Curse you, Electromagnetic Field!!!!

Mum and I have been having a rousing go-around about the stupid International Economics paper, right? So, I have about four paragraphs of free-write done and saved, I'm on a roll, I'm gonna get this done by Christmas. I saved it to a disk last night and went to open it on my cousin's computer (home is sounding a little hostile right now) and *plink* "This disk is not formatted." Seems that the four seconds my cell phone spent on top of my disks yesterday was just enough to erase it, with all of my papers for the last year, including my Capstone, which was the only one entirely saved in another place. *raging and gnashing (or is it knashing?) of teeth* Of course, all you ex-students and current students know what that means: ALL of the wind has been taken out of my sails. I CANNOT write about Venezuela now, CANNOT. Even though I know Marie would counsel me to just get all of the stuff out of my head and into the document, I keep thinking of the two brilliant opening sentences I had already crafted and which I'm not willing to spend a ton of money I DON'T HAVE (right now, maybe when I'm rich and retired) to try and maybe possibly not-sure retrieve. *heavy, heavy sigh and the sound of a candy wrapper crinkling* On the plus side, it didn't manage to erase my Mexico journal entries that are on the disk underneath and that also need to be turned in soon. Sooo, yes, Merry Christmas to all!!! Drive safely, traveling mercies, and may all your disks retain their information.

I am not crazy!

The voices were from a radio in the bathroom in the other room. So there, Billy.

I have received a comment prompting me to reveal my grades, and I have to say that my last post has been up for rather too long, as I have recovered quite a bit from that low. Mom and I went on a road trip and had a good long talk about all sorts of stuff, like life, love, and family. (Don't you all feel sticky now?) Tonight I get to go have the traditional holiday tamales with friends from church and tomorrow is the Hughes Lumber Co. Christmas party. Free food!!!! Whoo hoo!! I'm thinking of getting tamales for my family when we go to the coast for Christmas (a two year tradition). I'm planning on flying in to Los Angeles on Christmas Day to join Joel and his family, and then I'll be staying down there for a couple of weeks, so I'm not sure how often I'll get to post.

So, I guess that's it for now...... doncha hate it when people do that? They start out with the intention of telling you something and then never get around to it. Oh! My brother has a girlfriend; she lives in Alaska. It's all very strange to us, especially me. Or did I already tell you he had a girlfriend..... I need to eat. So, yes, back to school. I got an extension in International Economics, so I'm trying to have that all done by January 1st. And yes, I will now end your torment: my grades were the incomplete, 4 or 5 A's, and an A- in Conducting, which means I must have done VERY badly on my final. My GPA is now 3.79 or 3.80. And I'm supposed to graduate now. YEAH!!!!!! Who knows what the future holds.....

Voices

Somewhere in this house there is a radio, and it's on, so I can faintly almost hear voices and music, but not enough to find the source. It's kind of irritating/spooky/argh! Our frost has turned now to rain, which will hopefully NOT turn to ice tomorrow. I am sitting at the computer, trying to understand stupid, wretched, evil, twisted, sadistic, incomprehensible Economics. It doesn't help that I'm trying to learn it by reading, which, I never realized before, I don't do very well. In a subject like this, I need to hear the professor present it, especially since they tend to condense and simplify. *sighs* It's really, really hard not to get depressed. Poor Joel. This makes two nights in a row now when he's had to deal with me wallowing in the murky mire of self-pity and recriminations while attempting Econ. And the worse part is, there's really nothing he can do. Other times when I'm depressed he can be sweet and kinda jolly me out of it, but when I'm depressed because my homework isn't done and it's the end of the term and I'm staring down the barrel of the cannon that is This Friday.... well... I'm afraid there's not much he, or anyone else for that matter, can do from a distance. What I really needed was a good long hug. But tomorrow is another day and I'm sure I'll be bouncy and cheerful enough to sicken all but the strongest of stomachs. And YES MOTHER, I KNOW I AM A LAZY SLACKER!!!!

Frozen fingers

...and legs and arms and ears and poor little noses. It is 28 degrees here in Ashland, Oregon, today, ladies and gentleman. At 2:30 in the afternoon. That's REALLY COLD, in case you didn't know. It means that the fog is freezing on the trees and grass, so everything is covered in a layer of white, crystalline spikes. It's like a Christmas card, really. But this does result in ice on roads and the inability to be outside for long periouds of time.

On my finals week front, I'm still alive and haven't had any major anxiety attacks, which is good. I'm finished with most of the little trivial stuff and can now focus my attention on that one class that's going to ruin my GPA, International Economics. I knew better than this. I knew that there was no way that I could take a class as an independent study. But did I listen to me? Oh no!! I knew better than me what I could and couldn't do, and so here I am, three days left in the term, with two take home tests, a 10-12 page paper, and a 20 page reading journal to do. *heavy, heavy sigh* Ask not for whose GPA the bell tolls. It tolls for mine...

Wanna see the world?

Yeeeeees!!! (That was a very pitiful 'yes' by the way.) I cannot tell you how upset I am that my financial planning skills stink so badly that I'm probably not going to be able to go to Spain to see Andrew and explore the other side of my chosen language. I know that if I borrow the money Joel is going to have a field day being deeply disappointed with me, and he has a point; I really can't afford to go any deeper in debt than I already am.... but, oh, I want to go so badly!!!! *sniff* And so it is that I gift to you, my dear readers, the following tip: Scandinavian Air has what it essentially an Advent sale. Every day until Christmas, they offer a flight to a different place in Europe, from Seattle (among other airports) for $299. Granted, once the taxes are added on, it's a little over $400, but, in case you didn't know, that is ridiculously cheap. Here is the address:

http://world.campaign.scandinavian.net/us/

Seriously, if any of you can go, please, do it. This is how I went to Norway several years ago and I have never regretted it. Life is too short and the world too big to stay in one place without ever leaving. If you want to save the money to go, start now, and although I can't guarantee the sale will be there next year, I can say that it has been for the last several years and even if you can't get this deal I'm sure there are others. But GO!!

Tire chains, tire chains, jugs of antifreeeeeze

Why yes, it is snowing right now. I am please and proud to tell you all that I am putting the finishing touches on the LAm Geog paper and getting ready to go climbing at the gym before freaking out about Intl Ec. It's going to be uuuuugly, I'm afraid. I was up until 2:30 last night and still didn't get a brain wave until around 12 this afternoon. *sighs* Oh well. So, yeah, looks like the pass is REALLY closed this time, as the on-ramp to the freeway was jammed with cars and semis going nowhere. I hear the Midwest is actually having a legitimate blizzard, but a little snow is enough to scare us over here. *stretches* Ugh. Sorry this isn't one of my goofily entertaining entries but I'm a little tired and just had to see two guys checking out these chicks and proceeding to make comments about them. *rolls eyes* Unfortunately, I had to sit next to two girls who were doing their best the recieve that kind of attention earlier today. Ah well, I'll just go now before I say any more stupid things.

Oh the weather outside is...

...really unbelievably bad. It's this fabulous combination of freezing rain (literally) and wind that has resulted in my pants being soaked and me being loathe to move my carcass beyond the four walls of any building. Thank heavens for The Trenchcoat, which has once again saved my bedraggled self from thorough soaking. Ohhh, you should see the trees blowing in the wind out there! And it looks like they may have closed the pass.

Now, I know some of you veterans out there are reading this and thinking "hmmm, this sounds familiar... like the final repeat of a chorus I know all too well..." and you're right. This is a what-paper-of-course-I'm-working-on-it-why-wouldn't-I-be-oh-look-a-bird entry. The paper in question is my Latin American Geography paper which is (surprise, surprise) overdue. I've been trying to blame Joel and senioritis for this and the fact that I have a term's worth of International Economics to do in a week, but he refuses to take the blame, leaving me responsible for my own actions (pfff!). But take heart, dear readers! If I can pull this last rabbit out of the hat, along with a gerbil or two, I will be DONE and this chorus will no longer ring joyously in your ears!! But until then... expect at least one more entry this week; I have a lot of homework.

JQPNGHEY

Is anyone else having trouble with the spam filter thingy? I've tried to post on Melina, Bryan, Matt, and Bri's blogs and the filter keeps doing this weird malfunction thing on me. So far my spam hasn't been bad enough to warrant this drastic a step *grin* and I take great pleasure in just erasing them.

