Kat(i)e's Random Ramblings

2006-08-20T09:28:00.000-04:00

I've decided that after nearly four years of this blog, it's time to stop writing here.

I'm about to enter the teaching field, and while there isn't really anything incriminating or shocking on this blog, I still don't want students or co-workers to have the (minimal) chance of connecting this page with me. I guess I could go through all my old posts and delete photos and specific details that identify me, but I don't really have the energy. Besides, even the URL and title could help people identify me.

But don't worry -- I'll still be around! I'm going to keep this blog up, as I still want to have access to the links and stuff like that. Keep in touch, everybody!

-- Kat(i)e

2006-07-16T11:11:00.000-04:00

Okay, okay... I guess it's time to update.

There have been a couple momentous events in my life as of late. First of all, last month, Reading had a huge flood. It rained across the East coast for days and days and days. I've never seen rain fall that heavily and steadily for such a long period of time. It was unnerving, really. Anyway, Reading got hit pretty hard, because of the river being right there. I'm working downtown this summer, so I got to see a lot of it first-hand. It was amazing and horrifying to see streets and properties I knew so well suddenly covered in several feet of murky water. Several blocks were evacuated, and many downtown businesses were closed on the day of the worst flooding. People gathered on the bridge, bringing children, grandchildren, pets and cameras; it was ironic how a disaster could make the city suddenly feel so alive and active. Of course I was one of the gawkers out on the bridge with my camera:

This flood wasn't as bad as Agnes in the 70s, but it still caused quite a bit of damage. The RACC campus, which is pictured above, sustained about $1 million in damage. The building where my mom teaches was hit the hardest. As I said, quite a few people had to leave their homes. I guess they're all back by now though. Things are pretty much back to normal by now, but I'm sure some buildings are still damp and pretty gross. There's still dirt and sludge in some of the parking lots.

About a week after the flood, I got the surprise of my life. On June 21, Bryan proposed to me after making me dinner for our fifth anniversary. I don't think I've stopped grinning since that day! The proposal was so romantic and heartfelt, and of course I bawled through his entire speech. We're planning the big day for sometime in 2008, but we're not sure exactly when yet. Once I graduate in December and he graduates in May, things will be easier to plan out. But for now, I'm just happy to stare at my shiny, shiny ring and grin like an idiot.

Earlier this month, Bryan and I had a nostalgia party -- an evening filled with games, food, toys, and TV shows from our childhood. It was truly one of the most fun nights of my life. We played Candyland, ate PBJ sandwiches, listened to 80s music, and watched hours and hours of my old Muppet Babies videos. We even planned a candy scramble and handed out goody bags as everyone left. It was so much fun to have college and high school friends together. Everyone had a great time. I'd love to do something like that again!

I can't believe it's the middle of July already. I have about a month left at the bank, and then I'm going to use the rest of August to write lesson plans and get ready for student teaching. I'm going to the beach with Bryan's family early in August, and I'm hoping to do a couple day trips with my family and my Jessica. It's nice that I don't have many definite plans for the next month, but I also don't want it to slip away too soon! I can't even think about Bryan going back to Maine yet. I just can't handle thinking about that right now!

"Just look at the ring... just look at the ring..."

2006-06-17T21:31:00.000-04:00

Congrats to Christie on her graduation!

Wow, a whole month since I updated this thing? That's pretty pathetic. Honestly though, not a heck of a lot is new. I'm back at the bank, where they have now blocked Blogger, so I don't get much of a change to update anyway.

Bryan is home, and of course I'm thrilled. The trip to Maine went well, although I wish I had been able to see more of campus and the surrounding area. I had a good time though. And most of all, I'm just happy to be with him again. I finally feel relaxed and content. I haven't felt this good in months.

Again, I'm working at the bank again, which has now moved downtown. The new building is awesome, and my pay is even higher this year, but I miss Laura and Chrissy. The job itself was never fun, but they made my time there bearable. I miss laughing with them and slacking off together. Wandering the internet surreptitiously isn't as fun when you have to do it alone. Boo.

I haven't seen too many of my friends yet this summer. It seems like everybody is so busy this year. At first it seemed like Laura wouldn't be around at all this summer, but luckily, she's still at home, and we've been together quite a lot. Zach came home (well, "home") for a week earlier this month, and I actually got to see him twice while he was home! Yay!

I really, really miss my Jessica. I keep thinking of stupid stories or seeing weird things that make me think "ooh, I need to tell her about that when she gets home... oh right." It's just hard to believe we're never going to live together again. After seeing someone daily for four academic years in a row, it's really difficult to be apart from her. Hopefully I will see her sometime this week though, when I can finally give her her birthday presents!

This summer I need to read the books I'll be teaching in the fall, but I'm having a really tough time getting myself to do it. I know that sounds awful, considering I'm going to be an English teacher. But I get up at 6:30, in just enough time to get ready for work and leave. I can't read at work, except for maybe during my 10-minute break. By the time I get home and eat dinner, it's usually 6:00, and then by the time I take a shower and make lunch for the next day, it's close to 7:00 already. And really, I just want to spend the evenings with Bryan or my friends. It's hard to make myself sit down and read Jane Eyre, admittedly. I'm really going to try harder to fit it into my schedule though. I found some really interesting and fun teaching ideas online (for both Jane Eyre and Brave New World) and those have helped to motivate me a little.

Later this week is my fifth anniversary with Bryan. Five years! It's hard to believe. I feel like it was just yesterday that I sent him an email asking if he'd ever consider being more than friends, hehe. I couldn't be happier though. I wouldn't give up any of the days we've shared for anything in the world.

And with that, I shall return to watching the Phillies game with his family. I know this entry was pretty boring, but I haven't felt that witty lately. I think the bank saps my creative energy. I really do though! I can feel my brain cells depleting with every day. Can't beat the paycheck though!

2006-05-13T08:30:00.000-04:00

Here I am in my room as most of my friends are graduating. It just struck me now that it's really over. I mean, the whole college "thing" for me is over. As tired as I am of this damn apartment and of classes, I'm not really ready to move home and leave campus and my friends behind. I know I'll still be in college, but it's not the same as living there! I'm going to miss the late-night drives around cow country, automatic coffee trips when classes are cancelled, movies with friends when we all should be studying, and the people I got used to seeing on campus every single day. Don't get me wrong -- I love my parents, but it just won't be the same. Other than Bryan, I don't even know who's going to be around at home this summer. I know I'll see some of my college friends periodically, but driving to see them isn't the same as them randomly stopping by my apartment for a visit. Ughhh.

