My Hopes and Dreams For the Future

Lexi Gone Wild

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 06:28:29 GMT

My new dog, Lexi, goes crazy sometimes and I finally caught her on camera. Here are a few short videos of her playing around before bed:

Katie's Discovery

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 03:35:21 GMT

Best T-shirt.....ever.

http://www.threadless.com/product/844/Spoilt

Quick Note

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 17:13:44 GMT

I should soooooo update about something other than Harry Potter. Oh well. This news couldn't wait:

Naomi Watts is going to play Draco's mom in the next film. Bad choice. She seems too young, too pretty, and too nice. And she isn't platinum blonde. But I guess we will see how she does.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Sun, 22 Jul 2007 01:51:44 GMT

For reasons I am under secrecy about, I got a copy of the book yesterday at 6:48 pm, read over 200 pages last night, and then passed out. Then I read all day and finished the book at about 6:48pm. I would usually take my time reading it, but it seemed so important to read it before someone gave it away.

The first attack scene with the Harry Potter doubles was INSANE. It was all happening so fast and I was like WTF THEY KILLED HEDWIG! That was a low blow. I was so sad that the she died. I had to re-read it a couple times to make sure I hadn't misinterpreted.

Is it horrible that I was more upset about George getting injured than Mad-Eye dying? Maybe it was how blood was repeatedly described. It made it more real and horrifying. I liked George's saintlike/holey joke, though =)

I thought the middle of the book dragged a bit, and didn't find the scenes at the ministry too exciting. Even Godric's Hollow scenes were a little disorienting when I was trying to figure out what just happened (though I shed a tear or two when he visited his parents' graves). I think Ron coming back was the best thing that could have happened. It seemed to help keep the book moving. I liked that he showed the Potterwatch radio station as well.

The Malfoy Mansion chapter seemed very unnecessary to me at the time, but I suppose in the end it helped explain all the wandlore, and of course led to my first real crying after Dobby died. I thought Harry digging the grave himself made it much more poignant.

Again it felt slow with all the Gringotts business to me despite all the action. You knew they couldn't die then, so I was like ok, escape and move on.

Once they returned to Hogwarts, I was immediately sucked in. I loved how so many people came back to fight and really showed their courage. Neville turned into quite a bad ass with that sword. I was sad to see Lupin and Tonks die since it seemed to echo Harry's fate as a baby. I wish they had mentioned more about Harry being Teddy's godfather, because I think that bond would have been really important to him (reference Harry's love for Sirius).

I thought the epilogue was a little too cheesy. I felt like I was reading fan fiction instead of JK Rowling's book. It would have been nice for the epilogue to have been a little more deep than just yay, we have kids! I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm glad it ended more happily than I expected, but maybe explaining how more characters ended up would have been nice.

The Prince's Tale is definetely the best chapter. I was a "Snape is good" person, and I had supported those who thought he fell in love with Lily (though I did not think of this theory myself). But the way the chapter played out everything was amazing, and when Harry tells Voldemort how Snape loved his mom and was kind of proud of that fact was a nice touch.

Kreacher's change of heart was endearing and I liked that he led a charge of elves in the end.

I don't really understand how Harry died and came back. That didn't really make much sense to me. Someone can explain it if they can.

I thought the book was very heavy on Dumbledore background. At some points I wasn't sure if I was reading Harry Potter or a Dumbledore biography. While I see why his background was important, it wasn't necessarily my favorite part of the book.

I liked Narcissa's lie. The Malfoys seem in their switching sides to protect themselves to actually do good occasionally.

Mrs. Weasley finishing off Bellatrix was awesome. I can't believe she called her a bitch......

Fred dying was really sad, but not too much attention seemed to be paid to it. We don't know how George ended up in the epilogue either. I know he survived, but I'd like to know if he was able to be happy without Fred.

That is all the commentary I have for now, though I might add more as I think of it.

Daniel Radcliffe

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 00:23:52 GMT

Ummm.....why does Daniel Radcliffe grow so much hair?

And.....why does he look like Elijah Wood?

I won't even mention the leather vest.

Thoughts?

Do what you love, and fuck the rest.

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 02:44:28 GMT

Life is really boring at FSU this week. Everyone is already on spring break in their minds, and are simply trying to get by academically until they can leave. I have two tests tomorrow which will be manageable, but are the main reason I can't leave earlier. Since I've already studied the hundred notecards (you think I'm crazy, but you try to remember the 12 labors of Herakles including the Erymanthian Boar, Apples of Heripades, and Lerynetian Hind (to name a few)) I made for mythology, I figured I'd take a break and jump on Jaime and Valerie's bandwagon of meaningful posts.

I think I've finally settled down into a major and minor. I'm not going to dual major anymore because it appears to be more benficial for me to get my masters sooner instead of putting it off for another year to finish all my class requirements. I'm going to stick with Economics as a major and minor in Business (it's only 4 extra classes after economics requirements). I just recently talked to my advisor, and she said if I really push myself, I can graduate in Summer of 2008. That seemed a little too soon. I'd rather take my time. I'm gonna draw it out until Spring of '09 and then go straight into the Masters Program for Economics.

This past month has been unreal. I got an email from the volunteer center on campus for this summer program at Georgetown dealing with philanthropy. I randomly checked out the site and saw they also offered a program in comparative political and economic sessions. It seemed like a great oppurtunity because it would be an 8 week summer semester at the university where I would be taking two classes, one in economics and one in politics, along with another class that would give me credit for an internship I would be matched up with once I was accepted. It was definetely expensive so I asked my parents if they were willing to finance it if I got accepted. They were both very impressed by the program and agreed, so I applied. The application was SO LONG. Two recommendation letters, two personal essays, financial information for scholarships, a scholarship essay, resume, and personal information. It was a lot of work to put together in a week. I figured the chances I'd get in were slim, and the chances I'd get a scholarship big enough that my parents would let me go was even more slim, so I didn't think much about it after finishing the application.

Two weeks ago I found out I got in, and that I recieved a $1500 scholarship. My parents are letting me go, I've officially enrolled, and am currently awaiting an internship placement.

What did I just get myself into?

