Hello!! I'm back from the dead.
Since my last post--which I believe was sometime in May--I've finished my first year of college, and I've been working and enjoying my summer. Even though I still have about three more weeks of summer, I'm pretty eager to get back to school.
I know that since I finished Blog Every Day Senior Year, this blog has been kind of hodgepodge of different posts and life updates, and I'm seriously thinking of changing that.
Don't worry, this blog isn't going anywhere, I'm just thinking I'm in need of a style change, as if I'm giving my blog a back-to-school haircut.
Yeah, a haircut...
Blog posts on here will be less frequent than BEDSY, but they will most definitely be more frequent than what I've been posting the past year. I can't exactly tell you about it yet--still need to work out a few details---but based on the new project that I plan on doing, the project should start in September.
Watch this space...
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Wednesday April 17th, 2013: BEDA Day 17
**NOTE: Somehow this didn't get published when it was supposed to...oops...**
I have been in the depths of homework hell for the past four hours.
Send help.
I'm having trouble typing out the right words...'for' came out as 'from' a few times...
But I've gotten a lot done. Most of my homework fro this week is actually done. I just have one more thing to read at some point tomorrow, and I'll be done for the week.
I'm going to bed now.
Peace out, girl scouts.
I have been in the depths of homework hell for the past four hours.
Send help.
I'm having trouble typing out the right words...'for' came out as 'from' a few times...
But I've gotten a lot done. Most of my homework fro this week is actually done. I just have one more thing to read at some point tomorrow, and I'll be done for the week.
I'm going to bed now.
Peace out, girl scouts.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Acknowledging Universal Truths: A Post about the Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Hey look, here's the thing I promised you guys! I apologize for the length.
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."
This is probably one of the most well-known opening lines from any novel in the history of the printed word. If you don't know what this is from, what were you doing in your high school English class? Maybe that's a bad question...I definitely wasn't paying attention in class when I read this book...
If you are still unaware, this is the opening sentence of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It also the first line in the web series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, a YouTube-based adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
That's right.
Pride and Prejudice.
AS A WEB SERIES.
It's pretty freaking great.
Here's my thing with P&P: I had meant to read it for a really long time, ever since my ninth grade English teacher made a flattering-but-mostly-terrifying comment on one of my assignments about how my writing reminded him of Jane Austen's. I figured I should read the author in reference in order to, you know, properly appreciate the comment.
That didn't exactly happen. Unfortunately, the only point at which I finally found myself reading P&P was in my senior year English class, when it was required reading, which probably wasn't the best environment in which to really enjoy the book. The assignment that we had to complete for the book did nothing with analyzing the characters or the story; we had to find a certain number of quotes in each section of reading that fell under the category of "marriage", "pride", and (you guessed it) "prejudice". So all I had to do was find the quotes (or scroll through SparkNotes), write a sentence or two of B.S. commentary, and my teacher would give full points.
So I ended up hating the book. I had no idea what was going on half the time. (Although that might have also had something to do with my state of mind at the time...I've looked back at some of my old entries around this time last year, and...yikes...) While I had some basic knowledge of the story (this girl Elizabeth hates this rich guy Mr. Darcy, and he loves her, but they still get together at the end), I had never seen any of the film adaptations of the book beforehand either, so this was my first introduction to the world of Ms. Austen's.
Was I disappointed that I ended up hating a book that I was excited about finally reading and that many people before me had hyped up as their favorite book/the best story of all time?
Yes.
This was in February of last year.
Fast-forward a couple of weeks to April 12th.
In my anxious/depressed state last year, I spent a lot of time on the internet, YouTube especially, trying to numb the worry away. One day, I was checking my YouTube subscription box and clicked on the most recent Vlogbrothers video (if you have spent a decent amount of time on the internet in the past three years and you have not heard of John and Hank Green a.k.a. The Vlogbrothers, what are you doing with your time? Seriously, if you haven't heard of them, stop reading this and go look them up on YouTube. You won't regret it). Anyways...this video was titled "Introducing Lizzie Bennet". It started out with Hank Green walking through the woods. As he sat down in front of a river somewhere in Montana, his camera propped up on a tree, Hank delved into an explanation of his latest project--a modern-day, YouTube-based adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Having just come out of a rather negative experience with that particular text, you'd think that I would just roll my eyes at the mere mention of the title.
But I didn't. I watched intently as Hank delivered this pitch abut this project about which he was obviously very passionate and excited. And I found myself wanting to watch this series. I trusted Hank's enthusiasm for this project because, as those familiar with the work of Hank and John know, anything that either of the Green brothers touches turns to gold. So when the oh-so-catchy theme of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries played at the end of Hank's video, I clicked on the link to Lizzie's first video...and subscribed to the channel approximately four minutes later when the first episode ended.
(At the time, there were only two videos available on the Lizzie Bennet channel. In Hank's video, he said that eight videos had been shot, so I was highly disappointed when I was unable to click through to the next video after the second episode.)
Needless to say, the show hooked me immediately.
The format of the show is a bi-weekly video blog chronicling the life and times of 24-year-old grad student (with a "mountain of student loans") Lizzie Bennet, occasionally accompanied by her two sisters (yes, only two) Jane and Lydia, and her since-fetuses best friend, Charlotte Lu. (Some other people show up eventually.) Of course, the series follows the story line of P&P pretty closely though, obviously, not perfectly because it is 1) an adaptation, and 2) adapted in a format that, so far, has been used very little). But, for what the creators did and how they did it, it was damn near perfect.
Of course, the "experience" of the show was not exclusive to the medium of YouTube because, let's face it, this is the 21st century; people are on the internet all the time. So the characters have Facebook accounts and Twitter accounts and Tumblr blogs and Pinterest boards, and they're updated in real time with the events of the show. The creators resolved to make a universe as transparent as possible...one in which even Sense & Sensibility exists and Lizzie gets to meet Hank, one of the show's creators, at Vidcon, a conference about online video. If you hadn't known that this was a P&P adaptation, you might have actually thought these people were real.
That being said, the acting int he show is superb: each of the four female leads will make you laugh, cry, cheer, and a plethora of other emotions throughout the entirety of the series. Ashley Clements portrays a very modern Lizzie who very much prefers to see things the way she wants to see them (Or, as Jane would put it, "Lizzie sees what Lizzie sees"). Ashley has mentioned several times throughout the running of the show that her favorite thing about Lizzie is that she is highly flawed. And that is possibly my favorite thing about her as well. Through this particular medium, we get to see events, very blatantly, from Lizzie's heavily biased (prejudiced, even) perspective. Over the course of the show, you see this stubborn young woman who, at times is so dialed into her own life that she can barely see the others around her, grow and change her thinking about her family, her friends, and a guy named William Darcy.
This series also gave new light to a character that we all thought he hated (for those who know the story): Lydia. In the book, we see her as precocious and annoying and, to put it in the words from the LBD "a stupid, whorey slut". Without giving too much away, the LBD team presented Lydia and the George Wickham crisis in a way that made her a little more human. Not to mention Mary Kate Wiles's amazing performance as Lydia that can go from funny and lively to heartbreaking and devastating in a matter of seconds. About 25 episodes into the show, Lydia runs off to make her own video blogs. They are purely supplementary to the main story, but absolutely necessary if you really want to get into the head of young Lydia Bennet. (I will admit that I didn't watch Lydia's videos for the first few months.) But as the story progressed and other characters got involved (*cough* GEORGEWICKHAM *cough*), the viewers began to see a different side of Lydia, a more vulnerable, fragile Lydia--trying desperately to gain the approval and respect from her older sisters--vastly different from the rambunctious and precocious Lydia we see in the first half of the show. I'm not going to spoil anything if you haven't watched LBD, but there were a few episodes revolving around the Lydia/Wickham arc that caused me to, to put it lightly, bawl my eyes out.
(Friendly reminder that I initially hated this book. This show works wonders.)
Julia Cho brings the show's sass level to about fifteen as the bold yet grounding and rational Charlotte Lu. Julia's portrayal of the 'best friend' made me genuinely like the character. She's incredibly sharp and witty. In fact, some of my favorite lines in the series are from Charlotte. One of the few things that I got out of my initial read-through (more like skim-through) was that I did not like Charlotte. At all. I didn't like that she married Collins at the first proposal, after Lizzie rejected him, and that she sold herself out for her own petty interests. But in the web series, in one of the few videos that didn't feature Lizzie, we actually get to witness the proposal from Mr. Collins (though it's a different kind of proposal), and we get to see how Charlotte reacts and her rationale for accepting the offer. She also works as Lizzie's voice of reason at key points in the story, especially when a certain man begins to make an appearance in Lizzie's life.
