Across The Universe

A friend of mine tagged me to do this. I actually kind of like to do these sorts of things because I have some strange music on my computer although not much of the strange stuff came up in this one...


1. Put your iTunes/iPod on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!


What is your motto?
Finale- Wicked


What do your friends think of you?
Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves- Eurythmics


What do you think about very often?
Nella Fantasia- Celtic Women


What is 2+2?
Seventeen Ain't So Sweet- The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus


What do you think of your best friend?
Now is the Month of Maying- King Singers


What do you think of the person you like?
Pandemonium- 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee


What is your life story?
Such Great Heights- Iron and Wine


What do you want to be when you grow up?
Anna Molly- Incubus


What do you think when you see the person you like?
O Vos Omnes- Carlo Gesualdo


What do your parents think of you?
Break Me Shake Me- Savage Garden


What will you dance to at your wedding?
Ave Mundi Rosa- Waverly Consort


What will they play at your funeral?
At The Ceili- Celtic Women


What is your hobby/interest?
If You're Gonna- Natasha Bedingfield


What is your biggest secret?
The Bonny Swans- Loreena McKennit


What do you think of your friends?
Inside Out- Hoobastank


What’s the worst thing that could happen?
Hero- SuperChick


How will you die?
Harder to Breathe- Maroon 5


What is the one thing you regret?
I've Got You Under My Skin- Stan Freburg


What makes you laugh?
Thorn In My Side- Eurythmics


What makes you cry?
Strange World- Sarah McLachlan


Will you ever get married?
Faithfully- Journey


What scares you the most?
Siuil A run (walk my love)- Celtic Women


Does anyone like you?
Now That We're Done- Metrostation


If you could go back in time, what would you change?
Good Morning Baltimore- Hairspray


What hurts right now?
Save Your Love For Me- New York Voices


What will you post this as?
Across The Universe- Soundtrack

Becca's Senior Picture Shoot

My sister needed senior pictures and because of the weather was unable to get to a studio so I took my little digital camera and we went out and took them in the snowy outdoors. I was super happy with how they turned out. My mom even paid me!! That makes me a professional, HA! I'm super happy with how they turned out. If you would like to see them on their own go to my picasa album This album also includes pictures of our house in the snow this week I am updating it with more from today.

 

16 Things

Once you’ve been tagged, you have to write a note with 16 random things, shortcomings, facts, habits or goals about you. At the end choose 16 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you.

1. I can pretty much quote Princess Bride in its entirety.

2. I love to cook but I am way too lazy to do it all the time, but if I could there would be weeks that I wouldn't leave the kitchen. This is one of the reasons I love the holidays so much, it's and excuse to cook.

3. The religious beliefs I hold are vastly different from the ones I was raised with and I worry that if some people knew they would disown me.

4. I worry about everything sometimes to the extent that it immobilizes me.

5. I dream and talk big, but plan for a smaller outcome.

6. I do not understand hatred. Mostly on a grand scale, I can kind of understand it on a personal level but against an entire race or nation...I have no comprehension of how that works.

7. Anytime I see a dog I can usually guess the breed, or at least partially if it is a mutt.

8. I have kitten envy!

9. Sometimes I snort when I laugh or I will get this creepy old man whistle laugh if I am holding it in.

10. I love fantasy novels...

11. I am never 100% satisfied with anything I do, I just get to a point where I can't care anymore.

12. I giggle uncontrollably at things no one else finds funny...often it's in class...or some other quiet place with lots of other people...I can't seem to control it.

13. I want to make others happy.

14. If you want to stay on my good side, don't assume I can't do something that doesn't fit in my gender role. I can swing a hammer and miter with the best of them.

15. I licked a slug when I was ten then have done it a few times since just to prove that I would do it.

16. House fires scare me SO bad. I start shaking just imagining it.


I tag anyone who reads this, just let me know if you do it! Oh and Allie there you go I did it!

Soo-oop Beau-ootiful Sooo-oop

So I made this awesome pumpkin soup yesterday and I just had to share. Becca dubbed it "Pumpkin Pie in a Pot." I modified a recipe that I found on the interwebs and I found the changes I made to make and awesome soup. The original recipe is called "Velvety Pumpkin Soup with Blue Cheese and Bacon" I substituted swiss for blue and messed with the spices but it ROCKS here's the recipe. My changes will be marked in [brackets].

2(15 ounce) cans pumpkin [or 1 29 ounce can]
1 quart chicken stock
1 cup half and half [I used skim evaporated milk]
1 shallot, minced [I plain omitted this, we didn't have shallots]
1/4 cup molasses [I added a quarter cup brown sugar for additional sweetness]
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice [I used a combination of ginger, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and all totaled about 2 teaspoons worth, what can I say, I like spices]
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 slices bacon [we only had turkey bacon]
1 cup crumbled blue cheese [grated swiss]

Stir together the pumpkin, chicken stock, half-and-half, shallot, molasses, butter, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and cayenne pepper in a large stock pot over low heat; simmer 10 minutes

Meanwhile, place bacon in a large skillet over medium high heat, and cook until crispy; remove to paper towels to drain, then cool and crumble.

Ladle Soup into bowls. Top with bacon and cheese.

Jizz In My Pants

A Finals Week Belly Laugh

I was sent link to this video and just about wet myself with glee. So friggin amazing. Enjoy!!!!!

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

In Order to Un-Disconcert

In accordance with the will of my dear sister-in-law I am posting a new blog. In thinking about what to post, I thought about music theory and how it relates to life(dry), a poem(slightly depressing), and a silly chain blog-thing.

So here is the blog thing...

Respond by posting your name and:

1. I'll respond with something random about you.
2. I'll tell you which song or movie you remind me of.
3. I'll pick a flavor of jello to wrestle you in.
4. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me.
5. I'll tell you my first memory of you.
6. I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7. I'll ask you something I've always wondered about you.
8. I'll tell you my favorite thing about you.
9. I'll tell you my least favorite thing about you.
10. Post it on your profile so you can play with your friends.

Here is part of a poem-thing that I wrote when I was getting in the head of a character I am writing about:

Squelching and complaining at her interference, the grasses snip and nibble along her arms and neck as the panic blossoms.
Heart pounds, ears ringing, palms sweating and her dilated eyes scan for signs of his passge but the lone girl glimpses only the swirling flight of the bats and swallows.
Her fingers grasp the reeds, knuckles whitening.
The blood dripping is invisible to her.
Her other hand tangles in her curls as she lifts her face to the moon and cries.
Her tears wash away the hope and anticipation of this secret rendezvous, they wash away the hope of a heart torn and stapled back together.
Sanity drips off the plains of her cheeks and runs in rivulets down her pumping chest which bellows air in the shape of a cry of ultimate suffering.
Her poor tattered soul is weary-her hand unfurls from her hair as those red-rimmed and tortured eyes reach the horizon.
Her pupils contract and she is able to take a breath, her knuckles unlock and fingers unclench and she wipes the remnants of her unrealistic expectations away with a blood soaked hand leaving war-paint streaks across her suddenly calm face...

Photo!

I took this picture on a trip to the coast with the family. I took it with my little digital camera and I actually really love how it turned out. I was thinking about submitting it to a photo contest, but I haven't really decided yet. I am looking at different contest but if anyone has any ideas which one I should enter let me know.

I really really like how the focus turned out especially since I wasnt sure how that would work out with the camera I have.

Anyways, I am heading home this weekend. Hope ya'all have a good one!

Trying

I have decided to try and write every night. I have recently started writing poetry again and some of them are trying to become songs. So, I am trying to keep that creative side of my brain flowing by priming it every night. I have found that keeping a journal and blogging helped me with that. After even the minuscule blog with the video below I wrote some really cool stuff. I don't promise to write, and definitely don't promise to share it here, but I will endeavor to do something like that.

It seems like relationships are catching around here. So many of the people I spend time with are in or on their way to being in relationships. I spend a lot of time thinking about that sort of thing and have blogged about it in the past. I try not to agonize and stress over relationships and my lack of one but I frequently fail. I don't think that I really want to be in a relationship right now, no I'm am a liar, I do. I also know that it wouldn't be fair to whomever to only get a tiny part of my time.

