I DO! SO?

I enjoy the occasional rap song...the rare country tune...but if i had my way everyday in the world of music, it would consist of a plethora of good music. It would involve the following bands:

-The Beatles
-The Who
-Led Zepelin
-The Steve Miller Band (in their hay day)
-Simon and Garfunkle (sp?)
-James Taylor
-The Carpenters
-Relient K
-FM Static
-Jimmy Eat World
-The Shins
-Fountains of Wayne
-Jet
-Cake
-The Strokes
-Pedro the Lion
-Rilo Kiley
-Howie Day
-Damien Rice
-Death Cab for Cutie
-Copeland
-The Wallflowers
-Something Corporate
-Fall Out Boy
-Guster
-Jason Mraz
-Story of the Year
-Switchfoot
-Yellowcard
-The Starting Line
-The Format
-The Flamming Lips
-Tegan and Sara
and last but not least
-Phantom Planet

This is quite the list and it certainly doesn't include all bands and songs that i enjoy. This is just the bands that came to mind today at this very moment. And even though it is a make-shift list...it does the world of music justice! Wouldn't you enjoy music like this?

You might be thinking..."None of this is the same genre of music." Well Duh. Its good to have many influences in music, i mean if you just listened to the same thing all the time, then what fun would it be to sing along to songs with your friends that they enjoy, but you don't? I have to admit, most of my music tastes have come from these wise people:

-My Brother, Brandon "the intelligent" Otte
-My Best Friend, Jaime "the beautiful" Bodden
-My Parents, "Ma and Pa" Otte
-Myself, yeah, that's right

However, i'm open to any new stuff...not gonna say i'll enjoy it as much as these bands, but i'll give it a try. If you have varied opinions of this and want me to hear your music...send a CD and we'll see...Care to make a wager? Or if you agree on my tastes and want to make a CD for yourself and just burn all of these bands on one CD and make an extra, you can send that to me too :) Alright, that's my view...I'm out.

<>< Bri

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat....

Hey All. So I'm all done with tests, which means that Christmas is getting closer and closer! I'm so excited to see my family and spend time with them :) This semester was most excellent, and i'm really happy that i'm done! Thanks for reading this semester! Its been real.

Happy Holidays everyone!!

<>< Bri

Double Decades Prove to be Better

Hey Everyone! So on Monday i turned 20. I was actually just planning on not telling anyone and going through the motions. But somehow the word leaked out and EVERYONE new. But it was all good...it was nice to see everyone who i care about, care back. I do have a bigger issue to address in this blog though, i don't know about the analogy...but we'll see what comes out.

So right now it is snowing outside and i am looking out the window as i type because i'm an awesome typer like that. But the snow reminds me of the fact that every snow flake is different. Yes, i am going to use the old cliche, but its true. Every snow flake has its own personal touch made from the creator himself. He is making them all unique, but creating some that fit together. Something has happened this week that has changed my view on the world, and no, it isn't the fact that its snowing outside. Was it that i turned 20? Was it because i could actually be honest with someone that i haven't in a long time? Was it that we only have two weeks left, which means almost only one semester left in winona for me? I think its a combo of all those things.

For the first time in forever i feel like i know who i am! I feel like i can be completely myself and not think any differently! I can show emotion and admit that i am certainly not right, not even half the time. I can be comfortable with the fact that i don't do a lot of things that most college students do, and i am going to serve the Lord with my whole heart before i get anywhere. I worry a lot about finding someone and feeling complete. But i am complete within the Lord. No other. And this week i've realized that God has someone out there for me...he's preparing him as he is still preparing me. We will find each other someday, and then we'll know...but right now, who knows who tomorrow will bring to your door or what kinds of relationships evolve from your existing ones. Who knows?!

So yeah...thanks for listening and don't be alarmed if i don't write for a while...i have some other things to do. Signing out....

<>< Bri

Wow, wow and double wow!!

Hey everyone...this is more of a thank you blog than anything else. Yesterday was my birthday, and i was thinking that it was going to be any old "ho-hum" birthday because i had to work and i had to go to three meetings and i had lots of classes, but it turned out to be spectacular! I really didn't want many people to know about it either, not that i was trying to be pius or anything, but its just another day, and no need to make a big deal. But there were some people that really made my day! So to all those people that sent cards, hung pictures, gave presents, and just even said happy birthday...

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

<>< Brini

Happy Thanksgiving

So its thanksgiving today and i would say that i am thankful for everything. Most importantly this thanksgiving i am thankful for the family that i have. My dad got a case of the kidney stones this thanksgiving eve. He is currently in the hospital and most likely not able to come home this fine holiday.

