Abracadabra...make MMSG reappear!

My dearest bloggers,

Many apologies for the bizarre and unexplained disappearance. I think two and only two of you will understand when I say "monkeys". I'm afraid to even look at the date of my last post, but I know for sure it was eons ago! But, at the suggestion/command issued by our own dear Madison, I agreed it was time to start blogging again. And September first seemed like an excellent day to do that, so here we go again...!
History, for anyone who's curious:
Life got a little crazed this summer....I spent the last few months working like crazy! My summer job entailed spending my mornings entertaining children and trying to avoid the inter-camp wars that kept popping up at a day camp, and the afternoons were filled with working at a community center and taking the kiddos to the pool. Fascinating moments of this job included when one child asked if I was married, another informed me I look like his 74 year old grandmother, a third tried to break into my car, the discovery of what we're fairly certain was an alien caterpillar, a plot which involved running in to a dumpster with a car to simulate thunder, and way too many wheat crackers for snack. I don't know if I can eat any more wheat crackers.
I also spent a healthy amount of time playing in the rain, making music videos with my cousins, playing my guitar (if any of my neighbors are reading this, I really am sorry. I really DIDN'T know the windows were open....), babysitting, working my way through an online summer class, and eating way too much chocolate.
The other two big highlights were, without a doubt, my trip to New Orleans for the National Youth Gathering as well as my week at Worldview Academy. More on these subjects soon, too.

What about y'all? Any exciting summer developments?

The big news? I, the homeschooler, am here at college and loooving it! We're only on Day 2 of classes and already I'm up to my eyeballs in homework, but hey, it's part of the experience ;) Most of my classes are awesome, most of my professors are awesome, I mostly know my way around campus and I definitely have the great on-campus job EVER, so life is quite good :)

More posts coming your way soon. Pinky promise. Right now, my history book is threatening to run away if I don't read it soon. I think it's feeling jealous because of all the time I've devoted to Spanish lately. Poor thing.

P.S. In case there is anyone out there reading this without an RSS feeder (I know, slim chance), like the new look? And for everyone else, come check it out. I'm still tweaking, but do comment.

Blegh.

I just finished a massive project for my Ethics class; it was a journal of news articles and I had to write an analysis of each one, detailing the ethical problems and theories present in the articles. All said and done, it's forty-two pages long.

Forty.

Two.

Pages.


Egads. Do you know how much thinking was involved?!?!?!

I think I need a nap. Or chocolate. Or to go play my guitar as loudly as I can until my fingers go numb and all I can think about is chords and finger placement.

Or all of the above.

Sadly, I still have two English assignments to do, a speech to finalize, two papers to write and finals studying to begin, all this weekend.

I think I need a longer weekend.

HELP!

(Ok, does the title make anyone else start singing the Beatles song?)

I need to give a persuasive speech in the very near future.

Rules:

• NO MORE THAN 5 minutes.
  
• Must have five parts:
  -- Attention-getting intro
  -- Brief synopsis of the problem
  -- Suggested solution(s)
  -- Speculation on what the world would look like if solutions were put into to practice
  -- Commission to go and change your ways
  
• I want it to be original: no over-used stuff like "Why you should wear a seatbelt" or "Why you shouldn't smoke".
  
• It can't be anything I'm TOO passionate about. Rule out anything super-controversial, including religious and political issues.

So.....that leaves me with.......

*blank stare*

Any ideas?!? You guys love to argue. You're super opinionated. Help a fellow blogger out, will ya? I hate brainstorming!!

Help Help Help!

Yikes. I know, it's been weeks. My apologies.

Life has been pretty topsy-turvy lately.

First and foremost, I'm begging for your prayers and good thoughts for my dear friend and youth leader, Amy. Amy's been having some pretty serious medical issues lately and has spent the last two weeks getting a plethora of tests done. Some of the results have been really scary, and we're in desperate need of prayers for her and her family. Amy's one of my favorite people and this has been really hard on me. Amazingly, though, she has somehow managed to remain unbelievably positive throughout all this; even in the midst of insane situations she's still teaching me life lessons! The longer it stretches on, though, the more things there are too worry about.... She is scheduled to have surgery (a biopsy) sometime this week, and hopefully that will finally give her some definite answers...so please pray for her and her family and the doctors and everyone involved in the situation. Thanks.

That situation has pretty much been consuming my thoughts lately, so I haven't had much time for any deep soul-searching ponderings or amusing anecdotes. I've been squeezing in schoolwork and doing homework at the last minute and just barely surviving my many college classes and averaging about 4 hours of sleep each night, so, well, I'm managing :)

For Speech Communication class I'll be giving an informative speech about the effects of sleep deprivation on young adults/college students in a week or two. If anybody's got any great examples or anecdotes, I'd be thrilled if you shared them with me! email: mismatchedsockgirl@gmail.com Muchas gracias!

I'm also looking for interesting news articles that I can **briefly** analyze for my Intro to Ethics class. Post links if you stumble across anything!

Because I've been in such a somber mood lately, this is my current playlist:

Whatever You're Doing -- Sanctus Real
Empty Garden -- Elton John
Even Angels Cry -- Jars of Clay
Mighty to Save -- Laura Story
Amy's Song -- Switchfoot [ironic, eh?]
Unchanging One -- Todd Agnew
Hallelujah -- Krystal Meyers
In Better Hands -- Natalie Grant
The Economy of Mercy -- Switchfoot
Daisy -- Switchfoot
Oh My God -- Jars of Clay
I Still Believe -- Jeremy Camp
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) -- Chris Tomlin

Top 5 Reasons Why This Isn't A Real Post:

1. Chemistry is evil. And therefore still not done. Blah.



2. Evil trolls have taken up residence in my bedroom and keep throwing things onto the floor, un-organizing the desk and scattering shoes around. As such, my room will not stay clean, and as such, I am perpetually attempting to clean it anyway. Not because I want to, mind you, but because I have to. Merh.



3. You know how most people's summers are relaxing times, where they can unwind and focus on the things they don't have enough time to do during the rest of the year? Not me. My summers are just as busy as the school year. Busy-ness includes, but is not limited to: Summer job. Never-ending college search. Babysitting. Extracurriculars. Summer camps. Need to plan 5 lessons for upcoming week of VBS (Vacation Bible School) that's I'm teaching at our church. Guitar needs practicing. Etc.



4. Writer's block. Severe writer's block, I might add. I have not written anything, save for a short story which I'm relatively sure is idiotic, for weeks. Which is so absolutely not me. This latest block has rather far-reaching effects; it's permeated not only my stories, but also my poems, journal entries and now I'm afraid it's affecting my blog! AAAH! Any ideas, folks?!?!



5. Aforementioned trolls, apparently growing bored with being confined to my bedroom have spread out and brought all sorts of dirt and other bits of crud throughout the house and therefore causing me to have to vacuum. Again.