In Remembrance...

I'm not planning on posting much right now, but I did want to at least get on here and let you all know what was going on.

My Uncle Mark passed away this past Sunday during the Ironman competition. Here is the link to the most comprehensive article, if you want to know what happened: http://www.whas11.com/news/Deputy-coroner-releases-preliminary-autopsy-results-on-Ironman-triathlete.html

We were so excited for him that morning. We got up at four, were out of the hotel by five, and were parked downtown by around 5:30. We walked over to the transition area, where the bikes were being kept, so he could check the tire pressure, and then we walked to the swim start, where he got his race number Sharpie'd on his arm, and then, he got in line at the dock. We grabbed a seat, right where we could see him jump off either of the two docks, and then waited.

The professional race started first, and then, they started the rest of the competitors. Mark was probably one of the first 100 people to jump off the dock. He looked so pumped; he was waving to us while he was in line and everything. I got his jump off the dock on video, and he even plugged his nose when he jumped. :) We watched him swim for a moment, until we could no longer pick him out of the crowd, and then we walked back to the transition area so that we could see him come out the water and get onto his bike.

And that was where things veered from our plan. Mom got a voicemail from Medical Services, and we had to scramble to find the rest of our group...Wendy, her son Adam, Quinn, and Mark's girlfriend Karen. They wouldn't give Mom anything over the phone, except that he had been in an accident/incident and he was in the hospital in critical condition. So, Mom and Karen got picked up by Medical Services, and Wendy, Adam, Quinn, and I got one of the cars and headed to the hospital.

This part...well, I really don't feel like saying much. But basically, they settled us into a secluded room, and the chaplain talked with us a little about having a loved one in the hospital, and then the doctor came in and explained what happened. What they won't tell you in the article is that they gave him fifteen minutes of CPR/chest compressions on the riverside, worked with him all the way to the hospital, and then another half an hour at the hospital. They said they gave him all sorts of drugs to get his heart started again, and gave him six liters of fluid, but, in the end, nothing brought him back. And we all had a nice, good cry, and hugged each other...and well, you can imagine the grief.

Mom, Wendy, and Karen went out to view the body; the kids opted out...me because I wanted to remember him as he was when I last saw him, all excited and pumped for the event. And then, the adults signed all the papers, and started making the dreaded phone calls to the family. And basically, everyone sobbed for quite a while. We ended up getting everything together and got out of the city and headed to Wendy's friend's house in Ohio, where we stayed for the night.

This morning, we headed out, and got into Buffalo, and talked for a while and had dinner...everyone started bringing food over, so we have a ton of stuff, and then Mom and Gramma started making viewing and funeral arrangements. And I started pulling up online articles of the event, just to see what was being said... So, we're in grief/tragedy mode right now...everyone's running around trying to find papers, and getting the wake/viewing and funeral schedule set, and it's all crazy right now. But, we're hanging in there.

But, what makes it all so horrible is that it was so unexpected. Mark was in shape; he'd been training hard since January, and working out even longer. He was so excited this weekend...prepping the bike, turning in his gear at the transition area, chilling out with us. And he was just at a point in his life when everything was starting to go good for him. He had both his sons back - Matt just started basic training in the Marines, he was starting to get closer with AJ, - and he was in a wonderful relationship with Karen...they were just starting to meet each other's families, and I could tell how happy they were together.

So, anyway, I've written a whole lot more than I really wanted to/had time to, but I just wanted to let you all know what was going on. Right now, I'm in Buffalo, and we'll probably be here until Saturday or Sunday. Dad is flying up sometime within the next few days, so that'll be nice to have him here. Anyway, thank you for all the love...I can feel it already. My deep, profound message is this, paraphrased from my dad's Facebook page: There is a difference between living and LIVING, really truly living. So, if you're not LIVING right now, start, because you never know how long you might have.

Uncle Mark, rest in peace. We love you, and you will be dearly missed, but you will always be remembered. :)

I Just Survived An Earthquake...

Okay, first of all, I would like to inform you that I just survived a mini-earthquake. Our whole house started shaking. At first, I thought it was just me, and then I looked around my room and my chandelier was shaking and the mirror on my dresser was rocking a bit, and oh my gosh, that was so scary.

