Christmas is especially for those who love the Lord!

Life is waaaaaaay too good to be true right now. (except for the fact I have to finish a paper still for archaeology....)

1.) I am about to play twilight princess. It is so good I have to play it in small doses or my head might explode. Corey said that playing it will probably be the defining event of our lives.

2.) I went to Vacaville last night and played games with Travis, Corey, Kevin, and Gerard. Then Mrs. Walker brought us PINK cookies just like the ones I have always lusted after in the George and Martha books!!!!!!!!!

3.) I saw CANDY CANE LAND when I went to Vacaville last night!!!

4.) I bought Tony Hillerman's new autobiography for Grandmom's Christmas present, meaning I can borrow it in January.

5.) Jenna is getting her wisdom teeth pulled soon, meaning that I can go over to her house and 'keep her company' while lying around watching TV.

6.) I went to Vacaville last night.

7.) Mom found the Evie CD!!! I then listened to it when I went to Vacaville last night.

8.) Its below freezing outside and barely above inside, but i have flannel sheets and an electric blanket!

9.) John asked to sit on my lap today at Church

10.) LIZZY.IS.COMING.HOME.TOMORROW.

I have a million other things I can list, but no one really cares. I've gotten to hang out with John a ton since coming home, meaning that I have alot more boring-John-stories ammunition for all of my Biola friends. He's scared of everything now, especially the 'BOMINAL NOWMAN!' that he also loves in a strange way.

I wrote a love poem in my head to Vacaville last night, but I'll post it later. Last night we went to Winco to buy cheap candy for the gingerbread house party, and lets just say that mine and Corey's creation is going to change the face of gingerbread house making for all time. They have a new fancy sign in dowton Vacaville, it really jazzes things up there.

Corey and Travis camped out in front all night last night to get the Wii, because they are insane. Travis is so stupid he wore only a sweatshirt, so I took his keys and broke into his house to get him some blankets, scaring poor Mrs. Hecker out of her wits when I came in.

Anyways, I need to get back to my fabulous life. I wont be going to Vacaville tomorrow, but I will be going to San Francisco, which some would argue is even better.

MERYY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wrote this 2 days ago when my internet was down, but what the heck.

HOME HOME HOME HOME HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't help but start screaming with excitement when I saw the 'Clayton Rd.' sign, and as soon as I got out of the car, mom greeted me with the same cries of excitement. Then Shane came out screaming with glee! Just kidding. Actually, he almost hugged me! I then told him how last night I dreamed he was being held hostage, and I shot the guy who was holding him 40 times in the face with a BB Gun full of nails. He seemed rather unimpressed.

Today I woke up surrounded by images of greyhounds, on a luxurious bed covered with pillows. Not only did I get to hang out with Scott for hours, we got to eat at my favorite restaurant!

Soapnet is showing BACK-TO-BACK episode of 90210 every day!!!!!! In the next week 1 1/2 years of classical education are going to be as fleetingly discarded as a Brandon Walsch relationship.

Sometimes I like to pretend that Jason Friese is really Jason Morgan from General Hospital, and that he's just hiding from the PCPD, disguised to protect Sam. Besides the first name, there are no two more different people in conception. But that would be the genius of Jason Morgan--change everything but the name!

I love how I know Mark and Mom are excited for my arrival home just by looking at the fridge full of Claussen pickles, tortillas, pricciuto, and cheese.

I love being home with my old friends from General Hospital. I'm even more glad that Lizzy will be home MONDAY to see the deep torential currents of Sonny's love for Carly showcased in this current story arch!!!

I'm now watching Jimmy Kimmel Live, and I decided that I want him to give my eulogy at my funeral. I just think he would be very calm and reassuring to my grieving loved ones.

Yep, food and TV. I really do care about other things, but I happen to write blogs when I'm eating on the couch in front of the TV. The other 25 minutes of my days at home are very full.

Here's the projection of my future life:
1.) Go to *hyperventelating* SAFEWAY! (I'll come up with some reason for mom....I'm sure we're out of something)
2.) Go visit Grandmom and ask her how she liked the Tony Hillerman I gave her
3.) JOHN WILL COME OVER AT 6 TO SPEND THE NIGHT!
4.) Invite Corey over
5.) Watch TV
6.) Curl up in my new flannel sheets under my electric blankets and read a TH.

silver bells

I'm pretty sure that I have some sort of mental disorder after reading how scattered all of my blogs are. I'm sure Lizzy can put a name to it. All of my friends write themes, thoughts, etc. where as that last one looks like Uncle Alan winding down with the TV after a hard day at work, viewing hundreds of channels in 20 seconds or less.

Anyways, I bought John's Christmas present today! It's a Biola sweatshirt that matches mine! : D

Children, gather around and listen!

I can't tell what has changed the chemistry of room 540 the most: the pressure of finals with the hope of 6-week rest, new air fresheners, or the shared recollection of Karla and I of the fact that "Nobody Wants to be Lonely" by Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera is the greatest song ever sung by human beings. Well, besides the extended version of "It's all coming back to me now", but still.

Karla has also rediscovered the beauty of Boy Bands. How did they ever lose their popularity? It puzzles me. I'm glad that there is no material form of the song "Shape of my Heart" by Backstreet, or I would rip my clothes, pour libations, and sacrifice fattened bulls to it.

Anyways, although I am inconceivably excited to go home, I wish I could take Karla, the Ignatius girls (sorry boys, you can come visit), and Disneyland with me. I'm really glad Corey came and visited this weekend and gave me a taste of the fun we're going to have over Christmas!

You know, there is nothing like a good bout of gastroenteritis to make you enjoy life again. I fully gave up my spirit for Jesus to take me home just a week ago, and now my resurrected body lives life with more ferver than ever before.

So Tony Hillerman leaves me speechless. I had to resist giving every friend a copy of "Coyote Waits" for Christmas. I think I need to dedicate a whole blog to my passion for Tony Hillerman, this is completely inadequate.

Um, LIZZY COMES HOME IN 6 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I have Don Rags tomorrow. I can't wait until I can have a Don Rags without the 'I don't know how this mentor does things' fear. Someday I want to go in there with full confidence and rapport with the mentor, and not just a semester of 'getting to know you' behind us. Alas, some torrey students were meant to be mentor whores.

Prof. Langenwalter is going to become a grandpa over interterm!!! If there ever was a man that was meant to be a grandfather, it is Paul Langenwalter. And dear Becky was born a grandmother. He gave us all Christmas presents today! Inside one of the pieces of candy was an temporary tatoo of an eagle in front of the american flag, and I almost died because he thought I didn't like it and he said "oh, I think its pretty". I think I'll put it on my face first day of Into to Arch next semester.

Anyways, I've been putting off this God-forsaken pull question on excommunication in dialogue with the anapabtists for far too long. ew.

DID I MENTION THAT ITS CHRISTMAS?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Joyful all ye nations rise!

Aaaaaaaaaahhh, Christmas.... Right now I'm listening to 'Emanuel', and fondly remembering how I made Corey convulse with laughter so that he almost drove off Pleasents Valley Road when I told him I always picture Jaimey dancing to it.

But enough about Christmas, I promised Lizzy a detailed report on Thanksgiving. I was mostly dreading, but perversely hoping that Grandpa would get on a preterism/Moslim rant, but no such luck. It was pretty boring, but not in the 'you won't BELIEVE how boring it was, let me tell you!' kind of way. Nothing to report at all.

We got the greatest Christmas tree in the history of humanity this year. I'm not even kidding. 10 full feet of noble fir glory. I'm pretty sure that it is the Messiah of the Christmas trees, and it is dwelling in our humble home now, but will establish its Christmas tree kingdom on earth soon.

Anyways, this T-Day break was out of this world awesome for many reasons.
A. I got to wear my big fuzzy vest and ugg boots every day, and STILL froze.

B. I got to hang out with Corey and Travis a ton! We watched Elf on Friday, and I thought Travis was going into cardiac arrest from laughing at one point. Then on Saturday he taught me how to make apple chips in the oven!

C. I GOT TO PLAY MAJORAS MASK AGAIN!

D. I shunned homework and didn't even think about it!

E. But most of all, I read 4 Tony Hillerman books. I really cannot figure out what it is about those books, no matter how much I read them I don't understand why they intoxicate me the way they do. Why Hillerman's descriptions of Jim Chee making coffee in his trailer parked under the cottonwood tree, contemplating Navajo culture cause my heart to physically ache with love is beyond me. It was pretty big though, because I have been putting off reading the newer books the last few years, because I knew that Chee broke up with Janet Pete and had a new love interest who was a fellow cop named Bernie. That sounded too awful for words for me, so I just stuck to the older books. This weekend I read "Hunting Badger", and I actually liked her! I was picturing her being this disgusting manly cop lady, but shes not. And I actually think his books get better as he gets older, so I'm really happy.

