the price we pay for paradise

So life's been weird this week. I'm routinely invited to go and do stuff with the other folks here, but it feels weird to go do social things when:

1. I'm not single
2. I'm glad to be not-single, and therefore have pretty much no interest in guys, and girls are generally lame
3. I'm busy with my project.

On the other hand, it feels weird to not go do social things when:

1. I am an inherently social person
2. I really enjoy watching movies, running, and going to museums etc.
3. I'm not used to not having a social life.

I think it all just boils down to a strange combination of that:

1. I don't have a proper key to the building, so I can't just go in and out when I want
2. I don't have a proper key to the elevator, so if I want to go up to my room after going down I have to walk up ~1000000 flights of stairs
3. Why would I want to be social when I have an amazing project to work on that is rapidly wrapping itself up?

Example: this morning, I had, what? 12,500 words? And right now, I have precisely 20,953. That is huge. That's the stuff NaNoWriMo is made of, yo. I'm so close. It's all coming together, right now, so why would I take a break?

Anyway. So, life is weird, and I mostly have a social life vicariously through my roommate CW, who is very social. I tell her to relay greetings from me to all her friends, LoL. Not quite the same, but I've discovered that I really don't care.

I just want to finish my book.

I discovered its true name, by the way. It's called The Price We Pay For Paradise.

life in the heart of things

My attempt at updating every day has failed. Sorry, friends.

Life here is good. I moved into my apartment in DC on Sunday. I'm right next to GWU, at Foggybottom. It's right within walking distance of Georgetown, as well. In other words: amazingly convenient. The complex itself is right between a pub and a Thai restaurant, and across the street from Subway and Papa John's. Perfect.

My internship doesn't start until next week. I've been working on my project, which now has 12,000 words and counting. My goal is 15,000 by tonight. I'm thinking, a typical book has somewhere between 60,000-80,000 words, so I'm well on my way.

This morning I spent exploring. Even though I've lived here for 75% of my life, I've never just started walking to see where I'd end up. I wandered Pennsylvania, Constitution, and Independence Avenues and then C Street, and 23rd. Passed the Secretary of the Navy Bureau of Medicine, the Federal Reserve, the Holocaust Museum, the State Department, some monuments, and eventually ended up at the Smithsonian, where I ate at the gardens. I only turned back because my feet were developing blisters.

There is something very liberating about wandering a huge and confusing city by yourself.

Although I did miss Carl.

Yesterday was exciting. I went out with some new friends in pursuit of adventure, and we certainly found one. We got caught in a huge rainstorm while looking for my work, which is at Federal Triangle. It was ridiculous. We all got soaked to the bone and the people we passed laughed at us for not thinking ahead. John, the guy with us, had brought an umbrella, but the other chick and I had not been that smart. And in any case, the umbrella made next to no difference. In the end, we got lost in the rain, but ended up in Chinatown, which I luckily am slightly familiar with, and then went home. We decided to stop at CVS on our way, and were fortunate (?) enough to witness some pastry theft by this giant black guy. It was intense.

Other than that. Things are pretty good. Still waiting to hear back from that agent about The Melody of the Pawn. Hmm, and I should probably go shopping now...

of books and flat shoes

This morning I remembered why I moved out in the first place.

My parents have been freaking out all day about my moving into the city without their help tomorrow. I had to remind them that I've moved without their help a number of times, and all 2000 miles away. Yes, they're going out of town, but in case they forgot, we practically live on top of a metro stop, and I'm just moving to another metro stop. Whatever.

My parents are gone now, though. They're spending the week in FL for a conference. My mom's new computer program should be on the market in just a few weeks, so they're doing some hardcore marketing there or something like that.

We did go shopping this morning, which was nice, and I got some way cute stuff, and flat shoes. This, I believe, is a major accomplishment.

Other than that, I've been working on my latest project, which I have yet to name. I'm leaning toward "The Assault on Hope."

I should hear back about my other novel in the next few days.

