wJan 1, 2009


Why is everybody surrounding my apartment loud? Doesn't anybody else work tomorrow?!

I had meant to clean my apartment much more than I actually did today. Ryan is visiting me this weekend, so hopefully I....do that at some point.

Increasingly, personal posts of any nature are being made behind locked posts at LiveJournal. So if any of you want to read anything besides my thoughts on books, manga, anime, movies, and video games, I suggest getting an LJ account and letting me know what your handle is, so that I can friend you and let you in (if I want to, of course!).

I tried to go see the movie "Milk" late afternoon, but it was sold out. So instead, I went to Gretchen's apartment to join her, her girlfriend, and Sandy in a game of Starfarers of Catan. I liked it a lot! I like that game more than Settlers of Catan, I think.

I started to do a year-end report on all of the books I had read this year, with stats on male:female, white:people of color, manga:books, and whatever. But after I had counted everything, I realized that I never got around to using my syllabi to update my booklog with all of the stuff I had read for class, :(

Anyway, my completely booklog is kept here, where it lists what I've read for the last 7 years or so. You'll have to scroll a lot to get down to where the table actually begins, unfortunately. Blogger doesn't perform well with tables, and the post is literally too long to be made in LiveJournal. BWAHAHAHA. I'll update it whenever I take the time to find those syllabi. I guess this is why it's a New Year's resolution, and why it isn't already accomplished.


Current Music: Protege Moi - Placebo

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scribbled mystickeeper at 10:59 PM
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wDec 23, 2008


8,000,000 things make a post

There are things I need to do, and am not doing! Apparently I'm going to be in the next Wiscon Chronicles book! The write-up I wrote about the YA Fantasy panel is going to be its own article, and Oyceter mentions me in her write-up of Bodies in Shoujo Manga (BEST PANEL EVAR). I'm pretty excited about this! But I need a bio. What do I put in a bio?! "Mystickeeper reads books and squees about them online." Has anybody read these Chronicles books? What do the bios look like?

Additionally, I haven't watched a single DVD, haven't read anything except manga, and basically do nothing but play Final Fantasy XII. At least I'll be busy on Christmas Eve and Day, being with my family and stuff. Still, I feel like I should be a little more active, or a little more balanced. Curse addictive personalities! This is why I refuse to ever look at World of Warcraft, or even try drugs. I would be gone to the world.


I am still frustrated in Final Fantasy XII! I spent most of the day being not frustrated, so I guess that's good. At a friend's suggestion, I went and did some hunts, going back to a Save I had with Larsa still in my party (an extra party member who uses his own potions?! WIN.). This was okay for about 4 hunts, but now I am too weak to do any more hunts! Grrrr.....I'm in some underground cave in the middle of the Dalmasca Westersand and it's kind of hilarious because I'm trying to get to the Mark I'm supposed to kill, but instead have to turn off my characters' Gambits and run like none other. GRRRRR. I want my characters to interact! Also, are there any nice guides to side quests online? I was using a walkthrough at GameFAQs, but I only refer to it if I encounter a particularly difficult enemy or complicated dungeon. But now I want to go get cool stuff to equip on my party (like that Gold Armlet that gets me double LP!). Oh yeah! I summoned Belias one time in battle and he got KO'ed. Is there a way to bring him back?


The first season of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is on sale at both Best Buy and Amazon.com for $12.99. I think this will be the first thing I buy for myself with the money I receive for Christmas.


I picked up a few volumes of the Lovely Complex manga at the library. I have watched the complete anime series, and wanted to see how the manga compared. While the anime sometimes took a bit of a dive in terms of budget and animation quality, that obviously never happens in the manga. Still, I think the series certainly benefits from having its Osakan dialect spoken aloud. This feature is completely lost in the English translation of the manga. I love the series for representing an "unconventional" love, and for always striving to keep things interesting. I love seeing Risa's outfits! Anyone looking for a quality shoujo series should check this one out.

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scribbled mystickeeper at 8:58 PM
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wOct 16, 2008


Wisconsin Book Festival Action

Blume is the author of lots of books for young adults, teens, and some scandalous "older teen" and adult books, such as Freckle Juice, Superfudge, Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret, and Forever.
Anyway, I got a book signed for my sister, and one for me. I can never think of what to say when I meet a favorite author (like when I met Neil Gaiman and Chuck Palahniuk...OMG!). But when she asked who the other book was for, I babbled, "My sister! She's fifteen years older than me, but she loved your books, and then I read them, and I loved them, too!" Annnd, that's all I had.

I didn't end up going to her lecture tonight because I had to get up an hour early this morning, I was really hungry, and there have apparently been 3 muggings and/or sexual assaults in my neighborhood in the last four days, so I'm all about being inside before dark. I always carry pepper spray, but I'm considering always carrying my umbrella. It comes up to my hit, and I'm fairly certain that it would serve as a decent weapon, should I need to fend someone off.


Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood I loved The Blind Assassin ... is this one good, too?!

Head Games by Craig McDonald This book was published by Bleak House! I interned there last summer, and I edited this book. In fact, I corrected a lot of the Spanish! I already had an advance copy, but now it's cool to look at the final product. In addition to being gleeful because I watched the book get made, it was far and away my favorite book from Bleak House. I highly recommend it!

Man Made Language by Dale Spender
"...[I]t is through the patriarchal language that much of women's continued subordination is structured. ... This exciting feminist study of language, its rules and uses, was first published in 1980, has reprinted many times, and is now as fresh, as relevant, and as liberating as it has ever been."

What Does a Woman Want? Reading and Sexual Difference by Shoshana Felman
"...Felman explores these questions through close readings of autobiographical texts by Virginia Woolf, Simone de Beauvoir, and Adrienne Rich which attempt to redefine women as the subject of their own desire. She also examines texts by Sigmund Freud and Honore de Balzac which dramatize, each in its own way, a male encounter with femininity as difference - a male experience of femininity as precisely the emergence of the unexpected, baffling, and not always conscious question: 'What does a woman want?'"

