SNOWPOCALYPSE!!!

...at least, that's what was predicted...

Ah yes, it's 2012, the world is going to end before 2013 and Seattle drivers are trying their best to make it happen. Right now the ground is dusted with about three to four inches of snow (weathermen were predicting 1 foot, but that was probably just to convince the University to close). It's quite beautiful, and I will probably brave the weather soon just to get out of the house at least once today. Who knows, I might find a post office. Then again, I might not.

In spite of the predicted snowpocalypse, I went to my first Karate class last night! My quadriceps suffered mightily because I am out of shape. I didn't realize how out of shape I was until the instructor had us jumping and doing lunges for approximately ten minutes. After that, we had to link arms back-to-back with a partner and lean against each other, basically doing the wall-sit with another person. Well, it took me a little while to figure out exactly how that worked. While my partner was a kind blackbelt, she had to remind me several times that we were supposed to be pushing against each other from the hips, not the shoulders. As a result of not figuring it out right away, my legs pretty much turned to jelly. It hurt.

On the bright side, I don't seem to be particularly sore today, and because UW is closed for the snow, I was able to put off my first Japanese midterm by one day! So I got an extra day to study Japanese and also my International Relations textbook and other readings. I'm a little sad that I had to miss out on one of my IR lectures though, because my professor really knows his stuff. He was even quoted in the textbook and is considered a prominent figure in this area of study. Which is really nice. He reminds me of Dr. Fisher, only less quirky. However, like Dr. Fisher, he knows his stuff so well that you could pick any international politics topic and he could tell you all about it and give you some really fascinating insights on the matter. Plus, the stuff he teaches really fascinates me, which doesn't hurt.

As the snow continues to fall (yay!) I know that some of my roommates are praying that school is cancelled tomorrow as well, and while that would be fun, I am up here to learn. Still, there's something about a snow day that brings out the inner child in a person. (Or the inner nutjob. I heard that the snowball fight on Greek Row got so intense it took 6 police cars and some arrests to break it up...) So, I'm off to dig up my new wool sweater and gloves, pull on my hat, bundle up, and tromp through the snow in my awesome leather boots. Since it's not slushy yet, I should be able to return with dry feet.

I haven't really talked much about last quarter, but that's the recent update, so I suppose it all works out in the end.

Until next time, God bless!

~'chel

Today Began Far Too Many Hours Ago

Having been heckled by relatives and friends over my winter break from school, I now feel obligated to do something to keep folks updated on my life while I live at my home away from home. ("Home away from home" being the University Christian Union (UCU) Women's house at the lovely University of Washington Seattle campus.)

I'll start by reviewing my journey into college life in rapid fashion:

• Running Start student at Clark College, graduated with an AA and High School diploma in 2011.
• Application was accepted to UW, but I wanted to go to PSU. God had other ideas, and had to slam multiple doors in my face before I would accept this.
• Dad found out about a Christian house at the UW online.
• I applied to the house. Shortly after, I learned that there was *insert dramatic music* no room for me in the dorms at UW. I started praying hard.
• I was given the OK to interview for the house, which I scheduled during my UW orientation.
• When I arrived for orientation, I ended up getting an infection in the tender area from which one of my wisdom teeth had recently been extracted
• I survived orientation, interview, and infection
• Fall arrived. I went on a fall retreat with the UCU Men and Women's house. We played ultimate frisbee, ate food, put together jigsaw puzzles, drew pictures, played foosball, and signs. We also had a great speaker.
• I started attending school and freaked out because the Japanese Class was a lot harder and was
  "reviewing" things that I'd never learned. 
• However, some of the new grammar was stuff I'd already learned... it was odd.
• I went on a quick ministry trip in Downtown-ish Seattle where I helped cook dinner.
• I got used to my classes, actually figured out how to take the bus, and returned home for Thanksgiving.
• I finally decided on a church-- Paradox Bible Church, which is tiny but awesome, and meets in a movie theatre. Yeah.
• I went home for Winter break.
• Now I'm back for more Japanese, International Relations, and Communications.

So there it is. Hopefully I can keep people relatively updated on this little lovely, and now I don't have to try to bug everyone with humongous emails.

I'm kind of tired now, since I've been traipsing all across campus and desperately seeking wayward buildings, not to mention the ever elusive IMA (InterMural Activities building). Perhaps today I will be able to find the IMA, and also buy my last textbook.

In the meantime, I'll do homework, avoid the rain, and try to ignore the gloomy overcast grayness that is settling in around the UW.

So long and fare thee well!