Senioritis…not really.

Well, for updates…I am now an officially licensed Colorado driver!!!

After almost two years of permits I finally am able to make that next step!  Oh, and yes, that is my license.  Somehow that little piece of paper make me more qualified to drive by myself…hmm, well as long as it does the job.  You guys back in Hawaii, I don’t want to hear a darn peep out of any of you about the DMV!  You hear me!  Nothing.  Nope.  Nada.  Not listening.  Compared to Colorado, Hawaii was sitting in field of flowers with the cutest puppies gamboling around you.  Oh yeah…So, you go in for your license and they take your picture, give you that crappy piece of paper and tell you to expect the hard license within thirty days.  Hey Hawaii, if you have any of those extra spit-the-beautiful-hard-license-out-immediately machines, Colorado could really use some…Oh, and an extra graphic designer as well, that would be great thanks-a-million!  Seriously, the licenses are uh-uh-ugly!  I will never complain about Hawaii again, for some reason they got the DMV thing down pat.

So that’s an update…I’ll try to do it more often for you the three readers who I don’t live with and have daily contact with.

=)

PS.  Hehe, after reading this it sounds really depressed…Not true!  I love having my license and driving by myself!  I just thought the comparison between Hawaii and Colorado was funny, not sad what so ever!

College v.2.0

Okay, inspired by my friend Kenji and his semester class updates I’ve decided to post a list of my classes, however boring they might be…

French 111 — So, don’t ask me why I’m taking a college language course, I probably couldn’t give you an answer.  This class is described as “Beginner French” and so, even with two years of highschool french I decide to test the waters of language in this class.  I walk in the first day expecting to be slightly overwhelmed, after all how much of your highschool language do you remember?  The teacher introduces herself and begins class…in French.  Everything that comes out of her petite mouth is in blasted French.  A stunned silence falls on the room as we all sit there with “deer in the headlights” looks on our faces.  With my limited vocabulary, I’m catching about every tenth word but she is extremely animated and by reading her body language I understand basically what she’s saying (I think).  Anyway later she explains (in English) that this is a new method of teaching that effectively eliminates the translation step.  Actually it’s quite fun, and by the end of the class I could already understand more of what she was saying.  She graciously explained that by the end of the 2 1/2 hour class we would leave with a larger French vocabulary and splitting headache…and it’s true.  I’m excited though, because it sounds like it’ll be a fun class! (even if I can’t understand a word of it!)

Biology 111 — This is basically you average  Bio class, nothing really exciting there…I really like the prof so far.  She seems really excited about what she’s teaching and has sidestepped every “big issue” with ease.  I’m looking forward to learning from her and doing labs and such…

Technical Communication — This is my alternative to English Comp which I really, really, really didn’t want to take.  So this class focuses basically on business writing; proposals, resumes, instructions, briefs, etc… I’m really excited for the different writing aspect of this class as well as the design.  It doesn’t seem to hard and by the end of the semester it’ll most likely be therapeutic in comparison to the other two classes.

Texas vs. Bama; Through hell and back…

After last night’s game you would think Texas was the dumbest team in the nation, led by the “wimpiest” quarterback in college football.  Or, excuse me, former college quarterback.  As for me, my hat goes off to Colt McCoy, Gilbert and the defense of the Texas Longhorns for playing a heart-filled game under brutal circumstances.

Now, I’m not a Texas fan and am definitely not an Alabama fan (war eagle!), but last night’s game was a study in dealing with what comes your way with dignity and grace.  To expect your Heisman-worthy, senior quarterback to lead your team is not foolishly putting all your eggs in one basket.  After four years of injury-free playing, nobody dreamed that the first play would put Colt out for the game, not just with an injury, but with an injury nobody could play through.  After the game Colt silenced the critics of his wimpiness by stating simply that he couldn’t feel his arm. If this had been a simple sprain you could bet your top dollar on the fact that Colt would have been out there playing through whatever pain he was feeling.  But this wasn’t your average sprain.  When your arm is dead, you can’t play through the pain because there’s no pain to play through.  I can’t imagine a more frustrating injury to be sidelined with.  Colt didn’t sit out because he was a wimp.  The coaches didn’t pull him because they were afraid of further injury.  They sat him down because he was, in all actuality, a one armed quarterback.  Of all the injuries that could sideline a quarterback in a national championship, removing a throwing arm is by far the most effective.  Colt was not, for whatever reason, supposed to play that game.  And before you start ragging on him for lack of heart, for his Dad trying to figure out what was going on, or for the supposed “decision” that was made, think instead of being hit, no longer feeling your arm, and having to sit through the game that was supposed to be your crowning glory, knowing you can’t do squat about it.  Think about that.  Then consider the maturity and grace it took to gather yourself and step behind your replacement, a freshman who didn’t expect to get sweaty that day, and do all you can to encourage your team as they play the best team in college without the leader they’ve had for the last three years and for the last thirteen games.

