Hark The Herald Angels Scream

And so the holidays are officially over. Santa has come, the presents have been opened, the cookies have been eaten, and the snow is starting to melt. 

The cousins are here, the cookies are out, the sugar is fading, and the screaming continues.

I think it's time to go home. 

Being here at home has been great. I've gotten to see all the people I've missed for the last few months. I've been visited by family, worked a few shifts with coworkers, and gone on adventures with friends. I feel like I'm back to my normal routine. School was a vacation, but now I'm home. This is where I grew up. Sure, I lived in our little house in Alger for the first three years of my life, but for fifteen years I've lived here. My life has been molded around the schedule of 1702 Sentinal. This is where I belong, isn't it? 

I'm not so sure any more. Life has moved on in my absence. I'm no longer an integral part of what goes on in this house. There are so many things that have changed since I left, and while I love being here, it just doesn't feel like I live here any more. 

And quite honestly, I've had enough vacation. I'm exhausted. I get annoyed with people really quickly. I need normality, a defined schedule, something to direct my existence. I'm sick of waking up every day and thinking "Well, I wonder what I'll do today?" 

Or the dreaded alternative: "You've got one free day this week? Good! Guess what we're doing!" 

I think as college students we're all feeling it. I'm certainly not the first one to say they're ready to go back to school. 

That being said, it's been a great Christmas break so far. I got to go shopping with Nifer, have a peaceful Christmas morning with my family, see my cousins from Iowa for the Piersma family Christmas, hang out with the guys and play Battlefront until 2:00 in the morning, and today hang out with the Middleville and Tennessee cousins for the Dokter family Christmas. 

But I've had enough screaming children. I need silence. I need rest. I need peace. 

I need classes. I need homework. I need schedules. 

I need home.

My song for today: I See Fire by Ed Sheeran. It's featured at the end of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. No significance, just a cool song that I just learned to play. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mllXxyHTzfg

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.

And On Earth, Peace.

I have to say, after 18 years of Christmases here, the magic hasn't faded.

We just got home from our church's Christmas Eve service. As usual, at least 60% of the Piersmas were in some way involved. This year Jared made his debut on bass (props to him: he hadn't seen the music until today and jumped in like a pro), I played guitar, Seth lit hundreds upon hundreds of candles, Dad sang, and as far as I know Mom and Luke just kinda chilled. It was a beautiful service, reminding me to stay grounded in the true reason for the season.

Now we're waiting for the feast to begin. We set out a nice table cloth, unpack the nice dishes, pour a glass of sparkling grape juice, and then mow down a giant spread of chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, bacon water-chestnuts, shrimp cocktail, and chocolate fondue (in a very sophisticated way, of course). The DVDs are queued up: tonight, A Charlie Brown Christmas and The Nativity Story.

One thing I love about Christmas in the Piersma household is that it is first and foremost about Christ, about how the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We so easily get caught up in the commercialism of the season, the lights, the food, the presents. Or we get caught up in our own issues: we can't afford Christmas, we can't stand our family any more, we're too upset to enjoy the season. All of these are real issues, but none of them keep in mind that the Christmas season is *not* for us. It's not about our happiness, or seeing our families, or even about "loving each other" (as Hallmark would have us believe).

It's about one small, cold, little baby, born in a tiny cave full of animals somewhere in the Middle East. It's about God putting aside His glory and becoming one of us. It's about the creator of our entire universe stepping down and moving into our neighborhood.

It's about a baby who would become a man, a man who would die to save us all.

That's real love.

But... that doesn't mean a little commercialism isn't fun.

There will always be some magic in seeing stockings overflowing with candy and toys, beautifully wrapped boxes appearing overnight beneath the tree, half eaten cookies left on the plate that was so carefully prepared for Santa. Even though we're all older and we all know the truth, that feeling of joy on Christmas morning will never fade away. There's nothing better than seeing the glow on my little brother's face when he tears into a box and I know instantly he got exactly what he wanted, the Hallelujah Chorus thundering in the background. These are the memories I will carry for a lifetime.

So tonight, remember: Unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given.

And don't forget to hang up your stockings with care!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRrWo2kSUiY

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.

A Bit of Holiday Cheer (and Fear)

Yesterday was a good day.

