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On The Horizon

Posted by MeLissa | | 9:27 PM
2
Things I'm looking forward to:
  1. The "It's Still 2010" Party! It'll be 2010 on January 1st. It'll also be 2010 on January and the following 363 days that year. We intend to celebrate.

  2. A trip to Springfield, MO to the Red Velvet Art Store with Lydia, Arley and Grace! I think the trip TO Missouri will be as eventful as the store. We'll probably cover a pair of jeans in hand-drawn doodles and groovy patches and discover who we are as young ladies while we're at it.

  3. Finishing two scripts I currently work on between every other life event at the moment. I think writing is my favorite part of making a movie. Actually, I think my favorite part of making a movie is whatever part I'm currently working on. I also amd looking forward to working on a soundtrack with Erin McGown and Atlantic:Pacific.

  4. I want to go to the beach like nobody's business. Dear Ron Jon Surf Resort, see ya in about 6 painfully long months.

  5. I want to see Sherlock Holmes. Right now.

  6. The next time I see Leslie Metcalf. I always look forward to this.

  7. Dear summer time, I look forward to seeing you as soon as possible. I plan on spending a lot of time laying in the grass or in the sand, or anywhere that involves me and the sun.


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Tradition

Posted by MeLissa | | 12:36 AM
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I'm a big fan of the holidays. Surely.
I'm also a big fan of hearing about family traditions.

Leslie and her family like to sing and dance and act a fool all over her house.
I read about people who always get PJs on Christmas, or sleep in the same bed with their sister on Christmas eve. That is precious to me.

Here's what we do:
  • Everyone sleeps at the same house.
  • When I was little, I always wanted to sleep with my aunt Charity.
  • We weren't allowed to get out of bed before the clock said 7:00 AM.
  • My brother Austin and cousin Lacey used to make "reindeer food" out of glitter and oatmeal to sprinkle on the driveway.
  • We never put all the presents out before bedtime. I think whether or not Santa always comes to our house, I'll still do that. It's fun going to sleep and then waking up to BAM! Present explosion.
  • We always have something Peanuts related, because my Nanny was a big fan of Charlie Brown and the gang. This year, I wrapped my mom and aunts' presents in Peanuts wrapping paper.
  • On that note, my Nanny always used to put tangerines and walnuts in our stockings because that's what she got as a little girl growing up in Georgia.
  • Don't you know that Santa's presents were always wrapped in different paper? Something with pictures of him on it!
Tell me about your family's traditions.
And wherever you are, I pray that you're glad, that you're with the people you love the most and that you're grateful for this life of yours.
Love, MeLissa

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Have Yourself A Hoppe Christmas

Posted by MeLissa | | 2:24 AM
2
Tonight was Christmas at Lost Community Group.
Erin & I took pictures because Arley, the one who always remembers to capture the precious moments, was not there.
So here they are--













Today we were up early for Adventure Now 3, but death couldn't keep us away from the Hoppe house. We celebrated Justin's birthday, ate way too many sweet things, and three episodes of Season 5 Lost.

Tonight we also participated in a camp tradition, the exchange of Intangibles. This is where you write down a gift you'd give to someone that is beyond what you'd ever be able to give. For example, tonight I got a narwhal and national distribution of my first film. See? Those are excellent. They're always precious. Mitch Miller gave me "more life". Thanks Mitch.

As usual, I can only say that as family is arriving tomorrow to celebrate Christmas in Music City, I have to to look back on this whole year and tell you that God has blown the roof of my expectations. 2009, I have a lot to say to you, but we can save that for another blog post. However, I can say that for every horrible, no-good, very bad day, the Lord has given me so much, and beyond what I'd ever deserve.

So, wherever you are, be glad for what you have. Good night loves.

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Bright Lights

Posted by MeLissa | | 3:21 PM
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So every night, the ladies of Harding Estates have been watching the Sing Off. It combines our love of Glee and Jason DeRulo. It has also inspired a new love: Colored tights.