In other news, this weekend Florin and Jill are getting married *hearts and flowers flutter in the air* and I'm going to be there if the pass doesn't get snowed in or something in the next nineteen hours. We always told him he'd be the first one... Andrew gets to come back from Spain just for the wedding, hopefully with a large empty suitcase to take back cookies and candy bars. Erik Calhoun and ....Allison? are also getting married this weekend. I tell you what, I almost feel left out. *moment* Okay, not really, just thought I'd say it to get some reactions. Anyway, I just talked to Flo for way too long and now have to rush off. But before I go.... my garden! The weather! Joel! There y'all go.

PS The comments on the water bottle entry have been brilliant, brilliant I say! You guys have almost gotten me in serious trouble with quiet rules in labs and such. Chris's little verse met with great approval from Jim and Flora.

Misplaced Mourning?

It is with great sorrow that I announce the passing of my blue water bottle. A last minute gift from my grandmother in Portland, my AirWater bottle has been with me for well over two years, weathering an overseas excursion and various domestic trials. This fabulous bottle has never let my water go sour, unlike previous bottles, and has always shown a properly respectful attitude towards myself, only in later months allowing a few drops to leak from the cap due to physical problems. I have greatly apprecieated its efforts to help me achieve and maintain a healthy level of hydration and will miss it quite desperately. The bottle has been interred in a wastebasket at Hughes Lumber Co. No service is planned.

Jungle of Testosterone

My mettle has recently been tested by my forays into the Physical Education portion of our otherwise beautiful campus. Joel and I have decided that my newest attempt at physical activity to combat my happily sedentary lifestyle should involve the climbing gym here at school. Unfortunately for me, Joel is actually making me stick to it through a variety of taunts and encouragements. This means that on Wednesdays (probably other days of the week, too, as I have discovered they are open other times as well) I must sojourn into that wasteland of health and wellness: the sports complex. I am subjected to football players just getting out of practice, their finely-honed bodies shining with sweat as they strut like teenage chickens back to their cars. Then there are the lanky climbers and runners who glide like well-oiled machines past me, not to mention all the horrifyingly toned women who seem to glance at me in immediate dismissal, probably because I have a bit of a panzita. I feel like a meatball in a bowl full of spaghetti, or perhaps a jiggle of lard next to a lump of lean beef. And so I arrive, the only girl I have seen so far at the gym, to make an utter fool out of myself as I try to spider crawl across the wall since I can't vertical climb too much, due to the lack of a climbing partner. Dylan, the climbing wall guy, says I'll get the hang of it eventually, having watched my pitiful attempts to cling to the wall two feet above the ground. Climbing uses a whole different set of muscles than violin playing ( have you seen my mad elbow muscle?) and believe me, last week, I hurt! But, thanks in large part to the verbal abuse I receive when I call aforementioned Joel to try and whine my way out of climbing, I have gone two times now, and, having paid ten bucks for the rest of the term (ten bucks!!! What a deal!!!) will probably continue to do so. I may not become one of those beautifully cut football players (have I ever mentioned that I have an instant physical reaction to them.... of revulsion? I think it must be left over from high school.) or a lean, lanky runner (*shrieks of laughter* Lean? Lanky? Me????), but perhaps I might manage to leave school with a little less than I came with.

Euooooooooooooth Koooooonphrrrrrrensssss

This is a last minute message to invite all of you to come to the Apostolic Faith Medford Church's Youth Conference. The Friday service is at 8 pm and in addition to several activities early in the day, we will be having a concert in the evening. And of course there's going to be church on Sunday at 11 am 6 pm. It's going to be lots of fun!!! (I'm actually really stoked as there are a TON of people coming. Whoo hoo!!! People to see, conversations to be had!!!) Be prepared for coolish/warmish weather. We have no idea what it's going to be, truthfully. Oh, if you're coming and you haven't registered, check out afcyouth.org. I've already told you guys about that, haven't I? Old age is kicking in. I can't remember what I've said and haven't said.

In the interest of irritating my audience.... Joel is going to be here in, hopefully, 72 hours (exactly three days)!!!!! I am, of course, very excited to see all of my friends but to see Joel gush gush mushy goo coo giggle giggle sigh blush tee hee mush sigh sigh. And that's all I need to say, so I don't go overboard and drive you all crazy. Oh, was that a rolled eye I just saw? Be warned!! Your time will come!! I have been receiving a little too much karma payback for all of the mocking I've done of couples... not that I've really stopped since that momentous occassion when Joel and I became united in the whatever state of couplehood, but I'm getting back what I have paid. Ah well, I have pizza breath and need to go brush. See you guys soon, and if I won't, hello anyway!

Ahhh, autumnal joy

What?! You don't want to hear me rave on about the season?!? Psh. Some friends you are. I am trying to get pictures taken, but my camera battery died on me while I was skipping Econ in the park today, and I can't recharge it until I get home this weekend, and by then all the leaves will have fallen. Lithia Park has some of the most beautiful trees as you first enter the park. I spent some quality time in the yarn store, too. I couldn't help myself!! I was going to be 10 minutes late for a 50 minute class, the weather was perfect, and there was a yarn store nearby! Why sit in a class I am usually dreadfully bored in when I could goof off? I need to practice at some point, however, as both my voice and violin lessons are tomorrow.

I've started staying in town during the week with an older couple from church in a desperate attempt to conserve money on gas. I figure I'll probably be able to save about $30 every week and a half to two weeks. I've also taken to parking and walking to as many errands as I possibly can, thereby getting exercise AND saving gas. I would pat myself on the back for being environmentally conscious, but I'm afraid a good deal of this is money related, although I might keep the walking thing up just for my health. So, this staying in town is why the camera battery can't get recharged until I go home.

In school news, I haven't done any of my International Economics independent study homework, I'm doing okay in Econ 202 (minus the one skipped class), my Geography class continues to be very interesting (side note: the prof is a total nut and a crack-up, which several morons in the class seem unable to appreciate. Fortunately the two blonde twits who would sit and talk ALL CLASS seem to have dropped out. Thank heavens.), Fundamentals of Conducting is really cool (there's more to it than waving at people), and I get really fun music in my lessons. Not that you guys really care, I know. I'm starting to look forward to graduating in a freaked out sort of way. Facing my future is a very scary concept, let me tell you. More paranoia later, I'm sure.

PS Guada Loopy, Chris? Guada Loopy???

It Has Begun

School, that is. I managed to show up late to my first class, thanks to the wretched construction at the end of my road. Then, the Chamber Choir director decided he didn't want me because I'm only going to there for one more term. Thirdly, I'm in a 200 level economics class and it's driving me crazy!!! But really, everything is going well, despite my whining. I'm taking Latin American Geography and it's a wonderful class that combines all sorts of things like geology and history and sociology and... well, I'm sure you get the idea. I'm also taking Fundamentals of Conducting which is great cause I'm with a bunch of music majors and conducting is actually really interesting!! You'd be surprised what all goes in to being a good conductor. My final class is an independent study International Economics and I could potentially get all of the work done next week and be finished with the class for the rest of the term!!

I'm working on getting fall pictures and getting them put up for you guys. The weather shifted again this evening. We've been having fairly warm weather and all of sudden the wind started blowing today and the clouds look like they're moving in. I'd talk about my garden, but it is entering its decline. *moment of silence* The first frost will be here soon and they'll all bite it but good. The windows are open and we can hear the wind rustling through the trees outside. When I was driving home, I crunched through scatters of leaves and pine needles that weren't there this morning. Hmm, you know, I'm sure I had many more things to tell you guys and I know I have one rant brewing, but I think I'll save it for later. Have a nice weekend, everyone!!

PS Pheath, don't go planning that front row seat yet..... but you might get to. Oh, and is Jenn still in Ashland?

A cheese and pickle sandwich...

... a lemon cucumber, Norah Jones, a filling moon, and the sound of the autumn breeze in the trees. What more could I ask? I was just outside watering and realized I felt incredibly content. My nasturtiums have rallied (slightly) and they're just beautiful splashes of color against the dead grass color of everything else. I was a little sad when I thought about next year and how I won't be able to harangue my parents into planting certain things, and I'm sure my foxgloves and snapdragons are going to get the boot, but I still get to enjoy them this year. Have I raved yet about how much I like this time of year? Especially with this kind of weather. It's in the mid- to upper-70s, low 80s, but there's a bite of something in the air that let's you know fall is here. I can't wait until the leaves start turning! We have some spectacular color shows here, and I always mean to get pictures and hardly ever do. One year I had a ton on the digital and my mother accidentally erased them. It was difficult to overcome my raging bitterness, but I feel I am a better person for the effort. Hmm, I wonder if Matt will notice if a little more of his ice cream goes missing... or perhaps some cookies from his "secret stash" (shouldn't have raided it while I was watching. Ah well, I won't torment you more with my content, air-headed ramblings... tonight. Be prepared for when school starts again and I have to avoid doing homework on a regular basis. Things could get ugly. I'm actually planning on living part of the weeks with friends closer to school in a desperate attempt to conserve money. I said I was done, okay, okay, I'm done.

