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August 30, 2004
Aaaah CHOOO!
Today I got tested for allergies. I already knew that I have allergies, but try explaining how bad they are to a Doctor who does not have them. Don't get me wrong, my Doctor is a brilliant person, but she just doesn't seem to understand exactly how miserable my allergies can make me. I am optimistic, though, because I think the results of the test will give her some clue.
Step one of the procedure consisted of me laying on my stomach while the nurse pricked me in the back 35 times with a needle dipped in small amounts of 35 different allergens. Then I was left to wait for 10 minutes. Fortunately, my mother accompanied me on this adventure, and it is always enjoyable to have a medical technologist with you on any such medical odyssey. While I was flat on my face, trying not to drool on the paper-lined "bed" and avoiding lowering my hair into the patches of burning flesh, my mother was standing over me, wide-eyed, intently watching the wonder of allergic reactions take place before her very eyes.
"Ooo, number three must be cats. Wow, I wonder what number twenty-four is! It's going great guns."
I felt like it was a horse race or something.
Then she decided to list off all of the numbers to which I was having reactions:
"2, 3, 6, 11, 12, 16, 18..."
"Bingo."
"19, 21, 25, 31, 35."
It turns out that those were just a trial run. Next, the doctor decided that I needed sixteen injections of a slightly larger amount of some of the allergens into my arms.
In the end, the doctor confirmed that I do indeed have severe allergies. They rank the severity of each allergen on a scale of one to four, and in case you too are in the medical profession, or are plotting my demise, I will indulge you in the results:
Housedust - 4 (A wonderful excuse to let it all settle.)
Dust mite - 4
Dog hair - 4
Cat hair - 4, circled by the nurse. This means deadly, but I could have told you that after I broke out in a rash that covered both of my arms last time I petted a cat.
Various molds - 2
Elm - 2
Walnut - 1
Cottonwood - 2
Birch - 1
Blue grass - 1 (I wonder if that applies to the music...)
Ragweed - 3
Russian thistle - 2
Cocklebur - 2
Pigweed - 1
Plantain - 1
The allergist recommended a series of weekly shots for the duration of five years.
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Quote of the Day:
In the largest set of arrests, some 50 protesters on bicycles who stopped near the parade route were carted away in an off-duty city bus. Fifteen people were arrested and two police officers were injured when someone set a paper dragon float afire near Madison Square Garden, and nine demonstrators were charged with assault after trying to stop police from arresting the culprit, authorities said...
"There's been a few minor arrests," Mayor Michael Bloomberg (search) said. "It has been peaceful."
Arson and assult are peaceful?
Posted by Megan at 03:02 PM | Comments (6)
August 29, 2004
A Little Too Ironic
God hates me.
This afternoon I was IMing Kristin when she happened to mention that she heard that St. Olaf booked Ben Folds for their annual fall concert. I thought she was just teasing me, and I told her that it was not at all funny. She was serious. I thought she must be mistaken, and checked Olaf's website. Nothing about the fall concert. I checked Ben Folds's website.
10/2 - northfield, mn st. olaf college, skogland auditorium
I screamed. And cried.
You see, I didn't really discover Ben Folds until this summer. Pat had been telling me for years that he rocked, but everyone knows that I don't pay that much attention to Pat. Well, thank goodness for Heather, because she told me that Ben Folds rocked, and I believed her, of course. Then Pat and
My plan was to suggest to my parents that Ben Folds Live, the CD, would be a good birthday present. Waiting a month would be a good test of my patience. Besides, I could always borrow Heather or Pat's CD if I grew desperate.
On Friday at 5:00pm, I broke down. I drove to Best Buy and bought the CD. I failed the patience test, but I couldn't locate a CD to borrow, and I needed to hear it then and there. I needed him to sing me my current favorite song, #16 (or #12 on Rockin the Suburbs) The Luckiest. (If you haven't heard it before, you need to listen to it ASAP.)
So, God must love me, right?
I called Heather immediately and told her to mark the date on her calender, because I could get tickets for a bunch of Ames people. She reminded me that the Rock retreat is also scheduled for that particular weekend. I had pledged to do my best to make it back for that.
