#26

Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?

Seriously giving up on my life? No. In a depressed "I hate how things are going right now and I don't see it ever getting better" sort of way that I knew I wouldn't actually give up on life, but it crossed my mind...sure.

When? It was in a very bad, dark time of my life that I don't like to recall much.

Why? Like I said...things were really crappy and I couldn't imagine them ever getting better. I was lonely. I had no friends. I had no way of meeting new friends.

So, what turned it all around? I snapped back to reality. I realised that things could get better and that with some time and effort they would. And they did. I do attribute a lot of the getting out of my black hole to my friend, Darrel. He'd just gotten back from Scotland (where he did YWAM for 6 months) and he kind of helped me get back on my feet. He introduced me to new people, took me to the church he'd been going to (which really helped me meet more people), and basically just showed me that I was someone that people wanted to be around. And that's all I really needed to know, I guess. That people would want to hang out with me. I gained confidence and made friends.

#25

The reason you believe you’re still alive today.

I don't know that I have any huge, specific reason I'm still alive today. I think that I'm supposed to still be here because I have a husband and a daughter and I need to be here with them. Isn't that a good enough reason? I think so...

#24

Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs.

I can't exactly make a playlist for any one person in particular. That's too hard. So, I'll just list my favorite songs in a few different categories. Videos are included in case you want to take a listen...

Please excuse the fact that some of these have ads at the beginning of the video.

INDY-ish stuff. You won't hear these on the radio.

Bright Eyes - Landlocked Blues


Rufus Wainwright - April Fools


Feist - The Park


Tilly and the Wall - Lost Girls


Maria Taylor - Clean Getaway


Death Cab for Cutie - Someday You Will Be Loved


Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - Skeleton Key


Here are a few radio hits. How can you not love these?:

Willow Smith - Whip My Hair


Kesha - Tik Tok


Waka Flocka Flame - No Hands
(Yes, I'm aware this is kind of a nasty song, but it seriously gets stuck in my head every time I hear it. And, well, it makes me laugh.)


I do like some classics too, but I won't make a big list of those. A couple of my favorites are Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody and Billy Joel - Piano Man.

#23

Something you wish you had done in your life.

I'm changing this one...because I feel like I've answered (or sort of answered) this previously.

So, my new question is "What is something you're glad you did in your life?"

I am SO glad that I lived by myself for a year. I was completely alone in my own 1 bedroom apartment. And it was awesome. Had David G. not come along...I would have done it more than a year. But instead, we moved into the cutest little house in Grant Park, which we named "The Pickle." The year I lived at The Pickle was probably the most fun I've ever had. No, not probably. Definitely. It was, by far, the best year of my "single girl" life. Out all hours of the night, brunch the next morning out on the Dakota Blue sidewalk, living in the heart of Atlanta, friends living just around the corner. It really was great.

But anyway... The year I lived alone was so calm and quiet and peaceful. Like the calm before the storm.

#22

Something you wish you hadn't done in your life.

This one stumped me. That's why it's taken me a few days to write. Well, that and the fact that I'm sick and work is slammed and my house is a mess.

So what is something that I wish I hadn't done in my life?

There's the superficial answer: I wish I hadn't gotten my lip pierced. Why? Because it was VERY painful and got infected a lot. Basically, not worth it. But hey, I took it out and that was that. No big deal.

Then there's the slightly less superficial answer: I wish I hadn't wasted so much time on certain guys that I knew weren't good for me. This is one of those things that hindsight is 20/20 though. So, maybe I didn't realize at the time that I was wasting time. But you know what I'm saying.

So, both things are answers to the question, but not very good ones. I can't think of anything that I wish I REALLLLLLY hadn't done in my life. At least something that I don't mind blogging about openly. Yes, surprise surprise...there are a few things I'd rather keep private.

#21

Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?

Well, let me just say this first....I've been BFF with Kelli for years now. I'm thinking, like, 5 years? I can't remember exactly. Anyway...we've never fought. Never. Not once. So, this scenario just wouldn't happen.

But, let's just say it did. Let's say that we had a fight and then she got into a car accident. What do I do? I do exactly what I would do if we hadn't just gotten in a fight. Because it would be ridiculous not to.

This was a very silly question.

#20

Your views on drugs and alcohol.

My view on drugs is that they're illegal. Well, the illegal drugs are illegal. The ones that aren't illegal are prescription or OTC and should be used for what they're intended. I know many people that are pot smokers. To them I say, "Whatever." I just don't want to be caught riding in the car with them when they're using or holding. No, thanks.

As far as alcohol goes, I like it. In moderation. I used to party with the best of them, but I just can't do that anymore. I hate being sick the next day (or later that night) and it's just not worth the immediate drunken feeling. Plus, drunk people often act like dummies. They say things they don't mean and do things they wouldn't normally do. While it's all very entertaining for the sober folks, I don't really enjoy acting a fool in front of crowds of people. So, I'll stay (mostly) sober. The occasional tipsy night is definitely still in my life, as I am still in my 20's and am entitled (yes, entitled), but only when Martha is sleeping over at Granna and Pop's and only when the person driving me home is sober or I have enough time to sober up before it's time to drive.

#19

What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?

I don't really know how to start with this one. What do I think of religion? Um...I'm for it? Ha ha. I don't really know what to say. And what do I think of politics? Well, ok. I'm a Christian and I'm not really sure where I stand with politics. I'm sort of Republican, sort of a mix of things. Honestly, I've never voted. I'm not entirely sure if I ever will. I think I'd need to become more involved to do that. So, there's that.

#18

What are your views on gay marriage?

