It's hard to believe we have only five weeks of school left! The next five weeks are going to go by so fast because I'm probable going to be busier than I've been all year. This weekend I started writing a final paper for my Renaissance and Reformation class about the Scientific Revolution. To prepare and get sources, I bribed RaeLea to go down to UNL with me to to giant library—with the promise that I'd buy her ice cream. I was really glad because it's a huge library (in six or seven buildings) and she was more helpful than any librarian I've ever encountered. So I ended up with 12 riveting books about the Scientific Revolution, religion and science, society and science, and everything in between. I wrote my bibliography right away for two reasons, a) because that's the kind of thing English majors don't mind and actually sort of like to do and b) because always at the end of a paper I just want to be done and not worrying about little technicalities.
It's full-on spring here, which means sun streaming through windows and creating greenhouses out of the dorms, ad building, and caf. RaeLea and I are quite lucky because we are on the wing of the dorm with individual AC units, and so far our room is the only place I've been able to cool off in the last 24 hours. I'm not complaining—this is twenty times better than trudging through the snow this time of year, which could happen in the midwest.
Every day since spring break, I've eaten one grapefruit, and every few days I've had a kiwi. I've never, ever been good about eating fruits and veggies but this nice weather just put me on a fruit kick. Most of the ones I've gotten from UC Market have been delicious!
Today I am giving a presentation on Research in Magazine Writing. It's only supposed to be four minutes. I think I'm at five, which I really hope is ok. I was planning on giving it last week, but much of the class disregarded the four minute rule and took ten or twelve, so that was a good warning for me to keep it short, sweet, and to the point. That class starts in 45 minutes.
Spring is coming to Lincoln at last. Tomorrow it is supposed to be 69º which is rare and amazing. Spring Break starts on Friday and I will be heading home—hallelujah!—for some much-needed Family Time. I actually look forward to the three-hour drive because I am going to be listening to my spanish podcasts to prepare for next year.
I've officially applied to spend a year abroad for the 12-13 school year. My cousin Justin has also applied and we can't wait to spend the year together. He goes to school in Washington (state) so we don't get to see each other very often at all. Anyway, we've been keeping up with each other in listening to Spanish podcasts. They are called Notes in Spanish and we are on the "Inspired Beginners" level. Even though I had two years in high school and a semester here, there's a ton I don't know. I highly recommend these podcasts because they are the best free ones I've found. It includes lots of vocab lessons and phrases that people actually use (not just textbook information) and then has two sets of dialog in spanish, which is afterwards explained. Justin and I both listen to each podcast at least twice to make sure we are getting all of the information given. It's no Rosetta Stone, but it's better than nothing! We also try to write short notes to each other in Spanish and have been trying to read Spanish articles online with a great deal of help from translate.google.com.
Yesterday RaeLea and I went to the mall on a mission to find wedding shoes for her. We were successful in our endeavors and she came home with two pairs to try on next week with her dress during spring break. I haven't been to the mall here, and even though I try to usually avoid malls, it was a fun day together without the stress of tons of homework to attend to. This is her last week of student teaching at public school so she's letting the teacher take over once again. We are both so excited for spring break and the chance to relax! When I come back, I'm bringing boxes and packing supplies because we'll be out of here before we know it.
I hope everyone is having an excellent spring day! ¡Hasta la vista!
Yesterday in church we sang "Reach Out to Jesus," a song which my dad heard a lot as a kid. He would always sing "walking by our side in His lovely hide," imagining Jesus wearing a lovely animal hide as all Bible characters do. One day as he sang it to himself, a family member overheard, laughed, and informed him that the real words were "walking by our side, in His love we hide." Kids seem to have a way to make up their own words for things and rationalize them. When I was little, I always thought it was Drastic Park, where the dinosaurs ruled the earth, which would in fact be pretty drastic. I didn't watch them till I was much older so for some time that's what I was convinced Jurassic Park was. When my roommate was little, she though it was "takin' care of biscuits" instead of "business." I know Logan had a few funnies too but I can't remember any right now. What did you hear differently when you were a kid?
