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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

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Two of my favorite things about Spring:



and





Business Building Blurb

I have a few minutes before I take an exam for my Consumer Behavior class. I have been studying or been in class all day and I'm not really liking it. I guess it's a good day for it though. It's a dreary day out. 

I always study in the same place in the business building, 
and this young lady was sitting across from me on the opposite sofa.


As you can see, I tried to take the picture without her knowing.  She didn't notice! I would have died.
Anyways, it was just funny to me that someone would do that. She was all sprawled out on the sofa like she was at home. People came and sat next to her and she never moved. It must be a college thing. I don't think I'll ever see that in a real business building. 

Aside from that, I've been studying some interesting things about consumer behavior. Would you like to hear about it? 

Well, here it is. We are taught to be committed and consistent. This is not by any means a bad thing as a whole. It is good to be committed and consistent! It makes it easier for us to make decisions because we don't have to start from scratch every time. We know we can count on committed people. There are many other reasons for this value.

 But, marketers can use this against us because they know we will try to be committed to things without even really thinking about it. An example of this can be when a deal is advertised a lot, and you go to the store to get the deal, but the sale is over or they are out of stock. Many times, since you drove all the way to the store, you may go ahead and buy a similar product that is not on sale because you are already committed (to yourself) to get the product.

Also, say you sign a petition for a cause... Say for instance that it is a petition against using the word "retarded." Before you sign the petition, you really didn't think about the word being bad, and you held no stance on the topic. After signing the petition, you are more likely to be committed to not saying the word, and you might even call people your close family or friends out for saying the word. Petitions are a great way to get people on your side who wouldn't have been concerned with the issue otherwise. 

Well that's all for now. I'm off to take my test. Wish me luck.

Real quick, I just saw a guy riding one of these INSIDE the business building.


Maybe I'm actually in middle school.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Still miss her

March 29, 2011 will mark two years since my sweet grandmother died.
This time of the year seems to bring back memories of her... Memories of her Spring garden, memories of her on her death bed, memories of her love for Spring, memories of her funeral.
 I have a mix of emotions... The happiness of Spring plus the sadness of her passing.  

I still miss Nanny a lot. I guess I always will.
I was lucky to get to live right next door to her and learn so much from her.
She was such a blessing in my life, and I'm so glad I got to know her for 20 years.
I just wish I'd gotten to know her for 40 years instead.





Mary, Grandaddy, Nanny, Me, Emily and Baby Bryan before prom in 2006.


Nanny sure did keep Granddaddy in shape. He looks so skinny here!


Psalm 115:16 "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints."

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Emily Maynard Stalking

I'll admit that I love the Bachelor. 
It's the only show I watch regularly, and I'm not quite sure why. 
I think it's frustrating and painful... and so addicting. 
I had class until 9:00 every Monday night, so I had to resort to watching it online every week.
All two hours of it when I should have been studying or writing papers.
(I got my papers done with just a few hours of missed sleep.)

So anyways, I'm usually never interested in the final couples after the show is over.
But this season... Emily and Brad.
They are just so darn cute. Especially Emily! 
She's adorable and genuine and Southern. 
My friend Meredith babysat for her and said she was just as cute as she looks.
And just as sweet too! 

(from her Twitter)

I think I have a problem because I'm always wondering how they are doing.
Did they hang out this weekend?
I wonder if they're doing better since the show is over.
How is their relationship right now?
I even stalked around and found Emily on Twitter.
I know that Brad and Emily spent last weekend together in Texas. 
Some blogs say their body language says they aren't in love. I say that's crazy.

I know they need to have privacy. They deserve it. 
They have been through a lot, and now they should have some time to themselves. 
I know that.

But I just can't help reading their stories in People 
and getting excited when @rickismommy updates on Twitter.

Welcome to my sad life as a college student. 
I have way too much class time on my hands.
The gossip blogs are way more interesting than my professors.

And I should also add that I'm not only stalking during class. 
I also do it in my free time. 
Someone help me. 

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Time to put the watch back on!

Spring Break 2011 is over. It was wonderful, and I am sad to being saying goodbye to it. 
This spring break topped all spring breaks for most relaxing. 

I went to Florida with Valerie, and Malone and her boyfriend Kyle and their friends were there too. It was fun having them around for some excitement on occasion, but we really enjoyed just laying by the pool, watching tv on our daily lunch breaks, thinking about cooking, fishing with George, and riding bikes down the driveway between the two houses.

The house is in the middle of nowhere Florida, so it will get you relaxed to the max. You don't even have to worry about even leaving the house. We did leave the house a few times for Twistee's ice cream. (I did go in pajama pants one night though.) We went to Daytona Beach to visit Meredith one day which was entertaining! We also went to a movie and out to dinner twice. And the rest of our time was spent.... At the house! 

This was eventful: One day a man came down the driveway, which is .25 miles long, and asked if we wanted him to seal our driveway. Aunt Lori said to call Uncle Frank and ask him. Uncle Frank said sure, so the man comes at around noon and tells me, "Hey Sweetheart, I talked to your Uncle Frank, and we are going to be sealing your driveway...." We chatted. Then I asked if I needed to move my car. He said, "Not for another hour or so." 

I had no idea what was going on. 
Did he mean I need to move my car in an hour or I wasn't allowed to move my car in an hour?

I just responded with an okay.

Then about 20 men show up. With their pants falling off. They were slightly creepy, and they sat picking our oranges and eating them. One guy was blowing the driveway, but thats the extent of their work. So they stayed there until 8:30 just sitting. No joke. 

