Show us your mother.
My mom and all my aunts a long, long time ago. Mom is on the far right, then going to the left, Aunt Lori, Kim and Dyann. I love this picture (not the best quality though because I don't have a scanner-- so I took a picture of it with my digital camera lol)!
]]>I arrived to school early today, and decided to take the scenic route to the music building. I pass by a pretty pond, trees, big rocks, and today, geese. There was a momma geese and her babies standing in the grass on one side of the sidewalk, and the pond on the other side. And directly in front of me stood what I can only assume was a daddy geese.
Now these things are huge. His head probably went up to my waist. The daddy geese was facing away from me, and was completely blocking the sidewalk. There was no way around him unless I a) wanted to go for a swim, or b) wanted to walk by the protective momma geese.
So I chose to loudly and obnoxiously stomp my way toward daddy geese. When I got, say, ten feet away, he noticed me. Then he hissed. And then he lowered his head so his neck was parallel to the ground and charged toward me.
!!!!!!!
Of course I ran away a little bit.
Then he hissed again as he stopped running, and then walked to the grass with momma and the babies.
And then I very cautiously walked by.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, Friday was my 20th birthday. I made out very, very well, and now have more than enough money to open a savings account for my "potential" study abroad trip to Sweden.
I decided trying to get into the United Kingdom program would be too stressful. It's very competitive, and if I don't get in then I don't get to go anywhere. Sweden, on the other hand, isn't as competitive as the UK. According to the study abroad lady, everyone that meets the minimum requirements (i.e. such as GPA and required classes that you need to take before leaving) will get in.
And Sweden is better because the university I will be going to has one exchange student for every six Swedish students. A lot of exchange students come from all over Europe to learn english there because apparently it is very "Americanized." I don't like the idea of americanized, I want something completely different. However, the opportunity to meet and make friends with people from all over the world is incredible, and by far outweighs any americanization that is involved.
I suppose European students choose to go there instead of the UK (or US) is because it's cheaper-- which is my other reason for liking Sweden better.
Anyway, I'm super excited about the idea of studying abroad. It's all I can think about, and I can't believe it is still over a year away. My mom says to stop planning for it now, but I have to plan now. I need to take certain classes before going, and I need to make sure that I'm not taking classes that I will get credit for while I'm in Sweden. And I need to start saving up money and applying for scholarships (unless someone wants to drop $14,000 in my lap... any takers?).
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I suck at coming up with interesting titles for my blog posts. Yesterday I chose hola and today I'm using hi. So original. Maybe tomorrow (yes tomorrow!) I'll use ciao.
I'm trying so hard to update almost everyday. Because skipping several months is bad. I've been blogging since the beginning of highschool (but on livejournal) and it is fun to go back and read my entries. So I must write more often.
Nothing particularly interesting ever really happens in my life, but I'm sure I'll find something to yack about on here everyday. I wonder, is everyday one word or two?
I just got done writing an article for the school newspaper. My journalism class this semester isn't how I thought it would be. To put it simply, I've found I don't particularly like the journalistic form of writing.
For one thing, you have to follow a strict format. Grammar and punctuation is different from, say, essay or blog writing. You can't include your opinion (!), and if you do it's called editorializing.
The biggy for me is editorializing. I have lots of opinions, and it kills me to have to suppress them and portray an unbiased point of view. I've lost many points on articles for editorializing-- but I will admit it is getting easier, the more I write articles, to suppress my urge to tell the world what I think.
The reasons above are why I decided to drop journalism as my minor. To me it's a very dry form of writing. Dry and boring. I can't imagine having to be a journalist. It's not for me.
However, the class is beneficial because it is interesting learning about these things. It's also fun to read newspaper articles now and see how the journalist made a mistake in the format and stuff like that.
Oh, and I've decided that I want Obama to be the democratic candidate for President. I would love a female president, but I really do not like Hilary. At all. If she ends up being the democratic candidate, I won't vote in the election. Because the republican candidate will most likely be McCain, and I get a bad feeling from that man too.
I do think that whoever the democratic candidate ends up being will be the president. I have an inkling that most people are sick of Bush, sick of republicans, and thus will vote democrat regardless of who it is.
But it better be Obama. Or I'm moving to Canada.
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I write this entry while listening to the Prague Symphony No. 38 by Mozart, courtesy of youtube.
I'm being tested on the darn thing in my music class this Friday, so I have to torture myself and listen to it constantly.
Look how ca-yooooot Hamlet is!
EW. So today Hamlet and I were lying on the couch, watching the finale of the Biggest Loser (go ALI!) and he proceeded to throw up all over me and the couch. Big chunks of food! I don't understand why he doesn't chew his food thouroughly.
