Monday One Day

Lots to talk about today- a few serious things and a few non serious things.

It is chilly chillsters in Marion today. I Love It! One day last week it was like 70degrees. What are you doing, weather? It is October. Today was much better. Also, the heat in our room broke a little bit. Oops. 

Because of that, it was a little cold in our room. I'm a bad estimator of temperature. The only reason I knew it was 70 last week is because my roomie talks about the weather every day. Anyway, last night she mentioned she was pretty sure the heat was broken. In preparation for bed,  I put on a long sleeve tshirt and sweatpants and got all snuggly under my blankets. I was just fine! Then, the girls I live with started complaining.

That leads to my next thing that I want to say. I am so sick of people complaining! My patience is running super low since like Saturday. I feel incapable of remembering how to be not annoyed. That was tough to follow but I hope you understand what I'm saying. When I get this impatient with people, any little thing becomes a big thing and I become a big cranky monster. Grr. I feel very cranky today and like my reactions to things are not proportionate to the things. Still not making sense. Double grr.

On Friday I went to the thrift store with one of my thrifty friends, Jess. I found this delightful velvet skirt that I wore today. Jeans are the norm so it was nice to mix it up. When I tried on the skirt last night, it felt sorta "Little House on the Prairie" but I also heard "Gypsy" and "Pirate" today. Overall, it was a good buy. It was $4, and it's soft, and a fun color, and a unique piece. Okay, so the color is not that fun but I still like it :)

The whole ensemble

The world's best boots, courtesy of Macy's in SanFran, Steve Madden, and my mother's generosity. 

Lurve it. 

Lots of people I know are sick so I'm leaning on these energy booster/Emergen-C things. 

In my "Minority Groups Relations" course, we do a lot of reading. Correction: I do a lot of reading. Today we were to have read the third book of the course. I read the whole thing. The boys I sit near never do the reading and it drives me crazy. I don't love hearing them joke about how many summaries they looked up (2) how they are going to cheat on the test, and generally say how easy this class is. I am learning a lot about myself and the world I live in. I like the prof and I like the class. The thing is, I don't always do well on the reading quizzes for these books. It's so stupid because I do the reading. Grr. 

This time, instead of a multiple choice test, it's a short answer 5 question quiz. That's never happened. The prof says we can use our books. That's never happened. Then I spent so much time looking that I didn't even get to answer the last question. I was so mad. I did the reading. I took notes in my book. I really understood it. Then, my prof says to draw a circle around what you answered during the quiz and take notes on the same page while we discuss each question as a class. Unprepared boys draw large circles and fill in answers as we go. I got out a different pen to take notes and grade myself. 

As I'm taking notes from the discussion and realizing I didn't really get all the parts of the answers I should of, I am getting discouraged. I read it. I read the book and I still can't get this stuff right.  I can't just give myself 4/4 for all of them even if I did know the information. My conscience won't let me. 

I'm staring at this 16/20 quiz. I thought this quiz would be different- short answer so I get to explain myself and get to use the book to back me up! Nope, pretty much the same grade I've had all the other times. I read that book. I felt I deserved 20/20 but knew I hadn't earned it because I didn't write down all we had discussed. 

It's the end of the hour and our prof asks who got 20/20. No hands go up. Then he says we are all so honest that everyone is getting a 20, take home the quiz with notes on it as a reference.

I was mad. MAD. Unprepared boys should not get 20/20. I should! It took until I was out of the building that I thought "You got what you wanted, you got your 20/20. It is fair. You read it and you got the points you thought you deserved. You can't change the scores of the other people." 

I'm still wrestling with that one. 

To sum up: things that are out of whack are my patience/tolerance for others and my sense of justice. What a weird Monday. 

This Weekend

A wedding at my home church

4 squirrels 

Seeing Dreamgirls with my mom

Hanging with the dog

Watching Les Miserables on DVD right after watching Dreamgirls live. 

Loving this song

A long car ride back to school, McDonalds included

I also had breakfast with my dad, went to the eye doctor, and avoided running over a beagle by being the dog whisperer that I am. Overall, a pretty successful fall break! 

Notes From This Week

Here are a few things I learned this week:

If you see 3 people from your class walking away from the building where class is held 5 minutes before class starts, class is probably canceled. It's good to check anyway, but class is likely canceled.

To be fair, my 'minority group relations' prof did email us before the start of class to say that it was canceled. He did have someone put a sign on the door. Even if I had asked one of those people walking away if class was canceled, I probably still would have checked it out to be sure. I'm just one of those people. 

Just because a prof is in Montreal does not mean the two classes she teaches will be canceled. She might skype in or have her TA run class.

My 'statistics for social sciences' and 'social psychology' prof was gone to Montreal. Having the TA run the in class lab was just like having a substitute teacher. Having her skype in for social psych was really cool! It felt way high tech and futuristic. Maybe I just have low standards of what is cool. 

Also, I learned that my 'addictions theory' prof has no problem talking about his family, his life achievements, and his personal ideas about German culture for 35 minutes. Sometimes I just want to get up and leave. I'm so glad my friend Malesa is in that class and we can laugh about it later. 

