Nothing Stops the Rain

• Went back to Mattawan for my first football game since I graduated. Ben played with the band for halftime! It was awesome and he had fun! Yay! It was really fun being back - got to see Mr. Wheeldreyer, Mr. Greer, Hayes, Phil and campers, plus watch the marching band and hang out with my mom. It was weird not being there with all my MHS band friends; lots of memories came flooding back and I kept having to do double-takes when I looked at the kids, because I saw the people I knew in uniform. Speaking of floods, it downpoured and was freezing. It was kind of awful. But, overall, great night :)

Win Some, Lose Some

• I read a part in Eat, Pray, Love, detailing the post-soccer-game rituals of Italians...they go out to a bakery, win or lose, and eat cream puffs (and the like) for hours! Love. 
• Anna and I charted a possible road trip that we are dubbing "Anna and Emily's Capital Tour", as it takes us through 11 state capitals. Who wants to join us???

One Hundred Things (Sept 29)

• I'm reading Eat, Pray, Love right now and it's really quite brilliant. I love Elizabeth Gilbert's style of writing, her attention to detail and her rich use of vocabulary. Even after seeing the movie first, I still really love it.
• Grey's with Anna tonight! It was fun to watch it with her but the episode itself wasn't that great. Oh well; next week is an episode from the boys' point of view, which should be good.
• Happy Half-Birthday to me! And David :)
• Also, this was my 100th post! Woohoo!

Raspberry Swirl

• Jackson and I made lemon bars last night, half regular, half Raspberry-Lemon. I had the raspberry ones this morning for breakfast and they were AMAZING. Nom nom nom.
• One of my 4th grade boys today was really cute. He told me my jacket was snazzy and also took his own time at recess to make a sign for his parents, because today is their anniversary. See? Cute.
• Alex Trebek informed the world tonight that one of his favorite shows is Private Practice. I literally laughed out loud.

Ghost List

• I really don't like when I've accomplished something before I've had a chance to put it on my to-do list. Then I don't get to cross it off, except in my brain, and that's just no fun at all.

Mr. Chivalry

• When I arrived at Bates this morning, a little boy got to the door before me and opened it for me! Chivalry in a 7-year-old? Yes, please. Adorable.
• It turned out that the music teacher at Bates is now David Peters! Connections and the concept of 6 degrees of separation are amazing.
• Totally fixed my email problem myself, even though it wasn't a fantastic or complicated solution.

Big Time in a Small Town

• Mmmm fatty fair food. I wish I could have gotten a lemonade and an elephant ear but the butterfly fries were pretty good.
• I worked a small town festival for AAHOM today (where I got the fatty fair food). It was so cute because it seemed like everyone in the town turned out for it. It wasn't just something that the town does and struggles to get people to come to. Also, we left the town via back roads, to avoid the parade, and I loved seeing all the farms. It reminded me of driving around Mattawan and ER. I don't think I have the patience to buy/care for animals and grow crops and such on my own, but if I were put in that situation (i.e. marriage), I think it could be a really fun way of life.

Russian Autumn Heart

• I got to be with my guard girls all day so today has been pretty great.
• The Russians are on their way to the summer house and they've packed the waterworks. :(

Homecoming Glory (Sept 23)

• FHS homecoming activities all day. It was pretty fun overall. Loud pep rally, wet rehearsal, beautiful costumes and hair, fun parade, good food, sunshine came out, nice run of pregame, great halftime run (they looked really good!), fast football game, cool experience seeing the Oak Park band, extreme frustration at the FHS football players. I am le tired.
• Sara told me that I've spoiled her - any other guard instructor she has will never be as great as me. So cute! Love my girls.

Perfect by Thursday

• OMG Grey's Anatomy makes me stop breathing. I love this show. I'm so invested in the characters and everything that happens to them. Not crazy-like, as in I worry about it in my every day life. But enough that I make people stop talking when it comes back from commercials and that I cry practically every episode. (Good thing I converted Anna and she sits/freaks out with me the whole time.) Thursdays are my favorite.
• I Skyped with Jane today! Can't wait to meet her for real.

The Song That Jane Likes (Sept 21)

• Jane Cecilia Hammond was born this morning! Yay, I'm so excited for Phil and Kristin. (They should feel honored: this is probably the one life event of other people that has not made me bitter since I don't know when.)
• I got to sub at Wylie today and the 4th grade class I was in was great, not even counting the fact that I had two of my favorite kids from last year in it as well. They were quiet, smart and didn't give me any issues. At the end of the day, the students do "Celebrations," where they celebrate the positive actions and interactions that they see each other engaging in throughout the day. One student said she was celebrating the fact that I wanted to and could come in to be their sub today and she hopes I come back. It was so cute!
• I was left the following voicemail from a principal with whom I had only spoken once before: "Hey Emily. It's Chuck Haskin, callin' you back. Phone tag is on. Your turn! I'll wait for your call. Bye!"

