Spring quarter starting

Well so much for Spring Break.  It was fun.  A sufficient amount of friends, family, and Federer.

Anyways.  Today is/was the first day of the quarter.  I got up very successfully at 5:45 and went on a job across campus to visit all of my classes as the sun came up.  The environmental studies building is officially the coolest building on campus.  It looks like a piece of crap from the outside, but inside it is pretty stinking cool.  It feels like...Zaboomafoo's treehouse meets USS Enterprise. 

I had a banana and oatmeal for breakfast.  Showered. and read the first six chapters of Isaiah all on schedule.  Chapter six is loaded.  After that I went over all of the reading for 311 again, reading the case a total of five times before class I think.  I was going to be ready to get called on, let me tell you.  In class none of that seemed to matter.  I felt as inadequately prepared as I have ever been.  Luckily it didn't matter.  He didn't get to and Socratizing of the class today.

Back to where we were...at twelve I had English 307.  Medieval literature.  This professor.  Is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen.  Go look at Ian McKellan on the cover of Richard III, then put him in the most ridiculous...(tweed?) suit you've ever seen, with a fit that made him look actually more like Al Pacino than Gandalf.  He's an American.  But he talks with an almost British Accent.  Like you'd expect...a man born in the late 18th century in America to sound like.  Definitely not English but...something is there...And the mustache?

He seems pretty cool though.  I'm gonna botch this point here, but it seems like a lot of English teachers...assume a certain...(old fashioned?) way of reading texts has already been learned...except...so many of them do that no student really knows what that is....well.  That made NO sense, but this guy.  This guy is old fashioned.  and Old.  I think I will like him.  He did a little mini spiel about how many English professors in "American universities at least," seem to have developed a guilty conscience over doing nothing with their lives except look at novels and poetry for decades, and feel the need to justify their field with social utility or cultural relevance...or...whatever.  Thus...tarnishing the real "disinterested interest" (I should have paid more attention in 313) or...w/e.  Art for arts sake is good. and doesn't need to be justified.  Doesn't need...a...poignant social theme...not every dead author has to have been secretly gay Pam Hardman.

Anyway.  That made.  Very little sense.

But w/e.  It was a good first class period.  No Jake or Mikki yet though.

311 (the hardest non-hard science class at Western according to former students...according to the professor) was also enjoyable this first day of class.  I got to see the guy I judge (having not actually interacted with him) to be a pretentious half-idiot got shut up real quick by the adorable professor Paul Chen.  He said "Goodness" about 18 times during the class period.  I can't tell you how happy it makes me to here people say Goodness instead of taking the Lord's name in vain.  Bobby says Dr. Chen is a great Christian guy too.  He wore green pants with suspenders.  a white shirt blue jacket and tie.  A shorter Asian fellow.  He speaks quickly.

He described the course as a (very) little taste of what law school is.  3/4's of the class raised their hands when he asked who's considering law school.  I went ahead and raised mine too.  He said, in so many words, it's a factory that pumps out cold heartless bastards.  The kind of people who, from what I gathered, take no words for granted and tend to argue more over language than what is actually signified by the language.  I thought I was this way interacting with a lot of people in my past.  Then I met Jake and I thought I might not actually be that bad.  Jake, you are warm and full of heart though.  Don't mind that part.  He said during his three years at law school he never once heard the word justice in the classroom.  Literally.  He didn't say that was an inherently bad thing.  You're not learning about what's right or wrong, or studying a subject really at all according to him.  You're learning a new way of thinking.  The cold heartless bastard way of thinking.  He mentioned Scott Turow's book.  I felt stupidly proud that I'd read it.

Anyways.  All those hands going up in that one class, packed to the brim...sobering considering only 12 students from Western enrolled at UW law last fall.  and that's the highest I've seen the three years I've been keeping track.

There is no question I will read more pages, words, and syllables this quarter and spend more time doing it than I ever have in the past.

This is how I described my family in a recent text message "...Sara is being awesome.  Kara is also being awesome in her own less-like-me way (but really...plenty like me). Mom is recovering from uterus-removal surgery.  She has been up and about and seems fine.  Dad's sense of humor is aging like wine so far."

Here are some pictures.  From over the last month.

 I cannot describe to you.  How good this was.

