Probably the last for January

Since I don't blog more than once a week or so, this is probably gonna be my farewell to January. Hard to believe that I've already done 3 weeks of school! Chorale and voice have gone quite well, piano and world civ. have been OK, and New Testament and Global Issues haven't really gone at all. Hard to explain. Today I spent a lot of time reading the Bible, about the Bible, and about the history (social, political, and otherwise) of the Bible era for class. So much fun! Actually, I'm deeply spiritual and a lover of history, so it's not too bad, just a ton of reading. I still have a long way to go by Tuesday's class.
Watched "Troy" tonight. To sum up: lots of gorgeous 3/4 naked bodies, fighting, overacting, fighting, poster boy poses for the ladies (look pensive, look angry, look pretty, etc.), fighting, and death. Not great, not bad though either.
I'm a bit angry at some friends of mine. I won't go into detail but separate friends on separate occasions told me they'd call me to hang out and didn't. In the first case, I was told I'd be called back in 10 min. to watch a movie and I waited 2 hours without ever getting the call. Oddly enough, I know that the friends met and the movie was watched, but somehow I wasn't included as promised. In the other case, I am much more understanding, but still unsure...that's all I'll say.
Next week there are a few DVDs coming out that interest me: "The Grudge", "Ray", and "Vanity Fair". I know the last one isn't a 'guy flick' but it looks artistic and that I am.
Ran into a lady tonight that plays piano at Von Maur, teaches lessons, and used to work at the high school when my sisters were going there. She's made a life out of music and can do some amazing things with the piano. She asked me how I was and I told her I was majoring in music here in town. Her eyes opened wide and she said she was thrilled for me, wanted to be informed as soon as I had a CD out, and even told me to give her a call if I needed accompaniment. Let's just say it made my night and it was taken as a major compliment. I always find it interesting how people assume that I'm going to be teaching music and then I say, "No, I'm a singer/songwriter and I'm going to write and perform" and they look so impressed and interested.
Well, I'm done for tonight,
Much love.
Song of the Day (an idea recently stolen by Billie): "Quiet" by John Mayer on the "Inside Wants Out" record.

Hey. Watched "The Forgotten" last night. It is a very good movie. Not only did it make me jump in a few places, it causes you to constantly think and pay attention, and its message is a rarity in Hollywood...go rent it! I'd go on but I can't ruin it for you.
Haven't gotten any new CDs lately, but I have downloaded a few songs and I've got about a dozen CDs I'm taking to CD Warehouse to sell for a little gas money or something.
Tomorrow is week 3 of classes and I have an exam (just one that I know of anyway). Things have been steadily improving, but there is still room for betterment. I'm just staying grateful for the good things, trying to change the bad, and ignoring the in between. I went to my first meeting for the campus newspaper, which is a biweekly publication. I'm probably going to be a regular writer for it, which means a paycheck. Wahoo! I'm also submitting a song or poem to the annual creative writing publication. Since I've been selected for publication by UNL, MMC, and SCC, I should have a good shot at CU, but I've used different material each time, so you never know what will be liked and what will fit into the context of the work as a whole. I only have a week to decide on one. I'm taking a piano and 2 voice lessons a week and so far so good. Chorale is pretty fun too. Gotta work on the nerves a bit, but I've done pretty well.
Lots to do in the next 2 weeks but I'm keeping a great deal of it to myself.
Steve

More

Here are some more interesting questions since people responded well to the others.

