Dancing for those who can't.

I know that all of my friends know all about DanceBlue as does everyone at UK, but I have family members keeping up with my blog that are waiting to hear all about it, so instead of making several phone calls, I figured I would just give the entire play-by-play of my experience.
First to explain DanceBlue, I just used their website's description:

"DanceBlue is a student run philanthropy at the University of Kentucky. It is a year-long fundraising effort involving thousands of UK students, which culminates in a 24-hour no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon on UK's campus. All of the money raised by DanceBlue goes to the Golden Matrix Fund. DanceBlue has been active for over five years, raising almost two million dollars for the UK Pediatric Oncology Clinic and Markey Cancer Center."

I joined Calvary Baptist Church's DanceBlue team early last semester and have spent the year participating in fund-raising activities; such as, Chick-fil-a night, canning during UK basketball parking. and handing out programs during football games. We prepared all year, but nothing could really prepare me for the marathon itself.

We began the evening by getting into our Morale Groups, randomly assigned groups with other students doing the marathon.My group was called Willow's Whippers, named after Whip My Hair by Willow Smith.Then we all stood up as a group and began the marathon by learning the line dance that we would perform every hour.

The first four hours were wonderful. The early hours brought visitors, such as, Coach Cal, Mitch Barnhart, the KSR crew, the dance team and football players, and of course, President Todd and Patsy. Those hours were fun, painless, and we had wonderful visitors from Calvary and wonderful food (Orange Leaf Peanut Butter frozen yogurt?!). Around two or three in the morning was the beginning of pain. It was bedtime and we didn't have many visitors for encouragement (but thanks to Squire and Bekah for visiting in the wee hours of the morning). Themed hours such as Lady Gaga hour and Rave Hour did keep things interesting though.

As the sun rose, we had Zumba hour to wake us up a bit. It was definitely the most tiring part. I got much more sweaty doing Zumba than I got during each line dance. After Zumba, I did a complete outfit change and washed my face and brushed my teeth, which helped a little, but six to seven AM was the LONGEST hour of the entire marathon. Thankfully, breakfast at seven made me feel much better, and our faithful little cheerleader, Kelly, came with coffee. I also got a couple notes during mail call that were a huge encouragment.

The day drug on and the pain got continually worse. Though the only dancing required of us was the 10-minute line dance, I was dancing constantly during the day because it was the only thing to do to keep from feeling the pain. The only things that lifted my spirits were some green tea that Robert brought me and a package from my parents.

And then, it was 3 PM. The last five hours were what DanceBlue is all about. All the kids arrived at three, as did some of my closest friends. We put extra effort into the line dance at that hour for our friends and all the strong, courageous children that were there to see us. The next hour was the children's talent show which was absolutely adorable. Children with cancer sang and danced, and a 16-year-old girl sang a beautiful Christian song that almost brought me to tears.

The Memorial Hour began at 6. The creator of DanceBlue spoke first, and I was in tears before the end of the first speaker. A mother spoke about her daughter who had a blast at DanceBlue last year, but she passed away just a few months after. A slideshow of the little girl played as the mother spoke and there weren't many dry eyes in the coliseum. These stories are why we were there. DanceBlue has helped every one of the children there, and many others aho were too sick to come. Mothers and survivors thanked DanceBlue repeatedly, and though we were devastated by Memorial Hour, our drive to keep going instantly increased.

Celebration Hour followed Memorial Hour and we spent the entire hour dancing with the children. They played uplighting music and I couldn't have been happier to be doing what I was doing. During this hour, I felt no pain at all. We danced and laughed with the kids and other teams came to join our dance circle. At the end of the hour, the total was revealed: 673, 976. 60 dollars. After a short celebration for our huge total, we did our final line dance, facing all the visitors and the cameras. After finishing the dance, every dancer sat at the same time. After sitting for a mere 10 seconds or so, we stood up and danced to celebrate finishing our marathon.