I'm even going to go out on a massively large limb and say a purple pair might be what I'm putting on my Christmas list. And that's a big deal, because the entire planet knows what I think about the color purple...





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How cute are these boots?

Posted by MeLissa | | 12:38 PM
1
The folks at my house, we love this:




But now, I also love this:



I mean, how cute are these boots?

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Home.

Posted by MeLissa | | 8:33 PM
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found here


If I stay in one place, I lose my mind.
I'm a pretty impossible lady to be with.
-Kimya Dawson

True. Story.

This was the first time I've missed home in a long time.
Sorry mom.

Since I was little, I was never the homesick type.
When I was in elementary school, I decided I wanted to go to CUNY Hunter College in New York City, mostly because it was right downtown. There was also some influence from watching Felicity, I'm sure.

When I decided to move to Nashville, it was like a slow train going West. I thought it'd never be time for me to get the heck out of Orlando. And now I've lived in Tennessee 16 months and it's so much more than I ever imagined. I am an adventurer, so going is not usually a fear for me. I need it. To go.

But you know what I am so jealous of? I came home and got to see a lot of the once teeny high school babies. Some of them, I've had since middle school and now they're in college. That's the grossest thing I've ever heard of. FOR REAL. But they all have each other. They've grown up together, gone to church together, went to school together, continuing on together. Like 20 kids who have no job and plenty of free time just constantly all up in each others' business.

That sounds horrible.

Really? Look, left to my devices, I would most certainly become a hermit. Don't try and argue the point with me, because it is innately true. I would pick to be by myself.

But you know what is amazing? Community.
People wanting to be where you are.

Isn't that why people love falling in love? Someone wanting to be with them? Someone choosing us? Community is love on a grander scale. Having people to tell you good morning. Having people to tell you good night. Having people to eat your lunch with and watch Lost with. Having people to keep you up too late and wake you up too early. Even moms to open your windows when it starts getting cold in the fall? That is excellent. Having all your brothers still living in one house? It's like that was so long ago when every winter was taken up with wrestling matches at Lyman High School and watching the Grinch after school with my brothers like it was our job.

You don't always love each other to your utmost every second, but the parts that are great surely outweigh the parts that are whatever. You know what outweighs that even more? Not having to ask. People just being there because you know you all belong together.


I'm just worried I've gone so far that there isn't a place that is expressly home for me.
There aren't a lot of people who can say "remember when we were young and we wore homemade costumes and listened to Shirley Q. Liquor?" Those people are somewhere and everywhere. They're far, far away and we grew up and we're different folks. I suppose that doesn't change the fact that those memories exist. It just makes me a little homesick. Can you be homesick for a place that doesn't necessarily exist? I feel like I am.


So to people like Kiva and Eric and Kelsey- enjoy them while you have them. You guys are lucky. I didn't have that freedom in college. I didn't have those people in college. And I love Love LOVE you beyond words. That honestly happened on accident. I never meant to go to that church and I never meant to get involved, but despite my best efforts, I love coming home and seeing you. I love Sunday mornings and having 309847 hug me as hard as they can. It never gets old. I think this is the closest thing I've had to home and today I realized it.

And to people like Grace and Leslie and Kyle and Luke- I miss you guys, but I do enjoy the fact that we are up to date no matter how far away we are. I owe that mostly to you guys, because I am a failure.

And to people who live in Nashville, I want to see you all the flipping time. That's not even an exaggeration. I won't be tired of you, I promise. We're off to a good start, so let's keep it up.


So come to my house and bring your sleeping bag. Don't be afraid to send me the most ridiculous text messages or letters or emails or smoke signals or carrier pigeons. I love them. Let's get busy making memories because I'm homesick for it.

Love, with my whole heart-
MeLissa

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Thankful.

Posted by MeLissa | | 8:36 PM
1

Things I'm thankful for:
  1. A job - one that I like. One that means something. It also has people that I like to work with.

