Computer Science, Anyone? (Tutorial)

Recently I have been admiring all the beautiful organization schemes of other bloggers. And with my blog being a hodge podge of many random subjects I wanted a way to organize and categorize everything.

Problem is, I am short on the programming brain cells. Yep, you got that right. I am a math person, and math and computer science while going hand in hand work well together, but you rarely find someone proficient in both. So... Computer Science skills 1, Keri - 0.

I wanted to find an easy way to do this without programming and html, so I explored some of the gadgets already provided by blogger. There is a labels gadget and a pages gadget which can be very useful! I added both to my page, so I could see how they worked... played around with each, and below is what I came up with. I wanted my posts categorized by the labels I already placed on them, in addition to a home page and an About me page.



So here goes, a mini tutorial for others who would like to do the same!


Step 1: One the layout page, add the pages gadget to the top, (or side) of your page by clicking add gadget, selecting pages and placing it on your page.

NOTE: As you can see, I am using the new blogger UI (user interface) so yours may look a little different if you aren't using the new UI.

Step 2: Once you have added the gadget, go and edit your pages. In the new interface, click the drop down box and select pages:

Step 3: Create a new page. First, I created an about me page. Choose new blank page from the drop down menu and type what you would like to be on the page, almost like a regular post. Save that.. and make anything your heart desires!

Step 4: Now I want my posts categorized by label into pages... so I picked some categories by browsing through my labels. This is when exploring the label gadget came in handy. I noticed for it to link posts by label it used the following URL:

http://myjourney-keri.blogspot.com/search/label/*****

Here, ***** is the label that I chose.

So this URL for you would be: http://"yourblogname".blogspot.com/search/label/"labelthatyouwant"

Once you have chosen what labels you want to use... now you can make your pages!

Step 5: Click the New page drop down and then click the web address option. The following window will pop up:

Here I typed what I wanted the name of my Page to be and inserted the search URL that I created from my labels. Again, add as many as your like on whatever you like. You can order your pages however you want, and then ta-da! You are done! Save your work and go look at your awesome new blog pages! ;)

Ahh! The finished product as underlined in red!

I am so excited to have my blog categorized now! Yes, I definitely love organization WAY TOO MUCH! But hey, that is just part of being me!

If you didn't already know how to do this, I hope this tutorial was helpful! If you did already know, thanks for reading! ;)

When I first saw my finished product I told my friend Mary-Anne, "maybe being in a group with the CS guys is making me smarter?!" HAHA! Too funny!

Hope you all enjoy and have a great weekend filled with blessings from the Lord!

Snail Mail

Snail mail makes my day!

Checking my mail has been different since Hunter returned from basic and AIT. I have been working on the urge to run to the mailbox every time I get home... I keep reminding myself, "Hunter is here.. you can actually talk to him now"!

Yesterday, I checked my mail with no real expectations except maybe some junk mail. To my surprise I had received two unexpected pieces of mail!

One from Lauren in Afghanistan and one from my friend Stacey. Stacey goes to school in Mobile now, but I met her in Troy. She has sent me random things throughout my time in Tuscaloosa just to keep in touch, like this precious gem!




Made by Stacey :)


What sweet friends!

Lauren's mail takes a while to get here, as does mine to her... but it is so fun being able to communicate with her in this way. 6 months until my girl comes home! Here is a picture of the letter she sent, it brought me to tears... she means the world to me. Letters sure do take a beating when they travel so far.

I am so thankful for these girls and many others in my life who truly care and make it known. God bless them! Praise the Lord for them!

Oh, Happy day!

Lately, I have been in a slump. I am sick, tired, worn out and exhausted. These feelings have become a part of my every day life, and I am slowly learning to cope with them.

The past few weeks however, I have let the rude comments and remarks of others get the best of me. My main love language is 'Words of Affirmation' and I take what people say and do to heart. I know I shouldn't, and that I don't need to worry about things like that... and that is something I work on daily.

Last week, I just couldn't take it any longer, I took off work after lunch and made the journey home.  People had been rude, my student worker hadn't done his job, and I was stressed with school, starting to get sick and OH so tired.

