Blue Suburban Skies

a necessary record

2008-01-31T17:13:00.000-06:00

this feels forced. but i need a record. i want this for when i’m older. when i’m settled down. when my worldly possessions aren’t boxed and stored in my parents’ basement. for when i’m not in transition. for when i’m home. at last.

but i may also need this record for when i’m moving again. when i’m cleaning out another cheap and cozy apartment, where every nick in the paint and spot on the floor is a memory. for when i find those old notes, letters, postcards. for when i box up the snapshots from parties and quiet evenings alike.

i don’t want to forget for a moment what it feels like to be on the cusp of something like this. something like a new life in a new place. to feel the sadness of so many goodbyes and the excitement of a country unknown. to feel the force of all things passed propelling me towards…whatever comes next.

i’m almost afraid to write it out. i’m moving to mexico – in nine days. if anything could keep me here, i know it would be worth it. i have searched my heart and found that i could be content with photo albums full of just your faces, dear friends and family.

but if the path is made clear, i am also ready for new sights, new sounds, new people and new language.

either way, i’ll be thankful.

harder, better, faster, stronger

2007-12-28T16:45:00.001-06:00

2007 was surprising. so much happened and it could have all been so lonely and scary and bad...but it wasn't. i could have been so sad and cynical and stuck...but i wasn't. and i'm still trying to figure out why.

perhaps it was the strength i saw in others. friends (and sister!) getting married, having children, moving away to far off places, changing jobs, earning degrees. across the miles i relished watching friends chase dreams and conquer obstacles. loneliness was curbed by the dear postal service - dozens of care packages and letters sent and received. many miles logged in the air and on the highways. phone calls made he world feel less vast even when voices cracked and faltered.

this year was the first time i didn't live with family or a best friend. and it didn't suck! i was seriously shocked to find that an evening at home that didn't involve hours of conversation and end in either a dance-party or a sing-along could be enjoyable. and productive (not that working on those booty-drops isn't productive...because it totally is.)

even while i observed huge changes in my friends' lives, from what sometimes felt like afar, very near to me - right in my own heart and spirit - changes were being made. i was getting stronger. 2007 was a year that nurtured the parts of me that i always saw as weak. i had the time and the energy to reflect, to stand up for myself, to learn about myself, to see my flaws and seek improvement. not to mention, learn how to play doctor mario, finally be called a feminist, host a weekly discussion night, and join a band.

as this year leaves i’m thankful for friends who are honest and open and striving to be kind, positive and compassionate people. they inspire me. i’m grateful for a home base that is always nourishing to my mind, body and spirit. i love knowing i can always depend on the fam. and i’m surprised (pleasantly) at discovering the real possibility of who i can be if i am humble, watchful and open enough to let myself be taught, challenged and changed.

god has made us friends

2007-11-30T17:04:00.000-06:00

recently, i’ve been attending church with my grandmother in lincoln. she doesn’t drive and the only church within walking distance is a baptist one, which my grandmother walked to for a couple of weeks but later confided in me that she would be more comfortable at a lutheran church since she has always been lutheran.

so i found a church near her place and we’ve been going the past couple of weeks.

i don’t think either of us is completely comfortable there. and we may continue our search. our main complaint is the music. grandma misses the organ. and i miss … um … songs that kind of make sense.

most of the songs they sing are fairly up-tempo. they seem to fall into the category of modern hymns. each one is printed in the “worship folder.” and the copy right dates are never earlier than 1980s.

my favorite one so far was called, “god has made us friends.”

the verses were something like, “shout it to the mountains! shout it to the valleys! GOD HAS MADE US FRIENDS!!”

then they started getting really crazy.

“shout it to the hungry! shout it to the wealthy! shout it on the email!"

i'm not even kidding. it seriously said, “shout it on the email."

there is so much going on here that i really don’t know where to start. i mean, first of all, who am i friends with? and why am i shouting about it?

during the song, i envisioned myself approaching a homeless person and shouting, "GOD HAS MADE US FRIENDS!"

i guess i should just get their email address and then email them that god has made us friends. that might be more… normal. i should use caps lock for emphasis.

god has made us friends! me and all the homeless people with internet access!!

it’s a magical world. i think i should shout it all over the email. heck, i’ll put it on my blog.

