big brothers

I don't know what I'd do without them. Mine's named Nathan.

{This was after my twenty-second birthday dinner, and apparently I have issues with standing up straight. I won't despair, though. I'm taking yoga and can really tell a difference in my posture already.}

wonderful weekends

I get off work at 4:30. I work all week and I don't work on weekends (unless I pick up random jobs). Thus, I get unadulterated weekends!

A friend and I sometimes muse about the balance between resting and laziness. When I have finished hammering out my opinion on the matter, I plan to philosophize on it. What I know now is I work very hard with work and school work during the week, and the abrupt drop-off of scheduled responsibilities starting Friday night is wonderful.

Even if I end up doing cleaning, doing bit of homework, or doing laundry, it's great. Last weekend, I hosted a little breakfast party for a visiting out-of-town guests and mutual friends (I adore breakfast). Eggs and bacon, baby.

This is how my weekend is shaping up:

- Running in this sunniness after work (signed up for a 5k in March! A bit nervous; been a while)
- Dinner with two old friends
- Attending a Saturday morning budgeting class with one of my bestest friends
- Seeing my brother if I can possibly help it
- Homemade blueberry scones, if I wake up early Sunday morning

percentages

I read this somewhere. I'm not sure if it's true or if it has been scientifically verified. But what do you think?
Does it sound kind of accurate?

We remember:

10% of what we read.

20% of what we hear.

30% of what we see.

40% of what we do.

100% of what we feel.

everyday greatness

"When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future." Ecclesiastes 7:14

Every good thing is a gift comes from Him. Most days, I feel as though I'm the most insanely blessed person ever. I try accordingly to give thanks.

- Breakfast in the morning with friends

- The great thoughts of the minds of men, only a tiny chip off of the Mind

- The occassion brilliance of man, again only a teeny picture of Brilliance

- Small acts of great gentility in the early morning

- The well-crafted sentence

- Welcome respites in usually hectic days

- The comforting thought that as wonderful as this great muddle is, one day I will see it all clearly and understand things at last.

on mornings

After three years of trying live up to the "usual "college lifestyle, I have finally admitted to a reality about myself:

I'm a morning person.

All-nighters? Never pulled one and intend never to. When I first moved out, I experimented a bit with what sleep patterns worked for me. I did the whole stay up 'till ungodly hours. I quickly learned it didn't work.

I generally like to be in bed by eleven at the latest and earlier if possible. But at the worst, under no circumstances am I allowed to stay up until two am. I hate my life if I ever stay up that late.

This past fall is when I fully commited to my nights-are-for-sleep and mornings-are-meant-to-start-early routine. I now regularly get up at 6 or 6:30 every weekday morning. If I don't get enough sleep, I'm tired like anyone, but in general, I love the routine.

I used to feel virtuous about this, until I started talking to some of my co-workers and colleagues who have careers and kids and get up at 4:30 or 5:00 every morning. I shan't feel guilty, though. I'm enjoying my independence and freedom to schedule my life around just me while I can.

The best part of this is I have a bit of a morning routine, which I love. Never really had one before. The bad part of my morning routine? I'm developing the habit of stopping for morning coffee once or twice a week on the way to work. Their coffee is better than what they have at work (don't tell anyone). I'm trying keep this habit in check. But it's so gooood.

R.

Mia Mamma

I love Amanda Seyfried's hair in Mamma Mia. Makes me wish my hair hadn't gotten darker after childhood.

Consequently, I love just about everything about this movie. The scenes and costumes are gorgeous, and I am always fan of musicals.

lady liberty

I've been thinking about Ellis Island, immigration, and the turn of the century lately, partly because I saw a good portion of The Godfather II last week for the first time.

I saw the Statue in person for the first time this past fall. It's so inspiring, and I can imagine what it must have looked like for people seeing it as they came to America, especially when the statue was brand new and still a shining copper color.

Here is the inscription that is inscriped on a plague in the pedestal:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering libs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A might woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lighning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I life my lamp beside the golden door!"

