Odds and Ends

It is a steamy, humid night in Atlanta. The bullfrogs are croaking and I'm trying to catch a breeze through my open window. We've gotten used to having low electric bills (thanks to no heat or a/c) and I'm trying to see how long we can keep it up. It just doesn't seem fair to have to use the a/c in May. I don't even think that is technically summer yet. So I sit here suffering...with no pants on :)

I went to Six Flags on Saturday. Man, I love that place! It was Deaf Appreciation Day which meant Deaf people got a discount on ticket prices. A group of students from our program-including yours truly- went as volunteer interpreters to work at the ticket booth and guest relations. As it turns out, we were over staffed which left me to ride the rides. No complaints here. I got 4 coasters and 1 kiddie ride in before the night was over. It was so fun--I just love all the memories that come back from being there. I remember riding the Mind Bender with my dad when I was around 7 or 8. My favorite blue headband fell off mid-loop and I kept trying to bend down to retrieve it. In high school I'd go with church friends and school friends. At the top of the parachutes ride (the most tame of all) is where David first kissed me one summer night. The dumb boys and I got season passes our senior year and went all. the. time. Dee Dee and I even got a season pass the year we lived together. I wish I had pictures from all these memories, but I guess you'll just have to use your imagination. Except for the first kiss. Don't try and imagine. Waaaaaayyyyy too awkward. Really. I can tell that I've aged since those days. I woke up Sunday morning feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. Still....it was the best way to rack up those pesky volunteer hours. I'm already looking forward to Deaf Day next year.

Yesterday was dedicated to writing my last final. It was take-home essays and I just kept procrastinating until the last minute. I came home after church (great message in the Love, Sex and Dating series if you're interested), took a 2 hour nap and then spent the rest of the afternoon/evening writing. It may or may not have felt like this at times:

At least it did in my mind. No, Sara wasn't sneaking up behind me with a naughty sign and I definitely don't still have the ladybug collection...or most anything seen in this picture for that matter. For those of you unfamiliar with this photo: this was taken as I was attempting to write my last paper as an undergraduate student. The girls were goofing off in the apartment and all I wanted to do was join them in playing instead of write some psych paper for B.Lewt. I'm pretty sure this is the closest I've ever come to flicking the double bird.

In other news, I've lost the brand new camera I got for my birthday this year. Yeah, the one I was going to use to take pictures of my apartment and life to show you. I don't know where it is and it is driving me crazy. I'm not one to lose things which makes it all the more frustrating. I took it to the Turner's for our Royal Wedding Party (which is why I haven't posted about it yet...I have pictures I want to upload) and I haven't seen it since. I just keep telling God that I know He knows where it is and I hope He shows me. What's worse is that I feel like I'm finally ready to take some apartment photos for you. After being here 9ish months, we got a few more things hung on the walls last weekend and I even made some DIY home decor to go over the tv. The bare wall has been mocking me this whole time but I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out...and am equally pleased that I took action on some of the ideas I've been stocking up on.

This afternoon I spent about an hour scanning in pictures from my London semester. I meant to only do a few to include in the Royal Wedding post (if I can bring myself to do it so late after the fact...and if I can find that dang camera) and ended up scanning about 30 randoms. So I'll have to do some more British posts. Maybe a top 10 of favorite moments. Until I get my ducks in a row, here's one for you:

OK, so this is actually in St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy. I just giggle everytime I look at this photo and think back on this cold, rainy day. My friend and I posed for pictures in the square and each of us were covered in pigeons. I guess the birds are so used to being fed that if you hold your arms out they will come land on your hoping for food. So we did the typical photo-op, but this guy just wasn't ready to let go. Long after the other birds were gone he was still hanging on. He didn't care that we were beak to beak and I was even flapping my arm like a wing trying to get him off. I love it.

And on that most random note, I'm going to bed. Dad and I are driving up to South Carolina tomorrow. I'll think of you as we shake hands at the border. He has some undeveloped lake property up there that he wants to check in on and I've never gotten the official tour. So he and I are going to head up for the day and possibly stop at the outlet mall on the way home. Yippee!