Okay so this started on Xanga, but here it is in the blogger world. 5 weird habits about myself:
1) I am a compulsive hot bath taker. I take a shower every morning, but at night if I feel bored, upset, sad, or stressed (which is every day) I'll take a hot bath. This can add up to a bath and a shower every day of the week. For instance... Tonight I took TWO hot baths... Why? I don't know, it's just a habit.
2) When no one is home (or at least I don't think anyone is home) I'll blast my radio and dance by myself in my room. Everything from hip hop dancing, to salsa, to two-stepping with an imaginary partner.
3) I only brush my teeth once a day. And I chew with my mouth open sometimes. And I have no problem using other people's tooth brush. And I'll eat leftovers that are really really old. Apparently I'm kinda of gross.
4) One of my absolutely favorite snacks is a piece of white bread with Miracle Whip... kind of like bread and butter. It really is good!
5) I hate writing with a pencil. I write on my tests in pen, my notes in pen, and underline things in books in pen.
November 15, 2005
October 23, 2005
Wild Thing... I think I love you!
~If you didn't already know it... I'm a little bit of a nature freak. This semester I've begun to volunteer at the South Plains Wildlife rehabilitation center here in Lubbock. We cover a very wide area and have one of the most diverse sites in all of Texas. We rehabilitate everything from deer, to opossums, to mourning doves, to squirrels, to barn owls, to cottontails, to bats, to anything.
~When I started, I was told to wear ragged t-shirts because you will normally get a combination of blood, bleach, and feces on your shirt, and so far that has held true! This is definitely not a job for the overly squimish or hygienic. In a normal 4 hour volunteering day, I do two loads of dishes in the sink, at least 2 loads of laundry (washing, drying, and folding), clean and fill a 6'x4' kiddy pool, enter about 1 hours worth of collection data, feed a pelican, 4 rabbits, 2 squirrels, 2 ravens, 1 black crowned heron, 3 ducks, plus whatever non-'resident' animals that need care, and go on a run to the nearby pet hospital. There's always something to do! It really is exhausting sometimes, but worth every minute.
~I've learned a lot from the wildlife out here, that I don't think I would have ever known if I hadn't been here. One thing would definitely have to be that all animals that are not domesticated are called wild for a reason. If you don't know what you are handling, don't handle it. I have the fun job of handling wild animals that I don't know much about because it's my job and I have to. Most of the time, you just learn things the hard way..
~When around raptorial birds (such as Mississippi kites that are very protective of there territory) it is best to feed them and get out of the area. I made the mistake of jokingly mimicking there cry to about 4 of them at the edge of the barn. They didn't think it was as cute of an idea as I did and dive bombed my head with their talons. lol. oh well, learned my lesson.
~I had the great honor to take care of two fawns for about a month before they were released. I never knew that they could be like over sized dogs. I would come in with two baby bottles of milk and they would jump on me just like a big dog would and nudge my legs.
~Don't tell Kevin, but I'm someone else's girlfriend. His name is Percy and he's our pelican. He comes up to a little lower than my waste and loves to follow me around the yard. We play catch with his halibut pieces and play splash in his kiddy pool. He loves to take his two foot long beak and bite hands, legs, you name it, but it does nothing more than pinch. He's a big sweetheart of a bird.
~We have a African Kookaburra that someone thought would be a fun exotic pet to abuse unfortunatly. He really is a unique and awesome bird. I don't know how many of you remember the old kids song; "Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree. Merry, merry king of the bush is he, laugh kookaburra". Sometime while I'm folding laundry I'll talk to cookie (yes, everyone talks to the animals) and I'll ask him to laugh for me. Then the most wild 'jungle' bird call you have ever heard will come out of this out of place bird.
~We go have a few mammals that are big into snuggling if you know how to handle them. One is our Virginia opossum, Fiffe. She's such as sweetheart and would never bite a soul. Now I must admit that opossums are not one of God's prettier animals, but you would be surprised at how much she loves to snuggle in your arms. The other snuggler I handle is our 3 prairie dogs. They are a little less predictable. Some days you'll stick your hand in the cage and they will immediately bite you, others they'll leap into your arms to be cradled and pet for and hour.
~Work is very unpredictable, some days I'll clean for hours, some days I'll be holding a bleeding Harris hawk to the emergency vet, some days I'll spend the whole day feeding baby squirrels, some days I'll clean out the entire aviary, some days I'll record data is the computer for hours. It's nice to never know what surprise is around the corner. It's definitely one of the greatest volunteer position I've ever had, and I'm very grateful for the experience.
~When I started, I was told to wear ragged t-shirts because you will normally get a combination of blood, bleach, and feces on your shirt, and so far that has held true! This is definitely not a job for the overly squimish or hygienic. In a normal 4 hour volunteering day, I do two loads of dishes in the sink, at least 2 loads of laundry (washing, drying, and folding), clean and fill a 6'x4' kiddy pool, enter about 1 hours worth of collection data, feed a pelican, 4 rabbits, 2 squirrels, 2 ravens, 1 black crowned heron, 3 ducks, plus whatever non-'resident' animals that need care, and go on a run to the nearby pet hospital. There's always something to do! It really is exhausting sometimes, but worth every minute.
~I've learned a lot from the wildlife out here, that I don't think I would have ever known if I hadn't been here. One thing would definitely have to be that all animals that are not domesticated are called wild for a reason. If you don't know what you are handling, don't handle it. I have the fun job of handling wild animals that I don't know much about because it's my job and I have to. Most of the time, you just learn things the hard way..
~When around raptorial birds (such as Mississippi kites that are very protective of there territory) it is best to feed them and get out of the area. I made the mistake of jokingly mimicking there cry to about 4 of them at the edge of the barn. They didn't think it was as cute of an idea as I did and dive bombed my head with their talons. lol. oh well, learned my lesson.
