Atlanta Tornado

taken by Shane Durrance

On motivation

I saw this Dutch proverb, and it really describes me right now.

"He who is outside his door already has the hard part of his journey behind him."

That's me - I have such a hard time getting up and going these days, getting motivated to get started on my many projects, getting focused. But once I'm out and working, I'm good. What is up with that?

Jess

Turk makes me smile

Here are links to YouTube videos that bring me joy. These scenes from "Scrubs" are actually on an episode that I watch frequently, especially when I need cheering up. Turk just makes me smile. I hope you enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/v/8pwfO8G5uIo&hl=en

http://www.youtube.com/v/hZAgT8KOLF8&hl=en

Results of voting

Okay, here is the wager after the votes:

If Greeny loses, he has to dye his hair a different color for 5 straight days.

If Golic loses, he has to particiate in a competitive eating contest against professionals.

Stay tuned...I bet no one picked UGA to be in the mix, but since we are the SEC champions, look out!!!!

Jess

Greeny and Golic wager

If you guys have been following Mike & Mike, you know its time for their college basketball bracket wager. Though the fans have already decided what Greeny must do if he loses this year (dyeing his hair a different color every day for one week), the fans can still determine Golic's fate. The options are:
following a vegan diet for an entire week
dressing in drag for an entire show
getting a full body wax
receiving a botox shot to the forehead
participating in a competitive eating contest vs. pros

Vote now!!! I'm going for the vegan diet or the full body wax, especially since he pulled such a mean prank on Greeny when they were shooting commercials down in Florida!

Jess

encouragement and faith

"I believe in the sun, even though it doesn't shine,
I believe in love, even when it isn't shown,
I believe in God, even when he doesn't speak."

--Carved on the walls of a concentration camp

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

--John 14:27

quote

This quote has always stuck with me, and I ran across it while looking for some new music while Brent is recuperating from his wisdom teeth extraction.

"People always ask us why we signed up for Christian music. We do this not because someone got to us at an early age but because Jesus is the only thing that has ever changed our lives."
---Bart Millard of MercyMe

Together again

CUPS and I have reunited... ("reunited and it feels so good..."). It has been a rocky relationship...I didn't call, I didn't write, and I only infrequently visited. But, I am spending some mornings and afternoons here now and again - it is good for my soul, to actually see sunlight even if it is through a window. I predict that it won't be so good for the waistline - their latte's and frio's are just too good.

A few things have changed about my old friend CUPS. New carpet, more outlets, streamlined self-service areas. It is also busier - I'm convinced I played a role in this, as I have had office hours here for the past 3 years and always invite my students to meet me here for questions. Shouldn't I be receiving some perks for the free advertising? Free coffee? Free caramel cake? A seat saved for me?

The latter comment reminds me of my visit to Germany to visit Charlton - we went to this wonderful restaurant for wienerschnitzel (the best I've ever had - I was only there 4 days, and we dined there x2), and the booths and tables have small (brass?) nameplates on them of old-timers, regulars. The deal is that you are welcome to sit there if the table is not occupied, but if they walk in, you have to let them have their table, no matter where you are in the course of your meal. Awesome.

So, CUPS, I'm waiting for my own table. Just give me a call.

Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

"A scientist said, making a plea for exchange scholarships between nations, 'The very best way to send an idea is to wrap it up in a person.' That was what happened at Christmas. The idea of divine love was wrapped up in a Person."
-- Halford E. Luccock

We are inspired this Christmas season to practice love, to give and receive it regularly, and to keep practicing it until we become pros. The problem we have with this task is that our idea of love is so tainted - most love is conditional and contractual, at least in our experience. How can we love in a manner that is "agape" or "divine"? That is our quest, and we hope you are inspired to join us on this journey as well.

We hope you have had a wonderful Christmas Day and holiday break. It has been an odd one for us on this end, but we managed to make it fun and memorable. We (Brent, Jonathan, and Jess) actually just returned from watching a movie - that might be our new tradition - and now are all huddled around computers doing some research on history and conspiracy theories, as inspired by the 2nd National Treasure installment. There are so many good movies coming out soon - the next Chronicles of Narnia installment, the next Batman sequel, the next Indiana Jones - all very exciting for movie buffs like ourselves.

Anyway...sorry about that tangent...Merry Christmas! We will write again soon.

