Bad News

Well, I'm at work and none of my friends are online, and Scott is at his gran's, and Amanda isn't answering the phone at home, so I have no one to share my bad news with except you folks.

As you can see below, Scott and I have moved forward the wedding date. This is great, of course! But that meant changing the reservations for all the places we already have reserved. I haven't gotten ahold of the Events Coordinator at Ella's Restaurant yet to see if the date can be changed there, but I did get to talk to the owner of the Dickson Theater where the reception was to be held. It just so happens that September the 18th is also the wedding date of my friends Anna and Don. They are having their reception at the Dickson Theater on that day.

Not only does this mean we no longer have a free venue for the reception, but half of my friends are going to have to decide between weddings.

Sure, it would be easy for me to say, "Well, Scott-darling, let's just make the wedding the next weekend, or the weekend before." But this is not possible. Because, you see, September is part of football season. And if you've ever lived in a college town, you understand that game days are TERRIBLE days for trying to get out of your house. Unless you're going to the game, you are insane for trying to do anything on a game day. And unfortunately, every weekend of September, except the 18th, is a game weekend. Which means we either move to wedding to October (which I absolutely do not want to do) or move it to August (which is way too close and therefore something I do not want to do.)

Anyway, this is just a little bit of bad news. Let's hope nothing else bad happens. (Lord, I'm praying that you please keep Ella's open for that weekend so we don't have to change those plans either.)

Please give me your sympathy. This just sucks.

Love,
Lori

PS. Anyone wanna host our reception somewhere for free?

**UPDATE**
Ella's is ours. Whew.

Ahem, hem, hem. Pay attention ladies and gentlefolk, if you will.

I have an announcement to make.

Lori and I have moved our planned wedding date forward to the 18th of September, 2004.

I'd like to take this opportunity to say "Yay!". I'm getting married to the most beautiful, funny, intelligent girl anyone anywhere has ever met/seen/known. That's Lori, btw. Not my other wives.

Well, I'm off to a gig. It is the wonderful Heraldo Beige. Have fun :).

You cheater, the wedding outfit is meant to be a surprise! But I'm happy to see it :).

Everyone tell Lori to take the test.

This has been a crappy, crappy week.

I've cried so much I get a headache just thinking about crying.
Me and Scott had a miserable phone conversation this afternoon. Lots of crying on my end, very little talking from both ends. So as I got in bed a little while ago, I decided to call him. But my call wouldn't go through! I called the operator and she told me I had a block on my phone, so that I couldn't call the UK. She didn't know what the problem was and neither did I. Before I tried calling him, it wasn't that big a deal. But after discovering I couldn't call him, I burst into tears again. This is getting to be so unfair!

I have a test tomorrow morning. It's a make-up test. Technically, I don't have to take it since the teacher drops the lowest test score. I'm a A kinda person, but tonight I decided to settle on a B. If I take the test and make an A, I'll have an A for the class. But if I take the test and get a B or if I don't take the test at all, I'll get a B. I've decided on the B.

I feel horrid. I have a little poetry reading thing tomorrow afternoon at the Middle School. I was pretty excited about it, but now I'm not. No one is coming with me, and I haven't prepared anything, and I'm too tired and too stressed and too upset to think about it. I guess I'll just have to prepare at work tomorrow.

Work. That's another thing that sucks. But more on that later.

Thank God tomorrow is the last day of school. After tomorrow I have two papers and a test, and I will be finished. Until summer school starts, that is. But I'm looking forward to summer school a little bit. I'm taking Math and Biology. Two classes that don't require papers. That side of my brain hasn't been worked in a while. Maybe my headache will move to the other side now.

I want to be married.

I miss you, Scott!

*cries.

My New Suede Shoes

Sneak Peak....

I've started this bad habit of crying every day I don't get to talk to Scott. This is going to be a tough year.

Things I Love About Getting Married
1. People talk to me about sex.
2. A certain freedom I feel to wear a bathing suit, as boys are no longer a consideration.
3. Looking at my calendar and writing in things like "Rehearsal Dinner" and "Get wax this week".
4. Making elaborate plans and leaving the money issues to my parents.
5. Wearing a ring.
6. Married people actually talk to me now.

