I'm Back!

Hermione's power cord broke and I realized that I have forgotten how to share a computer. Instead of relearning I just stayed off the computer, almost entirely. After throwing up in front of the $80 power cord at Office Depot, I found one on E-bay for $14 and got it today. Sing with me--"I got it on E-Bay!"

I've been doing a lot of reading. I re-read "A Voice On the Wind" and "An Echo In the Darkness" and finally read "As Sure As the Dawn". I'm also reading "The Victory of Reason".

I did a deep cleaning of my desk--rearranged, filed, dusted, and threw a lot of stuff out. Now to maintain it.

Mama and Naomi had a joint, 68th birthday party Friday evening at the Pizza Hut. Lots of wonderful people came and we had a lot of fun. I'm glad we did a party. We don't often but we sure have fun when we do.

I have a lot more peace about my job hunt since the sermon mentioned in my last post. I haven't been very productive in my job hunt since but I don't think it's related. I think I've been under the weather, busy with other stuff (said birthday party and cleaning), and am now suffering doubly from menstrual cramps and a swollen throat. When it rains it pours. Despite that, I did do some networking tonight both for my job hunt and the county party--reception for a Ryan Leonard who is running for state attorney general.

I'm very excited about Christmas shopping. I sure hope everyone likes what they're getting! And I'm even more excited about Jen being here for our week-late celebration!

It's the 8th of August!

Which, of course, calls for a great big "Happy Birthday, Chera darling!" Love you!

Happy Birthday Francis Bacon!

"There's no secret abou success.  Did you ever know a successful man who didn't tell you about it?"--Kin Hubbard

"Physicists like to think that all you have to do is say, these are the conditions, now what happens next?"--Richard Feynman

"The average, healthy, well-adjusted adult gets up at seven-thirty in the morning feeling just plain terrible."--Jean Kerr

Merry Christmas!

  We're doing Christmas a little different this year.  We've all been taking it in turns to be sick with one bug or another since before Thanksgiving.  This means that nobody felt like shopping, wrapping presents, or cooking.  So, we decided to postpone Christmas to January 1st.  Or, rather, we're spreading Christmas out over several days.  We did our big Christmas breakfast of pancakes, bacon, orange, etc. today.  Either Saturday or Monday we're doing the big turkey dinner thing.  Sometime this weekend, I think, we'll drive around and look at Christmas lights.  Tomorrow and on other days throughout this week we're taking advantage of post-Christmas sales to buy presents.  Thursday we'll open presents and read the Christmas story.  We might do this again next year whether we're sick or not--it has distinct advantages.

  I don't know if any of y'all outside my family know them, but Katie Sova and Ryan Deckard have finally made it official and set a date of October 10th, 2009!  I think that's too far away, but I'm sure they have their reasons.  I don't know Ryan very well, but Katie is unadultered perfection and she's very happy with him.  Congrats, guys!

  Happy 19th birthday to my favorite teddy bear, Johnny!  I remember getting him as a present on my third Christmas when I was only two years old.  Very long life for a teddy bear and he's still going strong.

  The fam is watching Jingle All the Way (great movie!) and Mama had planned to watch it with us, but she's gotten a terrible ear/toothache from sinus trouble.  So, I'm going to go sit and read with her back in her room.  I'm reading The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett, the Gospel of John, and Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris.  I think right now I'll go with the Bible and Terry Pratchett.

  

Contentedness

  I'm curled up on the couch with my laptop and a mug of sleepty time tea.  *happy sigh*

  I'm so glad Samuel talked me into buying a laptop.  It's definitely been worth the investment.  I love my Hermione!

  Tonight was Chloe Cobb's birthday party.  I had so much fun!  I got to visit with Papa Ed, Jason Murry, and Mama.  We talked about drugs, Glock semi-automatics, babies, driving, Dad, Mama's dad, and other sundry topics.  And I danced a lot--Virginia Reel and the Cha-Cha mostly.  Not enough people knew how to swing dance for us to do that.  I would like to learn how to swing dance.  What little I've done, I've really liked.  Some of us did kata to Move It from Madagascar--great fun!  There was a small dance competition--some of us white kids can actually dance, whudda thunk it?  Carrie and Jeremy won, hands down.

  Tomorrow there's a karate demo and gift distribution at the Indian children's home in Muskogee, hosted by Vicki Rutledge.  I know that Samuel, Ethan, Joshua, the Murrys, and the Browns are going, not sure who else.  Pray for them.  This is a really neat ministry opportunity.

  Mama, BonnieJean, Naomi, and I are driving down to Arlington for Erica's baby shower tomorrow.  It's so ridiculous that showers are only for girls, but I won't let my outrage get in the way of seeing everybody.  I love my extended family!

