Okay, now I don't care what happens... I'm #1 for the week in my league.

I don't care what happens in the next few hours.... cause right now I'm #2 for the week in my College Pick'Ems league and #5 overall. PLUS, I got sick and missed the terrible beat down GT is experiencing right now. If you gotta get beat, you might as well not watch.

The Friday Five
1. Who is your favorite singer/musician? Why?
Jump, Little Children because they have such a variety of music that I can find something for any mood, plus they put on AMAZING shows.

2. What one singer/musician can you not stand? Why?
Pink. Can't stand her. Every song is annoying in the first place, but is also overplayed.

3. If your favorite singer wasn't in the music business, do you think you would still like him/her as a person?
The guys of Jump would probably be a whole lotta fun to be friends with. Jay might be a little too serious/moody. But who knows, he might really be a blast, too.

4. Have you been to any concerts? If yes, who put on the best show?
Yeah, quite a few. Jump puts on the best show. The only band to rival them (and might possibly have surpassed them, but I'm too biased to notice) is Better Than Ezra. Ben Folds Five was pretty fab too, and I did... oh screw it, here's a top 8:

1. Some Jump concert (pretty much any I've seen)
2. Better Than Ezra (The Roxy, 2002)
3. Weezer (Lakewood Ampitheater, 2002)
4. Ben Folds Five
5. Lilith Fair (particularly Sheryl Crow and Sarah McLachlan)
6. 311
7. Carbon Leaf (opened for jump a year or two ago)
8. Jay Clifford (of J,LC) solo show 2/03

5. What are your thoughts on downloading free music online vs. purchasing albums? Do you feel the RIAA is right in its pursuit to stop people from dowloading free music?
RIAA has the right to sue, but I'm very anti-music biz so I like the idea of screwing them over. If I had the option of buying songs online for a reasonable price (I say 50 cents is more reasonable than a buck) I think I would.

You know how competitive you get... And while I think it's cute, others don't agree and I'm lying." - Chandler to Monica

We have such great Current Event items for our studies...

Who said, "I'm the president of the United States, and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli"?

1. Bill Clinton

2. George Bush (Sr.)

3. Ronald Reagan

4. Jimmy Carter

Was it #2????

Yep, that's me.
"The new [Knowledge and Skill Lab] site looks great , though it is unclear what Joni is doing in that last picture. It looks as though she is about to take off with a jet pack or something" - Dr. Ackerman

"Oh yeah, I think you look like you're a disoriented hiker in that lab picture. " - MLH

Stealth Disco
People involved in covert disco-ing. Luckily in my lab there's no need for stealth. We disco openly. Ask me about my "Hi, Dr Clough!" dance... no wait, don't.

I think the hardest part of writing a paper is getting around to starting it. That's what I'm doing now. The second hardest part is writing a discussion/conclusion that doesn't consist entirely of sentences I've already used. I wish I were already to that point.

Responding to report on the best and worst snacks for kids:
"There are no good foods and bad foods," said Stephanie Childs, a spokeswoman for the Grocery Manufacturers of America.

Interesting.... thank you corporate America for that timely and (I'm sure) unbiased insight.

"Childs warned that government restrictions would lead children to go to convenience stores for snacks. Bush administration officials have echoed those arguments. "

Interesting again... I make these arguments for legalization of drugs, Bush makes them for Twinkies.

Woman Assures You She's Not Mad
CASPER, WY—Your girlfriend of four months, University Xerox employee Rebecca Kohler, assured you Monday that she was "not mad" about being unable to reach you on the phone Saturday night, even though you said you would probably be home. "For the last time, I'm not angry at you, goddamnit!" a furious Kohler said. "Christ, are you trying to make me mad?" The perfectly fine Kohler then proceeded to violently three-hole-punch stacks of photocopies and explain to her coworker, Annabelle Agneau, that the only person she was mad at was herself, for having thought you might be different.

www.theonion.com

EliCash: you know how they say in a poker game there's always one sucker and if you can't figure out who it is, leave, because its you. well I know who the annoying kid is, so its not me

"Day after shopping day, women pay for the privilege of looking like they washed pants that they were supposed to dryclean."
From Capri Pants -- Liz Khalil

From Defective Yeti's coverage of the Democrat Debate:
Q: Frankly there's been some concern that because of the racial makeup of Vermont, about 0.5 percent black, that you will have a difficult time connecting and really understanding the concerns of minorities, in particular African Americans.

