Lay it out everyone.

A year later...

2006-10-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

Wow how time passes by. As most of you probably know, today is the one year anniversary of Jan McLinn's death. I remember that day like it was yesterday. I had gotten done celebrating my parent's 25th anniversary, which is the same day, and I was watching TV. Then Luke Weiss called me and told me the bad news. It hit me like a ton of bricks. Then I had to tell my parents and they were in complete shock like I was. I then called Dahl and the Santees to tell them. It took me some time to fully grasp the fact that she was gone and never coming back. The first time I went over to Pat's was different because Jan wasn't there. Remember Jan, Pat, and his family in your prayers today.

No Updates?

2006-09-18T10:41:00.000-07:00

This is a site where apparently a bunch of people don't have much to say...
It's okay, I didn't expect this blog to be used that much, since Sarah and I have our own blogs we don't post much. And everyone else would have one of their own if they were so interested in in posting and so they would use theirs and not this one which would defeat the purpose of having a communal blog such as this.

GOOD MOVIE!

2006-06-10T14:07:00.000-07:00

GO SEE PIXAR'S "CARS" NOW!!!!!!

OR ELSE!

GO SEE IT!!! IT'S AMAZING!!!!!

Summer

2006-06-01T14:59:00.000-07:00

Wow it's summer and it feels sooooooooooo amazing! LoL! I love it!

I just got back from the lake with Miss Sarah where we rafted ashore and paddled out a couple of times. A little bit chilly because of the wind but otherwise not too bad.

I'm really in the mood for ice cream, maybe because Sarah keeps talking about it! LoL! Raspberry sorbet to be exact from Goodies in CL. Yum yum yum.

Is anyone else even reading this besides Sarah and I? I know Scott doesn't have the internet anymore...but I was just wondering? Because, maybe if you do, you should post and make it interesting because I really don't have much to say.

Well pathetically my wrist hurts, I haven't been at the computer in about a month for an extended time!

Love you all!

Announcement

2006-05-23T12:53:00.000-07:00

Vietnamese Chess
Tuesday the 23rd
Wednesday the 24th
Wartburg College
7:30 pm, both nights
Contact me for more info

Twins?

2006-05-07T10:17:00.000-07:00

My grandparents have trouble telling my sister Mary, and I apart... :-P

I know we look very similar, but honestly... we're wearing different clothes... lol... :-P

Global Night Commute

2006-04-30T16:21:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

It's been a while since I've posted...I know you are all in a state of terrible withdrawal. Many apologies *winks* Anyway, what have ya'll been up to? I'm kind of just putting off studying for my calculus final on Monday/Wednesday (we're taking it a week early because she's going to China). How awesome is that? She's going on vacation, but she's also looking at it as a prospective place to live and teach, I think that's amazing. She's also going to Israel, but I forget what that is for. I think it's really cool.

Can you guys believe all this rain? Well...I can, but still.

So! Last night I did this thing called the "Global Night Commute" with Invisible Children and it was probably the most miserable night of my entire life, but also one of the most amazing. Kind of strange how that works out isn't it? The Ugandian children are being abducted and forced to fight in the Lords Resistance Army there and it's a really tragic thing. So, the non-abducted children commute into the city each night to sleep so that they are safer than if they stayed at home. Last night we put ourselves in their shoes, we walked into downtown Des Moines and slept in Nollen Plaza across from the Civic Center. It was sooo wet, windy, and cold, but I feel like I made a difference, ya know? People did this all over the nation, and in a couple of other countries too...so it's just...wow. You probably won't get what I'm trying to convey...but words just can't explain it.

This is us sleeping out there...are you getting a picture of how miserable it was? LoL...I didn't even want to sleep, I was just like..."how long until I get to go home?" I made it though...and I just have an entire new respect for homeless people and anyone who has to sleep outside. Because who am I to be inconvenienced by the rain when other people don't have a choice. You know what I'm saying? God's amazing, that's all I can say!

