Writing Prompt: What do you look forward to every week?

The weekend! That one was an easy one! I mean, it comes every week and I always look forward to it, even when I don't have anything planned. Don't get me wrong, I love my job and my work, but I still look forward to the weekend every week. Oh, something more specific? I think that is still a simple question -- I look forward every week to church on Sunday morning. 

I'm not a morning person and since the schedule change I think I have been on time one time, but it is something I look forward to each week. Some Sundays, my Sunday school class never makes it to our lesson. But that is OK. I go to learn, but the most important thing is the fellowship with other Christians. "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:23-25)." And then after Sunday school is the worship service.

The Church is one of he reasons I chose to stay in Sheridan. I hadn't attended church regularly since graduating college; I'm glad to be back.

Other things I look forward to each week:

• Watching weekly T.V. shows with my family
• Duck Dynasty
• The Last Ship
• Once Upon a Time
• Criminal Minds
• NCIS
• etc.
• Bible Study with friends
• Sleeping in

Hiatus

Wow, it seems I have taken a hiatus from blogging lately. I don't even remember the last time I wrote a blog, but I think it was late June or early July. It has been quite a summer since then.

Of course, I am still loving my job at Heifer. I hope I am able to get hired as a regular employee. Since starting in late June, I have stayed busy both at work and at home. That is part of the reason I haven't blogged a whole lot; but at the same time, life is a little more routine now that I am back in the United States... Get up at 6:20 a.m., leave the house around 7 a.m., get to work about 7:45 a.m., leave work about 5 p.m., get home at about 6 p.m. and go to bed around 9:30-10 p.m. That is quite a difference from life when I was in Spain -- going to bed at 2 or 3 a.m. Although, some of my eating schedule habits are about the same. I eat lunch around 2 p.m. and have had dinner as late as 9 p.m.

I haven't spent a lot of time on Facebook either. So I want to take a minute to shout out to all of my friends in Spain (hopefully at least one or two are reading this). I hope all is well there.

So what else have I done? Other than write a completely random blog post at the beginning of August? Unfortunately I have gained back all the weight, plus some that I had lost in Spain. I've been camping and kayaking. I've been to the lake a few times. I even got to go fishing once. I think I have finally found a church to attend regularly in Sheridan -- First Landmark Baptist. Hmmm, life is pretty average right now. I don't expect much excitement for the next several months, although 2013 will be here before I know it.


Uuf, parece que no he escrito un blog hace mucho tiempo. No recuerdo la ultima vez escribi, pero creo que era en el fin de junio o el principio de julio. He tenido un verano lleno desde entonce.

Claro, todavía encanto mi trabajo con Heifer. Espero que pueda trabajar allí como empleado normal. Después de empezar de trabajar con ellos en el fin de junio, he estado muy ocupado, ambos en el trabajo y en casa. Por eso no he escrito mucho. Pero al mismo tiempo la vida no es tan loca ahora, es vida diaria y rutina. Me despierto a las 6:20, salgo de la casa a las 7, llego al trabajo a las 7:45... Salgo del trabajo a las 18h, llego a la casa a las 19h, y me acuesto a las 21:30-22:00h. Es una vida bastante diferente que la vida en España cuando no me acueste hasta las 3. Aunque, algunos hábitos de comer son los mismos. Almuerzo a las 14h y aveces ceno a las 21h.

No he pasado mucho tiempo en Facebook tampoco. Así que quiero pasar unos momentos para decir hola a todos mis amigos en España y Europa (espero que alguien allí esta leyendo esta mensaje). Espero que todo va bien allí.

Bueno, que mas he hecho? Más que escribir un blog completamente al alzar al primer de agosto? Lamentablemente,  he ganado todo el peso de nuevo he había perdido mientras vivía en España, mas algunos pesos mas. Fui de kayak/piragüismo y acampar. He ido al lago para nadar unas veces y también una vez para pescar. Creo que por fin he encontrado una iglesia local aquí en Sheridan, First Landmark Baptist. La vida es mas o menos mediana por ahora y probable sera durante unos meses, aunque 2013 estará aquí pronto.

Old Days

Candle light is often perceived as romantic, and perhaps it is. But when the power goes out, as it did this weekend in Sheridan where I was, it reminded me of history and the movies I have seen when they had no electric lights. Even when there was power but I could not find a flashlight, I took a candle and lit it to walk by outside.

But when the power went out on Saturday it was all candle-light. I enjoyed it. It meant spending time without electronics (or at least the ability to recharge them after they drained). We spent the time (that would have been eating dinner and probably watching TV) playing a non-electronic game: Farkle, by candle-light.

It was to dim to read by because the candles were mostly "smell-good" candles not meant for light. But it took my imagination to the old days. We were in the middle of no where, without electricity. I imagined the metal candle holder with a handle to cary it around for light.

I also thought that, although it will probably never happen, one of my future homes I would like to be in a rural area. I would like it to be semi-rustic. It would have all the modern things such as electric lights, bathrooms, and all that, but also have it set up for candles. Candles last a long time, especially the ones that when they melt, re-harden after they cool. So when a lot of light is not necessary I could use candles instead and save energy. It was an interesting thought and an interesting weekend. Weekends are always too short!

Bonfire

This weekend was amazing! We missed several people this year, but many new people came. The bonfire had been planned for New Years Eve but was canceled because of rain. We rescheduled for this past weekend and had a lot of fun.

(Left to right: [ Yi Chen (squatted), Ashley Handcock, Derrick Brockman, Duane Johnson, Asuka Morimoto, CG]

We left campus around 1:30 on Saturday and headed to Sheridan. Once we arrived we unloaded the cars into the spare bedroom. In the process of getting the firewood to the park area, several of the non-drivers got to drive my mom's fourwheeler which is a lot like a car. Later we went on a tour of the property, before returning to the fire for dinner and s'mores.

Dusty holding a s'more

After a nice time around the fire, and a few marshmallow fights later, we went inside for a night of karaoke.

(From left to right: CG, Ashley Handcock, Dusty Johnson (green), Derrick Brockman, Yi Chen (Red) and Mizuki Ueno open up the Karaoke with Lady Gaga's Poker Face.)

Later we all made a recording of Hallelujah (the one from Shrek).

We had an amazing break from school work. We returned to Jonesboro Sunday evening and had dinner at the Hibachi Grill.

Thank you to my mom for letting me use her photos in the blog. I was a bad journalist and forgot my camera!

Almost time to Return

Well this break has been a blast. As a college student who can also enjoy childish things at time it has been great! From hiking, geocaching, fishing, boating, skating, touring, bonfires and snipe hunting-- there has been a ton to do.

Recently friends from all over the state, many of which may even read this blog, came down to Sheridan for a bonfire. We took some of them on a snipe hunt. That was definitely interesting, even if my life was on the line because of it.

The weather has finally started becoming cold. The pond at my Mom and stepdad's house is freezing. It took about five punches yesterday in order to break it. It was about an inch thick. It had refrozen by last night and I broke it again. This morning it was at least an inch thick again when I broke it. I put my weight on my hands and it broke, yet my friend still tried to stand on it and broke it.

When we got back to Conway we drove down to the lake by the house. I decided to find some rocks to throw and try to break it. Evidently someone else had the same idea at some point-- there were rocks all on the ice. I never managed to sink one through the ice. I did break it in places but they continued to slide. Finally, I slid myself out on the ice a little and took a picture while it was cracking around me.

It should be an interesting winter if things actually stay cold. Arkansas might finally see one!