Whew...

Well, the last two weeks have been crazy...I am so glad to have MOMENT (only) to catch my breath! This probably isn't going to be too exciting for anyone reading, again it is mostly for me!

10/17/2006 This was the last day of fall break and a bit of quiet at work before everyone comes back and we get full swing into Homecoming planning. I attended neighbor's Tupperware party. I didn't even realize that people still had Tupperware parties. I thought it was curious that the woman who was supposed to be selling the Tupperware goods really only passed out a catalog and asked if anyone had any questions, adn then started taking orders. Tupperware has some decent stuff, but I find it bothersome that it all comes in very non-natural colors. There were some pieces that I might actually order when they change them to more reasonable colors.

10/18/2006 As mentioned before, Tuan and I are doing a Leadership focused Bible Study at our church on Wednesday nights. By the time we get out of it and eat it is usually pretty much bedtime for us early to bed people.

10/19/2006 Today we started distributing tickets for our fall concert featuring Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert and the Randy Rogers Band. We had a big line when we first opened the booth and we gave out the entire 1200 seats in the first section. Very good turn out. The problem is that you can't really predict how things will go based on ticket distribution because the tickets are free. The funny thing about college students is that they will pay about $40 for the same tickets elsewhere and not miss the show, but when the SGA or someone else is paying for it, the value of the ticket immediately drops and they just get one in case they decide to go. We had a bunch of people fussing about our over 18 policy. Funny, they could've expressed interest in this a long time ago with the other shows, but for some reason they only care when it affects them. Guess that is pretty typical, especially of college students.

10/20/2006 We had our first skit night rehearsal tonight for Homecoming. Our very smart and mature fraternity men have decided to boycott homecoming, or at least that is what they are calling their very disfunctional effort, but the great thing is that things are running so much more smoothly and are so much more fun without them. I didn't really enjoy working so late on a Friday night, but it was fun to see everyone do their skits and get to chit chat with students with no real agenda.

10/21/2006 Tuan got to go to the UT vs. Alabama game today with Flip and Brain and I decided to go do some shopping in Asheville. I had a productive day, but I really never find many clothes. It seems I especially have trouble in the fall when we are in between seasons. I am such a lazy shopper and really have no fashion sense, so I buy things other than clothes and then just wish I had someone to go shopping for me. I think it would be more economical in the end. On Sunday (10/22), I decided to do some local shopping after church and then went to handbell practice.

10/23/2006 Homecoming Week began today with Kick Off (formerly known as Proclamation). Zarah our Homecoming Chair and her whole committee have been amazing. It was one of the best planned and best decorated Kick Off events ever even in sub zero temps. I am glad the theme was "ETSU Aloha: Catch the Wave" that at least made it a bit more cozy feeling. I had skit night rehearsal again, and after a long cold day mostly spent outside the things I was most looking forward to when I left around 9:30pm was to go home and sit down to watch some TV. Well, I called Tuan on my way home and it was obvious by the tone of his voice that he was not in a great mood. So he exclaims that "the house is falling apart" and when I asked him what he meant he stated that I had broken the garbage disposal when I put my rose stems down it. I told him that I wasn't sure that would do it, but that we would get it fixed and then asked him what else was wrong. He then told me that we didn't have any hot water. I told him to go check the water heater and we would talk more when I got home. I also asked him if we should find someone to stay and he said huffily, "No, we'll just take cold showers" he is actually very funny when he is angry, especially over little stuff. Well, I finally got home and he said the water heater had finally made some noises so he was going to go check the water to see if it was getting hot. Well, I went to check on him a minute later and all I could do was say, "Tuan, the hot water is on the LEFT"! He argued that it was not, and then I convinced him to try it. He cracks me up!

10/24/2006 Bunco at Kristi's cute house on the tree streets. Angie got to join us, but I think her Bunco group plays entirely differently then us.

