{I O U}

For those of you who are dedicated readers of my weekly writings:

First, glad to know I have fans! Thanks for reading!

Second: you've probably noticed that I've been a bit absent from blogger in the past month, and especially in the past two weeks.  Sorry about that!  As you all understand, life can get busy, and that's exactly how mine has been lately :) between school, homework, work, housework, doctor's appointments, snow days, being sicky poo and taking care of a sicky poo, I haven't had a whole lot of time to blog.  But trust me, it's been taking a small toll on me too as I have so many ideas of things to write about backing up in my mind!  Since things will calm down just a pinch this week, I plan to post a few blogs for my mental health and for your enjoyment! Here are a few that you can most likely expect to see soon:

* My 22: things I plan to do with this 22nd year of life

* Scenes from my Golden birthday

* Bible study on Jonah and the Whale

* Bible study on Joseph (King of Dreams)

* Brain wrinkle on eye color

* Meet Annelise

* Basic update on what's going on with me

Maybe I won't be able to hit all of these this week, but you can definitely keep an eye out for some of them!  Again, thanks to all of you who enjoy reading what I write; I hope I never bore you!

Jay.

{Third-Culture American}

{Kinda creepy, eh?}

In the missions world, there are kids we like to call MK's, which means "Missionary Kid" - they are the children of missionaries in other countries.  Often times, these kids are easily identifiable; some of them choose to walk around barefoot; they wear the native attire of the country they were raised in; if there are others from their region of the world, they speak in another language whenever they get a chance to; most of them don't know anything about music or movies in America, or much of the Western world for that matter; and they often times don't understand why Americans are so loud. Another term we use to describe these people are TCK's, which means "Third-Culture Kid".  These kids (or young adults) are technically "American" by birth, or because their parents are American citizens; they also clearly speak English as their first language.  However, they don't feel like they belong here in America because they didn't grow up in America.  They grew up in another country; they know the local language fluently and have many friends there; they understand the customs and tradition of that culture; they call that place home.  However, they are not the same skin, hair, or eye color; they are not actually native of these places; they don't have roots there; their friends don't understand American culture; and plenty of people avoid them because "they're not one of us."  These kids, whom we call TCK's, are a culture of their own.  They don't feel they belong anywhere.  They are familiar with two different lifestyles, two different cultures, two completely different experiences, religions, worldviews, and so.  But they don't feel that they belong here or there.

What does this have to do with me?

No, I didn't grow up in another country.  Sadly, I have never had the opportunity to leave the United States!  However, I feel like this a lot.  Here in America, as many of you know, not all Americans are the same.  Things that make sense on the West coast, don't make any sense on the East coast, and vice versa.  Each region of the country has it's own way of life.  America is a melting pot in that sense.  

I was born around the Chicagoland area and lived there until I was almost 8 years old.  I still have friends and family there.  I moved with my family to Hartsville, South Carolina and lived there for most of my life.  Chicago is a huge city, and could be a state all to itself with a population of almost 12 million people.  The people live fast-paced lives.  People in the Chicagoland area are either from somewhere else in the world or are the children of immigrants.  There are many international accents, but most Chicago and Chicagoland people have what you call "an invisible accent" - a standard American-English accent.  There is always something to do in Chicago; it never sleeps; there is never a dull moment.  Then there's Hartsville.  Population: almost 8,000.  The city sleeps from 5pm-8am, with the exception of the one and only 24-hour Wal Mart.  Most people who live here have roots that go back 4 and 5 generations, and most of those ancestors were farmers.  Every now and again, we get a new family from somewhere else in the country because of the military or because of work.  Often times, there's nothing to do in the downtown area, but people take that as an opportunity to be creative.  There are some rednecks (not everyone in the South is a redneck - do not mistake that).  There are plenty of people who have Southern accents of some sort.  The culture is much slower, and more hospitable.  Southern folks like to take it easy and enjoy what's going on, not zoom through it.

Here's my problem: I don't sound like a Southerner, I but I live a slower life like a Southerner.  I sound like a Northerner, but I certainly don't act like a Northerner.  I know of some customs of the North, but I don't necessarily follow those customs.  I am pretty familiar with Southern customs, but I don't follow those customs either.  I call Hartsville my home, it's where I did most of my growing, made my closest friends, and learned what I know now.  I act more like Southerners than Northerners.  When some Northerners talk poorly about the South, I get offended, even though I am not actually a Southerner.  In high school, I was treated differently by some of the Southerners at my school because I sounded like one of "them."  There are people I have encountered from the North who treat me differently because I act like one of "them," and because I live here with "them."