Listening to "Under Pressure" 8+ times on repeat makes stressful homework a lot better. 

I had this song in my head because it's in the movie "It's Kind of a Funny Story" and I had just watched that movie. It's delightful. I think I have raved about it before. 

If I was a morning showerer, my hair could be (would be) awesome every day. 

Today, Saturday, I slept in a little (see: more than an hour) because it's Saturday. Then I showered and blow-dried and my hair looks fantastic today. Usually I shower and then go to bed, so my hair dries all crazy. My roommate suggested I get up earlier than I do now and shower but I reminded her that she showers in the morning so I would have to get up even earlier than her. To that, she had no solution. I already don't play well with others in the morning and adding more time where we can be in each other's space might not be a good idea. Plus, I don't like to blow dry my hair all the time. 

I'm still not used to having blonde hair.

My hair has been blonde for like 2 years. Actually I went back to verify this. It was all natural (see: brown) in May 2010 for Kayla's wedding and then blonde by September 2010. It's time for a change I think. I am staying with Jessica after finals for a few days in December and when asking her parents if that was okay, Jess' dad said "The blonde girl from Chicago? She's nice, I like her!" and agreed I can stay. Then Lauren's mom who I saw on campus was describing me as "that nice blonde" when she couldn't remember my name. Bottom line, parents think I'm nice, I remember parents better than they remember me, and blonde is my biggest identifier. Jessica was shocked when she found out this isn't my natural color. She (clearly) doesn't pay too close attention to my roots when they grow out. It just feels strange that any people on this campus I've met have not seen me with my natural hair color. Weird.
I miss having really long hair. Look at how long it was! 

I knew my hair was brown for Kayla's wedding in May 2010. This is me and Emily at the rehearsal. 

A time when my hair was all natural (and caught under the strap of my bag) August 2010. 

Spring Break on Sanibel Island in April 2011. 

Emceeing the Gateway Talent Show circa April 2011. 

Sitting at a dimly lit table for an early afternoon lunch makes me sleepy.
Erin and I just had lunch sitting at one of the booths with 'romantic lighting' and now I feel so tired. "Go get yourself a coffee!" you say. That leads to my next point. 

I think I am lactose intolerant.
My stomach has been hurting every time I drink a latte. I'm so bummed! Maybe it's the coffee and not the milk but I really don't think so. I come from a family of Wisconsinites! I've never been tested for a food allergy. Is this one of those things you can just avoid and be good to go? 

I'm working on not getting too excited for Christmas. Sometimes I get excited too soon and then by the time it actually rolls around I'm so done. I'm trying to hold off! I do already have a Christmas list. 

Sunset Barometer

There’s an episode of Gilmore Girls where the ever-neurotic Paris Gellar wants to know what Rory got on her SAT. I found a site that has a transcript of the episode and rather than try to explain what I’m talking about, you can read it.

Paris: So, did you get your scores back yet?
Rory: Yup.
Paris: And?
Rory: I’m happy.
Paris: How happy?
Rory: Pretty happy.
Paris: Yes, but how do I know that you’re not one of those people who gets pretty happy looking at a sunset? How do I know what your barometer is for being happy is?
Rory: You don’t.
Paris: Right. So are you?
Rory: Am I what?
Paris: Are you one of those people who gets pretty happy looking at a sunset?
Rory: I don’t get unhappy looking at a sunset.
Paris: What did you get?
Rory: That’s personal.
Paris: Why won’t you tell me?
Rory: ‘Cause it’s none of your business.
Paris: Okay, fine, don’t tell me what you got.
Rory: I won’t.
Paris: Why won’t you tell me your score?
Rory: Bye Paris.
Paris: You’re not torturing me, you know. I don’t care. My scores were great. I’m very, very happy with my scores. And I hate looking at a sunset so my standard for happiness is high!

 It makes me laugh every time. Paris is so competitive it’s out of control. Unfortunately, I did not take the SATs- wait did I say unfortunately? I meant luckily. I don’t know what a “good” score is. I did take the ACT but at my high school, the only people who take the SAT are going to Ivy League schools. And some people did. Hey, you be you.

The point of this post is not about comparing scores. It’s not even about sunsets.

I don’t think I’m one of those people who gets really happy about a sunset, but I honestly believe I am gifted to see the beauty in the little things in life. Sometimes this translates to little things getting me way more bummed out than they should. Allow me to elaborate:

• When I hit play in the morning and the shuffle function picks exactly the score I want it to pick, that makes me happy. I expect that shuffle works that way, so sometimes I’m upset when it doesn’t. However, when it does work, it makes my morning. 
• When my ID works in the door’s card reader the first time that makes me happy. 
• When ‘my’ table is open in the commons. That makes me really happy. 