Love - Jess and Brent

Post-comps for Jess and Post-grad for Jason

Jason's mom, Robin, Jonathan, me, Brent, Mom, Colby, Jason, Will, and Dr. A

I cannot convey with words the experience that was comps. I could convey it to you by naming the physical experiences of muscle tension, migraines, eye strain, sleep deprivation, tears, spending the night at school with golf club in hand for protection, and a constant fear in the pit of my stomach, but I don't know that I have, or even want to find, the words.

I turned in my written exams, knowing there were errors and mistakes. I then had to continue working in the clinic and preparing for my fall class while trying to make the corrections in preparation for my oral exam and also while trying to sell the house, find a house for rent, and move. The day of my oral exam was 2 days after we moved - Brent and I cannot thank Colby, Jason, Jonathan, Larry, Susan, and Mom enough for getting us through that crazy time - We COULD NOT have done it without you!!!The day of my oral exams finally arrived. All you need to know is that I passed - thank you committee. You do not need to know that I got so frustrated that I cried during the exam, or that I've never felt so stupid in my entire life, but now you do...apparently both are a rite of passage. Dr. G put it in perspective for me - he said (I'm paraphrasing) that we are always supposed to realize that there are gaps in our knowledge - that is how we know what to research next - and that if I had walked in and out of there thinking I knew everything, that they would be concerned b/c that would mean that I had not learned anything at all!

The picture above is of the post-oral comps dinner at, of course, On the Border. I don't have any pics of the post-written comps dinner...I think my mom does, and I'm told that I look a hot mess. I had been awake for several days straight, was incredibly exhausted, had a headache, and was drinking a margarita and eating cheese dip (no, not at On the Border, actually at La Fiesta) and I think a picture exists of me looking quite...disoriented.

Jason, I mean, Dr. J

Jason and Robin

Jason and his work-wives

Dr. A and his doc students

THE AFTER PARTY - Robin, I could NOT have done it without you!!! I looked though all of Schawna's pics from the party, and I don't have a picture of you where you are not working behind the scenes to make the party so wonderful. Thank you.

Sharing a few laughs....can you hear the Count Chocula laugh?

Jason and Brent

Our gracious hostess, Dr. B. Her girls put on a wonderful princess ballerina concert for us during the party

My bro, hanging out with the old folks (yes, Jason, I'm talking about you :)

My mom's thunder was stolen this day. Jason's graduation and our celebration was on Mom's birthday. She was a good sport about it, though, and all was forgiven when I presented her with her AWESOME caramel cake from Cecilia's.

Me and Kobs

The girls - we have so many pictures of the three of us...and I think Schawna is ALWAYS in the middle! We need to change up our rotation ladies!

Jason and his ladies

Jess and the Thom's

Don't leave me Greeny!

Okay folks, Jess here, with a big favor. I need for you to NOT get hooked on the new show called "Duel". Understand, I don't have anything against this show personally - I'm not even quite sure what it is about. What I DO know is that "Mike & Mike" is one of my favorite morning shows, and I'm gonna need for the Greenberg part of the equation to stay in the picture, which means that Greeny needs to not do so well on "Duel".

I know - truly truly selfish and mean. I mean, shouldn't I want the best for others???? So, I guess what you want, but just think about it...do we really need another trivia show, or do we need smart sports talk? I say the latter...

And while we are on the sports talk, I must announce that the wifey in this household (that's me - Newbie) has beat out the husband (that's B - Mighty DRs) in our fantasy football league. I am now in the title game against Brent's old friend from Davis Monthan, Keith (aka #1 Stunna's). So, I'll be sure to let you know when I WIN OUR LEAGUE!!! (Though I must say that last time I talked smack to Keith, I lost very badly to him, so I guess I better tone it down a bit.)

Later - Jess

Update on Jess

Hello there - Just sitting here listening to the bowl selection responses before I get back to work. I just wanted to write a quick note to let you know what was up on my end.

As most of you know, I am in the dissertation stage of my doctoral program. I am currently in the process of designing my study and writing my prospectus, and also continue to teach. This semester I have been teaching the Communication Neuroscience course, and it has been really interesting - incredibly fast-paced for sure, but also a completely different experience b/c I am teaching mostly graduate students for a change - wow, what a difference. Definitely less of an expectation on the part of my students for spoon-feeding the information to them.

