It's not really a bloggy-break, I promise.

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I'm breaking a rule I have about double-posting on days, but seeing as how I went almost a week with no posts, I'm going to go ahead and forgive myself.  I'm just that nice.

I'm sick again.  I'm pretty sure I had an immune system at one point in my life, but apparently it decided it didn't like me and went away.  I spent all of January sick, and here I am again.  So...thanks for the 2 month break, body?  Thankfully it's not terrible, it's mostly a stuffed nose and watery eyes; and I'm grateful that my body doesn't feel sick.  I'm medicated and sleeping and drinking tons of water, so there's hope it will go away soon.

The worst part about being sick, and maybe it's just me, is that I always forget what it feels like to be healthy.  I mean, I just don't notice being healthy since that's the state of the norm...but when I am under the weather, I always feel as though I'll be sick forever and that there wasn't a time when I wasn't sick.  It's frustrating.

Anyhow.

Other reasons I did not post last week: I actually went out.  I know, I'm just as surprised as you are about this.  Incredibly, I had a life!  And interacted with real people!  Thursday my brother and his girlfriend left for a small vacation in Baltimore/East Coast, and I had to take them to the airport.  Which doesn't sound time-consuming, but I had to drive them up to Ontario.  Canada?!  No.  Little known to anyone is that there is indeed an Ontario, California, and it's roughly 40 minutes inland from LA (which is about an hour and a half drive from where I live).  It's a lot of construction, a lot of boring land, a distinctly disgusting cow manure smell...and a mall and an airport.  I don't get it either.  But anyway, one of my best friends Kathy came with me to drive them up, so we had a fun little mini roadtrip...through the most barren and ridiculous and worthless parts of Inland California.  Ok, maybe not the most, and that was a bit harsh, but ugh.  It's a very different California from the one I know and love.  This road-trip combined with my ridiculously amazing ability to get lost wherever I am led into some interesting U-Turns and a minorly terrifying drive up into the mountains of nowhere that we nicknamed Celebrity Prison (you had to be there).

Friday was a late birthday dinner with my best friends from high school at the Cheesecake Factory, a place I am convinced can do no wrong.  Our waiter, affectionately called John-Boy, was ridiculously amazing and over the top and a perfect match for my friends and the crazy drunken antics that happen.  My friends and I are notorious for being a handful, and when a few cocktails are thrown in it just gets ridiculous.  It's not that we're rude and send food back and yell--oh no.  We're overly friendly.  We talk and joke and flirt and laugh and it is an all around scene.  We're not annoying, we're amusing.  Dinner was good, food was good, I was embarrassed thoroughly, a bit of drama and a bit of eye rolling...all said and done, a good night.

And unfortunately, Friday was when I got sick, which effectively ended all plans (which unfortunately included a birthday celebration I was supposed to be at!  Sorry Matt + Natasha, I hope your birthdays were fab!). I don't remember much aside from a tissue box and sleeping.

Except Sunday, which was a lovely day.  That I will tell you about some other time.

Onto the title of this post.  It's not really a blog break, it just has to be a byproduct of a different break.  Seeing as how I have no job and spend most of my days doing nothing, I have unfortunately begun to lean on my laptop as a crutch for time filler.  At any time of day, I know I will find some sort of amusement, whether its on this blog, Twitter, facebook, tumblr, YouTube, 20sb, a few scriptwriting sites, even Google is dangerous.  I can go days without thinking about my phone, but I don't think I've gone an hour without my laptop in months.

And I don't like that.

So, I've decided to have a bit of a technological purge for a week.  I need to refocus my life on something other than this little screen, and I need to find something real in my life.  I want to discover what my city has to offer, I want to breathe fresh air and look at the world around me.  Pending regulated breathing coming back into my life, I also need to focus on exercising because the amount of "I feel fat" days are increasing at an astonishingly fast rate, and I don't want that.

Therefore, I am limiting my total computer time to an hour a day (excluding professional and business-related activities).  I mean an hour for everything, which effectively cuts out blog posting.  I'll be able to check e-mail, respond to the things I need to, apply for jobs, and perhaps squeeze a Tweet or a Facebook something-or-other.  I don't believe anything else is essential to my life, and I am on a mission to see that I am right--or, pitifully, wrong.  Who knows how this will turn out, but I have hopes I'll learn something from it.

I have a few blog posts scheduled, so this blog won't be entirely abandoned, but no blog reading and no other types of checking and/or communication will be open.  If there's something important that you absolutely have to get ahold of me for, then e-mail me.

Until next Wednesday, my lovelies!

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Ten on Tuesday! Volume 10

As always!  Head over to Chelsea's blog to link on up with Mr. Linky.  And before anyone catches me that I labeled my last week's ToT as Vol. 7, I went back to my archives to make sure I was on the correct number and have since discovered I can't count for shit.  I had three ToT's labeled as vol. 6.  So, I'm righting my wrong now.

1. What television character do you identify with?
People always call me Rory Gilmore...I've been told we have quite a few similarities.  Aside from that, I don't think I normally identify with TV characters, because I'm always insanely aware that they're characters.  I identify with lines much more so than characters.

2. Describe your morning routine.
On the assumption I have nothing to do that day: wake up - turn on radio/music - grab iPod, check email & twitter - lay in bed for 10+ minutes - bathroom to use facilities - brush teeth - wash face - put on necklace, rings - put on glasses - change clothes (always done pajama bottoms off, day outfit bottoms on, pj top off, bra on, t-shirt on) - turn off music - kitchen for breakfast (which is always a bowl of cereal).  If I do have somewhere to be in which I will make planned contact with someone professional, then you may add 'put on eyeliner' between washing my face and putting on jewelry.  And I'm showering in the morning, that's between brush teeth and wash face.

3. How do you do lunch? Bring from home or dine out? Same thing every day or mix it up?
Home.  I always bring my lunch or I'll pack it or I'll go home to eat it.  Too expensive to eat out all the time, plus...as I've beat the dead horse many times, I'm too picky to have a vast amount of options when I go out.  And lunch is usually a sandwich of some sort.

