Talk Thursday // Still Holdin' On

When I was in junior high boy bands were incredibly prolific. Backstreet Boys, N*SYNC, 98 Degrees, O-Town...you name it, we knew 'em. I was never one of those screamy, crying girls who wept over the prospect of seeing one of these bands live (usually), but I will admit that I loved every one of them. My sister and I weren't allowed to hang posters of boys on our walls, but I had a binder full of TigerBeat and Teen HeartThrob pages cut out and stuck in page protectors.

As much as I loved Backstreet Boys and N*SYNC and all those guys, there was a band that I loved the most. My binder had the lead singer about every other page and I distinctly remember writing our names together (SL + TH). I kept it under wraps because it was the source of a lot of mockery. However, I'm older now and a little more secure in my identity. So I'm just going to claim this...

I loved Hanson.

Yeah, these kids.

And you know what, I still love Hanson.

I have been waiting for years for another Hanson album (and waiting to get the courage/self-esteem to admit this love). But now it's finally here...

It's an excellent album. And it satisfies both the junior high Sarah's love for Hanson & the 25-year-old Sarah's need for good music.

Most of you probably had a celebrity crush once upon a time. Maybe admitting it forced you to endure much mocking. Maybe you still harbor this love secretly.

But let's get it all out there...

Who were you all about back in the day? Was it mock-worthy? And if they put out a new CD/movie/book/TV show how soon would you snatch that up?

(And Taylor Hanson, if you're reading this, I still love you. =) )

Sermonizing

Today is my day off, so I once again find myself at Cutter's Point Coffee in Covington, hoping to get a sermon on the 10 Commandments busted out here soon. I am having a hard time trying to figure out what to say and how to say it. I'm preaching this sermon at a conference next week as well at my church. So I have to think about both of my audiences. And the 10 Commandments cover a wide spectrum of things to discuss.

I know today's not a "Talk Thursday", but if you were going to hear a sermon about the 10 Commandments, what would you want to know about them?

Luckily, I have all the fixin's for a productive day...

Here's to a good day of writing. Cheers! =)

Talk Thursday // "In the Schrute family..."

It's no secret that this blogger loves her some traditions. It's kind of amazing that I'm not Catholic or Jewish or something because I love traditions and ritual. It makes me feel connected to things that are bigger than just me.

That being said, we Lewis' have some Christmas traditions. Christmas itself is pretty freaking awesome, you know, the birth of Jesus and all. But these Lewis family traditions make it so much more anticipatory! (Is that even a word?!) When/if I ever get married, I'm not sure how much I'll be willing to flex on giving some of these traditions up or "renovating" them. Maybe it's good I don't want to get married - I'm far too selfish. =)

But in Hephzibah list-style of awesomeness, here's some of the Lewis' family traditions that I am looking forward to (again) this year:

* Christmas Eve light-looking

* An entire bottle of Martinelli's Sparkling Cider in my stocking

* Making & eating sausage balls

* Watching "White Christmas", "The Christmas Box" & "Little Women"

* Going to a Christmas movie

* Listening to Harry Connick Jr's "When My Heart Finds Christmas", Steven Curtis Chapman's "Music of Christmas", Avalon's "Joy" & CeCe Winans Christmas albums on repeat until I can't yuletide no mo'!

* Hopefully a potato famine story from my dad

* Getting worked up when I see the 3 Wise Men in a Nativity Scene =)

And our newest tradition that I hope only has to be intermittant:

* Skyping with the Sister & BIL, which for long periods of time is slightly awkward, but always awesome.

I love Christmas. Mostly because I love Jesus, but also because I appreciate the fact that its a time for us all to stop what we're doing and be together, even if "together" means Skype. It's a time to be with people who know you and love you and want to share in traditions together.

So, what are some of your traditions?

Merry Christmas, everyone!!

Talk Thursday//Final Countdown

It's 6.15 pm on Thurday night.

Thursday night of finals week.

And what exactly am I doing?

Writing a Talk Thursday blog.

Not writing my BIB 501 paper.

That's due midnight Saturday.

Two days to end this fall term.

