Date:	2007-06-05 18:39
Subject:	A (possibly) long-overdue update
Security:	Public
Mood:	relaxed
Music:	a perfect circle

I promised Mom an update, and it only took me a couple weeks to get onto that!

I've come to realize that "summer vacation" is just a myth for college students who are saving for a car, a trip to Greece over spring break... Oh, and paying for tuition and loans. Hmm. I'm working about 70 hours a week now, which keeps me pretty busy. I'm working with Dr. Turner at SIU-SM this summer, helping him analyze his research results and working on writing parts of his experiment manuscript. It's not really interesting work, and isn't at all relatecd to anything I'm interested in, but experience is experience, riight? Plus, it pays. So, I do that 5 days a week, 7.5 hours a day. Along with that, I'm working about 30 hours a week at Steak n Shake. So, I never really have a day off unless I request it, which I did Friday for Shad and Sara's wedding. Which was a lot of fun :)

I do, however, have a few nights off a week (two, actually), which I spend very productively by playing on the internet and watching tv. Time to unwind, and it's nice.

Otherwise, though, not a lot of new things are going on.

But at least I updated, right ? :)

Midterm grades are starting to be posted... A in sociology, A in chemistry, and...

B+ IN SPANISH!!!

That little plus makes all the difference.

I just thought that this was a really sad story, although I'm not sure there's much we can do out here in Illinois.

http://www.williewatch.com

Date:	2007-02-11 15:52
Subject:	:-P
Security:	Public
Mood:	restless
Music:	Bon Jovi

53 more days of Spanish. Yes, I am counting down.

Classes are still going ok. I've been writing a lot, it feels, and doing a LOT of reading.

Other than that... there's not a lot going on. My life is so fascinating, I know.

Date:	2007-01-17 12:06
Subject:	Update?? Wow
Security:	Public
Mood:	hungry
Music:	iPod on shuffle

So, back to school. I've had three different classes already (Spanish twice :-P) and so far everything is going ok. I found out that my sociol problems class is weighted, which I've never had to deal with. He said that none of us would fail (probably), but half would get C's, and only 10 percent would get A's. Makes this a little more difficult than the class I took with him last semester (where he was grading based on whether he liked you or not. I got an A in that one!)

Spanish is, well, Spanish, and will be my foe for the next 15 weeks (and two days). I'm thinking about making a countdown, but the idea of over 70 days of spanish left depresses me, and I don't want to see a physical reminder of that. The professor this semester seems a lot nicer (and more scattered and easily flustered) than last semester's, which is a good thing. Plus, Celsey is in class with me, and it's always easier to get through a dreaded class with a great friend.

Personality and Individual Theories is going to be fun! The professor is one that the student body always loves, and it is widely recommened as a 'can't miss professor.' She's one who I talked to while visiting the campus for the first time, and I like her style a lot. Plus, the subject is something that I"m really interested in...

Chemistry and social psychology is still to come...

It's been nice not having much work to do yet, but I'm almost ready for the real homework to come. I hate sitting around with nothing to do, waiting for the flood to start... especially when I have no TV to keep my mind occupied!

Anyways, I'm off to lunch, then chem and social psych. Will try to get back into the swing of updating this!

Date:	2006-12-12 21:49
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	bouncy
Music:	Story of the Year

I just turned in my religion final (a 12 page paper) over a day and a half early. And by turn in, I mean emailed her an attachment, like she wanted. But it was still done and turned in over a day and a half early.

I just thought you should know.

Date:	2006-12-11 12:03
Subject:	Update...
Security:	Public
Mood:	stressed
Music:	The White Stripes

I realized early this morning that it’s been quite a while since I updated, so while I have a few minutes free, I’ll let you know a little bit about what’s been going on.

Mostly, classes have been rushing to finish up before the end of the semester. I only have two left, then they’re done with. Its pretty exciting, but a little stressful – just means that all of those papers I’ve been putting off are finally going to be due. Yesterday I went and sat in a computer lab for about three and a half hours, and when I came out, I had one of my papers done (all eleven pages of it). I still have to go over it, but I feel pretty accomplished. Too bad that wore me out – I had troubles doing anything else that day!

