no tricks, just treats.

OK so I've posted a lot in orange lately, but I've got to today!

While all of this reminiscing is happening about Halloween days of old, I too have many fond memories of costumes and tricks and treats.

First and foremost, the all-time best costume ever was my shiny silver Hershey's Kiss costume that my Grandma Shirlye and my mom made together. I think I wore this in second grade. And then again in third grade. I loved it that much. This was not your typical store-bought Hershey's Kiss costume. No, no, my friends, it was much better than that. It was made of shiny silver material and gave my little 7 year old body quite the Hershey's Kiss shape. And to top it all off, I had the matching headpiece, like a mini-kiss with the paper tassel to boot. I still cry tears of sadness for the fact that my mom sold it to some lady in Streator for her granddaughter to wear. I was deeply saddened, despite the fact that I couldn't fit into it any longer, but I couldn't keep it for my child to wear someday. I guess I'll have to break out the old pattern and sewing machine someday. (as if I'd know how to use it!)

Second, there was always this lady who lived on Elm Street, near our old house on Shabbona in Streator, who never failed to decorate her house and yard beyond even the craziest imagination. There was a wire fence all around the yard, and you had to enter through the main gate. Following your entrance many real people dressed in costume would play their role of Freddy, a witch, a person being hanged, etc. Once there was even a man on the roof pushing dirt off the side and a Freddy scratching his long nails against the siding. I was tormented by this yard, but it was my goal to make it to the front door where Kay, the mastermind of all of this, would nicely give me a small white bag of candy. Was it really worth it? I think I made it to the door maybe twice. Maybe. I know we had a few drive-by's where I thought I'd get out of the car, but one of the yard actors ended up chasing us down the sidewalk so we drove off.

Thirdly, of course there were a million good treats. There were always those ladies who made the popcorn balls every year. You knew exactly which house to go to for a popcorn ball, and sometimes which house to go to for the good candy. Does anyone make popcorn balls for anything other than Halloween? Just wondering.

And on that note, I must say that my niece, dressed as Blue from Blue's Clues, was quite cute last night. I wish I had a picture of her to post, but I forgot to take one!

And I'm off to visit high schools for the rest of the week...have a lovely first week of November!

oh, Christian radio. you silly people.

I can't get enough of talking about how funny it can be to listen to Christian radio sometimes. Heidi and Alli and I talked about it for quite some time the other night.

I can't listen to it for more than 30 seconds without bursting into laughter for hearing an on-air prayer, the "newest hits" like Steven Curtis Chapman's "The Great Adventure", or hearing some cheesy advertisement or commercial "drama" between two girls debating about whether or not to go to a party. I haven't even gotten into the whole ApologetiX scene of covering "Love Shack" with "Shad-rach, baby Meshach"!

And then, just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, the other day I heard the lady on Shine 89.7 FM (which is a SOMEWHAT decent station out of Olivet Nazarene Univ. in Kankakee) talking about Mr. Tomlin (Chris). She began to introduce his involvement with the Passion network and partnership with Louis Giglio. However, her pronunciation of Giglio sounded somewhat French--like the failure of a movie, Gigli, starring Bennifer? Yeah, just like that. Gigli-o. Are you kidding me?

These people have no idea what's going on in the world.

i'm still alive!

OK so it's been awhile since I've blogged. How do I know? I've officially been moved down on Lindy's link list. That's when you know you haven't updated enough!

It has been a wild past few weeks...college fairs every night this week, a concert, more college fairs, some more travel, etc. But I have to be honest: I love it. I love being busy and I love traveling. I can't say that enough. Even if it is just around Illinois. I think there's a bit of explorer in me that likes to figure out the maps and know which way it is to wherever.

Lately a little bit of me has been wanting to move to Chicago. Why? Maybe because there's lots there to explore? I'm not sure.

I'd like to welcome my long-time friend Amanda Cole to the blogger world. I'm so happy she's jumped on the bandwagon!

As for my own blog, I have sucked at it lately. I apologize. I realize you taking the time to read this has actually been a large waste of time...and that's why I promise to write a post of substance soon.

I promise.

I just don't have time right now.

