Things to Come...

As I sat in my room and studied until I felt as if my brain was using its last bit of courage to keep itself from spilling out my ears, I began to think of all the joyous time I will have this summer to NOT study. What a glorious thought. Only two short weeks until I have three months filled with--well, work! But, there are many hours between those I will spend in Government Documents, and I can fill them however I please! I may have high expectations because last summer was so wonderful, but I really do not think I will be let down. So, for my first look at summer, what I'm looking forward to the most:

My roommates. Erin, whom I live with now, will be staying for the summer and I cannot wait for more time when we can play guitar together and go running. Caitlin, a new friend this year, will be joining us for the summer. She is adventurous and ambitious, so I am sure many grand schemes will be drawn up and we may just follow through with them.

Work crew. Last summer I was able to serve high school youth groups from PCA churches at the conference Breakaway. I was on work crew, which meant lots of work, not very much sleep, and loads of fun with other college students working alongside me. I enjoyed it so much that I signed up for a second year!

New family. My sister is getting married in June, and I will gain a great brother! Also, he has two sisters, one of which is already my best friend! I will be attending many other friends' weddings this summer, and I look forward to dancing and spending time with the ones I love as they begin new chapters in their lives.

The unexpected. Sometimes during the school year I get so bogged down in all the things I HAVE to get done that I leave spontaneity behind. While I've made lots of progress this year in making time for fun, with no school work to hold me back I can say yes to more unplanned adventures. These impulsive outings could be as simple as a picnic, or as daunting as an unexpected road trip. Either way, I can't wait for the joy of SUMMER!

Television

Over the past few years, I've formed a habit of marathon watching seasons of tv shows I like once they have already been aired, so I don't have to wait impatiently for the next episode week to week. Most recently, I watched the second season of Parks & Recreation. It was quite funny, though I don't know if I would have stuck through it having to wait very long between episodes. So here is a list of tv seasons I have watched (even though some of them are slightly embarrassing), and the ones I intend to watch next.

Already Complete:
-All previous seasons of 30 Rock
-Season 1-6 of The Office
-Season 1 of Community
-Season 1-2 of Gossip Girl
-Season 1 of Pretty Little Liars
-Season 1-4 of Bones
-All previous seasons of Psych
(there are probably more I am forgetting, but these are all I currently remember)

On my to-do list:
-Every season of Mad Men
-The currently airing season of Parks & Rec
-The currently airing season of 30 Rock
-Every season of House
-Band of Brothers

I'm sure there are many more I would enjoy, and this is a list that grows and changes continuously, but for now I have just begun Mad Men and I believe it will occupy me thoroughly for awhile. At least when I have breaks between studying!

Thats all folks,
Beckstar

But I Can't Live Without It!

Upon returning from Winter Conference three weeks ago, one of my car windows decided to misbehave, which ended with my parents taking my car to Birmingham for repairs. My dad had just gotten a job and things were about to get complicated with my parents sharing one car, so they asked to borrow mine for a little while after it was fixed. Of course I said yes, I don't have to drive most places I go, and while it is very convenient to be able to go anywhere I would like on a whim, it is not necessary. 

For the first few days, I did get a little irritated, and there was one time I forgot to ask my roommate for her keys and was almost late to babysit. But in all honesty, I almost haven't noticed a difference in my life. This huge piece of metal that I seem to think I "need" has been gone for three weeks and I haven't missed a beat. So it got me thinking. What other things in my life do I feel dependent on that I could probably easily give up and barely notice?

Air Conditioning. Probably not the best to start with, because it sounds crazy. But this year, we have turned on our air conditioning sparingly, and it hasn't been that bad. I think we are so used to living in a temperature controlled environment that we have to have it set to our exact preference, which is completely unnecessary. We were created in a world with no A/C, so would it really be that bad without it?

Laptop. It's almost impossible to imagine my life without my laptop, which I am typing on right now as I sit in the library with my friend, who is mixing music on his laptop. But you know what I would be doing if I didn't have this? I would be on one of the twenty computers lining the wall of the study room we're in. Would it be a little inconvenient? Maybe. But would it be terrible? I don't think so. 

Coffee. As an avid drinker of this morning brew, one day without is one day without productivity. Two days without is a second day with a migraine. So far I haven't made it to three days coffee free, and many days I have a second mug full in the afternoon. How long would it be before the caffeine headaches quit coming? I honestly don't want to try to find out. But should I be so dependent on something that many people function quite well without?

I feel like this list could go on forever, as I surround myself with things I consider necessities and come to feel like I depend on them. Really there are many superfluous items I could be completely happy without, but am I willing to actually give them up? 

"Originality is the art of concealing your sources."

Words. They have always amazed me. When I was younger, if I was lacking in reading material I would read cereal boxes, the Sunday comics, or even something from my dad's bookshelf until I obtained more books. I have been writing ever since I can remember, and have always been fascinated with the study of Literature. I write down quotes from song lyrics, movies, television shows, and books. I have a table covered in them, more hanging on my wall, and even more in notebooks. So today, a list of a few from the past few years.

"Love is not an affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained." -C.S. Lewis

"If only we could see the endless string of consequences that result from our smallest actions. But we can't know better until knowing better is useless." -John Green from Looking for Alaska


"The imagination is not a state; it is the human existence itself" -William Blake

"But there is only one thing that has power completely, and that is love. Because when a man loves, he seeks no power, and therefore he has power." -Alan Paton from Cry, the Beloved Country


"You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness." -Jonathan Safran Foer from Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close


"When did we see eachother face-to-face? Not until you saw into my cracks and I saw into yours. Before that, we were just looking at ideas of each other, like looking at your window shade but never seeing inside. But once the vessel cracks, the light can get in. The light can get out." -John Green from Paper Towns


I could add so many more, but I will leave it at this. Read, and find your own quotes to inspire you and make you think a little more than usual.
Night,
Becks