I got my interview with JET!!!! I’m 1/3 of the way there! It’s on February 23, at 9:00 am. I am so excited! I still have to wait another half a month, but… at least I know it’s coming. Please be praying for me.

I have to go buy some old people’s clothes now… AKA a suit.

This is a conversation I had via email yesterday with one of my music professors. All ideas are my own, and were thought up in mere minutes. I hope you enjoy it. It made me chuckle a few time myself…

******************

Mr. D,

For your enjoyment! A momentary break from the stresses of the day:

Have you ever felt weird about eating foods that were made in the shape of an animal? I mean even foods that are made from animals are re-shaped to look like they DIDN’T come from animals. My point is this, how can we teach our children that it is ok to eat something with a face on it? It’s just sad! Like this one time, I couldn’t eat a Mickey Mouse popsicle because he was staring back at me. It melted all over my pants and then he was gone anyway. So the next time I ate him, and each time after it became easier and easier, till I wasn’t eating only Mickey, but now, all of his friends AND goldfish!! ( Not the real ones, the cracker ones… the ones where in the commercial say something to the effect of “ …They smile back at you, until you bite their heads off…”) CRUEL!

I’m in recovery now… one day I will be ok. I am not allowed in any worldwide chain of Disney, because of an incident where I mistook the “real” Mickey for my popsicle… The doctors say the man will recover in a few months. Charges are pending. I have a good lawyer.

Thank you! That is all! This brief break from reality was brought to you in a moment of inspiration! J Have a Happy day!

-Aris

Mr. D: You are getting more, not less, strange, Aris…..  🙂

Me: You know… I think you’re right. But you know it makes life more interesting. Randomness is the essence of something. I’m still trying to figure it out.

Mr. D: You are like Captain Random.   The Randominator.  Randomo, the mutant….

Me: The mutant? COME ON now… are you suggesting that I have mutated from NON- random to random? Or are you saying that I have always been a mutant spawn of my parents? In which case, they would be non-random individuals?

Apparently, SIR… you have not met the people who claim me as their own!

Really, I can’t blame it on my parents. It is in fact, a product of society and extreme pressure and stress that is the cause of who I am today. So in fact, you are possibly very correct with the mutant theory.

Mr. D: don’t you have something to do?

Anyway, it was fun… these were emails, just so you know. I don’t chat online on AIM or MSN with professors, cause that is wrong. And also to clarify, I was waiting for a preview student who never showed up! BUT I was working.

I hope everyone has a happy day!

I wasn’t going to do this, but I had time and I was threatened with penalty of death if I DIDN’T do it 🙂

THREE names you go by, other than you’re original name:
1. Hey You
2. JB

3. um… Aris ( Hard to make a nickname about that.)

THREE screen names you have had:
1. thumpurah
2. hotpinkhair05
3. n/a

THREE things you like about yourself:
1. My hair.. sometimes
2. My face.. sometimes
3. My feet… sometimes

THREE things you dislike about yourself:
1. My weight
2. My compulsive need to have the toilet paper come over the top instead of underneath, so that distribution is made easy.

3. That my room can get SO messy that I could get lost in it without food or water for several days.

THREE parts of your heritage:
1. Irish

2.  Scottish
3. Creek Indian (1/32 to be exact!)

THREE things that scare you: : :
1. Lightning, especially while standing under large trees

2. Dolls… seriously. I had a bad dream once that Satan came as a doll and tried to get me in all kinds of trouble. I had nightmares for months.

3. Carpet. You never really know what’s down in there. Vacuums don’t get EVERYTHING.

THREE everyday essentials:
1. Soap

2. Underwear

3. Dental Floss

THREE things you are wearing right now: : :
1. flip flops… yes in Colorado, yes in 30 degree weather.. no I’m not dumb

2. My comfy T Bar M hoodie, it’s SOFT
3. All necessary and appropriate under clothings

THREE of your favorite bands (at the moment):
1. Switchfoot
2. Gavin Degraw (Which isn’t a band, but SO WHAT)
3. Bonnie McKee (see above)

THREE new things you want to try in the next 12 months: : :
1. Getting my hair professionally cut and styled
2. Losing 30 pounds

3. Buffalo hunting (not really)

THREE things you want in relationship (love is a given)
1. God as the foundation
2. Patience and all those other fruits of the spirit

3. Acting goofy… cause it’s great

TWO truths and A lie: : :
1. I LOVE all foods that are bad for me!
2. I can’t feel my feet right now
3. Sometimes I get lonely even when I’m surrounded by tons of people

THREE physical features about the opposite sex (or same) that appeal to you: : :
1. GOOD dental hygiene. (Pink gums, good looking teeth, the works!)
2. Eyes
3. Hair line… it’s gotta be there.

THREE things you just can’t do:
1. Eat pickled pigs feet.
2. Listen to someone barf  3. Touch my nose with my tongue.

THREE of your favorite hobbies:
1. Scrapbooking, when I have time.                             2. Reading for FUN! ( never happens)
3.  Hanging out and meeting new people

THREE things you want really badly right now:
1. To be in Japan                             2.  To swim in a large vat of chocolate… milk chocolate.
3. To know who my husband will be.

THREE careers you are seriously considering:
1. Teaching English in Japan
2. Becoming a professional belly dancer
3. Being a wife and mom

THREE places you want to go on vacation:
1. New Zealand
2. Anywhere but Colorado, unless it’s Wolf Creek
3. San Francisco

THREE kids names you fancy: : :
1. Are you serious? Put them on here so everyone can steal them? I DON’T think so!
2.
3.

THREE things you want to do before you die:
1. Pee in a public pool (just kidding)
2. Dance in a waterfall                                          3. Graduate… which I might not make it.

I’m going home now. to clean my room. please tell me if you laughed at this. 🙂 It will make me happy.

P.S. Also going to watch Napoleon Dynamite, AGAIN

Aside from the drama last week, it was a pretty awesome time getting back into the swing of things. I’ve mentioned to a few people how surreal it feels to be in the last semester of school EVER! There are no words to describe the overwhelming feeling of trying to cram everything into 3 months. I have to clep 2 classes, finish 5 other classes, and make the most of my time with my friends before everything changes… it’s bittersweet. Leaving and moving on is exciting and relieving. (God knows I couldn’t do one more semester of papers and studying.) But the sad part… and yes somewhat mushy… is that another chapter of my life is almost over. Things WILL change after this semester. There are some people I will never talk to again after graduation… not intentionally… just the fact of life.

So my struggle now is mourning my friendships before I’ve lost them. That tends to freak people out, because all of a sudden I’m now extrovert Aris who wants to spend all of my time with everyone. Truth is, I am that way usually… the sad part about the whole thing is that despite my best efforts, I have enveloped myself in my studies… and have withdrawn from my usual personality. A surprise for my friends, I suppose.

Anyway, I have just gotten back from my best weekend EVER. I left at 3:00 AM friday, to drive to CO Springs where I met up with my dad and we drove to Wolf Creek. ( Only the BEST place to ski in the WORLD I’m sure.) While everyone else has around 50 to 70 inches at base, Wolf Creek has 140 inches!!!!! I know, AMAZING. My dad and I had a great time, we did 40 runs in three days… and needless to say, I am SORE beyond all get out! But it was a great time. Really got some time to think about life and stuff whilst screaming down the mountain.

Today, I have a TON of stuff to do! I have to clean my room and go purchase RIDICULOUSLY priced books from the CCU book store. If you could only see my room, it looks as though a tornado hit it! four times.

So I may be back on here for an update…

I have really struggled to write this blog, since I have tried to find words to describe exactly how it feels to have your life shaken up, turned upside down, and then restored! It is AMAZING! God is SO GOOD, and if you don’t believe me… well, I just certainly hope it doesn’t take what happened to me for you to believe it.

Everything worked out with the professor. I don’t think I have ever been SO nervous about ANYTHING before. I mean, the very existence of my being, my character and my well.. you get the point, were challenged. I prayed SO HARD and literally fell on my face before God! But wow! What He showed me about myself during this time surprised even me. The situation was resolved ok, I will pass the class and receive the minimum C- in order to continue. I don’t think I’ve ever let out so much air in a sigh as I did when I found out the good news. Megan and I both much have inhaled the entire air contents of the room before we let it out again. God willing I will be able to clep my two classes still needed and I will walk on May 7th and declare myself a College Graduate. Then hopefully the whole thing in Japan works out.

But the biggest thing I learned through all of this, and I mean  REALLY learned, is that you really don’t own tomorrow. Life can change on you in an instant and you just better be ready. ESPECIALLY if you think you’ve got everything figured out. I could say all of that about myself! And even better, I was able to see how I react in this type of situation. Other than my parents, whom I called for immediate emotional support, the first person I turned to was God. (I wasn’t kidding about the flat on my face in front of Him part. I was literally nose to carpet…) Anyway, I’m sure that I will still be learning things  through what has happened. And I’m sure this won’t be the last time God will shake up my life. I only pray that next time it will not have anything to do with music theory.

Again, on to happier things….

I LOVE my classes this semester! Maybe with recent events, or maybe with this being my LAST semester EVER… but I’ve found a new passion to work hard and study and learn. Then again, I have GREAT classes. The only boring one will be Music History II, but even that is pretty cool, cause it’s my last real music class ever. ( I don’t count band or senior thesis, cause those are both fun and really productive.)

I have also recently discovered my love to paint and watch Napoleon Dynamite.( Not at the same time, although that could prove to be humorous!) I watched it this weekend like 7 times, it was GREAT! totally quotable movie! and speaking of this weekend…. WOW, I’ve got some crazy friends!!Awesome and extremely funny, but CRAZY.

Ok, I am going home now to clean my room. I am VERY tired and can not wait to go to bed tonight.

By the way, it snowed this morning! only about 4 inches, but it was enough to take a normal 10 minute commute to school and turn it into a 45 minute commute.

I’m looking forward to happier posts and more crazy things. Stay tuned…

There are only a few times in my life that I can remember getting news that made me feel like I was going to throw up, weep, and scream at the same time. Last night, I received an email from a professor saying that my final grade for a class I took last semester is in jeopardy. I don’t want to give specifics, because honestly… I’m tired of explaining and thinking about it. Bottom line is, I didn’t do what the prof said I did, and I have a meeting with him on Monday. Whether or not I get an F in the class for the semester and then if I do, whether or not I can take an independent study or if I have to take the class next fall… will ultimately decide what my plans for this summer, and then next fall, will be.

My seemingly organized life and planned out future.. at least for the next year has SERIOUSLY been shaken up. Trust me, when I got this news.. I cried. I don’t cry about much… but I cried about this.

I am no stranger to having my life take on a path other than what I had planned. I was reminded very quickly about a conversation I had not 3 days ago. In that conversation, I talked with this amazing guy till 3:30 AM New Year’s morning about the fact that we don’t know what could change in the next minute, and that no matter what… even if things don’t make sense, that there is a reason that everything happens. I’m trying to remember this. In the midst of tough issues, it’s hard to see perspective sometimes. Thank GOD I have my faith in Him.

So pray for me. This next week will be hard… but good! Praise God we can find joy in something that seems so awful. In my weakness I am made strong through Christ.

On to happier subjects!!

My break was AWESOME! As I said before, I went skiing with the fam at Wolf Creek…which ROCKED my FACE OFF. Then I drove to Texas with my sis and went to a reunion at the camp I worked at this summer. Oh WOW it was incredible!! Getting to see old familiar faces was amazing! I got to go sailing with one of my guy friends and then did a lot of dancing (SQUARE dancing!) And as I mentioned before, I had an AMAZING conversation with a guy I just met this year. He worked at the sports camp, so I never talked with him before… but we talked about all kinds of deep philosophical God stuff for 2 hours! We closed up cause we were the last two people out. WOW! Anyway, it was good to talk to him, and I hope he’ll keep in touch. God has great timing…. it was good to have that conversation when I did. I’ll keep you posted about that.

Well, I’m pretty exhausted. Needless to say, I didn’t get a great night sleep last night, and I have to go get ready for praise team practice.