Did you see those Mavs??

Yahoo! The Dallas Mavericks took Game 1 of the NBA Finals! Although the first period sucked, they picked it up the rest of the game. Many thanks to Shaq for dropping 8 of his 9 free throws and to Jason Terry for scoring 32 points!

Did y'all notice the Senegalese guy playing for the Mavs...Go Diop!

Watch Game 2 on Sunday!!

Where's your debit card, lady?

I went to the grocery today...first of all, I miss HEB.
Second of all, I was standing in the so-called "Express Line" at Kroger. The woman in front of me toooookkkkkk thiiiiiisssss looooooonnnnngggg toooooooo do everything.

A)She didn't have a debit card; she was writing a check--who does that anymore? Get a debit card.
2)She wrooooooootttteeee heeeeeerrrrr cheeeeeecccckkkkk lllliiiiiikkkeeee thiiiis. If you can't write (fast), get a debit card.
D)Because she wrote a check, she needed to verify with an ID. She toooookkkkk sooooooo loooonnnngggg to pullllllll ouuuuuuttttt heeeerrrrr ID. Get a debit card.

For the love.

Before all that happened, I had my first freshman orientation experience at work. It was splendid. I actually was able to HELP. I had PURPOSE. I chatted with these poor freshmen.

"What's a credit hour?"
"What's a degree plan?"
"How can I take this? It starts at 8:00."
"If I take this, do I have to take this?"
"Does this count as a Social Science?"
"But I don't want any classes on Friday."
"Crap, can I have another registration sheet? I wrote my first name where I was supposed to write my last name."
"What's my ID number?"

I was called "Ma'am" approximately 80 times today. Oh-my-gosh. I am a Ma'am.

The best part of everyday right now is coming home and setting Wilbert free from his crate. He runs around the apartment so fast and then eventually hits a wall (literally). I laugh everytime. Then he gets really pumped when I pull out his nasty smelling Pedigree. After wolfing it down (as if I don't feed him twice a day), he goes directly to the door and waits for me to collar him and take him out. Then he RUNS like a maniac around the apartment complex. Each walk, at least once, I am asked, "Oh, what is that?" THAT is a dachsund/chihuahua, folks, and he's not a "that"--he's a "him".

Last piece of news...tomorrow, I will begin my first act of Dallas Citizen Patriotism by watching the Dallas Mavericks kick Miami Heat's tail. You should too.

God bless the broken road to...

Well, I don't know exactly where the broken road is leading yet, but God does. This is going to be a post unlike most others. I actually plan to reveal something more than surface level happenings.

I just spent a bit of time rehashing some past experiences (read: heartaches) I've had with the opposite sex. It wasn't easy, but I'm glad I did it. It was good to look back and see what I've learned from all those experiences. Without making you read the entire re-hash, here is what I learned (in no particular order):

1. I will never understand males.
2. I am not supposed to understand them.
3. I have to watch out for the girls too, not just the guys. However, guy or girl, forgiveness is essential.
4. I am a girl. I want to be pursued, not the pursuer.
5. I have to be confident in my identity in Christ, as His bride. No other relationship is eternal.
6. It’s okay to be sad. It’s okay to eat cookie dough ice cream when I’m sad. Try not to watch Bridget Jones if it’s not a complete disaster.
7. I cannot trust my heart. What do you know, the Bible is right.
8. I need to depend on what God’s Word says about me to maintain a realistic perspective on things.
9. Men are good. They do not intentionally reach into your chest, pull out your heart and stomp on it. I learned this because once, I was the one to reach in and stomp on someone else’s heart. I didn’t mean to, but it did happen.
10. Always keep a couple of girl friends who have had successful relationships around so you can bounce things off them for code-cracking and interpretation purposes. Also, keep nearby friends who are truly for you and will love you no matter how many times these heartbreaking episodes happen.

What I Love about Denton

10. Chipotle
9. La Madeleine
8. Super Target
7. Lunch hour
6. My department--so relaxed!
5. My apartment--fabulous location
4. No wind! I can actually open my car door now.
3. My office...if I don't want to see you, ha! I now have a door to close!
2. Art, art...everywhere art
1. It's NEW!

While I love all these things about my new place, I admit my social life needs a serious jumpstart! I'm visiting churches to hopefully improve the situation and will keep y'all posted. Are there other suggestions out there for how I can meet people (that are legal)?

Just so you know

I am still here. Well, not here as in Corpus, but here as in existing.

The move to Denton went just swimmingly. Christine McNichols is my hero. After working a graveyard shift, she drove the Uhaul (I did volunteer) 8 hours north to Denton with a smile. When we arrived, she (along with Paul Bell & Ashley Nichols, M.D.) and I unloaded the whole freaking Uhaul so we could return the truck in the morning. Whew.

