Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Brrrrr....

It's been quite a chilly week! I think I was one of about 4 people on campus walking around in flip-flops; they even got snow at Appalachian Sunday into Monday! I had 2 exams on Monday that I think went very well, and as I look at my syllabi for my classes, I realized that there is not alot of time left in the fall semester; we have already made spring advising appointments and are preparing our schedules. Time flies when you're having fun :)
I found out this week that I get to make a presentation at a conference being held at UNCG based on the book A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah. The book is one of my favorites and is a memoir telling the story of Beah's experiences as a boy soldier in Sierra Leone during the civil war there in the 1990's. Beah is actually here at UNCG this week for human rights week, and I will have the opportunity to hear him speak tomorrow. Tonight I had the opportunity to hear Jean-Marie Kamatali speak; Kamatali grew up in Rwanda and lived there before, during, and after the genocide that occurred there in the mid 90's. He is a human rights lawyer who has taught in Rwanda, at Notre Dame, and currently in Ohio.
Tonight, I helped Sadie, Ashlyn, and Linsey carve pumpkins for the pumpkin carving contest being put on by the Caf; more than anything I acted as a cheerleader and supplier :) Good stuff!

Friday, October 24, 2008

Back in the Swing of Things

Whew! Getting back into the swing of things after break has been a little difficult; I didn't accomplish any work over break which was amazing (until had to I start classes again on Wed.) I slept in alot so I wasn't used to getting up at 6:30 for my 8:00 class. And I just simply enjoyed slowing down and not doing alot while at home so I had to kick it back into high gear this week. I found out yesterday that I got a 111% on my Non-Western Religion midterm (the one I was really stressed about). I totally was not expecting that, but hey, I'm not complaining :) I got behind on my labs for GIS and didn't start a paper for my Honors Proseminar class until two days before it was due-good old procrastination BUT I got everything done on time. I will be busy this weekend studying for a Music Appreciation and a GIS exam on Monday. I will also have some fun going to a haunted house and a bonfire with a group of college students I hang with from Daystar Christian Fellowship.
I have been loving the cool weather; it's really feeling like fall and the trees are showing signs with their bright colors and lots of leaf piles across campus. Yay :) Thanksgiving is only about 4 weeks away! (It's kinda scary that time is flying by so fast)
Alright, so I was just getting ready to post when the fire alarm went off....we all proceed to file outside and cross the street not too sure if someone pulled the alarm or if it's just a drill. The cops show up as well as 3 fire trucks but there wasn't a fire-someone prob. just pulled the alarm. Well, I'm gonna post before something else happens....

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Fall Break

Being home is amazing, and let's just say that the food is about 110% better than the Caf (if not 120% better); Mom made me roast beef and homemade biscuits Friday night, chicken soup for lunch today, and we went out to the Black Pelican for dinner tonight for Megan's birthday.
I've slept in my mom's king size bed the past two nights with the dog which had been fun :) and I slept for about 15 hours until 11:30 Saturday morning (can't even remember the last time I slept in that late)
I was very excited to be able to go to Nags Head Church this morning and see everyone including the preschoolers. Tomorrow I'll spend the day shopping with mom in Virginia getting a bunch of stuff we both need before returning to Greensboro late Tuesday afternoon. Thanksgiving will be here before we know it!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Fall Break is Comin!

I am so excited to be going home for fall break tomorrow!! I desperately need a break from school and I miss my momma :) and of course I miss my bro, sis, the dog, friends, and church family. I made it through the week with everything I had to do; the one obstacle left is my Non-western religion midterm tomorrow morning at 8:00 (my brain better be working).
I have found a new favorite song; it's by Phil Wickam again (I'm liking this guy) and it's called "Divine Romance" here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MChzStpWbU
Good Night :)

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Another Crazy Weekend

I haven't posted since like Tuesday because first off, the week has flown by and secondly, there's been so much going on!
Yesterday was a good day. I spent the entire day typing a paper, and I got a nice rough draft done. I went to the UNCG vs. Elon lacrosse game last night which was cool despite the fact that we got our butts beat (I lost count of the score, like 11-2) but there was alot of people out to support the team. The only negative aspect of the game was listening to the drunk UNCG rugby team yell and scream and act like insane maniacs on the sidelines. On the way back from the lacrosse game, Salem Corey, and I noticed that there was still 19 minutes left in the men's soccer game against High Point so we decided to finish watching. We won 2-0!
Today has been an interesting day because the power has been going in and out since about 6AM. There was one point this afternoon where it was off for an hour. Then, it came back on around 5 and stayed on till 7 before it went off again. It was hilarious to watch us run to the bathroom to flush the toilets because they got incredibly gross when no one could flush them. I was trying to watch a movie and every time the power would go I'd have to turn the TV back on, go to DVD, and go to the scene I stopped at; I got fed up and just stopped watching it :) It also took about two hours to get my laundry dried but hey, a little excitement is always good.
I'm posting some pics from the past couple days. Fall break countdown: 5 days!!

Soccer game UNCG vs. Wofford

Rebecca (she's amazing) at Tate Street Coffee

Zach...he's a little crazy :)

Salem...she's amazing too...and she's from Texas.

