Monday, February 28, 2005
Dude Looks Like A Lady
On March 30th, I will be registering for my classes, and I have till then to decide what I am doing about my major...There is so much to weigh into my decision, and I am really really overwhelmed by it, so if you could please pray for me, that would really help.
This weekend was fun and filled with DRAMA! Friday we went to Waikiki and ate at Cold Stone, Saturday morning I went whale counting (for environmental science class), then worked, and then went out to Blue Tropix, a club. It was pretty fun. Some funny stories. No time to talk about it though, so call me! :) Sunday (yesterday), I slept in for a LONG time, because I went to bed around 3:30 on Saturday. I went to church, studied, and worked!
I am planning on giving my two weeks notice sometime this week. I'm just going to miss free ice cream. Yum! Alright, I still don't have a computer, so please call me if you want to talk!!!
Some things that happened at work....
Funny customer:
"Thanks, Ash! Ash is my people."
Most embarrassing moment:
*I was helping a family with a dad and a brother and a sister, who were probably 11 and 13 years old. They were all rather large and the dad and sister had long, messy hair. I made the sister an ice cream and gave it to her. Then I made the brother an ice cream and while I was giving it to him...
Me: Here you go, don't get jealous that her ice cream is bigger...she got a brownie in it, so it made it bigger.
Dad: What did you say?
I repeated myself.
Dad: Him. It's a him.
Me: Oh.
What can you say in the situation?! I wanted to justify myself...Well, sir, he is kind of fat so he has a chest! And his hair is long and he looks like he has blush on. I just thought he was a manly girl. A tomboy!
Instead, I just apologized. The dad said something like, "Hasn't anyone ever seen a guy with long hair?" After the paid me, I proceeded to run back to the kitchen and tell everyone about it. They just laughed! I felt awful and terrible and SO embarrassed.
My manager just kept singing "Dude looks like a lady!"
Friday, February 25, 2005
R.I.P. Lappy
I love Starbucks. Big cushy chairs, yummy coffee, Norah Jones, and peace and quiet!
I love and miss you, if you're not here with me.
If you are, let's go to the beach!! :-D
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Surfing Dudes
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Growing Pains
Some things I did this past week and weekend ::
* went to an all-girls Catholic elementary school to observe 3rd grade.
* camping club ~ North Shore...saw little boy surfers who were ADORABLE!!
* Marissa made us lasagna for dinner and we ended up boogie-boarding down our stairs
* went for a ride on a Catamaran - a boat - and swam in the middle of the ocean
* Rachel's birthday dinner at a Mexican restaurant
* watched The Forgotten - a very scary movie!
* went to the beach a few times
* worked at Cold Stone a lot
I got an email today from my mom saying that she misses Tara and I. I miss her so much, and my sisters and Anthony and my dad too. But it's odd, because I feel like I've separated from my family so much. We don't talk on the phone or email very much. My mom really has no idea what is going on in my life. I mean, I update her briefly on what my latest news is...but she doesn't really know what I do day in and day out. I know that most people in college get to see their family more than just 6 weeks in the summer and 2 weeks at Christmas. And even now, my friends here in Hawaii, who don't live close to their families anymore - most of them seem to talk to their families at LEAST once a week.
I kind of feel like I am being forced to separate from my family. It's crazy, because my family is the MOST important thing to me here on this earth!! I love them with all that I have, and it breaks my heart that I am not involved in their life anymore.
In some ways, I am still in the mindset where I feel like my mom should be worried about me. For instance, she doesn't know that I often get off work at midnight and have a 20-minute bike ride that is not so safe. She isn't worried about me anymore, but then again, parents can't really worry about you your whole life...but maybe I feel like I am loved if someone is concerned for my safety.
And I know I am loved...but lately it's just been so hard to deal with because I feel so utterly separated from my family. In Garden State, Andrew says exactly what I feel like....maybe I'll watch that tonight...
You know that point in your life when you realize that the house that you grew up in isn't really your home anymore? All of the sudden even though you have some place where you can put your stuff that idea of home is gone.
You'll see when you move out it just sort of happens one day one day and it's just gone. And you can never get it back. It's like you get homesick for a place that doesn't exist. I mean it's like this right of passage, you know. You won't have this feeling again until you create a new idea of home for yourself, you know, for you kids, for the family you start, it's like a cycle or something. I miss the idea of it. Maybe that's all family really is. A group of people who miss the same imaginary place.
Monday, February 21, 2005
Thursday, February 17, 2005
TMI?
