A Belated Daybook

Well, hello again! I don't know how long it's been! (Actually, one month exactly- oops! My bad) Life sometimes just seems to pass you by when you're under such a mountain-load of work. I had intended several weeks back to write a blog post about our lovely trip to Samoa (perhaps you may still get one!), but for the time being I shall content myself with having finally written a blog post- albeit only a daybook.

Outside my window.....

Grey skies, icy air and intermittent drizzle. Silly semi-tropical climate winter. Seriously, give us some snow! Earlier this term, a few friends and I went to a midwinter Christmas at the historic village. It was so beautiful, with carollers and fake snow and twinkle lights everywhere. It made me miss Seattle even more. That's what Christmas should be like. One should go to see the Nutcracker ballet on a night it snows, then drive home via Candycane lane (the most light-decorated street in town). One should drink hot chocolate and wear mittens and wrap up warm in front of the fire. And on Christmas eve, one should go to midnight Mass in the pitch black (preferably snowing) and make a warm place in one's heart for our Lord on this cold winter's eve. That is Christmas. Not Santa on a boogie-board.

I am thankful for.....

• My new English teacher who, despite being somewhat scary, has really whipped our class into shape. I have a double-page spread in my homework diary with solely work from English. We have to hand in an essay every fortnight, in addition to the two internals we have on the go. My class doesn't much like her, but she suits me. It also helps that we're both a little bit OCD.

I am thinking about......

Season Three of Downton Abbey!!!!!! Only one month to go! I cannot wait. I have no scruples when it comes to things I am this excited about (Forgive me Father!), so I have been looking up every single spoiler that has been released. Again, no scruples. 

Learning all the time.......

Trying most intensely to douse my schooling in Catholicism. Pro-life speech for English, similar topic for Religion internal on Social Justice, debates with class on same-sex marriage. I quite enjoy it really- it diverts from the mundane.

On my nightstand......

• The Bible. :-)
• Just finished Mansfield Park in the vicinity of one in the morning. LOVED it. Fanny Price is my favourite of Austen's heroines. She's so sweet and thoughtful and pious. I can see her character becoming a role model. I really am trying to be less... intense. I think I scare people sometimes.

I am creating......

Stories. And a different blog post that I am frightened to write.

I am working on.......

Not gossiping, especially when I know what show we're doing next year. I really am (I'm quite convinced of this) the worst secret-keeper I know. I get so excited about things and cannot bear to deprive others of that same excitement. 

I am praying.....

• For the Sealys. Many, many begging prayers to God that they will find His will for their family
• For Katrina's grandmother, that she will know the Lord intimately as His companion in heaven, and that her heart will be filled with eternal joy.

I am hearing......

The washing machine whirring around.

One of my favourite things.....

Next year's musical. :-)

Plans for the rest of the week......

Schoooooool.  Essays. Assignments. Ooh, concert tomorrow afternoon for vocal lessons. 

Quote of the moment.....

From an episode of Dharma and Greg:

"What do you mean by pray?"

"I don't know, talk to the universe or God?"

"So you're talking to God, the maker of all things... and you're doing the talking?"

A picture diary excerpt I am sharing with you.......

Written on the morning after we arrived in Samoa, detailing the gut-wrenching shuttle ride from the airport to our lodgings. 

Saturday 7th July 2012

Here in Samoa, they recently changed the law concerning which side of the road to drive on. To be honest, they really shouldn't have bothered- everyone drives on both sides anyway, regardless of which direction they are traveling, only switching to the lefthand lane if they're about to have a head-on collision (and sometimes not even then!). One might slow down for a red light- but only if one can be bothered. Indicators? Apparently non-existent. I didn't notice any signs of speed limit (perhaps the concept of slowing down is unknown here) but whatever it was, I'm fairly certain we were traveling at least double that. They say the Pacific Islanders are relaxed, carefree, 'chill'. I have never been more terrified in my life.

Within the first minute of our being in the van, my heart was racing at about the same speed as our transportation. "Oh, dear God," I thought, "This is how I die." I hastily began a decade of the rosary.

Jesus, I trust in You.

AMDG