91 degrees

In case you're wondering how hot it is in Tampa today, the answer is 91.  Yes, it is late September, and it is 91 degrees outside.  This is impressive considering when I looked up the weather, it said the hi for today is 89.  It's also sunny and gorgeous out, but I'm stuck in my office and far from able to really enjoy the day.  I did get to take Isabella out to play fetch but the beautiful weather is even less enjoyable when you're in close toed shoes, black pants, a cardigan, and a tank top.  With all those layers on, I only lasted about 10 minutes and then rushed inside before my face melted off.  You're probably thinking that's a lot of clothing to be wearing in what must be the middle of summer, but I don't have much of a choice unless I want to wear a parka in my office, which is kept at a ridiculously chilly 72.  No joke, my engagement right is about two sizes too big when I'm at my desk and I routinely put my heater on my desk, pointed in the direction of my very chilly fingers.

At times like these, I like to remember the Blizzard of '96.  We were in Virginia and the news was a constant loop of weather reports, discussions of cabin fever, and warnings that traffic was either non-existent because the roads had not yet been cleared or backed up for days because of the weather related accidents.  Right then and there I swore I would never move so far north as long as I could help it.  I was 12 and miserable. 

In about 3-4 months, when all my friends that don't live down here are miserable, I will relish the fact I can run outside in jeans and maybe a light sweater.  Then I will remember why I live in Florida.  But right now, J.Crew is just adding insult to injury with its emails about big discounts on sweaters.  Justifying the purchase of a big, soft, and absolutely delightful sweater is a little hard right now.  Maybe I'll be able to talk myself into it when it starts snowing in my office.

Baby Fever

I think there's something in the water.  Several of my friends (who shall remain nameless and are probably not who you think they are anyway) have recently been discussing having babies.  Within a matter of weeks, three of them told me they had already begun trying, were probably going to be trying within a couple of months, or as soon as they get back from that really fabulous vacation they want to go on before they have a baby, they'll be working on having a baby. 

I may have missed the wedding spree that so many people go through shortly after college, but there's a very good chance my friends will be having babies around the same time.  This is a good news/bad news situation.  Good news - I'm so unbelievably happy for my friends, especially the couple referenced above that just told me they're expecting.  More good news - I will be able to buy lots of cute baby things, which I love to buy anyway.  Best news - at some point in time, each of those babies will be stolen, by me, even if only for a short period of time so I can hold them and play with them and get my baby fix.  Bad news - with all of these babies around, it makes me want one of my very own even more than I already do.  It doesn't really matter that I'm not even married yet, work full time, am in law school, and between the two of us Ryan and I will have oodles of student loans, does it?  How hard could it be to bring the baby to work and school, get all of my work done, and play with the baby all the time?  I don't sleep anyway so it would be perfect!

Who's with me?  All aboard the crazy train!

Okay, fine, I'm not really going to run out and set-up a nursery (even though we will have an extra bedroom in our new place, which doesn't really need to be used as our office), but that won't stop me from dreaming of the day when I'm able to hold my very own bundle of joy in my arms for the first time.  Until that day, which is a long way away, comes, I'm going to continue to be happy for my friends and buy and make them LOTS of baby things.

Let Go and Let God

Words of wisdom so often spoken but so often followed.  Sometimes, you just need to let things go and know God will take care of you and everything else.  I'm not talking about the story of the woman in the rising flood waters who refused the help of others three times by saying God would take care of her, I'm talking about the day to day little things that can make you crazy if you don't just let them go. 

Today, I'm vowing to, at least every once in a while, let go and let God.  He may not always tell you what you want to hear and things may turn out according to His plan and not yours, but that's something I can live with.  He's done a good job so far, I think it's safe to put my faith in Him.

Super Saturday

Every now and again I become delusional and think I am Superwoman and will be able to accomplish everything on the most ridiculous to do list you've ever seen.  Today is a perfect example.  My plans for today include doing all my laundry, vacuuming, buying Isabella a new toy to tear up at my friend Erin's house (so Isabella will leave us alone and not go after the one stuffed animal she managed to find last time we were over there), returning the bridesmaids' dresses we will not be using to J.Crew, finishing my Entertainment Law homework in time to go to Erin's, and going to the gym.  Did I mention I also think I'm somehow going to have time to do wedding things like finish addressing the save the date envelopes, complete the addresses spreadsheet, and cut down the information cards that are going with the save the dates?  Oh, yes, and I want to make banana bread with the bananas that are finally ready.  And, if I have time, I'm going to Church tonight at 5:30 instead of going tomorrow before Ryan and I go to brunch or tomorrow night.

