strong's interest inventory

well, i just took a test to determine what may be a good career path. my top three were random that's for sure. 1. radiologic technologist...someone who deals with radiology and x-rays. i can't imagine sitting inside a dark room looking at x-rays all the live long day. 2. farmer/rancher... how opposite is this from #1? 3. speech pathologist...i must have answered alot of "helping people" questions with much interest. this might be a pretty fun gig.

i can't decide. maybe i'll just go to culinary school. do they let you watch food tv alot there? as for now, i'm happy being a nanny. and not having to study.

the fruitcake lady

this is marie rudisill. 93 years old. truman capote's aunt. and an occasional guest on jay leno. she started going on the show teaching celebrities how to make a fruitcake. now she answers questions of random people and they broadcast it on the "tonight show". this woman is a riot! i was first introduced to her through a good friend from mississippi. ms. marie tells it like it is. if you haven't ever seen this and need a good laugh. go to www.nbc.com and search for "fruitcake lady" then click on the first link (it'll be a jay leno, "tonight show" link). there will be a list of the videos you can watch.

the real american idol

this is my oh, so talented brother, thomas. he made it to the final round of the boston american idol tryouts, but the fab three (randy, simon, and that ho, paula) knocked him out. as you can see, my bro is gangsta. for rizzal. he posed like this for this photo and is stuck that way. you know how your parents used to warn you about stuff like that? you should see him now.

shave and a haircut

you know that contest called american idol? well, i thought that one person was supposed to win and get a record deal. so why do runners up like bo bice and clay aiken get to record? bo's genre-southern rock-needs to stay classic rock. yes, i'm from the south and the same state as bo, but my big thing with him is that he needs a haircut. a bit too frizzy for my liking. i guess he fits the "image". and clay aiken, no comment. by the way, where's ruben?

funny ha, ha

interested in hillary clinton for pres. in 2008? check out this website.

www.billforfirstlady.com

bring it

supposedly snow is heading towards lexvegas, the land of the free and home of the brave. i'm not holding my breath. maybe i should go stock up on milk and bread anyways. i could never go a day without either.

respecting the author

'the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe' movie is coming out soon. it looks pretty cool, but out of respect for c.s. lewis i'm going to skip this movie. the books are so wonderful in and of themselves. i was reading around on the bbc website and found a link to this letter:

The Kilns,
Headington Quarry,
Oxford
18 Dec. 1959

Dear Sieveking

(Why do you ‘Dr’ me? Had we not dropped the honorifics?) As things worked out, I wasn’t free to hear a single instalment of our serial [The Magician’s Nephew] except the first. What I did hear, I approved. I shd. be glad for the series to be given abroad. But I am absolutely opposed – adamant isn’t in it! – to a TV version. Anthropomorphic animals, when taken out of narrative into actual visibility, always turn into buffoonery or nightmare. At least, with photography. Cartoons (if only Disney did not combine so much vulgarity with his genius!) wld. be another matter. A human, pantomime, Aslan wld. be to me blasphemy.

All the best,
yours
C. S. Lewis

[Letter to BBC producer Lance Sieveking (1896-1972), who has written at the top: ‘The Magician’s Nephew’ and, after the address, the phone number “62963”.]

from www.nthposition.com

this hybrid car thing

i've been reading about hybrids this morning. just curious. why would they make better cars? better gas mileage. less emissions. they are a bit more in price then similar non-hybrid cars. www.hybridcars.com is an informative website on the subject. that's where i found the reason that i want a hybrid...

"I absolutely love our Prius. In addition to being obviously economical and environmentally friendly, they drive great and are just plain sexy. There’s no reason all Americans shouldn’t be driving hybrid cars."
Will Ferrell

have a nice day everyone

worst hair. worst comeback song. this is bon jovi. he doesn't look like this now because he's like 75 years old with face surgery. his favorite thanksgiving dish is beer.

question of the day

what is long duk dong's favorite thanksgiving dish?

so strange

the gorillaz is a "virtual" band that i saw perform on the mtv european music awards. they were cartoons playing on stage. the bass player donned the whitey tighty, which i always love. cartoons in briefs. besides being extremely odd (which isn't new for brits), they were so entertaining. the music is quite fun. some pop, electronic, hip-hop, reggae, and folk. they have a radio song called "feel good". i just love finding good, new music. this is a winner. www.gorillaz.com

unbelievable

31-30! auburn over UGA. i'll tell you what. after alabama lost to LSU (disappointing), i didn't know if i could watch my tigers lose to ol' georgia. can you believe this? right now there's only one thing to be concerned about. college football. some people talk about the war in iraq, global warming, etc. let's get back to reality, people. the iron bowl happens next saturday. auburn v. alabama. forget fox news and NPR. CBS sports is where it's at. WAR EAGLE!