* i will say that the congregation at this church is very friendly and loving. they’re always hugging each other and smiling. they also seem very involved in the community. i’m sure it’s a great church. maybe just not the right place for me and grandma.

older and wiser

2007-10-31T17:01:00.000-05:00

my parents are two of my favorite people. they are talented, smart and hilarious. and seriously, the most caring people i know.

they are also getting older.

last weekend, we all enjoyed some family time out at mahoney. most of the time was spent playing games, watching football and eating.

during a particularly expressive game, i was placed on a team with my parents and uncle.

i spent most of the game herding them into the playing area. getting them ready for our turn.

mom would constantly be adjusting her glasses and asking my dad, “can you see? can you see alright?”

my dad would then dutifully adjust his glasses, so his bifocals wouldn’t get in his way.

at a critical moment in the game, mom was again shouting at dad to make sure he could see.

“can you see? CAN YOU SEE?!”

dad replied with labored breathing and frantic head-turning, “yes! yes, I can see! but… WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT??!!”

later, during a sedated card game, dad leans over the table towards me with a serious look on his face and asks, “have you ever heard of a group called…boys to men?”

they make me laugh. sometimes hysterically.

but they are also the first people i go to for advice and encouragement. i save every email from my mom and every note from my dad. because i know that there is wisdom there for me to fall back on - albeit, wisdom NOT involving motown philly pop sensations. for that? i must look elsewhere.

kc offers valuable life lesson

2007-09-30T16:50:00.000-05:00

i was in kansas city last weekend seeing an amazing band give an amazing performance while i danced like a fool in the aisles. it was a very good time.

at one point during the weekend, my travel companions and i found ourselves at a 24-hour diner stuffing our faces with fried foods galore. there were many interesting people at this diner, including one man with a hat that had a very large taxidermized bird attached to it. and when i write "very large," i mean, like, pheasant size.

on our way out to the car, i noticed that a red pick-up had blocked my little hyundai into our spot. it was going to take some serious maneuvering to get out of the parking lot. one of my more enthusiastic companions readily jumped out of our car to help me navigate out of the spot. he kept shouting things like, "okay! good! easy! now....CUT IT. CUT IT DEEP!"

he might as well have been speaking another language because i do not know what he was talking about.

after about 10 minutes of me basically backing up and pulling forward in to and partially out of the same parking space, my other level-headed friend decided to go back into the diner and find the pick-up's driver.

by this point we were all a little annoyed and ready to be home and in bed. it was well after midnight and the pounds of grease that we had just consumed were making us incredibly sleepy.

so my friend marches back into the diner and walks up to the first table she sees.

"excuse me. do any of you drive a huge, red pick-up truck?"

the table erupts in laughter - really loud, like she's asked them something totally ridiculous. picture tears being wiped away and lot of sighing when the laughter finally dies down.

*whew. o. man. that was a good one. you joker, you.*

in confusion, she pauses to observe the people at the table. and that's when she realized it was a table full of drag queens.

apparently drag queens don't drive huge, red pick-up trucks. who knew?

misty, water-colored memorieeeesssss

2007-08-16T13:34:00.000-05:00

i recently returned from a family vacation to the black hills. we had a lovely time biking through the hills, sitting by the campfire and playing scategories into the wee hours.

it's strange, but i really like thinking back on our time in the car on the way to and from. i like the mental image of us all together. in a confined space. for hours at a time.

maggie and i played word games, sang songs and drew pictures. mom and dad read novels about the old west aloud to each other. i wrote a magazine style quiz for maggie on what kind of girlfriend she would be. it was very scientific and involved several hypothetical scenarios - turns out she'd be an ideal catch.

we were a unit traveling across vast mid western expanses. safe and cozy in our little ship.

