Things that are exciting (also known as "exciting things")

1.) Click here and do a keyword search for Roxanne E. Smith. This is one of the coolest things ever. The top hit on the search is "Fables et Rêveries," my book in the Library of Congress. I know that there are plenty of awesome and not-so-awesome people in the LOC... but um, up until now, none of them were me.

2.) I got my "you're receiving an award at the Honors Convocation" thingy today. I think it's for the aforementioned book.

3.) My Visa to go to India came in the mail. It's beeeeeautiful. It's peach and light purple.

4.) I got to talk to Jared on the phone the other day. If you weren't jealous before, you should be now.

5.) Actually, there isn't a number five. But five is a nice number so I'll make something up. Let's see... I dig Albert Schweitzer and other smart dudes who look like Mark Twain. I hope that Tim will grow a broom mustache and start wearing a pith helmet. Voila!

Donate!

Centenary Alumna Will Bike 100 Miles for Leukemia Research

This June, Centenary Alumna Amy Harrell, ’07, will push her limits and find out how far she can go for a good cause. Harrell, who graduated in December, will participate in a 100 mile bike ride to raise money and awareness for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She will ride as a member of regional Louisiana team as part of the organization Team in Training, also known as TNT. Riders raise money through donations and sponsorship in honor of loved ones and acquaintances who have suffered because of Leukemia. Harrell will ride in memory of her father, Charles B. Harrell and in honor of a a fellow rider and teammate, Jean Dresley.

“We wear bracelets with their names so that people can ask us about the ride. This is an opportunity to tell people about it. It is something that might keep some family from going through what ours did,” said Harrell.

Harrell’s father, Charles Harrell, passed away at age 63 from Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) in June of 2004. Leukemia is cancer of the blood, and AML particularly effects white blood cells and bone marrow, creating deformed cells that crowd out healthy blood cells in the body.

Harrell discovered the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and TNT after she joined the Shreveport Bike Club last year. “I was looking for a new sport to try. Biking is social and you meet a lot of cool people,” said Harrell. “When you come up against strong headwinds or hills as a group, it builds character.” She decided to join the TNT team in January, after she received information about it in the mail.

“I think that everyone has to truly believe in something if they want to make a difference,” said Harrell. “And I believe in this.”

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s TNT is an organization that allows people to become part of team in which they will receive professional training to participate marathons, triathlons or Century (100 mile) bike rides. Each state has regional teams, divided into smaller, local teams who practice together for up to five months before traveling together to their race. Harrell will ride with the Monroe team in the Louisiana region in “America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride,” spanning 100 miles of hills and curves around Lake Tahoe, Nevada. A 100 mile ride takes approximately six hours, though some competitive teams will set a particular time goal.
Riders are obligated to raise four thousand dollars each through donations and corporate sponsorship. Those who wish to donate can visit Harrell’s TNT website or email her, at the addressed listed below. Corporate sponsors will have the option of placing their logo on the team’s uniform. Harrell plans to send out at least 150 letters asking for donations, though she adds that donations are not all she needs to succeed.

"What I really want is moral support. Send me an email. Help me get through training,” she said. With four training sessions per week, as well as cross training and fund raising, Harrell is completely committed to the ride.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is a “not-for-profit health organization, dedicated to fighting leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma through research, education, patient services and advocacy.” 75% of the funds raised go directly to leukemia research, bone-marrow testing, and to patients in need of medication and care. $1000 will support the medical of a child with Leukemia for one month.

Those who wish to donate can visit her site at http://www.active.com/donate/tntla/amyharrell, she can also be reached at amelia.harrell@gmail.com for those who do not want to donate online, or who would like to send a word of encouragement.

(Help my roommate out, and you help a lot of other people in the process. That is all. Have a nice day.)

This is why I love college...

