Last Day Of July - north with family

Today is Saturday, and today was a good day.

We woke up fairly early (my grandma made us english muffins with eggs, ham, and cheese) to meet family and head over to the cabin. On our way, we grabbed the beer, food, and ice. The place is really nice inside, as we noticed right away, and we made ourselves at home quickly. The view is incredible! --considering I haven't had a good view like this in a while. We did some reading, chatting, and eating, but my favorite part was the kayaking. We're in a little bay area, so I could easily try it out in there. I went back and forth with a huge grin on my face. I plan to venture out more later this week.. I hear the view is even better beyond where we can see. So yeah, we stayed until a bit ago, and I decided to come back to the house with my mom and grandma to try to get some homework done. If I had slept better last night (usually takes a few nights to get used to a new place), I might have stayed up at the cabin. Luckily, the house should be nice a quiet tonight :) OH, and get this... it was a high of about 74 today. It's in the 50s now. I have been in jeans and long sleeve shirts for the last part of the day! Luckily, during the day it warms up enough to enjoy the dock and the water. However, later this week should be in the lower 80s, so bring it on!

Hope you all had a great July and... tomorrow, Hello August!

Home Away From Home

A yummy breakfast...

And a GREAT view of the water...

Excited to be here...

And acting goofy with family...

Good Stuff.

PS: OMGWTFBBQ I FINISHED ONE OF MY CLASSES!!!!!!!

Untitled

A day-long trip can be exhausting.

Believe me.

I drove the first 6 hours, my brother took over for another 5, and my mom finished off the last hour. We stopped for a nice lunch along the way, which we never usually do, and it was a nice change. We arrived here around 7 30 I believe, and we sat around with family until midnight. I can always tell where I get most of my personality when I'm with this family. They are the most story-telling, face-making, goofy-funny, opinionated group I know of, and I love it!

But I am exhausted.

I slept considerably well since it was the first night, and we had a nice, big breakfast that Grandma always makes for us. Now we await the arrival of my uncle who I haven't seen in 12 years or so, and his wife, and tomorrow at noon we can go to the cabin.

I'm hoping to make it to my favorite bookstore today or tomorrow for some quiet time.

For now, I'll go do some homework, so hopefully I can play all week.

Achhhdhdhchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhkkkkk

That's the only word (yes it's a word) for this day!!

I know I'm great under pressure but dang, I have done a ton of stuff today.

Thought my car got towed. Technically it did, but they just moved it to another lot. Ate Chinese food. Moved stuff from old apartment. Cleaned old apartment. Sweated. Some homework. Paid old last rent. Paid new first month's rent for new apartment. Called electric to pay bill. Helped kitty/dog. Got a friend to agree to take care of kitty while we're gone. Got gas. Packed for my trip.

To do tonight:

Finish packing
Get help moving desk to road because I didn't have the man power
Pay cell bill
Buy Microsoft Word
Give friend key and explain kitty medicine
Pack my stuff and the dog
Drive 3 1/2 hours home
Go on a drive with the brother ('cause he wants to show me his new ride)

SLEEP!!!!!!!

To do tomorrow:

Wake a 5 am or so and drive 12 hours to a wonderful place.

(The little hamster in my head is running in crazy, crazy circles)

Struggling.

 How I feel today:

 
I'm really struggling with negativity today as I try to get all my work done. I think it's more about just being exhausted. Last night I noticed my cat had a really swollen paw, so I called at about 1 am to make sure it wasn't an emergency (I researched it for a bit, and in some cases, it can be). The vet said to just come in the next morning and to leave her in a small room so she couldn't hurt herself. Turns out, she has some sort of small bacterial infection they think, so she has to where one of those neck guards and take meds for a few days. The dog has also been acting a little strange... her digestive system has been a bit off, which we thought would go away by now. Hopefully she'll get better so we don't have to take her to the vet too. : /

Here's how poor Ava looks today: (It's okay to laugh)

The exam I'm working on seems pointless. After doing an entire class on reading, I have to simply write 10 strategies I learned in the course. I've already done this 500 times for each assignment of the class. I just feel like I'm repeating myself again and it's exhausting. Basically tomorrow will be my day for the methods class. I'll need to take breaks so I don't go crazy, but I will basically be bringing my work with me on the trip.

Other than that, I'm simply tired. Maybe I'll actually sleep on the 12 hour drive.