:: Countdown Survey ::
::15 Random Favorites::
1. Getting mail
2. Newly sharpened pencils
3. Sound of lawnmowers
4. Feeling comfortable with someone
5. Cancelled classes
6. Starbucks
7. Smell of coffee
8. Riding my bike
9. Praying
10. Libraries
11. Singing really loud in my car
12. Working out
13. Swinging
14. Storms
15. Coloring
::14 Favorite Foods::
1. Diet Dr. Pepper
2. Stir Fry
3. French toast
4. Lucky Charms
5. Mashed Potatoes
6. Shrimp
7. Baba Ganouj
8. Pad Thai
9. Sushi
10. Garlic Naan
11. Hummus
12. Smoothies
13. Hot chocolate
14. Baklava
::13 Watched T.V. Shows::
1. Anything Food Network
2. Friends
3. Monk
4. Trading Spaces
5. Everybody Loves Raymond
6. Survivor
7. What Not to Wear
8. A Dating Story
9. Arthur
10. Bill Nye the Science Guy
11. Gilligan’s Island
12. CNN
13. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
::12 Good Bands/Artists In Your Opinion::
1. Switchfoot
2. John Mayer
3. Keith Urban
4. Norah Jones
5. Jim Brickman
6. Travis
7. Harry Connick Jr
8. Third Day
9. Phish
10. Yellowcard
11. Barenaked Ladies
12. Casting Crowns
:: 11 Memories::
1. Babysitting Shelby and Gracie with Kat
2. Pirate Day at camp – Katie dressing up like a pirate!
3. Vancouver
4. 7th grade talent show
5. Nun Run 2003
6. Switchfoot concert @ Alive this summer and the sleepover!
7. Playing hopscotch at Oakwood Elementary School
8. Summers at Ocean Isle
9. Going to Giant Eagle in argyle socks and high heels at midnight
10. ‘Nsync concerts with Amy and Katie
11. Laying in E’s bed to skip class on a rainy day
::10 Random Friends::
1. Katie
2. Jordan
3. Mike
4. Kat
5. My sisters
6. Craig
7. E
8. Amy
9. Eileen
10. Rachel
::09 Things You're Looking Forward To::
1. Spring Break with Kathryn!
2. Working out at the YMCA
3. Turning 21
4. Seeing my family in Malaysia
5. Seeing my grandparents in Ohio
6. Seeing my friends this summer
7. Graduating
8. Living in the Ghetto
9. Falling in love
::08 Things You Wear Daily::
1. Underwear
2. Bra
3. Shorts or jeans
4. Cartilage hoop
5. T-shirt
6. Cross necklace
7. Flip flops
8. Hair tie
::07 Things That Annoy You::
1. Being lied to
2. Being sick and having to go to work anyway!
3. Feeling second best
4. Headaches
5. Really uptight people
6. Wet socks
7. Sand in my bed
::06 Things You Touch Every Day::
1. Keyboard
2. Toothbrush
3. Coffee mug
4. Pencil
5. Keys
6. Bike
::05 Movies You Could Watch Over and Over::
1. You’ve Got Mail
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
3. Legally Blonde
4. Beauty and the Beast
5. Phantom of the Opera
::04 Of Your Favorite Toys When You Were Little::
1. Barbies
2. Nintendo
3. My Little Pony
4. Books (really!)
::03 Boys You have Kissed::
1. Less
2. than
3. three
::02 Of Your Favorite Songs At This Moment::
1. “Days Go By” – Keith Urban
2. “Comfortable” – John Mayer
::01 Thing You Could Spend the Rest of Your Life With::
1. Jesus
My week -- Worked Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday nights. Yeah, a LOT!! I skipped all my classes on Monday for Valentine's Day.
I did laundry and watched 50 First Dates and hung out with my roommates instead. It was nice...but too lazy! We went to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner, after waiting two hours in line! We also got to see the sunset ::
Waikiki Sunset
The roommates on V-day!
Sunday, February 13, 2005
I Wanna Be A Rockstar
- live with Mel and Tara
- go skydiving
- visit vancouver again
- vacation alone
- climb a moutain
- see a sunrise
- go parasailing
- become a saint
- go on a cruise
- kiss under a waterfall
- meet Switchfoot
- see Alaska
- hike a gorgeous trail
- do a jungle run in Malaysia
- have a family
- go camping
- learn how to develop a picture (i have an obsession with darkrooms)
- take cooking classes in Europe
- go to Arizona with Kat
- do 50 pushups
- love unconditionally
- and SO much more!!
