Home Sweet Home

I am home! Wahoo! I love home! I was telling a friend that home is by far where I feel the most loved and I love loving them right back:). It's one of my favorite things to do. *sigh* Everyone is home now except for Daniel, and he should be home anytime now.
Tarah has not been doing well lately, so it's great that we're all home now because she loves it when we're all home:). Yay break!
And...it was almost like summer yesterday! Well, 40s, but to me that's practically summer:). I went for a walk on the winding dirt roads, and it was gorgeous because everything was starting to melt. Spring is peeking through! There were mini streams everywhere from all the snow melting, and even a mini waterfall (I'll have pictures on facebook at some point).
I got my hair cut today. I ran into two awesome people that I haven't seen for a very long time. I got to watch "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" with the coolest little brothers and sisters ever (great movie, you should see it), and I got to see Jacob's mohawk in person for the first time. It's been a pretty good day!
And now, I'm off to go join said cool little-ings to watch "Chicken Run." We're waiting for Mom and Dad to get back, they're out on a date:). Tehe.
And now, I am off to answer the call of "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey, don't touch me!" Gotta love 'em.

Sketchiness...oooooh

I have no officially survived my first official bachelorette party (I've been to bridal showers before, but that doesn't count). Actually, I also survived planning and co-hosting it, too:). Hehe. It was great fun and there was much sketchiness had by all. Let's just say that mad libs at a bachelorette party turn from the path of innocence pretty darn quickly. And that's the extent of the detail to be posted on a blog:).

It's been a busy weekend. Eryn and I have been planning for that party for our friend Kirbee for the past month or so, and were up making food for it at 9am, and then it went till about 8:30ish, and right after that I ran back to campus for a band concert that Eryn and lots of other peoples I know were in, and then came back to my room and finished watching a movie called "Elizabeth," which was quite good. Very brutal, but good. Cate Blanchett makes one wicked queen (in a good way).

And now I'm going to tally all the homework that stands between me and spring break. As of now, off of the top of my head, I can think of one test and three papers. *sigh* But...its not a full school week! I pretty much am home free once I get past Wednesday. Then...HOME! And Adam will be home! I haven't seen him since Christmas. Apparently he had to spend the night in the airport that night...*guilty giggle*. Actually, I don't feel terribly guilty for giggling at him, I feel guilty more on account that I DON'T feel guilty. Haha, ok, I'm going to stop now.

Onward and upward...to homework. Huzzah. Happy Sunday to all!

Is it a "happy-to-be-alive" day?

...down came the snow and washed the color out.
No, actually, last night the snow was abosultely gorgeous. I was working on a paper till about 2am last night (ok, maybe it wasn't ALL paper writing, maybe there was a LITTLE "Lost" watching...) and when I walked back to my dorm there were the most gorgeous, big fat flakes of snow falling that I had ever seen. It was more like floating than falling. And it wasn't terribly cold. Perfect. *sigh*

I'm doing remarkably well at this whole posting thing (just wait till break, though). Today has been a constructive day, at best. I went to class! I think that can be classified as constructive. Aslo, I am currently getting paid to sit here and type. That's right. Work was cancelled because of the eventful fire incident in the theatre department the other day. And seeing as how the costume shop is a part of that, we aren't allowed in due to smoke smells (or something), but we still get paid for when we would've normally worked:). No complaints here.

Tonight shall entail orchestra, dinner, and writing about ballet. Yay! That's right, I get to write about ballet. We have a personal choice essay due on Friday and I am writing mine on the origins of ballet. In the words of Sonja...*celebratory hand motions*. And that is all...for now. May you all have a most joyous and splendiferous "happy-to-be-alive" day. Because I'm happy that you're alive:).

Ok, and...bye.

Escape'...hey, that looks a lot like the word 'escape'!

Well, seeing as how it is a new month, I shall post a new post (especially since I know Anna is itching for another one;).

For starters, I had a marvelous weekend. It consisted of marvelously enjoyable peoples, ridiculous boys (who we determined were more girly than we were), a NICE hotel, crazy car rides, and the Mall of America! See Facebook for pictures:). It was a wonderful off-campus escape, which was greatly needed and greatly effective. There was much celebrating had by all, and much more fun than that. *sigh* Alas, I did not want to come back.

Now I am back in the real world, but the high is still wearing off, I think:). I just hope I can hang on to it till spring break, but I doubt it. We'll see. Life is just a little eventful of late. But that's ok. At least it's not boring, right? And I am surrounded by wonderful people to make sure I don't get lost amid the craziness:). Yay for people to save me from other people:).

God is good. That's a given. He's amazing, actually. And today feels/looks like spring. Its a tad chilly from the wind, but I can tell spring is peeking through. I think (cross my fingers). Oh, and excitement of the day was the fire alarm sounding TWICE during one of my classes (there was actually a fire in the theatre arts department). And now, I am in a computer lab in the basement of my dorm and the laundry room was filled with smoke. Sheesh, what's going on today.

Anyway, back to happy paper writing. Huzzah...not really. Fare thee well, until next time.

Informative!

Well, Katie and Anna asked for another post, so this for you guys:)
Hmmm...what is new in my life? Well, "Dead Man Walking" is currently in production, so this is a fairly busy time for us costume shop workers. I worked the play tonight and last night. Basically we sit down in the dressing rooms during the shows and are prepared to fix and "wardrobe malfunctions." All I did tonight was cut some dangling threads. But hey, we get paid for it! Oh, and we clean the dressing rooms after everyone's gone. Fun times.

The show itself is really good...though I'm sure I exactly agree with it. It's about a man on death row. Very powerful stuff, and everyone involved did/is doing an excellent job. There was a responder tonight who watched the show and then critiqued it afterwards, which also went pretty well, I thought.

School is going pretty well. Not much to report there. Life is still insane, as usual. People are still insane, as usual;). Katie and Anna, if you want the specifics on that, give me a call:). Oh wait, I don't have my phone right now. E-mail! Or facebook message!

Ok, to everyone NOT Anna and Katie (well, you guys, too), have a marvelous day/week/whenever you read this and I be happy:). This post wasn't too in-depth, but it was nice and informative:). TTFN!

Mood Swings?

Wouldn't it be nice if there were locked-in moods? Kind of like interest rates? You know, if you could lock in a mood where you've just buried some major demons, come to terms with battles, set to rest worries, and are just happy with your life? Content with what God has given you? Joyful, in fact, in what God has blessed you with??

It would be nice if you could lock that in because I feel like just a week ago (exactly, I think) I felt just that way. And in just one night, I somehow let it all get turned around again. I'd been doing so well. I don't know what happened.

Well, things happened, I guess I just don't know why I'm letting them bother me now. What's different about tonight from last week? That's what I'm trying to figure out...so I can fix it. Fix may not be the best term. The way I see it, all the blessings I had that brought contentment along with are still here. No matter how I choose to look at things, it doesn't change the fact that I am incredibly blessed. I have more than enough to be content. Which is why I'm kicking myself for being where I am now.

I think one thing is I'm looking for strength in the wrong place. Lately, anyway. I've been looking for it in people. That's one of the reasons, I think, that I've let my mood be swayed, is because I've been letting people get to me. Normally that isn't a problem for me. Externally, anyway. If someone is bothering me I don't usually do anything about it externally (which can be a problem in and of itself), and internalize it. The thing is, last week, I wasn't even internalizing it! I wasn't putting my hope in man...I was putting it on God, which is where it needs to stay.

However, God puts people in our lives to help with hardships, right? But that doesn't mean they should become a distraction in where my eyes and heart should be focused at all times. I just need to remind myself of that every once and a while;). If you see me in the near future, you can remind me, too:). "Why so downcast, oh my soul? Put your hope in God!" Basically, I have no reason to be downcast, even though I am. And I know I can't force myself out of it by telling myself I shouldn't be. I need to thank God for the amazing people he has placed in my life, and not give up on the ones that I'm struggling with. Not dwell on what might not be going the way I want it to (but pray about it), and concentrate on the countless things that I do have, yet don't deserve. Count my blessings! God really is good.

