My Wonderful Life...

10:41 pm - Beaucoup à dire à propos rien...

So, I haven’t updated since August 30th because every time I even look at the keys on my laptop, I want to go to sleep. School is so great this year. I have a room that’s like 3x the size of that which was mine last year, thus the lifestyle here, in Denver, just gets better and better. Here’s a re-cap on this past quarter, which incidentally ends in only 6 days…

-My second day in Denver this year, I journeyed to a tattoo parlor, and got my ear pierced.

-I was awarded the vice presidency of the University of Denver’s Pep Band.

-I got $200 “I Musici” tickets fo nothin’! They came to DU from Rome, and were absolutely fabulous!

-Megan decided to go crazy with her photography assignment, and put Andrea and I in a photo shoot for a day. The pictures are crazy, and I don’t look like myself.

-At the end of September, I got a job at a local bar (Reiver’s). I work every weekend, and return to my dorm promptly by midnight, smelling like an ash tray.

-I returned to the tattoo parlor to get my other ear pierced.

-I met a blind guy, named Dave. I got lost trying to help him get to class, but now we dine together regularly, and I get pissed because he’s too liberal.

-I contemplated going to Juarez, Mexico over winter break to build some houses, but then people told me not to go because there’s “femmocide” occurring there, and I decided I didn’t want to die. Besides, I’d probably miss my mom a lot, and Thanksgiving would be crappy.

-I returned home for a short stay (Oct. 27- Nov. 1), as well as some trick-or-treating. Special thanks to those who were able to hang out during that time.

-I saw Phantom of the Opera for $2 at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, after a fine dinner downtown with friends, at Maggiano’s.

- ??? (ask me, and I might tell if I’m in the mood to dig myself into a hole…)

-I started a dental program for 450 underprivileged kids in Denver. This is part of my initiative project for my leadership minor requirements, and the details are still being worked out. If you want to donate money, you know where to send it. (seriously.)

-I’ve decided that next year, by this time, I should be living in Aix-en-Provence, France, because I got my scholarship through the school, so my expenses will be paid! Very exciting!

-I’ve received a proposal of some sort. I’m really confused, so please don’t take this the wrong way, because it will only make things more difficult.

-I got my season ski pass, which I acquired for half price by manipulating the system.

-I bought new skis with my own hard-earned money. They are currently at the ski shop having their new bindings mounted.

-My roommates and I set up our Christmas tree, and I made little mice for everyone in the hall. Still living up to my superlative for “Nicest Hall Member” from last year.

-I went shopping for orange clothes.

-I dropped of paperwork today, in order to declare an Int’l Studies major, with minors in leadership, French, and chemistry… I’m so well-rounded; what can I say?

-Today, I met Brad Corrigan (of Dispatch)… and his friend’s dog, named Winnie. Brad gave me a CD (of his solo work, entitled ‘Braddigan’, which I think is lame), but when I offered him my number, all I got was a weird look.

-I went shopping for turquoise clothes.

-I just got back from DU Lamont School of Music’s choral performances. Excellent!

Okay, so now I have to find some other clothes to wear so I can do laundry, and wash the ones I’m wearing… Laundry is such a vicious cycle. I return to good ol’ NH on Thanksgiving night. I should arrive at approximately 7pm, at MHT. Hope all’s going well for everyone! See you all soon!!

Current Mood: energetic

04:51 pm - Que la vie est chère!

Uhh, I'm not really sure if I'm in the mood for writing, but it has been awhile, so I'll give it a try... My week (since Saturday) has been extremely dull, yet has left me feeling rather accomplished. I tiled/grouted/sealed another floor, fixed my mistakes on the kitchen floor, finished painting most of the house, cleaned the downstairs of the house, gave my new kitty a bath, and did some errands for my mom.

Speaking of my mom, she and my sister have been away since Saturday, and perhaps this is why I’ve excelled in my productiveness. I’ve definitely found that as time goes on, I work better on my own. I really dislike group projects. I want to work on my own schedule and at my own pace, which is usually very fast. I don’t like wasting time on things like ladders when I could easily hang over the railing to reach a spot. I don’t want to wait 24hrs for the Thin Set to cure when I could carefully complete the entire process in one day. I don’t need to tape around windows when I could simply wipe away imperfections with a wet rag.

I spoke to my roommate last night (not the new one)… Wow. I really don’t want to go back to school. The thought of it makes me want to punch someone in the face. Maybe just a certain someone… I honestly have not discovered much quality in the kids I’ve met at school. I would take my friends from home over any of them, any day.

I really want to live a simple life. Yes, I want a car, a nice house, a good amount of money… but I want to labor at it in a simplistic way, if that makes any sense… I would rather do physical labor than sit behind a desk in some office building. I’ve mentioned this to a few kids at school, and they’ve all responded the same way: “Oh, so you want a mindless sort of job…” No. I don’t consider spending hours determining how to properly level a floor to be “mindless”. I want to think through projects, just as you would in many other occupations, but I want the satisfaction of seeing progress as I work. Some days I feel as though I’m becoming too domesticated, because on top of wanting to do household chores, I like cooking. I could seriously spend days just cooking. It doesn’t even have to be stuff that I like. Just anything that allows me to experiment with a recipe or combinations of ingredients. And eventually, I’ll need people to cook and clean for, so there’s the whole family aspect… Shit. Where is this leading me?? I’m destined to be a housewife, and I probably won’t even be desperate.

Ah, whatever. I think I’m making myself depressed by writing this, so it’s time to stop.

BUT I DON'T WANNA GO TO SCHOOL! I WANNA STAY HOME, AND BAKE COOKIES WITH YOU! -I think that's from Space Jam.

P.S. My mom said I can come home for Halloween if my academic schedule permits!!

Current Mood: blah

09:01 pm - Manger tout son soul...

Hmm, I'm a bit bored now that my travels are done (for at least a couple weeks)... My mom decided to help out at the musical tonight, sonow I'm really, really bored. I haven't updated for awhile, and a lot has happened... We took our trip to Indiana, and ended up seeing everywhere from Kentucky to Canada as well. We decided that next time we'll definitely buy a map. Megan came to visit, which took us to NYC and Cape Cod. Jess is still at school, and I miss her... The house is too quiet without her. I went to Manchester by the Sea yesterday, with Kate and our moms. And finally, today was Jim's birthday, so we went out to lunch and then to see Suessical- not bad, might I add... (The whole show rhymed, so that was fun. FUN.)

Uhh, so now I'm here, and I just saw this in KT's live journal. It doesn't look crappy, as do all the other ones, like "what's in your cd player?"; "who's your biggest crush?"; "what's a secret that you'd never want anyone to know, but you're willing to post online?"; et cetera. We'll see how long I can actually focus...

