ptamom289's Xanga

Vegetarian

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:40:33 GMT

I'm reading Skinny Bitch, which talks all about becoming vegan, because of the horrors and atrocities committed by the meat, dairy, and poultry industries. Although I cannot give up eggs and cheese, as they are a staple of my morning routine, I have decided to become a vegetarian. I have been contemplating it for a while now, and it just seems right. I am bound to lose more weight as a non-meat-eater than I ever was as a meat-eater, and I won't need to eat as much, because the healthy stuff that is a staple of a vegetarian diet will keep me full, longer.

I've been a vegetarian now for almost two days, and I already feel an immense difference. I don't feel the need to eat a lot of food, I don't feel bloated, and I poop more too (just another fringe benefit... regularity). I also don't feel as tired, but that might be because I have also given up caffeine.

In addition to all these changes in my life, I have begun looking for apartments, because I want to be able to move out when I graduate and get a full time job. I have been looking for things that are two bedrooms, because I want to be able to have an office/guest room. I am looking in the downtown area, because I feel a burden to be there, and I also want to teach in Columbus City Schools, if they'll have me. Since I want to live in the city in which I teach, I would need to live in Columbus anyway.

I am excited to get to hear Ajith Fernando tonight. XSI, which happens every summer, is hosting him tonight and Friday night, and he is just so inspirational. I cannot wait to hear what he has to say.

Grad School is kicking my butt, among other things

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:26:58 GMT

I have to say, although I am glad to be in Grad School, and one step closer to becoming a teacher, I also feel like it is kicking my butt. Really, what was I thinking? Three days of classes, two days in field, one day to babysit (and make some good money) and one day to study, plus 10 hours of commute per week, plus at least 10 hours of ministry-related things. Is anyone else really this busy?

Anyway, I have to teach a drama lesson to my field class, but it has to be approved by my teacher before I am allowed to teach it. So, I planned to teach it on Friday, and sent the lesson plan to my teacher Monday afternoon...a full day before she expected it to be sent to her! I still didn't get the lesson plan back with her comments until Wednesday (she actually sent it late on Tuesday night, but I don't read emails that late, generally). By that time, I only had a few hours to get the lesson plan revised and resent to her, and I spent half an hour talking with her online, trying to figure out what exactly she wanted from me. She finally sent back my revised copy late Thursday night, and that was after I went to bed...there was no way that I would be able to get it edited and okayed by her before I taught at 7 AM on Friday. ARGH!

Why is it that teachers assume that all college/grad students go to bed late? Why do they assume that I have nothing better to do than to sit at my computer all day, waiting for their emails?

On a happier note, my lesson on Heaven went really well today. We had a salvation! That makes about 15 salvations in about 2 months, just in children's church alone. That is not including the four from Blue Ribbon or the few that de la Croix have had in 2 months! Praise the LORD for his greatness!

Now, I am procrastinating redoing my lesson plan to incorporate the things we will be doing on Thursday. Yeah, my life is that pathetic.

On a side note, if you are in the Columbus/Central Ohio area and need a photographer for your wedding, please look at Novia Distinctive Photography, my friend Stephanie's company: http://www.noviadistinctivephotography.com/

liebe,
whitney

Wow, it's been so long.

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 18:50:40 GMT

That's the thought that crossed my mind when I re-read the last entry that I wrote. Well, that, and how silly and petty my last entry was.

It seems like God has really been teaching me a lot in the past month or so. First, when I went to New Orleans, He was teaching me about how much I totally don't deserve anything, but how awesome it is to be truly blessed by Him, to do amazing work down there. Then, when I went from having weekly hang outs with my disciple-er to not having weekly hang outs with her, because she feels that I am not being enough of a servant.

Anyway, I have been thinking about what she told me, among other things. I guess I thought that my service at UC and with Aaliya, and with my HC was enough. I thought that I had a very loving relationship with my roommates, Renee and Kayleigh, and my future roommate, Hannah, as well as with Marianne and Lisa. But she is right, in some respects. I often do come to HC with a horrible attitude, or with things on my mind. Most of the time, all I can focus on is how much I wish I hadn't been such a screw up where money is concerned, or how much my back hurts (which it does right now), or anything else that goes through my mind more than God does. After the hang out where Lisa informed me that she is not going to disciple me for a while, I came home, upset, and cried until my jaw hurt. Then, I laid in bed and read until my jaw felt well enough to eat some lunch.

