Smelly Cat Oh Smelly Cat, How I Hate Dissecting You....

So today in Anatomy and Physiology II, I officially started my two week long process of cat dissection. Our professor informed us that they paid a little more for our cats to have them already skinned. We workin' high class at STCC! We have to work in groups of 4 or 5 per cat and one of the girls I got put in a group with is currently in her third attempt at this class. We decided to name our cat Pat because at this point, we haven't felt around for "holes" and "protrusions" and what not to determine it's sex. And now that we've gotten in to it, it's very easy to tell a boy from a girl.... oh well. I simply have never understood why dissection is necessary. I would SO much prefer to just study the very handy and accurate pictures we have in our books and lab manuals. The sound and smell are worse than the actual cat laying there in front of you. All I could think of was that cartoon movie (highly depressing)(Ah haa! Plague Dogs) about the animals that get captured to have research done on them and they escape and are forced to be running from the lab people the whole time only to almost be caught in the end but drown instead.

Today, after yet another examination of said cat, I am happy to inform you, it's a boy. Our teacher informed us today that our cat's thymus is so lovely and large! Yippee.... Anyways, there will be a test on the cats next tuesday when Mr Baki will have placed stick pins in various organs on the different cats that we have to identify. And this goes on for a long time too. We get to investigate all the different organ systems in the cat.

And to think that I complained about the dang frog I had to dissect in grade school! WOOF! Or should I say........meow..........

Elvis and Catwoman Together At Last!

Well after enough whining on my part, not just me, but my whole family is going to see the Jamie Aaron Kelley experience tomorrow night. It's been a while since I've gotten this excited over a concert. And yes, I know that makes me an utter dork. But seriously guys, I LOVE Elvis. And this guy is amazing-truly amazing. His voice is like buttah, he moves like the King, and even looks like him. You can catch a ton of his stuff on youtube. Did I mention that I am excited? All four of us have VIP passes to see him that dad bought for us. Awwwww! :) I of course will have my ghetto camera with me to catch some sweetness for the blog. Oh, and Ashley, his latest CD is him and the Dempseys. Cool huh? The picture on the front? - all of em' standing on Beale. Under what rock have I been hiding that I haven't ever heard of him before?? I'm just so excited that I get the chance to see him. Yippee!


In other news, dad conned me in to watching Catwoman starring Halle Berry with him tonight. Did anyone seriously like that movie? The only reason I sat through the whole thing is because I simply cannot stand to not know the end to something unless of course it involves some sort of demon possessed something or random floating object, nasty hootchiness, or, well, yall get my point. H.o.r.r.i.b.l.e.

Ok, we went to see him last night and he was every bit as awesome as I imagined! I yelled out for Love Me, and he played it right then. He asked, "Is that a request or a request?" I yelled, "Both!" Harhar. He did a FABULOUS job with that favorite Elvis song. And a little later, he held up a blue heart someone gave him from the audience and I yelled out "Heartbreak Hotel!" Someone a bit louder than me (is that possible??) yelled for Blue Christmas though, and he played that first but then went right in to my request. He was awesome. I was insanely ticked at all the young things that had purchased tickets only to sit around talking, drinking, and not listening to the magic that is his voice. I even hollered at them to shut their pie holes a couple times. But as soon as the show was over, the dumb restaurant started playing rap and what not and all of em' started dancing and grinding and being hootchie. I was SO ticked off. And needless to say, my parents weren't impressed with them either. Darn young people and their lack of respect for good ol' music. It's Elvis week.....in Memphis, Tennessee people! Come on!

Ahw Huh huh!

In case any of you haven't heard, Elvis week is only days away! Lately, I've had the disturbing desire to decorate everything "Elvis-y," including myself. I'll let yall take a gander at some of the great items I'm lusting after at the present moment. 3 days and counting til' it's officially Elvis week. Here's a link for your listening, watching, buying, or simply browsing enjoyment.
www.elvis.com

And here is a list of many of the exciting upcoming events scheduled for Elvis week 2007.
August 10 - Sun Studio Allstars Concert
8:00 PM
SATURDAY 11

Hunka Hunka Burnin' Peppers - Memphis Farmer's Market
7:00 AM-1:00 PM
Fan Appreciation Day at Elvis Presley Birthplace
10:45 AM
Cranston Fabric "Make and Take" Workshop
12:30 PM & 2:30 PM
The Memphis Redbirds and AutoZone Park - Official Elvis Week Kick-Off Event
6:10 PM
SUNDAY 12
ELVIS EXPO 2007
Merchandise and Memorabilia Showroom – Day 1 of 3
12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest – QUALIFYING ROUNDS
5:00 PM
George Klein's Elvis Mafia Reunion
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
MONDAY 13
ELVIS EXPO 2007

