Thoughts on the American Red Cross, New Music, & Dolly Parton

I will, in turns, be eternally grateful to/forever hate the ARC.  It's thanks to them I've had something to do during my summer vacations since I was about nine or ten.  They're the reason I'm currently employed (and have been for the last five summers).  It's because of the Red Cross that, when I remember I am a certified lifeguard and trained in the ways of CPR, AED, First Aid, and swim instructing, I feel like a total BAMF.

But ten-year-old me wasn't thinking that far ahead.  Ten-year-old me liked the pool and all, but getting up early for classes was not conducive to my childhood.  If not for swim lessons, I probably wouldn't have really had any friends as a kid - none that I saw outside of school, anyway.  But, come on...ten AM is early for a kid, when you factor in the carpools, the tennis lessons in the morning heat, the changing for swimming, the spending the day usually at a friend's house because both of my parents worked.  And being an instructor's aid when I was 14 royally sucked.

Without the Red Cross, I wouldn't get to see my kids every year, the closest I'll probably ever come to actually being a teacher.  I plan on having my own kids, someday, and it's nice to have the time to practice - to play, to bond, to instruct.  To discipline, unfortunately.  I want to be the cool mom, the one everyone loves and trusts, because I'll probably be the only one who thought it was important to keep up with my CPR certification.

So, a million and one thanks to the American Red Cross.  But, also...I hate you.


--------------

I love having new music to obsess over.  I find it on the radio, thanks to friends, thanks to my parents, and I rip from CDs what I can and (mostly) download the rest from iTunes.  I'm not a huge Apple fan, but my iPod is pretty important to me, in that respect.  I need it to fall asleep at night, to get moving in the morning, to scream-sing with in the shower, while getting ready, while in the car.  I need something to dance around the empty house to.  And I love having a new stock of songs to get lost in, something to learn the words to and daydream about and sing to myself while I do the dishes or sit at work, alone poolside.

--------------

I love you, Dolly.  I do.

I just love this woman.  So much.  I don't know why.  I'm not a huge country fan and I wasn't alive during what would probably be considered her "heyday."  But, GOD.  Dolly Parton just seems so happy, so real, so sympathetic and raw and open.

Plus, she had an amusement park named after her.  And going to Dollywood is definitely on the bucket list.