YOU MUST CHILL!

Hi, my name is Charlotte and I have MI-FOs.

MI-FO is an acronym for Minor Freak Out. There are moments in the day when for some reason you freak out. Computer problems, slow/moranic drivers, and running late easily turn into MI-FO moments. MI-FOs happen. It's a way of life. Just deal with it.

It's nothing to throw a MI-FO over.

Myself having a MI-FO. This was actually taken during the summer Day Camp at Faith Lutheran Church. Many a MI-FO were experienced.
You don't want to mess with Caitlin's MI-FOs.

Kid Vegas!

Imagine walking through a pair of doors. Instantly you are surrounded by flashing lights, loud noises, and kids laughing and screaming having a great time. A large mouse mascot is walking around giving hugs and high fives to kids. Frankly, it's a little frightening thinking about a mouse that's the size of a line-backer interacting with kids. A group of ankle-biters and little muffins are singing "If you're happy and you know it" waiting to catch tickets that are thrown in the air at the end of the song.

My friends you have just entered into Kid Vegas a.k.a Chuck E Cheese's.

Pastor invited me to attend the preschool's "FUN and FUNDraiser" night at Kid Vegas with his family. You enter in and get a little bucket to put your tokens in. They are just like the old school Vegas style coin buckets. You see kids running, FULL SPEED, from game to game trying to collect as many tickets as possible.

These tickets are collected at a booth where kids can "buy" random crap and other unnecessary trinkets. Throughout my evening I was walking around just gazing at the multitude of over-tired children and their poor parents trying to direct them outside away from the sugar coated debauchery and cheese pizza.

I look at this and I can't help but think of the adult equivalent: Vegas. The strip where bright lights, loud noises, and free drinks lure the common man and woman into the casinos where they drop 30 bucks or more like it's nobody's business. Their winnings are usually spent right quick at the many shops/booths in the casino.

It makes me wonder what the children that grow up with the kid Vegas will do with the Vegas that I know and enjoy.

Let's hope they all grow out of the freaky mouse character. I don't know if the real Vegas can handle that.

The Girls

New Year's Eve 2005! Bringin' in the new year w/ good friends.




Abby Coe (Poppins for those Lutherwood folk) at kareoke.

Myself in the shades and Miss Anna Everett
(said in a Scottish accent) in the Rooster hat.
Fish net?



Vegas baby VEGAS!
Amanda and Ang helping me to bring
in my 21st birthday the right way.

Vita, My Woodward and I getting
ready for the opera. We were way
over dressed but we looked GOOD!
That's the most important thing
when going out.

and she's BACK!

After DAYS without the internet connection at home...some internet demon must have crawled into my wireless card and ran amok. I have now fulfilled my e-diction of blogging, e-mailing, and online quizzes. I am so glad to be back!

I celebrated this with a little dance around my room.



Nikka Costa "Everybody's got their something"

I got my something alright. My hit(s) of internet bliss!

This I will now do

After recent cries from some readers to post. This I will now do.

Snob.
Dictionary definition is: one who blatantly imitates, fawningly admires, or vulgarly seeks association with those regarded as social superiors
2a: one who tends to rebuff, avoid, or ignore those regarded as inferior b : one who has an offensive air of superiority in matters of knowledge or taste.

For this post we'll be using the 2a definition.

Each person has thier own snobbery, perhaps several in their life. The things in your life that you have the experience and the knowledge about in order to be superior over those around you. They may not be demeaning in thier actions towards the person who may not know as much, but they do attempt to share thier knowledge with those around them in order to make them a more whole complete individual or just don't hang out with them.

My brother would be a wine snob-he knows all about good wine and what foods would compliment the wine. He has his own collection that has several expensive and rare wines. If he is going to have a glass of wine with dinner or just to sip. It has got to be good good wine. He will not stand to have cheap wine when dining out.

My sister is a self-proclaimed pop-media snob. She enjoys the surrounding media and wants to surround herself with those who enjoy books, movies, and music as well. She knows good movies, books, and music and freely shares her "finds" with others around her.

I myself, as my friends have informed me, am a fun snob. I know how to have fun, I am good at it and I have a collection of ways to make an day fun and eventful. I don't like to be around people who find it impossible to have a good time. They do exist and I have met them. I try to share my snobbery with those around me in order to bring fun into thier lives.

I think you need to surround yourself with people who have snobberies that you do not have. You have the desire to make it a snobbery but just don't for various reasons. That's why you hang out with your friends or family. Although they have an expertise in something that you do not they will be able share that passion with you and making you a better well-rounded person in the long run.

That's life is about. Surrounding yourself with people that will make you look even better! Kidding!

Umm...yeah...we have a problem here...

Here's my Lumberg-esque friend Aaron. You gotta love 'em! If anyone does not get this entry...run.....RUN out to your local video store and rent "Office Space".
It has got to be the funniest movies ever made.

A more serious post is due here in a day I think. Enough w/ the movies and that silliness.

Well..it's official

After taking an online quiz...another one of my e-dictions I have been told what only I found to be true. That I belong in the John Cusack movie "High Fidelity"

Your Life is Like

High Fidelity

What John Cusack movie are you?

"what's really matters is what you like....

..not what you ARE like. Books, records, films...these things matter. Call me shallow, it's the freaking truth."

Rob Gordon is onto something. I really do think that the things that we do like will reflect what you are like and who are you.
Don't misinterpret what I am saying. The outward things do not solely define who you are. God does that. He's already defined you as HIS child-paid for in Christ's death and resurrection. Aww....SNAP! Moving on....

I am saying that the things: books, records, films, do play a role in shaping your personality and what you act like.

Think about your favorite movie, book, or CD. How does that relate to who you are as a person? Does it at all? Would you act different if that wasn't your favorite movie?

As I am writing this I am thinking of my all-time favorite movie. For me it's got to be High Fidelity. It was the dry, sometimes crass but mostly funny sense of humor that I love. It reflects that aspect of my personality. This movie isn't "Charlotte May in a nutshell". I think I would have bigger problems in my life if it was.

I think people naturally do that. They take books, music, and film and try to find how the characters relate to who they are and draw from that. In regards to the character of Rob Gordon...I don't exactly know what that would say about me. Perhaps my friends can help me out with that one.

Well...this is just going to end here because I don't really know what else to write about this. Any thoughts or concerns? Give 'em to me!

F.Y.I.

Attn Grove, OK:

The secret lives of camp counselors

I don't know why but recently I have been recalling the two summers that I worked at Camp Lutherwood
What I remember most were the times when the kids had left after Fridays and the counselors would decide what they would do for their day and a half off. Sometimes I would need some good home time and have my parents pick me up. Other times I would stay up at camp just chilling with everyone watching movies, staying up late swapping stories of the past week with their campers, etc.

This one weekend, my friends Scuttles and Poppins (camp names people-mine was Toro) decided that we wanted to go to Canada. From camp it usually took about an hour and half to get to Vancouver B.C. We left camp at 6:00pm and didn't get into Vancouver until 8:30. Border control took forever. We didn't know where we were going to stay, so we drove around Vancouver until we found a hotel that looked like a decent place to stay. We get into the room and it looked like a prison cell with Thomas Kincade "art" on the wall. There even was a stove in the room, just in case the lodgers couldn't take it anymore.
So there we were, Scuttles, Poppins, and me, three early 20-something women in a pretty scary hotel in Canada. You may be wondering what on earth did we did from there. Well, we washed our feet.
After a week of camp-where people don't get to bathe on a normal basis unless your Vitale-your feet can end up looking pretty bad. We're talkin' hobbit feet. All of us decided to take turns in the bathtub to wash our feet because there wasn't enough room for all three of us to fit in the little bathroom- the size of a closet. All of us took turns bathing our feet in the tub before we went to bed.
We woke up the next morning and knew we had to leave ASAP from this scary little room. The walls were closing in. As we opened the door to go to the car we finally saw where we were staying. Last night the darkness cloaked the seedy undertones of the surrounding neighborhood. In the morning light, however, we got to see Vancouver in all it's grittiness. We turned to one another and quickly hopped into the car, locked the doors, and the Bonneville sped away from that place as quickly as we had found it the night before.

