the end!

1. went ziplining today and it was so much fun! got to see a lot of my friends and spent a long time on the course. it felt really nice and was beautiful weather. 
2. getting ready to go out and spend time with all my friends from high school and some from college! can't wait for hopefully a fun-filled night. happy new year's eve errybody!!!
3. http://shine.yahoo.com/page/2011-horoscope read all about it! i read mine already...they're pretty fun. 

i wanna celebrate and live my life, saying ay-oh, gotta let go. these are appropriate lyrics with which to start this final blog post. i am all torn up inside about it...i can't believe it's ending. i really don't want it to...but all things must come to an end. it's been an insane year and i would not have traded it for the world. i have done some reflecting already in the past few blog posts, but this is different. i didn't have time today to go back and read all my old posts, so i will do that tomorrow. new year's day. seems pretty appropriate. i am just as sad to see 2010 go as i am excited to usher in 2011. so much happened in my personal life and in my academic life. the year of the tiger was promised to be eventful and crazy and exciting and how i started off my new year last year was a pretty accurate reflection of that...this year is different. it is the year of the rabbit and things are supposed to be smoother and more about living the life that the year of the tiger set up. i am fine with that; i am very happy with the life i lead going into 2011 and i am more than excited to continue that, but also to embrace any changes that come my way (but of course still trying my hardest to keep things the same). that has been a big part of why 2010 had so much change for me. i learned to embrace it rather than fight against it and it served me well. but i am still a fan of tradition, don't get me wrong. i feel like people are expecting a lot from this blog post. i mean, i am too, for goodness' sake, but i feel like i have almost said it all. here's to a wonderful year in the blogosphere. thanks a million to my readers and supporters. maybe check back every now and then and see if i have posted any new updates. but for me, it's time to say goodnight and good luck. not good luck, really, that's just from the movie title. but i truly appreciate all the support and i hope that people can take what they wish from this blog, but especially that it was a positive experience for me and i am happy with myself for doing it. so...i will continue to fly and say c'est la vie. xoxo, farewell!

TFM

1. woke up early and went to go visit family and have a nice meal. it was a good day! my cousins are adorable and the food was great. 
2. can't wait for tomorrow! and the entire weekend actually. yippee!!!
3. this bowl game has been ridiculous so far...i can only imagine how this is going to end...hopefully with a win for us...UPDATE: WE WIN!!!!!

this is my last blog post before my for real last one that is themed. i can't even come up with what to say. i feel so much pressure! but all i have to say is that this has been a helluva year and i wouldn't trade all the craziness and all the change. see, i can change! i can accept new things! it's possible and i proved that. i hope people make resolutions that are for the betterment of self and the world around them. i am honestly just in a tizzy right now over this win and how it's almost the end of the year.

almost there...

1. busy day today. had breakfast with my girls from home : ), took my friend out for his 21st birthday, went to the mall and did some errands, then came home to a yummy dinner!
2. started reading love in the ruins by walker percy and i have some high expectations for it. i might end up putting that book on hold once i get (hopefully) the girl with the dragon tattoo. but i could save that series for summer when i have more time...we'll see.
3. only three more days after midnight tonight and then i wake up on the fourth day and get ready for the longest day ever! haha, not really, but sunday is the big day. can't wait!

i am not a patient person. but this has been the biggest test of my patience and my stubbornness that i have been put through so far in my life. it has been a yo-yo of an experience and i am so thankful that it is almost over. but i think it has made me a better and a stronger person. and that can be said about my whole year of 2010. only two more posts after this one and i am still weirded out that this year is over! my blogging is coming to an end. i have to think of a good resolution for 2011. and one that i will be able to keep and one that is more centered on inner growth as opposed to outer appearance. i strive to be healthy every day, so that should not change when the new year starts. i'll think about it.

too many titles

1. tonight is a tired night for me. but i had a pretty good day. went to the gym at least so that was definitely a plus. 
2. made gnocchi alla romana tonight and it was very good! i forgot how good whole milk, semolina flour, salt, butter, and parmigiano reggiano cheese is when all baked together. 
3. i am thankful for the busy days ahead and praying for saturday to go by like a flash of lightening! but then i want to slow down time and make break last longer!

so there are two english classes i really want to take, but i only need one to fill my minor. the other can certainly count as an elective, but i also don't want to have a strenuous senior year (since i will have my thesis and applications to be worrying about). the first is the english class on jane austen. sounds like my dream class come true! i have two semesters left after this spring and i sure hope they end up offering it. the next i found the other day and it's war in shakespeare's plays. the professor is legendary and it sounds like a good mix between history and english. i wish i could take the second one this semester, but it conflicts with political psychology, which fills a requirement and sounds cool to boot. not that any of you cared about my conflicting english classes! i just think it's fun to write about random stuff sometimes. clearly... but anyway, i am honestly getting kind of freaked out about 2010 ending. this happens to me every year but this year in particular is very hard. it's been one of the best years ever and i hate to see it ending! this blog, too, now is a special thing to me. it'll be so strange  not to log on every night and blog about whatever i want. i will definitely miss it sometimes. maybe i'll do a random post every now and then just for old times' sake. again, i must say thank you to all my loyal readers. i say "all" like there are a lot of you, haha. but those of you who have read, it means a lot. ALOT.

my liminal space

1. being at home is the best! i love all the snow and i love my family and i am so grateful to be safe and happy and on break. it's been a great one so far and will only get better. 
2. tomorrow is the first adventure since the snowstorm. off to the gym (much needed) and to take my mom around on some errands since her car is out o' commission.
3. lazed around the house today and watched rom coms and started thank-you notes. do you see why i love winter break? haha. 

