Blessings in Unexpected Places

I have just been blessed by a Dell sales representative. I need a new computer, as mine just turned 6 years old, which is ancient in technology years, though it is still plugging away. So, I decided to buy a new one and ordered through Dell, as I was able to get a discount through my university. I had a friend help me out earlier this summer, and he showed me what computer to order. So, I found the same model, but the price was higher than I wanted. It was still in my price range though, so I ordered it. I could tell I was talking to a guy in a call center, probably in India or someplace, and I was slightly stressed and annoyed. I mentioned that I didn't need Microsoft Office, but it didn't seem like there was much I could do, so I ordered the computer. He just called me back and said he found the exact same computer, without Microsoft Office, for $100 less! I can't believe he checked and then called me back so that I could save money! I am so touched and blessed right now. God works in wonderful, unexpected ways.

In other news, my car is currently out of commission. Exiting a parking garage Sunday night, I was a bit over confident and did not get the corner right, so I hit the yellow concrete poles as I exited and dented my two passenger doors and knocked off my passenger side mirror. I was so embarrassed. I had to call the police and get a report written. The officer was very nice, and he said that I should go home and have a hot cup of tea, which was very good advice. And I did, as I believe in taking police advice. :-) So, Wild Peter has yellow racing stripes and dented doors. I am ok, and there is no front or back end damage. Only side damage. I have been in contact with the insurance and an autobody shop. The shop I chose has been really good so far. A guy came to my apartment to take pictures and assess the damage, and he then offered to pick it up when the parts come in!

Also, I finished up my internship with the puzzles today. I am looking forward to sleeping in. And only having 2 jobs. And catching up on life. Unfortunately, I need to bug my roommate for a ride to Kroger, as I am low on food, but hopefully it won't be too much of an inconvenience. I need to eat something and clean up a bit before my new roomie comes home.

Love and Blessings.

Round and Round the Mulberry Bush

I took a "nap" this evening, and my body decided that I had gone to bed. I probably hijacked my sleep schedule, but oh well. I have a lot of things I should do tonight, but I doubt they will get done. I really dislike working weekends. It's hard to get things done.

I was a the Lilly Library all day today. I have finished the hours for my internship, now I need to finish everything else for it, like reading articles, write my journal, and make up a presentation. I stayed later than I was expecting to, as there were some people who came in to specifically look at the puzzles. They were very excited and knowledgeable, and I learned a lot from them as well. :-) It's nice when you can share collections with people who are really interested.

I have a new roommate. Two new roommates actually. She has a rabbit named Louie. He is beautiful and very soft. She lets him out when she is home and he runs around the apartment. Everything is going very well so far, and I am looking forward to the rest of the year, as I think this is going to work out well.

Good night.

Come and Dine the Master Calleth Come and Dine

I just bought a table and 4 wooden chairs. Really cheap, which is awesome. And, two of the chairs are caned! I didn't know this from the picture on craigslist, and I am very excited. The chairs match in pairs, so there are two caned chairs and two uncaned chairs. I wasn't able to bring the table back, as it wouldn't fit in the car, so I need to see if one of my friends who has an SUV can help me haul it. Angy moved out the table and couch, and it will be a couple weeks before my new roommate moves in. She has a couch, and I think I may get one of my rocking chairs that are currently in my room at my parents' house. It will be the same apartment, but it will look different, as it will have "new" furniture. I'll have to get used to that. :-)

I really need to go to the store and buy food. But the deli is closed. And I don't want to go out. But I really need beverages and food. Sigh.

Dissatisfaction

I do not think that dissatisfaction is a bad thing, as long as it is properly channeled. Nothing in this world will truly satisfy us, so we search for something to fill the void that we feel. Everyone seeks satisfaction a little differently, as we all have slightly different propensities and appetites. In trying to satisfy ourselves with things only of this world, however, we will never be filled, never be satisfied. Thus, our dissatisfaction should look up, and we should seek spiritual satisfaction. It will never be enough, though. Not on this earth. Sometimes it is easy to think that we are bad Christians if we are not truly satisfied spiritually. But we will never be spiritually satisfied. Not as long as we are still on earth and denied perfect union with Jesus. We will always want more. This dissatisfaction, however, is good. If we are satisfied with our Christian walk, then we are not where we should be and are on dangerous ground. Satan wants us to be "satisfied," complacent. Happy with where we are and not willing to put more effort into our relationship with Christ. I do not like feeling dissatisfied, but I know that this dissatisfaction can lead to better things if I channel it into my spiritual walk instead of seeking other things to fill it.

Balm for the Soul

I picked blackberries today. About 1/2 gallon. It is the end of the season, and I found out that I missed blueberry season. :-( But, Mom brought blueberries with her, so that is good. My family, including my brother came up and visited me yesterday. It was so good to see them again and just be with them. This was my brother's first time up, and I'm glad that he made it up. We are both so busy that we don't get to see each other much.

Back to blackberries, the church I attend has an adopt a college student program, and though I didn't really think I qualified, as I'm a graduate student and not homesick or anything, the 20 somethings Sunday school leader sent my name to the guy in charge of it, and I now have a set of adopted parents. My adopted mom has a friend who has blackberry bushes, and she let me come out and pick some, which was very nice.

I feel redundant saying that I'm busy, and it feels like a cop out or excuse sometimes, but I am always on the go, with either work or volunteering or social life, which is not bad, as I'd rather be busy than bored, but I also miss having down time. I need large blocks of time to motivate for letter writing and working on my academic pursuits, and I just don't have that. The summer is flying by, and there is still a lot I'd like/need to do. Sigh. Time always gets away from me.

I'm sorry for my absence fr0m the blog, but I do most of my internetting at work, and there are certain sites I do not go to, my blog being one of them, and I'm usually not in the mood to post when I get home. Thus, I realize that I have not yet updated about Philadelphia or Ohio. I had a lovely 4th of July weekend in Ohio with my college friends. We visited one of my friends and got to hold her adorable baby girl. I haven't held a baby in a long time, especially one so little. She is 3 months old. We found a wonderful ice cream place and had gourmet ice cream. My favorite was the pear, though the goat cheese with cherry was rather good too.

RBMS was quite the adventure, ending with a taxi ride in a hailstorm to the airport. I have decided that flying is not all that it's cracked up to be. Layovers and 2 hour delays. Not fun. I have a wonderful friend, however, who was willing to pick me up from the airport at 1 AM. We didn't get home until 2:30 AM. I tried to stay awake, but I just couldn't and fell asleep on the way home. For the conference, I stayed in the dorms, which was the cheapest option, but not the most convenient, as they were 2 miles away from the conference hotel. So, I would take the subway in and then a taxi back at night, as I was not going to take the subway after dark. One night, however, I had a security escort walk me back to the dorms, as I was within walking distance, but unsure of where my dorm was and definitely not going to wander around Philadelphia after 10 PM by myself. Drexel and UPenn are right next to each other, and they have security escorts who ride around on bikes patrolling and walking people home, which was very nice, and I had a good time talking with the guy who walked me back. I met some interesting people at the conference, and my favorite session was on outreach and special collections. Some people have done some really interesting things regarding outreach, and I was inspired. I wish I had tried harder with outreach at my old job. I signed up for a "buddy," someone who was an older and more experience member, and I met up with mine for lunch. She gave me a lot to think about, and I really appreciate meeting with her. It was one of the best things to come from the conference. There was also a book arts fair, which was really cool, but of course way out of my price range, even the cheap stuff. When I get a real job and have some expendable money though, I would love to purchase book or literary art. That's my kind of art. :-) Unfortunately, I was unable to explore much of Philly, though I did go to the Reading Street Market. That was fun and quite the experience. I'm proud of myself that I did not freak out with the crowds. Maybe I'm maturing. :-)

There is much more I could say, but this is a long post.

Blessings

Breathing

I am done with my travels for the summer, and I am just now trying to breathe and catch up. Gain control and order over my schedule rather than letting it control me. I have so much that I need and want to do, but little time to do it in. One can do a lot if one mentally prepares oneself for it.

I had a good time at RBMS and a wonderful weekend with friends in Ohio. There is more to tell, but I am tired and it is late. Thus, this must be a post of my existence and apologies for my lack of posting.

More on the morrow.

West Virginia

Whitewater rafting was amazing! This birthday ranks up there with the train trip to Chicago for my 5th birthday. I have bruises up and down my shins, lobster red knees and upper legs, and a slightly bruised eye. And I had a blast. We had a really good raft of people and a good guide. He was really chill and laid back, but he knew what he was doing and he was good at "surfing" and hitting the rapids. Surfing is when you go back up stream after coming down a rapid and "surfing" the middle rough area. It's kind of like a mechanical bull ride. There were some pretty rough rapids, and we all fell out a few times. The last time I fell out was in water that was recirculating. Our guide said if we fell out in that, it would feel like being in a washing machine. You would keep going round and round. It felt exactly like that too. I fell out and I realized that I was not bobbing to the surface like normal, but instead the river was keeping me under. There was the moment of fear as I pulled my legs to my chest, curling up into a ball, and I resurfaced. I'm so glad I remembered and had the presence of mind to curl up, as that gets you out of it. If you fight it, you'll just keep going. The water was so powerful, and you knew you were doing something rather dangerous, but it was so much fun and so exhilarating. You bond with your raftmates and guide. It's hard to describe the roar of the river as you head to the rapids, and then the feeling of heading back into it. A feeling of dread, but there's not much you can do, so you go and enjoy the ride.

There were six of us, plus a guide, and we are all about the same age and athletic ability, though I'm pretty sure I was the weakest. I was kind of the raft's rescue mission, as my spindly little arms couldn't pull myself into the boat, so the guys were kind enough to haul me in each time I either fell out or had swum. We were all really in sync with our paddling, and our guide was impressed and said he would take us on the Gauley River if we came again, which is a more intense ride than the New River, which was the river we were on. I would love to do that sometime, but I would definitely need to work out and prepare for that. Get a little stronger. :-) I was absolutely exhausted trying to swim to the boat at times, especially against the current. I felt like such a weakling. Everyone was really supportive, though, and I was pretty good with the paddling. Out of everyone in our group, I was the most banged up, but some girls got really bad sunburns on their legs. I did get hit in the eye with the top of someone's paddle, but I do not have a black eye or shiner, which is good, as that would be an interesting conversation starter at my conference. I was kind of proud of the fact that I might get my first black eye, but it was not to be. My contact did fall out though, and the guide was kind and kept it in his case, so I did the last few rapids with 1/2 my vision. It wasn't that bad though.

I realize that this really doesn't mean much to people who were not on the trip or haven't rafted, but it was such an experience, and I won't forget it for awhile. Also, you don't quite know what adventure is until you are in a church van, doing hairpin turns, on a mountain, in the dark, and unable to find the campground. Was a little intense.