LAST DAY OF CLASSES!!!

Well today has been a fantabulous day! Its the LAST DAY OF CLASSES!!!!
I can't talk long, my roommate and I are getting ready to go publically wrestle... Just smile and nod, i'll explain if you ask.
I just wanted to leave you with that thought and an amusing conversation I had today with Will... hehehe..
Later!

Will: I don't eat tofu in anything
Me: hehe nor do I
Will:: I don't like the texture and it simply soaks up whatever flavor everything else has. It's the mooch of the food world and I won't stand for it
Me: yeah... its in the same category as spam in my book.
Will:: I think you should write a book
Me: haha yeah, that could be fun
Will: giving foods different personalities and categories to explain their characteristics
Will: It could bring the pound cake back into style
Will: :-)
Me: lol
Me: psh! pound cake never went out of style
Will: Really? I was under the impression that it was getting hard to convince people to throw in a pound of lard into whatever they are cooking.
Me: its true
Me: even I hesitate at the thought of lard/shortening
Me: though i'll have none of this margerine crap
Will: lol. You're great
Me: haha well thanks!
Me: butter should not come in spray bottles eithe. That is revolting
Will: Wow—you're a traditionalist
Will: A slab of butter isn't?
Me: no butter is good
Me: just no spray on butter (its not butter or margerine.. I don't know what it is. probably just some labratory created lipid) like "olesta" and that fake cheese you put on nachos
Me: alright enough food ranting on my part
Will: laboratory created lipid
Will: Might have to be my phrase of the day
Me: lol
Will: Kind of hard to sneak into conversation, though
Me: not really
Me: "you're a labratory created lipid" is always good
Will: LOL
Me: or "your mom... or your face.." etc...
Will: lol
Will: I miss you
Me: I miss you too
Me: :-D
Me: mmm I should go to astronomy
Me: i'm late
Will: Ok
Me: but this has been a rewarding conversation. lol
Will: I've learned a lot
Will: bye and good luck

2 weeks 'till sanity...

Hey everyone,

Sorry its been so long. Things around here have been slightly more than crazy. The other day I tasted a bit of insanity in the library. After about 6 hours (no break) of isolation there, everything I was writing started to seem extremely funny... Thank God none of you witnessed it or you might have tried to commit me. Try as you might have, you would have had to pry my little white computer from my lifeless little hands. Luckily the state was fleeting and a short trip to the cafe brought me back to reality. I've spent the last few days locked away in the library meticulously writing an exegetical paper for religion (a style that is completely new to me, making it take longer). I'm under a lot of pressure to do well on this paper because its worth 30% of my grade and my only test grade so far was less than ideal...

Things have taken a turn for the better in the past few days, however. I got back one of my religion papers (worth 19% of my grade) and to my surprise I received an "A" on it!! Praise God for that grade. I was beginning to think that the study of His word was impossibly hard. I occasionally wonder what the theological connotations of getting a bad grade in religion are... hehe.. Only kidding. ;-) Anyways, I feel much better with the affirmation that I am capable of good theology writing... Now I just have to apply it to the mother paper which is due Monday...I think I now know my breaking point, so I've been trying to work around that knowledge. There is a dorm dance tonight that I had planned on skipping to work on the paper. However I think going would be a good break for my mind.. Plus I love dancing. And, if I don't go I'll be hearing for weeks how much fun everyone had... Obviously the odds are stacked in favor of going. hehehe.

The Lessons and Carols concert is this weekend! It's going to be completely amazing. I love our choir so much! I'm so thankful to finally be in a choir that is genuinely good. Not to sound snooty 'cause I've been in a lot of good choirs in the past. The problem was that they were in high school and only lasted for a weekend or so. I think I could live my life training in a good choir for hours everyday. That's what I really loved about high school honor choirs; working all day long to perfect the sound of a piece. Nothing in the world compares to that moment when something clicks and everyone is unified in one sound.

