Monday, December 30, 2013

The best is yet to come?

This is currently my desktop background.
Via

I don't know how accurate it is, but I would like to think that it's true, the best is yet to come.
To be honest, everything kind of has nowhere to go but up.
I'm not trying to be pessimistic here, but I am being real, and reality has been harsh this past year.
So, what does 2014 have in store? Let's look at the year ahead. It oughta be a good one.
Classes at Northwest next semester:
Professional Media Writing- Pretty pumped for this class. I got a professor I had this semester, and he's pretty great!
Intro to Design- An art class. I'll be honest and say that I am a little bit trepidatious about being graded on my art, :) but it is a requirement for my major and I'm excited to see what I'll get to create! 
Media Design- I'm excited about this class. It's all about layouts and using the computer to create things for different types of media!
Intro to Advertising-Pumped for this class too! I'm really interested in advertising and it's taught by my advisor, and she's super neat!
University Chorale- What can I say, I'll be back in choir and I can't wait!
Symphonic Band- What can I say, band is great!
Yearbook practicum- I can't wait to see what this class has in store! Basically, I'll be helping to create and publish the yearbook!
*Summary of my feelings on my classes next semester: PUMPED! :)*

Things happening next year:
Studying abroad (maybe)- Look out world!
Retreats with Navigators/J-Team- I can't wait for these! So many neat opportunities!
J-Team in general-J-Team (Joshua Team) is this really cool thing that you can do through Navigators. According to the Navigators, "Joshua Team is a 6-week program designed to develop your spiritual leadership, discipline and vision." It's based around Numbers 32:12.
Being a Sophomore in college next fall!- Ok, this isn't an opportunity, it's an absolute, and it's absolutely exciting thought!
Finding a summer job- Someone, please hire me! I'm friendly, punctual, and I work hard! Also, I'm cute, if that makes a difference.... :)

Overall, 2014 is on a good track right now! I don't really do the whole resolution thing, but I do like to look for something that I can change for the better in the new year. I certainly have a thing or two, but it's mostly about learning from the year before (both good and bad) and moving on from there. Here's some of my inspiration for the new year:
Via
Via
Via




Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Ecstatic: The Math, Arrow, and Frozen Reasons

Humans. I am on top of the figurative world. On TOP of it, I tell you. I know all y'all are wondering why. AND I WILL TELL YOU HOMO SAPIENS WHY. (I would also like to point out: This blog is about our experiences at college. Which includes life. Not strictly college-related activities. As evidenced by past posts.)

1. I just finished my LFR final. Meaning I finished my math final. I never have to take another math class again. I am DONE with math for the rest of my life. This makes me happy. So happy, in fact, that I was wondering on the walk back when the last time was when I was so happy. And I remembered.


My test was like this. Only with letters instead of numbers.
And then Satan said, "Let's put the alphabet in math."

2. The last episode of the TV show Arrow. (On the CW 8/7c on Wednesday nights.) That perfect show with the PERFECT TOMMY MERLYN. Because Tommy Merlyn is the most perfect of individuals. And Oliver is my freaking would-be child. I swear, the world is so cruel to him. I want to tuck him in, give him warm milk, and hiss away all the people who try to hurt him/the WRITERS. (Who are beyond amazing. If I can ever become half of the writers they are, I will have accomplished something.)
It occurs to me that some of you may not be aware or used to this sort of reaction when it comes to characters, or even people in general: fictional or not. And I would say that this is normal, but I am pretty much a nut. My circle of friends at college and my family are used to this, and even partake in similar actions. (Not for Arrow. This is my show. But other shows/books/movies/characters and such.) But my greatest passion in this world is storytelling, and when I manage to find something with good plot, setting, characters, and production, I get excited. I get very excited. And there is no shame in finding joy in what you love.

3. Talking about wonderful storytelling reminds me of the time BEFORE the Arrow mid-season finale that got me ecstatically happy. Seeing Frozen. It came out the Wednesday before Thanksgiving this year, and there was a huge cry of "Best musical experience since The Lion King" and stuff. There was a nice round 100% on Rotten Tomatoes from the critics.
And let me tell you: I can see why. This movie is simply beautiful. Frozen follows two princess sisters, Elsa and Anna. Elsa has the ability to control and create snow and ice, and these abilities are revealed during her coronation day. Elsa runs away, and by doing so brings and eternal winter over the kingdom. Anna has to go and find her sister and bring her back to stop the winter.
Several of you know that I am a huge animation buff. Especially the movies that come from Disney, Disney/Pixar, and Dreamworks. And this movie completely hit all the right notes. Since I love animation so much, I'm biased when it comes to movies like this, but I also know what to look for and appreciate. The music brought me to tears. The songs were beautifully constructed, and "Let it Go", the big musical number, has been nominated for a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award. The animation of the snow was wonderfully done, and looked real. And the story. There were a couple of twists that I didn't see coming, which is unique since Disney tends to stick to the same formula.
So yeah. Frozen was a beautiful movie, and you can bet money that I'll be seeing it again, despite having seen it three times already.

Now to go pack for my MONTH LONG BREAK THAT STARTS ON MY BIRTHDAY (tomorrow) AND STUDY FOR MY ASTRONOMY FINAL WHICH IS AT 8PM TONIGHT. What is with this world and dumb test times? Seriously.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

A Bit of Advice to Myself

Hello!  Tomorrow, I will be halfway done being a freshman!  And I feel the need to give some advice to my second semester self.

Dear Eliza,
Here's what I've learned my first semester at college.

- Don't overbook yourself.  No committing to another regular activity or taking extra shifts at work.  As cool as RUSH was, next year I will not be taking part :)  Time management = good grades + relaxing weekends.
Never let anyone pressure you into doing anything.  As kind and well-meaning as they are, they have never been a pre-nursing major.  This sounds snooty, but it's true.

- This semester, read everything your prof gives you.  This includes syllabi and anything he/she has typed up.  This will save trouble later.

-  Stress and worry are really stupid.  If you feel that way, just do the next thing.  Ya know that phrase?  How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.  Just do one little to do item and keep on trucking.  College is all about being mentally strong, it seems.  The persevering win in the end.

- If you stay up late pinning on a week night, you may doze off in chapel the next day.  And the chaplain may happen to see you with your eyes closed.  Just speaking from personal experience here...

- As much as you want to do the honors program, as good as it looks on a grad school application, you really don't have time.  You know what else looks good on that application?  Actually getting your BSN!  And actually getting good grades! Ha ha

Signed,
Me


Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Breathing the Same Air as a Celebrity

Okay, so Happy Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza to all. To all of you who were wondering: No. No decorations on my floor.
No, this isn't my dorm hallway. I was too lazy to go and take an actual picture. So I borrowed from the Internet.
However. There was some excitement earlier tonight. And I'll tell you why.

There was a very well known actor who was in Iowa City earlier today, and was on the University of Iowa campus to make the moment sweeter. Who was this dashing actor, you may ask?
  
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Well known for his roles as Arthur in Inception, Jim Hawkins in Treasure Planet, John Blake in The Dark Knight Rises, and scads of other movies and things that involve acting in front of a camera.

Apparently, the man has family in Des Moines, and a personal friend of his is a professor here at UI. The story is as follows:

Kelly, a girl who lives down the hall from me, was sitting in her rhetoric class. And in waltzes JG-L.

Kelly got to meet him and everything.

I kid you not, you all should have seen the uproar my floor became when we got wind of this. There were a few people who entered meltdown mode. A close friend and my RA were curled up in the fetal position in the middle of the hallway. There was talk about hunting him down at the Sheraton. (The nice hotel in the middle of downtown Iowa City.) There was talk about running outside looking for him.

It was awesome. And scary. But yeah. I was breathing the same air as an actor I really like.

 
I kid you not. This video makes me love him even more. Some of the best 11 seconds YouTube has to offer.

Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate, and happy holidays to those of you who do not.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Christmastime is Here...