One paper, one Hebrew exam.

And it's over. But I can't rally.

Anyone else feel like this?

Thiiiiiis close to the end...

But no gas left in the tank.

If you're in this boat with me,

And you have no ooomph left,

Let us know what you're doing

and what you're doing to rally

Till the bitter end of this time.

(And is it supersad how excited

I am to get these lines to match

in length for this entire post???

I'm a mega-nerd and really need

to consider getting help. Yeah...)

Surprises

Let's be real: most of our mothers are not "ghetto fabulous." Generally they don't even know what that means. But sometimes they can surprise. I present textual proof of that.

A verbatim text from my mother this morning at 8.44 am:

Mom: Forgot to tell you there was a girl with apple bottom jeans at church on Sunday. I had never seen them before! She was not going low low low and she did not have boots with the fur. :0)

Most. Amazing. Text. Ever.

Thanks Mom. =)

Talk Thursday//Year In Statuses

Like many people, I am sucked into random things on Facebook. It's like a Mecca of time-wasting. Everyone knows it...everyone judges it. And since I have much to do and no time to waste of COURSE I spent time last night making one of those now popular "My Year In Statuses" things.

As I perused and picked my Facebook statuses from the last year to add into this collage, I saw that every other status was about one of 4 things: coffee, music, homework, or the weather.

Part of me wonders if that's really what my life revolves around or if that's just what gets put up on Facebook or are those two the same thing? As I look back over 2010, I see homework, stress, Veritas, and my family. But apparently I talk about coffee more than I talk about my church and the weather more than my family.

And I wonder if that's ok.

Now, normally people wait until December 31 to post about poignant year-reflective things, but we're ahead of the curve here. =)

So...if you were to make a list of what it is that you spent your time talking about over 2010, would it be the same thing that you spent your year doing? How did you spend 2010?

Monday Is A Good Day for Bad Poetry//Finals Week ed!

Festive Christmas lights are a-twinkle,
Wrapping paper is about to unwrinkle.

Laughter and joy abound in the streets
And smiles and coffee are shared when people meet.

But what does this Yuletide season mean for those of us in school?
That in fact we are sinking in a finals week frenzied pool.

While papers need writing,
Its lack of motivation I'm fighting.

Greek is turning my brain to slush,
while Hebrew is furthering making it mush.

Why, God, why do I continue to invite punishment?
These classes are causing me grave astonishment.

One more week of which to push through
then I can happily skip in the morning dew
At least until after New Years
then once again I will need a few beers
to make it through another semester go-round
where you can find me banging my head on the ground.

Talk Thursday//Things that make the baby Jesus cry

1. Cold oatmeal

2. The smell of broccoli soup in enclosed spaces

3. Farmville

4. Wet socks

5. Tepid bathwater

6. When cell phones say "No Service"

7. Cats

8. Blue Christmas lights

9. Dropping food on a solid colored shirt

10. Greek homework


This list felt more like an anti-Oprah's favorite things list than things that make the baby Jesus cry. But I was going for seasonal relevance.

We have good things. Like steak...hamburgers...football...glitter. Then we all have bad things. This is not to be a Debbie Downer, but let's admit it: sometimes things are stupid.

So, what things in your world are the worst? What things do you think make the baby Jesus cry?

This Is What Happens When Adults Take A Snow Day

It is once again winter in the Evergreen State. Not just the rainy kind of winter,but blizzard-Alaskan-super-charged winter. For two days the state was practically shut down due to ice and snow. And as a lemming, I decided to take a snow day. My roommate had a late start to her work day, so we decided that it wouldn't be a snow day without playing. Here is picture evidence that adults can play in the snow too. =)

The view from our front yard yesterday morning.

We were bundled and ready to play!

My BA snow angel.

Janet working on her snow angel.

We tried to make a snowman, but we're not so talented, thus it became....

A snow alien!

The day also consisted of a huge pot of coffee while writing a huge paper and a frozen, slippery walk to the deli. It was delightful and a great reminder that sometimes, even adults, need to stop and enjoy the snow. =)

Happy winter, friends!