*getting up to make another pot of coffee*

Good Golly Miss Molly

I did a research paper last night, and got a 100 on it. I guess she's just grading for turning it in on time or something. I also took an exam. I was up until around 1:30 am, only to wake up to have breakfast with good friends. Today I have been cleaning the guys' apartment and moving more boxes across town. The apartment is a catastrophe. I'm now about to finish the class project and turn it in. Later I'm going to take the final exam for the reading class and do the last project. I will then be DONE with the reading class!!!! This is all very confusing to you readers, I'm sure, because it's just my ramblings on boring school work topics. THEN, I will just have my exceptional learners class and the methods class. Methods MUST be DONE by Wednesday. Can you believe it? I'm going to do an entire class in like, three days. It's the hardest one, too. I leave on Wednesday, though, so it's just GOT to happen. Maybe I won't write about schoolwork anymore after that!
: D

In other news, I got a one-week job (or at least it's very likely I'll get it) near the end of the summer for some extra work. It's a retail position, so I'm hoping they'll like me and keep me around for the year. I need any extra I can get.

homeworkhomework

I think part of me kind of left the earth for a few days and forgot that as days pass, homework due dates get closer and closer. Here I am, trying to finish an exam, a project, and a paper all in one night! I was supposed to go downtown tonight to hang out with friends who are in town, but instead I sit. It's quite pleasant, though, especially with the presence of my cat and dog.

In other news, we still have a lot of unpacking to do (if you can believe it), boxes to move (yes, still), a desk to give away (thank God), and I'm leaving in less than a week. Rockin!

Luckily I am still having fun such as: Pool today with the girls, breakfast tomorrow with everyone, a visit with my dad and brother yesterday, dog dates, etc. Life is good.

July 22, 2010

Number three is the best, but I'm keeping it for added suspense til last.. NO DON'T LOOK NOOoowwwww:

#1 Happy Birthday Dana!!! My best friend of 10 years.

#2 I had my first dog date today! A dog showed up at my sliding glass door wanting to play with Sadie, so I stepped out with her. The two girls with their dogs apologized, but I insisted that it was perfectly alright. I let Sadie off her leash, the dogs ran like fools for an hour or more, and I got to get to know some neighbors around the area! It was really fun, I've got to admit.

#3 I'm engaged to my best friend! Let the good times roll. (Details at a later date.)

Video Time

Sleepy

I await the moment I will be able to drift away to a sleepy serenity tonight. Right now, there's a ton of noise coming from upstairs. It sounds like a group of loud men yelling and walking quickly back and forth, over and over again. I just want to go up there and tell them to calm down.

Instead I write...

The rest of my day went well after the coffee house. I helped a friend find a nice outfit for his conference next week--black polo and khakis. As much as I hate khakis, we found a nice pair (Dockers rule!!). Also, as much as he hates dressing up, he looked very nice.

We drifted to Barnes and Noble where I amped up my motivation to keep reading, and I bought another book: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. It's one of the books on the list for student teaching. The first impression for me is that I really need to begin working on it, because it's a cultural book with a lot of strange words in it. I just know I'll pronounce them all wrong.

It was obvious to me today, however, how much I was lagging after a late night (definitely worth it) and a backache  at the coffee house (from natural life cycles). I just need a good massage and a fluffy pillow.

And the noise continues upstairs...

I'm escaping

to the local coffee house to do work. For some reason, the dog tore up the insides of one of my pillows, ate some wood and scattered the pieces on the floor, and slung papers everywhere. I picked up after her, even though I was frustrated that she was only left in the living room for about an hour alone to do all this nonsense. J left and I was sleeping--I guess he thought she'd be o.k. Then, I sang for a while to relax, and was quickly rid of any harsh feelings for the dog. So, I decided to be joyous with her and play with her rope for a bit. She actually knows "rope." I tugged and she tugged, I smiled and she drooled, I jumped and she -- OMG SHE WENT CRAZY. She raced back and forth in the living room, started jumping on me, scratched my foot a few times, jumped more, flung her little (actually huge) paws in the air over and over like she was swimming or something. I DIDN'T LIKE THIS AT ALL. So I sent her to bed and I got the heck outta there. The end.


***UPDATE: My friend came to the coffee house to meet me, and informed me that she just ordered me, along with herself, a three-year subscription to Real Simple magazine!!! She also brought me the newest one!!! Yessssssssssssss. Thank you, friend :)

 

You Don't Want To Know....

My list of to-do homework assignments, but I'm going to tell you darn it. It helps me feel less overwhelmed to make lists. This will be about the fifth list I've made... yes the same list.

