A Barometer of My Feelings (aka some lyrics because I can't write right now)

"The Winner Takes It All" --- ABBA

I don't wanna talk
About the things we've gone through
Though it's hurting me
Now it's history
I've played all my cards
And that's what you've done too
Nothing more to say
No more ace to play

The winner takes it all
The loser standing small
Beside the victory
That's her destiny

I was in your arms
Thinking I belonged there
I figured it made sense
Building me a fence
Building me a home
Thinking I'd be strong there
But I was a fool
Playing by the rules

The gods may throw a dice
Their minds as cold as ice
And someone way down here
Loses someone dear
The winner takes it all
The loser has to fall
It's simple and it's plain
Why should I complain.

But tell me does she kiss
Like I used to kiss you?
Does it feel the same
When she calls your name?
Somewhere deep inside
You must know I miss you
But what can I say
Rules must be obeyed

The judges will decide
The likes of me abide
Spectators of the show
Always staying low
The game is on again
A lover or a friend
A big thing or a small
The winner takes it all

I don't wanna talk
If it makes you feel sad
And I understand
You've come to shake my hand
I apologize
If it makes you feel bad
Seeing me so tense
No self-confidence
But you see
The winner takes it all
The winner takes it all...

It's Beatle-tastic and Emo-tastic All at the Same Time

God I feel depressed. Thus making it hard to write anything at all. But if I don't do this, I won't and thus the great and interesting Beatles news would never be reported by yours truly. So here it is!
First up we have the degree I always wanted thanks to the Liverpool Hope University: the first Beatles-related MA. Yeah that's right, people some very lucky people get to spend x number of years getting a Master's on the Beatles. Needless to say, if the whole radio thing doesn't work out, I'm going to be applying for that program. Hell, I'd apply right now if I could. Sadly, still need that BA.
I need a new best friend who has Rock Band. You know why? Because there's a Beatles version being released next fall. Either that or I'm going to buy it myself and donate it to the Washroom so I can play on their console all the time. Yeah, that Beatles obsession never really went away, it's just laying dormant for now. Mwhahahahaha!!
Well I'm glad I did that. First time in months I've done something like this. Doesn't necessarily make me feel better, but at least I did it. And there's something to be said for doing something even though you don't really feel like it because you don't feel like doing a damn thing. I could say why I'm feeling this way, but...I feel like I'm being overly dramatic about the whole thing (42 guesses as to what I'm referring to, first person to get it gets virtual cookies). I mean I've never been through something like this and so I don't have any real reference as to how long the healing process should take or whether I'm just being a drama queen. It's just...difficult. He's not evil like Miles and so I feel I can't be angry or upset with him or turn into a villian, but I so want to. I want to turn him into this evil schmuck (what a great word) so I can vindicate all the things I'm feeling because if he's evil than I deserve to feel them. But he's not and so because of that I feel like I'm not allowed to feel the way I do. Angry, betrayed, upset, hurt, confused, etc, etc. I keep wanting to go up to people and ask them how I'm suppose to handle this, how am I suppose to move past this, but I can't because a) that would be really weird and b) most of the people I want to ask are in no way neutral. I feel like at this point I should have moved on, I should be over this, but I'm not and I have no idea when and that's nearly as frustrating because I don't want to feel this way any more. I don't want my chest to clench every time he updates on Facebook, I don't want to be terrified that I'll see him on campus, I don't want a thousand little things to remind me of him. I hate this. But I can't seem to move on. I can't seem to let go. And the worst part is I don't know if it's me, my psychology, or if this is just how these things work. I feel as lost as I did when this whole thing started and I'm still asking the same question: Why can't there be a blue print? I would really like one right now.
So much for not talking about this.

In Lieu of an Actual Entry, Some Lyrics

Adam Ant --- Goody Two Shoes (from Friend or Foe)

With the heartbreak open
So much you can't hide
Put on a little makeup makeup
Make sure they get your good side good side

If the words unspoken
Get stuck in your throat
Send a treasure token token
Write it on a pound note pound note

Goody two goody two goody goody two shoes
Goody two goody two goody goody two shoes

Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
Subtle innuendos follow
There must be something inside

We don't follow fashion
That would be a joke
You know we're going to set them set them
So everyone can take note take note

When they saw you kneeling
Crying words that you mean
Opening their eyeballs eyeballs
Pretending that you're Al Green Al Green

Goody two goody two goody goody two shoes
Goody two goody two goody goody two shoes

Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
Subtle innuendos follow
There must be something inside

No one's gonna tell me
What's wrong or what's right
Or tell me who to eat with sleep with
Or that I've won the big fight big fight

Look out or they'll tell you
You're a Superstar
Two weeks and you're an all time legend
I think the games have gone much too far

If the words unspoken
Get stuck in your throat
Send a treasure token token
Write it on a pound note pound note

Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
Subtle innuendos follow
There must be something inside

Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
Subtle innuendos follow
There must be something inside

Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
Subtle innuendos follow
There must be something inside

Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
Subtle innuendos follow
There must be something inside

Quickie Revies: Lily Allen

Lily Allen: It's Not Me, It's You is a musically intriguing little pop confection with a slightly intellectual core. Sometimes when Ms. Allen gets up too high on her horse the songs fall flat, but for the most part she leaves sociological observations left to those who can actually do it and just observes her world to very best of her ability, which in most cases in excellent. Recommended songs: "The Fear," "Not Fair," "22," "Never Going to Happen," "Fuck You."

I was going to talk about Different Class and This Is Hardcore by Pulp but I'll have to get back to you on those two. Excellent albums though, really glad I gave them a listen.

A Snowy Spring Break Update

Apologies for the infrequent updates. I had mid-terms last week and how many times you do you guys really want to hear "gaah I hate my life?" Because really, that's all I would be saying. Gaah I hate my life. Except for today of course. Today I showed signs of improvement. You see I watched a rom-com today (Ever After if you must know) and didn't cringe or cry or want to die. If that's not improvement, I don't know what is. And did I mention I was watching said rom-com by myself? Yeah that's right, watching a rom-com by myself without any crying or cringing. Lost sound for about 15 minutes for no apparent reason, but that's fixed. Anyway, I'm home and will be seeing OK Go next Saturday. Good times. Mind you I have to deal with my family and their none stop insanity, but if I stay in my room long I won't have to deal with them too much and I won't loose my sanity in the course of a week. Hopefully I won't loose my sanity anyway. What little left I have.
Anyway, that's it for me, for now. Unless of course someone could tell me what 00110110 is in normal people speak. I never was very good at conversion.
Oh, one last thing. Nikki was mauled by a German shepard mix. Were it not for the fact that half of her body is covered in scars, you'd never guess it. That's why little dogs are awesome.

Cocker by Name, Cocker by Nature

So it's been awhile since I last did a proper update. This is for two reasons: a) not that much has been happening and b) I'm very tired. My heart's still recovering (which I now predict will not end until the end of the semester or I get a new boyfriend) and this week is mid-terms. My pen pal has convinced me that I really do need to listen to Pulp so I've doing that for the past day or so as well. Jarvis Cocker confuses me though. As I wrote in a note I made about him he is both constantly on the prowl for more sex and what would have happened if David Bowie had been from Sheffield and was into new wave. And I'm dead serious when I say that. On the other hand I can't help but associate him with an episode of NMTB were he's doing this really stupid looking dance to "Common People" and then (this was a connections round) being associated with the lead singer from Spandau Ballet (I'm not going to tell you how their connected, it's too confusing.) So on the one hand I have this guy who sounds like sex but reminds me of NMTB. It's very confusing for me poor brain. In any event, I've listened to Different Class almost twice through and I still like Blur better. I've got one more album I need to listen to and hopefully my brain won't explode from listening to Mr. Cocker's voice too much.
In other news, UMW is having a con. On a Sunday. And Ben Folds is coming to play on a Monday. The scheduling at this school is very strange. Speaking of scheduling I've decided that I'm going to take elementary astronomy for my science requirement because I really like stars. I have one more class to choose (none of my other required classes are being offered next semester) and I'll have a full schedule. Of course I'll also be counting down the days till I'm in London (because I will be in London a year from now dammit.) So yeah, scheduling and Mary Washicon. I'm not cosplaying, but see no point in not going. It's all of five minutes from my room. :shrugs:
I've been wearing the hat and keep getting compliments, which I find strange. It's way big on me and I keep worrying that it's going to fly off. It has flown off twice, once at Union Station and again yesterday into the bushes near my dorm (that was well annoying.) Tomorrow I have a recital that I'm actually not dreading and hopefully it will go okay. I also have my show tomorrow and have to start on another paper for music history. I can't wait till Friday. Until next time.

Pen Pal

I have a pen pal (a moniker I'm sure he would appreciate.) It's fun and as has been very cathartic because we mostly just talk about music with some side lining into the personal stuff. He really knows his stuff about British music and it's been so refreshing to have someone know as much, if not more, than I do. He also knows a bit about Doctor Who which is always a plus because my sci-fi geek side is as important as my British music geek side. I told my mum about him this morning and her first reaction was worry and "are you sure he's not some old guy?" I personally am not worried because I use my brain and have never revealed any real personal information. Except that one time I mentioned the exact town I live in. But that was four years ago. Still, it's been so nice having someone to distract me from last weeks (almost two weeks) event. Besides, he's "forcing" me into listening to all the bands I know I should be listening to but just haven't gotten around to listening to. Of course he found me through LJ which just adds a layer of oddness to it that I appreciate in a strange way. It's fun though, this pen pal stuff. Lots of fun.

