A new post

Yes. It has been forever since I have updated this. I know, but really I guess I just go in phases of wanting to write on it and not. Life has been going rather well, a little dramatic, but well.
I worked on my degree plan this past weekend, and I turned it in and got it signed today! I will graduate May 2009, with one hour more than I "need!"
As you may know it was the 5th of November yesterday, and that would be why I am up at this hour. We watched V for Vendetta, right after wrestling, and it was a fun little party. But entertaining people can be alot of work, so I am going to get to bed rather soon.

The Top Twenty

My Top Twenty Things About Turning Twenty

20. Two decades, and thank goodness the 90’s are over!


19. It’s about time I caught up to my friends…


18. I don’t feel old, but according to the little ones I baby-sit I am.


17. It is now scientifically impossible to fit that many candles on a cake, and it should not be attempted by anyone but a professional mom.



16. The Dallas Stars
have won the Stanley Cup in my lifetime!

15. My average bowling score is only slightly more than my age!

14. There have been four presidents in my lifetime, and I have a picture of me as a baby with the Bush/Quayle sticker on my diaper to prove it!

13. I can remember when Barbie wanted to grow up and be a teacher, and didn’t dress like a call girl.


12. The slip and slide was deemed “unsafe” for Adults and Teenagers in 1993, so it’s a good thing I
don’t own one, and never have.

11. When filling out surveys I can now check the “20-25” age box.




10. I can say that flip-flops are shoes and “thongs” are multiple pairs of a scanty women’s underwear.

9. “Never say never!” I said I would never attend TCC…don’t you just love algebra?

8. My wardrobe for school is no longer based on who will see me, but rather what is clean.

7. I may not have a “curfew”, and haven’t for a while, but I can always be sure that mom will jump halfway out of the bed, and ask who it is when I wake her up after coming in late.

6. Thanks to Seth, I have probably seen more football than the average American does in 40 years.

5. I’m Halfway through College!!

4. People take you a little more serious than a “teenager.”

3. People will stop asking me if I’m “really that young”!


2. I’m going to London with Mum in August!!


1. I’ll be twenty, need I say more!?

June

The alram goes off the morning, and I am not ready for Monday. I drag myself out of bed, and toddle into the computer to check email and such before I get breakfast. After all, my body has no desire to eat at such an unholy hour. I sign on Facebook, and everybody and there mother has been engaged or married overnight. Okay, so not everyone, but I can't count at least 10 people I know that have either been engaged, married, or will be married within the next month. I know June is the time for weddings and such, but really....we are talking people my age. It's so weird to see all these people I have known anywhere from childhood to just a year getting all coupled up. You know, like "SHE married HIM? Wasn't he the kid that drank glue in first grade?" It's just all very strange to me. Summer is in bloom, and apparently so are the diamonds.

Summer has arrived...sort of

HOLA!!



I'm very sorry for not having updated, but there hasn't been much time as of late. I started my Algebra class on Wednesday, when I was to start on Tuesday, but the lovely people at TCC need alot of help in the registration department! After leaving class today, with my review for my test on Monday in hand, I drive to Springtown, over one dead skunk, and babysit an almost two year old that, I found out after being with him all day, might have hand, foot, and mouth disease. Wonderful...as far as I know, I don't have it, but we shall see. I look forward to no 6 o'clock, 15, or 30 alarm clock tomorrow morning! I know the class is only until July 5, but that doens't mean I like it any better. I know that sort of time is normal for most adults, but I wasn't completely ready for this routine. Ah well, that's part of growing up. The great thing is, I don't have class on my birthday! Thank you Lord!
State Board is around the corner, and I still lack a few chairmanship replys, and I know for sure that two of my board members aren't going to be there. The afterboard should still be tons of fun though, even if it is nerdy...dear sister! I get to type my own agenda, which is rather exciting in itself! Well I am going to finish Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, seeing as that is what Ben and Fraizer have put in to watch. However, the two of them are now sound asleep. I might just turn it off and see if they notice.

In other news, this came out today..

New "Wizarding World of Harry Potter" Theme Park Announced for Universal Studios

There is an exciting turn of events tonight as Universal Studios and the people behind Harry Potter announced that there will in fact be a Hogwarts type theme park at Universal Studios (Islands of Adventure) in Orlando, Florida called "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter." You can now see some gorgeous high res concept art for this new theme park, including an overview of the theme park, Hogsmeade village square and the very cool Hogwarts castle. This announcement confirms the rumors that have persisted for some time; now this is to be fact with the park due to open in early 2010. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling said "The plans I've seen look incredibly exciting, and I don't think fans of the books or films will be disappointed."

