One of my many vices...

My list of vices and things that I dislike... and more.

I recently read someone's blog in which they listed their personal vices. I tried to think of mine, and I was able to come up with quite the list. This includes weird little facts about me as well as the things that annoy me. It goes as follows:

1. I cannot sit on or get into an unmade bed. I rarely make my bed when I wake up in the morning, however when I get into it at night I have to make it first. If I don't, it feels like I'm lying in a pile of dirty clothes or something. It's worse if I have to pee a lot in the middle of the night, because every time I come back to bed from the bathroom I have to make the bed again. Sometimes this happens twice in one night.
2. I don't like croutons on my salad. I also hate salad served on hot plates. Cool the plate off first. If I wanted hot lettuce leaves, I would have ordered the spinach.
3. I hate the sound of scraping ice. For example, teeth scraping a popsicle or ice trays scraping the sides of the freezer. I seriously get chills just thinking about it in order to write it here. I can give myself goosebumps all up and down my arms by simply thinking about it. I can do it when it's 110 degrees outside... "Hey guys, wanna see my give myself goosebumps?" "No way you could do that when it's this hot out......oh my god you're f&*%ing weird!" *Giggle*
4. I despise it when people slurp their soup. I also hate it when people slurp soda or anything else that is in liquid (or semi-liquid) form. Gross.
   
5. I hate it when people don't use their turn signals while driving...also when they turn the signal on five feet before the turn, as if they believe that in order to enable the vehicle to turn at all they must pull the little directional lever. People: the directionals are for the people behind you...to be used so that they don't have to slam on their brakes to avoid eating your back bumper for dinner. Use them. Every time you turn your car or change lanes.
6. I get very annoyed when I see people (strangers, even) sitting idly with their mouths hanging wide open. It makes the stupidest look on one's face. Quit catching flies, and shut yer trap. ;)
7. I have a bad habit of scrounging sips from other people's drinks. I am aware of how unsanitary this is, but I can't help it! To give myself SOME credit, I only do this with close friends and family members. It must be very annoying for them, however. I'm so bad that my mom drinks root beer on a regular basis when I am home for vacation. This brings me to #8.
8. I hate root beer. As Lou would say (however, he said it about a particular brand of beer), "Ass in a can." Yep. Root beer tastes like ass. Root beer floats are worse. Ass with ice cream.
9. I also have a habit of finding grammar mistakes in almost everything that I read. This comes in handy while working at the Writing Center, but it can be quite annoying when I come across an error while reading Lemony Snicket. I am incapable of continuing on without fixing it in pencil. I'm a true perfectionist...
   
10. I cannot stand the taste of beans or peas. Who ate those things and said, "Mmmm, I like this! It tastes like I picked up a pad of mud and tossed it in my mouth!" Disgusting. Gritty. Ewwwww.
11. Speaking of dirt in food, I do not like it when I discover bits of sand in the clams when I am eating clam chowder (this is usually the only occasion in which I eat clams). It ruins the soup altogether. I understand that clams are bottom-feeding creatures and therefore it is natural for them to contain bits of...bottom. I do not, however, need to be reminded of it while I am enjoying some particularly good chowder.
12. I realize why this next one is a good idea and very practical, however I find rice in salt to be gross. Well, it doesn't TASTE gross or anything, but it looks like the salt has maggots in it. Yes, the rice is great for soaking up moisture that could get into the salt and avoid clumping, but it sure looks nasty.

There is, of course, probably more. Much more. However, I do not want to disillusion you all too much. Not yet, anyway. I prefer to keep some of you around a bit longer.

I bought the two most recent Lemony Snicket novels today while Nik and I were out shopping. Yep, I am now the proud owner of all of the books that have been published to date. All eleven of them. I'm on book #5, and I will most likely finish it tonight or tomorrow morning. I also bought the first book of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, called "One For the Money". Since Barnes & Noble did not have much more Evanovich in stock, I purchased the first two books of the Full House series. (We're not talking Olsen twins, either.) Perhaps all of this will keep me occupied since I don't seem to be having much luck with the whole job hunt thing.

So, I don't know if I will come up with any good ideas for New Years' Resolutions for me to break this coming year, but you never know. The night is still young. If I think of anything good, I'll be sure to let you all know.

P.S. Please everyone say a prayer or two (even if you don't think anyone is listening) for all of the people who are dead overseas due to the recent earthquake and tsunamis. I feel that to fail to mention these happenings is to deny their existence, which I cannot do. Over 100,000 dead. This is absolutely horrible. Say a prayer, even if it's a tiny one.

Email forwarding...

Everyone who has an email account (i.e. EVERYONE) needs to read this person's post.

No, seriously. It's in regards to email forwards. Please read. For our good and for the good of all humanity. Thanks. And thanks Christie for pointing it out to me.

No explanation necessary.

I'm useless today, but at least I'm wearing my thong.

I wonder if any of you are having a similar problem: I have been unable to post new blogs with Microsoft Windows Explorer (I know, it's because Windows sucks). I've had to use Mozilla Firefox in order to be able to see the "Save as Draft" and "Publish Post" options AT ALL. Also, two sequential windows pop up and tell me that the "previewbody" is not available. Anyone else getting this? Or should I scan again for viruses? Dammit. How annoying.

I have been probably the most useless lifeform on the planet today. I have not showered (ewww, I know... gimmee a break, no one's seen me except Nik and he only showered because he had to go to work). I have not gotten dressed (no commentary from any perverted peanut gallery please), and I have not even eaten anything except the hash brown that I scrounged from Nik while still lying in bed. Oops, I lied. I got out of bed and went to get two chocolate-covered cherries. Yummm. However, they do not count as sustenance despite the fact that I would be willing to volunteer myself to perform the experiment in which someone attempts to live solely on chocolate-covered cherries for weeks on end. (Joke.)

So I've been a lump all day. I woke up at around 11:00 to Nik making breakfast for himself. To be fair to him, he offered me an egg sandwich which I turned down. He got called in to go to work two hours early (please remember my post about how BJ's Wholesale Club does not appreciate him), so he left at about 11:30 to be there for 12. I then proceeded to lay back down and read the remainder of Lemony Snicket's third novel, The Wide Window. Yay for me. This made me sleepy so I turned to my pillow and fell asleep again, waking up at about 2:45. (I shouldn't even be admitting this to the working world, but I don't care.)

Now I still haven't done anything with myself except blog. Hooray for you all, but boo to me. I need to get my ass in gear. It's just that it's so cold in here! I want to stay in bed all day, under the blankets. I won't though. Don't worry. I'm up, I'm up. And it's about time, too, since it's now almost five o'clock. Did I mention that I'm more of a night person? This isn't because I dislike mornings, because I have no problems waking up when I need to. I simply tend to sleep forever when there's no alarm to wake me up and no important errands or duties to force me out of my bed. This is, however, the only day that I have been this useless in about as long as I can remember. I still feel terrible about it, however.

Guess what's on the agenda for today? (And you'll soon see why I couldn't bring myself to get out of bed.)

• Go to Wal-Mart with the $5 Nik gave me for toilet paper
• Call Starbucks to see if anyone has seen my application (again)
• Attempt to clean the apartment even though the things lying around are not MINE. (I've noticed lately how difficult it is to bring myself to bother picking up the shit that SOMEONE ELSE leaves lying around. Many apologies to Mom and Dad.)
  
• Unpack all of my shit that I've accumulated from home
• Find food to eat, and attempt to make it in our cluttered (Nik's fault, not mine) kitchen

Screw getting out of bed, man. *Giggle* Just kidding, but honestly! Who would bother? *Stay-at-home Moms everywhere raise their weary hands* That's a joke, too, but I really have no desire to pick up after my boyfriend. I even realize that he's been working too much to have the time to clean the apartment. However, one would think that after having time to MAKE THE MESS, one would have the five seconds to PICK IT UP. *sigh* I shouldn't be making him sound like he's a pig or something, which he isn't. It just sucks to be left here alone with a mess, when I'm the one who has to live in it all day.