4. What is one moment that, although seemingly trivial at the time, changed your life?
Because I don't feel like delving into the emotions of my life, I'll go for an easy one.  When I was in 10th grade, I decided to sit down on the couch and talk with my brother's friend Matt rather than go to my room.  He was the editor of our school newspaper at the time, and he told me about interviews for the newspaper (back when we had to interview to be on it) that would fill an elective credit the next year.  Because I wanted a fallback in case I didn't get into Advanced Ceramics and I definitely did not want to be in Animation, I decided to interview for it.  Which was thus the minor decision that eventually led to my entire life in the journalism world.

5. Name your top three beauty products.
I don't really have beauty products that I always use.  I um...use Kiehl's moisturizer, and it works well?

6. What do you do when you’re alone in the car?
Sing sing sing.  Like I am the best of Whitney (pre-Bobby), Mariah (pre-Glitter), and Celine (circa 1990s) put together...to really, really bad pop songs.  I also obsessively clean my car, which is why I keep a dust cloth in it.

7. What is the ideal city for you to live in? If you can, take this survey and tell us the results. Do you agree with them?
According to that survey, Norfolk Virginia...in which I give a big huge WTF to, because...ew.  I've been there, and it's not me.  Not even the right coast!  I can't live in VA, it's too military-centric and it taunts my life.  I think San Diego is pretty ideal to me, although I'm thinking Chicago or Denver may also work.

8. Are you waiting for something?
I'm always waiting for something. (*wink)

9. What was the last shocking news you heard?
Ricky Martin came out of the closet.  Which shocks me because...he was in it?  Is the world a closet?  Because really, no one can shake his bon-bon like that and live a vida loca with such a perfect twirl in his coif and be IN.

10. What are three things you wouldn’t do for a million dollars?
Eat a spider, because I would probably hyperventilate and die at the thought of it.  Harm anyone, because I just can't do that. And purposely drop an American flag on the floor, because that goes against every ideal and every amount of respect I've ever been raised on....and as much as I'd like that million dollars, I really don't think I could live with myself.

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How to make your optometry patient hate you.

If you're an optometrist and find that your patients like you too much, want to talk to you or like being in your presence; and you want this to stop, then boy, do I have the list for you!  These suggested topics of conversation and/or blips of conversation to casually slide in are guaranteed to get rid of that pesky person who likes being in your office and doesn't mind giving you their hard-earned money (or at least their mother's).  If you say or do any mix of these next 11 suggestions, then you'll have yourself a patient who wants to rip her eyeballs out and throw them at you in no time!

1) As soon as she sits down in the chair, say, "Wow, haven't seen you in a long time!  I'm sure your vision is a lot worse now."
2) When making the inevitable casual conversation, ask your patient what she studied in school.  When she says, "Journalism", immediately reply with, "Oh, that's a dying industry."
3) Make casual jokes and thinly-veiled insults at the integrity of journalism.  Make sure to find out exactly what area of journalism she wants to go into, and say, "Magazine writer?  They're the worst!"
4) Clearly convey that while she and your nephew both went to the same university, he is superior because he received a BS in Computer Graphics and Media Design.  Laugh it off when she says, "You mean...he makes video games?" and repeat: "Yes, but computers."
5) Advise her that, in light of her unemployment, she should go to grad school, but make sure she chooses a major that is different from her BA degree since that obviously didn't work out for her.
6) Laugh when she says the line on the wall reads "L-O-F" when it actually reads "L-D-F."  Make sure to say "Well, that's obviously your bad eye!"
7) Keep asking, "You're sure the picture is blurrier here?  Really?  Are you absolutely sure?" then get irritated when she insists so.
8) After you write the prescription, hold the paper just out of her reach while you lecture her for a full 7 minutes (that she may or may not track by the clock on the wall behind your head) on the failing economy and various struggling career fields.  For shits and giggles, say "and journalism!" at the end.  Make sure to laugh.
9) When she mentions that she has experience in web design, quickly say, "Well at least that's almost useful."
10) As you hand her the prescription, say, "Congratulations!  Your irregular astigmatism defect has finally caught up with your dad's vision!  It's just as bad!"
11) Say, "Those don't work well, you know," when she reaches to put her glasses back on.  Shake your head when she puts them on anyway, even when she says, "It's much worse without them on."

And there you have it!  Just employ any or all of these, and you'll never see that patient again!


On a completely unrelated note, thanks, Dr. C.  It was a pleasure to see you again.  Also?  Fuck you, I'm going to Lenscrafters.

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Ten on Tuesday! Volume 7

Hooray for my return to Ten on Tuesday!  Make sure to head over to Chelsea's to add your blog to Mr. Linky if you participate, too!

1. When you were a senior in high school, what career did you think you’d choose? Did you? Why or why not?
I was expected to take on the career of being an editor and writer for a newspaper, and I technically chose it when I got my degree and am still working in the field.  But seeing as how I'm thinking of going back to school for publishing or library sciences...I guess I'm considering changing it.

2. What one thing about the “real world” did you find most surprising once you were on your own?
How absolutely tedious grocery shopping is.  Sometimes it isn't so bad, but so often spending so much money and especially when I'm tired after an entire day's work plus editing most of a publication...I would just like my food to magically appear.  Is that too much to ask?!  (and honestly I don't think I'm quite in the "real world" just yet, but this was one of the many surprises for me when I was living on my own for 4.5 years.)

3. Name 3 things you think your closest friends DON’T like about you.
- I'm flaky. I'm trying to break it, but it's hard!
- I never, ever answer my phone or check it.  I just don't  think about it throughout a day.
- I limit food places to go to because of  my...how do I say...inability to choke down shitty food.  I can't help that there are so many foods I don't like!

4. In order to sleep, do you need background noise or absolute quiet?
I can fall asleep during both, but if it's completely quiet it takes me longer because I start to think to fill the silence.  I usually fall asleep to music--I have a specific Good Night playlist (that one day will be shared...).

5. Why do you choose to reside in your current city?
Because I don't pay rent living with my family.  But when I do eventually move out, I may stay in SD (pending job, of course) and that's because San Diego is beautiful.

6. Are you close to your parents?
Very much so.

7. What is your favorite fiction book? Poem? Blog?
Oh Lord, I can't believe I have to choose these.  Louisa May Alcott's Little Women; Shakespeare's Sonnet XVIII (shall I compare thee to a summer's day?); and I'm going to cop out and say one of my favourite blogs is Inspire Me Now!

