Diploma Or No Diploma? That Was The Question.

After weeks of waiting and warring, I finally have my diploma! Apparently, taking the classes and doing the homework is only half the work to get that pretty piece of paper. The other half is trying to convince the office that you did in fact complete your requirements for graduation and are entitled to receive a diploma.

A few weeks before the graduation ceremony, I checked with the registrar to make sure that I was set to graduate and walk the stage with the rest of my class. She responded that I was, upon the completion of certain courses I was then taking and the substitution of others. A piece of advice, my friends: Don't rely on an email for confirmation, but rather call your registrar and ask so many questions that it may cause them to hang up the phone out of frustration.

We were told before the graduation ceremony that we would be getting our diplomas in the mail within two weeks. I've no idea why they didn't have the diplomas ready for us that night. I mean really, I paid the fee for the diploma and I bought a cap and gown for the ceremony, so the very least they could do is give me my diploma that night! But noooooo, they'll mail it to us later. Ok then, but just as long as you're paying for the postage!

Anyways, I waited and waited but nothing ever came to my door in a diploma sized envelope. My friends got theirs, but mine was nowhere to be seen. So I took it upon myself to call the school and find out what was up. According to the records, I still had not completed my course requirements! Why they let me walk with my class without allegedly not fulfilling my requirements, I have no idea. For weeks, I continued to contact my advisor and registrar trying to figure out what was wrong. First they would say it's ok and I would have my diploma in a few days, and then something else would be wrong.

And then one morning I got an email from my advisor stating that I needed to take another English course. I hate English. Don't get me wrong, I can write an awesome paper. In fact, last semester I wrote a paper accusing Shakespeare of poor writing skills... and got an A. Yeah, I'm that awesome. I could rock another course if I had to, but I really hate English. At this point, my daddy called the president of the college, and then I started getting a little more attention. ;)

I then had a lengthy discussion with my division director and finally got everything straightened out. All mistakes in my paperwork were corrected and I did not have to take anymore courses! A few days later, I had this in hand...

All that being said, this is the first problem I've ever experienced with my school. Overall, they have been great to me and I don't regret spending the last three years with them. But I think they need a little more practice with their communication. Anyways, my name looks awesome on that paper and it will be framed and put on my wall very soon!

Despicable Me

I'm still working my way down my list of movies that I wanted to see this summer, as noted in this post. It has been a great time and I've gotten to see almost every one that I had listed so far! Although after hearing some pretty horrible reviews of The Last Airbender and almost running out of spending money, we opted to nexflick it when it comes out on DVD. Oh, and I haven't seen Toy Story 3 yet and I'm having the hardest time not hearing anything about it from my sisters who have. But on to what I have seen...

Despicable Me was adorable. Gru aspires to be the greatest thief in the world, setting out to steal the moon. (dun dun DUUUUUUN) But really, who names their kid "Gru"?!?! His mama musta hated him because it's the abbreviation for a Soviet military intelligence service. (Thank you, Google!) No wonder he rebelled and became a thief! On the bright side though, it's not as bad as Jabez' mama naming him "Pain." And I thank God that my mom decided to not call me "Polly Esther" as my cruel father wanted. But I digress...

So like his outdated name, Gru himself is outdated and is striving to out-do his younger competitor. In order to complete his mission, Gru needs to steal a vital piece of equipment from this nemesis by penetrating his heavily armed fortress accessible only by little girls selling cookies. I mean seriously, who can resist that, right? Gru then adopts three little girls to infiltrate the compound and to make a long story short, he eventually comes to love the girlies and gave up his dream to be their daddy. I totally saw it coming.

It definitely wasn't the most substantial plot in the world, it made up for it in mind-aploding cuteness. I couldn't understand a single word the little yellow minions were saying, but that didn't change the fact that I wanted to take one home after the movie was over. I still might have to buy a minion plushie so I can snuggle one. The flick was full of "aaaawwwwwwww's" and laughter, and we musta said "IT'S SO FLUFFY I'M GONNA DIE!" about twenty times during the ride home. Despicable Me was super cute but I'm not sure if I'd be interested in seeing it again.

But with that being said, take a second to adore the cuteness...

Saved By Her Enemy

I mentioned several posts ago that one of the books I wanted to read this summer was "Saved By Her Enemy" by Don Teague and Rafraf Barrak. It's a true story about an Iraqi girl (Rafraf) who comes to work as an interpreter for American news correspondents (including Don) reporting on the war. I'm about half way through the book right now, and it has been quite an eye opening read as I have learned more about the culture of Iraq, and many particular stories have made a lasting impact on me. Here are two short stories that caught my attention.