1.I feel that my father is... always there for me, but not always seeing who I really am and want to be.
2. When odds are against me... I evaluate the risk I'll be taking and the amount of effort that will be required.
3. I always wanted to... travel to find other options for the way I might want to live my life.
4. If I were in charge I would... instill respect and quality mannerism in everyone.
5. To me, the future looks... undecided, yet fateful.
6. The people over me... provide for me, yet limit me in a way that could be good or bad.
7. I am afraid of... losing my ability to retain knowledge and focus.
8. I feel that a real friend... proves their existence over time.
9. When I was a child... it seemed as though I could learn so much faster.
10. My idea of a perfect person is... who I want to be, as well as who we all have the desire to be.
11. When I see a man and a woman together... I’m envious, yet have no urge to pursue that destiny yet.
12. Compared with most families mine is... scattered, and perhaps requires more work to maintain. However, it is the most important aspect of my life, and I know the other members of my family feel the same way.
13. I believe I have the ability to... make myself and my life.
14. I look forward to... finding what it is that truly interests me, as well as traveling a lot.
15. People don’t know… how to appreciate a well-balanced lifestyle.
16. My feelings about married life are... that good marriages have to be worked towards everyday, and I have no need to rush towards it. Similar beliefs are probably a plus, and a life together should be somewhat planned out before it begins.
17. My family treats me like I'm... intelligent and capable of doing whatever they can dream up… which is sometimes beyond me at this point in time.
18. I don’t like people who are... pushy or try to tell me exactly what to do and how to do it.
19. My mother and I are... best friends in every way.
20. My greatest mistake was... still a learning experience. And probably only a mistake in my mind.
21. I hope my spouse... will have a great sense of humor, some musical talent, be a good dancer (or at least attempt), enjoy traveling, be level-headed, respect the fact that there doesn’t always need to be conversation while driving in the car, be romantic, never obsess over objects (such as cars, brand names, etc), never insist on touching my feet, eat healthy, not be disgusting, enjoy the outdoors, read books and tell me the 2 sentence version, be with me most of the week (schedule-wise)…. the list goes on…. I may have narrowed it down a little too far, but I know this guy’s out there somewhere….
22. My greatest weakness is... not being able to focus when I don’t want to but probably should.
23. My secret ambition in life is...?? (Well, apparently there was a stupid question in this bunch too.)
24. I wish I could lose the fear of... not knowing what I want to do career-wise.
25. The people I like best... aren’t superficial… They don’t focus on objects or other peoples’ business.
26. If I were young again I would... have learned to accept myself and love who I am a lot sooner.
27. I believe most men are... wimps- focused on their outward appearance and money too much. And I think most guys are really self-centered. (I still like them though.)
28. Most families I know are... not as spontaneous as mine, and a little more structured.
29. I like working with people who... are competent.
30. I think most parents... are oblivious to major events in their children’s lives
31. My children will... be taught proper manners, while being given plenty of opportunity to think for themselves. They will also take part in a play-group.
32. What I want most out of life is... to experience whatever the world’s geography has to offer.
33. My fears sometimes force me to... question what I’m doing too often.
34. When I’m not around my friends... I enjoy my time alone, usually engaging in various projects.
35. My most vivid childhood memory... waking up really early, with my sister, to play with Legos or our dollhouses.
36. God is... for those who prefer not to question; or for those who have questioned in the past, and have chosen to believe what science will never prove (nor disprove, for some).

Time to find food... Going to MA tomorrow morning, to train for the triathlon. Not sure if I'm looking forward to this. THE END.

Current Mood: bored

12:03 am - Aller et venir...

Things are starting to look up! After many months away, I finally feel like I have settled back in to life at home... Unfortunately, this wonderful feeling will only last only for two and a half more months. Then I must return to the institution. Uggh, I don't even want to think about it... with some exceptions :)

This Thursday, I embark on my first road-trip of the summer- INDIANA. What is there to do in Indiana? I honestly don't know, but I shall soon find out. We'll also be spending a few days in Philadelphia, where I will get a steak & cheese sub with mushrooms and green peppers and onions. YES. In Indiana, I will probably get a lot of thinking accomplished. Unless I get that stupid song from the Music Man stuck in my head... "Gary Indiana, Gary Indiana!" (sung in a childish voice, with a lisp) Other than that, I'm sure my mom will lose her keys at least twice, do a few illegal things, and my grandfather will be laughing hysterically the entire time. Therefore, there should be plenty of things to amuse me.

Actually, I'm really glad I'm leaving. Goffstown is boring. I love being home, but school is like ten times more exciting. Long distance stuff is stupid.

New Subject: I was thinking the other day about what my goals are in the many areas of life. And there is one question/decision that I'm really stuck on...

Option #1: dedicated, caring, possessive, strong morals, expectations set in stone, thoughtful

Option #2: fun, adventurous, self-centered, lacking strong morality, accepting of new ideas, spontaneous

I don't know how I want to live, or the type of people I want to live with... I think I lean more towards Option #1, but I'm really unsure at this point.

Well, I'd best be off to bed... Up at 6:30 tomorrow to move furniture...

Current Mood: sleepy

08:49 pm - C'est une part de gâteau...

I can’t believe I’m another year older… and my first year of college only has a month left.
My birthday was really cool this year, like almost every year in the past. Actually, my real bday was lame. I had class from 8am – 9pm. Ugghhh. BUT I did wake up to like a million balloons, a poster, and lots of presents from Megan!! She even bought me a really nice easel, because I’ve been doing a lot of painting recently. I got cards from my family, with money which is always good. Cake crumbs from Jess and David… eww. :) I also got a half hour back rub from Zach, and a “coupon” for two free golf lessons/rounds with Seth. It turned out to be a pretty good day.
Thursday night, just when I thought it was all over, my down-the-hall-neighbor (Megan) started banging on my door, and was like “Sara! Your roommate’s car broke down! We have to go pick her up!” She was flipping out, so I grabbed my keys and we went to get her. I didn’t think anything of it, until I found that her car had conveniently broken down in a parking spot at the Olive Garden. When I got inside, I found half of the kids from my hall and some other people from around campus. It was awesome. After dinner, we all danced like Greek people in the entry way… WICKED FUN!! Megan got me a new Yanni dvd, Megan (one from down the hall) got me a Starbucks gift certificate and a nice journal. And after dinner we went to the see-saw-athon on campus last night, where lots of drunk kids see-sawed for 24 hours on gigantic homemade see-saws; amazing what some of us aspire to do in college… THEN, to top it all off, I got a present from KATE WARD today!! Uhh, I won’t go into the details of what was in the package… I violated the fire code by burning incense today, while I finished up my mother’s day gift. Birthdays are fun.

Ok, so now I’m wiped out from an afternoon of shopping with Zach, and I don’t feel like going to the charity ball tonight with everyone else. So, I think I’m going to watch Phantom of the Opera (Megan bought it!), and go to sleep… A wonderful end to this ostensibly endless week. Goodnight, and thank you all.

Current Mood: thankful

11:23 pm - Comme cela devait être...