Anyway...

funny conversations

Cici: Sam, I think I like Allie better than you.
Sam: But Cici! I am so cool! Can't be best friends?
Cici: No.
Sam: Even if I give you a present?
Cici: Maybe.
Sam: If I give you a present can we be best friends?
Cici: Okay.
Sam: Here, take this pen. It was used to write six Declarations of Independence in various countries and by various entities.
Cici: Okay.
Sam: Haha Allie! Cici and I are best friends!
Allie: Cici, aren't you and I best friends?
Cici: Of course!
Sam: It's times like these that I feel like a genius.
Cici: Sam, I think that Allie is a better genius.
Sam: But I'm a better-looking genius--
Cici: Um, I think Allie is the prettier genius.

~~~

Sam: Gigi, who is cooler, me or Allie?
Gigi: Steve. He has longer arms.

Cici is my five-year-old cousin. Gigi is my three-year-old cousin. Steve is my daddy. Sam is my beautiful brother. His words, not mine.

a new era (of sorts)

I decided I'd like to update every day just so people can have an idea of what's going on in my life. I think it sounds reasonable.

Today was weird. C dropped me off at the airport. My first flight was long, but I sat next to a rockin lady by the name of Phyllis, and we pretty much just talked for the whole time. Then at the layover in Atlanta some fast food guy told me he liked my accent.

At home, it was good to see my kitties again--and also my family. :^P I apparently hardcore bruised one of my knuckles while working on my uncle's back; he needed some really hard chopping, and I guess my knuckles bonked together hard enough to bruise. Weird. LoL.

Then I had bonding moments with Sam and the Weas, which was nice. They and I and my dad and my uncle all watched the Glenn Beck Show together, and my little cousin played for me on her tiny violin, and then she and her sister wanted me to read them stories, so I did, and it was way fun because they are ultimately the cutest and most talented girls ever.

Soundtrack of life, for realish

How to do it:
1. Open your music library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc).
2. Put it on Shuffle.
3. Press Play.
4. For every question, type the song that's playing.
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button.
6. Be honest.

Opening Credits: Dancing Queen by ABBA

Waking up: See Amid the Winter Snow by Steeleye Span

First Day of School: Ten Thousand Miles by Altan

Falling in love: The Best by Cartel

Fight Song: The Best Thing by Relient K (LOL!)

Breaking Up: Oh It Is Love by Hellogoodbye

Prom: Where's the Girl from The Scarlet Pimpernel

Life is Good: Repartir from Le Roi Soleil

Driving: Penny Lane by the Beatles

Mental Breakdown: Away From the Sun by 3 Doors Down

Flashback: Tomorrow by Avril Lavigne

Getting Back Together: Anytime by Kelly Clarkson

Wedding: Blow Gabriel Blow from Anything Goes

Final Battle: Gunslinger by John Fogerty

Death Scene: Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson

Funeral Song: Sandstorm, LOL

End Credit: Galileo as performed by the Hullabahoos

If this were true, I would necessarily lead a strange life.

trippy

So today I said a lot of goodbyes, and have a few more to go through tomorrow I suppose. It is all just really bizarre, I guess--it hasn't sunk in yet at all. Even though my room is empty, my car is full, and I am for sure leaving tomorrow. Twenty-four hours from now I will not be in Provo.

Weird. Trippy music which is the current soundtrack of this feeling: Strawberry Fields Forever by the Beatles.

because i just got out of a final and still have to study and pack.

Is your second toe longer than your first? no

Do you have a favorite type of pen? yes. blue Bic

Look at your planner for March 14, what are you doing? my planner says merely that I "talk[ed] to the EPA!"

What color are your toenails usually? red or shiny purple

What was the last thing you highlighted? i dunno

What color are your bedroom curtains? cream

What color are the seats in your car? grey

Have you ever had a black and white cat? yes, sort of. Grey and white and black?

What is the last thing you put a stamp on? probably a letter :^D

Do you know anyone who lives in Wyoming? my family has land in Wyoming apparently?

Why did you withdraw cash from the ATM the last time? Actually, I don't think I've ever used an ATM

Who is the last baby that you held? my little cousin Braden, the cutie

Do you know of any twins with rhyming names? no, thankfully. what a disturbing idea

Do you like Cinnamon toothpaste? yes

What kind of car were you driving 2 years ago? a giant truck, buff-colored, named The Spaceship

Pick one: Miami Hurricanes or Florida Gators. Uh

Last time you went to Six Flags? probably when I was in high school

Do you have any wallpaper in your house? yeah, just the really tasteful cream-on-cream French design stuff.

Closest thing to you that is yellow: tablecloth

Last person to give you a business card? C. M.

Who is the last person you wrote a check to? my roommate

Closest framed picture to you? of my roommate's stupid friends

Last time you had someone cook for you? Sunday

Have you ever applied for welfare? my parents have

