This is the end of my livejournal days.

If you want to keep up with me, try facebook or mylifesongsingetoyou.blogspot.com

Bon soir, mon amis.

from skywise_fhar :-) I love (and miss!) Jordan.

1. Put your music player on "random." As much as it hurts, skip songs with not-very interesting titles (such as "Concerto #4 in E minor")
2. List the titles of the first 25 songs to come up.
3. Put "in my pants" after each title.
4. Bold the ones that actually made you laugh.

1. Foux Da Fa Fa in my pants (Flight of the Conchords)
2. Why Can't it Wait Til Morning in my pants (Phil Collins)
3. Bartender in my pants (Regina Spektor)
4. God is Bigger in my pants (Veggie Tales)
5. Blackbird in my pants (The Beatles)
6. Not While I'm Around in my pants (Sweeney Todd)
7. Spice up your life in my pants (Spice Girls)
8. The Sound of Music in my pants (Rodgers & Hammerstein)
9. Nothing in my pants (Jeremy Camp)
10. Friends will be friends in my pants (Queen)
11. Something beautiful in my pants (Jars of Clay)
12. Kitty Doggy in my pants (Five Iron Frenzy)
13. Steady as the beating drum in my pants (Pocahontas)
14. Celebration in my pants (Kool and the Gang)
15. Mambo in my pants (Bernstein)
16. He's a pirate in my pants (Klaus Badelt -Pirates)
17. These are not my pants in my pants (Five Iron Frenzy)
18. Oats and beans and barley grow in my pants (Raffi)
19. Eyes open in my pants (Snow Patrol)
20. Crazy for this girl in my pants (Evan & Jaron)
21. I get around in my pants (Beach Boys)
22. I don't want to wait in my pants (Paula Cole)
23. And your bird can sing in my pants (The Beatles)
24. Goodbye yellow brick road in my pants (Elton John)
25. Annie waits in my pants (Ben Folds)

visit this website if you dare: http://www.godhatesfags.com/

these people make me sick. this is not the God I know. they are not Christians. they are the people who give Christians a bad name. all they do is quote scripture and twist it to give it some meaning that doesn't actually exist and then they try to tell people that everyone else is going to hell, when in all reality I can't see how these people won't end up there themselves. anyway, just thought you should all know, this is not what real Christians are like. if these people were real Christians, then trust me, I wouldn't consider myself one any longer. let me know what you think about all this.

I have this insane need to be perfect at everything I do. It is a ridiculous standard that I have set for myself. I don't know when it started, but it's been going on for a long time. I want to change, but I have no idea where to start. Basically, it would be wonderful if you could all pray for me to get over my own ridiculous conceptions of myself and start just listening to what God has in store for me.

I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself -- after all, Ive spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.
But I need something MORE! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't DO it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved.

Late in the night is when I do my best thinking. The world is asleep and nothing can bother me. The stars shine in the sky and the moon casts a magical glow on the sparkling snow. The quiet warmth of the cozy corner of the couch wraps itself around me. I am alone, but not lonely. I am content.

This is how most of my break has been so far, and it is a wonderful change. This past semester was the busiest and worst semester I have yet encountered. I worked harder than I ever have in my entire life. I was burning the wick at both ends, and the flame just finally died. I crashed into oblivion and I never wanted to go back. But I am back on my feet. I am taking less classes for this next semester, and on top of this they are easier classes. I also quit one of my jobs. I need time to chill so I don't go completely mental. I think it will be a nice change.

I feel like the ugly duckling, except for the fact that I will never grow into a beautiful swan. I know deep down that I am not ugly, and that I have many good qualities. But I still can't help but feel the opposite. Maybe I am just totally clueless, and maybe I am too hard on myself (actually, I know I am), but I just can't see how I am ever going to find someone to spend the rest of my life with. I have so many dreams of accomplishing great things, but I don't want to do them alone. But the way things are looking, I will always be alone. I know I'm just being pessimistic, but seriously people, there's just no hope for me. I don't know what it is about me that scares guys away... something in my personality and my demeanor just screams "stay away from me!" no matter how hard I try not to. I just need to come to terms with this fact and get on with it... stop thinking about it so much...

I need a change... I thrive on change... and my life is just the same as it was last Christmas... boring and lonely. I don't know what it's going to be, but something has got to give. Last year, I transfered schools, and that was a good change. This year...who knows. But I am growing restless and I need to change something soon before I go insane.

I have been thinking a lot lately about friends I don't talk to much anymore. It makes me sad. I hate losing touch with people I care about. It really does break my heart. I feel like a part of my life is gone and can never come back. Sometimes I regret leaving... I miss the life I had before... but the new one is better in so many ways. I just can't bring myself to completely let go...

This is the worst week of the entire semester. I have so many things due this week and the beginning of next, and I have no time to finish any of it. I have an exegesis paper due monday morning, a 4 page paper due tomorrow, a 12 page paper that was actually due 2 days ago but I haven't had time to finish it yet, a choir concert tonight in which I have a solo that I do not yet have memorized, a wedding to sing/play for this weekend that I don't know all of the songs for yet, a voice jury next week which I don't even have half of my songs memorized yet, a french exam, a world civ exam, a biblical archaeology exam, and a conducting final that I am unprepared for. I just want this semester to be over already!!! I could use a break right about now...

