Betty the Graduate

Graduation couldn't come soon enough last semester. I had senioritis...BAD. I was so stressed, overworked, tired, and could not wait to taste the sweet release of freedom.

Well, graduation day finally came! I did it! I now have a Bachelors of Science in Mass Communication. It was a goal I had been focusing on for a while. I wanted to quit several times, but I promised myself this is something I could and had to do.

I thought I was going to spend big bucks getting graduation photos done, but to be honest, I was so busy preparing for two conferences and finishing up the 12 hours, I did not have time. I barely had time for this impromptu photoshoot. I gotta say, Jes is a pretty dang good photographer. haha We did this outside our apartment complex.

 Confetti!! This is actually a hard shot to get ( to me...probably not to the pros). Jes did great with the timing!

 One of my favorite books and classes throughout school was Mass Communication Theory because it focused more on the philosophic side of Mass Comm.

 More books to remind me what hell I went through. haha jk.

 Graduation day finally!!!  I was so happy this day, ya'll. You have no idea. I know it sounds so cliche, but I literally had a weight lifted off my shoulders. I felt like a new and better woman.

 It felt good to hear the administrator call my name to receive the degree, and then to hear all my family and friends cheering me on from the sidelines.

 Jordan, Erin, Me, Jes, and Doc.

 Some of my graduating class.

 One of my classmates and friends, Bethany took some graduation photos of me. I was taking some of her and we just decided to switch. ( She is a much better photographer than I am.)

 Waiting in line to get my degree. Check out my "do me" shoes. haha That's what my professor, Dr. Carwile would call them. What can I say? Short girls gotta find a way to get some height.

 While attending A&M, I was able to be featured in the I AM campaign. I was in a couple commercials and print ads. My friend sent me this from Four State Magazine.

 I was a student worker my last year of college in the Business Office. I really miss working with those ladies. They showed me what's it's like to actually enjoy going to work because of the people you work with. On my last week in the B.O., they threw me a graduation celebration. When I got to work, they had my favorite sweet treats on my desk.

 The ladies also had my desk decorated all cute!

 Another co-worker knows me toooo well. I'm always talking about Wing Stop and how much Jes and I love to get some wings, so she got me a gift card for Wing Stop.

 They also hooked me up with a ballin' luncheon from one of my favorite restaurants FUZZY'S TACOS!! ( They know I love food...can ya tell?) Anyway, the crawfish tacos are the bomb there. And for the sweet tooth, a graduation cookie cake. They sure know how to make a girl feel special.

 Another picture of what my desk looked like when I came into work.

 After graduation, my family and I went to eat at Olive Garden. It was nice to hang out with everyone all in the same place. I really had a good time seeing everyone. Instead of a graduation cake, mom ordered me THE MOST ADORABLE COOKIES EVER. They were assorted sugar cookies in different shapes, some were Time Burton themed, and some graduation themed. Mom really does know best.

 Alice in wonderland cookie

 graduation cookie

 They tasted delicious too!!

 This one was so cute, I actually could not "eat me."

 Dad got me a unique graduation gift. Most parents are against tattoos, but  my Dad isn't. He is just cool like that. Soooo, we went down to Third Street Art and got my other foot tattooed.

 The fresh and finished product. My brother calls them "sweet meat feet."

 Now, I get so many people ask why I have a steak and cupcake tattoo. Well,  JUST BECAUSE, BITCH. haha jk Really, I guess it was my own idea of a yin and yang tattoo. A reminder to be balanced with feminine and masculine qualities. Plus, I do love food and like to cook.

 Since it was graduation, I thought it would be funny to look back and see a class picture from kindergarten. I'm on the second row next to the teacher. (teacher's pet) :P

 I was so surprised to find out my parents were throwing me a graduation party!!! They threw me an awesome party. I'm so thankful they did that.  It was nice to be recognized for all the hard work I did. I had a GREAT time at the party. I always told myself I would get so trashed when I graduated, and well...I did just that. The next day was not so fun. It was a terrible hangover...just saying. I actually haven't been drunk since because I remember the nightmare of that hangover. haha But the fun I had was TOTALLY worth it. We ate. We drank. We played red neck golf. We played toss-a-cross. We played music. We danced. We did karaoke. We laughed. It was a time I won't forget. I loved having all my family together.

 Here is the table set up. There was another table with food and drinks of course. The outside had lights and tables set up in the dance area ( the carport). As usual, I got so excited experiencing it. I forgot to take pictures. Plus, since i was so drunk, some of the pictures are really blurry. lol

 Well, this is a gift passed down in my family. We have a tradition where we pass on the "smart ass" trophy. This gets passed on to whoever graduates in our family, so I am now the proud holder.  I suppose next it will either be going to my hubby or my brother.