Perhaps you are wondering why the "Mood of the Day" says Wedgie. The answer to that is simple: I'm trying to get used to wearing a thong, and the struggle is a losing battle thus far. Why do men find them so attractive and exciting? Even more curious to me is why women wear them. I'm doing my best, but I am constantly thinking in the back of my mind that "I have a wedgie, and I want to pick it. Oh, wait! It's not a wedgie. It's my underwear and they're supposed to be like that." Try living life with that thought process reoccurring in the brain every five minutes. Therefore, upon reading the list of possible "moods" that I could possibly be in, I came across "Wedgie" and knew that that was the one for today... and all days of my life until I decide to BURN ALL THONGS. Wedgie it is......

Off to Wal-Mart, then. Time to slap a hat on the bedhead, and venture out into the real world. Perhaps once the apartment is stocked with ass-paper my life will appear that much more worthwhile to me. Maybe not. I'll keep you posted. *wink*

Party at Colleen's on Decmber 31st! ;)

Lacking in entertainment, but never in style.

Perhaps you all may have noticed that I managed to improve the blog a bit. This is no thanks to my own intelligence (well, a bit I suppose) and almost entirely thanks to other people's blogs. Christie posted directions on how to include links in the sidebar, and Bathroom Reader included a link to a post that had a really cool-looking clock in it. ^_^ So thanks, guys! How silly.

I'm betting that all the people on Aquidneck Island (and New England in general) are really glad that I wished so hard for snow!! Especially since it happened just as I left for NH, where we got no more snow than is normal for this time of year. Haha! I sat up north this week, and I watched as the weather man pointed to Newport and Boston, talking about a foot or more of the white stuff. This truly is laughable. I think I was the only one here who wanted that much snow, and once it happened I wasn't even here anymore. Truly ironic. You're welcome, Newport. *wink*

Attention Everyone: New Years' Party at Colleen's apartment!! (Colleen will love me for this.) I want people from Berlin to know that if you're reading this and have no major plans for New Years', you are welcome to come to good old Newport, RI to celebrate. We have plenty of room, and we're gonna party-hardy. Come and join the fun.

The update on the Lemony Snicket books is thus: I have read books one and two, and am halfway through the third. It seriously takes about 2-3 hours to read one book. This series will so be done by the time classes start. And then where will I be? I'll be at Barnes & Noble buying more books. And then where will I be? I'll be stacking up the many novels I'll be owning, all next to the FULL bookcase next to our bed... Classic for an English major, isn't it?

Since my life is pretty boring right now, I'll have to get creative as far as my posts are concerned... in order to keep you somewhat entertained. Lord knows that area of my expertise has been severely lacking as of late. Sorry about that, guys. Seems that when life is sucking in the drama and entertainment department, so do my daily blogs. I'll have to work on that. Until tomorrow then....

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events...

these books are quite good,

and they make for a short read

for us adults!

Fun in New Hampshire.. yes, it exists.

I started reading the first Lemony Snicket novel tonight. It was called The Bad Beginning. It was quite good. 162 pages. I finished it in about 3 hours. The books are tiny, and the print is large. (Hey, it's for ten year olds, isn't it??) I must say I truly enjoyed it. Witty, humorous, slightly dark, and entertaining. I began the second novel, The Reptile Room. I've read the first chapter, and I'm already hooked. Hopefully I'll be sleepy before I finish this one as well!

I can hardly wait to get back to Newport and spend that $20 Barnes & Noble gift card. I'll bring my Lemony Snicket and buy some Janet Evanovich (if they have it). Maybe some Starbucks coffee to go with it all. An excellent way to spend an afternoon when you're still unemployed.

My cat (here at home in B-town) is in heat. She is only about 7-8 months old, but she sure does want a male kitty to play with. Ha! I wish my mom would agree to letting her mate and have kittens, but she insists that this is NOT going to happen. (Damn it!) I would love to have little kitties running around, but I can understand since I wouldn't even be here to enjoy them. However, Morgan (our cat) sure does seem to want them, or at least to give it a shot in making them. Poor girl. Goodness, is she loud with that yowling or what?? If only I could provide a recording. You would all loooooove to hear her. Anyone want a cat for a week?? Any takers??

My cat sure is fun though. She is currently bored, and is proceeding to bat her jingling ball around the kitchen. She plays her own soccer game, amusing herself, and then she kicks it over to the basement stairs and throws it down into the cellar. She then fetches it and brings it back up the stairs for herself. She bats it around the kitchen, running around after it, skidding on the polished floor with claws out, and she bats it back downstairs before she brings it back up in her mouth. When she wants to play, she carries it in her mouth to one of us, and drops it at our feet. She waits for someone to throw it down the stairs for her to fetch, and if (God forbid) someone ignores her, she climbs on top of the couch, and she bats the person promptly on the head with her paw. (She did this to my brother. We laughed at him. He threw the ball before she decided to get serious.) We think she is confused and thinks she's a dog. She even meows when she wants attention, and when we come home and she meows in greeting.

Today is Monday, Candice's 20th birthday. Happy Birthday, Candice!! I hope you enjoyed your birthday cake that we had for you at our Christmas party, even though you had to share it with the other girls whose birthday is around the same time as yours. At least you got one this year. We're better friends this time. *wink*

Can you believe that I will be 21 in a little over two months? I can't! I've been forgetting to keep a countdown, but now that I've realized I'm so close, I can begin to do so. I am officially 66 days away from the legal drinking age in the good 'ole United States of America...(for those of you reading from lands other than my own). I should cross the border more often, I know. I'm only about 45 minutes from Quebec, Canada, but it can be a bit of a hassle to cross the border. It is also slightly risky to bring my own booze back since I am not of age here. Why travel 45 minutes when one's boyfriend is 23? Ah ha! So, he buys booze for me. What can I say? Booze and pearls. Just some of the perks I enjoy...I'll spare you some of the others. *sly wink*

I've tried to convince my mom that for my 21st (which falls on Thirsty Thursday this year), she should take Friday off, and come down to Newport with some of the girls. By "the girls" I mean women whom I enjoy who are also of age to drink. My mom; Nik's mom; Nik's sister (already on the island...); my mom's friend, Candy; other friends and relatives of ours such as Susan, Aunt Sue, and Auntie Pat. Bring 'em all! What fun we could have in Newport for my birthday! Hittin up Newport bars, maybe going to Foxwoods, who knows?? One could only hope. Thursday night out. Then I can save Friday or Saturday for a night with my friends at school and Nikolas. *Smile* Dream on, I know.

We got our grades for the Fall semester back on Christmas Eve day. I got the following results, which I was pleased with. (Dean's List is always fine by me, since it's rather high at my university: 3.6 as opposed to other places where it is anywhere from 3.0 to 3.4)

• Social Relations: B-
• Myth & Symbol: A-
• British Romantics: A
• Anthropology: A
• Foundations of Religious Thinking: A

Anyone figured out yet why I am not a Psychology major? Social Relations??? Bullshit. Thank God that's over with. I wish I had done better, but I really can't imagine how. I wouldn't take that class again if it was free and you paid me $500. Screw that. I wouldn't mind having the professor again (very nice, and quite handsome *wink*), but not in that class. I was very pleased with the Anthro and Religion grades, however. I had to work for those. The English classes tended to come a bit easier. Can't imagine why. Duh.

So, Nik's leaving later today (it's early morning now on Monday). He didn't have to work Sunday, so he stayed. I'll be heading out Tuesday or so, because New England got hit with a series of snowstorms which have left the roads quite trecherous. I'll pass on taking the little Kia out in that crap if I can avoid it. I will be back in the saddle again soon, however. Until then, it will be warm sweaters, hot chocolate, and Lemony Snicket for this college girl. We'll talk again soon. Doncha worry.