I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
I look at the floor and I see it need sweeping
Still my guitar gently weeps

I don't know why nobody told you
how to unfold you love
I don't know how someone controlled you
they bought and sold you

I look at the world and I notice it's turning
While my guitar gently weeps
With every mistake we must surely be learning
Still my guitar gently weeps

I don't know how you were diverted
you were perverted too
I don't know how you were inverted
no one alerted you

I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
I look at you all
Still my guitar gently weeps

So, I have been very very very busy so far this semester. Not only am I taking several more challenging classes, but I'm also working 2 jobs. I enjoy most of my classes... not so much conducting... but other than that I'm taking French, World Civilizations, Biblical Archaeology, Inductive Bible Study, voice lessons, and University Singers. I am also working as an Admissions Associate and as the accompanist for singers. It all seems like a lot when I type it out (and it really is...lol) but I thrive under stress :-) I feel like I am actually using my time efficiently.

As far as non-school related things go, things are going pretty well. I love hanging out with my friends and just having fun :-) plus, I am also joining the college praise team at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church. Our first rehearsal is tomorrow night! I am also mentoring 2 freshman girls. They are both super sweet. I haven't had the chance to get to know either of them very well yet, but I'm sure we will have fun times ahead of us! I have also been into a very musical mood lately. I have been searching for all kinds of new music. My new favorite is Jon McLaughlin. His music is amazing! And I've been getting back into Danny Elfman lately as well :-)

Anyway, I miss some of my friends from home... others, not so much... it's just kind of a growing apart thing. I also wish I had stayed closer to some friends who have kind of grown apart from me. I guess it's all part of growing up. Which is why I have vowed to move to Neverland and stay young forever!!!!! :-p

well... that's all folks.

A beautiful and blinding morning
The world outside begins to breathe
See clouds arriving without warning
I need you here to shelter me

And I know that only time will tell us how
To carry on without each other

So keep me awake to memorize you
Give me more time to feel this way
We can't stay like this forever
But I can have you next to me today

If I could make these moments endless
If I could stop the winds of change
If we just keep our eyes wide open
Then everything would stay the same

And I know that only time will tell me how
We'll carry on without each other

So keep me awake for every moment
Give us more time to be this way
We can't stay like this forever
But I can have you next to me today

We'll let tomorrow wait, you're here, right now, with me
All my fears just fall away, when you are all I see

We can't stay like this forever
But I have you here today

And I will remember
Oh I will remember
Remember all the love we shared today
~*~

what a beautiful song! if you've never heard it, you need to. I think it is one of my new favorite songs. :-)

I moved all of my stuff to school today. I have to sing at church tomorrow, but then I'm leaving for school for good. I'm excited, but yet a little sad to be leaving home. But to be quite honest, most of my reason for being sad is that I don't want to leave my friends from home... but most of them are leaving to go back to school anyway :-p And I know I am going to have an amazing semester :-) I will definitely be updating more often once I actually have things to write about. And please don't neglect to leave me some comments! :-) I love you all!

I think "love" is overrated. It's not practical. And it's definitely not like anything the stories ever told about, that's for sure. Just an observation...

I move back to Indiana in 2 weeks. I am excited, but it's still a bittersweet feeling. There are just too many things I didn't do this summer, too many thoughts left unsaid. We'll see what these next 2 weeks have in store.

I really want to watch the meteor shower tomorrow night. But I don't want to be a loser and watch it alone. I guess I'll just have to see if anyone will want to come with me.

Lately, Kylynne has really been getting on my nerves. And it's not any of her usual stuff. I can handle all of that. It's this kick she's been on lately about a certain situation... and she just won't drop it, even when I ask her to. Don't get me wrong, she is still one of my best friends, and I'm not mad at her, just a little annoyed. I told her as much.

My question of the moment: do you think it is possible for a guy and a girl to truly be just friends? for a guy and a girl to hang out the same way 2 girls hang out (well, to an extent of course)? you give me your answer and I'll let you know what I think. and none of these "yes" or "no" answers. I want reasons :-p

I can't sleep. I think I am all hopped up on all sorts of allergy/cold medicines... only I took all of the ones that keep you awake... including lots of sudaphed... it's gonna be a long night. I'm left alone with feeling tired, but being unable to sleep, and having lots of not-so-happy thoughts about many different things. That is never a good combination.

My second question of the moment: what kind of career do you see me as having? and it can be anything. I am just curious since at the moment I'm pretty clueless. I figured I'd get a general opinion on the matter :-)

Perhaps I should try to get some sleep now... we'll see how this works out...

So, I've been back from vacation for about a week now. It was a fun trip. There really isn't much to do in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. But it was relaxing. We did hike to a waterfall (which was beautiful!) and I was about 10 feet away from a black bear (no joke, I have a picture). And there was much shopping and swimming :-) We stayed in a condo on the top of one of the mountains, and the view was pretty awesome. Other than that, not much else happened.

