Sunny with a High of … 105?

I’m sorry that I didn’t update during finals week, but life happens! I started dating the fella I’d kind of referred to previously (Jordan), I had to move all my stuff from my dorm to the storage unit, and my Mom was visiting. It was a lovely, but busy time.  The roadtrip home was pleasant and relaxing… Rob Thomas (my car) was fantastic for us all the way home!

Summer has been great so far. I’ve been looking for work, and so far, I’ve not been very successful. I have an interview tomorrow, so we’ll see how that goes!

This week has been pretty fun; I got to see Relient K in concert. It was a bit weird and crazy from start to finish.

The concert was set to start at 7:30… so we were outside and waiting in line at around 6:30. The venue was this shady little dive called “The Boardwalk” which holds a few hundred people at maximum capacity - all standing crowd, of course. As we waited in line outside in 105+ degree heat, we were surrounded by the following interesting people:
- waaay too many squealing 15 year old girls to count
- an underaged smoker with a hippie girlfriend who would frequently and loudly shout “Because I’m Andrew freakin’ Butler, that’s why!”
- a crazed super-fan who followed the band while putting together a video/presentation of the tour
- a ridiculous number of people wearing black Converse shoes, comparable only to the Warped Tour crowds I’d seen last summer
- a sweet, up-and-coming acoustic band who walked around playing their songs (featuring bongo drums, guitar, and more harmonies than a high school jazz choir). Hero’s Last Mission, they called themselves… and they passed out free cds and buttons. That was kind of fun.

While we were out there, one of the Security guards came around and asked our age, so that he could verify IDs for the people who planned on drinking. Once you told him your age, he would write it on your hand. He passed 13-year-olds, 19-year-olds, 22-year-olds, etc… only asking for IDs when they said they were 21 or up. Makes sense, right? Well, when he got to me, I told him “20″- and the man insists on verifying it with my Driver’s License. Why? The world may never know. However, it did launch a certain amount of hilarity because from this point on, creepy guys would stare at girls’ hands before well, anything else, as if doing a “Legal? Sweet!” or “Aw, Lame!” before initiating conversation. Let’s just say that I got talked up a whole lot more than my 17-year old cousin and her friend who tagged along with me to the show. Some men hung out at the bar where they could be guaranteed legal status of the nearby womenfolk even after they were sloshed enough to have trouble differentiating between 16 and 18 written on a hand.  Since Relient K has moved from being less of a Christian band to being more secular, the crowds at the shows have sure changed. As long as you’re on your guard, and make sure you hang around good people, it isn’t much of a problem, but still, it’s not too comforting to be around alcohol.  It made me miss being in a Dry County, that’s for sure!

First band, RunnerRunner. A slightly punkier version of a 90’s boy band, but not terrible. Unsigned… but that’ll probably change soon, I’d imagine.  Between shows, I stared at the ceiling, which was covered in guitars signed by bands who had previously played at The Boardwalk. It was cool to see RK’s guitar from the last time they had been there. They’ve had some famous folks come through there, dating back through the 70’s, I think.

Second band, Owl City. Trancendental-ish. Primarily keyboard based, with lots of sound maneuvering that would add pizzazz to an already entertaining acid trip. They even hung a sheet behind them, and used a projector to show clouds and sunsets and city scapes that would even dazzle someone who wasn’t a recreational drug user. (Most people there weren’t on drugs, and I don’t recommend using illegal substances, even if the music fits.)