the closer i get to no more blogging the more confused i feel. really, this has been such an experience for me and it's been a big part of my growth process this year. i just randomly decided to do this thing and a few people have been reading ever since. that has meant a lot to me; the people who have read this, on and off, but especially those who have been faithful readers. before i start waxing too nostalgic, i suppose i should remember that this is not my last blog post, just one of the last. until i start my travel blog, that is. i am honestly quite sad to see 2010 go...it's been a really great year for me, but also a really tough one. but those are not mutually exclusive for me. the hard parts have made the other parts even better and more worth it. it's fun being 20. not a teenager but not 21. not a kid but not an adult. though, at times, i find myself wishing i was a kid again and freaking out that i never will be a kid again. it's a really scary thought if i think about it too much. but it's frustrating sometimes not to be an adult and living a post-school life in the real world. i have always been mature (most of the time) and sometimes it's hard being constrained by a number to a certain standard of behavior. alas, that is why i am comfortable with being 20.

make your own damn dinner!

1. only 4 more posts after tonight...isn't that strange? it certainly is for me. 
2. snowed in! we have about a foot and it seems to still be snowing. i hope that we can make it out by tuesday and start taking care of things. but it sure is beautiful. 
3. watched iron man 2 with my parents tonight and liked it a lot. the first was better but i liked this one because of how it ends. 

i started looking at my cookbooks and regular books i got for christmas and am very excited to go through all of them. my book about the italian language is fun so far and i think it will only get better. i got one cookbook and lucked into a second one as a bonus present and i have found some good recipes in both so far! cooking is fun and can be relaxing once i am organized and in the zone. i learned from several excellent cooks and bakers (mostly family members from both sides) some important tips and tricks. i have more to learn and that is fine with me...just gives me an excuse to be in the kitchen (tasting along the way). therefore, my bucket list item (my final one, i suppose, though i may add in one on the last day) is to compile family recipes. i want to have my go-to recipes for holidays and other traditional dishes ready for when i move into my own place and am cooking on my own. i even have a monogrammed chef hat--silly, but necessary!

christmas love

1. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! it's my absolute favorite day of the whole year!!! could not be happier. had a drama-filled day travel-wise but it was wonderful other than that. love my family and love my home and love my gifts and love my everything. 
2. this is a pretty cool video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reMq5fM874k
3. hope everyone else had an amazing christmas as well. it is truly my favorite time of the year for so many reasons.

did i mention i love christmas? also, might as well get started on my one-liner tradition. no better night to start than now! i had such a good day and i am so happy so it's time to go be thankful for all i have. merry christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

a child is born

1. it's christmas eve!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!
2. got to talk to my boyfriend : ), had a delicious lunch and then went to my grandparents' for christmas part one and then to church! love the christmas eve service; it's always been my favorite!
3. watched a christmas carol, continuing with tradition, and it was wonderful as always. 

i hope everyone had a great christmas eve and has an even better christmas day! it's my FAVORITE day of the WHOLE year. can't wait! merry christmas to all, and to all a good night! and...god bless us all, everyone. keep it in your heart why we are celebrating this beautiful time of year. remember those less fortunate than you and keep all in your prayers and thoughts. do all you can to help and to spread good cheer. focus on the important things and keep a smile on all day. love and merry christmas eve all around!

swan queen & christmas eve

1. such a long day today! i was in town for over 12 hours. had my car worked on, went to lunch, saw my sister, ate with the family, went to see black swan!
2. seeing my friend for lunch was so great! he has been in spain all semester and i missed him oh so much. we got to talk and catch up and have fun and it was really nice. boyfriend is up next.
3. can't wait for christmas eve tomorrow! my favorite holiday is about to be upon us!!! love love love.

black swan was such a creepy movie. it (apparently...didn't know this before i saw it...) is the story of a ballerina's struggle with herself and with reality. she is playing the part of the black swan and the white swan in an interpretation of swan lake and is too goody goody to be able to play the black swan believably but is perfect for the white swan role. she goes crazy trying to be perfect but at the same time not perfect. good movie but has some debatable elements. more importantly, tomorrow is christmas eve. YAY! but really, it was a good movie and has a beautiful score and was wonderfully filmed. i definitely recommend it. and apparently true grit is a great movie as well, so i'll go ahead and recommend that for anyone not interested in a ballet movie.

even the penguins

1. shew! been awhile since i've blogged i feel like, but that's just because i posted early yesterday. 
2. last night was fun! it was nice being in the big cabin and going ice skating today and being with old friends. we are all different now, but still get along well.
3. i have such a busy day tomorrow! but i am excited. it is also a long day, so i need to get to bed soon.

just some thoughts...hypocrisy. tolerance. logic. those are my three words that i think are important to remember. i am over the hypocrisy. it is infuriating and petty. logic is so important. not using logic is a surefire way to make me angry and it's also completely nonsensical (clearly...) so i don't understand why some people can't see logic. but that brings me, very appropriately, to tolerance. this is something we ALL need to practice and that means me too. i have to be understanding and tolerant and open to possibility. so that's that.

big day!

1. i am not bringing my computer tonight, and even if i did i am not sure i would have internet. so i am blogging now! earliest blog post ever? maybe...i'll have to go back and check in 10 days. 
2. got my haircut today, thank the lord. it still looks a little post-haircut unsettled but i think i'll like it once i give it a few days. didn't have time to get my car washed/detailed since i was meeting yayas for lunch. 
3. leaving soon for an overnight with my friends for a 21st birthday party! whoo hoo! 

i am trying to take this all one day at a time. the time leading up to christmas always seems to pass so slowly! but i know that i will look back in a few weeks and it will all seem like the blink of an eye. hope everyone is enjoying their break so far and that people get to spend time with those they love over the holidays! i have to finish up packing before i leave so this is it for now!

mars!

