dreams.

So, just in case I happen to meet someone, get engaged, and get married within the time frame that the current wedding dresses are available, I have a few picked out that I love.

Debbie and I were looking at my bridesmaid dress possibilities, and my eyes wandered.

Go Miami Redhawks. :0) Beat those silly UC Bearcats!!!

I am sneezing like mad. Silly allergies always hit around midterms and/or finals. This year? No exception.

Bye. :0)

Timing.

Michael has posted several (150+) pictures of New Orleans--he was down there and returned back to Omaha yesterday or today. I am pretty sure he's actually downloading them right now, considering the number of images keeps increasing...I guess I just have good timing or something. The devastation seems insurmountable, yet I know that it's not. The city will rebuild...life will go on. This is truly a time when pictures speak 1000 words. Or even more than that.

Work went quickly today--lots of little things to take care of. I have a meeting in about 10 minutes--hopefully that will also go smoothly. All 3 of the papers I had due this week are turned in and on their way to being marked with an "A" I hope. I'm trying to not sweat grades like I usually do, but thoughts of PhD work are looming in my mind.

Anyway, I am glad it's Wednesday. Tomorrow, I will pick up my parents from the Pittsburgh airport, and we'll head down to Gramma and Grampa's place for a couple of nights. Then...the WVU/VT game on Saturday! YES!!!

Bye :0)

Ha.

Sometimes the day starts out with little tiny reasons for laughter. And I greatly enjoy that. Even if they're ever-so-slightly vindictive...(Yes, J, I'll explain later) :0)

Of course, then they're followed by several hours of work and all, and that is less fun.

I am in the mood for a chicken parmiagna sub from Subway. Hmmm...Perhaps that will have to be a part of my future.

Based upon the sporadic nature of this entry, I think today is going to be a crazy day. Plus, I'm hanging out with Keith and Bob later. Obviously, this doesn't bode well for normalcy, but what fun is that anyway?

Oh well...Time for class.

Smiles.

I'm taking a break from writing...The exciting part is that I am almost done!

Also, I think Lauren and Jaquie are going to room with Erin and I at SBL, making everything MUCH cheaper! Hurray! :0) I am really starting to get pumped up for that trip, despite the fact that it's almost 2 months away. I think it will be great.

But, none of that has anything on the other excitement of the day: I got a card from the Homans! :0) Therese wrote to thank me for a thing I sent last week; it wasn't a long note, but it meant so much. She said that both Michael and Kalypso speak fondly of me, which gave me such a great feeling...It was so thoughtful to take the time to write, despite the fact that they have plenty of other things going on right now...

It's just the little things in life, you know?

Anyway, I'm off to go do something else (like call J back, as I just ignored her call since I'm in the library). :0)

Bye :0)

Steelers Lose!!!

In a weekend with some dreadful results in the athletic world (I still maintain that the Browns were victims of horrible play-calling), it was nice to have some light at the end of the tunnel...The Patriots beat the Steelers. As I said to a couple of people last night, I almost felt as if the Browns had won--that's how excited I was!

And, of course, WVU is now 4-0 coming into a huge game against VT this weekend...for which I will be in attendance.

I have to laugh each Sunday at the volume of incoming phone calls I receive; Everyone wants to "talk football" and knows that I'm likely watching one game or another...I sort of feel badly for those who don't find football nearly as exciting as I, and who dare call me while the Browns are in the red zone...Unless you're family or you're as engrossed in the game as I, don't bother trying to reach me while Cleveland is playing.
________________

On a similar note, I walked in to this, the computer lab, about 10 minutes ago, and have since carried on a conversation with Tim on the best and worst of the NFL uniforms. He is adamantly opposed to the Bengals uniforms. He has nothing good to say about them (though he does love their helmets), and is particularly miffed by the shadowing of the numbers. His favorite uniform? The Chicago Bears. We agreed that there's too much teal in the Jacksonville uniforms, that the Browns need to stay away from orange jerseys, and that the New York Giants need to completely revamp their away uniforms, as well as rethinking their horrible gray pants. We both like that Patriot and Eagle uniforms, and I also like the Falcons. I like the Titans uniform, while Tim feels that Tampa Bay boasts good style and colors. (Tim has just offered to give a list of his top 5 NFL uniforms...This is all even greater because he's straight and married and all...) :0)

