Lock-In ex post facto (the mountain dew hangover)

Before I start, I'd just like to tell you that I typed the title of this and published it without actually typing anything. Let me explain my otherwise blonde moment with a bit of a back story.

Think of last 25 things that someone would do at 3 in the morning. Now throw in a group of crazy teens with the freedom of the entire Geneseo community center.

It looks like you've gots yourself a lock-in.

From ten last night to six this morning, the only time I felt tired was when I was sitting down. They did everything short of injecting us with pure caffeine to keep us awake. No joke. Whether it was swimming, eating baby food and lemons, chugging as much Pepsi as possible, tackling each other in games, or crumpling up newspaper to make piles at the other end of the gym floor, that was only the beginning of my night/morning.

I got home at a little before 7 and totally crashed. I just slept in my jeans and oversized purple event shirt. My parents woke me up at 1 this morning and I felt like I had been run over.

Because (of course) know what that feels like....

anyways. I have major bruised everywhere from
a) the girls volleyball tournement,b) playing "123 American Eagle" (One of those try not to get tackled/be the last person standing games)or,c) sliding in to other people in a running game.

to top it all off, we played a game with newspapers, so my hand were black. This made my face black. This also gave me unaccounted for "bruises" in odd places like my foot or something.

I can barely keep my eyes open. So why am I blogging? Just a way to try to stay awake. I slept through a movie today and for some reason, I feel like I'm still in motion. I feel like my head is throbbing. I even asked someone if it looked like it was growing, but it wasn't. This morning, the only word I knew was "nu." I tried to get out of bed on the side of my bed that is right up against my wall. I'm a bit impared.

a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep....

(found somewhere in Proverbs, KJV)

-Bek-

The Lost Art of an Altar Call

At my school we have chapel every Monday. Six out of ten chapels, they have an altar call. The pastor has everyone "close their eyes and bow their heads." He then proceeds to go through the list of things that one can take care of at an altar call which includes but is not limited to the following: new life in Christ, recommitment, commitment to change something, something relevant to the sermon, ect., ect.

A couple of months ago, I realized that this practice has become a lost art at my school. The hardest thing for me to do these days is to either
1) Keep my eyes closed when I'm tired without falling asleep
2) Keep my eyes closed when I'm wide awake
3) Not be the nosy Christian and look around to see if anyone is actually going up (for the record, no one ever does....

I've heard from a number of sources (aka students that sit through chapel with me) that the only reason people ever DO go up is to get him to stop.

BUT OF COURSE.... has anyone ever mastered this art?

I guess I can't complain.

Does anyone even know what I'm talking about????

I didn't think so.

OH WELL!!!!

Until the earth shakes....

-Bek-

Other Generations AMuse Me (part 2)

Yesterday, the ice cream truck drove through our neighborhood. They always play the song "The Entertainer."
My mom started running around the house the minute that it started playing. It was rather amusing.
So I asked her what she was doing. She said,"I think that's your Aunt Karen and I can't miss her call!"
I haven't laughed so hard in such a long time.
She thought her new phone was ringing.
It was the ice cream truck.

Party like it's '91.

This is one of those "Let's pick Bekah's Brain" posts....

This is going to be totally random. Brace yourself because I am about to tell you everything I am thinking about right now.
1. This is a post posted on my dad's fantasy baseball league sight (I have been managing it for the past week)It's one of those forward, forward, forward, I hope this makes you feel fuzzy, send it to ten people or die kinda chain emails, so here it goes.
As you might know, the head of a company survived 9/11 because his son started kindergarten.

Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts.

One woman was late because her
alarm clock didn't go off in time.

One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike
because of an auto accident.

One of them missed his bus.

One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change.

One's car wouldn't start.

One went back to answer the telephone.

One had a child that dawdled
and didn't get ready as soon as he should have.

One couldn't get a taxi.

The one that struck me was the man
who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore ! to buy a Band-Aid.
That is why he is alive today.

Now when I am stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to answer a ringing telephone...
all the little things that annoy me.

I think to myself, this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment.

Next time your morning seems to be
going wrong, the children are slow getting dressed, you can't seem to find the car keys, you hit every traffic light, don't get mad or frustrated; God is at work watching over you.

May God continue to bless you
with all those annoying little things and may you remember their possible purpose.

2. I feel very alone right now. I feel as if I'm starting a new era in my life. The part where it's my turn to step up and be a mentor to those a couple years younger than I. I feel like one by one, the people I've looked up to are leaving me. This may sound pathetic and stupid, but it's honestly how I feel right now.

3. How would you feel if for a year (or as Lindsey argues "You only need one week"), I gave up everything. All my money and time to live in a box. Honestly to depend on God to provide. To be totally dependent on Him and grow closer to him berfore starting my ministry as an adult as perhaps a missionary. Especially if I end up being single and a missionary. To make me stronger physically. I don't know. I'm probably not even making sense.

4. My parents are going to China.

5. I love the dictionary. I love looking things up to see what they mean. I don't know why, but it's become one of my favorite things to do.

6. Is is so wrong to blog one's thoughts?

7. If I knew that guys didn't read this blog, I'd vent some other frustrations right now.

8. My whole life has been me being more mature than the people in my class. I'm fed up with it about now.

9.You know what a funny word is? conform. I want to do anything BUT conform. I'm sick of it. It's all I see. "refreshingly original" is too much underused.

10. I wish I had one more thing to add to this so I could have an even 10.

It's Everywhere

On my way to check my dad's fantasy league for him while he's in California, I stumbled across a link that said, "Play the Da Vinci Code Unscrambler game!"