1. lunar eclipse tonight! should be pretty cool if the cloud cover isn't too much. it'll be freezing though. oh well...hopefully it's a nice christmas-y red.
2. had a pretty busy day today but not busy enough! i want the time to fly. hopefully starting tomorrow, the countdown to christmas will go by super quickly! and then the countdown continues. 
3. love actually quotes: "we're here!" "i hate uncle jamie!" "let's go get the shit kicked out of us by love!" those are my top favorites.

i wish i could just stop this right now. i don't really have stuff to say that i haven't said already in the past 350 some odd days (i don't do math). i'm bored of this by now and i'm sure the few people who read it are bored too. but i will keep going and maybe you will keep reading and we can all be bored together. it just seems like i have said everything i can say. and the holiday season is all full of happy and shiny things anyway, which i have certainly blogged enough about. basically all that is left is for me to reflect on the year this has been and re-read all my posts. there only 11 short days until i blog my last post (for this blog, anyway) but it seems such so much longer than that. what am i possibly going to say for eleven more posts? i don't have funny or witty things to blog about anymore. all my deep and/or sad posts seem to have been written already too. perhaps after tonight's lunar eclipse i will have some spark of inspiration to write about the wonders of the universe and the mysteries of light and shadow. but thinking about it, i feel as if i have written that post before. it is all so much closer than i think and i know i will wake up and 2010 will be over. i am actually feeling bittersweet about it. it's been such a great year...how can 2011 top it? then again, to think that 2010 is the best year and all are downhill from here is a bit unrealistic and also a bit too pessimistic (because...what if it is true?). but i am banking on 2011 at least being really fun...but i have a bit of an ominous feeling about that year. perhaps it is because i am wary of...things right now. i am sure 2011 will start to look up right as 2010 is leaving me (you cruel lover). but i am waking up in just a few hours to witness this miracle of nature, cloud permitting, and must get to bed so i can get a third of my sleep now and two-thirds after.

just want to sleep

1. such a long day. and tiring. church was early this morning and then training was frustrating. then the funeral at two. that was really hard. then the family christmas party which was really fun. 
2. i'm just ready for bed. i figure the earlier i go to bed, the quicker the days will go by. i feel guilty for wanting them to go by but i'm just so ready for it to be over. 
3. i can't wait for christmas. unless i do interesting things on the days leading up to christmas, this will probably be one of these three things i list up until then. christmas eve, christmas day, new year's eve, new year's day, january second. 

i think tonight it's important to talk about support. i am so grateful for the support system i have. it's been a tough but great year and i'm thankful to be getting through it unscathed (knock on wood...refer back to superstitious post if necessary). i hope these final few weeks end on a high note and we all enter the new year safe and happy and ready for a new beginning. so tonight my bucket list item is random but a good one (for me). make sure that i make some sort of new year's resolution EVERY year. and stick to it.

no time like the PRESENT

1. pretty good day today. woke up without an alarm, wrapped christmas presents (!), went to the gym, and chilled at da house. 
2. watched this movie the spanish prisoner tonight and it was pretty confusing! but good. and i could totally work for the fbi based on my deduction skills. 
3. grades are in (almost...they're reported at least...) A, A, A, A-, A-. YAY for a good semester! it makes me feel all accomplished and stuff.

i am not looking forward to tomorrow. it is going to be a very hard day. funeral at 2. but i have a family christmas party that night, so i hope that will cheer me up. it'll be nice to see most everyone and to be around good food and even better company. also, the eggnog is always delicious. i'm sure it'll be back to the gym on monday for me! but that's okay-my holiday season will be eat ALOT and exercise some. hope everyone is enjoying their weekend so far!

break mode

1. YAY! I AM HOME! and could not be happier to be here. i woke up and packed all my stuff and said goodbye to the girls and drove back! had a good night with my mom and now i am going to bed early and getting ready to be in break mode for a few weeks.
2. i am very happy about my grades so far...an A- in italian, an A in film and culture, an A in my genocide class, and an A in my southern lit class. WAHOO! i needed grades like that after last semester. 
3. hope everyone has safe travels this weekend and i can't wait for christmas! one weeeeek. 

is it obvious that i am happy? haha. i'm in a very good mood and i hope it stays this way for most of break. the holidays are always stressful to some extent but i have a game plan to deal with stressful situations that arise. looking forward to this weekend and this upcoming week. so much to do and so excited to do it! but also...absolutely nothing i have to do and that feels great! i am so blessed to have the life i do and the family i do and the friends i do. praise be! the holiday season makes me so happy.

cool yule

1. had a pretty stressful day. final at 4 and it was icy and sleeting outside all day so walking around was even more hazardous than usual. before the final i was writing for an email exam and also studying. finished my email exam finally...took forever. 
2. procrastination is no more! i am officially done with my fall semester and it feels great! now i just wish christmas would hurry up and get here and then the new year! it's crazy that it's almost over...i can't wait for break!
3. a week until christmas eve! and then it's christmas day! my favorite time of the year. 

this chopped episode is great! it's holiday themed and it is getting me in the holiday spirit even more. it was weird saying goodbye to everyone for a few weeks but i know that we all have great things to look forward to next semester. i am about to go to sleep and wake up at whatever time and then pack up and drive home. YAY!

poor nana

1. what even happened today? i went to lunch with my friend and it was really good to catch up and eat good food. then i studied and wrote some for my email final. can't wait to be done after my 4 pm exam tomorrow!
2. i have to pack and do laundry and all that boring stuff before i can leave though. so that'll get done tomorrow and tomorrow night, then friday morning some too. 
3. 18 days!