Side note: My student worker never does his job, this is not an uncommon occurrence. Unfortunately on top of his usual laziness, last week, he neglected to do a weekly report that he has been doing for the past two years. Nothing out of the ordinary people, no special demands. No extras. So, at 11am as I was working to get everything I needed to do for the rest of the day finished, my boss asked about the report. I frantically finished a seven page report in one hour. It wasn't the fact that I had to work frantically to get it finished, it was the fact that this kid has all week to accomplish this.. and come Friday he hadn't even started. Anyways....

So, after a very stressful morning, Hunter and I began the journey to my hometown. Friday night we celebrated my high school homecoming. ZC beat NB for the first time in 5 years... and we won homecoming! It was definitely different being back there... but it was good to see some old faces.

Saturday we had a lazy morning with my family and traveled to the Troy game and watched my sister work with the band. My dad was loading hay for a man in Texas and I took the opportunity to show Hunter around the property. We watched my dad load hay, and I took him through some of the fields. That city boy was amazed! He had a great time watching the cows and being in the great outdoors. The Troy game was an interesting one. Things are different and it is weird just sitting and trying to watch a game, as opposed to being in the band. We left during the third quarter to watch the Alabama/Florida game and were very happy to celebrate wins for both of my schools! Go TROY and ROLL TIDE ROLL!

Sunday, was an adventure in itself. Hunter came to church with me... mind you, Hunter is a big city, mega-church kind of guy. So it was interesting bringing him to my down home country church! But, I think he enjoyed it. :) We had lunch with the family and then traveled back to Tuscaloosa.

I cleaned up, unpacked and worked on homework until late into the night. Hunter and I got into our first fight of our relationship.. and it was all over a miscommunication! HAHA! He was so sweet... as I was angrily unpacking he walked up behind me turned me around and just hugged me. (JUST like in the movies!) I cried I was so angry, and because I was so happy to have him there, and to know that one little fight wasn't going to ruin us. He is truly a blessing.

So here we are... back to the daily grind. I hope you each have a wonderful week, filled with many blessings!

Unrealistic Fears

I have an unrealistic fear of bugs.. ESPECIALLY roaches.

This morning, I woke up at my usual time (4:30am) and went into the bathroom... I started the water for the shower, and was washing my hands when I noticed something moving. Mind you, I just woke up... I have no contacts in, no glasses on... So if I can see something... it is BIG.

I was freaked, so I ran out of the bathroom, grabbed my glasses and went back in for a look. Sure enough, it was a roach. So I go to the kitchen and grab the roach spray... I was freaking out. I tried spraying the roach, but it just kept running... It ran behind my hand towel and I thought, here is my chance. I grab a shoe, and slam it full force flat on the towel, trying to cover as much as possible to maximize me actually squishing the roach. To my demise, out the roach ran... AHHH!

When I say I have an unrealistic fear, I mean... my mom has recommended I get counseling for how afraid I am. However, I am not doing that... because I know they would just put me in a room with a bug and make me deal. NO WAY!

So, I am trying to be as quiet as possible not to wake my roommates at such an unreasonable hour. But after my two attempts to kill the roach... I just can't take it anymore. I am completely freaking, being hysterical and sweating.. like, sick nasty, rolling down your back you have sweat so much, sweating.

I get my phone and call Hunter... and after explaining what is going on, he comes to my apartment, at 4:45am to kill the roach. Praise the Lord for him! He then cleaned out my bathroom so that I knew it was safe to take a shower, and I then got ready for work.

Praise the Lord for him! Today, I am so thankful. I don't know what I would have done without him being able to come help. Yeah, I know it is sad.. but there are just a few things that I can't handle. Roaches being #1 on my list.

Do you have something you have an unrealistic fear of? How do you deal with bugs when you are home alone?

Just call me 'Anna Clare' (Embarassing Moments) 2.0

Hunter was kind enough to purchase three Army themed shirts for me while he was at basic. When deciding what to wear to church Sunday night... I chose one of the shirts. This overjoyed Hunter, and his mind immediately devised a plan.

Hunter wanted to match to church. The shirt I had chosen was also one he owned. I thought, oh my.... I laughed and told Hunter I never wanted to be 'that couple'.... and that I laugh at couples who do that. So then, we made it a joke. How hilarious and out of character would it be?!

So he went home, changed into his shirt and a pair of pants almost the same color as my crop pants. When he got out of his car I thought... oh my goodness.

