A thoughtful New Year's Eve day.

New Year’s Eve. Well, day of the Eve, if you know what I mean. It doesn’t seem right to call it just “Eve” when it’s light outside. So that’s how I call these days: New Year’s Eve day, New Year’s Day eve; Christmas Eve day, Christmas Day eve. It’s useful, at least to me. Anyway.

Have you noticed that in the Christmas season, it’s appropriate to say Merry Christmas all the way up until Christmas Day? But for the New Year, it seems wrong to say it until it’s actually the New Year.  Yet, I am looking forward to the New Year, as I did Christmas, so I wish I could say it in the same way, but it just doesn’t seem right. Do others feel the same way?

It’s windy today. And I mean, high-wind-advisory strength. The wind blows so hard that the metal knocker on our front door knocks slightly when a big gust comes up. So I’m particularly jumpy today, thinking that someone is at the door, before I remember how windy it is.

Then that cold, December wind puts me in the mood for tea. So I put the teakettle on, feeling so-vintage-it’s-chic for doing so. It takes awhile for the water to boil, so I do other chores around the house in the meantime. Then, when the kettle screams, I literally jump up, and I race upstairs to the kitchen to pull it off the burner. Is there really a need for such hurry? Probably not, but that highly-concentrated steam has a note of anxiety in it, so I rush to its rescue—or is it my rescue?—to ease my nerves. I’m doing a lot of jumping today; I probably need the soothing tea.

The last day of the year. Naturally it makes me look back. Particularly noteworthy is my engagement, of course. That’s an event that literally will affect the rest of my life, perhaps more than any other event. Congratulations, 2011, you get the honor of containing that landmark. Or should I say “timemark”? In fact, many people I know got engaged this year. It’s the season of our lives, I suppose, for that kind of thing. I count in my head: thirteen. I believe there are thirteen couples, besides myself and my fiancé, that got engaged this year. That’s a lot of weddings for people I know in 2012!

What’s curious about these engagements, besides the sheer number of them in one year, is that most of these people are close to my age. That means they are considerably younger than the national average age that people get married. And to be honest, I am quite proud of my friends for this fact. Take that, American culture, I think to myself. While I don’t have anything against people getting married at an older age, it’s understandable that many people don’t want to wait so long, especially if they’ve been dating the same person for some time. I don’t expect that my circle of friends and acquaintances are an accurate representation of national trends, but I do find the difference striking. Also, the nation’s average length of engagement is about 15-18 months (I couldn’t find any hard facts on this but the sites I saw seemed to have a general consensus), so this means that nearly all of these couples will have had a shorter-than-average engagement as well. Same reason as above probably applies here: don’t want to wait.

The national trend shows that fewer people overall are getting married these days and the divorce rate is still high. So the final reason this makes me proud is that these couples are sticking it to the “Man”—if readers will allow me to refer to culture as a man—by saying that they still believe in marriage; they are still willing to give it a try. Personally, I am consciously saying those things with my own agreement to get married—one that is made all the stronger because I don’t believe divorce is an option, except in very extreme circumstances. I especially give kudos to those of my friends who come from divorced families. That’s an incredible faith! So on this New Year’s Eve day, I toast to you, newly engaged couples of 2011.

A somber note bears including, however. No matter how atypical this group of couples is, statistically, some of these couples will divorce. Considering their ages and lengths of engagement, the likelihood might be even higher than normal. It’s hard to think about, when I like all of these people and can honestly say I am excited about all of these relationships. It makes me want to look back on that list of 2011 couples in 5, 10 and 20 years, to see who stood the test of time. Only God knows. Hm. You know what? For once, I’m glad He’s the only one who does.

Well, this has been quite the entry of varied topics and tones, and I think I shall end here for today. I’ll adapt the classic poem’s final line as my way of signing off:

“Happy New Year to all, and to all, a good night.”

As always, thoughtfully yours,

Ellen

(P.S. Strange to think my last initial will change next year! That will take some getting used to! For now, I’ll just leave it off entirely.)

