NOTHING can separate me...

I have so much to say. It's all swirling around in my head, but I can't figure out a way to get it out articulately.

I've taken a blow from the enemy today, as has the body of Christ. When one member suffers, all the members feel the pain. It's so easy to be angry - to hold it in - to be reclusive.

It's not hopeless. You're not worthless. I'm not Godless. This life isn't over. Trials and tribulations may come, but God won't give us more than we can handle, and -

Nothing can separate me from the love of Christ Jesus my Lord!

I'm not afraid, and I won't back down. I will believe in the face of unbelief.

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I have a lot to accomplish this week, college wise. My midterms are over, and I found out that I made an 87 on my history! That raised my grade about five points. I'm pretty happy about that. I'm making a 99 in English so far... yes, you can't possibly imagine how happy I am about THAT!

I've got two papers due Tuesday - a research outline, for Government, and a creative writing paper in English. This assignment is going to be a blast - I'll post it when I finish.

Besides that, I'm sick - hopefully not with the Swine Flu. I know a couple of people who have come down with it recently. I'm starting to lose my voice, which is extremely irritating - those of you who know me know I enjoy conversing, and am very good at it.

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Think I'll call this a post. Not very long, or exciting, but maybe next week I'll have something good for you. I'll leave you with the best verses to match my day:

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all out tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ."
II Corinthians 1:3 - 5

and

"For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:38 - 39

It's a wonderful thing, freedom is.

Well, this week is officially over - this week full of tests and stress and a sleep deprivation. I am so relieved. FREEDOM!

[I am pretending housework and chores don't exist. Shhh. Don't burst my bubble.]

I took the PSAT this morning at Calvary, bright and early. I figured I'd see a couple of people I knew from sixth grade, which is when I attended Calvary, and I did: Bethany B., Ashley C., and Amanda T. Oh, how I miss those girls! Kenny G. was taking the test, too. Almost made me want to go back. My mom and I briefly discussed the possibility of me taking a few classes there next year - like math and Spanish. Hmmm.

The college midterms went well, I think. English was easy - almost too easy for confidence, you might say. We had to read and analyze a poem we'd "never seen before." Dr. Franklin chose Walt Whitman's "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer." It was an interesting, but short poem, and I think pretty straightforward. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

The history midterm was alright, too. We had to write one long essay (2 1/2 to 3 pages), one short essay (1 to 1 1/2 pages), and two other half page to one page essays. I finished in time to complete two out of three extra credit options, too, which were also both writing (a description of an event and a rant about the way the Constitution has impacted America today). I'm hoping I do really well on these...I need an A to boost my grade.

There was no government midterm (which made me very happy), but I am currently working on a huge research paper. We were told to chose a "hot button topic," or something we had been discussing in class. I chose to study the thoughts/opinions/laws/regulations on euthanasia/the "right to die." It's very interesting, albeit a little morbid, so far.

So now, I'm sitting in my driveway, soaking up the returning sun, and thinking about next week. I don't think I've got a whole lot DUE next week, but I do have a whole lot to DO. I'm starting to get used to the college routine, and I'm not horribly behind in reading, but I just have a lot of studying. If you're in the neighborhood with your books, give me a call, and we'll see if we can't get together and do some studying. Studying alone is such a lonely thing. (Is that repetitive?)

Anyways, I think I'll be signing off for today. Hopefully next weekend I'll have something to write about, besides school. That's not a promise, but a passionate hope. In the meantime, if you'd like to read something less boring, I'd suggest reading my friend's mom's blog, "Fish in My Hair." She's an incredible story-teller and very entertaining. http://www.fishinmyhair.blogspot.com/

Hasta la vista, baby.

"Shuttle 'No Time' is ready for launch." Beep. Beep. "Err, rodger that."

I have a history midterm on Tuesday.
I have an English paper due on Tuesday.
I have a government response paper due Wednesday.
I have an anatomy/physiology exam on Thursday.
I have an English midterm on Thursday.
I have the real-deal PSAT on Saturday.

I have no time to blog.
But I think you may understand why.