The Female Body: Figures, Styles, Speculations by Laurence Goldstein (editor)
Reflections of "anthropologists, historians, literary scholars, psychologists, philosophers, sociologists, and art historians, as well as poets, artists, and fiction writers."

Westering Women and the Frontier Experience 1800-1915 by Sandra L. Myers
"In this book frontier women gain a voice they never had. Professor Myres uses extensive new material by and about women - letters, journals, and reminiscences from over 400 collections - to study the impact of the frontier on women's lives and the role of women in the West. She offers a major reinterpretation of the experience of pioneer women, including that of Indian, Mexican, French, black, and Anglo-American women. Her account re-creates in detail the frontier experience of all these women, beginning with their physical and intellectual responses to the trek West, and concluding with their struggle for political suffrage and economic opportunity."

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scribbled mystickeeper at 8:23 AM
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wOct 15, 2008


Life: It's Pretty Okay

Still watching Veronica Mars. Still in love with my same character (now with a GUN and sarcastic quip!).

Still reading Bleach manga, now on volume 18. It took a few volumes, but Bleach had now devolved into the same main issue I had with Naruto: There are too many damn characters for me to keep track of, or care about. Seriously, in the last "Who won the most popular character award?!" there were over 60 characters! How can that be?!

I don't know. I miss Ichigo's sisters, his father, and Tatsuki. I like Tatsuki being with Orihime. I like it better when everybody's in school than when they're in this Soul Society, meeting three new characters every single chapter (which are pretty damn short, I might say!). But I'll keep reading anyway. Still, Fullmetal Alchemist taunts me. I can only take so much action manga at once, though!


Caught up on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles last night. Is everyone watching this show?! You should be! Totally awesome. Bridget made meatballs and marinara sauce and put them in subs, homemade fries, and tiramisu. I think I professed my love for her at least ten times. While admiring the candles on her tables, she said, "I'm domestic as fuck, man." IT IS SO TRUE. Good times with Bridget and Sandy.


Wisconsin Book Festival starts today! Excitement abounds.

Lastly, I have all kinds of love for this article about Fandom and Male Privilege, found by

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scribbled mystickeeper at 8:47 AM
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wOct 3, 2008


Clearing out my tabs

The end of the fifth episode of Veronica Mars is when I officially fell in love with the show. I didn't see it coming at all, and it was just....wow.

I just finished episode 9, and am still loving things.



Tagged by Bethany.

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 56.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next seven sentences in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don't dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.
6. Tag five other people to do the same.

But howsomever thou pursues this act,
Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive
Against thy mother aught. Leave her to heaven,
And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge
To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at once!
The glow-worm shows the matin to be near,
And gins to pale his uneffectual fire.
Adieu, adieu, adieu! remember me.

Ham. O all you host of heaven!


Tagging people?! Does it work? We'll see. I tag [LiveJournal people]. And if you already did the meme and I didn't remember, well....I just suck at life.


My package from Johanna arrived. A DVD of Millennium Actress, a high-quality anime movie! Buying stuff from Johanna is awesome because she sticks other goodies in the packaging. When I bought Escaflowne, there was an amazing CLAMP notebook, with pictures of Kamui, Fuma, Sakura, and Syaoran. There is more Sakura in this one, along with a cute paper with illustrations from the series Full Moon. Whee! I have some Satoshi Kon-spreading to do....Apparently, The Boyfriend has never seen Tokyo Godfathers or Millennium Actress! This is a travesty that must be corrected.


In the running for "most offensive headline award," one article about the recent suckage on Wall Street: "For Greenwich, 'This is our Katrina'"


I apparently lost the software disc for my mp3 player, which is unfortunate, as the program was erased from my computer when I reloaded Windows (twice). Without the software, the player won't even charge, let alone allow me to arrange and upload music to the device. I thought I found the place to get the software here, but every link I try on that page tells me something about needing a 64-bit connection or some such thing. I just want to listen to music in my car, ;_;


Current Music: Angel main theme

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scribbled mystickeeper at 11:07 PM
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wSep 24, 2008


A Giant Update of Doom....but everything is organized!

GUYS, Borders has a Norton British Literature anthology on sale for $5.99! $5.99! Shelley, Keats, Yeats, Byron, Faerie Queene, Canterbury Tales, AMAZINGNESS.

I repotted my English ivy and pink polka-dot plants, so that's good. ADDITIONALLY, I purchased a jade plant at the Farmer's Market today. I am determined to keep these plants alive, Internet. YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW. I put them by the window every morning so that they get sunlight, and take them away from the window every night so they don't get cold. The pink polka-dot plant is supposed to like humidity, so I even set it on the shelf in the bathroom every time I take a shower. IF THESE PLANTS DIE, I WILL GIVE UP ON PLANTS.

People at work are getting sick, so I'm spending time drinking lots of tea, scrubbing my hands clean, and taking it easy so that I don't get it too.


Media Musings: Movies
I ended Sunday evening by watching Bobby, which made me cry unexpectedly. It was a well-made movie!

Monday, I went to the free screening of "Choke" with Antoine, Keely, and The Hammer. We also unexpectedly ran into Jaci and Dan, and the people who accompanied them! I love Chuck Palahniuk's writing style; he is one of my favorite authors. Choke is not a favorite novel of mine, but I appreciate his humor coming across strongly on the screen. The overall presentation was not nearly as bleak as it was in the novel, and I'm a bit sorry that not as much time was spent on the rock structure, but what can you do. It was a disgusting and delightful movie, as stories written by Palahniuk tend to be.


Media Musings: TV
Fringe isn't being all that great....I hope for awesomesauce, but don't really receive it. It's like sci-fi CSI, and I don't like CSI.

I'm an episode behind on Terminator, and haven't watched the premiere of Heroes yet, although I intend to. HOPEFULLY, Heroes won't suck any more.

I AM SO EXCITED FOR THE OFFICE, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW.