Really, we did not need to waste precious minutes on such a thing, but perhaps I will be inspired by this particular conversation when I go to write 2 papers this evening (I have 3 due tomorrow, and 1 is finished...1 other one is well on its way, but I haven't started the third...fortunately, I have read, so writing it shouldn't be too much of a chore).
__________________

Now my schedule is all thrown off because I spent 10 minutes talking to Ben, who just called me to talk football (see comments about phone calls above). He told me he thinks my chances with Tom Brady are slim, but we agreed that, short of Ben Roethlisberger (since he's dating that golfer chick), Drew Brees and Carson Palmer were both good options. Of course, Carson is in some sort of relationship (he might be married now), and Drew probably is as well, but I guess that's the way it is when you're an NFL quarterback. We also deliberated over the pros and cons of me dating another Bengal: What would this world do with Chris and Kristen Fuamatu-Ma'afala?!? Haha. He's a little too scary for my taste anyway...:0)
___________________

Reading this entry, I feel like an 8th grader only interested in football because some cute boy who sits next to me in Algebra likes it. Of course, this is not the case, but I certainly don't deserve a seat on SportsCenter for my gametime analysis.

Anyway, productivity calls and, whether I like it or not, I must answer. On the plus side, I don't have to go to Field Ed. today, which will afford me 4 or 5 hours I hadn't planned into my schedule, so paper-completion is a very reasonable goal. Hurray! :0)

In conclusion, go Browns, go Tribe, go Mountaineers, go Redhawks, go Green! :0)

session.

I was at Session last night from 7:30 until 10:20. Almost THREE HOURS! Now, if "Session" were a creative word for something like "the movies" or "the library, being productive" or some other more enticing locale, then I might not be so disgruntled by my 3 hour stint...However, given that Session is simply the CHUP Board meeting--and I'm not even a member of CHUP, let alone on the board--I was frustrated to get home when I did. At least I didn't have any immediate work to finish!

Alas, today will pick up right where yesterday left off--busily. I have class, chapel, ESF, class until 4, then will scramble home to clean up as best I can (read: scrub a variety of dishes, do a load or two of laundry, change the sheets on my bed, and pick up the vast quantities of clothing strewn across my entire apartment). Mom and Dad will be here tonight.

I have discovered that I am carefully walking the line between reasonble and heinous in terms of my commitments. I am not involved in every group that is here, but it seems that, when I'm involved in anything, people think I would be good in a leadership position...

Anyway, such is life. Now, I must be off before a house drops on me...Or before I am late to class. :0)

Red.

Today seems to be a day to recall Israel. Not that I haven't done that since being back, but today seems to almost be an excessively Israelesque day.

Consider:

~I woke up too early and wanted to go back to sleep. (Ok, that's not particularly Israel-specific, but it did echo in the back of my sort of functioning mind).
~I am wearing the ?-colored pants that caused such buzz at the beginning of the trip (they're some weird red-orange shade...) Thus began the question, "What color are Kiiirsten's pants?"
~I am wearing my gray Zeitah 2005 tshirt.


Ok, I guess that's really it. I mean, I am also wearing the watch I wore whilst there, and the tshirt underneath my Zeitah tshirt and the flip flops I had there. But, that might be a bit ridiculous, don't you think?

I thought I had something much more interesting to say, but it seems as if that's not actually the case.

Anyway...off to class, then chapel, lunch, tying up a couple of loose ends at work, homework, wed. night worship meeting (i.e., Keith, Bob, and I sitting around and laughing), dinner, Session at CHUP, making Kalypso's brownies (finally!). Bye :0)

Skip.

For several things that I failed to mention in the previous post, please see the comment that was left by my ever-observant sister. Thanks, J, for the additions.

In the several hours since I last wrote, the following has occurred:

1. Ethics was sad and pathetic. I could actually hear IQs ticking backwards. However, in my quest to be an upstanding young student, I opted to take the high road. I wrote 2 papers during class.

