Should it be called "Spring Break" or "A Cruel Taste of Everything You Can't and Wont Have for the Next Two Months?"

Wheeeeeeeeeeweeeeee
Hello Folks,

I'm feeling a little bit country this week, mostly because I just got back from a pleasant spring break on the farm. It was the most relaxing, easy going, and pleasant week of the year.

*Phew*

Now that I have that one off my chest, I feel a lot better. To be completely honest, almost nothing in the previous statement is true, it's just hard to convey sarcasm through words on a blog. But before I (ex/com)plain, let's back-track to and recap my last week before break in one sentence.

The most crazy week of my life this semester not only consisted of the regular craziness of accompanying, classes, and lessons, but also included some of the hardest tests and papers that I've ever had to do.

After I pulled three all-nighters, wrote the Paideia paper and hopefully passed the midterm, I packed my things and headed for my house in the country. I didn't really miss the smell of the cow-yard when the temperature gets above freezing, but it would be nice to sleep in a bed that wasn't originally designed for a small child. I told myself that break was going to be the time that I would catch up on some sleep. I kept putting off going to bed until it got to be around 2:00 am when I finally was struggling to keep my eyes open to follow the action on TV. Still, I was sure I would catch up on my sleep and just sleep in until lunch the next day. However, I forgot that "sleeping-in" is a forbidden word in my house, and was woken up shortly after 9 to start the day. I was not happy.

I also decided that another great way to catch up on sleep would be to get a job doing an early morning paper route in the twin cities. It made perfect sense: work from 1:30-7 in the morning, then sleep all day. As many of you may gather, I didn't read the statistics on night shifts and sleep before I took the job. It was ok, and I made good money, but when I started to have to deliver more and more papers day by day (my top day was 386), it wasn't as cool. I should probably also apologize to any of the Burnsville residents who didn't receive a Pioneer Press. Oops!

After 4 days of paper fun, I returned home to celebrate my 19th birthday. As usual, I didn't feel any different, gain any free wishes, or grow taller. I guess that I am just getting small tastes of the (hopefully) 80 more birthdays to come. I also was praying that I would finally get some time to sleep before I had to head back to school. As it turned out, my parents heard my prayers, and decided to have me drive my brother down to Iowa City (1.5 hours away) for a 5 hour practice. Mom and Dad sure new the cure for fatigue: DRIVING!

I should really find a way not to whine so much, it really isn't that bad, I just find my life comical....sometimes. Either way, we're on the downhill side of the semester and year here at Luther. Hopefully it warms up soon!!!

Later
Jake

Paideia owns my soul...for the next two days anyways

Hello all!

I am writing you from the heat of battle. It's been a pretty one-sided fight up to this point, with Paideia dealing out most of the hits. After going to the corner and getting a pep talk, I'm finally back in the ring and throwing most of the punches now.

Basically, I'm pulling an all nighter which will hopefully result in a good grade on this dreadful research paper. I actually switched my topic tonight (it's due on Wednesday). It was originally the going to be focussed on the conflict of religion between the conquering Spaniards and native Mayans, but now I sort of morphed it into the similarities between the two societies in their religions. You'd be surprised how similar the ancient Maya's Polytheistic views are to the Spaniard's "rock solid" monotheism.

But, I can bore you with far more important topics, so moving on.

I am closing in on the end of the first half of the second semester of my first year of college, which means SPRING BREAK IS IN 4 DAYS! I usually don't get too ecstatic about breaks, but I am looking forward to this one so much. More than likely I won't get to sleep in any more than I normally do, but whatever, it will be nice to be at home. My birthday is also in 9 days. Woo hoo....19....nothing happens. I consider it a preview for every birthday except my 21st for the rest of my life. I wish there was a list of exciting things that happen after the teen-age years. Instead, it's along the lines of "wake up, realize you're older, go to work, go to bed." YAY growing old! I'm not too worried though, I'm sure my parents have something really exciting planned. It's probably along the lines of cleaning out the attic, or sweeping out the garage.

Either way, writing a paper stinks when you don't use an outline and hit writers block. What's worse is the fact that it's a research paper and I should just be able to pull out some notes and get going again. I fail. After going through my notes twice and getting no inspiration whatsoever, I decided to update my blog. Here I am!

So, here are some of my goals for spring break. I'll put an asterisk next to the ones I think will happen.

1. Sleep

2. Have some breakfast

3. Make money

4. Not spend money

5. See some friends

6. Waste a ton of time on facebook and xbox *


I have high hopes.

Really, I don't think it'll be too bad. It will be nice to have a change of scenery and be without the stresses of school for a whole week. I think that's why most people go on vacations. I guess I missed that memo. Well, I hope all of you get to enjoy or have enjoyed a nice spring break. For most people, I really just rubbing in the fact that I get a super long spring break. I know my high school had a hard time rationalizing giving us Good Friday off. Jeez!

Later!
Jake

Stress, Stress, and more Pineapple

Hello,

I'm going to warn you, this blog is going to serve as more of an "advice" blog than a "chuckle at my life events" blog. Well, it may be a little of both, but I digress (I need to find a new word for that).

So, I think I'm on the uphill of the mono. I feel pretty darn good, just fatigued. However, now the stress of realizing exactly how much I missed and need to catch up on is setting in. Whew-ee, there is a lot of stuff. Paideia is what is worrying me the most. This research paper is kicking my butt. Apart from missing 3 classes in the final week of the paper, I also have yet to find a primary source. It is really scary being as I have those 10 pages due by next Wednesday. I'll just call this learning experience number one: deadlines don't change in college.

I've also come to realize how much stuff I have crammed into my dorm room. Luckily my roommates are pretty chill, but I am a slob. But, it's not my fault. I wouldn't have gigantic piles of clothes, garbage, and homework if I actually had room for them. I started off the year by only bringing back half of my wardrobe, which is enough to fill my drawers and closet. But, as I found out doing laundry this weekend, I now have two sets of drawers and closets worth of clothing. The most frustrating part is that I just went home and didn't leave ANY of them there. Learning experience number 2: Dorm rooms are NOT as big as your house.

I'm also coming to the point where common and previous knowledge isn't enough. I was lucky in the fact that I got by first semester by the seat of my pants (sorry mom and dad), but have been slowly figuring out how to study and feel confident over the last month or so. I'm sure I'm not alone in my predicament, but I will be the first to admit that I am a slacker. However, I will also be the first to admit that I realize that I'm not gaining anything through that attitude. Learning experience number 3: studying will NOT kill you.

Midterms and spring break are coming up, and boy do I need a break. However, I also need money, so I'll probably be working for the whole week instead of resting. I know a lot of people go places, but I'm choosing to be the lame kid who goes home, plays video games, maybe catch up with a few friends, and sleeeeeeeeeeeeeep. Learning experience number 4: Breaks don't necessarily mean "have a break."


Well, I'm sure the college search is almost coming to a close for some of you, and I hope everything is going well!

Later
Jake

Danger, Ice!

Hello All!

Last week, we had a FIERCE ice storm. It was kind of interesting to get rain dumped on me walking to my 8 am class, but walk into jazz band with a head covered in ice pellets around 2:30. I'm pretty sure Iowa is Mother Nature's petrie dish.

Mother Nature: Hmmmm...I wonder what happens to the global climate when you mix rain, ice, and freezing temperatures? Looks like I'll be making a visit to Iowa. Wow, its the third time this week? Ha ha ha ha, how time flies. I'm sure they missed me!

My biggest tiff is that the ice is still here. There is about an inch still covering most of the non-sidewalk areas and it is SLICK. Now, you, the reader, being a normal person, may ask "what's the problem? If the sidewalks are clear, then there's nothing to worry about...right?" WRONG. While doing my daily shortcut across the campus lawn this morning I fell. It wasn't a graceful fall either. It was a full out, arms flailing, bags and books flying, cartoon-type fall. And of course, my first thought is that it was Luther's fault. Of course, it's the college's fault for not...salting...the....lawn. After I got over the embarrassment of falling, I made the connection with the lesson I probably should have learned a long time ago: on the 9th day, God made sidewalks for people to walk on and not fall.

I've been complaining about being sick for the last several weeks. Well, after a nice visit to the doctor (again) today and getting more blood drawn than I'd like to remember, I found out I have mono. WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO! Partay.

I'd just like to interject that it will be interesting to get a call from my mother when she reads that last line. Note to self: tell parents of ailments before publishing them online.

But anyways, I've never had mono before, but it just feels like a cold now. I attributed the fatigue to just being a college student and pulling all-nighters every weekend, but looking back, I realize that that may have been a very large CAUSE of my current health status.

I also just had my first ever art history exam today. Boy oh boy is that stuff hard. For this class, we had to memorize 48 paintings or other works of art, the artist, the date, the period, and why each one was significant. I am not a memorizer, so the least I can say is studying for this test was a beast. In all honesty, this was the first time I legitimately studied for anything in my life, and I liked it. I liked the feeling of confidence when I was met with a particularly difficult question. I liked not having to wrack my brain for an answer. Dare I say it, studying was worth my time.

Well, that's all I've got, I hope the college search is going well!

Later~
Jake