C's Blog

I'm so happy that my parents taught me manners!

1. "Say please and thank you."

2. "Don't interrupt. Wait your turn to speak."

3. "Take turns."

4. "Sometimes you have to do things that you don't like to do."

5. "Never point your finger at people. It's very rude."

I guess my parents did really know what they were talking about. : )

Thanks, Mom and Dad. These rules (and others) that you taught me when I was five have proven effective in my daily life.

I am embarrassed and sad for the people I meet who have never learned these lessons.

(A heavier topic today, but something I've been needing to get out.)

Have a good weekend! We're floating on Sunday! YAY! : )

Today I picked my first tomato! I'm taking it to my parents' house to eat with my mom at lunch. It's sitting in front of me at my desk and has a strange parallel with a lesson that I learned yesterday.

Trust your instincts and go with your first pick.

I visited UMSL yesterday, mainly because many people around me were encouraging me to try other colleges and stuff. (This past spring, I had decided to go back to college and finish my degree in Art. I re-applied, was accepted, met with the Dean of the Art dept., he asked me if he could be my advisor, put me on his priority list and told me that I'm a success story, I applied for financial aid, and scheduled two classes for the fall.) After all of that work and the courage that it even took me to do that, friends and family still urged me to check out other options, mainly because of money.

I should never second guess myself.

So, yesterday started out fine, I have lunch with my mom and we're having fun and then we start heading toward UMSL for our 1PM appointment....

1. We hit traffic. It took us 45 minutes to go one mile.

2. We get run off of the road by some ass who was impatient and couldn't wait his turn to merge like the rest of us, so he ran my car and the car in front of me off of the road to get in.

3. I miss the exit for the highway and we have to take a different route.

4. We get to campus after about an hour and fifteen minute commute and there are no clear directions of where to park, where to go, etc.

5. We get to the admissions office and the tour had already gone. The point of contact for the tour, never got my message that I had left her on her voicemail while sitting in traffic.

6. I was so flustered that by the time they got a different person to give us our own little tour, all I could do was cry.

I felt so pathetic. Why did I even go? Because my friends and family encouraged me to go and look at other schools.

The UMSL tour guide that we had was very good and he set us up an appointment with the Dean of the Art dept. who was also very nice and good, but after all of that, I can't stop thinking about all of the obstacles that it took to get there.

Signs are everywhere... you just have to be open enough to see them.

So, I'm going to Webster. Classes begin Aug. 25th! That's only three weeks away! : )

At the rate of two classes a semester, I should graduate in 2010, but I really don't care how long it takes. It's a goal that I have to accomplish for my heart.

Sometimes I just want to yell at myself for emotionally hanging on to stuff like movie tickets, playbills, childhood items, etc.

This, however, is different, and I don't know how to let it go...

Almost a year ago, I asked for Rams Tickets for my birthday from my husband, then fiancée, Bryan. My birthday was on a Sunday and the Rams were playing a game in St. Louis. Now, I know that they're expensive and hard to find, but that's all I asked for.

What happens? I am awakened by the telephone on October 20 (my birthday) by one of Bryan's friends.

Me (sleepy): Hello?

Alex (Bryan's friend): Hey, Caron. Did I wake you up?

Me: Yeah, but that's okay. What's up?

Alex: Well, I was calling to see if Bryan wanted to go with me to the Rams game today.

Me: You're kidding, right?

Alex: No, I'm not. Is he awake?

Me: No, but hang on.

I hand the phone to Bryan reluctantly and roll over and start crying. I hear Bryan say, "are you kidding?!?! I would love to go!! Hang on."

Bryan: Caron, is that okay? Can I go?

Me: Well, of course you can go, I'm not going to not let you go to a game that I would die to go to. I mean, it is my birthday, but whatever. Just go. You might not get this opportunity again.

Bryan: Are you sure? Are you mad?

Me: Yes and yes, but I'll get over it.

Bryan: Thanks, baby.

I've been regretting that statement ever since it came out of my mouth. And what did I get for my birthday? Nothing, on the day of. He forgot.

So, here it is, almost a year later and I tell Bryan that I want tickets for my birthday. (Even though, it won't fall on my birthday again for like seven years.) I email him a reminder and it just makes me sad. I'm beside myself and I don't know what to do.

I don't know if I'm more upset that he forgot my birthday last year or if I'm still horribly jealous that he got to go to an event that I was begging to go to.

Probably a combination of both.

Meanwhile, I look at the Rams schedule and see that on Oct. 19 (the day before my birthday) they play the GB Packers. There's no way we'll be able to go. There's too many Packer Backers here in STL.