I started a new job this week. I am now a day camp counselor at Recreation Unlimited, which is a summer camp for mentally and physically handicapped/disabled kids. I only worked 2 days but so far I love it. It is a very tiring job, and the pay isn't amazing, but it's a fun job. AND this means I don't have to work at Elder Beerman anymore (which reminds me... I should probably tell them that I'm not working there anymore...lol).

Aaaand not much else has happened this summer. I did finally get to see some of my other friends the other night. I went to Danielle's to swim for a bit and I got to see Jen, Heather, Jessica, Sarah, and Jon. :-) I miss those guys. Hopefully we will all be getting together again sometime soon.

Oh! I saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix the night it came out (at midnight of course!) I really liked it. It definitely wasn't my favorite of the movies, but then again, it wasn't my favorite book. It was still good though. I'm sad that they had to leave so much out, but when you consider that the third movie left sooooo much out (therefore the rest have to leave some of that stuff out as well) and the fact that OotP is the longest of the books so far, it's a wonder that they were able to get as much into the movie as they did. I was a little disappointed with the battle scene... it was way too short... and unimpressive... but still rather cool. On the whole, I liked the movie. I am super excited for the 7th book to come out next weekend. I already preordered my book :-) so you know what I'll be doing all of next saturday ;-)

I miss Caitlin. And my IWU friends. And Daniel (who is still in Europe... lucky). And Alyssa. And Nate. And Jordan.

I'm leaving for Tennessee in the morning :-) you should all be jealous.

anyway, I promise a real update when I get back, with many a tale of anything interesting that happens while I'm gone (chances of this are slim to none, but just in case...lol)

leave me some love!

oh, it's what you do to me.




so last night, I accidentally put my iTunes on repeat 1 song. So I listened to "Hey There Delilah" by Plain White T's 48 times in a row because I just never fixed it. :-p

I want to make a playlist of some good summery love songs. I know that sounds weird, but I mean things like "Hey There Delilah" and "Better Together" (Jack Johnson) and stuff like that. Anyone have any suggestions?

I have recently realized that even though I am still the same person, I feel like I am less unique than I used to be. Sounds stupid, I know. But I feel like I'm starting to be more and more like everyone else in the world. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's just a weird feeling. I don't really know how else to describe it without making myself sound like a total nut case (even though that's what I am! lol)

I am in the mood to "discover" some new music. Anyone have some suggestions of some music I might like? or even just music you think I've never heard of?

I want to live in history. I want to have adventures that take me beyond the edges of the map. I want there to be things still left to discover. I want to be so in love with someone that I would be more than willing to give up my life for them. I want to sail in a pirate ship and find secret treasures. I want to discover a new world. I want to write the most beautiful music ever known to man. I want to life an exciting life. I want to get out of this rut I am in. I just want to live.

I love the new Pirates soundtrack. It is AMAZING. I wish I could play some of it on here so you could all hear this absolutely amazingly awesome music.

Leave me some comments. Let me know what's going on in your life. I promise I really do care. :-)

These are my results from a strength finding test I had to take. I'm only posting this so I can save it. I can't log back into the website I got this from. I had to do this for a mentoring program I am doing at school, which is where I got my access code. So, sorry if you wanted to do it, but you can't unless you have a code :-( but anyway, I thought it was interesting, and very accurate, and I wanted to save it somewhere, so this is it! :-) enjoy! (but don't worry, you don't have to read all of it unless you really want to know how my mind works...lol) I am posting them in order. These are my top 5 out of 34 different themes. So, it's pretty accurate :-)

INPUT:
Theme Description:
You are inquisitive. You collect things. You might collect information-words, facts, books, and quotations-or you might collect tangible objects such as butterflies, baseball cards, porcelain dolls, or sepia photographs. Whatever you collect, you collect it because it interests you. And yours is the kind of mind that finds so many things interesting. The world is exciting precisely because of its infinite variety and complexity. If you read a great deal, it is not necessarily to refine your theories but, rather, to add more information to your archives. If you like to travel, it is because each new location offers novel artifacts and facts. These can be acquired and then stored away. Why are they worth storing? At the time of storing it is often hard to say exactly when or why you might need them, but who knows when they might become useful? With all those possible uses in mind, you really don't feel comfortable throwing anything away. So you keep acquiring and compiling and filing stuff away. It's interesting. It keeps your mind fresh. And perhaps one day some of it will prove valuable.

Action Items:
You always want to know more. You crave information.

You like to collect certain things, such as ideas, books, memorabilia, quotations, and facts.

You have an active curiosity. You find many things very interesting. A few minutes of "surfing the Net" may turn into hours once your curiosity takes off, and you might have difficulties filing and housing all of the new information you acquire.

You may be a natural researcher. Hone this talent by acquiring knowledge of specific research methods. Consider taking a research methods course in psychology or sociology.

Identify possible areas of specialization and actively seek more information about them. Seek out faculty in those areas and pick their brains outside of class.

You are naturally curious but may need to intentionally schedule time to feed your mind. Take time to read books and articles that stimulate you, or to travel to new places. Your Input talents need regular "feeding."

Partner with Focus or Discipline talents to channel your Input productively and to organize all you've discovered so that it is more readily available for you to use.

Devise a system for storing and easily locating the information you gather. This system can be as simple as a file for all the articles you have clipped or as sophisticated as a computer database.

Identify situations in which you can share the information you have collected with other people. Being able to share your "stuff" with others will make for a better learning experience for everyone.

A sense of when to stop seeking information is just as valuable a talent as your thirst for information. Set a time limit on your Internet searches so you'll be able to get your papers done. Mark the best sites so you can return to them when you have more time.

Save all notes and books from previous classes to create a personal library.

Schedule time for seeking information that goes beyond what is required for your classes. The library and the Internet will be valuable in your search.

You enjoy gathering information, possible even from reading a dictionary or encyclopedia.

Start a filing system for interesting and potentially useful articles you have read.

Give yourself research deadlines within your overall timelines for completing papers. Without them, you might continue to read and read, never feeling like you have enough information.

To continue making progress and stay on track while doing required work, put sticky notes on areas you wish to go back and look at.

Prioritize the most critical information to study. Otherwise, you might become distracted by other information that fascinates you but is not as relevant.

Share your information with friends. Determine who would be interested in each bit of information, rather than giving all information to everyone.

Seek out professors who would be interested in knowing what you are learning and will find it stimulating to hear about the questions you are generating through your investigations.

Be aware that the more you know, the more likely it is that others will seek you out for information and see you as highly credible.

Select classes taught by professors who are well read and who keep up to date on the latest research in their fields.

Select classes that help you increase your general knowledge base. That would include classes in which research is valued.

Select classes in which class discussion is valued and in which you can share your ideas and the information that you have gleaned.

Join groups in which you can use your knowledge, such as community discussion groups, book clubs, and pre-law society mock trial groups.

Become involved in extracurricular activities that further your learning, such as science clubs, language clubs, or literary organizations.

Study about fascinating places to travel. Gather information, and go!

Collect as much information as you can about the careers that interest you. Go online, read books, collect all the brochures at the career center and at career fairs. The more information you gather, the better your decision will be.

Go to the career center and take several different career inventories. What does each one tell you about your interests? What career possibilities do they suggest you to explore?

Environments that give you the freedom to pursue threads of information and that focus on informed decision-making are likely to bring out your best.

You probably will enjoy a career in which you are always on the cutting edge of knowledge and you can gather and share valuable pieces of relevant information.

Choose jobs that require you to be an expert collector and consumer of research. This type of environment will energize you.

Interview media specialists, librarians, archivists, writers, information technologists, and others who work with large amounts of information on a daily basis. What do they find most rewarding about their work?

CONTEXT:
Theme Description:
You look back. You look back because that is where the answers lie. You look back to understand the present. From your vantage point the present is unstable, a confusing clamor of competing voices. It is only by casting your mind back to an earlier time, a time when the plans were being drawn up, that the present regains its stability. The earlier time was a simpler time. It was a time of blueprints. As you look back, you begin to see these blueprints emerge. You realize what the initial intentions were. These blueprints or intentions have since become so embellished that they are almost unrecognizable, but now this Context theme reveals them again. This understanding brings you confidence. No longer disoriented, you make better decisions because you sense the underlying structure. You become a better partner because you understand how your colleagues came to be who they are. And counterintuitively you become wiser about the future because you saw its seeds being sown in the past. Faced with new people and new situations, it will take you a little time to orient yourself, but you must give yourself this time. You must discipline yourself to ask the questions and allow the blueprints to emerge because no matter what the situation, if you haven't seen the blueprints, you will have less confidence in your decisions.

Action Items:
You look to the past to understand the present.

You see patterns that emerge from your studies of history.

You learn best when you place what is to be learned into the context of other important dynamics and the history of what you are learning.

You may feel disoriented when you can't see patterns stemming from the past. Others may become impatient with you as you strive to build an understanding of life's many complexities. You may be perceived as "plodding" because you want to understand how we got to where we are.

If you are part of a team or club, help it strengthen its culture by understanding its roots. For example, collect symbols and stories that represent the best of the past and its heroes.

Read historical novels, nonfiction books, or biographies. You will discover many insights that will help you understand the present. You will think more clearly when you see these historical examples.

Before starting your papers or projects, ask your professors for examples of excellent papers so you can see how others have successfully approached the assignment.

When you are contributing to a group project, start by learning about the past experiences of each member.

Because you value the lessons of the past so much, you may have a tendency to feel it's important to do things the way they have been done in the past. Partner with people who have powerful Strategic talents to see the best way to approach challenges or new opportunities.

Think about your past successes. What can you learn from them that can help you in the tasks you presently face?

Partner with people who have exceptional Futuristic talents. They can help you build an even greater bridge from the past to the future.

Associate with individuals and groups that specialize in the study of specific events, personalities, and periods in history.

Create a historical frame of reference for whatever you study. Research political, natural, military, and religious events of that period. Delve into the lives of contemporary leaders, scientists, artists, explorers, and philosophers.