2. Chapel was great...Dr. Humphrey spoke, and her messages are always poignant.

3. MS02 was grand. But, nothing too exciting.

4. I ran into Dr. Tappy--we chatted for a moment, then he informed me that he completed reading the three papers I submitted to him. He told me that I narrowly escaped failing, and, indeed, I will have an A from him for all six credity hours. Woohoo!!! I wasn't too concerned, to be quite honest, but it's still nice to hear it from him, rather than wondering about it until the end of November when I get the rest of my grades. I'm shooting for a 4.0. Were that to happen, I would have somewhere in the 3.9 range. Ideally, it would kick up over a 3.9, but I may have to do that second term instead. At any rate, I'm guaranteed at least 24 quality points. Hurray.

5. I'm actually at work right now, just finishing up a brochure that needs to go to the printer today. Of course, I was having all kinds of problems on Publisher, so I had to work from Word instead, and that was frustrating. At any rate, at least I have something to send to the printer (Cameron) and to Don.

Colloquium, AWS dinner, groceries with Maria, homework like mad. Bye! :0)

Free 99

I can't get over how busy I am right now. It's not even that I am busy with those things that I've planned--it's that life happens on top of everything else (imagine that).

I'm not worried though.

A few points of interest:

~Miami sent out an email to all students who were registered at any of the campuses for the Fall 2002 semester. Apparently, there was a file on a school server that was accessible over the internet...that contained the gpa for that semester, the cumulative gpa, full name, social security number, and other private information for every enrolled student. Of course, I was studying in Luxembourg at the time, but that doesn't seem to matter, as I was technically enrolled at an "extension" campus or something like that.

~Michael and I have resumed our email bantering. Despite the fact that we just send one-liners, it is nice to be in that sort of "discussion." Hopefully he appreciates the occasional non-hurricane related email. It's nice that he still maintains his (often ridiculous, always hilarious) sense of humour through everything that has happened. Plus, I found out he's still going to be in Philly this November!!!! With everyone who is going, SBL is going to be SO great!

~As if I need to announce this (since everyone watched with glee), the BROWNS BEAT THE PACKERS ON SUNDAY!!!! YESSSSS!!! As Dad says, it was a good weekend for the Trifecta (that is, Miami, WVU, and the Browns all won).

~Constitution Day was the 17th. Our school officials dropped the ball. So now, Purdie and I are forced to pick up the ball and do...something. Will they really check on us? Remove our federal funding? Doubtful. Very doubtful. Alas, as SA VP, I must do my job and move forward.

~Dr. Son's dad died suddenly. This is very sad, and no one can even be pleased that our classes with him are canceled for the week, because we're all so bummed out for him. On a sort of related note, I dreamt last night that both Don Dawson and Brian Wallace had died, and I woke up really upset...then realized that I had actually been dreaming. But now I feel like I need to see one or both of them just to be 100% sure that it was all a dream. I hate that--when dreams feel so real that you can't help but wonder if they're actually reality. Yuck. But, the greater concern is obviously for Dr. Son and his family...

~Last night, I had a discussion with Josh, Doug, and Tom about how Tom intimidates me. Why is this so weird? A few things: Tom is perhaps the least intimidating person ever, he's one of my closest friends here, and I don't get intimidated by people very easily anyway. Plus, of everyone here, I have seen Tom in his most ridiculous, geeky, not-at-all intimidating state. We hang out all the time. We have dumb conversations and serious conversations. And yet I am actually intimidated. I'm so weird.

I have a Synoptic Cell Discussion to write, among many other academic tasks. I must be off.

p.s.

As a side note, our government really upsets me. Maybe that's what I'll do with my life: run for president.











