Well that was quick!

This is in reference to my previous post, so if you haven't read that one, go do that and then come back to this one :-)

Because of the frigged 37 degrees outside it was when I left the house, I was delayed a few minutes in putting on an extra jacket, finding a scarf, as well as gloves. I headed outside just having finished a little more homework (that I admit is late) and am off to get a bagel from the cafeteria despite the fact that it will make me a few minutes late to class. My professor never minds, and I'm not a happy camper when I don't get breakfast.
As I walk in, my professor calls me in (something he usually doesn't) and as I sit down in my seat, my neighbor explains to me that we are being giving a take-home final, and once it's explained we're free to leave....

SCORE!!!!!
:-D
I was SO excited. A take home final means it's open note and book, and I can take my time to do the best I can. On top of that, my professor let us out early which means I now have at least a little extra time to work on homework (or write a blog...) This take home final greatly lessens the stress level; now I can take my time, focus, and figure out how it's all going to get done.

So perhaps my excitement this morning wasn't a practice of anticipation, though I believe that it's still a part of the equation. As I was waiting for my bagel this morning, standing a long with 3-5 of my peers as they were also waiting for their toast one of them turned to me and he simply said "Patience, patience." This is someone I know, but have never had a real conversation with, or formally met. He said it, I'm sure, just to say something and in reference to the bagels. Yet the tone of his voice and the way I gave a half grin and slowly nodded in response hinted at something more.
I don't think my waiting is over. Rather, it has just begun. This morning's blessing from (get this) my Psalms class is a catalyst, something to help me get going, and keep going. From this morning I have hope that good things will happen and continue to happen as long as I accept them. I'm still anticipating, patiently, and now I have hope that my waiting will not be in vain.
I'm done waisting my life complaining and pointing out the negative. I hope you can be too.

I'm waiting...

I woke up this morning in a good mood.
That never happens.
Often I will go to bed giggling and shivering with excitement because I love going to sleep and dreaming. Getting up on the other hand, is my least favorite part of my day.
This morning however, I had a smile on my face. I had the feeling that something is going to happen. Something good. I feel a bit like Tony in West Side Story...I know something's coming, I don't know what it is, but it is gonna be grand (if I let it in, that is).
There was nothing in my inbox this morning; nothing out of the ordinary at least, and there were no notifications on Facebook...I'm planing on checking my mail box later today, but other than that, I'm waiting. I'm going to be patient, keep my eyes, ears, heart and mind open to whatever it may be that's waiting for me.

I think it's interesting, because just in chapel yesterday our campus chaplain was speaking about advent and how the leading up to Christmas is supposed to be like a practice of waiting, or anticipation for Jesus to come. This was something that the Israelites and Jewish people had to do when they were waiting for their Messiah to come. Now, however, in our immediate gratification world (at least here in the U.S.) we have forgotten how to anticipate.
So perhaps today is simply the beginning of my anticipation. Maybe I woke up this morning realizing that I was one day closer to going home, to Christmas, or being done with school. Perhaps I woke up this morning in that realization that God is coming, though He is already with me, and that He is taking care of me, so I don't need to worry about the day, my week, or my future; he's already got me covered.
And maybe there is a surprise in store for me today :-) I'll keep my eyes, ears, heart and mind open to whatever it may be, and welcome it with open arms.

Song Suggestion: Elf's Lament -- Barenaked Ladies
I woke up with this song stuck in my head, and it won't leave! Good thing it's a good song...
(and I recommend the whole Holiday Barenaked Ladies cd to add to your collection. Perfect mix of whit, comedy, holidays, and cheer to add a positive change of pace to your day)

Rain

This is just a short piece of creative writing I did last year. I thought I would bring it out for you to see. I like it on its own, but it will probably/hopefully be part of a larger work someday.

Rain
It wasn’t raining very hard, but it was enough to be annoying. She pulled her umbrella out of her bag, pressed the silver button that was built into the handle, and the umbrella sprang into form. Clutching her bag close to her body with one hand and holding her umbrella steady with the other she walked on. Most people had only their hoods up – if that. No matter. She wanted her umbrella, and so she was going to use it. Who cares if there was only one other person using one?
She did.
The wind had picked up. She now held her umbrella more in front of herself than above, acting as a shield against the wet that the wind, rolling like waves, pushed against her.



Let me know what you think.