I so did not want to go back to Biola, but when Lauren and Greg picked me up inside the airport like they were my parents and that made everything OK. We picked up Andrew and went to In-N-Out, and I felt like I hadn't seen them in years, which is probably more true because I had done nothing but my Torrey paper for who knows how long before Thanksgiving. I told them about my terrorless night terror, and decided that it is most likely the ghost of someone who died in the mass suicide. I think the ghost likes me though, so its OK.

I reeeeeeeeeeally, reeeeeeeeeeally, do not want to resume school tomorrow. I haven't done a single pull question since midrags, so I'm pretty much completely screwed. Oh well. All will be well, because the Ignatius boys will be performing "[Tender] Tennessee Christmas" in a couple of weeks.

There's a piece of Mark in every song that I sing

So I've never been more mad at the internet than when blogger wouldn't work yesterday. While I know today isn't Mark's birthday, I did write this on his birthday.

So in case everyone didn't know, today is the 54th birthday of the remarkable Mark Petersen. Today I called home, 'Hi mom! Can I talk to, uh, Dad?' and got to have a good conversation with the man, but it definitely wasn't enough. I started thinking about Mark, and who Mark is . I would love to be able to put him into words, so he can be immortalized someday in poetry, prose, or the like.

What is this....this essence, Mark? Obviously he needs no other adjective than the word 'Mark' to describe him. The word 'Mark', so utterly simple, is Mark. There's no other way to put it. I'll bet that a great majority of my readership doesn't know that Mark's middle name is Leon. Yes grandmom is a genius namer.

When most people meet Mark, they either think 'souless man of evil' (if they are unfortunate to be serving Mark at a restaurant, gas station, etc...) or 'cuddly tedybear'. But when one gets to know Mark better, Mark becomes 'a cuddly teddy bear that likes to be as annoying as possible to everyone he loves'. Now THAT is a father.

At this point you may be wondering why I use no 3rd person pronouns, but insist on saying 'Mark' over and over again. The reason is the same as why I started calling my father by his Christian name when I was 16: because Mark is the best word/name in any language, and should be said as often as possible. Why this is is a mystery, but it is still a fact. Some philosophers have hypothesized that 'Mark' is the Form of 'human names'. It would be good to take a look at this name to find out more how to describe Mark:

Now for the entomology of the name 'Mark Leon Petersen':
Mark= warlike
Leon=lion
petersen=son of 'rock'

Mark is warrior lion, crushing his enemies like rocks crush glass under his feet. Peace does not know Mark, and Mark does not know peace. Except, of course, when mark lays down to devour his wild prey, or when he sits on the cliffside, waiting to be pushed over to crush anyone unfortunate enough to be standing below. But that is not peace, Mark merely waits for war.
But thats only when I make a mess in the kitchen.

What about Mark during those brief times of peace?

Obviously, we should look past name meanings, and look at the common everyday use of the word 'mark'. 2 very great definitions stood out amongst the suitors at Dictionary.com:

"distinction or importance; repute; note: a man of mark."
'A man of Mark'. To be called such a thing! Anyways...

"Archaic or History/Historical. a boundary; frontier."
Mark is a frontierland, pretty sweet. Who wouldn't want to live in the land of Mark?

"an object or end desired or striven for; goal."
Yes, yes, everybody should definitely strive to be like Mark.

"a tract of land that may have been held in common by a primitive or early medieval community of peasants in Germany."
Those blessed German peasants!

Then, I found some other definitions that made me angry and defensive...

"an object of derision, scorn, manipulation, or the like"
WHAT?! NO!!!

"the intended victim of a swindler, hustler, or the like: The cardsharps picked their marks from among the tourists on the cruise ship."
THE MERE THOUGHT IS HORRIFYING! Robbing Mark on a cuise ship??? Just because he likes to watch and make fun of other people on board?!!!!

Well, its clear that Mark is an essence impossible to describe in words. I just hope that he has had a very happy birthday, and that the next 54 will be even better.

For his birthday, I wanted to make a list of my 'top 54 Mark moments'. But Mark is a simple guy, so I'm going to make a simple list.
Warning: Only daughters of Mark will remotely understand this list.

5.) Every single time he has reached into a bag of wheat thins and shoved an inhuman amount into his mouth.

4.) 'GOODNIGHT!'

3.) 'TOOTHBRUSHES DON'T GROW ON MONEY!'