After sleeping 13 hours, I woke up still thinking about DanceBlue. Though I was in the worst pain of my life, I actually missed being there. During the marathon, I remember thinking that I would never do it again, but the last five hours made every every bit of the pain worth it. It is because of DanceBlue that the cancer center can hire more nurses and social workers for these kids that are stronger than I will ever be. We refused to take cancer sitting down, and boy, was it painful, but it was for the kids and incredibly worth it.

My morale group at the end of the marathon (We won the Morale Cup!)

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, -Psalm 30:11

I want to ride my bicycle...

...I want to ride it where I like.

Last year, I wrote this post. Now here we are, nine months later, and I have a bicycle. As it turns out, Con #6 (the most significant con) turned out to be very insignificant. That is because my bike was free.

After months of wishful thinking about owning a bike and several weeks of actually searching for a bike, my dad suddenly remembered that a Murray cruiser had been collecting dust in my grandmother's garage. We immediately went to check it out, and now I am the proud owner of that Murray cruiser.

So here he is...

Big thanks to my generous grandma for providing me with a free bicycle.

Summer literature

Before my tonsillectomy, I made a trip to Half-Price Books and Borders to acquire some reading material for the recovery period. My book collection is much too large to begin with and I buy a lot of books that I don't end up reading, but I have a plan this summer. I am going to create a reading list and stick with it. My list will include the many books that been accumulating dust on the shelves, yearning for a young lady such as myself to read them. Then, at the end of the summer, I will collect a bunch of my old books and sell them to Half-Price Books.

Books will be read. Money will be made. It's gonna be great.

Here's the reading list (or a draft of it):

1. Through Painted Deserts (or finish it...I have read half)

2. Jesus for President

3. Wuthering Heights

4. The Alchemist

5. Love in the Time of Cholera

6 . The Unlikely Disciple

7. The Choice

8. Water for Elephants

9. Radical

10. The Shack

11. Mere Christianity

12. Traveling Mercies

13. Jesus Wants to Save Christians

14. Good Chuck Palahniuk novels (I'm taking suggestions here because I've heard some of his books aren't as good as other)

15. The Stieg Larsson novels

16. Reason for God

17. Same Kind of Different as Me

18. The Reader

We'll see where it goes from here. I'm open to opinions and suggestions.

EDIT: I forgot a few. Added three more. Also, I won't be able to finish these this summer. Starting July 12, I'm taking an ENG class at UK, so I don't have have much time left for pleasure reading. So this list will be ongoing for quite a while.

Naminala, Guereo.

I miss Africa. So much. Some days are good and I have enjoyed many things that I missed about America, such as coffee, salad, grass, my bed, Target, etc. Other days I think about Guereo 24/7. It's so difficult being away from our house and family there, the BCM team, all the children (especially Lil Mama, Ada, Hadi & Abi, and Nyaga). I went to World Market yesterday with my mom and searched everywhere in the grocery section for Biskrem or Ananas soda, but had no luck. But every time I saw something that reminded me of Africa, my heart ached. Living in Kentucky when part of my heart is half a world away sucks sometimes.

After I recover from my tonsillectomy, I plan on writing the long summary/what I learned in Africa blog that I've been avoiding.

Yes, you are our glory and our joy!

It is hard to believe that my trip is more than halfway over. The family we are living with has become our Senegalese family and it will be really sad to leave them. My favorite part of the day is after dinner when we sit and drink soda, talk, dance, and sing with the family. Yesterday they said that we were Senegalese now, and my heart melted.

Ive experienced so much these last few days that I have no idea how to sum it up. I am seeing God in so many new ways. Some cool things that happened since my last post:
-I held a newborn at the medical clinic.
-Went to a Senegalese wedding (and took a picture with the bride)
-Went to the elementary school and taught some English
-Had our own church service on the roof
-Learned some Senegalese songs
-Went to the river and had amazing prayer time and relaxation
-I may or may not have gotten married on the beach.
-Had Mambaye record me, Bekah, and Kait singing Come Thou Fount
-talked about Yessu

We have had some amazing, sacred moments here. We have friends here asking many questions about what it means to follow Jesus. Keep praying for us, as well as the people of Guereo.

Amazing Grace

My encounters in Senegal never cease to amaze me. Yesterday when I was beginning to feel tired and hot, we sang Amazing Grace as we walked and I felt instantly uplifted. Chi kanum (later), we took about 50 kids to the beach, and had a blast. The little girls loved burying me in sand and putting my hair in lettes (braids). There are so many amazing details to write about, but French keyboards are confusing and Babakar is waiting to use it. Hopefully we will make more visits to the internet cafe in the next week.

Ba Chi Kanum.

Greetings from Guereo!

My heart is so full right now. I have been in the village for two days, and I am in love with this place. The night sky is gorgeous, not anything like the sky we see in Amerik (America). I love the people here so much, especially the entourage of children that follow us wherever we go, but it is so sad that they dont know Yessu (Jesus). Even so, seeing these kids light up when we smile at them and hold their hand is the most satisfying thing in the world. Baay, Yaay, Hadi, and the rest of the family has been so hospitable to us. They are constantly trying to serve us, even when we are content. I love the coffee, tea, and soda here and the food is pretty nexxna (good), too. I dont even have words to express how much I love this place. Hopefully I will have another day of computer access to update again.

Ba beneen yon.

Yacine

Assala Malekum from Africa!

I am safely in Senegal. We're staying at a missionary's house for a few hours to get some sleep before heading to the village. Their house is beautiful and I absolutely love it here thusfar. Unfortunately, people are waiting to use the computer, so hopefully a longer update will come later.

It's about that time.

May 10th has arrived. In twelve hours, I will be boarding a plane to Washington D.C. After changing flights in D.C., I will be arriving in Dakar, Senegal! My bags are packed, my iPod is synced, and the camera is charged.

I'm going to try to update as much as possible on here (we're supposed to have internet access). Please feel free to leave me comments. Or you can send me e-mails at jpsmit6@uky.edu. I would absolutely love to hear from friends and family while I am gone!

Be praying for our group, as well as the people of Senegal. Pray for their hearts to be open to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ci turu Yeesu Kirist

"What are you doing this summer, Jazmin?"

"Well, I am going to Africa."

I've had this conversation probably over 50 times in recent months. At first, I announced my trip to Africa so casually. Now, when I tell people about this trip, it comes out in a panicky voice masked by an excited smile. It's real now. I'm leaving in less than three days. I'm absolutely filled with joy and excitement, but the panic and fear is still there.

But none of my fears and worries matter, because my God is so good. I have faith that He will provide. It's going to be frustrating at times, especially with the language barrier, but we've been called for a reason: to make His name known. We may not be able to flat-out tell them who Jesus is and hand them a Bible, but we CAN show them Christ. Respecting their faith and showing them Christ in us through our actions can make a larger impact than we sometimes realize.

So what am I up to this summer?

Well...

I am going to Africa in three days. Senegal, Africa, to be more specific. I am traveling with eight others and I can't wait to spend two weeks with them. I am living in the village for twelve days, learning the Senegalese way of life. I am going to speak very broken Wolof and probably do a lot of pantomiming to communicate with others. I am going to love on children and work in a medical clinic. I am going to build relationships and show people who Christ is.

Best Christmas Songs

I'm a huge fan of Christmas music.  I usually try to avoid Christmas anything before Thanksgiving, but I listened to my Christmas CD two days before Thanksgiving this year. So I'm ranking my ten favorite Christmas tunes, which is a lot cooler than ranking Christmas movies. 

10. Do You Hear What I Hear?

In third grade, I played the star in the Mt. Washington Elementary Christmas play.  By that, I mean that I wore a sweatsuit with stars on it and carried the Star of Bethlehem on a pole.  This was the song playing when I walked out, so it holds a dear place in my heart.

9. Mary, Did You Know?

If you have ever seen the Christmas play at First Baptist Church in Mt. Washington, then this may be one of your favorites, too.  Every year, I looked forward to Eric Rouse singing this song. They stopped doing the Christmas play last year, so I will probably never hear his wonderful rendition again. :(

8. Merry Christmas from the Family

I was listening to the Dixie Chicks version of this song before I was even old enough to be allowed to hear it.  It's hilarious and sort of reminds me of my extended family.

7. O Come All Ye Faithful

This is another song I learned from being in the elementary Christmas plays.  I also loved when Hanson sang it in a Christmas medley. Anything that Hanson sings is okay in my book.

6. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

This song says the word "peace" a lot. I like peace.  I also like Casting Crowns singing this song.  

 

5. New Again

I'm not really sure if it's a Christmas song, but it's on Sara Evans' Christmas CD and on the radio this time of year.  The message is amazing and it's a beautiful song.  Also, I sang it at Calvary's Christmas 10:55 with some incredibly talented musicians, so that was awesome.

4. Little Drummer Boy

This has been a favorite since I was super young.  I love when Josh Groban sings it.  It is also Angela's (The Office) all-time favorite song and my mom's favorite Christmas song.

3. Breath of Heaven

This song is just so pretty and another favorite from First Baptist's Christmas play.  The Jessica Simpson version is horrible, though.  Always go for Amy Grant.

2. O Holy Night

I almost always get chills from this song. The Barlow Girl version is amazing, but I like this song no matter who sings it.  

1.  Carol of the Bells

Nothing gets me in the Christmas spirit like Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Carol of the Bells". When I hear this song, I know I'm ready for Christmas.  Nothing can beat this one.  Except maybe hearing it live.  Hopefully that will happen next year.

Trying to be a rational consumer

I'm contemplating an investment that I never thought would cross my mind.  I might buy a bicycle. But here's the deal...I didn't even like riding bikes as a child. Also, I don't even know if I could still ride one.  As of late, I've been thinking about this investment every time I see a bike (which is pretty often on a campus the size of UK's).  And since most aspects of my life involve some sort of list-making, of course I made a pro/con list. 

Pro

1. I HATE driving.

2. I could get to class much faster.

3. CO2 emission from cars is bad news.

4.  Bikes are 2/3 more efficient than cars (Yes, I looked that up).

5.  I can skip a lot of Lexington traffic by riding a bike.

6.  I would get more exercise.

7. I will save a ton of money on gas.

Con

1.  I don't know if I could still ride one.

2. I don't understand the bike laws.

3.  I don't think I could make it up the hill on Rose Street.  Seriously. 

4. Those tiny bike lanes sort of terrify me.  Streets without a bike lane would be even more terrifying.

5. It will mess my hair up.  

6.  I would have to spend a considerable amount of money to purchase a bike. 

I guess the pros outweigh the cons, just barely, but I'm still a little uneasy about it.  If anyone wants to give insight regarding my possible investment or wants to take me bike shopping, please feel free to do so.

Never thought I'd be on a boat

     In a few hours, I will be heading to the airport to catch a plane to Fort Lauderdale to board a cruise ship.  Many of my friends went on amazing mission trips or worked Christian camps this summer, but I'm spending a mass amount of money to take a cruise.  I'm okay with that, though.  I've never been on a cruise, nor out of the country, so it's an opportunity that I've always missed out on.  Also, I've worked really hard in school and at my job this summer, and a relaxing break is definitely in need.

     Besides the luxury of tanning all day and eating at buffets all day, I'm really excited to spend some  alone time with God.  I know I'll have two other people with me, but I really want to devote a lot of time to God and prayer, and hopefully I'll get some alone time to do that, because I really feel like I need it right now.

     We have wireless internet on the boat, so I will possibly get a chance to write about any exciting adventures.  If not, I will return in five days, hopefully relaxed and spiritually rejuvenated. 

So, what kind of music do you like?

     I was talking with some people about favorites the other day.  My friend, Ben, loves favorites.  He ranks everything into Favorite lists.  If you asked who is favorite band is, he could tell you.  He could tell you his top 20 favorite songs of all-time.  He could even tell you the list of his favorite professors from UK.  

     That isn't me at all.  I have trouble choosing one thing over another and I like way too many things to have favorites.  I do know that music is one of my favorite things in the world, though, so I've really been trying to create rankings of my favorite music.  Here's what I came up with:

Top 10 Favorite Artists:

1. Joshua Radin

2. Shinedown

3. John Mayer

4. Billy Joel

5. Bed Light for Blue Eyes

6. The Beatles

7. Nickel Creek

8. New Found Glory

9. Dave Barnes

10. Ron Pope

Top 25 Favorite Songs

1. Winter-Joshua Radin

2. Glycerine-Bush

3. Dear Angel-April Sixth

4. Hallelujah-There's 100 covers of this, but I like Kate Voegele's or Rufus Wainwright's

5. Unchained Melody-The Righteous Brothers

6. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room-John Mayer

7. Mighty to Save-Hillsong United

8. The Fear You Won't Fall-Joshua Radin

9. Fireflies-Ron Pope

10. Dulcimer Street-Vaughn

11. Samson-Regina Spektor

12. You Don't Know Me-Ben Folds ft. Regina Spektor

13. White Houses-Vanessa Carlton

14. Here Comes the Sun-The Beatles

15. Best Days-Matt White

16. Tonight-FM Static

17.  Burning Bright-Shinedown

18. Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows-Brand New

19. Nineteen Stars-Meg & Dia

20. River of Dreams-Billy Joel

21. Two Princes-Spin Doctors

22. Wish You Were Here-Pink Floyd

23. You and Me-Lifehouse

24. Here's Looking at you, Kid-Corey Crowder

25. Unwinding Cable Car-Anberlin

Top 25 Favorite Albums

My Favorite Albums Ever.

1. New Found Glory-Catalyst

2. Beatles-Abbey Road

3. Joshua Radin-Simple Times

4. The Starting Line-Say it Like you Mean it

5. Shinedown-Sound of Madness

6. Bedlight for Blue Eyes-The Dawn

7. House of Shakira-Lint

8. Corey Smith-Hard Headed Fool

9. Emanuel-Soundtrack to a Headrush

10. Hanson-Middle of Nowhere 

12. Ron Pope-The Bedroom Demos

13. Signal Fading-Patiently Waiting

14. Breaking Benjamin-Phobia

15. Flyleaf-Flyleaf

16. Lifehouse-Sick Cycle Carousel

17. 21 Guns-Salute

18. Emerson Hart-Cigarettes and Gasoline

19. Alterbridge-One Day Remains

20. Lil Wayne-Tha Carter III

21. Kate Voegele-Don't Look Away

22. Yellowcard-Ocean Avenue

23. Meg & Dia-Something Real

24. Incubus-Make Yourself

25. Jason Mraz-We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.

My Blackberry saved the day.

I've gone to the dark side. Or maybe I've just caught up to speed with our fast-paced world.  I had a pretty miniscule dilemma this week that reminded me of how technologically dependent America has become. 

Call me old-fashioned, but I like to be simple.  Even after CDs were the norm, I still bought cassette tapes for some time.  I have an Apple MacBook that was a gift, but have no idea how to use 75% of its features. I never type notes or assignments, always pen and paper. I don't read the news online; I still read the newspaper every day. I don't keep a task list or reminders in my phone; I write to-do lists in a small notebook that resides in my purse. Recently, however, I have found myself succumbing to the evil known as technology.  

I bought a Blackberry last month in hopes that I would finally learn how to use one of those silly Smart Phones.  I haven't really succeeded, but this so-called intelligent phone did come to my rescue on Saturday.  

My monroe piercing must be taken out for work, but I usually put it back in place immediately after my shift is over.  On this particular night, I forgot about my piercing that I love so much.  As I pulled into a parking lot to go to a friend's apartment, I remembered my monroe ring, grabbed it from the console, and decided to take it inside and put it in when I had access to a mirror.  When I was locking my door, I dropped the ring onto the parking lot. I crouched down to search, but its silver gleam was nowhere to be found.  When I was leaving the apartment two hours later, I had an idea.  I went to my car and downloaded the Flashlight application for my Blackberry Curve.  After patiently waiting a few moments, the application was installed and I stepped back onto the pavement to test out my big idea.  Within 10 seconds of shining my phone on the parking lot, I found my monroe ring! After going home and washing it and securing it into place on my face, I realized that I had completely relied on a cellular phone to fix my problem.  This wasn't a big deal at all, but I saw how dependent I'm becoming with technology.

Technology isn't bad.  That isn't what I'm getting at in this post.  It has done many, many great things for this world, but some technology is simply for those who have become lazy.  When I get Dunkin Donuts coffee, I want to pour in the cream and flavor myself; not push a button that dispenses a determined amount of cream and flavor. I don't want a phone that will fulfill my every day needs.  I want to do it on my own. 

Maybe a break from my laptop and hours of television is in order.  Maybe I'll blog about this experiment when I return to the internet. Or maybe I'll enjoy living simply so much that you'll never hear from me on Twitter or Facebook again. But probably not. 

The Day UK Stole My Heart, with special thanks to Myron Pryor

Kentucky Sports Radio is holding a contest known as "Who wants to be a blogger?" for one lucky fan to win the chance to write for their blog. I didn't enter because I would be a lousy sports writer, but I did think about it for a hot minute, simply, because I love KSR and competition.  I took a look at the application and read the writing prompts for the 750 word essay required for entry.  I must say, they were much better writing prompts than any I encountered in my college/scholarship application process.  

There was one in particular that I enjoyed:

Best UK Football Personal Experience

And here is what I think  I would say:

     I have been a University of Louisville Cardinal fan my whole life.  Please don't give up on me after that statement.  

     The truth is, I owe my existence to the Cardinals.  My parents met on the night of the 1986 National Championship.  It was actually the last time UL won the National Championship, so maybe that was a jinx.  But...if UL hadn't been in the championship that year, the party where my parents met would not have happened; therefore, I wouldn't be on this earth.

     I grew up wearing a little UL cheerleader uniform and despising UK fans. Then, a day finally came when all of that changed.

     My decision to attend the University of Kentucky was based upon the college's academic superiority over UL (and also, the hefty scholarship I was offered.)  I knew that I would cheer on my school, but had assumed I would always be a UL fan at heart and just keep that fact about me in the closet.  I was mistaken.  My heart found a new love within the University of Kentucky.

     It happened on the day of UK's first football game of the 2008 season, which happened to be the UL game.  I traveled home to Louisville and headed to a friend's house to watch the game, only a mile away from Papa John's Stadium.  I wore a UK shirt to support my school, but my mind would be subconsciously saying, "C'mon Cards!" 

     But as the game started, I found myself whole-heartedly cheering on my Wildcats.  Every ounce of me wanted UK to win.  When Myron Pryor picked up that fumble and ran 72 yards, it seemed as if the red blood running through my veins instantly changed into a brilliant shade of royal blue (or UK blue as they call it in the Bluegrass).

     I found myself doing things I never thought I would do that night: trashing Hunter Cantwell, texting my embarrassed and disappointed UL friends after the Cats claimed victory, and even more Card bashing at the after-party. 

     During that one defensively dominated game, I became a true UK fan.  I not only have pride in my school, but in my team, as well.  I wake up earlier for ticket sales, wear Wildcat apparel daily, attend all home games,  make sure I get on TV cheering for my Cats, sing the fight song, do The Claw, and read KSR daily.  What can I say? I bleed blue.

All I need to know I learned on Twitter?

I wish I was an avid blog reader.  As a journalism major, I yearn to know about the world and current events, but hate doing the work to learn of these things.  I have a friend who reads 64 blogs regularly.  I don't have the time or the desire to do that.  I would like to, but I just don't.  Blogs are really important in the media today, and I know I could learn a lot, and be more engaged in the intelligent conversations some of my classmates have that I often feel left out of. 

I think I have found what you could call an alternative.  I still don't know everything I want to know, and there are some things that I am just plain ignorant about, but Twitter has definitely made me more "in the know." 

Twitter is made up of statuses, statements, links, whatever you please of 140 characters or less.  One blog entry could be multiple pages of reading, and who has time for that in this fast-paced world we live in?  So here's what I've learned from Twitter lately from 140 or less characters per tweet.

1. This is the first time the Pens have won the Stanley Cup in 17 seasons.  Something else to think about: Pittsburgh Steelers were national champions in football, Pittsburgh Penguins in hockey...Will the Pittsburgh Pirates be the next World Series champions? Absolutely not.

2.  Al Mohler gives Southern Baptists a bad name. I mean, I already knew this, but a link on Twitter confirmed it even more.

3. I have seen at least 20 tweets about IT Lexington.  For the record, I still have know idea what it is, but still intrigues.  Check IT out.

4. Oregon state law apparently requires gas station attendants to pump your gas.

5. When Twitter was supposed to shut down for maintenance, the State Department tried to ensure that Twitter stayed up and running for Iranians to be able to communicate about the election.  Social networking could save the world one day.

6. Pharmaceuticals agree to reduce the price of prescription drugs for millions of America’s seniors.  That's great, but what about us youngins?

7. UK President Lee Todd's middle name is Trover.  Also, on the topic of Lee Todd, he isn't proficient in constructing sentences (at least on Twitter, anyways).

8. Not only did I learn from Twitter that LSU won the college World Series, I also learned that Shaq referred to the school as "Love Shaq University."

9. There is such a thing as Derby pie milkshakes. Where can one get this treat?  I haven't figured that one out yet.

10. A place called the Root Beer Stand is known to be the highlight of Corbin, Kentucky.  That's more than Mt. Washington has.

Maybe one day I'll have the time and patience to read blogs and be able to consider myself a well-informed human being.  For now, I'll continue to acquire knowledge through social networking sites.

A defining moment

College has changed me; not who I am, but what I know, and how I feel.  The odds have been against me. I have been absolutely pushed to the limits this past year; with tragedy, health issues, trust issues, and everything you could imagine.  People didn’t think I could overcome these things, but God has given me so much strength. When everything has come crashing down on me, He has been my provider, my Jehovah-jireh. 

Even through all the personal triumphs I had to overcome last semester, I’ve found everything I wanted in UK.  I feel like I have learned more in one semester of college than I have my whole life. And not just facts, but real knowledge. I feel confident to say that I’m a somewhat culturally literate person now. I love going to class and hearing good lectures. And walking on campus just taking in my surroundings. And listening to intelligent conversations. 

My faith has strengthened this year, too.  I feel like I just wasted so much time in high school partying and being crazy. Now, I would much rather enjoy a weekend of full fellowship and church on Sunday morning, than a crazy party back home. 

The people I’ve met are so humble and wholesome, and I have never felt betrayed by one friend here. They’re gracious and kind; not catty, nor manipulative.  At home, I don’t even feel like there’s anyone who has truly been a good friend to me in the last few years. 

Graduating and coming to college is always a "milestone" or whatever, but for me, stepping onto UK's campus was a defining moment in my life--a defining moment in my faith, my relationships, my independence, and my opportunities.  A lot of interesting opportunities have been presented to me recently.  I’ve never been a HUGE risk-taker, but I feel like I should try each and every one of these things.  UK was an opportunity that I almost didn’t take, and it ended up to be the best thing in my life, so I’m afraid to let anything pass me by.