29 November 2005

The joys of headaches and in-depth articles

Well, Thanksgiving was good. Granted, I was overly emotional because of some random stuff for most of the week, but the holiday was good and so was having John home.

I like my little brother.

It's sweet to see him so fired up for Christ. He is so involved with Campus Crusade out in SLO and he loves it and he's so excited for what God has up His sleeve for the Cal Poly campus.

'Cause that's the cool thing about God... He's always got something amazing ready to go. How amazing is it that our God does good things and, most importantly, that He saves the souls of men?

Anyway, it was good to be home for a while with the family. If only I slept better at home...

I managed to develop a vascular headache Thursday night (that's what my mom thinks it is) and it hasn't left me yet, though it is decidedly better today because I finally got a good night's sleep.

Sunday night was fun, let me tell you. I didn't sleep well and, when I did sleep, I dreamed about not sleeping well. I finally gave up at 7:45 yesterday morning, got up and read for a while before going to one class that I barely made it through.

But I did. And I got my paper back. And I picked up my history exam. And I'm happy with my grades because I really needed them to be good. For two classes, I have a ton of grades because I have a lot of assignments. For my other two classes, I have three or four grades the whole semester, so the paper and exam were good things.

And I just got my project back for copy-editing, so that was good, too.

I have one final next Thursday, one the following Monday, a paper for lit, and my final "in-depth" article is due by Dec. 16th. But that's it! And then I'm a semester closer to graduating.

I don't like reporting. I like editing. I like writing. I like graphic design. I like learning new things. Reporting news information bores me because nothing ever changes. It's formulaic. Any moron can do it. Maybe not well. But any moron can do it.

But I have to go interview someone for my in-depth piece at 12:30 today. Which means I have time to prepare for the interview, eat lunch, and jet to Gifford.

Volunteerism and aging. Older adults volunteer a lot. To me, it's interesting; to most people, they would probably be bored. I like social theory stuff.

But I want to sleep. Sleep would be wonderful right now.

First, however, I have macro-editing. Not as fun for me as micro-editing, but still good. Boring to learn. Fun to do.

That's it, really. At least I am slightly coherent again. That's good.

Mood: Slightly disoriented Listening to: JT310 lecture
Reading: Josh McDowell, His Image, My Image

23 November 2005

John's home!

...'nuf said. :) 'Night.

20 November 2005

The Crochet Frontier

I think the title pretty much sums up my time at home so far.

I got home Friday, finished the panel I was working on, attached two more panels to my blanket as a whole, and started another panel (this part was identical to last Friday night... go figure). I got about halfway through that panel while watching Sahara with my parents. Then, I went up to go to bed, started crocheting a hat, read, and went to sleep.

I got up yesterday (albeit a lot later than I really should have because I woke up around 10:30), ate some lunch (leftover pizza), and did various things (I have lapses in my memory of what I actually did... I think it involved baking brownies and cookie bars for my parents' small group) until I decided to finish my hat (which I did). Then, Laura and I went to Borders, where we proceeded to feel very old and sad because they renovated the cafe and, not only are the prices higher, but we can't really get the same things anymore. But we looked at books ('cause we like books) and they have a ton of Sudoku puzzle books (it's nice to know that it's not just us who like them).

And then we went and looked at clothes at Kohls. They had some good stuff (like corduroy pants, which are wonderful), but they also had a lot of stuff that makes me worry about the people that wear them. I just don't know what people are thinking sometimes when they buy clothing. Go figure...

Anyway, we went to King Soopers to get drinks (because we didn't want anything that they had at Borders) and I finally settled on a Sobe and some Arizona green tea. Laura got some Sweet Leaf peach tea, which she loves. So, it was good all 'round and cheaper to boot.

We went home and watched The Princess Bride, which is one of the best movies of all time. I took Laura home and came back, finished Judges, and went to bed.

Church this morning was actually really good. My home church was finishing up their "40 Days of Community" campaign and incorporated different age groups into the service. I miss worship at my home church sometimes, but when I'm here, I miss worship at MountainView. They're just so different stylistically, but they're of the same Spirit, so it's hard to choose, you know? The middle-schoolers did a skit based on 1 Corinthians 12, about how the body is made up of many parts, but how each part needs the other. They were each a different body part and it was funny, but well-done. It drove home a lot of what I've been learning lately about the design of the local church body.

After church, I came home and read for about an hour and a half. I read Ruth, a few Proverbs, started the book of Acts, read chapters from three different books ('cause I'm reading three different books), worked on Seeking Him for next week's study in Newsom, and ate lunch.

Lunch was good. Real fish. Salmon. Baked potato. Peas. Dad's iced tea. Blueberry muffins.

I like being home. I eat fewer meals, but it's all good food.