Well for now I must go drink my coffee, write more of my paper, and prepare for the dance. I miss you all a lot, but it won't be too long before I get to see you!

Will- I love you and I am more grateful for you everyday. We'll be home soon!
Wittwer- I can't wait to see you again!! I love you and I miss you!
Mom & Dad- I love you both and I'm coming home soon =D.
Ben- I hope are going well! Tell your family I say "hi" and I hope to see you all soon.

I'm not quite sure who else reads this regularly.... But
To all my friends- You are all a wonderful blessing in my life and I couldn't imagine life without you. Expect an exceptionally large and prolonged hug when I see you again. Don't even try to resist, I will get what I want! hehehe.

Happy Finals Week to all and remember: don't hurt yourselves, you have but one brain to kill.

Signed,
a slightly stressed, but ever-optimistic
Laura

misc. stuff

Let's forget about the tongue-tied lightning
Let's undress just like cross-eyed strangers
This is not a joke, so please stop smiling
What was I thinking when I said it didn't hurt?

I want to glide through those brown eyes dreaming
Take it from the inside, baby hold on tight
You were so right when you said that I've been drinking
What was I thinking when I said good night?

I want to hold you in the Bible-black predawn
You're quite a quiet domino, bury me now
Take off your Band-Aid because I don't believe in touchdowns
What was I thinking when I said hello?



you would look very calm and very pretty. people
may see you as some one they can use because of
your peacefulness. however you see straight to
the truth, and know when people are lying to
you. you are reletively quiet, but you see and
hear everything. you like to read and learn...
and thats a good thing. it keeps you ahead of
the rabble that follow behind


So what would you look like as an anime character, oh ive only got girls here... but if people like it then i could make a guy one...
brought to you by Quizilla

Concert Time.

Man.

I'm SO hungry I could eat an entire COW...

Our choir is performing with the Grand Rapids symphony in a week and a half and we had a 3 hour rehearsal today with the maestro. And, of course, the rehearsal was scheduled from 11:00am - 1:00pm... I, being the intelligent girl I am, decided that 1/2 a poptart would be enough to hold me over 'till after rehearsal and my 1:00 advising appointment. Bad choice... At 2pm I darted into our on-campus fast food joint and demolished a cheeseburger. And God saw that it was good... lol... perhaps i've spent a little too much time in the Old Testament.

The maestro was really cool. He was a very sophisticated brittish man in his 40s or early 50s who wore black pants and a tight-fitting grey turtle-neck. He seemed very american but with very English roots. His accent wasn't very strong, so I image he's been here for a time. It was also obvious that he was a string player because he wanted the pitch to be a tad higher then usual. I love it when conductors are obviously conductors... hehe oh fun times.

I just got the Stephen Speaks cd the other day and I liked it so much!
Thought that i'd put the lyrics of this song up because it seemed appropriate... and beautiful

Coming Home

I'm coming home to see you,
yes I'm coming home tonight.
If the time gone has wronged you
then I'm gonna make it right.
I'm gonna hear how much you missed me
and I'm gonna say the same
How I miss the way you touch me
and the way you say my name.

But don't get used to this coming home thing
Cause next time I'm leaving
You're the one I'm gonna bring.

I'm taking you to Italy,
We're gonna sail to Rome.
If we find Hawaii
then we'll make that our home.
I'm taking you to London,
we'll backpack to France.
But leave this town again without you...
there ain't a chance.

I can see the city lights now,
the plane is almost in
I can't help but giggle at
all the trouble we'll get in
Oh baby, leaving you behind
had to be a sin
But never fear,
cause it ain't happening again.

I'm taking you to Italy,
we're gonna sail to Rome.
If we find Hawaii,
then we'll make that our home.
I'm taking you to London
and we'll backpack to France.
But leave this town again without you...
there ain't a chance

Check out Stephen Speaks music, they're cool.

Here it comes... another facet of my dark side.

Congrads! you've hit my site on a tangent day!

