So some days are worst then others and sometimes the days are simply a reflection of starlight! Honestly, though, I can't say these past few days have been any where close to the light of a star. I've been ill and dealing with people who don't quite understand what they are saying even after the fact. However, there are things that cure a dodo after these kind of disturbances. Each dodo has its own means of rememdies. Mine just happen to be in the shapes of three main forms. With out these, I can honestly say this dodo would run screaming. Before I tell you about these wonderful things, let me give you a taste of what I have been dealing with these two weeks.

1) People who don't actually want you to say something to them, but then get offended because you did not day anything.
2) People who attack your personality after they have personally asked for your help.
3) people who say you must be allergic to haircut
4) people who think you must have had a mental break down which led to you cutting your hair
5) people telling you that you resemble a hippie due to your haircut
6) people who suggest that your hair cut is remarkably conservative.

So, you probably are wondering how this dodo survived these attacks. At first it was easy; however, three simple things made it all better.
Otherwise, this dodo might just have turned tail and run. It's amazing how drama or negative interactions coupled with illness can drag you down. When I got up this morning, I managed to get over eight hours of sleep and yet I still felt like a beaten horse. Thankfully though this day has progressed with out incident thus far, and I find myself feeling if not a bit better than at least as though I'm on the mend.  A few days ago, I'll admit that I really just wanted to smack all of these people around and remind them that they are in college and are (or at least supposed to be) some semblance of an adult. Hahahaha could have fooled me! Anyway, moving on.

Thankfully, during these rough and annoying patches, I have had my main supports behind. My family, my best friend, and music. It's honestly amazing how these things can just turn your days around. Yesterday was not a good day; however, a phone call from my mom and my best friend practically fixed everything. Sometimes, a girl's just gotta rant and it's very nice to have these two people to listen to me. My mom knows always way to say, and my best friend always knows how to make me laugh. It is a great blessing to have both of them.  Now, I have had another little rant so it is time to move on once more. Although, I must say music, my family, and my best friends seem to be these dodo's cure or remedy to fix a bad day or bad week for that matter. No matter what, these three things always make me happy.

At the end of October, I was able to go home for my fall break. However, the fun part about it was the fact that the only people who knew I was going home was my sister and brother. My parents had no clue! I was excited to surprise them! I (with the help of my amazing brother) paid for a plane ticket to take me home. When I landed in my home state, my brother came to the airport and picked me up. We had by far one of the greatest talks we have ever had, and I really enjoyed that time with him. It was really nice to spend some one on one time with him and just talk. It is almost needless to say that I have one of the coolest big brothers. When we got home, I swarmed by a bunch of happy, warm squirming bodies. The dogs had apparently missed me! ^_^ It was nice to see my girls and my boy again. It's always nice to come home and spend alittle time with the hounds. My sister was in the living room and it was wonderful to see her again! I had missed her so much! I am very glad and proud to say that she is one of my best friends. I don't know how many people can say they are best friends with their older siblings, but I am very thankful I can say that I am.  She and I spent time together here and there as she had to work. A few nights we just sat around and talked. We watched movies together on the couch, talked about music, and just spent a general amount of time together- which was pretty wonderul. Well, my parents finally got home, and I hid in the bathroom. When they both came into the kitchen I popped out and yelled "Surprise". Their faces were priceless! Mom's mouth was hanging open and dad was smiling and staring in shock. It took them alittle while to realize what had happened. Dad came over and hugged me first then mom. It was great my family was together again and we all were in the kitchen. And that pretty much how the rest of the weekend went alot of resting and movie watching, but we were all together. It was quite honestly perfect. Mom told me later that when she first saw me she thought "Who is that? She looks just like Leah. Wait, that IS leah!". I am so glad I was able to surprise them like that it turned out to be a great weekend. And I'm even happier that I was able to spend even a short amount of time with them before I had to come back to school. I love my family!

Those of you who know me personally, know that there is one thing I'm almost always working on when I'm not in school, busy with events, or hanging out with my famoly or friends.Yes, my friends, that's right I'm going to give you a quick update on my book. However, school has greatly limited my endeavor this time, but my efforts to finish my book have not been destroyed.  I recently did some editing and created a compilation of what I have so far and found something that was quite a shock and yet exciting at the same time. Low and behold when I did a word count I found that I am only 3000 words away from having a "BOOK" in word count!!!! It is almost up to 50,000 words!!!! I was so excited. Still my page numbers are only around 88 which does not constitute a book. Still, the fact my word count is almost there is rather exciting. Eventually, the page count will be there as well. Afterall, 88 pages of book is nothing to be sniffed at when this book has been a progress years in the making. And I'm truly excited because I t h ink I have finally worked out all the kinks within it. Now, it is just a matter of finding the time to sit down and write. And I'm sure some of you are thinking this girl's crazy! If she has time to write this blog entry, shouldn't she have time to work on her story?! What you are neglecting to realize ;however, is when I work on my story I get so totally absorbed that I often forget everything else I have to do which means I would be in peril of forgetting to go to class on time. Clearly, my only option is to quickly catch you all up on my daily activities (which are not all that exciting) as a I wait for the next class I need to go to. So, as a result, you have gotten to listen to me drown on about various things because I can atleast finish this kind of writing. 

Therefore, I will now say goodbye and try not to bore you all with anymore of my random ramblings. So until next time, take care, sleep, read, write, breath in the cool fall air, and remember to take one day at a time and.....

Sweet Dreams

As Always,

Leah

Hello again, my friends. I'm sure some of you are wondering where I have been. Honestly, there I times I even wonder where I've been.  :)
Anyway, I'm sure a few of you are wondering what the title of this post is all about, and I promise that I will get to it all in due time. However, first I must catch you up on recent events.

The Summer

This past summer I went and worked with my uncle tearing computers down. It was alot of fun and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with that part of my extended family.
Afterwards, I went and spent about three full weeks with my closest friends! I had originally thought I was not going to get to see them this summer; however, to my happy surprise I was able to. Looking back on those weeks now, I realize how good it was for me and that it was definitely needed. Those girls are my reminders that although I may not have a ton of friends in college, I have a few elsewhere that are few in number but are great in heart. I don't think they know how much they mean to me, but I truly have an amazing group of friends. When I came home from that visit, my dad and I spent the next few weeks piecing together a bunch of films I had taken while with them. We created the M.E.D. (aka the Most Epic Dvd). It was alot of fun to work with my daddy on this project and I am so thankful for all of his hard work on it.

A good portion of my summer was spent just hanging out with my sister and parents in the evening. I got to see my brother only once and a while as he has now moved out and is living on his own. I really enjoyed the time I had with him when I did get to see him. As for my sister, it was really a lot of fun just to sit beside her on the bed or couch as we just talked, watched a movie, read, or worked on our stories. I can't tell you how many hours were spent with her as she worked on her crafts while I sat writing or reading. I also spent a lot of quality time with my mom. We went shopping and just talked. She's an amazing listener, so it was really nice to go flop on her bed and spill my guts out. My dad is still just as funny as ever, and I really enjoyed working on the MED with him this summer. All in all my summer at home with my family was really enjoyable. I love spending time with them so that that way I am ready for the up coming year of school.

Also, during the summer, I finally accomplished the one thing I had never gotten around to while I was in high school. At the tender age of twenty, I obtained my license!!!! I was so excited! Amazing how passing a silly little test can give you such confidence in yourself!!! A few days later, I was driving to the local craft store and back by myself!!! It was truly exciting!  So, with that finally large event in my summer it was time to head back down to school.

On the trip down, we stayed at a house where we were able to swim in a pool, and we also went to Disney World. It was a lot of fun getting to go there with my parents and sister. There were so many exciting things to see and do! I think we may very well have seen 3/4 of the Magical Kingdom park! We also had great seats for the fireworks show!!!! It was really exciting! In addition to Disney, we were also able to spend a day at the beach and for once in my life, I did not get burnt!!!! which was a pretty impressive feat as I am pastier than pasty white.

There you have it my friends! That was my summer! It was a bunch of fun! And I'm so thankful to have had all of that time to spend with my family this summer! God has so richly blessed me with a wonderful family!