Rafraf tells about a group of five high school boys. One had told a joke about then-president Saddam Hussein, and a nearby teacher told a local informant of the incident. Later, all five of the boys were taken by officers and were never seen or heard from again. Their families hoped for their return for a long time before finally accepting that they had been executed. All for a joke.

She also recounts her fear of Americans when she was younger. Iraqi children were taught that Americans are murderous monsters. For years, little Rafraf had nightmares about the American in her closet and under her bed. But unlike our "bogeyman" these Americans were more terrifying because she knew they really existed. The Iraqi press told nothing but horror stories about Americans, and since there was no alternative source of information, they had no choice but to believe it.

These two stories in addition to many others in the book thus far have given me a new perspective on my own nation. Our country has countless problems, but I know that I don't have to worry about what will happen if I joke about or disagree with our president. Also, the press can really get on my nerves with their biased reporting, but I am so glad that they aren't government controlled (as far as we know, anyways) and that we have multiple sources of information to turn to. I am so thankful that God placed me here, and I don't need to take my first amendment rights including freedom of speech and press for granted.

I Don't Do Mornings

Last Friday, my family took a mini vacation to the Outer Banks to see my mom's aunt at her cute little beach house in Cape Hatteras, and then up to Chesapeake to see some of my dad's side of the family. The trip was quite nice, except for the part where we had to get up at 4 am in order to make the first ferry from Cedar Island to Ocracoke. I didn't even know that 4 o'clock came twice a day until then.

When I was little, I would annoy my mom because I would wake up with the sun. I was always excited the start the day. Oh how silly I was! Now that I am older and more understanding of the value of sleep (and sleeping late), I take the beginning of Psalm 127:2 to heart, "It is vain for you to rise up early." Amen! I still have to work on the next part of the verse that talks about not staying up late... but I LOVE the last part that says "He gives His beloved sleep," so I try to take full advantage of that gift. I don't wanna waste it!

So yeah, I do not like mornings. I don't even want to be talked to until I've been awake for an hour, and no amount of coffee can change that one hour restriction. And if I am talked to, I respond in incomprehensible moans and growls. I discovered a verse recently that I think justifies this state of morning hatred in Proverbs 27:14, "He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It will be counted a curse to him." I seriously laughed when I first read this. God tries so hard to give us some common sense, don't He? Ok, so it doesn't completely justify my morning grouchies, but it warns perky morning people that evening people don't take kindly to sweet words in the early hours. If only people understood that!!!

I think that God Himself understands the horribleness of mornings. In Lamentations 3:22-23, it describes how His mercies are new each morning. Why should they be new each morning? Because He knows just how annoying they are, and therefore how much more we need those mercies! So am I irrational to think that mornings are so awful? According to the Bible, I think not!

Disclaimer: Yes, I know that I completely took some of these passages out of context and did not discuss their meanings correctly. But I know it got you thinkin'. ;)

Nylon Shackles

Based on the good reaction to my necktie focused post What Is The Purpose? and a request by a friend, I researched the point of pantyhose. I remember having to wear pantyhose to church as a little girl and I ALWAYS hated it. Yes, it looked adorable, but it made me way too warm and kept sliding down so I would have to readjust it. But on the other hand, I do remember some thoroughly awesome tie-dyed pantyhose that made it worthwhile for a time, haha!

Nylon pantyhose has been a success (and a nuisance) since its invention in the late 30's. Advertised as the "miracle fiber", women all over the place quickly jumped on this new fashion trend that almost instantly replaced standard stockings. It was so immediately popular that nearly four million pairs were sold within the first few days following the release. In the 60's as ladies' hemlines migrated higher, pantyhose became a requirement, probably so that they could say they were still being modest because their legs were technically covered. Because women are rule-benders like that. I won't deny it!

It's my guess that at the time ladies were getting more involved in professional work settings, pantyhose was widely accepted as a necessary piece of an outfit so their office dress codes reflected that. (Although after skipping over several links, which I will not discuss here, I wonder if it was a requirement set by their male supervisors for other less-than-noble purposes.) But now that the popularity of pantyhose is clearly declining, I have no idea why some establishments still hold to the idea that "women must wear pantyhose." This is the point were I consider joining the feminist bandwagon, but thankfully my common sense regained control of me.

