For some random reason, October has decided to look around and be happy for a while. Or rather, warm. Today is actually more than 50 degrees and of course I'll be inside for almost all of it. I have to say, I don't mind too terribly because I'm going to be inside at my new job. Yup, I am now officially part of the "David's Place" staff. I'm starting this week doing 1:30 to 3:30 shifts at the Lahaye Lounge (which is in the middle of campus and is very very small). It's nice because I basiclly get paid to sit and read. Even better is the fact that I come during the perfect time slot to watch an entire movie on AMC. I'll probably start taking on an evening shift or two at David's Place. I'm really excited, because not only do I have a much less stressful job, but my parents are almost completely convinced to let me move off campus next semester. Which means I'll have a car. And I'll be living in a HOUSE. I'm so excited, I'm having one of those weeks where I truly can't believe this is all happening to me. There are still so many little petty annoyances, but those pale compared to big things like this. Things have also been going really well with Caleb--not that they ever really "aren't", but this is one of those weeks.
Just good.

I broke my toe.
Really, how sad is that? I feel pathetic just typing it. And the most annoying thing is, while it's one of the smallest bones I could possibly break (my pinky toe is the lucky appendage), it throws off my entire balance. I'm limping all over campus, looking like a crippled person. I didn't bother going to the doctor, becuase I'd rather not pay seventy bucks for them to say, "You need to tape it to the toe next to it, it's too small for us to put a cast on. Elevate it, untape it at night, and try not to walk on it too much." No. Kidding.

I guess it wouldn't be that much of a pain, but my dorm (of course) is about ten minutes walking distance from pretty much every relatively important building. One positive benefit, though--I can wear flip-flops to class. Although I have to say, today that's looking to be more of a negative thing, since it's thirtysomething degrees outside. Not very lovely weather for flip-flops.

I just found out that I "really should've" taken COMS 351 before I took this class: COMS 341. Now, why it isn't a prerequisite, why it's a later number (and yet I'm still "supposed" to take it before this), why my advisor never mentioned it to me...these are among the many unanswered questions of the universe. I'm kinda disappointed, because I was hoping I'd learn how to use Photoshop better, but all we do in this class is "design a magazine ad! Design a menu! Design a cd cover!" Which would be great, if I felt like I already knew how to use all of the programs. Thankfully, Cameron has been helping me out a little, since he's a Photoshop pro. No, really. He's like, Photoshop-Quickstart-Guide-in-a-can. Er, person. I need to turn him into an item on my desktop so I can click on him for help any time I need it.

I've been working some more on Kairos-esque stuff lately. I'm going to start uploading some of the fliers I've done on here--I finished another one yesterday. We're having an open mic night on Sunday, Nov. 2nd, so I got to do the layout on that. Wait, have I even adaquately explained what Kairos is? Hmm. Maybe not. Well here you go: Kairos is a group of students working to promote truth through culture and the arts. Mainly here at Liberty, but in general too. We're trying to broaden things to include more of the "fine arts" (such as visual arts, theatre and poetry); we've been more "media arts" until this point. Anyway, right now we're mainly trying to have events that will allow us to get the idea of the organization out there. So people no longer ask, "What's Kairos?" every time we say the name.

Oh, good news--Mel Gibson's The Passion of Christ fiinally has a distributer. Not only that, but it's a good one.

Wow. I just finished watching the trailer for Mel Gibson's new movie, "The Passion." If you haven't seen it, go watch it right now. You can even click here if you're too lazy to click on the link a couple lines above. And yeah, wow. If that doesn't get your heart pounding, I don't know what will. This movie is going to be incredible and I truly hope that it will get out there and be supported despite all the criticism it seems to have accumulated. It supposedlly has "anti-sematic" themes...Christ was killed by His own people (the Jews), yes, but how does that change the way people feel about Jewish people today? Did we not show "Schindler's List" because it depicted some German people in a negative way, or stop production on films about slavery because they presented bad images of whites? No. And I don't feel that this movie will affect people in any way more than those did (when it comes to instating a bias). So support the Passion. This movie could impact so many people and there's no reason for it to be stopped from distribution.

It's been a while, ay? Sorry I haven't called, it's just...well, I've been busy. Doing, you know, stuff. ::cough:: But I'm back. No, really, I just got back tonight. From Florida. Okay, granted, I was only gone for four days. But it feels like it's been much longer. I can't belive how much I needed this weekend to relax and do nothing. (Well, relatively nothing...)