8. Do you enjoy cooking or is it a chore?
When I have the time, it's fun.  But when I'm doing it simply because I need to eat something in the next 18 minutes before I have to jet on over to some other appointment, it's a chore.

9. Be honest. What one thing would (the majority of) your blog readers be shocked to find out about you?
Hmm...how about that I'm 22 23 and I've never been drunk?  Not even tipsy/buzzed/whatever you call it these days.  And I'm not against drinking or don't drink myself.  I had my first alcoholic drink when I was 19, and since then I just...never crossed that boundary.  Somehow I also have a high tolerance for alcohol (I say this like I don't know why, but I'm fairly certain it has to do with my weight and how I have..um...copious amounts of it), so I can safely drink a vodka cran, long island iced tea, and an Adios MotherFucker in 2 hours and be fine.

10. If you were given your own national holiday, what would you require people to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the Day of You? Would there be a parade? Greeting cards?
How fun!  I actually don't think I'd want this, but...I'd make Ashley Day reflect my life and something that I actually care about.  So, for food you just have to make sure your meals include something from France, England, Belgium, Italy, or California--except no seafood allowed, because that just makes me want to puke.  And rather than any greeting cards or parades or something fancy schmancy like that, you can do something that raises some sort of awareness for AIDS, penguins or the horrid state of public education today.  Because those are 3 things I really, really do care about.  Make a donation, volunteer for something, read a book about it...anything that will have a positive result.

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I have to say I'm 23 now.

Back at our apartment in Ickenham (I think...somewhere London!)

Me and my brother, back when we were wee young kiddies.  I was trying so hard to hold up that cake...so proud.  Weren't we freakin' adorable?  My brother especially.  I don't know what happened to both of us...such potential.

As noted, it was my birthday this past Friday (much thanks to those who wished me a happy birthday!), but things have been kind of strange with the responsibilities stacking up that happens when a military kid turns 23.  I did get to go to a lovely dinner with my family on Saturday night, and I was able to go out with a small, select group of friends Friday night for a yummy dinner as well.  There was drama, and I did get a bit upset so it wasn't the best of nights, but overall it was a rather decent run.  It definitely beats the birthday I was dumped (6th grade! So naturally, I was heartbroken beyond belief) and the birthday my first year in college when I had a final and later found out I indeed failed the class--which was not only the first university class I ever failed, but the first class I'd ever received lower than a C on in my entire life.

Oh 19th birthday, you slay me.

Anyhow.  Don't say "aww" to me or feel bad, because I've never really cared too much about my birthday.  The fact that I did something for it pretty much makes it much more memorable than most of the rest.  Next weekend will be the full celebration with my friends, so hopefully I'll have some fun stories and pictures to share with you then!

No pictures of these last two dinner celebrations (I was entirely too focused on the pizookie from BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse and the delish barbecue sauce and apple butter from Lucille's.  So bad for me, and so good for my taste buds), but I do have pictures of the two gifts my family gave me!  They're footing the bill for next weekend's birthday celebrations, so I was quite surprised to have received these things in the first place!  Apologies for the small, crappy pictures; I was too lazy to use my real camera so I resorted to my crummy webcam.

excuse my chipped nailpolish! and the reflection of my computer screen

We all know I love penguins, so it was natural for my mom to choose this for me.  My walls in my bedroom are disgracefully bare, so I'm excited to hang it.  And, it is pretty freakin' adorable!  Her co-worker makes these, so it's even more personal for us.  I took a picture of the detail (again, sorry for such shite quality!) so you can see that the penguins are actually scrolled paper.

And from my brother...as I told David, I have a soft spot for Wall-E.  I love him, I love the film, I pretty much love it all.  And most especially, I love the Microbe Obliterator, aka MO!  I mean, he's small, he's cute, he's the cleaner of the ship and maintains the proper order--what wouldn't I love about him?!  One of my favorite parts is when Wall-E puts his foot/tire tread onto MO's face and he has a freak out..ugh.  So cute!  Which made this little gift perfect.

I want to take him out of the package, but I don't want to ruin him!

My family knows me so well.

Before I close out this post, two things to take care of:
1) Thanks to [another] David for the One Lovely Blog award!  I never thought the order of me following someone would pay off :)  And I am very glad, because you have quickly become a favorite!

2) ABC Family had a Harry Potter marathon this entire weekend.  I'm not sure if this ruined or made my days.  But they did show sneak clips of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1), which I am going to consider a personal birthday gift from ABC Family, Disney Co., and all companies therewithin.  Thanks!

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Miracles, the debate of oatmeal raisin cookies versus health insurance, and oh yeah, I'm wearing a dress!

gross. i hate oatmeal raisin cookies.

MY GOOGLE READER IS DOWN TO 16 NEW POSTS!

You don't understand.  This is gigantic.  This is phenomenal.  This is unheard of.  For the past month and a half, I'm not sure I've managed to keep it under 80.  I get so close, I read and click and comment (sometimes, but not nearly as much as I should) and laugh and twice cried and even done the dreaded "Mark As Read" a few times--but inevitably, something happens where I have to turn in for the night before I can finish and when I wake up it is once again back to its astronomical levels (may be an exaggeration).

The thing is...I hoard my posts.  I have a select few favorite bloggers who I know will write a post I enjoy every time--so I get greedy and reserve all their posts to a later date so I know that after a few crap posts and sometimes a few ok ones, I will have amazing ones to get to.

The problem with this method is that combined with my inefficiency of reading any blogs, I haven't read a fair few posts from my favorite bloggers.  And I fear that they think I don't enjoy their blogs as much as I do since no comments come.  Most likely they hardly even notice, but it still woes me to think that perhaps some person is thinking, "Oh no, that Charlie Browniest girl used to comment so much...I wonder if she still reads?"   Rest assured, favoritest bloggers, I do!  I do!

I'm not saying that if you have received a comment lately, you're not one of my favourite bloggers.  Sometimes I'll randomly go to a favorites blog and comment, sometimes I see a link through Twitter and head on over, sometimes I'll see your comment at the 20sb forum and mosey on to your blog, sometimes I'll suddenly want to go see that person's blog so I git'on over then thurr.  It's really just all a big mess.  However, in the past three days I was able to catch up on a lot of people's posts--take Nic for example, who is one of my favorites.  I had 11 unread posts from him.  Eleven!  But I was able to play catch up, and he had a whopping 4 comments in one night.  As a warning to some people, that may happen to you sometime soon.  The 16 left in my reader are all specifically saved for last, so...it'll come.  Eventually. 