I called Pat. He was sympathetic for at least a few seconds, but then the real question came up:
"Can you get us (The Lone Strangers) to open for it?"
"Uh... I can get you tickets to get in..."
"Oh. Well, if you can get us to open, we'll come."
I called Kristin. She was more sympathetic. She was rediculously rational and reminded me that although Ben Folds does indeed rock, it was only a concert, and that the Rock retreat would be God and most of the wonderful people reading this, and that is what would really last. I could just pay 10x as much and go see him and a different venue. I could only whimper.
Posted by Megan at 07:49 PM | Comments (3)
August 28, 2004
My Heart Hurts
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.
Job 1:21
Posted by Megan at 03:05 AM
August 25, 2004
Pretty Spiffy, Eh?
Awww yeah. Check it. New blog addition: Bush/Cheney '04 news sidebar courtesy of Matt. Now I must no longer bear single-handedly the burden of delivering truth to your blogdom. I can write ridiculous stories and let the sidebar do the dirty work. This calls for a diet Coke. In a glass. With three ice cubes. And -- might as well go all out -- a straw. Hmmm, it might call for an ottoman, too. And, as long as we're going all out, a rocking one.
Speaking of accessories for being absurdly lazy, I have enjoyed the hammock here at Knapp St. so much that I began envisioning ways of adding one to my dorm room this year. You see, I'm living in a triple suite, which is a double and a single connected with a bathroom. And I get the single. Thus, if I were to loft my bed, a hammock would attach beautifully to either end of the loft.
However, upon researching the cost of hammocks, it seems that the least expensive ones are in the $40 range, which I simply cannot justify. So, if you have an old hammock just lying around, or if your great aunt knits them while watching Days of Our Lives, feel free to make a tax deductable donation to my dorm room.
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Quote of the Day: "I sometimes feel like a Jerry Springer show." -I need to ask permission before I put the name up here, but it was someone in my household. Of course.
Posted by Megan at 05:37 PM | Comments (7)
August 23, 2004
That Sums it Up
Quote of the Day:
I think this can hurt Kerry more than all the medal controversy. I mean, one day he's saying that we were shooting civilians, cutting off their ears, cutting off their heads, throwing away his medals or his ribbons. The next day he's standing there, "I want to be president because I'm a Vietnam veteran." And I think he's -- I said months ago, "John, don't go too far." And I think he's got himself into this wicket now where he can't extricate himself because not every one of these people can be Republican liars. There's got to be some truth to the charges. But this is on tape. This is on television. This is before the Senate committee......
Maybe he should apologize to all the other 2.5 million veterans who served. He wasn't the only one in Vietnam.
And here's, you know, a good guy, good friend. I respect his record. But three Purple Hearts and never bled that I know of. I mean, they're all superficial wounds. Three Purple Hearts and you're out.
I think Senator Kerry needs to talk about his Senate record, which is pretty thin. That's probably why he's talking about his war record, which is pretty confused.
-Bob Dole, former Senator and WWII veteran, on CNN
Posted by Megan at 10:02 PM | Comments (2)
August 22, 2004
Confession
I've been having trouble reading the Bible. The differences between the Old and New Testaments confuse me. Seemingly contradictory statements frustrate me. The several different portrayals of who God is leave me feeling like I know him less rather than more.
Today, during the music portion of church, I was relishing the time worshiping God. The words of the songs brought back to mind the God I know -- loving, powerful, merciful. I can't reconcile the fact that I can have faith in God when I just take a moment to tell him how wonderful he is, but when I try to bring logic into it, I wind up questioning whether God even exists.
Another time I end up frustrated is when I'm stuggling to trust God with an area of my life. I try to force myself to just let it go, but then a nagging doubt sets in, and I hear, "What if there isn't a God? Then nobody is in control."
I want to believe. I really do. I just have a hard time with it.
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Quote of the Day:
Dear God,
Don't let me fall apart
You've held me close to you
I have turned away and searched for answers
I can't understand
They say that I can move the mountains
And send them falling to the sea
They say that I can walk on water
If I would follow and believe
With faith like a child
Jars of Clay
Posted by Megan at 11:15 PM | Comments (2)
August 21, 2004
Lunch Line
I was standing in the lunch line at whatever food service place is in/near Larch, preparing to grab a tray, when suddenly every memory of standing in a lunch line flooded back.