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Just Waikiki
Friday, February 11, 2005
I Get Carried Away
Today has been really wonderful!
This morning, my roommate Marissa convinced me to skip class and go to the mall. SOOO glad I did! It was so nice driving around with the windows down and Switchfoot blaring on this *GORGEOUS* day. We went to Sports Authority and I got some cheerleader shorts. Then we went to Ala Moana mall, and I found a cute long sleeve shirt from American Eagle for less than $8! I can't wait to wear it this fall/winter. (Did I just say I can't wait for fall/winter?!) We also went to Godiva. mmm...Marissa bought some dark chocolate truffles and Valentine's Day present for all of us roommates!! It was delicious! I made sure to enjoy every bite, since it costs like $4 for one truffle! (The truffles are about 1.5 inches in diameter...not big!) We also went to Hallmark and spent way too much time reading cute cards! Then we got some frappachinos at Starbucks. Yum!
I'm all for skipping classes Friday mornings in order to go to the mall!
Well, this might seem a little random, but I was thinking today how I like to not look nice. It's so freeing to not care how I look. I think it would be such a pain to have to look nice before you ever leave the house. I am very content wearing comfy shorts, a t-shirt, flip flops, and my hair pulled back. I'd rather be comfortable than cute. :)
Oh - and BIG news! We are living in 143 Evanston next year - it's on the corner of Evanston and Irving. YAY!! I'm pretty excited to be in a house.
Tentative summer plans = me taking 10 hours of Chem classes and labs. Working part-time at the YMCA. That's just tentative though. I have been praying about my major change, and I really just feel excited about it. I think that's a good sign, yeah? It will be a huge change and a challenge with all the science courses, but I truly believe that I can accomplish anything if I just put my mind to it. Girl power!
Woah, getting a little carried away.
Working tonight from 7 until 12. If I could find a closer job that paid more money and I didn't have to sing...I'd be all over that. I never heard back from the 24Fitness place, so I guess I didn't get it. I'd rather hear back either way though! Being left in the dark just sucks.
I got some freaking sweet blue bracelets from thehungersite.com. They are so cool, you should get some too!!
Alright, time to get going. Have a wonderful weekend.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Just The Facts, Ma'am
* I finally got my pretty pink Nalgene bottle in the mail
* My grandparents and the Cronins are visiting Malaysia
* Melanie made All-Stars for her touch rugby team! Go Mel!
* I got to talk to my family finally last night. It is the 3rd time in 5 weeks, which kind of crappy.
* I am still working at Cold Stone ~ ice cream shop
* I am more confused than ever about my major after talking to Mom
* Sometimes I get waves of nostalgia where I really miss UD -- especially Oakwood, studying in KU, pretzels and milk shakes in the Galley, Stuart mass, and IHOP. How am I ever going to leave in 2 years? I don't want to graduate and leave all the fun!!
* If I change to dietetics, I will have to take 2 chem classes this summer
* My dad thinks I've always wanted to be a teacher
* I really like Shannon Calcatera :) She's a nice roommate who gives me dark chocolate.
* I miss lots of UD people
* If you write me a letter, I will write you one back. Just ask E. Or Carolyn. :)
* You should write me a letter.
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
In Your Compassion, Blot Out My Offense
I need this more than I can know.
The true sacrifice is a broken spirit: a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse.
-- Psalm 50
This Lent I am going to take advantage and try to rid my life of all those distractions that keep me from knowing God more intimately.
Before Lent is over, Kat will be here. I need Kat!
I am bad at admitting my faults...or accepting my faults.
If you know how to, tell me.
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Well, That Was Unexpected
I walked past the man, smiled at him singing, and went into church. During mass, I kept thinking of the man. I wanted to buy him dinner. I only had $10, which isn't much in Waikiki, but I figured it was worth a shot. By the time mass ended, however, my mind was on other things. I barely even noticed the man when I was walking back to my bike. As I hopped on my bike, he asked me what my shirt said, and we started a conversation. That conversation lasted an hour and a half. I wish I could remember all that we talked about, all that I learned. Brian's story was amazing. God prevented him from killing himself, so he completely surrendered EVERYTHING he had for God. For the past few years, he has lived on the streets of Waikiki, sharing the Word of God with people on the street. He has a hard life, I'm sure. He sleeps on the sand. But he is SO full of joy. His biggest worry was that he didn't have a quiet place to read. That is his biggest worry. Not that he is homeless. Not that he is probably disrespected daily.
