the ants go marching one by one

It's that time of year people--fall start up. Students approch our office in a seemingly never-ending stream looking for money and hoping not to hear bad news. However, usually, if they don't have their money it is a bad news situation. Sigh.

You know what I love? Tomato soup. And you know the tomato soup that I love? Pacific's Organic (Ooooo) Creamy Tomato. I haven't gotten sick of it yet, and it's been my lunch for the past 2 months or so. Delish. Add one of those oregano-ey bagels someone brought in to share, and you are in for crunchy bagel (it's pronounced baa-gel, folks, not bay-gel) tomato-ey lunchy lunch.

Back to the grind...but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

the meaning of life

I must share this with my reading public: If Mylie Cyrus wasn't on the radio every 15 minutes on ZFUN, I probably would lose my mind. Thanks ZFUN, for a Mylie-licious morning!

squash and other family dramas

My brother never had to eat squash after the time he "gagged" while eating it at the dinner table. I have never forgiven him for that. Until I was the ripe old age of 14ish, I didn't like squash either (known by my dad as "squish").

But, I must say that I now lurve squash, and we found out today that Birdy likes it too! Now my mom, Birdy, and I can enjoy buttery, cinnamony squash on cold fall nights. It's nice to have a veggie buddy.

rearview perspectives

The older I get, the more I realize I don't really know who I am.

I look inside me, and I still feel like the same person I was when I was little and coloring at the dining room table. I see the same person playing at recess in fifth grade. I see the same person who chose friends who didn't care in middle school. I see the same person who gave her heart to people who didn't see it as a gift in high school. I see someone who is still frantically trying to figure it out, and who keeps hiding when I'm seeking.

The best views sometimes are the ones in our rearview mirror. We can see where we just were, and those glimpses into the past tell us much more about ourselves than those in front of us. Each choice we make is a result of the past, and that makes it even harder to make the best decisions that go against all of who we are and what we've been.

The craziest thing is that I feel the most like Heather when I'm with Birdy. She doesn't know who I was, or my past struggles, the bad decisions. She sees my smiling face and all she feels and sees is love. I think that is the best gift of motherhood. You finally have the chance to change who you are and your life's trajectory with a clean slate. Once and for all, you can be the best person inside of you, because that little person sees you that way. It makes me okay with not knowing myself, because, at last, I'm discovering it right along with her.

chlorine gets my motor going

The smell of a pool reminds me of why I love swimming. It's true that smell brings memories more than anything else. When I smell bleach I think about the first time I qualified for districts, the last swim meet as a senior, my favorite drills, the best workouts, and my good friends.

Is it similar for other sports? If you smell high school gym, do you think of volleyball? Smelling grass makes you think of football?

Whenever think about the start in swimming, I get goosebumps.

When you step up on the blocks, it's LOUD. People are yelling, screaming, cheering. Add the rushing of your blood as your heart pumps frantically, and you have a hard time hearing anything.

As soon as the starter tells you to take your marks, it quiets and you can only hear murmuring.

As soon as you hear the beep (or gun), your mind goes blank until you're in the cool water, which is totally silent.

Before you break the surface, you are in a surreal world. The water feels good, and you can sense your propulsion through the water on your arms and legs. You're in a half world at that point. You can't hear anything but the rushing of water over your ears and are focused entirely on your kick.

Once you break the water, the world gets loud again with the sound of people, water, and your own thoughts telling you to go faster, reach farther, kick harder.

THAT is what I miss about swimming. I miss the coolness, the jitters, the turns and the finish.

If I ever make it to Beijing, I'm swimming in the Water Cube. I don't care how expensive it is; I want to swim in the same water as Natalie Coughlin, Peter van ded Hoogenbam, and Michael Phelps.

is that what I think it is?

I know what you are thinking. You're thinking, "Good sweet sassy molassy! What is that delictable little treat I see?" That, my hungry friend, is a little something called pretzel jello salad. You may not be familiar with it, and that is a mighty shame.

Pretzel jello salad is composed of a pretzel crust bottom, a cream cheese and cool whip creamy middle, and a jello and fruit topping. Traditionally, the top is strawberry jello and strawberries, but I like mine with raspberries and raspberry jello.

I'm currently crafting one for a work pot luck tomorrow, and I'm totally stoked. I know you are jealous, but not all of us can work at WSU's financial aid office. I'm sure your time will come soon.

Hi, my name is Heather B., and I'm an Olympoholic.

Saying I'm addicted is a little bit of an understatement. The summer Olympics is like black tar heroin to me. I can't get enough, my relationships are effected by it, and I will go to any lengths to watch them.

My husband (HA! You're finally mentioned) is an Olympics widow during this time, and he seems to be taking it very well, considering he doesn't care at all about sports like women's soccer, dressage, synchronized diving, or trap shooting.

That's right...I watch it all. My favorites are swimming, diving, track and field, and gymnastics. But if it's on NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, or USA I'm on it like white on rice.

I get a huge adrenaline rush from watching people do well and exceed their expectations. Sometimes, I get a little emotional. You heard me right: sometimes I cry.

So, please know that I'm a little nervy right now since I have to go to work and not watch streaming video or anything. Plus, the time difference is a bitch since I've been staying up so late.

Now...I think some esoteric equestrian event or women's weight lifting is on.