Not Your Mommy's Cookies...

So it's a little late. Nearing bedtime, actually. But I went earlier to get my dinner and saw something rather ... unusual on the receipt. 

Now, I'm no expert in cookies, but I hafta know — is this going to count against me for Lent?

Ashes!

As we all know yesterday was Ash Wensday. Yey Ash! 

Well As I'm about to walk in to the Chapel I see deco siting on a bench and say, "Hi Deacon Do you have enough people?"

He says, "Oh it's just me what did you have in mind?"

I say, "Alter Servers."

"Oh that's be really helpful! Thank you!"

Now you might be thinking, gee that's sweet or something and believe the whole thing went on with out and confusion at all.

hahahahahahahahaha.... your funny!

No I hadn't served since a long time a go last year. And that was all just being first or second chair. And that one time I was a bout bearer. 

This time I was suddenly a Crucifier, and first chair at the same time. It was only me and Deacon running the show. Usably there's 1 and 2 chair and a incense bearer and a bout bearer and a crucifier. Not just a Katie, who is completely guessing her way through the mass. 

I guesses correctly most the time mind you!

And about half way through I look to my left and up pops Father. (He'd been gone at some school).

And some nice man came up and became first chair. 

And during the Eucharist I was helping father by holding the shiny gold tray to ceach any falling hosts. Well our side got all done so we went over to help deacon, making a two lane kinda thing. Guess were my lane was stationed at. heres a hint the hole time i hured. "Katie! Katie! Hi Katie!"

Yep right in front of the clan!

Well that was my action packed yesterday.

Just had to share...

I went to go pick up the food for the Russian Club meeting today, but it wasn't until I had arrived back home after everything was said and done that I realized who the nice pizza-maker was who served up my order ... 

It's nice to know Pizza Hut is employing such a high caliber of people nowadays.  

-_- <--note glaring-at-society face. 

Birthday Wishes

So in a little over a week, I'll be turning 20 (where did the time go?), and I've had a few people already ask me what I want for my birthday. 

Truth be told, I'm not really one of those people that really celebrates birthdays, especially mine. And really, there's nothing that I can think of that I really just can't live without. But, I know that some people won't really like that answer, so here's what I've decided to do. This year, for my birthday, if you must get me something, give to charity. Below is a list you can pick from, or you may have one that you'd rather donate to. But I would consider it just as spectacular a gift if you would spend the money you would have spent on a gift for me on giving to those who are really in need. Just let me know which one you gave to in the card, or whatever, and that can be my gift. 

Here are a few charities whose causes I support:

• Make a Wish Foundation | Donate
• Thursday's Child | Donate
• Human Rights Campaign | Donate
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children | Donate
• American Cancer Association | Donate
• AIDS Action Foundation | Donate
• Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America | Donate
• Dallas is Love | Donate
• The National Military Family Association | Donate

That's all I really want for my birthday, really. 

Although, I couldn't turn down a gift certificate for a massage, especially a hot-stone massage. That's really the only thing that I can say with any definitiveness I remotely need right now. =)

Thanks, and happy giving.

(PS - if you don't like any of my charities but still want to give, there's a web site that'll make it really easy — www.justgive.org. They have quite a thorough listing of charities to choose from)

Comments: It's What's For Dinner

Okay, maybe not, but either way, it's now MUCH easier for you, our darling readers, to comment on our ramblings and such. To comment on any of these posts, go to the end of the post, click the "# comments" link, and then leave your comment. 

In the menu that's labeled "Comment As", click the drop-down menu and click "Name/URL" Type your name in the box (you can leave the URL field blank), and click "OK" This way, you can comment and it be labeled as you. It's much easier than the whole creating a random profile thinger. 

HOWEVER! Mommy, Daddy, Katie, Eli...y: USE YOUR PROFILES! Don't cheat. 

That is all. 

Who's Fredo

So I am sitting here in my hotel with "The Godfather" playing in the background and I start to wonder at the parallels between the Corelone and the Johnson family. Which of my boys is Fredo? I have some ideas on Sonny and Tom, but which one is Fredo? Which one could be Michael, with the iron resolve to run the family business. And is there a Luca Brazi in the bunch . . .

SURPRISE! (It's a secret)

Even though I desperately wanted it to be a surprise, I can't contain myself. It has been 31 days since I last saw my darling family, and since my weekends are booked to a slightly nauseating level with humanitarian activities (pardon while I go call for God on the Great White Telephone), I'm having trouble getting a weekend off. So I've decided, since the planets have properly aligned this week and my Thursday class is cancelled (secretly, it's optional, but the "optional" activity is going over an activity that I aced, so I'm sure I won't miss much), I'm going to magically appear home on Wednesday. It's been far too long since I've seen my mommy (and I also need a haircut and I have lots of laundry.)

But here's the secret part. NO ONE can tell Mommy (unless of course she reads the blog, which by the way, NONE of you are allowed to instruct her to do!) Katie, keep mum (no pun intended) about this (since I'm sure you'll be up crazy-early enough to catch this blog entry), and you too, Eli (though you probably *won't* be up early enough to catch this blog entry). 

I know it won't be very long, but it'll at least be a good 24 hours of being home, so I figure it's gotta be worth something!

Now. Time for bed. Early classes tomorrow. Nine-thirty. And it's a debate on China. I'm really hoping that I get to use the line "And what does that have to do with the price of rice in China," just for the lulz. Ah well. 

I leave you with this final thought, dear readers:

Glamorous Travel

I know that in the past the kids and even my bride have suggested that my travel for work was fun. Each time I would hear that I would think back to the drive I did late one night this past fall to Houston. I stayed in town late so that I could go to Vivi's play, she was after all lead cow. I drove south after my dinner of church cooked hot dogs and flat soda. I was traveling really light as the next day would be one meeting and then drive back home. Two hours out of town the bad soda and bad hot dogs combined into a toxic stomach stew that needed out. I had to make sure that I didn't get anything on my only pair of slacks so I am leaning on the side of the truck on the side of I-45 throwing up so hard my eyes hurt.

And that is the glamorous side of travel

Caption this picture!

I think he's saying, "Will you kiss my boo boo?"

Matrimony

Hay I'm getting married! Yep! Ok no, but still YEP! 

Alright thursday and friday last week the band directors left and so wandering in to the band hall durning lunch to practice flag was not possible. Sooooo, Ethan, Marina, Miranda, Olivia, and I all trooped up to the Library and looked at the bridal magazine. We (exempt Ethan) thought "Hay it would be soo cool to get to run around a bridle store and try these on."

Then the reality of it all hit and we realized that they're never going to let some random teenage girls try on a bunch of wedding dresses. So we're part of an arranged marriage! We're going to the dress store in March because our 'Weddings' are in April!

My husbands name in Leklye. (Pronounce Le Kyle just smooch them together. It's a real name I looked it up!)

Miranda has Kigsly (I didn't spell that right. Kings le)

Olivia has John Claud. 

Marina we don't know. 

We're going all out on this too. Background stories. Finding pictures! It's a blast! 

Now at the hippie girl scout cabin-ing trip! not much really happened except that I made a purse out of someone's jeans. It took 2 hours and slicing the side of my finger with those made for leather needles! but It's done!

*Deep sigh*

So it's really been a while since I last wrote on here, hasn't it? Well, I guess it's also been a while since I last had a nice chunk of time to sit down and type everything out anyway!

So, to recap the past few weeks ... in case anyone hasn't been filled in yet, here's the class line-up for this term:

• IAS: Global Community
• P SC: Comparative Politics
• IAS: National Security Policy
• PSY: Elements of Psychology
• SOC: Introduction to Sociology
• RUSS: Intermediate Russian, Con't
• PSY: Crisis Intervention

Woo flippin' hoo. That brings the grand total of Hours-Zeke's-In-Class-Per-Week to 21, dear readers. Which, admittedly, to my younger siblings who spend 35 in class, may not seem quite so daunting, but rest assured, little ones, it's no spring picnic. Twenty one hours in college is the kind of thing that drives college students to certain extremes ...

Your move, Professor

But that's what I get, I suppose, for what I'm doing with my degrees. Which, to recap, are as follows:

• Bachelor of Arts in International and Area Studies: International Security Studies
• Bachelor of Science in Psychology
• Minor in Russian Language & Culture
• Minor in Linguistics
• Minor in Sociology-Criminology

But lately, I just haven't quite been feeling this particular gaggle of educational goals, and so, before work today, I printed out THIRTEEN degree plans to see how I could rearrange my degrees to also include (and/or replace a degree or two with) Premedical. Granted, there isn't any specific Pre-med program, it's a related degree on a Pre-med track. Either way, I finally narrowed it down to a different set:

• Bachelor of Arts in International and Area Studies: International Security Studies
• Bachelor of Science in Psychology
• Bachelor of Science in Microbiology, Premedical
• Minor in Russian Language and Culture
• Minor in Zoology, Premedical

But ALAS! It didn't fit into my next three years. At least, not in a manner that didn't end in a rather tragic and gruesome textbook-related death for yours truly. 

If only he hadn't've taken that last section of Microbial Physiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory

Which has me quite frustrated. I have five years, and I feel kind of like the last 1.5 were a bit of a waste because I wasn't entirely sure which direction I was going. And at this point, another 1.5 years of time would be *marvelous*. I mean, I'm not even DONE with my second year of college yet, and I'm a senior. If I just decided to blow off the other degrees, I could be graduating next SEMESTER with a Bachelor of Arts in ISS. But, alas and alack, I know not if that is the particular career path I really want. Maybe I'm going to drop out of school. I could be an artist ...

I call this one "College Student with Too Many Hours"

Or maybe organized crime. At least the Russian would come in handy there, I suppose. Did you know that the Russian Mafia is THE fastest-growing organized crime unit in the world?

I'll do you this favor on the day of your daughter's wedding, but I expect an "A" in Neuropsychopharmacology in return. 

In fact, while we're on the subject, I recently saw a pretty hilarious movie — Boondock Saints. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's highly entertaining. But suffice it to say that after watching that, I wouldn't mind being a part of the Righteous Irish Catholic sect instead of a perpetual student with zilch direction. 

Tooralooraloo.

Of course, to really pull that off, though. I'd need a brother (not like there's any shortage) who'd be willing to get insanely violent with the unrighteous scum of our planet. Any takers? 

And then again, there's always the piracy option. I mean, granted I'm not exactly into the whole living life aboard a bloody ship with a bunch of insanely unhygienic men, but there is a certain allure to living life sans-boundaries ... 

Anyone else ever notice how Cap'n Sparrow's hair looks almost Medusa-like?

Then again, there are certain benefits, I guess, to having a degree. I mean, higher education is all the rage nowadays. I mean, some artists become fantastically successful in their later years because of their work, and that'd be great to be one of those "artistic types". Then again, that's only if I don't starve first. And though you certainly have job security (well, so long as you're at paygrade "Underboss" and above) in a job with the Mafia, I'd like something I can claim as my occupation on my taxes and such without worrying I've just tipped off something like 25 different government agencies. And though noble in theory, righteously and violently murdering the wicked kind of leaves you in an ambiguous place in the afterlife. And really, pirates are frankly just no longer in vogue. 

Literally. 

Which leaves me back where I started — wondering WHAT ON EARTH I'm going to do with my life. I suppose getting my degree in International Security Studies and a minor in Russian certainly allows for job security (once I find one), since I have a feeling that there's trouble a'brewin', but I don't know that it's *really* the job for me. 

Though the perks could be nice...

Whatever it is, it'd be nice to have left my mark on the world. Which really sounds kind of lofty, but I don't think it's too much to ask for. I don't know *how* that's going to happen, exactly, but whatever it is, I'd like it to be big enough to be remembered. 

Little Bigger. 

There we go. 

Or maybe I'll just change my major entirely. There was someone I knew from a couple of terms ago who said he was doing a few things to become an Air Traffic Controller (and they apparently make beaucoup bucks, you know). 

He majored in One-Armed Flight. 

Well, I guess that all-in-all, so long as I'm getting a degree, I'll be better off. I mean, there *are* worse possibilities, you know ...

Somehow, "Somewhat-Malnourished Artist" doesn't sound so bad anymore...

So for my first masterpiece, I'd like to introduce you to ... 

The Mona Lisa

But alas, I have some homework to do before my shift is up at the dorm tower, so I must leave you, dear reader. 

I shall return to haunt this blog further at a later time...

Adieu. 

Contest results.

Soooooo, we didn't place last friday, they only recognized the top three solos and Ensembles in each category. But the Redoak Duo came in first! So One of Tj's baby's made it. And on solo the guy who won spun saber blindfolded. 

Really the fact that Olivia and I didn't place surprised allot of people, apparently we were a crowd favorite! Every one eles had these angst shows and we were all 'my man cheated on me?!?! To the club I'll show that son of a biscuit!!!' We waz fearce! 

It is cool to have other groups run up and say they loved your show, it was there favorite! Next stop champion ships. 

Oh dear Jesus I went to Church, help me!!!!

Olivia changed our duo music mu we wrote a minute of it in a 4 3ish hour jam session yesterday. I got all the rifle work done but when i finally got home to write flag my brain went on strike! Stupid thought processes union. Contest this Friday! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've only got 30 seconds! I need a minuet more in the very least! I need to find Miracle Max's divin intervention shop again!!

"Yes that's one divine intervention extra large please."

"Would you like some holy water with that?"

"Yes please."

"All right pull up to the next window and that'll be the 'Hail Mary's"

It worked when I had to clean my room....

Thoughts?

So it's been a while since anyone published a post here, so I'll grace it with a new one right before bed. 

I'm thinking about becoming a pescetarian, but I'm not sure I could commit (especially at school with the somewhat limited foodage options) to a restrictive diet like that. So I guess I'll start at flexitarian and work my way up. Never fear, though, dear readers: I could never stand to be vegan. 

For now, though, I think I'll be a sleepitarian, since it's pretty flippin' late. And I had every intention of waking up early to go to the gym pre-classes. Pshaw. Maybe Tuesday. 

Thoughts? (On part A, not the sleeping part)