It's About Time

The weather in Edinboro is unusually wonderful. It's so nice, I tossed my winter coat on my bedpost and picked up my spring jacket to wear in the sunny and breezy March temperatures. It's shocking to see snow actually melting for once. Honestly, I thought the day would never come. Unfortunatly, I am writing this post in a stuffy computer lab filled with people clicking and clacking about their projects. I much rather have a laptop outside and work on something else, not to offend my project I finished (I actually liked this one opposed to the others).

It's also about time that this Intro to Computer Software class stopped, well, to be blunt, sucking. It's 2 1/2 hours of 80 degree temperatures and videos on photoshop that could put to sleep a five year old who just chugged a can of Red Bull. It's slowly gotten better though, the change of project helped. We were doing a catalog for the Erie Art Museum but the idea was bland and our professor let her students that are two years ahead of us work on the same project. Needless to say, they chose one of the upper level student's design over the entry level student. Days like those make me smile when I remind myself Graphic Design in my minor. Muaha.

But in the process of going through so much psychological debate in my mind about my major, I have learned a lot about Graphic Design. I have discovered that there are some students that pour their heart and soul into their projects and devote themselves as personal slaves to the computer lab and others who turn project in late, want to leave class early, and beg the professor to stop talking, in their heads, of course.

I am in the middle of the road. I don't have the class, but I don't love it either. But lately, it's been tolerable for almost 3 classes straight. Today has been one of them, mostly because the entire class has been focused on re-touching pictures and faces. Therefore, I am in for some digital plastic surgury! Anyone else want any? I'm open for shop!

There's my Indy! This was taken this past summer or so, before old man Winter came and turned everything into a frozen abyss. Anyway, it's been about 7 years since we've had him and he still looks and acts like a pup. He is a part of the family, no doubt about that. 

Bread Is On the Rise

It’s late at night as I type this entry, well; it’s all in what you consider late. After a extra warm shower (because I’m at home for the holiday), shaving my legs (much needed, the bunny doesn’t need competition for how much fur is on the legs), and brushing my hair out like Marsha Brady (100 times does the charm), I am relaxing as I prepare to sleep. The problem is that I’m not ready, dag nabit! So I decided to come down here and do more than just blog but talk to some people online and do what I do best: eat bread.

Even as a child, I had a craving for bread. I remember making homemade noodles at my grandmother’s house and just dying for us to finish up and get the ok from her to eat the leftover dough. When I was in the 6th grade or so, Indy, our dog, was adopted from the shelter and brought home to live with us. We didn’t even make it home without him having separation anxiety when we made an impromptu stop at the Indiana Wally World. I distinctly remember him sitting on my head in the back seat and crying up a storm as he saw his new “mommy” walk away in the parking lot to get some treats for him inside. But discussing my canine’s quarks and oddities is blog for another day. The one thing he brought home was something him and I share to this day: a love for bread.

As a pup, the dog devoured a ton of items, like plastic, grass, denim, and other assorted fabrics and materials. As far as food goes, bread was his favorite among all the leftovers we had to offer. At the time, our second dog, Lilly, hadn’t arrived, so it was “All about Indy”, at least in his mind. Any leftover bread that had expired was his because face it, the dog is a mutt. I don’t say that in a cruel and unloving manner, I am only speaking the truth. Indy is a German Shepherd/Beagle/Husky/Greyhound. He’s the “America” of canines, a melting pot of nationalities.

I love bread as well. As a snack, I find the softest and fluffiest roll of buns available. Potato bread is my kryptonite for when I see it, I must devour. Every time I visit John’s house there is usually a stock of potato bread hot dog or hamburger buns. It’s uncommon for him to come out into the kitchen and see that I have sneaked out a bun for a treat. Sometimes eating the bread itself is better than the sandwich, my mother knows this full well.

So I am done with my bread and reading for my extended staring at my eyelids. This may be the most depressing or pathetic blog I have ever written: a story of my dog and our love of bread. Good grief, next thing you know I’ll be telling the stories of my stuffed animals, haha. But on another note…

HAPPY EASTER!

HE HAS RISEN!

GOODNIGHT!