As I have gone through this semester so far Clayton and I have stayed super close and he visits me quite often. Now for those drive-by readers, Clayton is my best friend in the whole world. He is also gay, so there is nothing romantic between us. We are really codependent though and are not quiet about how much we love each other. Moving on...apparently there was a guy who was somewhat interested in me who heard me talking about Clayton and possibly even heard me on the phone with him saying "I love you!" This freaked him out and even after he heard that Clayton is gay still frightened him. In this specific situation I didn't mind having him back off, I am not at all interested in him. Besides, any guy in my life is just going to have to understand that Music and Clayton come first.

So take that!

I keep telling myself that the time will come and I will find someone to love. I also have to tell the voice that says I am deluding myself to shut up and shove it. I also look at myself and my life realize I am where I need to be and doing what I need to do. If I were to add anymore stress or complications to my life I wouldn't necessarily do so well.

That is all for now. Clayton is on his way to catch up on Heroes!!!! Yay!

Roxette - Crash! Boom! Bang!

So I was just catching up on some family time when I all of a sudden remembered Roxette. I remember listening to this song with my big brother. He was a major influence in my early life and in some of my music choices. I just though I would post a video.

I specifically remember road trips with music blaring in the car singing along with whatever he was listening to. So big brother, this one is for you!

Keeping Above the Tide

I apologize in advance for the randomness and general disorganization of this post. I am having a scatterbrain moment.

Here we are, it's the first month of school and I have already dealt with strep throat and plenty of stress. I'm still trying to find a way to keep myself organized, but, as usual, am failing miserable. Not really, I am completely exaggerating. I just wish I could keep myself a bit more organized.

I am loving all of my classes except physics, although I think once I get my textbook it will go much easier for me.

Um, random....I am the Assistant Stage Manager for the fall show entitled "The Independent Female or A Man Has His Pride" a melodrama about feminism and the roles of men and women in society. The cast is great and I am having fun playing Rosencrantz, to our Stage Manager's Guildenstern(or is it the other way around). We are great friends and always give each other a hard time to the great enjoyment of the cast and director.

Yay!

Sometimes the only way I can get through the week or day is to think of my life like a musical. There is already music(I need to work on the choreography a bit more) and plenty of both comedy and drama. There are situations of slapstick type hilarity, including tonight: during the clean up from the theater department mixer Sarah and I put away a table and it was one of those moments where everything goes wrong. First, we were on the wrong side of the table in order to carry it. Then, we were facing each other not in the same direction. So both of us taking matters in out own hands both proceeded to turn around so we were facing away from each other. Maddie, one of our friends, was looking on and cracking up so then we both realized what had happened and could barely pick up the table we were laughing so hard.

This is what happens all the time. especially when Sarah and I are together, and increasingly when Maddie is together. Sometimes we even speak with the same words and pitches, at the same time. It's pretty funny, at least to us.

Um, that's all for now, I think.

Oh, Jinks may be going to a new home. Clayton is starting school again and now lives farther away from both his job and his school so Jinks wouldn't get the attention and time he deserves. I will miss the little bugger. I guess Clayton and I will have to wait to have out own little gay family. Ha! Look below for a picture of our happy family.

Clarification and Clarity

I was asked a number of remarkably similar questions and given similar advise from various people after they read my blog or heard the story. So I have a rebuttal, sort of.

First of all, I didn't really know what I was drinking, at least that it was so strong... I should have asked I know, but I thought it was ok. I seriously didn't intend on getting so drunk, and I thought it was clear.

Second of all, I should have been eating to stave off some of the effects of the alcohol, I know, but as a poor defense, I wasn't buying anything... not drinks or anything.

Thirdly, Clayton would like me to make it absolutely clear that he is not an idiot for letting me get that drunk OR kissing me. In his defense, he says he just wanted me to have a good time, which I did, and have a great 21st birthday experience.

Lastly, I did have fun, alot of fun. The drag show was awesome and I had so much fun hanging out with Clayton. I just did not enjoy the feeling of having no control over myself and where my feet went.

Moving on...

I just moved back onto campus and I am already feeling better. I had been a bit depressed this summer, but being in my own space, in an environment that supports my drive to learn and grow has already lifted a weight off my shoulders. Classes start in the morning and I am so excited about the things to come in this school year, lets all just hope that I can hold it together. Luckily I thrive under pressure.

I am taking 18 credits and a handful of non-credit classes but all really exciting classes. They include: Introduction to US Politics(which uses Jon Stewart's America as a text), Physics of Everyday Phenomena, Acting 1: Fundamentals, Music Theory 1, Lessons in Voice, Concert Choir, Basic Conducting, Recital Attendance, Jazz Choir, Functional Piano, Woodwind Methods, and possibly Chamber Singers(if I get in). In addition to classes I am looking for a job and will be stage managing one of the main stage productions this year, and working with Lunchbox Theater. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

It is so great looking forward to the future and spending time with my friends. I just can't wait to get started.

Wish me luck!

My Birthday!

This is the story of my experience as I remember it on my 21st birthday, last night. It may not be what happened or flattering to me, but the story had to be told, it is too funny to pass up. I am also prefacing this with a solemn oath that I will never get that drunk again. I mean it. I hated it. Well, you will see.

The night started out well, Clayton and I were both kind of nervously excited. I was worried what I would be like drunk and praying that I wouldn't make a fool out of myself. I am, in case you didn't already know, a good girl; when I say good girl, think squeaky clean. I hadn't ever been drunk before my 21st, don't do drugs, am...lets say chaste, and generally want to please people. So...I was scared shit less.

Before we hit Red Cap Clayton made me start guzzling Mike's, since he wanted me to have a good buzz on. I was super nervous when we got there and everyone was nice and I started off the night in good spirits (ha ha, I didn't even mean to have a pun there). I drank something blue that was pretty strong but tasted good, which to me means that I can't taste the alcohol I think we did a shot of tequila and then took our seats for the drag show.

By this time I was feeling a bit disoriented but generally good. The show went well and my buddies started shoving cash into my bra for the drag queens to retrieve with their teeth. It was then announced to the world that it was my 21st birthday. I was a little shaky on my feet at this point so I was more that happy just to sit in my seat and drink those blue drinks as they were put in front of me. my recollection tells me that they numbered 2 at this point, but Clayton thinks it was 3.

I was then summoned onto the stage, it was really hard to walk in four inch heels and not take a header in the state I was in. I think she asked me some questions, and did some patter, and had the whole bar sing Happy Birthday to me as badly as they could, but then the real fun began. I was told to hold onto this rail and bend over for my spankings. Dear Lord, I was scared. So I did it and two drag queens proceeded to hit me really hard on the ass 21 times. Ow. I literally have a bruise on my butt. I then needed to take my seat again, but luckily Clayton and the drag queen(I can't remember her name) helped me to my seat without dropping me on my face.

Here is where my recollection starts getting hazy: I think I had another of those magical blue drinks, then we found out way to Silverado's via two of those fancy bike cab things(There were three of us). I could not walk on my own at this point and really had to try to concentrate on anything. I was really scared. Clayton says I was pretty much scared the whole time and that I cried, but I don't remember that. So we went in and I was so out of it that various people who had been at Red cap as well wished me a merry birthday, I didn't even notice.

The boys sat me down right in front of one of the strippers...um wow...first of all, I could barely see, and second, I don't think I am really into nudity, or strippers. Clayton thought I should put money in his pants I on the other hand was trying to keep my head attached to my neck. So I was frog marched to the stage where Clayton's hand forced mine and some money into that poor man's crotch. Not my thing.

So I was handed a water and told that I would not be drinking any more. I think I was relieved, but it was more like I had stopped caring, my brain was somewhere in the bottom of four AMF's, a shot of tequila, and a bunch of Mike's. I then sat at the bar sipping my water and trying to keep from barfing. I was trying to be cool with my water and ended up knocking it over twice and hitting myself a number of times in the face with the straws. I also freaked out whenever Clayton tried to leave and decided I was really drunk. I think I tried dancing at one point, but decided my stool looked much better than the floor so I sat while Clayton danced right next to me(remember I wouldn't let him leave)...I think he bit me? and tried to make out with me? I mean, I love the man, but that was just weird.

Then Clayton came to get me up and head out for Brian's house where we were crashing, and all those yummy blue drinks decided to come for a visit, to the whole club. I was in the balcony and just barfed it up a good one. All over the counter and the floor and it apparently dripped down onto the people below. EW! I don't remember that part though, I think I was preoccupied with the bit of barf in my hair.