*thump*

That would be the sound of people fainting in shock as they see that I am putting up a new post. I know, I know, I have been sadly remiss in my blogging duties. Okay, honestly, I've been remiss in a lot of stuff lately. So, recap of my life in the last monthish. Melodie came down for my birthday and we had a wonderful several days which included going to a piano concert (just a quick note that older performers just have a certain je ne sais quois that really adds to the performance) and afternoon tea at the Ashland Springs Hotel, among other delightful things.

My garden (what, you thought I was going to give you a respite? Psh! You'll have all winter for that.) is surviving, although the strawberries have never quite recovered from Midwest and the peppers are pitiful, not to mention that the tomatoes did permanent damage to the crookneck squash. You'll all be thrilled to know that next spring I will have been forced from the nest and most likely will not have access to gardening facilities like those I currently rule in an iron-fisted dictatorship. Autumn has come (does it strike anyone else as odd that autumn definitely arrives rather than just becoming?) and the weather is changing (hallelujah!), so the garden will soon be going to rest. Oh! That's reminds me, must pick blackberries.

I just got back from spending five days in Visalia, California. Why on earth would I be in Visalia, you ask? I will take this opening to make an announcement that may come as a (huge ginormous) surprise to some of you. I have a boyfriend. *pauses for hysterical laughter, gasps of shock, and snorts of derision to subside* And what's more, we've been going out for... one month and twenty days. I was afraid to tell people at first, which seems really silly now, but I'm taking this chance to do some rooftop shouting. His name is Joel (of previous post fame) and he is a wonderful, talented, and generally all around cool guy. I'll try not to get overly mushy and sentimental on a regular basis, but I'm sure you'll all understand if his name comes up occasionally. I would ask that if some of you are doing speculating about our relationship that you just come out and ask me about it rather than assuming you know the truth. This is so I don't sit around worrying about what people are saying about me. But enough negativity!! The season is fine and I have bills to pay, so I will say goodbye for now, hopefully for less time than this last expanse of Mindy-less suffering. *snorts*

Dry heat....

Can be a beautiful thing, I must say, although I was a little weirded out when I got home and wasn't sticking to anything. Midwest Camp was an absolute blast!!!! I was so busy but for some reason I felt much less stressed out than I do in Portland. If there is any way for me to go next year, I'm there man. I made some wonderful new friends and got to catch up with some old ones. We had some killer storms while I was there, and I got caught in one. Sheets of water, veritable sheets, I say, and Joel the Genius once again said "let's go walking in the rain" and Mindy the Moron said "sure!" *hides stern look for a moment* It was really cool, actually. *looks stern again* Missouri is very green, a definite change from here. It was like going to Guadalajara last year. I came from dead, brown, burnable stuff to lush, beautiful greenery and thunderstorms. Speaking of dead and brown........ my hanging baskets and the strawberries...... well, let's just say it's a bit of a tragedy, really. And that stupid tomato plant is really beginning to try my patience. Hmmm, I'm afraid I don't have anything else all that fascinating to say, so I'll just keep this post short!

Ah, the joys of summertime

Spawn and I have just spent a glorious morning outside enjoying the temperatures before they climb above one hundred. I had tea with fresh strawberries and lemon cucumbers (yay!) out on the patio and then laboured for a bit in..... you'll never guess...... come on...... that's right, the garden! How'd you know? I had to put some more rock down between the beds as they were getting a little muddy and attempt to head off the nasturtiums bid to volunteer their way to Total Garden Domination. My snapdragons seem to be recovering from Campmeeting abuse *ahem* MOTHER, but the lupine and dahlia just look mangy. Okay, I know, enough already. Anyway, later we sat on the front steps in the shade of the tree (that lost some limbs in the Great Snow) and got petted, if we were Spawn. I'm trying to spot water some of the lawn and the sprinkler makes this very calming whiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrr click hissssss noise. Speaking of hiss, I also got to watch a snake in the grass on his journey to the trees, and listened to the whisper of the morning breeze through the leaves. I tell ya, I love where I live. Mom thinks I haven't moved out just because I'm lazy (yeah, yeah, that's only a little part of it, so hush), but really it's because I like it out here. So we sat around for twenty minutes and did nothing. It was great.

Last night I went kind of with Mom and Dad to the opening concert of the Britt Festivals Classical Festival, which featured a disgustingly young violinist. I say kind of because mon pere et ma mere left at intermission to avoid me stabbing them with knitting needles (very sexy knitting needles, too, I might add) to keep them from snoring. Of course, they had put in a very long day and Dad is still recovering from Virginia (he said it was COOL here. COOL!!!) but still. I also got to hear Dvorak's Carnival Overture (very fun) and his Symphony No. 6 in D Major, the third movement of which I have fallen in love with (I know there's a dangling participle there, but I can't figure out how to fix it. With the third movement of which I have fallen in love, perhaps?). Mom and I are supposed to go hear a cellist tonight, but I still think she should save the ticket and find someone to go with her to the fabulous White Russian Nights concert that I desperately want to go to but can't as I will be in Missouri. In the heat. And the humidity. With the bugs. Oh dear.

Heat Wave!!

For anyone else who's going to Midwest, I just checked weather.com and it looks like it's going to be in the low 90s (translation: steambath) during camp. The only potential upside is that there may be thunderstorms *smothered maniacal laughter*Lightning!! Thunder!! Wind!! Hopefully I'll be indoors for all of these because the last major storm I was in wound up with me getting soaked. I don't know if this little Oregon flower will survive the humidity or not, though. I am a delicate blossom (that's enough with the snorting!!) and humidity does bad things to me. Our weather here is supposed to spike back up to the 100s, just in time for Dad to get back from the Boy Scout Jamboree and try to work before we head to Midwest.

Oh, quick interesting fact that my co-worker (we're calling this a break) just told me: China has more English speakers than the U.S. Now before you all gasp "that's not true" I present some data (datum?). The estimated population of the U.S. is 295,734,134. The estimated population of China is 1,306,313,812. With that many hundreds of millions more people, is it really at all surprising that more of them than us speak English?

Ah well, I'd better get back to work. Oh that's right, I thought you would all find it entertaining that I just sent said co-worker into near hysterics because I'm going through our entire customer database correcting things like misspelled names and discrepancies in account names. She says I'm anal retentive, I say I'm accurate.

Alone!

I know some of you are still at home, but I still understand how Melina felt when we were all at Campmeeting. The Washington, Oregon, and California Youth Camps are all going on and I am (virtually) alone!! Okay, not really, Mom and I have been bonding and I know there are others like me out there, but still...... *looks pitiful* Who can I call? Actually, I just called my friend Fish like I should have done months ago. Does anyone else ever feel like they're a bad friend and letting good friendships get moldy? I declare this as good a week as any to write/call/telegraph/smoke signal a friend you haven't talked to in way too long!! Go! Shoo! You're all online, go email!!! After you finish reading, of course. *furtive look* And now for garden smut..... GET BACK HERE!!!! You think I can't see you trying to sneak off and avoid me!! I'll just say... lemon cucumbers are ripe and the lawn is dying. Oops! So are the pink geraniums. I'll go take care of those.

On a much more serious note, two wonderful men in my church both passed away this week: Bros. Al Buss and Bud Schleigh. These men dedicated their lives to God and it showed. Bud used to drive clear out into the boonies to pick my family up for Sunday School and Al gave my dad his first job. The world has lost two great, loving men and our thoughts and prayers should be with their families. Bryan has a tribute to Bro. Bud on his site: www.javaslinger.com

Air Conditioning is FABULOUS

I don't particularly care for the summer because it gets HOT and I am not a hot weather person. The best parts of the day are early morning and evening when in cools down and I can sit on the patio reading. Unfortunately, the mosquitoes are also active in the evenings, which just stinks. I did order some Avon Skin So Soft, so I will hopefully be taking care of that little problem. In the meantime, I love our air conditioning, except when it gets set too low and I turn into a cute little ICICLE.

