7:16 - David Cook has got to win this.
7:18 - I give David the Lesser 5 years tops before he steps out of the closet.
7:22 - That’s it, cry pretty boy. Your time is almost up.
7:31 - Not very impressed with that number, Cookerino.
7:51 - Most boring liveblog ever. Sorry. My boyfriend is cooking.
7:57 - What we have to realize is that Simon is saying things to try and sway voters — either FROM voting (because “obviously” it’s going to turn out one way, so your vote doesn’t count anyway) or TO vote a certain way. Archuleta sounds like he has a mouth full of spit. Always has.
8:00 - To quote Kevin, “If Archuleta wins, we’ll know Satan had a hand in it.” Some of you will agree, I’m sure.

Join in the fun!

HEADS or TAILS! This week’s theme is peace or piece. This is my second week!

Names meaning “peace” that I like:
1. Chessa (F, Slavic)
2. Eron (M, Hebrew)
3. Hume (M, English)
4. Noe (U, French) - Would look nice along with my ancestor, Helloe
5. Salome (F, Hebrew)
6. Winifred (F, Celtic/Gaelic)

There weren’t nearly as many names meaning “peace” as I thought there would be (well, not so many that I liked), so on a whim I looked up “piece” to see what might be there. I found something that might be valuable to my brother, Kyle, someday.

Kylene (F, Celtic/Gaelic) - Little Piece Of Land

So then I looked up “peas” and all I got was Nili.

Have a great Tuesday!

Gabcast! MissWisabus.com #2

I’m just going to hit the high points because it’s early and I’m not very awake.

✈So, the thing on Keamy’s arm is hooked to C-4. Duh. A lot of podcasts were speculating what it was. It seemed pretty obvious to me. I am very, very scared that Desmond is going to end up like Artz soon.

✈I can’t wait to find out WHY their off-island story is what it is. Seems like they have a good reason to keep things quiet, but I just can’t figure out what it is right now.

✈I hate one of the pieces of music they played last night. I believe it’s “Hollywood & Vines.” Basically, their “trekking” music. Eh.

✈Thank goodness, Jack knows that Claire is his sister. I was so worried he’d never find out. And now all those podcast arguments from “Something Nice Back Home” regarding whether or not he DID know when he made the comment about Kate not being related to Aaron seem so ridiculous.

✈Keamy. Not a fan. He does look like some of my relatives though. I need to post a picture side-by-side.

✈Way to go, Sun! Oooh…she is one crafty broad. Yeah, Mr. Paik, you had better sit down. Wowee. Proud of her.

✈Kate needs to do something with her hair.

I may come back with more points later. Really great episode. I am really interested in starting a podcast or at least calling in more on established ones. Anyone interested in starting one? Maybe an Okie one? Let’s talk.

Comment with the title of a book you’d like me to read. I will read the first 13 and do a blog post on each book. If I have read it already, I’ll re-read it just for you. Go!

1. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
2. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
3. The Ezekiel Option by Joel Rosenberg
4. A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel
5. life on the refrigerator door: Notes between a Mother and Daughter by Alice Kuipers
6. House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
7. A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers
8. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (all of them)
9. (see above)
10. (see above)
11. (see above)
12. (see above)
13. (see above)

Thirteen Thoughts on Next Week’s American Idol Finale

1. If David Cook hadn’t made it to the finale, I would have never watched again. I’ve never been a devout follower, but something about this season was close to my heart (something I don’t feel comfortable sharing publicly, but feel free to ask. I’ll email you).

2. I really can’t stand David A. (not even gonna bother to try with that one).

3. I’m trying to think of another song that Cook could sing to make me enjoy his music even more, but the guy has honestly covered so many of my favorites already…I feel like I’d be asking too much. Hmm, maybe “Looks Like We Made It” (Barry Manilow) or…”Elizabeth” (Frank Sinatra). But that would be too much.

4. I get to watch it with Kevin. Yay Though I’m a little disappointed that the one year I get passionate about it, he’s kinda “eh.” Not complaining. At least he puts up with me dying and coming back to life all during the first line of David Cook singing “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” Quite a task, I assure you.

5. It’s a Tuesday night. I’m really glad something has come along to ease the pain of the loss I experienced whenever Gilmore Girls ended.

6. Completely unrelated, but I should have my As Time Goes By DVDs by then. And I’m actually more excited about that.

7. Hoping David A. sings something else hilarious (you know, like that lovely Dan Fogelberg number this week). I’m crossing my fingers for either “Arthur’s Theme” by Christopher Cross or “Break My Stride” by Matthew Wilder. That would be some serious comedy, folks.

8. Hoping Kellie Pickler doesn’t show up.

9. And Kelly Clarkson right along with her. You girls can just stay home and watch, okay?

10. I would like to see both Jennifer Hudson and Melinda Doolittle.

11. Kristy Lee Cook and Skunkhair…can do without both of them.

12. Maybe Jason Castro won’t be high?

13. I don’t know how we could pull this off, but maybe David C. could accidentally kick David A. in the face? Hmm. Need to think about the logistics of that one a little more.

If this strikes a chord with you, I recommend For Women Only (or, if you are a guy, For Men Only — I’ve read both).

“At a certain point my novels set. They set just as hard as that jam jar. And then I know they are finished.” - Ivy Compton-Burnett

So, there was the weekend and the weekend was big in a number of ways. First, it was an odd day at work as the lady employees (all 3 that are here currently) took off to see the newborn babe of one of the other lady co-workers. What a precious little doll. Man, I love babies. I still want piles of them.

