Highlights?

So growing up I had never been someone to write in textbooks. Honestly, the text books belonged to the school so we got in trouble if we did. It took me a long while... like nearing the end of my senior year in college... before I was able to really underline, circle, or highlight in books. I was keeping them. They were mine.

And honestly I learn better when I underline and circle what I'm reading...

Apparently the guy (I call him Brandon in my head) who owned by Statistics book before me also liked to "highlight".

Do we know why Brandon thought it was smart to highlighten in a dark-ish green. It kind of makes it hard to read only the really important words...

I guess that's what you get when you buy a used book. Oh wait, nope I ordered a "new" book and this was what they sent me.

They charged me $25 less. So I'm grateful.

Buy something used today. Or find a new use for something old. But just don't highlight it in dark-green. :)

[PS: I know it's April now, and the picture up top is supposed to change... I even have great ideas, but I have more homework than ideas. So back burner.]

So there's a Birthday today...

I'm not sure how many of you know my brother. The older one. Jared. (He's pictured below as a young blond child in the middle :)

If you know him, you know that as he read that first sentence he cringed a little and thought "oh Brittany, why, you didn't have to mention me, oh what is she going to say."

If you think you 'kind of know' my brother you would think he's shy. And then you'd sit next to him at a boring meeting and hear the funny things he says and realize he's the funniest person you've ever met.

Here's the back story: So Jared was born on April 8th. Then I was born the very next year on April 23rd. I'm sure Jared struggled through life before I was around. But the day they brought me home from the hospital I made my best friend. He's was there waiting to stare at me all day. Mom says that's what he did. Stared at me all day...We even have a picture (unfortunately I don't have a digital copy).

So you can imagine how well I know him. I know him better than he thinks I do. I still don't ever know what to buy him for Christmas or Birthdays, but I blame that on the fact that he's so particular. Although I will admit that last year I got him a model car for Christmas that surprised him and he LOVED! Success after 23 years...

So today, in honor of the fact that I didn't know what to get you, although I'm still thinking. Here's a tribute to Jared, my brother, who loves me enough not to get mad at me for posting all this.

Jared: He's always been cool. Like when Umbros and Adidas flip flops with socks were in style. He definitely had them. Or like the time he met the guy from Harry Potter and he put on his cool face.

To my brother who can make me laugh more than anyone ever. Really. It doesn't even have to be funny. Matter of fact the less funny the better and we'll laugh so hard we cry and hold our stomachs like they're going to fall out.

To my brother who humored me and took the Chinatown bus from NYC to Philly because it was so cheap. I'm sorry we missed the first bus and had to wait an hour in the snow with freezing feet and strange people because I didn't know we were supposed to get on the first bus.

To my brother who sleeps on the floor a lot because it's convenient. Thanks for teaching me in college to be able to fall asleep on couches. I'm glad we had a 3 bedroom condo and both slept in the living room.

To my brother who hates taking pictures. And even more hates when other people see pictures of him. You'll forgive me right? because this one you yourself posted to Facebook.

To my brother who threw me a surprise party in college for my birthday. It meant more to me than you'll ever know. Sorry I didn't throw you a surprise party today...

To my brother who's been alive just a little longer than me. Happy Birthday. I wouldn't be the same without you (thank goodness you were there... or I'd still be really, really, really nerdy and probably still wear scrunchies).

Grapes? or Raisins?

So I love Raisin Bran. It's my favorite. Until well, I think they may have started to go overboard with the raisins.  When I take a spoonful I feel like I'm eating raisin fruit leather with a few flakes... which could be yummy, but I like the bran, too.

So, of course, the other day I left some raisins at the bottom of my breakfast cup... and then put it in the sink to "soak" for easier cleaning. And this is what I found today:

Yep, that's raisins turned back into grapes ladies and gents. If I had a 4 year old I'd do this again as a "science experiment" as a lesson that raisins really do come from grapes :)

But sorry, no 4-year old.

I'll just have to figure out how to mix All Bran or Total with Raisin Bran to tone down the raisins... or just add dried cranberries to Total... mmmm, yummy "science experiment."

So, go on, Enjoy your fave cereal today :) And remember, raisins really do come from grapes.

Going Home

It's funny how the word home changes from time to time. More than changing your address in the GPS marked "Home," but when home changes. Or when home stays the same.

In high school, when I said home I meant this place (0.023 miles from school or less):

In college when I said home it meant:
 - Back to my Dorm
 - Over at my Apartment
 - At the Kingsley Condo
 - ...or heading Home to see Mom and Dad.

While applying for my current job, I had to list the address of everywhere I had lived for the past 5 years... I'm not sure they realized that meant 9 places for me. 9 sets of roommates, 9 ways to hang the toilet paper, 9 sets of roommates... 9 homes.

Like the Wal-mart Baby movie, home really is where the heart is.  The people that make you laugh so hard you cry and giggle at all hours of the night... the people who go with you to a restaurant only to order the very same thing and seem like kids... the people that you drop everything travel to see when they're having a rough day because... they're Home.

Take a weekend, no matter how busy. And go Home. Wherever Home may be.

And laugh.