Coffee

I don’t drink coffee. I realize I am in the minority here and part of me wishes I wasn’t. Coffee smells so good. I love coffee ice cream. But the few times I have taken a sip of someone’s coffee, I wasn’t impressed. I couldn't figure out why people spend so much time, money and energy professing their love of coffee. I can understand if you like coffee. But I still struggle to understand LOVING coffee. (I’m sure many people can say the same thing to me about my love of chips, cheese and Diet Dr. Pepper.) But coffee-drinkers don’t understand me either. In the office is where I get the most questions, “You don’t drink coffee?! Why? That confuses me. How do you make it through the day? Oh girl, you are missing out.”

I am pretty sure if I started asking around, educating myself on the best coffee brands and trying out the gazillions of different coffee concoctions, I would find one I really liked. Usually, I am the last to realize the greatness of something. I have no idea why. I think I operate in an odd state of oblivion. So my assumption is that the millions of coffee lovers can’t be wrong, can they? This idea, coupled with the fact that life can be exhausting (along with a recent nap in my car) recently made me think about joining the coffee-lovers club. Despite the temptation, and after much thinking and wrestling, I decided to continue to withhold from stirring my affections for this supposedly warm delight. Below are the main reasons in random order:

1. Money: I have a hard time spending money on liquids. I don’t like to buy bottled water because it runs free out of every faucet in America. And I don’t like to spend $4-5 on any drink unless is comes from fermented grapes.


2. I have mentioned this before on my blog: I just don’t understand the point of warm drinks.


3. When Christians fast from something specific, whether it be for church-wide, bible-study or individual promptings, the #1 item people chose to fast from is coffee. Then I see them at some point in the day, and they are miserable. This scares me, mainly because I don’t need to add to my personal list of things I am dependant on. I have enough items I need to pry out of my hands.


4. I think it’s good to know when I’m tired. I am no health-nut, but I don’t think it’s good to mask the truth of what my body is telling me. And that is I need rest. When I’m exhausted, I’m hoping that will lead to rest instead of, “go put a band-aid on this and push through.” (Which is my main mode of operating during the week.)

Conclusion: for now, no coffee. But maybe one day I will succumb to it’s calling. Just like I did with other times I ate my words.

LA Part 2 My So-Called Life

I had to make this pop culture landmark it's own post. All of you know that my sister and I LOVE the TV show My So-Called Life. It was only on for one season when I was in 8th grade, but achieved a big following and most people still remember the show to this day. I also told you about how I died my hair red (twice) to be like Angela Chase. Luckily, I didn't have annoying parents who freaked out about stuff like that. They just laughed at me and waited for the color to fade.

Back to the point, Kendall and I found the My So-Called Life house and high school where they filmed. I hadn't watched this show since I was in college (yes we have the box-set DVDs) and recently rewatched them. A warm flood of memories of Jordan Catalano, Ricky, Angela, Brian and Rayanne came rushing into my head. Such a warm river to swim in.

*disclaim: I am aware most people won't enjoy this post, except for me, my sister, Lauren Williams, Melissa Ice, Lisa Chapman and a few others who loved Jordan like I did. More LA posts that will please the masses are on the way.

*also, in honor of MSCL, I am going to be putting the best quotes randomly throughout this post. Enjoy.

"This life has been a test. If it had been an actual life, you would have received instructions, on where to go, and what to do. "

"I'm just really, like, low. I'll think of any excuse to touch him."

THE HOUSE!!! Below is a picture of it when Angela and her Dad were cleaning out the gutters.

"Your lips look all used. But in a good way."

Here is the street that Brian rode his bike on, where Jordan parked his red car when Angela and him kissed and where Angela snuck out to Lets Bolt.

"Huge events take place on earth every day. Earthquakes, hurricanes, even glaciers move. So why couldn't he just look at me?"

"What's amazing is when you can feel your life going somewhere. Like your life just figured out how to get good. Like, that second."
Me on the porch with my shirt. Jordan FOREVA!

"It's just how he's always leaning against stuff. He leans great."~Angela
"He's always closing his eyes. Like it hurts to look at things."

"If Jordan Catalono is around, my whole body knows it. Like one of those dogs that point. I'll keep talking and stuff. But my mind won't even know what I'm saying."

"Sometimes someone says something really small, and it just fits into this empty place in your heart."

The infamous staircase. This is where Angela and Jordan broke up. And the famous cold-cuts episode.