So now I am off to Washington, DC on June 9th and will not return until August 4th. I don't know anyone who will be there, I'm not allowed to have a car, and I've never even drove through Washington, DC in my life (and yes, I'm still bitter about being one of the only two students not allowed to go to DC in elementary school on the gifted field trip, lol). I have class from 8-10 am two days a week, followed by interning from 11-5, and then another class from about 7-9. On days I don't have class in the morning, I'm expected to intern from 9-5.

Seriously, what did I get myself into?

To be perfectly honest, I'm so excited about going. I think it will be an amazing experience, and the hardest thing personally that I have ever done. I will be away from any family or friends for 8 weeks, and even though that was the case going to FSU, I still had a few people I knew, my sister, and I could come home easily for a weekend if needed. The work load and hours will be really intense, but I know I can do it. I'll manage. I'll meet new people and adapt soon enough. It will be worth it =)

I suppose I'm having the whole "coming into my own" experience that everyone else seems to be hinting at. And as cliche as it is, it feels great.

Our course search for Fall went up on Monday. I've already figured out my schedule (which is a good thing because I register on March 12).

Honors Fundamentals of Speech (With Ziegler!) MWF (3 credits)
Honors Calculus with Trig 1 MTR (4 credits)
Personal Finance TR (3 Credits)
Economic Forecasting TR (3 Credits)
Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory TR (3 Credits)

I always seem to take 16 credits. But after this Fall I will only need 4 more honors credit hours, 3 business electives, 3 economic electives, 2 core economics courses, and any math will apparently help GREATLY in graduate school.

I had an awesome weekend with Sarah and Erin this past week. It was nice that they could come up and visit me for a change. I like hosting people =)

I miss Eric, but will be home soon to see him. Things are going well as usual. We've been together for over 5 months now, and I'm content =)

Alright, I'm gonna wrap this up. Lost is coming on soon. I hope you all are having amazing experiences at your respective schools. I'm sad my spring break is a week before everyone else's, but at least I will have time for my family. I think I've neglected them a bit lately.

PS- To answer Valerie's question I have not gotten drunk, high, an abortion, failed a class or burned down a building. I did skip one of my classes twice this semester, but that's all. My classes are actually fairly enjoyable.

PPS- My Short Story teacher is EXACTLY like Devin. It is driving me slightly crazy. No offense Devin =D

Moulin Rouge

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 16:26:02 GMT

I forgot to mention I saw Moulin Rouge at midnight last Friday because it was playing at the movie theater on campus. It was not the same without the Rich Weirdoes, random loud audience members adding new traditions, everyone pitching in for Devin to get a lap dance from a guy, reading shortened versions of Shakespeare plays beforehand, being instructed about the theme in which everyone will dress by, and singing with my Christian (too bad I only know the harmony now at some points, Steve, after practicing forever with you on Come What May).

It is at random times such as these that I miss you all and your craziness that sometimes you even managed to get me to join in on =)

SLS & College Life

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 00:30:59 GMT

My service and leadership seminar is now over. I spent basically my whole day Tuesday-Friday with this AMAZING group of people. It was really tough the first two days because we were outside for a good portion of the day, and it was crazy hot. I figured out that I'm definetely an indoor person. Give me some AC and I'm happy =)

I don't really feel like going over the whole seminar because as I said, it was pretty eventful. Here are some highlights:

*I visited my first Hospice and realized I might want to volunteer there. Even though those people are on their death bed, I think I would learn so much from them by just listening and spending time with them. I'll have to follow up with that.

*We had a random dance party on Thursday night, and I actually let loose and danced my ass off. Usually I would be too embarassed, but I felt really comfortable around everyone.

*I sorted food at Second Harvest Food Bank on Wednesday. I have so much appreciation for the people who do that on a regular basis. Seriously.

*I had some free time after my team finished up our project early so I filled out my registration to vote. I was proud. Now all I have to do is mail it on Monday.

*My group volunteered at the local Ronald McDonald house. It felt so much like going to a grandparent's house. I really needed that since I feel a bit homesick sometimes. I want to go back and volunteer there, too.

*I thought I was pretty compassionate when concerning giving back to the community. I was wrong. So many people there inspired me to do so much more. The way everyone kept up such a good attitude even though we were all sweaty and gross was great. I was really impressed, and hope that some day I can be like that, too.

Last night I went to see this half-asian comedian KT Tatara. He was really funny, and definetely an equal opportunity offender. I still like Dane Cook more, but this guy was pretty hillarious. I chilled out in the dorm with Jessica afterwards, and we tried to catch Steve on that TV show he was going to be on. We think we saw him in the background for a split second, but otherwise we were just confused by the show, lol.

Today I went shopping a bit with Katie in the morning and then did my laundry when I got back. Our dryers are amazing. They dry jeans in under 30 minutes. I was impressed. The rest of the afternoon was spent cleaning up my room a bit, getting some lunch and dinner at the dining hall, buying my last book (and talking to a nice guy named Robert in the crazy long checkout line), and taking a nice nap. There is some big concert tonight with some country singer named Chris Cagle. I've never heard of him, so I'm just going to chill out more in the dorm tonight. I need some down time before classes.

I hope you all are having fun at college (or fun visiting home, lol). Let me know how it's going =)

Ramblings at 1am

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 05:08:19 GMT

Friday, August 11th 8-11pm
Ice Skating at the Ice Factory in Kissimmee
$6 to skate, $3 to rent skates
Directions: icefactory.com
Everyone is invited...so come and bring more random people =)

In 11 days I will be lying in my bed staring at the ceiling of my dorm room in disbelief. What the hell. When did I get so old?

I swear I'm gonna burst into tears when I say goodbye to Jonathan next week. I love that kid. He called me the other day simply to inform me he lost his first tooth. And he offered to help me make dinner last night after we were done playing N64 (Why are some Perfect Dark levels *identical* to Goldeneye?). He told me he wanted to spend more time with me before I left. Seriously. Cutest pseudo little brother ever.

My mom is starting to act differently around me. She sometimes looks like she is on the verge of tears and is hugging me a lot more "just because." I wish I could tell her I'm equally sad about leaving home. I've never been one to embrace change easily. But staying wouldn't keep things the same. It's time to leave.

On a non-depressing note, I watched my first episode of Project Runway today. All you crazy kids talk about it all the time, and now I know why. The overdramatic quality is highly amusing. I also started re-reading Order of the Phoenix after I disgraced myself in front of Sarah with how little I remembered. I started today, and have already read 178 pages. I think this is the 4th book in the entire world I have read more than once.

