Ruff Day? Don't Worry!

Today I discovered something wonderful; something that is capable of dispelling all of the negativity in the world; something that offers humanity a small glimpse into the glory of Heaven on earth....

A CORGI RALLY

I mean seriously... A giant group of adorable furry little friends all in one place, and what is that one place, you might ask? Oklahoma. 

We all have those days when we are completely slammed with work-- I mean, just thinking about everything we have to accomplish is enough to give someone a panic attack. I was having one of those days and I got to a point where I just needed to take a moment and breathe. I found myself in desperate need of something mindless, so I began to scroll through social media. My Instagram feed was relatively representative of its normal composition: couples' pictures, friendly appreciation posts, and the inevitable dramatic selfies accompanied by deep quotes. I worked my way a little deeper into the feed and found a picture my friend had posted of several corgis. I was a little confused because I knew that she didn't personally own one. Clearly, my immediate response was to do some "creeping" and discover where all of these corgis were coming from. Thank goodness for the capability to add a location to a picture because it made discovering what this magical occasion was incredibly simple. 

At first the concept of a corgi rally seemed a little silly and too good to be true; however, upon additional investigation, I realized that it was absolutely real and a pretty regularly occurring event back home, and in my opinion, it should be a regularly occurring event everywhere.

Based on my immense homework load, I probably spent way too much time exploring the jewels of the Okie Corgi Rally Facebook page, but just look at this picture...

These animals were just what I needed to pull me out of my studying slump. In case any of you find yourself in a studying dead end, or you just really like corgis, here are some of my favorite pictures that I found while perusing the Facebook page.

My favorite thing about dogs is how they enjoy the simple things, just look at how happy this corgi is and all it's doing in laying in the grass... wowza, what an awesome animal.

This dog is experiencing pure bliss, which will be my emotion when I finally make it to a Corgi Rally.

 Something about this angle just made this picture too cute to not be acknowledged. 

And to close it out with some classiness, here is a dog wearing a bow tie, what more could you ask for?

When I had finally had my fill of corgi pictures my primary question was when the next rally would be occurring. Unfortunately, it is February 27th, not even a week before I will be home for spring break (just my luck...) But no worries, experiencing a Corgi Rally back home in Oklahoma was promptly added to my bucket list! I assure you that once I am there, there will be a plethora of pictures that can hopefully assist someone else when they are desperate for touch of unique happiness in the middle of this hectic thing we call college life. 

Side note: Thank you to Okie Corgi Rally for the pictures and for existing.

Gems

Oklahoma has certainly produced its fair share of gems, flourishing in popularity throughout the nation. On the inverse, Oklahoma has produced some, well... not so gem-like characters. For some reason, Americans have a peculiar affinity for the off-beat and laughable, and to gift examples of such things to fellow Americans, we turn to the internet. One common internet database for us to share some of these interesting characters is People of Walmart, which just happens to frequently feature people from, you guessed it, Oklahoma!

People of Walmart 

This particular picture was cleverly captioned as "The Most Depressingly Aged Dr. Seuss Character." I truly feel bad about those who are unknowingly the source of entertainment for others; however, this particular ensemble clearly is the result of some conscious thought and planning. From the hair to the top/pants combination all the way to the toy(?) in her hand, this random lady meticulously worked to match everything.

 People of Walmart

This one I find incredibly intriguing. I would really like to know the inspiration behind this display, and what kind of activities make someone or something eligible of the title "Red Neck Dream Catcher." Please do not get the idea that this is a typical thing to see, I am probably just as confused by it as you are.

People of Walmart

My favorite part of this picture is the striking contrast between this lady's scantily clad body and the sharply dressed man to her left. Some things are only appropriate in certain situations; however, I am not completely sure that this can be deemed appropriate in any situation. I suppose I have to give her a round of applause for being so comfortable and confident in her own skin, so you go random Walmart lady!

We have addressed that Oklahoma has produced some peculiar beings, but as I mentioned before, Oklahoma is also home to many individuals who are compelling in a positive manner. I would assume that you have heard of most, if not all, of them and you may even be a fan. 

Here are just a few...