I've come to some realizations. I make excuses. I mean, I knew that before, but I was watching other people make excuses, too, so I didn't think anything extreme of it. Also, I felt that if I was praying for people (which is good, don't get me wrong) then I was serving and loving them, too, and that just because Lisa couldn't see it, didn't mean that it didn't exist. But, I had dramatically lowered how much I had prayed for people, because I was too wrapped up in me.

But now, since we found out on Thursday that we will be a new home church on September 18, I have been trying to figure out what this means for me. I have been thinking about the areas in which I am selfish, and how I can take some practical steps to not be selfish anymore. Since I will be going into a house with five girls with whom I have never been in HC or cell group before, I know that it will be a crucial step to learn to love and serve them, by way of getting to know them. And the guys that will be in my HC, I don't know many, if any, of them, except for the ones coming from Dutch II, so it will be a struggle with my flesh to get to know them all. I also know that being in a house with *potentially* EIGHT girls can be overwhelming, and that is just to start! There could be more moving in as early as December, and as late as next fall.

And with Graduate School approaching, I know that I will have many opportunities to share my faith with people in class, if I don't chicken out like I have in past years. I also aim to find a carpooling buddy. First, so that I can cut down on the amount of gas and mileage put into my car by driving to class (in NEWARK!!!). And second, so that I have a captive audience for up to 2 hours every day. Hey, it worked for Paul!

Lately, I have been listening to "As I Am", the Christian CD by Kristin Chenoweth (she played Galinda/Glinda in the Original Broadway production of Wicked!) in my car. It is such a wonderful CD, and helps put me in the mindset of the things of God. It all seems so simplistic that I never stop to think about how awesome He is, and how He provides for me, but listening to this CD really helps to put things into perspective. The song "Abide In Me" has really spoke to me this week.

Whitney

Tomorrow Breaks Dawn

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:49:50 GMT

Tomorrow night at midnight, Breaking Dawn, the last book in the Twilight series, comes out. Every other fan of the series in the world will be waiting at stores to get this book, and be the first to read it. I, however, will NOT be reading it then, and will instead have to wait until my time on the library list comes up. I am NOT allowed to buy any more books, no matter how good, until I have figured out my finances. It really sucks, not being able to go to the store and buy this book, when I want to, but I have resigned myself to the fact that my own crappy decisions have led me to this point.

Irony of ironies, I am in charge of house finances. Everything from rent and gas to electricity and internet. As well as groceries (milk, light bulbs, cleaning supplies), at least until Kayleigh gets her car fixed and take over groceries. It seems that the Lord works in funny ways, since I live in a ministry house, and this is a task set by the Lord.

Anyway, I just thought I would write a message, no matter how short and not full of stuff, to let the world know that I am still alive.

1. Incredibly busy finishing stuff for school (I graduate on August 24)

2. Trying to find a new job, since this one is a student job.

3. Fretting about how I will come up with the money to put gas in my car and buy groceries, so I have stuff to eat next week.

4. Worried about weight loss goals, and other goals, that might be jeopardized when Grad. school starts in September! Must take steps to keep that from happening.

5. I will be at Alumni Night. I hope other people from my year will be, too.

6. I am reading a really good book. It is called Lady of the Forest, by Jennifer Roberson, and it basically weaves all the Robin Hood tales together into one cohesive and believable story. I am not too far into the book, but I think that it is very amazing, so far. This book makes me want to watch "The Princess of Thieves" really badly. Maybe I will go to my parents on Sunday and watch it. Maybe.

7. I really, REALLY, want to eat Edamame! Someone make it for me, please!

8. My roommate, Kayleigh, is now dating my other roommate's (Renee) brother, Kyle. I'm so excited.

9. Even though I graduate on August 24, my boss just told me that I will be able to work through the 24 of September (the last day before my fall quarter officially starts) even though I will not be able to work for the first 2 weeks of September. This just means that I will get an extra 3 weeks of work out of my student job.

10.Oh, and I finally got a new desk chair, so no more dragging weird armchair that I bought at the thrift store for $13 across the floor whenever I need to sit down or stand up.

No more for now. Leave me a message.

Whitney

Totally Cliche, but...OMG!

Thu, 01 May 2008 18:41:06 GMT

ok. So, I know that it is totally cliche, a Harry Potter fan loving Twilight, but, seriously, OMG, this book is soooo good. I can't wait to get the next books in the mail, and 'til the fourth one comes out in August! They are so amazing.

Alright, I have been a gushing fan girl long enough.