The Beginning of Another Year at College

It's official, I am a junior in college! It's hard to believe I am already beginning my third year in college. It seems like just yesterday, I was coming here for the very first time. I was a little freshman who was terrified of being away from home all by herself and for so long. However, things have definitely changed since that first year.

Some things changed, like my dorm room! When I first came down, all of the changes made to my room caused me to stand in horror. Almost everything I had loved about my room was gone; although, thanks to my parents, my room is one of everyone's favorites in the residence hall. It has also become a home away from home for me despite the changes.

Just like the other years, faces of people i once knew no longer grace the halls of the buildings or residence halls. Specific persons no longer visit me and keep me up all hours of the night; however, in there place has come a new group of faces and names to learn. I will admit there are quite a number of cute new freshmen who seem nice ;as well as, spiritually minded. I will also admit, I have been asked many times, who my boyfriend is or if there is anyone person I have taken an interest in. Such are the questions asked at my school. Just like the years that came before this one, I answer this question the same way as I did then. I smile and reply, "No, I do not have a boyfriend". If asked whether or not I am interested in anyone, I simply smile again and plead the fifth. After all, does it really profit anything to like someone and chase after them when you're the girl?(rhetorical question). There's really no reason to get so caught up in a crush when I nor any one else can change it. God has picked someone out for me, so I'll leave it to Him.  In the mean time, since the boyfriend/crush questions will continue no matter what, I'll just smile and not let it bother me. Besides, why let it bother you now when it will all work out in due time?

I also have a new job here at school and I have to admit I really do enjoy it more than my old tutoring job. I'm a secretary,  and I feel as though I do my job well and make a difference. In this job, I make my boss happy. As a tutor, I was discouraged as no one really cared about their grades and as a result never came to my sessions. Now, I am appreciated and I enjoy what I do...even if it is just filing a bunch of papers and fetching the mail. *wink*

As for my classes, my work load is considerably easier. I am in fact only taking about one or two hours less than I am used to; however, it is still fairly easy. I hardly have homework and I only really have to practice my various instruments. In addition to a relaxing load, the teacher who once treated me like dirt is now truly beginning to see how good I can be. He is proud of me and has told many people this (including the head of our music department). I could not be happier knowing that I am finally being recognized for my abilities and not always being told "you could do better". As you can see, things are going well here in my little place in world. I get enough sleep despite having an 8am spanish class (yes i'm taking it....AGAIN), and I also have time to cook for myself. I have made dinner a few nights now, and I have been quite proud of my concotions; they have all been quite yummy. Although, I will always miss my mother's cooking.

My social life is honestly about the same as previous years. I have a supply of friends; however, it always seems that I generally spend most of my time with one of them. This is not necessarily bad, I do not think because at least this way I get really close to this one person rather than having 500 acquaintances.

Although, I have experienced changes in friends, changes in living accommodations, changes in teachers and their reception of me, change of age, and so the list goes; I am still a Dodo...which will always be a bird just like I will always be myself.

So for now I will say.

Take Care and

Sweet Dreams! ^_^

As Always,

Leah

I SURVIVED!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!! Yes that's right my friends...This dodo bird survived the second year of Aurul Theory! The class that almost made her give up her major and run screaming for the hills these past two years!!!!! I don't know how but I did it! hahahahaha Sorry for laughing so much but i hahaha can't hahahaha help it!!!! I seriously screamed when i found out!!! Hahaha things have been really good today!!! and I have no clue why!!!!

Okay let's start out with a list to explain why this dodo has had such a successful day!!!

1) The dodo received a $1000 scholarship for good grades that will be applied to her school tuition next year!

2) The dodo is okay that the guy she liked a little while ago doesn't like her (big shock there) - but she's okay with it which is really funny because the dodo thinks the boy is having more problems with it than she is...and she's the one who got rejected! hahaha

3) The dodo is on top of her school work and feeling strong in general

4) The dodo had a good trombone practice that caused her teacher to sing her praises (too bad she actually butchered the real recital)

5) and last but most certainly the best news of all the dod PASSED her last semester of her most hated class!!!!!! WOOHOO!!! BOOYAH!!!! w00tage!!!!!! seriously!!! I'm going home and buying the biggest party popper i can find! and fireworks!!!! YES!!!!!!!!

Honestly, could life get any better?! So what if i'm a single girl who destroyed her recital and can't seem to  get a boyfriend to save her life....I PASSED AURUL THEORY!!!!! that's all that matters right now!!!!

Sorry, I know I keep going on and on about that but it really is wonderful....okay so a very brief update....very brief....

- Banquet was fun and pretty
-School year has been stressful but almost done
- Recital butchered
- Aurul theory passed
- 5 more finals to go
-Survivng speech class
- staying at home over the summer
- boys are stupid and can't ever make up their minds
- i'm going home in little over a week
- my sister is coming with my dad to get me
- life couldn't be any better!

okay there you have! Sorry I know this post made no sense but i'm just so nonsensically happy i can't help it...laters

Sweet Dreams

As Always,

Leah

Hey everyone. How are you? I'm finally getting back around to being myself. I have quite a bit to inform you all of. Well, it's hard to know where to start.

Just recently, about two weeks ago now... my grandfather passed away. It's amazing what happens to you when you hear those words coming out over the end of a phone that is at least 2000+ miles away. It was hard to believe at first but I'm not going to go into all of the details. Basically, after that things just started to have a domino affect. My grandfather was a great man, who devoted his life to God and the protection of his family. Needless to say, the toll of his passing had an impact on all of us. We had to say goodbye to the man who started it all. He was our patriarch and the one of the most lovable men ever to walk this earth. If you don't want to hear about this I suggest you scroll down to the next paragraph break because I'm gonna talk about my relationship with my grandpa for a bit. So if you don't want to start crying I suggest you scroll down... 5...4...3...2...1...okay well you've been warned. My grandfather was loving to everyone and there were times I was very thankful to have held a spot in his heart. I was his "little sprite" and his "sweet pea" The night before he died, my mother called me and told me that she thought I'd like to talk to him. It's when you hear those words you think "this is it". I talked to him, I told him how much I loved him...I wanted to tell him that he had to get better, that he had to hang in there ,but I couldn't do it...I was worried about causing him more pain than what he was already in. So, I felt stupid and dumb when all I could tell him was that I loved him...I didn't want to say goodbye while I could still hear him breathing (even though it was heavily labored)...I felt like if I said goodbye I'd be finalizing his death right then and there. I wanted to have hope that he could pull through at least until I got the call and was told for certain he had passed on. It was silly but I knew in my heart that that would be the last time I talked to my grandpa, but I couldn't even tell him goodbye. So, I just told him again how much I loved him and how much he meant to me. He tried to speak to me ,but the breathing machine clearly was making it difficult, but he needed it so my mother was forced to take the phone away from him when he tried to start talking. Honestly, I didn't want to accept it but I knew it was happening. MY parents flew me out the next day for the funeral  and visitation. I felt as though I was going insane as I ran this way and that packing and doing laundry, all the while I was dragging my friend around with me. I'm thankful for all the help she gave me or else I really would have lost it.  She was truly amazing and helpful. Another friend got up at the crack of dawn and drove me to the airport. Those few days flew by in a blur and the whole time I was there I felt strange like I was in a time warp and that I shouldn't be there at all. Everything went smoothly, but honestly I had hoped to appear stronger but every time we saw my grandfather, I turned into a pile of tears and snot who had to be comforted. I came back to school after a week of being away ,but before I get into that I want to tell you about some of my most treasured memories of my grandfather. When I came to visit during the summer or even at holidays, my grandpa and I had a ritual. Every night, we'd stay up late to eat a big "gramp's popcorn" bowl of popcorn, drink sprites, and watch the same movie. Every night for a full week gramps would go downstairs and watch the same silly movie over and over and over.  The popcorn was way to salty for any normal person ,but for me and my grandpa there was never enough salt. ^_^    I'll come back to the mvoie nights in a minute. My grandpa one year during the winter made a snow slide for me down the side of his house on the hill. It was so much fun! I'll never forget that...now going back to the popcorn movies...I don't know how many people know about this story,but i thought i'd thought I'd share it with you now...It was on one of these many movie nights that my grandpa and I started talking about when my momma married my dad. I don't remember exactly how we got on the topic, maybe we were watching a different movie than what we normally watch,or maybe it was one of those "why?" questions a young child asks, but  he told me how he walked her down the aisle and gave her away. After puzzling overthis idea for alittle while I thought about and then looked at him and "Grandpa, when I'm old enough and I get married, would you walk me down the aisle?". I remember what he said, "that's along way away ,so as long as I'm still around yes I'll walk you down the aisle". I remember being so happy as I snuggled back down next to my grandpa, it never occured to me then i might lose him or that tradition dictated at father give away his daughter. Still, I will never forget that conversation with my grandpa. As I grew up I realized what he meant by that statement, and yet I'm love him dearly for once saying yes to a silly little girl's heartfelt request. I love my grandfather and I always will. My father always tells me stories about his grandmother because all of the many stories he has from her as well as the love he received from her.....well I can safely say I will carry that tradition on. Only my children will hear about a grandpa who in my eyes could do anything whether it was scaling a radio tower or watching the same movie over and over again. So I'm just going to say this quick little thing and then I will move on to a different topic:
               Gramps, I have your popcorn bowl now, and I wanted to thank you for the promise you made a silly little girl, but more importantly for the love you showed me. Sleep well, for you have run the race and kept the faith. And until I meet you again in Heaven, know that we all love you and will miss you.



