I did it.

I created a Tumblr account.

Please bookmark me :]

I'm going to keep this account though...so that I can still comment on my sweet friends' (well, really just Sara Beth...cough cough HILARY CHELLY AND LYLE) blogs.

Well, this is awkward...

I just wanted to take this quick moment to let you all know a sad (ish...not really) bit of news:

I might be switching blog worlds...to "tumblr."

Here are my reasons: (Blogger might kick me off after this post...just saying)

1. As of late, there have been multiple times where I have had the extreme desire to "blog on-the-go." More specifically, at times when I do not have a computer present. Blogger does not have a convenient way, i.e. an iPhone app, to blog when one does not have a computer handy. Which means, if I do switch servers, I WILL BLOG MORE. Pro for Tumblr!
2. One of my friends (shout out KBS!) just started using Tumblr and I simply like it better...sorry, Blogger.
3. It is affiliated with Twitter...one of my favorite social networking sites. I love to tweet.
4. There are other reasons that I forget at the moment..

As of right now, I have not created this new account. I hate to leave the Blogger world...but Tumblr appeals to me so much. I also hate to ask my followers to bookmark a different tab for my blog. Please let me know if my "relocation" is okay.

Haha :] love you all!

Lee DeWyze,

If you happen to be reading this...I would like to date you. Leave a comment. And congrats, by the way!

Haha. It has been quite some time since my last blog. Sorry! I've been taking a sort of technological break...actually really just from being around my computer so much. My computer and I spent so much time together during the last few weeks at school that the magic of our relationship wore off a little. It's slowly but surely reviving.

Here's a small update on my life:

I mentioned a few posts ago that I was in charge of redecorating the playroom to make it more "boy-ish" for my precious brother. Well, I finished! After days of being covered in paint, here are the before and after pics:

BEFORE

AFTER

\
I thoroughly enjoyed re-vamping this room. It was cathartic, almost. And I think my brother likes it...haha if you can't tell by the oh-so-overjoyed expression on his face.
Oh by the way, the big white thing in a frame is a whiteboard that you PAINT on the wall. I feel so rebellious writing on it.
And the artwork hanging by the guitar is a Joshua original. Bids starting at $1,000.
Just kidding.

I promise I will take time sometime tomorrow or Friday to post a more indepth blog. But I told SB I would post an update on the room, so there it is :]

Note to self.

It's funny how Mondays in the summer aren't that bad.

I've been thinking over the past few days about the way my life looks. And, for the first time, I've been looking at it from God's point of view. From my own point of view. Usually, I get caught up looking at my life from another person's point of view, whether it be my parents' or my friends' or a boy's...I forget to think about the way God sees my life. The way I see my life.

At Passion in January, Andy Stanley said something that has truly been laid on my heart as I look at my life:

"It's always a mistake to decide what you want to do before deciding who you want to be."

For the majority of these past few years, I think I have been focused on all the wrong things. I've been focused on schoolwork, pleasing those around me, relationships (friendships and dating), what my future will look like, achieving my goals, etcetera, etcetera. Amidst all that, I never took the time to just be still and let God. To just be still and be me. Now, I'm not saying that focusing on those things is wrong. It is definitely not. That's life. What I'm saying is that I lost myself in all of it. And now, here I am, an almost (woah) sophomore in college and I feel like I am barely in touch with myself.

So this is my goal: to not let myself get lost in life. At this point in my life, I feel more independent than I ever have before (which is sort of sad because I'm still ultimately depending on my parents...but I'm ok with that :D ). But really, I feel like I have control over my life. I don't feel like I need anyone to make me feel good about myself. Right now, all that I desire is discovering my identity in Christ. Because I've found that it truly is the only thing that matters. Everything else will fall into place.

Seafood and Wrinkles

I would like to apologize for my absence from the blogging world. It has been a whirlwind of a week.

Sorry, blog :)

In the past week I have: finished my freshman year of college, moved back home for the summer, seen friends, gone to a (hilariously entertaining) play, celebrated my awesome mom (Shout out! I love you, Mom. You are seriously the best. I couldn't ask for anyone greater) with family, eaten some delicious food, and been to the beach and back. Woah. Do you need a breath? I know I sure do.

So far, summer=success.

My best friend of 18 years (Rachel) and I decided on Friday to head to the beach, St. Simons to be specific, on Sunday. Her family owns a condo down there, making it extremely convenient to take a spontaneous trip to the coast. So, after church and lunching at the Cheesecake Factory with my family, we packed up the car and headed south..ish? Anyways, it was a wonderful time. We had leisurely mornings/afternoons at the beach. We both came back a little crispy. After some MUCH needed (Rachel just finished her freshman year at Georgia Tech) R&R, we headed to various restaurants in St. Simons for some marvelous food. Now, it being semi-early in the summer season, St. Simons wasn't very touristy at this time of year. Which was really nice. Except, when there aren't tourists in St. Simons, there is only one thing left: old people. Really, at every restaurant we went to Rachel and I were the only ones under 50...at least! It was kind of hilarious. It got to the point where, on our way home, we passed a cute boy who, we decided, was most likely on his way home for the summer from Georgia Southern. He was, luckily, from the same county as us. So, we followed him on the highway. I was eating cereal in the passenger seat and was going to get his attention by throwing it at him through his open window. Rachel wouldn't let me. But all in all, we had a marvelous couple of days. Us and the old people.

Side-note: if you haven't seen this movie yet......drop what you are doing and go rent it.

Home Sweet Home

Wow. That is all I can think to say. Wow.

Yesterday, I completed my freshman year of college. The year flew by. And it was one of the best years I've had to date. Seriously though, where did the time go? (Did you catch that rhyme?) It seems like just yesterday I was packing up to go to Furman. And now I've packed up to come home for the summer. It feels so good to be home. To be able to be with my family and relax has been so great. It will be simply wonderful to spend time with them this summer and see everyone here in "Phretta."

But, I'll be honest with you. I miss Furman already. Mom and Dad, if you're reading this, that doesn't mean that I don't want to be home. That is the farthest thing from what I am saying. I wish that I could combine the two places. Like, if all my Furman friends lived in my house so that I could run down/across the hall to see them, that would be ideal. Last night, I missed Tori and I's pillow talk. Right now, I actually miss the DH. That's right, I said it. I miss the DH. Clarification: the environment/people-watching, not the food. And a very small part of me feels lonesome without Hilary's honey (aka James B Duke). A VERY small part. Sorry, James.

Sorry for the sad little tangent I just went on. That being said, this summer will be great. I can't wait to reunite with friends and be with the fam. I know that God has awesome plans for these next few months. And before we all know it, we will be heading back to FU. Gotta work on our hall theme!

Oh that reminds me! I get to redecorate a room in our basement to make it more of a "boy" room for my oh-so-manly little brother.
I'm really excited. That's what I'm going to start on right now, actually. Pottery Barn Teen, here I come.

Sunday morning rain is falling

Except it's not the morning...and it's not raining anymore.
BUT IT IS SO HUMID.
And it is Sunday.
You would think, being from Georgah, that I would be used to humidity.
Nope.
It is disgusting today. Sometimes I like a nice, warm, slightly moist day. Notice that I used the phrase "slightly moist." Not days like today. Where you walk outside and feel like the world just licked you.

Anyways. I'm lacking inspiration for this blog post, so I'll just tell you about my weekend:
FRIDAY- Our hall went to this place called "Pump It Up." We had a sorority function there back in March and both outings were a huge success. So fun. And I've made it out both times with only a few minor injuries. This time was a little worse, though. I ended up with a battle wound on my ear of all places. Probably cause I went down the slide on my face. Not a good choice. Moving on. After that, Tori and I decided to go play tennis. Yep, you heard correctly. I played tennis. It was so fun. And I wasn't as bad at it as I expected :) Then we watched PS I Love You. Quality, sappy, precious movie.

SATURDAY- JCREW SALE DAY. Yes. The day we have all been waiting for. We hopped in the car at approximately 8:35 (late due to my sleeping self turning off my alarm. thanks a lot, self) and headed north to J.Crew heaven. Boxes and boxes of J. Crew clothes on sale for measley amounts. I spent 84 dollars and bought eight things. Including two dresses. Success. I then proceeded to spend the rest of the day packing. That made me really sad so we're not going to talk about it anymore. Oh! And then we went to Thaicoon, one of my favorite restaurants. We had a weird waitress (what else is new) and enjoyed some delicious food (and not-so-delicious dessert). Then, Chelly and I went to the last improv show of 2010. Quality entertainment.

SUNDAY- Church. Slightly boring this morning, but it's all good. And guess what? THE LIBRARY! Hooray.

So that was my weekend. I would say that it has been a quality one.

Full of laughs and fantastic people.

I'll leave you with this quote from the improv show: "You think this is frou-frou? I'll hang you by my frou-frou"

"L" is for the way...

Let's talk about relationships.

As Lyle, SB and I spend countless hours in the library, we get to observe the social scene that takes place in the wonderful world of James B. Duke. And, trust me, it is a quality social scene. If you don't believe me, you should probably read Hilary's post about the library. Amongst all the serious studying, one can see quite a few couples getting in some quality study time.

Lyle's and my observance of a certain couple sparked a conversation concerning relationships.
We tried to imagine what type of boy each of our friends will end up with and discussed our friends who seem to have already found their perfect person.
Relationships are a tricky thing. First, it's a matter of finding the right person. Or, atleast a person that you find a mutual interest in. That, folks, is not as easy as it sounds. Especially at Furman. Let's be real, something is off at this university. Simply going on dates with a person appears to be a foreign concept here. People basically just get engaged to each other. So, needless to say, the dating scene here is annoying. Relationships/dating in general is annoying.

But, they are also so incredibly awesome. I mean, God created us to desire companionship with another person. He created man and woman to co-exist and to support each other. The cool part is that He desires that for us, too. He desires for us to have a relationship here on earth that glorifies Him in every way and that resembles His romance with us. Experiencing true, pure love is to experience His love for us. The thing that I struggle with is this: waiting for God to put the right person in my life. I tend to long for a relationship so much that I lose sight of what I really want and settle for someone that I know isn't who God intends for me to be with. At this point in my life, I am ready to wait. I'm ready to be so in love with the Lord that I don't desire another relationship more than I desire Him. I know that He will give me the right person at the right time. And I'll know.

And don't be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God's place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there. God, not your marital status, defines your life.--1 Corinthians 7:17

Oh hey college.

Here it comes...the beach weekend post.


True life: I felt like I was at real college

It truly reminded me why I came to Furman.
Basically, beach weekend is where each fraternity/certain organizations rent hotels in Myrtle Beach for a majority of the Furman population. It essentially is a weekend-long party. I chose to go with a certain fraternity based on their "record" when it comes to craziness (basically, the least crazy option out of the frats).

So here's the rundown of what took place:
-We arrive at the oh-so-classy Sandcastle Hotel in Mrytle Beach at approximately 5 pm on Friday afternoon
-Head to Margaritaville for dinner (coconut shrimp...delicious)
-Go back to the hotel
SIDE NOTE: At this point, I am expecting to go back, maybe hit the beach/hot tub, hang out with some new friends, maybe dance a little, and go to bed. Not what happened at all.
-Everyone in the hotel procceds to bring out more alcohol than I have ever seen and begin to get "shammied" as one might put it and eventually pass out in bed.
SIDE NOTE #2: Sitting in a hotel, drinking with friends might be fun for those of us who drink. I do not. Needless to say, Friday night was quite boring. I could only hope that Saturday would be better.
-Saturday morning we wake up, hit up Starbucks and head for the beach. It's looking slightly overcast, but that's not stopping us.
-We get to the beach and guess what? Everyone is, once again, getting shammied.
-By this point, I am texting Sarabeth...wishing that I was still on campus.
-It rains.
-Dinner sort of occurs at some point, we get ready and head over to another fraternities' hotel to see their live band.
-The fun part of the weekend begins. Dancing all night, having a blast, not really caring what else is going on.
-Sunday, wake up early and drive back to FU.

So, all in all, the weekend wasn't the best one ever. BUT, it was most definitely worth it for Saturday night.
Drunk people are funny. I'll leave you with this image...I saw multiple people get stuck running around like this on Saturday night:

(Not) the best I eva had, Drake

Update: Drake was...sub-par. Chelly and I were unable to take him seriously. Where's your wheelchair, Jimmy?


In other news, this is in my very near future:



I love the beach. See you Sunday, blog. I'll be sure to come back with good stories.

Last name: ever, first name: greatest

TODAY IS A GOOD DAY. I just dominated (hopefully) my Biology test, Drake (yes, Jimmy from Degrassi...aka one of my most favorite shows) is coming to FU tonight, and my toes will be in the sand in less than 24 hours.

I honestly am not sure where this blog will take me. It'll be a journey.

Lately I've been thinking about God's grace. It truly is amazing. I don't deserve it, but He gives it freely. I am completely covered, saturated in His mercy. It brings healing, peace, cleansing, truth, trust. And all I have to do is ask for it. How awesome is that? He opens His arms and allows me to run into them, no matter where I am running from. And, as soon as I ask for His forgiveness, all that I have seen and done is gone. Life is full of temptations and traps. He knows. He experienced it. That's another awesome thing. Jesus was tempted by Satan, exactly like I am. He rose above it and told Satan to get behind Him. He gets it. Because of Him, my chains are gone. I've been set free. My God, my Savior has ransomed me. And that is SO cool.


A friend of mine retweeted this quote the other day:

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." - Thornton Wilder

I love my dear, sweet friends. I am not ready to be without them. Y'all are so much more than wonderful :)

"The library isn't his"

I really shouldn't be blogging right now.

BUT something absolutely hilarious and extremely blog-worthy just happened in the wonderful world of James B. Duke (aka the library).

Here's the low down:
Chellie(y), Sarabeth, Lyle and I are currently sitting at a table on the FIRST LEVEL of Hilary's "honey." It is common knowledge that the first level of JBD is strictly the social level. Sure, we all have intentions of studying. But, if you are really serious about getting work done, DON'T SIT ON THE FIRST LEVEL. Common sense people. So, moving on. Picture this: we are sitting at a table and behind us sits a generally disheveled looking boy in a plaid shirt. Looks like he hasn't bathed in quite some time. Let's call him, Marvin . Got your image? Ok. For the most part, we're studying and so is Marvin. But EVERYTIME we speak or make some noise louder than normal, little Marvypoo glares at us. And I mean intentional stares of disapproval until we stopped "disturbing" him. This goes on for some time. Chellie(y), SB, and I are FirstClass chatting, enjoying our time in the library as much as possible and ignoring Marvin's obnoxious staring. Until, at one point, the girl at the table directly behind him starts to talk to someone (see what I mean by social area of the library?). Marvin then decides to turn around and give THEM intentional, disapproving stares. We then, obviously, observe what is going on, chuckle at his reactions and, of course, I start laughing uncontrollably. This goes on for a few minutes until Marvin finally loses it. He SLAMS his books closed, packs his bag with vigorous intensity, and storms off with his panties all in a wad. Marvin is then spotted walking to the downstairs level of the lib.

Maybe he learned his lesson. We miss you, Marvin.

I know you are, but what am I?

Happy Monday!

You might have noticed that the title of my blog is slightly different. The reason being that I realized I had its quote of origin incorrect. For any readers who know which specific quote I am referring to, mad props. For those of you who don't know, you should probably considering expanding your literary knowledge. The quote is from one of my favorite books: The Lord of the Rings.

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost."

I feel as though my freshman year of college has been filled with self-discovery. One of the greatest discoveries has been this: I am a BIG nerd. Let's be real here, folks. I mean, saying that my favorite book is all about hobbits, elves, and wizards should be enough evidence of my intense nerdiness. Furthermore, I have the same birthday as Frodo and Bilbo Baggins (LOTR main characters). And I think that's the coolest thing ever. Yes, yes I know. I am quite lame. It's a fact that I have learned to face.

Let's get down to my point. In a recent blog post, Chellie(y, whichever you prefer) referenced our intense people-watching skills. Through my experience as a creeper, I have observed one completely awesome thing about people: we are all seriously unique. Everyone knows that.

But take a second to meditate on it.

How cool is that? The God of the universe took time to paint each one of us as our own individually crazy person. He knows us better than we will ever know ourselves and loves us for all that we are, no matter where we are or where we once were. My encouragement to you (and to me) is this: embrace your own being. That sounds super hippie to say but it's true. Each one of us was created exactly the way we are for a reason and we are meant to live that out.

So go for it.

Hello World.

Take a breath. Here we go. I'm venturing back into the wonderful world of blogging. It has been a few years since my last attempt to blog. (Aptly named: "Daily ramblings from a girl named Katie." Embarrassing, I know) Needless to say, it didn't go so well. My posts were filled with angsty ninth grade attitude. So now, four years later, I am trying again.

Let's hope this attempt is more successful.

Please let me know if I start sounding angsty.

Anyways, as I sit in a study room (ahem, thanks to Sarabeth) in the good ole James B. Duke Library, I can't help but reflect on these past few months. They've been quite the whirlwind. I mean, really. It's weird to think back on last August and then look at where we all are now. It seems like so long ago that we went downtown to celebrate a completely random person's birthday. We have all talked about how hilarious it is to look back on who all we hung out with in the first few weeks of school. And, I am so thankful for the sweet friends that God has put into my life here at Furman. They really have made all the difference. When I look back on my freshman year of college, memories of all our crazy moments will remain the highlight of my year. I don't like thinking about being away from them for three months so we're not going to talk about that here. This is a happy, angst-free blog :) But, all in all, freshman year=massive success.

So, that was my first post. I don't feel like it is as funny as Chellie's or Hilary's. Or as heartfelt as Sarabeth or Leilina's. But, as Chellie put it this afternoon, it can only go up from here.