Monday, October 26, 2009

Cohesion

I don't always feel like there's cohesion within the thoughts running through my mind. I don't really want to sort through the jumble, but I want to place some of them here.

I've had some thoughts on the outskirts of my mind lately. Thoughts about those on the outskirts of society - the unnoticed, unloved, unworthy of our time. These are all words that are not saturated with truth but with lies. We talked about this at youth on Sunday. Some guy twittered about it a little while ago. I just read a blog about this. I'm going to share the blog with you: Some people always gotta swim upstream. There's a longer, deep blog about this that will be coming up, possibly later this week, month or year. It's been a long time in the coming, but it's a touchy subject but one that needs to be addressed.

Through a blog that I've already forgotten, I came to meet Matt Papa and his musical stylings. I want this cd. I love the cover and I love the music that I've heard from it. It's good stuff. (On the note of cds I want: the newest Jared Anderson and the newest Relient K are high on my list of wants. Santa Claus?)

Clyde met the family this weekend. It was good. He's a great dog and we're a great family, with our powers combined we may not be Captain Planet, but we're something like that. I'm really excited to see our lives with Clyde unfold.

Friday, October 23, 2009

God's Loves For Me Is Ridiculous.

I'm really frustrated with things continuing to not go my way. I'm not getting any kind of slack. Oh well. I had a beautiful reminder on my way to school this morning before I was going to give a presentation. This presentation could have definitely been prepared a bit more in advance. Finishing 40 minutes before giving it is almost like not procrastinating, right? It's all good. The radio deejay for KSBJ read my lifeverse of this season over the radio during my drive this morning:

Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged,
for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9


Yes, I'm aware that was pretty much my last blog, but even days later I fail to obey. I fail to give everything to him in every moment.

Speaking of that, my semester is possibly getting more ridiculous by the minute. I finally was able to get Clyde today. He's curled up on the couch with me right now as I write this. (He's a cuddler! Yay!) We were going to head to Houston when my car had a window meltdown over a fly. It'll be taken to the shop tomorrow by one of my darling roommates as another friend of mine takes me to Houston to meet with my parents. The Lord has blessed me with beautiful friendships and family ties no matter how frustrating my situations get.

This leaves me with many options tonight:
1. Possibly finding more room on this couch. When Clyde and I sat down here, I believe I had more room. Since then, he's seemed to conquer a bit of my space. This probably won't be enacted because well, he's cute.
2. Reading Italian. I must have printed out 2356272547 sheets of paper for that class today. That option sounds quite disgusting. I could read Pinocchio for that class though.
3. Watch a movie for INTS, because that's the one "study" thing that wouldn't be easy to do with other people like my family. Oh, wait. Nevermind.
4. Blog. Wait, Check?
5. Read my blogroll, check facebook and delight in what the Lord has led me to. Share these findings with my friends:

The ex-ASC president, Blaire, has a beautiful blog chronicalling her life. One of the things that drove us together in friendship during our sig was how we both have siblings with down syndrome. Her blog today made me cry, she has such a beautiful brother.

There is nothing more beautiful than seeing a brother or sister coming to Christ. Today, I've gotten wind of that for two different new sisters of mine. I don't know either one of them, but I'm excited for them. Here's one of the girls' stories, Christianne.

Off to study... but really.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Comfort

I feel like everything is falling apart.
I feel like a failure at school.
I feel like my friendships are shattering.
I feel like I'm more exhausted than I ever have been.
I feel like I can't prevail.
I feel like I can't stop the tears.
I feel like giving up.
I feel like I have comfort in the Lord. Because I do.

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged,
for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

I Want To Play

Someone asked me what excited me the other night, what I wake up in the mornings and desire to do. I've got a few answers to that question, one of them is simpler than the rest though: I want to play.

It's very rare that I get to build a carboard or blanket fort these days. It's not always "appropriate" for me to wear a Batman costume and pretend my car is the Batmobile. I can't even tell you the last time I got incredibly muddy because it was raining and I thought it would be a good idea to roll around in the backyard.

Children are the ones who get to play. Well, I'm going to get to play soon, even if it will be through the eyes of a little boy named Max on the big screen, I'd like to think of it as an opportunity to place myself inside of the wolf costume he will wear.

If you are unaware of what I am referring to, Spike Jonze and Maurice Sendak have collaborated the childrens' storybook, Where The Wild Things Are into a motion picture film that comes out tomorrow. I'm not sure if I'm going to go see it tomorrow, but I can definitely say I am very excited about it and the glimpse back into childhood that it seems to be.


If this doesn't play, click here to view the trailer.

I've never really studied a popular culture film or book that's come out. I mean, I studied Peter Pan, but that came out in 1918 and 1927 I believe. If those are the correct dates, I'd be rather surprised I remember that from my Fantasy Literature class fall semester freshman year. For some reason though, Where the Wild Things Are has captured my attention in a way that I've been somewhat studying it. I can't tell you how many times I've watched the trailer, or listened to the soundtrack previews, but I can tell you I have yet to attend either of the two Maurice Sendak exhibits at the Rosenbach Museum in Philadelphia. It might be because I'm not in Philadelphia, but I can't 100% deny the fact that I might go if I was in Philly. I have read a few articles on the film, such as a Spike Jonze biography in the New York Times and an article containing 7 reasons to see it by some film critics. Spike Jonze's photography skill and innovations is a driving force in my desire to see this film.

