I'm a verbal mess.

So today someone asked me if I am from Tennessee.  I wasn't that insulted just concerned because he asked on the bases of my accent when we were talking.  I have never been asked if I'm from farther south then Kentucky before.  This only means one thing, I'm beginning to lapse into mimicking the speech of some of the ladies that currently live in the house.  We have 2 ladies from Tennessee, only one of them has a heavy accent and I must be picking it up from being around her.  For most people it's not that big of a deal, but for me it's huge.

My first summer in college I worked at a camp in Michigan and when I realized that my students were struggling to understand my accent I began to alter it so that I spoke more like them.  I was only there for 9 weeks.  Three years later I still had people asking me what part of Michigan I was from.  I keep the accents I pick up for far to long.  Being able to change how I speak is a fun game (that I am really bad at.  Any international accents I try all end up Hispanic or some indescribable mess of words and sounds) but a dangerous one for me.  I went through a phase where I would speak with a fake lisp, three months later I had a problem in the form of a real lisp.  So, right now I guess I sound like I'm from Tennessee ya'll.  (hehe, this may not be that bad.)  We'll see how bad this gets before it starts to get better.

Dialect drop-out,

Mel C

Life and other things

I just wanted to record this day as a day when I did not get a lot done.  There was a storm coming in for most of the day and my head felt like it had a load of bricks in it, so once I got off of work I did the logical thing and watched TV while pretending to organize my room (which consisted of my putting my shoes away).  And since that point I've been catching up on Hulu.  That's pretty much it.  I think I'm storing up time for tomorrow... My day is going to start super early (hopefully around 5) for a 7am meeting, then some have to happen contact points, chapel, class, and then I am going to go help set up for some crazy car race thing at church... I'm really excited about how much I have to do outside of work.  It means something for me to be able to say that I have a life, social and otherwise, here in this city.  One of my greatest concerns when I moved was that I would be so homesick for the little place I left that I wouldn't fully commit to the place I moved to.  Well, I had a few months (around four of them) like that, but now business is starting to pick up and I am truly enjoying myself.   It's good stuff this life is.

Livin' La Vida Loca,  (I just did that)

Mel C 

Inexperienced.

So, I live in this new city.  I'm part of a singles group at my new church.  The only reason why large groups of "singles" get together is so that they will hopefully not be single any longer. I would like to note that my singles group married 28 people out in the last year, the rate of success here is pretty good.  (That's right I know the stats, but I didn't ask for them; that's makes it less pathetic right?)  This hit me full on this week.  For most people this wouldn't be a problem.  For me it's an issue.

It's not an issue because I want to stay single forever, it's an issue because I don't want to be single forever and I've realized that I have no idea how to interact with a BOY with out shutting him down or making him feel like he has been put into the dreaded "friend" pile.  This week while I was out with my students I was getting hit on and didn't even know it until they told me.  Oh goodness.  And not only that, it's been so long since I've been attracted to someone that I'm not even sure how to communicate that feeling (or how to deal with it)...

Very rarely do I find myself in situations where I have no experience, but this whole love life thing is completely out side of the scope of my experiences.  I feel like a middle schooler at her first dance. Does that feeling ever go way?  (I mean, there should be a cut off for that feeling.  26 is way to old to feel like I'm 12 again.  What's with the sweaty palms and junk?)  Just where my head is tonight.

Inexperienced and nervous,

Mel C

High Point of the Week

So, it's the end of Valentine's Week here in the city and I can't help be think about how it's been a great week.  Don't get your hopes up, I'm still single; but it's been a really great week.

 I would have to say that the highlight of the week was Valentine's Day it's self.  Well, not so much the day as it was that night.  The singles department at my church hosted a Parent's Night Out event (free baby sitting) for families so the adults could enjoy their evening together.

I was in the 2-3 year old room with a couple of other people.  3 semi-adults plus 8  two-three year olds for three hours equals sweet glory.  My favorite part of the night was when I pulled my hair down out of it's pony tail and one of the little girls said this (and I'm not kidding this is really what she said) "Your hair is like Rapunzel."  Thank you Disney for putting that story into her little heart so that I could laugh and reflect on it for the entire week.  And of course the next course of action was for three or four of the kids to start "fixing" my hair, it was fantastic.  (You know that's it's a secret desire of mine that I would have personal fashion assistants and such.)

It was adorable and unforgettable.  The funniest thing for me is that my hair really isn't that long, my little sister's hair is way longer right now.  (I'm trying to convince her to give to locks of love with me.)  And hey, isn't her hair how Rapunzel got her man?  Maybe I'm on to something here.  My friend George from college would say the long hair is a deal breaker for him.  I'm going to stop before I wonder off down some strange twisted trail lamenting my singleness (which I am throughly adoring right now).

One long haired lady, 

Mel C

Longest Week Ever!!!

This week is dragging by, did you know that it is only Tuesday?  The calender says it's Tuesday, the date says it's a Tuesday, but my mind says it's Wednesday.  Why is it only Tuesday?   .....      Bahh, why is this taking so long?

In all actuality I know the answer, and it's because I'm going out of town this weekend.  The funny thing is I"m going back to my old town to work at the Bakery I worked at previously.  I'm going back to dip stuff in chocolate, not that exciting really, but I miss it and it's been a really long week.

So, it's still only Tuesday and I'm trying not to pull my hair out.... just 2 more shifts at work, dinner at steak and shake, chapel, class and then my road trip.   I can do this.  Yeah, I can do this.

Tuesday is killin' me,

Mel C

It's nice to be missed...

So, I've really began to establish friendships here.  You may be asking how I know that; let me tell you....

Tonight is the Souper Bowl Party at church.... I can't go.  I have to work.  I'm really not happy about it because I was really excited about the whole party but then my schedule came out last week and I have to work.  The best thing about the whole situation is that people were not happy about the fact that I couldn't make it.

It was nice that people asked if I would be there and then were sad for me when I couldn't be there.  It was nice to be missed.  It was nice to know that people care about me enough to want me to be places.  I wonder why it's so important to people to feel like they belong to a community of people?

But honestly I don't care.  I'm happy.

Mel C

A Note About School

I don't really talk about the fact that I am very (very, very, very) slowly pursuing a masters degree at a school here in the city.  I'm apparently working towards my M.Div in Women's Leadership and Biblical Counseling (sounds fancy right?).  This is my second semester and my second class.  Class began on Tuseday and I think I'm going to like it.  The class I'm in is one focused on personal spiritual disciplines and I just wanted to share a few points with you from the first chapter of this book: