Creole Wisdom

provo hospitality

This place continues to marvel me.  Not a Manhattan-skyline marvel, but like a sort of gap-mouthed admiration/disbelief.  You see, at home I dodge vomit and broken bottles on the ground, and I think that gives my University town character.  But in Provo, the atmosphere is just different.  It is one of a kind.  I cannot say that I have had a perfect, easy adjustment.  For the most part though, I am finding my space and working it to my benefit (which is good, I think).

Last night my two new friends, Phil and Harrison took me on a bike ride down to Center Street.  Historic Provo is so lovely.  It is shaded in leafy green trees and houses sit back on manicured, kelly green lawns.  We rode by a home and it turned out to be Harrison's cousins.  We stopped by.  They had the cutest baby and the nicest wood floors.  Their 20s bungalo was gorgeous, and their kindness was, too.

this is the way i live

•With the help of my roomie, Ikea, Target, and Cafe Rio my room was pretty much together by Saturday.  Do you think I am awake and ready on a non school/work/chuch day by 10:10 am?  You must not know me, I took this almost an entire hour later- I just need a clock battery! Haha
•The bathroom, which got deep cleaned by me and viewed by two intruiged onlookers.  "You do everything so fast!"  I am 1/2 German, I don't waste time.  Not my thing.  I even shop fast, according to my roomie. 

•The kitchen.  Dull, but  bright (two windows)
•New shower curtain and rug for bathroom, the shower curtain before had been in there for I don't know how long, and had old movie stars faces on it.  I don't know about you, but it's kind of weird to have Marilyn Monroe watching you when you pee/shower. Hmm.  No. 
 

nom nom nom

This is what I ordered for lunch yesterday:

Mahi Mahi fish tacos with rice and sides of salsa and guacamole.  This little girl from MN says: nom nom nom.

And this is where I got it:

Yes.  I finally got my booty down to Cafe Rio.  Well, my roomie was determined that we go since I had never, yes never, been there.

Consensus: Pretty damn good.  I cannot lie.  I mean, it's not Chez Ami in Paris, but it's good.

curly

You know how strange things always happen to me?  Especially in the boy department?  I hope you are already laughing.

The following would never happen in Minneapolis:

Around 12pm I was standing in a massive line at the L&T in the Cougareat.  I like that place, especially all the random rolls they sell at about 3 different venues.  Anyway, I was standing in the long line...

This somewhat cute curly headed boy/man (?) walked by me twice, and then disappeared.  Like everyone else in this town he smiled at me.  People in Provo like to smile at strangers.  Consensus: nice, but kind of strange.  I mean, my cheeks kind of hurt.  I am trying to prevent wrinkles so smiling is sort of a once a week thing.  That last sentence was jokey. 

As I grabbed my tray the man/boy walked right up to me:

curly: Hi, what is your name?
me: I'm Katie
curly: I'm M.  Will you come sit by me?
me: Ok.  It might take me a while, the line is long
curly: That's ok! I'll be over there (he points to this area beyond the regular tables where there are even more tables, under a TV that is constantly on CNN (my kind of school!) and behind the service center.  Kind of hard to "get" unless you know BYU)

In Minneapolis we do not go up to strangers and ask them to eat with us.  But this is not Minneapolis, so you know, I am always trying to "when in Rome..." and adjust to new environments.  So I had to get over the knowledge that lunch would be a new experience and eat with curly.

Curly turned out to be really... um... nice, but uh-ya-uh-no. 

Is this a Provo thing? 

My co-workers were cracking up over the entire incident, and told me it would not be the last time someone uh-ya-uh-no talked to me. 

so exciting

I hope this works:

Download twins_miraclewrapkharris.mp3

: )

So, I've been thinking: I'm not sure I am going to post every clip I do, just for safety issues.  But, if you want to hear them you can just comment and let me know and I'll put you on some sort of e-mail list that I'll send out!

couldn't leave ya hanging

So I just could not leave you my lovely readers without an update on my crazy move.  I woke up at 4am in Minnesota and did not step into my Provo apartment until 7pm.  Let's just say receiving a boarding pass with the name "Rhonda" on it, one incompetent travel agent, and many tears later I made it.  The entire travel fiasco is an entire post in itself, but on to the "good" stuff I know you want to read:

•Gorgeous view of the mountains and the "Y" from my apartment.  Dad, don't the mountains remind you of Hawaii/Kona?  They have snow at the peak and are covered in lovely greenery. 