Certainly I am not saying that I have no friends and everyone hates me.  What I'm saying is: I am used to two completely different cultures, to two completely different ways of life.  Sometimes I'm not sure where I belong, geographically, because I don't entirely fit the lifestyle of anywhere.  While I don't have experiences like the TCK's I know who are from other countries, I consider myself to be a TCA, or Third-Culture American.  I don't belong here for certain reasons; I don't belong there for other certain reasons.  It's finding the place I do belong that's the hard part.  A lot of people don't really understand this, and maybe that's a good thing.

Have any of you ever felt this way from any situation?

{Farewell} Not Goodbye

To my dear friend, Annélise:

Thank you for all the talks we had in the past two years - especially the ones recently.  Thank you for our walks and the fun plans we played around with for the future.  Thank you for understanding that someday Frank and I will have 19 children - all named Annélise - and we will be living in the same one bedroom apartment.  Thank you for being such a great friend.  I am proud of you and how brave you have been through all you have faced, and you are the bomb dot com for who you are.  Although you are done with school, although you are moving on, although we will not exist on the same campus anymore, I still love you and I will miss those times when people ask if we are sisters (from another mister), but I will always consider you to be just that ;) Now who's going to laugh when I act thug and country?

This is farewell, for now, not goodbye - never goodbye :)

~Jessica~

Life Lately...

     So for those of you who read my blog regularly, you've noticed that I've been posting a bunch of random short snippets of stuff lately.  For instance, I've been posting about Fleet Foxes, and how I wish they would come out with some new stuff already, and I'm always posting songs of the day.  And not a whole lot beyond that.  There's a reason... actually, there are many reasons, starting with: I'm losing my mind.

#1.  I'm in Hermeneutics this semester.  What is that?  It's pronounced: Herm-en-oot-ics and it's the principles of Biblical Interpretation.  What's the purpose of the class?  You can't just interpret the Bible however you want, there's an actual meaning and purpose intended for each passage that are meant to be interpreted exactly how the author intended.  Studying the hermeneutical part of Scripture helps to determine what Scripture is actually saying, not just what we want it to say.  There's a lot of effort that needs to be put into interpreting the Bible the way it was meant to be interpreted.  I spent easily over 30 hours working on my Herm mid-term these past few weeks.  I was in the library every minute it was open while I wasn't working or in class.  Now that it's all over, I have to start working on the Final.  I'm ready for school to be done... It's all I've been able to do to post a song of the day a few times a week.

Blogging is one of my biggest stress outlets.  I love blogging.  I love the blogger world.  I feel better after posting something on my blog.  Even if I can only post something small and menial, I have posted something: stress relieves a little.

#2.  I've been struggling on my own internally.  There are a few things inside that I brought into this semester.  Personal struggles have been casting a shadow over my life, it seems.  I feel so disconnected from everything and everyone around me.  I feel alone.  I haven't been pursuing God like I've been needing to.  I've been so caught up in school requirements that I haven't made a lot of time for friends.  Thankfully, God has been gracious with our marriage, even in this time, as Frank and I have been able to keep our marriage a priority in all the craziness.  Anyways, I just feel alone right now... I have nothing to really talk about.  I'm trying to keep myself interested in things I like doing (like blogging) by consistently pursuing those things.  Why am I doing this? (See #3.)

#3.  In high school I suffered from severe depression.  Lots of people suffer from depression.  The thing about depression is: it can come back - especially once you've experienced it for long enough.  I have recurring, or chronic, depressive bouts.  I slip in and out of depression regularly; anything can trigger it for me, really.  I've had enough fight with depression to know when I'm starting to go downward, and I know how to catch myself from getting too severe.  Even though I haven't been posting anything of real substance lately, I have been making myself do something that I enjoy, that makes me feel better, and that's why my posts have been so short and possibly boring to some people.  There are two kinds of people who suffer from depression: the ones who give in, and the ones who know they can fight it.  I try always to be the latter; I am strong enough to fight it.  I have God ;)

So in all, right now, I have been ...feeling alone, I guess.  From having constant work to do, from being exhausted from school and work, and housework, I haven't done a good job with pursuing God first, and pursuing people as I would want them to pursue me, and I've been fighting off depression again.  If you want to pray for me, you can pray for me in these ways:

#1.  I keep up my energy as I tackle the Final for Herm, all while studying for every exam in between for my other classes.  It has been by God's grace that I have been able to keep on top of everything.

