Heavens To Betsy

I'd rather be train-hopping

2011-03-31T16:23:00.000-07:00

THIS is how the desert should be seen.

If you were my computer you would see...

2011-02-15T17:10:00.001-08:00

... A coffee-guzzling, sleep-deprived, stereotypical college student.Seriously guys, it only took me three years to get to this point.

New job

2011-01-20T20:08:00.000-08:00

My new job is computer monitor at the school computer lab. That means I monitor people on computers. In a computer lab. Thrilling, right?

If it were anyone else, they would be bored to tears, since we're not allowed to read, or surf the web, or pretty much anything else when anyone's in here. We just... monitor.

(If no one's here to monitor, read, surf, do what you like, just be ready to monitor at the drop of a hat.)

Thankfully, I've found tons to do! Among them:

1. Use all the wasted paper from when people print out too many pages to make

Paper airplane
Paper hats
Any random origami stuff (already mastered the basic crane - 1,000 for a wish!)

2. Talk to people
3. Pace, count my steps, see how many miles I can do in laps in an afternoon.
4. Go through all the Lost and Found thumb drives to see what's on them/to whom they belong
5. Have races with the mobile chairs

Tasting chocolate

2011-01-04T16:01:00.000-08:00

Because I don't want to be sued by entirely re-posting her original work, I'll just link directly to her post (lengthy, but very interesting).

New Year's Resolutions (What, more?)

2010-12-31T21:24:00.001-08:00

1. Stop wasting time on such hipster/boho/pseudo-intellectual (or actually intellectual, who can tell?) websites as the Selby, Garance Dore, the Anthropologist, and Wit + Delight.

2. Stop looking up back-posts on Cup of Jo, Black Eiffel, Chocolate and Zucchini, and Color Me Katie.

3. Stop looking a "random article" or movie trivia on Wikipedia (Hmmm... my internet time slowly wanes away to bare bones).

4. Read more books and Arts and Letters Daily articles (oh, that's where all that time is transplanted to).

5. Floss

iPaint

2010-12-31T11:28:00.000-08:00

Did I ever tell you about my L.A. day?

2010-12-29T18:22:00.000-08:00

NO?! Well then, let's remedy that, shall we?

A NIGHT AT L.A. PHIL (an play in one act)

The cast: four overworked, very much needing R&R college students.
The location: the LA Phil (that's PHILHARMONIC for the musically illiterate *nose in air*)
The costumes: fabulous

Open scene: L.A. traffic is as stinking gross as urban legend would have you believe. Will our young heroines make their matinee rush tickets at student discount???? Stay tuned...

Upon finally coming to a crash landing in the cheapest day-parking they could find, the heroines encounter more drama over a 1x3in. piece of paper that you will ever encounter. Parking tickets are the devil and attendants are the minions. New mark of the beast reads "P412."

Cheap parking is always in reverse proportion to the amount of distance you must walk (ex.: $5 for all day Saturday = 7 BLOCKS TO LA PHIL). Some deal by kicking off heels.

Others merely skip the stairs.

Finally the heroines encounter this guy.He provides them with magic slips of paper that lead to an evening of enchantment and music. For the low, low price of $10.

Heroines romped in the powder room which was approximately 50x the size of a college dorm room.

Eavesdropped on the pre-concert lecture.
And noted the fantastic architecture.

Unfortunately cameras were not allowed within the hall itself, so you will have to image this part yourself, dear reader.

Exeunt.
Heroines retired to classy dining. None other than le California Pizza Kitcheni. Tres, tres chic, non?
Heroines proceeded to the magical Santa Monica Pier (luckily against the flow of traffic, thus seeing everyone leave and having the place to themselves). The boardwalk was bright and beautiful, but so much more magical when viewed from the beach, where they chose to stay and...

Take magical photos...
Look like deer in the headlights...
And do cartwheels in their Sunday best!
And they lived happily ever after.

the end.

Holiday looks...

2010-12-28T20:04:00.000-08:00

... WHICH I AM TOTALLY STEALING FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES (but I will give credit at the end, don't worry)
This looks rather like something I could throw right up. Easy is always good. But I would do it with the jewel-colored bobby pins Jazzy's family gave me for Christmas.

