Everyone's Going off the Deep End

It was the best of times... it was the worst of times.- Life is funny like that!

I was talking to Wendy last night, and well, she threatened to stop following me, if I didn't post a new blog soon. Humm isn't she the one who told me to make sure I "did my finals?" Interesting.

Anyways, here I am, trying to think of something funny or interesting to say.. and coming up short. Sounds like a bad date huh?

So, it crunch time at good old Malone University. Its the brink of finals week, and we are all so consumed by trying to finish projects and papers , and yet it seems like there are so many events going on on campus. It makes it pretty hard to prioritize.

Friday morning, I took my final real test for the semester. I never tought I would say it, but I'm kind of sad to almost be done with Abnormal Psychology. It was a tough class, but a good one at that. After the test, Corinne and I headed down to the Johnoson Center. A group called Soulforce came to Malone as the last stop on their "Equality Ride." I could probably write a whole blog entry on their presentation... but I wont. Basically, sould force is a group that rides around America stopping at Christian Universitys talking about Christianity and Justice reguarding the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Queer community. They, had a good message; however, my views on the morality of homesexuality haven't changed. They did force me to think, which is good. So many people try to shove the issue under the rug, but it isn't that easy.

Friday night was the Open Frame Film Festival. I had a lot of fun last year, and my friend Corinne was the director of photography for one of the 11 short films presented, so Brooke and I took our pillows down to the Memorial chapel for a night of entertainment. All, in all it was a good time. I was fully impressed by the work of my fellow Malone students, and it was better than doing homework all night!

Last night (Saturday), was pretty good too. I went with a friend to see the Malone Alumni perform "Doubt". Doubt is a drama set in the 1960's that deals with many dark themes, including, sexual abuse, the role of women in religion and civil rights. There was so much symbolism and depth to the play, it was brilliantly written. In 2008 the movie version of Doubt came out in theatres. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

I guess that leads up to today... my only goal for today is to study... real fun right? Hopefully I can keep my head above water this week, and not get too overwhelmed. This entry is pretty boring right? I guess that's my life... hopefully I will think of something interesting to write about later... blogspot.com is a great excuse to procrastinate.

Boys, Boys, Boys

I don't even know where to begin tonight. So, here are a few quotes from those who have gone before me. Who have been let down, scorned, or destroyed by the enemy... men.

So what made you think you could take a life And just push it, push it around,I guess to build yourself up so high, You had to take her and break her down. - Keith Urban

You comin with those corny lines, Can’t live without me? I’ll get some flowers for the day that you are buried. No, people make mistakes, But I just think you are so fake, Only thing I want from you, is for you to stay away. - Rihanna

So I close my eyes and I kiss that frog, each time finding the more boys I meet the more I love my dog. - Carrie Underwood

They're creepy and their spooky, they're all together ooky...

You get the point... right? Well, let me just start by saying that I know not all boys are hogs. There are a few prince charming's out there. There is the rare man who has a job, a car, and a sense of respect for women. And maybe I am just bitter because I haven't been able to locate a man of this sort. None the less, this post is going to focus on the one's who have wasted my time, as well as the time of so many of my friends.

It's sort of difficult for me to sort out my thoughts, because there are just so many of them. I guess there are different types of creeps:

*The Losers: Real creative I know... but losers are those boys who lack ambition. A loser would be likely to jump from one job to the next with no real passion in life. He is lazy, unmotivated, and generally dosen't understand the word "hygene".

*The Charmer: This is a boy who will tell you what you want to hear. He's smooth, that's what draws women in, and he know's it. A charmer lacks the ability to commit, and probably isn't above using a cheesy pickup line. If you hear the words "Did you fall from heaven..." turn and run.

*The Manic Depressant: If you haven't heard the song "Hot and Cold" by Katy Perry, I would highly suggest it. A manic depressant loves you one day, and the next day he is too busy... or just not interseted anymore. So, you go on with your life... and guess what? All of a sudden you are the best thing that has happened to him... all over again.

