More insomnia

It's 7am and the number of hours I can sleep in a row is increasing significantly: today I slept four hours in a row! Yay Me!

My trip keeps getting longer and longer, I can't help but think of more stuff to do before I go back to the Body of Christ. I drive to GP today to visit with my long-lost friend DT and then maybe, if I can get adequately motivated I will drive to Hot Springs tomorrow to visit my grandparents. They are coming for a visit in January, so if I don't make it I will still see them

Hot Springs does rock, though.

This Morning's anecdote:
When I was a little girl, maybe five years old, we owned a green 74 nova. It was a wedding gift from my Mississppi grandparents to my parents for their shotgun wedding. The car had an eight-track that whirred and clicked each time a new track came up, and my parents had a Rod Stewart album that included the song Hot Legs and I insisted, "Daddy we can't get out of the car til the song is over."

I loved that song, and for whatever reason my parents both indulged my childish whim and sat patiently in the car singing

Hot legs, wearing me out
Hot legs, you can scream and shout
Hot legs, are you still in school
I love you honey

At five, I didn't understand the lyrics a bit, and took the song rather literally so I repeatedly pestered my mother to throw my tiny corduroy pants into the dryer so I could, like the song states, have hot legs.

Then once the warm pants were zipped, buttoned and my shirt was tucked in I could truly be one with the song. I was so comforted that I could actually live the song and I sang it on the way to school.

That is until my first love came along and wanted to walk me to school. His name was Julio and he was bee-uu-tiful: we lived in Washington state at the time and hehad just moved there from Mexico. He taught me to count to ten in Spanish and i taught him to sing Paul Simon's Me and Julio down by the schoolyard.

He carried my books to school every day until one day we announced that we were moving to Texas.

Two Thousand Sex: Self indulgent Musings on the New Year.

I am pleased that, after four days, my strep throat is vastly improving (YAY!!). The Theraflu, antibiotics and 10 hours of sleep must've helped.

Every year I make a list of 5 or so things to put on my list of New Year's Resolutions, and last year went relatively well: I quit smoking, got good marks in school and took a job at the university. Still, though, I crave a cigarette at times; particularly times of little consequence.

List of possible post-graduation stuff to do:
1. Spend 3 months in Alaska, then do a bit of traveling
2. Start graduate school in September 06
3. Go on a trip to a Spanish immersion school
4. Move to SF, summer or Fall
5. Go to UNT or UTD in the fall
6. Join the Peace Corps.

It's good to have options... I totally love that; and although I often resist change, I really do enjoy change. To change is to grow. Right now, in this moment, the 'what' of it matters little to me: it's the 'where' that I wonder about. An inviting map on my wall is luring me closer and I wonder if the time is fast approaching to use those airline miles I've been hording these last five years.

The Peace Corps has a pull for a number of reasons: 1) Live in D.C. and learn another language; 2) Again push myself to break out of boundaries and experience soemthing wholly new, unknown, uncomfortable at times. Gawd, I effing love that discomfort, that uncertainty (tho I do like to pine over it at times) 3) Excellent post-bach schools give preferential treatment to Peace Corps volunteers. This might mean a full ride to graduate school

The only (and main) problem is that I can't bring Dexter and Mugsley with me. And I don't know if I can leave my pets behind for two years. No one, and I mean NO ONE will care for my, dare I say, furry little kids the way I will.

No one in the world thinks I am as cool as my dog does.

Gawd, I am completely geeking out.

Woke up this morning, had coffee with Angela and then went to my sister's house to pick up my dog, Mugsley. Tomorrow I want to take Pirayeh to the Aquarium and do some serious outdoor playing.

Making Sense

It's finals time and much as I'd like to not study at all right now, I must push on through. Dammit.

My to-do list for post-graduation is getting longer as I am forever pestered by the question, "what kind of work do i want to do?" Everyone with a Liberal Arts degree goes through this, I think.

Hmmm. Which one should I choose?

Commercial Airline Pilot
Peace Corps
English Teacher in Japan
Professional knitter
Typist of papers
The Teaching Assistant who wouldn't leave.

Just in case you didn't know

I ***love*** my pets. If I get accepted into the Peace Corps I might have to swallow them in balloons to get them passed customs.

Today is the first day

So I have 3 exams next week, 3 papers due and 46 speeches to grade. I admit that while I am thankful for having a great job I would LOVE it to be, like, December 16th already. Then I'd be on my way to D-town and ready to hang out with my peeples. And I LOVE hanging out with my peeples.

But instead I have to write 20ish pages and 20ish pages of reviews because I AM that much of a total geek that I TYPE EVERY EXAM REVIEW. Can anyone else relate to that? Anyone at all?

I know the only people that actually read this are people who want to post links to their own infomercials, but c'mon. Perhaps even infomercial salespeople took exams once.

So I am totally fighting the doldrums (and doing a damn fine job, I might add) b/c I had it stuck in my head that I was going to graduate summa cum laude and I WON'T because I took two advanced Spanish classes like over a YEAR ago. I got B's BOTH times b/c, hey, it's been five years since I took a formal Spanish lesson. So 'B' is pretty good (it was the pop literature reading quizzes that did it) I guess. But it means I will be six-tenths of a point off from 3.9 GPA. Blast it.

It's a load of shite, I tell you.
But I do read/write better Spanish now than I did before (not sure that says alot) so I s'pose it's worth it.

Adios, mis cabrones.

