[Small]

Disappearing acts are funny for the first 20 minutes, but then....

[Pre-Ex-Girlfriend]

Sorry about the leave of absence. I don't have a good excuse.

Originally Posted by Small

Is he the person that you and Skeeter-Dan were making fliers for, or rather, fliers celebrating his return with a party at a coffee-shop?

Yes, except it wasn't so much a coffee shop as it was the cafeteria here on campus that is open late at night. I can understand why you thought that, though. We call it the "lower caf" (it is below the space where the main cafeteria used to be). They do serve coffee, but it definitely does not have the feel of your typical coffee shop. (It's a tad more sketchy here.)

My brother's had more than one 8 AM class. He's never happy about it. Actually, wouldn't Mass Communications and Public Speaking overlap a little bit?

Well, I don't really know. My guess is that plain old "intro to communications" (minus the "mass") would overlap more with public speaking, but I can't really say. You could ask Skeeter, he's taken them both.

I've actually had two 8am classes myself here at TWU. The first time it worked out fine because I was driving a carpool, so I couldn't be late. The second time... not so much. I missed about half the classes due to sleeping in. I did make it to the final, but that was only because I stayed up all night (mostly) studying in the lower caf.

[Pre-Ex-Girlfriend]

Originally Posted by bread man

Uni sounds like fun...

Huh?

Oh, is that short for 'university'?

[Pre-Ex-Girlfriend]

Right now I am sitting just inside the back door to the TWUSA office. (TWUSA = Trinity Western University Student Association. i.e. Student Council) Outside the door are about 30 American guys who want to play in the our school's annual Can-Am hockey game. It is my job to plan this event this year. It's a tradition that started by having the Ontario girls and California boys battle it out on the ice, but has evolved to simply Canadian girls vs. American guys. The guys had won for about 5 -8 years straight until last year when somehow it ended up that the none of the guys could even skate. For example, our friend Sammy was the team captain. Had he ever played hockey before that game? No.

Last year the girls actually had try outs instead of the usual "first 20 guys and first 20 girls to sign up will play". This year we are back to no try outs. Sign ups actually start tomorrow at 9:00 am, but there have been guys lined up outside since 11:00am today. They've pitched tents and are staying all night.

As you may have gathered, people tend to take this event pretty seriously, so I am kind of nervous about it. Already some people have been kind of upset by some of the decisions (changes) I have made, but for the most part I am sticking with tradition. As long as everyone has fun...

[Small]

I've actually had two 8am classes myself here at TWU. The first time it worked out fine because I was driving a carpool, so I couldn't be late. The second time... not so much. I missed about half the classes due to sleeping in. I did make it to the final, but that was only because I stayed up all night (mostly) studying in the lower caf.

So basically the lower caf is like Mecca? The center of the universe.

Right now I am sitting just inside the back door to the TWUSA office. (TWUSA = Trinity Western University Student Association. i.e. Student Council) Outside the door are about 30 American guys who want to play in the our school's annual Can-Am hockey game. It is my job to plan this event this year. It's a tradition that started by having the Ontario girls and California boys battle it out on the ice, but has evolved to simply Canadian girls vs. American guys. The guys had won for about 5 -8 years straight until last year when somehow it ended up that the none of the guys could even skate. For example, our friend Sammy was the team captain. Had he ever played hockey before that game? No.

Last year the girls actually had try outs instead of the usual "first 20 guys and first 20 girls to sign up will play". This year we are back to no try outs. Sign ups actually start tomorrow at 9:00 am, but there have been guys lined up outside since 11:00am today. They've pitched tents and are staying all night.

As you may have gathered, people tend to take this event pretty seriously, so I am kind of nervous about it. Already some people have been kind of upset by some of the decisions (changes) I have made, but for the most part I am sticking with tradition. As long as everyone has fun...

Nice. So now I am consumed with the desire to attend Trinity Western University for no other reason then to camp out and sign up to play hockey against Canadian ladies. Obviously, that probably won't ever happen, and I'll be doomed to wistfulness for the rest of my life.

Thanks.

[bread man]

Rachael, I watched Sleater-Kinney today. My jaw was dropped the whole time, they're easily the best band I've seen live. Corrin and Carrie were so nice to the crowd and Janet was a total badass playing two instruments at once in 'Rollercoaster'. Corin is so cute when she smiles and jumps around.

[Pre-Ex-Girlfriend]

Originally Posted by Small

So basically the lower caf is like Mecca? The center of the universe.

Ha! That's not far from true, provided it's between the hours of 9pm-2am. The lower caf is, after all, where Skeeter first kissed me.
+ =
I never really use the smilies, but I felt it was appropriately cheezy.

