admin

Also, I have made Diane and Emily admins. You can change stuff on the blog now, but don't go being jackasses about it, mkay?

The e-mail change

So you guys have probably noticed that you are being prompted to set up a gmail account when you sign into this. I hope this doesn't stop you from using it.

Actually, I use gmail myself and have found it to be the least annoying mail service online.
If you need to e-mail me, hit me up at laminette.griff@gmail.com

"Suckin on my ti**ies like you wanted me, callin me...

all the time on the phone...." Got that damn Peaches song stuck in my head from spending too much time with Ben and David. David has it on his computer and we hear it constantly while Wii bowling.



Still happy as ever. And that pic is cute so I wanted to show it to you.

This weekend went decently well-- all except the Cards game was rained out. I hope they reschedule it far in advance enough for me to ask off work if need be. My next game isn't until June 22 or something like that!!!

JUST MY LUCK ---it began raining right after they sang the national anthem, about 5 minutes before start time, and they canceled it. Ben and I had enough time to wander around and find our seats, have one beer each, then I had a hot cocoa and we sat in the cold waiting for official word on the game. Then we caught Denny's on the way home, since the one here closed.

Brian seemed to have a good time. I took him to the Mills all day where we mini golfed and looked around, to Fitz in the loop for dinner, then to Ameristar Casino (per his request for a casino) and then we came home and watched "May," a wierdo movie about this girl who takes people's body parts and makes a doll for herself.

Volleyball is going well also. It seems like Megan and I, and now Bill, revamp our whole team every 10 weeks or so. This time it looks like we found one that works: me, Megan, her cousin Heather and her friend Karen, Ben, Justin, Bill and David. We all have our weaknesses but it seems like we play off one another well. We won last week- with MVP Bill. This week we have a double header and he can't come. I'm working a wierd shift- 11 to 11 with a break from 5:30 to 8:30 just so I can make it. Hectic day.

I can't stop watching Orange County!

My friday the 13th went well. It was Robert and my 1 year anniversary. We went out with Ian, a guy Robert works with, Ian's gf, and a couple of their friends. We had a really good time. It was nice having friends again.

Laura, I hope you are having a great time with Candyman and Ben!

It's Friday the 13th!! dun dun dun....

Glad to hear everything's going well for you in Texas Diane. I can't wait to see this shiny happy version of you. I can remember a few times I've been like that but they haven't lasted too long... when I saw the old group at senior prom and did a cartwheel in my dress, everytime I go back to Eastern, etc. I know the feeling-- it's not annoying, it's nice. And we're glad to hear you're happy.

I am using Ben's computer currently, as he up and went to work around 7 a.m. and I'm waiting for David to get up so I can leave. Gee, I hope he's still here or the door ain't gettin' locked :( We are going to the Cards v. Brewers game tonight, so I hope it doesn't rain. I think there's supposed to be a 70 percent chance around 8 p.m. The game starts at 7:10. We gon' get rained on then they gon' cancel the game!!! I hope I'm wrong.

After the game Brian will be here, which is going to make me a shiny happy annoying person like you mentioned before. And since Ben has that effect on me, it's going to be outrageous this time with the both of them around.

Also, it's Friday the 13th, which everybody thinks is bad luck... I just think it's creepy and I like it. You know, my parents got married on Friday Feb. 13. That's worked out so far but really, what were they thinking?!!? (First, who gets married on a Friday??) (This girl's parents).

Alright I'm out. Lova u and love the rest of you.

I will eat your face!

Hey everyone. I have nothing of real importance to say. I've been working a lot and I love working at Starbucks. My personality is completely different when I'm there. I am one of those overly happy people that you can't stand. I think its all the espresso that I put in my drinks. Anyway love and miss ya! X's from Texas

My First Cards game (of the season)

GETTING VERY EXCITED!!!
Friday's probable pitchers---
Anthony Reyes (STL) v. Ben Sheets (MIL)
Usually I would say "anybody but Braden Looper" when it's a game I will be attending, but if he keeps it up like he did today, I'm going to be singing a different tune.

Ben will be coming to the game with me and then I'm supposed to call Brian during the 2nd or 3rd inning at which point he is going to take off from visiting Charleston and stay in the STL region till Sunday afternoon. I'm very excited for him to meet Ben. And for Ben to meet him for that matter. I hope they get along; they're pretty different. Although they both love the Cubs. Haha.

Yet Again...

Just a quick note before I head out for some chinese... mmmm... best hang over food around. Sounds like you two are having a good time! I'm glad to hear that everyone is so happy with their decisions! Diane - I can't wait to come visit you as soon as I Graduate, and Laura - We really need to start hanging out more! Gimmie a Call sometime! Alright, Well I gotta get going! Love ya guys! byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Oh hell, you know I would

Life sounds amazing in Austin, Diane. I hope you do get to know the city and I hope you love it, because I've said time and time again (and I do not lie) that Austin is my vacation destination once the Telegraph lets me have one. Of course, you'll know way in advance. It sounds like you and Robert are out there getting things going for yourselves, and I'm incredibly proud of you. Not that I didn't think you could do it, but now that you are- I wanted to tell you that straight out. Also, I'm glad you decided to utilize this site again. The others might take a little prodding but I'm sure they'll stop by from time to time. I'm also trying to start one for my DEN people.

As for Godfrey, it is better than ever. I suddenly feel like I don't live at home anymore, being that I've only been there for lunch breaks and to sleep since like Saturday. Ben loves his new apartment, and his roommate is really fun. We spend a lot of time Wii bowling. God we're cool. Anyway, it got me kind of excited to get a place of my own, but now I'm not really that worried about it at the moment since I probably wouldn't spend too much time there. I even feel like I've been neglecting my daddy! I gotta make him watch some of the Cards game with me tonight.

One of Ben and David's favorite things to do is BBQ. In fact, their grill was at the apartment and assembled from tiny pieces before either of them even had beds yet. Technically, Ben had a mattress, but that's besides the point. They're all moved in now, except Ben's beloved fish, and they're having a BBQ I can finally come to on Saturday. Things are going really well on that front.

I had a productive day at work today, but other than that- The Telegraph is still the same, and I need to be leaving here soon. (I came in 15 minutes late so I'm making up for it now, while blogging, since no one will call me back.)

Last night, we ate at Buffalo Wild Wings, which is amazing, and I saw Kristina Deutsch. She and Megan go there after class on Tuesdays, so Ben and I met them out before going to see "Blades of Glory." OH dang that movie is funny. I recommend that. Well, might as well save something for later. :) Have a good one

I'm baaaaack...

Totally forgot about this and I didn't think I had my password or anything but it magically let me log in.

Austin is a really rad city. There is so much always going on. A lot of it is music related since it is live music capital. Its a melting pot of people. You have every different type, from your very liberal, unshaven, stinky hippies to your diamond grill, Paul Wall wannabes.

Everything has so much character and life. Theres so much going on that it is a little overwhelming b/c you can only do one thing at a time and there are like 20 things you want to do that day. We are about a 10-15 min drive (little traffic for that time period) from downtown. I've learned the city pretty quick b/c I have somewhat good navigational skills, while Robert is still having a hard time. We haven't gotten to do a lot b/c we are trying to be good and not spend a ton of money since we have new responsibities, but we did manage, however, to go down to 6th Street, which is the party street for all the tourist and UT students. We've done a lot of window shopping at places that you could compare to the loop, but these places are even better.

Our apt is pretty cool. Nothing fancy only one bed/bath but we finally have our furniture and stuff hanging on the walls. No more sleeping on the floor!!! Much thanks to Angie b/c she came up to spend the day with us and buy us things.

Job wise, Robert is a manager with a store called Zumiez or some people know it as Fast Forward. For those of you with no clue its sells skate related things, like clothes, boards, and other accessories. I just took 2 pt jobs until i can find something that i would like to do. Basically I want to land into an awesome job. I am working at Fredricks of Hollywood, which is in the same mall as Robert, and I start Starbucks on Friday. I'm way hyped on Starbucks b/c I love coffee and i'll get a lot of it free, its like 1 min away from the apt, and they have good benefits if you stay with the company long enough. Its one of the top 100 companies to work for so i've been told.

Well I'll go ahead and sum it up. I hope everyone gets back on and writes! xoxo

Re: Shake N' Bake

I haven't written on here in a while either. Hopefully that changes, because I changed my e-mail verification to one I use on a regular basis.

Anyway- it WAS great seeing everyone.
I know some of you went away to school and some of you didn't. Some of you came back and some of you didn't. Some have jobs and new friends.

Coming home was wierd for me at first. You were all great friends to me, but the truth was- it wasn't high school anymore, and things had changed.
I'd spent two years with a group of people that spent their lives doing the same thing I did everyday- journalism. Not that they replaced you, but for the time- they were in the same position as me.

What WE all have in common isn't as prominent as it was since we all graduated high school- but we do all have some things that remain. And all those memories I have filling photo albums and VCR tapes can't just be erased with time.

