Why stealing art is illogical

Norwegian police find Munch's 'Scream'

Two years ago some gunmen burst into a museum and stole the painting "Scream" by Edvard Munch. Museum security was no match to crazy art thieves with guns. Finally, the were apprehended.
Why would you steal such a famous piece of art? Everyone who sees it could easily recognize it. Even if you tried to sell it on the black market it could be tricky. Art is meant to be displayed and hanging a painting that's been missing for two years would be ridiculous.
If you really like a piece of art please don't steal it, you are only robbing others of enjoying it. I suggest going to the museum bookstore and buying a postcard version of it. If you are going to steal art, make sure it is at least from some obscure artist. You could steal my art.

What I have to go to class!?

That statement is an exaggeration of what I'm really feeling. I'm glad that classes have started and that the crazy orientation schedule is ready to be gathered into a giant pile and burnt. Thank goodness for routine of some sort.
I think my classes will be really good. I'm taking 18 hours right now, but 9 of them are pretty easy. The only ones I really have to work for are the only ones I really want to work for. They are 3 Christian ministry classes: instructional Bible Study, Biblical prophets, and Adolescent Culture and the Gospel. Lots of Bible reading which is awesome.
The only problem I'm having adjusting back into a school schedule is being disciplined in homework. I usually am but right now I want to catch up with all my friends from last year as well as meet the new students. I'm sure it will be easier once I really get into my schedule.
So far my prayer leader responsibilities are going well. The girls that I'm praying for a stellar! They are all amazing and unique. I'm excited to get to know them more.
The freshman class in general is impressive, not just in size (they're around 260), but in their talents and abilities. I think they will all have a good impact on Sterling Campus.

Well...I guess I'll go work on homework before class starts. Sigh.

You have to be ready!!!

Yesterday a group of us, who were helping guys move into Campbell Hall, took a break during the lull and watched an episode of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. It was all about going to school for the first time and was especially appropriate since all the Fall athletes were moving in yesterday and the new students will move in tomorrow. One of the characters in make-believe-land was scaring all the children with as scary poem that made them think they weren't ready for school. The poem went something like this:

"You have to be ready, You have to be ready,

You have to be ready,

for school, for school!

You have to be ready or you'll be sorry!"

We thought it'd be appropriate to run down the halls and yell it when all the new students are here.

The campus is hopping now. All the athletes are back and we're still expecting many more students. The total enrollment, at least the last time I heard, for new students was 261! I'm excited for the rest of our wing girls to move in. We have a total of 8 girls who are new student/athletes and are expecting another 12 tomorrow. Woot! So far the girls seem really awesome, though I'm having problems remembering all their names. That is not unexpected on my part. I'm glad we all have to wear lanyards with our names on them. I hope that helps.

Student Leadership Training and the like

I am all moved in to my dorm room. Everything has assumed a similar location as last year, with the addition of a kickin' keyboard.
It's good to be back. Really good. We've been kept pretty busy. Our meetings and activities start at 7:30am and end around 10pm everyday. It's been really good. My team ,which is made up of 4 Resident assistants and they're prayer leaders, is really fun. We've been bonding and coming up with inside jokes and all that jazz (complete with flutes). It's been challenging physically, mentally, and spiritually, but mostly physically. All of our activities remind me of forgotten childhood activities and talents, like capture the flag and flag football. The schedule doesn't allow for a lot of down time but doesn't look like it will slow down much as we plan for orientation and prepare for new students.
We had our last game last night, a crazy relay race complete with chocolate, milk, water, and soap, and today will transition into planning orientation.
athletes move in Wednesday and all new students come Friday. Pray for us! We're going to have the largest group of new students the college has ever had. The record was 252 and we're looking like we'll have 260 new students! CRAZY! Last year we only had 150-ish.
I think it is going to be a crazy and amazing year, or if you like to combine words to make new words, cramazing.

"I leave for school in two days" and other seemingly shocking statements

I getting ready to go back for leadership training before class actually begins. I think it will be fun. But I think of it in a very far off fashion, like it is still May and the reality of school is months away.
Am I really going to school Thursday? Yes. Yes I am. Crazy.
When it seemed far away it was exciting. When it got closer I got more organized and wrote out vision statements. Now I am in a frenzy of packing.
The frenzy is mostly in my head while the actual packing is more organized. I just feel like there are a million things I have to do before I go back and they really aren't the most necessary things. Does that even make sense? Whatever. There are so many decisions that have to be made regarding my schedule and what activities I'm involved in and that kind of thing and all of those thoughts are bouncing around in my head simultaneously. I should really make a list or write it out or something but I'm sick of lists.
I'm sure I'll regain my sanity sometime. I'll keep you posted.

Rant over.

Conversations with Strangers

It's probably just my personality type or something similar that makes it seem awkward to me to talk to people I don't know. The "Thanks" or "Have a good day" to a cashier is usually where I draw the line. Like most things I've tried to avoid, my sister did it first. When we were younger Ang would talk to strangers everywhere. It wasn't ever the "Don't talk to strangers" scenarios parents usually warn their children about, Ang would always initiate the conversations. I was never brave enough, my younger years being the ones consumed with shyness around strangers, to talk to strangers, let alone strange adults.

Recently I've had more experiences that have changed my view on conversations with strangers. Just like going to see a therapist whom you barely know to confess/rant/share your deepest pains and secrets, conversations with strangers can be an opportunity to release burdens or say how you really feel without worrying about ever seeing that person again. It can be a huge blessing.

Example: A month ago my Mom and I were furniture shopping. The saleswoman that was helping us was very sweet and mentioned that she also took care of her mother, who has alzhiemers. She and my Mom got to talking about their shared experiences with taking care of elderly parents and not having very much sibling support. The woman got to talk to someone who really understood what she was going through. The conversation lasted about 30 minutes and the Saleswoman was blessed.

Conversations with strangers can also lead to learning experiences and be encouraging. Whether it's finding a shared interest of experience just knowing that there is someone else out there who cares about similar things you do.

Example: Earlier this week I was standing in line to check-out at Old Navy. A woman was behind me in line with the most adorable baby clothes in hand. I was debating complimenting her taste when she said, "They should really open up another lane. It isn't exactly a come and go store though." I complimented the outfit she had picked out and explained that I loved to shop here for my nephew. She then said that she was buying it for a friend who had recently adopted a baby girl from China and that she and her husband adopted two children from China starting a few years ago. I shared with her that my sister and I were both adopted and we talked about both of our experiences with adoption. We discussed the need of having more people willing to adopt, even if it is just one child and they have biological children as well. She had done mission work in an orphanage in China full of children who were abandoned due to 'defects' great and small, from birthmarks to down syndrome. She shared that most of the children in the orphanage had never even been picked up. We fit all this in to a 6 minute conversation. As we were both checking out we agreed that this was a God initiated meeting. We both left encouraged and inspired.

I was inspired because I love to meet people that are adopting! I have a chance to share my experiences as a adoptee and encourage them as well as seeing my prayers answered for more people to consider adoption.