we're leaving tomorrow at 6 am for vacation!
by Wednesday, we should be in Cody, WY.
by Monday, hopefully we're at Glacier National Park.
(I added that to our to-see-and-do list...lol)
then onto Crazy Horse, Mt. Rushmore, the Badlands, and Yellowstone.
I'm not sure how often I'll have internet access,
but I'll try to keep y'all posted!

much love & God bless,
Jess
 

Last night my fortune cookie told me that my "mysterious side" makes me "most alluring".

At first I laughed. Me? Mysterious? Alluring? There are three words that never have -and will never be- part of the same sentence...unless there is a 'not' involved. Then I really started thinking about it, as a general statement directed at anyone instead of a silly fortune I wished were true.

Isn't that the most alluring thing about everyone? Their 'mysterious' side? The unknown? We're humans. Part of human nature is curiousity. We (I'm speaking for most of the human race here....lol) are driven to learn more about the people around us. And each of us has parts of ourselves that we don't want revealed to others. That's why people, as a rule, hate busybodies, and why there are so many of them swarming around. It's kind of ironic, really....we want to break down everyone else's walls, expose them for who they really are, but we don't want anyone else hacking away at our bricks. Kind of selfish, really. And you can rarely have one without the other, as I learned from someone who is notorious is both my old blog and my new: Cory.

This is one of the only times where my train of thought is actually logical and connected (usually I think like I ramble...it's allllll over the place....) so then of course I start thinking about my relationship -or, presently, lack thereof- with Cory. I know instantly, without even questioning it, that if I had known everything about Cory, had he known everything about me, we would have never became friends. All we knew of each other were stereotypes, misconceptions, labels that other people had given us and that couldn't have been farther than the truth. We both loved challenges, though, and wanted to see if there was something more to each other...or at least that's why I assume he spent so much time with me. But I know for sure that each of us were more than what the other bargained for. I didn't expect him to give me a chance, and I know he didn't expect that I would stick around for as long as I did. And truth be told, if I had known everything about Cory five years ago that I do know now, I would have ran in the other direction. But I didn't know anything. So I didn't run. Sometimes I wish I would have. Others I'm glad I didn't.

Mystery was one of the main things that attracted me to Cory. And then, as I continued to ponder, I came to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe, he found me mysterious, and alluring, and maybe, just maybe, that's the reason he hung around. Maybe I'm not as black and white as I like to think. Maybe I'm more complex than I give myself credit for. I used to think I laid everything out on the table for the people around me to judge, but looking at my relationship with Cory, that's claerly not the case. I put down each 'fact' or 'secret' just like it was a card, always in anticipation of Cory's next move. We played a game, and it was a dangerous one. With each question we asked, each day we spent together, we got closer to breaking past misconceptions and re-establishing new ones, but we also made ourselves vulnerable. And it looks like in the end, I lost the game. Apparently he solved the mystery of who I was before I even had all the pieces of the puzzle that was Cory. Game over. Once he figured out who I really was, what I wanted, and there was no more mystery, he was done. I hope, though, that it wasn't just a game for him. It started out that way for me, but by the time he finally came around (even if it was only for a few weeks) my whole heart was in it.

I know what y'all are thinking. I started out with fortune cookies, end with my thousandth blog entry about Cory, and then call my train of thought logical. I know, I'm something else. God bless anyone who gets this far. I know most of you have had more of Cory in the past four years than you can probably handle....you and me both. *sigh* (we really need to make a 'sigh' emoticon....lol...I use it a lot!) But even though I haven't seen him since the most amazing and worst day of my life last Christmas, he's never been far from my mind. And I have this uncanny feeling he never will be....not until I have all the pieces to his puzzle. With the letter I gave him six months ago, I basically said I was giving up, and I am. But it's only temporary. Until I find the strength to go back to where I left off.

That fortune cookie sure knew what it was talking about....the mysterious are the most alluring.....

Have a great weekend, all!

Much love & God bless,
Jess
 

hey everyone!

