WORLDS ARE FORMING

MISSION PLAYGROUND: Significance is a Matter of Perspective.

I don't know if I have ever bought a shirt at a grocery store before this week.  I saw this shirt a few weeks back at Whole Foods, and decided to treat myself to it as a pre-finals week present yesterday. 

Mission Playground has a unique mission and is all about education and awareness while finding practical ways to care for the earth.  Their whole website is pretty amazing, too...I love that kind of art, those kinds of graphics.  Also, its an organic shirt, so I guess that means that if I get hungry, I should eat it. 

Anyways, check out Mission Playground's stuff!

If April Showers Bring May Flowers...

...then we are going to have one flowery May this year, folks!

Seriously.  It has been raining pretty much non-stop today, and man, it is stinking WET!  Flooding and flood warnings all over the place.  If the sun were to come out tomorrow, I think I might rust.   The above satellite is at a calm point in the evening.  Nor'easters...somethin' else.

Who needs a flu shot?

To flu shot or not...that is the question.  I haven't had a flu shot in years.  Get sick once or twice a season, nothing too life threatening, though. 

(Last year I only really got sick from Thai Chicken kabobs in the cafeteria...ugh.)

Have you had your shot this season?  Are you going to?  Should I?

I can't decide...

I live in fear.

Here's the deal. I leave my window open in the fall and winter because I enjoy the cool breeze, and the ability to bundle up.  However, this can cause problems.  Just now, for example.

I am sitting here at my desk, which is right in front of my window.  All of a sudden, a bee popped in my window, pretty ticked off.  As a kid, I remember my dad telling me to stay away from bees and wasps and small rodents in the late fall and winter because they are cold and bitter and just want to sting people.  When this little fella boldly flew into my room, he...well...landed on my desk lamp's hot bulb, which is pointed up.  (Poor guy, he was just trying to get warm, I am sure.)  But.  He didn't like that.  He was dancing and flopping around, and I think I could hear him screaming and cursing, too.

Finally, he just flopped off of the lamp (still cursing) and is now sitting upon my desk, staring directly at me.  I am pretty sure he is plotting my demise as I write...

***********
UPDATE: Since creating this post, the bee left my desk.  I heard the offending bee buzzing under my bed.  Then, he/she stopped.  I think it is dead.  However, one can never be too sure.  Curse this fear of mine!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Shockingly, I have been mocked for the use of my two favorite pieces of footwear together... Rainbow Sandals and SmartWool socks.  Two of the most comfortable things created.  Ever.  Friends, I know...I know...this is not a sight which pleases the fashion conscious eye.  However, I just wear it like this around the dorm when it gets cold.  It is cold.  Therefore, I now wear this match made in footwear heaven.  Never have worn the combination outside...or maybe I have...once, to get my mail.  Once. Comfort.  Comfort.  That's all.  Oh, and by the way, I promise that my pants aren't high-waters.  I mean, come on, really, I DO know where to draw the line.

Spider in residence. Part III. Via e-mail. A sister's plight.

To: Josh          From: Stefanie          September 27, 2005       11:42am
Subject: you want to see a real spider??  

Hey there. 

So as you already know, I don't care for spiders.  Not sure why but I just don't.  I've actually gotten better, and can handle "getting rid of them"..................Until this morning that is. 

After spending some time downstairs with Chase while Elisabeth was still sleeping, I went to open up the blinds and let some beautiful sunlight into the house.  As I walked into the living room I noticed a BIG, BLACK spot on the wall above the shoe rack!  Big doesn't even begin to explain it.  My heart starts racing and I have to go back to the family room to compose myself. 

After a few seconds I decide it can't be that bad, or big, and decide to take care of things.  YEAH RIGHT! As I peer around the corner I see it in 3-D and I'm back into panic mode. I try to think of what to do.  This spider HAS to go.....soon!   So I sink to a certain low and...........call my neighbor.  Yes, I had to call Jen. She comes over and sweeps it out before killing it.  She was
afraid of blood splatter.  Love thy neighbor? Yes I do! 


I'm still a little nervous wondering if there will be another one around the house.  I can hardly look at the picture without complete PANIC. 

So that's been my morning.   Hope you have a wonderful day.

Love,

Stefanie

****
(A brother's note: As far as spiders go...SHE WINS.  I could not stop laughing...I had to call.  It's even better when she tells it on the phone.  However, I can't help but wonder...how she was able to take TWO pictures, even in her fearful state!  Good times.  Cleveland's and their spiders, I guess...)

Spider in residence. Part II: Before (left) and after (right).

Problem. You know that spider I wrote about the other day?  He must have read my post.  Becaaaause, he is nowhere to be found.  I think he figured that because I hadn't kicked him out after a few weeks, he felt like he was a welcomed guest or something.  I was sure that he tucked himself into my bed last night.  Every time my sheets touched my face last night, I woke up, sure it was said spider sucking the very life from my being. Next time I see him...he's mine.

Spider in residence.

Here's the deal.  One morning about two weeks ago, I was in the process of waking up  and noticed something on my ceiling, riiiight above my head.  Rubbing my eyes open, I noticed that it was a spider.  So, I got up and noticed that it was this little guy in the picture.  The reality is...he is not so little.  Sometimes he goes away.  I think he hides behind my tapestry.  Generally, he remains in this exact spot.  Every once in awhile, I blow on him to make sure he is still alive.  He is.  People frequently let me know that he is up there.  I know.   I haven't had the heart to kill him yet, but if I keep up my paranoia about him crawling down and getting into my bed, he's outta here.  What has he been eating, I wonder, to sustain himself these two weeks or more?  (Scratch that question.  I don't want to know.) 

Should I kill him before he kills me?

Funny, isn't it?

Saw this bumper sticker in the grocery store parking lot the other day. 

Made me think a little bit.  Both "sides" or any -logy...whatever that means, like to try to keep the "other" side out of their business.  (In this case, I would hope that the theology and biology could go together, believing that God is all about both.  Apparently this car's owner would disagree.)

Insert your thoughts here...(keep it clean) but make your own bumper sticker using the following...

"Keep your... off of my ..."

Everything IS bigger in Texas.

This was the view from my office window the other day. When I saw him out of the corner of my eye, I thought he was a small bird or something.  Really!  No joke.  Anyone know what he is?  (Besides prehistorically awesome....)