Dean: Well, if the percent of minorities that's in your state has anything to do with how you can connect with African American voters, then Trent Lott would be Martin Luther King.

Lane's mom: You may take her to the prom, but you may not marry her.

Lane's boy: That seems fair.

--Gilmore Girls

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Florida (CNN) -- The Air Force launched a top-secret satellite Tuesday for the National Reconnaissance Office, which operates the United States' fleet of spy spacecraft. (from cnn.com)

Not so top secret now....

I am so sore. The "total body tone" class sucked. Way too many reps with really heavy weights (the selection was not great when I got there). Also, those stability balls.... is the name a joke? I've never felt so perilously perched as with that dumb thing. I'm so looking forward to step class now.

The Friday Five

1. What housekeeping chore(s) do you hate doing the most? vacuuming with dish-washing a close second.
"The only thing that separates us from the animals is we aren't afraid of the vacuum cleaner."

2. Are there any that you like or don't mind doing? Scrubbing the toilet or tub (I love to see quick progress)

3. Do you have a routine throughout the week or just clean as it's needed? As needed (really desperately needed)

4. Do you have any odd cleaning/housekeeping quirks or rules? ....no?

5. What was the last thing you cleaned? The sink

"This is something you need to know for the test I intend to screw you on."
-Dr Catrambone

99 days to graduation.

100 days to graduation

Random downloading pays off... I finally gave a random song a chance, and David Mead's World of a King turns out to be...awesome? groovy? I can't find a pleasing descriptor. Fabulous? Smurfy?

FYA (for your amusement):
The blog of a girl who hates me for no good reason. At least it gives me some fodder to not like her back.


"Bill is so wrong... you are not Satan." - First Wives Club

"[The hypothalmus] organizes behaviors related to survival of the species- the so-called four F's: fighting, feeding, fleeing, and mating." - Calrson in The Physiology of Behavior

Three things: Last night's freaky dreams:
1) Sad dream where I got really upset because I was suddenly a ghost and only a few people could see me.
2) Really angry dream where I had just gotten married and was thanking every one at my reception when someone told me the groom wasn't going to come. I found him and yelled at him (How could a marriage last SIX minutes?!? You bastard!), and then I realized that I couldn't get upset, because I had to act cool for the guests and then pay for the stupid wedding. When I woke up, I realized I would definitely have sued that jerk because his reason for leaving was that he was fooling around with another girl.
3) Scary Sci-fi dream where my group of scientists accidentally released mutated creatures that went into the ocean and were going to come back and eat everyone. Then while we were waiting and watching for the creatures, some Nazis came to arrest a lot of people, including me, and we had to hide.

Okay, not good. I'm feeling just a little emotional.... a Mutual of Omaha commercial just brought me to the verge of tears. So did the Discovery Channel Cat special... This reminds me of the morning I was brought to sobs over a Moby video with the cute little aliens that get ignored. What is up with me?!? This would be the perfect day to try to get me to send money to starving children.

There is no pleasure in having nothing to do;
the fun is in having lots to do and not doing it.

- Mary Little

Three Things: Celebrity Quotes on marriage:
1)"I think gay marriage should be between a man and a woman." - Arnold Schwarzenegger (8/26)
2) "Instead of getting married again, I'm going to find a woman I don't like and just give her a house." -- Lewis Grizzard
3)"Bigamy is having one wife too many. Monogamy is the same." -- Oscar Wilde

Top five blue collar or no-skill jobs (purely subjective and off the top of my head):
1) Lunch lady
2) Clerk in a small independent record or book store
3) Camp counselor
4) Cake decorator at Publix
5) Banana Republic sales clerk (discounts!)

Three things: What I did today:
1) Watched The Price is Right, laughing like a hyena the whole time
2) A whole lotta nothing
3) 72 floors on the Stairmaster

I really can't believe how little I got done today. This laziness will come back to bite me in the rear soon enough.

"Drunk is feeling sophisticated when you can't say it."