Third band, Relient K! It was officially my 8th time seeing them, but they’re still so much fun. The heat and crowds were so intense that Matt T. sweated through his shirt so badly that the only dry things were the pockets – and that’s because they’re double-layered. It was pretty sick. They played a lot of their older material, including “Sadie Hawkin’s Dance”- which made me happy since I haven’t heard them play it since the very first time I saw them in concert years ago. I was standing next to two guys, Kyle and Ghavinn, who were seeing RK for their 5th time. We reminisced about old shows, and we think we might’ve even gone to a few of the same ones. That was pretty neat. I did my share of jumping around, thrashing into strangers, and attempting to take pictures, despite standing behind people who stood a foot and a half over my head. : )

All in all, I had a blast.  It helps to have nights like that to take your mind off of missing people from Harding. While you’re at school, your friends become your family, and Searcy becomes your home in a weird way.  You still love your old home and old family, and you miss them when you aren’t there- but Harding has the same effect for you when you leave it.

I hope everyone is having a great summer! I know I plan on enjoying mine. : )

Love you all, and wish you the very best!!!
Always, *Laura

What a Wonderful World!

Lately, I’ve been having days that make me realize just how much I have to be thankful for.  I am so unbelievably blessed!  Within this past week, I’ve attended our club formal, experienced a department banquet, went to a movie with a friend, trekked Riverside Park, held the last club meeting of the schoolyear, worked in the Judsonia warehouse, and helped celebrate a friend’s 21st birthday.  What a week it has been!

The formal was a lot of fun. We played, we cooked, we ate, and we just enjoyed each other’s company.  Together with the club meeting, I realized that my club is one of the best things about my life at Harding. I have this unbelievable support system of people that I can call at any given time, for any reason.  They’re such fun girls and guys that it automatically lifts by spirits to be around them. Also, being in the club has given me incredible opportunities to serve!

The department banquet was really cool, because not only did most people come in costume, but they were just themselves.  There are fantastic faculty members in the History & Social Sciences department, and I have so much to learn from them… not just in an educational capacity, but in the realm of life lessons as well.  Each one of them makes a wonderful role model, and I’m so glad I’ve gotten the chance to know them!

On Sunday afternoon, Jordan and I explored Riverside Park. It’s one of the most beautiful places in Searcy!  There are lush trees, massive boulders, and some spots that overlook a rushing river.  It’s so serene, and a great place to spend an afternoon. I love those places because you can’t help except to be in awe of God’s creation, and just to soak up the silence.

Yesterday, I experienced the pure joy that comes from working really hard, for a great cause. Five of us went to the Judsonia Warehouse for International Humanitarian Relief.  We met up with two elderly gentlemen who told us how this place was a collection site for various supplies that get shipped all over the world.  We spent the next hour and a half taking apart broken iron bed frames to be turned into scrap metal.  The working frames will be sent to Uganda.  We were sweating up a storm all while prying cardboard from the frames and sorting the heavy materials.  The coolest part about the whole things was seeing how hard the older men worked.  I’m young and relatively strong, but these men gave everything they had, and it was just incredible to see such loving and caring people do such good work in their free time.  They were an unstoppable force of kindness and determination.  I’m hoping that, just by being around them, some of that can-do attitude and heart for service rubbed off on me.

Happy Dead Week, by the way!  There are only 2 days left of chapel, and just a few days before finals come.  It’s hard to believe how quickly this semester has flown by.  I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to write for you, and I’ll probably be posting again next week.

Until then,

*Laura!

David Cook Came to Harding!

Woah! Long time, no update.

The past few weeks at Harding have been busy, busy, busy!  Sadly, I’m not the only person with insane allergies, and my body has decided to rebel against my brain. I’ve also developed a cough that causes me to feel like my ribcage is being crushed with every breath that I take.  My roommate has been badgering me to go to the Doctor, but I don’t have a free moment until Sunday… and no doctor should have to work on a Sunday! So, if my coughing persists, I’ll park myself at Dr. Barden’s office first thing Monday morning. 

Despite having some form of sickness on every alternating post this semester, it’s actually been a pretty great one. I’ve gotten to know some incredible people, been to some fun places, and had a fantastic time all around.

