Yeah, that's pretty much how I'd sum up my time lately. Very busy. Kinda scary that class has just started and the workload is fairly light and yet I still feel like I didn't get enough studying done this weekend... There were some confounding factors, of course, some of which were my fault and others that were out of my control. But my first week of the semester is done, and it's looking like the courses will be very interesting and "real" (as in I will directly use this stuff in practice). In addition to classes, I have resumed a workout schedule for the first time in ages. Now that I get free membership to a gym that has a location within walking distance I have very little excuse. Here's hoping I don't find excuses once things get more intense at school.
I am hoping that once all the initial start-up stuff I've had to do as President of CVF is done, things won't feel as hectic. After that, I think that most of the work will be done. For now, there has been a lot of running about to do administrative things and several communication snags to work past. However, I'm really excited for our first Bible study on Thursday and our kick-off BBQ at Dr. Day's on Sept. 9th. It's very enouraging that Dr. Day wants to be so involved as an advisor! Please be praying that our Social Chair can find time to actually do his part - he works several jobs in addition to being a vet student, so I have some concerns about his availability.
In other news, I'll be in Louisville, KY this weekend with Ryan and my family for my cousin Morgan's long-awaited wedding. My car started making very strange noises tonight, so I'm really hoping it will cooperate for the trip. Has anyone else ever had their car make a noise kinda like a babbling brook in the passenger side dash? And only when going over 60 mph for a mile or more... Extremely odd, if you ask me. It was rainy and roads were wet, but it's never done this before regardless of road conditions. Otherwise, things seemed normal except a slightly rough idle (worse in drive/reverse than in park). I'm going to repair my very leaky washer fluid line with duct tape and see if that takes care of any of it. Really don't know what to expect with that...
Too tired to think of anything else to post.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Saturday, August 19, 2006
A Month Off
So I'm sure you've all been biting your fingernails wondering where my posts have been hiding. Never fear, they have returned. I didn't intend to take a month off, but between all I've had going on and being stuck in lack-o-decent-internet-land (aka home in Springfield) I just didn't get around to posting anything for a good while. I guess I'll do my best to start where I left off and get you all caught up.
First, I finished my time in NE Iowa with the D-PIKE Program. My last week wasn't particularly thrilling - the NICC Dairy didn't have much for me to do that I recall being just riveting. They even told me not to come on my last day. We did tour some different farms that week, and that was kinda neat. One used a compost barn, one had fancy, high-score registered Holsteins, and another had a set up that used all the cow manure to generate electricity (not for the farm, but for the local utility co.) as well as high quality bedding. Then I packed up and bid farewell to my summer home.
I took a whirlwind pass through Ames to drop stuff off and spend one night. That ended up being a mess 'cause Lisa had been rearranging things in the apartment and then went on her ICU rotation, which all boiled down to quite a trashed dwelling. Then I went to Springfield and basically became a hermit. My only real escape from hermitage was going to see Ryan for my birthday, which I'll elaborate on later. I thought about contacting high school friends and seeing some of them, but since none of them had been asking me when I'd be in town or otherwise showing any interest in me, I just didn't want to mess with it. I will be the first to admit that I have a big hang-up when it comes to friends basically forgetting I exist where it causes me to be too mad to get over it and just call them. Then after awhile I feel so out of touch that I just feel awkward trying to renew contact. Am I just wierd, or do any of you have that problem?
While cooped up in the house, I had two main forms of entertainment: scrapbooking and satellite TV. I spent hour upon hour working on a memory book of Ryan and I's relationship. I must say it's turning out quite nicely. I still have more left to do, but who knows if I'll have any time for that this semester. (Thus the need to do as much as possible this summer). NOTE: should you need to get me a gift in the future, a gift card to Hobby Lobby or Wal-Mart will get me lots of scrapbook stuff. :-P I found myself using the sattelite TV for Sirius radio instead of TV shows during the day. It provided a nice soundtrack for scrapbooking. I'd switch around from standards and swing to Christian hits to Broadway to Pops orchestral stuff and had a grand time with it. I did watch some TV, too - especially The Price is Right, House, and So You Think You Can Dance.
