tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30060545215757616672024-03-13T06:22:16.459-05:00Bruce's BlogWelcome to my little corner of the Interwebs! I'll keep you in the loop about life, school, and anything else I find interesting! Enjoy!Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-28857488080747869662017-05-21T23:58:00.003-05:002017-05-22T00:05:51.365-05:00Harper's turning 3... and I can't handle it<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5/22/2014</td></tr>
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What a difference a few years makes. Harper is turning three.<br />
<br />
Yep, <u><i><b>three</b></i></u>. Too soon, Father Time, too soon.<br />
<br />
It seems like just the other day we were waking up really early to go to the hospital to be induced. I remember thinking as we walked out the door that the next time we came home, we'd be a family of three.<br />
<br />
And now here we are with a three-year-old little lady. I can't imagine what life would be like without Miss Harper Grace Finklea.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jumping off the big inflatable!</td></tr>
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Yesterday, we had her birthday part at Pump It Up. We did a Troll theme, and she loved it! She's been into Trolls since we took her to see the movie over Christmas break.<br />
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One of the inflatables at Pump It Up has a tall part to jump off of. Our brave girl jumped--well, more like slid--off. I was so surprised. Looks like Three is going to be a year where she's filled with more courage. <br />
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Over the past few days, she's gotten on a kick where she repeatedly tells us she love us. Rides in the car are filled with declarations of "I love you, MamaDada." (It's often blurred together into one word.) "I love y'alls." (She often adds the s to y'all, as if it weren't plural already.) And then we get "Y'alls are my <b><i>fav-or-ites!</i></b>" in a sing-song voice. We respond with "We love you, Harper" each time, but after about the 30th time, we try to change the subject.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-37osipXCYq4/WSJujvW2u2I/AAAAAAAAAhI/DhQLK_GachUdeWcpWoJlIb0N_wDDPckewCEw/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-37osipXCYq4/WSJujvW2u2I/AAAAAAAAAhI/DhQLK_GachUdeWcpWoJlIb0N_wDDPckewCEw/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="235" /></a>And now here I sit, blogging for the first time in almost three years on the eve of her third birthday, and I'm an emotional wreck.<br />
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I know I need to cherish those car ride declarations of love. I know one day the "I love yous" will come less frequently. I know she'll figure our that "y'all" is already plural.<br />
<br />
It's those little things that I never want to forget. <br />
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I love how she calls dinosaurs "dinosorns" and the movie <i>Moana</i> "Hoo-ana."<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--4-SpfOuzf8/WSJukWX12_I/AAAAAAAAAhI/lrOOjkjk8DUV_51XfhEhHCdzMIJ9VcWPQCEw/s1600/IMG_5073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--4-SpfOuzf8/WSJukWX12_I/AAAAAAAAAhI/lrOOjkjk8DUV_51XfhEhHCdzMIJ9VcWPQCEw/s200/IMG_5073.JPG" width="200" /></a>When she gets hurt, she cries, "I hurt me right here!" and points to the boo-boo.<br />
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I love how she asks "Can I wear my princess dress for some seconds?" or "Do you want to hold Big Baby for some minutes?" (And then tells us to be quiet because Big Baby is sleeping.)<br />
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If you ask her what her favorite color is, she always says, "Pink and purple."<br />
<br />
The other day she gave me a checkup with her Doc McStuffins
stethoscope--she calls it her "necklace"--and told me that my "heart beak was... growly."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-214bd-K3_tg/WSJuifF6PyI/AAAAAAAAAhI/qEUafYshpK0lBbTE3TEvcoMMINih3JQGgCEw/s1600/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-214bd-K3_tg/WSJuifF6PyI/AAAAAAAAAhI/qEUafYshpK0lBbTE3TEvcoMMINih3JQGgCEw/s200/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" width="152" /></a>I love that she will watch <i>Star Trek</i>
with me. Her favorite is TOS, and she loves the one where Kirk fights
the Gorn, which she calls a "dinosorn." I bought her some little stuffed
versions of the crew a few months ago, and she called them "Captain
America, Spock, Bones, and Uh-hoo-hoo." She's got Kirk figured out now, but she still has trouble with Uhura. <br />
<br />
I also let her
play with one of my old toy phasers. Even after 20+ years, it'll still
light up and make noise. We pretend to shoot each other, and she'll fall
down like she got stunned. She doesn't call it a phaser. Instead, she
calls it a "puh-choo-er," which is sort of like the sound that it makes.<br />
<br />
On the way home from Dea and Bilbo's tonight, Jackie had been saying, "Eeny, meeny, minee, mo. Catch a tiger by the toe." Harper started repeating it in the car, saying, "Eeny, meeny, minee, mo. Catch a tiger. Bite his toe!" (And then she tried to bite her own toe.)<br />
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There are so many other little things she says or does that I'm sure I've already forgotten. I'm going to try and be better about writing them down.<br />
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She's growing up so fast, I know my brain won't be able to keep up, and if these past three years have taught me anything, it's that time is fleeting.<br />
<br />
She's already figured out how to correctly say some of the things that used to trip her up, like pronouncing "Finklea" as "Fink-ee" or mixing up her name as "Harper Finklea Grace."<br />
<br />
And sometimes, instead of Dada, she calls me Daddy. I can't handle it.<br />
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I'm not ready to be Daddy.<br />
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Dada is just fine.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for her 3rd Birthday party!</td></tr>
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<br />Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-59621751982329422442014-09-12T22:42:00.000-05:002015-09-12T22:34:17.251-05:00To Harper: You Are More Than EnoughI can't believe Harper is three and a half months old already. Time has flown by at warp speed! Being Harper's Daddy is one of the highest honors I've had in my life.<br />
<br />
But it hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows. There have been plenty of sleepless nights, screaming fits (from her, not me), and blowout diapers. (And people say, "Cherish every moment." That's hard to do at 2:30AM with a screaming baby who refuses to burp... or when I feel the warmth of her poop oozing out of her diaper and through my shirt. I'd really like to forget those moments... or at least let the fuzzy haze of memory soften the raw nerves exposed at those times.)<br />
<br />
It's funny to think that we used to be so certain that Harper was going to be a boy. Now I can't imagine a day without my blue-eyed, smiling, whip-smart baby girl. She is the bee's knees and the cat's pajamas.<br />
<br />
But there's one thing that I will never forget about being a first-time daddy and a daddy to a daughter, and that's the people who somehow seem disappointed or sorry for me that we did not have a boy. "Well, maybe the next one," they say. "You gotta have a boy."<br />
<br />
Maybe the next one will be a boy. Maybe it won't. That is not for me to say, but what is for me to say is this letter to my daughter:<br />
<br />
<i>To my dear baby girl,</i><br />
<br />
<i>Thank you for showing me what true love is. From the first moment I held you in my arms, you were mine, and I was yours. My world was complete. I could wish for nothing more.</i><br />
<br />
<i>You were only a few days old when Mommy and I took you on one of your very first outings. (I think it was to the pediatrician's office, but I can't be sure.) We decided to stop and grab a burger for lunch, and while we were sitting there--our first time in a restaurant as a family of three--an older gentleman took a seat a few booths away.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Your first?" he asked. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Yes," I said. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"What did you have?"</i><br />
<br />
<i>(He couldn't see you because, being good first-time parents, we had you cocooned in your car seat beneath a cover to protect your skin from the Alabama summer sun.)</i><br />
<br />
<i>"A baby girl," I replied, a smile beaming from my lips, while my eyes drooped from a lack of sleep. And then I saw it--even through my tired eyes--a flash of disappointment.</i><br />
<br />
<i>"Well," he said, "maybe the next one will be a boy. You gotta pass on that family name, you know."</i><br />
<br />
<i>I don't remember what I said to that man (or to the others who said something similar over the following months), but I remember thinking, "Harper, you are more than enough."</i><br />
<br />
<i>I don't need a baby boy to make my life complete. I don't need a baby boy to pass on the family name. Even if our family name were to end, I would not regret having a baby girl. A name is just a name, and you are so much more than a consolation prize. </i><br />
<br />
<i>You are my daughter. My first born. My heart living outside my body. You are my greatest achievement in life. (And in case you one day have siblings, <u>all</u> of my children will be my greatest achievement in life. Dad's not playing favorites.)</i><br />
<br />
<i>You are going to grow up in a world that sends so many messages to girls that tell you that you aren't good enough: You aren't smart enough. You aren't pretty enough. You aren't skinny enough.</i><br />
<br />
<b><i>They. Are. Lies.</i></b><br />
<br />
<i><i>Don't let this world tell you that you can't do something because you are a girl. Don't let this world make you believe you aren't good enough because you are a girl. </i></i><br />
<br />
<i>You are not less. Your are not secondary. You are not a disappointment. You are who you were meant to be...and that is to be my daughter.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>And above all else: Harper Grace Finklea, I want you to know that you are more than enough for me.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I will be proud of you, cherish you, and love you until my last breath leaves this temporary body. And you will live on--my heart beating outside my body. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>You will be my legacy--not some last name passed down from a father to his sons and their sons. (Besides, most people can't pronounce or spell our last name correctly anyway. You're already going to spend years telling people, "It's a long E and a silent A.")</i><br />
<br />
<i>It is my hope that by the time you are old enough to read this (on whatever 3D, holographic computer you'll use in the future), you will think it is silly that your dear old dad had to write this down...because I will have raised you to know that you are a strong, smart, beautiful, capable, caring, compassionate woman...</i><br />
<br />
<i>who is second to none.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Love forever and always,</i><br />
<i>Dad</i><br />
<br />
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<i> </i>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-64493475739086146982013-10-22T18:20:00.000-05:002013-10-22T18:20:26.224-05:00BIG NEWS! Baby Finklea Coming in May 2014!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Y'all, I can't even begin to describe how full my heart feels right now! Jackie and I are so blessed to be able to announce that we are pregnant!!!<br />
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This is something that we've prayed about for a long time. The Lord has used this time to bring us closer to Him and closer to each other.<br />
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This journey has not been easy, but God has been faithful. Our hope was (and is) always in Him. We know that we've still got a long time until we get to hold our little bundle of joy, but we are bathing May 28, 2014, in prayer. We ask that you do, too.<br />
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We are so thankful for our family and friends that we shared this news with before we made our public announcement. They have been such a source of strength and love... and they're apparently fantastic secret-keepers!<br />
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I can't even wrap my mind around what life will be like next summer! I'm so thankful that God's timing will allow me to be home for almost 3 months when the baby gets here.<br />
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I'm so glad we've gone public. Keeping it a secret was SO hard!Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-68345214193433996642013-09-03T00:03:00.003-05:002013-09-03T20:20:42.928-05:00Houses that Built Me: My Great-Grandmother Josey's HouseThis blog is inspired by my wife's cousin's blog, <a href="http://unskinnyboppy.com/" target="_blank">Unskinny Boppy</a>, specifically, <a href="http://unskinnyboppy.com/2013/08/the-houses-that-built-me-west-blocton/" target="_blank">this entry</a>. Beth is a home decor, DIY, photography blogging phenom, and y'all should totally check her site out!<br />
<br />
Anywho, enough about her. Let's get back to me. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Sorry, Beth.)</span><br />
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When I think about the houses that built me, the one that immediately comes to mind is my great-grandmother's 100+-year-old house on Pearl Street in Darlington, South Carolina.<br />