Things I Don't Love About Getting Married
1. Girls asking me, "How will I know when he's the One?"
2. Having to tell people the same boring details everyone asks about. (when, where, how we met, colors)
3. People assuming we will have bagpipes and a cealidh because Scott is Scottish.
4. Dieting.
5. Those faces married people make to each other when I say something naive about marriage.

Dang it, I just screwed up Superlori.com. I must've saved "intro" as "index" and now my index page is lost. Grrr. I don't know how to fix it, Scott and Chris are the ones who helped me get the index page all fixed up right in the first place. Arg!

I quit.

Corinna's Going A-Maying

It's Saturday morning, I'm dressed and ready for Springfest, but Amanda won't get up.

The birds are calling out to me. What do I do?

Get up, get up for shame, the blooming morn...

Mmmm, chocolate.

Chocolate makes me feel much better after a bad day. Which is what I had.

First: some idiot woman decided that instead of drinking her tea, she'd instead pour it on my hand as I gave it to her. My fingers are now very red and sore.

Second: it was hellishly busy.

Third: it was KFC. It's never good.

Well, some amusing news. My vegetarian friend, Paul, who plays for my old band The Ocean Fracture (formerly Emberfall), got a job in KFC. They were discussing training him in kitchen, which would mean he'd have to pull apart chickens and suchlike.

I think it's funny, anyway.

My blogs are really boring, I know.

Things that made me laugh today:

1. Quotes by Dr. MacRae...
....on the Creation:
"God said, 'Let there be light.' ... Shazzam! That's pretty spiffy."

....on money:
"The emperor has now been identified as naked. And unattractive."

....on the Renaissance:
"Sprezzatura. Say it with me. Sprezzatura. You need to use your hands! It's Italian!"

....on the Puritans:
"Sex. Sex. Sexsexsexsexsexsexsex."


2. You know how English professors are often very old ladies? I saw one of the old lady English professors today walking around in a big over-sized Rolling Stones t-shirt.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

I talked to Loud Girl today. Friendly-like. I fear the repercussions of this, as she may now feel free to chat my ear off all day long, but I felt it was time to make an attempt at friendliness. I mean she's not going anywhere and neither am I.

She told me a funny story, dang it, which I shall share here. She called a lady and began the regular pitch. She was interrupted by the lady's nurse who said "Ms. So-and-so can't talk to you. She has Alzheimers." So the nurse hung up but the lady had never put the phone down. She said to Loud Girl, "I'm still here! Don't you listen to her, I'm not sick! So who did you say you were?" and Loud Girl told her she was Loud Girl calling from the University of Arkansas.

"Do you remember going to the University of Arkansas?" Loud Girl asked.

"What street is it on?" the lady asked.

"Maple," said Loud Girl.

"Well, I don't remember that street, but I remember going to college once. Now I don't know if I can help you. Where is this money going to?" Loud Girl told the lady she would just call at a better time and disconnected.

Heehee.

On a side note, my Scott has done such a good job with fixing up our blog. (Just like I'll do a good job fixing up our house.) It is not evident to the mass viewer that our blog was having problems, for they were all internal, but Scott has saved the day. He'll make a great husband.

Three cheers for Scott!

You know we've entered the Geek Age when you have serious nightmares about computer viruses.

If I knew how to create viruses, and I were asshole enough to do so, I'd now have an idea for an absolutely genius one that would completely destroy your harddrive. (Two d's?) But I'll say no more, I don't want any virus-jerks out there to get any ideas. Let's just say I woke up in a sweat.

I'm sick. I didn't go to work.

I also passed my job interview. Hurray :).

Grrr.

Well, I just got back from work. The Easter holidays are over and my life just got a lot better. Not having 40 kids in the place at all times is a blessing.

I have nothing whatsoever to say.

Thought for the Day

The men may be the head of the house, but the women
are the neck and they can turn the head anyway they want.