"The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus

balance

I think I work too much. No, I think I don't work strategicially enough. I think I work too hard in some areas and not enough in others. Woe to this messed up world!

Well I am nearly over my cold, thank heavens, and hoping to get back into, as they say, an more even keel.

Yesterday was my all day on campus day. I work at my second job (which is on campus) and I also have classes. Looong day.

This is my current frustration. I am a student still, finishing up my last semester, Lord willing. I don't feel like a student, though. I don't concentrate on it all, no more than I have to. My mind is elsewhere- work, graduating, post-graduation plans. It doesn't help that I'm not inspired in any of my classes this semester either.

Sometimes, I go to classes and I can't believe that I get to sit and listen to a certain instructor it's so interesting. My roommmate is currently in a class that I took a few years ago, a class that has turned out to be my favorite class in undergrad. When she asked to see my notes from when I was in it, I got nostalgic. I remember how great and exciting it was to learn all the stuff that I took notes on. It made me sad that I'm not excited about anything I'm learning now.

As a side note to that generalization, I am really enjoying my weekly yoga class, and I am also learning some new aspects of powerpoint and word in my computer class.

So Wednesdays are a day I do largely by myself. As I was trudging around from class to class, from tutoring to tutoring, I found myself searching for something to mull over. Usually, my fodder is interesting concepts or theories I'm learning. I was coming up blank, and I was boring myself.

At my next available break, I made my way to our library. I had to find something interesting to start thinking about. I left with four books:

Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell
On the Language of 1984 about Orwell's famous work
Ulysses by James Joyce
and a fourth written on George Orwell's work

I am hoping to start Shooting an Elephant today. I think Orwell had some great ideas, but I haven't been devoted much time to understanding his ideas, beyond reading his famous book, 1984.

Hopefully, I will be happily mentally occupied soon.

on sick days

I don't particularly relish them. I don't mind a mild cold or so now and then, though. Keeps me humble and reminds me that I'm not invincible. My cold has just hit the one-week mark though, so I'm getting to the point that it's not okay anymore.

Yes, I know, colds normally run seven to ten days, though. It better be the storm before the sunrise, though, because I'm particularly feeling it today. My plan for the afternoon: sit on the couch and occupy myself with books, blogs, sleeping, and maybe a movie.

I even have started taking cold medicine. I hate taking drugs whenever they're not completely necessary. I almost never take Tylenol. But when your sleep, which is supposed to make you get better, gets harder because of your cold, I see the wisdom. And sure, I can go to work with a cold, but the guests probably like it better when they can't see me coughing all over the place. So I'm the proud owner of night-time and daytime cold medicine currently.

"The truth was that Anne was the victim of a very severe and very unromantic cold in the head." - Anne of Windy Poplars

Happy Birthday, Mr. Lincoln

A young President Lincoln

Today is our Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday!

If you're American, you should already know a good bit about President Lincoln, particularly about his leadership through the American Civil War. You can always brush up on the details on one of my favorite general information go-to's, Wikipedia.

He's considered by many to be one of our best presidents, and he definitely was, no-contest, top of my 100 historical persons list.

If you're like me, and will take any reason to celebrate, do something to remember our great leader of old. These are some ways I'd endorse:

- Thank God for such a great leader

- Build a lincoln-log house

- Have a philosophical debate about the causes of the Civil War

- Watch the movie "Gettysburg" or "Gone with the Wind"

- Read a great short read, The Wit and Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln

"Animal Farm" and the rest

These are the newest books on my to-read list:

Animal Farm

Heart of Darkness

As I Lay Dying

Atlas Shrugged

Ulysses

Probably stuff I should have read already, but hey, it’s a busy world.

7am phone calls

Can any of you suggest a good location for an important, early morning phone conversation? I don't want to wake my roommates.

Tomorrow I have a phone interview. It is with the small nonprofit organization that I might go to London with in the fall (see my previous post). When they emailed me about a time for a phone interview, they asked for "2 pm UK time". Since, I have learned that there is usually a six hour time difference between the UK and Eastern Standard Time (I don't know if they do daylight savings time).