Now, put yourself in Gilbert’s shoes.  You’re a true freshman, poised to take over a team come spring training from a legend.  Right now, you’re just along for the ride, enjoying the game that should get your hero crowned National Champion and hopefully MVP.  You put on your uniform prepared, but not ever expecting to get it dirty Your role for that day was cheerleader, supporter as your mentor, friends and teammates do what they’ve done, very successfully, for the last thirteen games.  Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, your worlds are forever reversed.  You watch as the star walks, grimacing off the field, signaling for the trainers.  You realize you’re in the huddle staring into the uncertain eyes of your teammates.  They look to you for leadership, a role you weren’t supposed to fill yet.  Gilbert couldn’t have dreamed this moment, but there he was.  And wonders of wonders he rose to the occasion.

Nobody expected him to play like Colt, but that didn’t halt the pressure.  National Championship, and he played the game to the best of his ability.  Not all of it was his fault, his receivers were also jittery and seemed to have hands greased with Vaseline.  Alabama smelled distress and homed in, stepping up the pressure, knowing this kid didn’t have near the amount of experience they were fearing from Colt.  Alabama didn’t have a choice and they played an amazing ball game, but everybody knew they weren’t playing the Texas team they prepared for.  Even with all that they were surprised with the fire of the Texas team and quickly realized they still had a game to play.

Gilbert showed an amazing amount of heart and courage stepping out on that football field.  It wasn’t supposed to happen like this, Colt wasn’t supposed to get hurt and Gilbert wasn’t supposed to make his quarterback debut in the national championship, but that’s what happened.  And both young men showed incredible grace and heart as they battled, one a rising sense of despair and helplessness, the other, immense pressure and the expectation.

Now, I’m not saying Bama was cruel because they won the game, no!  The exact opposite, they played like a team playing for the National Championship and they deserved that crystal ball.  But, just to understand and to honor what the losing team had to deal with.  Alabama won the game but it’s Texas that holds my respect.  After the game Colt struggled for words when asked how it felt to sit on the sidelines and eventually gave the diplomatic answer, but also seemed to rest in the fact that God somehow chose to take him out and he wouldn’t question that.  At that moment, my respect for that man skyrocketed.  To have gone through what he just went through and still be willing to accept God’s plan takes a tremendous amount of humility and trust.  Oh, I don’t think Texas has to worry about their future quarterback, he’s already been through hell and what he learned there will launch him into a very successful college career.

Twinkling night sky…

Your bare hands tingle as they protest the exposure.  Cold seeps into and under your coat.  You shiver, partly from the cold and partly from the beauty of what you see before you.  Snow falling, the night sky above you provides a stunning backdrop to the glittering shower.  Light from nearby buildings highlight the tiny flakes, making them flash like a diamonds from heaven.  Because of the cold the snow is a dry snow and allows for the likeness to glitter.  As it falls to earth it forms twinkling drifts which the wind picks up and swirls, creating glittering lace patterns across the black asphalt.  This is no normal snow fall.  For those who stop to look it holds the wonder of a universe and the beauty of a mystery.  For one night, the normal white snow has been transformed into a swirling, dancing glitter storm.

I’m dreaming…

You know how it goes, “…of a white Christmas”  Do you know, however, that for the first time in my short 17 years on planet earth, and in all the places I’ve lived and in all my travels, this Christmas will be the very first time that dream will be realized?  Scary, uh?  Anyway, on to newsy stuff.