I know it seems like I just got back from school, but now I'm getting ready to head off again!
This time the destination is the old West....Dad and I have been working on the trip details,
and it appears our big attractions are going to be:

the Badlands
Yellowstone
Chimney Rock
Mt. Rushmore
Sioux Falls
Crazy Horse

So clearly this is going to be quite the trip, although we're only going to have 10 days for it due to my work schedule. It will take us two days to get out there and two days to get back, which will leave us (duh!) with six days to sightsee. It may not seem like a lot, but trust me, by the time the 5th or 6th day rolls around, I'm sure Dad will have had enough of me and Jenn and Steph. Even though, as I mentioned before, we've all been getting along really well lately, 20 hours in a truck hauling a camper will kind of put a damper on our newfound friendship.

Right now the girls are working on a grocery list for our trip while I make sure our campground reservations are all set. I'm looking forward to the trip but not looking forward to it as well. I'm a country girl through and through, but it's been awhile since I've done the whole camper bit, and I must admit, while it's quite a stretch from roughing it, I am not anticipating 10 days away from my queen-sized bed and my nice shower and my spacious room. I'm still trying to convince Dad to cram my bed into the camper somehow....lol....not quite working, though. That would make the camper even more cramped.

Also, the lack of modern conveniences will also be a problem. My phone will work, but I had to buy a car charger for my camera because the camper doesn't have many outlets and we can't be wasting electricity, and I had to buy a new charger for my computer because it broke, and even though I'll have my laptop with me, who knows where I will get internet access. I just might die. haha

As for news on the home front, the river went down quite a bit but it's still WAAAAYYYY over its banks, which is worrying everyone. Each time the river 'goes down', it's higher than it was the previous time. That's not good for us at all. Plus it's ruining my daily walking trail.

This whole week (every night since Sunday) I've been helping Jenn and all her friends study for finals. Spanish II, Algebra II, Biology....you name it, I still remember it! I actually couldn't believe how much I retained from high school...I mean, that was FOUR years ago! Anyway, Jenn and Sarah and Dakota (our other 2 best friends...we share 'em...lol) all got good grades on Biology and Spanish, so we're just waiting on the others. They all said that they learned more Spanish and Algebra from me in three days than they had the whole year. It was quite the compliment. Makes me wonder why I didn't go into education, I enjoy teaching so much. Oh, well. I can always tutor kids like that on the side. They're all signed up to study for the ACT with me, too. It's nice to feel needed and to help Jenn and her friends. All my life I've tried hard to set good examples for them and always help with anything they needed, since they were around so much, and it's great to see how they're growing up and becoming smart, responsible young adults. I know I'm not that far ahead of them, but three years sure seems like a lot sometimes.

It's kinda sad that I do all this reminiscing....I'll be 19 in less than a month....lol...God only knows what I'll be like when I'm 50!

Hope y'all are having a great week! I need to be doing some catching up! I miss everyone!

much love & God bless,
Jess


 

Well, I'm off to work at the bank this morning!

It's already really warm outside, even though it's only 7:30. Nice weather to walk in, though.

The river is up really high here. It floods every year, but last year was unbelievable, almost like the Great Flood of '93, and this year is looking bad as well. It's probably flooded 7 or 8 times already this year, and usually it only floods in July and August. The main road in Kampsville is closed because of the Illinois River, and the road in Mozier is closed due to the Mississippi. So that means forever directing tourists and passerbys how to navigate the back roads, which is basically impossible if you're not from around here. The water was supposed to crest today, but it didn't go down last night. So if it comes up again, we'll have to start sandbagging. Water has already entered several restaurants.

Other news here is that a doctor who was accused of sexually assaulting three female patients last year had his final trial today, and he was found innocent. It's terrible, because no one liked him, and everyone knew he was guilty. Not only that, but there was substantial evidence for his misconduct. My heart goes out to the victims. It takes A LOT of courage to speak out about issues like that, especially in such a small area, and I couldn't even imagine what they are dealing with right now. The thought that this man will be able to continue to practice anywhere he wants disgusts me.

Anyway, that's it for the local news. I'll have more to report later, but I don't want to be late for work!

