First thing at the office this morning, Bob excitedly asks me, "Are you a Hobbit?!?"

Always, Bob.  Always.  With or without the ears :)

Bob walks by while I'm typing away.

"Smile, Samara.  ...Pretend you work the back office of the Shire.  They must have admin in Hobbiton." 


I think I need a sign that reads "Official Hobbiton Admin" or something like that.

Spiders

So...  I was out late last night at my aunt's house.  When I get these texts from my flatmate:

 

If you want to read the hilarious backstory...check out Bek's account.  Here's the brief version:

That awkward moment when you're sitting on the floor sobbing over Doctor Who reruns and realize a spider has joined you...

And the longer version.

 

Ha!  I'm really flattered by her statement about my abilities:

Samara's nickname is "Sting, the Spider Slayer" because that woman takes out spiders like a Seattlite takes out recycling. Which is like a boss, in case you don't get my made-up analogy.

HAHA! Firstly, it's true.  I'm part Hobbit, so the small portion of bravery I was awarded is somehow aimed at spiders.  I sometimes wish I could be brave about other things... but, no, pretty much just spiders.  They show up and I'm all like, "For the Shire!"  Yah, that's pretty much exactly how it goes.

Secondly, ummm... the recycling analogy is just brilliance!  I'm gonna use that one. 

Thirdly,  Thanks, Beks.  Proud to slay spiders to protect our little abode.

Ok... so if you've read the story, you saw that our little visitor was waiting for me when I got home.  At 12:30 AM!  Yah, grateful for the warning, but I was just going to go to bed.  Then as I stumbled in to my room I knocked over the shoe it was hiding under.  It was trying to scurry away, but it's first mistake was hiding under a shoe.  I was able to smash it pretty quickly.  But it didn't die!  I had to smash it like 5 times!

Anyway, it reminded me of one of my favorite blog posts on spiders.  [Warning: brief, strong language.]   This always has me cracking up: 

 

Anyway... wishing you a spider-free day :)

When you least expect it...

So you know those days when you wake up and you're like, "I already concede the day."

Yes... well, this morning was like that.  I woke up a half hour after expected and bolted out of bed.  You know, not like a mental decision to get up, just a muscular reaction to the adreniline of waking up late.  That kind of bolting.  Within a few minutes of fumbling around, it was quite apparent that I was not actually awake, but only in Zombie mode.  So, late as I was, I went back to bed.  I just gave up.

With no time on the clock, I slapped on some makeup, threw my hair into a sub-par top-knot, and jumped into some clothes, including a pair of pants that I seriously reserve for days when no clients are coming in.  And, lucky for me, today was one of those days.  Needless to say - there have been more "instagramable" days in my life.

I zoomed to the park and ride and had to run half-way to the bus.  And no, not the chic New-Yorker dashing for the subway like you see in movies... this was more closer to Eric-Liddell-flailing type running.  I made it to the bus.  Plopped into a seat.  And promptly went to sleep.  Having described my morning thus far, I'll let you decide how graceful I looked while asleep on the bus.  [All I can hope is that my mouth wasn't hanging open]


I finally did wake up - thanks in large part to LBD ep. 98 [we'll talk more about that later] and the new Star Trek Trailer.  The day improved & I kinda pulled it together.

Fast forward to this afternoon. A group of us ladies went across the street to Starbucks. We were chatting while waiting for our drinks at the bar when I noticed this guy staring at me. Then when my friends were pouring cream & sugar I caught this guy staring again. I thought "whoops - you're being too loud again, Samara." But then he broke into the circle of us 5 ladies:

Him: I'm sorry but do you ride the ___ [morning bus route].

Me: Yes I do. Do you take that one too?

H: Not usually, but I did this morning & I saw you.

M: Haha yes.

H: I - I noticed you.

M: [What would Jennifer Lawrence do in this kind of awkward situation? Play it cool, Samara] Oh, we'll I was kind of out of it this morning haha.

H: Yes, you were sleeping. I was just reading but, I saw you... You were stunning.

M: HA HA! [Seriously did I just hear him right?] Well thank you! Yah, I was tired this morning. Hence this [point to my latte]. It keeps me going.

H: Actually alcohol does that for me. Alcohol keeps me up & coffee puts me to sleep.

M: So why are you at Starbucks in the middle of the afternoon? Oh, well thanks again!

H: My name's Matt, by the way [thrusts out his hand]

M: Samara.  Nice to meet you [awkward handshake].  See you around.



And as we left, half of the girls gave in to the giggles they'd been holding that entire conversation!  And then a chorus of comments "He was so sweet!"  "That was so brave."  "That was hilarious!"  "Are you sure you don't want me to go give him your business card?"  Meanwhile I'm like, that just happened :?


