Rockstar Tina

taco bell

2007-07-16T10:29:00.000-07:00

the other day I bought a Sunday paper and they had these sweet coupons in them for taco bell. basically I got a supreme taco, burrito, and nachos for only $2.99!! life couldn't get any better. but then I tried to eat that all in one sitting and the rest of the night I was extremely full. who knew that you could feel full for like 6 hours!?! oh and I want to be evonka trump... I don't even know if that is how you spell her name, but she is so hardcore. so amazing and successful! I will be her and eat cheap taco bell everyday! hmmm what a perfect life
rockstar

yummy

2007-07-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

so excited for the taste of Chicago. it is going to be quite splendid. I can't believe that summer is have way over. it has been going by so fast. the petunia festival is going to be lots of fun. Hanging with family... running around... oohhhh and fireworks!! i love fireworks! well got to run!
rockstar

all roads lead to woodfeild

2007-06-28T22:17:00.000-07:00

so I had quite a brilliant time today. jen and I went shopping at woodfeild mall. well first we went to ikea... which pretty much is my new favorite store. It was a little overwhelming though. I think the next time I go I need to have like a reason... like buying bathroom rugs or looking for a new bed or picking out a new plant. It was just a massive amount of material in that store. then we went over to woodfeild mall... which was full as usual. I really love that store because it just has so much going on. I love crowds. but sense last night I only got like 3 hours of sleep I kept needing to eat and get coffee. I think I have a sleepy headache so I really need to go to bed. but it was a really great day and hanging out with jen now that she is married is actually way fun... I thought things would be way different, but it was cool to see that so much is the same and if things have changed it is totally for the better. way to go God... doing the right thing at the right time all over again!!!

Surpised by Joy....HA!

2007-06-27T10:21:00.000-07:00

wow it has been more than a year sense i used this sucker.... wow twice in one day that i typed that word.... crazy??? I think yes!! so I'm reading this book... surprised by joy by c.s. lewis. I think I want to change the title to "surprised by vocabulary". Or maybe "surprised by sentence structure" or even length would work! wow that man is some kind of writer... I would say well winded, but one needs no air to right... so maybe I should say well inked. sorry I'm a dork. basically I spend the majority of my time looking up the words he is using because I have no idea what on earth he is talking about. when I read c.s. lewis I fully understand the meaning of mental fatigue. I have to use all my brain power to focus on what he is saying. the majority of the time I have to re-read pages of his book just to understand what I just read!! Man if Charlotte have to spin a web for c.s. lewis I swear she wouldn't have time to spin a web word for him because it would be so long and she would probably misspell it because the world that would fully describe him no one on the entire planted has heard about it. Also.... so are all these authors they he sites reading.... I've never heard of them, heck I can't even read there names!! wow, it has been quite an forehead wrinkling last couple of days. Surprised by Joy... Ha! But really he has made some good comments that I agree with. Points about solitude, things and activities he perused to gain some connection to the joy he fully wanted to taste. Its been good for me... in the long run. On a side note. This is the end of the beginning. My sarah will be the last of my friends to depart. then... well I don't know what I will do. I miss faith, rebecca, rachel, carrie, jen, and so many others that have left this summer.... sarah is just the cherry on top of that. Blahhh. but I decided to dedicate this time of friendlessness to God. Focus on him... for he after all is my ultimate friend!! I love God... he rocks! well tootles!!

true colors shining through

2006-04-09T21:48:00.000-07:00

so sorry about not writing in forever... but I must tell the truth: Facebook has me hooked. I just get all wrapped up in checking it, that I neglected to think of my blog...whoops! Anyways why is it that when you are given the perfect opertunity to do something great you just stand there?? This past week at work we were all standing around working on our blood product and one of my fellow co-works had a family member come in and donate blood. This perticular family member wanted to see what "happened" to the blood after donation so we let them come back to the lab and check things out. Then right in the middle of processing the blood, who should begin to have reactions to the donation, but this donor standing right in the lab. Everyone else springs to action and help hold, ask question, give air, talk pulse, call 911... and what does yours truely do... thats right- I just stood there and took the whole thing in. I eventually when out to the front of the building and let the EMT guys in... but come on.... I'm going to be graduating with a degree in health care and I do what... hold the door for the EMT. I don't think I could feel any lower then after that point. I mean... really! Anyways this whole flippin' degree has me confussed and I don't think I like it and I just want to do something else and I don't know what that is and it's really driving me crazy and I just have been so.... AHHHHH the last couple of weeks. I mean I love my life soooooo much, but I really am not intested in my "job's" at all. I am so excited to get off of work and to not have to think about working in a hospital. I find myself being most happy when I think that I can do something different then work in the health care feild. I don't know what I would do, but it's got to be better then how I feel about working as a CLS. I know that I am good at what I do and that if I try hard enough I could really excel, but do I want to do this with the rest of my life? I've poured so much of my heart and soul into just finishing this and now that I am done I kind of just want to be like "see I knew I could do it and I did it!". But after I say that... that's it. I have little desire to step into the world that I have created for myself and it scares me to death that I am not listen to God enough to really understand what it is that I am suppose to be doing. I just want to do the right thing. It also gets me so frustrated that whenever I start worrying about what the future is going to bring I then start stressing that I still have not met a guy or even a potential for a guy... WHY CAN'T I JUST FIND SOMEONE TO LOVE AND SOMEONE WHO LOVES ME! okay it is totally late and I am starting to spase out and I think that I might be PMSing so I'm going to sigh off and know that I've put all this out their and it's nothing to stress over and God is in control. Blahhhhhh it really does feel good to have just sat here for the last 15 min and say what has been lingering and simmering in the back of my mind for like the last 4 weeks! ahhhh sooo good. (but really I do want to fall in love... why do I hate that I want that so bad. is it really that crazy for me to write... or am I just so scared of being hurt by something that I want so desperately bad, that I'm pretending I don't want it so I can pretend not to feel crushed that I don't have anyone wanting to love me! Okay I can stop moping duhhhh I totally have God I can rely on HIM! Easier said then done!

To cut through and earing

2006-02-16T13:40:00.000-08:00

i'm really going to try and get some new pictures put up on this blog. I mean it would make it so much more interesting and that picture of me is like 2 years old by now. sheesh! So funny story from this week at clinicals I was up drawing a lady and she said that she had her baby on the side of the road. I mean you see it all the time in ER and all those other hospital show... but it is quite another thing when you see the people in real life and all. I thought i was pretty interesting. I guess her other two babies had to be induced so she was sitting there thing... I have all the time in the world... oops I guess not. Dad had to deliever the baby right there in front of the car dealership. Craziness!
On another note: how freaking long does it take for a cartilage ear pericing to heal? and an even better question is how do you get the earing out of your ear. A couple night ago my pericing of now 8 weeks was driving me bonkers and I decided to just take the sucker out. I mean come on enough is enough. But then, believe it or not, I can't get the earing out. I think I might need to ask claires how to remove it otherwise I guess I'll just have to stand it. The good thing is after my little "freak- out fit", I clean the ear and the swelling and pain has gone down... but still not all gone. So now I just sit here in paused wonder thinking "what is sharp enough to cut through and earing???!!!"

o'hare

2006-02-13T16:39:00.000-08:00

yeah! today Faith, Rachel, and I drove to chicago and I drop Rach off at the O'hare airport. It was so cool to do that... I felt like such a grown up. I mean we pulled up, got out, hugged each other. Wished Rach a safe flight and then we were on our way back. I'd say faith and I did quite an amazing job navigating ourselves back home. We did cut a few people off... I apologize to all those chicagians that had to put up with that. But I really did enjoy that process and it was super good for me because it erased a lot of fears that I had about driving into the city. It was fine and I would totally do it again. Yeah Chicago and O'hare... Rachel I hope you have an amazing time in Florida and on your cruise....vaction hard! Tina

my best move

2006-02-12T17:02:00.000-08:00

this weekend has been way fun. It all started with a trip to the house and fun listening to all the randomness there, then heading over with some friends to play pool at ottos. That was way fun. Most memorable moment: when a guy came up to me and said "hey let me show you my best move" and then... head butts me in the shoulder! Yes, another good reason that I don't drink... I mean people go crazy. But it does make for a funny story! Then on saturday we went to chicago and watched the chicago wolves hockey game. That was way amazing. I love hockey and even though they got spanked like new born babies... they did give us one glorious fight and that is engough to satisfied me! weekend fun is my favorite! I'm signing my lease to live here for one more year. I totally don't know what my future hold, but I am presently putting together my resume and am entertaining the idea of actually using my degree to direct my future plans! does working at the zoo sound like fun? peace out!

to satisfiy you trish

2006-02-05T17:46:00.000-08:00

so windows are a thing of the past... yes the joy and excitment that they once brought are no longer. I mean who can really find joy when you have someone breathing down your neck about chemistry. Yes- I must say that out of all my rotations I think that chemistry is one of the worst. the chem section head is just a little to much... I mean take a breath once in a while. And talk about a time waister. I mean this guys is a pro at finding ways to pretend to work but really not do anything. And the crazy thing is that I seriously think that he thinks he really is working. Those are the times that I realize that the world really is made up of crazy people and that I must do all that I can do to restore normalcy... now everyone really know that there is no hope for the planent earth... I mean i should never be responsible for making things normal! Ahhhhhhh

You gotta love windows

2005-12-14T10:58:00.000-08:00

As i sit at my clinical and pass time by totally breaking the rules and blogging I am just so glad that my lab has windows. All morning long it has been snowing and just being able to look out at the beutiful Rock river become completely covered in snow is amazing. I love when the river freezes over! Last year it took forever for the river to get cold, but this year it is like so frozen. I am really glad for the snow. I mean I am not super fond of cold weather, but the snow makes it much more fun and pretty to deal with. And who wouldn't take a snowy christmas over a dark-dead christmas? I hpe the snow last until christmas; just watch it totally get warm and all the snow leave...sad. So the college seach continues. I am still throwing around the idea of going to a christian school once I finish at NIU and study counceling, but who knows? well I must go for now! Big snow little snow, Little snow Big snow! Tina

Grumpy! Ha

2005-12-13T12:01:00.000-08:00

So yesterday was a really weried day. I felt really out of place, I kept getting really annoyed and irritated for no reason. I mean no one did anything or was more unusual than normal, I was just blah...grumpy. I going to blam it all on NIU. I mean really what is up with forcing us to be on campus when everyone else is getting to experience the joy of vacation, AhHH NO! I don't think so. So this whole day started off weried when first thing, I begrudgingly, drag myself to campus and upon trying to enter Dusable find all the doors locked. So I had to walk all the freakin' way around the building to get in the back. Once I get inside it didn't help that the janitors were going crazy mad cleaning everything and all the desks, chairs and garbage made my path to the classroom more like a struggle through the depths of dispaire! My day didn't get any better with the joke of a DNA lab that we had to do. I mean really How complicated can it be to load the gel, flip a darn swtich and wait three, for serious, long hours for the DNA to come out, so that we can dye it and then say "my was a band or a smudge!" Come on our education has to be more than that! Of course nothing got better once I got to work. I mean what was I thinking wearing light lavendar scrub pants with a camo long sleeve shirt, didn't I know those don't go together. I might as well have worn plaid and strips together for all the harassing I got. I mean really people... I'm not trying to win a fashion contest here... I just wanted to work and go home to bed. But even that was a challenge, for on arriving home from work rach and becca were there and sense I never get to talk to them I really wanted to stay up...so I did until freaking 2:30 in the moring...ummmm yeah getting up at 5:00 am this morning was all sorts of fun! Ha Ha but surpizingly for as off balance was my day yesterday, today seems to be going pretty well, thankgoodness for caffine pills they make everything alot more fun! Ha Ha. Hey whatever I have to do to make it through to the end of the semester... Break wont be here soon enough! Tina

snow snow snow!

2005-12-10T16:22:00.000-08:00

so a great gift, it snowed an amazing amount on my birthday! It was fun to see, not so much fun to drive in. then again today it is snow like a mad-man out there. I really don't know how I feel about that. Do I like the fun of how clean and new the snow makes everything or do I hate how it slows me down and I have to dirve like 45 miles an hour on 88? well I think in the long run the pretty snow and not the peskie snow win! I do love snow, it makes everything seem so wintery and christmasy! yeah! well my car half died today. Basically she was just irritated that I started her cold and didn't let her warm up, so when I stopped for gas she was like "that's it, now more!" But with some little encouragement from me, she realized it was for the best of both of us that she start and get me to work! I'm glad my car likes me and we can comunicate on such a good level! Ha Ha Tina

Lily Grace

2005-12-06T06:12:00.000-08:00

I am so totally in love! My cousins Katie and Josh Hamlin have had their first baby, a beutiful baby girl and she is so amazing. Her little face is the most amazing beuty I've every encountered! I can't wait to hold her and kiss her tiny fingers and toes. I love my little lily! Tina

It's beinging to smell alot like thanksgiving!

2005-10-26T14:17:00.000-07:00

Yeah- today as I was walking out of clinicals I smelled the best smell ever- leaves burning. I wish they would bottle that smell or make some kind of yard candle that would smell like that. I would just love to set a candle out on our back porch and be able to have that smell that the strike of a match...wait I could have that smell at the strike of a match... whatever you know what I mean. Hey if anyone out there is know whit and isaac I totally recommend them checking out their way cook wedding website at http://whitneyandisaac.weddings.com, it tottally is cool! well I'll talk to you later! Tina

and the weeks go on!

2005-09-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

Yeah on Sept. 25th I was baptized. It was freaking awesome. I was telling one of my friends that I wished I could be baptized every sunday, but alas one time is good enough. But thank you jesus it was eveything that I ever hoped for. It was a really amazing experience. I am so glad that I waited until I was older and really understood the significance of my christian faith. I was really able to dig into my reason for getting baptized and it was so worth everything. God knew what he was talking about when he commanded us to follow Jesus! Obeying God totally rocks. Besides that, my clinicals continue to move forward. I'm starting to study for my next pre-ro (microbiology) heres hoping I pass. I've really been enjoying my clinicals. They get better every week because I learn more and more. I like not having to ask so many questions and it's cool when I know stuff because of all the studying i've done. basically i enjoy not having to be watched every second of the day. It's kind of werid though because at times I'm totally left in the lab by myself and I just go about working like a regular tech, except I not. So it's kind of cool that even though I'm in the first faze of my career it is going well and people trust me enough to leave me do their work. I kind of like it. well TTFN
p.s. the girl who ussually records Lost for me forgot and I really want to watch it. Did any of you record it and can i get a copy from you??? Tina

clinicals

2005-09-15T15:33:00.000-07:00

So I really can't tell you that much about my clinicals... what with confidentialiy laws and such, but just to give you all a taste of what it is like to be at my clinicals I will share the follwoing story. So my suprivisor and I are going through a check list and she is telling me tests that they do and test that they don't. Then she names of a couple test and is all like "of course we don't do these" kind of in a "how absurd would that be" tone. Curiously I tilt my head and squint my eyes and I ask "well, why wouldn't we run those test, aren't they pretty easy and routine". She does one of those head tilts and half smile and continues slowly "Well...sense dixon has such a low african american population those test just really arn't worth our time or money to offer." To this I responded with a head jerk and a try at a quick recovery. I mean dixon seriously has such a low ethic population that the hospital I am at actually dosen't run certain test. All I can say is Wow... our very white mayor should really do something about opening up our community to be more ethically diverse. Lets just say that I'll try and do my part by dating any men with dark skin! Oh and a holla out to trisha- who I'm sure is the only one that reads this- I really only have time to blog on thursday so I wouldn't bother checking any other days! love ya! Tina

school, clinical, work, and a little fun!

2005-09-12T10:37:00.000-07:00

so really all I do is go to school, then to work, then to clinicals. I study quite frequently and sometimes I'm totally like ahhhh I just need to totally get out and have a great time. Thank God for the weekend. even though I have to work over the weekend it is such a blessed thing to not worry one little bit about studying or even thinking hard in the smallest way! But this weekend I had a total blast. I rented "Bird on a wire" (classic mel gibson goldie hawn movie), went miniture golfing, did the batting cages. ooh by the way batting cages rock. I think i've found a new favorite hobbie. I totally want to go like every weekend. It lets you really bang out your aggression, it rocks. I totally recomend everyone giving it a try. But anyways I also did a little shoping. to anyone that is interested JC penny and kolhs are having freaking awesome sales! any way word out. I have to run to management class. (yuck when will ten weeks end!?!)

And the insanity begins

2005-08-25T15:07:00.000-07:00

well I've finished my first week of clinicals, it was really tough...I totally don't know enough about anything. I have a huge exam tomorrow...I pray I don't blow it! well I've got to run or I'll never get done with everything I've got to do. just wanted to let those who cared know that I am still alive and with any hope I;ll stay that way until winter break (God please let it come quickly!) Tina

2005-07-28T17:36:00.001-07:00

oh do you have a phone number yet??? call me and let me now what it is!

2005-07-28T17:36:00.000-07:00

oh by the way thanks trish for being so great and wanting to hang out we totally are going to have to!

one of those scrunch up your forehead moments

2005-07-28T17:30:00.000-07:00

so totally random...as I'm putting away my breakfast dishes this morning I'm looking out the window and I'm like "why are all those people standing around that pile of rubble....wait a minute that pile of burned rubble used to be a building of garages and those charred object at one time were automobiles. Wolly man...I didn't even hear one peep last night!" Isn't that totally crazy I can't believe the garage right next to us burned like complete down...how insane is that! tina

2005-07-26T17:17:00.000-07:00

okay sorry about the long hiatus that I took from writing but holy wow have I had a lot of changes in the last 3 weeks. First I got a job working at heartland blood center as a component tech. I just love the job. I am getting some really great experience and I really think it is going to help me a little bit come clinical. Because of this great job I was able to move back to school and my apartment. I just love being back. Jen and Rachel are awesome and we are going to have such a blast living together. I also was happy because for an awesome three weeks I got to live with my older sissy again. The day she moved out I was a little taken back at how much I miss having her around (the little that she was around). I mean now I have to officially be an adult and make sure I pay my bills and that I buy all the food and crap. I mean I guess in that one first short evening without her I realized how much I mooched off of her. And I really really really was sad. But we both are going to be getting really great experiences out of our new living arrangement so I am trying to have a good time, even though I wish I could just be back with my big sister (I wonder if she has a spare bed! or couch....couch would be just fine!) Tina

Time gets away from ya!

2005-06-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

well july 1st is almost here, and that means that 2nd is almost here and that is the day I run in the regan run. AHHHHHHH! Well at least I was able to recruit two more people to join, so Coral, jen, faith, and myself will all compete in this wonderful race! yeah! well I best be going I have an interview at heatland in a couple hours and I need to prepare. Tina

a day for wounds

2005-06-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

all day long I have been inflicted by wounds, first at work as I was unloading wheelchairs from the van I totally cute myself, then in production as I was starting a wire order that the clients could work on I jabbed myself in the finger with a sharp pokey object, and then while I was on lunch I pinched my finger in my sunglasses resulting in a nasty blood blister...ouch. I was thinking this was so horrible that I thought for one second that maybe I should cancel my trip to dekalb, I mean I didn't want to die before I even had a chance to move into my apartment. But luckily here I am safe and sound at my apartment and I only got into about one car accident...lucky me!

blah day!

2005-06-10T20:34:00.000-07:00

I had to work at krieder and shopko today and my feet are kind of sore. I was trying to think of one interesting thing that happened to me today so that I could blow it out of proportion...but I don't think I even had a single anything to exaggerate on. Soooo Random thoughts on my mind:
It is incredibly hot and so every time I walk outside I sweat like 10 bucket, but who really cares about that!
I wonder if I am going to get together with Faith for her birthday, I totally need an excuse to rock out and the 22nd seems like a perfect day to just that, so if any of you who know faith and want to help me plan something just get a hold of me!
Also I think I am totally digging Black Eye'd Peas music. I love their new song. well out for me! Tina

New Carpet, New Plans

2005-06-09T20:27:00.000-07:00

I was suppose to be able to move some of my belonging from my old apartment to my new apartment this Friday and Saturday, but alas...They apartment people are laying new carpet (goodie for the apartment baddie for me the mover). I had taken off this weekend so that I could move and pack and all that fun stuff and now I am going to have to do all that on Wednesday. Plahhhh! Weeeellll I'm sure I will work it out. I think the tentative plan is to work Friday and Saturday, because I got some extra shifts at shopko, then Sunday drive out to dekalb make sure all my garbage is packed properly and in nice little piles, hang out with friends, then drive back that night. Then I am just going to have to call off on Wednesday and go out to dekalb and move all my stuff. Ahhhhh well it will all work out in the end I am sure. To all those individuals in Dekalb I'll see ya Sunday! Tina
P.S. My cousin Katie will find out on the 20th the sex of her baby. I'm hoping for a girl, she is hoping for a boy. But heck any little bundle of joy is a blessing and i'm sure either way it will be exciting. I can barely wait!

hills kill!

2005-05-31T11:14:00.000-07:00

so co co made me run up hills, not a lot of hills, but enough hills that my butt... mind you one butt cheek... hurts so bad I can barly walk! Poor Tina, beuty is pain as they say! tina

What's in a name?

2005-05-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

So my cousin Katie, whom I love and adore is having her first baby! Yeah, I am so excited for her. Whenever I go shopping I always have to stop in the maternity section... or even more perfect at the mall- stop in an entire store that is filled with so much mommy and baby stuff it is just perfect. So in my excited for the birth of my "cousin once removed" and always wanting to put my two cents in... I decided the best way for me to be involved is to help with the name picking out process. So I spent more than two hours surfing the web looking at unique, most popular, biblical, unusual, Indian, Islamic, Celtic, Irish, odd, and everything in between for names. It was so fun and funny. Can you believe there on a list for girls names was Patches, Fidelity, and Ollie. For boys they were name just as bad like Ace, Hammer, and Rocky! I mean really do people actually name their children these names!?! I must say though, I did run across a couple of really cute girl names such as Everly and Wren (perfect middle names) and Jazlyn, Laylin, and Chays. Oh such cute names. The boys where a little harder, but I liked Jaxon, Dalton, Mathias, and Haydon. All this research has made me excited in one way to be a mother and go through this whole process for myself. But then I get to thinking...I mean I am glad that I can join in and send my cousin weird names (that I am sure she wrinkles her nose to) but I'm happy to end the whole process there. After all I am not ready for 10 hours of labor!! I'm happy for those who are ready to tackle that mountain of a goal but as for me... I am happy to stand at the bottom of that mountain, look up and admire it beauty, and hope to one day climb it's winding adventurous trails. Somday! Tina

Training begins

2005-05-22T15:20:00.000-07:00

If someone where to tell me a couple months ago that I would be training to run a 5K I would have laughed in their faces....well that is exactly what I am doing. Today began the inevitable...the day I ran. I know, right now hell is freezing over and pigs are flying, but what can I say it's a cooky world. I officially ran two miles in a four mile course. I know... nothing to be all hooha over, but to me it was quite an accomplishment. I'll let you know how great I feel tomorrow after I run again and put in a full day of work. It will be hard, but I think worth it! Tina

Big adventure in Dixon

2005-05-21T17:08:00.000-07:00

So to add to the wonderful activities offered by Dixon (no I'm not tallking about the stop lights in Dixon), we have a whole super walmart...not just a wal-mart...a super wal-mart. Finally a place where I can go at 2 am... a place where there never is sleep...life in dixon has never been sweeter!

Lab Awareness week!

2005-04-26T16:27:00.000-07:00

The best thing happened today...Being lab awareness week and us being CLS. WE got to party hard with temporary tattoos. That's right temporary tattoos. Nothing beats a temporary tattoo, a perfect little picture on a piece of paper that with the wettening of a paper towel and with 15 seconds of pressure becomes my own little picture...ever so artfully placed on my very own cheek! Bravo to the temporary tatoos!

School is hating on me!

2005-04-25T16:39:00.000-07:00

I have a huge parasitology exam tomorrow and I have been studying like there is no tomorrow...but if there was never a tomorrow I defiantly wouldn't waste my time studying parasites so maybe I was studying as if tomorrow was today or something like that. I am totally getting "AhhHHH" out. Why do we have to know the size of every trophozoite, cysts, worm, proglottid of every amebae, flagellates, coccidia, and helminth...does anyone know what I am talking about??? of course not because to normal people living in the normal world theses things are not important and so I'm having a hard time believing that in the Clinical Lab world they will be any more important. I don't know what they are trying to prove by forcing us to learn huge amounts of information that after tomorrow I will totally puke out and never remember again!

The Killa and Tina = unstoppable at nerts!

2005-04-14T11:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the day for our ever anticipated Lost party. I've been eagerly awaiting this night and so I thought "Why not make some special food?", because that's what I do when I think something is special. So I spend many an hour working on preparing wonderful caramel cheesecake, a yummy cheese dip, and well some totally nasty cheese stix that I'm trying to forget about. Content that I not only remembered the party but also was able to remember to bring food, and boy was I going to BRING FOOD! AT about 6:30p.m. trish and I are getting ready to go when she gets a phone call that results in us finding out that the season finally of Lost is not that night but some unknown date in the future! At first I was disappointed because I thought all my wonderful foods would not be eaten (well they would be, but I would be the only one, and no one should eat an entire cheesecake!). But luckily Jenny and Kara also didn't realize until that very day that lost was not that evening, so we decided to still have our party and substitute nert for Lost! It turned out pretty, the Killa and I rocked at cards! Tina

Rip Roaring angry

2005-04-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

Sometime people do things that just totally get under my skin and the only way that I don't turn completely postal is by venting my rage, either via blog or close friends! I think this world would be a much better place to live if every, over competitive, cereal-box sunglass wearing, same sweat-shirt wearing, raise your hand for every question, kiss the professors butt, self-centered, over-studying, back-stabbing, Ha I did better than you, urrr I hate you because you scored better than me, lame-joke telling, stick your nose where it doesn't belong, get out of my way, I'm so much smarter than you... if those people were just washed off the face of the earth living would be so much easier!!! AHHHH... do I feel better. I suppose people like that just don't know how much it hurts to step on people! I suppose what they really need is a good friend that can tell them to their face that they are being a jerk! But being nice to these people is soooo hard. I guess that's why God repeatedly tells us to love our enemies and bless those who curse us. If it was easy He wouldn't have to remind us. But, ohhh she is making it so hard! Tina

Spa Night

2005-04-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

Totally had a fun night last night. My friend jen's mom hosted a spa night. 9 women got together and the one rule of the night, "if you wanted something done you couldn't do it yourself". So, basically we were being pampered all night...by each other. I got a face mask and tried this really cool massage thing. Then I painted a couple of peoples toes and that was really fun. But the best part of all was the food...crab sandwiches, corn chips, cheese dips, salsa, cream cheese spread with cracker, chocolate covered strawberries, mini pecan pies, toffee brownies, ohhhh it was all so yummy I finally resorted to just hanging out in the kitchen because I was getting tired of walking back and forth....sooooooo good. Then at the very end we got to do this little present game and I scored some really pretty nail polish. All in all I say that I totally am a big fan of spa nights and anytime it involves jen's mom cooking....I'LL BE THERE!

Science Fair: What fair about it!?!

2005-04-02T10:33:00.000-08:00

So, today I volunteered to help at the science fair that NIU was hosting for all the area junior high and high school winners. I thought, hey I'll pass out some juice, do some directing it will be a snap...Right?....I don't think so. I get there and I am going to be a judge!!! That's right judging. So there I was wandering around, trying to pretend like I knew what the heck I was doing; when really I didn't have a clue. And man, these kids...They are like way to smart for their own good. I'm thinking at 12 or 13 I was lucky if I could get my shirt on straight and if it matched my pants...Hey I was having a really good day! So, this whole volunteer to help out and get a little "feel good about yourself" boost totally back fired and as far as judging goes, I feel bad for the kids because most the time I didn't know what the heck they were talking about... I just nodded my head and try to pretend like I was thinking deeply about what they said. Hey at least I was good at passing out stickers!! Tina

So this is what it's like to get a life!!

2005-03-07T13:14:00.000-08:00

This weekend was a completely busy blast! Friday I went to Rockford with Jen S. and picked up some blue hair dye, we ate at Fazoilli's (note to self: if you ever decided to open a restaurant, unlimited bread sticks is the key to success!), and then headed home. We picked up Rachel and Faith and headed back to my apartment and dyed my hair blue (it looks awesome, I love it!). Then we headed over to lifestone cafe and played some cards and hung out. I headed out kind of early because Saturday morning I was up at 7A.M. heading back to Dixon, I hung out with my mom (whose fist response to the blue hair was "my little smurf"! why do people keep saying that??? smurfs had yellow or white hair... their SKIN was what was blue and my skin is not blue!). Then at around 11a.m. we (Coral and I) headed off to visit whitney at ISU. It was a fun drive and I was proud of myself because we didn't google for direction, I just picked up an Illinois map and drew our own path! Once at ISU we went and did a little shopping at Plato's closet and then we had to head back because at 5P.M. we left for Peoria to go to a Riverman hockey game and Jars of Clay concert. Both were awesome. Coral decided to cheer for the opposing team so we both had fun trash talking between the two of us (I'm happy to report that my team won 3-1). Sadly there was only one fight and the ref's didn't even let them get to into!! Sunday morning we woke up, got ready and went to Whit's church, cornerstone. It was really cool they had a good speaker who addressed the issue of evangelism and how we should strive for a messages of love and not hatred!! After that we went to Denny's because none of us had ever been. It seemed like your all American dining joint and we enjoyed it quite nicely! Once we were all finished we packed up and with our trusty map headed back to Dixon. I decided to hang out with the family Sunday night so this morning I drove back to Dekalb. So there it is, quite a busy weekend and I had to think to myself, wow this is what if feels like to have a life and not just hold up in my apartment watching t.v., blogging or reading a book. It was a great change of pace, but I must say I did miss being lazy!!! Tina

being early isn't all its racked up to be

2005-03-03T11:42:00.000-08:00

People are constantly saying that it's always good to be early. You get free stuff, you get noticed, you basically get a head. I personally think this is a load of crab. Take for instance yesterday, I have a class that only meets every once in a while on Wednesday mornings at 8:00am. So I stayed up until 2:30am completing all the homework that I needed to turn in when I arrived at this wonderful 8 A.M. class. I wake up at 7 A.M. get ready for school, catch a bus, and walk to my class room....my empty class room. Oh yeah that's right class doesn't start for another hour!!!! I hate being early!! Tina

Friday night

2005-02-26T12:21:00.000-08:00

So lifestone was really fun last night. we totally got to do karaoke, and it was a blast. I was really scared to do it, my legs were shaking the whole time. But the girls I sang with (lauren, trish, sam, rach) they are awesome and we had so much fun, stumbling over words, singing off tune, and laughing up a storm. Plus you can't go wrong singing "I will survive"! Then we played some cards, though it is becoming less and less ahhhhh. I guess I was just super tired last night. well I best go I hoping to run to Rockford today and get some hair dye (I'm thinking blue this time around!). Later Tina
P.S. I totally am looking forward to the NIU men's b-ball game, it is going to be a blast!! I just have to talk a bunch of people into going! well later! Tina

The lady in the bathroom

2005-02-25T15:48:00.000-08:00

For the CLS program we have to visit hospital labs that we are interested in doing our clinical site at. So, one of my professors told my class that if we attended this state meeting we could get extra credit, and sense I pretty much would do anything for extra credit, my friend shanti and I decided to go. It also was going to be nice because one of the hospitals that we wanted to visit was right on the way. The day before we are suppose to go to this "meeting", I call the hospital and try and set up an appointment. Of course they are all, "we are much to busy... and that day and time just wont work for us". So there we were totally right across town from the hospital and we decide, lets just try and go. We go into the hospital and try and play all dumb, being like "we were suppose to visit the lab, they told us just to come at night." The lady at the desk barley knew there was even such a thing as a lab in the hospital, but finally she finds someone that says they will come and get us. Sense the lab is totally hidden in the the basement of basements we decide to go to the bathroom while we wait. While in the bathroom we decide to plan our crap excuse for why we randomly just showed up on a night when they totally told us not to come. There we were... blabbing away, deciding what to say and phrases to steer clear from. During this whole scheming process people are moving in and out. Two young adult ladies, a mother and her child with a huge gash on his head, and a small little old lady. We finished our bathroom duties and head out to meet up with the man from the lab. The guy come and takes us down to the basement of basements and he tells us to sit and wait for the person who was going to come and give us the tour. So there we are sitting in wait... when who should appear to give us our tour, but the little old lady from the bathroom! Yes, the very person who heard all of our scheming and plotting. Our mouths totally dropped, "How could my life be so ironic!?!" Luckily she was super nice and gave us the tour anyways. But take my warning oh faithful blog reader, "Beware what you say in the bathroom... you never know who might be listening!!" Tina

Red pants

2005-01-21T10:47:00.000-08:00

Every Friday this semester I am going to have to wake at the early hours of 6:30 a.m. so that I can get ready and go to work at the wonderful library! Today was my first official early wake up call sense...goodness knows when. Now that we have the present situation down let me give you the back drop of my story. Over this last weekend I had taken all of my clothes home so I could do some laundry...One of my most favorite things... hauling a heaping basket of stinky clothes out into the world where everyone can see not only my dirty clothes but also the shear volume of clothing. Well to move my story right along when I came back from my parents house (where I take the dirty laundry), I discovered that I had left all..not one not two... but all of my jeans at home. I am the jeaniest jean of a jean girl you ever did see. When I wake up in the morning I don't think, "now what kind of pants today?"...NO! NO! I grab my ever faithful jeans. I mean jeans are perfect; everything goes with jeans. A bummy sweat shirt...works, a dressy top...works, a ordinary t-shirt...Definitely Works! So here I was... an hour away from my jeans and school was starting the next day, plus I had work so basically I was jeanless. I figured it's the start of a whole new semester, why not start off a little different. And different I was. I was either extremely dressy in my black pants and good shirts, or extremely bummy in my sweat shirts and my wonderful new red jogging pants. Ohhh let me tell you about my jogging pants. They called forth to me in my most desperate hour of need. I had been shopping all day and though there were deals to be had galore I had found nothing to my liking. Then in one of those shining halo, build-up hallelujah moments, I found my awesome red jogging pants at the to die for sale of $7. I was so excited to ware my wonderful new red pants and what better day then my very first day of school. Well...the red pants didn't turn out to be as rednerful as I would have hope. Though I loved them in every way, the legs on these pants were the longest thing, even the Nile would be impressed. All day long it was a battle of tugging and pulling and adjusting. To make matters worse it was a wet, sloppy, snowy day out, so every time I walked outside my pants would become drenched up to my knees in muddy, icy, cold water. There my pants were slapping there wet icy fabric appendages against my freezing legs and causing my poor feet to feel like ice cubes. When I arrived home that night I swore off red pants for sure...until I thought "you know, it wouldn't be that hard to fix them". Which brings us to this morning. I decided in the wee hours of the morning that safety pins would work best. I scavengered around our apartment only to find one pin. Then I remembered that at one point when I was trying to be creative and fix our curtains I had used a whole slew of safety pins. I quickly gather them and begin the process of pinning the pants. After 15 min of pushing and pulling, folding and creasing I finished and slip them on. Not the worst in the world. Nonchalantly I glance at the clock....What? No way? The bus would be here in four min. In a whirlwind of shoes, books, homework, coat and gloves I breeze out the door, only to see the bus making the curve and heading for my stop. I take off running, hoping that everything about the nike commercial was true and that by having my red pants on I could do better. The bus flies by my stop, I keep running... huffing and puffing all the time thinking, he's going to see me, he's got to see me....I'm almost ready to give up when wait, is that bus begins to slow?...Victory...the bus is slowing...I'm going to catch the bus. Then out of the very butt of this bus comes a very unbecoming rumble, which works its way out with a crud VROOOM! VROOOM! Leaving me behind only to smell it awful after affect...How could he have missed me? I was a huge blob of dark cloths, springing blue, purple, and pink hair among a background of white powder. I was the proverbial firework in the night sky, the blinking slow down sign on the highway, the notice me billboard in the center of town. Someday these bus drivers are going to have to open there eyes and do some real bus driving. Tina

P.S. luckily my big sis hadn't left for work yet so I hitched a ride with her in the ever faithful blue angle of death.

Purple as a plum!

2005-01-09T20:32:00.000-08:00

Winter break has been going extremely well. I have just enough to do that I don't get bored, yet enough time to get in some really good R&R. One very exciting change has been that I colored my hair purple! Yeah! I don't know why I decided I wanted purple hair, but one day it was a random thought... and then all of the sudden it was like an obsession. I couldn't get the idea of purple hair out of my head. So, I went to Sally's and tried to find the perfected hair color...and let me tell you if the help at Sally's could be measured in length, they would be in the negative. By the time I walked out of this special hair store I was more confused then when I had first walked in. Finally, thanks to my Rachel friend I was able to purchase the right color and just to make sure that my hair would turn purple I scheduled an appointment with a professional beautician. There I was getting my hair colored (I got to sit under one of those round head blow dryer things! First time...Very special!) and when she is finish it is purple, but more red than purple because I had my hair previously colored red. So after just two washes my hair is completely normal and I am 30 bucks poorer. So I sulk over Christmas and New Years just knowing that if only my hair had been truly purple life would be completely perfect. With the holiday's over I decide it is time to make my move. To first thing first I go and get my bleach kit... If the red wasn't going to work with me then I wasn't going to work with it. I set up my bleach kit and with my ever faithful Rachel friend I begin the bleaching process. One hour of burning, itching skull and at the end a mostly bleached head. My hair was still pretty orangey and some of the roots didn't get done. Of course the next day I had made plans with my friend Coral to go with her to her college. So there I was with like 5 different colors in my hair running around Iowa with my friend. Finally Saturday arrives and I was able to buy more bleach and that night again begin the ritual of burning my skull. With very pale hair the purple color is quickly applied. With all the roots perfectly color I only have 20 min to wait to see if the pain of the bleach had been enough for the evil red color to loosen it grip on my hair. With 20 min up I wash the color out and much to my delight and satisfaction my hair is the purplest purple a purple could get. So my story ends with the perfect purple hair ever! Tina

Twenty-one and not going to drink!?!

2004-12-13T16:03:00.000-08:00

School is finally finished. One more semester put behind me! Can you hear the joyful sound of choirs bursting forth with song? I was so busy the last two weeks of school all I did was eat, sleep, and breath my textbooks and notes. So exasperated was I at the end of these two weeks, that it has taken me an entire week to recuperate. I'm sure my pain is no more than any other college student going through finals so I am deeply concerned for those of you out there who are still in the process of finals! Good luck with those! So December 8th was my birthday and it was so much fun!!! Everybody was so great...and the presents! I am still so amazed about the stuff people got me! It was all so amazing...I loved every min. So I turned 21 and I am proud to say that I did not go out and get wasted. I was tempted... let me tell you. I like having a good time the same as the next person and up until the week of my birthday I was thinking that there would be nothing wrong with have one or two drinks on my birthday. And I still don't think there is anything wrong with having a drink every now and then, but I also want everything that I do to be honoring to God. I knew I didn't want to drink, but what were my reasons? You have to have a reason for the things you do otherwise you might as well just blindfold yourself and try and cross 6 lanes of traffic and hope you make it. I know God wouldn't expect me to do something that foolish just like He doesn't expect me to do things in this life with out having reasons. So as my birthday loomed nearer and nearer I was having this internal battle. If I wasn't going to drink I definately wanted to have reasons why and they were going to be ones that I felt comfortable admitting to. But I had nothing. Then little things started revealing themselves to me. In a couple of my classes (secular classes), there were discussions on the affects that alcohol can have on the best of people, how it is the root of so much of the turmoil that this world experiences. But still that wasn't enough, I mean having one or two drinks wasn't going to make me into some kind of criminal!! Then my pastor said something that really spoke to me. He said that time and time again God warns us to stay far away from the things of this world. He dose this because they CAN BE FUN! But they are not HIS way. There are so many things in this world that can tempt us to stray from God, why would I want to add more temptation, I'd only be making my life harder! God has a perfect plan for me, and though it is hard to understand at times (I mean, I desperately want to go with my friends to bars and drink and have a good time) it is far more important to me to surround my life with things that would bring honor to God. If there is even the slightest question in my heart (like there is now), I think the thing to do is to cling to what I know, what I feel. God wants us to be examples in all we do, though I may drink and do so in a responsible manner, it still may cause other around me to question what I do. God calls us to come out and be separate. And though at times like this, when all I want to do is what everyone else is doing, I need to let God lead my heart and depend on Him for all the decisions that I make! (Sigh...) And so I decide and with boldness that can only come from God... I will not drink...God Help Me!
Tina

Black Friday

2004-11-27T15:04:00.000-08:00

Black Friday... what a glorious day of waking up early, not showering, and heading off to stores to buy merchandise that you clearly don't need and most definitely don't have money for. But, regardless, there I was early Friday morning clad in wool mittens and hat heading out in the cover of darkness to seek out unbelievable values; and what's better is that I was able to talk my best friend, older sister, and mom in joining me on the Door Buster-Bargain-Sale of a life time that they would not soon forget. Of course my only real desire to venture out on such a frigid and breath freezing morning is for the free give aways. I mean come on, they give away some really cool stuff...I'm talking teddy bear quality here. So, we decided that Kohls would be the first establishment that we would grace our presents with. Eagerly I approached the smooth glass doors, my mind raced with anticipation "what would we get"? So many images of soft plush teddy bears, hot cocoa, Chirstmas pins, and glass ornaments dance through my head. Steady I continue on, but what's this... a group of older ladies speeding up behind me, there ain't no way they are getting a free gift before me. I quicken my steps, shout to my co-shopper, and push forward to beat those overpowering ladies. I whip open the door, breeze through the entrance...and...and...how could it be. There was no one to greet me, no sales associate to smile happily and thank me for making this my first stop of the day, and the biggest disappointment of all NO FREE GIFT! Disappointment fell like an avalanche in the Swiss Alps, covering and consuming all as it makes it's destructive path downward. Luckily I was able to recover, find some great deals, and move on to other establishments that also lacked the true spirit of Christmas and the idea of giving back to the needy. By this time I was slowing downing, my feet were tired, my mouth dry, and my tummy grumbling for food. So we decided to stop for breakfast and thing immediately started to look up. Egg Haven is the best place for a tourtured and hungry soul. After a hearty breakfast and some fresh squeezed orange juice we again felt confidant enough to brave the rippling sea of humanity. With low expectations we decided on J.C. Penny. Was it me or did there appear to be a shining light around this anointed shopping ground? Slowly we enter the Christmas clad building and...thank goodness the Spirit of Christmas is alive. There before my wondering eyes stood a red and santa hat dressed associate. Her smile was big and bright and she greeted me with a warm hello and a thanks for choosing to be with us today. And with a caring gesture she handed me my very own red box, tied most perfectly with a sparkle gold ribbon. MY FREE GIFT! It didn't matter what was in the box all that mattered was that I found myself the lucky owner of the most magnificent free gift in the world. Thank you J.C. Penny for making my day the truly wonderful day that it turned out to be!
Tina

Turkey Day! Thank-Goodness I'm Not English!

2004-11-22T13:00:00.000-08:00

I am so excited that Thanksgiving Break is finally here! I think what makes me so happy is to think that after I get back from Thanksgiving break I will only have two short weeks and then I am off for 5 weeks for winter break! You just have to love the idea of no home work, no work, no school, no papers, no teachers, and all lazy! I am totally pumped. But let us deal with the present break before we go counting breaks before they've hatched. Today is Monday and I totally had the hardest time getting up, I took some medicine the night before to fight this awful cold that I have so I blame that for my late start. But regardless work went well, and I only have to finish writing a procedure paper for Hemostasis, study for an exam, and finish my CLS journal and I am set for Tuesday. Tuesday will be a forever long day because I have class until six, (pooh!) but as soon as class is done I am off for home! I plan on getting to Dixon around 7 or 8 so all you dixonite we should do something. I get to spend a wonderful lazy thanksgiving day at my Grandmas and I totally look forward to spending time with my family. Most the time I hear people complain about the holiday because it means hanging out with people that you are related to, but I must admit that I really enjoy my family (for the most part) and my Grandma totally rocks. Her and my Grandpa have this totally huge house that has enough room for us all and we get to eat, relax, play card games, talk about who down the road is doing what, and just have a good old time. I never like to leave, but the day does go by so fast! Well I can be thankful that America has such a great holiday because as I have learned certain country are deprived of this holiday (England, India), and wouldn't it just stink if we had to stay in school over the 4th week of November (yuck!). So to everyone Happy Thanksgiving and if you have nothing else to be thankful for be thankful that you are not English! Tina

Victory never tasted so sweet

2004-11-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

My week has finally come to an end and to finish in style we (when I say we I mean Trish, Jenny, and myself) headed to lifestone cafe for little game of nerts!! Ohh what a glorious game! After my cinnamon blast coffee and a little warm up round, Rachel and I were off and running. Now I must admit in the first round we kicked butt...but then everything fell apart and we totally got our butts kicked! Nine left in our hand and nine in the center, if they gave a gold metal for getting the score of zero in consecutive hands we sooooo would have been winning! But after a wondrous announcement that a table was open and we were able to relocate, we so got our game on and let me tell you how it came down. After one hand of sweet victory (victory only taste sweet after a streak of bitter loses), we came up with the "pray high five". Upon implementing this prayer high five into our ritual victory smack talking we found that it was indeed quite easy to...How shall I say...clean up rather nicely! So after a bitter lose in the first hand Rachel and I were able to walk away this Friday night as Nerts Champions! Until next week that is!! Tina

An empty bottle of vicks 44 and a heart full of hope!

2004-11-15T20:37:00.000-08:00

My weekend beings on thursday night because I don't have class friday and monday (some would think this good, if you like everything packed into just three days of the week and then you get to spend four days out of the week worrying about all the things you have to do the next week in your insanely long three days!). But this week I was priticularly excited because I was going to a concert (two of my faviorte bands Newsboys and Rebecca St. James) and I was going to take three of my four younger brothers (yeah). So we get to the concert, right on time and it is awesome. They songs, worship, and message just totally blew me away. God can be right on so many times. So I had a blast yelling my lungs out worshiping God and jumping around like a maniac. It was all so fun...untill the next morning. My thoat was so sore I could barely talk and my calfs felt like I had added a shot put ball on each leg. So there I was half mute and half cripple and who should come for a visit but the friendly virus man. So the rest of the weekend I slowly traded in one set of afflictions for another. So this fine monday morning I woke up with stuffy nose, grogy head, fatigued muscles and oh the realization that I had done zero homework all this weekend and Thursday I have two very large exams! Just when I think I would like to pull my brains out with a plastic spoon a friendly knock on the door summons me to Bible Study and...my tiny little burdens are lifted. God is good and is working constantly in my life to show me that through everything He will be with me! So I gladly take home His message of faith, love and loyalty; empty the last bit of vicks 44 that I have been milking all weekend and with raise of the medicine cup I say "Cheers, there ani't nothing in this world bigger than my Jesus"!

My First Blog

2004-11-11T16:04:00.000-08:00

So I decided that my sister was having way to much fun on her blog, and that I should also get one so as not to let her have all the fun! So begins my first blog
So I am in the Clinical Labratory Science program, and I must say most of the time that I go I walk away with some kind of interesting story, and today was no different. So one of my professor's daughter was selling wrapping paper and being the kind hearted and overspender that I am, I decided to purchase two rolls of paper. I found this great double sided froggie paper and the real clincher of the whole deal was this exotic elephant wrapping paper, gold trimmed and everything. So for the past 2 weeks I have been all about "I wonder when my elephant wrapping paper is coming" (of course I was made fun of for not only purchasing wapping paper, but also for getting the elephant paper). Then today my professor tells me (to my joy and excitment) that my paper is in. At our first break I run to the break room and much to my dismay I find froggie paper and...christams paper? I quickly inform my professor, in which her response was a shrug of the shoulders and a "I checked to make sure it was right so...your stuck with what you got." So with disapointment I go back to my classmates. I voice my displeasure and show them the results of a missmatched order. They lament with me and together we discuss the mystery of the wrong paper. Just when we are convinced that the professor must have ordered wrong, one of the girls leans over and says "the name of that paper is elegant holly paper?" I quickly squint my eyes, confused...then enlightened. Elegant...Elephant I am such a spaz. Oh well bring on the Elegant Holly paper.