Santa Claus came to my house...

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, everyone! ^_^

I've had quite a good day. My mother woke up around 6:00 in the morning (she's worse than us kids) and went downstairs to have coffee with my Uncle Jeff, who was already awake and making breakfast for everyone. I love my family! Tim woke me up around 6:15, and he proceeded to wake everyone else as well. Unfortunately for him, I think that despite the holiday excitement, I think that we would all manage to sleep until 8 or 9 (or 10). Luckily, Tim is around to awaken us all bright and early. Thanks, Tim... *Grumble, grumble, wink, wink.*

My mom outdid herself again this year. Sweaters, a bathrobe, flannel sheets for our bed, cooking utensils, etc. Love it! Nik got me mucho pearls... yes, pearls. Not even fake ones. (They'd better not be..) I got earrings, a necklace, and six different color pearl bracelets. He also got me 3 box sets of the Lemony Snicket novels. I have books 1-9 now. I'll get 10 and 11 at BJ's. I'll have plenty to read over the remainder of break, when I'm not working. I also got a $20 gift card to Barnes & Noble Booksellers. Gift card = Chick Lit. Nice.

I promised to reveal my gifts to everyone, once they all knew what they were getting. My mom received red silk pajamas, my father a framed picture of us together when I was little, my brother got a shower radio, Nik a wok and cookbooks, Danielle (Tim's girlfriend) a stationary set, my grandmother a shower gel set, and some other gifts I can't think of at the time. I did a good job this year... and I really didn't have much money this time. Funds are short.

I really am not spoiled. We had a great Christmas, and I'm grateful for all that we have. I wish that everyone had such a great family and that everyone was so lucky on Christmas. I'm so thankful for all that I have...

It's almost time to be getting back to Newport. Tomorrow is Sunday. I'll most likely head back Monday afternoon or so. Nik will probably leave tomorrow night in case he has to work Monday. Needless to say, until Starbucks gets in touch with me, I'll be spending all of my time reading and baking. Nik and Lindsay will be very excited. :)

I hope that everyone has had an excellent Holiday. And Merry Christmas once again!

A view of the mountains on the way home

to northern New Hampshire.

Driving home from Newport

I drove home to New Hampshire this afternoon. My trip did not begin on a positive note. I went to the bank first, because I realized I forgot to deposit Nik's check to pay bills. At least I remembered eventually. (Poo.) So, I waited in line there for 10 minutes. Then, with Garth Brooks' Christmas album blaring in my little, red (so festive) Kia, I headed toward Middletown. On my way out of town, I was planning to stop for gas at Cumberland Farms, because they have the cheapest gas: $1.89.

So I pulled into the parking lot, and there were about six cars vying for three pumps (one was out of order). As I sat there waiting for some rich, middle-aged guy wearing loafers to finish pumping gas into his sleek, black (I-have-a-small-penis-and-I'm-trying-to-compensate-for-it) sports car, about four more cars pulled into the lot. Now there was a huge traffic jam in a very tiny parking lot. As I watched small-penis man scrounge four more cents' worth of gas out of the pump, I realized I was almost completely surrounded by cars, and I knew that there was no way this was going to take less than a half hour. I threw it into reverse, bitching under my breath at black-sports-car-douchebag for using the cheap gas station when he could afford to pay $100 a gallon. (I am so bitter.)

With the car still on "E", I decided to head for greener pastures; preferably a pasture with less expensive cows... uh ...yeah. Unforunately, greener pastures cost me $1.99/gallon. Go figure. I then stopped at McDonald's to treat myself to a fancy lunch. *Snicker* I ordered, waited in the drive-thru for five minutes while some lady (yet another wealthy Newporter, this time in a blue Cadillac) bitched about having cheese on her hamburger. Some shit about being lactose intolerant. Stupid lady. (I'm joking this time, but I WAS annoyed at my luck, or lack of it.) So, I got to the window, and guess what? They don't take debit cards. *Clears throat "patiently"* "Excuse me?" Nope. Cash only. I felt like such a spoiled brat, trying to pay for $3 worth of greasy food with a credit card. But the thing is, I'm not spoiled. (A brat, yes. Spoiled, no.) The guy looked at me, glanced at my Salve Regina University sticker, and said in a mock-apologetic voice, "Sorry hunny. No credit cards here." Screw you, asshole! That's my money in my account! Not daddy's! Ugh. Now my other tank was on Empty. Damn.

I eventually got a bagel at Dunkin Donuts (at least coffee places have some sanity). It only took me about 4 hours and 20 minutes to get home. The traffic wasn't bad at all. (Thank God.) I made sure that my windshield washer fluid was full before I left, because I'm anal about having a clear windshield. Like, when the windshield wiper blade leaves a line of water behind, I fix it. Pathetic, I know. So when following people on the highway when the highway is wet with dirt, the water sprays mud all over everything. I was so glad I thought to check the fluids first.

Only 2 more days until Christmas!

Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and

Hermione (Emma Watson)

Good News, Bad News

Let's start with the bad news first, because I like to end things on a lighter note. The bad news is that Nik called me from work to tell me that he was highly upset. He (and his fellow BJ's Wholesale employees) were told today (four days until Christmas) that all seasonal employees will have their weekly hours cut to 20 per week. Perhaps this sounds fair to you readers, since he WAS hired merely as seasonal help. However, it would be valid for me to point out that Nik has been called in to work for almost 50% of his days off. He has responded each and every time, and has gone in when asked. Why? Because he pays for rent, his car, student loans, food, insurance, etc. He needs the money. Badly.

Not only is he their MOST reliable employee (literally), but he works 50-60 hours a week, lately. They have scheduled him for 50 hours a week for over a month now (does this sound seasonal to you?). Also, perhaps most interestingly, they told him upon hiring him that he was technically seasonal, but that every year they update all of their seasonal workers to full time. Um... they lied. What bullshit. Not only that, but they promised him that since he would be full time soon, he could begin to get insurance coverage, which he desperately needs and will no longer be eligible for. Great.

Oh my God! I can't stand this. Nik also threw out his back while on the job this week. He's been walking slow since it happened. I can tell that it's painful, but he doesn't say much. Thank God I made him file a report about having been injured while on the clock. He would be screwed. He may be screwed anyway, because he cannot survive and pay his bills on 20 hours per week. He will need to find another job, but he will not get reimbursed for his back while not on their payroll.... Will he??? I don't know much about all this. I only know that BJ's Sucks ASS. Pardon me, but who does this FOUR DAYS before Christmas? Couldn't it wait until the 26th?? Bullshit.

So.... how have all your days been going??? Good I hope. Mine has been a rollercoaster ride, for sure. There is good news as I promised, however... although I must admit that compared to the bad news, it's fairly meek. I didn't save money on car insurance. (So lame.) However, Christie informed me today that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter Numero 6) is complete and scheduled to be released on July 16, 2005!!! I can hardly wait. For more info head to www.mugglenet.com

I hope you all like my picture that I've chosen for this post. Yes, it's Harry Potter and Hermione Granger! Only, it's not. It's Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson. But hey, it sure is fun to see pictures of "Harry and Hermione" on the red carpet! For pictures (and a list of cast) from the Fourth Harry Potter movie (out sometime in 2005) go to http://www.veritaserum.com/movies/actors/.

This is a perfect cartoon to illustrate our morning

here in Newport. Cold weather = pipes bursting.

A Freezing Fiasco

What a morning. Where to begin? Weather.com reported last night that the temperature in Newport, RI was a whopping 8 degrees Fahrenheit. Woopie. As I was reading this tidbit of information, I thought to myself, "Wow...Newport is rarely ever this cold." I then continued and thought, "That's nothing. I wonder how cold it is in Berlin?" So, I type in the zip code and read "-27 degrees." Excellent. So now I'm thinking that 8 degrees is pretty darn warm. I was wrong. 8 degrees is perfectly cold enough to freeze the pipes in a 200-year-old building.