Media Musings: Comics and Manga
I'm reading some Batman comics for the first time, in an anthology put out by DC, starting at THE VERY BEGINNING. Dude, 1930s comics are hilarious. "BUT THE GUNMEN RECKON WITHOUT THE GREAT SPEED AND AGILITY OF THE BATMAN." Mostly, I'm tickled with amusement every time he is referred to as "the" Batman.

I just finished volume 10 of Bleach. Is this the Soul Society arc that everybody raves about? It's....not that good. So far, the set-up arc has been my favorite.


And, lastly...Things I Shouldn't Say at Work (or, ever):
"Why the hell is everybody watching you guys play cards? Watching people play cards is only fun when the people are pretty, like on Celebrity Poker." I then lapsed into silence while watching my co-workers' faces slacken with horror.


COULD THIS POST HAVE ANY MORE TAGS?!

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scribbled mystickeeper at 1:37 PM
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wAug 21, 2008


In which I attempt to be persuasive

It's been busy the last few days, but a good week overall. I had female co-workers over last night. They brought wine, I provided apple butter and crackers, and we watched "Love Actually." My apartment is an efficiency, but spacious enough for a girls' night! Success.

At the moment, I am head-over-heels in love with Terry Moore's Strangers in Paradise, which is a series of graphic novels. I will blog about it at length...at some point.

I've watched the first episode and a half of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, 'cause it's out on DVD, and Netflix sent it to me Tuesday. OMF SO GOOD!!



BUT, people, the entire reason why I'm posting is so that I can link to this post, titled "Why You Should Read xxxHolic. This is me, waving my hands from side to side, calling your attention to this gorgeous and thought-provoking manga series by CLAMP.

If you are looking for a series to use to start reading manga, I highly recommend this one. Rather than write my own entry, please read the one to which I just linked. In fact, have another link. Pretty pictures are included in the post! Seriously, this series is gorgeous, heartwrenching, and funny. If you're brand new to manga, you'll also learn a lot about Japanese manga. And the translation provided by American publisher Del Rey? BEST TRANSLATION NOTES.....EVER. Seriously. The back of every volume provides paragraph-length explanations about Japanese culture that an average American reader wouldn't pick up on. PEOPLE, READ XXXHOLIC. DO IT. And if that left you unconvinced, at least read the persuasive blog post I linked to. Go! Now!

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scribbled mystickeeper at 8:52 AM
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wJun 25, 2008


This is how I roll.

Purchasing

As expected, one of my best friends, Steph, left the most detailed analysis about which Mokona bag to purchase. I think I'm going to go with the orange one. Now I need to decide whether or not to buy this hat, as well.

To shamelessly copy Bridget, here's what I'm reading and planning at the moment:

Reading

Will the Vampire People Please Leave the Lobby? True Adventures in Cult Fandom by Allyson Beatrice
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susannah Clarke
Baby & Me manga, by Marimo Ragawa

Planning

To go to Concerts on the Square with both co-workers and LJ friends. I need to come up with names for my groups of friends, so people know WTF I'm talking about. Like, some of you could be "blue group" or "Wiscon people" or something.

I need to watch more Angel. The next episode for me is "Smile Time," so I'm eager to watch it as soon as possible.

I'm trying to catch up on Battlestar Galactica. I had notes on 3 episodes, but I think I might have lost them. Regardless, I need to keep watching more.

I must watch another episode of Arrested Development so that I can finally get a new Netflix DVD.

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scribbled mystickeeper at 1:05 PM
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wJun 12, 2008


Book Talk

Does anyone know if there is a limit to how many books a person can put on hold at the public library? Yesterday, I put hold requests on 22 volumes of manga. I CACKLEE FOREVER.

Sorry I haven't been blogging much. Now that Kristy's moved into town, we've been spending our evenings at Antoine's house, playing Mario Kart and watching Arrested Development (Dave, you should do it! We're working on Disc 1, and Jennifer has seen it too). It's kind of nice to not be spending so much time online, though.

I hope to write today about manga, specifically xxxHolic and Tsubasa Chronicle, which I have now begun. I understand now why people were so eager to say, "Skip most of CLAMP's old stuff and just read those, they're awesome!" Because they are so awesome! There is a huge jump in quality in my opinion, particularly in the pacing of the storytelling. I have been taking notes while reading - something for which my co-workers ridicule me.

I had intended to blog about it last night, but I wanted to find a CLAMP LiveJournal icon. Of course, I fell asleep on top of my covers before I could accomplish this task.

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scribbled mystickeeper at 8:51 AM
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wMay 28, 2008


We've seen the worst of the Internet; let's show everyone what the best looks like

Firstly, if you guys only read my blog, you might be interested in reading the conversation generated by my last post, over on LJ. It has generated over 100 comments.


You know what? I look pretty damn cute in the pictures of me that got uploaded to the SASS thread. Indeed, I love what K. Tempest had to say:
I was scrolling through the thread and looking at the pictures and, instead of being ashamed that I associate myself with such people (horrors!), I couldn’t help but think of how beautiful all those images are. They are pictures of beautiful women of all sizes smiling, having fun, loving where they are and what they’re doing. These are the poeple I go to WisCon to be around. And nothing those half-brained monkeys on that forum say can make me feel any different. You wanna call me out as a fat loser? You go right ahead. But it’s plainly evident that I not only have more class than you, I also have a better life and better friends. All the evidence I need to support that statement is my lack of time spent on the internet trolling for pictures of people I don’t know in order to make fun of them for arbitrary reasons.

Get a life, you losers. And coming from a Star Trek fan, that’s fucking sad.



Panel 191 Report: Last time, on Battlestar Galactica...

Reading, Viewing, & Critiquing Science Fiction and Fantasy ♦ Sunday, 11:30-12:45 A.M. ♦ Senate A

We saw the first part of Season Four, let's talk about it. Where is the series going? Let's speculate on the ramifications of the final five Cylons, Roslin's reoccurring cancer, and all the good stuff in the rest of Season Four.

