I would like to take this last blog to say that I hope everyone has a good summer (what’s left of it anyway). For those of you graduation this summer, Congratulations!! For the rest of you, I hope to see you in the fall. I will be spending a week in Pensacola Beach during our break. I went during Spring Break last semester and it was beautiful, but a little cool for my taste. This time I hope to get sun burned, swim with the jellyfish, and get a mouth full of salt water, because I did not get to last time. Hopefully the jellyfish are not as close to the shore as they were last time, I just want to swim not get stung. If any of you are traveling, be safe and watch out for idiot drivers. If you are an idiot driver, stay at home until I get back safely. I would like to say thanks to my group members Susan and Addie for reading my essays and giving feedback. I would also like to apologize to them for HAVING to read my essays. I would like to thank Ms. Smith in advance for my A, you’re a great teacher, learned a lot, loved your class, ect. I will be sure to drink a Pina’ Colada for everyone while I’m lying on the beach. And I’ll probably be hung over for all of you too; 10 Pina’ Coladas is a lot. Have a great summer everyone!

I received this in the mail the other day. It is a cookie that says, “Will You Be My Maid of Honor?” I thought it was such a cute way for my sister Kelli to ask me to be in her wedding. She sent one to all the girls in the wedding party. I had no idea I was getting one. At first I thought she sent me the wrong one. I figured I was just going to be a bridesmaid; not that being a bridesmaid would be a bad thing. I really feel honored. Kelli and I have never really been close. I was once engaged and he was my everything. My whole family came second to him, including my sister. We are no longer together, and it is weird how I am more excited about my sister’s wedding than I was my own. Kelli and I are closer now than we ever were before and I felt emotional when I received that cookie in the mail. Of course, the guys don’t understand; most of them think it is stupid. “Why would Kelli send you a cookie?” my dad asked. I told him it wasn’t about the cookie, but what it said. I am really happy for her and I am honored to be by her side the whole way. She ordered them from Weddingish.com if anyone is interested. I'm pretty sure they have tuxedo ones for the guys

My sister and her fiance have decided that they would like to enjoy the company of family members longer than a couple of hours at their wedding. They made reservations on Carnival Cruise Line for anyone that wants to go. They said they can go out of town alone together anytime, but while family members are in town for the wedding, we should take a vacation together. My dad said it's like having company on their honeymoon, but they travel together all the time and they want a chance to spend time with everyone. At the weddings I've been to, the bride and groom do not even notice who is there or not there. They are too caught up in everything to make rounds to say Hello. My sister said we will be able to swim with the dolphins. They took these pictures in early June when they went on a small three day cruise. She is always trying to get me to go, but I have not been able to schedule them around school. Their wedding is April 12, 2008 and the cruise starts on April 14, 2008. Of course, this does not fall during Spring Break because that would be too perfect. So now I have to beg my professors to work with me so I can go on the cruise. It is probably going to be tough missing a week of school that close to graduation, but maybe it'll all work out. I would love to go.

My dad was a big fan of Dale Earnardt. Since his death, NASCAR has not been the same. My dad really doesn't watch that often anymore. A lot of people say he looks like Dale. He and his friends would go to the NASCAR races and my dad would sit in one of the show cars with his hat and sunglasses on and the fans thought it was really Dale Earnhardt. My dad even named his dog Eddie Dale. He wears a #3 collar to match my dad's hat. Regal Cinemas on the Boardwalk is showing a one night event of his life. I made sure to get my dad tickets. I bet someone in there will tell him he looks like Dale, they usually do. My dad doesn't like Dale Jr. as much, but he still roots for him occasionally. My mom is the biggest NASCAR fan in the family now. She is worse than the guys ever thought about being. She screams a lot louder too. I try to get her to pause the race (she has DVR) when someone calls or if someone has something to say, but she doesn't want to miss anything. Needless to say, Sunday's are left for NASCAR; we know better than to go to her house (or call her for that matter) on Race Day.
(image from http://www.fandango.com/daleonenightevent_109457/movietimes?date=7/19/2007)

My sister and her boyfriend have been engaged for a week now and I think my dad is starting to worry. He has raised my sister and me since I was three and she was five. He is going to be on an emotional roller coaster when the day comes for him to give her away. I’m sure I will shed a few tears myself. The three of us have always been close and no one has ever been able to keep us apart. My dad has never remarried because he says we are the most important women in his life. Everything he does is for us and I know he will be an emotional wreck on this day. Since the engagement, he has mentioned the wedding everyday and asks me what I think about it. He asks me if they set a date and what kind of ceremony they want. He is full of questions. We are happy for them and I think he is scared of losing her forever. I think he is excited, scared, worried, and happy all at the same time. She is 27 and her boyfriend has waited 3 ½ years to ask her that question. It is going to be weird having a bother-in-law and telling people that my sister is married. I wish them all the best and hope they are very happy.

Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your LifeSpencer Johnson, Ken Blanchard, Kenneth H. Blanchard, Ken Blanchard (Foreword by)image from Barnes&Noble.com

I was told about this book by my boyfriend. We were in Barnes and Noble looking for a book for my Book Review and we found this book too. He has heard many people talk about this book and it was mentioned again in his management class. He told me all about it and said that it was supposed to be really good. It wasn't that long and we didn't have anywhere to be, so we sat down and we both read it right then and there. It was an inspiring book and made we want to change the way I do things in life. I won't give anything away just in case you want to read it, but I will say that it was really easy to read. It even has a few pictures! I would recommend reading it at the store over a latte' with a good freind. We had a great time and that was something neither of us had ever done before.

Money does not make a person a “Good” person. I met someone from the movie industry the other night and he was not a nice person. It seems the more money they have the more they treat others like crap. Don’t get me wrong, some of the stars that come in town are just so polite and treat everyone with the upmost respect. But there are a select few that tend to think they can do no wrong. This guy was even a behind-the-scene guy; he acted like he was the creator of the all movie magic in the world. He was jerk. I would rather them shot movies elsewhere than to bring their bad-attitudes into our city. We don’t need that here, we have enough problems.