My Spanish and Psychology classes are officially done with now. All I have left to do is take the finals (and in psychology’s case, write a paper) and then I’ll really be done with the courses. Except for Spanish… but at least I’m halfway done with that one.

I’m not too worried about any of my finals (again, except for Spanish) because most of my grades are pretty well set. So right now, what I’m looking forward to is just getting through everything so that I can come home in a couple days. I need some good sleep!

I realized that it's been quite a while since I did any updating on this, so I figured I'd sit down and write a little. {lus, this is a way for me to feel productive while putting off my homework ;)

Today was an open house day, so I got to work a little. I was scheduled for an hour and a half, but Mary Jane (who heads the admissions office) asked me to do some paperwork after all the prospectives had left. I think she likes me :) She said she's going to get a hold of me on Thursday to do some more work for her. I don't reeally mind at all... I need the money!

Not a whole lot has been going on, though. I've been keeping busy with homework, and listening to all the drama unfold around me. My own, and my friends. Seems like this month is going to be one of many break-ups and new relationships... who needs tv when you've got a live soap opera in your own backyard?

There's only a few more days of classes before Thanksgiving break starts, and I'm pretty exciting. It'll be nice to have a long weekend, even though I'll probably be spending it working. Hopefully, though, I'll be able to coordinate my work schedule around some of my friends', and that I'll be able to see them next week. Niki and I have been trying to get together lately, but we always work opposite scheduoles, and can never seem to line things up. Maybe almost a whole week home will give us a chance to get together.

Anyways, I should get working on my homework. Right now I'm researching forced sterilizations on Native Americans in the 1970's... It's pretty interesting stuff.

Date:	2006-10-28 00:35
Subject:	Yes, it is 12:35 in the morning.....
Security:	Public
Mood:	exhausted
Music:	The people in my head, telling me to sleep

.....but I just finished registering for classes. Pretty exciting :)

Monday:
9:00 -- Spanish
11:00 -- Social Problems
1:00 -- Chemistry (101 baby!)
2:00 -- Social Psychology

Tuesday:
9:00 -- Spanish
11:00 -- Personality and Individuality Differences

Wednesday:
(see Monday)

Thursday:
9:00 -- Spanish
11:00 -- Personality and Individuality Differences
1:00 -- Chem Lab (2 hours :P)

Friday:
(See Monday)

Supongo (I suppose) this will be my last semester taking gen ed's. Courtney had made fun of me last semester for being a declared psych major who'd only had one psych class, but now that I'm finishing my gen eds, she's not making fun of me anymore. She's still got a bunch of hers to do...

I think we have a class together next semester (I'd turn around and ask her, but she's currently yelling at the computer. I know we're trying to get into the same class... I don't know if she got in or not though), which will be kind of cool. I've got Spanish with Celsey, which is nice, since I rarely get to see her anymore.

But anyways. My freshly-made bed is calling my name.

I try to keep up with reading my friend's journals. Most of them have online sites like this one, and I try to visit them fairly often to read about what's going on in their lives. Most of the times, all that's written about it trivial day-to-day things, which are fun to read, but I ran across one a few days ago where my friend did a whole introspection kind of deal. He looked at his life, and talked about how much he's changed/hasn't changed, and how the people around him have changed/haven't changed since college started. And that kind of got me thinking about things.

Everyone seems to change a lot their freshman year, but I think the most of mine came this summer through the present. I didn't feel too many changes occuring last year, but I have been able to feel them in the past couple months. I'm more confident with myself (I can -gasp- hold conversations with cute boys without turning red and gaping like a fish!), and more outgoing. I can just feel myself changing. I guess I can't describe it in more eloquent words.

The best part is, I'm really happy with this change. I like who I'm becoming, nd I really like the control that I have over my life.

Long (well, not really long) story short... I'm pretty happy right now!

Check the photobucket (there's a link of this somewhere... if you can't find one, let me know and I'll go find it). I uploaded homecoming pictures. I didn't end up taking that many, though...

So, tonight I did something I figured that I probably wouldn't. And I actually had a lot of fun.