not much to talk about tonight! because i am being boring and a lame blogger during exam week. and at the end of the year. it's almost over! i have had such a great year...but i'll get to that post later. today has been pretty crazy. i feel like only my friend group would manage to have a fun and crazy and drama-filled exam week.

too much

1. had a pretty relaxing day. woke up and talked to people, then took a walk in the freezing cold weather. it was good though. i am glad i went. 
2. having a pretty interesting night so far...it's crazy! once again, reading day eve. 
3. have lots to do tomorrow and i am ready for it. had a good meeting today too...but am now trying to stay inside because it's so cold. 

sometimes i get bogged down with everything that is happening but i have to just step outside and get a grip. today's walk helped that. i am considering going on another one tomorrow. if i get enough of my email exam finished and start on my cheat sheet for the exam on thursday then i definitely will. and i need to go get a new battery for my car! before it dies...

ready for thursday

1. it's been another long day. i woke up early and went on campus to write more of paper before my italian final at 12. it was pretty hard but i got out and then finished my paper with not long to spare. 
2. came back to the apartment in freezing weather and sat and vegged all night. i watched tv and talked to my boyfriend and loved it. 
3. still been thinking a lot today. it all weighs heavily on the mind. 

tonight is my night to chill out and go to bed. i need a long and good night's sleep after the past few days. it's definitely been hard and sad and stressful. lots to think about but i have to keep pushing through until christmas break. hopefully things will start to look up by then.

only the good die young

1. this day has been pretty terrible. it started out okay but then i got some really bad news. so it's been downhill from there. 
2. this is my busiest day of finals week, too. i have a paper due at 4:30 tomorrow and a final at noon. so trying to do work has been awful/impossible today.
3. i hope everyone stays safe and warm during the snow storms. 

i just don't have any words tonight. other than i hope everyone stays safe and happy during this holiday season. such a tragedy and just so unexpected. hope we can all learn from this and be smart about our actions. hopefully he'll protect other kids from making the same mistakes. my mantra from earlier in the year was "fly" and i think that is fitting tonight. bucket list item: always do my best to watch out for my friends and surround myself with those who will do the same for me.

cookies.

1. had a not very good day. woke up on the wrong side of the bed and then had to write a paper all day. DA WORST.
2. got an A on my southern lit final essay and an A for the class, so that was basically my high point. 
3. had a qdoba night with friends so that was at least really fun/delicious. 

my friend told me to say alice died. okay. that is just a joke and it's not true and i don't even know anyone named alice. it's a nickname for our other friend. but anyway...there. i said it. i could blog right now but all i can think about is genocide and my migraine and my random night. there was just too much looking at a computer screen for me today and i am paying for it now. so i am going to bed and waking up to finish my paper (hopefully, though i do have time on monday) and then studying italian. ALSO, i decided that i am seeing narnia on monday...probably by myself. but i don't care! i am determined to see it and also want to see it as a matinee and monday or tuesday would be the best day for me. goodnight!

yes, i watched this movie tonight...

1. i'm done with this day. it hasn't been a bad one...in fact, it's been a pretty good one. i am just ready to sleep...i woke up really early and had a semi-productive day, but this weekend is crunch time. 
2. can't wait to give christmas presents!!! it's my favorite part of christmas. 
3. i will be home in one week...how exciting is that?! and just two weeks from then...yay!

i just bought an external hard drive. i figured that since i already went through some hard drive drama, it would be a good idea to get a new one and back up all my files on my own hard drive in case anything happens. i would be devastated to lose all my stuff! so i am not sure if i made that a bucket list item at some point but i know it has been on my to-do list forever...so i just hope nothing bad happens before i get home and have a chance to back up everything! my plan is to work some more on this paper and then go to bed...and then sleep for a good amount of time before having a super productive day tomorrow. finishing my paper tomorrow would be awesome but it is not my ultimate goal. i need to study for italian so maybe splitting up saturday and sunday into halvsies would be a good idea--half genocide paper and half italian studying? BENE.

more pie!

1. i have to wake up so early! and i got not nearly enough sleep last night! ahhh. and there was no point in napping today because i was going to go to bed early...perhaps my nap will be postponed until tomorrow.
2. i got to listen to my psychology idol speak today. and meet him...and talk to him...and he liked my ideas. i should have just shown up in my nerd outfit from last night's party. couldn't have been more appropriate. 
3. in one week my semester will be over and i will be getting ready to head home for the holidays! where has the time gone? i am almost kind of sad that is has gone this fast...but it was a helluva lotta fun. and i am even more excited for next semester!

my new plan: go to the gym tomorrow. haha. i need to start working out again! i need to continue it over break too so my workout clothes are definitely coming home with me. even if i just walk outside that is at least exercise. and i cleaned the apartment today and that definitely burned some calories. plus, the gym will be a good way for me to beat the exam week blues. it officially starts tomorrow, but luckily i'm not having to take an exam until monday. once i get this paper turned in, i will be checked out. hip hip hooray for the holidays!

ldoc!

1. interesting reaction...but what does it mean?!
2. had a good last day of classes...i only had one, haha. but i had two participant sessions to deal with so that wasn't the best. but tomorrow is a reading day so that means i can sleep in. 
3. i am a pumpkin. don't ask questions...

he's on the cusp, can't you see that? that is all i have to say. also, i need to go to bed. right now. goodnight!

kids these days.

1. last day of tuesday classes of 2010! YAY! the day went pretty quickly and i am glad it's over! i finished up all my work on time and get to relax for a day or two. one class tomorrow, two sessions of participants to run, and then FREEDOM. can't wait for tomorrow night.
2. almost wrapped up all my christmas shopping. as i get older, the shopping becomes more difficult. more people to buy for and harder to figure out what to get. sometimes i miss the days of giving coupon books to my parents...haha. 
3. trying to figure out a schedule for my exam week here. it really shouldn't be too bad. i have an italian exam on monday, a 10 page history paper due on monday afternoon, a film and culture exam on thursday (that i can use a cheat sheet on), and an emailed english exam due friday afternoon. 

tonight...oh man. i read this article about cyberbullying and it blew my mind. it is shocking what happens on the internet. i am supposedly of this technology generation and i guess i am since i was addicted to instant messaging when i was in middle school, but i totally missed the facebook and myspace phase for middle and even most of high school. people's ENTIRE LIVES are online now! i mean, hell, look at me--blogging every night because i actually think that people care enough about what i have to say. how arrogant! and granted, i am doing this in part for me but i also enjoy (most of the time) writing about stuff i think people will care about reading. but still. this article just absolutely made me crazy. and so nervous for kids growing up in this environment. basically, what is most threatening about online bullying is the anonymity, the difficulty finding the culprit, and that basically nothing can be done about it. i talked with my roommate about it tonight and was adamant that my kids would not have the online stuff at such a young age...but is that realistic? my parents trusted me to use IM wisely, which i did for the most part, though i was not innocent of participating in cyberbullying and was a victim of it. it was just how my friends were all communicating. and i did have time limits for my screen names, which was definitely a good step, and i was policed to some extent. but the rest of it was all basically up to me--and i turned out okay. so what is the right thing to do? the article is quite long but well worth the read. http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/111504/as-bullies-go-digital-parents-play-catch-up it is just so confusing to know how to handle yourself as a kid and as a parent. there are so many fine lines to toe that it becomes exhausting for both parties. i am mainly appalled that the kids who cyber bully are such horrible little demons. how can kids think this stuff is okay?! maybe even i am too far removed from the middle and early high school days to remember how it is being that young and growing up and trying to fit in, but damn. these stories are extreme...which is why they were chosen for the article, i guess. this is just another reason i am a psychology major. i'm just trying to understand adolescents.

safe travels all around.

1. had a great day today! my genocide class is officially over (minus the 10 page paper i have to turn in next monday) and my italian class was really short. i got a lot of work done today too...all i have left is to edit/extend my paper and turn it in by midnight tomorrow!
2. got to talk to most of my favorite people today; it was da best. lots of catching up happened and lots more is to come over the next few weeks! exciting. 
3. getting even more excited by the day for christmas break and next semester! i think that my posts in these last few weeks will be up-and-down a lot of the time but still hopefully contain a lot of exclamation marks. 

it's bedtime for me...i am exhausted and have a long last day of tuesday/thursday classes ahead of me tomorrow. sorry to be boring...i know it's a regular thing for me lately. but i'll get back to posting good things soon, like i said, once classes and exams are OVA. can't wait!

you are beautiful

1. productive day...sort of. finished a paper that is due tuesday and found out that my other two assignments due tuesday aren't due until midnight, yay! and the take home exam i have due on tuesday is only supposed to take me 1.5 hours, so i will knock that out tomorrow.
2. had a fun post-sleepover morning with my friends and then went back to the mall to shop with them, but i did not buy anything. all the snow melted but it was still pretty in some shady parts of town. 
3. talked to my boyfriend today for a not-so-happy reason but all is well now and that is good news. also talked to my parents and they seem to be loving NYC at christmas (how can you not?!) so i am happy for them. and a wee bit jealous...

4 weeeeks. YAY YAY YAY YAY. if you couldn't tell, i am very excited. and in less than 2 weeks i will be home for christmas break! yippee! i feel like once i get past tuesday, things will start looking up. they are not bad now, i just have a fair amount of work to get done. and then a pretty nice exam schedule time-wise that doesn't involve toooo much work. i am still on my everyone-should-be-grateful-this-holiday-season kick so that is what you get to read about tonight. my roommate and i talk a lot about the issues we have with this country. i think they are all legitimate concerns but i always feel a bit guilty. i am so fortunate to live here and to have all the blessings that i do. when those blessings are thrown into jeopardy on a day like today, i realize that even more. it's important to remember that life can change in an instant. i know all this stuff is so cliche and everyone is over it, but it's true. i get irritated when some things become cliche because then people stop listening. but that doesn't make them any less applicable just because they are overused. so just remember, especially this holiday season, to be thankful and quick to happiness and slow to anger. it's all about living side-by-side with those around us and livinglovinglife. because, after all, it*s a beautiful day. i wanted this item to be ambiguous because i want it to be something continuous as opposed to something to just tick off a list. so...bucket list item: help those around me see the beauty in their lives.

nightcrawlers!

1. had a completely unproductive day. went to the mall and watched the SNOW and had a sleepover with friends! 
2. our night was totally wholesome and fun. we ate sleepover food and had candy and watched two movies. YAY. 
3. it snowed forever. from 1 pm until late tonight. it was so pretty and made everything look white and snowy. it felt just like christmas!

all that i want to do is go to bed! and i want to have my semester be over. so i am going to go to sleep and when i wake up maybe the semester will be done! okay, so that won't happen. but. i can still go to bed and at least hope. i also hope that snow it still on the ground when i wake up! i LOVE snow and it made this day so much better. i'm ready for sunday--it's time to be super productive. got lots of work to do before this semester can be over. hope everyone had a great saturday! did i mention that our team won a crazy game today? yeah buddy.

no nap!

