Starbucks study

One final down, two to go.
It's a lovely winter afternoon, and I'm seated in Starbucks attempting to outline my HDFS notes. I have not been very successful. Here are my reasons.
Distraction #1. There are lots of old men, in sweaters, and glasses, sipping their lattes, reading newspapers, typing on laptops, playing with their smartphones. I'm fascinated. How is one supposed to focus when I'm really wondering if I'm surrounded by a group of world famous authors, or journalists, or something. I mean, one never really knows.
Distraction #2. Music. I am in a music mood; i want to sing along. Not conducive to study, ya know.
Distraction #3 Outside, a woman has been cleaning her car for over an hour. She went outside to smoke. Then i see she has a rag and a bottle of some kind of shiny stuff. She proceeded to spend half an hour shining the hood of her car. Then she did her mirrors, windshield wipers, and wheel wells. Currently, she is shaking out her floor mats in the middle of the road. WHY?? i cannot pay any attention to lifespan when i'm trying to diagnose the lady outside of starbucks.
Distraction #4. A middle aged guy across from me asked me for formatting advice. I must at least LOOK studious. I knew the answer. Now I'm trying to figure out what he's writing.. did he go back to school? I need more info.
How are your studies coming along, blogging friends?
I must get back to my distractions.
Love, Amber

Jimmy Stewart and email

Hello early weekend; I am in love with you.
Because I have a wonderful professor who sees the value in canceling classes on rare occasions, I do not have to make an appearance on the campus of the University of Delaware tomorrow. And this, my dear friends, is just wonderful. Because tonight there is nothing that I need to do. I have no exam to finish up studying for, and I have no essays due for another 7 days. My little heart just sang all the way home. I love being home with nothing to do. Sometimes, it is just my favoritest of things.
So I coerced my mother to watch The Shop Around the Corner with me. I am in love with Jimmy Stewart. He can do no wrong. I want to build an old movie collection beginning with the works of Jimmy Stewart. He was so handsome. If I would have known him, I'm sure I would have swooned, or at least giggled uncontrollably. I hope one day to have a shelf of movies the caliber of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Yours', Mine, and Ours, and It's a Wonderful Life.
Wouldn't that be loverly?
....... better add My Fair Lady to that list.
After our movie finished, we proceeded to watch You've Got Mail. Because when there are two such movies about the same premise, and both are just lovely on different levels, watching them right in a row is just plain old fun. So we indulged.

Here are some of my favorite parts:
"All this nothing has meant more to me than so many somethings" - Kathleen Kelly, You've Got Mail.... if you're feeling romantic, this is one of my favorite scenes. I love how she says what she says.
I couldn't find a clip that I like of my boy Jimmy in The Shop Around the Corner...
So here's the script of one of my favorite parts. They are sitting in the cafe, and Klara is waiting for her mystery man, and she doesn't know that it's Jimmy boy. He comes and antagonizes her,
and they are arguing...

Klara: Why do you want to do me harm? Why do you hate me so?
Jimmy: I don't.
Klara (sarcastically): I suppose you love me.
Jimmy: Why should I? What've you done to make me love you?
Klara: I don't want you to love me!
Jimmy: I don't!

It really doesn't have the same impact as in the movie, but my goodness,
they're just perfect for each other.

So that is the sum of my accomplishments this evening. I think everybody needs a night to not
 do anything. I know I am exposing my inner romanticism to the world, but if you did not already
know I that am embarrassingly romantic, we've probably never met.

Goodnight world. I'm going to go do some more of nothing.

catching up.. or running behind

Hello little blog, i've had lots of things to blog about recently, but no time. I still have no time, but i'm just gonna put off my assignments a little longer, because i feel like blogging.
~First off, autumn has truly arrived. Who can walk around in the crispness of this day and not think happy thoughts for even just a second? It's windy, crispy, and sunny. AND beautiful. Changing leaves are one of my favorite events each year. and that's just that.
~Secondly, I've been pondering a thought of "keeping chipper." You see, it really is that time in the semester where i have 5 papers to work on, exams every week, and altogether too many things to do. It's that time of year where i'm doing good if i get 1 thing done on my checklist, let alone the 16 other things i have written down. But you know, i really think this is what college is about, adapting to each new professor, adapting to each class and its' exams/ requirements, adapting to various time-sucking practices. It's about just going with the flow, and holding on. You reach a point where you can only focus on the next task to be done. College is about embracing this way of life; this place where getting ahead is impossible, and cramming inevitable. I think it's amazing how in high school, cramming meant spending half an hour during lunch reviewing notes, making sure you remembered everything you'd learned. In highschool, if you were staying up late doing work, and spending your weekends working on projects it was because you were being lazy at other times, because you has been putting it off. In college, there is always something to be doing. You are never caught up. If you're weekends are spent doing fun things, it's because you make a conscious decision to put that off, or cram that there. And this is the cause of so much stress, that feeling of never being truly on top of everything.
Of course, I am the kind of person that this is troubling to. I really really like it when all 17 things on my checklist are done. But i think it's actually good for me to have to let things go. There's only so much one person can do on 24 hours, 7 days, or 4 months.
It's about setting priorities, about recognizing what is worth your time and what is not. and that's a good thing.
So that is why sometimes I choose to blog when I should be doing something else... because just being allowed to write down these random thoughts floating around my brain gives me some extra cranial space for exam material.
And that is also why I am going down the shore tonight, because family always trumps school, and nieces who run around chasing seagulls are so worth a few late nights of cramming, and a few early morning torture sessions.
So, dear Sea Isle City, I'll see you late tonight.

One of THOSE days....

"Oh my soul, faint not... Where there is hatred, let me sow love."- Jenny and Tyler

I'm sitting in Barnes and Noble Starbucks Cafe. I have two exams down, one more class, than one more exam to go. I'm listening to Jenny and Tyler, accomplishing all those little things that I need to do, and I especially need to do when I don't feel like studying. The sun is so sparkly and bright today. The air is crisp. I just can't stop smiling. It's just one of those splenderiferous day.
I think today is so fabulous because it could have been horrible. I mean, three exams is not usually the recipe that makes me all chipper. But apparently, today, exams cannot bring me down. I want to get up and sing and dance around this cafe, but I don't think anyone else would appreciate it.
I know it sounds like I'm leading up to some big revelation of why I'm so happy, but.. I'm not. I guess the only reason is that I'm alive, and just happy to be here. I'm just happy to be meeting new people, to be breathing in this day, to be stepping closer to being a nurse. I'm just happy.
I'm pretty sure the barrista's name is Lilly. I think she was in my drivers ed class. I love delaware, you just keep bumping into the same people over and over again. I wonder what has happened in her life in the four years since I've seen her. She still looks nice, but that doesn't really tell me much does it? I wonder if she graduated, if she's a student here. I wonder is she has a plan for college. I wonder if she's has a grandparent die? I wonder if she's satisfied? I wonder if she knows Jesus?
Maybe I'll get back to my studies, and leave this pondering alone......... maybe.

Oh, its been one of those days
When You walk with me
So close I think
I caught the scent of angels wings
And my, oh my unsuspecting heart
Leaps from its place
Begins to race
I finally found the place I never want to leave, oh...
Why cant every day, why cant every day
Why cant every day, cant every day
Be like today
Oh, why do the good days end
Makes me wonder now
With the way I feel
If yesterday was even real
And why, oh why do You seem so far away
Could it be that Ive gone too far this time
And can I make You change Your mind, oh...
Why should any day, why should any day
Why should any day, should any day
Be like today
Do I wallow in my insecurities?
Do I trust what my feelings are tellin me?
Or do I rest in the promise You made me
That Youll never leave?
Oh, today my heart believes
That the truth remains
You never change
Your love for me is still the same, oh...
Why cant every day, why cant every day
Why cant every day, cant every day
Be like today
~Chris Rice

Looking deeper

Everyone should read The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. It's a lovely book about people who do not fit into their stereotypes, who have lots of secrets, and depth. They have peels that only the observant even realize are there; only the persistent attempt to peel back those layers.
The book was so satisfying because it made me think, it made me "expand my mind." Along the way, I laughed, I cried. "It moved me, Bob." (who knows who I am quoting?)
I've been thinking recently about how people have so much more too them than face value. And I am realizing, as a result of this thought process, that many people who think they know others really well, actually know very little. Many people only touch the surface of other peoples' lives. Meanwhile, many people make deep impressions while they think that they've not had an ounce of influence.
I know I'm not going to know some people as well as I should like, but I'm going to try to know people a little better. I want to at least make an attempt to understand others better. I think it's a worthwhile venture, don't you?

ps. Have you ever used Google books? It is AWESOME! You can read portions of some books, and others in their entirety for free. It's fabulous because you can peruse a novel before purchasing it!! I just had to share my delight!

There is no fear in love

I'm in awe of how God has everything in control. He has shown me over and over again of his power and grace and mercy and love. He has a plan for my life, and that is amazing to me. The God of the whole Universe would care to know me.
I John 4:
Verse4: "Ye are of God , little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world"
...... just think about it. Almighty God is on your side. and He is greater than the world.
Verse 10: "Herein is love, not that we loved God , but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
...... never let it be common to you that Jesus Christ, who knew know sin, died for our sin.
Verse 18: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."
...... When I fear about grades, and cars, work, and relationships, I'm forgetting who God is and what he has done for me. I'm forgetting the power of his love. When I trust in Jesus, all my cares get carried away. Isn't that amazing? Isn't that so powerful?