M: Ben Burgis, Maddie Greene, JJ Pionke

This panel began at 11:30pm. Most of the panelists were drunk, as was most of the audience. This was hands-down the most hilarious panel I attended during the entire convention. I don't even remember what we talked about, and I didn't even drink. Cracktastic Cylon theories and references to Ikea planets were made. It was the just-perfect combination of people making insightful comments while also being drunkenly cheeky. I think my favorite moment (aside from Starbuck's white viper coming from Ikea) was "Heyiya"'s "I have a really complex and insightful theory, but I've had a few beers and I can't complete this thought process!" I had so much fun that I didn't take any notes.



I didn't attend the "Is Racism Inherent in Fantasy?" panel, but I have heard a lot about it from friends (whose brains were broken). Liz has video responses from people who attended the panel. My friend Bridget is "Bridget" in three of these videos, and you have the opportunity to see how hilarious she is.



Mely has has posted about the "Can Internet Drama Change the World?" panel, posting a mostly-complete transcript of the panel. I attended this panel, and intend to post my own notes later, unless I decide that I don't have anything else to say. The consensus, though, was "Yes, Internet drama can change the world."



The Sign-Out

I was so excited and gleeful that I completely overcame my shyness/awe of Wiscon people, and was running around cackling and talking excitedly about these authors.

I happened to find Maureen F. McHugh in the Dealers' Room. Bridget told her that our book club loved her book China Mountain Zhang, and whatever others might say about the ending of the novel, we loved it and found it appropriate. Then, I asked her to sign my copy of China Mountain Zhang and said, "Also, I think it's totally cool that you referenced Scott Pilgrim in the short story you read out loud Thursday night!" And she totally freaked out with glee, saying, "YAY, I'm so glad that someone caught the reference! I really just wanted to make her [the protagonist] a real person, you know?" I really like Maureen McHugh as both an author and a person, and I look forward to reading her other novels and more short stories.

I had Sarah Monette sign Melusine for me. I didn't have much to say because I haven't actually finished it yet, and was chatting a lot with people in line next to me.

I had Tamora Pierce sign my copy of In the Hand of the Goddess. She's so down-to-earth, and practical, but well-spoken. I was actually halfway through the second panel with this insightful audience member before I put my hand over my mouth and went, Holy shit, that's Tamora Pierce! We chatted about our mutual awe for my LJ friend, goldjadeocean.

I still haven't read Patrick Rothfuss's In the Name of the Wind, but he's friends with Gretchen, and he treated us to dinner on Sunday night. It was pretty hilarious, because I took my copy of the book to him and said, "Not only am the asshole who hasn't even read your book yet, but this copy is also already signed by you. I was just wondering if you could personalize it." He eagerly accepted, but then said that he suffered from "performance anxiety," thinking that because we had eaten dinner together, he should be able to say something exceedingly meaningful or hilarious. Giving up, he instead opened to a blank page and did spirograph. Patrick Rothfuss is funny, intelligent, and ready to mock everything, including Wiscon itself (in a respectful way - please totally have him come back next year!. I really look forward to reading his book.



Yesterday was work and grocery shopping, but Sandy and I had time to eat dinner together, and I then showed her the first two episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist. She is pretty new to anime (I think she's only seen Cowboy Bebop?), so I cackle with the glee of corruption. She hopes to reciprocate by getting me to read slash fanfiction.

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scribbled mystickeeper at 6:49 AM
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wMay 6, 2008


Days of Excitement

It's been quite warm outside today, almost too warm for my tastes. I like it when the temperature is about 60 degrees, or perhaps a tad warmer. I like being able to walk for a while without perspiring.

Yes, I do have pictures from the "Public Enemies" shooting and really will post them at some point. This won't be like all of the other times I've promised to post photos, and then never did.

Yesterday, I filled a canister of gas for the first time, so that I could fill the lawn mower tank. I have filled my car's gas tank many times, but this was the first time I set a plastic red tank on the ground and filled it. I half-expected the attendant to come running outside to tell me that I was doing something wrong, but apparently I didn't! The lawn got mowed, although one part of our yard is particularly treacherous (the top of a retaining wall). While trying to get some of the weeds, I biffed it and got a nice grass stain for my efforts. Next time, I think that I will attempt to mow more safely, and let the weeds win.

I am beginning to really, really look forward to Wiscon. As I have not yet had any luck with this job application business (on Saturday, I received a rejection letter from one of my personal heroes!), there is not a lot to look forward to. But Wiscon? I think that the entire month of May is spent flailing in excitement, being at the actual con, and having Internet-excitement of the aftermath spill over into June.

TAMORA PIERCE WILL BE THERE. At least, according to the schedule of somebody else. Sarah Monette is going to be on a panel on grammar. And! And! And! So many awesome things. I'd really like to see Maureen F. McHugh on a panel, as I loved China Mountain Zhang. Lots of people on my Friends List are going to be on panels, so hopefully I'll be able to see as many people as possible!

Tonight, I went out for Gretchen's birthday. Elisa, Sandy, Bridget, and other LiveJournal were there. Also, people who aren't on LiveJournal (Jaci). It was pretty awesome, except for when I got stung by a hornet. That sucked.

Just when I was excited that a new version of "Wuthering Heights" was going to be made, I learn that the BBC is making another version of Jane Eyre, starring Ellen Page. It will be nice to see if Ellen Page can branch out into new roles, but the BBC just made a new version of Jane Eyre two years ago! And it was very good! Go make a movie of Charlotte Bronte's other novels, BBC. Or make that movie about Rupert Giles that Wikipedia says you used to talk about.

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scribbled mystickeeper at 11:56 PM
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wFeb 17, 2008


Best Weekend Ever

So I have been doing more than just reading manga, watching anime, and watching Buffy/Angel, I promise. I just decided to catch up on stuff I had finished a while ago. I think all that's left at the moment is to write about the end of Elfen Lied (it got better, sort of) and how Code Geass is going (awesomely!).

