hate [heyt]: to dislike intensely or passionately

Last night I had a dream that my sister Kimberly and I were shopping and found the greatest deal ever! Right in the middle of the store...thousands of t-shirts with a large sign above them that read 25 t-shirts for $25. I remember looking at Kimberly while I tried to contain my excitement, then yelling..."I can't believe they are $.50 a shirt!"
I shook my head this morning as I laughed at myself. I can't even do math in my dreams!
True to my motto I have saved the best for last, or in this case the worst for last. After high school I made a sub conscience decision to never use my brain to do math again. I tried so hard to grow a love for something I truly hated in every meaning of the word.
Now as I come to my last semester of college I force myself to do something I hate. Paul and I sat down to work on math last night. I felt every feeling I have ever felt in the past come back to me as I tried to listen and understand. Paul was the perfect tutor as he listened to and answered every question I had.

Today I have decided I'm going to do this...I'm going to win my battle against math, and pay $1 for each t-shirt in my dreams.

Alligator Etiquette

• ABSOLUTELY DO NOT feed or annoy the alligators.
• Keep pets on a leash no longer than six feet.
Do not throw objects in water for your dog to retrieve.(They may get eaten!)
• Keep at least 30 ft. from an alligator – do not assume they’re slow-moving.(They will get you given the opportunity)
• Do not swim in or wade into any water in Brazos Bend State Park.(You may get eaten!)
• If an alligator goes after a fish you have caught, cut the line and let the alligator have the fish. (Now is not the time to fight for your food)
• Avoid any alligator sunning itself in the middle of the trail or lake bank.
• Stay clear of grasses, twigs and/or soil near the side of a trail: it may be a nest and the mother alligator is probably close by guarding it.
• If an alligator opens its mouth and hisses, you have come too close. Retreat slowly; make no quick moves. Keep your eyes on the alligator.



Brazos Bend should be a must see on everyone's bucket list. As we entered the park the ranger gave us a map with the "Aligator Ettiquette" listed above. Paul and I laughed as we entered the park and I read the rules aloud. Note: my thoughts are in the( ).
There are supposed to be hundreds of adult alligators over 6 ft, and thousands under. We were told we should keep to the trails for obvious reasons. When there are no fences keeping the beasts in you have to stick to some of the rules.
When Paul and I neared the first lake we understood why these rules were listed in plain sight on the map. The Alligator posted just left stood no less than 15 ft in front of us covered in green slime. There were 20 people gathered by the side of the lake staring at the ground (He would have gotten his pick of the big or small). I didn't understand what all the hype was about until I looked closer. We backed away to our 30 ft mark and Paul leans over to me with his comforting words. "It doesn't matter how close we get...as long as you can run faster than the fat guy standing next to you."
So if you want to walk among the wild.....just head out to Needville Tx. But remember not to get too close unless you can run faster than the fat guy next to you!

im⋅ag⋅i⋅na⋅tion [i-maj-uh-ney-shuhn]

As a child our imagination almost took over our minds. It caused us to believe that any one of our stuffed animals could come alive at any moment. We had super magical powers that would allow us to have super strength, or dissappear at will. Thunder was an untamed beast that only came out when it rained. (To calm my fears Mom used to tell me that it was just the people up in heaven playing a really good game of bowling, "STRIKE".)
We could no more get rid of our imaginary friends than our parents. They were a part of who we were.
As we grow older we tend to forget the large hairy monster under our bed, the beautiful fairies that accompanied us in our sleep, and our adventures with the pirates on the great ocean that lied between the couches in our living room.
When did it happen? When did I lose that little girl who danced freely to the music in her head. The one who sang "Part of Your World" just because it was fun. The one who allowed herself to be herself even when people were watching.
I've become a boring adult in need of a child with an imagination! This week I'm going to become Siebel in the opera "Faust",and Orfeo in "Orfeo Ed Euridice"
I'm going to dance to the music in my head and sing for fun!
So let yourself go this week....see where your imagination takes you!

Rain

I woke up this morning to the sound of rain on my window. It's funny how something so small could put a smile on my face. I got up out of bed and pulled the blinds so that I could watch as it ran down the window. I must have laid here and watched for hours.