FAT Tuesday is right!

First and foremost, thank you to all who participated in my picto-puzzles! The answers are as follows:

"pot calling the kettle black"

Capricorn 

John Locke (....from LOST- Not the philosopher)

pillow

There ya have it. I threw in an old saying, an astrological sign, a character from a TV show, and a common household object. 

Congrats to Char who had the most correct answers! Char, you win a puffy envelope full of seranwrapped rice crispie treats- coming your way soon! And because I feel bad going to the post office and shipping something off to Scotland but sending nothing to Ireland, Francie, you get some too. AND, now that I've blogged it, I must do it. So the odds that you two will actually receive rice crispie treats are pretty decent. 

My mother gets an honorable mention for her response (now one of my favorite blog comments EVER): "Struck out except if I removed the phone I got panty."

Mom, for your response you will receive a fun ecard from me some time this month. Yes, I realize the prize dropped significantly in value from first-place to honorable mention. Deal. 

Here's something to think about: What's on your "bookmarks bar"? Ya know, the tabs up at the top of your browser window that you have programmed in, making your favorite websites just one click away. I am not sure, but perhaps one's bookmarks bar and  the order of bookmarked websites listed on it says a lil' something about who they are.

Here's mine: Madgespace, Facebook, Gonzaga email, Dlisted, University of Edinburgh application page, Yahoo mail, YouTube, Wikipedia.

Today is "Fat Tuesday." That means Lent starts tomorrow (Ash Wednesday). I am giving up coffee and gum.

 Of course, I am doing so for completely selfish reasons. I want to rid myself of the caffeine addiction and artifical sweetened gum that is reeking havoc on my digestive system. It has NOTHING to do with having a better understanding of what Jesus sacrificed for us. I mean, it's ridiculous to think that cutting carbs or sweets really compares to being nailed to a cross. Doesn't it seem insulting to the J-man? HA! Since when is this blog a forum for religious debate? SINCE NOW! I am going to the University of Edinburgh School of Divinity in the fall. Time to start thinkin' biblically!

Jai Ho, 

Madge

"This is my sorry for 2004.." -Ruben Studdard

OMG, I AM SO SORRY!!!

Why (as if you have to ask)?

I forgot to put "Colors of the Wind" (Pocahontas soundtrack) on the greatest-songs-of-all-time list that I posted a few blogs back. AHHHH!

MY BAD!

Last weekend, on our way to Whitefish, MT in Barbie's mini-van, we listened to it on full-blast and sang our lil' Native American (I wish) hearts out. Man, what a fantastic song. 

Here we are (minus Isabel who was skiing) at Glacier National Park:

Carrie, Meghan, Julie, Jamie, Me, Barbie

Here are the things that have been CONSUMING my mind as of late:

Rihanna/Chris Brown

Angry Chimp Attack

bangs vs. side bangs vs. growing my bangs out

School work/procrastination & panic

FINANCES for my year in Edinburgh

Top Chef/Real Housewives of OC/Real World Brooklyn/The City/LOST

Stimulus Package

Gallagher Summer 2009 menu

Cleaning my FILTHY room

The Middle East

Dental care

Missing my family

Mental/Physical health

Sun/Vitamin D

Milk

There really is not much new around these parts. This is why I haven't blogged in eons. Nothing to say that you haven't already read on dlisted or overheard from the people behind you in line at Starbucks. Blah blah blah, Ken Griffey Jr. is back on the Mariners. Blah blah blah, Chris Brown should go to jail. Blah blah blah, chewing gum is bad for digestion. WHAT ELSE IS NEW?!?

Let's play a game! Put these pictures together to form a word/phrase/person!

FIRST:

+

+

+

= ?

SECOND:

+

+

=?

THIRD:

+

=?

FOURTH:

+

=?

Answers to be revealed in the next post! Good luck!