I remembered the lunch line that wrapped all the way around the orange and blue gym at Grace Abbott Elementary. Toe stomping abounded. Conversation usually centered around the menu. Once fourth and fifth grade rolled around, most kids were too picky to eat what the cafeteria served, and thus were bringing "cold" lunches from home in a lunch box. (I had a yellow Rainbow Bright one, complete with a Thermos.) I usually stood up for the school's "hot" lunches though, mainly because my parents didn't always have time to pack me a lunch, and it only cost $1.00 to eat what the school served. Of course, the price increased by $.10 per year, but never mind that. I liked the somewhat rubbery pancakes and the slightly chewy pizza.
Once I reached Kiewit Middle School, conversation changed to classes, teachers, and, I must admit, boys. The cafeteria happened to be right next to the gym, which provided the cherished opportunity to spot the cute gym teacher. The lunch debate evolved into which was better, chocolate or vanilla "milkshakes." If your parents gave you actual money instead of writing a check for a lunch ticket, you could purchase really good (AKA extremely unhealthy) food such as mini donuts and fruit punch.
By seventh grade, I was the favorite of my middle school band teacher. This was probably due to the fact that I respected him rather than trying to take advantage of him, and I actually wanted to play and improve instead of goof around. Thus, he set it up so that he could give another girl and I private lessons during one of his planning periods since we had orchestra during the regular band hour. (We both played violin and trumpet.) One of the tricks he tought me was to practice the chromatic scale fingering pattern on the bottom of my lunch tray. I can still play the chromatic scale at the speed of light. In fact, I'm not too shabby with scales in general.
Lunch at Millard North High School was a little different. Subway and Little Ceaser's pizza were catered in, and by then my parents were just handing me money, so I got to endulge in the more luxurious options. The line for these also happened to be shorter, and no tray was required.
Back to long lines at St. Olaf College. Coversations encompass everything under the sun, but almost always include at least one complaint about how long the line is, and consequently, how much the school sucks.
But I think, when graduation rolls around, I might miss lunch lines.
Posted by Megan at 01:26 PM | Comments (1)
The Final Countdown
One week.
I will be headed home one week from now.
I've begun making a list of "one last times." There are quite a few on the list, but here is a sample of things I'd like to do "one last time" before leaving Ames:
1. Sand volleyball, oh yeah
2. Along Came Polly
3. Stomping Grounds... although I hear rumors of a brewery opening, so that might qualify as well.
On the other hand, I realized while making this list that sometimes you can't recreate the best moments. You can't really plan pouring out your heart to someone. You can't very well schedule wild, crazy, stupid things. You can't arrange those times when everything meaningful seems to spontaneously collide right in front of your face and all you can do is stand in awe.
I'm not doing very well at putting my thoughts into words, which is a really bad sign considering the circumstances, i.e. I'm writing a blog and you're reading it. Perhaps this is because I'm still sorting out everything that happened this summer. It all happened so fast that my head is still spinning. If you really want to hear all of the impressions I'm left with, I guess you'll have to ask me... although I wouldn't recommend it, because you'll probably be listening to a jumble of randomness for the next few hours.
I'm going to hurry up and post a completely different blog now in hopes that it will be more readable.
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Quote of the day: "Language is for liquid that we're all dissolved in." Modest Mouse, Good News for People Who Love Bad News
Posted by Megan at 01:10 PM
August 18, 2004
Beneath the Surface
Today I went to see Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement. I'm not a huge fan of the teeny-bopper chick flick genre, but they are therapeutic when taken in small doses, and I thought that the original, The Princess Diaries, was a quality movie. Plus, in high school I was told that I looked like the main character, Mia Thermopolis (played by
I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone, so if you haven't seen it and plan to, stop reading now. A central theme of the plot is the dilemma between opting for a guy who can offer security and seems like the rational option (Andrew) versus a guy who the girl hardly knows, but for whom she has strong feelings (Nicholas). Generally, the better-looking actor plays the part of the latter guy.
During the movie, I found myself subconsciously hoping that Mia would end up with Nicholas. But when I realized that I was hoping for that, I started hating Hollywood for setting me up. Indeed, in the end, Mia and Nicholas ended up together while Andrew actually thanked Mia for using him and then leaving him at the altar.
This left me wondering what life will be like for Mia and Nicholas. Once the romance wears off in a year, what will they do? Princess Diaries 3: Reality Royalty would most likely feature an affair and subsequent divorce. But what would life have been like for Mia and Andrew? Perhaps they would have found that they really had nothing in common. But perhaps, after spending more time getting to know each other, they would have fallen in love with who the other person is rather than what they look like or how they act on the surface.
Maybe I'm being too idealistic here. Too be embarrassingly honest, I haven't had a boyfriend since my sophomore year in high school. But I can't help but hope for the day when I find the person who I love, faults and all, because of his heart and soul -- who he is -- and who loves me the same way.
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Quote of the Day:
You've seen me at my weakest but you take me as I am
And when you fall you offer me a softer place to land.
Sarah McLachlan, Push
Posted by Megan at 09:17 PM | Comments (7)
August 15, 2004
3 Questions
3 questions I would ask God if I could... well... ask God 3 questions:
1. Why don't you make it known to everyone on Earth that you are God?
2. Does it bother you that there are so many different interpretations of you?
3. In the Bible, why did you always say that you were coming soon, but you still haven't come?
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Quote of the Day: "I want to know you more..." -"In the Secret" by Sonicflood among others.
Posted by Megan at 08:17 PM | Comments (5)
August 14, 2004
Glorious Sadness?
I'm going to come right out and admit it. I've been in a bad mood for the past few days. It started out on Monday or Tuesday. I just thought it was a bad day and hoped that the next would be back to good again. Not so.
I really didn't have anything in particular to be crabby about. Sure, I moved again, but that was not the cause of my unhappiness. In fact, I'm fairly certain that there was no cause. Other than, perhaps, a fridge lacking diet Coke. Honestly, I know it's sad, but a caffeine addiction is nothing to mess with, I'm warning you.
The only other possible cause I can come up is my lack of work. Too much time to sit and introspect is unhealthy.
Tonight was good, though: some nice, leisurely, all-girls volleyball followed by some more intense volleyball, then a scrumptious dinner prepared by Autumn, finished off with hours of conversation in Alisa's apartment. Nothing too exciting, but quality, happy times nonetheless.
I'm certainly not writing the "I've had a bad day... or few" for sympathy. In fact, when I mope about such things, it's usually best to tell me to get over myself. And, sure enough, this is what my daily devotional told me today. And thus, ladies and gentlemen, we have our quote of the day:
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 2 Corinthians 7:10
Posted by Megan at 12:57 AM | Comments (4)
August 12, 2004
You Make Me Feel Less Crazy
Tonight, I move to Knapp St.
I have been warned many times by several different people about what to expect over there, and they all concur on one point: it will be crazy.
I can't wait.
Call me ignorant. Call me naive. I can't wait to be a part of the action. I'm excited to go out with a bang.
You see, I'm not always the sane one myself. I actually enjoy making a fool out of myself. (One word: narfing.) Some readers may not believe this, because it takes a while for me to let my guard down, but just ask any of my old friends (K and L, feel free to confirm or deny this.)
In fact, I will be so bold as to provide a prime example from yesterday: Hoola-hooping in the Knapp St. back yard, baby.
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Quote of the Day:
"His wife says she's an African American. While technically true, I don't believe a white woman, raised in Africa, surrounded by servants, qualifies." A radio ad run by "People of Color United" on Teresa Heinz Kerry. What then, pray tell, does qualify a person for the classification of "African-American," if being from Africa does not?
Posted by Megan at 06:50 PM | Comments (3)
August 10, 2004
The WHAT? city
And you thought your time in Chicago was crappy...
In Chicago, I walked past some outhouses in the process of being emptied. It even disgusted the guys in the group. But it doesn't hold a candle to this.
