Recently Acquired Knowledge

We all learn something new every day. Isn't it amazing that there is so much, uh...stuff out there to learn about that you can learn something new each day? Even then we can't learn it all, nor have we even begun to learn it all. Oh well. All I can say is take what you do know with you, and constantly investigate the universe to learn new stuff (deep thought for today). I learned something today. I can't think of what it is right now, but that's not what I want to talk about anyway. What I want to talk about is what I learned yesterday. What I learned is simple. It's not a secret to the universe or anything, however, it is very useful. This is the proper way to eat animal crackers...

1) Take a package of animal crackers and select, approximately, how many you would like to eat by reaching into the package and taking some out.

2) Separate the crackers into stacks, each species of animal in a different stack.

3) Arrange the stacks into alphabetical order according to the names of each animal.

4) Begin eating crackers from the stacks that have a greater number of crackers, starting with your least favorite animal and working up.

5) Once the stacks have an equal number of crackers, you may then proceed to eat them, again starting with your least favorite animal on up.

I'm sure you can apply this to many different foods, but I haven't learned that yet. Maybe that'll be tomorrow.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

As promised, I am going to dedicate this blog to pictures. This is for both your enjoyment, and to show off my artistic ability. I'm still thinking that maybe I should switch majors...

So...I've been taking a lot of pictures lately. You know, you don't, at least this is how it worked out for me, realize how neat it is to take pictures until you actually have a camera in your hand and your pressing the button...or playing around with the settings first, and then pressing the button. I've wanted to get my own digital camera for a while now so that I could capture life's precious moments...I mean uh, cool..things...

No, but seriously, as soon as I got my camera I went super wack crazy taking pictures, especially of nature. Every time I went home, I took my camera and I took dozens of pictures where I live. Even though I have always liked the nature, I think because I've lived out in boofoo my whole life, it seems to jump out at me that much more when I have a camera handy. I think my artistic side is coming through, and I'm starting to wonder if I'm in the wrong major. Not really, but it kinda crossed my mind because I am really enjoying this. Not only am I enjoying the picture taking part of artsiness, but I am also enjoying drawing pictures. My art teacher gave us an assignment on Monday to draw a self portrait. I thought this was great. See, normally I wouldn't pick up a pencil and paper and start drawing because, well, I just don't have that kind of time, and plus, I just didn't think about it. But now that I had to do an assignment, I figured I would take advantage of this situation. I now had an excuse to "waste" time on something. I spent about 5 hours total I would say, drawing my self portrait. I had so much fun because I haven't drawn anything since, maybe grade school. I think mostly I turned out not looking like me at all. But, it was fun nonetheless. Plus, I kinda taught myself techniques as a went along. Not to brag, but I was really surprised at my artistic ability. Maybe I'll make a hobby out of this. Beside taking pictures of nature, I just started taking pictures of whatever while trying out the different manual settings. When I went to UK for fall break, my friend took all of us on a tour and I tried out the camera in the dark. Because my camera isn't a several thousand dollar SLR, it's not capable of doing a whole lot with exposure and speed, but it's good enough for me...for now. I put a couple pictures from my experimentation in Lexington.

Ok, off the topic of artsiness. I'm going to talk a little bit about life in my apartment. My roommates came home yesterday from the grocery and proposed an idea. This is idea is known as, "Mark your own food with color-coding stickers or pay the price of someone else eating it all."I think this is a brilliant idea. Way to go roomies. I included pictures to help you understand what I mean.

Lately

Umm...yea, it's been a really long time since I've written anything and, well, hmm...just get over it.....That was mean to say. I'm sorry, I apologize. NO! Wait a minute. This is my blog and if you don't like it, I don't care!.....Whoa, I don't know where that came from. I'm sorry again.

I think it's time to switch it up a bit. Many of my recent posts have been about deep discussions and thoughts. Let's take it down a notch. This post is going to be more about events...

Let me see if I can remember back about a week and a half ago. (Thinks a few minutes). Actually, a lot has happened since then...

The Sunday after my last post, I had an ultimate league game, in which we played a pretty difficult team. I was not able to stay the whole game though because singing practice started soon after the game began. (My team ended up winning without me being there. I don't know how that happened.) So it was off to singing practice and church at the Interfaith Center. I really enjoy singing practice. Not only do I love singing, but I get to sing for the purpose of praising God as well. Plus, I get to meet all kinds of chics who just love my awesome singing ability. (Ok, not really, but it sounded good.) Actually, I have "re-met" a girl who I originally met at the waterfront playing frisbee. She now goes to Mass at the Interfaith Center, and we have become quite close this semester. By close, I mean we are a couple now.

Last Wednesday was Rissy Roo's Birthday (That's my sister Marissa in case you didn't know). We went out to eat at Ditto's and then out to get some coffee. We got to spend some quality sibling time together...something we don't get to do very often. I invited her to come to the Thursday night Bible Studies, and she came to the one we had last Thursday. I'm really glad she came.

This past weekend was Fall Break. Can you believe that we are half way done with this semester? I sure can't. I take that back. I believe it, but it's crazy. I went home on Friday, and hung out with the family a little. Marissa opened her birthday presents, and we watched one of them, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. This movie was really different, but I liked it. It's good to change things up a bit. Saturday night I went down to UK to visit some amigos. Sunday morning, I was off to Louisville to almost come out with a victory in a game where we played 6 on 7 against the number one team, losing 13-12. That is a victory in my book. Sunday night, Katie and I went out for her birthday, and our first date. (Everyone say "awww"). Back to Lexington again because I was stupid and forgot my travel bag, and then back home. Fall break is over now, well almost.

I experimented a lot with my camera over the break. When I first got it I never took it out of the automatic mode. But now, I am growing up and have graduated to using the Manual Mode. That's right. I'm a big kid now. I think my next blog is going to be dedicated to pictures, so check back if you want to be amazed. Hey Marissa, I think my pictures are better than yours. What do you think about that?

Reaffirmation

For the past, well I don't know how long, some stretch of time during my college career, I have been struggling with my faith. So many questions, so few answers...

It started when I first came to The University of Louisville and noticed how Protestant denominations were enthusiastic about their faith. I had never witnessed this kind of passion for one's own faith before. I soon realized that I was lacking in this matter, and I couldn't help but try to change. In the Fall of my Sophomore year, I began singing in the choir for Masses at the Interfaith Center, while my roomie, Matt, played guitar. I also started attending the worship service at the BSU, known as TnT (Tuesday Night Thing), as well as Bible studies Adam put together there. Soon thereafter began my confusion, because I was learning a different set of beliefs and practices. I started to wonder if Catholicism was the right faith for me...

(fast forward to last Tuesday evening)

Because of all the recent discussions*, I was so overwhelmed with confusion. I called my friends, Dave and Michael, back home and had some long talks. Michael left me with a phrase that made feel a million times better immediately, "Let Go, Let God." I realized that I shouldn't be getting so upset over all these questions. I should just believe that God would take care of me and reveal His Truth to me. Thursday night I attended the Bible study that my old roomie, Matt, helps lead at the interfaith center. It was over the Catholic doctrine on the Eucharist. This Bible study was blatantly a message from God. All of my questions and worries disappeared and my Catholic beliefs were reaffirmed in myself. I realized something that I had known and been taught all my life, but, I guess it didn't become real to me until last night: I believe in an infallible doctrine and it can answer all my questions. Read Matt's post for an explanation of Thursday's Bible study.

I'm going to say now that I am Catholic, and I choose to be so. But there is one thing that I have taken with me which other denominations have showed me. I now have a strong passion for my faith, and I constantly strive to be the person the Jesus Christ wants me to be.

(*Post References: A Reflection, Homosexuality, God Takes Us Back, Let's Play Catch Up, Per Request, Some Thoughts)