THE Ohio State University as I remember it

I love summer. I enjoy sunshine and boating and ice cream trucks. I would love for it to be light outside from 6a-8p year round! But my very favorite season of the year is college football. To me college football(yes, I consider it an actual season) outranks spring, summer, fall or winter. 

At the beginning of every college football season, I get the opportunity to go back to my home state of Ohio and cheer on THE Ohio State University Buckeye Football team. Like for real. I actually get to go on the field and cheer with my college teammates, those who went before and those who have passed thru after. We make a unique group of people, us alumni cheerleaders. We were privileged enough to get the amazing perspective of being a part of 'something'. I describe it that way because there aren't enough words to fully encompass what exactly it was. In short, it was a true once in a lifetime experience. And every year I get a bit more nostalgic about having had this honor. So this blog is a tribute to the things I remember and the things I can't recall(for one reason or another), but mostly to the people who helped make these memories happen. Because each one of these memories is tied to a someone. And each of those crazy, unique 'someone's' shaped me into who I am today. 

I started college in the fall of 1999 after a hilarious summer that involved my first real taste of independence. Armed with a terrible chin cut bob with bangs, I began an unbelievable journey into semi-adulthood(I'm still working on growing up). Over the next 5 years, I met countless people, friends and enemies, and started developing a sense of self. Here are some of the things I think of when reminiscing..... 

Crying to my dad not to leave when he moved me into campus, it was essentially the same scene from my first day of kindergarten without him having to carry me into the building.  Stradley 4. My Doogie Howser buck-id photo. Swollen eyes at my first cheer camp. Being the JV pom & meg party supplier. Using my buck-id for EVERYTHING! Sloopy's every night, but especially ski-nt Wednesdays. DJ Purple Hayes. My debit card being eaten by the ATM because I was overdrawn. Turkey-cheese panini plain with fries. Nancy's. Being an honorary worker at Cluck U Chicken. Attending my first OSU football game. The Bing-Fairy. Getting to know babe and forming a BEST friendship. Kegs and Eggs. Getting hurt at the first basketball game my parents came to see me cheer. Catfish Biff's. 1st college boyfriend and the 12th ave riot. South Oval concerts. Tumbling out at tryouts after making varsity. 

Being a head instructor for AmeriCheer. P-South welcome cheer party(where my story with M2 begins). Swollen foot/ankle causing me to miss my first few football games. 18th ave apt behind Wendy's. Being inducted into Varsity. The experience of cheering my first football game; grassy knoll, pre-game, the national anthem and Carmen Ohio. The huge heart and personality of Orlas King the Neutron Man'. Nancy's. Becoming a part of the holiday cheer group. Having S on campus. The oval at springtime. Beekman's bagels & no.1 Chinese. French 3 times 3. 

Becoming AmeriCheer Head of Staff.  Make-up night with the girls. September 11th, a tearful meeting, a cancelled game. Summit homecoming party. The Pedro family. Nancy's. A cold Outback bowl game. Jackson the cat. Junior 10. Younkin study tables & CVS. TBDBITL big 10 tourney party. Four kegs finals. The big announcement. Florida spring break. Chicago pageant dancing. A silent house. 

Tulane, snow storms and walking to Nancy's. 21. Hendock's. Patterson Ave pom & meg. House full of freshman. Zebra walls inspired by Trading Spaces. Night game full-up with Pat. Cutting Hot Brutus' hair. Meeting Caleb. Watching Caleb. Nick's Diner. THE national campionship game. ASL. Dramatic basketball tourneys. A baseball filled summer. 

Living above north campus video. And then there were 2. Academics and picking a major. Midges unite. Last college camp. King's Island basket. Broken hearts and new beginnings. Senior skinny. Patterson Ave pom & meg 2.0. Texas Roadhouse. Ledo's. The Blue Dube with uncle Dave. Alcatraz closing. THE game up north. College nationals & 2-2-1 stag causing black eyes and broken wrists. 10-tv internship. Stovetop stuffing, the OC.  Bar stops after working out. JComm classes. Senior crawl. Bahamas vacation from hell. Banquet speech. The realization of the looming real world. Nancy's. 

" I like the animals, I love the people" - Duncan, in We Bought A Zoo

Where are you from?

Where are you from? It’s a simple question….right? For the record, I know what the majority of people are inquiring about when they ask me this. It is usually a question that is referring to what race, nationality and/or ethnicity I am.  By the way, did you know that race, nationality and ethnicity are different things?

Race: A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, nationality, or geographic distribution:

Nationality: The status of belonging to a particular nation by origin, birth, or naturalization:

Ethnicity: Ethnic character, background, or affiliation:

Today when I was at a local Korean restaurant(Asiana Garden), I had the bus boy interrupt me while I was eating and on my phone. He was apparently so curious that he asked me twice(I tried to ignore him the first time but he actually tapped me on the shoulder the second time. So I took off my headphones and tried to cut the conversation short so I could go back to enjoying my lunch.

Busboy: “Where you from?”

Me: “Korea”

Busboy: “Really?”(like I would lie?) “Korean…..Really?” Long Pause “You from Korea?” Another pause “You don’t look Korean, your face look Japanese” (We won’t even get into his speaking ‘grammar’)

Shortly after he made the comment that I don’t ‘look Korean’(what does that even mean?), I smiled as best as I could and put my headphones back on and tried to get back to lunch. Problem was, I was extremely embarrassed at this point and wanted to just leave.

I’ve spent my whole life trying to shake it off and answer people(like today’s busboy) as politely as possible. I learned early on I could make the situation humorous;  

Person: “Where are you from?”

Me: (serious face) “Ohio.”

Person: “uhhhh…..”(insert long pause and a confused look on their face as I offer up no other answer)

And sometimes it goes further than that. I’ve met people over the years that will continue to go on and on with their knowledge of the Korean language and culture even after I’ve repeatedly said I don’t know much about Korea and don’t speak the language. And why would anyone feel like it was their place to lecture me on the importance of knowing my heritage? Shame on them! My parents didn’t force me to learn about the Korean culture, but they certainly offered! It was only recently that I have expressed an interest, and now I feel I can’t even go to a Korean restaurant to try the cuisine without feeling inadequate.

I have been told that it’s just because people are curious about me, but I guess I want to know, why? Why do they want (or feel entitled) to know? And does it make it ok to ask? I don’t go up to other people asking about their personal dynamic just because I’m curious. Why is this situation ok? And I don't think I'm overreacting because its not an issue that the majority of people have to deal with. What would you do if you were in my shoes?

Check out this hilarious YouTube video….Maybe I should do this to the next person who asks. “Where are you from?”

http://youtu.be/DWynJkN5HbQ 

Wish list (for fall) Wednesday

We still have about a month of summer left. And in Memphis, that means it will be months before my favorite fall weather rolls in. My favorite autumn weather is when the trees are still full of leaves but they have turned vibrant, delicious shades of red, yellow and brown. The kind where you can feel the brisk air on the horizon, but you can still get away with just a sweater. I'm looking forward to the change in seasons(ESP b/c it means my beloved Buckeyes are hitting the field). Here are some of the items (from simple to extravagant) that I've had my eyes on as we head towards the 3rd part of 2013. 

While I think over coats/jackets are gorgeous and can really make an outfit, it's much more practical for me to layer. I can imagine layering a tank, tee and long sleeve shirt under this gorgeous wool sweater that zips up and pairing it with some skinny jeans and moto boots. It could also go dressy over a LBD with some tights and pumps.

I'm looking for a new pair of kicks to pump up my workouts. I love the color scheme on these(obvi) but would really like to get a good quality pair this time around. Thoughts or suggestions? They have to work for running AND circuit type training and it wouldn't hurt if they could be stylish during.

TREND alert!!! I have seen several pieces that incorporate leather while out and about. It's a trend I would like to try to rock but haven't figured out how. I like these items below; a shell top with a slight peplum curve, a classic pencil skirt, or could I dare rock a pair of leather pants(although Ross' experience in Friends comes to mind). Have you tried the leather fashion trend? 

Below are 2 items high up on the electronic wish list. I was thinking I wanted a serger/embroidery combo, but haven't found one with great reviews yet. I know I will use the embroidery machine, but I don't think a serger will be used as much since I'm not a consistent fashion sewer.

The hubby and I have had our eyes open for a new camera since my beloved Cannon bit the dust. We bought a lower grade digital Cannon, but it is not nearly as good. So we've been considering going up to a heavy duty Cannon Rebel. They get fantastic reviews and are right below professional grade. Definitely something worth the investment should kids be on the horizon. 

Lastly, a friend of ours had this book out and it caught my attention when I was visiting. I read a section and am hooked, but it's $20.00 on my phone. I have a hard time justifying that cost when I won't get to actually have the book for my collection. Guess I'll keep searching.

What are some things on your fall wish list? 

Follow up, baby Bentley was born Monday aft at 3:10. 8lbs3oz and just precious!!! 

On the pontoon.....

It's funny how a year long break from boating can make your first trip amazing.....

After a break last summer, we dropped the boat down into Pickwick lake this past Saturday. It was awesome! I made gourmet boat food, we had good friends and only the slightest clash of music preferences. 

We stayed at Park Inn at Pickwick landing and even managed to find transportation out to our favorite local hangout...Freddy T's. FT's has been busy this past year, they added a second floor. We heard some live music and visited the 'club' side. Let me just say, I couldn't live in a small town. 

I even managed to just slide in at 5 pictures.....I forgot to get food pics:(

The McDaniel boys with the M's

Me, hubs, BIL and shananegins

Capt Mac Sparrow

#Coupleselfie, is that how you hash tag?

Back seat cruisin on the way home

We hope to take her out again this weekend, probably on the Mighty MS this time. 

It's baby time 2.0!!!

The Zuk family welcomed beautiful Emily Catherine on 8-17! Mom, dad and big sis are so proud...

And sometime today baby Stoever will join his family. Sending lots of love and prayers their way! 

Wardrobe updates, book review & our private island update

Once upon a time I went 2 quarters in college without repeating an outfit(practice/game attire excluded). So the other day when I was searching my jam packed closets(seriously, I use 3 in our house), I started shaming myself on allowing my daily wardrobe to become so blah. I've been in a hamster wheel kinda rut, especially when it comes to work. Well along came tax-free weekend. I braved the crowds and found myself some good deals and have pledged to start dressing myself for 'success' at least 2 days a week. I've even started a look book board on Pinterest. I hope adding some style back into my life will aide in getting rid of the blahs that I seem to have lately(also been changing up my workouts to see if that helps get better results after hitting a plateau). 

Book Review

The Harbinger by John Cahn

My MIL let me borrow her Kindle so Mac and I could read this book. It is a fictional book, centered around what the author proclaims to be true events. This was an relatively easy read. I did find the narrative format to be slightly confusing when reading conversations between the characters in the book only because the conversations were very repetitive.  

The book is a prophetic tale of the future of America if the nation doesn't return to God. It's main character Noriel Kaplan, is telling his tale to business exec Ana Goren. His story is that of how he uncovered the future of America with the help of a prophet by using the images on seals(small tokens) that he is given. Comparisons are drawn between ancient Israel and modern day America using events like the September 11th terror attacks and the collapse of the economy. 

I personally felt like the book was similar to The Davinci Code, where if you scrutinize hard enough, you can find what you are looking for. However, as a Christian, there was truth behind the general message of a need for repentance and a return to God. 

I lost steam at the end of the book. I was able to tell the direction of the book and kinda glossed over the last few chapters. The skeptical side of me is always cautious when people are (mis)quoted out of context. There is great danger when you try to use someone else's word for personal glory. And I also think scaring people into faith can be risky. 

Grade: B-

We finished the island! This was a faster paced project, but difficult! Installing sliding drawers on a finished island(covered) is a nightmare. But with some elbow grease and ingenuity, we did it. It now houses our less-aesthetic cups and my re-usable water jugs. Once we put a little WD-40 on those tracks, we'll be good to go. Window bench seat and backsplash up next!

In other news, sounds like we may actually go boating this weekend. It will be a short overnight trip to Pickwick, but I can't wait to just relax and chill. My goal is to take at least 5 pictures(gotta start somewhere). 

And lastly, I'm truly looking forward to my trip to Ohio for alumni game. There is nothing better than friends and football(especially THE Ohio State Buckeyes!) 

It's a baby summer?

Hope the title didn't throw anyone off, no it's not baby time for us yet. This summer has gone by crazy fast! We planned to go boating as much as possible, but schedule just hasn't allowed. Maybe we'll be able to break away the rest of August. 

So for a quick recap.... 

It's been all about babies this summer! 2 friends(who happen to be sister-in-law's) had their babies just days apart at the end of July, how special is that? I've always struggled a bit with boy diy crafty stuff, but I came across this idea and was able to make some handsome bow-ties to dress up any onsie.

I was able to use fabric I already had, which is a huge bonus. This has and will continue to be my go-to gift for little boys. So simple and cute. There are several tutorials out there, so I researched and then kinda did my own thing. I used safety pins instead of snaps, so they could be used over time as opposed to only having a few onesies that work with them. 

I had the privilege of meeting little Ms. S this past month. I don't think I'd seen A since her spring baby shower so it was great to catch up with her and C. Baby S is so tiny and precious. Im also glad to hear that she likes her orchid and white chevron blanket(it is one of my favorite blankets I've done).  

I also got to spend a little time with K and baby B at the farm this past weekend. It was so great to see how K has taken motherhood and B is so handsome! You can tell that both mom and dad are very proud. 

(Basketweave/waffle afghan for little B) 

It's so nice to be able to spend time with friends and their new babies. As we start to think about having children of our own, it's comforting to hear the stories(good and bad). I, am the type who is NOT big on surprises(I have anxiety about opening presents!) so it's nice to have friends that tell the truth about pregnancy and babies. I haven't met anyone who hasn't said that the end result is completely worth it. And there is nothing better than seeing the pure joy on your friends faces when they look at their little blessing, it's even better than a grooms face when he sees his bride for the first time.

Looking forward to seeing the S family this weekend and spending some time with them as they prepare to welcome baby #3. Also a shout out to my sissy-in-law A and brother M as they prepare for #2. They are gonna have their hands full with my energetic niece and a new baby. 

Other highlights-kitchen drawers. We ripped out the warming drawers that came with the house. I wanted somewhere to place the plastic cups since they don't look presentable in our open shelving kitchen. This was without a doubt one of the hardest things I've ever done. The instructions were terrible so it was all trial and error. They still aren't perfect(hoping some WD40 will fix it), but they work. Now if we can find a carpenter to make us some faces for the front, we'll be done and onto the next project. 

Looking forward to alumni game next month, kinda hard to believe its my year 10! 

My sister has a MR!

My beautiful sissy got hitched! 

This is what I imagine her Martha Stewart wedding article would read…….

S.Z and M.S. were married Friday, July 26^th at Salvage One in Chicago, IL. The venue was voted ‘best place to get married’ by the Chicago Reader Reader's Poll 2012 and boasts over 60,000 square feet of eclectic knick knacks and pieces of furniture (www.salvageone.com).

The ad exec and former consultant met several years ago thru the groom’s sister and mutual friends. Friends and family from as far away as Chile, traveled into the city to witness the special occasion and joining of two families. The stunning bride wore a Sassi Holford ivory lace gown with an art deco hair piece and Vera Wang shoes. The groom rocked a custom made blue suit, neural tie and camel colored shoes.

After the ceremony, various appetizers and cocktails were served on the entry level before a formal sit-down dinner upstairs. After a feast of brisket, sea bass, and a mashed potato bar, guests were treated to cupcakes and gelato before the Chicago Catz had everybody out on the dance floor. This super group had the joint rocking all night with a repertoire ranging from motown soul to hairband rock. (www.chicagocatz.com) Late night revelers were offered White Castle sliders, a gift from the father of the bride.

From the food to the dancing, fun times were had by all. The newlyweds will make their home in MN where the bride will join the Target Advertising team as the groom attends Law School.

That’s my journalistic take in a nut shell. I am so grateful that I got to be a part of her special day! I hope I didn’t drive her too crazy (side note, if there’s a chance of rain, bring an umbrella that can be photographed).  I only teared up like 10 times, but didn’t full-out cry(which is very unlike me). Hopefully, I can get some pictures of her chapel length family heirloom veil(handmade by yours truly) from her photog Shane Welch(who was AWESOME).

The weekend was full of family visits, on Sat I saw another sister and her hubs(H&R) out in Oak Park(my old stomping grounds) and got to show Mac around town and hang with my big bro and nephew. I seriously don’t need to eat pizza for a long time(we had it 3 times)! But we made it back in one piece on Sunday after 8 hours in the car. And as happy of an occasion as it was, it makes me sad when I think about how fast time goes by. I do hope to see them more often in the future.

Hugs and Kisses to the NEW Mr & Mrs!

 

High: seeing the pure joy radiating from the happy couple

Low: chilly weather on Sat