Monday, August 29, 2011

HELP! Or: An art project involving community and inner thought.

    Here's the deal, I'm thinking about doing a project involving stickers, but I need your help. Yes, you. The one at your computer thinking "Other people will help. She'll have plenty of help. She doesn't need me." Trust me, I do. It's really very easy. All I need you to do is fill in a blank:

And then ______.


   For example: And then he completed his bucket list. And then you took control of your own life. And then there was no more hate.
    All that I ask is that your replies not be crude and that they not be written in first person. (No I, Me, or My). Then just send your fill in the blank to LarraKyleen@Facebook.com

Thanks in advance to everyone for your help!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Why BINGO at Blackburn is like Crack and WWE Rolled into One.

    The first thing most people think of when they hear the word "Bingo" is either little old ladies gathered in the community rec center or possibly that old B-I-N-G-O Was His Name-o song if you have toddlers. The last thing they think of is a common building full of pajama clad college students who have been there for hours, staking out prime spots, tweaking on Mountain Dew, and waiting in line to get a Bingo card. Those people have never been to Blackburn College on Bingo night, because that is exactly what you will see. 
    "Baby Bingo," the first few Bingo nights of the semester are comparatively tame, all is in good fun, and there are actually spots where you can see the floor. People clap for the winners and nobody steals your sofa when you go to the restroom. However, the prizes get  bigger and better as the semester goes on until you reach "Platinum Bingo" where students play for prizes such as flat screen TVs, iPods, or digital video cameras. On Platinum Bingo night students arrive two, three, and even four hours early. They come armed with snacks, coffee, and blankets. As the winnings progress from gift cards to the bigger prizes, calls of "She doesn't even go here!" and "This is bull!" begin to call out. Campus Security is a present force, there to squelch any unruly or excessively unsporting students. Last year a student swore and shouted at a girl who won an iPod.
    The college continues to evolve the rules and conditions surrounding Bingo nights in order to keep them fun and safe for everyone, but as you can see and despite all assumptions, this is not your Grandma's Bingo.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

How to Be Branded an "Indie-Hipster" at Your Liberal Arts College


    Allow me to preface this by saying I'm not mocking "hipsters" or whatever, I post these things because I'm generally regarded as an "Indie-Hipster-Artist" around here, and many of the following things I do and/or have done. So, without further ado....
  1. Be an Art major. Because apparently nobody just loves art, everyone has some ironic back story about how they hate their step dad and art is their form of passive aggressive rebellion. On that note...
  2. Hate your step dad. You don't really have to have a step dad, just hate him anyway.
  3. Wear glasses. Even if you actually have crap for vision, wearing glasses is seen as incredibly "hipster."
  4. Don't sleep. Ever. It's so overrated. Sleep when you're dead.
  5. Talk a lot about your "vision." It doesn't matter what your "vision" is for: art, music, poetry, psychology, just talk about it. All. The. Time.
  6. Drink completely unreasonable amounts of coffee. I'm talking at least a pot a day.
  7. Make/refashion/repurpose your own clothes. Because nothing is cooler/more hipster/more ironic than wearing something you made.
  8. Wear TOMS shoes. Also, hate BOBS for the sheer fact that Sketchers are money-grubbing attention ^!*%$s.
  9. Ironically hate half the people you spend time with on a daily basis. Tell no one who it is that you actually like.
  10. Drink tons of Peace Tea. Obviously when you aren't consuming unreasonable amounts of coffee.
  11. Gripe about how there isn't a Starbucks on campus or even withing walking distance.
  12. Date a Computer Science major. They're geeky cute and not as pretentious as, say, Math majors.
  13. Read poetry. You don't have to understand it, just read it anyway.
    Expect a part two at some point in the near future, probably soon following a post about Choir Retreat 2011. That's pretty much all I've got for now. Nap time, homework, and Bingo to follow. XO<3

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

One Day At a Time

    Today I practically danced around my house, which is really not unusual in any way, but today it was because I managed to fit into one of my old pairs of size 10 jeans! That might not sound all that amazing, but as many of you know, I have been struggling with my weight all year, and at times getting very frustrated with my lack of progress. When I came home for Spring break I was weighing in at 172 pounds, well over the recommended "healthy weight" for a 5'2" woman, in fact, many physicians consider anything over 169 pounds (at my height) obese. I am happy to say that, at 159 pounds, I am now 13 lbs lighter and well on my way to my goal. I still have almost 40 lbs to lose in order to be firmly back in the "healthy" range of 101 to 136 pounds and to reach my goal of 120.
    I a having to constantly remind myself to set small, short term goals, and to celebrate every step of the way. I hope to be all the way to my weight loss goal by next summer. I know that this will mean sacrificing a lot of the sweets and junk food that I so often enjoy. I believe that God has answered my prayers for help as I find myself frequently without a taste for sugary treats, and drinking a lot of Peace Tea and much less soda. So, in order to keep myself accountable and so that I have clear goals, I'm going to set them here, online.
By Midterm:
145-148 lbs
By Fall Finals:
135-140 lbs
Size 7-9 jeans/dress

    There I have it: set, reasonable goals for myself. I'm also working on a plan to reach them, and I believe that I will with discipline and help from God and the people who love me enough to confiscate that chocolate bar. :)