Per-aps keep sings classic wiz ze seemple white blouse, oui? Everyone else wears glitter, sometimes demure shines brighter?

Or have tons and tons of fun and go all out for sparkle and color from head to toe (right down to sparkly shoe clips)!

Hair via Refinery29, blouse via Anthropologie, shoe clips from ban.do

Christmas Break resolutions!

2010-12-18T14:17:00.000-08:00

I have resolutions for everything.

My 21st years resolutions
1. Read 21 books
2. Memorize 21 poems (So far: Litany and Where the Sidewalk Ends)
3. Memorize 21 Bible verses
4. Lose 21 pounds (unrealistic, but I can dream)

Christmas break
1. Exercise 6 days a week with Jazzy
2. Complete Vol. 2 of Gateway to the Great Books (a collection of edited classics - Defoe, Kipling, Hemingway, Conrad, etc.); great library find!
3. Half an hour in prayer (writing prayer, that is. I concentrate better when I'm writing to God, not just thinking a prayer.)
4. Finish my Bible Doctrines memory verses (unfortunately, the flash cards are locked in the other dorm - OH WAIT LAPTOP SAVED THE DAY THEY'RE ALL THERE)
5. Read a Psalm a day out loud in Spanish (small, but it's loosening my tongue for Spanish 4 next semester - conversational intesive).

Image Courtesy via wit + delight

Acrostics on the brain...

2010-12-13T22:07:00.000-08:00

... Thank you Baptist History and Distinctives.

B - Bible, our only authority
A - Autonomy of the local church
P - Priority of regenerate membership
T - Two ordinances: baptism and the Lord's Supper
I - Individual separation
S - Soul liberty
T - Two offices: pastor and deacon
S - Separation of church and state

Let's give a holla to pneumonic devices! Now if only I could come up with one for Robespierre...

R - Rotten dirty low-life scoundrel
O - Oppressive meany-head
B - Bad economic policies
E - I think I lost it.

Life with a "Der" visor...

2010-12-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

Ok, enough of this "cool" facade - I'm coming out, as it were, of the Wienerschnitzel closet.

HELLO AMERICA! I WEAR A VISOR THAT SAYS "DER," A BOWLING JERSEY WITH A SKETCHY LOOKING HOT DOG ON THE BACK*, AND I make some pretty good chili cheese fries although you wouldn't catch me eating them because now that I know exactly how much fat, sodium, and preservatives are in them I kind of would like to keep my arteries pumping blood and not chemical shortening.

Work at Wienerschnitzel has come to show me that I never did in fact fully grasp that YES, I DO NEED TO BE POLITE TO THOSE FOOD SERVICE PEOPLE. Especially when Mommy told me not to touch the glass (mirrors, windows, the smoothie counter barrier, etc.)because someone would have to clean that up later. KARMA! I AM THE ONE THAT HAS TO CLEAN IT UP LATER!

My personal favorite:
Customer *staring RIGHT AT MENU WHERE IT CLEARLY SAYS FRIES ARE $1.29* "Soooooooo... how much are your fries?"

Also the principle of wanting to do the exact opposite of what they want.
Customer: "C'mon. I'm only missing ten cents! What's the big deal - just give me my food!"
Me *grinning smugly*: "I'm sorry, Ma'am, it's store policy so I don't come up short on my cash drawer."
*Ten minutes later*
Other Customer: "Oh snap! I'm so sorry, I'm short 29 cents. Let me run to my car and get that for you!" *Takes off*
Me: "No, really, it's ok..."

Sometimes, I do get a little bit mildly passive aggressive, but usually the guests (as we call them) have the depth of a puddle after rain in the desert (not much) and can't tell when we slip them the subtle slight. Honest, it isn't much. And at least we don't spit in the drinks like some chains which I am not at liberty to disclose.

* (Sketchy hot dot in question. You should see him in the training videos when he's animated.)

My friends from Georgia visited!

2010-12-02T15:26:00.001-08:00

They hadn't had In 'n Out before, so Sabra (far left) and I (far right) introduced them.

A Day in the Life of a Bible College Student

2010-11-19T07:16:00.000-08:00

5:30 - The Lord wakes me up before my alarm even goes off. It's freezing in my room, so I step into the hall which is brighter and warmer for my devotions. Read 2 Corinthians 9 -13.

