The Gnome Chronicles Part 2

Anders is at it again!

!Mi profesora de espanol esta loca!

We've had a week to work on our online assignments due today by midnight. I unfortunately saved all the ones that require essay form for last. I now have five more assignments to submit before I leave the house tonight. Yikes! Why didn't I do this sooner?! Stupid Elena, stupid Elena!

My bosom friend

I had to say goodbye to my sister and best friend today as she is leaving for Indiana to go up there for a few months to be trained as a Biblical counselor. It was like saying goodbye to myself. I'm so excited for all the things the Lord has planned for her. Come home to me soon again, Ren! :)

Current Addictions:

1. Smallville

I mention this one first, because I cannot stop watching it! Bekah got me into watching it a few weeks ago since I had never seen an episode and I love it! I'm currently going through the third season. I love seeing Clark Kent gradually transforming into Superman and I'm intrigued by Lex Luthor's subtle descension into becoming the ultimate villain.

2. Coldplay

Tricia and I listened to their latest album "Viva La Vida" every single day of our road trip! I've noticed in past albums, that although I love the band, I often found myself only truly enjoying a few songs on each one. But with this album, I love every single song! It is perfection. I also love the artwork on the album cover. It's taken from a well-known piece done by Delacroix called "Liberty Leading the People" to commemorate the French Revolution.

3. Papa New Guinea PT's coffee
I have a cup every morning and I brew it really strong. I love my mornings now, because my classes start at 11 everyday and I've been getting up around 7:30 or 8 and just easing into my day. Yesterday I went running from my house to the state hospital and it was lovely!

4. Craisins and Feta

Tricia is definitely influencing me if I can add these to my addictions list! But they are so delicious! It's caused me to make more salads than I have in my life.

Anders has found a new friend

This post is to explain my previous entry about who wrote the note from Anders. I put my little gnome out in the yard sometime last week by the bird fountain. A couple of days later I looked outside and found him placed in The Hollow (now what I affectionately call Anders' new home). My dad admitted to moving him there, because he "thought he would be happier there." Cute.

The next day, I went outside to take some pictures (Anders needed some updated shots of him), and found that he had been moved again. I found the note in place of Anders in the Hollow. I immediately knew it was my dad's handwriting. I guess he had asked my mom to help him write it, because he has trouble with spelling and he just wanted to be a little sneaky. You should also know my dad has recently been getting into GPS-ing, which is basically treasure hunting for adults.

I talked to him later and told him that it looks like Anders is a miracle walking gnome! I told him he could play with Anders anytime he wanted to. Later, he told my sister when I wasn't around, "I think Elena likes it when I move her gnome." hehehe. :) How adorable is my dad?

The gnome walks among us

Once upon a time, there was a magical gnome named Anders. He traveled to America from the Scandinavian woodlands in search of a better life.

You see, digging is not always the most profitable profession. Anders had spent most of his gnome life digging up the earth's treasures-- gems, rubies, including precious jewels the human eye has never seen. He found a home with a young lady named Elena, who upon receiving Anders as a Christmas gift, loved him with a love she has never known.

She decided to find him a place, a pedastal, in her bedroom so he could protect her. For you see, Anders is the perfect gnome for her, because she has such vivid nightmares-- his presence creates a calming atmosphere. Elena decided to find him a home outside in the yard, because she felt he would feel more comfortable out there and also would serve his purpose in protection, keeping critters from coming inside and/or ruining the garden. She placed him by the bird feeder and thought he looked quite content with his new accomodations.

One day, Elena looked out the kitchen window upon the yard to see how Anders was liking his new home. Holy chocolate starfish, the little gnome had moved to the hollow of a tree stump!

Now, she KNEW he had magial abilities! It seemed to Elena that he wanted to be close to wood, to remind him of his Scandinavian homeland. A couple days later, Elena went out to check on him, only to discover this note:

It appears that in the wee hours of the night, the hours no one dares to step outside, Anders had relocated again. She searched frantically for him, scanning the yard for his little red pointy hat and friendly blue eyes. Alas, the search was complete when she found him here, seeing that he had moved about 10 feet from the hollow:

Of course, he would choose the vantage point at the wood pile to better disguise himself as he scopes the yard in search of potential predators. Elena was just happy to find her gnome safe again! Oh, sweet happy reunion!

