I feel absolutely terrible. Mia sorella e stato simpatica e ora, io sono malata. (ie: My sister was kind enough to give me her school's running cold.) Did she stay sick however? No. In fact last night I hear she was running around in a snowsuit injoying Yakima's first snowfall. Darn it. Me? Sick as a dog. Not anything that one can skip class, or perhaps a choir concert over. Nope. Just walking around hacking up lungs, and blowing my nose every 32 seconds. And to add to the fun, waco temperatures, knowing full well that I'm homesick, decided to rival Yakima upon my return from thanksgiving. And I thought I was being clever when I left a suitcase full of my winter clothes at home so that I wouldn't have to cart them back in two weeks. I miss my hat and scarf too.

On the plus side, I am currently passing all of my classes -- I don't think my GPA is going to be very high. If I do well on finals -- and I do mean all of them, I might be able to keep them all b's -- but I currently have a C+ in Italian -- my lowest grade in a class since Spanish, my freshman year of highschool. I'm not happy. This will probably blow my 3.8 (probably, heck I know it will), and I'll have to make a 4.0 next semester to recover from slacking off this semester....oh did I mention I'm taking 17 hours next semester? Ah well. I'll worry about finals and money first. Then I'll worry about my 4.0 next semester. Ouch. Alright..I have to go finish a recital dress. Talk to you later -- after the recording session from hades tonight

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I hate choir. I don't care how many times I've written "submit yourself to the governing authority" all over my music, I still hate it. We had a three hour rehearsal tonight which stretched its way 29 minutes over. It was horrible....I'm sick, and that didn't help the mood at all. I hate the fact that since we aren't professionals they can take as much time as they want, keep us late, not give us a break (illegal were we paid) and then lecture us when we groan at "just another two minutes" and then threaten to flunk us if our attitude doesn't improve. Oh man am I tired.

On the plus side, opera is over...I'm registered for nearly all the classes I need to graduate, it looks like my independent study may actually go through, my birthday is coming up, and on the 17th I get to fly home. How's that for positive? Alright, I'm going to sleep now. Too tired to write, and I'm our of kleenex. I'm going to have to be creative.

The Christmas decorations are up -- along with three of the four Christmas trees and about a zillion feet of garland. This is my favorite holiday, and I'm leaving it with a new skill -- Becky Logsdon (old family friend) taught me how to knit. Now all I need to do is learn how to tat, and maybe how to weave, and there will be nothing textile related that I won't be able to do. Does 't that sound like fun? Making entire outfits that you've had a hand in, start to finish? I'm still thinking a deserted island or a small self-contained farm in the middle of nowhere would be a good place to test out one's resourcefullness. Someday perhaps. Anyway -- the two days of holiday feasting were wonderful. I didn't eat myself sick, but I savored every bite...who knew turkey was so delicious? And shrimp and stuffing. Oh man. Next gourge opportunity is my birthday -- 9 days and counting! I hope you're having a great holiday! I sure am!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

