Musings · of · a · twenty · nothing

Hey, I'm moving over to blogger. I like its interface a bit better, and that will enable me to comment on other people's blogs that I know. So there.
Here's the address: lil-boots.blogspot.com
T

Minor Triumph of the last few days: figured out how to make coffee properly from whole beans
2nd minor triumph: Got 7 strands of lights put on our 6-foot christmas tree
Major triumph: Figured out I need more practice making apple cake (THAT was a sticky mess. . .)
Also, Pilates has been happening every other day. Killer workout this morning. . .
Peace on earth. . .need to go clean up the hurricane that hit my room when I came home, and I'd like to read Dante today, maybe Mere Christianity too.
Soon I'd like to start on my essay brainstorming. . .
Leaving for PA Friday morning.
Got my haircut Monday (looks pretty much the same).
I LOVE eggnog.
Just so you know.
Ciao, T

I'm home, just barely over 24 hours (and it's been a good 24 so far).
I made myself some coffee and toast and sat down to read the paper as I normally do when I'm home, and check out what I found, written by an Akron staff writer at my local paper: http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/entertainment/columnists/connie_bloom/16254791.htm
Odd, eh?
I'll write when a few more things happen around here!
Tabitha

Yes, we are winding down quickly. And guess what I'm doing? "Writing a math paper." Obviously. It's nearly half done, I swear, and I'll finish it before I go to bed! Really I will. In other news. . . how long has it been since I last wrote anyhow? I feel like it's been since at least August, although I know well that's not the case. Regardless, quite a good chunk of things have happened since last time, I think -- like my Don Rag (which was remarkable) and oral, among other stuff. Oh, like maybe Thanksgiving at Chelsea's and loads of Black Friday shopping, which was also cool. I bought a digital camera finally, and have been really enjoying taking pictures with it.
I'm flying home Friday morning. . .I'll be there until the 8th of January. I'm not planning on working, although you never know -- I might just find myself selling some unicycles. I'd like to do a lot of sleeping and reading, hopefully starting my essay, maybe some jogs around the neighborhood and a few cruiser rides. We'll see what happens, like how the weather decides to be too, that may determine a lot.
Oh, and I suppose I rave a lot about the fact that I'm going home home for Christmas -- I'll actually be at my parent's house in PA for the holiday. And we'll all go to my Dad's parents house for lunch. . . this is what we did all the time I was growing up, so it is really cool for me to be able to revive this tradition after 4 years of being away. And my brothers and sister are too darn cute! I can hardly wait.
Oh, and the latest news is invovled in the planning of a trip. . . 6 of us are going to Europe over spring break (March 2-18). We've been planning like mad for a few weeks now, and everything is coming together, so much so that the tickets are probably going to be booked tomorrow. . .We're getting railpasses and visiting Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, and Benelux. More details to follow as they become clear.
I'd better get back to the paper, later days, Tabitha

This is something I know, and I appreciated all the more last night because I slept well and woke up feeling quite refreshed, which hasn't happened in a while. Not just in actual sleep, but rest itself is good too. I've had a fairly light work load the last week, so life has been pretty restful. I've also been getting homework done early (read: Friday night and Saturday morning), which has meant I've had good weekends too. I've been thinking about the idea of actually taking Sunday as a Sabbath and treating it more as a day of rest -- which has meant of really wanted to get my work done early so that I don't have to stress about it late into the weekend. It's worked well so far.
So, the weather lately! Remarkable. It was something like 75 today, and I could hardly believe it. I stayed in long sleeves anyhow, because I didn't quite want to admit that it was so nice out. Anyhow. . .
I had my oral this past Tuesday, and it went really well. For whatever reason, I'm always REALLY nervous before orals -- even when they have promise of going well, like most any of them have. Oh, and my Don Rag is on the 18th, in just over a week. Wild. It will fine, I have no particular reason to worry.
I'm going to Chels' house for Thanksgiving, I'm excited about that. And we'll be doing some Black Friday shopping again this year (there really is something to the crazy day-after-thanksgiving rush. For us, it's just fun. . .even though there are a few awesome deals waiting out there for you if you look). Maybe even watching the 6-hour Pride and Prejudice through again (maybe I'll be awake for more of it this time!).
And for Christmas -- oh, I just can't wait -- I'm going home. Not just home, but home home, pennsylvania home, my parents and grandparents home!! I haven't been with my immediate family for Christmas Day for over 3 years, and I just simply can't wait. We're going to spend the night at my parents, and then head over to Grandma and Pap's for mid-morning and Brunch. I'm warm and fuzzy just thinking about it. Mmhmm, Christmas is good. And that's preceded by the Geier family Christmas party, the bash that Nana and her sisters (my mom's mom and her family) put on every year, which has also become such a part of my celebration. . . I've hardly ever been happier to go home.
I suppose that I should follow up on my "Sleep is good" title and actually make it there. . . so have a good one. . .
Tabitha