6:10 - Get dressed and ready for the day. Short hair is wonderful. Just twist twist twist and you're ready to go!

6:45 - Breakfast in the Student Life Center. Normally I'm very social, but I consider breakfast an extension of my quiet time. Bring along Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret, which I've borrowed from the school library. Read while eating Cheerios, a banana, and sipping green tea and honey.

7:30 - First hour. Baptist History and Distinctives with Executive Vice President of the College. Turns out to be a pop quiz about the English and American Baptists - not ready! Oh well, we get to leave as soon as we're finished.

8:30 - Second Hour. Women of the Bible with the Dean of Women. Love that this class is more of a forum; after we cover one woman, we're encouraged to speak up about how we're challenged from her life.

9:30 - Third Hour. Bible Doctrines 1 with the Academic Dean. Bible verse test; 12 verses covering Christology, Hamartiology, Pneumatology, and Soteriology.

10:30 - Chapel. The whole school meets in the Main Auditorium for worship and instruction.

12:00 - Lunch. Burgers today. Would be boring, but added chili, cheese and onion to dress up mine. Dessert was grapes and mozzarella.

1:00 - Accidental nap. Was on bed typing a paper on William Carey for Baptist History, but next thing I knew, my friend Gabi was jumping on my bed to wake me up.

2:00 - Internet/schoolwork time. For every paragraph I get to look at a page. There are probably more effective ways to get it done, but this is the more fun route. :)

What pages do I like? Well, astronomy picture a day, Arts & Letters Daily, Poem Hunter, and Cup of Jo, of course!

5:30 - Dinner. Pasta and mysterious meat again. Salad bar, I think

9:45 - Ladies devotions

10:30 - Room leaders meetings

11:00 - Lights out

Yeah, ok, that's not necessarily how the rest of the day went. But it was too boring to go on.

Haircut

2010-11-18T14:30:00.000-08:00

Picture for Kayla's benefit.

Now we have wi-fi in the dorm...

2010-11-08T15:08:00.000-08:00

... So updating will be more frequent (maybe).

Care to hear about life as it is? All I have to say is, I'm glad I am sure who my God is, or else this would be over my head.

Dad is on trial for what I think it a rather heaping misunderstanding. You see, he is a police officer, and there was an incident in which he had to pull a gun out of jurisdiction and off-duty. It was in self-defense, but apparently it does not look that way, and they are charging Dad for armed assault.

Pray, pray, pray.

On the other hand, this is how we've come to see how faithful God is. Somehow, we're making all our bills. Our heavenly Father dips into His pocket just when we most need it, and He supplies. Honestly, I like it that way, because He is a surer income than any job, and it really is better to not have it come until the last moment - if we could see so far ahead, then that would be walking by faith, and not by sight, yes? It is like that promise, "...He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day."

A new year...

2010-09-23T19:19:00.000-07:00

... A new faith walk.

I know I haven't mention my school or Christianity much at all, to my shame. Yet things have changed so fantastically and wonderfully. How? Let me tell you.

This summer, as I briefly mentioned, I worked at the Bill Rice Ranch, a Christian camp for elementary children, teens, and deaf of all ages, not to mention two family camps. There, the Lord worked in my heart so many ways. It was during the first family camp that I surrendered my life to the Lord. No longer do I want to fit Jesus into my life, but I want Him to be my life.

It was also then that family hardship struck and my parents split. Something I never would have seen coming in my wildest dreams. It killed a part of me, but when that part of myself died, something amazing happened. Instead of a hollow, dead piece of me lingering, Christ cast it out, and put Himself there, more vibrant and alive than I ever was. And the more pieces of myself I let Him take over, the more lively and joyful I am.

So, this new year's faith walk? I have no money.

None.

Nada.

But I'm rich. Let's chronicle from here on out the goodness of the Lord, shall we?

Heavens to Betsy has a whole new meaning to me.

I've taken to...

2010-08-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

...Having adventures with my little sister around Boston! Our most recent was a charming cupcake shop called Sweet. All they sell are cupcakes (although during holidays they do make very delicious - very exclusive - cakes and cookies). A most delightful treat on a rainy day.

Long time...