My computer has finally been revived. I hope it isn't quietly awaiting another catastrophe.

From a Newsweek interview:
Nolan Bushnell, the creator of the Atari, on his other venture, Chuck E. Cheese:

"I created a pizza parlor where families could have a good time together and kids could play games, all under the watchful eye of an eight-foot rat."

Three Things: Pirates:

A pirate store.

A pirate's keyboard.

An overtold, but funny-to-me pirate joke:
A pirate walks into the bar with a ship's wheel protruding from his pants.

The bartender looks at him and asks "Hey pal, what's with the wheel?"

"Arrrrr" replied the pirate, "it's driving me nuts!"

Listening to... freakin' LFO
Feeling... like I could be more productive

Man I love old songs... They killed all of the fun of LFO's song "Summer Girls" when it was popular but now that it's been a few years, it's fun to dig it out of my mp3 collection.

"I like Kevin Bacon, but I hate Foot Loose"
"When I met you I said 'My name is Rich. You look like a girl from Abercrombie and Fitch.'"

Classic lyrics, right??

"The problem with the designated driver program, it's not a desirable job. But if you ever get sucked into doing it, have fun with it. At the end of the night, drop them off at the wrong house."
--- Jeff Foxworthy

"Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant?? I'm halfway through my fish burger and I realize, Oh my God....I could be eating a slow learner."
--- Lynda Montgomery

Get your very own Playskool Tarot card reading!

Disclaimer: I have no faith in tarot card readings.

Anecdote: Back in the day, a coworker at Arby's did a Tarot card reading for me. She told me I would die alone (this came up in two or three readings she did for me). I told my manager about it, and she put the best spin on it... "Well, at least if you're in a bank robbery or otherwise held hostage, you can feel comfortable. Cause you're not going to die with all of those people around." Whew!

"I suggest you not underestimate the staggering draw of the Garden State." - Dogma

"Those flowers were supposed to say 'We're sorry you passed,' not 'you're dead; let's disco'!"
Charlotte from Sex and The City

"I took the speed reading course and read 'War and Peace' in twenty minutes. It's about Russia."
Woody Allen

"I'm talking about you getting old and you're talking about putting glitter on" -3 X K

Real World thoughts

Leah is so bipolar in her feelings... she loves or hates everyone... and goes from one extreme to the other over nothing
Mallory put an apple core in a candy dish... For once I agree with Leah- Yuck.
Pascual looks like a Star Trek character. hmmm....
What?!? Pascual (Pas-KWAA as Leah says it) is only a sophomore in HS??? And Mallory going to hook up with him?!
Why is she so freakin' in love with her brother???
Poor Ace, so in looooove with that idiotic alcoholic Mallory.
AHhhhhhh, the ads were right! Mallory got some Simon loving!!!!!
I can't believe Simon would snog the least cool member of the house. And to think he was my favorite...
Did Pascual stay in town for less than 24 hours? I would never fly to Europe for less than a two week stay.
I have taken that cab ride to CDG!! cost us $60 if I remember....
It's good to see everyone using the French they've learned. Right....
Eww, fake hugging

While proudly showing off his new apartment to friends, a college student led the way into the den.

"What is the big brass gong and hammer for?" one of his friends asked.

"That is the talking clock", the man replied.

"How's it work?" the friend asked.

"Watch", the man said then proceeded to give the gong an ear shattering pound with the hammer.

Suddenly someone screamed from the other side of the wall "KNOCK IT OFF, YOU IDIOT! It's two AM in the morning!

A college physics professor was explaining a particularly complicated concept to his class when a pre-med student interrupted him.

"Why do we have to learn this stuff?" one young man blurted out.

"To save lives," the professor responded before continuing the lecture.

A few minutes later the student spoke up again. "So how does physics save lives?"

The professor stared at the student for a long time without saying a word. Finally the professor continued.

"Physics saves lives," he said, "because it keeps certain people out of medical school."

"That's not just a space ship. That's a transformer!"

--Today I watched Space Balls for the first time... yeah, I know... long time coming.

"Now you see evil will always triumph, because good is dumb."

