Biblio--what?!

BIBLIOPHILE:(n)a person who collects or has a great love of books. 

In the last, oooh, I'd say 2 1/2 weeks, I've started and finished 2 books, and I've just started another. There are those who just don't get it. How people can stand to read, just because they want to...not because they're being forced to. Well...I am...a....you guessed it...a bibliophile, and an unrepentant one at that. I spend a ridiculous amount of money on books and I can spend hours in the bookstore. 

Why not go to the library? It's free.

And that, my friends, is what separates a lover of reading from a bibliophile. Bibliophiles not only love to read books, but to collect them as well. There are those who just have to have a book in it's hardback version. Others who prefer soft covers. Those who must have first editions. And those like me, who don't particularly care. I will say, though, that a hard cover is not my first choice. Firstly because, they're usually much larger than the soft covered additions, and therefore, don't fit as well into my purse....ha; and secondly, because they're always much more expensive.

But really...as long as it's a book that I can hold in my hands to touch, feel, and smell...I'm happy.

I know that I've written about her before, but Cathy Lamb is one of my favorite authors. She has this ability to write things that are so funny I find myself literally laughing out loud. Anyone who can do that, has a gift.

Her newest book, A Different Kind of Normal, tells the story of a boy born with an abnormally large head, due, probably, to his mother's drug use during the pregnancy. The boy is raised by his aunt, who at his birth was a young 19 years old. Lamb tells the story brilliantly. Joining the past and present of the character's lives to give a complete and rounded story. It is a story of "letting go" and redefining what is "normal". And it's hilarious.

I loved it.

If you're interested in reading this book or any others by Cathy Lamb, I would encourage you to slide on over to the Book Nook page of this blog. Summer's a-coming and you'll find plenteous provender for your pool-side reading needs!

Watch out though....you may turn into a bibliophile yourself! 

Happy Reading!

Oh the Places You Will Go...

I can officially cross one more thing off of my 30 before 30 Bucket List.

That's right ladies and gentlemen of the world...I am officially.... A COLLEGE GRADUATE!

As of May 14, 2013 I have an Associate's of Applied Science degree in Paralegal Studies!

This week has been amazing and overwhelming at the same time. In addition to graduating, there have been several other exciting developments, about which you can expect to hear in later posts. Suffice it to say, my life has taken on several changes in the space of a few days. It's exciting and scary at the same time!

The graduation ceremony was looooong and drawn out. Of course, since my degree falls within the School of Public and Social Services, we were the second to the last school to get to walk across the stage. Aaaand...because my last name begins with "T", I was the last person to walk across the stage from the School of Public and Social Services. LOL. If I'm lucky, maybe I'll marry someone who's last name is at the beginning of the alphabet, or at least, more towards the middle. Ha.

Anyway, it was a surreal moment. What was going through my mind as I took my walk of fame? " Heel, toe, heel, toe...don't fall girl." And as I reached the Chancellor to take my  diploma, "Smile girlfriend. Shake with your right, take with your left....keep smiling".

 Haha. And in a moment, it was over. The years of hard work, culminated in a single event that lasted for about 15 seconds. But wow...probably THE proudest 15 seconds of my life. My family was there. My 3 best friends were there. It was perfect.

Now, today...we celebrate!

My mom has been in town since Tuesday and today is my official graduation party. It's going to be a fairly small affair. So don't feel rained on if you didn't get an invite. Lol. I'm not one for big "to do's". My step-dad is going to do what he does best...grill! And that will be that.

And so...on to the next phase of my life....

Can't wait to tell you all about it!

Stay tuned!

Petulant Poodle

Even though it's a day late, I hope that all the mothers out there in Blog Land had a very happy and relaxing Mother's Day! 

Yesterday afternoon, after my family was stuffed from the brunch my sister, cousins, and I had made, one of my cousins decided that she wanted to come over and raid my sister's closet. Somehow this raid quickly turned into a plan for a sleepover. Fine by me. 

So as the evening wore on, we transferred from my aunt's house back to our apartment. The girls brought their bags with their PJs and clothes for the next day. It was decided that I would take them back home today on my way to work. 

The fun thing about cousins is that you don't have to do much of anything to have a good time. We sat on the couch for over an hour just talking and giggling, and listening enraptured as my sister, a master storyteller, updated us on the latest twists and turns on our favorite show, Once Upon a Time. Since she had to be at work early this morning, after a while, she decided to call it a night, and threw extra pillows and blankets out into the living room, before closing her door on the rest of us. 