Friday night, I went to The City (a bar) with co-workers to celebrate one of their birthdays. I only had two drinks, but the strawberry martini was hella high alcohol content, I think. I danced, I said snarky things, and I was vigilant against creepy bastards, on behalf of my friends. This means that it was a typical bar night, I suppose, but in honor of my friend, we kept playing Michael Jackson songs (they had a digital juke box) and totally busting it out in our corner of the bar. Amazing! I hadn't thought that I was very inebriated, until Chad drove me, Antoine, and a friend home (best roommate EVER!), and I tried to get out of the car. Holy crap! Getting out of the car was difficult. I didn't fall or anything, but it was more like, "Foot. Lift it. Move it. Put weight on it." Probably the most amusing part of the night was someone accusing me of being drunk, me saying, "I am not drunk, damn it!" and immediately afterward, Antoine bumping my hip with his (he was dancing), and me almost falling over.

On Saturday, Chad, Antoine and I went grocery shopping a day earlier than usual, because we knew that the weather would be bad today. Antoine and I ate dinner at Rising Sons Deli (Really, really good! And I think it's very nicely decorated in there.), and I went to Anime Club. By the time I got to Club, I was pretty damn tired from the night before, and sitting in a dark room reading subtitles didn't help too much. Still, the shows were good last night (or at least, as good as Elfen Lied gets!).

After Anime Club, though, was the most fun evening I've had in a while. I considered staying home because I was tired, but decided to go join my friends from Bleak House (the book publishing company where I interned this summer) to celebrate my former boss's birthday. They had already eaten dinner and cake together, but I joined them for some sledding at Sanitarium Hill, way on Madison's north side. The view from the top of the hill was great - you could see the entire city! Also, the building is supposedly haunted because it was originally a tuberculosis sanatorium, where people went to die. It was such a creepy building! Made of brick with large windows, and french doors on the ground floor. It's pretty much exactly how I imagined the various buildings to look on the high school campus that my characters attend in my ghost hunting story. This page has some black and white photographs.

After sledding (the hill was so huge! It's been a long time since I had fun that way), we tromped through the woods, originally behind the sanatorium. Then, we decided to go to a fort that two of the others had been to. We drove out to the Mendota Mental Hospital (holy barbed wire, batman!) and walked out to a place called Governor's Island, and sat on rocks where Frank Lloyd Wright had allegedly built a house that sank into the lake. My socks were full of snow, as were my jeans, but it felt good to spend so much time outside, and not just walking to work or class.

The way home was mostly good, except that towards the end, the falling rain was freezing on the roads. Despite traveling at a low speed, I almost fishtailed right into a parked car. Within a block of my house, my car could not make it up a relatively shallow hill. I had to put it in reverse and let it slide downhill (Thank you, driving instructor! I never believed you when you said that straight-backing would come in handy some day!) and went around the block, going at it from a different angle. This hill was even more mild, and my car still almost didn't make it. It's on the street now, probably completely covered in a shell of ice. The buses stopped running at 8:30am this morning. I am supposed to lector at 9pm mass this evening, but unless the snow makes it easier to drive (doubtful!), I will probably have to call in. I hate having to shirk responsibilities, but hopefully people will understand my not-wanting-to-die.

Anyway, I am glad that I bought food yesterday. Today will be spent washing laundry, doing some schoolwork, cleaning, and watching some DVDs. And hey, you never know - maybe blogging about anime again. Are my posts becoming too spammy? I feel like I haven't been this prolific since high school.

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scribbled mystickeeper at 12:05 PM
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wJan 22, 2008


Last night before the semester....EVAR (maybe)

Random
Due to this housekeeping, my Bookmooch inventory has been updated, for anyone who is interested.

I ended up dropping the "Conflict Resolution" political science course that I had been signed up for, and enrolled in Constitutional Law instead.

Saturday. Do bold headings make you more inclined to read?
Saturday, I went out in the late afternoon to put up fliers for Anime Club on State Street. It was below 0 out, but having friends joined me made it better.

We went to the rec-room of some Club-members' apartment, and watched some first episodes of various series on a big screen. It was a nice pre-Club gathering of friends! Series that were new to me that I'm excited to watch more of are detailed at the end of this post.

Sunday
Yesterday, I bought groceries and watched the Packer game with Antoine. Some friends from work were having a Packer party, but I was pretty damn tired and feeling anti-social. The less said about the game, the better. But I think it broke my damn heart. :(

I am so lazy. Except for when I shoveled the snow off all our sidewalks and driveway, and unearthed my car.
Today, I didn't feel very well until after lunch. I've spent most of the day tidying up a bit (although, of course, my room is still not clean), reading, watching things, and perusing the interwebs. I probably would have gone shopping for school supplies if it hadn't been snowing all day long.

This is what happens when I don't take my vitamin.
Last night, I dreamt that there was some kind of program for the gifted in Green Bay. It was night, and my high school friends and I were by dimly-lit bars. I continually ran alongside the Fox River with two large metal tanks on top of a flightpack strapped to my back. Eventually, if I ran long enough, I somehow got lift and gained the ability to fly. Yes, it was pretty WTF. I rarely remember my dreams, though, so I guess it's worth noting. One thing that's weird, though? Whenever I do remember a dream, I can never remember one in which anyone I met after high school is in it. It's like my subconscious is frozen in place. I'm not sure what that means.

AND NOW FOR THE ANIME.
Code Geass: The premise of this series is that back in the day, a Celtic king resisted Julius Caesar's invasion of Britannia. This affected many other moments in British history: absolute monarchy was never abolished, the American rebels were suppressed in 1776, and all of North and South America belong to Britannia, which covers 1/3 of the world.

Britannia invades Japan, and conquers it with giant robots (come on; you knew that was coming!) called Knightmare Frames in less than a month. Japanese people lose their rights. The country is renamed "Area 11," and the former Japanese are referred to as "Elevens," and forced to live in ghettos. Rebel factions still exist, though, and the series seems to be quite patriotic.