Within the past week, I’ve had two excellent experiences. On Tuesday night, DAVID COOK came to Harding!  Yes, last season’s American Idol winner David Cook did a performance in front of 1,000 students and community members.  The show didn’t start until 7, but there were people lined up for seats starting at around 3:30.  Mr. Cook’s opening act was a guy named Ryan Star- and he was probably my favorite of the night. He was on a show called “Rockstar: Supernova” (or something to that effect), so he and David were both reality TV darlings.  Ryan’s voice resonated with the audience, and he blew us away!  One of his songs is the theme to the show “Lie to Me” and another song was featured on the “P.S. I Love You” soundtrack. 

Then, David Cook came onstage and the crowd went wild! He’s an impressive vocalist and a fun performer.  Here’s a video my friend (and one of our GATA beaux) Jacob Schroeder took of David Cook singing his hit single, “Light On.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeOlMG3t8VY Enjoy!

The next day (Wednesday) was Harding’s annual day of service to the White County community, called Bisons for Christ.  Some of my club girls joined up with our brother club, Alpha Tau Epsilon, and volunteered to clean out the Red Cross Relief Center warehouse. It was a pretty hot space to work in, but we had a good time and got it all done.  Bisons for Christ is really cool, because hundreds of people go out and just serve the greater Searcy area in dozens of projects. The community really appreciates it, and it’s fun for us, too!

On a completely unrelated note, it’s absolutely insane how many couples get together in the last few weeks of school. Sometimes it works out, like my friends Matt & Nicole.  They got together around this time eons ago, and they’re amazing together. Of course, for some couples, going home for the summer ruins everything they’d built up over the few weeks before school gets out. It’s all just a “wait and see process” and it’s always interesting to see how things work out.

Tomorrow night is our club Formal, and Saturday is the department banquet for History & Social Science.  The themes are ”Venetian Carnivale” and “the Great Depression”, respectively. Both nights should be very entertaining! Below, I’ve included a picture of our group from the concert. Such a fun day!

Til next time, *Laura

Springtime and Sunshine

Do you ever have days where, despite the fact that things have gone wrong, you can’t help except to be blissfully happy? I woke up feeling like that today, and it’s only gotten better as the day has rolled along. I feel as though I am this unstoppable beacon of sunshine, and it’s weird… but I like it! I’m sure I’m annoying absolutely everyone who crosses my path, but I can’t not smile today.

Cool things for you to know! Student Association (SA) Elections happened last week, but due to vote counts being too close and having some confusion over how to vote, there’s a rematch that’s going to go down tomorrow. Today in Chapel, we got to hear from all three Presidential candidates, and they really impressed as great young men who would make our student body proud!  They talked about their ideas for the next year, ranging from creating Parking Ticket Court to having Jam Sessions on the Front Lawn, to starting a coin-free laundry service, using credit/debit cards- and having it be rigged to send you a text message when your laundry is finished.  All I could say to those ideas was… “How Cool!”  No matter who gets elected, great things are going to come from this next year, and if you’re considering coming to Harding, we’ve got good things in store for you!

The past few weeks, I’ve really been stressing about this function that was coming up, and it finally happened on Saturday.  My social club, GATA, joined up with our brother, Alpha Tau Epsilon, for our “Rumble in the Jungle” function at Camp Wyldewood, which combined a Scavenger Hunt, Assassins, and Capture the Flag.  Club members and their dates were placed onto four teams: Orange, Black, Blue, and Green.  They had to interpret clues, perform a series of challenges, and hold onto their flags despite being pelted by water guns and water balloons from other teams.  The Black team was victorious, and after that, an all-out water fight went down.  No one was safe, and no one would stay dry.  Following that, we had a devotional and a pizza dinner. Everyone seemed to have a really great time – I know I did!

Earlier that morning, my club participated in the Little Rock Heart Walk, where hundreds of people came out to North Little Rock’s North Shore and walked a 5k along the river in support of the fight against heart disease and stroke. It was so cool to jump out of the Harding bubble for a while, and feel like you’re a part of something bigger.  We’re going to participate again next year, and hopefully, a lot more girls and guys will be able to do it!