Brianna and Chelsea just left after spending a wonderful week here with my family (minus Dad who is roasting as a cook in Virginia at the Boy Scout Jamboree). I'm going to miss them so much!! They kind of helped me avoid that terrible transition after Campmeeting where I go from having people around me all the time to having NO ONE. (I miss everyone from Camp!! Church seems small and quiet without you guys.) It's going to be weird not sharing my bed and getting to sleep excessively late because we're too busy waking up the rest of the house with wild bursts of cackling (no, I'm not the only one who cackles. It's a family thing.). We got to go to a Tears For Fears concert at Britt on Tuesday and it was a great deal of fun, I have to admit, and we also wandered around Ashland and had dinner at the Black Sheep. Oh, if there are any anime fans out there, Howl's Moving Castle is just wonderful, especially if you maintain any vestiges of childlike wonder. I was smiling for the rest of the night.

So, I'm sure you are all just dying to hear about my garden. The pear tomato plant was attempting a hostile takeover of the crookneck squash space, so I had to tie it back with blue yarn and I nearly killed my strawberries the other day. I think 20 minutes of heavy watering may get me back in their good graces. Oh! So, yeah, the other day I accidentally hit one of our faucets next to the garden beds with my knee and snapped the stupid thing off!!!! This may not seem like a problem until you visualize the small fountain of water spewing forth with me standing there thinking "my parents aren't home. AAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!" So, I called Mom and found out where the water shut off is (under the house, for ALL of the house), then called Dad and got the low down on how to cap PVC pipes. It worked and I am feeling quite good about it. But back to my garden, with which I know you are all fascinated *evil laughter* my peppers are for some reason performing in a less than stunning manner this year. I think the cold spring kept them from getting the height necessary for good production. Any hints? Hmm, this was a rather long post, so I'll just let you guys go now and get back to unpacking my suitcases from Campmeeting in preparation for packing to go to Midwest Camp.

Fair quality...

...has been suffering the last couple of years. We (Matt, Brianna, Chelsea and myself) went tonight and stayed a little under two hours, which is about the same length of time Matt and I tarried last year. I should have saved the money Mom gave me to drive up to the State Fair in September where I could have seen cool things. I don't know if the Fair really has lost quality or if my impressions have changed as I've aged. Opinions, anyone?

The weather continues hot, and yes, I realize that everyone in California has it worse off than me, but I still want to complain. One good thing is that ye olde gardene is mostly flourishing, minus my pepper plants which seem to be a little stunted. The tomatoes have decided that their personal space isn't enough and invaded the crookneck squash. *sighs* The drama of gardening is never-ending.

As my faithful readers may have picked up my cousins Brianna and Chelsea are here for a week visiting. Last night we went with my mom on her company picnic to the Hellgate Jetboat dinner. Very wet, especially as denim doesn't drive too quickly (doesn't dry too quickly either), but it was a lot of fun. Today we goofed off before going to the fair and, more enjoyably, to WinCo to stock up and Ben & Jerry's was on sale.... need I say more? We are now watching episodes of Frasier in an intense effort to wake Matt up with bouts of wild cackling. Ah well, enough of my scintillating life for now, you guys... oh wait!! Happy Birthday to Miss Ellen, who turned 9 today, as well as to my aunt Lynn, cousin Troy, cousin-in-law Michelle, and several other people!!!!

Return of the Mindy

My brother just informed me that someone, somewhere, is working on Robocop: The Musical. He is also currently obsessed with Silence of the Lambs: The Musical. Please hold while I sit in a kind of stunned incredulity. *moment* Thank you. So, yes, I'm home after three rather eventful weeks away at Campmeeting. I had a fabulous time and I'm already missing everybody!! (Hello Sherilyn!!!!!) I also got kicked out of the laundry room two and a half times playing with the Laundry Room Band, which was comprised of Jake Warbucket, Joel McMakeshift, and myself, Mindy McFiddlesticks. We had some truly awesome jam sessions (Rock on, guys!!!)

Anyway, your weather update is that it is stinking hot and I'm going to the river later with Matt and some friends. Oh for the days when I used my AC without worrying about gas mileage!! My garden is looking a little shaggy, so I'll be working on getting it back to beautifully productive and yanking weeds out of walkway crevasses (I just know that's the wrong word. I sense another 'c' somewhere.). I also get to do serious room-cleaning as my cousins are coming to stay with us for a week (I really don't want to think about the amount of junk that is going to have to be shifted).

Oh, oh, oh!!! Congratulations to Florin and Jill, who got engaged Saturday evening!!!! *shrieks and jumps around* Campmeeting was very interesting this year *wiggles eyebrows* and I made quite a few new friends (hello Tolu!! Or have you found my site yet? Tell your brother hello for me.). In about two and a half weeks I'm leaving again to go to Midwest Campmeeting, which is going to be an absolute blast, and I'll get to see some of you again. On that note, I'm going to go and drink my tea and eat something, so I will rave about things some other day!!!

Yes, yes I am still alive

Hello!! I return from my weeks of lazing about to catch you up on the nothing that I have been doing. First, my garden is torn between taking off (PEAS........EVERYWHERE!!!!!!) and doing dead nothing. Second, the weather is the weather and has been doing whatever it wants. Third, I went and saw Batman Begins, which was awesome, and fell in love with Dr. Krane, leading me to watch 28 Days Later. Although usually billed as a zombie/horror flick (it definitely is) it also raises a lot of very interesting and thought-provoking questions and the nature of humanity and violence. However, I do NOT recommend this movie for people who can't handle violence and blood. Yours truly watched several chunks by counting stitches on my fabulous shawl. Ninth, I've been working at my old lumber yard job doing little projects to earn the much needed cash for Camp. Sixth, Jane Eyre is really a very good book and my next serious book to read is Frankenstein. Seventy-second, I've been trying to catch up on all the little things I've been meaning to do for ages. XIC, I drove up to Eugene for the Black Sheep Gathering where I got to see lots of cute, fuzzy animals and play with all kinds of fabulous fibres. F, I tried out for the Rogue Valley Opera's winter production and didn't do too badly, although I won't know the results for a week or two.

Now, you all need to pick yourselves up from where you've pretended to die from boredom. I'm planning on having another long hiatus while I'm hanging out at Campmeeting in Portland so I hope to see some of you there and as for everyone else, have a wonderful Fourth of July and I'll bore you all later!!!

PS Pheather, about the annotated bibliography, you were mostly right. It did help me a lot because I had to figure out what my sources were really saying, which involved reading some of them and then I could clarify their relevance to my study. However, some of the annotations were definitely leaning a bit towards the vague and fictitious side because I just didn't have enough time to go through every stinking one of them. But I'm so glad it's all done!!!!!!

The verdict is in...

Two A-'s and the rest A's. Whoo hoo!!! And the two minuses were in my classes where there was the least concrete stuff to grade, so I'm okay with it. And I got an A in Capstone. *shriek of joy then satisfied smile* For this first week of Spring Break I've just been watering my garden, skimming through books (except Persuasion, I never skim Austen), cleaning the house a little, doing other yardwork, and generally just lazing around. The only really revolutionary thought I've had was "What a completely racist and inaccurate representation of indigenous tribes in Mexico" in reference to a novel and I've barely touched the newspaper, although I do need to go read about that earthquake in Chile. My garden is doing nicely, especially my flowers, alhtough the Armenian cucumbers seem to be magnets for bugs and the cat keeps filling in the beer-slug trap that's set up next to them. Oh! I need to go start harvesting peas. I do have my never-ending list of things to do, however, so I should probably go and do some of them. I hope everyone is having a great week and decent weather (am I obssessed with the weather?!)!

Sobs of Joy on the Warm Spring Zephyr

I'M DONE!!! I just turned in the heat-bound copy of my Capstone, finished the portfolio and I'm DONNNNEEEEE!!! *sobs quietly with happiness* I have no idea how I did on the Soc exam and my music assessment was so bad I actually cried while watching the video tape, but my ensayo final is done and in and I don't think it turned out all that bad, so WHO CARES about the rest. Well, I will once I discover I've gotten B's or C's in them, but for now... the weather is gorgeous and I have books and knitting in the car. I do believe a lunch trip to the Co-op is in order and then a picnic in the park. *shrieks with joy* No puedo decirte que feliz estoy! Me siento como voy a llorar y volar al mismo tiempo!! Claro que voy a extrañar muchísimo a todos mis amigos pero voy a ir a sus fiestas mañana después de la graduación, y ahora..... a sí, ahora.....

I need a job. With really flexible hours that will let me go to Campmeeting and Mexico. *sighs* Money sucks. And the house needs cleaned. But for now, I am here, it is gorgeous, I am done, my recital isn't until 7, and I am happy. Hay una brisa ligera y voy a tener comida buena, quizás queso y un refresco o algo. Y para todos ustedes que están quejando porque estoy hablando en español... te avisé y es mi segunda lengua y mi especialización. Qué más quieren? *little happy dance in seat* Y todos los guapos están emergiendo del woodwork hoy. *suspira* Andale pues. I hope everyone has a fabulous, spectacular weekend, and I will talk to you all later! *giggle salsa step giggle*

Snooooooow on the moooooountaaaaaains.....