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Since we never lived near either of my parents' families while I was growing up, summer vacation meant 3 months--you know, back when summer vacation was a full 3 months--of crashing with relatives (mainly grandparents and aunts and uncles). We spent a lot of time in my dad's hometown of Florence and in Goldsboro, North Carolina, where my mom's parents put down roots.<br />
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But one special house was alway's Josey's old blue house surrounded by numerous plants that she'd cultivated throughout the years which was just a few miles up the street from the Darlington Motor Speedway. <br />
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We'll start our tour on the back porch. On the old swing is where I lost my first tooth. Dad pulled it, and boy did it hurt! The tooth was loose, but to this day, I don't think it was loose enough to come out! There was also an <u><i>old</i></u> stove on the porch. We used to play at it, and some summers, one of Josey's cats would have a litter of kittens under the stove. We'd play with them and name them. Josey had more cats than we could count!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sitting on the swing with Josey many moons ago.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-56Rth5B7H70/UiVpyCBrcPI/AAAAAAAAAPY/B9xm0iUk7nc/s1600/skeleton-keys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-56Rth5B7H70/UiVpyCBrcPI/AAAAAAAAAPY/B9xm0iUk7nc/s200/skeleton-keys.jpg" width="200" /></a>Walking through the backdoor--because no one ever, ever used the front door--was like stepping back in time. There was an old screen door with a spring that made such a distinctive creaking sound that I can still hear it's metallic whining sound as it was stretched clear as a bell in my mind. And all of the doors were so old that they locked with a plain-looking skeleton key, which in hindsight seems so funny...and unsafe. <br />
<br />
The ceilings were well over 12 feet tall (and as a kid, they seemed even taller), and the kitchen was painted a bright, sun-shiny yellow. The white kitchen appliances (really just a sink, small counter space, and a stove/oven) were straight out of the 1950s. They might have been even older, but I'm not sure. What I do know is that they still worked. And Josey would boil water on that stove for her tea that was so hot we never understood how she was able to drink it. (Of course, I guess after decades of drinking scalding tea, she developed a tolerance.) I remember we'd also warm saltine crackers in that old oven. If you toasted them just a bit, they'd become the best crackers you ever put in your mouth. <br />
<br />
The fridge wasn't in the kitchen. It was on the side porch that had been enclosed to also add a bathroom some time ago in yesteryear. There was the 1950s fridge that matched the other appliances. It had died long ago, and I remember being told every summer to never, ever open that fridge. Beside it sat an 1980s side-by-side refrigerator, which I always thought was cool since we just had a standard, freezer-on-top model at home. (Didn't take much to entertain me back then...) Also on the side porch was the bathroom. It only had a washing machine, toilet, and a heavy cast iron tub in it. To this day, it's the only bathroom that I've ever used where I had to wash my hands in the tub. Moving back out onto the porch, there was part of an old exterior wall beside the door that lead back into the kitchen. It was painted the same pale blue as the rest of the outside of the house, except the paint was peeling badly. For years, I would go break off tiny chips of paint. Over time, I left a pretty large (paintless) mark on that wall.<br />
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Heading back into the kitchen, Josey had a chair by the door that lead out to the enclosed porch. It was where she would sit by her space heater and listen to the radio, which sat on a simple wooden shelf beside the hot water heater that sat out in the open for everyone to see. (Of course, we decorated it with our artwork and refrigerator magnets.) Beside her chair was the wall where me, my brother, and my cousins charted our growth each summer. There were a lot of marks by the time the house was torn down, but my parents cut out that piece of drywall and have it in their home now. Not only is it a piece of my history, but that drywall binds together 4 generations on my mother's side of the family. That means a lot to me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Popeye, and Zach in Josey's chair. The drywall beside the door is where we'd eventually start the growth chart.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zach, Josey, Me, and Gran Peg.</td></tr>
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Off the kitchen was a small, square-shaped hallway. ("Hallway" isn't really the right word. It was more like the hub of the house, where you could go from the kitchen to the guest room, master bedroom, or dining room (which was also the living room because the formal living room was used as storage). In this tiny hub was a small triangle-shaped shelf where the rotary telephone sat in one corner.<br />
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The door to the left would take you into the large guest bedroom that my grandparents slept in when they visited my great-grandmother. The ceilings soared way overhead, and the old walls had spiderweb-like cracks that went clear up to the ceiling. There was also a working sink in one corner of the room. It is often where I brushed my teeth. (Remember, there was no sink in the bathroom.) On the small shelf above it, my grandfather would put his dentures in a clear plastic cup. That always weirded me out...and yet, I always looked at them.<br />
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Back in the hub/hall, the next door would take you into my great-grandmother's bedroom. It was always dark in there, and to be honest, I hardly ever went in there much. Although, off of her room was a small bedroom that stuck out on the side of the house. I do remember one summer sleeping in that room, with many nights spent watching the headlights and tail lights of cars driving up and down the street. It was very different from the quiet country life we had in the backwoods of Shelby, Alabama... or at least it seemed that way at the time.<br />
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The last door off of the hub/hall took you into what was supposed to be the dining room, but it doubled as a living and dining room. This was the only air conditioned room in the house, thanks to a single window unit. The other window had a large fan that was used to pull air through the house when we didn't have the AC on. Against one wall was an old console television. And in true Southern fashion, when it died, a new, smaller TV was simply placed on top of it.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bgz1UloteBA/UiVqMu4ASaI/AAAAAAAAAP8/5toFLKv5ERo/s1600/Untitled1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bgz1UloteBA/UiVqMu4ASaI/AAAAAAAAAP8/5toFLKv5ERo/s400/Untitled1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see a mini tea set in the top right corner.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We used to have fold out pallets that we'd sleep on in the living room floor when we'd stay there during the summer. (And we'd gladly sleep on the living room floor in order to stay cool on those hot summer nights!)<br />
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The other thing I remember about the living room was the shiny black fireplace and mantle. On the mantle, Josey kept an assortment of ceramic figurines and other odds and ends. She had miniature tea sets, a statue of Jesus, and a bunch of other stuff. Of course, over time the ceramics would become stuck to the mantle, and I would always pull on them to break them free. I'd always put things back exactly where they were, but for some reason, I got a kick out of getting them unstuck. I don't know if anyone ever knew I did that.<br />
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This room had more doors than any other in the house. There was one that would lead to the porch (but was blocked by a table). Another would lead to the enclosed portion of the porch leading to the bathroom, but it was blocked by the 1960s sofa. There was the door to the hub/hall, another to Josey's bedroom, and one to the front hall, which lead to the front door and formal living room. I remember thinking that all of those doors were so cool. Of course, I'm sure they were there for improved circulation in the pre-AC days, but you just don't see houses with so many doors anymore.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UV7VkFWuWoI/UiVpxCzI5fI/AAAAAAAAAPA/blRm-BuNt_4/s1600/100_0172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="419" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UV7VkFWuWoI/UiVpxCzI5fI/AAAAAAAAAPA/blRm-BuNt_4/s640/100_0172.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You never walked too far to the left of the porch...for fear you may fall through!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0mRjpWIBhls/UiVpw6JDGOI/AAAAAAAAAO4/RhqE0DckbUM/s1600/100_0173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="419" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0mRjpWIBhls/UiVpw6JDGOI/AAAAAAAAAO4/RhqE0DckbUM/s640/100_0173.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The small room sticking out on the right side is the bedroom that I'd watch the cars pass by from.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's sad to think that Josey's house isn't there anymore. It's been years since I drove by the empty lot (and according to Google Earth, it's still empty).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9wrZY2Hi5PA/UiVpyIHtORI/AAAAAAAAAPM/zs41sUdkzdg/s1600/pearl+street+today.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="491" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9wrZY2Hi5PA/UiVpyIHtORI/AAAAAAAAAPM/zs41sUdkzdg/s640/pearl+street+today.tiff" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The house stood to the right of the parking lot. You can still see the where the driveway was.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mom and Dad got married in the church next door. And the small building with the square-shaped roof on the upper left side is the diner that we used to walk to and order chili dogs at. There was a lot of family history on that block.<br />
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I try to hold onto these memories. I'm thankful to Beth for inspiring me to write these down before they fade away.Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-39225319538057647682013-09-02T23:09:00.000-05:002013-09-03T20:21:21.787-05:00"It's a Major Award!" (Not a Leg Lamp)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b9YHZ6tS29s/UiVWrd_g25I/AAAAAAAAAOc/HL7txBh6S3k/s1600/liebster2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b9YHZ6tS29s/UiVWrd_g25I/AAAAAAAAAOc/HL7txBh6S3k/s320/liebster2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
I've been seeing posts about the Liebster Award making the rounds in the blogosphere. Some of my friends were nominated for it, and it was cool to see what questions they had to answer. I noticed that my friend Bethany, who I've known for as long as I can remember, got nominated for her blog, <a href="http://thehuttonsbtb.blogspot.com/2013/09/liebster-award.html" target="_blank">Hanging with the Huttons</a>. Bethany has really been kicking butt and taking names with her blog lately... and by that, I mean she's been posting regularly and really promoting her blog--both of which are things I rarely do.<br />
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The award is designed to spread awareness about smaller blogs (200 followers or less). With my 18 subscribers, I'd say I definitely fit the bill for that. It's also intended for new bloggers, which I don't really consider myself to be. This blog has been alive and kicking since January of 2011... but I guess in the grand scheme of things, it's still relatively new. <br />
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<b>The criteria, should you accept this award, is as follows:</b><br />
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Thank your nominator by linking back to their post. <i>(Done.)</i></div>
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Answer 11 questions posed by your nominator. <i>(See below.)</i></div>
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Make a list of 11 facts about yourself. <i>(Oh, boy...)</i></div>
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Nominate 3-5 up and coming bloggers with 200 followers or less. <i>(OK.)</i></div>
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Provide a list of 11 questions for your nominees to answer. <i>(Insert evil laugh here. Muahahaha!)</i></div>
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Publish your post and contact your nominees with the awesome news! <i>(They will be SO thrilled!)</i><b> </b></div>
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<b>Questions From Bethany:</b></div>
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1. What is your favorite recipe? </div>
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Hands down, my mom's homemade mac and cheese. The. BEST. EVER!!!</div>
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2. What is your favorite restaurant?</div>
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I'd have to say Joe's Italian. It's where <a href="http://jfinklea.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jackie</a> and I went on our first date, the day we got engaged, and who catered our wedding. </div>
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3. What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?</div>