~I had the great honor to take care of two fawns for about a month before they were released. I never knew that they could be like over sized dogs. I would come in with two baby bottles of milk and they would jump on me just like a big dog would and nudge my legs.
~Don't tell Kevin, but I'm someone else's girlfriend. His name is Percy and he's our pelican. He comes up to a little lower than my waste and loves to follow me around the yard. We play catch with his halibut pieces and play splash in his kiddy pool. He loves to take his two foot long beak and bite hands, legs, you name it, but it does nothing more than pinch. He's a big sweetheart of a bird.
~We have a African Kookaburra that someone thought would be a fun exotic pet to abuse unfortunatly. He really is a unique and awesome bird. I don't know how many of you remember the old kids song; "Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree. Merry, merry king of the bush is he, laugh kookaburra". Sometime while I'm folding laundry I'll talk to cookie (yes, everyone talks to the animals) and I'll ask him to laugh for me. Then the most wild 'jungle' bird call you have ever heard will come out of this out of place bird.
~We go have a few mammals that are big into snuggling if you know how to handle them. One is our Virginia opossum, Fiffe. She's such as sweetheart and would never bite a soul. Now I must admit that opossums are not one of God's prettier animals, but you would be surprised at how much she loves to snuggle in your arms. The other snuggler I handle is our 3 prairie dogs. They are a little less predictable. Some days you'll stick your hand in the cage and they will immediately bite you, others they'll leap into your arms to be cradled and pet for and hour.
~Work is very unpredictable, some days I'll clean for hours, some days I'll be holding a bleeding Harris hawk to the emergency vet, some days I'll spend the whole day feeding baby squirrels, some days I'll clean out the entire aviary, some days I'll record data is the computer for hours. It's nice to never know what surprise is around the corner. It's definitely one of the greatest volunteer position I've ever had, and I'm very grateful for the experience.
September 11, 2005
The Question? And the Answer!
Hello loved one's all over:::
I have a RTPG that I would like to share with the world. God has placed into my life a man of faith. He's amazingly strong when I'm weak, optimistic when I'm pessimistic, and shares in my joy and happiness. He is my future husband; Kevin Michael Morris. On Sept. 2, 2005, He asked the big question and I said yes. For all those who know anything about Kevin also know that this wasn't just any day, but one filled with surprises and excitement. So here's the story:
As any typical Friday morning, I begrudgingly woke up at 7 and rolled out of bed. This time though, I was greeted with a rose and a note in the bathroom. It was from Kevin. It told me to have great morning (and some other romantic stuff that will be kept secret!). There was a suggestion to wait outside my first class for a familiar face.
I was greeted by Kevin and I's good friend, Marcos, after my first class with a rose and a new note. Then after my second class I was greeted by my roommate, Elizabeth, with a rose and a note. Once I got to work that morning Crystal snuck in a rose and a note to give me. Then at lunch with Stacie, I received another rose and note. Back at work again I received a rose and a note by Tristan, a 3 year old at my work. This note told me not to leave from work until 5. When I got out to my car and opened the door, I was overwhelmed with the scent of Kevin's cologne in my car and a note on my seat. I returned to my apartment and woke up my other roommate, Erica, to receive yet another rose and a note. This note told me to stay casual and meet him at Abuelo's (a Mexican restaurant) at 6 p.m. sharp. Once I got there, he met me in the parking lot with a rose and a kiss. The whole dinner he had me fooled that this was the end, and that it was just a cute way to greet me once he got into town. One of his best friends, Kevin Sisk, who was our waiter played along. Then dessert came . . . With another rose and a note!
This note lead me (by myself) to my loving parents house for a visit. After sufficient recapping of the days events, they finally handed over the next rose and note. This one instructed me to go home a take a bath to relax. But when I got home, it was much more than a bath. My roommate came out with a candle and lead me to the "inner sanctuary" (aka my bathroom). All the lights were out and Enya music was floating through the air. As she opened the door, the floor, tub, and sink were covered with red rose petals as candle light danced on the walls from the dozens of candles. Then next to my bubble and rose petal filled tub was a new rose and note. Then I took the most amazing bath I've ever had. The next note lead me to my room with a rose petal path to my bed. On my bed was my best formal and shoes. After getting changed Erica came in again to help me with hair and make-up. Then we waited for my driver to come. Stacie came up with a CD for driving music and an eye mask to blindfold me. The CD was entitled "Kevin and Mary in Love" and was filled with appropriate love filled songs. After driving for about 50 minutes, I was a little nervous that we would never get to our destination, but Stacie got me there safe and sound.
When we finally stopped Kevin lead me out of the car and up what seemed like a hill. Finally we stopped and he un-blindfolded me. We were standing in the middle of Camp Rio Blanco in Crosbyton. This camp is where me and Kevin staff the raider awakening retreat we have every semester. It's absolutely beautiful. When you look up you can see every star in the sky, and the night is pitch black without city lights. This is where some background info might come in handy. Kevin and I have been dating long distance for about 9 months. So when we don't get to see each other, we say that we will meet in our dreams. This is our dream: we are both dressed in our best formals, dancing underneath a star filled sky, barefoot on the softest grass, singing to each other as we spin around the whole night.
So we slipped of our shoes and danced in the quite night. Truly a dream come true.... Then he spun me around, got on one knee, took out the ring, said some beautiful words, and then asked me to marry him. I, of course, said 'yes'!!! After a little more star gazing, laughing, and dancing, we drove back to Lubbock at midnight to a CD entitled "Kevin and Mary Engaged"!!!
So now you know the story... And so I must end it with this:
= = = And they lived happily ever after = = =
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