Listening to... Excuse me, Mister by No Doubt
Feeling... gooooood

Two realizations today... One was this morning, when I realized that I wanted some golf clubs... today. So, I just got some!!! (Yes, there was forethought on this fairly big purchase, but the impulse to go for it came today).
The second realization is that if I were to make a list of things that make life worth living, cheese would be on my list. I really do love it. Maybe I'll make that list some day, but for now just know that cheese would be there.

Oh, and note to self: Cannot buy any clothes until September 18 (that was my justification for my golf splurge).

Top Ten Things about Hotlanta
1. skyline
2. music scene
3. Midtown night life
4. shopping
5. Virginia Highlands
6. Buckhead restaurants
7. get all major movie releases (plus the offerings of little indie theaters)
8. "Discovering" new neighborhoods
9. Georgia Tech
10. restaurant variety

Freaky... I just cracked open an egg with two yolks. Twins! More cholesterol for me... eek.

"When I was five my mother gave me an Oreo cookie. I promptly shoved the entire thing into my mouth and, while chewing, asked if I could have another.

My mother said "You should concentrate on enjoying the cookie you're eating instead of thinking about the next one."

That's pretty much the best advice I have ever received in my life."

-- Defective yeti

"Puff Daddy is planning his own line of Lincoln Navigators. Like everything he does, the car will be pieced together from older, better cars." - Lewis Black

Listening to... Goo Goo Dolls - Broadway
Feeling... a monster caffeine-withdrawal headache

Oooouch... I wasn't kidding about the headache. Since I'm nearing the end of my stay in Hotlanta (5 months to graduation, just turned in the petition) I've been working on doing all the things I've been meaning to do here. Among this summer's plans:
1. See Oakland park
2. See the state captiol (and being "tourist for a day")
3. Monday night drag show at Nickiemoto's
4. IPST paper museum (it's directly behind my apartment bldg, I'm just lazy)
5. ATL botanical

I'm knocking out number 3 tonight.

While I'm doing lists, I'll post this list of volunteer jobs I'd like to get into (as a reminder to self):
1. Food prep at Zoo Atlanta
2. Project Open Hands
3. Teacher's aide
4. Train Seeing-Eye dogs

Now if only I had some good short-term job prospects for spring...

Old Song Lyrics again-- I'm on a roll....

"Well, maybe I'll call or write you a letter. Now maybe we'll see on the 4th of July. But, I'm not too sure and I'm not too proud. I'm too sure and I'm not too proud to say (ah-oh) it was good,
living with you (wah-oh), it was good."
-Better Than Ezra (the only band to ever give J,LC a run for their money as my favorite performers)

Old song lyrics:
"God help you if you are an ugly girl.
Course, too pretty is also your doom,
Cause everyone harbors a secret hatred for the prettiest girl in the room."


"I'd never try to give my life meaning by demeaning you
And I would like to state for the record, I did everything that I could do."


-Alana Davis- 32 flavors

Interesting description of Jump, Little Children:
"He lists band ingredients a little bit of electric lead, cello and accordion and upright bass electric and acoustic mandolin and "a tasty little trap drummer. [hahaha] They're each quirky looking in their own way--the hunk, and the nerd, and the artsy guy and the rockabilly guy, without it looking contrived or anything."

Eno Music Festival

"and social skills are important, because in life I'd have to get people to do what I want" -3 X K

Me- I think she (the new grad kid) could be one of our minions.
Green- I think we're cool enough for minions.
Me- Yeah, we definitely have insufficient... minion-age.

As if I could be a bigger fan of Jay Clifford's, I saw him in an amazing solo concert last night. I heard this Rosebud song for the first time. It's nice...

DON'T PUT IT ON

Don't put it on
Last night you were a vision of perfection
Leave your dresses in the armoir
As the evening addresses it's last au revoir
I think we left your scarf on the lawn
And don't put it on

Don't put it on
I'm begging you dear, now that the dawn is near
Leave your jewelry on the nightstand
There's no ornamenting your porcelain hand
And though the night is now dawn
Don't put it on

I love to watch you dress
I'm jealous how your silk caresses you
You are so wonderful
Why put on anything at all?
Don't put it on

Don't put it on
Your naked eyes awake to the rising sun
Leave your perfume on the table
Leave your lipstick to stain my lapel
Your lace, your gloves, your ribbons
Don't put it on

I love to watch you dress
I'm jealous how your silk caresses you
You're so wonderful
Why put on anything at all
Don't put it on
Don't put it on
And I love to watch you dress
I know your room's a mess
But don't put it on

Another song I still love - Honey by Mariah Carey

Oh, I can't be elusive with you, honey
Cause it's blatant that I'm feeling you
And it's too hard for me to leave abruptly
Cause you're the only thing I wanna do

And it's just like honey
When your love comes over me
Oh baby I've got a dependancy
Always strung out
For another taste of your honey

Identify yourself using the songs of one artist/group. I choose Jump, Little Children (of course!)

