It's almost 3:30 am. We're supposed to be at the airport in 2 hours, so we're leaving here in one hour. JAMAICA BABY!!! I want lots and lots of eprops when I get back, ya hear? HIGH FIVE ME BABY!



And Happy 2005.

I had a very good Christmas, we got a little bit more snow but yeah. I love the snow but I'm not a fan of the cold that comes with it. Instead of cold I typed cod because my mom's keyboard is kinda hard to use. Cod. I like cod. But not cold.

According to weather.com, currently:

St. Joseph, Michigan - 17 degrees, feels like 7
Montego Bay, Jamaica - 79 degrees, feels like 84

2 more days....

Jamaican sun, here I come! YAY for getting sunburns on places that haven't seen the sun in 4 months.

Well it's Christmas Day. Merry Christmas if you're reading this. YAY! It's a green-speckled Christmas here, meaning it's a white Christmas but the grass is still poking out of the snow. I don't really feel like typing a lot so maybe I'll update Monday when I have DSL again back at school before I head out to Jamaica. Woot.

Wow. I love finals week. So Monday after all my finals and stuff (Mbito was a donkey again) I was bored and so Jen Ervin and I went to Thasher's apartment in the evening and we played Beyond Balderdash. Then Thrasher, Ervin and I went to Fronck's and played Amplitude and then put in the first disc of the LOTR Fellowship. When the disc was over we started the 2nd disc but the stopped to go get "tubs o caffeine" (Rickers 59? cent HUGE cup of pop) and came back and played amplitude and then posted on Ravenet (insane posting making fun of an annoying poster) until 5 am. Then we talked until 6 am and then Thrasher and I went to Steak n Shake for breakfast, I got home at 7, changed into my pajama's, drove other roommate (stacy) to her 7:40 final, and then took a 3 hour nap on the couch. Then.... Thrasher came over and we watched the 2nd disc of fellowship and then we ate dinner and stuff and (side note I just found out some students talked Junutalo - the Dean who is over Mbito THANK GOD!) then I don't remember but we watched SNL Best of Molly Shannon, watched Superstar, CSI from last week and had fun! And I did the worst job ever on a take home final because I DON'T CARE. the end. moses. oh and rock rock on.

Lyric of the day: "Oh Holy night" - Yeah so that was dumb but there's a GREAT meledy of Oh Holy Night, Silent Night, and O Come All Ye Faithful that Hanson does

Currently Playing
Snowed In
By Hanson
- Run, Run Rudolph

I kind of have a busy day coming up today. I have church in an hour or so, and then when I get back (around 1) I need to call this guy in my group project, make a quick change to my portion and email it to him, and then L'ami is going to the nursin home to sing Christmas carols. Then when I come home I need to clean and cook cheese fondue for the progressive dinner at five. We're having cheese and bread for appetizers and playing a game (still don't know which one), then we're going to Denise's for salad and a white elephant exchange, then Swa's for lasagna and apples to apples (the best game ever, but it's never the same without Swa), and then Brett and Sarah's for desert and another game. So yay for that! I'm sure I'll have fun stories for all.

Two finals tomorrow.

Lyric of the day: "Said Santa to a girl child 'What would please you most to get?' 'A little baby doll that can cry sleep drink and wet.'" - Run, Run Rudolph(the non-Hanson version can be heard on Home Alone when they're running through the airport. Funtime. Okay, chill.)

Currently Playing
Snowed In
By Hanson
- Everybody Knows The Clause

Today = lazy

The end.

Lyric of the day: "Don't forget the donuts." - Everybody Knows The Clause, Hanson