  I love the fact that the price of gas has gone down so much.  It's made me really itch to travel!  Not long trips, but impulsive day trips.  The other day, in the middle of finals, I got the urge to see if I could drive to New Orleans in a day and still have time to see some sights.  I resisted, but, man, it sounds like fun!  That's just one possible destination.  I've never been to Galveston, it's been a long time since I saw the Texas capitol or Alburquerque.  What else is within a day's driving distance?

Race to the finish line!

  OK, I know I did good on my Literay Traditions final (Dr. Dial-Driver writes good tests) and feel fairly confident about my Public Policy final (thank you, study group!).  I got my Research Methods papers done and turned in.  I've never done any kind of assignments like those two so I have no clue how I did.  I like what I wrote, though.  Tomorrow is Soc. Syst. & Prob. final and I need to turn in the two papers for Campaigns.  Just think, by tomorrow night, it'll all be over!  That's both thrilling and terrifying.

  And then we shall party!  Friday is Chloe's birthday party (it will be incredibly sappy and I shall have to try really hard not to tease her and David the whole time, but there will be dancing-fun!)  Saturday, some conglomerate of us will drive to Arlington for Erica's shower.  I can't wait to see everybody!  I know I saw them in August, but that's a good four months ago!  Tuesday is Twilight Prayer and Praise--I'm going to be so confused by it not being on a Friday.  Like I said, party, party, party!

  Because I'm sure going to need it by the end of tomorrow!

It's December 1st!

Happy Birthday, Mama! I love you!

Back to the salt mines

  I'm feeling much better, but not quite 100%.

  Happy Birthday, Naomi!  17 and insane, baby!

  We celebrated Mama and Naomi's birthdays today.  The carrot cake with cream cheese icing was so luscious.

  I don't know if it's on youtube, but y'all should try to get a hold of the UFC fight between Chuck Liddel and Rashid Evans.  Awesome knockout.

  I need to write a paper for Campaigns class tomorrow.  I think I'll move into my room, find some headphones for my really loud rock music, and git 'er done!

Chera has worked wonders!

Chera helped me fix my blog and introduced me to pyzam. Feedback, please?

I feel like I'm getting a 4 day birthday with Chera being here. We're having a blast!

We're off to Walmart to get supplies for a science experiment and a special kind of pudding/parfait chera is going to make us. Hopefully we'll keep those two events separate...

Blah

I hate winter colds. I wish I had some really hot tea for my throat right now. I wonder if hot coffee from the student union would substitute well...

Today is the birthday of the greatest conservative of the past century, Ronald Reagan. 3 cheers!

Today's Breakpoint is good. I like his use of the word orthodoxy. Orthodoxy has gotten a bad rap and become synonyms with religion. We have a relationship not a religion, but orthodoxy is not religion. It means right belief. Colson uses the term 'radical Christianity' to describe orthodox Christians.

Howdy hey!

I'm taking the Comp II advanced standing test Thursday at 11. Everybody pray for me!

I've been at school almost all day working on the paper that is my Perspectives final. I'm almost onto the 4th page (limit is 10 pages) and I've only done the first two points out of 6 total. I think I'll write it and then do some serious editing. However, points 2 and 3 are the largest so maybe it'll be just fine.

There's a concert by the jazz band tonight that I really want to go to (I've only gotten to hear them play at basketball games, which doesn't really count) and I'm trying to decide if I should just go ahead and stay here or go home and then come back. I should probably check the time of the concert and call home to see what they're up to.

Speaking of music, Mama got the Josh Groban's new CD, Noel, for her birthday. His voice is so beautiful it actually makes Little Drummer Boy and Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire sound good.

Dad has this week off. He's doing his usual working vacation. This time he's re-roofing his tool shed, while recovering from a head cold. Superdad, that's him.

I had a blast Saturday at Chloe Cobb's birthday party. I have such awesome friends.

Oh, and I get to see more awesome friends this weekend when we have a birthday party for Mama, Naomi, and Stirling.

Chera, can I call you Sunday between 5 and 8? This might end up getting cancelled as we both hurdle towards finals and realize how desperately busy we are, but we can still try.

Uncle Fred was denied parole again. This is the second time and he won't be eligable again for another 3 years, at which point he would have been in jail for 13 years. I really think prison is only making him harder and prouder, not to mention the danger he's in because he is not a member of any gang and is much older than the average inmate. Please be praying for him.

This picture needs a lovely poem about God's stairway or Jacob's ladder or something along those lines to go with it. Any submissions?

Happy Birthday Chera!

Happy 25th Birthday BonnieJean! You're the awesomest, rockingest, bestest big sister ever!

Everybody pray that my FAFSA pin comes in soon. I can't get a financial advisor at RSU until my FAFSA is filed.

The purple henscratch is blooming. Makes the lawns and ditches look purple. Gotta love it!

I really miss Dad.

Mama's leaving to go pick up her sewing machine so I'd better get offline. Love y'all!