I don't know about Eliza or Billie, but around here, finals are looming like, like,  well, I'm plumb out of similes here, so they're just looming. Honestly, my brain is still feeling a bit mushy from the 2 hours I spent on a stats test/final today. Instead of giving us a final next week, our teacher just made our last test our "final" too. That's great, but boy, I walked out of that classroom in a daze. I did figure out one great thing about dorm life, though. Last night, since a good percentage of the people in our little Freshman wing are in Stats, everyone was studying, and if people had questions, they'd just wander from one room to the next to find answers! It was great!
In other news, it is now December, which means that our floor is looking quite festive. I'm not into decorating before Thanksgiving, but I say after Thanksgiving, do as you please! In my case, that means that, much to the disdain of my sister, I pretty much only listen to all of my Christmas stations on Pandora on shuffle. It works great because I have everything from Christian to Classical to Rock to Country! It's even better than the radio! Kelli does not appreciate these festivities, but that's just TOO BAD.
Here in my wing, it is looking quite festive indeed. Let me show you!
Here's a view down my wing. It doesn't look like much,
but let me show you around!

This bathroom door is looking very seasonal...and also a bit dangerous...

Here's a wreath that Ashton made...completely out of shopping bags!!
It looks even cooler in person!
Here are some snowflake decorations that are just the slightest bit inconvenient...

Andrea demonstrates just how low these snowflakes are hanging...

Layne and Amy's door... which leads into the best decorated room
in my opinion. They have Christmas lights covering their ceiling!!

Here are some creatively hung lights that were hung by some girls
around the guys' rooms because they were being Grinches...:)

Here's Miranda and my door. Glitter ribbon!!

This is the extent of the Christmas lights in our room. It actually
casts a nice glow!
After this next week, I'll be heading home to celebrate Christmas with my family, and I CAN'T WAIT!
Even with all of the wrapping paper, lights, and bows, let's not forget what Christmas is really about. I think Linus sums it up best in what could quite possibly be my favorite scene from a Christmas movie EVER.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Sometimes Potato Chips are a Metaphor for Life..

There are times in my life where I look at the situation I am in and realize that all that is left to do is sit back and laugh. It is at these points that I realize that all other forms of expression (crying, screaming, punching pillows, etc.) are pointless. All I can do is laugh. Let me give you an example, using my life as of late.
There's a lot going on in my life right now.
My dad is really sick. We don't know what it is, the doctors still don't know what it is, he can't work at all, and seems to get worse by the day. It's hard to be 3 hours away. I hadn't really seen him since he got sick, so it was really eye-opening when I went home a few weeks ago and saw in just how bad of shape he was. Sometimes I cry, but all I can really do is pray.

Our football team is really good. So good, in fact, that they get to play a game on Saturday, November 30th. Two days after Thanksgiving. Football game at home = marching band plays. This means that I get a 3 day Thanksgiving break instead of a 5 day one. If this was just Thanksgiving dinner I was missing, I would be a bit bummed. No, I get to miss out on part of our big Kuklenz Family Christmas celebration. I will miss out on Saturday and Sunday of this party. All I can do is be thankful for the time I do get to spend with my family, and for how flexible my family is being, moving around activities, games, and fun stuff so I can enjoy as much of it as possible.

My brother has taken a bit of a backslide as of late. He's in the hospital again. Hopefully they can help him out and get everything straightened out so that he can be back on track again. It really stinks, because we weren't really expecting him to have to be in the hospital again, and we would like him to be home for Thanksgiving. All I can do is pray.

I got a job back in October. It was a "Cat Caller" position. Basically, I call Alumni/friends of the University, update their information, tell them about what's going on around campus, and ask them for donations. This was the most uncomfortable job for me. Ever. I don't like calling strangers and I really don't like asking people for money. Nevertheless, I worked hard, and slowly got a little bit more comfortable with the whole gig. Whenever we would get a donation, we'd get "Bearcat Dollars" (basically monopoly money). All of the money that we earned was usable at the auction we were having at the end of the semester (yesterday). Cut to yesterday's auction. I had just over $2,000 Beaercat Dollars to spend, so I thought I would be set. There was food, a few apparel items, and a bunch of gift cards. I had my eye on a Maurices gift card, some HyVee gift cards, and a few others! Getting even one of these, I thought, would make all of my hard work a little more worthwhile!
via WalMart
I'd have something I could really enjoy! As we were going through the auction, the first item I got my hands on was a party pack of 20 mini chip bags. I thought that was just the beginning. Little did I know that it was the end. I didn't get any other things that night. What I had been looking forward to for the whole time I was calling people ended up being a bag of potato chips. All I could do was laugh.