 Enter: Bill

 Josh

 Nic

 Guess

 Matt (Dugan) Decided to...take a picture of his crotch.  Today.

 It is good to have someone to take semi-candid pictures of me again.

Currently listening: Sanctus Real "Pieces of a Real Heart,"  Random worship music...Fee, Shane & Shane, Todd Agnew, Chris Tomlin, David Crowder,  PETRA!!, Philips Craig & Dean, Kristian Stanfill, Matt Redman.

A New Bit!

Sort've.  I'm going to do the first (and probably only) piece in a series called "Good idea, Bad idea."  Real original right? ok.  Let's start with a positive suggestion

Good Idea: Sending personalized messages of greeting and /or encouragement to several of your friends, or someone you know could use a kind word.

Bad Idea: Regularly sending a generic mass text indiscriminately to all of your friends.  I've often been guilty of this myself.

Our good idea for today might actually do...some Good.  It let's people know you care at least enough to use their name, and might actually lead to a moment of Substantive human interaction.  Maybe even several moments (If that's something you're afraid of, or find bothersome, or feel that...it's not the point, you're in the wrong).  I would love to receive more of these real texts.  Today's bad idea, on the other hand, is not only impersonal, but more often than not is inconsequential.  For me these are at best spam, and at worst insulting.  To me it says the sender feels he/she is either too important, or thinks she/he is too busy to care about me the individual.  I see it almost as the sender trying to glorify him/herself by putting as little time as possible into letting everyone know that she/he is awesome and nice, but doesn't actually care about me. 

So in conclusion.  DO send people (especially me ;]) a personalized text with a name, full of love and encouragement.  It takes barely any more time than what you should NOT DO: regularly send all of your friends a vainglorious text trying to osmose how awesome you are into their craniums.  Ok that might not be your intent (Seach your heart.  Pray. Now. Seriously), but still.  You might not have time to reach as many people, but you will also annoy fewer people, and the ones you do reach will be more significantly impacted than they ever would with a "Hi Everyone, I'm so Nice I've got enough awesome left to tell you all to have a good day!...Every week!"  Put forth that extra bit of energy please. You will have a much more real impact on someone's day. It's good for you.  It's good for those who you reach. Texting is faceless enough without not even bothering to call someone by name.

This is just a suggestion.  I'd like to think.  Something positive someone can do.  I don't want to be all negative just bashing on people. Please Don't react by stopping; start really doing maybe. 

Yes.

"'She would of been a good woman,' The Misfit said, 'if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life.'"

That sums up my conversation with my awesome sister this evening.  It ended with me reading Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find" to her as she fell asleep.  We had a good time renaming the characters.  Or at least I did.

Spring break starting

Yes, Yes again, and Yes forever.  Today is the first official day of spring break.  So far I've spent it recovering from my weekend with Jared (through sleep), doing laundry, washing dishes, and reading Song of Songs.

I'm always (a lot) scared to read Song of Songs.  I figure it's hard to read it with a right mind.  It's really not as explicit as I remember thinking it was when me and Jared would go through it and just laugh at the colorful metaphors.

Some take away points?  Well the refrain "Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires" I like.  In my romantic mind it means something like...don't go around trying to force the issue of. romance.  Don't be overly eager.  Don't.  Be dumb.  Like I have been.  The study Bible makes note of it being in the context of physical affection every time it comes up.  So that makes some obvious sense.  Don't get freaky until its time to get freaky. (which is after its time to get married by the way).

7:10 says "I belong to my lover, and his desire is for me."  That's just a biting critique of lusting after women. Cheapening them through sex.  Cheapening a girlfriend through sex.  Cheapening a person by lusting after them or having sex with them.  It's not good.  If it's not your don't touch it.  That sounds terribly (and ironically?) objectifying.  Be smart people.  I'm obviously not meaning to be.  Sex is freaking amazing.  Between a husband and wife.  I can't go fooling around. Instead I should get with some 7:13 "...I have stored up (...'delicacies') for you my lover."  Yeah.

I keep on lamenting that I left my grandmother's notebook containing everything she was able to write down in one sitting about her life and grandpa's life.

Don't give up on love people...sheesh.  I'm not going to say anything about personal stuff I've witnessed recently but.  Some people make me gag with their immaturity.  I need to be praying for them.  Not almost dieing, choking on my own vomit.