I know many people went their own separate directions. My little group weren't waiting there for me when I got back (which of course, I could not have expected to happen, but was a shocking revelation nonetheless).

So I got the idea to get everyone together one weekend. We didn't have the best turnout ever, but I had lots of fun, and I'd like to continue doing it every once in awhile.

Even though we've changed in our own ways, Emily is right. We are technically, deep down inside, the same people we used to be no matter how we've changed on the outside. And not to sounds mushy but I still love all of you guys, and I plan on trying to keep in touch for a while down the road.

Thanks for that weekend, and for putting up with me in the first place :)

Shake and Bake

Whats up kidz? I haven't written in this thing in FOREVER!!! But what else is new. I guess I'll try a little harder now that John is gone and my second home is no longer "the bar". Even though Norbs will always be my second home :)

It was def nice to see everyone over the past weekend! Its strange that we have all grown so much since high school but are still almost the exact same people. Within a year we will all (most of us already do though) have college degrees and begin lifes scramble to find decent jobs and the significant other.... I wonder what we are all going to be like when we are all 30?? Scary thought....

Well just thought I'd throw up a random post to see if anyone responds to it!

Expanding the Job Search

Today:
Interview 4 p.m. for freelance job at the Arch City Chronicle, STL.
The guy seems very impressed with my stuff. The paper is twice monthly, serving only about 20,000 readers. BUT If I can get SOME money for writing, I can continue my journalism experience, get a bartending or part time job here, save up some money while living for free- then keep looking and hopefully the job market will get better and I'll have some better, newer clips to market myself with.

Tomorrow:
Sports reporter interview with the Breeze Courier, Taylorville, Ill. It's only about 1 hr 45 min. from here, a smaller town outside of Springfield. I applied for the general assigment position which doesn't open until later but the lady contacted me to come interview for the sports one. She says if I work sports I have the option to move to news when that position opens. If I like Tayorville, if they hire me, and if they pay me at least $24,000 bucks, then I plan to get a kitty to keep me company. Also, I'd be an hour from Matt and April and almost 2 from home, not bad. Hopefully it's cheap enough to live there.

Still waiting:
St. Louis Magazine didn't have any openings that I know of, but they'd be my dream job. The managing editor says he'll definitely be in touch, so I hope he has something, ANYTHING. I COULD do both St. Louis Mag and Arch City, if they allow that sort of thing. I wouldn't think it would matter if the ideas don't overlap.

The dilemma:
I still haven't told Centralia my decision. I'm afraid the editor is already helping me look for efficiency apts. It would definitely be something I'd be into in the future, but I think I owe it to myself to make sure that's the place I want to be. I could get offered more in a place I like more, who knows? I've only been hardcore looking for a month.

Shifting gears:
I am also interested in editing for books or catalouges.
Technical writing is boring but I can do it- I excelled in that class at college.
Any writing job would help me keep up my skills and let me do what I love.
Although writing is my concentration, much of my experience is editing, which I have found I MIGHT love even more.
I want a kitty.

The dream:
To get a sweet job at St. Louis Mag (which I don't think I'll ever stop trying for job or no job) and living in the city. I used to want to go to New York and I think I still would, but St. Louis might be a better size for me.

Enough blabbing, gtg.

On the Hunt for a Jizzob

I've applied at about a go-zillion places. I've come to the terms with the fact that I probably have to leave my beloved St. Louis in order to come back another time, another day. I really still don't want to, so I'm being careful about the offers I get.

I got an offer in Marshall, MO. - 3.75 hrs. away
Didn't take it. It didn't pay enough for me to be able to live there.

I have an interview with Centralia, IL tomorrow. - about 1.6 hours away
I don't think it's even full time, but I called in a favor from a family friend, so we'll see what happens with that.

Possibly an interview with Taylorville, IL next week. - 1.75 hrs from here.
FOR A SPORTS WRITING POSITION. You know I almost think I'd like that better than general assignment. Football season would sure be a drag tho.

