I'm on your side, oh when times get rough

First, let me say I ADORE mix CDs from friends! I'm currently listening to the one Eagle made me, which is almost finished, so I will move on to the one from Dan.

I just finished up my honors project proposal and emailed it to my adviser. It's really a relief for just to have finished it, but I'm not sure if he'll go for it. It's kind of a crazy idea, but I'm all for it and all the work it takes to finish it. Anyone who has talked to me for at least 30 seconds knows that I am absolutely passionate about summer camp, teaching, and really just about the well being of children in general. So for my project, I want to combine summer camp and teaching, and go off of the idea that if a book worms program could happen, and Harry Potter and Little House on the Prairie programs could be CRAZY popular, why can't there be a summer camp program that's a little more academically based, but just as fun? I'm going to research reading and writing workshops, common problems girls face in schools, camp and school standards, etc and use all that to come up with a program (with lessons for each activity) based on the book Speak. So cross your fingers my adviser goes for this!

Now that the holiday is over, I am socially acceptably in the Christmas spirit! I will be buying my Christmas cards this week, and mailing presents soon after that! I just can't wait. I am more into Christmas this year than ever before, and I think that has a lot to do with my lack of church lately. I know that sounds crazy, but I honestly haven't been able to make it to church in a while for a variety of reasons, mostly lack of rides and abundance of work. Because I can't make it to church each week, I have to take it upon myself to find God in other places. I'm closer to God now than I was when I could go every week. Maybe the holiday shopping season is a blessing in disguise for me. I thank Him for every little thing in my life. All of my friends, my family, my health, my education, and absolutely everything I have. Everyone always says that Christmas is too commercialized and stuff, and to some extent I agree. But the way I look at it, I love how much Christmas is blown out of proportion. The next sentence is going to be a ridiculous thing only I would say. How SWEET is it that you can buy princess, Muppets, Mickey Mouse, Looney Toones, etc. decorations; how AWESOME is it that even Cinderella, Donald Duck, and Big Bird celebrate Jesus's birthday????? The answer is that it's AMAZING. I'm not trying to be all in your face religious-y lately. I totally respect the differing religious views of my friends. I just love Christmas! Let me know if I should calm it down.

Punctuation question: How do you punctuation singular possessive words ending with an S? Jesus' or Jesus's? hmmmm. I'm an English major and I never know what to do in that situation.

Currently, I am in the union, and there are a group of students in some sort of prayer ritual. I don't understand it, and I'm not even entirely sure of what religion it is. However, I love the fact that no one is staring at them in the least bit. They are just doing their thing, and everyone else is going on with their homework or lunch and stuff. There's even an event going on in the ballroom (across from where I am sitting) and no one is even blinking an eye. Yay diversity! I want to call every Ed professor I have ever had right now and scream "this is what diversity really is!" Nothing like their stupid lesson plans.

hmm what else. Well, yesterday I went outlet mall shopping with my brother and mom. It was fun! I found a dress to wear on New Years. Not quite like the American Eagle one I originally wanted, but just as cute and like, 35 dollars cheaper (YAY OUTLET MALLS-- the dress was 5 dollars!) I also got gifts for my grandma, Andrew, and Eagle. I've ordered Bart's and Blondie's, and I bought Star's and her kids gifts months ago (I'm a little eager about Christmas, I know). My mom's gift just needs to be assembled and she's done too. I love gifts!

If ANYONE is up for a buffet this weekend, call me. After last night, I have a serious Golden Corral craving. lol.

Tomorrow theres a bake sale in the polsky building for the writing lab. I'll be baking cookies tonight...should be interesting.

Well, that's it for now. I better start on my Black Literature paper! I'm copying and pasting the lyrics to my favorite song on the mix CD from Eags for you all to read and enjoy. Love it!!!

Hungry, I come to You
For I know You satisfy
I am empty but I know
Your love does not run dry
So I wait for You
So I wait for You

I'm falling on my knees
Offering all of me
Jesus, You're all this heart
Is living for
Broken, I run to You
For Your arms are open wide
I am weary but I know
Your touch restores my life
I'm falling on my knees
Offering all of me
Jesus, you're all this heart is living for.