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Well, it's not my favorite, but I've been writing a lot on my dissertation in my free time. Other than that, I like to read and watch TV. I need to workout in my free time, too! </div>
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4. Where is your favorite place to go on a date?</div>
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Jackie has been good about getting us to do different stuff. She took me to the drive-in in Harpersville a few weeks ago. We've gone bowling. Anywhere with her is my favorite place to go because she's my favorite person! (Brownie points: nailed it!) </div>
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5. What would be your dream job?</div>
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The job I have right now. I'm an instructor at the University of Montevallo in the Mass Communication Program, and as soon as I successfully defend my dissertation, I'll be promoted to Assistant Professor! <a href="http://brucefinklea.blogspot.com/2011/09/its-good-to-be-back-at-montevallo.html" target="_blank">Click here to read about when I started this job.</a></div>
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6. What is your favorite high school memory?</div>
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Oh, gosh! There are SO many, but if I had to pick one, I guess it would be the day we graduated. It was such a rush knowing that I had finally finished school and was about to start college! </div>
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7. What has been the best day of your life?</div>
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Easy one: our wedding day. </div>
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8. What is your favorite tv show?</div>
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Oh, boy. It's SO hard to choose. My go-to shows are anything from the Star Trek franchise. I'm also hooked on <i>Doctor Who</i> right now. And Jackie and I have been known to watch <i>Law & Order: SVU</i> for 12 hours straight.</div>
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9. Where do you want to live when you retire?</div>
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Well, it looks like we'll be staying in Shelby County. But I'd love to have a beach house, too. </div>
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10. What is your favorite vacation spot?</div>
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Seagrove/Seaside/Destin. I've been going there for years with friends. It's where we went on our honeymoon. It's where we go with my parents each year. And it's a tradition that I hope to continue some day when Jackie and I have kids. </div>
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11. What's the best vacation you've ever been on?</div>
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With Jackie: Definitely our honeymoon. It was the first time we went away together, and we had so much fun. It was a perfect week! Our <a href="http://brucefinklea.blogspot.com/2012/05/so-its-been-while-and-thats-ok.html" target="_blank">NYC trip</a> was another good one!</div>
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Random: My Mom and I made an overnight trip to Louisville, Kentucky, the other year so I could visit the Star Trek Exhibition at the science center. <a href="http://brucefinklea.blogspot.com/2011/05/beaming-up-to-star-trek-exhibition.html" target="_blank">You can read all about the nerd-cation here. </a></div>
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<b>11 Random Facts About Myself</b></div>
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1. I'm a procrastinator. I'll tell you more about it later.</div>
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2. I'm terrible with names, which is a problem when I teach large classes at UM. </div>
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3. I have a fear of automatic sliding doors. I'm afraid that the sensor will miss me and that the doors will close, cutting me in half. I've had nightmares about this. I know the doors won't do that, but I've had this irrational fear for years!</div>
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4. My <a href="http://www.5lovelanguages.com/" target="_blank">love language </a>is gifts. This makes Christmas and birthdays exciting and stressful. While I love receiving gifts, I truly love picking out gifts for others. But sometimes putting that much thought and time into gift selections is exhausting and wears me out! But when I see them open it and love it, that's a fantastic feeling!</div>
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5. I have two toes that are webbed together (not completely, but like a third of the way). </div>
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6. I've written a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Media-Effects-Jennings-Bryant/dp/1577667859" target="_blank">text book</a>!</div>
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7. I<a href="http://brucefinklea.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-near-death-experience-with-zumba.html" target="_blank"> tried Zumba once</a>. Won't do that again!</div>
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8. When I get my PhD, I'm going to get a replica of the Doctor's sonic screwdriver, since I will also be a Doctor. </div>
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9. I'm terrified of heights and get vertigo really bad. </div>
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10. I'm a HUGE sci-fi nerd!</div>
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11. My research area (and dissertation topic) is children's media and gender, specifically masculinity in Pixar films. </div>
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<b>My nominees are:</b> </div>
Ok, this is hard because so many of my blogging buddies have already been picked, but I do have two people that I'd like to nominate. Neither of them are "new" bloggers, but they do have less than 200 followers. <br />
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1. Shannon at <a href="http://msdudley.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">we be studly</a>. </div>
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2. Kim at <a href="http://www.kimchance.com/" target="_blank">Crazy Mosaic</a>. </div>
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Gosh, now I've got to come up with some questions for them....</div>
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<b>Questions for My Nominees:</b></div>
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1. What is your favorite memory of me?</div>
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<b></b>2. What is your favorite book?</div>
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3. If you could take a road trip anywhere, where would you go?</div>
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4. If you could pick up and move anywhere in the world (other than your hometown), where would you move to?</div>
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5. If your life was made into a movie, which celebrity would play you and your husband?</div>
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6. What is the hardest thing you've ever had to do?</div>
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7. What is your favorite TV show?</div>
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8. What was the last thing that made you laugh?</div>
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9. What has been the best day of your life?</div>
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10. If you could swap lives with any celebrity or other famous person for 24 hours, who would you pick?</div>
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11. What is the weirdest thing that has happened to you in the last month?</div>
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Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-87326808225990711672013-08-05T18:40:00.000-05:002013-08-05T18:43:37.657-05:00When Life Hands You Lemons...We've all heard the saying, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade."<br />
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Let's be frank: that's a load of crap.<br />
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When life handed me lemons today, I wanted to say, "Really, life? More lemons? Take them back. I've had enough."<br />
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Then my inner Madea said this:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WsP5Bdx_mJM/UgA1QOfhVBI/AAAAAAAAANw/k8SiBXKfSnQ/s1600/Lemons+Madea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WsP5Bdx_mJM/UgA1QOfhVBI/AAAAAAAAANw/k8SiBXKfSnQ/s320/Lemons+Madea.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Let's face facts: we don't want lemons in life. They are sour. On their own, they are not enjoyable. And sometimes, no matter what you do, there is no way that you can take those lemons and turn them into something good.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bFJ7DLIYboU/UgA1QKIcJ-I/AAAAAAAAAN0/wQhIn57t2Ss/s1600/lemons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bFJ7DLIYboU/UgA1QKIcJ-I/AAAAAAAAAN0/wQhIn57t2Ss/s320/lemons.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">None of these are good options when receiving lemons...and I'm not sure how you start a fire with lemons.</td></tr>
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<i><b>Sometimes lemons are just lemons.</b></i><br />
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Instead of whining or complaining or trying to change those lemons into something better, we need to learn to accept that sometimes we just need to say, "Yep. These are lemons. They are my lemons. And eventually life is going to give me something other than lemons."<br />
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Not everything in life is great, but God is great. And He has great things planned for us. He tells that in his Word in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+29%3A11&version=NIV" target="_blank">Jeremiah 29:11</a>.<br />
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Today, God taught me to accept the lemons. I said, "God, life has given me lemons again. I accept that. I cannot change the fact that they are lemons. I know that one day You're going to give me something truly great...but today is my day to get lemons. <i>And that's OK.</i>"<br />
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Sometimes we work too hard to turn something bad into something good. But where is our faith if we feel that we must act to change those circumstances? God is faithful, and--if you're patient--God will give you the good stuff in His time. All we have to do is wait. (Granted, waiting is never fun or easy.) Making lemonade says that we don't have faith in God's provisions for our life. Sometimes God just wants us to hold the lemons until He's ready to give us something great.<br />
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So that's what I'm doing now: holding lemons. I'm not mad or bitter about it. It's just what God wants me to do right now...and who am I to complaining about that?<br />
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And if this doesn't convince you not to make lemonade with life's lemons, then maybe this last picture will: <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kxgpGnvqz4c/UgA1QHzw5rI/AAAAAAAAAN8/5MFhvhUqPtM/s1600/lemons2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kxgpGnvqz4c/UgA1QHzw5rI/AAAAAAAAAN8/5MFhvhUqPtM/s320/lemons2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-88867396504721987222013-07-22T22:19:00.000-05:002013-07-22T22:19:15.479-05:00The Weight Loss Results Are In!It's been a long eight weeks since we started our friendly little weight loss challenge...and today was the final weigh-in!!!<br />
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I was really worried about the final weigh-in because we were out of town all weekend for my brother's wedding. And of course, being out of town means that eating good is so much harder.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_i8WfY97PMk/Ue3ubuljZnI/AAAAAAAAAM8/be3O0L9TRhA/s1600/IMG_4963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_i8WfY97PMk/Ue3ubuljZnI/AAAAAAAAAM8/be3O0L9TRhA/s320/IMG_4963.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still can't believe my baby brother is old enough to be married. He'll always be a kid to me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To make it even more challenging, Friday night's rehearsal dinner was catered by <a href="http://www.dreamlandbbq.com/OnlineOrders.aspx" target="_blank">Dreamland</a>. Now I can easily eat my weight in ribs... but I limited myself to only four. I savored every bite.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RTXGooY7uJg/Ue3ucJW0uJI/AAAAAAAAAM4/ArJjb2poqJ0/s1600/IMG_5012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RTXGooY7uJg/Ue3ucJW0uJI/AAAAAAAAAM4/ArJjb2poqJ0/s200/IMG_5012.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching "Friends"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The hotel where we stayed had a nice little gym, complete with a weight bench, two treadmills, and two ellipticals. The cardio equipment had TVs built in! They were awesome! The gym was also really hot--I'm talking like "It feels like this room isn't air conditioned" hot--and it made me sweat like it was going out of style! I did an hour the first night.<br />
<br />
The day of the wedding, we ate breakfast at the hotel and had Arby's roast beef sandwiches for lunch. I knew the day was pretty much screwed at that point.<br />
<br />
However, when I put my suit on, I could finally see the results of all my hard work. For the first time in years, I felt GREAT about the way that I looked.<br />
<br />