I don't want it to be over.

2006-05-11T11:50:00.000-04:00

The Fall Out Boy show at Hershey last night was pretty damn awesome. Unfortunately, Christie got sick, and I was really sad that she couldn't go. Jess and I had a great time though. Well, mostly.

We got there just in time for From First to Last, possibly the worst opening band I've ever heard. It was like auditory rape. The singer was probably the most unoriginal stage presence I've seen. We left the arena as soon as they were done because we couldn't take it anymore. We walked over to Chocolate World, which turned out to be closed (boooo), so we just sat outside instead.

We snuck onto the VIP deck for All-American Rejects, but the stupid security people made us leave before FOB. Boooo to that too. Our seats weren't terrible, but it was tough to see. Oh well. FOB played a high-energy set, and I danced my face off. It's so nice to see a band with real personality, because I think that's getting more and more rare these days. I wish they had played longer, but it's tough when they had four other bands on the bill! Highlight of the set:

Pete: "Okay, by a show of hands, how many of you have the internet?"
(Almost everyone raises their hands)
Pete: "And also by a show of hands, how many of you have seen me naked on the internet?"

Oh, Pete. How silly.

2006-05-09T23:12:00.000-04:00

Due to a recent fall from a tree, Rolling Stone Keith Richards "could suffer brain damage."

...Professionals are worried about this just now?!

2006-05-09T18:39:00.000-04:00

One week until the Raconteurs' first album comes out! I reeeeeally want it.

The more I read about Jack White, the more I love him. Yes, he's creepy and quirky, but that makes him all the more fascinating to me. His work is half music and half philosophy. I can't wait to hear the new album.

2006-05-08T23:02:00.000-04:00

It's a logical progression, really.

Finals week equals stress. Stress is relieved by photos of adorable puppies. It's simple!

I seriously could spend hours posting various links, but I've limited myself to ten this time. Enjoy, and make sure you mop the drool off your keyboard when you're done.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight *sniff sniff*, nine, ten.

Check out Cute Overload next time you're bored. Plan for a few hours.

2006-05-07T21:07:00.000-04:00

Days until I see Bryan: 7

I get to see his campus and meet his friends, too! Yaaay!!

2006-05-01T21:50:00.002-04:00

Today was my first day back on a regular class schedule after four weeks of field experience. Already, I notice my shoulders are more tense and I feel more stressed out. Ugh, I didn't feel hassled and annoyed while I was teaching. Granted, it wasn't all goodness, but most of the time, I felt happy and like I was spending my time wisely. Now I just feel rushed and annoyed about completing worthless projects for classes I don't care about.

I just want to teach. No more taking classes for me. Nope.

2006-04-23T19:07:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, President Bush warned that we will face a "tough summer" this year, saying:

"The American people have got to understand what happens elsewhere in the world affects the price of gasoline you pay here."

So we're the Americans who have to understand that the U.S. isn't the center of the world and that the actions of one country affect other countries too? Hmm. Interesting.

2006-04-23T00:28:00.000-04:00

This week's award for worst website slogan goes to Englishclub.com for "because people speak English." Wow. "Lame" isn't even a start for that one.

2006-04-18T22:32:00.000-04:00

Check out these photos of abandoned NYC subway stations. Very cool.

2006-04-13T23:02:00.000-04:00

Here's this week's memorable seventh grade scene:

Three boys come into homeroom, dressed like the thugged out white boys they are in their fake gold chains and HUGE t-shirts.

Boy #1 breaks into Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line."
Boy #2: Aw yeah! I love that song! He starts singing himself.

Boy #3: No way! "Ring of Fire" is better!

Boy #1: No, it's not! You suck!

2006-04-12T18:58:00.000-04:00

Ugh, I'm so restless today. I'm really trying to concentrate on writing a paper, but it's so difficult.

I'm really, really enjoying field experience, and I'm at the point where I want to be doing the teaching thing and not the school thing anymore. I don't want to read my history textbook for homework. I don't want to write a reaction paper on a play I had to read. I don't want to write a 180th draft of my damn unit plan. I just want to teach and be with my students all the time.

Plus, I'm ready for this semester to be over. I want to be moved out of here. I want to be with Bryan. I want to be making some freaking money!

So that's it. I'm just whiny today.

2006-04-08T23:00:00.000-04:00

Now the Wallace & Gromit movie came to life in England! Crazy!!

2006-04-07T12:28:00.000-04:00

Man sells wife's box on eBay because his cock won't fit.

Horray for double-entendre silliness. The buyers' questions to the seller are priceless.

NSFW only if you interpret it literally.

2006-04-06T14:43:00.000-04:00

Scene from a seventh grade homeroom

Scene: A chilly classroom on a cold morning.
Girl #1, wearing a sweatshirt that she obviously borrowed from a larger person: Do I look like someone who's... weird?
Girl #2, sitting next to her: No! It's not a big deal! You look like someone who's wearing her boyfriend's shirt.
Girl #1: Her ex-boyfriend's shirt!
Girl #2: Yeah, her ex like three times!

If that doesn't sum up seventh grade, I don't know what does.

And I love it.

2006-04-04T22:09:00.000-04:00

This is hilarious: proposed state quarters.

2006-04-03T20:16:00.000-04:00

Is Millersville even having a spring concert this year? Last year we knew by January 28! If we're having one, it's supposed to be at the end of this month. So who the hell is playing?

2006-04-02T10:20:00.000-04:00

St. Anthony is the patron saint of search engines? *giggle*

2006-03-30T19:38:00.000-05:00

Apparently TV's Mister Ed was actually a Grevy's zebra. Hmm.

2006-03-26T22:13:00.000-05:00

Ricky Gervais. The Daily Show. April 3rd.

Nothing in the world could make me miss watching this!

2006-03-22T22:51:00.000-05:00

Nobody wants to go to England if Hitchcock's movies come to life there.

2006-03-22T22:36:00.000-05:00

Even at a place like Shady Maple, Bryan and I are always civilized.

2006-03-21T22:26:00.000-05:00

Who do I know in Toms River, New Jersey?

