Snow Days & E-mails

Remember when you were a kid and nothing was more amazing than a surprise snow day? Imagine being the teacher, I could've jumped up and down this morning when the phone call came. I had the urge to go make snow angels. I might yet! Instead I thought I'd blog. They've only given me a month, and I want to post all the time, but I'm trying to keep it back so I don't overwhelm you with my genius and charm ::smile::.

However, should you be overwhelmed, positively or otherwise, you can e-mail me at 99blogger@ninetyandnine.com.

Either way, make sure you tune back in, I'll soon be blogging a response to Wendy's blog, discussing my favorite authors, and commenting on the overall state of world affairs. Happy snow day!

Thoughts? E-mail to 99blogger@ninetyandnine.com!
I reserve the right to quote you unless otherwise specifically requested.

It's All About Me!!

One of the subjects that I teach is a 9th grade Global World Issues class. Yesterday we read an article on the AIDS epidemic in Africa, and today we studied how children are being accused of witchcraft by their own parents in the D.R. of Congo. Yesterday, they were outraged and wanted to organize a drive to raise funds. Today, they didn't seem to care. When I asked them what the difference was, they replied, "This doesn't affect us." How do we decide what's worth caring about? Does it only matter if it could have an adverse affect on us? I feel outraged at their apathy and selfishness.

And speaking of selfishness, Kent Curry sent along a few pics of the most selfish people yet. They're enjoying their Thai vacation while others are attempting to clean up the destruction.

Thoughts? E-mail them to 99blogger@ninetyandnine.com.
I reserve the right to quote you unless otherwise specifically requested.

New Year's Resolutions

4 days into the new year, I figured it was time to make some resolutions. Any suggestions? Other than not buying a ferrari I, Sarah k. Holland, resolve to:
1) Give up pop (that's coke-if you're from texas)
2) Complete the outline on my grandfather's biography
3) Spend more time communing with God, not just throwing information at Him
4) Do one unexpected, helpful thing per week for my mother
5) Keep my bedroom organized
6) Read one mindless book per month
7) Take more risks
8) Win Josh Groban to the Lord, and then marry him

Happy New Year!

Thoughts? E-mail them to 99blogger@ninetyandnine.com.
I reserve the right to quote you unless otherwise specifically requested.

Youth Congress is Coming!

Youth Congress is coming, Youth Congress is coming!!

I just booked my youth department's rooms for youth congress: www.upci.org (click on "youth" on the sidebar). So the question becomes-when are you too old for youth congress? I'm 23, am I too old to go?

Thoughts? E-mail them to 99blogger@ninetyandnine.com.
I reserve the right to quote you unless otherwise specifically requested.

Monthly Blogger: January!

I’ve begun this blog three times. I can’t figure out which tone I want to go with. Am I funny? Am I cool? Am I serious? ::sigh:: I think I’m just me.

So who am I? Monthly Blogger: January. Doesn’t that sound official? You can just call me January! No?

In that case, I am sarah k. holland. Not near as mysterious, is it? Let’s move chronologically through this introduction:

Background. I was born and raised in Pontiac, Michigan (yes, it’s cold here now) in the best family (how many other people can say “Holland, like the country”? That’s what I thought), and at the best church, The Apostolic Church of Pontiac. I attended Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan and graduated with a B.A. in English and a secondary teaching certificate in the spring of 2004. It was during those years that I was first introduced to 90&9. I quickly became an avid reader and contributor. It wasn’t until I graduated from college that I began editing for 90&9.

Best growing up memory: my dad combing the tangles out of my hair and blow-drying it every Saturday night so Mom could put in spongy curlers. Why dad? Daddy’s girl here.
Best experience of my life: studying abroad at Oxford University in England. I finally lived on my own, in England, of all places.

Foreground. So that brings us to today. After graduating from college, I proceeded to search for jobs in the one place in the country where finding employment as an educator is difficult. I’m one of those real control people. Ask me what I’m doing on this same date five years from today, and I’ll pull out my planner and let you know. Not having a clue what was next was the biggest trial of my life. It was the first time I really had to trust in God for anything. Wow did I learn a lot! The amazing thing? No surprise, God gave me the perfect job right where I wanted to work teaching English and social studies. However, the job was a temporary contract, and as of January 14th, I’ll begin the search again. I’m pretty convinced God’s already figured this one out, too.

When I’m not planning, grading, or conferencing, I’m working with my youth department (the best on the planet) The Impact Youth Ministries. I’m the youth department secretary, and teach the 9th&10th grade Sunday school and 9th-12th grade girls’ midweek leadership class. I also maintain the youth website: www.ApostolicImpact.com (we all get one shameless plug, right?), and am rewriting the Sunday school teacher’s training curriculum.

I try to have a life somewhere in there, too. The highlight of my life is the friends that are in it. I love late Sunday night trivial pursuit games, going out of town just because we can, and being travel snobs. My life consists of a small obsession with politics and specifically President Bush (he will henceforth be known as Uncle George—we’re practically family, I was one of only two million on the Christmas card list)—I even had this moment as a sophomore in college when I attempted to change my major to political science and become a politician. I also travel as much as possible, which works great with a teacher’s schedule. I just arrived home from my first trip to Dallas, Texas. My next big adventure is Italy. I love playing basketball and watching ice hockey (go Red Wings). I’m bitter about the rose bowl, and on Christmas day my mother referred to me as “her spinster daughter.” I’m only 23.

My best trip of all time: (besides living in England) a cross country drive my best friend and I took to Boston.
Random fact: I collect books from every city I visit.

The fourth wall. What’s next? Immediately I don’t know, looking for a new job and trying to be productive in the time off. A little further down the road I plan to apply to a Ph.D. program (most likely at the University of Michigan) and be a professor of British Literature. I plan to have the completed outline and first three chapters of my first book done by July 1st of this year. It’s to be a biography on my great-grandfather, Bishop L.A. Parent, the founding pastor of the church in Pontiac. One day I hope to lose the “spinster” title. In the meantime, I want to be involved in as many ministries as the Lord will allow me.

Life goal: to win Josh Groban to the Lord, and then to marry him.

Thoughts? E-mail them to 99blogger@ninetyandnine.com.
I reserve the right to quote you unless otherwise specifically requested.