The only other order of business for the night is this: finding health insurance is pretty damn high on the "suckage" list.  In fact, it may overtake getting three cavities filled in one dentist visit and driving 74 miles to return something and you realize you forgot your receipt.  I'm not sure it edges out Dane Cook or biting into a cookie thinking it is warm chocolate chip only to discover it is oatmeal with extra raisins--but it sure gives them a run for the money.  Since my health insurance effectively ends tomorrow (the 19th), my father isn't allowing me out of the house until I find some.  Seeing as how I have no job and cannot pay for this insurance, I'm not sure how long my prison sentence will end up being.

But seriously, I feel like there needs to be a course on insurance terms for the laymen.  It would probably be the worst class in the world, and realistically I probably wouldn't have taken it in the first place.  But still!  Deductibles?  Copays?  40% of $5530 only after yearly cost has been met except on three services? HSAs and PPOs and HMOs and HIA and Annual OOP Max...it's like the dreaded text talk, only worse!  I mean, if someone were to say to me "omg wtf u kno?! imho, he sux 2 but thx 4 telln. ttyl"* I WOULD GET THAT.  I mean, I will want to shoot you too, but at least I would understand. 

And then I have to consider my medical history and my life and figure out the sacrifices I want to make.  Do I think I'm going to get some sort of STD in the next year?  If so, do I think that would be more important than if a kidney stone suddenly popped up again?  Do I think a bone is going to randomly pop out of my shoulder or will I get punched in the nose anytime soon?  Is there any possibility I am going to ingest that toxic poison?  Will I get testicular cancer?  I mean, I know I'm not a man, but with evolution these days and the weird processed foods entering my body, can one ever really be sure (and if by some weird happenstance this occurs, does your insurance cover this?)?!

It's all just so unclear.

But bright side (no pun intended), the weather has been absolutely fabulous the past two days!  Actually, it was downright hot.  90 degrees on Tuesday, 84 degrees on Wednesday...it was glorious.  Aside from the sweating and the being completely unprepared so I was wearing UGG boots for half of Tuesday.  But today I actually broke out a fun little dress to wear!  The temperatures are unfortunately supposed to drop again (to 64 degrees...ahh, I love you Southern California), but at least I can positively say that Spring is getting ready to come on in.  And she is most welcome.

*this pained me to write.  PAINED.

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What I've done in my life...

via weheartit

I saw this list through Ali's blog (hello old lj friend!), and figured since I didn't get to do Ten on Tuesday, I'd stick this up as a post.

• Copy the list.
• Bold the ones you've done (w/explanations if needed).
• Share with friends.

I have:
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars (not a fan of camping, but this made it worth it)
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity (I was in college, of course it was more than I could afford)
7. Been to Disney World
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (while getting over laryngitis! Note that I didn't say I sang it well.)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris 

13. Watched a thunder and lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (I'm counting all my Photoshop/inDesign/graphic design since it's all self-taught)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight (with girls. in summertime pjs.  yeah, that's real.)
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (do people...not...do this?)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb (I think so, at a farm in Belgium)
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (I feel like I did, but it was probably partial. So, no bolding.)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run (relative to the courtyard of my Parco in Italy, of course.)
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (the Filipino part, anyway.)
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (I'd feel weird not bolding this, because it's not like I need money to be satisfied with my life...I need passion and drive, not money.)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted (art class. It counts, dammit.)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person (got lost in it, got yelled at by the guards.)
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (on the life's goals list though!)
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (if I can count a not-for-profit magazine)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason (he was sweet)
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (I completely crossed this off because I am not legally allowed to donate blood/platelets/plasma/body parts/anything other than money.  You may ask if you want to know.)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp
67. Bounced a check (NOT my fault...she cashed it way earlier than I told her to!)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (Snowball!)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle (much to my Harley-riding father's chagrin, no.)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee (I think...it's kind of unclear.  All I know is there was a dying bee on the floor next to me, and my leg fucking hurt.)

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Yeah, this happened; now without context!

My friends are awesome.  Like, way awesome.  Awesome enough for me to use a word that doesn't actually exist (which is indeed painful): they are way awesomer than most people. Because of said awesome friends, really ridiculous conversations ensue.  Nothing goes unexplored, and nothing is off limits.  And because of that, gems in conversations occur.

Today bestows to you a random sampling of conversation.  And for the fun of it, no, context will not be given.  Feel free to create the story.

"Can ninjas be ghosts?  Because if not, you may not be able to kick him in the nuts."

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Today is a good day.

via

It didn't begin too well with that dream, and a bit of a slow start, but in the end...there were a lot of little good things.  And sometimes, those count so much more.

- So losing one hour blows with the Daylight Savings Time and all, but it's 6pm and the sun is still out shiny and bright.  It's really nice.
- I got to go outside in a light jacket and a dress.  No massive coats, no tights, no heavy scarf, no socks under my boots.
- I woke up at 8:30am.  Which normally wouldn't be a good thing since I didn't go to bed until close to 6am, but it's nice to wake up and have a full day left to fill with anything.
- While in Michael's Craft Store purchasing paints and canvas, the cashier gave me the 40% discount even though I forgot my coupon.
- Got an ice blended drink from Coffee Bean, which reminds me so much of summer months its is ridiculous.
- While in Coffee Bean, one of the baristas was incredibly cute.  And he actually looked me in the eye and smiled, rather than just shoving the drink across the counter and turning away like most of them tend to do.
- I spent an hour in Barnes & Noble just walking and looking at books.  Books make me happy.
- I also spent about half an hour in Borders, resulting in my possession of a new Jane Austen.
- Both bookstores were crowded enough to not be bothered by employees, but not crowded enough to be cramped and annoying.
- New notebook!  Which also means my first steps towards this sonnet project I have forming in my head.
- The most pleasant little tweeny girl held a door open for me and was incredibly amiable.  It's nice to see the younger generation still has some positivity in them.
- A good singing, senseless song came on in the car while I was driving.  You can't help but feel good belting out a ridiculous song with the sun shining and minimal traffic on the road.
- I am about a week away from getting my hands on a book I've wanted to read for months.  C'mon, library holds and person who checked out Pride and Prejudice and Zombies!

and the best part?  It's only 6:15pm, I have about 8 hours left in my day...there's so much more happy to be done.

