It's amazing how one person can be right about something. I was talking to Starry last weekend and my decision not to go to church anymore. She told me that I should, even if it is just one hour a week. Well, I just got back from Mass with my family and I realized how much that I missed going to Mass. There's just something really comforting about it. Maybe it's because I'm scared right now about these headaches that I've been having but I sure felt better after going to Mass tonight. And I know that things will turn out all right in the end. I have God, my family and my friends that all care about me.

I think I like this color scheme better. A simple question though, how the heck do I change that huge header? If that was black too, I'd be a happy camper

There's nothing like getting up, checking your email for any notices about class being cancelled and then walking across campus to class and almost getting hit by a car (when I'm in the crosswalk and have a walk light) only to find out that class is cancelled. Oh well, I guess that means that I should use this time to study. Especially since I'm completely and utterly lost in hematology.

Pedestrian Bingo!

Ok when you're at a crosswalk, people in cars are supposed to stop for you, right? Not on the campus of Ferris State University. Seriously. Depending on where I cross, I have to cross 2 or 3 streets to get to my classes. 2 of these crosswalks have stoplights, 1 doesn't. But at the one that doesn't, there's a sign that marks it as a pedestrian crossing. I shouldn't have to wait for 30 cars when I'm wanting to cross at a crosswalk. Grrrrr.

Well, classes have officially started again. And to start off the academic year on the right note, there was no hot water this morning. Oi. That was one of the coldest showers that I've ever taken. Today has just not been a good day for me though. While sitting in microbiology lecture this morning, I realized that I'd signed up for desk hours when I have class, because I copied something wrong. Then I get some information on Real Life, one of the Christian fellowships on campus and I can't go to that because I'm on duty and it's something that I wanted to start doing this year. And I can't go to His House because I'm at class that time. :s Ugh.

What a fun week. I've had a friend with me all weekend because her house isn't ready to move into yet, so that's been fun. My mom, dad, and grandma are coming to visit me later today. They're just stopping at the casino first. Then they're going to come and take my totes home so that I actually have room for stuff in my room. I can finally finish unpacking. Plus they're going to take me school supply shopping I think. Like I haven't been to WalMart every day this weekend. And spent about $40 each time that I've gone. Ok so I probably didn't need to buy 6 pairs of earrings last night, but I do have 2 holes so I always buy in even numbers. And I probably didn't need the new dry erase board, but the one that I had wasn't actually erasing. And I know I didn't need the poster but the names of Christ looks so cool on my bathroom door. So I guess I can justify it all. And I did need an air freshner for the bathroom. Now to justify the new computer speakers to my parents... They think that I waste my money.

Finished reading the Xenogenesis series. It kinda makes you wonder the big what if's. What if we really did end up in a nuclear war that ended up in nuclear holcaust? What if a strange race of aliens did come and save humanity from extinction? What if we did end up mating with the aliens creating a strange new race? And a whole lot more.

So I started Heroes Die last night when the internet went down. I'm just getting into it, but it really is strong language. I really like it so far so I can't wait to finish it and start Blade of Tyshalle

I just love having excess financial aid. I just charged $200.77 to my student account. $170 of that was textbooks and $30 was a cool blanket made out of sweatshirt material. Yay me!

It's 12:36am, do you know where your RA is?

Ferris State University opens the residence halls up for the fall at 8am. How did opening day come so quickly? It seemed like it came so much quicker this year. Maybe it did. Going through training and classes kept me real busy. Looking back on this last two and a half weeks makes me think. I'm lucky to be who I am. Yeah I've had some tough spots in life but who hasn't. I have a job that allows me to grow, great friends, people that love me, steady income, I'm getting the best education in the state in my program, I'm successful, and most of all I'm enjoying life. Life is beautiful. We need to treasure it.

This morning when I wakened
And saw the sun above,
I softly said, "Good morning, Lord,
Bless everyone I love."
And right away I thought of you
And said a loving prayer,
That He would bless you specially,
And keep you free from care.
I thought of all the happiness
A day could hold in store,
I wished it all for you because
No one deserves it more.

For all of my friends. I love you guys

Ok the hall opens Wednesday. My peace and solitude disappears and I get tethered to the hall like a dog to its kennel. Welcome week, the one week that working in reslife sucks because you pretty much have to be in the building. Oh well I did it before and I'm going to get off to a much better start then I did last year.

And once again people are associating me with K. From an aim conversation:

Slicerbladez: wheres k been recently
MASHGirl2002: he's been around
Slicerbladez: not as much as normal
MASHGirl2002: i know, but i'm not his babysitter
Slicerbladez: news to me
MASHGirl2002: gee thanks :p

*sigh*

Staff retreat was yesterday. That was a lot of fun. We went up to the cabin of one of our staff members and spent the day on a lake. It was nice to be away from Big Rapids all day and to go tubing behind the powerboat. I'm really feeling the tubing today though. My arms and abs ache so much. Then at night we busted out the book of questions. There's a white book of questions that really make you think, then there's the pink book of questions of love and sex. The pink book got used a lot more and I learned some things about my fellos staff members that I didn't particularly need to know but it's all good. I think that we're even closer now. Now where'd I put that Motrin...

Well classes are over. B+ average. Not the best for me but I'll take it.

Might be getting another $1300 in financial aid this year but becuase of how the scholarship is written, that probably won't happen.

Had Behind Closed Doors training that last two nights. Now that is interesting. The returning RAs act as residents and the new RAs confront the scenes. Well tonight I acted and I was in the sexual assault. That's a tough scene to do 10 times.

Going on staff retreat tomorrow. that's gonna be fun

Will post more when brain not fried

Oh my god. I don't think that hematology will be the thing for me. I was doing a cell count on a spinal fluid sample today and I just about got sick looking at the scope. That never happened to me before. Everytime I did a micro today, it was just awful, I think that my professor was trying to make me puke. He even said something about making me puke. He was showing body fluid slides on the scope that can be hooked up to a projector so everyone could see them and as he was moving over the fields I had to keep looking away or it would not have been pretty. Yuck is all I have to say

Ahh the things we do in Big Rapids for enjoyment. After going to lunch today, some of my coworkers and I decided that we needed to go to Wal-mart, the big exciting thing to do in Big Rapids. So we all went to our rooms and grabbed keys and money and such. An hour and a half and $51 later, I left Wally World. Now I did get a totally cool pair of jeans, an awesome shirt and a cool belt, but did I really need them, probably not. But I did also get what I needed so I guess it's all good.

There's something really special about intoxicated coworkers pounding on your door at 1:30am with a videocamera. Makes me want to hurt them since I was sleeping really good and then I slept like crap the rest of the night and had to get up at 7am.

I told him that I wasn't going over to the Sigma Pi house for that very reason, I knew that they were going to get a little tipsy while they were watching movies, and I had class at 8am. I wasn't going to drink and I wasn't going to watch people get drunk then drive them back in the middle of the night. So instead, I stay here and get some stuff done and get woken up in the middle of the night.

Welcome back to why I hate manual cell counts. Ok so you can't really run CSF on a blood analyzer but differentiating between red and white cells as you do chamber counts. Yuck. My vision was all over. Ah well, life goes on and it will be over soon. 4 more days of classes

I know that the custodians have a job to do. I know that it involves moving furniture. What I don't know is why they have to do it at 5:30am. That's right, 5:30am. As in before the sun comes up. That's what time I got woken up this morning by the lovely sound of furniture getting dragged across the floor. Then about 6am, I hear the bathroom door to my suitemate's room being messed with, mind you I'm in bed still and my bathroom door is wide open. People are just lucky that they didn't come in my room or I would have bit some heads off. Then to top it all off, at 7:30, as I'm getting ready for class at 8, the phone people, who are installing our phone lines and are pretty much useless, try to get into my room. Gah!

As for this whole class/RA training thing, it really sucks. I did trainingish stuff from 11-12:30, went to class from 1-5 and now I have in hall training in 10 minutes. *smacks head on desk* When will it stop?

And as for my spiritual journey, I've pretty much decided to take some time away from the Catholic church and spend it studying my Bible and just seeing what I need and how those needs can be met, because it's just not happening right now. Hopefully it'll all come together.

Where oh where did it say in the LOA that I signed last April that the housing department now owns my soul? Seriously. I had class from 8-4:15ish, which is a long day in itself, but stick RA training on top of that and sheesh. Kill me now. Please.

There comes a time when we each must follow our own path, not the one that our parents laid before us as children. I've been thinking a lot about my path lately, career wise, I'm on the right path I can feel it. It's my spiritual path that I've been wondering about so much. Anyone who has been reading this for a while has known that I've been questioning my faith. I still don't know if I'm on the right path, but I know that when I'm at home and go to church it just doesn't feel right. I feel that my path lies elsewhere, especially after church today. Now I just need to find that path...

And a reason to be in a good mood now. :~D According to the bill that I received from Ferris, I have $1500 of extra financial aid. That means I get a $300 advance to buy my books and then the other $1200 after the semester begins. Oh happy me!

Chalk up another point on my reasons to dislike Ferris State University list. Ok I know that most RA's aren't living in another hall on campus so it makes sense for their cards to be programmed to their fall halls, well not for me. However, that's what happened to me today. I got locked out of Puterbaugh twice. Arg. The first time I was able to get back into the building by running into another camp counselor who was going to be an RA there in the fall. So then I propped the door open with a penny, that way it looked like the building was locked but I could come and go as I pleased since I was running stuff across campus. Well the penny slipped down into the door, so I had to call the campus police to let me into the building. Good thing that I know all but one of the officers. I'm just glad that it wasn't Officer Newman that let me in because I just know that he would have never let me live that down.