2010-08-21T18:16:00.000-07:00

... no write. *Cricket cricket* We'll just pick up where we left off, eh? I wanted to give some love out to something that I, well, love.

1. The Girls With Glasses Show. That's right. Take that MTV. These girls trounce you for class any old day of the week!

2. All five of my adorable friend Amy's posts. She's a bit ADD, and it is not unlike her to start a blog then stop just as abruptly. If you've been on a jury panel, this is a must.

3. The movie Bright Star (currently on Netflix Instant Watch). Not at all affected and very true to the times. Romantic. Tragic. John Keats galore.
4. Alice in Waterland. An amazing photo series by Elena Kalis. A bit old, but a gem. Especially since I was a bit behind the times for the summer while in love with #5.

5. Tennessee. I got to work for six weeks at this lovely place. I couldn't have asked for a more different place from New England. The air was so thick it felt like I was swimming, and the heat just made you feel drowsy and still. The people were beyond friendly, and the food was like I've never had before (4th of July picnic included: fresh garden tomatoes on the burgers, real sweet tea, and homemade ice cream). Time slows down in Tennessee.

Merry Christmas (with the family + Steve the dispatcher)

2009-12-25T13:04:00.000-08:00

There are multiple reasons to invite others over for Christmas. Numero uno would be a charitable spirit. Dos: You have a veritable cornucopia of food to get rid of and no way will your paltry family of six sufficiently make a dent in it. Tres: stimulating conversation depending on whom you invite. Then of course option cuatro: All of the above.

So it was that we ended up having a Christmas dinner with Steve the Police Radio Dispatcher. Imagine your a-typical Italian Bostonian whose accent is a shoo-in for Matt Damon/Ben Afflek in Good Will Hunting or Leonardo DiCaprio in the Departed (ha, De-pah-ted). So we all settle down to our three-day-ordeal-lasagna (one day of veggie chopping, half a day of pasta prep, one day of layering, and half a day of baking), and since we filled our part of the bargain, he fills his and delves right into dispatcher stories between bites of the food of his motha-land. The cream being your obligatory crazy/paranoid woman 9-1-1 call:

"Help! Help!!! Aliens are attacking my house! I see blue lights bouncing around my living room!"

Steve thinks *How do I call this one in without sound like a total fool* and goes with the best option: quote her ad verbatum.

Thirty seconds later the response calls in, "Don't botha sendin' anyone ova' Steve. It's me. I'm right outside her window, and I'm just doin' a traffic stahp."

Were I a cop, I'd take that any day over a Mom who cannot get her kid off of Grand Theft Auto at 2:30 a.m.

Christmas break means...

2009-12-17T11:14:00.001-08:00

READING UNTIL MY EYEBALLS POP OUT!!!
I confess, I never finished (or even started) the John Adams biography for the summer reading list, but I just did and LOVE IT! So it's that plus:

Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen
The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

That's one per week (plus a few on the side), so let's get crackin' on the McCullough (651 pages!)

Heya family! Friends!

2009-10-06T20:07:00.000-07:00

Only one picture, my loves, from our Luau back in September. We were on our way into the dining hall for our chicken and sweet bread, and staff comes up all "Hey, hold a coconut and take a picture!" Tchya.

In anticipation of returning West...

2009-08-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

... Favorite memories! (Old pictures until I can get some new ones with my newly fixed camera!)

Bobbing for gophers.

Being Spider-girl on the jungle gym.

Coloring our tongues with lollypops :-)

Head lice day!

Making dust bunnies during White Glove Inspection.

FIrst day back home...

2009-05-15T08:14:00.001-07:00

...and I started out by chaperoning my sister's 6th grade field trip to the Boston Museum of Science.

Bob tells us all about infrared light.
Then we went to the butterfly room.
I had fun in the optical room with all the mirrors (go figure).
Hayley, Kelly, and Mary Jane chill in front of the Boston map.
Andrea, the other chaperon, shows Atlas how it's done.

I will miss my girls

2009-05-14T13:53:00.000-07:00

I am the L, Tiffany is O, Gabi is V, and Amanda is E.

Once again, she emerged triumphant...