Like Mountains in the Midwest

Let's just say I can't wait until next week when tutoring starts up! I'm so bored in between my classes on Tuesday's and Thursday's. Two hours in between!

So, I've made a recent discovery of the band "Owl City." I've been thinking forever that I need a new band to listen to, and the past couple times I've been in Andrew's car, he's played this one song (Designer Skyline) that I really like. Then I remembered all of Jen's away messages about Owl City, so I have youtubed them, and I am liking what I hear. Yay new music choices.

So, I've written a lot about this topic: what music will be oldies when we're old? I've decided that if nothing else, the following songs have staying power. Feel free to disagree: "Iris" by The Goo Goo Dolls, "How to Save a Life" and "Over my Head" by the Fray, "American Baby" by Dave Matthews Band, and I think "Vindicated" by Dashboard Confessional might have a chance. Also, at least one Creed song is going to make it, but I can't decide which one. I'm on the edge with the s0ng "All the Small Things" by Blink 182. Obviously it is not a *good* song, meaning it is clearly not a song of incredible depth or musical greatness, but I would bet 9 out of 10 people know it.

Speaking of music, yesterday I said something that I don't remember (which, in relation to this story is not important anyway) to which Andrew replied "I just learned what the song Skater Boy was really about!" I asked him to explain, worried that I've been misinterpreting the song for all these years (was there a hidden meaning no one ever told me? That's on my playlists for camp...should I take it off? Is it secretly innappropriate? These were the thoughts running through my head...) Andrew goes on to explain "So there was this skater boy, and this girl liked him but thought he wasn't good enough for her..." He went on to explain the entire song the way I (and everyone else in the world) has always understood it. It made my day. Oh, I heart my housemates.

I am happy to say that my two lovely Betta fish, Atticus and Scout, are still alive. I never really thought fish could be an entertaining pet, but they are making me laugh quite a bit. They have a divider between them (you know, so they don't eat each other which I hear Betta fish sometimes do). Well, this morning, I fed them and one of the food pellets on Scout's side stuck up against the divider. Atticus thought the food was on his side, so he spent about 3 minutes trying to eat it (and running into the divider trying to get it). I'm sure it would have gone on longer, but I didn't want him to hurt himself so I moved the piece of food closer to Scout. yay fish.

I have to say, the worst part about my class schedule is I don't know when to eat! I have a lunch and I want to eat it now, but it's only 10:15. I have class at 12 to 1:30, then again from 3:00-4:30. It's hard to decide which gap to eat in.

Speaking of food, I'm trying to see how long I can not eat meat. I've always wanted to try to be a vegetarian, so why not try now? I'm going to finish up the meat food I have at home already, but after that I doubt I'll buy any more meat products for a while.

I've been breaking out the old school game boy a lot with Pokemon blue. I am so frustrated with the tunnel to Cerulean City-I just can't seem to get through it! I can't beat Rocket! aghhhh! Obviously, getting Ivysaur to beat Rocket is the biggest problem in my life right now.

Gotta catch them all!

How about I start to write a blog about something of actual substance, instead of just heartfelt camp song lyrics? Does that sound good?

Before anyone gets bored and stops reading, I need to know who is good with Apple products. My ipod (you know, the classy hand-me-down one with the tape on the sides?) has kind of died. It doesn't play, but instead gives me an error that says something like "please plug into computer to restore." But nothing happens when it's plugged in. Sad day.

Obviously, camp went really well. I was so sad to leave, but I'll be ok because Eagle and Blondie are planning an incredible Ohio visit in January, and I am determined to make it to reunion this year. Being a UL at this camp is a world of difference between being a UL at my old camp. I worked so much harder than I ever have before, but it was a good challenge. I met some amazing people and amazing children, and I'm so glad I had the experience.

A few days after I got home from camp, I moved into the house, which is happy. My room is nice, and it has a closet (something I've never had in a room!). There is also plenty of space for all of my toys, which are displayed wonderfully on the TRINKET SHELVES. I also finally finished the piece of art I have been working on for about 3 years now.

