We interrupt the normal programming to bring a special statement.

And a rather long statement. Sorry.

There are too many thoughts going through my head about this world to narrow it down to a brief, descriptive title. I am disappointed in our world today. Every day I see woeful images of the apparent sin in our society, but today…today…I am truly disheartened.

First off: Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Our campus started a wonderful program over a year ago to help reduce the amount of garbage we create. Blue recycling bins were placed in public areas, classrooms, offices, etc. accepting aluminum, cardboard, glass, paper, plastic, etc. With this particular program, you do not have to sort your different recycled products. A local company collects the bins and sorts them at their recycling facility. It’s genius, and it’s easy. All you have to do is take your recyclable goods and drop them 2-3 feet in a different bin. That’s it!

I was so disappointed to see the other day that not everyone in my office takes advantage of this free, easy recycling program. I noticed in one coworker’s office that they had tons of paper products in the trash and an empty blue bin. I did not impose my opinions of reducing our carbon footprint on that coworker, and walked away discouraged about this wonderful opportunity given to us.

On a different occasion a different coworker blatantly mocked my desire to recycle. After dinner one night at my home, I asked him to not toss his empty beer bottle in the trash, but to please place it on the shelf above the trash so I could recycle. He just laughed and purposely threw his bottle away. *gasp* I realize he was joking with me, and I went and dug the bottle out, but still! Don’t you think in my house you should play by my rules? (Not N.A.M.eing any N.A.M.es…but you know who you are!)

I realize that not everyone embraces my “hippy” values of trying to save the planet. But if everyone tried to do a little, it could make a huge impact on the amount of waste we have on our planet. I also don’t appreciate people mocking me or rolling their eyes at my effort to do my part. If one more person at Wal-Mart complains about my canvas grocery bags…I mean, really? I’m trying to save your corporation money by reducing the amount of plastic grocery bags you have to produce each year. (Even though my canvas bags barely make a hint of a dent in that production.) AND...more importantly…I’m trying to reduce the amount of plastic covering our streets, forests, oceans and earth.

If you can recycle, then do. If it’s unavailable in your area, then it’s unavailable. But probably not for long. More and more cities are adopting recycling initiatives to make it readily available for their citizens. Odds are your city will adopt a program very soon.

And Second: Save the Trees

Typically “save the trees” is a reference to recycling paper. That is why I paired these two topics together in one post. However, this “save the trees” plee involves a tragic, heartless act to a sister state/university.

Yesterday it was announced that 130+-year-old live oaks at Toomer’s Corner in Auburn, Ala., have been poisoned. When I read this on Twitter, my heart fell. Not because Toomer’s means anything to me, and not because I have any type of obsession with live oaks, but because someone deliberately injected lethal amounts of poison in the soil at this university and town landmark.

I have never been to Auburn, but if someone asked me what Toomer’s corner looks like after an Auburn win, I can describe it. Large, beautiful oak trees covered in hundreds of rolls of toilet paper. It’s an Auburn tradition. It’s part of their heritage. And as someone who loves their alma mater and an employee of a higher learning institution, my heart breaks at the impending loss of such a valued tradition.

Why would anyone want to kill something that means so much to so many Auburn students, alumni and fans? Why would you deliberately want to hurt thousands of people? Why? Because the world is full of sin. Because we are fallen, selfish, heartless and cruel. I have no other explanation.

This is truly why I am upset today. My heart breaks for the Auburn faithful as they wait for a miracle to save these gorgeous, old landmarks. These trees have lived longer than any person on this earth. They have seen more than any Auburn fan alive. And now they face a slow and imminent demise. And some ignorant, evil person, who, if they live in the South, probably describes themselves as a Christian, is gloating about ruining a time-honored tradition.

Thirdly: In summary

Friends, “Americans,” countryman, lend me your ears. 1. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. 2. Helps save the trees. (By limiting your paper waste.) 3. Don’t be an idiot. Don’t be mean. Don’t let sin rule your hearts. That’s all.

THIS JUST IN – A 62-year-old man has been arrested in connection to the poisoning. 62? Are you kidding me? You know better than that! You idiot. If you are the one who did it, I hope your sentence is to plant 10,000 trees across the South. On your own. In the summer. With just a shovel. Jerk.

