Entries from January 2010

January 29, 2010

You speak my language.

According to Dr. Gary Chapman, there are five languages of love, and we all speak love in one of those… quality time acts of service physical touch gifts words of affirmation But I think Dr. Chapman forgot one of the languages of love, and its the one I speak most fluently: FOOD. My friend Emily [...]

January 28, 2010

So I says to myself, I says, “Don’t be afraid.”

Confession:  I’m not a fan of daily devotionals in my e-mail inbox. I know…it’s very un-Christian of me.  And I can’t even really explain my dislike of them.  Maybe it has something to do with my guilty conscience.  If they’re there – every day, staring me in the face – and I choose not to [...]

January 25, 2010

How to Rope an Englishman: Part Un

Part Un: Derek* I was just about to write, “It all started the year I turned 18.” Which, I think, would’ve been quite a nice first line. But it started a long time before that. I think it began sometime around 1987, when a 5-year-old me found out there was a country where a Real [...]

January 21, 2010

How I Met Your Father

At least once a month, someone asks me how Great Smitten became Great Smitten.  That is, how a girl from a town of 3,000 found herself an English gentleman.  It’s a long story, but dangit, it’s a good one. That’s why, starting next week, you’ll be able to find my love story mapped out in [...]

January 20, 2010

Inner Dialogue

Uptight Me: “What the heck?  Why did you sleep until 10:30?  You’ve wasted half a day!” Laid-back Me: “Chill out.  It’s not like we have anything to do.” Uptight Me: “But we do have something to do, you idiot.  We have to apply for jobs and go for a run and bake some bread and [...]

January 17, 2010

Tea: Morning, Noon, and Night

If there’s one thing the British love, it is a hot beverage.  Tea, coffee, hot chocolate – you name it.  The people love a hot drink. Thankfully, as a lover of beverages hot and cold, I’m quite happy to take part in the near-worship of the hot drink as an institution.  Tea for breakfast, afternoon [...]

January 13, 2010

Hey Nostradamus

One year ago, I made five predictions about what 2009 might hold.  I thought now would be a good time to look back at those predictions and see if maybe I should pursue a career in fortune telling. 1. I predict I’ll be able to run 5 miles without dying by March. How’s 2.5?  Close [...]

January 7, 2010

It’s flippin’ freezing.

Eight inches of snow and eighteen degrees outside, and this Carolina Girl is freaking right out.  At the last minute, I had to pull the Snuggie my mom gave me for Christmas out of my backpack because it was taking up too much room.  I never thought I’d want that Snuggie so bad… We’ve been [...]