As we got back into Bellingham, Scuttles and I pulled over and got some cigars. Poppins wasn't and still isn't a cigar smoker. We bought a couple of stogies and sat down near the water to watch the sunset on Sat. night. Although the night before was complete madness, this was a great way to end our weekend. Watching the sun go down over the Puget Sound smoking a cigar talking about life mentally preparing ourselves for the upcoming week.

I JUST GOT A HAIRCUT!

Here it is...pretty short but not too short. The lady did a really good job.

Ice Cream Men

My Woodward, Vitale, and I have a theory. That men's personalities can be categorized in accordance to an ice cream flavor. Examples:

Eric. For those of you who KNOW Eric he would be a Mango flavor. Here is why.
Mango-unique, something you don't have everyday but when you do, it's fantastic and you know you want more.
VERY similar to Eric. He is very unique and has his own thing going on and that makes you want to be his friend and WHEN are you his friend you know that you'll want to hang out with him a lot.

Ben. Strawberry. Strawberry is a classic, all-American flavor. There's the creamy classic taste with surprises of little bits of flavor with the strawberry chunks. Ben is the same way. He's a classic guy, has his uniqueness about him and there is always a surprise when it comes to Ben. You never know what funny or endearing thing will come out of his mouth.

Each of the ladies and I have a favorite flavor or ice cream as I am sure many of my readers do as well. We have come to the theory that our favorite flavors are in fact the type of guy we wish to be with.

My Woodward is all about Choc. Chip Cookie Dough. A classic vanilla flavor with the added bonus of choc. chip cookie dough. A guy who is a classy gentleman and has the romantic side BUT can also throw little suprises your way when you least expect it. Sometime you may need to dig a little to get to the good stuff, but you know it's there--it's just hidden.

Vitale loves the swirl. A great blend of sweet crisp and refreshing vanilla with the deep,rich,saucy chocolate flavor to compliment it. It's a great treat to have. This guy is a gentleman when he needs to be, but knows when to break the rules in order to protect what he loves. A man who can take some risks. As Vitale would like to say, "A dangerous man". But there's the pure vanilla side to him that keeps him balanced and stable to meet your needs.

I am a lover or Peanut Butter Cup. An odd blend of vanilla ice cream and the classic candy Resse's peanut butter cups-but it works and leaves a delightful taste in your mouth. It's like a party in your mouth and everyone's invited. A guy who you wouldn't expect to be both into cars and poetry, or art history and camping. He's got a rebel side to him as well as a saint.

Explore your favorite ice cream flavor and see what ice cream men you encounter.

Our baby's all grows up

Living on my own these past few weeks have shown me how much more of an adult I am now. It's a little surreal. I herald back to Vince Vaughn's chracter in "Swingers"(one of the best all-time movies). Take a listen:

Seriously, I am all grows up. Here I am making car payments, planning meetings and events for the next year. Taking the initiative with getting to know people out here. I am an adult.

Ang has been guilty of saying "When I grow up" soon after saying that realizing that we are pretty darn grown up. I mean she just came back from living abroad for the past couple of months.

When did all this happen? When did I wake up to a full-time job or responsibilities to pay bills? What is going on here people?
Which leads me to my next question: What the crap is in store for this next year and the years to come?
I guess I will just have to see-that's the lame part.

You thought WRONG!

I thought I could make it a day without posting anything on my new kickin' blog......but......I thought wrong.

This is Mr. Wacko

For the past couple of months, my mother has been doing a clean sweep of all things "kid" at our house. Boxing up old art projects, clothes, dolls, toys, etc. The following was found in my box.


"This is Mr. Wacko. I like to punch him and "wrastle" with him. I like to play with him with his toys and I brought a picture for him that was silly. I was Pee Wee Herman."

There's not much I can say about this. Nope. Not at all.

You all have to appreciate....

the fact that this is not a mass forward to many of your e-mail boxes. Money and checks can be mailed to...just kidding. Here we go:

1. First and middle name? Charlotte Louise

2. Were you named after anyone? I think my great aunt on my dad's side...I like to think that I was the original

3. Do you wish on stars? yes-but only with special people.

4. When did you last cry? last thursday when I heard my Woodward's voice after a long time in communication limbo.

5. Do you like your handwriting? heck yes I do- Did you know you can make a font out of your own handwriting...sounds pretty cool to me!