Oh, on Friday night I went to a Casting Crowns concert...and I really like these lyrics. I'm going to put 2 songs on here, because one is pretty much a song I listen to over and over, but I was just listening to another song on the cd, and these fit too. Actually the whole album is amazing, lol. Here we go though.

"In Me"

If you ask me to leap
Out of my boat on the crashing waves
If You ask me to go
Preach to the lost world that Jesus saves
I’ll go, but I cannot go alone
Cause I know I’m nothing on my own
But the power of Christ in me makes me strong
Makes me strong
Cause when I’m weak, You make me strong
When I’m blind, You shine Your light on me
Cause I’ll never get by living on my own ability
How refreshing to know You don’t need me
So I’ll stand on Your truth, and I’ll fight with Your strength
Until You bring the victory, by the power of Christ in me
If You ask me to run
And carry Your light into foreign land
If You ask me to fight
Deliver Your people from satan’s hand
To reach out with Your hands
To learn through Your eyes
To love with the love of a savior
To feel with Your heart
And to think with Your mind
I’d give my last breath for Your glory

and..."Stained Glass Masquerade"

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin so small
Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know theyll soon discover
That I dont belong
So I tuck it all away, like everythings okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe Ill believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the heart again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them
Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitations open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade
Is there anyone whos been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one whos traded
In the altar for a stage
The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart
But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be
Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay?

Sorry guys, I know this is a long one, especially with the lyrics, but I just love them, they're so truthful and powerful. Love you all and I hope everything is well!

That's all of the commuters in Des Moines, whoot whoot! There were people there from ISU, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City....not just people from Des Moines anyway. There were around 50 of us there...it was pretty sweet!

Return of a Classic

2006-04-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

Remember the classic card game war? How you used to play it in your younger days? Well the game of war has returned to life. The same card game you knew and loved as a child is still as exciting and intense as ever. Some students at NIACC have proudly brought back the game of war to its fame that it knew not so long ago. I have been involved in returning the game of war back to its original fortune. I have been in the original two person war, three, four, and up to eight person war. I have played with two decks and with only one deck. I even played look war where you get 10 cards and you get to look at them and play what you want. Look war is not as good as the original, but its all about strategy. My best memory of war was when I played Charles Carrier for over an hour. He had me down to 6 cards left, and then I slowly came back by winning all his good cards in wars. So grab a deck of cards, get a friend or more, and play an intense and exciting game of war.

4 Years go by fast

2006-04-16T07:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter to everyone! Hope you all are having a good time with family. Well it has been four years ago today since my cousin died. Wow, how time goes by. I remember it like it was yesterday. Just think about what was going on four years ago. Well enjoy the rest of your Easter activities.

Schedule

2006-04-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

It turns out my shcedule is not as easy as I wanted it to be, but it's not like it's going to be hard. Now I've got a bunch of morning classes and stuff, nothing after like 4:00. I like the night classes because, while they may take up a whole night, they will not be taking up any time from other days of my week. On the other hand if I have to have morning classes, I can like those too, since I like to be a morning person. It may not seem like it from my usual habit of being late or sleeping in, but if I sleep in past 10:00 AM, I feel as though I've wasted half the day, even though it's only between two and four hours that I've actually wasted by sleeping in. Sometimes I don't mind sleeping in until 12:00, even if I do think I've wasted my day, sometimes you just need the sleep.
Good news, the really hard music test I had today, was really easy, since I took about 30 minutes before class to review everthing in the chapter, excuse me, unit. I know your not supposed to cram, but I feel like I have actually learned the stuff this time, and not just memorzed it for the time being. Anyway, there were only about 5 questions in a series of matching composers to style of composing that kind of messed me up. But that was only 5 out of 50, and I have 4 or 8 (I can't remember) extra credit from a pop quiz we took on Tuesday.

hey

2006-04-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

Here at ISU, trying to kill an hour so I can sign up for classes @ 2:30. If you read this Jess I am going to come find you as soon as I'm done. Most of the morning was a waste of time, now I am trying to waste time until the real reason for this trip arrives-> signing up. I can't wait to see how easy my schedule is going to be.

Our Favorite Little Town

2006-04-11T12:59:00.000-07:00

This is mostly for Scott and Kelvin because they will know what I am talking about, but Sarah and Jessica can also look. Our favorite little town to visit and do some special shopping has their own website: www.ferryville.com Go visit and see all the wonders it has to offer! Furthermore, it will not be Swamp Fest next year Kelvin; our "pretty" ponds are not swamps, eventhough I must strongly recommend that you never swim in them, it will still be called Pond Fest.

Ice Age: The Meltdown

2006-04-09T20:24:00.000-07:00

Saturday was Suzie's birthday...sooo...we went to

Beyond the Grain and ate, it's a gluten free place to eat, and I think mostly lactose free too. Then we went and saw ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN and it was WAY cute! I loved it. Afterwards we got Coldstone Ice Cream and went to Grays Lake and played ultimate frizbee and then I did some calculus *is a dork.* It was a pretty swell day.

Well, I'm going to go study some more for my music test, love you all!

Grinds My Gears

2006-04-09T17:47:00.000-07:00

You know what still really grinds my gears? That NIACC cancelled Pond Fest last fall, and never made it up!! I mean this is POND FEST; only the most exciting thing that ever happens at NIACC(besides our long breaks off from class). Well the NIACC Student Senate better still have Pond Fest in the next four weeks, or they better make it twice as long next fall to make up for the lost "excitement" of not having Pond Fest last fall. And that is what grinds my gears.

Relays '06

2006-04-08T20:10:00.000-07:00

BLITZ DAY 2006!

Incredibly fantastic day that was...it was Thursday, anyway they annouced the theme for relays and it is...

drum roll please...

"IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL RUN"

Pretty spectacular wouldn't you say? Oh I would, lol. Is this heaven? No it's relays! LOL, I'm excited, I really hope that InterVarsity gets a block to paint on the street *crosses fingers*

Hope everything going well for everyone, love you all!

D-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d U-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u! Go Bulldogs!

LOL...yeah team spirit!

My car sucks

2006-04-06T10:51:00.000-07:00

I need a key for my car, anybody know where to get one? Just kidding. Mine won't get into my glove box cause all I have is this bad copy of a copy of a key. My dad lost the original and I lost the good copy. Oh well.

I also need to fix a leak in my trunk.

Do you know what else? I had my car fixed a while ago. It had something to do with the fuse or the wire connecting it. Well now the muffler sounds bad. It sounds like I should have a guest appearence with my car in 2 Fast 2 Furious.

Oh and it has rust on it, that's nothing new.

And I want a stereo system for my car so I can listen to music when I am skating the skate park, and noone else is playing their music.

20th Post

2006-04-05T20:44:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

I hope everything is going well... Finals are coming up soon, so I'm trying to get ready for that...

Ok, so not really.

But I discovered today that I have definately gained weight over the course of this college year.... :-( :-( I have 2 pairs of pants that no longer fit like they used too... Sad!!!!

Happy 04-05-06!

So, I'm going to bed! Night!

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

2006-04-05T10:08:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been so incredibly gorgeous outside the past few days! Such a drastic change to the tornado warnings this weekend...carazy!

So this weekend, I roofed a cabin in Eldora and took off the gutters...wow, I have a new respect for roofers and people who do things with gutters, mhm, hard labor. Oh well, we had a lot of fun though, we had a bonfire in Friday night and it was overall a good time.

I had a chemistry test last night, and that was a lot of fun, and I'm about to go take a calc test that I didn't really study for because I was studying for chemistry. I know...it's a viscious cycle.

It's only like a week and 1/2 until Easter! Whootity whoot! And then that means I only have 3 weeks of class and 2 days of final exams (because I'm cool like that) and then I move out of this place!