Sometimes, potato chips are a metaphor for life. That you want your life to be that gift card, that nice thing that you enjoy. Instead, sometimes it ends up being more like a bag of potato chips. That's how I feel right now, and all I can do is laugh and pray.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Thankful

Wow, my room number is 210.  According to the algorithim, that means only 6 posts of thankfulness.  Piece o' cake!


1.  I'm thankful for my job.  It's teaching me to work in high-stress situations (which will be uber useful for doing this whole midwife thing).  And all of the workers are really nice.  And it smells like cookies back in the kitchen :)

2. I'm so thankful that I get to be with my family in four days.  I am counting those days.  We're going to Minnesota to see my great uncle and other cool family members.  I hope there is pie!

3. I'm thankful for the one A I have right now.  If that A goes away, so be it.  But for now, it's just nice to have one.

4. I'm so thankful for our dorm.  It's just so cozy.  You can hear guitar music and laughter and people brought me tea when I had a cold, and there's one lounge-ish room people made and decorated with Christmas lights and filled with C.S. Lewis books.  "Hospers is home" is our motto, and it's true.

5. I'm thankful for people who are fun to sit with in class, eat breakfast with, and who just generally bolster my mood at all times of the day or night.  They make me belly laugh or boost my self confidence.  They are treasures.

6.  I'm so thankful for Christmas this year.  Through my other teenage years, Christmas was "well, yeah, Christmas is nice and all".  Now I'm like "BRING ME CHRISTMAS BREAK!!! It sounds like heaven!!!"  Every decoration, every song on the radio, reminds me that I am almost there.  Someone pour egg nog into this college student and let her put her feet up for three weeks.  Thank you.


God's really nice to me.  And though life here is hard (sort of), I'm really super duper blessed.

Peace, love, and pharynxes (we're studying digestion right now),

Eliza

Monday, November 18, 2013

Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry...

I'm sorry guys.  Really really sorry.
I'm not posting about thankfulness.
I have something I've got to get off my chest.
I'm sorry.  Will y'all forgive me?  :(


Okay, here's what's on my mind.
It's something I've made up called a "martyr complex".
I have no idea if this exists or not.
It sounds all psychology-ish.
Here's what it is.

It's me constantly, and I mean CONSTANTLY battling the urge to throw a pity party.
I have decided that I have the hardest life of anyone in my dorm, possibly of anyone on campus.
Which is the most pathetically stupid belief of all time.

It goes like this.
"Nursing major is hardest.  And I have a job.  And all of my classes are the hardest.  And I have a cold so my life is a giant bowl of doom and gloom.  Poor me."

Ummmmmm.... it's dumb.


Got any tips for fighting the martyr complex?
And will someone please pray for me?  Cuz four weeks until Christmas break.
I'm tired of being on the brink of tears.  I'm tired of "poor me".  I just need a hug.



This has been "Emo Posts with Eliza".  Tune in next time for a hopefully wayyyyyyyyyyy more thankful post.

Peace, love and fro yo,

E.


P.S.  Here's a pic of the snow we got before Halloween.

( The view out my window.  It was relatively deep.)

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Thankful

Wow. Well wasn't this challenge a surprise. Although I can't say I can complain. Our supposed limit was three weeks. I don't know how long it's been, and I don't feel like counting, but I can imagine I'm close, if not over.
My room number is 608. 6+3+8 (Since zeroes are threes for some reason. Honestly, Kara. At this rate I'll never understand math.) So if Google is right (Yes I looked it up instead of going through the trouble of thinking. It's a Saturday, don't judge me.) that means 17 things. Let's get started.

