Andrea's Blogination

Holy Crap!!!

2006-06-25T23:42:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone!

I haven't blogged in ages, but I think there are some things that definitely need updating! I pretty much had the most exciting week EVER last week! First of all, I got a job offer from the company that I wanted to work for the most! I'm going to be a Market Analyst for Lodgenet Entertainment, which is a company that works with pay-per-view movies and games in hotel rooms. It's an awesome position with awesome benefits and salary, and it's exactly what I want to do! I'm so excited! This is all going on in Sioux Falls, SD, which is where I'll be moving in about a month!

Technically, though, I'll be living in Tea, SD, which is about 5 miles outside of Sioux Falls. Jeff and I have a townhouse we're moving into, and it's very cute and nice. Tea is only about 2500 people, but it's growing exponentially.

Most recently (and most importantly), Jeff proposed!!!! It was a complete surprise! Jeff was very cunning, and I was duped into thinking I was going to an early birthday celebration, but turns out I got a bigger birthday present than I expected! My ring is incredible-- it's a one-carat single diamond on a custom-made white gold band, with two smaller diamonds set below the big one, one on each side (not left and right sides, more like top and bottom if you look at the diamond straight on...does that make sense?).

I'm so excited!! Everything has been going absolutely perfectly lately, and I couldn't be happier! Plus, tomorrow's my birthday!! :)

The List

2006-04-24T08:12:00.002-05:00

Sorry I've been out of the blogging loop lately. I truly hate the last few weeks of the semester. I'm so close to freedom, yet so much stuff to do before I can taste that sweet, sweet batch of cookies I will make once school is over...

I've noticed a list trend in the blogging community. I'm going to jump on the bandwagon and write down my list of things I need to do before the end of the semester! And the things I have already done, just so I don't feel as depressed.

DONE

10-hour day at district music in Fairbury
Messiah rehearsals and performance!
grading! FOREVER!! (that last one was a doozy though...up til 1 AM getting the damn thing done)
Marriage and Family final
Honors Convo (the first one I ever went to...and the last)

NOT DONE

Interview for summer job
Go to doctor for various maladies (popping jaw, hurting ear, dentist appointment)
Rewrite crappy Psych group term paper. Our first draft sucked butt
Get food for bridal shower
Finish thesis
One more theory help session
Perception final
Stats final
One more Stats lab

OK. Not quite as bad as I was fearing. The main things I'm worried about are my thesis and my term paper. The only reason I'm worried about my term paper is because I have to have it in by 3:00 today and I haven't really started rewriting it. My thesis, I just have to sit down and do it. It'd be great if I could sleep more than 6 hours at a time sometime in the near future, too.

The List

2006-04-24T08:12:00.000-05:00

Bon Voyage!

2006-03-11T09:11:00.000-06:00

If you guys need me, TOO BAD! I'll be on a cruise! :) :)

I just hope I'm not added to the list of 24 (or whatever number it is) people who've gone missing from cruise ships in the past 2 years! My theory on those people is that they got too drunk and fell off the boat.

I'll try not to do that.

Have a wonderful spring break everyone!

Valentines Day is My Favorite!

2006-02-13T18:36:00.000-06:00

Saturday night Jeff and I went out to the Melting Pot in Omaha for early Valentines Day celebration. It was the coolest restaurant ever! We got a booth in "Lover's Lane," which means we had this cozy little booth with a curtain you could draw if you wanted to make out or something. We closed ours for a little bit to make people suspicious but then it got too hot in there from the steam from the fondue pot. The food was amazing, and it took a long time to eat! We were there for 3 hours! It was amazing, but expensive - the bill was $100 (although that was including our extensive alcohol purchases)!

I also got some new bling - a beautiful sapphire necklace! :)

Valentines Day is the best.

The Woes of Statistics

2006-01-27T16:53:00.000-06:00

You know how they say that for every 1 hour you spend in class, you should spend about 3 hours studying? Well, I have always considered this to be total crap. For every hour in class I spend maybe 15 minutes studying, unless a test is imminent, in which case it's probably up to 45 minutes.

Well, friends, I am being defeated by Psych 451: Measurement and Prediction. So far I have worked on this week's assignment for a total of 5 pretty solid hours. I still probably have another 2 hours to go on it. That's 7 hours!! I was in class for 4.5 hours this week That's about an hour and a half of studying for every hour in class! This sucks major butt. How on earth would anyone possibly get in 3 hours of studying for every hour of class? You wouldn't be able to do anything else!

The worst part is that I can't do it at home. I have to do it in the Burnett computer lab, because those are the only computers on campus with SPSS, the stats program I have to use. Today there were these 2 chicks in the lab having a whispered conversation for an hour while I was trying to do my work. OK. I can see a little whispered question or something like that, but these hoochies were just CHATTING. Why the hell didn't they go out into the hall for the hour? Whispering is the most annoying sound in the world! I would have rather they had just talked in a normal tone of voice. I was pretty pissed, so I kicked their asses.

The Answer to a Life-Long Question

2006-01-17T17:43:00.000-06:00

This is going to sound really geeky, but I am so excited about what I learned in my Perception class today! Most of it is pretty boring, but my prof explained the answer to a question I have always wondered about. That question is: While stargazing, why is it that if you try to look at a really faint star, it disappears?

Am I the only one who has ever noticed this? I'd be trying to find a constellation or something, and as soon as I focused on a star, I couldn't see it anymore! Well, if you were wondering why that is, I have an answer for you!

Turns out in our eyes we have rods and cones. Rods are what you primarily use for dimly lighted situations, and cones are used for brighter environments and color. Now, in the back of an eyeball there's this thing called a fovea, which is what we use whenever we focus on something. This fovea has a ton of optical receptors, BUT they are ALL CONES! So when we try to look at a faint star in the dark night sky, all we have to use is our cones, which suck at that sort of thing. In order to use your rods, you have to look about 20 degrees away from the star, and then you'll see it!

I know I'm really weird for being excited over this, but I've wondered that since I was little and now I know the answer!

