Gone the Way of the Cowboys.

So I don't know if anyone actually reads this, but if you do, I apologize for not having posted. College started, life got busy, I began to take naps during the day. etc. and sadly posting was demoted in my list of priorities. But I'm going to keep it up, by golly... all the other ones I've started have, as my sister G---- says, gone the way of the cowboys.

I'd like to lay my impressions of college life all out in this one post, but that would take too long (and besides, I'm about to go take another nap) so I think I'll give like "Snapshot of College Life # Uno" (see, Spanish 101 is already paying off. Woot) to be followed by Dos, etc.

# Uno:

In the mornings, I wake up fairly early and I go run around the lake on campus. (More like a pond than anything, but you know) There are these ducks, see, that quack at me everytime I run by and sometimes they get in the middle of the path and I have to jump over them or something to avoid them. It's about a fourth of a mile around the lake and it's really peaceful down there (except when the maintenance trucks try to pass you) so it's a nice way to start the morning off.

# Dos

The freshman all live in these dorms just off this big cement square in the middle of campus called the Quad. You meet all of them at once during our oreintation, but it takes a little while to meet the upperclassmen. Last Sunday night the Sororities and Frats met on the quad around 11 and started chanting some slogans in a ritual that they apparently do every Sunday.

And, er--- this post really isn't going anywhere, so I'm going to start on my nap now, more on college later. Adios

Life Changing Experiences

I used to not believe in life changing experiences. Which as a Christian, (albeit a rotten one at times) is pretty sad. I was of the mindset that every change is the result of a million little changes and is not traceable to one, defining instant. You know, those sort of magical movie moments where a person throws up their arms in defiance/enlightenment and (fortunately for them and the viewer) turn from an ugly, fat (hairy, oozy, multiple-eyed, etc) caterpillar into a pretty butterfly. Coo-ee.

Even being saved - I thought, (and, actually, still think to an extent) it's more the culmination of changes throughout my life, witnessing God's love from different Christians, feeling the Holy Spirit draw me, understanding the significance of Jesus more and more, realizing my own sinful self's helplessness, and so on. I cannot point to one specific time in my life and tell you, "I was saved in that area. " I really don't know. I prayed the prayer to recieve Christ as a young, young child - was I saved then? I don't think I understood till I was older, but then, I'm not sure... The important thing is that I know I am saved, even if I'm not exactly sure when.

But, as of today, I'm convinced that there are life changing moments. Catatlyst moments, if you will.

Terry Pratchett is the man. I heart Discworld.

Black and White (Alarm Clocks, actually)

Daily, I wake up to my alarm clock. It is the worst sound in the world, a sort of "AEEHHHH!! AEEHHHH! AEEHHHH!" And it's not, unfortunately, one of those pleasant clocks that shuts up after a few minutes or so. It would aeehhhh! itself eternally if I didn't hit it. I've put it across the room from my bed, the theory being that getting out of bed to turn it off would wake me up, etc. But instinctively, I switch from sleeping like the dead to olympian speed medalist, bounding from bed to slam the snooze button, turning on my heel, and leaping back into the bed covers in a mere matter of nanoseconds. (Nanoseconds, buddy, mere nanoseconds!!!!)

This morning, I turned my alarm clock off instead of hitting the snooze button and woke up around 7:45ish. When I squinted at the clock though without the aid of my glasses, it looked like 11:45 and I almost had a heart attack, thinking I'd overslept and was seriously late for work. (Starts at 9:30) Let me tell you, there is nothing for waking up like experiencing a near heart attack of panic. Bang! I was out of bed like a shot.

This post was really supposed to be about something else (notice the title) and I spent some time picking out a picture that has absolutely nothing to do with what I actually wrote about. Oh well. Good night.

Breakfast Club

I watched "Breakfast Club" for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Shocking huh? Should have seen it a few years ago, when I actually was beginning high school instead of having left it just recently.

But now, a question. Where the heck did they get the name "Breakfast Club"??? The only mention of it is at the very end, and I was like, "Whoah, where'd that come from?" Random title. Maybe I just missed some deep, ultimate, utterly significant symbolic key to the whole film.

It was one of those movies that reminds you that everyone has problems of their own to deal with. The people who sneer at others ("Oh yeah? When have you ever had it hard? Life has been so easy for you!") for having "it easy" grate on me. They seem to feel they are special for enduring hardship - a sort of self-righteous angst. But they miss the fact that to really know someone you have to be in their position, the "walk a mile in their shoes" kind of thing. Do you really know what someone else is going through?

I can think of many people I'd no clue were undergoing terrible hardships - I'd assumed everything was fine. And, (confession ahead) I might have said some of them have it easy from a quick surface judgement. It makes me feel important, because, apparently, I have it harder.

One of the characters in "Breakfast Club" tells another that he doesn't invite other people into his problems - therefore, other people assume he has it easy when he really doesn't. Sometimes I wonder if it is a good thing, to keep what you're going through to yourself. When Jesus discusses fasting in the gospels, he says to present a positive face on the outside, to keep fasting a secret between you and God. If you reveal your suffering to others, you will have recieved the reward for fasting, because you will gain the respect from men. But if you keep it secret, God will repay you, for He sees that it is for Him and not to glorify yourself among others. A lot of people glorify themselves by sharing their trials with others - "Look at how I have to perservere through such troubles". Perhaps some sufferings are best left between you and God.

Other times, I wonder if you should share with someone else, to rely on someone's strength to get you through bad waters. It's most likely a matter of personal judgement...I'm not really sure.

2 weeks...

2 more weeks before I pack up and head to The College. Mom and I went dorm room shopping yesterday - I am the proud new owner of a black shelf and a wastebasket and some twin bed sheets. I wanted to buy a blender, but I wasn't sure if I'd really use it. It's still a possibility....