Renae Ann

Happy Birthday, Ren!!

She's been my sister and one of my best friends for the last 21 years. I like to think I color her world. ;) When my mom brought me home from the hospital when I was born, Renae looks at me and says, "I wike Ewayna!" *giggles*

Sisters are such wonderful blessings. And I've got two of them! It's amazing because it's like having someone around who knows you so completely and being with them just reminds you of childhood.

Some words that describe Renae: thoughtful, helpful, caring, generous, kind, compassionate, creative, servant, giving, practical, adventurous, courageous, giggly, silly, analytical, NURTURER. :)

Eeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!

In case you're tired of hearing me gush about my obsession with Twilight, you should probably just ignore this post. You can't say I didn't warn you!

My inner tween/nerd/girly self is rejoicing because I just learned that the Twilight series is not completely over!! The author Stephanie Meyer is releasing a companion novel of the first book, written from Edward's perpective!!! I already read the first chapter online, because I am that cool. It's still unknown when this book will come out in stores, but it can't be forever since the last book just came out-- so what else does she have to work on?! I'm completely obsessed! It's called Midnight Sun. I think it will be especially interesting-- for those of you haven't read Twilight-- because Edward can hear people's thoughts and he tends to overanalyze everything.

Here's my other obsessed girl confession: I've watched the trailer for the movie that comes out in December a LOT of times. I'm that excited! I'm not especially impressed with the actress who plays Bella, but I do love Robert Pattinson who was also in Goblet of Fire as Cedric. Wow, I am a NERD! And I love it! It's way fun.

Whiners never win

I know, I've done a lot of complaining since I got back from Maine about how Kansas sucks and how I want to get out of here. And it's taken me a while to get to this point in this process and I'm still working on it, BUT! I've decided that being here for the next couple of years will not kill me AND I need to be all here and living with all of me here. Does that make sense? God has things planned for me while I'm here and I need to quit whining or I just might miss the things He wants to teach me. I'm such a brat!

Today I feel like the color blue

I had an egg sandwich with blueberry jam for breakfast this morning... er, afternoon, I mean. And then I also had some crisp round blueberries all by themselves on a plate. I think blueberries are the most magical fruit!

Wouldn't that be weird if you just didn't know what the word blue meant? How could you explain it to someone?

Other words with "blue" in them:

1. bluejay or bluebird
2. blue moon
3. blue ribbon
4. the blues
5. bluefish
6. blue streak
7. code blue

It actually is a strange-looking word the more you look at it! Like you can look at it over and over, and suddenly it seems like a different language. And then you must look at it all over again with fresh eyes.

Sleepless in Topeka

It's now nearing 4 a.m. and I officially cannot sleep. I've been trying for the last three hours. This reminds me of that time in the hostel in New York... minus the bed bugs. ;)

P.S. I would like to change my header to something catchy and creative, but still uniquely me. Any ideas?

My life as a townie

Blogging twice in one day?! What?! Oh, yes. My human condition is improving... or something like that.

A townie: "someone who has not left the town in which they were born and raised."
-Reliable Wikipedia source

I also looked up "townie" on dictionary.com and got a little different answer: "A permanent resident of a town, especially a resident of a college town who is academically unaffiliated with the local college or university."

I think I agree more with the Wikipedia definition, but probably just so that I can call myself a townie. Because when I think of being a townie, I think of a college student with no job, no source of income, living at their parents' house-- particularly living in the basement. And really, is there anything more pathetic than that state of existence? Probably not. And I'm hoping that years later I will look back on this time in my life and laugh or I'd probably just get depressed.

But like for reals, after Washburn I have got to get out of this town. I've been here way too long. Now, to my faithful and few readers, I absolutely love you all, but you know, there comes a time when you just have to leave a place. But more on that in another post...