Today's Senior Moment, plus a ridiculous music joke

2006-01-09T17:24:00.000-06:00

So this is definitely my 8th semester of college. You'd think I'd know the ropes by now, wouldn't you? Turns out no. I almost was late for my class today when I went to Besse Hall instead of Avery. I was standing by the classroom wondering why it was locked and no one was there, when I realized that I was in the wrong building. Do senior moments happen to college seniors too?

And here is my funny stolen thing of the day:

A "C", an "E-flat", and a "G: go into a bar. The bartender says: "Sorry,
but we don't serve minors." So the "E-flat" leaves, and the "C" and the "G"
have an open fifth between them. After a few drinks, the fifth is
diminished and the "G" is out flat. An "F" comes in and tries to augment
the situation, but is not sharp enough.

A "D" comes into the bar and heads straight for the bathroom saying,
"Excuse me. I'll just be a second." Then an "A" comes into the bar, but
the bartender is not convinced that this relative of "C" is not a minor.

Then the bartender notices a "B-flat" hiding at the end of the bar and
exclaims, "Get out now. You're the seventh minor I've found in this bar
tonight."

The "E-flat", not easily deflated, comes back to the bar the next
nightin a 3-piece suit with nicely shined shoes. The bartender (who
used to have a nice corporate job until his company downsized) says,
"You're looking sharp tonight, come on in! This could be a major
development."

This proves to be the case, as the E-flat takes off the suit, and
everything else, and stands there au natural.

Eventually, the "C" sobers up, and realizes in horror that he's under a
rest. The "C" is brought to trial, is found guilty of contributing to
the diminution of a minor, and is sentenced to 10 years of DS without
Coda at an upscale correctional facility. On appeal, however, the "C" is
found innocent of any wrongdoing, even accidental, and that all
accusations to the contrary are bassless.
The bartender decides, however, that since he's only had tenor so
patrons, with the soprano out in the bathroom, and everything has
become alto much treble, he needs a rest, and closes the bar.

Done With Piano

2005-12-06T23:57:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I had my last piano lesson ever. And went to my last studio class. All that's left in my solo piano career is my jury next Monday. As all of you have known, this fact has made me very happy! Piano has caused me so much stress that I have been so glad to not have to worry about it anymore.

The weirdest thing happened. After my lesson was over, I was really really SAD! I wasn't expecting that! Turns out that I must deep down actually LIKE piano! And I must love music! Who would have guessed?

Thanksgiving Adventures

2005-11-28T17:40:00.000-06:00

How can Thanksgiving break be over so soon? Going to class today was definitely not a fun prospect. I am consoled by the fact that there are only two more weeks of class left this semester! I am also not nearly as stressed as I usually am at this point. I only have 2 finals, neither of which will be particularly grueling, and my jury. My last jury EVER!!! I will be so happy once I don't have to worry about performing anymore. I just don't like it.

Anyway, on the Thanksgiving front, things were good except for one key thing: I was sick the entire time. I woke up Thursday morning at Jeff's parents' house feeling like death. Jeff and his dad went into North Bend to get me some medicine, and all they could find was Nyquill. Now, Nyquill is some damn good stuff, but not when you have to spend a whole day eating. This is because eating requires you to be awake. We sat down to Thanksgiving dinner and I was basically a zombie. People were talking to me and I didn't know it, throwing food at me and I didn't know it. I had one sip of wine and decided that probably wouldn't do much for my state of consciousness. From what I remember, the food was good.

On Saturday morning Jeff and I went to my house. We had another Thanksgiving dinner (score!!), and this time I had Dayquill on hand so I was alive. Then we went to Haywarden, IA to get a Christmas tree, and stopped in Le Mars on the way back for ice cream from the Blue Bunny plant. Our family doesn't have a ton of traditions, but this is one of them. It's good stuff.

That night I went to a bar in Sioux City with my high school friends, and I realized that the smoking ban is not, in fact, universal. I came out feeling wheezy and smelly.

That's about it for break highlights. I suppose it's not terribly exciting, but I did have a good time!

More Funny Stuff I Stole

2005-11-03T15:46:00.000-06:00

France Elevates its Security Level

As many are aware, the French government recently announced a
raise in its terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide". The normal
level is "General Arrogance", and the only two higher levels in
France are "Surrender" and "Collaborate". The rise was
precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France's white flag
factory, effectively paralysing the country's military capability.

It's not only the French that are on a heightened level of alert:
Italy has increased the alert level from "Shout loudly and
excitedly" to "Elaborate military posturing". Two more levels
remain, "Ineffective combat operations" and "Change sides".

The Germans also increased their alert state from "Disdain" to
"Dress in uniform and sing marching songs". They have two higher
levels: "Invade a neighbour" and "Lose".

Seeing this reaction in continental Europe the Americans have
gone from "Isolationism" to "Find another oil-rich nation for
regime change". Their remaining higher alert states are "Attack
random countries (ideally those without any credible military)"
and "Beg the British for help".

The British are also feeling the pinch in relation to recent
bombings and have raised their security level from "Miffed" to
"Peeved". Soon though, security levels may be raised yet again
to "Irritated" or even "A Bit Cross". Londoners have not been
"A Bit Cross" since the Blitz in 1940 when tea supplies all but
ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from "Tiresome"
to "Bloody Nuisance". The last time the British issued a "Bloody
Nuisance" warning level was during the Great Fire of 1666.

I Went to the Dentist....and then I Won $10

2005-10-25T21:58:00.000-05:00

You know those Husker Choices pins they give out at Big Red Welcome to put on your backpacks? They tell you that if you get caught wearing it, you'll get a free $10 reward. For years, I had never heard of anyone actually getting the $10. Until today, when I won it! (Actually I guess my friend Shannon won it a couple weeks ago too...but she doesn't count) I was in the basement of the Health Center at a god-awful time of the morning (8:30), when this random girl came up to me and gave me a $10 thingy to cash in at the front desk! How cool is that?

It's a good thing SOMETHING good happened. Going to the dentist sucks. You know that scrapey thing they use to get rid of all your plaque? I HATE THAT THING! Apparently I have the dirtiest teeth in the world, because the dental assistant had a heyday scraping me to death. I had goosebumps on every inch of my body from the horrible nails-against-a-chalkboard feeling echoing inside my head. I think she just liked playing with it, because after awhile, I had the distinct feeling she was trying to chisel off my enamel. And my gums. Why can those assistants never see where your tooth ends and your gums begin? Hello, they're totally different colors! And then after they stab you over and over they harp on how if you flossed more, you wouldn't bleed so much. Whatever, dude. I don't think the healthiest gums in the universe could endure that kind of mutilation.

