Happy Holiday

More than the title of a delightful Bing Crosby song, "Happy Holiday" perfectly describes the season here. Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I like the cold, I like the decorations, I love Christmas lights, and I'm not such a hypocrite that I'd deny liking presents. But what trumps those every time is family and friends. I absolutely love having a packed house, having family stay over, having friends over. I love catching up and laughing together, playing games, losing at ping pong. The night before last, Kim, Becca, and I stayed up past four-thirty in the morning talking and gossiping. A long, illuminating, exciting, hilarious conversation. When the rooster started crowing for the second time, warning of the imminent sunrise, we retired. I spent another hour awake, reading and writing a bit, before I woke up several times, pen poised in mid-sentence. Leo kept me company last night. I was tucking in to a new chapter, when I heard him scratching at my door. I let him in, and he proceeded to explore every nook and cranny. He began chewing on the bouquet of flowers from Kim and Darren's wedding, and then he decided he'd rather chew on the cords attached to the window blinds. He almost toppled my mint plants, but I rescued them, and distracted him with some pretty ribbon. Anyway, it was good to see him interested in something other than food. Today is New Year's Eve, and while I type away busily on this post (blindly too, as the lights are off and I can't see the keyboard), Dad is busy taking apart the vacuum, Mom is folding laundry, and Becca is probably off talking to Jacob or playing with her rubiks cube. Me, I'm going to finish this post and get some brunch, and then see if we have enough potting soil for me to repot my plants. Tonight, TJ and Susan will be coming over for New Year's festivities, and I hope we get around to playing a few games. Maybe we might even play Balderdash, my absolute favorite game ever. No one ever wants to play Balderdash; we've not played it here in over a year. You need a table-full of people to play, and they have to be creatively-minded people. Oh well, enough about that. Leo beckons.

A Conversation About Soap

Rebecca: What's soap on a rope?
Jessica: It's soap...on a rope.
Rebecca: But what is it? What's it for?
Mom: You want me to tell you what it's for? This is what I think it's for - what I heard, at least. It's for men's showers, so they don't have to bend over as long to pick up the soap.
Rebecca: Oh.
Dad: Yeah, and do you know why the Navy switched to powdered soap?
(pregnant pause, signifigant look exchanged between mom and dad)
Mom: So it would take them longer to pick it all up.
Rebecca and Jessica: (in unision) Ewww!
Dad: (unable to talk, laughing hysterically)
Mom: (not talking, trying to look prim while also laughing)

Merry Christmas!

Last grade of the semester...

And it's an A+ in my Introduction to Shakespearean literature. Whew!

Yesterday, I talked my mom out of going shopping at the commissary because I wanted to get the Christmas decorations down from the attic (which hadn't been done yet), and I really wanted to get the Christmas tree decorations down, as we hadn't put up our Christmas tree yet. Everyone had something they wanted to do, so I grabbed a ladder and climbed up into the attic and unloaded all the Christmas stuff by myself. After that, I wanted to put up Christmas lights outside, so I grabbed a bigger ladder and climbed up onto the roof. Boy, talk about Vertigo! Anyway, I swept off the roof, and then strung several strands of icicle lights from the front of the house (what you see when you first come down the driveway). Stringing lights up outside is much harder than it seems! Then I strung up antique colored lights up on the porch. Seriously, I have no idea how old these lights are, but I know they must be older than me. Still, they're beautiful, even if they are made of glass and require a gentle hand. Once that was done, I turned on both strands of lights...they were beautiful!

Then, I came inside and started going through the boxes of Christmas decorations, getting out the stuff I thought we'd use, and all that jazz. TJ came over and we did the tree. It is so beautiful! I don't have a picture to show you because for some reason this computer will not read my camera (so I can't unload any pictures). You'll have to wait until I get back to school. After that, we all sat around the kitchen table and talked and yawned (we all were exhausted). It was a very big and busy day, but now the house is Christmasy, both inside and out!

That's crazy!

I studied as little as humanly possible (by my standards, I can't just 'not study') for my biochem final exam. By my reckoning, it was less than one tenth of the time I should have spent studying, according to my professor. And yet...I looked online for my Biochemistry grade and guess what it was...an A+!!! No friggin' way!!

Home Free!

