It's called "Oxbridge"

I love the smell of books. love Love LOVE. I love walking into a bookstore (especially used book stores) and inhaling that sweet, sweet smell of old pages and non-biodegradable ink. It's the best smell in the world.

Well, I've always said that if someone were to bottle that smell, and then a man would wear that cologne, I don't care if he has a face like a mailbox, I'd be all over him. Well, it's happened (but not the all-over part).

In a particular class, I sit next to this particular guy. He does not have a face like a mailbox. He actually has a very nice face. But the other day, I turned in his direction and BLAM! hit in the face with that wonderful old-books smell. Whoa. I don't know why (or how) he smells like old books, but I am now even more attracted to him. But that's not the point. The point is I was right. A cologne that smells like old books is the key to my heart, or at least, to my attention.

MLIA: Friends

My friends rock. Here's some reasons why:

-sincere compliments ("that dress is FANTASTIC"-A.G.)

-nicknames ("Ems"- D.R.)

-gum when I have nap-time breath (C.C.)

-random movies about Coco Chanel (H.G.)

- shared classes (C.C., H.G., A.G., C. S., D.R....)

- Oreos with a nice note when I'm heading out for a hard day (L.H.)

- thinking better of me than I think of myself (J.M. & T.U.)

- girl talk

- talking about puppies ( R.L. & B. G.)

- the ability to say "shut up" with a smile (B.G.)

- weird animals noises at IHOP (C.M. & S.S.)

- free Lady Gaga (A.T.)

- asking about me when I'm gone (R.P.)

- late night jigs of joy (H.G.)

- (slightly) inappropriate comments/jokes (you know who you are)

- alerting me to possibly awkward gchat statuses (R.P.)

- rides to the grocery store (L.S. & P. H.)

- boy advice (P.A. & P. H.)

- letting me borrow books (too many initials...)

- sharing pie on pi day (J.B. & R)

- best conversationalists ever (ALL YOU PEEPS)

- the list goes on....

Basically, I have some really awesome friends and they do more for me than I could ever list here, or anywhere. This semester I was planning on just being super-independent and a (lonely) workaholic. I'm really glad that I'm surrounded by people like YOU that won't let me do what I plan to do. I'm much happier for the interference. Thank you. You help everyday be a little better and my life a little richer.

Have an awesome day everyone!

A Mess of Pottage, pt. 1

I was in church the other day (it was a Sunday, if I remember correctly) and the Sunday School lesson was about Jacob and Esau. Everybody took the "Esau could've held out a few hours for some food, and didn't value his birthright and that's why its okay that Jacob tricked Esau for the birthright (because Jacob valued it)" stance. That's all well and good, but here's my beef.

We all know (or think we know) the stories of the Bible. But how many of us have actually read the scriptures and the stories as they appear in the Bible? Based on the discussion generated on Sunday, not many of us, and that includes the teacher. Now, I think I have a slight advantage, being I took a Bible as Literature course last semester in which we spent a good deal of time on the scripture relating to Jacob and being an English major, I've been trained to read critically. But all that aside, I think that too many people rely on Primary-perspectives and that understanding of scripture can inhibit growth because it's not actually based on what the scripture says.

Don't get me wrong, I do think there's something to be said for the meaning that you can get from the story. I think it's problematic when it contradicts the actual word of the scriptures or when it becomes the only meaning, the end-all-be-all.

To be continued...

This made me laugh...loudly...in the library...