When my teeth were FINALLY done being cleaned, the dentist came in. Guess who it was! Greg's brother! He introduced himself and I was like, "Yo dude, I know your bro." Actually, I didn't say it quite like that, but we did end up making fun of Greg for a few minutes.

Studio Class = Dirty

2005-10-10T23:08:00.000-05:00

So today was the longest studio class ever. It never ended. I'm still there, in fact, listening to Richard accompany every last concerto ever made. The only things that make it bearable are the looks I exchange with Ashley every time somebody says something unintentially (or not?) dirty.

Interestingly, everyone in the studio besides Ashley and me is either 100% pure and innocent or 100% not paying any attention whatsoever. Therefore, only 2 people in the entire room burst out laughing when our professor told a student not to "blow your wad too early."

Is there any meaning to "blowing your wad early" other than prematurely ejaculating? Christy seemed to have some analogy of a wad of money or something in her mind. She must be a way better person than me.

At any rate, studio class is dirty.

On another note, I just got back from seeing the movie "In Her Shoes." I loved it! I recommend it to all girls, but probably not to guys. It's a chick flick.

"This product is not tested on Animals"

2005-10-07T13:57:00.000-05:00

Is it just me, or do they choose the weirdest stuff to not test on animals? The only times I see those labels are when the product is something that I wouldn't imagine would harm an animal much anyway!

For instance, I just took a shower and tried out my new Bath and Body works Eucalyptus Spearmint body wash. On the back label, it brags, "This finished product not tested on animals." Thank God! I can only imagine the terror a poor little bunny would have to go through, having its fur washed with a dangerous concoction known to make your "stress fade away as you lather this relaxing skin cleanser and let its calming blend of eucalyptus and spearmint essential oils comfort your soul and soften your skin." Oh, the horror!

How come I never see these labels on, say, bottles of peroxide that have the huge warning: "DANGER! FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY! CALL A POISON CONTROL CENTER IF SWALLOWED!"??? I'll tell you why. It's because they tested THAT on the animals and the animals are now dead!

These manufacturers don't give a damn about animals. They just want us to feel good about ourselves that our overpriced body cleansers aren't hurting anyone! In reality though, I think those bunnies would LIKE the cleanser! I sure as hell would if I were a bunny.

Adventures in Clinical Psychology

2005-10-04T22:32:00.000-05:00

I was pretty un-excited to attend my clinical psych class tonight, after a full day of class and work. However, it ended up being alright. I got to give an IQ test to a classmate (she was great at remembering long strings of digits and letters, but forgot the 7 continents). We played with ink blot tests! I was telling Amelia how I thought one of them looked like the face of Satan, when my prof noticed. She then made me tell the entire class of 60 how I thought an ink blot looked like a demon. Oh well. Finally, we were looking at another type of projective test where you looks at a picture and make up a story about it. No one wanted to volunteer their stories for this one, which really disappointed our prof. She then said the quote of the day: If we would give her our story, "She would SO analyze us."

I'm a big nerd when all I can think to write about is class. I went to work today too, and the choir teacher is a crazy lady. I also went to the career fair in the Union and got free flip flops from Old Navy! Career fairs are fun!

Today is Friday!

2005-09-30T14:14:00.000-05:00

Today is Friday and that means Andrea is happy! I've been annoyed at people in my Honors Seminar because they're so damn weird. We took a poll to see what our favorite and least favorite days of the week are. Most people are normal and like Fridays and Saturdays and hate Mondays. Except for a couple of over-achiever weirdos who love Mondays because they get to hand in papers and hate Sundays because there's nothing to do. I LOVE Sundays because there's nothing to do!

Jessie, my friend from high school, just came over to borrow a couple of dresses for a formal. FYI, I have millions of fancy dresses. Since high school, people have been banging my door down trying to borrow them. So if you're about my size and need a fancy dress, you can borrow one cuz I'm that nice. Actually, you don't really even have to be my size. Jessie and I are built completely differently. I'm about 6 inches taller than her, but somehow the dresses still fit her!

I'm going to go shower now because I worked out (yay me!) and am gross and sweaty. I'm very proud of myself for blogging more lately.

Stolen Silly Quiz

2005-09-28T17:27:00.000-05:00

10 Years ago: I was in the 6th grade. Nobody liked our teacher and we all hung out in the coat closet to do our homework. Yep, weird.

5 Years ago: Junior in high school. A pretty fun year. I was the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz and kicked some ass. I was obsessed with summer-camp drama (My ex-psuedo love had betrayed me). I rode around in my now-deceased red Geo Prizm and in my best friend's old beater Ford Tempo listening to Blink 182 and Eminem. 3 of my guy friends and I "made a band" and performed "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica at prom. We practiced by jamming out in the band room after school. (all we could play was Metallica stuff)

1 Year ago: Junior year of college. Lived in Husker Dirtyards, which was a big mistake. Discovered that an empty glass on a counter for more than 15 minutes is unacceptable. Dating Jeff, the sexiest man alive! Because of this, got my first taste of Greek life. Saw that it wasn't as bad as I had thought it would be, but still had some pretty weird things. I was able to overlook these weird things though, because it meant I got to go to formals and get free drinks at parties.

Yesterday: Had a very busy day! Doctor at 8:30, most boring class ever at 9:30 (Cognitive Psych). Afternoon was spent accompanying at Raymond. Wrote a paper on the meaning of my life, and had a night class! THEN worked out! I'm a stud.

