My roommates and I take turns picking out movies when we decide to watch a roomie movie. Last time it was LB’s turn, I told her to pick one she hadn’t seen (between the four of us, there are a lot of movies at this place!). So, of course, I had to pick one I hadn’t seen because LB told me to. So, I picked one we had that I hadn’t seen (I’m a movie buff, I guess you could day, ‘cuz I watch a lot of different stuff just to watch them.): Twilight. I didn’t read the books or see any of the movies. I had been surrounded by readers/fans when the movies first came out and stuff, and frankly, I didn’t get it. But I figured I might as well give it a chance. Give it a chance, I tried. Consequently, I laughed through a lot of it because of its ridiculousness. Thus, the list was born.
How Not to Date According to Twilight:
1. Never date a vampire.
2. If he sparkles, run.
3. If he says he watches you sleep, it’s time to get a restraining order.
4. If he’s always ice cold, he’ll never warm your heart.
5. If he’s faster than the speed of light, he’ll never be able to run with you.
6. If he thinks your blood smells better than other blood, make him bleed.
7. If he is able to stop a speeding car with his hand and doesn’t have an “S” on his chest, he’s a freak. Or a vampire. Refer to tip #1.
Cleaning does not go faster when you’re wearing a cape and making superhero sound effects. If I wasn’t the only one home, I would receive strange looks. Only maybe. What’s the point of anything if you can’t make it fun? Which is why I am so excited for the general music placement of student teaching. You can’t not have fun with kindergarteners or first graders. I myself don’t learn super well unless it’s fun. I kid. Some things are just fun to know. Like the paper I wrote in high school, saying that my cousin and I were like a bionic compound with genetics in common. Then, you sound super smart when you compare yourself to a cation ionic formation because you feel like you’ve lost an electron and you’re just super positive suddenly. Or in college, learning all about music theory and music math (major + minor = major, minor = major = minor, major + major = augmented, minor + minor = diminished)? It’s fascinating. I also like knowing other random things. Sometimes if I want to know something, I just have to ask the right person. Like, “Which muscle is this specific exercise working?” I’m getting off topic. Student teaching on Wednesday. That’s the first day of school. I can see Nemo bouncing on his dad, saying, “First day of school! First day of school!” I say it with an exclamation point, too, but it’s not the excitement of kids who have been waiting to see their friends and don’t want to be bored. I am a little freaked out. And I’m kind of thinking ahead. Reason for all the “ahh!”s, probably. Anyway, I will take one step at a time. On Wednesday, I will see just exactly how my cooperating teacher sets the tone in his classroom, which is real exciting. You can bet that I’ll be blogging about my experiences this semester. Emotions are just trying to burst out, but I can’t even identify. They’re just feeling random. Hence, random post?
We all know those awkward car rides with people you don’t know very well or those times when everyone in a conversation runs out of things to say. Well, I can help. The following is a list of questions to fill in awkward space AND get to know your car-mates or whomever is around you better. And, try asking some of your friends these questions, I dare you. If you’re daring or want to play a game, try answering these questions FOR your friends and see if you’re right or not. Enjoy.
Get-To-Know-You Random Questions:
1. What was your first roadkill? (For those who live in the city, have you ever hit anything moving?)
2. If you were a punctuation mark, what would you be and why?
3. If you could be friends with anybody in the Old Testament, who would it be and why?
4. How many times have you been in the ditch? (For those city-folk, have you ever been off-road by accident?)
5. Who is the person/people you have to tell when something exciting or newsworthy happens?
6. What is the farthest distance you’ve driven in one day?
7. What is the strangest food you’ve ever eaten?
8. What is your hobby?
9. If you could eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
10. How many times have you moved in your lifetime?
11. Have you ever gotten pulled over? Why?
12. What is your favorite form of social media?
13. Who are the people (non-family) who know the most about you?
14. What is your biggest pet-peeve?
15. Chocolate, vanilla, or carmel?
Bonus question: Wrap, crinkle, or fold? (Extra-bonus if you understand this, too. A few of my friends from school and I have a weird sense of humor, EmilyMeganKyle.)
One car, two car, red car, blue car. Slow car, no car, fast car, NASCAR. Cars on the highway, cars in the driveway, cars going no way, cars out all day. Road trip, day trip, far trip, no trip. Rest stop, shop stop, red stop, pit stop. One car, two car, red car, blue car.