Now I have to go write some dialogue...fare thee well!

My First Fiction Writing Assignment

The following is a story I had to write for my Fiction Writing class. A condensed plot was provided, and we simply had to expand it. So...here it is (and excuse the numbered headings from every page, it was just a pain to try and get rid of them):

Hooked
The glow of the setting sun caught the rusty dashboard of the old Ford Tempo and illuminated the otherwise-humdrum hue of this ancient relic. The bronzy-orange finish was peeling in multiple areas, but you could hardly tell due to the fact that the unveiling of the rust underneath was almost the same color anyway. The entire landscape seemed to have a color theme of oranges, yellows, and browns. The orange of the setting sun complimented the browns and yellows of the vast expanses of wheat fields for miles in every direction. The wheat was tossed about delicately by a light wind that had been steadily dying down from the mid afternoon.
It was evening now. The Ford was parked on the side of a winding country road that wrapped around the countryside and nothing but, for miles in every direction. It was as remote a spot as any two love birds could hope for in small town smack dab in the middle of Nowhere, Kansas.
Nowhere, Kansas was all Harry and Ellen needed. They’d been dating for two years now. This romantic escape was celebrating this two-year milestone. It was a storybook romance. Both had grown up in this small town, gone to the same school, same high school, and they were even both attending the same university. The proposal was only a matter of time. In
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fact, Ellen’s mind began to drift off on the soft music of the crackly radio as she daydreamed of wedded bliss with her childhood sweetheart.
“Harry,” she whispered, eyes closed, face nuzzled up against his chest, “let’s not ever move. Let’s just sit here and fall asleep in this moment, so it never has to end. Let the music carry us away…”
Harry smirked at her girlish sentimentality. “Well Ellie,” he said in the most matter-of-fact tone he could muster, “at some point, this old junk heap is going to give out on us and then there won’t be any more music to float on, you know.”
His playful sarcasm brought her abruptly back to reality as she tried to stifle a smile. “Oh, come on now,” she said trying to sound annoyed. “That’s not funny.”
The sun had almost set beneath the field now, as the color in the sky slowly diminished into a darker blue. Harry and Ellie decided to lay words aside and took Ellie’s advice, as they began to drift off to the sound of the radio.
The romantic moment was short-lived, however. The music suddenly came to an abrupt stop. The crackling that replaced it brought Harry and Ellie back to reality once more as they curiously sat up and reached for the radio dial.
Harry refrained from switching stations, however, when a man with a very serious tone came on the air with the words, “This is not a test.” Looking at Ellie curiously, he resorted to turning the volume dial instead. The voice continued, “I repeat, this is not a test. All citizens of Teller County and surrounding areas are asked to return to their homes immediately. Word was
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just been received that a convicted murderer has escaped from Teller Country Prison and his whereabouts are currently unknown to authorities. He is at large in the area and is very dangerous. He is approximately 5’ 11”, dark brown hair, approximately 175 pounds, and has hooks in place of hands.”
Harry almost had to chuckle at this last bit of information. “Are they serious?” he asked.
Almost in response, the voice continued, “I repeat, this is not a test. Please take this information with the utmost seriousness and get to safety as soon as possible.”
“Baby, I think he’s serious,” said Ellie shakily. “Come on, we better leave.”
“Ellie, come on, are you kidding me? A murderer with hooks for hands?”
“Harry! I want to leave!” Exasperated, Ellie violently switched off the radio and reached for her seatbelt. “If you don’t start this heap of metal Harry, I will.”
Harry was obviously annoyed at her sense of urgency, not to mention the loss of the romantic mood. “This is the best part of the evening, baby. Come on, we can’t leave now. The night’s just begun.”
Ellie refused to respond with more than a heated death glare that scared Harry more than any hook-handed murderer.
“Ok, fine, you win,” he retorted, obviously perturbed. “I cannot believe you’re letting this scare you. This was going to be our special night, nothing was going to bother us, remember?”
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“I think a convicted murderer on the loose is cause for an exception, Harry!” It was never a good sign when they started using each other’s names in every sentence. Doing his best to appear incredibly put out, he dramatically reached for the keys and turned them in the ignition.
The car noisily sputtered into gear, making Ellie glance around suspiciously. Wanting to accentuate his exasperation, Harry slammed his foot down on the accelerator as the wheels spun amid the dirt and gravel, trying hard to get a firm grip on the road. Once the old Ford accomplished this feat, Harry sped down the winding dirt road back towards whatever civilization waited for them back in town.
It was not, however, fast enough for Ellie. She couldn’t help darting glances here and there every time she heard a leaf rustle, or a rock roll.
As the lights of the town came into view, Harry decided to break the silence at an attempt of reconciliation. “Come on now Ellie, I really don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”
Ellie’s mixture of morbid fear and annoyance at Harry’s lack of concern resulted in indignant silence. Harry sighed and turned the radio on again, weighing down on the breaks as they entered the sleepy little town. The gas station was the first sign of life coming in from the countryside. Glancing over the shadows of the rusty old general store attached to the station, Ellie’s heart suddenly stopped. A gasp escaped her lips as she clutched Harry’s arm with enough solidity to cut off his blood circulation.
“What is it now?” demanded Harry, not pleased with the swerving her clamp had caused.