I started the day with some Christmas shopping and novel brainstorming with my good friend/nonbiological sister/mother/legal guardian Jennifer. We hit up the mall and even ran into Hannah Rush! The little bros had a snow day, so when I got home we got to hang out and play games and make snow Daleks. I also got to Skype Sierra and have some fun catching up! Granted, our Internet seemed to have other ideas, but with some clever teamwork we got it figured out. I'd like to take this time to give a shoutout to Sierra Hernandez, who is currently crocheting a spectacular scarf, instead of just a small triangle or (in my case) a straight line.

I'd also like to take this time to give a shoutout to all the Five Below friends I got to see in the last few days! I got to see my favorite friend/manager Kelsey, who despite being only a year older than me seems convinced that I'm five years old. I also got to see Nick and Kayla, who I've been working with for over a year. All of us were hired at the opening of the store, and whenever I work, they're the people I hope to see scheduled alongside me. I also got to meet some new coworkers who were hired in my absence this fall! They all seem pretty cool, and I'm glad to have made their acquaintance, even if it's unlikely I'll ever be around to work with most of them again.

Can I just say that I love my job? Example: last night I was getting really frustrated by the amount of iPhone cases that had been torn open and thrown around the media section, which I was required to clean. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye I spotted a little girl, probably not more than four or five. She caught my eye and ducked shyly behind a shelf. I smiled at her and went back to work. She peeked around the corner again, and when I turned to look she giggled and disappeared. I quickly ducked behind a shelf, and we proceeded to play an impromptu game of peekaboo for the next five minutes. In those short minutes I was the happiest I'd been all night.

Just a few hours later I was driving home. I had gotten out of work late, and the roads were still slick from the ice storm the night before. Now, those of you who know the Grandville/Wyoming area know that on 52nd approaching Burlingame there is a fairly large pond on either side of the street. Normally I don't go all the way to Burlingame on the way home, but instead turn onto Pinnacle. Tonight the roads decided that wasn't an option. I braked early as the weather warranted, but it didn't make a difference. I instantly went into a slide that took me far past the Pinnacle intersection. I managed to keep the car in the lane and come to a stop about 100 yards from Burlingame. I sat there for a moment, letting my heart slow and the adrenaline fade. That was when I noticed I wasn't alone. Just a few feet ahead of me there was a car. It was off the road, teetering on the edge of the pond. The scariest part? It was facing the wrong way. The car had apparently taken the turn too quickly and slid across my lane into the pond. There was no one in the car, but no cops had arrived to assess the scene. My guess would be that it had occurred about ten minutes before I arrived. Had I not been held up at work, I would have been at or near the intersection at right about the time the car lost control.

Granted, any slight variation in the timeline would have made me completely miss the event, so I'm not saying this was some diversionary act of God. I mean, I could have tied my shoe in the parking lot and completely missed the accident. Heck, I still probably would have missed it entirely if I had gotten out on time. But that's not the point. The point is that I got lucky. I could have just as easily been the one in the pond. But I'm not. And I thank God for that.

What exactly is the point of this story? I haven't the slightest idea. But I figured I haven't posted a blog in a few days, and I need content. So there it is.

Now I'm sitting in my basement, the sounds of coffee grinders, rocket launchers, and Christmas carols assaulting my ears. Gosh, I've missed this. Looks like a day of rest in the Piersma household. I've hit my breaking point, and it's time to recharge. Maybe that's what God's telling me. Maybe what I needed to stop stressing was potential for a good old-fashioned near-death experience.

My song for today: More Bad Weather On The Way by Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers. Yes, the actor, Steve Martin (who is surprisingly good at the banjo). What with all the snow and ice, I could use a little bluegrass to relax to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxmk3ZSYrBg

That's all for today, folks!

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.

Snowwwwwwwwwww

It's snowing.

Again.

It's literally been snowing almost every day I've been here. It's as if nature knew I needed that beautiful view of vast, fluffy whiteness outside my window. Then again, the view from my window is the underside of a large bush and a concrete retaining wall, so...

Still, there's something oddly comforting about waking up in the middle of the night and seeing the glow of Christmas lights outside.