Jess
 

It's been what seems like forever since I've updated!
I can't even describe how busy the last month or so has been.
And I don't have a lot of time to type now,
but just to let you guys know, I survived my first year of college!
My summer officially started last Wednesday,
and I miss all my friends, but i am LOVING being home
and being able to relax!
I have lots to tell you guys but it will have to wait til next week!
Just wanted to let y'all know I was still alive!

Hope all is well! Jess
 

Hey everyone!

As you know, I've been talking a lot about my struggle to lose weight.
I had a dream metabolism until I turned 18 and quit playing volleyball...lol
I haven't been able to maintain the stick figure that I used to take for granted...
now I'm a bit too curvy for my liking...
And of coures, we all know that love handles are the hardest things to lose.

i've been monitoring my food intake closely, getting more exercise, and drinking more water,
with absolutely NO weight loss. It could be the stress of college, except for unlike most people,
I don't eat when I'm super-stressed or busy....I forget to eat. I am determined to lose weight
before this summer and our cruise to the bahamas...I can't even go swim suit shopping until I've lost this extra weight!
My plan is to lose 20 pounds, and then I'll be a healthy 130.
To do this, I've enlisted the help of this awesome site called Livestrong,
and for any of my bloggie friends looking to lose weight or just stay healthy,
it's an amazing- and FREE- resource similar to Weightwatchers.

You can keep track of your weight, calculate calories for what you eat,
record the calories you burn through different types of fitness.
While I've been doing most of this already,
I figure going the extra mile to record EVERYTHING
(instead of just things that I feel like recording)
might make a difference.
I encourage all of you to check it out!
I will post the link below, as well as add it to my blog links!

http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate

Also, I have anotber site I thought I'd share with you all,
on a more lighter note.
Anytime I'm not feeling well, I go to this site and
can't help but laugh hysterically.
It's a collection of comics some person drew,
and they are all hilarious!
(although some I can't really understand,
and some aren't kid appropriate...lol)
If you need a laugh, check this site out:

http://www.xkcd.com

And my last little blurb of the day is that this weekend
I went home to perform with the Lifeteen band at a St. Patrick's Day party
for another nearby parish.
For those of you newer to my blog, the Lifeteen band
is a Catholic church band I was in prior to graduating.
our youth group hit some rough patches and it ceased to exist for awhile.
Then I went away to school and was replaced.
However, it was a huge part of life and praising God in the form of
music is something I am very passionate about.
It was great to have all the band members -old and new- reunite
and I met a lot of cool people at this event.
Even though we're not an official band,
we got 'booked' for two more events this summer,
which is exciting.
I never thought we were that good,
but it's funny how people see things differently
through the eyes of God.
I really miss being part of the band more than anything.
That's the only thing I'm looking forward to this summer....
going home and singing at church every Sunday again!

So, that's all for now!
I need to get to work on my final research papers!
One's on the evolution of the female detective,
and the other is on the Cult of Asklepios at Epidaurus.


Hope everyone's Monday is off to a good start!!!!

jh
 

So, I know it's been a while, but I have TONS to update you guys on!
Things have really picked up around here and a lot of fantastic things have happened!

First of all, midterms....
I actually ended up getting an A and an A-
on my Greek Art & Archaeology midterm papers.
I couldn't believe it.
I mean, I worked SUPER-hard on them,
I just didn't think they were A-worthy.
And plus the professor is a great guy
but an incredibly tough grader.
I also got an A on my sociology midterm by a hair..
which is great because I was worried about that one as well.
And chem II was the one that scared me the most,
because I looked at the study guide
(which are exactly like the tests)
two days before the final and I could not do a SINGLE problem!
I asked my chem lab professor though if she would stay after class one day
and help me figure them out, and she did, and then I went to take the final
and ended up get a 96%! lol
I'm still waiting on my detective fiction midterm grade but I'm sure I did fine on that.
It was easy.