On Sunday, Mrs. Jones asked me when I was going to come to choir rehearsal at church, and I told her that I'd try to come this week. And that's what I did tonight. It was pretty nice to be under her direction again. It felt good to be singing again, too. I hadn't realized that I missed it, because I can't really imagine myself missing the choir here at school, but singing with the group at the church felt good.

The only thing that will take me awhile is hearing everyone call Mrs. Jones "Kari." Although, I guess that's something I've got to get over fast, because she doesn't want me calling her Mrs. Jones anymore. It's Kari now, since she's not my teacher. Anyways.

I've been running around like crazy this week. I've had three papers to write, two tests to study for, an average of 75 pages to read every night, two foreign films to watch, and meetings to go to every night. I won't lie, I kind of like being kept busy, but a weekend off from school will do me good :)

Monday, we got our first essay assignment in Sociology. Write a paper over deviance. And since the entire class is about deviance, that wasn't very specific. But that's all he told us. Write a paper about some aspect of deviance (more irony... the class is called "Aspects of Deviance!"). No certain page length, just write.

I sat down to write it this afternoon, and figured out pretty quickly what I wanted to write about (the book states that "one does not become deviant solely by performing deviant acts," and I don't necessarily agree with that), and sat down and wrote. I typed out a 3 page paper, which normally would take me two or so hours, in cuarenta y cinco (45!) minutes. Pretty good for me.

And the weirdest part... I had fun writing it.

Just thought I'd share.

Date:	2006-09-18 14:57
Subject:	Monday Mornings
Security:	Public
Mood:	lazy
Music:	nine inch nails

Last night was the first night of good sleep that I've gotten in quite a few days. That didn't make getting up at 7:30 any easier, though. I woke up at 7, rolled over and realized that I still had a half an hours worth of sleep coming to me, and was estatic!

Ahh, the simple joys in life.

Spanish is getting a little bit better, but not by a lot. I still dread going to the class in the morning (maybe part of the reason getting up at 7:30 is hard?), but I can kind of understand what he says in class now. :)

I've been looking at classes for next semester, and I might be able to work it so that I don't have a class until 11 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Which would be kind of cool, I won't lie. But I'd have to get up at 8:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays... Sounds really nice, though :)

Girls night out the other night was great. I think I started to make another group of friends :) Basically, we watched a lot of tv (Grey's Anatomy, mostly) and ate a lot of chocolate (I have a bag of milky way's staring at me right now). And next Friday, another group of my friends and I are throwing a girl's night, this time focused on pizza and movies. Pretty exciting, I won't lie :)

Anyways, for now, I'm going to go do my Spanish homework, and copy my notes (five dollars for Corrie!!), then maybe off too yoga and BASIC. Or maybe a night in. Haven't decided yet...

xoxo

Date:	2006-09-14 13:35
Subject:	We live in a milisecond world...
Security:	Public
Mood:	creative
Music:	A Perfect Circle

...everything in the past exists only because we let it exist in our minds.

Such a cool concept. This is why I love my psychology class so much. Really gets me thinking.

This weekend is going to be fairly quiet... Courtney's going back home to see a REO Speedwagon concert, and I don't have any real plans, except for catching up on the massive amounts of reading that have quickly accumulated. I also hope to have the room cleaned up fairly well, go to church, do random chores around campus, and maybe even sleep in a little!

Classes are still going fine, but I definitely need the weekend that's coming up to take a break. I feel like I'm always running around doing something, and I'm not sure if I like it yet. Outside of class, I have BASIC, two bible studies, two yoga classes, PAC, ICE, sometimes SSMAC, and Chapel every week. It's nice to be constantly moving and engaged in something, but I think that something's going to have to be dropped soon (a club, NOT a class.... Although dropping a class seems like much more fun!)

Otherwise, there's not a whole lot going on right now. I'm still exhausted... I don't think I ever really caught up on sleep, after getting only 3 or so Monday night/Tuesday morning. The concert was definitely worth it, though!

And, on to the homework I go...

Date:	2006-09-05 15:04
Subject:	Settling in
Security:	Public
Mood:	chipper
Music:	Dave Matthews!

So, four months later, I get around to posting...

