...So the World Didn't End.

                                           

      As I slipped on my jeans and shoes last Saturday morning, I realized that for many people, today was the end of the world. I'm sure you know by now that an 89 year-old man by the name of Herbert Camping predicted that the world would end on May 21, 2011. First of all.... He couldn't have given everyone an earlier notice? I mean, a one month notice isn't much time at all. In fact, it's just rude. I feel a little bad for the man though. As an (almost) ninety year-old man, all his dignity was lost because of a wrong prediction. He was wrong, yes, but it makes it a little sadder because he seemed sincere. Granted, he did make Christians look even crazier than everyone already thinks we are. Though the media does a darn good job too (our last chance was with Touched by an Angel, but then it got cancelled... After that there was no hope.).  Personally, I am convinced that we are indeed living in the  End Times; however, I was pretty sure it wouldn't be last Saturday. 

          Although I was mostly sure that the world wouldn't end last Saturday, It got me thinking: At some point it will. We all have to face what is on the other side of life, whether it be by the world ending or by death. Every one of us will have to account for our lives. 

      Honestly, if the world ended on last Saturday, I would have regretted not doing more with my life. There aren't any excuses I can use, though I am sure I could give you 20 right off the top of my head. The fact is that there is so much more that I aspire to spiritually and personally. Mr. Camping's "Dooms Day Prediction" (I refuse to call it a prophecy) at best, served as a reminder that everyone will have to account for their lives one day. What will we do to change the things that we fear judgement of ? 

                                                                              

                                                                                 Let's start now.

Artists of the Week

This week's Recording Artist of the week is Jeremy Messersmith
Genre: Folk/Acoustic
Why I like him: His sound is soft and sweet. His music is both refreshing and relaxing! His voice is beautiful!

Dorothea Lange

Image of a migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange

     Visual Artist of the week is photographer Dorothea Lange. Lange was a photojournalist who documented the reality of poverty during the Great Depression. I like her work because there is strong emotion attached to it as well as a story to be told. If you like her work I encourage you to look for more!

The Haircut

      I can't keep it a secret any longer! This week, I had to go through one of the most depressing and heartbreaking experiences that ,hopefully, I'll ever have to go through. I...had to get my hair cut off. This may be an exaggeration, but it's exactly how I felt. 
    Now usually, people get their hair cut because they want a fresh new style or because they're donating it. They get their hair cut for probably any other reason other than my own . However,  I had to get my hair cut because it died....yes....it died. Cause of death: The Perm (curse you!).  I spent so many months trying to revive it only to surrender it to the hands of my ghetto hair stylist.
      It was a cold, dark day. I felt  that the weather was also mourning the loss of my hair.
 As I was sitting in the chair, the ghetto hair stylist took the clippers to the back of my head and shaved it all off.  There was a sinking feeling in the bottom of my stomach....it was gone, yes, all of it (well at least the back). 
      I keep getting reassuring comments from my family and friends, but they don't understand...It's not the hair that was lost- it was the battle. The battle for new growth.     
Anyways, I'm still trying to cope. Here's what it looks like.

....At least I can put all the headbands I make to good use.

Did Somebody Say Horchata???

 Let me just say this,


"I LOVE Mexican food!"


 It's all my mother's fault! She exposed me to it at a very young age. As a result, I convulsively search for great Mexican recipes that need to be shared! Today's special recipe is Horchata!  Horchata is a rice-based beverage. There are actually many different ways to make it, from Rum to Hibiscus  flavored! Today, I'm going to keep it simple! 

Ingredients

• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 2 cups skinless almonds
• 1-inch piece cinnamon bark
• 1 cup milk
• 8 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Ice cubes

Directions

     Wash and drain the rice. Using a spice grinder (an electric coffee grinder works well too), grind the rice until fine. Add almonds and cinnamon bark. Grind. Pour into a bowl, then  add 3 1/2 cups of hot water and let sit overnight, covered. Add milk, then blend rice mixture until smooth using a blender. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and continue blending. Add sugar and vanilla extract. Strain Horchata into a bowl first using a very fine metal strainer (or a cheese cloth if you have one). Finish with up to an additional 2 cups of water until it achieves a milky consistency. Enjoy over ice! 

New Feature: Artist of the Week

  After much consideration, I have decided to make a blog series devoted to two of my favorite things: Music and Art! So each week I will feature a new recording artist that I've fallen in love with and a visual artist who inspires me! 
      This week's recording artist may not be well known in some areas, but when I found him, he was automatically a winner. I know what I like as soon as I hear it. So without further ado, I introduce the first featured "Artist of the Week": 
                          Jesse Ruben


Genre: Acoustic/Pop/Rock
Why I like him: He has natural talent, a raw sound and his music is filled with personality and honesty. 

Self Portrait by Alfons Mucha

The second artist I would like to feature in Alfons Mucha. He is definitely one of my favorite artists! He is a Czech artist who lived between 1860-1938. He is considered the father of  the style  Arte Nouveau! Arte Nouveau is my favorite style of art because it depicts the beauty of nature with lots of flowing lines and complex, detailed designs. 
Here are a few of his paintings that I love! However, don't hesitate to do a little more research on him because there are SO much more of his artwork!

Summer by Alfons Mucha

Moet et Chandon

           

Coping Mechanisms: An End of Semester Reflection

      The past few years have been filled with numerous changes and adjustments for me. This year in particular has brought the most change I've had in awhile. Looking back on it, I am surprised with my ability to cope with such changes! When I left PBA for GSU I was terrified to go to a large, secular/public university. There would be "wild, libidinous college boys walking around like rabid animals", boisterous, animalistic parties and worst of all......co-ed dorms! 
Not surprisingly, GSU is the home to all of the aforementioned things....... perhaps that's an understatement. Although those things are pretty normal to like, 90% of all college students, I had not yet been exposed to such...behaviors. I didn't think I could cope with leaving my friends who had been so dear to me or the sunsets that I loved watching so much. 
I don't know why I thought the entire transition would be so traumatizing, but I did. Not that it has been a picnic. I said I was coping...not adjusting, remember? This has definitely been one of my hardest semesters ever. As the semester closes, I am forced to look back over the last few months. I had a lot of alone time. Too much probably. I have succeeded in some areas, failed in others, met new people, and learned new things. All in all,  this 3 month stint at GSU was sucked up, and finished with victory. I think it's time I go home now....

I Don't Think I Was Prepared for This: Part II

     Last week was a hard week for reasons I will not explain in this post. Needless to say, because of last week's...issues...this week was looking pretty dim. 
   All of last week I had been checking the status on an application I sent in (see "I don't think I was ready for this"). I've been checking everyday since I applied. But somehow I knew this was the week.
    I woke up Monday morning feeling like a bag of rocks! I didn't even get out of the bed for my class. I slept in for awhile, eventually getting out of bed like some pathetic, helpless rag doll. The first thing I did was check my email. 
Nothing. 
I went about my day, riding my bike and going to the rest of my classes. When I got home I checked my email again. There was a message waiting for me that said,
 "Welcome Future Bulldog!"
 I was in!!! 
      Part of me couldn't believe it! I mean, I had been praying about it for weeks! Don't get me wrong, I believed that God would come through, but there was a part of me that felt that it was still too good to be true. See, I have this  idea that the universe automatically works against me. Sad. True. It's probably because I play these twisted games in my head that basically gamble on whether or not the universe will work against me. For example, if I'm riding my bike, I gamble on whether or not a car will drive by as as soon as I decide to cross the street. It gets worse. I gamble on whether or not I'll miss a quiz, lose a game or if my plans fall will through. Most bad things that happen I blame on the universe- not myself. So imagine my surprise when I actually got in! 
The whole time I was was so scared that the universe would intervene once again, leaving me on the losing end! (Yes, I understand that that is NOT a good mentality to have). Granted, I'm still on egg shells about whether or not something will fall through and I won't be able to go to school at all....but that's another story.
      All in all, God came through! There are so many reasons why I needed to be closer to home and He knows every one (even though my prayers were a full list of reasons why He should let me go to UGA) <----Not Smart. I'm so excited about next year and SUPER thankful that I serve a God that makes things happen!