my husband loves me

this is what ryan said to me today after seeing this picture in the herald-leader. "these girls make your boobs look huge. i love you. you're so unique." the joys of marriage. he always knows how to charm me.

food fast and fast food

i saw a commercial this morning for applebees restaurant. there's something that i don't quite understand about this commercial. they say that they're not fast food but food that is fast. what's the difference? i need some help here.

who should W nominate next?

listen, W thinks that this dude from pennsylvania is right for the job of associate justice of the supreme court of the united states of america. i have another opinion. here are my two choices. first, william nelson, the "red-headed stranger". if anybody has experience with courts and stuff, it's this guy. this is somebody that we want on our side.

second, biscuitasaurus. intimidating. ferocious. hardcore. think about it. since harriet miers dropped out, it should be fair game.

ms. jackson if you're nastee

these were the days. no cleavage. a little extra body. big, poofy hair. i read today that janet has a daughter. ms. nasty was married at the age of 18 to some old school guy with the last name debarge. his songs are probably on soft hits 96.9 now. it doesn't really surprise me that jan has a kid. what surprises me is that this child is supposedly staying with her oldest sister rebbie. listen, how many stinkin kids are in that family? i thought latoya was her only sister. just when you think you know somebody so well.

new thing

my new thing is polishing my nails. i think that i might try to make it to the guiness book of records and grow my fingernails out. really long and curly, like that guy. and then i can paint landscape scenes on them. so many possibilities, so little time. especially since global warming is happening.

reading group

for those of us that don't have much to do, i'm starting a reading group based on the "supernatural". it's great that america is spending so much money on the space program. let's applaude them by reading this timely book. just let me know if you're interested. for our field trip we can go to space camp in huntsville, alabama. everyone will get their own training suit.

global warming

listen people...i'm tired of 80 degree weather in kentucky in october. advice: start treating the earth better. all of us. we all drive our big SUVs (and other types of cars, of course) and just drive, drive, drive. let's cut down on driving. let's get our lazy asses out and walk or bike (if we are capable). i'm tired of hurricanes demolishing towns that house cafes with great beignets. we've got to be better stewards of this earth. let's get convicted about the gift of life that we've been given. let's stop buying unnecessary objects. start recycling (or keep recycling). maybe i'm a treehugger. i am a christian who hopes to imitate christ in the care of things both small and big. persons and the earth.

it hurts my heart to drive out of lexington and see sprawl. suburbs with house that look very similar. boxey strip malls. big, fat wal-farts. but that doesn't stop me from visiting my in-laws in the burbs. they do have a nice whirlpool tub. oh yeah, that uses too much water. that i do use.

things we can do: buy locally (food and clothing, if possible), drive less, only use the water we need, share resources, learn more about issues concerning care of the earth (esp. locally), etc...

informative website: http://www.ucsusa.org/

rock on. let's not be lazy about this even though we are americans and enjoy sitting around. it's not as hard as it may seem.

where have you been?

important news!!!! air guitaring totally rox. are you born with the gift or does it take daily discipline? listen, reo speedwagon and styx were in lexvegas at rupp arena tuesday night. which brings me to share my latest discovery (actually it was ryan's). there's a new place on 3rd street called "indy's wok & go". it used to be a fried fish place, but then it mysteriously turned asian. this is their slogan..."i know it's only WOK & GO but i like it". god bless indy. god bless rock and roll.

most recent bling

good thing i work alot. this is the newest edition to ryan's mouth. i decided to get a close-up b/c it is beautiful. i love to kiss the diamonds. ryan has decided to be a stay-at-home fantasy football expert. the interesting thing about that decision is that we have neither tv nor computer.

cleaning house

this is me. i take care of childs and clean big, phatty homes. well, one big phatty home. i've realized that cleaning makes me angry. not sure why. b/c the pay is nizzice. and i really need to make the bux b/c my husband enjoys the bling. there's got to be more to life than this.

an update on biscuit

style is everything with zach. he'll be a whole year old this month and still going strong. i've been sneaking him donuts to keep him bulky. we've got to be careful not to lose any of that baby meat. zach wanted to take a close-up of us, so i obliged. he likes those cheesy kind of shots.
as you can see in the bath shot, biscuit is getting some definition in his upper arm area. he's flexing in this picture.

a moment to appreciate the south

top ten things to love about the south:

1. grits
2. fresh peaches
3. college football...war eagle!
4. spring break in PCB (panama city beach)
5. the hospitality
6. college kids who follow jam bands (and some post-college)
7. bluegrass music
8. cornbread dressing
9. fresh summer tomatoes
10. humidity

agree or disagree?

