Well, I should probably fill everyone in on the car situation I mentioned last post.  A vehicle has been found, which is a praise, despite the fact that it's a 2001 Buick Century (a.k.a. a grandma car). =P  It has a possessed cruise control that keeps things interesting on the road, but it's great to have a car of my own again.  And I'm slowly starting to rebuild my bank account, which was pretty nonexistent there for a while . . . YAY!

Work is work.  Insane, crazy, filled with customers who don't speak audibly, in English, or at all; coworkers who don't want to work or show up on time; and a boss who expects me to read his mind.  But God has been challenging me about my attitude towards work, so I'm trying to be more positive and Christlike in that regard.  Light and salt, right?  Plus not taking it out on my family or boyfriend.  That would be good.

School is SOOOOO ready to be over . . . can't wait for summer.  But hey, only 7 weeks left, and I will be DONE with Statistics and Chemistry and Speech forever!!  I'm hoping next semester will be somewhat less of a joke, although my fellow Medical Microbiology students who are in the nursing program are not terribly encouraging in that regard.  But hey.  It's a two-year program.  I can tough it out for two years.  What doesn't kill you makes you stronger . . . and probably quite a bit wiser, too . . .

So that's a pretty good synopsis of my life at present.  Other random details: I have an EMT midterm coming up, and that program is going quite well.  Caryn just turned 18, which is unbelievable.  I'm getting pretty psyched up about camp this summer and running the climbing wall.  Eddy and Dawn got married a week ago, and I still can't get over it. =P  Dawn is, what, my age??  It's so weird . . . I'm going to PBU in a week and a half, and I really can't wait for that, either, although I need to find a place to stay.  And church is wonderful.  Praise God for a full, crazy, hectic, challenging, incredible life!

So I've decided that xanga is almost dead enough that if I were to actually want to write something of deep personal significance and post it here (as opposed to the more trivial "here's what's going on in my life" sort of deal), I could do it without fear of repercussions.  Almost.  

Seriously, though, my personal life has been quite the trip lately.  You couldn't tell from the mundane goings-on of my day-to-day routine (although Elias was home on Spring Break last week, which made me happy), but things are happening.  God is at work, provoking my mind to questions and realizations, most of which are not brand-new, but hey.  I'm a slow learner.  Something God's been impacting on my heart lately is the concept that holiness has to be for God.  Not to impress other people, not to cover your own back, not even for the good of yourself or other people.  To differing extents, holiness can and should do all of the above (except maybe impress people).  But it has to proceed from a true love for God and an earnest desire to do His will just because He wants you to.  It's all interwoven, even in my own mind, but I know my focus has been off.

Anyway, enough devotional-style ranting.  I know people don't generally care to read online sermons, so I'll stop now.  On a more concrete level of happenings, I'm getting a car this Friday, after about a month of driving my Grandma's car after my Olds' transmission died.   A mechanic I know is picking out something from an auction, so I don't even know what I'm getting yet . . . scary stuff.  But life is good, and having one's own transportation is even better.

An ode to Stephi, yes it's true,
I took some time and thought of you.
Please don't correct all my mistakes
You always do, for goodness sakes!
I hope that you don't find it crass
While reading this poem by a lass.
But after reading all that mumbo
Let's be serious, and not talk jumbo.
I think of your good qualities,
For example, your generosity.
I thank you for letting me play with your phone,
On which you seem to endlessly drone.
I do not see you all that much,
As I'm off doing such and such.
But just the same, I say when due,
"Happy Valentines Day!  I love you!"
~Laura

I have such a cool family.

Good morning to one and all!

Well, life has gotten a bit more hectic since last I posted.

1) The Start of a New Semester
I only have 14 credits split up between five classes this semester, and I don't think it's going to be too terribly difficult.  Statistics and Chemistry both strike me as ridiculously unchallenging, although those are the two classes I'm having textbook issues with . . . go figure.  Speech class looks like it's going to be rather weird, but so far I really like Medical Microbiology and my Self-Defense class.  Should be fun.

2) The Start of an EMT-B Class
And thank goodness it's only EMT-Basic! =P  I think this class, with its mandatory ER and ambulance time, will challenge me more than anything I'm doing at school right now.  Unfortunately, it's also in the opposite direction from school.  And just to give you a little sense of the scope of my studies, if I were taking this class through TC3, it would be a 10-credit class, which would make my total credits for this semester 24.  But is that enough for me?  No, I had to go and get involved in yet more, which resulted in . . .

3) The Start of a New Job
Yes, people, that illustrious sandwich shop has hired me, and I am a confirmed Subway employee.  I've only worked two days so far (with a total of 14.5 hours between them), but it already feels fairly normal.  Given that my first workday was a Saturday up at the mall, I have LOTS of practice making subs. =P  Aside from some managerial issues (the place isn't the most organized in the world -- then again, I should be used to that by now), I'm liking it.

So that's pretty much my life right now.  Other randomness:  I'm getting my first real (i.e., NOT tracphone) cell phone today, on my own plan, with my own money, etc., etc.  I was sad they don't make the LG anymore (the on everyone has that I liked a lot), but I'm rather excited anyway.  I'm giving Katie Spanish lessons, which is a trip back in time for me . . . I never took Spanish 1, and the last time I was in a Spanish class was 10th grade.  It's been a learning experience for both of us.  I've fallen in love with acapella music; not Glad, mind you, or anything recorded back in the 80s, but a college group that a friend sings with.  They put out a CD, and I'm more or less hooked.  It would be SO incredibly cool to sing with a group like that . . . it's amazing, all the different things they can do with nothing but their own voices.  Sometimes it sounds like a fully orchestrated song, percussion and everything.  And I still haven't made over this site.  But getting a shower this morning is of quite a bit more importance, and I should do that before I don my Subway hat and go to work.  Adios, all!

Well, life is finally starting up again.  After an irrationally long break, school is going to get back in session on Thursday.  As much as I've always loathed school in general, I for once am actually excited to be going back.  I really don't know why I like community college so much more than my other academic experiences, but I really do.  Strange.  Maybe it's just the freedom to be able to decide what classes you want to take and when you want to take them . . . it's pretty cool, I gotta say.  So this semester I've decided to take Chemistry, Statistics, Medical Microbiology, Speech (gag), and Self Defense (which is part just for fun, part so I actually have enough credits to be full-time). =P  On top of that, I have my EMT class starting Tuesday.  Also rather psyched about that.

But today is the day that may change the course of my semester irreversibly, for today I have . . . (drum roll, please) . . .

A JOB INTERVIEW!!!

And I'm nervous.  Because chances are, they're just going to turn me down like everyone else I've applied to.  But whatever happens, I have a job interview with Subway at 3:15 this afternoon.  I think I wouldn't mind working at Subway, especially if they were willing to give me a set schedule.  In the meantime, I babysit (15 hours this week, and the initial "good behavior stage" of these kids is starting to wear off).  But hey, I can live with babysitting, too, if that's what God has for me this semester.  Either way, I'm ready for life to start happening again.  Au revoir!

P.S. Incidentally, this site is in major need of a makeover . . . I'll have to work on that sometime. =P