I love cinnamon bears, 

Madge

P.S.
I really do love them. Anyone who is bored and looking to do his/her good deed for the day, feel free to mail me some cinnamon bears. Text me for my address. Or text Clare and ask her for it if you want to keep it a surprise. Thank you in advance.

Vlog whatchyo mamma gave ya!

Make it a great day, 

Madge

P.S.

Separated at birth?

ILL. By the way, I hate how uppercase "i"s (I) look exactly like lowercase "L"s (l)

Yet again, I am ill. I think it's an under-active thyroid, but I am not going to say anything further because it's obvious that I talk about it too much. I KNOW I talk about it too much. UGH. The plan is to keep on chattin' w/ the naturopath and refusing to give up until I feel like myself again. Nuff said. 

Turning the focus away from meself...I want to post this reflection I just wrote for my community journalism class. We had to write about our experience volunteering at a homeless shelter (which I will be doing every friday this semester).

Mainly, I don't have anything else to blog about. Can't muster up the strength.

Here it is: 

   Volunteering at a "homeless shelter" for the first time is supposed to be a little uncomfortable. It's perfectly normal to be nervous. It's natural for the men to be be closed-off and cold as we load their trays with oily lunch meat, wilted lettuce and hopeless pieces of stale white bread. It's OK to be slightly shocked by the unfamiliar, dirty smell of the place- like in a nursing home, it takes some getting used to. The sounds of throaty coughing, vulgar language and sloppy chewing may offend a first-time volunteer and that's perfectly understandable. The sad faces that cloud the dining hall with despair may be the hardest thing for a volunteer to cope with. But these people still need nourishment, shelter, and the occasional smile to get the from one day to the next. For that reason, volunteering is worth it.
   This was the pep-talk I gave myself two Fridays ago as I ran across Trent and into the parking lot of The Union Gospel Mission. To my surprise, it was completely useless. None of those words of self-wisdom applied. Not only were my predictions of the sights, sounds and smells way off, but I was also completely wrong to assume such discomfort and uneasiness on my end. Instead, I was left with a feeling of realness (stepping off campus at all usually helps with this) and a raw perspective into the other gender.
   I was entirely comfortable from the time I entered the mission until the time I left. When I returned the following Friday, when we would actually be serving lunch for the first time, I felt even more at ease than I did during the tour. The men were not sad and discouraging. They were laughing, chatting- smiling. The placed didn't smell bad. Actually, it smelled good. Like barbeque!
   Though I was at ease serving pulled-pork sandwiches to the variety of unique, interesting faces, I couldn't ignore a heaviness settling right below my sternum. It was a weird blend of joy and sadness, similar to how I feel after attending a really well-done funeral. I think the feeling comes from being happy when the bigger picture is sad- or maybe it's the opposite- being sad when the bigger picture is actually happy. Whatever it was, it settled right below my sternum, liquifying my eyes for a brief moment and forcing their lids to muscle a few extra-rapid blinks of fortitude.
   I could see my Dad in a lot of the men- and my Brother, my Grandpa and my male Cousins too. They were all there- humbled by homelessness, the ultimate social failure. All I could think of was men and their deeply ensconced pride. It might not always be easy, but women are allowed to ask for help. Women are allowed to have moments of weakness. Women are often encouraged to be vulnerable for the sake of compassion and love. The privilege of fragility is not an option for men, despite it being a natural human quality. This idea struck me intensely. Most men must continually fend off their own humanity. That nagging, tugging twinge of tenderness that all humans experience must be ignored and covered up with manliness. I wondered what our world would be like if men did not constantly silence themselves with pride.

Ya feel me?

Madge

Throw another VLOG on the fire...

Who let the dogs out? who? who who? who WHO?

Let's get ready to rumblllllllllllle (you ready for this), dun dun dundundundundun....

clapclap clapclapclap clapclapclapclap LETS GO!

Sorry.... I just had to get that out of my system. Big sporting events always bring out the yell-king in me.

Who's doing the halftime show? I don't even know!!

Best,

Madge