Supplement required reading for classes by locating other credible sources of information. Don't let your thinking be limited to the professor's syllabus.

Understand that you are attracted to institutions of learning with a rich history and a long tradition.

Seek opportunities to study with reputable, recognized, and knowledgeable historians who also are master teachers.

Attend lecture series in which leading figures of your time speak about their experiences in global leadership, diplomacy, military affairs, business, science, or the arts. Prepare questions to pose during the Q and A sessions or book signings.

Hypothesize your own theories for specific historic events. Rely on public records, surveys, correspondence, and legislation to develop a study brief.

Consider your own history of test taking. Identify your best performances. Spot patterns. Prepare for today's examinations by replicating study techniques that have worked for you in the past.

Overcome obstacles placed in your path by a professor by conferring with former students of this individual. Ask questions to learn from the experiences of individuals who excelled.

Complement your reading and research assignments with additional sources of information, such as recorded speeches, transcripts of court proceedings, or vintage interviews with key figures and their contemporaries.

Record interviews with individuals who lived through significant periods of history, such as the Great Depression, wars, terrorist attacks, political scandals, and boom times.

Find photographs, paintings, drawings, blueprints, news film, videos, costumes, recipes, historical reproductions, almanacs, and costumes to bring a historic epoch to life.

Help people understand that knowing about their past experiences -- personal and academic -- will help you feel comfortable working with them on projects and in study groups.

Decipher your methods for building a historical basis for your relationships with specific family members, friends, teammates, classmates, instructors, and coworkers.

Ask professors about themselves on the first day of class. Inquire into their influences as children and their academic backgrounds. Read their master's theses, doctoral dissertations, books, articles, lectures, and speeches.

Attend class reunions. Reminisce about your school days with former classmates, faculty, and administrators. Pose questions to discover what individuals have done with their lives since graduation.

Choose classes taught by professors who examine cause-and-effect relationships between the actions of historic figures and the consequences they produce. Avoid history courses that require nothing beyond rote memorization of facts, names, and dates.

Enroll in classes that allow students to study original documents and artifacts. Review the syllabus for information about field trips to museums, battlefields, archives, and theatrical productions based on historic events.

Register for courses such as comparative religion, geography, economics, science, philosophy, and the arts to better understand the root causes of today's wars, alliances, financial policies, treaties, and trade agreements.

Opt for classes in which you can write papers, make presentations, re-create past events, or impersonate historic figures to fulfill course requirements.

Join a genealogy society or club. Trace your own or someone else's family tree.

Serve as the historian of your fraternity, sorority, honor society, or campus organizations.

Collect and archive memorabilia from events throughout the years. Volunteer to work with the campus historian to gain hands-on experience.

Form a book club whose members read and then discuss autobiographies, biographies, history books, or even historic fiction.

Talk to your mentor and to those in jobs that interest you. Ask them to tell you about their job searches. What led them to choose their particular careers?

Read as much as you can about career planning, so you'll understand the process from beginning to end. That understanding of the total experience will give you the security to consider a variety of options.

You recognize that past behavior is often the best predictor of future behavior. Spend some time thinking about your own past choices and how they might be connected to good possibilities for your future.

Your Context talents are likely to flourish in environments that allow you to explore how things came to be the way they are.

Collegial environments with strong traditions, rituals, and a sense of organizational history will often bring out your best efforts.

Interview archeologists, historians, museum curators, humanities professors, or antique appraisers about their talents and what they love about their work.

STRATEGIC:
Theme Description:
The Strategic theme enables you to sort through the clutter and find the best route. It is not a skill that can be taught. It is a distinct way of thinking, a special perspective on the world at large. This perspective allows you to see patterns where others simply see complexity. Mindful of these patterns, you play out alternative scenarios, always asking, "What if this happened? Okay, well what if this happened?" This recurring question helps you see around the next corner. There you can evaluate accurately the potential obstacles. Guided by where you see each path leading, you start to make selections. You discard the paths that lead nowhere. You discard the paths that lead straight into resistance. You discard the paths that lead into a fog of confusion. You cull and make selections until you arrive at the chosen path-your strategy. Armed with your strategy, you strike forward. This is your Strategic theme at work: "What if?" Select. Strike.

Action Items:
You know that there is more than one means to an end. Your ability to see options helps you quickly come up with Plan B if your first plan doesn't work.

You can quickly pick out the relevant issues and patterns when confronted by problems and complexities.

You have a "What if this happens?" mentality toward work and life. This type of questioning helps you see, plan, and prepare for future situations.

Some may see your lightning-quick evaluation of what won't work as overly critical. Because you are able to sort through everything so quickly, people don't realize that you have considered all the options.

Your best contribution to a group may be to discover the path to success. Because you can do this so quickly, it may look as though you are "winging it," but explaining yourself along the way will help others understand what you see.

Make full use of your Strategic talents by scheduling time to carefully think about a goal you want to achieve and the paths you might take to reach it. Remember that time to contemplate is essential to strategic thinking.

You naturally see alternatives more readily than others. Offer your Strategic talents when others are "stuck." Your insights can allow them to go over, under, or around, rather than through.

