Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Like I always say

Today is definitely one of those days. You know, the type of day when I wake up and automatically swear to myself that I will take a nap when I get home. This time, I think I mean it. I don't think I've taken a nap all semester (maybe one), and it's time for things to change. Nevermind all the work I should be doing. I've done enough work already, and I need a break, by George.

A toast to the coming afternoon: When then going gets tough, the tough take a nap!

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

The dregs

Pseudo-midterm has eaten my life away. No time for anything, especially blogature. One day I'll be back.

Maybe.

Thing of note: Got my results from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator today. I've taken this test before, but I didn't really remember anything about it. But wow, reading my type profile is like reading a paper someone has written about me after having followed me around all of my life -- or maybe just a really good horoscope. Quite impressive. And it makes me feel a little better about myself. Aaand it kind of proves that my contradictory nature isn't as contradictory as I thought. But, let's be real, I could just be letting it stroke my ego about being a noble deed-doer. Maybe that's a little off.

Really, scheduling my life around American Idol isn't helping anything. Ooh-whoah-whoah.

Saturday, February 18, 2006

The buckle

I know that I have been forbidden to talk about this, but it blows my mind. Can somebody please explain to me how in the crap it is already basically midterm?

What is that?

It would explain why this coming week is going to be the week from hell. Oh, and the two weeks after that. But this week mainly. Three tests -- ranging from the super-easy- take-home test to the complete-and-utter-effupification-of-my-world test -- and a paper and a half are enough to do me in on top of the gruelling activities that consume my life week after week.

It's true. I buckle under pressure. That, or I complain about it so much that I've blown it completely out of proportion by the time I actually face the task. That way it doesn't seem nearly as bad as I had anticipated. Let's hope that's the case.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

What?


Maybe there's something we don't know.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

A wee bit

Here's what I wish. I wish that ESO, ICALA, and VISA -- all organizations I'd like to be involved in -- didn't all meet on Thursdays at 5:00 pm. And just so happens that it's also the time I tutor, usually. Silly organization people. Why can't they adjust everything to my needs? For real.

News flash. I learned a new song on guitar last night. Do you even know how long it's been since I've played the guitar, much less learned a new song? A looong time. But I had to do something after the natural disaster known as Monday. It's not like I haven't taken up enough distracting activities in the name of stress relief, but what I like about playing guitar -- especially learning a new song -- is that it takes all of my concentration. You know what I mean? I get totally focused and my mind doesn't wander. It's like some sort of meditation. I think a lot of artistic activities are like that. I thought exercising would be meditative for me, but actually, my mind runs wild. I go a little ADD.

Speaking of distracting activities, I've taken up Harry Potter again. The goal -- but let's see how far I get before giving up -- is to re-read the whole series super-slowly between now and the release of the next book. I want to take in details instead of read for plot. I read the first six books in a matter of about six weeks, and the goal was to get to book six. With all the complexities and the ingenuity of J. K. Rowling's mind, I want to take it all in and be able to analyze.

Is there such a thing as a scholar of British children's literature? 'Cause I think I want to be one. I haven't read LotR yet, but I guess I should, huh? Being in this Early English literature class, I can see so many of the influences texts like Beowulf, medieval texts, classical texts, etc. had on Lewis and Rowling -- and countless others. And I'm interested in the repeated use of medieval culture and context in many more comptemporary texts, supposedly for children.

There never was such a geek.

Friday, February 10, 2006

Oculus reparo

So here it is 8ish in the am, and I'm sitting in the library looking up Dumbledore quotes. When I am at risk of falling asleep at the desk, I facebook. Upon looking at some quotes on people's profiles, it ocurred to me that what I, myself, am missing is a quote or two from that wise, old fellow. I think I've found the one for my profile, but oh, how I have forgotten the great extent of his wisdom -- and his comedy! Of course, it could be because I'm about to fall asleep that I find these funny, but I don't think so. I heart Albus.

"No, I was merely reading the Muggle magazines," said Dumbledore. "I do love knitting patterns."

"Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground."

"It's lucky it's dark...I haven't blushed so much since Madame Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."

"For future reference, Harry, it [Dumbledore's favorite jam] is raspberry...although of course, if I were a Death Eater, I would have been sure to research my own jam preferences before impersonating myself."

"I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks." Harry stared. "One can never have enough socks."

I'm afraid that I'm gonig to find myself re-reading the books soon.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Cal-uh-forn-yuuuh

And here I am.

I've been devoting most of my blog-related time toward "launching" (to sound oh-so web-masteresque) my new blog, The Loose Association. Who's to say if this is the end of Washed Up? That I don't know. I could really imagine that other'n being more interesting, both for the reader and for me. Oh, and if you look at the URL, the domain name (thelooseassoc) could be pronounced as something different. Ha. Ha.

It's the brain-child of a weekend of revelatory conversations with my mom and a solo car-ride back to Murray. Other products of this weekend: my purse-making project and the ridiculous nine-hour courseload for this summer. The projected schedule includes a two-week introduction to photography and a five-week session of some education course and a web page design class.

Hmm, yeah. So I think I'm going to continue to mutilate the poor, innocent jumble of fabric that I will one day call my purse, my friend. And maybe finish my homework.

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Where'd I put my gondola?

Nothing like a rainy day in Murray. The worst, to me, is crossing Olive Boulevard. It just fills up with water. What I really like is when I'm waiting to cross the street and a vehicle drives by at about 25 miles an hour (those speed demons!), splashing water as high as the trees. And then, once I wade to the middle of the boulevard to cross the other lane, here comes the same vehicle at the same speed, splashing the same amount of water. Thank you, U-turn at the Gates of Hell. Thank you.

I did get an A on that Span-Am quiz. I got a "Cassidy, excelente. Muy, muy excelente," when he handed it back to me. Sí, es muy excelente.

Holly and I saw Brokeback Mountain last night. It was good, but we agree, it's not as good as we had expected. I'd like to read the story. Anyway, I'm probably going to see it again with Mom. Maybe this time, Jake Gyllenhaal will forego that nastastic moustache.