I almost had a heart attack yesterday. So I was in at school in Turlock, and before going home I remembered I had to feed my dad's cat because he's in Vegas this week. I jumped on 99, got off the freeway two exits early so I could deposit my very last check (tear* still no new job) and then proceeded through the back roads to get to my dad's house. Well I had this complete and utter idiot in front of me, he kept on braking for absolutely no reason! I decided to pass him up instead of dealing with him, so I sped up, passed up the stupid car, and got back in my original lane, and was going nearly 50 mph in a 35 mph zone, when a cop decided to pull me over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was nearly in tears, no joke. Here's me, no job, just put her last measly little $150 check in the bank, and I get pulled over! All I could think of was a $200 ticket, how can I PAY for that? Plus traffic school, which is bound to be at least $30.
The cop comes strolling over, and I roll down my window and say, "Hi" like I just won the lottery. I was nervous and freaked out though! I show him my driver's license and registration, and then he notices that I'm not wearing my seatbelt the 'correct' way. LAJSDFLKJSDLFKJ.
Luckily, the cop thought I was nice (finally my goody-two shoes personality pays off) and only gave me a ticket for the seatbelt!!!
Woo hoo!
So I am still going to have to pay some sort of fine, but it should only be around $20. Also, a seatbelt fine doesn't put any points on my record, so insurance won't go up or anything.
And NO MORE SPEEDING FOR ME. At least until I get a job, haha. That was just too freaky for me, I don't know if I could bare it again.
I just felt completely sick to my stomach after that. I know it sounds crazy, people get tickets for speeding all the time. I just felt sick I suppose because of the money issue. And, well, I hate getting in trouble. Truth be told, I like the idea that everyone thinks I'm perfect. =D lol.
To top off everything, on my way home I witnessed an accident, but from fairly far away though. I still had to drive right by it, and the drivers side door was all smashed in and there was glass everywhere. I had lots of cars behind me so I couldn't stop and be nosy, but once I got passed it an ambulance and police drove by me, so the people in the car must have been in some sort of critical condition.
So yeah. That must be a sign that if I keep speeding I will end up in a horrible accident.
On to happier things now.
My birthday is in (counts on fingers...) fifteen days!! No more teenage-erhood!
Ah, and also yesterday I went and bought my mom a carton of cigarrettes, and I got carded. WTF. I have bought cigarrettes for her many, many times and not once have I gotten carded. I did get an early happy birthday from the cashier though. Made me smile. I lurrve birthdays.
You know, I really like the third movement of the Prague Symphony best. Listen here, if you care.
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How have I only updated twice this year??
It's not like I've been busy or anything.
I guess I should do a little recap of my life since the beginning of January.
At the end of January I finished my philosophy class. I recieved an A in the class (yay!), and even though I hated the essay writing, I really did enjoy the class. In fact, I enjoyed it so much I changed my minor from Journalism to Philosophy.
Then I had a little two week break off of school, and during this time I found a new job. The new job was at a restaurant called Etouffee, and I was hired as an assistant server. They opened at the end of February, but business was slow from the very beginning. Last Wednesday I got laid off because they weren't getting enough business.
So the job hunt is still on.
I'm kind of pissed about losing the job because we were required to wear nice clothing, kind of like the kind of clothing one might wear to a club or something. Because I don't really own clothes like that I went out and dropped $120 on two outfits. So now I've got to try to sell them on ebay or something.
In mid-February school started again. School is BORING. If I don't get all A's, it'll be because my classes were too easy so I slacked off.
Since mid-February, nothing special has happened.
Hamlet started and finished puppy school, and he passed his CGC (Canine Good Citizen) test just two weeks ago. I was proud =).
Along with me losing my job this week, my mom also lost her job. Yes, the driving school finally went out of business.
I've been feeling really stressed the past few days, because with both of us without jobs how are we going to pay for anything!?
Mom isn't stressed though. She went today to go take this state test so she can be an office technician. If she gets hired by the state she will have good pay, benefits, and paid vacation. She seems to think that she will be hired, but what if she doesn't??
Stress, stress, stress.
Not only that, but I've recently decided that I really would like to study abroad my last year of college (which would be the 09-10 year).
Which brings me to more stress.
Financial aid should cover the vast majority of my expenses, including tuition and other fees. But I still need a job to save up money for airfare, living expenses, etc.
Where I want to study abroad is in the UK. But the universities that are apart of my school's study abroad program do not offer a Communications major. So I would have to study primarily my minor and GE courses. Which means that over the next year I will need to complete all of my major requirements. And added up they are equal to 14 classes!
