Love

1 John 4:7-10

(7)Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (8) whoever does not love does not know God because God is love. (9) This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. (10) This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Oh the Joys

Of working for “Pub-Safe”:

I’ve been working for on-campus Public Safety for eight months now and I’d say it is one of the best on-campus jobs. Dispatch is especially conducive for college students because we are allowed to do homework while on duty. We can also listen to music as long as it is set as a respectful volume. It also combines the duties of reception and emergency response, so I now feel a little bit more qualified to apply for other reception jobs off campus. It also operates 24-7/365 which can be a good thing AND a bad thing. Good because the hours are very flexible with class schedules, bad because it means that you can’t just close it down when no one is available to work over breaks.

Public safety also has its quirks. I don’t know if any other job would put me in a situation where I needed to turn down marriage proposals at 1:00 in the morning! Yes, that happened. I don’t know of any other job that would force me to put up with screaming girls attempting to do Chinese fire drills at the stop sign. (Which doesn’t really work) And finally I don’t know of any other Job that would force me to create my own script: “Okay sir, you’re going to want to go up to the second stop sign, take a left and follow that around this loop here until you get to the parking structure on your left. Then you can walk to ______. No it’s not a long walk. Yes, left at the second stop sign. . . .No problem. . . Have a nice day!” I could go on and on about specifics of this job, but I'll just say that over all working at pub-safe has been a blessing this year even though it has gotten me into some interesting situations.

March/April video

Video #3 of the semester. . . a new record!!

Important:

1. Turn off the music at the bottom of the page!

2. I know that most of the footage is super shaky. . . sorry about that!

3. Most of the people included in the video are from my hall.

4. Music: Mainstay -- "Story"

I should be doing homework but I'm blogging instead.

This week was spent in the library, so

this is probably a pretty accurate picture of how I looked all week due to lack of sleep!!

I would not want to run into that in a back alley after dark!

Time Management

I just took a quick peek at my schedule . . . and in the next 3 weeks I have 11 Midterms/tests/ or term papers due. Let me break it down a little more: that is 3 midterms (in 2 days), 5 term papers, and 3 unit tests on top of regular homework and Easter "break." WOW

It's funny how. . .

When it's a matter of life and death, the preservation of life is the only important thing. Material things mean nothing.

*Pray for my Gramma.

Implications of an overly active mind

My mind runs 12 million miles a minute. I've calculated it out. Now, that doesn't hold true when I'm actually trying to do a math equation or when I'm trying to come up with a witty retort on-the-spot. But I tell you, the second I have quiet, my mind runs wild!
I frequently have "what-if" moments where I am simply doing a normal every-day thing when out of nowhere I come up with a random and semi-plausible situation. For example: *I'm sitting at my desk, studying for my Human Development test (which is TOMORROW) and I suddenly hear a deep rumbling noise underground. I scream "EARTHQUAKE", grab my computer and flee. Unfortunately, my computer is still connected to the wall and I stumble as I try to yank it out by force. And while I'm preoccupied I trip over the floor fan and face-plant into the fuzzy green rug.* This is a thought that I really had. You can ask my roommate, she will testify to its truth because I was forced to tell it to her after I had spontaneously erupted in laughter.
Another problem with my mind is that it doesn't relent when I'm trying to sleep. Take now for instance, I'm sitting in bed, without anything to do but fall asleep. But here I am . . . blogging. No offense, I love writing blogs, but it isn't high on my priority list tonight. Or should I say this morning as it is now 1:00am.
One thing that does help an overly active mind is something monotonous. Something that doesn't require much thought but just enough to keep the mind from creating too much havoc. Because of this truth, I have taken up knitting! Check out my FIRST attempt:

Notice the way it expands in width, that's not supposed to happen. Also, check out the gaping hole in the bottom right corner, that's not supposed to happen either. And while we are in an analytic mood, lets also recognize the unusual hand motion. I don't even know what's going on there.

"Twilight?"

I first heard of the “Twilight” book series last year while walking through Barnes & Noble with a friend. When I asked her what they were about she said “They are vampire love stories.” That was all I needed to know before I resolved never to read a word. I have even openly laughed at my acquaintances that do read these novels.
I was finally able to see the movie this weekend. I must admit that I was quite anxious to see this movie that has caused such a stir among girls and young women (maybe even guys) all over the country.
Unfortunately, I thought the movie/story line was downright ridiculous! There were a few “good-feeling” parts like the time when he saved her life, and the other time that he saved her life, and then the end when he saved her life. I’m not sure if that sounds repetitive to you, but it sure does to me.
I actually laughed out loud at some parts because of the absurdity. My favorite line was from Edward, the leading male character; he told the leading female, Bella, that she was like his own personalized brand of heroine. (This was said to describe how tempted he was to eat her.) If I was in her shoes I definitely would have turned around and ran forever. I most assuredly would not lean in for a kiss. But that’s just me.

He is with me

"God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain."

~C.S. Lewis

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Last night Felisha, Leslie and I went to Fashion Valley Mall to watch Confessions of a Shopaholic. Don't waste your money!!!

First of all, Felisha and I spent the entire movie fighting off panic attacks at her amount of debt. Second of all, Hugh Dancy (the leading male role) is way above this type of movie.

I should have taken the hint when the guy letting us into the theater said that it was "such a girly movie" and that we definitely wouldn't see any guys in the theater. (There actually WAS a guy in the theater, I hope he brought an ipod or something.)

That's all I have to say about that!

Stress and other random topics. . .

Some of the greatest conversations happen around the table at Starbucks over an iced caramel Macchiato. The most recent conversation I had was with Felisha and Caily, the topic: stress! Each phase of life is stressful; it seems to fall into the category of the human condition. In looking at all the life I hopefully still have to live this knowledge is quite ominous! It seems I spend more time trying to outrun the pressures of life instead of just embracing them and enjoying the moment. I don't want to outrun the pressures of life because when stress is escaped, life is forfeited. I'd rather just enjoy the moment. My new tactic for embracing stress is simply to laugh out loud! I encourage you to try it.

This first week back to school really hasn't been too bad as far as school. Unfortunately, I have contracted some sort of illness that has settled in my throat. So far it has kept me awake two nights in a row. It is most unwelcome.

On a completely random note, I went through my parent’s computer while I was at home for spring break and I found lots of old pictures! It was fun to take a jaunt down memory lane. I thought I'd share some:

Babysitting with friends: '07

Yosemite '06

Skiing! Sophomore year

My little cousin Ryen! '05?

My first driving lesson '05

Felisha's Grandparents house Freshman year?

Seattle '07

NYC mission trip '06

Back to school

Returning to school after spring break is much more difficult than returning after Christmas break. Instead of starting fresh with new classes we, as students, are dropped into the "sludge" of the middle of the semester. We already know what to expect of professors and they already know what we are capable of. There are no excuses.
From now on I have at least one term paper, term project, test, or midterm in EVERY WEEK until finals week. Lovely.
However, with only 9 weeks left of my Freshman year of college I am determined to make the best of everything!