The big 2-5

Happy birthday to my friend, Carolyn. She's a quarter century old today- the youngest of my closest girl friends! And what a great friend, she is. Always there if you need her (believe me, I've needed her quite a bit). Always there to lend a listening ear, be a shoulder to cry on, and offer advice if the situation warranted it.

So, thanks, Carolyn, for being an awesome friend. I hope you have a wonderful birthday and I can't wait to celebrate with you tonight! (at Tsunami for sushi- yummmmm!)

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

Last night, the Garnet Army was in full force at Colonial Life Arena to support the Gamecock Men's basketball game in a tough match-up. If you don't already know, the University of South Carolina was taking on John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats. Not just any 'Cats team, though. Nope, they are ranked number one in the nation. They were 19-0 coming into the game. In fact, they received a phone call from President Obama yesterday prior to the game, thanking them for their Hoops for Haiti telethon (which raised over $1 million, by the way- props to UK for that!!) and telling them to stay strong and not falter against us because it was a tough place to play.

And a tough place it was! You could hear the excitement and energy that filled the arena even over the TV. Everytime Sandstorm played, the crowd went wild. It was loud. And you know what, it was effective. When all was said and done, the Gamecocks came out victorious 68-62.

Now let me tell you why this was such a large feat to have accomplished. First of all, the University of South Carolina has never- that's right, NEVER- beaten an opponent that was ranked number one at the time. We made school history last night...awesome. Second of all, Kentucky has the largest lineup in the NCAA. Their smallest player is 6'4" and their largest, 6'11" 280 lbs. (DeMarcus Cousins- leading scorer for UK with 27). Our players range from 5'9" to 6'9" and not a one of them is as solid as Cousins. But, we were scrappy last night...grabbing rebounds and blocking shots like giants. Coming into the game, Kentucky was averaging 83 points per game. We held them to 20 less than that number. Our defense just wanted it, I guess!

But, the star of the game, the star of all of our games, was definitely Mr. Devan Downey. He's the smallest guy on the court nearly every time he plays, but he plays like a giant. He scored 30 points last night. He was all over the court, driving past Kentucky players for layups, pulling up for 3 pointers, and carrying the team on his back. Quite an accomplishment for a guy who looks like an elf in comparison to the other players on the court. Tell me another player in the NCAA that's better than Devan Downey, and I'll argue you down. This guy has heart and talent and he plays the game full-on, 90 miles an hour, 100% dedication every time he steps on the court. I just wish we would have been able to see a season with Dominique Archie and Devan Downey on the court as seniors. I think we'd be winning more than we have been, but Dominique Archie went down early this year with a hurt knee and has since had surgery. So bittersweet to see Dominique and Devan after the game last night.

I'm also really impressed with Darrin Horn. He's a great coach, and Lexington, Kentucky native to boot. He's a born and bred Kentuckian. And now he's 3-0 with the Gamecocks against Big Blue. Way to go, Darrin! We love you here in South Carolina!

Please let me be clear that I am under no false pretenses that we will go up to Rupp Arena later this season and get a win. I don't foresee it happening. Kentucky is a great team, full of some freshmen phenoms. If they stick around for a few years, the Cats are going to get even better. With the likes of Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe, and Orton, they'll be a force to be reckoned with.

But last night, the Gamecocks were the better team. And this morning, I'm damn proud to bleed garnet! So, SEC, send us your $25,000 fine for our students storming the court. We knew the consequences, but we had a team that deserved to celebrate. COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO!

Weekend Roundup

What a great weekend!!

Friday night, WEG and I went to dinner at Harper's. I had a coupon for $20 off of a $50 food tab. Harper's is not expensive, so it took us each having to order a dessert in addition to our appetizer of calimari and our meals of tuna and filet in order to get to $50. But, the dessert was worth it- white chocolate raspberry cheesecake for me and an ultimate brownie for WEG. Dinner was delicious, but we needed someone to wheel us out in a wheelbarrow afterwards. We didn't do anything after dinner and were in bed by 9:30- HEAVEN!