*beat* and gray clouds in the ska-eee. In June no less. I wore my gorgeous but very lightweight bright fuschia blouse for my Capsone presentation today (whoo hoo!!!!!!!!! Too bad I have to finish up a bunch of stuff) and let's just say it's a good thing I happened to grab my turquoise rebozo because, baby, it's COLD outside. And we're having the Foreign Languages Dept. picnic today. But it'll be fun, especially since I'll get to see my Capstone buddies....not that I haven't been seeing quite a lot of them in the library as we as scribble towards the deadline. My next deadline, along with the final clean-up of the Capstone project, is my violin perfomance assessment tomorrow morning, for which I am supposed to have an analysis of one of my pieces, which is why I'm here in the library instead of practicing for said assessment. I think I'm going to have to plead other discipline Capstone as my excuse for what will be a lousy performance.

Oh, I'm in love with an unattainable man, too, by the way, and I don't think his name is Frank. It's the man who announces the beginning and end of the copy of Jane Eyre I'm listening to on CD. *sighs* The reader is rather awful and speaks in a dreadfully over-pronounced monotone, but in an effort to culture my lil' self, I am perserving, and as my reward, at the end of every CD, he speaks and tells me *big sigh* "end of disc four." I just melt. I can pretend he looks like the guy I saw in the computer la....oh wait, I just remembered that random people I know read this and are probably writing me off as a moony, lovesick, spinster in a gorgeous turquoise rebozo. Here's my answer to that: http://msn.match.com/msn/article.aspx?articleid=4159&articleSrc=1&lid=90 Anyway, I need to research Schubert's violin piece "The Bee" and then go stuff myself with charred meat in the rain, so I'll wish everyone a good week and trot off!!

Toast

Why yes, I should be slaving away devotedly at my Capstone! And yes, I am writing yet another boring entry about stupid things! But wait, a distinct feature of this post will be..... mention of the two girls who just walked in looking like slightly overdone toast!! Yes, while I may have made disparaging comments about over-tanning before (or have I? I can't remember. I know I have in real life.) they have never included snide commentary about the Olsen twin wanna-bes currently sitting, that's right, at this moment, in the library computer lab. I mean, a healthy-looking tan looks okay and I secretly have this thing for guys who are tanned from working outside, but there is a limit. Orange is not a color in which your skin should be appearing. I have tanned before and after sliding out of the alien brain-washing pod I held my arm up to my nose and sniffed. Not believing my olfactory sense I sniffed my knee. I would have sniffed more body parts, but I'm not quite that flexible. I smelled like lightly charred flesh!!! What does this have to do with your Capstone? I can hear you asking. Absolutely nothing, except for Simón Bolívar's premature aging in the novel El general en su laberinto can perhaps be attributed in part to his overexposure to the sun. Men, answer truthfully, is that orange look really that much more attractive than my slightly pale epidermis? Gak!! Ten minutes of reviewing my proposal down the drain!!!!!

Nothing new....

Same lab, one chair over, with my compadres de Capstone, similar panic. *sighs* Not much has changed since last term, I guess. Except the itching. Well, and I've had more homework. And assessments. And the bi-weekly restaurant dates. And my parents' (really Mom's) theory that I am having an affair with a married man named Frank and that's why I'm in Ashland all the time. And the weather is slightly warmer, so my garden needs more attention. Many things have changed, I guess. Just not my end-of-term location.

Things You Have Missed

I am sitting in the computer lab watching the pouring rain and waiting until I can walk to the library and get some stuff done. This weather started on Friday with a magnificent, fabulous, awesome, woooooowwwww thunderstorm Friday night. Joel and I were in Ashland for the Percussion concert and El Genius decided we should go walking in the torrential downpour which wound up with both of us soaked but was actually a lot of fun! The thunder and lightning lasted until about 4 or 5 Saturday morning, which did nothing for my beauty (or even vitally necessary) sleep. So, yeah, Memorial Day weekend, after two days of over 90 degree heat, was cool, cloudy, and slightly damp.

A quick update on the Things You Have Missed, as I have been desperately trying to cram 3 gajillion things into the last week of school (see post from end of last term. Can't remember the title.) but this time with my Capstone (humongo project required for graduation) hanging ever closer over my head: several rather angry rants on a variety of subjects, many reflections on the weather, ravings about YSSO and Percussion concerts, more ranting, wails about how overwhelmed I am, thousands of happy comments about my fabulous garden, slug murders involving beer and much evil laughter, panic over state of violin pieces to be played next week for assessment, rant about third Star Wars movie (you may still get that one), comments about the state of fellow students' clothing, complaints about skin disorder (I feel like a leper and my skin is beginning to resemble hamburger but I can't quite scratching!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), quiet thoughts about the beauty of tea and Jane Austen while on my covered patio during a light drizzle, ravings about Capstone class (though I have got a lot of my current knitting project done in there), more panic about Capstone, and finally....oh rats, I waited too long and the rain is starting up again. *le sigh* Well, I'd better either get back to work or trot over to the liberry. Have a nice day all!!

PS Congratulations to all of my cousins who are graduating!!!!!!!! This would be Joshua, Troy, Jennifer, Andy, Jody, Chelsea....umm, Jacquelyne and Jasmine....and I think that's it. But congratulations, guys!! (Especially to Jen, who graduated first ;-))

Three weeks? I wish it were still ten...

Just a note to let you guys know that I'm coming into the end of the term and probably won't be able to post that much. Not that I don't have things I would love to rant and rave about, but I think I'll just bottle them up and stew with the school pressure. *grin* I hope everyone else has a good end of term and has done all of their homework before now!

Saints preserve us!

I do believe I see sunlight outside!! And...why yes! That tree is casting a distinct shadow!!! Now I can begin running around in string tanktops and miniskirts like the other skinny blondes on campus. OR NOT!!!!!! First, sunburns bother me. Second, my skin is in no condition to be exposed to the world. Third, I think I had a dream about Wretched David (not B.) last night, how very odd. Four, I can't make fun of people if I'm wearing the same clothes they are. Five, I need to eat breakfast.

The saga of the Unspecified Allergic Reaction continues. Although I was originally dead set on my scourge of itchiness being poison oak, the lack of welts (although there are plenty of little red dots) and disgusting stuff like that leads me to begin thinking otherwise. I have current reports of new patches on my feet, ankles, legs, upper arms, and poor tummy. And I can't take all of my meds. I took this stuff called Doxeprim, slept for ten hours, and then spent the day in a rather nice haze, slurring words when most inappropriate, like during class. The evening ended with me going to bed at 9 because I was exhausted, not being able to sleep until 11, and then sleeping through my alarm for 30 minutes. As much fun as it was to feel like I had been ingesting illegal....things, for lack of a better word, this is not an experience I will be repeating anytime soon, at least until the itching drives me to desperation. Which it may well do. Very soon. Like no...well, not now, the stuff is at home.

On to the joys of breakfast. Breakfast is one of those things that I really shouldn't skip, no matter how many useless and excessive calories I have ingest the night before. I didn't eat any this morning, and look at how cohesive and well-thought out this post is. *snorts* I've decided that in a desperate attempt to combat my binge-happy self of late, I should start exercising at least an hour every day. Too bad I have NO SELF CONTROL!!!! Ah well, on to the chai and pastry.

PS Sorry about the serious nature of some of my recent posts. I'll try to keep things relatively light and fluffy when I can. Too many social science classes can really do a number on a person.

*itch itch itch itch*

I am now taking three? four? different meds for this bizarre itch that is taking over my body. I may go crazy soon. Even after taking Benadryl I wake up around one and have to scratch. Oh that things would get better soon! We're still calling it an unidentified rash. *mumbles "stupid princess skin" under breath*

For the third time in two days I was caught in a deluge, walking to the computer lab. Fortunately this time I was wearing a jacket, although neither it nor my backpack are waterproof. So, my pants are wet, my jacket is wet, my school stuff is distinctly damp, and MY HANDS WILL NOT STOP ITCHING!!!!!!!!!!!! But the storms are really fun to watch while in a building. Yesterday during Youth Symphony we had some nice thunder going on during Romeo & Juliet. I can see the rain falling in the puddles outside and it's mesmerizing to watch the perfect concentric circles expanding into one another and continuing on without changing.

