Dear Kanye

R.I.P. College Dropout Bear

Is there a celebrity you would like to write a letter to?  Do it, then link up at Mama Kat's!

"Power" artwork and bear graphics, google.com; Lyrics by Kanye West.

It's true. I love my job.

Additional job-related posts:

A typical day at work

A tour of my office

Have a wonderful Friday-Eve, lovely readers!

Walk Like a Penguin

"Hold my hand and I'll help you across the parking lot", my friend said to me as she gently grabbed hold of my forearm and tried to remain patient.

{via}

I was a teen.  My teammates and I were leaving the junior high gymnasium, where I had just finished playing in a crappy basketball game.  It was a damp, cold night, and the sky was full of freezing drizzle. 

and I was STUCK!

Stuck, in the middle of the parking lot, which was covered with a half inch thick glistening layer of smooth, solid ice. My parents were waiting for me in the car, which was warming up on the other side of the lot.  To get there, I had to walk across the ice, approximately 75 feet. My fingers were dug deep into a half rotten fence post I'd managed to cling to, and I wasn't planning to let go anytime soon. I felt sick to my stomach.

After 10 minutes of encouragement from my friend, I eventually made my way to my parents' car, half in tears, half crab-walking, pathetically scooting across the ice with  my friend's help. 

Flash forward 13 years later:  I still whimper and feel like throwing up when I have to walk on a slick surface. I've considered keeping a bag of salt in my car for those wintry days when I pull into an icy parking lot at work or the grocery store - you know, so i could toss a few handfuls out in front of me, make a path.  I invested in a pair of Ugg-like knockoff boots (which are black and totally ugg-ly!) to wear all winter long, which I change out of when I reach the safety of my office.  There, I take my boots off, set them aside to dry, and apply high heels. (Why do I not mind walking in heels when I'm afraid of falling while walking on ice? I'm not sure; it's just another one of those great woman mysteries.)

Nothing ever happened to me to create this fear; I'm just terrified of walking on ice!

I cry, I squeal, I sob.  Sometimes, I crawl on all fours to get across a patch of ice, which completely embarrasses the living daylights out of my husband when we're out in public. 

One time (at the age of 21), I crab walked across 5th Avenue in Huntington, the highly traveled four lane that intersects with Hal Greer Boulevard and surrounds the Marshall University main campus. My husband (then fiance) probably second guessed our future wedding when that whole situation occurred.

With or without treaded boots, I will never feel safe walking on ice. 

It's a little early for winter stories, but I can't resist a fun writing prompt! I'm linking up @Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop - head over and give one of her prompts a whirl!

My childhood obsessions

Back in the early 90's, my cute little french braided, teased-banged, rosy cheeked, purple stirrup pant-wearing self was obsessed with the following stuff:

Lisa Frank (not surprising):

My favorite was Panda Painter, I was an "official member" (whatever that meant) of the Lisa Frank Club, and I totally wish I still had some Lisa Frank stationery now! I can still taste the lemon fruit dip that was a featured recipe in an issue of the Lisa Frank newsletter (confectionary sugar, lemon juice, plain yogurt, i made it every day!) I remember the $50 rainbow-striped sweater that I obsessed over when LF came out with a clothing line. Ohhh... Lisa Frank. How I miss you!

Twinkies (a little strange for me, but I hadn't made it into the Chocolate phase yet):

I couldn't stop eating these things!  It all came to an abrupt end, though, when the asbestos-laced Twinkie recall hit the news.  That's when I first learned how inconvenient food recalls can be!

Beavis & Butthead (strange obsession for a cute little girl with french braided hair):

I watched the show religiously. "Buuut it's a cartooooon!" I would say to my friends' parents, who disapproved of the show and were probably terrified of me, the straight A student who seemed like the perfect influence but really destroyed their childrens' lives by introducing them to the ultra-vulgar animated series.  My mom  let me watch it, but didn't really like it at all - she disliked it enough to make me feel guilty about what I was doing. Sometimes I would sneak off to grandma's house to watch it, so mom wouldn't have to hear the never-ended "uhhh huh huh huh"'s and all of the craps, asses, bungholes, and cornholios.  Sidenote: this past summer, I finally sold my copy of "Beavis and Butthead Do America" at a yardsale I had back in my hometown.  One of my old friends stopped by, saw it on sale for $2, and almost cried - and died.  She couldn't believe I was parting with it! Heh Heh-Heh

Meatloaf (the singer, not the food - and this is the strangest obsession of all!)
"I Would Do Anything For Love" was my favorite song in 4th grade.  My dad was a Meatloaf fan, I thought my dad was cool, so I became a Meatloaf fan, too.  I still know all of the lyrics to every track on the Bat Out of Hell II album.  I'll never forget the MTV Top 20 Video Countdown back in those days - it was always a battle between Dr. Dre's "Let Me Ride", Salt-n-Pepa's "Shoop", Aerosmith's "Crazy", and Meatloaf's 7 minute long video, for the #1 spot.  Man, whatever happened to music videos actually being aired on MTV?