We got back into the bike cabs and made our way back to the car, I still don't remember that much, mostly that I was once again scared and thought I was going to fall out. I also think I told the driver numerous times that I was drunk and had just puked. He sang Happy birthday to me, how nice. I don't know how we made it to Brian's house, nor how I got into bed. But I woke up not knowing where I was with glitter on my chest, my ID in my bra, mascara all over my face, and one hell of a hangover.

Hello Again!

Yes I am still alive!

This summer has just been a time for me to get control of parts of my life that I had been unable to control previously. I am not normally out of control nor was this summer extreme, mostly, it was just not a time when I needed to be spreading the stress and negative energy to the world. The good news is that I am feeling a lot better now and things are rather crazy still, and will always be. That is just how my life is...

I just thought I would update and let anyone out there know that I am still alive and well.

Oh, I may have a dog when I come back to school. Right now it is still up in the air. He is sleeping at my feet right now, but with a number of living situation changes he may need to find a new home...sad day. Clayton and I rescued him from an unfortunate home life where he was unsocialized and untrained. He is a very sweet dog and house trained and all that lovely he just doesn't know what to do with himself besides follow me around the house. I love my Jinks!

He would be a lot of work for Clayton and me, and neither of us have oodles of time to train a dog, so maybe it will be for the best if he needs a new home. But I will be so sad...

Anyway, also, it is coming up on my 21st birthday, I don't think that anything will be too crazy and I don't think that I will get too drunk.

Enough rambling, I will leave you with a picture of my own little family, however temporary and strange it may be...Me, Clayton (my gay best friend), and my baby Jinks!

Long Time Coming

So I have been extremely uninspired blog-wise lately so I have been ignoring it. Sorry! Not really. I haven't really been doing all that much besides sitting around and looking for a job and occasionally hanging out with Clayton. Our adventures are generally full of hi-jinks and giggles. Yesterday we went to the Gay Pride Parade and festival in Portland. It was a lot of fun.

Oh, I forgot to say that I have been rehearsing for Grease! I finally found out what dates I will be performing the part of Jan if you would like them let me know. If you would like to buy tickets ahead of time you can buy them om sscpmusicals.com or after the 21st you can buy them at the St. Helen's Book Shop. Hopefully anyone in the area can come to the show and those out of the area as well. I am super excited!

There has been a lot of drama with the show and hopefully all the wrinkles will be worked out so that we can all just have a good time and not be at each-others throats all the time. I am not at anyone's throat just to make that clear. Although if a certain person in the cast would stop acting so superior it would make my life a lot more pleasant. And yes, I actually know what I am talking about, I read music (well I might add) and have done a lot of musicals before so maybe you should stop feeling put upon and insignificant and actually listen to what I have to say. I am asking questions and adding harmonies(with permission, by the way) because I care about the show and want it to sound good, and not to make you look bad and not to make you feel stupid, so back off.

Whew- I feel better now. I got it off my chest and now I will never need to say those words out loud to anyone...hopefully. It really isn't that bad. I'm just venting.

In other news I am typing this will one finger less than I normally do. The handsome and dashing Westley the Gecko decided to take a pretty large chunk out of the skin covering the first knuckle of my pointer finger on my right hand. It bled profusely and hurts pretty bad. I still love him though, even though he tried to kill me. I haven't seen a Gecko bite before, he did a good job of it though. I think he thought he was an alligator or crocodile because he tried to death-roll my skin off and pretty much succeeded.

Probably that is enough ranting, I just needed to get it out. Enjoy your summer and try to come to Grease if you are in the area!

Re-Hashing the Same-Old

Here I am at home doing the same things I do whenever I come home. Spend hours hanging around and doing absolutely nothing and boy is it nice. The thing is though, I really want to be working and out of the house a bit more. I have sent in a bunch of applications and now the waiting game begins...ah well. It isn't like I have anything better to be doing except watching daytime TV or cop shows all day.

I started rehearsals for Grease yesterday and I am uber-excited, you have NO idea. I seriously love to perform. Yes, I know, people that know my in real life may be surprised to hear that since I tend to come off as shy. It's true though, put me on stage and I am a happy camper(although camping has very little to do with acting). I do get stage-fright, but I have been learning to deal with it, and usually it is only on the day before I open and then the last ten minutes before I go on stage for any given performance.

My philosophy with acting is that I am given the opportunity to be someone else on stage and entertain people. If I mess up only a hand full of people will know and as long as I am prepared I generally don't mess up.

I still haven't gotten over my audition issues...I don't know that I will ever completely got over that. I'm pretty much OK with that though. I figure the first time I am cool and calm for an audition I know that I have lost the drive and the passion for theater or music. I don't really see that ever happening. In fact if it ever does I will know that there is something seriously wrong with me.

So it still hasn't quite sunk in that I will be here for a few months. I keep thinking that I will be heading back to school any day now and then reminding myself that I am stuck in St. Helens for the long haul. Although there are perks to being here

1. Spending time with my sister!!!!! I have already mentioned how much I missed her.
2. Grease! Enough said.
3. Clayton and random adventures...fun fun! Like sushi or random walks and things of that nature
4. Koko, my little squishy face.
5. A double bed...oh yea!
6. Car, although I probably shouldn't drive that much until I get back on the insurance...heehee

I just realized that I wrote just about the longest post ever... that I didn't copy and paste from something else. Whatever...

More Political?

So Sunday I was able to go to the HUMONGOUS Obama rally in the Waterfront Park in Portland. We had gone in to church and were asked by the youth group leaders if we wanted to tag along. Which we did. So we spent about two and a half hours under the boiling sun with a huge number of other people. Our group was fairly small, my sister and brother, Peter and Melanie(the youth group leaders), Michael, and a state delagate from Idaho who was in town for our denominational conference meeting. He spent the whole time telling my sister and I how lucky we were to be around during this amazing time.

We know... But he was impressed by my knowledge of the candidates and that I had gone to the Clinton rally the day before. I thought he was kind of funny since he thought I would be an apathetic teenager, but was actually informed about the state of affairs in this country. Whatever!

So I though I was going to post pictures from both rallies but the Internet is being dumb so I will get to it again later

Peace!

Goodbyes and Handshakes

So I got in last night but I haven't set my computer back up yet so I will post pictures of today's adventures a bit later. Leaving school was a whole lot harder than I thought it would be. I had realized that I made good friends, but I hadn't realized just how attached I had gotten. With every wave and hug goodbye things got that much harder for me, I don't mean that I am all emo-depressed-like about it, I just noticed that it was hard.

Enough being emo for one day...

Today I had the opportunity to see Former President Bill Clinton speak. He came to Scappoose this afternoon and a friend got a call about an hour before we showed up telling him to come and that it was free. When we arrived there weren't that many people there which surprised me but that also meant we got to be very close to the action. In fact after his speech both of us got to shake his hand. Even during the speech we were probably about 15 feet away from him.

I haven't been to an event such as this before and it was really interesting to behold. The police presence wasn't as large as I expected but I was impressed by the fortitude of the Secret Service guys who wore full suits the entire time in the over eighty-five degree weather. Clinton took off his Suit coat partway through the event, barely int,o actually.

I will give y'all more dirt on the speech and other things later when I post the photos.

Ciao!

A Day of Celebration

Today I am full of smiles and cheers for the state of California. Normally I spend time eye rolling and despairing over the decisions made by a fairly conservative government and a star Governator. But today I applaud and wish to hug the Supreme Court of California. They have decreed that denying gay marriage is unconstitutional. Oh yes!

I guess it may not surprise some that California would take this step before other states; California is the home of San Fransisco after all. But, I worried, as usual. Today at least for now I can hoot and holler all I want. I don't doubt that even now there are groups planning if not already taking action against this ruling.

Hooray!

In other news, today is my last full day here at Pacific. I will be moving out tomorrow and heading home. Finally. Don't get me wrong, I love it here. It is just that I am very attached to my family and my dog. Plus I need to recharge after a stressful time here. So goodbye Pacific (for now) and hello home!

Hope you all can enjoy the weather where you are, I certainly am!

Sisters

Today I attended the first reading of a classmate's play entitled Promises. It was basically about the relationship between sisters in a broken home. To me I was so caught up in the unfolding drama that I forgot that it was just a reading. Of course, there were a few line flubs and awkward moments, but...it was amazing. Yay Maddie!!!



I was blown away by the fact that she so accurately showed us the messed up tangled around hate and love relationship many sisters have...including my sister and myself. Now in the play one of the sisters is abused and my sister and I never went through anything precisely like that but when our parents were sick or if there was ever a need for support for either of us, there was no doubt that we would be there for each other even if only moments before we had been at each others throats. Including the time I got in a fight at the schoolbus stop in fourth grade to protect her.