Not that the dogs are complaining, either. Singer has developed an affinity for grapes and Dancer gets scrambled eggs on her food now. This place has definitely gone to the dogs (they're hairy, but I love 'em).

I finished the panel I started Friday while watching The Pacifier and Sixteen Candles. Frankly, the movies are mainly for background noise. The crocheting is so mindless that it's actually quite nice.

I started laundry, I'm talking to my brother, and I'm going to read some before heading to bed. Chris is coming up tomorrow, so I actually have to go to bed at a decent hour (not that that's a problem because I have so little to do, but anyway...).

But yeah... life here is good. Boring, but good. It was good to see people today. It's nice to know I can still come home. I just have different expectations now, is all.

So, that's life. And that's all I got.

Mood: Bored Listening to: Chris Rice, Amusing
Reading: C.S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy

17 November 2005

Out of the ordinary...

I'm sitting here, munching on popcorn and Hershey Kisses (I have a sweet tooth right now) while Eddie and Chris are at the midnight showing of the fourth Harry Potter movie (they're still in line right now... it's only 11:34) and while I really should be studying some more for my Media History exam.

I thought I would do something different, merely because nothing has really gone as-planned over the past two days (not that it has been bad, but it's just been unexpected).

Yesterday and today (both), I haven't been feeling all that well, so I've been sleeping and studying and reading and sleeping and studying and... you get the point.

But last night, I went babysitting with the small group instead of going to college group. It was neat. I haven't babysat in quite a while (probably last fall, would be my guess; either that or the fall of my first year of college) and it was really cool to be able to do that again (although in a slightly different fashion). And then I studied, which was good. And then I went to bed.

This morning, I didn't have to go to my Copy-editing lecture, so I slept in, prayed a lot, took a shower and greeted the day with a bagel. I went to my lab to turn in my project and left promptly, settling in on one of the many available couches in the boys' rooms and cracking open my Bible.

It was so nice to have time to read. And I read! I went through Judges 10-16 and Proverbs 7. Judges is such a crazy book because of the dynamic between Israel and God and the cycle of disobedience and repentance... it's crazy stuff.

And then I edited Chels' paper, which took forever because my brain wasn't all there. And then I had lunch with Chris, his brother, and his sister-in-law before heading back to work some more.

After lunch, however, I wasn't feeling so good again and took a nap. I studied notes for a while and then, after waking Chris up from his nap, I began experiencing severe pains (eerily similar to those I felt when I was sick a month and a half ago).

Consequently, I didn't get much studying done in the hour I had before small group started. But I went to small group, which was really good (on having faith and "little faith" throughout the book of Matthew) and (surprise!) played for worship because Stephen was studying.

Granted, I haven't played for worship in a really long time, but it was good to do it again. Uncomfortable, yes, but good.

And I am feeling better. Hopefully, nothing will return tomorrow.

I came back to the dorms, Chris and Eddie left for the movie, and I finished going through my notes and looked over my study guide briefly (I need to do that in more depth once I finish here). I checked out the music room and played through some stuff on the piano (how I miss having a good piano!). I started work on a song for Laura and Andy's wedding, but I don't know what I think of it yet. It might morph. I might write a completely different song. Who knows?

And now I just finished eating popcorn and Hershey's Kisses and I need to get ready for bed and finish studying for my Media History exam.

And I'm going home tomorrow! And my brother comes home Tuesday! It'll be nice to have a rest, even though I will have some schoolwork to do. I'm almost done with the next panel for my blanket, too, so that will be good to work on.

The semester is winding down. My last days with MountianView are mounting, sad to say, but I'm excited about what God has for me in the Spring with Summitview and with music and outside of formal ministry...

I'm excited, but I am of so little faith!

Back to the grindstone... 'til I write again, good night.

Mood: Okay Listening to: Bebo Norman, Big Blue Sky
Reading: Media History notes

12 November 2005

Selective Information...