A special thanks to the amazing Mama Kat for her awesome weekly writing prompts! Head over to Mama Kat's Losin it to get rid of writer's block! She is every blogger's knight in shining polka dots!

My favorite Lou Holtz Quote

"Life is 10% what happens to you and 
 90% how you respond to it."

-Lou Holtz

legendary NCAA football coach and

ESPN college football analyst

It was spring 2006.  I was just finishing up my undergraduate degree and my fiance (now husband) was completing the final requirements for his M.A.  We were preparing to graduate from Marshall University, get married in two short months, and start our lives together.  Early in the winter, he had thrown a hail mary and applied to a Ph.D. program at Ohio University.  After waiting a few months and hearing nothing, he hit the WV public school teaching job market, hoping to find a job as a junior high or high school english teacher at a decent school somewhere reasonably close to family.  Big dreams of becoming a doctor had nearly vanished.  And then...

the call came.

One minute, we're planning to settle for a life in our home state of West Virginia, close to family, where we could buy a home and start our own family immediately. The next... the possibility of more school, a hold on babies, another few years of renting, and a new state were knocking at our door.

The familiar vs. the unfamiliar.
The known vs. the unknown.
The easy vs. the challenging.


So, we jumped into the car -my husband was in the driver's seat, I held a printout of Mapquest directions - and we headed two hours north, up to Ohio University's campus in Athens, Ohio. We spent a rainy day on the road, a rainy day on campus, I ate my very first Turkey Ranch & Swiss sandwich from Quiznos, then I cried like a baby all the way home.  I hated Athens because it "wasn't like Huntington."  "OU's campus isn't like Marshall's campus."  Basically, I'd lived in WV my whole life, and was terrified to move somewhere else.

I spent three weeks fighting with myself.  My husband had a huge opportunity within his grasp, but all I could feel was fear of the unknown.  He was over the fear, ready to chase a dream, and I was holding him back. After three weeks of confusion and something that felt a little like heartbreak, I suddenly woke on a Sunday morning with a positive outlook and new attitude. "Let's go", I said.  "Let's go to Athens."


That is how I dealt with one of the most important occurences in our lives. When I think about what could have been had we not moved to Ohio, I shudder.  The last five years of my life have been so full, so fun, and so exciting.  Life definitely is 10% what happens, and 90% how you respond to it.  What would my life be like had I responded to what happened in spring 2006 differently?  What would my husband's life be like?  Would he be teaching 7th grade english but still be dreaming of becoming a scholar?  Or would he have let that dream go by now?   Would I be as brave, as goal-oriented as I am now? Or would I have settled for simplicity in the West Virginia mountains? Would we have traveled as much, explored as much, and experienced as much together living in WV as we have while living in Ohio? Judging by the person i was then, I think I would've continuously sold myself short and held back on living LIFE if we had stayed in our home state. Moving away has changed me.  I've learned that it's safer not to plan anything - what happens is going to happen.  As Lou says, life is mostly made up of how you handle the things that happen to you - and I completely believe that. 

Lou Holtz is an amazing motivational speaker, with great character and an impressive life story.  Even if college football is of no interest to you, Lou's story probably could be.  He's a very positive person, and I love listening to his commentary during ESPN college football games - he'll make you feel good about your team, even if they're getting pounded on the field! He also makes you feel good about life - good ol' Lou.  I love him like a grandpa! 

He's a quote machine, and his books are full of them.  My personal favorite is Lou's autobiography, "Wins, Losses, and Lessons" - such a great story, and truly motivating!  He's the best at inspiring others to face a challenge head-on, defy the odds, grab life and GO. I'll take Lou's advice over Oprahs any day (no offense, Oprah fans! I love her, too!)

