the monday blues

okay, so it's not monday. it's a wednesday. but whenever you come back from vacation, it's going to feel like a monday.


well it's finally here, spring break is over and spring quarter has begun.
today, i had two classes, and i have one more tomorrow. now that classes are over for today, i'm beginning to realize that break really truly is over, and i have things to do. homework specifically, in case you were wondering. 
for some reason, i'm feeling kind of depressed. i can't exactly pinpoint it; although i'm sure it has to do with getting dropped from the vacation high i was on, as well as the weather outside. washington apparently hasn't gotten the memo that it is SPRING and the SUN should be out now. but this is the northwest right? 
i'm also fasting today until 7:30 pm -- every wednesday leading up to easter, some of the girls and i on my floor take each wednesday as an opportunity to not eat and use whatever comfort we might find in food to find in jesus. it's hard to not just open my cabinet and eat some cheez-its, but this is teaching me a lesson in faith. and thankfulness.
another thing that has been bothering me is that i feel like i'm in a rut. this is college, i'm supposed to be getting out, trying new things, meeting new people. and i definitely have been. but the thing with the meeting new people is that after the first week of school, it becomes a little difficult. people already have their circles of friends, and it's hard to break any mold. i am a great example of this, i feel like once i have my group, i don't need anyone else, which is far from the truth. i feel like i don't know as many people as i should. i suppose i'm used to high school, where i knew everyone and felt comfortable walking into somewhere alone and finding someone to talk to. the thing i often forget is that was 4-5 years of friendships. i've only been in college for 6 months. the difference is colossal. i also feel like i don't have many solid guy friends here. that is partly to blame on the 3:1 ratio (ok, a majority to blame) but i'm also not the kind of girl who is super outgoing and chases down the boys. i just am not. and probably never will be. all in due time, right?
while i'm at it, i also don't know what to do with my life. i'm not really great at picking out what i'm good at, because i'm good at different things. but i know what i don't want to do. i don't want to be a doctor, nurse, teacher, lawyer, or anything that involves science. which is unfortunate, because most of those jobs have a good salary/job availability. but i would rather do something i love even if the salary isn't great. and from talking to my brother who is an accountant, i believe this more than ever. i just want a degree that i'm actually going to use in my career. this might be unrealistic thinking, i realize that.
i'm really excited for my major & career exploration class that starts tomorrow, i'm hoping it will give me a direction. or an answer. or something. we shall see.
i think that's enough venting for now. 
the truth is, my problems pale in comparison to what's happening in the rest of the world. 
i am lucky. and blessed.
l o v e 

spring break update

what have i been doing during my spring break? 
seriously lacking any effort to blog. 
maybe it's because i've been taking it easy, or maybe because i'm not procrastinating any homework. either way, it's time to put an end to it!
that aside, i have been enjoying my time off extremely well....
and while a majority of my friends are either in hawaii or california, i've found some things to do at home. in rainy washington :)
to sum it up: sleep, mad men, shopping, baking, and family.
i wish i could do this all the time, but i'm sure some of it would lose it's appeal ;)

[MAD MEN]

i've been planning since what seems like forever to rent Mad Men and watch all four seasons before the 5th one gets started (if it ever does...) i've only gotten through the first season and the first half of the second season, which isn't bad! i'll have to wait until summer [june 8th...june 8th....] to finish the rest. it's safe to say i'm ADDICTED to this show. oh my goodness. the drama, the 1960s costumes, the manner in which it's written/acted --- l-o-v-e. it always keeps me guessing.....which keeps me watching.

[SHOPPING]

i can't get over these shoes. not only are they adorable, but i got them for super cheap [and with no sales tax ;) ] in portland. i've been looking for a pair of heels that are a beige/nude color, and couldn't quite describe what i wanted until i saw these. and the the ruffle and peep-toe, it doesn't get any better. 

steve madden is genius. along with a trip to ikea, and multiple other stores, my shopping quota is filled....for now.

