NEW blog URL!

I realized my blogger/google profile links to this page when I comment on other people's blogger blogs. So if you're reading this, head on over to my current blog here! (laurakmcclellan.tumblr.com) Enjoy!

0076.

This is Sean McConnell.

I love him.

Why, you ask?

Because his songs tell beautiful stories. Because his voice is unmatched by anyone I’ve ever seen perform live. Because he tells the truth in his music. And because his songs are great musically, as far as melodies, chord progressions, and head bobbing goes.

He’s one of those singers that makes you want to yell out “you BETTA sing!” or “Mmm!” after every other line.

He can quiet a bar venue with just his voice and an acoustic guitar. But don’t get him wrong, he definitely pumps out some “lyric-based roots rock,” as he calls it.

Please go visit his myspace at http://www.myspace.com/seanmcconnell and buy his latest EP, The Walkaround EP.

He’s working on another album right now which I am super excited about because he will finally record the song I filmed on Wednesday night, which you (hopefully) watched above, among other songs we’ve been waiting for recordings of. :)

0075.

So, tomorrow is my LAST First-Day-Of-School ever.

Here are three things I'd rather do than go to school tomorrow:

1. Clean out my closet.
2. Spend 1 hour with Spencer Pratt. (okay, maybe 20 minutes.)
3. Go back to high school anatomy where things like this happened:




Oh, high school...

0074.

There are few things that make my mouth happier than s'mores.

Because my lovely parents got me a firepit for Christmas I was able to test it out tonight with a few friends, and it was so fun. It will be more fun once it's like...y'know...40 degrees instead of 19...but what are you gonna do when the weather forgets we live in Tennessee and flurries for a day & a half?

We also tested out The Game of Things. We found out that some of us are a little racist, and most of us were inappropriate, but it was fun.

note: the object of the game is to write outrageous things while deceiving others so they are unaware of which response was actually yours. so the racism was not genuine. just to set the record straight, here. can't have any rumors floating around in cyberspace...

I also learned that a tree that grows baby T-Rexes would be more frightening in real life than it sounds.

Being back in Nashville is nice. Not quite ready to start classes on Wednesday...blah. That means I have to get kicked to the curb in about 5 months, and I am not okay with that.

I mean, really, I don't want to stay in school any longer, but I don't want to get a job either. Can't I just sleep through the next couple years and then pick up where I left off?

This post is just a stream of consciousness, which is totally not in keeping with my "Three Things" trend...Sorry. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow and will be more interesting.

EDIT: It is currently 13 degrees with a wind chill (aka "feels like") of THREE DEGREES. really??

0073.

My creativity comes in waves. Maybe sometime soon I'll create something again that I'm proud of on this blog like this.

0072.

Proof that pop music in 2010 will not be nearly as good as 2009:




Please prove me wrong, music industry!

0071.

I gave my blog a makeover. I think it's not quite done yet, but I like the layout and theme a lot.


In keeping with my "Three Things" theme, which will continue indefinitely, I've decided to name three things I liked about 2009 and three things that will hopefully happen in 2010.


Three Things I Liked About 2009.


1. Pop music.
I feel like the caliber of pop music was much higher in 2009 than it has been in previous years, especially the early 00's. Or maybe my standards have just been lowered. But seriously, you can't tell me THIS isn't awesome.
I mean, let's face it. Everything Beyonce and/or Timbaland touches turns to gold. Lady Gaga decided to see how much nonsense she could throw at us before we would revolt [answer: limitless], all the while serenading us with catchy tunes at a flaming piano. Party in the USA set up camp in your head for weeks on end. And that-dude-who-sings-that-"Down"-song [I finally learned his name is in fact Jay Sean] was being played constantly on the radio. Yes, 2009 was a year for pop music greatness.


2. The return of Michael Jackson's greatness

I admit it, I too thought of Michael Jackson as a freak. It's not our fault, though. We missed out on all the good times. We came in at the beginning of the end--the 90's. Okay, he made some good music back when he was black, but essentially all we knew about him was that he used to be black and now looked like a cross between a monkey and a skeleton, he may or may not have harmed small children, and he dangled his child whom he lovingly named "Blanket" over a balcony.

But after his death (which was on my birthday, no less), all the freakdom fell away and we were left with just his talent. Yes, it was over publicized and he was NOT God, although Madonna may beg to differ, he was a talented musician and we were finally able to appreciate that without all the chaos seemed to follow him everywhere.

"This Is It" was a great outlet for that. We got to see him be a real person. Critiquing his band, cracking jokes, singing. It was interesting and really fun to see him be a normal person. And hear all the great songs he performed.

