"Stay Awake"

Since the last weekend, I've been so tired.  I'll be fine most of the day, and then I'll suddenly crash, as I've done now.  My Mickey Mouse pants are the best for these moments!!

Classes have been going well, but I still have one major problem class.  Art History.  I have to take three semesters of it to become an Art Ed major, and I've only taken one.  Shoot me.  It's not that I don't like history.  It's really the professor.  She knows a lot, but in both her talking voice and in the manner she wants us to study she leaves me floundering.  Each hour and 15 minute class is spent pouring through slides of artists in certain time periods.  The slides are always black. Always.  They're the most boring thing I've ever seen in my life.  And the way we are to look at art is to know the 7 ways this piece is a German Expressionist piece.  How is it a Post- Impressionist piece? I DON'T KNOW!! Alrighty, the book might have 3 or 4 ways to generally say it's an expressionist because of the color, or post-impressionist because of the way they've used lighting and brush strokes, but seven reasons?! She didn't even tell us 7 reasons?! :D That was on a test last year that I BOMBED.  I had NO CLUE.  I also wasn't the best student last year.  I wanted to change that this year though.  Even though I knew her way of looking at art was odd, I was still going to know the pieces and be able to make an educated guess at what she was getting at.  But I still took my quiz, with two chances, and failed it. Twice.  And I actually put effort forth to study.  But the message of this blog post isn't to complain about my teacher... much. It's to talk about my solution.  Which is quite hilarious I might add. And it all starts with my favorite time waster.  Pinterest. 

I've really missed doing crafts at camp and the full access of scrapbooking paper.  Pinterest has the best ideas and I just want to try them all! I bought a whole bunch of paper and Modge Podge and all sorts of stuff.  And I bought knitting needles and yarn.  My Grandma Kathy taught me to knit when I was.... 8? I remember being driven to school by my mom with my big ball of red yarn.  It was the first thing I had ever tried to knit and I never finished it! I found it in a drawer a couple years ago and put it out of it's misery.  But I wanted yarn and needles for two reasons.  One, it gives you something useful to do while watching TV, reading a book, or other things that don't require your hands.  Second, they make great gifts! Who doesn't want a hand knit scarf?! Or a hat? 

On Tuesday I was trying to get through another Art History class.  We were going over German Expressionism and I just could not focus.  I got on Pinterest.  My teacher called on me.  She knew I wasn't paying attention.  But I'm also very good and bull crapping my way through situations like that. After class though I was feeling bad about it and thinking how I'm not learning anything.  Then it hit me.  Knitting.  

I can always focus better when I'm messing with something in my hands.  I have an overactive imagination and the littlest comment can send me spinning off going through an entire scene where I go off and... yeah.  I'm not going to get into those because they're usually INCREDIBLY ridiculous.  But I have to have some sort of thing to focus on.  If you were to watch me in class, I've started this thing where I start twirling my hair as tight as it will go, or randomly braiding a piece.  It's to keep focused.  So I talked to my professor, and she was like, Oh. You're on Facebook aren't you.  Nope. No I'm not.  BUT I'm not paying attention.  I told her about the knitting and she was all for it as long as I didn't have to look at it to knit.  I don't need to look at my hands at all to know what I'm doing.  I don't even have to think about it to do it.  So I brought it to class today.  I have not paid that much attention since the first class last semester! ... No, I paid attention during the Renaissance part, but that's just because I like Raphael a lot.  And Michelangelo.  But really! I remember most of what we went over.  Marc was an expressionist that was killed in WW1 and he was the guy who painted the Blue Horses painting.  He also painted color symbolicly.  How's that for a little art history? You going to change your major? I don't think so.  

Anyways.  It really helped me to focus and stay awake.  Anyone want a purple scarf?

Stay awake, don't rest your head Don't lie down upon your bed While the moon drifts in the skies Stay awake, don't close your eyes                                          -"Stay Awake," Mary Poppins

"You ain't Nothin' but a Sister!"

