If you never ask, then you’ll never know.

Excuse me while I fanboy in the corner over here, but I Facebook messaged and tweeted at Chelsie Hill, from that show Push Girls that I blogged about a few days back. I learned that she has dabbled in some motivational speaking since her accident, and I invited her to Virginia Tech to speak.

Excuse the stretch here, but I used the common connection that VT won the Victoria’s Secret Collegiate Showdown last semester. I explained that if she could possibly convince prouction and the girls to come around that event that not only would I do everything in my power to organize it and get the right people on the project to be sure that it was successful, but obviousuly it completely coincides with their POV, right? You know, young, sexy, beautiful women who just do what they want and don’t let anyone hold them back?

I’m pumped to see where this goes, to see if anything actually will come out of it. But I literally messaged her back and was like wait…what, this is actually Chelsie?!

 

Side note: I love it when Julie White, the mom from Transformers is a judge on Food Network’s Iron Chef. Makes my day.

dude, they still got it if you ask me.

Didn’t watch this live, but saw it trending later in the night, and just looked it up on YouTube.

Yes, it’s sad that this is reallyt he only part of the Olympics I watched, but hey – GO USA! I heard we got the most golds, coming in just ahead of China. And as my dear friend Eric knows, as long as we beat China, then I’m happy. :)

Enjoy this blast from the past!

*Edit: Apparently there were a TON of great acts and medley’s from the closing ceremony…I encourage you to find the video online if you can (I couldn’t) of the entire closing ceremony. I hear it was pretty impressive and a fusion of British music, old and new. Made me want to visit Europe – hopefully I will someday.


http://youtu.be/tgCM5iRz088

Coupons, coupons, and more coupons. And savings.

Couponing isn’t hard! Through the Sunday paper, we got a bunch of coupons, and printed some online as well. Kristin even took the time to write to some manufacturers – those were some of the best ones. So after taking the weekly grocer ads and combining those with some coupons, we ended up saving over a third of our grocery bill at Food Lion. That extra drink at Sharkeys last night seems to have paid for itself, in some very interesting way.

I was telling my coworkers in admissions last week couponing really isn’t that hard. This just goes to show that if you spend a little bit of time and buy things in a smart way you really can save a ton of money. Try it out!

Also, when we were in Food Lion we were going up-and-down the aisles and found some Quaker Chewy Granola Bars on a closeout sale. Someone was nice enough to leave behind a one dollar off any two boxes of these granola bars, three of the coupons were sitting on top of the already discounted bars. In couponing terms, this is called stacking.

So, we did that and ended up saving almost 50% on the granola bars. Later, we were at Walmart and decided that the SOLO coupon that we got wasn’t really needed, as far as any SOLO cups or plates for the house. So, we returned the good couponing deed by leaving behind a coupon for someone else.

Couponing meets actively caring.

:)

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White Out Game (Austin-Peay) Helmets!

SO. PUMPED. I love Hokie Tracks – this literally looks like the back of my truck.

 

I don’t usually use profanity on my blog – and I won’t here, either – but here’s the link at which I found the photo. I want you  to read the comments. They. Are. Hilarious.

Actively Caring | August 9

Today, I got to change someone’s life.

I was at the grocery store – the Kroger on South Main – taking my time grocery shopping.  I’ve gotten somehwat obsessed with couponing lately, and so I’m really detailed abou the prices that I read, and making sure that I have everything organized the way that I should.

I was trying to use a coupon – $1 off 2 packages of any Nabisco snack cookies.  I get to the aisle and realize that Oreos and Nutter Butters both fall under this category. I’m. So. Pumped.

I look up – the Nutter Butters are just a little bit out of my reach.  Ever the persistent one, I try to reach it anyway. Unfortunately I also have a package of Oreos in my lap – I look like a fat kid in a candy store – and that keeps me from really being able to sit up on my arm rest and reach the unusually high peanut buter cookies.

Right down the aisle, I hear a little voice – “Sir, can I help you with that?”

Never one to say no to some good help, I accept, and she immediately comes and reaches the cookies for me. What surprised me the most, though, is that I quickly realize that this girl was easily no older than 10 years old. And instead of staring, instead of just being a bystander, she made the effort to go out of her way to help me. Most younger kids are curious, but not outgoing enough to ask the question of whether I need help, or even more, what happened that caused me to be in a wheelchair. I was impressed, not only because of her caring nature, but because she was so young.

The best part was the impression I could tell I was making on her. As with every single Actively Caring bracelet I’ve been able to gift someone, you can always tell how they were just trying to help – and didn’t really expect anything, at all, in return.

I love receiving help from people who are younger than me, too. It really helps break down the stereotype, for both of us, that you can only help someone who you are older than, or mature than, or know more than. I think that’s silly. We all – no matter our age, background, gender, whatever – have so much to give each other. Whether its by way of reaching things because your’e an exceptionally tall 10 year old, or something else – we all have so much to give each other.

Back to the story though. Of course, I promptly traded her the Nutter Butter cookies for a green Actively Caring bracelet, and told her about the background to the program. I hope that, someday, I find out how she pays it forward. She seemed like a really nice, outgoing, and helpful young lady. We could use definitely more of that in the world.