Mind you, this was on the Yahoo sports

The ONLY place I have not heard it is at school and they don't count because they don't associate with civilization. Hair salons. Drive through windows. Random parking garages. I've heard it everywhere. Young and old.

I can't escape....

Other Generations Amuse Me

Today my parents got new cell phones. It wouldn't be that big of a deal, except for the fact that they haven't updated their cphones in over 3 years. Our last cell phone was only good for calling people, which, according to today is absurd. SO. My parents went to Verizon this morning to get their brand new cellulars.
My mom got home and my dad went back to work. I have never seen them more excited. My mom spent the whole day reading the manuel and trying to figure out how to use her new phone. I kept offering to help her, but she would'nt let me. You have to admit that those who have grown up in the 90's/00's knows how to program a phone. So I sat there for an hour laughing at her. That was the most entertaining part of my day.
For the first ten minutes, she sat there flipping the phone open and closed. Her facial reactions were the best. She then read the whole manuel. The whole time I sat there saying, "I know how to do that mom, I can show you," but she wouldn't let me. She then proceeded to find the camera on her camera phone. She didn't want to take a picture though, she thought it would mess something up.
They were both so excited about their new phones, they forgot them when the went out to dinner. So here I am fixing the errors they made when they were entering the contacts in their phone books. For example, my mom wished to enter the name "Deb Girard" instead, she entered "Eaggpapd." She fixed that one. But "Ray" is "Pray."
I love my parents.

The Good old Q.C.

You know you live in the Quad Cities when....

-You only know three seasons-- tornado, road construction, and snow days
-The highlight of your newspaper is the count down to the John Deere Classic
-Seeing a black squirrel doesn't phase you
-You can tell the difference between a corn field and a bean field
-You know what is means to "de-tassel"
-You think it's odd when outsiders think that Whitey's Ice Cream is Racist
-You laugh at people who get excited about seeing the Mississippi
-You cheer for the "Rocks" to beat the "Maple Leafs"
-Yellow means drive faster
-Merging is a lost art

Have I mentioned my addiction?

Some people have Lost. Some people have American Idol. However you look at it, most of us have a television addiction. That one show that you can't miss every week. That one show that has all of your life wrapped up in it.

Mine is a show called 24.

For those who are 24 illeterate, each season is a day in Jack Bauer's life, and each episode is just an hour of such a day. I've never really been into action until now. I feel like I know the characters personally. I can't miss a week of the show that comes on at 8 on Monday nights.

Am I the only one who has to have their heart restarted after every episode?

Or do I see a fan....

Now I remember what I meant to say this morning....

OK
Last night, I could swear that East Moline had an earthquake. No joke. 11:10 to be exact. Of course, my rents think I'm crazy, but last night was insane.

First of all, my dog started going crazy. I could hear the sound of her nails on our kitchen floor. Animals are the first to detect an earthquake.

Then, it felt as if someone was under my bed shaking it. At first, I was creeped out until I formulated my earthquake theory.

After the shake I heard both of my parents get up and go downstairs. I could hear them both mumbling about "checking something." They said this morning that they were checking the thermostat.

I even checked the paper this morning. I expected it to say

EARTHQUAKE SHAKES QUAD CITIES
No injuries reported

but it didn't. Oh well. I'm still alive if you're wondering about the outcome of my tradegy.

Until the earth shakes....

-Bekah

Welcome to my 25th Post

What is the first thing you think of when you wake up? Well, this morning it was, "I feel like blogging...."
but I for once have nothing to say....
except, I can't see the screen because it's 7:35AM and I haven't put contacts in yet.

So here I am....

It's a beautiful day....

If I knew how to title this post, I would.

Well Then.
Tuesday was my birthday. There are just a few things I observe as I age and I would like to share my frustrations with the birthday scene with you.

When I was younger, I used to jump out of bed on my birthday. It was the only time I ever did this, and I haven't been a morning person since. This year, I just wanted to sleep all day. My father came into my room and wished me a happy birthday. I said, "Yeah, you too...." He then told me to get up for family devotions that have been read at 7:00 every morning for the past 15 years plus. I decided to sleep in an extra twenty minutes. I figured, hey, it's my b-day. God will forgive me.

I asked for no presents this year. Did anyone listen? Of course not. When I got to school I already had two cards, fifteen dollars, and a bouquet of balloons. My parents didn't listen either, but they can't help it. They're practically required by law.

The whole present thing? Way overdone in the first place. I think that at one point in history someone actually realized birthdays weren't all that great. I think I'll call him Curtis. So Curtis was walking along one day and thought

"Yes, I tell you thee the truthest, today on this cursed day in history is the anniversary of the day i came out of my mother's womb, and thou has forgononest to remindst me. From this point forth, I declare that I shall be given presents by ye and your sheep to fill my day with joy"

yeah. Thank's a lot Curtis. Now I have to write thank you notes. Ever think of that one????

Another thing. Happy Birhtday, WAY OVERDONE!!!! sometimes it's annoying to be noticed. If a birthday is THAT big of a deal, why do I have to be at school in the first place. And how do I know that people aren't muttering under their breath saying,

"What I meant to say was Crappy Birthday, loser"

?

Lastly. If I didn't know better, I think people want me to die from overeating bfore my 16th b-day. Why did you make me breakfast? Why did you bring me lunch? Why did you pay for a huge meal for supper? Was I really that enjoyable to give birth to? was it that painless for you? Because 15 years ago, the only thing you could think about was the fact that being 2 weeks late made me fat and painful. (at least, I would have been in pain. wasn't that part of the curse anyways?

I'd like to add that I am proud of this- I am undeafeted at the birthday candles for yet another year....

15, and I'm ready to change the birthday mindset....
Then I'll change the world
singlehandedly

-Bekah