-Maria Portokalos My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Attention Dear Readers:

In an effort to become a more cutesy (and in effect more disgusting) couple, Scott and I are combining our blogs into one. Kind of like marriage. Please change your bookmarks (if I am so lucky to make your bookmarks) and any links on your websites (if I'm so lucky to make your links) to scottandlori.blogspot.com.

Because we are combining our blogs, you will no longer have the frustration of checking Scott's blog and finding nothing. You will instead have the added bonus of finding Scott's posts on my blog.

Once again, superlori.blogspot.com is coming to a close. Sort of. Or rather, it's becoming better.

Thank you.

Whew!!

It's over!!!

And I'm kinda sad. I'll miss working with Skip and Davis. I have writer crushes on them.

It went well though. I was satisfied. It's over. The end.

PS. Skip gave me an enormous compliment, which I will attempt to quote here: "The best of your poems are really wonderful and the worst of your poems are still interesting."

Did I mention I'm NERVOUS???

Butterflieeeeeeeessssssssssssss................

Gonna be sick.

My defense is in just a few short hours. I tossed and turned all night. I dreamed about it. In my dream I got a really low score. I'm nervous.

The Guest List

To correct a common misconception, being on the guest list does not necessarily validate one's coolness.

I was certainly not feeling cool tonight, no matter what the Ester Drang list said.

Glad to be home, showered, out of a smoky bar, though.

Representatives from the Department of Homeland Security were on campus today. They gave a presentation, and I went. It was interesting. I comprehended only a fraction of what they were talking about, but I enjoyed the talk nonetheless. I was the only student there. Everyone else was old and wearing a suit. I wished I'd dressed up more for work today so I could've fit in better.

I was proud of Arkansas at this meeting because one of the heads of the DHS is Asa Hutchinson who was a Congressman from Arkansas. I think I voted for him. I don't remember though. Anyway, he is very handsome and speaks well and that is what matters in politics.

He sounds capable. I like him. I wish I were important so I could've met him. But in a room full of Chancellors and officials, I am a worm.

Only 4 days until my Honors Thesis Oral Defense.

Only 23 days until Commencement.

Only 111 days before I officially earn my Bachelor of Arts.

Approximately 138 days until I see my fiancé again.

Only 281 days until I'm married.

Warning: Potentially Boring Post to Most

If you're not interested in cessationism/speaking in tongues/etc. this post will bore you.

If you are curious, read on.

I found this today while perusing the Christian Guitar theology forum. I think I agree with this guy/this post regarding the issue of cessationism (which to my understanding is the belief that spiritual gifts such as tongues and prophecy have ceased). I've had this discussion a few times with a few friends and basically none of us really have much of a clue what is true. This guy doesn't either, but he sure articulates his confusion in a better way than I could. If you're interested, go there and read. It's not too long. Only about four posts on the thread.

I am convicted by my own witness and practice to believe a theory of mine called dynamic cessationism.

This is basically that while the church is built and mature here, it is not in other places. So where maturity reigns miraculous supernatural assistance fades because it is not needed as such, but for ministers of the gospel all hinderances to the gospel (illness/disabilities, language barriers, etc) God will overcome and miraculously so if needed....

I wonder if sleeping in sponge rollers after I'm married will ruin my sex appeal...

Did I mention this draft will include women?

Reinstate the Draft? Never.

I've pasted the House of Representatives bill right here. (That's H.R.163.)

a.) I own a wedding dress.

b.) I'm going to miss my church family more than I can bear.

Perusing my blog I realize this month looks extremely boring. No one wants to read this. So here:



Don't you wish you were at this party?

Four years of anticipation and dread.
Two years of writing.

Finished just like that.

The Thesis is done.

Easter

O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
How pale Thou art with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn!
How does that visage languish, which once was bright as morn!

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ’Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

My burden in Thy Passion, Lord, Thou hast borne for me,
For it was my transgression which brought this woe on Thee.
I cast me down before Thee, wrath were my rightful lot;
Have mercy, I implore Thee; Redeemer, spurn me not!

What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever, and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to Thee.

- Ber­nard of Clair­vaux

Oh yeah, another thought...