Partner with people who have powerful Ideation or Strategic talents to talk about the alternative directions you see. Detailed conversations like this can help you become even better at anticipating.

Sometimes others misinterpret your Strategic talents as criticism or naysaying. Realize that you can develop your Strategic talents by taking into consideration what is already working well and what others have already done.

You are capable of quickly seeing the need for Plan B where others cannot. You may need to slow down and explain your strategy to others so they can appreciate the wisdom of your solution.

You may have great talent in seeing possibilities that are invisible to others. To motivate others, communicate your vision and the steps that will make it reality.

Don't be afraid to be different. Discuss with professors the various approaches you can take to tackle an assignment.

Participate in research, or develop your own research project.

Search for ways to express your creative thinking.

Opt for classes that encourage discussion and creative solutions.

Reflect and write down your ideas for possible solutions to problems.

In group settings, work with others to generate new ideas or clarify your own.

Be creative in your studying. Make up games or develop mnemonic devices and anecdotes to relate information.

Do more than is expected. It is not difficult for you to expand on an idea, and you will learn more about the subject.

Seek a leadership role in a group. You see the path to success more clearly than many.

As you seek to achieve your leadership goals, always have your followers in mind.

Encourage friends to call on you to devise the best way to achieve their goals.

Consider taking an independent-study class. Your Strategic talents can help you work on your own.

Consider elective classes with subject matter that lends itself to strategic thinking, like engineering or marketing.

Choose classes that emphasize alternative ideas or solutions.

Consider running for an elected office, and confidently state your ideas.

Participate in cultural activities and exchanges to better understand the world around you.

Find organizations that need your planning abilities.

Picture yourself in a career that you love. What are you doing? What path did you take to create the opportunity? Working backward from your goal is often an effective strategy for you.

Play out a variety of scenarios in your mind to help you decide which career to explore further. List the various paths possible in your future so you can give careful thought to each one.

Environments that are flexible and encourage creative thought and strategy will bring out your best. Opportunities to see the big picture and plan new approaches will energize you.

Your ability to create new programs and generate multiple alternatives will be an asset to any organization you join.

Environments that allow originality and focus more on the outcome than on specific procedures will allow your Strategic talents to flourish.

Interview people who work in psychology, law, and consulting. Learn what they find most rewarding about their work on a daily basis.

INTELLECTION:
Theme Description:
You like to think. You like mental activity. You like exercising the "muscles" of your brain, stretching them in multiple directions. This need for mental activity may be focused; for example, you may be trying to solve a problem or develop an idea or understand another person's feelings. The exact focus will depend on your other strengths. On the other hand, this mental activity may very well lack focus. The theme of Intellection does not dictate what you are thinking about; it simply describes that you like to think. You are the kind of person who enjoys your time alone because it is your time for musing and reflection. You are introspective. In a sense you are your own best companion, as you pose yourself questions and try out answers on yourself to see how they sound. This introspection may lead you to a slight sense of discontent as you compare what you are actually doing with all the thoughts and ideas that your mind conceives. Or this introspection may tend toward more pragmatic matters such as the events of the day or a conversation that you plan to have later. Wherever it leads you, this mental hum is one of the constants of your life.

Action Items:
You love to study, and you prefer intellectual discussions.

You like to think and to let your thoughts go in many directions.

You like to spend time alone so that you can reflect and ponder.

Others may write you off as a "geek" because of your sophisticated level of thinking and use of language.

You typically ask great questions. As a result, people may seek you out for your ability to serve as a valuable sounding board.

Consider beginning or continuing your studies in philosophy, literature, or psychology. You will enjoy subjects that stimulate your thinking.

Although you are a natural thinker, make a point to schedule time for thinking. Use this time to muse, reflect, and reenergize. You need quiet time to refuel.

Keep a journal and take time to write regularly. These ideas will serve as grist for your mental mill, and they might yield valuable insights. Writing might be the best way to crystallize and integrate your thoughts.

Find people who like to talk about the same issues you do. Make time to hang out and talk about these issues.

Sometimes your energetic debate of a philosophical issue can be intimidating to those with lesser talents in this theme. Partner with Empathy or Positivity talents to recognize when others are beginning to feel uncomfortable.

Practice putting your thoughts into plain language so others can better understand your thinking. Remember that others cannot read your mind. Give them a glimpse at what's happening inside your head, and translate it into language they can relate to.

Ask questions and seek answers in discussions and lectures.

Research subjects that interest and intrigue you.

Contemplate academic goals and endeavors.

Make your education even more effective by following your intellectual curiosity. As you allow yourself to ask the questions that naturally come to you, you will refine your approach to learning and studying.

Take time to think and plan before writing a paper or performing an assignment.

Study to understand and learn, not just to memorize.

Take part in study groups that allow you to verbalize and further define your thoughts.

Practice presenting ideas that matter to you.

Get to know your professors, and engage them in discussions.

Try to meet people who share the same interests, and create intellectual conversations with them.

Surround yourself with intellectually stimulating people, and confidently converse with them. You can contribute to their lives as well as they can to yours.

Take classes that promote intellectual and analytical thought.

Choose professors whose reputations indicate that they demand careful thinking.

Study course syllabi to know how much thinking you might have an opportunity to do.

Join clubs that allow you to be part of stimulating conversations.

Read and collect books that pique your curiosity.

Attend conferences and debates about the subjects in which you are most interested.

Read, read, read! Gather books on careers that interest you, read biographies of people in careers that fascinate you, read all the brochures and books available at the career center. Then go online and read some more. Through your reading you will come to a better sense of clarity about the career options that fit you best.

Think about the times in your life when you have felt best about your accomplishments. In your journal, write about what you did that contributed to those accomplishments and how you used your talents in each instance. Later, look for patterns in what you wrote.

A work environment where you have time and space to think and reflect before responding will bring out your best. A fast-paced environment where there is pressure to sell or to follow routine procedures will not be as comfortable for you as one that allows and rewards thought and reflection.

Select work in which you can share ideas and pose questions. Avoid environments where you cannot challenge the status quo or where operating procedures are completely rigid.

Environments in which you can interact with colleagues and have philosophical debates will be most satisfying to you and enable you to be productive.

Choose work that will challenge you intellectually. Talk to editors, theologians, or philosophy professors on campus. Ask what their work is like.

CONNECTEDNESS:
Theme Description:
Things happen for a reason. You are sure of it. You are sure of it because in your soul you know that we are all connected. Yes, we are individuals, responsible for our own judgments and in possession of our own free will, but nonetheless we are part of something larger. Some may call it the collective unconscious. Others may label it spirit or life force. But whatever your word of choice, you gain confidence from knowing that we are not isolated from one another or from the earth and the life on it. This feeling of Connectedness implies certain responsibilities. If we are all part of a larger picture, then we must not harm others because we will be harming ourselves. We must not exploit because we will be exploiting ourselves. Your awareness of these responsibilities creates your value system. You are considerate, caring, and accepting. Certain of the unity of humankind, you are a bridge builder for people of different cultures. Sensitive to the invisible hand, you can give others comfort that there is a purpose beyond our humdrum lives. The exact articles of your faith will depend on your upbringing and your culture, but your faith is strong. It sustains you and your close friends in the face of life's mysteries.

Action Items:
You see that all things happen for a reason. You believe that all things are working together in a purposeful manner.

You feel connected to life itself. Therefore, you feel a responsibility to be considerate, caring, and accepting toward others.

You build bridges that allow people from all backgrounds to come together and develop a faith that goes beyond themselves.

When people and the world seem fractured, broken, and isolated, you can become discouraged. For this reason, some may perceive you as too naïve or fragile.

Connectedness talents are valuable because they provide you with conviction and faith that sustain and encourage you and your friends in difficult times. You believe that there's a plan, a design, and a power beyond the visible world that provide meaning, comfort, and confidence.

Because you can see connections that others may not see, your role in a group may be to help other people see connections and purpose in everyday occurrences.

Your ability to see the web of relationships can lead to powerful learning experiences. Seek out classes where your open-mindedness and intuitive perceptions will be an asset.

Schedule time for meditation and contemplation. Reflect on how your religious beliefs affirm your sense of connection to others, how your sense of connection gives you stability through your faith in people, and the role of "coincidences" in your life.

Keep a journal so you can look back and see the experiences that support your sense of connection.

Not everyone sees the connections you do or sees the role of faith that you may see. Rather than being disappointed by this, partner with someone with powerful Communication talents who can "tell the story" that you see so naturally.

When others are in conflict or don't understand people who are different, your ability to see what people have in common can unite a group.

Help those around you cope with unpredictable and unexplainable events. In particular, you can help people find meaning in even sickness and death. Your perspective will bring comfort.

Ask yourself, "What life lessons am I supposed to learn today through my studies and the challenges they present? What is at work here that is much more important than passing a test or getting a good grade?"

Search for linkages between your coursework and what you're being called to contribute to the entire human family today and in the future.

Examine how your life is inextricably tied to those of people in other parts of the world and from the past. Name as many of these connections as you possibly can.

Find ways to build bridges of understanding between classmates as well as between students and their professors. Realize that you're motivated to show people how world events and close-to-home circumstances bind each individual to all humankind.

Start each day by reading an inspirational verse or a piece of scripture from your faith. Sit in silence with these words for 10-15 minutes. Open yourself to surprising discoveries about how to best approach your studies and other people.

Keep a journal. Let your ideas and feelings flow freely. Write without editing. Find purpose and meaning in your personal and academic life.

Pray for guidance before you begin studying. Ask that your mind be freed of worries and distractions. Implore yourself that you can truly trust that all will be well.

Concentrate on your breathing before starting a test, making a presentation, or working on a project. Spiritually unite yourself with students around the world who are facing similar challenges at this very moment.

Silence competing scholarly demands of your life by practicing daily meditation. Master the art of letting go. Embrace the art of living in the present moment.

Be mindful of the abundance of good things. Realize that more than one student can earn a good grade or receive the professor's approval.

Energize your body, heighten your awareness, and soothe your soul with inspiring background music. Create a calm environment in which to study, work on projects, solve problems, research, write, and prepare for exams.

Converse with individuals who realize that life is a complex web of interdependence among all human beings, living things, events, and inanimate objects.

Share with curious observers how and why you can remain calm in the midst of uncertainty, losses, successes, defeats, progress, and setbacks.

Help others understand that you view all life as a continuous, ever-widening circle without beginning or end. Explain how every thought, word, and deed impacts people far and near.

Bring ideas, projects, and relationships full circle. Tie together loose ends. Describe how your experiences and studies benefit individuals and all humankind.

Enroll in comparative religion studies. Better understand today's news events by comparing and contrasting the beliefs of the world's great religions.

Find colleges that offer courses in the study of dreams. Look for listings in the departments of psychology, religious studies, and theology.

Select history classes in which you can research events through the lens of conflicting religious doctrines and principles held as truth by some groups.

Register for theology, philosophy, and ethics classes to broaden your thinking. Integrate what you learn into other coursework.

Consider meeting with a spiritual advisor every four to six weeks. Describe instances of being keenly aware of the "invisible hand" of a life force, higher power, or God acting in your life. Be attentive to patterns and recurring questions.

Get involved in campus groups and ministries to nurture your faith tradition or introduce you to new forms of spirituality.

Opt for nontraditional school vacations. Volunteer to build a Habitat for Humanity® house, travel to a third-world nation to help in a medical clinic, clean up an inner-city neighborhood, or work with urban families to plant a neighborhood vegetable garden.

Mentor at-risk students during the school year. Become a reading tutor for adults. Teach English to immigrant and refugee families. Record books for the blind. Serve as a camp counselor for handicapped or terminally ill children.

Use service learning opportunities on campus to explore possible careers that interest you. Spend your summers volunteering for humanitarian causes to determine the best fit for your talents.

Talk to your mentor about the connections you see between your volunteer opportunities, your values, and your mission in life. This relationship can provide a valuable sounding board through which you can articulate the connections that you see so naturally.

Consider dedicating a couple of years of your life to serving your country or community after graduation. Habitat for Humanity®, the Peace Corps, Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), AmeriCorps®, GreenPeace®, and Teach for America® can be good places for you to experience a deep sense of gladness in meeting the world's deep needs.

Incorporate your need to serve all of humankind into whatever career you choose. Working in fields and for organizations whose values mirror your own will enable you to feel the deep sense of meaning that is so important to you.

Environments that allow you to interact with others and help them find meaning and purpose will bring out your best. Avoid environments that emphasize routine procedures or rote skills, as they may drain you.

Talk to people who have made a lifetime commitment to a specific ministry within your faith tradition. Hearing them articulate their sense of connectedness and spirituality may help you determine whether this level of commitment is appropriate for you.



~*~
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so there you have it. that is me. I am a strange one indeed :-p

Your Love Life is Like Titanic

"Promise me you'll survive. That you won't give up, no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless." You think that you only really have one true love in your life. And that you better to anything and everything to be with that person. You tend to be very nostalgic about past loves that didn't work out. There are many secret feelings that you keep to yourself. Your love style: Deep and emotional Your Hollywood Ending Will Be: Bittersweet

You Don't Have a Boyfriend Because You are Too Shy

When a guy gets to know you, he finds a great catch Problem is... you're too shy for most guys to get to know. From meeting someone to dating, you usually have your guard up. And while you're just holding back, it makes you seem like you've got something to hide.

You Are a Good Friend Because You're Fun

You are energetic, amusing, and always up for a good time. Optimistic and genuinely happy, you help people see the sunny side of life. And you're always up for a party... no matter how big or small. You're usually the first one to celebrate a friend's success. Anyone who's interesting or fun is welcome in you circle of friends. You're not the type of person to exclude or make fun of someone who's a little different. Your friends need you most when: They're down or depressed You really can't be friends with: Anyone who's stuck up or chronically unhappy Your friendship quote: "It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."

so... yeah... summer has been fairly boring. I've been working and cleaning... and that's about it. Sometimes I hang out with my friends, but not often. Nothing else exciting is really going on. I would have written something sooner, but there's just nothing to say! :-p

Well, I did see Pirates 3 last night! it was AMAZING! :-D the best one so far. And I plan on seeing it again sometime soon :-)

Aaaaan I don't really have much else to say.

Oh, you're the best friend
That I ever had
I've been with you such a long time
You're my sunshine
And I want you to know
That my feelings are true
I really love you
(ooh) oh, you're my best friend

Ooh, you make me live

Ooh, I've been wandering round
But I still come back to you (still come back to you)
In rain or shine
You've stood by me girl
I'm happy at home (happy at home)
You're my best friend

Ooh, you make me live
Whenever this world is cruel to me
I got you, to help me forgive - oo oo ooh
Ooh, you make me live now honey
Ooh, you make me live

Oh, you're the first one
When things turn out bad
You know I'll never be lonely
You're my only one
And I love the thing
I really love the things that you do
Oh, you're my best friend