I'm switching to a new blog: www.lighterrant.wordpress.com -- in my last unupdated post this didn't work - now it does!

Wordpress is a lot more accommodating and I like the layouts better. If I have any readers left, I'd be happy to see you over there!

Cliché

I like being cliché with Mathew at twilight and beyond. It's refreshing. (Albeit, cliché's aren't supposed to be refreshing.)

I used to be a cheerleader, did you know?

When you're up- you're up
When you're down- you're down
when you're messing with (insert team - antagonist - symptom)
you're up... (clap, clap, clap)
side... (clap, clap, clap)
down.
Up. Side. Down.

I feel lackluster. Surely a side effect of summer and brain rot.

Doubt

Doubt has crept into nearly every crevice of my identity today and I feel nauseous.

Back

Israel is really over. Like, really really over. Ugh.

I'm back in K-Vegas and loving it. I rode my bike all over the place and stopped at Subway for my favorite $5 meal. Things are rapidly changing in my life, but it's nice to come back to find this place as static as I left it.

A favorite of mine, in honor of the fourth:

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
—Emma Lazarus, 1883

Insanity:

Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. -Einstein

He was pretty smart, right? My high school principal used to say that all the time. This blog post, unfortunately, must be cryptic in any case I must say that I might be doing something insane.

Back to Business

Hey blog. I'm back from Israel and need to stop moping.

So here's my game plan for the rest of the summer:

1. Write my 2 book reports and 1 research paper for MDST 310
2. Waitress and Babysit
3. See Harry Potter 6 avec Emily
4. Teach VBS in K-Ville next week
5. (fingers crossed) Visit Aliya & David in Seattle


Hopefully 5 comes true, but I can't be too greedy. One big trip is plenty, but airfare is cheap and I miss them a lot.

travel blog

Okay, so I made a new blog for Israel and will be updating it frequently. I hope anyone that reads this will also read that!

www.lighterrant.blogspot.com

Shalom!

Squeaky Clean

I cleaned today! My closet was a disaster area prior to the major overhaul and it was a blast to listen to Les Miserables and Fiddler on the Roof with my Dad while digging up nearly twenty years of junk. (Found some pretty neat stuff!) Things from old friendships, sadly some that don't exist anymore. I found pictures that had long been forgotten and notes from high school romances and dramas. Oy. I'm growing up, aren't I? I found dozens upon dozens of poems that I wrote. (I used to be so prolific.) I don't know why I stopped writing. I used to assume it was because I was clogged. But the terrifying reality is that I just might have nothing of consequence to say. (Let's not end on that note!)

My room is gloriously clean and I feel wonderful.

Wonderful Day

Today I lounged outside and read I am a Palestinian Christianwith iced tea. It's required for the Israel trip, but I like it a lot. It definitely provides an interesting perspective on the conflict in the middle east.

The photo: I thought I'd take a quick picture on my mac.. can you spot the new freckles? (Probably not, bad image quality)

Bienvenue Été (Welcome Summer)

It is officially summer because:

I have a sunburn.
I have been reading for pleasure.
My skin smells like Banana Boat tanning oil.
The blueberries I had for lunch were fresh and massive.
There are a few new freckles on my face.
Mathew drove 40 miles to see me tonight. (As opposed to the four minute walk in Kirksville)
I've watched four movies within the span of two days.

And well, because it's getting pretty damn hot outside!

I have been wrong for too long!

I have spent the entirety of my literate life misunderstanding how to use "too" as an adjective. This has gone on for too long! II read through old entries that say "to much" or "to cold" and other t's that lack two "O"s I am ashamed. How could I have let this happen?

Moonshine Lullaby

Tonight I was baby-sitting my next door neighbor's 7 month old son and he wouldn't stop crying. I tried everything: standing, sitting, jumping, bouncing... the whole nine yards. In desperation, I started to sing Moonshine Lullaby and he almost instantly calmed down! It was adorable, so I kept singing to him. Everything from showtunes, humming classical music, and even some Elton John. He was my best audience ever.

I want two kids, have I ever told you? I want to have one of each. But not till I'm in my thirties, post Ph.D. and have traveled to at least all the major art museums in the world. (Louvre, El Prado, Tate Modern etc. etc.) This summer, while we are in Jerusalem, we will see the Hadasseh (sp?) which is a hospital in which Mark Chagall designed the stain glass. Way cool.

Ok, why do ALL of my blog entries have to be about travel - it's obsessive. At least I'm taking a bite out of my ambitions this summer. I think I'd go stir crazy otherwise!

It's frustrating that the last week of class is also the last week to say goodbye to everyone. Now that I'm home, I feel as though I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to everyone. Now I won't see a lot of them till August.

Although, I definitely needed a break from Kirksville. Since being home I've had chinese, my Dad's BBQ, frozen custard, and Chiptole. The food just can't be compared.

What else?

Oh! I had a jury. Emily played for me and they even offered her money to accompany other voice students. My jury went well, but not nearly as well as Mathew's. (They told him to quit being a history major and switch to voice.) However, I got a lot of positive feedback and I also have a clear idea of what I need to improve. (Namely, stage presence and more support up high.) Hopefully, I can iron these issues out next semester. One thing is certain, Nicole has EXPONENTIALLY improved my voice. I couldn't fathom a high high C and now it's definitely possible. (It's still rather faint though.) Sometime, I'll sing an aria on my lap top and post it on here. (Maybe I'll be bored enough to do that tomorrow?) Who knows..

Speaking of singing. I have a horrible feeling that our theatre department might do Les Miserables next year. (I don't know why I think that, but I do!) There are precious few things I want more than the opportunity to play Eponine. I cannot imagine anything more disappointing than auditioning and not making the show. I'm not involved in the department anymore and I don't think I'd have much of a shot. That being said, I cannot stand to think of someone else playing Eponine at Truman. It's just too heartbreaking. I want the part the way Eponine wants Marius. It's ridiculous and pathetic, but a fact. Just pray that Ron doesn't pick Les Mis!!

About...

About ready to take my second of four finals.

Je vouloir parle francais avec mes amis, mais je ne peux pas parce que je suis vraiment mauvais a il! Je crois que je vais obtenir un B dans ma classe de francais.

Emily, nous douvais parle souvent ce weekend! Peut-etre je peux le faire!

Amusing Dialogue

Lauren: Mary, you must come to Ruby Tuesdays with Dr. Appold and I
Mary: Dr. Appold and Me*
Lauren: No, Mary, I decided that it's I.
Mary: [indignantly] You can't do that! It's not like you say "Me want food."
Matt: Who said that she was inverting it?
Mary: I was just assuming
Lauren: Well, assuming makes an ass out of you and I.

lots of random stuff

This semester has been fairly easy compared to the last one... and yet I still might get two B's! Ugh. French and Age of Jackson are B-Listed and have warning flags. I am not going down without a fight.

Also, 32 days until I am an amateur archeologist! We are going to swim in the Dead Sea, Sea of Galilee, Mediterranean and the Red (Reed) Sea . Not to mention all of the history we are going to soak in with the sun. I am BEYOND excited.

Welcome (Rany on the) Royals Fans!

So, Mathew Edward Berger, my darling boyfriend, decided to post on a highly trafficked baseball blog under this name.

In case any stragglers wander on to my blog from Rany's, I'd like to share my favorite baseball quotation:

"Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal."
-George Will

Also, Greinke, Meche and Davies, the rest are only maybe's WAS TOTALLY my pun. So if you are the Kansas City Star, David Glass, Bud Selig, or anyone affiliated with the offices of major league baseball please have your people call my people for copyright information.