And then there's Laura Spencer, who rounds out the main four as the "practically perfect in every way" Jane Bennet. In this adaptation, Jane is less fragile, less vulnerable than she's portrayed in the source material or any of the past adaptations, making her much more realistic. (Yes, the original source material is characterized as satirical, so everything is exaggerated.) Jane's a career woman; she works for a fashion company. She's very maternal and supportive. She always seems to know when someone needs a cup of tea. SHE'S A STRONG, INDEPENDENT WOMAN WHO DOESN'T NEED NO MAN...though I always want to vomit rainbows every time she and Bing Lee are together because they are so. freaking. adorable.
Don't even get me started on the men in this show. Not only are they all amazingly talented actors...but they're also outrageously handsome. I mean, if you watch the show for only one thing...I'm kidding(no I'm not)
As much as this story eventually focuses on the relationship between Lizzie and William Darcy, the whole of the show pays a significant amount of attention and care to the relationship between Lizzie, her sisters, and Charlotte. That is what makes this project unique. Yes, I cheered when Lizzie and Darcy finally got their sh*t together and kissed and were obnoxiously cute. But I was also extremely happy when Lizzie and Charlotte reconciled after the Collins debacle, and when Lizzie told Lydia that she loved her and would listen to her more.
Sometimes it isn't all about the love story.
Hank said in his initial video that he wasn't sure if this medium was a good way to tell a story. He hoped it wouldn't be the case...and it isn't the case. The LBD team created an entire universe through this relatively new format of transmedia storytelling, and by golly, they sure did a fine job of it.
Yes, the occasion warrants a 'by golly'.
Sure, new viewers won't be able to watch the characters' interaction with each other on Twitter in real time and won't really get the 'grand experience' of the show. That will be an experience unique to those who were engaged with the show while it was running. But just because it's over doesn't make the show any less enjoyable. I've re-watched all 100 episodes and the bonus Q & A videos and all the spin-offs, and they're still just as good as when they were first put online.
So as much as this is a pitch to any of you reading this who haven't watched this show to start watching it immediately, this really is my way of extending the immense gratitude I have toward the cast and crew. Thank you Ashley and Mary Kate and Julia and Laura and Bernie Su and Hank and...everyone...You turned a story I thought I hated into a story that I now love. This show and this story was a friend to me over the past year, when I was not only battling anxiety but also making the terrifying shift from high school to college. This show taught me that life isn't about do-overs, that every person deserves a closer look. And it's the stories that we love that will stick with us for the rest of our lives.
At this moment, I am re-reading Pride and Prejudice and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It is because I finally understand it because I've already seen it played out in front of me? Or it is because that I'm finally willing to take the time to actually read it? Who knows...
But I do know one thing. After watching the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, I find myself acknowledging this universal truth: Pride and Prejudice is, and will remain so for decades to come, one of the best stories of all time.
And it only took a modern adaptation to get me there.
So thank you, Lizzie Bennet Diaries--where the thought of snickerdoodles makes you burst into tears, Kitty Bennet is actually a cat, peaches make you want to kill someone, and you expect a handsome man to show up on your doorstep when you order Chinese take-out.
Don't understand what in the world I'm talking about? You'll just have to check out the show to find out ;)
Here's the link to the first video. Be warned, though: You can't just watch one episode. It's impossible.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KisuGP2lcPs
Best wishes.
***NOTE: Anything in "quotations" are quotations from the series and/or the novel. Just so you know...***
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."
This is probably one of the most well-known opening lines from any novel in the history of the printed word. If you don't know what this is from, what were you doing in your high school English class? Maybe that's a bad question...I definitely wasn't paying attention in class when I read this book...
If you are still unaware, this is the opening sentence of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It also the first line in the web series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, a YouTube-based adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
That's right.
Pride and Prejudice.
AS A WEB SERIES.
It's pretty freaking great.
Here's my thing with P&P: I had meant to read it for a really long time, ever since my ninth grade English teacher made a flattering-but-mostly-terrifying comment on one of my assignments about how my writing reminded him of Jane Austen's. I figured I should read the author in reference in order to, you know, properly appreciate the comment.
That didn't exactly happen. Unfortunately, the only point at which I finally found myself reading P&P was in my senior year English class, when it was required reading, which probably wasn't the best environment in which to really enjoy the book. The assignment that we had to complete for the book did nothing with analyzing the characters or the story; we had to find a certain number of quotes in each section of reading that fell under the category of "marriage", "pride", and (you guessed it) "prejudice". So all I had to do was find the quotes (or scroll through SparkNotes), write a sentence or two of B.S. commentary, and my teacher would give full points.
So I ended up hating the book. I had no idea what was going on half the time. (Although that might have also had something to do with my state of mind at the time...I've looked back at some of my old entries around this time last year, and...yikes...) While I had some basic knowledge of the story (this girl Elizabeth hates this rich guy Mr. Darcy, and he loves her, but they still get together at the end), I had never seen any of the film adaptations of the book beforehand either, so this was my first introduction to the world of Ms. Austen's.
Was I disappointed that I ended up hating a book that I was excited about finally reading and that many people before me had hyped up as their favorite book/the best story of all time?
Yes.
This was in February of last year.
Fast-forward a couple of weeks to April 12th.
In my anxious/depressed state last year, I spent a lot of time on the internet, YouTube especially, trying to numb the worry away. One day, I was checking my YouTube subscription box and clicked on the most recent Vlogbrothers video (if you have spent a decent amount of time on the internet in the past three years and you have not heard of John and Hank Green a.k.a. The Vlogbrothers, what are you doing with your time? Seriously, if you haven't heard of them, stop reading this and go look them up on YouTube. You won't regret it). Anyways...this video was titled "Introducing Lizzie Bennet". It started out with Hank Green walking through the woods. As he sat down in front of a river somewhere in Montana, his camera propped up on a tree, Hank delved into an explanation of his latest project--a modern-day, YouTube-based adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Having just come out of a rather negative experience with that particular text, you'd think that I would just roll my eyes at the mere mention of the title.
But I didn't. I watched intently as Hank delivered this pitch abut this project about which he was obviously very passionate and excited. And I found myself wanting to watch this series. I trusted Hank's enthusiasm for this project because, as those familiar with the work of Hank and John know, anything that either of the Green brothers touches turns to gold. So when the oh-so-catchy theme of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries played at the end of Hank's video, I clicked on the link to Lizzie's first video...and subscribed to the channel approximately four minutes later when the first episode ended.
(At the time, there were only two videos available on the Lizzie Bennet channel. In Hank's video, he said that eight videos had been shot, so I was highly disappointed when I was unable to click through to the next video after the second episode.)
Needless to say, the show hooked me immediately.
The format of the show is a bi-weekly video blog chronicling the life and times of 24-year-old grad student (with a "mountain of student loans") Lizzie Bennet, occasionally accompanied by her two sisters (yes, only two) Jane and Lydia, and her since-fetuses best friend, Charlotte Lu. (Some other people show up eventually.) Of course, the series follows the story line of P&P pretty closely though, obviously, not perfectly because it is 1) an adaptation, and 2) adapted in a format that, so far, has been used very little). But, for what the creators did and how they did it, it was damn near perfect.
Of course, the "experience" of the show was not exclusive to the medium of YouTube because, let's face it, this is the 21st century; people are on the internet all the time. So the characters have Facebook accounts and Twitter accounts and Tumblr blogs and Pinterest boards, and they're updated in real time with the events of the show. The creators resolved to make a universe as transparent as possible...one in which even Sense & Sensibility exists and Lizzie gets to meet Hank, one of the show's creators, at Vidcon, a conference about online video. If you hadn't known that this was a P&P adaptation, you might have actually thought these people were real.
