It's good to be home

So I've been home for a couple days and I am pretty happy about it.  I've been hanging out mostly with Bailey, Shawn and Brian.  Last night we all made dinner and Shawn bought this box of wine and I think Bailey drank too much of it.  I had a couple glasses of wine out of my authentic German Stein, metal flip-top included.  It is totally sweet and I felt even cooler drinking out of it.  This Christmas is shaping up to be one of the better ones for me.  The last few years have been pretty depressing around Christmas time.  One year Ruth Allen got married and I was left alone on Christmas morning after 16 years of waking up (always before she was ready to) and opening presents with my sister.  Also, I was a total asshole and most likely always got into fights with my dad or sister when the whole family was together.  Then two Christmas' ago I was in rehab in the Dominican Republic, enough said.  Last year Ruth Allen was not here, but the day went ...ok.  So this year I am hoping that things are happier.  We are going to my sisters house to open presents.  We won't even have a tree to put presents under this year, my mom decided that we weren't going to get one.  I always hated those stupid women who put those stupid sweaters on their stupid Yorkies and stupid Poodles... well I love my mom.  However, she put a sweater on Annie, and insists that it was because she thinks it is funny, but we all know that she put it on Annie because she thinks that it is cute.  Well if anyone cares, I want money for christmas because I want to buy a new guitar, 1064 Foreststone Way. Marietta, GA 30064.  There's the address incase you were wondering...   Happy holidays. 

Party Naked!!!

David G: "So Patrick, you all done?"

Patrick: "Yeah man, just about to check out of my dorm."

David G: "So are you going to Goatfeathers to party tonight?"

Patrick: "Yeah, I'll stop in for a little bit."

Chris: "Yeah! Party Naked!"

David G: "No, we're not going to party naked this time, there will be ladies there."

Patrick: "(Isn't that the point...?)"

Chris: "So you party naked with men?" 

David G: "Only till I get married."

Okay, I really need to blog this...

So I am cleaning out my room and one of the things I did was that I pulled up my window shades, which haven't been up in months.  This is important because now people can see into my room.  Well my room is on the third floor, dead center of the middle building, which is also the building with most of the staff offices in it.  Today this building is especially busy because so many staff are moving out, and so many guys and girls, young and old, are coming in and out of this building.  My room is facing directly out above the entrance of this building, so everyone coming in can see right into my room... easily since my lights are on and my windows are open.  Well, forgetting that I have previously opened my windows and pulled my shades up, I went about things as I normally do.  I have been moving things out all day and being on the third floor, I am pretty sweaty and smelly.  SOOOO... I decided to take a shower and started pulling all my clothes off... shirt, sandals, shorts (yes, shorts in december) and boxers.  In order to understand fully, you will need to see a picture of my room, so look up.  As you see I have a loft in here.  When I stand on the loft and you are looking in from the outside you can see from the top of my head down to my ankles.  Well I had just finished taking off my boxers, while standing in the middle of my loft... facing the window... when I realized that my shades were up and there was a big group of staff and student women walking towards the building.  All eyes were upon me this afternoon.  Preeeeeetty embarrassing.  I am now wanted by Dwight Schrute for flashing.  If you'd like to report me to the anti-flashing task-force then call this number: 1800-984-3672.  I'm serious, call it, I swear you wont be disappointed.  Call it, please, for my sake and for a good laugh... call it.  Well that's all.  

I'm Freakin' Finished!

             