  2. Great brithday surprises and even greater birthday surprisers.

  3. Tuni Barner status updates. (And the roommates who make sure I see them.)

  4. Justin, our one-man camera crew.

  5. A precious home that is regularly filled with excellent folks and walls covered in their artwork.

  6. Roman & Ripley- you keep me safe from burglars, you give me plenty of conversation starters and something other than myself to care about. And you eat anything I happen to drop on the floor.

  7. Jay Z. Thanks for letting me know that since I made it here, I can make it anywhere, people love me everywhere.

  8. Thank you Ugly Mugs, for providing a home away from work. And remembering my order.

  9. Thanks, mom and dad, for letting me have your dining room table even when you didn't have anything to replace it with. It's been the site of many an art club, pancake party, craft all-nighter, heart-to-heart convos, and sing-a-longs.

  10. Opportunity - this year I've had the chance to work with some crazy folks from Nashville to Grundy, VA to Frostown, MD. I'm mad grateful for the people who give me the chance to be a part of the great work they're doing. It's led me to spend countless hours at Tent City in Nashville or quality time with the beautiful Nashville walking bridge at night. I got to make videos in Justin Wylie's garage for my most favorite camp. I got to fake break my nose.

  11. I'm thankful for people who send my Nickelback lyrics in text messages or play Justin Bieber on repeat. You understand my love to hate things.

  12. Thank you, Seth Worley, for trusting me with your very expensive camera. And all the stars in the universe. That last line was the most epic thing I could think of, and trust me, I went through a few drafts.

  13. Men - I guess I should be looking for women in my life to show me how to be a Godly woman. Interestingly enough, I am surrounded by a lot of male mentors who teach me how to be a better leader, follower, entrepreneur, creator, lady. So, while there are zero/few guys my age who seem to have a clue, I'm grateful to the spiritual giants in my life who take personal interest in sharing their own struggles and growth. Their investment in me is tremendous.

  14. The creators of Glee - Thanks. On so many levels.

  15. This year has been such a creative year. I'm super thankful for all the people in my life who foster that, and all the newly discovered resources that just feed my ADD. Grace, I'm so proud that you found your voice. I'm inspired to find my own.

  16. The chance to drive from Maine to Tennessee and everywhere in between. Dear Maine and New York, I'm coming back asap.

  17. College Humor. Somewhere, an accountability report just went haywire just from me typing those words. It's safe to say I'm obsessed. The folks who work there are out of control on the talent level. Yes, their website has areas dedicated exclusively to attractive people with or without clothing. Yes, they occasionally use the F word like it's any old word. But in 9 years, it went from a company started by three beer-pong-playing creeper boys to a massive staff on Park Ave S. Do you know what they get to do? Write, direct and star in their own videos about whatever they want. And they have robots and bean bag chairs to take naps in. Dang. I want to be just like them. No. I want to be better than them. Thanks College Humor, for setting the bar so high.

  18. I'm thankful for people who change the wallpaper on my iPhone to things like a picture of Tyler Torti or Jacob's nose or worms. When I think of all the beautiful pictures I could have as my wallpaper, they all fall drastically short.

  19. #LostCommunityGroup - This is normally how I see it written, on Twitter. These guys are my favorite people I never knew I loved. In a short time, this group has become the folks that I look forward to seeing every Wednesday night, eating with, laughing with, griping with, and missing Charlie with. I'm going to be so bold as to say I love them.

    Yep.

    I love them. They also happen to be some of the most freakishly talented people I've ever met. Every single one of them, down to Asher and Piper Hoppe. (Frankly, they might be the most talented two people of the whole group.) The fact that they continue to let me come over every week is only a testament to their poor judge of my character, but I'll take it. I might be just as sad that Lost only has one more season to go because imagining life without Wednesday night community group is too much for my little heart to bear.

  20. Thank you to a Maker that is bigger than this whole mess. Thanks for always wanting the best, never being a disappointment, always keeping a promise, and being the best surprise ending writer I've ever known. You turn my mourning in to dancing and there are no words for Your love. I guess that's why You stop at "I Am".
I hope, wherever you are, you're eating macaroni and cheese and loving the people you're with.
See you soon,
-MeLissa


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