I can't wait to go watch Max play and explore his world.
If only I could go play...

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Driving The Distance

Ironically after the last post, I've fallen ill. However, I have a feeling I was already starting to get sick when I wrote that as I did feel rather lousy.

I came down to Houston to the doctor on Tuesday. Wednesday we did some medical testing. (We'll get those results back Saturday?) Thursday, I woke up even worse than I had been on Tuesday. It's been a great week of midterms. Out of 4 tests, 1 presentation, 1 bibliography and possibly something I've forgotten in the midst of it all, I've completed one test. This being said, next week is going to be a long week.

I drove up to CS last night to pick up some books, clothes, etc. that I'm going to need to read, wear, etc. This morning, I hit the road to come back to Houston and recover here and get ready for next week.

I've decided that one of my favorite things in life is waking up, grabbing some Chickfila chicken minis and some green tea and driving on an open road as the sun sets itself high in the sky. I prefer some Ben Stuart speaking some truth into my life or a mixture of beloved cds, some Christian music or some country twang ringing in my ears, preferably in the form of Brad Paisley.

Really though, I enjoyed my drive home this morning.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

25 Facts of Procrastination

1. I'm supposed to be studying today. I'm being a failure at it by doing chores/anything but studying. I just really don't care that much about Porfirio Diaz and whatever he's done in Mexico. Plus, the mere thought of studying for PoliSci makes me want to drop the class.
2. I'm making gallo pinto for the first time today. I'm thinking it's going to be a fail, but I'm making enough to eat on all week...that should be fun.
3. I refused to get dressed this morning and go to the store to buy milk. Instead, I put on a hoodie and went to get Chickfila for breakfast. This leaves me with the task of buying milk and gas tomorrow.
4. I miss high school football games. I just really don't care about college football the same way as I do high school.
5. Finding a themed costume idea for 9-11 people is proving to be hard because of the multitude of choices we have and the lack of the junior high knowing old tv shows like Recess.
6. Our house is on a non-ice cream cake diet. Sad day. We don't even have ice cream here. I don't count sherbert, it's just not the same.
7. I've not been so sure about the coming of fall lately. Yesterday and today, fall has sprung though. I'm rather enjoying it. Now if it was only cold enough for a scarf and a fleece...
8. I get Clyde on Friday after school. I'm excited!
9. I should really be writing that blog I told Michael Ryan I was going to write and have been working on in my drafts. Oh well, here's to a few more days of waiting...
10. I really want a legit photographer's digital camera for Christmas. Canon. I may have found the one I wanted already as well...
11. Online shopping just seems so superior to book studying.
12. Once midterms are over, I think I'll be making a pumpkin something something ice cream pie. I'm not sure if that's going to be deemed as not acceptable as to our non-ice cream cake diet. We'll take a vote or rock-paper-scissors it out.
13. I really enjoy working in youth ministry. Games. Haha.
14. I had a presentation yesterday in Spanish. I definitely wore the same outfit as the other presenter who is my friend. We didn't plan that and I still find that humorous.
15. I'm glad I'm an International Studies major (minus the PoliSci class), but journalism tugs on my heart daily.
16. I'm starting to really like twitter. What's next? Farmville?
17. I have recently rediscovered my love for Todd Agnew. I am still excited about getting my Jared Anderson cd next weekend though.
18. I wish I could be 'cool'. I'm not though. Cue Scott Krippayne: "i'm no cool but that's okay my god loves me anyway / i'm not cool but that's alright i'm still precious in his sight". These are song lyrics from an actual song that Calli showed me on our way to SFR.
19. Part of me wonders if I should just give up studying or rather trying to study for awhile, get some energy out and I guess restart?
20. Stuff Christians Like is possibly one of my absolute favorite humorous things. I do really like Tim Hawkins song about Chickfila though. Actually, just Tim Hawkins in general makes me laugh.
21. Is it bad that I semi-wish I could get the flu so I wouldn't have to take tests. I mean, I'm not going to go around looking for germs. But if they find me what can I really do?
22. I really like songs that are redone in a funny way. That pretty much just means I really do like Tim Hawkins, Apologetics and people I don't actually knows' names.
23. I'm currently looking for hire. The technical job title I want is internationally travelling world changing journalistic youth worker. If you hear of an opening, let me know. I'm not completely not seriously about that. Do the two 'not' words negate each other on that? I hope not.
24. By currently looking for hire, I meant one day in my life. I'm currently looking to pass my classes this semester. I think my real job will go better than this whole studying thing.
25. I've decided that one of the most annoying things is when you're reading medieval Spanish and the words you're looking up don't exist anymore and aren't even archived anywhere. What, you don't have that problem? I'm not that surprised.