What does the phrase, "time is up", mean? Was time down before?
Why don't we call it a "no-cough drop"?
What exactly is a mover or a shaker? Why would we want to be that?
If you keep your eyes on the prize, how can you have your eye on the ball?
Why does the American football rarely touch anyone's foot?
Why isn't tennis called raquetball?
Why do car companies name their vehicles after things that ram into others? For example Taurus (bull), Ram, Aries (ram), Charger, etc.
Did you know that Chevy's Nova means "it doesn't go" in Spanish? (No va)
Why is America's top selling speaker from Japan (Sony) while Japan's top selling speaker is American (Bose)?
What are celebrities thinking when they name babies? Examples: River, Moon, Star, Juaquin (I don't know all their hippie names) Pheonix, "Blanket" Jackson, Apple Martin (Gwenyth Paltrow's child), Dweezel Zappa, etc.
How does a red/green colorblind person know when to stop/go at a stoplight?
Did you know that fag is slang for the frayed end of a rope or shoestring, a cigarette, a remnant, or an English public-school boy who acts as a servant to another? Apparently this last one is where we get our modern meaning. Just so you know, a faggot is defined in Webster's as a bundle of sticks or twigs. Faggoting? That's a style of embroidery.
Did you know that scumbag was originally used as slang for condom? (Guess what scum means) ;)
Did you know that September, October, November and December were the 7th-10th months of the year originally? (Sept=7, oct=8, nov=9, deca=10). January is named for Janus, who could see forward and backwards (new year and old year). July is named for Julius Caesar and August for Augustus.

Just some stuff I found out or wondered.

Just for Fun

Here are some thoughts:
Why do we say "heads up" when we actually duck?
When a store has double doors why do they only let you use one of them?
If there was a crumb on the table and you cut it in half, would you have two crumbs or two halves of a crumb?
When people say, "I’m so tired it's not even funny" or "my head hurts so much it's not even funny", why would it even be funny in the first place?
If Hooters were to become a door-to-door service would they have to change their name to Knockers?
Why are marbles made of glass (as opposed to marble)?
How come you play at a recital, but recite at a play?
Why do you park in a driveway and drive in a parkway?
Have you ever noticed that if you rearranged the letters in mother in law, they come out to Woman Hitler?
Can you get cornered in a round room?
If an atheist has to go to court, do they make him swear on the Bible?
Why is it illegal to park in a handicapped parking space but its ok to use a handicapped toilet?
Why do they say "an alarm going off," if it is really going on?
Can fat people go skinny-dipping?
Do cows have calf muscles?
Why is it called a "building" when it is already built?
Isn't the phrase "hot water heater" redundant?
Why do people say "bare naked"? Is there another kind of naked?
Why do teachers have pointers yet tell students it's impolite to point?

Let me know what you think of these.

Dear Journal

I'm writing this more for my own sake than anything. That's partially because I haven't had many people reading in the last couple weeks. That's cool though. Today began week 2 of CU. I went to my first class (just the classroom) and had this sense of pointless fear that something bad was going to happen. Though I knew it was pointless fear and that I could 'live through' the class, I still couldn't get myself to go through the door, sit down, get ready, and spend the 50 min. in the class. Today I don't have my Chorale since the prof. is gone, so I don't have anymore classes to attend, but I am going to meet with the campus counselor. Here's hoping all goes well. Why am I so open about what is going on? Because it helps me to let it out, it might help someone else who sees this (in the off chance) and relates, and it is something I'm tired of being ashamed of or worried about. It's kinda odd there's no movie that deals with this subject. "The Aviator" is the only movie I can think of that deals with OCD. Maybe that's a sign that movie makers are going to be addressing these very real problems people deal with that have been ignored way too long. Who knows.
Tomorrow night I have a meeting in one of the dorms for our campus paper. I am going to throw some ideas out and see if any stick. If the editor likes my stuff, I could get a paying job writing articles. I'm thinking of doing music editorials and an article on being a transfer student. We'll see what happens. I'm kinda excited about that--I met the student editor a few days ago and he was really nice.
Discussion topic: What are your current favorite/least favorite classes?
Song of the Day: "Let Go" by Frou Frou.