Apparently, I am the only person on Earth who has figured out how to clone themselves not just once but twice because it will take three of me to get all that done.  Think I'm going to have to prioritize that list, be willing to let some of it go, and multitask unlike anything you've ever seen before.  The wedding things I can do at Erin's while watching FSU beat play Oklahoma (fingers crossed, y'all, I'm not jinxing it).  Banana bread, delicious as it might be during our pj game watching party, will probably have to wait until tomorrow, as will Church and vacuuming.  That just leaves me with school, the gym, a trip to Petsmart, and running by the grocery store to pick up an appetizer for tonight.  Of course, I'll also have to find time to shower and get ready, but we'll pretend I don't take at least an hour to get ready to go anywhere.

I like to be busy but this is getting to be a bit much.  Anyone else have a rather ambitious day planned?

P.S.  I was writing this while on hold with Verizon trying to get my cable picture to stop being boxes and lines of picture going in and out.  You know what I'm talking about, right?  I didn't have a chance to publish the post before the technician got on the line.  After a series of calls totaling about 30 minutes, he's sending a technician to my house to fix the problem sometime before five.  Vacuuming is going to have to go back on my to do list.  And with that, my plan for the day was shot before 10 am.

The Story in the Numbers

September 11, 2001, is a day that will live in the memory of the collective conscience of America.  The images of that day have been seared into the memory of so many of us forever.  I know I will never forget where I was when I first heard the news (on my way to circus class) or how I spent the day (trying to reach my sister who lived in NY at the time and my Dad who normally went to DC for work).  And so today, inspired by all of the news coverage, I decided to find out exactly how many people had died in the attacks, but found so much more.  Here's the day in numbers:

• 3,051 - estimated number of children who lost a parent
• 2,976 - total number of people killed in the attacks of 9/11
• 2,349 - number of civilians who were killed
• 1,609 - number of people who lost a spouse or partner in the attacks
• 1,402 - number of employees who died in the Tower One
  
• 614 - number of employees who died in the Tower Two
• 343 - number of firefighters and paramedics killed
• 253 - number of crew members and airline passengers that were killed  
• 200 - number of funerals attended by Rudy Giuliani in 2001
• 125 - civilian and military personnel killed in the attack on the Pentagon
• 115 - number of countries who lost citizens in the attacks
• 37 - number of Port Authority police officers killed
• 23 - number of NYPD officers killed
• 20 - the percentage of Americans who knew someone hurt or killed in the attacks
• 19 - the number of terrorist hijackers
• 1,506,124 - tons of debris removed from Ground Zero 
• 99 - number of days fires continued to burn after the attack
• 98 - number of FDNY vehicles destroyed
• 4 - the number of planes hijacked
• 4 - number of countries the terrorists came from 
• 8:46 am - American Airlines Flight 11 was flown into the North Tower
• 9:03 am - United Airlines flight 175 was flown into the South Tower
• 9:37 am - American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon
• 9:59 am - time the South Tower collapsed
• 10:03 am - United Airlines Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, PA
• 10:28 am - time the North Tower collapsed
• 5:21 pm - time 7 World Trade Center collapsed
• 10 - number of years since our country was changed forever

And since the attacks, 

• 2,000,000 - number of Americans who have gone to war since 9/11 
• 77 - number of Americans killed this morning in the bombing of a base in Afghanistan
• 2 - number of commercial planes that were escorted to their destination by fighters after reports of suspicious activity earlier today

These numbers tell a story so much greater than they indicate at first glance.  The number of NY city personnel that died is really the number of people that ran towards burning buildings, with gaping holes in them, to help people leave the buildings and try to put the fires out.  Imagine that for just a moment.  As people fled from the towers, those brave men and women ran in and began climbing to reach those who were unable to help themselves.

The number of children who lost a parent are girls whose fathers will never walk them down the aisle.  Boys whose mothers won't be there to straighten their ties before every major event in their lives.  Some of those children have memories to hold onto while others have only pictures and stories of the ones they were never able to love while they were still with us. 

The number of hijackers is the number of people who were willing to destroy the lives of so many people.  While more were involved in the planning of the attacks, these individuals actually boarded the planes with the intent to fly them into buildings filled with civilians and kill thousands of innocent people.  Yes, some of the men and women killed were military personnel and they had all agreed to give their lives, if necessary, in the defense of our great nation,  but this was hardly the type of situation in which you would imagine our soldiers might die.  I cannot imagine the evil that was involved in convincing those young men to commit murder on such a large scale.