Multitasking

I am currently in my writing class, listening to a lecture on how to use the library (which I have heard countless times), chatting with my friend who is currently in Scotland, on Facebook, was able to just answer a question from the Librarian and writing this blog. If I could get away with it, I would also be listening to music. All at the same time.
I've always been good at multitasking, but in college, it's ridiculous. You almost have to be able to multitask. It's gotten to the point where a lot of people, I know for at least myself, that it's hard to do almost anything without doing something else. I can't figure out whether this is from our "A.D.D." mentality most people my age have, or whether it's because of our fast-paced lifestyle here in the US. My guess is that it's partly both.

"Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb nail."
~Henry D. Thoreau

I agree completely with this statement, and think that it would be very beneficial. Yet I can't seem to let myself live that way. I've gotten sucked in and stuck in this world of "MORE MORE MORE!"
"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ." ~ 2 Corinthians 11:3

Now the question is how I get back to that simplicity. How do I go back to something I've never known? How do I change my entire lifestyle, when everyone around me refuses to live simply?

Fall

I go out of my way to step on crunchy leaves.

"And if it isn't, and if it isn't
If it ain't ain't, and if it don't
Well, if it can't, then it won't
And that's just way it goes"
~Jason Mraz, Zero

These lyrics were stuck in my head the other day as:
And if it isn't, then it isn't, and if it can't, then it won't, and that's just the way it is…
Over and over they played in my head, and it got me thinking....

Things are going to be the way they are, and it's nothing more than that.
I'm not sure if I agree with that statement, but I like it. It calls to simplicity, which is something I want in my life.
What if we did take things at face value? Just take it as it is and not expect it to be something it's not. No reading into an action or turn of phrase. That also means accepting things as they happen; there would be no getting around something by saying it meant something else.
However, life isn't always simple and some things are meant to be given more value than just what's at the surface.

I don't know the answer, but I know life is a balancing act. Balancing between simplicity, and what means more. Between trivial every-day things that have to get done, and the things that are going to have a more lasting impact.
Who knows if the balance will ever be really found, but I'm willing to try.
Because I want my life to be made up of
"Our friends on the front porch and they telling the jokes and they
Swinging oh-so-swiftly towards happier times
Expending lines and finding more energy for the effort
And getting distance from that front porch spotlight"

Song suggestion: Zero (Percent Intrest) - Jason Mraz
I basically want my life to be a Jason Mraz song :-D

Macaroni and Cheese

I pour out the neon orange powder that claims to be cheese, mix vigorously with a chunk butter and think that the dinner I am about to eat can't be healthy.

If I have kids, they will extremely rarely eat macaroni and cheese out of a box.
My grandma's recipe is better.

And people wonder why we're an obese nation?
Really???
My excuse is I'm a poor college student...

The Matrix

I just got done watching The Matrix for the very first time.
I could say that I was slightly let down, but I don't think I really was expecting anything spectacular. It was good, but not anything too extraordinary. Let me explain my reasoning.
The plot: decent enough. Not a strong storyline, but enough to keep the movie moving and interesting. The concept is a very good one; the whole alternate-reality, and conception of life. I have to say, one of my favorite parts of the movie was a scene when they are eating on the ship, and the younger boy is ranting off about how perhaps sweet wheaties tasted isn't really the way they taste, but what he was tasting was tuna, or something else. That maybe chicken is just a sort of default taste, which is why everything tastes like chicken! It reminded me of something my mom has told me; she said that when she was younger she wondered if perhaps the colors she was seeing were possibly different than what other people saw....even though two people would both call a color red, the other person may be really seeing what she saw as blue. Of course, we're pretty sure that can't be possible....but the storyline I think somehow rings truth in at least the smallest measure in all of us. We all question God, and faith, fate, destiny. I think everyone wonders at some point whether we are just a small marble some other being is playing with, or actually just hidden away in some airport locker in some alternate being's world (Men In Black). Or perhaps, as I wondered as a child, that maybe we were just someone else's play-things, or someone else's dream...
The dialog: Besides the short dinner table rant, I found most of the dialog, cheap and cliche. Could definitely have been more original.
The acting: Let me just say....I'm not a fan of Keanu Reeves. The rest of the cast was pretty decent. I couldn't take the "Agent" guys very seriously though....their monotone and seriousness was slightly funny. :-)
Over-all-ness of the movie: I really didn't think it was a bad movie. As I told my friends I watched it with, I'm glad that I've seen it, but I would be perfectly fine never seeing it again.
Also, I have to note that I thought the romance was completely unnecessary. I know, a girl revoking romance! But actually the other two girls watching didn't like it either. I understand that the kiss at the end is not what woke Neo up, but that is what is implied. Really??? It's SO cliche and almost insulting that they find the need to insert that because they think they need to keep the female audience.
Really, tell your story and tell it well; the best way that you possibly can.