Who were they playing last year? The Seahawks. It would have been way easier to get tickets. I should have just bought tickets for myself and taken my mom.

I wish this sad feeling about that day/situation would just go away. I guess I'm just still hurt and some wounds are just take longer to heal.

My favorite player, Aeneas Williams, #35, was injured during that game, too, and was out for the rest of the season. I wonder if his injury would have still happened if I had gone to the game.

(My mom, dad, and sister helped me celebrate my birthday that day with an impromptu cake and candles at their house. It was nice and it cheered me up a lot. Thanks, guys.) : )

I've got to get over this and let it go.

Writing about it helps.

I remembered what I received from Bryan for my birthday last year...

A women's size Rams practice jersey and a couple of cds. : )

I wear that shirt for every game. : ) It was a great present.

If you miss someone's birthday, it's better to be late than to never say "happy birthday!"

Meanwhile, I need to send my grandpa a card. He turned 81 last weekend. Happy Birthday, Papa! : )

Never in my life did I ever expect to be a football fan... And then the Rams came to St. Louis and changed everything! : )

Pre-season starts tonight with the Rams @ Oakland! I'm very excited! I want to see the Raiders go down! The new UPN station (46) in St. Louis is broadcasting this game tonight at 8:00 PM.

I'm ready for some beer, bbq, and football, and it's not even 10:00 AM yet. : )

Go Rams! www.stlouisrams.com

This weekend we went bowling with some friends. It was fun. : ) As you can see in my Moblog, I beat Bryan by one point on the first game!

                    

                    

I couldn't believe it because I really, really, really suck at bowling. My highest score ever was a 109.

At one point, I turned to Bryan and asked him if he knew how bowling was invented because it's really a strange sport:

Roll a ball down to knock down some pins, but don't pass that line, and don't get it in the gutter. How weird. Apparently, it's a really old sport that the Egyptians invented.

Hm. Interesting, because the scoring is hard enough to figure out... Only the Egyptians could have conjured up such an odd sport.

We do have the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame here in St. Louis. Maybe we should go sometime...?

Nah. : )

I'd rather try to beat my high score of 109.

In an attempt to drink more water, I bought a new water bottle last night. It's one of those unbreakable, unstainable, dishwasher safe, plastic ones that are so popular right now. I thought I'd give it a shot.

Bryan got one to. His is gray and mine is green. : )

Will this help? I don't know. But I do know that it's been sitting here for an hour now and I haven't opened it yet....

I'm still working on my first can of Diet Coke. : )

What's that on the bottom of the Diet Coke can you ask? Why it's one of the most handy devices that I've ever used! It's saved my computer and keyboard countless times from diet coke spills...

It's The L'il Sucker! I highly recommend it! : )

I've realized recently that as we get older, we might lose touch or grow apart with our friends because of schedules, families, jobs, etc.

And the initial reaction is to try to not let that happen, but it's almost inevitable.

So, I'm not worried about it. Why? Because the true friends are the ones that will still be there even if you haven't talked to them in two weeks, two months, or two years. And if that isn't enough, they'll want to know everything that has happened with you and they'll love you for it. No matter what. : ) They'll love your different qualities and they'll appreciate your opinions and love to share their opinions with you.

Again, my mom was right. : ) "Just be yourself and your friends will love you for it. If they don't like you for you, then they really don't deserve to be your friend."

Isn't it funny that life runs in circles? You have all of the confidence in the world when you're 6 years-old. And now, at almost 26 years of age, I've finally gained back most of the confidence that I had lost in the past 20 years. : )

All twenty of those years spent wishing that I could go back to kindergarten. (Kind of like the John Mayer song '83.)

And now, I'm very happy that I'm here at 26! : )

I took my hair in for maintenance last night. : )

Before:          


After:                    

It's only 9:36 AM and I've already been asked, "did you get your hair cut?"

I hate this question. People should never ask it.

I always want to say, "Oh, my gosh, no. Did it all fall off evenly again?" : )

As if the question wasn't idiotic on it's own, if you don't like the person's hair, you can't follow the question with anything. DON'T ASK THE QUESTION IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE PERSON'S HAIR! It makes the person you've asked feel really stupid.

Example:
"Did you get your hair cut?"

"Yes, I did."

"Oh." Followed by awkward head nod, eyes to floor.

Alternatives? Many:
"Hey, your hair looks great!"
"Something is different about you today. I like it."
"Nice shirt. That color/pattern is great on you."

And as many moms have said for years, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

Word to your moms. Tomorrow is Friday! YAY! : )

Wow. 50 million people without power!