So i miss him, and feel bad that i am not with him right now...but i just woke up. But this whole thing makes me think how truly important our family is. Seeing him sick like that reminds me of the times when i was sick and he stayed home from school with me and took care of me. It also reminds me that i like coming home to see my family. Distance makes the heart grow fonder and i do miss my family when i'm away.

Anyway, i don't really have anything else to say, but be thankful for your family, even if they are dysfunctional and quirky. They love you all the more! Happy thanksgiving everyone!

<>< Bri

GET OUT OF HERE BEAR

I could write normally, or sound REALLY ANGRY and write in caps. Or i could type really L O N G letters to get the drawn out feel. Or i could write with "quotes" when things aren't meant to be in quotes because i want to emphasize the idea that i like "quotes."

What is my point in this? Email and internet are stupid, but i use them anyway...why not just call? yeah, it is expensive, but dont say important things over email...would ya? Ha ha, who am i to talk...i do it ALL THE TIME! :) I just think we need to become humans again, and not computer spitting machines!

AH! I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE! WHERE ARE YOU BREAK?

<>< Bri

I don't mean to be mean...

So i don't know if any of you have to ride the bus...but i do. There are reasons for liking the bus, and reasons for hating it with my every fiber. Here are some of the wonderful examples of the bus.....

1. You are running about 1 minute late and you are literally running towards the bus to catch it, and the bus driver sees you, but that 1 minute is too little too late. He drives off without you. Cause you know...once he saves one he has to save them all.

2. You get to the bus on time, but you just made it...however, there is no sitting room and you must brace yourself and stand in the middle. There are a few problems with standing in the middle.

A. if the bus is really crowded, you are literally spooning the person in front of you.
B. If there is a new bus driver, they don't really know how to stop and start with ease...so you are ramming your face into the backpack in front of you because everyone is taller than you are, so you have to be careful and wear a mouth guard.
C. If you have the young bus driver, he either likes to take is sweet time on his cell phone and make everyone five minutes late for class, or he likes to smoke his cigarette as if he has all the time in the world.

3. Sometimes you get stuck next to a larger person...and this might sound mean, but its more just awkward. So you see that the only seat left open is the one next to the large and in charge man (we'll call him Ezra)... and you bring yourself to sit down to his nasty sweaty body. So you sit, but its awkward because half of their leg, is sitting on half of your seat (mainly because they can't fit). So your butt starts to fall asleep because you're hanging off the edge.

4. There are train tracks EVERYWHERE and the bus has to stop for them. Note to trains...SPEED UP!

5. When its cold and rainy all day...its no fun to sit out in the bitter cold and wet waiting for the loathed automobile. So you'd rather stab the pen (the only pen you have since you just ran late and had to catch the bus)...

So what have learned about the autobus...? That we hate it, but must plan life around it or walk for thirty minutes....hmmmm

<>< Brini

Crappy Days = Crappier Nights

Yeah...so the crappy day turned into a crappy night....THANK GOD FOR THANKSGIVING BREAK! That's all i have to say...

<>< Bri

Why?

Have you ever had one of those day where everything and anything drives you mad?! I mean, the bus driver slams on the brakes at 7:45 AM, then your professor talks a mile a minute so your hand starts to get cramps, then you have to sit in the cold because the bus driver decides its his time to talk on his gosh darn cell phone! Then you get back and realize that you have to do something today, you can't just lay down. So you go to your computer and there are about ten different signs you have to hang up, and you have your keys right under your arm while you're typing. GOSH!

I understand the notion to throw things off porches today...i finally get it.

And yes, its because break is coming up and the motivation level is at a big fat (which is also how i feel) ZERO! So you just dont want to do anything, and the only person who understands, probably makes you upset too. Stupid break and stupid rainy weather...GO AWAY! Hope ya'll have a better day than i am :( !

<>< Brini

Life likes to use a 2x4 to smack you....

Hey ya'll. So tonight was a good night, kind of a cap off the ol' weekend. I know there's still tomorrow, but that is already planned out and in the works...I've been on this earth for 19 years now. And God still amazes me! Tonight i was just thinking how blessed i am to have this opportunity to be in Winona, and be here with all the people i hold dear up here, but i got this note from Jaime...which made me want to see her. And then made me want to be home. It could be that i haven't been home since October and i am feeling the pull, or the fact that i got to talk about my smart friend Jake from back home and how he is the deepest thinker i know, or how i'm so proud of jenna for what she's done in her life, or how mark always makes me feel at ease and like i'm worth something, or how Cora never ceases to amaze me with her randomness, or how Megan can make my whole month just by an email. But mostly, how jaime can send a note, just a few sentences across cyber space, and make me feel like i'm at home and loved again. *family, i'm not talking about you...i love you always and i miss you always...* But friends from back home...there's nothing like 'em, and sometimes you are glad to meet new ones, but then you look back at the old ones, and think...heck...those were the people that helped me grow up, and grew up with me...and they were the ones who i loved...