Twilight, written by Stephanie Meyer, is the story of Isabella Swan, a girl who grew up with her mother in Phoenix, but is moving in with her dad in Forks, Washington. Her mother, who is kind of scatter-brained, recently got remarried to a professional baseball player, Phil, and wants to be able to go on the road with him. Her father, Police Chief Charlie Swan, is basically married to his work, and loves fishing with his friend Billy Black, who lives on the nearby reservation. Bella leaves her posh high school and advanced classes in Phoenix and travels to live with her dad in Forks, so that her mother can travel with Phil and not feel guilty about leaving her daughter behind. Bella is determined to hate everything about Forks, especially that it rains all the time, and is overcast more days out of the year than any other place in the US.

She becomes intrigued by a beautiful boy in her Chemistry class, Edward Cullen, but it seems that he will have nothing to do with her. She can't quite figure out why Edward Cullen won't talk to her or even look at her, which makes being his lab partner very difficult, but why he risks his life to save a car from hitting her in their school parking lot. Little does she know that this is just the first in a series of things that she does not know about him. When finally Edward stops ignoring her, Bella is shocked to discover a secret about Edward and the Cullens that will change how she looks at them, and her future.

I absolutely loved this book. At first, I was a little skeptical to read it, because, even though I had been hearing about it from Harry Potter readers, I wasn't sure if 1) it was as good as they said, and 2) I wanted to get drawn in to another series. However, if my sister recommends a book to me, I generally try it, because I value her opinion when it comes to certain things - books, movies, CDs, musicals, etc - and her opinion is usually reliable about these things. So, I read the first book in the series (Twilight), and since then, have actually gone to Amazon and ordered all three books that are out. I am currently waiting (im)patiently for the second book (New Moon) to arrive, because I am anxious to find out what happens next, not that I haven't already read summaries and excerpts online already. Anyway, I am not a snob when it comes to books. I don't care that the series is found in the "Teen Section" of the public library, because it is very good. I think this attitude has come from my determination to promote reading of all kinds of books in whatever classroom I end up teaching. Because they are young adult literature, they are a quick read. My only regret with the series is that I could not get the second and third books in paperback, and that I had to get hardcover. But, really, that is hardly a complaint for a serious bibliophile, like me.

I am now super excited to see the movie, to see how they play up the characters, and the Cullen family. And, Robbie Pattinson, who plays Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter movies, plays Edward Cullen. Yay!

I shall put the link for Amazon up on the side, so you can purchase one or two or three of these delightful pieces of literature.

I think the next entry that I write will include exciting details of the New Orleans relief trip that I am taking this June, but I don't know if I am going to get lots of details pre-trip, other than that we are leaving June 8. Whatev. I'll see what I can do.

Whitney

PTAmom's Xanga

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:01:40 GMT

Top Ten Thoughts (of March 26)

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:15:34 GMT

1. I had a meeting with my advisor today. I made sure everything was in order for graduation, which it is. Then, I applied for graduation in August. (Aug. 24 - party details to come)

2. I am taking a Shakespeare class and have to read the first two acts of Titus Andronicus for class tomorrow. The play is very gory, but the Elizabethan audiences loved it!

3. Renee's boyfriend bought her roses in a pot, and as soon as he brought them in, Magnolia started going crazy! She ate part of a leaf today!

4. I had two classes cancelled today (it is only the first week), because all the education professors are at a conference in New York. Crazy!

5. A friend of mine from high school (we used to be in cell group together in high school) passed me on the street this afternoon, and she didn't even notice me or say hi.

6. I have worked out two days in a row. Yay for me! Boo for J.O. South being very full on Tuesday evenings after work!

7. Magnolia drank water from the toilet. I told her she wasn't allowed to do that, because even though we call her "puppy" she isn't one.

8. I have 8 classes - 2 GECs, 2 major, 2 minor, and 2 pre-reqs for Grad school - left. I also have 2 quarters left in undergrad, and less than 2 total years left in college.

9. I re-realized how much I love my kitchen! I love the two new girls who are moving in this summer! I can't wait! As much as I would love to have a house of 6, I would really love to stay where we are next fall.

And last but not least...

10. I didn't have to wear a coat today!

Jumpy, Talking a Mile a Minute, Excited

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:32:01 GMT

Are the feelings described in the title of this entry due to the massive amounts of caffiene that I have had today? Or, could the possibly be due to the fact that I GOT INTO GRADUATE SCHOOL!? My mom called me this morning when I was cleaning off my car, and she left me a message saying that I need to get online to check my app. status (which is a really neat feature for students applying to graduate school at OSU...but, I digress). I was nervous. I thought it could be good, I got in, or bad, I didn't get in, or it could just be that Mom was just trying to remind me to check it every once and a while. So, when I got back from the library, I went online and checked my App Status, and sure enough, I got into Grad School.