After graduation comes the big girl job. I was interning at the radio station for a class to graduate, and had no other options, so I stayed there for about 5 months. 

 It was a good experience. The production part of radio can be fun.

I won't miss giving up my Saturday's to remotes. 

 But honestly, I didn't work here very long. I'm glad to have moved on to another job where I can be more happy.

Conference Betty

I've got some catching up to do! Now that I've graduated I should have more time for keeping up with my blogging.

Yep, that's right. I GRADUATED! (Finally) I now have a Bachelors of Science in Mass Communication.

I want to remember some things I did before graduating.

Jesse and I had the opportunity to present at a Alpha Chi Honor Society conference in St. Louis, MO. I was so honored that I was chosen to go. Plus, it was a really fun trip!

Here is Jesse presenting at his panel. He did great on his presentation, and he won Best Presentation at the awards ceremony! (And also scored a $100 check for his hard work.)

I didn't get a picture of me presenting, but here is my proof that I did. haha I presented on Auteur Theory and Tim Burton.  Tim Burton is one of my favorite artists and directors, so I enjoyed being able to research and share what I love. 

 The weather was absolutely beautiful in St. Louis! We did a lot of walking. I was so relieved I brought some walking shoes. haha It's such a neat city. Plus, our mentor, Dr. Nakashian, had lived there in the past, so he knew all the best places to show us around.

 Like Pappy's Smokehouse Bar-B-Q. It was the BEST Bar-B-Q I have ever tasted. There were people in line for an hour waiting to be seated in this delicious restaurant.

 Here we are waiting in the line to taste the goods.

Even on of my favorite bands, Muse, had visited the restaurant and singed a menu. I got a picture with the closest I will ever be to Muse.

After presenting, we had a chance to walk the city of St. Louis and see this famous landmark, the Gateway Arch.

My second conference was a Mass Communication conference in New Orleans, LA. It was the Southern States Communication Association Convention. I had never been to New Orleans before, so I was really excited to go. My mentor had a son who lived there, so he took us to all the local dives instead of the tourist type places. Despite the sign, this place actually had fantastic food.

 Here is the pretty night-life sky line from my hotel room. My mom went with me to this conference, and we shared the hotel room. It was nice to have mom by my side the whole time.

 I was really nervous to present, but once I got set up in the panel room, I wasn't so nervous anymore. I presented my research that I completed for an independent study course. I examined gender role portrayals on the Food Network and how viewers perceived those portrayals, and how gender roles were adopted in their own lives. I questioned if television portrayal is responsible for some gender role adoption.

 Walking the streets of New Orleans, you are most certain to hear live music. Just in the day that we walked I saw an accordion player, a guitar player, a cajun band, a bluegrass band, and these jazz musicians.  

 We went right after Mardi Gras season. Can you tell? haha Beads are in the trees.

 A photo showing how high my hotel room is. Considering I am afraid of heights, I would get queasy looking out of the window. I was trying to see what it looked like if i fell in this picture.

 The famous Bourbon street. It smelled like vomit and piss. Like I said, we were going right after Mardi Gras.

 New Orleans was very supportive of artists. There was art EVERYWHERE. Our hotel was support George Rodrigue and his Blue Dog pieces. This particular painting was signed by Billy Joel and painted by George Rodrigue. There was also a huge Blue Dog on our hotel. I was too excited and distracted to get a picture though.

 Walking around goofing with mom  in New Orleans.

 We did some shopping as well ( of course, we are women) and I found these sunshades which I LOVE. Perfect cat eye vintage frames for me!

A pic with my mom. We were chowing down. We did a lot of chowing down. (That's always the best part of a trip to me.) The food in New Orleans is rich, flavorful, and sooooo yummy.

Another New Orleans skyline picture during the day. 

  Can't go to New Orleans without getting some crawfish!

 I ate three pounds of crawfish. Which is  a pretty good bit for a gal like me. my plate was EMPTY when I was finished (except for the shells of course.) My mouth is watering just looking at this photo. 

Mom also took me to the Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans. It was so neat seeing all the difference creatures and pretty colors. Unfortunately, my phone battery was dying at this point, so I didn't get very many pictures, but I still remember the fun.

Both cities are definitely ones I would like to visit again! Such great memories!