Anyway, while I calm down, I'd like to post a small recap. So, I started my job at Catered Affairs on Monday. I got there, as instructed, at noon, and made my way up to the fourth floor of Deacon Tower, where I located my aunt and she showed me how to clock in, and then we started working. We started off by putting the tablecloths on the tables, and setting the flower centerpieces on them. And then, we set out cups on the drink table. Then, we went back to the kitchens to get some jugs of sweet tea and lemonade, and then made our way down to the first floor to get some more lemonade and the decorative greenery. And we started filling cups and setting out the greenery, and setting out the food (it was a fairly simple spread...three drink choices...water, lemonade, sweet tea...and three types of food...veggies & ranch dip, peanuts, and cookies).

And before I knew it, people were coming in, and milling about. Basically, it's just making sure the food is replenished, and keeping the drinks flowing. Not rocket science. And then, we cleared the tables, and started dumping the leftover drinks, and wiping off the tablecloths and that sort of stuff. And then, we all said goodbye, and I clocked out, and left for the day. I actually really enjoyed the whole experience...not as terrible as I had thought.

And then, I came home, and basically had my dinner at 4:00, because I was starving after working for three and a half hours on an English muffin with Nutella and a glass of milk (aka my breakfast). And really, I just chilled for the evening...let Ella out, watched some tv. Dad came home at around 10:45...he's been working ten-to-twelve-hour days since Saturday. He's over at Bridger Field House serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner to the players. And then, I said goodnight, and ended up in my room watching Dark Harbor on YouTube, which was...interesting.

Today has been good so far. I got up, watched part of The Tender Trap, then Mom texted me about meeting her at La Carreta for lunch, so I woke Quinn and got him moving. Rebecca left a voicemail on my phone, so I called her back, and she gave me the approx. finishing time for my Wednesday shift, and then asked if I could work a couple more shifts this week.

So, now I'm working tonight (I have to report in at 4:30 on the fourth floor...she said it's a large party, and they're using the whole fourth floor, as opposed to half, which is what I was working yesterday afternoon). I am still working Wednesday morning (reporting in at 8:30am), but now, I am also working the evening shift (4:00pm). And in addition to my Thursday morning shift (10:00am), I am also scheduled to be back at 4:30pm for another evening shift. I have a feeling the evening shifts are going to be quite a bit longer than the morning shifts, so I'm on track to rack up twenty or so hours this week.

And through all this working, I am going to have to start thinking about Louisville. We're leaving on Friday morning, which is going to come up so fast. I have this funny feeling that I am going to be packing all of Thursday night after I get home from work, and then sleeping in the car Friday.

Anyway, back to today. So, Quinn and I went home while Mom went back to work, and I watched the rest of The Tender Trap, which was good, and then I went into my room to chill for a while, and that's when the earthquake happened. And now, I'm back to the beginning, so i think I shall log off, and relax for a few minutes before I have to start straightening my hair and getting ready for work.

A Night Of Teary-Eyed Goodbyes...

Okay, recap time!

So, Saturday...Mom and I went to the grocery store in the morning, then we came home, put the groceries away and had lunch. Then, I dropped Mom off at my aunt's pool, and then I came back home and finished putting together my card and gift for Aaron. And then, I took forever trying to paint my nails (I kept messing them up), and then had a snack, and got ready. And before I knew it, I was getting on the road.

I got to Lane's house, and Aaron was just getting there as well, and we grabbed all the stuff from my car and headed to the door. Lane greeted us, and Aaron opened his gift while I started unpackaging all the paper products. All the guests started arriving, and then we meandered out onto the back deck and sat and talked for a while. Then, we moved to the lawn to play lawn darts, and then we all ended up around the firepit until dinner was ready.

We all ran back into the house, grabbed our plates, and started helping ourselves to hamburgers, pasta salad, and chips, and then we all rearranged ourselves back around the firepit to eat. Then, the card games started, one around the firepit, the next on the back deck, and we had cake and brownies for dessert. Then, we played Mafia, which I'd never played before, but was so fun. It's really to complex to explain on here, but definitely awesome.

And then, at 10:00, everyone started to leave, getting their picture taken with Aaron before they said their goodbyes, and the rest of us went inside and signed the roll of paper to give to Aaron, and we talked for a while longer until 11:00, when we all said our goodbyes and headed out. It was a teary goodbye, but the way I look at it, it isn't goodbye at all. It's just, "I'll see you when you come back," because with all these wonders of modern technology (email, cell phones, Facebook, etc.), we won't lose contact with each other.