I’ve Lost My Marbles Part II

Sure, weeks have gone by since I posted the last edition of I’ve Lost My Marbles Part I, but things didn’t really fully develop until now. Because of the change in events, it’s not so much a “losing of marbles” but a “gaining of understanding”.

I’m going to be a typical college student. I’m going to change my major…but not yet!

Here’s the soup scoop- my old major was Applied Media Arts: Graphic Design. You need to be an art major to take any of the classes under the curriculum. My new major is Speech Communications with a Graphic Design Minor. Since my communications courses don’t require a prerequisite to take, I am staying a Graphic Design major to be able to finish out my classes (since I al close to the half-way point and will be done by the end of my Junior year) and then my Senior year at EUP I’ll change my major to Speech Communications and still have the minor in my back pocket. Sweet.

In addition to that, I am considering a focus in Public Relations. This includes some extra classes but it will have no effect on how many years I am at EUP, the credit hours are all included in the major along with an internship!

Seriously, since I have had so many discrepancies and changes concerning my major, I am becoming a pro at this “class planning” and technical stuff. I am now helping Roomie figure out her schedule since she has encountered a few problems.

I haven’t really had time to blog lately, not because of extreme busyness, but preoccupation with other things. Over the weekend I chilled out and worked on a few things at a time, hung with friends, and had fun. The more and more I am here, the more I like Edinboro and can’t imagine myself at any other University. Now if only Wuvor was nearby…

In other news, I dreamed about Sharon last night. Yes, it was really weird; I went to her house in West Virginia with my family. Her home was log cabin style home on a hill, very odd layout, and the town was quite small. (How far off am I? haha.) I remember something about some pipe or something with water breaking and trying to meet her husband but I only saw him from a distance, he had a goatee or something. Sharon looked the same, and the kids were playing all over the house, and it was fun! I woke up and wondered “What the heck was that?” Who knows what triggered that.

Off for the rest of the day. I am hoping to stick to my work out plan a little better, thinking about finding a 5K goal to keep me motivated. Toodles!

Happy Birthday Sharon

Today is the birthday of one terrific cousin- and that is my cousin Sharon. Since I can't send her a present or give birthday hugs, I'll celebrate her special day with a post just for her! (Hopefully blogger doesn't confuse the post with the birthday cake and eat it.)

I knew who Sharon was at an early age by the self portrait of her that hung at my Grandfather's house. He would always, with pride, tell me who it was and go on talking about her, much like he did with everything, by talking. So for years I knew what my cousin Sharon looked like, but I never had the chance to meet her in person yet.

At the close of the summer my mother caught wind of the hilarious and interesting blog that was being published day to day about her life. Suddenly we were hooked on the stories and found oursleves saying "Did you ready Sharon's blog today?" I even found myself feeling as if I were standing right there in her house and seeing everything that was going on. She was taking me on adventures in her life in California or the memories of her childhood through the glow of my computer screen. I soon decided to start my own blog and start recording things in my life, and I love it, and I have never looked back.

It had been months into the "blogger expereience" when I felt like I had a new-found friend, a sister, a great cousin. Unfortunatly, I still hadn't met Sharon, I never heard her voice, or seen her red hair in person, or see how beautiful she was in perosn. Sadly, the first time we would meet would be at my Grandfather's funeral. Despite the sad and hectic time, it was the one true highlight of that terrible week. I can remember waiting for her to walk in the door at the funeral home, ready to give her a big hug. As she came in, I spotted her and was filled with glee and excitement, but being kind and not tacking her at first sight but letting her have time to greet the others. I doubt a full tackle would help the pacemaker at all, besdies, I was never cut out for football.

I did take a picture of both of us on my camera after the funeral at my house, but my camera ate it. I just about had a fit. Dumb technology. But I hope to visit her after Spring Semester with mother to meet my second cousins and my cousin in law as well.

Happy Birthday Sharon, it's an honor to have such a talented writer, wonderful mother, and courageous peron as my cousin. Happy 26th Birthday *wink*wink*

Yummies

Your Icecream Flavour is... Cookies 'n Cream!

Smooth and creamy with a few rough bits mixed in, you are a real treat! You are probably very popular amongst your friends. Remember too much of a good thing is not always good! Don't lay it on too thick!

What is your Icecream Flavour?