And I'll <strike>humbly</strike> admit it: I made that suit look good. ;)<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OXLL0tZDcHs/Ue3udQ_I57I/AAAAAAAAANU/SfkswRYCikk/s1600/wedding+suit.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OXLL0tZDcHs/Ue3udQ_I57I/AAAAAAAAANU/SfkswRYCikk/s400/wedding+suit.tiff" width="398" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Man, I look good!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At the reception, we had Italian food, which was delicious. And I had a piece of both the wedding and groom's cake. (What can I say? When I fall off the bandwagon, I fall hard!)<br />
<br />
Later that night, we were hanging out with my family at the hotel, and we all got hungry. Jackie and I went to get everyone some food. We'd decided on pizza, but after we drove into a questionable part of town, we realized that the Pizza Hut on the map was closed. Instead, we stopped at the world's smallest KFC and got the family meal.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZRBgHN80vgQ/Ue3ucr6AqvI/AAAAAAAAANA/RvIKBMrikbU/s1600/going-to-hell-in-a-hand-basket-karl-frey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZRBgHN80vgQ/Ue3ucr6AqvI/AAAAAAAAANA/RvIKBMrikbU/s320/going-to-hell-in-a-hand-basket-karl-frey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
At this point, my diet was going to Hell in a handbasket, so when we called it a night, I went back to the gym for another cardio session. Logged another 30 minutes.<br />
<br />
Sunday morning, I woke up an hour early and went back and did 40 more minutes. I was hoping that it would help make up for all the bad eating the day before.<br />
<br />
When we got home last night, I did another hour and 30 minutes.<br />
<br />
This morning was the long-awaited final weigh-in. I got up an hour early, put on full sweats, and headed to the gym for a grueling two-hour cardio session. (This final workout had been my plan for weeks as a last chance effort to undo any wedding weekend damage.) I did an hour on the elliptical and an hour on the treadmill. I burned more than 1,600 calories and was sweating like I was in the center of the sun. I was drenched by the time I left. Jackie was worried that I would pass out. "Don't kill yourself at the gym," she texted me while I was on the elliptical. "I'm not dead yet," I replied.<br />
<br />
When I got home, I stepped up on the scale, and was shocked to see the final number:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UicB0-JJRq8/Ue3ucqJQIJI/AAAAAAAAANQ/54PYOKzrOE0/s1600/IMG_5101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UicB0-JJRq8/Ue3ucqJQIJI/AAAAAAAAANQ/54PYOKzrOE0/s400/IMG_5101.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before and After</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had lost a whopping 34.8 pounds!!! I was so excited! I hadn't been in the 230s since before Jackie and I got married three years ago! I sent my picture of the scale to Jackie's cousin <a href="http://unskinnyboppy.com/" target="_blank">Beth</a>, our official weight keeper, and anxiously awaited the final results. Would my numbers be enough for 2nd place? After weeks of being in 3rd, I really wanted to finish 2nd.<br />
<br />
Hours later, Beth posted this on Facebook:<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d_of9DUdM1c/Ue3ucrU26yI/AAAAAAAAANM/5NGyHovvhMU/s1600/IMG_5102.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d_of9DUdM1c/Ue3ucrU26yI/AAAAAAAAANM/5NGyHovvhMU/s640/IMG_5102.PNG" width="426" /></a></div>
I had done it! 2nd place! The silver medal has never looked so good!<br />
<br />
I couldn't have done it without the support of so many people: Jackie, my parents, Ryan Tallie, Chuck Fant, Keith & Ingrid Warren, and a lot of others.<br />
<br />
I'm well on my way to my goal of being in the 200-215 range.<br />
<br />
I know I can do it. I hope that my transformation also inspires others. If I can do it, so can you!Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-12805329033946642342013-07-13T21:54:00.000-05:002013-07-14T22:54:20.186-05:00When You Feel Like the Fattest Person at the GymWe've got just over a week left in our 8-week weight loss challenge, and things have been slowly progressing. Check out this before-and-after picture of my first weigh-in and last Monday's weigh-in.<br />
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Don't get me wrong. I know it is a huge accomplishment, and I'm really proud of myself.<br />
<br />
But there are still days where I just feel like a big old blob of fat jiggling away while I'm on the elliptical. And to make matters worse, it seems like lately I've been timing my gym visits with all of the super-fit, chiseled, Greek god-like guys. Nothing makes you feel even fatter than being the fattest person at the gym.<br />
<br />
It's depressing.<br />
<br />
I see them in the mirrors lifting weights behind me, and I'm all like, "Don't mind me. I'm just huffing and puffing away over here, sweating like I'm sunbathing on the surface of the Sun. Nothing to see..." <br />
<br />
I came across this meme on Pinterest the other day, and it totally sums up my feelings about this whole subject. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n2C4w8TDNJA/UeIM17i5r9I/AAAAAAAAAMI/ykBQjXA0z6c/s1600/e1d434e824abc8b66608745ec1a8d379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n2C4w8TDNJA/UeIM17i5r9I/AAAAAAAAAMI/ykBQjXA0z6c/s400/e1d434e824abc8b66608745ec1a8d379.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know how you feel, Jim Gaffigan...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I know it's stupid to feel like this. Their years of hard work in the gym are precisely why they look the way they do. And I hope that one day my time in the gym will make me look good, too.<br />
<br />
But it still irks me when I realize I'm the fattest person at the gym... and that motivates me even more to do something to change that.<br />
<br />
If I can lose about six or seven more pounds, I'll be back to the weight I was when Jackie and I got married three years ago. <br />
<br />
My ultimate goal is to get down to 200-215 pounds. 215 will get me out of the obese category on the BMI chart. I've told myself that I can do it by the end of the year, which should be a realistic goal.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYRRacHvrf4/UeNyDxNiOjI/AAAAAAAAAMk/kaQ0ss_TkOY/s1600/bmi-chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYRRacHvrf4/UeNyDxNiOjI/AAAAAAAAAMk/kaQ0ss_TkOY/s400/bmi-chart.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep, I am clearly too short...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thanks again to all of you who have supported and encouraged me on this journey. Your support keeps me going!<br />
<br />
<i>[Tangent beginning in 3...2...1...] </i><br />
<br />
For those of you who are wondering how my dissertation is coming along, here's a little update for you: it's going slowly. I got feedback yesterday on the largest chapter I've written. I knew it would need some work, but my chair wants some major reorganization.<br />
<br />
At first I freaked out and got really discouraged. Then I took a deep breath, and got to work on revisions based off of his suggestions.<br />
<br />
And what do you know? The chapter is improving and will be much better! I feel really good about it! My chair's honest feedback was right on the money, and I'm thankful for it!<br />
<br />
And, by the way, I've gotten hooked on <i>Doctor Who</i> this summer, which makes this picture all the more appropriate when thinking about my dissertation.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RCXJ4IKkC6g/UeIM1fNpdRI/AAAAAAAAAMM/t03LL7wsMk8/s1600/57f6352b9337c1cd1d4808d377bbc21c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RCXJ4IKkC6g/UeIM1fNpdRI/AAAAAAAAAMM/t03LL7wsMk8/s400/57f6352b9337c1cd1d4808d377bbc21c.jpg" width="332" /></a></div>
Finally, I have been able to enjoy some time to clear my mind from my dissertation and teaching work. I finally got to take Jackie to see <i>Star Trek Into Darkness</i>. She really liked it! <strike>My plan to convert her into a nerd worked!</strike> I love that she likes Star Trek and lets me indulge in my nerdiness. We also saw <i>Despicable Me 2</i>. Now I can't get this minion's sound out of my mind, and now all sirens should sound like this.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yvLBeRn-Byg/UeIM1YrMvuI/AAAAAAAAAME/GkFshP_t3jo/s1600/0ec221aea1b35c1152f9cb05b3d1b6b8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yvLBeRn-Byg/UeIM1YrMvuI/AAAAAAAAAME/GkFshP_t3jo/s320/0ec221aea1b35c1152f9cb05b3d1b6b8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
So that's about it. The summer class I'm teaching is going well, and we're also getting ready for my brother's wedding, which is a week from today! Needless to say, I'm as busy as ever--and thankfully, I'm lugging around a lot less weight while we're doing all of this stuff!<br />
<br />Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-70430740721600604602013-06-23T23:27:00.001-05:002013-06-24T09:33:52.515-05:00Fighting Fatness...It's a "Disease," You Know.Hi there, readers! Thanks for sticking around through the Great Blog Drought of 2013.<br>
<br>
So as many of you may have heard, the AMA has classified obesity as a disease. While I'm not sure I completely agree with that, I do realize that there is certainly a genetic factor at play. (The Finkleas aren't known for being a skinny bunch...) I don't want to make an excuse for my weight by saying it is a disease...and, yes, I am obese. That's a hard word to write...to acknowledge...to accept. But just because I do not like the word does not make it any less true.<br>
<br>
I. Am. Obese.<br>
<br>
Is my weight the result of a disease? <strike>Yes, now please pass the Oreos.</strike> No. I am obese because of choices I made.<br>
<br>
<i>Should I have a 3rd helping of mac and cheese? Does a bear poop in the woods?</i><br>
<i>Do you want another piece of pie? You betcha!</i><br>
<i>Salad? Nah, I'm saving extra room for dessert!</i><br>
<i>I ate so much that I think I'm gonna pop! Oh, did you say you've got banana pudding? Why, yes, I've got room.</i><br>
<br>
I think you're beginning to see my thought process. I have a love affair with food. I'm an emotional eater. I'm a hungry eater. I'm a I-don't-have-anything-else-to-do eater. I eat if I crave something crunchy. I eat if I crave something sweet. I love to eat.<br>
<br>
And I packed on every fatty, jiggling, disgusting pound by eating some of the most delicious, decadent foods on the planet. I believe it was Kate Moss who said, "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." I really want to slap her across her sunken cheek and ask, "Have you ever had my mom's mac and cheese? I think you'd change your mind."<br>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mzWDp159Nh0/UcfAcQGHOuI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/vLj-PyfZ20U/s1600/184856_505054884390_2792_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mzWDp159Nh0/UcfAcQGHOuI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/vLj-PyfZ20U/s400/184856_505054884390_2792_n.jpg" width="301"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At my skinniest: 180 lbs. in 2004 or 2005</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So here I sit, writing this blog to you, spilling my guts about my...well, gut. As many of you know, I was the fat kid in school. Then when I started college, I finally realized that I needed to make a change. During my freshman year at the <a href="http://www.montevallo.edu/" target="_blank">University of Montevallo</a>, I dropped 55 pounds while my classmates put on the "Freshman 15." It was the best I've ever felt in my whole entire life. I loved my body.<br>
<br>
Unfortunately, my losses didn't last forever. I slowly put back on every single one of those 55 pounds...and a few extra. Then I got married and put on another 30.<br>
<br>
I was in my mid-20s. I loved my life. I loved my wife. But I hated myself. I didn't recognize the fatty in the mirror. My shirt size went from being able to wear some mediums, to larges, to extra larges, to 2XL. My waist size jumped more than 10 inches. I trapped myself inside my own body...and I felt like I would never escape.<br>
<br>
I prayed that God would miraculously make me skinny. (As Christians, we are supposed to treat our body like a temple of God. I apparently built a temple for Buddha...but at least no body tried to rub my belly.) I'd diet really good for a week...only to reward my efforts by pigging out. I'd think about going back to the gym. (Turns out it <b><i>isn't</i> </b>"the thought that counts.") I was still fat...and getting fatter. <br>
<br>
We tried Weight Watchers. We tried the 6 Week Body Makeover. We tried "Let's just control our portions." We tried <a href="http://brucefinklea.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-near-death-experience-with-zumba.html" target="_blank">Zumba</a>. Nothing worked... at least, not for long.<br>
<br>
And then about 5 weeks ago, we were talking with Jackie's cousin Beth (check out her ah-mazing blog, <a href="http://unskinnyboppy.com/" target="_blank">Unskinny Boppy</a>!) and Uncle Jon about starting an 8-week weight loss challenge. (We chose 8 weeks because there were 8 weeks until my brother's wedding.) To motivate ourselves, we said, "Let's all chip in and give the winner a cash prize!" We added more family members and friends, and the winner's pot grew to quite a chunk of change.<br>
<br>
Turns out that the motivation that I'd been lacking all these years was a big ol' stack of cash. I started eating better (back on Weight Watchers), lifting weights, and doing cardio like it's going out of style.<br>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9esRemiSVBk/UcfAcXGYXAI/AAAAAAAAAKk/J2uL-1VGKjc/s1600/1010564_715266254120_1135709814_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9esRemiSVBk/UcfAcXGYXAI/AAAAAAAAAKk/J2uL-1VGKjc/s400/1010564_715266254120_1135709814_n.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After a 50 minute cardio workout. 7.57 miles & 663 calories!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And the weight started coming off.<br>