The soft emptiness of it all is exactly what I needed after a week of cluttered papers, glaring computer screens, and overtaxed emotions. When the world is like it is today, I feel like I can forget all my cares, all my obligations...

Oh wait. I'm on Christmas break. I *have* no obligations.

Besides work. I worked last night. It was awful. So many people demanding my attention, so many items strewn across the wrong shelves, so many mountains of boxes to tear into in the back room... and yet, somehow it felt like home. As much as I complained about it all day, I've missed work. My Five Below friends have missed me too. They gave me donuts last time. It was awesome. Granted, the work is sometimes exhausting, but I love my job.

That wasn't the only great thing that happened yesterday. I also got to talk to Sierra, my "Spanish beauty" (as my grandfather calls her) after some early morning Christmas shopping. We were clever and used the magic of Skype and the Internet to watch Wicked together, which I had never seen. It was a blast, and it's good to know that even though we're on opposite sides of the country right now, we can still have just as much fun as we do when we live 100 yards away! Besides, how else are we going to finish that ever-growing list of things we need to watch?

So now I'm sitting alone in my kitchen, about to munch on some Schwann's "Bacon Singles" (basically little breakfast pizzas) and read Game of Thrones. In a bit I'm going to go see an old friend and get some coffee. Wondering who? Here's a hint: her name ends in "-annah Rush" and she's obsessed with zebra .

Well, my food is done cooking, so it's time to wrap up. I need a good song for this post. Hmmmm....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH2KGboA35c

Just saying, Sierra, Mal-Mal, Krajecki, and I can bust out some spectacular 4-part harmony on this song.

Well, goodbye for now, adoring fans!

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.

A Warm Kind of Cold

It's cold.

Like, really cold.

20 degrees and snowing cold.

And I wouldn't trade it for the world. 

Honestly, it's really nice to be home. I can hear the familiar sounds of Fox Soccer Channel emanating from the living room, Dad's occasional shouts of joy when United score another goal. I've spent the last two days stepping on thousands of Lego pieces in the basement as I try to maneuver to the counter for some Minecrafting with the little bros. I've been curling up by the fire to watch classic Christmas movies, mashing buttons and talking smack in front of the old GameCube, and just laying back in bed, listening to the sounds of the house at night. It's honestly the most relaxing feeling. I've been in need of this after two consecutive all-nighters during finals week. I love listening to Dad yell about his soccer game, Jared and Seth throwing clever banter back and forth, Luke chiming in with all of the wisdom of a seven-year-old, and Mom just trying to get everyone to the dinner table. What a wonderful cacophony. 

At the same time, it's weird not being home. I wake up in the middle of the night, hungry for some ramen, expecting to hear the familiar sound of Sherlock listening to his evening dubstep. I jump out of bed, expecting a fall but hitting the ground instantly. Then I remember I'm not on a bunk bed, tucked away in the basement of South Hall. The sights and sounds I've grown accustomed to have been replaced. The constant presence of the people I call my family has completely disappeared. I miss bro time with Tater and Curly. I miss having early-morning meetings with my freshmen chapel leaders. I miss watching Doctor Who and making ALL the references with Sierra. I miss late-night gaming with Sherlock. I miss Mal-Mal's constant adorable giggling. I somehow even miss Erin and Krajecki's incessant screaming (I mean, to a point). 

Add to that the fact that my entire biological family is busy (my dad works, my mom teaches, and my brothers still have a full week of school) and bingo! I'm bored as heck. Even my friends at Calvin College still have three days of exams. 

It's weird living in two different worlds. 

But hey. I'm home, and in a few weeks, I'll be home again. 

It's time, I believe, for a Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters smackdown. May the best player win (likely by unplugging the other players' controllers)! 

Song for this post: Carol of the Bells by The Piano Guys. Because I can never resist a good string piece. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9GtPX6c_kg&list=PLETuopLfmKSOb-nLxMHGa0tOLUjCGanEs

Laterz, people. Nathan out. 

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.

How To Survive Finals Week Fatigue (Without Coffee)

Are you in need of motivation? Running low on energy? Coffee just not doing it for you any more? Finals Week can be hard on your focus and mental drive, but we've got you covered. The Road Goes Ever On and On brings you ten great songs to keep you energized and on task!