I searched everywhere for a copy of this song that I could have playing on my xanga, but I didn't find it. So I'm going to have to settle with just putting the lyrics up here. This is a BEAUTIFUL song that made my whole HBSE class cry today. We've been talking about death and dying the past couple weeks, and it doesn't help that a girl in the class lost her grandpa over t-day break and that a girl in the department got killed... I already talked about that. But Lindsay (the girl who's grandpa died) told us what happened. She said that he had been diagnosed with cancer and that it had already spread pretty bad and there was nothing they could do. He said he was uncomfortable, but that as soon as he started to feel pain he wanted to die. Up to this point he did not feel pain. She said that the whole family was there Wednesday (the day before Thanksgiving) and that after that day he started to feel pain. All day Thursday he was moaning and talking about how all he wanted was to die and to see his wife again (she had died 3 or 4 years ago). It's amazing how God created the body to know when it's time to go - he had the perfect closure, seeing the whole family. Thursday night/Friday morning, 12:18 am he passed away. Right before he passed away she said he was raising his arms and she thought it was because he was going to throw up (again) and wanted a bucket, but the last time he raised his arms he said "Hi, honey." - as though he saw his wife, and I believe that he did. So the whole class was crying at this point. Then Lisa (our prof) was talking about Annie's memorial and how her (Lisa's) daughter (Morgan, who's 11) didn't blow out the candle when everyone else did. She waited, and then finally blew it out. When they got in the car to go home, Morgan told her (and Lisa was crying at this point) that she didn't want to blow out the candle because she felt like she was blowing out the last of Annie's life. But then, finally she did blow it out and when she saw the smoke rise she realized that it was like Annie's spirit filling the room. Then one girl had to leave the class and get a box of tissues to pass around, and Lisa played us this song, and I think it is so beautiful, like I said. I think I want this played at my funeral. We talked about how society views death, and that as Christians we need to realize that no, God's original plan was not for us to die. But sin was brought into the world and so bad things happen, including death. It's not that God just says, "oh I want Annie up here now" - it's just that we simply live in a fallen world. But at the same time, as Christians, we should long for our home, where we belong. I didn't know Annie, I didn't know Lindsay's grandpa, and I have never really lost anyone close to me, but I feel like death is all around me lately. Just a few days after all this happened, I was in Thrasher's apartment and apparently when I went to the bathroom the TV (that she had just turned off) turned back on and it was a televangelist saying "live each day as though it's your last". Then the next day Jen Ervin and I were in the computer lab and Jeremiah started searching people's names at images.google.com and Jen typed in her last name, and a tombstone came up. Then we went to the funeral home in class on Friday last week, and now this discussion. It's just so real that I could die any moment, it doesn't matter how healthy or young I am, accidents happen. My grandma's last living sibling is in really bad shape, and HER daughter-in-law has cancer and isn't expected to live long. Over break my mom was talking about how next Thanksgiving there might be less people there, and it's sad to think about, but it's so true. We take life for granted. So anyway, here's this song, and in case I die before any of you guys, this is what I want at my funeral, it's so beautiful, I know I keep saying that, but I just really wish you could hear it instead of just reading the lyrics.

"Rita" by Bebo Norman -

Lay down softly in our sorrow
Lay down sister to die
And cover over, my sweet Father
Cover over her eyes

Your broken body, it cannot weather
The years your youth still longs to spend
So go down graceful, sleep with the angels
And wake up whole again

‘Cause it was not your time; that's a useless line
A fallen world took your life

But the God that sometimes can't be found
Will wrap Himself around you
So lay down, sister, lay down

Slower passing are the hours
To tell this tale that takes its time
But the finest moment, no man can measure
Is to look your Savior in the eyes

So take her tender to Your table
Take her from this killing floor
To taste the water that is forever
Let her be thirsty no more

It was not her time; that's a useless line
A fallen world took her life

But the God that sometimes can't be found
Will wrap Himself around you
So lay down, sister, lay down

And the God that sometimes can't be found
Will wrap Himself around you
So lay down, Rita, lay down

Yay for last night. Self-defense and boobie talk with DeeDee, Thrasher and the Ervinator. And the virgin show, too. Hmm... so I don't really know what to write in here except that today is my last day of classes, PRAISE JESUS! I have 3 finals and a take-home final next week, and then I'm DONE! And I get to take Spitty home, so yay. We had fun on the way home for Thanksgiving. Woot!

Lyric of the Day: "Do you really remember how it used to be Sitting under the Christmas tree In your heart you'll Find the season O reach down inside your heart And see all the love O in your heart you'll Find the reason" - Christmas Time, Hanson

"I have a problem with you saying, 'everbody.' Everybody would be 95% of the class."
"You can't bombarde my office, I can't have all of you in here at once."
"You can't ask that!"
"Did you email the WHOLE class? I don't think so"
"Did you convince anybody? I don't think so, nice try."

Something needs to happen to Dr. Mbito. Something bad.

