A video....about videos

Very soon there will be a lot of "kicking off" in the world of football. Because of this, I thought it'd be fitting to do a little kick-off video for our new season of Alan's gameday commercials!

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, hopefully this goofy little video will explain it - and Big Al of course makes some cameos as well (via videos of olde). :-)

And just to keep everyone as up-to-date as possible on the latest gameday commercial news (because I know it's all any of us can think about), this week's commercial has been written and I have already heard the preliminary draft.

If his new one is any indication of things to come, well, it's gonna be fun year. :-)

Football Fun

With football starting up this weekend, you may see a theme here on the blog for the next couple (few) days (months).

I actually attended my first football game of the season last Thursday! I try not to accept the fact that Jake is 15 and in high school, but when I see him walking out with the Varsity gators - it makes it harder to live in my pretend universe.




Jake goes to a small private school and they were playing another small school, so it was a very close-knit evening on the sidelines.






We were so close, I could smell the sweat! Not really because I can't smell, but I heard it was pungent.


They won the game by a landslide and Jake got to play a bunch and was ballin, so it was a great night all around.


One last note about the closeness of the people in proximity to the action: it's dang scary!

I stood on the sidelines with Marsha while she took pictures, and I basically had to rescue her from getting tackled like 10 times.

"Woman!" I would yell every time I pulled her back from the sideline and she cheated death by trampling.

"For some reason, I just feel like when I'm behind this camera I'm protected," she shared.

"Ok, well, thank you for that beautiful story but you're not - and you're not doing my blood pressure any favors."

Perhaps the boys should add delusional photogs (and their life-saving assistants) to their pre-game prayers.


It was a fun night and a great way to kick off the season!

Weekend Review

First of all, thank you all so much for your congrats on my new little gig. I am obviously very excited about what's to come! Glad ya'll are excited with me!

As always, I was thrilled to see this past Friday come to be, even though no real plans were in the works. I ended up over at the Hagan's and then took Jake and one of his friends to the SHS game. Though it tis my alma mater, I opted out of going to the actual game - but I enjoyed seeing the evidence that Fall was officially here, athletically speaking.

Seeing a billion people up at the high school, then rolling down the window and hearing Big Al's voice over the loud speaker (he announces the games) just made it feel like Summer has really ended. There was even a slight drop in temperature. At least one or two degrees.

After the game we picked the boys up and headed to Sonic. The Phoebster even came along for the ride. She was coveting my DC.


"One is never too young or too old for an ice cream cone." -Mahatma Ghandi


By the end of the night it felt even more Fallish outside, weatherly speaking. We just had to wait til like 10:30pm to experience it. Phoebe wanted to jump out and run across the Courthouse lawn, but I advised her against it. I told her that's how dogs get shot.


Once we were home, we busted out the ever popular Things!


Cam and Becca joined us and their presence definitely contributed to the intense laughter.






But let us not forget that Things is also serious business.







Just ask Mitchell who is always trying to dispel something.


And/or creep on people's pictorial hugs.


A night at the Hagan's is very fun, but can be very exhausting.


Saturday I did some cleaning and then got invited out to the pool. Woohoo! 4 bags later, and I realized I am not "pool ready" at a moments notice.


Phoebe "Wet Rat" Hagan getting a little sun.


And a little swim.


This was Phoebe's face when I told her that her hair was going to turn green from the chlorine.


She was out of there after that. I hated to spoil her fun but I am trying to protect from hard roads I've already walked.


The rest of the day on Saturday was pretty low-key and uneventful.

Sunday I went to church with my parents and then my mother and I were co-conspirators at tricking my father into going to our favorite Sunday lunch spot - McAlister's!


My soon-to-be NINETY year old grandmother joined us as well.


She always provides lots of laughs for the whole gang.


These two laughed so hard at themselves they about worked up a thirst.


Good thing McAlister's is known for massive liquid refreshment.


I hope I look this good when I'm ninety.


When I showed Iris this picture, I said - "Look how pretty you are, Gram!" To which she replied, "Oh yessss, I am pretty. Except it looks like I gotta squeak eye."

Say what now?


All the Tyson ladies (we just needed Larsen!)


After lunch, I defied the odds of sanity and went to Walmart for some groceries. Since I made it out alive, I decided to celebrate by putting a little vlog together to kick off football season. Or "football gameday commercial" season as this short video will address.

I am planning to post that on Wednesday unless I decide before then that posting it would take away more cool points from myself than I'm willing to forfeit. :-)


Today was back to business as usual! Two weeks from today I will be officially employed by GSU...and since next week is Labor Day, I realized earlier that today was my very last Monday! Ohhh yes.

Now that it's official...

When I opened up my work email on Tuesday morning, I immediately smiled.

I clicked on an email sent from my boss to all staff members, and read these words....

"Dear Staff: I have regretfully accepted the resignation of..."

From time to time, we will receive these notifications. Our CEO will send an email to everyone letting us know when a fellow co-worker has decided to close their season at this treatment facility.

As with all places of business, people move onto different things - and I am always sad to get that resignation email. It means I won't be seeing that someones smiling face in the halls anymore.

But when I clicked on that email on Tuesday morning and read those opening words, I was not sad.

"I have regretfully accepted the resignation of..."

I wasn't sad because I already knew what the remainder of that sentence was going to read.

"...Jenna Tyson, Intake Coordinator. "

I have never really talked much about my job on this blog. I talked about it a little when I accepted the position in March of 2009, but since that time, it has never been a common subject matter.


{I know you can't tell, but I play with my nametag when I'm stressed. I like to think the smiley face sticker helps distract from the curling edges.}

I don't talk about work for many reasons - the most notable being that I am bound by Federal Confidentiality Laws. :-) The ones that prohibit the disclosure of any information having to do with anyone who may or may not have called/been admitted/or even looked in the direction of this treatment hospital.

HIPPA and blogs are not best friends forever.

It's really a shame though, because in a perfect, non-confidential world - I would have soooo many blog-worthy stories from my work life.

Even for the most astute mathematician, they'd be countless.

But, being the law-abiding citizen that I am - those stories are going with me to the grave. Or at least going with me until I can't remember them anymore which is probably a more accurate time frame.

What I haven't shared publicly is that for the past little while, I have been desiring a vocational change. I love the people I work with, but the job itself is something I feel like is no longer a good match for me. More plainly said - this job was making me kind of crazy.

(Ask around. People will vouch for this.)

I have gone through the many ups and downs and have come to realize that while I am so thankful for many of my experiences here - I am just no longer meant for this world. In other words, I've been thinking it might be time to blow this joint (sorry, drug humor).

There is about a 20 chapter book that I won't write about my journey that led up to my boss' Tuesday email. It was filled with a lot of tears and a lot of discouragement and stress. I won't go into the whole backstory - the only reason I wish I could share it all would be to truly show just how amazing God is...how He has fulfilled the verse I have beside my desk and have read a million times over the past couple years.


He knows our hopes and dreams and He wants to fulfill them. In 2009, He answered a prayer by giving me my current job, and even though it has been a whirlwind to say the least - it was part of His plan for me. It was needed in the big picture and it's lessons will be invaluable in the years to come. As hard as it has been, I know that it was all part of His promise to give me the future I hope for.

SO - ALLLLL of that being said, I am happy to announce that soon He will fulfill a longstanding desire of my heart.....


Yes! On September 12, 2011, I will add a new title to my Georgia Southern repertoire.

I started as a loyal, lifelong fan. Then I enrolled and spent 4 years as an official Eagle. Then I (sadly) graduated but (happily) took on the badge of Alumni.

And now I will, with great pleasure, take on the title of...

Employee!

Everyone around here is totally turned upside down with excitement about it!!


As you know, we are pretty hardcore fans, supporters, and lovers of this great University.


I am so excited about my new job (I will be working with students as an Academic Advisor), and I can't wait to take my True Blue self and start this new chapter of my life!

Dog Days

The days of Summer are winding down. You can feel it in many ways around here. Kids going back to school, kids going back off to college. Students coming back into our college town.

The morning drive has a little more turbulence. Walmart is a mad house 24/7. And the end-of-summer heat is impressive, oppressive, and hopefully soon - regressive.

There is a lot happening and though the Summer has been crazy, change is a'coming.

Until then, we are just trying to enjoy these last dog days of the season.

Yes, there is still lots of working. But still lots of playing. There's quality time having. Late night moving-going. (And late night movie crying my eyes out). We have tons of weekend chilling. Couch laying and movie watching. Church going and home organizing.

A little dreaming. A little over-heating. A lot of hanging. A lot of chatting. A lot of laughing.

Throw in some hoping, some thanking, some fun-planning, and (of course) some loyal Sonic visiting....


And all of a sudden, these dog days of Summer are all summed up.

Weekend themes

This past weekend can be broken down into 4 very enjoyable themes.

Entertainment

I was definitely entertained this weekend. It all started with this on Friday night.


My mother is the ultimate movie critic. She even has a world-renowned 6+ page document listing all of her favorite movies by category with a 1-5 star rating system. If her daughter was worth anything she would have started a blog for her to track her movie reviews, but unfortunately her daughter is a loser.

Regardless, she is always the first one I turn to for theater guidance. We don't always like the same thing, but she knows what I enjoy and after seeing Crazy, Stupid Love she let me know immediately - "Jenna Babe - this is your kind of movie."

With Steve Carrell (funniest ever), Ryan Gosling (hottest ever), and Emma Stone (second funniest ever) I felt pretty confident. And for the record - Deb strikes again!

Also this weekend I managed to watch 2 other movies of which I had never seen.


I don't know how it happened, but I got left behind on the Bourne series. But don't worry, completing the trilogy (or are there 4?) is on my bucket list.

Saturday night we watched Big Fish. I can't tell you one thing that it was about since confusion took over the minute it started, but I think I really liked it.


In addition to being entertained by people who don't really exist and stories that are made up - I spent some good quality time with real live people making real live stories as well!

Cam and Rebecca - always bringing out the fun.


And Jake, always bringing out the goon.


Also (not pictured) Marsha, who is always bringing out the "If you take my picture and put in on your blog, I'll kill ya."


Eating

I feel like all I did this weekend was eat.

Friday night movie food.


After movie treat.


Saturday night food.


It was cooked with love and just the right amounts of butter and salt and cheese by Cameron.




There was more consumed throughout the weekend, but I was too busy eating it to take the picture, it seems.


Educating

The goon mentioned above achieved a milestone on Sunday. Jake Hagan....turned 15.

On his birthday, I always like to the tell the story about how I once felt him kicking in his mama's stomach, but I'll refrain. But just know - I felt him kicking in his mama's stomach, and now he is going to be driving and I just don't know what to make of that.

On Saturday we had a study session as we enjoyed a late lunch at Barberitos. Becca took the reigns of quizzing Jake (who is taking the driving test to get his learner's permit today).


I'm going to tell you the truth - they have made this test super hard and if I took it right now, I would definitely not pass. I barely passed when I turned 15.


Seriously, when I took the test to get my learner's permit, I turned my completed test in and when the woman was grading it finished, she looked at me and pointed to an answer -"So, um, are you sure you meant to be 'A' on this one, honey?"

"Oh let's see," I said somewhat confused about what was happening. "Huh - um, no ma'am I actually meant to put....(looks at the smiling grader lady and I start cluing in)....'C'?"

Lady smiles. Lady stamps PASSED. Lady has no idea what she has done.

Because we can't be sure Jake would get a worker so willing to break the law and put ill-equipped children behind the wheel, we took his study session seriously.








Studying can be stressful. Call out multiple choice questions at your own risk.


Update: Jake passed. Watch out world.


Entering a new Era

Because of the big bday on Sunday, we had a fun time celebrating the boy I one time felt kick in his mother's stomach who is now 15.

There was the Saturday night supper...


...served on the special Celebrate plate.

And then, well, there was this.


I love people who are born and who have the same favorite cake as me!


My grandmother used to make the best caramel cake, but this one was pretty close to it! Jake chose caramel cake as his dessert of choice. That's my boy.


The cake was huge, but I started thinking that had I been featured on a Man vs. Food challenge, it's possible I really could have eaten the whole thing. And I am not kidding, because it is not ok to joke about cake.


On the actual bday, Jake had big plans. The youth group at church was putting on a RAVE for the kids. What better way to celebrate your bday than dancing around in a 150 degree room with 100 of your closest friends, illuminated only by a pyrotechnics and a black light?






And to conclude the weekend, we brought all the themes together as we entertained ourselves by eating cake at the RAVE, while educating others on how to best embarrass a teenager as he entered into a new era of his life.