Anyway, I have decided that one of my favorite short stories is "The Offshore Pirate" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. A young "flapper" in the 1920's goes on a yacht trip with her uncle, because he promises to take her to Palm Beach, where she will meet up with her fiance. He makes a pit stop along the way, telling her he wants to introduce her to the son of a friend, Toby something or other. Arlita, the girl, refuses to go ashore until she gets to Palm Beach, where her love is waiting for her. Soon after her uncle goes ashore, Arlita hears a group of men singing in the distance. She rushes to the side of the yahct to see a row boat approaching. On board the row boat are seven black men and one white man. The black men are singing, and the white man is directing them. They decide to pirate the yacht, and come aboard. Arlita is upset, but refuses to get off the yacht, even when they take it to sea. The white man, Carlisle, tells her his story, that he grew up poor, with only black friends, and that he and the black men were singers, and that they had robbed a hotel where they had been singing, and that they were now on the run. They sail to an island and anchor in a cove up a stream, and hang out there for several days. They fall in love. One night, they notice that a ship has followed them, and they hide out over night. The next day, the ship catches up to them, and Arlita's uncle and some other man climb aboard the yacht, to rescue the yacht and Arlita from this pirate. Arlita, in an act of defiance, kisses Carlisle, and then leaves the three men on deck. Then - actually, I shouldn't tell you what happens then, because it would ruin it for you. Everyone should go out and read this story. I actually downloaded it as a podcast from iTunes (The Classic Tales Podcast).

I also love that I get to read Les Miserables for a school paper, but not the fact that I have to read it and write the paper by Monday morning (I also have to study for an exam that is Monday at 9:30!) Then there's an exam Tuesday at 5:30, and an exam Wednesday at 3:30. When Spring Break finally does come around, I am going to have earned it.

Whitney

HAPPY LEAP DAY!!!!!!!

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:50:36 GMT

I know barely anyone reads or comments on this thing any more, and that's ok. This blog is really just for me, anyway. But, to those of you who DO take the time to read and/or post on this thing, I hope your leap day is happy!

I love that we actually have one extra day this year to get stuff done. For me, it includes getting a few extra hours in at work, because I had to skip work on Monday, due to the suckiness of having an exam at 5:30PM on a Monday! Soon, I will be heading home (after Ernie picks me up from work) and cleaning the bathroom, hallway, and stairs for "cell group" tonight. I put it in quotation marks because Hilary, my roommate, doesn't know that because it should be her last cell group, we are taking her out for sushi at Aki Hana. YUM! I am super excited. Then, there is supposed to be a concert by "Techno Nick" Meyer at ShiSha, but since that is a Hookah bar, I don't know how long I will stay. If the air is too smoky, Christine and I might leave early.

More later,

Liebe,

Whitney

The Daughter of Time

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:28:03 GMT

For History class this quarter, I was required to read the book TheDaughter of Time, by Josephine Tey, which is an excellent mysterynovel. The book takes place in London, and introduces Alan Grant, ofthe Scotland Yard, who is recovering from a broken leg. He must spendseveral days in the hospital recovering, and gets bored tracing mapsalong the cracks in the ceiling. A good friend, who knows of hisobsession with peoples' faces, brings him a bunch of pictures to lookat. When he comes across one that he does not recognize, he isintrigued. The picture looks like a man who has suffered a lot. Thecaption on the back, however, tells him that it is Richard III, theking of England who is infamous for killing his nephews in order tolegitimize his claim on the throne. Grant sees this as an opportunityto do something other than stare at a wall, and leaps at the chance topotentially clear Richard III's name for all time. He enlists some helpfrom his visitors, as well as a researcher at the Bristish Museum, whohelp him put the pieces together.

Although this book was read for school, I think I would have read itanyway, because it is so enjoyable. I have even recommended it to twoof my guys, who are interested in books and Richard III. Anyway, thisbook is written in a format that is easy to understand. It even has apage where the characters lay out all the information that we know in anifty chart (and you know how much I love charts!). At the end of thenovel Josephine Tey leaves you with enough evidence to convinceyourself of what she believes is the truth. This book causes you tolook at things like bias, and see how that plays into how history iswritten.