Saw two guys carrying the cross around campus yesterday for Holy Week. Jackie's response: "If you're going to carry the cross around, take off the wheels."

As Iron Sharpens Iron

Do you think sometimes maybe iron can also dull iron?

Definitely in the past year, I've been being sharpened all over the place by various wonderful people. And for anyone who thinks the internet is a waste of time, well, you're right except sometimes it is useful. In the instance of Benj's blog, for example. I find all sorts of things to consider when I go there.

But I wonder... do you think maybe sometimes people who are more knowledgeable than ourselves are able to scratch so much that we are dulled into believing everything they say? In some circles I feel like I know a lot-- I can quote Scripture on many different topics. I know what I'm talking about sometimes. But when I get around other Christians who know far more than me, I find I sort of just take their word for it. I believe we are all trying to sharpen one another with the knowledge of the Scripture that we have, the knowledge that the Holy Spirit has imparted to each of us. Yet... perhaps I know something, believe something, have felt these things confirmed in my spirit-- particularly things that are not mentioned in the Bible-- and then someone more advanced in his spiritual journey comes along and says these things aren't true in a very authoritative manner? What does that do to me? Neither of us can back our beliefs 100% if it is not literally mentioned in Scripture... but say he is more intellectual, or has better argumentation skills, than me; and that leaves me, well, dulled.

Do you see what I mean?

Take the topic of "swear words."

Need I say more?
Who is to say what is right about that? There are verses that say some things that are relatable and verses that say other things relatable. If I feel that swearing is really wrong, and someone more savvy comes along and says its fine, and I can't necessarily argue with him, then I am left in a query. I could easily stumble at that point. I could become dulled to a conviction within myself.

Or on a subject even more obtuse, worship songs.
This has come up in so many conversations lately (and blogs). I don't know what to think. There are many different kinds of worship songs and many different things to say about them. I have my own opinions (which I feel have been sharpened by conversation, gratefully, as opposed to dulled) but sometimes, I feel like I am inadequate in defending my case-- because I am a young Christian, because I am not a great arguer, because I did not go to seminary...

I don't really have much of a point. Except maybe we should be careful when working to sharpen one another that we do not dull each other instead and conform each other to our own personal understanding and revelation of the Scripture. How to do that, I don't know. But it's something to watch.


And heck, while I'm at it, here is a sneak peak at a poem I wrote. (It's not one of my best or favorite. But it regards this point.)

As Iron Sharpens Iron

In a dark and sullied work shed
lined with feathered wood shelves
and splintered work benches
I am the pointed,
red-rusted fire poker
hanging across two dirty nails,
and you are the sharpening stone.
You scrape my dullness
to a point, you scratch my jagged
edges smooth. I keep you strong
and make you stronger,
while you work away to make me sharp.
We are in the one work shed,
we are purchased at the same store,
without one another we are nothing.

Thoughts for the Day

"Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!" -Isaiah 1:16-17 (words spoken by our God Almighty)

"Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun." -Ecclesiastes 11:7

You are a GRAMMAR GOD!


If your mission in life is not already to
preserve the English tongue, it should be.
Congratulations and thank you!


How grammatically sound are you?
brought to you by Quizilla


Yeah, dog.

Every morning I wake up with the acute realization that Scott is not here. It makes it hard to get out of bed.

This week has been much more relaxing than the past few I've had. Yesterday I finished writing poems. I may end up writing one more, if the inspiration moves me, but otherwise I'm done. I'm now at an extremely critical and difficult position which is organization. I must choose which poems go in what order. Yet this is still far less stressful than actually writing. I also must complete any and all revisions before Monday but I am fine with this, too. I usually keep up with my revisions so I'm pretty much on schedule.

I will turn in my final draft on Monday and then spend the week relaxed. The following Monday I shall defend this thesis before a panel. I have no idea what that means.

Except that then it will be over.

Once I have sent them off the Library of Congress for copyright, I will begin posting a few, since you all must be so eager, like lions and tigers with knives and forks standing over a dead zebra. (Thanks, Jonathan.)

Loud Girl is calling my friend Eli's Dad as we speak...

