3 year life-span

Today, I got a new student ID.  

I really wanted to make my TigerCard that I got at Camp War Eagle last all 4 years, but today I caved.  Here's why--  Apparently, while studying abroad, we will need to have our student ID's.  And seeing as my current student ID no longer has my picture or my complete name on it, it's safe to say it's no longer an ID, just a magnetic piece of plastic.  And since I didn't want to get stranded in a foreign country (probably an exaggeration), I felt it necessary to get re-IDed.  But I can officially say my original TigerCard survived 3 whole years at Auburn (no clue why I think this is actually an accomplishment - thank you for letting me have my moment).

For some (dumb) reason, I thought maybe they could just use my picture from my old one (it was raining when I went to the TigerCard office).  Not so.  Hello rain hair!

Old ID - clearly in need of an upgrade (the barcode is blurred out just in case someone wanted to steal my identity).

New ID - The paw prints look stupid.

taco casserole

I cooked the other night. This is a big deal considering the fact that I rarely have time to cook because I still live in the dorm. Without an oven. or a dishwasher. or a washer. or a dryer. Can you tell I'm ready to live in an apartment? 

I made taco casserole (adapted from this recipe). I've made it before and let me tell you, it was just as good the second time around. 

Ingredients:

I lb ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

2 cups shredded cheese (I used the mexican blend)

1 cup salsa

tortilla chips

rice (I used the microwavable Spanish rice)

1 can Rotel (optional)

Directions:

Brown ground beef, drain, and mix in taco seasoning

Line the bottom of the pan with the chips (crushed up usually works better)

After microwaving the rice, pour the rice, the salsa, and the cheese in a bowl and mix together

Pour this over the chips, along with the beef

Sprinkle remaining cheese and Rotel on the top

Put in oven at 375 until the cheese is melted

The original recipe called for beans, onions, and black olives. If you want to get all fancy, go for it. But the recipe also did not originally include rice. So choose wisely.

feel the rhythm.

Day 2 of Exam Week.
We are still alive (I felt this was necessary information).
Study mode is in full force around here. Last night, I was yelling at Caroline from my room. I asked her if she was still alive. I heard a weak reply that she was, in fact, alive and I felt like Derice talking to Sanka in Cool Runnings. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then I am truly sorry for your childhood. 

Okay, back to real life.


In about 4 days, I will be boarding a plane and heading to Guatemala for a week. Along with 15 other people from my church in Auburn, I will be doing outreach on several college campuses in Guatemala City. Playing frisbee, kicking around the soccer ball, getting coffee with local students, and hiking a volcano are some things expected to happen during this trip. Not only am I thankful for this wonderful opportunity, but I am also beyond excited and cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store. Please pray for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel (Eph. 6:19). 

Exam week

In honor of exam week, I will share two photos, both of which were taken yesterday (Saturday).  The first is what I wish exam week were like.  The second is what exam week is really like.

Idyllic bike rides around Auburn:

Not-so-idyllic studying for Separations:

On a different note, I just ripped the audio from this youtube video and listened to it on repeat TWELVE times.  (Signs of insanity?  maybe?)

Finally

I have been wanting to see Dave Barnes for a long time.  And as many concerts as I make a point to attend, you'd think I would have been able to make that happen.  Not so.  

Scenario 1:  Dave Barnes is coming to Workplay circa June 2010.  He needs merch help.  Charles and I volunteer.  Free tickets, free CD.  Sounds perfect, right?  Turns out, he came to Workplay to do a comedy routine.  Which is awesome: he's HILARIOUS.  And it was great (plus we "discovered" Steve Moakler that night -- who opened for the comedy show), but I still didn't get to hear Dave sing.

Senario 2:  Dave Barnes is coming to Workplay circa November 2011.  Yesssss.  Finally.  So I buy tickets.  BUT then Alabama decides to come to the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater the same night.  And since a convenient Alabama concert is significantly harder to come by than good ole Dave, he got trumped.  

So this concert was a long time coming.

Pre-concert photographs:

Meet Andrew Ripp {aka Barney Stinson}.

Meet Dave Barnes.

A final thank you goes to Auburn University for not holding class this past Thursday and Friday.  It's safe to say I effectively utilized my dead days.

Something Beautiful

Tonight Auburn's UPC brought in Ben Rector, Young the Giant, and NEEDTOBREATHE for a concert at the Auburn Arena.  Yay free concerts!!   I still don't know a word that Young the Giant said, but Ben Rector and needtobreathe were UH-MAZING.  

I got to hang out with Macie (and a few other friends, too, who didn't make the picture) for a while.  We got to the concert early enough to go down on the floor/ be really close to the band.  But being the old ladies that we are, we opted for "real seats" where we could sit down far away from the pushing and shoving to get closer to the bands.  Clearly, we are aging prematurely.  And I'm okay with that.  

This is Ben.  Tonight was my 8th (yikes!) time to see Ben within 2 years.  And I still love every time.  You would think I would be extremely tired of him by now, which brought me to ponder exactly WHY I still want to see him (over and over and over again).  Clearly, I love music.  I have always loved music.  Singing and/or listening to music always makes me feel better.  Ben's music, as well as most other musicians of his type, is extremely accessible.  First of all, he writes it, plays it, and sings it.  And his performances are very much audience dependent -- he's constantly talking to the audience and asking for various feedback/ participation.  Tonight, he seemed pretty tickled that most of Auburn already knew the words to his songs.

(Skipping any feedback on Young the Giant due to my distaste for their trippy performance and inaudible lyrics.)

This is needtobreathe.  They're a pretty cool rock group with tasteful harmonies and a pretty intense light show that may or may not cause seizures.  Consider yourself warned.  During their encore, they did an acoustic version of "Slumber" that was really awesome.  Any by acoustic, I mean no microphones, amps, nothing (and keep in mind this is in the Auburn Arena).  Sweet.

Toward the end of the show, needtobreathe brought Ben back out (see pic above).  Such a beautiful combo.

Love is on the Line

Last night, Alex, Kevin, Charles, and I zipped right on over to Atlanta to see Steve Moakler and Nathan Angelo at Smith's Olde Bar.  We're old fans of Steve, and he was charming as always.  But this was my first time to see Nathan, and he was nothing short of impressive.  He's been on my "list of people to see" for quite some time, and it was good to check him off!

Here's a video of Nathan's opening song, "Love is on the Line."  Many thanks to Charles for the video.

Steve

Nathan

the obligatory iPhone photo