But there are some things the numbers will never be able to provide.  The numbers cannot tell you how the widow of a NY firefighter feels every 9/11, which is both her wedding anniversary and the anniversary of her husband's death.  They do not tell you how my brother, who was just 7 when the attacks took place, was terrified to fly for several years after the attacks.  We will never know how many people fell to their death rather than remain in the smoke and flames that were engulfing them.  And although you can find the numbers for people that joined the military immediately after the attacks, the number of people who have lost their lives as the fight for freedom continues, and somewhere in some ultra secure location you could learn about the number of attacks that have been thwarted since that tragic day, the numbers cannot possibly begin to explain the horror of that day or the way it united us as a nation. 

Time and time again people say that we must never forget that day, but I don't know how anyone could ever forget it.  We will remember the events of 9/11/01, we will honor those that died, we will thank those who gave their lives or were willing to do so to save others, and we will rebuild the towers, but never will we forget.

The numbers above came from source, source, source, and source, and a report on Fox News.

4:30 in the MORNING

Isabella decided to wake me up around 1 am.  I think she was scared of the thunderstorm that was rolling through.  Then, she decided to wake me up just before 4:30 so I would take her out to the bathroom.  Correction, so I would take her out in the pouring rain and she could refuse to actually go to the bathroom.  She would barely even go on the covered stairs.  Once we were downstairs, she ran as close to the wall as possible, avoiding the portion of the walkway that was exposed to the elements, and eventually made a dash for the stairs.  Aware that my chances of getting any real sleep were dashed, I plopped on the chaise to give myself some time to wake up and wait for the rain to let up enough that I could take her out.  And then I smelled a fresh wet spot on the carpet.  Isabella, who refused to go outside just 20 minutes before (even though there are spaces where she would be mostly protected from the elements), had made a mess of the carpet.  If that won't wake you up, I don't know what will. 

Should you have any ideas on how to house train my already mostly housebroken 2 1/2 year old dog, I'd love to hear them.  This kind of craziness has to end or we'll never be able to get her a sibling. 

Raised by a Yankee?

Say what you will, but in my own personal opinion, no one does etiquette or teaches manners quite like a true Southerner.  Yes, there are polished people that live up North and I'm sure there are lots of them that are much more aware of the rules than some in the South, but I still think that overall, it's just a little different down South.

My Momma raised me right and I know that elbows are not allowed on the table, I'm never to chew with my mouth open, and I can properly set the table.  However, in preparing for the wedding, I've been reading all about the etiquette of things and how things should be done properly.  I'm happy to report that I was aware of several of the rules and had been following them thus far.  But there are a few things that I may have, well, I just had no idea.  For example, did you know that whenever possible, all children aged 13 and older who are still living with their parents should get a separate invitation?  And the only time you should have a long veil for a daytime wedding is if you're having a formal wedding.  Oh, and a train is also only appropriate for a formal wedding.  Having a semi-formal function?  A long dress and short veil are appropriate.  And for an informal wedding, I'm going to have to get a new dress.  Pretty much the only thing I got right with my dress and the type of wedding I want to have is the fabric.

Then I hit the section on men's attire.  Oh.  Dear.  Goodness.  The guidelines that were provided blew my mind.  I learned about the origin of the tuxedo and all the different cuts of jackets and then I had to put the book away before I made myself crazy.

Ryan has threatened to throw my book away.  He doesn't understand why anyone would care about etiquette anyway and thinks we should just do what we want and as long as it's reasonable, we'll be fine.  The horror.  Sorry, but the invitations will be properly addressed by hand, appropriate significant others will be included on the guest list, and you better believe the wording on the invitations will be spot on.

There is a lot I know but I still have a great deal to learn.  And the fact I didn't know about the 13 year old rule on the invitations and my mother suggested I include dependent adult children (read children that are in college and still mostly at home) with their parents' invitation has shaken me to the core.  I'm terrified my mother may actually be a Yankee.  She did choose to live in Boston.  What kind of crazy person would do such a thing?  I'll let you be the judge.

All kidding aside (my poor mother, she really does have excellent manners and is mostly on top of just about everything), I'm not sure if the rules are antiquated, were made to be broken, or almost everyone knows them and will be judging like I've never been judged before.  I'm not talking about basic manners in everyday interactions but is it really necessary to send three invitations to the home of my aunt and uncle who have two children in high school?  Ignorance is one thing but I feel like now that I've read the book, I really don't have a good excuse for not doing everything the way it is supposed to be done.  I certainly don't need my great-grandmother, of Jackson, Mississippi, rolling in her grave.