*SPOILER* This next paragraph contains violent, liberal, and potentially controversial ideas. Today, through a series of events that I will not bother with here, I wound up at a rally against a hate crime against a gay student that was committed here last week. This post isn't about supporting homosexuals or their lifestyles, because I think this is a much larger, over-reaching topic. It is about condemning hate crimes and violence against anyone. This kid was trying to get a group of 6-8 'men' to "show some respect" to two female friends who happened to be with him, i.e. knock off the sexually aggressive comments they were making. They called him a faggot and when he said that, yes, he was gay, they followed him to his dorm room and threatened to beat, rape, and/or murder him. One of these guys finally stood up to rest and got them to leave the kid's room. Now, I don't care who you are or what you believe, this sort of violence and abuse is not the answer to anything. If they had raped him, would the fact that he's gay have made it any more acceptable than raping a woman? For that matter, how can we as a society even remotely tolerate the fact that rape is so prevalent? How on earth can we possibly think that someone's being different from us in any way justifies violence? Without glorifying the one guy who stood up to the rest too much (he does hang out with a bunch of jerks after all), I think he set a pretty decent example. That one person stopped a bunch of goons from beating someone up. If we say "hold on, violence and hate crimes are wrong," maybe we can stop one person from being raped. One person is a lot if people if you're that person. I mean, can you imagine how unbelievably horrible it would be to have a group of people threatening you to your face because you are a woman/a Christian/a different race/a geek/a blonde/a brunette/short/tall/Muslim/Jewish/a man wearing a pink shirt/a woman with a short haircut? I had a kid spit in my face in high school because he didn't like me (pretty vague, don't you think?) and that moment ranks in the top of my "Most Awful Experiences" list. If one of the guys with him would have just said "leave her alone, this is way uncool" he would have changed my world. Hate crimes and violence are not the love that Christ showed us. Step up, say something about not picking on the retarded kid or reducing a woman to a pair of breasts and a short skirt or stopping something bigger, and change someone's life. This isn't about tolerance or acceptance, this is about being a decent human being and doing the right thing.

Cuatro de mayo

So, this post is for those of you who didn't know that Cinco de Mayo is NOT, repeat NOT, Mexican Independence Day. My faithful friends from my venture in said country will remember that we celebrated that particular holiday in September with much partying and yelling. It is rather the anniversary of a battle fought in the city of Puebla where the rather badly out-gunned and manned Mexican army defeated the French, who at that point had the best army in the Western world. But still, WHOO HOO MEXICO!!!!!! I'm considering going to the Latino Student Union bash tomorrow night and hanging out with my fellow Spanish majors. Could be fun, but I'm sure I'll have to endure my parents oh-so-subtle question of "so what's his name, dear?" *rolls eyes* I go to a few concerts and now I'm in love. Who knew? Oh well, I've gotta go, as my library session is about to time out. Night, all!

April showers bring May showers

I have given up on attempting to figure out what to wear based upon any sort of weather watching. If I wake up and it's pouring and I therefore dress warmly, by noon it will be beautiful and hot. The reverse also holds true and might I just add that neither is conducive to personal comfort. Not that I don't appreciate the wonderful storms that have been blowing through, including the big, thundery ones. *shivers happily* I love springtime, I really do.

I went to the Day of Percussion concerts here at school on Saturday. Now I want to learn how to play the drum, get in touch with my primitive side. *grins broadly* One of the performers performed a piece (if it can be called that) in which he played his body. Very interesting, I must say. It was one of those things that makes me think that modern art really needs to be careful about taking itself too seriously, although I did enjoy it.

The kindly RN at the Health and Wellness Center has diagnosed my widespread, insane, ARGH!!!!!!!!! itching as an allergic reaction to some unspecified something. *sighs* At least if it were poison oak I would know what the problem is instead of what it might be. And I could blame the cat. *grumbles* I'm having senior year hives flashbacks. This time I'm not in the ER though, so I'm happ(ier than I might otherwise be about ITCHING EVERYWHERE FOR NO APPARENT REASON!!!!). Wait, I think my medication has just kicked in......hallelujah!!!! I'm am virtually itch free!!!...... for now..... *ominous background music*

Chris, I knew someone was going to say something about my wistful "why can't we all just get along?" A sinful world, by definition, knows that what it's doing is wrong, or else it wouldn't be sinful, so I refuse to let them off the hook. They know to do right and don't. I'm not going to sit by and sigh "they're just a sinful world and don't know any better so I can't expect anything better from them." And yes, to a certain extent I do view our military shenanigans in Iraq as senseless violence and I'm not going to get into an argument with you about them.

PS I have been informed by an online quiz that I am 45% normal. Well duh!!!

Draaaaaaagging

Got to class late today as I had to drive back from a weekend at the coast (yes, yes, I know, what tough luck) where I spent almost all of my time meaning to do things and getting none of them done. I spent the first half of the class feeling very grouchy, especially when the Alpha Female in the class started getting all hoity-toity again. *rolls eyes* Really, she makes me look non-aggressive. Anyway, the class was mercifully saved in the second half by an Israeli student from SOU bringing in a video about a group of Palestinian, Arab, Israeli, and Jewish people getting together and sharing their experiences as a way to bridge their perceived differences (many of them shared similar stories despite their religious and ethnic differences). It gave me hope. So often, as a history/human studies student I can get very, very depressed by the fact that NO ONE seems able to get along and so feel they have to resort to senseless violence to get their way. I can't tell you how nice it was to see people just trying to understand each other rather than allowing their prejudices to continue poisoning their lives.

On to a more superficial topic: Smug Marrieds. Some of you will know the term, some of you will not and I'm not going to tell you where it's from, but I think the name itself is pretty self-descriptive. Just a quick comment to certain ones who feel the need to place stereotypes on myself and my fellow Singletons such as "you guys are just bitter and unhappy." No, actually, we're not. When I rant about how people treat me because I'm single, it's not because I'm unhappy single (well, no more than any other single person, and might I just add that Marrieds have days where they are unhappy, too) but usually because I get sick of people telling me that I'm unhappy single!! (This does not apply to beautifully supportive Marrieds, such as Pheath and many others I can think of, so please don't be offended if you're them.) And if people think I'm j......rats, I totally lost my train of rant after chatting with a fellow Spanish major. Oh well, have a nice day everyone, I'm going to go have Mexican food with some friends.

Mad as a wet cat

In the name of feline cleanliness and future happiness, Matt and I today attempted to washing of the Spawn. I have to say it was more or less successful, but she is one veeeeeeeerrrrry unhappy kitty. *pause* eh-heh-heh-heh *pause* giggle giggle snifff *pause* Mwa ha ha ha ha!!!!! Ahhh yes, this pays her back for the frequent four a.m. attempted lovefests. Wretched beast. She isn't as funny-looking as our previous cat who turned into a stick figure with a big, furry head with anime eyes when we bathed him, but it's still worth it.

The weather today is rainy and wonderful. It's that softish spring rain that you can listen to with the window open but are happy to be inside for. Although I must admit that I do like to take a pot of tea out with a book or my good old-fashioned paper journal (I am a traditionalist at heart) out to the patio (God blessed my parents with brilliant landscaping skills) and sitting and listening. It's like being in a movie somehow, in one of those scenes where they use a fuzzy lens.

Oh, Nan, I've tried to post on your site twice now and it hasn't worked. Will attempt resolution at later point. And Pheather, thanks for the support! *grins* I still dislike the stupid things though, even though I'm sure it will turn out to be useful. Other people's certainly are. Your daughter is beautiful by the way!!!

Doom

The world is going to end!! Which we all knew anyway but I still felt the need to articulate, especially after my sociology class. I'm avoiding work again, this time an annotated bibliography which is just as bad as it sounds.

Happily enough, I have been inspired to chase the elusive butterfly of chamber music yet again by the fabulous performance of the Calder String Quartet (http://www.calderquartet.com/), a wonderfully talented group of young men my age playing professional music. As a Youth Symphony member I got to go to a special presentation and see chamber music as it was originally intended to be performed: close up and personal. It's always a blast to watch performers and I am highly susceptible (as are most people I've talked to about this) to falling in love with them for the duration of their performance (this also applies to some actors, especially theatre actors). So, I and two of my fellow string players here at the U are going to try and get together and work on some music. We've been trying to get a string quartet together but unfortunately cellos are in rather short supply in this area. Ah well, I'd better go and address the drudgery waiting to be done! (Weather report: clear for a day, front blows in, it pours, it clears, rinse and repeat.)