<br>
So far, I'm down <i><u><b>18 pounds</b></u></i>. I'm back down to an XL shirt, and I've had to tighten my belt a notch. I've also lost <u><i><b>15 inches</b></i></u> from all over my body.<br>
<br>
Who knew that my competitiveness would jump start my weight loss? <br>
<br>
I am on the road to recovery. Each pound that melts away makes me a little more free. I'm rebuilding my temple from the image of Buddha to the image of Christ. (Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" has become my mantra when I want to give up at the gym...which, let's be honest, is often.)<br>
<br>
It has not been easy. Muscles have ached that haven't ached in years. There are days I don't think I can get out of bed because my body refuses to move. There are days that I want to simply give up.<br>
<br>
But I push through the soreness, roll out of bed, and I <b><i>refuse</i></b> to give up!<br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NR0IOxzXg5Y/UcfAcZtRwZI/AAAAAAAAAKg/A8cCnJPaz2o/s1600/5361_711852180950_1947071637_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NR0IOxzXg5Y/UcfAcZtRwZI/AAAAAAAAAKg/A8cCnJPaz2o/s320/5361_711852180950_1947071637_n.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Workout Before & After. And, yeah, my shirt says "Flossin' ain't just for gangstas"...which is true. Gotta keep that grill lookin' so fresh and so clean-clean.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've been posting a lot of pictures on Facebook, <a href="https://twitter.com/BruceFinklea" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, and <a href="http://instagram.com/brucefinklea" target="_blank">Instagram</a> to keep folks updated on my progress. Every like or comment fuels my desire to get this weight off! My friend Ryan tells me and Jackie that we motivate him to run...which, in turn, motivates me to run. It's a good cycle to be in.<br>
<br>
Folks that haven't seen me in several weeks have noticed a difference. (But I've also gotten a little sun this summer, so part of the change may be that I look a little more tan and not so much like a pale ghost...)<br>
<br>
I like this transforming version of me. He's not only skinnier...he's happier. He will live a richer, more satisfying life. (He'll also live a life where he doesn't get winded walking up a flight of stairs or bending over to tie his shoes...both of which used to be sadly true.)<br>
<br>
I can do this. I will get this weight off. I will (hopefully) win our weight loss challenge.<br>
<br>
But it's not all about the money.<br>
<br>
<i><b>I want to transform my life...forever.</b></i><br>
<br>
Yeah, the AMA may say obesity is a disease, but I think it is mostly a choice. It's a choice every time you open the fridge, go through the drive-thru, and sit down at the dinner table. People don't choose to get cancer, or MS, or lupus. <i>Those</i> are diseases. My obesity is not a disease. It is the result of my choices...which, up until a few weeks ago, <strike>were delicious</strike> sucked.<br>
<br>
Thank you to all of my friends and family for your support on this journey. Your words of encouragement mean the world to me, and I couldn't do it without you.<br>
<br>
And I have to give a special shout out to my wife. Jackie, you keep me focused and driven, and I am so thankful to have you not only as my wife, but my best friend and partner in life. We are doing this together, and I think that's why we're being successful. I am so proud of your successes, too!<br>
<br>
Well, that's it for now. Gotta go to bed so that I can head to the gym in the morning!<br>
<br>
Stay healthy, friends!Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-53673454430293109832013-05-06T17:13:00.001-05:002013-05-06T18:12:27.525-05:00The Summer of My Dis...sertationSo, now that school is out for summer, I am officially back to working on my dissertation full-time. It was slow going during the semester because it's hard to teach four courses (plus extracurricular projects), grade, and prep for the next day's classes.<br />
<br />
In a nutshell, I was like this:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p9rdxDCK1n8/UYgp7e0MGTI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/SL9uMXubfyw/s1600/31396779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p9rdxDCK1n8/UYgp7e0MGTI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/SL9uMXubfyw/s400/31396779.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Thankfully, now I have a little time. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, my coworkers (especially Dr. Cofield) are like this:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6mmGLGfc-h4/UYgp66HYIHI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/mLagpuG88VI/s1600/25383895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6mmGLGfc-h4/UYgp66HYIHI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/mLagpuG88VI/s400/25383895.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm glad they don't dress up like the Cookie Monster...or hold me at gunpoint!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And this whole time, I've been thinking this: <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ffAIs9BKKHc/UYgp6pFqgLI/AAAAAAAAAJw/kTb_99IF5wo/s1600/dissertation-y-u-no-write-yourself.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ffAIs9BKKHc/UYgp6pFqgLI/AAAAAAAAAJw/kTb_99IF5wo/s400/dissertation-y-u-no-write-yourself.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm looking forward to getting back to work on my dissertation, and I really can't wait until I'm Dr. Bruce Finklea!<br />
<br />Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-66310057706608589942013-01-22T19:45:00.000-06:002013-01-22T19:46:44.781-06:00We're Shakin' Our Rumps...Again.First of all, you can get your mind out of the gutter.<br />
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Jackie has signed us up to run the <a href="http://www.rumpshaker5k.com/">Rumpshaker 5K</a> this year. (You may remember when we ran it <a href="http://brucefinklea.blogspot.com/2011/03/we-survived-rumpshaker-5k.html">a couple of years go</a>.)<br />
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The race is on March 30, so we've got some time to get ready. But we haven't started our training yet. The hardest part is finding the motivation to go to the gym. Last time we ran the Rumpshaker, we went to the gym for a month solid before the race to train.<br />
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Every other day or so, one of us will look over at the other and say, "When are we going to start training for the marathon?" (We call it a marathon because sometimes thinking about it makes it seem like a marathon. Apologies to all you marathon runners out there...)<br />
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The problem with training is that I've had a total lack of motivation to hit the gym. The race is 3 days after my 28th birthday, and I'd really like to be in better shape by then. I mean, I know I can't lose a ton of weight between now and then, but I like to lose <i>something</i> and be stronger. I keep looking at old <a href="http://brucefinklea.blogspot.com/2011/01/blast-from-past.html">pictures</a> for motivation to remind me of how skinny I used to be. They remind me of how I've transformed my body before. If I've done it once, I know that I can do it again. <br />
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But why can't I get motivated this time??? I feel like if I can figure that out, I'd be <i><b>unstoppable</b></i>. In the meantime, I hope our looming race day will begin to get me to drag my butt to the gym in my free time (you know, the few seconds I have between class, prepping for class, dissertation work...).Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-23330447360522587882013-01-20T23:04:00.001-06:002013-01-22T19:25:52.727-06:00Welcome to Book Heaven<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E4zVNLc9wwY/UPzDahES7zI/AAAAAAAAAIU/X3WWUP6mOXc/s1600/IMG_3041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E4zVNLc9wwY/UPzDahES7zI/AAAAAAAAAIU/X3WWUP6mOXc/s640/IMG_3041.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to Book Heaven</td></tr>
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I love books. I've been an avid reader since I was little because my parents instilled a love for the written word in me at a young age. Being a book lover, I also love places where there are a lot of books... and that is one of the reasons that I love going to <a href="http://2ndandcharles.com/">2nd & Charles</a> in Hoover.<br />
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It is like pre-read book Heaven! (I think "pre-read" sounds better than "used book.") There are rows and rows and rows of shelves packed with books. It's hit or miss what you'll find, but sometimes you might just stumble across a diamond in the rough.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the Star Trek section on my 1st 2nd&C visit. Nerd Nirvana!</td></tr>
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I love their Star Trek section because, lets face it, if I can combine my love of books with my love of Star Trek, I'm going to think it's <i><b>awesome</b></i>!! The section used to be ginormous, but they've shrunk it down recently. (I'm hoping those books found good homes, and that they didn't just purge the non-sellers!) There are a bunch of older books that aren't available in e-format and that you just can't find at the bookstore.<br />
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And the best part is the price. Most of them are under $3! I could buy them all...but <strike>Jackie would kill me</strike> I don't have enough bookshelves.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's one of the Animorphs books.</td></tr>
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So where do they get all of these books? You can sell them your pre-read books! (You can also cash in on old electronics, video games, records, and movies.) I found a box of old books that I had in middle school, so I took them up there Friday. The books were the Animorph series. (It was about a bunch of teenagers that get the ability to morph into any animal that they touch... and they fought aliens.) I had more than 40 of the books!<br />
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When you take your items in to sell, they give you a number and you have to wait while they evaluate what you brought in. Then, when your number pops up on the screen, they'll tell you how much they'll give you and if there were any books that they wouldn't take. The girl at the counter said they could give me $16 and some change if I wanted the cash, but if I wanted store credit, I'd get almost $29! Hello, store credit!<br />
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I'm sure you're asking yourself how Jackie and I spent our windfall. Well, I picked a Star Trek book (just 1) and 2 Hallmark Christmas ornaments that were on clearance for $1 (they are <i><b>never </b></i>that cheap--NEVER! My Hallmark Christmas ornament obsession is worthy of its own blog post. Maybe next Christmas, since I've already packed them away this year.) Jackie wanted to get some Golden Books. Even though we don't have kids (or any on the way), we want to go ahead and start building a library for any Future Finkleas that may come along. We picked out a ton of Golden Books that were in great condition. (Some had never been opened; you could tell because the spines were so stiff.) Jackie keeps a list of our growing library in her phone so we don't buy the same book twice.<br />
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Even with all of our books and my 2 ornaments, we only spent $24. (That means I've still got a little store credit left <strike>so I can buy more Star Trek books</strike> to buy Golden Books with.)<br />
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On our way back to the car, we stopped by the free bins outside. (Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention that there are <i><b>free books</b></i> in bins on the sidewalk outside! Free, I tell you! Free!) We dropped in a few random books that we had that we tried to sell with my impressive Animorphs collection, and we poked around to see if there were any good books that the book vultures (I've had people wait and watch me unload books from my car; they were old text books from our department) hadn't picked over already. And there, in all of its current-news-cycle relevancy, was a sad, sad book looking up at me:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qk2jsyY81XE/UPzGgaAcCsI/AAAAAAAAAI0/O5fJ6k2b-I0/s1600/150943_681380431580_1698641096_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qk2jsyY81XE/UPzGgaAcCsI/AAAAAAAAAI0/O5fJ6k2b-I0/s400/150943_681380431580_1698641096_n.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry, Lance.</td></tr>
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Ever since my co-authored text book went on sale last year, I've wondered what it must be like for an author to see their book in the bargain bin at Walmart...but to be in the free bin on the sidewalk outside of a pre-read book store--that was a low I never imagined.<br />
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So, dear readers, if you're ever at the 2nd and Charles in Hoover and you see a copy of <i>Fundamentals of Media Effects </i>(2nd edition) in the free book bin, please pick it up and take it home. Spare me the pain of seeing it myself. (Of course, if you do find a copy, be sure to read the last four chapters. They're the ones I wrote all by myself. You'll love them!) If you would like to own your own copy of our book (and you can't find one in the free bin) you can purchase it online: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Media-Effects-Jennings-Bryant/dp/1577667859">click here!</a> As of this writing, Amazon says it has 3 left in stock--and you can get it gift wrapped! ;)<br />