*The D-Bag: I know... its a gross word, but it fits right? A D-Bag is physically (or not so much) attractive, and he know's it. This leads to cockiness, rudeness, and all out idiocy. Ever seen a guy come out of a tanning bed? D-Bag! Heard a boy talking about the the "Chick's" he's gonna pick up with his new waxed chest hair? D-Bag. Once again, I suggest you flee.

And Finally....

* "The One"- I guess this is where my bitterness comes in... you see "The One" is all of the previous creeps rolled into one. He lies and cheats. He jumps from one girl to the next, leavig an path of innocent (or maybe not) victums behind him. You think he is a good guy. He tells you he is, and that's what make's him the most dangerous. All I have to say is... check out a boy's past, before you give your heart away.

I'm sure it is probably pretty evident that I've been hurt by "The One", I mean, it happens to the best of us. We meet a nice guy, he tells us what we want to hear. We trust him, and give him so much of our time and energy. Then, in the blink of an eye he's on facebook talking about the new girl he's "In love" with. It's enough to make you sick, and defiently enough to make you question everything you know about love... But keep looking because that prince charming is out there somewhere. He will love you and take care of you like a real man should....

And as for those bovine who have failed to act right... all I have to say is.. Don't get mad ... get Even!

Heaven on Earth

Summer 2010 here I come! Well, almost. With just over two weeks left in the semester, I decided that I need to start looking forward to the four long months I have ahead of me in good old Newcomerstown, Ohio. Last spring my friend Melissa and I sat down together and wrote out a list of goals for the summer; mine included: Find a job (Check), Thoroughly enjoy vacation (Check), Walk my dog regularly (Ehhh.) and so on and so on. After accomplishing most of my list of goals, it is safe to say that I had a very good summer! I mentioned this to my friend Laura, who then instructed me to grab a pen and paper and write my goals for this summer... so here they are for you to read, critique, and hopefully keep me accountable to:

1. Have a Sabbath Day Once a Week: Laura suggested this one, and since I love to rest and relax, I quickly agreed. Hopefully, If I give myself a day off every week, I'll be able to accomplish more during the other days of the week. I feel like going into "Amish Mode" on these days might be a necessity!

2. Get a job: So, I have basically decided that I'm not going back to my job. The thought of that place makes me sick, so the search for a good job that I will auctually somewhat be able to tolerate. Humm, I wonder if that fancy McDonalds is hiring food tasters??

3. Pay off Malone: This is the reason I need a job. Private school ain't cheap, so I have a lot of work to do to make sure I can come back here in the fall. This is where faith comes in!

4. Save money: Apart from paying off Malone, buying the stuff I need for the fall, Vacation Expenses, and my cell phone bill, I would like to auctually have enough money in the bank by the end of the summer so that I don't have to stress out about cash in the fall. Maybe I'll hit the Jackpot at Vegas on the Lake?

5. Eat Healthier/ Exercise: Origionally, this goal was to lose thirty pounds, Laura quickly talked me out of this. I guess I know that if I start out with a huge goal, and don't reach it, I will just get discouraged and comeback to school as fat as ever! So, I am just going to focus on doing what is right for my body, and hopefully the rest will follow!

6. Be positive about life: This is a strange one I know, but it is quite simple... I need to stop being so negative. God has blessed me with a lot, so I need to quit complaning and start giving thanks for the things and people that God has given me.

7. Finish Sophmore Year Scrapbook: This one is aimed at Wendy for sure, Scrapbook weekend anyone?

8. Get a Tan: I am sick of being so pale from the winter, I would love for my skin to be about 9 shades darker.

9. Enjoy my Vacation: This will be hard to screw up! But, I want to just challange myself to make this the best year at Lake Erie ever! With the super nice house we are staying in, I have a feeling it will be!

10. Jesus Time Everyday: This was another one of Laura's suggestions, but I think it will make my summer great. At school I'm faced with God everywhere, at home it is hard to lose track of what really matters.

11. Learn a new Skill: Not really sure what this will be, but I might was well learn something new!

12. Go on an Adventure: Uh, I guess this one is up to Wendy...

13. Stay in touch with my friends: I have a lot of friends with highschool I need to catch up with, and I really want to keep in touch my College friends too!