6. What is your favorite lunch meat? Do people actually have a favorite lunch meat? (I didn't write this but my feelings exactly-I am hung up on the use of the words "lunch meat")

7. What is your birth date? 07/second to last day/83

8. What is your most embarrassing CD? Titanic soundtrack-what's even more embarrassing is that I bought it off someone else.
Some girl in high school: "Does anyone want this Titanic CD with the most melo-dramatic song ever written"
Char: "I'll give ya 10 bucks for it".

9. If you were another person, would YOU be friends with you? Who wouldn't want to be friends with a fun snob!

10. Do you have a journal? If I tell you I'll have to kill you.

11. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Nope, never. (Dripping with it)

12. What are your nicknames? Charbot (obviously), Charshank, Charmay, Charlie, Chuck, buttmunch, be-atch, ect. ect. ect.

13. Would you bungee jump? Used to want to --but I am pretty happy with not being attached to a ginormous rubber band and dropped from an insanely high platform.

14. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? I don't really like talking about my shoes...do you like kung fu? I'll give someone a dollar if they get that quote.

15. Do you think that you are strong? willed

16. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Peanut Butter Cup

17. Shoe Size? 6-6.5

18. Red or pink? put your hands together. Aww...snap!

19. What is your least favorite thing about yourself? I am pretty gosh darn content with myself....well....except for the fact that I just used the phrase "gosh darn".

20. Who do you miss most? too many people

21. Do you want everyone that reads this to do the same? no--"do not conform to the ways of this world!"

22. What color pants and shoes are you wearing? cute butt-jeans and barefoot

23. What are you listening to right now? Nikka Costa- "everybody's got their something"-it's a pretty kickin' dance song
24. Last thing you ate? Chocolate ice cream with peanut butter and chocolate chunks.

25. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? we're talkin' Crayola here so it has got to be "mauvelous".

PROOF that the color exists:









26. What is the weather like right now? Wonderful-sunny and warm in the mid-70's

27. Last person you talked to on the phone?umm....probably Caitlin

28. The first thing you notice about the opposite sex? Eyes and what they are doing-

29. QUESTION 29 WAS REMOVED FOR THE SAFETY OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

30. Favorite Drink? Mt. Dew hands down--interesting story with that one but I shall save that until a later blog.

31. FAVORITE SPORT? to play-volleyball & to watch- basketball

32. Hair Color? reddish brown with blond/golden highlights (totally not my natural)

33. Eye Color? greenish/hazel

34. Height? 5'4

35. Do you wear contacts? oh yeah

36. Favorite Food? Italian w/ loads of garlic

37. Last Movie You Watched? Dirty Dancing

38. Favorite Day Of The Year? birthdays (anyone's) it's just fun to celebrate those with people.

39. Scary Movies Or Happy Endings? depends on the mood folks

40. Summer Or Winter? eh...I can take either...but I am sure that after this year I will be craving some good 'ol summer weather.

41. Hugs OR Kisses? put your hands together...awww. Snap! It's offical I am a freakshow.

42. What Is Your Favorite Dessert? brownies

43. Who Is Most Likely To Do This? I have no idea.

44. Who Is Least Likely To Do It? These questions kinda drive me nuts.

45. Living Arrangements? those are good to have--sign me up for those.

46. What Books Are You Reading? The Dim Sum of All Things, Romans, The Perfect Age

47. What's On Your Mouse Pad? my finger (it's a lap-top folks)

48. What Did You Watch Last Night? SNL w/ Luke Wilson

49. Favorite Smells? fresh cut grass, Eternity for men, clean laundry, cooking smells

50. Favorite Sounds? laughing, sauteing garlic, when I had AOL I loved it when I signed on and "You've got mail" came on. Made me smile.

51. Where Did You Meet Your Other Half? still lookin'

Rockford, MI

Taken around downtown Rockford:


I hear that during the winter, icicles freeze to the sides and the image is breathtaking.


I have a piece of Carol here in Rockford. Have yet to try out thier pizza.

