The busiest time of year

All I wanted was to be able to sleep for, oh, 20 hours or so. Instead, since arriving home on Sunday night, this is what I have done:
-vacuumed and dusted this entire house, top to bottom
-spent 3 hrs at Sam's Club, shopping for Christmas dinner and my sister's party
-picked up a Tom from the airport (YAY! one of the only good parts so far)
-put together a solid wood freaking gigantic table and 8 chairs to go with it
-put up and decorated a TWELVE. FOOT. TALL. Christmas tree.
-hung curtains, shower curtains, placed pictures
-ordered party favors, planned menus, decorated.

I have barely had a moment to myself except for eating, sleeping, and a late night screening of Mamma Mia last night in the as-yet-unfinished theatre. Please, let things calm down. I'm looking forward to a quiet Christmas and New Year.

Hear that sound? That's the universe, laughing at me.

Why?

I can tell you where to get these shoes for $2.50 — any Chinese variety store. I have no idea what is going on here, but somewhere in Southeast Asia a bunch of pajama wearing grandparents suddenly became very fashionable.

Minneapolis: surprisingly cold, hospitable OR At least I got a blog post out of it

So I haven't posted in a long time...I guess I'll use the seven hours of spare time I have in the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport to update my life. Readers who are aware, feel free to skip the garbled mumbo-jumbo below. I haven't removed my contacts since Friday, so I also cannot vouch for the spelling or grammatical accuracy of this entry. Forewarned!

Behold: the travel saga, abridged in bullet form. All times are estimated, but close to accurate and NOT exaggerated. Believe me. This is the best I could do while looking at the NWA flight schedules and comparing them to the call log from my cell phone.

-4:56: Flight scheduled to leave South Bend
-5:15: Flight arrives in South Bend
-5:21: Board flight in South Bend
-5:30: Everyone on board in South Bend.
-5:45: Everyone still on board in South Bend.
-5:55: Everyone still on board in...you guessed it, South Bend.
-6:00: Six people are taken off our plane. It is too heavy. Apparently the agent thought it'd be a better idea to burn 3 hrs of fuel to lighten the weight instead of removing 6 passengers who were last minute bookings from other airlines. Pilot disagreed. Argument ensued. Pilot wins after forty five minutes.
-6:15: Cargo dudes finally find the departees' luggage and close the door. We chill for a little while for no apparent reason.
-7:15: Wheels up! YES. [Note: if you look on the NWA site it says that we left at 6:12 and arrived at 7:51. This is false because it does not take 1.5 hours to fly from South Bend to Detroit. What they really mean is that we moved away from the gate at 6:12].
-7:51: Arrive Detroit. Connection from Detroit to Minneapolis was scheduled for 7:12. I assume I didn't make it. I assume wrong, because it is delayed.
-8:40: Flight from Detroit to Minneapolis scheduled to depart.
-9:35: Flight from Minneapolis to Wichita departs...without me.
-9:50: Flight from Detroit to Minneapolis actually departs.
-11:08: Arrive Minneapolis.

This is followed by a blur of waiting in lines of hundreds of people, news that the next flight to Wichita that they can guarantee me isn't until MONDAY (but standby for a Sunday flight is available), a late night shuttle trip to a hotel in Eagan, Minnesota, the realization that I have eaten nothing but a bowl of cereal at noon and have therefore consumed no food for over 13 hours, the realization that nothing is open here in South Fargo and my hotel has no room service, the quiet and desperate inhalation of a single granola bar, five hours of fitful sleep, and a trip back to the airport at 11:30 to wait for the standby flight. And apparently, the longest run-on sentence in the history of blogging. Ever.

It was (and is) also -26 here. The first time I was struck in the face by that wind, I think I broke out in cold blisters immediately. The people here are obviously made of hardy Scandinavian peasant stock, whereas my folk come from the land of 100+ degrees and 80% humidity. Clearly, I was built for this.


And then...THEN! Success!!!!!!

I am booked on a flight to Kansas City tonight at 7:05. KC is about 3 hrs from my house but at this point, I just want to get home before Christmas. Parental units will be arriving to pick me up, hopefully with food in tow. I will sleep for 48 hours straight and, with any luck, wake to find that if nothing else this ordeal has caused me to lose two pounds. Score.

When in doubt, blog

I need to outline, outline, outline...and yet, here I am.

Quick updates:

-baking time has been severely reduced, so the shiny new implements I acquired over Thanksgiving break are going to have to take a back seat until I get back to school in 2009...sob.

-I think I might be getting addicted to caffeine...I get these weird behind-the-eye headaches and they tend to go away with that first cup of coffee. This is absolutely not good and come break, I might have to figure out a way to slowly wean myself off the magic concoction that is 2 packets of sugar + a big splash of half and half. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

-I have given up getting my apartment clean; I simply don't have the time. Therefore, I've resorted to trying to control the mess: I have a bag for all the mail. All the dishes are in the sink. All the clothes are in a pile. Yes, they're clean, and yes, there's plenty of closet space and they should be there—but the point is that they're not EVERYWHERE.

-Taylor Swift. That's about all I'm going to say without going into a hundreds-of-words long review of how genius her pop songwriting skills are.

ACK. My life is a shambles. Please, please, please let me pull through the next few weeks with some of my sanity intact.

Please.

Drowning...

...in Christmas present shopping, packing boxes, laundry, notes, books, unopened mail, and mismatched socks.

There could not be a better description of my life right now.

Santa, baby.

This year's wishlist:

-The Joy of Cooking/Baking
-A Le Creuset Dutch Oven (yeah right)
-Silpat
-Extra bowl for KitchenAid Artisan mixer
-BtVS season 8 comics
-A replacement power cord for my MBP
-Frye riding boots (again, yeah right)

The geeky housewife factor here is through the roof.

Maurice: an update

I've now had Maurice for over 6 months; possibly a record for me when it comes to fish-raising. As far as I can tell, he's doing pretty well. He just swims around in his tank all day, and since fish have memory spans of maybe 10 seconds, it means that every time he makes a circuit around his tank he notices his castle anew and is like "Cool! A castle!" And repeat...repeat...repeat.

The interesting thing about Maurice (well, I find it interesting) is that he's cold-blooded, and therefore is entirely dependent on the temperature of his surroundings. When my apartment is cold, he's sluggish, and when it's warmer, he's perky. There a few implications to this, but the most important one is that I'm afraid to really lower the temperature in my apartment when I'm not here, for fear that I'll return and find him a floating ice cube.

This poses some interesting dilemmas; this week I'll be traveling to the wilds of Northern Michigan for Thanksgiving with T.'s family, but since I won't be here I want to lower the temperature in my apartment so as not to waste money and energy heating rooms that no one will be in. Which means that I'll have to either leave Maurice here to freeze, or take him with me. Guess which option I'm taking here?

