A Few Numbers

Saying that I'm glad it's the weekend would be a gross understatement.

The 5th week of school just ended and as of today I have:

• read approximately 599 pages
• taken approximately 97 pages of notes (155 if you include the Government notes I would have taken if my neighbor hadn't given me hers)
• survived 4 rounds of Survivor in Government class
• stayed awake through approx. 27 PowerPoint presentations
• taken 5 quizzes
• taken 2 exams
• been forced to neglect the 53 e-mails in my inbox
• and wished they would turn the AC down 1,367,938 times.

Only 11 more weeks to go!

I'm sure these numbers aren't impressive (especially to crazy Jennifer who is taking what, 21 hours this semester???), but I wanted to have them logged somewhere.

I also had two people ask about my promise ring yesterday. Actually, they asked if I was engaged. I should probably think of something to tell them besides "Oh, no, it's a promise ring" because they probably don't understand what kind of promise ring it is. I guess I just feel a little awkward blurting out, "Actually, it's a promise ring symbolizing my commitment to abstinence until marriage!"

Next week: 3 exams and lots more sitting on my butt.

Something Different

Two rules:
1: You can only use two words
2: No explanations!

And "Uhhhh" or "Ummm" or "Yummm" don’t count.

1. Yourself:
meh bleh

2. Your room:
bitty bad

3. Your hair?
major help

4. Your mother?
sleeping early

5. Your Father:
not sleeping

6. Your Favorite Item:
can’t pick

7. Your dream last night:
incredibly bizarre

8.Your Favorite drink
strawberry limeade

9. Your Dream Car:
orange malibu

10. The Room You Are In:
disaster area

11. Your nose:
say what?

12. Your fear?
spiders (ew)

13. Where you want to be in 10 years?
not here

4. Who you hung out with last night?
my grandparents

15. What You're Not:
that stupid

16. Your Best Friend(s):
rock hard

17. One of Your Wish List Items:
new heart

19. The Last Thing You Did:
homework, e-mails

20. What You Are Wearing:
jeans, tee

21. Your Favorite Weather:
breezy & warm

22. Your Favorite Book:
long list

23. The Last Thing You ate (drank):
cookie, water

24. Your Life:
is changing

25. Your Mood:
la la

26. Your body:
is mine

27. What are you thinking about right now?
something yummy

28. What are you doing tomorrow?
homework yay!

29. What are you doing at the moment:
rockin out ;)

30. Your summer schedule:
lazy bum

Yup yup yup.

Today I've been doing some reflecting on my old job. And food. Ohhhh food.
A year ago today is when the bagel shop closed. I do miss their food a lot, but that's not the food I've been reflecting on. I have been praising God, who has provided for my needs over the past year even without a "real" job. (League of Extraordinary Babysitters, unite!!) Jehovah Jireh indeed.

The food comes into play because of some mystery virus I contracted who-knows-where. Yesterday must have been one of the most miserable days of my life as far as illness goes. By the time I got home from school, I was praising God for keeping my insides intact through that last class. And we'll skip the TMI, but after several hours in the bathroom with no relief I was begging God to just let me throw up. (And normally, I would rather eat Brussels Sprouts wrapped in American Cheese. Though they might have that effect anyway.)

What made yesterday so miserable was that I didn't get that relief for several more hours. Oh my goodness, a normal tummy has never felt so good in my life! (I'm really thankful I still live with my mommy.) And today I stuck with the liquids diet, so of course I'm craving everything. I didn't want to take the chance of having a relapse in school tomorrow, so I'm saving my munch-fest till after then. Tomorrow afternoon has never felt so far away.

Anyone wanna go out for a late lunch? And dinner? And maybe something like dessert too? Just follow the rumbles of my tummy.

I'm sure you've found this immensely interesting. ;) To reward those of you who read all the way through... here's a *pickle*. You don't know how special you are.

Pages: A Falling-Out on Facebook

Yes, I just can't seem to let go of Pluto.

In other interesting news, Facebook has recently, like, exploded! First there was the Newsfeed/Mini-Feed controversy. But after the creation of who-knows-how-many variations of the "Students Against This Creepy New Feature" groups and some petitions, Zuckerberg (creator of Facebook) seemed to get the point and enabled more privacy options. But now comes the open door policy. Facebook has been restricted to college and high school students with school e-mail addresses, as well as employees of select companies. But now users will able to invite their previously-ineligible friends (read: anybody) to join the site.

At first I was quite opposed to this idea but that last article makes it clear that Facebook's trademark privacy options will still be intact and users will have total control of who sees their profile. So I'm happy, but not everyone is.

One article from Forbes quotes a Fred Stutzman: "The Facebook users feel like they have ownership in the company . . . When they realize that they're not the ones in control, it's a real slap in the face."

While it may be true that the Facebook users are really not the ones in control (Facebook is free, after all), Zuckerberg just may find out how much power Facebookers wield. If Zuckerberg's goal is to compete with MySpace, garnering more users and increasing the company's worth, many users may make good on their threats to delete their accounts. Enough upset users could counteract the anticipated growth once Facebook's "doors" open. And how will that benefit Zuckerberg?

I'm starting to think that a 6-month hiatus from all spheres of internet community isn't such a bad idea. Mayhaps I'd be compelled to go do random things with friends again, instead of just randomly writing on their "wall."

I'd like to spend my summers there!

Today the news reached me that Pluto is being stripped of its status as a planet. Poor wittle pwanet!

"The IAU determined last week that a planet must orbit the sun and be large enough to assume a nearly round shape, as well as 'clear the neighborhood around its orbit.' Pluto's oblong orbit overlaps Neptune's, which led the IAU to downsize the solar system to eight planets from the traditional nine.

McNamara argued that only about 400 of the union's thousands of members were present when the Aug. 24 vote was taken.

'This was not a statement by the astronomical community at large,' he said, adding that a petition opposing the IAU definition of a planet is circulating among the world's planetary scientists and astronomers." (From here.)

It'll always be a part of that planet song from elementary school that dances around in my head, even if some picky astronomers decide it's too bitty and too far away.

Tea... and Other Cool Things

This is probably a new record for me: hot tea on the 3rd of September. Well, maybe I used to drink it around now back in Maryland. But it's still in the 90's here - what gives? Ehh... the arctic temperatures in church today and my brand new cold. Ironically, last week I was talking with the mom I babysit for about how everybody starts getting sick around now. Remind me to keep my back-to-school observations to myself next year.

Earlier today I did something I need to do SO much more frequently. Daily, if not hourly. Minutely. I made the choice to forgive, which is very painful because I have a jumbo chunk of pride that I insist on dragging around with me. But taking the chisel of forgiveness to that pride, chipping away some small fragment, was incredible. Not 10 minutes later the devil was shoving lies into my head, reminding me how much "fun" it is to be bitter, daring me to disobey God and pick up that fragment. And it felt really good to laugh inside and say "Nothin' doin'. I HAVE CHOSEN TO FORGIVE."

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. -2 Cor 12:9