Awkward Moments

You know that awkward moment when you zone out while holding necessary morning-wake-up coffee and don’t notice your dog drinking it?

How about that awkward moment when you watched Tangled with the kid you nanny and the next day she runs around wanting to hit everything with a frying pan?

Or that awkward moment when you change your entire introductory paragraph eight pages into the paper?

Or even that awkward moment when your roommate/blog partner posts way more than you do?

Well, I don't know those awkward moments, but I've imagined them.

 This morning two of my sisters left me. They went adventuring to Michigan and Spain and this morning I saw them off on their journey. It was 7 a.m. (I hadn't intended to be awake, but I was) and I was sitting on the floor of our front porch with the family pooch, drinking coffee. So that's the scenario that prompted my first imagined awkward moment of the day. Usually Saltena (the dog) will eat/drink whatever is within her reach. I had set my cup down on the ground and she barely looked at it. I guess she doesn't like coffee. Oh well, more for me.

This summer I have started nannying an almost-two-year-old little bunch of energy that usually answers to the name of Clare. And yes, we did watch Tangled a few days ago, but she didn't actually start hitting things with frying pans, which would have been funny and kind of awesome. I guess she's not old enough to bring Disney movies to life. I also think she's more of an animated-Godzilla TV series fan. Thank you, Hanna Barbera. 

Ok so, my third imaginary awkward moment is actually true. I've been writing a paper for my summer college course and, what do you know, I had to change the whole idea of my paper two pages before the conclusion. It actually wasn't that bad. I'd rather re-work one paragraph than eight pages, wouldn't you? I'm writing on one of my favorite books in the whole world! 

"The Tale of Despereaux" by Kate DiCamillo is a little children's novel that won the Newberry Medal award in 2004. (The movie came out in 2008. It was good. Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick and Emma Watson! But the book is better. duh.) The book is about stories and knights and a desire for goodness and forgiveness and love and ...soup.

The mini-prologue of "The Tale of Despereaux"

DiCamillo incorporates a profound sense of good and evil, the value of literature, and the prize of noble virtues in this simple book. That's why I'm writing about it! Although, I did have to narrow my paper topic down to one, tiny aspect of the book because it's proved more than enough for a thorough college paper! 

I am writing on DiCamillo's portrayal of good and evil in the book and, more importantly, her portrayal of how difficult it is sometimes to determine what is truly good and what is truly evil. Have you ever read "The Tale of Despereaux"?

And...I guess I have experienced the fourth awkward moment. But it doesn't matter now! See! I'm posting! Tana isn't the only one! I do enjoy her posts, as I hope you do, reader. It sounds like she's having fun, but guess what? I'm getting ready to have fun too!

Reading Room at the Library of Congress

 In July, with two of my English-major-librarian-nerd friends, I will visit

The Library of Congress.

Cue great noises of excitement and dancing!!!! We don't have all our plans yet, but they shall soon be made!

 ......

You know, frankly, I don't know why I waste time imagining awkward moments. I'm pretty sure real ones already automatically happen in my life without my having to imagine them. Oh well!

~Jojo

Dip Day #admissionslife

Are you allowed to use hashtags in blogs? Too late, I already did.

Anyway, as you may have guessed by said hashtag, this post is about Admissions. Specifically, the latest installment of office parties. Today was "Dip Day," and unlike you may have originally thought, there was no tobacco consumption. Rather, we were aided in our toil by the sustenance of black bean and corn salsa, guacamole, hummus, queso, peanut butter fruit dip and toffee dessert dip. And, of course, their proper "dippees"--chips, crackers, pretzels, veggies, etc. No theme this time, so no cool ties or anything like that. But, I will say, it was still a pretty rockin' party. Never fear, work was still accomplished by all! (Even me--I did lots of filing).

Also, I gave two tours. Although I still haven't given a BEST TOUR EVER (something Jojo does all the time), all the families seem happy afterwards. Can't argue with that! It is finally getting warm around here, and we are all appreciating the sunshine. Carolina Blue is a real thing, folks, a real thing. And sunshine, blue skies and a cool breeze makes for great golf-cart riding weather...er, tour-giving weather, I mean :)

Other than looking forward to and experiencing dip day, I haven't been doing much. I took a trip to Columbia to visit friends over the weekend. I had dinner with friends twice this week. I visited the local Farmer's Market. And I've been training the newest recruit for the Belmont Abbey Women's Soccer Team (a.k.a. one of my friends in Admissions). Well, I would be training her, if we would actually get started. Tomorrow is our first day, actually...prepare to die, Beep Test! I mean...I should prepare to die from the Beep Test...whatever.