I'm slowly making plans to see everyone this week, including the ice skating invite above. I have a feeling this week is going to be bittersweet, but maybe we can all just leave with a bang by cramming in as much fun as possible? Yes. That sounds perfect.

Taboo

Thu, 03 Aug 2006 02:31:54 GMT

Katie and I were playing Taboo the other day for fun (we didn't keep score). In case you don't know how the game is played, here is a brief summary before I continue:

You have a card with a word on it you are trying to get the other person to guess. Unfortunately, there are five words related to the objective word that you are not allowed to say, making it more difficult to get the other person to guess correctly.

Sample Card:

Sunflower
Plant
Seed
Grow
Petal
Leaf

Ok, anyways...while Katie was giving the clues, the following conversation ensued:

Katie: Ok, this is something you wish for.
Me: Hope?
Katie: Well, it's more of a sexy hope.
Me: *Bursts out laughing* Um, fantasy?
Katie: No. Ok, for you it would be being in the same room with Brandon Routh and Dean Cain.
Me:.....DESIRE!

=)

Drowning In CDs

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 04:30:22 GMT

So things have been interesting around here. A couple days ago I had this brilliant idea to organize my CDs. I figured I'd keep the CDs that I listen to a lot of, and then import the few songs from the CDs I only listen to a little. About two hours into this project, I decided to load all my favorite songs from all my CDs so that I would have basically my entire music collection on my laptop and IPod (my main sources of music for college). Do you remember that good idea/bad idea Animaniac cartoon? This was most definetely a bad idea.

After working on this for 6 hours (not all together, but close), I had a stack of about 20 CDs I still had left to go through, cases strewn over my bed that I needed to match CDs with (to put away in my closet), my mom asking me about emptying the garbage and color-coding the cables behind the TV (which my dad had asked me to do earlier), and a big chocolate milk stain on my sheets that I had caused earlier and was trying to let dry. I was pretty close to losing it, so I called Sarah. Somehow after talking with her for an hour, I had successfully distinguished all the TV cables by unplugging things and seeing what turned off, changed my sheets, emptied the garbage, and put all the excess CDs away. It was amazing. Rambling to a friend helps to keep your mind off all the crazy stuff you have to get through while you're getting through it.

By midnight, I had finished importing songs (my library count is now 618) and alphabetized all the CDs that I had chosen to keep. I was semi-proud for finally getting around to doing all that music stuff because to me it felt like I was doing at least something towards packing by consolidating =D

Last night my dad made waffles for dinner. I know it is a perfectly acceptable meal, but I was quite thrown off by having a breakfast food for dinner, lol.

Today Sarah and I went to Pointe Orlando to see John Tucker Must Die. We ate a quick lunch at Johnny Rockets and called Erin so that she could meet us there and see the movie as well. I was surprised that I actually liked it. It was pretty funny and cute for its genre. Plus the guy was hot. That always helps.

After the movie we headed back to my house to hang out. Since it was Dean Cain's birthday today (well it was 20 minutes ago), we celebrated by having another one of our Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman marathons. We kind of all love that show at the same time now, so we usually end up watching those DVDs whenever we see each other. I know it sounds stupid, but watching the episodes with them makes me a little sad. In another month I'm going to have to start all over with new friends, meaning I won't be comfortable admitting I like a show as silly as Lois and Clark. I won't feel comfortable admitting anything really. I always feel like I have to be a little fake with people when I first meet them until I figure out what is socially acceptable in their eyes. Blah. That sounds awkward. I guess I'm trying to say that it takes awhile to become best friends with people, and I'm leaving mine in less than 19 days.

"There's a reason for the world, you and I."

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 03:34:53 GMT

I <3 my laptop. It is making me a bit antisocial with my family, but whatever. I like the whole wireless internet thing because now I can randomly check my mail in my room at 2:30 am for no reason. It doesn't matter if I have mail or not, just the fact that I can check it without even getting out of bed is amusing. Plus my DVD player has been broken forever, and now I can watch DVDs in my room again! It's all good =D

Last weekend Heather and I went out to lunch at Olive Garden. I was so proud of myself because I ordered a dish without asking anything off it (I can't help that I like things plain), and I actually ate the whole thing. Crazy. I had a lot of fun seeing Heather again because I haven't talked to her much since IB testing ended. We did the whole catching up thing, and then attempted to go shopping at the Florida Mall. Yeah, the first day of tax free week is a scary time at the mall. We didn't even find a parking space, so we decided to go to the Loop instead. Old Navy was INSANE. Clothes were strewn everywhere and I had to wait twenty minutes in line for a pair of jeans and a t-shirt (they were worth it, but still). The two of us managed to survive the crazy shoppers by taking shelter at Wendys for frostys. Good times.

Monday I went to Sarah's house to hang out for a bit. We watched Urban Legends which only reminded me of Jaime's house party that one summer. Tara Reid running down a hallway going "Ahhhhhhhh!" in the fakest way possible is fabulous. The movie sucked as much as I remembered, but I got a good laugh out of the acting. Sarah and I did some minor scrapbooking (I made my Graduation page while she finished a Spain page), and then we spent my last five dollars at Wendys for lunch. I hate not having money. It has this annoying aspect of severely limiting going out.

Yesterday my sister and I went to the South Trail library in search of different DVDs than South Creek, but they were all pretty much the same. I did get that movie "Waiting" though. It's really funny if you haven't seen it. I also spent yesterday with Sarah and Erin. We had a Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman marathon. Yeah, I know, ridiculous. I love that show despite its lack of acting at times and cheesy plot twists. Watching it with Sarah and Erin was really fun, though, because we would all burst out laughing at the same time at various points during the show. You gotta love the 90's.

Today was annoying because I drove all the way downtown for my oral surgeon appointment (jaw problems), just to find out my appointment was yesterday. Sigh. I thought it was Tuesday, but my mom had it written down for today. Oh well. Now I just get to drive up there again on Wednesday. The rest of the day my sister and I just chilled out. I really should be doing something productive like packing. Unfortunately, I can't pack much because I'm going to use everything again before August 19th.

