Riley Update: Riley is doing wonderfully, and is learning the ways of our household (and plenty of new tricks, as well) very quickly. He still loves socks and cries only occassionally when put back in his crate when we leave the house. The crating will stop after we're positive that he's completely housebroken. For the most part, he is. It's just that if he gets excited...well...you get the idea. He's still fascinated by the swiveling office chairs and uses them as his own personal amusement. He hasn't quite figured out how doors work yet, though. The fact that they can enclose him in or lock him out of an area is very perplexing to him, as is their ability to swing back and forth. He spent most of today finding his voice: he barked at the neighbor's kids who were running between our yard and theirs. He barked at Hope, our cat (who, by the way, still hates Riley and hisses at him ALL the time). He barked at the fireplace too, even though it wasn't on. All in all, though, he's really easy-going and sweet. I don't understand why someone gave him up in the first place--- he doesn't get into stuff, and he's obedient and smart. (Yes, I am very, very proud of my little puppy).

I've been thinking about college a lot lately, and I've decided that the idea of "the rest of my life" totally freaks me out and I am more worried about it than I thought. I'm not worried about getting into a school. I'm not worried about the workload. I'm not afraid of being long distances from my family, or of having true independence. I think I'm afraid because I don't have a "plan" for the rest of my life. Up until now, my life's been pretty much decided for me--- I had to go to school until I was 16, and my mom made sure I stuck with it even after that (not that I would drop out...I actually love school). The county decided where I went to school, and for HS my mom decided that one, really. Everything's been pretty much dictated by the adults around me. College is my choice. I have to choose one. Choose a major. (a minor). I can go to grad school or not. I get to choose where to apply to work. etc etc etc. I'm afraid of choices, I think. I'm afraid I'll choose wrong. Or that I'll choose right and screw up. I'm almost positive I want to major in history (BA in History) and get an MA in secondary education and teach. But I don't want to teach forever. Just for a few years. But then what do I do with a history degree? I've thought about med school after a stint in teaching, but I don't know if I want to go to school forever...I want a chance to settle down and have kids. This is all very overwhelming to me...not that any of you who read this care...but that's what's been on my mind.

I came up with this idea that I really want to pursue. There's this little park over by RCHS, kind of bordering the Mordecai neighborhood. Hope Elementary uses it sometimes for recess, but it's too small for all of those kids and it's kind of run-down. I want to get permission (from whoever-- the city or Hope Elem-- owns it) to take it down and rebuild a bigger, newer playground for the kids, as well as some benches and flowers to spruce the place up. Now all I have to do is get permission and then convince other people to help me in this endeavor--- and of course hopefully get company donations (we'll give them a plaque built into the wall at the park) to help cover costs...too bad it'll never actually happen. My dreams are always better and nicer than real life. Bleh.