3. The sudden nation-wide interest in a cappella music and show choirs

A) Glee. B) The Sing-Off. Enough said. Under-appreciated genre that is now rising to the top. It will inevitably fade out as a fad, but for now, I'm enjoying it.


Three Things I Hope Happen in 2010

1. I get a job.
2. Nick Jonas sticks with his solo career.
3. I learn to play my mandolin well.

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.

0066.

Watched a movie in my Media Ethics class today, which, by the way, is the most pointless waste of time, filled with girls' half-baked arguments about why one person shouldn't be helped if everyone can't be helped...

..but I digress.

The video was about advertising and how the leading advertisers try to tap into our inner desire to be a part of something. Anything, really. It was interesting because they researched what makes people want to join cults, and applied that to advertising.

One of the main points was fulfilling needs--unconscious and conscious. Community was one of them.

It just made me think about our humanity and how we all long for the same things. And there is a reason for that. I loosely paraphrase CS Lewis in saying that for every desire there is something to fill it, and if we find in ourselves a desire which we cannot fill on earth, our only conclusion can be that we are made for another world.

It's humbling and makes me feel connected to the rest of the world, in a way, to remember that we all long for community--to be known and loved. To feel included. It gives me hope that there is a way to reach people who are extremely different from you--common ground.

Of course as Christians we know this. We are created to be in community. Hence, Eve. I mean, let's face it. No one likes being alone. At least not for more than a couple days.

We reflect our Creator who already lives in community via the Trinity.

It's just interesting and a little disheartening to know we're all searching for the same thing and some people will never find it because they are looking in the wrong places.

It's a little cliche, but I guess that's because it's true. The "God-shaped-hole" you learn about in 7th grade Sunday school holds true--even if it does turn into Christianeze.

So the point of the movie was that products become a sense of identity--Mac users, Coke drinkers, TOMS and Chaco wearers, Hummer drivers (although really, who wants to be THAT guy?)--you name it.

It made me think. I do identify myself with things I use/drink/wear.

Why does that junk matter? Sometimes I realize that I am ridiculous.

...And then forget it the next day.

[This post didn't really become what I wanted it to be. It's a little more scattered than I intended, but I'm listening to John Mayer's new album simultaneously so I'm kind of just writing what I'm thinking.]

The End.

0065.

As I sit and stare at my computer screen, listening to the squeals of the insane So You Think You Can Dance? judge, who for Lord knows what reason finds it acceptable to burst ear drums at her every whim, I try to think of something to write.

Anything.

I'd like to do some creative writing, but I've gotten that sucked out of me by a journalism class.

That's lame. I thought I was pretty decent at that. Hopefully I'll rediscover that next semester. Or maybe not.

Then I'd like to write some passion-filled rant about something that really grinds my gears, but I've got nothing.

What can I say? Life is good.

I mean, I graduate in May with a degree in a field of which I am currently in my first semester, but y'know..besides that. Seriously. Why couldn't I just figure out that I hate Music Business after my first year like everybody else?

Sigh. Maybe I should just make a list again.

Well, here are some conclusions I've recently come to about myself:

-I gossip. ...Right? Who knew? It's got to stop.
-I will forever be a creature of habit, meaning I will forever have to give myself 3 separate reminders when I have to do something out of the ordinary the next day.
-Maybe I should stop trying to make things last longer and clinging to past experiences in an effort to preserve them and just accept that life moves on, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
-I've become more materialistic since I came to college. Darn you, Belmont hipsters!
-I really like scarves. I can wear them with t-shirts and look like I actually tried.
-I seriously cannot watch any more R-Rated movies. I just can't. There are either naked people, torture, or gore in them. My Disney-filled brain and active imagination can't handle it.

Well, there you have it, folks. Blog post number 1 since september. I hope it wasn't a disappointment. Maybe something will make me angry tomorrow and you'll get a more intelligent post.

0064.

This morning my Intro to PR teacher said, while admitting that he'd grown up in a different era,

"When I was growing up, when the President spoke, you listened."

It would be an exciting thing to hear what he had to say or get the chance to meet him. I mean, he was THE President.

I think most people would agree that element of respect and reverence for the leader of one's [our] country has diminished greatly. At least among those who do not agree with the leader's policies. We concurred in our class that perhaps that decline was set in motion during the Clinton term, mostly due to the scandals he was involved in.

It makes my heart a little sad that that sort of general admiration and attitude of respect towards the President has been lost.

Anyways, I read the speech President Obama made today for the school kids. I thought it was awesome. I think there's something special about the President of our country taking the time to address just the students. I mean, when was the last time our President spoke directly to you and your peers? I think it would be really cool to feel included in that group. I think the fact that he took the time to do that was great. And I think the speech was actually rather moving.