How many emails do you have? email addresses? 4 active ones. emails on my gmail account: like 5000000

Last time you received flowers/flower? a few weeks ago?

Do you think the sanctity of marriage is meant for only a man & woman? yeah, what's it to you?

What are you listening to right now? Amaranth by Nightwish

Do you play air guitar? no

Do you have any Willow Tree figurines? yeah, i pretty much collect them, no lies

What is your high school's rival mascot? i wasn't really aware of any of our rivals. i'm sure we were better anyway

who is the last person you talked to from high school? Traci

Last time you used hand sanitizer? this morning?

Would you like to learn to play the drums? yeah!

What color are the blinds in your living room? white

What is in your inbox at work? assignments i should grade eventually

Last thing you read in the newspaper? I've been boycotting MSM due to the recent assaults on the 1st amendment they're sponsoring. I get my news from AIM, Glenn Beck, and Human Events

What was the last pageant you attended? Miss Orem Pageant last year

What is the last place you bought pizza from? Brick Oven, although I guess I didn't PAY for it

Have you ever worn a crown? yeah, in ballet

What is the last thing you stapled? who cares

Did you ever drink clear Pepsi? I have never heard of such a thing

Are you ticklish? .

Last time you saw fireworks? 4th of July, or maybe New Years or something. Maybe not. I think I just watched all the Matrix movies with my parents that night LoL

Last time you had a Krispy Kreme doughnut? in class a few weeks ago

Who is the last person that left you a message on your cell? like i would even know that :^P

Last time you parked under a carport? never, potentially

Do you have a black dog? no way, Jose

Do you have any pickles in your fridge? yep

How long have they been there?? indefinitely. just kidding. since i bought them in March

Who has the prettiest eyes that you know of? Abigail or Christine

Last time you saw a semi truck? probably yesterday

Do you remember Ugly Kid Joe? no.

Do you have a little black dress? i actually have two :^D

Wow, I should stop filling these out and do productive things...

wha?

Wow guys, so I had another bizarre dream last night. This morning, really. I was visiting an old friend, code name N. N is still friends with one of my ex-friends (codename M). So N and I were being friends, and it was weird because werf and I have been estranged as of late, but we pretended we were still close, and then M saw us through this glass door because of course the whole place was made of glass, and then werf came out and gave me this big hug and asked if werf could visit me later today.

I said okay and then there was this weird thing where I was carrying a suitcase with me in this underground mall and shopping was really frustrating because I kept leaving the suitcase places.

And then I decided that I should make chocolate chip cookies for M, and then I remembered that C was coming over at the same time, and that I had to take finals, and that I was moving, and then I woke up.

And basically guys, it was way strange. Haven't even thought about N and M in like, a while.

stolen from my Beloved Chilly

What I am doing: thinking about how much I just want to just read a political book and watch Glenn Beck

What I’m proud of today: I made $70 for arguing with a bunch of socialists--and I think I even converted one of them to the side of truth and righteousness

What I’m thinking about: How my eyes are tired

Who is home: Uh, I dunno

Plans tonight: Chillin, studying probably, reading Liberal Fascism and watching good old Glenn

My weekend was: well, it has been okay, I guess. A little stressful, but it's almost over :o)

What’s for dinner: I was thinking I might take myself out to Pita Pit or Chinese food or something

Feelings about love: Meh, it's nice, I guess

Feelings about life: It's good, but probably not worth sticking around for 20 years in a geriatric ward

What I need: rest

What I want: to be done

What I have: 6 miniature granny smith apples (don't ask)

My pet peeve: my biggest pet peeve is probably short-sightedness as far as policy--especially in terms of poverty and social spending.

My guilty pleasure: taking time to chill

What you don’t know about me: the sixth letter of my brother's middle name is H

What I can hear: Bittersweet Symphony by the Verve

What I can smell: lavender essential oils I put all over my room. yum

My style: rockin, obviously

My hairdo: down and curly

My outfit: embraces curviness

My mood: tired

The weather today: warmish

Thoughts on parenting: you should be a good parent

Thoughts on marriage: apparently it's important stuff

Thoughts on politics: IMPORTANT! SO IMPORTANT!

Thoughts on celebrity gossip: People Magazine = :o)

Thoughts on beauty: I think I take beauty reasonably seriously. Could probably be a little more serious

Thoughts on sleep: yay sleep. wish I needed less of it

Thoughts on writing: fun

My favorite appliance: washing machine

My favorite car: Volkswagon bug

My favorite splurge: seafood

My favorite beauty secret: dress for your body, not for the trends