The protagonist seems like he will be fun to watch, and the character design was done by CLAMP. I am sold!

(Synopsis mostly shamelessly stolen from Wikipedia)
More synopsis and screenshots of episode 1 at the anime blog 'Memento.'

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
It's difficult to describe this series. From what I can tell, it is set up into 4-episode story arcs. At the beginning of each arc, about 90 seconds of intense violence are shown, with one character committing acts of violence against others. Then the opening credits play. Then, four episodes are spent leading up to this first scene, explaining why it happens (I think!). The characters are all children, classmates, and friends.

It seems as though the beginning story arcs are all "question arcs," in that even when the arc is "resolved," the viewer still has many questions. Later in the series, story arcs are used as "answer arcs," and explain what is going on.

The character design seems a bit too cutesy for me at first, but I feel like that makes it that much more intense when the characters go apeshit.

Episode 1 screenshots and synopsis at anime blog 'Memento.'

As an added bonus, I like the OP song.



Current Music: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni OP - Eiko Shimamiya

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scribbled mystickeeper at 12:15 AM
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wJan 9, 2008


Oops

So, I am stupid and apparently set the wrong alarm last night. I cursed when it went off, and I could see through my blinds that it was already light outside, being 8:00 am. Because my Career Advising appointment would force me to leave work at 10:45, and it would be at least 9:30 by the time I got to work, I called in and will just be going after the appointment is over with. Still, I feel like an idiot, and kind of terrible. I pride myself on being the person who never calls in sick or comes in late, so even though it's a rare occurrence, I still feel bad and have found it difficult to enjoy my morning.

Steph and I enjoyed a meal last night, made by Steph (although I did some hardcore supervising). Eating and talking with a friend might be one of the best things ever.

Yesterday, I finished reading Princess Academy by Shannon Hale, and I loved it. I think that I liked this one more than Book of a Thousand Days, which I think I read sometime last week. Shannon Hale writes Young Adult fantasy. She has written a couple of other books that I haven't read yet, but I think that these two are her most famous at the moment. I do love that in both books, protagonists are not physically perfect (one is small, one has a disfigured hand and face). In both novels, the author takes great care to do a lot of intricate world-building, down to how the characters approach religion, each other, and their customs. She does this without distracting from the plot, which is saying a lot, as the books are only about 300 pages each, with relatively spacious text. Each novel also deals with classism, prejudice, and belief in one's self. I also think it's neat how the power of song plays such a vital role in both novels. And thus, it's been decided that I like the author Shannon Hale a lot! Go read her stuff!

Anyway, I should go print off my resume. I'm also excited to stop at the bank on my way to work this afternoon. I have two paychecks to put into my savings account, and two at the same time adds up to a lot of money! Money! I need it. Or, I will when I graduate. ;_;

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scribbled mystickeeper at 10:14 AM
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wJan 7, 2008


What Has Happened

Where do I begin?

Ryan was here Friday through Sunday, and we had a most excellent weekend, spent with friends and stores and restaurants. On Saturday, we visited Gretchen at the organic farm she's watching while the family is away. We made guacamole dip from scratch, which was exciting for me. I think that it's something I could make by myself! We also looked at the chickens, were given a brief tour of the farm, and then watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, as Ryan hadn't seen it yet. I still believe that it is my favorite of the Harry Potter films (which are still far inferior to the books).

By the way, Gretchen wrote an entry in her LiveJournal a while ago that I had meant to link to, and forgot. It is about coffee, and focuses on Starbucks versus fair trade coffee (actual fair trade coffee). And it is here. I personally don't drink coffee, but I feel like it's helpful to pass the word along.

We also traveled around State Street with Steph, including a walk inside of the Capitol building. I love showing people around the Capitol! Sometimes I forgot how awesome it is that I work there. OMF! Today at work, I volunteered to work during the Governor's State of the State address. It's going to be on Wednesday, January 23rd. So look for me on Wisconsin Eye!

So yes. This was in addition to many other happening, some involving Antoine. All together, it was a most enjoyable weekend, and I think Ryan and I both had an awesome (but still relaxed) time.

Sunday night, I ate a delicious dinner prepared by some of Antoine's friends.

And today was my first day back at work, which was nice. I also went to the library, and triumphed by collecting about 12 books that were on hold for me.

As well as making another career advising appointment.

And yet. I'm still notice the large gaping hole in my life, which is the lack of any sense of purpose or goal. Still, I made another career advising appointment, and at some point, I'll find something to waste time with in the interim. If writing doesn't end up being my "true calling" or whatever, it's going to take a while to find a way to be happy, I think. Shit.


Current Music: Shiki no Uta - MINMI

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scribbled mystickeeper at 10:29 PM
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wDec 29, 2007


And now it's time for my Cesare Borgia manga

Today was very relaxing, which was a nice change compared to the last few days. I was in my pajamas for most of it, which always helps. My dad and I bought a space heater, so hopefully now when I go back to Madison, I won't feel like dying from coldness in my room all the time. Julie and her kids came to our house for dinner (steak and potatoes), and afterwards I went to Chad's house for a while, to spend time with him, Kristy, and a couple of other people.

I spent time doing some blog maintenance, too. While I originally thought that it would be too much of a pain in the ass to keep a heinously organized tagging system of labels for posts, I've since decided that it's quite useful. So, the LiveJournal tag list has been weeded through and organized, and I cleaned up the sidebar of the journal. As for the blog version of this blog, the tags list is still a bit of a work on progress, but can be found here.

Last night, I was also at Chad's while he entertained friends of his parents for dinner (delicious). After they left, Kristy, Chad, Dave, and I watched Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, which is the movie sequel to my favorite video game of all time, Final Fantasy VII. Kristy had played the game a long time ago, so I wanted her to see it for closure. From an outsiders' perspective (Chad's, Dave's), and even from an insiders' perspective, the movie was pretty lol. Chad kept asking if there was a plot, and if Sephiroth was going to show up, while we all laughed at at the improbable physics, and the cutting-in-half of a motorcycle with a sword. What got made fun of the most, though, was the English dub. I hadn't watched it all the way through in the dub yet, so I didn't know how poor it was. There were a lot of sentences that had unnecessarily large pauses in the middle of them, and I don't even know where all of that "dilly dally, shilly shally" crap came from. It gave me lots of game nostalgia, though. I should check out the special features on that DVD.