That being said, the acting int he show is superb: each of the four female leads will make you laugh, cry, cheer, and a plethora of other emotions throughout the entirety of the series. Ashley Clements portrays a very modern Lizzie who very much prefers to see things the way she wants to see them (Or, as Jane would put it, "Lizzie sees what Lizzie sees"). Ashley has mentioned several times throughout the running of the show that her favorite thing about Lizzie is that she is highly flawed. And that is possibly my favorite thing about her as well. Through this particular medium, we get to see events, very blatantly, from Lizzie's heavily biased (prejudiced, even) perspective. Over the course of the show, you see this stubborn young woman who, at times is so dialed into her own life that she can barely see the others around her, grow and change her thinking about her family, her friends, and a guy named William Darcy.
This series also gave new light to a character that we all thought he hated (for those who know the story): Lydia. In the book, we see her as precocious and annoying and, to put it in the words from the LBD "a stupid, whorey slut". Without giving too much away, the LBD team presented Lydia and the George Wickham crisis in a way that made her a little more human. Not to mention Mary Kate Wiles's amazing performance as Lydia that can go from funny and lively to heartbreaking and devastating in a matter of seconds. About 25 episodes into the show, Lydia runs off to make her own video blogs. They are purely supplementary to the main story, but absolutely necessary if you really want to get into the head of young Lydia Bennet. (I will admit that I didn't watch Lydia's videos for the first few months.) But as the story progressed and other characters got involved (*cough* GEORGEWICKHAM *cough*), the viewers began to see a different side of Lydia, a more vulnerable, fragile Lydia--trying desperately to gain the approval and respect from her older sisters--vastly different from the rambunctious and precocious Lydia we see in the first half of the show. I'm not going to spoil anything if you haven't watched LBD, but there were a few episodes revolving around the Lydia/Wickham arc that caused me to, to put it lightly, bawl my eyes out.
(Friendly reminder that I initially hated this book. This show works wonders.)
Julia Cho brings the show's sass level to about fifteen as the bold yet grounding and rational Charlotte Lu. Julia's portrayal of the 'best friend' made me genuinely like the character. She's incredibly sharp and witty. In fact, some of my favorite lines in the series are from Charlotte. One of the few things that I got out of my initial read-through (more like skim-through) was that I did not like Charlotte. At all. I didn't like that she married Collins at the first proposal, after Lizzie rejected him, and that she sold herself out for her own petty interests. But in the web series, in one of the few videos that didn't feature Lizzie, we actually get to witness the proposal from Mr. Collins (though it's a different kind of proposal), and we get to see how Charlotte reacts and her rationale for accepting the offer. She also works as Lizzie's voice of reason at key points in the story, especially when a certain man begins to make an appearance in Lizzie's life.
And then there's Laura Spencer, who rounds out the main four as the "practically perfect in every way" Jane Bennet. In this adaptation, Jane is less fragile, less vulnerable than she's portrayed in the source material or any of the past adaptations, making her much more realistic. (Yes, the original source material is characterized as satirical, so everything is exaggerated.) Jane's a career woman; she works for a fashion company. She's very maternal and supportive. She always seems to know when someone needs a cup of tea. SHE'S A STRONG, INDEPENDENT WOMAN WHO DOESN'T NEED NO MAN...though I always want to vomit rainbows every time she and Bing Lee are together because they are so. freaking. adorable.
Don't even get me started on the men in this show. Not only are they all amazingly talented actors...but they're also outrageously handsome. I mean, if you watch the show for only one thing...I'm kidding
As much as this story eventually focuses on the relationship between Lizzie and William Darcy, the whole of the show pays a significant amount of attention and care to the relationship between Lizzie, her sisters, and Charlotte. That is what makes this project unique. Yes, I cheered when Lizzie and Darcy finally got their sh*t together and kissed and were obnoxiously cute. But I was also extremely happy when Lizzie and Charlotte reconciled after the Collins debacle, and when Lizzie told Lydia that she loved her and would listen to her more.
Sometimes it isn't all about the love story.
Hank said in his initial video that he wasn't sure if this medium was a good way to tell a story. He hoped it wouldn't be the case...and it isn't the case. The LBD team created an entire universe through this relatively new format of transmedia storytelling, and by golly, they sure did a fine job of it.
Yes, the occasion warrants a 'by golly'.
Sure, new viewers won't be able to watch the characters' interaction with each other on Twitter in real time and won't really get the 'grand experience' of the show. That will be an experience unique to those who were engaged with the show while it was running. But just because it's over doesn't make the show any less enjoyable. I've re-watched all 100 episodes and the bonus Q & A videos and all the spin-offs, and they're still just as good as when they were first put online.
So as much as this is a pitch to any of you reading this who haven't watched this show to start watching it immediately, this really is my way of extending the immense gratitude I have toward the cast and crew. Thank you Ashley and Mary Kate and Julia and Laura and Bernie Su and Hank and...everyone...You turned a story I thought I hated into a story that I now love. This show and this story was a friend to me over the past year, when I was not only battling anxiety but also making the terrifying shift from high school to college. This show taught me that life isn't about do-overs, that every person deserves a closer look. And it's the stories that we love that will stick with us for the rest of our lives.
At this moment, I am re-reading Pride and Prejudice and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It is because I finally understand it because I've already seen it played out in front of me? Or it is because that I'm finally willing to take the time to actually read it? Who knows...
But I do know one thing. After watching the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, I find myself acknowledging this universal truth: Pride and Prejudice is, and will remain so for decades to come, one of the best stories of all time.
And it only took a modern adaptation to get me there.
So thank you, Lizzie Bennet Diaries--where the thought of snickerdoodles makes you burst into tears, Kitty Bennet is actually a cat, peaches make you want to kill someone, and you expect a handsome man to show up on your doorstep when you order Chinese take-out.
Don't understand what in the world I'm talking about? You'll just have to check out the show to find out ;)
Here's the link to the first video. Be warned, though: You can't just watch one episode. It's impossible.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KisuGP2lcPs
Best wishes.
***NOTE: Anything in "quotations" are quotations from the series and/or the novel. Just so you know...***
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Tuesday April 30th, 2013: BEDA Day 30
Welp. It's the last day of BEDA 2013, my first ever BEDA. And it was fun. It was a good way to get into the blogging mood again. It was nice to take a few months off, but it was nice to get into it again.
This post may not be as full of substance as I would like because, again, I'm up to my armpits in homework, I've been listening to the Democracy Now podcast and looking up articles in The Seattle Times for the past four hours.
Riveting, I know.
Aside from the occasional lackluster posts (like tonight's), I'd call this BEDA a success. Only missed one day, and that post I said would be coming is still coming. I promise.
I can't believe it's May tomorrow. Where has this year gone? I'm doing this Q&A book that has one question for every day of the year, and it's weird that i'm already a fourth of the way through it. I only have five more weeks of school. That's even crazier...I'm almost done with my first year of college...
Like I said, BEDA has gotten me into the blogging mood again, so it won't be as long between posts (I hope).
Best wishes.
This post may not be as full of substance as I would like because, again, I'm up to my armpits in homework, I've been listening to the Democracy Now podcast and looking up articles in The Seattle Times for the past four hours.
Riveting, I know.
Aside from the occasional lackluster posts (like tonight's), I'd call this BEDA a success. Only missed one day, and that post I said would be coming is still coming. I promise.
I can't believe it's May tomorrow. Where has this year gone? I'm doing this Q&A book that has one question for every day of the year, and it's weird that i'm already a fourth of the way through it. I only have five more weeks of school. That's even crazier...I'm almost done with my first year of college...
Like I said, BEDA has gotten me into the blogging mood again, so it won't be as long between posts (I hope).
Best wishes.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Monday April 29th, 2013: BEDA Day 29
I can't believe I only have one more day of this. This month has gone by so fast.
I've been in the homework abyss this afternoon. My Internet also went out again for about an hour and a half, so internet-related things were temporarily stalled.
Don't have much to say today. Back to homework.
I've been in the homework abyss this afternoon. My Internet also went out again for about an hour and a half, so internet-related things were temporarily stalled.
Don't have much to say today. Back to homework.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Sunday April 28th, 2013: BEDA Day 28
I'm back in Bellingham. My refrigerator and food drawer are all stocked up. I'm ready to power trough these last six weeks.
Six weeks and I'm done with my first year of college.
Time flies, man.
I just spent the past few hours filling out a last-minute job application that's due by eight tomorrow morning. Just submitted it. Maybe I'll actually get this job...would be nice to have a few extra bucks in my pockets...
