My most recent favorite pictures...

The first picture is called Mafia Music. The second, Nerds Unite! These are both shirts you can buy on Threadless. Unfortunately, the Nerds Unite one is sold out right now, but if you request one, that'll add to the count, and they may reprint it sooner. You don't actually have to follow through and buy it just if you request it, but it helps those of us who want to buy it (hint hint!) to be able to do so sooner.

Hope you like the pictures!

Threadless T-Shirts

Once again, I"m hanging out in my A&I class, before it starts, for once, and I'm bored. I have to say though, my shirt is quite fun. (Random, I know) It says "We'll be safe in this dark, creepy barn." You all have to check out threadless.com....link in title. It's so worth checking out! THere are a bunch of hilarious, awesome shirts....actually, Amanda? There's this perfect shirt for you called Pandemonium...but if you get it, get a guys size...all the girls shirts are baby doll tees and horribly uncomfortable...the guys shirts are nice.

That's all for now! Class is about to start.

Random stuff, halloween costume

So here's just a random post. I'm sitting in my room listening to "Everything (Is Never Quite Enough)" by Wasis Diop. It's actually a pretty good song....it's off the Thomas Crown Affair soundtrack, which is a good movie, with the exception of the one racy sex scene. Chris is sitting next to me reading some mac forum. We're both eventually going to get to homework, but I think we're both avoiding it right now. I'll get to it within the hour for sure....I need to go over and practice tonight.

Oh, Amanda...Cynical Idealist halloween costume?
Let's see....
I'd have comfortable, open toed shoes, probably my new brown flip-flops, jeans, and a black shirt with a rhinestone pumpkin on it. I'm not much for rhinestones, or pumpkins for that matter, but that's probably the only "Halloween wear" that I would wear...I'd have funky earrings, probably big "chandelier" earrings, and I'd have my hair pinned back into weird curls with about 40 bobby pins. As far as makeup, I'd do black eyeliner under my lids (sounds weird, but it works and looks good) and mascara, maybe some eyeshadow and lipgloss if I feel like making more of an effort. I'd have my nails done cool...probably orange with the pumpkin faces on them, and I'd have my toes painted nice too, I don't know what color. Random other accessories? Some sort of a giant purse, with a book in it, probably Sense and Sensibility, since I'm trying to finish that now, and lots of chapstick and lipgloss, and my wallet and keys.

I think that's about it. I should really get to my homework now.....I don't wanna! Oh well, I don't think my profs care if I want to or not. :)

More about my homework blog.

Hey everyone! This will just be a quick update, since I have to be to work at 11, and I still need to make lunch and change. I just wanted to let you know that I've made more updates to my homework blog. I'll be blogging there quite a bit, (at least compared to my track record with this blog....I'll try to improve that too...) since I have to have "a cultural experience" at least once every week and write about it. There are also links in that pages sidebar to go to other parts of the site where my class notes and papers are. While I know it's for class, none of it's been really boring yet, except the book review thing, so you all may actually enjoy the posts there. Just a heads up. Ok, off to work now!

Updates.

Hey all! I know that I've been bad about blogging. I'm sitting in my arts and Identity class right now, and I just thought I'd all let you know that I have yet another new blog. elythrashomework.blogspot.com This blog is for one of my classes, the one I'm sitting in now, actually. I submit homework on there, and then my prof checks the archives at midterm and the end of the semester. I've got one paper on there....enjoy it if you can follow it...it's a book review.

My Wedding Website

Hi guys! I can't remember if I blogged about this, so I just thought I would again, just in case. I have a website that talks about wedding details, and you can (eventually) RSVP to the wedding there. It's a fair assumption that if you read my blog, you are invited....with the exception of random strangers who happened across it. Anyway, here's the site...

http://weddings.theknot.com/pwp/view/co_main.aspx?coupleid=3268826752209664

So I'm in Seattle rignt now, and I'm having fun wearing myself out. Today, we went all the way from the Space needle to Chinatown to Pike's Place to the university district to Volunteer park and back to the space needle. (Our hotel is about a block away from the space needle.) If you want to look that up on a map, that's pretty much all across town. Most of it, we walked. Not that I'm complaining...I really enjoyed it. I'm just explaining how we got around. So now I'm going to get ready for bed...it's late. We went to a play tonight, A midsummer's Night's Dream, in the park...it was very very well done...just late, so I'm tired. So, more details later, goodnight.

I must say, I'm not blogging because anything interesting is happening. I'm blogging because it isn't. I spent the majority of the afternoon drawing henna tattoos onto my legs, which I may or may not post a picture of when they get darker. (Henna gets darker for a few days, then slowly fades, disappearing completely after three weeks.) Now I have homework to attend to, but I'm avoiding it. I'm not even avoiding it properly, by working on other things I genuinely want to do. I'm simply sitting here, in my little blue chair, blogging and watching the movie Gigi. I think I will do a bit of homework, and then go and work on this painting that's been stuck in my head for about a week now. Maybe I'll post a picture of that, too, when I finish it. Right now, my tea is hot, time to get it and get to work. :(

Daily Activities.