[BAKING]

[s'mores cookies]

[cookie dough truffles]

ahhh, baking. for weeks and weeks, stumbleupon has been tempting me with delicious recipes. due to living in a dorm, and my lack of time, i haven't been able to make anything. i saved the best recipes, and got down to business once i got home. in addition to my nutella cupcakes (see last post) and these two gems, i've been busy! the truffles are seriously the best thing i have ever made. the s'mores cookies are a close second....i've truly outdone myself. it's a good thing i live with 20 other girls to share these with, or else i would be OBESE. let me know if you want these recipes -- i definitely recommend them!

and last, but definitely not least....

[FAMILY]

i've gotten to spend some (actually, a lot) of time with my parents this week which has been really nice. also, since my sister/brother-in-law/niece were in D-land this weekend, i also got to spend time with my younger niece, harper. she is getting so big! i can't believe she's almost one year old. every time i took the camera out, she made this face. [i think she's been conditioned ;)] i can't get over it -- so cute. 

that's about it -- i'm off to watch as much mad men as i can before i leave on tuesday.

have a blessed night :)

LOVE-

NUTS for nutella

i am the first person to admit that i am OBSESSED with nutella. i will eat it out of the jar, i will eat it on bread, i will eat it with apples, i will basically eat it on ANYTHING. and when stumbleupon showed me this nutella cupcake recipe i almost died. any nutella lover will love this, even my dad liked them and he normally doesn't like nutella. these were relatively easy, and although it doesn't tell you how many it makes, i made 12 and it worked pretty well. also, i would use 1 tsp. of nutella instead of 1/2 tsp.

make these and you will make friends. 

guaranteed.

right after i took them out of the oven --- to DIE for

clearly, i was enamored and captivated.....

the inside...

with my creation!

here is the recipe: 
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2APcLf/feistycook.com/WP/2010/01/23/self-frosting-nutella-cupcakes


ENJOY :)

miracles do happen!

guys, this is so exciting.....my roommate's side of the room is clean!!!!! 

it's the once-a-quarter delight that i so relish in. and this time, i get to enjoy it nearly for 24 hours. right now, i am sitting on my bed looking across the room in both admiration and shock. don't believe me? here's proof. no clothes or shoes or bags on the floor, no papers strewn all over the desk, no messy bed with tons of blankets, and no insanely messy dresser! dreams do come true. while this is so wonderful, i am alone. almost all of my floor has left for spring break while i still have a final tomorrow at 1pm. why?!!! i don't know. she gave us the oppurtunity to take it early, but i couldn't handle it with my other two finals. having one final a day has its benefits, even though the downside is being one of the last ones standing. the last few days have been so exhausting and i am more than ready for it to be OVER. i've gotten an average of 5-6 hours of sleep the last couple of nights. it's a challenge to study - all i can think about is being done. it doesn't help that this is one of my hardest finals too :( no matter, i can do it. as soon as i'm done with my final, i'm grabbing my stuff and heading home with my friend taylor - who unfortunately has to take the same final as me - and conveniently lives 3 minutes away from me at home :) i haven't started to pack - hopefully it won't be as difficult as it was for winter break, and most definitely won't be as hard as it will be for the summer. 

i'm off to study - wish me luck! the end is in sight.

love -

rollin like a big shot....

jealous?

i understand.

the beginning of "studying"

yep, the title pretty much says it all.....remember last quarter?

getting my 3rd grade on...

still doing sudokus.....in procrastination.

sooo attractive. it's a wonder boys aren't knocking down my door....

what i wish i could be doing....

no more fruit snacks.

i keep saying i always have more time, i can put it off....but really. it's down to the wire.

here's my finals schedule....

wednesday: FCS final from 10:30-12:30

thursday: UCOR final from 8-10am (kill me)

friday: spanish final from 1-3pm

then home!!

but for now......IT'S STUDY TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME.

love.

return of the quack.

shout out to all you U of O duck fans out there....
today at the room 128 household, we had ducks outside our window.

the first one....

he brought a friend....

that's how close they were!