I've moved back into school, and am pretty settled in already. Courtney and I moved in at about the same time, so we got to arrange our room right away. We bunked our beds this year, and it gives the room a MUCH more airy feeling. There's pictures on my photobucket (there should be a link in a previous entry somewhere), but they don't really show the feeling of space in the room. Courtney and I both like the bunk beds, but it's taking a little bit to get used to...

I've got two jobs on campus this semester. I'm a Student Ambassador, and today was my first day of work for the year! I stuffed envelopes for an hour... not too exciting, but I was promised that I would generally be giving tours, since I'm scheduled at a great tour-giving-time... or something.

I also take notes, copy them, and give them to someone in my class. I'm taking them for Spanish, which actually helps me a lot for two major reasons: 1. It's not so hard going to class, knowing that I'm getting paid, and 2. recopying my notes helps me learn a little better. However, the guy I'm taking notes for doesn't show up for class, and hasn't picked up any of his notes, so I don't know how long this job is going to hold out... but until they tell me to stop, I'll keep copying notes and put it on my timesheet :)

My classes are all going pretty well, except for Spanish. Even with the two aforementioned points, it's still my least favorite class, and the hardest one I have. My mind just doesn't like the idea that a door can be called something other than "door," or that when I say "pencil" in Spanish, I have to say "el" first, because pencil is a masculine word...

Other than Spanish, I'm taking philosophy, a sociology class, a psychology class, and a religious class. The philosophy one is immensly entertaining. El profesor (practicing my Spanish!) is amazing, and has more energy than should be possible. Courtney is in that class with me, and I think we both get a huge kick out of it all...

My sociology class studies deviance in society, which doesn't sound like too much fun, but I'm really enjoying it, along with my psychology class, which studies learning. Both of these classes are the first ones that I'm taking that are beyond the intro level in something that I'm really excited about, which makes them even better. My psychology teacher makes silly little psych jokes - my kind of humor :)

My religion class is great, too. La profesora (giggle) holds the classes as a seminar, so we all sit in a circle and talk about the book we're reading. She's got a great personality, and it makes the hour and 15 minute class go by FAST. There's only 16 of us in that class, and it already feels kind of cozy and family-like.

Anyways, that's kind of what's been up with me lately. I'll try to remember to update this again soon...

Date:	2006-05-10 22:58
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	tired
Music:	Dream Theater

The only thing keeping me going right now is the knowledge that if I do well on this final... I won't ever have to look at biology again!!

I hate finals week. I sure hope everything works out right, and that I can move out and stay home two days earlier than planned :)

But for now, I'm crawling into bed.

Date:	2006-05-01 10:27
Subject:	agape...
Security:	Public
Mood:	chipper
Music:	Breathe You In

One massive group of Christian kids
+
Camping out
+
No real showers
+
No real toilets
+
Random running-into Sara Kienzle
+
Freezing cold weather
+
Funnel cakes and turkey legs
+
AMAZING MUSIC
+
No sleep
+
Ever-present looming threat of rain
+
Meeting TFK and having them sign my poster
=
AGAPE!!

It was amazing. Absolutely amazing. I'm so glad I went! I had so much fun, and met a whole lot of new people. It really was one of the best weekends I've had in a long time...

Date:	2006-04-19 22:15
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	tired
Music:	Fleetwood Mac

Today was pretty busy... kept me going, but now all I want to do is crash and get some sleep. So I'll do that soon.

My Bible class got started late, but that's no big surprise... it's unusual if the professor gets to class by 7 after. We reviewed for our test on Friday. Fun.

I had to give another speech today, which didn't go well... it didn't go badly, but it didn't go well. My fear of public speaking is dissipating, but I still don't like it. I also don't think I gave quite the speech she wanted us to give, but the class enjoyed it (maybe because it was based on drug use and the 60s?).

In biology I took a exam. I don't like biology. Or exams. Enough said.

Sociology was interesting, though. We're studying gender issues, which I think it really interesting. I might have to take a class or two in it.

