Hand

Would you want your hand to be re-attached to your body if it had spent any amount of time in the belly of another animal?

I'm not so sure. I mean, on one hand (no pun intended) I AM Rachael, confirmed germ-o-phobe. On the other hand, I like my hands...and particularly using them to do things like eat, shower, and type blogs. I think it would come down to how long the hand had spent inside the animal's tummy. I mean, a few minutes, okay, just wash it off and we're good to go. Three days? EW. I mean, wouldn't the stomach acid have done a number on "my" skin, not to mention the inside parts of the human hand? Gross. They have got to make pretty sweet prosthetic hands by now...

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/17/gator.attack/index.html

Kathy

The Inaccuracy of Kathy Griffin's Remarks on Jesus

I smile when I read things like this...mostly because it makes me feel like in some small way we are refuting the misinterpretation that intelligent people aren't/cannot be Christians. This gal definitely went through a lot of trouble to refute Kathy Griffin historically. I smiled. I love logic and reasoning as a way to get the message of the Gospel across to people.

Heels

Today heels saved the day. Well, not really. Although, they did prove to be very helpful for my mid-morning tea "run" (not really a "run" since it wasn't outside of my building, or even on a different floor from my action-center).

This morning, like every morning so far this week, started off rocky with me waking up a mere ten minutes from when I typically like to leave the house. Not good and a very discouraging way to start the day. I had also forgotten to lay out all the clothes/shoes/jewelry that I needed for the day last night (yes, it's like I'm still in grade school and I set out what I'm going to wear each day the night before…I can't help it that I like to wake up earlier than Husband and get out of the house and have a slightly less than horrific commute, at least in the mornings). I went ahead and grabbed my black flats (essentially a pair of glorified jelly-shoes (remember those?) so I could be comfortable during my walk up 4 flights of stairs to my action-center (I walk because, really, stair climbing at work is the only real exercise I get) since yesterday the red heels I was wearing made something in my legs hurt after all the stair climbing. Anyway, I keep a pair of black heels in one of my desk drawers, along with my space heater for those chilly office days, and usually wear those around since the black flats are kinda funky (I'm still saving my pennies for a new pair that I have been keeping tabs on at my local Macy's…someday they will be mine and I shall throw away the mock jellies). Anyway, I put on my heels right before going on my tea "run" which was the first time I went outside my action-center this morning. Good call. When I was getting my tea ready I noticed that we were out of stirrers. Travesty. I knew there were some up in the cabinets and started looking around. Yep, there they were…on the top shelf. I need a coffee stirrer to complete my tea making adventures. Without my heels I would not have been able to reach the box on the top shelf and would have either ended up looking like an idiot while climbing on the counters to reach the box, or had no way (until I found a spoon in my desk drawer I suppose) to stir my tea, add one packet of Splenda, and remove my tea bag.

Thank you black heels. Thank you for being a part of my tea "run" this morning. Without you I would be drinking hot water.

Sometimes I miss working in the city and being able to walk to get coffee or lunch or just to walk…

PS – While writing this blog I heard some guy barking on my floor. Definitely a "person bark" rather than an actual dog. That's strange.

Mighty

Everyone needs compassion
A love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
A kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations

Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is Mighty to save
He is Mighty to save

Forever, author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender

Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is Mighty to save
He is Mighty to save

Forever, author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing for the glory of the risen King...Jesus

Mighty to Save
Hillsong

Glass

So I just watched a woman totally attempt to walk through a glass wall.

I am sitting at Panera awaiting my turn for an oil change...I chose a prime seat...close enough to the door that I get a warm breeze when the door opens which is quite nice considering I think they are trying to freeze us out of this establishment...or just try and make everyone buy a larger coffee. (FYI: I am not at the Panera from the Best Shopping Center Ever...but another one...I do love Panera...) Anyway, this woman was totally trying to open the "door" which is a push-door just to the right of a glass wall that separates the eating area from the doorway to/from the outside. Yeah, that's right, she totally plowed through the glass wall. Well, not exactly through...more like pounded into it and then promptly was thrown to the floor...yeah...that's how hard she hit it. There's this giant face-print on the glass wall. I tried not to laugh, but I saw her face as she was living and although it was red...there was a smile and an uncontrollable giggle. I heard from rustling behind me and turned around to see this early-30's business man red as a tomato giggling. That made me feel better...and we had a good laugh.

Lesson: always mind your surroundings or you may end up leaving a face-print on a glass wall and completely embarrassing yourself.

Trouble

So I'm in trouble. A new shopping center has popped up on my chosen route to work. This particular shopping center is trouble. Not only does it have a Starbucks (what shopping center in Northern Virginia doesn't?) it also has a Panera...right across the "street". I say "street" because really, its just a break in the parking lot. Nevertheless, the Starbucks and the Panera are less than 100 ft away from each other (okay so maybe I don't know how far away 100 ft is, but it's freaking close). This proves a problem...especially since the rest of the shopping center isn't open yet (except for the Pei Wei...yes, that's right this is basically the best shopping center for eating that was ever created...next to open...the Z-Pizza....jealous?) In the mornings, between 7:15 and 7:45 when I tend to frequent this fine shopping center there is NO ONE around. It's amazing...and very difficult not to stop by Panera and grab a bagel, then leisurely wander over to Starbucks for my morning beverage. Yesterday when I made my weekly (I'm going to try and only do this weekly...) visit to the Best Shopping Center Ever, the Starbucks, which I think employees the friendliest workers of any Starbucks ever, was offering samples of the Pumpkin Spice Latte...in teeny tiny espresso cups...complete with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. It was irresistible....and who am I to judge. I happily sipped on my free sample while waiting for my Tall Sugar-Free Caramel Skim Latte. It was basically the best morning ever.

Nectarines

I have decided that nectarines are my favorite fruit. Sure, my daily banana helps with the Charlie horses I get in my feet due to the inappropriate arch support in my favorite shoes. Sure, apples make great pie. Sure, rhubarb (is that even a fruit) when combined with strawberries make my favorite pie. But the nectarine is the perfect blend of taste and texture, no peach fuzzies, yet a peach-like quality...firm like an apple, but without the crunch (and without the allergic reaction from Hubby). Nectarines are essentially perfect. The pit is easy to cut around, there is no real stem to worry about...just slice around the middle and you have an amazing snack.

I bought four nectarines at Wegman's (or Weggie's if you're a member of my household) this week because they were on sale and I had *gasp* forgotten how much I LOVE them. They are perfect right now (perhaps in season, our friend at the "Vegetable CIA", a.k.a. USDA, would have to confirm that for me). I shall be stocking up next week and taking advantage of their abundance at my local grocery store.

Go get yourself a nectarine and enjoy!