The chaos that is college football.

If you aren't a college football fan, then just disregard this post because it's all about the NCAA.  

Also, if you happened to miss the LSU-Tennessee game today, I highly suggest you go on ESPN or Fox Sports or YouTube (or just watch ESPN's football wrap up later tonight).  Why, you ask?  Because the few seconds AFTER the end of the game were craziness.  Yes, after. 

A little bit of info about my Tigers:

(Note:  I refer to the LSU Tigers as "we" because, like all LSU fans, I consider myself part of the team.  I know it's a bit ridiculous, but you'd have to be an SEC fan to understand.)

LSU is having an awful year.  We are, in fact, undefeated.  It's all a mirage though, because on paper there's no way we should be.  We have an immature, finicky quarterback who tends to be careless with passes.  We also have a coach who is the worst time manager in the history of college football.  Our defense is one of the best in the nation, which is how we've managed to keep getting Ws.  There are a few great offensive players, but they can't do much with an inept quarterback and idiot coach.

Here's how it went down:

LSU struggled offensively throughout the entire game.  Four - count 'em, FOUR - turnovers, an obscene amount of penalties and terrible time management found my Tigers down by four points with about a minute left.  We've got backup quarterback Lee in, and our guys are moving down the field.  For some reason unknown to us, Coach Miles puts Jefferson back in (which prompts a loud "Boo" from the stands).  A penalty against Tennessee puts us on the TWO YARD LINE, and it looks like we're about to pull off a win.  Then the clock starts moving again, and our quarterback is roaming around on the field like a lost second-grader at the zoo. 

The hubs and I are screaming at the television as the clock ticks down...5...4..3... FINALLY our guy snaps the ball, which proceeds to fly over Jefferson's head and he's chasing it down as time expires.  We lost.  WE LOST!?  We were RIGHT THERE.  On the TWO YARD LINE.  What an idiot! 

Tennessee players are rushing the field and the TN coach is making his way across the field for the obligatory handshake with Miles.  LSU fans are making their way out of the stadium dejectedly. 

Oh, I'm mad.  I'm stomping around the living room grumbling about Les Miles being the worst coach in the history of the world and if LSU doesn't fire him I'm going to take my big behind to his house and fire him myself.....

"Wait! There's a penalty!"  the hubs begins swatting at my arm in excitement.   I look back at the tv, not daring to feel any hope that there is some miraculous intervention by the good Lord Himself taking place.  Unfortunately for Tennessee, they can't count.  The commentators freeze the replay and count the number of defenders on the line when LSU snapped the ball before time expired.  They had THIRTEEN guys on the field (for you non-football folks, you can only have eleven)!  This means LSU gets a free play with no time on the clock.  One play.  One opportunity. 

And wouldn't you know it, the skies opened up, angels descended from heaven and our boys made the touchdown.  LSU wins 16-14. 

WHEW.

I'm still in shock.  That was craziness.  Did Tennessee earn the win?  Yep.  Did LSU deserve to lose?  Certainly.  However, we still got the W.  I'll take it.

Fantabulous Friday

I can't tell you how completely thrilled I am that Friday has finally arrived.  This week has been an exhausting one.  Some of the exhaustion was my fault (a Sunday adventure in New Orleans, the Britney episode on Glee - which caused much excitement at my house - a football game viewing at my Alma mater - which they lost. Embarrassingly badly), but most of it was school.  I have yet more exams next week AND the week after that.  I love school.  I love school.  I love school.  I love school.  Nope, still not working...

ANYHOO, on a much brighter -and much more entertaining - note, today's fantabulous topic is the brainchild of one of the coolest dudes in the blogsphere.  The totally fantabulous Cole Garrett over at Dry Humor Daily has thought up a pretty nifty idea, and I'm going to share it with you guys because I was immediately eager to jump on board and join in on something that is sure to catch on like syphilis....er...I mean....like something totally non-STD-related.  Yeah.  Like pogs.  Or the phrase "that's what she said." 

Now that I have your undivided attention, I can share with you Cole's awesomely titillating (that word always makes me giggle) invention.  Are you ready?

Are you?  REALLY?

I present to you:

The Blog Quilt

Obviously this isn't the quilt I speak of.  It's merely for

 entertainment purposes. Click the link above the picture.  Duh.

 

The Blog Quilt so cool, though.  You can add your badge for your blog to the page, then add the badge for The Blog Quilt on your personal blog to refer other bloggers to the quilt. (Hopefully that wasn't confusing, although I almost confused myself.)  The hope is that eventually we'll be a part of one awesome, gargantuan internet quilt.  We can all cuddle up together underneath it in our bond of Blogdom.  Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, doesn't it? 

Warm and fuzzy like these ridiculously cute kittens

So, I beseech you (I've always wanted to use that word in a sentence!) good people to click the link, go see the quilt and join us!  Together we can make a difference!

That really has nothing at all to do with this, but I just had to use it.

Love, peace and chicken grease, y'all!

A Flashback...

The year was 1998. The show was TRL. These five dudes started singing, and it was the beginning of an obsessive crush that would last well into the new century....



Ahhh.....JT, how I drooled over you.

You're welcome.

Case of the Mondays

Yes, someone does indeed have a case of the Mondays, and it's me.  I didn't feel good today, so I skipped school.  I know - I was shocked at myself, too.  I just spent the day hanging out with my babies (which I feel like I hardly ever get to do anymore), watching cartoon movies and cuddling on the couch.  It was great. 

Then later this evening I went to my little cousin's football game.  Since my other little cousin (his sister) is a cheerleader for the peewee team, I decided to dress my girls in their LSU cheer outfits. 

The girls had a ball running all over the place.  It was actually cool when we got to the field, which was a welcomed break from the relentless heat and humidity we've had lately.  By the time the sun went down, though, we were all a little chilly. 

As for my less-than-chipper mood....

I have no exams this week, which is a relief, but they start back up again next week.  I have three exams and a quiz next week, and two exams the week after that. I'm already exhausted and I haven't even started studying yet.  Also, I have an essay due in one class two weeks from today.  Awesome.

I'm determined to make this a good week despite my inner urge to let the mood fester.  My to-do list for this week:

1. Make index cards for my psychology and geography classes.
2. Begin studying for my political science and history exams.
3. Start on practice exams for my math class.
4. Finish locating articles for my essay project (10 down, 5 to go). 
5. Complete an outline for my essay by Friday evening.
6. Stay on top of the laundry so it doesn't get ridiculously out of hand.
7. Refrain from reading my new Dexter book until after exam week.
8. Finish my online math homework (due October 5th).
9. Find time to get a french pedicure because the last one is wearing off.
10. Limit myself to one cup of coffee per day.

Don't know if I'll be able to accomplish all of these, but it's only Monday.  I'm going to be optimistic.

Sorry I didn't do a Movie Delight for y'all today.  I'll make up for it next week, I promise!

A Fabulous Day in New Orleans

If I had to pick one word to describe today, it would be FANTABULOUS.  Myself and three of my girlfriends purchased tickets to see the musical Hairspray at Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre when they went on sale two months ago.  Unfortunately one of the girls hasn't been feeling well and had to miss out on today's adventure.  I invited my younger cousin along because she's a huge Hairspray fan, and also because it would be a shame to waste the ticket (we had the best seats in the house - no lie). 

The production didn't start until 2pm, so we decided to make a day of it in the French Quarter.  You know, play tourist (it's fun to do that occasionally). Also, our beloved Saints were hosting the Atlanta "dirty birds" at noon, so we donned our WHO DAT gear in solidarity.  Yes, we're all crazy sports people down here.



First we roamed over to Jackson Square, which is where one of the most beautiful buildings in the world (in my opinion) stands - the St. Louis Cathedral.  I've mentioned the cathedral in previous posts, but today was completely different because for the FIRST TIME EVER, I was in Jackson Square when the doors were opened.  As many times as I've been there in my life - which is dozens - the doors have always been locked. 



Me, my cousin and girlfriends in front of St. Louis Cathedral



So, imagine my absolute delight when we realized the doors were open and we could actually go inside!  I was speechless.  I'm not Catholic, but you can't help but feel awestruck by the magnificence and beauty of it.  I found myself having to control the urge to cry.  You can feel the history when you're inside.  There really aren't enough words to describe it.  At that moment, I could have spent the rest of the day inside, just looking at the stained glass, statues, every nook and cranny.  Unfortunately we showed up in the middle of mass, so we couldn't take pictures or roam as freely as we would have liked. 

From there we strolled through the Quarter looking for someplace to eat lunch.  There are little restaurants and bistros at every corner, but we settled on a place boasting to be the "Original" New Orleans Seafood Restaurant.  I'm not sure how valid that declaration is, although on the menu they claimed to have been opened before the Battle of New Orleans.  So, take that with a grain of salt. 

My cousin and I split crabmeat au gratin with an appetizer of crab cakes.  Although I've had many various versions of seafood in my life, I had never before had crabmeat au gratin.  The coz' insisted I would love it, and I'll try anything once, so I went along with it.  Took me a bit to adjust to the texture and mix of crab meat with cheese, but it was actually pretty good.  The crab cakes were delicious.  All in all it was a little heavy for a lunch, but we all enjoyed our meals.  

The girls playing with Mardi Gras
 masks and me with my awesome new wig!



After lunch we decided to stroll through the French Market, which is basically a collection of tables covered in everything from jewelry to purses, shirts, knicknacks, etc.  Anything and everything you could want.  A thosand people selling you different versions of the same things.  (Think flea market with lots of cajun.) 

My cousin found a Bob Marley bracelet and a new Saints t-shirt, my friend found a new Who Dat shirt and I found the most awesome wig ever made:  a black and gold feathered wig - aka Saints wig (told you we were serious).  We spent an hour or so browsing the tables, then stopping in shops we passed as we made our way back towards the theatre . 

When we arrived at the theatre, we found our seats and waited for the show to start.  When we saw "The Wedding Singer" back in July, I remember thinking no other performance could live up to that one.  I was wrong.

These people did John Waters justice.  The man would be proud.  There was innuendo, raunchy, music and fun.    Surprisingly the scene stealer was a woman who played Penny's mother/matron/warden/PE coach/principal.  She was hilarious.  Also, Tracy's parents were a big hit.  I was actually surprised at how many children were there.  The material was a little too adult for young kids.  I think parents were imagining the remake of Hairspray (with Zac Efron) and forgot about John Waters' version. 

Anyhoo, the musical was wonderful and we had a fabulous day.  I can't wait to do it again!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!