Author: Angie World

I have a friend, ok, I have more than one friend, but today I would like to tell you about my friend Gladys.

When I first met Gladys she had just moved here from California, she and her new husband had transferred here to create a new life to go with their new marriage.

As soon as I met her I knew we would be friends, she is funny, smart, quick witted and willing to laugh at her own mistakes. She was also the kind of person who was not complacent about where she was in life.

She continued to learn and grow, well at one point she grew a lot, she grew a baby. Yes, she and her husband expanded their family, I got to see her grow not only as a person but as a parent. Believe me, she is an exceptional parent, planning not only around her child, but carving time out for date nights with her husband and also herself.

She is a fireball, always moving, always learning, she took this passion to keep moving in her life to learn new things. To move up in her career, I watched her go from being a call-center technician to a different kind of technician. Taking classes and moving to a new position, we were no longer in the same office, however, our friendship endures.

After years of different diets and different things, I watched her take charge of her physical health. She inspired me so much I followed her lead (I really thought me being older, I should be in the lead, however, I have learned that is not always the case) and took control of my own healthy.

Now I have the great pleasure of watching her grow even more in her career. I was beyond thrilled when she sent me a text telling me she had accepted a new position within the major telecommunications corporation that we both work for. A brand new challenge that will put her in a completely different environment. I don’t know how much I am allowed to say as this is her job, not mine.

But I will say this, she is going to be downtown in the big city now, and in my head I see her as Melanie Griffith, a total working girl, tennis shoes on for walking to the office. Switching to heels before going in the building and then taking the world by storm.

Gladys I am so incredibly proud of you for all that you have become and for what you will become. I treasure our friendship and know without a doubt you will keep inspiring me to become better at things in my life.

I can’t wait to hear about all of your adventures!

Well, today is Mother’s Day and I know I am supposed to write about that, but my head is so full of Captain American: Civil War. But I can’t really talk about that because I know I will give spoilers and BBFF hasn’t seen it, so I can’t! Yeah I gotta say I don’t care about spoiling anyone else, he and I have an unspoken agreement not to spoil movies or shows for each other. Or, maybe it is spoken, often, I can’t say, it’s a Best Friend thing.

So here we go, I know I usually talk about my mother today, however, since I talk about her a lot, I am not going to today. Except to say I was so incredibly fortunate that God decided that Odela Mae Allen Testerman would be my mom.

Today, for the first time ever, I get to have Mother’s Day lunch with all four of my living children. I cannot even begin to describe the joy in my heart that God has allowed me to have this in my life.

It will be Mexican food, of course, because I could eat Mexican food every day of my life.

Even though I am not Stacy’s mother, she is my daughter, and no I don’t feel bad she is not with her real mom today. I will relish this day as though I have earned it, well, to be honest, I feel like I earned at least one Mother’s day with her as I gave birth to her.

Selfish? Maybe. Unapologetic? Totally.

So, for today, I will be the mother of 4 children at lunch, I will enjoy it, I will relish it and I will leave it there.

Because Stacy’s real mother deserves all the credit for her upbringing, I don’t, I get to take credit for the other three.

Although, this nature vs nurture thing, I really am beginning to think nature trumps all, because it is scary how much she is like not only me but her siblings as well. It’s really eerie at times to see it.

To all of the mothers out there, whether you mother two legged children, feathered children, furry children or mooing children. Happy Mother’s Day!

Everywhere I look these days I am seeing posts and memes that say something about blessings. Count your blessings or they are blessed or your blessing is coming.

I fully admit I have been in a very dark place lately, where I can’t see anything in my life that would count as a blessing.

So, I decided to take the advice of the Internet and take a hard look into my life and find what God has given me, that I didn’t deserve.

Before I start, I want to say that I am incredibly happy for all of my friends that have so much going for them in their lives. Every time I see an accomplishment or a new acquisition I am beyond thrilled for you! I love it!

Now, back to me, I went back to the beginning, yes, birth.

First off, I was wanted, by my grandparents and several aunts and uncles and cousins. I was blessed.

I had a grandpa that fostered my curiosity and intelligence above everything else. It has stayed with me. I try to honor him in educating myself continually.

I had a grandma that taught me to argue like a southern woman. Highly useful.

I was blessed with teachers that encouraged my love of reading and writing. A true blessing.

Next I acquired parents, real ones, I wish I had appropriate words to express how that changed the trajectory of my life. Gods hand, totally.

I became an Owassoan, not by birth, but by adoption, the way my parents adopted me.  Owasso gave me a sense of belonging in a lot of areas and a sense of security that I had never really had.

I went on to have the biggest blessings of my life. Jeffrey, Elizabeth and Alex. Then Tessa.

I didn’t count Stacy as a blessing for me, because she was a blessing for someone else. For many years.