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What great books have you read lately, readers? Hit the comments to let me know! <br />
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Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-69997451571207216632013-01-19T22:16:00.000-06:002013-01-27T19:56:13.179-06:00Illumination Transformations with the Unhandy HusbandEver since Jackie and I moved into our new house last March, the Unhandy Husband has been able to relax.<br />
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Although we've loved our house from the moment we stepped inside, we were not in love with the lighting over our bar and over the dining room. We jokingly referred to them as "Pizza Hut lights."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g2hUvTwOa4Y/UQXalr5C12I/AAAAAAAAAJM/eWyVHiNMwow/s1600/photo1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g2hUvTwOa4Y/UQXalr5C12I/AAAAAAAAAJM/eWyVHiNMwow/s320/photo1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pizza Hut light in all its glory.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the baby Pizza Hut pendants</td></tr>
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They were awful...and entirely not our taste. So we set out to change them.<br />
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Several months ago, Jackie declared, "We're going to Lowe's." We went and finally found some pendant shades that we liked. It was an easy swap out for the Unhandy Husband to undertake.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New pendant shades</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can sort of see the detail on the shade in this picture</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Much better than the Pizza Hut lights!</td></tr>
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We were really happy with the new pendants. The baby Pizza Hut lights were banished to storage in the garage.<br />
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Apparently, the Unhandy Husband went back into hiding after the mini-Pizza Hut swap out because the big light didn't get changed for a while longer. It wasn't until Jackie and I were hosting a Christmas movie marathon for our friends that we agreed it was time for the big light to finally hit the road.<br />
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We had taken the light that we'd installed in the trailer with us when we left, and it had been sitting in a laundry basket on top of our spare fridge in the garage since we moved in. Buoyed by my success of illumination transformations in the <a href="http://brucefinklea.blogspot.com/2011/07/un-handy-husband-renovates-celebrates.html">trailer</a> and the mini-Pizza Hut light swap out, I told her it would take 10 minutes to do.<br />
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This is where the Unhandy Husband jinxed himself.<br />
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We wanted to use the ceiling mount part (I don't know the real name for this part) so that it would match the pendants. However, that ended up causing us to have to cobble together bits and pieces of both the old and new lights to make it possible to hang the new light. I kinda felt like Dr. Frankenstein mixing and matching parts.<br />
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However, about an hour later, we got everything wired up and working.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PCPGYac-qGI/UPtt18HcMmI/AAAAAAAAAHo/KbPbckuZ2g0/s1600/IMG_3991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PCPGYac-qGI/UPtt18HcMmI/AAAAAAAAAHo/KbPbckuZ2g0/s400/IMG_3991.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the new light. So much better!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vRfvd7ags6k/UPtt2RavruI/AAAAAAAAAH0/sEY_w5q8_7E/s1600/IMG_3992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vRfvd7ags6k/UPtt2RavruI/AAAAAAAAAH0/sEY_w5q8_7E/s320/IMG_3992.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That part up by the ceiling is what turned a 10 minute job into an hour of frustration. But it looks great!</td></tr>
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And we love it! I wish we'd done it months ago!Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-31216961166896064442012-12-24T11:53:00.001-06:002012-12-24T12:08:37.833-06:00We Wish You A Merry Christmas!I can't believe that it is already Christmas Eve! This month has <i>flown</i> by!<br />
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Christmas has always been one of my favorite holidays, and I'll admit, I <u><i><b>love</b></i></u> Christmas decorations! (I'm pretty sure I get that from my paternal grandmother. Gran Gran loved decorating for the holidays!) <br />
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Anyway, this is our first Christmas in our new house, and Jackie has done such a wonderful job decorating. I thought I'd take a little time to show off her hard work.<br />
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Let's start in the yard... <br />
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We both love <i>Christmas Vacation</i>, and we certainly tried to channel our inner Griswold when we decorated the house. Unlike Clark Griswold, I have a paralyzing fear of heights. That meant I would only go so far up the ladder, but I still think it turned our great.<br />
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To make the little Christmas trees, we borrowed some tomato cages from my Mom. We wrapped 2 strands of lights on each, and staked them into the ground.<br />
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We also overestimated how many lights we'd need, so Jackie said, "Let's decorate the ground!" <br />
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I was skeptical at first, but I think it turned out great! We are one of the brightest houses in our neighborhood!<br />
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We're already coming up with decorating plans for next year, and my friend Keith has said he'll help do the roof. Christmas 2013 will blow your mind! <br />
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Moving to the front door, you'll see our snowman face that I saw at Homestead Hollow's October show. I fell in love with it, and was able to convince Jackie that I had to have it for our house. Luckily, she agreed! I also love that the woman at the booth understands the proper use of the apostrophe and knew not to include it. <br />
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This is our entryway table. We've collected these decorations at a bunch of different places, and we love it! The Nativity is the most recent addition. We scored it at Hobby Lobby the other day, and it was 50% off! (Of course, most of the store is 50% off at any point in time...not that I'm complaining!)<br />
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To display our Christmas cards, Jackie made this Pinterest-inspired card tree out of yard sticks and miniature clothespins. I love it! The only problem is that we underestimated how many cards we'd receive...<br />
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So the newest ones are now taped to the bar.<br />
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I'm really loving our hearth. Jackie did a fantastic job! We had the Grinch window painted by one of our craft show neighbors. The vine tree and balls were made by our crafting friends Cliff and Elizabeth. The wooden deer was also a Homestead Hollow find. The big Santa hat was a recent find at Hobby Lobby. I loved it at first sight. I'm so glad Jackie let me get it!<br />
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Here's a view of our tree, Grinch, and leg lamp! Love it!<br />
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Jackie surprised me with the leg lamp a couple of weeks ago. Watching <i>A Christmas Story</i> has been a Finklea family tradition for years. And who can resist the soft glow of electric sex in the window?<br />
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Our Grinch was made by our craft show friends Bobby and Wanda. Mom had one for several years, and after Jackie and I got married, I wanted to get one of my own. Everyone that has come to the house love it!<br />
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Next up is the tree. I have a thing for Christmas tree ornaments, and many of ours are Hallmark's Star Trek ornaments, but there's also a bunch of <i>Christmas Vacation</i> and <i>A Christmas Story</i> ones. There's also a ton of other pop culture ornaments. I absolutely love our tree!<br />
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Here are some of the new additions this year. First up is the house from <i>A Christmas Story</i>. It lights up and talks!<br />
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We got this ornament to ornament when we were in New York back in March. I love this little reminder of a wonderful trip! <br />
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We got this one to commemorate our first Christmas in our new house. This ornament is a reminder of God's faithfulness. The second year of our marriage was very difficult, but the Lord had a plan for us. He blessed us with a beautiful home that has been a wonderful place for us to gather with our loved ones. <br />
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Jackie and I also made some Christmas cookies. These are just a few of all of the ones we made. Lesson learned: don't quit my day job to become a cookie decorator. <br />
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Jackie and I hope you have a very Merry Christmas to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior! Surround yourself with loved ones, lots of laughter, and good food. <br />
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Merry Christmas from the Finkleas!<br />
<br />Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-25577223965597812172012-11-20T18:19:00.000-06:002012-11-20T18:19:25.298-06:00Fall 2012 Photo ShootI'm still trying to get back in the swing of blogging more than just once every few months. I really do want to be a better blogger. Honest.<br />
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Anyway, Jackie and I had some pictures taken Sunday. Other than our church directory photos, we haven't had any nice pictures taken of us since our wedding. Jackie's cousin Haley is a great photographer, and we went to the University of Montevallo for the shoot.<br />
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For November, it was a warm day, but Jackie was determined to wear her sweater. I also wore my fleece vest, but it certainly wasn't needed. I was just hoping that I didn't break a sweat.<br />
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Here are some of my favorites. I hope you enjoy!<br />
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<br />Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-82737754239133481652012-11-16T12:16:00.000-06:002013-01-22T19:45:54.907-06:00Field Trip to FOX 6 WBRC and UM UpdateThis week I took my TV newscast production class for a tour of FOX 6's station in Birmingham. We have a couple of alums from our program working there, and one of them reached out to me about the opportunity for a tour.<br />
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I also invited our video engineering class, which is taught by Dr. John Hoerner, to come along.<br />
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Melynda, the alum that contacted me about the tour, works there as a web producer. She gave us a tour of what will be their new newsroom. (It's just a big empty room right now.) We also got to see their temporary digs in the sales department, which is doubling as a newsroom space.<br />
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We also got to tour their studio, which was renovated in recent years with the transition to HD. Mickey Ferguson, the morning meteorologist, is also a UM Mass Comm alum. He took time to speak to the students, and he even put us on TV during their noon show!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mickey Ferguson (far left) posing with our Mass Comm students</td></tr>
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Dr. Hoerner was also able to talk with some folks about some internship possibilities for our students in coming semesters. We also got to go out behind the station to look at their news vehicles and stand under the iconic WBRC sign that overlooks downtown Birmingham.<br />
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The tour was a lot of fun, and the students really enjoyed getting to see how the professionals do it!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture from last year's field trip.</td></tr>
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And I must admit, it did feel a little strange to go to FOX 6. As many of you know, I used to work at NBC 13, which is right next door. Kinda made me feel like I was cheating on my 13 family, but to be fair, I did take my class there last year. Remember this -->?<br />
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Meanwhile, back on campus... we've been really busy with <i>Falcon Fever</i> and <i>Falcon Weekly. </i>Both shows have really been coming along great this semester. I'm so proud of all of our students. They work so hard, and I hope their hard work is paying off.<br />
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Here are some pictures from the studio from the past several weeks.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kasey and Michael on the set for Falcon Fever.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird's eye view of the studio</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coleman and Sarah on set for Falcon Weekly, the campus newscast</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jolyn demonstrating how keywall works.</td></tr>