"I'm a lady that's why!"

"You're not a lady, you're nothing but a sister!"         -Hulio and Marie, Aristocats

My dear Hulio, you underestimate the power of a sister! The love of a sister is a strange and powerful thing.  The love for my sister caused me to drive 4 and a half hours Thursday afternoon to return for the AGWSR Homecoming Coronation.   My sister was a candidate!!!

Now, back history on my sister.  I have not talked about her enough on my blogs, and she deserves a whole lot.  My sister was made fun of a lot when she reached middle school.  Most kids were.  I was picked on all the time, but it rarely bothered me.  Maybe because I was obsessed with books, or maybe it was just that I was so introverted it just didn't.  But Val is different.  She loves people, and she will always try to find the best way to please everyone, despite herself.  In sports she was almost immediately written off because of my lack of athletic skills, and when she showed the coaches that she  had something special, they were very shocked.  She also was written off because she didn't have 'the name.' You can say that stuff doesn't exist all you want, but it really does.  I don't know how many times she would come home crying from something a former friend had done to her.  Val works her butt off to be the very best student, basketball player, and tennis player she can be.  She goes all out for her friends, and when they cry, she cries. Val's kinda like Cinderella in a way.  Despite it all she remained kind and gentle, and dreaming that her wish might come true.  I don't know what that wish is or was, but I think she had a fairytale this weekend.

I got there in time to watch her friends do her hair, and I was deemed worthy enough to paint her nails.    She looked beautiful, and I tried to make sure I looked good too.  I always look for opportunities to take pictures with my sister, and you just can't like a photo when your sister looks like a movie star and you look like you haven't slept in 10 days.  The ceremony was cute and fun.  They played a bunch of different games and they all had fun with it.  The gals running the ceremony gave me no time to push record! They just straight up said, with no excitement whatsoever, "The Homecoming Queen is Val Lindaman."  I don't even think we had the time to react!  People swarmed her after the crowning, and we had to wait quite a bit to even talk to her.  We were all proud of her, but I don't think it hit us how amazing her crowning was until we came home to Val's Facebook messages.  So many parents of kids she had babysat and members of our old church posted on her wall how happy they were for her, that a true, genuine soul won that honor.  Students had done the same.  Several were thankful that a Christian gal, that had always stayed true to herself had won.  They thanked her for never changing what she believed in and for being just Val.  I'm crying right now just thinking about it.  I've only been back to school 2 days and I already miss her so much!

The next day was the parade and I ran all over the place for that girl.  I was at the beginning of the parade, and when I went for the photo, it turned out way crappy, so I booked it to my van, weaved around Ackley til I found parking by the town library, and ran next to where my grandparents sit every year.  I ran there and actually got a good picture.  Then I ran to the football field for the pep rally, and I took shots of my dad videotaping and my mom taking pictures like the proud parents they are.  It's always been one of my strong points to be able to see past the immediate focal point and see everyone in the picture.  This day meant as much to them as it did Val, so I made sure everything was captured.  Val came home and made over a 100 cupcakes for the football boys as a stats girl with the other stat girls.  I got to wash all the pans and containers the next day.  So fun.  But they had a lot of fun making them, and I made sure I took lots of pictures of that too.  She'll want those one day, I know it.  The boys lost the game that night.  Ouch.  I also realized how done I am with the high school.  When Val's class is gone gone, I won't be coming back for much.  It's too weird.  I actually sat with my parents the whole game, practically!  I kept getting congratulated for being the Queen's sister.  I wonder if this is how Pippa Middleton feels.  Umm, thanks?  I'm glad God chose me as her sister too! No, it was really amazing.  Many told me how great it was I could come.  Could? Heck, I made sure I was there! I wrote my excuses to my teachers 2 weeks in advance! I am NOT going to be in class these days under any circumstances.  There was no way. Absolutely no way I was going to miss this.