"On every side we hear men saying that the Bible is the Word of God, teaching mankind true blessedness, or the path to salvation. But the facts are quite at variance with their words, for people in general seem to make no attempt whatsoever to live according to the Bible's teachings. We see nearly all men parade their own ideas as God's Word, their chief aim being to compel others to think as they do, while using religion as a pretext."
-Benedict Spinoza, 1670
Tractus Theologico-Politicus

Hear, hear. So little changes. The things we read in Jesus class with Dr. Huff...

As far as my life goes... I'm doing homework. All the time. And Tim is making dinner.

Après graduation:

So, below, you will find my flight itinerary for India. Normally, I wouldn't post such mundanities. But I promise you, in this case, it's far from mundane. The Taj Mafrickenhal had better be the most incredible thing ever built (I expect to be covered in gold leaf as I walk through the door).

If you have a moment, I really suggest that you read this itinerary flight by flight, because it reads like a work of fiction (the kind that's too insane to be published), especially somewhere around the Dublin leg of the trip.

I will be packing plenty of Dramamine and practicing my mandala-drawing skills so that I have something to do besides spend money on airport souvenirs. (Though somehow I'm not expecting to buy many Bahraini souvenirs.)

Voila, la pièce de résistance:

Thu, May 10

1. AMERICAN AIRLINES, AA 3492
From: SHREVEPORT, LA (SHV) Departs: 10:45am
To: DALLAS FT WORTH, TX (DFW) Arrives: 11:40am
Duration: 55 minute(s)

2. AMERICAN AIRLINES, AA 0070
From: DALLAS FT WORTH, TX (DFW) Departs: 2:45pm
To: FRANKFURT, GERMANY (FRA) Arrives: 7:20am Fri, May 11
Duration: 9 hour(s) and 35 minute(s)

Fri, May 11

3. GULF AIR, GF 0016
From: FRANKFURT, GERMANY (FRA) Departs: 11:30am
To: BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN (BAH) Arrives: 6:30pm
Duration: 6 hour(s) and 0 minute(s)

4. GULF AIR, GF 0130
From: BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN (BAH) Departs: 10:55pm
To: DELHI, INDIA (DEL) Arrives: 5:10am Sat, May 12
Duration: 3 hour(s) and 45 minute(s)

RETURN

Tue, Jun 5

5. GULF AIR, GF 0135
From: DELHI, INDIA (DEL) Departs: 4:55pm
To: BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN (BAH) Arrives: 6:00pm
Duration: 3 hour(s) and 35 minute(s)

Wed, Jun 6

6. Flights: GULF AIR, GF 0007
From: BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN (BAH) Departs: 1:15am
To: LONDON HEATHROW, UNITED KINGDOM (LHR) Arrives: 6:25am
Duration: 7 hour(s) and 10 minute(s)

7. BMI, BD 0123
From: LONDON HEATHROW, UNITED KINGDOM (LHR) Departs: 9:10am
To: DUBLIN, IRELAND (DUB) Arrives: 10:30am
Duration: 1 hour(s) and 15 minute(s)

Thu, Jun 7

8. BMI, BD 0120
From: DUBLIN, IRELAND (DUB) Departs: 6:45am
To: LONDON HEATHROW, UNITED KINGDOM (LHR) Arrives: 8:25am

9. AMERICAN AIRLINES, AA 0067
From: LONDON HEATHROW, UNITED KINGDOM (LHR) Departs: 12:15pm
To: CHICAGO OHARE, IL (ORD) Arrives: 2:50pm

Duration 8 hour(s) and 35 minute(s)

10. AMERICAN AIRLINES, AA 0067
From: CHICAGO OHARE, IL (ORD) Departs: 5:00pm
To: DALLAS FT WORTH, TX (DFW) Arrives: 7:25pm
Duration: 2 hour(s) and 25 minute(s)

11. AMERICAN AIRLINES, AA 3495
From: DALLAS FT WORTH, TX (DFW) Departs: 9:10pm
To: SHREVEPORT, LA (SHV) Arrives: 10:05pm
Duration: 55 minute(s)

So that's how it's gonna be. Just for punctuation, let me know that I don't know a single one of the seven persons going with me from Adam. Somehow I imagine I'll know them pretty well by the end of it. I hope none of them are bat-shit crazy.

I has a bucket.

1. I am officially going to India for a month, after graduation. It is now officially impossible to think about anything related to school.

2. This picture makes me giddy with happiness.

That is all.

Full many...

Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear;
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.

-Thomas Gray, 1753

Pictures from inside America...

Well hello.

Have you ever seen a more handsome boy in your entire life? (Him, not me. I'm not a boy.)

We just got back from New Orleans and the week of crazy ridiculousness is finally over. As you well know, the party started two Saturdays ago with Tim and Kristin's "Bring Your Own Theme" party of delight. In between then and now we've had VD, Tim's Birthday, the Bridal Tea Party, the Rehearsal Dinner, the Wedding (of course), and Mardi Gras. Oh yeah, and daily life doesn't pause for all of that, so there's been some other stuff in there. Needless to say my house looks like crap and everyone's exhausted, but today might be the most beautiful day I've ever seen in Shreveport and all of life is utterly lovely.

If you notice a bit of a contrast from two posts ago when I was losing my mind, it's Mardi Gras break and I don't have to face the music for at least anther two days... so here I am.

The wedding was phenomenal. I would post more pictures of Jason and Kristin in the remarkable photogenicity and cuteness, but let's face it, this is my blog. And they get all the credit for everything with their fancy "wedding." Pph.

In case you missed my toast, this is the long version: I feel very particularly fantastic about this wedding. Jason and I were friends from the first week of school. His presence pretty much defined my entire freshman year at Centenary. I honestly wonder sometimes that I ever lived without knowing him. When you have a friend like that, you're bound to think, "there is no one on earth good enough for this person."

Almost a year after the day that I met Jason to the day, I met Kristin. (I actually met every other member of the Bridal Party before I met her.) We were driving in Jason's truck to Pref Parties at the lake, Jenkins was a tiny, ridiculous puppy. Kristin was totally willing to let me put him in my mouth. She was even supportive and sympathetic to my seemingly irrational need to put small animals and cute things in my mouth. (She totally would have supported my attempt to put an entire parade in my mouth this weekend.) She was not only good enough for Jason, it didn't take a genius to see that she was (and still is) perfect for Jason. Um, and I'm kind of in love with her myself, so things just keep getting better.

In case you can't tell, our pants say "Smartypants," which was entirely her idea and if she denies it, she lies.

I love Jason, but he and I were, uh, a stupid couple. Kristin and Jason have that kind of love that makes you think, "Jesus, if they weren't together... there's just nothing more wrong than the idea of them not together." Not to mention that their dogs would be pissed.

I've been a party to some of Jason's dumbest (shave your head much?) and most AWESOME ideas. I can say with complete sincerity that proposing to Kristin was the best idea Jason ever had. For completely selfish reasons, I'm totally all for this. I like knowing that I can make one phone call and reach two of my favorite people on earth. Even if they are both hookers.

Kristin, if you're reading this GET OFF THE COMPUTER AND GO PLAY ON THE BEACH OR I WILL EAT YOUR DOGS.


Also, might I just add that that was the most pee-your-pants excited I've ever been in my life? Everyone who came to town for the party is my hero. It was so awesome to see everyone again. Um, who can complain when Jared makes you breakfast, Blake walks you down the isle, everyone eats cake and then you get to Wii to your heart's content?


These are my favorite pictures from Mardi Gras. New Orleans still looks like hell, still needs more help than anyone is willing to offer and still makes me cry just by being the way it is.







I wish the Universities there offered the programs Tim and I want or we'd go there in a heartbeat. Not to mention that we'd be closer to Mat, Jared, Patrick, Kakie and everyone else, which would be fantastic.

goodbye.