fall break, fall break, fall break...

It's been a lovely week or so here in Steubenville. It was really cold there for a while, to the point that I actually brought out my winter coat for one morning - something I'd been trying to put off as long as possible. Then suddenly, it was Indian summer for three whole, glorious days. Classes outside, and a general feeling of hope and happiness that permeated the campus. Then it rained Friday and Saturday, and it's dry again today. At least it's never boring. I just hope the weather cooperates a bit for 4-day.

A deadline for a Spanish paper was moved back (thank goodness) to give us more time to work on it, but now it falls in crazy week! Not really. I just have four papers due within three days. I'm trying to get outlines done before I leave for Indiana, then maybe get some of the drafts done over fall break. One of the papers requires me to read a whole book before I can even start, which is just a little bit less than totally fascinating so far. Oh well, I picked it out.

Lately, my Sundays are even more busy than my Wednesdays. Today, I'm busy straight through from 5-10pm. I'm really looking forward to fall break! And now that I've successfully mentioned fall break in three consecutive paragraphs, it's time to wrap this up and go outline my French Lit paper.

Ciao!

Title

I ran my NaNoWriMo title through the Lulu Titlescorer, and it said my book only has a 22.9% chance of being a bestseller.

This only makes me less sure of my title.

I really love it, but it might be a little confusing. I wanted your input.

Check out the title and synopsis here, and tell me what you think. Does the title match the story? How do you think it relates?

I'd love your ideas. Then later I'll tell you what I had in mind titling it in case you can't figure it out.

Thanks so much!

Cross Stitch Bag

My mom sent me a package!

It included the cable for my camera, so now I have access to the photos I take.

It also had the bag that I started working on in August 2008. I thought I had mentioned it, but I can't find it anywhere on my blog.

Anyway. It's a cross stitch bag to hold my bible, etc. when going to the chapel.

I had a lot of fun doing the needlework, and I finished that part just after Easter this year.

I was going to sew it into a bag this summer, but I wasn't able to get around to it.

It's all right though, because my mother did a much better job than I ever would have.

Here's the picture!

Morning Prayer Excitement!

It's been a great morning so far and it's only 10:00.

So, chronologically...

On Thursdays, we go as a household to 6am morning prayer and 6:30 Mass and breakfast.

This morning, it was just as much 5:30am when I woke up as it always is when I wake up at 5:30am.

Near the end of morning prayer, I heard the door open and saw a couple chasubles come in out of the corner of my eye. The number of celebrants often varies from one to three at morning Mass. I figured we had two priest this morning and that they'd gotten vested early...

We finished and got up to go into the main chapel for Mass, expecting to see two priests behind us. Well, there were two bishops behind us, and two friars and a vicar.

That sort of thing is a shock under normal circumstances.

Oh well. Only at Franciscan, I guess...

But the exciting parts!

At breakfast, we got a new intent! Maria. It was a big surprise this time, so I was really happy and excited, and cheerful and awake. (for 7:30am)

Then the Pre-Thes started coming back from morning prayer.

Then one came over and gave a little card with a wooden rose and a Hersheys bar to Kat. The card had apples on the front and said "CONSIDER THIS" on the inside.

Hm. Odd.

Then another pre-the came over and gave me one. My card had green grapes and said "MY FORMAL".

Then Kat and I had to leave frustratingly early to get to class on time, and had to miss the last two cards (which, I was told later, said "INTENT" and "LOVE, CHRISTINA", respectively)

And even though the text message I received a half-hour later only contained an anti-climactic "Christina intented", I was way too excited to pay enough attention to don Alvaro. Poor thing. He'll get his attention tomorrow and Monday so I can have all my homework done.

[1:30 pm - Edited for clarity]

She's alive! She's blogging!

It's been over a month since I last posted a real update. Sorry.

I am still alive, though. And I'll grab my calender here and see if I can't remember a little of what I've been up to...

Yup. Nothing.

We went on household retreat this last weekend. We went to Toronto, OH and stayed at the TOR Sisters' retreat house. It was a nice relaxing weekend and a lot of fun, and we even learned a little something.

We've got two new intents now! One intented on Thursday at breakfast, and the other on Saturday, at brunch. It's exciting because now we'll actually have a household next semester. There were only three of us, and the other two are going to Austria in the Spring, but now I won't be alone. Yay!

As everyone on the semester system knows, it's midterms season. I had two pretty busy weeks, but now it's slowed down for a while. It'll take some real concentration to force myself to work on the papers due in a few weeks so I'll be relatively free come November.

I'm going to Mexico on mission over Spring break! I was accepted to the team two weeks ago, and we've had two meetings since then. It's a big group, so it's taking a while to learn everyone's names. I think it's going to be a good team. I'll probably be posting in a few weeks to let you know how you can help.

Fall break is in two weeks, and I'll be going to visit my friend at Notre Dame. AM, if you're reading this and haven't checked your facebook in a while, there are details there. I should probably email you...

I'll be getting a ride from the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration in Mishawaka, IN. There are two sisters studying here in Steubenville, and they've got extra room in their van.

I'm also planning to go back to Mishawaka for a retreat mid-November. I'm really looking forward to that too.

And guess what? I get to go to Phoenix for Thanksgiving! It will be my first Thanksgiving with my family in three years. (That means I wasn't there the last two years.) Plus, I'll get to see my uncle and aunt again, whom I haven't since summer 2007.

So, you have all heard about NaNoWriMo now. :)

I'm starting some outlining, but I don't want it to get too detailed before I actually start writing. Part of the fun of NaNo is finding out what happens next as you go. I've got a brief synopsis and cover art on my profile page, though. Check it out! Let me know what you think.

And... My keyboard broke. I dropped a book and the R and T came off. The hinge for the T key broke, so now I've got a funky keyboard until the replacement I ordered comes in. At least it still works, though.

All right. That's it for now. Talk to you soon,

-Ganchi