Tuesday Night

Tonight I went to the Gathering and had an amazing time. For those of you who don’t know what The Gathering is, it’s a college/young adult gathering where we hang out, shoot pool, play hoops, learn about God and worship him. It wasn’t just the praise or worship music or the friends that touched me tonight, but the things I learned from my new found friend B last night that matter the most.

I needed to go to the Gathering, I just knew. Sometimes you just have to step away from the ordinary pace and bust out. Tuesday had been hard enough already, especially after following Monday. Monday’s are famous for the stunts they pull. Tuesday just decided to be it’s twin.

Back to the story, I was at the Gathering and we ended the lesson by Andy with a challenge to go and pray for one concern you had with someone you didn’t know. At first, I pondered around without a clue of whom I would be praying with or what. Suddenly I heard someone’s voice and I saw a guy named B step forward. I have seen him before in my building and had been introduced to him before, but not on much of a personal level. I decided to become his prayer partner for the night, and looking back, I know it was meant to be.

First, you must understand who B is. He is a loving and caring person who always makes you feel welcome. As he sat down with me to pray, he first asked what was on my heart. After I told him, he told me a story. He then preceded to tell me about a brain injury he received awhile ago that has changed his world. I did know that B had some disability, but I was unsure what, and that doesn’t matter to me if I know all the details. He told me that ever since the injury, he realized that worrying about everything in life is futile, and that he too worried about the same things I had expressed. He told me how his beauty used to lie outside and not within, that beauty within is worth much more than the mortal body can ever do. His words really touched home with me and I realized I did worry too much about all these things in life and it was time to take a breath and give the burdens to God.

I needed to stop thinking about my major, about a possible change in major, situations at home, situations with my home dealing with my Wuvor, situations with my health, and trying to do everything right in school. I needed to forget about the horrible World Civilizations professor that today “preached” on how the Bible is nothing but borrowed stories from other religions. It was literally a Bible-bashing hour and 15 minutes. Terrible. I left the class feeling drained and almost “tricked” like I was told I believe in a fairy tale. I have a newsflash for him: I don’t. God is not a story, or a secret, or a borrowed idea. God is love, life, truth, happiness, and so many other things and words cannot simply describe.

I’m glad I had the Gathering to go to, to refresh me, and lift me up. Then again, I take that back; I’m glad I have God to go to, to refresh me, and to lift me back up.

Happy Birthday Kevin! (Even though Kevin isn't big on celebrating birthdays but he doesn't check this blog...muaha.) As you can see, the very talents scultper Lindsay K. showed off some of her lettering skills with the Crayola Model Magir (The letters are non toxic, but we didn't eat them). The numbers in the center say "19", but the "9" in hidden, but this is all small points that are unnessesary. Back to the matter at hand, oh yeah...Happy 19th Birthday Kevin! (And yes, that is Oreo cake- the offical RamRod food of choice!) 

Oh Krispy Kreme, Oh Krispy Kreme, how do you sprinkles taste good, Oh Krispy Kreme, Oh Krispy Kreme, I want to eat all your goods...celebrating St. Patty's Day the sugary way! 

It's Megan and Milena (Yellow) at Max and Erma's on the Jubilee trip. College education, eh? Got to love 'em. 

The Erie Journey

As I was chilling in my room after yet another hectic run of Monday’s classes coming to a gradual end, I read my friend’s away message from the Potter’s House inviting anyone to visit another Potter’s House resident who was in the hospital. Me, floored of course and troubled by this sudden news, IM’ed K for more information and a reservation in her car for the jaunt up to Erie to visit cute little Milena.

We arrived at the hospital with the surprise of “Vallet” parking by the guys out front. I then saw that this hospital was much different than the one at home, ACMH. ACMH has a reputation for, well, we just won’t go there! If I can remember in case of a crisis that my mother would have (Heaven Forbid) it’s the line “Just bypass ACMH, take me to Pittsburgh!”. It’s kind of ironic how a world-leading center for medical care is neighbored next to a pain in the rear hospital a county over. Hmm.

Back to the story at hand, we parked the Saturn for $2.00 for an hour and made our way into the lavish building. It was quite nice and was pretty welcoming. We elevated up and up to the 6th floor to see Milena and how she was doing. Apparently she expressed to the others at the Potter’s House that she was suffering from pain in her stomach that continued throughout the day. Later that night they took her to the hospital and ran a few tests that came back saying that she needed to have her appendix taken out. So around 5:30 AM she went into surgery. Hence, we decided to visit her later on tonight for a chance to speak with her when she wasn’t zonked out.