Alright, to those of you who did not read the above paragraph I'm sorry but it was something I needed to write down. So, school has been pretty much awful since i got back from being away for my grandfather's funeral. Although, as the last two days things have gotten better. And you know I'm going to try and make this short as possible.
  When I got back I had a massive pile of homework, I became one of my teacher's whipping boy, and I was taken off of pit orchestra for the musical due to my absence. Things were rough. Friends invited me to go do things with them, and then forgot that they had so they left without me. A teacher was very frustrated with me and consistently embarassed me infront of the class until even my friends noticed he seemed to have it out for me that day. All of the homework, friends' with their drams, a teacher yelling at me, and being taken off of something I had look forward to was all icing on the cake after losing my grandfather. Needless to say this past week has been an absolute nightmare! There have been so many moments where I have thought I can't do this, or I just want to quit and so on. It's been tough, but finally getting caught up in my homework has helped alot...I haven't gotten much sleep as a result of late nights to do make up work but I'm finally gettin some sleep. I think also that one of my friends may have talked to the teacher who was being so rough on me because afetr a couple of days he stopped fussing and was even complimentary of what I was doing. So with the homework and teacher problems out of the way it seems as though things are finally getting back to normal. ALthough, a few of my friends down here are still causing me some stress, I think everything will work out!  I have a good pair of legs and am using them to push me forward even when they seem to have weights tied to them.  So now that normalcy is returning, it seems as though my body is crashing. Yesterday, I developed a small cough..I had a solid coughing fit while on the phone with my mom and then it hasn't bothered me since but I had a slight problem with it earlier this morning but it soon went away...also it's amazing how much your head hurts after all the stress you've pent up disappears...
I think you don't have time to think about your head when you're so stressed and trying to get things done that you push to the back and ignore it ,but once the stress is gone and you can relax the headache hits you with all of its fury like a ton of bricks. Anyway I'm sorry I keep prattling on but I think I'm done now. I just wanted to inform you all that despite teachers,deaths, homework, and friends i'm still alive and that the real reasons for this dodo's extinction still have yet to be decided...but if you ask me how this dodo is, I'd have to say that "how I am is fine"..at least currently even though there have been moments this dodo has wanted to turn ostrich and stick her head in the ground.

Sweet Dreams!

As Always,

Leah

         So, I have some news for all  of my avid readers....I finally got my red letter day...

                        I was chosen to be the ONE and only trombonist to be in my college's pit orchestra for the Spring musical.

        If you haven't caught on yet, I've been waiting to do this kind of thing for at least 6 years now. And on this past tuesday, I finally got the red letter day I had been waiting for....or so I thought. My moment of happiness was utterly brought down when my teacher said he had some questions for me before he was willing to give me the part. Needless to say, my heart absolutely sunk to the pit of my stomach. My teacher had his concerns not only about my self-confidence in playing but also my sight reading abilities. Then, he proceeded to ask me about my schedule and ask me if I could handle this with everything else I'm doing. I told him I'd work it out as this was something I really wanted to do. What he then told me was this, "well, if you ever feel overwhelmed or unable to do it, just come tell me and i'll take it off your hands". No joke, that is what he told me. When he finally got ready to hand me the piece the last thing he said to me was this "I think this will be a good experience". Not once did he say I think you'll do a good job with this or did he say he thought I could do it. I left and went to my next class, only to come back an hour and ask if he thought I could be successful in the musical. Upon asking him what he thought, he repeated the same things. That he had his worries about some of my self confidence/sight reading issues, but that it'd still be a good experience for me. I walked out of that room one more time that day, with more daggers in my back than the first time I left.  He may have meant well in that he wanted me to be conscious of my short comings so I would try harder to do better, and for that reason I'd ask any of those (DAD!!!!) who know to whom I am referring please don't say anything/or write to him! I want to show him I can do it!
      So, I had been waiting for this day for 6 years and was in essence told I couldn't do it, but that I was the best option they had left.  My red letter day was over hung by just a series of words that turned into a giant gray cloud. All of that said, I don't plan to drop it. I plan to go through the whole thing and hopefully be successful and prove him wrong. I have been waiting for this and though it hurts to hear that said by my teacher, I'm not going to give up. Some people would call me stubborn ;however, in this instance that stubbornness might carry me through to prove him wrong as well as teachers who have labelled me the same as he did from my younger years.  So, now I ask that you all cross your fingers and say a prayer for me that I can get through this and be successful. I have alot on my plate with 18hrs of school, an additional 3 of S.I. hours....and now the long nights that I'll be putting in for the musical. In the end, I'm sure I'll be glad I did it, I just know it's going to be trying. However, I WILL NOT give in!!!!

Alright, sorry for that tyraid ,but that has really been bothering me these past few days and I needed to get it off my chest. So, this little dodo is still on the run. Not much time to rest or time to eat. Due to my scheduling on Mon. Wed. and Fri. I actually have no time to eat in between classes. It's  pretty rough not having a lunch break, but I'm getting by. Thankfully, I have some healthy snack bars that I am able to throw in my back pack and every now and then I can sneak a quick bite in. When I'm not in classes, I'm doing homework or helping my students from S.I., as well as, an amazing amount of other various things! With all of that going on it's amazing, I still find to take 5 miuntes or so to shower and make certain I don't smell! ^_^ after all I don't think anyone would sit near me if I did smell! hahaha sorry I often get in to weird moods and tonight is sorta one of them. Going on! So even now I still have people coming to me for dating advice and asking me for help, and I promise I'm not going to go on and on about how annoying it is for me to be single or about the stupidity when it comes to people who date just to date, but I'd rather like to point out one rather funny thing. Isn't it ironic how my friends who have been in countless relationships come to the one friend who hasn't been in one dating relationship for boyfriend/girlfriend advice? I find it quite humorous actually. 

So I think that is going to be it for the night. Sorry, but I'm getting to sleep. I haven't been getting much sleep lately as a direct result of a mixture of homework, and friends who need dating advice. So I'm gonna Have to say good night!


Sweet Dreams!!! - (I'm hoping to have some tonight! ^_^ )

As Always,

Your dodo on the run,

Leah

Hey everyone! Sorry it's been awhile since my last post. I've just been busy whether it was relaxing at home over the break or trying to get back into the swing of things here at school.  So alot has gone down in the time I left college for winter break to the present. However, due to a pile of homework, I'm afraid today's post is probably going to be short ,sweet ,and simple.

So my break was wonderful! I enjoyed spending time with my "batteries". My family like always was hilarious!!!- they always know just how to make me laugh! And we had a great holiday together. I'm sorry but I'm gonna have to elaborate on that in a different post at a different time.

We have a new sheltie by the name of luke! He's sweet and adorable!

And my best friend is coming to my college for her spring break!!! WOOHOO!!!!!! I'm totally looking forward it!

Also there is the possibility that I finally might get to play in the pit orchestra for a musical! So keep your fingers crossed for me!!! 

Well I'm afraid that's it for now talk to you all later.

