Top 5 Embarrassing Moments of My Life

There is a lot of back story when it comes to GUS NOVEL.  After all, she's hanging out with childhood friends so embarrassing stories are going to resurface now and then. It got me thinking of some embarrassing stuff that has happened in my life so here they are:

Top 5 Embarrassing Moments

. : UNO : . 

Peeing my pants in the first grade. All I can remember was sitting in my plastic chair and for some reason not being able to get up to go to the bathroom. I told everyone around me, including the teacher, that the big puddle of yellow under my chair was orange juice I had spilled. Even after I reeked of pee all day long, I told kids I fell into a puddle of what obviously had to be dog pee when I walked to school that morning. Why oh why did no teacher send me home?! I mean seriously now.

. : DOS : . 

Popping a boob out in the fourth grade. It's occurring to me that High School wasn't Hell, Elementary School was. I was in the music room before school started waiting with a million other kids to be able to go into our classes when two girls kept staring at me AND THEY WOULDN'T STOP! When the teachers told us to line up I realized my neon green button up shirt was missing a button right in the boobage area and there my little boob was for the world to see. I guess it was more like mosquito bites going on there at the time, but STILL!

. : TRES : . 

Anytime I've ever talked to a guy I find cute. There are so many to list. Example 1: At work a couple years ago this new guy came up to the deli, and when I attempted to act all cool I ending up sticking my hand into a bucket of cake icing. Example 2: The time I met Donnie Wahlburg, froze up like a freak when he grabbed my hand to shake it and stuttered out a very loud: OHHHH-KAAAAY!!! (Apparently he asked me how I was doing so in a way it made sense.) That's all I did though the entire time. Just stood there grasping his hand and nodding my head like a moron. Sheesh.

. : CUARTO : .

My 22nd birthday party. First: It was a freaking awesome night thrown by my roommates Shell, Tyler, and Derek and probably the best birthday party I've had since I was eight. The thing is, when I drink, especially a lot and especially back around that time, I get flat out ridiculous. One of my guy friends brought a group of girls to the celebration. During the course of the night one of them (or maybe it was all, I dunno) had stuck a panty liner on our bathroom mirror (RUDE!!) and wrote something on it with my eyeliner. I was pissed. Shell was pissed. So we marched into the garage where the girls were sitting and I started yelling a few things and one line that I'll probably never live down that went a little something like: "...and the only place my panty liners belong are IN MAH PANTIES!!!"

. : CINCO : . 

All the times I almost passed out then passed out. 

First Time: Picture it, circa 1996, in a middle school gym cram packed with everyone I've known since I could say my ABC's. I'm up in the choir singing and suddenly I start getting really hot and dizzy. It was one of those songs where we had some kind of jazz like hand moves, and I remember the girls next to me trying to pull me around with it and helping me because my body was going completely limp. I never actually hit the ground, but everyone for a week kept asking me what wrong with me, and why I kept swaying around like a drunk person. The verdict of that: Locking my knees too tight in a hot crowded room because I was oh so nervous

Second Time: In Cosmetology school while giving a perm my vision started going blurry. I excused myself from the old lady's do that I was working on and went into the bathroom. I splashed cold water on my face, sat down for a minute, and nothing was working.  I came walking out, stumbling every which way to Sunday, and my instructor grabbed me shouting, "Lane! Are you okay?!" I was sweating like a whore in church, my hearing was going in and out, couldn't see for a minute, and after I barely flopped down into a chair. They made me sit there for a while until I could see again and one of my classmates drove me home.  Everyone asked me if I was drunk then too. My mom showed up at my apartment with a thing of food thinking I was starving myself or something. The verdict of that: Blood sugar.

