CUSS WORD!

WARNING: Easily offended should bypass... or lighten up.

It's go time. My plane leaves in 10 hours. I leave my house in 7. That's less then the amount doctors recommend you sleep per night. So am I ready for bed? Am I fully packed to move across the country? Have I finished everything on my To Do list? Have I finished writing my To Do list? Negatory captain. I'll sleep when I'm dead... Or lack of sleep will lead me to an early death. Either way, I have several hours to spend on 2 planes tomorrow so whatev.

I got home on Tuesday from a PERFECT Colorado trip and since then I have been running around like crazy trying to get everything together, to run all my errands, finish all my paperwork, to say my good byes, to do laundry, to pack, and so on and so on. Feeling a bit overwhelmed and like I'm up against the clock makes Jenny an anxious, exhausted girl.

But right now, in this moment, I'm feeling deeeyyyaaam gooood. I'm about to embark upon a life changing adventure. I'm about to take part in an incredible opportunity to help people, see knew things, and learn a lot ways that I could never predict. Yeah, that could be enough to get someone rialed up. But you know what usually gets me to this alert, invigorated, happy state? Coffee or chocolate. Tonight, my cocktail of choice was one followed by the other. Sometimes you just gotta go with what you know... and then wait for your resting heart rate to double.

As a matter of fact I just added my not-so-secret ingredient to my magical stress reducing mix. Humor.

A couple weeks ago us volunteers were notified to bring 3 magazine pictures that represent: (1) who we are, (2) how we think others see us, and (3) how we want to be seen by our self and others. It's apart of a Community Building exercise we'll have during orientation. Naturally I waited till now to do it. So I was going through a couple of magazines finding things that could work, I guess. Then I got to my favorite magazine of all time. Psychology Today. It was from July of this year. I had already read all the articles and came across my favorite.

"PROFANE BRAIN"
It was a brief article about "the world of taboo words" and how "profanity is an inescapable part of many cultures, and even has some benefits." Here are a couple interesting tidbits of information.

• The average English speaker utters 85 swear words per day.
• A 2009 study revealed that swearing may increase subjects' pain tolerance.
• 80% of swears uttered by Americans consist of one of the following: f*ck, sh*t, hell, damn, Goddamn, Jesus Christ, ass, oh my God, b*tch, sucks.
• Together, f*ck and sh*t account for anywhere from a third to a half of all uttered profanity.

I tore out the article, because it made me laugh. I love laughing. It makes me happy. I like being happy. I also hoped that I could somehow use it as one of my 3 magazine photos that say something about me. I dunno, maybe people see me coming and think, "Deeyyyyuumm she's so fly." (That's totally it huh?) Maybe it's the less preferred, "Damn it." or "Oh sh*t, here she comes again." I mean people could say stuff like that. Just think back to the song Baby Got Back as it opens, "Oh my God Becky look at her butt. It is so big..." I know you know the rest.

Oh man. It's fun when you read things that make you chuckle. It's even funner when you laugh aloud at the ridiculous, yet totally plausible situations you make up in your brain. What's this? I have a little over 6 hours till I leave my house and I still have to pack quite a bit and perhaps attempt a bit of shut eye? EXPLETIVE.

Brat Pack

They say that smell is the one sense closest tied to memory. Can't refute that. Every time I smell cotton candy I'm immediately sent back in time to 6th grade where you will find me brushing my hair at my locker along with my fellow "glamour girls", applying my cotton candy Lipsmackers, and feeling so fly. But watch out smell. I do think you have a contender for "best linker to memories"... perhaps a better title is needed. BUT. I do believe music to be a worthy adversary.

If Jay-Z and Linkin Park urge me to get that dirt off my shoulder, then I suddenly find myself back in high school mentally prepping for a soccer game. I'm hit with a mix of confidence, excitement, nerves, and double dose of "Bring it on!".

If I'm driving down the rode and the radio DJ decides to send me back 10 years prior with "Drops of Jupiter", then I'm instantly back in 8th grade. I'm hanging out with Tommy, my junior high sweetheart, and the rest of the socially oriented youth of Wylie Junior High. We're congregating under the bleachers while the football team plays on. Sorry Pirates, none of us have a clue as to how you're fairing. We’re far too busy being melodramatic, awkward, and annoying.

Something Corporate, I’d love to be your “Punk Rock Princess”, but you should know that you remind me of how everyday senior year Andrew Brittan and I would urge Mrs. Blankenship and the rest of our trig class to silence themselves. It’s 12:34pm and we want everyone to prepare themselves for the upcoming, glorious moment. The second hand strikes “56”. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6… ahhhhh. Ok Blankenship, you may proceed with your teachings.

Tell me what you want, what you really really want... I’m in 4^th grade arguing with Lacy and Tracy about who gets to be Sporty Spice.

Lovely little lady. Everybody knows. Don’t know what to call her. But she’s lovely like a rose... I’m three. My mom is tucking me into bed.

So walk down this mountain with your heart held high. Follow in the footsteps of your maker. With this love that's gone before you and these people at your side. If you offer up your broken cup, you will taste the meaning of this life... I’m back in the mountains, at Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp to be exact. I’m surrounded by incredible people, have a summer full of stories, and a smile warming my heart.

And then there’s that one guy. The guy who got me going on this in the first place. Oh Rocket Summer. You champion my musical memories. I have to agree with you when I think about the town I grew up in. Cause this ain’t where it’s at. My friends will second that. And I gotta admit sometimes it’s pretty sad. But it's like were our own brat pack. We're always kickin back. Nobody can take that. And that is that, it’s like its all we have.

I remember driving to Jack Johnson’s concert with Levi and my best gal pal Bailey. “Jenny do you like The Rocket Summer?” “Who?” I ask. They look at each. Look at me and say convincingly, “Jenny, you would love The Rocket Summer.” They know me well.

The Rocket Summer doesn’t confine my memories to just that adored couple.

He reminds me of weekends at The Swamp, a “house” where several of my friends resided after high school graduation. Sarah, Emily, Gary, Bailey, Levi, Michael, Daniel, Jack, and I gather around the bonfire in the backyard and play “Bang, Ah, Ah”.

He reminds me of driving around aimlessly with two of my best gal pals Erin and Natalie. Rockin it till it’s light, "fists in the air fighting the good fight".

So I'll run away to the hopes that I have. But still I fall asleep in the arms of my past. And when I wake so helpless and thinking of that. I just lay back down.

Again, everyday.

So maybe later today I'll know what I will do with my life as I know it. Maybe for now I'll drive back to that place where I belong and hope to God it hasn’t change.

No matter where I am. No matter what’s going on in my life. I’ll hear you, Rocket Summer, and BAM. Instant treasured memories. Instantly surrounded by treasured people. Instant happy.