An Open Letter to my Idiot Neighbor

Dear Idiot Neighbor,

Today you have almost topped you stupidest parking position ever…or in the year I have lived down the street from you. I remember one other time where you actually parked worse than you did last night, believe it or not. But today, amidst the wind and rain, you have realized your second all-time worst parking job ever.

Though, neighbor, I applaud your lack of rules and consideration for everyone who lives around you. I, for one, am a rule follower. I like to park my car in the garage, as to not block the street or obstruct the view of our street. And I do have to admit that other neighbors park along the street, and I can understand the need for more parking, however…you have no other cars and/or other inanimate objects in your driveway. One would think one could at least pull all the way in.

I have come to two possible conclusions about your lack of parking abilities. First, you are suffering from some uncontrollable substance addiction that impairs your ability to operate a moving vehicle properly. If that is the case, please stay off the road and seek help. I, or anyone else in our small town, would hate to meet you on a street one night and risk peril to either of us or our vehicles.

The second is that you are plainly an idiot. I’m sorry if my words seem harsh or unsympathetic, but I cannot otherwise figure out why you would choose to park so poorly nearly every night. Maybe you can’t drive. Maybe your grandfather or father never taught you how. If that’s the case, I am terribly sorry, but take driving lessons. I’m sure there are still some driver’s ed teachers at one of the high schools in the area. It shouldn’t be that hard to find someone to show you the rules of the road.

In the meantime, I will offer disapproving glances and curse words under my breath as I drive by your house. There may even be some fist shaking from time to time. But one thing is for sure, I will continue to loathe your parking methods until one day, one sweet day, you actually learn how to drive.

xoxo

Sheri's List-O-Things to help any single woman embrace 30

Tonight I am hosting a 30th birthday party for my friend, "M," and there are a few necessities I believe every single, 30-year-old gal must have. I'm really just making these up because I know in 7 months I will be celebrating the big 3-0 myself. So, here they are, in no particular order...and I'm sure the list will grow as the day goes along...

1. Chocolate - Doesn't matter how you get it, just get it.
2. Cupcakes and/or cake - Tonight we have vanilla with vanilla icing. "M" is not very adventurous with her foods. Probably wouldn't like my crazy cupcake ideas. However, because of her request my house smells of vanilla cupcakes. It is delicious!
3. Mexican food - Nothing like something spicy to get you in the mood! (There will be no "getting in the mood" tonight though. Just us girls.)
4. A stripper - Which I did not hire. But it would have been funny!
5. A really good moisturiser - You gotta be careful of wrinkles.
6. Hair dye - To cover up all the gray. Though, I started graying at age 19, and I've been dying my hair since age 16, so nothing new for me.
7. Tequila - Whether in the form of shots or in a mixed drink, its a must. (Honestly though, I'm a red wine girl. The margaritas are all for "M.")
8. A really nice, expensive handbag and/or pair of shoes - By the time we're 30, most of us have enough money to buy one really nice accessory. Reminds me...I should go shopping.
9. More tequila - After all...we ARE still single and we DO live in the South and we ARE turning 30. If you are an old maid at 24, then you are a REALLY old maid at 30! Tequila is the best anti-depressant ever! : )
10. Great girlfriends to say how young and vibrant you look and to say that 30 is no big deal.

And finally....having a really hot man in uniform hang around your house is never a bad thing. Maybe I'll accidentally set something on fire tonight and get the firemen to come to the party!

Here's to 30!

My foray into doing yardwork after dark.

So, I let this daylight savings time/falling back deal sneak up on me. I didn't know it was this weekend until someone reminded me on Saturday. Before I knew it, we were back to it being completely dark at 5:30 p.m. That's only 30 minutes after I supposedly get off work, and really, I usually don't get home until nearly 6 each night.

Well, this creates a problem when you let your weekends get overbooked, and you live alone, and you have lots of yard work to do. There's really no time after work to get things done outside, and Lord knows I am not one to get up even a minute before I have to in the morning. So, today I rushed out of the office at 4:45, got to Lowe's, bought a rake, and was home, changed, and outside by 5:15. Not leaving me much time, but enough where I thought I could get a good start on my leaf cleaning up duty.

After I got my 6 piles in the front yard somewhat neatly stacked, it was getting too dark to see. I had my porch, garage, and outside lights on, but it really doesn't illuminate anything but the front of the house. And since we don't street lights in my neighborhood (and everyone disconnects their gas lamps because its too expensive to run), I decided to do things the Mississippi way. (I do live here after all....)