Third Time: Working at Blockbuster one morning when all the managers from ALL the stores were there for a regional meeting. My store manager was in the back getting the room set up, I started getting hot, seeing double, and slowly got onto the floor. The regional manger came over, wanting to call 911, but thankfully my assistant manager agreed with me when I kept repeating not to call. My vision came back, but I was very wobbly as my assistant manager walked me out the door so he could drive me home. Mind you my store was big open glass type of place so ALL these managers are watching me walking across the parking lot when BAM! I hit the ground while a car was driving by.  My assistant manager helps me off the ground, the guy in the car jumps out collecting things that flew out of my purse (pretty sure he grabbed my tampons), and then we continue to the car where once my assistant manger sets me up against his car to unlock it, BAM! I hit the ground again. Finally he gets me home where once again my mom shows up at my apartment thinking I'm starving myself and brings me food. I heard about me eating the pavement from EVERYONE for a month after that. Verdict to that: Another blood sugar episode.

Why music has ruined my memory.

My memory sucks. Some has to do with some choices I made in high school. I can tell you what all happened back there, but my short term memory? It's pretty much shot. I'll walk into a room, and I'll have no idea why I'm there. I can stick my keys in the same spot every day, but yet I still don't know where that spot is. One thing my memory is the worst at is tests. I suck at them. I can cram my little brain for weeks, and usually it doesn't help. Thankfully school is over!

Lately I've been listening to the 'Reality Bites' channel on DirectTV in the mornings when I'm getting ready. (I don't really recommend ever getting DirectTV, btw. I cannot wait for my contract to be up.) Most of these songs I haven't heard in YEARS. But I can sing them lyric for lyric. Is it because it's so catchy?  Is it because it has a tune? Is it because I quite possibly overplayed certain songs (even 10+ years ago) worse than a Top 40 station? I don't know! For some reason music just embeds in my memory.

So you're probably thinking wait Amber, I have the most genius idea for tests! Why not make us songs for stuff? Yeah. I've thought of that too. And I've tried it, but while I can write up a story, I cannot write songs. Old high school self of me could have. That girl used to write songs and poetry like crazy. Adult me.....not so much.

What are some songs that are embedded into your memory? Here's a list of ones from this week that have came up:

Book Talk: Names My Sisters Call Me by Megan Crane

Names My Sisters Call Me by Megan Crane

Released: April 2008
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Women's Fiction
Pages: 336

 Amazon | Goodreads

Courtney, Norah, and Raine Cassel are as different as three sisters can be. Norah, the oldest, is a type A obsessive who hasn't forgiven Raine, the middle sister, for ruining her wedding day six years ago. Raine is Norah's opposite, a wild child/performance artist/follow-your-bliss hippie chick who ran off to California. The only thing the two have in common is their ability to drive Courtney, their youngest sister, crazy. 


When her longtime boyfriend proposes, Courtney decides it's finally time to call a truce and bring the three sisters together. After all, they're grown-ups now, right? But it turns out that family ghosts aren't easily defeated--and neither are first loves. Soon Courtney finds herself reexamining every choice she has made in the past six years--including the man she's about to marry--and the value of reconnecting with the sisters she knows she needs, in spite of everything.

---

There's this certain selection of books in my bookworm heart that are deemed the highest of the high.  It's where the stories I love, characters that I can instantly click with get to go.  Names My Sisters Call Me is the newest edition to that collection.

Here's the thing about sisters, don't ever open your mouth unless it's your own. I know this because I am a sister.

 Wow. Wow. Wow. Did I ever love this book. Family dynamics are always a favorite, but this time the love story wasn't some secondary part. It was a true mix of life and all the steps it takes you. I loved every minute of it. I could relate to Courtney on so many levels, and it's why I had no problem almost hating her when I thought she was about to ruin something she couldn't even see. Newly engaged, all she wants is to bring her family who is pretty messed up in their own sense back together for her wedding to Lucas. What she doesn't expect is to find out the harsh reality of their feelings and let alone her own.

The sisters infuriated me and yet I understood them. First love, Matt freaking Cheney, who broke Courtney's heart when he took off six years ago might as well been the Devil, yet I secretly couldn't wait for him to show back in the story. We all know how those jerks of a first love go. The best person to tell you how entirely stupid you're being is always going to be your best friend.  In this case Verena was that friend, and boy is she hilarious! She reminds me of my own best friend who has no problem at all telling me how big of a jackass I'm being.