Oh what this world would be in for then... :0)

CBus

I just thought I ought to update after a rousing trip to CBus. Yesterday at 12:30, Debbie, Brian, and I drove over to Ben's place, where he met up with us and we all jumped in his car...We then headed to Columbus--a 2.5 hour road trip that involved a whole lot of "Sweet Love Part Deux" (a cd made for him by one of the girls for whom he is Resident Director at Duquesne...haha). This mix is like no other; It was sappy 80s song after sappy 80s song. The saddest part? We all crooned along...we knew EVERY SONG!!! Debbie and I took great satisfaction in knowing that, for as long as Ben was singing, neither of us would ever sound bad. Of course, then we listened to country, so only Ben and I knew the words to any of the songs. We were all quite wound up, so it was a great time. We got to Jennie's house, so I finally got to meet Jennie (clearly). Then, since Ben's dad lives in CBus (well, Worthington), we headed over there for awhile. He was so excited to see Ben and thought the rest of us were so nice (his words, not mine) that he actually made a slide show and set it to music so we could see who his family is, etc. To "You've Got A Friend" by James Taylor. How cute is that?!? So, we were there for awhile, then had to get going so that we could get ready for Jennie's shindig. While the girls finished "prettying up," the boys ran to Subway and got us some dinner. They got back, and we all headed over to Norm's house and were so hungry at that point that we just inhaled our subs and watched the Indians win. Yes!!!

People started to show up about a half an hour later (9 or so), and that's when my headache set in. I had some beer and tried to relax, but felt SO horrible. I was bummed because I really wanted to meet all of the friends of Debbie, Brian, and Ben that I'd heard so much about. I met quite a lot of them, actually, but was miserable for the vast majority of the time. So, just before midnight, I went upstairs and crashed into bed (yay for our group laying claim on multiple beds!!!) People came up and checked on me multiple times...Debbie came in a couple of times, Aaron came in once, Ben came in, Brian, Chad...etc. Then, when it came time for the rest of the gang to get ready for bed, I got up and we all talked for a bit. Then we all hit the hay.

This morning, we all woke up and my headache was mostly gone. Once I got out of that "good morning funk," it had entirely dissipated. Hurray! However, I missed out on a lot of fun, or so I hear. Oh well. We all talked and laughed for awhile, but, alas, it was time to leave since both Ben and Debbie had stuff to do back here in the 'Burgh tonight. We drove back, and Ben even stopped at Starbucks just to be nice. :0) He dropped us at Debbie's car, we came back here, then Brian and I drove up to Pittsburgh Mills (the new mall) and shopped for 3 hours...I went to H&M and got a new skirt and a new (and totally cool...yes, I am a valley girl) hat. I'm wearing it right now. And I got some phenomenal aviator-esque sunglasses. And a silver bag like my sister's bronzey one from New York. Woohoo! :0) Oh yeah, and we ate dinner. It was fun--nice to hang out with Brian and just be a nerds.

Tomorrow is going to be a fantastic day. Why, you ask? Well......Dave and I are driving down to our respective churches in Crafton, then I will come back here and get lots of work done until about 3, at which point, I will head out to the South Side and become an official member of the Browns Backers!!!! AND, I'll get my anti-Steelers long-sleeved tshirt. Plus, it will be fun to hang out with lots of Cleveland fans...Ben will be there, and Brian might hitch a ride with me. I fully intend to wear some of my Browns gear and the new aviators.

Plus, the Browns are clearly going to win.

I sent a letter to Michael and a card to Kalypso yesterday. I just found out that Michael will be returning to New Orleans on Wednesday, so I hope he gets it before he leaves. I think I'll email him and tell him that if he doesn't get it, to ask Therese to open it. I still have a care package for Kalypso in the works. I just need 1 lousy egg and 1/3 a cup of vegetable oil. I'll get it taken care of soon though.

Anyway, I need to go...I have lots of work to do and, clearly, I haven't done enough of it so far.

Hope all is well with y'all. Have a good one! Later, skaters! :0)

Encyclopedia of the Unexplained.

Class this morning was only okay. It might've been better, but the book we read was not interesting. In fact, it epitomized boring. We all stretched to find jewels hidden among the swarths of misery, but alas, ours was not a successful quest. I am, however, thrilled with the people in my section: Tom, Keith, Debbie, Tim, Sarina, and Andrew, to name a few. I rarely agree with most of them, but highly respect the thoughts and opinions of all of them.

