Today was a snow day - AU cancelled classes... It was really pretty good overall. I did not really get much done overall, but that's ok.
yac
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Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Twice in a row...
Just so the world knows - this is like - the 6th times in two days I've been on the blog, and I've now written on it twice in a row!! Yaconelli has no clue! I wonder how long it will take her to find out? Knowing my luck, she's probably signing in right now....
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Perspective
The clarity of hindsight is often frustrating beyond belief. Once our mind's eye has a clear and precise view of what could have been instead of what was we drive ourselves crazy with the "whatifs" and the "couldashouldawouldas." I watched a movie this weekend that exemplified this scenario. The movie is narrated by a third party after-the-fact in a manner that shows us, the viewers, all the tiny nuances of the characters' daily lives and decisions that led to the climax of the film. We in the audience are left going, "No! That isn't what happened at all!! She isn't going ahead without you!! He got it wrong!!" and with every misinterpreted assumption the two heroines entrench themselves deeper in a Civil War only best friends can fight. In the end, when the last straw has finally broken the camel's back and they lunge at each other's throat in a final hail mary do they begin to see what we've been witness to the whole time. The clarity and rationalism that reclaims their emotions after that brief outburst is a healing salve on their friendship and only now "months" later can they pick-up where they left off, chuck this brief interlude of chaos up to the stress of the moment and move on. Alls well that ends well - at least where Hollywood is concerned.
Why is that kind of clarity, so hard to grasp in the moment? Why can I not have an epiphany at exactly the right time when I need it the most? I can think of several times in my life when I've been deep in the trench of my emotional instability, hiding under whatever facade I can find screaming out to the Heavens that I need a sign, a light, a bomb shelter - anything - to get me through this and when I don't get an insta-answer I curse God and his "he doesn't give you more than he can handle" and hunker down further, broken, lost, and alone. Then, slowly, the clouds begin to part and I take a chance, break for the other side, and make it stumbling and bumbling out of the canyon - that looking back was more like a shallow impression - patting myself on the back for surviving. Only in retrospect can I see the little places where God intervened. This brings me to my point - The most important part of prayer isn't the sharing part - yes, God wants to hear about your day (even if He already knows) - but the real, honest-to-goodness truth of it all is He really wants you to listen. We fill our days with one sided conversations with the Almighty and then get mad at HIM when He didn't warn us trouble was brewing ahead. Then this whole cycle begins again.
In the movie, if the girls had stopped and talked about what was going on as it was going on the fighting and all that ensued would never have happened. If we could learn to actively - instead of passively - confer with God, think of how much grief and strife we could save ourselves. Think of how much more meaningful and life changing our relationship with God the Father would be. I'm not saying it's easy, and I'm not saying I do this well, but I am saying that the more I think about, the more it resonates with me, and the better my perspective on life becomes. I feel like I am there now - on the brink of HUGE revelation in my life and all I need to do is listen to HIS thoughts and let him change my perspective.
We all know that we need a little change in perspective sometimes - it's the letting someone else behind the wheel that's hard ;)
Why is that kind of clarity, so hard to grasp in the moment? Why can I not have an epiphany at exactly the right time when I need it the most? I can think of several times in my life when I've been deep in the trench of my emotional instability, hiding under whatever facade I can find screaming out to the Heavens that I need a sign, a light, a bomb shelter - anything - to get me through this and when I don't get an insta-answer I curse God and his "he doesn't give you more than he can handle" and hunker down further, broken, lost, and alone. Then, slowly, the clouds begin to part and I take a chance, break for the other side, and make it stumbling and bumbling out of the canyon - that looking back was more like a shallow impression - patting myself on the back for surviving. Only in retrospect can I see the little places where God intervened. This brings me to my point - The most important part of prayer isn't the sharing part - yes, God wants to hear about your day (even if He already knows) - but the real, honest-to-goodness truth of it all is He really wants you to listen. We fill our days with one sided conversations with the Almighty and then get mad at HIM when He didn't warn us trouble was brewing ahead. Then this whole cycle begins again.
In the movie, if the girls had stopped and talked about what was going on as it was going on the fighting and all that ensued would never have happened. If we could learn to actively - instead of passively - confer with God, think of how much grief and strife we could save ourselves. Think of how much more meaningful and life changing our relationship with God the Father would be. I'm not saying it's easy, and I'm not saying I do this well, but I am saying that the more I think about, the more it resonates with me, and the better my perspective on life becomes. I feel like I am there now - on the brink of HUGE revelation in my life and all I need to do is listen to HIS thoughts and let him change my perspective.
We all know that we need a little change in perspective sometimes - it's the letting someone else behind the wheel that's hard ;)
Monday, January 26, 2009
Today...
Today, I was walking to class from the Psychology office here at AU and I met one of my professors at the corner. When greeting my professors, especially ones I have high regard for, I am not really sure why, but I just say their name.
So, upon passing this prof who said,"Hey Jess!" and so I replied, "Dr. Swindell." Then as I turn the corner, I hear her say, "Jess...". So, I turned around and go back a bit, and she says, "Jess, it will be really nice when you say Dr. Swindell that I can say in return, Dr. Berryhill."
There are some professors who just hold you to such high expectations and with that, they have this great underlying confidence in your abilities as a person and as a student. Dr. Swindell makes me want to be a better student and the mark she has left on my life is pretty tremendous. Her investment in who I am as a person has been incredible.
Also, today was the unveiling of the "I HEART WOODWORTH & SCHLOSBERG" shirt. It was a hit.
yac.
So, upon passing this prof who said,"Hey Jess!" and so I replied, "Dr. Swindell." Then as I turn the corner, I hear her say, "Jess...". So, I turned around and go back a bit, and she says, "Jess, it will be really nice when you say Dr. Swindell that I can say in return, Dr. Berryhill."
There are some professors who just hold you to such high expectations and with that, they have this great underlying confidence in your abilities as a person and as a student. Dr. Swindell makes me want to be a better student and the mark she has left on my life is pretty tremendous. Her investment in who I am as a person has been incredible.
Also, today was the unveiling of the "I HEART WOODWORTH & SCHLOSBERG" shirt. It was a hit.
yac.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
What You Might Not Know About Me...Part Deux...
(Continued from Previous Post)
14. I like office supplies a lot. No really, a lot. Back to School shopping simply for the office supplies involved is one of my favorite things. I think Kelley may vouch for this one... My favorite office supply item: PAPERCLIPS...
15. In high school (and still to this day), I made/make paperclip "art." In high school, it was more abstract. However, just recently, I definitely sent Kelley (the slacker author) a paper clip figurine with movable arms and legs, kind of like a bobblehead doll. It was sweet action.
16. I knit...no shame in that domestic game.
17. I am really sensitive to sounds and feelings of fabrics and a few other random things. I hate the sound of a teacher rubbing their hand up against an overhead projector screen or the sound of crunching food (like celery). This may sound dumb, but the fabric that little kids' backpacks are made out of (seen below)...oh man gives me straight up shivers...Ribbons, like one would win at track meet, equally bad. Most vacuumn cleaner cords are probably the thing I hate the most. I am determined to find a vacuumn cleaner with a smooth rather than ribbed cord. I won't roll up the cord, and I will use the plug-in part to flick the cord off the holder if it is wrapped up. Pretty much anything that aligns or is as minute as the groves of my fingerprints will make me shiver.... 
18. I still hang my A papers on my fridge.
More tomorrow...
yac.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
My Nephew and I
He's such a great kid. He's crawling now! He loves to play with zippers on my jackets.
yac
Friday, January 23, 2009
What You Might Not Know About Me...
1. I have a lexicon that is uniquely my own... I use words in everyday speech like lamesauce, lame-o, homeslice, fantabulous, etc. I also use the word swell a lot (in fact, I am pretty sure sometime soon, the 1950s are going to call and ask for that word back).
2. Sometimes, I think I might want to write a book...not a serious book of course. A coffee table book of bad Christmas light displays or mullets (both of which are plentiful in Indiana).
3. I have a propensity for acquiring nicknames that have nothing to do with my real name... My nickname in high school: Wanda (no joke). My nickname in college: Yac or Yaconelli.
4. Sometimes, when I am in my house/dorm alone, I pretend to walk like the models on America's Next Top Model (which I clearly watch too much of). I am always like, "Dude, I could so nail that walk."
5. I learned to sort of dance off of YouTube. I learned the Soulja Boy dance and the modified version of Cotton Eyed Joe.
6. I once set up an obstacle course for my friends through our dormitory using the institutional furniture... It was great...
7. I love Dance Dance Revolution, but my feet are too big to fit in the middle without bumping the up or down arrow.
8. Apparently (so I have been told), my facial expressions are clear indicators to what I am feeling. For example, if I am in class and the prof says something dumb, my classmates have told me that they just love to watch my expressions.
9. I wear a size 14 in Men's shoes which translates to about a 16 in Women's. The only dress shoes that I could find a few years ago were shoes for drag queens...and clearly, something about a 9" stiletto is not going to be working out for me.
10. While on the phone for the first time with my first college roommate, she asked what kind of clothes I wore. And, I responded, "I make my own," which at the time, I did make my own shirts. I had a couple of different lines... Political Commentary Line (Save the Puffins, Are You French Canadian?), Wandacrombie, and Wandacrombie Baby (no joke, I made one for my teacher's kid). I don't think she was impressed...
11. I watched my brother cut off his hair in the front (he had a bowl cut) almost down to the scalp and I was the one who got in trouble. Makes no sense, huh? Apparently, the older one should tell the younger one not to do those sorts of things.
12. Some women buy purses, others buy shoes (which clearly isn't really an option for me)... I buy...messenger bags and backpacks...gosh, I am such a geek.
13. I say, "O.M.Gosh and W.T.Flip." Makes me laugh at myself.
yac
2. Sometimes, I think I might want to write a book...not a serious book of course. A coffee table book of bad Christmas light displays or mullets (both of which are plentiful in Indiana).
3. I have a propensity for acquiring nicknames that have nothing to do with my real name... My nickname in high school: Wanda (no joke). My nickname in college: Yac or Yaconelli.
4. Sometimes, when I am in my house/dorm alone, I pretend to walk like the models on America's Next Top Model (which I clearly watch too much of). I am always like, "Dude, I could so nail that walk."
5. I learned to sort of dance off of YouTube. I learned the Soulja Boy dance and the modified version of Cotton Eyed Joe.
6. I once set up an obstacle course for my friends through our dormitory using the institutional furniture... It was great...
7. I love Dance Dance Revolution, but my feet are too big to fit in the middle without bumping the up or down arrow.
8. Apparently (so I have been told), my facial expressions are clear indicators to what I am feeling. For example, if I am in class and the prof says something dumb, my classmates have told me that they just love to watch my expressions.
9. I wear a size 14 in Men's shoes which translates to about a 16 in Women's. The only dress shoes that I could find a few years ago were shoes for drag queens...and clearly, something about a 9" stiletto is not going to be working out for me.
10. While on the phone for the first time with my first college roommate, she asked what kind of clothes I wore. And, I responded, "I make my own," which at the time, I did make my own shirts. I had a couple of different lines... Political Commentary Line (Save the Puffins, Are You French Canadian?), Wandacrombie, and Wandacrombie Baby (no joke, I made one for my teacher's kid). I don't think she was impressed...
11. I watched my brother cut off his hair in the front (he had a bowl cut) almost down to the scalp and I was the one who got in trouble. Makes no sense, huh? Apparently, the older one should tell the younger one not to do those sorts of things.
12. Some women buy purses, others buy shoes (which clearly isn't really an option for me)... I buy...messenger bags and backpacks...gosh, I am such a geek.
13. I say, "O.M.Gosh and W.T.Flip." Makes me laugh at myself.
yac
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