Oh man. Yesterday was insane. But I had a blast having my whole AUCME team over for dinner - yay for that! Twelve people in a tiny apartment, woohoo! Tif and Jenna cooked lasagna, garlic bread, some sort of chocolate cake, and we had salad too. It was all very yummy. And we made the boys wash the dishes, and Jenna warned me that I might want to re-wash them all hahaha. We had a white elephant - I gave away that dumb picture of the Jelly Belly and the VW Bug I've had since high school, and I got a 97 cent thesauras (spelling?) and a broken candle from candles and carols. hahahaha go Nathaneal! And Amber got a glass eggplant, thanks to Kip, but she didn't want it, so I gave that as my gift at the L'amifidel/Novus Dux christmas party white elephant thingy later last night. And I'm not telling what I got there because it will be my gift at Denise's during the progressive dinner.

Also, at Lami we revealed our secret sisters. We drew names at the beginning of the semester and we prayed for that person and were supposed to send them stuff in campus mail, but all of us only sent like one thing hahaha. But we gave them a little Christmas gift. I had Andrea and I gave her a magnent with a inspirational quote on it. It was hard, because I don't have $ and I don't know her that well, so it came from the bookstore. Oh well. Side note - my period on the keyboard (not my menstration) doesn't work very well. Now I just popped it off and cleaned underneath it, it was nast. Anyone know a good way to clean the whole keyboard? And the LCD screen? Anyway, Crystal had my name and she made this awesome box that she decopaged (spelling?) fall-colored paper and leaves to, knowing that I love fall. And there are too coffee mugs that are fallish with leaves and stuff on them. And she gave me TONS of candy, including dark chocolate, which, yes, I love. There's also Sweetarts, starburst, carmel-apple suckers and laffy taffy. Go Crystal!

Umm... that's the end. Except that I want today to end. And this week. Finals week is gonna be soooo much easier than this week!

Currently Playing
Snowed In
By Hanson
- Little Saint Nick

Wow. It's amazing how God works everything out to perfectly fall into place. For my Chritian Ministry major I need to either take The Community of Faith in an Urban Culture (the class I have an interest meeting for this week) or do an internship. The class is a week of book work here in Anderson, a week in Washington D.C. and a week in New York City - I've been wanting to go on that trip since Freshman year, but it's only offered ever other summer. So... this summer I'm all over it! But at the same time I have wanted an internship experience. I talked to my youth pastor at home (Jim) about it last year to do it over this past summer, but it never happened. But... Mercy House is starting an internship program. I didn't know anything about it at all, so I emailed Matt (the pastor) and asked him for more details, but he just said that there weren't any details, and just wanted to know what academic requirements I would need to fill and what I would want to be doing. I don't really know the answer to either. I emailed Dr. Shively, my advisor, about the first part and I need to think about the second part. But yeah... so then in church yesterday he made an announcement about how they think the internship program would go. It wouldn't be just one or two people, it'd be whoever wanted to. He said the church would sublease two houses, one for guys and one for girls, and we would live together and we'd all meet together Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and then we could use the other days to have a part time job if we needed (so I don't know if that means the internship isn't paid or if it means if we would need extra money). And we'd be learning whatever we needed to learn and do whatever we need to do. So yeah. That's so awesome. So then I started thinking about how maybe that would interfer with the summer classes I'm taking (I'll also take Greek). So I emailed Matt about that and he said that they could work around it. This is so exciting! God is so faithful!

Lyric of the day: "Well way up north where the air gets cold There's a tale about Christmas that we've all been told About a real famous guy all dressed up in red And he spends the whole year workin' out on his sled He's little Saint Nick" - Little Saint Nick, originally by Beach Boys

Currently Playing
Snowed In
By Hanson
- What Chirstmas Means To Me

Wow. Okay. So. Friday...? I don't think I posted and basically I spend the day with Thrasher and Mel, and then Ervin joined. We went to Wal-Mart, and then to Old Navy (yay for visiting roommate!) and then we went to CiCi's Pizza (it's $5 including the drink and it's an all-you-can-eat buffet). Then we went to Mel's and we watched Chicago and then we made noises like "Oh ho da" and watched Men In Tights while playing Perfect Wedding - a cheesy 80's game for little girls. And then Saturday happened....

