today we are all hokies

i want to take a moment to interrupt my usual sarcasm and banter on behalf of two of my favorite people in the world, my sisters.


four years ago today, an otherwise normal day, as we all went about our business, the lives of 32 bright, innocent people were taken. i will never, ever forget that day. sitting in my cube at my relatively new job half a world away from my baby sister. i remember i was wearing a white turtleneck when i read the report that someone had been shot in her dorm. i don't remember the turn of events for the next little bit. i don't remember if i spoke to her before the reports flooded in about this madman on the loose in a building on campus. i do remember speaking to her though, finally, and her healthy yet terrified voice was like a chorus of angels in my ears. i remember realizing there are 32 other sisters or brothers, mothers or fathers, who were not having a tidal wave of relief flood their body as they received the opposite news. i will never forget the hurt in my other sister's voice. the campus she has loved since we moved her into campbell hall in 1995 has been forever changed. i will never forget leaving work that day, my white turtleneck stained in the sleeves and collar from smudged make-up and mascara from the tears shed from fear, sadness, hurt, happiness...and most of all relief. and for the next week, and every 4.16 from then on out, i trade in my purple and gold for a day of maroon and orange (i think my duke dog approves).

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today we are all hokies. today we will neVer forgeT. today we put aside the rivalry, and today we remember 4.16.07

and she's back!

well, so sorry for the radio silence this last month! my computer died and i was in technology purgatory as i continued to slowly amass the funds to buy one gorgeous macbook pro. i don't really think i need the power that this baby has, after all, g-chat does not really take up much memory or whatever it is that it uses...but what i don't need in power i certainly enjoy in beauty. i will never again return to the world of the PC. ever!

so, it would make sense that i have a lot to write about in the last month. which i do...i'd just hate to share all of my cards in one blog post...but i do have a book recommendation!

holy. moly. this book was AMAZING. i'm usually easy going when it comes to what i read, and i generally love just about everything i read...but this...this book was just absolutely wonderful. julia and michael are high school sweethearts who have found massive wealth and success in michael's DrinkUp beverage company and julia's party planning business (i have to interject...why is it that every wealthy man is married to a randomly successful party planner? interesting.) and they have replaced any intimacy or love in their marriage with bentleys, diamonds, and mansions. when michael has a heart attack at the young age of 35ish and he is clinically dead for 4 minutes his entire life and outlook on living changes. when he comes back to life he sets forth to find the happiness and love that he and julia once shared.

i could not put this page turner down. every spare second i had was spent with my iPad glowing on my face, drinking in every last word and scene between these two, and fighting for them up until the very end.

go here and buy it right now.

you won't regret it.