I still have to work tomorrow, so I asked that they call me at 1 pm UK time, which is 7 am my time. That way, I don't have to come in more than an hour late for work.

I'd rather leave my house, lest my booming voice wake the roomies. A public place would have to be reasonably private and reasonably quiet. I already asked to come in late to work, and I'd rather not hole up somewhere there to talk so early.

Panera? McDonald's (hey, they have good coffee)? Starbucks? I'd prefer to be inside so I can have my papers around me. In any case,

Wish me luck!

on running.

Something I like but rarely do. I like running out of doors, but the only day I can run after work is on Fridays (if then).

Last week, I went for a superb run after work, propelled by the beautiful day and the ecstasy of being up and out of a desk chair. My whole excursion was a little over five miles, but I only ran maybe three of them.

Where I work is nearly out in the country and there's a main road that intersects with a smaller, more rural road, flanked on either side by trees with a train track running alongside it.

I was still so excited about my new running-spot in the country that I dragged Kristi out with me the preceding day to do it over again.

We encountered the same red-tailed hawk that I have seen every time I have gone running down there.

IKEA

One of the gifts I got was a giftcard to IKEA. I love IKEA. It's a Swedish company and my Swedish friends loved going there when they were here in the US, because they could buy lingonberry jelly.

Here are the top two things I'm considering getting:


1. Rolling pin

2. Teacups and saucers

Twenty-two blessings

Yesterday was my birthday; I'm now twenty-two. Does that qualify me as a twenty-something now? Anyway, in view of my birthday, and in the spirit of my previous post, I took the time to record twenty-two things that I am particularly thankful for recently.

Twenty-two blessings

1. It looks like I'll graduate in May

2. I am not in debt for my undergraduate degree

3. My car works reliably

4. My sister and I call each other to confide

5. My older brother calls me to discuss things

6. My little brother really likes his school and friends

7. Bethany being my rooommate

8. Kristi offering to plan me a party

9. My dad calling me the other morning

10. A good friend who moved away called me last week

11. Another good friend called me Sunday

12. I have a brand-new book to read!

13. Going to either London or Italy is looking possible

14. I have too many good options to choose from for the fall

15. My job

16. My down comforter for cold nights

17. My early mornings in the quiet

18. A four year old falling asleep on my lap on Sunday morning

19. Taking the four little kids to church

20. My two runs in the country last week

21. My Summit small group

22. My blogs :)

what you want.

.

"If you want what you have, then you have what you want." - unknown

I'm a little nervous. I have what I want right now. It's true. I actually am very happy with how things are in my life right now. It's been that way, in general, since last fall. I have my down-days, but some days, I think I'm the down-right most blessed person every and that it's quite unfair how much I enjoy my life.

I am just immensely enjoying everything.

I love my Saudi friends and hanging out with them.

I have enough close friends and a great circle of general friends.

I really like my jobs and how much I work.

I am excited about life.

I am finally somewhat secure and satisfied with my appearance and fashion sense.

I like who I am becoming.

And how weird is this? I am looking forward to the future, but I am also very excited about the present.

I think this is mostly due to the acute awareness that all those soon will end. Three huge components of my life will change in three short months: Kristi, Saidah and co., and Wycliffe. Honestly, I'm scared about what will happen when these three identification points drop out of my life.

I'm trying to wring out all the enjoyment I can from these things before they change.

A to Z

English is so great. It is funny to think that it's just one of nearly 7,000 languages. There must be thousands of words as great as the ones I like in English. Some alphabets have way more than 26 characters too. Wouldn't that be fun?

Great adjectives, A to Z.(currently accepting suggestions for x and y adjectives)

Antiquated

Blighted

Capricious

Detrimental

Efficacious

Fastidious

Glib

Harried

Incorrigible

Jovial

Kempt

Limpid

Meager

Negligible

Obliging

Precocious

Quizzical

Reputed

Sallow

Tawny

Ubiquitous

Veracious

Whimsical

Xanadu

Yon

Zealous

(as appeared in Philosophizings from the Flat)