As Always,
Leah

Hey everyone. I'm sorry it's been a while since i updated; however, please believe me when I say that I had good reason not to post. After fall break we'll just say that everything and anything possible happened. Not only did "it" all happen but "it" all blew up in my face! I don't remember a night in which i got more than 5 hrs of sleep at least on weekdays. Weekends I think the top number for hours of sleep was between 6-7 hrs. Anyway, moving on. These last three weeks have been a trial by sword and fire, you might say. So much has being going on that I don't remember everything that happened in these past three weeks, however, I will try my best to re-count them as accurately for you all as possible.

For starters my weekdays start at 8am and do not end until 4pm in the afternoon - and that is just my daily classes I take. Which leaves me with homework and extra curricular events in the evenings. Everyday tuesay and friday of these past 3 weeks, I have had to attend pep band (aka basketball games) - which means we go at 6:15pm and don't get back til 9pm. I had homework in almost every class. So in order to give you a better understanding of how overloaded I was I will try to list what I had to do over these past three weeks for you in EACH class.

Music Theory: Everyday in class we were assigned new work sheets from the book and workbook, we were then also given handouts to work on our own personal compositions. As if this were not enough we also had tests to study for!

Aurul Theory: Every thursday we have singing lines that we must prepare in order to be quizzed on them. We are also given dictation lines as homework- these are done by listening to a cd on our computer and writing out what we hear. It is not uncommon to have 3 of these for one day's homework. 

Epistles: This class thankfully doesn't require lots of homework ;however, that doesn't mean all we have to do is study for a test. I these past three weeks I had to take the past four papers (I wrote for this class) and then turn them into a commentary on Ephesians 3:8-11. This is much easier said then done let me tell, you especially since the person you are turning this paper into is the director/president of your college.  We also had our last test before our final that we will take. As this can be a challenging bible course, it often requires extensive amounts of studying.

Evidences: his class has homework everyday- generally a "short" reading of 20 pages in one of two books. We also had to read a 100 page book and then write a summary on it. We also had another large test in this class , which meant even more studying to be done!

Band/Jazz:  both take an hour out of my day! sometimes more depending on when concerts or pep band performances are.

Stretch& Strengthening: this requires an hour out of my day as well. We also had a  midterm in this class in these past three weeks - so it was necessary to study for that as well.

Freshmen Composition 2: This one required a lot of time due to a variety of papers to turn in. We had to turn in a 3000 word research paper. While writing that we also had to read Hamlet. We even went to the teacher's house one day (a saturday) in order to watch the movie of Hamlet - which was a four hour movie. Then we had to finally write a 1000 word paper on Hamlet. This paper on Hamlet was purely going to based on whatever we chose, no real direction from the teacher at all to help.

Trombone: I had lessons every tuesday and I also had to practice for my recital which I have yet to do!

Now everyone that is just the academic stuff I had to do! Now for the extracurricular activities...

1. We had unbanquet week during these three weeks- I had not originally planned on going  ,but I ended up having a friend who didn't want to go stag. So basically, I tagged alone to keep him from being bored crazy. However, this meant the two days in which the genders "had to be nice" to the other  gender which meant I then had to figure out how and when I would do something nice for him. I successfully managed to pull it off somehow- i don't know how!

2. I went to a Holst concert,  which was almost two hours  long as they did all of the movements from "The Planets" ,as well as, a few pieces written by Debussy.

3. There were also a few on campus concerts that I had to attend for recital attendance

4. Society meetings were held every tuesday at 5:30 and the didn't end until 6pm

5. I also went to see Phantom of the Opera on a saturday during these past three weeks

6. MIDNIGHT MADNESS!! : a night where all societies get together to play games and perform skits in order to gain points for their society. Those points eventually help decide at the end of the year which society was top dog that year! This event ends around 12:30am with a singing in which we all come together, put our arms around one another, and offer up praise to the lord

7. S.I.: as an S.I. leader it is also my duty to sit in on a class and then hold sessions to help students with anything they may need help with whether it is going over  a bad test or just basic homework. This requires alot of time as I have to sit in on the classes, plan the sessions, and also hold said sessions...i think I had two sessions in the past three weeks

8. and a variety of random things here and there! - which i honestly can't remember at this point

So as if all of the afore mentioned were not enough - I also had to sign up for my next semester classes. It was in this period of three weeks that I had two advisors fighting over my schedule. Both of whom wanted me to take specific classes that they believed were the best choices for me. This caused quite a bit of stress for me...but somehow I managed to make it through and I finally decided on what I felt would be the best thing for me to do!

When friends, acquaintances, or teachers asked me how I was doing and if I was really busy thse past few weeks... I'd simply reply that yeah I was busy , and that I barely had time to eat..they'd laugh, but when they realized i was serious they'd kind of quiet down...Needless to say, I found this quite humorous.

But, in regards to my social, lots of things are still changing. One of my more closer friends down here recently got a boyfriend. So to say the least, there has been alot of long nights involving gushing about it and my just wanting to go to bed. There has also been alot of just flat out "isn't it wonderful to have a boyfriend?" kind of attitude directed my way...she's honestly just excited about having a boyfriend again and I can't blame her. To be  in a happy relationship is something I hope to have one day; however, right now all I can do is listen and just try to deal with it. Even though all I really want to say in response to her actions and remarks is "No, I don't know how wonderful it is to have one." And honestly, that's the truth, but I don't need people getting mad at me as that statement could sometimes be taken the wrong way. I don't mean it snidely or cynically; it's just I've never dated so how can I respond "yeah it must be wonderful?". lol...so In the meantime, I'll still be around making sure i'm there as her friend should need a shoulder to cry on, or a smile to share in her enthusiasm. However, I must say this...it is quite fascinating how your friends tend to forget about you when they get boyfriends, especially when you don't have one yourself. All the same, this is not going to change where I stand on the issue. Some day I hope to be in a good relationship, but until then I guess I'll just have to wait and see what God has planned for me.

I'm sorry to those of you who are reading this. I'm sure you all are wondering "is this girl ever going to be quiet?". And I promise, I will. However, I just wanted to share with you the one thing that has kept me going through all of these things during these three weeks. In a grand total of three days I will be home! I'll be safe in my home, my room, with animals,  my siblings, and my parents! When I am there, nothing from school plagues me. I am not worried about my consistent single-ness (yes, that's a word...), homework, advisors who think they know what's best for me, or massive amounts of homework coupled with extracurriculars. I have of late been ready to give up - I had hit my breaking point in this last week, and it honestly took everything in me to make it the weekend. This morning I was so tired and so out of it that as I was washing my hair, I fell and hit my head hard against the tub faucet! I tried to catch myself which is what caused me to hit it in the first place..... if I had just let myself fall I might not have hit my head. Anyway, needless to say, life has been hectic and crazy. However, I have finally hit the light at the end of the tunnel. Although, I am out fully in the open, when you've been in the dark for so long your eyes have to readjust to light, therefore, that is what the next couple of days will be for me, a chance to readjust to the light. It will be once I am safe at home snuggled up in my bed, with the knowledge that my family is just a few doors away, that I will be standing no longer blind in the light of day.  I look forward to being reunited once more with them after 5 long months. I love school, but not as much as I love my family! So I'm looking forward to that long wait in the airport until the plane rolls in to unload departing passengers...so that I can then board and fly home to my family! 

I am sorry if I have bored some of you, but this is just what has been going on these past three weeks of my life. For that reason, I felt that it was necessary to write it all down. One main reason for writing all of this is because I want you to take time for me. Not specifically for me, but I'd ask something of you. I understand some of you might argue that you have busier schedules than I but I'd suggest one thing, and that is for you to take time to not only be thankful for your family and tell them you love them, but to take a minute to lay down in the grass and stare up at the clouds.One day after I had spoken with an advisor (who wanted control of my schedule), and let me tell you, it was a good thing to do. For that couple of minutes, I was free! It was peaceful, and I didn't have to care about anything revolving around school. I filtered through some of my most precious memories I have of my family, and I look forward to that again. Those couple of minutes I spent laying in the grass staring at the clouds, and thinking of my family is the only reason I made it through these three weeks.

Thank you Dad, Mom, Brother, and sister! - I don't know what I'd do if I didn't know you'd be there waiting at the end of these three weeks. So now I shall leave you all. Take care and like so many times before...