I went up to the suburbs to see Ryan the Friday before my birthday. There was some obnoxious IL summer construction that apparently was enough to break my car because after getting off the tollway I noticed a clunking noise when I turned. That meant driving Ryan's car across several suburbs to the train station to catch my train in to Chicago to meet Ryan after he got off work. We had a delightful evening - dinner at Italian Village, a brief tour of the downtown area, a picture at the Millenium Park "bean," and then the main event: STOMP. I can't really describe the show too well, but it was really neat. Saturday we slept in and then went to see the new Pirates movie. I thought it was quite good. Sunday after church we went to the Vernon Hills Aquatic Center for some swimming, water-sliding, and lazy-rivering. After dinner, we decided to watch "Wallace & Grommit: The Curse of Were-Rabbit". (I own it and think it's great.) The movie ended and pretty much went straight into nap time 'cause we were worn out. Monday morning I got up early to walk Ryan to the train for work. Then I went back to bed for awhile and failed to get up after I turned my alarm off. I still made it to Rockford in time for a late lunch with my grandparents, though. After a short visit, I headed home to Springfield again.
I decided the noise in my car was familiar - like it had when my right rear sway bar link broke, but on the other side. Turns out I was right, and also got it fixed cheaper than the last one at school. I was bummed to learn that my front ones are loose, so they will go kaput on me eventually, too.
I had a nice birthday at home, complete with an episode of So You Think You Can Dance and Cold Stone Cake. Yes, both Springfield and Ames have a Cold Stone Creamery now!! Good thing it's expensive or I'd become even more fat... Mom and I were also able to go to the IL State Fair the Friday before I went back to Ames. Yay for tasty fair food.
The next day I went back to Ames and on Tuesday I experienced the IA State Fair with Mimi and her husband. I must say the IL butter cow was WAY better (yet the line for IA's was way longer). However, IL does not have lamb burgers, which are tasty. There were other differences in food offereings, but in general they had as many unique things as IL does. Otherwise they seemed comparable (although we weren't there all that long so I didn't get to see quite a bit of the grounds), but IA's was WAY more popular despite costing $7 more to get in. Yay for saving $ on advance ticket purchasing. I guess when the only two interstates that cross your state meet at your Fairgrounds you become a bit legendary without much effort.
I spent most of this week cleaning my room. Yes, it was that messy. Plus, I came back to find mold growing in my carpet in the closet. Stupid leaking a/c in the adjacent utility closet while I was gone... Grrroooooooooooss! I've also been running about like crazy trying to finalize details for the CVF Rummage Sale, which took place today. It was a real pain at times, but now it's over and I can say it went as good as it could. Not to say there were no snags today. First, the weather looked like it was ready to rain on us any second, and this was a VERY outdoor event. Second, we had several items fly out of trucks on the highway while being driven from storage to the sale site. (Mitch will forever be a bad truck packer in my mind :-P.) Third, we had a noticeably lower overall quality (although not quantity) stock of sale items this year. However, in spite of all that we raised a decent sum for this year's mission trip all without being rained on - praise God!! - and found a place to donate/throw out all unpurchased items. Big sigh of relief!
Well, I'm sure there are more details, but after my busy and long day I'm going to BED!!
First, I finished my time in NE Iowa with the D-PIKE Program. My last week wasn't particularly thrilling - the NICC Dairy didn't have much for me to do that I recall being just riveting. They even told me not to come on my last day. We did tour some different farms that week, and that was kinda neat. One used a compost barn, one had fancy, high-score registered Holsteins, and another had a set up that used all the cow manure to generate electricity (not for the farm, but for the local utility co.) as well as high quality bedding. Then I packed up and bid farewell to my summer home.
I took a whirlwind pass through Ames to drop stuff off and spend one night. That ended up being a mess 'cause Lisa had been rearranging things in the apartment and then went on her ICU rotation, which all boiled down to quite a trashed dwelling. Then I went to Springfield and basically became a hermit. My only real escape from hermitage was going to see Ryan for my birthday, which I'll elaborate on later. I thought about contacting high school friends and seeing some of them, but since none of them had been asking me when I'd be in town or otherwise showing any interest in me, I just didn't want to mess with it. I will be the first to admit that I have a big hang-up when it comes to friends basically forgetting I exist where it causes me to be too mad to get over it and just call them. Then after awhile I feel so out of touch that I just feel awkward trying to renew contact. Am I just wierd, or do any of you have that problem?
