Anne Rawlins

Dedicated to my Roomates...

2005-03-30T11:00:00.000-08:00

I know that you all know that I've had several roomates in college. I want to dedicate this blog entry to each and every one of them who have put up with me (most of them just for a semester).
To my first roomate, Julianne...that semester was a crazy one. We both were adjusting to living on our own and to living with another person. I have so many great memories with you, with Sam and Nate, with Matt...with all the girls when we watched Joe Millionaire and I hogged the bottle of sparkling grape juice that we all passed around. Hehe. Good memories...
To my Tata...it's funny to think about how we didn't even know each other when you moved in. Bailey hooked us up over Christmas. You moved in too early and got fined (dumb rules). We quickly grew to be best friends. I watched you and Chace start to date. (Don't forget, I'm a bridesmaid!!) You yelled at me for being dumb. (I still appreciate that). More memories...
Kristina, my summer roomie...I think we maybe slept in the same room 3 times that whole summer, but I had fun! Haha!
To Stacey...we had some fun times together. Even though we didn't spend a lot of time together outside of the room, we have some fun memories. I think we swept our floor maybe once the whole semester, even though we had little confetti all over the room from getting inducted into club.
Who was next??
Oh yeah...Jessica...SO glad you got to move in! We laughed so much and watched a TON of Friends episodes. We didn't even have to plug our cable in the whole semester!
Oh Amy Barker...the summer was fun. We almost froze to death in Colorado, wrote a lot of postcards, watched a lot of ABC Family, and oh so much more...
To my Clely...Lauren and I didn't even know you at first, but I am so glad that you got to live with us in the box they call an apartment. You made Port throw up...enough said.
To my first year-long roomate, Lauren...it's been a fun year. I'm proud for you to be my first, and last year-long roomie. Gilmore Girls brings us together. Zack and Slater make us laugh. I love that we share clothes and so many memories together.
To Port and the rest of the guys at the Alpha House...thanks for letting me be an honorary roomate. It makes me happy.

Anyway, I know this is a bit different than some of my other blogs, but I hope you still enjoy reading it. Thanks to all my roomates who have put up with me over the past three years.

A Mouse in my House...

2005-03-27T13:58:00.000-08:00

Yep. You guessed it. I have a mouse in my apartment. It's not the first time. Last semester, Lauren, Clelyn and I suspected that we had a little friend with us, but we never saw him/her. Last night, around 1 in the morning or so, I was sitting watching television, chatting online, and generally minding my own business, when out from under the refridgerator I saw a furry little creature. Yes, it was a mouse. I bet you're wondering if I screamed or jumped up and down, (like we all know I probably would do, or you can picture me doing as you're reading this), but just so you know, I stayed calm and pretty much sat in the exact same spot that I had been all day. (Wow, that was a long sentence.) Anyway, the extent of my fright was typing "THERE IS A MOUSE IN MY APT" to Jonathan, (like he could actually do anything about it). I thought about trying to kill the mouse, but that little dude was fast! I'm telling you, I've never seen a mouse move so fast across a kitchen floor! I was also afraid that if I tried to hit the little guy with a shoe, I would miss and then he would come after me. I weighed my options and realized that I would rather not have a mouse trying to attack me (like the giant rats did in the sequal to "Castle in the Attic), so I just stayed sitting on the couch watching TV. I eventually went to bed, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to sleep unless I put a towel under the crack of my door to make sure the mouse couldn't get in. (As if a towel actually would stop the bendable creature.) I just didn't want to wake up in the middle of the night with a mouse climbing my wall onto my bed. Mice can climb! I've seen it!!! Oh well, that mouse better watch out if he tries to come back in here. Next time...I'll be ready.

The Reality of the "Bubble"...

2005-03-09T12:44:00.000-08:00

It is a common idea here at OC for people to say that we live in the "OC Bubble." What exactly does this mean? On a basic level, it could mean that everyone at OC is sheltered, and we have no reality of what takes place in the "outside world." To a certain extent, this could be true. I bet that this is the only campus where people communicate through instant messaging rather than in actual face to face speaking. I bet this is the only campus where people read each other's away messages rather than calling them to find out what they're doing. I bet this is the only campus where people use the term "NCL" rather than "NCS" (use your imagination.) On those levels, we are a sheltered campus. But are the outside viewers being fooled? Over Christmas break, my parents and I were talking about drinking alcohol. My parents are adamently against it, and my dad believes that once you start drinking, it can only get worse from there. These views aren't necesarily wrong, just different. My mom asked me if any of my friends drank. I wasn't going to lie to her, so I had to say yes. None of these friends drink every day, or even every month. All of them are over the age of 21, the legal drinking age. When my mom and I were discussing this, she looked at me, being completely serious and said..."I bet people are Harding don't drink." "Are you kidding?" I said. "That is ridiculous!" Is this the kind of view that people outside of OC are getting? That just because we go to a Christian campus, the world still can't have an influence? So, do we really live in a bubble here at OC, or is that just the perception? Something to think about...