And the real problem will be Christmas break, because I'm not sure what I'm going to do, being gone for three weeks. I'll be flying home, so I won't be able to take him with me. But I can't leave him here by himself—he'll freeze, and starve, to death. So what should I do?

The options are:
-send him home with my Mom when she comes in a few weeks to pack up her stuff and take it back to Kansas. The problem with this is that she's killed the last 2 betta fish she's owned. While I trust him with her for just a few weeks, I can't figure out a way to get him back here when vacation is over. This might take some figuring out.

-drive home to Kansas so that he can ride in the car with me. I realize that this is absolutely insane and that I'm nuts to even momentarily entertain this idea for a pet that can't actually make eye contact with me. Really, this would be the only way for him to get to and from Kansas safely. However, I'm not quite enamored enough to drive 12 hours each way just to ensure that Maurice is comfortable.

-find a sitter. I have some friends who are rectors at the school who might be willing to let him dwell there for a little while; it'll be warm there at least (I think?) and depending on when they get back he should be OK with the no food (or I could get him some slow-feeding pellets). Or I can ask the law school staff if it's OK to let him chill at the school for a few weeks; at least there will be heat there and I wonder if they would feed him. Again, I understand that this is complete ridiculous, but I don't want him to die.

Suggestions are welcome. I'm sure you are all glad to know that I have given so much thought to the welfare of my fish, while putting off any concern for the welfare of my fed courts outline. Stay tuned for the outcome—I know you're all just riveted to your seats.

Sigh. Pudding. Remix.

Unlike the delicious little sample I practically inhaled last night, the rest of the pudding...never...set.

What happened? What went wrong? I NEED TO KNOW!


Also, this is basically how I feel about Fed Courts right now:
Habeas brainus? Please?

Sigh. Pudding.

I'm a bad person.



But it tasted sooooooo good.

Poem, before bed

I have a lot of work to do.
Ooh, "Friends"!

On the ground

There's snow on the ground. I don't remember feeling quite this enraged/frustrated last year when that happened. My cynical side must be catching up with me...that, and my cold toes.

The trends, they are a-changing

This is what I wore last winter:





And this, thanks to the generosity of a much-missed trans-Atlantic friend, is what I will be wearing this winter:




The only thing that could make this better? If I could somehow wear both at the same time. Thank you, S.! I will picture you laughing at me every time I wear this hat.

It's that time of year again

I've done some looking back in my archives, and it seems like each year, around this time, I post some sort of panicked/denial-ridden-perky post about how I need to sprint quickly and successfully through my final exams without losing my dignity or sense of personal hygiene. And I am here to say "Enough! No more pseudo-motivational phrases with snappy alliteration! No more talking about how stress is great, but success is greater! No more, I say! Let's just be honest."

I am in full-blown, 100%, all out holy-crap-I-need-to-get-my-rear-in-gear mode. And I am not ashamed to admit it! I do not deny it! Finals times SUCKS!

Whew. I feel strangely empowered now.







PS: Back to the clean slate. It was nice flirting with the girly swirl, but this is a little easier for me to look at.

What I've learned about myself

I do way better when everything is a competition. Yesterday, t. and I compiled lists of things we had to do (lists that were comparable...we made sure of that) and held a contest to see who could get the most things done by the end of the day. And while I didn't get all my things done, I "little chunked" and won. BOO. YAH.

Why stop?

If I'm going to dream, I might as well go all out.

Addiction

I was already aware of my fondness for Gucci, Dior, and Valentino.

But I never thought I was a Jimmy Choo girl, until now.

Anyone have a cool three grand to drop on these? Something tells me I won't be able to find any of these on a final clearance rack at 95% off.

Election Day

Amazing.

GOAL!

In my attempts to be a more goal-oriented, forward thinking, and proactive person, I've adopted a new system for getting through my day--a system I like to call "little chunks" (which, now that I think about it, sounds kind of gross).

My problem, usually, is that I cannot manage to get things done because I feel that the enormity of the tasks I set for myself render any steps I might be able to take negligible unless the entire thing gets done (clean apartment from top to bottom, including scrubbing baseboards with a toothbrush! read all my reading for a whole week in one day! organize all my clothes, hem three pairs of pants, and fold all t-shirts in a perfect square in an hour!).

Breaking up daily to-do lists into more manageable pieces is a time-saving task, a.k.a. life hack, that has been promulgated on the net and in various self-help books numerous times. I've tried it before. However, even when I did break up my day, I still found myself lingering over the first few tasks and eventually finding myself at dusk with a dishwasher half-loaded and a sofa covered in unfolded laundry.

Therefore, I have now found some success with breaking up the breaking up. By setting ridiculously doable standards, I find myself surpassing them: "Put away that dish" becomes "Well, I'm already putting away this dish...I might as well put away that mug, and that spoon, and that plate, and hey, let's put away all the dishes." Maybe I should call this "little little chunks"?

At any rate, it's working, and that's all that matters. So today's goals: read 4 pages of evidence. Throw away the old circular sitting on my coffee table. Put away my boots. Let's see how far these three things get me.

She's back!

My computer! Is back! And fixed! Hooray! This is a cause for celebration!

If this blog were a baby

I'd be a terrible mother. Hello, regular posting, how I've missed you.

Some updates on the past few weeks:

T. came and "surprised" me with a visit over Columbus Day weekend, which also happened to be the weekend of the Law School Fall Ball. It was so amazing to see him, and the weekend turned out to be one of the best ones ever. Thanks for driving 10 hours each way, sweetie!

I have turned into some kind of domestic whirlwind. The urge to bake comes over me so frequently that usually, the utensils from the previous cookie/cake/cupcake experiment aren't even washed yet. You know it's bad when you don't mind doing the dishes just so you can dirty them again. On the upside, I think I have managed to strengthen my relationships with all of my friends. Never underestimate the power of a chocolate chip.

School is...school. I have reached that point in the semester where I start buckling down and making all kinds of resolutions that, as usual, go half-fulfilled. This time: I've decided to regiment my TV time. This means that instead of flicking the dreaded box on for background noise and finding myself distracted by financial crisis/political scandal/Madonna's getting divorced, I will only watch television at appointed times with a purpose. Therefore, every time I pick up the remote control, I must say to myself something that involves a conceivable end: "The Hills is on at 10. I will watch until 10:30." or "90210 is on at 8. I will watch it until 9." Please, no comments on my terrible taste in television.

Finally, I've found an alternative to BtVS (still my first love, but I'll take what I can get). HBO's new series True Blood deals with similar issues (vampires living among the...living, I guess) and while it's a lot grittier and more scandalous, it still gives me that fantasy/action TV fix I've had to do without since Buffy went off the air. Thanks, l., for introducing me!

That's it for now. I've got classes to read for, things to do, cookies to bake. All in a day's work.