So I haven’t updated in like forever… due to the fact that school is rather overwhelming, and most of the time, I just don’t feel like writing. I’m not at all inspired. BUT tonight was a rather exciting night…

As I was sitting in my room contemplating what song to use for my lyrical analysis (for my advanced standing seminar), a laser came through the window, and came so close to my eye that I thought I was going to die. I carefully peered out my window, and saw that it was coming from my friend’s room in the other hall, with its darkened windows facing ours. I tried reflecting the beam back with a CD, but that doesn’t work as well as you’d like to think. So, my next move was to run down the hall to the room. When I reached the door and knocked, I heard laughter, and was told by someone else that my friend, his roommate, and this kid whom I know from class and skiing were in the room. I decided to take out their peep hole, which can removed, as was discovered by my neighbor who was trying to annoy me one day. This proved to be of no avail, as they proceeded to stick the laser pointer in the peep hole when I looked in.

As I retreated to my room, Megan saw me in the hall and asked what was going on… Uhh, to make a long story short, Megan gave me her POWERFUL camera flash, and I ran outside, under the window. I let the flash off in their faces, and the light war began! I eventually lost, due to the fact that they had pillow barricades and like 5 lasers, and all I had was a wet butt from the drain pipe and a camera.

Yeah, then Megan and I went to the grocery store to buy produce. We went through one of the self-checkout lanes, and Megan totally forgot to pay the machine. I just stood there, watching her walk off, towards the door... But THANK GOODNESS I’m a moral person; I made her go back and pay.

Anyway, this all just goes to prove that college is still a fun time… most of the time. I’m ready for a break though. And I don’t have to wait too much longer! I’m going to visit Dad and David in FL, May 12-16th! And THEN, it won’t be much longer till summer vacation! I’m getting really excited!

Yeah, so now it’s getting to be about bedtime… Tomorrow, I don’t have class, which is boring but provides much needed rest time. Hopefully I’ll update again soon… If I’m not back in uhh…5 weeks, JUST WAIT LONGER. (wow- video place, pet detective, freshman year, funny short boy... quite the memories…)

NO MORE.

Current Mood: drained

12:05 am - Je suis vraiment fâché!

Lots lately...

Texas was turned into a good time thanks to lots of Texas Hold'Em tournaments, running in the rain to go bowling at 2am, Applebee's (WHICH I HATE!), and watching the DU boy's basketball make it to the final game (even though they lost).

Fun time with the buddies, when they came out to visit for a week. We saw more than I've seen the entire time I've been here... Red Rocks, Royal Gorge, Garden of the Gods, Apple Barn (pie!), downtown Denver, and of course skiing!

But now I'm tired and extremely irritable. Tomorrow's Easter, and it's going to suck not being home. I think I might go home for a weekend sometime soon, or at least go to see my dad and David.

School got off to a good start... 9 WEEKS LEFT!! I can't wait for summer. POKER NIGHTS! I feel so lost right now; not sure where school's taking me. I'm sorta going all over the place, as there's no order in my mind. I've been having such a hard time concentrating on anything for basically this whole year so far. It's really having its effects on my grades as well. I just don't think I've found what I truly enjoy yet.

One of my classes this quarter is especially good. It's a 4 hour lecture on Wednesday nights, covering Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The professor, some Islamic guy, is awesome; so entertaining! We're basically examining how the different religions overlap in many ways. Amazingly, it really holds my interest, even though I don't believe in taking part in religion. The history is what really amazes me. And I'm actually recalling things from when I last went to church- probably when I was like 8 or so.

So... uhh, tomorrow I'm going to sit around and do homework, and wish I were home. Who knows, maybe I'll have some random adventure... Wow. I'm so bored/tired/irritated/idontknow... THE END.

P.S. This summer, my bestest friends ever and I are going to have lots of fun adventures to the beach, and I think we should plan a weekend away together!! That was my last thought. Bye.

Current Mood: discontent

12:05 am - Ma famille est ici!

Hello from a hotel room!! I'm still in Denver, but some family has come to visit!! Happiness reigns over my brain for being able to take a shower and not finish feeling more dirty than before! So much has happened this past week... First off, I have been working like crazy to get all my final projects and papers done a week early. I wanted to be all done for when my mom, Jess, and my grandfather came to visit. Of course, two days before their arrival, my computer crashed... like, beyond repair crashed. I lost everything- 10 page paper, lab reports, MUSIC, PICTURES!! agggggagaggghhhh! I'm still rather angry. Turns out, my hard drive fried, so I sent the computer off to be repaired. (Thankfully it was still under warranty.) So I stayed up till like 2am two nights in a row... typing papers, doing lab reports, registering for classes... And yeah, it's still not done. BUT tonight my computer was returned! Compaq is a wonderful company I must say; in Thursday, out Monday!!

Uhh, anyway... FAMILY FUN! My mom, Jess, and Grandpa drove all the way out here. Apparently, it was quite an adventure. Knocking on doors of their old homes in Kansas, eating a diners in the middle of nowhere, stealing a lady's keys at a gas station by accident, et cetera...
So Saturday they finally got here, and were able to see me perform at the last home basketball game. We then went downtown to eat at the Hard Rock, and Jess spent the night hanging out with everyone at my dorm. (She's way better at making friends than I am, and I think my roommate likes her better than me.) Sunday, Jess and I went skiing with my friend, Seth. Lots of fun, but wicked tiring. Monday I had lots of class. Today, we were too tired to go skiing again, so we went shopping, and then hung out on campus for a bit. Tomorrow, I have class all day. NOT FUN. Tomorrow night, I'll stay at the hotel for the third night, because it's way better than my dorm. Thursday, I will pack like a mad girl, say goodbye to my family, and I'm off to Texas for a week...! This trip is causing a bit of excitement, mixed with a ton of nervousness. I have so much work to do while I'm away. The day I return, my finals begin, and the quarter ends two days later. Apparently, I can do whatever I want on the trip, when I have free time, so I hope there's a library nearby. Oh, and I found out today that this Saturday, before the other sax player (who normally takes the solos) arrives in Texas, I get to perform with this other kid on ESPN... Great. Be sure to watch, and note every horrible pitch you hear.
Right now, I'm so fricken tired, and I don't know why I'm writing this. I'm going to sleep... IN A HUGE BED ALL BY MYSELF, SO I CAN WAKE AND SHOWER IN A BIG SHOWER BY MYSELF, AND EAT GOOD FOOD, AND HAVE MY MOM DRIVE ME TO SCHOOL. :)

Current Mood: drained

08:52 pm - Je malade comme un...?

As my journal would reflect, I have not been in the writing mood for some time now.  But a few days ago, as I was walking to a class, a kid stopped me and asked if he could write a story for me.  Apparently there’s a club called Project Project… yeah…  They like to spend their free time writing for people in the form of poems, short stories, articles, etc.  I picked a topic and a style and said three words.  An hour later I was presented with the crappiest story I’ve ever read.  It made me laugh though, and encouraged me to out-do it on live journal…

Christmas this year was not so great, and I was not sure how coming back to school would have its effects.  Luckily, I had three great friends to make going back so much easier.  Kate, Katie, and Sally all came out for an adventurous (to say the least) visit.  I had a great time, and though it was very sad when they left, the idea of being up early to go to class caught on again rather quickly.  So much has happened since then.  I’ve been pretty happy lately… some skiing has been done, as well as just hanging out with some people.  I have never felt more comfortable with so many people who I really don’t know all that well.