Class #1: Reading

a. Course Project
b. Research Paper
c. Assignment D
d. Final Exam

Class #2: Exceptional Individuals

a. Family History Analysis
b. Exam Two
(just this week. More next week through Aug 12th)

Class #3: Teaching

a. Book Review
b. Unit Presentation - Lesson Plans
c. Classroom Management
d. Portfolio
e. Final Exam

This may not seem like a very large list, but I assure you the amount of work is large. The unfortunate (yet fortunate) part about the next two weeks is I'm going on a trip to see family, so I need to get all of these assignments done about two and a half weeks before they're actually due. The good thing is I'll be done early. The bad thing is, if I don't get them completely done, the cabin I'm staying in probably won't have wi-fi, so I'll have to spend my time away at a coffee house.

I'm not complaining, though, or trying not to. Everything works out for me usually, and I work best under pressure, so I'll get it done :) Wish me luck anyway, ok? Thanks.

PS: I saw Inception in the theater the other day. Although I would expect myself to love this kind of move (about dreams, psychology, intellectual stuff), I wasn't a fan. Let's just say, I'm only going to watch it again one day to figure it out, but honestly, if I don't figure it out I won't miss out. My favorite part was the ending--not saying I wanted it to be over, though I didn't mind, but the end was well-done. 

Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros

They should be called "Edward Sharpe and the MAGNIFICENT Zeros." First of all, if you don't know this band, LOOK THEM UP. They are better live, but you'll get the idea.

We started out around 1 pm on Saturday. I offered (and kind of demanded) to drive that day, so I was extremely excited. I also had to be alert the whole time though, so I was a little more serious than I might have been if I had been a passenger (though if I was a passenger, I would have been thinking ughhhh I'm a passenger and I would much rather be drivinngggg) -- so it all worked out perfectly. Anyhow, the show didn't start until 9 pm, but we stopped along the way for some snacks, and ate dinner at a great diner when we got into town. They had a simple chicken salad sandwich that was just what I wanted. I didn't feel sick or anything that night! :)

While looking for a bar, we stopped at an ATM on the sidewalk. My friend thought the machine took his debit card, so he and Laurie waited around to call the bank. Josh and I decided to explore a couple of blocks, because from the looks of it, there was a beautiful garden with a view of a river and pretty green grass at the bottom of the hill. Unfortunately, when we actually got there, we discovered it was actually the home for all home-less people. I have to admit to feeling rather out-of-place, as much as I want to feel comfortable around everyone. Let's just say I've had some strange experiences in big cities, and I didn't want to mess with my bad luck. Oh, and there was no garden or river, though there was green grass. In that moment, I preferred the streets and tall buildings, so we ventured back to our friends. PS: The debit card was in his wallet the whole time.

THE SHOW WAS AMAZING. I don't really know how my strictly scattered brain will tell you details without sounding crazy. The music was incredible. The only problem was they took a break for about... FOREVER. It was definitely worth the wait. Laurie and Brian sat back against the wall to enjoy the show from a distance, while Josh and I went to the front to dance. It was a hippie dancing party full of sweat, jumping, singing, and lifted hands. I let the music move me and didn't think about anything else.

When the band left the stage, I was pretty much devastated. I didn't want it to end... but neither did anyone else. We all cheered and stomped our feet while the lights stayed out until finally the band came back to do one last song. The main singer, Alex, came down into the crowd. I hadn't noticed at first, but Josh started pushing me (nicely) to get closer. We edged our way up about two to three people away from him. I felt a little crazy when I reached for him one time, but I tried to refrain from that and simply watch him. The singer decided to sit to sing us the last song (in the middle of the crowd, yes), and asked us to do the same. Josh and I were included in the circle of about a fifteen foot circumference around Alex that sat down...... alllll over each other. It was hilarious. I sat on Josh, unfortunately for him, but the person in front of me was on me, so what could a girl do? I have to admit, my feet were kind of DYING, but I was okay. He sang a really slow, beautiful song to us. Afterward, I wanted to talk to the guy, but I couldn't really catch his attention enough. The guy with the head band and face paint won, I'd say. He went back to the stage as I stared in awe, and the concert was over.

The ride home wasn't bad, and good company kept me awake. I was surprisingly alert, considering the time of the morning it was, but around the last half an hour, I was ready for sleep.

This concert reminded me how much I love to take road trips, and how much I absolutely, unconditionally adore music. It is what defines me as a human (besides my Creator), and I really need it.

Did I mention how lovely Jade was?

Next, this is a video I found on youtube of the concert. I can actually see my friends' heads in the back of the room. I think I found Josh and I up there somewhere.....

OH, but this blog isn't big enough for this particular sized video, so just click on it twice, and you can see the whole thing on youtube.