A spoonful of Honey Helps the Allergies Go Down

Honey is a historical power food used for medicinal purposes. The Natural and Alternative Treatment database states that Hippocrates, the Greek physician, suggested honey for topical use, such as treating infected wounds and ulcers on the lips. The Romans used honey for upset stomach, sore throat, and cough. Egyptian records include honey for eye diseases, surgical dressing, and as an ingredient for homemade salves to treat burns. [1] Honey is considered one of the oldest and natural sweeteners on earth and is an item to keep in the cupboard because it contains so many uses and health benefits. Also, because of the antibacterial qualities, honey has an impeccable shelf life. Egyptians would bury their royals with jars of honey, so the soul would have sustenance for the afterlife. Archeologists are now finding pots of unspoiled honey in Egyptian tombs. [2]

Numerous studies have been conducted to see the medicinal benefits of honey. Included in these studies is an informal study conducted by students at Xavier University in New Orleans. The researchers divided allergy sufferers into three control groups. Some were given two teaspoons of honey a day, while others took non-local honey. After six weeks, the study showed that each group suffered less allergy symptoms, and the group taking the local honey showed the most improvement.[3]

 I recently moved to what seems like the allergy capital of the world: Texarkana, Arkansas. Growing up the country, I have a pretty strong immunity towards certain allergens but something in the air leaves me sniffling. Homeopathic medicine suggests fighting sickness with the small doses of that sickness over time. For example, if one is allergic to ragweed, exposure to small doses of ragweed will eventually help the body develop immunity. Recent health craze suggest using local grown honey to help with allergies because the pollen used to make that honey is collected from plants near the living location. Naturally, the pollen that causes watery eyes is used to make the honey. Local, raw honey is available in Texarkana in several locations: The Granery, Spices Unlimited, The Farmers Market, Twenty Cedars Farms, and selected grocery stores. 

I decided to purchase local honey and test this theory on myself and my husband, who also suffers from allergies. We found many different uses to incorporate honey into our regular diets. I replaced the sugar in my tea with honey, supplemented using honey in my cookies and other baked goods, used honey in smoothies, and poured honey on daily servings of fruit.  After using local honey daily for one month, we both eliminated our allergy symptoms. Once the honey jar emptied, I stopped buying it for a month to see if our bodies reverted back suffering from allergies. The theory proved true. Neither of us ingested honey in two months and the allergy symptoms returned.

[1] Chepulis, Lynn. Healing Honey: A Natural Remedy for Better Health and Wellness. Universal-   Publishers, 2008. 30.

2

Buchmann, Stephen L. Letter from the Hive: An Intimate History of Bees, Honey, and        Humankind. Random House. 2006.

3

Cochran, Brittany. "Honey: A sweet relief?" Xavier University. October 23, 2003.            http://www.twobeekeepers.com/raw-honey-for-allergies/

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Crafty Betty

Recently, Jes and I joined our friends and co-workers(and their significant others) for a fun night at Texarkana's Painting with a Twist. 

When signing up, there are so many options to browse through to find the exact painting you would like to replicate. On the night of the party everyone brought their own finger foods, wine, and beer. Painting with a Twist has everything set up for you upon arrival. The color palette and paints are assembled on a plate, the brushes are soaking, and the canvas is ready and waiting. 

  We followed the instructor step by step, and even though everyone is painting the same picture, all the finished projects look different. Everyone has their own flare seen in their artwork. 

I would recommend visiting Painting with a Twist to anyone wanting an artistic experience or a fun and different date night. You can reserve a party or individual lesson on their website. https://www.paintingwithatwist.com/texarkana.

Betty Boop

A collage I did. Who knew hoarding magazines would come in handy. I call this "Constructing a Woman."

This is a poem I wrote about the cycle of life . The poem has no set meter, form, or number of stanzas; it is completely random...just like life. The sections cover identity formation, birth, growing-up, social relationships, sex, religion, enlightenment, artistic inspiration, periods of contentment, growing-old, death, and the continuation of the cycle of life. 

"Germination"

Origination

Creation

Identification

Parturition

Fascination

Cultivation

Signification

Communication

Exploration

Maturation

Relation

Conversation

Variation

Association

Combination

Infatuation

Sensation

Temptation

Vibration

Penetration

Determination

Education

Graduation

Mechanization

Occupation

Escalation

Classification

Inflation

Exploitation

Discrimination

Depreciation

Desperation

Denomination

Automation

Condemnation

Memorization

Impersonation

Reparation

Organization

Hesitation

Evasion

Rationalization

Meditation

Hallucination

Information

Illumination

Transformation

Inspiration

Aspiration

Illustration

Separation

Liberation

Relation

Gratification

Harmonization

Moderation

Complication

Degeneration

Preservation

Operation

Deterioration

Salutation

Expiration

Re-incarnation 

Dreamin' about my fictional Tea Party

Dreamin' about my fictional Tea Party by rockivories featuring yellow handbags

Prabal Gurung yellow handbag
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Xhilaration® Juniors Bra Cup Fit and Flare Dress - Assorted Colors
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