Pain in the ass also known as class

Well, classes have begun. I had my hour long meeting for transfer students and met a handful of people--most of them didn't show up, including a friend that has transferred here with me. Another friend I thought would be on campus isn't here this semester, which sucks. I've missed some classes due to anxiety. My doctor's office is dragging feet getting info. to the people that need it here to help me out. Without that info. the school can't do anything to help me. I've got an appt. with a counselor on campus tomorrow along with 2 classes. I left my history class early last time, so I'm hoping for the best tomorrow. I have lots to say but no energy to say it.
SB

And something new begins

Tomorrow is the day I get a lot of my stuff done on campus. I'll pick up my mailbox key, have a meeting for new/transfer students, find my email address, and possibly get my parking sticker, student ID photo, and more. I'm excited and nervous. More nervous today than I've been. Also depressed. I'm used to this...it's how I am, but it's still not fair and it's very difficult. I should be at church right now, but when I got to the other side of town I felt sick to my stomach and drained of all energy. Here I am at home. Today I went to Lincoln to get some stuff I've been wanting for a long time since JC Penney had a huge sale on everything. I had a MASSIVE panic attack and grabbed some sheets that were 40% off, paid, and left. I had planned on getting more than one set since my others are crap. I also should have looked at the 50% off shoes since mine are old and falling apart a bit. Many other things I wanted to look at and didn't...Mom and my sis were pretty understanding, but not happy. I ended up sitting in my sister's car in the parking lot while they ate lunch at Panera. The lights, noises, and crowds of the city were more than I could handle today. Mom called my cel. while I was in the car and asked if I was OK. Trying to hold myself together, I simply stated, "No".
I have gotten the registration nightmare pretty much taken care of and I am at least a full-time student now, with 12 credit hours. I am taking New Testament, Men's Chorale, Global Issues, World Civilizations II, piano, and voice. Though I took Compostion I and II, Poetry Writing, African American Lit, Women's Lit, etc. at SCC, CU is claiming that I do not meet the basic English requirements. This is bullshit and I'm letting them know that. I need to take Human Performance classes that basically discuss heath, fitness, nutrition, etc., so I might take Tennis, Swimming, and/or Stress Management. Nice thing is that a lot of those classes are only 1/2 semesters so I can only would have to take them March-May. My first class is at 10:10 Monday.
I would appreciate prayers very much this week as I'm starting to fill with self-doubt and fear. I think this level of medication that I've been on a month is causing daily fatigue that causes me to sleep a ton and I guess I'll have to go through ANOTHER adjustment. Pray for me, my family, my doctors, and my medical treatment.

In other news: "King Arthur"-boring, "Stepford Wives"-kinda funny, "Taking Lives"-disgusting, "Wicker Park"-AWESOME, "Wimbeldon"-good but obviously done by the "Notting Hill" people, and "Surviving Christmas"-great 1st half, awful 2nd half.

Songs of the Day: "Never Alone" by Barlow Girl, "Collide" by Howie Day.

Keep in touch,
Stephen

Ah, so there's winter...

We have snow...finally. I don't say that because I was looking forward to it (I most definately wasn't) but because it's taken quite some time for winter to look and feel like winter. Having a 60 degree day in December was odd, but I liked it anyway. I am going to make a killing on snow shoveling at the office this winter. So far I have made $30 dollars this week just for that and I have another $30 or so coming my way I'm sure. Summary--it's cold, I hate it, the money makes up for it.
I STILL haven't registered for classes (well, I'm registered for Men's Chorale). The admissions and registration offices have been dragging their feet on this one. I have a few days before classes begin and I don't know what my schedule is. After a campus visit yesterday and today, along with a few phone calls, I'm getting things moving. Should have a complete schedule tomorrow evening. I'm nervous, anxious, excited, and giddy. Prayers are appreciated.
I have a great feeling of optimism about this new year and I think that this one will be full of great things for me and my family. I just have this sense that things are going to begin working for me. Here's hoping...
I have plenty to do still and I have to go--thanks for reading, good luck with all your classes and such.
Steve