But all along there was Lucas. Strong, reasonable Lucas who has always seen Courtney for who she was. Sweet lord have mercy where can I find a Lucas for myself?! No, this isn't the type of story where the girl suddenly finds herself when she finds the guy. Or finds herself because she has TWO guys to deal with. The guy found her long ago, and it was really up to her to realize how her life should be. I easily found myself slipping into the story, being able to block out the world around me, and it hasn't been easy for me to do that in a while when it comes to books.  In some ways, I knew this story because I've made choices Courtney had made, and I was very pleased to see the end results of hers because it was very realistic.

It's official. Megan Crane is on my all-time favorite authors list. I envy her writing abilities like nobody's business and wish I had some of her talent.

My new theme song!

I am head over heels in love with this song, y'all! It just seemed to fit perfectly with hearing it on the day I graduated college and turning 27 - are you tired of me talking about this yet?! Thanks to Helen for pointing me to this. I'm definitely loving the singer, Meghan Tonjes. Her voice is just flat out amazing and so flowy and has a lot of soul. This Year will be played every morning every day I am 27 because great things are going to happen. I can feel it :)

Out on the open highway 

Out in the open air 

See the world move beneath me 

Leaving without a care 

 I know just where I came from 

But I don't know where I'll end 

Only thing that I'm sure of I'd do it all again 

 I found a boy I could love 

Maybe I found a few 

Even with best intention 

They never follow through 

 If he could take my heart now 

He'd put it right in her chest 

Thinking he finally could have 

A girl that he loved the best 

 And I'm gonna be fine, fine, fine- I'm gonna be brilliant. 

This year is gonna be better, and you're gonna see 

This year I'm gonna be stronger, and a braver me 

This year I'm gonna make it, 'cause I said I would 

And do all the things you said I never could. 

This Year. This Year. 

I may not be perfection I never claimed to be 

Maybe if I was thinner beautiful classically 

Of all of the things I carry 

All of the things I know I know that I will be loved 

No matter where I go 

And I'm gonna be fine, fine, fine- I'm just gonna be different. 

This year is gonna be better, and you're gonna see 

This year I'm gonna be stronger, and a braver me 

This year I'm gonna make it, 'cause I said I would 

And do all the things you said I never could. 

This Year. This Year. 

Maybe you're the kind 

Who needs light falling down 

Maybe you're the kind 

Who needs stars risen to the ground 

Just to feel the things you wish for are coming true 

 Sometimes it's hard to get up 

Maybe its hard to speak 

Think no one understands you 

Feel like nobody sees 

 When the night's dark around you 

With all of the things you've lost 

You'll know the hope inside you 

Sometimes is worth the cost 

 And I'm gonna be fine, fine, fine- because we'll be together

This year is gonna be better, and you're gonna see 

This year I'm gonna be stronger, and a braver me 

This year I'm gonna make it, 'cause I said I would 

And do all the things you said I never could. 

This Year. This Year. 

This year is gonna be better, and you're gonna see 

This year I'm gonna be stronger, and a braver me 

This year I'm gonna make it, 'cause I said I would 

And do all the things you said I never could. 

This Year. This Year. 

27 Things to Do Before I Turn 28

I've been 27 for three weeks, and I can already tell that this is gonna be a great year :)  Here is a list of things I'd like to do before I see April 29, 2013!


1. Get a new job with my snazzy Medical Office degree
Started it September 4th! 

2. Pay off my last credit card

3. Write the first draft of ANY novel!

4. Learn to play guitar (since it's been sitting in my living room since November!)

5. Go to 5 concerts!

6. Get my "new beginnings" tattoo

7. Loose 45 pounds

8. Decorate a two-stacked cake

9. Go to Laura Ingalls Wilder's House with Nanner
Went June 14th!

10. Travel to another state or states

11. Eat A LOT healthier

12. Read 30 books

1. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
2. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
3. This is SO Not Happening by Kieran Scott

13. Go to the fair in August

14. Spend weekends at the lake this summer

15. Wear heels for a week straight

16. Run a marathon...like a very small mile marathon

17. Throw my sister an awesome baby shower

18. Go floating

19. Go to an art walk

20. Make 8 different cupcakes from scratch

21. Build up my record collection

22. Stop second guessing all my decisions

23. Make an Etsy shop

24. See a play

25. Do something fun in Branson

26. Craft, Craft, Craft!

27. Be bolder

By the way, I GRADUATED!