On Sunday, after Church, my friend Jordan and I decided to try our hand at kite-flying. I am, without a doubt, the worst kite-flyer in the history of the universe.  The Spiderman kite got torn up in the air, rammed into the mud, repaired with electrical tape, and slung around a football goalpost. It was kind of ridiculous.  The wind was blowing too hard that day, and allergies were out of control, but I still had fun trying- and failing- to get Spidey to stay up in the air.

Since I’m having such a fantastic day, I don’t particularly want to stay inside, so I think I’m going to hit up the front lawn, read a book, and enjoy the sunshine!  Tonight, there’s a long-awaited Chi Sigma Alpha v. Alpha Tau Epsilon softball game, and I’m psyched to be cheering for that.  I hope y’all are having great days, too- and you’ll hear more from me soon!  In the meantime, enjoy the pictures.

Always, *Laura

The Whole Group at the Function.

 I was the Orange Team Captain. Who would have guessed?

The Heart Walk Starting Line.    

  Looking Good in our Blue & Green!

Making Time for “Fun” in a Busy Semester

If you’ve looked closely at my blog, you’ll see that my weekly posts have been, well, less than weekly. It’s no secret that I’m struggling with the balancing act that is college life, weighing the social against the scholastic and against the employment responsibilites and other things.  I say that I’m just too busy, and trying to do too much, which is true, but in reality, I could get it all done if I were better at managing my time. It’s important to master those skills your freshman year so that when you get to be an upperclassmen, you can handle it when more things come your way.  This blog has taken a backseat to some of the other projects I’ve had lately, so I apologize for that.

However, I learned something awesome this week:  It’s okay to be a kid sometimes!  In a world where we’re all trying to grow up too fast, and where responsibilities seem burdensome when compared to the sweet release of silliness, spending a little time being a tad juvenile can save your sanity.  On Friday night, I went to Little Rock with some of my friends to pick up some supplies for our upcoming club function, and when we came back to my car outside of the movie theatre, it was covered with streamers.  Blue & White, and everything right.  They were meticulously taped down as to not blow away, and the surprise of seeing my car all decorated out just made me smile.  I hadn’t had that done to my car, or done it to someone else’s in years. On Monday night, 4 of my friends finally confessed to having seen my car in Little Rock, and decining to do something about it. They’re so goofy, but it reminded me that sometimes, that’s exactly what we need.

Then, on Saturday, I re-discovered the joy of lasertag.  I had forgotten how exhilerating creeping around corners under blacklights and shooting people with invisible beams can be. I hadn’t had that much fun in quite some time, and we had a big group of kids from my club who went with us. I was the top scorer on my team both games, and although my team lost both games, I was still pretty proud of secret-shooting-stealthiness.  In fact one of my friends liked it so much, that he’s having his birthday party there next Friday, so I get to go back and do it again… and I can’t wait!

Finally, on Sunday, after church, I had been working on homework and projects all day, when my friend Jordan called.  He and I have been trying to hang out all semester, but I’ve always just been too busy and the timing has been inconvenient.  Today, I knew I had to set aside the time to hang out with my friend, and do something crazy.  So, we took advantage of the fact that my car is 11 years old and soon to die, and we painted the ceiling.  It’s our Sistine Chapel, a real work of art, with everything from lightning bolts to scribbles to “RAWR” to a giant snowman up there.  It was quite fun, and my car still reeks of paint days later, but I’m rather impressed with how it turned out.  There’s still blank space, so we’re going to come back and paint some more later. Then, he and I scheduled an afternoon to go kite-flying to continue having a great time being a kid again.

All in all, sometimes you just need a break.  Take time to be young again, without making stupid decisions.  It’s okay not to take life so seriously all the time, since we aren’t in the “real world” just yet. So, play laser tag, have ice cream for breakfast, do cartwheels on the lawn… and just have fun once in a while!