1. I am thankful for the cliched first choice but still important family. I wouldn't be where I am or who I am today were it not for the three people who were suckered into living with me for eighteen years, sixteen in Garth's case. They support and make fun of me. They know my quirks and curiosities. They mock my incessant obsessions. And I wouldn't have any one else doing it.
Summer vacation, 2008. We all like this picture because we're all hot and sweaty.
2. I am thankful that my parents are still together. I'm not gonna lie: I was pretty screwed up in middle school and part of high school. But I would have been even moreso if I didn't have both my parents to lean on, together.
There's a story my parents told me. It was shortly after Garth started school. They went over to a family friend who worked as a counselor in a high school. They asked what they could do as parents to help their kids in school. And his advice? Stay together. No no, my parents said. We want to know what we can do. And the family friend said "I know. Stay together." They did. And I know that's saved me in more ways than I will ever know.
Spring Break, 2013. First time at Zombie Burger.
3. I am thankful for my location. My physical, actual location. Because of where I grew up, I experienced fantastic Iowa small town living. I experienced all four seasons. I grew up in a small town, yet I was never more than half an hour away from any sort of "city" experience. And because I grew up in Iowa, I get to pay in state tuition to the school I'm currently attending. A school that's best in the world for what I want to do. That's a blessing.

4. I am thankful for Pintrest and tumblr. For those of you who don't know, Pintrest and tumblr are social networking sites. Pintrest is mostly known for having do-it-yourself crafts and recipes, and I don't really know what tumblr is known as by normal people. But I do know that I don't use Pintrest as I described. I use both these forms of social media quite similarly: for the things I love.
And sweetie? I ain't gonna be pinning or blogging anything about how to make doilies. No. I'm the one who floods the dashboards with hundreds of pictures of fan art, screencaps. and snapshots of my favorite characters, fictional couples, movies, TV shows, and books.
I'm thankful for these because I know I can sit back and pin three hundred things at once if I want to. Some people stress while stressed. Me? I pin and reblog. And I'm thankful.
5. I am thankful for Netflix. C'mon. I mentioned social networking. You had to have known that this one was coming. I love Netflix and how I can procrastinate for hours on end like a pro. I get my Disney movies, my SuperWhoLock, my My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, my Mythbusters.
I get both my stuff aimed at kids, and the TV shows about stuff that goes boom.

6. I am thankful for my brother. He's my best friend. I've been able to talk with him throughout my life, even when I couldn't go to a friend or my parents. He's always got my back, and that means more to me than he will ever know.
August 2012, Navy Pier, Chicago
7. I am thankful for my past work experiences. Did I have the time of my life? No. But did I learn enough to choke a cow? You bet I did. At Casey's, I learned not to judge people, and to keep up a positive attitude, since it impresses pretty much everyone.
While working at the South Des Moines Veterinary Center, I learned about being a team player and the meaning behind the phrase "hard day's work".
These lessons have gotten me pretty far already. I can only imagine where they'll take me next.














8. I am thankful for my best friend. I met her a little over a year ago at a summer camp, and at the time she didn't quite know where she wanted to attend college. Thankfully, she chose the same school I now attend. I don't know what my life would be like if I hadn't met her. She's a complete joy to be around, and I love spending time with her. Be it after our astronomy lab or shopping for feminine delicates, it's always a fun time.