Classes are a challenge, and I thought last quarter was pretty hard…  I’ve had quite a few people tell me I’m crazy for taking the combination of classes that I chose.  There’s so much I want to do… oh, and a new development: I’m going to attempt another major (or at least a third minor), in business.  My roommate was really cool, and got me a list of all the requirements, and attempted to help me plot out my life for the next four years…  Attempted is the key word…  I’m going to try to meet with a business advisor within the next few weeks to see if this is really possible.

I think my views of school have really changed lately.  I was sitting on the top floor of the law building the other day (my thinking spot), thinking about what I really wanted to do with my time here.  I feel so lucky that I have been given so much opportunity, much of which I have not even encountered yet.  It occurred to me that every single thing I do, every day, has so much of an effect on how my life will turn out.  I think I have the tendency to be rather relaxed when it comes to certain aspects of school.  I don’t slack and I get work done; it’s just the fact that I could try so much harder.  I feel as though I’ve had my standards lowered coming to college.  I live with so many smart people, especially in my LLC.  Half of the kids were like valedictorian or class president, and got accepted to Yale or Stanford (but went here because they got full scholarships)…  In a sense, this is good because it pushes me to work harder, but at times I also feel like I could just give up… start a house cleaning business or something… (JUST KIDDING…)

Then I think back to what I was saying about opportunity, and realize how much it’s going to all pay off in the end, or even in the near future.  My life is the absolute best thing that has ever happened to me, and I really do think about that often.  I am happy on so many different levels right now, and I feel like I really could do just about anything I want to… besides skipping lab sessions… ahh, that would be GREAT.

Another thing that college has helped me to come to terms with is the fact that it’s possible to go anywhere and make new friends.  I have realized that no matter where I end up, I can always find people to have a good time with.  And I don’t mean for that to be interpreted as “friends are easy come, easy go”.  I think it’s important to hold on to certain ones that mean a lot, but hold on to them out of eagerness to be together again, not out of fear of never finding another.  Some people are not meant for eachother, perhaps the majority… 

The other day, in my English class, we were discussing other cultures, and I mentioned the idea that many cultures seem to be existing in a way that is opposed to progress.  Almost immediately, my instructor re-directed the conversation, and set out to prove that I was seeing things from an “un-worldly” point of view.  I simply nodded in agreement to what she was saying, because there were too many points to argue to even get started.  However, I find it amazing that because I am opposed to women being persecuted and because I think the ideas of communism are, for the most part, unhelpful, I consequently cannot see things from their point of view…  I can understand why it’s useful to keep women suppressed.  I can understand why a community would not want one of their citizens to get too far ahead of the rest.  What I can’t understand is why I need to agree to the fact that all of this is okay, simply because I haven’t existed in a culture like this, myself.  My instructors point was that we need to be accepting of others’ beliefs, because they have a different way of living.  Well, I don’t feel the need to be accepting.  I took the time to listen and learn, and that’s the extent to what I will do.  There are so many cultures (I won’t even list those that come to mind) that are uneducated, and we’re here trying to stoop down to their level… going back and forth… “maybe they’re right, maybe they’re wrong”… And no, we don’t need to set out to change everyone, but we also don’t need to accept and give credit in situations where it’s really not deserved.

I’m not really sure where this is going.  Sooner or later, I’m bound to contradict myself with my own words, but **NEW TOPIC** I’m really sick of unintelligent, immature people.  I’m done putting up with people who don’t even try to make themselves seem appropriate.  These are the people who waste my time, and YES, I am absolutely better than them, and I intend to always be at my absolute best, which is far beyond most. **END TOPIC.**

I just took a lot of Nyquil.  Goodnight.       

NEW WEBSITE: click here

Current Mood: sick

04:00 pm - Moments tristes...

Just when you think life can’t get any worse, it does.  My grandma died this morning, and I am so depressed.  I can’t believe that I will never see her again.  There are only so many special people that you can say have been there with you, throughout your whole life.  There are only a few who will ever care about you to the extent that they would do almost anything for you.  She was one of those people.  She had more faith in me than I did in myself at times, and was always there to tell me how beautiful and smart I was.  Now that I look back, she really was too.

Over the years, she shared bits and pieces of her life with me.  When I was little, I often stayed at her “favorite house”, the big one that was sold a few years ago.  She’d let me stay up really late, to sit with her in the parlor, while we played checkers and she told me stories about the times when she was growing up.

She had a life that was so different from mine- being forced to drop out of school, to raise nine siblings, and take constant beatings from her mother who was never there for her.  She never got to go back to school, never learned to drive a car, and never got the opportunity to achieve her true dreams which probably were never shared.

Throughout my life, she constantly told me how important it is that I get an education and that I build my life so that I am never completely dependent upon another person.  She taught me the importance of having family, because they are the ones who will always be there, but that in the next second, they are gone, so never say goodbye with feelings of guilt or regret.  Her family was her work and meaning for life, and it was something she put all of her energy into.  I will forever be grateful to her for my own life and the fact that I have a wonderful mother, who means the world to me.

I believe that between my grandmother and I, we had no regrets.  One of my last times spent alone with her was a couple weeks ago, after I’d gotten back from school.  I helped make her dinner, took her blood reading, and gave her a shot of insulin.  As I was giving her the shot (something I’ve done for her since I was little), she told me that she was so proud of what I was doing with school.  And that even though I was far away, and she missed me, she knew I was doing something good.  In her words, “it’s just too bad that [she] couldn’t be around long enough for [me] to operate on [her], and fix everything that’s made [her] sick.”  At that point, I started laughing; partially because it was funny the way she said it, but also as a way to ease the truth, which I still don’t think I can face. 

I hope that with all I do in the future, I will continue to make her proud.  That night, I was able to tell her that I loved her very much, but I didn’t get to go into detail, as we are both the type that, at times, likes to exist in denial, always hoping for the best. 

My grandfather, my mom, my uncles, and the minister stayed at the hospice home last night, by my grandmother’s side until she passed this morning.  My mom said that she was unconscious, and not in pain, like she had been for the past few months.       

I think she is happy now, wherever she is.  I said a prayer today that she would go to heaven, because she’s always told me that that’s what she wanted me to do when she died.  Although I’ve never valued religious beliefs the way she has, I hope that whatever happiness she created and believed in, in her own mind, has become a reality for her.  The times spent with her and all that she’s given of herself will always be real to me.

I've seen fire and I've seen rain

I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end

I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

But I always thought that I'd see you again.

                                                          -James Taylor

Current Mood: depressed

03:05 pm - Avoir la mort dans l' âme...