The next morning was the XC meet, with my 'pretend' brother Kendal running, along with my friend Isaac, who is the ultimate runner.  He RAN to my house to watch movies.  He RAN to Steamboat Rock for a bonfire.  He's nuts.  But 100% dedicated.  I love that kid.  So me and Val got up early (poor Val!) and drove to Union to see them run.  I was impressed by Kendal!  I'd never seen him run, and if you don't know Kendal, he's a bit of a geeky/Hollister boy.  Meaning you wouldn't think of him running :D. But goodness he looked good! And he did well! A friend of Vals and me were talking about it and the best description we could come up with is that he looks very professional when he runs.  Isaac got 1st, and Jessica Lippert, who also ran, got third.  Good day AGWSR-IFA XC! That's a mouthful!

Saturday was also the day of the dance, and they started getting ready at 1:30.  The dance was at 9.  Of course, they were going out to eat, but REALLY?! Me and Dad (Mom was gone at a funeral) scrubbed the house down all day to be ready for the kids.  They were also planning on coming to our house after the dance for movies. There was a lot to be done, so I was very stressed out by the whole thing.  And then Val didn't get to the house until 9 to take pictures, so that frustrated me even more.  LONG DAY. But worth it.  Val looked just beautiful, like she does every day, and she and her Belgium date, Simon, had a lot of fun together. She's got some great stories about that kid! And his Belgium friends keep commenting on the picture in their language.  I think they forget there's a translator online.  What they write CRACKS ME UP!! I love foreign people... They're my favorite! (They're the winners, Philippine!)

Sunday was tough because we were all so tired and Val and I had to throw together a Sunday School lesson.  I pulled out some of my VCBC knowledge and Val is just a natural with kids, so it all worked out.  But I was in a bit of a jam.  I had dedicated the entire 3 days to Valerie Lindaman, and I got nothing done for myself.  I had just managed to get my laundry completed, but I'd only read 1 out of 6 chapters of Art History reading, and needed to do my Psychology reading, Fitness homework, and just plain packing.  Plus hunting down my glasses and other things I wanted at college.  With little sleep and a lot of stress, people ignite quickly, as it did with me and my dad.  I love my daddy and we're fine, but I had said in our argument simply that I was feeling overworked, and Val started to cry, and say how sorry she was.  She knew I did everything for her; everything she asked. And in return I managed to fail my art history quiz yesterday.  Val and I went to her room, and I just hugged her and told her that I would do it all again and again.  I told her how blessed I am that God gave me her for a sister.  But her response was that she didn't know why she didn't do anything for me.  I just told her that isn't how it works.

It's not how love works.  Love is sacrifice, and I would give anything to make my sister happy.  I've been there with her when she cried over friend's choices and when Mrs. Rau gave a hard assignment.  I proof read the papers and helped her with her vocab words.  I scrapped the duct tape residue from her favorite jacket and made sure her favorite shirt was washed for the next day.  I scrubbed her counter, which is something she is terribly challenged at doing.  I lost track of how many times I've fed her 6? rabbits.  But I don't need anything in return.  I don't even need to discuss it. But her saying that meant the world to me all the same.  It just showed that she does realize how much I've done for her, and that she appreciates it.  Of course, if she'd just send me a card to me here at school I'd be over the moon, but I'm just like that.  Little things like that just make me happy.

Valerie Renae Lindaman is just the most amazing person you could ever meet.  I don't know a single soul that doesn't like her (at least now).  She is stunningly beautiful, and when I look at her senior pictures I just can't get over the fact that that person is my own sister.  The girl who used to fill up regular balloons with water in the bathtub and pretend they were babies, then smash them on the trampoline!? Where'd that little fart go?! She is a much better student than I ever was or ever will be.  She is so kind, without a single snide comment sliding out of her mouth.  She's never chased guys, and has always treated them as brothers in Christ.  She loves the Lord with all her heart, and camp this past summer has helped that so much.  She's never been to a party, and she's never drank alcohol. She's a committed athlete, and tries to take care of our parents health as well.  But if she keeps calling me squishy I'm going to start spilling all the embarrassing moments about her, no lie! ;)

She is the most amazing person I have ever had the privilege to meet, and I'm even more in awe of the fact that she's my sister.  Congrats, Queen Val! I miss you!