What made you smile today?


(aaaand END steaming pile of sickeningly happy positivity!  These moods are rare for me, I have to grab 'em while I can.)

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No more weird food before bed

I had one of the strangest dreams I've had in awhile.

First, I dreamed that I was hanging out with Nicole Anderson (of Jonas on the Disney Channel), and we were walking around some movie store.  We ran across the Sex and the City Series and started talking about it.  I mention that I don't have any of them, and she says, "Oh! Well I'm looking to get rid of mine, do you want them?" and I start to talk about how I would, because I haven't even seen most of the series!  We make plans for her to give them to me, and next thing I know, I'm thinking oh no, I'm late!

All of a sudden, I'm sitting on a couch in some random apartment.  And so...here's the stranger thing: in Cafe World (that shitty game I talk about here that's on facebook), when little avatar people come into your cafe, their name hovers above them.  In my dream, I was with 3 people who I had no idea who they were, but they were sitting on the couches and counters around me, and their names were hovering above them.  The even stranger thing was that it wasn't actual people I knew, nor were they names: they were bloggers I follow.  And not even my favorite bloggers!  I'm not going to mention who, since I remember thinking these people were the most pretentious people I'd ever seen.  They were drinking coca-cola, and then one of the girls says, "Ew, I can't believe I have to drink coke.  Give me a pepsi."  So the hosting girl goes and gets it, pulling out two sizes of bottles.  Coke-hater girl says, "The smaller bottle of course, what would I do with the bigger one?"  Suddenly, the guy says, "Why am I drinking soda?  Beer, please."  So poor-host-girl grabs him a beer, which he promptly shakes his head and says, "Nope, only Guinness Beer" and she digs it out.

and then a change in scene happens where we're in the kitchen now, and they're sneering at me because I'm drinking water.  Host-girl breaks out a bottle of crazy expensive wine, in which all of them take a glass and swill it as they stare at me.  Finally, Coke-hater girl says, "You don't belong here with us."  As soon as she says it, I crumple into a ball on the floor, clutching my stomach because some shooting pain goes through my right side.  The three of them just look at me, then turn away and resume conversation while I lay, immobile, on the floor.

And then I wake up.

.......yeah, I have no idea.  I don't even care to own Sex and the City!

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Search terms are funny things...

Happy Tuesday⁺, everybody!  Remember in this post how I mentioned that I had a goal to watch all the Best Picture nominated movies before the award show?  And that I was super awesome since I'd had a grand total of 2 out of the 10?  Well, I got to four!  FOUR!  That's ridiculous for me.  That means I watched 2 movies in a week--I rarely watch 2 movies in a month.  Accomplishment, kids: it feels good.

(For those wondering, my four were: Up, Up in the Air, The Blind Side, and An Education.  Highly recommend all of them.  I have a slight girlycrush on Carey Mulligan now, too.)

Anyhow.  So I was recently checking out my Google Analytics--can Google do any wrong?!--and looking at the search items that have led people to my blog.  The usual Charlie Brown-related things (HI PEANUTS FANS), the few related to David Sedaris (which I apologise to those who have searched that and are led to a post that also has Twilight in it), a few about unemployment from my early blogging days...but apparently, one of the biggest hits on my site is the post about how I was severely skeeved out by a man who had freakishly long nails.

I never realized how many people Google men with nails (or any variation of terms with "man" and "nails").  Apparently there's like an underground fetish going on, or something...maybe it's a lot of drug usage, I don't know.  Whatever the reason, I pretty much owe one-third of foreign page visits to my site to that specific group of people.  So thanks, odd group of people who apparently like and/or want a man with long nails!  I hope we never, ever date the same men.

And lastly, there was one more item on the search list that caught my eye.  Apparently, someone searched the phrase "How to Not Creep Out Guys."  I laughed.  And then I started to think about the person who searched that...do you generally creep out guys?  Were you searching for a friend?  Does that friend creep out guys?  Were you researching something for an article (if so, hello fellow journalist!)?  Were you trying to find an inner source to the psyche of men?

Now, I admit to being a bit of a people-person.  I'm not a doormat, but I like to deliver when something is asked of me.  And I don't want that person who doesn't want to creep out men (whether it is the person to search it or for that "friend" they searched it for) to be disappointed!  And maybe I'm sparing some men from being creeped out by a girl.  Two birds with one stone.

Without further ado, here are a few things I think you should avoid in order to not creep out men when you meet them*:

• Drooling.  Whether its at dinner, while in a dentist chair, making baby voices at your cute puppy, or when he walks into the room.  Generally, spittle down the side of a girl's mouth isn't deemed attractive, because if you can't keep that in check...well...who knows what else you can't keep under control.  Mainly your inner psychotic.
• Calling him 7+ times in less than 24 hours since you met him.  I know, I know--that's just annoying and clingy, but let me finish.  Don't call him 7+ times and leave him a whispered message each time detailing every infinitesimal thing you love (yeah, love) about him.  Because face it, that's weird.
• Anything that may result in some sort of fluid or excess leaving your body, from any orifice.  Sure, maybe the boy laughs at farts or doesn't mind belching, but when that gas turns to a solid (or, heaven forbid, a liquid)...that changes things.
• Pick at your toenails.  While out to dinner.  At a restaurant.  Sitting at the dinner table.  If you do actually do this, please keep on walkin' past this blog post, because I can't help you here.
• Talk about any products relating to your monthly lady times.  It freaks him out enough to hear period chatter, spare him the details about what caught the results of that one time your body decided to hate you by giving you a flow that rivaled Niagara Falls.
• Staring him while he sips his coffee at his favourite coffee drink from behind your newspaper for 5 hours, then following him as he runs his errands at the grocery store next door and darting behind shelves and displays and aisles when he gets a glimpse of you.  Also, this could get you arrested.
• Profess your undying love and devotion to the brilliant musical talent of Miley Cyrus/Vanessa Hudgens/Honor Society/insert-any-tween-Disney-Channel-star-here.  Go ahead and have your opinions, like the music you want (because who hasn't caught themselves humming that fucking catchy "Party in the USA" rift?), but saying you want to move to Malibu to live next to Hannah Montana who is just like SO real to you because she just like GETS you won't get you anywhere.  And if it does, I'm not sure you want to be with him anyway.

* all suggestions are void when in sexual situations.  I can't say firsthand, but I have a hunch all bets are off in that department.**
**also, what the fuck do I really know about men and what they really like or don't like?
⁺ I will not be doing Ten on Tuesday this week; and no, I will not say why.

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Roommates From Hell, vol. 1

(photo via)

For the days I don't want to think about much to blog, I usually turn to the files in my head and share a memory or a story from my past.  I don't feel like being sappy sobby today, so I was trying to think of something fun and/or interesting.  And I realized, I've never told you guys any bad roommate stories!  Oh, this will be fun.  I have so many I could probably make a monthly feature of Roommates From Hell and still have more than a year's worth of anecdotes.

In college I had the outstanding pleasure of sharing a room all 4 years.  And I had 8 separate roommates - by which I mean I shared the room with.  By count of sharing an apartment, I've lived with 15 separate people.  I'm not saying all of them were terrible; not at all.  One of my roommates is still one of my best friends, and 3 other roommates are all close friends.  At least 7 of those housemates weren't absolutely horrid...

But those that were...

I'll start small, ease you into this.  This is probably the best of the worst.

To make a long, long story short, my first summer of college started poorly because the apartment I was supposed to take was no longer available to me, and I found out only a week before my summer session was to start--so, I had to rush to find an apartment in 2 days.  When I signed the lease, I knew it was a risk since I had no idea anything about the apartment.  Turns out I was Girl #6 living in this 3-bedroom place.  Luckily I loved the girl I shared a room with, but there was one girl who...

Her name was Elva, and she was a Japanese biology major.  I say this because she was the true stereotype: her family had recently come the US so she could attend college here, she was studying to be a doctor, a bit socially awkward (she asked me sex advice the day I moved in.  I'm not a prude, but...what a greeting) and she had limited english. She had basic communications down, and anything else she was pretty good at gesturing.  She was nice enough, if not a bit...strange.

Like when she saw me raging around the house because I was in a shit mood after an overnight shifter had fucked up my tables in the section I was launching at work.  She told me to drink some green tea, that it would help me relax.  I graciously told her that I didn't drink green tea, but thanks for the offer.  She insisted I drink some, even going so far as taking a cup out for me and starting to make it.  I stopped her, repeated that I didn't drink it because I don't like it, it actually makes me feel sick, so no thank you.  An hour later, I was in my room working on a piece for journalism, and my door opens (no knock, of course).  In comes Elva, a massive mug filled to the brim (she spilled some on my carpet).  She sets it down on my desk (on a stack of papers, of course) and says, "Green tea. Drink it." and leaves.

Or like when she broke our dishwasher because the bowl she wanted to use was currently in it, and she wouldn't eat without that bowl so she forced the door open when it was on the heat/dry portion and burned her hand.

Or like when she bought five tubs of green tea ice cream, then became convinced one of us had eaten some and continued for a week to interrogate all of us about our food and what we had eaten.  Even me, who still insisted I don't like green tea.  In the end, I saw Elva sneak some of another roommate's Rocky Road and say she was just "getting back what was taken" when she saw me see her.

Or like when she apologized profusely for using one of my forks even after I told her it was fine, my silverware was there for sharing, and she proceeded to bleach it.

Or like when she cornered me in the living room into talking to her for two hours about a boy she kind of liked and was wondering if she should offer to study with him or sleep with him and if I thought the biological breakdown of boy's hormones directly affected their supposed aversion to her.  She broke down the names of DNA strands for me.

Or like when my roommate Van's favourite hamster got loose and Elva decided the best way to deal with it was stomp on every piece of trash and paper that littered the floor.

....yeah.

Not too terrible (except maybe the hamster thing).  I mean, I understand there are personality ticks and lifestyle differences and things left over from how we grew up that don't always mesh with roommates' ways of living.  That's fine.

But then there was the big fiasco.

One weekend, I had friends coming up since we had free tickets to Knotts Berry Farm and figured we'd hang out at my place for a day, then go to the park the next day.  I put up a note a week in advance telling all my roommates that I was planning on having four girls come to the house and stay overnight from a Friday to a Saturday; and please let me know if this is a problem and we would make alternate arrangements.  I verbally told Van, the other roommate that I had seen in the house, and Elva.  No one said anything against this happening.

The night my friends were staying, we were gathered around a computer in the living room Facebook stalking on Facebook, looking at old friends and showing each other all our new college friends.  Elva walks through, gasps, and exclaims, "Are you on Facebook??  Are you looking at my profile??"

...no, no we're actually looking at my friend's old Beneficial Friend, who happens to be a blonde surfer white boy.

She walks away after we reassure her multiple times we're not looking at her profile.  As she's leaving the room, she says, "I just need to know if you're looking."

Naturally, I covertly checked her profile, but there was nothing terrible on it, so I had no idea what she was freaked out about.  This continued; every time she came back downstairs and saw us on the computer she'd ask again if we were looking at her profile.  She sounded alarmed every single time, but never said anything else.

Finally, we were watching a movie (She's the Man, a surprisingly good Amanda Bynes flick!) around midnight.  Two of us had fallen asleep already, the rest of the three were watching the movie and eating cupcakes.

Suddenly, I hear Elva's door upstairs slam open and her feet pound down the steps to the downstairs level.  "Can you guys SHUT UP?!" she yells, waking up both the friends that were sleeping.
"What?" I ask.
"You guys need to keep the noise down I can hear you and I am trying to study!"
"I'm sorry, Elva, we're not being loud!" I protest.
"Well I hear something and I cannot study and it is your fault if I do not do well!"
"We weren't doing anything, but I'll turn the movie down, maybe you were hearing that.  I'm sorry."
"Don't let it happen again," she says as she turns and stomps up the stairs.

I was completely weirded out, since I'd never heard Elva yell, and we honestly hadn't been that loud.  Whatever the reason, I turned the volume down on the movie and we resumed.

Not even five minutes later, I hear Elva throw open her door and she stomps down the steps again.  "I can still hear you guys!"
"Elva, we're not doing anything, whatever you're hearing is not us," I said.
"It has to be you, you guys are so loud and I cannot study and I am going to fail my test!"
"You have a test??  You didn't tell me you had a test!"
"It is in three weeks and if I fail it is your fault!"

