Melonade

Wow.

We arrived back in Oklahoma City around 7:15 yesterday morning after rolling out of New Orleans 12 hours earlier.

It's good to be home. Before any blogging about the trip, I've got to collect some thoughts. Hopefully I'll get pictures from some of the group and post them here so you can see what we saw.

Until then, enjoy your day.

No kidding.

Your labors will bear many rewards.

Today's fortune cookie may actually be right. Next week I'm going to New Orleans with a group from church to do some clean-up work. The next week may be severely lacking in posts while I try to build up some overtime hours to cover the two days of work I'm missing and round up all the stuff I need to take with me.

I was excited about going until a few days ago. Truthfully, the prevalent emotion right now is fear. I'm not afraid of the work as much as what we might see (and, as we were warned Wednesday night, smell) while we're there. I can't begin to imagine what will be waiting for us during our three days of hard work in hot and humid New Orleans.

Lately our Bible study group has been talking a lot about our identities as Christians and what that means. I honestly think that means that people should be able to see who we are and that it should be so obvious because we are passionate about our Christianity (not that passion should be confused with other things, but that's another subject). And here's my opportunity. I've got a chance to help people I wouldn't meet otherwise. That's pretty amazing.

Pray for our safety as we leave Wednesday night and drive all night to New Orleans, and also for our group as we work there and then drive back.

Enjoy your weekend.

Last night I dreamed that I was at school (a dream version of college, I suppose) and all the people there were very excited to see me. Some of them were good friends, but others were just acquaintances, so their reactions were unexpected. Then I found a newspaper dated January 2006, and I realized that I had been missing for four months. If you're one of those people who like to interpret dreams, interpret away. I don't know what to make of it.

One week from today I'll be in New Orleans. No dreams about that so far.

I know a lot of people at church have been surprised (possibly even disturbed) by my recent behavior. It's understandable. If someone who appeared reserved and inhibited all the time suddenly became outgoing and showed up at numerous social functions, I'd probably be a little confusd, too. Except, being me, I completely understand that people who may seem shy are not as timid as you may think.

The recent retreat was the instigator of this new phase. Now I spend no less than four nights a week with people; most of the time I'm only home alone one night a week. For a person who is used to spending most of her time alone or with only one or two other people, this new phase can be very exhausting very quickly.

What most people don't realize is that the outspoken, goofy me is nothing new. She's always been a part of me even when she wasn't allowed out very often.

The best thing I read recently came from my far away friend who has seen me through all phases:

You sound so fun and happy. I am glad you are doing so well. In all your social glory, please don't forget those of us who've loved you all along. :)

I realized after reading her email that I am a lot happier than I have been in a long time. It's strange now that I look back on the last couple of years. I didn't think that I could have been any better off than I was (even through the ugly times).


For the weekend's GSA, they go out to everyone who said "I should get a gold star for that." As far as I can tell, you all deserved them.

Enjoy your day.

This morning's attempt to get to work proved yesterday's post-rant completely true. There's a three-way stop just before you get to my office. When I arrived, a truck to my left had the right-of-way. Then it was clearly my turn, and I started to make my left-hand turn when an idiot in a van (who was behind the truck and arrived at the stop sign after I did) decided that he didn't need to follow the rules of three-way stops and zoomed out in front of me, giving me very little time to hit the brakes and give him a disbelieving look before he flew past. I was already in the intersection when he shot out there...I just don't understand.

One of the guys from my office happened to be behind me and saw the whole thing, confirming my belief that van guy ignored the rules and risked my safety.

I am counting down the days until I move out of my apartment and will be able to take another route to work, hopefully avoiding anymore of these little run-ins.

I don't like to be stressed while driving, but lately every car ride is a safety risk. I don't understand why everyone is in such a hurry. What's so important, people? Traffically speaking, the city (or at least my little corner of it) is full of people who can't seem to a) obey any of those invisible speed limit signs posted, or b) take into consideration the rest of us who are driving near them and would rather make it to Wal-mart peacefully than to be engaged in a collision, a shouting match, or a heart attack. Almost every time I have to drop mail at the post office, I am afraid for my life. No kidding here, folks. What gets me most are not the teenagers/college kids who are blatant in their lawbreaking. It's really the soccer moms in the minivans and SUVs that I don't understand. Okay ladies, here's a question for you: If some one else was driving the way you are and caused a wreck that harmed your children, wouldn't you be furious at that person? And why don't you have the same consideration when it's someone else's kid (or no kid at all...it doesn't really matter)? Attention drivers: you are dangerous. Just because I drive the speed limit (or slightly over) does not give you permission to run me over and/or risk my life with your antics. By the way, the fact that you own a shiny new Lexus does not exempt you from the traffic laws; you are not allowed to run a red light just because you think that we'll all wait while you fly off to your next Botox injection. And yes, when I see a police officer has caught one of you in the act and has pulled you over, I do a silent little cheer. I hope you learn your lesson.

Current score:

Allergies: 2
Mel: 0