Arabian Disco

• Well, I went to Arabian dancing with Aysha. It was pretty awkward. There were about 40 girls in a room that was probably 10x15 and they were all young UofM students. One girl was kind of judging me that I came after I graduated (even with a friend), so I definitely didn't tell her that I didn't even go to UofM! It was kind of fun but I didn't feel graceful or anything...didn't really like it, but I tried something new and that's a good thing, right?
• Paid about $8 for a ham and cheese sandwich for dinner. Will NOT be going there again.

Sewing Up Crap

• I got lots of good deals at the mall/JoAnn's today.
• I'm finding time to sew! I don't think that's happened since summer 2010.

Some Enchanted Lunchtime (Sept 18)

• First day of work for the Museum today. It was pretty fun and my boss told me about a great more-teaching-related position that they are trying to reinstate at the museum. Hoping to hear more about it soon.
• I sewed while Cara drew and we watched Tangled and Enchanted. Perfect :)
• Also, Cara made me laugh so hard while I was mouth-washing that I spit mouthwash into the clean underwear I was holding in my hand. I love laughing that hard.

Evening Star (Sept 17)

• Evening/night with the Carrs.
• Bumbleberry pie.

My Brother, My Brother (Sept 16)

• Hung out with my brothers and Dad tonight. It was only for a little while but it was really fun.
• We had great rehearsal weather today :) I love marching band.
• I almost forgot! I bought the new X-Men movie :D It may have been $20 but it's totally worth it (we all know I'll watch it at least a thousand times).

Tuna Fish Promenade (Sept 15)

• I had a dream where I ate tuna fish for lunch and then was told that I should pose for a nude photo shoot. I think last night's dream (the one with JT) wins.

A Taste of Honey

• I had a fantastic dream last night, where I was dating Justin Timberlake. Ohhh, it was amazing.
• Wore a cute outfit today, and I thought it'd just be for running errands. But then Melissa, Cara and I had a date at Starbucks, so everyone else got to see my cute outfit too.
• Purchased a card from Honey & Fig Studio this afternoon. It's so cute and it's pretty awesome that Kristen has her own business. Everyone should buy cards from her!
• Why is it not possible for a strange man (older guy on the street) to talk to a strange woman (me) without hitting on her?
• Fixed my guard bag tonight. It's only been on my list for, like, 4 months. I kind of like repairing things with my sewing skills (especially clothes, bags, etc.) rather than actually creating new things. Less precision required.

Love Our Children Forever

• I got to hang out with some of my favorite kids today (Ella, Katelyn, Jackson AND Thomas). And I'll get to see Rachel and Robert this weekend :)

P.S. I Love You (Sept 12)

• I love P.S. I Love You. I don't care if that many cute things will never come out of one guy's mouth. I don't care that I'm not in a relationship with Gerard Butler. I don't care that I haven't been to Ireland. I can pretend.

Echoes of Tragedy

• I had to eat my lunch inside. Although I was looking out the window at sunshine, all I could hear were claps of thunder. It was very strange.
• Rent.com sent me an email titled "Still need a studio in Seattle?" Yes, yes I do.
• Lots of FB statuses and TV specials about 9/11 today. I feel so disconnected from this event every year and, even though it's a special anniversary, this year isn't really different. I try to understand; I've watched the footage on TV in 8th grade, leafed through commemorative books and magazines, and visited the WTC site in NYC. I found Jon Stewart's monologue from the the 9/20/01 episode of the Daily Show and it was incredibly moving, but it did little to help me comprehend. I suppose my homage to the people who are directly and/or continuously affected by the tragedy is to be thankful for my life and the fact that nearly all of my loved ones are safe, alive, and able to love me back.

The Art of American Football (Sept 10)

• Game day! We won! The visiting band (from Alabama State) was fantastic. Definitely different from anything we do up here, but very cool. And the EMU band sounds and looks pretty good (PP and I were a little persnickety but there's really not too much to complain about).
• To celebrate PP's birthday, Cara, PP and I wandered around Ann Arbor while most of it's population was at the Big House. We ran across a Notre Dame fan who looked directly at PP's EMU football shirt, raised his hand for a high five, and said "Go Irish!" I high-fived him but did let him know that we weren't Notre Dame fans. He looked incredibly confused, probably because of his high level of inebriation.

Tonight, Tonight (Sept 9)

• Amaretto sour, strawberry/rhubarb crumble, white chocolate mocha...yep, I'm sure I'll need dentures when I'm old.
• Fun, laid-back celebration for CaraBera and PP's birthdays :) I think one of my favorite parts was people-watching outside of Starbucks (on Main St.) at 1 in the morning. Saw a guy peeing, lots of drunk people and a girl failing miserably to hail a cab (she was definitely wasted).