Until next time, *Laura

Getting Back into the Swing of Spring

Searcy has been blessed with some absolutely beautiful days recently.  The sun has been shining, the flowers are blooming, and the grass is certainly glowing green. Yesterday was the first day this week that I’ve had the opportunity to truly enjoy it. My friend Amanda and I went out to Riverside Park with a blanket, some books, and a picnic basket- and spent the afternoon basking in the sunshine.  There were large birds soaring majestically overhead, and a young family flying a kite nearby.  It was one of the best days I’ve had all semester, and it couldn’t have come soon enough.

Spring Break was amazing. I got to go home, spend time with my family, and catch up with a few old friends.  I also got a haircut, and spent some time in the Emergency Room due to mishap with some bloodwork.  I’m fine, but the whole event was hilarious.  After receiving what would later be declared a ”false positive” on my potassium test, I was ordered into the E.R., thrown into a hospital gown, slapped with all kinds of wires and monitoring devices, tested with an EKG, drained of way too much blood, and pricked with an IV (the insertion of which caused a small pool of blood to form on the hospital floor, and gave me a sweet bruise)… all for nothing. It was quite exciting; I almost enjoyed the experience. I am, however, very glad not to be dead or dying, and I don’t really care to do it all again.

Anyway… back to the rest of Spring Break! I spent the whole week relaxing, with no real responsibilities, and when I came back to school, I felt the burdens of schoolwork and organizing my priorities more than ever.  Since I’m heavily involved with my social club (which I love), taking tough classes, and trying to figure out my future, I’ve been flying from one place to another, and I almost feel like I’m being torn in a million different directions.  It’s in moments like those where I need to pray about all the decisions I have to make, and really focus on finding balance in my life.

Despite the homework, projects, and tests that have plagued me this week, there have been some very bright spots. 

• Club Softball has begun, which is terrific fun even though I’m an absolutely atrocious athlete. 
• My dear friend (and club sister) Hannah had her bridal shower today, which was a blast!
• I took some friends to the Wye Mountain Daffodil Festival, which is, without a doubt, my favorite thing in all of Arkansas.  When it comes right down to it, it’s just a large field of flowers, but I’ve never seen stand out there for a second without smiling.  There are families taking their Easter pictures, couples taking Engagement photos, and people like me who just love to frolic in flowers and lie down in a golden sea of daffodils.
• My roommate and I are quite the grease monkeys!  My car, named Rob Thomas, is old, beat-up, and the love of my life.  Unfortunately, he’s been without working taillights since November, and so I haven’t been able to drive him around at night.  So today, we set out to make him feel and look good again.  Jessica and I cleaned out the car, changed the bulbs, replaced a fuse or two, checked fluids, and even fixed the dome light. I’ve always been less than confident when it came to dealing with things of an automotive nature, but I learned that with the help of a kind Wal-Mart employee, a great best friend/roomie, and a car manual, it’s really not that scary.  Rob Thomas and I have been through a lot together, and in order to ensure that he’ll make the trek from Arkansas to California in May, I need to work on taking better care of him.

Pictures, you ask? Certainly!  I hope you enjoy these daffodil festival pictures. I rave about it every year, but it’s so wonderful, it was worth the nasty allergic reaction I spent recovering from for the next two days.  Hint: if it’s weird, green, outdoorsy, or some kinds of fruit, I’m probably allergic to it… but that’s a blog topic for another day.

Until next time, *Laura

Midterm Madness!

Midterms have arrived, and I’m convinced that they’re a tool used by the University to make us all really excited for Spring Break.  Testing is never fun for students, but it’s a part of life.  From Friday until this coming Friday (6 class days), I have 8 exams- and they’re tough ones, too! My world is spinning a bit from trying to cram in so much information, but it’s doable if I stay organized and level-headed. Everyone always said time management was an important skill for college students to master, and I suppose I should be thankful that Harding is giving me the opportunity to improve that skill this week.  I’ve been up ’til 2 or 3 in the morning every night for the past 4 – 5 days (including the weekend) hitting the books.  I’ve got my Statistics work all jumbled with my Business work, and a little of Middle East history blended in there, too. I’ll be honest; I’m not stoked about the excessive evaluating that will occur this week, but I’m so thrilled about Spring Break coming up that it all doesn’t seem so bad.

