The Real Countdown Begins ~ 30 days

Oh it is so close I can barely stand it...that's right, college football season. The summer has been long and hot. To make the next 30 days past a little quicker I'll have some video to share of key plays in Hokie football.

Back in the day, Virgina Tech used to have quite a rivalry with West Virgina...it was a love hate relationship. We loved to win and hated everything about them but it made for some great football. The series record is 28-22-1 (with WVU having a slight win advantage). A rematch between these two teams would be awesome...maybe one day.

For the record, VT won this game 48-20.

58 days...

The NFL and NBA can go have a lock out...that is totally fine with me.

Because in 58 days it will be all about my Hokies!!

Approve/Disapprove 4.23.11

Approve

• Being sore after a great workout.
• It being light outside when I leave work.
• Fresh cut flowers anywhere in my house but particularly in my bathroom.
• Heavy rain on a day when I can just lay in bed or on my couch listening to it hit my window.
• Wearing jeans to work.

Disapprove: 

• People that spit
• Being on a diet
• People that don’t pick up after their dogs
• My growing obsession with the upcoming royal wedding
• Doing the right thing in having an external hard drive but when it crashes and you lose all of your data.

We Are Virginia Tech

I should have written this yesterday. Or the day before. Or the day before that. But I didn’t. I didn’t because on those days I was trying not to think about yesterday. I was trying to put off the pain I would inevitably feel, to avoid crying the tears that were bound to come and did. Something would pop up on Facebook and I knew not to read it. But then the day came, April 16. A day seared in my mind and heart.

Four years ago the unimaginable happened. On that day someone took the innocence from a beautiful place. I wasn’t there. I had long since graduated from Virginia Tech. But my baby sister was. She was finishing her sophomore year. We are lucky. She wasn’t injured or killed. But 32 other families were not that lucky. For 32 families it was the worst day of their lives. Some days I feel like it shouldn’t hurt so much. Because clearly my pain is nothing compared to others. I still mourn for my school and for the loss of innocence of my sister that day. The care free college days I experienced would never be the same for her. It can’t when the media invades your school and every celebration is covered by the national press. I would have traded places with her in a second, if only I could have.

But on no day was I more proud to be a Hokie than April 16, 2007 and the days that followed. The poise and class demonstrated by the Hokie Nation still bring tears to my eyes. The love from the extended Hokie Nation, those who lent us their shoulders while we mourned, will never be forgotten. The anxious calls from friends and family, calls that to this day still come, still checking in on me and my sister.

I always try to remember the kind words I heard in the weeks and month following and let them overshadow the ignorant comments that were also made. One story in particular happened several months after the shootings. I was on an airport shuttle, heading to catch a plane, wearing a VT t-shirt. A middle-aged woman sat silently next to me the entire bus ride and as I was preparing to exit she quietly said “I’m so glad you are wearing that shirt, you wear it with pride. And know that many people are praying for the Hokie Nation.” She was obviously worried to say what she said but I thanked her and tears fell from my eyes that day and many days since. Many of tears of sadness but many are tears of pride.

Never Forget 4.16.07

Approve/Disapprove 3.20.11

Approve:

• Groupon/Living Social: in general these sites make me so happy. I get all kinds of fun adventures…last week I used a deal to Brasserie Beck for some delicious mussels. Up next keratin treatment…update to follow
• Girl scout cookies: more specifically Thin Mints (aka crack) and Tagalongs (aka heroin)
• People who comment on my blog (hey, I’m new and a little tiny bit of an attention whore).
• Wegmans: the quality of Whole Foods, the value of Shoppers.
• Having already planned my birthday vacation and the countdown on my phone that goes with it. 

Disapprove:

• People who make fun of how slow other people run.
• Virginia Tech not getting selected for the men’s basketball tournament. Again.
• A certain online store that offered a 30% off discount the day after I made a large purchase and wouldn’t retroactively apply it to previous order. No worries just reordered (free shipping, of course) and will return the expensive one. Silly company.
• Shoe laces that aren’t long enough for the shoes they are lacing. I mean I drop $100 on running shoes, the least I could ask for is laces long enough to tie with a bow.
• Losing that hour of sleep last weekend.

One of My Favorite Things..

I have an obsession…I’m strong enough to admit it.  No, it isn’t wine or liquor or men (ok maybe men a little). But what I am referring to is product…beauty product to be exact. They might know me by name at Sephora and I have a small satellite drug store in my bathroom that covers everything from soap to shampoo/conditioner….face wash to volumizer…and everything in between. I’m ashamed to mention body wash and lotion. If it smells good and softens my skin, hair, or slowly developing laugh lines, I want it.

As I sit here typing I am trying to decide what my favorite product actually is. I have to differentiate between that which I love and that which I need (and also love). So I think I’ll do what I just love…Moroccan Oil. (I know, it has been around for a long time and well covered in the blogs but oh well)

This tiny little bottle and a little dab into your hair every time you wash it will literally make your hair so lovely and soft. Over time I determined that if I refill my little bottle from a big bottle it makes it easier to transport and use (and much less expensive if you happen to spill on your mom’s carpet ~ sorry Mom!!!)

This company makes various other products (a glimmer spray ~ ehh no thanks and a deep conditioner ~ nice to have) but this is my absolute favorite.

Approve/Disapprove

In life there are things we all like or dislike, agree with or disagree with...well in my world it is approve or disapprove. The concept of disapproval has even resulted in its own emoticon :-/

It isn't about being negative and usually the emoticon (and similar gesture in real life...oh yes, there is a real life gesture) is reserved for somewhat silly things and comes along with a good laugh...usually.

In that vein, I hope to share some things that over the week get my (and my friend's) approval or disapproval. They are best enjoyed with laughter and some self awareness that you feel the same way about a lot of them.

Approve:

• Bryan Stinespring (VT offensive coordinator) getting play calling duties rescinded as part of his job ~ basically a great demotion that should have happened years ago. (Don't let the flowers fool you, I'll talk about football here)
  
• Denver, CO and my sister having great friends and being really happy after moving there just 6 months ago.
• Southwest Flight 106 pilot. He rocked a landing in several inches of snow, late at night. My mom says “thanks for taking such good care of my baby.”
• My great dermatologist who is getting my skin back in shape and while it is greatly improved she says “we can do better than that” ~ approve of that attitude.
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs. No further words are needed.

Disapprove:

• My younger sister, Lily, has recently acquired an iphone and a work ethic. As such, she isn’t on gchat all day to talk to me. Disapprove.
• Restaurants where I have a reservation that request a call back to confirm my reservation. never.going.to.happen.
• Greeting cards with lots of words. Do not confuse this with greeting cards generally...I love those, especially if they come in the mail or from a guy I like. But more than about 10 words and my eyes glaze over. This does not apply to a handwritten note enclosed...I prefer those go on for pages.
  
• People who park where there isn't a spot or even worse take up two spots...your car isn't that fancy.
  
• HOV violators. You are not more important than the rest of us. Yes, I'm talking to you 17 year old with the tinted windows on your Ford Focus...I know you are alone in there.