COME ON STL MAGAZINE! www.stlmag.com
I've been corresponding with their editor but I haven't heard from him in a bit, so it doesn't sound good. I was hopeful because they didn't have any positions open but he responded to my e-mail of interest, and I'd hoped we could work something out. STILL HOPING. CROSS YOUR FINGERS.

surveys are all that I have for kicks

A is for age:]
22.5

[B is for booze of choice:]
beers

[C is for career:]
Dream job: feature writer for metro magazine/newspaper like the Riverfront Times

[D is for your dad's name:]
Robert, BOB

[E is for essential items to bring to a party:]
camera

[F is for favorite song at the moment:]
"Every little thing she does is magic" Sting

[G is for favorite game:]
DREAM PHONE

[H is for hometown:]
Godfrey, IL

[I is for instruments you play:]
i can play one song on a harmonica if that counts

[J is or jam or jelly you like:]
strawberry

[K is for kids?]
i hope sometime or another

[L is for living arrangements:]
at home temporarily I hope

[M is for mom's name:]
Minette... that starts with an m too if you want to get technical

[N is for name of your crush:]
nobody- he doesn't exist

[O is for overnight hospital stays:]
none

[P is for phobias:]
that little dent in the center of ppls necks--- loud noises (construction, motorcycles), driving in the rain and TORNADOES

[Q is for quotes you like:]
How can I be happy when I'm not farting on anyone? - my ex-roommate David Thill

[R is for relationship that lasted the longest]:
8 mo. wow im a trooper (sense the sarcasm)

[S is for sexual preference]:
men

[T is for time you woke up today:]
8 a.m. eeskee

[U is for underwear:]
clean ones or none at all

[V is for vegetable you love:]
green beans, sugar snap peas

[W is for worst habit:]
freaking out when i lose something

[X is for x-rays you've had:]
arm, and most recently my frickin thumb

[Y is for yummy food you make:]
spaghetti

[Z is for zodiac :]
scorpio

Hi IM home for summer and if anybody would like to hang out. IM working in Belleville this summer I have to be there at 6 in the morning, so I have to get up at about 4:30 in the morning to get there on time. So IM going to be like a old man this summer going to bed early at night. If you want to do something just give me a call.

Thomas: congras about on the job we will have to go to the mini corral before you leave.

They gave me a degree

I miss EIU sooo much already!
But I went out with a bang.

Thursday we went to BINGO.
Friday to Hatter's for one last free hotdog.
Saturday I graduated, had the fam over, and then attended a kegger at Renick's.

At Renick's I proceeded to "try and catch up" (haha, he was already drunk when I got there) which entailed a lot of free keg beer and a short keg stand.
Then Renick tried making out with me after he passed out, woke up again and washed the blue penis off his face... he was successful haha.

Then we went to see a band- Romancing the Bone- for about 5 seconds near my house.

Then we went to Mal's and I did half a beer bong at a point where I should have stopped long ago.

Then we went to Lincoln Gardens, where I proceeded to trip over my broken sandal, bite it and fractured my right thumb.

Still looking for a job. Have an unpaid internship at a progressive mag in STL that would start in June, but need an actual job. There's an opening at Rock Island and I'm sending my boss some updated clips, but my parents don't want me to leave so I've been taking my sweet time- probably not a good thing. My mom even has nightmares about me going there.

I guess I can't really report till June anyway, cuz it's hard to take notes minus your right hand when you're right handed. Luckily, I'm semi-ambidextrous.

That flushes the idea of a summer softball league down the toilet, but I guess I might not be here after awhile anyway.

Congrats on the job Thomas! And happy graduation! I should be around that week for a party and I'd like to see you before you go.

P.S. I feel like a five year old with this flamboyant bright red cast. I have the Cardinals spirit I guess.

Pyramids! Yay for Greek Week

We didn't win, but look at that stack!

Look at me, singing.
Photo courtesy of Jay Grabiec, Daily Eastern News

Alphas take 2nd in Greek Sing

My sorority took second place this year in Greek Sing with or compilation of love songs from "Moulin Rouge." We worked hard. We sang well. We definitely deserved the recognition.

Kappa Delta, did an amazing set of songs from "Wicked," which earned them first place among the sororities; Tri Sigma got third place singing Madonna songs, and Alpha Gamma Delta came in fourth with a rain theme.

In the fraternity division, Sig Ep continues to own my heart (I swear I will marry that collective fraternity someday- meet my husband, Sigma Phi Epsilon). They took first singing a bunch of James Taylor songs and never failing to amaze me. Sigma Nu took second place singing love songs from morning till night; Lambda Chi took third with some more love songs. Phi Kappa Theta took fourth place, bless their hearts, and it was the first time they ever participated in Greek Sing since they recently got their charter at Eastern. They dressed in red, white and blue and stood in the formation of the American flag and sang patriotic songs like "America, the Beautiful."

I love my Greek Sing. You guys should watch it! Cuz I'm getting a copy of the DVD just before I graduate.