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<br />Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05450655452434386999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-56044660817736443392012-06-27T20:08:00.001-05:002013-01-22T19:26:10.765-06:00Highly Illogical<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-36492767747447535502012-06-06T21:27:00.000-05:002012-06-06T21:27:08.687-05:00Hit the Road, Fat, and Don't You Come Back!Jackie and I started going back to the gym week before last. We did really good going and doing cardio every day. Then we went on a church mission trip last week, and now it's hard getting back in the swing of things.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the type of running machine I imagine Chuck to be.</td></tr>
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I've been wanting to start back jogging/walking (jolking?) since we moved into our new house. A friend of mine, Chuck, posts his runs on Facebook, and I always think to myself, "Man, I wish I had Chuck's dedication." Chuck is a running machine. Well, this morning, I decided that today was the day! It was time to hit the pavement! I got out of bed, put on my jogging clothes...and got back in bed. I know, it was pathetic.<br />
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After a few minutes, I asked myself, "What are you doing? Get up! GO! Chuck would run. You should, too!" So I rolled out of bed, did some stretches, and grabbed my iPhone. As I was heading out the door, I opened the Sporty Pal exercise app, which tracks how long and how far you go. "Hit the road, Fat," I thought, " And don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more!"<br />
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Our neighborhood forms a ribbon shape, which is 1.25 miles round trip. It's also much higher on the upper part of the ribbon, and that's where our house is. As I started, it's downhill.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is kinda what our neighborhood looks like.</td></tr>
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"This is so easy!" I thought, flying down the hill. Thanks, gravity! I turned at the 1 intersection in the neighborhood and jogged down to the entrance, back up to the intersection, and down the cul-de-sac where the town homes are. Halfway back to the intersection from the cul-de-sac, I had to slow down to walk for a bit. After about 30 seconds I started jogging back to the intersection. I was still feeling good at that point...until I reached the intersection. To get back to the house, it was all uphill--up a steep hill. Stupid gravity.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the type of running machine I imagine myself to be. ;)</td></tr>
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I caved in. I had to walk back up the hill, huffing and puffing the whole way. I'm sure it wasn't a pretty sight for the neighbors.<br />
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When I got back to the front door, I looked at my phone to check the Sporty Pal app. That's when I realized that I forgot to hit START. #Fail<br />
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At least I know I did 1.25 miles. I am not a running machine.<br />
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But my loop around the neighborhood means I lapped everyone still sitting on the couch. #Winning <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-16059657233630749422012-05-06T22:34:00.001-05:002012-05-06T22:34:12.820-05:00So... it's been a while. And that's OK!I'm back!<br />
Well, that kind of makes it sound like I've been off traveling the globe on some grand adventure for many months, but in reality, life in general has been a grand adventure that hasn't left much time for the old blog lately.<br />
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Here's a quick recap of what we've been up to: <br />
In March, we went to New York City, celebrated my 27th birthday, bought a house, and moved everything to the new house in about 24 hours. Needless to say, we've been busy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bid7x9b12o0/T6c6VCwd46I/AAAAAAAAAhM/hZy5FMADyyo/s1600/IMG_2527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bid7x9b12o0/T6c6VCwd46I/AAAAAAAAAhM/hZy5FMADyyo/s400/IMG_2527.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the NYC skyline from the pier where our hotel was in Jersey City.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cWbe-yW5cuM/T6c6TGdXIvI/AAAAAAAAAg8/ZyaEMxqQbpY/s1600/399017_944317079046_20507722_37384021_1020410996_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cWbe-yW5cuM/T6c6TGdXIvI/AAAAAAAAAg8/ZyaEMxqQbpY/s400/399017_944317079046_20507722_37384021_1020410996_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jackie and I met Ann Curry on the TODAY Show plaza!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ii9AtqZrtLs/T6c6bgtGzmI/AAAAAAAAAhk/VD-pMOq0RrA/s1600/SAM_4324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ii9AtqZrtLs/T6c6bgtGzmI/AAAAAAAAAhk/VD-pMOq0RrA/s640/SAM_4324.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Statue of Liberty!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My computer also died during the first part of April and was sent off
for the Apple geniuses to tinker with. Turns out the logic board was fried, so they replaced it, the graphics card, the LCD screen, and my bad battery! Finally got it back two weeks
later. Basically, it's a new computer (except for the hard drive, which they said was OK).<br />
<br />
We also had a great weekend of Kettle Korn at the Bloomin' Festival in Cullman. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h4yPaq5HvCI/T6c6Y86lOAI/AAAAAAAAAhc/uYUVWybJ4sw/s1600/IMG_2958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h4yPaq5HvCI/T6c6Y86lOAI/AAAAAAAAAhc/uYUVWybJ4sw/s400/IMG_2958.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kettle Korning in Cullman</td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ezfIGEaamng/T6c6W_dp0sI/AAAAAAAAAhU/DkG3pGi-VzY/s1600/IMG_2957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ezfIGEaamng/T6c6W_dp0sI/AAAAAAAAAhU/DkG3pGi-VzY/s400/IMG_2957.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nom nom nom</td></tr>
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My semester at UM also wrapped up, and I attended my first graduation as a teacher. I don't think it has sunk in that some of the familiar faces in our building won't be back in the fall. Guess that's just something I'll have to get used to as a teacher...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ujreG3ENvmc/T6c6TqGIGWI/AAAAAAAAAhA/4FXq3ZXQ4O8/s1600/535151_526781960590_301900025_430981_1126677897_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ujreG3ENvmc/T6c6TqGIGWI/AAAAAAAAAhA/4FXq3ZXQ4O8/s400/535151_526781960590_301900025_430981_1126677897_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my Newscast Production class. Great group of students!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Lots has happened with us lately, and I promise to sit and catch up on the blog sometime soon. I just wanted to pop in now to say hello (and alleviate any fears that I may have fallen off the face of the earth).<br />
<br />
And I've resolved that I'm not going to apologize for being a bad blogger anymore. I'll blog when I blog, and that's OK. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-2552923063949156022012-03-28T22:35:00.002-05:002012-03-28T22:37:17.327-05:00We're Moving!!!Well, the cat's out of the bag. (Actually, he's in a box...) We're moving back to Calera! We love our new house! Can't wait to start a new chapter of our lives together!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-R9ClHzHSGxc/T3PYjALhL4I/AAAAAAAAAgs/0XjQLwx5nxA/s640/blogger-image--1605124508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-R9ClHzHSGxc/T3PYjALhL4I/AAAAAAAAAgs/0XjQLwx5nxA/s640/blogger-image--1605124508.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NMAVev4Brso/T3PYj5FfUGI/AAAAAAAAAg0/amE801rJ7RY/s640/blogger-image--1540602455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NMAVev4Brso/T3PYj5FfUGI/AAAAAAAAAg0/amE801rJ7RY/s640/blogger-image--1540602455.jpg" border="0" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-78763096823861601282012-02-18T11:15:00.001-06:002012-02-18T11:18:19.430-06:00Sitting at the Doc-in-a-Box...I know it's been a while since I've blogged last, but we've been really busy lately. (I'm sure that opening sentence is the most-written sentence in the blogosphere...) However, that seems to have caught up with Jackie, who has been sick all week. Now I'm sitting at Chelsea Urgent Care with her as she waits to see the doctor. Since I played all of my turns on Words with Friends, I thought this would be a good way to pass the time while I concentrate on shallow breathing (so I won't breath in the germs). <br />
<br />
Work has been going well. Classes are in full swing, and we are doing a lot of exciting things in Mass Comm. We've gotten a fresh coat of paint in the studio, moved the news set, moved the green screen, and we've also gotten some new high-tech toys! I've also started out departmental Facebook page. So be sure to like the University of Montevallo Department of Communication! Also, things are going well with the text book I helped write, and it should be available this summer!<br />
<br />
On a related note, my own school work has been going extremely well. I passed my PhD comps last week! So now it's on to the dissertation. I hope to graduate by the end of 2012, and I'm on track to do it! Finally, I'll be Dr. Finklea! The comps were one of the hardest things I've ever done academically. The questions were tough, and I did't feel great about my answers. When I went in for my defense, I was so nervous! But all of my committee members really liked my answers. We talked for about an hour, and then I had to step out into the hallway while the voted on whether to pass me. I was feeling pretty good about it at that point, but I was still nervous. When they called me back in, my chair told me I passed. I was SO relieved! All the stress that I'd been carrying around for months was lifted off my shoulders. I am so thankful for such great friends and family that lifted me up in prayer through the entire process. I could feel the Lord with me during the defense. Thanks again to everyone for praying for me!<br />
<br />
In other news, Jackie and I are gearing up for our week-long trip to NYC for the NBS convention, which is only about a month away! We are really excited! Neither of us has ever been to the Big Apple, so it will certainly be an adventure! I wish we were also going to Vegas, but I didn't a paper to submit to BEA this year. Maybe next year...<br />
<br />
Well, I guess that's about it for now. I'm still waiting for Jackie to come out from the exam room. She must be bored back there because she just sent me a text. Talk to y'all soon... or in a month or so. :)<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-1186899157110263302012-01-13T21:39:00.001-06:002012-01-13T21:39:30.541-06:00Breaking News about Friday the 13th!According to Fox 6, "Friday the 13th usually falls on a Friday."<br />
<br />
Good to know. <div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-w-3Lrsapm4Q/TxD48Y8pJXI/AAAAAAAAAgk/CAuTQ4Qpp18/s640/blogger-image--134059639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-w-3Lrsapm4Q/TxD48Y8pJXI/AAAAAAAAAgk/CAuTQ4Qpp18/s640/blogger-image--134059639.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-46544804443844517492012-01-01T23:54:00.001-06:002012-01-01T23:56:44.247-06:00Hello 20-Dozen!Wow, I can't believe that 2012 is already here! Seems like just yesterday we were worried about the year 2000 and Y2K computer crash...<br />
<br />
Of course, now we're a dozen years later, and many folks are freaking out about the Mayan calendar ending. I guess some things never change...<br />
<br />
One of the other things that doesn't seem to change is my weight. One brief year ago, I started this blog to track my progress as I set out to lose weight. And over the course of the last 12 months, not much changed. Sure, we joined the <a href="http://brucefinklea.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-last-fat-tuesday.html" target="_blank">gym</a> (and <a href="http://brucefinklea.blogspot.com/2011/03/satan-thy-name-is-cybex-elliptical.html" target="_blank">sometimes hated it</a>), tried <a href="http://brucefinklea.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-near-death-experience-with-zumba.html" target="_blank">Zumba</a>, <strike>ran</strike> <a href="http://brucefinklea.blogspot.com/2011/03/we-survived-rumpshaker-5k.html" target="_blank">jogged the Rumpshaker 5K</a>, tried the 6-Week Body Makeover...and ultimately, I'm still the same weight that I was twelve months ago. So much for 2011 being a year of physical transformation, huh?<br />
<br />
Of course, I guess I should be grateful. At least my weight is the <i>same</i> as it was a year ago, and it didn't go <i>up</i>!<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w6hAbT3Wzko/TwFGIt603eI/AAAAAAAAAgc/jO6ya7_NdSs/s1600/New+year+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w6hAbT3Wzko/TwFGIt603eI/AAAAAAAAAgc/jO6ya7_NdSs/s320/New+year+2012.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
That said, Jackie and I are starting over. Hello 20-Dozen! I'm Bruce Finklea, and we're going to have a great time during the next 12 months!<br />
<br />
On the weight loss front, we're going to go back to Weight Watchers, and we've already gone back to the gym. We both want to get in better shape before we start thinking about <i>Finkleas: The Next Generation</i>. So 2012 is the year that we're going to be getting ourselves ready to become parents. <br />
<br />
