It was lots of fun! We took the little ones, and our big daughter, and her boyfriend, and the six of us left for Kansas City not long after my last post to this thread. It was nothin' but cold, but we had footwarmers and handwarmers and blankets and balaklavas and were so covered up with scarves and such that there was not much room to move around in the stands. Folks wore their Carhardt farm overalls and their earmuffs and we all yelled our heads off and jumped around like fools and then screamed louder. The crowd lost it when our band, The Pride, did their little pregame show - when the drum major ran through the lines of marching trombonists and flutists and got out in front of the band and laid his head back into that struttin-drum-major thing that he does, the stadium erupted, and it never settled down very much all night. We gave the kids a little chocolate every time the Sooners scored, and ran out of candy before we ran out of game.
It was amazing to see half of that huge stadium completely filled with Crimson, and to know that most of those folks had been on the same highway as we'd been on. I thought, "that's a lot of hotel rooms."
One interesting thing happened, on the way up. It was a sunny, windy, somewhat brown and bleak-looking ride through the Flint Hills.
As we passed the Emporia city limits sign, I remarked to my husband, "I spent two years of my life in Emporia."
"I feel for you, Babe," he answered.
"I was a lot younger and stronger then, and much, much dumber," I said.
"Mom, could I have a granola bar?" came a voice from the back seat.
"Sure, honey," I said, and rustled one out of the snack bag, passing it back.
And then the conversation turned to particularly ordinary, family things. So it went, that my time in Emporia was reduced to a small footnote in a family interaction. Maybe, just maybe, I really am Not In Kansas Anymore.
It was lots of fun! We took the little ones, and our big daughter, and her boyfriend, and the six of us left for Kansas City not long after my last post to this thread. It was nothin' but cold, but we had footwarmers and handwarmers and blankets and balaklavas and were so covered up with scarves and such that there was not much room to move around in the stands. Folks wore their Carhardt farm overalls and their earmuffs and we all yelled our heads off and jumped around like fools and then screamed louder. The crowd lost it when our band, The Pride, did their little pregame show - when the drum major ran through the lines of marching trombonists and flutists and got out in front of the band and laid his head back into that struttin-drum-major thing that he does, the stadium erupted, and it never settled down very much all night. We gave the kids a little chocolate every time the Sooners scored, and ran out of candy before we ran out of game.
It was amazing to see half of that huge stadium completely filled with Crimson, and to know that most of those folks had been on the same highway as we'd been on. I thought, "that's a lot of hotel rooms."
One interesting thing happened, on the way up. It was a sunny, windy, somewhat brown and bleak-looking ride through the Flint Hills.
As we passed the Emporia city limits sign, I remarked to my husband, "I spent two years of my life in Emporia."
"I feel for you, Babe," he answered.
"I was a lot younger and stronger then, and much, much dumber," I said.
"Mom, could I have a granola bar?" came a voice from the back seat.
"Sure, honey," I said, and rustled one out of the snack bag, passing it back.
And then the conversation turned to particularly ordinary, family things. So it went, that my time in Emporia was reduced to a small footnote in a family interaction. Maybe, just maybe, I really am Not In Kansas Anymore.
Love, niKa
Oh, I don't think it's just a maybe... we HAVE outgrown a whole lot of that stuff. :) And I'm confident that goes doubly for you.
Thanks, Rock! It's been an interesting football season, and we'll have to see how things turn out. I'm still a little hoarse from all the yelling, but it surely was fun!
Your comments on the Kansas thing were very sweet, and much appreciated. It's been a hard struggle for all of us; Greasespot has helped me to feel not so alone in the restoration of myself.
We all used to be these idealistic, hopeful kids, who thought that we did would actually affect the world. Somewhere inside each of us, still, is that kid, and those dreams. The way we think about our roles in this world has a direct affect on our daily decisions and actions; to the extent that TWI stunted our understandings of who we are and what we can do, we were slowed. We do not have to have been stopped. That's entirely up to us. Today.
Never ever ever ever! (((((((((Excie))))))))) I had no idea that there was trouble, and hope that a new, better job opens up soon. And whatever the "worse" is, I'm praying that it gets better.
Never ever ever ever! (((((((((Excie))))))))) I had no idea that there was trouble, and hope that a new, better job opens up soon. And whatever the "worse" is, I'm praying that it gets better.
love, niKa
(((((((((Excie)))))))))
I agree! I know what it's like... and those are supposed to be warm hugs. :)
Well, Few will deny that TWI was a big part of our lives, be it good or bad, even for someone like me who was in only 4 and a half years. If I am the only one who has ever had dreams about their time, then Galveston Bay will get 4 inches of snow in July (Not just December like last night!).
Worked his butt off to do it, too! I just love it when good things happen to nice people. He gave credit to his position coach, Josh Heupel, who was a runner-up for the Heisman, but didn't win it. Heupel went on to lead the team to a national chamionship that year (2000), but he'll never get to have a huge bronze statue outside the football stadium, like the Heisman guys do. Bradford told Heupel from the podium that he'd always been one of his heroes.
There is a funny story associated with that 2000 championship game. When they went out to do the coin toss, one of the massive captians of the OU team looked the opposing quarterback (who had won the Heisman away from Heupel weeks before) right in the eye and said in a low and threatening voice, "I'm monna git mah boy's Heisman back."
By all accounts, that young lineman did rather well in exerting pressure on the opposing quarterback during the ensuing game.
Whoa, Nelly. It's cold here. Rocky, Simon, KarmicDebt, and Fellowshipper, I'm geographically jealous of you.
:ph34r:
Well... it's been raining and is cold today. Weather peeps say we won't see the sun until Friday.
But I'm still happy... this is the rain we need in order for the spring wildflowers to sprout and come out in all of their wonderful glory! I'll be taking pics of them again by March. :)
Just think, if you lived HERE, you wouldn't be looking forward to a national championship football game!
Oh, what a game! I only got to see the first half, in an airport bar in Honolulu, so the score was still 7 to 7, when we got on the plane. By the time we landed on another island, to learn that our flight to Los Angeles had been cancelled, we also learned the football score. Not my favorite evening, but the environment did help to smooth things out.
Well, I think that we just plain got outplayed in the second half. Florida did a great job, and they certainly deserve this year's title.
Oh, what a game! I only got to see the first half, in an airport bar in Honolulu, so the score was still 7 to 7, when we got on the plane. By the time we landed on another island, to learn that our flight to Los Angeles had been cancelled, we also learned the football score. Not my favorite evening, but the environment did help to smooth things out.
Well, I think that we just plain got outplayed in the second half. Florida did a great job, and they certainly deserve this year's title.
No, I didn't see anyone, but I should have thought of it. I gave my last final the day that we left (again), and was mostly just thinking of getting everything in the suitcase! It was a nice time alone with Mr.niKa; we missed one another quite a bit during his Sabbatical last year.
Today I witnessed a car accident, and was one of two first responders. Not that I know anything about responding, but the pickings for responders were kind of slim at the moment. Nobody was seriously injured, but one man was hurt in his knees, and was badly shaken. He refused the ambulance, saying that he couldn't afford medical treatment. The accident was his fault, and I'm thinking that he might not have had any insurance, either.
It reminded me of two things: none of us is guaranteed tomorrow, and we should be thankful every day that we wake up. Next, we should always be thankful for the blessings that we have; if we have a roof, some food, and enough resources for things like wine and insurance and ice cream and books, that's really an over-the-top blessing.
No, I didn't see anyone, but I should have thought of it. I gave my last final the day that we left (again), and was mostly just thinking of getting everything in the suitcase! It was a nice time alone with Mr.niKa; we missed one another quite a bit during his Sabbatical last year.
Today I witnessed a car accident, and was one of two first responders. Not that I know anything about responding, but the pickings for responders were kind of slim at the moment. Nobody was seriously injured, but one man was hurt in his knees, and was badly shaken. He refused the ambulance, saying that he couldn't afford medical treatment. The accident was his fault, and I'm thinking that he might not have had any insurance, either.
It reminded me of two things: none of us is guaranteed tomorrow, and we should be thankful every day that we wake up. Next, we should always be thankful for the blessings that we have; if we have a roof, some food, and enough resources for things like wine and insurance and ice cream and books, that's really an over-the-top blessing.
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Rocky
Never have bought anything from QVC or HSN/C... what a wonderful bunch of kids you have there... and the oldest must be incredibly smart, going to the University of Chicago! :)
Rocky
[quote name=notinKansasanymore' date='29 July 2009 - 11:15 AM' ti mestamp='1248891304' post='471939] And speaking of Cash for Clunkers (see, I told you it's impossible to derail),there is no longer
Rocky
Oh... (((((((Karmicdebt))))))), I'm SOOOOOO sorry. It is most understandable that you would feel that way.
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Lifted Up
No kidding.
Well, at least my guys don't have to play someone we already smashed in the Rose Bowl.
remember, we're the ones that beat the Jayhawks and LCM in the 1969 Orange Bowl.
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notinKansasanymore
What. A. Game.
It was lots of fun! We took the little ones, and our big daughter, and her boyfriend, and the six of us left for Kansas City not long after my last post to this thread. It was nothin' but cold, but we had footwarmers and handwarmers and blankets and balaklavas and were so covered up with scarves and such that there was not much room to move around in the stands. Folks wore their Carhardt farm overalls and their earmuffs and we all yelled our heads off and jumped around like fools and then screamed louder. The crowd lost it when our band, The Pride, did their little pregame show - when the drum major ran through the lines of marching trombonists and flutists and got out in front of the band and laid his head back into that struttin-drum-major thing that he does, the stadium erupted, and it never settled down very much all night. We gave the kids a little chocolate every time the Sooners scored, and ran out of candy before we ran out of game.
It was amazing to see half of that huge stadium completely filled with Crimson, and to know that most of those folks had been on the same highway as we'd been on. I thought, "that's a lot of hotel rooms."
One interesting thing happened, on the way up. It was a sunny, windy, somewhat brown and bleak-looking ride through the Flint Hills.
As we passed the Emporia city limits sign, I remarked to my husband, "I spent two years of my life in Emporia."
"I feel for you, Babe," he answered.
"I was a lot younger and stronger then, and much, much dumber," I said.
"Mom, could I have a granola bar?" came a voice from the back seat.
"Sure, honey," I said, and rustled one out of the snack bag, passing it back.
And then the conversation turned to particularly ordinary, family things. So it went, that my time in Emporia was reduced to a small footnote in a family interaction. Maybe, just maybe, I really am Not In Kansas Anymore.
Love, niKa
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notinKansasanymore
This was after the game; the Missouri side was pretty cleared out by then, but they'd done a good job of filling it up for the game.
Mr. niKa wanted to make sure to get a photo of the score. Men.
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Rocky
Oh, I don't think it's just a maybe... we HAVE outgrown a whole lot of that stuff. :) And I'm confident that goes doubly for you.
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Rocky
And it looks like your Sooners, niKa, are gonna get to play for the National Championship. Congrats. :)
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notinKansasanymore
Thanks, Rock! It's been an interesting football season, and we'll have to see how things turn out. I'm still a little hoarse from all the yelling, but it surely was fun!
Your comments on the Kansas thing were very sweet, and much appreciated. It's been a hard struggle for all of us; Greasespot has helped me to feel not so alone in the restoration of myself.
We all used to be these idealistic, hopeful kids, who thought that we did would actually affect the world. Somewhere inside each of us, still, is that kid, and those dreams. The way we think about our roles in this world has a direct affect on our daily decisions and actions; to the extent that TWI stunted our understandings of who we are and what we can do, we were slowed. We do not have to have been stopped. That's entirely up to us. Today.
love, niKa
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excathedra
i just thought you were ignoring me
i got laid off and worse stuff
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notinKansasanymore
Never ever ever ever! (((((((((Excie))))))))) I had no idea that there was trouble, and hope that a new, better job opens up soon. And whatever the "worse" is, I'm praying that it gets better.
love, niKa
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Rocky
(((((((((Excie)))))))))
I agree! I know what it's like... and those are supposed to be warm hugs. :)
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Lifted Up
She hasn't even ignored me, and I'm an alien on this thread.