A sight-seeing boat got dumped on. It was passing underneath a bridge when a tour bus or two going over the bridge chose that particular time to empty their sewage tanks.
The boat's name was Chicago's First Lady.
Rumor has it that a Mr. Dave Matthews may have had something to do with the tour busses, but his driver denies any responsibility, claiming, "I haven't emptied the tank for days." What a pile of crap.
Posted by Megan at 11:15 PM | Comments (3)
Well uh-uh baby I ain't got no plan...
Here it is, day 2 of my internship being over and no work, and I feel like a lazy bum.
Yesterday, after sleeping late, I did laundry and dishes. Both had piled higher than was aesthetically pleasing, but nothing extraordinary for a college student. I also read for quite a while and listened to Ben Folds Rockin the Suburbs twice and Jars of Clay Jars of Clay once. (I must say, Jars went downhill after their first CD.)
I have no idea what I'm going to do today (besides the same thing we do every day, Brain, try to take over the world.) Perhaps purchase some groceries. Probably read some more. Maybe look at my schedule for fall and fill in the blanks with good intentions.
Funny how when I was at work I wanted to just be sitting around at home. I guess the grass is always greener... I hate cliches. What's something more creative for "the grass is always greener?"
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Quote of the Day:
Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest --
and poverty will come on you like a bandit
and scarcity like an armed man.
Proverbs 6:6-11
Posted by Megan at 09:58 AM
August 05, 2004
Minnesota v. Iowa
I know I will have friends from both MN and IA reading this blog, so I will give you all fair warning: in true Blair style, it will be completely honest, totally blunt, and entirely tactless.
On that note, I will admit up front that this summer in Ames has made me want to live here forever. I felt welcome immediately and right at home soon after. I have what I honestly feel is like a gigantic family.
At Olaf, I have three very close friends, with whom I have good, clean fun on a regular basis. I can tell them anything and everything, and often they get the brunt of what is too personal for a blog. If I did not return, I would miss them terribly.
I also have a wide group of friends at Olaf. These consist of people who are extremely fun to hang out with, but I often find myself choosing not to partake in some of their activities, mostly for moral reasons. This leaves something to be desired.
In addition to all of my spiritual brothers and sisters, I have a biological brother here in Ames. I am bewildered as to why he let me intrude on his life, not to mention encouraged me to do so, but I have loved sharing it with him. It's been a while since we've played volleyball together, but we still make a darn good team, if I do say so myself. Also, Being around him has kind of helped me remember who I am, which is important once in a while.
I can't help but wonder if some of the glamour excitement of Ames would wear off if I were to live here permanantly. If I were a permanant fixture instead of a long-term guest, I would probably turn in to boring Megan instead of Megan! I would have to resign myself to working and studying, with playing set aside for the weekends. None of this same-movie-two-nights-in-a-row business. Maybe it would be best to keep Ames as the fun get-away place reserved for long weekends.
Transferring to ISU would be illogical and impractical, which means that for a Blair to do such a thing would be nearly impossible, though I am getting better (worse?) at such things. I would not be able to take classes in the fall due to silly things like application deadlines. I have not figured out which classes would transfer and which wouldn't, but this process would probably either add semesters until I graduate, cause me to drop one of my majors, or both.
Sure, tuition at ISU is significantly less costly than at Olaf, but increasing the amount of time until I graduate also increases the amount of time until I get a decent job with a decent income. In fact, while dealing with financial issues, my parents are probably having heart failure at this very moment, thinking about all the money they would have wasted on my semesters at Olaf just to have me end up with a diploma from ISU.
I don't go to church at Olaf. I have tried going to several different churches in the area, and I have had major disagreements with the theology presented at the pulpit at all of them. I do attend a Sunday evening worship time, replete with a praise band. The band is not bad, but the music is nothing compared to the Rock. And worship only does so much to feed me spiritually.
I have been given a leadership position with the College Republicans at Olaf next year. I am excited to be working on the presidential campaign in a swing state, and I know I will be challenged to lead my members to do the same.
The key question here, though, is where God wants me to be. I have indeed been praying about this, but probably not as much as I should. Somehow, though, I always end up concluding that God could sure use someone at Olaf to be an example. I question whether my faith is strong enough for this and whether I am spiritually mature enough for this. I feel like I am constantly learning this summer, like I am the spiritual baby of the group. Would I be able to hold myself up as well as others?
Well, that's not nearly all of the questions or all of the answers, but it puts a dent in it for now.
Posted by Megan at 10:26 AM | Comments (9)
Surreal
I went to a "leaders' meeting" even though I'm not a leader, and not even going to be here in the fall, unless God has different plans.
I was told yet again that I should stay here in the fall. This will be the subject of a blog in the very near future.
I listened to an EP recorded by Pat Blair, Matt Heerema, Heather Hanson, Dan Shea, and Scott Chidester (The Lone Strangers).
I listened to live music played by Pat Blair, Matt Heerema, and Dan Shea.
I went to see Dodgeball again... even though I saw it last night. But I still laughed harder than is socially appropriate. And it was ten times as funny since I got to hear Tiffany, Emily, Luke Anderson, Luke DeVries, Mike Biang, Dan Shea, and Cliff laugh as well.
I went on my first real motorcycle ride courtesy of Luke DeVries. Motorcycle rides may be even better than rides in the back of a pickup. I may need a few more of each before I reach my final verdict, though.
Is this really my life? Often it amazes me. I stop at least weekly -- more frequently now that I am trying to savor these last couple of weeks in Ames -- and wonder at where I am and all that has happened this summer.
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Quote of the Day:
All of the things
That happened just so I can be here
Who's pulling the strings?
Do I have company?
'cause I'd like to think
That I'm in control of my own destiny
All of the signs begin to point the other way
Who would have known
That I'd be standing right here next to you
'cause I never saw it coming
Who would have known
That I'd get control of things I do
All the could have should haves
Never would have happened anyway
-Hoobastank, 'Never Saw it Coming'
Posted by Megan at 12:10 AM | Comments (3)
August 03, 2004
Blogette
Article of the Day: Dennis Prager: Why the Democrats use 12-year-olds.
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Quote of the Day:
Well, I guess if a person never quit when the going got tough, they wouldn't anything to regret for the rest of their life. Well good luck to you Peter. I'm sure this decision won't haunt you forever.
-Lance Armstrong in Dodgeball
Posted by Megan at 09:58 PM | Comments (2)
August 02, 2004
Merely Life... and Vehicles
In a recent entry, my brother included a link to a Wall Street Journal article on blogs. Ever since getting a blog of my own, I have wrestled with the question of what I want it to be. At first, I had envisioned myself as the next Ann Coulter, but there is so much that I wanted to write about in addition to politics. The WSJ article remarks that the majority of blogs are composed by people "merely chronicling their daily life in a sort of public diary." I don't want my blog to be mere! And I certainly don't want a chronicle of my daily life, much less my daily life itself, to be MERE!
Then I remembered one of my father's sayings: You can please all the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time. So, no offense WSJ, I still love you deeply, and I still idolize James Taranto, but my blog is going to continue to be Potpourri for 100, Alex.
Thus...
I have decided that I like pickup trucks. I never really gave them a chance before. I just lumped them into the same category as country music, cowboy boots, and cowboy hats. Now I feel sorry for insulting them.
I like being higher than other traffic when riding in the cab, but I especially enjoy riding in the back (which just so happens to be legal in Iowa). I like the wind and the view. I like not even having the option of a seatbelt and sliding back and forth when the driver hits the breaks or the gas. I like having friends who drive and the feeling of trusting them with my life.
I'm not so sure about motorcycles yet. They look amazingly fun, but I've heard a few too many stories of the near death experiences they have caused. Plus, I've only ridden one for half of a block. But a motorcycle ride seems like one of those things that would be rejuvenating after a really crappy day.
I heard on the radio today that most girls like guys with trucks or SUVs, then sports cars, and lastly motorcycles. At first I didn't know what to think about that, but then it made me realize that no matter how fun vehicles can be, they are only vehicles. And I think I like them all very much, including sports cars, so there.
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Quote of the Day:
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, "denigrate" means "put down." -Bob Newhart
Posted by Megan at 03:00 PM | Comments (8)