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Ellie said nothing as she climbed over him to look out his side of the window. Not uttering a word, her eyes unwavering, she unlocked his car door and slowly climbed out, still not breaking her line of sight.
“Ellie, what are you doing?” asked Harry, more sternly this time. “Come on, get back in the car. What do you see?”
A few feet from the vehicle, Ellie froze in her tracks, her gaze deepening as she strained her eyes to see in the dark.
Slightly unsettled, Harry climbed out of the car and gently touched Ellie on the arm, sending her reeling around with a shriek.
“Harry, don’t!” she yelled.
“Well come on, what are you looking at? Just get back in the car.”
Not getting anything from her, Harry attempted to follow her line of sight. Following hers, his gaze landed among some shadows between the farthest two gas pumps on the northern side of the building.
From behind the first pump, he immediately became aware of Ellie’s apprehension. Barely visible from behind the apparatus, he made out the form of a curved, metal piece jutting out from the shadows.
Letting the silence linger a few moments longer, Harry let out an obviously stifled laugh as he slapped Ellie on the back. “Ummm, darling,” he said lovingly, between chuckles, “that’s
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the gas pump. Now, I know you’re paranoid, but there really is nothing to worry about. So, let’s get back in the car and get you back to your apartment.”
Still laughing, he walked over to her side of the car, opened the door, and helped her in. Sauntering back to his side, he couldn’t help laughing to himself over the whole ordeal. Now, off to her apartment it was.
The old Ford slowly screeched to a halt as Harry pulled in front of Ellie’s off-campus apartment building, just down the road from the small town junior college that they both attended.
As Ellie reached for the lock button on the car door, she gazed out the window to her front door. The gap between her and home seemed an eternity longer than any of the other million times Harry had brought her home, just the same way. She hesitantly reached for the car door and set her feet on the cool pavement.
“Walk me to the door, Harry?” she pleaded, almost pathetically. Harry had never seen her this way. Still rather amused by the whole ordeal, he hurried over to Ellie and offered her his arm.
“Now, I’ll get you inside all safe and sound, and tomorrow you’ll be laughing about this just like I am.”
Ellie didn’t respond as they made their way up the sidewalk to the front door. Harry, deciding to maintain that gentlemanly façade, reached for the door doorknob to open the door for her.
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As his hand touched the cold metal, the amused smirk on his face immediately froze in one of utter horror. The doorknob wasn’t round. The doorknob wasn’t a doorknob at all. As the moon momentarily moved in front of the menacing clouds overhead, the brief gush of light illuminated a shiny, thin, metal hook.