So Nik and I woke up this morning around 8 a.m. because we were planning to go to North Dartmouth to visit another BJ's Wholesale Club, in order to pick up some missing parts for the entertainment system Nik got on sale. I only agreed to go because he promised shopping and a lunch of Soup, Salad, and Breadsticks at the Olive Garden on the way back. I was all set. However, we never got to North Dartmouth. We never even left Newport. We never even got to shower today, because our pipes froze last night. So, I called our landlady, who lives in Bridgeport, CT. She told me all about how I could use a hairdryer to dethaw the pipes down in the basement. What fun at 8 in the morning. So, Nik began to dethaw the cold water pipe, and I waited upstairs with the water turned all the way on. After about 15-20 minutes of Nik's excellent hairdryer useage, the water began to come out in drops. Soon it was completely on, but we still had no hot water. No hot water = no shower. I'll pass on a cold shower, thanks. So, he proceeded to dethaw the hot water pipe which comes out of the (duh) Hot Water Heater.

After about 10 minutes more, Nik came upstairs. I was surprised to hear him coming, since the water wasn't on yet. He said that the pipe downstairs in the basement was hot to the touch, and that it would simply build up pressure and make it up to the second floor, where we live. We sat there in the bathroom for a good 2 minutes, staring at the spout, hearing pumping and water noises nearby, but not understanding why the water hadn't reached the bathroom yet. Then, it finally dawned on us. The water WAS coming out.... just not in OUR apartment.

Nik ran from the bathroom, and flung open the door to the apartment, which leads down a flight of stairs and onto our street. (The bathroom wall is shared with the stairwell.) What did we see in the hallway? Nothing.... we couldn't see a damned thing because of the steam from the hot water. Nik screamed. LOL!! He did! And then he ran outside, and he saw that hot water was pouring (yes, pouring) out of the building and onto the sidewalk. He ran down into the basement, and more water was pouring through the floors and into the cellar. He shut off the water completely, but meantime, I was still standing in the stairwell, because water had begun to pour from the ceiling and onto the stairs. I wanted to see where it was coming from, for when the landlady inevitably would come and wish to know this information.

So now, Nik has gone to his sister's apartment in Middletown, so that he can take a shower before work at 1:30. I'm still waiting for the landlady to come over. Apparently she called some company, and they'll be here around 12-2. So much for plans today. What a bummer. Oh my. I'm heading home to New Hampshire tomorrow. Hopefully everything will be repaired and all set by the time I have to leave. That would suck to need to stay longer in Newport, when I want to be getting home for Christmastime... pooper.

It's gonna be a long day, and I'm sure that I may very well wish to continue my story...once more happens. Hopefully nothing too spectacular will happen for the rest of the day. I've had enough excitement for the rest of the week....until Christmas, that is. :)

Merry Christmas! In 5 days.... :)

Holiday Excitement

Ahhhh. Snow. Now it's Christmas. Mind you, there's only about a half inch to an inch on the ground, but it's finally cold enough that it won't melt right away. Thank God. Only 5 days until Christmas, and now I can finally feel like it's that time of year. I've already bought all my gifts, and I've already wrapped them. I've just today sent out our Christmas cards, and it's funny how despite all of these Christmas-y activities, I have to have snow to feel the true spirit of the Holiday. I guess that's the New Hampshire girl in me.

So this morning, Nik and I got up (not early, but we got up... haha) and decided to walk to the post office in the newly fallen snow. We would then proceed to Starbucks for Christmas drinks and stop at the ATM to transfer funds in order to pay the cable bill. (You know you want all the details...*smile*) We got outside, the wind blew, our eyeballs began to water, and we decided to drive instead. What pansies we are...if we were home, we would be laughed at, because not only would our eyeballs start to water, but the tears would freeze immediately and we would all walk anyway. But, we're in Newport. And we can afford to be pansies...since everyone else is too. So we drove to the post office. We bought stamps, because I ran out. I walked over to the "Out of Town" slot, and I realized that I could not put my cards in because it's jammed full of mail. Seems everyone and their brother in Newport is sending out Christmas cards as well. So, I jam them in, and hope they don't get lost. (Especially since payment for the cable bill was in there.)

*Sigh* Next stop, Starbucks. I guess I could use this time to fill you all in on the Starbucks job hunt. Drumroll please..... It took them over two weeks to tell me.... "We're not hiring, but our store in Middletown is." Cool. I have no problems with this. I only wish they would have told me sooner, so that I may have been able to put my application in with the store that IS hiring. Silliness. Oh well. It's Christmas, and nothing can bother me. (If I keep telling myself this, it will work. I know it will. Yep.) So, I asked for my application back. Am I supposed to do that?!? Too bad. It was an awesome application. I did a kick-ass job, and I know it. It took me 45 minutes to fill that thing out. So, I will bring it to the other location and hope that my previous job experience with making coffee at another local coffee shop (last year around this time) will convince them to hire me. I need a job! So to continue my oh-so-exciting story, we got our coffee. Yum. And then we came back here. And now I'm blogging. Fun day so far, eh?

Last night, after dropping off our gifts to Nik's sister (Carolyn) and her fiance (Lou), we went to look at Christmas lights. It's amazing to go Light-hunting in an area as opulent as Newport, RI. Some of those houses were amazing. We saw one place that had set up about 20-30 Christmas trees in their yard. They were all decorated with lights, and they even had ornaments on them! They had Christmas music playing, and they were probably the coolest decorations I've ever seen. They even had little houses set up with figurines of Santa and his elves working in the workshop...they were all moving! It was so neat, that we took pictures. I have no clue who these people are, but Nik and I want to move in! :)

We then came back here around eleven o'clock, and decided to watch a movie. We watched "Collateral" with Tom Cruise. (Well, Tom Cruise was in the film. He didn't watch it with us. I thought I might need to clarify. *wink*) It was a great movie. Perhaps I thought it was great because I had made myself about 4 frozen drinks by the time the movie was over. Who does that? Moi. Yup. And I enjoyed myself. Isn't it great how Nik and I amuse ourselves, even though we have no life? I think so. We're awesome.

So now Nik's at work. As usual. And I'm here alone. As usual. I'm halfway through that V.C. Andrews series now. It took me two days to read the second book. It's the longest one, too. It feels great to have a real vacation, though. One in which I'm not running around like a chicken with my head cut off. It's relaxing. I love it. (But I still need a job.)

I'm going back to New Hampshire soon. I'll be leaving on Wednesday. Maybe I can convince Nik that I need to bring our laptop home with me so that I can blog. (*HA!*) I highly doubt he will relinquish the computer, since he will be staying in Newport until Christmas Eve day. One can only hope. I'll leave it with him, I guess. I can blog from the home computer, and he wouldn't have anything. I can't wait for Christmas! (That just spontaneously slipped out. Sorry.)

So yes, it will feel great to be home. Every year, my grandmother (Dad's mom) stays with us overnight to wake up with us on Christmas morning. I sleep in my brother's room on a roll-away cot. It's the only night that Tim and I sleep in the same room, and to tell the truth, I really look forward to it. Of course, I didn't when I was little. Now that we're older and we're closer, we always end up staying up late to whisper and talk about things. Now, if you read my blog about Little Brothers (archived...check it out), you'll know how hard it is to stay quiet when my little brother makes me laugh every two seconds. That old cot is squeaky, and I'm usually lying there trying to keep my entire body from shaking. Llol. (As Chelse says, "Literally Laugh Out Loud.") It's quite fun. Especially when my Mom has to yell to go to bed and keep quiet. "Okay guys, that's enough. Go to sleep!" We're sorry, Mom. Really we are. But he's so goddamned funny!!

