11 Rules for Life...Inspired by Mr. Panther Baseball

1. Live in the moments, never for them.
2. Never settle when it comes to relationships...it only ends up hurting the other person.
3. True friends don't force you.
4. Never take advice from someone you don't look up to.
5. Even if it's small, make a difference.
6. Never fit in when you want to stand out.
7. Friends come and go, but family has to love you...so love them back.
8. Give second chances. Also give, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth chances.
9. "Never throw out anyone."
10. "Happiness is not the absence of problems, but the ability to deal with them."
11. "You have not done enough, you have never done enough, as long as it is still possible that you have something of value to contribute."

"To Prove to Dad I'm Not a Fool"

Classes started Monday. I suppose that's all I really need to say, but, of course, that's not where I'm going to leave it. I'm taking 13 credits this semester and trying to work as much as I can in between. Before yesterday, I had decided that I had a pretty full schedule seen below:

• Monday/Wednesday: Work 9-12PM, Class 1-3:30PM and 6-9PM
• Tuesday: Work 9-5PM, Class 6-9PM
• Thursday-Friday: Work 9-5PM
• Saturday: Possibly Work
• Sunday: The normal Sunday kind of things.

Pretty rough right? Yeah, I know, I'm laughing too. In my Art and Cultures class last night, we sat in a circle in the back of the room and introduced ourselves. At first, I felt like I was five years old and getting ready for "story time" or "show and tell." Then I started listening to the little glimpses into their lives that these people were sharing.

One girl is going to school part time, working full time, and has two young boys and a husband at home.

There's a guy who hasn't been to school since 1975 and has worked construction since then in Wayne County. He came to Jackson for better job opportunities.

There's another girl who has 3 boys at home and is separated from her husband who's currently in the war. She's only a few years older than me.

There's a guy from Senegal who already has his Master's Degree in something I can't remember who is basically here just to improve his English (which already sounds great) because he is most fluent in French.

Case in point--I need to stop feeling sorry for myself. I still have it pretty easy. Sure others have it even easier, but would I even want that? I like being challenged. I like feeling accomplished. I like knowing I can do things for myself.

So, all that's to say that even though school's not my favorite thing in this world, like a very close friend told me to do, I'm going to live every day the best that I can. It's what I was created to do.

Meet Clocky

I am not a morning person. Never have been...probably never will be. That said, it takes a lot to get me out of bed in the morning. I hit my snooze at least four times before getting up...and that's on a good morning. It probably doesn't help that I set my alarm as Jack Johnson's "Better Together" or "Banana Pancakes." But had I an extra $50 to spend on one of these, I think I could put my getting out of bed problem to rest. Meet Clocky, the alarm clock that rolls away from you and tries to hide in order for you to get out of bed. Not only is he incredibly convenient/annoying, but he also comes in four fantastic colors--aqua, almond white, mustard, and chrome! What more could a girl ask for?

The End.

Yesterday was the final day of our summer youth camps. It almost makes me sad. But I'm tired, and quite frankly, ready to be done. It's been a long summer. When I took this job back in May, I knew I would be busy, but I think I underestimated how busy. I still really like my job, but I think it's forcing me to realize that eventually I have to grow up. I'm not quite sure what that means yet...but I'm learning.

On another note...I'm reading a great book right now called The Shack. It's taking me a while to get through it, but I'm almost done, and I love it! I have to admit, I wasn't sure what to make of some of the images Young creates, but it makes some great points that I don't normally think about and makes you look at things from a whole new perspective. I'll let you know what I think of it in its entirety when I'm done.