I am alive again!

You know that crazy busy feeling? Yeah, it's been kicking me around. Also, 8-10 hour stomache flu. Had it last Wednesday night... such a delight, I won't bore you with the details, just suffice to say I'm still kinda weak from it but enjoy the fact that I lost a couple of pounds at it. That's looking at the bright side I'm sure!
Home this weekend was fun. Helped Mum (who has updateded! YAY! Go read it!!) out in the garden pruning roses. We knocked out at least 24 of them and it took several hours. I shouldn't have been so proud about my hand not hurting right then. Because it WAS sore this morning in wall climbing and made me look like a lame little sissy girl. I deserved it. I only made one attempt and even then made it only about 2/3 of the way up. Lame.
Worked a double yesterday. Need to start working more since tuition is probably going to be more than I thought it was. Oh well, I have time to work just not the motivation. It's hard to get motivated to go act like you know what's going on and pretend to listen patiently when all I really want is to tell them to be quiet and listen, gosh darn it, because what we're doing is for a reason, namely to help him/her get to feeling better and out of here!!!! We're not evil, inherently, and just because we work there doesn't mean we like being at the hospital any more than they do. Grrr. Rant, rant, rant...
Have to do laundry tonight because I discovered all my workout pants (other than the ones that say "Score" on the butt which I refuse to wear to wall climbing, since, come on! Score???) are dirty or need to be fixed. Had to wear the pink ones that constantly-threaten-to but never-do-fall-down this morning. Good times.
And now I have to go to class... will update again very soon... Love and hugs!

Wednesday delight - reminds me of Hawaiian Delight!

Well, my speech went alright. Since I was first after I went I got to enjoy everyone else's much, much more. Surprised me how many of them were either almost entirely religious or at least mentioned it (as did mine, briefly). Music was also a big deal, apparently. Oh! And a new girl in the class didn't know about the assignment since she'd enrolled the day after the last class but he made her get up there and speak anyway, just off the top of her head without knowing any of the criteria. He acted like he's not going to let her redo it or make it up at all! I'm not sure but I think I would have either cried or left mad and dropped the class as soon as I got out of the building. Who knows...
Wall climbing this morning was a blast! Definitely my favorite class! (but I can't help but giggle a little inside everytime our instructor tells us we need to get more tail... It just means we need more rope to tie off with but I'm so immature that I find it hilarious... lol)
Had our roommate Christmas last night, almost a whole month after Christmas! Was such a blast because some of Steve's Beta bros were over too, playing Presidents and A**holes. They're quite a hoot. Guess we'll take the tree down sometime this next weekend or so...
On my way to pick up Julia from class yesterday the car in front of me had a cat in the back window. A real, live cat just hanging out in the back window. Pretty cute too, but it makes me wonder what kind of people take their cats on drives around town? The only time our cat ever got near a vehicle was to go to the vet's office so needless to day she hated cars...
Got a letter from SWOSU about my autobiographical sketch that I sent them with my application. Apparently, what I sent them isn't good enough, too much like a letter of intent so they won't consider my application complete until they get another one from me. Was really disappointed because this almost sounds like they're just screwing with me like OU has time and time again. I'm trying to be optimistic but they aren't really helping. I guess I should just be glad they let me know before the deadline so I at least have a chance to fix the (percieved) problem.
Well, ya'll each have a great day and I'll talk to ya soon!

Lovely 291

This is my 291st post on here. Crazy, huh?
It is soooo hard to not say mean things to people who very much deserve all I can dish (and you know I can dish it with the best of them). Effers.
Wall Climbing this morning was great. I'm now belay certified. Woohoo!
On a lesser note, I can't find a USB port to plug my flash drive in on this computer in the lab and it's making me sad... I went into the Business College's huge lab and saw a note on the board that says that particular compy lab is just for graduate students... But there was absolutely no one else in there!!! I should have stayed and done my stuff in there but I'm trying to follow rules sometimes so... They suck. Grrrr.
I have to give a speech tomorrow in Public Speaking. And I'm first on the list. (big sigh) I don't want to go practice with the teacher this afternoon but I also don't know exactly what he's looking for in this speech so it would be to my benefit to go see him. Urgh. I'm honestly not scared of giving a speech, just having it graded harshly... I welcome constructive criticism, of course... Let's just all try our hardest and still get A's at the end, how's that sound??? I think I'm going to post my speech on here when I get the chance...
Have a great day everyone!!!!!