5 Snacks I enjoy: cheese, cookies, candy bars, pineapple, Juice Stop

5 Songs I know all the words to: Incubus:Stellar, Ludacris:Ho, Sublime:Date Rape, Metallica: Nothing Else Matters, John Cage: 4'33''

5 Things I'd do with a Million dollars: Buy a pink convertible (think Barbie), go crazy with Christmas and birthday presents, take a vacation, buy cheese curds, and finally buy lamp shades

5 places I'd run away to: the Mall of America, the Bahamas, Hawaii, Europe, and Oceans of Fun

5 Things I'd never wear: Ugg boots, gaucho pants (they only look good on tiny girls), a strap-on, one of those hot pink sorority tshirts that all look the same (way to make your house unique...), and a tattoo (also known as tramp-stamps)

5 favorite TV shows: Smallville, Survivor, the OC (which are all on at the same time on the same day, btw), FAMILY GUY (funniest show EVER!!!), and The Price is Right!

5 Greatest joys: shopping, being boring on a Friday night by just cuddling on the couch watching TV, cheese curds, finding money you didn't know you had, and puppies

weeeeeeeeeeeee!

2005-09-26T17:36:00.000-05:00

I've had it with piano. Who cares about piano anyway? I don't care what piano snobs have to say anymore. All I care about is what the church ladies will pay me for, and that is anything at all I want to play for them. What does it matter if something is "a little bit too dry for my taste?" On my deathbed I'm sure I won't say to myself, "Gee, my life would have been perfect if only I had brought out that inner voice a little bit more." Nope, turns out piano doesn't really matter. Bach especially doesn't matter. To put it in an Ashley-styled quote, "Piano is a waste of my life." I'm just so tired of it! I'm glad Juice Stop exists!

I have to write a paper about the meaning of my life. Right now I'm thinking that the meaning of my life is cheese.

In the past two days I've gotten 2 comments about what a cheerful and happy person I am. This astounds me, because a lot of the time I'm cynical and/or annoyed. But I kind of have fun being cynical and annoyed, so maybe that brings out my happiness. Anyway, I'm glad people think I'm a bundle of joy!

A Woman's Guide to Understanding Men

2005-08-09T18:08:00.000-05:00

1. A good place to meet a man is at the dry cleaner. These men usually have jobs and bathe.

2. All men hate to hear, "We need to talk about our relationship." These seven words strike fear in the heart of even retired General Schwartzkopf.

3. Men like phones with lots of buttons. It makes them feel important.

4. Men like to barbecue. Men will cook if danger is involved.

5. Most men hate to shop. That's why the men's department is usually on the first floor of a department store, two inches from the door.

6. Men forget everything; women remember everything. Think about it! How many women's sports use something called an "instant replay?"

7. Men are self-confident because they grow up identifying with super-heroes. Women have bad self-images because they grow up identifying with Barbie.

8. No man is charming all of the time. Even Cary Grant is on record saying he wished he could be Cary Grant.

9. Women take clothing much more seriously than men. I've never seen a man walk into a party and say, "Oh no, I'm so embarrassed; I've got to get out of here. There's another man wearing a black tuxedo."

10. Men have higher body temperatures than women. If your heating goes out in winter, I recommend sleeping next to a man. Men are like portable heaters that snore.

Sorry I haven't been very original in my posts lately. I like to just steal stuff.

The Top Ten Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong

2005-07-27T17:03:00.000-05:00

This is a fun little spoof my sexuality teacher read to the class the other day. I liked it a lot! So here, in a nutshell, is why we shouldn't allow gays to marry!

1. Homosexuality is not natural. Real people always reject unnatural
things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

2. Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that
hanging around tall people will make you tall.

3. Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy
behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has
legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

4. Heterosexual marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed
at all; women are still property, blacks still aren't supposed to marry
whites.

5. Straight marriage will be less meaningful if homosexual marriage
were allowed; the sanctity of Brittany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage
would be destroyed.

6. Heterosexual marriages are valid because they produce children.
Homosexual couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be
allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world
needs more children.

7. Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight
parents only raise straight children.

8. Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours,
the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's
why we have only one religion in North America.

9. Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at
home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to
raise children.

10. Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never
adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the
service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

Bob Barker for Pope

2005-04-20T18:27:00.000-05:00

Sometimes the media really bothers the crap out of me! Like yesterday. I'm sitting around, watching The Price Is Right like I do every Tuesday morning, when all of a sudden, RIGHT BEFORE THE SHOWCASE, a special news broadcast breaks in and takes up the rest of the show (and the next 450 hours). What is this newscast? It's, "HUGE STORY: THEY'RE ELECTING A NEW POPE SO LET'S SIT OUTSIDE AND WAIT FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN" I was so mad! They sit around talking in circles about how once something happens it's going to be such a huge thing. But, nothing happens for at least an hour! They could have easily let me see my showcase. It was only 10 minutes left of the show! Who cares about the Pope anyway? I'm not even Catholic. I feel that my freedom of religion has just been violated. I have changed my religion to Bobarkerism, and I was robbed of my weekly worship ritual. I'm feeling the urge to sue someone. Oh, and when they finally announced the new pope, it was far from satisfying. Some old crusty 78-year old guy who will most likely die soon, and we'll have to go through the whole ordeal again! Why wouldn't they elect someone a little younger? GRRR. I'm still mad about not knowing who won the showcase.

Today

2005-03-30T00:25:00.000-06:00

Today was so warm! I wore a skirt and sandals and was happy. I went into Raymond and in the period between high school and junior high choir, I sat outside doing homework. And got paid $16 for it! buah ha ha.

I stole Jeff's bedding today and left a ransom note. He hasn't washed it in ages and it's nasty. So I left him a letter from his blanket and snuck it out while he was at work. I washed it and now everything is clean and hanging in my apartment. Don't ask me what he's going to sleep on tonight!

I wanted to just hang out outside all day today, but I had too much crap to do. I hate homework and practicing and school!

Nemo, A Good Fish

2005-03-22T22:01:00.000-06:00

This post is dedicated to the memory of Nemo, a very good fish. Most people would question why the death of a mere fish would be so upsetting. Well, Nemo was no mere fish. Nemo was an amazing creature, inspiring many and a friend to all.

Nemo's birth date is unknown. When my parents moved into our old house in Sioux City, the previous owners had left Nemo to us. He was already full-grown. This was in 1983. I was born the next year, in 1984. Nemo was the only creature other than my parents that I had known since day 1. He was a large coy, mainly orange and black.