I do have the time to inform you of my exciting plans for the evening, however:
Because my roommate and I have not had a DVD player (yeah, I know, we're ghetto) until last week when she bought one, we've been unable to rent anything other than VHS. Well, in Movie Gallery a few weeks ago we found my favorite TV movie ever made called Lucky 7. It's from ABC Family and it's starring Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Patrick Dempsey. It might be on my fave movie list, but shhhh..... anyway they have it on DVD, which highly inspired us to buy a DVD player finally. So, tonight's events involve ordering pizza, making popcorn, and watching Lucky 7. If anyone wants to join us, come on over! I know, it's a tempting Friday night, huh? We live the crazy life. La Vida Loca.

okay. you're bored out of your minds. i'm done.

later.

vnjuiweykqvw

So, about this whole word verification thing.


Anyone else have trouble reading what the heck they are sometimes?

I find it hilarious that it's called "word" verification, considering that they're far...very far... from being real words.

That's all.

it's a cold one

This font matches my shirt today. But if you knew me, you'd know that I always do that (match my fonts to something I'm wearing or a mood I'm in).

so let's play ketchup:

• I get around. (not like that ya'll!) I've been in several cities and states in the past week. Yes, states. Went to California (Sacramento) for the Youth Specialties National Youth Workers Convention. I did some airport time in LAX and in Phoenix, and I spent a couple of days in Chi-town and the burbs for college fairs and high schools as well.
• It's really cold outside now. And last night I chose to embrace it by wearing my comfy clothes, burning 3 fall-ish/winter-ish candles, and drinking hot chocolate.
• NICK WON!!!!! Woo-hoo! If you never watched So You Think You Can Dance, you missed out big time. I had to catch up last night on the recorded versions of the past two weeks, so now I know the ending! I knew it was going to happen, and I would've been ticked if Nick didn't take the cake! He is amazing. I think I could watch him do hip-hop every day for the rest of my life. Could someone arrange that?
• I'm listening to Tyler James right now, trying to prep for the concert w/ Denison in a couple weeks. I really like him. Very fall-ish feeling, again.
• Does anyone want to have a bonfire soon? I do.
• I might want to go to Columbia in Chicago someday...decision based solely on their amazingly brilliant marketing & publicity tactics. they have the coolest viewbook i've ever seen in my life.
• Best comment I received from driving the Scion this past week (other than the many stares I get while driving down the highway and while waiting in traffic): (note: this comment coming from 2 admissions counselor guys from 2 secular schools) "It looks like you're selling beer out of the back of that thing!" Yep. That's exactly what we, LCC, are going for. Great.
• I'm really looking forward to seeing In Her Shoes this weekend, hopefully w/ my sister.
• I'm thinking it may be a movie and popcorn night tonight. It's definitely a stay-inside night and I'm definitely meant to live somewhere south of here. It's way too cold already.

Denison Witmer @ LCC - 10/17

Alright ya'll. I'm back and I'm puttin' in a plug for this:

Denison Witmer in concert @ Lincoln Christian College

Monday, October 17th

Concert starts @ 8:30,
doors open @ 7:30

Tyler James is opening

$8 for non-LCC students

so check check check it out yo.

on the road again

"On the road again" should probably be the title of my life, since i tend to be on the road a lot. But I don't mind. In fact, I love it. I think it's because I feel like I'm making progress. I'm getting somewhere. That's always a good thing to know in life.

I'm about to be gone for the next week, so don't expect any blogs from me. I'll fill you in when I get back.

I'm SOOOO sad that I'm going to miss tonight's So You Think You Can Dance as well as next Wednesday's. I'm not sure which is the last week, but I have college fairs. Don't tell me who wins cuz my roommate is going to tape it for me!

Speaking of TV, it has been such a whirlwind of season finales and season premieres! With tears I have said goodbye to Wildfire, Beautiful People, and soon SYTYCD. I have welcomed back, however, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, The O.C., Grey's Anatomy, and probably more to come.

And in other news, as my sister has posted in her recent blog...Fall is here. Much to my dismay, the summer is gone. I have reluctantly welcomed my hoodies, my colored pants (though still with flip flops), and caramel apple cider from Starbucks back into my heart. I will miss the summer, but I suppose I will enjoy the crispness of fall...but only for a short while. I just don't like what it leads into. And it's so much harder to find SHOES! ugh.