I had my first drinking experience on Thursday night last.  I was very careful not to get drunk.  Although where that line exactly is I don't know.  The point is I remember everything, did nothing horrible, didn't puke, and was able to walk in a straight line the whole time.  What I did do was get loud.  but still...sensical.  Obnoxious loud at times maybe, but I can be obnoxious loud any normal day.  If I could channel that uninhibited charisma on a normal day though, without the assistance of Jack Daniels...God would find it a lot easier to use me.  I was infinitely more productive for Jesus in that night that I've been all year.  (I shared the Gospel with 1 guy, and I think I've shared the Gospel with 0 guys this year before him.)

My dad buys the most disgusting beer I've ever tasted (I've tasted two beers).

Let's see.  There was a potatoe bar potluck after church on Sunday.  It was good, and I was killing it with the 12-year-olds.

I missed Bill Faye speak on Sunday.  Slept right until it started.  Didn't want to get myself up and pretty to be half an hour late.

Djokovic is being dominant this year, and since I'm remembering that schools still in for the CK school district I won't be playing tennis at all this break it turns out.

Jordan Swanberg has left Silverdale even more permanently.  He is now a Cop.  A bonafide officer of the law in Colorado Springs.  Good luck BRO.  I'll try and keep you in my prayers.

I went to this place called the Grub Hut in Kingston with Jared, Jordan, and Jason.  That was the last time we'll be together for a long time.  Existential guilt.

I'm starting to worry about my chances getting into UW law.  I'll have good enough grades, and I think I'll kill the LSAT, which is 90% of what matters, the rest practically being a participation grade...but.  Bah w/e.  I think I'm going to pursue another career, maybe paralegal, for a couple years after graduation.  See if I even like that atmosphere, before I commit to $100,000 of debt.  People say once you stop going to school it's almost impossible to get yourself to go back though.  I don't know if I'd mind all that much.  I'd be free.

As long as I remember to live for Jesus first...

Had a great time with a surprisingly successful (as far as attendance is concerned) reunionish party yesterday night.  Derrick, Colin, Lyndsay, Nick, Brian, Emma.  Thanks for coming.  You're awesome. 

Lets kick this Spring break in the face.

The cutest girl I've seen in awhile

The Pomplamoose girl...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9KMgg7T_sg&feature=relmfu

Seriously.

"The Way the World Turns

And I keep on turning to you..."

I have really never felt more responsible than I do now.  There is a lot of work still to be done in the next 5 days, but I'm off to a very good start.

I'm starting my final paper/exam for East Asia pretty much right now.  Hopefully I finish that up this weekend, get the take home test for American Authors done on Sunday, and get through the majority of the Critical Theory study guide.  If that's all done by Monday morning all I'll have left to do is write my Critical Theory paper (which is actually due Friday, but I want to turn it in Wednesday so I can get the hockey sticks out of here) and study for the final exam in the same class Wednesday evening.  Then blamo

I'm at a 90% in East Asia right now.  If I get an A on this paper, and she gives me full participation points (please...pleas please...) I'll have a 94 or higher.

I've got some kind've A- I think in Critical Theory right now.  So I also need to come out swinging on the paper and final in that class.  I'm most skeptical about my ability to pull an A out of this class.  Definitely possible though.

American Authors is also going to be close.  I'm pretty angry because I forfeit 5% of my grade by forgetting the due date on one of my discussion posts.  I've got every last other point though, and she seems to grade pretty easily.  So with a little luck I can have an A in there too.

I picked up my books for next quarter at the bookstore today.  Next quarter I'll probably have the opportunity to work harder than this quarter (which had more work for me than Fall).  I don't want to say school will be hard.  Because it probably won't.  It's not like I'm doing math.  I want to put a lot into it though....(so I get a lot out of it?).

We watched some video smuggled out of North Korea in class this morning.  It made me pretty angry. Watch the video, read the article. 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/southkorea/8165274/North-Koreas-undercover-journalists-reveal-misery-of-life-in-dictatorship.html

Here's the link to the whole documentary "Kimjongilia."  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3l4DP07NpA

Between 1994 and 1997 some 5-10% of the korean population died of starvation during a famine.  And this is what Kim Jung Il, and his youngest son King Jung Un (On the left, in black), whose now his designated successor look like.

If your gonna be a...jerk...like they are.  At least look like you're not eating your weight in dog every night.



