept popping in my head. It was a verse about true religion being helping the poor and widows. It doesn't say that true religion is helping the poor only when the poor are really really nice and really really grateful. I trudged on. There was one boy that I hadn't been able to get anything for. He wanted speed skates, and I couldn't find any. I asked a friend of mine that I work with to help me get his present. This boy also wanted a paint gun. I told my friend. When I went to go pick up the stuff off his front porch, he had bought the boy a paint gun, extra paint balls, and extra air or whatever to shoot the paint gun. It brought a tear to my eye that people could be that generous. That's an awesome Christmas present. I talked to the grandma later that day. She seemed way more grateful, and I again was happy to help her. I think before she may have been a little panicky because the kids weren't going to be getting anything for Christmas. She told me the kids didn't have any stockings. My cousin and I went to the dollar store, and I got them stockings and stuff to fill the stockings up with.

So, Christmas Eve morning my cousin and I go to Boston Market and pick up the dinner that Reese had bought for the family. We go over to this lady's house. It's a small house...and there's ten people living there. There's not one single present under the tree. We bring the meal to the refrigerator. There's no food in the refrigerator, except for some chicken breasts. The grandma had sent all the kids away. The kids think that they are getting nothing for Christmas, because their parents have prepared them for the fact that there's no money this year. You see, the dad crushed his leg, and hasn't been able to work. I'm sure it's not very easy for a mom to support seven kids. The mom and grandma had gone to Goodwill and bought each child one shirt. They washed them and ironed them, and that was going to be their Christmas present.

As the grandma was talking to me, the gratefulness in her eyes nearly brought tears to my eyes. I am so happy that the people at Reese were willing to help out with this family! There's now way I could do much at all...I'm poor poor poor...but with everybody pulling together, these kids were able to get a decent Christmas. Thank you to anybody that's reading this blog and helped out!

And thanks if you did something else for somebody on Christmas. If you didn't...maybe next year you can. There are so many opportunities! So many people are in need. It's the best Christmas present you can give yourself...I promise... Actually...that's what I'm asking for next year...for you to help at least one person out next Christmas.

Like I said earlier...they had no food in their refrigerator. I would love to buy them some groceries...but I have no money. So, if you think you could do something like that for this family...just let me know. I would love it if we could get them some groceries. They would probably be much appreciative too.

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Tomorrow is this here blog's birthday. Why don't you leave it some love...huh? It's always here. I'll probably right some more tomorrow...

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I saw We Are Marshall the other day. It was very good.
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A simple thing in life...a telephone...a telephone call...being able to call someone. Something I haven't been able to do in a quite a while with my sister. She's back in the states now. She has a telephone. I told my dad that he should call her and leave a message (because she's finishing up with a cruise with her husband). He used to sing "I'll have a blue Christmas without you..." all the time when we were little. I told him he should sing that to her. He calls, and her husband answers. He talks to my sister. He tells her that's a call he's been waiting to make for two years. I'm glad he got to make it.


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Merry Christmas to everyone!!!

I'm glad...

that the Colts won on Monday. Hopefully they don't let the tragicness that has been the last couple weeks fall back into place.

Christmas is almost here. It's so weird. This year went soooo fast. I haven't even started Christmas shopping.

Don't worry Thom...I'm going to keep updating this blog...and I'll keep sunshine thrown your way. I think I'll hold on to this blog for while...People do still read it...they just don't comment anymore. :(. It's all myspace now. Damn myspace. Glad it's around though. It's a good time killer. Once I'm on the other side of the country, I'm going to be really glad it's around. It makes it easier to keep in touch with people.

Astrocamp...that's fun to say. It sounds so incredibly nerdy. I love it. I'm actually going to get to have a nerdy job! What my life needed. I mean, I guess the Math Assistance Center was sort of nerdy...but astrocamp? Well, that's just sounds incredibly wonderful and cool. Cool meaning my definition of cool...which is completly uncool. That's the way to be. Not normal...Well, I think not normal is cool. You know? Chacos with socks...totally cool. My Christmas shirt that says Santa's Little Helper...totally cool...leggings...not cool...but I make them cool.

Back in the day, when all I listened to was Christian music (eek!)...I remember riding in my friend's car...and this song came on...and she told me it was my song...basically the chorus goes...

