Welcome to the Dashboard

I just watched Transporter II on the Digi P (don't ask me how, I don't really know), and it was friggin' awesome. I'm pretty sure near the end he was driving a Ferrari and I almost jizzed I was so excited. I've only seen one in person before in my life, and it was one of those moments when you remember every little detail. It was black, it was awesome, and it was unlike any car I'd ever seen before. Of course I'll never own one. It would probably cost more than any house I could ever afford. O what a world.

Today I read through all my old woohu entries. Actually no, that's a lie. Just all the entries that I made my freshmen year up through the summer afterwards. Part of it was because I was bored but mostly it was because I was interested. Just who was I back then? I discovered that mostly... I was just sad. Many of the posts I made were about Andy and my feelings. It's an odd thing that if anyone came up to me and actually asked me about him, I'd probably say nothing but good things, but looking back on the experience, it was truthfully very painful. I can remember only being genuinely happy right near the beginning. The rest was mostly confusion and frustration, broken up by brief periods of happiness. I don't regret it--he was a great lesson for me to learn, and I wish him nothing but the best--but I'm thankful that what finally happened did. If I had stuck around and tried just a little harder, I believe I would've missed out on the one opportunity to find who I was truly supposed to be with. I know one day Andy will find the same.

I've enjoyed this semester tremendously for many reasons. For the first time I felt like I absorbed something useful from my classes. I made some great friends, and I got closer to several old. Even living with Mike proved to be an experience that surprised me. I expected it to be harder (though at times it was). I was shocked at how natural it seemed. He and I.... we passed yet another test. But then... I was never worried that we would fail.

I'm looking forward to Christmas, tomorrow, and next year. :)

On Dragon Wings

I gave my blog a facelift! Actually, credit goes to Mike. I found the image I wanted, he worked his magic. :-D I suck at all things technical.

I'll have more to add later--for now I have way too much wrapping to do.

Griffins Make Me Lay Eggs

Shruti: How does ice melt?
Me: Are you being serious?

-----

Narnia was a good movie, now I have to read the book again because I know it's probably ten times better. The griffins were sweet. Not nearly as sweet as dragons though, but you knew that.

I'm done with work at the pharmacy for a little while, but my next week is jam-packed. I've got several family Christmas parties, half of my Christmas shopping list to complete, and hopefully I'll be getting my hair colored somewhere in there. My highlights from this summer look positively ghastly these days. I should stop going out in public.

After that it's back home for Christmas! :-D I hope I get a new watch. I obliterated my last one. >_<

Bulldog vs. Bronco

I mailed my transcripts and submitted my application to Ferris State University today for pharmacy school. Isn't it ironic that if I'd gone to Ferris originally and attended their honors college (to which I was invited the summer of my high school graduation) that I would be automatically accepted into pharmacy school regardless of my PCAT scores or GPA? But because I didn't yet know that I wanted to be a pharmacist, I instead chose Western Michigan?

Oddly, I don't look at this situation as a twist of injustice. I'm so very grateful that my life lead me here first. I would've missed out on a great many things that are far more important to me than my future career.

Still, wish me luck.

Feeling Normal Again

This week was a little crazy. Exams, heart attack, and driving through the biggest snowstorm ever. I think I may've contracted a few gray hairs from this experience.

Kate asked me last week if I wanted to get to know some of her friends from Chic better and their boyfriends. It was kind of strange because I think it was the first time this year that I've hung out with people who aren't single. Not that I care at all either way, they're all my friends, but it was a sweet change of pace. No one felt like a third wheel, and I didn't feel guilty for making anyone feel like a third wheel. There were no reprecussions for doing any of the stuff Mike and I do on a daily basis--in fact, I was in a situation with other people who did the exact same things. It was a cool evening, and I seriously had a good time. I can't wait to do it again.

I got to hang out with Michelle, Alicia and Chris last night at Michelle's place, and that was a lot of fun. It was great to see the girls again before we all split off our own way to do our holiday things. It's kind of a double-edged sword that we get so much time off for this break yet everyone is usually so busy doing Christmas stuff with family so it's hard to see each other.

The only downside of it is that I don't feel the same around them as I used to. It's not anything that anyone has done or that I've done really--I think we're all just changing. Each of us has gone down our own path and even though we still see each other and hang out as much as we can, those paths don't always meet. I think the biggest problem is we usually try to force them to meet. We're all different, sometimes in small ways, other times in big ways. I have to work harder to be a part of the group which once came so easily to me. Under normal circumstances I guess I'd be upset over this and think of a million reasons as to why that could be and who to blame it on--but I think I'll try a more mature approach. We're all just growing up.

I don't mind so much that this is happening anymore. I still care about them as much as I always have and I'll always be there for them when they need me (and even when they don't), but I don't think any of us need each other as much as we used to. It's just the course life has taken.

For now though, I need to go Christmas shopping.

Poor Jeeber :-(

How did his Christmas break start out? During his very last final of the semester, his mom had a heartattack, and we immediately drove all the way to Lansing. We stayed with her for six hours, after which we had to drive home in this friggin' blizzard that came out of nowhere. Several semi trucks nearly killed us, and I've never seen that much snow in my life. The hospital was very sad, and the drive home was very scary--but we got home safely.

His mom is ok. So is he.