Well I am officially done with CIU.  I am leaving saturday morning, but all my classes are over.  That's a picture of me saying "yes!" The other is one of what is to come this weekend (don't worry it is filled with Shesha (fruit, tobacco and syrup...) not pot). I am such a loser.  So when you finish up at CIU you are off what we call "standards".  Standards are basically the rules that you agree to and they say that you can't smoke, drink, watch R rated movies, dance, have sex outside of marriage, etc... while you are attending here.  I didn't really struggle with the last two, but the first I guess were pretty tough because I used to smoke a lot and still enjoy a clove or hookah every now and again, and most of my friends drink and when I am with my family I like to partake in a glass of wine or something.... but now I am officially allowed to do those things without worrying about getting caught (yes, without getting caught because I still broke some of those rules before, but at least I can do it without guilt now).  I'm not saying I am a chain smoker, and I don't get drunk anymore, so it's not like I am about to liberate my freedom to waste myself, but I am looking forward to being able to do things with a clear conscience.  So I made up a joke the other day... get ready to laugh your face off: Patrick: "Hey, have you ever been to Belize?"  Jessica: "No".  Patrick: "Oh, well you should go, I've heard it's Unbelizeable!"  HAHAHAHAHA! I'm sorry that I just totally built you up and let you down.  It wasn't that funny, but the times where I write jokes are few and far in between.  I am sitting in my Old Testament class, it was an optional class but we were told that if we were just there, physically, then we would get 2 extra points on our final grade for the class... so you better believe I came.  You know after a summer camp how they put microphones out front and have people come up to the front and share their wonderful experiences... well this is what they are doing for the Old Testament class.  I think it's kinda lame.  I mean, there are people who are obviously up there just for the sake of attention, trying to be funny and they just aren't funny... but they probably have bigger balls than I do because I wouldn't want to go up there and humiliate myself.  I love spell check, honestly, I would probably do a draft of every post in MS Word before posting it up here.  Man, I feel so uncomfortable when people get up in front of everyone and they kinda open up with a joke and then they say the "serious phrase" and then you know that the talk is about to take a very personal and serious turn.  Well this lady just did that and I was having a good time and all and then she did the "serious phrase" and my stomach dropped... you know what I mean? Like I got really uncomfortable because I don't want to know the deep personal issues of this woman.  Well I think I am going to go and clean out my room.  I have a lot of stuff to get packed up and not a lot of time to do it in.  I cannot wait to get home and see my friends and family, I have a really attractive family and I'm tired of looking at all these ugly South Carolinians.  

IT WASN'T ME, IT WAS THE PESTO GOBLINS...

I am tired.  I have only one exam and two homework assignments left and I am done with CIU.  Someone asked me today why I was leaving because I had so many friends here (she had noticed me saying hello to most of the people who were walking past us).  I answered in an almost rehearsed tone: "I like having a lot of friends here; I'd rather leave on a good note than a bad one."  I don't think that I have a lot of friends here.  I have a lot of people whose names I know, and I think a lot of people would say that I was friendly, but not necessarily their friend.  But it got me to thinking that I guess I do, in a way, care a little bit about my reputation here.  I mean, if I never come back to CIU then people will always remember me the way that they last saw me, and I guess for the sake of memories I'd want them to have a positive impression.  Christmas is only 13 days away and I suppose I am fairly excited.  Not so much for the actual day, but really because I can be back home.  I never realized how much I loved my house and town and family and friends until I was away from them.  I'm sure someone has written a country song explaining this idea much better than I have.  So I bought some books the other day because I wanted to feel intelligent.  I like reading, and I even like the authors of the books I bought, but I really have no idea when I am going to find time and enough motivation to read the books.  I've bought 4 books this semester, and two of those books are compilations of a lot of stories (works of Edgar Allen Poe and Mark Twain) and then one of the books is part one and two of Alice's' Adventures in Wonderland.  SO really I have like 15 books.  I am almost done with the first Alice in Wonderland story, which is really good, but I think I enjoy too many things.  I like guitar, food, music, movies, etc... and so I fill my free time with all these things and rarely complete anything that I start.  For example, I have been trying to write a song for the last two days, yet I always seem to begin something new before finishing what I first started.  I am feeling overwhelmed.  I have a test to study for, a couple homework assignments, then I go home.  Freedom!!!.... oh wait, no.  Not yet anyways, because I leave for Columbia on the 27th to do prep work for the the Dominican Republic on the 29th.  Since I am preaching a church service at Escuela Caribe I will be preparing for that during Christmas break, and also I am leading worship for two services and so I will be working on that as well.  Then I get back on the 6th or 7th of Jan 08' and I am leaving for Lee University on the 8th, or possibly the 7th.  I have to move in by myself and register during that day which is three days later than I should have gotten there.  It is a lot to deal with, but I think that if I start my semester off really busy then I might be able to not feel so overwhelmed as time proceeds.  I really need to get a job next semester as well.  Alright, well it is only 11 in the morning and so I might write again later.  I noticed how most people on here don't write everyday, some only once or twice a month.  I don't want ramble on day after day but I think I will be writing more often than others... probably because I have enough free time since I'm twenty, single, childless, addicted to the internet and about to be on Christmas break.  Cheers. 

Welcome to the world of me

To begin, I'd like to clarify that the phrase "sucking the marrow" is a reference to the movie Dead Poets Society in which John Keating (Robin Williams) evokes the phrase "To suck the marrow out of life" at the beginning of every Dead Poets meeting.  So my aim right now would be reflected in that phrase, as I am seeking to suck the marrow out of life.  I am finishing out my second and last semester at Columbia International University with little concern for my grades and even less for my reputation here.  I don't mean to sound pessimistic or seem like I am trying to give myself a bad name here or anything, but there is somewhat of an attitude (sprouted from the fat, poison covered lips of a certain individual) that I am leaving CIU for reasons untrue.  So the result is that people here are assuming wrong motives for my leaving, and holding those against me, when in reality, they couldn't be further from the truth.  But on the other hand they are saying that I am leaving because I don't like the people here and I am distancing myself from them and acting like I am above them... which was not true, but now that people are saying that about me...I guess it is in a way becoming true, not the part about putting myself above them, but about not liking certain people and distancing myself.  I recently wrote a song called Columbia.  The chorus goes like this: "If these streets could answer, if these cars could talk, I might find some comfort in being alone.  But I hate this town that I keep walking around, I wish I could find somewhere else to go."  It basically means that I have become somewhat of a wanderer around Columbia.  I spend hours (or spent, not really anymore) alone downtown... walking around by myself and hoping to be rescued by something.  It was a really terrible couple of weeks, but I am glad to be coming out of it.  Anyways, I am transferring soon, and I am really excited about it.  Honestly, I just want to get my major, get my masters and then start my career and my family.  I hope that the next girl I meet is the last girl I meet and I pray that these stupid high school relational demons will stop presenting themselves to me.  I am sitting across the room from a guy, Adam, who is swooning a newly singled girl with his less than mediocre guitar playing and even less impressive vocals.  The funny thing is not just that he is really bad, but he is also taken.  I feel really sorry for his girlfriend...  Wow, I feel like this blog is one complaint after another.  It's not a good way to start my online outpouring.  Perhaps I will take this blog to a sunnier section of my life.  I go through seasons, good and bad, like anyone... and I try and find things in those times to allow God to use to enhance my joy.  Sometimes it is music, a girlfriend, a good friend... but lately I have been finding joy in my niece Caroline.  I dream about her a lot.  I mostly dream of when she is older and the type of relationship we will have.  Through my position over Caroline I have learned one very important lesson.  If I ever want to be an effective and positive influence and mentor to her, I don't need to change anything about my past, but I have a lot of work to do for my future.  I would not say that I am anywhere close to the place I once was, wallowing in depression, drug abuse and anger, but I am still not at a place and not the kind of person that I should be as an uncle to my niece.  I love her with everything in me... and because I love her so much and want her to have positive adults around her, I am willing to allow God to change me even more deeply, even if it means I have to give up a lot of things that I still really enjoy (mostly the relationships I have with unsaved people).  Well the close this out I will refer back to my quote.  Right now I am going through a time where I am not experiencing the Joy of the Lord like I have before, and my RA calls it a season of preparation.  Basically he means that there is a time to yield fruit and experience, in a very tangible way, the joy of the Lord, and then there is a season of preparation... during this time I am being grown up to yield fruit... and I experience the Joy of God through persevering.  It kind of sucks, but it makes me excited for my new start at Lee.  I feel like it will mark the start of a new pursuit towards God and towards sucking the marrow out of life.