This annoying tool of the devil does do some good for the legs as it gives the appearance of smooth skin tones and may cover the fact that you hadn't shaved in a few days. But in researching for this post, I discovered several health risks of pantyhose that again I will not mention here. After reading that list of possible horribleness, I have vowed to avoid wearing the stuff again at all costs. Never again will I be forced to wear those nylon shackles that chain me to pointless standards!

Being a Disciple of Christ

In my Sunday School class, we're starting a new study on what it means to be a disciple, or follower, of Christ. I've done this study before, but since we have a lot of fresh meat - Oh, I mean, new students in the class, we figured we would do this study again. Honestly, I have forgotten most of it, so it will be a great reminder for me.

We began Sunday morning by looking at Matthew 10:16-39, a portion of what Jesus told the twelve apostles after He called them to follow Him. You could consider this speech as the job description for these men. But unlike potential employers today who generally sugar coat everything and leave out the nasty aspects of each job, Jesus was brutally honest when laying out the pros and cons that apply to both the apostles at that time and to us now.

Jesus gave them many instructions, including have the wisdom of a snake but the gentleness of a dove, do not be worried about what to say, and beware of men but do not fear them. Love God more than family, and take up your cross to follow Him. All these warnings and the reference to a humiliating death doesn't sound too great, does it?

But Jesus also gave them some assurances. He said His Spirit would give them the words to say when they need them. He also gave them a heck of an encouragement in the comparison to sparrows in verses 29-31. Stating that the cheapest of birds are of concern to God, Jesus assured His audience that the God who cares for those birds cares so much more for them that He even keeps track of the number of hairs on their heads. So even though the instructions are difficult and intimidating, God is going to take care of them (and us) no matter what.

Accompanying those instructions and assurances are also some statements of what would happen to them. Jesus said they would be hated because of their association with Christ. They would also be brought to trial before kings, their families would be divided, and they may even suffer death for His sake. As a side note, the death and suffering thing generally does not happen where we are, and I am ever so thankful for that, but it is happening all over the globe to other followers of Christ who continue to follow in spite of the results.

If this were any standard job interview, I would be grabbing my stuff and running out the door at this point. Is the position difficult? Are the outcomes harsh? Yes and yes, but is it reasonable?? At first thought, one would think not. But upon considering all the pain and suffering Jesus endured for me, it quickly becomes a reasonable aspect of the position. Jesus gave His life for me, and in return I have surrendered my life to Him, so I should be willing to do anything He asks of me no matter the consequences.

So why would Jesus choose to discuss the horrible aspects of the job first while typical employers would hide such details? Because He has absolutely no use for sissy, fair weather followers who would grab their stuff and run out the door at the first sign of such trouble. He wants dedicated people who are totally sold out for Him. The position of a follower of Christ is no easy task, but it has undoubtedly worthwhile benefits. Verse 39 ends saying, "he who loses His life for My sake will find it." If you dedicate your life to Christ entirely, then He will give you eternal life in His presence. That's the golden parachute in addition to all the other perks that makes the job awesome. Now, where do I sign?

What Is The Purpose?

For quite some time, I have been vexed by a question which no one I know can answer. After pondering the question for weeks on end and coming up with no logical solution on my own, I resorted to my good friend Google who was more than happy to point me in the right direction. So what the heckins is the purpose of a necktie?!?!

For centuries, this annoying piece of fabric has been nearly strangling every man with whom it comes in contact. But since it's so uncomfortable and serves no purpose whatsoever, why is it a requirement for every old man at church to wear one? Why are they such a staple of professional and dressy fashion? Don't get me wrong, ties are snazzy and look super nice with a suit. Zachary Levi as Chuck makes it look quite adorable, See? He makes the untucked shirt and pocket protector look super nice too, so maybe it's just him, I dunno.

Anywaaaaays, after looking it up on Google, I discovered that it started out as part of a 17th century military uniform for the purpose of keeping the neck warm during the winter or to wipe sweat away during the summer. Makes perfect sense! It eventually took off as a fashion statement and wormed its way into society as a symbol of status and professionalism. But it is completely useless as a functional piece of clothing now because the bands are too small to keep anything warm, and sweat just doesn't do well on silk.

So why continue to wear it and make it a professional standard?! I've absolutely no idea. I also have no idea why I wanted to post this. But maybe some of you were curious too? You can now thank me for providing you with useless information.

