Things I hate

A while ago I posted about some little things that I like. Well, it's time for us all to get to know me a little better but this time it's about things I really don't like. Mainly it's just one thing, and that one thing mainly because it's been happening for a few days now. Here it is: I hate hearing little rather random beeps - especially when I can't do anything to stop them. For instance, last night someone was watching a dvd of The Office upstairs but when they stopped they left it on the menue screne that replays the same noises over and over. Now, I love The Office (and it comes on tonight - yay!) but as I was downstairs writing a paper I kept hearing these soft strange noises (turns out it was the sound of a phone ringing and then a fax machine). That one I fixed easily - I just muted the TV. This morning a roommate's room phone kept ringing when she wasn't here to answer it. And at the moment a different roommate's cell phone is beeping. Every few minutes there will be this little high pitched beep and every time I hear it it brings me out of what I'm concentrating on. And she's not here and I can't do anything about it! So, a little rant about an insignificant little thing - that I hate.

All Done!

Yay! Comps are over! They weren't too bad - but don't be surprised if next time you see me I am missing my right arm as I'm pretty sure it's about to fall off.

Now all that's left is about 5 papers and a few more exams. And only one more month!!

One Down

Day one of comprehensive exams is completed.

Also, I picked up my graduation gown yesterday. It looks something like this (except imagine the tassel color as garnet):

It's April already?

Wow, I can't believe it's April already. Time seems to be flying past. Let's see, a short update since the last post and then we can get to tonight's slight news.

Well, a few weeks ago was spring break and I spent it all with my family (while some of my roommate took a road trip out west to the Grand Canyon, among other places. See family how much I love you because I chose you over a road trip... or maybe I was just afraid of being pushed over the edge...) Anyways, I went home. Half of it was spent at home and the other half was spent at Grandpa's farm where we got to see the Detweilers again. In short, it was a lot of just relaxing and hanging out with loved ones. Priceless.


Since then I've been back at school, doing the normal school routine with the slight added stress of studying for my dreaded Comprehensive Exams (that will be Thursday and Friday of next week) and practicing quite a bit of piano in preparation for my little part in the student recital the college held this evening. Yes, that is tonight's news - I played 3 movements of a little Sonatina by Kuhlau. It wasn't flawless but it also wasn't terrible - and three of my roommates came to support me so it was nice. Another ten years and no one will cringe when I step on stage - no, I'm just kidding.. it'll take 20. ;) And my other accomplishment of the past few weeks: I finally started book 7 - I'm on my way to becoming a tutor!

Breakfast during the Fast

As we all know I am not and, unfortunately, never will be a morning person. But even though I do not actually like the getting up early part, I've pretty much always enjoyed breakfasting the mornings of the fast. At home it was quite a production - we'd all get up and have a nice cooked meal. Daddy and Mommy would cook, Nathan would be hanging around, in later years Rachel would be up and sooo tired and I would have to laugh. Someone would set the table; someone else would be cutting up grapefruits. Good family time. And of course, we would all pray together afterwards.

Then I went to college and had to do it all by myself. I had to wake myself up (oh yeah, one of my parents would always come get me - and that's a better way to wake up) if I wanted to eat. But I had no access to a kitchen. I had a microwave but not so much as a toaster to cook anything in. And, worst of all - I was alone. Fasting is no fun alone.

But then the next year Gabe came to Maryville - yay Gabe! And he would cross campus on some mornings and we'd cook a small breakfast in the common room kitchen. And the next year was even better - we actually lived in the same building and I had my own kitchen - much more convenient.

This year was even better because Pooneh, Kamran, and Arianna came over quite a few mornings and I cooked for them (Gabe, of course, is studying abroad). I made all sorts of things - scrambled eggs, cinnaman apple toast, ham, pancakes, omelets, bacon, french toast, bannanas and cream - lots of my favorite things. Today was the best of all (even though it definitely also took the longest): I made crepes! Yum. But I switched it up a little - instead of cherries we had blueberries on our crepes (you see, Danielle does not like cherries). Like I said though - it took a long time... I don't have a griddle where I can cook 8 or 10 at a time. Instead, I cooked them two at a time in a smallish skillet and they all turned out looking like steaks (the shape, I mean) because of the curve the skillet and because the eyes on the stove are crooked. But they were still tasty; at least, I thought so.

In other news, I agreed to play a (piano) sonata at the next Maryville College student recital. Why?

I love real Professors

I love professors who are the epitomy of the word "professor." The stereotypical crazy-haired, slightly absent minded, just professors. Like there's nothing else that they could ever be. There are some professors who are just teachers; others, like my instructor for my bollywood class, are almost friends you could talk to about, well, movies (for instance, like I did today - I'd mentioned that I'd seen that movie before - Kuch Kuch Hota Hai for anyone who remembers those old times.. the one when they were best friends at college but he loves the other girl who then dies and her daughter finds his old best friend at a summer camp and gets them together in the end - sorry if that's a bit confusing, but it's hard to summarize a 3 hour movie in one coherent sentence. Back to the main topic: good ol' professors.) There are those who make you frantic trying to copy the insane amount of notes down, but then also discuss. Then there are those who can somehow always engage the class completely and who just make the class feel like a college course. I guess, to put it simply, those who make you want to go to class - you don't want to miss the tiny but hysterical comments, or the stories he will tell when he goes off on his little tangents... but that aren't tangents really because he can pull them back and make them fit into anything we were talking about. When you regret not going to class instead of leaving class and wishing you hadn't wasted your time. Oh, I'll miss learning from professors. (ps. look closely, I just described my course schedule... that's my life right now) I'm glad I've had a few professors in my college career.


Actually, here is a picture of the current "Professor" I have. It's a shame he doesn't have the longer and grayer messy hair that he has now - it adds so much to the whole professor thing. Anyways, thanks Dr. Klingensmith (and, of course, to the others I've had over the years).

(I don't know why I came back and added these pictures -- I guess I just thought I needed more pictures)

Traps and Distractions

I have been introduced to the iGoogle home page - and I am now hooked. I have spent hours creating my new home page. You can choose a background - and they've got some really cute ones (mine is a little cartoon tiger and he's in his little home and we can see out into his yard where he has a garden - and, as the day goes on, the scene changes. Last night he took a bath, then went to bed, this morning he was working in his garden and at lunch time he was sitting at the table eating lunch. Cute!) - and you get to choose other features to put on it as well. I've got quotes of the day, a word of the day so as to improve my vocabulary, the weather, news - all sorts of things. So much fun. So, those hours where I should have been writing a paper that's due next week I instead got pulled into designing this new homepage. I started last night and today I have been rearranging things whenever I want a break from homework - which is way too often. Oh well, I'll really enjoy it - and hey, at least my vocabulary will improve, right?