Last night was great. CHUP was holding its first Wednesday night service, and I thought it would be a nice way for me to get to know some of the members. Also, because CHUP (and the entire Pgh Presbytery) maintains close relationships with several churches in Malawi, I thought it would be nice to bring Steinsford and Takuze along. Not wanting to be an isolationist, I also invited Kenan, who is here for the year from Nigeria. The ride down was a landmark event for the three men in my car: their first ever trip in a convertible! I was pleased with the weather, as it allowed me to put the top down both going and coming. Along our route down 28, Takuze and Kenan (the peanut gallery who were stuck riding in the back) argued as to whether it was the will of God for me to live in Malawi or Nigeria. They even went so far as to tell me that I hadn't been reading my Bible closely enough if I missed the part where it told me expressly that I ought to move to (insert appropriate country here). Amusing, to say the very least.

Our dinner was tasty--potlucks tend to be that way, since it's often a display of people's favorite/best made cuisine. Although, I am sorry for the person who brought Campbells Chicken Noodle Soup if, in fact, that was their greatest culinary achievement. At any rate, several people were there, and I felt good about the fact that I actually remembered most names. Dinner was followed by worship, which was fantastic. It was just nice to sit back and have some space in the midst of everything that's going on right now. I, of course, recognize that my concerns are rather pitily when compared to so many others (granted, this has always been the case for me), but they are still on my mind, nonetheless. Anyway, our ride home was also terrific: Takuze and Kenan first tried to get Steinsford and myself to sing for them, but Steinsford requested financial compensation...So, Takuze and Kenan then threatened to erupt into their own rendition of music, and, in fact, did just that. So, we had the top down on my car, we were all singing various hymns (I did a lot of humming and harmonizing, actually), and Steinsford would lift his camera over the top of my car to try and take pictures of a lighted downtown Pittsburgh as we drove past. Entertaining, to say the very least.

Today is going to be busy again...My Ethics section was canceled in favor of attendance at our lecture this evening. Sherron Watkins, the "whistleblower" at Enron, will be speaking tonight, a presentation followed closely by multiple Ethics professors in the area conducting some sort of panel discussion. Hopefully they're not only ethical by trade. I have UMF lunch today (this, sadly, will be the last free lunch for awhile), Doctrine for a few hours, then a sizeable chunk of time in which to do some work. I haven't had that yet, so I hope to do a lot of catching up. I need to pack tonight for Columbus, as the WMI Conference Board (of which I am a member) is meeting tomorrow morning from 10-12, and I need to be at Ben's place before 1. Studying in the car will be the name of the game!!!

I am currently trying to get things together to send out to Kalypso, and have actually had everything ready for about a week--with the exception of brownies. I need one egg and 1/3 cup vegetable oil, and then my package will be complete. I wish I had eggs. Perhaps I'll run to the store tonight--we'll see. I looked for mint chocolate frosting, since she told me it was her favorite when we first discussed "chocolately pies" in Israel, but Pittsburghers apparently have poor taste when it comes to frosting. Hopefully she will appreciate the gesture. And the suggestion from one of my friends to put Peppermint Schnapps into the brownies (which came prior to his learning that Kalypso is 10) is going unheeded.

Anyway, I really ought to learn something about Methodist Doctrine now...

Elvis.

Ok, I just found more Orientation, etc. pics posted, so now you can see a couple of other pictures to put names with faces. Yay! :0)

For example, to the left is Tom...although he looks particularly goofy in this picture. But, given that he is particularly goofy, it is apropos.

And, this is Dr. Humphrey and Dr. Gagnon. She (Dr. H.) is "strangling" Dr. G. because of their differences of opinion on the subject of "pistis Iesou Christou," a debate that only enters the minds of people crazy enough to go to seminary! :0)

So, anyway, I think my motivation to upload pictures on here has waned...Until tomorrow, perhaps. :0)

Description.

Ok, so, here are a few pictures that may be slightly helpful. First, a picture of me with my new tattoo, as taken by Brian Wallace. It's not a particularly close picture, but at least you can take note of the location. Fabulous.