Now, onto other good news....
right before spring break I went through some interviews
to be an orientation leader.
In case you guys aren't familiar with it,
that's just a person who comes to school a week early
and helps new freshmen get settled in.
They sponsor a bunch of programs, perform a bunch of skitsk
and basically run the show for a week.
I'm happy to announce that out of over 100 applicants,
I was one of the 30 orientation leaders chosen for 2009!
i'm so excited because I wanted to be on the orientation team really bad,
just because I like being involved and because a bunch of my older friends are on it,
and it will be one of the last times I'll really get to hang out with them before I graduate.
So that was exciting news! And out of the 30, they only chose like 3 freshman.
I was thrilled to be one of them!

Also, along the same lines,
I got nominated to be a Peer Mentor,
which is basically a student teacher
that helps run the University Seminar class
that all freshman are required to take.
My University Seminar instructor was the one
who requested me to be her Peer Mentor,
so that was exciting because usually it is only done
by junior and senior Orientation Leaders.
I feel quite honored to have been chosen by such an important person...
she just happens to be the Dean of Students.

Also, I was invited to join Alpha Lambda Delta,
which is a pretty common freshman honor society,
and I ran for president and won!
That made my parents super-happy because
membership of ALD makes me eligible for a lot of scholarships.

Then, my last bit of good school-related news is that
I was also selected as an Outstanding First Year Student
(only 30 out of 250 were selected)
to present a research project I did for my seminar class
at a conference.
That's going to be exciting as well because will be presented
with a certificate from the President of Maryville.

So all's definitely going well academically.
And socially, it's great as well.
This week I went out to eat with some friends for an early St. Patty's Day dinner,
I went shopping for some new spring clothes,
I went to an event called Bingo and Brew, where I did not win anything
but enjoyed lots of Fitz's root beer and rice krispie treats....,
and then last night I did Relay for Life,
which was sponsored at Maryville University for the first time.
It was a lot of fun, and once again, another opportunity for me to hang out with
some of my upperclassmen friends that I don't see as much.
Already that day I had walked 8 miles with a friend,
and even though I stopped at 1 am because I was exhausted,
I ended up walking a total of 15 or so miles.
I had nightmares when I finally went to sleep this morning
that I couldn't move....lol
But i'm really not that sore.
And I've been trying to walk between 4 and 8 miles everyday
anyway in hopes that I'll loose some weight before summer!

Today one of my friends that went on the mission trip with me last summer
is coming to visit and go out to eat,
and tomorrow my best friends DJ and Jill are coming to go shopping and hang out!
I can't wait to see them all!!!!

I hope you all are doing well, and this week looks like it's going to be kind of slow,
so hopefully I'll be able to update more later!

much love & God bless, j

 

spring break + 30 degree weather = one unmotivated Jess.

Even though I had planned on relaxing some over spring break, I still have a lot of work to do.
I have one midterm left to finish, which is 3 2-page papers on detective fiction...yuck
and a 5 page annotated bibliography for my Greek Art & Archaeology class.
Not only that, but I am trying in earnest
to find another job this summer.
The bank is giving me 3 days a week,
which is the most that I can ask for
especially considering how I was screwed over last year.
I had counted on working the remaining 3 days
at the physical therapy department
close to where my mom works
where I have volunteered the past 3 years,
but now it looks like they aren't sure if they can afford to hire anyone.
I'm looking other places for physical therapy jobs,
but it's hard to find ones in my area
that I have transportation for.
So that's kind of depressing.
Also, the economy is so bad that
it's hard to find a good-paying job anywhere else.
Unfortunately, I have bills and a college education to pay for.
I can't afford not to work full-time this summer.
And I would really like to go on another mission trip as well,
but the one I went on last year has already filled up,
and i can't afford the one to Africa that I wanted to go on.
So I'm looking at more local ones, like Jamaica again and maybe Guatemala.
However, I've been so busy that I haven't had a lot of time to look into it.
Also I recently got nailed by a debit card scam,
where someone somehow got ahold of my card number
and tried to make a $250 purchase at Finish Line in Chicago.
Hello? Could you be ANY more obvious?
I live like 6 hours from Chicago....
I would not go there to buy shoes and eat at McDonald's for a day.
Luckily I only had $15 in my account because I hadn't deposited my paycheck.
I'm sure the culprit enjoyed eating off the dollar menu.
haha so I got that sorted out.
But it was a pain.

