Ramblings of a Wandering Luney

I got ot fence tonight!! It was sooo awesome!!! I fenced with the saber this time. We'll get to try all three weapons over the next two weeks and decide which we like best. I'm already in love with the saber though. It's more like real sword fighting than foil or Epae (spelling???). Heather, the saber instructor looks like he's from Pirates of the Carribean. Without the bandana he looks kinda like Jack, and with the bandana he looks like Will. It's scary the resemblence!!! But now I'm tired, sore and have a black eye (yes, the girl I was bouting with hauled out and whacked me in an area that was not supposed to be whacked at the time because we were not using helmets yet). So I'm going to bed. Sweet dreams everyone!

I do not believe I ever heard so muhc commmentary on the Wizard of Oz!!! Oh dear, don't ask.

I'm really enjoying life here at Clemson. I'm attending a church that reminds me alot of Grace right now. It's contemporary with the same values of Grace. Since they put an emphasis on community and relationships, the church splits into house churches to meet during the week. Than each house church (after a praise and worship time) is split into "family groups" and sometimes the family groups are split into small groups. This allows people to really get to know eachother better as well as get into the word again during the week. Rachel would be happy to know that I'm playing for their co-ed intramural ultimate frisbee team. Crazy stuff.

Tomorrow I start fencing. I'm really excited!!!!!!!!!!! I've convinced most of my friends to do it too, which should make it even more fun.

God has really blessed me with an awesome group of friends. They're not just fun adn crazy, but they're people I can be real with and who are real with me. I havn't known them long, but it feels like I've known them forever.

To all my friends out their at other colleges, get to know people who have families living near campus. Going out for an awesome home cooked meal is a wonderful thing. I miss cooking with Heather though. That was always fun. Actually, I miss being able to cook period. I'm too lazy to go to the store, buy all the ingredients, and cook something in the floor kitchen (which smells bad anyway). Oh well.

Well, I'm going to go get ready for math, blah. Have an awesome day everyone!!!

As I'm posting, I'm listening to the guys who live across from me attempt to belt out a tune. It is quite funny to listen to.

After we went to church tonight, I rode back to the pit with Jared and Robert to park the car and miracle of miracles there was a bus there waiting for us after we parked. But that wasn't the end of the strangness. From the moment I stepped on the bus, it felt like I was in some strange dream. The lighting in the bus was blue and the music was almost dance style. There was something about the whole trip that seem sort of unreal. Oh forget it, there is no way to explain it.

Well, my poor roommate needs sleep so I better go to bed.

Last night I learned how to dodge a fire drill and have fun doing it. Tara and I were in our room with Robert tutoring me in Calculus (or trying to) when David (who lives across from us) yells over. "Macabe just had their fire drill, so we're next. Whatever you do, do not follow the crowd. You'll be stuck there for hours." Sure enough, less then five minutes later the alarm sounds and blue lights flash. While running down the stair for the side exit, Jason from third floor passes me. Moments later he, Tara, Robert, Pam and I tumble out the door into the Union plaza. Taking a hint from Jason, the rest of us follow him behind the dorm and into the back door of the student union underground. Breathing a sigh of relief, Robert and I whoop up on Jason and Pam in pool. I must have been lucky, cause I played really well. Not too long after us, David slips in and we start questioning about the others. "Did Matt and Jared make it?" Matt was already out but Jared....Rob, call Jared. He didn't make it, he's stuck across the street with everyone else.

Interesting the fun stuff that can be learned outside of class. Speaking of class, I have to go to Psychology.

I know, I know, it's been a long time since I last posted. But posting takes thought, thought about home. Not that I'm homesick, I'm just afraid that I might be if I was to think too much (about home that is). Lemme give you a look into life in my dorm.

I live in the honors dorm (which basically means that it is suete style with 4 people to a bathroom, nice looking, bigger than most, and has coed floors) and my hall rocks!! Basically I hang out mostly with those on my floor because they rule. Tara and I live at the very end of the hall. Across from us are Matt and David (both are from good old Hendersonville). They are both very good with computers and electronics (David has already had to help me resurect my phone after I spilt chai on it). They both also play soccer with me and a bunch of people from the third floor most days. Did I mention I live on the second floor? Well, I do. Next to David and Matt live James and Michael. Michael is pretty quiet but nice when you get him talking. James is fun too. He's lending Tara and I his iron until we buy one. Next to them are Jared and Robert, the two that Tara and I probably hang out with the most. Their room is awesome. Everyone on our section of the floor hangs out in their room. They are awesome at singing and the guitar and piano. At the moment actually they are in my dorm singing. David also plays the guitar. Almost everyone on my section of the floor are engineers and Christians. God really blessed me with the section of the hall he put me on. Amy live down the hall a bit. She and I went to the Cove Camp together a few years ago. She hangs out with us now and than. I feel like I'm not doing any of them justice. How do you describe people in such a sort space?

When we study we all pile in one room so that we can help eachother and believe it or not we actually get work done. We also have movie nights which are a blast. You'd be surprised how many people a dorm can hold.

I never see my suete mates much, but I do hang out with people off the third floor (cause I'll play sports with them).

I love the church I am going to here. Its called Downtown Christian Fellowship. It is so much like Grace that its scary, except most of the people are in college and the music is a bit more upbeat. But the teaching is just like Grace. Its a small church so the people really get to know eachother and are so welcoming. They really strive to have community with one another and be real with one another. They also have a coed ultimate frisbee team that I'm on. Guess I havn't been totally scared away from the sport.