<>< Brini (thanks Jaime :) )

Long weekend = Long weekend

Some of you may be looking at the title of this blog and thinking, "Um, dur, isn't that the same thing?" Well, it is, but it should be "long weekend = fun." but its not. Shall i exlpain? Here we go...

Today is the last day of the week. So we have Friday off and then the rest of the weekend. To preview Sunday, i unknowingly signed up to play guitar in church on sunday (okay so i knew it, but i think someone or something was speaking for me when i said it). So tonight (the beginning of the weekend) i have to take a test, practice guitar and work. I'll get to bed around the crappy usual time of 1 AM. And then wake up at a decent time tomorrow to get some homework and stuff done, since i have a lot of it seeming as semester is almost over. Then after i do that, i am going to practice guitar for like 3 hours straight. Then i'm going shopping. This might be fun, but i'm spending money that i don't have, and i'm not very good about that! I'd like to watch a movie in MY room, but no one likes to come over here, So then i'll just be sitting in my room like a blob. Then on Saturday i am getting up at a decent time again to practice guitar again. That day i'm doing more homework and creating a darn bulletin board because RA's have to do things like that. Then eventually i will have to go to work at Rock Solid (which is cool), but its until 11:30, so nothing else going on that night. Then on Sunday i have to get up and practice for a little bit, then go and play. Which i'm DREADING. Then i come back and watch the packer vs. vikings game, which being a packer fan is like death on a stick here in Minnesota because unlike packer fans, viking fans get PSYCHO! And then its more homework, a group meeting, and then sleep. Then i start another week! YES!

I know i signed up for most of these things, and i should be grateful to God for the long weekend to get all that done. But i could have gone home this weekend. But i'm here. And i hate that. I just wish i could leave at my leisure and not have to be "in the *gosh darn* building!" But it will be fine, i know it...Hey, its almost Thanksgiving, and what can be better than that? i know! Christmas Break! Which is getting closer! Hooray! Okay, well that's all for now...peace out home fries.

<>< Brini

You say its your birthday?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAIME BODDEN! This goes out to ma gur...Jaime! Happy birthday, you are the most amazing girl ever, and i hope you have an awesome birthday! You rock my world! I love ya sweetheart!!!!!!!

<>< Brini

lonely mc lonerson....

So i don't know if any of you have heard me refer to a "chemistry boy" but i just found out this weekend that he is dating someone that we'll name Lubby. Lubby and Chemistry are quite the pair...but it just goes to show that everyone is dating someone!

I can only hope that someday i'll be named something like mystery girl, or "van girl." But you know, i most likely won't because at a school with 70% girls and 30% boys (which most of them are taken or just plain weird)...you don't get too many oppotunities. And this whole chemistry boy thing, its just disheartening...when you see your fantasy get taken, not that you really had the right to claim him anyway, but you thought that he'd one day learn your name before he was taken up by a man eater!! I'm going to be one of those lonely old cat ladies doing math problems all day in my apartment in the city. And the kids are all going to point! Oh man! I just described Mrs. Gershon!!! YIKES!

Anyway, i'd like to dedicate this blog to those named for stupid reasons...aka namegivingforfun-itis on my part! This blog goes out to "chemistry boy," "missing marquette man," "hot bod," "mystery girl," and "red shirt boy." DARN ALL OF YOU!!!

Hope i made you all think about being lonely, cause i am...! Have a good week!

Blogger!

Yeah, that's right, i'm a blogger. I have something to say...or at least i like to pretend and write it on a blog :)

So yeah, i don't know about anyone else, but Fridays are quite possibly the best day of the week. They are for a few reasons actually...and yes, as you guessed it, im going to write why...

1. Fridays are they last days of the school week. There are no more torturous classes until Monday, which is a whole two days away!

2. There is always something fun to do on Friday nights...(well actually, not tonight, i'm on duty, but usually there is!)

3. You get to sleep in on Saturdays, which you might be thinking...well that's not Friday, but you know you can stay up late on Friday night because you have this time in the AM.

4. You are usually in a good mood on Friday, since it is the last day of the week...which puts other people in good moods and then it just feels good....

5. Last but not least, you get to use the phrase...TGIF! (for those who don't know...like Paul...it means "thank goodness its friday")

So there you have it folks, if you aren't sitting in front of your TV, working at a desk or movie theater, or just doing something inside...GET OUT! Enjoy these blessings we receive every week that i like to call FRIDAYS!