14. Take and Develop Lots of Pictures: Taking pictures comes easy, but it's developing them that I have trouble with! My camera is filled with photos of last summer, so hopefully I can get them printed, scrapbooked, or framed, so that I have plenty of space on my camera for vacation and fall semester!

15. Spend time with my cousins: I have so many little cousins, I so often take for granted that they are growing up. This summer I want to do things with them, and help them have a good summer too! One batch of cousins lives right next door to me, so there is no excuse for this goal to go unmet.

16. Go to Church: Enough Said

17. Get on a sleep Schedule: During the school year, I don't get nearly enough sleep, during the summer I sleep way to much. But let's face it, I am almost 20, its time to sleep right. Plus, I know how much better I feel after a good nights rest!

So, I realize that this is a pretty lenghthy list, so hopefully you have been able to hang in there! Hopefully I have another successful summer! But, untill then, I have seven days of class, an exam, and 5 finals left! Wish me luck!

I'm not sure why I feel the need to start every entry with a picture, nor am I sure why this is the picture I picked this time. I guess it was the most interesting? A real attention-getter... if you like the idea of a lot full of porta potties. All I know is that this was truly a sight to see!But before you get too excited, or should I say disgusted, let me start at the beginning of today's magnificent adventure.As I lay in my warm cozy bed I hear Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" blaring out of my cellphone speaker. Time for another day... Snooze time! 10 minutes later, 'Just dance it'll be okay da da da do' ... time for more snooze. After about an hour of this, a new sound interrupted my slumber indicating that I had a new text message:

Wendy: Are you rammed at work today or can you do some running?
Me: I don't have to work till tonight, but I'm broke.
Wendy: Okay we are going to Mcdonalds I'll pay. Be there at 12.

So, I drag myself out of bed and get ready for the day... with no idea what was in store. Surely we weren't going past Akron just for Mcdonalds. I mean I know Wendy is half nuts, but she's not that crazy!

So, Wendy and Emma arrived as scheduled and we made our way to our first stop.. the Doodlebug:

The Doodlebug has a very sad, yet very interesting story behind it. In the 1930's this was a miniature train that took people from Hudson Oh, to Akron Ohio. This was a very popular way to go about one's daily commute. In the summer of 1940 however, traded struck, when the Doodlebug collided with a large freight train. There were few survivors and the town was left in shock. For a while, the doodlebug had been forgotten, that is until a group of local seventh graders researched the Doodlebug and raised money to build this monument to commemorate
those who lost there lives this day. This monument sits on the banks of the Cyahoga river, and shows that when a small group of people rally for a good cause, things happen.

The next stop on our trip was surely a sight to be seen, and after getting lost on the turnpike, driving aimlessly on foreign roads and being escorted by a Cadilac to the city line, it was all worth it. I must admit that when Wendy told be about this place, I was a bit skeptical... take a look at this picture and tell me what you think this building is:

Is it a fancy office building, a new library, or a prestigous bank? Nope! It's the place where dreams are made of, yep thats right, the one and only fanciest McDonalds in Ohio. No, I'm not kidding this is the home of the Big Mac, Ronald McDonald, and most recently McFrappe! Its hard to believe that such a place exists. It was like a fine dining experience, except instead of trying to decipher a fancy french menu, I was treated to my favorite comfort foods! This McDonalds housed a grande staircase, and had a huge chandeler hanging in the middle. I will never be satisifed in the good old Newcomerstown Mickey Dee's ever again!

After the parade of port-a-johns, and the magnificant McDonalds, we headed towards home, but decided to make one last stop... It was time to face my biggest fear. My heart was pounding, and I was defiently on edge, but we made our way towards the runway at Akron/Canton airport, to see if we could catch a glimpse of some incoming or outgoing aircrafts.

We were escorted to a good lookout spot by a couple of unattractive (Sorry Wendy, but he was not cute) security guards. We were able to see a couple of big planes on the ground, but cold temperatures and a fifteen minute parking limit forced us to hit the road.

All, in all it was a good day, filled with unexpected adventures and good photo opportunities. I can't wait to see what Wendy has in store for our next spontaneous trip across Ohio, but I suspect it will be just as great. But, for now I suppose I should hit the sack, Lady Gaga and I have a date at 7:00 tomorrow morning! Bye!