9. I am thankful for my church. Yeah, I go to the number one party school in the nation. (Which is all I ever seem to say about Iowa City. Maybe I should work on that.) But my church is fantastic. I love the people who attend, and Salt Company, the college ministry, feels like a second home.
10. I am thankful for the friends I have met. Let me tell you: I thought that I was a pretty hardcore nerd and geek when I came here. Then I met some of these people. And they have been SO nice and SO fun to be around and SUCH a help in the transition into college life.
So thanks Patsy, Leah, Erin, Ash, and Jey. I couldn't have done this without you.
Not an actual picture of everyone. An actual picture of all of us doesn't exist quite yet.
11. I am thankful for lists. I know that whenever I'm having a bad day, all I need to do is start making a list. And not "To Do" or "To Get". The kinds of lists I make are the kinds you would expect someone like me to make. I make lists of my favorite characters, my favorite fictional couples, my favorite friendships, and the like. I make sure to include pictures. They may not serve an actual purpose, but they sure do make me feel better, and for that I'm thankful.
12. I'm thankful for books. For story. The things in life that are my greatest temptation and greatest joy. I'm so unbelievably thankful that I am able to have such enjoyment from such masterpieces.
13. I am thankful for Mexican food. Because yes. It is that good.
14. I am thankful for Iowa's four seasons. Because they are all beautiful, and I can draw so many parallels to life with them.
15. I am thankful for the fact that I live in a society that empowers women. I live in a day, age, and country where women can run companies, run for office, or run to the supermarket in sweats and sneakers if that's what they want. I can get an education as a woman, and I am extremely thankful.
16. I am thankful that I am who I am. I am my own person. I am confident in who I am, and no one can take that away from me. I know that I shouldn't be ashamed because of who I am or what I love to do.
17. I'm thankful to be finished with this list. Because DANG, it took a while.

Friday, November 15, 2013

Thankfulness

There's a big thing on Facebook during November where you post one thing you're thankful for each day, for 30 [40] days. I started this, but realized quite quickly that I was having trouble posting one thing each day. Oftentimes I couldn't think of something or I just wasn't on Facebook, or whatever. Either way, it's still a good thing to reflect on things you are thankful {grateful} for, especially during the Thanksgiving season, and especially after a year of many changes in my life. Instead of 30 or 40 different things, I decided to come up with 15 {my room number is 375, 3+7+5}. Eliza and Billie, feel free to play along! (P.S. The number 0 counts as 3. Ex: 400 = 4+3+3 = 10)
Here we go!
1. I am thankful for my family, especially my parents, aunts, and uncles.There have been lots of ups and downs and changes over the year, but they've supported me in all my endeavors, projects, and goals. They're always willing to talk/listen whenever I call them, and they're really good at being rational when I'm not.
My drumline friends are awesome!
2. I'm thankful for my Iowa/Nebraska friends. I means so much to have people who have known me for years and that I have known for years that I can have fun with, have heart to hearts with, or just spend awesome quality time together. I'm glad that we can stay connected!
3. I'm thankful for the friends I have made at college so far, through my floor, The Navigators, and classes,
too. I continue to be surprised as how college is such a fast track to friendship. In general, if you're doing something with a group of people, like the Barn Bash I went to for Navs, lots of people will introduce themselves and be more than happy to strike up a conversation with you! For me, it was almost overwhelming (in the best way possible!) and I'm still playing catch up with remembering names of people I've met!
4. I'm thankful for the sweet older ladies in the dining hall. They're much better about "breaking the portion rules" than the young student whippersnappers. For example, today at lunch,  when my 1 scoop of Riggatoni with meatballs didn't have any meatballs, she continued to fish around until she got me some!
This was on the first night that she moved in.
5. I'm thankful for my roommate! Miranda is super great, and really the best roommate I could have asked for! We share many of the same interests/disinterests, are both big on studying, and we do a lot of fun things together when we aren't. For example, on Wednesday night, we watched The Rescuers. Such a sweet movie! I'd never seen it before! We experimented with peanut butter and Ramen (we live on the edge!), and we do things like go to Walmart and buy a brick!
6. I am thankful for music! Playing or listening, it is  a BIG part of my life! I especially love playing the piano!
7. I'm thankful for my sister! We're super close and I miss her a lot while I'm here at college! It made up for it a little bit when I surprised her by coming home for the weekend and when she first saw me, she started bawling. She was very happy!
8. I'm thankful for those cool God moments where you've been praying about something (worries) and then you pick up your book by Max Lucado and read the next chapter which just so happens to be about the exact same thing!
9. I'm thankful for all of my teachers from High School. I feel so prepared for College, and I credit it to all of their dedication and commitment. I feel bad for the other students I see who didn't have people that cared about them as much as all of my teachers did.
10. I'm thankful for my church families, both at Grace and here at Laura Street. Everyone is genuinely concerned about me and is always asking about how I'm doing and how my family is. This is especially true of everyone here at Laura Street. Even though I've only really been here for 3 months, it doesn't feel like it because of how much everyone is always asking how I'm doing and how my dad is doing.
11. I'm thankful for my job. Even though it is certainly NOT my favorite thing to do, and I practically dread going to work, it was certainly been a really good crash course in people skills. It's not that I didn't have people skills before, it's just that this job has helped me get over not liking cold calling people and has also helped me be a little bit more comfortable asking people for money. Bot only a little. It's still uncomfortable. I will be done with my Cat Caller position next Thursday, but I applied for a job as a library assistant, which would be a position that is right up my ally! I've working in a library since 5th grade! I love libraries! It would be so cool to get this job!
12. I'm thankful that my mom taught me to sew and cook and bake and that both my parents helped me learn how to fix all sorts of things! These are very helpful skills, people! Also, it means that when I get married, my husband will not live off of Ramen noodles and peanut butter sandwiches every night! Huzzah for food! Huzzah for sewing!
13. I am thankful for sticky notes! Seriously! A list-maker's dream! (I know, I'm grasping at straws here, but all my other ones were really deep!
14. I am thankful that Northwest gives us all of our textbooks and a laptop too! A LOT less to worry about! I just walk into a room and grab a paper bag full of all of the books I need for the semester!
15. I am thankful for the mattress on my bed at home. I did NOT realize just HOW comfy it was until I went home last weekend! Oh my! And it doesn't make plastic-y wrinkly noises when I roll over or make any movement! So perfect! Ah!