#2.  Pray for the [un-named] struggles I'm dealing with right now.  The enemy is really trying to use these struggles to his advantage right now.  I need to know in my heart that God is sufficient for the needs I feel I'm lacking.  I can't rely on human beings to fill the needs that only God can fill.

#3.  God supplies me with the strength I need to handle my constant fight with depression.  I'm not always depressed, but it visits me regularly, and I always need to be on guard.  God is good.

#4.  I pursue God more vigorously than I have been in a while.  I know He's there, and He's always there for me - even when I'm not pursuing Him.  He is worthy of my time, love, affection, and everything I have to offer, and more.  I need to re-connect with Him again.

#5.  Our marriage.  We are actually really growing a lot together through this time, and the impact life has had on our marriage has actually been positive.  Praise God for this!  But also ask that God continue to protect our marriage from the enemy, and rather continue growing it to be more and more for His glory.

Thanks for checking in with me, those of you who have read.  I really appreciate your prayers and love.  And always remember: if you need prayer for anything or need someone to talk to: please message me privately, send me a text, send a messenger pigeon.  Please know that you can trust me - I want to share your burden, too (Galatians 6:2).

Jessica

{Hermeneutics MidTerm}

This has been my life for the past few weeks.  I hate taking selfies, I think they're dumb... and can be a little vain... but I have been in desperate need of entertainment while I've been working.  So yes, I took these selfies as I was working.  Every morning for the past few weeks, I have been up around 7 to make it to the library by 8.  I have stayed in the library until my class starts at 1:30 pm, or I have left for my 3 one-hour classes, leaving my stuff in my spot so that I can pick up where I left off and work until the library closes at 11 pm.  Last Saturday, I made it to the library by 8 and it turned out they opened at 10.  So I sat outside the library and did work while I waited for them to open.  These pictures below are depictions of what my life has been like when I haven't been in class, sleeping, or working.  I have even been eating my meals sporadically throughout my time doing homework.

{Music That Introduces Autumn}

As the cool weather settles on top of the dried colored leaves and beside the scent of pumpkin in the air, I change up my music a little to fit the feel of the season's beginning: peaceful, thin, still, relaxing, reminiscent.

These are a few music groups and artists who I turn on while I sit and enjoy my favorite season making its debut for the year:

Yonder Mountain String Band

Old Crow Medicine Show

Sufjan Stevens

Horse Feathers

Lord Huron

Gungor

The Barr Brothers

The Last Bison

The Devil Makes Three

The Civil Wars

Obviously, I listen to the likes of these all throughout the year.  However, take a listen to one or two of these and you'll understand why they really put me in the autumn mood.  

Nice earthy tones, natural sounds, they make you feel comfortable in the new clean weather and kinda make you want to dance in funny ways (but not at CIU, of course!...)

It's music groups like these that help me embrace my southern-ness.  I love living in the south.  I don't always fit in here, but I don't fit in anywhere else either.  This music makes me feel like I belong, right here in the south, right here in the autumn season.  Ahhh... this time of year is just so nice.

{thank you}

I just wanted to thank all of my beloved friends and family for being there for me, and for us, through the good and the bad, the serious and the menial.  It means a lot.

A few weeks ago, I posted about some things that were going on with us that I asked the community around us to pray about.  I was expecting a few to read, not many, and I made more complaint in that post than I did any matured request for prayer.  Then again, a request for prayer doesn't necessarily need to be seen as 'mature' if you are truly showing your emotion through it.  I've come to realize that people don't actually know the severity of a problem to a person until their inner-frustrations have shown.  And that is exactly what I did the other week.

Well after my post filtered through the internet, I received more pageviews from it than I have any other blog post I have ever written.  Wow!  Part of me felt a little embarrassed to know that sooo many people knew wheat I was feeling.  But as people everywhere started coming up to me, walking beside me, assured me that they were praying for me, sent me texts, emails, facebook messages, everything - I really felt that God was listening and He is taking care of me.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in what's going on all around us that we feel like we have it so hard.  And to us, yes, it feels that way.  << Never ever underestimate the problems people have - those problems are very real to them, even if they don't seem like a big deal to you.  Take them seriously, and instead of telling them to get over it, help them work through it! >>   But it's even easier to lose sight of God and what He is already doing in our lives when we are overwhelmed by things of this world.  That's how I felt the other week when I wrote and posted: I felt like God gave me more than I could handle and I wanted to quit.