"Your hair, how it's really soft, like in the back. I'm really going to miss that."~Angela

"Don't take your turns too wide, I know you won't" ~Jourdan

"People always say you should be yourself. Like yourself is this definite thing. Like a toaster, or something."



The School!!!
"My parents keep asking how school was. It's like asking how that drive-by shooting was: you're just lucky to get out alive."

The most important place...THE BOILER ROOM!

enough said.

"My life became divided, into kissing, and not kissing. Kissing and ...not....kissing."~Angela

The bathroom where Angela says, "I bet it's possible to die from embarrassment. I bet it's been medically proven."



"So Jordan Catalano and I had pretty much broken up, but he still knew the combination to my locker."

Below are more embarrassing videos. We are imitating one of my favorite moments on the show, when Jourdan kisses Angela for the first time and she does a little ballet dance before going inside because she is so giddy.

LA Part 1

I recently was able to go to LA for a trip. Kendall and I actually stayed in Malibu but would drive into LA for some fun. I think instead of doing one long post, I'll break them down into smaller ones. Takes the pressure off of blogging and give my loyal readers (all 5 of you) some more frequent treats.

The first day, we went through LA stalking all of our favorite pop culture landmarks. It was so fun to see firsthand the locations and places we have seen over and over on TV. Below are a few.

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First up, in honor of the late Michael Jackson, we located the house shown in the Thriller music video, where the zombies chase Michael's date into her house. It was just in a normal neighborhood, no one really was around. Right down the street they film the show Charmed at another house. Anyhow, my dad used to show us this music video as kids and would laugh when we got scared. Strange family. but we LOVED it and made him rewind the VHS over and over. The part that scared me the most was when the zombie opened his mouth right before the dance scene and black tar fell out.

Here is is in the video shot.

And here we are doing our sad impersonation of the dance moves.








Here I am imitating her running up the stairs.

Also, I couldn't move the videos up, but if you scroll to the bottom of the post, you'll find a little treat of Kendall and I dancing to Thriller in front of the house. I made us. I couldn't resist. We had a blast and the people on the porch on the house across the street didn't seem to mind.

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Next up: Father of the Bride house!!!

This is an absolute favorite in the Vinson household. We always watch it together and then pretend we don't see my dad crying at the end of the movie EVERY TIME. We wait a day and then make fun of him. Don't kick a man while he's down. Wait until he stands up and then dead-leg him.

The house looks the EXACT same. A family lives there so we couldn't get too close.

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Does anyone recognize what this place is?

It's the Peach Pit from 90210! Remember it used to be green? I didn't watch this show growing up, but I didn't live under a rock and did see it from time to time. This was one of 3 Peach Pit locations they used through out the show different seasons.

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Michael, your life was tragic in many ways, but you were one heck of a performer. R.I.P.

Eating my Words

I sometimes have strong opinions about silly things. Many a time I have made a covenant with myself that I will never participate in certain trends I see in our culture. I have recently realized that I break many of these covenants over time. Some things I have given into, but some still hold strong. Below are my lists.

Things I never said I would do, but ended up doing:

1. wear skinny jeans


2. blog


3. facebook


4. watch the Twilight movie


5. cut bangs


6. enjoying some country music, along with a desire to two-step


7. regularly use the term “bless your heart”


8. eat ribs off the bone


9. get a phone with Internet access


10. go to grad school

I must disclaim about the below list: just because I say I will never do these things, does not mean I think they are dumb or the people who do them are making mistakes. I have a strong desire to put my reasoning beside every item on this list so people don’t think I’m being mean. Sometimes, I just know doing some of these things are bad ideas for me, personally. For example: #5. I do not think short haircuts are bad. Actually, I love the look of a sleek bob and bangs, a la Katie Holmes. However, I have thick, curly hair. So a bob for me = poodle. Please keep this reasoning in mind as you read the below list, as I do not want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Unfortunately, I’m sure this cannot be avoided.

Things I still say I will never do:

1. own a small dog


2. carry above small dog in a purse


3. run a marathon


4. eat only organic food


5. get a short haircut


6. go camping without plumbing close by


7. wear a scarf when I am indoors


8. close my eyes and sway to an Imogean Heap song


9. say the words “chillaxin” or “Yellow” (instead of hello) when I answer the phone


10. Watch movies with animals as main characters outside of the presence of children (this obviously excludes Old Yeller)


11. Natural childbirth


12. wear heartbutt jeans (this was actually a clause in our home group covenant back in the day)

I’m sure as the years go by, I will eat a piece of humble pie and all of these things I will have participated in. Someone hold me accountable. Its good for the soul.