I hate my job. It's as simple as that. When I first decided to work at a MRDD residential care facility, I thought it would be great. I knew that it would be hard work, but I genuinely thought that I would be able to make a difference in some one's life. That's not the case. Between my bosses and coworkers my patience is spent on a daily basis, not to mention the residents. Don't get me wrong, I love scrubbing other people's asses just as much as the next person, but something about getting my hair ripped from my scalp as I do it, just isn't my idea of a good time.

So, here is the dilemma... do I drag my self back to that two story brick buliding of doom, or do I begin an endless search for a new job, where I might auctually have a good summer? I thought I might just work through the pro's and con's of the situation... and see where it leads.

Pros

• As much as I hate to admit it, I'm not going to find a job that pays as well as where I work now. Flipping burgers may seem more appealing, but I'm a broke college student, and I need the money.
• I already have a job there, no long applications or awkward interviews. I work there that is that.
• I have pretty good control of my schedule. Since they already know I'm taking "summer classes", they are totally fine with letting me have some control over the days that I work. This means a smooth transition into Geneva on the Lake mode, no stress over taking a week off. Its exam week what can they do to me?

Cons

• Mean , bossy, lazy coworkers.
• Kitchen Duty
• Personal Injury
• 10 hour shifts
• Stress
• Frustration
• Inservices
• TB tests
• Bodily Fluids
• I could go on and on...

So, I guess it seems like a pretty clear cut answer right? My heart just isn't in it anymore, and the thought of spending forty hours a week there is almost more than I can bear. Oh, and here is the fun part... I called my boss the other day, to tell him when I could work in May, and he wasn't there. I left a message, now you'd think he would call back... but I guess I'm gonna have to beg to work in that hole.

I guess I'll just have to make a decision, and live with it. Stay tuned for the next instullment of this mess.

"Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar" -Drew Carey

Titles are overrated...

Not that my life is so interesting, but I decided that I didn't want to be the loser with one post, so I guess I'm back with another installment of life!




So, here I am, another boring Friday night. Aren't weekends suppsed to be fun for college students? My homework is done (thats a first), my roomate went home for the night, and it auctually a pretty quiet night on my hall (another first). So, I'm left here to think.... and think... and think. Fortunately for the two people who might auctually read this (Wendy and Brooke), I'm pretty good at thinking, so, here are just a few of the brilliant thoughts filling my head tonight:

"For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate sin." -Psalm 36:2

Lately, it seems like I've been getting slammed with the same message... "Love others". I know this sounds simple, and obvious, but I so often tell myself that it's okay not to love certain people because of the things they have said or done, or that I don't have treat people with respect if they don't treat me with respect.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I let people take advantage of me. Some people see it as a personality flaw, others see it as a good opportunity. People are quick to realize that I can't say no. A good example of this was a few months ago: Wendy and Emma came for a visit, and while gallavanting around Canton, we stopped in at Toy's R Us. When it was time to pay, Wendy handed me the money and went to the bathroom, while me and Emma bought a lovely 6 foot pink snake. Of course the man behind the counter told me how great it would be if I had a Toys R Us rewards card. Do I shop at Toys R Us? No. Do I plan on having children in the near future? Heck no! So, why then did I find myself looking at Wendy, shamefully displaying my new Toys R Us card saying "Proof I can't say no!" Anyways, my point is, that people are mean sometimes.

Its not as if I don't realize that I'm being taken advantage of... I'm nice, not dumb. But, instead of saying how I feel, I kind of just get bitter. So of course, I rationalize in my head that it is totally okay to dislike, or even hate people. I mean it makes sense right?

However, God calls us to love one another. Loving dosen't mean that you have to like them, or that you have to want to spend all of your time with them. According to Rich Deem:

Everybody seems to believe that love is a good thing. However, not all agree what is love. Is love that warm touchy-feely feeling a person has when he is with a familiar person? According to the Bible, love is caring in action. Love isn't what we feel, but what we do.

Maybe we don't have to have great affection towards all of those people who have hurt us. Maybe I dont have to be best friends with the girl who only likes me because I help her with her homework. Its not about how we feel about people necessarily, but instead about how we treat others. No matter what someone does to me, or neglects to do for me. The bible makes it pretty clear that I have to respect and love them.