Second Star to the Right

Guess what movie I'm watching?? That's right! Peter Pan!

Peter Pan will always be dear to my heart, just because I believe in the fact that I never have to 'grow up.'  Of course, most people need to know how to act in public.  They should be a grown up in their heads.  Their hearts? That's a totally different situation.  Jesus did tell us to act as the children do!

I know how to act like an adult.  I do my work for my classes to the best of my abilities, and I can tell you for a fact that I am way ahead of all the Printmaking students because I'm just so excited about it.  I rather enjoyed my reading on the president (as a job) for American Federal Government.  I take care of myself and my money and last year, worked three jobs.  I still honor my parents at the age of 21, and ask their opinions in almost everything.  I follow the Bible as closely as possible, and fight my sinful nature at all times.  But life needs spice.

I have quite a Peter Pan spirit, and I show it in many ridiculous ways that leave my good friends laughing until their sides hurt.  Several of those things have happened in the last several days.  First off, I would like to say that I am not obsessed with Disney Princesses.  I have a passion for Disney merchandise, and it's not my fault that they haven't put Bambi, Peter Pan, Lady, Simba, Turk, Robin Hood.... (I could go on forever) on more merchandise.  It just seems that way because of how much of this stuff I have.  I have princess magnets (thanks Autumn), pillows, plate, cups, bowl, pens (thanks Beth), chapstick, lithographs, headbands, Band-Aids, VHA, DVD, posters, coloring books, wipe-off board (thanks again Autumn), bubble wand (thanks Alison), stickers, pencil bag, Birthday pin (thanks Katie), cards... and my most recent purchase, a bed tent.  Yes, I bough a princess bed tent.  It's a funny story actually.  I was walking through Wal-Mart, only to get more Sunkist and heat-packs, when I saw the college dorm stuff was on sale, and I was like, "Oh cool.  Cheap rug for our doormat?" I smiled at the princess sheets, and as I was walking I saw another Princess box, and I was just curious as to what it was.  IT WAS A BED TENT!!!!!!!!!!!!  I was manic with glee!! I had first heard of them from my friend Bri, who bought one my first summer so that she could survive living in Upper AC all summer.  Living at camp really gives you a strong urge for privacy.  You rarely get it.  So Bri bought a Princess tent on ebay I believe, and actually used it!! So I was like, YES. I'm buying it.  It wasn't much at all. I needed something silly, because I had had such bad headaches all day from my neck being so knotted.  It was just so neat!! If I found a Belle lamp, I would buy it.  Dead serious.  But it's all done in the love of Disney animation, and you'd be surprised how picky I am about what I actually buy.  It always either has to have Cinderella, Belle, or Ariel on it.  They have to be drawn correctly.  They modernized Cinderella and I hate it.  You can't mess with a classic like that.  That's not what she looks like! I adore using my Bambi sketch bag to go to class, and I also get a thrill from walking in my room and looking at my Beauty and the Beast, Bambi, and Mulan posters.  I'm getting the Lion King poster in the mail in a couple of weeks.  It was on Ebay for 99 cents! Plus shipping, but hey, it's the greatest Disney movie of all time! I say this as a matter of opinion and an echo of a great many people.