As funny and awkward as it was, sometimes you just have to accept the compliment.  And it is so funny to me that of *all* days, it was on a day when I felt blah that a complete stranger told me I was "stunning" (and in a hushed tone I might add). 

As a girl, it's easy to look in the mirror and see teeth that could be whitened, pounds that could be shed, eyebrows that could use an intervention.  But every once in a while the Lord allows an "outside opinion" and it's a great reminder that we are indeed "fearfully and wonderfully and beautifully made."  Sometimes when other people notice that, well, it just makes you grateful.  And for it to happen on a "below average" day - all you can do is laugh :)

22.

Birthday Post!!

"I've charted stars, and they're always constant. But these--they appear every year on my birthday, Mother, only on my birthday. And I can't help but feel like they're meant for me."

Well, I thought I'd share some birthday fun-facts. Some of you may already know these, but I thought some of you may not, so here you are:

1. My mother went in to labor with my 8 weeks early. I guess I was bit eager. Nothing's changed.

Her doctor put her on bed rest and in that time she read the entirety of both the Little House and Anne of Green Gables series. I am convinced they altered my personality =)

2. Twenty-two years ago today, I made my entrance to "Eye of the Tiger." No really--my mom had it playing in her delivery room. Isn't she the coolest?

3. I was born with long, full, dark hair. It was nearly an inch long and pretty thick.

4. I am the exact middle of a symmetrical family [girl-boy-girl-boy-girl], so I have the joy of sharing every kind of sibling combo there is. It's fun!

One other little fun-fact about me--not really about my birthday, just childhood.

When I was a little girl, I would get all dressed up in fancy clothes and tell my mom I was going "to the ball to meet the Prince and learn how to read." Priorities. From the begging.

Do you have any fun family stories like that? Do share!

For now, have a fantastic day =)

Last night I was talking about the upcoming Jane Eyre movie (which I'm stoked to see :), when my brother asked me who it was written by. After I told him the author was Charlotte Bronte, he said, "Who was that again?"

I started out, "Ok, so Charlotte was, obviously, a Bronte. There were 3 Bronte sisters--"

When he interrupted me and exclaimed, "--oh, like the Kardashians?"

grrrrr...

Once he noticed the glare on my face and my hand clenched in a fist, he laughed and asked, "Are you going to punch me?"

I didn't punch him, but he would have deserved it for such a dreadful degradation. I still can't believe he said that.

Ellie was recently talking about how she had been putting off reading a novel because she's been reading so many biographies. She suddenly exclaimed, "I know what it is! It's because I like 'I' books and that novel isn't an 'I' book!"

I looked at her funny and said, "You mean it's not in first person?"

She said, "But, Samara, they're 'I' books. I've always called them that. My family has always called them that. They've always been 'I' books."

Charlli was just picking up on the conversation and, with a face of incredulity, said, "Ellie, i-Books are what you read on an i-Pad."

We all laughed, and then Ellie said, "But I called them 'I' books first!"

Hahaha... I love my roomies. Too much fun :)

Ce soir etait magnifique!

Deep cleaned my room tonight. It doesn't look much cleaner because we (Char and I) have a lot of stuff and only a little bit of space. But the smell of fbreeze reminds me that it is indeed cleaner. Funny fact - all the dust in our room sparkles because of our make-up =) haha.
I just got the urge to clean and organize--pretty rare for me. So when it comes, I have to strike. Not sure what brought it on. Putting my "Soundtrack" playlist of over 300 songs on shuffle may have helped. It could have been "the best chai in the world," steamed with care by Todd Sittig. Or it could have been a combination of both.
But it's clean... and it makes me happy =)

Funny moment of the night:
I bought one of those vibrating baby toys for a home group baby shower. When I brought it home I was showing my mom and said, "I can't wait to have kids--I'm gonna buy a ton of these and play with them all the time. They are like ultimate stress relievers!"
She just looked up at me and asked, "Why wait?"
hahaha... the next time you see me, I may have a vibrating baby toy in purse =)

Breaking habits

I am a creature of habit...

I eat the same thing every day for breakfast. I sit in the same seat on the bus and in my classes. And - I look both ways when I cross a one way street...

Yes... I'm special!

But today is a day to break those habits. I am going to literally "stop and smell the roses..." I paused to just sit and stare at my beloved Rainier. After class, I am going to the UW's herb garden to journal. I may sit and commune with the creator in the Grove... 

Basically - it's time to enjoy the adventure :)

PS - during my little adventure in the herb garden... i totally busted open the back of my pants! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA - God has SUCH  a sense of humor! hehe I think He doesn't want me to take myself too seriously :)