1. Are you male or female?
Ordinary Girl
2. Describe yourself:
Undergroung Elite
3. How do some people feel about you?
Hold your Tongue
4. How do you feel about yourself?
First to Feel like this
5. Describe your girlfriend/boyfriend/interest:
Someone's in the kitchen
6. Where would you rather be?
Cathedrals or Holy City
7. Describe what you want to be:
Aimless
8. Describe how you live:
All around the world
9. Describe how you love:
Lover's Greed
10. Share a few words of wisdom:
It's Up to You

How can you resist a test that asks:
"T/F A pimp is a good thing to be." ?
Dante's Inferno Hell Test
(I'll be sorrowful but not tortured in level one: Limbo).

"She's a special one..." - from the guy behind me in my Bio final when Dr Yen stopped us half way through a very difficult exam to take a picture.

Queens of the Stone Age - Go with the flow

She said "I'll throw myself away,
They're just photos after all"
I can't make you hang around.
I can't wash you off my skin.
Outside the frame, is what we're leaving out
You won't remember anyway
I can go with the flow
But don't say it doesn't matter anymore
I can go with the flow
Do you believe it in your head?
It's so safe to play along
Little soldiers in a row
Falling in and out of love
With something sweet to throw away.
But I want something good to die for
To make it beautiful to live.
I want a new mistake, lose is more than hesitate.
Do you believe it in your head?
I can go with the flow
But don't say it doesn't matter anymore
I can go with the flow
Do you believe it in your head?

True, true:

"Don't be sorry, be better."
-- Kerry's Motto

Obviously, I prefer funny quotes, but sometimes I like a good inspirational message:

Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, falling in love in
a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your
imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of
bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend
your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what
amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love. Stay in love. And it will
decide everything. (Pedro Arrupe, S.J.)

Why, oh why can't this guy be my Behavior Analysis professor???

From the final:
"I'd like for you to describe (IN GREAT DETAIL) an operant conditioning procedure that you would implement if you desired to train your dog to fetch beers from the fridge for you as you relax watching the old tube. Tell me about what you would need to do to your home environment to make this possible, what type of reinforcement you would use, give me details about the discriminative stimulus, the final response behavior, and how this would ideally play out after some hard work. I should be able to give your response to interested parties and they should be able to train their dog if they follow your procedure. Have fun with this one. You should be able to draw from our initial primer and your experience with Sniffy to answer this question very completely."

Oh my gosh, this is soooo fabulous. A peeps wedding.

And while we're basking in the fun of Easter:
Great Moments in Rock and Roll as reinacted by Peeps
Pyromaniacs and Peeps*

*Yes, I do endorse the torture and wasting of Peeps. They are icky and should never be offered to me as food.

Random lyrics for your enjoyment:

15 Stories - Jay Clifford (Jump, Little Children)
He was seen on the 15th floor
Straight up and straight down
He seemed to lean into the wind
And scream like an old bloodhound

Two more inches would do it
Midnight to midday
There was always a crowd
A traffic jam and someone to pray

Heaven above- hold him back
Hold out and hold on
He would say to himself
I'll be bigger than life when I'm gone

He's a legend unto himself
A legend unto himself

There's nothing between him and the pavement
And there's nothing between him and anyone else

Everyday he would try
Two feet up, two feet down
Fifteen stories high
Became old familiar ground

Nice view of the river today
Sunrise and sunset
A lady screamed on the street below
He wished she hadn't noticed just yet

Kinda peaceful up here all alone
Hang-outing around
Til everyone comes to see
Again they'll all be let down

He's a legend unto himself
A legend unto himself

There's nothing between him and the pavement
And there's nothing between him and anyone else

Leaned out far today
Too far, too close
He closed his eyes and he felt the wind
He could hear the silence of the crowd almost

15 stories is quite a tall tale
Straight up and straight down
The crowd disappeared and the traffic returned
The legend spread quickly through town

Hey, hey... my last dating dry spell was a big eight months. This one was only two months. Not bad, just wanted to brag.