On Saturday I worked the Sidewalk Sale at Just the Thing- although the weather was yucky so we put nothing out on the sidewalk! We were busy all day, so it flew by, and it was time to go home before I knew it. I love working retail about once a month- not sure I could do it all the time, but it's fun for me to do it occasionally! On Saturday night we met some friends for dinner, and after trying 2 places with what looked to be long waits, we settled on Yesterday's so we could watch the Carolina/Florida basketball game. What.a.heartbreaker. Nothing like losing on a last second three-pointer when you have just driven down the court and scored to go ahead with 5 seconds left. We then headed over to another bar so WEG could watch the Clemson vs. Duke game, and we were home by 11:30.

Sunday was the most fun of all! We went to church and heard a great sermon on relationships and honoring your father and mother. Then WEG and I went out to his grandmother's on the lake, so Abe could run around and retrieve in the water, and while they were doing that, I got a run in. Then we went to the grocery store to get some stuff to make for appetizers and dinner for the 2 NFL games. We had friends over, cooked burgers and hot dogs, and chowed down on spinach dip and stuffed tomatoes. It was a good time.

And the best part of all? This guy is headed to another Super Bowl!

I'm a huge Colts fan- don't accuse me of being a bandwagoner, I'm definitely not. I was a Colts fan when they weren't cool....back when they couldn't win the big game to save their lives. I've been loving all things Manning since I was younger. I inherited the love from my dad, who insisted that we go watch Carolina take on Ole Miss in Oxford one year simply because it was the last chance we'd get to see Eli play for the Rebels. I'm pretty sure my dad was secretly rooting for Ole Miss that day.

But the other game was great, too! I was pulling a little harder for the Vikings since they have Sidney Rice & Jasper Brinkley, former Gamecocks, but you can't be sad about the Saints going to the Super Bowl. They've never been there, Drew Brees is a great quarterback who got the shaft in San Diego, and that's a city that has been through so much. But, you know where my heart will be in 2 weeks.... GO COLTS!

Hope everyone else had a great weekend, as well!

Cell Phone Etiquette

Does anybody practice cell phone etiquette anymore? I'm sure you, my beautiful readers, do, right? I sure hope so. In any case, I am appalled at how rude people can be when their cell phone rings.

First of all, when you're in a public place, I don't want to hear your obnoxious ringer or your fun little ringtone, and I'm sure others do not wish to hear it, either. Put your phone on vibrate, please. Save the ringer for when you are at home or in your car or somewhere else other than public. I have a guy that works with me and he has his phone as loud as it will go at all times when he is in the office. It is really annoying to hear a "DING!" every time he gets an email, especially when it is so loud that I can hear it two doors down. Is there a reason it needs to be on Volume setting 5?

Furthermore, if you answer your phone in public, please keep your voice down. Not everyone around you cares that you will be going on a date tonight or that you just bought some new pants or whatever it is you are talking about. And please, for the love of Pete, do not try to conduct a business transaction while you are on the phone. If you're in line at the grocery store, a retail store, the fast food restaurant, etc., and your phone rings either a) don't answer it and call the person back or b) ask them to hold. It's frustrating to be the person trying to complete a transaction/take your order/etc. while you are on the phone. Believe me, I know. I hate when someone is on the phone while I am trying to ring her up and I have to wait to ask her for her ID until there is a break in the conversation. It holds up the line. And then she can't juggle her purse, her purchases, and her phone, so she is dropping things everywhere. You can unglue yourself from your phone for 3 minutes, I promise. It will not kill you.

And furthermore, if you're texting while walking, please be aware of your surroundings. Holding up traffic at a crosswalk, running into people, etc. is unacceptable. Do not expect people to stop for you or move out of your way because you are not paying attention. The same goes for driving. Do not veer into my lane because your cell phone is consuming your attention. I will use my horn.

I'm glad I got that off my chest! Anything else that really drives you crazy about people's lack of cell phone etiquette? I'd love to hear!

Happy Friday, y'all :-)

The post in which I reveal what pig I am.