A few years later, we moved into our current home outside of Waterbury, Nebraska. Nemo handled the move quite well, but soon, disaster struck. Our house lacked a furnace initially, so we heated it by baseboard heaters and the fireplace. One weekend we went to Kansas City to visit the grandparents. While we were gone, the temperature got down to sub-zero. We returned home to find a fishtank frozen solid. Dad was quickly dubbed "Fish-Killer" and was mocked at work. We put a piece of paper over the fishtank while it thawed so we wouldn't have to walk by poor frozen Nemo every day.

However, as the tank slowly thawed, we noticed that Nemo's fin was wiggling! He was still alive! The tank thawed completely and so did Nemo. He had a full recovery.

Awhile later, my parents met a couple biking across the country. The couple would be passing by our house later that day, so my parents invited them for lunch. They obliged, and visited our house. They noticed Nemo, and so they were told about the amazing death-defying feat he had performed. The man of the couple turned out to be a Disney animator who had worked on the Little Mermaid, among other movies. (I have an autographed sketch of Mickey Mouse he drew me that day) Anyway, this man ended up being very successful, and had a high profile job in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This next part is purely speculation, but it is my belief that in a meeting with all the Disney big-wigs, this animator suggested they make a movie about a fish who defies all odds and survives and reunites with his family. The name of this movie? Finding Nemo.

Nemo died March 22, 2005 after a brief illness. He could not escape death twice. However, he lived a full and happy life, and is forever immortilized in the hit movie Finding Nemo. Rest in peace, Nemo. We loved you.

Accidentally Suicidal

2005-02-21T17:13:00.000-06:00

Christy updated her blog, and made me feel ashamed that I have not updated mine in so long (which WAS a New Years Resolution, after all!). Speaking of New Years Resolutions, it's been almost 2 months since I made mine.....let's review and see how I'm doing!

Resolution 1: Win the bet against Jeff.
Result: Still neck-and-neck competition for this one. And by that I mean we both weigh the same as ever. However, I have been going to the rec a lot more often this semester, so I'm hoping to see results there. Bob Josh's aerobics class is so freakin long and hard that I HAVE to lose weight from it, right?

Resolution 2: Read books for pleasure.
Result: Well, I still have about a chapter or so left of the book I said I was reading at New Years. But I have read it some! It's just that why would I want to read anything besides my lovely music history book?

Resolution 3: Clean my room.
Result: We all knew this one was a joke. My room's as terrible as ever, although I did get it pretty clean back in January.

Resolution 4: Chill out and stop getting pissed off about stupid things.
Result: I've found an excellent way to vent things when I'm pissed off! Instead of taking it out on other people, I just take it out on myself! Hence my slashed-up wrists. As an added bonus, I get to see the look on everyone's faces when I show them my cut up wrist. *see disclaimer at bottom*

Resolution 5: Figure out cool stuff to do on my blog.
Result: Ummm if by cool stuff on my blog I meant never update and get addicted to The Facebook instead, I'm doing great!

Resolution 6: Keep my resolutions for more than 2 weeks.
Result: Well, I was pretty good about them for about a month. Things are starting to slip, but I AM proud of my recreational habits so far. I've been going to the rec on average 2-3 times a week, which isn't bad!

In conclusion, my resolutions are for the most part in bad shape. Someday maybe I'll become a better person. Until then, goodbye left wrist! **see disclaimer at bottom again**

**disclaimer at bottom: In no way do I endorse actually slashing your wrists on purpose. My injury is due to me being a klutzy dumbass, as usual**

I'm a Poker Playin' Champion!

2005-01-20T14:37:00.000-06:00

My experience with poker is limited. Even so, I kick ass. Last night, I played with Jeff and his roommates. I won all of Malbert and Jamie's chips in a short amount of time. Then it was me against Jeff. By this time I was bored (I don't really like poker all that much, even though I'm awesome), so I was trying to lose. I still couldn't! I would bet all my chips on a crappy hand and STILL win. Finally I gave my last chips to Jamie and did something else instead.

So yep, I'm still cool as hell, even though I don't update my blog as much as I should. Why is the expression "cool as hell" when hell is supposed to be hot? Maybe I'm hot as hell. I'm cool and hot as hell.

I hate the AAA lady. I tried to go buy a Vienna tourbook there today, and she was a supreme douchebag. She made me sign my name on a waiting list to talk to a travel agent, and told me to look at the books on display in the meantime to see if there was one there. Well, the book wasn't there, so I sat down to wait. And wait and wait. Finally I ask her how long it's going to be, because I have to be back at campus before too long. She looks kind of surprised, and I can tell it's because she forgot I was even there. She tells me she'll go see if any of the travel agents are free. They're not, and she goes,
"Well, you're looking for plane tickets to Austrailia, right?"
"No, I'm looking for a BOOK on AUSTRIA, you turd," said I.
"Oh, well did you look at the books on display? If it's not there, we don't have it," said the awful woman.
"What the hell?!" I replied. "What on earth did you make me go wait there for? Thanks for wasting my morning. I hope you step on something pokey."
"OK, have a nice day," said the hag.

I was way pissed off and still am. AAA is an evil company.

And it begins again

2005-01-09T22:22:00.000-06:00

The beginning of another semester! And guess what. My room is CLEAN! You guys need to come marvel at this before it's gone. I moved my furniture around (with the help of big men Wyatt and Trevor) and my bed is even made! I'm so proud. I've just been hanging out in my room by myself for fun just so I can look at it. :)

Something bad though---I have to go to class tomorrow! At 8:30! This sucks. I don't even have any particularly interesting classes to look forward to. The only thing that keeps me going is the thought of a nice fresh Juice Stop.

What Song are You?

2005-01-03T16:07:00.000-06:00

I was at Christy's blog (if I knew how to link I would have linked to her blog right then, as she usually does. Alas, I am ignorant of the secrets of html) and saw her intelligence test. I decided to explore those tests and found this one: Which 2004 Hit Song Are You? I am proud to be Maroon 5!

This Love by Maroon 5

"I was so high I did not recognize
The fire burning in her eyes
The chaos that controlled my mind"

You were so great in 2004 that you make everyone a little bit sick!

What 2004 Hit Song Are You?

New Years Resolutions

2005-01-03T15:39:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year to everyone! This is the time of year when everyone makes a lot of resolutions that they'll keep for about 2 weeks. Here are mine:

1) Win the bet against Jeff. This means I have to lose 10 pounds. Actually, I think I may have gained weight since the beginning of the bet, so it might be even harder than that. Yes, this bet is almost 6 months old, and both of us have been too lazy to win it. If you guys have any awesome secrets to weightloss, I'm all ears!

2) Always be reading a book for pleasure. By "always" I don't mean "at every moment of the day." I just mean to always have one going. Right now I'm reading "The Islandman" by Tomas O'Crohan. I got it in Ireland, and I'm just now getting around to reading it!

3) Clean my room. This one is going to start as soon as I get back to Lincoln, which should be tomorrow. Before I even unpack, my room is going to be spotless. Yeah, you guys can all stop laughing now.

4) Chill out a little. Lately I've been getting pissed off over little things that are pretty stupid. I'm going to try to cut that out, cuz being pissed is never fun. Well, once in awhile it can be, but it's better just to be happy.

5) Figure out all the cool stuff to do on my blog. Everyone else has this one down, so I figure I should be able to figure it out eventually. Maybe. I got started, check out my tagboard and counter at the bottom of the page!

And finally,
6) Keep my resolutions for more than 2 weeks this year. :)

Merry Chrismakwanzakah!

2004-12-23T22:06:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone, hope your Christmas Eve's Eve is going well! I am now FINALLY done with my shopping. And I'm broke, so if anyone has any extra money laying around that they're trying to get rid of, I'm your woman. That goes for extra chocolate, cheese, or shiny and/or fuzzy things, too. Which leads me to my next point:

I HATE those yellow Support/Pray for/I'm the Great-Aunt of/Hump our Troops stickers on every damn car on the road! Maybe I'm being irrational, but i absolutely despise them. First and foremost, they're freakin' ugly. They do not enhance the looks of any car. They're worse than bumper stickers, which at least are usually amusing in addition to ugly. I've seen many people who feel the need to go all out and have about 4 of them on their ugly vehicle, arranged symmetrically. And by "symmetrically" I really mean "symmetrically to a 3-year-old."

I also hate them because you buying a dollar magnet for your car does NOTHING to help or hurt the troops. All it does is make you look like a self-righteous hag. "Oh look, I'M supporting my troops! I'm SUCH a good American! You don't have a sticker? You must be a Communist!" Shove it already. You wasted a dollar on a piece of trash. Way to go. Maybe you should have sent that dollar to Iraq instead, if you really care so much.

I also get the idea that these magnets aren't about supporting our troops at all, I feel like they read more like, "Support Our War." But as I don't really want my blog to become a fiery political debate, I won't expand on that.

I could go on and on, but I think you get my drift. I hate these ribbons and everything they stand for. Sorry if you have one and I've offended you. I still hate them.

A joke!

2004-12-15T17:26:00.000-06:00

How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb?

Pentecostal:
Only one.
Hands already in the air.

Presbyterian:
None.
Lights will go on and off at predestined times.

Catholic:
None.
Candles only.

Southern Baptist:
At least 15.
One to change the light bulb, and
three committees to approve the change
and decide who brings the potato salad.

Episcopalian:
Three.
One to call the electrician,
one to mix the drinks, and
one to talk about how much better the old bulb was.

Mormon:
Five.
One man to change the bulb and
four wives to tell him how to do it.

Methodist:
Undetermined.
Whether your light is bright, dull, or
completely burned out, you are loved.
You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb.
Church-wide lighting service is planned for Sunday.
Bring the bulb of your choice and a covered dish.

Nazarene:
Six.
One woman to replace the bulb while
five men review church guide on lighting policy.

Lutheran:
None. Lutherans don't believe in change.

Church of Christ:
They do not use light bulbs because there is no
evidence of their use in the New Testament.

Unitarian:
We choose not to make a statement either
in favor of or against the need for a light bulb.
However, if in your own journey you have found
that light bulbs work for you, that is fine.
You are invited to write a poem or compose
a modern dance about your bulb for next
Sunday's service, during which we will explore
a number of light bulb traditions, including
incandescent, fluorescent, three-way, long-life,
and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths
to luminescence.

Amish:
What's a light bulb?

People Who Annoy the Hell Out of Me

2004-12-06T23:24:00.000-06:00

I consider myself a pretty friendly, easy-going person. However, there are a select few people I positively cannot STAND! I feel bad, because in a lot of the cases, these people are actually nice. There is just something about them that I can't handle. Or, I usually am fine with them, but they have recently done something to unleash my anger. This is my rant. Names have been changed to protect the annoying.

1)SPOON-GIRL. Spoon girl is the wifey-wife-wife of another person who made the list. Spoon girl is nicknamed so because of Ugly Choir last year (a.k.a. All-Collegiate Chorus). She wore a metal spoon in her hair, the same way some people use chopsticks. It looked like she stole it from the cafeteria. Spoon girl has been known to wear really weird clothes, get lovey-dovey with Little Richard, and pretend she's a pianist.

2)LITTLE RICHARD. Little Richard and Spoon-Girl go hand in hand. Little Richard has been known to suck up hardcore to professors, wear ugly socks, and laugh loudly at things that are simply not funny. Has recently toned down the arrogance a small amount due to valid competition at being the teacher's pet.

3)HAMBURGLAR. Hamburglar is the most egocentric person I have ever met. No matter what subject is being talked about, Hamburglar will always somehow relate it back to himself. Has been known to laugh even louder than Little Richard at things that are even less funny, make love to his farting bedpost, and be locked in his own personal closet. It makes things hard on the general public.

4)DR. THINKS HE'S FROM FRANCE. Dr. THFF is usually not on my shitlist. However, recently, he's been quite a jerk to Christy and me during a certain class. Has been known to reference obscure Frenchmen in everyday conversation, know entirely too much about Brahms viola sonatas, and cause hatred of the piano.