So, I drove home, and actually got home before my dad, who had been working at Catered Affairs for the day and then picking up one of his former co-workers from the airport. Apparently, it had stormed really bad over at Wake Forest...he said that all the bouncy houses got blown into the side of the stadium, and paramedics had to be called because a player was hurt when the wind slammed an open glass door back into its frame and all the glass exploded out of it. It must have been a really localized storm, because Mom said they didn't get anything here at the house, and there wasn't a drop of rain at Lane's house. And then, I had a snack, and pretty much went to bed.

Today has been good. Slept in, then drove Mom over to her co-worker's house to drop off dinner for them, since she's recovering from back surgery. And we stayed and talked a little bit, and then headed home. We had lunch, and watched the end of The Devil Wears Prada, and I had no idea Simon Baker, the guy from The Mentalist, was in it. We were both like, "What?" Haha. And then, Mom hemmed my dress pants for work tomorrow, and I uploaded the goodbye party pictures to Facebook, and now, I'm just waiting around.

Nothing much going on tonight, other than cleaning Ella's cage, since I failed to do that yesterday. And taking off the polish on my fingernails, because it's aqua, and it says in the employee handbook that bright nail polish is not allowed...so grr. And having dinner, and that's really it.

Tomorrow, I will be starting my job at Catered Affairs. I'm a little nervous, but I guess that's to be expected. Basically, I'm driving in alone (Dad has a different shift, and is actually working in Bridger Field House, not the Tower), parking, then walking to Deacon Tower, taking the elevator to the fourth floor, and finding my Aunt Carol, and she'll show me how to sign in and get me started. I still don't know what time I'll be working until...Rebecca never got back to me on that, but I guess I'll just work until I'm not needed anymore. Dad thinks it'll probably be four to five hours. I have a feeling I'm going to have a very "deer in the headlights"-esque look on my face the whole day...hopefully, I'll learn everything pretty fast.

Then, I get a day off on Tuesday, then more work on Wednesday and Thursday, and then leaving for Louisville on Friday...busy, busy, busy.

This Is So Not The Time To Be Blogging...

So, right now it is 12:30 in the morning, and I am just starting this post. Yep, whatever.

I guess the past few days have really been pretty normal. Not much going on...just watching movies. And Pretty Little Liars, but that's beside the point. So, I watched PLL on Wednesday, and then Mom came home, and we chilled for a while until we headed out to pick up Chinese food and take it over to my grandmother's for dinner.

Thursday...well, this was my movie day. I watched They Drive by Night in the morning, then fixed myself some lunch, went back downstairs, and pulled up Netflix on the Wii. And (here's the kicker), decided to watch Die Hard. No, I had never seen it before, but I had seen some of the sequels on tv, so I thought why not? And the freaky part was...I actually really enjoyed it. Like, this is supposed to be a guy movie...I mean, it's bloody and action-y, and there's a swear word every other sentence, but I ended up really liking it.

I think every action movie has something to do with the hero crawling through the ventilation system.

Yes, I'm still trapped in this Alan Rickman...thing/funk/cycle, whatever you want to call it. And the lady he's holding the gun to...she's the grandmother on Parenthood.

So, anyway, then Mom came home, and we chilled for the evening, and then she and I watched Unknown, the new Liam Neeson movie, and wow, it was really good. It was pretty slow at the beginning, and neither of us could figure out where they were going to take it, and then everything started coming together, only for them to throw another little twist into the plot, which was awesome.

Today was cool. I ended up watching a short film/biography on Humphrey Bogart, narrated by his son, Stephen, which was neat. Then, Mom came home, and we ran some errands. First stop was Kohl's, since we had a $10 Kohl's Cash thing and a 15% discount card. So, we bought a couple things, and then went over to Costco. Haha, I think I have to post this...I was scoping out a parking spot, and one of the workers (he was probably in his late teens to early twenties) was coming down the aisle to collect the carts from the cart-collector thing, and he stopped right before the spot I was going to take, and sort of gestured me into it. And so, I parked, and we all got out, and as he was pulling the carts, he started asking if I was a new driver, and saying how that was one of the best parking jobs he'd seen by a young driver, and as we're walking away, my mom goes, "I think he was flirting with you." And I busted out laughing.

So, we got what we needed, and headed out. We stopped at Coldstone Creamery, because we'd been seeing the commercials, and never really realized we had one right there by the mall. I had the Peanut Butter Cup Perfection blend, which was amazing...chocolate ice cream with hot fudge, peanut butter, and peanut butter cups mixed in. So good. After we finished our ice cream, we headed off to Target. I needed black socks, and Mom needed a few things. We got everything, and then headed home.