Some collect, some race. It is a tool of transportation that gets people from place to place. Fancy or simple, new or old; a car is a car, no matter the mold. Some take it for granted, some see it as pride. There are cars everywhere, in our land that is so wide. Nothing is close together, in the Midwest of my home. There are acres and acres of farmland, so it is easy to roam. I get lost a lot, I admit I do. But I call and get directions from (usually) my mom, it’s true. Anywhere I am, she can look it up. She’ll lead back to the road I missed, which is really handy.
There are many types of automobiles, and each have different appeals. Trucks are cool and can be bigger than you think; they are handy on a farm but are never paired with pink. Minivans are great, especially if a family is involved; ours now even has swivel seats—look how much they’ve evolved! Cars seem to be most common, but there is so much diversity. Name a make, style, and color, and still you’ll get differences…like, at least thirty. There are the small sporty ones, and the heavier-looking other ones. There are classic cars and cars for the starts, they are really small mini-cars and really fast racing cars. There are different brands and different makes. There are beat-up cars with rust, and beat-up cars without breaks. A car is taken care of, because it makes things difficult if not. A car likes a full stomach and working parts, or else it’ll give you its snot.
One car, two car, red car, blue car. Slow car, no car, fast car, NASCAR. Cars on the highway, cars in the driveway, cars going no way, cars out all day. Road trip, day trip, far trip, no trip. Rest stop, shop stop, red stop, pit stop. One car, two car, red car, blue car.
I feel like Spring Break always lands at a perfect time. The week before? Lotsa stress of midterms, losing sleep, I felt like myself and others were all starting to get sick…. Perfect timing, spring break! [Also, I’m running out of quarters and was about to run out of laundry. (Life of a college student.)]
Oh, and awesomeness is that it’s been in the 70s here and at school for most of the week, and shall continue! Woo! It definitely FEELS like break time. =) A bunch of my friends are on their way to Florida, for “Big Break,” a Cru conference where they get to go out and actually share their faith at Panama City Beach, so pray for them! AND other friends of mine are going on trips to like, California (driving?!) and Chicago (Christina and a friend of hers, also driving). Spring break is a good time for that. But me? I’m just chillin’ at home! =)
I always have too many goals for my breaks and stuff. But this week? I’ve been trying to minimize them. On Sunday we’re going up to the cities to see some family that we haven’t seen for awhile and I’m having a few appointments for various things while I’m home. Other than that? Let’s RELAX and NOT WORRY about everything else! (‘Cuz that’s when the best breaks happen!)
I have all these thoughts running through my head. A musical motif, that when I feel like I want to write it down and develop it, I know I shouldn’t, because I have too much other stuff to do. An idea I could try and bounce off of to write my next story (that I’m kind of struggling to come up with a plot). A letter to write. A book to read. A blog to post. An instrument to practice. Homework to do. You start to see my dilemma. So many things running through my head, so quickly because the stuff that I don’t have time to do keeps pushing out the stuff I should be doing…. Uff da!
But I have to smile because: I watched the Magic School Bus this morning with my friend Laura. I got stuff DONE (homework-wise) with my friend Dani. It snowed today. I got to see the parentals. I LIKE playing/performing (a lot). AND I love listening to the basses (voice, because I can’t hear the string basses well…I’m louder than them) and watching/comparing conductors and their styles. Not that I’ll be writing a paper on it or anything…(I probably will).
Slowly, o h s o s l o w l y…, assignments are being dented. I can almost see the light at the end of the assignment, but then another one comes up and interrupts me, blocking the end of the tunnel with more work that is more mandatory than that which I’m working on. It’s getting back to my beginning dilemma. So many things to do.
On the brighter side, the number of days, number of classes, is dwindling down. I think I have the rest of the homework I’m gonna get, so now it is simply to do it. It’s kinda scary when you think about it, but it makes me all happy and excited. And the work load is broken up when I HAVE to play a band concert (next Thursday) and when I HAVE to be practicing for juries or playing tests. (Music is my other happy place, you know.)
AND because it finally snowed, it is FINALLY starting to feel like Christmas. Yes, I’ve been performing and practicing Christmas music, but now my head is in the words, not just the music.