***edit*** Here's my intro speech for class... I haven't timed it so I suppose there could still be a few cuts but overall it should sound like this:

Good morning! My name is ----- and I am from ----. Currently in my third year at the University Oklahoma, it is easy for me to see how much the college lifestyle has changed me since my humble beginning as a shy high school senior. College is a time of growth and learning, both inside the classroom and out. Being on my own for the first time opened many doors to me, with each new experience over these three years affecting my character, for better or worse.

Let’s begin with my freshman year, which brought with it a whole new way of life, “The Dorms”. Sharing my room with a stranger was something new as were a Burger King just downstairs and my parents always at least an hour away. Absent were the friends I had shared my life with since kindergarten and I was no longer strapped to the persona I had acquired in high school. Replacing both would be a tall order but well worth the effort. Classes were easy so I focused my energies on having fun making new friends, working hard to pay rent, and at not feeling homesick too often.

Then, after a summer at home, my sophomore year saw me moving with two new roommates into a tiny apartment. I rode my bike to campus daily where I struggled through organic chemistry, physics, and microbiology. Such a struggle was new to me since high school had been a breeze. Ballroom dance class kept me on my toes and waltzing through four lab reports each week challenged both my mind and my sanity. An ever-widening circle of friends, endless nights with my roommates learning to cook in our little kitchen, and random treks to Starbuck’s made life that much sweeter.

Finally, another summer back home, plus a rejection letter from Pharmacy College, ushered me into my junior year at OU. I found myself living in a lovely house near campus with two new roommates, as well as one from the previous year. My two new house sisters quickly opened my eyes to the thriving social scene and the joys of the Friday morning hangover. Among my new college friends I became especially close to one and have been seeing him for about seven months now. Progressively harder classes challenged me mentally while Pilates and wall climbing classes challenged me physically. Enjoying the local music crowd, cheering from the bleachers for Sooner sports teams, and visiting with friends increasingly divided my attentions between study and play, more so than ever before.

All of these experiences combine to infuse me with new ideas and broaden my once limited, small town views on life. Here, like nowhere else, has been the opportunity to meet a much more diverse collection of people than I ever would have found in my hometown and among them I have made close friends I plan to keep well into the future. Less worried about grades and rules, I have become, instead, more firm in my faith, both religious and in my fellow man. Courses have taught me more than what is printed in the overpriced textbooks, namely, how to connect with my classmates beyond those awkward first day ice breakers and that effective time management can save one’s sanity. I am thankful for everyday of this life and all I have experienced. Looking forward to the future, I can only hope it is going to be as wonderful.Yay! That's it! Let me know if you have any constructive criticism, especially before Tueday at 9am!!!!! Thanks!

Rockin out the weekend

Happy weekend, ya'll!
I was supposed to work a double today but they didn't need me this morning. Too bad really because work was the main reason I didn't go visit some friends up in Stillwater yesterday. I didn't want to have to drive back here at midnight to get up and go to work at six. Oh well, there'll be other parties.
Really enjoyed the fried onion burgers I brought back with me Thursday. (Julia, Brandon, and Elise agree that they totally rock!) I miss them so much when I'm down here but rarely remember them while I'm visiting home. Isn't that the way we, as humans, are so often? When we can't have something we want it more than anything else but if it's there for the taking it isn't worth getting up for.
Men's Gymnastics meet Friday night was wonderful as always, though Julia and I were puzzled by Jonathan Horton's absence (apparently he's at the U.S. Senior National Team camp in Colorado) and Josh Gore's lovely though unexpected presence (still not sure on this one but we think he's working as a manager or trainer or something of that nature). The Neighborhood show right afterward at the Union was great too. I like their new stuff and just wish they'd put out a new CD soon. My night closed with an appearance at a going away party for one of Skronky's friends. I had only met one of the attendees before and recognized another from a couple of my classes here at OU but everyone was very nice and I had a good time. Their little dog was so cute! We, she and I, played for a long time while the remaining girls talked about wedding details and bridesmaids' dresses (since two of them are engaged and one married it's forgiveable as long as I'm not forced to act like I give a crap. If they were my close friends, of course, I'd like to hear about it but since I'll likely never see them again... you get the picture). I think I got the better conversation partner anyway. She was really cute and playful; reminded me how much I want to get a dog or puppy...
The upcoming week is looking like a nice week. Hope everyone has fun and lots of laughter! Love ya'll!