Sadie is looking really scary and Linsey is looking really happy!

lacrosse game

Love this random pic I took of Drew's frisbee.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Fun Night

Tonight's Men's Soccer game against Wofford was intense!  We went into overtime with the score 0-0, and we weren't but a few minutes in, when UNCG scored!  We were all very excited as the team has been enduring a 4 game losing streak, so this was a good boost for them.  After the game we (the cheerleading crew from Daystar) walked to the Tate Street Coffee House which is a really cool place to hang out.  I got a hot chocolate and it was delicious, but I'm going to have to go back there and try some of their coffee.  I also enjoyed observing the decor of the place- they have lots of lights, paintings, photos, and antique looking wall hangings; I got some pics so I'll post them ASAP.
School-wise, I've got an Anthropology midterm on Thursday which I'm kind of scared about so we'll see how that goes.  I was really excited that I got a 95 on my GIS exam!  And I was also really excited to get a care package today from my mom.  She sent me food, books, a new pair of flip-flops, a card, and some fall decor; enough to last me till I go home.  Fall Break countdown:  9 days :)

Monday, October 6, 2008

A little music ed.

I got to experience an amazing thing on Sunday: my first hot Krispy Kreme doughnut. It was fantastic and delicious! Plus, I was completely fascinated watching the doughnuts roll down the conveyor belt and get coated in icing (it's the little things in life).
Today was a good Monday-I wasn't as tired as I could have been, and I think I did really well on my GIS exam. I'm am really enjoying my Music Appreciation class, in fact I'd say it's my favorite class. Professor Carroll is definitely musically gifted; he's a musician, composer, and does everything possible to make his lectures engaging. We are in the Baroque Period of music and it's taking me back to my homeschooling days when Megan, Steven, and I used to listen to cassette tapes like "Beethoven Lives Upstairs," "The Magic Flute" by Mozart, Handel's "Messiah", "Tchaikovsky Discovers America", and other stories involving the music of Vivaldi and Bach. They are some amazing tapes (and are probably in CD by now). Handel's "Messiah" is amazing and I love listening to it. We also touched on Johann Sebastian Bach today who is an intriguing man; he wrote an oratorio entitled "St. Matthew Passion" which detailed the passion and death of Jesus Christ. Something interesting about this piece: it was written in 12/8 meter (I'm not a music major so don't ask me what that means) BUT I know this is a Sicilian meter (Sicily, Italy) and Sicily is a small island where there are many shepherds; Jesus is often referred to as the Lamb of God and the ultimate shepherd so that is why Bach wrote specifically in that meter. Bach also signed all of his pieces "Sola Dei Gloria" which means for the "sole glory of God." Trivia that maybe you can use someday on Jeopardy, who knows? Now that I've given you a little music ed. here's another song that I'm really loving right now: "You Reign" by MercyMe- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiUB80w-B9U

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Weekend in Review

I just returned from watching the play "Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"put on by UNCG theatre and the UNCG School of Music. Honestly, I wasn't jumping up and down about going to see it-I was merely going because I got credit for one of my classes if I attended. But I actually enjoyed it. It was well done, very funny, and peaked my interest in reading the book by Mark Twain. I will definitely be going to more UNCG theatre productions.
I also enjoyed the several hours I got to spend outside in Foust Park today doing my work. The weather was amazing, it was quiet, and I observed the numerous squirrels racing around. Fall is probably my favorite time of year because it leads into my next favorite time of year which is Thanksgiving and Christmas. The beach has nice summer weather but one doesn't get to see the seasons change all that much, so I'm loving watching the trees change color and the nights and mornings get cooler here in Greensboro; I'm even hoping I'll get to see a little bit of snow later on in the winter :) And since UNCG doesn't have a football team (pout) I decided to watch the college game today between Kentucky and Alabama; Alabama won 14-17 (sorry Kentucky you were close).
I'll be finishing out the rest of my weekend by going to church tomorrow and then hitting the books again prepping for an exam in Geographic Information Science on Monday and a Cultural Anthropology midterm on Thursday-whoop, whoop! I can't wait for Fall Break!!!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Something New...

I wanted to try something new when I got to college (that's what you're supposed to do right?)  so I decided to join the swim club.  I thought about swimming in high school but I was in my junior year about that time and trying out for the swim team with no previous experience wasn't gonna fly.  But swim club is different.  You can come in with no previous experience and learn the different strokes and techniques.  I'm really liking it and getting a pretty good cardio workout at the same time. However, I am a little bit apprehensive about competing BUT our first meet isn't until November so I'm hoping that's enough time to learn and prep.  
Practices are three times a week Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and we have an early practice for beginner and intermediate swimmers and a late practice for advanced ones.  Let me just say, to all you lifeguards, Coast Guard rescue swimmers, and Michael Phelps out there, you're pretty much amazing and you have a God-given talent; I struggled with treading water tonight for three minutes with three 15 second intervals holding my hands above my head-I sank like a ROCK.  We did get to work on starting and diving off without starting blocks which was fun and not as hard as treading water. 
I feel like I've been treading water in my classes this week too. I have a midterm and an exam next week which I'm not very prepared for yet, and on top of that, I've got regular work to do for all my classes.  I cannot wait for this weekend so I can get caught up!
On a departing note, I shared a video of the song "Call my Name" by Third Day yesterday so tonight I'm going to share another video of another favorite song of mine-"True Love" by Phil Wickam.  Hope you like it too! Here's the link: Phil Wickham - True Love (The Wall)