Now, I am going to claim her, she and her children as mine. Having her move to Texas and getting to know her and her children is like a miracle to me.

I don’t have material blessings, or a career that is brag worthy, nor do I have any talents. I’ll never be a supermodel or even passably pretty.

But I have had many things in my life that count as blessings. So, those I will focus on, not the things that want to drag me into self-doubt or darkness. No more morose posts, oh don’t get me wrong, happily ever after still doesn’t exist. Fairy tales are crap, I still love them, but they’re crap. However I will not be discussing in-depth my feelings on true love.

Oh and my job, is an amazing blessing, no putting that down. It came in a time that literally saved my family. I was working three jobs, going to school full-time and raising three kids.

With that one job I replaced the income of all three of the jobs. I will be forever grateful to God for that particular blessing.

Ok, so, someone posted a meme the other day about co-workers, how they made going to work worth it. It was something to that effect, and I loved it, like literally, because you can now click a heart. Which means love, in case anyone is confused.

I really thought about it, in the nineteen years I have been gainfully employed by the large telecommunications corporation that I work for I have been most fortunate.

There have literally been two people in those years that seriously scared me, like postal worker scared me. Other than that, every person I have sat by, next to, in the vicinity of or on the same group I have simply enjoyed them.

I wish I could name each one, but that list would go to the moon and back, I have been so blessed by these people. I met my BBFF there, I formed a Buffy watching group there. I found friendship, kinship acceptance and mentoring there.

I met people who taught me work things, I met people that taught me life lessons, I met people from every walk of life. I feel every person I have ever sat by was sent by God.

When I first started I was what was considered off the street, I thought that was the most horrible term I had ever heard. I quickly learned the ropes and found a place where I could not only grow professionally but personally.

I found people to commiserate with, to have intellectual conversations with, I found kind people, funny people and good old fashioned amazing people.

I have found a little bit of myself in almost every one of them.

I don’t understand when I read about people complaining about their coworkers. The ones I have now, in my group are awesome, an overused word I know, but it is fitting in this case.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect when coming to this department, we were all coming with more seniority than the majority of employees there. If you don’t work for a large unionized corporation, then you will not understand the importance of seniority.

It’s a huge deal. Would they be angry? Would they not like us on spec? how would I feel if someone, a lot of someones just showed up and dropped me way down?

I needn’t have worried, the welcome I experienced was really terrific, the very first thing the person sitting right across from me said was, and I quote: “hey! We’ve been waiting for you guys! We heard you all were the cream of the crop, we’re really excited for you to be here!” that was Jerome, and he is just like that sentence sounds, sincere, kind and enthusiastic. I cannot tell you how much he has helped me. Wylie with his experience of outside line and installation work, continues to amaze me with his knowledge. Eric with his humor and willingness to share his knowledge, all of them! They all do! It’s such a sharing environment, everyone chimes in with ideas and knowledge, I have even been able to bring things to the table with my knowledge of email issues and also mac configurations.

I have been reminded of how lucky I am to have a job by some, I am not lucky, I am blessed and fortunate. Not only by being able to make a living but by the people that the job has brought into my life.

Today was a soccer match watched at Vickery Park Bar in Dallas, TX.

This is an ode to the amazing brunch I had I this place today. I got the chef’s special: Baked Avocado, avocado, stuffed with chorizo, egg and queso fresco. Served with a tomato medley, hashbrowns and BBQ ranch.

I first saw a picture three days ago on Instagram, I was immediately intrigued. I had to have it, I ordered, hoping to not be disappointed.

I was not, it was pure perfection, the hashbrowns had red onion cooked with them. I wouldn’t have thought of this, I’ve always cooked with white or yellow onion. The red was a milder flavor, not overpowering the potato flavor. The sauce was lightly drizzled on, once again not overpowering.

The flavors all worked together and created a culinary delight that I will think about for days.

I have yet to get a bad meal in this place. This is a pure, old fashioned advert for the place. I don’t get anything out of it, they don’t know me from Adam. I simply believe greatness deserves to bet touted.

Also, no matter how busy, and it’s way busy during these games, I have never gotten bad service.

The wait staff is excellent at their jobs, going about unobtrusively and professionally.

If you are in the area it is a not to be missed experience.

I’ll admit it, it’s been a long time since I have gone to to a movie theater to see something other than a superhero or science fiction movie. I had almost forgotten the joys of seeing a film that doesn’t have a hero, no one dies, no fights, well there are fights but they are human fights, no car chases, no explosions, nothing but really great acting, dialogue and character development.

Everybody Wants Some!!, exclamation points are in the title, not added by me.

The movie is set in 1980 and just spans 5 days in the life, the first five days one arrives at college. It is about the guys on the baseball team, and it is funny, smart, endearing and at time one feels embarrassment. Embarrassment if they are from that time and realized wow I did that and that and that and wore that and that and omg that’s my hair.