Brian sees God in EVERYTHING. He thanks God for being stabbed. He says he learned to draw closer to God through that. While we were talking, and he would say something profound, a car would honk. He always pointed that out. He'd say, "See? Honk! That's God." One of the cool analogies that he told me was about being warm. When you first go out in the sun, you are really warm, and you probably tell whoever you're with. "Wow, it's so sunny and nice out. I'm hot!" After you're laying on the beach for a while, though - you sort of get more used to the brightness and warmth. You might still be hot, but you don't talk about it every 2 seconds.
That's how it is with God. Maybe at first you are so overwhelmed and excited about God's love that you tell everyone. Or at least you marvel about it with your closest friends. After a while, you might start to get used to it or take it for granted. I don't want to ever take God's love for granted!
There is so much more I could tell you...but I don't know how boring this is for everyone else. One thing that Brian repeated about a million times is that we are all brothers and sisters and that we are all connected. Please, just always remember that people are PEOPLE. Even if they don't have a home. Don't feel that they are just lazy, or just born unlucky. Don't walk by them and turn your head the other way. Don't be scared of what you don't understand.
Sunday, February 06, 2005
Deflowering A Starbucks Virgin (and other updates)
Thursday: My first class was cancelled, then I had a Stats test. I went to Wal Mart with Marissa, and at night went with Rachel to Starbucks. It was her first time ever going to a Starbucks. It was fun! I love Starbucks. It's such a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere, and it's yummy! Rachel and I talked a lot, it was really nice. She was a good date, I'll have to ask her out again. :-P
Friday: Skipped Astronomy, went to Communications. Stayed in, everyone else went to "On Stage," a local little bar. I went to a Mexican restaurant with my roommate, Marissa, and we watched part of Finding Nemo and Underworld. Weird movie about vampires...Also talked to Mike for a long time. :) Oh, and my room was the neatest it has ever been! *Yawn* Being too neat is boring. haha
Major update: I am about 75% sure that I will be switching my major, probably to dietetics and nutrition. I want to help people learn the importance of and how to eat healthier; especially pregnant and nursing women, the obese, and kids! I have been emailing the Advisor at UD for dietetics, and she has been a big help. Tomorrow I will hopefully call some dietitians to talk to them about the job...So if you guys could pray for my guidance in this decision, I would really appreciate it!!
Why I didn't post earlier: I actually did write a really long post a few days ago, but it all got deleted. It frustrated me, because now all those thoughts are gone! I guess the important part was that I got them out, not that other people can see them...
Thursday, February 03, 2005
'Ugliness is Better Than Beauty' -- Johnny Depp
The past two days have been kind of rainy and cloudy...but at least its about 65 degrees! Check out the cloudiness::
That is the view of Diamond Head from our hallway at school. Everything is kind of airy and outside, except the actual classrooms. It's a lot like ISKL or ISB.
Yesterday I ventured out to try and find a store called Hawaiian Adventures to buy a Nalgene bottle. It was supposed to be about 2 miles from my apartment, but it was nowhere to be found! So I gave up and went to Wal-Mart and bought some WD-40 and a mug. WD-40 because my bike chains are squeaking like crazy, and a mug because I drink lots of hot chocolate. I had to be ID-ed to buy the WD-40. That is so strange...I mean, where is the logic?? How is being 18-years-old instead of 16 or 17 going to make you less likely to get high off WD-40? And who ever decided to get high off it anyway?
I totally digress. Anyway, so I then went to Daiei, a grocery store near where I go to church. Someone had mentioned that it is cheaper than Foodland, where I usually shop, so I decided to go and see...It was. But it was funny, because it is very clearly a Japanese store...there were like 3 other Mainlanders in there. I tried to pretend like I knew what I was doing, so I walked straight back....to the frozen Asian foods section. I look around and there's all this Japanese writing and food like frozen squid and noodles. Everyone was looking at me like "Honey, you don't belong here." I picked at a few things, still pretending like I knew what I was doing. Really, I was thinking, "What the heck is that??"
Then, I looked over and spotted some Hagen-Daz and Ben and Jerry's and I was like "Yes! I recognize that!"
Kat called me while I was shopping, so I didn't pay much attention to what I was buying, so I ended up buying three cans of garbanzo beans...hmmm. On the way home, I ended up getting hopelessly lost for a long time. I had a heavy backpack filled with canned goods and I was exhausted. So I when I finally saw my apartment (granted, a fence, highway and a street all lay between me and my apartment - but still...) I was so relieved!