I'm not cool and that's ok...

that's how I feel...ha ha.

Cool: such a funny word anyway. I remember being in middle school...and all I wanted to be was cool. Cool meaning being accepted by a small group of people that thought that they mattered more than everybody else. I mean, I even had a paper route to pay for cheerleading camp. I never tried out. I mean, could you see me as a cheerleader?? It would be ridiculously funny. I can't even do a cartwheel...and if we had to do dance routines...well that would just hilarious. You've seen me dance...right?

I guess that's it...this is a really random post...

Edit: I just heard on the news that Bush says we're not winning the war in Iraq right now...what???

sometimes...

Alright, so I'm a pretty guarded person. I think I've mentioned that before on here...and I'm sure a lot of you already know that. I don't know why. Sometimes I blame it on my family life, and other times I blame it on the fact that I went to 13 different schools before graduating high school. I'm not saying I'm a completely cold person, but I definitely don't where my heart on my sleeve. My ex-boyfriend told me I was incapable of love. That's not true...I was just incapable of loving him. So anyway, that really doesn't have anything to do with anything, but I thought it was funny when he told me that. Alright, back on track. (as if there is a track...it's all just ramblings anyway...) Now, I'm at a point where I sort of want to be a girl and be all emotional around my friends. Ok, not crazy emotional. I'm not going to start balling or anything...Well maybe I will. The upcoming events in my life are going to be crazy. I'm going to miss people like crazy. What? you're wondering... Well, it looks like I'm about to pick up and move across the country to California.

I'm gonna miss my friends like crazy. I know I'll make new ones. I'm outgoing...I always can find people to hang out with. Some of these people are friends that have been around for a looong time. Plus, there's places I'm going to miss. Maybe you're thinking...ROSE! it's California! This is familiar...I know it. I know the people. Yat's! I love Yat's. I'm going to miss that place.

I know this post makes no sense. That's what I'm good at. See, I'm trying to let a little out of my head...and then it doesn't work...because it just all comes out jumbled.

I went out to dinner the other night with Jessie and Patrick and Lynsey and Adam...oh and my cousin...I brought him along as my date (sad isn't it? ;) ). We were exchanging Christmas stuff...but they also got me a going away card, a cake, and a compass. The compass is so i can find my way back. I almost teared up. Well, i wanted to be all sappy...I'm going to miss those people...

My family...it will be weird being that far away. Sarah...

The other person that comes to mind that I'm going miss is Brian Math. He keeps popping in my head as someone I'm really going to miss. I mean, I haven't gone more than a month without seeing him since I met him. He listens to all my stories. Ha. He just shakes his head. He's a good friend now...not just a math buddy. Plus, he's the one who got me into climbing. :) I told him I was going to get sappy on him before I left. I bet he's looking forward to that.

Then there's all the other climbing people. They're a different brand though...they climb. I'll see them somewhere...climbing. I've got to find a whole new climbing group. The Kentucky crew won't be in California. Horsepens=not in California. Next time I see Mortal Combat...I will be super strong, and Mark Osbourne sure better be there, because I have to send that one at night with him present. :)

I'm not really sure this post came out at all like I wanted to. Now, there's just spotty stuff about what I'm going to miss. There's going to be tons more I miss of course...but I guess the whole point I really want to get across is...well...I guess I don't know. I'm getting a bit sad now. I see people, and I hope I see them again before I leave. I'm bummed I'm not going to Rock Town for Christmas Eve. Now, I wish Dan and Mark and Ana were still going to Horse Shoe Canyon Ranch instead of Rock Town. I could swing a trip there for the new year. It would only add a couple hours to my trip. Oh well.

bittersweet...

That's exactly what it is...bittersweet.

LAME

So, yeah...this is my year in review.

2006 year in review

1.) Where did you ring in 2006?
In Broadripple...at Nathan's friend's house. It was sorta fun.

2.) What was your status by Valentine's Day?
I was "in a relationship" with Nathan...

3.) Were you in school (anytime this year)?
yeah...all year. blah.

4.) How did you earn your keep?
any one of several different jobs I like to keep all at one time...

5.) Did you have to go to the hospital?
not that I remember.

6.) Did you encounter the police?
yeah, got pulled over once...and so did my dad.

7.) Where did you go on vacation?
Well, let's see...I went to Arizona in January, and Florida in March, then for climbing, I've been to Kentucky a bunch, and Alabama, and Georgia. Oh, I also, did a small trip to Chicago, and a trip to Wisconsin. I consider all of those vacation stuff.

8.) What did you purchase that was over $500?
my Jeep.

9.) Did you know anybody who got married?
umm...yeah. I'm 24. Everybody gets married.

10.) you know anybody who passed away?
not anybody I knew personally.

11.) Have you run into anybody you graduated high school with?
yeah...I see them around from time to time.

12.) Did you move anywhere?
I'm always moving.

13.) What sporting events did you go to?
uh...some pacers games.

14.) What concerts did you go to?
I think just Ellery...it wasn't a good year for me as far as concerts...oh yeah...and The Elms.

15.) Are you registered to vote?
yep.

16.) If so, did you do your patriotic duty on Nov. 7?
yep.

17.) Where do you live now?
Indianapolis.

18.) Describe your birthday.
I celebrated my birthday for several days straight...including a great trip to the state fair.

19.) What's the one thing you thought you would never do but did in 2006?
wear socks with sandals and think it's cool...:)

20.) What is one thing you regretted this year?
I don't like regrets...but I sort of regret the fact that I stayed with Nathan all the way till May...that was a load of umm...well fun.

21.) What's something you learned about yourself?
that I love climbing...and I don't need lots of possesions...nor do I need a bed to sleep in.

22.) Any new additions to your family?
i've had some cousins that had some babies.

23.) What was your best month?
hmm...I don't know...that's hard. I like a lot of the months...but October was really good.

24.) What from pop culture will you remember 2006 by?
how much i brought sexyback (haha)

25.) How would you rate this year with a scale from 1 (shitty) to 10 (excellent)?
9.75

brrrr.

It's so cold outside. Sooo cold. It's not been too bad though. I sometimes like the cold. It snowed a little yesterday. Not much to go build a snow man with, but still...snow.

Yeah. I'm in town this weekend. That's cool. I haven't been in town for a bit. I get to watch the Colts game with my friends. I like that. Hopefully they do a bit better.

With lack of anything better to say...

bye.

what's going on???

So yeah, I can't believe we are trucking right along through December now! This year went crazy crazy fast. It was good though. Sigh. Lots of good things happened. I can't wait for 2007. Weird. 2007...the year I turn 25. Sweet.

This past weekend, I headed down to Georgia. I went to a place called Rocktown. Climbing was done, and fun was had by all. It was a cool place. The camping was definitely rugged. There was no running water or outhouses or anything. That's cool though. It helps you appreciate certain things in life. I got home, and it was so nice to be able to wash my hands and take a shower and such. I thought to myself hey! I really like water. Showers are awesome. OOO...and it's nice to be able to sit on a toilet. Ha. It is also really nice to sleep inside in a bed. I love being outside though, so it's all good.

Climbing was fun. I didn't really make it up to the top of much. It was my first time there, and I defintely now have some projects. When you boulder, you place something underneath you for when you fall. It's called a crash pad. You carry the crash pad around you on your back like so:
So yeah, Jodi and I are walking out of the boulder field, and some non-climbers were walking on they trail. They stopped us and asked us what the things we were wearing on our backs were. Jodi explained to them what they were. The guy then asked her why we didn't wear one on the front too. Ha ha. No silly, we put them down on the ground. We don't climb with them on. That would have been hard. I have a hard enough time climbing without something on my back.

Wow,

so yeah, the Colts lost last weekend. 60 yard field goal? Man, I wish Tennessee would have had Vanderjadt kicking for them. :) We probably would have won then.

Oh well. So is life.

This blog sucks. I think I should quit it. I don't know. I feel as though my life is pretty interesting. I feel like I have interesting thoughts. However, it seems that whenever i go to write anything, nothing cool comes to mind.

I run a marathon in a month.

scary.

This past weekend, I learned how to do a good job roasting marshmellows. :) It was great. I ate a lot of marshmellows though.

I left my phone in Kentucky.

blah.