Oh! We got picked out our room on Monday! We're in the G-K suites, overlooking the courtyard, close to the bathroom and stairs, with a love-seat on 2nd floor! I'm soooo incredibly excited for it!

Life is pretty good (minus the tests and homework...but isn't how that always goes!)

Love you all!

HELLO

2006-04-04T14:57:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,
First of all Scott I officially picked up the slack. (as you would say) How crazy out of control skating lifestyle treating you (JK). Greg say hello to Josiah hi for me (jk) and keep furious D in line. Hi Jessica and Sarah I hope all is well at DRAKE and Wartburg. Everything is well at DMACC (at least I think it is). Well catch you all later.Bye.
PS If I fogot anyone HELLO.

TGIF!

2006-03-31T17:34:00.000-08:00

Hey! I just learned that The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe comes out on DVD on Tuesday!!!!

YAY!!!! :-D

I'm with Sarah

2006-03-30T06:19:00.000-08:00

I hear ya Sarah, yesterday was not-so-fun, and I don't think today will be either. I'm not joking when I say I was so frustrated that I was almost in tears (maybe I couple slipped, oops!) but I need to get all this stuff done because I'm going to be gone this weekend. It's the end of the semester "push" and "rush to get everything done" and I just don't like it.

My head hurts, I woke up this morning and started doing calculus...how sad is that? LoL, I'm a nerd.

Well off to go mix some chemicals! ...umm, yeah.

>:-|

2006-03-29T21:01:00.000-08:00

I hate having bad days, and crying makes my eyes dry.

Bleh, I'm sleepy. :-P

I hope tomorrow is better then today.

On a happier note (for Greg..b/c hw won't get me down!)

2006-03-28T19:47:00.000-08:00

Ok, well it (hw) probably will (get me down), but that's besides the point!

Anyway, so I forgot to tell ya'll the most extraordinarity, exciting, extravagent, news of the day!

We got to "play" with EKGS today!

Whootity whoot! How flippin' amazing is that? We got to hook people up and I even got hooked up! It was way fun...biology lab isn't so bad this semester (until we have to do some form of a lab report) but at least the pre-lim stuff isn't so bad!

I'm off to bed! I know early...but I'll read, and then crash! Love ya'll!

What else? Avoiding homework..

2006-03-28T14:11:00.000-08:00

Of course...I'm always avoiding my homework, lol. Sometimes I wish there would just be a moment when I knew that I didn't have something I could/should be doing.

I'm doing calc right now, so hold on.

Not that you really could tell I paused, but oh well.

I would love to say more, and I'm sure you all would too, but I really need to work on some more calculus, and maybe some chemistry...yuck.

Oh the joys of school.

Hope everything is going well for everyone!

Countdown

2006-03-27T08:04:00.000-08:00

Just thought I would post something since nobody else did recently. Counting this week, there are just six whole weeks until school ends for NIACC students. I have no idea what the count is for those who didn't chose NIACC first. It has gone fast and I will be glad when its over. Au revoir.

Pick up the slack.

2006-03-23T14:50:00.000-08:00

Jessica, kelvin, you guys should edit your profiles. And Steven, you should join this.

Greetings

2006-03-14T19:48:00.000-08:00

Just posting a little message during some spare time I have on spring break. You can check my blood pressure Jessica; I trust that you won't kill me. Don't let the studying get you down. Pretty soon the tests will be completed and you will be on spring break. God Speed to all.

I'm trying to avoid studying

2006-03-14T19:26:00.000-08:00

So...I'm really just bored...no one has been posting on their own blogs...hmm. Oh well. So I decided to make a post, wooty woot woot! Yup, there's nothing much going on.

HAPPY PI DAY!

So, there was definetely pi written down in chalk all around campus, it's pretty much amazing, and totally made my day. That and our study of the Gospel of Mark was amazing! Pretty much, yeah.

I learned how to take blood pressure today, that was pretty exciting, and I think I actually did it pretty well too, b/c the numbers of the person I took were normal, so go me! Anyone want to know what their blood pressure is? Just kidding, lol.