I got another care package today! My grandma is so sweet. She sent me an Easter egg decorating kit!! (So, Kat, get excited!!) And some cash. Much needed.
Lately, I have been reminiscing about the past and missing it! Like last year on 6 Adele...I love those girls so much. Cory, my old roommate, is going to be transferring and that makes me so sad. We had such a great time in good ol' 621! Talking about boys at all hours, watching American Idol like fanatics, spilling hot chocolate ALL over our gorgeous zebra carpet, TLC 24/7, having the coolest room ever, crying together, laughing constantly, and Cory singing. What good times. Cory Greer Scanlon, I'll miss you!!
It's sad how all the good times and good memories in your life cannot coexist. I mean, being roommates with Cory was so fun, but if I were still her roommate, I wouldn't be Kat's! And we wouldn't have grown closer...It's the conundrum of reality. And it requires us to stop living in the past. Life won't always be trading in one good experience for another, though. Most of my life, everything has been amazing and wonderful. Seriously, I am the most blessed person ever. My worries have revolved around all my blessings. The magnitude of how blessed I am totally cancels out my worries or my problems.
I worry about my future. I am so blessed to have a choice! To be in school!
I miss my family. How blessed I am to have such a family worth missing!
I worry about our country. How blessed we are to be comfortable enough to concern ourselves with that!
Honestly, I can't think of any legitimate worries in my own life. Of course, that is scary. Because I don't want to become spoiled by all this goodness. Job loved God when God was good to him...
Bad news. My mom emailed me and said that my family won't be able to come here for their spring break. I was very very disappointed. It's has been kind of hard being at school without ever having my family visit, so I was excited that I would finally get that. The ticket prices rose, though, and they just can't do it. Boo!
Well, I have to get going to bed. Sorry if this post is too all over the place or hard to follow. I am too tired to try and make it clear.
I never saw an ugly thing in my life: for let the formof an object be what it may - light, shade, andperspective will always make it beautiful- John Constable
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
My New Mantra
And Now, For Something Different
Things on my mind ::
- Important things are God, little kids, traveling, friends, learning, family
- Chocolate is pretty important, too.
- I ate way too much junk food today :: 1/2 a bar of chocolate, 4 cookies, hot chocolate, and a donuts...EWW!!
- I will never learn how to not be procrastinator.
- I have no desire to do homework ahead of time, because why do that when I can do it the night before and still get by?
- This is me procrastinating my paper
- Christian music isn't as corny as I had convinced myself it is.
- In fact, I'm listening to it right now.
- I want to go everywhere.
- Especially New Zealand, Western Europe (Rome, Venice, Southern France, Sweden, Belgium), Morocco, and the Caribbean islands (especially the Caymans).
- I also want to see Arizona, all of Oahu, Wyoming, Northern California, Seattle, Vancouver again, New Mexico, Colorado, Vermont, Cape Cod, and Boston.
- When I don't feel like reading, I don't mind reading lists.
- There are a lot of kind people in the world.
- And a lot of unhappy people.
- I saw the sun set on Waikiki beach today.
- I feel like God wants me to be happy, but I can't figure out what I should do about my major.
- If you have any insight, please share.
- Otherwise, just pray for my decision, yeah?
- The idea of doing one job for the rest of my life honestly freaks me out.
- I desire change too often.
- And yet, change can be so painful.
- I ate dinner on a balcony tonight, and balconies are really cool.
Roommate Shannon talking to her boyfriend:
"Ashley got a care package from Mike, and Chelsea's boyfriend made her a picture mobile. And today Mike Nice bought us Skittles and he's not even dating us...I know it's not the material things...but, it's just a card Ashley got that makes me melt."
Conversation with Dan the Marine:
- I need to get a Nalgene water bottle tomorrow
- What's a Nalgene?
- You don't know what a Nalgene is and you're in the military?? Shouldn't you guys use that stuff, it's like heavy duty!! I mean, you can't break it. They are amazing. I can't believe you don't know what a Nalgene is.
- Sorry, I'm not a big water bottle guy.
**************************************************
You are the Lord of Lords
You are the King of Kings
You are mighty God
Lord of everything
You're Emmanuel
You're the great I Am
You're the Prince of Peace
Who is the Lamb
You're the living God
You're my Saving Grace
You will reign Forever
You are ancient of days
You are Alpha Omega
Beginning and End
You're my Savior,
Messiah Redeemer and Friend
You're my Prince of Peace, And I will live my life for you!
Shout-out to:
Vicky, for making some delicious dinner!