I squealed with delight when Lou's Quote was one of Mama Kat's writing prompts this week. I seriously love him.  My grandpa!

I'll have a Deep-Fried Buckeye, please!

Chocolate Covered Bacon?  Seriously?!?

Ohio State Fair at dusk

When Monica Day, NBC4i Columbus news anchor described the disgusting yet "flavorful" sounding Ohio state fair treat on air this morning, I wanted to try it! "They put a cherry on top", she said, describing her chocolate covered bacon eating experience.  "I had chocolate all over myself, it looked like i mauled the bacon!" Somehow, hearing the beautiful former miss Ohio describe what most would consider a disgusting feast sounded kind of appealing to me.
     Maybe I'm way out of the loop and everyone has tried or has at least heard of chocolate covered bacon. I'm simply not a fair-goer, and part of that has to do with not having kids, I'm sure - but fair food definitely interests me!  Sadly, I'm not brave enough to try any of it. My sugar loving self has never had the deep fried twinkie. Can you believe that? Nope, never.  No deep fried Oreos, either.  Am I missing out?  I'm betting that i probably am!
     The fair website actually has a link to a "fair food finder", so I hit that up after hearing Miss Day's story.  I couldn't believe some of the random fair treats I saw! (and forgive me if I seem ignorant - I haven't been to a fair anywhere in a decade!):
-Frozen Bananas (umm.. eww? I'm guessing?)
-Chocolate covered frozen cheesecake on a stick (YUM)
-Deep Fried everything: candy bars, cookie dough, Captain Crunch, Smores, Fudge, Buckeyes, Peanut Butter Fluff, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches

Deep Fried Fudge?  Deep Fried PB & J?  I don't know about those two, but I would definitely be up for trying the Deep Fried Buckeye, Captain Crunch, and Smores!

Deep Fried Buckeyes

I tend to shy away from deep fried food a little (due to a strangely high cholesterol problem), but that doesn't mean I don't love it!  Please, let me know if i'm missing out on any of these treats. I'll be missing the OS Fair b/c of my beach trip, but lucky for me, the Athens County Fair starts the day I return to town. If my readers think any of this stuff is really a must try, it would be a long shot but maybe i'll try hunting it down at Athens Co. Fair!

Appalachian Exploitation in the Media (Part 1)

On Sunday evening, Dateline NBC will feature a story on how the economy has affected the poor - in none other than Southeastern Ohio.  Several locations and families in Athens County will be featured in the piece as reported by NBC's Ann Curry. The preview can be found here.

As a "child of appalachia" born and raised in central West Virginia, I tend to feel a little sensitive toward the way in which the appalachian region is portrayed in the media.  Currently, I am a resident of Athens County, and I'm looking forward to seeing how my home is portrayed in Ann's report.  I am aware that there is poverty in appalachia, but it seems as though reporters hunt down the most down-and-out, poorest humans that they possibly can to make the news stories more interesting. On the other hand, I'm also aware that these people are real, the conditions are real.  I'm stuck in the middle when it comes to Appalachia in the media.  The people are exploited, and this gives the rest of the nation a negative impression of a region that is actually beautiful, with lots of tourism, several high-ranked division I colleges and universities, and incredibly nice people. However, attention must be drawn to those suffering in Appalachia - it is a region in need, in many different aspects. 

Today, Ms. Emily Ann blogged about regional stereotypes and for me, her post hit home.  She's a super down-to-earth writer, and I appreciated her realistic view on the subject. As a West Virginian who moved to Ohio 4 years ago, I have been in appalachia all my life, and suffer the consequences of stereotyping on a daily basis! I definitely attribute part of this to the media's portrayal of the appalachian region.

I'll be back on the Appalachia-in-the-Media topic following Sunday evening's Dateline.  The fun starts at 7pm Eastern time. 

You're probably wondering, "GEEZ, what's with Steph being all serious lately?"  Well.. don't worry.  I've got some fun ramblings to spat out, so here we go!:

Two of my blogging buds are hosting awesome giveaways! 

Ashley @ My Carnival Ride is giving away a beautiful necklace and a few delicious smelling, homemade triple-scented candles. This is her first giveway - she's celebrating her 100th post! Head over to her blog and enter to win, and congratulate her on all of her fantastic blogging!