It made me sad, once again, that people who do not share his opinions on issues almost automatically expected the worst from our President. But if he had spoken these words to me, I would've felt a little inspired. :) Let's face it, he's got that whole public speaking thing down.


Click here if you're interested in reading the transcript.

0063.

I haven't blogged in over a month, and I'm struggling to find something good to blog about. So I'll just give an update.


This summer was very much a summer of transition. I'm trying to be better at embracing change...

First of all, i changed my major at the end of last semester, so the summer was filled with a series of bad experiences with community college classes on my way to beginning my new major at Belmont in the fall. "Physical Science" at Nashville State apparently means "basic physics including an inconvenient and unnecessary shift halfway through the semester in which your teacher, whose phd i can only assume is fabricated, decides to simply 'remove' any and all math from the course." It was basically the most frustrating joke of a class in which one cannot win without simply accepting his ridiculous justifications of his teaching style. If you could call it that. Not to mention the hoodlums (i use this word because i feel it is accurate and a necessary description) who only care about automotive technology and think that enrolling in a class that takes place from 1pm til about 3pm means "attend at any point during these two hours for the duration of your choice, and whatever you do, make sure everyone is aware of your presence at any given moment."


Anyways. I also took Biology online, which was a huge mistake.

Then Belmont took away our bottled water.

I got to see some of my best friends from home a few times, including a visit to Tuscaloosa which was so much fun!

I was also finally baptized. It went by really fast, so basically I remember standing backstage, wondering where our young adult minister, Ray, had vanished to, because he was the one dunking me. I remember stepping into the baptismal which, p.s., is totally just a metal trough that they try to pass off as fancy by strategically placing a wooden frame in front of it. The water was surprisingly warm. I recited the shpiel (i don't know if that is an actual word or not) i had memorized about why i wanted to be baptized. Because, let's face it, I am no public speaker and I am not about to get up there and start rambling and/or forget to say anything relevant at all. Then I was wet and it was over. But I am so glad I did it. I feel like this is something God wanted me to do, and I finally got up the courage to not care about the fact that I am 21 and not 8, like most kids that get baptized at Fellowship.

Then Beaman owned about a week of my life. But I really do like it there. New Grad Assistants. Transition again.

I'm washing my hands a lot so I don't get swine flu. Mostly because I will do whatever it takes to avoid throwing up.
Also, whose idea was it to name it swine flu? Maybe something that sounds a lot less like a death sentence and/or plague. Like "piglet flu." Awww.

I am starting PR at belmont. It's a little weird being around different types of people (99% girls, 50% blonde) and having classes in a different building, but I'm liking it so far. It will push me out of my comfort zone but once again, let's face it, I need that. I'm rather attached to my comfort zone.

This week I have to call my teacher's friends, family, and former coworkers in order to question them about her personality and life so that I can write a fake obituary about her.

Let the awkward ensue.

0062.

-Tidbits-

1. "Break Even" A song that Dave Barnes tweeted about. I actually thought it was catchy & well-written. And I didn't care for their first single. Click the link to see the YouTube video.


2. I read John recently, and a couple things stood out to me that hadn't before.
-Jesus prayed for us. [John 17:6-26} As in, Jesus talked to God on our behalf. Asking Him to take care of us. It was really humbling and brought a new level of humanity to Jesus for me. I love that. He's not just some all-powerful being bestowing things upon us. He prayed for us just like we pray for others. Except this is the King of Kings speaking. Hm.

-The last verse in John, via the ESV:

"Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written."- John 21:25.

Wow. Beautiful, yet once again humanizing. I love when you can relate to the author of the book just by the nature in which they wrote. Like he's actually just having a conversation with you. I love that it leaves you hanging a little bit, too. That there are great things about Jesus that we don't even know about. Awesome.

3. I'm being baptized at my church next Saturday. I'm getting excited about it actually. I'm excited to actually do something I know God has been wanting me to do. I'm excited to have that experience and know what it feels like. I'm a little nervous just because of the whole being-in-front-of-hundreds-of-people thing...but y'know. It'll be good.

0061.

As I was enduring the frozen tundra that is the beaman weight room, sitting in that little blue chair, I decided to peruse the magazine rack for something to occupy my time.

The cover of a TIME magazine with a wedding cake on the cover, mentioning the importance of marriage in the title, caught my eye. I actually found the article to be very interesting. I mean, a popular magazine actually arguing FOR marriage, not just commenting on the decline of it? Hm.

Some points that stood out to me:

- The decline of the institution of marriage can be attributed to different motives per socio-economic class.
"The poor are [forsaking marriage] be uncoupling parenthood from marriage, and the financially secure are doing it by blasting apart their unions if the principals aren't having fun anymore."

-One of the previous arguments for children doing exceedingly well with two parents was that if you account for income level, the presence of a father is not the cause for poor performance in children. In this article, they found that across the board, even in lower income scenarios, children from two-parent households far exceeded the performance and achievement of children from one-parent households. Even if the one-parent household child is in a more wealthy family than the child from a two-parent household, the two-parent household child exceeds the other.

-A president that actually challenges men to step up and honor the commitment to raising a child. Regardless of politics, I admire this statement by our President:
"We need our fathers to step up, to realize that their job does not end at conception; that what makes you a man is not the ability to have a child but the courage to raise one."- Barack Obama


-A reason for marriage other than happiness and romantic love: to raise the next generation.
"Children have a primal need to know who they are, to love and be loved by the two people whose physical union brought them here. To lose that connection, that sense of identity, is to experience a would that no child-support check or fancy school can ever heal." -Blankenhorn, President of the Institute for American Values

-An explanation for the troubles cohabitating adults have when a child is brought into the picture:
The child arrives in a family that hasn't resolved its most basic issues, i.e. sexual fidelity and division of responsibilities. The woman starts making wife-like demands on the man, and with no binding commitment, the man leaves.

-A pattern forming: adults are becoming increasingly less willing to put in the hard work and personal sacrifice it takes to maintain a marriage. President and Michelle Obama are often admired for still being "in love." They took a period of separation to work on their marriage and are now in a better place.

-An observation re: Jon Gosselin
The article says that he lives "as though loving the kids and doing right by them were unrelated events."

-The general public delights or even experiences "relief when a standard bearer for the 'traditional family' fails to pull it off."

-Once again, a different reason for marriage than being "in love" and "happy" all the time:
"To raise the next generation. To protect it and teach it. To instill in it the habits of conduct and character that will ensure the generation's own safe passage into adult-hood."


..Something to think about.

0060.

Happy International Justice Day!

Learn about International Justice Day and why its important from Mocha Club's new video here!:



I've been trying to figure out what God wants me to do with my life lately. Trying to find where my passions lie. And although I am still unsure, I see this video, hear stories, read articles, and I just can't help but seriously consider going into a nonprofit to help people around the world overcome injustice. We are so blessed to live in a country where, while we are not immune to injustice by any means, we have things like clean water and accessible healthcare.

I hope that our generation can stand together against these injustices and love as Jesus loved, never neglecting the needs of our brothers and sisters, who exist both in and beyond our own nation.

Thanks for reading!

0059.

Thoughts.


1. Community College = LAME. (...no offense..)

2. I want to start using the phrase "right??" like they do on How I Met Your Mother.

3. Today when I was watching a YouTube video someone linked to of an 1983 MJ performance, I realized that I've never really watched Michael Jackson perform from his earlier days. I've only heard the songs and seen the music videos. Hm. I kind of feel like I missed out by like 10 years. Bring on the next prodigy, society. We're ready.

4. This Sunday I was a little mad at God because I feel like He never talks to me. He never gives me a definitive answer. I know, I know. It's because I'm not listening, right? I've heard that all before. But seriously. I felt (and still do a little) that he speaks clearly to other people and not me. Or either they are making it all up, and they don't really know the difference between their own wishes/the "right" thing to do vs. God's voice telling them what to do. I was extremely frustrated. I mean, really. SPEAK IN AUDIBLE WORDS PLEASE. Maybe it was because I was being honest with Him in my head, or maybe I just needed to wait it out (although I feel like I wait out a lot of things and then just end up doing what I think I should do without any definitive "DO THIS." from God)...but I feel like He gave me closure that day. I feel good about my decision. And whether that is His voice or not, maybe I'll never be 100% sure. But I am reassured. And that's what I needed.

5. If you haven't heard Derek Webb's new album, Stockholm Syndrome, go to derekwebb.com and buy it. You get an immediate download even if you buy the physical cd. It is bold and thought-provoking. Listen closely.

6. I want to discover my passions in life and figure out what I am good at. Right now I don't know, but I'm trying.

7. I have one year of college left. AHH. I will try to make the absolute most of it!

8. Maybe I should write a collection of short stories. I know they would probably have little to no literary value as far as utilizing rhetorical devices go...but I would enjoy it. The first will be Captain Planet's awkward high school years, co-written by Edwin.

9....And I want a Sham-Wow.

0059.

"Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, I now see." John 9:25




Let me know that You love me, and let that be enough.