I’m going home for Spring Break and can’t wait! Sometimes, it’s really hard being so far away from my family and life back in California.  I’ve got a great family here at Harding, but every once in a while, you just need your Mom & Dad.  With the stresses of midterms, there really couldn’t be a better time to head home soon.  Many Harding students do Spring Break Mission Trips, which are week-long trips all over the world that allow God to be glorified through our student workers.  They do everything from running VBS-programs in Hawaii, to building churches in Alaska, to doing community clean-up in Louisiana.  I don’t know the specifics of each program, but there are a ton of them and it’s fantastic!

In other news, I was featured in our school paper, “The Bison,” for my work as a blogger and as a student intern for the company that operates Upeers/The Harding Guide. It’s a website that acts as a sort-of Facebook for incoming freshman, and gives them a chance to get to know each other before arriving at school.  So, if you’ve been accepted to Harding and you’re planning to come join us in the fall, log onto www.welcometoharding.org and set up a profile! If you haven’t been accepted, and you aren’t going to be a Harding freshman in fall of 2009, don’t bother- membership to this site is exclusive, which is all the more reason for you to get those applications in, and join the fun!

The past few weeks I got to go to a King’s Men function with my friend Zach where we went rock climbing, and a Chi Sigma Alpha function where we played Dodgeball.  I had great fun at both events… and I’ve got pictures for you!

I belayed for Zach, and I’m now certified in the area of belaying! They even gave me a card to prove it.

Friends Nelson & Cari getting ready to climb!

Proof that I went up a wall! 3, even. It’s a long way to the top… but worth it!

Katie was hard at work belaying for Adam.

My fabulous date Jordan & I after the Dodgeball Function.

This team’s theme was “Legend of the Hidden Temple”

The Nerds/Geeks.

Mad Scientists! Other notable teams were: Lumberjacks, Gangsters, Hobos, & Greek Gods/Goddesses.

At the end of the function, they sing to the Queens, then to us- the dates. They have great voices & they’re so sweet.

Our whole team – The Penguins! This pic. was taken by Coleman Yoakum. He’s also a student blogger – check out his page!

Oh! New things to watch for:  I’m starting this new thing where, once a week, I’ll talk to a cool guy at Harding who’s involved with something that I’m not.  Since you’ve been hearing from me for two years now, I figured it might be more interesting if I added in another person’s perspective.  Also, since I’m a girl, I thought I should switch it up and let you meet some of the magnificent men we have around here. Next week, I’ll be featuring Nick Dean, who is a member of the Jazz Band.  After that, we’ll be talking to Tyler Jones who is going to Africa this summer to make a documentary film about the people there.  Awesome people, right?  Keep watching & reading for those interviews soon.

Always, *Laura

Truth Be Told, I’m Lying

The reason I haven’t posted sooner is that two days ago, a helicopter landed on me in a freak accident.  FALSE. 

Actually, my left arm was eaten by a Velociraptor. Again, FALSE.

What really happened was that I contracted malaria and have been holed up in the hospital all week.  FALSE, and in poor taste. 

When it comes right down to it, I couldn’t- for the life of me- think of what to say to my adoring public this week (that’s you, in case you were confused.)  I’d love to tell you that I’d fixed my writer’s block and now have an incredibly hilarious and informative post for you today, but I’d just be setting you up for disappointment. 

