Don't Be Afraid

 Today's most common fears include 

flying, public speaking, heights, the dark, death, failure, needles, crowds, and germs.

I will not say that I am not scared of any of those, but I wouldn't call any of them my fears.

There are only a few things that make me absolutely cringe.

They are what I call my fears.

Yes, they're silly, but they are the things that scare me.

You can laugh all you want but here they are:

ICE CREAM TRUCKS

I had never been around ice cream trucks until I moved to Tuscaloosa. Now, it comes through the apartment everyday. 

You know the music ice cream trucks play? Yeah, that. That's what terrifies me.

 When the music stops and the creepiest voice I've ever heard says, "Hello," I almost come to tears.

 I won't even get started on how weird it is when a toothless old man is hanging out of the back window of a van serving ice cream to a line of small children.

NUTCRACKERS

Something about the way nutcrackers "chomp" just scares me. 

I don't know what it is.

 And that hair. Why is it even there? Ewww.

WOODEN ARTISTS

Don't ask me why I'm scared of these. I don't know. I think it's something about 

the way they move.

Of course I'm also scared of SNAKES and SPIDERS. Who isn't?

I won't put a picture of those on here.

I can't look at a picture long enough to upload it.

It seems as though in the last two weeks, I have constantly come face to face with all of these things. 

Since I am not at home with my parents anymore,

 I think it's time to grow up and throw my fears away.

As someone once said, 

"Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing."

So, with that being said, I am setting a challenge for myself. From today forward, I am going to not be afraid. These things will not scare me. I will face them with no fear.

Now, I am going to challenge you. Think of your fears then put yourself in contact with them and don't be afraid. I promise they won't hurt you.

I'm not saying go crawl in a bed of tarantulas or in a pit of pythons. Don't go jump off of a 40 story building, either. 

I'm talking about things within reason, guys.

My Dear Friend, Jake

Tonight, I hit a landmark, or so I'd like to call it.

I reached 1,000 views on my blog that I've only had for a few short weeks.

Thank you all so much for reading and being so supportive.

When it hit "1,000" tonight, I was talking to my long-time friend, Jake.

He swears up and down that he is the reason it's had 1,000 views, and that he is, without a doubt, my most loyal reader.

In appreciation to my friend, Jake, I'd like to share with you a few of our most memorable conversations from the many years. I'm sure you'll get a laugh. Keep in mind, this is a GUY we're talking about here!

Parabola

 I was in 7th grade and Jake was in 9th grade. We were on MSN chat (remember? it was the cool thing back then). I thought Jake was the smartest kid on the planet and I asked him what a parabola is. He came back with the most scientific, proper definition you've ever seen. At that point, I knew that Jake would go to the moon one day. Years passed and I still believed Jake was "it". 

Much to my disappointment, he recently revealed to me that he had copied and pasted that oh so wonderful definition of a parabola from Wikipedia. Now we all see how smart Jake is...not.

Denim on Denim

I don't remember exactly when this was, but it was several years ago when Jake and I were texting. Somehow the topic of denim on denim came up. I told him that it was absolutely the biggest fashion faux pa he could ever commit. Little did I know, it is ok to wear denim on denim in contrasting shades. Now, every time either of us see anything about denim on denim, it is understood that we send a picture.

Air Brush Shirts

We've had plans for years to go to Gatlinburg and have matching air brushed shirts made. Jake, when is this ever going to happen? I'm beginning to lose hope.

Grammar

I am a grammar freak. Jake is a journalism major. We hate bad grammar; therefore, we always speak to each other in the most "countryfied" grammar possible. This is what a typical conversation between Jake and me would look like:

"Hey what r u doin?" -Jake

"O nuthin just sittin on the porch waitin on Jimmy so me n him can go fishin." -Me

"O thatll be fun catch u somethin big like u dun last time u was out there." -Jake

Anyway, you get the point! 

Profile Picture

For years, Jake has begged to take a picture with me and always promised that he would make it his Facebook profile picture. I finally made my way over to him at the Alpha Psi Rodeo and we took the cutest picture. I got back from the rodeo and posted it, anticipating the change. Much to my surprise, HE UNTAGGED HIMSELF. Jake, I will never let you live that down.

This is the "sorority girl pose" picture that Jake and I took at the rodeo. Isn't is adorable?

Thank you, Jake for your loyalty to reading my blog. I really appreciate it and hope you continue to read.

To everyone else, thank you to you, as well. I hope that I have kept you entertained and will be able to continue to provide you with an occasional laugh. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Stylish Blogger Award

First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Miss Brittany Purpura (www.bmaryandblessed.blogspot.com) for choosing Jelaco Design as the winner of the 

Stylish Blogger Award.

Thank you so much for that, girl. I truly appreciate this recognition.

As the recipient of this honor I must:

1. Link back and thank the person who gave it to me.

2. Share 7 things about myself.

3. Award 5 stylish blogs I read.

4. Contact them and tell them about their award!

Choosing only 7 things to tell you about has been hard, but here they are:

ONE

As an only child, I have always been very close to my parents. People ask, "Do you wish you had siblings?" I always answer, "I don't know. I don't know what it would be like to have one, but I do know that I like it just the way it is." I have always eaten dinner at the table with my parents, watched TV with them, and done my homework while sitting in the living room with them. My dad and I have spent many hours on the golf course together and he has taught me so much. My mom is who I go to when I need to talk to someone; she knows everything about me and is always there. 