Continuing with the townie theme, allow me to tell you about my day today:

1. Wake up at 10:15, kicking myself because I wanted to get up two hours earlier than the time stated. But I guess that happens when you finally fall asleep around 3:30, after tossing and turning. *Extra note: Since moving back home, I also have gotten the worst sleep. It's not unusual now for me to wake up several times during the night.*
2. Stumble upstairs to make myself a little breakfast: piece of toast with homemade strawberry jame from Jayne and Betty, bowl of Crunchy Raisin Bran cereal, some grapes, and a delicious hot cup of coffee.
3. Put dishes in dishwasher. I am SO helpful!
4. Spend some time on the phone with the financial aid office. Find out that because of my loss of scholarship sophomore year, I was a tenth of a point short of receiving the Academic Scholarship for this school year after working my butt off getting my grades up last year. Make an appointment to sign work study contract for next week.
5. Watch a couple of shows online on my laptop.
6. Decide that I need to go swimming. Drive to Shawnee North to find out that they are closed. Drive to Blaisdell to find out they are closed as well.
7. And now here I sit. What a busy day, huh? ;)

Now, I write all of this in a slightly satirical form, mostly to make fun of myself. Yes, I am a little disappointed about the scholarship thing, but I'll get over it. There's always next year. Oh yeah, I'm thinking that I'll be spending next fall abroad in Italy. I'm going to start looking into that more seriously.

I've Become CoffeeTricia

About every morning now since living at home, I've been making coffee. I enjoy making it now, because last semester I quit making it at home since I could just get it for free at Sunyoung's house. I measure out the little coffee beans, place them in the grinder and let it do its thing. The sound of coffee beans grinding in the morning totally reminds me of living at the Pink House because I always knew Tricia was up when I was lying in bed and heard that sound right above me every morning before I started nannying. I could sing of coffee's virtues forever. It wakes me up, it's tasty and not to mention the other benefits of a hastened digestive system. Yeah!

Definitely home from vacation

And here's my rant:

I'm freaking out. There are so many different pressures on me right now and I'm going crazy! I have no money whatsoever and I've grown to really despise money. I hate that it makes me rely so much on my parents right now-- living at home and whatnot-- when I just want to be independent.

I wonder: Can you answer this? Can a guy and a girl just be friends? Can they hang out and talk about common interests and just remain friends? I used to think they could, but I'm not so sure these days. It seems like everyone is getting engaged or getting married these days, and it used to have the sort of effect on me like I wanted to be in the same position. But now, I think it does the opposite effect. While I realize that if it's the RIGHT person and the right time, then yes, I'm sure it's wonderful. But for me, right now, I have so much to work on-- just issues with myself and I'm nowhere near where I'd like to be. Plus, I just can't even handle the idea of a relationship right now. It freaks me out having that much responsibility. I think I'd like to get away from Kansas after I graduate.

Anyway, back to my original question: I'm not sure about just being friends. It seems like whenever I try to be friends with guys, two things happen: Either I end up falling for him or he ends up falling for me, for whatever reason. I'm dealing with that in a couple different friendships right now and it sucks. How do you tell this person that although you enjoy their friendship and love talking with them that you don't think of them in a romantic way? I know what it's like to be rejected, and I hate the idea of causing that person that same kind of pain.

What's a girl to do?

I have a job!!!

So, it's finally finally official official OFFICIAL! I will be working in the art musuem this year and I am pumped! Even though I will probably just be sitting behind a desk most of the time, I will also be getting to help out with special events!

I met with the director today and she told me about some elements of the job. I will get to be there for First Friday exhibits and get to attend artist presentations at the gallery when there is a new artist featured there. I think this job will be perfect to see if this is really what I want to do in the future.

It's crazy that after not knowing what I wanted to do for so long, I just took and Art History class a year ago, fell in love with the study of art, and I just knew I wanted to do this. So many people ask me when I first decided that this is what I want to do. I think that my professsor, Dave Hartley, really put the passion of studying art into me.

I think art is fascinating. It's one of the few things that have remained constant throughout the years of history. Once you start researching a certain work of art, you do not just merely know about the piece itself, but suddenly you can catch a glimpse of the culture, the people, and what was going on in the world.