This blog has been brought to you by my “avoiding homework, wanna write something instead” phase that happens too much. (Writing is the third thing that relaxes me and calms me down, after Jesus and music. Fyi.)
So, this week was my birthday. I have learned a great many things over the last 21 years. I am, after all, an adult now (but that’s just a number—I’m not really sure I AM an adult yet. I don’t wanna be)…. MOST RECENT I have learned:
I speak with my eyes. The other day in class, one of my profs said that my eyes “just cussed at him.” And when I am thinking about something, you can usually see it. I suck at playing mofia, because I am scheming who I’m gonna kill next and my eyes are like a killer’s. Or something like that. And I’m a terrible liar, but that’s beside the point. I’m also a good pretend liar, but that doesn’t help anything. And I’ve been told that when I was talking about Jesus, I have almost a heavenly look in my eyes.
I can overcome; “kicking this MS in the butt,” as I sometimes like to refer to it. For my birthday, I got a lefty guitar, so my fingers that don’t work so well in my left hand are the strummers instead. Ha! Last year I got a brace, so my foot that doesn’t like to lift up is stimulated (which has prevented countless falls). Ha, ha! And, to top it all off, I have my lifeline—JESUS! And he gives me strength when I have none to go on. Ha, ha, ha!
Also thinking back on my life, because it’s what you do when you get old, I realize how many people have touched my life. And I guess I have been recently realizing how many lives I myself have touched. It’s pretty cool, when you think about it. There’s God, who is in control of the little humans, and to give everybody the best that he wants for them, he puts different people in our paths. Maybe we don’t always have the most ideal interactions to his standards, but even they can affect awesomely. Yeah, cool.
This was my first birthday when I wasn’t at home. But I was home the day before (Thanksgiving break…this would have been the 4th time ever I’ve had school on my birthday), so I guess that counts. And technically, I had a two-day birthday celebration! Which is pretty awesome.
Oh, and other thoughts, I guess. On the same topic. There are so many things I am just now getting. From things like FINALLY being able to play a mallet piece without backing up to fix a missed note, to understanding how important it is to take care of myself (you’da thunk I have that down already, but no, not really). Lessons that have been taught over and over for a really long time. So, I like where I’m at.
Oh, and the Applebee’s I went to for my birthday only gives ice cream for birthdays if the birthday person is 12 or under. And they don’t let age inversions count, either. Just in case you were wondering.
So, this was a somewhat random blog, but I enjoy writing down my thoughts. You’re so lucky you get to read them. I love you all, my readers!
“Anna, you need to learn how to take care of yourself.” “Anna, there’s this word that you need to learn: ‘no’. You should put it to use.” “Anna, even Jesus took times to rest during his ministry. He only had three years to change the world through his ministry, but he still took time apart to spend with his heavenly father.”
So, guess what I’ve been attempting to do this week? Not as much as usual. And spending more time with Jesus ‘cuz it makes me feel better (even HE keeps nudging me that I need to rest!). And you wanna know the best part? (This is totally God, btw, making SURE I get my rest….) My lesson that’s on Wednesday afternoon was rescheduled to Monday, my night class on Wednesday went short, there’s no night class on Thursday, and I only have one class on Friday. WHOA. Now tell me there is another hand making these things happen!?
I get it. Take better care of myself. Easy enough to do this week. Will I learn? Perhaps but not very well. Oh! Registering for courses next Monday—you know how I overloaded and tried to take 19 credits this semester? I’d just like to say I’m registering for 14 credits next semester. Learning? Perhaps.
And this weekend, I am going to a conference called “Life Options,” where we will learn about discerning God’s will for our lives. I am pretty excited. And I’d say that this comes at a good time. I’m pretty set on Music Therapy now, but I’m kinda scared. Also, I’m not so set that I put God in a box. ‘Cuz I’ve done that before and there’s not much in that. God ALWAYS knows best.
There’s this song that we taught the kids this summer that goes like this:
If Jesus is in a box, you should take him outta there, ‘cuz he doesn’t BELONG IN A BOX! However, many things can land him there. Trying to KNOW everything or be in control of your own life? That puts him in a box and shows that you don’t trust Jesus with that stuff. Trying to conquer problems in your life by yourself? Yep, that boxes him up. Why would you even want to do that, if you have the greatest help in the world? The divine? The perfect one? Many times we don’t mean to, but we “accidently” box him up anyway.