2006-03-19T23:50:00.000-05:00

Spring break was great. Even though I was home for only a week, I managed to:

* Go to a hockey game
* Go to the Works twice
* Make a trip to Shady Maple
* Visit just about all my local relatives
* Spend three amazing days in Ocean City with Bryan
* Observe my mom teaching her college class
* Get new brakes for my car
* Meet Lindsay for breakfast
* See the Keith Haring exhibit at the museum

Oh, and I put out a fire in front of my neighbor's house. And I cut myself on a container of Jello pudding. Seriously.

Unfortunately, I didn't get much work done AT ALL, but I'll just work extra hard this week. The other sad part is that I didn't get to see my Laura, and that makes me very sad. I hope I can see her soon though!

Spring break may have lasted only a week, but it was one of the best breaks I've had in my college career. I'm just disappointed that I'm back at school already. That was one of the fastest weeks of my life.

I can't believe that Bryan is back in Maine already.

2006-03-10T14:38:00.000-05:00

Have a great spring break, everybody!!

2006-03-05T23:39:00.000-05:00

Quick Oscar wrap-up...

Happiest about:
Animated Feature Film: Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Original Score: Brokeback Mountain, Gustavo Santaolalla
Director: Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain

Most disappointed about:
Picture: Crash

Crash truly was an amazing film, but Brokeback really deserved to win. Booo.

2006-03-03T12:33:00.000-05:00

Some helpful tips from Tom Hanks on how to accept an Oscar.

2006-03-02T20:21:00.000-05:00

Guess who's coming home this weeeekend...?

2006-02-27T21:13:00.000-05:00

Yep, I should be doing other things. Only I'm not.

9 lasts

-last cigarette: Um, never.
-last beverage: A glass of milk about half an hour ago
-last movie seen: Mad Hot Ballroom (for the fifth time, I believe!)
-last phone call: Bryan called a couple hours ago.
-last cd played: Take This to Your Grave by Fall Out Boyeee
-last bubble bath: Ugh, I planned to take one over the weekend and never got around to it. I really wanted to too!!
-last time you cried: A couple nights ago when my mom suggested I start buying my own birthday cards for relatives instead of having my sister forge my signature on them. At the time it just seemed hugely symbolic of me being on my own and fending for myself, which I am SO not ready for.
-last time you stayed up ALL night: No idea. Not sure I ever have, really. I mean, you have to go to sleep eventually, right?
-last time you left the state you live in: Hmm. It had to have been more recently than Cape May back in June, but I can't think right now. This is puzzling.

8 have you evers.

-have you ever dated someone twice: Well, Bryan and I have gone out on more than two dates. I guess that's not what the question is looking for though.
-have you ever skinny dipped: I used to be friends with a girl named Becky from church, and she used to swear we did in her pool when we were younger. I really don't remember that though.
-have you ever kissed somebody and regretted it: There was one time I casually kissed a guy friend on the cheek and he got all embarassed, so I regretted that. But romantic kissing, no.
-have you ever fallen in love: Yep!
-have you ever lost someone you loved: Yeah.
-have you ever been depressed: Yeah, but I think everybody feels that way sometimes.
-have you ever been drunk and thrown up: Nopers.
-have you ever cried yourself to sleep: Lots of times.

7 states you've been to.

1. PA, of course
2. New Joisey
3. Maryland
4. Virginia
5. New York
6. Delaware
7. Rhode Island (and whichever states we crossed to get there... I forget)

6 things you've done today.

1. Drove back to my apartment from home
2. Went to history class
3. Got my midterm back (89%... woohoo!)
4. Worked and tutored two people
5. Took a nap
6. Wasted time on the computer

5 favorite things

1. Chocolate
2. Sleeping
3. New school supplies
4. Shiny shiny things
5. HUGS

4 people you can tell pretty much anything to

1. Bryan
2. Laura
3. Zax0r
4. Niall

3 wishes

1. That I'm tired because of stress and NOT because I'm getting sick
2. That I'll write the lit commentary I'm putting off in a decent amount of time
3. That Bryan will get home quickly and safely on Saturday! (Wheeee!)

2 things you want to do before you die

1. Go underwater in a shark cage. Seriously.
2. Go back to the UK with Bryan and/or Miss Laura

1 thing you regret.

1). I'm really regretting not taking that bubble bath!!

2006-02-21T23:16:00.000-05:00

I'm really getting tired of the English department here at Millersville. So many of the professors have this "artifact approach" to literature, believing that a piece of literature had one meaning when it was created, and that one meaning can't change over time. There's one answer, and if you don't find that answer, then your thinking is wrong.

We write a two-page "commentary" each week for my Later American Lit course. Each commentary follows a specific pattern: "In (name of short story), (author) is trying to prove that..."

Then in class, after we've handed in the papers, we discuss that story and my professor spits out her opinions about it. Of course, her opinion equals fact in that class. There's no way around it. Most of the time, I listen to her opinions and secretly cringe, realizing that what I put in my paper doesn't match what she said, and therefore, (in her eyes, anyway) I am wrong.

And then comes the asterisk. My professor knows four grading options: an asterisk, a check, a check minus, or (in very rare cases) a check plus. An asterisk basically means the paper never existed. We aren't punished for it, but we don't get a grade for it either. So basically, she refuses to acknowledge that we put any time into the assignment.

So far, my track record is asterisk, asterisk, check, asterisk. Now, I'm a senior English major. While my writing and interpretation skills aren't perfect, they certainly are above average. I've taken quite a few English courses here, I've written a ton of papers, and I've analyzed quite a lot of literature. It's really disappointing that this professor makes me feel so inadequate, just because my opinion doesn't match hers.

First of all, I don't know how she has this close relationship with all these dead authors. How does she know what they wanted to prove through their writing? Apparently she and I have very different opinions about authorial intent. From my point of view, the story's message doesn't always equal the author's point. I mean, isn't that what fiction is all about? Certainly it would be possible for me to write an effective story in which the characters belong to the KKK and try to prove that slavery is perfectly moral, but that doesn't mean I think that way. Maybe authors just want to write stories! Maybe they don't tag meaning onto everything they write. Why does she assume the narrator's opinion always matches the author's?

It's just stupid. The class makes me feel cheated because I find myself copying down ideas I find baseless and misguided. However, I know that in order to get a good grade, I'll need to regurgitate my professor's opinions and pretend they're my own. It's just not fair, and I feel like I'm wasting my time.