    

I talked with my sister, Kristin, who lives in NYC and she was excited to hear that she had the day off of work. : ) She was headed to PA to see her boyfriend, Carlos.

Meanwhile I wonder about my friend Becky in Detroit. I think I'll email her mom and see if they've talked to her.

I also wonder how my friend, Tamara, in NYC is coping... I hope she's okay.

Anyway, I'm happy that we have power here in STL! : )

We leave for the Lake of the Ozarks tonight. YAY! : ) Here are some photos and video from Memorial Weekend 2003. We are lucky to have good friends like Tim and Krista who love the lake and have a second home there.

Can't wait for the weekend to begin! : ) Hope yours is great!

We returned yesterday from the Lake of the Ozarks. : )

          

It was very fun! As you can see, the thermometer read 102 degrees when we got home! WHEW!

Check out more photos on www.bryanandcaron.com.

My sister, Angie, sent me this photo last week of my niece, Reese, and I can't stop looking at it!

She is so cute! : )

She calls this "Green Day" hair. (You know, like the punk rock group?)

I miss them like crazy! I wish Kansas City was closer to STL. : (

Hanging out with a one-year old and watching them learn how to do the normal humanisms that we all take for granted, like walking and talking, is so fun. : )

Isn't it funny that an infant can teach you so much about the simple things to be thankful and happy for? : )

Well, I have my books, parking pass, school supplies, and a stuffed Gorlok.

     

Come Monday I'll be attending my first college class since winter of 1998. I can hardly believe that it's been four and a half years since I "took some time off" of college. HAHA! : )

Working full time and trying to finish college is going to be interesting, that's for sure. At least I'm being reasonable and only starting with two classes this semester.

I can't believe that I bought a Gorlok for my desk. Maybe I'm more excited than I think I am. : )

My whole family went to state colleges and they all have this MU vs. KU vs. SMS vs. PSU vs. UNL thing going on. It's been driving me crazy since I can remember. I'm happy that they enjoy teasing each other about where they went to school, but I could care less. They can have their college mascot battles and stuff, it's just not my thing. I just truly don't understand it.

Which probably explains why Webster, a very liberal arts university, has a mythological creature for a mascot. No one at Webster really cares too much about university rivalries and stuff. I think that's one main reason why I originally went to Webster and probably a reason why I want to go back there.

So, why did I buy a Gorlok for my desk? He represents my individuality within my family... and he was cute. : )

My little sister, Sara, is going to teach with me this year at Motion Express, School of Dance and Acrobatics. This will be my 9th year teaching dancing there. : )

Every teacher at Motion Express has their photo on the wall, but she didn't have a black and white glossy, so we got together the other night to take some photos.

Here is the winning shot! I think it's one of the best photos of Sara I've ever seen. I love it, and I'm super excited that she's teaching with me again! YAY! : )

You can view our black and white glossies and bios here: http://www.motionexpressdance.com/aboutus_staff.html

We also took some funny photos of each other: (click on the photos below)

         
         

I don't think I'll ever get tired of being silly with my sisters. I just wish Gig and Kiss, our older sisters who live in KC and NYC/PA, could have been there. It was fun.

Meanwhile, I'm wondering about our friends, Dave and Kelly. They are pregnant and Kelly's due date is today! : )

Peace in yo' hoods.

My first day back to college in 4.5 years was a success! : )

I had a lucky time parking, got to class 10 minutes early, and now that my last name is Arnold, I'm the first student on my teacher's roster. : )

The class that I had today is called "Current Art". It's basically current events in art history, where we study artists who are alive. : )

We learned about this artist named Christian Marclay. We saw a couple of slides of his work and then our teacher played an excerpt from a musical piece of Marclay's called "Guitar Drag".

In this piece of music, an electric guitar is tied to the back of a truck and drug with the amplifier in the bed of the truck. It's completely painful to hear. Our teacher played it for about a minute or two. It was horrible. When he stopped it, he revealed that this piece is a direct reference to a man, James Byrd Jr., who was killed in Texas by three men. The killers kidnapped this guy, beat him and tied him to the back of their truck and drug him to his death.

The whole class gasped with disgust.

Art that makes you gasp is cool. What a statement.

Tomorrow is Drawing II. YAY! : )

Two new, little people made their enterance into the world this week:

Isabella Alexandria was born on Aug. 27th.

Chase Michael was born (this morning) on Aug. 29th!

Brand new babies! YAY! : )

Babies and old people make me cry. They're just so cute.

Congratulations to the new parents! We're looking forward to big things from your new little people. : )