Sweet Dreams!

As Always,

Leah

Lol, so it's been quite a week and this dodo bird has hardly had time to act extinct. That's right I have been running from one "social" event to the next. However, that is not the reasoning for this post...So let's skip the intro and get straight to business...Sorry guys I'm tired and apparently in need of sleep and more food as well... anyway going on...

So here it goes...This dodo bird became a bird wrangler this past thursday. I came in to my dorm's main lobby which is where we have our yoga class (stretch and strengthen...really) and what do i see but a BIRD!!! There was a bird in the dorm! Poor little guy didn't know what he was doing in there...he hid in fake plants or tried helplessly to break through the glass. Well, eventually more girls started showing up, and they were like so what there's a bird in the dorm, or even let the stupid thing beat it's brains out. They showed no concern or any interest in the poor littl bird. So I had decided that I would ask our teacher ,thinking that surely she'd act and try to save this poor little bird. Well in comes my teacher and guess what...she's apparently terrified of birds...When i said there goes the bird as he flew to a different room, my fearless teacher took off running....okay so clearly this was not going to work...the little bird was gonna either get hurt or hurt himself...So I chased him down into a room and close the door behind me to find not only was he in the room, but so was his girlfriend!!! So with the help of another girl we opened windows and a door that led outside;however, needless to say if caveman saw what occured in this room he'd probably thinking I was doing a mating dance or something...I ran all around that room, jumped here, jumped there...ran left and ran right. By this point most people would have given up as they would have realized how ridiculous they looked, but not me man! I was determined to get those little birds to safety. Fonally, after about 6 minutes, I got Mr. Bird's girlfriend out. So now just for the original Mr. Bird himself. Well I chased him towards the door and he landed on the closed window right above the open door...go figure! I shuffled to the left and to the right in correspondance with the bird and when he finally realized he was not getting away...down and out the door he went! So, I was finally able to return to my class, where my teacher was singing my praises of how brave I was for chasing....a robin!

Moving from the bird wrangling, I am a "tutor" here at my college, and in such I am expected to hold sessions so students might come and get the help they seek. So, I was annoucing that I would be holding a couple of sessions in order to prepare them for their final. I was hoping they'd think about what times and days they could meet. I wasn't expecting what one of the students had to say to me after my announcement.  Well some poor student saw me later that day and stopped me. He looked at me with pleading eyes and sincerely asked, "so in order to come to these sessions we have to come as a couple?" I couldn't help it I laughed! The poor kid totally heard me wrong! I explained that this was not the case but that i was going to have MULITPLE meetings in order to prepare them for the test. He then sighed in relief and said this "oh, good! I was worried because that just doesn't seem right to me, but it was what I heard!" I smiled and reassured him this was not the case. Curious, I asked what time he went to bed and he replied happily, "I went to bed early, it was around 1 am!" I couldn't control myself his sincere happy face and chuckle, pretty much had me doubled over from laughing so hard. This poor kid thought 1 in the morning was early for going to bed, I now understood exactly why he heard what he thought I said.

So as if all of this didn't make for an already exciting week, I have one more thing! So I went to our basketball game and as I am sitting there beside my friend, this guy who I know comes and sits down beside me so that his leg is touching mine. I shifted over so he could have more room and he did it again. I tried to scoot over again bbut he kept sliding up beside me. The next thing I know he has the girl on my left keeping me from sliding away and I am being crushed in between them. So as if this wasn't enough, he puts his arm around me and has his face only two inches away from me. Those two were evil and they were laughing maniacally, as I 'm turning red from embarrasment and laughter. So while they did this and while he was only two inches away from my face, would you care to guess what was going through my head? "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DON'T LET MY FIRST KISS BE AN ACCIDENT!!!!"...yup that's what I was thinking! I was scared someone would bump him or something and then...yeah... So they finally pulled away from me and let me breath. But I was so embarrased and laughing so hard that my eyes began to tear up. When this guy saw that, he of course had to comfort me, and once again his face was inches from mine! I was so embarassed but I thought it was funny at the same time...so I just thought I'd share with y'all how my first kiss was almost an accident....lol it was really a relief that that didn't happen! sorry guys it's alot funnier when i tell it in person...but i still think it is funny either way.

So I have had quite a week and I just thought I'd share some of it with y'all. I hope you had a good little chuckle at my many exploits this week. So until I write again...take care and like many times before,

Sweet Dreams!

As Always,

Leah

Alrighty, here we go! This post is just about some "little" things I've been dealing with lately that I felt were worth mentioning or at least writing about. To say the least the reason I can call these issues small now are because I'm no longer dealing with them, but when I was in the thick of the forest it seemed as if I'd never find the light.

To start off, this week began as any normal week should. The whole student body all a twitter about whether or not that day would be "asking day" for the "un-banquet" outting. Students running this way and that in order to get to their class that they are running late for. As well as, the typical sight of the dorm parents making rounds and making sure each car was parked where it should be. All was well and good, or so it seemed. The screeching tires of car slamming on its brakes was what I heard next, and to be quite I was the deer caught in the headlights.
Paper after paper, homework after homework, trombone practice, classes to attend, society meetings to attend, S.I. Sessions to plan, as well as, a cornucopia of drama cause by friends who are worried about who to ask to "un-banquet" or about their "bad" roommate situation. Everything just came crashing down this week! Once the car hit, it seemed as though all that anyone would see left of me was a foot or a pile of dust from my spontaneous combustion. I had my 3000 word research paper due this week, a mountain of music theory homework due, the normal amount of aurul theory homework, a music technology project, a recital in the next week, as well as, a report due for both of my bible classes! This was certainly the largest blood bath I had ever been in. I was horrified and scared that somehow I would not get it done. Not to mention having you friends sniping at you because they are tired (mind you its their own stupid fault), needless to say this was a system overload. Every morning from 8 am til 4pm I'm in class ,and then once out of class I immediately started to try and tackle my homework. Every minute of my day was planned out , and I felt as if steam was pouring out of my ears from the cooking of my brain. (Sorry for the err...interesting phrasing but hey not only is it my blog, but i'm making a point to show you how overloaded and worried I was). So with everything that occurred, by the end of yesterday I was to my breaking point. The car was about to hit me like a deer caught in the headlights, I was about to become rest of the rabbit after its lucky foot has been cut off, and was also facing spontaneous combustion...
         Then there it was Friday afternoon.....clarity! Not only had I given my s.i. session successfully, but i finished all of my music theory homework, finished a large portion of the music technology project (due next week), wrote one of my bible papers, was seemingly well prepared for my trombone recital, successfully attended my society meeting, and i even explained to my friend very kidnly that she had no right to growl at me when she was grumpy because of reasoning that was of her own making. As if all of this was not enough to make me more than ecstatic... I turned in my research paper! Not only did I turn it in, but when I did my teacher complemented me on my work and said i seemed to have a good grasp of what I should be doing!!! She hadn't even read the paper yet and she told me that!!!! Aghhh!!!!! I was so happy!! When I walked out of the library (which is where my teacher was) I wanted to do nothing more than scream; however, due to the fact I'm at a christian college, I don't know how they would receive someone yelling "hallelujah" at the top of her lungs!!! Success was mine!!! It was a small victory,but man the spoils of war were rich indeed! Life has returned to normal and I am even going to go see a movie tonight! I'm really excited,but mainly because through all my hard work and perseverance  I was able to succeed. As the Bible says, "I can do all things through God who strengthens me." Also another spoil of the war I fought this past week is that on November 20th I am getting to go see Phantom of the Opera performed by the broadway cast!!! How wonderful is that?!!! I'm totally on top of the world right now! I finished stuff that would have eaten up my entire weekend only to be left with one quick little paper to right, and that's it!!! This surely was one small victory for Leah M. Richmond! SO there you have it I kept my lucky foot, i didn't turn into a pile of dust, or get hit by a speeding car. Therefore, I have just one little piece of advice when you are weighed down with a lot of things as I was this week, take a minute to step back take a deep breath and then go to work with a renewed vigor and fury! With God's help and a little perseverance, you'll make it through! :) After all, I managed to make it through this, that's proof right there!