One of Those Days

Before I get to my post about the best concert I've ever been to, I just wanted to admit to having a bad day yesterday and also admit to being grumpy almost all day. I don't do well on lack of sleep, and considering I didn't get home until 4:30 the night before, and didn't sleep until far after that, the day didn't start out well. I woke up around noon after not sleeping well all morning. Let's just say this: the bed broke for no reason, the apartment was a wreck from moving, the dog busted my hand on my door because she took off when she saw the cat (my hand is finnneeee), and so on and so forth. I also poured cereal only to find that we did not have milk. Basically, I felt like I was losing my mind by the end of the day. I needed sleep. Today has been great, and the day before this bad day was super great, so it really doesn't make a bad dent in my life. However, I wanted to document it. Booooooo to bad days.

I Feel Old.

I bought a new laptop yesterday. It's an HP, and it's much, much lighter and smaller than my old computer. So far I'm loving it, but I'm also annoyed because it's so responsive that the mouse is a bit hard to use, as well as the keyboard (without hitting the mouse pad). I got a wireless mouse to use with it, as well as Photoshop (both photo and video editing), which I'm very excited about. The battery and internet and everything else works wonderfully. I will admit that I will miss my Dell Inspiron. Once I get used to something such as that old computer, I grow fond of it and don't worry about everyone around me and their new computers. I felt this way with my old camera too, but once I break and buy something new, I usually can handle it :) PS: The hard drive is something like 7X as big as my old one. haha.

Speaking of spending money on things, I just spent $40 to send my Praxis 1 Math scores to myself, so that I can get them to my college. That is a ridiculous amount of money for just one test score. I still have to take the Praxis 1 Reading and Writing, and the Praxis 2 English Content. The latter is the one I am least looking forward to. Luckily, in order to student teach, I just needed the math since I had a high enough score on the VCLA for reading and writing.

Basically getting old means I need more money means I need a (real) job means I have to become an adult.

Naps Are Not For Me

I have always hated napping.

I napped today for about 4 hours. What the heck?

The first time I woke up after about 45 minutes, I felt TERRIBLE, and I was so crabby. I had heartburn from the fairly greasy dinner I had earlier. My arm was killing me because I fell asleep while I was cuddling up with my cat for a minute or two. If I had known I would fall asleep, that cat would be un-cuddled!

I took a Tums, realized I didn't want to stay awake feeling that gross, and got in bed again. 3 1/2 hours later, I am awake, feeling better, but wishing I hadn't spent my time doing that. I'm not sure why I've been feeling so tired... dog, maybe?

The reason I usually hate naps is because of how groggy I feel when I wake up. Also, I just don't like sleeping during the day--especially when there's a nice sunset outside. I always feel like I'm wasting my time. I need to just get used to the idea, though, because I know a lot of people that like naps.

What's weird is that in probably two hours or three I'll be in bed again. Yuck.

Saturday, please get here!! I need to escape this little apartment for a while and drive long distances.

Much To Talk About

I talked to the teacher I will be working with as a student teacher, and I've got to say, she sounds open, cheery, and fun. This has definitely lifted a lot of weight off my shoulders, since I wasn't sure what she would be like. She informed me of the books we might be working with, with the 10th and 11th graders:

Of Mice and Men
Into the Wild
The Things They Carried
The Great Gatsby
The Crucible
Their Eyes Were Watching 
The House on Mango Street
Things Fall Apart
Persepolis
A Thousand Spendid Suns
Siddhartha
Antigone
Oedipus
Long Walk to Freedom

Also, I need to be able to teach World Literature and American Literature. I was hoping I could do British Literature, but whatever works is fine with me. I'll just make sure to prepare in advance.

Out of those books, I haven't read many, and I haven't heard of the rest. Thus, I begin today by reading The Great Gatsby, by F.Scott Fitzgerald. What's great is he also wrote This Side of Paradise, which I read this past semester and loved. Basically, I'm finding that I already like The Great Gatsby, so I've concluded that I also love this author's style of writing. His choice of words and phrases are fantastic, as well as the comedy he throws in every now and again. His characters just stick with me. This book brings me back to The Sun Also Rises, which I'm sure is completely different, however, Ernest Hemingway has a way with characters as well, and really setting the tone. First person really is the best, in my opinion, (and how I would write), so when there is a well-developed or interesting character taking the point-of-view, I stay pretty interested.

(Side note: my favorite character is Hemingway's novel was Brett. She was just awesome. Kind of like Scarlett in Gone With The Wind, or Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire. All of these women are the same.. it's that love/hate relationship thing, but they really know how to take the stage).

I'll let you know how I like the books as I read along, but for now, I move on to the next topic.

