Ketchup or Catsup?
Well, because there have been a great many developments since my last post (read: interesting life events), I thought I'd develop a composite sketch of them all and throw them up there for the two types of people who read this: those who care about me, and those who have nothing better to do.
- Before coming back to school, I registered to vote. I'm going to be receiving the Democrat ballot in the mail when Super Tuesday hits, though I still don't know who I'm going to vote for. Anyone know any good websites to visit for showing which candidates stand for what (without obvious biases)?
- I also made a Lego Sprite Bowser to compete against Lego Sprite Mario. The two are currently posted above my computer desk facing each other. Bowser's crooked, but I don't want to fix him.
- When I first got to school and brought my luggage up from the car, I discovered a cabinet in front of my door - a wheeled TV cabinet that still retained the working 20" TV and VCR within. There was a note on it which read, "Happy Birthday Joshie-Poo, Love Mommie." Called mom, she knew nothing. Called my friends, they knew nothing. So I ignored it for a couple days while I went up on retreat (next bullet). When I got back, I found out that it had formerly been in the library, but since the librarian's TV (that is, my quadmate's TV) was 2 inches too big, he decided to give it to me. So I rearranged my room so that I could use it and gave away the older, less-functional of my two 13" TV sets (the other one has a built-in VCR and could very easily be used at home). So now I have a bigger TV.
- Getting up to the ASB retreat was fun in and of itself. At first, I was supposed to go with a senator from another class named Lindsey Irving (in her car, because mine has a bad history with that hill if you remember, and hers is an automatic). So things are going good. We leave at around 6:00 PM (as was the plan), stop at the base of the mountain to get food and caffeine, and then she lets me take over for the ascent (because she'd never driven in snow/ice before, and there were reports of the roads being icy). We get about 2/5 of the way up, and all of the sudden her transmission gives out, and so we're forced to stop on the side of the road with a sheer drop to our right, a rock wall to our left, and traffic speeding around a corner right behind us at ungodly speeds so as to nearly send us tumbling. Fortunately, a police officer showed up and put his lights on to give extra attention to our position. He then radioed in for a CHP to show up and give us a hand, and no more than ten minutes later, one such officer arrived. In trying to start the car, we realized that listening to really loud music and putting the power brakes on while the engine is turned off is not a good idea, as it will invariably drain your battery. The CHP then pushed us up to a turnoff and called in for a tow truck. He brought us down the mountain, and then from there another tow truck brought me to the school and Lindsey to her home about 45 minutes away. This really makes me appreciate people in those lines of work.
- The next day I drove my car up the same road on which it had previously broken down without any incident (besides having to take turnoffs to let people behind me pass). That afternoon, we went tubing at a place near Big Bear Lake, and I realized just how much I still like Callie. Still trying not to let it get to me, though. It's gotten to a point where I can ignore the fact that one of the most beautiful girls in the universe is standing right in front of me so I can have a conversation with her.
- Yesterday was move-in day. ASB seriously over-prepared for it. Supplies and hands were on deck prepared for an onslaught of 125-150 people, and there couldn't have been more than 40. We have a new quadmate named Todd. He's an older guy (in his thirties from what Dave tells me), but he's pretty cool.
- At the same time, while I was "working," Dave Harry tracked me down and informed me that my new roommate had called in earlier in the day to inform them that he wouldn't be attending the school this semester. Once again, I have one of the 16 biggest rooms on campus all to myself. Probably gonna rearrange it some again, especially since I don't have to keep room open for another person. I've already started spreading out, and the other people in the quad aren't too thrilled that I'm alone again.
- Granted, there are only four of us this semester (unless Jai shows up - still up in the air due to his financial situation). This is going to make bathroom checks a pain in the butt, as we're all going to have to clean more.
- I borrowed and watched the entire Samurai Gun series from Mike yesterday. It was a pretty cool anime, despite how graphic it was in some points. After returning it, I swapped it for the video game Indigo Prophecy. The control scheme is distinctly annoying, and the graphics are about on a par with The Sims (not 2.0 or anything, just the original game on a computer with great graphics). Pretty good, considering the time it was made. Granted, shower scenes aren't blurred out (as I learned in one of the cut scenes that caught me off guard), but I also learned from Mike that after that scene, it's no longer a problem. The story also isn't half bad, though I don't know if I'm a fan of the supernatural aspects they're trying to play on.
- Pastor Mike preached a sermon on Phobic fear versus God's love today. It made me realize that in my life I have two deep, internal driving fears that are in constant conflict with one another. First is the fear of being forever alone, which leads to the fear of rejection, and the second is the fear of being hurt. Made me realize that I've blown that whole situation with India out of proportion - that the only reason it's scarred is because I won't stop picking at the skin that healed over what was the wound. These two fundamental fears are constantly butting heads, which leaves me indecisive as usual. If dropping them were as easy as Pastor Mike had said, I would have done it long ago, but these...I dunno. They just feel deeper. They feel like they're so much a part of who I am that eliminating them would eliminate me. I know we're not supposed to be afraid as Christians, but head knowledge isn't the same as heart knowledge.
- My eyelids are pulling themselves shut right now. It's 4:40AM Massachusetts time, so I'm kinda tired. That's where this ends for now.