Besides, this was supposed to be my easy class this semester!

2006-02-19T20:47:00.000-05:00

I'm probably the last person on the planet to find out about it, but the Music Genome Project has created a service called Pandora. It starts by asking you to select an artist or song you really like, and it picks similar artists and songs. You rate the songs it picks, and it continues to play other songs based on your ratings. It's like a personalized radio station. Right now I'm listening to recommendations based on Panic! at the Disco.

This is approximately the coolest thing ever invented.

2006-02-18T23:39:00.000-05:00

Some goats fall down when they get scared. I think I actually peed my pants this time.

2006-02-14T09:26:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again: Unfortunate Valentine's Day Cards.

And because it makes me happy when I'm lonely, here's a gallery of adorable puppies.

2006-02-13T19:54:00.000-05:00

Jack White's new band, the Raconteurs, might possibly have the coolest band website ever. I love it.

I used to have a whole list of band websites that I really liked, but now I can't find it. Anybody have links to other cool ones?

2006-02-12T18:43:00.000-05:00

Ooh! I never knew about Wikiquote before. I see hours of mindless browsing ahead of me...

2006-02-10T17:56:00.000-05:00

Just in time for Valentine's Day: The Sexy Name Decoder.

Mine is Knockout administering touches and embraces. Try it with some of your friends' names! So far my favorites are Niall and Chrissy. Although Zach's is just hilarious.

2006-02-08T22:46:00.000-05:00

Now, I'm a dedicated fan of Fall Out Boy, so you know if I post a video that mocks them, it HAS to be good. This interpretation of "Sugar, We're Going Down" nearly made me wet myself.

2006-02-06T23:22:00.000-05:00

Good news...
It looks like Bryan is coming home for spring break next month!!!

2006-02-05T21:17:00.000-05:00

Added to my list of bands who need to come out with more music so I can stop constantly playing the one song I have --> Angels & Airwaves.

P.S. The song I have is called "The Adventure," but I don't have a link for it. Sorry!

2006-01-31T21:47:00.000-05:00

Bull jumps into crowd in Mexico City. It's amazing nobody in the stands was killed. Incredible.

2006-01-30T22:27:00.000-05:00

Tonight Amber and I finished our very first educational WebQuest, and I'm pretty proud with how it turned out! Check it out if you get a minute. Forgotten Voices: Other Victims of the Holocaust.

2006-01-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

Since I haven't been a film snob in a while...

Brokeback Mountain is truly one of the most touching movies I've ever seen in my life. It's beautifully filmed, expertly acted, tastefully told, and greatly under-appreciated. If you get can past the stupid popular stigma behind going to see "that gay cowboy movie," then you're going to find a haunting story of love and the range of emotions -- anger, longing, pain, bliss, and frustration -- that it inspires in two people who truly feel it. And if you can't get past the stigma... well then you probably don't deserve quality cinema anyway.

2006-01-28T12:31:00.000-05:00

This made me giggle: Manly tips for bachelor living. My favorites are How to cook food, Laundry the manly way, and Parking is the sport of kings. The photos in the cooking section are hilarious.

Via linkbunnies.

2006-01-25T19:44:00.000-05:00

Today Gmail pointed to this recipe when I clicked on my spam folder: French Fry Spam Casserole. Just read the recipe. This is probably the grossest thing I've ever heard of. Pass the haggis, please.

2006-01-24T15:54:00.000-05:00

Yessssss. BuffaloBeast's wrap-up of the 50 Most Loathsome People in America, 2005 is out. In my humble and essentially worthless opinion, they couldn't have picked a more eligible winner. (Loser?) Check it out.

2006-01-23T21:28:00.000-05:00

Plus 44 really need to come out with a full album. And SOON. I love "No It Isn't" so much, but I can only listen to one song so many times...

2006-01-22T22:33:00.000-05:00

Today I took a break from reading (ugh, SO much reading) to go visit Miss Laura in Selinsgrove for the day. It's too bad (and pathetic, really) that we didn't do more visiting during our years at our respective colleges. I mean, it's true that it takes about half a tank of gas per visit, so that could have something to do with it. But anyway! I had a great time with her today. She gave me a tour of her lovely campus, she introduced me to some of her silly friends, and then we got dinner from Applebee's to eat in her room while we watched a movie.

Laura is one of those friends who knows I need a hug even if I don't have the words to express why I need one. She always cheers me up, and she doesn't even have to do much. She's just adorable and silly and hilarious, and she always makes me happy. I miss her when I'm at school, so it was awesome to see her today. Our visit made my week!

2006-01-19T21:45:00.000-05:00

I just found out about this new game called Qwyzzle100, and it's driving me crazy. I haven't really figured it out yet, and it's frustrating in the beginning. I think you're supposed to use clues from the photos, titles of the pages, and the text on your status bar to come up with a phrase or term. It's confusing though. I don't know if it's easier than I'm making it out to be or if I'm just dumb, but I can't get many of them. I'm also half afraid it's going to turn out to be one of those horrible things where a huge and bloody face pops out at me after I've stared at an image for a while, and I HATE those things.

If anybody gets a better idea of the point of it, please let me know. Right now I'm just frustrated, and I do tend to give up easily.

2006-01-18T23:00:00.000-05:00

You Are 25 Years Old

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe.

13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world.

20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences.

30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more!

40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?

2006-01-11T10:50:00.000-05:00

Happy late new year, everybody.

I haven't been at the computer much over break, mainly because I've been busy spending as much time as possible with Bryan. He's got a few more days at home and then flies back to Maine on Sunday. Boooo.

Except for him leaving, I'm ready for break to be over. I want to be back at the apartment, where I can set my own schedule and be more independent. Plus, I miss my Jessica. Big time. I've been a lazy roommate over break and haven't been in touch with her, so it'll be awesome to see her again.

Okay, time for a shower and then a visit with Miss Laura!

2005-12-26T12:09:00.000-05:00

The boy is back in town...

And boy, am I glad.

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas this year. I know I did. I got some wonderful presents, of course, but I was mostly glad just to be with the people who mean the most to me. There's no better Christmas present than having Bryan by my side again.

Love to you all.

2005-12-15T14:55:00.000-05:00

Good news, bad news.