This will be the twelfth Christmas that my grandmother spends with us. My grandfather passed away in March of '93, and she's spent Christmas with us ever since. We miss my Grampa, but I do like having her over for Christmas morning. It's become a tradition. This year, however, we have ANOTHER guest for a sleepover! ^_^ My Uncle Jeff will be staying with us as well. I can't wait! It's going to be so much fun this year. I love Christmas! (Did I say that already? Just checking. *giggle*)

Imagine my surprise when I realized that today's

Maxine comic is very relevent to my post for today.

Serendipitous. ^_^

My Recipe For Mashed Potatoes

Mmmmm. I just experimented and tried my hand at making mashed potatoes. I use red potatoes... the little ones. And I leave the skins on, because they taste good and add color. They're probably high in protein or something like that, but I do know they're good for you. Although, admittedly, these potatoes probably aren't as good for you once I'm done with them. *Smile* Here's the recipe that I just made up... hee hee.

Sour Cream and Chive Smashed Red Potatoes
3 red potatoes, quartered (leave peels on)
2 dollops of light sour cream
2 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp chives (fresh or dried)
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Immerse potatoes in enough water to cover completely, plus about an inch or two more. Boil potatoes until soft, and then drain all the water from the pot. Using a hand masher (not an electric mixer), mash the potatoes together, leaving the peels on. Add sour cream and milk, and mix together using a wooden spoon. Add chives, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until well blended and smooth. Serve immediately. Makes one serving.


Now, I say one serving guardedly. Most of the time people write that their recipe makes 4 servings, and Nik and I are still hungry after finishing the whole thing. Either way, my recipe makes about 1 and 1/2 cups of mashed potatoes. I would suggest serving it with some chicken or other meat...as a side dish. Unless, of course, you like potatoes very much and don't eat meat. Feel free. Go nuts. :) Whatever you do, enjoy my recipe. I'm so excited that it actually came out as I had planned. Yay me. *wink*

This is Abigael and her new sister, Hannah Elizabeth.

^_^ Congratulations, Lucie and David!

8 days until Christmas

Christmas Shopping: Done

So, this semester is finally over. Thank God. Much as I love taking general requirements (bleck) like Religion, I can hardly wait to trade in Social Relations and Foundations of Religious Thinking for Dream Symbolism and Caucer: The Canterbury Tales. English Lit and Philosophy...much more my style.

Still no word from Starbucks. Not a good sign. Tina needs a job...big time. I cannot (though it would be lovely) sit around for a month with no income. I work in the Writing Center at Salve Regina, and for obvious reasons (no students to help) I'm not needed there over break. No job = no $$$. No $$$ = no money for utilities like electricity. Electricity's overrated, anyway. *Sigh* Yeah right. Diagnosis: Job. Of some sort. Preferably Starbucks. The next day that the manager will be in is Sunday. So by the time I get in there to talk to him face-to-face (since he isn't returning my phone calls), it will be like five days until Christmas. And then I'll have to go home. I'll be back the 27th, but I hope this doesn't hurt my chances. If I have chances. It would be nice to know, either way.

So now there's nothing else to do this weekend except read. I've started rereading the Flowers in the Attic series, by V.C. Andrews. Quite a good one and very entertaining, but a weeee bit deranged. Revenge, murder, incest, more revenge. Yikes. Can't wait for to get started on the Chick Lit, but since I've started this series, I might as well finish it so I can bring it back home for Christmas. (I don't have much bookcase space here, and I need to make room for hopefully new books coming soon.)

I finished my Christmas shopping today. I would love to tell you all what I've bought, but I know for a fact that almost everyone I've bought for reads my blogs. So, you'll all have to wait in suspense for my Christmas post, in which I will list all of my lovely presents that I got for people. Also, you can expect another bulleted list of my Santa gifts. :) I wonder what Nik's getting me. I know that he'll love what I got him, but I always worry that the things we buy for each other won't be on the same level. Like, if I get him a shirt, and he gets me gorgeous jewelry... how shitty would I feel? I always feel the need for my gifts to measure up, but then if I go overboard and he didn't I feel even worse. Oh poo. Either way, as Maxine says, the bank account is heading south. For the whole winter.

Christmas countdown: only 8 days until Christmas ^_^

I love Dilbert... but I think Dogbert

is the funniest thing ever...

This is the beach and coastline that I stare at

out the window in my Religion class.

The glory of God, yes...but it distracts me

from learning about Religion. So ironic.

God Has A Sense of Humor. Did You Know?

It's 2 o'clock. My Anthropology final started at 1 o'clock. And I'm back here, blogging. I also had time to go to the bank and deposit my money from Book Buyback. Why is that, you ask? Because I studied for this test all night last night. Nik was up with me until 2:30 asking me 180 multiple choice questions that he could barely pronounce. (How would you pronounce Australopithecus afarensis/africanus? Exactly my point.) So he did this with me forever...and I finally knew them all. Then we went and had Taco Bell at 1:55 in the morning. It was a yummy reward. I have the best boyfriend in the world. It is truly thanks to him that I finished my 50 question, multiple choice final in..... drumroll please... 10 minutes. I rule! I finished before the Anthro majors. Me, little English Lit Shakespeare lover totally kicked the evolution final's ass. *Bowing*... Thank you, I'll be here all week, folks. Try the chicken.

So now I'm waiting for my Religion final...not so easy. I have a feeling this one's gonna be rough. I'm prepared, but not as completely. It's short answer and essay format. Poop. No 10 minute finish in the works for this one, peeps. I suppose I could take a little more time to answer the questions about the Big Guy. It's the least I can do. Although, His hand in the whole evolution process is quite commendable as well. Good job, God. You had us fooled for a while with that Adam and Eve bit. An excellent bedtime story for the kiddies, but we adults can all smile over their heads now. God has such a great sense of humor. *Grin*

Once my Religion final is blown out of the water (notice I'm thinking positively, Mom), I'm coming back here to have some celebratory Daquiris and Margharitas with Colleen. God, you're invited too. Thanks for rum and tequila. You rock. If anyone wants to join us, come on over. Yay for the end of the semester!!

Yeah, I love Maxine, and she has it about right...

I'm going broke..

The Lovely Ladies of Literature

Since I'm so excited to have had comments from people that I do not know, I decided to list you all and your blogs in a post! Most of you (me too) are fairly new bloggers (with the exception of comic strip illustrator, Michelle...). I thought this would be interesting to see how much we all have in common. Most of you are Harry Potter fanatics, like myself, and most of you are avid Chick Lit readers, which may have been why you stumbled across me in the first place. ^_^ Besides, it provides a most excellent chance to use yet ANOTHER bulleted list. Chelse will love me!

So here you all are, the Lovely Ladies of Literature:

• Chelse: the one who got me started. Excellent, semi-down-to-earth blog *wink* about the rigors of dating and shopping on JCrew.com ... haha! www.chelsemelina.blogspot.com
• Michelle: the first stranger to comment on my blog. Boy was I nervous! Especially since her awesome comic strip is named Dirty Blonde. Heh. For funny, artsy comics that a girl can really relate to, check out her blog at www.dirty-blonde.blogspot.com
• Carolyn: A fellow Red Sox fan, Christian, and Harry Potter guru. For Random Thoughts and baseball insight, go to www.thoughtdujour.blogspot.com
• Christie: A fairly new blogger with an excellent appreciation for the genius of J.K. Rowling. I am so proud!! www.christiemae.blogspot.com
• Becky: Another fan of the Shopaholic and Plum series(s)... writing on the ups and downs of college life... www.bwors.blogspot.com

So there they all are, peeps. Feel free to comment and add yourself to the "Lovely" List. :) If you're male, you too can be lovely. Hee hee.

My Christmas List consists of Sophie Kinsella's

works, the Stephanie Plum series,

and clothes. How appropriate.