my best friend's wedding

ryan and i just got back from one of the most lovely and fun weddings that we've ever experienced (and this was an experience). our friends, kit and ryan, were married on kit's family farm near selma, alabama. talk about southern hospitality...we ate and played like kings and queens thanks to the upchurch family (kit's side). they can put on the dog. we arrived thursday night to open arms and warm welcomes and chicken pot pie. the wedding party got to stay in a nearby hunting lodge surrounded by 90 acres of cotton.
on friday, ryan was able to go fishing early with some guys and he actually caught two, huge bass. he's such a manly man. we played at the farm all day...swimming, laughing, skeet shooting, catching up with friends. for the rehearsal dinner we went into selma and had the biggest piece of meat that i've ever seen at a beautiful old home and b&b. i love the south.
of course on saturday, you've got to do the luncheon thing. we had shrimp and grits, sausage/egg casserole, etc. at yet another beautiful old home. oh yeah, and we sweated quite a bit. our poor non-southern friends...
the ceremony was amazing. it was outside, next to the barn. a homemade cross hung over the barn opening in honor of kit's grandmother. we sang, shared in communion, cried and witnessed the beginning of a beautiful marriage. afterwards, we celebrated. very much so. "the style band" played while we danced like crazy in an (thank God) air-conditioned barn. and then we finally had to say goodbye to kit and ryan. unfortunately, they have to spend two weeks in hawaii.
i'm ecstatic over their joining, but i'm mourning having to say goodbye to friends. i'm thankful for good memories and moments to reconnect. it was truly unforgettable.

martha's back!

i just want to wish that sweet, lovable martha stewart a warm welcome back to the television world. starting on sept. 12, our angel of the do-it-yourself queendom (or kingdom) will be gracing us with a live show. much like judge judy or some soap opera, it will be a daytime tv show. this is my advice to the diva...poofy hair and more revealing clothes, it's what sells. cheers, martha!

merton wisdom

“Where there is a deep, simple, all-embracing love of man, of the created world of living and inanimate things, then there will be respect for life, for freedom, for truth, for justice and there will be humble love of God. But where there is no love of man, no love of life, then make all the laws you want, all the edicts and treaties, issue all the anathemas; set up all the safeguards and inspections, fill the air with spying satellites, and hang cameras on the moon. As long as you see your fellow man being essentially to be feared, mistrusted, hated, and destroyed, there cannot be peace on earth. And who knows if fear alone will suffice to prevent a war of total destruction?”

From Seeds of Destruction by Thomas Merton
(New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1964), p.183

hot sauce and helping out

when ryan and i were in new orleans over christmas break last year, we met a man who runs a community garden there. he and neighborhood boys plant hot peppers and hand-make a yummy hot sauce. they also raise chickens and do some other gardening as well. they are actually a sub-group of an organization called PARKWAY PARTNERS which does alot with urban families and youth in new orleans. i'm currently trying to get in touch with them to find out what kind of help they need. i'll post it as soon as i find out. you can find them at www.parkwaypartners.com .

reporting the news

now, why in the world do we need to follow the path of a hurricane for two days straight on the news? i'm truly saddened for the people of new orleans, for those whose lives are in danger, those who will be without homes, and for the historical parts of the city. but, it's like we thrive on fear as americans. no wonder we have such high rates of anxiety/depression. i mean, just to watch a reporter on tv standing in a parking lot in biloxi, ms practically dodging sheet metal that's flying around...it doesn't seem right to me. i know that i can't live in a box. nor would i want to, but this is a good reminder to limit tv watching. to stay informed, but not consumed. to read something positive. to breathe. to pray for and help those affected by a catastrophe.

yummy...

this is my hunk of a husband. some think he favors jesus. am i married to jesus?

super hero

this is wonder woman. she saves people from evil. who wouldn't want to be rescued by her? i think she might be in new orleans in this picture.

good stuff

CRAWFISH CHOWDER
1-2 Lb Crawfish Tails
8 Oz Cream Cheese Cubed
1 Med Onion Diced
1 Stick Butter
1 pint ½ & ½
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
2 cans cream of potato soup
1 can white corn with water
1 can yellow corn with water
Tony Chacare's Seasoning (+ salt & pepper)
Wilt onion in butter. Add crawfish for 5 minutes. Add cream cheese until soft. Add all the other ingredients. Let simmer on low, stirring regularly, for 1 hour.


this recipe comes straight from our cajun friends who made this for us last week while we were getting ready for melissa's wedding. make sure everything is full fat, ya hear. it would also probably work well with shrimp.

who shares a birthday with my husband?

look at this beautiful array of cool people that have a birthday on august 14th. this is officially, since yesterday, ryan's birthday month. i'm not sure if we're going to invite these folks to our party, but we'll see. the one on the bottom is not my dad.