1. went to italian class and came back and took a nap! cleaned/organized my room this afternoon before my friend came over and we went out for dinner. it was good to catch up.
2. had a fun night with all my friends! it was a good way to start off my last weekend of classes of the semester! i hope tomorrow night is just as successful. 
3. i am excited for tomorrow!

goodnight : ) i got exciting news today! i forgot to mention that in the first part so i'll mention it now.

dolla dolla bills y'all

1. last day of classes on a thursday for the semester! it's a great feeling. three days of classes next week and then it's all over! friday is going to be so easy tomorrow, and this weekend should be awesome.
2. won a $25 gift card to the mall today, whoop whoop. it was at the meeting for the honors fraternity that i'm in and my name got drawn out of the hat. good thing i already had plans to go to the mall this weekend to christmas shop...
3. out for a fun night with the girls...but blogging before i leave for once : ) 

this blog has taken forever, haha. i am being distracted by all my friends. but i am trying, i really am! okay...i give up. the blogging is done for the night.

"there's blood everywhere!"

1. had my italian quiz today...it went pretty well. it was hard, but it was the last one of the semester! yippee for classes ending in a week.
2. did some work on a paper due next tuesday and then had a fun night with friends! we went out to dinner, made christmas cookies, and planned our last partay : )
3. the toe incident. oh my goodness.

not tonight. too tired and too ready to make up for the sleep that i lose due to the toe incident...hope everyone has safe travels today! also, it's december first! YAY!

getting better i think

1. had a pretty good day today. interesting classes at least and i did some homework for later in the week already. studied for my italian quiz...wish me luck!
2. my day got better after this evening. i enjoyed talking. and then i got to go out with my roommate and see our friends. 
3. tomorrow is posed to be a great day! simply because it involves cookie making/decorating and dinner with friends. and more talking.

i'm still feeling kind of sick so i am going to get to bed. hope that everyone had a good tuesday and that hump day is even better!

snow is lightly falling

1. had an alright day. italian class was really short but i need to prepare for the quiz on wednesday. did homework and prepped for my genocide presentation. i think it went pretty well. 
2. decorated the apartment for christmas! we have a mini tree with lights and mini ornaments, christmas lights on the wall, a wreath, a poinsettia, a holiday candle, a light up glass thing from my mom, and ALOT of paper snowflakes. the best roomies are the ones who love christmas together!
3. watched their eyes were watching god for class and it made me think about a lot of things. surprisingly good movie, but i only read an excerpt from the book.

i look up from my computer and see christmas decorations. this is such a great feeling! it cheered me up after the not-so-great day i had. i hope that this week starts to look up and i am sure the decorations will help that process. my plan is to be really productive this week so that i can focus on school work and then be able to have a good time this weekend and the last few days of classes. so ready for the semester to be over. but i've loved it all so far!

season of giving

1. had an okay day. drove back to school and did work all day. i am nervous that my presentation won't be long enough so i need to make sure i talk slow and elaborate a lot. 
2. bought a poinsettia and have a few christmas decorations from home that cheer the apartment up some, but i'm ready to have these last three weeks fly by and then head back home! 
3. 3 weeks. 5 weeks. but i guess number isn't important, right? (haha).

bucket list item for tonight: make sure that where i am living is always decorated for christmas. it makes everything so much more cheerful! but only after thanksgiving has had it's time to shine. i hope everyone remembers that thanksgiving should not be the only day of thanks, and that people remember what this time of year should be about. it's especially hard living in the western culture, but i always freak out over what to get people for christmas. i LOVE giving presents and always want to find just the present that will make people light up with happiness and appreciation. but i also have to keep in mind that the act of giving is what is most important. and i should (and try to) extend that giving to those in need. i'm not trying to sound preachy right now, just realistic. i just took a quick break and googled operation christmas child and found that you can pack and send a box online for only $35! i chose to give a box to a 10-14 year old girl and got to pick the items to include, and also send a note! i wanted to do it by hand but ran out of time and missed the deadline, so i did it online. how cool is that?!
https://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/giving/build-a-box

christmas is coming!

1. had a good day decorating the tree, going to the gym, watching football, and being with my family! i love christmas.
2. i also did some christmas shopping...YAY! that is one of my favorite parts about christmas--giving presents.
3. my good day was broken up with homework, unfortunately. but i am making headway on my presentation.

not much to talk about tonight. i am waiting for the stress of these last few weeks of school to finish up before i can get back to relaxing and hopefully blogging about better topics! i am most excited about the $50 i spent today and i can't wait to make it worthwhile. side note: not my tree, but a picture of my grandmother's tree.

snowflakes everywhere

1. had a pretty good day today. decorated the house for christmas and listened to christmas music all day! that was my favorite part. the tree is tomorrow...
2. visited my boyfriend's family in asheville and it was nice to see them and catch up. i can't wait to be home for christmas and spending time with my favorite family. 
3. saw a lot of high school friends tonight and it was good to catch up. but it was so cold! i'm glad it's finally getting wintery, but that needs to happen at school now too.

i am so excited for winter!!! it is one of  my favorite seasons (they are all my favorite) and i am ready for a good one this year. it needs to snow ALOT (that would be such a good one...) and it needs to be cold and look wintery and snowy. i hope that we have an even better winter this year than last! and it needs to snow at college and not just here at home.

giving thanks

1. how do i always manage to eat so much food?! it was such a good day. filled with family and food and drink and fun. 
2. decorating the house for christmas tomorrow, and then decorating the tree on saturday. the house is about to be full of christmas-y goodness!
3. i still have this feeling looming over my head that i need to work on my presentation. it's due on monday at 3 pm and i have barely started. it is definitely a cause for concern.