of course, at the time, i don't think i would have chosen the word "cozy" to describe the situation. but as usual, i view my past with a fuzzy filter reminiscent of the cinematography used in sappy flashbacks of made for TV dramas.

thanks to my cell phone, however, i fortunately (or unfortunately?) have documented evidence of how things were really going at the time.

shortly after this video was taken, i sent an SOS text message.

me: mom and dad refused to stop for lunch. mags and i were forced to subsist on cold pizza and crumbs of potato chips.

my SOS only garnered one response, which was not comforting, because in reading the message, i could practically see liz rolling her eyes as she texted it.

liz: i'll alert child protective services.

selected text messages from my in and outbox

2007-07-17T17:26:00.000-05:00

I just puked on our front lawn.

U r a great american

Sadly, he gets disemboweled.

Come over. Watch hope floats.

Stingy effing nickel slots!

PS: you’re not an ogre.

You left a pair o undies here. Yow!

Im texting you from the grave. Its actually much cooler here...IN HELL!

Was at the saloon. Have messages for you from the soothsayer and the ethiopian

the apartment looks so great! And what’s with this drum?! It’s awesome.

My mexicans asked about you.

know what else might help? Robin Williams’ arm hair.

Omg. Hilarious. What a great story for me to tell at your wedding.

Don’t worry. I will explain without referencing your desire, or lack thereof, for his hot bod.

save me from bad fox reality shows.

Pretty sure garry marshall is senile. That or unfortunately stupid. Or drunk. Real drunk.

Are you opening ur heart to the wonder that is grand island? The oasis of all nebraska!!

Did he say he’d ask her out this week? I was distracted by the horse with no name.

R u dancing like u just don’t care?

I burned my bra in protest

Wanna chillax? I’m not sure what that even means

how bout kiki for ur new nickname? Just like kirsten cohen? Eh? U likey?

Bad news. I didn’t shower again today.

I’m driving to walmart whilst eating dorritos. Basically I’m living the american dream

(this idea came from someone who is funny and smart)

to keep turn nimble

2007-07-06T15:55:00.000-05:00

at work, we recently acquired an "automatic numbering machine." it's a little stamp that puts numbers on things. very high tech.

the instructions that came with it were extremely ... unhelpful. a few excerpts:

How to Get Movements
Hold the action-indicator, unclasp and move it along to the index plate to desired number repeat slot. For example, slot 3 represents number-changing after repeat the same number three times continuously. What other slots represent are all on the analogy of what slot 3 does.

(it was confusing until they offered that helpful example. after that i totally knew exactly what they were talking about, even the part about the analogy. yep. totally clear on that.)

How to Ink
To ink must be just the right amount. Both too much or little ink-filling will make characters unlegible.

(so...what you're saying is i need to do this the right way? again, so helpful. also, "unlegible?" definitely not a word.)

Caution
Use only automatic numbering machine to keep turn nimble and to make the machines durable in use. If there are comparatively much dirt in the inside of a machine, use benzine or kerosene to wash.

(keep turn nimble? make machines durable? what?)

in other news at the office, my boss brought in sugar cookies shaped (and colored) like little watermelon slices. cute, right? unfortunately the cuteness quickly turned to the pukiness after a bite. who would enjoy a watermelon-flavored sugar cookie? turns out, not i.

so. gross.

faux monday morning blues

2007-06-28T13:37:00.000-05:00

anyone who knows me, knows i'm not a morning person. (exhibit a)

allegedly, i once tried to bite a travel companion who attempted to wake me for early morning sight-seeing.

having just returned from a wonderful, week-long vacation sans alarm clock, today it was especially difficult to get going.

over breakfast this morning with mom and dad...

me: i'm tired. i don't wanna go to work.

mom, with a cheerful smile: you sound healthy.

there were never such devoted sisters

2007-06-08T12:23:00.000-05:00

my little sister is getting married tomorrow.