I Can't Be Expected to Be OK After a Week

"What'll I Do" Irving Berlin

What'll I do when you
Are far away
And I'm so blue,
What'll I do?

What'll I do when I
Am wondering who
Is kissing you,
What'll I do?

What'll I do with just
A photograph
To tell my troubles to?

When I'm alone
With only dreams of you
That won't come true,
What'll I do?

What'll I do with just
A photograph
To tell my troubles to?

When I'm alone
With only dreams of you
That won't come true,
What'll I do?

"To The End" Blur

All those dirty words (Jusqu'a la fin)
They make us look so dumb (En plein soleil)
We've been drinking far too much (Jusqu'a la fin)
And neither of us mean what we say (En plein amour)

Well you and I
Collapsed in love
And it looks like we might have made it
Yes, it looks like we've made it to the end

What happened to us? (Jusqu'a la fin)
Soon it will be gone forever (En plein soleil)
Infatuated only with ourselves (Jusqu'a la fin)
And neither of us can think straight anymore. (En plein amour)

Well you and I
Collapsed in love
And it looks like we might have made it,
Yes, it looks like we've made it to the end
When you and I
Collapsed in love
Well, it looks like we might have made it
Yes, it looks like we've made it to the end.

(En plein amour)
You and I
Just collapsed in love
And it looks like we might have made it
Yes, it looks like we've made it to the end

(En plein soleil)
(En plein soleil)

Every Record Ever

Now that I've been all emo and shit, here's something highly amusing (and somewhat true) that I got from Cracked.com.

You know it's true, I know it's true, thus it is brilliant. Also, credit for the art work is at bottom right corner. Enjoy!

It's 5th Grade All Over, Except This Time I'm Older

I cried in my bathroom last night. It was the first time since Wednesday I had a proper cry about what happened. I think it was due to a mixture of really good break-up songs (ABBA "The Winner Takes It All") and news/pictures about Katsucon. I felt really pathetic, using the fan in the loo as a way to mask the crying and I didn't feel much better, but I've been trying not to cry since the initial shock so I think it was for the best. I keep using that phrase, but half the time I don't actually believe it. I also have this rather fucked up hope that the bastard will realize he didn't have a good reason for doing this, will ask me back and I'll get to hurt him like he's hurt me. I had the same hope with Miles and look how well that turned out. Which brings me to another point: I had a dream where Miles played both himself and the bastard. That was very strange, if completely relevant. Both betrayed me, both broke up with me out of the clear blue sky and both did nothing to help my trust/self-esteem issues (though I would say Miles was the origin of my trust issues, the grimy little fucker.) Still, it was strange waking up with Miles' face in my brain. The grimy little fucker.
I just want some closure. I want a proper reason and a chance to air my grievances. I want everything I didn't get with Miles. I never got closure, I never got to tell him what he did to me. I doubt I'll ever get that with the bastard, mostly because I won't be able to talk to him, but I want all of it nevertheless. Because maybe if I get closure, I won't hurt as much as I do now. Again, I doubt that's true, but I can hope, since none of it will happen. I'll just solider through and cry in my bathroom when necessary.
On another, somewhat related note, I brought back the hat I bought the bastard for Christmas. It's my hat now and I'm going to wear it as a sign of my (non-existent) strength. It's too big for me, but I don't care really. It's the hat and now it's mine. And I'm wearing it on Friday, just to prove the point. Doctor Who is as much mine as it is his, even more so because I was the reason he really got into it. We'll just see how Friday goes.

Aftermath

I feel I owe you the reading public some kind of explanation for yesterday. Obvious point of fact is Hunter broke up with me. I'm not going to go into details because a) I might start bawling again and b) it was a fairly generic break up. Though his reasoning did include an ingrown toe-nail. Anywho, the point of this entry is to say this: I have so many freakin' amazing people in my life. I've gotten more hugs in the past 24 hours than I usually do in a month. Even people who are friends with Hunter were there for me, calling to check that I was okay. I just am so thankful and grateful to everyone whose been so nice to me over the past day. Especially Joe because he called Hunter a loser, and not just because he's my friend. That made my day. So even though I can't think too hard, have to be constantly distracted, and have to avoid a certain area on campus (which is really awkward), I'm doing okay. And that's entirely because of the wonderful people in my life. Yay them.

Over

I'm speechless right now, but have to mark this day. It's over. All the frustration and tears, for nothing. My mom's getting the v-day gift or at least what I've completed of it. I hate him.

Sad Happy Sad

This is a rather pathetic entry, but if I posted this on Facebook or Twitter, it would just seem even sadder, and I have my standards. I just found out through and AV Club inventory list that Marketa and Glenn have broken up. I'm inordinately sad about this fact. However I can't keep a sad face while listening to Lily Allen (album review later tonight, promise!), but just so you know, I am sad on the inside.
In other news, I finally get to show off during a recital. I'm thrilled, just absolutely stoked. Now if I could play the A harmonic minor scale really fast, it would be absolutely perfect. Still, I'm excited about a recital for the first time since forever. :D
I'm still on the inside though. They were perfect! :sad face:

V-Day Part 1 cont.

Right now I'm taking a break from reading about Japanese history with all of it's incredibly difficult-to-pronounce names and will instead update you lot on my v-day gift for Hunter. I am seriously desperate to avoid work, but if I start watching Gossip Girl again, I will never get this reading done. So, the v-day gift.
Originally I was going to get the bf a fob watch. Then I discovered that fob watches cost as much as one of my dresses and as much as I care about the bf, it seems a bit early to spend that much money on him. So then I was completely lost as to what to get him. I searched and searched, trying to think of something geeky and romantic, with nothing to show for it. Until ThinkGeek.com came to the rescue. I got a flash drive that's packaged in a fake cassette tape fashion (I tried to link to an image, but the site is cooperating with me, so just picture a cassette tape with a small flash drive in the middle.) It holds 90 minutes of music, which has been broken down into two play lists, the first of which I finished last night and second of which I'm almost done with. The second play list is entirely British and consists of all my favourite British artists (well the majority of them anyway). One song each (otherwise the whole thing would be Kaiser Chiefs) and I'm just waiting on Lily Allen's second album to be released so I can decide whether I'm going to feature a song from that album or her first album. I suspect he won't like any of it and will think I'm a big weirdo for making him two play lists while he get's me DW fan art, but I don't care. If he hasn't already figured out that music is my life, he'll get it now.
I also got a card from Etsy.com that says "Shut Up and Kiss Me" with a little Eros* at the bottom. It's stupid and dorky, but so is a card with "XOXO" on it. V-day is just cheesy, and there's nothing he can do about it. I haven't gotten to really celebrate this day since elementary school, so I'm going all dorky and cheesy over it. It's fun to be dorky and cheesy every once in a while.
*Eros, Cupid. It's all the same when you get down to it: A pudgy little guy shooting arrows so people will have sex with each other. And yes, my classics class is going very well, ta.

V-Day Part 1

I've programmed the first part of the play list I'm giving to Hunter for V-day (even though he won't get it on V-day :grumbles incoherently about cons and their stupidity:). It's the mushy romantic part, but about half the songs aren't mushy and romantic, one of the songs isn't even romantic ("Istanbul" for all its wonderful qualities can not be called mushy or romantic) and two, maybe three, of the songs could be considered don't right anti-romantic. Still, it's the sentiment that counts in my opinion. I also told an old friend of mine who's going to Katsucon to punch Hunter in the arm if she sees him. Granted I gave a rather non-descript description of him, but still I think "tall, gangly, and wearing a ridiculous scarf" just about covers it. The chance of the two of them actually seeing each other is astronomical :knocks on wood:, but still it would be highly amusing if Hunter came back saying that some random chick punched him in the arm and said it was from me. Would definitely make up for missing V-day, more so than fan art. In any event, the second part will be pure Brit-pop, which is my way of torturing the poor boy. Still, that's what he gets for missing V-day. Musical (and possibly physical) torture. I'm eeeeeeeeevil.
Edit: Did I mention that one of the songs on mushy romantic is You Can Have It All? Yeah, my idea of a romantic play list is kind of strange.

Amphitheatre Escapades

Well I just had a really lovely afternoon. The weather is gorgeous (currently 72 degrees Fahrenheit) and the sun is shining, so around 12:30 I decided I would enjoy this glorious weather by spending the afternoon at the amphitheatre. So I packed up my books (classics, Asian Civ, and music history) and headed over to the amphitheatre. When I got there, there were already two people there which surprised me since usually I go when no one else is there. Still, I settled down on the steps and started reading one of the many Homeric hymns I have to read for class tomorrow. When the two people that were there left, I started wandering around, as is my wont, and generally enjoying the weather and the freedom of being alone at the amphitheatre. I was listening to my classical mix, reading Homeric hymns and chapters from the Iliad and the Odyssy and just really enjoying the weather and not worrying about a damn thing. The first track on my classical mix is "Bolero" by Ravel and in the middle of said track, I decided to enjoy my freedom and the weather just a little bit more by dancing around like I actually know how to dance. So I was pacing and dancing and leaping about like I'm wont to do when I have this strange feeling that someone else is in the amphitheatre seeing me make an ass out of myself. So I look up from my book (yes I was dancing and reading at the same time, I'm just that good) and who should I see but Heather, Lauren, and Hunter, staring at me. I just about pissed myself from embarrassment. Of course they didn't realize it was me until I stopped dancing, but still. It was an odd moment to say the least. I'm usually much more aware of my surroundings. Still, it was a wonderful afternoon. And dancing to "Bolero" is a lot of fun.