There weren't enough blankets, so I headed into my bedroom to get to get a few more. Just as I opened the door, my phone started to ring. It was my aunt, the girl's mom. I answered and she said, " Uh, could you all go back to the house and get Daisy?". "Uh what?" I replied. " Well", she explained. "Jordan just called me and said that he couldn't find her. I asked him if he let the dogs outside and he said yeah, and then I asked him if she ever came back in and he said no. So. She's out there and refuses to come back in." 

This little poodle is the most stubborn, diva-ish dog I have ever seen. Once before, when my aunt and the girls were out of town on a cruise, Daisy went outside and stayed out there until they came home. Even though she's most decidedly a lap dog. Even though it was cold. 

I rolled my eyes. There was a frost advisory tonight.  

"You know she'll stay out there until she turns into a little ice cube", my aunt pressed. 

"Ok, ok" I relented. " I tell the girls and see what they wanna do. We'll let you know."

So, I went back out to the living room and explained to the girls Daisy's latest rebellion and they immediately decided to go and rescue the petulant poodle. 

"If we go", Maya said, " I'm not coming back." 

Yeah. That wouldn't really make a whole lot of sense, since the main reason they had decided to spend the night was so we wouldn't have to make a trip back to the house once Khala had the clothes she wanted from my sister.  

So. We trooped back down the stairs and into my car. As they piled their bags back into the car, we all paused a second and just looked at each other...and started giggling. 

"Well" I said, " I think we just set a new world record for the shortest sleepover ever." We dissolved into laughter. 

Five minutes later we were back at their house. 

Ten minutes later I was back at my apartment. As I was pulling into a parking spot, my phone rang. It was Jordan. 

"Well"  he said. " We found Daisy. She was hiding behind a tree. She came running into the house when she heard Maya call her name." 

Wow. That dog. I guess we know who runs that house!

P.S.  Graduation is tomorrow! 

*Photo Credit: dogbreedinfo.com

Jubilation and 6 Days

It's late. I'm tired. I'm jubilant!

Yes, you read that right.

Jubilant!

I just completed the last of my finals...so...that means....I'm DONE WITH SCHOOL!

I mean like Done Done. As in "I'll take my degree now, thanks very much".

Not much of a post, but hey... I just needed to express my excitement!

6 days till GRADUATION!

A little sentimental....a little mushy...but I don't care...I love this song and I love Celine.

No apologies :p

Ladies and Gentlemen...a new day has come!

13 Days & The Waiting Room

Happy May Blog Land!

It's only 9 something in the morning and it's already a balmy 63 degrees! The windows are open in our apartment and I can literally hear the birds chirping. The chow wagon is in full gear down on the river front, and signs on the interstate are pointing the way to Churchill Downs. It's starting to look a lot like Derby time and feel a lot like summer. Love it!

Since it's May 1st that means.....only 13 more days until I graduate! It will be here before I realize it. This is my last normal week of classes with next week being Finals week. I can honestly say I have no worries about them.

My interview with the LBA went really well and the guy I met with has already sent my resume to 2 different law firms. Unfortunately, they are for receptionist positions, not paralegal positions. However, since I'm lacking in experience, I have to be willing to take what is available to get my foot in the door. Beggars can't be choosers.

In other Wonderland news...

Have you ever noticed that some of the most difficult times in your life are not when things are going wrong, but when you're waiting for something to happen? It's like you're in this huge waiting room and the only person who can move you through the room is God. And there is no rushing Him.

I have been waiting on something for a very long time. I've fought with myself, fought with God, bargained with Him, gotten angry, tried to fix and redeem situations, worn myself out trying to fix them, and finally surrendered to God's timing. I've gone through this same scenario not once, not twice, but probably at least 100 times. And I'm going through it again. The hardest thing when you've received a promise from God is waiting for it happen. And so often we try to "help" Him out by trying to manipulate events and people. Only to be rudely reminded that God absolutely cannot be manipulated.

I think that one of the most difficult things to do is to place God's Will ABOVE my human emotions. In a word...Restraint. Our pastor taught a wonderful lesson about Joseph and the restraint he practiced when his brothers came down to Egypt. In essence, he placed God's Will above his desire to immediately reveal himself to his brothers because they still had a lesson to learn.

Even though God's waiting room is a difficult and often frustrating place to be, I know that when I receive what He has promised it will have been well worth the wait.

Food for thought, eh?

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.         -Ecclesiastes 3:11