In Search of a Chef...

2005-02-28T10:54:00.000-08:00

I know this is kind of a weird topic, but it's something that I've been wondering. How is it possible for some people to be good at cooking and some people to be terrible cooks? Let's take me for example...surprise, surprise, I am a bad cook. I really don't think it's lack of trying to cook, I just think that I'm bad. Let's take a look back, shall we?

1. My first experience in cooking was probably back in 7th grade when I took Home Economics. First day of the cooking section we made maccaroni and cheese. My group's maccaroni was so bad, no one even wanted to eat it at the end of the class period, and I think I had skipped eating lunch that day because I knew we were going to be making food! I got my first C ever in school that day.
2. I tried to make Kraft spaghetti from a box one time when I was babysitting a little boy named Rhett. I forgot to drain the hamburger of it's grease, I didn't know how long to cook the noodles, so they were still kind of crunchy, the sauce was more of a brown color rather than red, and on top of it all, I caught a potholder on fire. Great night, right?
3. This past summer I thought I would be a little bit domestic and try my hand at pizza rolls. Not only did I burn them, I burnt them IN THE MICROWAVE!! How did I burn pizza rolls in the microwave you ask? I really don't know, so just don't ask.

Why is it that I have such a hard time cooking? I really don't know. They say practice makes perfect, but I HAVE practiced and I still can't cook! I feel sorry for my future husband. I'll have to warn him beforehand.

Scott Harper...

2005-02-21T11:04:00.000-08:00

So I'm sitting here in Child Welfare, pretty much wanting to shoot myself because that would be more exciting than sitting here listening to Scott Harper. I just don't understand how this guy even passed high school. How did he get to be a college professor? He definitely wins at being one of the one teachers who has a full class roster, but the only day everyone comes...or even half of them come...is on test day. While we're on the topic of his tests, let's discuss the first test in this class. The one where he specifically said (I actually have it in my notes) "You don't have to worry about specific statistics, they won't be on the test," and then pretty much the whole test WAS statistics. Are you kidding? Thanks for that, Harper, we all appreciate it. Let's comment on his tone, shall we? "Children who live in homes with high conflict have a higher risk of having problems....long pause...looking around the room...Well, ok...let's move on." Are you serious? This is not an effective way of teaching. Also, explain to me how one person can have HUNDREDS of shirts with fishing tackle on them. You know the ones I'm talking of...the brown, hunter greenish shirts he wears EVERY DAY!! I'm surprised he doesn't wear one when he plays basketball on the faculty intramural team. Oh wait, then he couldn't wear that oversized yellow t-shirt with the too short shorts. Sorry to those of you who get something out of his classes. It is alright though...thanks to him, I made it past level 6 on super bounce out. I appreciate it, Scott Harper.

Lovin' Is What I Got...

2005-02-17T18:14:00.000-08:00

This blog topic has been inspired by my dear friend Angie Risley...

I know it has been a long time since I've written on this blog, but I thought that love would be a good returning topic.

What are some of the best ways you like to show love to others? Personally, I love taking care of people. I like being there for people when they are sick or just need a friend to listen to. In fact, I get upset when someone does need something and doesn't call or ask. I know that some people say they don't need people to do things for them to know that they love them, but sometimes it is really nice to be shown that love as well.
I also enjoy writing notes to people. It always makes me feel good to know that I potentially made someone's day just by sitting down and writing a simple note. There are obviously so many ways that I like to show love and to be shown love, but nothing beats the simple words, "I love you." I love my friends, and I hope that I am taking every opportunity to tell them that. So...my advice for the night...take every opportunity to say "I love you." Say it to your friends, your family...make it count!

Mono...

2005-01-24T18:47:00.000-08:00

So...I have mono. At first, I didn't feel well at all, but it didn't really slow me down from doing anything. I worked every day over break, and I have still been able to do non-mono people things. That is...until recently. Lately, I have felt awful. I don't want to get out of bed...not even in the morning...mainly just ever. I think I would be perfectly content to stay in bed all day. Feeling like this, I guess you could say, has inspired me. It's time to find a cure for mono, or at least a cure for me. I am now taking suggestions for what I can do to get over mono faster. Come on people, be creative. Ready...go!

The Thin Red...Walls...

2005-01-13T22:50:00.000-08:00

Ok, so my walls aren't red, but they are thin. How do I know this you might ask? Mainly because it is almost 1:00 in the morning and there is a couple standing at the stairs right outside my door and I can literally hear every word they're saying. This is different than the days of Clely, when she would come home from a date and Lauren and I would turn the tv down so we could hear what they were saying. (Yes, I'm nosy.) I don't need to hear what random couple number one is saying to each other. Especially this late at night. I can't stomach it. Oh wait, I think I might've just heard a whisper "bye." No, wait, there is still rustling. It kind of sounds like the rustling that was going on on the show "Joe Millionaire." You guys remember that one episode, the one where Evan and that one girl went into the woods and all you could hear was noises?...Anyway, silence outside? No, no, they're still there. Come on guys, give it a rest for the night. I demand that giggling be outlawed outside my door. I might make a sign...something to think about.

PS-If this was you outside my door...get a room.

Finding a Hobby...

2005-01-11T21:20:00.000-08:00

So before break I was kind of down. I was down because I found myself sitting on my couch on numerous occasions basically doing nothing. I mean, not NOTHING, I was talking on IM of course. It's OC, what do you expect? But anyway, I didn't like feeling down. I took the advice of friends and decided that I needed to find a hobby that wasn't talking online or watching The WB (don't get me wrong, still like both). So tonight, for the very first time, I tried my new hobby. (Drum roll please) I worked out. I really did it, like for reals! I worked out my legs mainly tonight, 4 reps of 10 on both the leg press and the leg curler thingy and then I did the skiing machine and rode the bike. I mean, that's a great work out! So, if any of you out there are looking for a hobby, I suggest working out! Or, if working out isn't really your cup of tea, here are a few suggestions to figure out a hobby that fits you.
1. Pick something that you've never really done before or have been good at in the past. (Take me for example, I have never liked working out, or ever been good at it.)
2. Get good advice from good friends for some ideas of what you can do!
3. Make sure that whatever you do could potentially involve you becoming more like a ninja. I mean, ninjas are cool, so why wouldn't we want to be more like them?
4. Set aside time in your schedule for your new hobby. If you don't have a specific time to participate in or with your new hobby, you won't stick with it, trust me, I've wanted working out to be my hobby for a while now.
5. Finally, make sure you enjoy yourself. (Smiley Face Insert)

I might be sore in the morning, but that doesn't matter, I have found where I belong.

OC Housing...

2005-01-08T23:39:00.000-08:00

Ok, so this is one of those rare and random times where I'm going to write about something that I've actually discussed with people. Sorry, I just feel the urge to share. How many of you have been screwed over by OC Housing? I mean, how many times have we been told, "if you move one thing into that apartment, you will be charged $50" or "I'm sorry, I didn't know you wanted to live with THAT person, I have you in a completely different apartment in a different phase on a different floor"? I mean, seriously, it's getting ridiculous. Since my time here at OC, I've had many, many roomates. I mean, if you count EVERYONE, including people I've just lived in the same apartment with, I've had 14...8 of those I've actually lived in the same room with. I guess you could say I've "been around the block" as far as OC Housing is concerned. I have never had a semester where I have gone home for Christmas break and known that I would be coming back to the same dorm room or apartment with my same roomate. I think one of these times I'm going to come back and they are going to have moved all of my stuff out and there will be a note saying, "Sorry, you cause too many housing problems, you're not allowed to live on campus anymore. Oh, and by the way, you owe us $50 for us moving your stuff out." I mean, come on people, it's not that hard to get a little bit organized. The housing here at OC is awful. I would like to say, "well, they're doing the best they can," but I just don't believe that. I mean...do you? Seriously! So, if you have ever been screwed over by OC housing before, I call for us all to unite and take over! I mean, Lana has a pretty good office location. I have some great ideas for decorations. She can plan her phase cook-outs and football parties from somewhere else. Does anyone actually go to those?....................I didn't think so. Sorry, Lana.

The Beginning of Something Great...I think...

2005-01-07T20:32:00.000-08:00

Blogging...it's an interesting idea. It's like a diary...online...and other people can read it...and respond...pretty cool. I've never kept a diary, I've never really journaled, and I definitely never thought I would get a blog spot. But, alas, here it is. I'm not promising anything from this, because most people that will read this I tell everything to anyway, but there are some thoughts that I do keep hidden. Shocking...I know, but I don't say EVERYTHING that I think. You must think I'm crazy by this point..."lying to herself," you're saying, but I guess you can just read and find out! Enjoy! (Yes, I just ended my last two sentences with exclamation points. I like them, get over it! (insert smiley face here))