So, what do Mississippians do when its dark and they need light? We turn our cars around and point the headlights in whatever general direction we need! I may have grown up in a city, but I spent plenty of time parked in the middle of a pasture in my younger days. (Wait, that somehow sounds bad....no shenanigans. I promise.)

I'm sure my neighbors thought I was crazy. I mean, its not like I drive some big pick-up truck. I drive a silver Infiniti QX-56. Not exactly your pasture kind of vehicle...Its kinda prissy if you think about it. (Very soccer mom-ish.) BUT...it worked. I had enough light to transfer my piles into leaf bags. And now my yard isn't covered in a quilt of dead tree matter, which should make things easier for the lawn guy tomorrow.

Anyway, I have never done yard work in the dark before. I'm really not a fan of it, and you can't really do much more than what I accomplished tonight. I probably wouldn't plant or weed my flowerbeds in the dark, but, for what needed to be done, the headlight yard excursion was productive. Now off to bake some salmon.....Living alone is fun!

Quickest blog update ever

I haven't posted in a while because:

1. I've been traveling a lot. (I have only spent about 4 or 5 weekends in S-ville since the beginning of May. Been to Jackson, Atlanta, Kansas City, Birmingham & northern Idaho....which brings me to 2.)
2. Went to northern Idaho to visit the Sandersons. We had fun - Pics are here.
3. Work is absolutly insane. Which means...I'm working all the time....but its all good! But, when I get off, the last thing I want to do is sit down and write a blog...because I've been writing all day long.


That's enough excuses for now. This weekend shall be a ton-o-fun. Football opens against JSU. My ENTIRE family (6 adults, 2 kids & a dog-niece) are coming to visit, but just for one night. It shall be a full house folks! And we're taking Will to his first MSU football game, so that's pretty exciting!

More to come...more to come...Just not sure when...

PS - Started the red door transformation this weekend. BUT...it rained on Sunday, so I didn't get to apply the last two coats. Will post pics when I'm done.

PSS - How have I made it three months and not posted a picture of my beautiful, wonderful niece? Here she is "sunbathing" in her little GAP swimsuit I bought her! A full blown Maggie post will come soon!

Question of the day...

Will there? Or will there not be? An NSync reunion at Jacob's wedding? That is the REAL question!

Paula, Paula, Paula...

@Paula_Deen just tweeted about this. Ha ha!

The Great Hair Debate

For those who have known me long, you know that I fuss and fret over my hair a lot. Its just one of my "things." Well, I have been bothered with my hair again lately, and am desiring a change. I'm thinking of going back to short. For those of you who have only met me within the last two years, I'm sure you can't imagine me having short hair...or hair that is red or blonde. But, for those old friends, you know my hair was pretty much short between 1998 and 2007.

Above: Pretty close to the current hair.

July 2007

Christmas 2006

Easter 2006

Fall 2003

So...help me decide...Short or not short? I can always just get it cut and let it grow out again! What do you think???

Random thought of the day

Right now I am sitting here and prepping a graduation anniversary email for our alum. We are sending a special email and video out to everyone who is celebrating an anniversary from 5 years on in 5 year incriments. My oldest....is the 75th anniversary. We only send to people we have email addresses for. Which means, on of our 1934 graduates is on the email list.

1. Can you imagine someone who is at least 95 years old having an email address?
2. Can you imagine this being the 75th year you have been out of college?

I'm struggling with the fact that this May marks my 7th year out of college. I can't imagine celebrating my 75th year! Wow! Go Dawgs!

Senior prank

After Christmas, parking services started a new program for students to rent bikes on campus. It was a great idea, in theory, but bikes showing up in the most random places around town, and many of them were being damaged. The bike program has slowed down on campus, but a few of them are stil out there.

Yesterday, while at a check presentation on the top floor of Swalm, someone pointed out the roof of the library. There's that missing bike # 37!!!! What silly student left that there????

I will have to post pictures later once I upload them from my phone. One of my coworker's husbands had to climb on the roof to get it down. Great prank, class of 2009! (Or whoever you are!)

Love is...ON the air!

Okay, let's say it all together now...."Awwwwwww!!!!"