I hope you all are having great summers. Leave a comment and let me know all the fun things you're doing =)

Random Script

Sun, 23 Jul 2006 03:23:09 GMT

I was reading an abridged script of the new "Pirates" movie. Just wanted to post a few quotes from it (don't worry, they shouldn't give away anything major if you haven't seen it). There is a link at the bottom if you want to read the whole thing.

"They ESCAPE by violating the laws of physics. Meanwhile, JOHNNY DEPP turns into WILE E. COYOTE for a little while and also escapes."

"Suddenly, BILL NIGHY and his team of humorous-looking fish pirates special effect their way onto the screen."

"BILL takes ORLANDO, who then bonds awkwardly with his fish of a father."

ORLANDO BLOOM
"Am I being lectured by a guy wearing a fucking starfish?"

"Suddenly, the boat is attacked by CGI TENTACLES."

"They fight over the chest. Then they fight some more. Then they fight on the sand. Then they fight on a castle. Then they fight on a wheel. Finally, they stop."

http://www.the-editing-room.com/?script=pirates2

Thoughts At 1 am

Tue, 18 Jul 2006 05:20:06 GMT

I’ve discovered that I haven’t really been myself lately. It was especially noticeable on vacation. During the hour and a half of rec time we had each day at my FTE camp, most people made plans to go to the pool, go shopping, play basketball, etc. All I felt like doing was getting some peace and quiet. I would go up to my room and shower and then write a little in the journal they gave us. Sometimes I would call Erin or Sarah and catch up on what they had been up to, but most of that time I spent hiding out in the dorm room. And it wasn’t because I felt left out or that I felt like I didn’t know anyone. Leah was even there if I wanted to talk to someone from home. I just basically felt like isolating myself for as much time as possible. I figured I could get to know people during meals, classes, and leadership challenges (which I did), but I’m just surprised what I felt like doing most was being alone.

When I met up with my family after the camp was over, I started feeling the same way. I just felt suffocated by being around people 24/7. There was one night in which my parents and sister went out to meet up with Katie’s friend, and I stayed in the hotel. Those couple hours were so perfect to me. I heated up some leftover KFC, watched some TV, and just welcomed the break. I found myself putting on my IPod headphones whenever possible so I could just tune out everyone. I thought that I was just overtired from all the vacation (we did stuff all day every day), and assumed I would feel better when I got home.

But now I’m home. I’ve rested. And I still feel the same. I got up early and did some chores this morning before I watched the original Superman movie. The kids called twice, and I finally agreed to play N64 for a half hour. I didn’t really feel like playing video games, but I thought maybe seeing them again would cheer me up. Unfortunately it didn’t. I ended up watching them play Mario Tennis for a bit while I went online on my lap top.

I took some time to think tonight about everything, and I finally figured out the root of all this: college. Yup. That crazy place everyone is so excited to move off to. I’m excited to go as well, but right now the idea of it is having a weird effect. I feel like everything is temporary. My friends, my family, the kids, my life in general…all of it is going to change drastically in a month. Most of it won’t be here when I get back. Even though that should make me want to pack in as much time as possible with people while I can, I think subconsciously I just want to cut everyone out. I think I’m sort of distancing myself on purpose because I think I’m afraid of being too dependent on others by the time I move off to Tallahassee. There I will have a small support system, but as I said, everything will change.

I suppose this might be normal. Or maybe I’m overreacting and this is going to be some cheesy journal entry. I just felt that maybe if I admitted all this aloud (so to speak) then I can somewhat confront the problem and get over it. I want to see all of you again before I leave. I don’t want to become a hermit at 18, lol. So, if you have some time, give me a call. Maybe we can have lunch and catch up before all you Gators go back to your swamp (or whatever mascot/school you will be attending).

Brief California Update

Sun, 16 Jul 2006 12:14:50 GMT

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Ok. I feel better.

I'm back from California. It's been 8 REALLY long days and I'm not sure how I am not sleeping right now. Since I know you all don't care about every detail, I shall give you some of the highlights before I pass out.

1. Flight out was cancelled, so we had to fly to JFK first, wait there for awhile, and then fly to LA (I ended up being over an hour late to my camp thing).
2. FTE was fun, but there were only five of us total that went to the Seattle one last year. I wish I could have seen more people.
3. Planted 8 flowers in cement dirt (yeah, kind of hard to dig) and spread green rocks around at a pre-school for our community service project.
4. Visited the Santa Monica Pier and beach with Leah at the camp. Damn that water was cold.
5. Went to a water park with my family the first day I left camp.
6. Saw the San Diego Zoo the day after that. SO MANY ANIMALS. 'nough said.
7. Did the whole Hollywood tour thing. The wax figures were fun, and I also like seeing the Brokeback Mountain shirts from the movie and Moulin Rouge costumes at the Hollywood Museum.
8. Went to Magic Mountain and rode a bunch of roller coasters.
9. Waited in line at Tatsu (fancy roller coaster) for 90 minutes only to get to the front and have the coaster break down. We waited 30 more minutes and it still wasn't fixed, so we sadly left the line.
10. There was a Superman ride at Magic Mountain, so I have pictures of me standing on the Fortress of Solitude.
11. Since we didn't have anything else to do, we got to the airport about 6 hours before our flight left. I watched TV DVDs on my laptop.
12. I didn't sleep at all on the plane ride home because I wa sin the middle seat. LAME.

The trip was good. I promise. I'm just exhausted and stressed out at the moment. Hopefully some sleep will help.

Diploma Awarded

Fri, 07 Jul 2006 03:51:21 GMT

2006 MAY ENGLISH A1 HL 5

2006 MAY SPANISH B SL 5

2006 MAY HIST.AMERICAS HL in ENGLISH 6

2006 MAY PSYCHOLOGY EE in ENGLISH C

2006 MAY PSYCHOLOGY HL in ENGLISH 5

2005 MAY PHYSICS SL in ENGLISH 4

2006 MAY MATH.STUDIES SL in ENGLISH 6

2006 MAY THEORY KNOWL. TK in ENGLISH D

Total points: 31
Results: Diploma awarded

I'm a little embarassed about my TOK and EE scores (not that I expected much better), but managing a 4 in physics and a 5 in spanish was a miracle. Woot. "Diploma Awarded." Those are two fantastic words.

Californiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 03:56:42 GMT

SO MANY CHILDREN.

Good god, I was greatly outnumbered at my neighbor's party today. Jenna, who is now a year old, had a party today. She has two older sisters (4 and 6? I think). And then there were the usual neighbor kids: Jon, Sammy, Connor, Little Kelly (Haha, because of this child I am nicknamed Big Kelly around her), Brett, Ethan, and Ryan. These ten children I know really well and have babysat at least twice. But it didn't stop there. Nope. There were ten other children, the oldest which was 10. The rest of the guests were parents. Katie and I walked in and practically died. I could barely keep up with names (I can only remember about 8 of the new kids). I spent about five hours trying to stop them from throwing ice, yelling at the ten-year-old bully starting the ice throwing fights, calming Jon and Connor down after an eye-poking incident, making time to jump on the trampoline after being demanded to do so (when I jump they go flying which is highly amusing to them), finding some lost girl that had locked herself in a room, making sure the older boys didn't teach Brett anymore fighting techniques (he's 3), hanging up the pin the bee on the flower poster, and handing out cake plates. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Exactly.

I saw the Devil Wears Prada yesterday with Sarah and Katie. I had high expectations going in, and thought it was only ok. I didn't really know if I was rooting for her to overcome her job or leave it, which was confusing...and I don't really care about fashion labels (Yay Old Navy!). I really wish I could see Pirates of the Caribbean next week at midnight, but unfortunately I will be only hours away from leaving for California (heck yes!). After my four days at my FTE camp, I will be going to Magic Mountain, some water park, touring Hollywood, and checking out the San Diego Zoo. I'm so excited. L.A. here I come!

I forgot to mention awhile ago that my roommate finally called me. She had been at Orientation when I tried contacting her, so that is why I could never reach her. We talked for about a half hour about what we were interested in and what we planned on doing for college. She asked me if I drank, and I politely said no, hoping that wouldn't ruin things. She immediately said she was relieved because she didn't drink either. Yay! And I found out she's not interested in joining a sorority, and we have two of the same classes. Another class she is taking the honors version of, but I'm sure the coursework will be similar. I'm so glad about all of this. We have some time together and some time apart, we have similar goals and values, and she seems really nice the couple of times I've heard from her. So for now I'm not worried about any roommate issues =)

Tomorrow I have to do a dinner thing with my family and a friend from my dad's work, on Monday I have to do a dinner thing with Katie's boyfriend and family, on Tuesday I get to watch the cheesy community parade, on Wednesday I'm getting my hair cut, and on Thursday I get to pack for California. Not the most glamourous week, but hey? Going on an 8 day trip to California makes it all worthwhile.

FSU Orientation

Sat, 24 Jun 2006 02:58:25 GMT

Soooooooo.....wow.

Orientation is long. Like 13 hours in one day, start at 8 am, start at 7 am the next day long. I'm exhausted. A lot of stuff at orientation I already knew. Katie taught me how to look up classes beforehand, which day 2 of Orientation was almost completely about. The first day it was info session ALL DAY about clubs, financial responsibilities, rules, honors, etc. I was hoping to register for classes the first day, but I managed to get good ones anyway.

I think one of the funniest parts of orientation was when I met my advisor for history. It was me and 4 other kids and we were told to introduce ourselves and tell him what credits we were bringing in. The first girl mentioned one AP course, the second guy mentioned a couple dual-enrollment, and then I had to speak.

Advisor: And you?
Me: I'm Kelly and I'm from Orlando, FL. Are we supposed to tell you credits in any area?
Advisor: Yes. Anything.
Me: Ok. I have IB Physics SL, IB Spanish SL, IB English HL, IB Psych HL, IB Math SL, IB History HL, AP Physics B, AP World History, and AP English.
Advisor: Graduate studies is across the hall.

Hahaha. I think those four years in IB I deserved that moment.

Another memorable moment of Orientation was lunch the first day. I had been to three different sessions and talked to people in each session, but I didn't really get to know one person a lot. So, in the honors session before lunch I made it a point to talk to one girl for awhile so that we could eat together later. Turns out she was really nice, but when lunchtime came around, she had to do something with her specific group first. I was left alone again. Greaaaaaaaaat. So I start trying to talk to people again, but it really isn't enough time, and before I know it, I'm wandering around with a plate of food and a drink looking desperately for anyone I know to sit with (there were no open tables). After a minute or so, I was pretty disheartened until I saw his small table off to the side with only two chairs, one of which was open. I went up to the girl and asked her if anyone was sitting there, and when she said no I asked if I could sit down. Bless this girl for being from Idaho.

Melissa (lunch savior) knew no one going to FSU, let alone anyone at orientation. She was kind of quiet, but we ended up talking a lot about our college plans, interests, and hometowns. We even planned to look around the Union together while we had free time after lunch. We agreed during this time to meet up again at the optional Study Abroad program later, and also ate breakfast together this morning. She seems really nice, and I was so thankful to meet somebody that didn't know any less than 5 people at orientation. In case you didn't figure it out already, parents and students spent most of the time apart, and weren't allowed to eat together because of crowding. Lame.

I don't want to keep boring you all with my Orientation experience, so I will just leave you with the classes I registered for. I picked everything myself since IB took care of all my requirements for at least first semester. If you haven't been to your orientation, good luck =)

American Government: National

Honors Colloquium (required for freshman honors...you just listen to various prominent speakers from all different departments...it's only for half a semester, but it is still worth a credit.

Honors Astronomy (Yay for science other than physics, bio, or chem!)

Principles of Macroeconomics (National/International Economics)

Child Growth & Development (my sister took this and recommended it)

Social Problems (basically intro to sociology)

The Naked Roommate

Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:32:19 GMT

A month or so ago in my little AOL horoscope it told me to start preparing for college and suggested this book to read "The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into In College" by Harlan Cohen. I found the title amusing, but never gave it a second thought.