Quick hits

-Fall ball. We're going. Got mani/pedi today--nails look great!
-Shoes. I am both purging and stocking my shoe closet.
-Buttermilk cookies. Oh. My. Gosh. They are sooooooooo good.
-School. Crazy. Per usual.

Today, summed up

Nap from 5-8.

Topsy-turvy

My life is a mess right now. Drastic measures need to be taken. Partial lobotomy possibly the only solution.

Honesty

Really, the best policy.

My life has been in a constant state of stress lately; school, job search, life. All have been sort of an intense overload. I've been trying to cope by just taking things a step at a time, not letting myself get freaked out or feel overly pressured, but I think the time has come for me to acknowledge that something needs to be different. A good capsule example:

My apartment has been constantly messy since the beginning of the semester, when I moved back and didn't unpack all my clothes, but rather dumped them into a huge pile on the floor. It only got worse when I would do laundry and then fail to put my clothes away, instead leaving them jumbled in the basket.

While my apartment was like that, I felt assailed by an almost physical wall of frustration the second I walked through my door. Anything that was on my mind — assignments, bills, plans — would be instantly overwhelmed by MY APARTMENT! MY APARTMENT! IT IS MESSY! It became almost impossible for me to get things done.

Last night I took an affirmative step and finally organized, folded, and hung all the clothes that were making my room look like that of an 11-year old boy. I was finally honest to myself about the fact that I could no longer bear to step over piles of socks and scattered shoes on my way to my bed; that the giant piles of junk mail slowly conquering my living room were not good for my sanity; and that I needed to just suck it up (side note: this is, indeed, proper usage) and devote a whole evening to putting my life back in order.

So I did. And now I feel great about it. I'm still busy and occupied, but at least I can come home, walk in, and not feel immediately overwhelmed. A great weight has been lifted. And all because I was finally honest enough with myself to admit that I was turning into a messy, disorganized wacko and needed to make a drastic change.

Despite my best intentions

As any semi-regular reader of this blog knows, I have attempted to kick start no fewer than three fitness regimens over the last few years. All have failed. This is a little discouraging, but change is always possible (YES WE CAN!).

In the interest of starting up again (my goal being a lung capacity greater than that of a two-year old child, and possibly the ability to run more than a few blocks without wheezing like I'm going to die), I have taken a number of fitness-geared actions.

To wit: I've purchased new running shoes (now with actual cushioning for your feet, as opposed to the clearance-purchased Meijer brand shoes I was using before), joined the 2L Powderpuff team (really fun!) and vowed to go to the gym.

Problem: I have NO IDEA where the gym is. Last night I got all swanked up in my new shoes and some ratty shorts, drove to campus, got out of my car, and walked around for twenty minutes without finding it. All the while I was on the phone with two different people trying to tell me how to get there. Then I gave up and went to go watch the boys' flag football game instead.

Also, the headphones I purchased yesterday for my iPod were broken. I swear, it's like the universe is conspiring against my getting trim and toned. If that's the case, I would appreciate a clearer sign, so that I can just start mowing down the potato chips and watching endless reruns on TV, instead of fighting inevitable fate.

A clear and present problem

Not only are these butter-sugar-cocoa filled and frosted cupcakes delicious, they are also 100% homemade. Which means that I spent 1.5 hours that could have been otherwise productive churning out these bad boys.

The worst part of this whole thing? There are 12 of them (despite the relative harmlessness of the four in this photo). Which means that some of my friends are going to get choco-bombed tomorrow at school, because I sure as heck don't trust myself to be alone with these guys over the next few days without devouring them all. And the inevitable sugar rush alone would be devastating to my nerves. Some people play video games when they don't want to do homework. Me? The Kitchen-Aid is my procrastination station.

Back to reality

These last few weeks have been filled with laughter, fun, miniature golf, an amazing day of shopping (sneakers! jeans! jacket! tank tops! vintage poster!). It's amazing how you forget the awesomeness of having your best bud around, how quickly awareness of that awesomeness returns to you, and how sad you feel once it's gone again. And it's also amazing how you can manage to squeeze such bad alliteration into one teeny, tiny blog post.

After an amazing week, back to the daily grind: homework, class, job search, apartment cleaning, etc., etc., etc.

A week's worth

It has rained, virtually non-stop, for the last three days. Hard rain, too, not just little drizzles—today, walking on campus, I splashed through a puddle that was literally ankle deep. And the worms! Don't get me started on the worms.

In other and better news, T comes to visit me tomorrow. WOOHOO! He'll be here until Saturday. I am practically crippled with happiness.

And the real benefits...

Of having a wonderful boyfriend: getting things like this in the mail.

Dangers and Benefits

First: the dangers of being absent-minded. Paid for a coffee refill in the lounge this morning, filled my mug, left. Realized an hour later that I had left my wallet and phone on the milk counter.

Second: the benefits of attending a smaller, [relatively] honest school. When I went back in a panic, the woman behind the counter had it. It was not stolen.

I think there are several things that I should start doing in order to make my life less crazy.
1. Not forget things.
2. Put things away after I use them...in the same place!
3. Be conscious of what the heck I'm doing at all times, if possible.

Good plan. Now, if only I could implement it...

4. Follow through with plans.

Haircut

Haircut: $40
Gas to get to salon: $1
Blow-dryer: $11.99
Finally getting rid of all the split ends and useless, dead volume: PRICELESS

OMG

And a pair of Crocs lined with fur just passed me.

Spotted

The season's first confirmed mini-skirt + Ugg combo. Avert your eyes, lest ye be scorched by the sight and turned to stone.

My favorite procrastination

If I don't want to do homework, I cook something. This is a fact well-known to all of my friends, who have pretty much welcomed the ritual bringing-of-the-baked-goods, usually commemorated on Sunday evenings when my unwillingness to read for class leads me to food websites dedicated to making my life more delicious. All those recipes! So little time!


On today's menu: macaroni and cheese with broccoli and sausage. Chocolate chip banana bread.

Ugh...my tummy....

Good morning klutz

While getting ready this morning I accidentally knocked my favorite hair brush off the counter and into the toilet. Please, observe a moment of silent mourning; it went straight into the trash.

I also drove to school this morning eating yogurt and banana out of the giant, 16 oz. yogurt container — there wasn't that much left, so I decided not to dirty a dish. In case anyone was wondering who that girl with the big plastic tub was — yeah, that was me.

Poolside

Short update, but I haven't written in a while and I feel like providing a little news.

Over the last couple of days I've done a little bit of pool-side relaxing and the sunshine, warm breeze, and cool (verging on cold) water is exactly what I need right now, before school starts (in just two days!) and I have more to worry about than the state of my tan.

Giving in

Now that I have my own kitchen I have been completely, utterly overwhelmed by the urge to cook. It's hot outside and I have a million things to do, but someone put a roast in my hands and I'll give you a slow-cooked, 5 hour long ordeal that has the whole apartment smelling delicious.