So now you've gone through the stages of my week first being caught in the headlights, to spontaneous combustion, and then on to my personal victories. I guess it is finally time to explain my extinction. I have decided that a lack of social interaction is not the only reason for the dodo bird (aka me) becoming extinct. My room is freezing!!!! I have a clock that tells you how warm or hot your room is and let me tell the warmest it has been is 68 degrees and that ladies and gentlemen is at the heat of the day here! So now you're probably laughing your rear-ends off thinking man she's stupid, why doesn't she just turn the heat up or on for that matter? Well, let me tell you I am no dumb bunny! I turned the heat on for a while. It didn't work out all that well, the coolest temperature with the heating on was 86 degrees. Its completely that the warmest and the coolest whether heat have the same two numbers just switched...anyway moving on. Clearly, the poor dodo bird became extinct from not only its poor social life, but its inability to keep warm. My room's temperature is controlled by the halls temperature...meaning if someone in the same hall wants their room on heat, my room is heated...if they want it on a/c my room is cold... Most of the time the other girls want it on air conditioning which honestly makes no sense to me. However, this may be due to the fact that I am already a good 2-3 degrees lower in body temp than the normal person. I can't maintain and form of heat... I still think about my sister cringing and not wanting to sit by me (jokingly of course - she loves me whether she admits it or not  *wink* ) because not only do I steal any little  warmth she may have but I exude cold as well, making her even colder. So clearly, with these types of temperature if more blankets and many many many layers of closed are not used, this dodo bird is going to become a popcicle.

So there you have this weeks post, hope y'all are having as good a day as I am! I'll be going for now ,but take care and until I write again....

Sweet Dreams

As Always,

Leah

Hey guys so it has definitely been a while since I lasted updated. First off, let me give you my sincerest heartfelt apologies. You're probably enraged with my lack of updates even unto the point of causing a herd of bull elephants to stampede into the local pharmacy to hold up the cashier for no real reason at all. Okay, okay, I'll admit that that is mostly likely not what you're actually thinking at this very moment. You're probably wondering more along the lines of why has she not posted in so long? I promise I have a good reasonable answer for this. Honestly, I didn't feel like posting! There you have it. Sorry, a little more explaination might be helpful to you in regards to what I'm actually getting at. As of late, I have been feeling as though my life is dry, dull, and absolute lacking in anything exciting or the tiniest inkling of  interest. So why should I bore you, my poor readers with nothing but a continuous stream of " get up in the morning, shower, class, lunch, class, class, dinner, practice, homework, homework ,and bed" only to  have the repetitive cycle start up again the following day? Can you saying BORING?! However, I guess since I haven't posted at all things have been piling up in my head and have given arise to this post. So if you aren't to bored or wondering what is with this girl and what is wrong with her, continuing reading. Although if the previous characterisics apply to you, I suggest you stop reading before you want to run away screaming.

School = My life right now! Now in my sophomore year of college, I find all of my time is eatten up by classes, homework, papers, exams, and instrumental practice. I've heard rumors of people having a social life in college but it is decidedly almost as rare as the dodo bird. Yes that's right, the dodo bird. So what is so important about school anyway? Why do you want to know about this or dodo birds or my the lack thereof any social life? Well, you may not care about, but it's what I feel like writing about so, sorry. Well, in all of my time spent on school work this year, I have had many successes and at the same time some "failures". The successes needless to say have made me nothing but happy, and I feel as though all my hard work has paid off. But those "failures" are enough to make me want to throw my whole major out the window sometimes. First let me explain that these "failures" are not infact real failure, they are actually something that most students in college would be happy to get. However, when your parents a perfectionist (whether they admit it or not, sorry mom and dad),  their offspring too tends to lean this way.  These "failures" are annoying but at the same time acceptable in the eyes of most, except for me. I wish to achieve a higher level, and as a result when I encounter these "failures" I'm easily discouraged and wonder if I'm really going to make it in my profession.  Thankfully, with "failure" comes success if you work hard enough and long enough. Every time I get an "A" or receive a kind word about something I did well I feel enthused, such is the nature of the beast I guess. So although my social life may be likened unto a Dodo bird, and even though sometimes it doesn't always pay off, it sometimes does. For this reason, and the chance to be good at something, I'm willing to be a Dodo bird.

Although, it is sometimes hard to accept my place among the extinct, there is something that keeps me going, but we'll get to that in a moment. I was talking with a friend the other day, who is ready to absolutely tear her hair out because she is so busy with maintaining a social life, work, play, school, and of course, boys! She was pretty much fussing me about how all I do at night is go back to my room and work on homework and that I never really go out and do things (part of her reasoning for why I don't have a boyfriend), it was then that it dawned on her she never actually asked me why I was this way. I couldn't help but smile and laugh a little. Unlike her and so many here at college, I don't dread going home. Being here at college is a good experience, but given the choice betwen being here or at home, it's pretty easy to see which one wins out. She was alittle surprised at this, she knows how close I am to my family and how much they mean to me, but she apparently didn't fully comprehend it. For her, it's down here that she likes to be, among friends and having fun. This is her time for fun and play, and it is during the summer she works. So the reason why I laugh is because our situations are polar opposites. For me, school is work and if I do well during the year, then I won't have to worry about working or taking summer classes. Summer is my time for play and fun because it is then that I am around my "energizer batteries". Now you're curious I'm sure, you might be wondering "energizer batteries"? What does this nut of a girl mean? The batteries are my family and my best friends.  If I didn't have the knowledge that at the end of the school year I could goof off and be around them, I probably would not work as hard as I do during the school year. Just knowing that the summer is mine to spend with them is what motivates me to make it not only through the year, but to do well in my classes as well. So, it's just like the energizer slogan, the keep me going. As long as I have my family and closest friends for my "energizer batteries", it doesn't matter if my social life is extinct because it is those people that after college and in the end will always be there for me no matter what.  Students here at college may not understand this, my friend included, but that's fine by me!  

Although, I cannot claim that the level of human stupidity I have run into is nearly as good as the stuff my sister has been dealing with lately, I can't say that it is worth ignoring either.
Relationships, dating, crushes - is the main source of human stupidity I have been running across lately. Yes, it is a true fact that we need the opposite gender in our lives to have certain relationships fulfilled ,but the means by which people try to achieve this is absolutely amazing to me any more. This of course is not even the tip of the iceburg. At my college, certain things such as dating are expected, even promoted by the school itself. Although, what they fail to recognize is it doesn't always work out. It seems to me that more and more girls are getting their hopes up and are expecting things to happen, and when they don't, they are "heart broken". But do they really know what it means to be heart broken or for that matter to be in love? It annoys me how after a week or two, a girl whether she is dating "the guy of her dreams" or still maintaining a secret crush on him feels that she can say she loves him! What a ridiculous notion! Can you really know that kind of thing especially if the feelings are not reciprocated?!  Yes, I know I have been talking about the girls end of this alot ,but don't worry I'm getting to the guy side too. Often times, I see guys flirting and playing the perfect guy but when the girl really starts to fall, he walks off leaving the poor girl wondering what she did. Guys, seriously! If you're not trully interested in the girl, just leave her alone or you'll hurt her inevitably! So before you all jump to the conclusion that I am cynical about the idea of relationships because I have not been in one please stop right there. It's true I haven't dated or anything like that, but I see relationships as being a very positive influential part of life and it is even what God intended for us.  Though when it is made the center and whole of one's life then it is not really what it should be. Don't date jus to date, otherwise nothing good will come of it. I see this happening alot here at school, and I worry for the friends of mine that might be caught up in this mentality. Some have even gone as far as being distracted by their crushes to the point it affects their concentration when studying, and the worse part about this is that they aren't even around the crush! Seeing what is going on with my friends being hurt by the mentality of "I must have a boyfriend/or girlfriend", not to mention the bad experiences I have personally had, I know exactly where I stand on the whole dating relationship thing. I am so busy with school and homework, that even if I were interested in someone I don't have the time to pursure him. Still, that's not the point. As a girl, I find it's better to just sit back and let it happen if its going to happen at all. If he likes you, he'll come after you. I find that when you do the chasing (especially if you're a girl) it usually fails and you only end up hurt. So, if you want a real quality guy, let him be the one doing the chasing because then you know the reason he is interested is because he truly seems to care about you. Whereas, if you're the one doing the chasing you could easily end up being strung along and not realizing it until he's walking away as though you don't exist at all. So although it is sometimes hard when I see everyone down here dating and even knowing that some of my closest friends are dating, I am reassured right now by the fact that someday he'll find me and when he does it won't be because I'm the one who had to do the chasing.  Honestly, I don't want to be the one who has the one sided feelings, let alone the one who intiates everything anymore, it's just to hard not to mention annoying. And although, I can't say I will reciprocate every feeling guys may have for me, someday who knows maybe there will be one who I can feel the same way about. Until then, I have my family and best friends to keep me from feeling like I have to be in a relationship. I just hope that people my age are able to escape the mindset of that they have to have a boyfriend or girlfriend and they have to have one now because that will only lead to pain.