Speaking of movies, I've seen a number of ones for kids in the last few days, with my sister's kids. Among them are "Meet the Robinsons," "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium," and "Night at the Museum." All of them were all right, although "Meet the Robinsons" was probably my favorite of the three.

Westmark
I finished read Lloyd Alexander's Westmark today. It is the first novel in the Westmark trilogy. I've never read anything by Lloyd Alexander before, but he seems well-known and respected in the Wiscon crowd for having been an author who wrote lots of YA fantasy that included strong female characters. Westmark was quite bleak in its reflections on human nature and society, and I quite liked it.

One thing that I definitely liked about the book was that Alexander doesn't take forever doing his world-building. His prose is sparse and to the point. Action, plot, dialogue. There is no lag. A pleasant change from, say, the endless reflections that plague the Libba Bray books.

I have other thoughts that are spoilery

I have the next book, The Kestrel, checked out, but I have some other things I need to read first. I'm looking forward to it, though, as many people say that The Kestrel had a profound impact on them.

rilina on Westmark here (Spoilers)
oyceter on The Westmark Trilogy as a whole here (No Spoilers)

Anyway, it's time for a bit of reading, and then bed. I'll be at the Packer game tomorrow with my dad, sister, and brother-in-law. I find it amusing that many households that live near Lambeau Field plow their lawns of snow (often to the point of completely covering their windows and siding with blasted snow) in order to be able to park more cars on their property, and make money.


Current Music: Dante - Fullmetal Alchemist OST

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scribbled mystickeeper at 11:55 PM
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wDec 27, 2007


Things. (I know, I am so descriptive!)

I'll start with this: I was stunned to hear that Benazir Bhutto had been assassinated, although when she went back to Pakistan, I was afraid that it might happen. I don't want to be the asshole who says, "Oh, yeah, I totally saw that one coming!" when I really didn't, but I remember thinking that at the time! Of course, I have no proof, so you will just have to believe me. It will be interesting (and, probably, terrifying) to see what will develop over the coming days/weeks.

I want to have time to write out a proper entry, but I really don't. Today has been pretty busy. I've visited the dentist and the dermatologist, ran into a library (And scored! They had Twilight by Stephenie Meyer!), and ate lunch with former Youth Liturgy people (Jennys! We are going out next Thursday, late afternoon!). And this evening I will go to my cousin's house for another family get-together (What? We celebrate Christmas for 3 days. Leave us alone!), and after that, will probably hang out with friends.

Yesterday, I had dinner with a group of girl friends from high school, and hung out for a while afterward.

On Christmas Day, we had spaghetti and more present-opening at my cousin's house. Most of my family is not Italian (although my father and my siblings and I are), but my cousin-in-law is, so we have delicious spaghetti every year on Christmas Day. I also had some really good wine. I swear, I've drank more alcohol in the last week than I have in the last three months, and I haven't even had that much!

I have received some very nice and thoughtful gifts from people, and overall, being home has been relatively drama-free and relaxing. Of course, I'll be even more relaxed when I don't have to go to 8 places in a day.

Ahhh! There are so many books to read! What am I doing online?

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scribbled mystickeeper at 4:08 PM
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wDec 24, 2007


My Attention Span Grows Shorter

Okay, so maybe I should write about my life instead of comic books?

My resolution to walk places whenever possible has thus far been successful. On Saturday, shortly after arriving home, I walked to get lunch, and bring it back home. I also walked to my friend Lindsey's house to hang out with her, her parents, and my friend Laura (We watched narcoleptic dogs and fainting goats on YouTube. I highly recommend it!). It seems like it might be difficult to convince my friends that I can walk just fine. Even though Lindsey only lives a block away from my parents, I had to do some hardcore convincing, along the lines of, "Really! I'm going to sit on my butt for two weeks reading comic books! I can walk a block!" My only failure so far was last night, when I went to Ryan's house. I feel justified in taking my car, though, because it had just snowed, the roads weren't plowed yet, and I brought my laptop with me (heavy stuff!).

I tried watching an episode of Angel with my mom. I even purposely picked one that had a lot of focus on Kate Lockley, the female cop, because my mom is usually attracted to similar characters, and knew the actress from Law & Order. Most times when David Boreanaz appeared on screen, she would say, "It's him! It's him!" Unfortunately, I'm not sure how well she took the demons and vampires that also occupy the show. At the end, I was like, "So......done?" "Yeah," she said curtly. Although, that might have been because The Amazing Race was on. Might try again later.

Yesterday afternoon, there was a party with my neighbors, which was fun, as I haven't seen some of them in a while. Also, Chad and I got to experience our mothers being together while intoxicated (let's just say that my mother is....a joyful, boisterous drunk).

So, that was lol. Then, Ryan, Dave, and I got together to watch some anime. I showed them the first two episodes of Black Lagoon, which they enjoyed thoroughly. We also watched the first two episodes of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (Goodbye, Mr. Despair) which I think is my favorite new series. I will have to blog about it at some point, although it defies description. I will take many screen shots.

Anyway, today is Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is preferably to me, compared to Christmas Day, because my family opens its presents to each other, and from Santa Claus, on Christmas Eve.

I don't know where my mind was when I was packing to come home, but I forgot my retainer and all of my makeup in Madison. :( This is upsetting! So, today I plan to go to the store and replenish; also to the library. I will hopefully also wrap all of my presents, seeing as most of them will be opened today, :O

PS: Even though Libba Bray's The Sweet Far Thing isn't supposed to come out until December 26th, it's sitting out on the shelf at Barnes & Noble. If bookstores can do that, how come they don't put manga out when it's supposed to have been released??