There was a bit of a scare with the apartment I'd rented. I had to do everything online b/c I had no time to get to Denton b/t accepting the job and moving. There was a slight mix-up on the address, and for several moments, I had the eerie suspicion that the apartment's website was a hoax and at 10:30 p.m. after a L-O-N-G day, I had no place to live. Fortunately, we figured out our mistake and the apartment was found (thanks, Paul Bell!).

2 weeks in North Texas now and I'm quite happy. Wilbert is adjusting nicely (although there was an ER visit at 4 a.m. one morning when he puked his body weight twice over)and is always happy to see me when I get home. As for the job, I'm just observing the other advisors and trying to soak in all 13 art programs (that are nationally recognized).

And there's the update!

Gray is 18

Not to be outdone by Wilbert, Gray needed to be in the spotlight too. I got Gray on my 10th birthday, so we've been together for 18 years. I told him he needs to stay around for 2 more to make it an even 20. Does anyone know the record for the oldest cat?

Wilbert Jackletabs Itschner

There is a new member of the Itschner family. I adopted Wilbert Jackletabs on Thursday, and I'm already beyond in love. He's a Dachuahua--a Dachsund/Chihuahua mix. And the most well-behaved, lovey dog ever. Like any new parent, I've taken lots of pictures already so here he is:

Isn't he the cutest thing you've ever seen? EVER?

Wilbert's first doggie friends, Zoe & Cholea

Wilbert & me

Chrissy & Wilbert

About the name...
Wilbert was named after a guy who works at the humane society. Dog-Wilbert came to them on man-Wilbert's birthday. Man-Wilbert also placed dog-Wilbert to me.
Jackletabs...I was searching for a middle name. Last night, my friend Katy O gave me a send-off/birthday party and we decided to take the first letter of everyone's first name and see what happened. The result: Jackletabs.

Here's a group picture from the smashing par-tay who are Jackletabs' namesake:

Delayed reaction to Easter

Celebrating Christine's birthday on Easter...Strawberry ice cream cake from Marble Slab. Suffice it to say that 5 minutes after this picture was taken, the cake was nothing but 4 spoons spinning on the plate.


Christine & Josh,hard at work dye-ing eggs


The Easter Egg Class of 2006

Allie-oop

Happy birthday, dear Allie!

Allie is one of my students and she also works with us. PTL for Allie for the following:

1. Taking over library duties so I don't have to do it anymore!
2. Being ever cheerful no matter what's going on
3. Always willing to serve where we need her
4. Being a clever gal
5. Keeping me young
6. Picking me and Christine up from the airport so we didn't have to walk home :)
7. Introducing me to "bun" at Hu-Dat Noodle House
8. Having a global vision
9. Inspiring me to exercise
10. Giving me the privilege of being her friend

See Allie's xanga site...new link to the right!

The only thing that doesn't change...

Is change.

After job-hunting and doctoral program-hunting for nearly a year, I have accepted an academic advisor position at the University of North Texas in their School of Visual Arts (www.art.unt.edu). The SOVA is one of the most comprehensive programs of its kind in the country...several people have asked what exactly "visual arts" means. Well, it's anything artsy that is NOT performance (music, drama)...the UNT SOVA includes programs in sculpting, fashion design, interior design, ceramics, photography, metalsmithing & jewelry, printmaking, art history, art education and more. Like I said, comprehensive. :)

UNT is located in Denton, TX, which is about 30 minutes north of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. So I get the big city without having to be IN the big city. There is another large university in Denton, Texas Womans U, so Denton is a "college town" but has lots to offer that isn't necessarily "college-related".

Those of you who know me well at all know that I LOVE changes! I love new opportunities and challenges! I am so excited to start a new experience...the moving date is May 17th!


The University of North Texas "Mean Green"

Kate is another year older!

Happy birthday to my former roommate and teammate in West Africa! Kate is a wild woman! Here are some of my favorite Kate moments:

1. The first time we met in Abidjan, and she hugged me. I thought, "Who is this freak I just met that's squeezing me?"
2. Kate's trip to the make-shift bathroom (i.e. bush) in a Senegalese village...she almost peed in the pot you're supposed to use to wash your hands!
3. The camel at the McIntire's
4. Driving our pimp station wagon that we had to refill with water every 5 minutes on the road
5. Hanging out at the Niangs
6. The Great Flood of Derkles 2002 when we first moved in and our water went out. We accidentally left the sink on since it was out and we couldn't tell. We came home hours later to our 2nd story apartment flooding down the steps and into our (dirt) road...and thus began a beautiful friendship with the Niang family.
7. Kate's impersonations..."What's the deal?"
8. Cruising the Sahara with a GPS as our only hope for getting to our destination
9. Hiding in the bushes in Tukulor-land so we didn't make any of the Muslims we were trying to film at the mosque angry
10. Long hours in the office, cranking the New Community Church cd
11. Watching Sinatra the cat get fatter and fatter and fatter...
12. Tanou, Kate, Robin,& I visited Tanou's village in Cote d'Ivoire...Tanou's family gave us this chicken as a thank you for coming that Tanou insisted on cooking for us. Kate and I took the unused chicken feet and did a little dance...4 years later, Tanou still doesn't know...
13. The day I told Kate I was moving to Senegal to work with her...she was driving and she screamed and almost killed us all driving off the road.

