Know what's better than being on CNN Thanksgiving night?

Being on CNN a million times since then. They keep playing the Heroes tribute over and over! It is SUCH good publicity for these organizations. And my 5 seconds of fame has now turned into 5 minutes or so :) woohoo!

If you want more info on what we do, our website is www.afoi.org. The woman who was nominated as one of the Top 10 Heroes, Carolyn LeCroy, works for a different organization called The Messages Project... which is www.themessageproject.org. She just tipped the CNN peeps off to our organization and they included us.

On a different note... 3 weeks left til Christmas?! What??

A Note

Dear right nostril,

Please stop boycotting breathing.

Thanks,
Lauren

I have awoken!

I took a little blog hibernation unintentionally (actually I didn't even realize it until just now). Apparently being 28 is not conducive to blog-writing. This week has been a crazy psycho whirlwind of family and friends dealing with funerals, emergency surgeries, emergency road trips, oh and not talking to me and not telling me they were doing so. Now that 75% of that has passed as painlessly as your mama's big fat kidney stone, I am back. So pretend I've been in a turkey coma for a week instead of just the last few hours.

Now I'm in Roanoke enjoying my 3 seconds of fame. Who needs 15 minutes of it, anyway? We DVR'ed the CNN special last night and, at my mom's request, have watched my appearance on it about 12 times so far. Good thing it only takes a few seconds each time!

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. My traditions were mutated due to the aforementioned family non-speaking-ness, so I only had one big ol' meal on T-giving for the first time in about 20 years. In 30 minutes, the family and friend reunions reignite for another jolly day of giving thanks. I will especially give thanks if I get a ticket to see Twilight this afternoon. I totally have tummy room for movie popcorn!

Wait, isn't Election Day over?

I understand that politics is an ongoing process 365 days a year, but for some foolish reason I thought people would stop being annoying about all the pre-election issues. First of all, last night I was one of the last two appointments at my hair salon. The man getting his hair cut next to me was talking his stylist's ear off about politics. Excuse me, but someone needs to give him the memo that you're supposed to only talk about celebrity gossip or relationship problems in stylist chairs. Now my coworkers are pow-wowing at the lunch table about how to keep people receiving government assistance from having children. What the?

It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas!

I am usually one of the Scrooges who thinks Christmas music should not be played on the radio before, oh, December 20th. But last night, I saw the Hershey's kiss commercial - you know, the one where they make little bell sounds - and I just had to let the joy start flowing! I even turned on the all-Christmas-now station on my way to work. So I am now officially one of "those people."

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD MONTH AND A HALF!

I'll bring you back up!

Walking to my room with two of my second graders this afternoon, I said to them, "Y'all are just too cute." They looked at me with their big smiles and then I said, "Did anyone ever tell you that before?" The girl - who reminds me of Olivia from The Cosby Show, she is awesome - said, "Yeah, a lot!" Cracked me up.

A depressing tidbit for your morning!

So many blogs are super funny or informative or gossipy that I thought, hey, why not make mine depressing instead? Just kidding, of course... although this one is just too sad.

One of my Kindergarteners was totally grouchy and rude to me this morning, and usually he is as huggy and smiley as the rest of them. I asked him, "Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" and he responded, "What bed?"

Anyone up for adopting 71 children?

Maybe it was Memphis...

After three days and nights of alternately belting out with "Maybe it was Memphis," "Graceland," and "Walking in Memphis," I have returned to the non-song-inspiring state of VA. I am speechless at the greatness of Beale Street. Why did we never go there on a college road trip? Drinking in the streets and live Motown bands just merge so smoothly with my life goals of... drinking in the streets and dancing to the tunes of live Motown bands.

Graceland was a bit absurd. However, I am pleased that I can say I've been there. I just wish there were about 50 fewer white linen male jumpsuits in existence, and I did not know of their existence prior to Graceland day.

Back to the grind tomorrow. At least it's birthday week!

Humor me! (and some great kids)

Ever walked by the mall Christmas trees with paper "angels" on them during the holidays, thinking maybe next year I'll buy some clothes/gifts for one of the kids? This year, please don't pass it up. My kids are all eligible for the angel tree project, and I have spent a good part of the past week feverishly pursuing their parents to make them turn the Salvation Army forms back in to me. Many of these kids will not get any presents otherwise, and again I'd like to bring up the point that their parent(s) - not the children - are the ones who have gotten them in bad financial situations. Plus, how fun is it to buy High School Musical toys? I know at least one of you wants to (ahem, Wade).

As TI says...

"Everybody knows it ain't trickin if you got it."

Halloween was a success despite my lack of a creative costume. I was a Red Sox player, following the track of the available items in my closet, and only one person at the party challenged my Red Sox knowledge (and I lost that challenge, by the way). However, he was married, so who gives a shit? ;)

Absolutely fabulous to see one of my favorite people in the world on his birthday, along with my favorite Lynchburg girls. Now I've got to decide if I should try for a similar bash in Richmond on my birthday (sans costumes) or hit the road for some Ned Devine's action. Hope your October-November transition was equally pleasant.

Another day, another... $0

At Society of St. Andrew we used to joke by changing the saying, "Another day, another dollar" to "Another day, another 50 cents" since we didn't get paid very much. Yeah well, I've managed to top that. Apparently at my new job, I don't get paid. I mean, not really... I'm exaggerating... but I've not yet gotten my paycheck (due to me on the 31st) and it is now the 3rd. No big deal, since I'm sitting on millions. Or not.