Much to Think About

I know it's late, and bed is definitely calling. But there was much to think about, and here's one way I can process it a little better [i.e. by writing].


Nostalgia. This week has been full of nostalgia. First, on Sunday I went to a small group from church, and ohhhhh, did that feel good. I miss both Core and Village from school, though Core much more, since I stuck with it and got to know people better than through Village. It's so good to be able to gather with a small group of people to eat and talk and laugh and play and build community; it is such an integral part of the Christian life. Just read Acts--the early church lived in community. They also shared in a very God-centered, communistic manner, but that's another story. (Read it and find out:) Anyway, after getting back to the house of the people I carpooled with to small group, (carpooling: another nostalgia-inducing, "this-reminds-me-of-college" event) I was invited in for chit-chat and such, and in the course of that was invited to a Phantom of the Opera party on Thursday. It felt almost overwhelmingly good to have friends. Yes, I've had friends for a while now here, but this is evidence that we are becoming even better friends, that I can hang out at people's houses and that we can have fun together on a regular basis:).

Tuesday, a friend & I planned an old-movie-athon for Monday--further evidence of real friendship:D.

Thursday, we watched Phantom of the Opera with our other friend and then planned more details for Monday.

In between, on Wednesday, another few friends planned a Midnight Bowling party for Friday (today/technically yesterday).

Today was soooooo much fun!!! Oh. my. goodness! We bowled--always fun--and then went in search for ice cream. Baskin Robbins was closed, DQ was closed; we settled for Walmart, which for the record has cheaper pints of ice cream than Safeway, at least right now. First, we girls stopped by the bathroom while the boys wandered off. Second, we girls looked at clothes, while the boys were presumably gazing at ice cream. Third, we girls found the boys in the ice cream aisle. Fourth, we spent a considerable amount of time choosing kinds of ice cream, and I made an excellent choice: Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Macademia--soooooo good! Fifth, we wandered the store looking for boys shorts with a size 30 waist, which proved difficult, to say the least. Ended up looking at a lot of clothes, then wandering back to ice cream, then fiiiiinally paying and heading to the parking lot, where we cranked up the music (but not tooooo loud), ate ice cream, and danced around in the rain and watched the lightning give its most incredible performance yet.

Note about Thursday: There was also a guy giving a girl guitar lessons at the house while we watched Phantom of the Opera.

All these things remind me SOOOOO MUCH of Pullman Life. SOOOOO MUCH. Making our own fun, buying pints of ice cream, dancing in the rain as if without a care in the world, the music. Maybe some people lived like this before college and continue to do so after it, but I haven't had the opportunity. I left Pullman life in Pullman approximately 8 months ago, and I never knew how much I missed it until this week, tonight especially. Having friends everywhere, having music everywhere, having people be sooo laid-back and amiable. Being outside in the rain. THANK YOU, GOD. It's been incredible. And the best part? Fun didn't and doesn't end with Pullman; TBIYTC--the best is yet to come!

If alllll the raindrops were lemon drops & gumdrops,
oh what a rain it would be.

Standing outside with my mouth open wide,
ahh-ahh-uh-uhh-uhh-uhh-uhh-uhh-uhh.

If allll the raindrops were lemon drops and gumdrops,
oh what a rain it would be.

~SDG. [Soli Deo gloria]

Galaderia

Hmmmm. I thought I'd solved the title/label problem, but maybe that was only on another computer. Maybe the trouble is with my computer, and maybe I haven't solved the problem after all...

Anyway. Yesterday I learned the name of a very pretty flower. Today, I tested my powers of recollection and asked my mother, What's that flower's name? galaderia?" She responded, "Yes, galaderia."

Well, I wanted to know how to spell it. (Don't you???)

I always want to know the spellings of words I learn. Somehow I am not able to be completely in touch with the soul of a word until it's spelling & I are well-acquainted. I cannot explain why this is true, but I like that it is.

At any rate, I went to faithful Google to find the correct spelling of my flower. When regular Google only brought up mentions of Galladoria and bits of foreign languages, I moved my search to Google Images. Though Google Images, too, was sure I was interested in Galladoria, I simply was not. And while a search for "galaderia flower" came up blank, "galladeria flower" returned to me lovely photos of Gaillardia aristata, apparently also known as "blanketflower" or, much more delightfully, "goblin blanketflower."

Sadly, I prefer the misspelling--and mispronunciation-- of "galaderia," and I am nevertheless considering naming my first daughter such: Galaderia. Lovely ring to it, isn't there?

And after all, how many people would ever know it was a misnomer, really?

Mischievously yours,
~The Furry Eel~