Marion Quotes

Marion Bontrager, who has been a Bible prof at Hesston for over 40 years, ate supper with our mod at our mod parents' house. He's hilarious.

"There are too many Yoders in the world. We need to de-Yoder-ize the place!"

*talking about his 9 o'clock Bib Lit class* "It's like a resurrection experience every morning! And I'm not Jesus, I can't raise the dead!"

more....

~~~ Care more than some think is wise~~~
~~~ Risk more than some think is safe ~~~
~Dream more than some think is practical~
~Expect more than some think is possible ~

.....who I've been

Do you ever have days when you really don't like yourself? When you see something in yourself that frustrates and annoys you?

Lately I've been noticing the passive/aggressive ways in which I subtly punish people who don't do things the way I want them to. And I don't want to be that way. I hate manipulation, and drama, and people who can't just take life as it comes while just being easygoing about everything.

One of my guy friends here has become a model for me in the way he is content with everything and takes life as it comes. He is so refreshing to be around for that reason, and there are times I could do with taking a page out of his book.

blisters and laughs

We went over to the middle school and played dunkball tonight. I discovered I can barely dunk on an 8 foot goal and I can dunk pretty consistently on a 7'9". Which may not sound that great to you all, but I was happy, considering I'm barely 5'6 and a girl. Who doesn't have the genes for jumping at all.

A refreshing perspective.....

"Barack Obama is not a microwave move. Just cuz we elected him doesn't mean all our problems are going to be fixed instantly."
-"MaMa Brenda" at an HC chapel
(Brenda Matthews - a Mennonite motivational speaker. Oxymoronic much? haha but she was really cool. She's this lady from Chicago who is really loud and upbeat and described herself in her speech as "just a sista from the hood.")

And again

We had choir again today, and I have more Ken quotes for your reading pleasure.

*walking up to the door of the music building*
Ken: Hello Rachel!
Me: Hi Ken....how are you today?
Ken: I'm feeling quite whippy! *sees another choir member* 'Allooo, Matt! (in a British accent)


*At the beginning of practice, while taking role*
Ken: Oh, and Zac's not here.....I have no idea where he is; I think he's in purgatory.
Another choir member: I heard he was in Nebraska....
Ken: Oh.......well, same thing.

Oh Ken.....

Ken Rodgers, chorale director at Hesston College, is a great guy. We all love him to death. But he's.....unique. He's a real airhead (I'm not being mean, just stating a fact) and he's got a unique sense of humor. So here are some Ken quotes. Often these pop out randomly in the middle of practice.

“If it ain’t Baroque, don’t fix it!”

*at the end of a rather lengthy joke* “When they opened up the female bear, they found the remains of the Austrian. So, that led them to conclude that the Czech was in the male…”

"I think the Tooth Fairy and the Sugarplum Fairy work against each other—or maybe they’re in cahoots!”

“Who let the cows out? Moo, Moo, Moo-moo!”

“This music is hard! It has notes!”

"A lint roller! I love lint rollers!"

*right before a performance* "Turn to the person next to you and tell them 'You're great!'"

Happy birthday to me........

My birthday was good: a lot of Settlers of Catan playing, some movie watching, some K-State cheering (that wasn't so good....), some doughnut-eating, and as a "grand finale" a McDonalds run.
Then on Sunday I got some delicious homecooked food.

My pinkeye is all better!

The highlights of my b-day:
1. The voicemail from Nara (*singing the Captain Zoom birthday song* "Hey, Rachel....it's your birthday!")
2. Talking to Russ and Jenna on the phone.

A Sudden Realization

It is an extremely ironic and amusing fact that rugball is sport that is pretty much unique to Mennonite Colleges.

http://www.goshen.edu/rugball/howtoplay.html

Glad to be me

I just looked back at this past week and realized that a lot of stuff happened that could qualify this as one of my worst weeks here. But I'm happy and contented and didn't even realize until now how truly glad I am this week is over. Why didn't I realize this? I'm not really sure....
Some possible reasons I'm so happy:
1. MY FRIENDS: I seriously have the best friends in the world. Ever. When my pinkeye was really bad and I was depressed and hiding in my room because I looked awful, Birky, Jayme, and Abigail brought me cupcakes and made me laugh. Later in the week, when something happened that could have been really bad and upsetting, we just laughed and kept having the time of our lives, because we know that no matter what, we're all this together.
2. My family: It's great to know that you guys love me and are behind me no matter what. Thanks for getting me medicine and bringing it part of the way here.
3. My personality: I'm pretty easygoing and I take stuff in stride pretty well.
4. My Savior: With God's grace and help I can get through anything, I can turn anything around for the better, I can DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST.

And that's why this week didn't actually suck, even though it should have.

+ and -

So I have pinkeye. In both eyes. Oh joy.


On a happier note, Tyler (Birky) gave me my birthday present today (a bit early)
I scanned it in.....
Pretty sweet, no?
the boy's got skills

"Our song"

I now have so many songs that, for the rest of my life when I hear them, I'll think of someone here.

Birky: Put A Girl In It by Brooks and Dunn, I'm Still A Guy by Brad Paisley, and She's Country by Jason Aldean (just for one line though)

Jetca: Caramelldansen by a Swedish pop group (I originally heard this song on a Japanese anime....go figure). Vida (which is Spanish techno.) Also So What by Pink.

Peter: (just about any song, really, will make me think of Peter singing it. But I'll narrow this down.) Friend Like Me from Aladdin, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, The Circle of Life (just the very beginning part) both from The Lion King, Albuquerque by Weird Al Yankovic (and any other Weird Al song) and When I Grow Up by the Pussycat Dolls. And See You Again by Hannah Montana. Wow, I'll stop now, I could go on forever.

Tara: Right Now (Na Na) by Akon (haha that's kinda bad actually. But its true.) Also Hot 'N Cold by Katy Perry.

Jayme: Addicted by Saving Abel (wow, that song is actually pretty bad. Still, every time I hear it I'll always remember Jayme).

Laura: Gotta Be Somebody by Nickelback. We call it our roommate theme song.

Tyler D: Whatever You Like by T.I. (Just because of one line)

Malerie (one of my "across-the-hall-roommates") I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas.

Last year at this time, I never would have imagined....

....the incredibly weird but incredibly awesome friends I'd make here.

Like Peter.....I never would have imagined I'd be walking to Subway with a guy wearing sunglasses and a headband, who was riding a unicycle.
Neither did I think I'd go to sing at a church service and at the potluck afterwards get in a huge argument about who would win, the Silver Surfer from the Fantastic Four or Jean Gray as the Phoenix.

Or Abigail and Jayme.....never did I think I'd go down to do homework and instead end up having a huge hour long water fight all over the campus.

Or Birky......I've never gotten my name drawn for me in graffiti as a birthday present (on paper, no worries). Nor did I think that anyone could jump high enough trying to block my three point attempt that he kicked me in the face. Neither have I ever met anyone who texts things like "Oy vey" or "chop chop"

Random facts

It's 63 degrees outside - I wish I was home, I want to ride a horse.....

I'm becoming one of "those people".....a coffee person. I love coffee people though, so this can only be a good thing.

I'm going to North Carolina for spring break!!!!!!!!

In a Nutshell

"Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward." - Kurt Vonnegut