2009-05-08T15:13:00.001-07:00

...or at least until I get my final exams back. However, that is a very far away "until," and so, with tests, required reading, and homework due all behind me, I slip into the blissful coma known as "pleasure reading." Right now I am perusing Amanda's copy of Politically Incorrect Guide to Science. My major is secondary education with a Spanish major, history minor, so I do not get to take the science classes (except, perhaps as an elective, but I am saving those for clothing construction and piano). So, instead, I will just read the book. It is really intriguing how much of our science is swayed by politics. The media just eats right out of the hand of government funded labs, without investigation. To those who are interested, I recommend the book highly. I feel rathered armed against those Greenpeace pests, sorry, solictors, I meet as I head downtown. Last time, all I had as a come back was "I eat baby whales for breakfast. Whole."

Brilliant. I know.

What if...

2009-04-28T14:57:00.000-07:00

...Your shadow was playing tricks on you the moment you turned your back?

Image courtsey Color Me Katie

I don't think Mom knows this...

2009-04-25T20:13:00.000-07:00

... but I know about her blog, and read it whenever she updates. :)

One of my favorite entries is her list of things she found whilst cleaning out Gramma's house after she passed away (my Gramma, that is to say). It is as follows:

"30 plastic coffee can lids

40 metal caps to vitamin bottles from the 70's

20 packets of powdered silica from same bottles (kept out moisture)

25 plastic coffee scoops

10 nested plastic Robitussin medicine cups

10 keys from old style of sardine tins (which were discontinued sometime in the 80's or 90's)

1 miniature replica Swiss battle-axe

a sheaf of junk mail dating from 1972

my 2nd quarter 4th grade report card from Mrs. Reis ("needs to finish assignments in a timely fashion")

a Ziplock bag w' about 50 plastic bread tags in a variety of colors, all neatly collated

12 mesh onion bags

50 matchbooks

25 boxes of birthday cake candles, some put back used (washed first, but still...eww!)

her 1957 Red Cross swim instructor membership card

ancient packets of soy sauce and ketchup from restaurants that went out of business 30 years agoand

enough Howard Johnson's sugar packs to stop an army of diabetics in its tracks."

Yes, that sums up my Gramma pretty well. However, that does not say anything of my adventures cleaning out her attic when it was in danger of caving in. That is another story for another day, though.

P.S. Mom's blog is here

I would have pictures of these brownies

2009-04-20T21:03:00.000-07:00

Yummy!

But I ate them all before I could remember the camera.

Anyway, Grams is the most darling lady one could possibly know. She adopted me as her own, and therefore routinely sends me homemade goodies. The latest was an experiment of her own, which turned out beautifully: brownies on the bottom, with cheesecake on the top! She calls them "Two-layer brownies," but I am aspiring to find a better name. Until then, the recipe is posted for you.

Ingredients:

Any brownie recipe or mix

2 - 8 0z packages of cream cheese

2/3 cup - white sugar

2 - eggs

nuts, chips, shavings optional

Directions:

Prepare brownie mix as directed, put into pan

Blend cream cheese, sugar, eggs until creamy

Spoon topping unto unbaked brownie in pan and spread smooth - do not let them mix!

Back according to brownie directions (suggested: 325 degrees for 40-50 minutes)

Cool for 30 min, keep chilled (freeze if transporting anywhere - mine arrived a bit gooey)

Gabi has Maintenance Closet for dorm duty

2009-04-18T14:37:00.000-07:00

Which means I get all the left-over boxes! For:

Hiding in.

Scooting around in.

And using as a roof when Amanda and I make trips to the dumpster.

books.google.com

2009-04-11T20:30:00.001-07:00

Why oh why did I not know about this before? You can read books - full books! - online without paying a single red cent! Technology is wonderful.

Book list for the summer!

2009-04-02T14:04:00.000-07:00

Pleasure reading has all but ceased now that I am in the thralls of getting note cards for my research paper (on martyrs). Gabi, Amanda and I have made a booklist for the summer to keep in touch. One book per month, that way there is plenty of time for personal reading, and we do not have to frantically keep up with each other.

First was my choice, the non-fiction. I really want to be a better everything when it comes to people: lister, conversationalist, organizer, hostess, and so on. Dr. R. heavily recommended this book in Introduction to College Life, and since none of us have had a chance to read it, we figure why not?

