Book Advice

What to write in a blog about my summer which has been spent making money to send me back to school next year. I know my books are going drain the little money I've made and that my dear readers is only the first semester. But that is not something special to OWU. Any university you go to makes you buy way-too-expensive books and half the time they sit unused in a desk drawer. I guess you should read them but sometimes you only need one chapter for one project in a four month semester. Or read-learning just isn't your style. Trust me, I understand and I am an English major. Some books are worth the price though and I have enjoyed a few of the reads for college. Those within your major are usually handy to hold onto.

My recommendation, especially for something outside your major, find out if the book is reserved in a library and if it is not reading intensive I suggest using that copy. It saves you money and for a college student that is always a plus.

I am wearing a shirt that says I love moose and I do. Katie got it for me up in Maine (where she goes to college) and its nice. Soft too. It was a Christmas present. I gave her and OWU Rugby t-shirt because she plays rugby in Maine.

My kitties are good. They like to eat grass. Lots and lots of grass. I don't really like it though. And Spencer rolls in the dirt. I like rolling in the dirt. And, as a follow up to a previous entry, I find that Spencer does not have allergies nor does he get any kitty illnesses. :-)

Have a great one.

Picture the last is of my face after eating grass.

Olivia Pressed on her Face and Passed Out

No kidding, a bird just flew into my window as I was trying to decide on a title. I heard a thunk and saw this very crooked bird start toward one of the trees in my side yard. I don't know what kind of bird. It was big enough to make a loud enough thunk to make me jump but not so big that is scared Mr. Simon the cat who is sleeping at the end of the bed.

Jeez, now I'm distracted.

I just wrote in The Quote Book with a flat pen. It is the kind of pen that you can clip to the page of a note book and close the book and it is flat and won't disrupt the pages at all. I have a whole set and they are very handy for the notebook bookmark but pen. The one in The Quote Book is pink and orange. I was remembering some that Olivia said yesterday that was definitely worthy of remembering.
A quote book is a neat idea for any group of friends. Liv has been wanting to start one since our freshman year of high school and we just got it started a few weeks ago. It is a neat memory keeper because you read one quote and it immediately reminds you of what you were doing, why, and then you laugh and laugh or in the case of sneaky incidents it makes you remember a very good time. We currently have thirty quotes. Magic that its an even number like that huh?

Katie gave me a bracelet that is actually a spoon just bent like a bracelet. I gave her a cow that when you press the button in its head it moos and its nose glows flashlight style.

I just finished reading East of Eden by Steinbeck. It is my second reading and while I enjoyed it the first time I really enjoyed it the second time. I find that I grasp stories and novels better when I have the opportunity to read them a second time. I have friends that are one read people but I benefit from two. And I was able to find time to do such, last semester. So if your a two read person, no worries! you can find time . . . or maybe make time is better but there is enough time.

Have a great one.

Two Hundred and Thrity-One

Happy 231 birthday America.

Compared to other counties around the world, America is the toddler. Japan had a founding date of 660 BCE and, while there is debate, in 871 Alfred the Great named himself the first king of England. Even Kenya beats us by a couple hundred years with an official colonization date of 1505. And aren't we a trouble maker. Born of civil war we immediately decided parent didn't know best and decided a quest for juvenile freedom was better. Break away we did and we learn the price of freedom was actually very expensive so we decide that perhaps and alliance with parent country isn't a bad idea. Now we are again exploring our individuality and breaking away from our friends.

We are going to discuss pictures now because that will help illustrate my point. Again these were taken with digital technology beyond that of anybody. It is so ahead that it was personally developed by myself. Picture number one is our flag with one dot representing the country before it was state-ified. Following that is the thriteen colony flag and then the current American flag. Please ignore the stripe count because I only want to focus on the stars or in this case the dots.

Okay, flag one has one dot because before the exploration of America started it was one country with no division. Then we split into thirteen and then into fifty. While we all still answer to one government I'm afraid that the division has had an interesting effect on the human psyche. When asked where you are from Americas don't respond America or the United States they respond Ohio or Florida or etc, like each state is its own country. I am guilty.

Can we get back flag number one?

Last picture is of the firework I saw. Color breakdown: green is a symbol of envy and purple of royalty. They do make the sky very pretty though. I like the ones that look like weeping willows myself.

Chomp

Cat bites.

I grew up with cats. My family has had seven within my lifetime; four of which are still alive and kicking. One is helping me write this blog. Actually he is laying up against my computer so there is no hope that the fan will blow the hot air out and the thing with probably explode. The computer, not the cat, but lets hope that I get this blog finished before computer go boom.

So I'm b-sitting this summer. That is my job. And I was petting their cat, who, to repay my kindness, took a good chunk out of my hand. Ya'll know the spot; the fleshy part between thumb and pointer finger.

I'm curious where the cat-bite-phobia came from. Numerous people have told me numerous times that you get bit by a cat and you go get antibiotics because you will die or loose an appendage. I have had seven cats. When I got bit real bad I reverted to good old soap, water, Neosporin and bandage, not the twenty bucks for doctor visit and then the second twenty for drugs. I still have both legs, both arms, all fingers and all toes. We'll assume I'm still alive. I don't see the scary in a small bite. I even had a cat that chewed on my foot.