<>< Brini

VOTE!

VOTE! For the love of God and your country....VOTE!

ITS NOVEMBER!!

So i just thought i'd let you all in on a little secret...its November today. Well actually for the whole rest of the month! Which means that Jaime's birthday is coming, another school break, Thanksgiving (which means i get to see my family again), and TONS more! I'm soo stoked.

So we watched this video tape of women giving birth this morning. Normally i'm like, cool, that's awesome...but this morning i was like, holy heck! That is going to hurt like a mother! Hahaha, no pun intended there! But i give moms credit...they put up a lot when they had us! Holy cow...

Anyway i'm off to another terrible Monday...sometimes i just wish mondays didn't exist...Hope you all have a good day...!!!

<>< Brini

Sadie Hawkins Dance, anyone?

So i went to see Relient K this weekend...can i just say they rocked my socks off! They were absolutely awesome! My favorite part was when he brought out an old school keyboard and started playing i love the 80's....i mean, HECK YES! It was sooooo great! And i got to hang with Mere and get squished by all the sweaty clowns around us! It was great times!

Not to mention that it is Halloween today and i got to hand out candy to the CUTEST little trick or treaters! They were sooo adorable. And its November, so what can be better?

Hope everyone has a great week...oh, and you CAN comment, i actually kind of like it when people write back :)

<>< Brini

Duty!

Hokay, so....i was on duty last night. Can i just say...who needs sleep anyway? CERTAINLY NOT ME! That's all for now.

<>< Brini

Do whatcha gotta do...!

So here's the thing. I don' t know if you've noticed or not, but there is this thing i'd like to call the presidential election coming up. I would like to think that everyone has been following the headlines and watching the debate and doing a little research on this topic. I'm not going to tell you who to vote for....no worries on that one. I just want to say a few things, so here we go.

Recently i received an email from a friend that said, "Please don't waste this very important decision on something like religion." Its not a direct quote, and i aplogize for that. But this is the just of what was said. I have to admit, this made me somewhat mad (actually pretty darn mad). I don't think that by voting for a certain candidate that someone is voting for a religion or not. If you are a Christian and you are voting for Kerry you are not going to Hell for it. I also think that you have the God given right to vote for whoever the heck you want.

I am simply asking people to really decide before they vote. Whoever is president next will have a lot of things on their plate. Electing new supreme court judges, dealing/finishing the war, a mob of angry pro-lifers/pro-choicers coming at them, the economic decline of our country. It will be a lot for whomever comes next.

Yes, Bush has taken us to war. Yes, John Kerry supports partial-birth abortions. Yes, they both like to rip each other's necks everytime they are given the chance. But these things are not the only things these men represent! To the untrained eye, they represent the morals of our country. And for someone to say that by voting for (now this is a direct quote) "republicans (religion) or democrats," we are chosing based on a religion. This is not true nor a reason to vote one way or the other. You should not vote for Kerry simply because you are Catholic or Buddist or what have you, and you think Bush is dumb. You really have to examine what you hold highest in regards to your values and morals and see who best represents our country in that aspect. You also have to look at what has happened in the past and what could happen in the future. This war isn't going to end anytime soon, so have to look to someone who will handle that situation with great care. You just have to think about things like this!

So i am not going to try to squash anyone's views, but rather ask you to please...PLEASE! vote for the person who you truly think would lead this country and bring back the morale of our nation. Thanks.

<>< Brini

New Week!

Hey All! How's it going? i just wanted to wish you all a very good start to the week! Its going to be a great one! My mom is coming on Thursday, and i CANNOT WAIT to see her again!!! I'm going to leave you with some thoughts...i'll write a better one during the week, i promise!

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." - Ephesians 4:2

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways ackknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. " Proverbs 3:5,6

Okay, so i wasn't going to write anything, but changed my mind...i can do that! God is so amazing. He never foresakes us. How and why do we think we have the right to do it to him then? We can spend our whole lives trying to balance our own things...problems, praises, our every thought, and yet, with that...we are not filled. God is there for us. He will take us on our own path, not John, Billy or Harry's.

Its strange, but this week, i was broken. Not in a bad sense either, nor a colosal change, just broken in my thinking. God has been trying to reach me for the past 2 years. Why now am i just starting to listen? I always thought i was ready and willing to follow, but i was fooling only myself. The Lord has given me so much, who am i to try and mold that? We need to trust that the Lord will take care of us, and he will. He is a God of love....not turning his back. God has a plan...and i am listening now...i'm ready for him to take control. I'll take the journey, only because i know he is by my side.

That's it i guess...it seems so simple to say...may God bless you all this week like he has to me.

<>< Brini