After posting though, so many people became such beacons of encouragement to both Frank and me.  I really felt like God was saying through everyone, "Yes, I am still here, I hear you, and I'm holding your tears.  Be patient, I am working in your waiting, and you are loved."  And boy, we felt loved.  Praise God for His love and grace and mercy for us when we feel that He should be paying us more attention than He already has.  I love God.

And so, I hope you all know that God has worked in and through you these past couple of weeks by encouraging me and Frank in our down-time.  We love you all so much and I am so thankful to have such wonderful people around us, loving us, praying for us, and encouraging us.  We have prayed for all of you and I want you to know that if you ever need someone to come beside you for encouragement and prayer, please remember that I am here for you just as you have been here for me.  God never fails, He never gives up on us, and He is always faithful.  Thank you for being you. :)

In God's Grace,
Frank and Jessica.

Autumn's Arrival

I love Autumn, the Fall.  It's my favorite season.

This is our first Fall spent together as a married couple.

I can't wait for the chilly weather, the blue and gray skies,

dry air, scarves, jackets, jeans, boots,

pumpkin everything, spiced coffee, herbal tea, crunchy leaves,

brown grass,  bare trees, dried mangos, glowing afternoons,

plaid shirts, cozy socks, a good book, fresh bread,

church festivals, the fair, family,

banana bread, open windows, fair isle sweaters,

mountain music, no rain, dark chocolate, seeing my breath,

running in the chill, rich colors, cuddly mornings,

warm foods, new recipes, switching wardrobes, a little extra creamer,

pumpkin pie, acorns, dry bark on the trees, house slippers,

flannel, apple cider, soft rugs, hot tea, tea and coffee in my little mugs,

English muffins for breakfast, hot oatmeal, brown sugar,

warm colors, old wood, scented candles, peanut brittle, owls, lattes, decorations,

Once Upon a Time, cuddling up with my husband,

pinecones, cobblers, sweet potatoes, crisp mornings, pumpkin patches, 

kids in costumes, short days, long nights, long weekend drives, 

butternut squash soup, October, November, earth tones;

and right now it's the beginning of fall, Autumn.

Brit + Co.

Brit + Co. - This is an amazing craft site that I happen to fall upon while searching the internet for ways to make natural soda pop.  At first I thought it was a neat looking blog and wanted to know what engine they were using because it just looked so cool!  As I scrolled further and further and further down the ever-increasingly-long page, I realized that it wasn't a blog, but a place where bloggers have shred their creativity and (GASP!) it wasn't Pinterest!  So I've been looking through right now and finding some pretty neat things!

They have categories for style, DIY, Technology, Cooking, and Health, and a few other miscellaneous things mixed in there.  I signed up for an account, found them on Facebook to like and discovered that no one else I knew liked them!!!!!  I get so so soooooo excited when I find great new things that no one else knows about! :D

I clicked the share button wanting to tell my facebook friends about this neat site... and hesitated.  I hate sharing things with so many people because I feel like it's taking something that makes me who am I am and exposing it to people who don't appreciate it as much as I do... But I clicked Share anyways so that maybe some really crafty people can benefit from it.

This is how it happened with me and Pinterest though: I shared Pinterest with a few of my hall mates and my roommates Freshman year of college.  They had all already seen the crafty things I liked to do during the school year and thought I was pretty creative.  When I showed them what Pinterest was (after I learned about it from my now mother-in-law) none of them seemed very interested.  7 months later, I log in to Pinterest and discover that 170-something of my facebook friends have Pinterest accounts.  Great!  Or so I thought...

When I came back to school, EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER had a Pinterest account.  That was aggravated in a small way since the same people I showed Pinterest to asked me if I knew what it was - of course I did.  What really hurt is this: when I would make something, people would ask, "Oh my gosh!  Did you find this on Pinterest!?!?!"  That really hurt.. I had a creative mind and sense of craftiness before Pinterest ever came into being... And I thought people knew that about me - my own friends.  But since Pinterest had taken over the world at that point, nothing I could do would be considered original; it would all be taken after Pinterest.  Because of this, I've felt like I've lost my joy for creativity, for making things.

Now I've found this great new website called Brit + Co.!  It's such a neat place and I really want to share it, thinking maybe it will be among the next big things!  I just don't want to hear about how all of my natural God-given creativity is attributed to yet another website.  I just want to enjoy it for what it is and keep being who I am :)

Avoiding an Avalanche

The artist is chosen by God to fulfill his commands and must never be overwhelmed by public opinion.