The nice man from the beginning disappeared at about 12:30, and we didn't see him again. Then at 8:30 they began working, tarring the driveway. They originally said that we could drive on it the next day, but since they started so late, apparently we couldn't... And we left lovely little marks down the driveway the next day. And I had a hard time sleeping that night thinking about those men out there.


We walked across the wet tar stuff because we had to go to Daytona.


The next day we went on a boat ride with Tuff the Dog.


My foot is about the same size as his foot, and I have huge feet.


He pretty much took up the entire boat most of the time.


This was the best, most obedient dog I have ever seen in my life. He would do exactly as his owner told him. She would put ice cream in his face and tell him not to eat it, and he wouldn't even try to eat it until she gave him permission. She made him sit down for most of the ride so he didn't get in the way, and he did exactly as told.


The Bass Masters big fishing tournament was on our lake. Honestly, I had never heard of the Bass Masters because I've never watched fishing, but apparently it was kind of a big deal. They closed off some streets downtown, so Val and I went to the weigh in on the last day, and we Shaw Rigsby won. It was cool because he actually caught a bass in our canal! 

We did a little fishing ourselves  off our bank with George. 


All in all, it was an awesome week. 
I'm sad it's over... Back to the real world.
I'm going to miss being busy with doing nothing.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Encouragement


This song came on K-Love radio station tonight. 
I stayed in my car after I had parked because I had to hear all of it.
It was so uplifting. This message is just what I needed to hear.

Also, this short excerpt is awesome. I would encourage you to read it.

Our feelings may change, but He never, ever does!

“We are liable to worry a little when we think of our changeableness. If you are at all like me, you are very far from being always the same. I am sometimes lifted up to the very heavens, and then I go down to the deeps. I am at one time bright with joy and confidence, and at another time dark as midnight with doubts and fears. Even Elijah, who was so brave, had his fainting fits. We are to be blamed for this, and yet the fact remains: our experience is like an April day, when rain and sunshine take turns. Amid our mournful changes, we rejoice to hear the Lord’s own voice saying, ‘Fear not: for I have redeemed thee.’ Everything is not shifting waves; there is rock somewhere. Redemption is an accomplished fact. ‘The Cross, it stands fast. Hallelujah!’

The price has been paid, the ransom accepted. This has been accomplished and can never be undone. Jesus says, ‘I have redeemed thee.’ Our feelings may change, but this does not alter the fact that we have been bought with a price and made the Lord’s own by the precious blood of Jesus. The Lord God has already done so much for us that our salvation is sure in Christ Jesus. Will He begin to build, and fail to finish? Will He lay the foundation in the everlasting covenant, dedicate the walls with the infinite sacrifice of the Lamb of God, give up the choicest Treasure He ever had, the chosen and precious One of God, to be the Cornerstone and then not finish the work He has begun? No, if He has redeemed us, He has, in that act, given us the pledge of all things.
See how the gifts of God are tied to this redemption. ‘I have redeemed thee, I have called thee’ (Isa. 43:1).”

Charles Spurgeon

Joy In Christ’s Presence, 110-111

Saturday, March 5, 2011

The Kimyal Tribe receives the New Testament

This is a really cool video that Aunt Mary Lee sent me.
It almost made me cry a few times.

Oh, how I take God's Word for granted! 
I forget how precious and valuable it is...
Until I have reminders like this. 

It's a few minutes long, but it is totally worth watching.

I couldn't get the video straight on my blog, but here is the link:


Thursday, March 3, 2011

Spring!

Some smart people brought to my attention that the last post about the weather... 
Well, it was in Celsius, so 18 degrees Celsius was not actually wrong for today's weather
That's pretty embarrassing. 

But really, I check that site every morning for the weather (weather.com), and the direct link is saved to my favorites. It's never been in Celsius before. So why would I check?

 So, does that make it any better?


What I really wanted to post about is the amazing weather that has been 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Our house is starting to feel like Spring! 


I love when the first daffodils bloom!

Yesterday Jim sent over some guys to blow the leaves out of our yard. 
It's kinda funny because he didn't do that all Fall or even Winter... Waited till Spring. 
Now the problem is--the guys blew the leaves to the road, 
and I assume they are waiting for the leaf pickup... 
But Knoxville's leaf pickup service ends February 1. 


So we have leaves on the ditch/road that will probably be there a while. 
Not so Spring-ish, but the daffodils make up for it!

Happy Spring!

Low of 8 degrees? Today?

Who knew this was the weather forecast for Knoxville, TN on March 3, 2011 (today)?


I had to walk outside to make sure this wasn't true! 
(Even though the birds are chirping, the sun is shining and the neighbors are working in the yard.)
It was 65 yesterday and the forecast said 65 today too.
Talk about the weatherman being wrong... 
He's off about 50 degrees!

I have heard that some of our coldest weather/biggest snow storms have come in March,
but this is just insane. If it were actually true, I would be driving to Florida for a few days. 

Speaking of Florida, I really am going to Florida next week! SB11! (Spring Break 2011)
I'm really looking forward to it....
Sunshine
Family
Driving
Friends
Valerie
Shopping
Sunshine
Pedicures 
Cooking
Twistee's
Oranges
Warm
Lake
Pool
Tans
 Boats
Fishing
Reading
Relaxing
And this little guy:


Anyways, on Spring Break, Mary will be going to Guatemala with our small group for a mission trip. Pray for her if you would. They are going in a small private plane with 20 seats, ALL the way to Guatemala and I'm worried about them! It does have 2 engines and 2 drivers, but I'm just glad I'm not going or I would be having a nervous breakdown because of the plane. :) 
She's really brave though, and she'll do fine! 

Happy Spring!