my roommate victoria & i, surprised/freaked out

failed attempt at a self-portrait with said ducks

our friend abby heard us screaming at our discovery and came in to see what was happening. she and victoria wanted to feed the ducks, which i was vehemently opposed to. i went to the bathroom, and sure enough when i came back, they had opened the window and were feeding them chex. caught red handed! as soon as a squirrel came onto the scene, that idea was shot down. they shut the window and stopped feeding them thankfully! i'm still not exactly sure where they came from, since there isn't a lake/pond anywhere nearby....so strange. i had to document this experience before i lock myself away in some type of solitary confinement to get some studying done for finals, since that didn't exactly happen yesterday like i had planned...

wish me luck!!!

it's go time.

today is going to be productive. 
i let myself sleep in late, but as soon as i'm done with this post, i'm going to....
-workout
-shower 
-eat
-start my 4 pg. paper
-finish my spanish homework
-study for seeing history through clothing final
-study some more
-wash my dishes that have been waiting
-maybe take a walk if it isn't pouring (not likely)
-eat my stress in the form of sugar
-go to bed at a reasonable hour....(no, seriously. time change)


feel free to call or text or email at any point :)


"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord."
Psalm 31:24

countdown [8 days]

it's currently 10:50 pm on a wednesday night. 
here are some thoughts floating through my mind at the moment:
* the realization that there is only 8 DAYS left until spring break. wow. that is crazy. within these 8 days i have to: write a 5 page essay, memorize a spanish dialogue, and study for three finals. yikes. but i can do it.


* the beginning of lent. today was ash wednesday, and as a floor we are fasting every wednesday from 7am-7pm until easter. it's hard; but i've done the 30 hour famine for 3 years so i know i can do 12 hours. two of which i am still asleep. we also went to the ash wednesday service at FFMC across the street. i really enjoyed it; i've never been to anything like that. it was like a traditional service in the sense that we sang, prayed, and heard a short message. the part that was most different was the ash part. towards the end, we went up to the front to receive our ash marking, either on our forehead or on the back of our hand. i got mine on the back of my hand, which unfortunately came off as soon as i put my jacket on. oh well. maybe next year, i'll try my forehead....
as far as lent goes; i'm not giving anything up completely; rather i am making reasonable adjustments that i can hopefully keep up with after the lent season. besides fasting every wednesday, i'm only going on facebook on the weekends, and on wednesdays. i'm also limiting myself sweets to every other day. i realize this sounds pathetic, but i've got to start somewhere right? my cousin lauren wrote on her blog that lent shouldn't be about a challenge, but rather spiritual discipline. as corny and cliched as it sounds, it's about the journey, not the destination. it's about leaning on God instead of chocolate or facebook. 


* the rain. it rained a good majority of the day today, and is supposed to rain the rest of the week. as much as i hate it when i'm outside, i love the rain. something about falling asleep to rain on the roof is so comforting and something i love about living in the northwest. i really feel like this is seattle at its best. plus, all of my california friends like it too.


mmmm that's all for now; a shower is calling my name. and sleep ;)
loveeeeee 

ABCs of me....

CHANDLER CHRISTINE BIRKY

A. Age: 18 years, 7 months, and 21 days old

B. Bed size: at school, extra-long twin; at home, regular twin

C. Chore you dislike: all of them. hahaha. if i had to pick, cleaning a bathroom.

D. Dogs: i like them, but i don't have any :(

E. Essential start to your day: music. always.

F. Favorite color: pink.

G. Gold or silver: silver.

H. Height: 5 foot, 3 3/4 inches (yes, that 3/4 of an inch really does count....) 

I. Instruments you play(ed): played the oboe from 5th-9th grade & can still sort of play the piano now

J. Job title: stud..........ent.

K. Kids: don't have any. but that's what being an aunt is for ;)

L. Live: in washington! 

M. Mom’s name: polly

N. Nicknames: chan, channy, birky, chandeezy, channyface, shipping & chandlering, jackie chan, cbirdy....it goes on. you can thank my brother for most of those nicknames :)

O. Overnight hospital stays: zero. PTL for healthiness!

P. Pet peeves: i have so many. top three: jorts, when people don't follow through, unnecessary clicking/tapping of an object

Q. Quote from a movie: "do you think anybody wants a roundhouse kick to the face while i'm wearing these bad boys? forget about it."