i always feel sort of strange when my little sisters start doing grown up things. i still remember first riding in the car with maggie as she drove me home from the airport one summer. i was so proud of her stellar turn-signal skills and consistent checking of her blind spot, but watching her determined eyes in the review mirror i kept seeing her as a toddler. pretty eyes, chubby cheeks and wild, curly hair. for a moment, i wondered how it was possible for this three-year-old to see over the dash.

i imagine as i watch claire walk down the aisle tomorrow, i'll see something similar in her face. i know she's going to make a gorgeous bride, dressed in a beautiful dress that we helped her pick out. but i have a feeling that no matter how grown up she looks, i'll still catch that little girl smile she'd give me while we'd play barbies and ride bikes around the neighborhood. i'll see glimpses of her flushed, chubby cheeks after we'd accidentally broken furniture in the basement or come in from a sweaty game of tag in the summer. i'll remember her messy hair with bits of cookie dough in it while we waited for the oven timer at grandma's.

and when i see jeff watch her come down the aisle, i'll remember all the things claire dreamed about for her life and my heart will practically explode because i know she's getting a great partner with whom to fulfill all those dreams.

as she says her vows, i'll think of all the play weddings we had for our barbies, our little ponies, our fischer price people and even ourselves - sometimes with dad playing the groom. i'll remember laying in a double bed at home together and giggling about crushes and movie stars.

o man.

somebody pass the tissues.

hopefully, the memories of her stinky farts, clumsy trips in the hallway and that one time that she bit me for no good reason (hello! near-death experiences are kind of the point when wrestling with older siblings, no need to bite!) will help me stave off the waterworks.

congratulations claire and jeff. i love you guys.

things that have shocked me recently

2007-05-25T13:57:00.000-05:00

the C-SPAN bus came to the capitol. at first, i was excited. then i went to it. and it was lame. my boss was disappointed, "i can't believe you think the C-SPAN bus is lame. it's a bus! from C-SPAN!!"

"mercy days a livin'!" is a phrase that i thought everyone knew. after extensive research, it turns out that is not true. which makes me sad. for everyone else. apparently it's just some crazy thing my relations say.

my roommate hates sour cream. and also ketchup, BBQ sauce, mayonnaise and all other condiments.

maggie and i cleaned my bedroom last weekend. it's still clean today. a whole week has passed!! maybe i'm a grown up now. (probably not.)

i sent amber and jj these t-shirts. i couldn't find a man's t-shirt, so jj ended up with a blue woman's t-shirt. i didn't know there was a difference between men and women's t-shirts. jj says it has "woman arms," meaning they're shorter. hopefully jj's able to squeeze his huge, man biceps into the wee armed shirt. (please note sarcasm.)

the o.c. (don't call it that)

2007-05-15T15:02:00.000-05:00

(don't read this if you haven't finished the first season of "the o.c.")

my friend andrew is from orange county. he lent me his "the o.c" DVDs. what started out as anthropological study quickly became a full-blown obsession that resulted in my watching of the entire first season of the teen-drama in about one week. this was largely due to my immediate fascination with and attraction to peter gallagher's unbelievable eyebrows and this guy's irresistible charm.

i was slightly embarrassed that i seriously wept like a baby after the last episode of the first season. (seth! what are you doing? don't run away on your sail boat! the ocean will kill you!! and you're too lovely to die - with your quirky, curly hair and razor like wit and plucky comic relief!)

however, after reading the synopsis of the seasons following the first, my embarrassment went from slight to strenuous. but not for me. o no. i am embarrassed for the creators of this show. i think the constant exposure to gallagher's eyebrows eventually caused their brains to explode.

here are some excerpts, which become progressively weirder, from the synopsis i read (emphasis added):

Johnny's surfing career came to an end when a car ran him over. This and his unrequited love for Marissa led to his downfall.

Johnny falls in love with Marissa, and she eventually has to choose between him and Ryan. After choosing Ryan, a drunk Johnny falls to his death from a cliff on the beach.

In the meantime, Taylor Townsend, who is previously thought to have been in Paris, secretly returns to Newport after impulsively marrying a Frenchman, who then refuses to grant her a divorce.