She was zonked out.

Really, she was! One of the medical assistants came in and wiggled her feet with no response. But my heart ached for her; she definitely looked like she was in Snoozeland. We left the card and presents and left on our merry way back home. But as K said wisely, “We cannot come the whole way to Erie and not stop somewhere!”

That led to the visit to the sweetest place on earth- The Krispy Kreme Shop. Yes, they make those! I really didn’t even know that! And better yet…the light was on! And for those of you who are not familiar with the whole “Light at Krispy Kreme Store” scenario, it means they are handing out a free glazed doughnut! We step into the store and gaze upon the blessed conveyor belt of sugary goodness. This visit also resulted in a precious purchase of a St. Patty’s Day Doughnut and chocolate milk to go. Yum. Working out today in the room was a good idea- it compensated for the 15,000 calories I consumed in 2 calorie-rific delicacies.

So it was E, K, J, K, and another J and I. A night out on the town with the girls after a hectic Monday- what I needed. And believe me, I was so tired and worn from a day of comp tinplating I was actually thinking of a nap. Me, a nap! I never nap! Roomie, yes, nap is the elixir of life, but not I! The night out was exactly what the doctor ordered.

So far the week is mild and flowing at a normal pace. Hopefully it will decide to stay that way and not flood me with assignments and madness like the week before Spring Break. Have a great tomorrow!

Queen of the Fur

Don't fall for the "innocent basket pose" for a second. This little devil plays by her own rules. She too has been under the weather from a sneezing and weezing illness she has been suffering from. But that doesn't mean she'll refrain from latching onto your ankle as you walk by.

The Black Lung Lives On

It appears that my body has decided it wants to be trendy like the rest of the people in Pennsylvania and pick up the evil “Black Lung” disease that is going around, most prominently in Edinboro at the Potter’s House.

And so I cough.

I was fine until I came home. Sure, I had felt a touch of the lung congestion the week before but nothing like it is now after the intensified virus has taken its full swing. It seems each time I come home I pick up something new to deal with. Honestly, my immune system should be batting 100 here since I pop Vitamins C tablets every day or so. I’m even giving it a chance here to pump some resistance iron. Unfortunately, my immune system went to Cancun on this spring break and told me to deal with it. It’s busy working on its tan lines.

I have been awfully sick this year in comparison to previous years. Usually I get swamped down maybe once or twice with a bad cold or coughing spell that restrains me to the television and sofa with a tissue box nearby or in bed until noon time. Then I would get a weird disease that no one has that would knock me out for a week of school. This happened about once a year, and I don’t know why, frankly. I am a pretty healthy person, eat my veggies and fruits, and the usually brushing of les dents.

The last brute that came though to kick my butt was the virus I picked up after I came home from IYC (International Youth Convention) with the youth group. Now mind you, IYC is a convention of some 6,000 kids getting together in one place to praise and learn more about God as well as connect with thousands of other Christian youths in the nation. In addition to all the national airborne germs gathering together at one destination, our means of transportation was the ever-popular Greyhound bus, which I now detest and loathe from the bottom of my heart. So when the doctor asked me about what I had been doing lately, she was a little surprised at my happenings but at the same time not surprised why I was down and out with something evil from a distant land where they have spears made out of bamboo.

The spell turned out to be a rare virus I did pick up from all the traveling instead of Strep Throat or Mono, like they has guessed in the doctor’s office. This fact, of course, was only discovered after they tested the blood that was drained out of me for some lab work. Lindsay didn’t go for the whole blood work routine…and almost passed out afterwards….but that is another blog for another day.

All in all, I’m not usually deathly ill, just once in a blue moon. Just this time I’m hacking up the blue moon and all of its cheesiness.

Toodles!

We are going to pump you up!

Wo-tuff! This is a picture taken quite a while ago, as you can tell by the date 2/22/03 on the bottom right hand corner. It was during our 30 Hour Famine that we gathered together and showed off our mighty strength from not eating for, you guessed it, 30 hours. Ahh, memories.