So, I guess maybe I am not very good at getting my thoughts across, but hopefully you get the point. Who knew this would be a sermon?

The Characters

I've learned that your college friends become a kind of a family: you eat meals together, you sleep together, fight together, laugh and cry and do absolutely nothing together - until you can't remember how you ever survived without them in the first place.

If you haven't figured it out by now, I'm in college. This is pretty much the most exciting and important time in my life thus far, so what else would I write a blog about? I go to a private Christian Univeristy in what is referred to as the "Heartland of Ohio", and I love it here more than anything. I'm majoring in psychology, so people are pretty important to me, hense the need to tell you about the people in my life, the "main characters" if you will, who will most likely show up as you read. So, I guess here goes my first step into the blogspot world:

The Characters:

Ohiogirl1- I guess she has to be first, because she's the one who gave me the idea to start writing in the first place. In the blogging world, she goes by Ohiogirl, but in real life I fondly refer to her as "Aunt Wendy". She writes her own blog about her adventures in Ohio (as if you couldn't figure that out by her name), and she is probally one of the coolest "adults" I know. We don't have a normal aunt-niece relationship, and thats all I can say about that!

Brooke- Ah, what can I say about Brooke? Seeing that she is second on my list, you can probally guess that I spend a pretty good about of time with her. We have been friends since the beginning of our freshman year, and now we live, or should I say survive together, in the same suite in what is pretty much the best dorm on campus! Brooke and I pretty much have the same sense of humor, which makes her a pretty great person to be around. We have a lot of the same interests too... boys, twilight, facebook, more boys... wow, aren't we lame?

Sasha- Keeping it close to home, Sasha is another one of my suitemates. She's a youth minstry major, so if you wanna aruge, I mean... discuss, theology... she's your girl! Sasha isn't around much, but she is really fun to be around. Its been a good year living with, and getting to know her.

Chelsea- I'm currently sitting in my dorm room, with my wonderful roomate Chelsea. She dosen't know that I'm writing about her, and will probally have some interesting things to say when she finds out! Chelsea moved into my room at the beginning of this semester. At first I was less than thrilled with the thought of having to share my room, but I'm auctually really lucky to have gotten to know her. We get along really well, and she says the funniest things... so it's been great having her around! Oh, and her boyfriend Jake is pretty cool too!

Vegas- Theres a lot I could say about Vegas, but all I'm going to say, is that Veg is a senior theatre major, who really has a heart for God. She has added a whole new dynamic to this suite! She keeps us laughing which is so important with all of the stress that college can bring!

Christy- A few months ago, I never would have even thought to mention this girl, but over the past few weeks, I have been learning how fortunate I am to have her in my life. A fellow psychology major, Chirsty really understands the importance of people. We have great conversations, and she listens better than almost anyone I know! Besides hanging out in the rat lab, Christy and I spend time working on pysch homework, eating nutella, and just talking about life.

Megan- Just now I typed Megan's name, and started to laugh. Megan is another super great psych friend of mine, and we always have fun together. This semseter, we are working on a research project togehter, and I always have a great story to tell after every class, meeting, or coffee date we have together. She's one of those people who I can say any random thing to and instead of looking at me like im psychotic, she just adds onto my crazy idea... Fact: Megan and I are going to marry millionaires and be neighbors in Hollywood.

Dulce- Dulce, Dulce, Dulce, I don't really know what to say about her. She never fails to surprise me, thats for sure! Next year Dulce and I will be roomates, which I am so excited about! She is such a sweet girl, and always says the most random, funny things. Shes another one who I am really glad to have met! She will show up in posts about dinner, yoga, and zumba!

And last but not least...

Me!- I guess maybe there are a lot of other people I should warn you about first, but right now I can't really think of any... so for now, I will end by saying that my name is Stacy, and I guess I'm pretty typical. I love to laugh, and sometimes I laugh to much. I love my friends and family more than anything, and I love God a lot too!

Now that you know all about the people in my life... I guess you will have to keep reading to find out how these characters fit into the story of my life!