I got a Digital Camera!!

Ya! I finally got a digital camera after months of begging! I have a Canon Power Shot A610 w/ 5.0 megapixel. The zoom is amazing! I think that is my favorite xmas gift. Of course I am loving my other gifts, Season 1 of Stargate Atlantis, a warmer cardigan for work(I am soo cold in my office right now, so not funny), a big memory card for my new camera, Now Thats What I Call Music 20 (various aritsts, really good mix) , and a pin to wear that looks like a pointseita leaf. T/m I gotta go venture to the stores to exchange my cardigan for a larger one, need more shoulder room, and I gotta find a nice camera bag- not to big, just big enough to hold the camera, spare batteries, charger(which I gotta get too), and other little things (so I can use it as a purse too). Merry Christmas y'all!

Update: I bought a small camera case at Best Buy- very nice and the price wasn't too bad. Good news- I don't have to buy a charger as the chargere my parents have for their camera works with mine. Got the right size cardigan. Also got some cute pants from NY & CO- on sale. Also found a really cute shirt that was a dusty red and said Tome Coca-Cola Bien Fría (translation Drink coca-cola good cold) but didn't get it b/c mom said we would get it on our way back out. So I hid it, went to NY & CO, and then we went back to JCPenney- it wasn't there! So mom cost me a really cute (cheap too) shirt!

Early Christmas Presents

So last night after working my 10:30 to 7 pm shift, I met some of my friends at Breakaway Café on Natural Bridge Rd. I got to see my friend Liz and her adorable son, Andrew for the first time in almost a month. Little Andrew is thisclose to walking! He is only 9 months old! Hey, I was 9 months when I started walking too! Anyways, all of the gifts I gave were hits. I also love every gift I recieved as well. From froggiegirl, I recieved a Sexy Little Bear(mini teddybear) from Victoria Secret, and four mini lipsticks on a key chain. All of this was in a clever and I'm sure it will prove to be useful in the future, red bag with a outlined heart in rhinestones. From Gimlet, I got one of my fave lotions, Vanilla Bean Noel, from Bath and Body Works, he also got me Cucumber Melon body wash (a nuetral scent that even guys like! go figure). Missy got me the DVD Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants- a movie I absloutely adore!! Missy- Thank you!! I really wanted this movie. My friend Liz got me this incredible book about my all time favorite baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals-Few and Chosen Defining Cardinal Greatness Across the Eras. I am already on chapter 5 of this book, and it is quickly becoming one of my fave books!! Andrew, the adorable 9 month son of Liz, (who suprisingly can already shop) got me a blue scarf that are oh so fashionable today. Its a fuzzy scarf, not the traditional sort, a gift that was totally unexpected which makes it that much better. So far "Santa" has been good to me. Hopefully, my family will like their gifts as much as my friends enjoyed theirs. So to all my friends who read this blog I have one thing to say: THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!!!!

Vigil

Daddy got Vigil!!!! For those who don't know the world of Boyscouting, vigil is the top honor for the Order of the Arrow. I am soo proud of him. He was sooo excited to get it, it is a very big honor, and then doubly suprised to see me and my little brother at the ceremony! This is a big honor for him, but his Silver Beaver that he won last year is still the highest honor ever.

Santa's Coming

Santa is coming to town. Have you been naughty or nice? I like to think I've been a bit of both! ;) Our christmas tree is finally up... did that Sunday night. I have finished all of my shopping and have wrapped all of my presents I am giving. I've been pretty good this year, so I don't think I will be getting coal. If Santa really likes me he will give me Cardinal tickets for the 2006 season, and a digital camera. We'll see. As usual my room is off-limits to both of my parents (normally mom goes in my closet to borrow shoes or a shirt of mine) as I am hiding presents for both of them. Always happens. Its hard to believe that Christmas is only days away. I have Friday and the following Monday off of work. Yahoo!

I'm Done w/ Finals!!

'Nough said!

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

Yea I'm leavin' on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again....Its moving time for my team, we are moving back to our orginal building, this time on the second floor, on Friday. So the end of day on Friday everything must be packed up and ready to move. Oh joy!

Finals

It is finals week. I have taken one and have two to go. First up was my Marketing final. I go in, stressed of course, and instead of giving us the final the professor starts teaching! What the?!! And he wanted us to do an evaluation! Department policy says that the eval must be done and turned in before finals week. Also on the day of the final, you just get the final, and thats it. You don't teach. This teacher was horrible! So naturally I gave him the lowest rating possible. I have a calculus study group this afternoon at 2:30. I have had two sessions with a tutor over this where we have worked on the final review. The final review, if completed and handed in, is worth 7 extra points. So of course I will turn it in. I need all the bonus points I can get. So I will study with them. Then go home to study for my thrid final- Financial Management. I will study and create my cheet sheet. An index card. Not much, but still its worth a lot to me. I think I will take this final t/m evening, instead of Thursday morning at 7:45 AM!! So calc final at 12:15 to 3:15 and then home to study some more and then back up to campus to take my Finacial Management Final at 7:45 PM. Yes this sounds like a better plan of action. I think I can I think I can I think I can. Gotta keep saying that while I take my calc final. Wish me luck, I need it!