After releasing rabbits from a laboratory, Summer is suspended from Brown for a semester and returns to California where she and Seth reconcile.

Frank is invited to dinner at the Cohen's. However, the night ends with Sandy Cohen punching Frank in the face.

In her angry state, she climbs up the ladder to yell at him, but they both end up falling and going in to comas. In their comas, they entered an alternate universe…The two have no memory of what happened in the alternate universe, however they both realize that they are at rest with their internal demons…

omg. i'm really glad andrew only had the first season because actually watching the rest of this? would have caused my internal demons to punch me in the face.

repeatedly.

sick daze

2007-04-30T14:29:00.000-05:00

the photo has nothing to do with this post except that looking at it makes me feel better. and lately, that's about all i've been interested in - feeling better.

it's been so long since i've been sick enough to have to miss work and socializing and...the outside world. i'd almost forgotten what it felt like - to be laying in bed all day, surrounded by kleenex boxes, gatorade bottles and magazines. although it hasn't happened for a long time, the boredom of sick days becomes all too familiar after a very short time.

after all the movies had been watched, the crosswords done, the naps taken, i was at a loss for what to do with myself. i was alone at my parents house. the rest of the family at work during the day.

let's just say i'm all caught up on current events - local, state, national and world news. i've listened to all my favorite npr shows.

as far as tv, i got temporarily hooked on a reality competition show about hair stylists (i tried not to, but i accidentally got tears in my eyes when theodore got kicked off). and i felt betrayed by lifetime as it was not able to hold my attention beyond the first commercial break. this was because i knew what was going to happen in the movie as soon as i met all the main characters. self-doubting teen ballerina, crazy-eyed controlling male ballet instructor, recently divorced and now unsure about all of life mother. you get picture and i think you'll agree...not very creative.

i wrote a few letters (i wrote one to you, amber, while in a delirious fever - don't be too scared by it). i even made some collages. one for my grandma that features tim mcgraw very prominently, surrounded by flowers. she loves tim mcgraw.

by sunday there was little left to do but wait. wait to feel better. so that's what i did. waited and looked at this picture of eben "i'm too cute for words" mccammon. it must've done the trick because i'm back among the land of the living and feeling better every day.

ee cummings

2007-03-05T11:20:00.000-06:00

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)
i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

all you can eat turkey!

2007-02-26T16:16:00.000-06:00

today i had the distinct pleasure of meeting with three members of the turkish parliament. they are visiting nebraska for three days and learning about our one-house legislative system. through a translator, i told them everything i knew about the unicameral. they were impressed with my knowledge, and i was impressed with their flashy suits.

each of the men were quite distinguished looking and had a commanding air about them that simply filled up a room. i had no trouble imagining them in a parliamentary setting.

after my brief presentation, i asked them what else they had planned for their stay. they'll be mostly going to lots of meetings with government officials.

but their guide, a small, white-haired grandmotherly type from the mayor's office, told me they were headed to lunch after the capitol.

she then proceeded to excitedly tell me that she would be treating these foreign dignitaries to lunch at none other than... old country buffet*

o. nebraska folks. you never cease to amaze.

*check out the link. there's instructions on "how to buffet."

not much, but enough

2007-02-22T18:54:00.000-06:00

empty, originally uploaded by Lauren Adams.

things have been deafeningly quiet around the c street apartment lately. it’s just been me most evenings - rambling through the nearly vacant rooms. every little creak echoes, the sound of a light switch being flipped is like a cosmic boom and when the heater comes on? it’s like a coal train chugging through my empty hallway.

amber is in omaha or…dc…or, soon, another country. she’s getting ready for a grand adventure.

and maybe i am, too?

for now, sitting on my living room floor watching a fuzzy reception on my second-hand tv whilst munching on slightly stale cheesey poofs and paging through the local newspaper feels about as far from adventure as one can get.

but, i really can’t complain. especially not when i have a whole bag of cheesey poofs at my fingertips. and a crossword to work on.

clear as glass

2007-02-02T17:46:00.000-06:00

ira. i love you., originally uploaded by Lauren Adams.

i've been listening to old episodes of "this american life" at work lately. it has become clear to me that ira glass is my soul mate.

ira, you have my heart forever.