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now I see
Lifted, you should start that thread on dreaming about twi..
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Lifted Up
Well, Few will deny that TWI was a big part of our lives, be it good or bad, even for someone like me who was in only 4 and a half years. If I am the only one who has ever had dreams about their time, then Galveston Bay will get 4 inches of snow in July (Not just December like last night!).
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notinKansasanymore
Sam Bradford won the Heisman!!
Worked his butt off to do it, too! I just love it when good things happen to nice people. He gave credit to his position coach, Josh Heupel, who was a runner-up for the Heisman, but didn't win it. Heupel went on to lead the team to a national chamionship that year (2000), but he'll never get to have a huge bronze statue outside the football stadium, like the Heisman guys do. Bradford told Heupel from the podium that he'd always been one of his heroes.
There is a funny story associated with that 2000 championship game. When they went out to do the coin toss, one of the massive captians of the OU team looked the opposing quarterback (who had won the Heisman away from Heupel weeks before) right in the eye and said in a low and threatening voice, "I'm monna git mah boy's Heisman back."
By all accounts, that young lineman did rather well in exerting pressure on the opposing quarterback during the ensuing game.
love, niKa
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Lifted Up
....put 'em back up there.
Thinkin' roses here.
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notinKansasanymore
Whoa, Nelly. It's cold here. Rocky, Simon, KarmicDebt, and Fellowshipper, I'm geographically jealous of you.
:ph34r:
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Rocky
Well... it's been raining and is cold today. Weather peeps say we won't see the sun until Friday.
But I'm still happy... this is the rain we need in order for the spring wildflowers to sprout and come out in all of their wonderful glory! I'll be taking pics of them again by March. :)
Just think, if you lived HERE, you wouldn't be looking forward to a national championship football game!
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notinKansasanymore
(((((mikey)))))
At least he's a Stoops.
Go, Mikey!!
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Tom Strange
sweetNika... there's still a little time left, but it looks like your boys took too much time off between games... why do they have to wait so long?
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notinKansasanymore
Oh, what a game! I only got to see the first half, in an airport bar in Honolulu, so the score was still 7 to 7, when we got on the plane. By the time we landed on another island, to learn that our flight to Los Angeles had been cancelled, we also learned the football score. Not my favorite evening, but the environment did help to smooth things out.
Well, I think that we just plain got outplayed in the second half. Florida did a great job, and they certainly deserve this year's title.
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Rocky
Honolulu? Did you get to visit with Roz or Lisa?
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notinKansasanymore
No, I didn't see anyone, but I should have thought of it. I gave my last final the day that we left (again), and was mostly just thinking of getting everything in the suitcase! It was a nice time alone with Mr.niKa; we missed one another quite a bit during his Sabbatical last year.
Today I witnessed a car accident, and was one of two first responders. Not that I know anything about responding, but the pickings for responders were kind of slim at the moment. Nobody was seriously injured, but one man was hurt in his knees, and was badly shaken. He refused the ambulance, saying that he couldn't afford medical treatment. The accident was his fault, and I'm thinking that he might not have had any insurance, either.
It reminded me of two things: none of us is guaranteed tomorrow, and we should be thankful every day that we wake up. Next, we should always be thankful for the blessings that we have; if we have a roof, some food, and enough resources for things like wine and insurance and ice cream and books, that's really an over-the-top blessing.
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Rocky
Right on!
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notinKansasanymore
WoooooHOOOOOO!!!!! We have a new President. May God bless and protect him and his family and loved ones.
May God bless and protect The United States of America.
Tonight, we toasted "absent friends," who worked so hard for this moment, yet never lived to see it. A great cloud of witnesses, indeed.
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seaspray
Just wondering, anyone know or heard anything about Mike & Nancy Blatnik?
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