War

All-out. It has been declared.

I tried to be nice, spiders. I tried to be understanding and compassionate. Plus there was that whole "Charlotte's Web was my favorite book when I was a kid and all these spiders must be just like that spider who is both a good writer and a good friend" thing. No more. No more, I say. You have overrun my apartment. You are even in my car — I saw you, spider crawling up my arm!! There is not a square inch that your spiny legs have not touched. If I see another fuzzy egg sac, I may just lose it.

So be forewarned, spiders. Here is your chance to get the heckles out of my apartment. Because last year, when I let you quietly go about your lives spinning your webs, is over. This year, it will be a spider slaughter. Run for your lives, because I will show you no mercy.

Everyone else

Is awesome too. Happy, L?

Irene

Is da bomb. Bomb diggity! Da butters. Da sugar sweet sugars. Something else awesome.

End of summer listmania

CDs I have purchased:
Van Lear Rose--Loretta Lynn
Kala--M.I.A.
Between Here and Gone--Mary Chapin Carpenter
1999--Prince
Come to the Mountain--Assorted
Hairspray: the soundtrack
The Woman in White--Andrew Lloyd Webber
Raising Sand--Alison Krauss and Robert Plant

Movies I have watched:
Wall-E
Michael Clayton
Kung Fu Panda
The Company
Volver

Books I have read:
March by Geraldine Brooks
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

Books I have re-read:
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K.Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K.Rowling
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Lists made:
Too many to count

Overthinking [everything]

Still awake — the natural consequence of having taken too long a nap in the afternoon and having stayed up too late finishing a book. I've tried several times to fall asleep and all I do is lay in the dark, thoughts bubbling up out of my head (my stomach? Sometimes it feels that way).

I worry about a lot of things, probably (definitely) more than I should. Right now, all I can think of is the ending I am quickly drawing to, and the beginning of something new that will be even more difficult because of all the changes it will bring.

I worry that as the summer draws to a close, I won't finish my products properly or in time; that I'll leave with regrets from not having done this or that; that I'll leave without any more confidence in myself than I arrived with.

I worry that as the new school year starts, I'll be too busy to study properly, or well; that I won't be able to handle my new schedule; that I'll miss Tom too much.

Well, I know for a fact that I'll miss Tom too much. It's no secret to confess that our impending separation (he will soon be much more than a few hours' drive away) has worn a little knot in the pit of my stomach. I don't worry about us; I worry about me. Is that wrong? I try to deal the best I can with his absence, and I admit that I've gotten better at it, even though I'm far from perfect. I've spoken to a number of people this summer who are even married and separated from their spouses. Does it get easier? Will it be OK?

No doubt I can blame these semi-coherent, post-midnight ramblings on the sticky half of a cinnamon bun that I ate for dessert. Late nights always put me in a pensive mood. I just need to stop worrying, I guess. Though I've told myself that many times, and never with much success.

This has been a very long post, and for that I apologize (to the few people who read/care). But I guess that's what this blog is all about — it serves as a catch-all for what I'm feeling, or fearing, or looking forward to. And thank goodness, because otherwise all this would still be roaming around my mind, large thoughts inside a small head. Maybe now it will be easier to fall asleep.

So here's the thing

The summer is almost over. Done. Kaput. Finito!

Remind me again how that happened? I feel like just six blog posts ago it was the beginning of the summer. Oh. Wait.

Things to do:
-interview/job crap
-packing crap
-saying goodbye (always is awful)
-haircut (might be awful)

And various other end-of-summer things, including project wrap-up at work. Blech. I like to work on projects. I just don't like to work on projects when I know I'm going to have to start wrapping up those projects.

The single redemptive feature of these next few weeks: Tom comes to visit. YES!

Where I am

Chicaaaaaaaaago...HEY!

Independence Day

My parents came back from vacation yesterday and the only thing on my dad's mind: buy fireworks.

"Dad," I said. "You can get them at Wal-Mart."

"Not if you want the really good ones," he insisted. "You gotta go to the tent." Recently, white tents have popped up, mushroom-like, in parking lots and vacant fields all over the city, with names like Big Daddy Fireworks and an ever-present stream of customers coming in and going out, their arms filled with explosives. On the way back from the airport he pulled over to the first tent he saw, and left my mom and me in the car talking about Pride & Prejudice while he browsed for pyrotechnics. He came back with a giant white box called "The King." "I got a variety," he said. "I can't tell what all that stuff in there is."

Tonight he donned safety glasses and a headlamp (where he got it from, I have no idea) and lit about a dozen fireworks out in the cul-de-sac. My mom and I observed from a safe distance, holding on to our lame sparklers while my dad lit the big stuff and then ran for cover. He was like a little kid again and I can't say it wasn't the most fun I've had on a Fourth of July in a long time, watching him kneel down to light the fuses and then tear back toward the house, his headlamp bobbing while bright pinwheels sparked behind him. Some neighbors down the street were lighting fireworks too, big green ones that whistled into the air and sprouted like giant palms. A couple houses down, a bunch of kids and adults spilled out onto their porch and watched my dad work his incendiary magic, cheering at even the dinky little ones and letting out a disappointed "Awwwwww" when my dad announced the last one.

Afterward we doused the cardboard containers, just in case, and then swept them all into the trashbin. We used all the fireworks he'd bought, except for the "really big ones," he said, that we couldn't light because there were "too many houses." The law student in me let out a big sigh when he decided not to go for the gusto. The kid in me still wants to see those suckers explode. Maybe next year.

Happy fourth, everyone.

The shortest long week...longest short week?

Exhaustamafied. This weekend I have no plans for the Fourth of July except I must. see. Wall-E. No joke, my urge to watch this movie has reached critical mass; the only thing that stopped me from going to see it alone this week was waiting for my sister who will also love it, I know.

Doggies = not as fun as when they lived with me. Don't ask me why.

Next weekend I'm going to Chicago to see the girls; it will be such a nice break and I can't wait to see them and do many many fun things, including, but not limited to, shoppingeatingdancingjumpingaroundsightseeing. HOORAY!

Catch and release

Weekly softball has been surprisingly fun. Especially considering that I. SUCK. at softball.

I cannot catch. Nor can I release the ball when I'm throwing at the right point for it not to plow into the ground six feet in front of me.

The only thing I am semi-decent at is batting. The only trouble is that I have no strength in my arms, so one of three things happens:

1) I hit a slow grounder, someone scoops it up, I'm out at first.
2) I hit a soft, graceful lob, someone catches it, I'm out.
3) I hit the ball, it falls to the ground, I run like heck, and I get to first. Miracle.

I think that in order to get better at softball, I need to learn how to a) throw and b) catch. I am, however, too lazy to practice, and I also do not own a softball. Therefore I will neither throw nor catch and instead, will simply chase after the ball in a completely undignified way when it bounces out of my glove.

Library, where art thou?

This weekend, I am making it MY MISSION to get a library card and start some reading. MY MISSION, I say. See the all caps? That means I'm SERIOUS.

Sun. Bern.

This summer's weather has been a whole lotta hot, stormy, humid insanity. Despite this I think I might be falling in love with Kansas a little bit. There are more than a few quirks that take some getting used to — the strange fact that locations in Kansas don't show up on my car's navigational system, for one thing — it has been a pleasurable June by all accounts.

Getting used to living at home again is definitely a challenge, though easier than I expected it to be. The best part is just having my parents around. Living alone has taught me to value company a whole lot more than I used to. Maurice, too, seems to have adjusted well to his new abode. Mohawk, my mom's fish, likes to swim near the side of his tank and then they both puff up. It's fun to watch.

In other news, T and I will probably be apart for the longest time ever this summer. This sucks. However, being as busy as I've been (8-5 work days, often 8-6, and social events besides) I've had little time to dwell on the separation. What with my work schedule and his study schedule, this summer is just a hump we're going to have to get over. I think we're doing OK so far. I've definitely been missing other people too — it's not really any fun without my girlfriends here to be wild and crazy with. But before I know it the summer will be over and school will be upon me.

Now, some quick bullets:
-this summer's beverage: Diet Coke (free at my firm)
-this summer's bad habit: buying shoes
-this summer's anthem: Forever by Chris Brown
-this summer's soundtrack: Little Voice, Sara Bareilles
-this summer so far: sunny, with a side of storm (both figurative and literal descriptions)

My life, once again my own

Quick bullet post:

-YooHoo: world's greatest beverage. Just don't look at the ingredients.
-Braum's: world's greatest ice cream. Try the peanut butter cup.
-Kansas weather this summer so far: totally. utterly. wack.

Obligatory post about "Sorry, I didn't post"

I was very busy.

And I am still very busy. Posts will likely be very sporadic until such time as things in my life calm down a little.

Ahhhhh...

The slug-like viscosity of a brain doing nothing for three...whole...days....

Interspersed with a little bit of mental activity, but not much, I can tell you that.

The end

So it's over...

Right now, I'm so consumed by the hectic frenzy of packing, cleaning, and last minute to dos (insurance! lease renewals! utility bills! car registration!) that I haven't really been able to focus on the fact that the wild, crazy, amazing ride that I've been on since September is really over. As if to seal the deal, L., S., and J. left this morning, and it was an incredibly sad feeling driving by L.'s apartment, seeing her car sitting outside, but knowing that she wasn't there to hang out with.

It's been incredible, and knowing that it's ending is just a little too much for me handle right now. At least I've got a million and one things to do before I leave to take the stress of changing times, places, and faces off my mind.

Not to mention the nerve-wracking waiting game of grades that kicked off with the worst Con Law final in...well, ever.

Again...

Brown sugar meringue cookies — unbelievably airy and light, with the most fantastic brown sugar flavor.

Also: let's see how many different sweatshirts we can screen-capture me in. Here, I sport a lovely red zip-up, complete with baggy sweats and ratty ponytail.

So it begins

Tomorrow is my first final exam: Property. Then, in quick succession:

Monday—Contracts
Wednesday—Constitutional Law

I've been surprisingly calm so far and have managed to give myself relatively good pep talks that have prevented me from my customary every-other-day freak outs. This might be a sign of maturity, but don't worry — I'm on the look out for more indications that I'm a normal person and will report any such symptoms accordingly.

The third product (sort of)

This is what happens when you make a French Silk pie and don't remember to take a picture of it before...well, you know.

The second product

Key. Lime. Pie.

The first product

DOUBLE WONDERFUL!

I have the most amazing friends anyone could ever ask for—tonight they threw me a surprise birthday party!

Because my birthday is during the summer and we're all scattered around the country, they were super sneaky and L. got me to E.'s where they all jumped out and surprised me with a scavenger hunt, which took me around the entire grad housing complex and then back to the apartment where...

...

...

...a PINK KITCHEN-AID MIXER was waiting for me, wrapped beautifully in pink paper! And accompanied by a pink card!

AMAZING!

This was followed by an absolutely lovely dinner of pasta primavera and a fantastic dessert of molten chocolate cake, all lovingly prepared by E. I just do not have words. TWO surprises in one weekend! TWO!

THE CAPS ARE GOING WILD! AND THE EXCLAMATION POINTS TOO!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH, GIRLS!

Won, Wonder, Wonderful

On Thursday, T. surprised me by showing up on my doorstep unannounced. It was unbelievable, amazing, and one of the best things anyone has ever done for me. My spirits lifted from "finals-down-in-the-dumps" to "OH MY GOD HE IS HERE." I can't even describe it, it was so incredible.

Then we got food poisoning (or stomach flu, but I'm betting on the food poisoning b/c the symptoms seem to line up).

While the whole dehydrated, can't-keep-anything-down feeling was not the highlight of the last few days, at least we had each other. Basically, we were sick together and I'm not even exaggerating—being sick with T. was better than being OK on my own. He's gone now, and I really miss that guy.

But nothing will take away the sheer and utter ecstasy I felt when I opened that door and saw him smiling at me...just thinking about it makes me feel wonderful.

Getting through it

This might certify me as a little bit nutty (or at the very least, kind of eccentric), but having Maurice around really makes things a lot better. It's kind of nice to look over and see him swimming around in his tank. Also, whenever I use the coffee table to type (i.e., now), he comes over to the side of his tank nearest me and chills out. I like to think he wants to be near me, but I'm pretty sure it's just that he likes seeing motion, instead of the inanimate objects he's stuck looking at all day. I haven't gone so far yet as to leave the TV on just for him. Let's hope I never get there....

Also, S. made a request that I put a quote on her blog. Because it is embarrassing, I'm not gonna. But I've mentioned it! So I'm sure that counts for something.

(Not) studying

I'm back from a wonderful weekend, and now the fun really starts. If I can manage to motivate myself, I might actually make it through this finals week with my dignity and peace of mind intact.

We'll see about that...

Flu

I don't think I need to say anything more, nor do I have the energy.

A delayed, but no less dedicated, weekend post

I might be narcoleptic, but I never let sleep get in the way of a good time.

Last weekend, we (aka les girls) all went out with two of L.'s friends, St. and M., both of whom are rollicking good times. We also went out with J. and R. (hey guys!) and I promised I would write a blog post about our evening. So here it is!

After hanging out at at the c-house for a little (see, I'm even using the lingo) I fell asleep, probably for a solid 30 minutes, while everyone else probably made fun of me. No matter! I (wo)manned up, got into that cab, and made it to Finny's, where I proceeded to dance, play photohunt, and stand around with the best of the non-sleepers. That's right. I rock.