Merchandise and Memorabilia Showroom – Day 2 of 3
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Elvis Music & Movies at Graceland
7:00 PM
TUESDAY 14
ELVIS EXPO 2007
Merchandise and Memorabilia Showroom – Day 3 of 3
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Elvis Scrapbooking Class with EK Success
12:00 PM & 2:00 PM.
Elvis Music & Movies at Graceland
7:00 PM
Rockin' Sock hop with Sonny Burgess and the Pacers
8:00 PM - Midnight
WEDNESDAY 15
4th Annual Elvis Film Festival Presented by Malco Theatres
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Mass in Memory of Elvis
3:00 PM
Candlelight Vigil
8:30 PM
THURSDAY 16
Elvis Day on Turner Classic Movies (TCM)
Starting at 6:00 AM Eastern/5:00 AM Central
Elvis: Walk A Mile In My Shoes Tour Series
9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon. Boarding at 8:30 AM.
Jerry Hopkins - The Once and Future Elvis: A Conversation
10:00 AM
George Klein's Elvis Memorial Service
12:00 Noon
Elvis Presley Induction - Peabody Duck Walk of Fame
4:45 PM – 6:00 PM
Elvis: The 30th Anniversary Concert
8:00 PM
Elvis: Midnight in Vegas Concert
"That's the Way It Is"
11:59 PM
FRIDAY 17
The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest - FINALE 7:00 PM
SATURDAY 18
25th Annual Elvis Presley International 5K to Benefit United Cerebral Palsy
8:00 AM
Heart and Soul Of Rock 'n' Roll Party

8:00 PM
Club Elvis at Graceland
9:00 PM - 12:00 Midnight
MULTIPLE-DATE EVENTS
Walk-Up Times for the Meditation Garden
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM daily. Evening walk-up dates/times TBA.
The Elvis Presley International Art Show - Fan Art From The Graceland Archives
July 27 - August 18
Live Entertainment Tent at the Elvis After Dark Complex
August 10-18. Day and night.
Live Entertainment at EP Delta Kitchen & Bar - Jamie Aaron Kelley
Nightly, August 11-16.
Memphian Theatre Tours
August 11-17. 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
Tours of Lauderdale Courts
August 11-18.
Elvis Week Art Contest & Exhibit
Daily, August 11-19.

Budweiser Clydesdales at Graceland
August 14-18, daily. Times TBA.

Elvis Bingo

Kaetlyn

So this weekend was spent in Chattanooga at a funeral. I've lost three grandparents and yall know how horrible any death feels and what a toll it takes on your heart, body, and mind. It was a horrible, "part of me gone" type feeling every time I lost a grandparent. And while we are never ever programed to be "ready" for someone to die, and I hope this doesn't sound harsh, it does ease some of the pain knowing they had a long happy life full of memories and experiences. But when someone young that hasn't even tasted what life has to offer dies, it's a feeling all together different. I have never lost anyone like Kaetlyn before. She was 17.

She stayed with us at our house during Memphis in May and the memories of her there are still so fresh and real to me. (She's in the group shot of my Music Fest post from May 14th)She was obsessed with this black and gold sparkle eyeliner I had and she used it every day of music fest. There were questions about which outfit to wear, if she could borrow a belt, if we drink coffee in the mornings, how it was to be out on our own..... We stayed up late talking about boys, crushes, makeup and other very obviously "girl" talk. And I remember talking with her thinking, "This girl is really cool. I feel drawn to her. She is a really 'wise for her age' soul." It was the first time Tina and I had actually gotten to spend real time around her when she was no longer a little girl with what seemed to be a greater gap in age between us. I remember her being here so perfectly. And now she is just.....gone. I've read the thank you card she sent us over and over. I can't imagine how her parents must feel. They have her room, all the little things around the house that she used, meeting books that she studied, clothes that still smell like her, things she left on her floor, makeup on her dresser she had put on the morning of the accident, and just tons of reminders that she was just there, things that she will no longer touch, hold or use. What do you do with it all? Do you leave it the way she did?

It just all seems so surreal........

Aaron Always Said,"Embrace Your Inner Nerd."

Ok, I have a billion things to say. First of all, most of you know about the new man in my life. I'm becoming quite attached. His name is Fizgig, Lil' Peanut, Biscuit Head, My Sweet Lil' Man, Mr. Brister and whatever else happens to pop in my head when I see him, but mainly the first two. I'll include his picture when I get a chance. I'm trying desperately to house train him. Yeesh. Not. Fun. He is mostly Rhodesian Ridgeback and has this sweet very pronounced mohawk running down his back. He is going to be utterly huge I'm afraid. When I got him, he was a little over ten pounds. I weighed him this morning and he's now a whopping 21.4! He's a sweet little man though. Ok, I just weighed him again yesterday and he is now 26.4. Whoa nelly!

I went to Missouri recently for Omar and Rheanna's going to Bethel party. It was fun. We danced and danced and danced....... And once the crowd thinned out, Rheanna's brother got the mic and said some parting words to O and Rhe and then asked his girlfriend to come over, after which he dropped on one knee and asked her to marry him. Whoa nelly. She said, "Yes." Everyone cried. I've never seen anyone get proposed to before in real life. It was crazy. Heather convinced me to stay until Monday and I'm glad I did, but then there came the time when I had to say "bye" to O and Rhe and that was r.o.u.g.h. I was totally fine and dandy the whole time I was over at their house, but then, out of nowhere, the floodgates opened. And boy do I mean opened. Doh! :( Looks like I'll be planning a trip to New York soon! Seriously love those guys. I even wrote a dorky poem for them.

I have once again developed the horrible desire that hits me every single summer and I realized it the other day. It's the need to go swimming always. I can hardly concentrate on working when it's this hot because all I want to do is run for the nearest pool. The other day was seriously bad. I was so thankful when it finally poured down rain like crazy.

"The Nerd, Geek, Dork Test" - shafted openly from Ashley's blog :)

Your Score - Pure Nerd
52 % Nerd, 43% Geek, 30% Dork

A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.
A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.


You scored better than half in Nerd, earning you the title of: Pure Nerd.

The times, they are a-changing. It used to be that being exceptionally smart led to being unpopular, which would ultimately lead to picking up all of the traits and tendences associated with the "dork." No-longer. Being smart isn't as socially crippling as it once was, and even more so as you get older: eventually being a Pure Nerd will likely be replaced with the following label: Purely Successful.

Congratulations! Wow- who knew??

My Life's Soundtrack According To My iMoose

Story of My Life...according to Apple's iPod!
The Soundtrack of Your Life: Here's how it works: Open your computer music files, ipod etc and set to 'shuffle'. Whatever song plays first goes in the first slot (no cheating!). When you go to a new question, hit the 'next' button' and continue doing so until all blanks are filled.

Here ya go Ashley... :)

1. Opening Credits: "Right For Me" - Justin Timberlake featuring Bubba Sparkx (I forsee an odd future)

2. Birth: "Cast No Shadow" - Oasis (ahh! I can see the head.. looks like....it's a.......groundhog!)

3. First Day At School: "Afraid Not Scared" - Ryan Adams ( I like it!!)

4.Falling In Love: "Not Only Numb " - Gin Blossoms

5. Fight Song: "Sparkling Diamonds " - Nicole Kidman from Moulin Rouge (um, wow! what a toughie!...."the French are glad to die for love....a kiss on the hand may be quite continental.....nice one iPod-jeesh)

6. Breaking Up: "Basement " - Puddle of Mudd (sweeeeeet)

7. Prom: "Don't Make Me Dream About You" - Chris Isaak

8. Life: "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" - Elvis ( You don't have to, but I like it when you do...arfarf)

9. Mental Breakdown: "Over It" - Katherine McPhee (apparently it's quick and painless?? Stop laughing at me because I have Katherine Mcphee on my iPod..)

10. Driving: "Somebody's Crying" - Chris Isaak (ooooh good one!)

11. Flashback: "Buttons" - The Pussycat Dolls featuring Snoop (whoa nelly!)

12. Wedding: "Wait For You" - Nelly Furtado

13. Birth of a Child: "Bad Magick" - Godsmack (oh dear-apparently some sort of child of the corn or something)

14. Final Battle: "Green Eyes" - Coldplay (YES! I can think of no other song that would get me in a fighting/battling mood. Uh huh....)

15. Death Scene: "The Trouble With Never" - Tim McGraw

16. Funeral: "Crash Into Me" - Dave Matthews Band

17. Ending Credits: "Things Go Wrong" - Chris Isaak ( nothing like a life well lived?.... :( harsh! )



Ok, here is what I would choose for my soundtrack if it wasn't up to iPod.

1. Opening Credits:Hips Don't Lie - Shakira I'm not quite sure why...but it just felt right. :)

2. Birth:Green Eyes - Coldplay

3. First Day At School:"83" - John Mayer "These days I wish I was 6 again. Oh make me a red cape. I wanna be superman."

4.Falling In Love: "Slow Dancing In A Burning Room" - John Mayer "We're goin down and you can see it too. We're goin down and you know that we're doomed. My dear we're slow dancing in a burning room."

5. Fight Song: "Whatever" - Godsmack "And I wander day to day. I don't like you anyway. I don't need your crap today. You're pathetic in your own way."

6. Breaking Up: "Stars and Boulevards" - Augustana "Late nights won't do me justice cuz when I drink I just get so ....depressed and it not's like I ain't trying to get over you."or "Forever Blue" - Chris Isaak. "Nobody ever warns you or tells you what to do. She walks away. Your left to stay alone,forever blue." Lord knows, I could have more than one break up song in my soundtrack.

7. Prom: "Hold Me Now" - Thompson Twins uh just cuz I'm a nerd and love this song

8. Life: "Both Sides Now" - Joni Mitchell "I've looked at life from both sides now....it's life's illusions I recall. I really don't know life..at all."

9. Mental Breakdown:"The Sickness" - Disturbed just a good gone nuts song

10. Driving: "Song 32"- Blur - Just absolutely LOVE this song to drive to - don't know why, just do. :) At least it's some number. I think it's 32. Ya'll know the one I'm talking about.

11. Flashback:"Someday" - The Strokes "In many ways, they'll miss the good ol' days....someday, someday.......When we was young, oh man did we have fun, always, always.."

12. Wedding: "Crazy For You" - Griffin House

13. Birth of a Child: "My Precious One" - Celine Dion Sorry if that's horrendously cheesy.... Can't help it. LOVE this song. "Just bow your head and give your cares to me. Just close your eyes and fall in to the sweetest dream cuz in my loving arms, your safe as you will ever be so hush my dear and sleep."

14. Final Battle:"Doperide" - Saliva

15. Death Scene: "Overcome" - Live

16. Funeral: "The Scientist" - Coldplay "Nobody said it was easy, it's such a shame for us to part. Nobody said it was easy, no one ever said it would be this hard."

17. Ending Credits:"Rain" - Breaking Benjamin

Ahhhhh Florida....

(This first paragraph was written on 5-26-07)We just got back from Destin today. We left at 4:45am last Saturday morning and drove all day to arrive in the afternoon at our very adorable beach condos. I am proud to say that I am noticebly tan(for me) and I have a tan line where I wear my ring so that's saying somethin'! Of course mom and dad were the first ones to see us and they saw me and smiled and then when Tina walked from behind the car it got a >gasp!!You're SO dark!!< I got "Aww! Your so freckly!" :( Oh well......

The weather was superb the whole time. And the water was perfect the first few days and then turned into a churning mass of killer rolling waves overnight. In fact, Julie and I decided to take a chance at swimming/tumbling at one point, and Julie got caught up in a wave that sent her spiraling towards the shore like a tube sock on the hardcore wash cycle. She lived though, so that's good. :D

I'm happy to say, that I kept with the tradition of getting sick on vacation and managed to pick up a fabulous cold while I was there. Grrrr....

The pictures....top left - Our group(without Julie, B, and Lauren)leaving the Lucky Snapper where we had a yummy dinner.
top middle - Me at Fudpuckers where everyone at our table signed and dated it. Mine says MOOSE and I put the date and my initials next to it.
bottom left - shopping day in front of the fountain
bottom right - It's Tina and I in front of Bass Pro Shop. But hello, I had to have our picture taken in front of the "Hunters" part! :) We both look like goobers and I apparently wanted to make sure everyone knew why we were taking the picture, what with the pointing and all.(what a nerd) Haha

So there you have it. May has been one crazy month. Beale Street Music Fest was the first weekend as I have told you about. The next weekend was the party in Baton Rouge. And at the house we were staying at for the party, we were able to have some good ol' redneck fun shooting cans in a pond and throwing hatchets at a stump(that was a hoot) And then there was Florida! So no one ask me to do anything at least until July, cuz I'm poor as Job's turkey....Arfarf. But ain't it all worth it when I had such a fabulous time!