Time Stands Still...

Funny isn't it, how time can fool us...

As of right now I am a year behind some of my friends. I am trapped between the years 2004 and 2005. For the Dutch, 2005 has struck and for the U.S...it has yet to come. I personally am stuck right now trapped in between two cultures of Europe and America. Trapped between realities of high school and college lifestyle. Simply put...I am trapped. As my friends overseas lay down to soak in the victory of a conquered night, I prepare for the bonfire initiating the celebration of 2005 coming...Although slowly. Enjoy the time left of 2004 and make sure to go into '05 without regrets. Call the person you forgot. Write a letter to an old fiend..But most of all, praise God and live.

Happy New Year/chances/opportunity

If you were and Animal, what would it be? Why?

If I were an animal I would be a platypus. There's not really a certain reason as to why I chose this animal except for they are cool. Platapi go about nonchalantly in life and they look very similar to ducks! Ducks are cool animals and since platypus are like ducks, they are cool by association. Also, 'a lot of platapi could do a lot of damage.' A friend of mine once said this refering to ducks but I believe it works with a platypus as well. What a life it could be...


editor's note: "I do not believe my speech teacher exactly knew what she was in for on 30 sept 2004 when she asked me this question"

Santa Claus has come..to town

So Marshall (Santa) and his wife joined us for Christmas Eve service at church tonight. Working in the mall with Santa reminds me of what a sad poor world this can be when people ignore what this season is all about. Today, a girl I work with was too afraid to walk to her car without security due to a few distraught people in line who chose not to see Santa before 6pm Christmas Eve. I mean come on, he has been there since before Thanksgiving and the mall was closing! Brent's lesson during service was filled with stuff I have heard him say through the year but I truly enjoyed getting Santa's and his wife's perspective on it.

Continuing with tradition we are off to soon open gifts, take a family picture, and then watch one of the many versions of Scrooge. I hope all of you reflect on why this holiday exists beyond the tinsel and decorum to see a not so plain baby in an undecorated stable...No strings attached.

Feliz Navidad from this Garcia.

Wisdom is knowing what time it is

Wow..so i really aveen't blogged in a while...

i applologize to my three readers because a compter has become inaccessable to me during this time. Well, let's see...Sunday was German Fest in Muenster, Texas and near the end my sister got up to make an annoucement abpout my leaving/graduation. What she said just really reminded me of why i love her so much.

Yesterday was the end of my High School career. I arrived at school at 8:45 prepared to take my economics exam and then be at work by 10! I finished my exam first at 9:18 so i was out of there! Yesterday was kinda sad though...i don't know why but it started to hit me in my heart even though i don't feel as if it's over. I feel like it's ok becasue in two weeks i'll be back...but the fact is i won't.

Things for Holland are coming along well thouygh but i bettter head off to work..i'll try to blog again soon..te amo a toda..spartacus

3 IS A MAGIC NUMBER..

Three days left of this so-called education of high-school!

So I ran into my old LEAP teacher from elementary school yesterday and then my elementary choir teacher today! Man I miss these ladies. There is one teacher above all who has simply truly inspired me to live my life as I do now. Herbst is a close second followed by Sauder(school only Brent). But this lady risked her job in order to comfort a crying 5th grader at Camp Goddard. You see, my Abuelo had just died so my mom drove me up to Oklahoma late on that tues because I didn't want to waste the money and be a spare in a class of five. By thurs. It was too much. Mrs. Jana Nelms took me aside and prayed with me! You are not allowed to express faith like this to a student you see. My point I guess is she has made me want to teach other's about Christ's love because of what I saw in and through her that night. She failed to be perfect, but shone where she could. Thank you for saving me from myself...I hope to find you again someday as I wished you never would have left. This is my thanks to you, I only hope I can actually tell you this someday in person...

Translation:

I was just talking to my friend Nima so this came to mind...