I have lots to do, so I am on my way. Have a lovely day! Grab yourself some caramel apple cider, wear some flip flops, go outside and play, and enjoy the in-between of seasons!

i'm intrigued

post #2 already this morning? you betcha.

I'm intrigued right now and completely blown away at the wisdom of meteorologists and other weather people who can study the paths of hurricanes and such. This Hurricane Rita thing is blowing my mind, and I'm scared already for the people of the Houston and Galveston area...along w/ all of the Katrina refugees who were sent there! Wow. I don't even know what to think other than the fact that it is scary to think it could destroy one more city and so many more lives. I really want to go help.

and on a completely different note, I'm also intrigued at how my cough medicine that I took this morning has made me feel dizzy, yet great, all morning. I think it's fun. at least i know it's working!

and also (i had to edit this post and add this comment in), if you haven't listened to Laurianne Cates yet, you should. I recommend these songs that I can't stop listening to: "The Kiss," "Back in June," and "The Only Hand I'll Ever Hold." they're just soothing. I love it. I'm addicted to those songs right now.

the birthday blogger

So yesterday was a GREAT birthday! And the celebration isn't even over yet, b/c I get to hang out w/ my fam this weekend too!

I was trying to think of what I've learned most in 23 years yesterday, and the thing I kept coming up with is just this: I'm so blessed. I've always been blessed, even when I might not have recognized it. There is so much to be thankful for, and I definitely recognize that. Yesterday was just a good day. Even if I did have a cold and a horrible headache and had to come to work.

As for today, I will soon be sending Joolz & Jamie my weekly e-mail comments on So You Think You Can Dance. If any of you would like to join that list, I'll be glad to send those your way as well. However, I'll refrain from my posted comments other than saying Nick & Ashle need to win. That's all I'll say.

And I'm off to get my Caramel Macchiato for the day.

the great music divide

I have a hard time with people who think they know everything. I have a hard time when people think their opinion is the actual truth. And I have a harder time when I am one of those people. I'll admit it. Sometimes I am. But I don't like that part of me.

But in this case, I'm noticing how differing opinions about music can cause such a great divide. It happens when we discuss our favorite bands, whether a concert was good or not, what style of "worship" music we like best, how we should sing in church, whether we should sing in church, etc. I even notice how people seem to be classified by the music they listen to. It happens all the time.

Do you see it? It's just something I've seen recently... I've seen it in those who I tried to talk into coming to see Matt Wertz Thursday night, and I'm not saying he's the best ever (though he may be in my opinion), but so many people would not give him or his music the time of day. And that's fine. I'll allow room for opinion, even though I wish everyone loved Matt. And I saw it in Chapel this morning. Dinelle Frankland led in the college chapel through a medley of older hymns, modern choruses, etc. in a very simple, piano-led way. There were no drums, no guitars, no bass, etc. Some loved it, others were bored, and I couldn't decide. I hate that these things cause such a great divide.

We've seen it tear apart the church in the past, with instrumental or non-instrumental. Traditional or contemporary. Contemporary or emergent, for that matter. Boring or exciting. Meaningful or pointless.

i'm not sure, even, what my point is in posting this, b/c I'm trying to flesh out my thoughts on this topic. but I do know that music tends to be a subject of great divide, and I wish it weren't. But then again, without differing opinions on stuff like that, where would the creativity be in the body? As scripture says (in my own translation), the eye cannot say to the hand "I don't need you!" Maybe this is a stretch, but I'd like to say to Britney Spears that I don't need her crappy singing. I would like to say to Third Day and Jeremy Camp, "I don't need your re-done versions of worship songs that a million other people have done." I'd like to tell hard metal bands that I don't need their screaming. But nevertheless, I will suck it up and accept that their creativity (or lack thereof) may somehow benefit another. Perhaps it's just not me.

And without some creative, well thought-out conclusion, this is the end of my post about music. It's just a few of the frustrating thoughts about music that were running through my head today. I'd love to hear what your thoughts are. Maybe you'll help me figure out what it is I'm trying to say!

birthday week!