Well, I won't bore you by rambling any more. I'll save some for next time.

I'm really loving Clemson!!!! I do miss you guys, but I'm meeting really cool people here too. A group of people on my floor (who I met last night) are having a worship service this morning. I felt bad tell Lauren and Christine when they called that I was not going to ride with them to church, but this week I think I'm just gonna do the floor worship. Speaking of that, I gotta run or I'll be late to a service only two doors down from me!!!!

Please, not again.... I cannot do this again....
What would you say if I just walked away? No word, no signal, no smile, no kiss.
I would rather just forget.
Slip away....run away.... in my mind
Counting pine needles on each branch, fighting back tears over a cup of coffee
What am I afraid of?
Are you changing the subject on me?
Damn, caught again.
Run away in my mind....

I tossed a crumb of stale cake toward the thinnest scurrying pigeon. Instead of happily munching, he ran from it as though it was death itself. No wonder the dumb bird is so skinny, it runs away from everything, the sweet as well as the bitter because he does not risk waiting to see which it is.

Okay, you know what is pissing me off? The retarded questions I have to answer about the summer reading for college this semester. The book we read, The Things They Carried, was about the Vietnam war. The author and main character thought he was a coward because he went to war and was too afraid of what people would think of him to dodge the draft. We now have to answer questions relating Vietnam to Iraq, determine if he was being a coward, and discuss whether we would have dodged the draft.

First of all, their questions are worded in a way where they are bluntly liberal and wanting people to take a stand against the war with Iraq and the draft. Can't they at least pretend to be neutral when wording the questions?

Second, I do not think it is right to dodge the draft. If its against your religion or what not that's something, but to dodge it because you don't feel like dying or don't agree with it is just plain wrong. We spend our whole lives enjoying the freedom this country offers, it would be selfish to refuse to give something back. If you don't agree with the war, it might be because you don't understand all that is going on. The government probably has a better idea of what is going on than you do, so trust them. If after the war we find out the government was unjustified in going to war, then there will be a reckoning. A country where the people refuse to fight when called upon will fall. What if something happens, and the government needs to gather the people to fight quickly, yet no one fully understand why they are fighting so they refuse to. That country would not stand long. We call ourselves a united nation, but we refuse to stand and fight together. Did it mean nothing that we pledged allegiance to our country?

Although I'm a girl, with the feminist movement moving like it is, I have a bad feeling that someday soon girls will be drafted also. I cannot stand the thought of having to kill someone else. But if I was drafted, I would not dodge the draft - I would fight. You see, there are a few concepts that Americans have forgotten about: honor, nobility, courage, and loyalty. Sad, but true.

This is just my passionate ramblings on the topic, you should read my essays. Oh well, its fun to be passionate about something, debate others, get to see both sides and re-evaluate what you originally believed.

I hear the author is going to be at the college to talk about his book. It will be interesting to hear what he says.

Hey!! I didn't get lost while hiking or trail riding today!! Nothing insane or unusual happened. It's a miracle. Of course the day is not over yet.....

We finally went on a campout!! How long have we been talking about doing that??? I must say, Jeff catching that rattle snake and Jay Jay skinning was pretty cool, although for awhile I was sure they would get bitten. Becky and I had to hold the snake down while he skinned it because it would writhe and lash out the top of his neck (where his head was at one time) and try to bite us with his stub of a neck. Darn dead snake was stinking strong too!!!

Swimming, fires, hiking, soccer (of course), guitars, sunrises..... all around it was a fun campout. Minus the corniness of some and the lack of a sleeping bag.

I heard a coyote for the first time. I thought it was Julie screaming or laughing...until Adam (or at least I think it was Adam) started freaking out and the semi-awake Jeff yelled that it wouldn't hurt anyone.

The stupid pancakes stuck to the stupid pan so they didn't come out quite right. How sad!! Josh even picked blueberries to put in some of them.

I go to college in a week and I still haven't started packing. Is that a bad thing??? Oh well...

Ramble, ramble ramble.....yup...that's all I'm about to do. If you don't feel like reading rambling right now, I recommend you try reading another site.

Crazy times......Josh and Jonathon wearing dressing......attempting to build a fire that would only burn when no one was near it........The Big Kahuna.......Umm, let's not go there......

Things that aren't good ideas:
1. Deciding to build a fire after dark without bringing flashlights and when the wood is all soaked and impossible to find. Not smart, but fun.
2. Picking random trails with the idea that it will come out somewhere eventually (hmm...recurring mistake for me).
3. Listening to Sarah's friend.....never ever will I try that again.....at least I learned my lesson while Sarah was still around to help me.
4. Ride a horse that takes an hour to catch...if its insane in the pasture, it won't be much better with someone on its back.
5. Block a shot made by a person 3 time my height and weight...ouch...
6. Cook at 2am. It came out tasting good...at least that's what the Carolina Day soccer team said...
Wow, I could go on, but I'm not sure if I would want to post the other stuff. Yea, I dont' think I will.

I'm psyched about college. I was talking to Lee this morning (who has been living there all summer) and my roommate (she is awesome).

Oh!! I saw lightening strick a powerline the other day. The lightening flashed, than there was blue explosion. It was awesome. I would have stopped to check it out, but I was hauling the horse trailer.

I drove to Chapel Hill two weeks ago. What an adventure that was!!! If you're actually curious and want to hear some crazy stuff, ask me about it.

Hm.....I gotta go cook dinner now. I'm in a random mood. I'm gonna go experiment and cook something new and random. Pray that I dont' get food poisoning. =-Þ