You may be asking...what is "Catholidate"?

Cath·o·li·date
n.
1. A particular point or period of time at which something happened or existed or is expected to happen with a member of a Catholic church, especially a Roman Catholic.
2. An appointment involving the Roman Catholic Church or relating to those churches that have claimed to be representatives of the ancient undivided church.
3. A term coined by resident- genius Sir Jason Casselberry.
4. A semi-popular new reality series, like its predecessor Elimidate, which features Catholics on the dating scene.
5. February 18, 2005. 6:45 pm. Holy Family Catholic Church. A 27-year-old named Scott.

First Catholic service + first blind date = Catholidate.

Tonight was one of the most random nights ever! Last week Dr. T stopped me after class and asked me if I was still serious about a comment I made last semester. At a wedding shower, I had said that there are no guys my age on campus, and I asked her to keep her eye out for me. Well, how was I to know that five months later she would remember me asking her to keep an eye out? After pulling me aside, she told me that her husband works with a guy that is 27 and goes to their church-- Holy Family Catholic Church. She told me she immediately thought of me when she met Scott because he is really nice and he comes from a great family, blah...blah...blah. It sounded fairly promising to me so I said sure. She told me all about the services at her church and how they are having Friday night services during Lent called "Stations of the Cross". Coming to one of the services seemed like a great way to meet him, especially since they had a time of fellowship afterwards where we could sit and talk, etc. I told her I would be there and I walked away thinking...a blind date at a Catholic service? That sounds like a plot for some sort of warped romantic comedy. I had visions of telling my future children, "So, I met your father on a blind date at a Catholic service."

Anyway, today was the day. This afternoon I went shopping with Rachel, not especially for the date, but rather because I had a gift certificate for GAP from Christmas and I had yet to use it. I needed jeans in the worst way, so that's where we went first. I bought some jeans, but I thought...hmm...what will I wear with them? So we hit Old Navy and I bought a new shirt. I justified all of this, and buying our lunch at Chic-fil-A, by reminding myself that today was pay day. When you know you have money coming your way, everything seems better! I spent the rest of the day tutoring, etc. and then came home to get ready. I showed up at the church and met Dr. T and her husband. I was introduced to her two-year-old son, who is one of the cutest kids I have ever seen, and I fear I paid more attention to him than anyone else, including my "date". When Dr. T. introduced me to my Catholic date, there were no sparks or stars in our eyes, which is okay I suppose, I mean it's not the movies. On a side note, I think Hollywood has really left me disenchanted when it comes to first dates and even relationships for that matter. Okay, back to the main topic. Long story short...the night progressed. I really enjoyed the service, and I am thinking about going back next week. Scott was really nice; he was shy, so it made conversation a little difficult at the beginning, but he warmed up after a while. I can see us getting coffee in the future, because I left wishing I had been able to learn more about him (we spent the remainder of the evening, after the service, sitting at a table eating and talking as a group). I don't think he and I are destined for great things, but I had a great time, and what a story.
"Hey Melia. Have you ever been on a blind date?"
"Yes, yes I have. My first blind date was at Holy Family Catholic Church."

Later tonight I hung out with my friend Jason. Blockbuster is running this "limited time only" deal where you can buy two previously viewed DVD's for $20, and on top of that it is buy 2, get 1 free! Score! Once again, I justified my purchases with the fact that I got paid today. I bought "Troy", "Collateral", and the token-girly-movie "Princess Diaries 2". In my DVD collection, I am all about symmetry. I cannot possibly own "Princess Diaries 1" and not buy the sequel, I mean...come on people!

This weekend holds relaxation and homework for me. I am excited. Tonight I may actually get into bed at a decent time. I need some sleep so I can get my lazy butt out of bed and to the gym in the morning.

Tonight I was informed that my name is an anagram for "email." Let's just think about that until next time.

Gimme, gimme that thing called love...

Okay, so the themeless restaurant idea was a bust. In four days we only had one customer, and... wouldn't you know it...it was Kevin Bacon, so (of course, because of the manifesto) we had to ask him to leave.

So, today is Valentine’s Day. Happy Valentine’s Day! Some of my friends think that I am bitter towards this holiday, possibly because I say things like, “It looks like a bottle of Pepto Bismol threw up in Hallmark”, but that’s not so much bitterness as sheer truth. Contrary to popular belief, I actually enjoy Valentine’s Day. I love conversation hearts. I love fresh flowers. I love letters. I love chocolate. I love dates. So, seemingly, Valentine’s Day should be my favorite holiday. There is nothing I do not like about it, except for the overpopulation of stuffed animals in all sorts of horrible sizes and colors. Some sort of population control should monitor the production of these things or pretty soon we will have to begin shooting them for sport. I may go to Wal-Mart and try that tomorrow. I am going for the gigantic hot pink bears first, because they make me want to vomit.

