Snippets From My English Professor, Part the Second

Well, it's done! My Final final exam! While I don't have a commencement ceremony for another couple of weeks, I'm finished with all the work and the classes that I needed to complete my Bachelor's degree! 

To celebrate, I thought that I would compile a list of some very noteworthy comments that one of my professors (the same from this post -- I took another of his literature classes) has made throughout the semester. 

Anyhoo, here are the quotations! 

*****

 "At this rate, it's going to take me three and a half hours to get through the syllabus -- and my espresso is nearly empty!" 

"Oh, the power of nineteenth century capitalism!" 

"You can look that up in any biology textbook...basic dragonology." 

"As you can see, I cannot multitask." 

*talking about Chaucer's Troilus and Crisedye* "It disturbs me sometimes how much middle school works as an analogy for this piece." 

"Maybe I should set things up more, but I won't." 

"I'm about to do something cruel and unusual to you...I'm asking you to do in-class writing." 

*about computers and Zoom meetings* "Oh, I forgot about that feature -- what a very silly thing." 

*again about his computer* "Oh what a blessed machine!" 

"I'm going to expect you to use italics and quotations and punctuation correctly." 

*talking about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight* "He's GREEN, for goodness' sake...we don't know WHAT'S going to happen when we slap him." 

"In Britain, commas go outside the quotation mark. In the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, they go inside, and that's just the Frickin' Way It Is. And I have to agree, it's stupid." 

"I condone writing in books...I have even on occasion written in library books to mark errors for future readers." 

*about his own writing in a sample essay* "This is also, I have to say, a really good paper." 

"I tried to get clever here...and then, of course, as always, a mistake." 

"I won't say poorly done, I'll say economical." 

*at his computer again* "Once again proving my mastery of technology...." 

"I won't put you to sleep, but neither will I sing and dance." 

"This class is filled with fascinating information, and if anyone is still awake I shall now proceed." 

*****

A Good Surprise! :)

Well, 2020 was a year full of surprises, certainly. In late December, we had our last surprise of the year, and that surprise was definitely the best!

We took this picture the day that we found out we are going to be parents! Baby Black is due on September third, 2021!!!

Such happiness... :) :) 

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate." Psalm 127:3-5

Also, if you were wondering...here's an ultrasound from about four weeks ago!

An Open Letter to Anyone Who Has Political Opinions About America

Well, we've made it through 2020, and we've started 2021. 

Needless to say, 2020 was quite the year. We have had COVID and all things related (it would take too long to go through them), we have had tragedies, almost had murder hornets, and, to top it off, this was one of the most incredibly politically charged years that I have ever experienced. The stakes were high in this election, and on both sides, Democrat and Republican, anger, hatred, and malice were spewed all over social media, in conversations, and by those who would, despite their actions, claim that "loving your neighbor as yourself" is the second great commandment given to us by Jesus (Matthew 22:36-40). 

Am I innocent of this over-obsession with politics? No. And it's sad. 

I'm not going to get too far into my own political opinions, but I have seen so much hate, both from the Right and the Left, by people who profess Christianity. Many of us seem to forget that, in the end, whatever president sits in the White House is the president who has been elected inside of God's supreme authority, power, and inside of God's sovereign plan -- even if we disagree with everything that a president or a candidate says, in the end, as long as we are not commanded to disobey God's commandments, all we can do is keep on living and trusting that God does, in fact, have a plan for The United States of America. It might seem messy, confusing, and upsetting to us, but the bottom line is that we aren't God, and we aren't in control. He is. 

So, to my friends on the Right side of the political pendulum swing:  Don't whine. Yes, express your beliefs, speak out for what you believe, but don't be sore losers. That's how elections work: someone wins, someone loses, and the process repeats every four years. Take a breath and go on with life.

To my friends on the Left side of the political pendulum swing:  Don't gloat. Yes, celebrate if you feel like it, be happy by all means, but don't be sore winners. This is how elections work: someone wins, someone loses, and the process repeats every four years. Take a breath and go on with life. 