i am full of thanks (especially, but certainly not exclusively) on this day for so much! i am happy to have my health and my full ability to enjoy this holiday season. i am thankful for my favorite family and that they are all in good health as well. my friends, who i have become close with over the past year, have made my life happier and funnier. i am thankful for my boyfriend and that we have persevered. i am so thankful for where i live and how beautiful it is here! and that i go to a great school and am studying what i love and meeting so many people. i am thankful that i live in a fortunate country and enjoy so many rights. i am thankful for so much in my life and want to remember to remember all of this every day. thanksgiving is a day to feel extra grateful for all that is in my life. hope everyone had a great day! oh, and i am thankful that i am not going to black friday tomorrow.

pumpkin pie queen

1. had a great night's sleep and woke up to my favorite family! we got to cook and hang out and have just the four of us at dinner. it was the best. 
2. watched bread and tulips for my italian class and with my family and it was a cute movie. did some other homework but it wasn't a big deal, thankfully. 
3. tomorrow is thanksgiving and i am so excited! can't wait to see my family and to eat yummy food and be extra thankful for everyone and everything in my life right now.

tomorrow is my thanksgiving post! i just realized how few days are left in this year. 2010 seemed to have flown by but it also went really slow. i am glad that it didn't go as quickly as some other years...this has been a great year for me so far. and it's the holiday season! could not be happier or more excited. "it's the most wonderful time of the year..."

must. sleep.

1. had a long day today. finished my draft and posted it on blackboard, showered and got ready for class, gave my presentation on heart of darkness, and said hello to thanksgiving break!
2. had a good dinner with friends before heading to the basketball game with my dad. it was a good game for both sides but we still managed to pull out a pretty solid win. 
3. then...drove home for four hours. well, rode for about 4 and then drove for another half hour. we got back pretty late and i am really tired now. so happy not to have an alarm clock in the a.m.

needless to say, it is not a blogging night. but i thought this was pretty cool, so i'm sharing the link.
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/The2010-National-Geographic-PhotoContest/ss/events/lf/112310natgeophoto

hmph

1. had two classes today but they weren't bad at all. also had an interview for a new lab position and it went well, but i don't know if i'll accept the position.
2. wrote my paper all day and am almost finished. will finish it tomorrow before 2 pm!
3. packing comes next, then my last class, and then the basketball game!

don't feel like blogging tonight. hope everyone had a great monday.

countdown to zero

1. after 6 comes 5 and then 4 and then 3 and then 2 and then 1 and then 0. i can do this! 
2. had a long day of homework prep and laundry and odds and ends to sort through, as well as getting ready for tomorrow: updating/editing my CV, writing/formatting a cover letter, and getting an unofficial transcript together. 
3. took a break for dinner and to watch the grey's episode from last thursday night. also, figured out a good way of stopping procrastination: log out of facebook. that way, when i tried to check facebook, i had to log on and that prevented me from actually logging on and procrastinating. 

i have had extreme writer's block today. this crosses over into the blogging realm as well. it's been one of those days. tomorrow better be one of the days when i can write a draft of a ten page paper, piece of cake. it's not due until 2 pm on tuesday, and i have between 11-3 and after 6 tomorrow, and all day before 2 pm tuesday to finish it. so. that is my hope! i have the articles too, and it only has to be a draft, as opposed to a final paper (that's not due until december 7th). yes, this is me rationalizing. oh well...college is characterized by rationalization of procrastination. hope that things fall into place tomorrow, although today was not a wash by any means. just not the day that i intended it to be...but c'est la vie. i need to learn how to say that in italian. c'e vita! i think that is right...the e needs an accent though. okay, no more rambling. only productive writing from here on out!
bucket list item: eat sushi.

time for break.

1. had our football game today and it was such a heartbreaking loss. there was a lot of excitement and we were winning for most of it but it didn't end well. it was a close game, but still. 
2. came back and wanted to be productive but i just couldn't. it is so hard to do work on a saturday afternoon...especially when it involves writing a long paper and i have no idea for where to start. 
3. watching shrek 2 now, so there went my hope for nighttime productivity. oh well. i hope that tonight is fun to make up for last night. 

i'm ready for thanksgiving break. i am ready for christmas break, actually, because i'd like to have a real break with no homework involved. in between semesters is the best time of the year, but in between fall and spring is even better because it's CHRISTMAS and then NEW YEAR'S! what on earth is my new resolution going to be?! like i've said before, something much more lax than this year. i still can't believe that i am (so far) keeping up with the resolution and the blogging. but break is almost here, and then a full week of classes, then three days of classes and then exams and then HOME. can't wait!

rave.

1. had a pretty productive day today. i was so tired for the first part of it until i got to take a three hour recovery nap. definitely necessary. 
2. did lots of homework and such since i have a lot of work to do this weekend...such a bummer, but thanksgiving break starts tuesday!
3. had an okay night out with friends and i'm ready for the last home football game tomorrow. i just hope we win!

don't feel much like blogging tonight. still pretty tired and also in a weird mood. but harry potter lived up to expectations and was absolutely amazing. i can't wait to see it again, and also can't wait until july 15th!

HP7

1. HARRYPOTTER7HARRYPOTTER7HARRYPOTTER7OMGOMGOMG
2. i had three classes today and they were interminable. it took so long to get through this day. 
3. thanksgiving dinner was a grand success! it was so good and everyone loved it. 

i haven't seen it yet because i am blogging before the movie. but i might edit this post after and comment on the awesomeness of it all. CAN'T WAIT CAN'T WAIT CAN'T WAIT.

harry potter, harry harry potter yeah.

