To Write or Not to Write...

That is not the question. There is a lot happening these days. The question is where to start. This will probably turn into a bunch of rambling. If you're bored, read on. If not, you might want to stop here. Last week I played my last intramural basketball game (consolation final)... and for the first time all season, actually made it on the scoreboard (finally!). Unfortunately, we still ended up losing by 5. Apparently it's time to sign up for softball intramurals now. I'm debating whether or not I want to. I love being back in the game but it's really challenging to play with such varying skill levels and it's even tougher when people don't always show up. We'll see what happens. Matt's mom sent me a package in the mail last week. It was filled with homemade brownies and cookies, hot cocoa mix, microwave popcorn, chocolates and other treats. Also included was a V-day card w/ a personal note from her and a deck of Michigan playing cards. I felt so special. It's always nice to get something in your mailbox besides flyers but I thought it was really thoughtful of her to do that. Speaking of getting things in the mail last week, I also got an awesome card w/ a "fully sick" surfing pic on the front and an encouraging message inside from Phil. It definitely made me smile. Today was the jack pot for mail too. I got some chocolate bars in the mail from Dad and Mom sent me my new registration sticker for my car. Oh the joys of actually getting mail while you're in college! In other news, HU basketball action this weekend was pretty sweet. The guys won their nationally televised game (one of 3 that NCAA Div II actually airs!) and then the girls fought a hard and dirty battle and came out victorious. Both games were pretty intense but fun to watch. School-wise, things are busy. Had a fair amount of homework last week and then this week I have another round of tests. I got 2 out of the way today. I'm pretty sure I kicked the finance test in the butt (booyah!) and though I did decent, I get a 2nd chance at the Marketing one on Wednesday. Gospel of John rounds out the week with a pretty intense one on Thursday morning. I can't believe this is the last week before spring break. As for the cool plans that I promised to blog about... they fell through. A group of us were going to go camping in St. Augustine, FL but it didn't end up working out. Then Matt needed to give people rides and get his license renewed so he's headed back to MI. Nik and I are going to hang out with my family in TX. I'm kinda choked that we don't all get to hang out as planned but I think the break in TX will be fun and include some much needed R&R. I called Nana to ask her if we could stay there and I could tell it made her week to know that we were coming. I know we're guaranteed some good meals and Nana even said she'd make her famous cherry supreme cake! I could write more and in fact have some specific things I would like to blog about but I should go do some homework. Perhaps I'll post again later tonight...

Time for an Update

A week since I've posted and there seems to be lots that has happened. I'll try to be brief and as non-boring as possible...

-Lots of tests as of late... but made 4 A's and one high B so I was satisfied with that. Other than that, school is just plugging along... hard to believe there's only 2 weeks until Spring Break. Those plans are still a little up in the air... will post about that when I know more concrete details.

- Valentine's Day, despite it's usual sickening consumerist over-kill, was wonderful. Matt met me in my lobby with a rose (even though he had told me before we ever started dating that he "wasn't really a flowers guy"... haha!). After exchanging gifts, we went for a tasty dinner at Lonestar Steakhouse in LR. He had steak and I had salmon... combine that with great conversation and company and it was a great day. (The dog sings "Only You" by Elvis... so cute!)

-Friday night there was a play here on campus: Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap". My friend Lucas was in it and it was awesome. I'm really glad I went. (He's the guy in the blue vest and pink bowtie)-Nikki and I had a fun afternoon/evening in LR on Saturday. We had to take her phone to the Verizon store to get it fixed and decided to make it fun. In addition to the Verizon store, we went for dinner at Carino's (mmm Italian!) and browsed Barnes & Noble for awhile and then went for a drive and listened to music. Despite the fog and pouring rain on the way home, it was a lot of fun. (sorry no pics of that tho!)

Quoting the Experts

Here's a collection of random little quotes that I've been writing down over the past while that have provided me with a lot of amusement...

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Background: I was in line at the ticket counter in the Edmonton airport and there was a family of 3 that was bringing a dog on the plane. The kid was behind the parents apparently out of sight and the wife had 3 passports in her hand. Seeing the # of passports and apparently not seeing the kid, a blonde (of course!) lady in line said:

"Does the dog need a passport?"

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Background: Dad and I were eating dinner one night and we had baked potatoes. After dinner, he was putting everything away and was commenting on how potatoes always hold their heat much longer than other foods. Without missing a beat he then said:

"They should make houses out of potatoes"

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Background: A couple of us were out at Riverside Park on Saturday afternoon, enjoying the lovely weather and doing a little homework. Kristen was reading us bits and pieces of her textbook from Christian Home.

"Your mind is your most important sex organ" - Kristen

"Well I exercise mine daily" - Brenna

Letting Go

I could write about so many things right now. I could describe the horrible devastation that nature wraught on the southern states with the tornadoes recently. I could complain about the fact that I'm sick with yet another cold (I'm chalking this one up to the emotional stress and crazy weather that last week so graciously brought). I could ramble about the seemingly useless accounting assignment that actually brought up an interesting discussion the next day in class or cringe at the fact that I have 3 tests this week but be excited that I (oddly enough) have 2 chances at one of them. I could even discuss the exciting fact that Matt and I celebrated 9 months together yesterday. But none of these topics are what I wish to write about tonight. Tonight is about something entirely different. Tonight is about letting go...

I realized tonight that I can't help somebody that is not ready to change. I cannot control how someone else acts and I cannot fix all of their problems by myself. I am not the Wonderwoman of solving life's problems and should not wear myself out trying to be. It is so frustrating to listen to someone mention things that are problematic for them and then be rejected when you try to help. But I cannot force solutions. The pill of rejection is hard to swallow, but harder still is the pill of pride. I am not their parent. I am not their conscience. And I am most definitely not their savior. I am much, much less. And quite frankly, there is absolutely nothing I can do about their situation if they are not willing to change it themselves. I can push. I can pull. I can scream till my lungs hurt. I can beg on my knees and I can cry in the face of the illogical nature of it all. But nothing will change. All I am left with are aching lungs, a tear-stained face and a broken heart. Learning all of this should be freeing... it should help me feel like it's not my job and I don't have to wear myself out anymore... yet why is it so hard to let go? Why do I care so deeply?

I need a glass of water to help these pills slide down.

My Professor is a Druggie

Background: We are in accounting class yesterday and our prof says we're gonna have a quiz. One girl asks if it can be open-book/open-note. He hesitates, saying that it doesn't really show if we've learned anything or not...

Kaity (talking about our notes): "It's a resource, not a dependency"

Dr. Shelton: "Yeah that's how I feel about my cocaine"

:P

(In the end, he let us use our notes...and for the record, he's not a druggie and I do not mean to imply that at all. He is however, very witty and definitely added some humor to my day!)