1. Europa- Globus (Instrumental)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6uX0MWetHA

2. Star Trek- Enterprising Young Men
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FapcoqvfkNQ

3. Europe- The Final Countdown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG7wB3G-xp0

4. The Lord of the Rings- Full Soundtrack (Because why not?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPJT12-wrCY

5. Pokemon- Theme Song (Season 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqXlSwBIHFc

6. Starship- Get Back Up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyyrWmWqQN8

7. John Williams- Raider's March (from Indiana Jones)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bTpp8PQSog

8. Doctor Who- I Am the Doctor (Season 5 Theme)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D-QPDGhCtM

9. StarCraft II- Heaven's Devils (Terran Theme)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXWy7hcf2pY

And of course, no list would be complete without....

10. Dropkick Murphys- Cadence to Arms/Do or Die
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_46MsHe3XU

Hang in there, folks! Just a few days to go!

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.

Glory, Glory to the Red Team

So today's post isn't going to have anything in the way of content. It's simply going to be a collection of inspiring speeches and moments to help you all stay strong during this hectic week. First up:

Aragorn's speech from The Return of the King
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXGUNvIFTQw

Theoden's speech from The Two Towers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyZpiuusa2k

Leeroy Jenkins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkCNJRfSZBU

Bicycle Kid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaIvk1cSyG8

Liam Neeson in The Grey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9hnYXb9y9I

Sarge in Red Vs. Blue Season 5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eHyGgZLsGk

Sarge in Red Vs. Blue Season 8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-o9OznSaQ0

Be inspired! Be motivated! Now get out there and kill those exams!

FORTH EORLINGAS!

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.

Forth, and Fear No Darkness!

It's midnight, and the laundry room is crowded with bleary-eyed students, sipping coffee and staring blankly at books, notes, or computer screens, hoping that maybe they can somehow cram just a few more useless facts into their heads before they either start bleeding out of the ears from information overload or simply die of exhaustion. The halls were dead today. Rooms were locked, the normal ambient music was turned off; the only sounds were scratching pencils, clacking keys, and the occasional "Hey, can you shut up? I'm trying to study."

It's that time of year, folks. The time when teachers assign four or five papers apiece, students stare at empty Microsoft Word documents for hours at a time, the BBC does a roaring trade in coffee, and South Hall's beds could be burned as firewood for all they're being used. 

Yep. Finals Week.

All things considered, though, life is good. I've had a pretty relaxing weekend. South Hall had their annual ugly sweater party, with white elephant gifts and hot chocolate. I got to see the choirs perform at Christmastide, which was INCREDIBLE. I attended a fancy dinner with Sierra to celebrate the performance and ate a delicious meal. I played a couple StarCraft matches with my little bro, nailing down a five-win streak. I got to laze around for hours watching Game of Thrones, although I'm honestly kind of mad about that. Two words: Red Wedding. I regret everything. I even got a free breakfast at 10:30 PM in the dining hall, with donuts and scrambled eggs and cinnamon rolls and all kinds of good stuff. 

As far as exams are concerned, I studied for history all day today and have plenty of time this week to study for my other exams. I'm not particularly stressed. Life is good. Despite the terrors of finals week, I am happier today than I've ever been before. 

So why am I so scared?

Two nights in a row now I've had horrible panic attacks. I don't know what triggered them, but both times I just suddenly felt this weird sensation of dread and the next thing I knew, I was curled up in a ball in my chair, crying my eyes out. I was scared to look over my shoulder, scared to open the door to the bathroom to splash water on my face and calm down, scared to turn out the lights and then climb into bed, scared to even open my eyes once I closed them. The next morning I felt totally fine. 

And for the life of me I don't know why it happened. 

But God is by my side, and I have friends who are here for me. And that's all that matters. I am content. Life is good. 

What I've learned from my fears and the fear of finals: don't over-think things. You can't change the past, and worrying about the future won't make it any easier. What's done is done, and what will pass will come to pass. Learn to let God do the worrying for you. He is in control, even when you feel you aren't. 

Song for tonight: Hope of Morning by Icon for Hire. A bit of an unusual piece for a rock band, but a good one nonetheless. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e_cbtp4Yo0 

As finals begin, I'd like to kick them off with some quotes from the Lord of the Rings:

 "Forth, and fear no darkness! Arise! Arise, Riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day! A red day! Ere the sun rises!"

"Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends, and break all bonds of fellowship; but it is not this day! An hour of woe, and shattered shields, when the Age of Men comes crashing down; but it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!"

For those facing their fear tomorrow morning, I wish you a sharp mind and iron nerve. 

Goodnight, and good luck!

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.

Silent Night

Christmas is in the air.

'Tis the season for Christmas shopping with friends, trees in every window, a free candy cane with every purchase, sledding, snowball fights, a nice peppermint mocha, catching up with relatives you haven't seen since Thanksgiving, and of course a cute little church Christmas pageant.

Not to mention political corruption, a supposed affair, a broken family, dangerous travels, unearthly creatures, and the mass genocide of children.

Christmas wasn't a good time with relatives and presents and good food back in the day. Think about it. Mary's pregnant, her fiance isn't the father, and the community will stone her if they find out she's been unfaithful. Joseph's future wife isn't making a great first impression, especially since she's claiming an angel came to her and that she's carrying the Son of God in her belly.

On top of that, a foreign government is issuing a census of the entire nation, forcing the couple to travel across treacherous terrain full of dangerous wildlife, as well as raiders and bandits. At least they're getting away from the town that's casting judgment on their apparent life choices.

Inconveniently enough, Mary goes into labor as they enter the town of Bethlehem, and because of the census there's nowhere to stay. Joseph ends up cutting a deal to stay in a barn behind someone's house, and while they're there Mary has her baby.

Moments later, some dirty but friendly shepherds show up to see the baby, moments after it's born. I can't imagine the happy couple were thrilled at the time. These shepherds were just sitting around, minding their own business, when suddenly a legion of flaming supernatural creatures appeared in the sky and told them to seek a baby born in a manger.

Now on top of all that, a jealous king has decided to hunt down and kill any male child aged 2 and under in an effort to eliminate the threat of a new king rising up from the Jewish people. Now the little family has to flee on yet another perilous journey across the border and away from the mad king.

And yet we try to make Christmas into a pretty little scene with a happy baby, doting parents, clean shepherds with adorable little lambs, and fat little cherubs with halos.

Christmas isn't about how cute baby Jesus was. It's not about shopping, giving gifts, or seeing relatives. It's about God taking on flesh and moving into our neighborhood. And let's be honest, our neighborhood isn't the most friendly.

Song for today: Oh Holy Night, with a little twist. It's a haunting, eerie version of the song that I think is a more accurate reflection of the first Christmas. I can tell you one thing: it sure as heck wasn't no silent night. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgiyzhtY4B0&feature=youtu.be

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.

Random Ramblings: Giant Amphibious Laser Sharkasauruses

Gather 'round, friends! It's time for another exciting installment of Random Rambling Monday!

Admittedly, it's not the cleverest of concepts.

But I need to fill an entire post, and so far all I have to talk about is the fact that as of today, The Road Goes Ever On and On has reached over 3,000 views! Thank you, loyal fans, for making this first month so successful. I couldn't have done it without you.

But for reals. It doesn't count when I view the page. So I literally couldn't have views without you people reading.

Last night we watched Pacific Rim. It's a very entertaining movie with great special effects, but it does contain some major plot holes. *Warning: spoilers ahead*

The first issue I had with Pacific Rim was the amount of unnecessary violence in the movie. By this I do not mean that I found the amount of violence offensive. I mean it was literally unnecessary. 90% of the fight scenes were comprised of giant metal robots ineffectively punching giant amphibious laser dinosaurs. Even their highly advanced plasma cannons were next to useless against these things. The only thing that seemed to do any real damage was the sword attached to each robot's arm. My question, then, is this: why not lead with that? Why bother punching the thing in the face and shooting it over and over when one good slice is clearly enough to kill a kaiju instantly? The majority of damage to civilian areas would have been averted, and the length of the movie would have been cut in half.

My second issue: if the aliens sending the kaiju were testing Earth's defenses, why not just send like twenty of them instead of one at a time? We would've gotten flattened (especially since we still haven't figured out the intrinsic value of the sword).