Oddly enough, this week when Katie and I went to the library, I found the book while I was looking for something else. I checked it out to skim through it in my free time, and I ended up loving it. I've read about 300 pages so far (don't worry, the book is small and an easy read), and I find myself laughing out loud while doing so. Each tip is a statement with a story form a college student to support the statement, followed by the author's perspective. Here are some excerpts from the website for it (TheNakedRoommate.com):

Tip #16- The Naked Roommate
(Talking about the different types of people and their different levels of comfort with nudity...this specific description is of someone who is NOT comfortable with it at all) These roommates often exhibit behavior such as dressing in a closet, performing the "underwear under the towel" trick, making an announcement such as "I'm changing, turn around!," or directing your attention elsewhere such as out a window ("Wow! Look! A Rainbow!").

Tip #55- The College Hook-Up
(Describing the different types of hook-ups)
The Drunk Hook-Up- an alcohol-induced connection
The Friendly Hook-Up- friends who go beyond friendly
The Rebound Hook-Up- broken up and lookin' for band-aid lovin'
The Cheating Hook-Up- a hook up with someone other than your exclusive partner
The Desperation Hook-Up- looking for anyone, I mean anyone
The Who's Next Hook-Up- the love junkie who can't get enough
The I-Love-You Hook-Up- grounded in real love (at least for one of the two involved)
The Convenience Hook-Up- the closest person with a pulse gets some
The First-Week Hook-Up- action exclusive to welcome week
The "I just want to have fun" Hook-Up- it's all good and fun until someone falls in love
The Weekend Hook-Up- I love you Friday, I love you Saturday, but don't call me Sunday
The Sympathy Hook-Up- a charitable donation to someone in need of love
The Repeat Back-Up Hook-Up- a got to guy or girl who is the back-up love buddy

Tip #67- Doing It Way Too Much
If you're trying to read this tip, but keep getting distracted because you keep having sex, then you're probably doing it too much.

Tip #73- Drinking on Campus
If you're using this book as a beer coaster, you probably have a drinking problem...

Tip #75-Not Everyone Has To Drink
(Talking about how you can disguise things as alcohol) If you want to hold something, but don't have a cup, hold yourself. If you don't want to hold yourself, than you can hold a small pet, like a ferret, a guinea pig, or a mouse (all great for making conversation).

Soooo anyways, if you want to get completely wasted, stay sober, sleep with a bunch of people, stay a virgin, get involved in campus activities, make an A in classes, barely pass classes, skim all your textbooks, or deal with your crazy roommate...you should read this book =)

PS- I got my housing assignment, and ended up getting into Landis like I wanted. It's been renovated the past three years and is finally opening again this fall. It's an honors dorm and it's a suite-style =) Negative side? I've called my roommate 4 different times and she is never home. Not only that, but they don't have an answering machine =(

N64 Craziness, Jumping on Trampolines, and Preserving Memories

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 04:45:06 GMT

I have 45 minutes to waste, so this is probably gonna be a long entry. I'll LJ cut it into sections to reduce the rambling =)

I kind of ran into my new obsession a couple weeks ago. One of the kids left their copy of Pokemon Stadium at my house, and since I have had the same games for years, I decided to play it a bit. Wow. Totally brought back my Pokemon phase in middle school. Collecting those cards for no reason. Playing the game boy game for hours at a time. It was beautiful. After playing for a bit, I decided to drag my pokemon blue game out from the dusty shelf and started a new game. I thought I'd play up until I got the first badge and quit...I am now on Victory Road. Hahaha. Sarah has fanfiction, I have old video games.

The story does not end there. Sarah and I really wanted to get out of Orlando for a bit, so I suggested going to visit my grandparents in Sun City. My dad has been trying to get me to visit them, and it would be a nice little road trip combined with shopping (they live pretty close to a mall about the size of the mall here). Sarah was desperate to go out and do anything interesting since her family has robbed her of having a car during the day (Sarah...I don't know how you do it...I would die, lol), so we went on Friday.

The Brandon Mall was really fun. I discovered a new store I like (not actually new, but new to me) called New York and Company. They had a bunch of cute clothes we tried on, and I ended up buying a top. It's quite a shock that I have a piece of clothing seperate from Old Navy. Anyways...when I saw a Game Stop, I couldn't help but go in and check to see if there were any cheap N64 games. Apparently, since the new system is coming out soon, they won't be carrying N64 games at all anymore, and they are just gonna sell the ones they have.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My games will be gone? I was so sad. I had this urge to stock up while I could, so I bought a controller for $10 and a game for $3. I actually got the game for free because of this special they had going on (Thanks Sarah!). Then I began searching on EBay for games. I got great deals on the two pokemon stadiums, and am currently trying to get Perfect Dark (since I heard it's like Goldeneye). I figure it will be fun to get a bunch of new used (oxymoron) to play this summer and knowing me, I'll organize my games alphabetically and take them to college (I did this yesterday with my DVDs when I got one of those crazy big cases). I am ridiculous. At least I admit it =P Katie and I are going to the mall tomorrow to shop for some more clothes, but I plan to look for more used games, too =)

Ok. You get it. I like video games. Moving on.

The kids are getting quite clingy lately. They keep asking me if I'm going to miss them in college and when I have to leave. I'm taking Jon and Sammy ice skating on Tuesday. I feel like I should spend as much time as I can with them before I have to leave. See, with my friends my age, it's easy to keep in touch. You can email and visit each other when you get back and hang out at all the regular hometown places. But kids? They grow up so fast. Soon they will outgrow me and learn to be all independent, and that makes me sad.

I never had little siblings, and these past few years with them has been such a blessing. Passing on my N64 wisdom, jumping on huge trampolines, running around for no reason, helping Jon overcome his fear of roller coasters...a billion "kids say the darnest things" moments. I don't think the adults understand how much I help the kids is equal or maybe even less than how much they have helped me. It's great to be able to experience a second childhood because when will I ever get that opportunity again? I love those little kids. No matter how much they annoy me at times, I would not trade in my time with them for anything else in the world.

My scrapbook is coming along beautifully. I have a bunch of great pages thanks to Sarah. I visit her at the scrapbook store she works at sometimes, and she will help me format my pages with fancy things you can really only do at the store (glitter letters...stamping...etc.). I now have a Moulin Rouge 2 page layout, a homecoming week 2 page layout, a prom 2 page layout, and others. I like being able to work on something that is sort of a gift to myself once I get to college.

That's enough for now.