I've never been the type of person who takes compliments well nor do I really ever think too highly of myself in a lot of aspects. But when I look at my pretty diploma stating that I officially have my Associates of Science in Medical Office, I can say without a doubt that I am damn proud of myself for this.

No one was pushing me to go back to school. I made the choice for me knowing that I needed to do something. There were times I wanted to cry, pull my hair out, and even quit especially when my sanity went out the window when handling 60 hour weeks with class, my job that pays the bills, and a clinic internship. I still made it though!

Me with some of the familia!

So excited my two best friends were able to come!

This is my end of the night "Ohmygosh I am so tired, oh crap I forgot to take a picture with my diploma, here lemme throw this stuff back on real quick and take the picture already!" look.  Please ignore the walls - I had ran over to my parents' to show my dad my diploma and they were in the middle of remodeling. 

MS Sucks! And that's why I do the Walk

On Saturday my sister, me, and some friends headed down to the MS Walk to walk for my dad who has had Multiple Sclerosis  for a little over 31 years. Our team name was MS Sucks! A name my dad personally said he approved of. This was our second year doing the walk and our team raised around $500!

MS SUCKS!!! My awesome team who I couldn't have done this without!

Ashlynne (one of my best friends) and Me!

I wanted a picture of us girls with my Padre's name on the back, but you can't really see it that well...

I usually don't talk about my dad's disease. For the longest time I've always associated MS with him instead of looking at it as two separate things. I've never known a life where my dad didn't have MS. I'm now 27, and my dad went from walking with a cane most of my life to finally having to get into a power chair in 2005. It's hard as a child seeing your parent's body slowly fight against them. It's why I love the MS Society and the work they do. When my dad had to start taking shots to help slow his MS down back when I was in high school, the medicine was ridiculously expensive. At one point my parents' insurance wasn't going to cover it, and that's where the MS Society stepped in. They accessed a grant for my dad so he could continue taking the medicine so his life could be a bit easier.

Walking through town it really hit me how much I know my dad would love for just one day to be able to take the walk I did, but his body won't allow it. You don't really think about it, not even when it's right there in front of you how much just being able to put one foot in front of the other is a blessing.

The name of my hero!

My sister wasn't able to do the actual walk due to her pregnancy so she stayed at the center and helped out as a volunteer. She got to hear more about the lady who has done the event for the past 19 years. How she started it the same year her brother was first diagnosed. Even though her brother is no longer alive, she still makes sure this event takes place. I loved that. We're making sure to volunteer next year with getting all the donations for prizes, refreshments, and setting up the event. It made me realize that with things slowling down how mcuh more I want to give back to the MS Society and what all they've done in the past years.

My Sister and Me!

Because of things like the MS Walk and donations, they've been able to set up medical funding to help fight MS. It was announced to us on Saturday that right now a medication is being presented to the FDA for active MS in helping putting it back into remission. This news made me so happy yet also made me sad because my dad is past the point of active MS and is now in progression. But it gives me so much more hope if the FDA does approve the medicine, the medicine starts to cure active MS, that maybe one day with more funding they'll be able to reach out and help those with progressive MS.

22 balloons were launched in honor for the 22 people in our small community who suffer from MS

If you want to learn more about MS or want to see if there is a walk in your neck of the woods I really encourage you to check out the website here. Even if you're not interested in that, I ask that you take a walk. Whether it's through your house or taking a walk outside and just be thankful for a moment that you have the ability to do it.

I do believe I'm going to like being 27!

27 years ago at 3:33 AM exactly on April 29th, my parents got the greatest gift of all.......

Me!