The disadvantages of sleep deprivation

-Frequent and deep-seated urges to nap, wherever I am, throughout the day.
-An inability to fall asleep at night, because of those naps
-The perpetuating cycle

I'm spiraling out of slumber control...

I'm it

I've been tagged by Sales Rack Raider to do this survey. No time like the present to put off another Con Law reading!

Also, this is the first meme I've ever been tagged for. Chalk one up for me!

8 Things I'm Passionate About
1) Reading/books
2) Shoes (is it sad that this is so high on the list?)
3) Friends/family/pets
4) Satisfaction and a job well done
5) Good food (and learning what isn't good food during my many experiments)
6) Changing the world! Someday.
7) Trying to be a good person
8) De-stressing and organizing my life

8 Things I want to do before I die
1) Visit all 50 states
2) Have a dog (or dogs) of my own
3) Learn to play the guitar (for real)
4) Be published
5) Catch and cook a fish
6) Start an organization/charity/foundation/scholarship/etc
7) Master that tennis backhand
8) Ski the Alps

8 Things I say often
1) LIES!
2) No
3) Yes (I realize that these are cop-outs)
4) Duck
5) Tell me what it is (in response to surprises)
6) Really?
7) Hooray!
8) I'm hungry.

8 Books I've read lately
1) Constitutional Law: Cases in Context
2) Property
3) Problems in Contract Law
4) Little Women
5) Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife (P&P sequel)
6) 100 Years of Solitude
7) Pride & Prejudice
8) Perspectives on Property Law

8 Songs I can listen to over and over again
1) "I take my chances" by MCC
2) "Why walk when you can fly" by MCC
3) "World on Fire" by Sarah McLachlan
4) "The Long Way Around" by the Dixie Chicks
5) "Sire of Sorrow [Job's Sad Song]" by Joni Mitchell (as rearranged on Travelogue)
6) "Let me touch you for awhile" by Alison Krauss
7) "Jesus, Etc." by Wilco
8) "Galang" by M.I.A.

8 Things that attract me to my best friends
1) Their senses of humor
2) That they understand my sense of humor
3) Intelligence
4) Generally, they're nice people
5) Loyalty
6) Personality and character
7) Willingness to lend a hand (to anyone)
8) Ability to laugh at themselves

A musical longing

I've watched about half a dozen movies this weekend alone, and I've come to the realization that what my life is missing, that intangible something that adds depth to both emotion and whimsy, is an orchestral score. Just imagine — it would boost me in my triumphant moments, render my blue days heart-felt and full-bodied, and give me quick way to zip through the more boring parts of life.

My life needs a score. Preferably something with delicate violins, low-throated cellos, melodic piano interludes, and a robust choral rendition of Handel's "Hallelujah," to be sung at the conclusion of this semester's finals.

Life, bulleted

-Barrister's Ball. Fun, fancy dress, food only ok, left-the-curling-iron-on panic attack. So, altogether normal for any near-formal event requiring me to get dressed up.

-Trivia Night. Team Hamstar comes in NOT LAST. WOOOOOHOOOO.

-My hair. Thanks to L.'s timely intervention I've been using conditioner for the last few weeks and really seeing a difference. Who knew that changing up a daily cheap shampoo-rub-blow dry regimen could have such a difference!?

-Lexie is due for her 20,000 mile service. Already. WHERE DO I DRIVE THAT I KEEP GETTING SO MANY MILES?

-Sitting in the lounge and someone is playing music on a computer. Annoying. No interest in hearing Michelle Branch's latest oeuvre at this time, thanks.

-This drives home how boring my life really is — studying is the pinnacle of excitement around here and when a good episode of Friends is on...boy howdy, you better watch your back! All sort of craziness going on!

Maurice and various accoutrements

Today I put a castle in Maurice's tank and while it seems a little massive for his little appartement, he seems to really like it! He's been swimming around and under it, coming over to check it out, having a grand old time. What a smart fish. And what a sad, sad life.

Pets are like their people

Ergo, Maurice is weird.

I just watched him swim around and around, lalala, and then settle so that his head is under one of the leaves of the plastic plant and then — I swear! — fall asleep. Instantly.

Witness:



And, 5 minutes later:




My fish is awesome! And possibly narcoleptic.

HOORAY IT'S OVER!

I have done my oral argument and it is over and it is done and I am done and HOORAY!

Say it with me now: IT'S OVER!

Reflections on long car rides, new shoes, and summer jobs

Back from Easter weekend, spent in Alpena with Tom and his family. Mostly, I did nothing but sleep, eat raspberry cobbler, and work on a puzzle. We also paid a visit to the Alpena mall (always an exciting venture) where there are even fewer stores than the first time I visited (which I thought was an impossibility, seeing as the last time there were maybe 11 stores and now there are...oh...9?) Claire's is still a happening hotspot though. It's good to know that the tweens of Alpena aren't suffering from lack of Day-glo plastic jewelry and fake tattoos.

I also bought new shoes this week (something that hasn't happened in a while, so pat me on the back)—gold shoes to go with my dress for Barrister's Ball and nice black pumps. I'm excited!

I have also managed to procure summer employment, and I am excited beyond belief. Amazing! And here I thought I was going to have to put on the $5 dollar large pizza sandwich board and dance around outside of Little Caesar's. Pluses: I get to live at home (save $$, be around family, play with doggies all summer). Minuses: No Guns Allowed in the McDonald's playplace.

(No) Maurice, Day 2

Due to many commitments (brief, class, brief, homework, brief) I have not been at home all day. Normally this would be fine (actually, it is fine) but I'm actually starting to worry about Maurice, which is either a sign of great caring or great insanity on my part. I know he's a fish, and hardy, and all that blah blah, but I am worried that he is too cold because it's been cloudy today, or that he's hungry and I'm not there to feed him his permitted single flake of food, or GOD FORBID what if he's somehow worked out a way to open the lid of his tank and jumped out and is flopping around on the coffee table, helpless? OR WHAT IF A CAT GOT IN AND ATE HIM?

I realize that the likelihood of any of these things happening is about the same chance that he'll somehow work out an effective plan for world domination, but it could happen. I saw Pinky and the Brain. I know all about small animals and big plans.

Maurice, day 1

I've spent half an hour today just making sure Maurice is ok—checked and changed his water, watched him wiggled around the plant, trying to encourage him to eat. I think I'm becoming unhealthily attached to something that doesn't remember me for longer than 20 seconds (as L. pointed out yesterday). But I don't get it! WHY DOESN'T HE EAT!? IS HE OK!?


I'm losing it.

Also introducing...

For the first time on this website, despite her cuddly presence in my life for the last 6 months or so:



Toby Suzannatolian Shepherd Doggie

She lives down the block in L.'s apartment and is just the sweetest, most peach-like girl you will ever meet. Unfortunately the first time Honeycomb and Lucky met her they were macho bad boys and scared her off. However, now that they're gone, the Tobe is free to roam the wilds of my apartment. I think that for her, it's sort of like visiting a fun neighbor's house. Who has lots of cookies. And will let you jump on her couch.