Hosted by Harry Potter movie production designer Stuart Craig in a special webcast from Dumbledore's Office set at Leavesden Studios in England for various sites including TLC, you can now see video of this announcement on our YouTube channel. Part 1 is here, Part 2 via this link, and now Part 3 (where they answer our questions), here.

Among the details revealed were:

This new theme park will include facets such as a Hogsmeade section, the Forbidden Forest, and even Hogwarts Castle where you will actually be able to walk inside a replication of the beloved castle.
J.K. Rowling is described as having been "very involved" in the creating and planning of this park since the begining, and is very supportive of this new park.
Mr. Craig has been actively designing the project starting in January of this year, while Universal has been planning for two years previously.
There will be many types of rides some "intense", shopping, and more, as well as a brand new state of the art attraction.
A "British" environment is to be maintained, including the food served, and mannerisms of the staff.
The park is aimed at fans of both the movies and books, geared for fans of all ages or as they said " 7 to 67"
Will incorporate elements of all the Harry Potter novels, books one through seven.
A more expansive and complete look of the total environment of Hogsmeade is likely.

Saturday

Sorry about not having updated in a little while. I am very ready for school to be out, and the reason would be I have too much to do. I am ready for the break that national will bring to my crazy routine. It's been very rainy today and this whole week now that I come to think about it. There was a hail storm two or three nights ago that ripped the trees on campus to shreds. Evidence below.










Well I must go get ready for a birthday dinner for my friend Rachel Garrett. She is turning--no she turned 20 yesterday. We're goign to Olive Garden I think, and at least this time I can have chocolate.
Love you all,
A very weary Rachel

Hectic

Things are growing a little hectic here in the bubble. Sleep is at an all time low, and homework/studying is at an all time high. Working out schedules for next semester is next week for me, and then I don't know when I will find out if I got into Maddox (the upperclassman dorm foy you non-ouachitonians) I have taken up fencing recently, and my friend Cory is the one teaching me. However, I doubt I will get a lesson in the week thanks to all of the stuff on my plate. I have a British history exam tomorrow and I have another exegetical due in three weeks, and the majority of it must be done before national. By the way, how much farther away is that? : }


Well I'm done venting now, I must go study for my test. Love you all!
~Rachel

Saving Earthworms and A Walk

It rained a good deal here in the 'delph today, and as I look up I can still see a drizzle falling right now. This immense amount of precipitation which started sometime late last night and has not let up yet has driven those poor, tiny-brained creatures, commonly known as earthworms, from their homes. The earthworm is from the Kingdom Anamilia, the Phylum of Annelida, in the Clitellata Class, but the Subclass Oligochaeta, and the Order Haplotaxida, subclass Lumbricina. Earthworms are also called Megadriles, as opposed to microdriles which are the smaller worms. With all that completely useless information (unless your on Jeoparady or Who Wants to be a Millionare? someday and a question on what Kingdom the earthworm is in, then I would greatly appreciate part of the winnings) being said, the reason I mentioned these creatures in the first place was because of the incessant rain. There was a mass slaughter of the things right by Berry Bible Building. Granted 10 or so dead earthworms is probably not a great percentage of their world population, and I am sure more of them are eaten by the campus birds everyday than the handful that were trampled on the sidewalk today. Nevertheless, it was a sad sight to behold. Some were still alive so I put my bag down and used a flower petal to scoot them back on the grass. I know that I must have looked really funny, but that didn't really bother me, it mattered to those earthworms. (Maybe.) Have no fear though, I am not going to go start a world movement to SAVE THE EARTHWORMS or anything, I just thought it was a nice thing to do, and I can endure a few awkward stares from people for that. (There are pictures below, but I rest assured they are not the dead worms. These are nice happy live ones. There are also pictures of the spring flowers on campus.)

Later I went for a walk down by the Gazebo and it was quite lovely. I took off my shoes to walk in the puddles and (I had an umbrella Mom) took the path all the way around the little park. Every so often there was a long patch of walk that would be covered in sticks, the shells from the newly bloomed trees, or mud, but there was always a puddle not too far after so I could wash my feet. If you stop and think about it, life can be like that too. Sure there are plenty of times there will be no way around a tough situation, but if you press on through it's nothing you can't handle as long as you remember to use God's strength and not your own. Sometimes we have to push through those hard times before we can get to the good right on the other side, and maybe we just don't see that good from this side of the mud.
Two more days until Spring Break.

