In the past few days the news has been focused on primarily one thing.  The devastation in Asia from the recent tsunami is amazing.  I see the video and the amount of destruction and can’t even begin to imagine where one would start the recovery effort.  It’s eery to see video of the incoming wave when in the background the ski is blue and the sun is shining.  When you think bad weather chances are you think of nasty clouds, tornadoes, hurricanes, thunder and lightning.  That’s the odd thing about a tsunami.  This giant wave was created by a 9.0 earthquake, which didn’t involve any of those tell tale signs of bad weather.  That wave traveled hundreds of miles an hour taking out anything in it’s path, again with no signs of bad weather.  It sounds so simple but I guess that’s the part that really gets me about the whole event. 

    Getting back to my original question.  I was surfing around online and as Amazon loaded up I was suprised to see a change in the main page.  In the middle was a small letter informing Amazon shoppers that they could easily donate money to the relief fund right from their site.  That begain a search for more websites doing the same.  Google, Yahoo, MSN, TheFaceBook, and many other sites all had information on how their visitors could donate money.  Sites like these took it upon themselves to show their visitors that this is a huge deal and that there are ways that people can help.  This was the answer to my question.  I may not be able to fly half way across the world but I am able to make a few clicks and donate some money to the people that can. 

    I encourage anyone who reads this to do the same as I did.  Even though we may be “poor” college students $10, $15, $20 isn’t really too much to donate.  We may complain about living in boring old Illinois but we will never have to face an event like this.   Below are a few links that will provide you with information on how to donate if you choose to do so. 

www.google.com      A page full of links and other sites taking donations               

www.amazon.com    Donate to the Red Cross through Amazon.com ( $3,781,102.97 already donated!)

John

    In less than 60 seconds the last minute will change and it will officially be Christmas Day.  It’s weird though because even though it’s Christmas it really doesn’t feel like Christmas.  Somethings either different or just missing all together.  I can’t really explain it.  There’s no snow on the ground but in the past 20 years I can’t remember many of my Christmas mornings being white.  Everyone will be here just like in the past, although instead of packing up and heading to my grandmas everyone will be coming here.  That change can’t really be it either.  I just can’t lay a finger on it.    

    As I sit here surrounded by christmas lights and decorations, basking in the glow of our artificial christmas tree with real pinecones I think about the movies.  This seems like the cliche plot to a Christmas movie. 

    College student returns from school for break and just doesn’t feel the Christmas spirit.  Christmas gets closer and closer and still nothing.  The house is decorated, cookies are made, time is spent with the family, presents are wrapped and tagged sitting beneath the tree.  And yet, it still doesn’t feel like Christmas.  Then in the middle of the night, possibly Christmas morning, something happens.  Something clicks, some tiny miracle happens, something is said or done that just makes everything perfect.  Everyone runs outside just as snow begins to fall and everyone lives happily ever after.  The camera even pans out as our little college student starts to spin around, arms outstretched, head back, mouth open, tasting the snow.  And everything is perfect. 

    Somehow I don’t see that happenening today but anything is possible. 

    Have a Merry Christmas all! 

John

Ok, so this isn’t the “I may or may not have…” list but rest assured that one is on its way!  At the moment I have other things on my mind. 

At this point I’m not really sure if things will ever get back to normal.  Hell, I KNOW they’ll never get back to normal but I’m really starting to doubt things will change much at all.  At this point in the game it doesn’t seem like there’s much I can do to fix the problem short of admitting to things that I really don’t believe to be true.  Will I admit to messing up the situation more than necessary, yes.  Looking back I can see where I may have gone wrong but I really don’t think there was any “right” way.

Anyway, at this point I’m very happy where I am and I’m starting to wonder if it’s even worth trying to fix what may have happened.  I can only try so hard and get slapped in the face by the same issue so many times and not make any progress.  Am I giving up completely?  No.  Will I be putting in 110% to resolve this issue though, most likely not. 