I dunno.  There's a lot of hunger in the world obviously.  I don't know why I'm so affected by these particular images.  Maybe because of how they try and hide it, and refuse to let anyone in, even those who just want to provide humanitarian support because they can't support themselves anymore.

Anyway.  I finished Job today and read a little bit of Matthew.  Verse 11:12 is drastically different in the NIV compared with the ESV and NASB (NIV: "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the king dom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it." ESV: "From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force."), although the footnote in NIV helps to alleviate some of the dissonance.  Something to do with active vs passive voice.  The whole point of the verse in context was different then I first thought though.  Apparently it's more a reference to John the Baptist's actual ministry and the spectacle it became to many people trying to fit themselves into heaven through him.  At Acquire the Fire back in...2005 or so, this was one of their theme verses for their whole "Battlecry" thing (The NIV version of course), which totally misrepresents the point of the verse.  Frustrating that a group as influential and apparently as up and up as Teen Mania would take a verse out of context like that, and an outlying translation at that.

My apologies by how poorly constructed and underthought that last paragraph was.  It annoys me.

Jake's friend Josh, who I guess is still a senior at CK is here.  I think they're playing CoD (grimace...).

Welcome back to Silverdale Jared!

BTW, I gave up facebook for lent.  In case you were wondering...

I'm pretty excited to pass go, collect $120 from Michael, and land on Jordan's Swan Song (kudos to Jared for the pun there...) party next week.

Currently Listening: FFH: Found a Place, I Want to be Like You, Sanctus Real: Pieces of a Real Heart

Way to Go France!

There aren't many times I've been inclined to say that in my short existence, but they were the first country to recognize the rebel coalition's government as Libya's legitimate regime.  Britain did the same soon after.  Where is the US on this?  Come on Mr. President.

Anyway.  I just finished writing my final project for 309.  I always surprise myself with how awesome I am.  It's called "...On Every Visage" and it grows out of Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil."  It is hardly all it could be.  I could only have 6 pages double spaced, and there was a lot that I didn't get to develop, but it works pretty effectively for all that isn't in it I'd say, after giving it a couple full read throughs.

That's one good looking family eh?  I certainly think so.  This might be the best picture I've ever seen of all of us.  Certainly since I've been caring about pictures.

A couple days ago I felt like I really wanted to write something about Job.  Now not so much.  The gist of it was that....everyone always talks about Job being a book with the theme of enduring hardships and that whole "Praise You in this storm" attitude, but as I've been going through it this week, what strikes me more than Jobs attitude (which really isn't that great anyway, just listen to my man Elihu), is the attitude of his friends.  The message I have been taking away is how important it is to love your friends well, especially when they are going through hardships.  As Job says (somewhere between chapter 6 and 15) "A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends!"  He goes on in chapter 19, "Why do you pursue me as God does?"  Deuchebag Eliphaz, Bildad, and whoever the third turd face are do nothing to encourage Job as he lies writhing at the bottom of a pit a broke and broken man covered in his own filth.  Instead they rub salt in his wounds by telling him what a terrible guy he must be?  Love your friends!  Love everyone in fact!  Let God do the judging.

Another thing I did a couple days ago is write down the places I'm a leader in and what position/authority/resources I'm a steward of.  My position in the world as a student at first seems pretty powerless, but I connected that (Oh Ms Fisher...you'd be so proud) with what we learned about South Korea and the student population being viewed as something of the "moral compass" of the nation.  Now I'm not so cotton-headed-ninny-mugginsed as to think that very many people think that college students in America are anything close to a moral compass, but I think there is a lot of influence that many students don't take advantage of.  A lot of participation in the public sphere is done by the young student type.  A lot of it is done by the liberal young student type.  At the very least they get people's attention...I don't know.  I could be doing something to tug the pointer in a more Jesusy direction at least.

I'm annoyed by all of you people who have no sense of political efficacy.  Who don't vote and think protesting or participating in politics in any way really is right above (and maybe below) wrist slitting as far as usefulness or time worthiness.  I'll let you go unnamed for now.

I'm also an older brother.