Perhaps we need to be a little less germ-a-phobic and a little more common sense filled.

A study just came out recently that to avoid allergies and asthma in a child, said child and all of his/her friends should go roll in the dirt because it exposes the immune system to bacteria and germs and allows that immune system to get strong. Take a guess where my kids are going to play? Granted this doesn't apply to everyone, me for one. I have terrible allergies (environment and food) and my favorite play place was the dirt hole in the back yard, but I do believe for the greater population, it works.

Lets play in the dirt and lets use soap and water before panicking. (And I don't want all ya'll telling me its a prepared thing. If that were the case you wouldn't have been bit by the cat in the first place).

Have a great, ponderous week.

Pictures: These were taken with the highest digital technology available. First is my computer exploding. Second it me being bitten by a cat. Third is children in the dirt. Fourth is a germ.

Summer Time in Cincy is . . .

Limeade
River
Ignoring creepies at the river
Park
Ices at the park
Movies in the middle of church fields
Cats
Dogs and Vets
Carting kids
B-sitting different kids
Guy shopping
Hissing cats
Missing cell phones
Throwing cheeseburgers at people
Loud music
Handcuffs
Plants
Housework
Picnics
Illegal beach fires
Propane cannons
PVC cannon
Cornhole
Baseball
Chinese Food (which, surprising as it is, we haven't done yet)
Mike
Canoing
Tipping Canoes
Swimming
Flipping canoes back over
Sinking heels in dirt
Heels in gravel
Heels in sand
Ghost buster spraying
Crawling girl ghosts
Camping
Nature as a bathroom (liberating in my opinion)
And enjoying the short break from academia.

Pictures: First is of the Reds stadium. Second is of Jonathan eating a cheeseburger. Third is Mike. Fourth is Carrie laying on a Cornhole board.

Co-written by the lovely Olivia and thanks to Katie V. for the pictures!

Hum Dee Do

So, the last week has been work filled, which I probably shouldn't complain to much about because I basically got to sit pool-side for hours and tend the small children that I am b-sitting. And while the mid-west is still lacking in rainfall, the days have been bareable. A high of eighty-five, cool morning and evenings, and thank goodness no humidity; no, there is really nothing to complain about.

Yesterday evening I met with Liv and Rose and we went to get ice cream. Rose just returned from her two and one half month stay in Mexico. It was part of a study abroad program. No matter the university I suggest looking into studying abroad. It is a great way to experience the world. I personally feel that Americans are spoiled in the ways that other counties have accomidated our language and our customs and I feel that everybody should explore beyond the boarders at least once in their life. So check out a study abroad program because it is a great way to accomplish such a thing as well as continue your education.

Anyway, we looked at nearly four hundred pictures from her adventures, ate ice cream, and caught up. It was great for "Charlie's Angels" (as a comedian coined us) to be back together. I believe there are soon pool dates planned as well as a camping trip planned for the near future.

Have a great week.

Okay so there have been a few inspirations this week, as far as writing and pictures go. Writing wise, each paragraph was composed to a different song.

Para 1= "Stolen" Dashboard Confessional

Para 2= "How to Save a Life" The Fray

Para 3= "Take Me Home Tonight" Eddie Money

Pictures= "Over and Over" Tim McGraw with Nelly

Picture: Since I'm running out . . . grr, I've had to dip into the albums of goofy things done duing the school year and lucky me I came across the Troll pictures. This is Megan's troll that has done some traveling. She had Thanksgiving with me and these are some snapshots of her adventure. (Song: "Get Out Alive" Three Days Grace)

Summer the First

So, I've done some stuff this summer.

I started working, yay money. It's a great job, great people, great hours, so much fun.

I've been writing a bit.

This morning I invaded Katie's house early and we made pancakes then ate them then did dishes then talked for a bit and she made me CD. I enjoyed hanging with her because she leaves for the cape in a few days.

There was a movie day about a week ago that involved movies, sleeping, shaved ice, Apples to Apples, the park, a sweat bee, Mike, burping, soda (or pop if you prefer) and a couch. Feel free to combine those things in any order you feel like. If you don't describe the most recent movie day, you'll probaly get one of the past ones.

My cat is walking on the table where he is not allowed . . .

I'm running out of pictures to put on here. I'll just have to steal pictures from people I don't even know. Hope they don't mind. That would be an interesting discovery. "Hey look, there I am, on the blog of a girl I don't even know" . . . yea, so maybe I'll just have to steal a camera, from somebody I know of course.

Have a great week.

Pictures:

1) The shaved ice shake in Ohio that is great whether is it warm or cold. I prefer warm but shaved ice can be yummy if you are having a hot flash in the winter or if you just enjoy being cold-cold.
2) That is Mike
3) Katie's Apples to Apples starting hand. A great variety.
4) To go along with the post about Internet 2.0 this is me taking full advantage of the internet I don't have at my house.