There ya have it! Eliza and Billie, the ball's in your court!

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Stuff

We just had Haunted Hospers in my dorm.  They turn the whole building into a haunted house and it was truly impressive.  Our floor was like an abandoned cityscape, so the walls were covered in crumpled newspaper, the doors and ceiling in black trash bags, litter was all over, it was really dark.  You couldn't even tell it was a dorm floor.  It was literally creepy to walk to the bathroom at night.

I begged God to give me the ambition to stay off the internets this week and get school done, which all climaxed at the anatomy quiz today.  He helped me do that, and now I get to enjoy a visit from Mom on Saturday.  I'm going to feed her fro yo, maybe we'll go on a hike at Oak Grove, watch Netflix in her hotel room, we'll go to church together, eat at some yummy place, I'll show her the cute main street park.  Yep, it'll be great.

Here are some pix of the "haunting".






Peace out, corn dogs :)
(I feel like that could be a gangsta Iowa saying or something.  P.S.  It's 11:30 p.m.)


Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Some Tuesday Morning Views at NWMSU

Today before I left for breakfast, I grabbed my camera and took it with me around campus. Here's some views from around campus. (It's homecoming week here at Northwest Missouri State, so most of these are homecoming-related.)

This is Centennial Garden. It's outside South Complex. That thing
in in the middle is a fountain. It's actually a pretty area. The shade is
making it look a bit funky.
This is the view from a 2nd story stairwell in South. This is part of the Lab
School and the playground. I walk by it every day and there are always lots
of cute kids outside!
This was my lunch today. Aside from the curly fries, it was good.
(Cheese grits, Mac 'n Cheese, and honeydew melon. Also milk. I love milk.)
The rest of these are pictures of some of the banners made by the sororities and fraternities. This is not even half of all of them. There were enough to hang them on all sides of the student union. I took pictures of especially impressive ones, creative ones, and Disney ones. (The theme this year is "Rollin' Out the '90s" which I find odd, since I was born in the '90s, but whatever.)
Power Rangers
Lion King






Candy Land
Spongebob
Dragonball Z (?)
Powerpuff Girls

Toy Story

Star Wars

These last two pictures demonstrate some of the can art that the sororities and fraternities do. They buy groceries, build things with them, and after the competition, all of the food is donated to the food pantry. Again, this is just a couple. These snaked all the way though the second floor of the Union.
Barbie's Dream House, Mr. Potato Head (my personal favorite!),
and some sort of helmet.

A Furby! This one made me happy!