My fellow Marshall fanatic and Christmas-obsessed gal pal, Jennifer @ Crazy Shenanigans, is giving away a SURPRISE MYSTERY GIFT... just like Christmas morning! She was inspired by the whole Christmas in July thing, and trust me - she's a super fun girl with awesome taste, so you can be sure that the surprise giveaway is worth signing up for!

And don't forget about my own giveaway!  WIN the wooden BLOGGING QUEEN sign, made by yours truly!  It ends tomorrow night (Saturday, the 24th) at 11:59pm! 

One last thing - and I have to give Mama Kat major props, because without her, this would not be possible. Many of us bloggers participate in Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop during the week, because her writing prompts are AWESOME. I printed off about 50 of my favorite prompts from her writing prompt archive, separated the prompts with the office paper cutter (aka finger slicer... I've had some accidents), folded each one up in a little square and tossed it into a fat drinking cup.  SO... on those days that I'm at a loss for words, I'm going to draw a random prompt from the cup, and go for it!  This should be a lot of fun, but I do think I'm going to need a cheering section, so... let the encouragement begin!  

I hope you all have a terrific weekend!  Join me tomorrow for "Sweets for the Sweet"... I'll be sharing yet another favorite summertime treat - this time, it's fast-food related!

"How far to heaven?"

"How far to heaven?  Just open your eyes and look.  
You are in heaven."
- Shankar

The New River Gorge, Fayette County, West Virginia

I was born and raised in West Virginia; I moved to Ohio in 2006, at the age of 22. When my husband and I travel back to WV, the visits are simple - time is spent catching up with our loved ones, enjoying some of mom's cooking, and hanging out in our familiar childhood backyards, chit-chatting and relaxing. 

In spring of '08, my husband and I attended one of my close friend's weddings while visiting our hometown.  Her reception was held at Smokey's on the Gorge, in the town of Lansing (Fayette County).  Smokey's on the Gorge is a beautiful restaurant/reception location with large outside patios and decks that overlook the New River Gorge Canyon and New River.  In the distance, you can also see the New River Gorge Bridge (the third largest steel arch bridge in the world and site of the Annual Bridge Day.)

The photo above was taken from one of the decks at Smokey's.  All I wanted to do was stand and stare at the gorgeous New River! I felt as though I had never seen it before... but I had - several times, in fact, while growing up. 

Why didn't I appreciate the natural beauty of West Virginia when I actually lived there? 

As an adult, I finally appreciate the pure, gorgeous scenery of my home state.  This photo, enlarged to an 8x10, sits in a beautiful wooden frame inside my Ohio home - it will always be on display, regardless of where life takes my husband and I. We've left West Virginia, and we may never return there to live, but it's always nice to have the photo of the New River to remind us of where our home away from home is.  

When I look at the photo, I can't help but to feel a little spirtual - that is God's work at it's finest!  The photo is a reminder of the day my husband and I stood on the decks of Smokey's on the Gorge, celebrating our friend's wonderful wedding day, and gawking - in awe- at what we'd somehow missed our entire time of living in WV. "Almost Heaven, West Virginia" may be the state slogan, but the realization of how naturally beautiful our home state was heaven in itself. 

~*This blog was inspired by one of the many terrific writing prompts found at Mama Kat's weekly Writer's Workshop.  If you're suffering from writer's block, click the graphic below. Mama Kat's ideas are sure to inspire you, as they do hundreds of other bloggers each week!*~

Today, take a moment to appreciate the beauty of your surroundings - whether it be tall city buildings, scenic mountains, or a lovely plant sitting in the window :) 

Have a beautiful day! 

Fiestaware FAN-A-TIC

I think it's time that I reveal one of my guiltiest pleasures (#1 probably being Bath and Body Works products... which i have a stupid ridiculous surplus of)...

FIESTAWARE.

My mother and I are both huge collectors of the colorful dinnerware made in West Virginia.  The Homer Laughlin China Company has been around for decades, producing the most beautiful shades of the funnest dishes I have ever seen/used.  She and I simply CANNOT get enough! We love ALL of the colors - our collections are a mixture of blues, reds, yellows, greens... oranges, purples, pinks, browns, ivory...  I do love how some of my friends have chosen a select combination of their favorite colors, which always looks so classy and beautiful on a dining table.  I can't bring myself to choose just a few - I MUST have at least one piece of the newest colors when they're released!  