***UPDATE: I found The House on Mango Street at the thrift store today!***

My dog thinks she can eat squirrels through glass. Seriously. She has slammed her face against the glass door a couple of times, only to leave a drool stain of failure for the squirrel to laugh at. Chasing squirrels must have been a daily activity for her on the farm. I feel pretty bad that I can't let her go out to do so here, but I think I might just lose my dog. In other dog news, I find that if I take a long walk with her, she is too tired out to slam into glass, and she goes to sleep. Success!!

In other news.....

my friend Josh and I made mac n cheese last night. Finally, someone else who agrees that blue box Kraft is the bomb, yet agreeing that homemade was a better fit for the occasion. There are people that like Velveeta over Kraft, and those people are crazy. I also got some brownies to take home (ah-mah-zang). This may be strange, but I've noticed that chocolate and cheese are a great combination. I'm not saying you should melt some chocolate and dribble in on your piece of cheddar, but if you buy white cheddar popcorn, maybe try some m&ms on the side. Weird, I know... but for me, it seems to work.

INCUBUS. is probably my favorite band. evarrrrrrr. Regina Spektor and those amazing people are one person, so I'll just say that Incubus is different because they're a band, so they can be my favorite in the band category. Even if this is a bit far-fetched, it makes me feel less guilty about liking them over the other favorites I have--such as those that I really like to sing with. I was introduced this band by two guy friends are the same time and became a fan right away. The lead singer is not only good-looking in a really strange kind of way, he also sings ..... well I don't even know how to describe it. It's genius. I'll include a song below to listen to. Listen to the lyrics.

APARTMENT living has been pretty good so far. Is it better than the old apartment? Yes. I think it's quieter, though I'm not sure, because we heard music around midnight right.next.door the other night, which made me think we could be in for a loud year. Let's hope not. I'll just knock down their door and inform them that I am a student teacher and I need my sleep! And I'll bring my big scary dog, too.

CLEANING the apartmet and unpacking is probably my least favorite task as of lately. I've decided that tonight I am going to unpack at least a few boxes so that might living room seems larger. Also, I'm going to have to do laundry soon already, and I no longer have W/D in the apartment. Fortunately, it's not far at all. I also have laundry at my old apartment to do, which is why I have been wearing a lot of the same clothes recently. I'll have to get this stuff done soon. OH BUT WAIT I HAVE TONS AND TONS OF HOMEWORK AND READING. Growlroars.

This is enough for now, but expect more detail of why I like Fitzgerald's language, what else my dog does, an update on if my cat is still surviving, and maybe a new recipe or suggestion in blogs to come.

Education

I was talking to a friend today about education and the choices in what ethnic literature should be taught. There are classes out there that have Hispanic culture classes in schools, but don't offer others. They do this because of the amount of immigrants that have moved to the United States. A law was passed to get rid of these classes in Arizona because they didn't want people grouped based on ethnic status and divided from racial differences.

This is something I have to agree with. At first, it's like, "wait, the schools are racist and don't want us to talk about Hispanic culture??" but then you have to realize they have a good point. There probably aren't Japanese culture classes, or German culture classes as well. What I think is that there should be a variety of cultures described in a class, or at least more classes offered so there can be choice. I'm not sure if I agree with completely one-culture classes... maybe wait until college. These classes they banned were in grade schools, so at a young age, it could teach students about differences, but it could also create racism and separation. Interesting......the ethnic classes I've taken (or minority) have been my favorites, so I find them very important. Maybe they just need to include a variety in Arizona, or wherever they're silly enough to create such a narrow class.

This is why I want to be part of school reform one day... so I can hash this out with all the other opinions in the room. OR I could possibly avoid it all together, keep to my own opinions, and hash it out to my cat at home or the tree in my yard. That way, I wouldn't get involved in the mess of things.

--it's funny how I'm so opinionated sometimes, but yet I'm also the type of person who wants to come to a peaceful middle ground.... as long as I'm right. Kiddingggggggg. So I like to be right, but I also like to compromise. I just wonder how I would be as a person on the school reform board.--

Speaking of personality, I had to take this Keirsey Temperament Report Survey today for class. Now I have to go write about it, but I'll share my results with you first:

"Guardians are the cornerstone of society, for they are the temperament given to serving and preserving our most important social institutions. Guardians have natural talent in managing goods and services--from supervision to maintenance and supply -- and they use all their skills to keep things running smoothly in their families, communities, schools, churches, hospitals, and businesses.

Guardians can have a lot of fun with their friends, but they are quite serious about their duties and responsibilities. Guardians take pride in being dependable and trustworthy; if there's a job to be done, they can be counted on to put their shoulder to the wheel. Guardians also believe in law and order, and sometimes worry that respect for authority, even a fundamental sense of right and wrong, is being lost. Perhaps this is why Guardians honor customs and traditions so strongly -- they are familiar patterns that help bring stability to our modern, fast-paced world.