Make Yourself Comfortable

• The Eischeids have the most comfortable furniture.
• I finished HP7 on tape the other day and it was so great. I was such a dork, getting excited when Kreacher had all the house-elves fighting for Hogwarts and when Neville kills the snake, and being so happy during the epilogue when every one is happy. But I can't help it, it's my favorite one.
• Someday I will be the Ginny to a guy's Harry Potter.

Out of This Gloomy Light

• Good thing today was gloomy and rainy out, because all I felt like doing was staying in bed and sleeping.
• Today, I was overcome by the feeling that I am, in fact, done with college. This was especially strong as I was returning to EMU's campus. Shouldn't I be walking to class in the rain? Gearing up for class in the new Pray-Harrold? Walking to Alex to get flags from Kim? Worrying about buying books or being ready for the first TBS meeting of the year? Nope, not anymore. And I can't even go back to my apartment for a little nostalgia. Everything was finished basically all at once. And nothing new has started. I'm stuck in the middle, pulled in no particular direction - no man's land. It sucks.
• Cara's family got cable today, which means I can watch the Friends marathon on Nick@Nite this week. I'm excited about this.

Driving Sideways

• Today was a long day, full of driving.
• I ate lunch with my sister today. It was fun and she seems to really be enjoying MSU.
• Orlando is so willing to help me get flags. So cool.
• I love the ending of Grey's Season 5, episode "Stairway to Heaven".

Your Neighbor's Trampoline

• I lounged with my mom and brothers on the trampoline tonight. It was a great way to spend the evening.
• I messed up my cupcakes. I don't like messing things up.
• I miss Carlee.
• I recognize that my life is great and that great things are in my future. Tonight is just one of those nights where everyone's changed relationship status from "In A Relationship" to "Engaged" or "Engaged" to "Married" and everyone's statuses about being excited to start their first day as a teacher are getting me down.

Cupcake and Boo Boo Cow (Sept 4)

• Made blueberry muffins. They were pretty good.
• Watched Princess Diaries while baking said muffins (John judged me for not actually watching the movie). I can't believe this was Anne Hathaway's first movie. She's great.
• I couldn't find my Watermelon Cupcake recipe! Then I found it in my recipe box so it's all good. And then I made the Watermelon Cupcakes. So far, everyone who has tried them has liked them. Woohoo!
• Went to Denny's for the first time with Justin, Jason, Carrie and Charlie. We had a fantastically weird and funny conversation, for which I'm sure we were judged by other late-night Denny's-ers.

Down to the Market (Sept 3)

• This morning, I went to the Kalamazoo farmer's market. Earlier this summer, Carlee and I tried to find the farmer's market and we got lost and missed it. It was really cool to be there today. There was so much food, beautiful flowers, cool crafts and a lot of happy people. It was honestly a cool way to be part of the human experience. People were nice to each other, the food was good and good for you, and it was a great slice of Kalamazoo culture. Also, the guy who sold me my pie gave it to me for 50 cents cheaper than it cost :)
• Ben and I went garage-saleing this afternoon. We only explored a few but it was fun to do it with him. We also went to an estate sale in a really cool (albeit dated and clearly '70s) house.

I Am A Paleontologist

• I totally need this CD! It's so cute and would totally make science a lot of fun for a lot of kids.
• Got my Princess Diaries DVD and both of my He's Just Not That Into You books in the mail today! :)
• My stay with Anna was pretty fantastic. Did lots of nothing, hung out at her house, ate good food, and finished today by getting books from Schuler's (they have used books there!) and good deals at Claire's.

Rocking at Hogwarts

• Happy September!
• I watched Ellen today. It was a rerun but JG was on (and played/sang), there was an HP preview (Jen made fun of me for being excited about it, even though I've already seen it), plus Ellen gave $ and a car to a woman who really needed it (it made me almost cry! And Jen stayed in the kitchen because she was crying). Also, Halle Berry told a story about how she thought she lost her daughter in the department store, so Ellen gave her a life jacket with a 5-ft flag on it and "If found, return to Oscar-winner Halle Berry" on the back. Hilarious.
• I saw a Sherwin-Williams paint delivery truck. Their current ad campaign is "Cover the Earth". Somehow, I don't think it's a good idea to promote covering the planet in paint (even if they do have sustainable practices).
• I listened to HP7 on CD, in order to honor the students boarding the Hogwarts Express and returning to school today. (Okay, not really. But I saw a friend's status on FB and stole the statement because I was already listening to it.)
• I did not get the Portage job. I am disappointed, relieved, apprehensive and grateful all at the same time. I have great friends and family who say all the right things <3
• Staying at Anna's tonight to wallow and watch Morning Glory :D