Oh yeah! Two of my grades have been posted, and they were good! Okay, time to go and have a productive Christmas Eve morning.

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scribbled mystickeeper at 9:24 AM
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wDec 22, 2007


I wax on, and on, and on. I hope that after this, my entries will become more interesting again

Oh, I am done with finals and it feels so nice. I feel so happy right now! I even finished my last final an hour early, so I was able to eat dinner with Antoine, and drop him off at the bus station before he left.

After that, I drove out to Gretchen's house, which is out a ways, in the country-ish. There was some really heavy fog tonight, so dense that I could only see about 30 feet in front of my car. Of course, this meant that I missed my turn (in fact, I missed an entire cemetery that was supposed to be my landmark!) by about 8 miles, but eventually I found Gretchen's house. It's so pretty! I wish that it hadn't been foggy about, because it's surrounded by woods and hills. The inside of the house is beautiful, too! And of course, her room is full of good books. There was a bonfire outside, and hot cider on the stove, and Gretchen's cute dog. I haven't been by a bonfire in a long time, and of course, the company was good as well. As a bonus, I have more Angel to watch when I finish season 1, and the first volume of Brian K. Vaughan's "Y: The Last Man."

And now I am home, and smell pleasantly of bonfire, a smell I haven't smelled in quite some time.

For the interested, Rightstuf.com is having a relatively nice sale on various anime titles. If I don't receive the Fullmetal Alchemist package before Christmas (we open most of our presents on Christmas Eve), I might just buy it for myself. Maybe. At the moment, I'd rather have Princess Tutu and Black Lagoon. Must bide my time and open Christmas presents first!

Anyway, it's off to bed now, so that I can wake up and pack, clean, and leave. I'll be driving with my friend Angela, and hoping that the roads will not be icy. Everyone keeps saying that they will be, but it's 1am and it's still 35 degrees outside....it is supposed to rain tomorrow, but no snow until night, I don't think.

Also! Provided that the person in question lives on the same side of the highway as my parents, I intend to walk when visiting friends, when possible. I easily walk the mile between campus and the Capitol four times a week, not to mention all of the other walking on campus, between bus stops, and to stores. Why is it that once I reach the suburbs, I feel the need to drive everywhere, even if it's only blocks away? Exercise is good for me anyway. So, that's my resolution for break. Walk when possible, and no, I won't accept a ride from you, my high school friends.


Current Music: The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance

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scribbled mystickeeper at 1:05 AM
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wDec 19, 2007


Tales from Finals Week: Part 2 in a Series

1:20ishpm: I notice that today's Wikipedia article of the day is the Heian Palace. My first thought is, "Dude, it looks just like it did in the Otogi Zoshi anime!"

3:10pm: So, I complain to Steph about how I'm done with one final, and have apparently stopped caring about the rest. She advises me: "Well, enjoy the satiating defeat of one class, jackles. Feel its blood dripping from your mouth and watch its children cry tears of indomitable anguish." ADVICE ACCEPTED.

3:12pm: If anyone tries to convince me to go to law school ever again, I'm going to say, "Yeah, I lived with a 1L for one year. Not gonna happen." I remember "Senior Night" towards the end of our high school career. All of the seniors got together for dinner and an award ceremony with our parents. We voted to give each other stupid award like "Most Likely to Succeed" and "Best Writer" and whatever. So, it is announced that Chad won "Most Organized." Although we were sitting at the same table (I think? It's hard to remember these things), I start laughing, very hard and quite loudly. Most parents are clapping and saying, "Ohhhh, that Chad." My mother is saying, "STOP IT, JACQUELINE." Well, it was amusing to me because Chad? Is like, the least organized person I've ever met. Every time I went to his house so that we could leave for school together, from second grade through sophomore year of high school, he'd always be freaking out, looking for a shirt and his homework, and whatever else he needed to get through the day. Chad was a good student and "student leader," and all that other BS that students are supposed to be, but organized? SO LOL.

And this is why law school scares me. Because last night, Chad came upstairs to show me the outline that he would use on the 4-hour final exam this morning. This outline? Is organized. With tabs. The text IS COLOR-CODED. An entire semester's worth of cases and theories, crisply organized in a binder. I give him my Who the hell are you and what did you do with Chad? face, and he taps the open page, which happens to be a color-coded flow-chart with computer-generated arrows. "I made that!" he says. I quietly close the binder and hand it back to him, not sure what to say.

Law school is scary. Just.....WTF.

7:21pm: I'm pretty damn tired.

9:56am: Blahhhhh. So, last night I went to Antoine's because reading for class is better when cuddling on his couch. I received an unexpected Christmas gift from his roommate, The Hammer! The Hammer and his girlfriend are always cooking and baking delicious food, from which Antoine and I shamelessly mooch (well, I lie. I do feel a bit ashamed.). But, The Hammer gave me this really nice cookbook that he says is his favorite. It's very nice, with explanations of how and why things work the way they do, and recommendations for "the supermarket's best" version of mayonnaise, bacon, etc. I'm pretty excited about it, and I know that I could handle some of the things in it: like cookies, or eggs. When I get my own apartment, I expect to be cooking a lot more frequently. I wish I had time to do it now! Maybe over break, I can cook a few new things. I'm sure my mom and sister will go into cardiac arrest upon this discovery.

It even has suggestions on how to make the perfect batch of white rice, which is definitely something I'll be eating before I leave for break. Also, I have a couple of more eggs!

Anyway..I should be productive now. I want to finish (and start) my take-home Medieval Literature final, tidy my room, prepare for a meeting with the Career Advisor, and start studying for my English Lit final, all before two of my cousins come to town and meet me for dinner.

Oh yeah, there was sad news, too. It turns out that Antoine is going to be leaving for Milwaukee (from where he will fly out for Florida, where he's spending Christmas with family) right after my last final on Friday, so I probably won't be able to see him after Thursday, :(


Current Music: The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance

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scribbled mystickeeper at 10:04 AM
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