Introducing...

Maurice Delgado Murphy

So named for the following reasons:
1. Maurice, because I think he could be a Frenchman
2. Delgado, because he looks like a flamenco dancer
3. Murphy, because I get the sense that he's down to earth.

I'm glad to bring him home because it'll be nice to have something else around, even if that something is just a scaly, inscrutable Betta Splendens that can't talk back or even perk its ears (do fish have ears?). However, I'm pretty sure that when he flicks his fin like that, he means "I completely agree with you," and when he swishes his tail like this, he means "I know. What were they thinking!?"

Unlocking the solution

The key, I've decided, is organization. I suffer from a massive problem right now, which is complete and utter overload — I'm constantly surrounded by piles and piles of mail, stacks of books and papers, mountains of clothes that need to be washed and dried, towers of clothes that have already been washed and dried but still need to be put away, etc. I can never find anything when I need it, and am always tearing the cabinets apart and throwing things everywhere in a frenzied search for something that ends up being right in front of me.

It's all finally come to a head. I can't stand it anymore. I'm making a conscious effort to be more organized — today I sorted the mail, filed it, and bought a shredder to get rid of the junk that's been clogging my apartment (and my life, come to think of it) since I moved in. I'm going to try and work out a laundry system to keep things going efficiently. Most importantly, I really want to do this for myself, because I just feel so much better when things are neat and I can find what I'm looking for. I'm not quite there yet, but acceptance is half the battle, right?

Hopefully that's true, and my body won't be found buried under a landslide of circulars and credit card applications at the end of the semester.

Peer pressure, or They Made Me Do It

L. and J., merciless and hard of heart, have forced me to empty my trash.

While I do feel a faint, Zen-like sense of emptiness, I also have some latent terror that one day, not so far in the future, I will miss that map of the University of Wisconsin campus that I downloaded a year ago and deleted. Not that I can just go back to the website and redownload it, or anything.

The problem of the trash

I've had my computer now for over 2 years, and in that entire time I have never been able to bring myself to empty the trash can. I've gone through the dozens (possibly hundreds) of files several times, reconfirming that yes, this is trash, and no, I will not miss any of these things. Since moving things to the trash I have never, not once, restored a file. And yet, I cannot just empty the trash!

Something about the finality of clicking that button, and then clicking the button that says "Are you sure you would like to empty the trash? This cannot be undone." just scares the crap out of me.

I feel sure that on the day I can empty the trash, I will have achieved a whole new level of personal growth. I'm just not sure when that day will come.

Back, and not looking back

I'm back from Spring Break, and while the relaxation and (tons! of shopping!) other refreshing activities helped get me up and running for the next long haul to finals, I've also done a little bit of evaluation. To wit: changing up my diet a little bit. Eating regular home-cooked meals made by Mom, including vegetables and fruit, etc., made me realize how much better I feel when I eat instead of continually snack. So I'm trying to make it work, and also incorporating more green, plant-type-stuff into my daily food schedule. Also, I've taken the first step to feeling more energetic and cutting down some of the weight I've gained from the first semester—swimming! L. and I went swimming this morning, just for 15 or 20 minutes, and while it was by no means an intense workout, it was a baby step to what hopefully will become a healthy routine.

I read an article while I was at home that was about New Year's Resolutions, but it did strike a chord with me. The crux of the argument was that if you want to make something different in your life—whether it's your weight, or just your diet, or if you want to get a promotion, etc., the most important thing to realize is that you have to change. You can't stay the same and expect a different result.

I think I've wasted a lot of time trying to achieve goals that require me to make a change by thinking I could stay the same, or even accomplish them while altering my life only minimally. So I'm not looking back anymore—change is good. And I'm on my way.

Obligatory post about wow there's a lot of snow

Yes. There is a lot of snow. My boots are getting a workout and I think I will have to invest in a new pair if I'm going to make it through two more winters like this—the ones I have now are slowly giving way.

Spring break approaches, and I will be heading to my [not-so-native] home in Kansas, where I will hopefully sleep a lot, eat a lot, enjoy the not-as-cold-or-snowy weather, and hopefully squeeze in some study time, seeing as I have a midterm and an oral argument when I get back, not to mention exams that will be upon me before I know it.

I've also realized that I am shamefully non-observant. There are a bajillion (well, not that many) 1Ls walking around the lawschool that I swear just transferred in, because I don't even recognize them from walking in the hallways. Case in point: there's a girl who sits behind me in Property that I have never seen before. At first I thought she was an admitted student sitting in on a class, but I think that when you bring a computer to the same class four times in a row and take notes, you're probably an actual student.

Sick

Ugh, being sick sucks. I've finally caught the bug that seems to have been making its rounds among all law students. Unfortunately, somehow this sickness has manifested itself in the form of sheer exhaustion, sore throat, and a strange, uncomfortably hot feeling whenever I wake up. Also I've been queasy. Gross.

Another bad side effect: stupid little things set me off. Today I got all worked up because the cafe at school raised the price of a bagel from 99 cents to $1.29. It actually made me really upset. This was just one indication, as L. said: pants that are cranky. I can't believe I got all hot and bothered about a bagel. But I just couldn't bring myself to pay so much a bagel that didn't even come with cream cheese. So instead I ate pretzel sticks from the vending machine. That's me, sticking it to the man.

The difficulties of being a study-eater

You end up consuming enough food in one day to power a small village, and you feel guilty about it so you dance around your apartment in an aerobically motivated frenzy in an effort to shed those extra 10,000,000 calories.

Spring can't come soon enough. I need some motivation to get outside.

Money can't buy me love

This Valentine's Day, T and I have decided to go by the no-gift policy, partially to bolster our ever-shrinking-student-budgets and mostly because we get more pleasure out of each other's company. Unfortunately, T won't be in town for the big day, but we spent a very relaxing weekend simply hanging out, eating a lot of food, and playing a lot of rummy. We also watched Elizabeth: The Golden Age, and while I still retain respect for Cate Blanchett, I have to say that it didn't really impress me as much as I hoped it would—too many unnecessary prison scenes, and too few naval battle montages. I also acquired 4 previously viewed DVDs from the video store, and I have to say I'm really happy with my purchases—seasonal depression has had enough of an effect that all I want to do is stay burrowed in my blankets (in fact, this is how I do most of my homework nowadays) and having a good movie on in the background helps further my hibernating tendencies. Money might not be able to buy me love, but it does a decent job of getting me a two-hour Sofia Coppola fix.

The craziest of crazy nights, in ways more than one

Friday night in South Bend=strangely surreal.