Well I suppose, I'm going to go study epithelial cells, homeostasis, and the endocrine system. Good times had by all!

Anyone want to get up with me and go to 8am chemistry tomorrow? ...or how about you just go for me? LoL! Love you all!

G'night and sweet dreams!

:-P

2006-03-12T22:33:00.000-08:00

Yeah Jess, I saw that picture when I was at your house and it was pretty creepy. Way sexy, but creepy. ;-D

Well, I'm back at the 'Burg and I'm ready for bed, so I'll sign off... Night!

I'M HOOOOMMMMMMEEEEE!

2006-03-10T15:31:00.000-08:00

Yippee!

I'm home! That's way exciting that you have no idea! And on top of it all, I'm pretty sure I have hardly any homework, except for studying for a test on Monday, but hopefully the test won't be too bad.

So funny story, my parents picked me up today after prayer and now I'm home. So that's not the funny story but I'm getting to it. Anyway, so a short time ago I was printing off a picture of me to send with my application for my spring break trip; I accidently printed off an 8 X 10 of my face, how awesome is that?! LoL, not really awesome at all, so I gave it to my parents b/c of course they'd like it right? Well I see it's on our bulletin board over the computer and I said to my dad, "Wow, you're really lucky to be able to wake up to that every morning," and he says, "Well actually we use it as security. Burglars come into our house, but as soon as they come around the corner they run out screeming." I thought it was pretty funny!

Kelvin (at least I think ks is Kelvin) I'm glad I can be the "little south" person for ya! Wow, I feel special.

Sarah, I think I'm going to call you when I'm done with this.

Ready, steady, go!

w00t!

2006-03-09T21:59:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! This is kind of cool! lol... So now what? :-P Um... I know!

-This is a list I posted in a friend's comments, but I think they are pretty funny, so I'll post them here too...

Here is a series of promises that really speaks to true friendship:

1. When you are sad - I will help get you drunk and plot revenge against the sorry moron who made you sad.

2. When you are blue - I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.

3. When you smile - I wiil know that you got revege against the person that made you sad

4. When you are scared - I will rag on you about it every chance I get.

5. When you are worried - I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be and to quit whining.

6. When you are confused - I will use little words.

7. When you are sick - Stay the hell away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.

8. When you fall - I will point and laugh at your clumsy butt.

Personally, I like number 6. :-)

Umm...

2006-03-09T21:37:00.000-08:00

So do you guys have profiles now? or can you just post on here
Oh and I know you can't change the settings because i have that option, i don't know if you knew that.

Hello

2006-03-09T20:16:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone up north and a little south.

There's a first for everything

2006-03-09T18:58:00.000-08:00

I'm just adding to my distractions that keep me away from homework...and all the while becoming more and more time efficient. Isn't that weird how that happens. I really like mint gum, and mints more than cinnamon. No offense guys. I also love listening to music, but I'm trying to become more comfortable just sitting in silence with my thoughts and with God. It's actually kind of unnerving...but I won't go into that, probably wouldn't make sense to most of you. Anyway, I really need to get to work before I go watch Suvivor tonight. (Yes, those of you who looked at the time would realize that it's already aired, have no fear, we have taped it!) Woot woot!

"Carpenter, the bridge to your future...
...trip to the ER!" LoL --that's on the '05-'06 Carpenter t-shirts.

Okay.

2006-03-09T16:18:00.000-08:00

My Plan is to have everyone who I want to have, be able to post here.

Hello out there

2006-03-09T16:13:00.000-08:00

I am soooooo excited now that I can put stuff on a blog page. Wow! OMG! This is amazing. Well this is my first time posting something so here it goes. I like cinnamon gum; my favorite is Big Red. Many who wonder are lost or are drunk and can't remember where they live. I can definitely not listen to enough music in a day. Many people can't handle the the great responsibility that comes with great power and vice versa.