this night...

It's funny how a student can reach that one certain time (for me it is 1:46 on the dot) and realize that they ultimately have two options.

1. get in bed NOW and try to sleep.

now this option is tricky, because it is not always guaranteed that the student will actually FALL asleep. It is very likely that said student will simply lie in bed feeling guilty that they are no longer studying or doing whatever they really SHOULD be doing at that moment.

however, the second option is also tricky.
2. continue working.
the reason this option is equally tricky may have something to do with a little thing called an "all-nighter". This is a close friend to many students who either really have a ton to do, or just tend to procrastinate, like me.

I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that the work always ends up done, some way or another. Unfortunately for me, I realize that no amount of classical music will make me smarter or study better at this point.

So, I will continue studying. I will take my exams, perhaps with the help of a caffeinated drink or two, and I will survive. [hey... hey.......]

Yes... I know it's late.

a postcard from Bali

sometimes all you need to do is get away.



Bali would be nice.

Is it bad?

So I'm thinking it may be a bad sign if I'm already getting ready for Christmas. If I had it my way, I would have completely surrounded myself with Christmas decorations by now. Alas, I am but a poor college student and I have decided to settle on a Christmas-tree scented candle.

I was on the phone with my mom last night and she said she's excited to have me home for Thanksgiving. It was then that we realized we had both unconsciously taken a month off of November, thinking that next week is Thanksgiving. What is it about this time of year that makes weeks run together, holidays not come fast enough, yet are over before we know it?

How good it will feel to go home for maybe a couple hours, just to be crammed into the car again. Since the addition of my two lovely youngest siblings, we typically opt to take two cars on family vacations. Still, 8 people and a black lab the size of a large pony, plus luggage and our contributions to the family Thanksgiving pot luck dinners: always a large load. I can't imagine any other joy I would rather experience right now.

Of course Thanksgiving will always be the red-headed step child in comparison to the greatness that is Christmas. I'm sure my grandmother will continue her annual tradition of recruiting grandkids as troops in attempt to conquer WalMart every Black Friday at 5am. Seriously, she gives us stations. "You go stand by the GPS's... Yo go stand by the digital cameras..." It's intense. She could probably navigate around that store with her eyes closed.

Okay, so I guess Thanksgiving will be enough to tie me over for now. But you best believe that Christmas is always the icing on the cake. Until then, I will be ever hovering over my Balsam Fir Tree scented candle. Joy to the world :)

go...

"Oh, Jo. Jo, you have so many extraordinary gifts; how can you expect to lead an ordinary life? You're ready to go out and - and find a good use for your talent... Go, and embrace your liberty. And see what wonderful things come of it." -little women

hello fall...

we greet thee with open arms!

I went home to Franklin, Tennessee for fall break and the only thing that could have made it better would have been temperatures below 70s. Leiper's Fork is always beautiful, but once those leaves start changing it is absolutely breathtaking. Man's best friend and I went hiking on the Natchez Trace. (Hiking with my sweet dog Moose means traipsing through rivers and various otherwise non-hikable places such as through large drainage pipes. It's quite exciting.) I have taught my dear Moose so well; he somehow maneuvered out of his collar somewhere along our expedition. Clever one, that dog.
My heart was simply giddy looking at the colorful trees against the blue blue sky.

I went on a walk yesterday to take pictures of some places that make me smile here in Knox. It made me appreciate my surroundings a little bit more, but also made me realize my desire for a better camera: a more legit camera if you will. So, as of late, I am trying to figure out ways I can earn money for the camera of my dreamsssss. (Nikon D3000 anyone?) Soooo if anyone has any ideas besides selling my clothes/my plasma let me know. (that last one about the plasma is a semi joke. we'll see how desperate I get...)

The weather is making it terribly hard to stay on task in the world of academia. I've always struggled with this, but wanting to be outside 24/7 sure isn't feeding the flame of desire to study. Along with fall, I have embraced the fact that growing up means making decisions. This has also left me extremely distracted and seemingly absent minded when it comes to my studies. Soon it will all work out and my future self will look back and laugh at my past self.

At least I hope so.

-hv

it's beginning to feel like...

fall. FINALLY. even the fact that it's rainy and drab outside can't kill my mood today.

I almost didn't wake up this morning because the rain was coming down so hard the sun didn't rise! (I mean, I'm sure it did, but I couldn't see it. Therefore I was unable to greet and salute said sunrise, leading to my inability to wake up/get out of bed... ever.) However, I have tried to make the most out of this rainy monday by wearing my new trench coat (THANKS LISA... MOM). The only problem was that this coat did not have a hood to protect my sweet little head from Knoxville's acidic rain.
Problem easily solved: take hood off of another jacket and simply place it on head like hat. BADABING: hood. Nevermind the color difference, because who really cares if I match anyways? If there is actually a person out there who TRULY cares if I match every day or not, I pity the quality of your life. And sorry.

I love it when I ask permission to do something and the response I receive is "go for it".

Like:
Question:"Is anyone sitting here?"
Response: "No. Go for it!"

It's like a little pep talk. Like I have people throughout my whole day whose sole purposes are to give me that one encouraging phrase and smack my butt to get ready for game time. (just kidding about that last part). GO TEAM :)

I just realized I have been sitting here at Starbucks in John Hodges with my head phones on for fifteen minutes... without music. After realizing this, I open my itunes only to have my ears blasted with the highest volume of tunes.

And with that last bit of entertaining news, my table companion puts up her hood and tucks her hair in... to go outside?

false. She just was preparing for the next level her extreme studying sesh. I am now intimidated.

go team. -h.

lessons learned...

so here are a few lessons learned today:

#1: never wear your favorite shirt (or your brand new one) to do the dishes. you will ALWAYS get soapy suds on it. alwaysalwaysalways. don't do it.

#2. ALWAYS wear pants. you never know who might stumble into your room. (this particular lesson was not necessarily LEARNED today, but I was reminded of that one time I learned this lesson before...)

lesson #3; if you have homework, do NOT (and I repeat DO NOT) even think about getting on Facebook. whatever you need to do will never be done... until maybe 3 o'clock.

#4. It is always okay to go into someone else's room when they aren't there. Always. (perhaps to use a can opener or to eat some of their applesauce? just saying...)

#5: It's okay if you get lazy at night and don't charge your phone. Chances are when it dies, (and it will.... eventually) it won't even be that big of a deal and you might even get out of that one alive.

lesson #6, even if you have a scary dream, or a dream where someone does something mean to you or maybe proposes to another girl because he "thought you wouldn't care", it is not really appropriate to take it out on that person the next morning, because they didn't really do anything wrong in real life. (...or DID they? hmm...)

well, consider those lessons learned. I will now attempt to be on task.

-h.