"The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready." - Henry David Thoreau

rubble collecting in my brain

Second day of classes went well. Long day but left me content so what more could I ask for? Wall Climbing is going to be my favorite. SO MUCH FUN!!!! The only way it could be better is if it was sceduled for everyday of the week and not quite so early (8:30 am rather sucks). Genetics is going to be liveable though hard. Botany much fun but much memorizing too. Funny how something I love so much, gardening, can lead me to take something that has such potential for becoming a boring course. Psychology is going to be super, super easy and, just maybe, fun! Public speaking is going to be the main bane of my exisitance as far as I can tell. Not that speaking frightens me. No, it's the being-graded-by-someone-who-takes-this-REALLY-seriously that's my downfall. He's basically said he's going to be hard on grading no matter what so I guess I'll just suck it up and be happy as long as I make at least a B. Whatever. Life goes on; No point in being pissy about it.
Jenna and Julia have both just had then gotten over a yucky 24-hour stomache flu thing. Elise and I are just calmly waiting for our turns. If it happens then it happens. I just hope it happens late Saturday so I miss work but not classes.
Went home today to watch Dork's mock trial scrimmage. Was fun and frustrating at the same time. So much I want to help them with but feel unable to because I don't want to step on any toes or enter where I'm not welcome. They need help but I guess that aid won't come from me. The biggest issue to irk me was the lack of formal language and behavior. True, this wasn't an actual qualifying round but if you practice that way then you'll perform that way too. Why shoot yourself in the foot over something you can fix??? Try your absolute best or don't bother trying at all; That just wastes time and energy on something you obviously don't care much about anyway.
Enough of my rant. Good night and fare thee well for the morrow!

"The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work." - Emile Zola

"Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws."- Plato

First day back!!!!

Don't stop dreaming

Life is wonderful. Friends are essential. Love is worth everything we go through to get it. Even when a day really sucks there are better days to remember and to look forward to. Thank God for that beautiful thing called "Hope".
Yes, it's about one in the morning and I'm still awake. Classes start tomorrow but it's just the first day so we'll be going over the syllabi and saying our names in some sort of cheesy ice breaker, if it's a small class that is. Terribly predictable but I've come to like predictable sometimes. It's comfortable at least.
I'm in a nice mood. As in, I feel good physically and emotionally and just want everyone else to be as wonderfully off as I am. Too bad I waste this kind of mood on being by myself just before I go to sleep...
Good night my darlings and sleep well. Love and smiles all around.

^That's the kind of junk I write when I'm tired and yet in a thinking mood. Good times. I hadn't updated my xanga in soooooo long!!!
I'm done with my first day of classes this semester. It was fun. Predictable as I mentioned above. I'm rather sad because I'm going to have to drop a class I really, really want to take. Intellectual History of 20th Century Europe (3 hours). There are 8 books to read and only about 15 weeks to read them. But. I really think it's going to be a wonderfully interesting class!!!! The only problem is that I'm taking too many hours and need to drop something. This class is one that I just signed up in for fun so I can afford to drop it unlike several of my other classes. The only other ones I could drop are Flowering Plants (4 hours) and wall climbing (1 hour). Oh well. I might have to drop those too if things get to be too much.
Worked Sunday. Not too bad for a double.
Went shopping with Julia yesterday. Got roommate Christmas presents (a little late, yeah, but we've still not gotten together for that yet so no harm, no foul) and a couple of cute shirts for myself. Jenna and Steve are back, as are Elise and Allie. It's so nice having everyone around. Hadn't realized how much I missed my Norman family.
Now that classes are starting again there are also other events being planned. Neighborhood concerts, visits to/from Stillwater friends, and Men's Gymnastics meets are just the beginning. Sigh. It's going to be a great semester.

"'Cause you're not impressed but you're so polite..."

