Apples to Apples and Cheese

So, after graduating from St. Olaf, I never realized how much I'd miss campus, in particular my friends. You develop such a bond with your peers. Its so difficult to go from being with everyone your age to being back living at home with few people left around your age. I miss the little things....the fall colors on campus....the occassional poker game.....Apples to Apples....the theater department....going to Target or Cub late at night...a random football or frisbee game....so many things. I don't miss the school work, but I miss the people and the memories. Ok, cheezy, mabye, but I love cheese (I have to, being a 'sconi).

So, since I don't really know how to express in words my thoughts right now, I thought I'd share a couple of original poems:

The Highway: To L.T.

The dashed lines breeze past
Twice the speed of life-
an investment.
Yellow lines blur
Dull, transparent, lifeless
Look out the window before

CRASH

and look at
the needles on a pine tree
the red breast of a robin
a doe and her fawn experimenting
with a crop of alf alfa

instead of steel and concrete
listen to
the yelp of a coyote
the splash of a jumping perch
the giggle of a baby
Silence
instead of sirens and car engines

Soon those yellow lines--
Become moments
vivid, distinct, musical
Each mile marker--
a milestone
For the long road trip home
That some complete
Before the journey really
ends
Its those 'roadies'
that count each dashed line
Remembering its shade of yellow--sunflower
Its texture--rough
Its length--too long
Its width--too short
Its story--one of millions
To Live On


The Bottle

A bottled heart gathers dust
sits with creeks and cracks
Cornered away where it is safe
It doesn't want to sparkle
It doesn't wish to be emptied.
It just wants to be dusted
drank--maybe a little
and tasted with class
a selective sip
Some will eventually savor


Twenty three...going on thirteen
Little girl, stay in books
You will never handle the streets
You don't possess the sense--
Use the pot to boil the water
Make sure to keep the dogs locked up
Put on a little foundation
Maybe some eye shadow
Lose a little weight--remember your heart.
Turn off the lights, lock the door.
As If I Don't Know....
Twenty-three, going on thirteen.

So, today, the Packers finally won a game. Brett Favre finally reached 400 touchdowns. The question has been posed for a couple of years now...is #4 washed up? If anyone watched the game today, they should honestly be able to admit that no...he still has a lot in him left. He left the weekend with the second most passing yards....340ish with NO interceptions....I'd say thats pretty darn good football playing. There is nothing like watching Brett and his youthful, boy like intensity as he plays the game. Only when he loses that, should anyone say that Brett should retire!!

Thats all I have to say about that......

What I Wish....(in no particular order)

1) People would finally understand the importance and genius of Reba McEntire to the entertainment industry.
a. Another meeting with Reba to tell her these things....
2) Brett Favre would get one more Super Bowl ring with the Packers.
3) I could act for a living and spend my life on stage.
4) I could find a job and my parents would get off my back.
b.When people want experience for a job, they should remember that there needs to be a way to OBTAIN experience as well!!
5) People would be reminded that "The DaVinci Code's" cover reads 'a novel'...no matter how interesting or true the premise of the book is.
6) A petition to stop cancer would actually work.
7) Russ Feingold will be our next President
8) My parents would get over stupid little things and remember whats really important.
9) I could actually find a special someone to spend my time with......
Lyric time: Born to be Blue The Judds

Maybe Im wrong

Maybe Im right

Maybe I just dont know

Will I ever fall in love

And never have to worry

That Im fallin all alone?

Maybe its true

I was just born to be blue

Maybe its true

I was just born to be blue

They say everybodys got a someone

A sweet somebody to love

It might be fate or destiny

May be written in the stars above

But I cant help but wonder

After all that Ive been through

Maybe my babys nowhere to be found

And I was just born to be blue

Was I born to be unhappy?

Just to live on heartache street

Was I born to go to bed each night

And cry myself to sleep?

Can somebody out there help me?

Give me some kind of clue

Tell me Im wrong, tell me Im right

But, dont tell me I was born to be blue

They say nobody dies from a heartache

You cant drown in your own tears

But who wants to live in this world alone

Where minutes turn into years?

So Id rather go down believin

Suffer a heartache or two

Tell me Im wrong, tell me Im right

But, dont tell me I was born to be blue

Was I born to be blue?

Born just to cry?

Born to be alone til the day I die?

Somebody tell me

Was I born to be loved?

Born to be kissed?

Born to find the one to show me what I missed?

Was I born to be blue?

Born just to cry?

Born to be alone til the day I die?

Tell me, mama

Was I born to be loved?

Born to be kissed?

Born to find the one to show me what I missed?

That song says it all for me right now.

I love these lyrics to Rodney Atkins song "If You're Going Through Hell"...

Well you know those times
When you feel like there's a sign there on your back
Say's I don't mind if ya kick me
Seems like everybody has
Things go from bad to worse
You'd think they can't get worse than that
And then they do
You step off the straight and narrow
And you don't know where you are
Use the needle of your compass
To sew up your broken heart
Ask directions from a genie
In a bottle of Jim Beam
And she lies to You
That's when you learn the truth

chorus
If you're going through hell
Keep on going,
Don't slow down
If you're scared, don't show it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there

Well I been deep down in that darkness
I been down to my last match
Felt a hundred different demons
Breathing fire in my back
And I knew that if I stumbled
I'd fall right into the trap that they were laying,
But the good news
Is there's angels everywhere out on the street
Holding out a hand to pull you back upon your feet
The one's that you been dragging for so long
You're on your knees
You might as well be praying
Guess what I'm saying (repeat chorus)

Its so simply said, and yet so beautifully written....Just keep swimming, just keep swimming (kudos to all who understand that last reference!)

So, what do you say on these things? Everyone's got opinions, experiences...stories. I guess thats what these are for. You know, I've really gotten into the movie Rent. For those who've never seen it, or who are only remotely familiar with it, the movie deals with the lives of a group of friends, about half of which have AIDS. Its a story about thier relationships, a story about living thier life to the fullest. Its about not being afraid of who you are and what you stand for. I guess thats where I'll start witih this blog...live laugh love....how do you measure a year in the life? Here' to you Luann!!