Cardinals

Mark Grudzielanek was not offered arbitration and subsequently he is no longer a Cardinal. Matt Morris was offered arbitration and he is also leaving. We traded Ray King to Colorado for second-baseman Aaron Miles and outfielder Larry Bigbie. The Cardinals are apparently close in closing the deal for signing a two-year deal for left-handed reliever Ricardo Rincon. Rincon will turn 36 early in the 2006 season, has a 4.34 ERA for 2005. He has spent the past three plus seasons with the Oakland A's. So if he signs that will be another american leaguer to switch to the "good" side-meaning national league. My opinion is that the American League is not real baseball. One guy gets paid to hit the ball, thats it, he is the desginated hitter, and the pitcher just throws the ball, doesn't go to bat or anything. National League on the other spectrum requires their pitchers to be able to swing the bat. Designated hitters? Yeah right. Last year, when the Cardinals signed Mark Mulder, he was quoted as saying he was excited to actually get to bat. He's done pretty well adjusting to real baseball. Back to my orignal posting... Anthony Reyes is expected to be pushed up to the starting line-up. But is he ready? He was good the one time he came and started a game for the red birds. Then everybody was like "oh he's awesome, he is so next year's starter". Um, hello we have only seen this guy in action once! That is not enough to prove he is ready for the big leagues full time. I am still skeptical, but hey if he can do it then thats great. More money saved. Reggie Sanders and Julian Tavarez were also declined arbitration. Tavarez has a nasty temper that he needs to get under control. He went and broke his hand after a bad outing in the world series!! Hello how dumb can you be?! Sanders is good, I would love to see him as a Cardinal again, but I wish him the best of luck with his new team. Same with Grudzielanek. I just found out that the Cardinals Winter Warm up is on the same weekend that Dad is going fishing and I am attending a regional conference for my fraternity. I soo wanted to go too! Oh well maybe next year. I am thinking of starting a countdown to Spring Training... I can't wait until baseball season starts again!! Go here for more details on Rincon, and here for Winter meetings summary.

New Birds on the Bat

The Cardinals have added two new players to their bench. Catcher Gary Bennet and infielder Deivi Cruz, both from the Nationals. Bennet will back up catcher Yadier Molina, and Cruz will replace Abraham Nuñuz, who signed with the Phillies. A contract was indeed offered to pitcher A.J. Burnett, however there was larger offer from Toronoto, which he has accepted- 55 million for five years. Big mistake on his part, as the Blue Jays aren't even on the radar. They are in the same division as the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. Red Sox have finished 1,2 in the last two seasons. His loss. However, not to fear the Cardinals always have plans that the public doesn't even know that turn out to be goldmines; case in hand the signing of Pitcher Mark Mulder, David Ecstien, and Mark Grudzielanek. Speaking of the talened second baseman, General Manager Walt Jocketty is pesimistic on Mark Grudzielanek's return to the 2006 lineup. Grudzielanek was an excellent additon to the team, and blended nicely with the organization. He and shortstop David Ecstien made up for the loss of Edgar Renteria and Tony Womack. Hopefully, Grudzielanek, a free agent, will re-sign with the cardinals. If Grudzielanek signs with the Birds on the Bat, then our infield is set. For more on trading deals and the like, go here That's all for now folks. Stay tuned for more Cardinals updates. I can't wait until Spring Training!!
Goal for this year: Go to Winter Warm-up!

There's a New Sheriff in Town

That's right. There is a new sheriff in town. I just reorganized our medicine/ towel hall closet, and woe to the person who messes it up first. Let's just say they will ultimately regret it. Next target: The hall Coat Closet. Maybe not today, but definitely soon. I am a major organization freak, I am downright mean about it. When I organize something, like the pantry for example, if I don't see an expiration date and I don't know when it was purchased- I toss it. So when I organize something it looks really good.
Christmas shopping: Still haven't started, but I now have definite ideas for my dad, brother, froggiegirl, and gimlet. Mom's gift is still in the air, Liz- I'm still working on it, same with Missy. Me-I need to write a list out for "Santa" aka my parents so they have an idea what I want. For Gimlet and Froggiegirl- I would love a gift certificate to any of the following locations- NY and Co, Best Buy, Bath and Body works. I will do my shopping soon, I promise, other wise I'll go nuts. But first I need to focus on finishing the fall semester... Almost there just a little further...One week of classes left!!!!! Then 3 finals, and I am done!! Until Jan. 17th that is, but then it will be only two more semesters until I graduate!! There is a light at the end of the tunnel!! Whoohooo!

Random Rants

Okay, I haven't bloged in a loong time. So here goes.
Scouting for Food- Wonderful day, largest one day canned food drive that orininated from Gravois Trails (my district) we got lucky with the weather. Even though the truck was parked in the wrong spot, it still worked out. I did a little bit of everything; took bags out of trucks, dumped the cans on the table, directed cars where to park so we could unload them, boxed the canned good, found dry goods and boxed them, told scouts what to do. I love this service project.
St. Louis Cardinals- Cal Eldred and Larry Walker are retiring, they had great careers and will be missed. John Mabry signed a one year contract with the Cubs-bad move on his part in my opinion...he is so talented and the Cubs suck. Abraham Nuñez our hero for the fall, signed a three year deal with the Phillies- It sucks we lost him, but we wish him good luck. It appears we are in the hunt for the contract of free agent A.J. Burnett- the hard throwing former Marlin. Johnny Damon, is another free agent the cards might look towards, I think this would be a bad idea, I don't think he would fit very well in the Cardinals Organization. However, things are still up in the air and can change. The winter meetings are coming up, and if you will remember, Mark Mulder wasn't signed until after the meetings. So a lot of things can happen between now and opening day folks. Congratulations to short stop David Eckstien, who was recently married.

Life in General- Thinks have been really crazy with the semester drawing to a close, and all of my projects are suddenly due now. At least one of them is done, my other project will be finished on Monday, and then I can focus on my final project which will be done Wed. Then I can focus all of my energy towards final exams. My schedule for next semester is locked, so now if I can just finish this one everything will be good.