Secondly, a picture from last week. It's (from L to R) Ben, me, and Allen in the lunchroom. Ben is the one who visited from Cincinnati, and Allen is the one who is a first year student here, went to Duke, but is a huge Virginia Tech fan (boo). To his credit, he has two Browns players on his fantasy football roster. :0)

Finally, an especially corny picture of me and my fellow Student Association execs. (James) Purdie, Pres. is standing, and to his right is Kelvonna Warner (KDubs), our secretary. Brian Wallace is sitting (our treasurer), and I'm next to him (as VP). We are as corny as any four people can be. But, we get our stuff done too, and that's a good thing.

So, now that I have included some fun pictures for your viewing entertainment, a little bit on my day: Woke at 7 to get to an SA meeting at 7:30, followed that with class, then drove down to Crafton for Field Ed. Dave and I had Cambodian cuisine for lunch--yum--then extended our meeting for awhile after. I left at 3, drove back here, and am now preparing for an exciting night which will include: homework, working out, and putting together a care package for Kalypso (and the other Homans, assuming she shares the goodies). :0) Hurray for productivity!

"xapis"

Things to report (that will be expounded upon in a later entry):

1. Ben Wiggershaus came up to visit this week; we had a great time-lots of good (and interesting) conversation. All of this was capped off by dinner with the Wickers, Badgers, and Tappys.

2. I got a tattoo!!! Yay! It's on my foot. It's fabulous and I'm both excited and pleased--all good things, given that I now have it on me for the rest of my life...

3. Cards on Friday night, and Ben Williams even came! Fun times in the basement, followed by Debbie, Brian, Ben, Grant, and me hanging out until 4:15 in my apartment.

4. Two cookouts yesterday: the Rich and Suzy Vitale Pgh Reception (sort of fun) and the Dormire/Lynn Germany Pig Roast (with Tom, therefore, a blast).

5. Sad football scores. :0( At least WVU won. And maybe The Greenmen.

6. Columbus this coming weekend. For free. Yay! :0)

Ok, it's nearly time for the Colts to pound on the Ravens. I must be off.

L'Education

Today was the first official day back to school...I began the morning with Christian Education, followed it up with Ethics, went to Convocation, had a quick lunch and MS02 meeting, then went straight to my WMI meeting. I stopped by my apartment long enough to grab some textbooks, then sat outside and read for awhile. I ran back to my apartment, changed clothes, and went to the rec to workout. And now I am here, in the library, and I'm sweaty and gross.

All in all, it was a good day back. It was nice to see people again--I didn't get the chance to talk to anyone for a super-long time, but got to catch up a little bit with Michael, Keith, and Elizabeth. Education (herein, PS01) is going to be an interesting class, and, though its intended primarily for a church setting, I think I will take away some tools that will help me be more effective in a college classroom as well. We have already signed up for a group project, and I had the fortune of getting Debbie and April in my group. The three of us, being the overachievers that we are, will knock the socks off of whatever project we actually are assigned.

Ethics was fantastic. We have a new professor, with whom I have already had a few one-on-one conversations. She is great. We are going to talk about some pretty juicy subjects over the course of the term, and my particular break out group (there are about 20 of us in it) contains some staunch liberals, equally staunch conservatives, and a few of us who fall either just left or just right of center. I look forward to being challenged by the compelling arguments sure to come from every direction.

Convocation was just as dry as ever...our president gives the address every year, and he just has no concept of fluidity or organization. In other words, he puts together a few (read: 25 minutes worth) of his favorite comments on life (and he was far too political today, in my opinion), and slaps some title onto all of it, thinking that a title magically conglomerates the content within. There were any number of things upon which he could've expounded and produced a noteworthy speech. Unfortunately, he chose a different route and left all of us bored. At least, as a student, I didn't have to look as interested as most of my professors. Fortunately, one homiletics professor is on sabbatical, and the other is teaching a few doctoral classes right now, so neither had to hide the convulsions that surely would've come about as a result of this mess. There were many of us wishing we were like dogs, with two eyelids, so that we could've slept while still appearing to be awake and interested. Oh well, c'est la vie.