Tres Leches recipe with pictures

Pastel de tres leches (pah-stel day trays-lay-chays): the classic Latino cake made of three milks that's oh-so-moist.
I participate in a cooking class with a few local women and we made this in the most recent class. I enjoyed it so much, I've decided to write a food blog post about it. Also, I recently bought a new camera so this is a very generalized step-by-step with pictures. (If you want the full recipe, let me know!) I'd tasted tres leches cake before, but never baked one myself. This one was a great success. Mind you, I love milk so I wasn't worried about not liking this cake. However, if you're concerned about how much milk it contains, even the class teacher who swears she hates all kinds of milk loved the final product. Sweet, indeed!
Note: the recipe we used is from a high-altitude restaurant, which may be partly why it turned out so well in my high-altitude town. But who knows, maybe it's just a dang good recipe! Anyway, let's get started.

1. Separate the egg whites from the yolks using their own shells.

 

 2. Beat egg whites...

3. ...and keep beating on high until they form soft peaks (but not stiff like for meringue). Be patient with this step.

4. Combine the dry and wet ingredients separately. Gently stir together. Grease and flour a 9x13, and pour in batter. Bake 25-30 minutes (28min was perfect for us) or until lightly golden.

5. While the cake is still hot, poke lots of holes in it with a long-tine fork or toothpick. Combine the three milks (sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy whipping cream) and slowly pour over the cake. Allow each coating to soak in before continuing. Let the cake cool a couple minutes, then refrigerate at least 4 hours (overnight is best).

 6. Beat heavy whipping cream, a few teaspoons of sugar and a little vanilla extract until it forms soft, shiny peaks. While the cake is still cold, cut into slices. The first slice will be the hardest to get out. Either frost the entire cake or put a dollop of cream on each slice. Enjoy!

"Et voila!"

Weddings on the mind... and nerves

Hello all!
It's been quite some time since I blogged, so it's time again. As many of you know, I am engaged (as of one month ago!) and set to marry in March. Time will go by quick! And I am learning a lot! As exciting as it is to prepare for being married to the love of my life, I'm feeling the need to rant about the annoying parts of engagement...

Things I Dislike:

• Since 5.5 months is a short engagement by American culture standards, I am continually being told that there's barely enough time to get everything done. Hurry, hurry! Worry, worry!
• How much everything costs. I knew this would be the case, but boy, just when you think you've thought of everything, you haven't. Granted, I'm going to be as resourceful and creative as possible, but I'm still in the learning process, but it's pretty ridiculous sometimes!
• How wedding planning starts overshadowing the Bigger Picture: being married For The Rest Of Your Life. I'm not in love with wedding planning in the first place, but even for me, it is a fight to keep it all in perspective. Pre-marriage counseling, however, helps a lot to counteract this effect.
• How it's all about the Bride (and barely about the Groom). I know that girls tend to get more excited about being the princess for a day (and bows, candles, deco, etc, etc). but it's a momentous day for the groom too. He may even care more (gasp!) about the food than I will, and he often has opinions of his own about design. Thankfully, I'm blessed to be engaged to someone who wants to be involved and feel free to share his ideas.
• Being told we're too young. Although people are free to have their own opinions about the ideal age to get married, I have heard plenty of success stories of couples who married in their early 20s. I've been out of high school for over 4 years, and I have grown a lot in that time. Honestly, I believe that more important than age is relative maturity, a similar belief system, and a commitment to work through tough times.

So there's my rant. Of course, this doesn't compare to the longer list of great and fun things about engagement and marriage. I am thankful for so many aspects of this crazy process, and for all of the people in my life, both supportive and willing to voice their opinion. Please understand that I welcome people's views that differ from mine; I just needed a chance to let mine be heard. If I get too obsessed with this whole wedding preparation thing, by all means let me know!

So here's to taking the risk of the Adventure of a Lifetime with my best friend, and to supporting Kingdom values that differ so much from the culture who wants to play "Pretty Pretty Princess."
Thoughtfully yours,
Ellen P.

Uncertain how to deal with the Uncertain

How much do you bother decorating when you're only going to be in a place for a couple months? Do you change your address for everything?

And what if you're not sure how long you'll be in town? Do you apply for a library card? What do you say at church or in conversations with friendly faces you run into at the grocery store?

Of course, being in my hometown again makes it easier--many people already know me and I already have a library card (has it expired? do those ever expire?). But still. Funny how dealing with the uncertain is so... well, uncertain.

Instability. Uncertainty.
This is my new place.
Hesitating, ambulating,
I am the new face.


(© Ellen P. 2011)

A Think-Write.

A Think-Write for a couple of minutes.