This week has been busy, and yet, I’ve been able to find time to think about and do a few things outside of school.  For example, I’ve listened to the song “F.N.T” by Semisonic at least 15 times in the past 4 days.  I came to the conclusion that the greatest gift that you can give someone you care about is a mixtape (or, mixed cd).  I’ve watched the YouTube video for “I’m on a Boat” by The Lonely Island ‘dudes’ at least 6 times (don’t worry, there’s a clean version! I can’t say it’s the funniest thing I’ve seen, but I have a hard time not laughing when they say “I have a nautical-themed pashmina afghan” and when Andy Samberg sings about his “flippy-floppies”). I had a HUG reunion with the Myhans (former program directors for my time in Greece).  I realized that there are more reasons to come to my Stats class than just to talk to the handsome young man who sits in front of me. I started reading a book – FOR FUN!  I even had time to go see “Marley & Me” at the Rialto for 1$ Tuesday.

I love the Rialto.  It’s 1$ every Tuesday and Thursday, and 2$ the rest of the week. It only has one screen, and one show a night (at 7:30 p.m.)  There’s a new movie nearly every week, and there’s  a good chance the film reel will catch on fire during the middle of the movie.  The emergency exit door is guarded by a shower curtain, and the seats are guaranteed to squeak every time you move.  That doesn’t stop it from being incredible, though.  It’s definitely a Searcy “must-have” and it’s something that should be a part of every Harding student’s college experience.  Plus, it’s about the only movie experience most college students can afford, outside of the occasional visit to one of Searcy’s distinguished 3 Redbox locations.

As far as “reading a book” goes, I’m so excited to put some reading material into my hands that isn’t required for a class.  I’ve decided to try to read all of the 100 Best English-Language Novels (according to the Modern Library) before I’m 30 years old. I just turned 20 in December, so I’ve definitely got the time if I’m willing to work for it.  I’ve only read about 9 of the novels so far, and I picked up three this week: “Point Counter Point” by Aldous Huxley, “Women in Love” by D.H. Lawrence, and James Joyce’s “Ulysses” – which will prove to be quite the task.  I’m one of those people who read the end of the book first, and judging by what I’ve read of “Ulysses”… it’ll be tough to get through, but worth the read!

The books themselves aren’t the important part of my week, but it was the experience in retrieving these novels that has proven to be memorable.  The Brackett Library is huge, and the second floor is lined with one towering row of books after another.  So, when the electricity for half of the upstairs decided to malfunction, the library quickly became a place that was right out of a horror movie.  I was frightened by the prospect of looking for books in the dark, using only the light of my cell phone to locate the desired call numbers.  Everything in me was saying “don’t go into the stacks!” but my stubborn mind told me that I didn’t get those library books that day, then I’d never come back to find them.  I ventured into a row and my fear was multiplied by creaking sounds and rustling noises somewhere around me. My heart started to race and I was petrified of pulling back a book and seeing someone’s eyes across the aisle.  Something startled me, and I all-out screamed… and no one came to my rescue! Apparently, even the ‘dark side’ of the upstairs of the library was too terrifying for even the library attendants, and that fact alone made me feel brave.  I finally did find my books, and I swore off entering the library again until they fixed the lights. Fortunately, the electricity was restored by the very next day, and I can enter my happy book world again!

Wow… for someone who didn’t think she had much to say, apparently now, I can’t seem to stop my rambling.  I’ll be back next time with photos and exciting updates- I’m attending a Rock Climbing function on Saturday & that should make for some great pictures. I can’t wait to share them with you!
Always, *Laura

Technology Impaired & Curly Haired

The longer I’m alive, the more I become convinced that technology is in fact, allergic to me.  Apparently, something I do magically repulses all things electrical and causes them to break, shut down, or spaz out.  As of right now, 4 of Rob Thomas’s (my car) lights are out – 2 taillights, a dash light, and the overhead light, my computer randomly shuts down and won’t turn back on again until it “feels like it,” the light in my closet flickers constantly, and as of yesterday, when you call me on my cell phone… I can hear you, but you can’t hear me.  So, I went over to the AT&T store, and a very nice employee told gave me a warranty phone number to call that will hopefully allow them to send me a new phone (he looked at mine and couldn’t find anything that I did wrong).  Unfortunately, he neglected to mention how I’m supposed to call the warranty folks since I can’t exactly use my phone to call them.  Oh well!