I'm sorry for the rant ,but it is honestly what has been on my mind lately in regards to past and present situations. And if I can't speak  my mind then I'm not me. On a happier note, I am happy to say that I will soon be going home and able to recharge my batteries.  No matter how much of a dodo bird I may be, or how much human stupidity I may encounter... i'll have good food, music, dogs, and family once I'm home...so what more do I need?

SO I would like to put my name in for the nomination of klutz of the year!! This past monday I fell down a flight of stairs and banged my arm up real good. Well if that wasn't enough i decided to try curling my hair a little tonight.. Well to say the least we skin met hot iron, things didn't go well. I managed to cook the skin on my neck - bleh...anyway, this isn't it. No, you wish it was but it's not. It seems like almost every day i almost trip over my own feet or slide all over the place. Almost ran into two different people today...So I'm officially ready for klutziness disease to go away!!!

 Well anyway things are winding down as we get closer spring break, although at the same time they are steadily picking up. In two weeks time I will be off on tour with my college's band. Should be pretty amazing as this is really something I have wanted to do for a long time. I mean seriously how cool is it to travel around from state to sate to let people hear you perform. And not only do you get a new audience, you get to perform in new halls!! Which are absolutely beatiful most of the time. I don't know but I think performance halls can be very beautiful, silly huh? Anyway, I am alo kind of excited because some of my family memebers in Tennessee will be able to hear me perform for their very first time!!!! As they live there and I live over 900 miles away from its never worked out where that they were able to see me perform but this time they will! It's so cool!!! It is also going to be really nice as this time after travelling around and staying with different housing families, it'll be nice to stay with family! And as  if this wasn't enough, after spending the night with family in TN, they are taking me to the airport and I'm on my way home finally!!! I am going home in two weeks about!!!! It's silly I'm sure how much i miss my family, not most college kids want to go home as much as I do, but then again not many of them can say that their family is as wonderful as my own. I haven't seen my family since winter break and although it has only been like a month, I still seem to need to see them. I have missed them so much, and I keep hearing all these stories that just make me want to see them more. So if any of you family members are lsitening, know that i love and miss you, also that by the time i leave you'll probably all be sick of me hehe.. i'm very blessed to have the family and I hope they know how much they mean to me and how much I am looking forward to seeing them after tour.   

Before i get to the main reason for this update. Today was my mother's birthday!! Happy Birthday Mommy, I love you!!!

So tonight was the final showing of our college musical. I went to all four showings. Each time I enjoyed it immensely, but this last time was the best. Everything was hilarious! Slip ups of course occured, but the actors were so good that they just took it and ran with it. Nothing can compare like good improvisational forms of comedy! Anyway, although the play was good and amazing this last time, it left me rather sad. It served as a kind reminder that I have yet to participate in that sort of thing. I have sadly always felt slightly frustrated after every play or musical I have been to. I have always wanted to participate and it seems that there is always something standing in my way. Whether it is that there is that one person that a teacher holds in biased appraisal, modesty issues, content issues, or just that there is a person who has seniority over me. I keep telling myself next year, next year that'll be me. I'll be there and with hope I look forward to it, and yet that next year comes around and still I'm ignored. By this point some people would just become so discouraged that they'd simply give up or that they'd become so headstrong that they would just take the position almost by force. Neither of which, I am willing to do. Yes, I want the part so that keeps me from quitting but not at the expense of some one who might be better than I. Maybe, I'm a fool because I am unwilling to yield or be aggressive. However, I find I am really starting to become discouraged in this aspect of the arts.  When will I get a chance to be a part of that kind of experience or to show off what I can do? I heard people say that's my kid, aren't they amazing? I saw girls getting flowers, and it reminded me of what I wanted to do. Just once I would really like the chance to participate in a production like that, and not because I'm an usher or stage crew, I want to be in it. If I wasn't good okay, so don't pick me again, but just that one time I think could make me happy. It's a silly thing to want, but to be in a musical production is one of those things on my top 10 things I want to do list.  And as I am now done with highschool and have already missed a chance in my first year of college, i now only have three chances left. Sorry for seeming so I guess mopy, but it's just what's on my mind. So I guess I am merely waiting for my Red Letter Day...

That's right everyone STINKING YES!!!!!  Guess what i did today?! I packed to leave yeah that's right!!!! Woohoo I am one step closer to being with my family!!!! I can't wait to see everyone, I have been literally not figuratively but literally bouncing off the walls. Infact I have amused quite a few of my dorm hall mates! I am so extatic that I can barely contorl my little self! It is going to be so wonderful just to get away but even better that i actually get to see my family, as you see originally I wasn't going to get to see them at all! So I am so excited it is ridiculous!!!!! Can you tell I'm happy about leaving?!!!!! I feel bad for my sister and brother because every time i see them O'll probably end up hugging the two! I know my sister will probably be sick of me by the end of our time together as  I plan to shadow her like nothing else. Yeah I know you all probably think I am crazy and a nuissance to do that to her, but you know what?! We haven't seen each other in six months and I don't think she will mind seeing me all that much! It should be lots of fun. Late night movies, talking, being plain goofy....It's so gonna be a blast. As for my brother it'll be awesome to see him, of course he is invited to the late night movies. I mean how good would it be with out his funny comments or impersonations??? I have missed them both so much. I was lucky enough to see my parents at fall break and some of my brother, but it will be nice to hang out with both of them again. You see if i haven't mentioned this before they are like my best buds (this isn't excluding my best buds in texas just so you know), also we haven't been together the three of us for alittle over 6 months now! It is gonna be wonderful! Sorry I know I keep saying that but I don't know what I am going to do. If I don't keep busy and find an outlet for my excitement I am absolutely gonna pop!!!! Yeah that's right i will pop!!! Well maybe I willgo try to watch a movie or work on a story because for right now if I kept writing on this blog post you would all become sick with hearing the glories of my siblings...SO for now goodnight sweet dreams and man I stoaked!!!!

As Always,

Leah

So Banquet week is over now which means we start the week and half left to go before Thanksgiving break!!! I find my self getting more and more excited for the break as yes i will be seeing my whole family. My sister who has been in West Virginia as long as I have been here will be with us! I am going to go to lousiville where I will stay with my aunt and uncle until my parents arrive and then we will travel down to West Virginia to see my grandparents and my sister!!! I have missed her so much!!! I was luck enough to see my other family members a few weeks ago so that helped subdue some of my homesickness for them but I have still missed my sister really badly because she is one of my best friends as well as my sibling. She has an amazing personality and always understands me. She knows just what to say to either cheer me up or to just make me laugh for some random reason. I wish that for those of you who read my blog and have never met her, would get the chance to meet her sometime in the future. MY sister has one of the funniest sense of humors I have ever encountered. She doesn't use it all the time like some people so that their humor becomes old or something. She waits for the perfect one liners and then once she hits you with them she hits you hard! There was one time she nailed my brother and it was so funny that even he couldn't be offended by the statement he to just had to laugh! I really do miss her and if for some reason she reads this I hope she knows how much i miss her and love her! But also just because i spoke more about her does not mean that i don't miss my other family members as well. I miss all of my family and hope they know that. I love you all really!!! Sorry if i bored those of you who are not family members to tears.

Okay so quick side note before I leave  I was asked to be in my college and another big university's orchestra (it's a combined orchestra) so that should be fun.

So I think it has been a while since i last updated, and thought you my loyal readers would appreciate an update.  So here it goes...

School is going as well as it can i guess. I'm not failing any of my classes, so that is good. But just because I say i'm not failing please don't instantly jump to the idea that I am only pulling c's and d's. I am doing well at least I think so considering the classes I am taking. Anyway moving on. I enjoy my classes and find many of them interesting. Hmm what else to talk about...

This past week started the week before Banquet. Monday was "girl be nice to guy" day. A group of friends and I took our banquet buddies on a picnic. We had ordered some food from Boston Market and they really seemed to enjoy. We then to the guys to a family's home that teaches here at the school to have a surprise for them. We had spent the night before filling up water balloons with paint and water. We had wanted to take them to paintball, but as we are poor college students we were unable  to do this. But they really seemed to enjoy it which is good. And the balloons worked, they left color markings on you!!!  it was a lot of fun and to say the least we were all really wet except for one of us..lol the one time he got hit it bounced off! Ha ha anyway...afterwards we made icecream and that was an interesting experience in of itself as the icecream had frozen to the side of the machine...

well i need to go for a few seconds but i will update and tell you about the rest of the week once i get back. Talk to you later  

I honestly don't know why i am posting again so soon after the onslaught of posts i did last week i think...just felt like writing i guess. Not that I have anything  of pressing importance to write about...  Who really knows why i write when i do or even why i write what i write about it... In all actuality it is a rather silly things to puts ones life out on a blog..I actually only know of a few people who actually read this anymore, however, I guess it is for those few dedicated readers that I continue to write on it...

As of late, school has consumed my life... All I have time for is studying and I actually find of late I am enjoying it. Yeah I know how could any one person actually enjoy studying? I don't completely understand it but I think it is partly because it is a way to not so much as ignore things that are going on, but rather a way to find peace. It helps me find relief. Although relearning the topic is in of itself interesting. I was telling my mom the other night about Crassus who served on the first triumvirate in Rome and how he died. To say the least she wasn't all to thrilled to hear of Crassus' not to pleasant end. All the same it still is interesting to learn about Rome especially Octavian Caesar, but that is another day another blog.

Also, music still seems to have its wonderful power over me. I'll never understand why it means so much to me, but it just does. At the same time I stil truely believe it has to do with the love for it that my parents instiled in me. Music has been a major comfort through out all my life. And as of late I have found three songs that just for some reason make me smile everytime I listen to them. So to say the least I think my roommate is probably sick of hearing them for how many times i have had them on loop now. Lol ...sorry for the loopy music, roomie!!!  Man I love those songs though.

Now before you all jump to the conclusion that I am horribly depressed, and hate college and feel like i have no friends, please stop before you even start to think that!  I am actually doing very well...Like i said before keeping busy with classes and studying so it is nice. Also my trombone lessons are going well so that is a plus!!! I talk to my sister almost every day and it is nice cause i get to hear all about her doings and runnings about. Well I am afraid this is an very odd place to leave this off at but I must go to bed. I need sleep after all if there is any hope of geting up and being functional tomorrow, well i guess that'd actually be today now...So goodnight and for those of you who may or maynot worry about me...know that for right now I am good and happy....Talk to you all later.

Sweet Dreams

As Always,

Leah

So it's nearly 15 minutes til 3 and sleep is still eluding me. *stick figure shakes fist at personification of sleep* It's rather annoying as I know tomorrow I will be wiped out but i know if I go to bed now, there is a good chance I won't wake up in time for my first class which would be...baaad. - lol maybe some of you didn't get  the reference to that but oh well going on. So what have i been doing seeing as I am staying up so late?? Studying, practicing, working on homework?? The answer to all of these is no... Yup I have been working on my story! By this point i'm sure a fair amount of you my oh so faithful readers have had to pick up your bottom jaws off the floor. Yes, I am up not because I have to study for a test or have a lot of homework, no I am staying up/pulling an all night because my gloriously wonderful brain *please note the sarcasm: i'm honestly not that vain* will not shut down!!!! Yesterday was another one of those days that causes you to think about alot so that might be part of the reason as to why i can't sleep, but it is so annoying!!!! It is not normal to not be able to go to sleep- okay well maybe for insomniacs it is normal to not be able to go to sleep, but i like sleep. Sleep is a good thing cause when you wake up generally speaking you feel better than the night before. So why can't i go to sleep?!!!! OH NO!!! What if I'm turning into an insomniac!!!! okay i just messing with you! I highly doubt that I am turning into an insomniac but it's annoying i can't go to sleep....I'm sure you couldn't tell that it is really bothering me that I can't sleep *please once more note the excess usage of sarcasm*  blah...this really stinks....I want to sleep...try as i might, I just can't sleep....and the poor sheep are even starting to get made at me with how many times they have each had to jump over the fence.....Especially Sheep  # 45 he has jumped over the fence probably 8 times now.....however I did give him a name after the 5th time he jumped over it.....we call him Bob... 

I think it is now time i write my letter of apology to my readers, so please don't run away just yet...I'm horribly sleep deprived and yet I can't go to sleep!! What's worse is I don't understand why ones days events can affect you to the point you don't sleep!!!! that's ridiculous!!! It should not work that way....Once again I apologize for my lack of sleep and sanity...please bear with me and hopefully i should be back to normal tomorrow...or atleast as soon as i get some sleep....I'm gonna either go write more of my story or try to lay down in my bed and hope that a coma takes over at some point....if you go or went to bed i hope you had a good night...so until then sweet dreams to you now and when ever you are able to get the sleep i am lacking and am in desperate need of...

Sweet Dreams

As Always,

Leah

Yeah i know ...you are all probably wondering what i am doing up so early  or what i am doing staying up so late as it is now 1 am. It's just that after I posted (iguess it is yesterday now) lots of stuff happened, that now have me thinking and so i am unable to shut my brain down. 

I'm worried about my friends. It seems that lots of them are going through hard times right now. Some problems cropped up just today with some of them, as for others the problems have been there they just haven't told me until recently. I mean either way what is going to happen is going to happen. I can't change their decisions all I can do is hope that they make the right decisions for themselves. It's just hard to see so many of them going through hard times and they won't let me do anything to help or give advice... I don't want to force my opinion on them I just want to help but it seems right now that is not what they want from me. I will just have to sit back and wait to see what will happen for now. 

In addittion to this, I have my own problems. School, family, and other things seem to consume my every thought now adays. For the first time in ages, I sat down tonight and drew! Just drew, not thinking about family, friends, or school. Just me moving the pencil over th plain white paper. It was rather a relief to just to draw and see what would come out. After all, sometimes ones best work comes out when they aren't even paying attention to what it is that they are doing. For instance if the sculptors of the "Venus de Milo" had been paying attention to their carving they wouldn't have cut off her arms and she wouldn't be nearly as famous. Okay so i am seriously joking on that point but you get my point. Although it isn't a "Venus de Milo" or even a "Mona Lisa" i am still rather proud of what came out. Lately, nothing I have draw has been even remotely close to being similar to the figure of a stick figure. Yes i could not even draw a stick figure correctly! But tonight i just drew and it was a very good thing i think. It helped me to release some of my worry. Although apparently I am still thinking about the problems,cause if I wasn't i would be sleeping peacfully in my bed. However, the abyss that is sleep eludes me still...

So I am going to try and write about something to distract my mind from current worries....

My stories of late have not made much progress, however, i do have to say just the other day. yes, I did, I came up woth yet another idea for a story. I think if I were able to fully develope it that in time it could become a very good story, but for right now as it is just a small shard that is floating somewhere in the depths of my mind I can't say for certain if it will ever get written. Alas, it is a sad thing indeed when an a writer can not write. However, with any luck my muse will eventually find her way back and will gently push her pencil back into my empty hand. So we will just have to wait and see what happens with my stories until then...

Uhm books, well i had a friend suggest a series of books to me so I am working on those, and so far I am rather addcited to the first one, when I find time to read it i find it very hard to just put it back down and get back to my school work. As silly as it is, it's true. However, I try my best to be good and get all of my homework done before I start reading it so that I might have enough time to really sit down and just read it.

I feel I am finally starting to get alittle sleepy...so maybe i'll try to go to bed and see what happens,h opefulyl i won't over sleep and miss aerobics again...wish me luck night all!!!!