Well it's officially birthday week. I'm ready to be 23 already. 22 is boring. (i know, 23 is still young, but 22 is just a boring number.)

This weekend, I...

~got a cold. :-(

~cooked out @ Miller Park w/ Heidi, Missy, & Jake

~took some pics @ Miller Park (soon to be posted if they turn out okay)

~listened to this girl, Laurianne Cates, who Matt Wertz & Rob Blackledge talked about at dinner the other night. go to the link, scroll down, and listen to the song "The Kiss." absolutely beautiful. It was inspired by the painting "The Kiss." I can't stop listening to it. the link isn't to her official site, but it's the only place i could find that song.

~just realized Missy Higgins is on tour w/ Jason Mraz, and they're in St. Louis and Chicago soon...i really wanna go now.

~played Dr. Mario @ Missy & Jake's. GREAT game.

~played w/ my niece a whole lot and ate a yummy meal and chocolate cake that my sis made.

we'll be fine just like the last time baby

ahh...yes.

though yesterday's post was a valid post written out of my stress level at that moment, it was well worth it last night.

Ya'll know I talk about Matt Wertz all the time on here, and that's b/c he's great. Or at least I, and a lot of other people, think so. He played last night at LCC along w/ Rob Blackledge. Both of these guys are extremely talented...and quite hilarious I might add.

Kate, Chels, and I took them out for dinner @ Guzzardo's and pretty much laughed a majority of the time, but we had some really good conversation. It was so refreshing to hang out w/ them just as normal guys, just as much as it was nice for them probably to just hang out w/ us as normal people instead of like some crazy psycho fans or something. It was fun to pack up in my Ford Focus and show 'em a bit of Lincoln. and the coolest thing about them is that they're pretty much the most humble people ever. they just love to play music.

Anyways, I'm just sayin'...last night was so worth everything put into it. I love those guys, and I hope you will too. If you haven't heard them before, check them out. and wish you could've been here last night if you weren't, b/c you missed out on good times!

waiting

i have recently come to the conclusion that i might have run out of patience. forever. so maybe pray for me to have some. i'd definitely like some.

the littlest things keep making me mad, and it puts me in a bad mood. plus i think i have chronic fatigue syndrome. i'm so tired always. plus it's cold out.

but on a different note, it's matt wertz day! now as long as we can find a freaking amp and get everything ready, we'll be good to go.

ugh.

jesus, give me patience. i feel like i'm waiting on a million things right now. and all of those things take my attention away from you, and i'm sorry. turn my face back toward yours. i just want to live like i'm waiting for you and you only.

that's my prayer for the moment.

you can't catch this train

my train of thought, that is. why? it's too dang fast for ya. here's what's on my mind:

• I already feel like I'm failing in helping somehow w/ this whole Katrina thing. It just hit me as I was typing the Title for this blog and as I was thinking about what I should write about. I realized I don't want to lose the fervor and the passion and the compassion I have for the people who've lost practically their entire lives. I need to watch the news some more, but even that is starting to slow down. 1 week ago that's all you'd find on CNN, and now it's back to other stuff. As I noted on a comment on Jamie's blog the other day, MTV has had the best coverage I've seen on it yet. They did a "Diary" show the other night where each of their newspeople went out to different places and gathered stories, and basically each of them followed one victim's story. It truly showed the impact on individual lives and made it more real to me, and I appreciated MTV for finally capturing the REALness of it for me.
• Matt Wertz is coming in 2 days, and I'm really excited about it. However, I hope everything goes smoothly w/ the whole day...there are a lot of things going on and lots of stuff to be taken care of. I just don't wanna have to be responsible if something goes wrong or if he leaves and hates us and never wants to come back to Lincoln...maybe i'm just taking my dream from a few weeks ago too seriously. ya think?
• I really love Rolos. (can you see the digression of this blog? from severe importance to "i have nothing better to write about"...and i continue to digress) But seriously. I really do love Rolos. Here's my method for eating them: put in mouth, slowly let the chocolate melt off of the caramel, then slowly let the caramel dissolve in your mouth last. It makes them last a whole lot longer! Try it! SAVOR the FLAVOR! ok that was stupid, i know.
• I have my photography class tonight, and I thought you might like to see some of this past week's assignment photos. They were supposed to be on things in motion and shallow depth of field. Here are some of the ones I liked:
• 