It's late. I have class tomorrow morning. I'm going to bed.
Best wishes.
P.S. Something exciting may be happening tomorrow. I'll let you know if it works out...
Six weeks and I'm done with my first year of college.
Time flies, man.
I just spent the past few hours filling out a last-minute job application that's due by eight tomorrow morning. Just submitted it. Maybe I'll actually get this job...would be nice to have a few extra bucks in my pockets...
It's late. I have class tomorrow morning. I'm going to bed.
Best wishes.
P.S. Something exciting may be happening tomorrow. I'll let you know if it works out...
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Saturday April 27th, 2013: BEDA Day 27
Today was a good day, guys.
As I've mentioned before, my mom and I have season tickets to a theater in Seattle, which gives me an excuse to come home every few weeks. Today we saw Jersey Boys, which is about how the band Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons rose to fame. It was AMAZING.
I didn't know a lot about the show going in, but I had heard from people who had seen it before that it was a great show...and they did not let me down.
The music in the show is completely comprised of songs from The Four Seasons (with a few others sprinkled in). It's not a comedy by any means; in fact, there were some pretty dark parts of the story (including Frankie Valli agreeing to help pay off Tommy DeVito's half-million dollar debt). But the energy of this show was amazing. One of my favorite parts of the show was toward the end of the first act, when the Four Seasons really begin to get famous, they sing three of the band's most well-known songs consecutively "Sherry", "Big Girls Don't Cry", and "Walk Like A Man". There was this huge surge of energy that just kept building and building. I don't think I've been this excited about a new show (to me, at least) in a really long time.
And the best part is that the story is completely true.
And then we went out to dinner with some people who actually went to the show with us as well. My mom's best friend (who's she's known since college) and her family came with, and we talked and ate really delicious food and it was the best.
I really do think that things are getting better for me. I really do.
As I've mentioned before, my mom and I have season tickets to a theater in Seattle, which gives me an excuse to come home every few weeks. Today we saw Jersey Boys, which is about how the band Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons rose to fame. It was AMAZING.
I didn't know a lot about the show going in, but I had heard from people who had seen it before that it was a great show...and they did not let me down.
The music in the show is completely comprised of songs from The Four Seasons (with a few others sprinkled in). It's not a comedy by any means; in fact, there were some pretty dark parts of the story (including Frankie Valli agreeing to help pay off Tommy DeVito's half-million dollar debt). But the energy of this show was amazing. One of my favorite parts of the show was toward the end of the first act, when the Four Seasons really begin to get famous, they sing three of the band's most well-known songs consecutively "Sherry", "Big Girls Don't Cry", and "Walk Like A Man". There was this huge surge of energy that just kept building and building. I don't think I've been this excited about a new show (to me, at least) in a really long time.
And the best part is that the story is completely true.
And then we went out to dinner with some people who actually went to the show with us as well. My mom's best friend (who's she's known since college) and her family came with, and we talked and ate really delicious food and it was the best.
I really do think that things are getting better for me. I really do.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Friday April 26th, 2013: BEDA Day 26
I'm home, sitting in my own basement, on my own couch, my own bed and patiently awaiting me.
Getting home was a little interesting, though. It always is.
My roommate was driving me home because she had a job interview this weekend and needed to go home. She was done with class at 11:30 this morning, but I didn't get out until 2. Thankfully, she decided to wait for me.
Right when I got out of class, I sprinted across campus (because, of course, my class was on the opposite end of campus from my dorm) in order to get my stuff packed up so we could leave and, hopefully, beat Friday night traffic.
Things were looking good until about halfway through our drive.
We were about twenty minutes outside of downtown Seattle when traffic came to a complete stop. We then proceeded to creep down the highway for the next forty-five minutes, only going about ten miles the entire time. We finally made it past Seattle at about 4:15 (after leaving school at 2). Things were going smoothly again for the next half hour. Then traffic got sucky again. My roommate didn't drop me off until about 5:30, about an hour later than we thought.
But that's okay. We got home safely. It was a nice day out...though my roommate's car doesn't have the best air conditioning system, and it did get a bit hot in the car when we were sitting on the highway..but that's pretty much the only thing I have to complain about.
I'm happy to be home, even if it is only for two days. I miss my mom. And my dog, who's sitting with me right now. This might be the only time I get to come home this quarter, before the end of the school year. I might try to squeeze in one more visit sometime in May, but I really don't think that's going to happen...Does that mean I'm becoming more okay with not being home? Maybe...
I'm gonna head off to bed soon. Might watch a T.V. for a little while longer (I don't watch any T.V. at school...I need to catch up).
Hope you all have a good weekend.
Getting home was a little interesting, though. It always is.
My roommate was driving me home because she had a job interview this weekend and needed to go home. She was done with class at 11:30 this morning, but I didn't get out until 2. Thankfully, she decided to wait for me.
Right when I got out of class, I sprinted across campus (because, of course, my class was on the opposite end of campus from my dorm) in order to get my stuff packed up so we could leave and, hopefully, beat Friday night traffic.
Things were looking good until about halfway through our drive.
We were about twenty minutes outside of downtown Seattle when traffic came to a complete stop. We then proceeded to creep down the highway for the next forty-five minutes, only going about ten miles the entire time. We finally made it past Seattle at about 4:15 (after leaving school at 2). Things were going smoothly again for the next half hour. Then traffic got sucky again. My roommate didn't drop me off until about 5:30, about an hour later than we thought.
But that's okay. We got home safely. It was a nice day out...though my roommate's car doesn't have the best air conditioning system, and it did get a bit hot in the car when we were sitting on the highway..but that's pretty much the only thing I have to complain about.
I'm happy to be home, even if it is only for two days. I miss my mom. And my dog, who's sitting with me right now. This might be the only time I get to come home this quarter, before the end of the school year. I might try to squeeze in one more visit sometime in May, but I really don't think that's going to happen...Does that mean I'm becoming more okay with not being home? Maybe...
I'm gonna head off to bed soon. Might watch a T.V. for a little while longer (I don't watch any T.V. at school...I need to catch up).
Hope you all have a good weekend.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Thursday April 25th, 2013: BEDA Day 25
Almost avoided a disaster today, guys.
Not a big disaster, though. Just one that relates to you.
My internet was out for about four hours this evening. It wouldn't be as big of a deal if I didn't have an online quiz due tonight. Which I did.
I was also afraid that I wouldn't get to post tonight because of my internet. So this is just going to be a quick one, in case it goes out again.
Get to go home tomorrow! My mom and I are going to a play on Saturday, so that should be fun.
Happy Friday, y'all.
Not a big disaster, though. Just one that relates to you.
My internet was out for about four hours this evening. It wouldn't be as big of a deal if I didn't have an online quiz due tonight. Which I did.
I was also afraid that I wouldn't get to post tonight because of my internet. So this is just going to be a quick one, in case it goes out again.
Get to go home tomorrow! My mom and I are going to a play on Saturday, so that should be fun.
Happy Friday, y'all.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Wedensday April 24th, 2013: BEDA Day 24
Okay. Got my tests over with. Now I can relax a bit.
It was a beautiful day today. In every way possible.
I had two tests today. One I really wasn't sure if I had studied enough for it, but when I got it, I realized that I knew more than I thought I did. My second test was online, but we got to review for it in class today.
But it was super nice outside today. It's been nice all week--cloudless and warm. Today was the warmest, and it's supposed to get into the 70's by Friday. It's funny how people in the northwest react to sun and warm temperatures; the shorts and flip-flops and sunglasses come out in full force. I found myself a part of this as well, donning a skirt and my TOMS and my sunglasses. On my way to my second class today, I left pretty early so I could get lunch. I got my lunch ($5 box of Chinese food from one of the food vendors that comes to campus) and sat out in the sun. I then walked across campus. Finding myself there still about 20 minutes early, I plopped myself down on a bench and read in the sun.
I was done with class about an hour later and went back to my dorm to take my test, which I finished in about 20 minutes. I knew I still had homework due for tomorrow. I had to listen to a few podcasts and find a TED Talks video for my journalism class. But my gaze shifted toward my window, beyond which the sky was a blue I hadn't seen in a really long time...I really didn't want to spend yet another beautiful day inside studying.
Then one of my friends came into my room and asked me if I wanted to go sit outside and do homework.
You can probably guess what my answer was.