Campus is closed tonight, so I can't take my Shakespeare final at 6:00. Going by MU's plans, I'd have to take it Saturday afternoon instead, but there was no way that was happening, so I called my professor and she's letting me take it tomorrow at noon. Then I can go hoooome! Well, assuming it's not too snowy or icy to drive to Reading. Plus, I get a few extra hours to study for the exam. Of course, I'd rather just get it over with, but I can deal. It's alllll gooood.

And now for some more holiday related funness:
Online snow globe (does have sound)
Vintage Christmas photos of kids
Strong Bad's Christmas kids' book
Gallery of unfortunate Christmas cards (My favorites: here and here)

2005-12-14T17:52:00.000-05:00

Just in time for the holidays:
A Cavalcade of Bad Nativities.

I'm having trouble picking the scariest one.

2005-12-10T22:36:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again...

For me to feel inadequate in my paper snowflake making skills.

Remember the part on standardized tests where you had to match which shape would match the figure in the question if it were turned on its side? Yeah well, I think there's a reason why I always failed that section. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to fold these damn things. I've tried following instructions from several websites, and I just can't get it. Most of the ones I cut out look like snowflakes on crack, and some resemble something closer to tribal masks.

This one is my favorite:

Seriously, what the hell is that?

I guess I'll just stick to making the online kind. At least I can do that.

2005-12-07T08:55:00.000-05:00

Happy 23rd birthday, Bryan!!!

2005-12-05T13:30:00.000-05:00

Well, I just had my exercise for the day.

In the late 70s, French filmmaker Claude Lelouch filmed a car racing around Paris at insane speeds. The gyro-stabilized camera was mounted to the bumper of the car, making for a really exciting point of view. There's a lot of controversy surrounding the film -- the identity of the driver, the make of the car, the legality of the film, etc.

The only thing I know for sure is that it's damn thrilling to watch. See him drive the wrong way up one-way streets! See early morning pedestrians and pigeons flee for their lives! Watch him run real red lights! Involuntarily yell, "Oh shit!" dozens of times, just like I did!

Read about the movie here and watch it here/here. If your heart isn't pounding afterwards, please make sure you still have a pulse.

Thanks to linkbunnies.

2005-12-04T23:29:00.000-05:00

By the way, in spite of having three posts for today (well, four now) I actually DID get work done today. No, really. I did. I swear.

2005-12-04T23:27:00.000-05:00

Why does "Lord Quackingstick" strike me as sooo funny? Please go watch the new Strong Bad email and let me know if you find out.

2005-12-04T17:11:00.000-05:00

We have a Christmas treeeee!!!

So much shiny. I'm so damn happy right now.

2005-12-04T09:46:00.000-05:00

What.

I just found out that Freddy Rodriguez is going to be in M. Night's latest movie, Lady In the Water. Of course, I would have gone to see it anyway, but now, I must see it approximately 321083024 times. That's all there is to it.

2005-12-03T09:10:00.000-05:00

Check out this video of a house where the lights are programmed to flash in sync with "Wizards of Winter" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

I am absolutely amazed. Whoever did this is a genius. A genius with a VERY high electric bill. I think this video just made the entire Christmas season for me.

Thanks, Laura!

2005-12-01T23:47:00.000-05:00

I'm ashamed to admit it, but this post is going to be about cats. I can feel my allergies acting up already.

Okay, most of you know I hate cats. With a few exceptions, I think they are boring, unsocial, bratty, annoying "pets." The world would be a better place without 99.9999% of them. But even if I don't like them, I have managed to find some diverting websites related to them.

First is MyCatHatesYou dot com, which features photos of hundreds of evil-looking cats. I first stumbled onto this site from Sara's blog, so thanks for that, Sara! Many of the photos are just stupid (Charles, for example), but most are hilarious. My favorites include Cedric, Salome, Jasper, and -- oddly enough -- Katie.

Kitten War is an amusing site where photos of kittens are paired and viewers vote which one is the cutest. Beware of the Losingest Kittens section, because some of these animals are damn scary.

Finally, we have Stuff on my cat. Yes, it might be silly and even somewhat cruel, but it is hellaciously amusing. I can't really explain why, but pictures of cats like this, this, this, and this make me nearly pee my pants with laughter.

I'm a simple girl, I am.

2005-11-30T13:27:00.000-05:00

I was all excited when I found out I could watch Tai Shan, the new baby panda in DC, on a panda cam. However, after looking at it several times over several days, I've concluded that pandas do nothing but sleep. Seriously, no frollicking? No playing with toys or running around? Booooring.

2005-11-29T17:14:00.000-05:00

Christie got into York College!! I'm sooo proud of her!

2005-11-28T22:48:00.000-05:00

Horray for my Laura.

2005-11-28T21:24:00.000-05:00

The long weekend at home was a good one. Thanksgiving itself was "eh," but the rest of the time was great. It was really nice to spend quality time with my immediate family. When I was leaving this morning, Christie hugged me and said, "No, don't go! I actually liked you the whole time you were home!" Lol, how sweet.

Seriously, it was fun though. I helped my mom get ready for the holiday, helped my dad put up Christmas decorations after Thanksgiving, and laughed a lot with Christie. It was really tough to have the whole family over to the house and not have Pearl running around, but we all got through it. We helped each other when we needed it.

I also did a little shopping, did even less homework, and finally got to sleep in a bit. I went shopping for Bryan with his mom and Brent, which was a lot of fun. Chrissy and Laura and I were supposed to have a girls' night, but Chrissy was too busy, so Laura and I just baked cookies and drank mango rum instead. Laura and I haven't been in touch too much this semester (stupid busy schedules!) so it was really great to get caught up with her. I love my Laura Lou.

I had a couple marathon phone conversations with Bryan. That was nice because we don't usually have time to do that during the school week. He'll be back in PA in less than a month! It feels so great to be able to say that now!! Less than a month!!!!

It's hard to believe that Christmas is also less than a month away. Crazy. I have no idea what my family is going to end up doing, because we can't seem to agree on what we want to do. It's time for a change. At least we all can agree that things are getting boring as they are. I mean, I love my relatives and I know they mean well, but at the same time, they're just so damn BORING. I'm sick of feeling tense on holidays because I can't think of a way to fill the awkward silences. Ideally, I wish I could go back to the days where holidays were nothing but magical because I was too young and naive to know that my family actually dislikes each other. I liked when the grudges were hidden and smiles were forced. Funny how people are more enjoyable when they're dishonest. Is that an awful thing to say? Anyway, I know a lot of it is me, because I have to just let things go and not let other people's grudges stress me out. I'm not part of the problem, so I should try to have fun.