Why oh why do I have to listen to Loud Girl every day? I've never heard her get any money. No one wants to give to Loud Girl.

(One day, she's going to google herself -- Loud Girl -- And discover this prattle and palaver.)

Jackie pointed out that I didn't mention my weekend with my mom. So let me just say it was wonderful. We had a great time just being mom and daughter, girlfriend and girlfriend. And Amanda was there most of the time too so it was like mom and daughter and daughter's best friend, or girlfriend and girlfriend and girlfriend. We went to dinner at a Thai restaurant Friday and then drank Smirnoff and talked about the wedding. Saturday we went shopping for wedding dresses (eee!) and had lunch at Atlanta Bread Company with Kim and Jessica. We went shopping and then watched Mona Lisa Smile. And we cried some, too. I love my mommy. We're gonna miss each other.

Queens and Brides and Cherry Blossom Trees

Sweet sweet story. This girl has so many cute stories, I think she must be a liar. I hope not.

I like what Erika said to Amanda once about those little trees... They made her feel like a queen.

I haven't been a queen yet, but I was a bride on Saturday. I found the dress, and I wore it in front of a mirror on a pedestal, and I was a bride.

I am a GIRL

I decided I needed a soda to get me going as I've been transcribing numbers for an hour and my eyes are crossed. I reached for a Sprite when I noticed there were Barq's Root Beers. I haven't had a Barq's in ages. I chose the Barq's, took a sip, and the taste transported me back to when I was little at church when my mom would give me and my brothers enough coins for all three of us to get cans of Barq's. I almost started crying.

Lame-o!

Today is just a day, like every other day...-Tripping Daisy

Today's not special like yesterday was. But that's how it should be. Birthdays should feel special and yesterday felt special.

Today is special for a different reason-- my mom is coming to town. She's never been to my new apartment (and I've lived here almost a year...) and she's coming without Dad so it'll be a good girly weekend. Going out to dinner tonight for my birthday. Trying on wedding dresses tomorrow. Homemade burritos tomorrow night. Wine. It'll be a fun weekend.

Hurray for Moms.

I had a dream last night that I was stabbed with a kitchen knife.

First it was a man that was stabbed by his crazy granny. She got mad, pulled out a butcher knife, and shoved it all the way through his stomach out the other side. She pulled it out, he grabbed it from her, and the police came. They accused him of trying to kill an old lady. They didn't even believe him when he showed the stab wound. The lady just acted surprised like she couldn't understand why her sweet little grandson would try to kill her.

Then it was me. I was holding my stomach in the place of the wound and was a little disappointed that more blood wasn't pouring out like in the movies. I called 911, but got a voice saying this number was incorrect. Oh yeah, I'm on campus. I have to dial an 8 to dial out. So I dialed 8-911 and got an operator. She was the Loud Girl. She started asking me questions like "Are you still at this number...blah blah blah" and I yelled into the phone, "I've been stabbed with a butcher knife!" She said tiredly, "Ok, I'll send someone on the way." "How long will it take?" I demanded. "I don't know, probably like 30 minutes or so."

So I noticed I was getting weaker and weaker (still holding my hand to the wound) and I whispered to my little brother to come by me. I said to him, "Matt, I love you. I don't know if I've ever told you that, but I really love you. Now I have to die." We both started crying and I was sad that I was going to have to die. But I never did die, I just kept lying on the ground while people circled around me staring.

I woke up with my hand clutching my stomach.

Boys of Great Britain,

I'm eating my Yorkie bar right now. Mmm, fruit is so much tastier when it is forbidden.

Eat my pants.

Them that Glitter

I'm using my birthday as an excuse to wear all my sparkly stuff.

I'm wearing a sparkly necklace, a sparkly bracelet, sparkly barrets, and of course, my sparkly ring. If I still had my glitter make-up from high school, I might've gone as far as to have sparkly eyelids but it's probably better that I don't.

Also, today I get to eat one of my Yorkie bars from Scotland. I've been saving them for a special occasion. I haven't decided what occasion I'll eat my other one on.

I'm 22.