The wedding was beautiful and yes, David and Janelle were married by the end of the day which, in all actuality was the ultimate purpose of the whole day.  I got a new sister (yay!) and David managed to snag, I believe, the kindest, most gentle, sweet woman on this earth.  Good job brother!

Returning home we managed to stretch a two day, 17 hour trip, into three days, 24+ hours.  Fun.  Well, we learned that two or three semis making a decision can slow traffic to a crawl for miles back.  Managing to go 2 miles in an hour and a half…yeah.

Anyway we did make it home eventually.  Then began the pre-Christmas rush, of “omg, everybody else’s house is decorated and ours looks like, like, like…”  We just got back from a trip?  So the house gets decorated and Mom is happy.

However during all this “OMG!!” there’s little ‘ol me making things so much smoother and less stressful…ha!  Noooo, I had to decide to audition for play (something I’ve never done) a day and a half after we get home (so much for acclimation)!  So, while driving home I’m racking my brains for a monologue and driving my family nuts singing random musical songs.  Finally I do actually audition and wonder of wonders, “I got a call back” (movie? anybody? no? come on!) So then begins five hours of call backs then two days of waiting then….!!! An email.  Thank god for good tall genes which helped significantly in me landing the role of “Tall Alice” in Alice in Wonderland.  So, not to be overloaded or anything, rehearsals begin January 9th, twice a week, till the end of April, then seven performances…oh, yeah.  I’m excited.  (oh, there were 92 auditions and 27 roles…*yay me*)

*deep breath*  Ok, so here we are two days before Christmas (well, okay one), the newlyweds are here, and the family is annoying each other as only family can…in a good way of course =)

I’m looking forward to Christmas, because for the first time in along time, I’m actually going to be surprised Christmas morning!  it’s kinda cool actually and I have forbidden my parents to even give me a hint, because while they think it’s really vague…it’s usually not.  I want to be surprised!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

In the land of humidity and perfectly groomed cities…

Southern California, that’s where I am.  No, not on the beach, but in a perfect SoCal neighborhood.  Descending from 7,200 feet yesterday was lots of ear popping and sighing because I once again had to deal with oil in my skin…it was nice living where there was no moisture.  Anyway, it’s nice to be able to wear slippers (yes, i’m holding out on the name) and not have my feet be threatened with frostbite =) and to be able to go out without a jacket!!  It’s the little things really.

Funny story:  Yesterday we left bright and early from Flagstaff, Arizona and got on the open road.  Three and a half hours later we neared the border of Cali, hungry and ready to stretch our legs we decided to stop for lunch once we crossed over, it was 11:15a.  Crossing the border we saw the nice little sign detailing the little detail we all forgot, “You are now entering the Pacific time zone”.  Crap, that means the 11:15-close to lunch time-we’re starving of a few moments ago, became 10:15-it’s too early for lunch-aaaauggghhh!  So forging on to the small, retiree town of Needles, California we stopped at the local McDonald still not realizing the consequences that seemingly small sign at the border.  10:27a, we walk in, breakfast.  We groan, walk out go to the bank get money, 10:31a.  Come back, walk in, lunch!  We eat with much satisfaction.  When traveling always plan your trips to aoid crossing time changes near “supposed” meal times… makes for a funny story though!

Bond…

Yay for the continuing saga of my journey toward college/career…  Now, I’m going to be Bond, James Bond.  Nah, just kidding…I couldn’t get into MI6 anyway, not British.  But, basically that’s what I’m thinking now, intelligence.  Apparently the government is practically begging people to come work for them!  It’s true though, I went out to the various intelligence agencies websites and did some quick research, and that’s the feeling I got.  They really really really wanted people to come work for them.  So, shift from state to federal and maybe a clandestine career and you got me right now.  So, in accordance I’m now taking a French language class next semester at PPCC.

My application to Patrick Henry is still in process, waiting for my highschool transcripts.  However, since PHC doesn’t offer language classes, I’m now taking one at PPCC, which should be fine.  Actually it’s more like me being thrown in the deep end, because although French was my highschool language, it consisted of a year and a half of work spread out of three years…Not exactly fluent.

So, that’s what I’m working towards right now…exciting stuff!

Hi, my name is…

Settling in has always excited me.  Settling into myself, the world, and the next step in my journey.  The feeling you get when you have a confidence you don’t remember and an understanding you can’t explain.  A willingness to step out from behind your parent’s protective shadow into the world where I’m-old-enough-to-call-on-my-own and to-take-responsibility and to-solve-my-own-problems.  It’s a feeling of contentment at the end of the day knowing you did it on your own.  You set the appointment up, you did the research, you found the alternative, YOU…solved the problem.  Do you know that I’m talking about?

College has been an experiment in me doing things.  Mom probably would’ve done it for me, but there’s something about having a parent set up all the events related to college.  It’s kinda off-limits.  It’s my turn to try it, to truly take ownership of this new chapter.  To become my own person without “little-sisterisms” clouding the view.  Moving here without older siblings was new.  For the first time it was me, all alone at the top, the pointy end of the ice-breaking spear.  I could no longer slide in after my brothers, I had to open the door.  For the first time I wasn’t tagging along as an after thought to events, I was invited, just for me.  Not saying other people didn’t want me to be there, it’s just different when you’re the one they talk to and ask.  And now, CJ and I stick pretty close, although I’m the oldest, CJ is better at opening doors and always will be. =)

It’s fun.  The idea of a grown-up me, confidently handling the pressures of a job, school and relationships.  Okay, maybe that’s idealistic, but still it’s what I want to grow into.  And I see some of it already, making decisions, plotting courses, deciding.  Me.  Not Mom, not Dad, me.  Feeling I can truly do what I want (within reason) and go wherever I feel led for college>career>life.  Stepping off the edge into an unknown, feeling for the next step, waiting for direction.  Living life a new way, different from anything ever before!  Excited?  You could say that…I’m pumped to be doing this, all the while still sensing the support in the shadows, ready to catch, advise, prompt, applaud…be there.  Look out world, here I come!

(Okay, the last sentence was cheesy and sometimes I wish I could curl up and it would all go away, but for the most part I’m super psyched for this next step!)

From Pen and Paper to Badge and Gun or something else…

If there is anybody else out there who didn’t know what they wanted to do in life from the time they were three, you’ll understand, empathize and maybe cheer what I am about to detail.

Journalism has been an interest for about a year, and although it seemed exciting it never seemed to quite click in my heart.  It was a logical decision, some say I’m writer and I seem to enjoy the act and, apparently, you write a lot when you’re a journalist.  Anyway, I started looking at colleges based on this assumption.  I found some candidates, but had to put it on hold until my family was settled in wherever we were going to live.  So, I go to camp and my family moves to Colorado Springs which happens to have the biggest, most comprehensive community college in the state, Pikes Peak Community College.  This is a pretty sweet school!  They offer a ton of programs, like Zoo Keeping?  Who offers Zoo Keeping?  PPCC does.  Anyway, I started my college career by taking an online journalism class and a Wilderness First Responder class.  Never, ever, ever, ever taking a weekend class and an online class again.  I hate doing school all weekend.  I wasn’t and am not enjoying either class (well, my WFR instructor got arrested…that gives you an idea) But, I needed to start looking at what I wanted to do for next semester.  I still wanted to go to PPCC, but wasn’t sure what I wanted to take and since I don’t need any more high school classes to graduate, I had no obligations there.

Oh, and I was also slightly freaking out about what I wanted to do for life in general, like job-wise.

So, I mentally made a list of what sort of work I wanted to be in.  Some of the criteria were as follows; dynamic (no desk job), intellectual (problem solving), something to do with discovering truth, use my discernment, etc… Anyway, journalism seemed to fall within all those categories, but still something didn’t feel right.  So, I started looking around.

Talking to my in-house college/career counselor (a.k.a. Mom) she  suggested something in Public Service, like Legal’s Assistant or Paralegal.  My interest was peaked and I did some research and found out, lawyers don’t do anything!  Just kidding, but actually paralegals do a lot of the spadework for the lawyers.  And the legal system has always interested me and it seemed  like a really fun job.  You don’t need to go to law school, all that’s needed is an Associates Degree!  I looked, and guess what?  PPCC offers an accredited Paralegal program!  So, score there =)

But, (don’t you love that word?) I discovered I’m really interested in investigation work and the like.  I kept searching and of course, a police detective or criminal investigator popped up.  Then started the long back and forth of, “Am I interested in this because of the glamorous TV shows, or is this an honest interest in the work?”  Back and forth, it’s hard because the TV shows are very appealing, but I know the real jobs are nothing like them…So, in the process of doing more research I discovered the level detective is a promotion, meaning you have to work as a police officer for three years before attaining that podium.  Now, I really looked deep and searched to see if this was something I was truly interested in and I found I was.  My desires for a job were perfect, and stuff that drew me to journalism, like, discovering truth and a dynamic work environment applied perfectly.  And Mom’s getting really annoyed that I am constantly thinking of the best ways to commit a crime, or commenting on the lack of cameras in Costco, or the blind spots in Wal-mart’s parking lot.  I then went back to PPCC and looked for a Criminal Justice degree and presto!  There it was.

Now, making this decision is going to be hard, but it’s made easier by the fact that some of the gen ed classes overlap.

I find it funny that I prayed for God to show me a direction and within the space of about a week, He showed me an opportunity, but along with the opportunity comes a huge commitment.  If I choose to become a police officer and eventually an investigator, it’s not like I can take the Criminal Justice classes and then go get a job as an accountant.  It doesn’t work like that.  And right now, there’s not a lot of room for potential husband/family.  It’s going to be a career.

So, right now I’m going to start working on the GenEd classes next semester.  Hopefully by the time I have to make a decision between Paralegal and Criminal Justice, I’ll have a better idea of what they entail.  I still scared I’m making the wrong decision, but I’m going to step out and start heading in a direction.  And the classes looking really interesting!

Now, I hold no preconceived notion regarding the ease of either job choice.  Even the physical requirements are listed as someone strong emotionally and mentally, but God has been preparing me for something, and maybe this is it.

Walking with my hand in His…

RePost…

Okay, maybe I haven’t been blogging long enough to repost, but I always enjoyed this post and since, currently I’m experiencing a lack of word flow…repost!

My epic (or not so…) climb

Okay, so if you want a really adventurous (maybe not so true) story of the totally epic climb I did. Read on. If not I’ll tell you what actually happened, but I always find it more fun to tell what really didn’t happen. =)

I’d heard tell of a rock wall down by the raging river (swim hole) so treacherous that a full team of professional rock climbers (Zach and the permanent staff) took one look at it (thought about it but never got around to it) and ran scared silly to higher ground. No one was willing to even think about climbing it (not enough time). That’s where I come in. My name is… _________ (insert any other name besides Sara) I took one look at that wall and decided it needed to be taken down a peg or two (I mentioned it to Zach and he said I could try it) So one dark and rainy afternoon (it was hot and sunny) I gathered my gear and approached the wall ( Zach set it up and I ran after him carrying all my stuff) Dusting my hands I adjusted my professional climbing shoes and surveyed my enemy ( I don’t have chalk and the shoes I checked out were to big) Up close it was much taller than it first appeared. At my expert guesstimate, it was around two-hundred and fifty feet high! (it was about 30 ft tall) I knew it would be a tough climb, a challenge, but I had nothing else to do ( I had to be back to work in an hour)  So I started my ascent. The foot holds were scarce and the handholds harder to find than a purple tiger in the Arctic (actually the foot holds were pretty nice and the handholds just different) Halfway up my hands are torn up and bleeding (tired and shaking a little, yes, I have weak fingers) But I push on doggedly. The rock pushes back. I push back harder. The next thing I know I’m involved in an arm-wrestle contest with a rock! ( I had to keep testing the handholds and brushing little rocks down) Four long hours later (20 minutes) I’m at the top. The unconquerable rock is conquered and officially dubbed “Pi’i ke Kai” meaning “rock that kills!” (”climb of water”) And I am entered into the RockClimbers Hall of Fame (it’s jotted down somewhere to remember the spelling)

So, there you have it. The absolutely true (somewhat altered) story of the day I climbed a new climb and named it.