Then to bio lab, which consisted of throwing frisbees, counting weeds, and figuring out ratios and stuff. Seemed more like a math project, but I won't complain too much... it meant that class was outside. :)

Choir. Was choir. :(

I had a meeting at 5 for PAC, but I had to miss it today. It usually runs until 6, but I had to use that hour to change into nicer clothes and eat dinner, because at 6 I had to give my first -real- tour of the campus. This group of high school kids came down from Chicago, so I took 5 of them around campus. It was kind of fun. They kept asking really obscure questions, and were just goofy people. At the end of the tour, I had to drop them off at the chapel, where someone was hosting a fashion show. I ended up staying and watching, and was pretty entertained. It wasn't a real fashion show, just silly college kids looking for a reason to dress weirdly.

When I got back to my room (around 8), I ended up sitting in the hallway listening to some girl gossip (the girl across the hall broke her engagement with her now-ex-fiancee), then working on some homework and reading One Flew Over a Cuckoo's Nest. And now here I am.

Tomorrow is my down-day, and I'm kind of excited. Can anyone say "nap"?? Plus, Megan and I have some plans, and I have homework to do. Bleh. The mention of homework is depressing...

So I'll just go read my book :)

Date:	2006-04-11 11:04
Subject:	Mindless ramblings...
Security:	Public
Mood:	calm
Music:	Thousand Foot Krutch

I only have two more days of classes left before I get to go on Easter break! Pretty exciting, considering the fact that on Thursday, I only have one class at 8:30, so I'll be done pretty early. Dr. Allman was even so nice as to cancel choir that day. Although most people had decided that they weren't even going if he hadn't canceled. But anyways...

My classes for next semester are all set up and approved, so no worries on that anymore. I've been looking at the class listing,s and found that only two of the classes I signed up for are full... philosophy and sociology. The others have only 7, 9, and 13 people in them. I'm betting that the class with 7 will become full after the new freshman sign up (it's spanish 101), but I really doubt that the other two (psych and religion) will fill up, because they're not the introduction classes that advisors have freshmen sign up for. Anyways, I'm excited about that, too.

I haven't had a whole lot of homework lately, which is nice. I had two major projects and a speech to deal with in the last two weeks, and now I feel like all the professors have let up for a little bit. Except my speech professor, who has assigned two new speeches, along with our final one, to be done before finals. Good thing one of them in extra credit... I'm not doing it :) I like my grade well enough.

Not too long ago, I found out that because a lot of people on the IC network have iTunes, we can share our music back and forth. Well, when someone is on iTunes, you can listen to their music, but you can't copy in onto your own playlist. But lately when I'm on the computer, I've been looking through other people's lists and playing some of their music on my computer. It's kind of fun to see the werid mixes of music people have on their computer, but I'm sure mine looks just as weird.

Oh! Speaking of music, on Saturday night Courtney and I went to see Marina V, who graduated from IC in 2001, I think. She's making it as a singer right now, and I thought she was really good. She was a Russian foreign exchange student, so she's got a slight accent, but she has good clarity, too. She kind of reminds me of Norah Jones; very breathy, fairly softy music. Courtney and I both bought a CD (I bought her earlier one, and Courtney bought the newest one), so we've been sharing them back and forth. I might have to bring mine home with me over break... you might like it, Dad.

Well, I'm going to get going. I just got a book from BASIC that I really want to read :)

Date:	2006-04-01 11:14
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	bouncy
Music:	Finger Eleven

So, my schedule for next year is as follows:

Monday:
8:00---Spanish 101
9:00---Learning (psych)
11:00---Aspects of Deviance (soc)
1:00---Intro to Philosophy
2:00---Done!!! :)

Tuesday
8:00---Spanish 101
11:00---Controversial Issues: Sex and God (how cool does that sound?!?!)
12:15---DONE!!! :)

Wednesday
See Monday

Thursday
See Tuesday

Friday
See Monday

I like it. Besides the 5-days-a-week Spanish thing. I suppose this is my payment for not taking a class in high school. If worse comes to worse, though, I can always ask Courtney (or Andrew!) for help...

Also, note the lack of choir... :)

Anyways, this is pending my advisor's approval. Now that I got all excited and posted it, my luck will turn and Dr. Elwood won't like it, or something...