Nothing feels right...  I have only 10 days left here at home, and yet I feel as though I could really use at least three more years.  Yesterday, got to ski at Killington (my first ski day this year, which is exciting but sad, because I could've started in October.)  Don't feel like going into detail on anything.  I have no energy to even be writing this, but I don't know what else to do.  We don't have a Christmas tree yet; haven't had time.  Hopefully, we'll have one by tonight.  It doesn't feel like Christmas.  I feel like Scrooge.  I'm sick of shopping, and I still have a lot to do.  I have way too much to think about.  I haven't paid my bill for college which is due tomorrow.  I haven't mailed my dad's gift out.  I haven't finished sealing the floor I tiled.  I haven't bought gifts for my mom and sister.  I lost an auction on ebay.  I haven't ordered my books for school next quarter.  I haven't argued with people at the bank about the fact that there were withdrawals on my statement that shouldn't have been there.  I haven't made enough pies for everyone in my neighborhood, like I always do.  I haven't eaten lunch today.  I haven’t taken a shower or slept in my own bed for two days.  I haven't visited my grandmother since she was moved into hospice.  I haven’t spent time with friends that I would have liked to.  I would like to scream, but I lost my voice and I can only whisper.  I don’t feel like seeing anyone or doing anything for a really long time…  Well, at least until tomorrow.  I’m thirsty and hungry, but I don’t feel like moving.  However, I do think I’m going to have some more nyquil and go to sleep.

Current Mood: stressed

10:41 pm - On est toujours mieux chez soi!

I felt bored on Thursday for the first time since I got home...  Being home might be a little overrated.  But now for my recollection of FUN STUFF (it's been awhile since the last recall):

Went to UNH to get Goffstowners, including KATE and NOLAN!!  I actually have no recollection of this day, but I remember it was fun…  Oh yeah, we went to Ollie’s… and we went bowling!    

umm, and on a different night, I got to see lots and lots of people at Kate’s house…  Sally, KT, George, Jim, Steve!  Sal, Jim, and I got to be really annoying during the movie.  Yeah, that was fun.  FUN.

Uhh, I think I did other stuff…  <insert that stuff here.>

THANKSGIVING.  I love stuffing more than any other food in the entire world, I think.  And our whole family had a football game!  That's right, we now have enough kids to make two fairly good size football teams!  My grandfather even played, which was so fun to watch!

Trip to Killington!  it rained... but we stayed in this really cool hotel that was like an old museum, complete with a huge library!  We also ate at THE WOBBLY BARN!  WOBBLY BARN!  WOBBLY BARN!

Jess and David’s birthday, which is why we went to Killington in the first place…

Visit to Plymouth... but apparently nothing fun ever happens there... I have my doubts.  :-)

Trip to NC for an hour, to get a new dog...  Exciting (even though I don't really like flying), because it was me and approximately twenty army guys... yeah, yeah.  I have a new friend who lives in Chicago, whom I plan to write to occasionally...

Drove in Boston for my first time alone…  to get Jim.  Ate cold cheese and other delicacies for dinner… drove all the fricken way home, to see a Christmas Carol (at GHS)… got bored… went for the scariest walk of my life…  TOLD JIM NOT TO TAKE THE BUS HOME BECAUSE I FELT BAD…!  I’ve gotten over this though.

Dad came up to visit again this weekend, to make up for the fact that he left the day I came home!  We went Christmas shopping; went to see Jess perform in The Nutcracker, at the Palace…  VERY GOOD!!; I had a nervous breakdown; we went Christmas shopping; et cetera. 

Tomorrow, I’m painting the dining room avec ma mere.

Friday, I’m going to smack god with Godsmack and Chris.  (My brother is the nicest person in the whole world!!  I can’t wait!)

Saturday, I’m going to BostonPops, with JBob. 

And that’s all I know.

Wow.  A weird thing just happened.  I'm typing this in my room, and I just got IMed from this kid I go to school with, who lives in CO, and has been skiing some nice powder the past week...  I was just reaching the very peak of my 14,000 ft. mountain of jealousy when my sister IMs me from her room, and for a second, I was sad that I could not see her.  Then I remembered: I’M AT HOME!!  And I ran upstairs to give her a big hug!  :-D  For that reason, being home is, if anything, underrated, and always will be.

Time to read and sleep better than I ever have.

Disconnect and self destruct, one bullet at a time
What's your hurry, everyone will have his day to die
If you choose to pull the trigger, should your drama prove sincere,
Do it somewhere far away from here.

Current Mood: rejuvenated

07:42 pm - Se preparer ou se tenir pret a mon retour au pays! (or something like that...)

I'm coming home SOON... yes, SOON!!  College has been the greatest experience of my life, but there truly is no place like home!  (I know, I'm talking like college is over or something...)  But I'm SO excited!  I finished all my classes, and I just have two exams Monday morning. 
So much has changed around here, as I'm sure it has at home as well...  Last Saturday, Megan and I went shopping, and that always results in FUN-NESS.  We ended up buying a Christmas tree, which I'd found earlier in the week, and we bought lots of decorations and candy...  THIS TREE IS AMAZING!  It looks like one that they'd put in a department store.  Megan had the idea of wrapping it in ribbon instead of garland, and it is incredible!  We even wrapped fake gifts and put them underneath...  Plus, I bought myself The Da Vinci Code as an early gift for us both, and Megan got me a gift that I can't open till later... I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT IS!!  But really, just having this tree is so cool, because everyone stops by our room to comment on how nice it is, and this gets us talking and we give gifts out (little candy ornaments that we made)...  I love how just by leaving the door open, you can make so many friends!  Megan and I also decided to have Christmas parties every night.  Tonight is "the 7th Night of Christmas", and we're going to watch Elf.
Tomorrow, I'm excited because I'm going to Boulder with Zach (kid down the hall), to GET OUR SEASON PASSES TO WINTER PARK AND COPPER!! (at half price, of course, due to our bank account opening fun) WHOOOO HOOOO!  Then, I have to do laundry tomorrow night, and start packing!
Sunday, I'm playing at 2 b-ball games for p-band (which means double the $$$!), because I have to sub for a friend who's going home early.  Pep band is CRAZY!  Like we're allowed to yell mean things at people on the other team, and our director actually encourages it.  Not that I ever yell, but it's fun to watch the other kids do it...
Oh!  Wednesday night, I went to see some friends perform in the men and women's choirs.  I was just sitting there, and I normally get pretty emotional about music, but this time it was uncontrolable...  I was trying so hard not to cry.  They were singing these beautiful Celtic songs, and something about Celtic music makes me really happy, to the point where I cry.  And then they sang songs in Italian, and I cried more.  When I get older, I want to move to Italy, and I'll go to church just to hear the choirs sing, to cry, and I'll leave with a wonderful feeling.  It really was one of the greatest things I've ever done.
Ok, well the Christmas party is starting up again, so I'm going to go be a good host...  See you all VERY soon!! 

Current Mood: rejuvenated

08:57 pm - Pas plus politique!

Oh my goodness!  I can’t wait for this post election hype to relent!  All I’ve been hearing is “vote for Kerry!” & “Bush is the devil”… Damn college campus!  All these people that think Kerry is going to solve the world’s problems… At least Bush is willing to try, right?  haha.  Stupid democrats, stupid republicans!  And stupid people that force me to argue with the sidewalk, because they want to write voting statistics on it with chalk!

I’m just venting now.  This is not directed at, or intended to hurt anyone. 

