One of Brent's welcome home gatherings with family at Athens Hilltop Grille. My Aunt Irene made the special trip - she is in her mid-90's now, can you believe it???
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Catching up: I
One of Brent's welcome home gatherings with family at Athens Hilltop Grille. My Aunt Irene made the special trip - she is in her mid-90's now, can you believe it???
Thursday, September 07, 2006
...I hate the phone, but I wish you'd call...
Brent and I were driving in the car over Labor Day Weekend (finally, we went on a trip!), and we heard these lyrics - "and I hate the phone, but I wish you'd call" from a song titled "Fear you won't fall" by Joshua Radin. We looked at each other immediately - oh, can we ever relate!
How canst thou miscommunicate over the phone?....Let me count the ways..........
So, here are some borrowed, but fitting, thoughts I found on the subject:
____________________________
Many people assume that the long distance relationship (or, for the purposes of this essay, the LDR) is a modern custom, born of technology—airplanes and telephones and Eisenhower’s interstate highway system. But it is actually an ancient ritual—the origins of the phrase ‘LDR’ can be traced to a Latin root roughly equivalent to “spend a lot of money and be miserable.” ...
Anyone who has ever been in one knows that the lifeblood of the long distance relationship is the written word. ...
If the written word is the lifeblood of the LDR, then the phone call is the cholesterol. On paper, you tend to be more reflective and less likely to overreact. But even if you do exaggerate, you still have the option of reconsidering your words before mailing your letter. With the phone you don’t have the luxury of a cooling-off period. You’re often lonely and feeling betrayed by the distance, which causes you to take it out on the other person. This leads to a lot of fights. And the most frustrating aspect of arguing on the phone is not the fact that you can’t see the other person or even the preclusion of instant-gratification-make-up [activities]. Instead, it’s that no matter what the topic or how angry you might be, the only thought going through your mind the entire time is, “I’m paying 25 cents a minute to be yelled at.” And this makes you angrier, which makes you fight more, which costs more money.
You would think that talking on the phone was just like talking face to face. But it’s not. You don’t have the opportunity to read facial expressions. You can’t see body language. Talking on the phone is not the same as talking in person just as speaking Latin is not the same as speaking Italian. Although some of the words are the same, there’s still going to be an awful lot of miscommunication. ...
If a relationship is like a rope, then distance is an anvil tied to the end of the rope—if the relationship is even slightly frayed, the distance will eventually snap it. If you can avoid LDRs you’ll have more happiness, more money and more [intimacy]. There is little to recommend them.
---Gary Cozine
_____________________________
Can I get an Amen?
Love
Jess and Brent
How canst thou miscommunicate over the phone?....Let me count the ways..........
So, here are some borrowed, but fitting, thoughts I found on the subject:
____________________________
Many people assume that the long distance relationship (or, for the purposes of this essay, the LDR) is a modern custom, born of technology—airplanes and telephones and Eisenhower’s interstate highway system. But it is actually an ancient ritual—the origins of the phrase ‘LDR’ can be traced to a Latin root roughly equivalent to “spend a lot of money and be miserable.” ...
Anyone who has ever been in one knows that the lifeblood of the long distance relationship is the written word. ...
If the written word is the lifeblood of the LDR, then the phone call is the cholesterol. On paper, you tend to be more reflective and less likely to overreact. But even if you do exaggerate, you still have the option of reconsidering your words before mailing your letter. With the phone you don’t have the luxury of a cooling-off period. You’re often lonely and feeling betrayed by the distance, which causes you to take it out on the other person. This leads to a lot of fights. And the most frustrating aspect of arguing on the phone is not the fact that you can’t see the other person or even the preclusion of instant-gratification-make-up [activities]. Instead, it’s that no matter what the topic or how angry you might be, the only thought going through your mind the entire time is, “I’m paying 25 cents a minute to be yelled at.” And this makes you angrier, which makes you fight more, which costs more money.
You would think that talking on the phone was just like talking face to face. But it’s not. You don’t have the opportunity to read facial expressions. You can’t see body language. Talking on the phone is not the same as talking in person just as speaking Latin is not the same as speaking Italian. Although some of the words are the same, there’s still going to be an awful lot of miscommunication. ...
If a relationship is like a rope, then distance is an anvil tied to the end of the rope—if the relationship is even slightly frayed, the distance will eventually snap it. If you can avoid LDRs you’ll have more happiness, more money and more [intimacy]. There is little to recommend them.
---Gary Cozine
_____________________________
Can I get an Amen?
Love
Jess and Brent
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
"That there's an RV"
Hey everyone, it is B-rent again. I haven't been doing a good job a posting on here since I returned from Korea- I apologize. I have checked into my new base at Warner Robins and things are going fairly well I guess. I am glad I get to see Jessica every weekend, but the situation didn't get that much better. Not only do I have to be away most of the time, but we have accrued more debt due to my new living lifestyle. That's right, I live in an RV park. It isn't bad for the most part, but the ants here are terrible. There are war games everynight in my trailer when I get home. As soon as I walk in the door they are attacking me, so I spend half of the night trying to keep them at bay before they totally take over my crib on wheels. This is kind of old news, but I thought I would let you know how I was living. I have since purchased a ton of ant killer and spread it all over the ground around my trailer. Now, I only see the occassional ant.
Jess and I have been talking about me getting out and joining the Guard, so if anyone has any insight on this matter, let us know. I am soooo ready to separate! I will keep you posted on any news that comes in from the recruiters. I have requested information on everything Guard related and I am just waiting for someone to call me and answer my questions.
I am in my final month of school and I am ready to finally graduate. I am so burned out of school and I can't wait until I can just chill after work every now and then- it will be so awesome! Jessica is already asking me where I would like to do my Master's. She is killing me. I never thought I would even think about it, but I haven't ruled it out. I just want a break for a little bit and try to figure out a way where I can actually live with my wife.
I hope everyone is well. I will try to return soon with more updates on everything that is going on here in Warner Robins. Until then.....
Brent
Jess and I have been talking about me getting out and joining the Guard, so if anyone has any insight on this matter, let us know. I am soooo ready to separate! I will keep you posted on any news that comes in from the recruiters. I have requested information on everything Guard related and I am just waiting for someone to call me and answer my questions.
I am in my final month of school and I am ready to finally graduate. I am so burned out of school and I can't wait until I can just chill after work every now and then- it will be so awesome! Jessica is already asking me where I would like to do my Master's. She is killing me. I never thought I would even think about it, but I haven't ruled it out. I just want a break for a little bit and try to figure out a way where I can actually live with my wife.
I hope everyone is well. I will try to return soon with more updates on everything that is going on here in Warner Robins. Until then.....
Brent
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
another "you must watch"
You must watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv5zWaTEVkI
If you want to know why I find this so funny (and scary), then read in the Sept 2005 archives an entry titled "The treadmill", and you might gain enlightenment :)
Love
Jess
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv5zWaTEVkI
If you want to know why I find this so funny (and scary), then read in the Sept 2005 archives an entry titled "The treadmill", and you might gain enlightenment :)
Love
Jess
The latest
So...what has happened since the last update?
Our air conditioning unit did indeed go kaput (or "kaputt" for Uncle C), and we were forced by the horrible heat wave to buy a new unit. Maybe we could have sucked it up and stuck it out, but Cash was certainly suffering (I couldn't sleep for his panting, poor thing) as was our roommate. Recall that we had originally discussed going away on a trip, just the two of us, with Brent jokingly mentioning going to Fort Yargo due to our budget restrictions. Now that our restrictions are further restricted, we are thinking of popping up a tent out by our new AC unit and dreaming of the exotic resort that we could be visiting with that money :)
After that (incredibly hot and humid) incident, it was time to move Brent down to his new base. His parents were kind enough to pull our second domicile down there for us, we get it hooked up, and alas, THE AIR CONDITIONING DOES NOT WORK!
What is the deal with us and air conditioners? You may not want to invite us over for a while, at least until it cools down a bit, because apparently we are bad luck for air conditioners, and we don't want people cussing us. We don't know our status with furnaces yet, but will let you know as soon as we try and use ours :)
Now many of you may be stuck at the sentence where I said "pull our second domicile...", wondering what in the world is going on. Now don't be jealous, because not everyone gets to live this high, but Brent is living in a pimped out 26-foot camper trailer (courtesy of his parents) on an RV park (courtesy of...us) about 15 miles from his base. How blessed are we to have two places to live! :) It sleeps 6 or 7, so feel free to visit!!! It has all the amenities (including air now that it has been repaired). If you are claustrophobic, it is not for you.
Other than that, it is business as usual - Brent is beginning his last block of classes and will graduate at the end of September. We are thinking of having a GA football/graduation bash. I met my new class for the fall semester today - I was nice and did not lecture, just reviewed the syllabus. I'm sure they hate me anyway - I give pop quizzes. I know - mean, just plain mean. Oh well.
More later - I have pictures to post from various events.
Love
Jess and Brent
Our air conditioning unit did indeed go kaput (or "kaputt" for Uncle C), and we were forced by the horrible heat wave to buy a new unit. Maybe we could have sucked it up and stuck it out, but Cash was certainly suffering (I couldn't sleep for his panting, poor thing) as was our roommate. Recall that we had originally discussed going away on a trip, just the two of us, with Brent jokingly mentioning going to Fort Yargo due to our budget restrictions. Now that our restrictions are further restricted, we are thinking of popping up a tent out by our new AC unit and dreaming of the exotic resort that we could be visiting with that money :)
After that (incredibly hot and humid) incident, it was time to move Brent down to his new base. His parents were kind enough to pull our second domicile down there for us, we get it hooked up, and alas, THE AIR CONDITIONING DOES NOT WORK!
What is the deal with us and air conditioners? You may not want to invite us over for a while, at least until it cools down a bit, because apparently we are bad luck for air conditioners, and we don't want people cussing us. We don't know our status with furnaces yet, but will let you know as soon as we try and use ours :)
Now many of you may be stuck at the sentence where I said "pull our second domicile...", wondering what in the world is going on. Now don't be jealous, because not everyone gets to live this high, but Brent is living in a pimped out 26-foot camper trailer (courtesy of his parents) on an RV park (courtesy of...us) about 15 miles from his base. How blessed are we to have two places to live! :) It sleeps 6 or 7, so feel free to visit!!! It has all the amenities (including air now that it has been repaired). If you are claustrophobic, it is not for you.
Other than that, it is business as usual - Brent is beginning his last block of classes and will graduate at the end of September. We are thinking of having a GA football/graduation bash. I met my new class for the fall semester today - I was nice and did not lecture, just reviewed the syllabus. I'm sure they hate me anyway - I give pop quizzes. I know - mean, just plain mean. Oh well.
More later - I have pictures to post from various events.
Love
Jess and Brent
Funny e-mail from Uncle C
The Collard Greens
An old black man lived alone in the country. He wanted to dig his yearly collard green garden, but it was always very hard work for him because the ground was hard. His only son, Junebug Jankins III, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament.
"Dear Junebugg Jankins the III,
I am feeling pretty bad because it look like I won't be able to plant my collard green garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me.
Love
Dad"
A few days later he received a letter from his son...
"Dear Daddy Jankins,
Whatever you do, don't dig up that garden. That's where I buried the BODIES.
Love
Junebugg Jankins III"
At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left.
That same day the old man received another letter from his son...
"Dear Daddy Jankins,
You can go ahead and plant the collard greens now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love
Junebugg III"
An old black man lived alone in the country. He wanted to dig his yearly collard green garden, but it was always very hard work for him because the ground was hard. His only son, Junebug Jankins III, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament.
"Dear Junebugg Jankins the III,
I am feeling pretty bad because it look like I won't be able to plant my collard green garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me.
Love
Dad"
A few days later he received a letter from his son...
"Dear Daddy Jankins,
Whatever you do, don't dig up that garden. That's where I buried the BODIES.
Love
Junebugg Jankins III"
At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left.
That same day the old man received another letter from his son...
"Dear Daddy Jankins,
You can go ahead and plant the collard greens now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love
Junebugg III"
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Trailer for an upcoming documentary
Please take a minute out of your day to watch the following movie trailer for the “Darius Goes West” film. This is a documentary film that follows a group of previous Clarke Middle Students (where I worked part time last year) as they take their friend Darius (who has Duchene Muscular Dystrophy) across the country in an RV to look at how wheelchair accessible areas are, to raise awareness for MD, and ultimately to attempt to get MTV to “pimp” his wheelchair. The film is well on it’s way to being completed, and the trailer is very touching.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFt3_s1WnS4
Jess
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFt3_s1WnS4
Jess
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Title
The latest chapter of the book (that I should be writing :) should be titled as follows:
How I Hit The Weight-Loss Wall And Then Fell Off The Weight-Loss Wagon
Aaaaaagh!!!
Jess
How I Hit The Weight-Loss Wall And Then Fell Off The Weight-Loss Wagon
Aaaaaagh!!!
Jess
Monday, July 31, 2006
Going to MIA!
Congratulations from Lynn Flahive and Al DeChicchis, 2006 Convention Program Co-Chairs, on the acceptance of your paper for the 2006 ASHA Convention in Miami Beach, Florida! Please read and keep this important email!
Session Number: 1702
Poster Board 86 Title: Informing Clinical Stuttering Practice Through Basic Research in Neuroplasticity Session Format: Poster
Day: 11/18/06
Room: Hall D
Location: Miami Beach Convention Center
Woo-hoo! This is a poster and manuscript I am developing with colleagues at UGA and UK. I'm very excited!
Session Number: 1702
Poster Board 86 Title: Informing Clinical Stuttering Practice Through Basic Research in Neuroplasticity Session Format: Poster
Day: 11/18/06
Room: Hall D
Location: Miami Beach Convention Center
Woo-hoo! This is a poster and manuscript I am developing with colleagues at UGA and UK. I'm very excited!
Quick update
Hello there
I know it has been an incredibly long time since we have updated the blog, and we apologize. It has just been so CRAZY here!
Let me see if I can gloss over the past few weeks events:
-> Brent finally returned home!
-> The pets fell in love with him all over again!
-> A few lunches and dinners with family and friends.
-> My birthday.
-> Lots of homework for both of us. I’m in the middle of summer finals right now.
-> I have begun my pilot study for my treatment research – it is crazy and exhilarating and exciting and scary.
-> Lots of housework. We remodeled the kitchen with Dad’s help. Just found out we are going to have to replace our air conditioning unit. Have appointments this week for the plumber, tree guy, and the appliance repair guy – it seems that everything in our house is simultaneously falling apart. This is not good – we are so broke!
-> Brent has yet to find a place to live in Warner Robins, but we are closing in on a solution.
We have not really had the opportunity to go away for a little vacation since his return, but plan to do this soon during the short break between our classes. Due to budget constraints, Brent is thinking Fort Yargo :). I don’t even care - I can’t wait – we need the break.
More later
Jess
I know it has been an incredibly long time since we have updated the blog, and we apologize. It has just been so CRAZY here!
Let me see if I can gloss over the past few weeks events:
-> Brent finally returned home!
-> The pets fell in love with him all over again!
-> A few lunches and dinners with family and friends.
-> My birthday.
-> Lots of homework for both of us. I’m in the middle of summer finals right now.
-> I have begun my pilot study for my treatment research – it is crazy and exhilarating and exciting and scary.
-> Lots of housework. We remodeled the kitchen with Dad’s help. Just found out we are going to have to replace our air conditioning unit. Have appointments this week for the plumber, tree guy, and the appliance repair guy – it seems that everything in our house is simultaneously falling apart. This is not good – we are so broke!
-> Brent has yet to find a place to live in Warner Robins, but we are closing in on a solution.
We have not really had the opportunity to go away for a little vacation since his return, but plan to do this soon during the short break between our classes. Due to budget constraints, Brent is thinking Fort Yargo :). I don’t even care - I can’t wait – we need the break.
More later
Jess
Friday, July 07, 2006
서울 생존자 (Seoul survivor)
Hello everyone, this is my last Korean blog ever. I am chillin' at the airport in Seoul right now and I am about 2 hours from getting on my plane. I got here too early this morning, but I didn't want to take any chances with traffic, possible typhoons or whatever craziness that will keep me here any longer. I can't tell you how happy I am to finally come home. It is been a long and tough year, but my time here wasn't that bad. I made a lot of friends, played a lot of golf and got 90% of my degree completed. I miss home like crazy and can't wait to eat edible food again. I am pretty sure that I will get sick in some way when I get home. This tends to happen to me when I go through major changes in eating habits, time changes and climate. If you don't believe me, just ask Jessica how many days I was sick during my 22 days home for Christmas.
Well, I want to thank you all for looking after Jessica while I was gone. She had to deal with a lot of stuff by herself and handled it very well considering the circumstances. The military lifestyle is not fair to her and I plan on doing something about it in 19-20 months. I will be separating as promised! I know this makes her very happy- it does me also. It's not cool when you spend only 2 years with someone and yet we have been married for 5. Anyway, I have to get going. Like I said, I don't want to miss my plane for any reason. What if they bump my time up or something? 19 hours to go!
나중에, (Later)
사랑, (Love)
Brent
Well, I want to thank you all for looking after Jessica while I was gone. She had to deal with a lot of stuff by herself and handled it very well considering the circumstances. The military lifestyle is not fair to her and I plan on doing something about it in 19-20 months. I will be separating as promised! I know this makes her very happy- it does me also. It's not cool when you spend only 2 years with someone and yet we have been married for 5. Anyway, I have to get going. Like I said, I don't want to miss my plane for any reason. What if they bump my time up or something? 19 hours to go!
나중에, (Later)
사랑, (Love)
Brent
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Your update about the update
For a heart-stopping moment there, we were fearful that the latest events in Asia might prevent Brent's return home. However, they are pushing him along according to the plan - he has been moved to the hotel for his final days there, and all seems well. (He is also enjoying the hotel - it has a comfortable bed, and he has been sleeping on an extremely uncomfortable one for a year now.)
So, God willing, he will be home this weekend as planned. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers during the tense times over there and during his trip home.
(Thanks Hol for your concerned call, and thanks Jason for your support today - I know I was extremely out of sorts at school, and must have been a pain.)
Love - Jess
So, God willing, he will be home this weekend as planned. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers during the tense times over there and during his trip home.
(Thanks Hol for your concerned call, and thanks Jason for your support today - I know I was extremely out of sorts at school, and must have been a pain.)
Love - Jess
Monday, July 03, 2006
In memory
In memory of Uncle Jay Strickland, a wonderful and loving man. Love - Jess
"One wears his mind out in study, and yet has more mind with which to study.
One gives away his heart in love, and yet has more heart to give away.
One perishes out of pity for a suffering world, and is the stronger therefore.
So, too, it is possible at one and the same time to hold life and let it go."
-- Milton Steinberg
"One wears his mind out in study, and yet has more mind with which to study.
One gives away his heart in love, and yet has more heart to give away.
One perishes out of pity for a suffering world, and is the stronger therefore.
So, too, it is possible at one and the same time to hold life and let it go."
-- Milton Steinberg
Sunday, July 02, 2006
The Superman experience
A few of us met up to watch Superman Returns at IMAX. Thanks Schawna, Vince, Katie, Chas, Mom, Pops, and Jonathan for making the lunch fellowship and movie very enjoyable.
/\ My love's - my bro and my nephew.
/\ I bought these Superman sunglasses for my nephew in New York. He just HAD to wear them the rest of the day, except for when he was wearing his IMAX glasses of course.
The movie was very good - every one of us enjoyed it very much.
/\ My love's - my bro and my nephew.
/\ I bought these Superman sunglasses for my nephew in New York. He just HAD to wear them the rest of the day, except for when he was wearing his IMAX glasses of course.
The movie was very good - every one of us enjoyed it very much.
Kobi's (non) birthday celebration
/\ Me, Kob, Tyrus, KWoo -> We gathered at Jillian's for some fun and games for Kobs birthday. Good food, some friendly air hockey, basketball, and Need for Speed, good company, good drinks - we had a great time.
/\ Shamira, JR, Tiwanna, Sharon, and Lisa -> Waiting for the DJ to show up, but he was a no-show :(
/\ Kobs, me, and Tyrus
Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Thom
Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Thom
June 24, 2006
/\ Nate and Sarah - aren't they lovely?
/\ Sarah and I at her reception. The ceremony was simple and wonderful. They took advantage of the opportunity to tell people about the love of Christ and about the joy and sanctity of marriage.
\/ Jason and I chillin' at the reception. It was a dessert reception - DANGEROUS!
\/Jason and Colby
June 24, 2006
/\ Nate and Sarah - aren't they lovely?
/\ Sarah and I at her reception. The ceremony was simple and wonderful. They took advantage of the opportunity to tell people about the love of Christ and about the joy and sanctity of marriage.
\/ Jason and I chillin' at the reception. It was a dessert reception - DANGEROUS!
\/Jason and Colby
Father's Day 2006
/\ Just being a little silly :)
FATHER'S DAY WITH DAD
\/ We enjoyed church, and then went for a fabulous feast at Pappadeaux's.
Father's Day 2006
/\ Pops and his girls and boys. We gathered for dinner and had a great time.
FATHER'S DAY WITH POPS
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)