Here's the thing... Although biblically homosexuality is wrong, I am not put here to judge. Love is love. If a man loves another man, who am I to say that they should not be allowed to be legally married? Could they live a happy life together, be really great people, even have a wonderful family? Absolutely. So why would I say that it shouldn't be allowed? Obviously, anyone could come back with all the scripture and blah blah blah and start a whole bunch of hoopla about it, but that's not what I'm about. If a woman and another woman love each other and want to get hitched, I say go for it. Those are MY views on gay marriage. You may or may not agree with them, but that was the question so I answered it.

#17

A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.

There is a book called Captivating. It's by Jon and Stasi Eldredge. Jon Eldredge also wrote a book called Wild at Heart (which is basically the men's version of Captivating.)

Here's the description of the book:

Every little girl has dreams of being swept up into a great adventure, of being the beautiful princess. Sadly, when women grow up, they are often swept up into a life filled merely with duty and demands. Many Christian women are tired, struggling under the weight of the pressure to be a "good servant," a nurturing caregiver, or a capable home manager.

What Wild at Heart did for men, Captivating is doing for women. Setting their hearts free. This groundbreaking book shows readers the glorious design of women before the fall, describes how the feminine heart can be restored, and casts a vision for the power, freedom, and beauty of a woman released to be all she was meant to be. By revealing the core desires every woman shares-to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a grand adventure, and to unveil beauty-John and Stasi Eldredge invite women to recover their feminine hearts, created in the image of an intimate and passionate God. Further, they encourage men to discover the secret of a woman's soul and to delight in the beauty and strength women were created to offer.

Ok, so I don't normally read "Christian" books. I usually get bored with them and feel like I've heard a million sermons that sound like the book and I never get anything out of it. I'm not sure if it was the time of my life that I was in or the fact that this is actually a REALLY good book, but it seriously made me do a 180 on how I was feeling when I read this book. I let a friend borrow my copy a while back. I don't think she liked it. So, maybe it was just me and what I needed to hear at that time.

Anyway, here are a few quotes from the book that I particularly enjoyed:

"Fallen Eve controls her relationships. She refuses to be vulnerable. And if she cannot secure her relationships, then she kills her heart's longing for intimacy so that she will be safe and in control."

"A woman is a warrior too. But she is meant to be a warrior in a uniquely feminine way. Sometime before the sorrows of life did their best to kill it in us, most young women wanted to be a part of something grand, something important."

#16

Someone or something you definitely could live without.

Man, I could really live without hockey. I know Chris enjoys playing and watching hockey, but I really kind of hate it. It's always on at our house and I am sooooo tired of it.

This was a very superficial blog, mainly because I have a headache and I should be doing other things right now.

#15

Something or someone you couldn’t live without.

If we're being practical here, I'd say that I couldn't live without my car. I could live without my iPhone, but I would get pretty frustrated. And then there's TV. What in the world would I do without TV?! I've written before about how it's my hobby. One time, Chris thought it'd be a good idea to tell me that we should have less TV time and we should sit around and read while listening to music sometimes. There are 2 problems with this: 1) I can't read and listen to music at the same time. I can't focus on what I'm reading if there is noise. 2) I'd rather watch TV.

That's not to say that I don't read. I actually enjoy reading when I'm in the mood. I even have a book on my Christmas list this year. I just don't want to decrease my TV time to read.

I'm pretty sure that makes me sound like I should be some kind of idiot, but I assure you that I am not. I think it's unfair that watching TV has been turned into a bad thing.

#14

A hero that has let you down.

This one sucks too. I don't have a "hero" and am pretty sure that I've never really had a "hero." Plus, if I ever did, wouldn't I know not to put anyone up on a pedestal? No one is perfect. So if I looked at someone as if they were a hero, of course they're going to let me down at some point.

I saw a counselor once many years ago. In telling her some history about myself I mentioned that my parents had almost gotten divorced when I was 12, but worked it out and they're still together. She said something to the effect of how something like that could significantly effect a 12 year old girl and that when we all get a little older we realize that our parents are people too. That they aren't perfect and they make mistakes just like anyone does. I guess it's weird for some people to realize that? I'm pretty sure I figured out that my parents are people too when all that stuff happened. Or maybe I was just 12 years old and thought that it wasn't all that unusual for someone to have divorced parents. Honestly, I don't really remember what I thought. All I know is that when the counselor told me that parents make mistakes too, I just thought "Yeah, I know." Like, "Of course they do. Why would I expect them to be perfect?"

#13

A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough days.

I think anyone that knows me can answer this question. Without a doubt, Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Monsters of Folk, and others...) got me through my "oh I'm so heartbroken and lonely and emo" years. My love for his music didn't stop after the phase stopped though. I have some of his lyrics tattooed on my ankles ("No Lies" and "Just Love"). I've yet to be disappointed with an album he's put out. In my opinion, his lyrics are what makes him so great. But anyway...some people says he sings like a goat.

I'll never forget the night that I met him at a house party after one of his shows in Athens. It must have been sometime in 2002. My friend Danielle and I were standing outside of the bathroom and he walked up. We talked for a few minutes. Then later on Danielle sat next to him on the floor and took a drink of his Red Stripe beer. She apparently had a little too much beer that night and I ended up driving us home. It was seriously in my top 5 best days of my life so far. If I ever get to meet Randy Travis, that will certainly be in the top 5 too.

#12

Something you never get compliments on.

Alright, I don't like this one. This is basically asking me "What is something that you looooove about yourself that you don't think you get credit for?" and I just think that's a lame question to ask.

So, I'm going to skip this question and post a super cute picture of Martha and Chris sleeping and a monkey holding a kitten. You really can't go wrong with that.