Sugar Highs

Yesterday was productively spent with a group of people that feel like family- my church family. Saturday was the date for the traditional batch of Easter Candy Chocolate the youth group sells every Spring as a fundraiser. Needless to say, the kids always sell a ton of the chocolate or white chocolate lollipops, peanut butter, fudge nut, or coconut ½ lb. eggs to a church who indulges in their sweet tooth, as well as the community around them, but then again, who doesn’t?

I’m not kidding when I say there is a ton of chocolate to be made. Something like 500 eggs of one kind are produced in a 3 days span along with hundreds of molded and packaged lollipops from the melted chocolate we purchase in a nearby town. Christmas candy is a newer sales technique they have participated in, was enacted when I was a member of the youth group, and we made something like 30,000 little pieces of 7 different kinds of chocolate cup candies.

I always love to go back to lend a hand like many of the adults do. I remember being a youth member and looking around to see adults from the church family come out to spend their Saturday pouring hot chocolate into molds or taffy pans without any benefit. The youth were usually paid minimum wage or more for the hours they worked on top of the total percentage of sales. Yet these adults gave up their time to stop in and make candy for hours on end with a bunch of teenagers. I always made a point to go around to each adult before they departed on their way or the ones who stuck it out until the end to say “Thank you” for coming out and helping us in this effort.

Now I’m the “adult”. I still get that same excitement entered the Fellowship Hall where the tables are set up and the rustling is going on. I can always here some type of music playing, often times CD’s brought in by the kids which eventually get taken out because of majority rule by the fellow teens or the adults can’t take the music anymore. I enter the room and everyone is doing a task, from pouring the hot chocolate into molds, mixing in the peanut butter, putting the chocolate in the toddler’s room which is converted into a freezer room or the sloped up fridges coated in chocolate, wrapping each lollipop into it’s on bag or stuffing pretzels into the Easter decorated boxes, or cleaning up the dishes and drying them off until next year. First off, I take time to go around and say hello and everyone looks happy to see me, especially the adults who consider me gone with no obligation to come and help. But I come. Candy making is more than just the task, not saying I don’t try to do the job to my best ability (I’ve been doing it for years as an old school youth member) but I come also for the fellowship and the service for God that I do in helping out like those adults of the past.

Of course, you’re bound to get tired from standing and walking, sitting and talking, and getting hit with some chocolate from time to time, but when I’m with that group, it’s my second home, and I miss Sunday night youth group a whole lot. The most I’ve missed the old gang was when I attended Jubilee Conference last weekend. I remember the grand days of youth conventions and having that close-knit group around me, like a security blanket. At first, I was stubborn at Jubilee like a child who didn’t want things to change, with an attitude like “Nothing can compare to my old group. My time with them was much better.” But by the end of the weekend, I did have my close-knit group- the family of God, and we were together doing something we all love- learning and praising God.

I guess candy making means a lot to me, probably why I always find out what weekend it falls on. I read Sharon’s post about Leo being active in his Teen groups and it makes me smile. Those were the days, but I must keep in mind, there are more amazing adventures to come.

It's a chain gang of kids in Edinboro out playing in the snow! 

It's the gang at Jubilee last weekend, an awesome conference that talks about when life and faith collides. Here are some of the crew the last day gathering for a picture! 

Grab the Gloves and Hit the Hills

After all of the snowfall that dumped upon Edinboro creating a vast land of hills, drifts, and sinking snow holes, I was bent on getting my hands into the fluffy snow during a play date. Yesterday K, M, J, B, J (but no one invited him…) and Roomie (picture taker) braved the frozen tundra with our hats and sleds to get a good hour and a half of snow play. We paved the way for paths towards the huge snow piles that launched you into the air and made a course for all of us to follow to climb up the hill and down it.

It was truly a great time. It was sheer fun without anyone saying “Eww, my hair is wet” or “This is dumb, let’s do back inside”. Each one of us helped each other up the mountain when we kept sinking into the still soft snow as a team or gang of kids that have gone through this snow playing routine for years. By the end of the playing, the boys, wisely wearing blue jeans against my mother-like suggested that sweatpants are better since they don’t pack with snow, were soaked and our faces and limbs were frozen and sore from all the slipping and sliding, especially the drop at the end of the one slope we ventured down. Needless to say, I am feeling the repercussion of yesterday this morning but I am young, I will survive, I think.