2006

2007-01-30T16:40:00.000-06:00

, originally uploaded by Lauren Adams.

i think i will always look back on this year as the one where i began to get the hang of being an adult. although even as i typed the word "adult," my fingers hesitated.

it turns out that being an adult doesn't have to be a series of lonely days strung together by a boring 9 to 5 job. so...that's good news.

in fact, you can still make discoveries about yourself, the world, your friends... as an adult. you can still learn, although not a student. you can still have late night dance parties and you can still go on seemingly pointless long drives across western nebraska. you can still throw snowballs. you can still call the local top 40 station and make ridiculous requests. you can still go on adventures with your sisters. you can still have mentors. you can still play dress up. you can still call your dad when you need him...and he'll still rescue you.

and you can do grown-up things, too. you can have dinner parties and go to operas. you can hold discussion groups in your crowded living room. you can keep a clean apartment. you can be a featured speaker at colleges and group homes, explaining things that you actually do know about. you can have business lunches downtown...every weekday! you can plan baby showers for friends, help future husbands find suitable engagement rings and hold your dear friends' precious newborn baby.

the best part of this year was learning that my friends, family and coworkers are amazing and have so much to give me - through their remarkable talents, their extraordinary experiences and their miraculous spirits - that sometimes i can hardly contain my love for all of them. and that is an excellent situation to be in.

it seems nothing is ever over. the past is as much a part of the present as the future is. it's all bundled up into the everyday moments. and the more i come to accept that the past is always with me, the less crowded it seems. i'm learning to invite each of them into my perspective and see them as resources. in this way, i can look to the future with the wisdom learned from the past while making an impact in the present. so with that, bring on 2007.

i'm ready.

snippets from my office

2007-01-22T16:24:00.000-06:00

office plant, originally uploaded by Lauren Adams.

me: how was the committee hearing?
coworker: that depends...before or after the testifier presented a jar of his own bloody urine?

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coworker 1: i think there was some cocaine selling happening.
coworker 2: that would explain the eyebrows.

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coworker 1: i almost freaked out when i thought our headline said "feces" instead of "faces." it's only one vowel off, you know.
coworker 2: yeah. that would've been quite the vowel movement.

------------------------------------------------

me: um...heidi just moonwalked past my office door. you totally missed it.
coworker: cursed cube walls!

---------------------------------------------

me: whose responsible for that incessant beeping sound?! i may have to smother someone with old letterhead!
coworker: i don't know. but know that i'm on board with the killing.

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me: very surprisingly, i have been unable to find any research on the web substantiating my claim about the old custom of decorating christmas trees with dead squirrel pelts.
coworker: thanks for that report. i can feel good about the world again.

how dad saved christmas or little debbies heal all things

2006-12-19T16:57:00.000-06:00

cozy, originally uploaded by Lauren Adams.

the c street apartment has been properly christmas-ified. and the tree only tried to kill amber and i once!

seriously. the only reason our apartment hasn't been reduced to a charred heap of rubble is because my dad responds to frantic, late night phone calls from his eldest daughter.

after our tree was almost entirely decorated, it surprised us with a new christmas trick. it fell into the room spilling water, ornaments, pine needles and sap all over a wide-eyed amber and a screaming lauren.

we couldn't get it to stay upright because 1) we are weak and 2) our tree is stubborn and wouldn't listen to reason.

so i did what any self-respecting, 24-year-old, single career woman would do. i called my dad and breathlessly spewed sentence fragments that included the phrase "christmas tree disaster 2006" over and over.

true to his caring nature, dad was on the scene in record time and even brought little debbie christmas tree snacks for the occasion!

happy birthday, dadio!

2006-12-04T16:21:00.000-06:00

happy dad, originally uploaded by Lauren Adams.

today is my dad's birthday. i am very blessed to have such a caring father. he is by far one of the kindest people i know. sometimes i'm overwhelmed by how much he's willing to do for me.

here's an excerpt from an old email that exemplifies his caring nature...