I would time it but I don’t want to bother. I can’t remember what you call it when you write exactly what you're thinking for a set time but a Think-Write-So-It-Flows seems to work. I know what I’m talking about anyway.

I just read and looked through the college yearbook Grinnell College--1966. Did you know that they used to not offer credit for working on the publication of their very own yearbook? Crazy. Two of the student staff flunked or were put on academic probation just because their classwork suffered due to their hard work on this yearbook. Then it wasn’t approved by administrators, so it wasn’t published until 20 years later. 20 years! My host father gave it to me to read this evening and it’s made me thoughtful.

Black and white photos, every one. [The photos in this entry are mine.] Controversial because of stating opinion that wasn’t shared by faculty or administrators nor all of student body. Controversial because not everyone in the senior class is shown, and no head and shoulder shots are given. It is a roughly chronological, photographic-masterpiece of a year at Grinnell.

I don’t know anyone who has gone to Grinnell, but the college and town name are familiar to me. I’ve never seen the campus, but I wish I had, because then I could compare it to the photos I saw in this book. I’m sure lots of things have changed tremendously.

Controversy over boys and girls visiting each other after hours, etc. So much call for change, for the ability to change things… but in the end, the admins have the say and the money. They actually sent out letters to parents discouraging student drug use, student sex, etc.... but these pictures tell the (alleged) majority student opinion: Mary J isn’t so bad (my peers still say the same today! Does anything ever change?), couples are fact of life, and boys will always be the slackers compared to women, at least in big groups.

So all this subversive journalism and photography in a yearbook that was banned makes me think. Makes me wish that my peers and I were living for something that means something, in a political-academic-cultural way. I don’t mean the religion part right now, but I do mean the good humanitarian part. I’ve never even seen my university's yearbook—was there one?—but I’m sure it is nothing like this one and it looks nothing like what I knew of it. Granted, it’s hard to sum up for each student what they did and lived and felt in college. But still. Did the student government do anything? Did the student newspaper—high quality though it is—put an urge in me to stop sitting around and to think hard about what I’m doing with my life?

Oh, believe me there was plenty of drinking and lazing around pictured in those pages. But these were people who also felt deep in their gut that they wanted to mean something, and be able to cause change. Be able to cause change.

Yeah, that’s it.

Dramatic paragraph with [Enter Key] because this warrants it.

No wonder people don’t change things; no wonder because my peers don’t even know enough to change things. We have to know first that it’s possible! That if we have a cause that lights our fires; that we have a way to go about it. We are the students, after all, the ones who are the lifeblood of a university.

Sure makes me hate rich admins all the more. Sure makes me hate bigger and bigger classes each year, and those fundraising campaigns. What is that money for? I suddenly feel like I’ve been scammed. Like the university life is one expensive way to give more money to someone else than back to me, the one in need of a degree to do something with my life. What was the point of the liberal arts college experience—besides put me into debt and my many friends into much greater debt?

…Where was I going with this? I’m just kinda nostalgic and kinda upset. But I can’t pinpoint why or how exactly.

I wish I had tried to photograph the sunlight that filtered through trees into the piano practice room in the basement of Music Hall at my own university. That would have summed up much for me and my experience.

In fact, I wish I knew enough about photography to produce pics that I actually like… and not just of people or random snow scenes that don’t convey any emotion.

Why was that moment (or was it moments?) in Music Hall so crucial to me? Because it meant that I was thinking on life, becoming someone rich and deep, that I loved life and it’s natural beauty… that I was in tune with campus, not trying to escape from it, yet not in one of the commercial, “sellable” aspects of it.

I’m so glad I found a piano on campus. Ha, no, rather, pianos. Many quiet friends in protected basement rooms with beautiful, leaf-filtered sunlight for years to come.

“There are some things in life that money can’t buy,” comes the commercial motto of MasterCard. Or is it Visa? No, MasterCard. That’s what I’m feeling right now. Just what did my money (or rather, my parents’ money) buy when I signed up for roughly 4 years? And are those years in context of the rest of world history for me to reflect on later? Just as the Grinnell yearbook had many hints to the Vietnam War going on, I want my memories (which will apparently have to replace a yearbook since I never bought one and probably can’t justify the money to buy one now even if I could) to be in context. President Obama was elected, I remember that. Michael Jackson died. …Um…

Kirk went and came back from modern war in the Middle East. People came to Christ. Students died, from explained and unexplained causes. I learned that I know almost nothing about financial things and I am soon going to need a credit score in order to really make it in life… By the way, I think financial class should be required for freshman and/or seniors, ALL of them, at all colleges. Ha.