•  When my latte has a lot of foam in it that bums me out. Whatever don’t judge me. 
•  When I drop something, pick it up, and then drop It again, that bums me out. 
• When I say something in class and then it really doesn’t fit with the discussion that bums me out (and it discourages me from talking for the rest of the class). 
• When the formatting gets so messed up that I have to retype the whole post (a la this entry) that bums me out.

So what does that all mean? That I’m just a flibbertigibbet and a will-o’-the-wisp? No. Little things pick up or smash happiness, but that does not impact joy.

Joy. It’s so much better than being happiness. Happy is temporary and circumstantial. Deep-seated joy is not shaken by the everyday. Psalms 16:9 talks about joy and comfort in a big way: “Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices’ my flesh also dwells secure.” What does that mean to have your whole body rejoice? I don’t know! It sounds great. And the security is there at the end of the verse, to be totally safe and surrounded. Wow. Who doesn’t want that?

There are tons of things in the Bible about rejoicing and joy and all the derivatives of that. A quick search brought up that verse in Psalms.

In corporate emails, sometimes there’s an “Action Required” section so here it is-

Action Required: Do not let yourself get down in the trials of today (homework or annoying roommates or picky profs or aching head). Do have a bigger perspective. Remind self- God is good and He loves me.

Does This Still Count as a Weekend Review?

I realize the weekend is forthcoming.
I realize it mostly because of all the things I want to accomplish before I go home for the weekend.
You heard me. HOME.
I haven't seen my parents or my puppy since move in and gosh darn it, I need a Mama Bear hug.
There is so much I want to do this weekend and so many things that have to be exchanged (like stuff from school going home and stuff from home going to school).
The Stickies app (electronic post-it notes) has been my BFF in preparing for this weekend. It's been on my mind all week!

Last weekend I did some exciting things too! Jessica and I went to Airband at Taylor University. It was Pandemic themed. It was so cool. They did a good job of incorporating it but not OVER doing it.

The ticket and the program. See  "Space Jam" at the bottom? That's my friend's floor. He choreographed the dance this year (and last year- they won in 2011!)

Steve brought our tickets out during the intermission of the 1st show at 7:30pm, so we had lots of time in line to get our photo right. The forward facing camera on an iPhone 4s is a joke. Kinda. I love it but it's grainy. 

Whoops- the flash was bright. 

Much better to ask someone to take the photo for you.

Our 9:30 show actually started at 10:00. 

I know this looks shoddy, but this year Taylor U did a lot better job of making it safe (not letting the whole line stampede in at once) and making it fair (stricter security for people line jumping).

This is the last photo I took that night. 

The boys were great! I liked a lot of the acts that night- overall people were impressive! 

HEY my friend's wing WON again! Way to go PDubs. Here's the video if you can stomach all the wild "woo!"-ing then I personally applaud you. 

I also got to see part of a volleyball tournament. My friend Kelly is on the team but didn't get to play (boo) but I did get to sit with her parents. Yay! All of my suite mates were gone for the weekend so I had the place to myself. Now, I'm the one headed home for the weekend. Sweet! 

I don't know if I'll be in blogger mode this weekend, but I would love to tell you about it on Monday. Enjoy your weekend!

Internet

I don't know how much time you spend on the Internet. You might be a serious blogger or social media lover or maybe you barely use the Internet. There are some people who need just the bare bones news report (like Drudge Report) and some people like frills and personalizations.
When I got this MacBook Pro, I used Safari, an Internet browser. I didn't think anything of it. It was the browser the computer came with! A more technologically advanced friend of mine recommended Google Chrome and I begrudgingly obliged. I had all my favorites and bookmarks set up in Safari!

What I didn't know what that the savvy Internet people could move those bookmarks to a new browser for me. Hey-oh! Google Chrome became my new home. I have a Gmail account and the browser is kind of meant for Google users. Everything is smoother and sleeker and more can be done to customize your web surfing (is it still called that?) experience. I am not a computer genius. I just like things the way I want them to be and Chrome has lots of options.

There are themes to adjust how your browser looks. The best thing about Chrome is the extensions. The one I love the very mostest is called StayFocused. You tell it what sites you want to be blocked from and then give a time limit, what days the limit should exist, and between what hours. It's amazing. I have been way more productive in the time I have had it. I know I only have a certain amount of time for goofing (ala Facebook) and that's it. When time runs out, it's done. I will say setting up the limits was not the most user friendly thing ever. The whole time I was picking options I was like "Gee, I hope that's what I actually want," because it's not totally clear. Now that I've adjusted the settings how I want them, I have been much more productive with Internet time. And who doesn't love that?

If you're using Safari or (gasp/shudder) Internet Explorer, please upgrade. Learning a new browser is more difficult at first but Chrome is a free download and is more efficient. I used to be one of those "all browsers take you to the same Internet" kind of people, but it's a similar situation as automobiles. Yes, a jalopy can get you to work but it will be uncomfortable, slow, stinky, and a pain. Why not upgrade to a shiny sports car when the upgrade is free? Not a perfect example but I hope you get my meaning. If you're already driving the sports car (aka using Chrome) and you love it too much, consider your extension options and think about StayFocused.