5)THAT GIRL IN MY PSYCH CLASS. Every class has to have the annoying one. The one that thinks that a lecture class is really meant to be a one-on-one conversation with the lecturer. She sits behind me. She asks about 7-8 questions every class on average. She invalidates the statement "There are no stupid questions." Hers are all stupid. They usually have something to do with basic concepts we covered a month ago. Has been known to be a complete moron, start asking me questions while I'm trying to listen, and say "I'm confused" countless times.

This list may very possibly expand. So you better be on your best behavior, because you might be next!

My newest addiction

2004-12-01T23:09:00.000-06:00

Hello fellow bloggers.
Sorry about the whole I suck at updates thing. It's just that I've been indulging myself in the new coolest game ever. Bejewled 2 from MSN games.
It's a lot like Tetris Attack, my other favorite game. The thing with this one is, it has shiny things! And really cool looking backgrounds. And the jewels sparkle. And it's fun to play. And did I mention there are lots of shiny things? Sometimes I find myself losing just because I got distracted from the sparkle.

On a totally different note, Friday I have a job interview at Raymond Central School, which I guess is in the middle of nowhere. I'm 60% sure I'll get lost getting there. Then right after that, I get to get all dressed up and go have a fancy dinner at the Nebraska Club, or some place with a name like that. It will be good times.

"La Cocinera Espanola", or "Night Managers at HyVee are Dumb"

2004-11-22T17:34:00.000-06:00

Procrastination is the spice of life.

Montana Jen and I are in the same Spanish 201 class. We had an assignment to do an oral presentation, so we decided we'd do a presentation about Spanish and Mexican food together. We also had plans to get it done really early so we didn't have to worry about it. That was about 2 weeks ago. 14 hours before giving the presentation, we finally started. We ran to HyVee to pick up our supplies. Turns out the employees at HyVee are idiots. Sure, they have a friendly smile in every aisle, but when push comes to shove, they are a bit incompetant. We were trying to find canned mangoes. They weren't in the regular canned fruit section, so the manager told us there wasn't any. I tried to ask him if it would be in the little gourmet section that's in every grocery store or something like that. He tried to tell me that the Chinese food WAS that section. I sighed and went away. Off we go to the produce section to find a lemon, and lo and behold, there's the gourmet section with all the exotic mushrooms and stuff. Right in the front was a slew of canned mangoes. So if you ever need canned mangoes, that's where you get them.

Anway, then we went back to my place to cook. I remembered why I don't cook often. It's not because I'm really bad at it (not that I'm great, though), but because I make a gigando-mess. There was flour in places I didn't even know existed! I dirtied every dish in the place, and fun times were had by all.

Morals of the story: 1) Don't trust Hy Vee employees. They don't know anything.
2) Don't let me use your kitchen or flour if you know what's
good for you
3) Buy me shiny things.

With all apologies to Christy....It's funny though!

2004-11-19T07:57:00.000-06:00

"Say," began Lucille one day over lunch, "didn't you go out
with that guy who played the French horn?"

"Yeah," said Diane, stirring her iced tea.

"You were really looking forward to it, I remember. How'd it
go?" Lucille leaned forward eagerly.

"Actually he was a pretty nice guy," volunteered Diane
reluctantly. "But there was one real problem..."

"Oh, really?"

"Every time he kissed me, he wanted to shove his fist up my
ass."

Old Dudes are Hot

2004-11-18T14:12:00.000-06:00

I was contemplating my Allow List the other day. What is an Allow List, you may ask? The Allow List is a list of celebrities that, if you ever get a chance, you are allowed to sleep with without hurting your current relationship's status. The reason I was contemplating was because I was about to see Brandon Boyd (lead singer of Incubus) who, of course, is #1 on the list. Brandon's about, oh, 27 now I would think. Not that old. However, all my other men are practically old geezers. Tom Cruise. Johnny Depp. Brad Pitt. These guys are all dinosaurs, but they're so beautiful! I can think of others too: Hugh Grant. Harrison Ford (he's really getting up there now, but is nonetheless still good looking). That guy in Spaceballs that Christy loves. These guys are all old enough to be my father. Maybe I have an Oedipus complex. Or, wait, the opposite of that, which has a name that I can't remember at the moment. Oh yeah, and Darryl White. I don't care if it's not right to say a professor is hot, cuz he is!

I then looked back at my dating history. I think I'm just attracted to older guys. Any time I've had anything with a guy younger than me, it's always turned out bad. Those are the ones I don't talk to anymore.

In conclusion, old guys are hot, and I want to go shopping.

The Incubus Experience

2004-11-17T17:58:00.000-06:00

Incubus truly is the best band that ever was. I'm never happier than when I'm at an Incubus concert. Case-in-point: last night. My beloved Inky-bus was playing a show in Vermillion, SD of all places. Vermillion just happens to be 30 minutes from my house, so I fused a visit home and a concert road trip into one! I went home Monday night and hung out with the fam, got my hair cut, and visited my Mom's class of 2nd-graders. Little kids are funny. My Mom's like, "This is my baby girl!" The kids are all, "But she's bigger than you!" And I'm all, "Are you calling me fat?" Just kidding, I didn't say that. But then the kids all started guessing how old I was. I think the guesses ranged from 16-26. So averaging it all out, they were pretty close.
I got way off-topic there. Anywho, Jen, Chris, Amy, and Kyle came to my house Tuesday afternoon, we had some dinner, and off we went! We got there about 45 minutes early and the lines were freakishly long already! Luckily it wasn't too cold out. We finally made it in, met up with some of my high school friends, and plunged into the ever-expanding crowd.
I don't know how many of you have explored a mosh pit, but it's a pretty intense time. It's next to impossible to stay with your original group, because you get thrown around everywhere. There were a couple times when I thought I actually might die from squeezification or being trampled to death. Luckily, I was able to hold out. Through our constant strategizing, Rachel and I managed to stay together with elbows firmly interlocked. We slowly inched our way up towards the front, taking advantage of every opportunity to shove someone out of our way. We did pretty well! We ended up VERY near the front--there were only 2 people in front of us! We were super excited and kept screaming and jumping up and down like little kids. During the song "Just a Phase" we threw quarters on the stage! It was pure bliss. And the hotness of Brandon Boyd never fails to please. He obliged us by taking off his shirt and showing us his manly manliness. (no, not THAT manliness, sickos) The music was awesome, the crowd was way into it, and a wonderful time was had by all! I'm sore as anything today from being elbowed in the neck, kicked in the head, and altogether squeezed to death. I also now have a man-voice from shouting so much. But it was well worth it. I could go on and on, but this post is already getting pretty lengthy and you're probably getting bored. Bottom line: Go to Incubus.

