Thanksgiving 2010

So, not that I think today, being Thanksgiving, is any reason to be more grateful for the blessings I have in my life, but nevertheless, it is a day designated to think on them with more focus, and the easiest way for me to do that is to list them. So, here I go!

First and foremost, Jesus Christ, my lord, my savior, my everything

Family!

Friends

good roommates and a good apartment close to campus

this amazing university that I am attending

all my wonderful professors

eyes that work so that I can read and write all I want on my own

books

blogging and journaling

email

phones

skype (even though no one ever seems to be on...)

pretty much the internet in general

and my laptop, and flashdrives

the kindness and generosity of others (and God, of course ^_^)

time alone

music, pandora radio, and grooveshark

beautiful art

the creative genius of Joss Whedon and Tim Burton

farmer's markets

Alan Rickman!

trident gum

getting letters in the mail

hot showers

rain, thunderstorms

candles, and matches, fun fun matches...

colors

tea!

mugs as big as bowls

the ability to learn

Jesus Christ again (because He is the Alpha and the Omega :D)

Awesome Deal

Ok, so this is one of the few times when I actually feel good about buyin jewelry.

Last night mom, Elisa and I went to Market Street and wandered into Charming Charlie (I'd never been there before, and honestly I don't see much reason for me to ever go back, but you know, I had a good time anyway). As usual I found my way to a clearance section and found these two really cool chain necklace & earring sets on clearance for $6 each, down from $12.97. That's still a bit much for me, but there was a sign that said 75% off already marked down jewelry, meaning each set was now $1.50! Well that fit right into my price range, so I took them on up to the check out and paid a total of $3.25 for two pretty awesome sets of chains, and I do love chains.

But still, I'd say that the chain stuff only made about 5% of Charming Charlie's inventory, and the rest isn't my style. So I think my first visit is probably going to be my best.

Random Update

Ok, this is totally random, but I just thought this was a good article.

http://www.carm.org/religious-movements/open-theism/logical-refutation-open-theism

School is so busy right now. I'm working on a linguistics research paper right now, and right when I'm done I'll start on my next one, and then right after that I'll work on my Medieval Lit paper, and then after that I'll make my presentation for Christianity & Culture class, and then all sorts of other little assignments will get sprinkled in between. I can't believe only three weeks left, then I'll be on my way home! I have soo many books I can't wait to start reading! This summer is going to be so book-filled, I can't even tell you how excited I am. I'll probably also keep working on the World Literature powerpoints for Dr. Delony's class next semester, and I'll have to contact all the freshmen that are going to be in my Cornerstone class in which I will be the Peer Leader ^_^ I'm pretty excited about that too, since I'll be working with Dr. Delony again. It will be my fourth semester in one of her classes, except this time I won't have to do any classwork, haha! I just have to interact with other students instead... Not what I'm best known for, but it'll be nice to branch out, expand my horizons, and maybe make me a better candidate for Resident Assistant my senior year.

Since I didn't get to be an RA next year, I think I at least got the next best thing: I'll be living in a condo right across the street (yay for walking-distance!) with three friends so that the monthly rent for each of us is $200, plus, the only extra cost is water, everything else is covered by the landlord, sweet! So not so bad at all really. At least I don't have to drive to school, that was the main thing for me. I love living on campus and just being able to walk to class.

Other than just working non-stop for classes, I really haven't been up to much. I am just so ready for this semester to be over, and thankfully after this I will only every have to take about 13 hours a semester to graduate, so no more of this 17 hour load, woohoo! I'll actually have breathing room to interact with my freshmen, and read and write more for pleasure (hopefully)...and that's as far as I'll dare to hope, lol.

Ok, well, back to the research papers for me. Until next time!

Spiritual Gifts

So I took this online quiz that helps you learn your spiritual gifts. My top 4 don't surprise me at all, but I didn't realize that they were spiritual gifts in the first place. Kind of cool. :)

Thu Mar 25 19:49:00 2010 EST
Score Graph of Score Spiritual Gift Statement / Response
25 ========================== Celibacy 3 = 5 31 = 5 59 = 5 87 = 5 115 = 5
23 ======================== Craftsmanship 4 = 5 32 = 5 60 = 3 88 = 5 116 = 5
23 ======================== Poverty 22 = 5 50 = 5 78 = 5 106 = 3 134 = 5
21 ====================== Writing 28 = 5 56 = 3 84 = 5 112 = 3 140 = 5
19 ==================== Hospitality 13 = 3 41 = 5 69 = 5 97 = 3 125 = 3
18 =================== Music 20 = 5 48 = 5 76 = 3 104 = 0 132 = 5
17 ================== Faith 9 = 5 37 = 5 65 = 3 93 = 3 121 = 1
17 ================== Mercy 17 = 3 45 = 3 73 = 5 101 = 5 129 = 1
15 ================ Helps 12 = 3 40 = 5 68 = 3 96 = 1 124 = 3
14 =============== Giving 10 = 3 38 = 5 66 = 5 94 = 1 122 = 0
13 ============== Exhortation 8 = 3 36 = 3 64 = 1 92 = 3 120 = 3
12 ============= Encouragement 6 = 3 34 = 5 62 = 0 90 = 3 118 = 1
11 ============ Teaching 24 = 3 52 = 1 80 = 3 108 = 3 136 = 1
10 =========== Pastoring 21 = 3 49 = 1 77 = 5 105 = 0 133 = 1
9 ========== Discernment 5 = 1 33 = 3 61 = 3 89 = 1 117 = 1
8 ========= Intercession 14 = 3 42 = 1 70 = 3 98 = 1 126 = 0
8 ========= Evangelism 7 = 3 35 = 1 63 = 0 91 = 1 119 = 3
7 ======== Knowledge 15 = 1 43 = 3 71 = 1 99 = 1 127 = 1
7 ======== Missionary 19 = 3 47 = 1 75 = 1 103 = 1 131 = 1
6 ======= Leadership 16 = 1 44 = 1 72 = 0 100 = 1 128 = 3
6 ======= Wisdom 27 = 3 55 = 1 83 = 1 111 = 1
6 ======= Prophecy 23 = 1 51 = 1 79 = 3 107 = 1 135 = 0
5 ====== Healing 11 = 3 39 = 1 67 = 1 95 = 0 123 = 0
4 ===== Apostle 2 = 3 30 = 0 58 = 1 86 = 0 114 = 0
4 ===== Administration 1 = 1 29 = 1 57 = 1 85 = 1 113 = 0
4 ===== Miracles 18 = 3 46 = 0 74 = 0 102 = 1
3 ==== TonguesSpeaking 26 = 3 54 = 0 82 = 0 110 = 0
0 = TonguesInterpreting 25 = 0 53 = 0 81 = 0 109 = 0 137 = 0

Here's the link so you can take it too if you so desire:
http://www.kodachrome.org/spiritgift/

Alone

I sit inside my heart, an air-
filled chamber with one window
to let in the night. Silence

stifles, a soaked pillow on my face,
an anchor wrung around my ribs,
a parasite sucking my energy
to dial, to speak, to care. Music

is no remedy, managing only to make
the room seem bigger, emptier.
My own breathing pushes the walls

out, increasing the distance
between me and the world. Does
it still exist? The walls are too far

off to see, so I crumple with nowhere
to go, a limp nucleus in a solitary
atom, fainter than the shadow of mist.


Just a poem I wrote just now, how I'm feeling. I was trying to feel productive.