COW FIGHT

It's fun to watch animals.

I think I've seen more livestock up close over the past few days than I've seen ever.  So many cows.  (400 cows)

You'll all be happy to know that I've sustained my due vacation injury after I fell in a hole.  My right hand ring finger has swelled to approximately the size of my thumb.  Digging out bits of stick and rock and dirt with a sewing needle was also a party.

Llamas to come!  I promise!

Interblag

WHEEEEEEE LLAMA LLAMA LLAMA LLAMA LLAMA

By a wonderful stroke of luck, I get internet for a few days.

Peru is absolutely wonderful and I can imagine very few better ways to spend the holidays, thank you for asking.  The food is great, the mountains are gorgeous, the jungle is exciting (each day, I saw something new that could kill me), the people are warm and there are more fuzzy creatures than you can shake a stick at (llamas).

I'm spending as little time llama as I can on the computer because llama there's too llama much to see and do llama and I do believe that llama it IS llama nearly time for llama the Christmas Eve llama festivities here in Urabamba, so I llama leave you with my llama kindest well wishes for llama now and llama llama for the coming new year.

This is definitely the most intense chai latte I've ever had

Deadmau5 fueled.

Tomorrow is her memorial service.  I can't be there thanks to school, but since I've got no tests tomorrow, I can be there in spirit from the minute I wake up until the minute I fall asleep.

Some people see things that are and ask, "Why?"  Some people dream of things that never were and ask, "Why not?"  Some people have to go to work and don't have time for all that.

Hi! I'm a bandicoot!

note: author is not actually a bandicoot


Work hard, play hard.  And now, playtime is decidedly over.

studywritestudystudyeatcaffeinestudymusicyoutubestudystudystudynap(???)study eatstudycaffeinestudystudywritewritestudycaffeinestudystudy

Awesome.

In a rusty car, bound to get lost

Everyone, if you can, I'd like you to get out a piece of paper and a pen (piece of charcoal, quill, stylus, I don't really care).

Write down the name of one person.  One person you love.  Now burn that name into your brain.

Last night, I was made aware of a serious tragedy in my family, and if I can be completely honest, it really shook me. I felt like someone hit me in the stomach with a sledgehammer.  I was horribly sad, but I think I might have been even more angry.  Angry because I didn't understand how it could have happened, angry because it seemed so sudden, and angry because I thought somehow, there was something I could have done.

I still don't know if I could have done anything at all, but I can do something now.  Remember the person you wrote down earlier?  You should if you burned it into your brain.  Think about who they would have written down.  Would it be you?

Somebody, SOMEBODY, probably more than one person will think of you when asked to think of a person they love.  That kind of a connection is worth everything.  Things will get ugly sometimes.  People will get hurt and it's all too easy to forget about the incredible parts of our lives.  Instead of forgetting, get out a piece of paper and a pen.

Someone loves you.  Someone loves you more than it's possible to, without even knowing how.  Now burn that into your brain.

To someone we lost far too early, we love you, and there are all those pieces of paper to prove it.  Rest in peace.

Hard candy

11 candy canes need to last me until the break.

After the storm last night, today's sunshine is terribly welcome.  70 degrees and sunny in December?  I accept!

My playlist for the day is as follows:

String Quartet No. 2 in D Major: III. Notturno - Borodin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSdMKJqnnW4

Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, KV 550: I. Allegro Molto - Mozart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf6lwFcsKao&feature=related

Suite Bergamasque No 3. 3, L 75: Claire de Lune - Debussy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2XzoA94Zws&feature=related

Trois Gymopédies: Gymnopédie No. 1 (Lent et Douloureux) - Satie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atejQh9cXWI

Bagatelle for Piano in A Minor "Für Elise" - Beethoven
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1iZXyWLnXg

Adagio in G Minor - Albinoni
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMbvcp480Y4

Symphony No. 5 in A-Flat Major, Op. 67 "Fate": I. Allegro con Brio - Beethoven
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kscMYNJjtEU&feature=fvst


These are in no particular order, but if you can appreciate music, I suggest you look up these pieces.  My favorites happen to be the Adagio in G Minor and the String Quartet No. 2 in D Major.