And to all my Christian friends, wherever you lie on the political spectrum, remember God's response to Job. Job went through the worst terrors and trials and tragedies that we could imagine on our human scale. He experienced death and destruction, but was never outside of God's holy control of the universe. Job laments his experiences, seeming to ask God "why has this happened to me?" and in response, God speaks in Job chapters 38-41, asking Job if he controls and understands the world, has power of any type. His speech carries more power and might than any human being, asking Job why he thinks he has any right to question the Creator and Ordainer of all things. 

But I cannot do it justice. There is a song that came out several years ago called "Where Were You," which is a powerful summary of that speech and that moment in the book of Job. 

In the end, God is still in control, no matter if your political opinions are popular or not, if your party won the election or not. Take a few minutes to listen to this song. I included some excerpts from Job 38-40 below, but I would recommend reading all of chapters 38-42. (ESV Scripture taken from Bible Gateway)

38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

² “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

³ Dress for action like a man;

    I will question you, and you make it known to me.

 

⁴ “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

    Tell me, if you have understanding.

⁵ Who determined its measurements—surely you know!

    Or who stretched the line upon it?

⁶ On what were its bases sunk,

    or who laid its cornerstone,

⁷ when the morning stars sang together

    and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

 

⁸ “Or who shut in the sea with doors

    when it burst out from the womb,

⁹ when I made clouds its garment

    and thick darkness its swaddling band,

¹⁰ and prescribed limits for it

    and set bars and doors,

¹¹ and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,

    and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?

 

¹² “Have you commanded the morning since your days began,

    and caused the dawn to know its place,

¹³ that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth,

    and the wicked be shaken out of it?

¹⁴ It is changed like clay under the seal,

    and its features stand out like a garment.

¹⁵ From the wicked their light is withheld,

    and their uplifted arm is broken.

 

¹⁶ “Have you entered into the springs of the sea,

    or walked in the recesses of the deep?

¹⁷ Have the gates of death been revealed to you,

    or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

¹⁸ Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?

    Declare, if you know all this.

 

¹⁹ “Where is the way to the dwelling of light,

    and where is the place of darkness,

²⁰ that you may take it to its territory

    and that you may discern the paths to its home?

²¹ You know, for you were born then,

    and the number of your days is great!

 

²² “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,

    or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,

²³ which I have reserved for the time of trouble,

    for the day of battle and war?

²⁴ What is the way to the place where the light is distributed,

    or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?

 

²⁵ “Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain

    and a way for the thunderbolt,

²⁶ to bring rain on a land where no man is,

    on the desert in which there is no man,

²⁷ to satisfy the waste and desolate land,

    and to make the ground sprout with grass?

 

²⁸ “Has the rain a father,

    or who has begotten the drops of dew?

²⁹ From whose womb did the ice come forth,

    and who has given birth to the frost of heaven?

³⁰ The waters become hard like stone,

    and the face of the deep is frozen.

 

³¹ “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades

    or loose the cords of Orion?

³² Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season,

    or can you guide the Bear with its children?

³³ Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?

    Can you establish their rule on the earth?

 

³⁴ “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,

    that a flood of waters may cover you?

³⁵ Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go

    and say to you, ‘Here we are’?

³⁶ Who has put wisdom in the inward parts

    or given understanding to the mind?

³⁷ Who can number the clouds by wisdom?

    Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,

³⁸ when the dust runs into a mass

    and the clods stick fast together?

³⁹ “Can you hunt the prey for the lion,

    or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

⁴⁰ when they crouch in their dens

    or lie in wait in their thicket?

⁴¹ Who provides for the raven its prey,

    when its young ones cry to God for help,

    and wander about for lack of food?

.....

40 And the Lord said to Job:

² “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty?

    He who argues with God, let him answer it.”

Knitting: a Rediscovered Hobby

 A long, long time ago, my grandmother taught me the very most basic knitting steps. She taught me how to knit a stitch, how to cast on, and how to bind off. With those skills, I knitted several washcloths, a couple of scarfs, and maybe a winter headband or two. 

In the past couple of months, my part-time job has gone away (don't worry, it'll come back...it's a COVID shutdown thing....), so I have had a lot of extra downtime on my hands! With that downtime, I have rekindled a love for knitting!! The very last day I worked, I picked up a few "how-to" guidebooks from the library, stopped at the crafts store for some yarn, and attempted to knit a hat. 

.....

That hat failed. 

However, after a few attempts, I made a slightly crooked, uneven cap, which was a bit small for me but fits my little brother perfectly! 

The very first hat...a little crooked and a bit small on me, but still quite functional!

From then on, I went into a knitting frenzy!!! I became more familiar with the craft store's yarn aisles than I ever thought I would be, and then my husband's coworker donated a great deal of high-quality yarn that she had no use for, which was MUCH appreciated! 

Anyhoo, this post is to share my knitting projects (most of which were Christmas presents) with you and ask if any other fellow knitters out there have favorite patterns or ideas they would like to share! :) 

The second thing I knitted was this red hat, which was done in about 4 hours and was super easy! (Sorry about the bad photo quality...my phone is not the best for pictures!) 

After that, I attempted a pair of hand warmers and a couple more hats...

I really like this classic black beanie...

And THEN it was time to attempt something new...I had learned knitting in the round, mastered the knit and purl and knit/purl combination stitches, but then I attempted learning how to cable knit, on this scarf for my mother and hat for my mother-in-law: 

Those were both fun challenges! It turns out that cable knit, while it can be time consuming, is not quite as difficult as it looks! 

Last but not least, I shall leave you with the last hat I made, and a picture of my yarn basket under our Christmas tree. It was a cozy, peaceful hobby, and I am very glad that I picked up the needles and yarn again. Here's to a New Year filled with more knitting projects!! :) 

I think this was my favorite hat...I really liked the pattern. 

12 Delights of Christmas Tag!

A little white ago, I was tagged by Miss March for this timely Christmas tag! Thankfully, I was able to get it done just before Christmas, so enjoy! (But first, scroll down to #7 for some Christmas music links to set the mood!) 

1.  A favorite Christmas tradition?

Hmmm...I think our church's annual Christmas Eve concert is a great tradition. It really puts me in the right mindset for Christmas Day, instead of focusing on the secular Christmas things like presents and parties -- of course I'm still thankful and I still enjoy those things, but having that church service the night before, full of Christmas hymns and the truth of Jesus' birth, really helps me not to get carried away in the world's way of celebrating. 

2.  Say it snowed at your domicile, would you prefer to go out or stay curled up inside?

Depends on the type of snow, you see...if it's fluffy, powdery, dry snow, then I love to get outside and just walk in it!! Especially if it's a cloudy, gray day -- the kind of snow where everything is silent, but your voice seems like it could carry a hundred miles, when everything is just a blank white sheet over the world is the BEST! But if it's too sunny and the snow is all soggy and wet, then nah, I'll stay inside, thank you very much! 

I took this picture a year or a few back...my favorite type of snow!

3.  Tea or hot chocolate?

At Christmastime? Hot chocolate, definitely. (But I do have some peppermint chocolate tea that's pretty tasty as well...) 

4.  Favorite Christmas colors (i.e. white, blue, silver, gold, red and green etc)?

Ooooh...tricky question. I really like the buffalo plaid/woodland Christmas theme, and that's half of how our home is currently decorated... but we are leaning more toward a red/gold/white theme, with plenty of evergreen sprigs around to liven things up! That scheme can include our old plaid stuff and incorporate lots more new things.

                        

These are all, sadly, not mine...but they are the kind of "palette" I like to work with

5.  Favorite kind of Christmas cookie?

Very good question. I would say "all of the above," but that would kind of defeat the question...I really like gingerbread. I don't eat it often, but homemade ginger cookies are absolutely delicious. (Honestly, any homemade Christmas cookies are absolutely delicious...) 

Some cookies from last years' baking day with my in-laws! :) 

6.  How soon before Christmas do you decorate (more specifically, when does your tree go up)?

Anytime after Thanksgiving is fair game! I usually refuse to decorate until December 1st, but as long as Thanksgiving is over, it really just depends on when I feel like decorating. 

7.  Three favorite traditional Christmas carols?

    1. "Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel" 

    2. "In the Bleak Midwinter" 

    3. "What Child is This" (yes I know Miss March already chose this one, but it deserves to be chosen again!) 

    4. There are SO MANY MORE! But I shall limit myself. 

8.  A favorite Christmas song (i.e. something you might hear on the radio)?

"The Christmas Waltz" is a good one! I like a lot of classic, Sinatra-esque Christmas music, so this is probably my favorite rendition: 

9.  A favorite Christmas movie?

The Nativity Story. I know some people who debate about this one and whether it's really good or not, but I think the depiction of Mary and Joseph as such real and tangible people is really excellent. Maybe the theology isn't the greatest, but as far as "Bible movies" go, that one is by far my favorite. (But my other favorite is It's a Wonderful Life, if you were curious...) 

10.  Have you ever gone caroling?

Yes I have! I used to carol a lot with my family -- for a few years, we had a tradition of caroling for our immediate neighbors and handing them a plate of goodies. 

11.  Ice skating, sledding, skiing, or snow boarding?

Ice skating!!!!! I could skate for hours on end if someone let me...which reminds me, I need to get my skates sharpened! 

Also not me...but those skates are similar to my own. 

12.  Favorite Christmas feast dish?

I have a soft spot for sweet potatoes...which may sound weird, but it's true. I have always loved sweet potatoes/yams...so there you have it! 

Thanks again to Miss March for tagging me! Since I've been kind of out of the blogging loop, I don't know who has already been tagged and who has not, so I'm not going to officially tag anybody...but feel free to steal this! Consider yourself tagged if you would like to answer these, and let me know! :) 

Merry Christmas!!! 

The ski lodge gingerbread house that me and my husband made! :) 

So...You Haven't Posted In Over A Month....

*coughs* 

I have been pretty absent from the world of blogging lately, and it seems as if I begin every post saying something to that extent. I have a tag on my list of posts to write, I have movies that need to be reviewed, and the world is so much in turmoil that I could potentially write a "serious" post about how I view current events and such living in Michigan, where so many things are going on. 

But instead, I just binge The Clone Wars...

Oh well, there are worse things. I have never watched the series before, so it's nice to see something new, I suppose! I wasn't totally sold watching the first few episodes, but they are growing on me! And I'm already a quarter of the way through the second season! My husband and I are also watching The Adventures of Merlin, which is thoroughly fun. As a blogger, I've heard TONS about the show, but never actually sat down and watched it, and, well, quarantine is full of opportunities! It's quite fun--I could criticize its faults, but I prefer to enjoy the escapades, silliness, and melodrama, rather than dismiss it. Also, it's a great source of memes and hilarity. 

Anyway. 

What else have I been up to that has distracted me from blogging so much?? Well...since the public libraries are closed, I haven't been working, but I did finish a rewrite of my novel and I am starting to send out query letters to literary agents! It's exciting, scary, and a bit nerve-wracking...but I'm trying to be calm and positive about it. I have a tendency to plummet to the depths of despair at rejection, but as I was researching traditional publishing/agents, I have learned that rejection is normal and if an agent sends you packing, it's probably for your own good; it wasn't meant to be. I probably won't make any progress for months, but it doesn't hurt to try! 

As far as writing goes, that's about all that I've been doing. I'm planning to work on my Honors College senior thesis in June, so you'll probably hear about that, but most novels are paused except for jotting down ideas/notes, and for working on agents/queries. 

With that being said, I would love to hear any ideas for further posts this summer! I PROMISE I will get around to finishing up the last post I was tagged for, and I would really like to review The Rise of Skywalker or maybe Merlin once I've finished it. I'm also thinking of doing an "Ask Me Anything" post next month, but I am eagerly seeking out new ideas! I hope you are well...and I shall leave you now to tag yourself as a Pride and Prejudice character in quarantine: 

Confusing Times

Me now that my classes are all online

As much as I hate to contribute to the general panic about *whispers* coronavirus, it's kind of a historic

moment in our lives right now, and I want to have some record of it for all posterity. 

Plus, I'm behind on blog posts. 

I have a couple tags that I am planning to get to SOON, so I apologize to those who have tagged me...but the posts are in the works, I promise! 

So, what have I been up to lately? Well, mostly school and work, which is why my posts are few and far between these days. Now, however, my classes have converted to fully online, so I'm still doing homework, etc., but I have a lot more time to just sit around and work on things I want to do -- such as blogging. I also work at a public library, so they have closed down until further notice, which means I am out of a job. 

My husband and I have also been researching blog platforms and such, and he just found out yesterday that any content one posts on the Blogger platform is not actually the blogger's property anymore; it now belongs to Google should they decide that they want it. In light of that, I have gone ahead and removed any of my own writings (short stories and poems) from this platform, not because I'm paranoid, but just because I don't like the thought that Google could steal them. (Not that they would...but you know.) I'm super sorry about this if you wanted to read any, but...you know. 

In the same vein, I recently started re-writing (and by re-writing, I mean that I opened a NEW WORD DOCUMENT and started RE-WRITING) my previously self-published book.....and I'm planning to start seeking a literary agent to pursue traditional publishing. (Perhaps.) So, because of this, I have taken down the information (or most of it) under my "Writing" tab on this blog, as well as discontinued the sale of my Amazon self-published book. 

But! 

Things are not so bleak as they seem. Even with the threat of enforced quarantine (ironically in America, land of the free and home of the brave, though I'm not going to get political here), we should not panic, we should not go into chaos mode, we should not, in other words, go buy all the food and toilet paper that we can. Sharing and helping each other is important, as is common sense. But I don't want to talk about this anymore, and I'm sure you're just as sick of hearing about it as I am. 

Personally, I'm just hoping that more time at home gives me more time to write! :D And possibly do some blog work. I also had time to peruse an antique store, where I found this amazing action figure still in the packaging! (Totally not a waste of money...) 

As a final note, any thoughts about my new blog design? It's still in process, but I thought it was about time for a change. :) 

Holy Mackerel, I'm Married

I'm assuming the title of this post says it all...

Yes, folks. That is me in the white dress. On July 13, 2019, a bit after 11:30 a.m., I became a married woman. 

And let me tell you, I have been TOTALLY out of the blogosphere for these past few weeks. (Naturally.) Me and my husband (!!!!) have been exploring Michigan's lovely upper peninsula, learning how to do chores around the house together, and generally figuring out what is "normal" in order to get our lives "back to normal." It would take far too long to tell you about all the adventures and long drives that we have encountered, but here is a list of Interesting Things that have happened during the wedding week(s).

1. Discovered that wedding dresses, even short-sleeved ones, are Exceedingly Warm in the summer sun. 
2. Smelled lavender oil before the ceremony that my wonderful and irreplaceable maid of honor brought (we don't know if it actually relieves stress, but it was something to do other than worry). 
3. Did NOT have a weeping breakdown at any point during the wedding stuff (which was excellent because I'm really bad with crying...once I get started there is no stopping me). 
4. Went to our car and discovered it plastered with sticky notes, full of balloons, and with an air horn rigged up to scare us half to death (thanks to my brother and the other groomsmen). 
5. Drove for...a long, long time. Well, I rode mostly, but I did some driving too. 
6. Ate, between the two of us, six 1/2 pound slabs of fudge from Mackinac Island and Mackinaw City ('twas delicious) 
7. Swam in the Straits of Mackinac, in the shadow of the bridge, in frigid waters with rocks bashing up our feet
8. Took a 2 hour detour over a one-lane seasonal dirt road filled with craters and sandpits, to a very poorly marked lighthouse (which was very pretty but not worth the hour long drive there and back off the main road). 
9. At the poorly marked lighthouse, an older couple asked us if it was our honeymoon. When we said it was, they were adorably excited and told us that they had honeymooned in the area 43 (or something close to 43) years ago.
10. Strolled at Tahquamenon Falls and Whitefish Point, and neither of us were very good at skipping stones. 
11. Got horribly sunburned on a Pictured Rocks cruise (it was supposed to rain so we didn't bother with sunscreen...then lo and behold the sun came out ten minutes into the boat ride)
12. Read through the book of Jude together and discussed it
13. Hiked 5-6 miles in the Porcupine Mountain wilderness, over mud, rocks, tree roots, and rivers, while being attacked by swarms of mosquitoes and accidentally taking a wrong turn which took us for quite a detour (it was still quite a fun adventure though!) 
14. Were so exhausted that we turned on the TV at our hotel after our hike and watched a part of a Spongebob movie, until we got so fed up with the awful commercials for the Dora The Explorer movie that we turned it off and just ate more fudge instead 
15. Drank Subway lemonade
16. Laughed a WHOLE LOT at each other--me at his inexplicable misreadings of signs and billboards, he at well...just at me
17. Listened to sermons (mostly by Voddie Baucham, who I wholeheartedly recommend), to Mariel of Redwall on audiobook, and to an eclectic selection of music. 
18. Realized that we (well, *I*) am a cold-hearted Michigander who does not understand how to small talk with friendly people like the kind you find up north and anywhere else that is not Michigan.
19. Enjoyed the 65 mile per hour speed limits (hehe) and were thankful for the passing lanes. 
20. Met my parents and siblings at their vacation spot to stay one night with them. We slept in a tent and it was FREEZING cold, but a worthwhile adventure. 
21. Went swimming in a much warmer and sandier spot, where they had a ginormous water trampoline, splash mat (I think that's what it's called), and other such things that were a blast. 
22. I read (and am reading) an excellent series by Maryrose Wood called The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, and it has become a new favorite--very clever, well-written, and with its own certain "quirk" that I very much enjoy. 
23.  Organized my new closet (soooooo much better than sharing a space of an even smaller capacity with my two little sisters)
24. I was "banned" from doing kitchen work or most of the cooking, and was at one point told to avoid watching the kitchen because there was a "special project." It ended up being Irish soda bread (two kinds), and it was absolutely delicious. I ate a lot of it. 
25. Went to see Spiderman: Far From Home. It was good...but no spoilers. ;) 
26. Also saw the new Lion King, which was also pretty good. Then I was serenaded for the next, well, it's ongoing whenever we ride in the car, by "Hakuna Matata," and other old Disney songs.
27. Caught up with our families and went to church again, which was very nice. 

And now? Now, we are both heading back to work (he's at work right now, actually) this week, and are getting into the new "swing of things." I know this is a cliche statement, but it really has felt "like a blur." Here I am with a ring on my finger (a really pretty one too, he has excellent taste in jewelry), in our own place, an old, married woman! 

I don't have anything else to say, really...this post is just to, well, announce the occasion, and because I plan to keep blogging! I'm definitely not leaving. 

And now I shall say goodnight (it's evening where I am as I type this, so...), after I share a few more photographs with you. (Huge round of applause for my photographer, Stacy Brackins from Moments to Remember Photography...as well as a phenomenal photographer, she is a dear family friend and I am so glad that she was able to be there taking our pictures!) 

Goodnight!! (Oh, yes, and my last name has changed...maybe we're still working on the legal bit of changing it, but you know...it has changed from Holmberg...to Black.)

2019 So Far: Wedding Plans, Final Exams, And What To Do When Someone Buys You An Egg Cooker

Sorry about that really long title, folks. But it kind of sums up what I've been doing for the past several months, and I think it's time to give you a "lately" post...I'm about due for one.

Life has been....a little bit crazy over the past few months and let me tell you, planning a wedding is...well, it's more work than it sounds like. Or at least, more work than I thought it would be. But it's all good work, so that's the important thing! Since that's probably the most exciting thing that has been going on for me, I'll talk about wedding planning and such first:

Me when trying to plan decorations for my wedding

No, I shouldn't complain. Things are actually going quite well! The whole event is coming together slowly but surely, with LOTS of help from my family and my squad of girls who are always there to help out. :) It's crazy, but all of a sudden May is almost done and there are less than 2 months till the actual wedding! How did that happen? I sound like an old woman, but wow, time is going really fast. Plus, I don't actually know how to plan a wedding...I'm the first in my family to be married, so we've never done this before. *nervous laughter*

I did have a couple of lovely showers thrown for me, which was great! I am a terrible introvert, which makes me DETEST being the center of attention at a party, which, well, at a bridal shower, you can't really avoid. But, thankfully, I am blessed with lots of great friends and family who are Much More extroverted than I am and who can mediate between me and...*ominous pause*...socializing.

But it actually all went very well, I'm pleased to report. And I added a new and excellent possession to the list of kitchen supplies that were gifted to us...it's called an egg cooker, and it looks something like this: 

I know, I know, I had my doubts too. It kinda looks like a spaceship or something...like from Jimmy Neutron. We were so curious about how it worked that we tried it out the evening of the shower, actually!! And it works! It works very well, cooks a great hard-boiled egg. We still aren't sure what the spaceship's cockpit is for other than a handle to open up the lid, but hey, it's still a great and newfangled contraption. I approve. 

ANYWAY, in things mostly unrelated to showers and wedding planning, I have successfully finished my 2nd year of college, halfway to being done with my bachelor's degree. (Woop woop!) Nothing VERY exciting happened, and exams are over. I'm very thankful to have a few months off. Though I did have one class held in Meadowbrook Hall, the old estate that was owned by the woman who founded my university. Now THAT was pretty cool. 

Meadowbrook Hall, as I approach for my class...

I have been working two days a week at our local library and still enjoying it immensely--it's a great job for me I think; it fits me well. I found this Absolute Gem of a DVD while I was shelving one day. 

Isn't that just the coolest and most up-to-date thing you've ever seen????? 

As far as writing, reading, and movies go: 

I have finished the final edit of my second book, and am working on formatting stuff, hopefully to be able to self-publish through Amazon this summer (however, I plan to wait till after I'm married so I can publish it after my name is changed). I wrote this flash fiction mainly for my creative writing course at school. 

I went to see Endgame the night after it opened, and we finished basically all the movies in the MCU (here's my post about that) before seeing that. I also reviewed The Greatest Showman, saw How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (which I'm planning to review after I see it once more), and finished up the Pirates of the Caribbean series (which I hope to review sometime in the future as well). 

Reading? Well, ha, I have discovered that now that I don't have to go to school and do homework, I have SO MUCH free time!!! It's great...I've already read the Ascendance Trilogy (by Jennifer Nielsen, and maybe I'll review that eventually), The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and I'm working on The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. 

Anyhoo. that has been my life lately...just thought it was about time for a "recently" post. I hope that everyone's springtime is going well! :D If you all have any ideas for posts that you would like to see me write this summer, then please let me know! :) I'm hoping that I'll have some time this summer to post a few things that aren't just wedding pictures! :P 

And now, I shall leave you with an inspiring quote from Pooh Bear: