I've been putting off too many things. Like restarting my computer, washing my jeans, and writing what I've wanted to. Maybe it's easier said than done though. I just returned from Austin, TX. I had a short visit with Sissy and Jeff. I am always happy to be in their company. In the morning I'm headed to Memphis. I come home from there on Sunday and I move back to Monroe on Wednesday. Summer passes much more quickly though the weeks have gotten longer. And I feel like there is something I'm forgetting to do. At least I've spent good time with the ones I cherish.

To bed with myself before another long drive, and I continue on with more text book narrative.

Excerpt from an old notebook

"The goldfish you won at the fair round-up in grade school. You carried them home in little sandwich bags that kept leaking and hardly stayed closed with the twist tie pinching it closed. You had two of them. Your family went out to Wal-Mart and bought a large glass bowl, some rocks, a couple jugs of water. You named the fish, they died. So you're stuck with a big bowl and some stinky bright purple and teal rocks a week later. Just dump out the rocks and put the bowl in the bath tub. You still cried though."

This weekend has been good for me. Hung out with David most of the time. I enjoy his company. We watched Labyrinth because I'd never seen it before and it is a great movie. Yesterday was Pi(e) Day, so we thought that a great excuse to bake a blueberry-raspberry pie. Let me tell you, that was one tasty pie. The berries popped and released such sweet juice in my mouth that reminded me of Memphis summers and 4th of July picnics. I'm afraid I won't be able to make it up there this summer, which is really upsetting. But perhaps it will work. I like to hope so. But back to this weekend, David and I also watched Wizard People, Dear Reader, which is an alternate voice over to the movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I found it most amusing. It's done by the same person who did the Washington Rap.
...
In other news, the semester is now half way over. And I'm surprised at how much I am not excited about that. I'm kind of disappointed by that fact actually, because when this semester is over, I only have two more years here, and that seems like an awfully short amount of time in the scheme of things. What I was happy about on school related topics was that at Browse the Bayou we had at least three or four prospective majors. And I believe we had that many last semester, so I'm always glad to meet the new ones coming in to join us.

Other than that dear readers, I don't have much for you now. My apologies. Here's a dance and song I really liked if you wanted something entertaining to watch.

Edit:
I almost forgot to tell you. I'm playing intramural softball with the AMS this week! Wish me luck! We all know how much I hurt myself with any type of throw-catch-swing-at-a-ball sports. Haha.

I'm flexing my fingers at this. I haven't written consistently in so long, and I remember how much I loved doing so when I did write. This weekend I did several things I hadn't done in so long. Today I went for a ridiculously long bike ride. I ride my bike to class everyday, but that is so different from the feeling of pedaling down streets for only the sake of moving. The air was warm, not hot, and it brought back memories of my childhood, riding down streets and under trees, past cars and houses and open grass. It made me happy.
I also decided to start stretching again. My muscles have grown too short and stove up. Without flexibility we are all old. I began to remove the stiffness from my body, lying on the floor, breathing slowly, and trying to remember the moves from my old yoga class as I ripped and tore loose the bindings on my legs, sides, back, and all. I'm sure I'll be sore all over in the morning, but right now I feel great, so I'll remember that as I draw out my body tomorrow.
Friday evening I went with David to a cookout at his friend's house and had a great time. I squished up hamburgers for the first time. I guess that is a basic skill I needed to learn. I met a few members from the water ski team, all of whom were from foreign countries, and thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I watched a couple awesome movies, read, and didn't mind the time change as much as I usually do. This weekend was a much needed one after three major tests last week and the stress I was feeling from that. Now I'm feeling peaceful and rested and happy with my friends. I hope all of you are just as well.

-Today, instead of the stairwell smelling of stale beer and boy sweat, it smelled like brownies, and this made me happy.

-I wish I had more time for reading.

-I need to shave my legs like whoa! bad.

-I bought Leslie Donkey Kong 2 and now I can't get the music from it out of my head.  It's probably due to the fact she has been playing it nonstop since Friday night.

-I've been wanting to paint a picture lately.  Images keep popping in my head that want out.

-I need to come up with a topic for my presentation in Thermodynamics by Friday, but I'm drawing a blank.

-Lately I have been feeling especially grateful for my parents.  They are both wonderful people.  I should tell them that more often.

-Today I was sitting in the WRC after my lab midterm, watching something on the History Channel with everyone.  A commercial came on that made me scowl, though I really don't remember what for, and then a fellow student walked into the room.  I looked over to say hi to him and he gave me a funny look.  I turned back to the television and realized I had been scowling at him the entire time.  Oops.