I don’t normally blog two days in a row, but I’m a sharing mood and I still have a few hours before my next class.  Despite the annoyance of my dysfunctional phone, I’m having a pretty good day.  As announced yesterday, today is “Curly Hair Tuesday” and 28 curlers & 15 hours later… I look like a dark-haired Shirley Temple who stuck her finger in a light socket.  In other words, I am a human poodle. Last year, when I attempted to solve the “my hair + curlers overnight = ?” equation… I got an afro.  This year, I’m a little bit closer to the desired look… and it’s been fun to bounce around all day. I would love to jump on a trampoline with my hair like this.

Here’s a picture or two of the fabulous-ness adorning my head, and some pictures from our birthday bowling bonanza this past weekend. Enjoy!

My roomie & I hanging out before the party this weekend. It was a gorgeous day outside!

Justin & Jordan were some of the best bowlers on our lane.

Zach, the birthday boy, blew out invisible candles on his cake. Anything for a picture!

At the end of the party, these were the only folks left… but we had a great time!

This was what my hair looked like when I first took it out of the curlers. I have no idea why it looks so red!

This is how it turned out… I think I’ll try again next year. :P

All my love, *Laura

“‘Sounds Like Someone has a Case of the Mondays’

Everyone should have a reason to celebrate the little things in life. One of my friends was telling me that every Monday, he likes to wear slacks, dress shoes, and a tie because it helps the week start off strong.  I thought this was a great idea because well, Mondays can be tough!  I dug through my closet and stumbled upon a jacket- one that has been called my “fabulous red coat” – and thus, Fabulous Red Coat Mondays were born.  Tomorrow will be Curly Hair Tuesday, followed by Wear A Hat Wednesday, and then Perfectly Purple Thursday (which is my favorite color these days).  Friday is Social Club Jersey Day (and that’s a campus-wide thing, not just one of my whimsical creations.)

Fabulous Red Coat Monday certainly made a difference this morning, as I stayed up much too late watching movies and woke up way too early to study for my exams.  It’s definitely been one of those days that just feels like it’s lasting forever.  The good thing is that I had a great weekend, and the next few days will be pretty good as well.

Over the weekend, we celebrated my friend Zach’s birthday by going bowling, which is always a blast. I also went shopping & movie watching in Little Rock, and I attended the Talent Show Auditions.  The auditions were wonderful! There are some super talented folks at Harding, ranging from soulful singer/songwriters, comic duos, rappers, beatboxers, rock bands, and a marvelous quartet who called themselves The TestosterTones. It was a fun night, and the actual Talent Show a few weeks from now is sure to be delightful.

What’s new & what’s next for me at Harding? Well, tomorrow night, Ben Stein (of ClearEyes and Ferris Bueller fame) is coming as an ASI speaker and that is sure to be both interesting and entertaining.  Way later on, in April (the 21st, to be exact), David Cook – the winner of American Idol – will be performing at Harding!  They had 900+ tickets to issue and sold out within the first hour!  This week, I’ve got a TON of homework, projects, and tests. It’s manageable; I just need to make better use of my time. On Friday, GATA (my social club) will be making Valentine’s Day cards for patients at the Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, and on Saturday, we’re going to get all dolled up, go out to dinner, and see a movie.  It’ll be a great time, and it’ll help some of the girls feel better about being single.  It’s no secret that Harding is crawling with couples, but there’s definitely a large group of people who fly solo- and there’s no shame in it.  Valentine’s Day always leads to lots of couples getting together, and it’s also sure to bring its share of both engagements and break-ups.  As for who’s involved and what will happen? We’ll have to see.

Until next time!
*Laura