Above Photo:  Where it all began - my bridal shower in 2006 

Mom and I typically hit up the Fiestaware Outlet, "Everything Fiesta", located in Flatwoods, WV, twice per year. (If we went more often than that, we would surely have to file bankruptcy. Or sell ourselves on the streets of Flatwoods so we can go back and get the set of mixing bowls in the newest color, "Paprika". If it comes to that... ya know... i might be willing.)  One of the greatest things about the outlet is the "seconds" room - full of Fiestaware that was slightly damaged at the factory.  It's 90% off, and honestly, it's super easy to find perfect pieces in the mix - the Fiesta logo might be slightly off center on the bottom of a plate, or there may be a teeny tiny nick that you can feel but not see, but it's the best place on earth to pick up a few extra place settings, or get started on your collection if you're a Fiesta newbie.


Collecting Fiestaware is a passion for both my mother and I, and something I'm so glad we get to share with each other.  No matter the physical distance between us, we will always shop together and collect together. 


Currently, my mom is storing away the special NCAA Marshall University Fiestaware for me, until my husband and I relocate to a bigger place and settle down next year. I have tumblers, dinner and luncheon plates, serving dishes, and coffee mugs, ready to place in the perfect china cabinet - which I have yet to find.  We're also looking forward to picking up a couple pieces of Paprika to add to our collections later this summer!


Ahh... Fiestaware..  One of my favorite things, ever.  Add a batch of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies to a Shamrock green Fiestaware platter, and I'm one happy girl!

10 Things that make me Smile - Writer's Workshop

Time for some Mama Kat!  Her writing prompts were awesome this week - I nearly chose more than just one!

List of 10 things that are sure to put a smile on your face

when you're not happy:

1. My husband! He has a terrific sense of humor (and surprisingly, doesn't make me unhappy - like - EVER.  Well, except for when he tells me all about Karl Marx' skin boils, and other Marxist facts from his dissertation research.)

2. Diego.  My housecat is the biggest, prettiest yellow tabby tomcat with an even bigger personality - and the cutest little boy cat face ever! I can't help but smile when he looks up with his big golden eyes and "meeps" at me.

3. Chocolate.  The more the better, please! When I'm upset, i prefer it in the form of something ooey-gooey and packed with calories (Applebees' Triple Chocolate Meltdown, Cold Stone Creamery "chocolate devotion", warm chocolate chip cookies.) Chocolate. Fixes. Everything.

4. The Office - Every single episode cracks me up! However, Steve Carrell's departure after Season 7 puts a big frown on my face.
5. Sports.  Football, Basketball, Baseball, the Olympics... I generally enjoy it all! I love football season the most, and love attending sporting events of all types - except the ones when Marshall is losing! (I love my Thundering Herd!)
6. Anything Green! Adding to #5 above, I love green. I became obsessed with it while a student @ Marshall University.  Any shade'll do - I even love pea green! Forest Green, Kelly Green, Lime Green... Just give me something green and I'll be your friend forever.
7. Christmas.  The smells, the decorations, the music... if it's Christmas related, I'm one happy woman!  I love the smell of a cinnamon candle burning during the holiday season - while drinking hot chocolate and plotting gift lists, addressing greeting cards, and listening to Michael buble' croon "Let it snow" in the background. Yep, I'm smiling just thinking about it!
8. My mom's cooking - I don't have it very often nowadays, but her cooking is amazing.  She's Paula Dean - seriously, anything from a simple grilled cheese or hamburger to Thanksgiving dinner is SO comforting and good.  She always uses real butter and real sugar, and cooks with a whole lotta love.
9. New Projects! I love brainstorming and coming up with new ideas.  Browsing online, in catalogs, and in magazines for new home decor trends and pretty patterns is just the beginning - I start smiling really big once i've been inspired, and then the real fun begins - I start creating! *SMILE*!
10. Reading blogs (of course!) All of my favorite bloggers always make me smile.  Blogs are so fun, creative, inspiring, and full of life - I'm so glad I found my way into this world!

There you have it!  10 things guaranteed to make me smile when Mr. sad face is around.

Visit Mama Kat and join in the fun of Writer's Workshop - work on your post today, link up tomorrow! 

Dear Chocolate

It's Wednesday!  Which means... it's time for some Mama Kat Writing Prompts! I've selected the following topic from Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop: 

"Write a letter to whatever is stopping you from losing the extra weight you'd like to lose."

After crap-tons of hard work, I'm in pretty good shape - but the one thing that has always kept me a little "soft" is sugary treats.  And my favorite sugary treat is (you probably guessed it): chocolate. 