I love my parents so much and enjoy going home to see them as often as possible.

TWO

I started begging for a Yorkie puppy when I was 5. I begged and begged and begged. Every holiday, I told my parents that if they would just get me a puppy that I would never ask for anything else. Finally, Christmas of my senior year, they decided that I was old enough to have a dog of my own. And along came Winston Frescott Cobb, you can just call him Winston, though. His first name, Winston, was chosen by Robby Spruiell, and his middle name is Frescott because my precious friend, Katie Mattox, calls me Frescott. My mother quickly fell in love with him and he now lives at home with her. She calls Winston her "surrogate child" now that I'm gone. I just love this little baby!

THREE

I started playing golf when I was in 5th grade. My dad teaches school so he is off during the summers and he would take me to the course with him. I played varsity golf for seven years and I still enjoy playing when I have time.

FOUR

Since I have moved off to college, I have made so many new friends. Many of them go to the University of Alabama, but several go to Auburn University. College has allowed me to expand my boundaries and meet people from so many different places. My new friends are so special and I hope we keep in touch even after college. 

FIVE

Although I have made new friends, I will always have my friends that didn't move to Tuscaloosa with me. These guys have been there with me through everything and they mean the world to me.

Molly and I have been close since we were in 4th grade. We worked together at a shoppe in our hometown for several years. She now goes to UAH and is majoring in accounting. I LOVE YOU, MOLLY!

This is Robby. We didn't really become close friends until 10th grade, but he has been the best friend anyone could ever ask for. He now goes to Auburn University and is a pre-dental major. I LOVE YOU, ROBBY!

SIX

If you knew me before I moved to Tuscaloosa, then you know I haven't always said "Roll Tide!!" I was raised a Georgia Bulldog fan. It absolutely makes my dad's skin crawl for me to say "Roll Tide," he says he "raised me better than that." But now that I go to school at UA, I am a Crimson Tide fan. I won't lie, I still cheer for the bulldogs, I just do it very quietly. I may get in trouble for saying "Gooooo Dawgs!" in Tuscaloosa. What do you think?

SEVEN

Design is my passion. As you probably already know, I haven't always been a design major, but I am now and I couldn't be happier. I am interested in the architectural aspect of design and hope to one day work for an architectural firm as an interior designer.

Those are only seven things about me. Keep reading my blog and you're guaranteed to learn many, many more things!

And my Stylish Blogger Awards go to...

1. www.soocollegiate.blogspot.com

2. www.lovebrookelove.blogspot.com

3. www.itsthemogblog.blogspot.com

4. www.rileybelieves.blogspot.com

5. www.interiordesignroom.blogspot.com

Once again, thank you so much, Brittany, you're too sweet!

Tri Omega Formal 2011

After the A Day game and a long nap, I headed over to the

 4th Annual Tri Omega Spring Formal. 

Tri Omega, as the brothers say, is "everyone's favorite non-philanthropic egalitarian brotherhood." Basically what that means is a bunch of goofy boys who know how to have a good time made up a fraternity. You better believe that they go all out with it, too. They have the stickers on their cars and everything. It's hilarious!

I was so happy to get to see so many people that I haven't seen since high school. Allow me to share a few pictures...

Well, I may have seen Sean a few times since high school. Weren't we spiffy?

This is Trey Murphy. He used to live beside me at home. Love this boy!

Allison Davis is the most adorable, gorgeous girl ever. Seeing her made me miss Snead.

Chelci, Allison, Me, and Perry!

Girls just wanna have fun!

We may not always be classy, maybe we like to be trashy sometimes, but at least we know how to have a good time!

You're only young once so have fun!!

A Day

Yesterday was yet another Saturday consisting of sun burn, and I loved every second of it. Sun burn means warm weather and SUMMER so I'll take it!

Yesterday was A Day. 

It was almost as cool as an Alabama Saturday in Tuscaloosa in the fall but not quite. Ok, I won't lie. It was extremely boring. The excitement of football comes from having that undying passion for Crimson Tide football and wanting nothing more than for them to get out on the field and beat the ever loving stew out of the opponent. When they're playing against themselves, what are the fans supposed to do? Cheer against their own team?

 No. Notta gonna happen. Sorry, budreaux. 

Yes, I understand that here at the University of Alabama, we may take football a little too seriously. Just as the motto says, 

"At some places they play football, at Alabama, we live it."

My boyfriend, Sean, his roommate, Matt, and I had a wonderful time at the game despite the hot weather and boring game. It got us excited for fall 2011 football in Bryant Denny Stadium!

Sean and I went to the stadium today to just look around and enjoy the gorgeous weather. We had a conversation about how being on campus and at Bryant Denny Stadium makes us feel. It went a little something like this:

"I can not wait for football." -Sean

"Oh, I know. Something about being here just gives me chills. We're so blessed to get to go to school here." -Me

"Anyone who doesn't get chills when they see this stadium is messed up. I hope no one ever takes being here for granted." -Sean

"It is so incredible." Me while standing, amazed by the unbelievable size of the stadium and dreaming of the loudness and excitement of being at games. 

Oh! I can't wait!!!

Also, the new statue of Coach Nick Saban was unveiled before the A Day game. Here is what we've got here on campus now. It's MASSIVE. Compared to all of the other statues of National Championship coaches, it looks like Saban is of utmost importance. Saban is even bigger than the Bear...please explain that one to me.

Roll Tide Roll!!