So I will be very, very busy over the next year.
Tonight I am going to see the play "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" on campus.
And tomorrow I am spending the day with my dad.
And hopefully Best Buy will call me back with a job offer on Monday... I went in for an interview yesterday!
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Today I drove twenty minutes to Turlock in 40-50 MPH winds and pouring rain - and not to mention I took the back roads. It was HORRIBLE. Just my luck, the first day back to school and we have one of the biggest storms of the season. The walk from my car to the Bizzini hall is probably about a five minute walk. By the time I got to the classroom I was soaked. After an hour of class my freezing jeans finally started to dry, and my hair (which was covered by a hood, but still got wet) was turning into a frizzy mess.
On the plus side of class, I met a cute guy who, like me, is Sicilian. For the life of me I cannot remember his name, but it was italian-like... something like Armani (but not).
The professor, who shares my name (Jessica), seemed like a cool person. My head was spinning by the end of class with philosophical thoughts. What is reality? If you believe in God can you believe in fate? What is fate? What is psyche?
Should make for an interesting class, but I'm glad my major is not philosophy. I don't think I could stand studying the subject for extended periods of time. In fact, after the first hour of class I distinctly remember thinking, who cares? Definitely interesting, but also mind-numbing.
Hamlet's been enjoying running out in the rain today. I, however, have not enjoyed trying to catch him so I can wipe the mud and water off of him every ten minutes. For most people, this wouldn't be a problem, but we have a doggy door, so he can go in and out as he pleases. For the most part, he is potty trained. Potty trained, but only if the door is open. If the doggy door is closed he doesn't know how to let us know he wants out, so he'll just pee on the carpet. So we have to keep the door open and potentially risk muddy carpets.
You know, I haven't played the Sims in a long time. I think I will go do that right now.
Hope everyone is staying dry!
xo
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Christmas went well. Everyone came to our house to celebrate. I got lots of new clothes and a sewing machine! I have wanted a sewing machine for awhile now, so that was really exciting (and quite unexpected, too!). I have already made a few kitchen towels to practice sewing in a straight line, and to get used to the different stiches. My next project will be yoga pants and a yoga bag because I am taking a yoga class in the spring. All of the projects derived from Diana Rupp's new beginners book to sewing. I seriously don't know where I would be without this book. It is so easy to grasp the concepts and terms, and it is written in an interesting way.
New Year's was spent at my Papa's house. It was fairly uneventful... and dare I say boring? We had our traditional sausage, peppers and onions at midnight and a glass of champagne.
I created some new year's resolutions today. The biggest one is to lose weight (like most people). Sparkpeople.com (the best site in the world! and it's FREE!) says my target weight is about 125 pounds, and I currently weigh 170. And I'm totally not even lying about my weight. I went to the gyno in the middle of December and that is what it was. Our scale at home isn't accurate and puts me at 162, so when I weigh at home I will add eight pounds. I'm not actually starting today, but on Monday. All my planning, shopping, and most importantly- mentally preparing myself - will be done between now and Monday. I'm going to follow Sparkpeople's plan and use their forums to inspire myself to stay on track. I was also thinking about taking a weekly photo of myself too. I really want to lose weight. Really, really, really, really.
My other resolution is to continue doing well in school. My goal? An A for my one winter semester class, and five A's and one B for my SIX spring semester classes.
Also, I want to be more social. Join a group on campus or something.
2007 was a good and a bad year.
Bad: I got mono- and had to drop out of my winter class and took a very light spring semester schedule because of it. Lots of family stress and problems due to one particular Aunt.
Good: Over the summer I went to Arizona by myself to visit family for a week. In July/August we went to Florida and visited family there for a week, and also went on an awesome Caribbean cruise. I did fairly well in the fall semester (although I could have done better, and I am beating myself up over the B in environmental biology).
I hope the Aunt problems will be resolved in 2008. I hope my mom gets all the money back my Aunt stole from her house ($150,000)- and plus some through the lawsuit she is currently pursuing. I hope we don't lose our house because of my Aunt. I hope my Papa gets a light jail sentence and I hope he goes away soon so he can hurry up and get OUT. After reading the last few sentences I also hope my family becomes more normal this year (haha). I hope I do really well in school so I can bring my GPA way up. My three (yes THREE) C's my very first semester in college are killing me. I want to start pursuing a different college to transfer to, and I cannot do that with my current GPA... or I could, but I probably wouldn't get my first choice. I don't even have a first choice yet. I want to start looking up good communication major colleges this year in California, Arizona and Florida. In any of these states I have family, so any would work.
2008 better be the best year ever.
I also hope we go on a Caribbean cruise again. ;)
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