I'm Weirdest While Sleeping

I had a dream last night that my phone completely frizzed out and the battery started smoking. In the dream I also got in this terribly stupid fight with my sister over the cost of a bra I bought, then it switched quickly to me making out with Mike, then I was at Crossroads Village pretending to work while in reality I just wanted to get my phone to work so I could hear the voicemails I had. I think I had quite a few or something. Anyway, even though it was weird, it's one of those dreams that could be real. My phone does completely suck and lately the battery has been draining within about a half an hour of use. I do make out with Mike ... I mean, obviously. And my sister and I occasionally argue over very strange things... though I can't imagine why we'd ever argue over the cost of a bra. But I suppose it could happen.

So yeah, that was completely pointless, but it entertained me.

One more exam today and I'm done!

Pop Goes My Brain

I've noticed that depending on my stress level the amount of crap around my room and on my desk changes, much like a linear, no no, an exponential equation. The more stressed I am, the more clutter appears. I haven't even had time to do the dishes or laundry, and that never happens to me. I do the dishes just about everyday because I hate going to get a drink and seeing any nasty plates or forks there in the sink. Not this week. And I'm almost completely out of socks.

I really enjoyed making my Facebook profile and searching for all kinds of people that I've met over the years, but I have to admit that I should've created it on a week that wasn't tainted by exams. Not a good idea I must say.

Alright, I guess the study break is over. Back to it.

OMG I'm a Sheep.

Everyone's got one, and now I do too. Look for me on Facebook!

http://wmich.facebook.com/profile.php?id=12120593

I Think I Lost the "Studying" Part of My Brain

Studying bores me. I'm more entertained by my birds hanging on a clothes hanger from the ceiling than I am with Interpersonal Communications 1700. I'm more entertained with the idea of that last twinkie I have in the kitchen cuboard than I am about Soc. 2000. And I'm way more interested in anything that has nothing to do with Microbiology. I can't wait for Thursday night. So many non-school things to do.

The sky has been shitting snow out since Thanksgiving. Geez, I'm tired of the bottoms of my jeans getting soaked walking to class. Then I get this annoying white stain at the top of the damp spot that I'm pretty sure has something to do with the salt they sometimes put on the sidewalks. And there were a lot of people outside my place last night until the wee-wee hours of the morning, and it was then that I truly discovered that drunk people really aren't aware of anything--mostly sub-degree temperatures.

Kate's dinner 'party' was enjoyable on most levels, though not all. I'm not going to dwell on the bad stuff though, because to be honest, I've grown tired of allowing it to hurt me. That was a big step for me. In fact, it's been a step I've been working on taking for about two months now, and I finally felt my foot hit the ground again. I'm growing up and learning when to abandon ship. Learning when to see that the costs are out-weighing the rewards. But as I said, enough about that.

Overall it's been a good weekend. This week will be over in the blink of an eye, and I sit here now and wonder where this semester went. I feel like it just started.

The Photoshop Ghost

There's something mysterious in my desktop photolog that possesses the ability to edit my photos for me without any assistance whatsoever. It does all sorts of things ranging from changing pictures to black and white, to sharpening them so many times you can see a horrible amount of pixels. Lately though it's taken a liking to croping pics in a completely random fashion.

<--Great example

This is a pic of my parakeets Napoleon and Milenko sitting on the vertical blinds in my living room. In the original photo their entire bodies are in view, along with several inches of the blinds themselves. It was also um, rightside up. So not only does this photo-editing program do this completely on its own, it also sucks at what it does. I usually just undo whatever it does and shake my head, but I saw this one and for some reason thought it was hilarious. Perhaps my little photoshop ghost is trying to tell me something in a strange repressed-sort of way. Which leads me to a completely random point, btw. Once again I'm overcome with the urge to express my life in comic form. I'm not sure about anyone else, but my daily life cracks me the hell up. It must be the irony. O the irony.

"Crap on the Wall" by Woo Flung Poo

There's been a massive update to my photogallery, and to see my picture taking goodness you can use the Badge on the left of this screen.
<---Here's an amazing example

The ZMAX penlight and pen!! Writing utensils of the future!!!

This past week was about as craptastic as finals week is going to be. Four papers, a presentation, and a lab final. I came out alive, but I've lost all motivation to do homework and study, which is seriously bad news.

I'm done tutoring. To celebrate the end, I invited several of my classmates whom I tutored with to go out to eat with Mike and I. I ended up staying at one of their apartments until two o'clock in the morning playing oldschool mariokart and drinking redpop. It was such a relief from the stress of the week, and I'm looking forward to doing it again soon once exams are done.

Kate cut my hair yesterday and I love it! What was even nicer though was sitting there for over an hour while she messed with my hair and just talking to her like I haven't talked to her since last year. It was so refreshing, I can't wait for her dinner party tonight.

I'm excited for Christmas--my watch is falling apart at the seams and I really need a new one. Which reminds me, I have serious gift-shopping to do.... Finals first though. Back to studying.

Franklin's Shell

I'm usually very afraid of social interaction. I don't like people who judge me, and I don't like pretending to be someone I'm not. It's a rare thing to find people who like you for who you are, and over the years I've come to appreciate what a gift it is when you do find those people. Tonight was a rare experience for me, and I find myself on the first page of a new chapter in my life. I cherish the old, but the new pages must come, and for once I wasn't afraid to turn them. I can't dwell on the closed door... another has opened.

I'm so very happy to admit that.