Dear Chocolate:
     You have a special place in my tummy... that little pouch I've had underneath my belly button nearly my entire life is for you and only you. 
     Chocolate, you are what's been keeping me from having the perfect stomach for years.  You in your many forms... completely destroying any progress I make at the gym.  I try to sweat all of you out but I take you back at the end of the day - most recently in the form of those new Cheerios or lovely little Dove pieces.  
     I fell in love with you as I grew in mom's womb - her cravings of chocolate mini donuts with chocolate milk sealed my fate.  I'm just going to have to accept that your extra baggage is never going away.  I have to have you - loving you is dangerous, but I can't resist your m&ms, your Applebees Triple Chocolate Meltdown, your Ben & Jerry's Fudge Brownie Ice Cream, your Starbucks Iced Mochas... you make life so much better.  I will continue to try and get rid of you each day that I spend with the Arc Trainer and the Elliptical Machine, but I know that we'll keep crawling back to each other no matter what happens.  One thing is for sure - you will always have a special place in my chocolate pouch.

The Popular Girls

Today, I'm participating in Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop.  The writing prompt i chose to work with is..."The Popular Girls":

When I first think of "The Popular Girls", I think of the Plastics in the movie "Mean Girls".  You know - the stereotypical popular clique - the prettiest, richest girls with flawless skin and perfect bodies who date the hottest, most muscular male athletes.  The girls who are known by all - but are not usually very well respected.  


My idea of being "The Popular Girl" has changed significantly over time.  Here is a description of my quest to be a popular girl, beginning at the very young age of 
Twelve.  Hormones kicked in, everything became a competition, and jealousy was a part of everyday life.  All of my girl friends were battling the same emotions - the need to be known, the need to impress others, and the search for self-confidence. Some of us had too much self confidence, while some of us had none at all.  Slumber parties usually ended up with someone going home early in tears over a goofy boy or a lost tube of lip gloss or something.
During my early teenage years, things became increasingly complicated.  I tried to be "the best" at everything: school work/grades, athlete,etc.  The only problem with that plan was, I never succeeded at being "THE best".  While being "THE best" would get me recognized, it also created a world of pressure - and I was way more concerned with being "THE best" to impress others, but never for my own benefit.  I just wanted to be known... known for being the best.  I never, ever was.  
I finally realized in high school that being THE best isn't possible, because there is always someone out there with little more talent/brains/beauty/etc.  I settled for always trying my best, and accepted that my personal best may not be "THE best" but it's "the best" for me.  I still cared about what others thought of me, and it hurt to hear when someone made a negative comment about me that I felt was unfair or untrue. By the end of my senior year, I had loads of self-confidence and felt as though I had matured a ton.  Still yet, I struggled with what other people thought of me on a daily basis - so did that mean I didn't have as much self confidence as I thought?


My idea of being "popular" was wiped completely clean on my first day as a college freshman at Marshall University.  Before heading to my first class, I peeked out the window from my 13th floor dorm room - and saw 15,000 other students walking around campus who didn't care about my high school class ranking or my junior prom dress.  My popularity fell 13 stories, straight into the ground.  I never regained that sense of popularity, but discovered what self-confidence really is. Being "The Popular Girl" and having a real sense of self do not go hand in hand, at least in my world.  
During college, I found that it's best to be well respected by those who know the real you, than to be known by tons of people who have little or no respect for you and/or do not know who you really are.  Does that make sense? 


Currently, I consider myself "well-known" in the workplace.  I feel that I'm respected by my co-workers, and I like that.  Do they think I'm the coolest chick on the block?  Probably not.  But they do know they can rely on me to help problem solve and keep things going. That makes living in Athens worthwhile - 10 years ago, I wouldn't have been able to bear walking down Court Street and not know a soul - but now, I don't even pay attention.  Being a "Popular Girl" has been replaced with being a "Needed Girl" - needed by my workplace, needed by my husband, and needed by my house cat. 


Finally, being a "Popular Girl" can be a great thing - just make sure that you are a positive influence on those you know - and who know you :)


To be "popular" can mean many things - what does it mean to you?
How has your own popularity changed over the years?   


I would like to express my appreciation for Mama Kat's Writing Workshop - writing prompts are a blessing for bloggers who, like me, frequently suffer from writer's block.  If you're struggling with post ideas, head over to Mama Kat's blog for some inspiration!