One more weeeeek.

Spring Break is almost here. It is a mere 5 days off, and I can just smell it! With Spring Break comes T.S.C.A.R. State Conference, and that's exciting on a different level.

Tonight I watched a dinosaur hatch in my bath tub. I got one of those fizzy eggs that you drop in and watch it desolve. It was pretty cool, though I doubt it was a very realistic representation of a baby dino hatchiny back in the day. I mean it just kind of floated to the top and all the water had turned orange. I had no idea that stegosaurus' floated! Oh, the stego's name is Sally, and she now resides in the bottom corner of a picture frame on my desk that houses a picture of Benjamin and Katie, with Jackie- P.B. (Pre-Bailey).

The All Night Theater went really well this weekend, and I had so much fun directing. Who would have thought that I would ever have the opportunity make box of crayons come to life. There are some pictures below, and the only explanation is that my play I directed is about what happens inside the box of crayons After the Lid is Closed. I was really excited about my pre-show song; Colored People by D.C. Talk!














The Red Crayon was named Rose (Played by Ashley Hall), and she was the "mom" figure of the group.
The Green Crayon was named Vert (Played by Aaron Avance), and he was the sporty guy, he played paddle ball alot on stage.
The Blue Crayon was named Indigo (Played by Jeff Stokes), and he was insecure and always afraid of being snapped in half.He carried a blue teddy bear most of the show.
The Black Crayon was Ebony (Played by Vince DiCarlo), and he was always telling others that the end was coming and having a sharp point was pointless.
The Purple Cayon was named Violet (Played by Krysteena Koiner), and she comes back to the box half the size she was before going to coloring time that morning. It was a very tramatic experience.
The Yellow Crayon was named Golden (Played by Marcie Bealer), and she was the happy crayon all sunshine and she had a secret crush on the black crayon.

It was an amazing show, and I loved the people I got to work with.

Exegetical time...

I find myself sitting on my bed in my house located in little Azle, Texas writing an exegetical that is due on Monday morning. I had to bring my work home with me due to the fact that-- well it's due rather soon. I left Arkadelphia at about 11 o'clock after a run in with every one's favorite dorm mother which delayed my departure. Five hours later and three bathroom stops (not necessarily in that order)I arrive in Azle, but it feels like I haven't left school. I know an education is very important, but for those of you that know me you will understand how much I genuinely dislike Exegetical Papers...I would rather do algebra for 4 hours straight than write an exegetical paper. Alas, this luxury is not afforded me, for I have another one due later in the semester.

I glanced up from my writing just now to find my teddy bear-Dixie- and Seth's teddy bear- Ted Edward Bear- kissing. Naturally stuffed animals are not prone to such behavior, but when one's parental unit of the matronly variety sets said bears in such a manor and one forgets about it until glancing at it across the room the scene can be somewhat disturbing. By the way, I updated just for you Dad.

A "repairing" Saturday

Today was a day of fixing and repairing. First order up, the tiff I had with Roomie last night about sleeping schedules. I needn't go into details, but all is well now. Next order of business was my computer, and unfortunately it is taking the longest. Hopefully by the end of everything I am having to do to it the blasted contraption will run faster. Third up, sewing the patch on Angie's Robe I gave her for Christmas...yes I am just getting around to it. Finishing my little sister's pillow is on the agenda next as well as completing a scarf, and doing a little coloring on some sketches. I even started revamping some of my writings and started on the ten-minute play I am writing for all night theater!

The finer points of today include: me leaning over the sink and happening to sneeze- which cause me to hit my forehead on the faucet. I laughed about it, but needless to say I felt rather dumb; and my roommate and I parading around the hallway in our Gryffindor and Slytherin robes.

Tomorrow we are going to church and then to see the Crucible theater show. Tonight however is lobby duty and a movie.
With much love,
A sneezing, yet productive Rachel

A Happy Day!