Amanda read the Kite Runner a little while ago, and we wanted a modern fiction and this fit the bill perfectly. Muslim literature is poping up everywhere, and the truth is, a lot of Christians really shy away from anything pertaining to that culture. However, I am game to try.

This was part Gabi, part Amanda in selection. I really do not know anything about it at all, but we needed a classic, and this pops up on recommended reading lists everywhere.

I admit, I was a bit pushy on this one. We wanted a biography, and the girls could not decided on a book, so I kept nudging towards this. My father is a real history buff, and he sings this book's praises ever since he finished. We knew we wanted an American hero, and not an outright religious point of view (we are well stocked in that here), so evenutally they gave in, and ended up happy once they read the reviews for it.

Sites I'm loving

2009-03-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

The Empowered Traditionalist (thank you to Rose). I love this take on modesty and femininity. While I do not agree with everything (I am a strictly skirt girl, while they endorse slacks), they are a beacon to a generation of girls sold out to worldliness.

Wikipedia. By the grace of this site alone do I ever sound educated or witty.

The Pink of Perfection. "Thrifty living for la dolce vita." That just sums it all up, doesn't it? She has the most wonderful suggestions for little things to make your day special; I especially love her book lists.

The Rebelution. This blog seriously changed my life. I used to have the most mediocre world view, but the Harris brothers gave me real challenges to rise above a passive generation, and to do great things for the Lord.

Kids In Mind. I have really been convicted over the movies I watch, but it is so hard to discern what is OK and what is not just by secular ratings. Some review sites like Plugged In Online are pretty good gauges, but Kids In Mind is the most thorough. I will definitely use this for movie night with my little sister.

Christa Taylor. Beautiful, classic clothes, as well as a fantastic blog!

Fashion resolutions

2009-03-23T14:10:00.000-07:00

Ears pierced - check! I did that just Friday, actually. Let me tell you, I was as nervous as all get out. My roommate, and two girls from across the hall went to Icing with me to hold me hand and splash water on me if I fainted (it has been known to happen). The lady had on the blingin'-ist outfit you ever saw, but she was very sweet and very particular about getting my holes perfectly matched. She did the right ear first, and as soon as I felt my (3mm stainless steel) stud penetrate one side, I was all set to throw in the towel and stop right there. But oh well, I had started, so I might as well commit. So "ka-chunk" one ear. "Ka-chunk," the other. Done. Now I am so happy! I wish I had done this years ago, then I would already be on pretty dangly or chandelier or pearl earrings! Ah, only six weeks until I can change them, so I'm good.

Wear more pink. <3

Get a better haircut. [Edit 20 April 2009: Check! Now layered and curly all over! Had to get mousse, though. Betsy, meet hair product.]

Wear high heels.

Image courtesy of the Cherry Blossom Girl

I never showed you my Spring Banquet Pictures!!!

2009-03-17T14:18:00.000-07:00

My date was Gramps Jones; he and his wife adopted me as their grandaughter after my Gramma died. I was so happy when he showed up in his Western Blacks - I had the dapperest date of them all!Now, while I love all the fancy eating of our banquets, and especially the special preachers for afterwards (this year it was a ventriloquist!), my favorite part is afterwards, when all the girls take pictures and make memories.

I love taking pictures of girls taking pictures, because that's where all the love and giggles are.

All the hard-to-manage shoes are kicked off, and we all can relax without the men-folk around.

(Rachel did not want to intrude on Jesse and Amy's moment)

Emily, my roomate last semester, with our room leader Amanda, whogot a hold of a centerpiece hat (the theme was I Love NY).

Spring vacation!

2009-03-17T13:56:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was gorgeous, so Amanda, Gabi and I celebrated by going outside to enjoy sun and [playground] sand.

Amanda sat and read the Greatest Generation for History II.
Gabi shot hoops. She looked like she was having so much fun, Amanda soon dropped her book, I left my camera on the ground, and we all played.

I also drew this picture of my newest crush, Abraham Lincoln. I know, I know, it does not hold much resemblance to the man I love, but that's ok. I sort of fell for him when I started reading the Lincoln No One Knows. That man was amazing. I would have my wisdom teeth pulled again just to hear him speak.

