Shirley You Won't Forget February 10, 2014 haha

Anything is a holiday if you put it in a calendar. Write that down. 

Cat is the queen of Friendsgiving and Annie invented Friendmas Eve.

Recently I’ve gotten really into Evites. Sometimes when the cashier at Piggly Wiggly is double bagging a loaf of bread for no apparent reason, I forget that in Austin you can’t even get one bag, because modern America cares about dolphins and not about bread. I’m into modern America. I recently created an unsuccessful petition to put lights on timers in Starkville, because as much as I love stopping at ever red, I prefer the 21^st century. So save the oceans, plant a tree, send an Evite, and love your neighbor, ok?
February 10, 2015 was the one-year anniversary of Shirley Temple’s death. When she died at the age of 85, she had done it all. From film and TV to her role as a public servant, Shirley Temple embodies a perfect woman. (Disclaimer I am getting this from childhood memories and video montages on YouTube so if there was a scandal please comment and LMK – until then she is flawless). She was beautiful and hopefully known.

Last year we went to the home of The Shirley Temple. You were probably thinking Santa Monica, California, USA. But actually I’m talking about Chili’s. The waitress thought the gathering was hilarious and made jokes… but we made memories. This year we opted for a more intimate gathering… I sent out the Evites. I made a PowerPoint. Everything was ready.

I made the humans I love sit down and watch a seven-minute video montage honoring our fallen hero. Girls, just go ahead and get encouraged because right when Shirley thought she was the best she could be… (I mean c’mon she choreographed half of her own dances.) She got better: Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia... So maybe you think leggings and an oversized T is the best you can be (and don’t get me wrong… that’s the good stuff) but one day you’ll get a blazer, girls.  A blazer and a job as a social worker where you’re making 23,000 dollars a year with your masters so you end up making Shirley Temples at home that February because you can’t afford to go out… And you’ll take a sip and say, “now this, this is living.”
Take heart. This is Shirley Temple in the movie Heidi. This is the beginning. The best most cultured, Ambassador you is coming, ok? Don’t give up sisters. 

this is a picture of my friends, including Laura Simoneau,
watching the entire 7 minute montage.

 “To us. Who we were, and who we are. And who we’ll be.

To Shirley. And the Sisterhood.

And this moment. And the rest of our lives.

Together and apart…”

Cheers.

New Year, Same Us.

2014 began boldly. Friends boomed through the doors of the beloved, yet hated PinOak, and declared that our motto was “Open to Love 2014.”

Unfortunately “Open to Love 2014” plummeted disgracefully in a horrific, almost humorous (but not humorous at all) fashion by the end of December. In order to reverse our jinx and set low expectations, the motto has been adapted to “Closed to Love 2015,” though some friends have claimed to be “Ajar to Love,” “Open But Bitter to Love,” or “Considering Love Spring 2015.”

Expectations are low, yet we can’t help but think, “How could 2015 possibly be worse that 2014?” Though it began with a solemn start, as Geny Kate has taken a temporary leave of absence from the Purple Palace. I have missed her with my entire being, and I am confident that she feels the same based on this text exchange:

Me: “GK I miss you so much. Your room is a void of emptiness and despair.”

GK: “Happy Tuesday to you too.”

To quote Passenger, “Only know you love her when you let her go.” (JK I love you all the more when you’re here & am struggling in Stark without you). Before you come home next we’re going to substitute your door with beads. It’s in your best interest to come to Starkville quickly.

We've  picked up some healthy habits to start off the new year. The first and foremost habit being the art of bullying. Around 9:00pm, I’m taken over by the urge to bully Erin. It’s not hard since all I have to do is put her phone on the fridge so she can’t reach it. Unfortunately she turns to Cyberbullying, which we all know is not a joke. Around 10pm, Cat becomes argumentative about things she knows “everything about.” (TBT to when she yelled at us about Pluto not deserving to be a planet. OK Cat, well tell that to my 3^rd grade Solar System project. “We are the music makers. We are the dreamers of dreams”). Erin had an upper respiratory infection and was forced to remain sober for ten days – she came out strong, resisting even a casual brunch Mimosa. Erin has also become very equip at creating formal E-vites. I only ate at City Bagel twice last week. My room is covered in construction paper as I so desperately want to be a Ms. Honey, but unfortunately seem to be the teacher who says, "Bueller.. Bueller" . We used our broken blender to create a music video, have consumed more tea & coffee this Monday than some finish in an entire semester, and have yet to miss an episode of the Fosters (viewer discretion is advised). My everyday choices derive from the question: "How would the puppy from the Budweiser commercial handle this situation?"

But don’t worry, though we’ve made some life changes, the girl gang still remains the same. “New year. Same us. We’re perfect.”

xoxo

pandas3x