new things coming!!!

So... the eyrie's been a little quiet lately. Only a little.

But not for long!

New things have been happening! For instance.. there are a few pages to check out up there ^^

the burd - a little about me

the up-and-coming-hatchlings - news about stuff I'm working on writing right now

the news - general updates and such so that I don't have to clutter up the eyrie with news posts! I'll be updating this pretty regularly...

the books - list of books I love

the music - same as above but with songs.

There's more to come... I've been working on a new template design... (check out my picture on my profile page to catch a glimpse of what's to come...) and I have lots of things to post but no time to edit and type them up! So they'll slowly make their way here... eventually :)

But anyways.

This season seems to be a weary time, a trudging-slowly-trying-to-keep-going time. A time to grow and live and hurt and reach for something better, something brighter, something holier than before. A time to learn to walk upon our wings.

From what I'm reading and hearing, it seems like some of you are also there.

Frustration - a deep chronic sense or state of insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from unresolved problems or unfulfilled needs; the feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of inability to change or achieve something.*

I read that today and sighed.

Having needs, knowing what those needs are, and getting them met are three totally different things. Insecurity has roots in communication, confidence, competence, and contentment. Dissatisfaction leads to bitterness, and annoyance to irritability.

Not a good mix for one who wants to be good.

...

Psalm 17 (NIV)

1 Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea;

listen to my cry.

Give ear to my prayer—

it does not rise from deceitful lips.

2 May my vindication come from you;

may your eyes see what is right.

3 Though you probe my heart and examine me at night,

though you test me, you will find nothing;

I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.

4 As for the deeds of men—

by the word of your lips

I have kept myself

from the ways of the violent.

5 My steps have held to your paths;

my feet have not slipped.

6 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;

give ear to me and hear my prayer.

7 Show the wonder of your great love,

you who save by your right hand

those who take refuge in you from their foes.

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;

hide me in the shadow of your wings

9 from the wicked who assail me,

from my mortal enemies who surround me.

10 They close up their callous hearts,

and their mouths speak with arrogance.

11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,

with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.

12 They are like a lion hungry for prey,

like a great lion crouching in cover.

13 Rise up, O LORD, confront them, bring them down;

rescue me from the wicked by your sword.

14 O LORD, by your hand save me from such men,

from men of this world whose reward is in this life.

You still the hunger of those you cherish;

their sons have plenty,

and they store up wealth for their children.

15 And I—in righteousness I will see your face;

when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

Psalm 25 (NIV)

1To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;

2 in you I trust, O my God.

Do not let me be put to shame,

nor let my enemies triumph over me.

3 No one whose hope is in you

will ever be put to shame,

but they will be put to shame

who are treacherous without excuse.

4 Show me your ways, O LORD,

teach me your paths;

5 guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long.

6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,

for they are from of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth

and my rebellious ways;

according to your love remember me,

for you are good, O LORD.

8 Good and upright is the LORD;

therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.

9 He guides the humble in what is right

and teaches them his way.

10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful

for those who keep the demands of his covenant.

11 For the sake of your name, O LORD,

forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

12 Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ?

He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.

13 He will spend his days in prosperity,

and his descendants will inherit the land.

14 The LORD confides in those who fear him;

he makes his covenant known to them.

15 My eyes are ever on the LORD,

for only he will release my feet from the snare.

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,

for I am lonely and afflicted.

17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied;

free me from my anguish.

18 Look upon my affliction and my distress

and take away all my sins.

19 See how my enemies have increased

and how fiercely they hate me!

20 Guard my life and rescue me;

let me not be put to shame,

for I take refuge in you.

21 May integrity and uprightness protect me,

because my hope is in you.

22 Redeem Israel, O God,

from all their troubles!

...

On a lighter note, here are some random happy pictures from the last couple of weeks!

A lovely bracelet from my grandparents for Easter... I love it!

Greasy hands from robotics! I like making/fixing the chains on our robot... they're similar to bicycle chains... very greasy... but I like the way they feel. So anytime a chain needs to be fixed, I'm the one they call... the mentors tease me for being a girl who doesn't mind getting her hands dirty. :D

Some drawings that I did while trying to come up with ideas for the new blog design:

I'm not using either of these, but these are similar to my final decision... which I'm not showing you until it's done :P

My desk during online class... complete with oatmeal, yogurt, and orange juice...

My new little succulent... it's called a "Powder Puff"... and it's supposed to be soaked with water every once in a while instead of sprinkled with water daily. Which I like.

My new shoes! I love them! I've always wanted a pair of Converse... and we got yellow so that I could wear them for my robotics team (whose colors are blue and yellow).

Some pretty pictures from the beach...

And... drumroll please... a picture of my team's robot! Beach 'Bot 2010!

Enjoy :)

*(Definition is a combination of M-W.com and Oxford American Dictionaries)

oops...

I accidentally posted on the wrong blog.... *headdesk* so here's the link!

 http://critobirds.blogspot.com/2010/03/pictures-from-robotics.html

I'll get more pictures up later from the actual competition.

Pause the crazy... just for a second...

hi :)

it's so nice to peek in here once in a while, see what's going on with  y'all. what's new?

I think I said I'd post about robotics. Seeing as last Tuesday was ship day... might as well post now :P

Starting with what-in-heck-is-robotics-anyway:

FRC stands for FIRST Robotics Competition. FIRST stands for "For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology".

FRC is a competition between teams of high school students; every year FIRST introduces the teams to a new game, demonstrating how to score, what the penalties are, and other aspects of the game. Then the teams are given six weeks (you read that correctly) to build a fully functional robot that can work with  two other robots against a team of three robots to win that game.

This year, the game is similar to soccer; each team has two goals, and teams can score by getting soccer balls into their own goals. However: there are two speed bumps that separate the field into three equal sections... one for the blue team, one for the midfield, and one for the red team. We can only have one of our robots in the opponents' side at a time... so the blue team can only have on robot on the red side, and vice versa. Once the balls are scored, they're put back into the game; we have two minutes and fifteen seconds to score as much as we can. If you'd like to see an animation, click here

Moving on :)

 Our six weeks are up. We shipped away the robot so that FIRST knows we haven't touched it after Ship Day. We can still work on software and such, but not as much as we could during build season. Then we have a competition in Phoenix in March, and a competition in Long Beach two weeks after. If we win either of those competitions, we qualify to go on to the National Championship in Atlanta.

And there it is.

Throughout this whole time--from the beginning of build season to the end of the Championship--I get to be with other robot nerds, both peers and adults, and learn together. We get to dig into physics and how things work and math and computers and logic. We get to laugh and tease each other and eat at McDonald's. It's surprising how good McDonald's can taste at robotics. We have competitions to see who can make the tallest stack of Big Mac boxes, and who can make their measuring tape reach the ceiling, and who can kick the soccer ball the farthest. Not to mention who can run the farthest to get the soccer ball back. We work together every weekend for three months, and every night for a week. We yell at each other and forgive each other and struggle with communication. We spend an hour working on something that (always afterward) someone else shows us how to do in a minute. We try out new ideas and surprise ourselves when they work. We realize that being wrong is okay but being right is nice, too.

There if anywhere else we realize that humans are fallible--and how amazing it is that God is perfect.

I don't think I CAN sum up what robotics has given me... but I will try.

My team has given me a safe place to make mistakes in, and to grow in.
My team has given me people who are like-minded and caring, who won't let me give up on myself.
My team has given me a chance to learn how I react to people.
My team has given me time to practice living in the real world while still under protection.
My team has given me a headache. A year-long headache at that.
My team has given me space to write! and the people to help me refine my writing.
My team has given me a push, made me work to learn and to experience.
My team has given me the opportunity to be wrong and not condemned.
My team has given me friends.
My team has given me frustration.
My team has given me a chance to excel.
My team has given me sore fingers from fixing machine chain, headaches from paint fumes, backaches from lifting 133-lb robots, and heartaches from stilted relationships.
My team has given me something to be excited for, something to motivate me.
My team has given me people to love, and to learn about, and to know. People to experience.

My team has given me eyes to see one aspect of love.

and all FIRST's promotional material, websites, rules, and ideals could not have done that.

...


~{^>^}~

in-verse

Here, you thought
Spring is here
It IS almost March, after all
But the leaves fall
And fall
And you know, really,
It's just autumn in disguise.

Now, you thought,
Peace is come
A respite-time to grow and keep
But the waters rage,
And rage,
And you know, really,
It's just anger in disguise.

Come, you thought,
It will get better,
And the skies clear,
And my eyes clear,
But it rains,
And rains,
And you know, really,
It pains.

f (x) means do to x whatever f means
and f^(-1)(x) means do the opposite.

If seasons were functions
I'm stuck in the inverse
universe.

This week, basically...

Oh Spontaneity

The moon stared at the earth, at the tiny busy people moving, moving, never stop. She glanced at Him, as He watched beside her, then looked back, leaned down—

…

A child followed his mother around the marketplace, his little red hat bobbing and swaying as he turned, stopped, what’s here? What’s that? Zip, zap, zoom: he’s off! Tubby legs runrunrunrun, little arms swing, swing.

His mother turns in worried circles, frantically searching for him.

Oblivious, he crawls up a ladder, where does it go? looks up, and sees Him.

His eyes riveted, his jaw drops.

…

The mother looks here, looks there, where is he? Can’t stop! Must find… Gasp! How did he get up there? Climbing, climbing, don’t look down, don’t… look… down…

“Look, Mama.”

Her baby beams and points.

Quick glance… “Alright, let’s ge--… Wait…”

She, startled, stares aghast.

Beside the moon, He smiled.

…

The moon laughed shyly, turning to Him, and her giggles slowly subsided.

She gazed at Him in wonder.

“Who are You, God?”

They asked, all three.

Snippet

She took up a rag-pile of words—used-up, torn-up mouthfuls—

And snipped and snapped,

This way, that way,

Follow the shape in your head,

And let it lead you to your heart.

She sewed them up, bit by bit, and it—just—fit!

And he walked away proud, head high and shoulders

Back, clothed in affection.

Confused.

I am caged in glass.
My thoughts on full display to see--I try to catch them, pull them back--But they flit away giggling, and almost malicious.

I forget that my mind is not glass but walls; that my eyes do not always reveal my heart, neither the good or the bad, and I never know: Did you really hear me?

I knock on your walls, not knowing they are only cardboard, not realizing they have fallen on your head. I see brick, and stones, and cold, cold iron, icy marble, torpid and wary. I cannot see your frantic scramble to set your pride to rights.

Do you feel any better?

...


I see a light bright and glorious that reminds me of a day in the way a memory of the sun points to that glowing orb. But my fingerprints on the mental glass are greasy and black; they remind me that I am separated--but not for long. I push it over--it shatters! Jagged shame cuts deep--but I must get out! Step by step of agony to the light.