Good times with Kate! Happy birthday and many more!

Granny, the Energizer Bunny

Yesterday, my grandma turned 85 years old! So we partied it up!

My grandmother usually goes to her room around 9:30 or 10 p.m. to read and then go to sleep. But not the night before her birthday...she stayed up until 11:00, so my plan to decorate the kitchen to surprise her was delayed for quite awhile. What a wild woman she is! But she finally went to bed and she loved the decorated kitchen (and her "Birthday Girl" crown).


Surprise!

The day before, Wednesday, I invited her neighbors that take great care of her (and always bring really good food) to have dinner with us the next night for her birthday...this was also a surprise. So I went to one of the neighbors' houses, and their daughter, Lauren, answered. She's 13, and doesn't know me well at all. So I asked if her parents were home and she said no...then I heard her dad's voice, coming from what sounded like the roof. So I told her I could hear him trying to get my attention. She didn't hear it. But he kept saying, "Hello?" yet I couldn't see him! So Lauren (who is on the phone while she's answered the door) starts looking at me like I'm a crazy person (which I'm wondering if I am, since she can't hear the voice). She closes the door and as I'm leaving, I finally see David, talking to me through one of the windows...I knew I wasn't crazy!

The next night when the family came for dinner they told me that Lauren had stayed on the phone in case I was in fact crazy, and she bolted the door after I left! Turns out she didn't know her father was home and she really didn't hear him. Wow. She thought I was schizophrenic!

Anyway, the neighbors did come over and surprise Grandma--she was really excited!

It didn't matter that she was opening gifts, my 18 year old cat wasn't going to get off her lap!


Grandma's surprise party

Tag...again

The first player of this game starts with the "6 weird things/habits about yourself" and people who get tagged need to write a blog of their 6 weird habits/quirks/random things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end you need to choose the 6 people to be tagged and list their names.

This post comes courtesy of a fellow bridesmaid from Georgia...Abby!

1. I can't go to bed until I've watched the 10:30 Nick at Nite episode of "The Cosby Show".
2. I have to say goodbye to all 3 cats before leaving even if I can't find them. (I just holler it out to the abyss.)
3. I am messy for a certain (undefined) period of time, then in a freakish temper tantrum, I get mad at myself for letting everything go and clean like a madwoman until everything is perfect again.
4. I call my grandma "Aama". Contrary to what you're thinking, this nickname did not develop when I was too young to say "grandma" correctly. It developed in high school.
5. I need symmetry in my life. If there are 5 people eating out, there'd better be one on the end with 2 on each side. 3 & 2 will NOT work.
6. I am annoyingly early to everything. I will try to run "fashionably late" on purpose only to have road rage in the car b/c I am frantically trying to get wherever I'm going on time.


My tags (look to the right for their links):

Maggie
Marcy
Jessica B
All the others are too irregular with their blogs to tag or Abby already tagged them...

You know you're traveling in Texas when...

1. You drive nearly 1,000 miles for 15-ish hours and never leave the state.
2. For 3 hours on a stretch of highway, two kinds of music tune in: Country and Tejano. And at least one of those is "Texas Country."
3. The "Don't Mess with Texas" signs posted at every mile marker...just in case you forget where you are.
4. Bluebonnets!
5. You get stuck behind an "Operation Game Thief" truck going approximately 52 mph in a 70 zone. Then, he finally turns but ANOTHER truck, this one rusting all over and manufactured circa 1968 pulls out, going 42 in that same 70 mph zone. For the love.
6. After driving for 8 hours, you see a sign "Oklahoma City: 150 miles" and think you're "way up north".
7. Whataburger, baby!
8. There's nothing but UT Longhorns and TAMU Aggies decals on the vehicles (the occasional Baylor when driving around Waco).
9. 1 out of every 35 vehicles is an actual car...all others are trucks or SUVs.
10. By the end of your trip, you're singing along with the "Texas Country" and Tejano stations.

Verse for the day, week, month, year, life...

Proverbs 3:26 (NASB)

"For the LORD will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from getting caught."

That's for all the foot-in-mouth people, klutzes, those lacking confidence, etc. Words to live by! When you're taking a step and you're unsure of your footing...will I land just fine, will I fly off the cliff? No worries!