Finally, I'm home! Let's see...I studied for a grand total of five hours for my biochemistry exam, and the exam itself wasn't that bad. Really. I should have my grade tomorrow, and I hope it's good. My Shakespeare exam was this morning, and it wasn't bad either, and my professor has promised to have them graded ASAP. I passed my External Learning Experience (it was pass fail) and I got an A+ on my Shakespeare paper. In other news, I've posted my sixth chapter, and I've gotten a number of very positive reviews so far. I'm psyched!!

The Most Hilarious Thing of the Season!

You have to check this out, you just have to. It's hilarious!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1488725811

Celebrate, I will

Perhaps. I've officially become an author! Kinda. I've published four chapters of a story on fanfiction.net and I am thrilled. This has been an event seven and one-half years in the making. I've been writing since the summer of 2000, and now I'm actually doing something with my writing. Well, not the writing from 2000, or the immediately following years, because that stuff's pretty much just crap. But some of the later stuff is so-so, even if I do say so myself. And, I got my first review, someone who told me they liked my story and to update soon. Maybe someday I'll drop you a link to the story if anyone is interested in reading it, but as of right now, I'd rather enjoy my anonymity in the world of fiction and use that as an excuse to not study. You'll just have to take my word for it, and maybe check out www.fanfiction.net and browse through the wonderful world of fan fiction.

Update: I've now received four reviews (all positive) and a number of people have added my story to their alerts list (meaning that when I update, they get an email alert). How cool is that!?!

Update 2: I've added a new chapter, and as of now, more than twenty people have read all five chapters, and I got another positive review!

The Enchanted Golden Compass

I've combined two movie titles into one post title because I went and saw both Enchanted and The Golden Compass, Thursday night and Friday night respectively. Both were awesome! Enchanted was so refreshing, and I just loved all of the references to past Disney films. I bet you didn't know, but Patrick Dempsey's receptionist at his law firm was the voice of Ariel from the Little Mermaid! The humor was there, the romance was there. Mostly humor though, which was perfect.

On the other hand, The Golden Compass was somewhat lacking in the humor department, but then again, it was a serious film. I suppose that since Pirates II opened the door for shameless cliffhangers, I can let Golden Compass off with only a warning, since it does leave things hanging. The animation was awesome, the costumes were amazing, the acting was wonderful - all around, it was a great movie. Oddly enough, Nicole Kidman was the favored actress for the role of Ms. Coulter. For over ten years, mind you. And, oh, I love this. Guess who was the author's pick for the role of Lord Asriel. Go on, guess. Ok, I'll tell you: Jason Isaacs. You know, Jason Isaacs, the actor who brought to life Lucious Malfoy, Colonel Tavington, Captain Hook, and just about any other manner of suave bad-guy you can think of. Jason Isaacs, one of my most recent inductees to my hall of fame. Oh, forget it. Besides, the role didn't go to him. It went to Daniel Craig, and I am most definitely NOT complaining. I still maintain that the very best scene in the entire film featured Daniel Craig shaving his grizzly stubble away to reveal a smooth and quite handsome face in the flickering firelight. Sigh.

Son of Asneeze

Sorry, random title. Any who... what have I been up to? Hey! That rhymes! Moving on. I have two grades so far, an A in my Genetics lab and an A+ in French. I should be getting my Biology grade soon - all I had to do was write a paper, and I turned it in over a week ago, and it's only a pass/fail course. I don't know what the holdup is. And I'm chewing my nails to the quick waiting for my Shakespeare paper grade. I turned that one in almost two weeks ago, and I've not heard anything about it. So, that's what making me nervous. Wanna know what else? I have a biochemistry final exam on Monday. I'm not too worried about it - I need 18 points out of 72 to make a good grade in the class. I need 48 points out of 72 to make a really really good grade in the class. Any where in between those two grades will be fine for me. No real pressure. Then on Tuesday is my Shakespeare final, which will be a breeze (once I've studied), and then I get to go home after that. The end is in sight. I just can't wait to be free of biochemistry. No class has been so demanding, but I am determined to stick it to the system (providing I make a B or better in the class). You see, the very first day of class, my professor told us that there was no way we could survive in the course without a study group - two to four people tops. Well, I've never been one for study groups, so I kept to my old routine - cramming on my own, and I've got one of the highest grade in the course. Fancy that. So, like I said, no pressure. Now, Scrubs (my new favorite TV show) is coming on in a moment, and I have to watch it. Later!