Have I ever talked about my favorite Disney movies? I actually thought this through thoroughly.  I read a book on Hollywood Worldviews, and it was really good.  I had already come up with my favorites, but it made my decision more concrete.  I divided it into three categories.  As far as princess movies go, Beauty and the Beast is my favorite.  Cinderella and Ariel are in second and third, but nothing can hold a candle to Beauty and the Beast.  The fantastic music and voices, the characters, the animation, the story... absolutely terrific.  I watched the extra features on how they made it, and I watched the movie with comentary, and I cried.  That's embarrassing to some, but I only think it shows how much I love it.  It has such heart and spirit and humor and... just everything.  The artistry and how they made up just the whole thing... the trials and how it almost didn't make it... one man still working on it on his death bed.... We don't see dedication like that anymore.  Bambi is my favorite artistic movie.  The animation was state of the art when they made the movie, and Fantasia laid the foundation for its musical roots.  Some may think it has a lack of story line, but you are supposed to read into the music, not the words.  The artistry was designed by a Chinese man that was visiting the studio at the time, and Walt loved his style.  It's animation is just stunning, and there was so much work done!! Each and every cell had to be hand painted in and the background had to be shifted ever so often as the camera photographed it, to create the depth of the forest.  Just BEAUTIFUL!
And then the Lion King.  Come on.  No contest. The story.  The animation.  The characters. The millions of one liners.  The MUSIC?! There's a reason why The Lion King, The Musical is the longest running Broadway musical ever.  It's just that good! I don't even need to explain myself.  There are also a lot of biblical parallels you can draw from that movie as well.

You need something funny like that in a day, good ones and bad ones.  Some people have a special brand of clothing.  Some have just the best that money can buy.  Some need a million apps.  I don't.  After a stressful day like today, I just love putting in Peter Pan and just enjoying the raw humor and heart in this movie.  The refusal to grow old.  To believe.

Peter Pan: It's easy! All you have to do is to... is to... is to... Ha! That's funny. Wendy: What's the matter? Don't you know? Peter Pan: Oh, sure. It's... It's just that I never thought about it before. Say, that's it! You think of a wonderful thought. 

As silly as Peter Pan sounds, it really is so deep and meaningful.  Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust.  Faith, Trust, and the Power of God.  And then you can fly on wings like eagles....

Second Star to the Right, and Straight on til Morning 

God Help the Outcasts

This weekend has been nuts! Mostly in a good way, I promise!

We had our choir retreat this weekend, and I was not looking forward to it at all.  I was miserable last year.  No one really bothered to talk to me at all, and it was pretty much the closest thing to torture I could think of.  Although I knew I had friends in choir now, I still wasn't exactly excited about it.  

I was also really nervous about this weekend, because I felt something needed to be said.  Last year the choir had a candle-lit ceremony, for lack of a better word, where we all shared why we loved music or how we came to USF or anything along that line.  I felt I needed to talk to the old members about their treatment of new ones.  I was so scared of stepping on the toes of those members that I was intimidated by the year before, but I am different than I was last year.  I was going to do this and make sure that no one was left alone like I was last year.  No one should have to deal with that. 

I was in the middle of the circle/line of people, getting ready to talk.  I had been thinking about what I was going to say for three days previously, and I was worried that I was either going to cry, or rip them appart, and I DID NOT want either to happen.  Before the circle, however, we did all get to hang out, and I found that the choir had drastically changed from what it was.  The new members were integrated right in, and no one was truly left behind.  Should I say something still? It's so different, most of those who hurt me are gone now... Should I? I did.  When it came to me, I decided to open it up with a joke about how I'd been thinking about this for the time I had.  The laughter warmed me up, and I told them all of the deep hurt I had the last year, and how I had hated choir for that reason.  I told them how I had pretty much slept my days away so that I wouldn't have to feel that loneliness anymore.  I spoke to the old members and just told them that they can't let that happen again.  How we can't just expect them to come to us.  We have to go to them as well.  They may be too scared, as I was, or can't think of a word to say.  I've found just over that small 'speech' I gave, that I have a huge heart for the lonely, just because I know exactly what they were going through.  I understand completely. 

What I wasn't expecting, however, was the reaction to my words.  There was still half a circle to go, and several people spoke off of what I said.  One of the new members, spoke about me directly, and said how good he felt about being in a group that people felt so welcome to share how they were really feeling, and commended me for it, saying I was brave.  That cracked me up a little bit, but it touched me as well.  After the circle broke up, a lot of the girls came up and hugged me and said how sorry they were.  They didn't mean it at all, and I knew they didn't.  They're all great people, they were just blind.  It always reminds me of that song by Brandon Heath. 