•Be a major nerd and have the receptionist take my picture in front of work.  Please excuse my ugly, triangle hair.  I had a staff meeting at 7:30 and after that was off into my amazing internship.  I do my first interview tomorrow.  I am so happy to be doing this-

•Get my id picture taken:

•Go to the bookstore to search for a planner, no luck : (

•But... find a new bag

Because I know you want to know:
•My roomies are very nice, I have two
•It was rainy today so my perfect first day of work outfit was ruined by walking up 900 (or whatever street it is)
•Went to the creamery and had a treat (as a reward for walking all over this entire town)

Provo is good.  Despite the rain.

the green thumb stops here

I do not have a green thumb.  I can hardly keep Burt my poor cactus alive, and I killed Alice my beloved, but weak aloe vera plant.  My mother on the other hand... she is practically a professional.  It is the one domestic skill I cannot do. 

These remind me of cupcakes.  Delectable, frosting covered cupcakes.  Maybe I'm just hungry...

So aside from having ugly bunions, my tootsies do look pretty good.  I am all about nude-colored nail polish because when it starts to "go" you don't notice it as much.  And my friend Jay would kick my trash if she saw me running around with some crimson, chipped hands/feet.  And thankfully for her I am lucky to have someone who can be a true friend and call me out on looking/acting trifling. 

My step-dad is quite talented with a watering hose.  I got to witness it from behind the tree. 

for st. valentine's sake!

You are all going to die.  Brace yourselves.  Did you go potty yet? Are your kids/lovers/parents/pets distracting you?  Get them out of your hair. 

I had a lovely goodbye-sleepover with my sorority lovers Kate & Karen.  It was such a perfect night.  After a marathon run of Titanic (are you rolling your eyes yet?) they shuffled upstairs to wash faces...  I stayed downstairs to set up beds.

It was 1am. 

My phone rang. 

I ran from the bedroom to the where it was sitting on my mother's vintage ottoman.

It was a 503 area code number.  That could mean probably 1 of 2 things.  I was not thinking. 

So.  I picked it up.

And... guess who was on the other line?

Yes.  You guessed it.  The-banished-from-blurb-book ex-boyfriend Matt. 

Me: Hello
Matt: Katie?!?
Me thinking: crap.  @#&!
Me: Yep.  It's me.
Matt: It's been such a long time since we talked.
Me thinking: and I was hoping we could keep it that way, buddy.

It was the usual small talk, and I kept trying to get down to what the purpose of his phone call was.  For St. Valentine's sake, I had sorority sisters over.  I did not have time to chit-chat with sub-par ex boyfriends. 

He had called just to call.  So bizarre.  He is a mystery, that kid.  A mystery.  He was in awe of my internship (you know I had to brag).

See how fabulous, fun, and fancy-free my life is without you?!?

Then.  He had the nerve.

Matt: So are there any men in your life?

The nerve.

more middle of nowhere ohio part deux

College graduations are always an adventure.  I mean, do you like sitting on bleacher slabs for 2 hours?  I do, because it means I get to see my family/friends pass milestones.  Way to go Dennis!  Let's keep up that Harris motto: do it right, do it right the first time

Go Dennis, go Dennis, go

Now let me get on my little soapbox and say 2 things:
Black men,
You need to rise up.  You don't have excuses.  No, not every girl wants a thug.  Stop that mess.  If you want to quit stereotypes get yourself together and get an education.  Sports stardom and music production are pipe dreams, it's time to get real. 

Society,
Stop putting down black men by expecting them to fit into a box.  They are our brothers, sons, and fathers.  They are capable, and men of integrity.  Don't diss a brother because he's wearing a suit and not Nike's, going to college instead of running the streets.  Just because a man has his act together does not mean he is "bougie." 

Love,
Katie

golden corral et all...

Now, you know I don't really "do" buffets.  Oh well, so we were going.  My cousin Dennis was graduating so the whole dang family (dad's side) flew/drove into Ohio for the ceremony.  Having never been to a place to eat with the name "corral" in it, I knew I needed to get my camera out:

On my plate: corn, biscuit, veggies, and some rando fish with sauce and rice.  Oh, yes and chocolate cake, too (this is summer vacation!)

The wonderful Ohio section of the family: Aunt Barbara, Uncle Norman, Dorothy, Aunt Doris, Dennis, and some of his friends.

Aunt Doris and I- how fun!

Grandma and I : ) Is she not adorable?  It is from her that I gain the culinary strength to create masterpieces such as sweet potato pie and cornbread dressing. 

The verdict: Golden Corral gets 1/2 star, but time with family gets 5+