How do I log into this thing??

That's when you know it's been a while. I couldn't even remember what my info was to log in. Well, you can all relax... I'm here now.

So, since I last posted, SO much has happened. I've moved back to the great state of Oklahoma! It's been amazing so far. Life is totally different here than it was in Nashville, and I'm loving it!! Believe it or not, I played more music in the first 2 weeks of being back here than I did the entire time I was in Nashville. Not sure how that works. Oh yeah... everyone's a musician in Nashville, and it's overwhelming. Now I remember.

Another new update is that after 25 years, I decided to make a big change and die my hair brown! I've never been anything but blond, so it took some getting used to for sure, but I love it now. Can we say mid-life crisis?

Ah... let's see, what else? Oh yes, I've finally decided to start taking photography a little more seriously. I peruse photography blogs daily and always think to myself... "I'd really like to be able to do that." So, I've decided to take a class at the local community college. It was weird to be back there, but it reminded me of how quickly time flies and life changes. I thought for a moment of all the things that have gone on in my life since the last time I walked those hallways. Craziness. And then I decided I should probably stop daydreaming and pay attention if I actually want to learn something! The fun thing is that I'm taking the class with my sister!! That's something I couldn't have done in Nashville. Yay for weekly sister reunions! She's a great photographer, and I'm learning a ton from her as well as the teacher. I'm hoping to use this blog to post pictures I've taken recently... whether for class or just for fun from my phone! I just love being able to capture moments. So, assuming I remember how to log on next time, I'll put some pics up!

There Was A Lizard Where?

MY TOILET!! Ahem... yes, I said it. My toilet. Did you know that lizards can breathe underwater? I didn't.

Here's what happened...
So, I'm about to get into the shower the other night, but first I needed to do a little pre-shower peeage. So, I flip the lid up, and look down to see my worst fear staring back up at me from the bottom of the pooper. I'm so glad I saw it before squatting.

"So what did you do, Valerie?" you ask. "Great question," I respond.

Well, first I screamed a few words that won't be repeated here, then I grabbed a shoe from my closet (you know, in case it decides to leap from the bottom of the bowl onto my naked body), then what else? Grab my camera, of course. I snapped these shots with just my right hand leaning over the toilet, and the rest of my body as far away as I could possibly make it. Then I flushed it, and prayed... "Dear Lord, please let that little lizard go somewhere far away into the pipes and never come back."

After doing the "heebie-jeebies" dance a few times (you know the one), I got in the shower and worried the whole time that somehow he was going to find his way through the pipes and jump through the shower head. Additional irrational thoughts followed for the next few hours, and still occur everytime I take a seat. Not gonna lie, I've mostly just been hovering for fear that he'll come back... and this time, he'll probably be a little upset with me for the whole flushing-him-down-the-toilet thing. But maybe not... it could have been like a fun water slide. Luckily, I'll never know.

What Good Is A Blog Without Photos?

I've been looking through lots of pictures on my phone and computer, and I ran across some that I had forgotten about. I love how images can trigger memories, and take you to another place. Music has the same effect, and that's one of the many reasons why I love it. Here are a few photographs from my life over the past several months. More to come...

It's Official!

I suck at blogging. It's January (almost February) 2009. I was going to try and do this more often, but A) I don't have all that much time, B) I don't really understand how it all works, and C) I don't know how to get people to come look at my page. But, I guess you have to start somewhere, so this is my attempt. I'd love to write more, but I'm falling asleeeeeep tyyyyyyping. Sorry. Goodnight... more later. Until then, I will leave you with a picture of my new favorite place on earth: San Francisco.

Love, Val

The Blog and the Olympics

"The Blog"... to be pronounced much like Chris Farley would pronounce "da Bears"... so maybe I should call it "da Blog."

Anyways... I've been meaning to start writing a blog for quite some time, but I've been putting it off. Actually, I used to blog all the time... back before the term "blog" actually caught on and became a verb. I would refer to it as "updating my Xanga"... remember Xanga? Whatever happened to that? Anyways... I was on my way home from work tonight, and I started thinking about the Olympics since the opening ceremonies were taking place tonight. Something triggered in my mind about the last summer Olympics in 2004, and I thought about where I was in my life then. Somehow, I remembered an old Xanga post that I had made way back in 2004 while watching the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. So, when I got home, I went to my old xanga account, and found that post. At that time, I was in my very first apartment in Stillwater, OK... a junior at Oklahoma State University, and I started freaking myself out thinking about where my life would be by the time the next summer Olympics rolled around. Surely by 2008, we would all be driving flying cars and wearing space suits. If for any reason you're interested in reading the post, you can go here. Here's a snippet for you...

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Thursday, September 02, 2004
... So the olympics, huh? I didn't get to watch much of them due to the absence of television and busy busy schedules... but they made me think. As I was watching the closing ceremonies, I thought to myself: "Self, there's not another summer olympics until 4 years from now... which will make you almost 25! Which means that you will have graduated from college (hopefully), started you career, and quite possibly be married." And, may I just say that that little thought freaked me out a little. The next time that I watch the summer olympics could be on the couch next to my husband... that is if I don't make the next olympic synchronized swimming team. Some things about that are awesome, and some things about that are just too much for me to think about right now. So I won't...

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How quickly time flies past us. I can close my eyes and remember posting that as if it were last week. And now, 4 years later... here I am watching the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics. The update to that post from way back then is this... I am almost 25 (that is freaking me out..don't get me started), I graduated from OSU in 2005 (go Pokes!), I have started my career here in Nashvegas, and, well... the husband part is still yet to be determined. I am watching these opening ceremonies on the couch next to my cat, Gilby Clarke...which I guess is a close second? And for those of you who were wondering... I didn't make the synchronized swimming team. They didn't really like my underwater dance routine to the Jonas Brothers' "Year 3000"...whatever. There's always 2012!

Anyways, I feel like now is as good a time as ever to begin blogging again. So welcome. I hope I can connect with a lot of old friends and new ones through this thing. So, come back often and enjoy!

Ok, the flying Chinese man just lit the torch, and it was amazing. I must go now...

Let the games begin.