Today I went to lunch with GamecockQueen from My Chihuahua Wears Sunglasses. This is the first time I have ever met another blogger in person! Although, I'm not sure this qualifies since she works for the same college at USC that I work for, and she lives just around the corner from me. In any case, she was just as friendly and personable as she appears to be on her blog. And, it didn't hurt that we were eating at my all-time favorite restaurant, Mr. Friendly's. I love that it is so close to campus and has a very reasonable lunch menu!

But speaking of good food, my diet needs a detox! In the last week I have eaten at Za's Brickoven Pizza on Wednesday lunch, Mr. Friendly's on Wednesday night, Five Guys on Thursday for lunch, Terra (another local restaurant that is delicious!) on Friday night, sushi on Saturday night, mom's homecooking on Sunday, Wild Wings last night, Mr. Friendly's for lunch today, and we're going to eat Mexican tonight for supper with some friends.

Holy calories, batman. I need to only eat vegetables and fruit for the rest of the week after all of that good (and quite unhealthy) eating. Yikes!! Thank goodness I have been keeping up with my running through the Couch to 5k program. I'm on Week 7, and feel good about my progress. I know I'll be ready for the St. Patrick's Day 5k at the rate I am going!

And on another note, I am not the biggest chocolate fan or sweets in general- give me something salty any day! But, I do love white chocolate, and was introduced to these little beauties by one of my friends.

Behold the Lindor Stracciatella Truffle. It's a white chocolate shell with cocoa pieces with a smooth white chocolate filling. It.is.heaven. I eat one a day, right after lunch. If you like white chocolate, you have to try these!

My Birthday Wish List

I may be a little ahead of schedule on posting this, but with the way time flies, March 9th will be here before we know it! Which is a-okay with me since that will mean the cold weather is turning warmer and spring is in the air!

So, today, I thought I'd put together a little wish list of things I would love to get for my birthday. Now, let's be realistic- I realize I will not get all of these things. I may get one or two, but a girl can dream!

Here goes!

This Basch & Co. necklace-

I stumbled upon this website from All Things Southern & Preppy, and I absolutely LOVE their stuff. I have been wanting a key necklace for some time, and I think the combination of the monogram and key is just beautiful...I'd love it in silver or gold! Mind you, I don't have a clue as to the price of this.

Next up is a Sonicare toothbrush. Call me strange for wanting a toothbrush for my birthday, but I have heard such great things about this, and I feel like I need to step my brushing regimen up a notch.

A new computer. My laptop has had problem after problem. A few months back I had a whole new hard drive put in it, and somewhere along the way, it has stopped recognizing the CD drive. Totally annoying. However, it serves its purpose for the internet, so I don't foresee myself getting a new computer for my birthday, but it's nice to hope! And I'm not sure I want another laptop- they don't seem to hold up as well as desktops, but if y'all have any suggestions of good ones, let me know! I would not purchase a Toshiba, Dell, or Gateway because of past experiences, just so you know.

Tory Burch Revas. I have been drooling over all of your Revas for ages. They look super comfortable, and they would fit my long, narrow feet since they have elastic. However, I don't foresee my parents or WEG coughing up $200 for shoes, and really, I don't foresee myself doing it either. But, I can still drool.

Spring clothes. I'd love some new clothes from Boden, Anthropologie, the Loft, etc. Anything fun and springy would be nice!

A getaway somewhere fun....if it's tropical that would be even better! Just for a few days, I'd like to get out of town & out of state, preferably. I'm not really picky, though, and I'd love a surprise.

And because the Clemson-Carolina baseball series is the weekend before my birthday, I'd love a sweep by my Gamecocks to make it the PERFECT birthday :-)

So, there you have it. I'll let you know what I ACTUALLY get. Even if it's one or two of the things on my list, I'll be a happy camper.

An open letter to Mother Nature

Dear Mother Nature,
We need to have a little chat. I thought we were experiencing something known as global warming. That's what all the so-called experts tell me. If so, why have the temperatures here been frigid lately? I live in South Carolina, where the climate is supposed to be moderate in the winter. When I wake up and the radio guy tells me it is 16 degrees outside, it sends chills through me- literally. I can't get warm at work, at home, in the car, you name it. Basically, it's miserable. I was born and raised in South Carolina so I am not cut out for this. Could you please send a blast of warm air our way? My chapped hands and dry skin would be very appreciative! If we can't negotiate that, would it be possible to at least send us some snow to accompany this cold? Then I'd get a snow day from work and could stay at home cuddled up under blankets on the couch. Otherwise, this weather is the pits, and I am not your biggest fan right now. I know that breaks your frozen heart.
Yours respectfully,
Chilled to the Bone

Friday fragments

I don't have a really coherent post, just some tidbits that are going through my head that I thought I'd share.

First off, I would like to say that in my next life, I am going to be a weather person. Why? Because they never have to be right about their predictions. It seems like 9 times out of 10 they are, in fact, wrong. I feel better about expecting the exact opposite of what they say rather than going by what they predict. Yes, I'm bitter. Our weathermen predicted that we would get snow last night. I was all prepared for a snow day (because 1/10 of an inch warrants that in SC) or at least a delay. And what did we get? Nothing, zip, nada. I'm not even sure it rained at my house and it certainly wasn't cold enough to freeze. I feel like any idiot could stand up on TV and shoot from the hip what the weather is going to be. I'd just give everything a 50% chance and half the time I'd be right.

Moving on.... the National Championship game was a huge disappointment to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the SEC, and I was hoping Bama would win. But, I wanted them to win in a fair contest, and I feel like it wasn't fair after Colt McCoy got injured in the first series. My heart went out to Garrett Gilbert. Can you imagine being a true freshman, stepping onto the biggest stage in college football to take over for a Heisman candidate? Can you imagine having to face the Crimson Tide defense? I just felt for him. So, after halftime, when it was announced that Colt McCoy would not come back in, I went to bed. The game was in the bag. But, the bright side is the SEC prevailed again, so I can't be all that upset.

And one thing that I'm baffled about today is how some people have absolutely no sense of organization at all. WEG is one of the hosts of a party this weekend- an oyster roast and stock the bar for some friends getting married in March. Another guy put it all together, and basically the only thing he has asked WEG for was money to help out. So, one would assume that everything is taken care of. Not so much. As of last night, he was unsure of what other food he was having with the oysters and said that he had a lot of errands to run on Saturday for the party. SATURDAY! The party is at 6:00 on Saturday. The event planner in me is screaming! He has not even gotten a gift for the couple from the hosts and has no clue whatsoever how many to expect. I fear this is going to be a half-assed attempt at a party, which makes me aggravated. I feel like if you are going to have something for someone, you should do it right, not go at it half-cocked.

Now that I am fired up all over again, I am going to read my Bible passages for today. I started the One Year Bible program yesterday (a few days late, I know), and I hope I will be able to stick with it. It's something I really want to accomplish, and I guess it is my New Year's Resolution, although I didn't really make one.

Y'all have a great weekend, and thanks for your comments, good thoughts, and prayers regarding my MIA post the other day. I am cautiously optimistic that things are going to be okay.

Ipod help, please!

I finally broke down and asked for an Ipod for Christmas from WEG so I could use it when I run...and yes, I have been running which is an accomplishment in and of itself.

I'm on Week 5 of the Couch to 5k program, and so far, it's going great. I think I'll be ready to run the St. Patrick's Day 5k here in Columbia- I sure hope so since I am sending in my registration fee today!

Anyway, back to the Ipod. I have absolutely no music on any computers that I use. I'm just not a music junkie and pretty much listen to only my radio in my car and my XM on occasion. We did have an old mp3 player laying around the house that had some tunes on it, so I transferred those to my Ipod and they have been getting me through. But, I need more, and I need to know what is good running material. Really, that's about all I'm using the Ipod for at the moment.

What do y'all consider your best songs to run/workout to? Is there a whole album I just have to have? One of my friends told me Kings of Leon, so I've got that on my must-have list. I'm really not picky as far as music is concerned- just no Miley Cyrus, please!

Thank y'all!

MIA

Sorry I have been so MIA!

I'm finally back to work after 2 weeks vacation, and man, is it hard!

I've also got some things going on in my personal life that are really tough right now, so I may be MIA a bit longer- just say a prayer for me, y'all. I definitely need it!