Handifcrafts and Memories

Today has been a lovely day. I astonished myself by sleeping 11 hours last night, went to church, had a mocha and went book shopping with my parents, and even got a bit of housework done. (Unfortunately, the Texas vs. Texas Tech baseball game was cancelled, but since it was due to rain, I couldn't really complain much. "What a glorious feeling, I'm happy again...")

One of the things I did around the house was put together a bookcase I've had in a box for, oh, 3 months. I just kept not having time to mess with it, and the books kept piling around with no place to go. So tonight I finally got down to it, and I was quite proud of myself afterward. I always feel pleased with myself after I assemble something like that, even though I'm well aware that it doesn't take a whole lot of physical strength or intellectual acumen to put together a pre-fab bookcase. Still, it gives me a sense of accomplishment to see something that I've put together with my own hands. It also gives me a chance to marvel at my own ambidexterity, since I turn a screwdriver left-handed and use a hammer right-handed. Is that odd or what?

After I put together the bookcase, I got to play with my books, rearranging them to my liking. I've mentioned before that I enjoy rearranging my books because I get a chance to remember how much I liked them...but tonight, I not only remembered good books, I also came across a few that I'd forgotten I owned! I squealed in excitement when I found my copy of the Mabinogion. I'd forgotten that I had bought a copy, and a pretty one at that. Celtic myth in general makes me excited, so I can't wait to read it. Maybe this summer...!

Yesterday my mom and I cleaned out from under my bed in their house, and I found my letters and diary from 2000-2003. I've always journaled, since I was about seven. These days I mostly just use this blog, although I still have a written journal that I occasionally update. I had actually been wondering where the 2002-03 volume of the diary was! Tonight I went back and read some of it. It's always fun to read about the things you did and thought about in the past. I particularly had to smile over this entry, written the summer before I started at Tech:

(Wednesday) 8-20-2003

Oops, that date's wrong. Technically it's 12:15 on the morning of Thursday, August 21st. But whatever. I can't sleep tonight. I am just too excited! ...I am moving into my dorm in a few days. I am soo looking forward to jumping into a new environment and living on my own...I'm just so thrilled to think of all the exciting new things that are in store for me at Tech. The people, the activities--I'm even looking forward to my classes. ...I haven't been losing sleep over it, until tonight. I've been trying not to get too excited, trying to just go with the flow and stay cool and calm--because I don't want to build things up in my imagination and then be disappointed once I get there. But that strategy isn't working all that well. I'm pumped in spite of myself! My imagination will not stay in check--I daydream constantly about the future. (But Lee always says that imagining the future is better than living it, so maybe I should just enjoy the anticipation.) There are worse things than daydreams, I suppose--but at night, I'd rather be catching Z's.

It's amazing to think how much my life has changed in the 2 and 1/2 years (a little more, I guess) between then and now. Now I've actually met those people and done those things...and I must say, I'm not disappointed in the least. :)