That's me shoving my taste in music down your throat!

Ding dong

Either a witch is dead, or caroling bells have begun to sound.  It's holiday season!  Release the tinsel!

No, it's wabbit season.

I have yet to festivize my dorm room, but Wohlford as a whole is getting to be pretty rocking.  Lights along the balconies AND a nice little reindeer on the roof.  Perhaps a tree is next in order?

My Christmas will be spent in a rather non-Orthodox manner; I'm not even going to be in my own house come December 25th.  But I promise I'll maintain a festive spirit in Peru, even as I get bitten by too many bugs to count.

Highlights of my day.  Making an appointment to donate blood tomorrow, finding a fun surprise in my Secret Santa basket, successfully and clandestinely planting my gift to my Secret Santa recipient, and retrieving my XKCD poster from the mail room?  Fun!  Getting stuck with 2 too many needles and the resulting soreness in my left arm that will last through the evening?  Significantly less fun.  But boy do I feel yellow fever resistant!

I was going to look for a legitimate reason to post that picture, but I can't find one.  I'm posting it anyway.  Everyone together now...D'AWWWWWWWW.  Ending on a bright note!

Moozic

It's a cow.

I'm finally going to have a pedal for my keyboard!  I no longer will have to play Moonlight Sonata on slow strings mode in order to prevent that dreaded staccato effect!  Major yays all around.

Massacre at dawn

Highlights at the hub.

Christiano Ronaldo being a Class A d-bag about 30' in.
Villa's two beautiful beautiful goals.
Barca 5, Real Madrid 0.  Awwww.
Massive post-thesis champagne celebrations in the fountain outside the Hub.  I take the long way to avoid getting splashed on.

Vertigo shtick

We're back, and we're ready to do some serious damage.

a day in the life

a checklist

* breakfast lunch and dinner with the girls (the rent IS pretty damn high)
* staying out just because that dress makes your legs look FANTASTIC
* walking the dog down to the beach, through Cedros, along the cul de sacs, etc
* starting every day with an ocean view
* driving a bit too fast with music that's a bit too loud
* headlining a rock band
* laughing on the moon

check.

A little night music

OmmWriter.  Oh my goodness gracious.

Once again, thanks to Mathew for introducing me to this.  I may actually look forward to those long term papers!
I'm not sure if I can really explain what OmmWriter is all about, so here's the link that will show you.

Speaking of writing, I think I'm ready to have people look at two of my pieces - the two I feel are most impressive.  If you're interested, you know how to find me.

Notturno

It feels like it gets dark earlier and earlier every night.  This afternoon the entire sky was a brilliant slate-gray blue, like the universe had washed over everything with liquid mercury.

Thanks to Prof. Valenza, I've added a fair amount of classical music to my personal library and I've been getting back into the Debussy/Prokofiev/Mozart/Beethoven/Borodin/Chopin habit.  Even though I haven't built up an association complex with many of these pieces the way I've built them up with certain songs or musical artists (listening to anything on The Dust of Retreat is a straight mindtrip back to junior year), anything in my classical music library brings me immediately to a specific memory or person or place.  This particular week, I'm taking myself back to all the people I've loved and who have loved me, and naturally that kind of trip inspires a lot of introspection.

Anyone who tells you that a relationship, friendly or romantic or otherwise, is over is lying to you.  The people we make room for in our lives leave marks and reminders that don't go away.  We move past feelings, but we never get rid of them.  A small, strange part of me will always be a little heartbroken that my first high school crush never professed his love and another part of me will always desperately miss those beautiful people I met in San Francisco two or three summers ago.  It's easy to forget the past, especially when what you have now seems to fill you to the brim.  Maybe that's why I've returned to classical music.  It's a beautiful, unreal reminder that everything and everyone you invested yourself in is still here.  That those little parts of you aren't dead.  That they are very, very real, and that they are very much alive.