My Mom is the Coolest

2004-11-10T00:30:00.000-06:00

Hello, all. It's been awhile since the last update. I apologize. Frankly, this last week had been hell. My last post about how everything sucks describes about 1/8 the suckiness of this last week.
So, who do you call if your life blows completely? My mom. Seriously. Any of you guys can call her. She's the best. Today I got a care package from her with a new gloves and scarf set and lots of chocolatey things. This weekend she told me to just go shopping and put it on the credit card to get my mind of things. She also recommended drinking (lightly, of course) to help me sleep, something I never thought my mom would ever say! Verdict is, she's the best. I feel bad for everyone who doesn't have my mom.

Electioneering

2004-11-02T14:36:00.000-06:00

This afternoon I voted in my first presidential election! It was way exciting. And by way exciting, I really mean just mildly exciting. Anyway, I went to the polling place at just the right time, because there were only about 5 people in front of me, but about 25 behind me 5 minutes later. I got into my cool little booth and tackled that sucker. I was contemplating how great it was that we live in a democracy where everyone gets to vote when I heard the girl in the booth next to me say something that changed my life. She asked the pollster guy: "Ummm what does 'retain in office' mean?" Pollster guy: "Uh, it means 'keep'" Girl: "OOhhhhhh ok" Damn it, there went my nice idealized vision. Maybe it's NOT such a good idea for everyone to vote. I think that if you can't understand the vocabulary on the ballot, that should automatically make you ineligible.

On another note, does anyone think it's weird that "ballot" isn't pronounced like either "ballet" or "depot"? I think so.

Opa!

2004-11-01T23:51:00.000-06:00

I ate at the Parthenon today! I had flaming cheese and mousaga (which would be better if it was called mufasa) and BAKLAVA. The best part about Greek food is that it's so fun to say. Andrea got something called spank-a-pita. Pretty cool, huh?

Which leads me to my next point. I live with a bunch of anal-retentive freaks. It was "Roommate Date Night," which means we sit around and talk about our issues. All they ever do or talk about is cleaning. It's driving me insane. All through dinner it's like, "It really bothers me if the counter's not spotless." and "I hate it when the stools aren't lined up straight" and "We don't clean the microwave enough" (even though it's the cleanest microwave I've ever experienced) and really weird stuff like that. They all said their bit and then looked at me, and i'm just like...."ummmm i hate it when the fridge smells?" WEIRD. I know I'm a messy person by nature, but I think this is a bit overkill on the clean. Why didn't I just get a single room in Pound?

Chai Tea

2004-10-27T23:12:00.000-05:00

I love chai tea. Anyone who doesn't is a loser. It's so warm, pumpkiny and spicy. ahhhhhh. It makes you feel good when you're lonely. It warms your heart. :)

The week is slowly improving. I got my Psych test out of the way. I practiced a little bit (trying to ease back into the old routine). I started studying for music history. I feel a little better. But most importantly, I had some chai. ahhhhhhh.

Everything Sucks for Everyone

2004-10-26T18:26:00.000-05:00

This might be the worst week ever for everyone I know. This post is a tribute to the suckfulness of everything.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm sick.
I have a 10-page Psych paper due Thursday.
I have a Music History test Friday.
I have a Psych test to take sometime this week.
I'm sick.
I got Jeff sick.
All my friends are having bad things happen to them, and that makes me sad.
I still don't know what I'm going to be for Halloween.
I'm sick.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ok, done bitching. On the bright side of things, I didn't have to go to my piano lesson today because of being sick. I also slept for 12 straight hours. But that's about it.

I want everyone to vent and bitch in their responses to this. Let it all out.

Medical Science

2004-10-24T21:15:00.000-05:00

I have made a great discovery this weekend. It turns out that the cure for a slight sickness is NOT going on rollercoasters. In fact, it has quite the opposite effect. I feel icky. This post is going to be a rant on the Boomerang, a monstrousity of a ride.
I was in Kansas City this weekend with Jeff, Lisa and Bryant. We decided to check out Worlds of Fun Saturday night. Now, Worlds of Fun at Halloween time is awesome! They go all out with the decorations, and they have this outdoor haunted house thing that's pretty cool. What is NOT cool, though, is the roller coaster called The Boomerang.
My mean friends talked me into riding the damn thing. The whole ride takes only about 30 seconds or so, but in those 30 seconds you get thrown upside-down 6 times, 3 of which are while going backwards! Some psychotics (aka my friends) think that getting your inner ear turned inside out is a good time. It's not. After that stupid ride, I could barely ride the carrousel without throwing up. 24 hours later, I'm STILL nauseous. Plus I think I have a fever. Basically this whole post is just a cry for sympathy. Tell me you love me, please. :)

"That's Hot!"

2004-10-21T13:31:00.000-05:00

I don't know how many of you watch The Simple Life. I've seen a couple episodes. I think it's pretty mindless, but mildy entertaining. Here's the problem, though. Apparently Paris Hilton (or Nicole Ritchie, or both...anyway, someone) has TRADEMARKED the phrase "That's hot!" Now, if you've ever talked to me, you probably know that I say "Sounds hot" quite a bit. I've been saying this for about forever, way longer than The Simple Life has been on the air, at any rate. Now, I know that the two phrases are not exactly the same, but it's about the same connotation. I'm just pissed because now whenever i say MY phrase, it sounds like I'm quoting some dumb bimbo who had the audacity to get it trademarked! When those girls say it, it doesn't even make sense! It's like, "Oh, look at that cow poop." "That's hot." ARRRRGHHH!! The injustice of it!

Welcome!

2004-10-20T23:24:00.000-05:00

Welcome all to Blogination. After becoming addicted to Christy and Amanda's blogs, I decided that I should make my own. Here you will find ruminations and musings about all the deep, important things in life. Things like chocolate chip cookies. Mmmmm I'm hungry. Anyway, enjoy.