Libby Moore

I pride myself on being a person who operates with some degree of normalcy, but there are always those few little quirks my friends and family find amusing. I am always proud when I overcome one of those OCD moments because I feel like I'm one step closer to being a more flexible young adult.

I think I finally kicked one of my habits last week. The location: Genghis Grill. The time: 12:30 p.m. At peak lunch hour, the restaurant is crowded with people enjoying Mongolian stir-fry while watching the Rangers game on two different screens.

I do not care what you say; no one will ever, ever convince me there is a better show on current television than "Mad Men."

Dr. Alisa White, professor and dean of the University's College of Arts and Sciences, is leaving her post to serve as provost of Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls.

White has lead the College of Arts and Sciences since 2006.

"I'll be sad to leave here. I have really strong connections with the leaders in this college and I love working with all of them," White said.

So I'm sitting at Wednesday's "Patriots Got Talent" contest, listening to the numerous individual performances of original love songs and love poems when I started thinking: I don't want their kind of love.

I enjoy a good love poem, and love songs are great and all.

And the girls these songs and poems are dedicated to are very lucky indeed.

But I wouldn't want to be with a guy who only wanted to serenade me with a guitar and recite the poetry I allegedly inspired in him.

I guess I think it's all too mushy. Too cliché. Too overly passionate.

For a long time I thought I was boring or maybe just a nerd. Why? Well, I enjoy sewing decorative pillows and cross-stitching. I relieve stress by scrapbooking. On rainy afternoons, I enjoy a good book and a hot cup of tea.

I don’t read many magazines. But when I do, it is usually Good Housekeeping because I can find recipes I want to experiment with for the week’s meals. Besides, they usually have some clever craft instruction to help me further organize my closet.

When I was a little girl, I was frequently told I could grow up to be whatever I wanted. I was told I was smart and completely capable of performing my future career choice.

Like many other young women of my generation, I was told I could do anything boys could do.

I disagree.

Representatives from TOMS Shoes visited the campus last Wednesday, promoting the organization’s mission to give shoes to needy children.

The organization is currently putting together a campus club to raise awareness for TOMS universal One for One movement, which donates a pair of shoes to a child in need for very pair of shoes purchased through the TOMS organization.

Troup Citizens for Progress, a pro-alcohol sales group, submitted a petition last week legalizing beer and wine within the city limits. Troup is about 18 miles southeast of the University.

This petition calls for “the legal sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption only, and the legal sale of mixed beverages in restaurants by food-and-beverage certificate holders only.”

Talk about a close call!

I’ll set the scene for you. It’s the last day of Thanksgiving break and I’m driving back to Tyler from Fort Worth. I’m wearing my comfy sweat pants and my soft Batman t-shirt. I have a Gatorade in my cup holder and a collection of embarrassing music playing on the stereo that I only jam out to when I’m alone. Right now “Mama Mia” is blasting at full volume.