The weather and all the pressure I've been under lately
has kind of left me drained,
in case y'all can't tell from the lack of usual Jess enthusiasm/lame attempted humor.
On the brighter side, today it got up to 50....and tomorrow it's supposed to be warmer.
So I'll be able to start walking again....
it's so hard for me to exercise when it's cold out,
and I hate working out in the gym,
so this 'spring one day, winter the next' deal really hasn't been working for me.

I will try to type something entertaining soon!
hope you all are doing well!

J


 

I am holding them fully responsible for blog entries lately....
or, rather, lack thereof.
Seeing as how there haven't been any
in the past 5872017263 years.

(slight exaggeration there)

Good news is that after this week,
I'll be back to normal.
No more slumming in the textbooks
(although my mom would rather me slum in the textbooks
then, say, a bar or on the streets....lol)

I miss the good old days when 'midterm'
meant exactly what it sounded like...
the middle of a term.
I do not appreciate the newfound meaning,
which equals hours spent revising papers
and slaving over textbooks
and not exercising or enjoying spring weather.

Then again, today I went out for a brisk walk
to celebrate the finishing of my 2 greek midterm papers.
3.8 miles, 400 calories burned, great deal!
Not to mention I now feel energized and refreshed....
and I'm starting to feel more motivated now that I realize
spring break starts Thursday!

I have to work today through Wednesday,
but other than that, things are pretty quiet.
My Greek papers are due tomorrow,
I have a soc midterm Wednesday,
Thursday I have a chem II test,
and then I'm homeward bound with one of my friends!

Woohoo!

Spring, here I come!

Hope you all are well!

I'll be back to update at the end of the week,
as well as do some catching up!

j
 

I ate at a Steak ‘n’ Shake recently, and made me remember something that happened there awhile back. About this time last year I was sitting in Steak ‘n’ Shake with my mom, Jenn, and Steph. We witnessed something that, at the time, was absolutely hilarious, but later, really caused me to stop and think. You have probably all been to Steak ‘n’ Shake and are most likely familiar with the “Please Wait to Be Seated” sign that is near the entrance at all the restaurants. That’s what this story revolves around.

There had been a high school basketball game that night, so the place was really crowded, and we got a seat right by the door. I’m a people-watcher, so I didn’t mind our seating arrangement at all. People fascinate me. As teenager after teenager poured in, most wearing cheerleading uniforms or basketball jerseys, I noticed something funny. Not one person stopped at the “Please Wait to Be Seated” sign. Even though it was rude, I couldn’t help but laugh. I pointed this out to Jenn, and she got a good laugh out of it, too. We started keeping track of how many people walked past the sign without even noticing it. By the time we got to ten, a very tired waitress had noticed this, and so with an irritated look on her face she proceeded to move the sign a foot closer to the door. Jenn and I were kind of disappointed, because we thought that no one could possibly miss the sign now, and so our evening entertainment would come to an end.

Wrong. The next group of teens to come in pushed right past the sign. The group after them did the same. Before you know it, our count had reached 21 people, and Jenn and I were laughing hysterically. Twenty-one people had walked right by the sign without noticing it at all. Soon the same waitress that had moved the sign earlier reappeared by our table. Her anger was obvious, and I felt a little sorry for laughing at the situation. All the people coming in and using the ‘seat yourself’ motto was making her job harder than it had to be. She picked up the sign and stomped angrily to the door, setting it down directly in the doorway. It would be impossible to enter the restaurant without first moving the sign.

By now even my mom and Steph were laughing. We all kept our eyes glued to the door, curious to see what would happen next. Subject #22 opened the door and nearly knocked the sign over. You could clearly tell that he had read the sign as he moved it out of the way, and yet he walked right past it. Jenn and I lost track of the ‘subjects’ around 30, when a college-aged guy walked in, followed by another bunch of teens. He saw the sign and stopped, and the teens started to go right around him. “The sign says ‘Please Wait to Be Seated’,” he said in a loud but very polite voice. The teens stopped and just looked at the man. Slowly and with embarrassed looks on their faces, they turned around and walked back to the entrance.
I don’t ever remember laughing that hard with my family. The whole situation just struck us as hilarious. It wasn’t until later, after my sister and I were recapping the evening, that something occurred to me.

I saw three different types of people that night, and each reminded me a little bit of myself.

Type One:
You are so busy looking for something that you miss what’s right in front of you.

Most of the time I fall under this category. Whether it was a “Please Wait to Be Seated” sign or a message from God, I overlooked something because I was searching for something else. I can be so focused on something sometimes that the roof could fall in on my head and I wouldn’t have a clue that anything was out of the ordinary. It’s sad, but most of the times, we humans (and animals, too, for that matter….lol) have one-track minds. So it’s important to make sure that we’re on the right track.

Type Two:
You see or hear or realize something but choose not to acknowledge it.

Sometimes, sadly enough, I’m type two. It’s easy to see something but ignore it even though you know you shouldn’t. And I can’t even tell you how many times a friend has said, “Don’t do that, Jess.” and I’ve pretended not to hear them. But just because I don’t acknowledge something doesn’t change the fact that it did happen or I did see it. Like a quote from one of my favorite movies, Amazing Grace, points out, “Having seen all this, you can choose to look the other way, but never again can you say you did not know.”

Type Three:
You see when someone else is doing something wrong or missing something and you point it out.

Occasionally, I find myself in this situation: the role of the ‘overseer’. The guy who was waiting in line wasn’t the owner or a friend of the waitress. He was just an ordinary guy who saw that those kids were doing something wrong and he pointed it out. Every now and then in life someone we love will do something that they probably shouldn’t. While no one likes to be told what they are doing wrong, it’s healthy to have a friend who will watch out for you and be able to tell you when what you’re doing is wrong.

Now, all this stereotyping aside. it brings me to a much more important question. I can’t help but wonder…at the times when I didn’t open my eyes, what did I miss? A miracle? An opportunity? A chance to start over?

The sad thing is, I won’t ever know the answer to that question. Which is why I try so hard to be aware of my surroundings and in touch with the people around me. I don’t want to miss anything that God or this world has to offer me, intentionally or unintentionally.

It’s not every day we come by miracles, new opportunites, and chances to start over…..so why risk missing them? Don’t walk past the “Please Wait to Be Seated” sign. Don’t ignore the advice of a friend. And don’t be afraid to point out when someone is doing something wrong.

 

....in an interview for a full college scholarship.

In case you guys can't tell from the title of this blog,
I learned a lot from my experience as an interviewer today.
I've compiled my top ten favorite no-nos from the day
and thought I'd share them with y'all just in case,
you know, you're considering Maryville or something like that.

Just keep in mind that these responses are from some
of our country's youngest and brightest students....
What I would have liked to say- but didn't, of course...lol-
is listed in italics.
and I'm not intentionally making fun of these people...
no one's perfect, and I'm sure they were all nervous....
it was just interesting to observe.

10. "I don't really have anything that sets me apart from everyone else, I'm rather dull."

The first step to solving a problem is admitting you have one.

9. "I don't really think that question is revelant to this scholarship, is it?"

If it wasn't relevant, do you really think we would be asking it?

8. "How will I be notified when I receive this scholarship?"

Why do you need to be notified if you know WHEN- and not IF- you're receiving the scholarship?

7. "I know I applied for the multicultural scholarship, but I haven't ever been out of the country or experienced any sort of diversity.."

Even if that is, the case, you probably shouldn't have told us that.

6. "I'm not sure we really have enough time to cover all of my strengths, so I'll just give a brief summary."

Thank goodness.

5. "I HAVE to have a full ride to go here. I LOVE Maryville. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it! But you guys HAVE to give me a scholarship. I'm serious."

I was at a loss for words here. I tried to remain professional, but I might have gone a little slack-jawed.

4. "I don't have any weaknesses."

Oh, yes you do. It's called denial. lol

3. "I'm only looking at Maryville because it's fifteen minutes away."

Well I'm so glad you took things like enrollment, campus life, and education programs into consideration.

2. "I'm not a leader. I'm a follower. And I'm a homebody. I don't like to get out or be around people."

Well thank goodness only 75% of the scholarship evaluation is based on leadership and outgoing characteristics....

and....

drumroll, please!

***
***
***

The number one thing to NOT say at an interview if you'd like to win is,

"I'm only here because my parents made me come."

Well, at least you're an obedient child. That's always a good sign.


On the up side, though, I did interview a very excellent candidate earlier this week.
I really hope he wins. I just don't think the people I interviewed today
would be very good assets to the school in terms of leadership and involvement.
All in all, though, I wasn't very impressed with the people I interviewed.
Which goes to show you, book smarts aren't everything.
It's a good life skill to be able to communicate effectively and have good people skills as well.

Then again, you guys know all this stuff.

I'm just preaching to the choir.
 

well, I planned on updating this week, obviously,
but some unforseen circumstances got in the way.
I stayed caught up with all my homework,
but I went to the dentist the other day to get some dental work done
and my jaw adjusted, and it's been killing me.
I can hardly eat. So that's made my week absolutely wonderful.
And my bank account's overdrawn cause I forgot to write a check down...
but that's getting taken care of.

Here's some interesting things that have been/are happening.

...Monday, I interviewed a student for the same scholarship I got last year.
....tomorrow and Saturday, I'm interviewing some more.
It's neat to interact with potential students in such a major way.
Although I find it kind of nerve-warcking that one student's future
could rest in my hands, it's also kind of exciting.
I also get two free meals for this weekend during the scholarship competition.
Then tomorrow I have a luncheon with the board of trustees here at Maryville.
I got recommended by the Dean of Students for this meeting,
and I'm not sure how many students get recommended,
but I know it's only a handful.
So that's exciting, too.
Also, I found out I got a 96% on the chem II test...
not bad for not studying....lol

Okay, so that's all I have for now....
hopefully this week I'll be able to catch up with all you guys.
Love you all! J

 

My room isn't the only thing that got a good cleaning today, though....
I also re-vamped my blog a bit....
and I'm anxious to see what you all think.

Alos, now that everything's kind of settled down,
this week I should be able to get back to my regular schedule.
I can't wait to fill y'all in and see what you guys have been up to!

Much love & God bless,
~j

ps- the Cardinals are Super Bowl Champions in my heart!
 

So, Thera presentation is complete!
I gave it today, and it went really well.
I didn't mess up once.
I also got my chem II test out of the way.
So now I can just enjoy myself....
and the busy weekend ahead!
And I'll have some time to update!

Looking forward to catching up with you all...
...it's been some week! J
 

...I blame it for my lack of time devoted to WDC this week.

I didn't realize how big of a project it was really going to be.

But it's some complicated crap. lol

Anyway, I'm home this weekend because I'm going to a huge Christian concert tomorrow called Winterjam,
but I have so much to do on this project that it's not even funny.

Luckily I only have one class Monday.

hope you all are doing well...I'll be back after Tuesday! lol
 

....has just been one of those days....I don't even feel like talking about it.

I can't wait for tomorrow to be over!

And hopefully this weekend I'll have a more of an update!

 

I really wanted to use tonight to update you guys on everything,
but some more unexpected but exciting stuff came up...
The comedian was hilarious-
her name's Jen Kober if you want to youtube her-
and so I did laugh a lot.
Then Sunday some of my friends from back home came to visit me,
and I gave them a tour and we went to church and hung out,
and then Emily, Erica, and Beca spent the night here.
We didn't go to bed until like 3 or 4, we were talking and laughing so much.
This morning we went to Bread Co, ate lunch here,
and then went shopping at the mall.
I hadn't seen them in a long time,
and I still bore a lot of resentment towards them abandoning me last year,
but we talked about it and I put it all behind me and it was really nice to see them.
Then after they left, one of my other friends Hannah came to visit.
She's got a lot of the same problems as Cory,
and since I've been gone, she's been having a rough time and no one to help her.
She comes to St. Louis for counseling and is like 10 mins from Maryville every week,
so she's gonna start visiting more often.
I'm glad. I'm good for her, and she can't hurt me like Cory does.
So all's well.
And now I'm watching Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill,
and I'm surrounding by chem homework and my computer
and coffee and sugar and three books about Thera and maps of Greece
and my detective fiction book and notebooks
and the new Jodi Picoult book I just got from Borders.
Hmm. I wonder how much I'm going to get done tonight...
and how late I'm going to stay up to do.