I took out some questions 'cause they don't really fit with "me"... I got the original off of Chels' MySpace account ('cause I stumbled across it). Boredom is great.
-----
Name:Alyssa "Kate"
Birthdate:May 16, 1985
Birthplace:Lafayette, IN
Current Location:Aurora, CO (but I live in Fort Collins, CO)
Eye Color:Blue (unless I wear green)
Hair Color:Brown
Height:5' 3.5" (yes, the half-inch counts)
Weight:More than it looks like.
Piercings:My ears. I don't need anymore holes in my head.
Tatoos:None
Boyfriend/Girlfriend:Yup. I like him.
Overused Phraze:"Are you sure?"
FAVORITES
Food:Mexican/Chinese
Candy:Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Number:I'm not good with numbers.
Color:Blue
Animal:Penguins in animated movies (Madagascar?)
Drink:Peach iced tea
Alcohol Drink:Wouldn't know 'cause I don't drink
Bagel:Cinnamon sugar
Letter:One that's sent to me
This or That
Pepsi or Coke:Pepsi
McDonalds or BurgerKing:Burger King
Strawberry or Watermelon:Watermelon
Hot tea or Ice tea:It depends on the weather
Chocolate or VanillaVanilla
Hot Chocolate or Coffee:Hot chocolate
Kiss or Hug:Each has its own purposes
Dog or Cat:Dog
Rap or Punk:Punk
Summer or Winter:Winter (but I really like Autumn)
Scary Movies or Funny Movies:Funny movies (unless I have someone to tell me to close my eyes at the scary parts)
Love or Money:Love
YOUR...
Bedtime:When I get there
Most Missed Memory:Feeding the fish with my grandfather
Best phyiscal feature:Eyes (I think)
First Thought Waking Up:"Lord, help me get through today"
Goal for this year:To grow more in my faith, to get one semester closer to graduating
Best Friends:Laura Marie (!)
Weakness:People I love
Fears:Becoming stagnant, waking up and having my life be "one big joke" (although that's not as true as it used to be)
Heritage:German, Scandinavian, Irish, English, American Indian (Cherokee)
Longest relationship:Hasn't ended yet...
HAVE YOU...
Ever Drank:Water? Yes. Alcohol? No.
Ever Smoked:Nope
PotÚ253ANope
Ever been Drunk:Nope
Ever been beaten up:Nope. Tickled mercilessly? Yes.
Ever beaten someone up:I slapped someone across the face once.
Ever Shoplifted:Not consciously in my memory.
Ever Skinny Dipped:Nope
Ever Kissed Opposite sex:Yes
Been Dumped Lately:Nope
IN A GUY/GIRL
Favorite Eye Color:Green/Blue
Favorite Hair Color:Not important
Short or Long:Short
Height:Taller than me (but that's not hard)
Style:Whatever works
Looks or Personality:Just someone who seeks after God whole-heartedly
Hot or CuteNot important
Drugs and Alcohol:If he's old enough, drinking responsibly is okay; drugs eat your brain.
Muscular or Really Skinny:Not important
RANDOMS
Number of Regrets in the Past:Many, but I look back and see grace, so it doesn't really matter
What country do you want to Visit:Italy
How do you want to Die:I want to be raptured.
Been to the Mall Lately:No. I don't think I've been to the mall since I worked there.
Do you like Thunderstorms:Very much so.
Get along with your Parents:Very much so. Most of the time.
Health Freak:Not really. I like sugar too much.
Do you think your Attractive:Sometimes, but it's not what matters - I'm precious in God's sight.
Believe in Yourself:Sometimes, but it comes and goes in spurts.
Want to go to College:I am in college. Almost done, too.
Do you Smoke:Nope
Do you Drink:Water? Yes. Haven't I already answered this? Alcohol? No.
Shower Daily:If I need to.
Been in Love:Yes
Do you Sing:Yes
Want to get Married:Absolutely
Do you want Children:Yes. Whether or not I can raise 'em is a different story.
Have your future kids names planned out:I've thought about it, but that's about it. I don't have anything set.
Hate anyone:Not that I know of.

CREATE YOUR OWN! - or - GET PAID TO TAKE SURVEYS!

Home

Well, I'm currently at home because my parents are in Connecticut for my cousin's wedding and I thought it would be nice to get a break from being at school.

Laura came up for the weekend, too, which is fun. We're getting to act like real friends who see each other and do things together on a regular basis. We went out for burritos last night, hit the used bookstore next door, went to see her dad and then came back to my parents' house.

We were old ladies, but we didn't expect otherwise. We watched TLC (because it's, at the least, not degrading or offensive) and crocheted. Yes, you heard right. We crocheted. And we ate ice cream, too... :)

But yeah, I finished the panel I've been working on, connected it and another to my blanket which is slowly building, figured out that I have 12 panels instead of 16 to do (I'm really spacey when it comes to stuff like that), and then I started another panel, which I'm now about 1/5 of the way done with (yay!). Pretty soon, I will be 2/3 done overall.

I'm a nerd... what else can I say?

But yeah... I'm supposed to be doing homework. Or reading. Or folding my laundry, which finished drying about an hour ago. Or showering, which I'm sure the dogs would appreciate. I'm waiting for Laura to get back from her time with Andy ('cause I said she should do that)... and then we're going to get food and go to the thrift store, so... I really need to work now is basically what it boils down to.

So... I'm going to go do that, I think. Well... I'm going to go do something. Laundry? Shower? Read? I like that order.

