Regional Verbage

Everyone is familiar with pop vs. soda, dinner vs. supper, sprinkles vs. jimmies, hoagies vs. subs etc.

I learned a new one over the weekend. On your car, when you turn your lights on high, I call it your "high beams" as does my family and friends back north. I was in a rental car in MN driving down a woodsy road and had to use my high beams and remarked how it's been awhile since I've had to use them (Nashville's a pretty well lit place). My friend Jessica didn't know what i was talking about. She insisted they were "brights." She had never heard the term "high beams" before.

I found that kind of interesting.

kitties!!!

More pictures of my potential new fuzzy friends! I'm pretty certain I'll be taking two of them. I just can't resist. I haven't actually gone to meet them yet, probably monday or tuesday. Aren't they just the cutest!?

Names so far:

Male: Spike, Ambrosio, Barnabus, Quentin
Female: Endora, Magda
Either: Sprinkles, Jimmies


Give me more suggestions! The names above are characters from Buffy, The Monk (the book written in the 1700s, not the TV show), Bewitched, and Dark Shadows... are you getting the theme here?

Four-Legged Roomate **Coming Soon**

I was SO close to getting a black lab puppy today. A friend of a friend of a friend of a friend found a box of black lab puppies on the side of the road over the weekend and was giving them away. I called but sadly they had all been placed. I really can't afford a puppy this month, and really shouldn't be looking to get a puppy at all but rather a full grown dog. But puppies. Sigh. Who doesn't love puppies. I want one, but now just isn't the time I suppose.

BUT in other four-legged mammal-friend news, I've been talked into getting a kitten! (Or possibly two, not sure yet). Matt, a fellow emmanite, has kittens.. or rather his non-pet-caring neighbor's cat had kittens behind his porch. There's an all black one, two gray ones and a striped fella. I'm pretty much definitely going to go for the black one, but am tempted to check out a gray one too. I know I definitely still want to get a dog after Christmas, so I'm leaning toward taking just one. Two cats and a dog is a bit much for one apartment. I'll be getting pics soon. The kitties are still nursing yet and have no shots, so it'll be awhile before I can get one, but how exciting! I'm all for fuzzy friends!

Throw me some name suggestions!

The Beer Gods have blessed me...

Yuengling's in Nashville! Supposedly it's been spotted at the Brewhouse and rumored to be found at other bars. I hear it should be in stores within a few weeks.

You know I'm a happy girl about this!

Cash

I hate money. The lack of it. And my inability to manage and save it. And credit cards. And debt.

I feel like I can never get ahead. Despite the bonuses and whatnot. That is my big goal for age 25-26. Learn to manage my money and spend less. Spend better. SAVE. Even a little.

*sigh* really gets me down.

Old Timer's Festival

And here we have it. A post well-past due. Here you'll meet Roy and Banjo Guy, two folk song pros hangin out at the Old Timer's Mountain Fok Music Festival (not sure that that's the exact name for the event, but something similar nonetheless). Last weekend Jenna flew out to Nashville and we drove out to Knoxville to visit our fellow KU CD friend, Heather, who is a FABULOUS host by-the-by. We had a jam-packed three days of folk music, Smoky Mountains, tub basses and TomatoHead. I really can't think of a better way to start October. The weather was perfect, the conversation intelligent and plentiful, amazing friends and good memories.

We started Friday driving out to Knoxville which is a great drive. A perfectly clear day, perfect driving weather. We met up with Heather then headed out to the Old Timer's Festival. We met a number of elderly folks well-versed in the art of many a folk instrument be it fiddle, banjo, dulcimer, guitar, tub-bass etc. Overall a pretty low-key day. Drove around Cade's Cove, Meandered about Knoxville, enjoyed some delicious TomatoHead, hugs from Marley (Heather's dog).

Saturday morning started with a hike up to Abram's Falls, a nice 5 miles round-trip. Dipped my feet in the frigid falls water, basked in the sun. A friendly artist woman shared her apple chips. Baby fishes swimming about. A pleasant time indeed. After some time in the Smokies we stopped by the Mill, then a County Fair, went back to the Old Timer's Festival (had some awesome homemade ice cream). Then we stopped at a Craft Fair, the Dulcimer shop and then stopped for Fried Apple Pies (which are AMAZING and artery-clogging I'm sure). We were pretty beat from such a packed day so we stopped off for some Chinese (Bean Curd & Broccoli = DELICIOUS!) and watched Sleepy Hollow.

Sunday Jenna and I went to the UU church, which held a rather nice sermon indeed. Then I got to meet a couple of her friends (who bought us MORE TomatoHead! They are SUCH nice people. Really and truly). I must say, TomatoHead makes a mean baked tofu quesadilla. I don't know what it is with Knoxville, but damn do they know how to cook up some tasty tofu! After that we hung out with Heather, Michael and Marley and caught up on some 30Rock. Jenna and I headed back to Nashville, enjoyed some Mellow Mushroom and rented Waiting for Guffman.

Overall a fabulous visit. October's starting out on a great foot! Be on the lookout for more posts! I'm in Minnesota right now and will have a post up soon.. Minnesota's a pretty sweet place. Next week I'm off to Denver then I'll be in Nashville through my birthday then it's off to Idaho!! I'm a travellin fool! And that ain't no complaint!

A few more pictures for your visual enjoyment!

Chock Full o' October

Well kiddo's, Fall is up and running and we're in the best month of the 12.. October! My favorite time of the year. I do wish the weather were a bit more brisk, but my schedule's packed full of travel, friends and conferences to make up for it. And lot of hiking in between! I'm headed out to Minnesota for an AIGA Design campout/conference which I'm totally excited for (not to mention the chilly 50 degrees-ish weather, rain and dreary-ness! YEAH!). I should be getting a heaping helping of fall this weekend, with some designy goodness on the side.

Also, I'm hoping to post this weekend about my trip last weekend to the Smoky's. Be prepared for old dudes, stringed instruments, waterfalls and Tomatohead. Good Times were had and Good Times ahead! Tally-Ho!