Lunch was nice--free today (the last time until someone important comes on campus--probably the board in November). I caught up with a few people, though it was sort of a bummer to be segregated because MS02 has our lunchtime meetings. Tomorrow, I hope to again join the ranks of the lunchtime crew.

I am liking the way my schedule is shaping up for the term. I have things going on every day until about 4:30, and have successfully managed to keep Friday clear of EVERYTHING. No meetings, no work, no class, no nothing. It will be a good day for homework and working out and all of that other jazz.

On an unrelated note, I got back to my apartment last night to find a card under my door. It was a birthday card with $2 inside from Eddie, our security guard. On the front of the card, it had the canned message about my birthday, but it was also covered in a variety of colors. Eddie added his own message, saying, "These colors represent your personality." Eddie is one of those people who you just can't help but love. He is the sweetest man, and his job as "security guard" calls so many things to question. By his own admission, 85 year-old women could outrun him. Even if he doesn't necessarily keep this place secure as some might wish, he still makes it a better, happier place. On the worst of days, it only takes 2 seconds of Eddie to feel like the most important, special, loved person in the world. :0)

Anyway, as I write this, I still stink after working out. I better go do something about that before Ben gets here!! :0) Yay! I'm so excited! :0)

24.

Well, another birthday has come and gone. I turned the big 2-4 yesterday, and am now officially among the "mid-twenties" crowd. The day wasn't entirely eventful--Mom and Dad came down and we watched a lot of football. We had dinner and they surprised me with Mom's ice cream cake, direct from Cleveland.

For a few moments, I was bummed that more people didn't seem to remember that it was my birthday--I got about half the phone calls that I had last year--but then I realized that it's not such a big deal. I know there are people in this world who love me...who cares if they had a moment to call or not! Plus, everyone has birthdays, and 24 isn't such a landmark.

Michael recently posted his Katrina story (he's now in Omaha with his family, and they have limited use of the internet)...and it is scary, compelling, gut-wrenching, real, and life-altering. It changes me just reading it, I can't even imagine how it has changed him. I encourage you to read it too (see the link on the right of my page).

It looks like I'm going to have to cancel my plans to go to New Orleans in February. I am sorely disappointed, but I'm hoping to somehow arrange some other sort of scheme wherein I get to spend some time with the Homans.

On the bright side, I do get to relive a lot of Israel moments in the coming week, as Ben is coming up here tomorrow!! He's looking at the school, and is going to crash at my apartment for a few days. Also on the agenda? Sitting in on Dr. Tappy's class, having dinner with Dave Badger and Bethany, and participating in Friday Night Cards. Ben and I have decided to avoid telling the others that he is well-learned in the art of Euchre, and then will proceed to whomp on our opponents. Ethical? Perhaps not, but I will have only had two ethics classes by then, so we probably won't have learned that yet.

Yes, classes start tomorrow. Life suddenly becomes hectic (or, rather, becomes hectic in a different way). I'm looking forward to it--I am excited to start anew, to establish a schedule, and to just be doing stuff that contributes to, well, frankly, my nerdiness. :0)

Anyway, I have plenty more to say, but I also have a pair of pants to return to Old Navy, plans to get coffee with Nick, and plans to watch a movie with April, Debbie, Brian, and Tom.

:0)

phew.

Ok, perhaps I was a bit premature in my comment that "the worst is over" re: Katrina in New Orleans.

But, I am currently breathing deeps sighs of relief--Michael is alive and okay! He's still in New Orleans (living on the second floor of his home). His family is headed to Omaha, NE to stay with family so that the kids can enroll in school. Also, his wife plans to do some substitute teaching while out there.

There is so much work to be done. Unbelievable, heart-breaking amounts of work.

But things are markedly better for anyone who was concerned about Michael Homan. :0)

On another note, Orientation was yesterday and today, and things have gone very well. There are several really great people in the new class, and I think we're all going to get along smashingly. Plus, card night tonight! YES!!!! The traditions of last year are going to be off to a splendid beginning this year. If only we had Steve here with us (I talked to him yesterday though--it was his bday, and all is going well). I think this year is going to be quite different from last year--different, but good.

Take care.