I went to bed Friday night around 2 am Saturday, and I was supposed to be in the Reardon parking lot before 7 am ready to go to Chicago on the charter bus for a shopping trip. I set my alarm for 5:30 and it NEVER went off (even DeeDee agrees it never went off). So I wake up, and I hear the dumpster being emptied, and usually when I hear that it's 2 or 3 am so I'm thinking "that can't be right, I went to bed at 2" and so I looked at the clock and it was 7:07. I started freaking out. I flew out of bed and grabbed my cell and was trying to call Thrasher (who was also going on the trip) but I wasn't connecting, then my apartment phone rang and it was Mel (who also went) and so I told her what happened and so they held the bus for me and I have NEVER moved that fast in the morning. Hahaha I threw my pajama's off and my clothes on, grabbed my keys, purse, and knitting and ran out the door and drove over there.

So after four hours in the bus (we watched "White Christmas" and "Miracle on 34th Street" - the original) we were dropped off at Water Tower Place and had the rest of the day to do whatever we wanted. So first we walked into a little choclate shop and got a free sample of their peppermint bark. Then we went about 45 minutes south of Water Tower - no where near where anyone else from our group went - and ate at a little Thai restaraunt for lunch - looooove Thai food. Then we walked around some more and found Millenium Park - a new park that was just built in July and it was pretty cool - went down close to the beach and pointed in the general direction of my home. Then.... we walked around some more and went down random streets and went into a few stores, but none of us had money to buy anything. We went back into Water Tower Place and looked around a little bit, then we went into Border's just to sit down, on the floor, because that was the only place around where we could sit (not even in the mall). Then we went to Giradono's pizza and waited about an hour and got some of the best pizza in the world. Then we went back to the chocolate place and got some Hot Chocolate and wow - it was such a waste of money. It didn't taste any different than any mix you can buy at the store - I was expecting more of the amazing Hot Chocolate that Pishy and I got in shot-form from the Chocolate Cafe. So... poop on that. Then we went back to Water Tower where we were supposed to be picked up and had the LONGEST drive ever back (watched "Elf" which I fell asleep during b/c I was tired so I need to see it again and "It's A Wonderful Life" and I did the same thing too and I've never seen that all the way through either).

The end.

Lyric of the day: "I feel like running wild Lord's angels and a little child
I caught you underneath the mistletoe I kiss you twice and then some more
I wish you merry Christmas baby And a happy, happy new year" - What Christmas Means To Me, NOT originally by Hanson, but in this case, it's Hanson

Currently Playing
Snowed In
By Hanson
- Merry Christmas Baby

Yesterday was pretty fun. I went to class, blah. And Stacy's brother was/is here, he's 17 and not at all like Stacy. He's a funny kid. There's this AIM robot you can talk to where it automatically responds with stuff, and the screenname is Santa Claus and I told him that he was fat or something like that and he said "That's a lump of coal for you" and Greg (stacy's brother) said "Tell him to take the lump of coal and shove it" - something Stacy would NEVER say (and for the record, yes I said that, and he just gave me more coal). I went down to Franchesca's apartment and Melissa Kae came over and we watched 13 Going on 30 - good movie, and Mad TV and Life As We Know It (a show that Franchesca, Stacy and I are addicted to) then more hanging out with roommates and the end. Today one of my classes we're just doing group work, another we're having a not-so-surprise surprise baby shower for a girl in our class ("Project Code 9") because it's a parenting class, and then my other class we're going on a field trip to the funeral home, so easy day ahead. And tomorrow I'm leaving at 7 am for an all-day shopping trip in Chicago with Thrahser and MELISSA KAE better go too! We're goin' via charter bus which means I can knit the whole way there and back, and we'll be watching Christmas movies. Woohoo!

Lyric of the day: "Santa came down the chimney, half past three. Left all 'em good old presents, for my baby and for me. Merry Christmas, baby, sure did treat me nice." - Merry Christmas Baby, originally by Otis Redding

Currently Playing
Middle of Nowhere
By Hanson
- Man From Milwaukee

Okay so yesterday what happened.. hmmm... Classes. And.... I gave blood again. Then I went with Thrasher to get Papa Murphy's (VERY good!! VERY good pizza) and.... we watched Monty Python Life of Brian, Cool Runnings, and various TV. And.... I don't really know what else to say. Hm. AUwo sersh kfjdhfskhse.

Lyric of the day:"This is Mother Bird calling Baby Bird Baby Bird come in, come in Baby Bird For the love of Pete come in! This is Baby Bird...sorry I was watching Court TV Do you copy? Do you copy? Of course we copy...24 hours a day...in color" - Man From Milwaukee, Hanson

ahhh... gotta love bonus tracks