Que Sera

I'm sorry I haven't been updating. My life swings between melodrama and insania depending on the hour and the day. Classes are going well, even if music history does become more frustrating with each passing class. Mostly things are fine I suppose. I'm just stuck in this rut that won't be going anywhere until March by my estimation. Next week is intercollegiate band, but I'm not really looking forward to Saturday for multiple reasons. Still, things aren't so terrible. In the grand scheme of things I'm actually in a very good place. It just doesn't feel that way most of the time. C'est la vie.

Like Father, Like Daughter

I'm a little scared right now. I've always known that I had my dad's stubborn streak and high-mindedness about certain things. I also know that much like my dad I'm prone to self-deprecation, which works in my favour to a certain extent because at least that part of my personality keeps my ego in check. However more and more I'm realizing that my dad and I have something else in common, something that I don't particularly like: passive-aggressiveness. My dad being mad at me has always been worse than my mum being mad at me because my dad doesn't yell. There's no outward show anger at all. He stews until he hits his boiling point, which doesn't happen often. He mostly just stews and acts in a passive-aggressive manner towards the person/people he's mad at. With yelling at least you know what you're getting.
For the past few weeks I've been extremely frustrated with Hunter for a myriad of pointless reasons. I haven't said anything, but lately I've made snide and sarcastic remarks when he and I actually get a chance to talk. Today when he said he was going to hang out some knitting shop down town I told him I hoped he had fun with his yarn. Even though the statement was typed I was thinking it in my head with a bitter and sarcastic tone. What scares me about this is that it's so easy to just continue down this road, never confront the issue, just make pithy and cutting remarks instead. I'll continue to feel bitter, Hunter will remain completely unaware of the problem and nothing will get better, it will just get worse. This relationship is so important to me, but inertia is working against me and I'm too much like my dad. I'll let the problem stew until I hit my boiling point at which point everything will go to hell and a hand basket. That scares me, but I seem incapable of doing anything to change it. People say the first step is admitting you have a problem, but then what? How do you fight inertia?
God, I've gone so emo. At least I still listen to relatively happy music.

AV Club Q&A

I usually don't copy and paste things whole-sale into my blog unless their lyrics. The few times I've quoted from other blogs/articles, I usually have a witty comment to add. In this case, I don't. I simply wanted to share the genius of 2 AV Club writers. Enjoy:

What are your pop-culture "sacred cows"? What entertainment opinions do you consider so inarguable that attempts to argue the subject provoke instant rage or frustration?

Steve Heisler

That's a perfect segue into something I argue constantly: the early Beatles are just as substantial and worthy of merit as the later stuff. Endless praise has been lumped upon everything past Rubber Soul—and I'm not denying the pure, unfiltered genius that gave way to Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, and just about the entire Beatles oeuvre. It's just that even at Please Please Me, the Fab Four were making the kind of experimental yet commercially viable music they made later. This was just its early stages. Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison (yeah, Starr not so much until the mid-'60s) took the rock 'n' roll not yet popular with white America, mixed in raw blues and skiffle (high-energy, country-inspired folk music), and gave it a smiling face—together, that's no small feat. Plus, those guys were in their late teens/early 20s at the time, which is still pretty amazing to think about. McCartney ensured the timing was airtight, Harrison handled the kick-ass guitar solos (his "Can't Buy Me Love" ditty, while short, is a personal favorite), and Lennon penned more honest lyrics than most bands. (Listen to "Help!" and "I'm A Loser," and try to ignore the upbeat tempo.) In short, opening with "Tomorrow Never Knows" would have been career suicide; the early stuff made the audience for that career-changing track.

Donna Bowman

I'll cheer Tasha's principle and apply it to my favorite lump-dismissal rage-inducer: musicals. If I had a nickel for every time somebody told me, "Oh, I don't like musicals," I'd open my own nickelodeon. You don't like entertainment in which music is integrated with the action? I'd say you don't like entertainment, full stop. Now, I understand that accepting certain conventions of certain musical entertainment forms, like people singing to each other instead of talking, takes a suspension of disbelief. But these same people generally have no problem with the suspension of disbelief needed to accept action movies or romantic comedies. Convention is convention; throwing out one because it's preposterous on its face makes as little sense as mandating the teaching of counter-evidence for evolution, but not for the theory of gravity.

The "I don't like musicals" assertion that sends me all the way 'round the bend actually came up in the "Guilty displeasures" thread—Singin' In The Rain. The person who could find Singin' boring or silly is not a person I care to have existing in the same world as me. Such a statement, as is often the case, tells me more about the person making it than about the movie. If there was ever a movie that displayed the ability of musicals (and, I would argue, cinema itself) to simultaneously communicate sophistication and sincerity, it's Singin'. Anyone who is able to accept joy into his life will at least be able to understand its greatness. Only a truly dedicated curmudgeon—the kind of person who sees a dark cloud behind every silver lining—could dismiss it as worthless.

Dichotomy

You know a class is going well, and you really trust and like the people in that class, when your professor starts playing "Dancing Queen" and nearly everyone, without hesitation, starts singing along. That is the sign of a tight-knit group of people. Another sign is when you unanimously decide that your music history professor sucks and you start calling her Dolores Umbridge, because that's who she reminds you of. It's an odd dichotomy though. I'm loving my theory class right now but loathing my music history class. Today I wrote out the bridge from "Lucid Dreams" (the not funky version from the album) and the bridge from "Perfect Symmetry" during music history. I don't need to take notes, because Prof. Roach/Umbridge is teaching directly from the book. Meanwhile in theory we're singing "Dancing Queen" and discussing theme and variation techniques. I'm actually taking real notes. It's all very strange in my opinion.
Meanwhile over in Asian Civ. I'm cursing British politics. It's odd for me because usually I avoid thinking about Victorian era British politics and politics in general because it invariably annoys me. However the subject can no longer be avoided and now I'm very annoyed. Not that the Chinese were completely defenceless or unaware of the problems being created by opium, but declaring war on a country because they destroy your illegal product seems completely idiotic to me. Yes, I know they didn't want to lose silver, but still. Opium was illegal, so why make a fuss over its destruction. Lord knows you can get more. Nonetheless, Asian Civ. is excellent.
On a last note, I have three homes: Pollard (morning home), the Washroom (afternoon home) and my room in Arrington (evening home.) Because of the way my schedule has worked out and my own need not to spend more than four or five hours in my room, I generally don't get back to my room until 5 or 6 most days. This makes me happy and I've gotten a lot of extracurricular reading done which also makes me happy. But yes, I have three homes.

Meme-y Goodness

Empire Magazine has revealed its list of the 50 Greatest TV Shows ever:
1. Bold the shows you watch/used to watch.
2. Italic the shows you've seen at least one episode of.
3. Too much work so I'm leaving this out but if you want you can strikeout the shows you've never seen. I'm not doing it because that leaves no shows untouched and who has that kind of time?--which is entirely gypsylady's sentiment, but I concur wholeheatedly
4. Post your answers. (By the way I got this from faithharkness @ LJ)

50. Quantum Leap
49. Prison Break
48. Veronica Mars
47. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
46. Sex & The City
45. Farscape
44. Cracker
43. Star Trek
42. Only Food and Horses
41. Band of Brothers
40. Life on Mars
39. Monty Python’s Flying Circus
38. Curb Your Enthusiasm
37. Star Trek: The Next Generation
36. Father Ted
35. Alias
34. Frasier
33. CSI: Las Vegas
32. Babylon 5
31. Deadwood
30. Dexter
29. ER
28. Fawlty Towers
27. Six Feet Under
26. Red Dwarf --- I so need to see this it isn't even funny
25. Futurama
24. Twin Peaks
23. The Office UK and US
22. The Shield
21. Angel --- Do bits and pieces count?
20. Blackadder --- I only want to watch the ones with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, but I refuse to buy it
19. Scrubs
18. Arrested Development
17. South Park
16. Doctor Who --- But if you didn't know this already, for shame
15. Heroes
14. Firefly --- Shiny
13. Battlestar Galactica original series and the new one.
12. Family Guy
11. Seinfeld --- But I never enjoyed myself
10. Spaced --- I own it on DVD and it has Simon Pegg. Of course I watch this
09. The X-Files --- The theme tune always freaked me out and still does
08. The Wire
07. Friends
06. 24
05. Lost --- Off and on sort of thing
04. The West Wing
03. The Sopranos
02. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
01. The Simpsons --- It's been many moons since I watched this, but it use to be a staple of family viewing on Sundays

Twitter is Invading

This comes from the Behind the Sofa Twitter account. I feel I should get a Twitter account now, but I won't. Anywho, here's the quote:

Breaking News: a BBC insider reveals that 70% of Dr Who's special effects budget in 2010 will be spent making Matt Smith look human.

Granted this is from the same group of people who compared Mr. Smith's looks to Young Frankenstein. Which is true, Mr. Smith really does look like an eyebrow-less version of Frank Boyle. >_> I do like Matt Smith, honestly. It's just so easy to make fun of him.

Tonight it Will Be Off With Their Heads in Perfect Symmetry

Today, because I have a lot free time due to a snow day (still had classes this morning, but I won't go into that) I'm going to write-up a review of Franz Ferdinand's new album and re-review Keane and the Kaiser Chiefs third albums. However the format is going to be a little different, mainly because I've already written up a sort of review for Franz Ferdinand and don't feel the need to connect these reviews like I did with Keane and the Kaiser Chiefs. Anywho, it's a big review post and I'm very excited. Finally, I may or may not be reviewing the Killer's third album as well, we'll see where I'm at, at the end of these three reviews.

Tonight: Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand
Five years ago I got heavily into five bands: Franz Ferdinand, the Killers, Keane, the Kaiser Chiefs, and Maximo Park. In those five years I've become less attached to Maximo Park and the Killers (due to second albums that I didn't like so much) and more attached to Keane, the Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand. What got me to listen to each of these bands, and what generally kept me listening, was musical originality. With Tonight: Franz Ferdinand the seemingly endless fount of creativity that Franz Ferdinand exhibited has started to wan. While Tonight is musically (and acoustically) intriguing (and quite slick production-wise) most of the songs are a rehash from the band's previous two albums. By focusing on the night and all that implies, Franz Ferdinand also loses a great deal of the lyrical complexity that they had on their second album, which is a shame given the potential that album had. The first 2/3rds of Tonight are interesting enough to keep a listener's attention, though some of the songs sound incredibly similar, particularly "Twilight Omens" and "Can't Stop Feeling", enough so that one might actually get confused. However after a revamped version of "Lucid Dreams" (7 minutes of the band showing off their ability to use technology to make interesting noises) the album takes a nose dive into the unlistenable. "Katherine Kiss Me" is a strange rehash of "No You Girls", using a majority of the same lyrics, but with an acoustic guitar and slightly altered melody line, while "Dream Again" is a anemic after thought to "Lucid Dreams". While the recording technique may have been original and the majority of the songs are a shitload of fun, Franz Ferdinand it would seem are starting to lose their edge. Grade: B (keeping in mind that compared to most of the stuff that is released nowadays [don't I sound old] is crap compared to this album) Recommended Songs: "Ulysses," "No You Girls," "Twilight Omens," and "Bite Hard"

Off With Their Heads by Kaiser Chiefs
In one review of the Kaiser Chiefs' second album, a reviewer over at Fake DIY pointed out that the Kaiser Chiefs are a band that makes music that sometimes needs to be "lived in" (my words from around the same time) before it can be truly appreciated. While writing a first review several months after an album is released makes no sense, re-reviewing Off With Their Heads seems worthwhile because this is definitely an album that needs to be lived in before you can really get it.
Off With Their Heads is, after listening to it at least fifty times, still a disappointment. It's an example of what happens when a band that should have taken a break decides to record an album instead. While a great many of the songs are seriously lacking in enthusiasm, after about fifty listenings, each song has a bar/measure/chorus that makes it worthwhile to listen to. But a single bar/measure/verse/chorus does not a good song make and the majority of the album suffers because of that fact. Yours Truly, Angry Mob was often accused of being bland and many considered it another example of the sophomore slump, but really Off With Their Heads is the album that suffers the most from blandness. Revamped Grade: C+ Recommend Songs: "Like It Too Much," "You Want History," "Good Days, Bad Days," "Always Happens Like That," "Addicted to Drugs"

Perfect Symmetry by Keane
In thinking about it, my original review of this album still accurately reflects my opinion of Perfect Symmetry. But instead of giving the album a B+, I would give it an A-, because compared to the two albums I just reviewed, Perfect Symmetry perfectly combines musical development with lyrical development while still being in sync with the band's overall image. Recommended Songs: "The Lovers Are Losing," "Better Than This," "Perfect Symmetry," "Playing Along," "Pretend That You're Alone," "Love is the End"

The next big review will be Lily Allen's second album which is released Feb. 10th, so be expecting something around then.

Writer's Block on LJ

The question was "who (or what) is your favourite robot." Here's my answer:

Marvin the manic-depressive robot. The main reason he's my favourite fictional robot is because of Alan Rickman's performance of him in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Besides, I don't think the Daleks technically count as robots...

Bad Night

You know it's a bad night when...

• The only thing keeping you from screaming is a fear that someone won't understand and alert the police
• The only thing keeping you from crying out right is concentrating on the song your singing
• You wish you could drink out of the vain hope that it will make you feel better
• The loudness of a door banging is an excellent measurement of how frustrated you are
• You can't even feign niceness when talking to the reason for it being a bad night, even though he has no idea why you have any reason for being mad
• Singing at the top of your lungs is the only constructive means of expressing your frustration
• Throwing your purse against a window doesn't seem like that bad an idea
• Even the thought of Stephen Fry isn't enough to make you feel less hollow inside

Tonight is bad. I know if I do as he asked, I'll regret it. I'm so like my father when I'm mad or frustrated. I stew and I avoid. I'm not proud of this fact, but at least I can acknowledge the fact. But I'm not going to change tonight and though I may regret it in the morning, I'll just have to live with that. It's been a very bad night for me.

Second Week

So my second week of classes is nearly over and I don't have much to say. Music history has been a disappointment thus far while Asian Civ. is definitely going to be the highlight of my schedule. The teacher is manic, but loves the subject the same way Prof. Harris loves Russian history, so it makes for a really interesting class. Granted, I'm not completely awake during class, but it's still brilliant. As for music history, she seems to be teaching directly from the book and acts like a high school teacher. I guess I just haven't had any really uptight professors in my year and a half of college, but I guess I just expect more. C'est la vie and who knows, maybe the class will get better as the semester progresses.
Theory is theory, though I've been enjoying it more recently because I actually understand it a bit better than I have in the past. Right now we're talking about musical forms (sonata, rondo, etc.) and so it's not particularly hard (unless you're incredibly thick or think about things way too deeply) which is kind of nice. Skills is so-so, but I've come to expect that. In any event, it's not as bad as has been in the past, though it's still not my favourite subject.
Classics is excellent. I don't really have much to say about that class because it's neither sub-par nor examplary. The professor knows her stuff, but right now we're just reading the primary sources of myths I already know really well. Nonetheless, I'm enjoying the class and continue to think it will be really good.
And then of course we have the periphery classes: Band and chorus. We didn't have chorus the first week because Prof. T was in Italy (oh how I envy her.) Band has been fluctuating because we keep getting new people and then those new people don't always come back. The third clarinet section (my section) has been fluctuating between me by myself and me with someone sight-reading. It's annoying, but I'll survive. I think all the other sections are pretty much settled (except for the trumpets.)
Life is good. I am happy and will not die, despite what I think when I wake up at 7:15 am. :nods:

In Praise of Men (or More Information Than You Ever Wanted To Know)

Men are an interesting lot. They abandon you for days on end* and then call completely out of the blue and during a show you particularly like and haven't seen a million times, asking if you'd like to hang out. You say yes, because there's no reason not too and you've made it clear** that nothing NC-17 can occur. So there you are sitting in your uncomfortable chair while the male that you've let come over lounges on your bed. You decide you want to join because he's your male and it's also your bed. Besides, this is just a visit and you're both enjoying watching Bones. And if you (the readers) are at all intelligent you can guess what happens next. Men are interesting because even when they say they're trying to resist their own urges, they aren't. But really, I should have known better and should have stayed in the uncomfortable chair. My bum's use to feeling slightly numb.
The awkward bit was when, after the male had locked the door, my roommate tried opening said door. Awkward*** as shit.

*No communication for a day is considered abandonment when you have way too much free time and little to do
**As clear as I'm ever going to be when it comes to bodily functions
***Hunter, I think in an effort to diffuse the situation, asked my roommate how she was. When she asked him the same question, he said tired, with some explanation as to why. I nearly died. Sure his explanation didn't have anything to do with why the room was locked, but his answer was still tired. Yeah, I nearly died.

Further Proof of my Insanity

Well this little post just made my day (after some other things I did tonight with some other people). I have to admit I'm not the biggest fan of Noel Clarke (aka Mickey aka Rickey), but if I saw a sign telling me to vote for him, I would. Because he was in Doctor Who and did some stuff for Torchwood and that's all that matters to me sometimes. Also, why doesn't Wikipedia tell me where Mr. Clarke is from? I need to know these things, how else will I learn the difference between a west London accent and other London area accents? Hmmm?? Come on Wikipedia, do your job.

And Now For Something With Meaning

Songs tend to go through cycles with me. I listen to a song, an album, an artist until I'm basically sick of them and then I move on. Sometimes I only listen to a song/album/artist a few times and then move on to something else. Eventually I might come back to the song/album/artist or I might not, it really depends. I listen to songs that make me feel better, that I can relate to, that I can sing to, that are by artists I consider dependable, that I've listened to a thousand times (kind of like how I watch TV, but I digress.) More often than not though I listen to things that I can relate to. As an example I like listening to the Cribs when I'm in a piss poor mood and when I'm depressed I listen to Franz Ferdinand or the Kaiser Chiefs. When I'm feeling angsty over my current marital status I listen "Every Day a Little Death" from A Little Night Music because it mirrors my angsty feelings perfectly. However today I was listening to "The Rhythm of Life" from Sweet Charity when I decided to add "Skip to the End" by the Futureheads to the playlist. Much like "Every Day a Little Death," "Skip to the End" perfectly mirrors my frame of mind right. It has in the past as well and now it's back in rotation. So here are the lyrics.

"Skip to the End" --- The Futureheads

If I could cheat,
I would skip to the end,
And decide if it's worth going through with,
Skip to the last, paragraph, just before we start,
To see the happy ending, or the broken heart.

If I could cheat,
I would skip to the end,
And decide if it's worth going through with,
Skip to the last, paragraph, just before we start,
To see the happy ending, or the broken heart,
Happy ending, or the broken heart.

[CHORUS]

(Naaa, nanananana) There's nothing to rely on, (Nana)
(Naaa, nanananana) C'mon and skip to the end, (Nana)
(Naaa, nanananana) There's nothing to fall back on, (Nana)
(Naaa, nanananana) C'mon and skip to the end.

When I cut teeth, I cut to the root,
Then the end, is absolute.
When she makes sense, I go through the roof,
Then the end, has living proof.

If I could cheat,
I would skip to the end,
And decide if it's worth going through with it,
Last paragraph, just before we start,
To see the happy ending, or a broken heart,
Happy ending, or a broken heart.

[CHORUS]

(Naaa, nanananana) There's nothing to rely on, (Nana)
(Naaa, nanananana) C'mon and skip to the end, (Nana)
(Naaa, nanananana) There's nothing to fall back on, (Nana)
(Naaa, nanananana) C'mon and skip to the end.

(Naaa, nanananana) There's nothing to rely on, (Nana)
(Naaa, nanananana) C'mon and skip to the end, (Nana)
(Naaa, nanananana) There's nothing to fall back on, (Nana)
(Naaa, nanananana) C'mon and skip to the end.

A Movie Survey

Supposedly if you've seen over 85 of these films, you have no life. Mark the ones you've seen. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own facebook account, paste this as a note. Then, put x's next to the films you've seen, add them up, change the header adding your number, and click post at the bottom. Have fun.

(x) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(X) Grease
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
() Boondock Saints
(X) Fight Club
() Starsky and Hutch
() Neverending Story
() Blazing Saddles
() Airplane
Total: 5

(X) The Princess Bride
(X) Anchorman
() Napoleon Dynamite
(X) Labyrinth
() Saw
() Saw II
() White Noise
() White Oleander
(X) Anger Management
() 50 First Dates
(X) The Princess Diaries
() The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 10

() Scream
() Scream 2
() Scream 3
() Scary Movie
() Scary Movie 2
() Scary Movie 3
() Scary Movie 4
() American Pie
() American Pie 2
() American Wedding
() American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 10

(X) Harry Potter 1
(X) Harry Potter 2
(X) Harry Potter 3
(X) Harry Potter 4
() Resident Evil 1
() Resident Evil 2
(X) The Wedding Singer
() Little Black Book
() The Village
() Lilo & Stitch
Total so far:15

(X) Finding Nemo
(X) Finding Neverland
(X) Signs
() The Grinch
() Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the original, from the '70s!)
() Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
() White Chicks
() Butterfly Effect
(X) 13 Going on 30
(X) I, Robot
() Robots
Total so far: 20

(X) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
() Universal Soldier
(X) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
() Along Came Polly
() Deep Impact
() KingPin
(X) Never Been Kissed
(X) Meet The Parents
() Meet the Fockers
() Eight Crazy Nights
() Joe Dirt
(X) KING KONG
Total so far:25

() A Cinderella Story
(X) The Terminal
() The Lizzie McGuire Movie
() Passport to Paris
() Dumb & Dumber
() Dumber & Dumberer
() Final Destination
() Final Destination 2
() Final Destination 3
() Halloween (the original from 1978!)
(X) The Ring
() The Ring 2
() Surviving X-MAS
(X) Flubber
Total so far: 28

(X) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(X) Practical Magic
(X) Chicago
() Ghost Ship
(X) From Hell
(X) Hellboy
() Secret Window
() I Am Sam
(X) The Whole Nine Yards
() The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 34

() The Day After Tomorrow
() Child's Play
() Seed of Chucky
() Bride of Chucky
(X) Ten Things I Hate About You
() Just Married
() Gothika
() Nightmare on Elm Street
() Sixteen Candles
(X) Remember the Titans
() Coach Carter
() The Grudge
() The Grudge 2
(X) The Mask
() Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 37

() Bad Boys
() Bad Boys 2
() Joy Ride
() Lucky Number Slevin
(X) Ocean's Eleven
(X) Ocean's Twelve
(X) Bourne Identity
() Bourne Supremacy
() Lone Star
(X) Bedazzled
() Predator I
() Predator II
() The Fog (the original, with Adrienne Barbeau)
(X) Ice Age
() Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
() Curious George
Total so far: 42 (!!)

(X) Independence Day
() Cujo
() A Bronx Tale
() Darkness Falls
() Christine
(X) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Boss's Daughter
(X) Maid in Manhattan
() War of the Worlds
() Rush Hour
() Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 45

( ) Best Bet
() How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(X) She's All That
() Calendar Girls
(X) Sideways
(X) Mars Attacks
() Event Horizon
(X) Ever After
(X) Wizard of Oz
(X) Forrest Gump
() Big Trouble in Little China
() The Terminator
() The Terminator 2
() The Terminator 3
Total so far: 51

(X) X-Men
(X) X-2
() X-3
(X) Spider-Man
(X) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
() Catch Me If You Can
(X) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday
() Reign of Fire
() The Skulls
() Cruel Intentions
() Cruel Intentions 2
() The Hot Chick
(X) Shrek
(X) Shrek 2
Total so far: 59

() Swimfan
(X) Miracle on 34th street
() Old School
(X) The Notebook
(X) K-Pax
() Krippendorf's Tribe
() A Walk to Remember
() Ice Castles
() Boogeyman
(X) The 40-year-old Virgin
Total so far: 63

(X) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(X) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(X) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(X) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(X) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(X) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 69

() Baseketball
() Hostel
(X) Waiting for Guffman
() House of 1000 Corpses
() Devils Rejects
(X) Elf
() Highlander
() Mothman Prophecies
() American History X
() Three
Total so Far: 71

() The Jacket
() Kung Fu Hustle
() Shaolin Soccer
() Night Watch
(X) Monsters Inc.
(X) Titanic
(X) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
(X) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
Total so far: 75

() High Tension
() Club Dread
() Hulk
() Dawn Of the Dead
(X) Hook
() Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
() 28 days later
() Orgazmo
() Phantasm
() Waterworld
Total so far: 76

() Kill Bill vol 1
() Kill Bill vol 2
() Mortal Kombat
() Wolf Creek
() Kingdom of Heaven
() The Hills Have Eyes
() I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
() The Last House on the Left
() Re-Animator
() Army of Darkness
Total so far: 76

(X) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(X) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
() Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(X) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(X) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(X) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
() Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
() Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 81

(X) The Matrix
() The Matrix Reloaded
() The Matrix Revolutions
() Animatrix
() Evil Dead
() Evil Dead 2
() Team America: World Police
() Red Dragon
() Silence of the Lambs
() Hannibal

Total: 82

So I barely have a life, but considering how many times I've watched House, Bones, Black Books*, QI, and Never Mind the Buzzcocks, I can't say with any honesty that this survey is a true reflection of my life. I merely have seen 82 of these movies. But it was fun anyway.

*In the hopes that I could get another person to love Dylan Moran almost as much as I do, I had Hunter watch this the other day when we hung out. Unlike with Spaced he really enjoyed Black Books. It was very gratifying, especially after the success I had with Clark last year. Next step is either QI or Mock the Week. We shall see.

To Thine Own Self Be True

This is why I didn't want a boyfriend. I know myself well enough to know that I get wrapped up, I get emotionally attached and pretty soon every action is a personal affront, an indication I did something wrong, a signal that everything is falling apart. I get frustrated, I get angry, I get possessive. I know this because I know myself. This is how I acted with Miles, this is how I act with my bands, this is how I act with my shows. I yell and think evil thoughts, but when the emotional attachment is to something or someone I don't actually know, it doesn't matter. It means nothing. But when the emotional attachment, and all the emotions attached, is to someone real, someone I know, things go to hell and a hand basket. These are real emotions, emotions I have for a real person. And he can never know because if he was at all sensible he would run in the opposite direction. I would.

Anecdote

As a student with disability accommodations, at the beginning of every semester I have to find my professors' office, give them a letter explaining that I'm a student with disability accommodations, and then run away very quickly. (You see I'm deathly afraid of talking to most of my professors, even if I don't act like it when I'm actually talking to them. I'm good like that.) Today was one of those days after having prolonged the inevitable for the entire week. So I went in search of my classics professor's office. After much searching of the obvious areas and double checking that I had the office number correct (I did) I decided to ask the Computer Science secretary if she knew were this mysterious office might be. And what should I see through the office door's window but a long streak of nothing in a long coat and very colourful scarf aka Hunter. The whole point of this story is to say the following: My boyfriend is one of the most distinctive people on campus and I find that very, very amusing. (He asked what I was doing there and while I of course said I was looking for my professor's office, I came up with a really witty reply when I was walking back to my room [in the incredibly bitter cold]: "I'm stalking you." I found that to also be very, very amusing.)
Anywho, just an amusing anecdote from my first week. I'm going to take a nap now, since I have nothing better to do.
On a final note, the band is going to have 3 or 4 trumpets, 3 french horns, and 3 euphoniums. We have a real brass section!!! Or we're very close to having a real brass section. Still, very exciting.

My Personal Mantra

I'm going to write a mantra here that I will repeat to myself whenever Miles enters my brain and starts nagging me. I'm coming up with this mantra because I have a good thing in my life and refuse to sabotage it by being a paranoid freak of nature. So here's the mantra: I will not suspect Hunter of liking other women, based on absolutely no evidence whatsoever. I will not run in the opposite direction because he's friends with a person who made my life a living hell last year and misses them. I will not judge him based on the previous mantra statement or any other stupid reasons I can come up with. I will not be a paranoid freak of nature, nor will I let a boy from my past ruin my present. I will not.

I Have My Music on Shuffle and No Regrets

School can be really complicated and stressful. A bit like relationships, but more easily fixed. The problem is fixed, but I still have to get up well before 8 which makes me sad. :sigh: I'm just not a morning person at all.
Today was the first day of classes here at good ol' UMW and I was up bright and early at 7:15ish am. I won't have to get up that early everyday, but the only days I'll be sleeping in this semester are the weekends, and even that could change, god only knows. My first three classes were good and will be good. I mean theory is theory, but my classics and history classes should be at least mildly interesting if not actually quite fascinating. And then I was done. It was kind of nice today, but this whole being done at noon shit is going to get boring really fast, and probably very awkward. Still, it gave me plenty of time to worry over my geography class. Which I'm no longer in.
One of the great things about my brain is that it has an incredibly difficult time remembering that aren't trivial* or in some sort of context. So when I found out that 50% of my grade in geography would be based on how well I can memorize maps and remember them at 8 in the morning, I started panicking a little. I knew this could an issue, but I was kind of hoping I would be able to avoid it. Alas, me and geography were not meant to be and I'm now taking Asian Civ. II. The brilliant thing about this new class that I'm taking is a)I don't have to memorize any maps (as far as I know) and b)it covers the part of Asian history that deals with Europe, thus is tangentially about Europe. Oh yeah, I'm totally grasping at straws there. Granted this doesn't solve the problem of band set-up, but I've decided that what I'm going to do is set-up the night/afternoon before and put up a sign telling people not to mess with the room on pain of death (and yes, I really mean death.) Except for tomorrow, because I came up with this great idea well after the band room should have been closed. Tomorrow I have to hope someone will be there to open the room for me, or I might just explode before I even get a chance to enjoy any of my classes.
The highlight of my day though was eating with people. People can be really fun. So is threatening your boyfriend with a pitchfork if he doesn't study enough. I wonder if you can get pitchforks on Amazon...
On one last final note, I sent in my application for an internship at NPR. Here's to not getting a position yet again!


*While memorizing countries on a map might seem trivial, my kind of trivial is within a context as well. Like knowing that Billie Piper was on the same NMTB episode as Meatloaf or knowing that Ricky Wilson was born on Jan. 19th, ten years before me. All trivial, but within a context.

And Then There Was a Loud and Piercing Sound

HE'S COMING BACK!!!!!!!!! No, not David Tennant, this has nothing to do with DW. But yeah, I'm feeling much better with this piece of information* and yes, I do feel like an overly excited fangirl. It's brilliant 0_0!!!
*For those requiring further explanation: Hunter was reinstated with mucho thanks to VP Barra. He found out today and the whole world smiled. See? I am an overly excited fangirl, but with good reason.

Nore Unabriged (with Gusto)

A Facebook meme. If you've been reading this thing since it's inception (or have trolled through the archives) none of this will be new to you, however I like how I wrote my answers, so I'm posting it here. Enjoy!

1. I have central auditory processing disorder which means that I process everything I hear milliseconds slower than someone who doesn't have CAPD (and those milliseconds are really important and make the difference between eating a peach or a beach) and ambient noise doesn't help any.


2. I love reading and taught myself how to read when I was five (which is pretty normal actually).


3. I've been mildly obsessed with the Elizabethan era for as long as I can remember which in turn led to my not so mild obsession with the UK.


4. Pop music is my life and many of my interests are tangentially connected to pop music (I can make some really random connections including how I got into Doctor Who).


5. I've had five blogs since I was in 8th grade, but my blogger and livejournal accounts are the only ones I've written in consistently for more than a year. (I've had my blogger and livejournal accounts for almost 4 years now)


6. I went to boarding school for two years (8th and 9th grade) in Staunton, Virginia. Granted I went home every weekend, but it's an experience I'll never forget


7. I listened to only the Beatles for the majority of a year, but then I discovered British indie rock and became frightfully obsessed with that.


8. I was a ballerina for 9 and a half years and miss it with every fibre of my body. However I can't imagine wearing a leotard ever again, so there's no chance I'll start dancing again

I have been playing the clarinet for 8 and a half years and have tried to quite multiple times. It just keeps coming back.

9. The majority of my favourite shows are British which is rather inconvenient, especially since all but two are not aired in the US.


10. I've only been to London once, in 9th grade, but plan on living there the rest of my life (after college).


11. I like reading non-fiction in my spare time and particularly like reading about history (British, World, European, anything but American).


12. Since 10th or 11th grade I've slowly been training my self to spell words in British English. On my blog my spell check is in British English which reinforces what I'm training myself to do.


13. I can figure out the exact date of when something important happened in my life based on my blog (or at least important in the last four years, I lost the blog I had when I visited London).


14. I have a very British sense of humour and blame that entirely on Monty Python (especially since they inspired the current generation of British comedians).


15. I'm an extremely shy and private person and wouldn't normally do this kind of thing, but three people tagged me, so yeah 0_0 now you know everything.

This Isn't the Music 2008 Post I Promised

Dear Future and Perspective Boyfriends,
I am not dainty. I am a stubborn mule who refuses to move on the opinions (and things) I care about. I won't necessarily argue with you, but I tend not to argue when I'm not an expert on the subject. Also I've never really had good experiences when arguing, so that's another deterrent. However this doesn't mean I'm old fashioned and will bow to your every will. Yes I am inexperienced, but I'm not stupid. In fact that there's a very good chance I'm smarter than you, so don't underestimate me. Or if you do, do so at your own peril. To reiterate my first point, I'm not dainty. I don't want to be treated like I'm a porcelain doll, just like a princess, and only occasionally. Generally I should be regarded as your equal and if I'm not I'll get tetchy and then angry and you won't like me when I'm angry. I'm very much like my father when I'm angry. I won't yell, I'll just brood and be terse. Trust me, in the long run that reaction is much worse than yelling. I know my anger may seem unreasonable, but that's a tendency you'll just have to deal with. I am unreasonable and have been ever thus since my birth [wow, that was really Shakespearean]. As long as I am me I will be unreasonable and I will be stubborn. I will also be a romantic, but at heart (or better yet at intellect) I am a realist and a pessimist and will act accordingly. Don't taunt me, don't tempt me because my Emergency Program One is to run and I will if you give me a wide enough opening to do so. Treat me as you would treat yourself and I suppose you'll be fine. There are no guarantees when it comes to dealing with me. I have unreasonable expectations instilled by Disney and fairy tales and I've yet to let go of them. Also I have hormones from hell and hate phones. So good luck. I can't pretend to imagine why you want to be with me, but I've given you fair warning now. So yes, good luck.
With all sincerity,
Nore

Ringing in the New Year

In the past year (literally since January 1st) I have written around 147 entries (depending on where you're reading this). In the same amount of time I've had around 2,381 people look at my blog (or a particular entry) and go "Mmm, not what I was looking for." Granted of those 2,381 hits some have stuck around for a couple of minutes, but most glance and retreat. Without actually reading all 147 entries I would say more than half of them concern music in one way or another. The rest of the entries are either emo-tastic, nonsense (less than four sentences), fangirl-ish ravings (though really a good majority of those fall under the music category), or can be considered misc (any and everything about Hunter and a good bit of how I spent my summer). Most entries are a combination of the above categories.
In past years I have written more entries and slightly more profound things have happened to me. It seems that 2008, except for some really big awesome events (Obama getting elected comes to mind), has been a bit of a let down for everyone involved. But, things have happened, both good and bad and I feel they need to be documented. Just the good bits anyway, it is a holiday after all.
The year started off a bit rocky, but then again I was living with a moody bitch, so anyone's year would have started off rocky given the conditions. However things got better and by May I was free of the bitch and looking forward to the summer. Not that I should have been really, but I was anyway.
Late-ish in May I got my first job which was all well and terribly exciting. Having the job helped me narrow my focuses in terms of what I want to do in radio, but also reconfirmed that I really do want to be in radio for ever and ever (amen.) Having a job also meant that I spent a great deal of time commuting and not being around my Dad, both of which I was thankful for. But, as people who like clichés say, all good things must come to an end and soon it was time for the family vaca. And then school (dun dun duuuuuuuuh.)
The new school started out with a frenzy of depression followed by three different colds. Needless to say the first two months can only be described as somewhat grim with two things saving me from completely writing them off as shit: Anticipation and Doctor Who. The former deals with my waiting eagerly for the new Keane and Kaiser Chiefs albums and the latter has to do with the newly formed sci-fi (Doctor Who) club. But then something rather miraculous and completely unexpected happen: I got a boyfriend. A living breathing boyfriend. And that made all the shit (music theory, band) not matter as much. It's kind of sad, but true nonetheless. The past three months have gone by at a ferocious pace and the Kaiser Chiefs album is still only passable.
So now, as the new year begins I have Who, a boyfriend, and a roommate who doesn't drive me up the wall. My life isn't perfect, but I look forward to the new year and what it holds. It should be very interesting.
Later (today or tomorrow) a round-up of music and movies from 2008. Guaranteed to be much shorter than this entry!

And Again With Feeling

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! Let's hope 2009 a just a little bit better than 2008.

Hard

It's so hard when you know you should feel sorry for someone because they're just so pathetic, but you don't have any at all because they act so shit and can be such a bastard. It's so hard when you can't do anything to change the situation because they're suppose to be the more mature one, they're suppose to be the authority figure and you can't argue with an authority figure. It's just so hard when you know things could be so much worse than they are, but everything feels shit and everything gets turned to shit because of just one person. It's so hard, but I'll be gone soon and I won't have to deal with this for another two months. And now I don't want to think about it, but it's so hard not to. My life isn't as awful as I make it seem and I'm so incredibly lucky, but sometimes it just doesn't seem that. Sometimes I still feel like I'm in 6th grade, begging for all of this pain to stop. I wish I could leave and never come back and I don't care how horrible I seem, but that's what I want. I want to do what he's done with his parents, leave and never go back. But I can't just yet. Soon though, so much sooner than I think, I'll be gone and I won't ever come back.

Awkward Rambling is Awkward

Oh there is so much to say. So very, very much to say. But I guess I'll start with the most recent events and work my way backwards. So I guess the first event is Christmas, so we begin.
Since my family did not host Thanksgiving, it was our turn to host Christmas. Holidays are always rather awkward because half of my family (Sophs and Dad) don't really get along with my aunt's family and refuse to make an effort to have inane small talk with them. Therefore, because by this point in the day I too have given up having any kind of small talk with anyone, my Mums is left trying to have inane small talk with six people (three cousins, one uncle, one aunt and one great-uncle). The whole thing becomes extraordinarily awkward, boring, and slightly hellish leaving me (who is already quite tired from all the cooking and waking up before noon) even more tired than I was to begin with. Nevertheless you could say I had a good Christmas because I had a good and very filling meal and got some really excellent presents. By all other measures though, my Christmas was fairly mediocre, but I'm use to that now and don't really expect anything else.
So what did I get for Christmas that makes up for the fact that most of my Christmas was really rather dull you may be asking. I got The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio series, that's what. The complete original radio series. All mine on 14 CDs. As I said when I opened it, I win at life. I also got some really interesting/exciting books including new Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman books as well as a memoir about a reporter who lived in England for a rather long time. I got some essential DVDs and a book to hold my hand-written set lists, courtesy of my sister. I also got handsoap in a frog dispenser from my Mum's mum. I really wished she had looked at my Amazon wish list, but oh well. So that was my Christmas: Excellent gifts (mostly) and a really awkward late afternoon/evening.
The time up to Christmas was spent staving off depression, hacking (as a severe form of coughing) up my lungs, and doing various things on my computer. I talked to Hunter some as well which always made (and makes) things a bit better than they were before. As I always remind myself, things could be a hell of a lot worse than they currently are and can always and quite often do get better. As long as I keep that in mind and watch QI whenever possible, I'm fine really.
It's sort of funny, I've realized in talking to Hunter over the phone I have this really awkward habit of rambling when I don't know what to say and don't really have anything to say but feel I need to say something. I'm not quite sure what he makes of it, but I'm always kind of annoyed with myself afterwards because I know I was rambling and generally not making sense at all. But he's working his way through the first season of Torchwood and his reaction to it is rather amusing. Next time I see him I may not let go because he's so damn cute.
Finally, I watched my various Christmas specials and the Mock the Week and QI ones were hilarious (which is to be expected) and the Doctor Who special was emo-tastic. Just really, really, amazingly angsty in some parts, but good nonetheless. I can't wait to get the DW series 4 box set.
Alright, I'm going to watch some more QI and possibly listen to more HHGG, we'll see. Entries will continue to be sparse until I get back to school, but even that's not a guarantee. You'll just have to wait and see.

The Anglophile In Me Want to Wish You A....

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!! Further updates when I get my head around the idea of forming complete sentences 0_0

Because I Got Tagged

A) People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blog and replace any question that they dislike with a new, original question.

B) Tag eight people. Don't refuse to do that. Don't tag who tagged you. (I don't know enough people to tag 8 people, so if you know me, feel free to do this thing)


Make a list of things you can see without getting up:
my entire room

What do you do if someone tickles you?
I'm not that ticklish, so I either become your girlfriend or kick you by "accident"

What are you wearing now?
Jim-jams because I can't be bothered

Do you have some sort of secret superpower?
Yes, my amazing coughing abilities (in other words, no)

What's the last thing you read/are currently reading?
I'm working my way through The Canon by Natalie Angier

Do you nap a lot?
It depends on how busy I am

Who was the last person you hugged?
Umm...mums

What's your current fandom/obsession/addiction?
Gee, I don't know...do you?

What was the last thing you ate today?
Toast...mmmmm toast

What was the last thing you said aloud?
"I'm fine" while trying not to laugh and cough at the same time

What websites do you always visit when you go online?
LJ, AV Club, Facebook, NME, Cracked.com

Last thing you bought:
Dad's Christmas present

What are you listening to right now?
nada

What's the last song that got stuck in your head?
"Carol of the Bells" though really it's hard to say since I have music playing in my head at all times

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Teleportation please :)

What is your favourite weather, and why?
70 degrees Fahrenheit, sunny, not humid. Otherwise known as the opposite of any weather existing in my country of choice

How are you?
I have a horrible hacking cough, but am otherwise very jolly

What's something you'd like to say to someone right now?
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS! now leave me alone"

Say something to the person who tagged you.
Happy Christmas, don't die 0_0

Further updates later...

Long Awaited News Update

I've come up with four more reasons to love the UK. The first is the Doctor Who Christmas special, the second is the QI Christmas special, the third is the Mock the Week Christmas special, and the Big Fat Quiz of the Year. The reasons for the reasons are as follows: David Morrissey, Stephen Fry, Alan Davies, Clive Anderson, Rob Brydon, Dara O'Briain, David Mitchell, Hugh Dennis, Frankie Boyle, Russell Howard, Andy Parson, Michael McIntyre, Ed Byrne, and Sean Lock. Also, The Sunday Night Project Christmas special and that is reasoned by the following names: Simon Pegg and Kaiser Chiefs. So there you have it, five more reasons to love the UK.
Sprechen of the Kaiser Chiefs, here they are performing with Girls Aloud. The only reason I'm posting this is so I can posit the following reasons for them even thinking of performing on a show hosted by Girls Aloud: They are absolutely desperate or one of the members of KC (I'm saying Ricky because I can) is dating one of the members of Girls Aloud (I'm saying the ginger one because I can and she's my favourite). The whole thing is rather sad and pathetic, but I'm sure the boys will be gain back some of their reputation on The Sunday Night Project and if not they'll always have Employment.
Ever wonder how winter came to be? Well here is Mata's version of how winter came to be. Enjoy!
Finally, here's Weebl and Bob's version of "Hallelujah." You'd have to be slightly obsessed with the UK pop scene to understand why this is funny, but trust me, it is. That and they change the lyrics to revolve around pies, so ya know, that's hilarious in and of its self.
So that's it. See you on the flip side.

Long Ass Meme

50 Questions meme.

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
Oy mcvay

2. How much cash do you have on you?
Enough to pay for a small pizza with sausage and pepperoni

3. What’s a word that rhymes with DOOR?
floor

4. Favourite planet?
Betelgeuse

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
dunno, missed call list is clear at the moment


6. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?
really don't have one

7. What shirt are you wearing?
Folger's library student Shakespeare festival from 7th grade

8. Do you label yourself?
constantly and it usually involves the word nutter, anglophile and looney

9. Name the brand of the shoes you’re currently wearing?
socks, no shoes right now

10. Bright or Dark Room?
bright, so as I don't get depressed from the gloom

11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?
writes the best damn DW fanfiction

12. What does your watch look like?
umm...don't have one

13. What were you doing at midnight last night?
sleeping

14. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?
I don't get texts

15. Where is your nearest 7-11?
somewhere not near by (aka I don't know)

16. What's a word that you say a lot?
umm

17. Who told you he/she loved you last?
Sophs or Mums

18. Last furry thing you touched?
Nikki or Rosie

19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days?
My meds, so quite a bit

20. How many rolls of film do you need developed?
one

21. Favorite age you have been so far?
Right now

22. Your worst enemy?
Myself (how cliche)

23. What is your current desktop picture?
Women walking dog in the snow (it's a graphic I got from Veer)

24. What was the last thing you said to someone?
I don't remember...I think it was "okay" to my sister

25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly what would it be?
Oooh toughy...million bucks

26. Do you like someone?
Why yes, yes I do.

27. The last song you listened to?
La Gazza Ladra, can't remember the composer's name

28. What time of day were you born?
7:25 am, which is why I hate the morning

29. What’s your favorite number?
42

30. Where did you live in 1987?
I wasn't born yet

31. Are you jealous of anyone?
Every single person in the UK

32. Is anyone jealous of you?
Dunno

33. Where were you when 9/11 happened?
Chorus


34. What do you do when vending machines steal your money?
Have yet to have that happen to me, but I suspect I would get very annoyed and then walk away

35. Do you consider yourself kind?
Most of the time, yes

36. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be?
When I get my tattoo, it will be on the back of my wrist, 'cuz I thnk that's a cool place


37. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?
French, so I could live there and become very, very large eating nothing but crepes

38. Would you move for the person you loved?
No, unless they lived in London in which case yes

39. Are you touchy feely?
Umm, does clingy count? If so, then yes

40. What’s your life motto?
Don't panic

41. Name three things that you have on you at all times?
Ring on my right index finger, ring on my right ring finger and Irish wedding band on my left thumb

42. What’s your favourite town/city?
London

43. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?
Small pizza with sausage and pepperoni

44. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
No clue, it's been so long

45. Can you change the oil on a car?
God no

46. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?
He's in NYC

47. How far back do you know about your ancestry?
I know bits and pieces from both sides of my family and recently found out I do in fact have some English from my Mom's mom's side of the family

48. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy?
That would have been for my chorus concert and it was all black and a green blazer

49. Does anything hurt on your body right now?
No

50. Have you been burned by love?
Rather not discuss that, ta

Hold My Hand

I've been feeling rather depressed lately. I think it has something to do with being home and the sun not shining as much as I would like it to. In any event I've been feeling a bit blue and today just compounded that feeling. Today has not been very good for making me feel better, not one bit.
Hunter's not coming back next semester, or at least he doesn't think he is. And quite frankly unless Ms. Smith can pull a fucking miracle out of her ass, I don't think he will be coming back next semester. The strange thing is that he's totally calm about the whole situation. I'm having a freakin' melt down, emotionally speaking, and he's all fine and dandy. A wee bit pissed, but mostly just calm. Which is fine, but I feel really odd about the whole thing. A month ago I wasn't even sure I liked Hunter enough to be his girlfriend and now not only am I freaking out on his behalf, he's entered my subconscious (booyah to the dream world). It just seems so strange how quickly things can change in life. I feel slightly paralysed to be honest. Maybe this is why Farber wanted to have a boyfriend, so I would learn not to be paralysed by unfamiliar and stressful situations. Dunno though, never will either.
Well now that I've entered into the realm of stream-of-thought rambling, I guess I'll end it here. Don't mourn for me too much though. He's promised to visit and if the world and karma decide that I'm (and by proxy he's) not too shit he'll be back at UMW this summer, and trust me if he is my weekends will be spent in Fredericksburg. I'm just that clingy.

I'll Be Home For Christmas

I sometimes wonder how I can be apart of the family that I'm apart of. I use to think that since I didn't belong I must have been adopted or something like that, but since I've inherited too many of the same disabilities (both learning and pyschological) that option has long since left the th building. HOwever I still do wonder how it is I ended up in this family since I'm so patently different from any of them. I also can't stand being around the lot of them, though really that's not a sign of anything based on the movies. Still I've been home four days and I'm already looking forward to the beginning of the next semester. In fact if the world could just fast-forward to Christmas (because I like presents) and then fast-forward again to January 11th, I'd be just fine, ta. Of course this could all pass and like I almost told Hunter (decided against 'cuz I didn't want to worry him too much) I'll just become numb to the whole situation. Either that or time will pass as quickly as always does and I'll be back at school before I know it. Still, I'd rather be at school now instead of having to wait. C'est la vie I guess. :sigh:

Another Finals Interruption

We again interrupt Nore's study of linguistics with this small piece of news: Blur are reuniting. Now over to Nore for her reaction...
LIES!!!!!!! I don't know why I have such a visceral and unloving response to Blur reuniting, but I do. I think it has to do with the fact that two of the four members have gone on to have semi-successful music careers and they probably won't make it to the US and I don't need any more disappointment in my life. Or I'm just a very bitter old hag who doesn't want anyone to be happy. Dunno.
In other non-music news (well non-pop music news anyway) I've all but given up on completing MacBastard (MacGamut/aural training) by Thursday when it's due, but I still have to figure out how I'm going to write a fugue by Friday. Tomorrow is going to be hell, absolute hell. So's Thursday, but less so because I don't have a jury, just skills and socio. But as Amber (from Seaco) said this morning, by this time next week it will all be just a really horrible dream and I'll be able to sleep like a normal person again. Finally, Kathy has disappeared for the most part, which is a nice but very odd alternative to last year when Allison hid in her bed for the duration of finals. At least I can listen to my music without headphones, which is also nice, and talk out loud while I'm studying, which I acknowledge is very strange. Anywho, got to get back to linguistics. Do you know what a polysemy is? I do.

Lyrics for Finals

Well, more like a part of some lyrics. Two stanzas in poetry terms. From two different songs. By the same artist. Anywho, here they are:

"You Want History" --- Kaiser Chiefs

It's a waste of money you have to admit
If it's a waste of money you have to have it
It's a waste of brains but hard to resist
If you wanted mystery you've blown it

It's a waste of money you have to admit
If it's a waste of money you have to have it
It's a waste of brain cells hard to resist
If you wanted history you missed it


"Like It Too Much" --- Kaiser Chiefs

Going in and out of
Another state of
Try not to be obvious
With a ringside seat
Going in and out of
Another state of
Try not to be obvious
You get the first one free...

You are descended from animals
And you are constructed of chemicals
The one thing you can't have you like too much
You look but you cannot touch
I like it all too much

The Fear of Good Days and Bad Days

Ah, time for some reviews. Lily Allen has a single, the Kaiser Chiefs have a single...and both have videos! There's also the small matter of not wanting to think about my exams, so here's a nice way to pass the time. Write two reviews.

"The Fear" --- Lily Allen
Lily Allen has a gift for lyrics. She writes brilliant and catchy lyrics that, while not exactly mind-stretchers, are able to be topical without sounding pedantic. However, as with "The Fear", she can sound a bit hypocritical singing them. In this latest single Ms. Allen's musical vocabulary has expanded to a certain extent, but ultimately her songs aren't about the music but the lyrics and the lyrics sound silly coming out of her mouth. Ms. Allen is almost as well known for her tabloid antics as she is for her music and so singing about the stupidity and shallowness of her life seems a tad rich. A bit like the pot calling the kettle black if you know I mean. But "The Fear" is saved by the musical expansion exhibited by Ms. Allen and her cohorts. If this any indication of her next, I'm sure it will be as good and as catchy as her last one. Let's just hope she avoids any more hypocrisy. [As for the video, it's majestic and visually interesting, but Lily is not a good actress. Really horrible in fact.]

"Good Days Bad Days" --- The Kaiser Chiefs
There's something peculiar about the Kaiser Chiefs. First impression rarely do justice to the actual quality of the music they produce. While I wouldn't exactly retract my original grading of Off With Their Heads I don't hate the album much as I did when I first listened to it. There are moments in nearly every song that makes it worth while to listen to. In the case of "Good Days Bad Days" it's the refrain and bit towards the end that discusses changing your attitude. "Good Days Bad Days" isn't a brilliant song by any stretch of the imagination, but if you listen to it enough times, you too will find a moment in it that you like and makes it worth while to listen to. That's just how the Kaiser Chiefs work. [Peanut was in hospital during the video shoot and the hang a neat little sign on his keyboard that says "Be back in 5 minutes." The whole thing is a giddy romp that reminds me of the video for "Everyday I Love You Less and Less" except without skeleton sex. Though it's odd, they always pat down Ricky's hair and it makes him look really odd. But yeah, good video.]

Ugh. Exams. I've got so much MacGamut to do it hurts my brain just thinking about it. However I got to watch a really weird French movie last night, so it's not all bad. Well the exam bits are, but the French movie isn't. So yeah, off to bed. Night.

This Is Going to Be Very Long, But I'm Very Bored

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (marching band, Rock Band)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain (in the mountains is close enough right? Because I've done a lot of that)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning (and I will never eat doritos again)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France (and I have a poster of her too!)
20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (of the heart!)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David (or a replica, I can't remember)

41. Sung karaoke (it was awful)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted by your mother. it wasn't flattering.
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (in November and it was cold)

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class (and never got beyond an orange belt)
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a cheque
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial (one of the last things I did before moving to the suburbs)

71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a mobile phone (how is that impressive?)
99. Been stung by a bee (which is one of the ways I found out I'm allergic to insect stings)
100. Read an entire book in one day (back when I had time to read)

I'm Taking a Break From Writing About Sociology to Write About My Life

If I write one more page, get through one more topic, I can go to bed and finish the paper tomorrow. I just have to write about one more topic and since I underlined so damn much, this paper is proving a hell of a lot easier than the last one. I just have to write about one more topic. :sigh: I'm good at this, I just hate doing it.
Today has been so stressful. I had one three hour break in the middle of the day, but even then I had grocery shopping to do and then tonight was utter chaos, so the break really didn't mean that much to me. The only plus side was that I got to see Hunter after the chorus concert and before I rushed back to my room to eat and watch GG. Now I'm working on a sociology paper that will be five pages if it kills me. Still I got to see Hunter and watch GG, so it isn't all doom and gloom. Just mostly.
So, for those who don't know, Torchwood, especially the first season, is ridiculously sex-drenched. Just a ridiculous amount of sex and sex innuendo. So it comes as no surprise that John Barrowman (Barrowman, not Boarowman) would take out his dick while on the radio. I mean absolutely no surprise whatsoever. He turned a song from The Sound of Music into a perverted thing about wanking when he was on Buzzcocks. Really, people are just silly.
So this is my last week of classes before exams. Many people on Facebook have been describing the next two weeks of hell. I would tend to agree with them. This, however, does not guarentee that I will not be blogging throughout the next two weeks. It simply means that if I do write, I will most likely be bitching or bitching. So yeah, welcome to hell.