Whatever, I couldn't think of a better title, so there.
Yesterday in Philosophy I got my paper back with a big 85 on it. That is the lowest grade I have ever received on any school assignment. I'm very much bummed out by the whole experience. My professor told me that I focused too much on how a real Christian should be an existentialist and not enough on Christian existentialism. I guess that made sense to me. I wish I could rewrite the stupid paper.
Last night Andrew and Laura went to a concert. I couldn't go because it was on the opposite side of town from school and I wouldn't have made it in time for anything but the last song or so. Instead I went back to Marianne's to eat dinner and rest by myself. I walked in the front door and there were fluffy white bits of cotton and shreds of plastic wrapping all over the floor. The dogs had obviously destroyed some new item. After sleuthing around I discovered that what they had strewn across 3/4ths of the whole house was a (used) feminine napkin (also known as a "pad"). *sigh* Oh the sacrifices we make for our animals (and the dreams we have of sacrificing them).
This morning I had a class at school related to a scholarship. I completely forgot my parking permit (for parking at the college) so I had to go to the on-campus DPS office to get a day permit. After getting the permit, I had to meet with my instructor in her office before class. Everything went fine until I got into class and realized that I didn't have my purse with me. I excused myself and ran downstairs to the bathroom (thinking maybe I'd left it in there). No purse. Then I checked with lost and found. No purse. I felt terrible, but I figured either someone had turned it in to DPS or I was screwed. So I went back to class. I sat there for an hour and a half thinking about my purse. In my wallet I had two checks, one for $86 and another on for $12, not to mention my $200 phone (before rebate, but still). We took a 5 minute break and I ran out to check the car, maybe I'd left it on the seat when I'd gone back out there earlier. Nope. I rushed over to DPS to ask there. No purse. Maybe I had gone to the upstairs bathroom, not the downstairs bathroom; they both look exactly alike. Nope, no purse. Then I thought, maybe, just maybe I'd left it in Shelly's office while I was talking to her. That's where it was. Oh, I was so relieved. That really made my day. Just the feeling of having lost something and then finding out that I hadn't lost it at all. I felt like I'd just lost 50 pounds and all of it came from my chest.
Today is an exciting day because this guy, Nathan, who Laura met over the internet is coming to visit. He and Laura have really hit it off. He just got here about 10 minutes ago and I'm scared to meet him because I worry that he won't be what I had in mind for Laura. From the window he looks as though he wouldn't quite measure up to my expectations, but I guess I should wait to meet him first.
GGggaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
That is how I feel right now, like yelling at the top of my lungs and with all the force I can muster from deep in my chest. Then I would groan and then I would scream!!!
Anyways I guess I should go and get the torturous thing over with.
(more later)
Christine
Currently watching: Princess Mononoke
Currently reading: Kimberly's blog
9.27.2005
Sitting here...
Well, I'm just sitting here at school... bored out of my mind (as you probably are from reading my blog). In Speech class today we each signed up for a country that we get to give a 5 minute speech about in class on Oct 13th. I got Russia. Hopefully between now and the 13th I will learn a heck of a lot more than I know now about Russia so that I'll be able to say something beyond "Russia is a cold, dark communist country." I also got some homework back with good grades all the way. WOO HOO!! Yup. That's about it. Danielle and I ate lunch and are waiting for 2PM to come so that we can go to our Philosophy class. *sigh* Only one more hour to go. Not that I especially want to go to class (though I am supposed to be getting my paper on Soren Kierkegaard back from the Prof), it's just that the sooner it's over the sooner I can go to Yoga and then the sooner I can go to US Government, Drawing, and finally HOME. Actually I don't really get to go home, just to Marianne's; but at least it's not here. Oh well.
Laters,
Christine
Laters,
Christine
9.26.2005
Today... uhm yeah.
Today (fitting beginning, considering the title, but not very original) I woke up alone (tragically, yes). To have had it otherwise would have been shocking indeed, considering that I spent the whole of yesterday evening and last night alone with the doors firmly locked, it only follows that I should have woken up alone. Anyways, I woke up alone and decided to spend the whole day naked... (now I have your attention, don't I?) Ok, ok, I admit I wasn't always completely naked because some of the time I was wearing my panties and a tank-top, but that was only when I got cold, *grin* which was after I came back inside from sunning myself (and don't you dare tell anyone or I'll never forgive you).