The soundtrack is one of the best I have heard in years, I tried to download it as soon as I left the theater, however it is not available on ITunes. I am ordering the CD, it is also offered on cassette, if it had been offered on vinyl I would have ordered it in a heartbeat.

I highly recommend this movie to everyone in my generation, Richard Linklater truly captured the period, in speech, clothing, cars, attitude and music. There is not one thing that is not spot on, from a college kid trying to put a waterbed on the second floor of an older home to the types of music that were fighting for domination that year.

I admit I went to see it based on the poster, based on the time period it was set in, I didn’t know what to expect, what I got was a great movie experience.

If you are like me, and have not gone to a movie that is not a blockbuster in a while, I suggest you slow down, choose a movie that is not filled with car chases, flying people, super strength people, drama in a different galaxy. I was not sorry with this selection, I fully understand this film isn’t for everyone, but if you grew up in the era I did, go see Everybody Wants Some!!. It was so fun, I laughed out loud (literally, not the emoticon kind of lol) I winced, I commiserated and I haven’t felt so happy in a movie in a long time.

The movie just made me happy to be sitting in the theater, I can’t even begin to explain it.

The whole experience was terrific, I had never been to the Alamo Drafthouse Theater before and I was delighted with it.

It was almost like going to someones home and sitting in their hometheater room. Only here someone waits on you and brings you food, you don’t have to go get it and you can order whatever you want.

Definetly something everyone should try at least once.

Today is the day I have been waiting for since 1993, Dean Cain liked something I said. Well, he liked one of my tweets and yes people I have the proof!

I woke to it this morning, I squealed like 12 year old Angie at a Bay City Roller sighting. 

I scared the Irishman half to death, when I explained my excitement he laughed. Then he became worried, Dean Cain is in my prenup. 

He has been and will remain the prettiest man on the face of the planet. 

The Irishman is a little worried now, which he should be and I am deliriously happy. And I don’t even believe in happiness! 

Happy, happy Wednesday! I hope everyone’s day starts as mine did. With Dean Cain goodness!

I don’t know if I’ve ever told the story of how the irishman and I met. Since I can’t remember and I am quite prolific in my writing, I’ll tell it now. 

I was sitting at work, minding my own business, when this chat pops up. I don’t know this person, I can’t even begin to pronounce his name, and he was rude. No good morning, no introduction, just a demand for information. 

So, me being me, I say to the group of people I’m sitting amongst, who is this person. I can’t even pronounce his name, I don’t know him. If anyone really knows me, I believe you can hear the disdain dripping from my voice. 

A co-worker jumps up, looks at my screen and says oh it’s that Irish guy. Me: “what Irish guy?” Him: “Angie, the only Irish guy that works here.” Me: “No clue.” Him: “The redhead.” Me: “oh, I thought he was Scottish, I was going to have him introduce me to the Bay City Rollers.” The looks at that comment are not worth describing. 

I answer his query and think that is that. Never gave it another thought. Majorly disappointed I have once again missed my opportunity to meet the BCR. The next day I get another chat, no good morning, no how are you, just another demand for information. This time I think to myself oh heck no. I type good morning and sit back and wait. And wait. And wait. 

Finally he gets the hint, says well it isn’t a good morning because he has this issue. I laugh, give him his answers and that is that. 

The next day I get a chat, it says good morning, see I can learn. 

That’s what started the whole thing, he irritated me, then became persistently irritating then won me. 

I’m an Oklahoman, born and bred, everything about me screams Oklahoma. From my love of the University of Oklahoma (Boomer!) to my speech patterns. 

However, I choose to live in Texas, for so many reasons. First and foremost my children are Texans. They will not be leaving the state so therefore neither will I. 

There was a time I seriously considered moving back home. It was right after my divorce, my dad had just passed away and I felt I needed to move back. Especially at the funeral, so many people were telling me I had to move back and take care of my mom. I felt overwhelmed, I already had three people that were depending on me, I didn’t even know if I could handle a fourth. 

I thought and thought about it, I prayed a lot, then one night, after putting my children to bed, I called my mom. Crying, incoherent, she finally understood what I was saying. I didn’t want to move back to Owasso. I had built a life in Texas, I didn’t want to take my children away from their father. 

I’ll never forget what she said; “Angie, why on earth would you think you had to take care of me? I’m a grown woman, besides that, there are three others that live here. They’re older than you and can take care of me. You need to grow where God planted you.” It was freeing, having her blessing. 

So I stayed in Texas, raised my children, made great friends that became family. I have never once regretted my decision to stay and grow where God planted me. 

Even though I didn’t go back home to Owasso, I’m still an Oklahoman in my heart.