One last comment. Near the end of the yearbook, I thought it was very honest and realistic for the editors to write that graduates sleepily got through the commencement ceremony, said some goodbyes,and then “the class of ‘66 scattered.” How anti-climactic yet honest is that? “Scattered.” That’s exactly what we’ll do. Just like in high school, but even more, because we didn’t come from the same place in the first place. But how bitter. All that joy and change and boredom, and all those smirks and kisses and interesting lectures and pretty photos to capture it all… and they scatter. An unplanned force came together in 1966 to actually realize that something isn’t right and things need to change at Grinnell College, but things didn’t because they couldn’t and everyone leaves anyway because college isn’t a lasting thing. So we scatter.

That leads me to this thought: what am I going to do in this life? Yes, I want to encourage people toward Jesus. But I also want to improve this world practically, to show my respect for the good in it. I want to be a relevant, thinking Christian who made it through a 4-year, secular liberal arts college with a degree, and cares about the world around her because she cares about the scattered people around her. What am I going to do? What will my niche be? Or not one, but multiple seeds cast be?

For some reason, I think of the futility brought up by the song “Fix You”:

When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

That’s about how I feel right now. That, and Ecclesiastes’ reminder (or is it a warning?):

“Nothing is new under the sun.”

Nothing is new. Grinnell Yearbook – 1966 taught me that. Not the pot smoking nor the liberal attitude felt by its users. Not the generational gap on moral/sexual beliefs and practices. Not the pocket-lining administrators who live in a different world than the students on their campus. Not the beauty of the experience of acting even though it's just an extracurricular activity, nor the desire to change things that’s common among publications crews. Those things aren't new.

Oh, ha. You know, the chorus lyrics say “Tears stream down on your face” but before reading the lyrics, I thought they said “It’s history there on your face.” I liked the latter better, and that makes more sense right now. It’s history, Grinnell, right on your face, finally published, and you can’t fix it. 

I can’t fix you…

but I’ll damn well try.

—Ellen—

“When you're too in love to let it go…
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth”

Life Skills: A checklist

This summer, part of my job helping with health clinics is asking Hispanics about their health history. Considering how the traditional Hispanic family works (close-knit, multi-generational homes), the "kids" of even 22 years old often have their parents present for this step. What's interesting is how annoyed I have been feeling because of how little the "kids" know themselves. They may even have children of their own, and they can't even remember when their last dental exam was! Not to judge or blame, I got inspired to examine my own life instead, and make a sort of checklist of the things that show that a person is a full-on grown-up or, rather, an independent adult.

So here are some "biggies" that I thought of, and where I am with them, whether that's "I Know This," "I'm in Process of Learning This," or "I Plan to Learn This Someday." Read on, and consider using as a tool to think about where you are with all of this!

1. I Know This (but can always improve)

• How to travel independently
• How to do devotionals
• How to apply for and keep a job
• How to lead/help in small ministry (Bible Study, Worship leading)
• How to cook and shop for groceries for myself
• How to manage friendships, whether single or dating
• How to succeed in education

2. In the Process

• How to choose a church
• How to do my taxes
• Negotiating personal agenda and family matters

3. To Learn

• Car & bike upkeep
• How to search for a place to live (since I always lived in university housing in college)
• Taking control of my personal health history (family risk factors, vaccination records)
• How my health and car insurance work and how they'll change in the future
• The experience of owning a credit card and using it well
• How to budget with a full time income

Ideas for Personal Growth

I was recently looking into overseas mission opportunities, and I found a page about ways to prepare before leaving home for a few months or longer. But as I read the following bullet points, it occurred to me that these are good ideas for someone who merely looking into mission work, not just those who are certain they want to go. In fact, I'd say these are good things for any Christian to do, even if you're not planning on going anywhere! Read on...

"Preparing Personally

• Develop relationships that allow for deep levels of sharing and sincere accountability.
• Strengthen your ministry and leadership skills through involvement with your local church.
• If you are single, assess your contentment with singleness. Develop friendships that provide companionship and encouragement.

Preparing Culturally

• Develop international friendships, right where you are.
• Read missionary biographies and stories.
• Develop relationships with missionaries on the field. Get to know them as people while you become involved with their prayer needs and support.

Preparing Financially

• Move toward becoming debt-free.
• Begin to simplify your lifestyle and possessions."

(from http://www.worldventure.com/Serve/How-do-I-get-started/Qualifications/preperation.html)

So here's to trying to peer a little into what my very uncertain future might look like, while striving to be content right where I am too,
Ellen P. 
aka The Post Grad 

Outside/Inside: oh irony.

I stand on the sidewalk.
Outside: sunny, summer day. Blooming flowers. Cars drive by. Bikers ride by. Dogs bark. Life is pretty normal for a small town.
Meanwhile, there is another reality on the other side of the house's door.
Inside: a woman lays on her bed, dying of cancer. Shades drawn. Dim light. Hushed tones. Heavy air. Her husband lays beside her to comfort her. A typical picture for this household for the last couple weeks.
All this not 30 feet from where I stand. And the outside world has no idea. The house's exterior certainly shows no sign of the sadness it contains: cheery paint, energetic dogs in the back yard, green grass...

I suppose this happens all the time, great sadness and life-as-normal pushed together, side by side, separated by a thin wall, if even that. In fact, I know it happens all the time. But exiting that house after my mom visited her dying friend for yet another time, the abrupt change really hit me: inside/outside, dark/bright, quiet/normal, sad/unaware...

I guess I just say this to point out how little we know: I walk down a street and have no idea that inside one house may reside grief, dark and heavy, while inside the next, new joy awakens. This certainly is the case with people's hearts too: Passing by a person, her expressionless exterior may hide a broken heart, or it may hide a peaceful one. Just a couple feet away...
It's all life, I guess. It just seems particularly ironic, and a little tragic.

--Ellen P.

At the University of Future...

Journal Entry
Date: April 5, 1711

I always knew that the robo-students at this University of Future were particularly strange, but now I've figured it out: it's the source of their energy. Every student has access to electronic panels and they charge their energy through their hands, feverishly tapping their fingertips on keys or resting their right palm on a sliding piece attached to this panel. Most students have a personal panel and do this in the privacy of their rooms, but other bring them portable screens to class and other locations with them. Even the local library holds many books, exactly of the type that I am familiar with, but many students can't even make it to the lower or upper levels of the library to rooms with those books unless they first stop at a screen to soak up energy. These students must not have a interior generator to recharge their energy on their own. And around campus, many have cords going into their ears, so this must be another way of charging when they cannot be at their primary energy panel.

Their lifestyle must be particularly tiring for the need for all this recharging, and I think I have also identified the main source of their fatigue: the dream-state. You see, every robo-student is recommended to get about 7 hours of dream-state every night, but it must be a rather dreadful experience for them, considering how they avoid it. Some stay attached to their panels for hours before pulling themselves away to face the work of dream-state, others put powerful liquids into themselves to avoid it as long as possible. I can only imagine what this dream-state must be like to cause them to go to such extremes.

Yet not all robo-students are like this. I have seen some, though rare, students go for one day or several without attachment to electronic panels. This happens more often when they are not attending classes, but not always. Some even claim that this experience is good for them, and indeed at times they seem more refreshed from their dream-state work than their energy transfer at the electronic panels.
Either way, what a strange life.

As for me, I think it's time to sleep.
--Ellen

Ode to Avis

“Ode to Avis”  

©Ellen P.  

Beloved Avis, how richly has your life of love

impressed itself upon this heart of mine!

And with this ode I send thanks above

and call to mem’ry delightful labors of thine.

Take, for example, that rich, wafting scent

of baking goods that called stomachs, filled noses,

and so rich too, the hues your watercolors lent

to forever beautify quickly fading roses.

Also rich were the melodies together we’d hum,

girlishly, cheek to cheek and hand in hand,

that you never minded if I was Grandpa’s chum

because my heart held you both at my command.

And how rich, the meaning behind your words,

in poems and honest prayers, so well-writ!

as beautiful as beloved cardinal-birds

and as comforting as those afghans you knit.

Indeed, all the senses are engaged by a person so rich:

in eating sumptuous food, in noting painted art,

in snuggling under blankets and joining our pitch,

that I shall live all my years with you impressed

upon my heart!

Dedicated to my grandmother Avis, who passed away March 2011.

--Ellen P.