Well, after admitting to that, the rest of the day seems rather bland.
Homework was the activity of the day... or I should say: "activities of the day". I have been working on it off and on all day long (though to be fair it has been mostly off). Right now I'm just doodling and waiting for Andrew and Laura to get home from school (they go four days a week, to my two); they are due to arrive any minute now so I should go ahead and publish this before they come in and discover what I'm posting (having already put some clothes on in preparation for their arrival, my secret should be safe from discovery... unless Laura gets a wild hair and decides to actually read my blog, which could be scary. Nevertheless, I shall post despite the danger of discovery and subsequent consequences). Also, I should probably fix some dinner for the three of us; I'm starved.
One the Menu: Chicken breast and stir fry veggies. Yum.
Well, after admitting to that, the rest of the day seems rather bland.
Homework was the activity of the day... or I should say: "activities of the day". I have been working on it off and on all day long (though to be fair it has been mostly off). Right now I'm just doodling and waiting for Andrew and Laura to get home from school (they go four days a week, to my two); they are due to arrive any minute now so I should go ahead and publish this before they come in and discover what I'm posting (having already put some clothes on in preparation for their arrival, my secret should be safe from discovery... unless Laura gets a wild hair and decides to actually read my blog, which could be scary. Nevertheless, I shall post despite the danger of discovery and subsequent consequences). Also, I should probably fix some dinner for the three of us; I'm starved.
One the Menu: Chicken breast and stir fry veggies. Yum.
9.21.2005
House sitting, Carrie's, zoo and all (oh, and school too).
Well faithful (if nonexistent) readers, it has been a while since my last blog entry and you (all 3x3+4-13 of you) must be waiting on the edges of your (very empty) seats for the next (tragically boring) installment. You are? Good.
Anyways, past the sarcasm, I've been truly busy with school (we had an in class essay yesterday for Philosophy midterm and last Tuesday my group of four in speech class had to give an hour long speech for the whole class). Marianne (US Gov. teacher from last semester) and her fiancé Helmut are in Europe for almost four weeks and I'm house sitting for them. Living across town for four weeks certainly has contributed a substantial amount of busy-ness to my life. [Gosh this post is going together like pickles and ice cream. Don't know why I'm having so much difficulty making it flow... maybe it's because I'm out of practice ;P ]
Last Wednesday I had to go into the zoo for TB testing (no, it's not because I'm an animal or anything). I start working on Friday... not sure how that's going to be, working with kids instead of animals. I'm worried that I'm going to miss working with the Bird Dept. really bad and will stress out about it. I hate thinking about something a lot and having it ride me without my permission. ...if that makes any sense whatsoever.
Oh, but the point of me telling that story was so that I could say who I saw that day i was at the zoo for a whole hour for the first time in 3 or 4 months. I saw Marcus. It was a shock because he has moved to Florida with his fiancé (my used to be really good friend, Julia). Marcus and I dated for almost a year while we were working together at the zoo several years ago and we were really good friends for about a year before that. We don't keep in touch any more (for sort of obvious reasons), but the odds of us being at the zoo at the same time and running into each other are probably a million to one. Needless to say I got the shock of my life. We just kinda said "hi" and I left because I was on my way out anyway.
Blah.
Saturday night Carrie and Jordan had me over to their house. Jason was there and I brought Nick's shorts (short films, not boxers) so we could all watch them (Nick is one of my younger brothers. He's 17 and has been making short films since he was about 15). They loved the shorts and actually watched his GI Joe one twice. Afterwards Jordan went to bed and Carrie, Jason and I sat out on the driveway and talking and watching the clouds roll past. We didn't go back inside 'til about 2:30 AM. Ten I had to drive back out to Marianne's all by my self.
Andrew and Laura have been staying out there with me, but sometimes they don't come. Laura had to have her wisdom teeth out so she was sick that night, and Andrew needed his rest so he stayed home too.
Well, I have to go now to take Andrew to school and go back to Marianne's to do some studying of my own.
I'll try to keep better updates.