Lazy Days

Sun, 28 May 2006 03:40:38 GMT

I'm so bored lately. The whole magical effect of the beginning of summer has worn off when you are so happy to have nothing to do. Now I'm settling for fending off 8 year olds attacking me in Super Smash Brothers. Somehow after playing the game for about three months or so, they've gotten to the level where they can beat me. Damn. I must move them up to Goldeneye. Crazy children. I got a babysitting gig out of the N64 playing today for Friday. I'm looking forward to the crazy amount of cash =D

Tomorrow I'm going to Magic Kingdom with Sarah, her friend Katie, and Erin. It's Sarah's birthday shindig thing, so despite the massive Memorial Day crowd, it should be fun. I get to unleash my crazy inner theme park ride planning scheduler (< is that a word?). I blame my father for this because he always planned how we would navegate the parks =P

I began my scrapbook yesterday, though not in the way I intended. After looking through all those notes I was kind of emotionally wasted and felt like keeping those ridiculous notes in the boxes they came from. So I'm making the scrapbook mostly pictures with occasional parts of notes to add diversity. I found a bunch of crazy pictures of Steve from these past 5 years including him pretending to be retarded, wearing a sombrero, and one of him in the green M&M costume. Soooo I started with a page titled "Esteban" to commemorate these ridiculous pictures. Then I went to Sarah's scrapbooking store for advice and supplies to make fancier pages. I ended up getting two more out of the way, one of the pictures with my teachers from the last day of school, and one of pictures of Conde attacking Tony with his fake spear. The pages turned out really nice (Thanks Sarah!) because they are more fancy scrapbooking pages (With the nice paper and frames and such).

I saw X-men 3 at a midnight showing thanks to Steve's suggestion. It ended up being me, Sarah, Steve, Charlotte, Josh, Asef, Kira, Brian, Devin, Mike, Sami, Maryann, Mitchell, and Fran. We almost took up the entire front row of the upper level, lol. The movie was awesome to me since I don't have any prior knowledge of what the story is supposed to be. When the people died in the movie (don't want to say who in case you planned on seeing it), I was in shock. I just didn't see a lot coming I guess. My only complaint was that the movie was a little too focused on Jean Grey. I would have like to know more about the new people. Oh well.

Blah. Even my journal entries are boring. Hopefully this week will be more exciting =)

Tieing Up Loose Ends

Wed, 24 May 2006 02:49:39 GMT

Today was my last day of IB testing. Seems appropriate since it was the last day of school for everyone else (minus those lucky seniors who escaped the horrors of IB). I feel like I should be relieved or ecstatic, but I kind of feel the same. Getting out early because of IB kind of robs you from the winding down process of graduating. I tried to get in the mood, though, by celebrating with Sarah and Erin. We went out to lunch at Ruby Tuesdays and then saw Over the Hedge (great movie...seriously...I've seen it twice already) before coming back to my house to chill out. It was fun, but I felt like I was missing that feeling of freedom. I still do.

All I really felt like doing was organizing, so I pulled out all my old boxes of notes to pick out things for a scrapbook like thing I plan on putting together before leaving. Wow. Who knew pointless notes could bring up so many emotions?

I read about 75 notes from Andre from 7th grade. We were so ridiculous, but I wouldn't trade those notes for anything. I love you Andre! I have so many notes, not including the notebook that we filled up, of Andre and I talking about Roswell, people we hate, drama with Jessica Grady that hit towards the end of 7th grade, and multiple rants about if we were or were not dating. Haha. I couldn't stop laughing for an hour. I miss you =(

I read a conversation I had with Megan Adams over who was jealous of whom. She was telling me how no matter how many guys liked her, she was jealous that I always dated the nice ones. And I told her how I was so jealous of the fact that she got every guy's attention, even who I was dating at times =P I also found the letter she gave me when I was distraught over people finding out Ben and I were dating in middle school. It reminded me of why we were friends for so long despite our differences. If you ever read this, thanks for those times in middle school Meg. You got me through a lot, and its those memories that I keep of you.

I read some old love letters from my relationships back at HCMS. Apparently I had written four drafts of a letter to Jason, simply trying to make an invite seem casual but sweet, lol. I also found the letter I recieved back from him stating that he would agree to be my boyfriend. I love those cute memories when you realize how absolutely ridiculous you were. I even was able to find the few emails I had saved from Kenny. That seems like yesterday and ages ago at the same time. Is that possible? Ben wrote me some nice cards when we were in high school, and I had saved a copy of the letter I put in his scrapbook. They were reminders of how over emotional I can get, but that ultimately being honest with people helps me get over things. I like how despite how hard things get, everything seems to teach you something so you improve and ultimately grow as an individual.

I also read some pretty heartfelt letters from my other close friends throughout the beginning of high school, like Jaime, and how we used to gossip incessantly about things that don't matter anymore. I found some long letters from people I've lost touch with, and occasional notes from my family that I have forgotten. Those occasional cards from my grandparents, parents, and sister really made my day sometimes. I don't give my family the credit they deserve.

And how could I forget Steve? I found the little instruction paper for that wind up McDonalds bunny toy that we used to joke around with in 8th grade. And some early conversations about members of the movie group. We've grown up so much, it's hard to believe.

...I guess the point of all this is that going through the past sometimes for me is liberating because it shows you how far you've come. It shows you who you can count on without a doubt, and those that suprise you with their sincerity at the most random times. It shows you what has made you who you are today. I guess it ties in with my last journal entry when I said "whether by loving me or hurting me, you've shaped who I am today" (or soemthing along those lines).

I think I will still make that scrapbook of notes, so when I feel lost in college, I can remember my roots (as ridiculous as they are), and then move on from there. In case I never got the chance to say so, thank you. I wish you all the luck in each of your futures, and I appreciate every moment you showed kindness towards me. Even if only for a moment.

"I wanna be...forever young."

Mon, 15 May 2006 04:04:27 GMT

Yay. My IPod is working. I had to try numerous charging techniques (my phone charger worked in the end), resetting, restoring, etc. But now it works. I finally decided to pull it out of hiatus since March and its broken. Go figure. And I think I might be able to hook it up to my car after all this madness, too. Fun times.

But you people don't want to hear about my IPod, so I'll move on. Last night was my last chorus concert at CCHS. I felt like I should be more emotional about it, but I find myself leaning toward apathy lately about the whole graduating thing. Getting out early from IB is bittersweet because you get that freedom from the burdens of school, but you miss out on the fun end of the year stuff. Hopefully tomorrow's yearbook signing party will fill that void.