Hope you all are well! Jess
 

Today I had planned on waking up early, going to breakfast,
and getting started on all my homework.
However, none of that happened.
I slept in til 12, then my friend DJ calls
(he goes to a college about 45 minutes from me)
and asked if I wanted to go to the Ice Carnival in University City.
At first I was like, "No, I really can't do that, I don't have time or money."
But then he finally convinced me he'd come get me and pay for everything,
and then take me home when I was ready to leave.
So I caved.
And it was a lot of fun....
we took a bunch of pictures with ice sculptures,
slid down ice slides,
and collected these ice cubes with $1 gold coins in them.
Then we went to Fitz's (yes, the original root beer place)
and ate dinner at Noodles & Co.
It was a fantastic afternoon.
And now I'm getting ready to go to SNL,
Maryville's version of Saturday Night Live,
where they have a bunch of comedies come every couple months.
It's completely free and there's food and soda there for free, too!
Hopefully I'll get some laughing in.

Needless to say, however, I got absolutely NOTHING done today! lol

Oh well...there's always tomorrow!
 

So the past couple days have been a whirlwind.
Robyn and my friends Tara and Melissa and Kristin have been doing their best to keep me busy.
Monday night, me and Melissa talked for hours to get to know each other better...
I explained the whole Cory thing and told her how I cried a lot,
and she said she totally understand. So that was nice.
Then Tuesday night we all had a movie/hang-out night.
On Wednesday me and Robyn went shopping and to see a free movie,
and I got some really cute clothes, so that was nice.
Thursday we went to one of her best friend's ice hockey games,
and that was exciting. We didn't get back until 2 in the morning.
So I was too exhausted to cry. lol
Today VB is catching up picked me up and we ate lunch at this little mom and pop restaurant.
And tonight the girls and I are going to the Magic House,
which is this kid's place in St. Louis that I haven't been to in years.
It should be a blast.
Today was rough, though. I'm not even sure why.

I've definitely been distracted.
But I have lots of homework to do this weekend.
I'm doing a 20 minute presentation and a 3 page report
on the eruption of Thera and its chronologies
for my honors Greek Art & Archaeology class...
I bet you guys don't know what that is!

....neither do I. lol

haha....just kidding!
I have a slight idea!
Based on the books I just checked out of the library,
it was an ancient volcano on the present-day island Santorini....
who knew?

Anyway, I need to get working on that cause it's due in less than two weeks.
I'm super-nervous but a little excited, too!
Wish me luck!

Talk to y'all later!
Hope you guys are having a good week!
 

Just something I started writing today that I thought I'd share with you guys.
It's not finished yet, but
boy, the inspiration you get from chem II...lol

But also, I don't really have that much time to write anything else
but I still want to get an entry in for the day.
So let me know what you think of this work-in-progress.
~~~~

I heard this song on the radio today
as I was driving down the road
that made me think of

You
and your smile
and the way that you laughed at my jokes even though they weren't funny,
and how you didn't even have to try to make me happy.

Then it wasn't so hard
to remember why I'd
fallen in love with

You
and your eyes
and the way you would roll them
when I made you promise to stay out of trouble.
and how you never did.

Then I would recall
how much time I spent
worrying about

You
and your future
and the way you kept passing up chances to start over.
and how your criminal record was longer than my mom's grocery list.

Then I couldn't help
but wonder about

Us
and our relationship.
and the way so many things between us are left unsaid
and how even though I loved you with everything I was,
it wasn't enough to change you.

Remembering these things brought tears to my eyes.
But I didn't change the station.
Because those memories of you are the only things I have left.