New Semester, New Love

I just started my semester. To my surprise my favorite classes are the two I feared the most when I registered for them. These classes are Bio-Chem 285 (the status on this may change), and Anatomy 220 (the status on this is unchangeable, my professor is that good!).

There is so much information, and I just know I'm going to be living in the library for the next four months but I think it will be so worth it...I'm tempted to look into pre-med.

My next favorite class is probably my Volleyball coaching one since my teacher is none other than the Women's Volleyball coach! I'm pretty stoked on that and for when the class moves onto the court.

The Human body is incredible and I am so excited that I get to learn about it and, gain a greater appreciation for Heavenly Father's creations.

So...I"m putting my heart and souls into this. I have a good feeling though that this is what I'm supposed to be doing. English and Culinary school can wait.

2011 Reading List

One of my resolutions this year is to read one novel every month that steps outside of the my academic requirements. Yale offers a free two hour course online where many of these novels are discussed. While I will not be enrolling and doing the papers required by the course I will be participating in the lectures and lucky enough, many of these books match with the assigned reading.

Here they are...

January : Beyond good and Evil, Nietzsche

February: Wise Blood, O'Connor

March: Slaughter House 5, Vonnegut

April: On the Road, Kerouac

May: The Confession, Grisham

June: Crying of Lot 49, Pynchon

July: Bleak House, Dickens

August: Housekeeping, Robinson

September: The Human Stain, Roth

October: The Known World, Jones

November: Everything is Illuminated, Foer

December: The Corrections, Franzen

If you have any suggestions, I am very flexible on this list. So by all means, enlighten me.

My Favorite Poet:: William Blake

In my senior year of High School my AP English teacher Mr. Avitabile assigned our class a poetry project. This assignment encouraged an exploration of poetry as a form of human expression. I LOVED it. I also learned that I loved the poetry of the Romanticists. My favorite poem by Blake, "the Chimney Sweeper" is remarkable. I'd tell you what I think about it, but, in my opinion its best when it stands alone without critique or analysis.

Enjoy!

When my mother died I was very young,
And my father sold me while yet my tongue
Could scarcely cry 'weep! 'weep! 'weep! 'weep!
So your chimneys I sweep, and in soot I sleep.

There's little Tom Dacre, who cried when his head,
That curled like a lamb's back, was shaved: so I said,
"Hush, Tom! never mind it, for when your head's bare,
You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair."

And so he was quiet; and that very night,
As Tom was a-sleeping, he had such a sight, -
That thousands of sweepers, Dick, Joe, Ned, and Jack,
Were all of them locked up in coffins of black.

And by came an angel who had a bright key,
And he opened the coffins and set them all free;
Then down a green plain leaping, laughing, they run,
And wash in a river, and shine in the sun.

Then naked and white, all their bags left behind,
They rise upon clouds and sport in the wind;
And the angel told Tom, if he'd be a good boy,
He'd have God for his father, and never want joy.

And so Tom awoke; and we rose in the dark,
And got with our bags and our brushes to work.
Though the morning was cold, Tom was happy and warm;
So if all do their duty they need not fear harm.

SHAKE SHACK

Possibly one of my FAVORITE things to eat on this food-blessed world is the Corndog. Shake Shack's is extra special...it only comes up on the menu THREE times a year! It is also possibly the most DIVINE thing on a stick you could EVER have. Its new year's eve and my family and I have just spent a night sharing goals and playing horse, and reading the U.S. Constitution, a unique but very us combination of activities for sure! And...I am craving a shake-shack corndog. If only Columbus Ave were not 1500 miles away. Happy New Years to you all!

The Holiday

I guess I'm just in posting type-of-a-mood.

Christmas 2010 was very different from most Christmases. Without family in town, we went out for dinner Christmas Eve.

We spent it with my Dad's side of the Family and it was an incredible time.

Our morning was simple and we opened some presents and had cinnamon rolls and

scrambled eggs but the real fun came at about 1:00pm when we got to Oklahoma.

We pulled into Uncle Gene's front yard and could see a fire going on the porch and decorations all over. Grandpa Ken came out to greet us as did Grandma Leah and the rest of our family.

It was wonderful. The table was set with white linens and red ribbons and silverware.

The fire was lit and boy did the house smell good. We had ribs, turkey, salads, sweet potatoes, green beans, mash potatoes, rolls, rice pudding, and Aunt Kim's wonderful cheesecake and apple pie. It was a Holiday feast! Everything felt so good. We did some shooting with My Dad's new rifle and spent the rest of the night playing games, watching videos, opening some presents and talking. I love listening to the talk with their southern dialect. It is beautiful! Family is just the right place to be this time of year. Hope all y'all's Christmases were merry and bright!

New Year, New Goals

At this time of year its absolutely expected that my mom will begin talking about her new year's resolutions. And, it is sure that she will be repeating to Josh her favorite phrase, "a goal not written is merely a wish."

I don't think we've missed a year where weight-loss has been the number one goal. In fact, for the past few days or so all I have heard as we have been surveying Fort Worth eateries and having dangerously delectable meals is, "this is going to be one of my last times to eat this." Whats funny to me is that we're by no means heavy-set people. My moms 5'2 and 116 and she thinks she's over-weight!

This year I'm doing my goals a little differently. It has been said, It doesn't really matter what direction you take, if you don't know where you are going. I have a pretty good idea where I'm going so all my goals are geared to get me there. The destination? Nursing School by January of 2012. While I also have other places I'd like to be, this one is the top priority, at least I think it is in reference to my future. So what does this mean? More efforts on studying because if there is anything thats sure, its that me and science are as different as oil and vinegar. But, I also know if I take care of the important things first, and also prepare myself spiritually, it will all fall into place.

Some Goal Brainstorming

I realize these are A LOT so I going to be narrowing them down

Read a book aside from academic curriculum monthly

Get 8-9 hours of sleep everyday

Never go to class unprepared

BoM reading every morning

Exercise 3/week for 45 min

Lose 15 lbs.

Give away a BoM quarterly

News 15min/day

Remember everyone's birthday on my list. Send cards.

Journal EVERYDAY, but focus on the Lord's hand in my life

Live by my budget plan every month

Continue with my one burger a week rule

Only eat out once a week

License by June

Attend ALL my classes

Smile at all costs

VT every month

This one goal is pushing it but i want to see if i can do it.

I already have Everything i need in my wardrobe department.

Ahh, its struggle even to type this out.

Goal: Do not buy any clothes/shoes until Jan 1, 2012.

Magic 8 Balls

I have this odd obsession with magic 8 balls. For my birthday last year, I got one and since then I have found myself shaking it frequently to reveal answers to my deepest questions. Today's question, though I cannot reveal had the following response: "Yes definitely." I was ecstatic. My follow up question which i decided would solidify the first, said: "As I see it, yes."

So I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one.

Thank you Magic 8 ball.

p.s. today is the last day of classes for the fall semester.

p.p.s. I go home in 6 days.