Most importantly though I'm a steward of the truth.  A steward of the good news. A steward of the Gospel.  I take this for granted so dang much.  In the majority of spheres in my life this doesn't even get a thought from me.  Everywhere I'm in contact with people I should be talking about how awesome Jesus is.  How we can never be on the same plane of holiness God is, and nothing we do changes that except the cross.  Have I not told you about Jesus whoever you are?  Slap me in the face and demand it from me next time you see me!  Is xbox live a place to turn off Jesus and just act like a jerk while I relieve stress on virtual skulls? It shouldn't be.  Is class a place that I just go to extract information and refuse to interact with anyone around me? Nope...Goodness gracious.

This time next week I'll be at home.  The quarter is winding down.  Two Papers and 1 test stand in my way.  Getting this project out of the way makes me feel SO much better...

Me, Jake, Trey, and Mikki went to Pho' 99 again today.  It's not really my favorite thing but somehow I was talked into going.

Currently Listening: MercyMe: Almost There, Sanctus Real: "Lead Me," "Half Our Lives."

Tingly

I feel tingly.  Not in a good way. In that...intensely unsatisfied way.  That way. you know.  That.  Maybe it's...me putting so many things from my mind that my mind has frozen up.  Like.  Having so many programs open but minimized slows down computers (does that even really happen? I'm sure it must)  I guess I can remedy that by writing everything down and starting to tear away at it.  I dunno.  The tingle in all this fuzz is...just people. and not people.

I spent a good 90 minutes today reading through all 19 pages of this thread on the Viking Village forum called "Hey you, and the moment you've been waiting for."  It's people taking the least risky, hardly-a-step-at-all-step towards meeting people that they've admired from afar for a day or for months.  "Hey you, person I would've been madly in love with already if we lived that long time ago in the galaxy far far away..."  Yeah.  I don't think any of the posts were referring to me.  Not that i was expecting it.  Not that many people post on there, and most of them are the hyper-liberal God-debunking type anyway.

Thinking through what I've got to do by next Wednesday I feel pretty good.  This short story should come along pretty easily when I get to it, the final essay for 307 looks pretty easy, almost a rehash of the first essay.  Take home test for 309, in class exam Wednesday for 313 which should be ...well, manageable.  The only thing that leaves me a little unnerved at this point is the 5-6 page analysis of one of the texts we've read in that class I'm supposed to do.  I'm not alone in feeling kind've disconnected from what my goal is supposed to be with that I don't think.  But I'll figure it out.  I actually have til next Friday to do that one, but I have to turn in a hard copy, and I don't want to actually stay until Friday.  I'm hoping to leave Wednesday night, right after my final at 5:30 or after GC, closer to 9.  I don't really care to get home at midnight, but...It might be less trafficked and more beautiful.  We'll see.

I dunno.  I guess I really need prayer to just feel more...lose and aware of what's gotta get down.  To bite down and chew away.  If I work hard a 4.0 is really possible this quarter (Just like it is for almost anyone even up to the last week and a half of the quarter).  Right now though, I'm projecting...3.8.  A- in both 307 and 313, and an A in 309.  We'll see.

Going home messes up my rhythm.  Not that I don't love all of you but.  Man.  I feel like I was at a good pace getting up this hill but then came to a sudden stop and now have to work extra hard to get that momentum back again.

I'm giving up irresponsibility for lent.  and thoughts of girls. (lolz on one of those...)

Currently Listening:  Children 18:3: Rains' A Comin',  Thousand Foot Krutch: The Flame in All of Us, FFH: I Wanna Be Like You.

I'm having a hard time finding music to "purge me of this lonely mood..."

(Half and hour later:  The answer was "The Coldest Heart." and remind me to talk about Job.)

Success!

I registered very successfully (of course) today at 4:15 on the dot.  Even though I knew there were plenty of spots for what I wanted it still was a little bit of a kick refreshing the page every 5 seconds waiting for the exact second it opened up.  Anyway.  Here it is.

ENGL 301: Writing Studies.  Tue, Thu, 10-11:50.  PH 220, Cathy McDonald.
PLSC 310: International Relations of East Asia.  Mon, Wed, Fri, 8:30-9:50.  CF 226, Kristen Parris.
PLSC 311: Intro to Law and the Judicial Process.  Tue, Thu, 12-1:50. ES 313, Paul Chen.

