Today

I've worked at my job for one year. Yay!

Another new thing about living inland...

Tornado sirens.

Now, for those of you that grew up or have lived inland for years probably think I'm crazy. But I grew up on a beach with hurricanes that we saw coming for weeks (OK, days, but you get the point). Our siren was Jim Cantore on Wrightsville Beach with a big fan blowing on him for effect.

When I got into work today during the torrential downpour, I heard sirens. I'm thinking, "ambulance, police, fire truck". None of the above, apparently they ring sirens when severe weather is a foot. They did this a few months ago when the tornadoes went through Downtown Atlanta but that was on a weekend and nobody told us they were for the storm. We thought it was emergency officials. Today, people at work informed me that they go off whenever you should proceed with your drills. And, since I am co-chair of the Honeywell Health Safety and Environmental Committee (that's right!), everyone came to me! So, being the quick thinker that I am, I laid out an emergency plan for tornadoes. The sirens had been going off for about 30 minutes and by the time that we all actually thought, "maybe we should seek cover" and go into the middle of the facility, the sirens stopped. So, we'll be ready next time.

The Derby Alpharetta Team Trivia

Team Triva guy asks Final Question:
Put the following Magazine Titles in order from highest circulation to lowest in 2006:
1)Web MD
2)Woman's Day
3)Weight Watchers
4)Watercolor Magic

Alexis: Well, that's easy, Watercolor Magic is obviously lowest.
Wes: No, I think it's WebMd, who would by that when it's free online?
Alexis: OK, if you think so. So, Web MD is last, then Watercolor Magic?
Wes: Right, what do you think is first?
Alexis: Woman's Day
Wes: Ooo, I don't know, I think Weight Watchers, don't you?
Alexis: Well, I think it's Woman's Day because I have at least heard of it. I was in Weight Watchers and don't remember the magazine.
Wes: Weight Watchers seems like the answer, I think it would be more popular than Woman's Day.
Alexis: Fine. (Writes our answer on the card: Weight Watchers, Woman's Day, Watercolor Magic, Web MD) and then turns it in.
Music plays, we watch Olympic Volleyball on one screen and Braves on other
Team Trivia Guy: OK, answers in...the correct order is: Woman's Day, Weight Watchers, Web MD, Watercolor Magic!

...thank you and good night!

Olympics

I don't know what it is or ever has been that has so excited me about the Olympics. I have always LOVED the Olympics in both summer and winter. It doesn't even really matter which sport, somehow I get sucked in. I can't remember not loving them and I can't remember what initially drew me into watching as many games as possible. (Mom, Mere, maybe you can help me out there). But if you've ever lived with me during the Olympics, you remember my passion for the games.

My two favorite memories of watching Olympics happened while at NC State. The first was during the Sydney Olympics in 2000. This was the year that they were actually in the Fall for us because of the hemisphere difference. I was living in 303A Bragaw Hall with Morgan Murden (now Young) and I think I got her hooked too. (At least she let me watch them often on our 16" TV/VCR combo). But one night, I was watching at Chris Miller and Josh Jones' apartment when this guy made his Olympic debut:


Remember him? We didn't even see the heat where he ended up swimming by himself because everyone else false started. No, we didn't see it live, we saw the Bob Costas version with Eric Moussambani's life story attached. Bob Costas may have the best job in media. Even my husband, who is crazy about sports sort of agrees with me. He can call anything he wants and he goes to every Olympics anywhere in the world. They make these "tear jerker" short films about different athletes from all over the world and the one about this swimmer from Equatorial Guinea was a doozey. Everyone in the apartment, let alone the world was crying during the video. I wish I could find it, but work doesn't let me use YouTube and that's probably the best bet.

On a side note, before the Beijing Games started, I told this story to Wes, who vaguely recalls sob stories during the Olympics. But then, we both felt the heart strings Bob Costas and Chris Collingsworth pulled on during their story/video on Michael Phelps' mom.

Anyway, my second memory is far less sentimental but always makes me happy. I watched the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympics from Lake Park and an apartment favorite for us was curling.

Now, I know what your thinking. It was kind of a joke that we liked it but we would turn the mute on and commentate ourselves. Let's just say there were 2:00am commentaries in our best Swedish accents, "Go Lars, go! You're not sweeping fast enough!"

I look forward to this weekend of endless games.

Breathe

I haven't stopped once today. Work has been crazy busy this week! I am leaving work in 5 min to head down to the first of three productions of "Family Night on Peachtree: The Beat Goes On" at Wieuca. This has been a crazy week but has flown by. I will post pictures of the craziness that is FNOP (that may explain a little if you seen that acronym on my Facebook). Here's hoping we get to chill a little this weekend!