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???