March 2: Botanical Gardens

Yesterday, Laurel and I went to the botanical gardens.  It was a warm 73 degree day and she needed to practice some photography skills for next weekend when she takes pictures at her aunt's partners bday party.  It was beautiful and it was nice to be outside for a few hours.

February 3: Renewal Limit

UGA library has a wonderful library feature that allows you renew your checked out books online.  Today I received a courtesy notice that my books were due.  Thus, I went online and tried to renew my books.  However, apparently I've reach the limit for amount of times you can renew.  Wamp, wamp.  I guess I'll have to trek up to the library to return these five books.

January 22: New Battery

With the cold weather we've been having, my car has been difficult to start.  This has been happening since before the winter break.  So I finally took my car to auto zone and when they tested the battery, they couldn't even get a charge.  The guy asked when I purchased the battery last.  A good indication that you need a new battery is when you cannot remember when you last purchased one.  Yay for a new battery and a car that starts up easy.  However, when did the price of batteries rise from $50 to $90?! ... and I got the lower end as I don't believe I'll be keeping this car too much longer due to transmission issues.  That's another day.

January 17: Goodbye Facebook

...the app, that is.  I've been thinking about this for awhile.  Facebook is an easy way to keep up with people's lives, however, it is also a time consumer.  It's become habit to wake up and check facebook.  I also find myself checking fb while I wait (in line, or other times).  Since the app is on my phone, it makes it too easy to spend way too much time on the site.  So today, I deleted the app from my phone.  Although there are many reasons I like fb, I also don't like the amount of time I give it in my life.  With this dissertation looming, I am trying to eliminate other procrastination techniques.  Hopefully this will help.  If it doesn't, who knows, maybe I'll take another FB hiatus.  

January 4: Young Adult Literature

I LOVE reading.  I read all the time, and lots of stuff.  Blogs, articles, books, you name it.  Although I did some productive (i.e., work & school) things, I spent many hours reading this new book, Legend.  Actually, I finished it in the wee hours of the morning.  It was a recommendation because I liked the Divergent series.  I got sucked into the novel and started (and finished) it today.  It's part of a trilogy…which could be dangerous, only, I don't own the second one yet (phew).  If only I was getting my PhD in young adult literature.

December 7: New Game

Ever week the Starbucks app on my phone gives me free codes for iTunes apps or for free songs.  I downloaded this app, Quell Memento and it's well...addicting. It's essentially a bunch of puzzles where you move a blue bubble around collect items, or whatnot.  If this becomes problematic, I'll be deleting it and re-downloading it when I'm PHinally Done.

November 1: Rain, Rain, Go Away

Today is fall break.  It's a day they give students off in order to travel down to the GA/FL game, which is always held in Jacksonville, FL, near the Okefenokee Swamp (note #warfortheoar is for the Okefenokee oar).  It's super quite around campus and I LOVE it.  Only thing, I have lots to get done ...yep, I took a break to update my blog. Ha. But it's also been raining all day.  At least my rain boots make me happy.  Aren't they cute?!

RENT (part II)

The scene: It's Sunday afternoon and I'm studying at Starbucks for the GRE. The time is close to 4pm.

The dilemma: Megan is up in Dallas and has asked if I'm interested in attempting to get tickets to see RENT (again).

The backstory: Jonathan Larson, the man who wrote the story and music of RENT wanted to write a musical about life, death, the struggle of being an artist in New York in the 90s. Consequently, he died the night before the musical opened on broadway. In his memory, honor, the show RENT has sold front row, orchestra level seats for $20 for every performance. Two hours before the performance, one can submit their name for up to two tickets. All those in attendance are then entered into a lottery and names are pulled an hour and half before show time.

For me, I wrestled with the idea of 'attempting' to see RENT, again. On one hand, if mine or Megan's name were drawn...well, we would have amazing first or second row seats. If our names weren't drawn, then I would have wasted three hours driving to and from Dallas.

In this case, I decided the potential pro, a once in a lifetime opportunity was worth the odds.

So at 6pm, on Sunday night, Megan and I anxiously filled out our lottery forms and submitted them into the grey bucket that would soon decide our fate.

Shortly after 6:30, they began drawing names.

The rules were such that they gave away the 'best' seats in the house first. They had 52 seats to auction off and asked that if both you and your partner had their names drawn that you pass on the second set of tickets.

We waited patiently, or not so patiently, for them to begin drawing names...

Luckily, we didn't have to wait long. My name was drawn fourth. And frankly, I'm not sure what seats they gave out before us, but we definitely got the BEST seats in the house. Second row. Center stage.

After we got our tickets, we went outside to grab my camera. Camera's are STRICTLY prohibited from being inside. The people who work at the Dallas Music Hall take this VERY seriously and WILL confiscate your camera if they see it. Anyway, this is us VERY VERY excited about our second row, center stage tickets!

And this is Megan very excited that she got both Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal's autographs!
It was a great experience! But as we were walking down to the front, I kept waiting for someone to tap me on the shoulder and tell me I didn't belong in the front row. But no one did. And I enjoyed watching all the uniqueness' that you miss when you're in the second balcony. I smiled the entire show as I sat in my second row seat. :)

Oddity: I will say, it is a bit odd when you are siting that close that you can make eye contact and keep it with the actors. ;)

Maybe the best $20 I've ever spent?! :)

Blog Layouts

Wow. Too much time can be wasted updated ones blog. You can change colors, sizes, shapes, and headings. I have spent far too much time today playing around with the heading.

Maybe I missed my calling, graphic design?!

Or maybe I'm just a recovering perfectionist. :)