Life will go on…

John

I’m only pretty sure that I can’t take anymore,
Before you take a swing, I wonder what are we fighting for,
When I say out loud, I want to get out of this, I wonder,
Is there anything I’m going to miss, I wonder

Just posting a quick comment from Batavia Illinois.  Instead of sitting in my room poking my eyes out with my thumbs in Watterson I hitched a ride with the Rob up north.  Not quite home but much closer.  On the way I passed through Morris and was right down the road from the Lily’s house.  Kind of exciting!

But for now I shall go to bed.  I will be home tomorrow everyone and then I’ll post the official “I may or may not have…” list!  Until then…night!

John

There’s something ’bout the way the hair falls in your face
I love the shape you take when crawling towards the pillowcase
You tell me where to go and
Though I might leave to find it
I’ll never let your head hit the bed
Without my hand behind it

Ready for another random list?  Well if you aren’t please click here now.  If you are continue reading!

1.)      Sprint is buying Nextel!  Maybe now my little gray button will do something!

2.)      Steak and Shake at midnight with Neil, Eric, Lily, Karen, Bill, Tom, Amy, Bre, Charity, Stef, Jill, Rob, Nicole, and Sean was
           AWESOME!!!  Yes 3 exclamation points were necessary in the making of the statement. 

3.)      I only have one final left!

4.)      Plans for break were made last night and finalized this morning.  I will be checking in to Hotel Neil and Jake on December 31st,
           staying there for New Years and then several days after until the first soccer game of the new year.  Lily should be in attendance
           at said game and afterwards will be taking me slightly north and closer to home.  There I will meet the brother and the sister of the Lily,
           spend the night, and then take the train back to the Windy City.  I’m sure lots more will happen during my little trip but we will just
           have to wait on that!

5.)      Today’s soccer game, the first of the new session, was very exciting.  Many of our regulars were there to enjoy the show and cheer us
           on to victory.  Yay 5-2!  Anyway, I apparently have started to play more aggressively.  Not only did I get hurt for the first time by getting
           smacked right in the ankle but I also managed to get the whistle twice!  That has NEVER happened!  The first time I used my super awesome
           heady duty flexible leg to redirect the ball mid-flight.  Apparently my leg came up a BIT to high and I was done.  The second time I was
           attempting to intercept a pass and was somewhat tripped in the process.  The ref made the call against me.  Oh well.  But apparently
           I’m improving my game so that’s exciting.

6.)      Lily

7.)      Early Christmas presents.  So my neighbor came over today and told me he bought me something for Christmas and couldn’t hold it
           any longer.  So he gives me this package.  Similar in shape, size, weight, and sound of a DVD.  First guess that goes through my head…
           prOn.  Sure enough it was.  My very first present from a resident, my very first Christmas present of the year, and my very first porno.
           So even though I was studying I had to put it on and check it out.  Let me tell you.  Funniest porn I have ever seen.  This DVD should be
           put into the comedy section and not the “If you’re under 18/21 you cannot go past this curtain” section.  So as I’m watching it the Bill
           walks in and starts watching it and then Mark (the neighbor) comes in.  It’s amazing how quickly word travels that one is watching prOn. 
           Before I knew it there were seriously 10 people in my little single huddled around my monitor.  Good times!

8.)       AHHHHHH.  HOW COULD I FORGET THIS!  The Eric and I, who you may know as the Dynamic Duo, are never starters.  So this week we
           changed that!  We stormed out there and refused to let anyone else start on D.  Well, ok, so it wasn’t that much of a fight, we just
           said that we were starting and no one cared.  But we did, yes, we cared!  Glorious!

9.)      EOF = True;

John

So come on let me sing
I said baby, you’re amazing
I want to let you see
You are everything and more to me
I will let you be, I will I will

As the semester quickly draws to a close we are heading into that part of finals week where people start leaving.  By far the worst part of the school year is when this happens.  Everyone goes to their little corner of the state of Illinois and if you’re lucky you may get to see a few friends over break.  This break there are a few people that I will really be making an effort to see at least once.  Kind of hard when your car is not insured but hey, I’ll do what I can.   Other than that I really don’t have too many big plans.  Well that got me thinking!  I’ll have to talk to some people and possibly work out a trip around Illinois!  I’m excited already!

John

Like the angel, you are,
you laugh creating a lightness in my chest.
Your eyes, they penetrate me.
Your answer’s too amazing

Just thought I’d share with all the lovely email I recieved today!  Enjoy!

    Hello everyone! 

    Hope this finals week is finding you well.  I know things are a bit crazy - they have been around here as well.  We’ve been conducting        
    interviews, having meetings, and trying to decide who to hire as Seniors and new RCCs for next semester!  Here are the results:

    South Campus Senior RCC:  Lawson Cassels
    Central Campus Senior RCC:  Ahmed Abdelmeguid
    Watterson [North] Senior RCC:  John Keippel
    Watterson [South] Senior RCC:  Derek Pagels

    Congratulations to our new Seniors, but just as importantly to everyone who interviewed for the Senior RCC position.  This semester we          
    made  some of the toughest decisions we’ve ever had to in regards to Senior RCC placement.  I am extremely impressed with the quality of
    applicants for both positions we had open, and confident that we made excellent decisions.  I’m really excited to see the ideas the new
    Seniors have in  regards to improving our service to both employees and users.

    We also have a few new RCCs to welcome to our team.  Chris Buttkus will be our new South Campus RCC.  He’ll be taking care of Atkin
     mainly, with Ahmed focusing in Central Campus.  Alex Herrick will be taking a Wright  RCC position to fill an opening.  Lydia Liu will be 
    joining  our East Campus group as Hewett RCC, and Kris Quiaoit will be our new Pickering RCC.  Congratulations to you new RCCs and we        
    all look forward to working  with you in the spring!

    Best of luck on the rest of finals!

    Sarah E. Hosken

John

Let me tell you how sexy you are
As I’m goin’ down on you in the car
If feelin’ this good is a sin
Let’s do it all over again
Do it all over again

It really is amazing how things work out sometimes.  You may have to rough it out in the beginning but if you just like time take it’s course you may be suprised when things start to fall into place.  Barring any shocking results on finals I think this semester has been a fine example of this.   There have been many times where  things weren’t going exactly as I would have liked them but then unexpectedly turned around and were amazing!  I will not mention any names or events but those involved know who they are and others know the events I’m referring to.  Anyway, today is definetely a good day!

Yesterday on the other hand…

Two finals yesterday and both were interesting.  That’s all I have to say about that one.  After 5 the day improved dramatically.  I went to eat with the Mark at 5 and then just chilled in my room a little afterwards.  Then a little while later the Lily and I went up to do laundry.  While up there I made a note to myself.  That note went something along the lines of “Do not lie to the Lily!”  Simple enough! 

After laundry I came back to my floor and chilled for a bit doing nothing productive.  Then midnight rolled around and it was time to head to the Steak and Shake for the late night finals get together.  Roughly 15 people put down their finals in exchange for a large shake, some Steak and Shake french fries, some Berry Berry Cobbler, and even some chicken wings.  But food wasn’t the only thing on everyones mind.  We also ordered up a plate of fun and good times, laughs, memories, and even a side of bitchy waitress.  All in all it was a great success!  Here are a few random memories of the evening:

1.)   Eric and John decided to “pop” into each others picture at the same time.  A nice bump on the head quickly destroyed that idea.

2.)   Food coloring strikes again!  We make “creek water” by mixing red and green in bills glass.  Yummy!

3.)   John tries to dye Lily’s shake and is told to stay away from her milkshake.  Everyone bursts out laughing as she realized what she just said.

4.)   Eric checks out John’s crotch. 

5.)   Lily shoves a pickle in my face.  (Side Note: the “Normal” pictures have begun!)

6.)   Waitress tells Stef to shut up.

7.)   Reference was made to everyones favorite red cup.  Thanks for that one Clubb!

That’s all for now.  I will upload some pictures eventually and possibly link to them from here but for now I think I’m about done. The rest of the evening was 97.8% flawless.  Damn that 2.2%!  Anyway, that’s another story no one will hear about but figured I’d throw it out there for fun.  Off the be a slacker the rest of the day with a little bit of studying for Calc 2.   Later all!

John

When you lose a part of yourself
To somebody you know
It takes a lot to let go
Every breath that you remember
Pictures fade away but memory’s forever