2.) The time mom put Mark on a diet and I opened the bag of animal cookies in our pantry, and yelled 'Why are there only white ones in this bag???' Being to stupid to realize that Mark had been sneaking them secretly in the middle of the night. I quickly new when he penned me against the wall and started whispering death threats, but it was too late.

1.) 'ITS THE WORST THING IVE EVER SEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'


HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARK! AND GOD BLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fairfield, I love thee

Here I am at Panera, and I've spent about half of my time here working on my paper, and the other half looking up the history of Solano County. Because, you know, thats really important right now. Even though I really have no right to know this-- did you know that basically the whole Suisun tribe committed MASS SUICIDE like 5 seconds away from my house by burning themselves alive in their huts? Yeah, craziness. Its like living on Masada or something. Not only that, but father Francisco Solano, as in SOLANO COUNTY, was one of the survivors, meaning that he was from Suisun Valley!!!!!! He was described as 6'7, handsome, and was a Christian so I'm really proud to be a resident of his county.

There is this super cute baby in a high chair next to me that looks just like Mark. I think I'll steal him. Speaking of super cute, allow me to delight your eyes:







Yes, you are allowed to use one or all of these pictures for a slideshow, screensaver, or wallpaper. Oh! Gotta leave for Punk n' Pie!

Shades of Nick

Uh, I can't say anything better than:

"Watch my life pass me by in the rearview mirror...."

Nick Lachey. Lord have mercy on us all. Actually, Lord have mercy on Jessica Simpson, because she must be completely insane. I'm pretty sure I reached that 7th level of contemplation that Bonaventure talked about the second he started singing 'Resolution'. Lizzy, I can't help but feel sorry for you. I'm really glad you got to see the man himself at the airport, or else life would be totally unfair.

BUT IF THE WORLD SHOULD EVER FALL APART AROUND YOU, AND IF YOU'RE LOST AND BARELY BREATHING I WILL FIND YOU-- AND CARRY YOU BACK HOME, I WONT FORSAKE THE ONLY LOVE I'VE EVER KNOWN!!!

fast cars, freedom and mafia!

I am trying to get the first draft of my torrey paper done, as well as my next area summary for archaeology, as well as my Galatians notes all done today so that I can do the various fun things I have planned this week. That means that I've been chilling on the bar in the Ohana corner lobby for about 13 bazillion hours oblivious to whatever has been going around me, stuffing my face with tortilla chips and fudge graham cookies. This girl just walked in and gawked and said "Please tell me you moved since when I saw you here at noon." I couldn't answer that question without (a) humiliating myself or (b) lying. I've been getting that alot lately, which reminded me of a song I wrote a little while ago for Lizzy. I'm no wierd Al, but here it goes:

Starin' at me,
putting on my makeup
wondering why I even put it on
I know I think I do, but no one's going to see it
Except when you come walking in close to dawn
You see a laptop chillin with a paper-backed Aquinas
Two bloodshot eyes, a huge weight on my shoulders--

You say "Tell me you moved, you're right here again"
Larry's produce shirt hanging with its ice cream stain-
That paper is big but I should give life a chance
Yeah, you say
"You look way past those days of fast cars and freedom
Or that going to bed for the first time feeling"

Yeah, smile and shake your head as if you don't believe me
I'll just stay right here and see you taken aback
This is hour ten- (Look at me!)
On my 12 inch lap-top
Sitting on the barstool looking just like Hell!


Actually, I did get to have fun last night. GYRAD was really tight, even though Karla and I were really underdressed for it. It was pretty much the most elaborately planned GYRAD I've ever been on, so it was really really fun. Sam was a fun date but Karla and her date had so many sparks flying that more than one person caught on fire. I'm really glad that she doesn't know about the existence of this blog or else she would shoot me for saying that. Anyways, it was a mafia themed scavenger-huntish thing where we went all over downtown Fullterton doing 'business transactions' and figuring out which of the 5 families killed our Don. I got to demonstrate my very extensive knowledge of how the whole system works, due entirely to my decades of watching General Hospital. I probably came off as a Godfather fan with my warnings of 'We must appease the 5 families' and my tips at how to appear respectful but strong to other familes. As Lizzy always says 'Everything I know, I know from TV.' Actually, I didn't learn my ABSURD Black Jack skills from TV, those just came through killer instinct. My date and I fully tripled our chips while playing for only 10 minutes, unfortunately there was no real money involved.

Well, I should get back to one or all of my papers. I can't wait to get these done! But I keep a smile on my face forTuesday harks the coming of....NICK LACHEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!