~Albrecht Durer

    This start to the school year hasn't exactly been a graceful one...  I worked full time all summer.  No biggie, in a way, since I've worked a full-time job before this summer.  However, a hard school year ended last May on a Friday.  Frank got into a car wreck that night (he was completely safe, no worries.  Just totalled the car... for clarity, it was not his fault.) we were apart on Saturday, rested on Sunday, then I started working full-time on Monday.  And I worked full time until Monday, August 19, then went back to school the next day.  I had no time to recover from the last school year and all of it's growth and stresses, but I had no choice but to start right back again on an even harder semester with brand new challenges.

#1.    First, my hours at work were cut because of budget cuts happening at my school.  This was already a very painful stress on us.  However, I can now see that as a blessing since I'm taking the most time-consuming class on campus: Hermeneutics.

 #2.   Yes, I am in my fourth year of college, yes I waited until now to take the sophomore level Hermeneutics class, but... I'm not going to explain myself.  Well I can work on one assignment for Herm for easily seven hours.  I have been spending ALL of my designated homework time on these stinkin' assignments because there's one due EVERY CLASS PERIOD!!!!!  It's not one of those classes where I can ask, "what on earth will I ever need this for?" Unfortunately, it's a class that I know has great purpose in studying the Bible - I know it is important to know.  I understand and respect that.  I don't learn by cramming, though, and I almost feel like this class should be divided into two semesters.  It's wearing me down, not just mentally, but emotionally, physically and in sleep.  I haven't been able to eat proper meals every day because I choose to work on homework for this class instead.  There have already been a few nights where I've gone to bed at 2 in the morning because I'm up trying just to complete an assignment - I'm not even trying to correct it!!  (I know, these are choices I'm making, but it's hard not to choose this!) I have hardly been able to touch any of my other homework between Herm-work, class, work, any housing cleaning I can actually get to, sleeping, eating, and breathing for a few minutes every day.  These few minutes I have to write this blog post are precious to me because I'm finding something to vent through.  I haven't run in days because I've either been busy with homework, or I've been exhausted in every way from going and going and going and going and going and not stopping until I'm beat up and tired!  Everyone tells me it's really not that bad, and I'll get the hang of it - WHEN!?!?!?!?!  Was it at the end of the semester!?  I'm in the library every minute after classes are over and I've been there quite a few mornings until class starts.  My homework is stressing my husband out who has already taken this class.  Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad class, the professor is great, it's alllll the freakin' homework every single night!!!!  I'm just so tired...

#3.    And now I've got my first exam in Research Statistics this Friday.  I think I understand a little more than half of what we've gone over by now.  I think. I hope.  My professor for that class has been so helpful taking time to help me understand what he's teaching.  That has been a huge blessing.  I feel fairly confident about this week's exam - fear and anxiety haven't even crossed my radar.  I just hope I feel that same confidence on the day of.

    Frank usually has a good amount of confidence in himself when it comes to school.  He's starting to feel like he's lacking the confidence he needs.  He's been helping me so much understanding my own homework, and through that, he's starting to question his own ability to do what God wants him to do - he doesn't want to miss it.

#4.    I'm behind already on my online class, and I'm behind on reading and notes for my Progress of Redemption class :(  I like that class, and I like the professor (just so we're straight, I like all of my professors) but I've sacrificed a class to get an outline done for herm, I've worked on herm-work while I was in class for Progress.  (Again, I know that I have chosen to do this, but I feel like there's not enough time anywhere else!)  It makes me sad.  And this isn't because I don't manage my time well - I'm a time manager through and through!

#5.    Also, please pray for family... I'll leave it at that ;)

#6.    Frank and I are thinking about moving next summer.  Where we are now is helpful because it's 'on/off campus' but it's not far enough from the rest of the CIU world to be of comfort.  The apartment we live in is a small box (less than 300 square feet, and we are being charged more than double that number for it.  I'm tired of hearing about how "we're paying for the community" - the community should be free since the community is people - and I'm not paying for people.  "It's all inclusive" actually, not entirely true...  It's not that we don't like CIU or the community around us, it would just be more comfortable to be a bit more separated from CIU, and the community is still great and refreshing to be around.  The only benefit is that we don't have to drive anywhere.  And if we were to move off-campus, that would pose another problem...

#7.    Our car is falling apart... What can we say?  It's an old, well-used car and it had 275,000 miles on it when we got it.  It was a blessing, truly, and we're thankful for it, but no matter how thankful we are won't change how the door panel is falling off, the gas gauge doesn't work, it doesn't start every time we turn the key, and two of the wheels inside the tires are rusted to the point where the mechanic said they'd have to break it in order to fix it.  Whether we move or not, that car is going to cost us something.

#8.    Okay... phew... that's feeling much better now... getting all that out in one breath...  When will it end?  I don't want to hear "welcome to the adult world" because I've been "in the adult world" longer than most people realize.  This isn't new to me - it's already getting old, and so I'm wanting to know: when will it end!?  If it's not one thing, it's another!  I couldn't imagine having children to go with this!  Hahaha what an entertaining thought :) That remains a thought, don't worry ;)

#9.    Please pray for us, you guys... and let us know how we can pray for you.  We want to focus on others right now, we are trying to avoid the avalanche that seems to be heading right towards us.  Pray for our sanity, our spirits, our growth in the Lord, for us to have good rest while we sleep, and for us to not get so caught up in what the man says is best.  Our purpose here is not to please man or feel suited for man's expectations - it's to fulfill God's call on our lives, following Him to where we need to be.

#10.    And seriously, please let us know how we can pray for you in all passion for the Lord.  Send me a facebook message, click on the "No comment:" link below and leave me a comment, comment on the facebook status.  We are all in need of the Savior, and only HE can fill the void we feel when we're lonely and overwhelmed and stressed out.  ONLY HIM.  I'm so thankful for God's strength, He is so good.  Praise Him, no matter what my days are like.

"Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live."

~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

(The Message)

Major Change + Someday Certifications

    Right now, as most of you are aware, I am spending an extra year in Undergrad because of a recent change in major choice.  For my first three years of college, I was a Youth Ministry, Family, and Culture major here at CIU.  The reason why is because God had other plans than my own for my life and I felt Him give me a passion for ministering to youth, particularly high school teenagers and young adults, but I never really knew why.  Even with all of the excellent training I've received in the past few years, I never felt like God was equipping me to be a youth pastor, or anything like that, so I wasn't sure exactly what I was supposed to do with my life once I graduated.

    As you might probably remember, I wrote a post about what I felt my calling was: Counseling.  I truly believe that the gifts God has given me throughout my life has led me to desire counseling others and helping them where I can as a professional.  I like for people to trust me and ask me to help them work through their problems.  I still feel that ministering to youth is involved in this.  I want to work in a school district in this area that allows family therapy counselors to work with teens, then stay late afterwards to have counseling sessions with their families.  That's how I feel I can help people and still minister to youth - this is my calling.

    What's that got to do with my major change?  I spent this summer praying and thinking and seeking wise counsel in a short amount of time, and decided to switch my major to......drumroll..... Psychology!!  I feel like everything I was supposed to learn from Youth Ministry, I have learned.  Now I feel like the training God has for me in the near future would best be given through the training I would get from my Psychology classes.  I loved being a Youth Min major, but I'm just as excited about being a Psych major!  And although Psychology is not required to enter the Counseling program, I feel that it's a better stepping stone than Youth Min would have been.  So there you have it: I'm a Psychology major now, and I'm proud of it!

    So by the time I've finished Undergrad, I would have stuffed four years of college into five!  And every minute is totally worth it.  So now I'll be here a year longer than most of my classmates.  However, I'm not alone!  My friend Anna will also be graduating in Spring of 2015, so we will be partying together all the way through!  We've talked a lot about what we want to do in life and what kinds of things would be really cool to have the skill of doing.  And we've talked about doing a few things together B)  This is where the certifications will be coming in...

    Individually, Anna and I have wanted to learn how to do different things just so we can have some sort of side skill apart from what we're doing in life already.  What would be the harm in that?  So when we talked about it, we decided we could work to get these certifications together.  Although I think welding and carpentry would be pretty amazing, I don't think I'd be able to get that certification... however, I still could.

    What are some of the certifications we've talked about getting someday?  They include:

• Hair Stylist (probably from Kenneth Shuler)
• Nails Technician license
• Massage Therapy license
• Just an overall Cosmetologist
• Personal Trainer license (I don't remember if we talked about this one, but it'd be fun)
• Carpentry (I would like to do)
• I would like to take some classes in design and decorating for anything to do with interior decorating
• and maybe a few others...