1. had italian class today and a meeting at noon but no participants to run, so it was a good day. got to walk back in sunshiney and fall weather. beautiful day!
2. went to the grocery store in prep for thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. so excited! i have lots of cooking to do tomorrow after classes are over. 
3. boxing club tonight was such a hard workout. we didn't even stay for technique because we had wands out wednesday. a.k.a. watching the sixth harry potter movie with all my friends and having refreshments. 

"this memory is everything, without it, we are blind." i think this is an interesting quote from the half blood prince movie. it's applicable to the rest of life. memory is a fascinating subject that people rely on too much. it's tricky and unreliable. but it is important to remember our past and our collective past, and apply those lessons to how we live our life in the day-to-day. just my bit of harry potter reflection, i suppose. can't wait until tomorrow night! and yes, draco is hot.

is it thursday yet?!

1. my morning class was canceled so i got to stay up late last night watching food network with the roommate and then sleep in this morning. it was raining today but it was also really muggy so i wore shorts...on november 16th--whatthehell. 
2. had a good class talking about precious and push but then got to my next english class and found out that my teacher has peaced out. she left the english department unannounced and is not responding to contact from the department and no one knows what to do. a weird, nerve-wracking situation for everyone.
3. did some more reading (heart of darkness) for homework, watched chopped with my roommate, and hung out for a bit. bedtime soon, though...i hope i can sleep well tonight. i am TOO excited for thursday!

i'm watching 16 & pregnant right now and it is shocking. i have seen this show a few times before and every time it just makes in crazy. 16 is so young to have a kid. if these kids can't even make the decision to wear a condom then how are they going to make the right decisions to raise a kid?! it's incredible. it breaks my heart, too, mostly for these girls. their men are shitty. they are 16 and having a kid. that blows my mind. the day i turned 16 i went to the fair at my church, worked at the restaurant, and came home to my car parked in the driveway. i was most excited about being able to drive. i can't imagine being that age and having a kid. i don't know how young mothers do it. do they have any idea what they have gotten into?  no. i don't even know really, but i know it's really hard and (that is an understatement) and impossible to know about until it happens. there is just no way that people these days are mature enough to have a kid that young. no. way. it's a depressing show and that is why i rarely watch it.

the road so far

1. my italian quiz today was kind of hard, but not too bad. i'll probably find out my grade before thanksgiving, so i hope it's good.
2. worked in the lab for a little bit, did some more homework (i like being ahead on work) and went to genocide class. i have an A for 60% of my grade--that is encouraging!
3. class got out early so i got back to the apartment early, then did some more homework (reading heart of darkness) and went to boxing. it was short tonight but still pretty hard. 

i am excited for this year to end. i am ready to go back and read all my blog posts and have a final blog post that closes out this whole year. it's been quite a year so far. and there are still several weeks to go! so much has happened, haha. but it's been a great roller coaster. it's been hard but it's also been worth it. i needed a challenge this year. i pray that things turn out well for the rest of the year and that i have a lot to talk about by the end of it all. can't wait to sign off. but i also want to keep a journal...just not online, haha. so we'll see what these last few weeks bring and how i end up feeling about all of this 2010 madness. i can remember the first few days of the year. how far i have come since then!

marathons are the best

1. woke up at a semi-decent hour, did some homework outside, cleaned and washed my sheets, and watched harry potter 5! i looked forward to it all day. 
2. have an italian quiz in the morning and then have time to do research for my history presentation in three weeks. might as well start early. 
3. most importantly: i bought my harry potter 7 ticket for thursday night (friday morning). I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!

the representation of the harry potter books in movies can be frustrating. while it is hard to watch a movie after knowing the book like the back of your hand and loving it more than is probably healthy, i have always thought that a movie should be appreciated for what it is--an interpretation. the movie is not intended to be a verbatim portrayal of the book, rather, the book is a source of inspiration for movie makers to bring the book world alive. books are clearly my favorite medium, but the movies have a place too. even if the depiction is not exact (it never is) and it can be upsetting when one visualizes the book world much differently than how it is shown in the movie, i still think the movies need to be appreciated. both books and movies are works of art that open our eyes to new worlds, just in different ways. now, with all that said, i do get frustrated when movie versions of books are really bad. but i think the harry potter movies and the lord of the rings movies (as examples) are excellent versions of the books. so that is my take on it. like i said, can't wait for part 1 of the 7th movie! it's going to be insane. and awesome. bucket list item: own all seven books (done) and all seven movies (own through six now) and have a week where i read them all and watch them all. YES.

too weird.

1. woke up this morning and did some homework (finished push and started my response for precious/push). then got ready for the football game and a good afternoon!
2. we were winning for a little while but then just gave it away. of course. so it was an upsetting game and it was also cold and i was tired. not a fun combination. 
3. watched harry potter with my roommate, had friends over to hang out, and had a long conversation with several friends about so many things. 

i guess i fall into the category of people being more similar than they are alike. this is probably a product of my interest in psychology and my knowledge of that field. but i have such a hard time seeing how people can be such vigorous proponents of the individual when so much of our behavior is effected by social interactions and influences. i first and foremost see humans as social animals, and then as individuals. maybe it should be the other way around...but everyone has different frames of reference for making opinions about this life. after all, c'est la vie.

hilarious post

1. funniest night of my life. 
2. i love college. 
3. he stole a street sign.

i saved four lives. i ran a marathon. i ate ice cream. i love money. 555. the instant tantalizer. i whip my hur back and forth. ptuck ptcuk is braiding. she is petting. cuz we're my best friends. i tell time. evens or odds. plaid. we stole a sign. no one judge me! this is meant to be funny.