Wednesday, December 21, 2005
edited version of: my random conversation with Jen Brown on my last day of work in 2005
are you whining?
Amenah says:
NO!
Amenah says:
not at all
Amenah says:
how is my Jen?
Jen says:
lol.
Jen says:
Fantastic. U?
Amenah says:
hey, are you going home for Christmas?
Jen says:
Are you home in MN yet?
Jen says:
I am home.
Amenah says:
nope
Amenah says:
tomorrow
Amenah says:
YOU"RE home!!
Amenah says:
you and Imran beat me
Jen says:
I'M HOME!
Jen says:
lol.
Jen says:
we did; we did.
Amenah says:
well
Amenah says:
will you be in Willow?
Jen says:
Christmas Day until... sometime around the 30th, I believe.
Amenah says:
IN WILLOW???!???!
Amenah says:
YAY!
Amenah says:
actually, i'll be at Azra's for Christmas
Jen says:
NO GOOD.
Amenah says:
in the cities
Amenah says:
heh
Amenah says:
but,
Jen says:
But you'll be around at some point, not?
Amenah says:
i'll be home sometime i think
Amenah says:
YEs
Jen says:
rockon.
Amenah says:
well, we should do lunch
Amenah says:
or dinner
Amenah says:
or breakfast
Amenah says:
or ....
Amenah says:
man,
Amenah says:
we should invent a meal
Jen says:
that'd be cool, but I'm sick of eating, so maybe we can wrestle in the snow or something.
Amenah says:
i haven't been workin my upper body
Amenah says:
i'll lose
Amenah says:
we could run though
Amenah says:
rafce
Jen says:
lol
Amenah says:
how can you POSSIBLY be sick of eating?:????
Amenah says:
what's WRONG with you???
Amenah says:
say, what's your cell?
Jen says:
Meh... when I'm home, I have lunch and dinner and all sorts of meals w/ everyone I need to see, and I Just get sick of eating.
Jen says:
***.***.****
Amenah says:
me=***.***.****
Jen says:
If you want to call my baby brother, his is the same --- just switch the last 6 for a 7.
Amenah says:
you mean DAN!!!
Amenah says:
how is he,
Jen says:
Yep, dan. He's still a nerd,
Amenah says:
well, if you want to call my big bro
Jen says:
but he's cool.
Amenah says:
i dont' remember what number to switch
Amenah says:
sorry
Jen says:
lol --- I have his #.
Jen says:
np
Amenah says:
good
Amenah says:
which number do i switch
Amenah says:
well..a.
Amenah says:
i have it
Amenah says:
i'm too lazy to figure it ou
Amenah says:
i'm flyin in tomorrow
Amenah says:
(my stinkin flight ias at 6 AM!!)!
Jen says:
Not sure, it's on my cellphone, so I don't have it near me right now.
Jen says:
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH
Amenah says:
woah
Amenah says:
sele
Jen says:
I do that on the way out from Denver in January
Jen says:
lol
Amenah says:
set tle
Jen says:
NO.
Jen says:
NOL.
Jen says:
IDF-ASDHFOIAUSET
Jen says:
ASDBFIOA,.
Jen says:
B
Jen says:
NO.
Amenah says: crazy woman
say, what should i get Imran for Christams?
Amenah says:
(I'm a lit tle lat eon these minor details)
Jen says:
LOL.
Jen says:
I do hate food.
Jen says:
Get Imran... a care package.
Amenah says:
what?
Amenah says:
i already did that
Amenah says:
that's so 10 days old
Jen says:
OH, NEVERMIND THEN.
Jen says:
BITE ME.
Amenah says:
heheh
Amenah says:
i feel as if i should save this conversation and post it to my blog
Jen says:
LOL
Jen says:
DO IT DO IT DO IT
Amenah says:
well, say something INTERSTING
Amenah says:
then
Amenah says:
gosh
Jen says:
I WILL NOT.
Jen says:
WE WILL NOT POST THIS IM CONVO.
Amenah says:
who's we?
Jen says:
*grumble*
Amenah says:
its MY blog
Jen says:
whatever.