Last night, myself, L., M., S., and E. took it upon ourselves to hang out at S.'s before heading out to hit the local hotspots (read: bars playing Journey and Hannah Montana, all in the same evening). We play a crazy game of Fork/Spoon/Cow/Horse (Is that what it's called?) and medicate with our various libations: me with tequila, S., M., and E. with v/t, and L. with a carefully selected six-pack of Miller Lite. Lest his role be forgotten, T. was also there, and definitely earned his role as driving champion of the night.

After S.'s, we head straight to Finny's, a SB watering hole known for its stringent double-ID standard and not much else. Here comes the back story.

Recently, a M.E. had caught the attention of L. (and consequently, of everyone in our group). After a few days of diligent girlfriend reconnaissance, L. made first contact and extended (possibly the most smooth, nonchalant, EVER) invitation to join all of us out tonight. Keep in mind, this is less of an invitation and more of a "Here's the info, come out if you want to." L. has skills that few possess.

Because of their brief acquaintance, L. had not expected M.E. to come out, especially since he had previously told her that he almost never went out on Friday nights. However, hope springs eternal and the girl posse loaded up in hopes that M.E. would break his boring-non-Friday streak and come out. We place the chance of seeing him at somewhere between 5-10%.

Certain discussions are had, and S. ends the evening in a very strange place—just as strange as L., who, while deep in discussion with me about M.E., turns around to find him standing two feet away from her.

OMG OMG OMG!!!
This is the reaction of everyone as soon as we find out. I almost fall down, I am so surprised and excited; M. and S., once they realize M.E. was in the hizzouse, probably feel the same way. L., however, is possibly the smoothest woman in the world, and swallows the urge to jump up and down clapping her hands. She gets into an animated conversation with M.E., and then all of M.E.'s friends. Meanwhile, S. and I are running interference for L. with our other friends, all of whom seem compelled by a simultaneous urge to talk to her. I think we did our job well, because before we knew it L. and M.E. were deep into what looked like a very interesting conversation.

Because he came with a group, M.E. ends up leaving sooner than we'd have liked—however, what he did and when he left means nothing because HE CAME OUT!!! And we had it from the source that he never did Fridays, and thus his appearance signaled more than a little interest in L., at least to our eagle eyes.

Following all of this excitement, S., L., and I (M. and E. having left earlier) load up and got on our way home. S. and L. decide to make a night of it, so we swing by S.'s to she can grab her toothbrush, and are on our way back to L.'s when S. gets a call from S.C., asking her to come and pick him up so they can talk. We head back to Finny's, which is in the same direction as S.'s apartment, only to realize that he has actually gone back to his apartment. We turn around, drive to S.C.'s apartment, pick him up, bring him back to S.'s so they can talk, and turn around again and take L. home. T., who has been driving the whole time, provides some much needed common sense as L. and I proceed to do nothing but squeal and laugh and scream about OMG HOW EXCITING M.E. CAME OUT TONIGHT OMG!

Thus ended our night—at 3:30 a.m. Like I said...surreal. But last night was one of those nights that will go down in the annals of history, if for nothing more than the sheer fact that HE CAME OUT OMG OMG HE CAME OUT!

No time, but still time

Thus far, this semester is kicking my butt. The class schedule is staggered very strangely, and as a result makes it much more difficult to evenly distribute the workload. As a result, I end up doing reading for all my classes in one night, and in addition to this Con Law definitely is giving me the mental runaround.

However! I am determined. So I'm still caught up, and I feel like I might actually even be learning things. But it will become important for me to start synthesizing things soon, before the concepts I learned in the first week float out of my mind completely; the outlining begins early this semester, if everything goes as planned.

It felt good to get this out of my mind. Seeing it in writing just reinforces my conviction that improved time management is the key to a sane, successful semester.

Now back to work.

Hotchacha

Oh. My. God.*


Perfection does exist!


*Snaps to Kristopher Dukes for posting about these.

Life, boring.

I wish I had something to write about, but I definitely don't. My life is boring and routine.

A few new things, interesting to no one but me:

-bowling team set and named. Now all I have to do is figure out the shoe situation.
-freezer full of food. I feel very pioneer-like with my frozen leftover chili and spaghetti sauce.


Wow. My life really IS boring.

Nothing to report

It's a little disconcerting to realize how routine my life really is. Despite any illusions that I am fully capable of spontaneity, excitement, and the occasional impulse buy, my days are beginning to seamlessly blend into the same sort of rhythm: school, study, sleep, interrupted by bursts of eating, checking my e-mail, and dancing around my apartment in a vain attempt to shake and shimmy off the holiday weight.

I wish my life was a little less predictable and mundane, and a little more full of the small details that make the lives of everyday people more interesting: overnight trips to big cities, a windowsill garden, fresh flowers and newly baked bread. At the same time, it's so much easier to know exactly what I'm going to do the moment I wake up—the persistent habit of a comfort-seeking list-maker, who delights in surprises but has little time or energy to devote to cultivating them.

So there's nothing to report on the horizon. I am stranded on a tropical island of my own making (NOT desert—I do not understand why people always reference the "desert island." It seems a little counter-intuitive to assume that an island, by nature surrounded by ocean, should be desert [unless it's at one of the poles]). And there are no ships on the horizon—at least, none that are due to come in sight before next weekend, when a certain birthday boy will make the long and arduous trek to the Bend for a blissful birthday weekend.

Back in the game

Honestly? I just hit the ground running and my knees are really sore.

I've yet to get back in the swing of things, so reading/taking notes/etc is a little harder than I remember it being, not to mention the mountains of post-vacation laundry that I'm facing. A few things that are making it easier:
-seeing my friends again
-therapeutic cooking
-my new old (old to me but new for this apartment) stereo (do people still use the word stereo?) that I just hooked up to my bedroom. Now I have access to music no matter which floor I'm on. Sweet.

Besides that, I'm just trying to keep up with the flow, and some interesting new developments (i.e., handwriting my notes for con law, figuring out a new note-taking system, and the necessary evil of introductory chapters) are providing just enough spice to keep things interesting.

Here's to a great semester.

New

Resolutions, for me, have never been as, well, resolute as I'd like them. Lines of good intentions, whimsical beliefs that this year would be the year that I'd simultaneously pull straight As, keep my bedroom neat and spend less money on shoes. Never happened.

I'm not sure if my failure to keep said resolutions stem from the fact that they were overambitious — I mean, could it really be possible to ALWAYS hang my sweaters up, get an A on every exam, and be expected to resist that pair of patent leather Mary Janes? I don't think so.

So this year's resolution is relatively simple, and encompasses a lot of what I want to accomplish but with little fanfare. This year, I'm going to strive to waste less time — instead of half-heartedly dedicating myself to something, I plan to throw myself in full force. Either full work, or full play, because I've learned that diluting them often results in less fulfilling achievement.

So, 2008, here I come. I plan to waste less time. And, let's face it — spend a little less money on shoes.

Especially since I got those patent leather Mary Janes for Christmas.

Happy New Year, everyone.