• I am waiting for a phone call. Actually two of them.
• I'm wondering if my sis and brother-in-law had a good time in Vegas. I think I'll call later and find out.
• I've had lots of thoughts recently about communion and how amazing it is that it just symbolizes so much. If you'd like, I'll call it "the sacraments." Every time I try to "prepare myself" for it, I realize that there really is no way to "prepare" for it as we often say, other than by being willing to accept it. I love the reminder that no matter where you are, no matter where your heart is, no matter what you just did the night before, no matter what you were thinking about someone you don't like 5 minutes ago, no matter what, Christ meets us where we're at. He comes to us. I know this revelation of mine is nothing new, but it has been renewed and revealed to me again lately. I just love when that happens.

this is pretty funny

I have a friend, whom some of you may know--Amanda Cole, who is interning/working @ Southeast Christian Church in Louisville right now. If you don't know, Southeast is this huge, ginormous church in Kentucky. Anyways, below is an email Amanda sent me this morning:


Mandy,
So I thought you would enjoy this story. The guys in my office just told me that this weekend a woman at the welcome center gave a tour of the building to this black guy and his big black friend, he wanted to see the church, the soundboard, the whole place you know. He kept asking her if she was into rap music and what she liked to listen to as far as music goes. She said she didn’t really care for rap. So at the end of the tour they shook hands and he told her his name was NELLY! She had no idea who he was……until she got home and told her husband about it. Hilarious! Nelly was here at Southeast and no one even knew!!!
Just a little fun to brighten your day,
Manda

I'm wondering if he wanted to do a special music or something? Maybe he could do "It's Gettin' Hot in Here" as some kind of representation of hell? asd;lkjweproij

i lied.

oops!

i lied in the previous post when i said i had nothing to say.

i just remembered this: my birthday is coming up! yay!

12 more days. yes, do the math. september 21st, my friends.

if you'd like to see a wishlist, i could probably put one together.

just kidding!!! have a lovely weekend all!

new blogger!!!

Friends, it's getting exciting around here in the blogworld.

Missy, aka Melissa Raymer, my old LCC roommate of D102 for 3 years, now has a blog!

This is good news!

In other news as for this Friday:
-I have little to say, believe it or not!

anyone have any good ideas of stuff to do this weekend? i'm already bored and i still have an hour left of work! no weekend plans whatsoever are in place for me...

re:

Matt Wertz: I can't get #1 (Like the Last Time) out of my head from this new release of his. It's only $7.00 b/c it only has 5 songs on it...just different versions mostly of ones he's done before. Also, had a bad dream about the upcoming concert @ LCC not turning out so well, but I know it isn't a prophecy, b/c I have a feeling our concert will be packed.



















being domestic: that's what I've been lately! I've been cooking up a storm! I have my freshman orientation group coming over tonight for dinner, so I made Lasagna, we're making cheese/garlic biscuits, salad, and homemade strawberry shortcakes. Yum. good meal or what?

Marc Broussard: I want his older CD. If you don't have either of his, you need to get them. Check it out here.

ReAct Now Music & Relief Concert: looking forward to hopefully watching or taping this on Sat. night from 7-10 p.m. (Central time)

couples things: I'm tired of this. And by this, I mean, I'm kind of worn out w/ people hooking up and then all of a sudden it's like they're a part of this special club that does things in pairs. maybe i'll understand someday when i'm dating someone or when i'm married or something, but for right now, it gets kind of old. i love when my dating and/or married friends hang out w/ those of us who are still unattached without expecting someone else to come alongside. OK, that's enough of that soapbox. I promise I'm not some negative discontent single girl, but I'm sure that's what it sounds like on here.

the weather: is it beautiful outside or what? I wish I could move my cubicle outside. It's gorgeous! It makes me soooo happy!