A Modest Proposal of My Own

This obsession of mine with Chick Lit is growing fast. There are so many novels out there that I want to read and study. I need to look at character development, conflict types and resolutions, and all the aspects of writing that could lead me in the right direction. I know I can do it, but I need to do some "research" on the idea. I can't say that I'm dreading the work; that's for sure. I love reading these stories... Maybe Santa will bring some novels for Christmas. (Bulleted list time, right Chelse?)

So here 'tis... Chick Lit List Numero Uno (in no particular order):

• The Devil Wears Prada, by Lauren Weisberger
• Monkey Business, by Sarah Mlynowski
• Fat Chance, by Deborah Blumenthal
• See Jane Date, by Melissa Senate
• Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?, by Melissa Senate
• Confessions of a Shopaholic, by Sophie Kinsella
• Shopaholic Takes Manhattan, by Sophie Kinsella
• Shopaholic Ties the Knot, by Sophie Kinsella
• Can You Keep A Secret?, by Sophie Kinsella
• Shopaholic and Sister, by Sophie Kinsella
• The Plum Series, by Janet Evanovich (see link)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/listmania/list-browse/-/2OUT7MCBMDN8S/002-1331592-1400042

So yes. I want clothes and books for Christmas. Big surprise there. I want to thank Christie for excellent Chick Lit advice and for leading me in the right direction - toward the Stephanie Plum series which I had never heard of before. I have, however, seen them on Amazon tonight and I'm afraid Santa will be slightly miffed at me adding a ten-book series to the list. I'll have to leave him a crate of my Christmas cookies, and maybe spike the egg nog with some Captain's. Arrrrg! :)

The other series that I've added to my list begins

with this novel, and it proceeds until the number 10,

as far as I know.

Red Dress Ink will publish my novel someday.

I know it. Pleaaaaaase???

Book Buyback Rocks! Mmmm hmmmm.

I have just been to the coolest website that I've seen in quite a long time. It's called http://www.snowcrystals.com. Obviously, by looking at its name, you can tell what the website is about. However, I did not know that snowflakes were so cool-looking! I was amazed. I'll bet you can guess why I was at a site looking it...I want snow! A lot of it. It doesn't feel like the Christmas season without snow. I've even done most of my Christmas shopping already, and I still don't totally feel like the Holidays are here. I've been to two parties, we've got tons of decorations around the apartment now, there are presents underneath our tree, but there's no snow on the ground. Therefore, it's not Christmas yet. We've watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Bad Santa, and Elf. Still, no Christmas. Why? No snow. (In case we haven't established this yet.)

This week is finals week, so you know what that means. Oh yes, folks. It's time to take back those books you've been poring over all semester so diligently (or for some of you, using so diligently to level out the Beirut Table). It's Book Buyback time!!! Come one, come all. Line up for half an hour, pile your textbooks on the counter, turn around, bend over, and prepared to get screwed in the ass. And like it. Oh yes. You paid $150? You get $13 back. Screwed. In the ass. What was that? Did I hear you moaning? I thought so. That's the spirit! You love it. However, it could be worse. They could make you pay for them to take the books off your hands. Oh, wait. They do...you pay $30,000 a year. You might as well take the $13 and run with it. Run, little ones. Run all the way to Vicker's Liquors and end the semester in style. Like a true Salve kid: with a beer in one hand, a finger in the air, and another up your nose. (Do it before you get trashed, so you don't put an eye out in the attempt.)

It took me a while to figure this out...(surprised? don't answer that...) There is an entire publishing company devoted solely to publishing Chick Literature. I love it!! I love you, I love you, I love you. (Yes. Shameless ass-kissing time, because one day...one day soon you will publish my books and we will all get rich together. Well, you'll get rich. I'll have a dream come true, and I'll pay back my student loans if I'm lucky. But we'll both love it. We will.) It's called Red Dress, Ink. (Ink, not Inc.) http://www.reddressink.com/home.aspx Another website I must add to the favorites. These people are my destiny. Thank God for Chick Lit.... and chicklets too.

Dear Santa,

I have been a very good girl this year. (Mostly.) I want THIS puppy for Christmas, please. Thanks.

P.S. I make very good cookies (see below)....just in case this helps in the decision-making process.

Love,
Tina

Okay, so I just had the greatest conversation with my friend Colleen on AOL Instant Messenger. The discussion (for entertainment's sake) went as follows:

Tinalizzbeth3: what are you and Kelly doing??
CollyBn5: Kelly's home
CollyBn5: just me
Tinalizzbeth3: damn her getting to have sex
CollyBn5: nope
Tinalizzbeth3: no??
CollyBn5: Mark wont answer her calls
Tinalizzbeth3: damn him for not putting out
CollyBn5: lol i know
Tinalizzbeth3: screw guys
CollyBn5: yup
CollyBn5: i had a special visiter last night though...
Tinalizzbeth3: really????
Tinalizzbeth3: more sex?
CollyBn5: yup
CollyBn5: yup
Tinalizzbeth3: YOU ARE MY HERO
CollyBn5: :-D
Tinalizzbeth3: aaaaaaaaaaand I love you
CollyBn5: awww i love you too

It's friends like these that make me so enjoy my college years. I love you, girls! Of course, if discussions of this caliber lessen your opinion (you, the respected reader) of me as an intellectual.....um..... tough. *Smirk* Sorry. But not really. I may be a studious English Lit major, but I'm also an avid reader of what some would lovingly (myself included) call Chick-Lit. Yes. Shocking, I know. The Odyssey sits right beside Good in Bed. The canto-writing Homer is a close friend of Jennifer Weiner on my bookshelf. They're pals. Believe it.

I love Newport, RI, and I thank God for leading me to such a beautiful city to study in...

Crooked umbrellas would be cool.

The party went extremely well. By this I mean that people ate extensively of food we all prepared with love. It was excellent. Colleen's ham was sweet, the dip was spicy, and the egg nog had gone bad before poor Kristen could get it there (damned Stop & Shop). All in all everything went as planned, which was a relief in itself. I wish that more people had been able to come, although we had quite a turn-out as it was.

I noticed tonight that I tore my favorite jeans that I had just bought a week ago. They tore in the exact same place as the last pair of jeans that I ripped. They were made by different companies, and they were different styles. The only thing these two pairs of pants had in common was that they happened to be unfortunate enough to be stuck covering my ass. Poor things. That's a tough job, but honestly someone has to do it. I'd feel bad for the many pairs of pants this ass has ruined.... if I wasn't so goddamned pissed that they keep busting on me. I know, "go to the gym," you say.... I AM. And my legs are stronger, my butt is just as big, and apparently my jeans are just as stressed as I am. Otherwise they wouldn't all rip in the same exact place. *Sigh* You know, I would be fine being the size that I am. Really I would be. I have a boyfriend and friends who all like me the size that I am. I'm not overweight in the sense that I cannot wear nice clothes or that I can't shop at the stores I love. I would be totally okay with not being a size 6 (I'm nowhere close to that size now) except for the fact that I can't find a set of jeans that won't tear at the seam over time. That part angers me. A bit. Honestly, sometimes I want to live in sweatpants forever. I would, but then how could my pants so successfully remind me that it's time to increase the time on the exercise bike next time I head to the gym? See? I can rationalize anything. So, tomorrow I will spend MORE money just so that I don't have to walk around in pajamas every day. (Not that I spend much money on the clothes anyway...I'm quite the talented bargain shopper...but pants not lasting a whole week is not a bargain. It's an outrage.) Someday I'll have enough money - from publishing my first novel, of course - that I won't have to worry about destroying clothes. I'll buy a new pair every two weeks. One or two pairs are bound to last longer than six days...but then again, never underestimate my ass. It's full of surprises. Heh....