I thought this Valentine’s Day was going to be depressing because, for the first time since…well, before college, I did not have a “Valentine”, if you will. I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. No phone call to Chris. No frantic last-minute packaging of a gift. I didn’t have to do anything. It was nice to know that I could do (or not do) anything I wanted. I wasn’t expecting anything and no one was expecting anything from me. But, I did receive things, to my delight and dismay. I woke up this morning to a call from my mother telling me that I had received flowers at my parents’ house. Who could have sent them?! I got to their house and saw a beautiful vase full of gerber daisies (my favorite) and lilies, etc. I opened the card: “Happy Valentine’s Day”—Trevor. Trevor?! How sweet is that?! I was disappointed that I couldn’t go to his awesome, blow-out Valentine’s Day party, but the gorgeous flowers made me feel a lot better about sitting in classes and meetings all night. After my meeting I went to coffee with Eric and David, and then stayed to talk to Wade. Wade gave me a box of chocolates, which was completely unexpected, and I had just said to the girl at the counter, “What’s Valentine’s Day without chocolate?” Now I had flowers and chocolate. What more could a girl ask for? I think it’s sad that Valentine’s Day is primarily seen as a day for lovers. (Eww…saying lovers, I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.) This year I spent it with friends, and it was the best Valentine’s Day I have had in a long, long time. I saw Rachel, Elizabeth, Eric, David, Wade, and talked to Emily, Ashley, Kim, Cara, Trevor, and Grant. I saw my family and spent some time with them. So, I at least saw or talked to almost everyone I love (minus a few key people, i.e. Kimmy H., Danielle, Grandma, Kris, Keren, and Jason). That’s what this day is all about to me; letting people know how much I love them. I, in turn, felt very loved today, and that is always a terrific feeling! Despite my outward ambivalence, I truly do enjoy Valentine’s Day-- cutting hearts out of folded red construction paper and writing, “Will you be my Valentine?” in black Crayon. I didn’t actually do that this year, but I did it in 1st grade and gave it to John Gardner…he said yes.

I was listening to the soundtrack from the musical "Thoroughly Modern Millie", and found this song to be fitting for the occasion.

"Gimme, Gimme"

A simple choice, nothing more
This or that, either or
Marry well, social whirl, business man, clever girl
Or pin my future on a green glass love
What kind of life am I dreaming of?
I say gimme, gimme ... gimme, gimme
Gimme, gimme that thing called love
I want it
Gimme, gimme that thing called love
I need it
Highs and lows, tears and laughter
Gimme happy ever after
Gimme, gimme that thing called love
Gimme, gimme that thing called love
I crave it
Gimme, gimme that thing called love
I'll brave it
Thick and thin, rich or poor times
Gimme years and I'll want more time
Gimme, gimme that thing called love
Gimme, gimme that thing called love
I'm free now
Gimme, gimme that thing called love
I see now
Fly, dove! Sing, sparrow!
Gimme Cupid's famous arrow
Gimme, gimme that thing called love
I don't care if he's a nobody
In my heart he'll be a somebody
Somebody to love me!
I need it
Gimme, gimme that thing called love
I want it
Here I am, St. Valentine
My bags are packed, I'm first in line
Aphrodite, don't forget me
Romeo and Juliet me
Fly, dove! Sing, sparrow!
Gimme fat boy's famous arrow
Gimme, gimme that thing called love!

I rock on as I've always rocked on...

alone! --www.mcsweeneys.net

This is a note to my future self: Melia, when a friend calls at 12:30am, despite the overwhelming urge to talk, do not answer the phone.

I was on the phone with Rachel until 2:30am. I need someone to knock some common sense into me. You know it's late when you start reciting lines from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers songs, giving lyrics as everyday advice.

Me: You know Rachel, 'some days are diamonds, some days are rocks'.
Rachel: What are you talking about?!
Me: All I am saying is that 'even walls fall down'.
Rachel: Umm...okay.

So, today I woke up and decided that I am going to become wealthy. Right now I am trying to come up with different ways to achieve this goal. If you have any ideas, let me know. My theory is: there is a lot of money out there to get my hands on, so it's just a matter of figuring out a way to go about it. I also think that if you are fairly intelligent, there is no reason why you should not have money. How many idiots have money? Too many to count. We just have to be creative and work hard...then the money will practically make itself. I am with my friend Eric who said, "I don't really worry about having money in the future...it will just be there." Yep, I want that to be me. Dr. Brunner was talking about money this week and he said he wants enough in the bank so as not to have to worry about making ends meet, being in need for anything, etc., but not so much that he has to worry about it. I think that's perfect. So my future monetary goals are these:

1) Get hands on money through creative endeavors.
2) Constantly be thinking of advancements to make in order to achieve said goal.
3) Have more money than complete idiots.
4) Always work harder than the people around you.
5) Be able to relax and know that the money will "just be there" if goals 1-4 are achieved.
6) Have enough to enjoy the finer things in life, but not so much that extended family whom you have never met is constantly at your door with their grubby little paws extended asking for Porches and crap.

Ways to achieve these goals:

Well, I am not going to go into great detail. I truly only have two ideas right now, on top of the one I am about to share. The one I post here is really more of a ruse than an actual idea, but how great would it be?! Okay, the most illogical scheme right now is...wait for it...a themeless restaurant. This is the manifesto for my themeless restaurant. I think it could be a big hit. Let me know what you think. Also, if you have any money-making schemes and you would like a partner, whether it be in crime or not...well, I would rather make money the honest, American way, contact me. Actually, that is so funny...the honest, American way...I crack myself up. Okay, onwards and upwards. Here it is:

M A N I F E S T O F O R T H E M E L E S S R E S T A U R A N T

• Fridays will be treated like any other day. Same with Saturday. Wednesdays will not be referred to as Hump-day.
• There will be no ketchup on the table. Patrons requesting ketchup will be asked to leave.
• Baseball hats will be discouraged.
• Message-bearing T-shirts will be confiscated.
• The restaurant will not employ actors.
• The words "Best," and "Super" will not appear on the menu.
• Waiters will wear a button declaring their disdain for buttons in general.
• Any patron resembling Elvis will be refused entrance.
• No sideburns.
• No food will be served that can be traced to a specific region, ethnicity, or trend.
• Nothing on the menu will taste like chicken.
• Any person or persons caught celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or Valentine's Day will be asked to leave.
• So as not to risk loosening anyone's resistance toward theme restaurants, and to avoid embarrassing sing-alongs, no alcohol will be served in establishment.
• To avoid overly cheerful soda displays, and to avoid hearing the phrase, "Do the Dew," the restaurant will not serve soda. Therefore only plain water will be served. In a plain glass. No straw.
• Any celebrity who can be traced to Kevin Bacon will be refused admittance.
• Kevin Bacon will be refused admittance.
• And his brother, the music man -- no admittance.
• The restaurant will sponsor one open-mike night. The names of those who participate will be duly noted and they will be banned from the restaurant for life.
• Anyone wearing cowboy boots, a construction helmet, or a uniform of any kind, must show proof of employment in said field. Anyone without proof will be forced to change into neutral clothing. Cowboy hats will be banned altogether.
• The jukebox will only play hits from February 1983.
• Dining will take no longer than 22 minutes. After 22 minutes patrons will leave.

Barely out of Tuesday...

Woke up Tuesday morning
staring at the ceiling
hoping for deliverance
from the distances in you.
This room feels like an oven
somewhere south of nowhere,
north of nothing.
Barely out of Tuesday
seen seven hours of Wednesday
and I guess got regrets.
Maybe you could leave a light on,
leave a light on for me.
Can you see her waiting
there down by the sea
with a hat on,
with her eyes in there looking for me?
If you see me coming home, turn me away.
Everybody tries to go back somewhere someday.
Won't you give me the distance?
Fifty-two weeks later, your still the same.
I'm standing in my basement
making my arrangements,
waiting for the telephone
to ring,
to ring,
to ring.
So I left for Minnesota
where the weather is getting colder,
and people are changing.
Maybe you could leave a light on,
leave a light on for me.
Can you see her
waiting there down by the sea
and how arrangements are made there for welcoming me?
If you see me coming home, turn me away.
Everybody tries to go back somewhere someday.
And for all this distance, ain't going to bring you to me.
What's the point of all this patience?
It's not your nature.
You just keep what you need,
and you got some pictures of me.
Woke up Wendsday morning,
sometime Wednesday evening,
hoping for a piece of
something easy to believe.
We live out on the border
of everything and nothing;
there's nothing but waking and dreaming.
Barely out of Tuesday
there's no one to receive me;
nothing is changing.
Maybe you could leave a light on,
leave a light on for me.
Can you see her
waiting there down by the sea?
There's a light on, but there's nobody waiting for me.
If you see me coming home, turn me away.
Everybody tries to go back somewhere someday.
Everybody tries to go back somewhere someday.
Everybody tries to go back somewhere someday.
Everybody tries to go back somewhere....