A WONDERFUL AND MERRY MORNING OF FEBRUARY TO ALL!
I am in the most joyous of moods! My computer is working in perfect order and I am ever so happy. It's true, I did take a bit of a spill on the way to chapel this morning and got a small abrasion on the inside of my right hand, but I didn't let that dampen my hopes for a working computer by the end of the day. After chapel,(and a trip to the bathroom to clean my hand) I marched over to the computer services department in the Admin. Building. I was ready to plead my case and throw myself at there feet if they could just get the infernal thing to work properly.
Upon my arrival I found out that most of Cone-Bottoms (that's the name of the building-no joke) was in the dark. I didn't ask questions and just assumed they had decided to try the bat cave feel for the day, so I pressed on in my mission for computer repair. Once upstairs I discovered the Administrators routed the power from Cone-Bottoms to the Boys Dorm that had a transformer blow last night. In short they are working on half-power so they boys don't have to be without. How sweet.
I was prepared to make the boys suffer in darkness for two hours if I meant my computer got fixed faster. Alas, they computer was sorted out, and there was no need for extreme measures!
In other news, I recently changed my facebook picture to one of me in my new formal for C.A.R. in March. I was then bombarded with questions of when my wedding date was, who the lucky guy was, and my all time favorite..."OMG! Are you getting married? I'm invited right?".
Really folks, just because the dress is white, that doesn't mean nuptials are around the corner. When I get engaged, you will all be the first to know.
With love,
A Very Happy, Quite Merry and Quite Un-Engaged Rachel

Mid Week

Things couldn't be going better on this post pledge week day!! I now have my two little sisters Sarah Horton and Sarah Hedges! I am no longer going to festival for theater and I couldn't be happier! I'm watching the movie Cromwell in Modern Brit. tomorrow! My prof gave our American Letters class and extension on the reading assignment we had! I have amazing friends and family! I have a great roommate and I get to go home this weekend!
I've got lots more to be thankful for too!

Today, in 1820,George IV was proclaimed as Britain’s new monarch.

I awoke with little semblance of a voice, and surprisingly not to the sound of my alarm. In fact, it was fifteen minutes past the set time of my alarm. Upon, further inspection I discovered that my alarm had been set form 6:50 pm- not a.m. I got dressed as quickly as I could, but this is not such a simple task seeing as all the washers and dryers have been broken for the past three days.
I stand on the threshold and take a deep breath before plunging into the bitter cold of a winter morning. The echoes of sleep still ring in my mind, and I pacify my urge to listen more closely with the knowledge of extra sleep to come in the afternoon.
For now, I must lunch with pledgees.

It's been a week! Figurativly and litterally. Pledge week is underway, and I have gotten to the point where one day feels like it's been three. The "hard part" for me will be over soon, but this upcoming week won't be a piece of cake either. We ended up with 8 pledges and one of those has already decided the whole social club scene isn't for her so we have 7 girls. They are seven of the most amazing girls I have ever met, and I pray that they will grow together this week. Nichole Gauthier, Sarah Horton, Sarah Hedges, Katie Widdig, Katie Fisher, Tara Beth Fitzhugh,and Kelsey Hack. I am so proud of each of these girls and I'm glad they are part of Chi Rho Phi.

I realized today in church how much I miss my family. I saw a little girl standing next to her dad during the invitaion. He was holding the hymnal for her and pointing out each of the words as the song went along. It made me think of sitting in between mom and dad in church and dad using his pen to point the words to me in the hymnal "so many years ago". I kinda want to come home this next weekend, and I think I just might after the week I know this is going to be. It will be a good week, but that doesn't mean it will be easy.
Love, Rachel

*ding,ding* Week 2

So it's Sunday night, and I just go off of Lobby Duty. It has been quite a day, and this week I'm sure will follow suite. It's Women's Rush Week here at OBU and things are gonna get busy. I start off tomorrow morning at 8am and unfortunately there is no other time for me to take either my Algebra class or contemporary world so I am stuck with what I got. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to pluck up and move on. After all, there are plenty of unpleasant people we have to deal with in the real world-right?
Speaking of unpleasant...I thought I was done with my previous major. I kicked it out to the curb of minor-dom and moved on with my life. Yes? No! The play we did last semester advanced to the Regional competition in March. So I must contribute another couple of weeks to this production. The sad thing is that I probably won't be able to help out with the Winter Retreat at Lakeside because the festival and retreat are on the same weekend.
We had our first choir practice at church tonight, and we will sing in the service for the first time next Sunday morning. Of course, we had to have a discussion on whether to stay in the choir loft during the service or to move to the congregation during the offertory. It was a quite stimulating debate.
My friend Rance has the flu and no voice at the moment so please be praying for him. Hope you all have a great week! Love you!