We've been getting an awful lot of rain here. Funny how the precipitation only occasionally becomes ice and snow here in Rhode Island, whereas at home (northern New Hampshire) the precipitation from November until April is snow. No rain. Just snow. No exceptions. The snowbanks accumulate over the months, growing so high that when driving down a street one cannot read the numbers on the houses. (If the houses can be seen at all this means that a warming period has occurred. You are thankful for this because now it is safe to leave the house so you can begin to dig your car out, shovel the driveway, and try to find the mailbox.) Why do I mention this? I'm sick of rain. Despite the fact that one doesn't need to shovel rain, one does need an umbrella. I hate umbrellas. Why? Because if I'm going to be covered, I always feel like I need to be covered on all sides equally... This is unfortunately impossible since the place that I wish to be happens to be exactly where the umbrella-ey part of the umbrella is. (So eloquent, that Tina girl.) Someone needs to invent one where the handle is slightly moved to the side. This way, obsessive people like me can feel suficiently covered from the rain. Picky, picky. Notice how I conveniently delegated that task of inventing to someone else. Eloquent and sneaky...my, my.

A girl named Michelle from Toronto, in Ontario, Canada commented on my blog and gave me her website. She writes her own comic strip which is in a semi autobiographical format... it's highly amusing and very creative. Check it out... www.dirty-blonde.blogspot.com No worries...I was a bit hesitant that there was some odd kind of blog spam going around. However, I was pleasantly surprised. ^_^

Check out Michelle's website, peeps. Awesome comics, updated almost daily. Everyone needs to get their timbers shivered once in a while.

I love the holidays.

Dogs, finals, and little brothers

I want a dog. Very much. Not necessarily right now, since we live in an itty bitty apartment, but next year we'll have a house. I know it's much more likely to wish for a kitty, but even that might not be feasible. I want an animal to have here with us. I know that my hope for a pet has been renewed because my mom's friend Wendy has a gorgeous Husky. She's read my blog and decided to send pictures of the puppy (not such a puppy anymore but all dogs are puppies to me just as all cats are kitties). Her dog is so beautiful, and it makes me wish we could get one NOW. I'm so impatient, I know. I can't help it when they're so cute... those eyes.... that face. How can I resist? I'm not sure, but I'm sure going to have to figure out a way.

Tomorrow is my last day of actual classes. After this week, finals begin. So, after tomorrow's classes, I'll only have 5 more class meetings. I will have final exams in Myth & Symbol, Biological Anthropology, and Religion. In Social Relations we will be passing in our final essays and discussing them together, and in British Romantics the rest of the class will be presenting their essays (I did mine today)...which will provide excellent study time for my Religion final. *Wink* All in all, I'm not doing too badly with these exams. The most difficult classes to study for are not having a final. Hallelujah.

I still can't believe the semester is almost over. I mean, my little brother will be graduating high school in June! This is something amazing to consider. I'm very excited for him, but I'm also very surprised that he's already at that point in his life. Seems like just last week he was still a chubby little guy starting the fifth grade. Not so chubby anymore...quite the young man. Watch out, ladies! Don't let your hearts be broken...he's taken. (Love you, Danielle!) When I was five years old, Tim used to follow me around, hoping I would want to play. I used to get highly annoyed, but now that we're older I'm the one hounding him to come to Newport so he can come see me. Funny how things change. I can never wait to go back to New Hampshire. Not just because I get to sleep in my own bed, or because I miss mommy and daddy...but also because I miss my little bro. (I know... "awwwwww") There is NO ONE in the world who can make me laugh as hard as Tim can. I've watched many comedians, heard many talented performances. But my brother makes me laugh so hard that tears stream down my face and my stomach hurts like hell. It's the best. Of course, my Mom shakes her head and grins because I'm enouraging him. My Dad smiles to himself and allows little giggles to escape occasionally. It's the greatest... So, with all that said.. Tim, I'm coming home for Christmas, but you need to come here for February vacation. We will have mucho fun...because you will be 18. ;) Love ya!

As Chelse would say, "Now accepting donations" *Smile* Really, though...I will accept them. I promise.

"If music be the food of love, play on." -Twelfth Night, Shakespeare

So the past two nights have been spent making desserts for Thursday's party. I now have about 20 Christmas cookies and 15 cupcakes with Christmas sprinkles. All in all, since I only have one cookie sheet and one 6 cup pan for cupcakes and muffins, I'm not doing too badly. I also do not own a Kitchenaid mixer...something that makes baking much, much easier. (I watch the Food Network 24/7, so clearly I know these things. Clearly.*wink*) So maybe someday Santa (or the Bridal Registry) will bring me one to make my baking easier. A girl can only hope. How pathetic.

I'm all excited about this dinner, as you all know by now, since it's all I've been talking about for the past week. Everyone is starting to get their shopping lists together and buying their ingredients at the grocery store. I can only imagine how much food we're going to have. Not that I mind, of course, since I'll be all too happy to pack away the leftovers over the following week which will be the week of final exams...So much for losing weight.

A friend of mine (I won't mention any names) is going through a love crisis right now. I only mention it because his plight is all too familiar-sounding. She's all he can think about, and she very obviously is not deserving of such intense love, since she is not sure of whether she even wants it. Tell me, honestly, what girl in her right mind could be the object of such emotion and not be sure of whether she is ready to settle down? This boggles the mind. I can remember being so incredibly in love that they were all I could think about. I can remember feeling like the world was ending when my first love told me he didn't love me. So when a friend speaks of this heartache, I wish there was something more that I could do besides being there to talk to. Such is life, however... love is the most amazing thing that could happen to a person, but yet love is also the worst thing that could happen as well. It hurts, and it's wonderful. It can destroy you, and it can make you a better person. Too bad it's so tough to hold onto sometimes.

I can't believe that this semester is almost over. This one has gone by much faster than all semesters I have had previously. I've gotten quite accustomed to having no classes on Fridays. By the time Tuesday's classes are done, I'm already halfway through my week...Thursday afternoons are like Fridays. It's all so weird, but all so very welcome. I've been scheduling myself with no Friday classes since my freshman year, and I quite like it. Next semester will be the same.

Strangely enough, I have no homework for tonight, and the only essay that I have left is due in a week. I think I can afford to spend one night reading and relaxing. Have a lovely night, all. We will chat again soon...

Homemaker happiness

There's no place like home for the Holidays. Unfortunately, Nik's place of employment will not allow extensive requests for time off during the busy season. How lovely, huh?? Therefore let's pray for snow NOW so that it won't be snowing when I drive my little car five hours home by myself so that I can be home longer than two days for Christmas. Happy Freakin Holidays. I'm fine with driving alone, mind you. I am simply not excited to be driving with the possibility of a snowy journey. I'm such a hypocrite. Notice that? I want snow so very much right now, but if it snows the day I drive home, I'll be upset. Funny how that works.

So, the Christmas cookies turned out excellent. They're lovely, and I'm excited. I guess the Homemaker in me is turning out just fine. My repertoire of cooking recipes is slowly expanding. By the time I have an actual home to make things in, I'll be a master. Also, the Christmas tree is finally here and decorated and taking up half of our living room. It's the price we pay for holiday cheer.

Christmas Tree Shops is our savior. Such cute decorations for so very cheap. Just what Santa ordered. Of course, we know what this means... Nik will be watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation twice a week from now until he leaves for New Hampshire. With my slightly more early departure, I may be able to miss out on one or two showings. Something to look forward to. (Kidding, baby... it's a GREAT movie.) *Sigh*

Only two more essays and four finals until this semester is officially over. I can't say that I'm counting the days, but I can't say that I'm sad it will be over, either. Too many general requirements in one semester for an upperclassman. I need English and Philosophy to keep me happy. Next semester I have three English, one Philosophy and my final general requirement: a last religion. Things will be busier, perhaps, but more enjoyable... (please?)

I'm hungry, so it's time to cook dinner. I need to call Starbucks to see if anyone has seen my application yet. I've been told by a reliable source that they need to be hounded about it. Hopefully I don't annoy anyone important. Wish me luck. I may need it.

These are the Christmas cookies that I made tonight. So yummy.

This is our apartment in Newport... Well, the living room anyway. And, you'll notice that we finally have our Christmas tree. So excited!

Eat, drink lattes, and be merry

"Girls in white dresses with blue, satin sashes

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes

Silver, white winters that melt into spring.

These are a few of my favorite things."

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If the other day was Bad Day, today has been Amazing Day. It didn't start off as I had planned, since Nik was called in to work from 12-4. Today was supposed to be his day off, but we didn't mind since he can always use extra hours. Besides, I was almost finished with my essay and I wanted to finish it this afternoon anyhow. So all was not lost.

My essay is due Monday for Myth and Symbol. I'm writing it on the power of the human mind in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. So, since Nik was working last night from 2-10 and Lindsay (my roommate) had already gone home for the weekend, I was left to my own devices for the night. I packed up the laptop and the essay research materials, bundled up against the cold, and plodded my way down the street a few blocks to sit cozily in Starbucks. And what to my wondering eyes did appear? I miniature tray, and great complimentary lattes! *Smile* What a night to show up! A Holiday Celebration, I was told. Free tall holiday lattes. Amazing. Merry Christmas, Tina. Love, Starbucks. So, with my Peppermint Mocha Latte, I found a table and set up shop. I started my essay, and four hours later, they were closing. Only one more detailed paragraph to go, and I would be done. I decided to save it for the next day, having worked hard for four hours without a break.

So when Nik left today at 11:30, I finished my essay. With final touches, tweaking awkward sentences, and building my works cited page, I was 100% finished at 2:00. A round of applause for me, since this is only the second time I have willingly finished an essay so very early. The Writing Center is rubbing off on me. I figure if I tell my students whom I tutor that they should not wait until the last minute, I shouldn't either. I dedicate this early and timely finish to Kate Murray, my favorite freshman. Since I was so proud of myself, I decided to reward myself with another Peppermint Mocha. Grande. Oh yeah. As I was sitting there, absorbed in the first Harry Potter saga, Colleen from my Myth class walked in. Apparently she works there, and she suggested that I apply. They had my full application and references by 4:00. I will be highly disappointed if I am turned down. If this happens, I fear I will crave expensive coffee products in vain for the remainder of my Salve career. This would not be pleasant. Please, please, please hire me.

With a spring in my step, I departed from the coffee aromas and headed back to the apartment, walking along the still-cobblestoned streets of good, old Newport, Rhode Island. It's almost winter, so the sun was setting over the ocean in an explosion of pink, orange, and blue. Off in the distance, figure-skaters twirled over ice at the outdoor rink. Frank Sinatra tunes floated in the air, and early Christmas lights flickered on for the night. What an amazing afternoon.

Now, jambalaya is simmering on the stove, and I'm trying my hand at Chicken Picatta like the one I love from the Cheesecake Factory. This includes a bed of angel hair pasta (capellini), four slices of chicken breast, mushrooms and capers in a lemon-herb sauce, and four slices of lemon atop each slice of chicken. This is going to be amazing. I have a Twisted Raspberry Smirnoff in one hand (my favorite malt beverage EVER), and a wooden spoon in the other. Don't worry, kids. I promise to put the beer down before picking up any knives. Especially after this week's finger fiasco. (Healing nicely, by the way.) So, I'm off. Have a wonderful night, and we will speak again.

I love cheap Christmas lights from Christmas Tree Shops!

Queen of worthless plastic

I bought Christmas decorations at the Christmas Tree Shop. (Where else?) I've got some shiny, red ribbon which I made lovely bows with, 3 strings of cheap Christmas lights, 4 cookie cutters, a candle, two placemats, gold strings of garland, and..... a Partridge in a pear tree. Kidding. But seriously, I am officially decorated for the Christmas season. (Except for my Christmas tree, which is still in the works.) You know what this means, of course. Oh, yes. In one month, I will be the proud owner of a pile of plastic, worthless junk. Colorful, but worthless nonetheless. Oh sure, I could reuse the Christmas lights next year, but let's be honest with ourselves. Is it really worth the trouble to unravel the damn things every year? I think I would rather spend another $2.67 for three more strings of lights.

The banana nut muffins are cooling on a rack, filling the apartment with pleasant aromas. I need some good Christmas songs to really get things rolling. If anyone has any good suggestions for holiday songs this season, please send me a quick IM. Gracia!

My friends and I are having a Christmas Dinner next Thursday. I can hardly wait. We're doing a potluck style dinner, where everyone brings various dishes and we throw it all on a table and line up for grub! *Smile* So far, our menu consists of ham, mashed red potatoes, carrots, cranberry sauce, lemon herb chicken piccata, calzones, breaded mac and cheese, feta walnut dip on pita bread, cornbread, homemade mozzarella sticks, cranberry bread, christmas cookies, egg nog, wine, cocktails, and the like. So many people are coming, I can't wait to see everyone!

For now, the only things I have to keep up my holiday excitement are Starbucks Christmas cups, the decorations in my house, the carols in my head, and visions of sugarplums...

Humiliated, broke, and scarred

A huge sigh escapes my lips as I plop down on my futon tonight. What a day. I don’t say this every day, as some do. I will today, however. I’ve had two boring classes, one humiliating class, been rejected from my request for my paycheck, and I’ve managed to injure one of my most often-used typing fingers. Joy to the goddamn world.

Let’s begin with the humiliation. We all know how the human race loves stories of pain and suffering of all kinds. (One cannot pretend to know why.) Good news, pain lovers! You’ll love today’s discussion. Ever since grade school, I’ve hated group projects. Why? Because there are always a choice few in the group who do not pull their weight, for various reasons. Today, ladies and gentlemen, was no exception. We were divided into groups so that we could compete in a debate over anthropological hypotheses regarding the origin of our species, Homo sapiens. Yay. While these subjects have held my interest all semester, it was to my dismay when I discovered that we would be debating THE issue that I have not understood since we started the chapter. Lovely. Needless to say, today I was the slacker. Not because I didn't want to pull my weight, but because I was incapable of handling the load. (I'm pretty heavy...hee hee.) Anyway, I simply had no idea how to formulate my thoughts on the matter. My group lost the debate. We didn't lose with dignity, either. Oh, no. We were horrible. I include myself in the collective "we", but not willingly. I wanted to disappear into thin air. I asked the chair to eat me up. It didn't.

As if I wasn't in a bad enough mood, I sat through Religion (yes, my university has Religion classes as requirements) with the knowledge that, at least, I could get my paycheck and deposit it into the bank. For those of you who do not know, my bank account requires biweekly (preferably more frequent) replenishment. Unlike other Salve Regina students, this replenishment comes not from Daddy, but from a little something called Work Study. Yes girls, you can work for your money. Imagine that. So, I do. However, today is Bad Day, and checks are not available after 4 o'clock on Bad Day. Goddamn Career Development. Cripe. So now I'm humiliated and broke. It gets worse. (As if you didn't know that was coming.)

I got home and did dishes. Not so bad. I knew that food was coming, and my belly rumbled appreciatively while I chopped up lettuce for salad and made some tomato rotini soup. So, I'm chopping...chopping...next thing I know, I've successfully julienned my pointer finger. Not just a cut, either. No, no. Those heal too cleanly. I had to slice a piece of skin the size of goddamn Rhode Island right below where the fingernail is. So now, the skin is hanging by a tiny bit, and I'm trying to salvage it. I figure maybe my body can use the spare parts in the repairs. Then again maybe it'll fall off completely.

So now, after a long day, I've plopped myself down on the futon and I'm not moving from this spot. I've got my Harry Potter reading assignment from Myth & Symbol class (coolest reading assignment ever), and I've got my glass of homemade sangria (a la moi). Life is good after all, despite the scars it leaves behind.