So You Think You Can Dance: it's on. tonight. Snow--you better be leaving soon! I guess the only positive if you stay is that I'll still have something to laugh at regularly on Wed. nights! I might have to tape it w/ my group coming over tonight for din-din.

the OC: omg, i just remembered it starts tomorrow night!!!! ahhhhh!!! my TV time is increasing...

So you think you can dance? weekly memos

I cannot get on w/ this post w/out saying this:

Snow--what the crap was that last night? Do you really think you can dance? Words cannot even begin to express the laughter and hilarity my roommate Heidi and I experienced while watching the 45 seconds of you twirling your skirt, stomping your feet like a soldier, pointing your finger, pretending you're at a rave w/ a glow stick, or whatever the heck that was you did. All I can say is this: thanks for making me laugh harder than I had in a really long time. And thank you for allowing me to continually imitate you with ease each week.

and now, on with the rest of my memos:

Melissa--You should win. Ignore the crap they told you about being too jazzy last night. You're good.

Ashle--if Melissa doesn't win, you should win. You're a strong dancer.

Allen--I'm sorry buddy, but you can't go on any longer. I like your personality, but really most people who can dance can do what you do. You're not as versatile as you need to be to win this competition. (i know, i sound like a judge now, don't i?)

Nick--you're darn cute. I'm wondering curiously if you're gay. If not, the girls will be crazy about you. Even if you are, we probably still will be. You should be the guy winner.

Jamile--I really like you still too.

Dan Karaty--I missed you judging last night, but I'm so glad I got to see you on the screen for the few minutes they showed you choreographing the hip hop dance. You're half the reason I watch the show. Can you please come to Lincoln, IL and hang out w/ me? I can't get over your adorable-ness.

Live audience--you're so stinking annoying. You were a little better last night than you usually are, but you've gotta stop w/ the stupid "boo"-ing whenever the judges speak any truth. They know what they're talking about! (well most of the time)

that's all for this week.

oh, and America? here's your memo--if you don't vote Snow off the show this week, I'm going to be really pissed off at you. And also, please don't vote off Ryan. Keep him and, as much as I hate to say it, you've gotta get rid of Allan this week. PLEASE be smart.

on Katrina: “This is a nightmare,” Blanco added, “but one that will give us an opportunity for rebirth.”

I feel helpless.

I'm journaling about this on here, because I feel like I have to get it out in some way. I'm distraught about this hurricane, which before last night I didn't seem to care a bit about. I'm thankful that God opened my eyes to see the tragedy that is happening just so He can teach me a few things through it.

It's sad that it often takes a tragedy to teach us things we should've known before. And people question why "God allows this stuff to happen." I'm not saying I've never questioned that before, but I don't doubt that He's working in the midst of it, that's for sure. If He's teaching me here in IL where I'm physically unaffected by this storm, then I can't imagine how He's working where people are actually facing the effects of Katrina physically.

I've watched the news and slideshows of pictures from the storm, and I can't stop thinking about how it must feel to have no escape. How humbling. How reliant and dependent on others you'd have to be right now. No food. No electricity. No clean water. No transportation. No rules, really. And no escape. If I'm ever without food or clean water, it's not like I can't just drive somewhere or walk down the road and find it. These people have absolutely nowhere to go. And the funny thing is, this is daily life for some in other countries.

I read on an MSN article today about people swimming through water, having to push floating cars out of their way just to get through and swim along with the current. They're forced to ignore the dead bodies because there are survivors who need to be the main priority right now, so they swim right past floating carcasses. It sounds sick, but what other options do they have?

I can't figure out what you'd do w/ babies and little children...the elderly who need to be hooked up to oxygen tanks, diabetics who need their insulin shots, people in hospitals or at home who need prescriptions.

And all the while I can't figure out how people go through this life claiming to be faithless. They don't believe in anything, or they'd rather suggest that there are many different belief systems that one can choose from that will lead to the same place. I beg to differ. Isn't it obvious that people who claim to have no faith really do have faith? Isn't it obvious that there's something beyond this world and the temporal things we see?

It's a city in ruins. And it's not anything new or different. It happened thousands of years ago, and it is happening today. We have to realize we're not indestructible. We're not unbreakable. And in situations where it seems there is no escape, that is our only escape--to realize that we are not the center of it all.

What are you putting your hope in?