Basically, I'm just ready to enter the next phase of holidays. I want to celebrate holidays with Bryan and be in charge of who gets invited and what we do and where it happens. I'm just ready to move on, I guess.

So that's that. I'm almost done with my Christmas shopping, which is nice. I need one more thing for Christie, and she and I still have to decide what to get my parents, but there's time for that. But other than those few things, I think I'm done! I should get started on writing out my cards soon.

My back hurts. Tonight Jess and I tackled the project of winterizing our apartment. Well, we started it anyway. We hung plastic film on the sliding glass door and then used a hairdryer to shrink it. For the first time in my life, I'm thankful for the dozens of hours I spent shrink-wrapping movies at Blockbuster. At least I sort of knew what I was doing now. So here's hoping our apartment is a little warmer this winter. I still have a couple windows to do, but I'll have to find a time when I can be arsed to do them.

The semester is quickly coming to a close. I think my workload from here on out should be pretty manageable. *crosses fingers* Earlier today I was looking at my archives from last year, and I remembered what a laborious and tedious semester that was. I hated all my classes and I had SO much work to do. I definitely have a lot of work this semester, but most of it is for classes I know will be worthwhile in the longrun. Long run. Long-run. Whatever.

It's funny how things have changed and haven't changed in a year. A year ago, I thought I was about to lose my grandfather, but he's still hanging on. Somehow. I don't know where he gets the will to keep going. It's also funny to see what music I was into a year ago. I was going through an acoustic, moody phase, which I'm DEFINITELY not into now. I can't take slow stuff right now.

(Speaking of music, Panic! At the Disco is my latest musical obsession. OBSESSION, I tell you. I freaking NEED their CD. No, really. I need it. I think I might develop some horrible medical problem if I don't get my hands on it pronto. I need to look into that.)

It's also funny how people who were SO important to me at the time aren't a part of my life at all anymore. Of course, people change and sometimes that means friendships end; that's just a natural part of life. I can get past the fact that we're not friends anymore, but it's the why that bothers me. It also bothers me that I'm still bothered by it, if that makes any sense. Was it my fault? Did I do something wrong? Or did I just not really know him at all? I don't know why it ended, and I probably never will, but I do miss how things were a year ago. We had a damn fun time together. I thought so anyway. It makes me sad to think I'll never have that with that person again. I still care about him and I wish him the best, but I know we can never be friends again.

And this is quickly turning into a soap opera or a eulogy or something. Who the fuck knows. These are just words. And you're reading them. That's all I've got, kids.

2005-11-24T15:23:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

2005-11-20T18:26:00.000-05:00

This is the funniest Bush-related story I've read in a while. "I was trying to escape," he says. Oh man.

2005-11-09T16:46:00.000-05:00

A three-year-old marathon runner?! I really don't like this trend of turning young kids into professional athletes. Not cool.

2005-11-07T23:18:00.000-05:00

Hi, my name is Kate, and I have a pasta addiction.

I knew that it was bad, but I didn't know HOW bad until I counted the boxes tonight. Currently, there are eight different kinds of pasta in our kitchen. Well, eight from me. Jess probably has one or two of her own. One or two is normal. Eight is not. Eight is just obsessive.

I think I need help.

2005-11-05T17:01:00.000-05:00

Ow. My leg hurts. I think I danced into something while I was cleaning earlier. Oops.

The weather was gorgeous today, but unfortunately, I had to spend the day inside so I could get all my stupid homework done. Teaching Reading is kicking my butt right now, and Shakespeare is about to join the tussle.

Yesterday was also nice, so I went for a drive in the afternoon. There's a road near our apartment called Bean Hill Road, and that name makes me giggle everytime I drive past it. So yesterday I decided to explore the wonders of Bean Hill Road. Along the top of a hill, I saw some flowers sticking out of the ground, and they looked like the type people put on veterans' graves. I drove towards the entrance, thinking it would be nice to walk around the cemetery. But then I saw the sign...

Lancaster Pet Cemetery. Arrrgghhh. As if I needed a reminder.

I'm going home tomorrow morning, and it's going to be so odd to walk in the house and not find Pearl there. She used to bring me one of her toys everytime I came home. I'm going to miss that.

I've been okay for most of this week. I've been really busy with homework, so that's helped to keep me distracted from missing her. Ugh, it's still hard though. I hope my family is coping okay.

But onto happier things. Tonight Christie is coming to visit! I'm meeting her and her best friend Alycia at the mall, and then they're staying over here tonight. Tomorrow Christie turns 18!! It's hard to believe, and it makes me feel so old! I can't believe how quickly times goes by. It's so funny, but Christie is perpetually 15 in my mind. Whenever someone asks how old she is, 15 is always the number that pops into my head, and I have NO idea why. It's sorta weird.

So then tomorrow I'm driving her and Alycia back to Reading, and I'll stay home until Monday, when I have to get my oil changed. It'll be nice to be home, but at the same time...

2005-10-28T11:58:00.000-04:00

R.I.P. Pearl, 1993-2005

Words cannot even begin to express how much I miss you and how empty this house will feel without you around. I love you so much.

2005-10-26T11:13:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I've visited Satan's Laundromat, but this entry has some odd and amusing street images from Tokyo. The beverage in the last photo looks suspiciously like the Cheat.

2005-10-24T23:01:00.000-04:00

Why I love my roommate:

Me, looking at the shopping list on the white board in the kitchen:
"So what could we make with salsa, bagels, waffles, and juice? And lightbulbs?"

Jess, seriously considering my question like it was a legitimate one:
"Um... danger?"

2005-10-24T15:22:00.000-04:00

Nooooooooo!!

The weather forecast said a wintry mix is possible for tomorrow night. I'm sooo not ready for this!

2005-10-20T22:33:00.000-04:00

Word of the day:
Aberration -- A deviation from the proper or expected course.
Example: "I think it's safe to consider this class an aberration, since it seems to be the one all the English majors dread."

Gotta love my boyfriend. In trying to academically console me, he uses words I have to look up in the dictionary.

2005-10-18T23:02:00.000-04:00

I'm telling you right now that this post is going to be gushy and lovey dovey and all that crap. You can't say I didn't warn you, ok?