Also, 2012 is the year that I will become a doctor! I've got my PhD comps coming up at the end of the month, and then it's on to the dissertation (which I'm really excited about!).<br />
<br />
We also hope that 20-Dozen will be the year that we buy our own home. We're really excited (and nervous) about the thought of becoming homeowners. We've prayed a lot about it, and we feel like the Lord has prepared us to make this step. We just pray that the home-buying process goes smoothly.<br />
<br />
As always, I'll try to keep y'all updated on everything.<br />
<br />
I hope all of you have a prosperous New Year! And if all goes well, my post to usher in 20-Baker's-Dozen will be filled with many happy memories!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-83715629749742202022011-12-13T23:45:00.003-06:002011-12-14T15:19:10.195-06:00I Will Always...So I've learned a lot about myself this year. Here's just a couple of the things I've come to realize about myself...<br /><br />I will always stop to get my picture taken with people dressed up in animal costumes...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-54JZuizA7k4/TugbSu5U_8I/AAAAAAAAAc8/NQkyFEDHSh0/s1600/335382_578847069260_58902656_31949970_7961110_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-54JZuizA7k4/TugbSu5U_8I/AAAAAAAAAc8/NQkyFEDHSh0/s320/335382_578847069260_58902656_31949970_7961110_o.jpg" border="0" height="320" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lczOtgognTY/Tugc9ONNrjI/AAAAAAAAAec/v22WjXqD1G4/s1600/IMG_1901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lczOtgognTY/Tugc9ONNrjI/AAAAAAAAAec/v22WjXqD1G4/s320/IMG_1901.jpg" border="0" height="320" width="239" /></a></div> And even alien costumes...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jiJeygGt7iM/TugdG8pOyaI/AAAAAAAAAek/CDha5Ucw6yA/s1600/IMG_1907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jiJeygGt7iM/TugdG8pOyaI/AAAAAAAAAek/CDha5Ucw6yA/s320/IMG_1907.jpg" border="0" height="320" width="239" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I will always long for the days when I had a head full of hair... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-06AwnvrGj3w/TugbU91oDnI/AAAAAAAAAdM/edPbs9q0_yo/s1600/IMG_0841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-06AwnvrGj3w/TugbU91oDnI/AAAAAAAAAdM/edPbs9q0_yo/s320/IMG_0841.jpg" border="0" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OVj2Kqf0lBQ/TugbTvnGfNI/AAAAAAAAAdE/D1d3LtHL_n8/s1600/IMG_0632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OVj2Kqf0lBQ/TugbTvnGfNI/AAAAAAAAAdE/D1d3LtHL_n8/s320/IMG_0632.JPG" border="0" height="320" width="222" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I will always be amazed by my view from an airplane seat...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OSjFsLiQ4EM/TugbakZRGFI/AAAAAAAAAdU/nl9jDjxRAZA/s1600/IMG_0858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OSjFsLiQ4EM/TugbakZRGFI/AAAAAAAAAdU/nl9jDjxRAZA/s320/IMG_0858.jpg" border="0" height="320" width="239" /></a></div><br /> I will always be a nerd. (Well, I guess I didn't learn this one this year.)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iGT1T1yV5wE/TugbluxdsJI/AAAAAAAAAdc/NknQwIKR3V8/s1600/IMG_1154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iGT1T1yV5wE/TugbluxdsJI/AAAAAAAAAdc/NknQwIKR3V8/s320/IMG_1154.jpg" border="0" height="320" width="239" /></a></div><br /> I will always take a picture on a painted pony.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f1LcmEkdApo/TugbvnBMxGI/AAAAAAAAAdk/ZFmEU1Q6G8M/s1600/IMG_1232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f1LcmEkdApo/TugbvnBMxGI/AAAAAAAAAdk/ZFmEU1Q6G8M/s320/IMG_1232.JPG" border="0" height="239" width="320" /></a></div><br />I will always be worried when these two are together...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dUpg9puI8wg/Tugb8rzsVPI/AAAAAAAAAds/K-b5VW8NxZM/s1600/IMG_1677.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dUpg9puI8wg/Tugb8rzsVPI/AAAAAAAAAds/K-b5VW8NxZM/s320/IMG_1677.jpg" border="0" height="320" width="239" /></a></div><br />I will always love this woman (and try to have our picture taken with large animals in the background).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-naXRzM-MyXk/TugcUXGNLHI/AAAAAAAAAd8/ItpT-vRZ2kw/s1600/IMG_1855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-naXRzM-MyXk/TugcUXGNLHI/AAAAAAAAAd8/ItpT-vRZ2kw/s320/IMG_1855.JPG" border="0" height="239" width="320" /></a></div><br /> I will always try to take a good picture with nice lines and angles.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wa_fvgzWsMI/Tuge_biSsXI/AAAAAAAAAfk/44x7A8Yp3nY/s1600/SAM_0786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wa_fvgzWsMI/Tuge_biSsXI/AAAAAAAAAfk/44x7A8Yp3nY/s320/SAM_0786.JPG" border="0" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ucm23nN870c/TugceVJJsTI/AAAAAAAAAeE/k3aByFuDFcw/s1600/IMG_1867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ucm23nN870c/TugceVJJsTI/AAAAAAAAAeE/k3aByFuDFcw/s320/IMG_1867.jpg" border="0" height="320" width="239" /></a><br /><br />I will always wonder if my car is trying to tell me something...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sULvU0m5QeY/TugcmcmXR2I/AAAAAAAAAeM/Xpz88EFcMBc/s1600/IMG_1882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sULvU0m5QeY/TugcmcmXR2I/AAAAAAAAAeM/Xpz88EFcMBc/s320/IMG_1882.JPG" border="0" height="239" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C6A6vJPg6Ek/TugdZ3gV56I/AAAAAAAAAe0/RJSMHwZSuCQ/s1600/IMG_2005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C6A6vJPg6Ek/TugdZ3gV56I/AAAAAAAAAe0/RJSMHwZSuCQ/s320/IMG_2005.JPG" border="0" height="239" width="320" /></a></div><br />I will always love these furballs...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ABBTisKmouo/TuggCRjAVEI/AAAAAAAAAgE/_xorXNHtERE/s1600/SAM_4265_6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ABBTisKmouo/TuggCRjAVEI/AAAAAAAAAgE/_xorXNHtERE/s200/SAM_4265_6.JPG" border="0" height="200" width="198" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NaDajSeNpBg/Tugf2Vy4IRI/AAAAAAAAAf8/VWja5ZP8dw0/s1600/SAM_4243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NaDajSeNpBg/Tugf2Vy4IRI/AAAAAAAAAf8/VWja5ZP8dw0/s320/SAM_4243.JPG" border="0" height="274" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rhIter3cHf0/TugcHyE1pRI/AAAAAAAAAd0/vENAbKM3uyA/s1600/IMG_1683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rhIter3cHf0/TugcHyE1pRI/AAAAAAAAAd0/vENAbKM3uyA/s320/IMG_1683.jpg" border="0" height="320" width="238" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gmn0tEqxOOQ/TugcyX7twmI/AAAAAAAAAeU/M7PmO-z9LNc/s1600/IMG_1892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gmn0tEqxOOQ/TugcyX7twmI/AAAAAAAAAeU/M7PmO-z9LNc/s320/IMG_1892.JPG" border="0" height="238" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fdjHwuHZJ1Q/TugdSIs_veI/AAAAAAAAAes/L9c08ObmKx4/s1600/IMG_1973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fdjHwuHZJ1Q/TugdSIs_veI/AAAAAAAAAes/L9c08ObmKx4/s320/IMG_1973.JPG" border="0" height="239" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />I will always put my hand on a statue of butts and take a picture of the world's largest bra and tightie-whities.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P7zBNJH7FMM/Tugd2ZmihYI/AAAAAAAAAfE/1sjHYtP97Ws/s1600/SAM_0650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P7zBNJH7FMM/Tugd2ZmihYI/AAAAAAAAAfE/1sjHYtP97Ws/s320/SAM_0650.JPG" border="0" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FJcLJc9bNOc/TugeGaxBhHI/AAAAAAAAAfM/FgCgCiLN_MY/s1600/SAM_0664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FJcLJc9bNOc/TugeGaxBhHI/AAAAAAAAAfM/FgCgCiLN_MY/s320/SAM_0664.JPG" border="0" height="240" width="320" /></a></div><br />I will always love Mom and Dad's Christmas tree...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2vShV84_vnI/TugdmNo_MoI/AAAAAAAAAe8/nF68UhtmO2g/s1600/IMG_2079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2vShV84_vnI/TugdmNo_MoI/AAAAAAAAAe8/nF68UhtmO2g/s400/IMG_2079.jpg" border="0" height="400" width="298" /></a></div><br />I will always get a picture with art made out of jelly beans...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D2p7PMClb5w/TugedqSoaRI/AAAAAAAAAfU/C6YSoaFJ_Rc/s1600/SAM_0731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D2p7PMClb5w/TugedqSoaRI/AAAAAAAAAfU/C6YSoaFJ_Rc/s400/SAM_0731.JPG" border="0" height="400" width="300" /></a></div><br />I will always pose with an over-sized M&M...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QsMDDc0uK7k/TugesQkRlaI/AAAAAAAAAfc/doOAn1Dw5jY/s1600/SAM_0763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QsMDDc0uK7k/TugesQkRlaI/AAAAAAAAAfc/doOAn1Dw5jY/s320/SAM_0763.JPG" border="0" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><br /> I will always love the beach!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VrHOy4KtIJE/TugfS2wge3I/AAAAAAAAAfs/ENFgZLRSir0/s1600/SAM_4222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VrHOy4KtIJE/TugfS2wge3I/AAAAAAAAAfs/ENFgZLRSir0/s400/SAM_4222.JPG" border="0" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br />I will always fake-lick a giant ice cream cone...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nUyLbObLDrg/TugfkrRp0tI/AAAAAAAAAf0/SNgB9DgdZec/s1600/SAM_4226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nUyLbObLDrg/TugfkrRp0tI/AAAAAAAAAf0/SNgB9DgdZec/s320/SAM_4226.JPG" border="0" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006054521575761667.post-91376435304312165312011-11-23T18:40:00.003-06:002011-11-23T19:36:35.165-06:00Sips n StrokesJackie and I have been in desperate need for an escape from the drama and craziness that's been going on lately. Luckily, one of Jackie's coworkers suggested getting a group together to go to <a href="https://www.sipsnstrokes.com/home.aspx" target="_blank">Sips n Strokes</a>. So they picked out a painting that everyone liked (a cute little holiday elf), and we signed up.<br />
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I was really looking forward to going. I'd been telling Jackie for a while that I wanted to find an artistic outlet. (I still think I'm going to start drawing again. I used to love it <i>so</i> much!)<br />
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When we stopped for dinner before our class, I told Jackie that I was really nervous. What if my painting looked awful? What if the kids there painted better than I did?<br />
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I decided that if it was a monumental disaster, I would say I was just channeling Picasso or Pollock.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ENg4lTMhbJ8/Ts2Q_Rh7X7I/AAAAAAAAAcQ/BhzkYKZahF8/s1600/painting+us.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ENg4lTMhbJ8/Ts2Q_Rh7X7I/AAAAAAAAAcQ/BhzkYKZahF8/s320/painting+us.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to paint!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We got to the place and waited in line to pay. I was looking at the artwork on the wall, and they have an entire section of nothing but naked women. I asked Jackie why we didn't sign up for one of those classes...<br />
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Anyway, we got our canvasses and our pallets and walked into the studio, where you get your paint. They already have it labeled so you know how much to get. One pump of red, two pumps of green, and so on.<br />
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We got our aprons and found our seats. We also had our drinks with us: Zaxby's sweet tea!<br />
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Wendy LoVoy, the founder of Sips n Strokes, ended up being our teacher! She told us that she'd seen a bunch of folks jack up their paintings, but they never let anyone go home with an ugly one. That made me feel better!<br />
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We started by outlining our elf in yellow paint; then we made a granny apple green for his hat, mixed up his face color ("a dot of red, a scoop of yellow, and a whole lotta white!"), and painted in his clothes. We also added dots and spots to his hat and the background.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hdTFoE-DECk/Ts2Q-g8Wq7I/AAAAAAAAAcI/uIBhOl6wuag/s1600/painting+in+progress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hdTFoE-DECk/Ts2Q-g8Wq7I/AAAAAAAAAcI/uIBhOl6wuag/s400/painting+in+progress.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A work in progress</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The hardest part was the darn holly leaf on his hat, but it turned out OK. We practiced painting the leaves on the table. (You can see my practice leaf on the table in the picture below.)<br />
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Throughout the class, we all held up our paintings so Wendy could check them out. She sent her assistant around to help the folks that needed it. She told us that we were the best elf painters she thought she'd ever had!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-23FR_Qqmjog/Ts2RAbXsPnI/AAAAAAAAAcU/ma3ccBtlQ9E/s1600/painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-23FR_Qqmjog/Ts2RAbXsPnI/AAAAAAAAAcU/ma3ccBtlQ9E/s400/painting.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished product!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>When it was all said and done, I felt so proud of myself. It was so cool to watch my blank, white canvas transform into a unique, one-of-a-kind piece of art. Wendy was such a wonderful teacher! She explained every step and had a great sense of humor. She was so much fun!<br />
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I had a great time painting and spending time with Jackie's coworkers. We totally plan to go back! It's a great opportunity for couples to spend time together and try something new!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RYHw72I9Xvo/Ts2RBJTyuJI/AAAAAAAAAcc/_o54n4ialTw/s1600/painting2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RYHw72I9Xvo/Ts2RBJTyuJI/AAAAAAAAAcc/_o54n4ialTw/s400/painting2.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3