I have a Spanish test coming up

2009-02-27T18:23:00.000-08:00

Thankfully, I know just how to study.

The soap is Chocolate and Toffee scented. My TLC Mama (anonymous mother in the church who adopted our room) sent it to me for Valentine's Day, along with a whole bunch of Dove chocolate in a plastic cup with sparkly hearts all over it. I love TLC Mama. She sends me Victoria's Secret for special occasions, which you wouldn't really expect from a fundamental independent Baptist lady.

(We suspect her identity to be that of Amanda's English Comp teacher.)

2009-02-06T14:11:00.000-08:00

My week looks something like:

M/W/F

1st hour - Life of Christ.

Complete a map of Palestine during Christ's years on earth
Read the Gospel records 3 times and create a four-part lesson from them

2nd hour - Spanish 2

Easiest class ever. The only real project is memorize the Romans Road and create a zillion flash cards

Every day we have a 4th hour chapel.

5th hour - English Composition

Includes a great many compositions plus a research paper, beginning after mid-terms

T/Th
1st hour - Introduction to Missions

Read two text books
Read missionary biography
Write a missionary
Write a missions board
Write a report on all of the above
Read the book of Acts three times

2nd hour - MicroComputer skills

3rd hour - Missionary's Wife

Read To Cross the Widest Ocean
Write a missionary's wife out on the field
Read a missionary lady biography

2009-02-04T16:55:00.000-08:00

I have been back West in California for a little over a week now, getting back into the swing of Bible College studies. What contrast from snow and cold to the wind and the heat! I used to look out at the desert around and wonder, "Who just looks at that and says, 'Hey, I could live here!'" It made no sense that anyone would want to be in the middle of nowhere. Then I started to look at it differently.

True, it does not have the lush green of New England, and everything man-made is new, without that old-soul feeling, but my eyes have been opened to the beauty of the desert. Even when I look at the scrub and tumbleweed and my eye isn't tickled (which can sometimes still happen), I just have to look up. I never knew that there could be that much sky. Then at night, I actually see stars. STARS. If you have never been to Boston, I can tell you, you could count on one hand the nightime orbs, and that include the moon.
Maybe a post later on classes so you see the incredible life of the Baptist student, mes aimes?

Portraits by an 8-year-old

2009-01-23T07:54:00.000-08:00

I gave my camera to my Pastor's son after he had pleaded for a solid five minutes, then he ran around the church taking pictures of the members. Quite a few turned out very well. It was interesting how people smiled differently for him then a usual picture, and the angle was much (much, much) lower.

The photographer and his mother.

Deacon H.

Mister V.

Photographer's Dada and baby brother

His best friends, Levi and Nate.

I know someone who could wear these

2009-01-20T18:57:00.000-08:00

Thank you Etsy, my newest web obsession.

To my friends that I can say ANYTHING to and not feel awkward about it...

2009-01-17T11:32:00.000-08:00

This one's for you guys.

Two homes

2009-01-17T09:14:00.000-08:00

I go to school in Southern Cali, at a Baptist college. There I have your typical dorm (well, a little less typical, actually - four to six girls in a room, rather than two). However, when I am back in Boston, I have an attic room that was just finished from our home renovations. There are still odds and ends of boxes with lighting fixtures, naked electrical outlets, but my things are there, so the move is complete.

The furniture is from here and there, mostly pieces I inherited from my two grandmothers' houses. My absolute favorite, aside from Gramma's (Mother's mother) jewelry stand, is this sewing machine from Nana (Dad's mother). It's an old Singer from I don't even know how long ago. Most of the time I keep it folded up, holding the towel ring with all my silk scarves, whatever knick-knack suits my mood, and a framed picture from Senior trip that my friend Angela gave me. The only problem lies in the epic battle of wills I have with it to work. If I could I would beat it into submission, but so far as I know, they don't even manufacture its parts anymore (so if anyone has a belt, I wouldn't mind taking it off your hands). Thus far all I've gotten out of it was t-shirt with a the neckline re-done. Soon after I wasn't able to get anything.

I like to recycle old gift bags by filling them with scraps of material, ribbons, patterns, skeins of wool, tape, dye packets, etc, etc. Much better than the old brown grocery bags I stuffed in my closet when I still lived downstairs.