This year, Bryan and I decided we're not doing birthday presents since we can't be together on either of our birthdays. Instead, we're going to get bigger Christmas presents this year, since we will be together then. Well in spite of this plan, Bryan sent me a gorgeous bouquet of flowers yesterday:

Aren't they pretty? I love all the different colors. What a brat though -- he totally disobeyed my orders. Aww, and he also sent me a sweet card AND he left me a voicemail of his whole speech class singing to me! Sure, he bribed them with extra credit, but the fact that he got a college class filled with mostly males to sing Happy Birthday over the phone is pretty damn impressive. So yes, my adorable and thoughtful boyfriend gets major brownie points from me!

I had a great birthday. Thanks to everybody who sent me cards or left me various electronic messages. You're all wonderful. I can't believe I'm 22! In a way, 22 is a bigger deal than 21, because it means I'm really an adult now. 21 is still in between. Who knows what the year to come will bring...

2005-10-14T16:28:00.000-04:00

I am Frylock from Aqua Teen Hunger Force!!

Which ATHF character are you??

2005-10-14T00:02:00.000-04:00

Quick survey

Top five favorite movies
1. Memento
2. The Sixth Sense
3. Garden State
4. Toy Story
5. Office Space

Top five albums I could listen to forever
1. White Ladder - David Gray
2. From Under the Cork Tree - Fall Out Boy
3. Who's Next - the Who
4. American Idiot - Green Day
5. hmm... maybe something Jack Johnson? Or MCR? (not that those two are at ALL related, haha)

Top five actors I would marry
1. Hmm, wouldn't marry any of them, but eh, what the heck... Jude Law
2. Colin Farrell
3. Jason Statham
4. Kyle Chandler
5. James Franco

Top five guilty pleasures
1. various embarrassing music I have on my computer
2. cheesy magazines like Cosmo
3. infomercials
4. chocolate, baby
5. sleeping in

Top five television shows
1. The Daily Show
2. Freaks and Geeks
3. Queer Eye
4. The Office (British)
5. Six Feet Under

Top five things that make me smile
1. Bryan (that's all I really need to say about this one!)
2. Autumn
3. Surprise compliments
4. Cute puppy dogs
5. J-Bird

Top five unreal people I wish were real
1. Jeremy Duncan from the Zits comic strip
2. can I say Snoopy?
3. Master Shake
4. David Brent
5. Bryon from That Was Then, This Is Now

...Aaaaand sleep.

2005-10-13T19:32:00.000-04:00

I believe I just kicked Shakespeare's ass.

2005-10-12T13:01:00.000-04:00

Click here for an amazing video of a guy sitting and dribbling a soccer ball in Amsterdam. I could do without the Chingy soundtrack, but it's awesome otherwise. This guy must have the strongest abs on the planet.

2005-10-10T16:22:00.000-04:00

I was all excited for the new Wallace and Gromit movie, and now I just found out the company's entire archives were just destroyed in a fire. Aww, that's so sad. It's great that the new movie made it out in time, but it's terrible that all their history is gone now.

2005-10-09T15:58:00.000-04:00

I never knew the meaning of insanity until I went to Target on opening day.

But hey, I got cute shoes!!

2005-10-06T23:26:00.000-04:00

Well, children, it's been nice knowing you, but Shakespeare is going to be the death of me.

I'm SO overwhelmed right now. Next Thursday night is our first exam for my Shakespeare class, and the professor handed out the study guide tonight. She's lucky that she's the most adorable old lady ever (a cross between Julie Andrews and Mrs. Cleaver) and that I could never hate her. The first test is on the four comedies we covered.

Okay, I should have known it was going to be bad when she gave the sample questions. Of course, for all the answers I mentally picked, she said, "Well, it's obviously not this one because..." Grrreat. I don't even know how to begin studying for this thing. First of all, she wants us to reread the four plays, which should take somewhere between eight and ten hours. Then, on top of that, she said we need to study for ten to fourteen hours if we expect to do well. TEN TO FOURTEEN HOURS!!! That's two hours a day for the next week! There's just no way.

So I don't know what I'm going to do. I love that it's only the second month of school and I'm feeling the stress level of finals week. I just don't even know where to begin.

2005-10-03T23:56:00.000-04:00

Overall, I had a great weekend. Friday night was lonely and pathetic, but things got better after that. On Saturday, Christie called off work and came down to visit for the evening. We went to the mall, ate at Friendly's, shopped our arses off at Save Mart, and rented a scary movie we had to turn off after half an hour. We're pathetic. We have fun though. My sister is the absolute best. Sunday morning, she went home, and Mom and my Aunt Jenny came down instead! It was like a family swap. Or something. Anyway, we went downtown to Jazz, Brews, and Blues, which for us involved lots of food and shopping, accented with chocolate and art. The beer was just ignored, haha. It was a gorgeous day out, so I had fun just walking around and playing tour guide. Ooh, and I got a cute pair of handmade earrings at a jewelry stand, so I filled my shiny quota for the month.

That's really all that's new for now. This week is the usual classes and homework, with fifteen hours of tutoring in between. I like working at the center, other than the fact that my supervisor drives me crazy with his unrelenting awkwardness and lack of clarity in anything he says. I'm slowly getting over my sinus infection, thank goodness. Sinus infections aren't a fun time.

I wish I could think of a clever way to end this, but I can't. Soooo... the end.

2005-09-26T23:23:00.000-04:00

It doesn't even come out for another two months, but I've already added it to my Amazon wishlist. Just look at this tracklisting! I don't even know all these songs!

CD 1: English Boy, Secondhand Love, A Little Is Enough, Heart To Hang Onto, Sheraton Gibson, The Sea Refuses No River, Brilliant Blues, Now and Then, I Won't Run Anymore, Keep Me Turning, Let My Love Open The Door, Slit Skirts, A Friend Is A Friend, Let's See Action, Street In The City, Empty Glass

CD 2: Rough Boys, Give Blood, Exquisitely Bored, Jools and Jim, Crashing By Design, Don't Try And Make Me Real, Face The Face, Uniforms (Corp d'espirit), My Baby Gives It Away, Outlive The Dinosaur, Keep On Working, White City Fighting, All Shall Be Well, Time Is Passing, I Am Afraid, Misunderstood, Pure And Easy, Parvardigar

2005-09-22T13:28:00.000-04:00

Apparently, Hurricane Rita could send gas prices skyrocketing by next week. Some are estimating as high as $5/gallon. Ughhh. For an article and a map of potentially affected refineries, click here.

2005-09-19T09:13:00.000-04:00

You can bid on a chance to be mentioned in Neil Gaiman's next novel. How cool would that be? There are other authors in the project too, including Rick Moody. Why anyone would want to be in one of his novels is beyond me.

2005-09-15T21:18:00.000-04:00

Thank you, sink, for randomly flooding my kitchen. It's just what I wanted to start my weekend.

The kitchen sink in our apartment has always been a little quirky. The faucet turns on WAY too hard, but we've learned to lift the handle gently. The water takes forever to get hot, but we're patient. The drain gurgles sometimes, but we just ignore it. Occasionally, it even spits up some junk from the garbage disposal, but we just clean the sink when that happens.

So earlier today, Jess was watching TV when she heard the sound of something spilling. She rushed into the kitchen to find the sink completely full and water running onto the floor, even though the faucet wasn't on and the dishwasher wasn't running. I only wish I had been here to see her frantically throwing towels on the floor, tossing items from the floor into the other room, and calling maintenance -- all at the same time. Poor Jessica.

The linoleum has dried by now, but the carpet next to it is still soaking wet. And oh yeah, maintenance hasn't yet responded to EITHER of Jess' EMERGENCY messages. What the hell would we have done if the water hadn't stopped? I freaking love the Village of Lancaster Green.

It was a great day until now.

2005-09-09T09:11:00.000-04:00

My fellow Americans:

Don't forget to watch the two Hurricane Katrina benefit concerts on TV this weekend! Tonight is Shelter From the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast, which starts at 8:00 pm EST and will be shown on all the major broadcast networks (CBS, NBC, etc). Then tomorrow night, also at 8:00 pm EST, is ReAct Now, which will be shown on MTV, Vh1, and CMT.

Click here for more information about Shelter From the Storm and here for more on ReAct Now.

2005-09-07T11:17:00.000-04:00

It's too big to post here, but click for a great anti-Bush photo. I think it's fake, but I don't care... the point behind it is all that matters!

Thanks, linkbunnies.

2005-09-01T15:02:00.000-04:00

The quote of the day goes to Jess:

"You are a glorified cracker!"

2005-08-29T19:55:00.000-04:00

Can someone please explain to me the correlation between the hurricane and gas prices? I keep hearing prices are going to skyrocket because of Katrina, but I have NO idea how the two are related.

2005-08-24T13:06:00.000-04:00

Has anybody tried Google Talk yet? I'm really excited to download it at school. It's Google's new messenger service, which allows you to chat over IM or using a computer microphone. I've already got a Google account, so why the hell not?

2005-08-23T16:43:00.000-04:00

Congrats to Niall for getting into uni at Dublin!

2005-08-22T18:00:00.000-04:00

Bryan just found out he has to leave for Maine a day earlier than expected. Great. Just fucking great.

I hate this week.

2005-08-14T22:07:00.000-04:00

Lessee here...

The David Gray show was pretty good. The trip to the theater wasn't so much fun, but we had a good night after we got there. Somehow, Bryan and I ended up in New Jersey instead of Philly. I seriously think the mayor of Camden set up some sort of deal with the Philly mayor; maybe they decided to leave out a couple road signs so that more people would end up in NJ. Bryan and I were doing fine, following our directions to a T, when I saw "Last exit before toll" and found myself driving onto the Ben Franklin bridge. Oh great. So after much swearing from me and much shaking of the head from Bryan, we found a place to turn around and headed back towards Philly. I asked the guy in the toll booth how to get to Broad Street, and he said, "Take the Broad Street exit." Wow, I'm SO glad he's getting paid to work there.

On a side note: Zach believes no one has ever voluntarily moved to New Jersey. Instead, the entire state is populated by vacationers who didn't have the right change to come back to Pennsylvania and decided to just stay instead. I think he might be right.

Anyway, after circling Independence Hall about three times, we found the theater and paid $14.50 to park across the street from it. Good lord. (I wish I owned a parking garage. That's got to be the easiest way ever to make a fortune.)

Inside the theater, I met three people from the DG message board, which was great. They were all such friendly and funny people. I wish I could have spent more time with them! We skipped the opener to chat, and from what I heard in the lobby, I'm glad we skipped him, because he sounded awful!

Dave opened with "The One I Love," which will be the first single from the new album. I really, REALLY like this song. From the very beginning of the show, I was overwhelmed by his voice. I mean, it's amazing on record, but it's even better live. I've never known an artist to vocally saturate a venue the way DG does. Absolutely stunning. I can't even count how many times I got chills down my spine during the show.

The other highlights of the show were "Please Forgive Me" (a perpetual crowd favorite) and "Sail Away" (my very favorite DG song). I was too awestruck by "Sail Away" to really even sing along. I've heard my favorite song live... I can die happy now!

Unfortunately, other than "The One I Love," the new songs didn't thrill me. Dave played like 90% new material, which was disappointing. I mean, it's neat to be able to say I was one of the first people to hear those songs live, but at the same time, when I go to see my favorite artist (for the first and possibly only time), I want to be able to sing along! I want to be able to identify the songs I'm hearing. I liked the vocals on those songs, but the instrumentation was repetitive and just boring, for the most part. I'm hoping they sound better on the album.

So the highlights of the night were truly amazing, but the show overall was "eh." I'd give it a B-, probably.

What else? Last weekend was a busy one. I saw DG on Friday night, took Bryan and Brent and Joey to Macungie for the toy show on Saturday, and met Zach for breakfast Sunday morning. I'm SO glad I got to see him. I missed him last time he was in town, so I was really happy I got to see him this time.

I think this past week was a busy one, but I can't remember a lot of it, haha. I went back to Sovereign on Wednesday for a wedding shower for the girl who sat across from me, and that was fun. Bryan and I went to Adam's pool party on Friday night, and then last night was Heisler's with his family and the Mayses. I had a BLAST. I hadn't been to that place since I was about twelve, but it was just as much fun as it was back then. Actually, it was even more fun, because we did more than my family and I used to do. Of the 13 people in our party, I came in last in mini-golf. Not by much though!

I think this week is going to be a lot of errand running and stuff like that. I have a bunch of things to get together before classes start again. But for now, I'm going to watch some Aqua Teen. Woohoo!