If I had an itty bitty box to put the devil in, I’d keep him there. It would be difficult to get him there in the first place. However, Jesus has smashed his face before (big time), and Jesus is pretty much the most forceful hammer that can smash in the devil’s face anyway. There’s this other song that we taught the kids this summer. It’s call and response:
WORD! (Word!) GOD’S WORD! (God’s word!) GOD’S WORD IS POWERFUL! (God’s word is powerful!) GOD’S WORD IS POWERFUL AND MIGHTY! (God’s word is powerful and mighty!) MIGHTY, MIGHTY, IS THE WORD THAT MAKES THE DEVIL TREMBLE! (Mighty, mighty, is the word that makes the devil tremble!) BEAT THAT BIG BAD DEVIL WITH A BIBLE VERSE! (Beat that big bad devil with a Bible verse!) WORD!
And then it repeats until either 1) The person leading it loses her breath or voice; B) whatever is being gotten ready for next is ready; or Choo-Choo Train) boredom starts to set in and attention is being lost. (I’m tellin you, the list style will CATCH ON! See video below.) have definitely found that Bible verses help. What’s your favorite Bible verse? I love hearing these, so please comment below!
I have a few favorites: Joshua 1:9; 2 Cor 12:9; and Matthew 6:34 are my favorites but there are so many verses I like! So many that I like to say often when I’m in need of comfort or something like that.
So, this blog once again got off on a tangent but I hope you followed it. I love you all!
“Busy”: actively and attentively engaged in work or a pastime; not at leisure, otherwise engaged; full of or characterized by activity; now.
“Limit”: the final, utmost, or furthest boundary or point as to extent, amount, continuance, procedure, etc.
I am sure you all are busy. This semester, I overloaded my schedule and was involved in a ton of extra stuff (Varieties and Kansas, same week = 8 performances and no life). I mean, I LOVE performing, but it was about midterm week (week after the excitement) when I discovered my limits. Since then, I have been trying to catch up. I dropped a class so I am no longer overloading (I was taking band, orchestra, and percussion ensemble for no credit so I wouldn’t have to pay for it). I have almost finished up everything (everything being relative, so not everything) that was supposed to be done a couple weeks ago. I am learning how to measure the weakness or tiredness in my body. AND, I have been trying to learn the art of saying “no.” Indeed, it is more difficult than it looks.
I feel like I’m keeping everybody outta the loop cuz I’m not consistent or very keep-uppy on my blog here. Sometimes I even keep myself outta the loop—this is why I own a planner, but I must admit this semester is the least I’ve used it since high school, sadly. I have discovered why I need it so much.
What would I do if I had a little more time on my hands? Blog more, write for fun more, write letters more (which I have started doing more—letters are fun! If you want a letter from me sometime you could either send me one and I’ll reply or just let me know). I think I’d like to spend more time with Jesus, as well. More time on my hands. That’s a good one. As some of you know, I was off Facebook for a month or two. That gave me more time on my hands, but it didn’t do anything motivation-wise.
Oh yeah! Solution: stop procrastinating. ‘Cuz we all procrastinate in some way or another. I also procrastinate to avoid work. Sometimes I write cuz I’m avoiding or procrastinating. Actually, always. Pretty much. Now I have fallen off into a tangent and I don’t even remember where I was going with this blog in the first place. Actually, this was probably a chatty blog. I get off on tangents when I’m chatting. Oh boy, I’m not making sense anymore. And I wonder why I don’t have many readers or subscribers? Anna, you’re supposed to be talking to your actual readers/subscribers here. Reason for blog. Oh, right. Probably.
As I read over this blog again, I’m not gonna fix it. These are just some of the circles my mind goes in all of the time. I’m just gonna stop now. Or add some more random stuff. Let’s do it.
I like this version, and since I heard it, these are the lyrics that are in my head when I hear this song. These guys do a lot of other remakes of songs. I recommend checking it out.
See? Random. Ugh.
Thank you for reading all the way through if you did! I LOVE to hear from my readers, so comment somewhere and check out some of my other, more point-driven blogs!
Anna E. Meyer 