That's my t-shirt quilt! Yay! And just turn your head sideways. I'm not going to take the time to try and rotate it. Oh, and the two pictures above my bed are from Elmo's patrol during week 7. One of them says "Thaks Pottre You roke!" I think that translates to "Thanks Potter, you rock!" but I can't be sure.

Remember when I was thinking about what songs would be oldies when we're old? I've decided at I might be wrong about some things, but The Fray Over my Head is definitely going to make it. I don't think anyone could disagree with that. How To Save a Life might make it, but Over my Head will I'm sure.

I only have one English class this semester, and it's my last real English class (meaning, my last English class through the English department. I have a couple more English related classes, but they are all through the COE, so they're a lot different). I really don't like English classes, mostly for the same reasons why Will hates them. Black American Literature should be pretty easy, I'm guessing. The first thing we're reading is A Raisin in the Sun, which I've had to read for about 5 other classes. The rest of my classes are education classes that you all probably don't care about/understand (content reading, special topics-language learning, ed. implementation), and I'm taking ASL 1 to bump myself up to full time. It should be a good semester. I'm pretty excited to go back to the writing lab too! Yay!

Laser quest last night was ridiculous. I love laser quest, even though I'm extremely bad at it. For the last round, we all decided to pick Pokemon names. I was Squirtle, Andrew was Bulbasaur, Sarah was Jigglypuff, and Kat was Evee. It was amazing, especially when the guy handed out score sheets and said all of our pokemon names in a row.

Well, that's all for now. I wish I had more to say, but I don't. Maybe once school starts again, there will be more internet worthy stories happening.

"you're an adult now. God help us"

Aww, isn't that precious?

Well, tonight was the last troop 746 meeting EVER, which is crazy! I've been going to their meetings since I was in 8th or 9th grade. I was basically in two troops for all of high school, mine and theirs. DD and I somehow became responsible for shopping for the little shindig tonight (mistake!) so we used some of the 30 dollars we were given to buy food to buy everyone a different foam animal hat (sidenote: we completely forgot the hot dog buns, which was the primary reason we were sent to the store to begin with). My mom got a bunny, Raelyn got a horse, Megan a toucan, Chris a giraffe, I chose a bear for myself, and obviously DD chose a duck. So, anyway, everyone cried a lot tonight, it being the last and all, which was kind of hilarious because we were all wearing these ridiculous hats. At one point, I kind of blurted out "Chris, you can't cry because there's a giraffe on your head!" hahahahaha Sadly, though, this is the last time for an unknown amount of time I will be able to enjoy Megan's delicious baked beans. Also, when my mom pinned DD with her bridge to adult girl scout pin, she said "You're an adult now. God help us"

Here's food for thought: what do you think will be oldies when we're old? Dan and I talked about this the other day, and he thinks that if we have oldies (and "oldies" don't remain the 50's-60's music it is now) that it will be things like The Goo Goo Dolls, Lifehouse, Coldplay, etc. I think that's probably true, but "oldies" consists of different genres of music that just happen to be from the same time period. I really think that Nsync is going to make it to be oldies, not because they are good, but because everyone knows them, and their songs are used in a lot of movies and stuff. I also think Britney Spears will probably make it to oldies status because of her recent craziness. I also think there's a good chance that bands like The Jonas Brothers and singers like Miley Cryrus are going to get oldies status because they have TV shows. Think about The Monkeys and The Partridge Family--the shows were probably more of an appeal than the actual music, right? But people knew the music anyway. I really think the majority of our "oldies" is going to be music made popular by TV and movies. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Life has been pretty uneventful lately. There is a camp food party on Saturday, so let me know if you want to come. I'm basically all the way packed, but everyday I think of another thing I want to bring. I'm trying to pack light, so I think packing so early was a mistake because I keep adding things. Work is awesome, I love it. The people there are so nice, and they are very happy to have me work when I can.

And since you all read this far, you get to see another picture:


Thats me, DD, Megan and Raelyn with our AWESOME hats (Life lesson-never give DD and I money and expect us to spend it responsibly).