Some of the people at church loved it, others were, well... just plain rude. But in the end, we had fun being the crazy couple we are. As we were singing in church I 'sang' the words 'everyone is looking at us' to him.. and it was all we could to to keep from laughing. Our college minister was dying to take a picture, but we escaped her. ;) Before the sermon got started, I wrote on the back of Hunter's sermon notes, "Matching, a twin's worst nightmare."

Something I have avoided all my life, because I am a twin, is matching. When Donna and I would walk into the bathroom wearing the same thing, the one who put it on first got to keep wearing it.

We had a hilarious night at church and had a good time making those around us laugh. However, I was super embarrassed at times, and I am so glad we don't have picture proof! :)

Cell Phones

Have any of your every changed your cell phone number, or lost all of you contacts in your phone?

When I moved to Tuscaloosa my poor cell service became significantly worse. Yeah, that's right... it went from bad, to worse.

Over the course of the last year and a half mom and I had been talking about me moving plans and getting my own phone line, outside of our family plan. It was a big jump, and would add a bill to my monthly financial costs. I researched and calculated and researched some more...

In the end, there was an overwhelming need for me to have a phone to communicate with my family, especially if there was an emergency.

So, I went and talked to a sales representative and then later that week, bought a phone, a plan and signed a contract. Overall, it has been a great decision. I am proud to boast I am one of the few people that can actually use my phone in Bryant Denny. ;) HAHA!

The night after I got my phone, I sent a mass text message to all my contacts, telling them my new number and asking them to text me their names... you know, the usual 'help-me-fill-my-contacts-list' message.

Here comes the awkward part. My mom took my old phone, and it is now hers. I included that in the message, but of course, not all people responded or payed attention. No biggie, just hilarious and awkward. Every now and then my mom will forward me a text... and of course, I have no idea who it is.. Then there is the awkward time when I text someone, and they don't respond, because they probably have no idea who I am.

In the end it is quite funny... and I have most of the numbers I need in my phone and a list of my old numbers typed up at my desk so that I can research the anonymous texts I receive. I always feel bad replying, 'I am sorry, I don't have your number saved... who is this?' I only have a few numbers memorized, and I wish I had more....

Do you still memorize people's phone numbers? Does it bother you to awkwardly reply... I have no idea who you are?

May your day be filled with many blessings from above.

Game day

So, I am a fan of Alabama football, and have been, all my life. I believe that tried and true fans only exist in those who have experienced a true game day... the drive of the crowds on the quad, and the atmosphere of Bryant Denny looming over you.... it is majestic.

My roommates sister sent us some Sally Hansen nail strips from California, because the houndstooth print is so hard to find here in Tuscaloosa. So, since I wanted to procrastinate from homework, I decided to do my nails for the game.

Before I got started I watched this tutorial.

I laid out all the things I would need and opened all the packages.. I also read each direction. Yeah, I am a loser. I must say these were a lot easier than I expected. I was terrified it would be a one chance to place the nail and boom... you are destroyed. But I was actually able to pull up and replace the pattern if I didn't like where it landed the first time. :) YAY!

My only problem was having to use a nail file and cuticle stick... both of those things really bother me... Again, I know I am a loser... so I had a little trouble with that. If you have no problems using a nail file and cuticle stick GO FOR IT!

I put a clear coat over the top because I felt they needed it to 'seal' properly and not just peel right off of my nails. So, overall this was simple and fun... and made for a great game day look.

I have heard these are pretty expensive, and I am so thankful that Gabby's sister bought them for us! I had fun trying them. Unfortunately, I washed dishes and cleaned after I put these on.. I don't know if that contributed to the few mess ups I now have or not.. but the box says they last up to ten days.

I look forward to starting painting my nails more often. I have found many blogs and many cute tutorials. After years of band and sports I have never really painted my nails, and was never allowed to. I have painted my toes and tried various designs on them before, including an infamous confederate flag and American flag, when I was in high school. HAHA! So, here goes another new exploration, learning to paint my nails (and make it look good!).

These lovely Toms completed my houndstooth ensemble. I love the purpose of Toms, and when I saw these I just couldn't get them out of my mind. GREAT game day shoes!


ROLL TIDE!

Keep breathing

What a beautiful song. This is God's song for me right now... school is in full swing, I am working like crazy, and life is passing quickly. I am tired, worn and weary... Praise the Lord for His mercy and that He will get me through.

Feel free to listen to this song here.