Yesterday, I went into the polls, all ready to vote for Bush.  (I have my reasons… but I don’t wish to discuss them online… or in person for that matter.)  After a 45 minute wait, just as I was about to enter the booth, this huge wave of panic went over me.  Like, I know my vote counts, and that’s why it’s very important to be informed, and go out to vote.  And I’ve spent at least the past two months reading articles, watching debates, arguing over issues with my roommate, et cetera.  But at that moment it hit me… I have great respect for Bush, but don’t totally agree with him.  I have some respect for Kerry, but don’t totally agree with him.  Ok, screw it!  My hang up was stem cell research.  There, that was it.  And I stood in the booth for ten minutes, after voting on all the amendments and other offices.  And I couldn’t do it, so I submitted what I had, and left.

At that moment, a huge amount of pressure was lifted off me.  And I realized that I’m only trying to vote… make one little decision…  President Bush makes massive amounts of decisions, and very important ones at that.  I can’t fathom the discipline and commitment it must take. 

So, today I had leadership class.  Total chaos.  I mean, take 25 kids who are from all over the country, a few from out of the country, who are now forced to live together, and all feel the “need to lead”, and are probably some of the most opinionated kids out of the whole campus… CHAOS.

And what’s worse, we were asked to discuss the election.  “Discuss” is the key word that was eliminated within the first 30 seconds of class.  Of course I just so happened to sit at a table full of Kerry supporters.  When asked whether I was for the Republicans or Democrats, I stated I was impartial.  So I sat there, while the room seemed to erupt before me.  One girl, who lives on my hall, and is in the ROTC started crying because all the kids for Kerry started saying how the war wasn’t right.  I felt so bad for her, and I went and spoke to her later about the whole incident.  Basically, the class just served to outrage us all in various ways.  If some of these kids are our future leaders, I’m rather scared. 

Anyway, I’ve been thinking a lot about this class lately.  It’s my living-learning community, which means I have to minor in it.  But what the hell is a minor in leadership?  You know what?!  You can’t teach leadership in a classroom.  You can’t make me a leader by categorizing me with all these others.  And this is the two credit class, that puts me at 19 credit hours (one over the limit), and forces me to do work beyond what 4 credit classes do.  And reading the book only convinces me that this is all bullshit… diagram after diagram of method theories of leading.  And class time revolves around politics.  Yes, I would love to be a great leader one day.  In fact, my dream is to be in Doctors Without Borders.  I don’t need to be a politician to lead.  I don’t even have to understand politics to lead in some ways.  Ahhh… point is:  After class today, I spoke to the teacher about dropping out of the program, because I want to minor in French instead, plus with my major and other minor, I don’t have time for this class.  She said if I drop the class, I have to move off the floor!  I have to literally change roommates and move off the floor!  I could not believe it.  So I told her that the class was really a waste of my time, and went against my beliefs in many ways.  (I’m hoping now that this won’t affect my grade…)  She said either move out, or stay in till the end of this year.

I went back to my room and cried for about an hour.  So much pressure from kids in the hall, who are at each others’ throat, over the election, and this stupid class, that I work my butt off for every week.  And I’m getting a cold…  And the snow is melting.  Another pretty picture for you all…

Ok, I have one more thing to say, because after all, this is my journal:  I don’t want to hear anymore of this election crap.  We will not die because George Bush is taking on a second term.  The country will not go up in flames, providing the Kerry supporters really do go to Canada… (J/K!)  I hope that everyone will maintain their own ideas of what’s right and wrong, and voice their opinion, but still have and display respect for our President.  In fact, it’s kind of like how I hate it when people say bad things about professional sports people.  Like, “OMG!  Pedro sucks!”…  Well, I don’t think you can truly “suck” and get drafted to play pro baseball.  (Besides he’s on the Red Sox…)  In fact, let’s just put all these politics aside and get the focus back to the World Series.  I think we all like those politics better anyway.

Ok, I need to do some chem. work now... then sleep, so I can get better.  Hope you're all doing well.

Current Mood: sleepy

03:20 pm - Serpent à sonnette... AGGHHHH!!

I want to be home for Halloween!! Last night, I went to a corn maze with some kids from my hall, but it just wasn't that fun. It actually made me really sad. I started remembering the corn maze last year...  Running with Scoot to get really lost; jumping out of the corn to scare everyone, and falling flat on my face; my mom and Sarabeth being the rebellious mothers they are, chucking corn at people; George's Cut'Ass Cruiser almost not making it to the maze...  It seems this was just the beginning of so many good times.  Trips to the mtns. (Laura- rides in the gondola, while boys attempted to ride bikes up the mtn....?)  Apple picking... Pie baking marathons... (Actually, I intend to start on this as soon as I get home.)  Oh, this is making me too sad.  I have to stop.

But anyway, at the corn maze, nobody wanted to jump through the corn with me.  I was getting bored, so I decided to do it myself and get lost, for the adrenaline rush.  Yeah, that fun didn't last long.  I ran into a guy peeing in the middle of the trail, so while I was running away from him, I got really confused and had no sense of direction left.  I found two ladies, who were smart and had gotten a map.  Eventually, they led me to the exit.  Of course, by the time I got out, half the kids I'd come with had already left.  The other half were in the car waiting just for me...  I felt really bad, but they were all nice about it. 

Ah, well such is life.  ooh, here are a couple pictures of the skyline at campus...  The building with the steeple is actually our gym.

It's really pretty here...  Still burning hot and dry during the day, but freezing at night.  Oh yeah- SKIING STARTED!!  well, it actually started a few weeks ago, but the mountain closest to Denver opened yesterday, because they've gotten lots of snow.  I didn't get go, but I did go hiking yesterday.  And I’m walking back down, on a small, narrow trail, and I hear a rattle.  Within two seconds, this huge rattlesnake pops up out of the brush next to me.  The SCARIEST THING EVER!!  Luckily, I was able to jump to the other side of the trail, and run around it.  I took a picture.  Then, being the nice person I am, I warned a lady going up the path, and told her she should put her dog back on its leash.  SARA SAVES THE LIFE OF AN INNOCENT CIVILIAN ONCE AGAIN!

Ok, time to finish up some work for tomorrow…  

Current Mood: calm

04:53 pm - Tres crainte infondée!! (??)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOM!! (today) and SALLY B! (uh, awhile back...) I wish I could be at home right now, to have lots of fun and sing to you both! Anyway, this past weekend was really cool! My floor (the Pioneer Leadership Program floor) went on a trip to Estes Park. It's this gorgeous, small town in the middle of the mountains that rise around it. We stayed at the YMCA, but this was not your typical YMCA... It was the BIGGEST YMCA I've ever seen! It was basically a resort, because they put us up in this nice hotel, and there was a big cafe to eat at. So... my first day, I did one of the high ropes courses... almost 50 feet in the air on a wire, between trees! ...It didn't look that scary, but once I started climbing the first tree, I got a little nervous... just a little, of course... Then when I was going to take the zip line to get down, the guy who was helping me told me to go backward and upside down. SCARY! So I stalled, and asked really stupid questions, like "how should I position my hands for a better grip?", et cetera. Finally, he was just like, "Shut up and jump." So I did. And afterward, I was told that my "form" was very good, and that I looked like a "natural"... Yeah yeah. :D  Later that night we had a bon fire and roasted marshmallows. Then some people played ultimate frisbee till 2am, but a bunch of us ended up playing the "psychiatrist" game... very FUN! The next morning, we had to wake up early, and do more team building activities. When I got out of bed I screamed, because staring in our slider doors were about 8 gigantic elk! I was so excited, so I made my roommate take pictures of me with them. LaLaLa... more fun stuff happened, then we went home. Oh, I almost forgot- it's tradition to attempt to moon as many of the other vans as you can, on the highway, on all PLP trips... Of course I don't participate in this, and thank god I was asleep most of the way home... Ahh, but it was so nice to get out to the mountains again! Alright, well I have lots of work to do, food to eat... Dance parties to attend (Our record stands at about 30 people in a dorm room, with lots of disco music :D ) ...And hopefully, I'll make it to the gym tonight. Hope all is well with everyone else!