Guys, I'm a little disappointed! I figured someone would comment on my shark dinner. Oh well. :)

My days have been a little meh. I'm working on my quilt a little each day...I'm up to 9 rows by 22? (maybe 26) columns. Anyway, it's just getting big enough for me to curl up underneath, were it not for the fact that it's only one layer of material thick.

I'm also in an English class, just a general...I read a bunch of stories, and then I write short essays answering questions about them. Exciting, huh?

I have another class starting next week, one that I actually have to attend, remarkably...two hours a day, four days a week. That one should be alright though, as it's in my major area. Forms and Analysis. Boring, right? Yeah, that's what I've been told it is anyway. Oh well, it'll be something to do.

I'm planning a trip with my mom to ride Amtrak to Seattle, with some stops on the way there and back. I'm really looking forward to that. With the exception that I feel slightly guilty taking that much time off of work.

I'm working at a greenhouse, as I've said before. It's a lot of fun, and it's getting easier. I'm learning more, and it's nice to just be outdoors.

Ok, well, currently, I'm making banana bread, and I think it's about time to take it out of the oven....mmmm.....so I'm gonna go. Bye!

Dinner...Dine Different.

Those of you who know me well have probably heard me say at one time or another, "I'll try almost anything once." Well, it still holds true. Last night, I went out to dinner with Chris and another couple, and we went to Outback. I asked what the catch of the day was, not really planning to order fish, but curious nonetheless, and I ended up deciding to get it. It was Mako Shark. Pretty good stuff, really...I'd recommend it to anyone who likes fish. Considering the size of the animal it came from, you don't really have to worry about those pesky little bones like most fish. Just so you know the size, I'll upload a picture. This is only a medium-sized Mako.



Oh, we all also went to see the Superman movie...it was pretty good! I enjoyed it, anyway.

Yet another video.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=489221653835413043&pr=goog-sl

Ok, that's the link to a crazy-weird rap video done by some Stats TA's. Amanda, Chris, you two should especially get a kick out of all of this. Enjoy!

Musings

I had a lady at work tell me that I should be a botany major. She seemed quite shocked when I said that I am not good enough at science to make it as a botany major, and I simply don't enjoy it as much. I should interject for all of you that don't know, that I actually work in a greenhouse, but I was hired as a watergirl, and simply picked up enough about most of the plants that they let me run the place on my own most evenings and weekends. I enjoy my job, but I don't think I'd enjoy all the extra crap I'd have to learn to major in that. Plus, greenhouses are fickle. I've learned that much at least. You're either extremely dependent on the weather, which can still destroy your plants, or you have an insanely high water bill. (At least in South Dakota summer heat you do...)

I told this lady that I am a Vocal performance major, and when she asked what I was going to do with that, if I was going to sing opera or what, I kind of fumbled with the answer. See here's my sort-of-not-so-secret fear about my major. This is not a very highly demanded career path I'm on. And I look around, and see all the other people majoring in the same thing, not just at my school but at others too, and I think, you know, we're all jockeying for elbow space as it is...what's it going to be like when we all graduate? I suppose the majority of us will find other jobs. I'd like to be able to get into a job where it wasn't minimum wage hourly crap....but who knows. I've always wanted to run my own business, honestly, but I'm not so sure I have the business savvy for that. My two ideas for that were either a coffee shop, or a studio...art and music, probably, or maybe just music, but preferably both. See, I would LOVE to own a coffee shop...one of those late night ones for college students with the overstuffed couches and the odd but cool artwork? That's one of the things I've always always wanted to do...but do I have enough business savvy to be able to ensure that I could take out a business loan, get this thing off the ground, and keep it going indefinitely? I've never worked in a coffee shop before! That would probably help...

The studio, honestly, fits into my major better. I've always had in the back of my mind that I could teach lessons in piano and voice, and maybe art...but just have this place for kids, junior high and up, probably, where they could go after school and be safe and non-destructive and have fun and still learn about the arts. It'd have to be in a bigger city, and I have no idea how I'd fund it...maybe I'd run it like teen daycare....I don't know...but I wanted to be able to do lessons for underprivelaged kids too, and maybe see if I can network and get other instrumentalists to teach other instruments, maybe even the older kids teaching the younger kids, if they're good enough. That is a plan that I think I would be estatic about doing, but I'm just afraid to attempt it. See, I could really do it now, but I'm just in too small of a town for it to work well, and I don't want to get it crushed and then be afraid to try again. Yeah....So I could do this studio, and maybe attach a coffee shop? :D Who knows...

Ok, that's enough for tonight. It was certainly long enough. Congrats on making it all the way through!

This was kind of a duh (I hope)...what with my major and all...