KEEP BREATHING LYRICS - KERRIE ROBERTS


 
You wait in darkness
For answers that you can't see
You know what you deserve
And your wondering why your life is
Not what you thought it should be
When the knife breaks
Your heart still aches
How can you face the day
You just

Keep breathing
you'll make it
Don't give in
You're not done yet
Sometimes all that you can do is
Keep breathing and believing
Don't let go
Just hand on tighter
A little longer
When you feel like your dying
Keep breathing

Don't give up
Don't give in
No you're not done
Don't give up
Don't give in
Don't let go

When every moment
Is almost more than you can take
You've got to know some
Tomorrow will bring you a breakthrough
Is the reason why
You got to get through the today
When the knife's gone
You will be strong

Keep breathing
You'll make it
Don't give in
You're not done yet
Sometimes all that you can do is
Keep breathing and believing
Don't let go
Just hand on tighter
A little longer

With every breath
You're bringing hope
You're letting go of all your doubts
When nothing is easy
You got to keep going
Even when you don't know how
You don't have to know how, no

Keep breathing
you'll make it
Don't give in
You're not done yet
Sometimes all that you can do is
Keep breathing and believing
Don't let go
Just hand on tighter
A little longer

Keep breathing
you'll make it
Don't give in
You're not done yet
Sometimes all that you can do is
Keep breathing and believing
Don't let go
Just hand on tighter
A little longer

Keep breathing
Don't give up
No you're not done yet
Don't give up
Don't give in
Don't let go
No you're not done yet

ROLL TIDE!

Alabama's home opener was this past Saturday. I had a great time spending the night with Heather and going to the game with some friends from church. This was mine and Hunter's first football game together. ROLL TIDE ROLL!

After the first quarter I offered to go to the concession stand with my friend. To make a long story short, she was very sick, almost passed out and we ended up spending the rest of the game sitting against the wall of the stadium and in the EMS room.

Thankfully after some medical attention she felt much better... just got a little too hot. We then went to the quad at the end of the 4th quarter and then back to her place and continued to watch the rest of the SEC games on TV that night. I had a wonderful Saturday spent with great friends!

Abundant Blessings

This week I have been struck by so many blessings. Hunter and I are having a great time getting to know one another IN PERSON. There were times when I wondered if the bliss of the letter writing would still be real when he got home. Praise be to the Lord that I can say, he is. Hunter is a true blessing.

Now, this post may be... as my besty Mary-Anne and I say... "gagarrific" but I felt the need to post a little about how great God is and how He is blessing me.. especially in the small things.

Have you ever wanted something so badly, and never thought you would get it? You may think of big things, or little things.. maybe even random things. This may seems sad to you, but I take great joy in the small things in life... so here goes.

REWIND: Hunter brought me lunch to work, the week before he left for basic, and it was really sweet. It was the first time we ever hung out together.... so I guess our very first informal date. He texted and asked if I wanted to have lunch with him, when I told him I could not because my lunch break is only 30 minutes, he said that he would bring me something. I was overly flattered, to say the least.

Back to the story: New blessings...

1. Hunter continues to bring me lunch on random days. It is so sweet, when he gets out of class he shoots me a text and asks what I would like for lunch.
2. Hunter made my bed for me one afternoon, funny enough that he made it just like they make them do at basic (he is still a little brainwashed) but I was just thankful that he did something to help me! :)
3. One Sunday after church we went to his grandparents house for a visit. I had slipped my shoes off at the house and was just enjoying our time there. When it was time for us to leave, before I could even think, Hunter had my shoes in his hands and was putting them on my feet, Cinderella style.
4. Hunter killed a bug in my apartment. For those of you who know me, I am deathly afraid of bugs; so this, my friends is a BIG DEAL.
5. Hunter randomly stops by to visit me while at work. To me this matters because he drops in just to say hi, or see how my day is going. I have longed for a friend/companion who cares enough just to stop by. It really makes my day.
6. Hunter comes to my apartment on Wednesday's and makes sure I am ready to be at church at 7. I go at 7 for choir practice, and the college group meets at 8. Hunter comes to church with me at 7 and just sits around, just so that we can go to church together. It is a wonderful feeling having someone who wants to lead and having someone who wants to go to church with me.

Ok, so I will stop being gross and sappy. HAH! I hope and pray that all the small blessings in life become fully evident to you throughout the rest of the week and the coming days. Praise be to God for he blesses us beyond our imagination!