We chilled for a while, then had dinner, and then Quinn and I went to pick up some pictures from Walgreen's. So, we got there, and there was a lady in the car in the parking spot next to us, and I really didn't pay much attention to her until after we had gotten the pictures and paid for them, and were heading out of the store. I got to the car, and she had the window down, and said to me, "You look pretty young to be driving. How old are you?" And I answered, and she was all, like, "Oh, cool, well, be careful." And it was all sort of weird, but neat, in some respects, I guess.

So, I came home, and got to working on/finishing my goodbye gift for Aaron, and that took almost three hours (way longer than I thought), and so all I really had time for was a snack before I went to bed. Well, and I did update the pictures in my two frames in my room. I only had one frame out, and the picture I had in it was one of Emma and I from 8th grade graduation, so I replaced it with a picture of me, Emma, Anita, and Sylvia from our latest trip to Oriental. And then, I pulled out my other frame, and put in a picture of Aaron and I from the goodbye lunch we had last weekend. And they both look really nice.

In other news, I'm starting my Catered Affairs work this coming week. I'm working Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, but not with my dad. I'll be working with either my Aunt Carol or one of the ladies who works on the sixth floor during the football season, Sharon, who I met at orientation, depending on the day. I have my starting times, but Rebecca hasn't gotten back to me as to ending times for each day, so I'm still waiting on that. But, Dad said it could be upwards of six hours a day, so I could rack up some money by the end of the week.

Um, on the agenda for the next few days...Aaron's goodbye party tomorrow (well, today). We're taking dinner to my mom's co-worker on Sunday, since she's recovering from back surgery. I'm working on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and then we're leaving for Louisville on Friday (Mom wants to leave by 7:00am...ugh). So, busy week. Okay, I really have to get to bed now...I'll try to post again soon, possibly on Sunday, with a nice recap of the party?

Wow...I Haven't Posted In How Long?

Holy crap, I haven't posted since Thursday...oops. Well, here's some of the things that went on during the past few days.

I got together with Aaron, Robyn, Sylvia, and Aaron's friend for lunch on Saturday. We went out to Cicciones in Lewisville, and had lunch, and talked, and laughed, and reminisced. And then, we took some pictures, and Robyn left, and then the four of us headed over to Casanova's. We got drinks and snacks, and Aaron played the piano, and attempted to teach me how to waltz, which is a very easy dance, except for the fact that I have two left feet. And then, we talked for a while, and Aaron played some more on the piano, and then we said our goodbyes and departed.

Mom and I went out that afternoon to look for the rest of the things I needed for my Catered Affairs uniform. We found a nice pair of black sneakers, and then went to Kohl's and got a pair of black dress pants and a pack of t-shirts (to wear under my dress shirt). The only thing we didn't pick up was a pair of black socks, but I can just go to Target for those. And then, we came home, chilled for a little bit, then went back out to pick up Arby's for dinner. And Mom and I watched The Adjustment Bureau, which was really good.

On Sunday, Mom and I went to the grocery store, and then had lunch and went to the pool for a little bit. When we came home, we watched Overboard, which was something Mom had seen a long time ago and really wanted to see again. I thought it was pretty cute, too. Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn (Kate Hudson's mother). It kinda reminded me a little of Fool's Gold, but the plots had nothing in common. And then, we just chilled for the evening, watching Disney Channel and reading and such.

Monday was pretty good. I got up, and ended up watching Pot o' Gold, which was cute, and then just having lunch, washing the dishes, and chilling out for the afternoon. Mom came home, and we ran a couple errands to the post office and then to my aunt's. Then, we came home, fixed dinner, and then when Dad came home, we ate, watched some tv, etc. Then, I let Ella out, and chilled for the evening. We made these really awesome dessert things that night - basically, you slice a banana in half (keeping it in the peel), then put chocolate chips inside, and cook it in the oven, and then, you just unpeel it and top it with a little sea salt - they were amazing. And that was really it for the night.

Today has been good so far. I got up, got ready, watered the plants, then watched Second Chorus, which was pretty good. Then, I had lunch, washed the dishes, and am now just chilling in my room until Mom comes home, which should be pretty soon.

On the agenda for the next few days...dinner with my grandmother on Wednesday, then Aaron's goodbye party on Saturday. I might be working the Winston Salem Open tennis tournament with Catered Affairs next week, if Pam (my supervisor) can find work for me. And then, we're leaving for Louisville that Friday, the 26th. So, I've got a pretty busy few weeks ahead of me.

Hanging Around The House...

