0070.

Three Things, Christmas Edition.



Since I totally failed at writing a timely Christmassy blog, I will do it now.

I was going to add my New Years Edition as well, but after finishing the Christmas portion, I figured you will have had enough out of me for one day. So here it is.

Three Things I Loved About Christmas (And One I Did Not.)

1. CIT* Reunion Party.

I don't know what it was about those three weeks in 2006 that linked us together, but I will always have a special place in my heart for that group of people. And even though it wasn't quite the same as our 2006 Christmas reunion, it was good for my heart and I loved every minute of it. I miss Sarah's outrageous rants and apparently ninja-like fashion, the word "shladies" which was so lovingly brought back from obscurity by Michael Gold, and reliving our camp experiences one by one. Everyone has their individual quirks, and it's awesome.
Okay. Sorry about that for those who have no idea who those people are.

*CIT- Counselor In Training*

2. The Return of Guitar Hero.

I fancy myself a pretty mean shredder on guitar hero, but my brother took his XBox back from me after he moved into his apartment, so I was left guitar hero-less this semester while my skills waned daily.
But with the release of Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero, which was my brother's girlfriend's Christmas present, the color coded frets returned to my life and I was able to rock out again. And by that I mean stare at the tv looking concerned, because if I rock out too hard, I start missing notes.

3. Mandolin.

My loving boyfriend got me a mandolin for Christmas, which may seem random to you, but I always contend that the sound of a mandolin can instantly make you feel better about life.
So right now I can play about 6 chords (knowing how to play guitar helps) and the intro to the REM classic, "Losing My Religion," which features a mandolin.

So...there's that.

Oh, and the One Thing I Didn't:

1. Helen and Ferris collectively ruining Christmas.

Who are Helen and Ferris, you ask? Only the two people responsible for us NOT hearing annually-worse a cappella rendition of O Come O Come Emmanuel sung by Helen, our music director, at my family's church's Christmas Eve Service. Now, this song usually opens the service and we look forward to it every year. Not for its sonic appeal, but for the sake of tradition...and because it's usually pretty bad.
This year, even though it was listed in the program, Ferris (our pastor--also a woman--I can't make this stuff up) marched herself up to the pulpit and just started welcomin' away without giving Helen a chance to sing.
Now, Helen, appearing to have forgotten her starring role, sat herself down in the choir loft, oblivious to the fact that there are fans in the audience whose Christmas joy hinges on her very solo [read: us].

...And Christmas was ruined.
After a song or two, a flustered Helen mentioned that she "forgot" to sing O Come O Come Emmanuel. But did she rectify the situation? No. She simply continued with the hymn and ignored her Christmas duty to society.

So there you have it, folks. My Christmassy Blog.

0069.

Three Things I Learned From My High School English Teacher, Mr. Freeman:


1. Paper Length: "Like a girl's skirt: long enough to cover everything, but short enough to keep it interesting."

I like this guideline, and I think more college professors would do well to fall in line. Page requirements are silly and lead to a lot of B.S. on the last page or so, and who needs that?

2. The Proper Working Definition of an Allegory: "A tale in verse or prose in which the characters, actions, settings, or events represent abstract ideas or moral qualities."

I don't know how this will help me in life. But it fits the category. Maybe one day I will be on the sidelines of a fierce sword fight filled with witty banter [see: The Princess Bride], and one will challenge the other: I will spare your life if you answer me this--what is the proper working definition of an allegory? And I will feel it coming--my moment. As the man blocks a hit from the incoming sword and fights to push it away, he exclaims in anguish, "DOES ANYONE KNOW THE PROPER WORKING DEFINITION OF AN ALLEGORY?"
And I, calm and confident, will step forward as everyone stares & gasps and say, "I do, dear sir. I do."

Or maybe it will just never help me in life.

3. Denim dockers are not the same as jeans.

One day, as a result of one of our classmates unknowingly falling into a trap of colleague vs. colleague, he pointed out, in jest, that Mr. Freeman was wearing "jeans," which, at ole' Springwood, was a no-no. This was all in good fun until three weeks later when we got a 5 page paper detailing what the word "jeans" entails, and that Denim Dockers were no such item. We had never been so afraid in our lives.


So there you have it. One more installment of "Three Things..."

Maybe I'll do a Christmassy one next. I like this. It gives me focus. :)

0068.

Chreeees-masss. [yay.]


Day 4 in the Valley.

Haven't actually found myself to be bored yet...so that's a plus.

Hm. I need an idea to get my blog started again. Maybe I'll start a little series. It'll be called "3 Things..."


Today's episode will be 3 Things I Fought to Resist but Caved in the End:


1. Twitter.

Yes, I was one of those people who fought with every fiber of her being to resist the Twitter craze. It didn't help that my boyfriend had it and used it constantly. I didn't see the point and didn't have anything to say, which is probably the argument most people without Twitter make. However, the more Craig was like, "hey--Dave Barnes was like, [insert funny thing here]" or "Look at what John Mayer just said..." I realized I, too, wanted to enjoy reading celebrities' witty remarks and see pictures from their everyday life. So I caved, and the rest is history. I would like to say that I am more of a reader than a poster. I don't have anything hilarious or thought-provoking to say, but hey, now I know when Derek Webb would like a remote control that looks like a wand or when Phil Wickham has left two tickets at the box office under the names "Princess Leia" and "Obi Wan."


2. A Northface Fleece Jacket.

Every girl in my high school had one in varying colors. I didn't want to be part of the trend, of course, so I resisted. But then I realized I needed a lightweight jacket that was acceptable to wear with almost everything, so my sophomore year in college, I caved. I still wear it all the time, so I guess it was a good investment. And half the student body at Belmont are too trendy for North Face anyway, so I didn't feel so bad.

3. The Jonas Brothers

Okay, they may not be the most talented group of brothers to ever break into mainstream music [see: Hanson], but when "Burnin' Up" hit the top of the charts, I had to own that song. It's quite possibly one of the catchiest songs ever written, not to mention well produced. Not that they produce their own albums, but they've got Disney backing them so they can get the best producers in the business. But I digress.
After "Burnin' Up" came their 4th album, "Lines, Vines, and Trying Times." This album converted me. No, the album is not filled with musical genius, but it IS filled with an opening track that makes the part of your heart designated for pop goodness explode ["World War 3"] and 12 more delightful tunes, many of them surprisingly featuring a horn section that adds a lot.

Anyways...

There are three things I fought to resist but couldn't. Stay tuned for more "3 Things.." episodes.

0067.

I feel like creating but I am instead forced to study.

I think my next post will be a story. I haven't blogged in a while. I'm losing touch with my blog, I guess. But don't worry, I still keep regular journals so that when my time comes they can be compiled as an autobiography. Spoiler Alert: the high school years will be the most intriguing.

Apparently I am good at this writing thing. I mean, I always kind of thought I was, but it's nice to actually put it to good use and have someone appreciate it. I should have changed my major a long time ago.

So after tomorrow I only have one semester left in college.

I feel like four years of high school went by a lot slower. But then again, I was a teenager oppressed by her parents, attending a nuthouse of a school, and pining for a boy, so everything was more dramatic. :-)

Freshman year feels so far away. It's almost like I dreamed it. It was just one awkward encounter after another in a new city that didn't feel like home. But I made a small handful of friends--and I do mean small--and I'm so glad they've stayed in my life.

I still miss high school sometimes, but I'm happy where I am.

Semester Recap:
-went to my first Preds game
-wrote my first press release
-got a story published in Belmont's newspaper which may not be the best publication in circulation but i'm still proud
-have the best roommates ever
-learned a LOT about relationships
-I don't hate my classes nearly as much because I'm actually doing something I'm good at/don't hate
-walked a mile barefoot with Hanson
-got baptized
-learned to appreciate Lady GaGa
-got a paid internship for next semester

over all, i'd say it was a win.