Sappy and Sentimental

There are so many nice, cozy home things to enjoy. Even the way home smells is comforting. There are puppy-wuppies to snuggle with, family to talk to, snacks that do not consist wholly of wheat. Even with the latter, however, I think I've managed to eat too much over the past week and a half. A benefit of occasionally disgusting caf food is that you don't eat as much. But when you like every meal that is prepared and all of the food that is available for munching... well, let's just say I should start exercising better self-control.

Today is New Year's Eve. 2008 is almost over. I'm an incredibly sentimental person, and I must admit quite a bit of sadness at the close of this year. So many milestones. My wonderfully relaxing last semester of high school was this year. I turned eighteen and got my first job (after a roller coaster-like five months of looking). And the last four months have been some of the most wonderful ones of my life. TAC and I are a perfect fit. I can't help feeling, however, that a phase of my life is over and a new one has begun. It's like a Great Hand turned the page in my life book. It feels fresh and clean and full of potential... but there's a part of me that wants to go back. The years only seem to go faster the older I get. I want to savor every moment that is given to me to hold.

What will 2009 hold? A few givens - more classes, homework, dancing, finals, job hunting, summer break, Ptolemy, more finals - but how they will come about is always a mystery. There is an enormous range or circumstances which can surround each event. Who knows what will be put on my plate? I can guarantee, however, that it will be an adventure!

Engaging the Brain

One of the nicest, but simultaneously worst, things about vacation is having nothing to do. At all. Nothing. It's nice for a couple of days, but then, in all honesty, it becomes quite boring. Your brain stops functioning and your body becomes a lethargic blob. Yes, you can clean the house for your mother, but that doesn't occupy the brain either. It's mellow work which serves well when you're brain dead from studying, but you can't consider it a mental work out in any way, shape, or form.

This morning, I turned on my brain for the first time since last Friday. And it felt wonderfully good. I spent four hours working out algebra problems which stretched my brain. Just as stretching a muscle which hasn't been stretched in months is painful, algebra smarts quite a bit when you haven't done it since 8th grade. It is a stretch that is mandatory for school, but also quite enjoyable once you get a bit loosened up. I'll be doing quite a bit more of it over the next two weeks, but that is something I'm looking forward to. Call me crazy, but I'm learning to love it. :)

Irony at its best

Here I am, posting, when there is nothing of import to post about. Nothing of even slight import. Things are boring around here, which is wonderful, but not very interesting reading material. If anyone still reads this, which is unlikely.

Last night we went to a family friend's for supper and today we're going to go visit my babies! They won't recognize me, I'm sure, which is incredibly sad. But we'll go regardless. Maybe I can get them to warm up to me. I'm frequently incredibly fortunate in that respect. hmmmmm

Me Be Very Happy

I am home!!! and have gone slightly insane. Outbursts of maniacal giggling happened at random intervals last night in the car on the way back from the train station.

My first finals week was insane. I had my theology final on Monday which wasn't too bad, being open book. In all honesty, it was actually really enjoyable. This was probably because I could actually finish making a point without getting interrupted halfway through.

Tuesday, my section and our sister section had our lab final. This was one I freaked out about. I spent about 18 hours studying for it at the end of which I decided I was a pumpkin. Don't ask me why. I have absolutely no idea.

Wednesday I worked myself up into a frazzled knot about our one oral final, which was for seminar. But it wasn't anything to worry about. All it was was a twenty minute conversation with my tutor about what I thought. It was all my opinion. And again, no one to interrupt me besides the tutor.

I didn't have a final on Thursday, but I spent all day prepping for my philosophy final on Friday. Besides lab, it was the one that scared me most. Aristotle is amazingly wonderful and simple, but his wonderful simplicity is rather daunting to reiterate in your own words.

But after our final on Friday, people were happy. People were running around, skipping, hugging, and generally rejoicing that the semester was over. It had been a crazy week, which I thought would never end, but then it did.

One semester (four finals) down, seven semesters (thirty-eight finals) to go!

when it rains...

...it pours. two posts in two days. what a concept. :)

I have my paper done, my theology, philosophy, seminar, language, and most of my math homework done. And it's only Saturday afternoon. It's a wonderful feeling, but slightly strange. There isn't anything hanging over my head, but it feels like there should be.

We went to a funeral this morning. It was very lovely. There were an incredible amount of people involved: the Bishop concelebrated with Fr. Louis and then there were another eight priests there, there were ten or so altar servers, the schola sang and the church where it was held was absolutely full. The whole thing was just awesomely beautiful.

The Christmas tree is up and decorated. This is because I'm not done with finals until seven days before Christmas and probably won't manage to get home until a day or two later. So, since they wanted to do it with me rather than without me, it went up the day after Thanksgiving. All of the other decorations are out as well, along with the music. It doesn't really feel very Christmasy, in spite of it all. I suppose it will more when I get back from my first semester!

Which is when I will write again, probably. So, until then, God bless!

whoops

I kinda forgot this thing existed. So, if any of you are inordinately patient and are still out there, I sincerely apologize.

What have I been doing since the beginning of October? Everything! Well, maybe not everything, but life has definitely been whirlwind chock full of firsts. I've gotten my grades back from my bug project, my first paper returned, first formal dance, first this, first that...

Some weeks are mellow and some weeks feel surreal. It seems like they decide, every once in a while, to pile an impossible amount of things on top of us at once. Those weekends are painful, but there's always time for fun. Even if they're just little moments on my way to class or at meals, they make me smile and carry me through the day.

I'm home for Thanksgiving... unlimited internet access is a nice treat, but I'm thankful I don't have it at school. A lack of wi-fi forces me to be consistently and efficiently productive.

But more about school. There are days I want to cry and days when I maniacally giggle frequently. Days when I can't focus in class and days when I can't stop talking. Days when two hours of work study flies by and days when I can feel every single minute dragging by. Days when I just throw on comfy clothes and days when I feel somewhat put together. Days when I leap out of bed with a smile and days when I roll out with a groan. But I'm happy. Really, truly, sincerely happy. I've got wonderful new friends who are learning about the Natural Faculties and Interpretation right alongside me.

I don't know when I'll post again... maybe Christmas break. Finals are right around the corner and there's a dance in between. Time certainly flies...

If people are out there, I'll talk to you soon. If not... well, it wouldn't be the first time I've talked without someone listening. :)

TGIF!!!

It's FRIDAY!!! Isn't that exciting??? And I have Monday off!!!!!! whoopie!!!!!

But I can't be entirely happy, though. A little girl who is very close to me is terribly, terribly ill and desperately needs a miracle to get better. Please pray for her and for her family.