During the reading there were a number of moments where I was literally brought to tears and afterwards I had to stop and think about it. But the ending scene with parallel images of the older sister holding the younger ones body frightens me, in fact, I just sent a text message to my baby sister checking to see if she is alright and to say that I love her. The other moment that just made me cry was the moment when the younger sister walked out of the older sisters room after the older one refused to come home and help. It made me think if I thought I could ever do anything like that to my sister. Obviously I would hope not, but who really knows. I just would hate to ever see my sister in that much pain and even think about not helping her.



There were some uncomfortable parallels in the play concerning the sisters there and my sister and myself. The younger sister in the play was promiscuous and the older hadn't even been kissed when she went off to college. I in no way am calling my sister promiscuous, period. But she has had boyfriends...ok, shutting up about that before she kills me. I, on the other hand, am pretty much like the older sister in the play. I have never had a boyfriend and hadn't been kissed when I went away to college this year. It is just kinda funny that those circumstances were mirrored in the play. In talking with Maddie after the reading that relationship is also mirrored with her and her younger sister.



I would like to send out to the world that if any theater companies are looking for new work to showcase this play is amazing, even at the first reading. So please think about using Promises by Madalyn Clemence.



Seeing the play and thinking these thought was kind of strange today because honestly my sister is the person I miss the most back at home and I cannot wait to see her(maybe only 2 days or at the most 8 days!!!). In fact we both were saying that we need to have some sister time when I get home and seeing this play just emphasized that for me.



I love you Ookie!!

Imogen Heap - "Just For Now"

I love this song and I thought I would share it with you. Especially since it shows how it is mixed live.

Enjoy!

Happiness

So this is the end of the term, finals are coming and the stress is mounting. However, I have been fortunate enough to fine some happiness in the middle of all this craziness. Things are going well for me on pretty much all levels. I am doing well academically, not that I couldn't try harder in some subjects, as well as personally. Without going into specifics, which I won't, just know that things are going extremely well for me and at this moment, meaning while I am typing, I don't know that I could be much happier. :D

I am trying to blog frequently but today I really don't have anything to write....I think.

Oh, in my writing class we wrote the best group poem ever. Once it gets finalized by the class I may end up posting it here.

I want to go to the beach. I miss the ocean...and the Pelican!!! Sorry, that was kind of random, but true. Enjoy this picture I took on our trip to the coast over New Year's and try to enjoy yourselves a bit. Especially since it is time for finals and stress. Peace Out!

Not About the Weather, Even Though It Rocks!

As you can read from the title above, I am NOT going to blog about something as inane as the weather, even though I have been enjoying it immensely this weekend.

Well, you may ask, if you aren't going to blog about the weather what are you going to blog about? Good question...

One thing that has been on my mind lately that I have been trying to forget is the end. The end of this semester. It has been amazing in a number of ways and I just wish that it could go a bit longer. Not academically, although academically is was great too, I mean mostly just the friendships I have made and the music I have made.

At the end of a concert, along with relief joy and/or frustration, I feel a small sense of loss. That musical moment will never happen again, I could perform the same songs but the performance and the moment would just be different. The same way with the friendships that I have now. Not that they will end just because we all will go home for the summer. Things will just be on hold. Most of my closest friends actually live quite a distance from me and all of us will be busy.

That sounds all kinds of pessimistic. That isn't really completely how I feel. It is more a mixed bag. I am extremely happy to have friends and part of this dread comes straight from me and the fact that I am so shy. It takes me a while to warm up to people and now that the term is almost over I have finally made connections.

Probably enough whining and moaning for now. Life is great right now and things are going well in pretty much every area of my life. I will just have to focus on that and not the sad things.

Techno-Savvy

So, I have the advantage of having a really (dorky) amazing older brother who sets me up with all kinds of computer/technology related gizmo's and updates. Recently he has been getting me to try Remember the Milk and Twitter.(see the side bar) Both seem like they will work for me pretty well. Once I get the initial kinks worked out. If you would like information on some awesome functionality or are in the mood for some goofy technology just visit my big brother's blog http://heckishappening.blogspot.com

Dear me, that was quite the plug.

Moving on.

What is with the weather. I believe unless I have completely lost touch with reality that it is now more than half way through April. Why is it snowing? I think that I live in the Pacific Northwest, nowhere near the top of a mountain or high in the Andes. After being cooped up inside during the week I was looking forward to spending some time outside this weekend. Ah, well. Maybe I will just put on my parka/raincoat and boots and go for a walk.

Last night I got the amazing opportunity to perform in front of an audience. It wasn't that large of one, but I still enjoyed myself. It wasn't any solo work; I was just a part of a choir, but that is what I love for. Yay Olaf!

Okay, random. That is probably enough for now. Maybe sometime soon I will come up with some piece of profound knowledge to share with y'all, but for now: Peace out!

New Home

Today was my appointment to sign up for housing next year. My roommate and I decided to stay in the same building but we moved down two floors and gained a private bathroom and a kitchenette! I am so excited to have a kitchen!!! I don't even have words. I just wish we had it now. The apartment (yes apartment, not room) consists of a large living room with the kitchenette taking up one wall next to the coat closet. There is a small bathroom, but it is all ours! and a tiny bedroom with a large closet. I think the bedroom is only a tiny bit smaller than the room we are in now that has to hold way more stuff than this one will.

We have already offered our stove-top and kitchen space to our friends in the building who are not as fortunate. Especially since in a normal room you can't have a microwave. We can and will.

Here comes the last stretch until summer and it is already starting to get bittersweet for me. I have made a few good friends here on campus and even thinking about our separation for the summer break makes me sad :'( On the other hand I am really ready to be home. I miss my doggy and my family. Plus I am really really excited for Grease this summer and finding an awesome job...not(at least the job part) although I hear Starbucks is hiring at the two locations podunk St. Helens now boasts. Wee, I guess I might have a highly caffeinated summer. Fun.

Actually right now things feel great here at school and I have been doing really well and I am proud of my accomplishments here. Academically my classes aren't any harder than the ones I had at PCC, but this school is regarded as academically one of the best in the nation...hmm, but I guess if I can do well here it doesn't matter where I went before.

I also thought I might take this opportunity to premiere a picture from my Black Chocolate which I have dubbed Dean. This is from last week in the lovely weather and the cherry blossoms in Trombley square.

Sorry For the Delay

As the title implies, I apologize for the long break between posts. I have been, well, just not blogging.

I had the opportunity to see the United States Navy Band Sea Chanters on Saturday. It was a really fun concert, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Mom, Dad, Jon and Ookie(Becca) came to the concert as well and it was nice to get to spend a little time with them. I would love to perform with a group like that, maybe not for the Navy since I am a bit of a pacifist....ah well.

Honestly though, it really made me think about the things I can so with my music in the future in a couple of new ways. I keep hearing recordings of studio choirs or the choirs they use in soundtracks to movies or commercials and I want in on it. I am not really sure if I have the guts to go for a solo career, and I love to sing in choir. At least with a group at least as dedicated as I am.

We have our end of the year choir concerts coming up, and I am pretty excited. I don't have a solo or anything, but any chance to perform I get excited.

I met with my advisors last week to sign up for my classes and get organized so that I can graduate in 3 years with two majors that may be a bit of a stretch but since I have most of my core requirements out of the way I'll be able to focus on what I need to do. I get to take lessons again and I am considering taking Piano lessons along with Voice, but I still want to think about it.

Oh, I love my new phone! I think that is about all....um....yeah.

Tis The Season...

No, not THAT season, that one is over for now. Tis the season for spring and it really seems like it may be here. If that sounds overly ambiguous then you have never been in the Portland area during spring, or fall. The seasons here like to tease us and frustrate us with their lack of sincerity. "See," they taunt, "It is spring the sun is out and it is warm" fast forward a week, or a day, or an hour forward, "BWAHAHAHA Gotcha! It is actually going to snow/pour/freeze! You can't outwit the weather!"

Okay, so maybe that was...overly...dramatic, but I just can't help but over act in my humanization of the weather. It is appropriate, at least in this situation. And even if it isn't appropriate....it amuses me.

Tis also the season for concerts. I am really excited to be performing in a few in the coming weeks, this also means that the semester is close to an end. Which is both frightening and heartening. I want to be home! Don't get me wrong I love school and everything I am doing here. I just miss my dog...oh Koko, your wrinkled face calls to me across the distance separating us. Alright, you might have guessed it, I am in a strange mood today, in fact I will readily admit to it with pride. Earlier tonight I was speaking with a British accent for no reason again...and singing silly ditties (that isn't any different from any other day).

Goofy moods aside, I am pretty OK with where life is leading right now. I am freaking out (in a good way) about fall semester and all my music classes. I think there are at least six of them, and there may be more ensembles that I want to be in. Who knows? Plus, I will be taking theater classes as well. Kim will be a happy busy camper. yay

Enough rambling, I am going to waste some more time wandering though the Internet...enjoy yourselves and sing a happy song! Or play, or listen to or otherwise enjoy some music...please!

Editorials, and Sunny/Rainy Days

Sorry about the delay in posting, I really don't have and excuse, except that I just didn't feel like blogging. I would like to share that my editorial below was printed in three newspapers: The South County Spotlight, The Forest Grove News Times, and the Portland Tribune. I never expected it to do so well. Yay for me

This week has been full of strange Oregon weather; days that include both pouring down rain and beautiful spring sun. The campus is gorgeous as the various fruit trees flower and leaves are sprouting on branches. As always, the oak trees are slow to green, but I can't wait until they do. The oak trees are amazing!

I have been starting my summer job search. Once I get my first aid/CPR card again, it shouldn't be a problem, there are any number of childcare centers and summer programs that are hiring, although, I always am nervous looking for a job. Actually, I am always nervous....

Have a lovely spring, hope y'all can spend some time outside. Maybe it won't be raining where you live.

Back to the Grind

I am back at school, actually, I have been since yesterday, but I didn't really feel like blogging until after the internet went out. Ew. I couldn't believe that the internet would go out over the whole campus that I could tell. The tech support guys didn't even know until this morning and they fixed it lickety split.

Oh also, if you are reading this, yay for you! You know who you are.

An editorial I wrote was published in the South County Spotlight. I was pretty proud of that article and having it published is nice, even if it is only a small town paper. Since I was published that means that tonight in my writing class we get to have a party, out instructor is bringing snacks and everything. I just thought I would let you all know.

Here is my editorial:

Many people in this country agree that our public schools are going downhill. Students from other countries far out-pace our own in the fields of mathematics and science, and even the knowledge of the native language. How can we let this happen to our future? We must take steps to ensure that our children get the well rounded education they need. If children are our future don't we want them to lead as best they can?

The most appalling lack in our current system of education is a thorough grounding in music; which is a great basis to built everything else on. For people throughout the ages, music was a crucial part of culture, religion, education, history, not to mention everyday life. They taught their children about life and their world using song and story. It was absolutely inseparable from many cultures' form of education.

Having been fortunate enough to have a family life filled with music I can understand the value of starting young. At the age of three one doesn't necessarily know that singing in front of people should be nerve wracking or scary. This helps to create a confidence that will carry across into other areas of one's life. Confidence is key in academia; we must try things that have never been done before. To essay is really to try, to attempt. Without confidence how can that happen?

It is our job to stand up for the rights of our children and our future. Learning about music should not be a privilege, but a valued aspect of the educational environment. We must all strive to leave a strong legacy, and right the wrong being done to our children by demoting them to mediocrity.

Spooky

Introducing the Puppini Sisters.

Plus...um, well actually plus nothing. Just enjoy!

Home!

Here I am at home, nice! I am so glad to be here. It always feels good to be here and relax away from school. Although it would be nice if I actually had a REAL BED!!!! (Thanks, Mom)

I may not be blogging a lot in the coming week since I will be acting the part of the lazy college student, and ignoring my homework...so what's new, right? Yay, so I plan to be a bum, hang on the couch, go to the beach, and listen to music...

Have a nice break(if you have one) and I will blog to you all soon!

Finally!

My friend who has been promising to visit me since I moved finally came tonight! He called me during class and wanted directions to get here since he was on his way. about 45 minutes later we were together, for the first time since January. Yay!

I didn't think he would ever come...but he did. I am glad to have seen him especially since we have so much fun when we are together, like taking down christmas lights at 2am in the rain, or bowling and then staying out till about 3am. Good times.

Tonight was good though, we went to Powell's and to Jake's. Let me just say...yum. Pretty much everything rocked, except that damned oyster. Why the heck do I let him con me into so much. I mean really...

But anyway...I think that is enough for now, I might actually head off to bed earlyish tonight, as I am sleepy from the digesting of food. (Glorious Food!)

Musical Geek-out Alert!

You should expect it fairly frequently now that I am living music more than I have since I started this blog. I went to my parents concert earlier today and really enjoyed it. It also reminded me why I am a music major. I LOVE CHOIR! They performed the world premiere of The Ballad of Jesse James, which was awesome. But, they followed it with a number of Americana octavos and one just freaking amazing piece called The Quest Unending composed by Joseph M. Martin. Can you say gorgeous! I am now obsessed. So I went through some of the music I have saved from choral festivals and my head for other pieces I just can't live without. So here is a partial list of choral pieces I adore. Remember, this is just a partial list, if you have any others to add let me know...but here you go

The Quest Unending; Joseph M Martin
Omnia Sol; Z. Randall Stroop
The Awakening; Joseph M Martin
Requiem; Mozart
Carmina Burana; Carl Orff
Requiem; Faure
It Is Well With My Soul; Phillip P Bliss, Arranged by Tom Fettke
Oh Magnum Mysterium; Morten Lauridsen
Lux Aurumque; Eric Whitacre(that is this video, I don't know which choir it is but I LOVE THIS ONE! especially the soprano sustained note for about 40 seconds!!!)
Alleluia; Randall Thompson
Ave Verum Corpus; W.A Mozart
There Will Be Rest; Frank Tichelli
Amor de mi Alma; Z. Randall Stroop
The Last Words of David; Randall Thompson
The Rune of Hospitality; Alf Houkom
Shanendoah; Arr. James Erb
She Walks in Beauty; arr, Tom Fettke
A Glimpse of Snow and Evergreen; Vijay Singh

This is possibly enough of a geek out for one night, especially since I have a psychology test in the morning. I hope you have enjoyed this especially geeky time with me. I personally had a lot of fun with it.

Amor, y Musica!

Campfire Songs

Today I was procrastinating on finishing a paper and stumbled across a website that has all the lyrics to a bunch of summercamp songs. The website is geared to scout camp, which I never went to but since I was a musical girl scout I know a bunch of them. It brought me back to my summers spent at Camp Adams. I love it there, it is still one of my favorite places on the planet.

It put me in mind of some of the amazing songs we sang during campfire, which were not featured on the scoutsongs.com site. Wow, those were the days. One Tin Soldier, so brings me back, I even looked it up so I could hear it. I am fairly positive that I freaked my roommate out; she never went to summer camp and looked at me like I was crazy when I sang the Brownie Smile song, she has also never heard The Noble Duke of York...wierdo!

So, here is a list of some of my favorite either Girl Scout or Camp Adams songs:
One Tin Soldier
Boom Chick-a-Boom(Janitor style is the best!)
Noble Duke of York (Or the more popular version Noble captain Kirk)
Today (the John Denver song)
Make New Friends
Swing Low Sweet Chariot (with all approriate hand motions)
Barges (with harmony of course)
When E'er You Make A Promise
Land of Oden
Buzzard Song
Banjo Song (I u-lo-sed to plalay)
Black Socks (They never get dirty)
The Cat Came Back (they outlawed it after a couple years since it is so violent and not-church campy enough)

This is all I can think of for the moment, I will probably think of some in a moment. I know there are more from Camp Adams, especially worshipy-er songs. Enjoy!

One of My Music Geek-Outs

Here is a video of Snow Patrol's song "Open You Eyes" The video is not the important part of this posting. If anyone wants to hear one of the coolest moments it is right at the 4 minute mark. Just something about the strings underneath with the building tension just gives me shivers. seriously, the first time I heard this I was like...What was that! I did not expect a moment like that out of Snow Patrol. No offense to anyone who is a die hard, but they are pretty good, but I wouldn't necessarily say genius band.

Obviously though they appeal to the public alot. However this moment just makes me quiver...yes, I said quiver. This post just went to a whole different place, although I have heard of those musical moments of awe described as musical orgasms....ANYWAYS

I am in the midst of a show and have been lazy the lst few days about posting, so I thought since I was up I might as well post this.

Oh, My Head!

So, it seems the migraine I thought was gone was only pretending. Although I am not sure, a headache looms after I spend too much time in one place (like in front of the computer), or in fluorescent lights. Naps or walks seem to help them dull down to a quieter sort of roar. It is driving me nuts. Midterms and papers are conspiring to make me do exactly what I need to avoid. Not to mention I am relearning all of my choir music since I am switching to alto for this concert. Oh well, such is life.

Hopefully this weekend I can come up with a solution to my head-problem (No, not the head-dumb problem, thank you very much!). And, perhaps I will actually get to spend time with my dear friend, who promised to come visit me and has yet to.

Whatever!

That's about all I have today/tonight. I think I will try to get to be a bit early tonight, since I have a big day tomorrow.

Kids! (What The Devils Wrong With These Kids Today!)

I am not blogging today about Bye Bye Birdie! I am writing about a problem I have; maybe it isn't so much my problem but a problem others see in me and I in them.

First of all, I love kids, always have, since I was a kid myself I would be drawn to babies and smaller children. I still am... I was interacting with a group of kids at a birthday party for my nephew and was shocked to hear...yet again "You are so great with kids, When are you going to start your family?" AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Just because I am no longer a teenager and I like kids is no reason for me to start a family.

I am so not ready for that. The plan is in place...well most of it: finish school, live life for a while, find someone, then...maybe have kids. I'm still not really sure I want to have kids. The thought actually frightens me. I am more than happy to change diapers and potty train and all that, but actually being responsible for someone else's life completely from beginning to adulthood just makes my stomach churn. Plus, I have always thought about adoption.

At this point in my life, it is not at the top of my list to have my future completely planned out in advance. Plans can change, but I am determined to put my education first. The same thing goes for dating as having kids....although without nearly the emphasis. I am not PLANNING on having a relationship, but if something were to happen I wouldn't fight it...just NO KIDS!!!

Love kids, just not today.

In other news, the weather was gorgeous today and I got to spend some of it outside! Woohoo for that.

There may be pictures to come of the Power Rangers Birthday Party. Otherwise known as massive crowd control and sugar...lots and lots of sugar.

I leave you with this final though taken from the save energy posters posted on the bathroom stall doors..Peace, love, and granola

Creepy Horoscope

As I was logging on to my computer, my horoscope was right there on my homepage. Generally I have a giggle since they are so generic, but today...it is uncanny have a look:

You have been overly expressive, without necessarily being too productive. Now, however, it's time to keep to yourself. You can effectively work behind the scenes and it can even feel more fulfilling than being seen. You are relieved that the spotlight is on someone else for a while. Keep in mind that this is temporary; you'll be back on stage in a couple of months.
By Rick Levine
Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Odd, right? As I am currently working back stage, and more than happy to be, and excited to perform in Grease this summer. That is all I have, except I am a bit pissed off today.

I am soooo done waiting on other people to be my friends. I will just have to only rely on people I can count on, not people that I wish I can count on. Cryptic enough for you, eh? If you don't believe this applies to you, it probably doesn't, and I don't even think the person that it actually applies to will read this. I won't ever say anything...that's not my style. Self-reliance, here I come!

Ghosts and Ghouls

Some of my readers may be aware that I am obsessed with the paranormal. I have always been really empathetic, to the extent that I have been aware of my friends emotions from long distances away. It is an uncomfortable feeling to not know the source of your own emotion and have no real control over them. I also get alot of Deja vu something that tends to make me uncomfortable. I even had a complete dream of something that hadn't happened and wouldnt happen for another couple years. Needless to say, I am intrugued by these types of phenomena.

I also love ghost stories and hearing about encounters with them. I personall had quite a bit of experience with the theater ghost, Vera, at my high school. An interesting tid bit is that there is a ghost here at Pacific named Vera as well. Not that it is that original of a name, but...coincidence? Hopefully I will get a chance to experience Vera in all her glory, and I heard some cool stories already.

On another note-Happy Birthday Elias. On this day in 2003 I was granted an amazing nephew on 03/03/03. I love you little buddy.

Sleepytime!

Well, I am kinda tired and trying to sleep. I haven't really gotten down to it yet, but even thinking about sleeping makes me want to say up even later. I am not completely sure how that works... Maybe I have a disease. Or, I just don't like to sleep. Maybe that is the answer!

Anyhow, so today was my first REAL rehearsal for On The Verge, well the first one where I did anything. I ran the soundboard through the cue to cue. I think I did pretty well, if I say so myself...which I just did. It isn't really brain surgery though, all you have to do it click on the go button when the stage manager says to. The worst thing about today was getting up early...I had to be there at 9am. Ew! I am a nocturnal animal, who was the crazy person to think 9am was a good time for something theater related. Not me! It went well anyway.

The best thing about today, well, that would have to be hanging out with David! I so didn't realize it was after 1 when I left. If you read this...sorry about that, I had NO idea. But I had fun hanging out and joking around... I haven't done that in a long time. (I have just realized that I have used the ellipse(...) 4(now 5) times, is there such a thing as an addiction to ellipses?)

What Am I going To Be?

Yesterday was a sophomore major fair where you could talk to people in all of the departments and the registrar had a booth where you could declare you major(s). The plural in my case. I have now officially declared(the paperwork still has to be processed) as a Theater/Music Education major with a minor in Spanish. Yay! I am really excited to be taking this step but completely flabbergasted at the same time. I will have no life outside of the theater or music buildings.

Honestly though, I am kind of ok with that. I have loved music and theater so much for so long that it would be completly amazing to live that way...forever. That is one thing that I worry about though. I have to be in multiple musical ensembles(well not have to...sort of) as well as various productions through the theater department. I really hope that the schedules wont be too crazy. I know they will be fairly crazy as Music and Theater are some of the most time consuming majors what with rehearsals and practising and memorizing stuff and lessons and....the list goes on.

Here goes...oh, and I am the sound board operator for "On The Verge" which opens next weekend. I have my first rehearsal tonight.

I am off to spanish now...enjoy whatever weather you have!

Well, That Was Interesting...

So I went to the last home basketball of the season last night. Actually I went to two games, the girls and the guys games. They were playing against Willamette University, and both teams won. but this blog is not about the Pacific Athletic Department, it is about ME! So enough of that. I don't even remember what the scores were...look them up if you care. I really meant for this blog to be a bit of a rant about the jerk who sat behind me during the guys game.

First off, I am not really a sports fan, but, I thought since I had not much better to do, and since I hadn't been to a game here before I would go. Also, the pep band was playing, and of course I went to support them. Anyway, during the girls game there was hardly anyone in the stands and I had space to sit without anyone bothering me. When the guys game started I was surrounded by strangers...who really like sports. The game was down to the last couple minutes and the uber-fans in front of me took to their feet. I couldn't see, but I wasn't really in the mood to stand yet. I wasn't that enthused it seemed like that clock was stuck. Anytime the ball was in play it only dropped about 3 seconds then there was a foul. So as the clock dripped down this jerk starts yelling at people who were still sitting down, myself included, to stand up. I just ignored him and continued to crane my neck around the wall of people in front of me. The ass then decided to hit me in the back of the head!

Oh, I just about killed him, not to mention his buddy who had been crowding me for most of the game had knocked my stuff under the bleachers. I was ticked.

That is all for now...I don't really have anything else to rant about. Here is a poem that I like just for fun.


i carry your heart with me- ee cummings

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder thats keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

Geek Out!

So, I have a psychology test in the morning. ack! Although, I am fairly positive I can fake my way through the first part of it. The second section on neurons kinda freaks me out. So, obviously since I make up stories to help me understand things, I did it for the motor neuron. I had been talking about it for a while and since I should be studying, I thought I would split the difference between procrastination and review. So now for your reading pleasure...The Epic of The Motor Neuron. (Please don't send me hate mail...I know it is lame, but it made me giggle)


They received a message from the Dendritic Spines that was passed through the dendrites and was taken straight to the Nucleus in the Soma. This required action so our heroes headed to the Axon Hillock to begin their journey. They jumped along the Axon highway over the dreaded Mylin Sheathes, a Glial Cell of the Schwanns type. As they hopped along they landed in the Nodes of Ranvier just for a moment to invert the charge. They traveled this way for quite some distance when they reached the horrific synapse. That liquid filled space between the Axon highway and their destination. They decided to chance a jump and made it from the Terminal Button to the muscles where there was much rejoicing (YAY!)

Good News And Other Awesome-ness

I got my micro-theme for Lord of The Flies back this afternoon. I got an A. Yay! I wasn't really sure if my professor was actually going to like it though since it is so imaginative. But she wants me to clean up a few things and send it to her as an attachment so she can give it to the class and keep it in her files. She said that after reading it she went "wow!" Yay, I'm smart! (no smart-ass comments please)

This week has seemed like school is really starting. I had a Spanish test today, and a psychology test on Friday. I think i did pretty OK on the Spanish test, but I really should get studying for my psych test. Today's lecture went right over my head, kinda made me feel dumb. I blame it on the fasting test I did over last night. I had to go in early and give some bodily fluids to the psychology department for a research thing. Hey, at least I get 20 bucks tomorrow for turning in a vial of spit.

Any-who, If you are anywhere where you will be able to see the complete lunar eclipse tonight you should definitely check it out. I totally will, after my writing class. Speaking of...I have some work to do, so it is time for me to stop procrastinating and get to it.

I wish you peace, love, and crazy relatives everyone!

Today Was a Nice Day!

Hello all! Today I have been in a pretty great mood all day, partially due to the fact that it was sunny and warm all day! It was so nice to be outside for what little time I had to spend time in the sun. I spent time with some of my new acquaintances, some of whom I hope will become more. I really think I am getting the hang of this place. I just hope I can find a job...

Anyway I have also had a couple good conversations with a good friend from back home, and gotten some good work done on my school work. I am feeling great except a bit cooped up now that it is night and i have been sitting here for hours working on my stuff.

Back to the grind for me, hope everyone has a great night and tomorrow.

Fun Weekend!

This weekend was awesome, I got to spend time with some awesome people and see an amazing play.

I left campus on Saturday and headed into Portland. I hung out for a couple hours downtown and walked around to the library to my church and then later to Artist Repertory Theater to watch David Lindsay-Abaire's Rabbit Hole. The production was amazing. I cried for most of the show, bear in mind that I am very empathetic, and I come easily to tears. This show really got me going, I mean I really got into it and was lost in it's world.

I have seen some of the actors in other productions and was amazed yet again at their amazing talent. The last time I saw Susannah Mars she was playing a highly comedic role in They Came From Way Out There she was pretty much one of my favorite characters in that show and she really showed her breadth in this show. From an alien Sunday school teacher to a grieving mother she really made it work.




Another person I need to mention in this posting is Jeff Seats. I friggin love that set. Can I move in? The clean lines and realistic style of the kitchen and everything. Great job! I am serious though, can I move in?




Yay, and thank you Carol Ann for letting me know about the show.




So that was the play, then I went with some of my favorite people from ART and Kris to Cassidy's to hang out. That was fun then Kris and I ran someone home and crashed for the night after exploring the wonders of her Pirate's of The Caribbean valentine set. On Sunday we spent pretty much the whole day together and went to church, ahd some good times there and then out shopping. We hit Ikea, oh my god that was awesome, Marshall's (see pants picture below, yes they really are as tall as she is!), and a few other shops out by the airport.



Now I am back at school, kind of sore and excited for the week ahead, here we go!

Snow Patrol - Set The Fire To The Third Bar

Ok, I know, 2 posts in a day, that's a bit obsessive. I just had to post this video, I had the album going while I was studying and when it came to this song, it just struck me yet again, how much I adore this song. I don't particularly like Martha Wainwright, but I just love this song anyway. Something about the lyrics set me back to that childhood dream I had that my soulmate was far from me. Anyway, here it is.

Day After

No...not that kinda of day after. Get your minds out of the gutter, you know who you are. It is now the day after Valentine's Day! I would like to give my congratulations to those people who became engaged, or promised to each other. Also my condolences to those who were dumped on the most "romantic" holiday of the year.

I am also posting a part of a free write we did in my expository writing class. Our assignment was to write a story that was as if we were coming back to a very special spot after a long absence and we were not physically alive, we could be ghosts spirits or any other type of mythical or fantastical beast. We were also to describe with a sense of a wide focus and then coming in close. we were to bring out the poignancy of being somewhere special that we couldn't really go back to ever again.

I am going to preface my writing with a small description. I had a wonderful teacher in kindergarten and first grade. She had us describe what the inside of out minds looked like. she described hers as a house with a huge garden where ideas grew and inside all the rooms she stored memories and certain rooms had locks where secrets were kept. My mind apparently looks like a castle as you will see. In my story I described the world in my mind...


The real world goes like this, we create for ourselves a little patch of perfectness. We live our lives out in the world the real world but all the interesting things occur in the inner world. We create a system and a home for our knowledge and experiences that no one can enter but ourselves. I am gone from the real world and as I yearn to rest I am urged to return, just for a moment to my own mind, the inner sanctum in my interior world.
I float back through fog and purple mist to a valley surrounded by peaked mountains crested with crispy glaciers. I glide along the down the mountainside over the evergreens and alder leaves to skim the valley floor. My passing is unmarked unseen, the game birds along the river that meanders across the wide bottomed valley aren't flushed to flight. I am fleshless and substance-less- all that is left to me is a consciousness. The lone being to mark my passage is the shadowy watchman who waits for my return. At the opposite end of the valley is a small rise where a fortress gleams.
I float toward my sanctum unsure of what I will find there. I had lived out my "real world life" and neglected the inner. The outside had been a shell crumbling from the inside out, and no one had noticed.
I came to the gate and I reached out...I forgot, I no longer have a body. So I pass through the thick wooden panels that make up the gate and enter the courtyard of my mind. There is my fountain of youth, still burbling away. How I long to feel those cool droplets against my skin once more. The fish are long gone, their splashes no longer joining in the song that once filled this space.


This piece is unfinished and hopefully I will take the time to finish it...

Lord of the Flies-William Golding

In my English Literature class we had an exciting assignment I never thought I would be able to do. We had to write a "Microtheme" a short paper on a topic from the book Lord of The Flies. The paper has to fit on a 7x4 card, and could only be size 10 font or larger. I could have hand written it, but no one would have been able to read it. I love my paper. I normally am the type of person to ramble on and on, you may have noticed. But I think I did a good job on this one. it could be any kind of paper. I chose to do a narrative that describes Ralph after he comes back to teh "real world" and the changes he wants to make. My paper will follow this posting. Keep in mind the short format and my normally lyrical writing style.

Remembering Piggy

He is crammed in front of the typewriter, his large hands look out of place rippling with lightening speed across the keyboard. He has a deadline to meet; this article is due any second. The editor breathing down his neck is the last thing he needs tonight. He suddenly bolts upright; his size now becomes apparent, his hair standing tall from having hands raked though it brushes the door frame as he snatches the article from the typewriters mechanical grip and dashes out of his office. “Here it is, the article on the protests,” he is already on his way back out the door to gather his things and head out into the night.
He has reached his home, a small flat in a fairly good neighborhood, he could afford better on his salary but he is more than happy with his current situation. As he enters his home he reaches out automatically to play the messages on his answering machine “Ralph, great job on that article, you really got into the head of those guys. I’ll make sure that I send anymore of these your way. Have a great night,” that was his editor. As Ralph passes into the kitchen the mirror catches his reflection, his large boxer’s body, so out of sync with the thickly framed glasses covering his eyes. If he were to remove those glasses one could see the gentleness that has settled there.
As he cooks himself a quick meal, the smell of the meat cooking flashes him back to another time, another place, long ago and far away. The pig roasting on a spit the crowd of underfed boys and Him, Ralph hates to think of that horrible nickname and that he was once stupid and young. He can’t believe that he doesn’t even know his name…Piggy. That is the only name he had. How cruel we were, he thinks, how idiotic. Could we not see that Piggy would have saved us with that bright mind? Piggy…Ralph hurriedly snatches the singed meat out of the pan and moves into his study to cram himself in front of yet another typewriter. But this is Ralph’s own space, his first apartment after living in the “Facility” as he liked to think of it. After being rescued from the island all the “Found Boys” were placed in a rehabilitation center and housed like animals until they could be reunited with families or deemed fit or unfit to enter the New World. That’s what it was called, the New World, rebuilt after the war into a world without borders.
Ralph had been the first of the boys to be released, he had thought that his father would come for him, but he found out later his father and his entire ship’s complement had been lost during the war. So, he had started his life new, fresh, and decided that he would write. He held on to every scrap of humanity he could and made it through college and got his job with a newspaper. He started with the classifieds and worked his way up, and now he was the go-to-guy for articles concerning the protests that were coming ever more frequently. He could empathize with these freedom fighters, but he had been through enough violence during his time on the island. He decided a while ago that he would never again be a party to violence. “We were just a pack of kids,” he mutters as he settles in to work. Not all of the boys had been as lucky as he was, many of them never left the “Facility.” Ralph went to visit them infrequently; it was just too hard to see those boys without seeing the one face he was looking for, Piggy.

The other boys would never admit it, but it was because of Piggy that they had all made it through as long as they did. He had been the voice of reason during all that madness. And yet, there was no one Ralph could tell his story to, no one had known his real name, so even if his family had made it through the war there was no way to find them. Ralph had made it his life’s work to tell the real story of Piggy, the brave and true, who had stood for all that was right on that godforsaken island. He poured the wisdom of Piggy onto the page in a manifesto that would hopefully find its way to the Governors. They could use a bit of Piggy’s insight. They thought that ruling with might and fervor was enough, even Ralph could understand this was not the best course of action. Jack had tried that, and where had it gotten him? He was locked in a solitary cell after trying to win control of the “Facility.” He thought he could regain power and with the help of his lieutenant, Roger, take over the world. In Ralph’s thinking, even if the “Found Boys” managed to escape, no one would listen to the savage rabble. Surely the world at large wasn’t that idiotic.
Democracy, free will, rights, and community were the ideas sprouting from the words flowing out of Ralph’s hands. Piggy would have wanted those things; he would have fought for them. This society was probably headed for disaster if someone didn’t make a change soon. There didn’t need to be so many laws, everything had a law. People of this ethnicity must live here, and work these jobs. People above a certain age must move into “Homes,” a similar construct to that of the “Facility.” Unwanted, useless citizens were crammed into buildings little better than warehouses.
Certain groups had begun to gather the force to start fighting the Governors, so that life could be free for all. Those rights that the old leaders had striven for, the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness, had been long forgotten, and left to rot on shelves that none but the politically elite could even know existed. In his work as a reporter Ralph had come into contact with a man born into the elite but who wanted some semblance of a democracy instead of this semi-fascist-cum-communist whatever it was that was in power now. This man had risked his life to obtain for Ralph a copy of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Fundamental Laws of England so the formulation of a new regime could be built on the back of the old.
That had been Piggy’s idea back on the island; he had wanted a society based on the one they had been born in. But his ideas had been ignored because they were unpopular. The boys had just wanted to play at being savages and hunt all day, so they did. And in the process burned all the vegetation off he island twice and they had ended up with three dead boys. They had told no one about the first little boy to go missing, only of Simon and Piggy. Ralph was guilty in both of their deaths, if he had just been stronger, if Jack hadn’t…But none of those thought could bring either of them back. So Ralph turned once again to the typewriter and continued to let the ideas flow. “No one person should have absolute power over another. We are all accountable for our own actions and for helping others. We must all share in the responsibilities of guiding and protecting the children of the earth, so that we may prevent a future world holocaust.” With these final words Ralph tugged the paper free. He gathered all the pages and placed them into the binder. It was time to take this to the Governors and the people. Changes must be made, and with Piggy’s wisdom, they could be made, Ralph was sure.

Wow! Not World of Warcraft!

Awe is the codeword, this post has nothing to do with a game, unless life is a game. I have no reason for not blogging except that I have been kind of lazy and settling in to my new life here at Pacific University. Honestly most of my inspiration went into another midnight poem regurgitation, so I have very little left for anything else ant the moment. I just thought I would add some words onto the internet, have fun ya'll.

Drink lots of water
Try not to eat too much salt
Eat your fruits and vegetable
Remember to smile and laugh!

Ack, School!

Yea, duh. I am going to college, it is work, but oh man. I have so much reading to do. Plus I don't actually have most of my books yet. Hopefully they will be here on Monday, I have hope. We are reading Lord of The Flies, 1984, A Clockwork Orange, Night, and Slaughterhouse-Five in my English literature class titles "Man's Inhumanity to Man." We may also be watching V for Vendetta and reading the graphic novel. The textbook for my Introduction to Psychology class is HUGE and we are reading alot of it, and I still don't have it. I have my Spanish textbook already, it's the same one I used at PCC, whew. I haven't even seen the textbook for my World Music class, but I understand that it is ginormous. In Expository Writing we are reading the (sh)novel How Like an Angel. Wow that is alot of books, plus I went on the website of the bookstore, which is run by Barnes and Noble, and found that if I bought them all new it would cost $488! Oh...My...God... I think I am going to faint. Luckily we have found many of these books used or at an amazingly less expensive price. Still, I don't understand why they make textbooks so damn expensive. It isn't like college students have any money.

Although beyond that things are going well. I really get along with my roommate well, and like my professors. The snow today was crazy, but I still had fun. I spent most of the day in the University Center building studying with a girl who is in one of my classes and friends with my roommate. We took some pictures in the snow. I am too lazy to upload them at the moment, so, you will just have to wait on the whim of fate to see them.

In the morning I am planning on walking down to the bus stop and riding in to Portland to church. I have to leave about 8am or earlier to get there about the same time I normally would. Although, this is really only a half an hour later than I would leave if I were at home, so I don't think it is a very big deal. I am excited though. The youth group is doing a fundraiser for the Oregon Food Bank and is doing a pancake feed, a yearly tradition. Yum, I sure do love pancakes.

I am also looking forward to seeing my church family. That is really how I see it. Some of the people at my church have known be since before I was born. I really love all of them and I hope all my favorites are there. Not that I have favorites of course, I love everyone. My parents are bringing my sister in to church, I think and bringing a box of stuff I left at home, or figured out i needed since I left, including some of the novels. I hope they decide to drive me home. I am so not looking forward to dragging my stuff around on the bus all afternoon.

Anyway, I am going back to the grind, although I love this part. I am spiffing up my calender and my writing journal with some pictures from home. Love ya loads!

Home

I have now had all of my classes once, except for my Intro to World Music class. I will have that one tomorrow morning. They all seem really interesting. I just got finished with my expository writing class. Our instructor has only taught one semester before this one so she is really new. But so far, I really like her. She had us do a free write, on the first day. I think it was about 10 minutes. It seemed alot shorter to me. I went into that place that I love to be in, where ideas flow right from the end of my pen onto the paper. In all it really makes no sense, but I really love my piece. The whole class has the theme of Home. Which, since I moved out on Saturday is a sensitive subject apparently. I was almost in tears. I am going to type out what I wrote, mostly just so that I can process it since I don't really know what I wrote yet so here goes. I solemnely swear that I will make no changes except for spelling from my handwritten version to what I am typing.

Home. Surrounded by family, warm comfortable and yet, so close we can
have stress. those sticky situations that closeness brings about make us
cohesive in the end. My home is a place of wonder, of searching and finding,
loss, love death life and kittens.

"Those who play together, stay together" so charades is important too!
That secret sister language so mystical to the outside world reflects a bond of
love so strong that distance age arguments time tears cannot sever.

We are tied together with ropes of Love. Home can be chosen or not. We
all NEED a home.

When the moon is full my home shines silver. The light making
everything perfect. Although the shadows are more ominous the threads of
silvered light keep us safe.

A wet tongue, a cuddle bug, my baby nephew needs a hug. We all share
something time DNA space, LOVE.

Space alone isn't home. Home is a feeling. That feeling resides in my
Daddy's arms, the warm blanket, the notes of a song. That music spreads through
my blood and breath creating a sacred place wherever I am. That sacred space is
home.

Music always at least in the background running through the day in
blended voices and rhythm. Home Home family Sesame Street Brahms Little Red
Ridinghood.

Home is in those moments tangled on the couch with a horror movie and
my sister. Homeis the cold nose that makes sure I am ok when I cry.

The scent of my mother's cooking, the feel of everything and
nothing
Home is nowhere, but it is a space if not tangible physical space but a
place of real serenity
The center. Surrounded by the world. The eye of the storm safe
protected by Love.

New Friends

I have just met my new roommate today. She seems pretty cool. I think we are going to get along fine. Her name is Jillian. Since we met this afternoon we have been talking about our pasts and families and just about everything. I am so glad that this looks like a good match. She is even a night person. YAY!!! She is introducing me to some of her friends and they all seem nice. We even watched The One. I haven't watched a movie with someone in far too long. Anyway, she's going to sleep so I will stop typing now. Bye!

Oh, and it snowed, here are the pics to prove it, and a gratuitous vanity shot.