Hehe... My friend is doing her internship thing so she can get her education degree next month. She had her 4th graders ask questions to get to know her, here are a couple of questions they asked....

Do you have a GED?
Why didn't you want to be a flight attendant?
How long have you been a math teacher?
How much do you like kids?

Check out the flag in the background of this picture. Surreal, but yeah, war eagle!

How are a Texas tornado and an Arkansas divorce the same?

Somebody's gonna lose a trailer.

(thanks Laura)

EliCash: have you seen these navy ads?
EliCash: they changed what they say
me: "life liberty and the pursuit of all who threaten it"
EliCash: its now "come kick some ass with us"

I'm watching Insomniac with Dave Attell. He's in Atlanta!! I'm not recognizing any of these places, but damn, everyone is drunk and redneck.

Oh, in case you cared - Gigi our fetal pig in Bio lab was laid to rest in the "Waste" bucket today. I'll kind of miss the idea of her... (but not her, since all of the pigs were extra stinky after three weeks in a lab drawer). It was melancholy. I'll also miss my cute Bio TA, since today was the last lab.

Two thought provoking questions:
Would you rather be labeled a skank or a slut? (Question courtesy of Stephanie)
Would you rather be infamous or forgotten? (my favorite question)

My answers:
1. I have to qualify my answer by giving what I understand the definitions to be:
Slut- one who sleeps around, and will sleep with any person s/he knows or has recently met
---implies some selectivity in choice
Skank- one who sleeps around indiscriminately, s/he is especially unattractive
SO, I'd rather be known as a slut.

2. Infamous. I've said this for years.

Oh, and just to give a shout out. The website for my bio book rocks. Check it out if you're a nerd or need some Bio help.

From the AIM profile of a friend of mine:

"Pursuing the natural nerd high"
--seen on the t-shirts of some Science Olympiad kids

"My other car is a love tractor"
--spotted on some car's license plate frame

"I think I know how to turn a man on. I certainly didn't pass my driver's test by learning how to parallel park."

Grace (of Will & Grace)

Who knew Chinchillas were so darn cute?!?

OOOOOooh my. Two great links:

No, really click this one: chipmunk smoking a pipe (like the pipe you smoke "tobacco-like" products out of, not an old man pipe).

One of the funniest things to see: Pets with their heads stuck in bags.

Well, I think it's cool.

A primer on Daylight Saving time.

Tech's priority registration benefits have obviously gotten out of hand. I will be a fifth year with 109 credits.... and I register on the fifth day of registration (of nine days). THIS IS B.S.!!! I know 4000 level psychology classes don't fill up, but darn it, I deserve some seniority privileges

Reminder to self- do not go near a Dance Dance Revolution game or any related game. I still cannot understand why I sucked so badly. I have the qualifications of being a good player - rhythm and decent perceptual speed. I guess my hand/foot coordination has never really been challenged.

Reminder to self - go see the Mighty Wind. Christopher Guest rocks.

Update: This movie totally rocked. Yes, totally.

Nice try, twelve step.


Simpsons

Just pass out the tater tots, prepster.

"you know the world's gone mad when the best rapper is a white guy, the best golfer is a black guy, the tallest guy in the NBA is Chinese, the Swiss hold the America's Cup, France is accusing the USA of arrogance and the Germans don't want to go to war!"

(I know it has to be this way to be funny, but I have to say Eminem is hardly the best rapper.)

"Everyone thinks JayZ is rich because he drives a Mercedes. But I got an Altima and $50,000 in my pocket. Who's a rich man now?" - Chris Rock

Scrubs...
Elliot: "You know what's funny? When I said I loved you, it was an accident. I never really loved you."
Now ex-boyfriend: "(dryly) That is an absolute riot."

Pablo Neruda is never trite, though this is almost too sweet for my taste.