'Stine
Anyways, past the sarcasm, I've been truly busy with school (we had an in class essay yesterday for Philosophy midterm and last Tuesday my group of four in speech class had to give an hour long speech for the whole class). Marianne (US Gov. teacher from last semester) and her fiancé Helmut are in Europe for almost four weeks and I'm house sitting for them. Living across town for four weeks certainly has contributed a substantial amount of busy-ness to my life. [Gosh this post is going together like pickles and ice cream. Don't know why I'm having so much difficulty making it flow... maybe it's because I'm out of practice ;P ]
Last Wednesday I had to go into the zoo for TB testing (no, it's not because I'm an animal or anything). I start working on Friday... not sure how that's going to be, working with kids instead of animals. I'm worried that I'm going to miss working with the Bird Dept. really bad and will stress out about it. I hate thinking about something a lot and having it ride me without my permission. ...if that makes any sense whatsoever.
Oh, but the point of me telling that story was so that I could say who I saw that day i was at the zoo for a whole hour for the first time in 3 or 4 months. I saw Marcus. It was a shock because he has moved to Florida with his fiancé (my used to be really good friend, Julia). Marcus and I dated for almost a year while we were working together at the zoo several years ago and we were really good friends for about a year before that. We don't keep in touch any more (for sort of obvious reasons), but the odds of us being at the zoo at the same time and running into each other are probably a million to one. Needless to say I got the shock of my life. We just kinda said "hi" and I left because I was on my way out anyway.
Blah.
Saturday night Carrie and Jordan had me over to their house. Jason was there and I brought Nick's shorts (short films, not boxers) so we could all watch them (Nick is one of my younger brothers. He's 17 and has been making short films since he was about 15). They loved the shorts and actually watched his GI Joe one twice. Afterwards Jordan went to bed and Carrie, Jason and I sat out on the driveway and talking and watching the clouds roll past. We didn't go back inside 'til about 2:30 AM. Ten I had to drive back out to Marianne's all by my self.
Andrew and Laura have been staying out there with me, but sometimes they don't come. Laura had to have her wisdom teeth out so she was sick that night, and Andrew needed his rest so he stayed home too.
Well, I have to go now to take Andrew to school and go back to Marianne's to do some studying of my own.
I'll try to keep better updates.
'Stine
9.07.2005
Ok...
Alright, so the speech didn't turn out half as bad as I thought it was going to be. "Rupert" showed up and I talked to him a bit before the speech, so I was able to add a few details that I hadn't been able to remember from before.
However, I'm still bummed out about the yoga class.
I talked to Kimberly last night and we worked a few of her math problems together. She always has something funny to say that makes me laugh. It's good to have friends like that.
In philosophy we talked about belief in (a conventional Christian, Muslim, Hebrew) God and how it can/cannot be justified considering the evil in the World. Despite having premonitions of headaches and stress, the discussion turned out to be really good. I think my philosophy prof is a Christian. He looks at the problems from as many sides as he can, but he always comes back to the fact that you can't prove or disprove God in the end, because it takes faith.
Here are some of the arguments for the existence of God despite the evil in the world:
1) The Knowledge defense =the reason God allows evil is so that we can know love; so that we can understand what is good by knowing what is bad.
Counterargument: Way more evil is present in the World than is necessary for us to simply know what is good and what is bad.
2) Free Will defense =God wants us to be able to have control over our own actions; He wants us to choose good over evil and not to just be puppets of His will.
Counterargument: Why didn't God make us want to do good all the time; or at least most of the time? why didn't he snuff out Hitler and Stalin and all those terrible people before they were even conceived and make more people like Mother Theresa, Able Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr.?
3)Soul Building defense =What doesn't kill you just makes you stronger. God would never give you anything too hard for you to bear.
Counterargument: Some people, including Christians break down under stress and pain and aren't ever able to get back up.l
4)Finite god defense =a god who is limited (not all powerful, all loving, and all knowing).
5) Ideal Humanity defense =God allows evil because it builds humanity up and makes us better people. natural disasters and WW II brought people together to do good.
counterargument: How long does the goodwill really last? Most changes only last a short while before we move on with our lives and forget the hardships. Also, it isn't right for some to benefit from the suffering of innocents, either.
6) Leap of Faith =Christianity is illogical, so you must just believe.
is there such a thing as rational or irrational faith?
Anyways we concluded that each of the arguments taken singly didn't make complete sense, but that when you lumped them together (with the exception of "finite god") they made more sense.
A few points the prof didn't bring up was that the Bible has a perfectly good explanation of why there is evil in the World; man embraced it when he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and we have been sinning ever since. The World will one day be made new and all this sin and ugliness will pass away. A second point is the Law of Entropy =everything slowly deteriorates, or slows down without an outside force acting upon it. So, God must exist, for without Him the World would cease to run.