The concert went pretty well. I think we pulled it together in the 5 hour rehearsal yesterday morning. The costumes fit really well, the singing was decent and at times really good, and the technical aspects were sufficient. Oh yeah, and my 4 1/2 minute slideshow kicked ass. Just to let you know =) I love how conceited I get over putting together a very basic slideshow. It's fun =D Thanks Erin for coming last night. It meant a lot that you sat through all that just to show support for us. You're awesome =)

^Too many =) in the above paragraph

So what have I been doing so far with my time in my pseudo summer that is May? Well, I watched Lost Season 1 in a week with my sister. She's never seen it before so its fun to see how she reacts to stuff. I always want to tell her whats important and what plotlines are kind of forgotten, but she'll figure it out soon enough. The Lost season finale this year is gonna be so great. I saw the previews and was already impressed. JJ Abrahms better not let me down. Too bad I'm watching 10 season finales and one series finale this year. I <3 Tivo. Without it next year I'll be lucky if I can keep up with Lost.

I've also been taking a bunch of IB tests, which requires studying most of the time I'm not taking tests. I organized this great study group for history that helped A LOT when I got to the test. People always tease me about over-planning everything, but in some cases, its actually beneficial. Other times I'll just drive you all crazy.

Graduation is this weekend. Again apathy strikes because I really don't even care about going. Just give me an IB diploma in December (if I pass these tests), and I'm happy. To be quite honest, I'm more excited about seeing the Da Vinci Code. Haha, those books are amazing. Sorry about that if you find them offensive =(

I'm reading the novel Wicked after getting so caught up in the preparations for Night on Broadway. After watching basically the entire musical on YouTube, I was hooked. The novel is REALLY different though. It's a lot more dark and political as opposed to the lighter tone of the musical, but I still like it. I hope I can read more this summer. I'm slowly making my way through Dan Brown's books. I finished Digital Fortress awhile ago and after Wicked will move on to Deception Point. I like having time for myself. It's a nice break from the hectic life at school.

I know this journal entry was mostly me rambling about summer. Hopefully I'll be able to do that meaningful entry soon. You know, about graduating and going off to school. Until then, just know I care about you all and thank you for everything you've taught me. Whether by hurting me or loving me, I suppose you all have shaped who I am now that I'm graduating.

Hmm, I guess that last part was meaningful.

Tue, 18 Apr 2006 21:24:51 GMT

I don't feel like making a long prom update yet because I'm still tired, but I pulled aome of my pictures I had of all the beautiful people who read this. You guys all looked amazing =)

(I tried to LJ-Cut this, and it would have required me to go back and start all over because LJ changed its whole picture loading method thing so....deal with it por favor.)

Erin, Courtney, Katie, Sarah, Valerie, Jessica, and I at the Polynesian Resort before Prom

Steve and Me

Sarah and I

Erin and I

Erin and I Modelling the Prom Sign

Steve, Jessica, and Asef

Amber and I

Roy and Yanna

Devin and Jessica

Jessica and Valerie

Heather and I

Jaime and I

Steve......Dancing? lol

"Working all day for a mean little man, with a clip on tie and a rub on tan."

Wed, 05 Apr 2006 17:48:08 GMT

So siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick.

Blah. All day Sunday my throat was scratchy, Monday it was sore, yesterday it was killing me and I began sneezing, last night I could barely sleep 20 minutes straight, and today I am under house arrest. Nyquil is my new best friend. I took it at like 3 am and 4 hours later I woke up and realized I'd actually slept for a significant amount of time. I kept going back to sleep after that until about 11, at which time I dragged myself out of bed to get a drink and go through my Tivo list. Ah, the simple pleasures of staying home.

Tivo got boring after about an hour, so I got dressed in my laziest outfit and drove over to Blockbuster to get a copy of Brokeback Mountain. I managed to drive through McDonalds and get some lunch, but after twenty minutes of being out of my house, I couldn't wait to go back. I quickly found out nothing really tastes good when you're ill, and that an episode of Sex and the City is much easier to watch when you're drugged up as opposed to a serious drama about gay cowboys. I'll have to save that for when I'm a bit more coherent.

This weekend was amazing before I got sick. I was forced to get my chores down on Friday because my parents had this Exchange Student Coordinator over (our family is gonna host a 17 year old male exchange student from the Czech Republic this coming school year), so I didn't have to worry about getting work done on Sunday (because I usually put chores off till the last minute). Mike and I hung out after I finished my chores. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at Steak n' Shake and then went ice skating. I probably shouldn't have gone skating because on Thursday I had to leave school early because my back was killing me, and leaning over to maintain your balance on ice doesn't help make your muscles feel better. Oh well. Since we left after only an hour or so, we saw Ice Age 2 at the Loop. Steve thinks I am a traitor for not going with the movie group, but I ASKED him first if we had any group plans to see it and he said no =P It was pretty funny. I like the first one better, but the jokes in this one were fairly amusing. I haven't had the chance to hang out with Mike much since we stopped volunteering, so it was nice to catch up with him, too =)

Saturday Erin and I went to Disney Quest. Man. I hadn't been there in about four years. I had so much fun =) We managed to ride everything despite it being packed with a ton of students with brown shirts that said "Depth." No clue what that means. Buzz Lightyear was particulary fun when I drove because we just kept spinning most of the time. Apparently I'm better at shooting =P Well, at least on that ride. Alien Ride results:

Kelly Driving:
Rescued 31/31 colonists.
Erin neutralized 42 aliens.

Erin Driving:
Rescued 21/26 colonists.
Kelly neutralized 10 aliens.

Haha. I played that so many times with my neighbor when we had annual passes. I always drove, and she always was front gunner. Good times. Hmmmm, all the other rides were amusing, and we managed to get a chance to take some random pictures in a photo booth at one point. I'll try to post them later. Too bad we didnt' know there was a counter for when the pictures are taken, therefore making us look ridiculous in the first one, lol.

Sooooooooooo anyways. Good weekend. Bad week. I'm sure I'll get better eventually. I'm just feeling very weak and tried, and my head feels ridiculously heavy. I just hope I can make it through Lost tonight =O