Sweet Solitary Evening

This evening started out quite disappointing....I was supposed to go to a friend's show, but the people I was going with ended up accidentally leaving without me. Lame. Since it's a Friday night, no one is around.....and it's wonderful. :-)
In a house of nine girls, you rarely get the living room to yourself, and I am savoring every second of it. I finished watching a movie, ordered more movies, I'm having fun exploring new music, I'm enjoying the silence. I'm planning on putting in another movie, while working on a quilt that I never have time for during the week, and nursing my last Diet Coke :-/ In short, I'm doing no real work, relaxing and finally doing all those little things that I say I'll do, but never get done. It's extremely needed, and I'm enjoying every bit of it. I think I deserve a little time for me too. I had a crazy week, getting only 31/2 hours of sleep two nights ago!!! I had to stay up to finish a paper, which came out pretty well, if you ask me. Last night however, I got a glorious 11 hours of sleep (because I had started to feel sick from lack of sleep). Needless to say, I may be up late tonight... :-D

If only it were noon, and about 80 degrees, I could wash my car, which desperately needs it.....


Movie Suggestion: Spirited Away (Miyazaki) (A wonderful film. Even if you think you don't like animation, you need to watch it.)
Song Suggestion: Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners -- Foo Fighters (A brilliant piece of music. An beautiful instrumental, from an unsuspecting band. The whole album is quite wonderful)

L'art du cinéma

Today was my first experience ever filming on set.
It was amazing.
Tiring, but wonderful.
True, it's a student film, low budget to the extreme, at best the crew have a few years of experience under their belts...but for what it is, it's brilliant. The movie is set in modern times, but has a defined 1940s style and feel to it. I'm a Production Assistant, which means I do anything and everything the director/producer/art director tells me to. I hold cameras, fix props, take stills, hold cords, etc. Not the most glamorous job, but I am so thankful for it. I also got thrown in as an extra for today's shoot on set. I got to dress 40s-esque, so I wore a skirt that came up to my waist, a button down shirt, my "pearl" necklace, and curled my hair the tightest it would with dark lipstick that would show up, since we're shooting in black and white. (!!!) :-D
Even better than the fact that we are shooting in black and white, is the fact that we are shooting on FILM!!! Real film. The kind that comes on the reels that you have to physically cut yourself. Ah! That is my favorite part of the film. Not only do I think it's more true to the art form, but it will fit the 40s feel so perfectly. The sound of film rolling is now one of my favorite sounds in the world. It's so beautiful... To hear the flick of the switch, "Rolling," and the shutter of the film as it passes through the camera, miraculously recording everything it's aimed towards...it took everything in me to not squeal out of delight whenever the film camera was turned on. I somehow held out until the shot was over, accompanying it with excited jumps if the scene went particularly well. Even our producer said that he was sure his heart palpitated when he first heard it.
Just to be there on set is a wonderful experience...I get to see everyone working together, see how it all falls into place, and I get to be apart of it! The most wonderful part of it all is that it feels so natural to me; it's re-affirming that this is what I'm supposed to be doing. At this point I don't even care what it is I'm doing, as long as I'm involved. I am thrilled to see this film progress, study everyone's relation to each other and the film itself, and learn as much as I possibly can.
I'll most likely keep you posted on what's going on with the film and my thoughts on it. :-)

Recommended movie to watch:
Casablanca
(For the 40s feel, and because it's a classic.)

Really???

Every day I am astonished...by how incredibly odd people can act, by God's greatness, or at how I act myself. It may be as simple as a comment someone makes, a reaction I get, figuring out I did the wrong homework (after it's already done, of course), an amazing story I hear, or my own stupidity that causes me, almost daily, to say "Really???" - often in a skeptical tone.

I've played with the idea of creating a blog for some months now, and after finding out that some people I know actually do blog, I decided "Why the heck not?" I've yet to decide how private or public to make myself known, but either way, this blog exists to challenge myself. I'm making myself vulnerable, and invite you to read as well as respond. This is going to be my place to let loose. Here I'll be talking about anything that I feel noteworthy -- whether that be some small event from my day, an epiphany, or a bit of fiction. In short, anything that has caused me to question, "Really???"

This is my life, and this is me.
My life, my opinions, my thoughts.
Please, feel free to disagree with me.
Just be ready to support your opinions.
I'm an open-minded person, but not to stupidity.
This is my life, my opinions, and my thoughts.
Your approval is not needed.
But your comments are welcome.