Practical and down-to-earth, Guardians believe in following the rules and cooperating with others. They are not very comfortable winging it or blazing new trails; working steadily within the system is the Guardian way, for in the long run loyalty, discipline, and teamwork get the job done right. Guardians are meticulous about schedules and have a sharp eye for proper procedures. They are cautious about change, even though they know that change can be healthy for an institution. Better to go slowly, they say, and look before you leap.

Guardians make up as much as 40 to 45 percent of the population, and a good thing, because they usually end up doing all the indispensable but thankless jobs everyone else takes for granted.

Guardians at Work
As a Guardian, you enjoy working as a valued member of a team, whether you are leading it or following a credible leader. You like to work with people who carry their weight. You appreciate having clear-cut responsibilities and being recognized for your dedication and achievements. Your natural traits are those that employers have traditionally valued - and that successful companies still respect. You are responsible and loyal to an organization once you've signed on.

In any environment, including your work place, you are usually focused on making people happy and facilitating harmonious relationships. You often lend "aid and comfort" by drawing on a combination of tradition, past experience, and the direction of established authority. In your ideal job, people would give of themselves and work toward the good of the group."

O.K., so yes, I'm trustworthy. I've always been the one for people to vent to or come to with problems/issues with family or friends. I am proud of this, and I do give good advice, or at least honest advice. However, I really don't think I care much about customs and traditions. I mean, sure, Christmas and holidays are fun, but other than that, I don't THINK I'm much concerned with traditions each year... I like to switch things up. As far as worrying about authority, I do when I'm in the schools, because I see how terrible students are treating teachers these days, and it really just pisses me off. Is it the video games!?? Sigh.. Anyway, I'm bored with this result thing, it's really not that accurate. Then they tell me to pay if I want to find out the rest of my personality... I think I'll just know for myself! 

The Visit.

(Drinking is fun, but the next day things move rather slowly for a while. Now I'm back to speed, sitting in a local food place grabbing some internet.)

This weekend has been awesome. My best friend came to visit, and we stayed busy almost the entire time. We went tubing, saw Despicable Me (so good!!), ate at the local Mediterranean joint, went downtown for a good hangout, went to the pool, etc. We also celebrated her birthday, which is in a week or so. Since I knew I wouldn't be able to visit her, I surprised her with cake and gifts. I'm not a perfectionist by any means, but I have to say this is probably the most interpretive cake I've ever made. It was made late at night after I moved all day. And I had to think creatively. Can you tell what name it is? I should really consider being a cake decorator. And I think I'm more confident in my making-my-own-wedding-cake idea. ;)

Tubing was great because she had never been before. The only thing was the amount of dragon flies that wanted to sit on us. It also began thundering near the end and raining once we got out to eat (3rd time this has happened. It's just bad luck I guess.)

We had fun taking pictures throughout the entire weekend, so here's a few more:

 Good memories are always made with her. 

(And the others, of course, but I don't have time to post more pictures!)

No Internet

I have successfully moved (most) of my stuff into my new apartment. It's a nice little place with a good view of the "yard"--the grounds which hold a basketball hoop, a grill, and a lot of nice grass. I'm at my old place right now eating internet while I still can. Not sure how long it will be before I get it at the new place. Let's just say I'm going to have to get creative with where I do the huge amount of homework I've been needing to (yes, still) catch up on. It piled up more now that I took about 4 days off to move.

A few downfalls so far:

1. The door lock was completely disfunctional. I barely got in to the place. They're going to change it I hope.

2. My cell phone service SUCKS!! I was NOT prepared for this problem AT ALL. I tried talking to my mom and it was a bit crackly. I'll pretty much have to stand by the door. If I wasn't stuck in a 2-year agreement with AT&T, I'd be switchin'.

3. I can no longer use the regular (cheap) internet and cable I've been using at my old apartment. We have to use some specific company... and the internet+cable package is still $100.00! That is insane. I'm used to paying $60.00 for both. I'm totally bummed. No more cable for me, probably. I guess I'll see how long I last. Thing is, my computer is too old to handle me watching hulu constantly... but maybe I'll be so busy I won't miss TV?

The GREAT things:

1. I love the den we have with this one-bedroom place. It's perfect for chillin out with my animals, doing work at the window, or watching TV (if this ever happens) on my mini TV if the other is hogged. Good stuff.

2. Location. I can pretty much get to a bookstore, coffee house, gas station, or grocery store in about two minutes. If I was still a student, I could also say the same for campus. Awesome. ALSO, I am now close to a lot of friends who live in the area. I will be able to bike to a couple of my friends' place in about two minutes. Very excited about that.

More later.... gotta get going to finish packing up more items.... like my cat for instance. Ciao!

Pictures of my New Shoes

These are my new, amazing, walking-on-pillows shoes that I got for running. I will begin doing this activity again once I am completely healed. I haven't felt this good about a new pair of shoes since the 6-year old shoes I bought there last time. I swear they're even better now--probably from all the foot work I've had done. I needed more support. Believe me, support is goooood.

The shoes, sans socks:

 

I woke up this morning thinking about

running across streets. I know for some this is a scary thing to do. For me, looking back, this has always been one of those awesome moments that you kind of want to last forever--just like running through a field, or down a huge hill where you're not sure your feet will stop in time before you fall into the lake OR running through a downpour. When I was little, I had a very steep front yard, and my best friend lived across the street. Each time I went to see her, I had this boost of excitement when I would race across the street. In high school, I would race down/across the street at any given time of the day or night to meet up with my boyfriend at the time. Last year in college, each time I got off the bus I had to race across the street because they hadn't put in a crosswalk yet. Yesterday, I followed my spontaneous friend across the street almost losing my shoes, but it felt fannnnntastic. It's that little moment of OMG AM I GOING TO DIE!? even though you know you're going to be just fine.

Photo by Dan

Great Video

Denial, Vietnamese Coffee, and Fireworks

I want to begin my post with the sadness of having to let go of my old CD player. It's the only thing I have that plays tapes (hey, what if I find my old childhood recordings??), and it still has the sticker I put on it when I was little. It was my first CD player--got it when I was in elementary school while living in my first house. It was a HUGE deal. I think I got Amy Grant and Backstreet Boys CDs that year. Don't judge me. The volume button takes a huge amount of effort to control, but it just makes me work for my pleasure (music), and that's okay I guess. Anyway, I've decided that I can't get rid of it completely, so it's going to live in the 'rents house for a bit. Here it is, in all its precious glory:

In other news, my friend gave me the tools to create Vietnamese Coffee, which I have decided is the best thing since the French Press, and the closest thing to expresso I can get in the comfort of my home. It's really easy to do, and it gives you that smooth goodness. Here are some pictures from my first attempt: 

Did I mention how great it smells?

Mmmmmmmmmmm.

Last night was July 4th, and I hope everyone had a great time. I had a very interesting, entertaining, and loud evening--filled with board games, beer, bbq food, music, and fireworks. I was pretty much set on seeing fireworks, as I am every year, but it doesn't always happen. This year it was perfect. We started hearing them from the apartment we were in, and since this town is pretty close together, we literally walked a few feet and watched the sparkly explosions from the road! Good times. We then decided to climb trees and sing the National Anthem, but that isn't important. Here are some pictures of the night:

Productive much?

Sometimes I will have random moments of intense activity... such as cleaning (such a woman, I know), writing (you get to witness this), singing (by myself with a cheap mic meant for chatting on skype.. lame!), or maybe even playing with my cat (this is not active for me, but she enjoys it).

Since I move in five days *gulp*, a few days ago, I had a few moments of packing that quickly turned into absolutely destroying my apartment. I pulled tons of mess into my livingroom, kind of organized, folded clothes, (left them on the table), and stored some plates on top of a laundry basket (what?). I know--disaster. And now, with my mind and the way it works, I feel completely overwhelmed in the thought of packing again. So there it sits.

 

Today I had a surprising amount of energy to finish up some school work I've been staring at for like, two weeks. It felt pretty good to send the teacher yet another one of her six page assignments, and I have another I want to do tonight. It doesn't seem like much, but when one assignment is six pages, it takes quite a while to finish.

On a couple of side notes:

-- My appetite has been rather strange lately. I felt soooo hungry this morning, only to get my amazing waffle with bananas and blueberries, and eat one quarter of it. I actually felt ill from it. About two hours later, I decided a bagel would suffice, so I grabbed one where I was working on homework. I ate half. I also had a strawberry frozen lemonade. Then, about three hours later (and after the pool), I was ravenous for a meal. I grabbed a few bites of chicken with a roll. Still, I used to eat more than this in a given day. Not sure what's up. Maybe it'll help me lose weight? I think it's the hot weather.
--Going to the farmer's market has me thinking one day I want to grow my own food in my own (beautiful) garden, next to my field of wildflowers. I want to have cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce at least, but I could add more. I also would love to grow a field of lavender (best smell ever, besides Old Spice), and have lots of little pots filled with herbs for my cooking masterpieces--or there lack of. I always knew I wanted a garden, because my grandma has one up north that is just amazing, but all I've grown are herbs. This will occur one day when I have a yard! 

Anyhow, I'm going to go make some coffee while my cat stares at me.

This is Ava.

If you want to laugh:

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/

I can't believe I've lived this long without knowing about this blog. This is the perfect distraction.

Muah hahaha

As you can see, I've been on my computer doing work ALL DAY, which means ample time for distractions online. This website is amazing. Enjoy: 

http://theoatmeal.com/story/twilight

 

...and for your visual pleasure:

 

 

And just one more thing...

http://lost.net.au/vic/?p=1535
 Ernest Hemingway kicking a can.
This pretty much made my day.

Check This Out

http://marvelouskiddo.blogspot.com/2010/06/one-family-thirty-years.html

Avoiding HW on a daily basis...

...is where my talent sits in life. Writing is one of the best ways to escape without feeling guilty. A few things are on my mind so far today:

1. Hospital bills from the surgery. I got one for just over $1100.00 today. After calling, I found out they hadn't put it through to insurance yet, so I can hope it will be covered. If not I'll do my best to pay and my parents will help. This makes me feel pretty bad, though, because my feet surgeries only 2 years ago (or around that time) came to over $8000.00--much more, I think. My parents and I had to do a payment plan to get it all worked out. Thank God I was let off of some of the remaining amount when I proved I had no money and was in college...not sure if I'll be able to put that off this time. On another note, I am very thankful the hospital saved my life, and the surgeon did her thing, but I still hate how they charge you for every. little. thing. I could never work as a nurse/doctor/anythingofthesort.

2. Books I want to read but can't. I bought To Kill A Mockingbird, Bird by Bird, and One Day, all of which look great. I read the first a long time ago, but I want to refresh my memory. The second is a part memoir part tips on writing, the life of being a writer, etc. It's written first person (my favorite) by a woman who grew up with a father who was a writer, then became one herself. The last is a romantic book (which I usually never go for), but it got high ratings in a magazine I was reading. What I've heard is that the author takes these two people and follows them one day of each year to see how their relationship progresses. They both go their separate ways, whether or not it was really what they wanted, yet they keep in touch--even after marriage, kids, etc. This book sounds amazing to me, but also heartwrenching, considering how much I think about how many possibilities there are in life, the reasons for deciding to do one thing or another, and relationship paths in general. It's interesting to see who comes and goes in and out of life and where they all end up going. Since I've been out of high school for god, five years now, I think about this more and more. I'm hoping this book will be like The Tiime Traveler's Wife, which made me swoon. I'm also hoping they have the same type of structure--dated, broken up--because my attention span lasts longer for books like these.

3. New York. My mom might visit NY this next week because my grandma has a problem with her jaw/teeth. My uncle has been helping a lot, but he also has to work a lot, and my aunt is out-of-town. My mom is 12 hours away, but she's the only other person that can really help. I wish I could go. I only see this family once each year (unless I made a second trip with a friend, which I am known to do), and they mean everything to me. I'm going up with family in August, and they rented a cabin on the river. It's going to be amazing. My other uncle from CA who I haven't seen in over 12 years will be there, too, which will make it interesting. Basically, I hope my grandma gets through this issue alright, I wish I could be there to help, and I'm wishing mom a good and safe trip.

Here are some pictures from New York over the years:

"How to kill a mockingbird"

From the title, I can imagine you are judging me for screwing up the title of a very well-known and loved novel. Judge away, because I definitely did. Yes, I was at the pool today, and I told my friend that I bought "How To Kill A Mockingbird." Really?? Yeah. I feel guilty, I do. I gotta say, though, I laughed my ass off, and so did she. I'm okay with getting things wrong if it causes an uproar of laughter.

I thought I was done being silly for the day. I then found a futon at the dumpster, and had the guys take it back to the apartment. The reason is because my mom wants to be able to visit, and with our small apartment next year, there's no space for bed #2. Futon it is. When I was discussing how we could clean it, I said, "Yeah, and we can even buy a new wrapper for it." Really?? Yeah. The sun must have made me crazy.

Lastly, my friend was using my computer, when she found a file that read, "menjustdate." She was rather confused by this, but I clarified that it meant "me n justin date." This day is just full of weird mistakes/confusion-- Sure is fun, though.

In other news, I sat poolside for a while, trying to rid myself of the V for Vendetta tan line from my bandeau bathing suit. I think it's starting to work...and now, I have to begin my dreaded school work that I continue to put off. Wish me luck?

Here are some pictures from my journey home: