adjectives on the typewriter...

Why I am a packrat

Emily — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:17:00 +0000

So, I have this annoying habit where I never get rid of anything. I have pretty much every homework assignment and test from every class I've taken at OU, and some from high school. I'm trying to get rid of stuff, really. A couple weeks ago, I found a copy of my high school transcript and random pictures from magazines that I had cut out for a project in 10th grade and then never used. I threw away the pictures but kept the transcript. Really, it's amazing that there's not more stuff in my room than there is.

Anyway...my OU email finally got moved over to exchange. I've never used an email client program before, basically because I refused to use Outlook. However, now that I have a mac and now that I'm not on the old OU email, I decided to use Mail. Well, in the process of moving emails around and sorting them, I deleted quite a few things, including my "sent mail" folder which included 4.5 years of sent mail. This was less than a week ago and I have since wanted 2 things specifically that I normally wouldn't have deleted, but did, without thinking, in an effort to get rid of excess "stuff". I now feel completely justified for never deleting anything else, because you really never do know when you might need something from years ago.

For Andrea

Emily — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 04:48:00 +0000

Dear Andrea,
I dedicate this template to you and our mutual love of SIN.
That is all.
Sincerely,
Emily

p.s. if you'll notice the ad on the side for Traditions Square it says it's coming August 2005. I definitely started to make this template over 2 years ago. Wow. At least I finish what I start...sometimes.

A Tribute to Kitchen Comments

Emily — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 20:29:00 +0000

So, as previously stated, I've been going through old papers, stuff, etc. and I came across this gem of a Kitchen Comment. I'm pretty sure Andrea wrote this one:

Dear Dave - Do mine eyes deceive me? An under construction sign on the Cate pizza place? Oh joys! I am delighted to see that you are demolishing the abomination and returning our beloved c-store with its variety, convenience, fresh produce, convenience, cheap coffee, convenience, slushies, convenience, and ice cream! I'm glad food services realized that even the charm of the tuscan-esque fountain could not mask the essential grossness of the fare at the Crimson Crust nor the prison-like restrictiveness of the place with it's no carry-out policy. Charming though orange sponge-painted walls may be, they are no substitute for the walls of pre-packaged (and CONVENIENT!) delights at the c-store. I'm simply giddy to know that instead of pouring more money into the hopeless cause of improving that little wannabe-Italian hell hole, you've made the wise to decision to backtrack while you're still ahead and just do away with it. You're well rid of it, my good man. - Cheap coffee lover p.s. This online form is rubbish. it doesn't even give me an option to select crimson crust. Or perhaps you're erasing all traces, eh? Very wise.

I think it's time to get on with life. The Cate C-Store is no more, the Crimson Crust will remain and hopefully we can get the renovations completed so we will be able to offer you a bigger variety of pizza and pasta.

Ah, dorm life. I miss you just a smidge. Actually, I just miss my meal plan, that's all.

Semester 9

Emily — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 06:06:00 +0000

Yet another interesting semester has passed, my 9th one at OU, but my first as a grad student. The transition to grad school was a little tough, but, as with everything, it was fine once I adjusted. Not living on campus was a pretty huge change for me, but a good one. Here are some of my memories from this semester.

Andrea DenHoed, Rhodes Scholar (my reaction: "are you serious? no, really?")
Having a degree!
Having a house!
Having a car!
The desk project (you guys should really visit university surplus)
Trying to decorate my house
Another Thanksgiving in Norman with Matt + Die Hard (when I really should have been writing a paper instead)
River Church
Community Group
Happy Hour and Slushies at Classic 50s
Bugging Holly almost every day
Nickel Creek concert in Dallas (+ walking around with St. Francis)
Tuesday lunch at the 2:8 House
Not losing power during the ice storm
Having Tuesday lunch at our house on Monday of finals week and a "study party" there too
More Tootsie Rolls
Candy Canes + power series
Mooching my first meals at the caf from freshmen and RAs
Really trying research for the first time
Still hating research for the 3rd time
The customary two weeks of crying that seem to come in the middle of every semester
Physics....
Not getting a "C" in physics this semester
Pretending like I didn't have semester-long research papers to do for the first two-thirds of the semester and not doing homework every night of the week
Having people from Project visit
Having friends that aren't college students!
Lots of procrastination by cleaning
Rearranging the kitchen cabinets for Katie
Emails from Dr. Morrison at weird times in the morning
Having a life that didn't just involve school
Roadtrip to Boulder, CO
Watching shows like "America's Next Top Model" and "Beauty and the Geek" with Holly, Rita, and Cindy
Studying at the honors dorm...and then getting to leave because I don't live there
Watching The Office...and then a movie with Jon and Mike every Thursday
The occasional walkies
Giving people advice for grad school
Playing Bang!

As always, additions to the list are welcome.

National Merit Essay

Emily — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 19:57:00 +0000

So, I'm going through old files on my computer to clean stuff up and I found this gem. This is the closing paragraph of my National Merit Essay, last revised September 16, 2002. I had a really great plan for my life:

Next year I plan to study the Classics and Business Management at college. Hopefully my high school experiences with clerical and organizational responsibilities will have prepared me for my course of study. During my undergraduate years I hope to spend a semester or two abroad in Australia. After graduating, I plan to go to law school and eventually practice in the area of estate planning.

Funny, I didn't do a single thing I wanted to do, nor do I really plan on it...

Die Hard

Emily — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:09:00 +0000

"It seemed like a good idea at the time"
-Bruce Willis, Live Free or Die Hard

What a great response to what happened.

papers

Emily — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 21:25:00 +0000

Rule of Thumb: if you have a paper to write, never, NEVER, start watching the first movie in a trilogy that you haven't seen during the weekend before your paper is due.

blog-o-sphere

Emily — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 02:46:00 +0000

I endorse this blog: http://www.naomi-lynn.blogspot.com/

Yay!

Physics

Emily — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 23:35:00 +0000

Physics made me cry today. Stink.

Be With You

Emily — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 19:29:00 +0000

You know, I've discovered a lot of music in the past few years that I really love, but somehow, I always come back to Rich Mullins. I keep rediscovering the music I loved as a child, but now I understand it a lot more than I used to.

Be With You

Everybody each and all
We're gonna die eventually
It's no more or less our faults
Than it is our destiny
So now Lord I come to you
Asking only for Your grace
You know what I've put myself through
All those empty dreams I chased

And when my body lies in the ruins
Of the lies that nearly ruined me
Will You pick up the pieces
That were pure and true
And breathe Your life into them
And set them free?

And when You start this world over
Again from scratch
Will You make me anew
Out of the stuff that lasts?
Stuff that's purer than gold is
And clearer than glass could ever be
Can I be with You?
Can I be with You?

And everybody all and each
From the day that we are born
We have to learn to walk beneath
Those mercies by which we're drawn
And now we wrestle in the dark
With these angels that we can't see
We will move on although with scars
Oh Lord, move inside of me

And when my body lies in the ruins
Of the lies that nearly runied me
Will You pick up the pieces
That were pure and true
And breathe Your life into them
And set them free?

And when You blast this cosmos
To kingdom come
When those jagged-edged mountains
I love are gone
When the sky is crossed with the tears
Of a thousand falling suns
As they crash into the sea
Can I be with you?
Can I be with you?

faith

Emily — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:52:00 +0000

Remember when I used to write in this blog? Yeah, me too.

I'm not going to write much because I need to study, but let's just say that this semester has been really, really rough so far. It's going to get better, I know, but right now I just don't want to deal with this. So much change. I kind of feel like my foundations have been shaken and I'm searching for some solid ground. I'm going to keep walking by faith and trusting in His goodness.

Isaiah 55:8-9
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

That's something I need to meditate on some more.

Gifts and Curses

Emily — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 04:52:00 +0000

I think blogs have gone out of style. Oh well, that means it's okay if I never update mine.

I think I watched about 4 hours of the office today with my whole family. Sweet!

I will be returning to Norman in less than one week. I will have a house, a car, and I will be in grad school. Things will be the same, but different.

Semester 8

Emily — Sun, 27 May 2007 01:49:00 +0000

Wow, what a great year. I can't believe I've graduated already. Here's what I'll remember about my last semester.

2nd Annual 80s French toast at Fenway. The side ponytails were awesome.
Tootsie Rolls. And Tootsie Roll wrappers. A lot of both. Probably well over 3000.
Andrea's Day of Beauty, aka the Miss OU pageant. An enlightening experience.
Spandex!
Discovering the duck pond
Valentine's MT
Quantum...
The general grad school crisis
The month long cry-a-thon in February/March due to Vanderbilt calling me about a potential fellowship
The 48-hour visit to Nashville complete with delayed flight.
Vanderbilt rejecting me
Naomi's visit: snowcones, the duck pond, and getting soaked in the rain on the way to Andrea's
Purdue visit with my mom
The great flood of '07 in Norman
Glorieta
The Game
The most excellent Chris Valentine's prank (Just Married...)
Amy Grosser visiting
Easter in Mustang
The awesome electronic waterguns from Danny's mom and the attacks that promptly followed on all those studying in the classroom and Chris and Mike and Chris...and Chris
Passing the waterguns on to other people to squirt Chris.
The most boring semester of classes ever.
Getting mistaken for an RA again.
Watching The Office. A lot.
Study Party Bingo.
Rain just about every day for the last two or three weeks of school.
The Wasielewski family randomly sitting behind the Weisbrook family at commencement.
Dr. Fagan bossing us around (loudly) at graduation.

There may be more, but not tonight. I'm going to sleep and then I'm going to Chicago tomorrow.

another lame post

Emily — Tue, 22 May 2007 01:10:00 +0000

For anyone who cares, here is a picture of my new (used) car:

Also, I would really like to read this book. In case you were wondering.

on being home...

Emily — Fri, 18 May 2007 22:07:00 +0000

Church cookbooks are the best. Period. I think everyone needs a standard Betty Crocker or the Joy of Cooking cookbook to get the full gamut of recipes. But after that, church ladies make the best food and therefore, the best recipes and, collected, the best cookbooks.

I also have acquired a car. It is neat. I'm happy. It's a Honda. That means it shouldn't die on me. :)

I'm basically doing a whole lot of nothing while I'm home. This is good. This is also bad. Now that car shopping is over, I'll be doing even more nothing. Unless I actually start cleaning up my room. Motivation is sadly lacking...

My sister is bored a lot recently too. So we hang out sometimes.

Also, my quantum grade was not very nice to me this semester. Oh well. I'm a grad school student now, so it doesn't matter.

That is all. Except that The Office is awesome.

Cali

Emily — Wed, 16 May 2007 05:30:00 +0000

I want to go to California. Seriously.

Wrapping things up...

Emily — Sat, 05 May 2007 05:43:00 +0000

I graduate in one week. That's absolutely crazy. My four years of college here are kind of a fuzzy blur, but I have many dear, amazing memories from this place. God knew what He was doing when He brought me here. And I'm pretty sure He knows what He's doing by keeping me here, even if it occasionally seems like the dumbest idea in the world.

So, I can't sleep. I'm terribly sleep-deprived, but I laid in bed for an hour and a half to know avail. So, I got up and read for a bit. I'm going to make another attempt after I finish writing this. These past two weeks have been crazy. I spent 40 hours two weeks ago working on my capstone project/report. Our presentation was last Monday though, so that's completely over. Thank goodness. As is my extra credit paper for numerical methods. I think I overcomplicated that paper a bit. Oh well, that tends to be my typical approach.

This summer is sneaking up on me. People keep asking if I'm excited about Chicago. The answer is "yes", except that I haven't really thought about it much. I'm just trying to survive the next week. Then I can graduate in peace and go home and start thinking about summer.

There's a few unknowns for the fall too. I still don't quite have a place to live. Neither does Katie though. There are two or three potential houses, so that's a step at least. A car for the summer/fall would also be nice too. Hopefully that will work out. Again, something that will hit the radar after graduation.

Life is going well, though, in all honesty. It's been a rough couple of weeks, but I'm getting through. God is faithful . I will make it.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

-Emily

capstone

Emily — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 17:51:00 +0000

Capstone report: 61 pages and counting. It's due at 5. This should be fun.

school

Emily — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 23:40:00 +0000

Remember when I used to write in this thing on a regular basis? Wow.

Well, I'm ready to graduate. And by that, I mean "I'm ready to be done with capstone" and quantum, and thermo, and numerical methods....

I got a 29% on my quantum test today. I hit the average. Awesome.

Grad school decision = OU
Advisor = Dr. McCann

Currently Listening: Indelible Grace
Currently Reading: if only I had time for that...

Purdue

Emily — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 04:30:00 +0000

Purdue is a lovely place. Definitely a college town.

My mom and I got pizza tonight and there were Tootsie Rolls in the box with it :)

I wish I wasn't working on my capstone right now :(

March 14 = Wednesday

Emily — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:45:00 +0000

I'm exhausted and I'm tired of crying every day. Actually, the two are probably connected...

Why do legal pads seem to not count if they're not yellow?

It's been a Copeland week, so my iPod is coming to Nashville with me.

Okay, back to packing.

Spring

Emily — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 01:51:00 +0000

Oklahoma is turning beautiful again. :)

I fly to Nashville tomorrow to visit Vanderbilt. I'm meeting with 12 different professors for about 30 minutes each. I'm scared.

Emily — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 00:20:00 +0000

test

Template

Emily — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 20:36:00 +0000

New template. I didn't make and therefore don't completely like it. I'll either revise it or scrap it entirely soon. We'll see.

Also, Blogger is very confused and doesn't know if I should be seeing the old features or the new features.

More decisions...

Emily — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 04:27:00 +0000

This cartoon is awesome, but only like one of you will get it.

Why is it that right after you make a decision a bunch of great alternatives come your way? Right now a lot of places besides OU sound really great for post-graduation. IBM sounds good, either for summer or as a job. Purdue I could really take or leave, but they accepted me and offered me a TA position. Vanderbilt, on the other hand, called me this week twice about my application that I never finished online and didn't submit, but they want to talk to me. Too bad Tennessee sounds like a great place to live and the program sounds interesting. But you know what, I made my decision and I made it for a reason and those reasons haven't changed. I just need to trust God that I am making the best decision and keep going. *sigh* I really do have a hard time making decisions. Also, a prof at OU that I loved having for class but is apparently hard to work for doing research apparently wants to talk with me and a friend about doing research with him. Wow. I think I really do have a lot of options right now; aka, more decisions.