    So while we're finishing Undergrad, both in Psychology, we can start looking at what it would take to get at least a few of these licenses!  I know I'll be going to Grad school for Counseling.  Anna says she is also going to Grad school.  These license things could probably be a small part of our grad school life!  Then, by the time we've finished getting our master's degrees, we can do what we majored in, fix and cut people's hair, do their nails, help them get in shape, and help them with small things to fix up their house!  Who knows what else we would be able to do!  I am honestly pretty dang excited about this, and I hope there really is a way for us to do this :)  

A Few Facelifts To My Blog

I've been going through a blog-identity crisis, I guess you can say, as I'm trying to make my blog more comfortable and efficient for me and my readers.  I've made some major changes to my blog just now... without really thinking about it... I hope it doesn't bother anyone... I mean, it is my blog... :P So here are those changes:

1. The background no longer has color, it is white.  This may change to something just a little more colorful, like maybe stripes or something.  That way there is less distraction for those who read, and more attention is paid to the things I have written and things you may or may not be interested in.
2. I changed the URL address of my blog again... I'm so sorry :(  It went from JBRAZBLOG.BLOGSPOT.COM to JAY-ELLE-BEE.BLOGSPOT.COM - why?
3. Because I also decided to change my blog name.  I'm tired of having blog names that can't line up with the URL address, so I changed it to something that hasn't been used by anyone else.  The name of my blog is now: Jay Elle Bee.  Why? My initials, that's pretty simple.  And I like the little bumble bee!  Plus, being able to have something small that's memorable is good if I want to make a favricon for myself.  A favricon.  That will be the next thing I add to my blog ;)

I'm sorry to those of you who liked what my blog looked like before, who follow me via URL, and who liked the name I used to have for it.  However, changes are made every day in the world, and none of them last.  This blog is merely me recording what my mind is saying in the very short time that I am here on earth.  Once I'm gone, so will be my blog.  Nothing to get worked up about :)  Thanks for reading, my friends and fellow bloggers.  I love you all, and I will blog again soon! :)

First Day Back?

It was ...kind of like any other day.  The only differences: I didn't have to work for 8 hours today and I had to go to Hoke for the first time in three and a half years.  I think Public Speaking won't be that bad... I've already taken Communicating to Youth, which is like a public speaking class geared towards youth.  And I've taken half of a public speaking course online (yes, online - ask me how they do that...) from a tech school. It won't be that bad.  Plus, I sit next to the hottest guy in school ;) (my husband).

The day wasn't so bad for Frank either.  He's looking forward to his Five Great Novels class, thinks it'll be a lot of work, but is ready for it!  He thinks the same as I do about Public Speaking ;)  Besides, what's he got to worry about: he's graduating this year!

We had a great start to the semester! I'll let you know more about our tomorrow schedules.

I have worn this same outfit every first day of school for the past four years.  This style ain't neva gonna go outta style B)

Too cool for school.

And my hair is getting long enough to curl again... hooray!

Happy 2013-14 school year, everyone!

Comin' Out the Speakers

I love listening to music.  I just love it.  I love finding new music and really getting into new-found artists.  I don't listen to the radio (1. because I don't have a radio to listen to, 2. because there are too many commercials on the radio to wait through just to listen to the same 40 songs over and over again).  There are quite a few regulars that come back up[ in my playlists throughout the seasons.  These 16 bands are the ones I continuously fall back on when I have nothing else to listen to.  These are the few bands that are repeatedly coming out of my speakers:

Top Row, Left to Right:

The Black Keys : : Nico Vega : : Florence + the Machine : : Matt & Kim

Row 2:

Dan Auerbach : : The Dead Weather : : Sent By Ravens : : Linkin Park

Row 3:

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour : : Lindi Ortega : : Kitten : : Gungor

Row 4:

The Heavy : : ABBA : : Lord Huron : : Branches

If you take a listen to any of them, you'll notice the eclectic interest I have in music!  My favorite genre, I would say, is probably something like blues rock; something that has a bit of blues and soul, maybe a little grungy.  I really like the way that kind of music sounds.  I like more modern music, to be honest, that sounds like old music.  It's new! It's fresh! It's not old, and I can still see the musicians live because they're young and truckin'!  However, I do like other genres as well ;) I also really enjoy the folky-sounding music, especially when it has a sort of old rustic mountain-y, old country sound to it.  I guess I could sum up my taste like this: new artists with new music that sounds like it could be old... make sense? :)  I think the only exceptions in the list above to that rule are Linkin Park and Matt & Kim.  Linkin Park (in my opinion) is more of a ... mix of genres (rock, rap, electronic, r/b, etc.) Matt & Kim ... they're just their own genre ;)

If you'd like to have a great sample of music from these delightful folks, take a listen to the playlist I put together on Spotify!  I hope you enjoy as much as I do!

