28 February 2010

And... done!!! :)

I did it! Successfully I have conquered the 10 days of craziness!
I feel amazing - as in amazingly tired!
Things finished with a bang: the One Acts closing night was spot on, the crowd was awesome; Mike and Tiffany made it out alright last night. This morning we had Tre Kronor for breakfast, then we all went to the Garfield Park Conservatory, which is 100% free and absolutely beautiful. We loved it there. The Jazz Band concert today was phenomenal. I played really well (with a couple screw-ups, but it happens), and Michael even said that I sounded extra good up there today. I definitely think that my skills are improving, and I'm pretty happy about that. I'll have to keep practicing. This past week I was able to get a pretty consistent practicing schedule in place. Hopefully I'll be able to keep that up. We ended tonight by going to George's Ice Cream and Sweets and celebrating the passing of the epic 10 days with ice cream, and then splitting paninis for supper (dessert first, ya'll!). It was altogether a great weekend, and a nice little visit with Mike and Tiffany.
Now I'm holed up in the dorm room, cozy as a hibernating bear. I'll be in all night, I think. I don't feel like going out - all I want to do is relax, listen to some Del Barber, read a bit in my big chair, curl up and go to bed.
Tomorrow: I'm sleeping in.

'Night all,

~Jaclynn

27 February 2010

Crap...

Last Friday I misplaced my Driver's License, my Michigan one and my North Park one, together, and I still can't find it. I'm starting to worry. Oh no...

On a brighter note, the Instrumental Folk station on Pandora is rocking my socks, and I'm doing laundry.

On a brilliant note: Mike and Tiffany are coming to visit... today. :)

I can't wait!

25 February 2010

Rewind.

Ok, so I just thought I'd make up for my very poor post earlier. :)

I just got back (and got the makeup off my face) from the opening night of our One Acts. It went really well! A few lines were skipped here and there, I may or may not have almost started laughing at a sock incident, but everything was under control, and most importantly: our director said we did great. :) I can't wait for Saturday's performance. Maybe by then I'll have my voice back and in the proper key, too! I'm just grateful that it was good enough to perform with tonight.

I spent all afternoon calling people to try and find a driver for Cornerstone, since I've got no idea what time we'll be back from the Jazz Band competition at Elmhurst tomorrow. To put it into perspective: I started out at about 14:00 and I didn't find someone who could do it until about 18:30. Outrageous, right? I'm so glad I found someone, but it was way more stress than I needed. And I could have gotten so much more work done if I hadn't been making dozens of phone calls and running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Oh well, that's life for you. At least I didn't have to be in Concert Band today on top of all that.

This morning we took the second half of our test on Zarley's "Gospels Interwoven". The results: Bekah and I tied on our overall scores! We were super-excited (this was actually planned on our part; if it didn't happen we decided we'd just split the winnings anyway) because now we get to go out to Tre Kronor together for free!! :) I love eating at Tre Kronor; the food is good. Although I realized the other day that I have never been there for any meal other than breakfast/brunch.... interesting.

Anyways, today's been busy, as has this entire week. Tomorrow is Elmhurst; we leave at 10:30 sharp. I'm a bit nervous, but I think I'll be alright. Maybe. I might practice one last time tomorrow morning. But if I want to do that, I'll have to be getting to bed now. So I'll call it a night; wish me luck in the competition tomorrow; I'll be sure to break a leg at closing night for the One Acts on Saturday; and I can't wait to see Michael and Tiffany this weekend!!!

Almost there!!!

So... I've almost made it through my crazy week. I've survived last Friday through today. And I can't even think enough to write a good post. But I'm almost through! And Mike and Tiffany are coming to visit Saturday night!!!!

23 February 2010

WOOHOO!!!!

I found out today that ISEP placed me at University of Botswana for 2011!!!

I am SOOOO excited!!!!

This is the first step of the acceptance process, now my application is being sent there to be reviewed, then they send it to me so that I can accept the placement! Awesome!

And now back to my very busy week...

21 February 2010

Feeling better... sort of...

It's been a day.
I was going to go to church today. I went to bed at 21:00, give or take a few, and got up when my alarm went off at 07:00, but then I accidentally fell back asleep. I woke up again at 7:25 - and I could've made it if I'd hurried - but I decided that I was achy, that my lymph nodes were sore, and that my nose high-pressured, so maybe it would be best to stay in, take it easy, take a bath to relax my muscles, and maybe go back to bed.
So that's what I did. Then I worked on homework until about 10:30, took a nap until about 11:30, then got up and worked on some more homework. Kind of a pathetic day. I worked a lot, but didn't actually get terribly much accomplished. That's the sloth of sickness, though, I suppose. At 14:00 Holly, Drew and I drove to Jewel for groceries. I was out of cereal and peanut butter, so I was glad to get the ride. It's hard to go grocery shopping on your own when you're feeling under the weather.
So, I've finished my Dialogue and Philosophy homework, am getting closer to finishing my Bible homework, and will probably work on my Spanish now... or maybe take a nap. We'll see. :) Group supper tonight at 17:30, then 18:00-23:00 is Tech for the One Acts. I'm not sure how long I'll have to be there, but hopefully we get done sooner rather than later. I want to get to bed on time again tonight.
I'm considering going to the rumored Fika at the Thunderdome tomorrow morning. I suppose it comes down to what time I get up and how I'm feeling. We shall see.

20 February 2010

A Poem

I want to run and not grow weary
I want to breathe in clean, fresh air
I want my feet to feel the earth beneath me
I want to feel the sunshine in my hair
I want to know the past and future
Are somehow connected in the end
To understand the words of the Other
And to treat my enemy as friend
I want to fly on wings like eagles
I want my tired spirit to soar
I want to hold in my hands the jewels
Of grace and love and want no more
I want to see peace flowing forward
In a mighty torrent, a roaring flood
I want to hear the songs of ancients
Pounding through veins like blood
I want to have a heart not-heavy
Whose burdens are always being laid down
For a yoke and burden that's easy
I want to be part of the earth so brown
To have the dirt between my toenails
To hold the sapling in my soul
To say, "These are my roots, these mountains"
To feel this peace and in it grow old.

Oops...

In light of all the crazy-busy week stuff that I have to do: I got sick. So today I'll be in my room, with my humidifier on high, eating fruit, drinking tea, sucking on zinc lozenges, taking vitamins, and doing homework. Woohoo.
But yesterday was fun... I definitely need to work on holding my own with my accents, though. :)
I think I'll be going to bed early tonight. I'm thinking 9 o'clock again. We'll see.
Anyways, I think it's time I ought to get to work so I can make this day-in worth my while.
Hopefully I feel better tomorrow.

~Jay

19 February 2010

Oh boy...

The next 9 days are going to be INSANE.
Sat - One Act Load-in from 12:00-23:00
Sun - One Acts Tech from 18:00-23:00
Mon - work my butt off getting homework done and Jazz Band music rehearsed
Tue - One Act Dress Rehearsal from 19:00-23:00
Wed - work my butt off more, rehearse more, and One Acts officially opens
Thu - Opening Night for the One Act that I'm in, call-time at 19:00, show starts at 20:00
Fri - Jazz Band Competition Festival/Concert at Elmhurst, leave campus at 10:30, get back around 16:30???
- possible Apartments and Houses Open Mic and performance? But I don't really know, because I haven't heard anything about it in a while.
Sat - 17:00 Potluck for Urban Outreach leaders; 19:00 call-time for last night of One Acts, starts at 20:00. Afterwards, strike from about 22:00 to 0:00.
Sun - Jazz Band Concert on campus at some time that I don't have written down in my calendar (I should work on that), Michael and Tiffany come to visit and I get to finally relax.

After that it's a week of Midterms, relaxing, finishing my Quad-A Spanish Class, and then a flight to Washington for a fabulous Spring Break. I just hope that I can get everything done to the best it can be by that time. Oy vey!

18 February 2010

Quick Blog

I could get used to this blogging thing. What I write here feels a lot more personal than just a one-sentence status update! :)

My SCA applications are starting to get sent out en masse, and I'm pretty excited. Tomorrow I'll be calling the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center in Alaska to follow-up on my application there. Wish me luck!

I made it through another busy week, and I'm looking forward to Friday and relaxing. But next week is going to be CRAZY! Thursday will be opening night for the One Act that I'm in, Friday will be the Elmhurst Jazz Band Festival/Competition, Saturday will be closing night for the One Acts, and then Sunday is the Jazz Band on-campus concert. It's going to be nuts.

Anyways, I'm about to be late for Concert Band, so I'll have to get going.

Until next time!

~Jaclynn

17 February 2010

...

Every time that I think I've learned to trust God,
something happens,
and He tells me I'll just have to trust Him more.

Ash Wednesday

Just a brief entry: today is my first official day without Facebook for Lent. It's weird to be online and not opening Facebook - I've had to resist the urge several times! Ah! Kind of disgusting, really. Hopefully I'll be cured of that by the time Easter rolls around. Today is the Ash Wednesday chapel service... I don't know that I've ever been to an Ash Wednesday service before. I remember wanting to go to it when my church did it as a little kid. But that was years ago. Anyways, it should be itneresting.
My SCA application was sent out to the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center in Coldfoot, Alaska! I'm super-excited and I'll definitely be following up with them soon. As soon as I ask my dad for some advice on how to go about doing that. Phones make me so nervous!!!
Anyways, that's about it for now. I hope you all have a great start to the Lenten season!

~Jaclynn

06 February 2010

Procrastination

I'm in the library with Holly right now, trying to get some of my work done before the weekend hits. I've got a Philosophy paper to write, and I'm putting it off because I can't say that I'm too keen to be in this class or doing the work for it. Sad, right? I've got an outline, though, and a formated paper, just have to write the words. 3-5 pages. It can't kill me, right? :) Tonight we're going to Michigan to Tyler's home in Sawyer. Tomorrow morning we'll go to his church and present on our Zambia trip, since they played a very large role in supporting the trip financially. And then we'll head back to Chicago for the ensuing Super Bowl festivities. I'm not sure what I'll be doing for that yet, but I'm sure I'll figure something out before the game starts.
As of next week I will also be starting this new thing where I bring my computer to Holly on Sunday nights and she keeps it until either Thursday after classes or Wednesday night if I can prove that I finished all my work. It's just a way of trying to get me to focus better and get my work done. Plus, it'll get me to do other good free-time activities: like reading, knitting, and tidying. I'll let you know how all of that goes.

02 February 2010

Here we go...

So I'm trying this discipline where I attempt to keep myself from wasting time on the internet. Little things: like catching myself doing nothing on Facebook and tearing myself away from it. I've been wasting WAY too much time on there lately. Now I'm wasting time on this, but at least it's something somewhat productive. I was pretty productive tonight, actually. I shut down my computer, and managed to read for my Wednesday class and my Thursday class. I've gotten so much done - I think that I might get ready for bed and call it an early night. I could use the sleep. :)