Scattered Ramblings

The past few days have been quite nice, especially considering that we've had a three-day weekend.  Four, in my case, because I have no classes except for rehearsals on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  This is the first and probably the last time scheduling has happened like that, and I plan to fully enjoy it, despite the fact that I've been going to bed so early.  Nothing of particular importance has happened recently (except for the day in Boston, of course), so here I present a list of random things that I've been thinking about as of late.

1)  We've been trying to come up with a list of people for our apartment next year, which is always somewhat stressful.  There are four of us that are definites, which leaves two open spaces with many suggestions.

2)  I've managed to avoid eating in our school's cafeteria almost entirely this week through a combination of eating off-campus and cooking my own food, which is delightful.  

3)  A few self-discoveries/observations: I ALWAYS read the end of books before I read the whole thing.  If the ending is good, I decide to read the book.  Surprisingly, that does not ruin the book for me at all; in fact, I even read the end of the seventh Harry Potter book before I'd finished it, and I still enjoyed every sentence.  Also, I love cooking my own food.  I've been experimenting various recipes, and so far everything has been delicious.  Thank you, Fannie Farmer!  I'm a complete grammar nerd, and the "there is (plural noun)" epidemic bothers me exceedingly.  I love rooibos tea; it tastes like vanilla cake.  I have just discovered tea lattes, and they're amazing.  I can solve a 3x3 Rubik's cube in under two minutes, and I'd really like to invest in a 4x4 or a 5x5 so I can start working on a new challenge of the same nature.  I've always loved raw, fresh green peppers, and find it mildly amusing that not many other people really like them.  My friend and I plan to open a bakery when we retire from working in the real world.  I've always wanted to go to/live in Mongolia (weird, I know...).  I've been to several foreign countries, but I've never traveled further West than Carlisle, Pennsylvania in the US.  I like both the country and the city.  And this is far more information than I was planning on writing on this particular bullet point.

4)  While reading Exodus the other day, I came across a very interesting quote: Exodus 33:12 - 13, to be specific.  In this passage, Moses is talking to God about leading the Israelites in the desert, but before they were condemned to wandering around for 40 years.  Moses says, "'You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me.  You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.  Remember that this nation is your people.'"  I just think that it's really interesting that here is Moses, the man who repeatedly talked to God face-to-face, and he still asks God to teach him so that he can know him.  I think that this statement so quietly and yet so forcefully points both toward God's omnipotence and holiness as well as his incredible nature as a relational, personal God who desires us to know him.  "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!  Who has known the mind of the Lord?  Or who has been his counselor?  Who has ever given to God that God should repay him?  For from him and through him and to him are all things.  To him be the glory forever!  Amen."  If Moses, the man who had daily discussions with the Lord, prayed for a deeper relationship with Him, I would venture to guess that it's important for us to do so too, and to study Scripture in a way that sheds increasingly greater light on God's character.  

5)  Today we watched the first 45 minutes of "I Hate Valentine's Day."  Don't watch it...it's not worth the time.  However, we later watched "My Life in Ruins" with the same actress, and it was really cute! 

6)  I once started the Count of Monte Cristo last semester, and I really need to finish it, because I really enjoyed it.  

7)  Today we went shopping at the mall, and Gap had some of the best sales I've ever gotten there!  I got some staples for my "teacher clothes" wardrobe, which will be very handy in the near future seeing as All-State auditions/festival are/is coming up, and I'm going to need to look professional.  

8)  I love church more than anything else around here.  I love the people and the music and the sermons and the weekly Sunday morning breakfast between services and everything associated with it.  I haven't loved church this much in....well, ever.  

9)  I want to learn the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto no. 1.  I am quite certain that I am utterly incapable of playing anything remotely near the difficultly of this particular music, but hey, I can dream, right?

10)  Target should really, really, really have a store in Vermont.  I mean, it's actually ridiculous to have to travel to another state to get to the nearest one.  

11)  Boots, in my mind, until now, have been seriously overrated.  However, today I repeatedly got snow stuck in my shoes, and I was unable to help unearth a car from the measly five inches of snow covering it.  This needs to change.  My mom was right.  I need boots.  

12)  Why on earth would a store sell leggings with pockets?  Leggings are meant to be worn under articles of clothing that have their own pockets, so pockets in the leggings themselves seem to be unnecessary.  

13)  I do not understand why 13 is supposedly an unlucky number.  I rather like it.