Crazy? Yes, this is where I belong. Outside the realm of the real, just beyond imagination's blur, somewhere past the starlight on the fringe of the 'verse. Welcome to the weird.
The first day back at school is always an interesting one. You remember all the folks you kind of didn't want to see are still at school every day. You remember the folks you do want to see you probably saw less than twenty four hours ago. You see the odd number of persons who were off gallivanting in some other country. And you see the people you really wish would have stayed in said foreign country. Class always seems kind of optional and you know that the teachers are still trying to figure out why it is they teach when they could so obviously be doing something else with their lives, but you sit there anyway, even if it's drawing symmetrical pictures for 84 minutes.
Yep. First day back and I already want to know when April is. On the upside of life, I have found a new computer joy:
Merlin. A syfy t.v. show that has 3 seasons up on blinkx already and a 4th on air presently. It's an excellent series about young Merlin/Arthur/etc. It moves very quickly and is highly enjoyable. Quick witted British boys, magic, talking dragons, sword fighting, Camelot. It's what's going to make my January bearable I do believe.
I love my friends. They help me more than they can ever know. Really.
I don't think I quite realized how just, well, starved for human contact I have been in the last few months as terrible as that sounds. My family goes through periods of just huggyness and physical contact and then... poof. Nothing. For months.And I let us do that, so it's really my own damn fault. But I forget sometimes how good even just hugs are.
New Years Resolution: Hugs in January/February.
Ugh. I hate these months. I just want .............................. I don't know. I want to move forward and I feel like while I'm waiting, sleeping, sleepwalking through school, like I'm slipping three steps back into who I was and where I've been. Which is stupid, but true.
I just really have a hard time finding good things about myself during these months. Everybody has them, some people get it during the holidays, but I've always been too excited and busy with crafts or gifts or friends to really let myself get there. So it comes in January and February instead. And talk about that human contact thing, it's one thing to have that and be interested in someone, but it's another thing entirely to know that you have absolutely no acceptable prospects of anything even remotely romantic until you graduate.
Crap. This wasn't supposed to turn into the whiny singles blog, but there you go, I've finally said it. I'm fucking lonely.
Well. Yes. So then the part of me that fixes things asks the lazy mopy part of me what I'm going to do about that. "Nothing." "Liar" "Am not" "Are too, you know you'll get interested in some idiot." "Well, yes, but you had better stop me. I don't like dating idiots." "True" "Yeah. So. Now we're back to this again." "Hmm. Yes. But at least you don't have to bother with prom." "Nope! Harry Potter World! Yeah! But that's May." "Oh. Right. Shit." "Yep."
Yep.
On the other hand, I have the most amazing friends I could ever ask for. I love nights like last night more than anything else in the whole world. Escaping from reality to just be with people you love. It's kind of funny how things worked out this year. I really feel like I've found my first real friends. And that's awful, I mean, you'd think I'd have made friends before, and I did, to an extent. But I didn't really know who I was before, so to find friends like this now, when I know who I am, that's special. That I value so much more than anything before.
This year is going to be fantastic and I am going to make so many fun things happen. I am going to grow so much no matter if I go to school in London or the U of O.
New Years Resolution: stay strong through January/February. Remind myself daily what I love, why I love it, and how to make things better.
I can't believe we just completed a decade. I mean, I still remember wearing the 2000 glasses in New York and playing with the sparklers on my street. Where did the last ten years go? "Time is the moving face of eternity" - Plato. I like that one. I picture time as a blur of color moving over our eyes, through us, around us. Everywhere, everyone, all together in time.
See? See?? This is what happens when I let myself blog on five hours of sleep.
New Years Resolution: Eat less pizza.
New Years Resolution: Find pizza places open after midnight in Eugene. Or, failing that, move somewhere where there is one.
See title. Now see "International Honours Programme between St. Andrews and William and Mary" 's 1,500-2,000 word essay. Poop.
I hate repeating myself to people and I feel like that's all I'm doing during the college app process. "HEY, LOOK AT ME! I'M AWESOME BECAUSE I DO STUFF ABOUT STUFF! WOO!" Poop. All of it. P.O.O.P.
Okay, fine, there was *one* fun essay I wrote. It's basically 500 words that tell you something about me. See what you think:
Optional Essay or Submission:
Beyond your impressive academic credentials and extracurricular accomplishments, what else makes you unique and colorful?
We know that nobody fits neatly into 500 words or less, but you can provide us with some suggestion of the type of person you are. Anything goes! Inspire us, impress us or just make us laugh. Think of this optional opportunity as show and tell by proxy and with an attitude.
From One Shore to the Other:
A red dirt path led to a dusty wooden platform where Mary peered at a long cable that spanned the Nile River. Sweating under the hot African sun, Mary’s attention returned to her guide’s instructions. “Now missus, you step into the harness here. Good, cinch it tightly around your waist. You jump off the ledge there, missus, and fly over the river till I come to get you.” She glanced toward the ledge and stepped away. “Then just drop the rope down and I pull you back. Okay, missus?” “Huh? Oh, okay,” replied Mary, still a little unclear. “Okay, missus, off you go!”said the guide as he clipped the harness in. Mary released her grip on the guide and flew over the edge superman-style across the headwaters of the Nile, suspended from the cable by pulley and harness.
“Oh my” she breathed as she opened her eyes. It was breathtakingly beautiful, whizzing 25 feet above crocodiles and hippos whose backs peeked out of the water beneath her. Her progress slowed as the cable rose before reaching the opposite shore. “Hey, I’m only half-way there. Surely he doesn’t expect me to swim.” Although concerned, she had faith her guide would come to her rescue. Bouncing slowly up and down, she struggled to look back toward the shore she left. In time, her fear eased as a boat arrived below and the guide called up to her. “Toss down the rope, missus!” Rope? she thought, as panic shot through her stomach, “What rope?” The guide had forgotten to clip on the retrieval rope before she leapt. Too many times to count, the guide flung a rope tantalizingly close to her fingertips. Exhausted, Mary was towed back to the shore she had left nearly an hour earlier, never to reach the opposite bank.
Two years ago, I sat at a restaurant on the Nile River in Uganda with a group of volunteers attending the dedication of a high school. Although the members of my party laughed heartily that night, the day’s adventures taught us valuable lessons. First, never start anything that doesn’t get you all the way to your destination, and second, never zip-line across the Nile without a safety line, no matter how fun it sounds. In life, we face many choices; we learn lessons from our own decisions and from those of others. Thanks to Mary, none of us would zip line the Nile without a retrieval rope. Thanks to me, none of my colleagues will ride as a third passenger, side-saddle, in a long skirt and sandals on the back of a piki-piki (motorcycle taxi) through the dirt roads of Uganda (but that’s another story and even less likely to deliver you to your destination).
In my next great adventure, I’m not expecting a rescue boat to toss me a safety line. That’s why I am seeking a college that can deliver me to the other shore, graduated and better prepared for the world.
I liked it personally. It made me laugh and was fun to write. Now if only I could get away with writing about kilts, hot scottish accents, and the terrors of mini-golf in this next essay, I'd be happy.
Christmas is by far, my favorite holiday of the year. Mostly because I can 'legally' make it last an entire month, but also because of the orange rolls. Don't know what I'm talking about? Well, aren't *you* just missing out on the best breakfast ever:
See? They're just made of deliciousness. (That and my parents only ever buy them for holidays, poo).
This year's Christmas has been fantastic. I got to see my cousin Ben again, my parents didn't fight too much, and somehow, the rest of my family managed not to drive each other up the wall. (Or out a window for that matter).
My family's Christmas is a little.... unorthodox? Yeah, you could go with that. I mean, sure, we go to church - which was lovely and had the African Children's choir come and sing several songs for us - can't believe I even *considered* quitting Project Our Turn after seeing them again. Because that sure as hell isn't going to happen now. Nuh, uh. This puppy is stiking around for as long as I can make it last. Wait. Lost my train of thought..............................................................
oop. Nope. there it is.
Christmas. Right. So Christmas Eve we go to church, come home and do our "big" Christmas Eve dinner which is fondue. That's right, I said fondue. By far the best invention known to ... well, known to my family anyway. Oil fondue with various meats and tempura, Cheese fondue with bread and veggies. And Chocolate fondue with just about anything you'd like to put in there (minus the bacon because I was informed that was pushing it just a little far).
Christmas morning is always steeped in traditions meant to make the impatient young ones (ie: Connor and I) wait for our presents. This year was kind of sad though because I kept realizing that it was really my last Christmas living at home. I mean, even if I go to the UofO I'll live at the onyx house or in a dorm. Especially since my parents might up and move somewhere crazy. But I've tried to keep those thoughts at bay today, mostly for the sake of my mother. She gets sentimental and stressed enough over the holidays. She doesn't need me reminding her her baby is leaving soon.
(Speaking of leaving, Georgetown hates children. They don't use CommonApp and have crazy forms on their terrible website but I'm applying there anyway. SO THERE GEORGETOWN! SO THERE.)
Watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas this morning just before breakfast. Somehow I remembered it being longer, but it was still just as sweet. Not as lovely as The Polar Express at midnight last night. That was awesome. Definitely decided that if, by some crazy chance, a magical train showed up outside my window last night that I was going to the North Pole Tom Hanks or no Tom Hanks. I offered my brother a chance to join me, but he politely declined and gave me a crazy look. I guess there is just a point where you stop believing in crazy ideas.
I hope I never get that old.
I suppose now's a good a time as any to rave briefly about my presents, eh? Because I'm not sure how much longer I can go without mentioning the fact that I have the most awesome grandma in the history of EVER.
She got me Beats by Dr. Dre - Solo headphones.
Now, I try not to be snobby about these things, I mean, shoot, I used headphones that came free with a bottle of shampoo for some months, but these things are like sex for your ears. By far, the most amazing piece of technology I've put in the vicinity of my cranium in years. (Better even than my aviators which were stolen a few months ago). I can't even turn them up all the way because they're so loud I could mistake them for a rock concert. (Or Alice's car... ;D )
I also got a crap ton of candy. Awesome candy. But TONS of it. Like candy till easter type of thing. Mwahahahahahaha. Just what I needed before finals. >:) And there were of course the compulsory pajama's, clothes, Itunes gift cards, and some really nice clothes. Everyone liked the gifts I gave them too which was good.
Yes, I do love Christmas. I also love my Daddy who went to go see "Red" in theaters with me today. Hilarious movie if you get the chance to go. (It's in the cheaps seats for those of you in my vicinity).
And on the subject of other awesome movies (heyyy... McCoy is in the above one Trekkies and the next Star Trek is scheduled losely for 2012...) look at this:
NASA team works to build next Mars rover on live "curiosity cam" feed. :) Made my day.
Monday December 13th is also the peak of the Geminids meteor shower. You can get outside to watch them (potential for 120 per hour viewing peak) OR stay inside and view all around the world and chat with NASA meteor experts on NASA's "Up All Night" live chat.
Oh, and since Blogger has been dumb recently and kept me from posting by deleting all of my posts before I could get there, etc, I haven't had the time to properly be excited over this next piece of news... (nor will I now since the bell between classes here is going to ring shortly and I *still* won't have my Spanish homework done)
I'M GOING TO HARRY POTTER WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Adjectives and exclamation points just don't do it justice. Orlando, here we come. (And by we, I obviously mean me and Ron and Harry... aka Alice/Jessie)
Fuck yes. Happy Holidays to you too!
So in case you haven't read the link I posted below, you need to go and do that. It's all about how NASA is trying to seriously push for a manned mission to Mars.
The deal is though, that it's a one-way trip for anyone who decides to go.
I've been thinking about that a lot lately, what it would take to leave, what it would mean to go, and how you would survive over there. (Obviously this has some exciting sci-fiction plot bunnies as well) They say that what they might do instead of modifying the mars atmo for humans is modify the human genome for mars using synthetic biology. How freaking awesome is that?!
It would be nuts, absolutely nuts, to leave. And you know that the first people they're going to send are the old codgery astronauts with nothing to lose who have decided that this would be a hell of a way to go out. But they won't make it all the way there. They really need someone younger. Someone, well, more my age than anything else. Someone with enough life in them to give them that will to live, that desprate need for exploration, that something that makes youth so enviable.
Can you imagine being that teen? Signing the dotted line and literally saying goodbye to the only home we have ever known? To the only body we have ever known? Because it won't just be a matter of "It's too expensive to bring them home" or "We just didn't build the rocket to return" No. If you sign up for this, if you let them modify your body, you won't even be able to breathe Earth's air anymore. You literally can't come home again because you'll die.
Imagine knowing that not only was the next breath going to be your last breath ever on earth, but that you weren't going to die. You were going to be the first humanoid (for are you even a human being anymore? Talk about identity crisis) to ever set foot on another alien world. (Not just a satelite of our own dear earth).
I figure too they'll send you out in pairs. With a young guy and a young girl, an older guy and an older girl, and a pair of old astronauts with dust coming out of their rears when they fart. All of whom have been altered for Mars. Martians, if you will. But you just know that they won't all make it. You just know that the two kids are going to be the only ones who are able to adapt to the new life quick enough to survive.
And of course, there will be things we didn't think about either. Things we, as earth-kids, didn't even consider. Like how skin will react when exposed to such sun (talk about tan, hey?) or our eyes. If they aren't properly modified, you could go blind from such exposure. Our blood. You would have to flush our bodies with a different type of blood that used a different element (not oxygen) to power our being. Who knows if it would even be possible to do this. Maybe we'd just end up like spongebob with a fishbowl of water on our heads instead. Keep it simple.
Still, it's a desprate return to our Exploratory past. People didn't think they were coming home when they decided to travel to the new world. And they won't this time. Who knows, maybe in 100 years I'll be buying a condo on Mars. :)
Okay, before I get into the explanation of the Title, West Side Story was fantastic! Wooo! South's Drama Department strikes again!! <3 Yay.
Now then, RAAAAAAAAAWR.
I can't, but I want to, but I shouldn't, but that song keeps playing in my head, and I keep thinking about it, and I keep wondering, and I keep seeing that UGH! No. No no no no no no no .... no.
It just doesn't help at all that the last page in the book is all about the night you're "supposed" to have and now I know that HE CAN FUCKING DANCE TOO DAMNIT. GAHHHH!
