School Pride Essay.

People ask me nearly every day: Why do you love Paul Smith's College so much? What makes it so special and unique from all the other schools you could have gone to? Well, I am here to put the thoughts and wonders to rest. When I first decided to visit PSC I was 16 years old. My father and I pulled into the campus and immediately I felt at home sweet home. The college is located in the Adirondack Mountains and is surrounded by woods, water, and pure nature life. The campus defines nature and its meaning and that in itself speaks a world of vibrancy to me. PSC is partly a culinary school, which is the main reason I was there to explore the possibilities. My dream was to become a baker and it was also my deepest passion. I needed a college where I could feel at home yet also be able to really buckle down and learn what I needed for my future. The chefs I met that day were welcoming and warm; I knew that I would be a happy baker at PSC. The motto for the school is, It’s all about the experience. The school holds true to this saying. Within the first two weeks of my freshman year I witnessed a few of my peers gutting a pile of fish outside of my window that they caught not even 10 minutes before. Not many schools do you find that. Not many schools can you walk out of your dorm in your chef whites at 6:30am to find the sun rising behind a mountain across the lake. Nor would you see deer, blue herons, and wood peckers every time you would go for a run in the woods behind your class buildings. PSC is made for those who thrive off of nature and who have a passion for learning. My love for running grew as I ran through mountains, rivers, and brush. Being active, healthy, and happy pushed my GPA to a 4.0 in no time; my physical and mental being affected everyone and everything around me. I love lying on the rocks on an island in the lake and watch the stars at night. The view of the sky is something you would be able to see nowhere else besides the Adirondacks. Being at PSC has made me appreciate the smallest and most beautiful things in life… the things that make everything else matter. PSC is my home; it is a college where I can focus, learn, love, and thrive. It is a place I will always feel welcome at and a home I will always need for a peaceful mind and heart. 

-Anastasia Hull

This scholarship is sponsored by CenturyLinkQuote.com.

Friday Night.

I've kept to my xanga for quite a while... I've been diligent with it, truly. 


But to be honest, I miss this blog. I feel like the atmosphere is different and it opens up doors for different entries than my xanga would. Don't get me wrong, I love my xanga. And a lot of good times and posts are on there, waiting for me to re-read again and again. 


Yet I miss this. Therefore, I'm going to pay it some heed. I am just going to post my xanga post here... I don't feel like writing another. 
And anyways, it's what's on my mind. Also a massive headache, but I will pretend that's not even there. Here it is:

That feeling where you feel like your body and your heart are in different places. It's kind-of awkward and just... not normal. I don't like it. 

That feeling where you just can't describe it to someone without letting a waterfall of tears pour out of yours eyes.

That feeling of frustration because life can't go the way you want it sometimes.

That feeling of missing someone so much it hurts.

That feeling of no control. 

That feeling.... and all the other ones combined.

Makes me want to crawl up in a ball in the corner of my bed and forget everything else for a while.

Tomorrow I'll wake up and feel refreshed and stronger and more excited about this summer.

But right now? Right now I want to be alone and just rock back and forth to think. About everything. 

Normally people would put a link on their xanga that would bring them to this sort of website. Their "real" blog.

Well, I'm going to be against the grain and cool... and do the exact opposite. Maybe I'll switch someday in the future. But I kinda like having a xanga once again. Makes me feel like I'm not 18 and I'm not moving out of my house in 2 months.



You'll find me here: http://goosness.xanga.com/

I choose..

Today I listened to this song for the first time in a while.

And it got me wondering. I pray so much for ones around me.... but how often is the person who I need to pray for the most.... me?

Sometimes I forget all about this:

Matthew 7

Judging Others

¹ “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Sometimes I forget that my life is too crumbled sometimes to really help anyone else. And I realize why every day I need to rededicate my life to Christ and make the decision to live for Him and no-one or nothing else. I don't like to judge. I beat myself up when I do, because it's the opposite of what Jesus was. So many people label Christians as judgmental and arrogant wanderers. It hurts to hear that said to me sometimes. We all make mistakes... yeah. There's no way we can live a perfect life. We will judge, we will condemn, we will label.... it happens. It's a human thing to do (thank you Adam and Eve... bravo). But does that mean we should just invite it into our lives? No way. I won't do that. I want people to ask me why I'm different... I want people to realize that my God is not a judgmental God, but He is a loving God. And that He is everything we need to survive.

I want people around me to see they don't need to live in constant worry and in constant self-disgust.

I want people around me to see they are loved by the Creator of the world.

Who wouldn't want that?

I refuse to invite hatred, self-disgust, harm, judgment, and isolation into my heart.

I choose Him. His love and mercy. His everlasting grace and the everlasting life he offers as a gift to us, His children.

I choose Jesus.

Craziness.

A lot's on my little mind. Would you like to know a few of the many things? Okay.

• New old bakery equipment. New, because it recently became mine. Old, because some of it is older than five times my age. Pretty cool.
  
• Knitting hats. Something I should do more often... yet it's kind-of dumb that I'd get the urge just as winter ends.
  
• Wet socks. I went on a walk a while ago and ended up swinging at the Madrid Playground for about an hour. While walking back, I stupidly stepped in a puddle while watching birds. I thought only Anne did that sort of thing.
• Early mornings. Those 4 days a week when I get up extra early to work in the bakery? Yeah... I adore those mornings.
  
• Olives. One, because I love eating them. and Two, because she is such a sweet girl. (confused yet?)
• Turkey Burgers. Cause I'm gonna have one for dinner.
• Basketball. Cause I'm gonna go watch some of my best friends shoot some hoops tonight. This makes me happy. :)

Things I'm Thankful For:



#27. A daddy who loves to bless me. Despite the person I am sometimes.


#28. A college that wants me to be a part of their campus this fall. I think I'll accept their invitation.

Rambling.

Scoopuccino's has really become my second home.
Considering I spend more time here than 1880 State Highway.... it doesn't surprise me.

I love the people here, my boss(es), the cooks, the dishwashers, the other waitresses and waiters... I really do love it here. I am so thankful God had me hold out all summer long for a legit job, as it certainly has paid off.

Just sayin'.... I love it here.


Things I'm Thankful For:



#25. Good friends. Plain friends you come by often. But true, good friends? Not so often. But I've been blessed with more than I could ever ask for.


#26. A double oven. I don't use it all the time.... but.... it still makes me happy to have.

Isaiah 40:28-30

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
The Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.






Thing's I'm Thankful For:



#24. A Jesus who lives.... and who loves me even when I'm weak and stumble.