Nice. So now I am consumed with the desire to attend Trinity Western University for no other reason then to camp out and sign up to play hockey against Canadian ladies. Obviously, that probably won't ever happen, and I'll be doomed to wistfulness for the rest of my life.

Thanks.

You are most welcome. Wistful is not a bad way to be.

[Pre-Ex-Girlfriend]

Originally Posted by bread man

Rachael, I watched Sleater-Kinney today. My jaw was dropped the whole time, they're easily the best band I've seen live. Corrin and Carrie were so nice to the crowd and Janet was a total badass playing two instruments at once in 'Rollercoaster'. Corin is so cute when she smiles and jumps around.

*whatever envy sounds like*

I'm totally too short to have seen Janet playing one instrument, let alone two. (Ok, I'm not that short. I'm a rather average height; I just always have tall people in front of me.) They do have a good vibe about their shows. Incidentally, so does Saves The Day. Corin is cute, but I can't help but think that you say that simply because she is the only straight one in the band.

Hey, was I right? Was their last song of the night 'Sympathy'?

[Pre-Ex-Girlfriend]

The teams for the Can-Am Game are filled. The guys' team was filled by 3pm the day before sign ups, and the girls' was filled 10 minutes after sign ups started. Almost all the guys can acutually skate this year, so that's a good sign. My friend Jules' is playing for the women, and her/my friend Safety Dave is playing for the guys. He is gonna kill her. It's true; he said so himself.

To do list:
1. Find first aid people for Can-Am Game

Church this morning was pleasant. Lately, singing worship with crowds has caused me to cry uncontrollable, but not today. I think this is a good thing because before it would just make me wonder, "Why the hell am I crying right now?!" So I enjoyed worship this morning because I wasn't distracted by my unexplainable tears and trying to keep them from flowing.

My mom and I chatted on the phone this afternoon and I was reminded that I need to pay my car insurance by the end of the week. That reminded me that I need to finish applying for a student loan. *groan* She also told me that my friend Jamie is engaged. I swear! At least every other week she is telling me that some one from my church or high school is getting married! And half the time I didn't even know the person was even dating some one!

Tomorrow is exciting for two reasons... No, three!
1. It's election day in Canada. I'll be going to my RD's apartment to watch the news coverage. I don't care about who wins so much as how the whole thing is covered by the news. It's amazing how much news changes depending on the channel.

2. Daniel and I are going to start taking swing lessons tomorrow. Every Monday this semester (or half semester... I guess we haven't decided that) for an hour. It should be fun. I've never taken actual lessons, but like two weeks ago a friend showed me some moves in the lower caf (of course!) and I had tons of fun. And Daniel is quite good at it already due to his having actually gone swing dancing quite a bit before. But who knows how good the two of us will be together!

3. I get to give my first speech in public speaking class tomorrow. The subject matter: me. I have to talk about myself for 3-4 minutes. You think that would be easy, but I still don't know what I'm going to say. There's just too much to tell!

[bread man]

Originally Posted by Emo_Rachael

*whatever envy sounds like*

I'm totally too short to have seen Janet playing one instrument, let alone two.

I was right up the front, about 4 metres away from Corin.

(Ok, I'm not that short. I'm a rather average height; I just always have tall people in front of me.)

I'm probably one of them.

/is 6' 4"

Corin is cute, but I can't help but think that you say that simply because she is the only straight one in the band.

No no no. She's the only one who doesn't look like she has smoked too many cigarettes. Plus she has a very marginally cooler voice. Carrie and Janet are much more badass, and you can't be cute and badass at the same time.

Was their last song of the night 'Sympathy'?

Nah, it was 'Let's Call It Love'. I actually don't remember them doing anything that wasn't from The Woods. Stupid festival only giving them a 45 minute set.

[Small]

Originally Posted by Rachael

3. I get to give my first speech in public speaking class tomorrow. The subject matter: me. I have to talk about myself for 3-4 minutes. You think that would be easy, but I still don't know what I'm going to say. There's just too much to tell!

You could of course condense your introductory posts on here and then add to the immense aura of greatness surrounding CGR by saying that it helped you get a good grade.
Seeing as this was a couple days ago, I hope it went well.

[Pre-Ex-Girlfriend]

Originally Posted by bread man

I was right up the front, about 4 metres away from Corin.

metres, huh? i've heard of those...

I'm probably one of them.

/is 6' 4"

yes. yes you are.

No no no. She's the only one who doesn't look like she has smoked too many cigarettes. Plus she has a very marginally cooler voice. Carrie and Janet are much more badass, and you can't be cute and badass at the same time.

that is very true. i guess i just like badasses.