I envy the wind

What is your favorite color?
redorangeyellowgreenblueviolet

If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Caring, funny, dedicated

If you describe your priorities in three words, what are they?
Laughter, Family, career

What matters most to you: happiness, success or love?
Audrey Hepburn once said, "The most important thing is to enjoy your life -to be happy- That's all that matters."I totally agree with her. So much so in fact that I joined this academic group of geeky philosophers and we sit around asking ourselves big questions to which there is no answer. Still we must ask, though.

Do you have pets? If so, what kind and what are their names?
Yes. Pets are the new children. Dexter T. Cat & Mugsley 'The killer' Malone, Esquire (dog)

Have you ever been in love? Yes. I am fortunate to have been well-wooed and well-loved by someone I loved. I miss him but I am glad he's gone.

Describe your best kiss ever. Warm, soft and uncertain... Terribly sweet and loads of butterflies. I adore the butterflies.

What did you eat for breakfast? Fruit and a power bar.
Do you like dancing? Passionately. In the morning in my knickers to modestly loud music. And in my mum's living room with my sisters... we like to make each other laugh by seeing who can be the worst dancer.
Have you ever acted on stage? I was Lucy in 'A Charlie Brown Christmas Pageant.'
My fifth grade teacher told me I was magnificent. Wait. No she didn't. I just totally made that up.

How old are you?Twenty-eleven.

Favorite movie? Freeway.
Three favorite luxury items? 600+ thread count sheets, extravagant pillows and illume jar candles (pineapple cilantro is my fav).
Guilty pleasures? Chocolate. Last week when the hurricane was 'coming' I spent an entire day watching movies and eating pie. Pie is really good for days like that.
What is your favorite quote? "I'll get you my pretty and your little dog too."
Ahem. Not really the above... See below:

To be happy you must be wise -George Santayana (He is the man)

Are you close to your family? Yes. Although not geographically. We speak often. I'm a family girl and I miss them, so I had to get a makeshift family. See the 'pet' question above.

What are your vices? Chocolate and dark brooding men with passion.

What album are you listening to right now? Kings of Convenience, Riot on an Empty Street.

Do you have an all-time favorite album? What? I refuse to answer such an horrible question. So there.

Who is your favorite artist, musical or visual? I really like Jean-loup Sieff's photography. And Truffaut. I must protest that this is another horrible question.
Where do you see yourself in five years? Owning some real estate, travelling, doing a bit of writing. Maybe doing some impossible yoga postures. Tooling around town on a bus or, if I must drive, a hybrid vehicle that gets like 97mpg. Depending on the school situation maybe working on a PhD. One thing at a time though.

Oh yes, and learning to cook cordon bleu... On a unicycle, with a kazoo.

Do you like to read? Delicious.
What are you reading now? I just finished Harry Potter's sixth one. I cried and cried. So sad, but it is the best one yet. This one was super-suspenseful. Fucking brilliant, that Rowling person. She might just have a career in writing. What is the last show you watched?The Office. I kept hearing about it, and my friends were right. It's funny. Misogyny at its most absurd.
What are your time-wasters? Dishing on the phone to my sisters and Angela. The internet. Searching for the right song. Or cardigan. Or black skirt.
What are your goals this year? Finish first degree, graduate summa cum laude (fingers crossed)... then find a program where they pay for my second and third ones (degrees I mean). I'd like to go on a nice long trip abroad after graduation. Maybe I can use up some of those miles I've been hording. Methinks my diabolical scheme is working.

San Francisco Bus Stop 

"Tell me what you pay attention to and I will tell you who you are." - Jose Ortega y Gasset

One night I woke up around 3am and noticed that my cat was not asleep next to me. His spot was still warm, but he was not there.
"Dexter?" No response so I padded down the dark hall my hands pressed against the wall for guidance.
"Dexter?"
His small yet tall silhouette crouched on the floor, tail a-slither.
"What is it?"
Slowly my eyes adjusted and I turned to follow his gaze. The sea's reflection swirled on the wall synching with the ocean's tides. He mewed softly as I lifted him into my arms.
"Lovely and strange, yes?" His purr filled the room as he buried his face in my neck his paws kneading my shoulders.

I slid to the floor and sat with him for awhile, wall-watching and thinking, "I wish I had a tail too."

Foz de Iguazu 

San Fransational 

Then again maybe I won't 

My Favorite Places

Sometimes I wonder why I am so far away from the people I really give a shit about. Oh, wait. That's right... It's because I have to finish this whole Bachelor's degree thingy.

*giggle*

And while I have met wonderful people here, it's not like my friends in Dallas and SF. I totally miss my sister. Sometimes I get homesick. Physically homesick with delusions of my sister's bed and laying on it, painting my nails talking about her fav subject in the world (Bjork. Yes, that's right. I said Bjork). Of course if I lived there it would all be a dream from which I never woke up. Days of sisters and morning yoga sessions and trips to museums. This is how it is in my daydream, but really...

The reality of it is maybe I'd get to do that stuff, but I still wouldn't be any closer to grad school. So I am here now, living on the beach with a wonderful little dog and spending entirely too much time on the internet. Fucking hell. Sometimes it hurts to lead a charmed life.

My Top Ten Favorite Places

1. Muir Woods
2. Hanama Bay, HI
3. Foz de iguazu, Argentina
4. London
5. Texas
6. Seattle
7. Alaska
8. Grandma's House
9. Angela's House
10. School

Donkey Kong

Why, oh why is he called Donkey Kong when he is actually a monkey? Do tell.

World's Greatest Dog

Mugsley Malone, Esquire