10/25/2006 Successful Skit Night funny and clean comedian J. Chris Newberg

10/26/2006 Zarah added a new event to our Homecoming Festivities and it was such a hit. Mudball, which is basically volleyball in a mudpit was a great call. I think it will be a permanent fixture and maybe even something that campus rec takes up for the spring fling.

10/27/2006 Gamma Lambda Chapter of Sigma Kappa is having a 50th Anniversary Reunion this weekend. Tonight was a cocktail type gathering with food, karaoke and Sigma Kappa songs. It was go great to see some girls that I hadn't seen in awhile. Amy and Wayne are staying with us and we cut the guys loose early. Then we met up with them and their friends later to continue to catch up with ETSU alumni who were in town for Homecoming. It was a fun night.

10/28/2006 The day started with a brunch at the Country Club. It was so nice and for sisters only. After the brunch we went to campus for the fall festival, but it was really cold so we ended up going to the Milleneum Centre to help set up for the evening festivities. We got home just in time to change and go back for dinner. We had a huge celebration dinner and dance at the Centre and the best part of the night was when they asked our charter members from 1956 to stand up and then our newest members to stand up. They were on opposite sides of the room and to see them stand and look at each other was very powerful. Probably sounds cheesy, but it was really cool to see how things haven't really changed and to know that we all share a secret sisterhood. Okay, that was cheesy too, but it is true. Sunday after church, Tuan and I just relaxed at home.

10/30/2006 I spent most of the day in the ticket booth, and then went to have lunch and vote with Tuan. I think that after you early vote they should stop calling you with those annoying candidate recordings and your tv should no longer get political ads. That would be awesome. While we were voting at our local courthouse I realized that if the system stays old school younger people will never start voting in large numbers. At least at our courthouse it was such an old school process run by old school people and it took forever. I had to go to the Sprint Store while we were out to get a replacement phone because my very cool Palm Treo 650 had quit charging. Well, much to my surprise I was given an upgrade to a 700! It is very cool!

10/31/2006 After work, Tuan and I took it easy at home and handed out candy to the trick or treaters. It was a pleasant distraction as Halloween is a very sad anniversary for us.

11/1/2006 From 8am until 10pm I was working on concert set up for tomorrow. This show is going to be much easier than some of the others because of learning from past mistakes and because the bands' tour managers have been amazing to work with. Typically by this point I am lucky to have talked to a tour manager once. I have taled to theirs and emailed him multiple times and he has been so nice. The GGD managers were a disaster so I was ready for the worst.

11/2/2006 Today I was in the Mini Dome from 7am-4am. Long day, but a great concert. Dierks and all the tour staff were amazing and all went very well. All the acts gave us their all and acted so happy to be there. FYI...I am writing this while the CMAs are on, and while I don't like country and I am not watching, I have a feeling that Dierks will win at least one and he is nominated for some big stuff. That's fun when we have people on campus at their heyday. It was also fun that our agent, Adam, from Concert Ideas came to spend some time with us. It was great to have his encouragement and feedback. Made me feel like we were doing a good job.

11/3/2006 Joy and I took Adam to brunch and then to the airport, then went to work for an hour or so and then took a nap. I couldn't really sleep so I was pretty much spent and miserable at 6pm when we left to go to Oak Ridge to celebrate Ba's birthday. I couldn't sleep in the car either...have you evern BEEN that tired? When we got there I cleaned some tables and did some dishes and then we settled in for a yummy dinner with Trung's family, Linh, Sa, Cat Van and Sammi. It was fun to see everyone!

11/4/2006 We got to spend some very NICE restful time at mom and dad's on Saturday and Sunday. After lunch we headed home and I went to pick up my wonderful teacher, Phuong, for a marathon Vietnamese lesson. I am horrible at hearing the language and that is what we practiced mostly, but I am doing much better at making sentences and my pronunciation is better. Tuan fixed us Buon Thit Nuong and then I took her home and Tuan and I finished watching Fever Pitch.

Today I have been catching up at work, paying bills that I have put off for weeks and updating our IPod. It is nice to be able to breath....for a day anyway!