On Thursday we will be discussing existentialism.
*sigh* That is all.
Christine
However, I'm still bummed out about the yoga class.
I talked to Kimberly last night and we worked a few of her math problems together. She always has something funny to say that makes me laugh. It's good to have friends like that.
In philosophy we talked about belief in (a conventional Christian, Muslim, Hebrew) God and how it can/cannot be justified considering the evil in the World. Despite having premonitions of headaches and stress, the discussion turned out to be really good. I think my philosophy prof is a Christian. He looks at the problems from as many sides as he can, but he always comes back to the fact that you can't prove or disprove God in the end, because it takes faith.
Here are some of the arguments for the existence of God despite the evil in the world:
1) The Knowledge defense =the reason God allows evil is so that we can know love; so that we can understand what is good by knowing what is bad.
Counterargument: Way more evil is present in the World than is necessary for us to simply know what is good and what is bad.
2) Free Will defense =God wants us to be able to have control over our own actions; He wants us to choose good over evil and not to just be puppets of His will.
Counterargument: Why didn't God make us want to do good all the time; or at least most of the time? why didn't he snuff out Hitler and Stalin and all those terrible people before they were even conceived and make more people like Mother Theresa, Able Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr.?
3)Soul Building defense =What doesn't kill you just makes you stronger. God would never give you anything too hard for you to bear.
Counterargument: Some people, including Christians break down under stress and pain and aren't ever able to get back up.l
4)Finite god defense =a god who is limited (not all powerful, all loving, and all knowing).
5) Ideal Humanity defense =God allows evil because it builds humanity up and makes us better people. natural disasters and WW II brought people together to do good.
counterargument: How long does the goodwill really last? Most changes only last a short while before we move on with our lives and forget the hardships. Also, it isn't right for some to benefit from the suffering of innocents, either.
6) Leap of Faith =Christianity is illogical, so you must just believe.
is there such a thing as rational or irrational faith?
Anyways we concluded that each of the arguments taken singly didn't make complete sense, but that when you lumped them together (with the exception of "finite god") they made more sense.
A few points the prof didn't bring up was that the Bible has a perfectly good explanation of why there is evil in the World; man embraced it when he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and we have been sinning ever since. The World will one day be made new and all this sin and ugliness will pass away. A second point is the Law of Entropy =everything slowly deteriorates, or slows down without an outside force acting upon it. So, God must exist, for without Him the World would cease to run.
On Thursday we will be discussing existentialism.
*sigh* That is all.
Christine
9.06.2005
Speech today
Today in speech class we are giving introductory speeches, introducing each other to the class. Mine sounds as though it is going to turn out lame, Lame, LAME.
sorry.
I'm sitting here at school and I feel like I've done everything I can to prepare for this speech. The guy I'm introducing "Rupert" gave me his work phone and work email, so I'm at a loss as to what to say. We conducted interviews last class period, so I have some information on him, but we are supposed to begin our speech with an ice breaker and I can't come up with anything funny or even mildly amusing to catch people's attention. Since I couldn't get a hold of "Rupert", I can't get any ideas from him either.
If you can't tell I'm a bit bummed out about it all.
Anyways, on a lighter note: I'm leaving the Yoga class that I really enjoy so that I can attend a different one in the afternoon sandwiched between two of my other classes and eating up my study time for my Government class. This was all Danielle's idea and don't get me wrong, I understand the sense of it because we will not have to get up as early to come to school, but I like this instructor and just wish things could stay the same.
There, I'm still in my bad funk.
Let's see... some good news...hmm, can't think of any.
Okay, Next weekend I get to go to the avian seminar in Houston. That's exciting. Also, I begin house sitting for my former American government professor, Marianne and her fiancé while they are in Europe for a month. That is also exciting.
Alright, well it's 10:30AM and I need to go so that I can get ready for my speech class.
bye,
Christine
sorry.
I'm sitting here at school and I feel like I've done everything I can to prepare for this speech. The guy I'm introducing "Rupert" gave me his work phone and work email, so I'm at a loss as to what to say. We conducted interviews last class period, so I have some information on him, but we are supposed to begin our speech with an ice breaker and I can't come up with anything funny or even mildly amusing to catch people's attention. Since I couldn't get a hold of "Rupert", I can't get any ideas from him either.
If you can't tell I'm a bit bummed out about it all.
Anyways, on a lighter note: I'm leaving the Yoga class that I really enjoy so that I can attend a different one in the afternoon sandwiched between two of my other classes and eating up my study time for my Government class. This was all Danielle's idea and don't get me wrong, I understand the sense of it because we will not have to get up as early to come to school, but I like this instructor and just wish things could stay the same.
There, I'm still in my bad funk.
Let's see... some good news...hmm, can't think of any.
Okay, Next weekend I get to go to the avian seminar in Houston. That's exciting. Also, I begin house sitting for my former American government professor, Marianne and her fiancé while they are in Europe for a month. That is also exciting.
Alright, well it's 10:30AM and I need to go so that I can get ready for my speech class.
bye,
Christine
9.05.2005
Imperial Moth, Uncles and Cousins, Sisters and boys...that's all I'm gonna say about that one, and general "stuff"
Today we had the craziest, huge moth in our backyard. I looked it up and found out that it is a female imperial moth (Eacles imperialis). Here are several pictures:
Dad's cousin Jerry came down from Dallas to see his dad (Our great uncle, Marcel). This was the first time in over 15 years that they had seen each other. Uncle Marcel essentially abandoned his two sons and their mother when the boys were in their preteens. Jerry wanted to make peace with Uncle Marcel before he dies (we just recently had to put him in a skilled nursing facility). Jimmy, Uncle Marcel's other son didn't want to have anything to do with U.M. any more so he didn't come and doesn't even want to talk with Marcel on the phone. We've been praying that Uncle Marcel, Jerry, and Jimmy will be able to find healing.
On a new note: Laura is having boy issues. He's coming from College Station to meet the family on the 30th, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens. I shouldn't say any more on this issue as Laura occasionally reads this blog and would skin me alive for talking about it.
...I will say one more thing, though, she was on the phone with this guy from 7:20PM to about 9:00PM last night. Ooohh La La! I may have said too much. *grin*
I'm trying (not really hard, though) to get my homework done in time for school tomorrow. I don't like doing homework on three-day weekends because it always feels as though I'm losing out.
I wish I weren't so very lazy. I would get ever-so-much-more stuff done.
The bird club seminar is next weekend. I have known this since last year at this time, but have only barely finished the seminar picture in time to be published in our seminar booklet. At least I finished it.
Here is a (very bad) copy of it:
As I really should be getting back to homework, this is all for today
Christine
Currently watching (from the other room): Pooh's Heffalump Movie
Currently reading (school textbooks): Communicate!, Questions that Matter, and Drawing. (sorry for not listing the authors, but not in the mood to look).
-stine
Dad's cousin Jerry came down from Dallas to see his dad (Our great uncle, Marcel). This was the first time in over 15 years that they had seen each other. Uncle Marcel essentially abandoned his two sons and their mother when the boys were in their preteens. Jerry wanted to make peace with Uncle Marcel before he dies (we just recently had to put him in a skilled nursing facility). Jimmy, Uncle Marcel's other son didn't want to have anything to do with U.M. any more so he didn't come and doesn't even want to talk with Marcel on the phone. We've been praying that Uncle Marcel, Jerry, and Jimmy will be able to find healing.
On a new note: Laura is having boy issues. He's coming from College Station to meet the family on the 30th, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens. I shouldn't say any more on this issue as Laura occasionally reads this blog and would skin me alive for talking about it.
...I will say one more thing, though, she was on the phone with this guy from 7:20PM to about 9:00PM last night. Ooohh La La! I may have said too much. *grin*
I'm trying (not really hard, though) to get my homework done in time for school tomorrow. I don't like doing homework on three-day weekends because it always feels as though I'm losing out.
I wish I weren't so very lazy. I would get ever-so-much-more stuff done.
The bird club seminar is next weekend. I have known this since last year at this time, but have only barely finished the seminar picture in time to be published in our seminar booklet. At least I finished it.
Here is a (very bad) copy of it:
As I really should be getting back to homework, this is all for today
Christine
Currently watching (from the other room): Pooh's Heffalump Movie
Currently reading (school textbooks): Communicate!, Questions that Matter, and Drawing. (sorry for not listing the authors, but not in the mood to look).
-stine
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