I'm Alive! ...a little singed, perhaps, but alive

You'll all be thrilled to know that she didn't even lecture us. We did, however, have to endure quiet disappointment for the first part of class, which is almost as bad. I think only us 'good kids' really suffered. What's that they say about 'no rest for the wicked?' Ha! You have to have a conscience to feel bad, doncha?

Voy a escribir una frase en español para que si un amigo de México quiera leer mi blog van a saber que sí están en el lugar correcto. Y también porque debo practicar con mi segunda lengua como voy a estar escribiendo muchísimo en ella. A pués, más que una frase ¿pero a quién le importa?

Ah yes, the weather was pretty much ideal in Ashland today, although I'm sure it was just hot in the rest of the valley. Here it was pretty warm but there was a stiff breeze that made it fabulous. And I was wearing my new blue linen shirt today. *swaggers a bit* If the weather holds, tomorrow it may be fuschia polyester/rayon. I think I may be going through a change, folks. Although I do like the way I've been dressing for years now, I suddenly feel the need to wear bright colors and *gasp* patterns. I've always (believe it or not) been afraid of drawing attention to myself but I've kinda decided that the world is going to have to notice me and deal with it at some point or another and it might as well be now. Though I can't quite bring myself to wear to incredibly cute skirts to school. Haven't gotten over the 'robust' and white nature of my own limbs yet.

TJN: Yeah, I read that some of them weren't real priests, but March was. Procession and all that.

Oh yes, I found a wonderful article by one of my favorite articles that says that romance novels should not be looked down upon as a genre just because a lot of the books are junk. Let's take a masculine genre, westerns for example. Men don't look down and shuffle their feet when they admit that they read westerns, even though there are plenty of appallingly bad westerns. She maintains that romance novels are a feminist phenomenon where women are allowed to re-write fairy tales that are often misogynistic or at best blatantly chauvinistic. Here's a quick quote from Jennifer Crusie:

"I had Sleeping Beauty, who got everything she'd ever wanted because she looked really good unconscious. Or there was Snow White, who got everything she'd ever wanted because she looked really good unconscious. Or there was Cinderella, who should be given some credit for staying awake through her whole story, but who got everything she'd ever wanted because she had really small feet. The fairy tales I read as a child told me that boys' stories were about doing and winning but that girls' stories were about waiting and being won. Far from setting out on their own quests, women were the prizes in their own stories, and the less active they were--do NOT be a pushy, knife-wielding stepsister--the better their chances were of getting the castle and the crown."

Oops! I just realized this was beginning to slide into a rant. Sorry! But I just can't help myself!!! We were talking today in Sociology about how a woman's body image, no matter where she is in the world, as long as she has TV, is now being dictated by those sadistic freaks in Hollywood and the fashion industry who keep saying we all need to be Paris Hilton clones!!!!! *shudder of absolute horror* Okay, okay, I'm done. Chris, really, if you feel the need to make snide comments every once in a while, it's okay. I just don't want it on a postly basis, please. *sighs* I need a muzzle somedays, don't I?

Ohhhhh, we are in so much TROUBLE!!!

'We' being my Capstone class who walked out today when the teacher hadn't shown up after twenty minutes. But I, being the goody goody that I am and cannot help being, went with another student to see if she was in her office, and all I can say is "we are in soooooooo much TROUBLE!!!!" She'd forgotten to reset her office clock, but no matter much we all try to rationalize what we did, we know we shouldn't have done it, although we all think that we'll probably be more productive just having this free time. And she is maaaaad at us. *sighs* I can't help it, I feel guilty and will probably have even more trouble sleeping tonight than usual.................

..........but it was strangely satisfying, too, living out one of the deeply treasured fantasies of students everywhere. Come on, you have to admit it, all of us have dreamed of the teacher not showing up and everyone just leaving.......... too bad this time she was in her office and secretly we all knew it, I think. Guilty pleasure! Guilty pleasure!!!!

Ah well, another extra hour trying to get to sleep will be my reward. I have large problems looming on the edge of my consciousness and it's wreaking havoc on my sleep patterns. Contrary to what some people like to delude themselves into thinking, I am sensitive to the feelings of others and I have one situation where the person is deluding himself quite well into thinking that I'm just being insensitive to his (or is it her? You'll never know!!) plight and really I just....whoops, that's one of those rants I should probably avoid, isn't it? I blame the brownie before class. I should just erase the thing but.....I'm not going to. Just so people know that my life isn't all happiness and weather changes. Wow, this is heading towards bitter, I'd better go practice. See what repressed guilt can do to a person??

Touch not...

In an attempt to create controversy and mayhem (not really, but it sounds nice, and I thought some of you might enjoy this particular story) a certain relative of mine (an uncle) has aided me in coming up with a brilliant response to all of those who feel the need to comment on my single status (according to a ridiculous article in Time (?) I'm a "quirky single" by my deciding that I don't need to be attached. Ummm, and exactly why does that make me quirky?? Perhaps because I've chosen to throw off (for now) the bonds of conformity that contemporary media and society have decided to dictate?). So, let's say I make a brooaaad, sweeping generalization like, oh, "men are evil." Now, from the New Testament I can take "touch not the unclean thing" (and what can be more unclean than evil??) and the one that sounds like "separate yourselves from workers of iniquity." QED. There is no reason for me to be picked on about this anymore. *grins* And yes I can hear some of getting revved up to come after me for this. And I do know that I'll probably be branded "that kooky feminist nutcase up in Medford," even though this was written in fun. Ahhhh well. The weather is stormy, I bought new clothes, I'm in the library with the wonderful smell and feel of books around me, and for today that's all I need. I hope everyone has a great weekend and I expect some responses to this. Who knows, I might even respond back!

How the rough winds do shake the buds...

...of any month they feel like shaking, it seems. After a week of much needed rain (coincidentally coinciding with Spring Break) we have emerged into almost perfect temperatures. Fire! Drought! Low Klamath Lake!

Anyway, I hope everyone who has had their Break is feeling refreshed and ready to go because I DON'T! It's going to be an interesting term, that's for sure. Lots of things to learn and lots more to stress out about. I'm actually in the library to check out an extra novel my prof told me I have to add to my paper for Capstone (the big project I have to do before I can graduate) and I'm excited and exceedingly worried about it at the same. It's like having a chance to be absolutely brilliant and show it to the world in a final presentation to a board of professors BUT that brilliance could potentially be clouded by the two other classes I'm taking and the music lessons for which I need to be practicing. Oh, for well-developed time management skills!! Oh, for a house located a leeeeetle bit closer to school, for that matter. And thus ends this particular entry. Sorry it wasn't more interesting, in part, perhaps, because I realized that there are certain things I can't gripe about in this blog because there's always that chance that the Wrong Person would read it and get horrifically offended. Note to self: get anonymous blog to rant and rave in or rather, in which to rant and rave. Have a nice day!

It's a miracle!!!!

AHHHHHH HA HA HA HA!!!! I got straight A's!!!! *giggles madly and dances in the chair* I didn't even get any minuses this time!!!! I'm sorry for gloating, but I really was very concerned, especially after the paper incident.

Brianna, Katie, Melodie and I just went to a wonderful little tea room here in Dallas and had a great time. They had very good scones and lots of clotted cream. *sighs* Tea, scones, and delightful company; what more could a girl ask for on a cold, rainy day? Not to rub it in *evil laughter* but we also have ice cream, hot cross buns, and more scones!! Onward Scrabble games, books, movies, and prolonged cackling!!

You know, I think I'm done for today, unless I feel like typing more later, and then I won't be done now. We'll see how it goes...

Free! FREEAAEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

WHOO HOOOOOOOO!! It is Spring Break and I am not at home and I have (pretty much) no responsibilities (except for the ones I've been putting off for months now. Eh, they can wait a couple more days.). I drove up to Dallas with cousin Katie to visit other cousins Brianna and Chelsea. We spent quality time together last night watching movies and perusing fine art of the animal kingdom (feel free to read between the lines). It's rainy and cloudy and glorious and I'm doing absolutely nothing of redeeming value. Hopefully we'll get to go home either by the coast or Eastern Oregon.

We went and had pizza last night and had to suppress our rather disastrous tendencies to cacklefests. (Imagine three out of the seven involved in the terrorizing of the Plumber. One shudders to think.) Katie and I slept until 11:30 this morning (!!!) thanks to a late night and the dangerous darkness of dear Brianna's room. It was glorious and I'll feel guilty lat...no I won't. Never mind.

I have to admit that after that last post, which represents finishing that particular paper, I lost all motivation to do anything and pretty much flaked off again. *sighs* I probably shot all chances of straight A's out of the water, but I'll survive....but I won't be able to reward myself. *sighs again* So, I guess I'll just have to goof off this week to prepare for the term that is coming. *shudder of horror* It is definitely going to be a doozy, folks. I foresee long silences followed by bursts of shrieking and seizures. And on that note, I'm going to go eat dessert pizza for lunch! Have a nice Spring Break!

And the pages keep coming....

Ahem.

Whoo hoooooooooo!!!!!! Caffeinecaffeinecaffeinefrappucinochocolatecaffeinecaffeine!!!! IiiiiiiiuuuuuuuuaaaaAAAAAAAuuuuuIIIIiiiiiii!!!!! Ya gotta love it. The only bad side affect is that, while I may be wide, staring awake, I can't focus for longer than about three seconds on connecting the ideas that are supposed to come together and form my mind-blowingly brilliant paper. It doesn't help that everyone else is here in the computer lab with me and there's someone sitting way too close on the left, invading my bubble (which with strangers extends to about four feet) and yapping. Actually, I feel sorta sorry for these guys as they appear to be of the Lower Orders (read: freshmen or sophomores) and are having to write a group paper. Someday they, too, will be big boys and able to write their own individual papers. *rolls eyes* I think they're jocks and one of them keeps hulking past. Honestly, it's a good thing I was never in a small class with these people or I would have would up shredding their little delicate egos. Hmmm, anyway else notice that my caffeine OD (I'll have a hangover tomorrow, I guarantee it) seems to have loosened up the self-censure??

To anyone younger than me and still in school: DON'T LEAVE IT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE! You wind up in a crowded computer lab listening to Alanis Morrissette and twitching every couple seconds. Really, who need illicit drugs, I have enough problems with the legal ones.

*sighs* Well, I suppose I really ought to get to my paper, although I can't think of anything else brilliant to write. Eventually I'm sure I'll realize that these need to be written during the day when my BRAIN WORKS but until then my words will go on flowing towards the deadline. Until then, my research will carry on. Until the day my eyes behold this stupid paper done and pasted in Blackboard. Until the day I finally get to drive home at 12 in the morning with the windows rolled down and the air conditioner on. Did anyone hear that thunder?

PS Sometimes the comments take a bit too post so don't worry if your's doesn't show up immediately. If however, it isn't there the next day, worry.

Comments

Yes, I did notice that no one can comment on my last post and I am trying to take care of it...may have to call in a specialist. By the way, the weather, which I am sure everyone will soon be sick and tired of hearing about, has shifted and is now sunny and all the trees are blooming. Well, almost all. Where's the rain?? Where's the snowpack? This is Oregon not Southern California (thank heavens or I'd have to move). Anyway, I have blithered enough and must now go make copies.

Mint

Looks like the weather has changed a bit, for the better or worse, depending on whether you're worried about the snowpack or if you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. It's delightfully blustery with quick spats of rain, which I'm sure will change to deluge as I attempt to get to my car. I want you all to know that I should be practicing right now, or buying organic produce at my favorite co-op here in Ashland.

The book of the week for my Spanish Lit class fortunately looks to be slightly less depressing that the last one and deals with - beauty of beauties - geology!!! Oh, how tragic the Calculus that separates me from the jewel of my love, geology!! So, yeah, I'm getting ready to have a nervous breakdown from this class. Heaven only knows how I'll survive my Capstone next term.

Now for my title. I spent Saturday working around the house and one of the things I did was tackle the mountain of mint that has been methodically marauding the arable land available in the rock garden. My dad says I planted it, but just so you guys know, it was them, not I, who doomed that corner of the yard to mintdom. Anyway, I was yanking the stinking weed (in a fresh sort of way) out of the ground and getting good and muddy along the way. Okay, it's nice to have fresh mint when I want mint tea or something like that, but really, the stuff is out of control. Sunday was spent hanging out with Joel Jensen in Lithia Park and jamming. We got a really sweet little improv jazz piece together that we did for prelude and I'm amazed that some of the more conservative brethren didn't throw hymnals at us, even though it really wasn't all that out there.

Oh! Happy Birthday to my dear cousin Bryan, who turns 6 1/4 today!!!!! Or 25, if you feel like being picky about things like actual years lived. I hope you have a fabulous birthday and that this year is a spendiferous one!!!!!!!

February flojera...

Ahhhh, we have hit those wonderful couple of weeks of February that we have here in the Rogue Valley where spring seems on the point of busting out all over....right before the frost kills everything and takes us back to gray. But in these few weeks I usually get enough spring fever to set me behind for the rest of the term. Ashland is particularly nice as there is always a breeze or rampaging wind bringing that jolt of "wake up!"

You'll all be happy to know that I survived Valentine's Day. Actually, I had a very nice Valentine's Day, thank you very much, and didn't start getting bitter and cynical again until a couple of days later. I've been told that I sound very pitiful, buying flowers for myself and going to concerts alone, but really, Valentine's always serves to remind me that being single isn't actually all that bad and that it's better to enjoy it than to mope around feeling all lonely and junk like that (rise up, fellow S^5 members, and throw off these oppressive bonds of socially-induced feelings of worthlessness!!).

I must admit that I am a little tired today as I stayed up watching Pride & Prejudice and eating chocolate with a certain blonde cousin of mine, while supposedly studying for the quiz I just took in International Politics. We'll see how much trouble I'm in on Wednesday. Ah well, that's enough for today, I suppose, unless I go off on a virulently feminist rant or fall asleep drooling on the keyboard.

PS Thank you again to Bryan for being a sweetie!!!

Raaaaaadio

I'm afraid that nothing fascinating has happened in my little old life recently. Except, perhaps, the new XM radio we have which allows me to catch up on my Mexican music and listen to old radio programs. I'm afraid my darling brother doesn't particulary care for banda, which unfortunately fires my desire to turn it up reallllly loud, and dance around like a nidiot (not a typo).

This last weekend I went to Tacoma Special Meetings with my cousin Katie, and we stayed with Melodie, leading to a couple of late nights and sore stomach muscles from hysterical laughter. Funny how the two often go together. Isn't this all just so fascintating??

Oh, for those who care about my health and well-being, the nice lady at the Health & Wellness Center said I just had a virus, no strep, but since they didn't want to pump me full of antibiotics leading to the creation of super-viruses invulnerable to modern medicine, I just had to suffer a few more days of croakiness but I survived. *grins*

Oh, why wait?!

I was hoping to do a beautiful mail-out to inform people that I had this website, but I keep not getting around to it so I guess I'll just start posting for those two or three who know that I'm here. Life is going okay down here in Fog Pond, Oregon. It is rather depressing to come down out of my wonderful sunny mountains into the bowl of pea soup that is the Rogue Valley every day, but it's been good about burning off lately, and I guess it can be rather pretty.

I don't have any fabulous political comments today, and probably won't most days, as I'm hoping to use this as more of a hello-people-who-know-and-care-about-my-life sort of thing. On that note....I'm sick!!!! I knew this would happen. I got two killer headcolds while I was down in Mexico but since the bug pool is different up here, I'm sick again!! (I love italics, by the way.) My throat has been unusually sore for the last few days and I'm caving and going to the Health Center here on campus, saving me a $70 doctor visit. *mumbles under breath about the ridiculous cost of health care* Ah well, other than that I'm doing fine, getting behind in my reading, as always, and hoping my car doesn't finally call me on my years of automobile abuse.

Saludos!

Hello! Although I am no longer a gringa directly in Guadalajara, a piece of my heart continues there with my friends, families, students, and co-workers. This blog will likely be a reflection of my thoughts, rants, and melancholy moments throughout my final year (everyone hopes) of college and I hope that you enjoy peeking into what is often a thoroughly confused mind. I may express political opinions that differ radically from those held by my friends and family and I only ask that they not flame me or pick on me when we meet in public. Well thought out opinions are, of course, welcome and I would be willing to include links to other blogs with opposing viewpoints (Bryan).

Anyway, I am really looking forward to the opportunity to use this blog to keep in touch with the world. Oh yes, on that note, some of these entries are likely to be in Spanish, but I'll probably include a translation with most of them. So, have fun, if I get too boring let me know, and I hope to get this site up and running soon!
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Bienvenidos! Ahora no soy una gringa en Guadalajara, pero todavi'a sigue una porcio'n de mi corazo'n alla' con ustedes. Espero que por este sitio pueda comunicar con los amigos que tengo en partes distantes del mundo. Temo que algunos mensajes van a ser completamente en ingle's, pero solamente porque estoy quejando de asuntos politicales. Quiero tener el sitio bien arreglado y con fotos (si es posible) muy pronto!