After visiting the new mom and baby, I ran a few errands with another co-worker before she dropped me off for lunch with Kevin and his parents. They had flown in the night before and we met at Applebee’s. I had the new California Shrimp Salad and wooboy is that good. Olives, avocado, shrimp, some yummy dressing…seemed rather low-carb friendly. The only questionable bit was the dressing and there wasn’t a lot. Highly recommended. It was a nice lunch, getting to catch up with his parents, though I was quite tired from being up so late finishing the last of my Spanish the night before. After lunch, they dropped me back off at work and I finished out the rest of the day doing what I do. Which is top secret and extremely important

Once I got home, I’m not gonna lie, I made a mad dash around the house to finish cleaning up things. It looks pretty good now and I have a few piles of things to organize/recycle/donate, but that’s good. I need to dive into my closets some weekend and really give those a good going over. Kevin and his parents came over and I gave them the grand tour of my 1200 sq. ft. palace. I do love my little house. It fits me perfectly.

Then, we all hopped in the car and headed over to Charleston’s for The First Time Our Parents Met. We met my parents there. And I really don’t know what else to say except that it went spectacularly. I feel like our dads are cut from the same cloth. They are both funny fellas, raised in the South. The restaurant was a little too loud for my liking, but we were still able to do a lot of talking. And the food was great. Charleston’s is one of my favorites. It’s also the place that Kevin and I first really talked while sitting next to each other at a surprise party for a mutual friend.

The next morning I was up early (though not really early, compared to when I wake up for work), ironed my gown, and headed off to Lloyd Noble to line up. Before I knew it, we were inside the center and seated. They kept the beginning short and sweet, the way that sort of thing needs to be. After the first thousand or so names were called, it was my turn (listen for Elizabeth Johnson):

It was a pretty cool moment. Happened really fast and I was back in my seat before I really knew what happened, but man, the freedom. Really, really DONE. I will be the first to tell you that I wasn’t the best student (high school certainly did not prepare me for the challenge OU would present), but I can honestly say that I worked my tail off for my last class and was unsure up until the last moment whether or not I would pass. Well, I don’t have my grade yet, but the professor told me that I’d be passing. Thank you, God.

More about the rest of the weekend later…

Finals week + GRADUATION + Kevin’s parents flying in for graduation and MEETING my parents + rushing like a mad woman to finish projects and get the house clean = One tired lady who has a pile of good stories to tell you, and will no doubt have even more by Monday, but they’ll have to wait.

Re: LOST — Jack on drugs is a bad thing. I guess we got a good look at where it started last night, but I have to say that I’m not sure how I feel about that relationship and where it might go. Obviously, we’ve seen a point in time after all this stuff, so we know it goes down the toilet somehow. Probably the drugs. It was also interesting to, again, see the healer complex he has. Seriously, I’ve only ever known women who were that wrapped up in “fixing” people. Good to see that it’s not bound to one sex, I guess. How could Kate not bristle hearing him say, “I am the one that saved you” with that superior, drunken tone. I just don’t know about you, Dr. Jack. You’re sweet, sure, but man have you got some issues. I hope they get worked out so you can burn your maps. *hugs*

To buy a belt or not buy a belt? I’m always complaining about my pants falling down (before they would just creep down, now it’s kind of a serious problem) and Kevin’s response is always, “Buy a belt.” I don’t own any belts. Well, there was one ribbony belt that I bought to wear with ONE pair of capris that had lost their button and were beyond being repaired, because I loved them that much. They’d barely stay on even with assistance, so I can’t imagine what they’d be doing now that I’m 17 lbs lighter.

I’m 17 lbs lighter! What a wondrous feeling. I feel like dancing around, like a tiny woodland fairy, because I feel like a tiny woodland fairy. Now, let’s not confuse that with actually looking like one or, even worse (regarding mental health), thinking you are one. I’m even almost to the point of being okay with telling my friends, family, and the rest of the world what my weight is. Man, that’s a big step for me. Once I tell you what I started out at I doubt that you’ll believe me. No idea where I carry it. Thighs, maybe? Hmm. Need to measure those and see if they have gone down any.

Woke up at 1:02 a.m. Friday morning to the sound of my house being ripped in half. Just kidding. But that’s what it SOUNDED like. There was quarter-sized hail raining down on the roof of my house — and on the roof of the dog kennel I HAD LEFT OUTSIDE because we didn’t have very much of a chance of rain, much less severe storms, overnight. My poor pup was probably scared to death. Just a little damp when I reached one arm outside to grab the kennel and pull it into the garage. Half-asleep, I called my parents to see if everything was okay or if I needed to take cover. You don’t think about things like actually turning on your own tv to watch the weathermen freak out whenever you’re that sleepy/scared to death. Fortunately, keeping the tv on during the night isn’t uncommon for my parents and so they weren’t too disturbed when I called them to find out if I needed to grab the couch cushions and crawl in the closet.

Speaking of taking cover during a storm, I have only had to do that once on my own since living in Norman. And it was SCARY. It’s not a tornado until it touches the ground, so I can’t call it that, but the rotation went right over my house while I sat in the closest praying for my life. I felt the pressure change and just knew that I was a goner. And what else did I decide to do while waiting for death to take me by the hand? Post on a message board, duh.

Thinking about buying a desk toy –> spot lap desks –> spend time looking up the ones with the best ratings on Amazon. I’ve needed one of these for a while. And let’s face it, I’m not exactly chomping at the bit to make my own pretty one and have Christmas Expressions here in Norman put a coating of liquid glass on it. Even though they are pretty.