Reflecting on the fall

Reflecting on the fall

Fall is coming to a close and winter vacation is drawing nigh. I'm looking forward to having free time to spend with friends and family. Both my friends and my family haven't seen much of me this semester, as I've been entrenched in work and school, spending more time at Fresno State than anywhere else. It's paid off. I'm anticipating A's in my classes and The Collegian's website is still functional.

Out of all moments this semester, there some aspects of which I am particularly proud.

My cyclocross documentary turned out well, with thanks to Chuy Archuleta for some great action footage and to my interview subjects for insights into the sport. I'll link to it here when it's posted online.

I've gained some great friends here at work. I'm going to really miss Joel, Lee, Whitney and Jimmy, who are graduating, but I'm glad people like Sergio, Brandon, Edgar, Danielle, and Brian are going to be here in the spring. I know we'll have a great semester and I have a lot of hope for our new online staff. They're bringing some great skills and experience. We're going to have some impressive content coming from The Collegian Online this spring!

I'm also proud of the work I've done in my 164 and 106 classes. In 164 I learned a lot about research, and I had the privilege of working with an excellent group. This group really pulled together to produce some great statistics on text messaging patterns among college students. For once, I am proud of a group project!

In 106, I redesigned a brochure for Spirit of Woman of California. I also designed some sweet fliers, brochures, and newsletters. It's all because of the outstanding instruction of Dr. P! She is peerless.

Despite all of this, I can't wait for a pause in activity. My goal is to reconnect with as many of my friends as possible. I regret that my intense schedule has caused a lack of interaction with so many of my friends! I also can't wait to get outside. I'm looking forward to snow camping, biking, snowboarding, a trip to the dunes, and maybe a trip to Death Valley.

Here's to a great break.

I'm so starstruck... baby, could you blow my heart up?

I'm so starstruck... baby, could you blow my heart up?

 

Yesterday my little niece, Emma Grace, left to go back home to Ohio. I loved spending time with her and my sister!

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Baby, there's no other superstar. You know that I'll be your paparazzi!!

Term Paper and Small Blessings

Term Paper and Small Blessings

Hi friends, right now I am on campus at the Pub, plotting out my geography term paper. Our geo prof took a 3-week research trip to the Galapagos Islands, and I have chosen to maximize this break by preparing my paper. Pretty responsible, right?

Today while driving I was hit by how many small (in size, not significance) blessings I have. I got a text this morning from a friend, and the enormity of the blessing of friends really hit me.

Last night I stayed up late fixing my dad's phone. I accidentally erased my phone number from his contacts, so when I texted him this morning, he didn't know who it was! I set up his phone with Google Sync, so when I got out of class, I logged into his account and fixed my contact data. As I did, it automatically fixed my contact on his phone! It was SO COOL!!!!

Speaking of Google Sync, it saved my neck the other day. My phone needed a hard reset, and that means all my contacts and appointments got erased. Normally, I would just hook it back up to my computer to restore all my data, but my computer died. Thankfully, I had installed Google Sync, and with the press of a button, all my data was restored, courtesy of Google!

I just got out of my Media Production class with Candace Egan. She and I had a conversation about the growing power of Google. The fact that they have rights to the videos we upload to YouTube, that they mine our Gmail accounts for data, and the right to republish our Picasa photos is sobering.

I love Google, but I am hoping the watchdogs are paying attention.

PS This post is made available through Blogger.... and you guessed it, it is a Google service.

Rosenberg on the Economy

Rosenberg on the Economy

The Lord is shaking our country and purifying His Church. He is requiring all of us to reconsider what we value, where our treasure is, where our hearts are. He is preparing us to see Him face to face. And when we see Him, there will be a day of accounting. He will ask us what we did with the resources He entrusted to us. What, then, shall we say?

-Joel Rosenberg

Slippers

Slippers

On Wednesdays, I have two classes: Swing dance, and Intercultural Communication. For Swing, we are required to wear different shoes on the dance floor. I always take my moccasins because they are comfy. After class, I rushed to my Intercultural Communication class, mocs in hand. Sat down in class, put the mocs under my chair, and forgot about them! I didn't remember that I had left them there until the next day, when I was on an airplane to see my sister in Ohio. I was bummed. So much for my favorite moccasins from Target.
I returned to class today, and my moccasins were there. After a week of waiting, they were lying on the floor at the back of the class. I am so happy to have them back.

Harsh? Maybe. Who said harsh is always bad?

Harsh? Maybe. Who said harsh is always bad?

Today I am quoting Leslie Ludy from her website, where she gives an overview of one of her speaking events.

"Most of us constantly battle with the fact that God is distant, intimacy with Christ is difficult to obtain, and our prayers don’t seem to be heard. But God says, You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jer 29:13 NKJV)

Today’s young women aren’t finding Him because we aren’t searching for Him with all our hearts. We are too preoccupied with watching reality shows, too busy downloading the latest songs on ITunes, too focused on texting our friends, and too enamored with Hollywood’s newest production to let our whole being be poured forth in constant and unreserved devotion in the service of the Lord who died to save us.

Most of us feel we don’t have enough time for prayer and seeking God. But we don’t even consider giving up our nightly T.V. time, our weekend movie fests, or our all-day-texting fetish in exchange for spending time in His presence.1 Timothy 5:6 says, she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives. (NKJV)

That’s a sadly accurate description of today’s young Christian woman. Christ-professing modern femininity is steeped in selfish pleasure; pursuing the pop-culture lifestyle of popularity and worldly applause, pining after the attractions and delights of the culture. And, as a result, we are dead inside.
...When it comes to our clothes, words, actions, thoughts, pastimes and pursuits, we must be, as Amy Carmichael put it, “dead to the world and its applause, to all the customs, fashions and laws of those who hate the humbling Cross.” We must be consumed with honoring Christ far above meeting our own selfish desires. Not out of duty, but out of delight. Loving Him with such ardor that we relish the opportunity to lay everything we possess at His feet. This is a convicting and challenging message, but one that will bring a refreshing breath of fresh air to our spiritually foundering souls."

Resolution #5

Resolution #5

The fifth of Jonathan Edwards' Resolutions.

Resolved, Never to lose one moment of time, but to improve it in the most profitable way I possibly can.

Explanation for why I deactivated my Facebook account? If I were to speak like Jonathan Edwards, I would say that Facebook was not the most profitable use of my time. Too much time online, too little discipline. Maybe you'll see me back on there in a few weeks, but don't hold your breath!