What sounds regularly come out of your speakers?  What music gets you in the mood to move around? Have you found anything new and great lately?  Feel free to comment below!

What I Love About Walking Home

    Of all the things I think about on my way home : : I get to see Frank gain, I am hungry and want dinner, I get to relax, I can watch some TV, I can clean the house a little, I love my husband, hat should we do tonight? what should we do this weekend? : : there's one little thing while I make my way home that interrupts my thoughts so sweetly.  What is it? 

Little froggies!

There are little retention ponds around the apartments where frogs and minnows live.  When I walk home at night, I can hear for yards all the little chirping and croaking the frogs make to speak to each other.  They sound like little squeaky toys playing in a little puddle!  I know that doesn't make a whole of sense, but that's the image I get when I walk by and hear them all squeaking away!  That is such a nice little end to my day, right before I get to the comforts of home :)

Favorite Commercial Ever

Every time I walk through or near a library, I remember growing up learning that you need to whisper and make as little noise as possible.  I never entirely understood the purpose, since I work better when there are little outside distractions and noises, music or television playing.  So the idea of everyone needing to be quiet in a library has, frankly, annoyed me a little.  I don't like going into libraries sometimes because of this.  Well during the Super Bowl in February I saw the best commercial I have ever seen.  It made me so happy, I still laugh at the mere thought of watching it again!  What is it?  It's an Oreo commercial that brilliantly takes place in the library.  I love it.  If you haven't seen it, watch it:

Way to go Oreo, you make me proud ;)

Actually, Interior Decorating

    You know how a few weeks ago I mentioned that I could do Real Estate as a fun side job (if I had the time and money to go to school for it)?  Well I've been watching more shows like Renovation Raiders, Brother vs. Brother, HGTV Star, and especially Design on a Dime lately, and I've been realizing that I have more of an interest in interior decorating (or even interior design) than I do in real estate.

    I love organization, and with that I like to be crafty and creative.  I like making things look the way they are supposed to; if they are supposed to look home-y, I want to make it look that way.  If it's supposed to look like an oasis of relaxation, I want to make it look that way.  I don't mind simple, but if simple means blah, dull, and boring, then I go for more.  We've been married for almost 7 months now and do you know how many times I have rearranged the living to make it feel even more homey?  Four times.  In seven months.  And that number would have been higher had it not been for school and work!

    I like to think that I have a good grasp on matching colors and patterns and I know how to bring balance of those things into a room.  I was looking up some ways to become an interior decorator (since I don't want to have to go to school for interior design) and I found a few interesting things:

-  I don't need a degree, but any certification or any classes could give me some sort of accreditation.
-  Practice everywhere - my house, your house, a friend's house, Habitat for Humanity projects, etc.
-  Keep a portfolio of every project I complete, a hard copy and display them online.
-  Get involved in a job that allows for design or visual merchandising.
-  Keep tabs on great places to buy materials; without a license I can't get discounts so I'll have to be frugal!

    I like creating spaces for people that I know they will enjoy using things they already have - I like giving each piece of furniture a new responsibility in the look of the room they are in.  I think even more than that, I LOVE organizing things (I even liked that on Facebook).  Making a room feel more productive on its own is always such a nice feeling for me!  I really think that this is a more logical and plausible side job/hobby that I could do for a small income.  Obviously, just starting out I wouldn't charge anything, but as I get more experience maybe I will be able to put a small price on my work :)  Since I'm not licensed I can't charge the crap out of people who might ask for my help - that's a good thing for everyone, I would hate to be the bad guy.  Maybe someday beyond that, I can do what the chica does on Design on a Dime and ask the customer for a budget they can spend and get new finer-ups for their space!

    In the meantime, I need to start my practice!  School is about to start, but maybe I can take on one or two projects... So if anyone needs decorating advice, or would like me to help them pick out colors, or organize, or anything like that - please let me know!  I would love to help and to get the ball rolling for a little hobby I think I will always have :)

Some examples of what they've done on Design on a Dime:

Of course, my stuff won't immediately look like this, but I've got Sabrina Soto and the hosts from Design on a Dime to look to for inspiration!

My Favorite Colors

For EVER my favorite color was a deep bold green.  I don't know why.

About two years ago, I realized I wasn't sure which colors I really liked,

which for some reason made me feel like there was something

in me that was missing!  Isn't that weird?!

Well about a year ago, I decided that I knew which colors were truly my very favorite!

And these are them:

Seafoam Green

   

Indigo

  

Turquoise

  

Gray

  

Gold

  

Brown