Nah, it was 'Let's Call It Love'. I actually don't remember them doing anything that wasn't from The Woods. Stupid festival only giving them a 45 minute set.

i've heard that they often just play 'The Woods' straight through as their entire set. not the times i saw them, though. oh well. i do agree with you, though that they are one of those bands that sounds 10 times better live than on their cd. not that they aren't amazing recorded...

[Pre-Ex-Girlfriend]

Originally Posted by Small

You could of course condense your introductory posts on here and then add to the immense aura of greatness surrounding CGR by saying that it helped you get a good grade.
Seeing as this was a couple days ago, I hope it went well.

I actually thought of that (minus the whole CGR getting me a good grade thing because I was actually going to use my livejournal), but I ended up going with what was easy. Just for fun, here is my [speech]:

My name is Rachael Elizabeth Barksdale. My dad had that name picked out for me long before I was born -- in fact, before he was even married. He liked the name, Rachael Elizabeth, but he also liked that the initials spell 'REB', as in 'rebel'. He was from Virginia and was also a bit of a Civil War buff.

Now I know some of you are probably thinking, well, won't that all change when you get married? But don't worry, my parents also thought of this. That's why they gave me a second middle name -- 'Birchall'. Now I know you are wondering, 'What in the heck is Birchall?' It's my grandma's maiden name. So, my name is Rachael Elizabeth Birchall Barksdale, and I will always be 'REBB' -- always a rebel.

Actually, although I like to wear black and have this funky haircut, I've never really been much of a rebel. And, although I love Jesus and grew up as pator's kid, I have also never been much of an evangelist. It's probably because the one time I mustered up enough courage to tell two complete strangers about Jesus and the gospel, it ended horrifically -- and, turned out to be my most embarrassing story.

My senior year of high school (grade 12) I went to a Christian youth conference in Portland, Oregon. We stayed in two hotels where there were also a number of young men who were waiting to fly out to go to various boot camps -- they were military men. Between meetings at my conference, I kept bumping into two of them -- Mike and Zach. I talked to them as much as possible, trying every time to include Jesus somehow, but the conversation never really got very far.

Then one day I saw them eating at the restaurant in the lobby, so I walked up to their table and began conversation (again). I found out that Mike was going to be flying out for boot camp the next day. In my head I thought, "Oh no! This is my last chance!" Outwardly I put on a sad face and said, "Oh, how sad... I'll never see you again." Zach chimed in and said, "Well, you could write him." Of course he said w-r-i-t-e, as in write a letter, but unfortunately, because we were in a hotel and these were Marines, I heard r-i-d-e, "you can ride him".

Trying to hide my embarrassment, my response was the same as any young pastor's daughter's would be, "No thanks, I'm saving myself for marriage."

They tried to hide their awkward laughter and Zach said, "You can't write to him because you are saving yourself for marriage?!" Realizing my mistake, I instantly turned red from head to toe and fled -- speed walking until I was out of sight, and then I'm pretty sure I ran. Needless to say, I never got another chance to tell Mike and Zach about Jesus.

From then on I decided I would take a more relational approach to evangelism. Now I prefer to invest in people -- step into their world and take the time to understand where they are coming from and what they believe. Then I can share what I believe in an environment of trust.

Also, ever since that day, I have neve been afraid to ask, "What did you just say?"
[/speech]

It went rather well. The prof found my story 'interesing' and said he was going to have to tell it to his wife. *shrug* It was fun, anyway. And I had tons of fun last night at the first swing dancing lessons. Daniel is a great lead.

[Skeeter]

I'm just great in general.

[Pre-Ex-Girlfriend]

Originally Posted by Skeeter

I'm just great in general.

Yes. Yes, you are.

My new favourite meal/snack is a salad. Romaine lettuce, tomato, avacado, green olives, and balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and pepper for dressing. I've had one every day for the last week and a half, and I believe I shall continue to do so.

Today I found out that a friend broke up with her boyfriend, while another friend may or may not have lice. Shhh... don't tell anyone about the lice thing; her roommate told me about it and said my friend didn't want anyone to know. I hope she was planning on telling me, though, because she had asked to borrow a hat of mine yesterday. Luckily I left the hat in Washington so she couldn't borrow it anyway.

I totally abused my powers today. Because I am on student council, I have a key to the (very small) used book store that we run as service to students. I ran into a friend today who was looking for a book, but the store was closed. She needed the book for a directed studies course that she is already behind in, so I let her in and sold her the book. Never before have I felt so badass just for doing some one a favour.