My favorite treat: Creme brulee, or seafood. A little on different ends of the spectrum, but yummo.

My favorite everyday pleasure: Glenn Beck, and I guess hanging out with that Carl kid :^P

Ten years ago: I was 9, in the fourth grade, and loathing every page of The Secret Garden. Wishing I were a grown up and didn't have to go to school anymore

Five years ago: I was 14 and was planning to graduate from high school at 18 with, what... like 80 AP credits or something? I was becoming really good friends with H and Mel and Jenn and Majj and AliO, and it was a partay

One year ago: just starting the EnviroSci major, getting involved with a bunch of hippies, losing touch with my Canasta peeps :o(

One year from now: I will be GRADUATING! And moving to DC to get a super sweet job doing something amazing and worthwhile!

Five years from now: I will be 24 it will be 2013. Hopefully I will still be high off being instrumental in winning my candidate of choice the presidential election and going to werf's Inauguration.

Ten years from now: that will be 2018, and I will be 29. I guess I'll hopefully be a published writer for sure by then, and I should probably have a family or whatever

I’m famous for: being obnoxiously conservative :^D

I’ll never be famous for: being liberal :^D

Who I am: that random conservative chick

Who I hope to be: that random conservative chick with her own column and TV show

What I’m thankful for: basically lots of stuff

dreams

Last night I had this weird dream. Carl and I were chillin at a house somewhere with a big picture window and a forest behind it. A helicopter came right behind the house and so we stood up to look out and see what was going on. Carl turned on the news. Below, we can see that there are six dead soldiers all with their feet pointing into this circle, and their guns are lying next to them. All these people from everywhere are coming to check on these dead soldiers, right, and the news blares behind.

Then, just as people are trying to put the dead soldiers on gurneys, they jump up, because they're not really dead, they're just American al Quaeda agents, and they shoot everyone and everything and everyone dies.

Then I had to go to convention, and just as I was about to leave for it, my eyebrows took over my face and my two front teeth grew in together so I had this giant gap in my face.

This was by far the most disturbing dream I have had since I was like 12.

stupid convention stupid politics

So then once upon a time everything I had been working on for like this while totally fell apart and it sucked, the end.

But on the plus side, thanks to my boyfriend for being awesome.

14 more days until I go home and don't have to think about CRs for hopefully a long time.

I don't think I can resign.

There are not many things I don't want to do more than I don't ever want to see CRs something okay I'm tired good niht

more fun with the ICU

And now my aunt Julie is in critical. Apparently they did the surgery and she was fine, but only for like 20 minutes, and then she wasn't fine, and then they thought she was going to die, so they cut her open again to find the problem, and there were 5 units of free blood chillin in her interior, and they couldn't figure out where it was coming from, so they drained it and sewed her back up, and now they say that if she lives through the next twelve hours, maybe she'll make it. Her husband is going crazy. They think he's going to stress himself into a stroke (I couldn't tell if my mom was kidding).

AND three of my relatives had dreams last night in which she died today. So, extra fun. Because really, really. All we need right now. Personally, I don't think she'll be around tomorrow. I also didn't think Jo would make it through her surgery. I was wrong then--but only by 1.5 days. We'll see how long this game goes on.

My mom was saying how my Nana, Julie's sister and Jo's daughter, is so calm. She's as white as a sheet, my mom says, but so calm. "Deathly calm" was the phrase she used, actually. Hooray. But honestly, I can kind of understand. It's getting to the point where apathy is just the easiest thing to scrounge up. Gah.

glamorous

I have this one amazing friend, who goes by L here. For some reason in the car on the way home from school today, I remembered some words--

Livin my life
In the fast lane
And I won't change

And I couldn't remember where it was from. So I turned off the radio and drove home trying to remember the song.

It was from the song Glamorous by Fergie.

I remember one time, L and I were running away from the world in her car. As I remember, we were both incensed, as we often get when we're around each other because we're both such Red personalities--and moreover, we're both so concerned about the same things. So we get each other worked up about how we have to do something about it.

And so anyway, we were in her car feeling angry and taken advantage of, and this song came on, and she turned to me and said, "A, this is our song." And we sat there and listened to the lyrics. Don't worry, our version is edited. Anyway, it was just interesting. I haven't thought of that song in a while.