I'm excited.  It will definitely be the best quarter yet.  I've generally felt good about the coming quarter after registration...I guess this quarter was more a take what I could get quarter since I had to wait 'til phase II to get into a lot.  But I've just heard so many good things about Paul Chen and that class, and Kristen is great.  301 definitely sounds preferable to 350 (creative writing) so I feel good about that as well.  Whatever ratemyprofessors is worth, it says Cathy MacDonald is great too.

Hi mom! get better soon! I've got the prayer police out in force ;)  I'll see you Friday!

So I'm bringing both Lodrick and Jake down south now.  I guess that is more money to offset the weight my gas tank is having on my wallet.

Me, Aaron, Jake, and Matt talked about  getting a house next year.  Maybe with an assortment of other friends as well.  That would be absolutely sublime.  that would set me up for being able to stay next summer and take classes and work around here.  It also would probably be considerably cheaper.  and I'd be able to protect my food more voraciously.

I had one too many glasses of water.  I kept on eating cake at GC tonight.  and washing it own.  The water makes me hurt...

The end of the quarter is two weeks away for me.  Two weeks from now I will be coming home for spring break.  I have to write a short story, do two 5 page papers, a take home test, and only one in class final on that Wednesday two weeks from today.  Seems pretty manageable from here.  Here's to kicking it's butt.

I guess I should say something about GC.  It was biscuits and gravy.  I just. Spooned fat into my mouth for half an hour.  Mmmmmmmm...

Jake led for a second time!  (You do a really good job Jake ;)  seriously.  He directs and expounds and branches like a pro.  Nehemiah 5 was the passage.  Oppression and Justice the theme.  I wasn't that plugged in honestly.  There were some moments. 

Learning about the history of Korea and it's division is actually pretty interesting.  Its made my proud-to-be-an-American meter go down a couple clicks.  It's definitely a tragic situation.  Kim Jong-Il better hurry up and die.  And we  better be ready to bring down that regime.

Currently Listening:  Nothing.  I really have listened to nothing today.  I thought about listening to house of heroes a little...

There's a protest tomorrow on the budget cuts.  If it wasn't in the middle of class I seriously might go.  It is rather ridiculous in my opinion that a public university has to get the majority of its funding through private funds.

Claude Atcho is going to be on an "ask us anything" panel about religion tomorrow along with a guy from The Inn, a mormon, a muslim, and a few other really weird sounding folks.  Jake I guess has been planning on going for a month but Matt scheduled his groups study group during that time so now he can't.  That really sucks.  I think I'm going to try and go. 

Claude preaches the second service at Redeemer.  I can only imagine that kind of questions he'll get to field tomorrow from this student body...What a brave guy.  If ya'll could say a prayer for Claude, I'm sure he'd appreciate it.  

Professor Chen (I'm taking his class next quarter) is doing a presentation that has something to do with mixing religion and politics.  Based on what I've heard about Dr. Chen, this sounds like something I might want to go to as well.  Only problem is it is at 5:15 and GC is at 6...Well I will have to go to the Claude thing.  I told Jake I'd take pictures.

Today has been a good day.  I have read a lot.  I'm completely caught up in 307 and will be caught up in 309 soon.  I will probably still have to do some bucket bailing the rest of the week to get back on par in 313. 

I got a B on my second essay for 307.  I knew a few hours after I turned in, upon actually reading the article on social movements in South Korea that there was definitely a lot that wasn't in my essay.  I have an A- in the class overall at this point.  I'll have to nail the last essay and not slip on any remaining quizzes. 

Registration is tomorrow.  4:15.  I'll be going to the library straight after class and working out my fingers to buzz in those numbers.  I shouldn't have a problem though.  Doesn't look like my classes are filling up all that fast.  One advantage of having a boat load of credits.

I had tomatoe soup and a quesadilla for dinner.  I was going to say cheese quesadilla.  But then I realized that that is probably redundant...and I've been saying it all these years...There isn't as much sodium in that soup as I thought there was.

Derek and Melissa Boulch have lost 28 lbs between them since the new year.  Flipping good job.  What have I been doing?  I think I've broken even about.

Walden redeemed itself in the end.  "...such is the character of that morrow which mere lapse of time can never make to dawn.  The light which puts out our eyes is darkness to us.  Only that day dawns to which we are awake.  There is more day to dawn.  The sun is but a morning star."  He probably wasn't talking about Jesus, but it's still beautiful.


Currently listening:  Eric Whitacre: Cloudburst, Light and Gold