I took my computer out with me to do some homework (there's wifi EVERYWHERE on campus) but since my battery is really bad, it only lasted me about 45 minutes. Then I just sat there fro the next hour and a half, until it was time to go to dinner. Reading. Talking to my friends. Soaking up Vitamin D. Enjoying the day as much as possible.
It was a beautiful day today. In every way possible.
I had two tests today. One I really wasn't sure if I had studied enough for it, but when I got it, I realized that I knew more than I thought I did. My second test was online, but we got to review for it in class today.
But it was super nice outside today. It's been nice all week--cloudless and warm. Today was the warmest, and it's supposed to get into the 70's by Friday. It's funny how people in the northwest react to sun and warm temperatures; the shorts and flip-flops and sunglasses come out in full force. I found myself a part of this as well, donning a skirt and my TOMS and my sunglasses. On my way to my second class today, I left pretty early so I could get lunch. I got my lunch ($5 box of Chinese food from one of the food vendors that comes to campus) and sat out in the sun. I then walked across campus. Finding myself there still about 20 minutes early, I plopped myself down on a bench and read in the sun.
I was done with class about an hour later and went back to my dorm to take my test, which I finished in about 20 minutes. I knew I still had homework due for tomorrow. I had to listen to a few podcasts and find a TED Talks video for my journalism class. But my gaze shifted toward my window, beyond which the sky was a blue I hadn't seen in a really long time...I really didn't want to spend yet another beautiful day inside studying.
Then one of my friends came into my room and asked me if I wanted to go sit outside and do homework.
You can probably guess what my answer was.
I took my computer out with me to do some homework (there's wifi EVERYWHERE on campus) but since my battery is really bad, it only lasted me about 45 minutes. Then I just sat there fro the next hour and a half, until it was time to go to dinner. Reading. Talking to my friends. Soaking up Vitamin D. Enjoying the day as much as possible.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
Monday April 22nd, 2013: BEDA Day 22
Aaaaaand I'm back in the pit of homework I found myself trapped in last week.
I have two tests on Wednesday, and I'm hoping to do well on them...especially since I'm also hoping to pull off straight A's this quarter. It's going to be a lot of work, but I honestly think that I can do it.
And as you've probably seen, I DIDN'T POST THE THING I SAID I WAS GOING TO POST. I'M SORRY. You all should know by now that I'm rarely telling the truth when I tell you that I'm going to post something by a certain time (*cough* HAWAIIPOST *cough*). But I'm really going to try and post it either tonight or tomorrow. Honest. But like I said, I'm double-fisting studying for geology and anthropology, both of which have rather extensive study sheets. Plus I have homework due for my geology lab tomorrow.
AND OF COURSE THE WEATHER DECIDED TO BE SUPER NICE THIS WEEK, BUT I'M STUCK INSIDE BECAUSE ALL OF MY WORK IS ONLINE. GAAAHHHHH!!!!
I'm sorry for my outburst. That was rude.
I'm gonna go back to homework...
I have two tests on Wednesday, and I'm hoping to do well on them...especially since I'm also hoping to pull off straight A's this quarter. It's going to be a lot of work, but I honestly think that I can do it.
And as you've probably seen, I DIDN'T POST THE THING I SAID I WAS GOING TO POST. I'M SORRY. You all should know by now that I'm rarely telling the truth when I tell you that I'm going to post something by a certain time (*cough* HAWAIIPOST *cough*). But I'm really going to try and post it either tonight or tomorrow. Honest. But like I said, I'm double-fisting studying for geology and anthropology, both of which have rather extensive study sheets. Plus I have homework due for my geology lab tomorrow.
AND OF COURSE THE WEATHER DECIDED TO BE SUPER NICE THIS WEEK, BUT I'M STUCK INSIDE BECAUSE ALL OF MY WORK IS ONLINE. GAAAHHHHH!!!!
I'm sorry for my outburst. That was rude.
I'm gonna go back to homework...
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Sunday April 21st, 2013: BEDA Day 21
Yes, I know that I did not post yesterday.
That's because I'm making myself post my entry that I've been promising you guys for the past two weeks. I've had the tab open for about that long, too, but I've just been neglected it much like one neglects his or her homework for as long as possible until the point at which it becomes necessary to complete without enduring the crippling anxiety of having to complete homework before it becomes too late into the night to do anything productive.
Maybe that was a little much. But I've been unnecessarily avoiding this post for the past week-and-a-half. And it needs to get out there...before it becomes irrelevant.
So, yes, that means that you're getting two posts today to make up for my lack of posting yesterday.
I'm sitting in my floor's lounge in a chair in the only patch of sun and it's wonderful.
You'll hear from me later tonight, but, until tomorrow...
Stay classy.
That's because I'm making myself post my entry that I've been promising you guys for the past two weeks. I've had the tab open for about that long, too, but I've just been neglected it much like one neglects his or her homework for as long as possible until the point at which it becomes necessary to complete without enduring the crippling anxiety of having to complete homework before it becomes too late into the night to do anything productive.
Maybe that was a little much. But I've been unnecessarily avoiding this post for the past week-and-a-half. And it needs to get out there...before it becomes irrelevant.
So, yes, that means that you're getting two posts today to make up for my lack of posting yesterday.
I'm sitting in my floor's lounge in a chair in the only patch of sun and it's wonderful.
You'll hear from me later tonight, but, until tomorrow...
Stay classy.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Friday April 19th, 2013: BEDA Day 19
Do I have to do a blog post tonight?
It's been a crazy week, folks. Nothing weird, just busy.
So busy, in fact, that I neglected to mention that I got my housing situation settled for next year! Not only am I staying in the same building as this year, but I'm also staying in the same room. I like my room. It's cozy. I LOVE my view. Yes, there's a possibility of getting a room on a higher floor, which would mean a better view...but then there's also the chance I would get a room on a higher floor, but on the street side, which isn't as pretty as the side of the building that faces the water. There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to stay in the same building , though. I love it here. It's close to all of my classes, and there's this amazing sense of community that I want to continue to be a part of and nurture next year. I'm also living with one of my new best friends next year. So that'll be fun.
It's been a pretty chill Friday night. My roommate is out for the night (possibly the rest of the weekend, too, but I'm not entirely sure), so I've been hanging out in my room, doing some chores (washing dishes), playing a little guitar (and by a little I mean looking up the chords for the entirety of Mumford and Sons's Babel and blasting their music for an hour as I try to keep up with their crazy strumming patterns), watching YouTube videos, watching The Little Mermaid, and writing scholarship essays.
It's not all fun and games in college, kids.
Who am I kidding, this is my perfect Friday night.
It's been a crazy week, folks. Nothing weird, just busy.
So busy, in fact, that I neglected to mention that I got my housing situation settled for next year! Not only am I staying in the same building as this year, but I'm also staying in the same room. I like my room. It's cozy. I LOVE my view. Yes, there's a possibility of getting a room on a higher floor, which would mean a better view...but then there's also the chance I would get a room on a higher floor, but on the street side, which isn't as pretty as the side of the building that faces the water. There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to stay in the same building , though. I love it here. It's close to all of my classes, and there's this amazing sense of community that I want to continue to be a part of and nurture next year. I'm also living with one of my new best friends next year. So that'll be fun.
It's been a pretty chill Friday night. My roommate is out for the night (possibly the rest of the weekend, too, but I'm not entirely sure), so I've been hanging out in my room, doing some chores (washing dishes), playing a little guitar (and by a little I mean looking up the chords for the entirety of Mumford and Sons's Babel and blasting their music for an hour as I try to keep up with their crazy strumming patterns), watching YouTube videos, watching The Little Mermaid, and writing scholarship essays.
It's not all fun and games in college, kids.
Who am I kidding, this is my perfect Friday night.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Thursday April 18th, 2013: BEDA Day 18
Just got back from watching "Silver Linings Playbook" with a few of my friends. It was super good (it was nominated for a bunch of Oscars, of course it was good). Jennifer Lawrence killed it, as did Bradley Cooper. Definitely recommend it.
It's been a super crazy week, and an equally crazy day. I woke up to my alarm not going off at 7:45, leaving me to leap out of bed and throw clothes on in order to get to yoga on time. A few hours later, I went to lunch, had class for two more hours, then I went to the gym and probably sweat ten gallons. Came back to my dorm, started a load of laundry, took a shower, trolled around on the internet for a while, got my laundry, went to dinner, did some homework, then went to the movie...
So I'm pooped. I'm so tired at this point that I don't even want to change into my pj's. I just want to crawl into bed and pass out...
Luckily I have class at ten tomorrow...Yay for sleeping in!
Best wishes.
It's been a super crazy week, and an equally crazy day. I woke up to my alarm not going off at 7:45, leaving me to leap out of bed and throw clothes on in order to get to yoga on time. A few hours later, I went to lunch, had class for two more hours, then I went to the gym and probably sweat ten gallons. Came back to my dorm, started a load of laundry, took a shower, trolled around on the internet for a while, got my laundry, went to dinner, did some homework, then went to the movie...
So I'm pooped. I'm so tired at this point that I don't even want to change into my pj's. I just want to crawl into bed and pass out...
Luckily I have class at ten tomorrow...Yay for sleeping in!
Best wishes.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Tuesday April 16th: BEDA Day 16
I've been in homework lock down this afternoon. I have a quiz in journalism due Thursday night (for which I have to read the newspaper and listen to five, hour-long news podcasts) and a reading quiz in anthropology on Friday (for which I have to read three different articles and three chapters in a book). It's not that bad, I know, but there's going to be a showing of Silver Linings Playbook on campus Thursday night, and you know I'm not doing anything after I get back from the movie.
So I want to get all of it done before Thursday. At least, by Thursday afternoon.
Back to homework...
So I want to get all of it done before Thursday. At least, by Thursday afternoon.
Back to homework...
Monday, April 15, 2013
Monday April 15th, 2013: BEDA Day 15
Life is a weird thing. The world is a weird place.
In movies, the bad things always happen when the skies are gray and people are sad. You wouldn't think that bad things happen when the sun is shining at it's brightest are when people are at their happiest because they accomplished something that they worked months, years toward.
But they do happen.
As I looked out into the sunset today, basking in the beauty of the fourth straight gorgeous sunset I've witnessed this week (see the post from two days ago if you want to know what I'm talking about), I thought about how, out there, somebody (or a lot of people, probably) is having the worst day of their life. And yet, somebody out there is probably having the best day of their life...
Beauty exists even in the worst of times. I'm thankful that I'm alive to witness it.
Bad things happen when all looks well.
And good things happen when all looks bleak. Throughout the day, I've been seeing reports of people donating blood, opening their homes to people who need care and internet to get in touch with their families, running toward the danger to help those in need instead of running away from it to protect themselves.
There is good in this world. And I'm thankful that it outweighs the bad.
I'm sorry that this is kind of disorganized. These are just some thoughts that have been buzzing around my head all afternoon/evening, and I needed to get them out.
My heart and thoughts go out to anyone involved with the Boston attacks. I hope you and your loved ones are safe. <3
In movies, the bad things always happen when the skies are gray and people are sad. You wouldn't think that bad things happen when the sun is shining at it's brightest are when people are at their happiest because they accomplished something that they worked months, years toward.
But they do happen.
As I looked out into the sunset today, basking in the beauty of the fourth straight gorgeous sunset I've witnessed this week (see the post from two days ago if you want to know what I'm talking about), I thought about how, out there, somebody (or a lot of people, probably) is having the worst day of their life. And yet, somebody out there is probably having the best day of their life...
Beauty exists even in the worst of times. I'm thankful that I'm alive to witness it.
Bad things happen when all looks well.
And good things happen when all looks bleak. Throughout the day, I've been seeing reports of people donating blood, opening their homes to people who need care and internet to get in touch with their families, running toward the danger to help those in need instead of running away from it to protect themselves.
There is good in this world. And I'm thankful that it outweighs the bad.
I'm sorry that this is kind of disorganized. These are just some thoughts that have been buzzing around my head all afternoon/evening, and I needed to get them out.
My heart and thoughts go out to anyone involved with the Boston attacks. I hope you and your loved ones are safe. <3
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Sunday April 14th, 2013: BEDA Day 14
Today was a great day.
I went downtown and got crepes (strawberries, bananas, and nutella) with some of my friends. Then we went to a used record/movie store, and I bought a few movies (The Princess and the Frog, Pride and Prejudice [2005], and the first season of That 70's Show). Then we went to a store that sold--I'm not kidding you--socks, and only socks.
I spent 20 dollars on socks.
I have no regrets.
Plus it was super nice outside and there was a beautiful sunset and I was just in a great mood all day and I don't have any homework due tomorrow...it's just been a good weekend overall.
Here's hoping that the goodness from this weekend will bleed into the next five days and make it an good week.
Stay classy.
I went downtown and got crepes (strawberries, bananas, and nutella) with some of my friends. Then we went to a used record/movie store, and I bought a few movies (The Princess and the Frog, Pride and Prejudice [2005], and the first season of That 70's Show). Then we went to a store that sold--I'm not kidding you--socks, and only socks.
I spent 20 dollars on socks.
I have no regrets.
Plus it was super nice outside and there was a beautiful sunset and I was just in a great mood all day and I don't have any homework due tomorrow...it's just been a good weekend overall.
Here's hoping that the goodness from this weekend will bleed into the next five days and make it an good week.
Stay classy.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
In which Leah Complains about Things: Saturday April 13th, 2013 (BEDA Day 13)
You know how, in the last few posts, I've been going on about how great the weather has been so far this quarter? Well, this morning, the weather kind of took a slight nose-dive...
It snowed this morning.
No, I'm not kidding.
I woke up around 9:30 this morning, and it was raining pretty heavily. I got out of bed, did a few things, then got on my computer to check a few things. At about 10, I casually looked outside and SNOWFLAKES THE SIZE OF PING-PONG BALLS WERE CASCADING FROM THE SKY AT AN ALARMINGLY RAPID RATE.
I mean, SERIOUSLY.
Snow does not belong in April. It belongs in November through March. NOT APRIL.
That's not the best part, though.
By this afternoon, not only was it slightly warm (the wind was still a little brisk), it was sunny.
Here's a picture of today's sunset...
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It snowed this morning.
No, I'm not kidding.
I woke up around 9:30 this morning, and it was raining pretty heavily. I got out of bed, did a few things, then got on my computer to check a few things. At about 10, I casually looked outside and SNOWFLAKES THE SIZE OF PING-PONG BALLS WERE CASCADING FROM THE SKY AT AN ALARMINGLY RAPID RATE.
I mean, SERIOUSLY.
Snow does not belong in April. It belongs in November through March. NOT APRIL.
That's not the best part, though.
By this afternoon, not only was it slightly warm (the wind was still a little brisk), it was sunny.
Here's a picture of today's sunset...
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THIS is what spring is supposed to look like, folks. Enough of this snow business...
ALSO...my internet's been going in and out in a particularly obnoxious manner (I usually have pretty decent internet in the dorm), so, while I've been trying to be a good student and do my homework before the end of the weekend, but all of my homework is based online, so...yeah. In fact, as I was writing this, my internet pooped out on me yet again....Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something...YOU CAN'T MAKE ME LISTEN, UNIVERSE.
Okay. I'll stop now.
Tomorrow I'm going to get crepes with my friends. And go shopping for socks and books and records. This is the life of a college student.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Friday April 12th: BEDA Day 12
Almost forgot to post a blog today.
Almost.
I just got back from watching The Hobbit with one of my friends. I had never been a LotR fan, but I did take a chance on seeing The Hobbit when it came out in theaters simply because it looked beautiful. I came out of the the theater a total fan.
I'm working on watching the LotR trilogy and reading all of the books. At this point, I'm kind of failing at it (have yet to read any of the books--The Hobbit is sitting on my desk, though--or watch any of the trilogy), but it's the thought that counts, right?
I also don't have access to a television, and I haven't been to a bookstore in a while, so...there's that, too.
It's 11:49. Probably should post this.
Happy Friday
Almost.
I just got back from watching The Hobbit with one of my friends. I had never been a LotR fan, but I did take a chance on seeing The Hobbit when it came out in theaters simply because it looked beautiful. I came out of the the theater a total fan.
I'm working on watching the LotR trilogy and reading all of the books. At this point, I'm kind of failing at it (have yet to read any of the books--The Hobbit is sitting on my desk, though--or watch any of the trilogy), but it's the thought that counts, right?
I also don't have access to a television, and I haven't been to a bookstore in a while, so...there's that, too.
It's 11:49. Probably should post this.
Happy Friday
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Thursday Arpil 11th: BEDA Day 11
I've been neck-deep in anthropological readings all afternoon. My eyes hurt. The worst part about having to do all of this reading is that it was really nice outside today (yes, yet another jab at the weather) is that all of my reading was on the computer through electronic files...which meant that I couldn't read outside because, you know...computer screens have an awful glare.
That sounded really bad. But I didn't want to print out the pages (so I could take it outside with me) because 1) this is probably the only time that I would ever read these documents and I don't want to read paper (we're super eco-friendly on my campus) and 2) I didn't want to spend the money to print out something that I would only read once (poor and cheap college student here).
So I got to sit inside for six hours, reading, next to a window out of which I could see the sky becoming increasingly bluer and the temperature becoming increasingly warmer (I mean, I couldn't see the temperature rising, I just assumed that it happened).
Spring is here, folks, and it's here to stay.
That sounded really bad. But I didn't want to print out the pages (so I could take it outside with me) because 1) this is probably the only time that I would ever read these documents and I don't want to read paper (we're super eco-friendly on my campus) and 2) I didn't want to spend the money to print out something that I would only read once (poor and cheap college student here).
So I got to sit inside for six hours, reading, next to a window out of which I could see the sky becoming increasingly bluer and the temperature becoming increasingly warmer (I mean, I couldn't see the temperature rising, I just assumed that it happened).
Spring is here, folks, and it's here to stay.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Wednesday April 10th, 2013 (BEDA Day 10)
Pushing back the post of substance yet another day. I've been working on it on and off for the past two hours or so and I'm not even close to being done. I think you guys will like it. At least, I hope you like it.
Today has just been a day of reading and writing and blogging. I have a quiz in anthropology on Friday and I have to read four different texts on different cultures (who would've thought I'd read about other cultures in anthropology?).
I apologize for the sarcasm. I get sarcastic when I get really tired.
And I have to get up early tomorrow to go to yoga. So I should probably go to bed.
I promise there'll be more here tomorrow!
Stay classy.
Today has just been a day of reading and writing and blogging. I have a quiz in anthropology on Friday and I have to read four different texts on different cultures (who would've thought I'd read about other cultures in anthropology?).
I apologize for the sarcasm. I get sarcastic when I get really tired.
And I have to get up early tomorrow to go to yoga. So I should probably go to bed.
I promise there'll be more here tomorrow!
Stay classy.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Tuesday April 9th, 2013 (BEDA Day 9)
I wanted to write something more substantial for tonight, but I think I need some more time to work on it. You'll probably get it tomorrow.
Until then, though...
In boring school news...I had my first geology lab today (yay?). It was pretty easy. The class itself seems pretty easy. Hello high GPA for Spring Quarter??
Seriously, I've got nothing for today.
Until then, though...
In boring school news...I had my first geology lab today (yay?). It was pretty easy. The class itself seems pretty easy. Hello high GPA for Spring Quarter??
Seriously, I've got nothing for today.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Monday, April 8th: Here Comes the Sun (BEDA Day 7)
I didn't think it was going to be nice today (it was sprinkling when I was walking to class this morning) but right around 4 this afternoon, all the clouds burned off and it ended up being a beautiful evening. Days like these make me happy. They make everyone happy. In fact, I was talking to my roommate about how the good weather makes people happier. Last week, when we all came back from Spring Break, it was probably the nicest day of the year. Usually, when I go back to school after break, I'm bummed out because I don't want to go back to school...but not last Sunday. The sun was shining, and it was relatively warm, and campus looked so pretty...
Sorry. I realize that I've spent a majority of these entries praising the weather. If you had spent the last three months in absolute drearyness as one tends to in Washington state...you'd be worshiping the sun, too. We didn't even get any snow this winter, nor was it even that cold. It was just sort of...bleh and gray. This girl's ready for some sun.
Sorry. I realize that I've spent a majority of these entries praising the weather. If you had spent the last three months in absolute drearyness as one tends to in Washington state...you'd be worshiping the sun, too. We didn't even get any snow this winter, nor was it even that cold. It was just sort of...bleh and gray. This girl's ready for some sun.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Sunday, April 7th: BEDA Day 7
(Side note: for five of the last seven entries, I've accidentally titled these posts as 'VEDA' [Vlog Every Day in April] instead of BEDA. Probably means that I've been watching too much YouTube...)
It's Sunday here (it's probably Sunday where you are, too...At least there's a 1/7 chance that you're reading this on a Sunday).
Today was definitely a day of rest. Slept for about ten hours and I didn't get dressed until about five minutes before I had to leave with my friends to go to brunch.
I'm already a week into my last quarter of my first year at college. I have a feeling that this is going to be a good quarter. I don't know why. The weather's getting nicer (except this week...it's going to be rainy and kind of cold all week...) and the classes I'm taking this quarter are pretty great. I'm really looking to make things better for myself this quarter (and, of course, all the time after this quarter). I want to treat myself better. I want to be a better person to the people around me. That's a good thing to want to achieve, right?
Stay classy, peeps.
It's Sunday here (it's probably Sunday where you are, too...At least there's a 1/7 chance that you're reading this on a Sunday).
Today was definitely a day of rest. Slept for about ten hours and I didn't get dressed until about five minutes before I had to leave with my friends to go to brunch.
I'm already a week into my last quarter of my first year at college. I have a feeling that this is going to be a good quarter. I don't know why. The weather's getting nicer (except this week...it's going to be rainy and kind of cold all week...) and the classes I'm taking this quarter are pretty great. I'm really looking to make things better for myself this quarter (and, of course, all the time after this quarter). I want to treat myself better. I want to be a better person to the people around me. That's a good thing to want to achieve, right?
Stay classy, peeps.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
BEDA Day 6
I apologize for the incoherence of my last entry. I was exhausted last night.
Considering how tired I was, I found it kind of weird that I woke up at eight this morning and was unable to go back to sleep. So I got out of bed and went to the gym. At nine a.m. No I'm not kidding. The nice thing is that I feel great and energized (probably will sleep really well tonight...).
Today is my school's preview day for upcoming students so there are high school students EVERYWHERE. But I remember the day I came up here last year to 'preview' Western (and I say 'preview' because I pretty much knew I was going to go here since I was about nine years old) and look at dorms and whatnot. And it was POURING RAIN. And windy. I remember having to trek through the mud in one part of campus...yet still experiencing an overwhelming excitement about finally getting to attend school here. And that excitement has not diminished. I hope that there are plenty of kids here who are feeling that exact same thing.
Speaking of excitement, this afternoon is the last big event in our floor wars. Later today, we have to run around campus and take pictures of different landmarks...a photo scavenger hunt, if you will. Then later tonight, all the floors will come together and find out who won for the week (though let's face it, we're ALL winners here ;) ). I believe that the winners get to pie some people in the face (not joking). And we get to eat ice cream at the end. It's going to be a good night.
But, for now, I'll just sit here and listen to the Democracy Now podcast for my journalism class. We're getting quizzed on the news next week.
Stay classy, my friends.
Considering how tired I was, I found it kind of weird that I woke up at eight this morning and was unable to go back to sleep. So I got out of bed and went to the gym. At nine a.m. No I'm not kidding. The nice thing is that I feel great and energized (probably will sleep really well tonight...).
Today is my school's preview day for upcoming students so there are high school students EVERYWHERE. But I remember the day I came up here last year to 'preview' Western (and I say 'preview' because I pretty much knew I was going to go here since I was about nine years old) and look at dorms and whatnot. And it was POURING RAIN. And windy. I remember having to trek through the mud in one part of campus...yet still experiencing an overwhelming excitement about finally getting to attend school here. And that excitement has not diminished. I hope that there are plenty of kids here who are feeling that exact same thing.
Speaking of excitement, this afternoon is the last big event in our floor wars. Later today, we have to run around campus and take pictures of different landmarks...a photo scavenger hunt, if you will. Then later tonight, all the floors will come together and find out who won for the week (though let's face it, we're ALL winners here ;) ). I believe that the winners get to pie some people in the face (not joking). And we get to eat ice cream at the end. It's going to be a good night.
But, for now, I'll just sit here and listen to the Democracy Now podcast for my journalism class. We're getting quizzed on the news next week.
Stay classy, my friends.
Friday, April 5, 2013
BEDA Day 5
Just got back from dodgeball. Never would I have thought that I would say that dodgeball would be fun. But after tonight, I will admit that I am wrong. I genuinely had a good time tonight at the dorm event. Maybe it was more fun because we were playing just for kicks, rather than for a grade...also it was fun to see the other floors play against each other. There was camaraderie between the floors. There was spirit. There was energy.
And now we sleep. Seriously. I'm beat.
And now we sleep. Seriously. I'm beat.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
BEDA Day 4: Sure Happy It's Thursday...
...which means tomorrow is Friday!!!
This week hasn't been too horrifically slow, as the first week of a new quarter/semester/trimester/whatever tend to be. Maybe this is a sign that the rest of this quarter is going to go just as fast, if not faster?
In floor wars news: we had a family feud-style game tonight. Pretty fun. Not my favorite event thus far...but it was fun. Tomorrow night's event is dodge ball, which I'm really excited about.
School's going well, too. Not much different than yesterday, though. We actually did yoga in class today (Tuesday was just filling out paperwork and syllabus stuff). It was a good way to get the mind and body going for the day...
Who am I kidding. After class this morning, I wanted to crawl back into bed and take a nap.
I really have to stop doing these posts late at night (and by late I mean, like, 10 o'clock)...I'm always super tired and can't find the gumption to write about a lot of stuff. I have ideas during the day, but by the time I frantically remember that I'm doing Blog Every Day in April, all of those thoughts have left my mind. Maybe it's because I'm out of practice after, you know, blogging almost every day for an entire year. I used to pull stuff out of nowhere at 11 pm when I remembered that I had to post a blog. I posted stuff anyway, because I knew that I made a promise to myself that I would complete this project. I suppose I can pull it off for just a month ;)
This week hasn't been too horrifically slow, as the first week of a new quarter/semester/trimester/whatever tend to be. Maybe this is a sign that the rest of this quarter is going to go just as fast, if not faster?
In floor wars news: we had a family feud-style game tonight. Pretty fun. Not my favorite event thus far...but it was fun. Tomorrow night's event is dodge ball, which I'm really excited about.
School's going well, too. Not much different than yesterday, though. We actually did yoga in class today (Tuesday was just filling out paperwork and syllabus stuff). It was a good way to get the mind and body going for the day...
Who am I kidding. After class this morning, I wanted to crawl back into bed and take a nap.
I really have to stop doing these posts late at night (and by late I mean, like, 10 o'clock)...I'm always super tired and can't find the gumption to write about a lot of stuff. I have ideas during the day, but by the time I frantically remember that I'm doing Blog Every Day in April, all of those thoughts have left my mind. Maybe it's because I'm out of practice after, you know, blogging almost every day for an entire year. I used to pull stuff out of nowhere at 11 pm when I remembered that I had to post a blog. I posted stuff anyway, because I knew that I made a promise to myself that I would complete this project. I suppose I can pull it off for just a month ;)
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
BEDA Day 3
Happy Wednesday!!!
More floor events tonight. Today's event involved decorating a cake with the ingredients given to us (gummy bears, Red Vines, chocolate coins, frosting, a head of broccoli, and a small Batman figurine), then having to find five gummy bears in a pile of whipped cream and then devouring our freshly decorated cake in the fastest time possible. Needless to say it was messy. And delicious.
School is in full swing up here in Bellingham. I had my two other classes today, anthropology and geology, which both seem like really interesting classes, and my teachers are pretty cool...so far :)
You can definitely tell that it's spring here. More hours of daylight, trees are blooming (HELLO ALLERGY SEASON), the weather is better...and everybody is outside all the time. We western Washington students are like mosquitoes when it comes to the sun: when the sun comes out, so do we.
Haven't had much homework so far (check back with me in about a week, though...). I've just had to read a chapter for journalism and take a short quiz on sentence fragments. I am in college, right? (I'm probably going to hate myself for saying that later...)
Like I mentioned before, we've had a full week of floor events in my dorm. As a way to welcome returning and new students back for spring quarter, we have a bunch of events planned for the dorm, and it's a competition between the seven floors of our dorm. Last night we had a bunch of team activities, and Monday night we made floor flags and came up with floor chants. It's like summer camp all over again.
Until tomorrow...
More floor events tonight. Today's event involved decorating a cake with the ingredients given to us (gummy bears, Red Vines, chocolate coins, frosting, a head of broccoli, and a small Batman figurine), then having to find five gummy bears in a pile of whipped cream and then devouring our freshly decorated cake in the fastest time possible. Needless to say it was messy. And delicious.
School is in full swing up here in Bellingham. I had my two other classes today, anthropology and geology, which both seem like really interesting classes, and my teachers are pretty cool...so far :)
You can definitely tell that it's spring here. More hours of daylight, trees are blooming (HELLO ALLERGY SEASON), the weather is better...and everybody is outside all the time. We western Washington students are like mosquitoes when it comes to the sun: when the sun comes out, so do we.
Haven't had much homework so far (check back with me in about a week, though...). I've just had to read a chapter for journalism and take a short quiz on sentence fragments. I am in college, right? (I'm probably going to hate myself for saying that later...)
Like I mentioned before, we've had a full week of floor events in my dorm. As a way to welcome returning and new students back for spring quarter, we have a bunch of events planned for the dorm, and it's a competition between the seven floors of our dorm. Last night we had a bunch of team activities, and Monday night we made floor flags and came up with floor chants. It's like summer camp all over again.
Until tomorrow...
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
BEDA Day 2
More floor events tonight. We had team activities tonight, and I think everyone had a good time. I had a major part in planning this particular night, so I was kind of stressed about it, but it went really well and everybody had a lot of fun. :)
First day of classes today. I had yoga at eight this morning (yes, I'm taking yoga this quarter) then I had journalism at noon. Usually on Tuesdays I would also have a lab for geology, but there are no labs the first week of the quarter.Tomorrow I have Anthropology at 10 and Geology at 1.
Short entry is short again today. I got back from the dorm event pretty late, and I have a bunch of friends over in my room right now, so I'm gonna go spend some time with them.
See y'all tomorrow!
First day of classes today. I had yoga at eight this morning (yes, I'm taking yoga this quarter) then I had journalism at noon. Usually on Tuesdays I would also have a lab for geology, but there are no labs the first week of the quarter.Tomorrow I have Anthropology at 10 and Geology at 1.
Short entry is short again today. I got back from the dorm event pretty late, and I have a bunch of friends over in my room right now, so I'm gonna go spend some time with them.
See y'all tomorrow!
Monday, April 1, 2013
BEDA Day 1: I'm not dead
As the title suggests, yes...I AM NOT DEAD.
I know that my last post (seven months ago) said that I was going to post some more things on here, but obviously that didn't happen.
I've been in college for the past seven months, though. Tomorrow is actually the first day of Spring Quarter.
I keep checking this site every once in a while, seeing if I have the gumption in me to write, but it just never came. I always found myself busy with something else. But it's April. And that means that many people--bloggers and vloggers alike--are doing BEDA or VEDA: blog/vlog every day in April. I thought this was a great opportunity to get back into posting on here. It's been a bit lonely since I did the whole "blog every day senior year" project. But like I've said, I've been busy at college. Busy is okay, though. Busy is nice.
Short entry tonight. I moved back into my dorm today after being on spring break fro two weeks, and we had a dorm event tonight...so I'm pooped. More to come tomorrow.
It's nice to be back :)
I know that my last post (seven months ago) said that I was going to post some more things on here, but obviously that didn't happen.
I've been in college for the past seven months, though. Tomorrow is actually the first day of Spring Quarter.
I keep checking this site every once in a while, seeing if I have the gumption in me to write, but it just never came. I always found myself busy with something else. But it's April. And that means that many people--bloggers and vloggers alike--are doing BEDA or VEDA: blog/vlog every day in April. I thought this was a great opportunity to get back into posting on here. It's been a bit lonely since I did the whole "blog every day senior year" project. But like I've said, I've been busy at college. Busy is okay, though. Busy is nice.
Short entry tonight. I moved back into my dorm today after being on spring break fro two weeks, and we had a dorm event tonight...so I'm pooped. More to come tomorrow.
It's nice to be back :)
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