You are a Rocker Girl!

If you don't have musical talent, you've got a talent for picking out great CD's. Music rules your life - and you've got the best MP3 collection of anyone you know. Many guys find you intimidating, but a select few think you're the catch of a lifetime.

What Kind of Girl Are You?

Motivation is overrated.

So here I sit again, late night, not going to bed even though I'm tired. I don't know why...oh yeah....I'm supposed to be cleaning my room. Well, laundry's all sorted...I did dishes today! But those aren't in my room....went grocery shopping, also not room related.....ok so I'm avoiding finishiing! I need to make my bed, that usually motivates me to finish...but here's the irony. As soon as I finish, I'm unmaking the bed and sleeping in it! Ok, so I'm not very motivated right now...at all. Goodnight. :)

Late night updates.

Hi all!

Ok here's the update. It's Chris's birthday today, (Happy birthday!) and we're heading up to soo foo to meet his parents, grandparents, and my parents and little sis. (And her dog Keya! Haven't seen it yet, sounds cute...black furry chihuahua...even though I don't like small dogs....cute). Anyway, before that, I have an interview at that restaurant that I applied at, Little Italy's...so hopefully that goes well. I don't know how much I really want to be working two jobs right now, but my job that I have now is soon cutting back my hours out of necessity...we're just not that busy anymore...and Little Italy's would continue till I leave Vermillion...unless I find something better. So yeah...hope the interview goes well...

On another note, my nice new camera that I was so excited about had three large areas of dead pixels, which basically means three very large white boxes with black outlines in the middle of my pictures, so I sent it in for repairs. Yay! I got it back today, and all has been mended.

Ok, that's about all I can handle for right now...it's way later than I'm used to anymore! (I've been going to bed at or before midnight regularly now...can you believe it?) Ok....tired.....sleep.....

Procrastination

So, today is my first day off since I got hired last Friday, and I'm enjoying it, but I've got so much to do, before 4:30. (Chris and I are going to a movie in Sioux City tonight...good end to a day off!) But I thought I'd put a list out here to see if I could get it done...(Taking a cue from you awhile back, Amanda!) So here it is:

Call Little Italy's (possible second job?? They called me after all!)

Work on Math and English (good ol' correspondance, too easy to procrastinate...)

Clean up room a bit. (Not desperate, but it's got to be done sometime, right?)

Ok, so I thought I had more to do...who knows...maybe I'll remember the rest of it later.

Some jokes.

I am not in any way against the US Military, but this stuff does make me wonder who exactly enlists. Oh well, hope you laugh as much as I did!

"Aim towards the Enemy." - Instruction printed on US Rocket Launcher

"When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend." - U.S. Army

"Cluster bombing from B-52s is very, very accurate. The bombs are guaranteed to always hit the ground." - U.S.A.F. Ammo Troop

"If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

"A slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect it. That would make you quite unpopular in what's left of your unit." - Army's magazine of preventive maintenance

"It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed." - U.S. Air Force Manual

"Try to look unimportant; they may be low on ammo." - Infantry Journal

"Tracers work both ways." - U.S. Army Ordnance

"Five-second fuses only last three seconds." - Infantry Journal

"Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid." - Col. David Hackworth

"If your attack is going too well, you're probably walking into an ambush." - Infantry Journal

"No combat-ready unit has ever passed inspection." - Joe Gay

"Any ship can be a minesweeper ... once." - Anon

"Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do." - Unknown Army Recruit

"Don't draw fire; it irritates the people around you." - Your Buddies

(And lastly)

"If you see a bomb technician running, try to keep up with him." -- U.S.A. Ammo Troop

Meet Talenyn!

I adopted a new pet cat. (Scroll down to see her.) Her name is Talenyn, which means "little wren". I realize that's a bit ironic that I'm naming a cat after a bird, but I like it, so that's the way it is. :)

Other than that, it's finals week, which is a well shown by the fact that it's 1:30 in the morning and I am not studying, I'm posting. But at least I don't have class in the morning! Ok, off to bed....soon.

How outgoing am I?

Your Extroversion Profile:

Cheerfulness: High

Friendliness: High

Sociability: High

Activity Level: Medium

Excitement Seeking: Medium

Assertiveness: Low

How Extroverted Are You?

More updates....to my iPod.

Hi all! I'm sitting in my speech class, five minutes before class starts, waiting for my iPod to update songs. I had to restore factory settings, which basically means it erased my music off, and to give you an idea how much of a hassle that is, it's been loading the music back on, and it's only gotten 5 GB back on....I own 18 GB worth of music. This takes awhile. *sigh* I think I'm going to have to leave my computer hooked up during class, which I don't imagine my teacher will be very happy about. Oh well. I can't disconnect now or I'll have to start all over again.
By the way, an update on my speech, it went well...as did my juries...(my music finals). Now I've got a semi-slack week ahead. Yay! Gotta go now, class starting.