So, here goes my recap of the past few days...

On Tuesday, I got up and watched a movie called Lucky Partners, which was actually pretty cute. Then, I basically just chilled around the house until Mom came home, at which point, I drove out to the mall. I stopped at Bath & Body Works first, to get a freebie that I found in Seventeen magazine, only to find out that the collection doesn't hit stores until the 12th, when the freebie said it started the 9th. They had these little sample-size ones for a dollar, and even if those had been part of the freebie, I wouldn't have gotten them anyway. So, whatever.

So, I ended up going to Forever 21, and trying on a bunch of things, none of which quite fit or looked right. I think I spent about an hour and a half looking at stuff. Then, I went over to American Eagle, and picked up two v-neck t-shirts because they were 'buy one, get one 50% off'. And then, I stopped at Starbucks for a smoothie and pretty much headed home. We just chilled for the evening...had dinner, watched Wipeout and Take the Money and Run (which was so much better this time because the couple that hid the money actually won) and I let Ella out.

On Wednesday, I got up, watered the plants outside, and then watched Pretty Little Liars, which was pretty awesome. Then, I had lunch, washed the dishes, and grabbed my craft stuff and headed downstairs. I finished up the drawing part of my Shrinky Dink jewelry, but it took a while, especially considering that I had to completely remake a piece because I screwed up on the text element of it. But, in the end, I got it.

Then, Mom came home, and we ended up watching Beauty and the Beast, which I hadn't seen in a very long time. I really didn't remember any of it, so it was kinda like seeing it for the first time. After we finished that, we started on dinner, and my dad and grandmother arrived, and we had dinner, and dessert, and then watched some tv before my dad and brother took her home again. One note of semi-importance...I stubbed my toe during dinner (I must have smacked it on one of the table legs), so now one of my toes is swollen, and sorta black and blue, and I can't bend it very well. Which sucks, but whatever. And then, I let Ella out and had a snack and that was really it for the night.

Today, I got up, watered the plants, logged onto my computer, and then watched a little of the Today show. Then, I grabbed my craft stuff, turned on the oven, and started shrinking my jewelry. After I let both pieces cool, I started putting them on a jump ring (which always takes forever for some reason because I can't seem to get it to close right), and then spent another bit of time going back and forth between two chains to hang it from. I finally decided on one, and this is what the finished product looks like.

Okay, so this is a horrible picture, but I really didn't want to have to go through the process of taking it with Mom's camera, because that would have taken forever. I don't know why it decided to get that pink look in the center of the photo, but whatever. Basically, it's a layered pendant...a doe on the top piece, and I know you can't see it very well in this picture, but "Always" is written on the bottom piece. If you haven't read the last Harry Potter book or seen the movie, then this whole thing will mean nothing to you. :)

Anyway, so I finally finished that, and then I basically waited around for Mom to come home. When she did, we went out to La Carreta for lunch, which was really good. And then, we came home, and now we're just chilling for the afternoon. I assume we're just going to hang around for the evening, eat dinner, watch some tv, I'll let Ella out...all the usual stuff.

Um, nothing much else going on. I still have to go shopping for the rest of my Catered Affairs uniform, but I assume Mom and I will be doing that this weekend. But, not much else.

To My Wonderful Friend, Aaron...

I was going to log on here and tell you all about my day. However, something more important has come to light in the past few hours, and I feel that my recap of the day is best left for another post.

This post is for my amazing friend, Aaron, who, I have just learned, is moving to Utah very, very soon. So, here is my little note to him.

Aaron,

There are a lot of little things that I remember about the times we've spent together - little things that don't seem like much to others, but they mean the world to me. I remember back in seventh grade, when we were in Life Skills class together, baking cookies and playing that graph paper game. I remember the look on your face when the Rubix 360 was unwrapped during the Dirty Santa game, and how determined you were to get it. I remember you finding (and then losing) the radio signal during that New Year's Eve basketball game. I remember how much fun we all had during your birthday party this past May, dancing and running through the yard and celebrating...

I don't really know how to express it all in words. You've been...well, to use your catchphrase, you've been awesome sauce. You've been my classmate, my go-to guy for good music, my secret crush, but most importantly, you've been my friend. And you'll still be, even after you move away.

It really, truly brings a tear to my eye when I think of you leaving, but I wish you nothing but the best as you start your new life in Utah. There's a saying, "Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget." I know that's true of my friendship with you. I will miss you terribly, but I hope we will be able to keep in touch.

I love you. ♥

-Alexis