I can bend and not break...

or I can break and take it with a smile. --Dashboard Confessional

Friday night I watched "Saved" with Eric and David. I have been thinking about the film ever since. During the first hour or so of the movie I was thinking...this is hilarious, but oh-so-sacrilegious. During the last half I realized how truthful it is. It really makes you think about the true intentions of Christians and what we say versus what we do. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. I laughed so hard I cried, but it also really made me think. Check it out. I left Eric's knowing that I was leaving for Dallas early the next morning, but for some reason I still stayed out until 3am. Why? Well, Rachel and Ruth wanted to go grab coffee, and I will never say no to coffee with friends. Starbucks closed at 1am, so we basically drifted until 3-- my apartment, my car, Rachel's parents house. I had a wonderful time, but the next morning I was like, why Melia? Why?! You know you're getting old when six hours of sleep no longer cuts it.

Saturday I went to Dallas with Carrie to see Kim in "Educating Rita". I know I am somewhat biased, but the show was incredible! For those of you who have never heard of "Educating Rita", it is a two person show, and Kim had 80% of the lines; I don't know how she did it in only three weeks of rehearsal. The two characters are 1) Rita- an uneducated Brit who, though stuck in a controlling marriage, knows there is more to life and nothing will keep her from achieving her goals and 2) Frank- an older English Literature professor who becomes Rita's tutor. Frank is won over by her charming independence and stubborn motivation, and he sees her potential from the start. To top it off, Kim had a Cockney accent that was both hilarious and mind-blowing. Matthew and Trevor came to see the show, and since they had never met Kim, they were thrown off when after the show Kim began speaking in her normal American accent. It was that convincing! She impresses me to no end, and I cannot wait to get my hands on a video of the performance! I know she will go on to do great things, both in community theatres in Dallas, as well as when she moves to New York! I am so proud of her!

The rest of the weekend was awesome, aside from me feeling sick yesterday and today. I felt so blessed while in Dallas because I got to spend time with friends I have not seen in a while. The girls and I stayed at Kris' in Ft. Worth, which is always a blast. I got to see Kim, though not for long. I spent quality time with Carrie, singing Dashboard Confessional as I drove her Malibu (I only drove because she hates navigating through the traffic in the Metroplex). I saw Elizabeth for a little while and caught up over a cup of coffee. Trevor, a friend from high school, and his friend Matthew drove in from Keller to see the play and hang out. All in all it was a terrific weekend, heightened by the fact that not only was I out of Abilene, but I was reminded of how blessed I am to have such incredible friends. I always loved being reminded of that!

Last night I was feeling kind of crappy. (Side note: Ashley, I hope you feel better!) I took a bath, followed by a shower. I couldn't shake the feeling that it was below freezing in my apartment. The thermostat says 68, but I think it's lying to me. I said no to Super Bowl parties, more because I hate football than the fact that I didn't want to go. However, despite strict orders, I did join up with a party for Ruth that I was supposed to go to. I loved just sitting around with the girls at Rebecca's house, drinking coffee and talking about...everything. I left around 11 and was in bed by 12, which was wonderful! Sleep is highly underrated. I just want to say a quick thanks to the friends that offered to keep me company (you know who you are) or bring me dinner (Wade); I am so thankful for you all and I hope I can be the kind of friends that you have been to me. If you ever need chicken soup or hot tea, I am your girl!

Random tidbits: As for today, classes were good. I am feeling better, though still a bit lethargic. This week is kind of crazy, with tests and such. My roommate is leaving on Wednesday and will be gone all weekend. :( My parents got a new dog...super adorable. My literature professor is trying to set me up on a blind date. Levi Smith is playing at The Bean Counter tomorrow night! As you can see, mucho randomness. Let me know how you all are, and if I saw you in Dallas this weekend, thank you again for making the time.

Wherever you go for the rest of your life...

it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast. -- Ernest Hemingway

I woke up this morning completely homesick for a place I have never lived. I have only been to Paris twice, and when I add up all that time I have really only spent a month of my life in France, but I miss it so much. As a tribute to the grandest city in the world, I have posted photos from several of my favorite places.

I mean, really...who wouldn't want to be in Paris?

Je souhaite que j'aie été ce soir à Paris. Si vous emballez vos sacs mon amour, nous pouvons être là par demain.

So I got thirteen Chinese finger traps...

The connotation: Eric won 130 tickets at Mr. Gatti's last night and they had no good prizes.
The realization: David came in from his car carrying an armload of something. When I asked what he was carrying, Eric said emphatically, "Thirteen Chinese finger traps!"
The questions:
1) Why Chinese finger traps?
2) Why do I hang out with these guys?
The answers:
1) Because, for some reason, it made sense at the time.
2) Because I get to hear hilarious crap like this almost daily.