LDSSA

Well, if you came to this entry, you were curious about what LDSSA, or the Institute of Religion is. Well, here goes. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. As an element of the CES (Church Educational System), most major colleges and universities have a building owned by our church on their campus, or very close by to the campus. This campus serves many purposes, with its main element being an educational building for religion based courses: New Testament, Old Testament, Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Doctrines of the Gospel, Missionary Preparation, and numerous others. The “Institute” building also has a full functioning kitchen, library (place to study), quiet room (piano, couches, places to visit), game room (foos ball table, pool table, vending machines, air hockey, ping pong, cable TV, etc). The Institute here in Portland also has a chapel for Sunday meetings, and a half court basketball court. 

By being a student (and taking more than 8 credits), I am automatically enrolled in the LDSSA (Latter-Day Saint Students Association). I decided to take it to the next level, and become an officer. I’ve been meeting with the faculty advisor (who’s my NT teacher), and the president (who’s in my NT class)... and I’m going to try to bring more activities to the LDSSA/Institute. Next week, we meet with the on-campus club coordinator, and then I’ll know a little more about what my responsibilities will be. I’m really excited!!! Wish me luck!!!!

1 week down... 9 to go!

I have officially been in classes full time for an entire week. I gotta tell you, it’s really not that bad. I know, it’s only been a week, and it gets MUCH tougher, but I think I’m ready for it. As for the classes themselves, I have mixed reviews...

Out of all of my classes, the Spanish one is the only one that concerns me. I think it has to do with the fact that I spent so many years doing ASL (which is completely visual) and now I’m switching to an auditory language. Besides that, this course is an immersion course. HEAVEN HELP ME!!!

As for Family Studies.... this class should be pretty fun! Yes, I’m the oldest person in the class (aside from the token “little old lady” in each of my classes). We had to come up with last names in pop culture, and everyone was coming up with ones like “Hilton”, “Gilmore”, “Simpson”, “Lachey”, “Carter” and “Osbourne”. The first ones that came to my mind were “Huxtable”, “Seaver”, “Tanner”, “Ingalls” and “Walton”. Sad, I know.. but you have to take into consideration the fact that I’m a decade older than these students. the shows I saw every day on regular TV (and remember life before they were on), are now aired on Nick @ Nite and TVLand. Luckily, my instructor is my age... :-)

Let’s see.. then we come to American Family History. Ok, this sounds like it would be fun.. and it’s a pretty low division course, so, what’s the beef there. Well, the instructor introduced the class by saying that this is a very writing intensive course, and that she expects us to write our best assignments throughout the entire duration of our academic career during these next 10 weeks. WAY to put some pressure on us. Oh well... I’m a good writer, so that shouldn’t be too difficult. She also said that she would be assigning light reading loads (day 1: Pages 1-51; 214-245).... light, huh!?!?!? Nice... good to know what I’m to expect!

Then there’s Psychology of Women. I was a little (ok, a lot) skeptical about how this class would go considering how much I hated my Women’s Studies’ class last term. I read the description, and it was all about the way women’s minds work. So, I thought, “hey.... I can do that... how bad could they screw that up?” Well, the true description of this class is how society affects gender, and how gender affects society (and especially how society affects gender roles in regard to women). Ok, so, so much for the idea that this class wouldn’t be feminist/male-hating. I guess I’ll just have to learn to grin and get through it.

I’m also taking 2 institute of religion classes: New Testament and Doctrines of the Gospel. For those who don’t know what I mean by the “institute”.. I explain it in the blog titled: LDSSA. My Tuesday/Thursday New Testament class is at lunch time. The secretary cooks lunch for the students, and we eat while we study. There are about 25 people in this class... 20 of them are HOT GUYS!!! I started to get all excited, and during the introduction, they each introduced themselves (and they absent wives who were all absent because they were either expecting their first child, or had young kids at home). DANG IT!!!! Oh well, maybe I’ll get lucky and they’ll have single friends. There’s always hope!

I’ll fill you guys in next week with how things are going... Oh yeah, and ANY Spanish tips (or Single Portland guy contacts)... please, send ‘em along! :-) Love ya!!!

New haircut

Ok.. so, today I decided to go get my haircut. I was very specific how I wanted... and (shocking) they didn’t do what I wanted. When I first came home, I HATED it. It was too short, I looked like a boy, and I was just mad that she hadn’t done what I wanted (I even brought a picture for her to follow).

After I took a shower, I messed around with it, and came up with this style (trust me, it’s the only thing I can do with it). I guess it looks okay. I’ll just have to get used to it.. and hope that it grows on me (or grows out quickly).

Fall 2006 Schedule

Monday
9-10am Spanish
10:15-11:15 Doctrines of the Gospel
11:30-12:30 Tennis
5:30-6:45pm Family Studies
8-9pm Family Studies Mentored Session

Tuesday
8-10am History of the American Family
10-12pm Psychology of Women
12-1pm New Testament

Wednesday
9-10am Spanish
10:15-11:15 Doctrines of the Gospel
11:30-12:30 Tennis
5:30-6:45pm Family Studies

Thursday
8-10am History of the American Family
10-12pm Psychology of Women
12-1pm New Testament

Friday
9-10am Spanish

Oh yeah... today was much better?!?!?!

Post Office, Radio Shack, Rite Aid, Payless Shoes, 2 hours at the DMV and 2 buses later... way to pass the day.

My RA came by today. She’s this little 19 year old, named Caitlin (surprising, isn’t it). My first reaction of her was.. over-enthusiastic. She has a sign on her door.... written in (what else) pink highlighter inviting us to “knock and come on in to visit”. She’s cute though. She came by to invite me to join the Residence Hall Association, and to help out with some of the residence life programs. I’ll probably join something so I can say I really jumped in to the college life with both feet. Once classes start, I’ll write about the extra-curricular stuff I’m going to join.

Alright... let’s all cross our fingers that tomorrow is much more exciting! Oh yeah.. I promise.. I’ll post pics of my apartment (now that it’s put together) sometime this week!

I have 7 more days... of THIS????

I got to sleep in.... and, that was about IT! By around noon, I was already bored to tears of this “nothing to do” schedule! Classes don’t start up till the 25th... so this is my “make sure I’m ready” week. Ok... I’m READY, so... now what?!?!? This week better FLY, or at least something better come up to give me something to do this week... or I’ll go NUTS!!!!!

Going Away Party

Tonight was my “going away” dinner with my co-workers. We went to McMenamin’s Kennedy School here in Portland. It’s an old school that they have restored to it’s turn-of-the-century decor and have converted into a hotel, restaurant and pub. It was a really cool place to have dinner, with an awesome environment. There were about 7 of us all together. E came, even though she’s not working at that company anymore... and it was so good to see her again and hang out with her. E, C, and I had a few drinks before dinner. I love hanging out with the 2 of them... hope we can do it even after I leave.

Last Day of Work

Well, after 18 months, I left my job to do this “school” thing. I got close to getting emotional, but I was able to contain it really well! I think the thing that I’m going to have the hardest time with is not hanging out with C everyday. I’m really going to miss her... even though I know we’re still going to hang out. Oh well... time to focus on my goals!!!