Cooked to crispy perfection

Goodness the fries at the Hub this evening are nummy.

Yay for Wednesday.  Over half the week taken care of, and once I take care of a gov test in approximately 16 hours, the weekend kicks off with a bang OH GOD LOUD NOISES (Where did that light come from?  Who cast Lumos??)

In all serialness, there's a lot to look forward to.  SPOILERS AHEAD DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE SUNS GAME (Dad)


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As I was saying before, there's a lot to look forward to and a lot to be happy about, even though the Suns lost to Miami >_<.  However, while we're enjoying our time here, keep in mind those who have had better days.  Feel better, David!  Show that collapsed lung who's boss.

What?  Oh yes, of course Alexis de Tocqueville, I'll be right back, I'm just finishing up a blog po-DO NOT SLAP ME WITH YOUR POCKET SQUARE.


Back to gov.  Adieu adieu.

NERDZ

My ticket to the midnight premiere of the next installment in the Harry Potter series has been successfully acquired, along with a pair of super snazzy HP glasses.

DELICIOUS!

This is how I know I'm still a kid.

Ya, mon

Reggaefest at Pitzer last night was most certainly a success.  Hammocks make everything better.  Also, I may or may not be in the market to purchase a longboard.  More on this to come.

I sit up straight with considerable difficulty because every muscle in my back, shoulders, legs, arms, stomach, neck, etc etc etc etc hurts.  I'm learning that Graham work is exhausting due to the sheer muscularity of her choreography.  "If it doesn't burn, you're not doing it right!" was something I heard many times in yesterday's rehearsal.  Even when I'm standing in one spot on stage, I'm not relaxed.  It's not enough just to stand.  I have to live and breathe and exist in space and be completely, acutely aware of that existence.  That, in the context of rehearsals, translates into using every muscle in my body at pretty much all times.  I woke up in a lot of pain this morning, and I LOVE IT.

The countdown to March starts now :)

The small print

Unfortunately for my sick professor and (maybe?) fortunately for his students, today's psychology class has been called off, so I'll be spending a fair amount of time catching up on some much needed writing time.  I'm not quite making the progress I had anticipated regarding my short story collection - damn you, writers block.  I'm extending my personal deadline to the end of second semester, but I'd still like to be halfway done by the time I'm in Peru.

Microsoft Word awaits.

Got to be a joker

I've made the executive decision to purchase a yerba mate gourd and bombilla for the room.  Had yerba tea today in my Spanish conversation class and it's DELICIOUS.  But for now, ginger root tea will have to tide me over.

One of my favorite political punchlines, Alvin Greene, has been making my day since I entered the interwebs.  Not only is he seriously considering a presidential bid (but does he support breakfast, lunch, and dinner?), he has made an invaluable contribution to the previously esteemed world of literature.

Dude's got a graphic novel.  Starring himself.  I am not making this up.  Clearly Alvin Greene is the ultimate warrior that we've been waiting for in American politics for far too long, ready to rescue the pleading populace from being without a job or a home (or unwelcome pornography).

Pundits of the world, eat your heart out.

Era una tarde tonta y caliente

Yes, I live here.

808 this and an 808 that.  (Not really, of course.)  So begins the week.  My brother is taller than me now, after 16 years.  It seems that this sudden change has happened over the course of two weeks.  Goodness, growing up creeps up on you and then smothers you in the middle of the night.

Another day, another week up for grabs.  When it comes to opportunity, finders keepers.  Go enjoy the sun!

Destination unknown

Happy birthday, Dad  :)

And so begins the Claremont weekend.  After making it through a spanish project and the bloodiest midterm election season in history, I'm excited for a night well spent.

I will be returning home this weekend to finally get some beach action see my brother's wonderful performance in The Caucasian Chalk Circle.  Which means getting my ramen on and spilling Slurpee down the front of my shirt when I trip over a dip in the sidewalk because I'm distracted by the ocean view.

Generally, sunny with a slight chance of awesomesauce.

A strange person

I'd like to preface this by saying that the french fries at the Hub this evening are thoroughly underwhelming.

I sit here with the other half of Team Special K, Karun, after a successful rock climbing class.  This week's challenge was slightly different from those of previous sessions.  We were instructed to design our own route (and of course climb it), aiming to make it as interesting as possible for those climbing.  No offense to the opposing other group and their route, but Team Special K did WORK.  Side crosses, dynamic lunges, and a serious rock on.  For two people who didn't know anything, we did an admirable job.  Finishing the route successfully wasn't too bad either.

There's a strange sort of focus and inner sense of right that I got from kicking so much A.  It's the sort of focus that makes you think about who and what you are.  What you need and where you're going.  So far, I like what I'm finding, even though I'm a bit of a strange person.

I like being on my own, perhaps a bit too much.  I like pushing until my veins pump battery acid.  I like scary movies and adrenaline and listening to lots of Jimi Hendrix in the grass.  I like dancing in the dark.

I'm a strange person, but there's no shame in being crazy.  Now let's see how far down this rabbit hole goes.

Freaks and geeks

Let's get scary.

The weekend is upon us!  Halloween has injected itself into all of us and we can't wait.

Fantabulus.

Here comes the sun

It's back!  Blue skies and sunbaked sidewalks and a certain something in the air.

Halloween is, as you should all know, this upcoming weekend.  To all those I love and cherish, but no longer live close to, I WILL be expecting pictures.

I do have a fair amount of work today, so my time spent in the sunshine will be, unfortunately, limited, but it's time well spent nonetheless!  Time to catch up on all that delicious delicious vitamin D (and later time to binge on vitamin E to counteract the UVs)

We have normality, I repeat, we have normality.

I want to see you smile

Once again, thanks Mathew for turning me onto these!  Made my day!

If you can get through these videos without smiling, get yourself checked.  Parking validation and carpool lanes have never been this wonderful.





Start with Validation.  They take up a bit of time, but they're absolutely absolutely worth it!  If you're smiling, you're doing it right.

<3

At a deadly pace

I poured everything - chaos, tears, desperation - into dance. And so I purged until there was nothing left and I could once again grow into someone stronger, more powerful, and more beautiful. This is the fortunate miracle of the marriage between movement and music.  And now, it gets to be mine again.

Rehearsals start today, which means I can once again call myself a dancer.  It's always hard for me to describe how dancing makes me feel.  It's like transcending everything awful and horrible in the world and being absolutely immersed in something beautiful.  It's saying everything that words can't.  It's feeling everything there is to feel.

Someone asked me when I feel most beautiful.  What do I wear?  What kind of makeup do I put on?  My answer is when I look like hell after hours of working and sweating, when my makeup is running and my hair is greasy and my entire body hurts.

I feel most beautiful when I look like this:

Because everyone should have a hobby, right?

Much love.  Have a passion!  Life is boring without one.

Falling Whistles

I was introduced to a really cool project today (thanks Mathew!), and it's something I feel I should spread.

Falling Whistles is working to bring awareness to the war currently ravaging the Congo; despite being one of the world's deadliest wars to date, it seems that far too few people know what's going on.  I urge you to check them out; it's something I didn't know until today and it's something I wish I had found sooner.

You can also check out this video for more information.

And now, snack!  Good day to you, sirs and madams.

Maybe Black Mesa

That was a joke.  Haha.  FAT CHANCE.

It feels good to write again, and it feels especially good to write again in beautiful Solana Beach.  I'm no expert on the subject, but the way I feel when I return home is proof enough to me that where and how you grow up defines a lot of who you are.  You can take the girl out of San Diego.....you all know where I'm going with this.

I saw most of my old haunts.  Returned to my ballet alma mater to take a class (I forgot how much I missed getting my @$$ kicked on a Saturday morning), went shopping at all of the best thrift stores, enjoyed good company and fresh sea air at Pannikin, and in about 7 minutes I'll be off to the best brunch cafe in southern California.  Mozy's Cafe in Leucadia.  Look it up, people.

Remember where you come from.  It's called home, sweet home for a reason.

Groovin' up slowly

Another midterm meets its match.

After a few days of work, I'm ready for some serious relaxing.  I'm also ready to make the pilgrimage to my roots; I'm heading back to Solana Beach for the weekend!  There are some things you take for granted until they're no longer there.  Granted, I love it up here and I wouldn't change anything, but it'll be great to see the ocean again (not having it within eyesight at all times has taken some getting used to).

Also, if you listen to "Come Together" closely, each verse describes a member of the Beatles.  Fun fact!

Corgi flop

If you're wondering where your youth and good looks and vitality went, this puppy sucked it out of you to maintain optimal levels of adorability.

It's Tuesday!  It's a sunny, warm Tuesday that follows rather quickly upon the heels of an awesome Monday.  It was great to see the Hallman clan at CMC.  I need to hang out with those boys more often.

Short post.  Midterm Wednesday.  Studying commences.

You...

just lost the game.

SNIPED!

Nighttime....DAYTIME!

Has it really been four days?

My bad.  But on the bright side, all midterms and papers and classes are accounted for as of 9:50 this morning!  My week is officially over!  And I do believe I'm going rock climbing today at noon.  Get excited for me, peeps.

I'd also like to congratulate my wonderful mother for making it through another year, putting the running count at an undisclosed number (I'm fine with revealing her age once I get permission).  Huzzah!

The skies are clearing up, the sun is out, there's a lovely bright quality to every new day...all that's left for me to do is enjoy the weekend!  You should enjoy the weekend too.  Weekends are lovely things.

HAPPY ENOUGH TO NECESSITATE THE USE OF CAPS LOCK!  PEACE OUT.

There is a light and it never goes out

Tyler Clementi.  Seth Walsh.  Billy Lucas.  Raymond Chase.  Justin Aaberg.  Asher Brown.

And these are just the stories we've heard on the news.  Unfortunately, there are so many more stories and voices that we don't get to hear, but that makes them no less important.  These boys died for a stupid and senseless reason; someone hurt them so badly that they felt they had no choice but to take their own lives.

It's true that LGBTQ tolerance has come a long way (only as recently as 1973 was it declassified as a mental illness in the DSM), but clearly it needs to go further.  Feeling alone and dehumanized shouldn't be a normal part of identifying as gay or bisexual, but for too many young people it's a part of waking up each morning.  However, I don't want to just focus on the sexual orientation of these victims.  Homosexuality is not the issue at hand; the issue at hand is insensitivity and cruelty, which unfortunately are ills that anyone can experience.  Gay and bisexual teens are at a higher risk for being bullied than straight teens, but thousands if not millions of people feel ostracized because of their socio-economic status, religion, appearance, gender, or mental and/or physical handicap.  This sort of abuse leads to depression, and in the worst cases, death.

There is a silver lining to all of this, and it's that your actions and words can positively impact someone just as much, if not more, than they can negatively impact someone.  How would these six stories have turned out differently if these boys had the support and acceptance that they deserved?  So my challenge to you is this: instead of worrying about the terrible things others are saying, concentrate on being a friend, a confidante, and an ally.  People will always get hurt, but if there are more of us willing to be healers, we can have more stories with happy endings.  Love is incredible.  It can change, and in some cases save a life.

I'm ready to stand up and be a healer.  I know there are more of us out there willing to do the same.

Futurism

Good morning!  It's a new day here in Claremont and the grass is green, the squirrels are chipper, and the sun is....NOT HERE??

So it's pretty gray and a bit chilly.  This is why I have my track sweatpants.  I am of course rocking the white on top, spreading awareness for teen drunk driving like so many of my friends at home and across the country.  My advice to everyone is to keep a reliable taxi company or a trustworthy friend/family member in your phone contacts; leave your car at the party, I promise it's not more important than you are.

This will be a short post, as I've got a midterm on Thursday and I'll be damned if I don't do brilliantly.

ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD

We could go to the park

John Legend tonight at Bridges Auditorium.  AWESOME.

I've never been a die-hard fan, or really much of a fan at all; I got a ticket because I figured it'd be a cool thing to do with my fellow CMCers.  But he's very talented.  I'm inspired to buy some new music.

That's it for my Friday.  More exciting things to come with the weekend!

Stay classy, [not just] San Diego.

To give credit where credit is due

I've received yet another anonymous comment that I think should be shared.  I didn't come up with these, but I think they're fantastic and although they're presented as date ideas, any group of friends can do them too.  To whoever shared these with me, thank you :)


1.  Go on a search for as many good climbing trees as possible, climb as high as you both can in all of them, compile photo evidence.

2.  Go to a major chain bookstore and leave notes to future readers in copies of your favorite books.

3.  Have her dressed up as a ghost and you dress up as Pacman.  Walk around downtown holding hands, and whenever someone sees you two, pretend to be embarrassed and run off screaming "WOCKA WOCKA WOCKA."

4.  Create photo evidence suggesting that you went on an adventure that didn't really happen.

5.  Dress up as superheroes and stop at least one petty crime like littering.

6.  Build forts out of furniture and blankets, and wage war with paper airplanes.

7.  Try and visit as many people as you can in one night and turn as many things inside their apartment upside down as soon as you can without them noticing.

8.  Go to the airport, get the cheapest and soonest departing flight to anywhere, and stay there for a weekend.

9.  Write a piece of fiction together outside at a cafe.  Ask a stranger when you get stuck.

10.  Dress to the nines and test drive very expensive vehicles at an auto dealership.

11.  Do the lamest tourist thing in your area that you have both secretly wanted to do forever.

12.  In the middle of the night, drive to the beach so that you arrive just as the sun is rising.  Have a breakfast picnic and then fall asleep together.

13.  Drive somewhere unknown and have dinner in a city you've never been to.  Use fake names.

14.  Go to a minor league baseball game under the stars and randomly cheer for both teams.

15.  Go around the city with sidewalk chalk and draw hearts with equations inside on random things.

16.  Walk around a city and perform short silent plays in front of security cameras.

17.  With a camera and a pair of boots, make a photolog of a day in the life of the invisible man.

18.  Walk around the city all night and find a place to eat breakfast at dawn.

19.  Go to a restaurant and convince the cook to create something completely new for you.

20.  Rent a movie you've never seen before.  Set it on mute and improvise the dialogue.


Play like you're not a grownup!  :)

The original document can be found at http://9gag.com/gag/3619

Shoving my taste in music down your throat.

Who: Portishead

What: Trip-hop with twinges of alternative pseudo-cabaret.  Two particularly popular albums - their debut album 'Dummy' and the later self-titled 'Portishead'.

When: 1991-present

Where: Formed in Bristol, England

Why: Why?  They're incredible.  My personal favorite song, Glory Box, exemplifies what I feel to be the signature Portishead sound - hypnotic and chaotically seductive rhythms and instrumentals, hauntingly beautiful vocals, and a wildly ridiculous level of enjoyability.  I would say more, but I don't think there's a better way for me to demonstrate how great they are than by letting you see for yourself!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF-GvT8Clnk  Glory Box
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-TqR7ZzaZQ  Sour Times

Tell me what you think!  Stay tuned for our next installment of shoving my taste in music down your throat.

What it means to love and live

From the minute I got out of bed on Sunday morning I knew it was going to be a beautiful day.  The sky was that perfect shade of blue, the sun was a delicate wash of light, the grass looked extra green under the dew...

My experience with An Introduction To A New View Of Love matched the aesthetic perfection of that particular Sunday, and then some.  There's nothing more beautiful than total abject honesty and unconditional love and acceptance.  16 wonderful people met that morning in a comfortable living room, some of them meeting everyone around them for the first time, and those 16 people left as friends who really are joined at the heart.  16 people left with a new understanding of what it means to love and what it means to live.  The best part is that my experience isn't over.  My experience began yesterday, and now it's my job to make sure that everything I gained and accomplished continues and grows for the rest of my life.

To Mathew, who told me about this event and who took me to LA with him.  To Erin and Jon, who hosted this workshop and who were so loving and generous to share this experience.  To the rest of the incredible people I was surrounded by that day.

Thank you.

Anyone who wants to know more should click here (all about the workshop) or here (Erin Ross's blog, Getting That You Matter) or here (Erin's website).  These are incredible people doing incredible things!

PHEW!  This is the end of the post.  So stop reading and go make somebody's life a little bit better.  It's not that hard to do :)

Also, SNACK!  Yum.  Peacing out in 3...2...1...

BYE B- //#error/=already_peaced_out//>

Let it rock

I'm in!

I will be dancing in a Graham piece during the Martha Graham Company residency at Pomona, both in March and later for the Pomona Dance Spring Concert.

I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to know that I will be dedicating myself to dance again.  I won't lie and say that I'm not nervous about throwing myself into a style that I have next to no training with (my audition was essentially a test of my mimicry skills), but I can't wait to learn!  And hey, being a part of this project means I can officially call myself a dancer again.

And now, I leave you with Uliana Lopatkina. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtsrOJcAAYk&feature=related

Damn her.

Won't stop 'til it's over

After beasting through a cog psych test and generally being a productive member of society, I'm proud to say that I'm having a wonderful day.

What's new in my life?  I'm currently working on a collection of short stories that I hope to be semi-finished with by the end of the semester.  My goal is to complete ten 600-1200 word stories and be sufficiently happy with each one to allow others to read them.  Ultimately I'd like to get them published, and I have great, vague, looming plans as for what will happen after that, but for now it's all about taking it one step at a time.

As of today, I have completed one and there are two more dans le progrès.  I would give a summary of the first one to be finished, but I'm not even particularly sure what it's about and I know I'd just screw it up trying to explain. 

The last class of the day awaits me.  Make somebody laugh today, and stay classy!

Technopornography

http://www.yankodesign.com/2010/05/25/in-2020-we-can-wear-sony-computers-on-our-wrist/

BEAST.  Now keep in mind that this is purely my gadget lust talking, and I still need to think about durability, practicality, etc. etc.  But all the important things aside, it's damn cool.

So, you're a stranger

To whoever left this for me,

So you're a stranger.  Part of me wants to ask why you left this anonymously; now I'm left here wishing I could thank you personally.  But the other part of me understands.

I'm re-posting what you gave to me because it will make somebody's day better, and I hope that eventually you'll feel comfortable enough to show your face as you perform your renegade acts of kindness.  Thank you.

Much love,
Kira

If you're having trouble reading the teeny tiny print, just double click the image and it'll re-open as a larger picture.

No one belongs here more than you

I got this book today from a classmate in my FHS class.  He said I reminded him of the author.  Maybe it's because we have the same hair?

Regardless of the rational behind it, what I've read of this book so far is wonderful, and I will vainly admit that I do see a bit of myself in Miranda July's writing.

These are stories about love, about dreams, about what it means to hurt, about strength, about sex, about intimacy and joy and surprise.  These are stories about life and our lives on earth.

http://mirandajuly.com/
Visit the site and see what you think.  And the secret password is always correct.

Happy Monday!

War Zone

War zone.  That is what Harvey Mudd College looks like right now (although to be fair, it almost always looks a bit like a war zone around the dorm areas)

The general consensus is that the foam party was a huge success.  I got sudsy and slippery and major-time got my dance on.  HMC knows how to have a good time.

I also went to the gym yesterday (pre-foam, not post) for my first weight training session in about forever.  I am sore.  That's about it.

I have work to do for the rest of the day, but for those of you who are looking for more things to fill your day with, try frolicking.  Do something silly.  Eat like a kid.  Laugh so hard that people think you're having a seizure.  Go forth and be merry!  This gorgeous day is too short to do otherwise.

Rules of Engagement

1.  Remember that you leave a mark on every person you meet.
2.  Don't be afraid to ask for help sometimes.
3.  Enjoy your food.  Low-fat ice cream and full-fat ice cream are not the same.
4.  Spend your time with the people who make you feel good to be you.
5.  Failure is an option if you learn from it.
6.  Take the time each day to appreciate something beautiful.
7.  Fools are seldom right, but they are often happy.
8.  Take the chance; never regret something that you didn't do.
9.  Smile like you mean it, until you really do mean it.
10.  "I don't know" is a perfectly good answer.

Bright and early

There's nothing quite like waking up at 7:45 in the morning after a Thursday night in Claremont.  But to 9 am class I must go!

In recent news, the auditions for "Panorama" are next Friday at 5 pm.  If you dance and you go to one of the Claremont Colleges, you should come!  Pendleton Dance Center at Pomona.  Be there.

If I make it into the ensemble, I'm going to be doing this across the quad. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyqUj3PGHv4

To Write Love

Yesterday was To Write Love on Her Arms Day.  I know a lot of my friends at home participated, and I hope my college-bound comrades will continue to spread the Sharpie love and support in their new cities!

The link to the official website is under the "Things I Like" tab.  Check it out, it's an awesome group.  Troubled or suicidal teens should make use of every resource they have available to them, which may include professional psychiatric help, support group meetings, and medications, but what I particularly love so much about TWLOHA is that they advocate daily doses of personal, caring support from family and friends, which I believe is one of the most effective medicines we have: its supply is absolutely unlimited and it's completely free!  All you have to do is ask for it, and I promise it will come to you in truckloads.

It's looking like another gorgeous day in Claremont.  Time to get outside and play!  And remember that anytime you need an extra dose of Loveandhappinessivotral, my pharmacy is always, ALWAYS open.  My Facebook page is linked from my blog profile.  Send me a message, comment on my wall, poke me (hur hur hur) and your prescription will be filled as soon as possible.

Now go live like it's Shark Week!  <3

PS: To Write Love on Her Arms isn't just for teens, so even if you're an old fogey over the age of 18, check out the site!  That is all GOOD DAY

My challenge

I dare you to really, really, really accept a compliment.  That means no saying "oh, but you're so much MORE [insert given compliment]", no arguing, and no feeling guilty about having somebody tell you that you're amazing!  Listen to the words and think about what they mean.  Think about why somebody felt compelled to say them.  Then, once you're done, smile, let the warm fuzzies take you to a nice happy place, say thank you and pay it forward.  That's it.  That simple.  Your only other job is to be wonderful.  So get to it!

It's a beautiful day in Claremont.  I'm going to continue sitting outside on the lawn in a bathing suit with friends and a root beer. 

Much love!

F&$% Yeah

Thanks to F$&% Yeah, Sharks for today's doubleshot of awesome.

THAT IS ALL!  Good day.

Come away with me

I am in a wildly different place.

"Wildly different?  Claremont's not even 200 miles away from San Diego."  Geographically, I am comparatively close to home, that is true.  But I think about the person I was a year ago and it's difficult to believe that it really has only been a year since I began my senior year of high school, my most difficult year for a multitude of reasons.   Over the past year and over the past several years, I have grown and listened and experienced.  I have laughed and I have cried and I have been terrified of both the past and the future.  Finally, as I begin college and as I start an entirely new chapter of my life, the previous 18 years come to a culmination and I am something that everyone deserves to be.

I am happy, and because I am happy, I'm going to write again.  Oh public introspection, I've missed you dearly.

Nothing is as wonderful as being excited for the unknown.  So, come away with me!