Sweet Home New York...it doesn't have the same ring to it

New York...I do love you I swear, I was just really sad to leave Auburn and have the summer come to a close. New York is home and there are plenty of wonderful songs about New York including Adam Pascal's version of "A New York State of Mind" but Sweet Home Alabama is such a fun song...and will always take me back to my summer in Auburn (I've already mentioned in past posts how songs really rocket me back to specific times and places). I full intend on keeping my ringtone as Sweet Home Alabama for a long time...I have to I have an orange phone cover and Auburn stickers on my phone.

I was so tired that I could have slept for 20 hours, but I had a massage booked for 1pm as a nice welcome home treat for myself on Saturday. So I woke up and was quite excited to go to my car and drive it. Oh my Jeep...Code Red how I've missed you. Code Red aka Cody missed me too I could tell. It was funny how out of it I was driving aorunf at home. I really hadn't been home since the end of April except for the 12 hours I was home the day I left for Auburn. Not being home for a while mixed with my terrible sense of direction never is good. I did make it to the spa and had a wonderful massage. My back and body were so tight and tense, especially after a 10+ hour travel day, but in 1 hour it all changed. I was a new woman...relaxed and feeling good. I highly suggest massages, once I have a full time job I intend on getting massages AT LEAST once a month, they are heaven and worth every penny.

After my massage I went through my luggage and the boxes that I shipped (the 3 I shipped Wednesday actually beat me home, they got there Friday afternoon). My eagle statue, my framed Auburn pics and framed Creed all made the journey home safe and sound. I then vegged on the couch for and watched 2 lifetime movies which was both stellar. I finally was able to pull myself away long enough to go online and see all the sweet facebook messages I got from some of my CWE loves. Yes I cried, big shock. After writing messages back and making some phone calls to my Auburn loves it was time for me to go out with one of my Lawnguyland Loves, Jeannine aka J9 (me and nicknames...I love them...most of my friends have acquired at least one each over the years). Jeannine and I went to Starbucks in Long Beach, one of old haunts...home to many good nights of summers past. After catching up on each others lives it was great to hear about hers and then to relive my summer by telling her about mine...in addition to what she's read in the blog. After a few hours at Starbucks we ended up just chillin out on her back deck of her house...again another summer favorite from years past. While at her house we realized that we met 6 years ago at work when I started the last week of July in 2000. So unintentionally it was nearly 6 years to the day of us meeting, J9's pretty sure it was the 23rd and she's really good with remember dates so I wouldn't doubt it. We were both shocked that it was been 6 years, so then of course we went down memory lane which was hilarious. It was so great to hang out with someone who knows you so well to the point where we could finish each other’s sentences if we wanted to. Jeannine and I never went to HS or college together, but we have been able to remain good friends. When we're together it all kind of falls back into place, I love friendships like that and I am lucky to have a quite q few like that. J9 and I ended up staying up pretty late, but hands down it was an excellent first night back. I look forward to quite a few stellar nights out with Jeannine this week and this weekend as well as just chill times as well.

Today I slept in really really late, like 3pm late. Actually at 11am I got a phone from one of my other favorite Lawnguyland turned Q friends Christine. I of course didn't answer the phone. Most of my friends know the rules about calling me. During the week I don't want phone calls before 10am and then on weekend I better not get a phone call before Noon...if there is something you really need to tell me text me. The Jenn phone rules were quite the discussion last semester when my friend Dan called at 8am one day and I almost killed him and had to read him the riot act. This summer was an exception to the rule due to the nature of the work I was doing, but now that I have an 8 day vacation I expect to sleep in without phone calls...okay now I'll get off my soapbox. But come one 8 days is all I get before having to head to UConn on Sunday the 30th. Honestly I have no idea what I did today...I was on the phone a lot just trying to catch up with home friends, Q friends, and Auburn peeps. Oh and I watched 2 hours of Project Runway. I think going 10 weeks without really watching TV this summer has now forced me to go into a TV coma...okay not really...it's just been gross outside. I can't wait to get some beach weather in or just reading in the back yard weather.

Tomorrow I'm hanging out with Christine and Rory. Rory is a former QU orientation leader who also is from Lawnguyland so a good time is definitely in store...and I get to share all my Auburn stories with them yay!

Oh and today I finally got around to sending George(the Auburn Student Gov't President and former Camp Counselor) a pic I had taken of him picking up Aubie at the last pep rally. George tortured me about the picture for 10 days, if we didn't share the same birthday I could have been mad....okay not mad he's a Leo too and he couldn’t understand that I was busy packing and saying goodbyes to not have time to upload the pic and send it to him, but alas I sent it and now have him off my back. I swear he was gonna lobby until he got it...e-mails, facebook messages, wall posts...haha and yet after all that he still hasn't made it his facebook pic yet. So Auburn peeps pleasure give George a hard time...thanks.

Oh and a shout out to Natty Lite...Today (well it's after midnight now, but the 23rd) was Natty Lite's 23rd birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! I wish I was there to celebrate, but before I left I bought he a shirt from Urban Outfitters that said "Natty Light" on it...it's really sweet..I took pics and I bought her some Natty Lights as well. When you have a nickname as awesome as Natty Lite you gotta celebrate it.

Well I need to go to bed, okay that a lie...I'm gonna start a book my mom bought me called Savannah Breeze and it takes place on Tybee Island...so I'll probably be sad as I read it and think of the FABULOUS time I had there with some of my favorite Auburn girls.

War Eagle!
Jenn

PS: When I was out to dinner with my mom tonight I sang (off key) the Figth Song for my mom, she was embarrassed, but also touched. I also showed her the creed card and she was really impressed by it.

PPS: I got a facebook message from Cheryl...the Orientation coordinator at the Q and my mentor saying that she was concerned that I loved Auburn Orientation more than Quinnipiac. I assured her that Quinnipiac will always be my number one, but that it was refreshing to have such a wonderful experience somewhere that wasn't Quinnipiac. I reminded her of my Q tattoo and how much love and passion I have for Quinnipiac Orientation. I actually can't wait to meet with up with Cheryl and tell her about my summer and the things I shared from the Q orientation down there as well as give her some new ideas. And I'll also be sure to thank Cheryl for first telling me about the NODA internship opportunities that existed. I am already indebted to Cheryl, but her direction and wise words only further makes me grateful for having her in my life.

PPPS: Two fun quick things to mention. To the disappointment of many I didn't come home with a southern drawl...but I have become more polite. Overall politeness and the use of ma'am and sir. Like I say ma'am a ridiculous amount since...I noticed it right away in Alabama and then when I've said it here the past 2 days people look at me like I'm crazy. Although being in NY for 48 hours has already rubbed some of the politeness away...oh well. One thing that Jeannine noticed was how I pronounce the word AWKWARD differently now. Maybe it's because awkward was the word of the summer that was overly overused, and because of Bo's use of awkward in Real World with his little Georgia accent...but I've gone from saying "AWWEK-WARD" to "AAAK-WARD." There you go...Auburn rubbed off my pronunciation a little bit, but I bet I have a few people saying or at least thinking AWWWWBEEEE or AWWWWBURN now thanks to me!