Most days I wake up and feel certain about the future. By that I mean that I'm not afraid of whats out there. Somedays, though, I catch myself worrying. Maybe it's just because of society, maybe it's because of what i've seen in the world... Probably it's both. When I think about what I want in life, I understand that I will have to fight to keep whatever I get.

There are a few people my age who see the world they way I do. These people have a great deal of fear of people and of the future. These kids know exactly how much an individual is worth, and are terrified of others who don't. Most of them set their goals in safe places, becoming very successful over-achievers in their profession of choice. These people go on to make a name for themselves, or cure some evil of greater-humanity. Why do they do this? This way they can't be hurt by the people who don't understand. Because they are afraid. Because they understand that in marriage and relationships people are an independent variable, and people can change their minds.

The problem is that I am not one of these people. I can't kill the hope that someday people will understand. The truth is that sometimes I'm positive that the people I care about do not understand how much they mean to me. If I could, I would do anything for them. A long time ago I learned that it wasn't up to me to take care of everyone. I learned that it was ok to be angry and to question. I leaned it was ok to cry when everything fell on top of me, and, I learned that everything shouldn't be on top of me. It was only later I learned that manipulation and deception both come in innocent and/or unintentional forms.

I also learned the value of the individual.

What do I want in life? Stability. Certainty. Trust. And, most of all, to get back what I give. That's all.

People tell me all the time that i'm "strong" and "reslilant". Honestly, I don't quite know what that means. Can I be broken? I'm not sure. I would like to think not. Do I ever despair? I haven't in a very long time. I suppose this is why people tell me i'm "perpetually optimistic".

I don't really write this for any reason other then to put pieces together in my mind.
Maybe it's just today... who knows why. I don't. I would love for there to be an answer to my questions and an end to my supressed fears... But honestly, only time and only actions will prove or destroy my demons.

Life isn't fair and all we can do is learn, change, and move on.

!!!

!!!
Originally uploaded by creativeoncommand.

New pictures are up! This one was from one of my concerts this weekend.
The flowers made my weekend!
=)

"Your attention, please."

mmmmm shortbread cookies are definately soul food.. and my soul has a hefty appetite! =D

G'day!

Walking through the airport today I listened to the automated recording that repeats the explicit commandments of American airports: thou shalt not leave thy luggage unattended, thou shalt not park thy car curbside, thou shalt not be/associate with a terrorist, something about smoking and handguns, etc... I'll admit that the first thing that popped into my head was the scene from the movie "Airplane" where the automated voices get into a lover's quarel... but that's not important.

The second thing I noticed was the fact that before announcing a commandment, the automated voice would always say "Your attention please." Being the serious intellectual that I am, my immediate reaction was to stare at the ceiling in mock confusion and blurt out; "God??" Apparently my family found more stupidity than amusement in my joke because they continued walking without more than a glance in my direction. I do enjoy playing the blithering idiot once in awhile.

Seriously though, it's interesting to think about God manifesting Himself through a public over-head speaker system. I mean, that's what we all want, right? We all want God to be a physical audible being who is constantly manifesting himself in instant messages and emails, on street-corners, sports bars, and kitchen counters, and any other time & place we want Him (emphasis on the words "we" and "want"). It seems like the truth is that God is never when or where we want Him to be. He is never close, but always somehow removed from our physical world, our logic, and our consciousness. Or, adversely, He does exist but His nature is somehow flawed or impersonal. Though I don't expect you to agree with me, I cannot believe either of these things. I won't sit here and argue for the existance of God, or even for existance itself... The truth, I believe, is that if you are simply unwilling to entertain/consider the idea that there could be a personal, good God, you have not examined the facts closely enough. "Your attention please" What if God really was speaking to me through that airport speaker? Maybe He knew just how empty and far away from Him I felt today, and so He used those few words to get my attention because He knew that I would pay attention...

Well... that's for you to decide.

Leave me your thoughts/criticisms/questions and/or hate mail. All are appreciated.
=)
I must go (it's FREEZING in here!!!), but I will write soon!
Love you all!