So we seem to have come to the end of yet another break from school! This past weekend was of the long variety, and we start back tonight with seminar. It has been fun staying with the Beckers, getting to know the family, and jaunting around Lancaster City. Soon Tim will be here to pick us all up and school will again become a reality.
Something that I've been thinking a lot about lately is joy and also peace and passion. The first month or so of school was riddled with apathetic, unexciting schoolwork. And I really don't think it was because the subject matter was uninteresting; a lot of it had to do with my attitude towards the material. I was praying to God for a n increase of passion, and he has been slowly granting me that as the last two weeks have unfolded.
It's been mostly inexplicable -- I've not been doing anything different, but I now really desire to do my schoolwork to the best of my ability. It's been a serious change of pace, and something that has spilled over into other areas of my life. A blessing. It's peaceful knowing that I don't have to work for my own glory in the classroom. . . and I've been more joyful lately in all areas of life.
Amen . . .
Tabitha

Long time, little typing. Things have been rather busy/crazy/hectic lately. . . long weekend (which is not this one coming up, but the next) will be well deserved and desperately needed for many of us. Most of my pals seem to be sick (of course, I've noticed because I've been on the sick side too . . .), much of it due to lack of sleep and stress. It's amazing what one weekend can do for a morale!
I'm going home with Katie for the weekend . . . I'll get to hang out with her family and check out Lancaster as a whole. Which is exciting. Besides getting to hang out with her family! I've learned a lot about people by going home with them, seeing where they live their lives and where they are most often. Seeing their favorite things and going their favorite places; it's something that I really enjoy.
Before all of that, though, this weekend coming up is Homecoming! The weekend was looking better before I remembered that I volunteered to work Saturday as long as they need me, but Homecoming means a waltz party! Which should be fun. There will even be an hour of real waltzing with Mr. Zuckerman accompianing. I'm going to wear one of the fun dresses that I got over the summer. . . And I'll probably show up late, so that hopefully some of the gross alums will be gone! Beware the Juggernaut, that's for sure. I'm looking forward to it, although none of the mids will be there, and Chelsea will be gone too, off to a swing dance competition.
i'm feeling good after my bike crash of almost two weeks ago. The bruises are nearly all gone, although my ankle is healing kind of slowly. I got the stitches out on Monday, which was perhaps a little too early, but the skin still seems to be mending itself together pretty well. I've just been keeping it covered and praying about it. What more could I do anyhow?
Hmm. . . in other news . . .not much is going on. . .
I'll write again sometime . .
Tabitha

It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.
Theodore Rooselvelt, "Citizenship in a Republic," Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

Seminar tonight was quite good; I still think that we need to work a little to gel as a group, but overall we get along very well. And Eileen talked tonight! Twice! In the first 10 minutes! Go Eileen!
Umm. . .other notes that may be beneficial to freshman/ the uncreative in the dining hall: a collection of very tasty stuff that you can put together yourself.
Lunchmeat and cheese (I like turkey and swiss) with spinach and sprouts in a wrap. Tasty on its own, but if you heat it up for about 30 seconds in the microwave it's much tastier.
Salad! Create your own. Oh, and if you have a great salad, but don't have time to eat it in the dining hall, slap it on a bagel and eat it as a sandwich. Mighty tasty, and portable too!
Tuna salad and yellow apples are delicious together.
If you want a good dip for apples, bananas, or waffles, mix some of the chocolate syrup from the ice cream bar with some peanut butter. Voila!
Yogurt on cereal is good, and it's the best on Rice Crispies or granola. Fruit loops transport well, and make for a good diversion during an unendurably long lab class. Justify your diversion to your tutor by creating something beautiful with them.
Be willing to combine things you'd never expect. I've made a lot of AMAZING sandwiches this way.
Look around; there are things all over the place to add to food. I keep forgetting that there is great fruit on the waffle bar -- add to cottage cheese or yogurt, or just chow down!
Want chocolate milk but hate the stuff in the machine? Add syrup from the ice cream bar.
Iced coffee made from hot coffee and vanilla ice cream takes a little tweaking, but once you get it right. . . mmhmm.
In the winter, I survived mornings with a mix of hot chocolate and coffee -- both tasted pretty bad alone, but together they made a great team.
Have you gotten addicted to Switch in the coffee shop? Make your own by combining one of the horribly sugary fruit juices with some of the carbonated water found under the leftmost "water" tab on the soda machine.
Make your own pizza by grabbing some bread and getting marinara/pasta sauce from the hot line (yeah, they'll look at you strangely, but probably won't question) and adding lunchmeats and cheeses and then microwaving. I toast my bread first.
To sum up, don't be disappointed by what they give you. Get creative and actually enjoy your food! It's totally worth it!

From my favorite comic. . .

Kind of sums up how things come out . . . people are metaphorically still wearing the same clothing.