the big, phat koch sister wedding

well, it's here. THE WEDDING. i've been helping my sis-in-law, melissa plan her old wedding and there's quite a bit that goes into it. i guess i just forgot. but at least the dj is going to play "whip it" by devo. and "i like big butts". fun times. pray for us all.

my friend mev's birthday week

well, these ladies sure know how to celebrate. we're all here to wish my dear friend mev a happy birthday week. let this be a lesson for all you uncreative folks who complain about the lack of a cupholder. god bless america and mev.

lovin' the water

this is biscuit. his parents are sort of like river people. because they are my bosses, i forgive them of that. biscuit likes a nice dip in the elkhorn river and then a cold miller lite afterwards. it really helps keep your mind off of the heat.

do you have the golden ticket?

i can't believe that i haven't written about one of the best movies i've seen in quite a while. ryan and i have been excited since december about the tim burton version of "charlie". some say it looks too weird, sure. some say it looks too dark, ok. in my opinion, it's less weird and dark then the gene wilder version...with maybe a few exceptions.

we braved the opening night crowds to see this flick. lucky for us, ryan and i got to bring along our friends jake, 11, and gwynnie, 8. there's nothing like seeing a movie based on a children's book with children. a night of pizza, gummy bears, and a movie all about candy.

the oompa-loompas may have been my favorite part(s). the music is outstanding. i was belly laughing. instead of willy wonka portraying a savior-type character to charlie and his family, he is more human in this movie. with issues and baggage of his own. ryan and i like that part too.

as for comparing to the gene wilder version...you can't. it's a whole different beast. you should really check it out.

viva francais les air guitar...

this is sideburn. an air guitar rocker has a hard life. a mysterious life. do you notice the black sweatbands on the wrists? hardcore. you've got to love our french air-rockin brothers.

thank you, france, for a specimen such as this. grrrr. rock it like a hurricane.

air guitar

heeeellllooooo kitty. meow. this is for real folks. here he is, in the flesh, david "c-diddy" jung...2003 air guitar world champion. what a rock star. don't worry, there will be more to come about this year's championship.

a muppet?

i must admit, this isn't the best picture of carole king, but can anyone figure out which muppet she favors? i need some help on this one. oh yeah, zach and i saw her on the today show and that's where this thought came about.

catherine and bunny

i want to dedicate this blog entry to foolio. she is a very artistic soul who works with a top interior designer named bunny williams. this is not foolio in the picture. it's bunny. with her collar up.

she spanks horses

this is ryan and me with our friend kit. she is getting married soon to a guy who is also (conveniently) named ryan. no, we're not sharing a husband. that's gross. kit does love horses though. go figure.

learning stuff

I'm having a hard time getting into the Bible right now. So, go figure, God's going to teach me about Himself through folks around me. The Great Teacher came to visit me yesterday-at the roller skating rink of all places.

I take care of an 8-year old girl with behavioral disorders who had the worst day she's had in my seven months of working with her. She was lying on the floor of the skating rink whining for someone to help her (she can actually skate-she was just testing me). When i told her that it was time to leave-she grabbed a child's ankle and pulled him down. The fear in his eyes just hurt the heart. Her behavior was definitely spiraling down.

Why, God, is this my burden now?

Before I knew it, she grabs the hair on the top of my scalp and pulls for two minutes. I think it's still bruised up there.

In comes God's grace, through Michelle and Desiree. I'll probably never see these women again. They pried her hands from my hair and helped me restrain her while I called for help on Desiree's cell phone. They sat there with me for 10 minutes (or longer) restraining her until help came. They, unfortunately, also suffered minor injuries from the incident.

To watch this child go through this broke my heart. This is where humility was shining her face. There's really nothing I could do to snap her out of it. I began to suffer with her. Sobbing with her. It hurt (in many ways).

I'm learning to understand gentleness. God has been teaching me this through pain and drawn blood. I can't respond to her the way I want to-by knocking her block off. I've got to respond with loving, gentle hands. She's so sensitive to that.

Anyway, God's still on my case despite my lack of interest in the Bible. Maybe I'm learning more. Maybe He's taking me the long way back to the Bible. Maybe He just wants to show me His face. I'll certainly keep on looking.

HaHa!

Jodie - I am cracking up. I do not even know how to use this and just found out about a month ago what a blog was. I freaked out when I saw your little sidekick - thought it was yours at first! I am glad to hear from you and miss you!

well well well

if it isn't the old kochmeister. Hello foolio. I miss you! I look forward to many more meaningful entries on this blog.

biscuit

this is zach. aka "biscuit". we do have quite a bit of fun. to be around zach is the highlight of my week. this nanny gig (even though it's part-time) is such a gift. his parents, amy and seth, are wonderful folks. both in med school and extremely busy. ryan and i enjoy playing guitar and singing with them. i love my life.