R. Righty or lefty: righty

S. Siblings: two: chase (24) & chelsea (27)

T. Time you wake up: 8:45ish on M,W,F, Sun; whenever on Tues, Thurs, & Sat

U. Underwear: ones that fit. and don't give you a wedgie.

V. Vegetables you don't like: broccoli, celery, spinach, brussel sprouts, beats...kinda of vegetable hater

W. What makes you run late: waking up late/not getting ready in time

X. X-rays you’ve had: my teeth and my back (for scoliosis)

Y. Yummy food you make: pretty much anything i make is. haha just kidding....i'm pretty good at making desserts, if i do say so myself.

Z. Zoo animal favorites: i hate the zoo, so i refuse to answer this question.

rock, paper, scissors.....but mostly rock.

finally, someone agrees with me.....

lights, camera, .....cake.

last night, a few of us went to emerson film festival on campus. emerson is the newest (and by new, i mean 2001) dorm at SPU and features suite-style rooms with shared bathrooms. not to mention the card-swipe-only entrance. basically everyone who lives in emerson is proud to live in emerson, and everyone who doesn't thinks they're snobby rich kids, because it's more expensive to live there. which can be true, depending on who it is.

here's a shot from the emerson film festival last night:

so glamourous....red carpet and all ;)

please excuse the cell-phone blurriness of this picture....

afterwards, we met up with my friend taylor and her twin bre who was visiting her from wwu, and bre's roommate. they were going to the cheesecake factory and asked if we wanted to come. you don't even need to ask me twice! i love the cheesecake factory even though i don't like cheesecake. weird, right? their cakes are sooooooooooo good and so is their food. hope & i shared an appetizer of nachos which was enormous, and a large piece of chocolate fudge cake, which my mother would definitely approve of ;) it was our third choice because they were out of the first one and the second one came WITH almonds. no thank you. so glad i have a friend who appreciates my dislike of cheesecake and almonds!

after that, we watched SNL because miley cyrus was the host. since they regularly make fun of her in a skit called "the miley cyrus show" i wanted to see what they were going to do with it. i find her so incredibly annoying; partly because of her train-wreck-esque style, and partly because she is just so gosh darn annoying. she ruined most of the skits she was in, except for a select few that were saved mostly by kenan thompson, kristen wiig, and my favorite, andy samberg.

the party doesn't end there. we watched 'the stepfather' after. a word of advice: DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE AT 2AM. it was super creepy. it was set in portland, oregon, which shouldn't be surprising because it proves my theory that ALL SERIAL KILLERS LIVE IN THE NORTHWEST. i'm serious. ted bundy? green river killer? anyone???

i'm running on very little sleep but somehow am getting loads of things accomplished. homework, cleaning, organizing, and lots of eating! but what else is new...

these next two weeks are going to be crazy busy with finals and all and i am praying for the strength and perseverance to get everything accomplished!

have a wonderful evening :)

loveLOVElove

atonement.

atonement |əˈtōnmənt|nounreparation for a wrong or injury : she wanted to make atonement for her husband's behavior.• Religion reparation or expiation for sin : the High Priest offered the sacrifice as atonement for all the sins of Israel.• ( the Atonement) Christian Theology the reconciliation of God and humankind through Jesus Christ.

for this quarter, in my UCOR class, we had to read Atonement by Ian McEwan. this was a daunting task; my challenge was to all of it (350 pages) in less than two weeks. which, if you know how slow of a reader i am, is nearly IMPOSSIBLE. unlike our other novel for this class, My Name Is Asher Lev, i actually read all of this book. at parts, atonement was hard to put down! the writing is phenomenal, but requires your full attention.  i can't wait to finally watch the movie! anyhow, i finished the book 20 minutes ago and am still trying to figure out what happened. it's kind of like the movie Inception (which i STILL haven't seen, oops) where there is a dream within a dream, this is a book within a book.
it has the aspects that every good book has : relatable characters, a love story, and it was a period piece. the end of the book is up to the reader's interpretation, which i don't always like. i want to be told it happened like this. A+B=C. that's not the case here.
i won't spoil it for those who haven't read it, but basically, a young girl claims she saw something terrible happening; when in fact, it was the complete opposite. she ends up ruining several people's lives, and her family is torn apart. it is told from different third person views throughout the book until the very end. there are three parts to this book that occur in 1935 and 1940, and a section at the end from 1999. everything you've read up to the 1999 part changes once you finish the book. i think. 
hopefully the movie will help me fully grasp what happened in the book....but who knows.
if you've read this book, i'd love to hear your thoughts/interpretations :)
if you haven't, i suggest it! it's such a good read, and that's coming from someone who doesn't read a lot. or ever.


ps : it's almost the weekend ;)
LOVEloveLOVE

autotune makes everything better

a few days ago, i posted this on my fb and i can't get over how funny it is. i've literally watched it about 7 or 8 times and laugh everytime. i understand not everyone else has my sense of humor, but honestly, this is hilarious. the grills at the end are an added bonus. my roommate and i spent two hours the other night watching various autotuned videos on youtube....we found a 'gingers have souls' remix and well as one of justin bieber getting hit in the head by a waterbottle. we were laughing until tears were coming out of our eyes....and then watched some more.

i think we all have the bed intruder video (hide ya kids, hide ya wife) to thank for the popularization of autotune. it's even my ringtone.

something about it is just so funny.....

& without further ado, enjoy this video of T-Pain with Obama.

random tuesday night thoughts...

...following (er, stealing) my sister's blog idea, there have been a few things that i need to get out of my system. plus, i don't want to do homework.

*elevators. they are so awkward. tonight, i went up to the 5th floor to workout. right outside the end of my hall, is the elevator. there were a guy and a girl talking, and another guy standing off to the side. as we waited for the elevator to come down from wherever it was, i felt like a 7th grade boy at a dance. i was wearing workout attire. it was even more awkward once we got into the elevator. you're stuck in a 3x4 ft box. and you can't escape. do you make small talk for the few moments you are in the elevator to someone you might never see again? do you do nothing to stop the awkwardness? maybe it's just me. i don't know. once the doors opened to my destination, i booked it out of there. yipes.

*work out attire. once i arrived at said destination, the girl next to me on the ellipticals was wearing flip-flops. dangerous? maybe. i couldn't help stare at her feet. in addition to the potentially dangerous footwear, she slowed down/stopped literally every 30 seconds to underline something in her text book. and she was texting. sounds like a recipe for disaster. but hey, what's college without multi-tasking, right?? and i'm one to talk.....i tripped up the stairs the other day while i was texting. embarrassing.

*jaden/willow smith. okay, we all know i love will smith (fresh prince of bel air, all his movies, i even own 'will smith: the greatest hits') i basically think he is great. and any spawn of his is guaranteed to be talented. skill is one of the genes that they are born with. for instance, willow smith's song "whip my hair" does not sound like your average 10 year old. try twice that. do you want to know my biggest accomplishment when i was 10? not getting in trouble for talking in class.

moving on to the older child, jaden....he was in the pursuit of happiness and the karate kid, so we know he can act. but he can also sing....er rap? can 12 year olds rap? i don't know. he totally outshines justin bieber in his own song, "never say never". the best part of his "rap" :

“No pun intended, was raised by the power of Will”

genius. okay, so he probably didn’t write it; but nonetheless....it just makes him that much more likeable.

ps. i may or may not have felt like a pedofile watching the music video three times in a row....

*cadbury eggs. we all know easter is just around the corner...(okay, not really, but retail makes us believe that). i love these delightful little treats. a milk chocolate egg with caramel/nougat-y filling? it doesn’t get better than that. i’m getting hungry just talking about them...TIS THE SEASON.

that's what's floating around in my head as of now. stay tuned for other random, useless, pieces of information ;)