While cooped up in the house, I had two main forms of entertainment: scrapbooking and satellite TV. I spent hour upon hour working on a memory book of Ryan and I's relationship. I must say it's turning out quite nicely. I still have more left to do, but who knows if I'll have any time for that this semester. (Thus the need to do as much as possible this summer). NOTE: should you need to get me a gift in the future, a gift card to Hobby Lobby or Wal-Mart will get me lots of scrapbook stuff. :-P I found myself using the sattelite TV for Sirius radio instead of TV shows during the day. It provided a nice soundtrack for scrapbooking. I'd switch around from standards and swing to Christian hits to Broadway to Pops orchestral stuff and had a grand time with it. I did watch some TV, too - especially The Price is Right, House, and So You Think You Can Dance.
I went up to the suburbs to see Ryan the Friday before my birthday. There was some obnoxious IL summer construction that apparently was enough to break my car because after getting off the tollway I noticed a clunking noise when I turned. That meant driving Ryan's car across several suburbs to the train station to catch my train in to Chicago to meet Ryan after he got off work. We had a delightful evening - dinner at Italian Village, a brief tour of the downtown area, a picture at the Millenium Park "bean," and then the main event: STOMP. I can't really describe the show too well, but it was really neat. Saturday we slept in and then went to see the new Pirates movie. I thought it was quite good. Sunday after church we went to the Vernon Hills Aquatic Center for some swimming, water-sliding, and lazy-rivering. After dinner, we decided to watch "Wallace & Grommit: The Curse of Were-Rabbit". (I own it and think it's great.) The movie ended and pretty much went straight into nap time 'cause we were worn out. Monday morning I got up early to walk Ryan to the train for work. Then I went back to bed for awhile and failed to get up after I turned my alarm off. I still made it to Rockford in time for a late lunch with my grandparents, though. After a short visit, I headed home to Springfield again.
I decided the noise in my car was familiar - like it had when my right rear sway bar link broke, but on the other side. Turns out I was right, and also got it fixed cheaper than the last one at school. I was bummed to learn that my front ones are loose, so they will go kaput on me eventually, too.
I had a nice birthday at home, complete with an episode of So You Think You Can Dance and Cold Stone Cake. Yes, both Springfield and Ames have a Cold Stone Creamery now!! Good thing it's expensive or I'd become even more fat... Mom and I were also able to go to the IL State Fair the Friday before I went back to Ames. Yay for tasty fair food.
The next day I went back to Ames and on Tuesday I experienced the IA State Fair with Mimi and her husband. I must say the IL butter cow was WAY better (yet the line for IA's was way longer). However, IL does not have lamb burgers, which are tasty. There were other differences in food offereings, but in general they had as many unique things as IL does. Otherwise they seemed comparable (although we weren't there all that long so I didn't get to see quite a bit of the grounds), but IA's was WAY more popular despite costing $7 more to get in. Yay for saving $ on advance ticket purchasing. I guess when the only two interstates that cross your state meet at your Fairgrounds you become a bit legendary without much effort.
I spent most of this week cleaning my room. Yes, it was that messy. Plus, I came back to find mold growing in my carpet in the closet. Stupid leaking a/c in the adjacent utility closet while I was gone... Grrroooooooooooss! I've also been running about like crazy trying to finalize details for the CVF Rummage Sale, which took place today. It was a real pain at times, but now it's over and I can say it went as good as it could. Not to say there were no snags today. First, the weather looked like it was ready to rain on us any second, and this was a VERY outdoor event. Second, we had several items fly out of trucks on the highway while being driven from storage to the sale site. (Mitch will forever be a bad truck packer in my mind :-P.) Third, we had a noticeably lower overall quality (although not quantity) stock of sale items this year. However, in spite of all that we raised a decent sum for this year's mission trip all without being rained on - praise God!! - and found a place to donate/throw out all unpurchased items. Big sigh of relief!
Well, I'm sure there are more details, but after my busy and long day I'm going to BED!!
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