China??

Leah S.

February 27, 2009 - 4:35 PM

So here are some pictures of part of the lovely construction that is going on just on the other side of the courtyard of my dorm building. Since I can't really show you how close it is, just trust me that it is not far. My bed shakes on a regular basis from the big machines. My roommate and I were walking by one day and we noticed how it just looks like a big, giant hole in the ground. There is just water and dirt, no support beams or anything of the sort. Then we started to wonder. Maybe they really aren't building the new basketball court to retire MacArthur court after all. We all know how the construction field is still predominately men and how as little boys they always want to dig a hole to China. So my roommate and I began to wonder whether they were just using construction as an excuse. I have been watching this so called hole for a good two weeks now and it just keeps getting deeper and deeper. Who knows really? Whatever though. I'm sure they are building the new Matthew Knight Court like they say, but since it sucks with all the beeping machines and everything are so close, that it is fun to think that they really are just digging a hole to China. I guess we will see come a year or so, or sooner I guess since they should start the building pretty soon (at least I would hope so).

 

Speaking of Mac Court, me and some of the girls in my hall managed to score tickets to the Civil War basketball game!! I'm so excited. I went to the one last week and we WON!! It was the first game we have won all season. I hope we can keep it up for this week. It would be sweet to win against our biggest rivals. The stands just get crazy and so loud. I thought I had been at a concert the way my ears were ringing. It was so much fun though. I can't wait to do it again on Sunday. The thing that sucks about the game being Sunday though is that tomorrow, Saturday, has to be my big homework day. Anymore I just can't really get motivated to do hardly any homework. It's getting really close to me going home and a lot of the homework I have had this term has been mostly reading. Now I have three papers to write (although one is just a short story in German so not really that hard or boring) in the next few weeks. My cousin is coming next weekend and then my dad is coming the following weekend so he can take me home after my finals. It's going to be a crazy fast last few weeks. I hope the homework is less... or more desirable (if that's even possible) to do, but I'm afraid it will still hard since I will probably have a bad case of spring fever. I guess only time will tell. Well its Friday night so I'm off to do something fun hopefully, or maybe a little homework first. So until next time...

 

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Mother Nature...so Indecisive

Leah S.

February 24, 2009 - 6:44 PM

Oh my goodness!! Talk about a true Oregon, well maybe not just Oregon, but a true Northwest day. Mother Nature just couldn't make up her mind. One minute it is cloudy and windy, the next the sun is peaking through the clouds, then it's sprinkling, then it's raining, and once again we are back to sun or clouds. Talk about crazy. Anyone who lives in the Great Northwest (why they call it great with all the rain I'm not so sure of) knows what I'm talking about. We are now enjoying a true winter for this area. I mean when have we ever had sun for a month and a half here for winter? That is what goes on in the sunny states. Now it is back to forty and fifty degree days with rain and wind. Now that is what I call winter. It's funny because when the sun was shining all those days it was really cold. It was in the upper thirties or lower sometimes. And to accompany that was a bone chilling wind. We are talking that sometimes it cut as deep as the marrow. That is really cold. I ride my bike to classes on Friday's since they are so hectic and I thought I was going to freeze to my bike during that time. I was wearing my rain jacket to repel the wind from riding rather than to repel wind. By the way though, that Columbia waterproof jacket is great at blocking out the wind. I feel nothing. Anyway, back to the point. Mother Nature just can't make up her mind some days. I think that it is funny how many people you see wearing shorts or just sweaters even though it is raining outside. I'm one of them (well I wear sweaters that soak up all the water they can, not shorts). It is just so hot outside that you can't handle more than a light sweater. I do use an umbrella though. Since I only have one class on Tuesday's my friend and I decided we would ride our bikes down to Buffalo Exchange. Well it was sprinkling, but it was the kind of sprinkle that you can't see when you look out your window, but totally soaks you through in just a few minutes. I could have just about taken a shower on the way there. Luckily on the way back the sun broke loose and allowed us to ride back rain free for the most part. That's what else makes me laugh. There is all this sun and you can see blue sky yet because of the few little (actually quite menacing and somewhat large, but I rather think of them as little) clouds you get rained on. What's up with that? I think if there is blue sky then there shouldn't be rain. I love the rain when it first comes though. I have to admit. It is so refreshing. It makes everything almost come alive in a way. I mean the grass and trees have spent all summer with little to no rain and then the first rain comes and everything just soaks it up. I like the rain for that. Plus, even though I love the sun, a little rain is good for a person. It's my favorite weather to play soccer in. I love it when you can't see five feet in front of you, you're soaked to the skin, and you are still out there playing even though every time you step you hope you don't go face first into the mud. Those are the best games. My parents would tell you otherwise, but for me that is when I feel most alive. I don't think it is a good soccer season unless you play at least one game in the rain. Well this has turned out to be quite the page so I'm going to leave it at this. You can see what the weather is like here in Eugene at 97403. Even though it's wet, it's worth it. So until next time...

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Little Odds and Ends

Leah S.

February 21, 2009 - 1:28 PM

Hey all!! This has been on heck of a week. I went to dinner with a friend a few days ago and this lady named Amber Darland was playing guitar and singing. She is awesome. Apparently she met some ladies in college and started singing with them and realized she could sing. Then she taught herself guitar throughout her college years. She is from Bellingham, WA (kinda my home town!! State at least). She was just awesome. My friend and I bought her CDs. Check out her website.She is really quite something. She is excited to finally be on her tour. It's been a long time in the works. I think she will go places. It's nice to hear talent like that.

 

Well what else has gone on this week? Oh yeah, me freaking out about the fact that week seven is already over. I just can't believe it. I feel like life is really picking up speed. I'm not ready for that yet. I just know that before I realize what has happened I'll be in a career (hopefully one that I love) and maybe starting a family. It's really scary to think about. I don't want to grow up just yet. I want to hold onto my childhood for just a bit longer. It's like this song I like (but can't remember the name of it) and it talks about how the best times of our lives is when we are growing up. I think that is true, especially if we do all we can to create awesome opportunities for ourselves and follow through with them. That's why I went to Germany and I'm happy to be in college and making the awesome friends that I am.

 

Well today is my twin cousins' birthday today. They are a whopping seven years old. It's hard to believe they are already that old. They are the cutest things, but they can be mischievous (but what youngster isn't??). I hope they have an awesome birthday.

 

Ok, it's almost week eight!!!! I'm going home for spring break in like twenty-four days. I'm so excited. I think I might work, which is kind of lame for a spring break, but it's money which is something all college students can use. I'm planning on a day trip to the beach and hanging out with a girl friend because it's her birthday!! It will be a good break anyway. It's a little break from school, a little money, and a few friends.

 

Well I'm going to the basketball game so I'm going to end it here. So until next time...

 

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Today we have a Special Guest!!

Leah S.

February 17, 2009 - 9:06 PM

OK. So for today I kind of have a special guest. My brother, Evan, went snowboarding this weekend. It was very nice. The pictures are not the most breath taking ones, but that's what happens when a little brother is more interested in snowboarding than taking pictures for his older sister. That, and all he had was his cell phone, which most cell phones don't take the best pictures. He is a pretty hard core snowboarder. I get scared watching him sometimes. He is pretty fearless. I have seen him just bomb it down some slopes and I just have to shut my eyes and pray he makes it to the bottom safely. He has had some pretty spectacular crashes I've heard, but none that have done any serious damage. I know a few years ago when my exchange student, Franzi, from Germany was here my aunt and uncle took us as a Christmas gift. I ski and so do my aunt and uncle so Evan had to hang back and help Franzi out. Well he told her to keep going straight down and he was going to take the path through the trees so he could go off some jumps. Well he came out of the trees just behind her and it scared her so she fell. Well of course Evan is now going down in the same spot and ran straight into her. She was in pain for a few days, but nothing was broken. She just had a bruise and sore muscles. I felt bad because she was away from home, but she survived and I'm sure she doesn't hate Evan for it. He felt really bad and it wasn't his fault. She just stayed in the lodge the rest of the evening, hanging out in front of the fireplace. I ski, but I suck pretty bad and have only been three times. The first time I went I wiped out twice so bad (one after the other of course) that I swore to never ski again. I did twice more, obviously, but it's not my favorite thing in the world. I prefer just inner tubing. It's safe and fun. That and snowball fights. I love a good snowball fight. Actually there is nothing like a walk in the snow either. I think it's romantic. I'm not a sappy romantic, but I enjoy a good chick flick and romantic settings. It doesn't take much to be romantic either. At least for me it doesn't. I'm a nature baby so anything with a lot of trees around, the beach, the mountains, or anything like that is awesome. My ex-boyfriend had a quartet serenade me in front of the office my senior year of high school. It was really sweet and romantic, but totally mortifying. In front of all these people. That was really cute, but over the top. I would have been happy if he would have just met me for lunch. Well this seems to be getting quite long and people keep messaging me on Facebook so I think I'm just going to call it good. It has taken me a half an hour or so just to get this far. I hope all is well for everyone right now. I know all is going well for me now. So until next time...

 

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V-Day

Leah S.

February 13, 2009 - 3:30 PM

Happy Friday the 13th everyone!!! For all of you who are superstitious good luck. I'm not that superstitious. To me it is just another day. In fact Friday the 13th is a memorable day for me. That's the day I graduated high school... 6/13/08. Crazy times. That was a great senior party too. Anyhow, I'm actually here to talk about this basement bash we had last night. Some of the guys on floor one DJ so they brought us the Halloween bash and last night was the Valentine's Day bash. It was pretty cool. The music was good, although for a stretch there was a bunch of rap and I don't really listen to rap. I met some more of my fellow Bean-mates. That was pretty cool. Not to mention some friends and I had a pretty good time dancing. I don't have any pictures at the moment. I forgot my camera, but a girl in my hall took a bunch. I need to track her down and get them from her. As soon as I do that though then you can see. Our basement isn't much, but the RA's and FA's do what they can to spruce it up. Of course there was free food too. I'm pretty sure that is how they get people to come to a lot of the functions that go on here on campus. People who have meal plans tend to be short on points come the end of the week so free pizza is always good and the same goes for those who live off campus and are a little short on cash for the week. Most of the events are actually pretty cool, but some you just have to wonder about. In any case it is nice getting some free food sometimes. Any who, the bash went until one which was fun, but I didn't fall asleep until almost two and I got up at seven so I could go to my class at eight this morning. Not one of my better ideas. I have survived thus far. I thank caffeine for that. Coffee can be a great friend sometimes.

 

As a second thought, my mom is coming down this weekend. It should be pretty nice. I'm going to stay with her so I will get a little weekend vacation from my tiny little cell. Not to mention I'm sure we will go shopping, maybe to dinner and a movie, and probably have a relaxing weekend. I plan on taking full advantage of having a car to get from point A to point B. I don't mind having a car most days, but sometimes it's not that much fun. Like when I want to run to my bank just to deposit a check. It takes me about forty-five minutes. It's not that far, but I'm always missing the EmX back by about a minute or two. Oh well. Life goes on. There is always something interesting going down at the transit center. I mean it is Eugene and all... Well my laundry is almost done and I'm out of things to say and should start getting ready for my mom coming. I promise to get the pictures soon. So until next time...

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