Exactly one week until my first day of internship work at the Republic. More than anything I want this to go well and impress the socks off of someone over there so I can (maybe) get a job after college. I know it's a long shot, but I guess I just want to end up doing something I enjoy, you know? The Tribune is an option as well, but we'll see what happens.
On Sunday I ran the 1/2 marathon for the second year in a row and while my time wasn't as good (3 minutes slower) as last year, I'm just glad I did it. Hopefully I won't be as lazy next year and will train better.
School starts up on Tuesday, the 18th. I'll have had exactly one whole month off from school and regular part-time work. Part of me has really enjoyed this time off and I know I'll never get it again, and the other part of me is just so ready to get back into a routine. I'll be taking rock climbing, a theater class devoted to the works of Alfred Hitchcock, an advanced Spanish grammar class and a journalism class plus my internship job and my other part-time job. So I'll be a little busy doing that and planning the wedding, but I'm sure things will be fine.
One last note, keep my sister in your prayers. We just found out yesterday that one of her friends from work committed suicide and wasn't a believer. I think she's doing alright, but keep her in your prayers and keep his family in your prayers as well--I don't believe they're believers either.
That's about it for me. :)

I'm not sure if anyone reads my blog anymore, but in case you do, you'd know I applied for the Pulliam Fellowship a while back. Well, I found out I didn't get it, which is fine because I know there's a reason for it--maybe a real job with benefits? We'll see.
Aside from that, I have to work on finishing my final FINAL draft of my In Depth story by Friday I guess. Fabulous, huh? Just when I thought that nightmare was over---(by the way, she gave me an "A" in the class). Oh well, almost done.
Hope y'all had a great Christmas. I'm enjoying my break--two more weeks of it, actually--and trying to get more wedding stuff done. We finally did some registering at two places: Bed Bath and Beyond and Robinsons-May, which is equivalent to other stores like Foley's I guess. I'm getting more excited as each day draws us closer to "the big one," but am constantly reminded (by my sort-of wedding planner called "Mom") that I'm way behind and slacking, I guess. But I'm trying and that's all that matters. There's a thing I've learned in journalism that applies across the board---people NEVER call you back when you need them to. So, that said, I have to remain positive and keep trusting that God's going to take care of it. I'll keep working, but trusting, not stressing, as I sometimes have a tendency to do.
With that said, whew, many things to do, but I'm going to go read now--books I want to read, not have to read.
Hasta!
Jen

Never giving up j.g 1/5/04

Torrential. Teeming.
I walk in its midst.
Pounding. Relentless.
I run with everything.
I can feel it overwhelming
Feel it rising up.
But I can't keep it from engulfing
From ensuing in each step.

Insecurity; my frailty
Charges after my forward steps
Repressing. Containing.
Attacking my weakness.
Weary, though I try
To rage against this machine of mine
My good-fortune-time is up
No more hubris amid the muck.
Still not there, no longer can I be
Nor fit the shape molded for me.
I turn to my hope, away from my humanity
Stirring something deep inside of me
My eyes blinded, my soul freed,
How I wish this would last, an infinite reprieve.
But my tightened fist around my friend called hope
Slips slightly with each and every reproach.
I'm here, caught up in an inner shell
Yearning for a reprieve from this nit-picky hell.
Never my way, no, just not good enough
Go on and tire the senses
Just never giving up.