Brad Pitt
IMDb

Surprise! This iconic fellow hails from Shawnee, Oklahoma. Brad Pitt is an established actor and producer, commonly identified by his "chiseled good looks." He has appeared in a variety of movies including Fight Club, Troy, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and more.













Chuck Norris
Official Home of Chuck Norris 

That's right, the man behind the jokes regarding his inhuman capabilities is from Ryan, Oklahoma, which I have actually never heard of... but the internet doesn't lie, so it must be true. Norris established his fame as a successful American martial artist, actor, film producer and screenwriter.












Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood

Winning the fourth season of American Idol launched this girl from Muskogee, Oklahoma to stardom. Her numerous music awards, including seven Grammy Awards; 17 Billboard Music Awards; 11 Academy Awards; and nine American Music Awards, prove that she is undeniably talented. Also, she just so happens to frequent PA on tour, in fact she is in Pittsburgh this Wednesday (2/17) and Philadelphia the following Monday (2/22).






  
  

Kristin Chenoweth
 IMDb

If you are familiar with musicals, you are certainly familiar with Kristin Chenoweth. She is from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, which happens to be about 50 minutes from where I live. She has frequented both the Broadway stage and the big screen, but most of you would probably know her for originating the role of Galinda in the musical Wicked.












The All-American Rejects
All-American Rejects
To conclude this list of gems, here is one from my hometown: Stillwater, Oklahoma! It is a common assumption that Oklahoma only yields country singers, but The All-American Rejects are a well known alternative rock band with songs such as Gives You Hell, Dirty Little Secret, It Ends Tonight, Swing Swing, and Move Along. The members of this band met in middle school, which happens to be that same middle school that I went to. Additionally, Tyson Ritter and I have the same birthday... so I guess the mutual school system and birthday essentially makes me second-hand famous. Thanks, All-American Rejects!!

Thank You, Mom

With a new semester comes a new wave of blogs. After a greatly needed break from the hectic life of a college student, I returned to State College and recommenced this blog. I was excited to get to continue documenting my experiences as a girl swept from her Southern home and sometimes gracefully, and sometimes hilariously clumsily, handling the variances in culture. However, my excitement was nothing compared to my mother's. Just a few hours after I had published my first post of the new semester, I received this text message from my mom...

"Yes, the stalking has started..."

I would presume that this is not a typical statement that many people hear, but in my family, this was absolutely in the realm of normalcy. I recall casually mentioning the creation of this blog and about how enjoyable it was to write, and that was about the extent of my explanation. After that comment, it took about a week until I received a phone call notifying me that my entire series of blogs had been diligently perused by my entire family, in fact, it had become a family affair in which my mother would happily read the posts aloud to anyone who was willing to listen. Week after week I continued to get phone calls so that my family members could express their commentary to me, and if any post deviated from my regular posting date, I knew to expect a text that night asking where my new post could be found.

Although mildly invasive, something about my family's desire to delve into what I was doing from so far away brought a level of comfort. When I was at home they were close behind me every step of the way, and they still have the same interest, even 1,215 miles away (that would take 397 hours to walk if you were interested). That is quite the distance, but as soon as something happens, I know my family is there for me, and this was proven just this week.

I have been having some leg pain, so I made an appointment with University Health Services to squelch whatever the issue was before it could get out of hand. I saw a doctor who suggested that I start a regimen with a physical therapist, and I did just that. Everything was going great and I sensed that I was improving, or at least not worsening, but on Saturday night, everything turned around. I found myself entirely immobilized and unable to walk. On occasion I could find relief and do what I refer to as "gimp" around to make it to where I needed to be. I contacted my doctor regarding my worsened condition and he was " incredibly concerned," which is not what I wanted to hear.

As my condition progressed, I continued to update my mom. I knew that she wanted to be here, and sure enough, the following morning I got a phone call from the air port. This action was what I needed more than anything in this situation. Medical practices can only do so much, but moms can truly work magic. My mom showed me that distance means absolutely nothing, especially when it comes to family. I am so incredibly thankful for her, and she certainly deserves more thanks than a simple blog post... but hey, I suppose this isn't too bad for a start.

p.s. Oddly enough, I had written the first section of this post pre-medical issues with the intention of dedicating it to my mom, it's funny how things work out sometimes.