The word irony I slightly mentioned in my prior post came to me after receiving an e-mail from leanderthal (the intern in Holland when I was there). You see, I talked with her quite a but before the Hays were there and honestly can only recall the first conversation when Rob Edwards and I left early to pick her up before meeting the rest of the group. This is what she e-mailed me, "ONE TIME YOU GAVE ME A QUOTE "YOUR STRENGTH MAY GET YOU TO THE MOUNTAIN, BUT ONLY GODS CAN GET YOU TO THE TOP". I HAVE REMEMBERED AND USED THAT ALOT AND I THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT BLESSED LITTLE QUOTE WITH ME!" And yes, it was in all caps! It's funny how one thing you say can mean something to someone that you don't even notice. I guess I just never really think people take heart or even care to remember things I say unless they're jokes. This awe-struck me! I simply wasn't expecting it. Glad I could help you Fox. Now I think I realize why I personally cherish quotes so much, and maybe we all shall see them soon...

COMING SOON>>>

a weird word brought back...

Change is Inevitable...

So lately this has become Nurge's and my favorite quote..right John?

Anyways i am up late simply unable to sleep in fear i am forgetting something. Tomorrow/today i will be in church all four services to tell people about Holland and what exactly i will be doing there. I can't tell you why this freaks me out i mean not a whole lot does. Maybe it's the fact that this whole idea and concept formed over the past months, or dare i even say years, is coming true. I am 8 days away from the end of my high school career. Three days until my last Bible Study with Mrs. G. My job ends on Christmas Eve. and then on Jan. 20 my flight takes off. Weird. that's all i can type to sum up how i'm feeling right now. Well, i'm talking to one of the dutch so i better go and then try again to sleep. Thanks for scanning these words...i love comments..no hint implied.

Signed, Alicia "the yellow dart" Garcia

Goed...

Man, to quote McDonald's...I'm lovin' it!

I met the absolute cutest kid at work tonight! (and that is not a word I usually throw around!) His name was Colton and he was terrified of Santa. I've gotten used to these types of kids lately and he was no different until I started talking to him. He even ran away from his mother! Straight out the gates and into the walkway! I picked up this 5-yr-old in the red shirt and wiped away his tears whispering a promise that Santa had a gift for him. His eyes brightened. I inquired if he could take a picture with Santa and his siblings to get the prize. He nodded emphatically. I sat little Colton up there and he gave me one of the largest smiles of the night. Afterwards the mom simply inquired 'what did you do.' This kicking screaming kid immediately transformed into a mother's paradise. Colton received his gift as well as a candy cane from me as long as his didn't tell his sister and brother. He gave me a HUGE hug and went to see his picture...Boy, I sure did love my job tonight! Well, at least until the next family...

Today I went to go see the choir during 2nd period. You guys are great, wish I could've made it tonight..Sorry. Also got interviewed for a newspaper article and sold a few more calendars for Holland. Life is simply as the Dutch say, goed!

Well Adjusted

Am I the one that's going crazy?
I'm so tired of masquerading
I pretend to be so well adjusted
Maybe it's just me and i'm disgusted

I need a room in a mental penitentiary
So lock me up with maxium security
The doctors say tht they don't know what's wrong with me
So strap me down it's time for my lobotomy
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah
The doctors say that i'll be getting out real soon
The doctors ssay that i've been making big breakthroughs

One little minute seems to last a lifetime
Like starring at the ceiling even though you're blind
We are all pretending to be so complicated
You and me jst ma be dislocated

I need a room in mental penitentiary
So strap me sown it's time for my lobotomy
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah
The doctors say that i'll be getting out real soon
The doctors say that i've been making big breakthroughs

The doctors say, the doctors say I'm okay
The doctors changed their minds and now I'm here to stay
Sorry baby, I'm not crazy
Pardon me baby, yo no soy loco
The doctors say that i'll be getting out real soon
The doctors say that I've been making breakthroughs
The doctors say that I'm not crazy after all
The doctors say take two of these and give me a call

Question

Joy is not a requirement of Chrisitan Dicipleship, it is a consequence. ~Eugene Peterson

--if this is true...where does that leave us? Do we choose to accept the joy supplied?