Amenah says:
btw
Amenah says:
you've already made your debut
Amenah says:
in it
Jen says:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Amenah says:
yep.....
Amenah says:
www.tigerlily7.blogspot.com
Jen says:
I've seen your blog, but don't recall seeing myself mentioned.
Amenah says:
GO
Amenah says:
NOW
Amenah says:
i'm hungry
Amenah says:
you are in the meat and potatos one
Amenah says:
the irony
Jen says:
i see me.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
More than the truth....is that possible?
Psalm 91
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you make the Most High your dwelling— even the LORD, who is my refuge-
10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
thank you God for protecting us. Thank you for protecting Kent.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Give me some old fashioned meat and potatoes
And then it struck me. I was sitting at lunch with Belia. Now Belia is a 24 year old, married with a sweet daughter, and she's from Riverside Church. I had never had a real conversation with her, but somehow we found each other having lunch at Perkins together on a Sunday afternoon. I didn't even ask her to, and that's a first--I'm very inquisitive, and usually draw this out--, but she proceeded to tell me her whole life story. And in that two hour conversation, I was humbled to humble crumbs. All my moanings and "depressing" sob stories were diminished to frivolties. My five year silence with my father was nothing compared to her living in abuse by stepfathers that led to mental breakdowns. My time living in a trailer without water and heat at times was nothing compared to the fact that Belia wasn't able to spend money to go see the chronicles of narnia with us this weekend. And college? Belia had attempted to go to community college--she wanted to be a teacher. But that didn't work. And look at me-- the moron, complaining about her major life decision as to whether or not to apply to Harvard for fun, and wasting $60 on an application fee. That's my worry! HA HA HA. And my car? I was ashamed to even walk to it. I have this automatic door opener, and I've never used my key to open the door. I've forgotten how. She was proud that she had bought her car for 200 bucks, and owned it herself. The funny thing? She is 24, and I feel so much older than her. It was like I decided to hang out with someone I knew from highschool back in Willow. They say Carleton shelters us, and its true. But I've gotten such a different perspective than most of my peers who have gone elsewhere--and not been sheltered. Yeah, I'm naive, for sure. I still dont' know why some rich people dress so sloppy, though. When I figure it out, I'll let you know. Alls I know, that if I ever become rich, i'll probably still be suspicious--of myself included. Hmmmm.....But I'll dress like a queen. I'll still eat meat and potatoes--not to have forgotten those "good ol times"--not to worry. Do people like me always say these things? I feel like a cliche.
The real thing is, and sorry for making you walk with me through this melodramatic episode of "amenah's got issues", is that I'm dripping in gold. Seriously, I "worry" about finances at times, but really, I've got so much. And I'm not just talking $, although i sure got enuf, I'm talking my family. Imran is the best thing since sliced bread. (I've always wanted to use that line) I have a brother who's not only brilliant, going to Yale, humble, the best bro I could ask for, but also strong in his faith and loves his family. I have no idea what or where i'd be without him. And my sister, a doctor who's going to move mountains, has taken care of us--protected, guided... loved!--one of my best friends. She's the one who said, "we can do it" against all odds, and broke down walls with her fists. "Though one may be overpowered two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."-Ecclesiastes 4:12. And my mother and my grandmother. what more do i need to say?
But let me tell you, every time I eat with a Christian, I'm literally overjoyed to tears to have someone to pray with. No more sticking up my thumbs (i've taught many your thing, Josh), I don't care if we're in public! if you say you're a Christian----YOU"RE PRAYING WITH ME!!! I miss prayer, and mustard seed. sigh.
As I was telling Jennifer, and these are my exact words (okay, a little off): "Yeah, I'm living in isolation. I think it ought to be good. I'm thinking, yep, God is going to make me a pillar in this experience. But then sometimes I'm like, yo where the party be at?" I think the GRE has had some positive effect on my grammar. And my math. Kent gave me some numbers to add the other day---2.8, 1.2, and 3--and I took five minutes to say, 'of course, 6.' He looked at me, "i'm sorry Amenah, I was puttin you on the spot." heh. 7, you dope. Kent is this amazing guy who was goin to work for the FBI. He's 35, and has two kids, and is married. He's like, so awesome. I'm going snowmobiling (for the first time!) with him and Akochi next weekend. I've been hangin out with guys alot. I think I ought to find me some friends that are female.