The project that is currently getting the majority of my attention for the next several weeks is the second phase of my pilot study. This is to gather additional data for my poster (Richardson & Marshall) that is to be presented in Hawaii in February at the International Neuropsychological Society (INS) convention, and also to set the stage for my experiment for my dissertation. It is very exciting, but very time-consuming and stressful because it is an intensive treatment study, and it is definitely taxing my personnel management skills! But I am learning alot, and the participants are really enjoying the intervention process, and that is the whole point!

So, some of you may have noticed, but I have dropped off of the face of the earth again - not as drastically as during comps, but definitely lost in Aderhold for the time being. I hope to see many of you over the holidays. I know I am due up for a Griffin trip for a birthday party soon to see my other family (the Stewarts), and get to have a fun road trip w/ Kobs on the way there. My church is also putting on several Christmas concerts that I will be either attending or participating in, and you guys are definitely invited to those - I would love to see you there. Next Sunday eve is the youth group Christmas play called "Code Red", and the following Sunday eve is the Christmas Concert of Praise put on by our choir. After that Brent and I will be heading up to a Grizzlies-Spurs game and visit with Colby. Then it will be Christmas with the families, with a few birthdays thrown in for good measure, maybe a trip to New York, and LOTS of dissertation work. So, hopefully, I will see a lot of you during these opportunities.

Until then,
Love - Jess

HESMN

Are you asking yourself what the title means? I thought so. These are a few of the letters in KNO-MO's name that almost make up the word Heisman. Hmmm, maybe that nickname is pushing it. Anyway, that is how close is he is from being mentioned with the likes of Tebow, Dixon and McFadden. He more that makes up the missing letters "I" and "A" with his "I"nstinct and his "A"ttitude.

Sorry for getting carried away. I think I bonked my head and got a KNOt on my heard or something, but whatever, this kid would be a leading candidate if he had started from day one. I think he has a legitimate shot of winning the Heisman in the next couple of years. As you can tell from the picture, he hasn't fully gotten the pose down yet. In fact, he is stiff-arming with the wrong arm. KNO big deal, the truth is, you can't KNOck his game. Remember to stay tuned for upcoming seasons as he perfects this pose.

Later,
Brent

Head and Shoulder's above

Just another one of the many celebrations on the day. It got a little tight halfway through the game, but the Dawgs finally put it together and showed a glimpse of what we can expect in the future.

More BLACKOUT photos

Me and Robin

Brent, Jess, Robin, Marcus, and Will

Brent and his t-shirt that everyone loved! I actually bought this for him as one of his "miss you" gifts while he was in Korea

We had SO much fun! It was an awesome game, the team was pumped, the fans were pumped and crazy, it was the 2nd loudest that Sanford Stadium has ever been in all the times I've attended.

GA-AUB BLACKOUT

The team after warm-ups, getting their "trickeration" on...I've heard that only the seniors knew that they were definitely wearing black jerseys, that after warm-ups, they went to the locker room for their quiet time, which involves turning off the lights apparently, and when the lights came back on, the black jerseys were there!

The ARCH by the Redcoats

Running onto the field to the music of "Back in Black" by ACDC

Hairy Dawg, in his own black jersey, waving the flag after one of our MANY touchdowns.

Georgia Football Fun

Watch out world! A future DAWG coming your way!!!

My sweet Chas showing his UGA spirit. He is wearing these to create some good luck for the GA-Auburn game, and also in anticipation of his upcoming football season.

Me and Colby at a game - she missed Athens so much she had to come and get a taste of the fabulousness.

Our game friends with us in 113 - Will and Ronnie

2+4=6

Knowshon is a scoring machine. Give him the ball and most of the time he is good for 6. Our defense is still suspect, so it is a good thing we have this beast in the backfield. Keep doing your thing Knowshon.

It is too bad Kno(limit)shon didn't start from game 1. He is only 600 yards away from Herschel's freshman record. Just imagine if he had more carries during those first 3 to 4 games. He still has an outside shot, but he will have to average over 200 a game for the next 3. Due up: Auburn, Kentucky and the Techies. I believe we can win out and have a possible shot at another SEC Title. It will be tough, but I think we can do it.

You're about to see a whole lot of #24 Urban

Man, Mark is a great guy. Here he is telling Urban how this game is gonna go. Check out Urban smirking in disbelief.

Georgia finally came out and showed some heart. I wasn't sure if they had this type of performance in them. I told Jess I expected to squeak out a win or to get worked like a part time job in a blowout. I hope you all enjoyed watching this great game as much as I did.

Take in some of the pictures that were taken during and following the game. Truly awesome!

We'll be in top-10 after this Vic