That being said, I think this is a perfectly purposeful tie, don't you?

I Heart My Corolla

After nearly 3 weeks of non-stop car shopping, I finally decided on the car that I wanted. I drove a 2008 Toyota Corolla on my first day of test driving, and then I found myself comparing every subsequent car to it. There were several really nice cars I could have purchased, including that snazzy Mazda 6 that I talked about three posts ago. But I was absolutely in love with the 2008 Corollas that nothing else would do.

Like I mentioned before, the dealership with the first Corolla was uncooperative and sneaky when it came to price adjustments. Even though they had the car that I wanted, I wasn't willing to buy something from someone who thought I wasn't intelligent enough to calculate the numbers they were presenting. I got all A's in math, and I'm gonna use my smarticals, dangit!

So then I knew what I wanted but then had to find a cooperative seller. I found one on Craigslist, but the private seller was not willing to negotiate the price. And then I found another one on a website for a dealer about a two hour drive away. When I emailed the dealer asking for more information and if they could work within my price range, they said they could and wanted to fax me sales paperwork for me to sign and fax back! I had not even seen the car yet, so I've no idea why they thought I would be willing to purchase a car I had not even driven! And then when I failed to respond to their liking, they started calling me a few times a day! I'm sorry, but annoying dealers don't get my money. Maybe a restraining order, but not my money!

But then I discovered that one of my "honored, loved and revered" school teachers was considering selling his Corolla. I was super excited at the thought of buying a car from someone I knew and trusted! I got all the information about the car, and it was everything I wanted! But by the time I was ready to make a deal, he had traded it in for a new car.

I was so bummed until my mom made the genius suggestion of finding out where he did the trade-in. Why didn't I think of that before?!? Upon discovering the location and finding the car in their online inventory for a nearly perfect price, I emailed the dealership to tell them I would be in after the weekend to check out the car. So for two days, I was both excited about possibly buying the car and nervous that it wouldn't work out.

That Monday, I met the dealer, drove the car for a few minutes, and then sat down in their office to make a deal. My grandfather/personal haggler was instrumental in negotiating the price down to a value that was irresistible. And by "instrumental" I mean that he did all the talking while I held onto my wallet so tightly that my knuckles turned white. After signing seemingly endless paperwork, I drove my new car home! Lookit!!!

I am so ridiculously thankful that God worked all of this out for me. Even though He denied me the first, second, and third Corollas that I saw, He gave me the absolutely best one. Not only did I get it for a great price, but I also know the car's history and that it was very well cared for! I loooooove it and I'm looking forward to many many years with it!

The Video Game Bug

With all the ridiculous stress of car shopping, I've had to find a way to harmlessly take out my frustrations. What better way to do that than to play a somewhat violent video game??

After watching my sisters go through the PS2 game Ratchet and Clank, I decided that I wanted to start a game, and thus the video game bug had bitten me. This was not the first time I've been attacked by that pest, so I recognized the sore and symptoms immediately. First, the PS1 Spyro trilogy had been my obsession, and then the PS2 Sly Cooper trilogy. Both of which I loved. By the way, I have a doctorate in Spyrology. Unlike my Associates in Computer Information Technology, I do have the paper to prove it! (Thanks to my daddy for the design, printing, and signature) I should frame it.

So for two weeks, when I wasn't working, sleeping, or car shopping, I was steadily working my way through Ratchet and Clank. And I did quite awesomely, thank you very much. In fact, during my total 18 hours of play time, I never once had to ask my pro sister to help me do something for me. I loved being able to buy new guns and take out the bad guys. I often imagined the main villain to be the car salesman who got in my bubble, wore too much cologne, and tried to talk me into buying a car I already told him I couldn't afford. So I greatly enjoyed it when I pulled out the big guns and blew away the salesman, oh I mean, the bad guy.

It was a great way to distract myself from the current annoyances. Just like movies, it gives me a chance to get away from reality for a while and enjoy a good story. But unlike sitting in a dark theater watching the silver screen, I actually get to be the main character and experience the story myself, even if it is on our television in the high traffic living room. Now that I've played the first Ratchet and Clank, I may be tempted to discover the stories of the next three installments!

Note to self: When bitten by the video game bug, apply games liberally until you see improvement. Side effects may include a numb tush and cramped thumbs. Consult your psychiatrist if the condition of your bug bite does not improve.