"There is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still!"

- courtesy of Corrie ten Boom. I would love to be just like Corrie ten Boom when I grow up.

In describing this week, "awful" would be an understatement. I don't think I've even been so stressed out about school. I also don't think I feel like blogging about that topic.

So, here's a question for you: what's the worst thing Fry's could do to your computer?
Answer: lose ALL of your information. Every single file.

Yep, that was something else I dealt with this week. My laptop is a huge, out-dated system, complete with Windows Vista and built for people like my dad, who think "bigger is better." (I love my dad, but I think he is technologically challenged.) Actually, the desk-top sized screen is perfect for watching movies...but that is beside the point. I don't have time for movie-watching anymore.

My computer crashed for the fourth time in a year and a half about two months ago, and I took it back in to Fry's, where the computer is warranted, on August 24th. Just as they had every other time, they insisted that they had to wipe my system and completely restore it to new. Just as I had every other time, I agreed, and handed over my precious computer.

I don't have enough time, energy, or patience to explain all the mistakes they made with my computer, but here's the overall idea: they had to switch out the motherboard. According to some of my techno-savvy friends, that is a fairly easy procedure. However, Fry's managed to order a malfunctioning motherboard, then the wrong montherboard, and when finally ordered and installed the correct one, over a month after I had given them my computer, they "forgot" to re-download my information.

And then I found out that they "lost" ALL of my files, documents, photos, everything! Either lost it all, or lied about backing up my system beforehand.

Most of my pictures are on my parent's system, and a few are on CD-ROMs. I have lost a whole year's worth of English papers; but honestly, I could care less about that. I can re-install all of my programs - Microsoft Office, Outlook, etc. - without much inconvience, besides the time it takes for installation. But the most painful loss will be the dozen documents I had written and saved on that computer alone, my free writing. Stuff like short stories, poems, thoughts, the beginnings of novellas, fantasy, memoirs. It makes me ache, thinking of the hours of effort, emotion, and love put into those little documents, all of which are lost in cyberspace. It's not a good feeling.

So - the moral of this story? Never, ever, EVER go to Fry's. Why? First off, they stink, and secondly, I may be forced to have a long, uncomfortable conversation with their whole staff. And when I finish, I'd rather you not have to be known as the friend of the eccentric, who freaked out because a computer-fixing store broke her heart and lost her information.
...Yes, that is called sarcasm.

But just as Corrie ten Boom forgave her tormentors, I'll forgive the dummies who erased my documents.
"There is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still!"

Where to start? Definitely NOT at the beginning...

Most of you probably know me already, so I won't take the time to introduce myself tonight. If I feel the need for introductions at a later point, I may go ahead and give the run-down of my likes and dislikes. But for now, I think I'll jump right into my life, and write about the details facebook won't allow me to elaborate on. That will give you a better glimpse of me than any list possibly could.

NCTC. This is my first semester there, and I'm not quite sure if I love it or hate it. I take three classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays - English Comp 1, with Dr. Franklin, US Government, with Professor Rollins, and American History, with Professor Thompson.

For tonight, I think describing my favorite class, English, will be enough.

English 1301 is literally a class full of punks. I'm talking nearly every kid in that class (there are about 25) has piercings and vibrantly-colored hair and tattoos and skinny jeans. And I hate to say it, but some of them aren't too bright. I could give several examples, but I will refrain for the privacy of the individuals.

Dr. Franklin is - let's face it - your typical crusty old gentleman-professor. He loves debate, and loves to make you feel stupid. But there's something about him I really like, something significant enough to keep me from writing him off my "favorite professor" list. He's almost completely deaf, and wears hearing aids...and he's an excellent lip-reader. Two weeks ago, Dr. Franklin accidentally left his hearing aids at home, and yet he was able to carry on a fully-normal conversation with everyone in the class. I was impressed.

I have a fairly-lengthy poetry analysis due by tomorrow, so I'm going to cut my thoughts short for tonight. Pity, because I have a lot I could write about. Expect to hear about my analysis.
Hasta la vista, bebe.