Oh, and, about my car (Elmo--everlasting love m=? o=? still pondering those letters). Akochi and I went to subway, and I get this fantastic idea to leave my car running--its freazing out, and i like warm cars. Now, don't freak out, people in Hamilton do this ALL the time. But I'm not as trusty as Hamiltonians, so I lock the car--but before I do this, I take my electronic door opener with me. How many of you have done this? Raise your hand. Don't be ashamed. Anyway, my car wouldn't lock with the electronic door opener, so i HAND lock it. ha ha. you'd think i would have figured out that that's not smart. Then i try to open it. heh. nice try. nope. so these high school boys drive up next to us, and they're chuckling away--it turns out that they had done this recently, and knew what I had done--and Lucas, a junior, ends up driving me home to get my spare. Nice boy, smart and respectful. He thought Akochi was my husband. This is happenin way too frequently. No way of gettin around this....
AND. I went to the post office the other day. I was bundled up like a mummy in antartica--there was no way you could have seen anything but my eyes. And the lady goes, "so, were you born here?" I'm not joking. No, I'm not. I was so startled, that i had her repeat it, "huh?"
"were you born here?" WHAT?!?!?!??!? i had written a note to myself once and it came in handy, "don't go postal in a post office". I calmly looked at her, and said, "no comprendo, no hablo ingles." and then i did an African dance with some salsa, and showed her my war paint. Okay okay. I didn't. i said I was from MN. That's it. No guts, I tell ya. Someday. At the right moment.
What else?
Ah, yes. Recently I led home group, and the dicussion topics centered around God's wrath and predestination. Leave it to me to come up with such easy topics. We ended, as I had predicted on the statement, "God is good". Amen.
WORK rocks as usual. And apparently, Steve, my boss (btw, he's a world renowned doctor, and I didnt' figure this out until recently) has signed me up to speak at the INRO conference in Feb. I have to talk about my postbac experience(s) for the NIH, and help recruit. I'm already nervous. AHHHH!!!!! in front of all those doctors and smart students???!?!??!
I'm amazed to have gotten you through all of that. This is one jumpy post.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Gel-icious
Guess where I'm going next? I'm going to the IRON HORSE rec center!!! Yeah work out, here I come. This has got to be a first, Amenah is paying people to let her work out. Boy, I sure didn't realize what I had with Carleton.
And if one more person turns to me innocently and says something to the extent, "Man, you're English is pretty good. HOw long have you been here?" or "So where are you from? No originally? Were you actually born here, then?" I'm going to have a hissy fit! Right there. Right then.
So last Monday was the umpteenth time I have been asked this here in Montana, right before, of all things, my GRE. I arrive late, right--but I'm not really late, since it was 10 minutes before my test, and I was suppose to be there 30 minutes before departure...err....before the online test does its thing. And the lady gasps "You're late!" Freaky enough to be there in a huff, but to have someone exclaim this announcement to the world--that can get you even more nervous for a test that measures every output of every stinkin neuron you own!!!!! AHHHHHH! (actually, the inventors of such tests can't be all that brilliant) So my heart went up like 100 notches in its pumping...But, then the lady tells me my English is pretty darn good. Heh. Alls I can do is laugh, if only this woman reall yknew how good my English really was. Anywho.....My GRE went well this time, thank God. :) I really mean that, thank God.
OH, and everyone should congratulate Miss Rashi Elfkin Perera herself for getting a fine acceptance to U of MelbornIAY. And Smart E (Edaeni) is going to do fine on her upcoming test, be assured. Nothing but the best baby!
Samara, where have you been? And Sooms?
I'm currently debating whether or not to apply to Harvard. ANyone have any advice? The deadline is on the 15th. Sigh.
Next time I shall write a more engaging piece, one that will inspire men to battle!
Sending out all my love to all my fraggles.
Oh, you're prollie wondering why the title is Gel-iciuos. That's cuz I just took a pretty decent snap shot of some genomic dna on a gel, and its pretty. I will frame it. :)