The Fourth Wise Man

This is the story of the fouth wise man. His name was Artaban. He set out to follow the star and he took with him a sapphire, a ruby, and a pearl beyond price as gifts for the King. He was riding hard to meet his three friends, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, at the agreed meeting place. The time was short; they would leave if he was late. Suddenly he saw a dim figure on the ground before him. It was a traveller stricken with fever. If he stayed to help he would be too late. He did stay: he helped and healed the man. But now he was alone. He needed camels and bearers to help him across the desert because he had missed his friends and their caravan. He had to sell his sapphire to get them because he had helped the man. and he was sad that the King would never have his gem. So he journeyed and in due time he came to Palestine and to Bethlehem, but again he was too late. Joseph and Mary and the baby had gone. Then there came the soldiers to carry our Herod's command that the children whoudl be slain. Artaban was lodging in a house where there was a little child he had come to love. The tramp of the soldiers was at the door; the weeping of stricken mothers could be heard. Artaban stood in the doorway, tall and dark. He had the ruby in his hand. When the captain came Artaban bribed him with his roby not to enter. The child was saved, the mother was overjoye; but the ruby was gone; and Artaban was sad for, as he thought, the King would never have his roby now. For years he wandered looking for the King. More than thirty years afterwards he came to Jerusalem. There was a crucifixion that day. And when Artaban heard of this Jesus who was being crucified He sounded woundrous like the King. He was going out fo Calvary. Maybe his pearls, the lovliest pearl in all the world could buy the life of the King. Down the street there came a girl fleeing from a band of soldiers. "My father is in debt, " she cried, "and they are taking me to sell me as a slave to pay the debt. Save me!" Artaban hesitated; then sadly he took out his pearl, gave it to the soldiers, bought the girl's freedom, and she was safe. Then on a sudden the skies were dark; there was an earthquake and a flying tile hit Artaban on the head. He sank half-conscious to the ground. The girl pillowed his head on her lap. Suddenly his lips began to move. "Not so, my Lord. For when saw I Thee anhungered and fed Thee? Or thirsty and gave Thee drink? When saw I Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? Or naked and clothed Thee? WHen saw I Thee sick in prison, and came unto Thee? Thirty and three years have I loked for Thee; but I have nver seen Thy face, nor ministered to Thee, my King." And then like a whiper from very far away, there came a low and sweet voice. "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as thou hast done unto the least of these my brethren, thou hast done it unto me." And Artaban smiled in death because he knew that the King had received his Gifts.

I went shopping today and bought elf shoes. Not really -- but they look like christmas elf shoes. Kind of like clogs with pointy toes and really high heels. I was so inspired by my cute shoes that OBVIOUSLY needed adorable socks to go with them. So I bought four pairs...white wooly, red and black large stripe, winter color small stripe knee socks, and my favorite -- a pair of fuzzy chenile pink socks! They're so comfy. They don't feel quite like socks...more like a footbath...I just agreed to sing at church without resistance -- something I've hardly ever done in my recollection...it must be the socks. Oh, and I bought a new pair of jeans because my other ones all have rips in them..oh dear, I have a listening test tomorrow. Probably should go study! Night!

I went to see Harry Potter II last night. Wow. That was really violent. Sorcery aside, wow. That was a LOT of violence. More than Lord of the Rings. And more spiders, and snakes...Wow. (maybe not this particular upcoming Lord of the Rings which promises to be mainly fight sequences) but still. A children's movie. Wow. It was entertaining, some humor, cute lines...but wow. That's all I have to say about that..

Ahhhh! 11 hours of sleep later I'm feeling "human again." Tonight is the dress rehearsal for opera scenes. It will be nice to have it all over with. Oh yes...the early rise story I promised. So yesterday morning I was rudely awaken by my alarm clock blaring that I only had 10 minutes to leave for class. I checked my watch, and it was at least an hour off (but it's a wind up, so I figured I had forgotten to wind it last night) So I rewound my watch, beat my alarm clock up and pulled myself together in a hurry -- skipping a shower. I got in my car, flipped on the radio for my morning program! But somehow my show wasn't playing....and then I realized...My alarm clock still hasn't been changed over from daylight savings. Every morning before I had been coherent enough to remember to subtract an hour....but this morning I had forgotten....so I went to the coffee shop for a Vanilla Steamer....It was a yummy mistake!

So tired. I can't complain too much about the all-nighter sewing marathon the night before last becasue last night was a late night of my own accord -- Lord of the Rings can't wait you know. And tonight instead of sleeping, I went to Four Feathers. SO GOOD! I loved it! I love the characters, I love the fact that Heath Ledger isn't merely a chic flic actor anymore...I love the fact that he wore a beard. It was all good! Great costumes...just enough violence to enhance the horrors of war without being merely gory (Saving Private Ryan had to be that way. I know that....the opening scene is far too realistic...well done, but aaaahhhhhhh) Anyway -- going to bed now. I'd tell you all about my mistaken early rise this morning when I'm coherent enough to type complete sentences...