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Atonement

I'm writing somewhat out of order today, as I haven't yet seen this film. That, in fact, is the reason why I am writing. Atonement opened in the USA on 7th December, 2007. I knew this. The previews said so. So, today being 10th December, 2007, I decided to do a search of local showtimes to see when Atonement was playing in Raleigh. Oh, wait, it's not. Whoops. Apparently the film only opened for limited release, which means if you don't live near LA or NY or some other huge city, you have to wait for the film to come to DVD form before you can see it (unless you travel to go see it, or choose to download it illegally, which I won't). I would like to see this movie - I've known about it pretty much since it was first announced, and I thought it looked really good. Add Keira Knightley, Romola Garai, and James McAvoy to the picture, and I really really want to see it. Too bad. I can't find anything any where that says it will be opening up for a nationwide release in the USA, so I think I'm just going to have to wait. Bugger.

Classes are over! Exciting news. Well, not really. While I won't miss Biochemistry and Genetics, I will miss French and Shakespeare, but that's the way of things. C'est la vie. On Friday, there was a huge sale in the bookstore (which sells all the textbooks on campus - hence the name "bookstore," but also sells a ton of NC State memorabilia, school supplies, and also has a mini bookstore - with fiction and reference books) - 40% off most everything. So, I went just after they opened their doors - it was a madhouse! I could barely breathe trying to get through the mob of people carrying NCSU sweatshirts, blankets, socks, pants, hats, and God knows what else. Thankfully, I had only one goal in mind - that tiny little bookstore in the back. After twenty minutes of browsing, and an hour of waiting in line, I bought four books - A Man of My Words by Richard Lederer, A Room with A View by E.M. Forster, Selected Poems including Evangeline by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and a book containing 37 of Sherlock Homes' mysteries including the entire The Hound of The Baskervilles novel by Sir Arthor Conan Doyle. It was a good haul.

Later that night, Rebecca, Jacob, and I went over to Thomas's in Selma. There, we played poker for a few hours (I was out after the first hour), then we played table tennis for about ten minutes. Then we played Taboo for a while (the girls beat the boys by one point). Then we played a new edition of Cranium (I don't want to talk about how badly the boys beat us), and then we played Scattergories for nine rounds, before we three headed back to campus. We left just after 2:00AM, and in the time that we were there, I consumed one jack n' coke, two jello shots, one peach vodka sour, and one hawaiian punch-ruby red vodka cocktail. Thomas, on the other hand, consumed nineteen jello shots, two Guinnesses, and who knows what else. I learned that I can drink anything as long as it's got some sour mix in it - that can cover up the taste of any alcohol. Anyway, come the morning (well, noon, if you must know) and I wasn't the least bit hungover. Go figure. And now, for a weekend of hallmark movies, reading, and some studying!

Yay! December!

December is here! Yay! I spent most of today writing my paper for my external learning experience, and now that's done. I just need to review and revise it, and then turn it in. That's a load off. Sigh. Right now I have a Hallmark movie playing in the background. I'm slightly ashamed to admit it, but I love those Hallmark and Family Channel Christmas movies- you know the ones I mean? Those made-for-TV films, usually about finding love or the power of family - so sweet that you start to gag, but you smile while doing so - those are the ones I'm talking about. Their plots are irritatingly simple and clichéd, but you still watch it until the end just to see the two people get together, or to see the family reconcile. And now, what makes it better is that Rebecca and I bought some Christmas lights and strung them up across the ceiling. Instant Christmas Cheer. Just add electricity! And then I bought some chocolate covered cherries. One kind is those Queen Anne Cordial Cherries - covered in chocolate with a gooey center surrounding a Maracino cherry - save that these are covered in dark chocolate and the inside is peppermint flavored. Mmmmm! And the second type is my all-time favorite holiday candy - Chocolate flavored Bing Cherries! God couldn't have invented a better treat, for me at least, to enjoy during the holidays. And now, back to my oh so sweet, holiday Hallmark movie!

And a note to all you Shrek fans: a half-hour show called Shrek the Halls will be premiering on the ABC Family Channel on December 11th featuring all of the original voice talents. I'll be watching!