I've got a pickle...I've got a pickle hey hey hey hey

Yesterday I now by far encountered the most embarrassing moment in my life!

After school, I went to give blood as I have done before. You see it never affects me but being my 5th time they decided to double what I could give so no biggie right? Wrong. I felt fine after receiving my snowman ornament and blood donor bracelet so I grabbed my complementary juice and rushed to the post office to mail a package to Holland. The line was long so I was getting irritated as I only had 20 minutes or so before I had to be at work. I finally made it the around the center of the line where there is that counter to lean on. You know, the one where you're right behind the next person in line but before you get there you must first conquer the rest of the maze. Well, it started to hit me, I knew I was tired from the night before so I was trying to force myself to say things I knew. I once learned that with use of this logic it is near impossible to sleep; so I tried..."my name is Alicia Garcia, I live at"...and then it hit. My eyes couldn't stay open any longer, I felt the weight of my body start to drip down onto the tile floor. My eyes were closed and yet I was still awake. "Man, I hope no one notices" I thought to myself. It was then my knees could no longer support the upper half of my body...I wouldn't, I couldn't give in. I fought to stay up with my pounding head and my body shaking violently against itself. I was sure someone had noticed by now and yet no word was said. OK, now I was fine, I had to lean on the box so then I could at least stand up, the shaking had stopped. I started to concentrate on what the guy at the counter was saying to that customer. The customer had about 50-70 envelopes and I knew my time was dwindling. It came over me again. The Butterfly Effect brand of a shake that I couldn't make go away. my eyes were gone again, I held onto the counter for dear life. The guy in front of me finally inquired if I was ok. Snap. That brought me back into reality. My eyes opened. I had to squat down to keep my equilibrium but I was not to experience my 2nd blackout in my life this time. (the first was two years ago by the hand of an exquisite piano player...it was an accident.) I got up to the counter impatient now as she asked me the usual questions making sure I wasn't smuggling anything overseas and I signed the five papers I had gotten so used to over these past few years. I walked out and sat in my truck drinking a liter of powerade waiting until I was able to drive to work.
Now I can only think how odd I must have looked to the others in town. A girl with a needle-marked bandage wrapped around her arm starts shaking violently and is delivering a package to, of all places, Holland--drug using capital of the world. If it were me on the outside, I would've guessed heroin. But no, just a gift of blood to try and help another. Praise God I wasn't late to work, and didn't pass out at the United States Post Office main building. As for now, off to work again! Just think, only 79 days until I can donate again...maybe next time I'll be sure that they just take the normal amount. Yes Jeopardy fans, no more double down for me.

Mrs. Robinson

This whole alternate universe complex just never seems to end.

Last night I told some of the mid-schoolers about my farewell party on Jan. 8 since we won't be having another official tues night until after then. I was making the announcement and then I made a major mistake. I glanced to the left. I saw "Nail Gun's" face as the words of my departure left my mouth in a flood of words. It's not that I want to rub in the fact that I'm leaving or make people question how things will be once I'm gone. I think I say it so much in order to try and separate myself from the group mentally. In 14 school days my high school career is over. Terminaden. Finê. Done. I have a favor to ask..if you see me in the back during Sunday school like I was last week...let me be. If you see me not saying as much in a group conversation I'm still ok. If I wear my ear buds cranking up the tunes...know all is well. The fact is, I depart in less than two months but I know you all will be ok. I have to let you guys do what you were built for without getting in the way..i'll be around. Even if I don't end up at DBU, you guys can't get rid of me but for right now let me ease away. He knows what's in store and that you can handle it. After all, we're all in God's hands. Heb. 11:1