During the summer and early fall you see tons of people paddling up a storm on the Rouge River. Thought this was a cool shot.


You can often see fishermen (and women) casting into the river from this bridge.


Downtown @ it's finest on a beautiful fall day.

This is my JAM!

Here's the first of many pod-casts about Charbot's life in G-RAP:

Umm...can I just say that I am completly e-dicted to this whole blog/podcast thing. I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! (Kicking my leg in the air)

Karaoke

I love karaoke. Yes, I will admit it. I love to sing Pat Benetar, Def Lepperd, and Aretha Franklin off-key in front of people.

I have yet to explore the karaoke scene in G-Rap. It does have some big shoes to fill. The Irish Immigrant on a Tuesday night in Seattle where my ladies and their men and I lived out our need to be the center of attention is the BEST kareoke bar I have been to.


Here's Ang, me, and Amanda on our way to an evening of fun and singing at a local kareoke bar.

Tuesday nights @ 10pm local college students majoring in drama, music, and performing arts, among others would pile into the small tavern prepared to drink some beer and sing some songs. Ahh...one of the greatest combinations ever.

People would dance, flirt, laugh, drink. It's good times.
My favorite would be the people who were turning 21. They would stumble up to the stage followed by the group of friends, grab the mic and scream, "I just turned 21!" in a drunken slurred voice. Haven't we all been there before. This would be followed by the crowds response of "Woo!Yeah!Happy Birthday!etc" (well, they wouldn't yell etc....but...ah..you know what I mean.) They would sing some song that would be barely recognizable due to the drunken stupor they were in. It's the most fun.

I don't know why the Asian culture loves karaoke BUT they have some great bars as well. One of the best I have experienced is Busch Gardens in P-town, OR. Groups of Japanese men and women would take over the entire bar and restaurant on kareoke night. Here is how these groups of people would roll with kareoke.
One or two people would go up and sing and a group of six OTHER people would be back-up dancers punching and kicking in the air. You could not help but get into the song (which was sung in Japanese) and sing along what you could. They were just so much fun and everyone loved having them sing despite the language barrier.
I am telling you...if you haven't been to your local karaoke bar find one near you and get our butt up on that stage.

Girls Are Weird

My Woodward and I were driving away from the U-district in Seattle after attending a birthday party the night before. We were in the left turn lane at a light to get on I-5. We were swapping stories about the party...

"I can't believe that guy called you Starbuck"
"What was his name, Bosco?" "Isn't that a chocolate sauce? Or George Costanza's bank passcode?"

The banter continues while my Woodward leans over and looks in the rearview mirror in order to pick at her face and pop an zit on her cheek. Something was said to inspire a white-girl high five, which we did once she was done popping her zit.

Behind us are two college guys who notice this exchange and start laughing at us probably thinking, "Girls need to affirm each other after EVERYTHING! After one pops a zit in the mirror, they high-five."

Girls are weird.

Here's more evidence to this claim:

This is Angel of the Flowers, she's my main girl. She's off galavanting through Europe-lucky (said in Napolean voice).



This was taken at a craft store. Only in America can you find an ginormous martini glass in a craft store.

S.S.B's

S.S.B's

Secret Single Behaviour (thought I would go a little British on ya)

These are the things that you do when you are home alone that no one sees. Some people may be privileged enough to see these, but these people are your family and best friends. However, many of these behaviours are ones that are created when you live on your own.

Despite the fact that I have a roommate-I still have my secret single behaviour's. Many of my previous roommates have seen them--but not all of them. There are those things that you do in your room when you are all by yourself.

Here are my all-time top five(out of numerous) SSB's

1) Examine my hands and feet-cleaning under my nails do a mani/pedi if I feel I need one.

2)Wiggle my toes and rub my feet together when I am in bed ready to fall asleep.

3) Get a bowl of tortilla chips w/ salsa and eat those while day dreaming

4) Play with my belly-button.

5)Tweeze (eyebrows, hair on my knees and ankles that somehow escaped my razor, etc.)

These are not in any order whatsoever. I encourage all of you, my readers (Anne, Caitlin, maybe that one hick dude who made a comment about my pinky-toe story). Explore your SSB's. I know you have them.

And here's a pic--because I can.