*collective silence in the room*

"Elva...we're not making noise, I promise."

Without a word, she turned and went back upstairs, slamming her door.  Start movie again.

Not even five minutes later, door slams open, feet pounding on steps.
"I CAN STILL HEAR YOU GUYS YOU NEED TO SHUT UP I AM STUDYING FOR MY TEST YOU ARE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE AND TRYING TO MAKE ME FAIL WHY ARE YOU SABOTAGING ME"

(yeah, I think we're thinking the same thing here: of all the words she knows in English, why is 'sabotage' one of them?)

"Elva, we're not doing anything," I say firmly.  "I'm sorry there is something distracting you, but it's not us."

"YES IT IS YOU GUYS ARE TOO LOUD AND I WILL FAIL THIS IS THE LAST TIME I COME TO TELL YOU, IF YOU CANNOT KEEP QUIET THEN YOU NEED TO MOVE OUT OF THE HOUSE!"

With that, she turned and ran upstairs.

The rest of the night was without incident, but I was still thoroughly confused about everything.  For the rest of the summer, Elva came home and told me exactly what she would be studying for and when her tests were.  Every time I'd sit in the living room, she'd come to the top of the steps and say, "I am studying please be quiet," no matter what I was doing.

And she made me green tea one more time.

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Just some quick notes.

This'll be a short post because I've been having problems with my right hand and wrist for a few days now.  I think I just need to rest it (writing binges have been happening...and I mean actual writing, in a notebook), but for now I'm attempting minimal use.

Thoughts So Far For the Week:
- I'm a pretty shitty friend.  I'm entirely lucky that I have friends who put up with me and my flakiness.

- This whole plan to see all the Oscar nominated Best Picture films before the awards is not happening.  Perhaps if I'd started a year ago, I'd be halfway done.  So far I've gotten: Up in the Air, Up.  Yeeep.  Total of 2 (which is much better than any previous year).  I have Precious, The Blind Side, and An Education queued up in my computer, just no patience to sit.  All the others will just have to come as they may (except Hurt Locker, because as much as I'd love to watch it, I can't handle it.)

- Is EVERYONE in a relationship/having a baby/getting married/caught up in some boy or girl (pending respective interests)?!  Because really, I love you all, I'm happy you're happy, but...may I have a day to revel in my loneliness?  Please?

- As much as I don't like to admit it, I think I have arachnophobia. Usually I deny it, but the fact that I'm so uncomfortable and freaked out in my own home after having 5 spider incidents in a week probably means something.  And Monday night I may have started hyperventilating when a spider crawled across my bed and may have flipped out and may have had to call my brother in to kill it and may have not been able to sleep for an extra 3 hours and may have then been late to my appointment the next morning.  But, whatever...

- In my quest to read every movie (hi daniel if you're reading this), I read all of Nicholas Sparks' The Last Song in about 4 hours this morning.  I was also reminded why I stopped reading Nicholas Sparks novels: I bawl my eyes out the last 100-ish pages.  And then I'm irritated, because his writing bothers me since it's so formulaic in content.

- Also, I'm always reminded of 10th grade.  Not because I had some tragic love life, but because I was friends with Nicholas Sparks' nephew and he was in my Honors English Lit class.  Related note, writing talent does not run in that family.

- I really need to get my eating schedule back on track.  Waking up at 10am, not eating until 1:30pm, then not eating again until 9pm isn't cutting it.

- New novel in the works.  Hooray?

And I'm finishing. Typing solely with left hand at this point. Hope everyone's week is going well!

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A playlist for the dentist chair

If you read my blog and/or follow me on twitter, then you know I've been having a good ol' time at my dentist.  Whenever its a procedure longer than just a check-up and cleaning, they allow their patients to listen to music.  They have a CD player to offer, but limited CDs (Billy Joel and Faith Hill are popular requests, according to their file) so I always try to remember my iPod.  I forgot it last week for my appointment, but made sure to be prepared this week.

So I made a playlist last night.  It's not so much a thought out playlist, more of a...."I think this will distract me enough, let's try it" list.  Two problems though; first, I only have music I've added into my computer from 2 months ago uploaded, and second, I have an iPod Touch.  And while I love my iPod 99.67% of the time, there are only two ways to change songs while listening to music: 1) pull up the controls on the screen and touch it, which requires you being able to see the screen, and 2) shake the entire iPod and it will shuffle songs.  Neither of which I can do while sitting in the dentist's chair.  I was at the mercy of whatever song that came up, for the entire duration.  Because of this, I have discovered a few songs that are good to listen to while in the chair, and some that just don't work.

The Good:

Pride and Prejudice (2005) OST -- Lilting, soft, but interesting enough to hold your attention.  No lyrics, which means you don't have to worry about inadvertently moving your lips as you try to sing along.

John Mayer - Assassin, Perfectly Lonely -- Something about the music.  Calming.  And it's just me, but I don't know the lyrics yet, so again, no singing along to worry about!

Adele - Chasing Pavements, Hometown Glory -- Lulling.  Takes me away from where I am.

The Satisfactory:

Music from the TV show Glee -- definitely distracting, but definitely want to join in.

Mayer Hawthorne -- Amazing music, one that will take you away from the horrific sounds of a drill.  But...man, your groove just wants to be got!

Hope for Haiti Now (Music from the Telethon) -- most of the music is amazing to listen to, and your mind is somewhere else.  But then you start to think of the tragedy of Haiti, and the plight of Chile and all the destruction...well.  It can lead to some bad places.

The Bad:

Lady GaGa - Bad Romance -- there's always something to do with this song; sing along, mock it, bob your head, ridicule her.  All of which involve movement.

Spring Awakening OBC, Wicked OBC, Next to Normal OBC -- They're musicals.  Of course you want to join in, jazz hands and square steps and all.

Justin Timberlake -- You're tellin' me you can bring sexy back without any sort of shifting?!

Lean On Me -- This is one of my top 3 favourite songs ever, and it's one of those songs I feel the need to close my eyes, sway, and softly sing along to.

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Ten on Tuesday! Volume 6

1. If you were given an hour to use a $200 Amazon gift card, what would you buy?
Oh Lord...that would not last.  Books mostly, perhaps some DVDs, probably an electronic somewhere...yeah.