Well, that's all for now, friends! Look out for next week's party installment: Pizza Party and Stargazing (my first non-admissions party, and I'm very excited about it!)

Rochester Misses Jojo

OK, so, I can't actually tell what a fish's emotions are. But, if I could, I think our Rochester would feel a little empty space inside of his small scaly body (besides the one where his lungs would go if he didn't have gills). That space is where Jojo belongs, and as he's stuck with me for the summer, I think he misses her. I mean, I do, so shouldn't he?

So, as Rochester stares at me through his plastic bowl saying, "feed me now" (OK, I can't actually speak fish either, but if I could, that's what he would be saying), I will tell you everything I've been doing to keep busy and not miss my friends and family!*

I've been back at Belmont Abbey for a week now! I can barely believe it myself! Life in Admissions is...well, life in Admissions. :) I'm pretty much just mailing potential student letters and pamphlets, giving the occasional tour, filing, filing, filing and running the random errands of admissions counselors. Oh, and having nautical-themed parties. I brought sailboats made of apple slices and cheese sails. Martin wore an anchor tie. It was a time of great merriment for all.

When I'm not working (which is after 3p every day), I'm trying to do real adult things. For instance: paying off student loans (no fun at all), grocery shopping (more time-consuming than I ever anticipated!), laundry (OK, I've been doing my own laundry for five years now, but I still don't like it), getting my car fixed (no more brake problems!! yay!) and ironing (not something this athlete is used to doing!). Fun life, eh?

But seriously, I am enjoying myself. I do have lots of free time--I can only be so productive in one day--so I am reading, running, enjoying the boundlessness of Netflix and spending time with friends.

All in all, it's good to be back. It's a little weird that it's only been about 80 every day, especially for June in the South! But, the rain makes everything cool for my runs, so I'm not complaining!

Well, that's all for now, folks! I know it's not too exciting, so I've included a nice picture of little Rochester to liven things up a bit. Hopefully some more interesting thoughts or stories will come soon! Happy Summer!

*Don't worry, I did feed Rochester at the end of this post

"life was beginning over again with the summer"

Well, after a whirlwind semester with lots of changes and new discoveries for both of us, Tana and Jojo are on to summer! When you start a summer with Gatsby, it's hard to go wrong. Both book and movie are excellent, and you should experience them! Buy the book here, or check it out from your local library, if you haven't already read it. Then check your local listings and see the movie! So: as our lives begin again with the summer, as Nick Carraway says, we thought we'd give you a little update :) 

I (Tana) am in Black River, NY, with her family until the end of the month. Then I will be back at The Abbey working in the Admissions office for the summer. Goals for the summer? 1. Read Read Read! (Potentials are Anna Karenina, Pride and Prejudice, Watership Down, and as many Newberry Medal winner books as possible). 2. Visit the Beach! (hopefully more than once!) 3. Watch Baseball Games! 4. Do Crossfit and other workouts with friends--gotta be ready for preseason! 5. Parks Museums Zoo/Aquarium visits, and other adventurous things in the NC/SC area. 6. Write--creative stories, letters, journal entries and blog posts.

I (Jojo) am in Norfolk, VA, with my family, doing a local library internship and working on some schoolwork for the fall (guess which one of us is the overachiever??). Goals for the summer? 1. write tutorial papers with effort and excellence. 2. survive babysitting copious (I do like that word :) ) amounts children 3. learn lots of cool things at an internship at the university archives. 4. get a job other than babysitting. 5. read all the things. 6. write letters. 7. pray often and regularly. 8. knit all the things. 9. learn some guitar songs from my sister.

In our copious spare time we will be updating this blog with our deeper and more philosophical thoughts...or at least some story we think might brighten your day :) We've been out of school for about 15 days now, and the gears in our brains are already whirring and turning, ready to think and process and analyze and write...