With school and work and this entire 'journey' of going back to college coming to an end I hadn't really given much thought about celebrating my birthday. This was kind of unlike me because I believe in Amberpolooza and celebrating the fact I'm alive in the world. So last minute I asked some of my closest friends to get together last Saturday night to celebrate. We did dinner, bowling, drinks and some more drinks (liquid marijuana is soooooo good, guys! And NO that's not a drug. It's the name of the drink!)

Then afterwards some of us came back to my house and we sat around drinking some more (UV Cake - yum!) and played some Phase 10. Playing cards to end the night instead of shutting the bar down might seem kind of old, but I wouldn't have picked a better way to end the night. I have the best friends, seriously!

That snazzy crown I'm wearing is from my 22nd birthday. I had found it when I was unpacking my office and around midnight that night ran and put it on then pranced back into the kitchen to show it off.

Ending the night around 2 AM! 

On Sunday, I went and had lunch with my Padre. He wasn't able to come to my birthday party later that in the afternoon at my Sister's so he wanted to do something just with me. I am a daddy's girl through and through people! Around 2 PM, I headed over to my Sister's to my birthday party. Yes, I'm 27 and family still believes in throwing birthday parties.

I'm the one usually planning all the parties. I even pick out my own cake most of the time! I told my Sister this year I wanted to be surprised. I wasn't planning ANYTHING though I did give her hints on what kind of  things I would like to see. One was I've ALWAYS wanted a book cake. The titles of the "books" were all hers and I cracked up seeing 'Adventures in Amblerland' on there!!

I was grinning ear to ear seeing 'Tales of Sammy Jones'. Sammy Jones is the nickname my Padre gave me when I was really little. The entire name is: Sam Hambone Lollipop Hobo Melon Belly Jones if you want to get technical, but it was shortened over the years to either Sammy Jones or Jones.  Even though it bled a little (whipped icing does that FYI, but that's okay because we only eat whipped in my family), the 27th Edition was a nice touch!

All in all it was a fantastic birthday! With graduation happening tonight (eek!!), I couldn't be more excited about turning a year older. For a while I started freaking out about entering my late 20's, but with everything that has happened, I can only see the plus side of my future and cannot wait to see what life has in store for me :)

Top Ten Books I'd Like to See Turn Into a Movie

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

10. Hate List by Jennifer Brown. This book was so character driven that I think it'd make for an excellent drama. The topic itself is pretty heart wrenching so tissues would be needed in the theater.

9. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce. Seriously just by fan trailers that have been made in the past, this could play out to be a great werewolf type of film. As long as it didn't have the director who did Red Riding Hood. Seriously. Stop screwing up tales!

8. Queen of Babble Trilogy by Meg Cabot. I think once upon a time there had been movie rights sold or something. I can't exactly remember, but this would be such a fun film to see with your gal pals.

7. Wicked As They Come by Delilah S. Dawson. Oh pllleasseeee!!! The author had such a vivid imagination, I could see this being put onto the big screen. Maybe even Tim Burton style.

6. Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa. This may work better as a TV series, but TEAM PUCK, baby!!!

5. Freefall by Mindi Scott. Possibly would be categorized under a teen angst film, but in a non-cheesy way because this story was another heart-wrencher, but had SUCH a good character development and made you think.

4. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. When reading most Elkeles books, I think of Lifetime Movies. Some might think that's a bad thing, but I FRIGGIN LOVE Lifetime movies!

3. WTF by Peter Lerangis This book read just like a movie. It would be freaking hilarious to see! If you were a fan of the movie GO, this is your book to read.

2. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen. I know what you're thinking...why didn't she pick This Lullaby? After all, it is the all-time favorite BUT I just love the book too much for it to be messed with. If they changed details, I'd get pissy. But with Truth About Forever, I just see it more of a movie when I read it. And it'd be fun to watch all the employees of Wishbone together. Possibly could make for a good TV series too.

1. Throne of Glass Novellas by Sarah J Maas. Guuysss. The actual book isn't even out yet - sometime in August -  but I am in serious LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! with all the novellas that have been released. They are made of awesome!! I will be shocked if film rights aren't gone into play for this.