Mood: Discombobulated (what does that mean?!) Listening to: The house
Reading: John MacArthur, Jr., Different by Design: Discovering God's Will for Today's Man and Woman (take that, feminism!)

08 November 2005

When speech fails...

Little girl sits alone –
She hides her face when light is shown
Into her dark corner of the world

She weeps beneath her fallen hair
She feels that none of this is fair –
How did she wind up so alone?

Will she ever know what others know?

There’s a peace
Beyond all her understanding
There’s a cross
That keeps her from reprimand
And there’s more mercy in one drop
Falling from His hands –
There’s more mercy in one drop of His blood
Than she could ever need


Little girl walks around
A frowning face that’s upside-down –
A heart in need of truth and mending

She hides herself within the bonds of night
Thinking no one sees her in the light –
Why does the darkness seem so never-ending?

There’s a peace
Beyond all her understanding
There’s a cross
That keeps her from reprimand
And there’s more mercy in one drop
Falling from His hands –
There’s more mercy in one drop of His blood
Than she could ever need


Will she ever see?

That there is One who loves her,
One who called her by name –
That there is One who sees each tear that falls
And hears every cry she makes?

That she is treasured above all others,
Valued more than His own life –
That she is precious in the sight of Adonai –
Complete in His sacrifice?

There’s a peace
Beyond all her understanding
There’s a cross
That keeps her from reprimand
And there’s more mercy in one drop
Falling from His hands –
There’s more mercy in one drop of His blood
Than she could ever need


Gracious Father
To Thee we sing –
Perfect Savior
Beautiful King

©2005 AKG

03 November 2005

Class? What's 'class'?

So... my only class today was cancelled (my guess is that it was due to my instructor being sick, like she was Tuesday). Anyway, I got up early to go to that class and now I'm really tired, but I have to work on my research project for Media History.

I had a meeting with my Reporting professor today and, guess what? I'm a good writer. Yeah. Amazing, huh? I'm also my harshest critic and I put in so little work in that class that it is difficult to feel proud of anything that I write.

But yeah... I'm sort of procrastinating right now because I really don't want to do any work, despite the fact that I have to or I'm in a lot of trouble.

I found this article over at Boundless that made me laugh, though.
Time to Meet the Parents?

It made me laugh because it kind of described some of the experiences that I've had in the last two months. Granted, I really don't think any amount of preparation or advice could really help in that respect, but oh well.

Time to get back to the grindstone. Yuck. I'm really ready to be done with this semester (at least). I am beginning to feel like all I really do is study... it doesn't leave much time for people, even though it's glorifying to God for me to complete my work.

It's really windy... the branches keep scraping against the window.

Nonetheless, God is still God. And God is good.

And we sing because You are bigger
than any reference we could make
And we dance until we're tired
because we know Your name is great.

[["All the Reasons Why," downhere]]

Mood: Lazy Listening to: downhere, downhere
Reading: Better Homes and Gardens, Sept 1975

01 November 2005

The days I feel discouraged...

...are often the days when I am not showing love toward those around me and the days when others fail to exhibit love and grace toward those around them.

How do we ever conceive that we deserve any sort of respect from anyone? How do we get away with feeling a sense of personal injury when someone has merely been doing their job? How do some feel that one moment of error can discredit someone who has been nothing but faithful for years?

It's been a long day... and some comments that have been made today are really weighing upon my heart at the moment.

And yet, I need to exhibit the same grace toward those that make comments as is required of them toward those they are commenting on. Does that make sense?

Things are busy around here, but that's okay. I got everything done for last week that was required of me. I went to Snow Mountain Ranch for a retreat with the Rock this weekend, which was greatly needed and such a blessing. God is teaching me so much at the moment and making clear all-the-more what it is that He requires of me in the coming days. He reaffirmed a lot of things this past weekend and, for that, I am very grateful.

Now that I'm back, work is piling up again. I never knew that four classes could be so much work. I'm working on a project for Media History that is taking a really long time and that, in all actuality, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do with. I have a micro-editing exercise due Thursday that's worth 4 percent of my grade. I have a story due Friday for Reporting. Kind of swamped, but not stressed, surprisingly.

One day at a time. And if I have to stay up all night Thursday, like I (practically) did last Thursday, so be it. Things will get done. I'll stay sane. :)

In three weeks, my brother will be home! I'm really missing him and I'm getting to the point where I'm ready to spend some time with my family again. Granted, seeing them means not seeing people here, but I figure we'll all be in heaven sooner than later, so there's really no need to see everyone at once just yet.

Besides... I'd get terribly anti-social if I saw everyone at once and I wouldn't be able to enjoy it.

Something to chew on: Partial obedience is disobedience.

Mood: Perturbed Listening to: My iPod
Reading: Better Homes and Gardens, Sept 1971