The Idiot's Guide to Contemporary World

Alright, so today didn't go as planned or as I expected it to. I awoke to the voice of everyone's favorite oriental dorm mother shouting my name from the other side of my door. I rolled back over, seeing as I didn't have class until 12:30. Rest assured good people that I did find Mom Chu later and took care of what she needed. I got out of bed around 9:45 and proceeded to fight my curling iron, the washing machiene, and the bookstoore- not all at one, I can assure you. Modern Brit. was cut short and I got to go eat lunch, but I had forgotten my ID in the room, so a kind stranger allowed me to use his.
Nothing could have prepared me for what would happen in Contemporary World at 2 o'clock however. I walk in to the class just a few minutes prior to said time, and who is standing at the front of the class? Not Dr. Bowen my favorite Prof of all time. Instead, a person that shall remain naimless (for those of you that do attend my school and read this), and also happens to be my least favorite instructor of all time next to the dinosaur from algebra is standing at the desk in the front of the classroom.
This woman makes Mad-Eye Moody look sane okay?! It doesn't matter that the last class I had with her was called American Heratige, it should be called The Klan in America: Past, Present, and Future. In American Heritage, she assured us that the goverment was conspiring with said organization.
As my wonderful roommate pointed out, it's not to late to change my schedule.
The reason for Dr. Bowen's absence is that he has been recalled to active duty to take the place at a Fort here in Arkansas of another man going to Iraq. Dr. Bowen has already served a tour in Iraq, and he and his wife have just had the addition of a baby boy named Samuel to their family. I am thankful he doesn't have to go back to Iraq, but I can't help wanting my Proffesor back.

The first week thus far

Today was the first day of classes! I was not altogether thrilled at getting up this morning for my 8 o'clock class. Algebra and I have never got along, but the simple fact that it is at 8 o'clock makes me dislke it even more. However, because I am taking it at 8 instead of 9 I can take it with a different prof. than the dinosaur that I had last time. The hour of nine rolled around and so did Biblical Exegesis. I have that class with my Big Brother from Chi Rho Phi, Nathan Nordin!! This is the only time I have had and will have a class with him because he will graduate in May. With 10 o'clock came American Letters with Dr. Sonheim. The best part comes tomorrow when my first class isn't until 12:30 in the afternoon, AND it's my elective that I picked!! Modern Britain Since 1600! More tomorrow!
Love,
Rachel

Ice, sleet, and rain- oh my!

Well the weather is takin everything it has and throwing it at Dallas/Fort Worth. I am still here in little Azle, Texas and probably won't be returning to Arkadelphia until Tuesday at the earliest, and I need to be there today. I don't know what's going to happen in the next couple of days, but it's really frustrating.

Friends

Isn't it great when we get a fresh start with old friends. Even when we don't treat them like a friend should, and they take us back...that's really great. A friend never says "I told you" even though they might have. Thank God for amazing friends.

2007

So things are looking up in this new year. I made out alright academically last semester, well best I have yet, but this semester has to be better than last one. I miss my friends at school, but I'll miss my family once I'm there. I think being and RA will bring many new challenges and perhaps "less hours." Rush is on it's way, soon moving in will happen as well, algebra will be torturing me again, and we found a tooth when moving aunt sis's things to the new nursing home today. Mom, Granny, and I went to Cross Timbers Coffee Company for lunch and I had a tomato and cheese pianini...I think that's how you spell it. I also got a mini bunt cake for desert because it looked rather tasty. (That probably didn't help my cause much; I've started doing some exercise every night to music to help burn some extra calories.) I led the games for the youth tonight and that was about as fun as chewing sandpaper. Sure the kids had fun, but I loose my voice while their at it. Seth even got wrapped in toilet paper because we played toilet paper mummies! As I stop to think, it hits me that I didn't do much to make sure Sethy could play the games too. You would think I would have, since that is always one of my big pet peeves about our past youth ministers...well don't I feel like a great big sister at the moment. I'll have to apologize to Sethy for that, and make it up to him by getting him some ice cream. We all know how Seth loves his Blue Bell. Sunday night in church Brother Jim was talking about a friend of his that had been paralyzed by Polio when he was young, and when Jim asked him what he was going to do when he got to heaven the man replied: "Run, and run, and run, and run." Since mom and dad weren't there I was sitting next to Seth and he looks over at me and says: "I'm going to run." I love my curls-a-bugly a whole heck of a lot.