I don’t know why I haven’t seen many other college students out playing in this snow like us. Sure, I see a few snow battles on the way to class, but as far as getting decked out with mittens and scarves, it’s a rarity. Maybe it’s because everyone is “grown up” now, or they’re just too lazy to come out of their rooms. If you would like to see any of the captured hilarity, just go to the sidebar and find my link titled “Lindsay K.’s Photos” and click “Edinboro”. Scroll down and you’re bound to see something goofy.

In other news….MID-TERM WEEK IS OVER! Thank goodness, really, thank goodness. It was a week of 2 projects due and 2 mid-term tests. Peace at last. I am finally at the end of packing up the goods for the trek home and now finishing up some busy work in between classes so I can leave here care free and clicking my heels. Unfortunately, my sleep wasn’t as care free or quiet last night for the rope light that goes around the roof of our dorm room kept falling on my face as I slept. I cant understand why my Roomie’s side of the room is perfectly fine and the 3 different kinds of tape holding it up aren’t faltering like mine that insist on falling at a slow and annoying, crinkling pace. It looks like I’ll have to purchase some more heavy duty duct tape and metal tape over break. Ug.

This morning I have to call good old Shop ‘N Save to get my schedule for Spring break week. That’s right folks, no Bahamas or “Girls Gone Wild in Cancun” for me- it’s “Cashier Gone Bored At Work”. I had the strangest dream about Shop ‘N Save (this would be the umpteenth time I’ve dreamed about the place) where I hated to go back for some reason and my mother drove me to work and had to yell out the window at a former bagger because he was standing in the McDonald’s Drive through chatting to friends. My dear readers, even in conscious hours I am still debating if it really happened or not, haha. But since I’m tight on the old green stuff, it doesn’t hurt to make myself productive and earn some euro over break that I can give, I mean use here at Edinboro. Hopefully the job that I applied for at the beginning of the semester will open up and accept me next semester. Let’s all hope that.

I leave for break at 10:30. I’m ready for some time with my dogs, my friends, my church, my family, and my Wuvor. I’ll keep you posted on the madness that occurs! Have a safe weekend, toodles!

Now that's a plow...

Not only is our tractor sexy but snowy! This is Edinboro's maintenence crew in their hour plowing away about 3 ft. of snow on campus. It kind of makes me chuckle about the peopla t home when I see all this snow dumped. At home, everyone freaks at 3 inches. Here, everyone starts to notice snow at 3 ft. Ahh, Edinboro.

Snow Bunny Paths

Here's another grand picture of the snow that was dumped yesterday and over night. I really love all this snow and actually want more, as if I were egging old man winter and telling him to "bring it on". At home, we had snows like this maybe once or twice a year. Word has it from the townies that next year will bring more snowflakes to EUP. As long as I'm not behind the wheel of a car, I'm all for the frozen precipitation.

Today I Love The Boro

Today is a blessed day. God was been good. Nature has been very good. It snowed. It snowed a lot, and it is well with my soul.

Manna always gets up before me. Because we have our schedule in the morning is the same, we get up at the same time. Despite my attempts to go to bed earlier, she is always up first. But today I heard her sweet voice telling me the sweetest news of the week. We had no classes until 11:00 AM due to the weather.

Bless the fluffy white snow.

This week has been insane. It feels like the weeks has slowly stopped moving and decided to come to a halt of work, work, and more work. Of course, it's mid-term week. Hooroo! Wendesday is my busy day that starts at 7:20 in the morning. To Sharon, that is afternoon, to me, it's a time of day to steer clear of the Lindszilla. But instead of dragging my tired little rear out of my warm and cozy bed, I got to enjoy the sweet compansionship of my Snoppy and comforter this morning.

I will try to post some pictures on the blog of all the snow that has fallen from the blessed sky, but because Hello has been in hibernation in some kind on the EUP network, I will only be able to post them on my webshots. You can find that link on the sidebar under the title "Lindsay K.'s Photos".

As for me, I am propbably one of the few out enjoying the snow. Hopefully my thursday afternoon will stay open and my plans to go out with the gang and play in the snow will remain. Keep warm and have a great day!