Give me your eyes for just one secondGive me your eyes so I can seeEverything that I keep missingGive me your love for humanityGive me your arms for the broken heartedThe ones that are far beyond my reachGive me you heart for the ones forgottenGive me your eyes so I can see

-"Give Me Your Eyes," Brandon Heath

I had to pick "God Help the Outcasts" for my title, because that's the prayer of my heart.  That no one gets left behind, and I don't mean that in the school sense either! I had boys that apologized too, and my dear friend Debbi was crying and just hugged me for a good 5 minutes.  She took me to get my first drink ever (and only drink ever) in Amsterdam, so I have a special friendship with her.  I'm really hoping this year will let me hang out with her more! We have a Spring Break choir tour in LA this year, so that'll give me plenty of time to be with her and everyone in the choir! 

The rest of the weekend was really fun, but Saturday we returned home and I had to go to work for the Events Team.  Oh. My. Goodness. People are disgusting.  I had to clean the complex after a football game, and it was just... words can't describe.  THROW YOUR STINKIN' TRASH AWAY!! It took about an hour for 5 people to clear the bleachers of popcorn buckets, paper plates, pop bottles, powerade, newspapers, and other items of trash.  I was not exactly happy.  Every time I had to do an event like that, I always remember my high school janitor, Harris.  We all love him at the high school.  If you need something done, he's the one to go to.  I even have his cell number from when I was in high school! He does so much work, and I hate it when I was at a game, people would leave their trash, saying it was the janitor's job.  THEY DON'T WANT TO CLEAN YOUR TRASH!! I'm not mad, by the way.  Ok, maybe a little, but seriously!  The trash can is right there people! We cleaned that place from 4-7:15, and I was so beat.  Then I had another cleaning job in our art/music/theater building, Jeschke.  Then I could relax. Yay for The Lion King VHS!

I also attended church for the first time of the year at Oak Hills Baptist, and I have to say, I loved it.  It really reminded me of a mixture of camp and home, and I think that's why I like it so much.  The sermon was entitled "Beauty and the Beast", which cracked me up even more. I even met one of the new members of the choir there! The poor thing had obviously been crying, whether it be from the sermon or the first time at a church away from home, I was happy to go and sit with her and the gals that she had came from.  The church had college students day, where they provided a meal and 6 packs of pop, water, or gatorade for us to take home.  It was so nice, and I think my home church should try something like that.  Ellsworth or UNI students need Jesus's love shown to them just as much as people in the city of Sioux Falls.

Starting the second week of school, and I don't think I've ever had a better start to a school year.  Thank you God for your many blessings! And God, Help the Outcasts. 

Be Prepared

Scar: But thick as you are, pay attention! My words are a matter of pride. It's clear from your vacant expressions the lights are not all on upstairs. But we're talking kings and successions! Even you can't be caught unawares. So prepare for a chance of a lifetime. Be prepared for sensational news. A shining new eraIs tiptoeing nearer.   

Shenzi: And where do we feature?      

Scar: Just listen to teacher        -"Be Prepared," The Lion King

 I was looking at the lyrics of this song, and doesn't seem like teachers are thinking like this as they teach? Thank goodness I've got such good teachers here at USF! They've been great these first two days of class!

I pondered on calling this post "Jolly Holiday," but the lyrics didn't convey what I was thinking at all.  But it has been a jolly holiday the last couple of days! I wish I could start college all over again and have it be like the last few days.

Tuesday was my 'free' day before class, and it was so nice! I haven't been able to relax since... May? That sounds silly but it's been go go go since then! I got to Skype with Philippine early that afternoon, and it was wonderful getting to talk to her.  It had been many months since I'd heard her lovely accent, and I missed it! She's doing good, and she's starting college for the first time in about two weeks! I can't believe it!  I wanted to tell her about her birthday present so bad... I'm not good at keeping secrets that I'm really excited about! You'd be surprised how many paintings I end up telling about because I'm just so excited about.  It's been an extreme challenge not to post the pictures I've picked for my art show.  But I'm staying strong on that one :D.  After I chatted with Philippine, I went to the mall to pick up job applications.  I got paper copies for Charlotte Russe and American Eagle, and there is an online one for Toys R Us, but I've since rethought that one.  I went back to school, filled them out, and then returned them that day.  I had a bit of a mini interview with American Eagle, but I should possibly expect calls sometime in the next few weeks.  I know which one I'd rather have, but I actually prayed quite a bit about this, and I'm going to be happy with either.  And if I don't get either, I have a couple other places I can apply.  I want the job so that I can get more hours than I do with my on campus jobs.  Events Team is great, but you sometimes only get a half hour or so a week, and that doesn't cut it.  It's even worse this year since I don't have a meal plan.  I'm so glad I don't!!!!!!!! YES JUNIOR STATUS!!! :D Telecounseling was fine, and easy, but you get three hours, 6-9, for two or three nights, and that takes up such a crappy time of the day.  But after the summer, I'm also taking this job as a ministry opportunity, as well as I should every moment of my life.  It's important.  My dad showed me this YouTube video (He's always showing me YouTube videos) where this atheist was talking about an encounter with a Christian that really made an impression on him.  The man pretty much asked how much do you have to hate someone to not tell them about Jesus, and dooming them to hell.  I don't think I'll ever forget that video.  I'd have to ask dad what it was called, because it was very interesting.  But even though it probably wouldn't be good to say, "Hey! You looking for some new jeans? How about a new lifestyle," it is still good to present myself in speech and mannerism as a Christian, and be conscience of that.

Have I told you of my roommate? Sarah is awesome! She can get any movie ever off of her computer, and hook it up to the TV she got! So that night we got to chill, me, her, and our friend Denice, and watch Easy A.  It was nice to get to hang out with people from school for the first time in a long while.

Wednesday was the first day of class, and it was a really good first day of school! I had two classes, General Psych and Printmaking 2.  The psych professor is really funny and interesting.  I think I'm really going to like the class.  Printmaking was great too.  I've got three pieces in mind, but the first project we're doing is a collaborative piece with the 3 of us in Printmaking 2.  They put classes 1 and 2 together.  We're each carving a wood block, print, then we'll pass it to the next gal until we've eached carved and printed.  It's going to be really neat I think.  My projects are all dealing with screenprinting, and for two of them I use this process called photo emulsion. I paint a screen with this green liquid, and then I burn a image into this liquid.  The image will then come through when I ink it, and it's great with very detailed images.  I used that process with my BarlowGirl images.

The projects I want to do are based on the complexity of people, really.  I want to do a rather large one of the "Everything" Skit.  I want to layer the characters in different dark colors, and then keep the girl Jesus saves white on top.  I'm going to keep all the images of the actual people that were in the skit with me, thanks to Kaleena's photography skills.  I better ask her permission first! Another layering project I want to do with screen printing and photo emulsion is one of me, basically.  When you look at a person there's always that one part of them that defines them in your eyes, whether it's something from their past or a special skill of theirs.  For instance, when I'm at camp, I'm the artist.  No one sees me as the music minor, singer, reader, or devoted sister.  I'm going to layer a bunch of images of the things that make me me. I want to have a cross at the center, and then it will branch out into other photos.  Somehow I want to either print or paint hazy patches on it to to signify the trials.  Trials define people more often and more so than the good.  The third one I just reworked in my head as I was writing this.  I'm going to do several wood blocks of shoes.  Katie and my shoes, more specifically.  I thought of it last spring when I signed up for the class, and I think it will be super cute, specially with our rain boots and the time we nearly drenched ourselves in orange paint.  Grad present, Katie? 

I haven't had free time in so long I didn't know what to do with myself after! I watched TV for the first time all summer!!!!! It was nice.  That evening the school rented out the bowling alley, and I went with Sarah, and we met up with a friend.  I got 107!! We added on a group of girls that didn't have a lane, and I got a 100 on that game.  I usually get around 75... I'm quite proud of myself!

Two more classes so far today, then choir in about a half hour.  American Federal Government class at 8:30 this morning.  Not. Excited. But the teacher, Beth, was really nice and was obviously an Otter.  It'll be fun and interesting.  Art History. Shoot me.  But I already knew I'd hate the class after the first Art History class I took.  I have to take three.  At least this year I've got that new mind set and discipline that I might actually do a lot better.  Probably not, but I can hope.  Be prepared!! 

Just Around the Riverbend

Sioux Falls, South Dakota! The home of the University of Sioux Falls, 4-6 Hy-Vee stores, and not a single Dillard's!

I'm so glad to be here finally.  I was ready to get going with the school year. I needed to get going with the school year.  The more it was put off the less likely I was going to want to come back.  I've learned a lot from talking with Katie.  As someone who's only about 8 months older than me, but a year ahead in schooling, I can learn a lot.  I came to know that my summers can be the better part of my year.  College doesn't have to be.  I've learned a lot from reading her blog and seeing how much she misses her home, and it makes me feel better to know I can be the same way.  Not everyone can understand that, but for the people who know me well it's possible.

The weekend was great.  Lifelight Festival was a blast. Skillet was AWESOME. Oh. My. Goodness.  They had a head-banging cellist. Who knew those existed? They were very fun to watch, and then Tenth Avenue North was fantastic the next night.  I LOVE their music, and the lead singer is just so very passionate.

 I learned a lot about people from this weekend, and there was just so much I could talk about! I don't even know where to begin.  You talk to so many interesting people there.  Patrick, a guy from camp, was there and came and chatted with me why I waited in line for autographs. Waited more than an hour, then was turned away because the band had to get ready for the show.  It was in 2 hours! They were guys! What do you have to do??? Oh well.  No big. 

My parents came up to bring a few more of my things and to 'move me in,' even though Kendal and Mayra, who came up with me for Lifelight, did a wonderful job of it.  Kendal was going clean freak on everything! He's one of my favorite people in the world, and I'm so glad he came.  Mayra was a life saver, because I signed up to work an event at school with my Events Team job here at USF, and she offered to help.  I'm so glad she offered, because they weren't able to find anyone to help me, and it would have taken a very long time to clean the entire gym, including the bathrooms, and lobby on my own.  Kendal helped too by sweeping the bleachers, and Mayra did anything I asked, and I am EVER so thankful for her.  She's one of the few people back home that makes an effort towards staying friends with me. 

My room this year is great! It's so much bigger than my last, and my roommate, Sarah, is a very nice gal.  My RA is wonderful and hilarious.  One of my favorite choir members lives down the hall, and I know a large majority of the people in my dorm building.  I bought a couch at a thrift store, and I LOVE having it! I'm actually chillin' in it right now.  It is the definition of an old lady couch.  I seriously love it. 

Even though lots of things have been described as 'great' and 'wonderful,' I have to say I can already feel myself slipping into that deeply introverted person of the last year, and I'm not happy about it.  That may be because I really need it after the summer at camp and then the week at home always around my family and those I'm close too, but I'm just praying that I'm able to fully spring out of it when it's done it's good.  I'm glad for a roommate to stop it from reaching the point of last year, and a Christian roommate at that! I guess this is one of the downsides to living in such a small town your whole life.  You just assume people know you and what you're about.  I'm not good at building friendships from nothing.  Camp is easy, and people that have never been to a camp can't understand that aspect.  It's just truth.  

I hope that that 'golden college friendship' that everyone talks about is just around the riverbend. :)

You were just waiting for the Disney reference, weren't you? ;)