So I am not "authorized" to call and tell them Internet dudes that they should fix things. So still no Internet at home. Derp. In other news, last night I fell asleep to a thunderstorm here in AZ--it was the first time ever!

I still don't have Internet. Boo.

I've only been back for a couple of hours and everything has managed to go wrong so far. I am at the music library and I will probably have to ride back home on a bike with a flat tire. Oh woe is me.

Wellp, this is it, kids. My last day in Florida until at least November. It's a sad day. I love my friends and family here so much, and four weeks doesn't seem long enough to do these relationships justice. I am especially disappointed that I didn't get a chance for a lot of one-on-one interaction with my closest friends; my main reason for coming back was to work, and work I did.

This has definitely been a trip of soul-searching, fighting through feelings on various topics. I'm coming back a different person. I think I learned a lot about myself in the process--for example, I haven't picked up my flute in about two weeks, and I'm not that bothered about it. More to come on this topic later, when the time is right...

I don't know what the future holds for me, and I don't want to lie and say that I'm okay with that, because I'm kind of not. However, I have lived long enough to know that even when uncertainty strikes...wherever I go, whatever I do these next 9 months, God will lead me and I need to remember that the only place to fall is into God's hands.

It's been fun, friends. I love you, but goodbye. For now.

Yup, tonight is my last night in Florida for a while. I'll wait to write all of the bittersweet goodbyes for tomorrow, and instead talk about my day at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure!

It was an awesome day with my family. We were forewarned to not enter Harry Potter World until the afternoon, advice which we took and which turned out to be genius. All of the other lines were 5-20 minutes long. We did 5 rides before 10:30!

Harry Potter world was pretty awesome. All of the usual suspects were there: Diagon Alley with of its shops, Hogsmeade, Hogwarts, Hagrid's Cabin. It was really cool seeing all of these come to life, although the shops were obnoxiously busy (you had to wait in line just to get in!).



My favorite part of the day was dinner at the Three Broomsticks, where my family ordered "The Great Feast," which included four servings of salad, chicken, ribs, corn on the cob, potatoes, and vegetables. And all of it was AMAZING. Also, I got a butterbeer, and even though it appeared to be merely cream soda with whipped cream on top, looks are deceiving and it was nothing but delicious (also I got a real kick out of my mom ordering "two butterbeers"...in all seriousness).



We did all of the rides and shows in the park by 6:00, which is saying something because the park closes at 10:00 so we still had four hours to roam. We were tired though and so after another Jurassic Park run, another walkthough of Harry Potter World, and a few songs at CityWalk's piano bar, we went home, spending most of the time in the car discussing which instruments could represent each of us (in case you were wondering: me=banjo, Craig=trombone, dad=bass, and mom=pipe organ. Let me know if you want more details). Yup, this is the conversation you get when you are a Stahl sibling.

Going away party tonight, and then it's back to Tempe, back on the practice horse for a while. Only about one more month of unbearable heat, then it's at least back to highs under 100 degrees. Man, I am going to miss these high 80's days...

Universal was awesome, and so was butterbeer. Post with pics to follow, right now I feel like my eyelids are too heavy to still be open....

Universal Studios tomorrow. Yeah Harry Potter world!

When you are trying to make a believer out of somebody, it can be frustrating work. You can make cases for your arguments, but he still may not buy them. You can recommend books, but he may not read them. You can witness, and pray, and lead by example, and still a person may not believe. You cannot force someone to believe. It has to be a decision made by free will. It may take years and years, but once he realizes the truth on his own terms--well that is a beautiful thing, and all of your efforts and suffering are finally worth it.

In his heart a man plans his course
But the LORD determines his steps.
-Proverbs 16:9

Today was a fantastic, fantastic, fantastic day.
J-KOW. Or was it K-JOW?

Cookies are NOT yuck!

I was running for a disc today when I made a misstep and someone stepped on my heel. My new cleat and my sock flew into the air! It was exciting.

My cold sore friend is back :(

Do doo

As a follow up to my last post, I would just like to point out certain words that rhyme with "Ash:"

Bash
Clash
Crash
Dash
Flash
Gash
Lash
Mash
Slash
Smash
Splash

How many other names rhyme with so many EXTREME words, huh? NONE, that's how many!
SMASHLEY SMASHES

Second day of the tourney today. We went 1-1 and placed 5th overall (out of 7), although the 8th seed didn't show, so we probably would have been 5th out of 8 if they did.

ANYWAY
I did something special in a game today. I say that speed and running are my strong points; this probably proves it. I was out on the field playing offense for a long, long point. Of course I was running my hardest at all times, making sharp cuts both in and out, deep and short. I had my defender beat the whole time. Finally we made it to the endzone. My teammate was running out of time to get rid of the disc, so in a panic he throws a hammer just out of my reach (my fingertips brushed the edge of the disc).

Right after that turnover, my defender practically collapsed on the ground, utterly spent. She was heaving with a look of pain on her face, almost crying. I was confused for a second--did she have asthma?--and then I realized--she didn't have asthma...but I had totally literally run her to the ground. It was so bad that she had to sub out for an injury substitution.

I tried to be as cool about it as possible...but I couldn't help but secretly feel like a superior being at that moment. I say I am not physically strong, but perhaps that's not completely true. There is more than one way to be strong.

Wow. First day of the tourney today. We played 5 games in a row (!) from 9:30-6:00. I have never played that many consecutive games in my life. We went 2-3 and pretty much played as expected. Poached and Fried has always kind of been a mid-range team. I got a lot of playing time, playing about half of the time. It was fun to see everyone again, although I only knew about half of the people on my team. A lot happens in a year, I guess!

My cleats are starting to show their age. Time to go shopping!

Poached and Fried! It's been a year since I've last seen this team (refresher: it's the Tallahassee mixed team I played with last year), but we will be reunited this weekend for the Swan Boat Championship tournament in Orlando. I am so excited! YAY ULTIMATE!

So at work today I thought of a funny ultimate play. Imagine if right after the pull, all 7 players on the defense lined up in the middle of the field, linked arms, and pulled a red rover-esque type horizontal stack. Nobody would be able to get through! Hahaha! It would be funny!

My mom's spin instructor thought I was 12 :(

For reasons I'd rather not go into right now, this particular trip home hasn't been a terribly easy one for me, and after so much stress, fatigue and hardship, it's important to realize and appreciate the good times. Tonight, and at this moment, I am happy. (And really, with emotions, the present is all that matters, is it not?)

With a little help from my friends, I have a plan to map out my future, and I finally feel comfortable about it.

(All of my roads lead to more school and more debt. Oops! My bad.)

On an unrelated note, sometimes it saddens that I cannot have all the things that I desire. There is such a strong urge at times to HAVE certain things...

You can't always get what you want.
---
You get what you need.

Hmmm...

You have a green face and a big orange nose.

Karen...I don't know if you will ever see this, but you are a magnificent person. Thank you.

...and that summer rain, it's in your face again...

A storm is coming. From my westward window I can see..the wind runs through the palm trees in frenzied agitation..the lightning flashes across the darkened sky...the mighty thunder rumbles and roars...the first raindrops splash across my windowpane. The deluge will soon begin. I had forgotten what this feels like.

I was talking with a friend yesterday and at one point in the conversation I said "You reap what you sow." I was caught off guard, however, when my friend asked in response, "But do you sow what you reap?"

Well do you?

Also, this is the only popular rap song I've ever liked.

I dd'ed for a drunk Craig tonight. Oh brother...

(see what I did there?)

Still tired, but tomorrow is Friday. Partay.

I'm tired and stressed, but at least I got to see Paul on my computer screen today.

Jake and Vienna interview lawlz! Who didn't see that coming???

Also, I've been watching the Bachelor (or the Bachelorette) for a long time now (c'mon, everyone has a trashy show that they watch as a guilty pleasure), and it's crazy to think that all of the guys used to be WAY too old for me, and I thought they all looked bad, but now they are attractive and age-appropriate to me. I'm old.

I am real, and the thing I like most about you is that you are real too.

Happy Independence Day!

Things seem different this time around. Maybe I have changed. Maybe it hasn't been long enough yet. Maybe things actually are different.

This summer I have meant to do some soul searching, figure out what the heck I am doing with my life; however, every time I gaze into my future, I end up digging deeper and deeper into the well of confusion and indecision. At this soon-to-be crossroads in my life, there are many decisions to be made, more decisions than the outside world can see with their eyes. And for one who is always so cautious, they weigh heavily on my mind. Risks, my friends. And consequences. There are always consequences.

(Do I know what true sadness feels like yet? Or maybe the better question is, do I know what true HAPPINESS feels like yet?)

Heavenly Father...help me in my time of need.

I am so hormonal right now.