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

During the 12 hour drive to and from Miami for spring break, I heard several songs I just had to download. Here are those songs:
Celine Dion - Drove All Night
Del Amitri - Roll to Me
Go West - Faithful
Garth Brooks - Standing Outside the Fire
Dixie Chicks - Long Time Gone
Live - Lay Me Down
David Garza - Disco Ball World

I love suddenly remembering songs I used to love (I can't wait until 90's stations start up). Roll to Me and both of UB40's hits are good examples. I still just love them, even after all these years.

Listening to... King of Wishful Thinking - Go West
Feeling... accomplished.

Today's highs and lows:
+Excellent almond poppy seed muffin for brunch, thank goodness no drug tests for me.
+Knocked out my stats test
+Had the nerve to do the cutting and poking during my fetal pig dissection
+Named the pig Gigi
-Shrieked like a little girl when someone opened the drawer next to me and there was a really gross half-dissected pig in there (that's where we were supposed to store them, it was just the initial shock of seeing the pigs and it being so close to me the whole time)
-Won't eat anything I've touched. I feel contaminated from the dissection.

Did you know.... Nicholas Hammond, who played Spiderman in the old skool tv show, also played Frederick Von Trapp in The Sound of Music? Wow.... Thanks VH1's Where are they now?

Best recent Friends quote:
"One ridiculous problem at a time, please!" - Chandler

Now that I've seen Sweet Home Alabama five times, I have two corrections:
1. The Golden Cherry (where Andrew says he is staying) is in Opelika, not Greenville (and is one trashy little establishment)
2. We don't play "Sweet Home Alabama" at every event of our lives. It is a good song though.

Woah, Opelika made the front page of the New York Times. Auburn's crappy little sister city actually serves healthy/fresh food in their schools... I don't know what the deal is, but I have fond memories of cafeteria food in elementary school....

Gilmore Girls Reaction:
I'm very upset about the Gilmore Girls. I've waited a very long year through happy Dean episodes for Rory to finally be with Jess. Why can't I get a single happy Rory and jess episode??? Why can't Dean go away to Military school or something? (Of course, the last guy to try to break up Rory and Dean ended up there, but I don't see any reason for them not to repeat a plot twist.)

Mother-in-law: "Emily, I shall be gone for approximately 20 minutes. That should give you enough time to get all of my gifts out of the basement and place them around the room as if they were there year round."

Good Point:

"Blanket bans on technology are almost always a mistake," argues Tim Caulfield, research director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta. "You don't ban fertilizer because you can use it to make bombs. Don't ban cloning because it may be abused."
--time.com "Abducting the Cloning Debate" 1/13/03

Think you aren't racist? Try some of these unconscious racial bias tests. (Especially the Black/White Adults test) Very interesting... (from a social and psychological perspective)

Current Favorite Songs (in case you care)
Do You Love an Apple -- Jump, Little Children with Amanda Kapazous (sp?)
Beautiful Mess -- Diamond Rio
Wanksta -- 50 cents
All My Lovin' -- The Beatles
Landslide -- Dixie Chicks
Honestly -- Kwan (or whatever Billy Corgan's new band is named)

Listening to... 2000 Miles by the Pretenders
Feeling... so tired

Ugh, the first day of spring semester. My last spring semester as an undergrad... This is going to be interesting and a lot of work. Blah...

Listening to... the silence of a half-occupied dorm building
Feeling... bored

Following yesterday's trend of Lists, here's a somewhat cheesey one that makes a few good points.

Ten Suggestions For Getting Along Better With People
1. Guard your tongue. Say less than you think.
2. Make promises sparingly. Keep them faithfully.
3. Never let an opportunity pass to say a kind word.
4. Be interested in others, their pursuits, work, families.
5. Be cheerful. Don't dwell on minor aches and small disappointments (my addendum: don't keep track of or list the bad things that have happened, but do count the good things.)
6. Keep an open mind. Discuss but don't argue. Disagree without being disagreeable.
7. Discourage gossip. It's destructive.
8. Be careful of other's feelings.
9. Pay no attention to ill-natured remarks about you. Live so that nobody will believe them.
10. Don't be anxious about getting credit. Just do your best and be patient.