2. Are there any fairly common foods that you’ve never had?
Hmmm...clams and oysters.  But I won't eat them, so don't even make me try.

3. What was your favorite way to use your imagination as a kid?
Writing and storytelling, of course.  I made up fairy tales and plays.  My biggest hit as a child was "I was cleaning my room when..." in which I was cleaning my room and an alien came and took me away. He took me because they wanted me to clean their spaceship, so I did ultra fast and they were so impressed they dropped me back at home.  I'm badass like that.

4. What’s your favorite state? Why?
Well...I mean, I have to choose California.  Anything you want you can get here: snow, sunshine, beaches, desert, chinese food, indian food, Filipinotown, mountains, valleys, cities, suburbs, farms...it's kind of the best.

5. If it was our culture to have our parents choose our spouses, do you think yours would make a good choice?
I think my parents would duke it out with each other to choose my guy because they both see very different sides of me. And in the end...he'd be decent.  I don't think they would do poorly, but probably not the best haha.

6. What’s your favorite herb?
Does garlic powder count?  That's just for the smell though.  Aside from that, I have no idea.  I don't cook enough to know what each one's effects are.

7. If you could have dinner with one celebrity, who would you choose?
Julie Andrews.  She's been one of my idols since I was 4.  But I know she's kind of pinnacle of everything, so I wouldn't mind just tossing these names in a hat and goin for it: anyone from *NSYNC, Josh Groban, Emma Thompson, Liam Neesan, Orlando Bloom, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jim Parsons, Neil Patrick Harris, Evan Lysacek, Johnny Weir, Mark Salling, Matthew Morrison, pretty much any major character from Harry Potter.

8. What’s your favorite Disney movie?
It's way too difficult to choose just one, so...I'm not going to.  I'll always love Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Lion King.  And if we're counting Pixar movies, Toy Story and Toy Story 2...but pretty much all the rest of the Pixars too.

9. If you had to listen to the same song over and over for 24 hours, what song would you choose?
John Mayer - Slow Dancing In A Burning Room

10. How do you order your steak?
Go ahead, yell at me, but I order it Well Done.  Anything less creeps me out.

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Happy March, lovies!

Contrary to the exclamation point used in the post title, it's actually been a pretty terrible weekend.  It was just a sequence of days where every doubt I've ever had about me and my life comes creeping around and settles on my shoulder.  And they've had a heavy lunch.  And they're carrying backpacks filled with boulders.  Having a party.  And they call all their friends and family to join them, so next thing I know all these doubts I didn't even know I had are creeping around in my head.  I'm doubting everything, from ability to lack of job to friendships to future to past mistakes...it's terrible.

It's hard to snap back from that, but...I'm trying.

That said, Happy March! How in the world are we three months deep into the new year already? I understand I lost about 16 days glued to my TV cheering random sports and countries in the hopes of 3 medals, but I'm still a bit befuddled.

This promises to be an...interesting month.  For several reasons, most of which revolve around the fact that in 19 days, I turn 23.  Twenty-three freakin' years old.  I feel so old, and so young.  Time can never be harnessed, and yet I feel like a lifetime has passed.

I don't make a big deal about my birthday.  I never really have, mostly because it falls at an inopportune time for students.  Always a test, a final, a big assignment--or if it is Spring Break, none of my friends are around or I'm gone.  I've never thought it was a problem, because that's how it has always been.  And I don't feel sad about the non-parties, because going to dinner with my family is enough for me.  Besides, birthdays are transferable in my house; I can celebrate it any week I want (within reason, of course).

But this year, it's unavoidable.  See, in a military kid's life, certain birthdays mean something.  A child of a military parent is called a dependent.  As a dependent, you are given certain privileges and benefits: access to the base, a waiver on your tuition (state colleges of residence only), discounts.  But most importantly, you are given health benefits.  Every health concern is completely covered.  My shitty teeth, three years of braces, the one year of a retainer...covered.  My two ovarian cysts, sprained ankle, carpal-tunnel-but-not wrists, arthritic ankles, stress headaches, a brief and terribly painful stint of high blood pressure combined with kidney stones, all of which resulted in ER trips and/or several doctor trips...covered.  My slowly regressing vision, the glasses to fix my almost legal blindness...covered.

A dependent's privileges end when he or she reaches the age of 21...UNLESS you are attending college full time.  If that is the case, then the privileges are extended until the age of 23.  My entire life, I've never had to worry about paying for a single medical expense.  And all of a sudden, I'm going to be thrust into this world without any coverage...and I don't have a job.  This is a definite cause for concern.  It's safe to say that I'm on the verge of hyperventilation at this thought.  Except that could cause a lot more medical problems, and I can't afford that.  Oh irony, you kill me...

March also marks my 6 month mark of unemployment.  I never thought I'd have such a gap of unemployment, and I do not look forward to explaining this to any interviewers.  The job search suffered a pretty bad setback this year, since I was sick for the entire first month.  And then I lost my resume file in all the computer switching, so it's been extreme slow-going of rebuilding that alongside the portfolio.  Those doubts were all back this week, reminding me how I was supposed to be working my way up through the editorial route at some magazine...and here I am watching a Disney movie with the only plans of this week being my third dentist appointment to fix more cavities.

Snapping back...right.

On the bright side of my birthday, I am no longer in school, which means proper celebration!  A few friends and I are going up to Newport Beach for a weekend, so I'm excited to see a bunch of my friends.  It will be kind of nice to have (almost) everyone I love together, so at least I have that to look forward to.

Also, that means one more month until ScriptFrenzy! I haven't fully decided if I'm going to do it since I've never had an inkling of a desire to write a screenplay.  Nor do I know anything about the style...or have a decent idea for a script...or think I could possibly write stage directions...or picture how my writing would be on a screen.  But, you know...creativity!  Writing!  It's things I love, I may as well consider it, right?  Right.

And I am looking forward to Spring.  Winter is my favourite season, but all this rain is so unusual for southern California that I'm looking forward to getting the heat back on my body.  Beaches and tank tops and sunglasses (even though I can't wear those) and shorts and driving with the windows down and breeze flowing through.  Plus, I'm lookin' mighty pale for a brown girl...it'll be nice to get a little bit o' colour back on me.

There's always a light where the shadows fall, at least.

What's in store for your month?

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