we may lose and we may win, but we will never be here again. so open up - i'm climbing in

The topic of Mike Cope's sermon today: justice. Talk about great timing. Lizz talked to him after church about the campus chapter and the organization and he wants us to bring him brochures and talk to him about it, and I think he mention it next week at Highland. His sermon on a Christian's responsibility to seek justice came at the end of an exhausting yet rewarding Awareness Week. We pulled the concert off pretty well and it was definitely a success. I haven't counted up the amount we raised, but I'm guessing it's around $750 or so. Thanks to everyone who spent long hours helping me out with everything. I don't want to spend my blog listing off friends and what not - you know who you are and I appreciate you. You can look at pictures from the week, including ones of our wicked-awesome banner and T-shirts, on my shutterfly account. My password is my screename.

I actually have time to relax now and not much left to accomplish before the end of the year. This excites me.

Most recent purchases off iTunes: Speed of Sound, Coldplay's new single, and Dragostea din tei by Ozone. What is this, you ask? Well, watch this video and you will find out. Words cannot express how happy this video makes me. Apparently this video was quite the sensation earlier this year and was on the news. The Optimist staff just discovered it and it is delightful to play in the office to relieve stress. Another fun video was discovered is here. Click on the 'downloadable versions available here' link and watch all 4. So funny.

Books I have purchased and will hopefully read someday:

Look Homeward, Angel, by Thomas Wolfe
Mrs. Dalloway, by Virginia Woolf
Three, by Flannery O'Connor
The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard
We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families: Stories from Rwanda, by Philip Gourevitch
"A Problem From Hell": America and the Age of Genocide, by Samantha Power

A week of class + two finals = home free.

awareness.

"Arise, LORD ! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.
Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
"He won't call me to account"?
But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;
you consider it to take it in hand.
The victim commits himself to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked and evil man;
call him to account for his wickedness
that would not be found out.
The LORD is King for ever and ever;
the nations will perish from his land.
You hear, O LORD , the desire of the afflicted;
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more."

Psalm 10:12-18

Manifold Sins and Wickedness

I think I'll have the congregation at my wedding repent aloud for their transgressions as well. Speaking of transgressions, does anyone else think the Anglican church is sketchy as crap? Not only was it founded by Henry VIII so he could divorce Catherine of Aragon, but now the eventual head of the church, Prince Charles, assuming the queen ever dies, is a adulterer and divorce. Those Brits sure are crazy.

So, I learned two things yesterday. One: Never let your car run out of oil. Apparently, I did this. On my way home from lunch yesterday afternoon, my car began to make a strange clicking noise and eventually smoke started drifting out from under the hood. I made it home (after a frantic phone call to the rents while on the side of the road) and my aunt and uncle came to the rescue, buying me oil and putting it in there. So yeah, don't let your car go dry on oil. Not a good thing.

Lesson number two: Be nice to your computer. My computer hates me and has been trying to slowly kill itself for several months now. Luckily, Adam Smith came to my rescue and came over here last night, installing anti-virus crap and cleaning the hard drive. Don't ever try and delete Internet Exlporer from your computer, guys. I thought I was being smart, but no. Not a smart thing to do.

Sometimes I'm amazed that I'm still alive after stupid things that I do. I mean, I'm a smart and logical person but at times you'd think I were blonde. I can't always balance my checkbook. I need a husband who will take care of me and do the taxes and budget the income, as well as put oil in my car. That's all I ask for.

This weekend we went to the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association competition in Dallas and it was a lot of fun. Several of us placed in our various categories, and I got 3rd in General Column and Honorable Mention in News Feature. Jonathan got 2nd in column, 2nd in Feature and something else. Jaci got 3rd for headlines. Lori placed in the live contests and got 2nd for Copy Editing and either 2nd or 3rd for Headlines. Way to go us. Unfortunately, the Optimist did not place in Best Overall, the category we came in first last year. The arrogant Daily Texan (UT) staff earned the top prize. Bastards. We have another shot next year.

Three more weeks of school, then finals, then I'm a senior. That's weird.

This just in: Dean Barnard, life-long friend of John Paul II, to attend pope's funeral

Apparently, in between the pope's visits to France, Ghana, Kenya and Congo in the summer of 1980, John Paul II took the time to visit with a fresh-out-of-ACU Wayne Barnard. This, obviously, had a great impact on Wayne and he therefore felt it necessary to share his meeting the head pontiff with the crowd at Chapel today. I wasn't planning on remembering the pope but now, since Wayne told me he not only met him but talked with him, I will definitely remember John Paul forever. Oh Wayne...

So, as I sat working the KACU pledge drive today, bored out of my mind, I invited about 50 people to be my facebook friend. I felt a little unwanted considering I only had 31 friends, trailing miserably behind the rest of my compadres. So, if I know who you are, chances are I invited you.

This also just in: The new album cover for Coldplay's upcoming album X&Y, to be released June 6 and seen below. First a Coldplay album in June and then the new Harry Potter in July. Life doesn't get much better.

Coolness. 

I got soul, but I'm not a soldier

Love those Killers. Guys who wear eye makeup = strangely attractive.

Congratulations are in order for Mr. Justin Thomas Scott, our newly elected Students' Association president. To win a majority with no runoff out of three candidates is impressive. I'm so excited for him and this means I might actually stay involved in SA for next year.

I've been running around like crazy working on Awareness Week. We got appropriated to us about $350 to order an awesome 12 by 25 foot banner for the side of the Campus Center and I'm really excited about it. Joey is also working on making our Jam for Justice concert amazing. Everyone should get involved in the activities we have planned and at least come to the concert, which I believe will be a battle of the bands. Or else just buy the awesome T-shirt. Halbey is the man.

Also, a few of us are planning a trip to see Dave Matthews in concert September 2 in Selma (outside of San Antonio). We're going to buy our lawn tickets soon, which are $40, and we'll leave the day of the concert (Friday) probably before or right after Chapel so we can get to the concert and stake out good seats. So if you're interested in attending this most amazing concert, let us know. Dave is the man.

Things I have learned this week:

It's dangerous to buy snack stuff at the store like honey roasted peanuts or cheese balls. They are addictive and all you will do is eat them way to fast. Trust me.

Burning stuff in a metal garbage can down at the lake is fun, especially when it's a group of girls.

There is such a thing as selling yourself too much/campaigning too much. One should just be themselves.

Dave Matthews' music will never grow old (right, Malinda?)