Tangible things I own that I value most

I was thinking about this topic the other day so here’s what I came up with, in order of value to me:

1.     My miniMac

2.     My dad’s old Trek road bike

3.     My Spain/China scrapbook

4.     My binder of poetic works, now a tangible form of my electronic archive

5.     My journal collection

Note what’s not on my list: my (former) car, cuz that’s still in Nowheresville, CO… Not my iPod, not some cool phone, not a dog, not an expensive pair of shoes (not that I buy those anyway!), not a TV (don’t have one of those either)...

So these things fall into two categories: creative works (that can’t be reproduced), and unusual but high-quality products that are useful (a.k.a. something that nerds of specific fields would like).

Anyway. Just kinda interesting.

Ellen P.

How (not) to conduct the first day of class

5 (classes on average per semester) x 8 (semesters in college) = 40 different classes and about 34 different professors, since I've had a few more than once.
That means I have sat through the first day of class in college lots of times! Notwithstanding the educational content, what follows here is the "meta-educational" content, that is, what I learned about how to educate... specifically, the do's and don't of how to conduct the first day of class.

1. Don't read the syllabus word for word. (Do provide one in class --it's worth the paper-- or have it up on a screen.)

2. Introduce yourself. Why are you teaching this? What did you study in college? Do you have a family? I always think it's interesting to know, and helpful to believe that my professors aren't just droids who stay in the janitor's closet overnight.

3. In a small class, have students introduce themselves. Yes, the name-year-major-why I'm taking this class speech is common, but in this case, I think it's a good time to use it. I want to know who I'll be working with or at least sitting next to for the semester.

4. Say something funny but appropriate.

5. Don't expect students to own the textbook yet.

6. Don't have homework due already (implying that students had to do something prior to the first
day of class. Besides the high probability that lots of people won't have noticed, it's just cruel).

7. Do give an idea of how difficult the class will be: no, you don't want to scare students away, but setting the tone for the rest of the semester is useful.

8. Use visuals, and I mean more than the syllabus. An empty classroom on the first day is just plain boring.

9. Honestly (and readers may disagree here), teaching a little on the first day is okay. Students are more likely to feel it was worthwhile to show up for a class that lasted longer than 15 minutes, and you will give the impression that you use time efficiently.

10. On the other hand, if you don't have a lot to say yet, don't drag out the class. Don't want the students to be sick of you already on the first day!

Apparently I've started a trend of making lists for blog entries. Hope you like them!
--Ellen P.

10 ways to save money in college

I realize that many people have written about this exact topic, but the student take might be less common, and the following list is completely based on my personal experiences. You may not agree with me on some points, but I have practiced every one of the following tips.

Enjoy!

1.     Seriously consider working a job that has food as a perk. Not all food service jobs are worthwhile, but even if the pay itself isn't fantastic, adding the value of that food to your wages can really add up.

2.     Whether or not you have a car, own a bike and lock. Then use that bike as often as possible. Take care of it. Note, however, that the bike should actually fit you and work decently, otherwise you’ll never want to use it.

3.     Shop for groceries with other people. It saves gas, it’s more interesting and, for the person without a car, allows her to buy more than just what she can carry…

4.     When you live in an apartment or house, cook with friends, even if you don't live with them. Of course, cooking and eating together is a fun pastime anyway, but it’s also far cheaper than eating out and is advantageous if you don’t own all the cooking supplies yourself.

5.     Save glass jars (from jelly, salsa, etc), clean them well and reuse them as free glass cups! (Comments received from friends about them: priceless.)

6.     Choose at-home group movie nights instead of everyone going out to the theater. That is, unless it’s the cheap theater. Then it might be worth it. Or find free movies on campus.

7.     In fact, take advantage of as much free stuff on campus as possible. There’s a meeting for a club you find interesting, and they also happen to be serving pizza? Go for it. The bookstore is handing out coupons for students? Take them. Believe me, the university knows the stereotype of broke college kids, so take advantage of it!

8.     Go to class and keep up your grades. Okay, so this isn’t exactly saving you money, but it’s making the most of what you already spent, especially if you’re an out-of-stater. I heard a statistic that one class period for the average out-of-state students at my university costs about $60! Similarly, if you have grade-based scholarships, keep up your GPA so you don't lose them. College already costs too much...

9.     If you get thirsty during the day, bring your own waterbottle to class, instead of buying bottled water. If you want hot drinks, try to bring your own coffee/tea/hot chocolate in a thermos, instead of buying lots of specialty drinks from coffee shops. [Note: Yes, I’m a barista, and I’m still saying this.]

10. Don’t drink ‘til you’re 21, simple as that. After that, do so in moderation, if at all. Yeah, I realize this isn't a popular one on college campuses, but I'm just saying what has worked for me...

Money isn't everything, and sometimes spending it for the sake of delicious food, a night of entertainment or convenient travel makes the expense worth it. It's up to you. I'm just saying that to enjoy the college years, money isn't always necessary...

Frankly yours,

Ellen P.

Views of Blue

Here are a few of my favorite photos taken within the last few months. I'm doing this partly because my word-intensive blog could use some pictures, and partly because I noticed that they all have something in common: a blue hue, despite the large variation in location and subject. (Of course, this has a lot do with taking them outside during the day.) Anyway, enjoy!

"Reflected Sunset" (Wisconsin) ©Ellen P. 2010

 "Frozen Hot Springs Bush" (Idaho) ©Ellen P. 2011

 "Point of View" (Idado) ©Ellen P. 2011

 "Utah Winter" (Utah) ©Ellen P. 2011

 "The Sleeping Boxer" (Iowa) ©Ellen P. 2010

 "Frozen Brook" (Colorado) ©Ellen P. 2010

Ben and I. (Colorado) ©Ellen P. 2010

:-)
--Ellen P.
(Note: posting pictures without properly citing them is plagiarism.)

New Year, New Question, New Quest

 As far as I can tell, most of my friends don’t make New Years resolutions. I used to, back in middle school and maybe even in high school. But resolutions have a bad reputation for rarely getting accomplished or continued past February. C’mon, you know the typical list:

1)   Exercise more & lose weight

2)   Travel more

3)   Get a boyfriend/girlfriend

…Or things like that. Mine stayed the same for years: Stop biting my nails, Lose weight, Spend consistent time with God. Those rarely continued for long either, but my own high failure rate wasn’t the main reason I stopped setting them. Rather, I stopped because

A)   My “year” was tracked more on the school year than the calendar year,

B)   Resolutions already had a bad reputation, so I felt shallow for making them.

But this year is different. While staying in Idaho early this New Year, the people I stayed with began a 21-day fast of specific foods on January 1st, as a way to sincerely listen to God as another year began. This inspired me to look at this whole resolutions thing a bit differently: Instead of making resolutions to attain, how about spending the beginning the New Year seeking the Lord about what He wants to do this year? (Maybe this isn't a new idea to some, but it really affected me.)  I mean, He’s the Only One with the Master Plan and the power to accomplish what’s most important anyway!

Selah. Ponder that last statement for a moment.

God and everyone else in touch with my life know I need (His) guidance more than ever to answer the Big Question of 2011: What comes next after graduation?

So I’m solemnly dedicating this year to my God-who’s-in-control-of-everything-anyway. Because I recognize that this year, as with every year past and future, I’m desperate for Him and lost without Him. And while I can and often do pray about my future at all times of the year, I see this month as a special time of seeking God, listening to Him, waiting for Him. Yeah.

Now, especially to you readers who are thinking “God’s help? Whatever. Self-help is all I need,” read closely: While determination and support may attain you some goals, I honestly believe the only lasting (and worthwhile) change is brought about by God through His divine Spirit. Consider the following verse:

“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind.

Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19)

To be honest, I think the bad reputation of New Years resolutions is evidence that humans on their own are pretty terrible with following through. However, this verse shows how God isn’t stuck in the predictable human errors: He is wise to make the right decisions and promises, and powerful enough to always fulfill them. Just consider that.

So basically, this month and beyond, my question is, What are God’s “resolutions” this year? Once I discover what He’s doing, my quest is just to jump on board!

I may have all sorts of ideas about what’s best for me and my life, but God already has great plans for me (see Jeremiah 29:11-13) and for the world I live in. With the guarantee that He’ll never fail to accomplish them, I think that’s just plain exciting!

Thus I start my quest, and I remain,

Ellen P.

P.S. Another exciting promise that’s related to spiritual seeking: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” –Jesus’ words. (Matthew 7:7-8)

P.P.S. … Okay, and I’m still hoping to kick the nail-biting habit. Somebody ask me next year if I have!