I have been putting off an update from Oxford, MS because, well, nothing really noteworthy has happened since I've been here. I mean, moving in, setting up, orientation, and getting acquainted with Oxford has pretty much been the extent of my almost 2 week long residence. And it has all happened in a blur. I did manage, however, to bake my first loaf of bread. (Thanks Meagan!) But other than that: banality.
BUT! Something very exciting happened today. Let me begin this story by setting up a few starting points:
1. As of Friday morning (maybe Thursday afternoon, but either way), the Ole Miss Ticket office sold out of student tickets. However, they graciously announced that they would be selling 1500 more tickets Monday morning (this morning) at 8:00am.
2. I go to get my tickets Friday afternoon, wonder why there is no line, and find a sign on the door with the above info. No problem, right? I'm free Monday morning.
3. 9:00 Sunday night, my new friend Mary Elizabeth drives past the coliseum to see...people? No. TENTS. People have set up tents to camp in the day before classes start so they can get tickets to this year's Ole Miss football games.
Because I have to get tickets too, I say to Mary Elizabeth, who has already resigned staking out her spot in this line, "I will bring you coffee tomorrow morning, 6:00am sharp." I have class basically all day and all night Monday, so I opted to catch a wink before my first day of classes.
I promptly arrived, 2 large mugs of coffee in hand, to join 2 friends already in line, which has started to stretch all the way around the coliseum. The spectacle was incredible! Here are a few items I saw in tow with the students in line:
-futons
-air mattresses
-a tv, on which some guys were playing video games
-coolers of drinks and food
-an elaborate game kind of like cornhole, but with golf balls on strings and pvc pipe instead of bean bags and particle board.
-laptops and various media devices to occupy oneself. Speaking of which, I also heard a girl say, "I love my Blackberry and my iPhone. I wish I could just put them together!"
-pizza boxes
-dogs. Including Lily, my roommate's miniature dachshund.
-lots of Ugg boots. LOTS of them.
It was truly a religious experience. We were in line to be baptized at the font of the ticket booth, people playing music, chanting (Are...you.....READY!), murmuring about how excited they are and about how long they've waited for this, and celebrating, bursting into fits of excitement because they FINALLY got their tickets, after they've been faithfully devoted to standing in line for 12 hours.
I may have to devote these little reflective moments to the church of the SEC. So, until then, or in the unlikely event that something cooler happens,
Go Team!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
YUM
Mom and I just saw the movie, Julie and Julia, and the story was so wonderful. I absolutely loved it. Without giving anything away, it tells the stories, side-by-side, of Julia Child, and a woman, Julie, who goes through her cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, for one year, making every recipe.
It combined two of my most favorite things: food and humor. Ah, such an immaculate combination! I think part of Julia Child's charm was her ability to make others smile, but what I never, ever, EVER paired Julia Child and sexuality.
I know! What? But I am glad the film showed that side of Julia. Not only did it make her a real, round character (as she undoubtedly was) but it cast such a positive and joyous light on her marriage to Paul Child. Their relationship was so sweet and loving.
And some people may not have like the "Julie section" because she was neurotic and had "melt-downs" at the drop of a wooden spoon, but I thought it was perfect for her situation: a nervous, semi-insecure woman who loved to write, with a ho-hum day job, living the big city life on top of a pizza delivery store in Queens, with successful frenemies who have bested the corporate world and a husband who takes all her insecurities in stride. And I loved all of it.
The big meal of the film, boeuf bourguignon a la Julia Child, (boning a duck got it's highlights, too) looked absolutely delicious. YUM. I'll tackle that one some day, with apron, tongs, and fearlessness in hand.
I don't think that it was typical of my generation to grow up with Julia teaching us how to tackle omelets with confidence and courage, but perhaps the closest icon I have to compare to Mrs. Child is Nigella Lawson. Her enthusiasm, but more importantly her beautiful way of expressing it, is on the Julia Child level of delightful. Someone should try all of her recipes and write about it! Someone...
Bon Apetit!
It combined two of my most favorite things: food and humor. Ah, such an immaculate combination! I think part of Julia Child's charm was her ability to make others smile, but what I never, ever, EVER paired Julia Child and sexuality.
I know! What? But I am glad the film showed that side of Julia. Not only did it make her a real, round character (as she undoubtedly was) but it cast such a positive and joyous light on her marriage to Paul Child. Their relationship was so sweet and loving.