No Doubt, More Baby-Talk

As a quick continuation from the previous post, see this cute video of my dad doing his baby-talk to Cambry. This was taken on Father's day. Happy late Father's day Pops!

P.S. At the very end of the video he proclaims his biggest worry, that Halie and Steve aren't talking to her enough. For some reason he must think they ignore her all day and go about their business. I am taking notes so I can baby-talk with the best of them.





In other less relevant news, I went and saw No Doubt about a month ago. UMMM, can I say it is was so stinkin fun. They played all their big hits for two hours, leaving all of their obscure music where it belonged, on the shelf. We all know we go to concerts to hear our favorite songs, not to see the band act all deep and play stuff we don't know.

I wore my wife-beater shirt, baggy jeans, red lipstick and black eye-liner in honor of Gwen. Kendall tried to convince me to wear a colored bra underneath since that is Gwen's signature performance outfit, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I was brought up right!

Below are me and Kendall singing along to our favorite songs.

Spider Webs

I'm Just a Girl

Baby Talk

What is it about holding babies? Especially newborns. They just lay there. They can barely show expressions. They have no form of communication except to cry when they want something. And most likely, some kind of bodily fluid will end up on the person who is holding said baby. All that aside, holding babies is the best thing ever. Especially when they are little newborn blobs and can barley have enough energy to stay awake. They fall asleep on your chest and it is simply heavenly. This is a phenomenon I will never understand, but will always willingly participate. I have no shame to say that when I am around a baby I love, I will try to hog the baby and not share. I purposely stand and bounce the baby, pat their little bum, and try to get them to fall asleep on me. This gives me a chance to hold the baby in question longer, as responsible adults recognize this and will say “Oh, we don’t want to wake the baby. Just let Summer hold her a little longer.” I am not proud of this, nor do I regret it.

Here is something else that confuses me about babies. Well, not really babies, but social norms when holding babies. I was holding my neice, Cambry, the other day. She woke up from her nap while I was holding her (see above paragraph) and then I was encouraged by my dad to:

"Talk to her, Summer. Talk to the baby!"

Ummmm what? Talk to a 5 week old? And say what? Ask her about the most recent election in Iran? I felt pressure to come up with something to say, so I said something ridiculous in baby-talk (you all know how I feel about using baby-talk) like "Hey there wittle Cambry...." then I trailed off. I had nothing left to say.

"What am I supposed to say to her?" I asked.

"Oh, just say anything!" my family responded.

I drew a blank. Then shortly after, my dad started telling her a well-known story about Bloody Bones (don't ask, it's a story passed down in the crazy Vinson family) and Camby began laughing, smiling and cooing.

*sigh.* I was shamed. I am a baby-talking failure. I understand talking to babies when they are able to respond in some fashion, but talking to a five week old, sadly enough, threw me for a loop. If I ever have kids, will they be verbaly deficient because they have a mom who won't talk to them? I guess despite my protests, I better begin practicing my baby-talk.

Baby talk is the worst. It's like putting ketchup on prime rib..."Stop, you're ruining it!'" ~I will not own up to where I know this quote from.

Kristen Made Me

I was tagged by Kristen. Enjoy!

Eight things I look forward to:
1. Going to Cali this summer for the first time!
2. Some of my favorite peeps coming back to Dallas. ;)
3. No Doubt, Third-Eye Blind and Beyonce concerts this summer. Yesssssssss.
4. Having one job
5. IC reunion!
6. Revelation 22:4
7. Going home from work every day
8. My next plate of nachos

Eight things I did yesterday:
1. Went to work
2. Went to counseling center
3. Unpacked from my beach trip
4. Finished paperwork
5. Became a stalker with my sister (too embarrassing to fully explain on a blog)
6. Listened to Randy Travis and Dwight Yoakam
7. Scared my sister when I pretended I was going to beat her up
8. Day-dreamed about going back to Paris and checked ticket prices online

Eight things I wish I could do:
1. Create a zapper that would zap me places without a commute
2. Do the splits (not sure why, but I have always wanted to)
3. Buy a house
4. Go back to Europe this summer
5. Have more control over my cheese intake. (I am making progress!)
6. Play piano and guitar
7. Sing
8. Two-step well. (I always panic when I get turned and then ruin the rest of the dance)

Eight shows I watch:
1. The Office
2. LOST
3. Scrubs
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Even though I know they won't do it, I tag the Crazies, Dawn, B-Ho, Lisa & Brandi N.