-I really enjoy riding my bike.

-I really enjoy grey, rainy days.

-I really don't enjoy the combination of the two when as I dash out the door I forget to grab a plastic bag to stick over my bike seat and I then have a soggy bottom for the next half hour in class...Ha!

-I'm going to buy some fruit tomorrow and it is going to be oh so good! :]

-I could take the time to string all these thoughts together into a more meaningful, or at least more fluid post, but I'm just not into it right now.

-I feel like this sounds like I'm complaining too much.  I really don't mean to sound that way.

-I'm coming home for a couple of days for Mardi Gras break.  I love that this a holiday here.  We should make it a federal one! Hehe.  

-Julie Ann's has the best king cakes ever, I don't care what the southern Louisianers think! :-P

-Louisianers?  Louisianians? Louisianites?  Louisianese?  Someone please tell me because I honestly don't know. (I think it would be awesome if it were Louisianese(I know it's not really) because it's so much fun to say.)

-Lastly, I thought this was pretty clever and amusing.

P.S. I love you. :-}

Apartment!

So I figured it was about time for me to post pictures of my new apartment.











When you come in the front door you are standing in the kitchen looking in our living room.












This is our kitchen. The doors on the left here go to Leslie and Ozzy's rooms.












Standing next to the refrigerator you can see the door on the left there that leads to Caroline's and my side of the the apartment.












Through the door is our sinks and the bathroom is on the right.











Happy shower!


And lastly, my room, which is made of lots of awesome. Checkout all the green stuff. Sissy painted me the cool plaque. ^_^

Random thoughts:
-My nose is chapped because I've got a sinus infection and only TP to blow it on.
-I wore my pj's until 12:45 today.
-I wish I had a better ability to draw.
-I've got research I need to be doing.
-It's Leslie's birthday but she's still in bed.
-My computer keeps overheating so I keep it cool with a bag of frozen peas.
-The chill pad for it won't be here until next week. :(
-I need to post the pictures and videos of my apartment, but I haven't.
-Nail polish chips off too quickly.
-Hamlet keeps me amused in those brief minutes between classes.
-I want to take my bike for a ride, but the wind cuts through my clothes and makes my nose run more.
-My room is cozy
-The pale grey sky looks so soft and welcoming through my window.
-I'm going to go do the dishes.

The man standing in front of me smacked his book on the counter and turned around. "Gotta keep up with 'em," he said. It was an older black man, his beard grizzled and grey and he wore a bright blue windbreaker. The man's steely eyes tore into me. I was shocked by the way the whites of his eyes were not really white, but another shade of grey that matched his beard and I was confused by this man's fury burning in his eyes. "They shall have NO power then!" I just stared back. "Oh," I said. "That's right!" the man replied, both his eyebrows and mouth compressing into a tight line and he gave a sharp nod. The man kept staring, more intense by every second. Luckily the guy at the customer service desk looked up from the computer then to tell me my book was not in stock. As I was able to avert my gaze then from the man, I glanced down to see what book the man was picking back up and firmly grasping now. It was some book on a religion that was clearly not Christianity. I thanked the customer service man and tried circling around the man. "Those devil worshipers won't have no power, no they will not!" the man called after me. I briskly made my way down to the "fiction/literature" section of the store.
Really now, it seems I have some really odd encounters in Books-A-Million. I don't know if it's just me, or the location, or what, but I have random people coming up to me and just start talking whack quite often in that place. Now don't get me wrong, I actually find it entertaining, like the time Pees-in-manager's-car-guy told me about his story, or the Spiderman battle, or All-about-the-board-games!-guys came by. But I'm just wondering if this happens often to other people.
On the way out of BAM I saw the man sitting there close to the doors, peering into two books. When he saw me approach I tried to not make eye contact, so I smiled wide at a guy that was headed out in the same direction as me, like we were both going together. The man still hollered out at me as I went through the door, "You tear 'em ALL out now!" Glancing back at the store as I got in my car, the man in the bright blue was still staring at me, grizzled face framed in the window. Yep. I'm still wondering what brought this all on. But I hope the man gets some rest or settles down or something. He's going to blow a gasket with those eyes and set jaw!

And on a different note, this holiday has been great. I've been so happy to be home with my family and friends who are all made of awesome. It is a great joy to be in the company of those you love, and I am ever grateful for the generosity and love they bring to me. So to everyone, may you prosper and your new year be blessed with friendship and health the better.