Current Mood: stressed

02:52 pm - Trop de goinfres et cocotiers!!

I cried last night for the first time... well, for like two seconds... But anyway, I really miss everyone. Yeah, I'm still having a most wonderful time here, but I can't wait to see everyone!! Plus, I'm a little sick of country music by day and rap crap by night... Hah, the other day, I was so sick of it, I blasted some Duran Duran and Thomas Dolby around lunch time... Apparently, this annoyed one of the guys down the hall, so he started blasting Michael Jackson. I was quite content with that, so I shut off my music and listened to his...
As stated for my current mood, I am rather sore. I have gone running every single week night, for the past two weeks- to the gym, on the step machine for 20 minutes, and back. I think I need to slow down; maybe only run 3 days a week, because my knee is sore and my shins are in a lot of pain. I think maybe I should walk to the gym and run on the treadmill, so I'm not pounding my feet on brick walkways... Yeah, we'll see.
Tonight, I'm having dinner at my professor's house, and then he bought us all tickets to a big jazz/ballet performance! (How that relates to biology, I couldn't begin to explain...) But guess what?! I can't go!! Why? Well, tonight is auditions for pep band... I'm so nervous, and I couldn't find the music, which the director supposedly left out in the library for everyone. So, looks like I'm in for some sight reading fun tonight!!
I'm rather mad about the fact that p-band rehearsals are on Thursday nights, from 7 to 9. My biology class is also on that night, from 6 to 8. So, I have to miss half of my rehearsal time, which they said was okay. BUT the REALLY, REALLY BAD thing is that Thursday nights are MOVIE NIGHTS! This week Harry Potter is playing, so I couldn't care less, but next week is Troy!! I'm so mad!
Oh, another thing I must say is a HUGE congratulations to myself... 100% on my first chemistry quiz, and I'm pretty sure I just got another 100% on the one today; 95% on my math quiz; 4/5 on my first english paper... EXCITING!! (I'm proudest of my chem grade, so a BIG thanks to Ms. Chen- wow, never thought I'd say that!)
As far as english goes, uhh, I got a little nervous today... My professor set up a blog (message board) online, so we could discuss the books we're reading outside of class. A few days ago, some kid in my class left a note. He basically just commented on one of the books, saying he thought the author tried to analyze things too much, and how it was almost like the author strived to write in a way that's difficult for others to understand, in order to maintain his "higher" analytical position. I totally agree with the kid so I responded (anonymously, thank god!), saying that it's true we need to open our minds and explore new ideas, but some times people take ideas too far. (And the way this particular author writes really could lead you to believe that he thinks his ideas are the best, even though he can't explain them on an understandable level.) Anyway, our professor called off class yesterday, cause his mom was in Hurricane Jeanne. Today, he sent an email to the class, saying we needed to read his post on the blog. It was this huge, long thing about how if "some people" in the class want to criticize the author, we need to drop out of the class. And then he goes on to say that he has put new restrictions on our final paper... We now have to write about the ideas presented in that book, and can only use other sources if they're from that book's bibliography... I was rather shocked, and I think I'm going to keep my mouth shut for the quarter- just do the work and get the grades. He is definitely the type of person that is easily offended by others' opinions. (Rather ironic, due to the fact that our class is all about discussing new ideas and analyzing everyday life...) Now I just have to decide whether or not I'll confess to writing the reply, when he goes over the situation in class, on Friday. I think I will, just to get it out in the open... Only problem is, I don't specifically remember all of what I wrote, and he deleted all the comments from the board. Oh well, just wait till teacher evaluation time comes around... Hah, I guess I'm still a little disturbed by this whole thing.
Other than that, everything is great! Dance parties in the hall, bus trips, FOOD... The food just gets better and better here. Today I had zucchini stuffed with apple raisin coos coos, which was excellent! Okay, now I have to go find FUN stuff to do, cause I'm sick of writing about my life.

Guess WHAT?! More people are killed by pigs or falling coconuts than shark attacks. haha, funny.

Current Mood: sore

09:45 pm - C'est pas facile prendre un bus!

COLLEGE IS AMAZING! I have to say, it's basically turning out to be the greatest thing in the world for me! I love the fact that I started out not knowing anyone. It opens up so much opportunity. I plan my days the way I want... I try really, really hard to eat well and exercise. And I have mastered the skill of being comfortable sitting alone at a table, or walking up to someone new, and asking if they'd like company.
Lots of "stuff" has happened since I last updated...
Scariest thing so far: Last night, my roommate, Megan, got in a car accident! I went running around 8pm, and got a call on my phone, which I missed... When I got back to the dorm, people were asking me all these questions, and I had no clue what was going on... Eventually, I got to talk to her, and she was fine, except for the fact that her airbag deployed right in her face... I saw her today for a little while, and her face is all bruised and swollen, and she's on pain killers. Luckily, her house is close by, so she was able to go home, and probably won't be back till Sunday. So here I sit, in a room all alone... :(
Haha, I'm just remembering what I did last weekend... Two other girls from my hall and I went to get stuff at WalMart... We took a bus, the light-rail train, and another bus to get there... Bought tons of stuff, then decided to go to Ross (just like Marshall's) to get clothes... Couldn't carry stuff, so we "borrowed" a shopping carriage from WalMart. Tried to get buses home, but realized it was Sunday, and they don't come that often... So we walked and walked... Finally, we decided to call some guys from our dorm, and they came to pick us up, which was really nice! So, buses are off limits on Sundays now...
Umm, what else?? Oh, I went to the fitness club today, and my application is apparently still being processed, but I should have a job there soon... I ALMOST FORGOT!: I went to the Alpine Club meeting... !!!!!! Wow. I'm speechless... Some of these kids are so talented- or maybe just fearless! I met a few guys who were in the film they showed (they put together random clips from different trips the club went on)... These guys do back flips off of the sides of mountains, on skis! And climb gigantic ice shelves... A few went to Everest a couple years ago... Half these kids probably qualify to be professionally sponsored and compete in the X Games... It's crazy. So, yeah, I'm definitely joining. There's a trip to Utah that I really want to go on, and you get big discounts on everything. And sometime in October, I'm going to take an intro to climbing class, at the CO Mountain School, up in Boulder (a club sponsored trip)... Yeah, I'm giving in. Climbing is starting to look somewhat appealing... But we'll see how that turns out.
Wow... I'm wicked tired! I fell asleep at like four, this afternoon, and I didn't wake up till 7. So I went over and ate dinner (FYI: I now eat tofu on a regular basis.), and then I went running- to the gym, where I cross-trainered myself, then ran home... I'm planning on helping this city live up to its reputation, thinnest city in US, which I find to be quite an achievement...
Anyway, like I said I'm tired, and I'm planning on doing some exploring tomorrow, via public tranportation... and I still have to take a shower (the least fun part of every day...). So once again, I hope you're all fairing well, and I hope to hear from each of you in the near future...!!

Current Mood: exhausted

07:12 pm - Université est génial!!

Umm, I can't decide whether I should put these entries in eastern time or mountain, but I guess I'm going to with mtn. time... Okay? Okay!

Wow, I haven't updated in so long!! And so much has changed... College! Agghhh! Why didn't anyone tell me it would be this good?! Of course, I haven't started classes yet, but I really think I'm going to love them.

So I arrived in Denver on Saturday (the 4th), with my mom. I managed to get a lot of stuff out here, but we still did a lot of dorm room shopping. Sunday night I met my roommate, Megan, for dinner with her mom... We didn't really get to talk much, because our moms sort of did that all for us... Monday we moved in. Our bed sheets match, which is cool cause we didn't plan anything. (I have mint green; she has light yellow.)

Tuesday, I met my orientation group and group leader, a junior at the school... It's really cool, because now we're all pretty close. It really turned out to be one of those groups where everyone feels comfortable talking to everyone else. We spent a lot of time exploring the campus, talking about course schedules, and watching stuff from funnyjunk.com... The professor, who leads the group, who will lead the class we all have together (biology), is so cool. He's probably in his sixties and rides his bike here every day. He laughs at all the jokes we make, and he says we're going to have dinner parties at his house, later in the quarter.

Yesterday was the best day so far... Our group went to where I-70 goes through a mountain, and you can see all the layers of earth. We went for a hike, and took group pictures. Afterward, we went to the botanical gardens, and ate a lunch that was grown in our professor's garden. After walking around, and almost passing out from the heat, we went to a history museum downtown. There, we saw the Pulitzer Prize winning photo exhibit. (I want pictures like them in my room!) I also got to see the exhibit on the 10th infantry army, who skied in the Alps, during WWII. Later, we went took the trolley/bus to the 16th Street Mall, a long outdoor street mall, for dinner. We went to some grille place, with a huge salad bar, and they came around constantly serving you all different meats, right from the spear things they were cooked on. I tried chicken hearts for the first time, as well as strawberry soup. Then, we took the light-rail train back towards campus. It was a very tiring, but fun day. When we got back, I went to see an improv group perform, which was also very fun... FUN.

Today, I got books for my classes, and tonight, I'm going to see a hypnotist perform, with a bunch of people from my hall...

College is the greatest thing ever... Like high school was awesome, but in such a different way. Monday is going to be my first day of classes, and I can't wait- more people to meet! Seriously, meeting people is getting easier every day... I'm so excited about everything!! Okay, well I'm going to go have MORE FUN! I hope everyone is doing great, and feel free to call or email or write whenever... Talk to you all soon!

Current Mood: excited

11:09 pm - Seulement quinze jours qui reste!!

15 days left!! Agghhhh! I'm nearly jumping out of my chair as I write this! In fact, my next entry will most likely be written from a dorm room far, far away... I'm sooo excited! Katie's been at college for just a couple days now, and I can tell she's having a great time already; this makes me so anxious!

Aside from all this, I haven't started to pack. Nope, haven't even made a list. Umm, most likely the day before I leave, I will try to fit all my clothes in a couple suitcases, GET MY SKIS READY(!!!), pack up my laptop, guitar, and clarinet (well, maybe not the clarinet...), and throw the rest of my stuff in a box to be shipped. Oh my goodness! There are so many little things that I think of every day that I know I'll want with me: jewelry, pretty dresses (Do we have dances in college? I hope so!), picture albums, cds... So much more! Objects that I will miss very much are: my bike; my cd player; my "trunk of junk"; my PLANTS, which my mom said she'd water them every week, and she'd better!; my body spray/lotion collection; my pictures and paintings; and most of all... MY CAR!!!!!!!!

I love it so much! I don't ever want to lose it, and I want it to always be perfect! It's weird but I'm terrified of the fact that my mom and brother and sister may drive it... It's not that I don't trust them (well, I at least trust my mom), but my car is one of those cars that you have to know all the little tricks to make it run well... Like you never gun the engine; you give it time while shifting gears; the windshield wiper needs to be realigned after being used and so does the front, right headlight wiper; the AC should never be put on the coldest setting; it's ok if the oil light turns on when you go around a turn; after sitting for a few days, my car will most likely stall out in the middle of the road, so plan a warm-up drive that doesn't involve the engine having to idle at stop signs; the alarm goes off when it gets to humid and the key is turned too quickly; if you want the seat belt buzzer to ever go off, you have to buckle your seatbelt; the passenger headrest is disconnected, so it will go up, but needs to be pushed down; and finally, the tinted windows get stuck, so they cannot be put all the way down, and when they do get stuck, just loosen up the control button a little... phew! (I think I'll print out this list and post it on my dashboard...) Anyways, I plan to take my car out for a well-deserved oil change, tuck it away, in a nice waterproof cover, and kiss it goodbye for a couple months... :(


Now that I've written a large paragraph for my car, I suppose it's only fair that I mention my family... I'M GOING TO MISS THEM SO, SO MUCH!! Mom's going to take me out to college, and stay for five days, and I'll probably break down when she has to leave... I'll probably see Dad around Thanksgiving, when I come home, and he might come visit in October!! I really hope Jessica does drama, because I know she'll grow to love it, just as I did. I won't be able to see the shows... :( except for possibly the Christmas one that is in the plans, so I've heard!! David is playing football, and I know he's going to turn out to be one of the best players (he's good at every sport he tries)... I'm going to see one of his scrimmages tomorrow morning, and it's probably going to be the only one I'll make it to. And of course, both Jess and David signed up for band (playing sax and percussion, respectively), and I'll be at the Winter Concert!!

Going to school is making me so excited, but I'm equally excited to just come home and see everyone! We had our boat outing/goodbye party this last Sunday... Sad, yet happy... It was hard though, because some of the people, I know I won't see again before I go... or they've gone... KT!!

Okay, well if you're reading this and you need my contact info, or you know that I need yours, post a comment or get in touch somehow!! I actually think I'm going to try to write a short summary of what's been happening and just send it to everyones' emails... Just to promote ongoing communication between us all...

Ok, well I'm done with my communication for tonight... I can't keep my eyes open... Umm yeah, had a little incident with the BBQ grill tonight...

Exploding flame + my face = loss of eyelash tips and hair around hairline and forearms... damn.

Ok, good luck to everyone! I love you all! Stay in touch! Send me mail! Call me up! Come visit! Eat a cactus covered in chocolate syrup! Just kidding! Goodnight!

Current Mood: bouncy