And some people may not have like the "Julie section" because she was neurotic and had "melt-downs" at the drop of a wooden spoon, but I thought it was perfect for her situation: a nervous, semi-insecure woman who loved to write, with a ho-hum day job, living the big city life on top of a pizza delivery store in Queens, with successful frenemies who have bested the corporate world and a husband who takes all her insecurities in stride. And I loved all of it.
The big meal of the film, boeuf bourguignon a la Julia Child, (boning a duck got it's highlights, too) looked absolutely delicious. YUM. I'll tackle that one some day, with apron, tongs, and fearlessness in hand.
I don't think that it was typical of my generation to grow up with Julia teaching us how to tackle omelets with confidence and courage, but perhaps the closest icon I have to compare to Mrs. Child is Nigella Lawson. Her enthusiasm, but more importantly her beautiful way of expressing it, is on the Julia Child level of delightful. Someone should try all of her recipes and write about it! Someone...
Bon Apetit!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Sayonara, six-one-five
The wonderful days of my residence in Tennessee's capital city are over! Packing my last belongings and locking the door on my way out were some sad events, and leaving definitely had its share of bitter and sweet moments, but future visits are in the works, so Nashville and I will reunite, and it will feel so good.
On my last day, I went to a Titan's practice, (where some very outgoing children and I made friends, and I found out from Tyler, a 3 year old, that "Bears don't eat wood.") ate at the Horn of Africa, and watched some baseball on TV. If you have never been to an Ethiopian restaurant, it is not an experience to miss!
Things about Nashville I will miss:
Things about Oxford I'm anticipating:
On my last day, I went to a Titan's practice, (where some very outgoing children and I made friends, and I found out from Tyler, a 3 year old, that "Bears don't eat wood.") ate at the Horn of Africa, and watched some baseball on TV. If you have never been to an Ethiopian restaurant, it is not an experience to miss!
Things about Nashville I will miss:
- Do I have to say it? Family, friends, and Thomas. duh! and Mr. Bodhi. He's basically a person.
- That bangin' Farmer's Market.
- The attraction that "Music City" has to performers. (Coldplay, Flight of the Conchords, lton John and Billy Joel, Broadway musicals, etc. etc. etc.)
- It's proximity to other hubs of action and entertainment
Things about Oxford I'm anticipating:
- School! Go ahead; call me a nerd--but watch out for my sweet kickboxing moves.
- Getting to know my roommate (and her puppy, Lily).
- Square Books. And no, I don't mean books that are square. See hyperlink.
- Even though I hate to admit it (and still hold up my promise from this post), football games.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Cloud a hundred
The sort of last-minute, on-a-whim decision to go the Marcy Playground concert in Huntsville, Alabama, was, in short, a good one. It was a small venue, so we could get up close and personal. The lead singer of Marcy Playground, John Wozniak, has a wonderful voice, and the band has a great sound, so the musicality of the performance was great. AND, for the crowning jewel of the night, we got to meet, take pics with, and speak to "Woz." You'll have to go to Thomas' blog for that story and picture.
But since you're here, let's view some of the talent that was brandished on the stage:
This is the first (and one of my favorite) song they played. Thomas and I had a bet going--about which song they would play first--and he won. Lucky.
This is my favorite song! It's called "Good Times," and it is from the new album. (You can listen to some of those songs here.)
Here's the one you are probably most familiar with:
Because the light in the bar was not so good (surprise! haha!), I had to put the "night scenes" mode on my camera, which basically leaves the shutter open for a long time. It makes for some pretty neat pictures:
It was so much fun. The after-midnight drive back to Nashville was made easy because we were so giddy. I'll sign off with a quote from Thomas: "Dude, I am on cloud a hundred right now."
But since you're here, let's view some of the talent that was brandished on the stage:
This is the first (and one of my favorite) song they played. Thomas and I had a bet going--about which song they would play first--and he won. Lucky.
This is my favorite song! It's called "Good Times," and it is from the new album. (You can listen to some of those songs here.)
Here's the one you are probably most familiar with:
Because the light in the bar was not so good (surprise! haha!), I had to put the "night scenes" mode on my camera, which basically leaves the shutter open for a long time. It makes for some pretty neat pictures:
It was so much fun. The after-midnight drive back to Nashville was made easy because we were so giddy. I'll sign off with a quote from Thomas: "Dude, I am on cloud a hundred right now."
Monday, July 27, 2009
The Most Confusing Place on Earth
That's right. You know where I'm talking about. Tunica, Mississippi.
This weekend, Thomas, Kyle, Anna, and I took a little vacation to the self-acclaimed "Gambling Capital of Mississippi," (Biloxi? Gulfport? Apparently not). What the sign should really say is "Confusing Capital of Everywhere." For those of you who have taken your wallets and your bodies to gambling emporiums may know what I'm talkin' 'bout.
1. When you get there, you have to get a member card. Much like a credit card, this one accrues points that you can use to buy food, get prizes, etc. after you've used it in slot machines or on tables. However, it seems that the system for assigning points is completely arbitrary. If two people play the slot machines, both for the same amount of time, both losing (winning? please) about the same amount of money, one person will have a tiny little sum (worth about $.08), and the other will have zilch (worth about the same. wink).
2. The cards do not work in every machine. They are "invalid" in some machines, and in others, they work like charms. They also are supposed to have your names on them, but that information, too, is also arbitrary. If you would like to change identities for a night, like they do in Vegas, all you have to do is let the employees change your last name from Richardson to Richard. Or Susannah F. to Susanna M. Or if you want to make an inter-temporal journey, just ask for a card from 1999. And the staff will be sure to oblige your request.
3. If you think you'll just spend a penny at the penny slots, you've got another thing coming. The big 1¢ really means that you have to bet 30 "credits" (¢) everytime.
4. Winning at the slot machine is a discipline you might need a degree in. First, there are lots of buttons to push these days, not just the lever to pull--I think people have come to terms with that. BUT! You can bet different odds, for different lines (that are really just different colored zig-zags), and increase (decrease?) your odds. Here is a photo of a winning screen:
A 'Q,' a wild, some flowers, a treasure chest, and an 'A,' is what it took to win this one. I think I won something like 6 whole credits on this spin. On another machine, I had a string of pearls, 2 birds, and a lamp post, and I think I won something like 3 credits. I guess I should enroll in the Casino College.
Probably the most fun I had that night was the quick blackjack lesson I received from a dealer, Mr. Donnie Lucious, when I was the only one at the table. I learned about splitting, and insurance, and when I could improve my odds. He was really a nice old guy. I came out $10 richer from that table than I started with, ("Big Winner!" Mr. Lucious said) only to have it yanked away by the slot machines later. But hey, those points for my lunch buffet the next day.
It should probably go without saying, but I also enjoyed the company of my pals. Here we are in front of the Hollywood Casino. The picture is crooked because I put my camera on someone's Honda to get us all in there. I hope they don't mind!
This weekend, Thomas, Kyle, Anna, and I took a little vacation to the self-acclaimed "Gambling Capital of Mississippi," (Biloxi? Gulfport? Apparently not). What the sign should really say is "Confusing Capital of Everywhere." For those of you who have taken your wallets and your bodies to gambling emporiums may know what I'm talkin' 'bout.
1. When you get there, you have to get a member card. Much like a credit card, this one accrues points that you can use to buy food, get prizes, etc. after you've used it in slot machines or on tables. However, it seems that the system for assigning points is completely arbitrary. If two people play the slot machines, both for the same amount of time, both losing (winning? please) about the same amount of money, one person will have a tiny little sum (worth about $.08), and the other will have zilch (worth about the same. wink).
2. The cards do not work in every machine. They are "invalid" in some machines, and in others, they work like charms. They also are supposed to have your names on them, but that information, too, is also arbitrary. If you would like to change identities for a night, like they do in Vegas, all you have to do is let the employees change your last name from Richardson to Richard. Or Susannah F. to Susanna M. Or if you want to make an inter-temporal journey, just ask for a card from 1999. And the staff will be sure to oblige your request.
3. If you think you'll just spend a penny at the penny slots, you've got another thing coming. The big 1¢ really means that you have to bet 30 "credits" (¢) everytime.
4. Winning at the slot machine is a discipline you might need a degree in. First, there are lots of buttons to push these days, not just the lever to pull--I think people have come to terms with that. BUT! You can bet different odds, for different lines (that are really just different colored zig-zags), and increase (decrease?) your odds. Here is a photo of a winning screen:
A 'Q,' a wild, some flowers, a treasure chest, and an 'A,' is what it took to win this one. I think I won something like 6 whole credits on this spin. On another machine, I had a string of pearls, 2 birds, and a lamp post, and I think I won something like 3 credits. I guess I should enroll in the Casino College.
Probably the most fun I had that night was the quick blackjack lesson I received from a dealer, Mr. Donnie Lucious, when I was the only one at the table. I learned about splitting, and insurance, and when I could improve my odds. He was really a nice old guy. I came out $10 richer from that table than I started with, ("Big Winner!" Mr. Lucious said) only to have it yanked away by the slot machines later. But hey, those points for my lunch buffet the next day.
It should probably go without saying, but I also enjoyed the company of my pals. Here we are in front of the Hollywood Casino. The picture is crooked because I put my camera on someone's Honda to get us all in there. I hope they don't mind!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Gettin' Rural
One book on my personal reading list this summer is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. For me, this has been a refreshing read- its topic is one of my favorite subjects-FOOD! And after the Welty workshops last summer and my AmeriCorps term this summer, I've become so grateful to my surroundings, which is a shared sentiment I found in this book. And since I will soon be changing surroundings soon (I think I'm tearing up!), I wanted to express my gratitude.
So thank you, Nashville Public Radio and Lightning 100 for telling me about shows at the Ryman, about www.picktnproducts.org, and for commentator Frank DeFord's cheerful voice every Wednesday morning.
Thank you, Lewisburg, Tennessee, for Forgie's Fruit Farm, where we picked Harvester peaches on a beautiful landscape.
So delicious, it's "forbidden!"
And thanks to tastespotting.com (not really part of my surroundings, unless you wanted to call them my "cyber-surroundings") for the recipe that turned those tasty peaches into this:
Thank you Middle Tennessee, for the twangin', the pickin', and the drinkin' at the Full Moon Pickin' Party in Warner Parks.
These players (above, not below-:) ) at one point played the Bluegrass version of the Scooby Doo theme song. I kid you not.
Oxford, MS (not a completely different landscape at all) is just a wee 4 1/2 hours from Nashville, TN (and only 2 1/2 hours from my home in West Tennessee), so I don't think I'll be much deprived from anything. However, I will have to hide my Vanderbilt and Go Vols T-shirts, unless I want the wrath of the South upon me!
So thank you, Nashville Public Radio and Lightning 100 for telling me about shows at the Ryman, about www.picktnproducts.org, and for commentator Frank DeFord's cheerful voice every Wednesday morning.
Thank you, Lewisburg, Tennessee, for Forgie's Fruit Farm, where we picked Harvester peaches on a beautiful landscape.
So delicious, it's "forbidden!"
And thanks to tastespotting.com (not really part of my surroundings, unless you wanted to call them my "cyber-surroundings") for the recipe that turned those tasty peaches into this:
Thank you Middle Tennessee, for the twangin', the pickin', and the drinkin' at the Full Moon Pickin' Party in Warner Parks.
These players (above, not below-:) ) at one point played the Bluegrass version of the Scooby Doo theme song. I kid you not.
Oxford, MS (not a completely different landscape at all) is just a wee 4 1/2 hours from Nashville, TN (and only 2 1/2 hours from my home in West Tennessee), so I don't think I'll be much deprived from anything. However, I will have to hide my Vanderbilt and Go Vols T-shirts, unless I want the wrath of the South upon me!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Peace up, A-town down
This summer's first trip to Atlanta was a short one. The less-than-24-hour whoosh to A-town, however, gave me an excuse for a long weekend, and it put a little diversion in my life. It was a wonderful preview for the 2nd visit, which will be in July!
We arrived a few hours before the baseball game, in which we visited with the Howards (Thomas' sister, brother-in-law, and nephew) and gave over to the musings and whims of Isaac. In this Hallmark-esque candid I captured, Thomas and Isaac singing a song with muppets and their celebrity friends:
We arrived a few hours before the baseball game, in which we visited with the Howards (Thomas' sister, brother-in-law, and nephew) and gave over to the musings and whims of Isaac. In this Hallmark-esque candid I captured, Thomas and Isaac singing a song with muppets and their celebrity friends:
(side note: if grad school doesn't work out, my next career move will be to work for Sesame Street. No joke.)
After visiting, we made our way through the thick, thick Georgia air to Turner Field. We love baseball! (That shine on our faces was put there by the devil gods of heat and humidity.)
Go Braves!
Sadly, they lost, and we changed our expressions.
How I love making faces!
Before I wrap this ballpark hot dog up, I will add an event that makes a first for both T-bag and me--Thomas made it to the jumbo-tron! Tuh-wice! A cute little kid that was behind us and to the left was gettin' funky with his inflatable tomahawk, and when they captured his ultra-psychedelic moves, the Atlanta crowd also got a little bit of Thomas to go with them!
Peace up, and peace out,
HAH
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