Lauren,
Hey, what's this about you being sick? I won't have it. Seriously, I wonder what I can do? Maybe some chicken noodle soup? Did you have a long day on Monday? I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your article about mom's birthday and your childhood memories. I teared up over it. It seems just like yesterday when we could hold you in our arms and carry you. And we could do that anytime! I wish I could now....Please call or email us on how I can help. Having a cold and now this snowy, rainy weather doesn't help.... I am available for helping around the house or taking you out for supper or to a movie. Please know that I'm thinking about you and better yet praying. The best is yet to come, Lauren. If there's any I can help you with, you know you just need to ask.
Love,
Dad

travels

2006-11-22T11:13:00.000-06:00

beach collage, originally uploaded by Lauren Adams.

it's been a little over a month since i visited the east coast, but i know i promised pictures and highlights...

i started my trip at a work conference in washington, dc. as you know, i am a politics nerd, and being in our nation's capital did nothing but stoke the fire of my political enthusiasm. dc, for me, is like hollywood for those people who watch "entertainment tonight" and subscribe to "us weekly."

the best part of dc was seeing my friend andrew, who works for sen. hagel. andrew is a good friend to have because he cares about the integrity of our political system and also is concerned about finding the perfect bar.

therefore, my time with him was extremely educational, because he knows everything there is to know about american history and political theory, as well as extremely entertaining. he's currently working on becoming a "regular" at this charming hole-in-the-wall bar called "the saloon." they've got some amazing german beers on tap. not to mention an old, persian bartender who will tell you really weird things about yourself. seriously, the guy was like a walking fortune cookie.

i also saw sen. hagel in the halls of the senate office building. he was wearing a pink dress shirt and greeted andrew and i with a wink and a smile!

next stop was brattleboro, vermont, to visit friends. of course, i missed my 7:30 a.m. amtrak and had to switch routes. i ended up going through NYC. i had about two hours in the city to wander around by myself. it was really strange to be back in that huge city alone. it's just not the same without a group of relatives shoving you into closing subway doors.

the train ride was amazing. i really enjoyed being able to see the countryside and all the fall colors. i was utterly enchanted by new england and the charming town of brattleboro was the icing on the cake. for the lincolnites - everywhere you go in the area feels like you're at the mill. it's truly lovely.

my friend john and i drove out to the coast in maine one day. it was only a few hours drive. we enjoyed sunny skies and cool temps. the beaches were completely void of people making for a peaceful and contemplative afternoon admiring the brilliant blues of the atlantic ocean.

as i went through airport security, ate fast food in waiting areas at my gates and sat next to strangers on the plane rides home, i was thankful for a life that allows me to experience the thrill and enlightenment of new places.

but i was also thankful that i would soon be amidst the familiarity of home – the cold nebraska temperatures, the vast openness of the fields surrounding interstate 80, the dilapidated houses on my street, the creaky, wood floors of my apartment and most of all the snuggly embraces of family and friends.

it’s good to be home.

today's the day

2006-11-07T08:52:00.000-06:00

vote, originally uploaded by Lauren Adams.

after a little gathering in my living room last night complete with patriotic sugar cookies, voter's guides and sample ballots, i felt very confident walking into my polling place this morning. filling in each little oval felt like christmas!

so my gift to you, gentle reader, is this reminder to vote it up today.

go get yourself a sticker!

happy halloween...

2006-11-01T15:08:00.000-06:00

the royal tenenbaums, originally uploaded by Lauren Adams.

from the royal tenenbaums!

registered!

2006-10-27T15:23:00.000-05:00

registered!, originally uploaded by Lauren Adams.

over the lunch hour today, amber registered to vote and i can't stop smiling about it.

like i told her earlier: i'm trying really, really, really hard not to be a huge nerd about this, but...i'm not succeeding. taking multiple pictures at the election commissioner's office? who does that? um...off hand, i'd have to say...NERDS!

seriously. yay!