Dedicated to K

Happy Birthday to K! Though this is a day late, I definitely wanted to honor one of the best friends I've ever had as she turned 25 yesterday. Here's to you, Kari!


One of our first outings in Senegal together, to Goree Island


Nice glasses...


Patricia, Kari & Diami


What K and I do best...EAT Senegalese!


K's favorite (I think) birthday was when all our American men dressed as Kari...I don't really know why that's her favorite. It was actually pretty scary. Can you find K in the picture? (Hint: Lower right corner)


K eats the fish eye...she says it tastes like popcorn


K with Cire & newest addition to the Niangs, Mame Yacine


St. Louis, then-Trey-now Jonathan's village...if this is how Les Massons fought before they were married, imagine how the quarrels go down now!


Kari and her favorite baby at the orphanage, Absa


The last time I saw J&K before arriving in Georgia for their wedding 16 months later. I can't remember if at this point, K was still saying, "I can't stand him!" everyday or if we were beyond that to being friends...

Camping

The average temperature for our camping adventure was upper-30s with a lower 30s wind chill. Yikes.

By the time that Josh, Amy & I arrived, Christine already had the tent up for us girls and dinner mostly finished. That's my kind of camping! I definitely win the "Most Useless" award for the weekend since this was the second time camping in my life. Christine won the "Camp Expert" award and the others fell somewhere in between. :) Here are some highlights:

Making a decision

My friend, Sallie, is a genius.

I have come to this conclusion because I have been trying to find direction in making a major decision lately, and Sallie pointed the way. She told me to write out my values. Simple.

So I did, and lo & behold, it worked! A clear decision hasn't exactly been made, but I definitely found out what NOT to do. Which is still extremely helpful.

Then, God in his graciousness, spoke to my concrete-oriented mind in a concrete way. The conviction that one of my choices was extremely selfish and worldly was confirmed through his Word. "For the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

I am just grateful today for the obvious work of God in my life and wanted to share it. :)
Have a God-filled day!

Great Reasons

"Great Reasons" experienced this week:

A great reason to be single on Valentine's Day:
Everyone thinks you won't get anything, so you get something from everyone! (My desk is covered in flowers!)

A great reason to live with Grandma:
A homemade cookie in the cookie jar everyday.

A great reason to get up on Thursdays:
My Favorite "Cinnamon Coffee" Muffin and great conversation with KatyO.

A great reason to have a weekend:
Camping in Goliad, TX with friends. (Pictures forthcoming next week.)

A great reason to work out at Reaction Fitness:
If you have your own headphones, you just plug in and run to Seinfeld reruns.

A great reason to study:
You don't look like an idiot...hopefully.

A great reason to check your pockets before sticking something in the washer:
You don't end up with pink underwear and socks (never happened).

A great reason to have a cat:
It wakes you up for work when you woke up in the middle of the night and subconsciously turned off your alarm.

And a serious one to end the schpeel...
A great reason to be honest:
People trust you.

Tag...you're it!

I got this thing from Kari (see blog link to right) and decided to participate:

4 Jobs I've had:
1. Waitress
2. Volunteer coordinator in Mali & Cote d'Ivoire
3. Media strategist in Senegal
4. Higher education administrator in Texas

4 Songs I'd listen to on repeat:
1. "Redeemer" by Nicole C. Mullen
2. "Beautiful" One by By the Tree
3. "Magnificent Obsession" by who knows?
4. anything Britney Spears...just kidding...anything Sara Evans

4 Languages I'd like to speak:
1. Spanish
2. French (speak well)
3. Italian (how hot would that be?)
4. Chinese
Note: I'd also like a cool accent...maybe British or Canadian?

4 Vacation spots we'd like to hit:
Well I hit 2 in the last 2 months (France & Seattle), but...
1. Australia
2. Senegal
3. New Zealand
4. England (I need more than a 6 hour layover)

4 Websites I visit daily:
1. Masson blog (no, I'm not kissing up)
2. My online class
3. Yahoo mail
4. Used to do CNN...should start that again

4 Foods I lust after:
1. That molten lava cake at Chili's
2. French fries
3. Everything but the... ice cream from Ben & Jerry's
4. Dipping #2 into #3

4 Changes I'd make to the apartment:
Note: I live at my grandmother's house right now, so...
1. New furniture
2. New wallpaper
3. New carpet
4. Throw out anything over 5 years old, and start from scratch.
5. (Yes, I'm allowing a #5) New apartment

4 Tags:
1. Marcy, who I've never actually met but seems we should have by now
2. Angie, who was in Peru but is now settling into life in America
3. Maggie, friend in Senegal
4. Anyone who's reading this and hasn't done it (then let me know you did)