The last issue I took with Pacific Rim is something I've decided to call the Star Trek effect. Have you ever noticed how they construct these mile-long, multi-billion dollar starships that are minutes later ripped apart by a single missile? How can that ever be cost-effective? The same occurs in Pacific Rim. The cost of repeatedly repairing a giant robot that's only going to get torn in half in the next fight far outweighs its marginal success as a defense.

 But hey. Giant robots fighting laser-shark lizards. It doesn't get much better than that.

Christopher Robin has 7-layer tortilla dip Combos. They're really good. Pardon me, I need to steal one.

 Nathan Piersma, signing off!

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.

Keeping Connected in a Hijacked Holiday

Well, I'm back.

*Points for reference*

As of 5:00 this evening, I am safe and sound in my dorm in South Hall, back from Thanksgiving break. What a great time to catch up with friends and family and go on some adventures!

I arrived at home late Wednesday night to my family watching Doctor Who. I've started something beautiful in this household. I stayed up late playing Minecraft with Jared and Seth, which was exactly what I needed after a fun but stressful semester. I missed those two so much. They are honestly my best friends in the entire world and understand me better than anyone else, despite their heavy sarcasm and constant snarky comments. I even got to hang out with the little guy, who I've missed more than anybody after our tearful farewell on move-in day. There's an unspoken bond between oldest and youngest. Anyone in this situation knows what I mean. 

The next day I got up and went to my grandparents' house for Piersma family Thanksgiving. Grandma Piersma cooked a fantastic meal as always, with turkey, mashed potatoes, green been casserole, and stuffing (not to mention both apple and pumpkin pie!) I got to meet my second cousins (which I did not know I had) and spend more quality time with my brothers, gaming again into the wee hours of the night.

Friday I returned to my post at Five Below. My, how I've missed running around that store. I got to see so many of my good work friends and meet some new ones! It was absolutely out of control all night (being Black Friday), but I made some money and got to see my fellow associates. I'm going to miss them, but I'll see them over the holidays!

"The holidays". What a meaningless term. "Happy holidays!" "It's the holiday season!" "And now for your favorite holiday music!" 

Honestly, it bothers me so much. 

I understand that people don't want a religion forced on them, but seriously. Christmas is by definition a Christian holiday. It is about the birth of Christ. CHRISTmas. And yet for some reason, people feel they have the right to take our holiday, rip Christ out of it, and make it a commercial mess. You don't see people commercializing Hanukkah or Ramadan. Sure, giving gifts and being with family is great, but it's not the reason for the season. 

While at work this week, I heard probably three dozen arrangements of secular holiday tunes sung by various artists. It was both exciting and infuriating. But then I heard something that made me stop for a moment. I don't know who was singing, but suddenly a beautiful rendition of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" came on over the speakers. I was oddly satisfied and invigorated.

Saturday was my one free day, or rather, my "spend time with ALL the friends" day. I started this day of visits with coffee at Biggby's with Nifer, which was a huge blessing. That girl is a sister to me, and she's always a blast to hang out with. I can always count on Nifer for sage advice, served with a sharp wit and a big hug. I also got to chill with El Josho, who I've barely talked to for months. Despite this separation, I feel like our friendship hasn't changed one bit: we're still best friends with an unhealthy Pokemon obsession and an ability to understand each other better than either of us would probably admit. Being with these two totally made my weekend.

And of course, no weekend would be complete without movie night at Klaassens! And what a night it was. Upon arrival I entered the house and saw the blur that was Audrey Dodge come flying out the living room. I threw open my arms, expecting a hug, but instead received a palm to the face at high velocity. Thank you, Audrey, and yes, my face is still attached. I got to see Julie, Andi, Ethan, Aaron, Aimee, Jess, and Nichole all at once, and devour large amounts of fudge while watching Robert Downey Jr. solve mysteries. Needless to say, it was a good night.

And now I'm home. Already tonight I've caught up with all my friends, eaten dinner with Tater, Curly, and Sherlock, received what was probably the best and biggest hug in history from Sierra, and laughed my head off as Mal-Mal punched giant lizards during Pacific Rim.

It was good to be home, but honestly, it's good to be home.

No song tonight. Tonight I don't need a song to say how I feel. Tonight, I am at peace.

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.