Happy Saturday to you! This has been such a busy week. I just looked at my day planner and noticed I have nothing written for any of the days this past week. Go figure. Somehow I think that's a little ironic. (Oh and the title for this post is from a song called Green Eyes by Discover America. I like it!!!)
Here's a quick run through: worked doubles all last weekend. Scanned in more pictures Monday and Tuesday. Made 2 cherry pies, a dozen cherry turnovers, and a batch of cookies, also on Tues. Worked a single Wednesday before heading back to Norman. Grocery run since we had no food. Thursday bought books for classes (which start next week). Friday puttered around (unpacking, fixing, cleaning, etc) until evening when Julia and I had a French Toast Party!!! That's been my week. And such an exciting one too.
Buying books Thursday was fairly uneventful until we got back to my truck and started to head for home. Comparing the huge sums we each had to dish out (together over $800), I noticed that I seemed to have bought two genetics books. I didn't remember there being more than one so we checked my bags. Seven books. Eight on my receipt. Dang it. Turned back around and they fixed the problem graciously without incident. I'm so, so, so glad I caught that mistake. It was the most expensive book I had to buy and paying for it twice wasn't anything to sniff at. Guess this just proves I am my father's daughter (as if there was any question. I read the backs of and skimmed through a few titles from other classes just because they looked neat. Yay for books!!!)
Yesterday late afternoon Julia and I watched some junk on TV (anyone heard of Cowboy U on CMT??) little suspecting what the evening held in store for us. Though we'd each had a small dinner earlier in the afternoon we came to the conclusion that some french toast sounded mighty tasty. Not hard to make and even easier to eat, french toast sounded like a great idea. But then we remembered that Alex had decreed we had to have a party at our house this week. What to do??? Start making french toast or start calling up friends??? Hey! Why not both??? Thus began the event to be known as the French Toast Party!!! I hate to admit that in the ensuing flood of fun no pictures were taken, thus rendering my little story forever void of illustration. A good time was had, many eggs were broken, and no one got hurt. (Other than the incidents involving Cookie, Mr. Weatherman-hair, and "your Mother should have said No". Those were just further proof of my depravity. Sorry.)
Today I'm just trying to keep myself busy. It's tough. I keep breaking things. The list thus far includes my curtain rod above my window, my picture frame, a pencil, and my own bit of lingering sanity. Yay for fun!
Happy weekend ya'll!!

Hypocrisy in my eye

For a moment I really wanted to gripe internally about no one ever updating their blogs. Then I realized I haven't updated since Monday. Yeah. Total hypocrisy. Gotta love that...
Not much going on. Been scanning in all the pics from old family albums (Curses on whoever invented those albums with the sticky stuff!!!! Many, many horrid curses!!!!!!) and it's so exciting. I know you're jealous but I get to have all the fun in this case. See? Really not much going on here.
Saw "Walk the Line" movie last night with Skronky. Pretty darn good. Reese Witherspoon did an excellent job as June Carter-Cash. I'd recommend it to anyone who asked...
Visited Grandmum today. Hoot as always. Her boyfriend used me as a distraction for the trash-pickup guys so they wouldn't notice he had too many cans out to be dumped. Then he came over to us where we were watering her garden and he gloated about it! I don't know whether to feel used or conspiratorial (something like that?). Goodness gracious.
I'm working double doubles this weekend. Hope I survive. One more week out of school. Yay!
G'night everyone!!!

First Post of the New Year!!!!

Weird dream last night: Grandma won the regional part of America's Funniest Home Videos with a tape of her with two of her sisters. I don't remember much else but it was hilarious. And weird.
Went shopping with the Dork this afternoon. Good times. It's strange that I missed out on that part of the female gene that dictates I love shopping, in sickness and in health through good times and bad. Because I get irratible and want to leave the mall almost as soon as I set foot in there. Lacking a mission at the mall would be disasterous for anyone who wanted me to go shopping with them there. Oh well. At least I got that annoying giggle gene down, right?
Oooooooo! That Chaco! He was just barking and then came upstairs here. So I scolded him once I got him downstairs (since Mum was already asleep because she has work tomorrow). He acted like I was going to beat him! Coward down with his tail between his legs and looking up at me with sad puppy eyes. As if I beat him on a regular basis!!! The worst I've ever done to him was nudge him with my foot away from my little cousin when he was baring his teeth and growling at him. Crazy dog!!!
I've really enjoyed reading this blog lately... The Language Guy especially his thoughts on the inherent sexism in language. I hadn't given it nearly as much thought as he seems to have but it is rather hard to miss sometimes (for example, at my job the word nurse seems to always refer to female and doctor to male regardless of the fact that either gender can fill either role.) So, go check him out if you have some time to do a lot of reading.
I've got a book to recommend to EVERYONE!!!! Even if you aren't really a big reader, especially if you aren't, this book, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal is wonderful!!!! I'd loan everyone my copy but Mum's working on reading it right now so let me know and I'll make a list or something (haha I'm so funny).
Okay, well... Off to bed! Love to everyone!!!!