Caleb and I left on Friday morning at 8:15 (after a lovely breakfast at the Rott) and drove pretty much all day. We arrived in St. Augustine around 6:30 or so and hung out with Caleb's Pap-pap for a while. That was nice, we had grilled porkchops and sald--it's been so long since I've had a home-cooked meal. Caleb's Uncle Gino and his family came over for a little while too. We went and hung out with Eb, Allison, Shannon, and Jordan over at the Pink Nasty (the girls' house) for a bit, which was very cool, especially since Caleb hasn't seen Eb (his best friend) since May. We went to duncan Donuts for some coffee and the guys almost got in a fight after some jerks in an SUV kept driving by and yelling things at us girls. Thankfully we just left and nobody got hurt. Caleb and I went to Vilano beach for a little while with Eb and Allison around 11:30. We sat in the sand, walked in the water, and just enjoyed the warm ocean breezes. It was so nice to be able to go home for the night whenever we felt like it and curl up in a bed in a room by myself. Mmmm yeah.

The next day, we stopped by Gino's work (he does the press at a print shop) and he gave us a little tour. There's a chance I might work there this summer as an intern--a small chance, but a chance nonetheless. After seeing the shop, we left and picked up Eb, Allison, and Jordan on our way to Final Groove, this (mostly) sixties vintage store. Nothing was bought, although Caleb was very tempted by a $45 denim Levi's jacket.

We left town around 3 and headed to Branford. When we pulled in an hour and a half later, Caleb's mom and his Aunt Debbie were waiting, and very very excited to see us. Aunt Debbe is so sweet, but she's got the Jones' sarcasm and it's a great combination. We chilled in the living room for a while, then we all went out to eat with the Pastor and his wife that would be speaking for their Homecoming service the next morning. I had a shrimp cocktail that was exactly what I needed.

We ended up watchin "Down with Love" after dinner (not exactly the ideal movie to watch with one's parents, I must say) and got to bed fairly late. Sunday morning was real nice; I met Stephen (Caleb's best friend from high school) who happened to be in town. We helped this poor woman move a bunch of stuff cuz her house flooded and then took a nap.

It was Pastor Jones' birthday, so they had a ton of people over. It was great, Brother Kevin and Dan brought their guitars and there was lots and lots of food. Sitting back in a big fluffy chair, watching the guys play guitar and listening to all the happy voices--I haven't been that happy and relaxed in a long, long time. Caleb's dad brought out the fireworks, which led to some great entertainment as Josh and Caleb played around with them. After everyone went home, Caleb and I watched tv for a while and then finally went to bed around 1:30.

This morning I got up at 9, ate breakfast and packed, then drove. And drove and drove and drove. It actually went by fairly quick, but the beginning was hard. Neither of us wanted to leave--it's the hardest time I've had going back to school yet. The only reassuring thought was that we'll be returning to Florida in a month and a week (or so) for Thanksgiving. It will not come soon enough.

I have a project due tomorrow and a midterm in Mass Coms Writing, So I'm going to attempt to ignore the loud girls next to me and the 200 degree thermostat in the mac lab--and study.

I had one of those random dream-like moments today in the computer lab. You know, where you suddenly run into 80 people that you haven't seen for weeks and months? I was talking to Carlos after we got out of our Mass Coms Writing class, when suddenly Cameron comes up, explaining that he heard my "very distinctive" laugh across the room. Before we can get another word out, Caleb is suddenly standing right next to me. Ok, cool, awesome--so we're all standing there talking about Gunsmoke Dialogue and then I look up to see my friend Cassondra (who I haven't seen in weeks) waving at me from one of the computers. I ran over to her and while we talked excitedly, no less than ten other friends and acquaintance's passed by intermittently. Scary stuff.

Speaking of scary (but a good kind, if that makes sense), one of the reasons that I was so excited to see Cassondra is because she just got engaged! I'd heard from another friend, but hadn't seen her since it happened. Her boyfriend lives in Detroit (she's from the same area that I am) and he drove down to suprise her last weekend. Yes, yes, sappy girlieness--I know. But I am a girl, and I can't help get all squealy and excited when all these people are getting engaged.

On a more general note, Copeland is going to be here October 14th! I didn't even realize how excited I was about it until I started listening to the CD some more today (it's been all of a week since it was last in my discman). And dang. I can't even imagine hearing these guys live. Honestly, the three bands I've been completely in love with since this summer are Anberlin, Mae and Copeland. And now I've seen Anberlin twice and Mae once. Wooooo-eeee! There's just always something to be said about live music. Especially when it's live music that you're in love with.

So excuse me while I enjoy my headphones some more....