The Adventures of Cooking at College: Day 1

Wherein this author learns that 3000 feet makes a difference.

I made my first meal in my dorm today. I was planning on Ramen, but when my roommate requested Mom's Potato Cheese Soup, I figured I might as well make the week's grocery trip today. Turns out, my total for making a humongous stock pot of soup came out to only $5.26, and I can get at least three more meals out of it! So, soup I made. Unfortunately, even with a warning, I didn't believe the altitude would make that much of a difference...until it took over half an hour to boil the potatoes. Of course, in my haste, the chunks were cut too big and I should have let them boil more. The result? A thin, VERY chunky, but tasty, Potato Cheese Soup.

It could have been worse. At least I didn't scorch it this time.

I'd love to take pictures of my dorm and show you all my lovely new living arrangements, but alas, my phone cannot take a good enough picture, and I have neither cable nor memory card port to transfer photos from my camera. I'll simply say that I love my roommates, getting in and out of bed is treacherous, and I don't really have enough room to sit up in bed...but that's all :)

I miss my family already, but I'm happy. I start classes on Friday.

Chapter Two

In which this author discovers higher education.

Hey family, friends, and the occasional stalker!
All summer long I've been slowly collecting things and stock-piling them all over the house; a little of the old, a little of the new. All so that I can make the transition into Chapter Two as smoothly as possible. You see, before he left on his mission, a friend of mine divided life into chapters, and I'm rather fond of the idea.
Chapter One: Childhood/Adolescence. The time to learn and grow physically and mentally.
Chapter Two: Young Adulthood. The time when some of the most important decisions are being made, like: where to go to college, what to study, what new friends to make, etc. Also the time to learn important life skills necessary for living out from under the parents' roof, like cooking, cleaning, budgeting, etc. Considered by some to be the time to decide whom to marry.
Chapter Three: Married With Kids. A time for young families to learn and grow and to learn to work with and love one's spouse.
Chapter Four: Retirement. The time after kids have left the home. A time to spoil grandkids, maybe serve a mission, and be of as much service as possible.
Chapter Five: Eternal Life. See: Gospel Doctrine

So, this means that I have left Chapter One behind. My things are all packed, my car is completely full, and my room is a bit hollow, but still full of me. In one week, I'll be the new kid in school, with new roommates and crazy classes. I'll be living 900 miles from my parents, my brother and sister, and my dog.

The most common question I've been getting is: "So are you excited?"
Blanket answer: Not really. I'm definitely not bouncing up and down in sheer excitement over what the next four months will hold. I'm kind of scared, kind of happy, kind of sad, kind of nervous, kind of excited, kind of just a little bit of everything.

The most common bit of advice I've gotten: "Now, don't go getting married your first semester there!"
Blanket response: Oh, I don't intend to. I mean, obviously if something happens, it happens. If I meet him, I meet him. However, I JUST got out on my own. Let's leave it at that for a while, shall we? Give me a couple years, ad then I'll start looking for my eternal someone.

What I want to say to everyone:
Thank you. Thanks for helping me through the hard times, for helping me graduate, for helping me get into college, for always being ready with advice and warm words to help me along my way. I love you all and am so grateful to have you all in my life.

Love,
Katie Helen

The Academy

My brother showed me this before he left. It's...well...super cool.

Speaking of the great Garrelito, I mean, Garrett, as of a week ago today, has been at the Border Patrol Academy in New Mexico, and has joined the ranks in his class of 50 interns. His daily schedule consists of things like:

2 hours of Physical Training

2 hours of Law

2 hours of Nationality Law

_hours of Constitution Law

2 hours of anti terrorism

give or take time for showering, eating, gear fitting, studying, homework, and sleep.

Today, My beloved brother had marching practice, for inspection. He sent us a picture of him in uniform. Wow!

I officially love my brother, and am very, very proud of him.

Le Gasp!

So...I was called a liberal today. By my own father. I was outraged. Some of you may agree with him. I find myself very conservative. I do not, however, believe there is any possible, fool-proof way (anymore) to clearly identify EXACTLY who is and is not a citizen of this country, in investigations as superficial as highway patrol pull-overs for traffic violators. Sure, they can ask for an ID, a social-security number, a birth certificate; but every single one of these is arguably very easy to fake. Just ask any teenager who's ever bought a drink of alcohol or gotten into a club. I'm not saying we should just accept them here. FAR from. However, I do not want my life to be reminiscent of Nazi Germany, with the country I was born and raised in to be requiring me to carry around 'papers'. I would accept being thumbprinted by any legal officer who was accusing or convicting me of any other crime. Hopefully--theoretically--thumbprints can't be duplicated on a whim...though there was GATTACA...drat.

We were discussing the War Powers today in government. Yes, I want Congress to have the power to declare war. Yes, I want the president to be able to carry out immediate militial action at a moment's notice, to enact whatever force necessary in event of an emergency. YES, I think the 60-90 day limit for such action needs to be enforced! Why has it never been enforced? Either declare war or get out. Don't dilly-dally.

I've discovered a humongous conflict I have with my own moral reasoning. I don't want our country to continue sending foreign aid when our own people are in need. However, many of the same people who agree with me are also anti-welfare, saying people need to help themselves. So, what do we need to do? Just not help anyone? Spread our resources thin and help everyone? I don't know...maybe put some more money into our Free Clinics. Put more money into the poor public schools that will be squeezing as many as 48 students in a classroom with one teacher, half as many textbooks as needed, and denying students access to classes simply because there's not enough students signed up to make 2 full classes of 45. It has been announced at our school that students need to do especially well on their STAR tests, because if 60 students are signed up for a class, the school WILL NOT be making 2 classes of 30. They'll be making one class of 45, and 15 students will not be allowed to take the class. The rule goes for AP classes as well. Yeah, the school's College level classes will have twice their desired amounts. I hope they don't have high expectations.

I'm so glad I'm going to a Private college next year. Sorry guys.