Also, got a new journal. 

I've been wanting a new username for a long time but I didn't want to pay for the token. And it's nice to have a clean slate. New name: fear_the_duckie. XD Since both my high school and college mascots are ducks. 

I'm going to friend everyone again. You can friend me back, you don't have to, it's cool. 

 Happy Wednesday! 

Halloween was awesome. GO DUCKS!!! #1!! Kickass game. It was my first college game and I now totally believe that our stadium is the loudest in the country. So amazing. I'll post pictures when I get them on facebook...baby steps, I've been kind of lazy lately. 

Last night, instead of doing my homework, I watched American History X. I was totally not expecting it to be 1, that good and 2, for me to feel so much sympathy for the main characters. It was always described as like a horrifying portrayal of American Nazis but I'll admit I cried at the end. I also got a twitter so I can stalk Eli Roth.

I guess that's all for now. I've got to go pick my classes for next term. and plan a trip to Europe. 

 صبا اكخير! ازيك

I just spent like an hour figuring out how to do that. But at least I know how now! Yay!

So, another update in a year, that's impressive. I should be writing one of my International Studies essays or practicing Arabic more productively, but I vowed to actually update this thing so here I am. 

Weekend was very good. Friday, I sat around and watched the Office. When my roommate got back we watched Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. I also discovered this thing called Stumble Upon, which is very addictive. You basically go on and it sends you to random websites. Virginia says she's lost days to Stumbling. 

Saturday I went shopping. Oh god, I went shopping. It was fun but I probably shouldn't have, since I have no source of income right now. Whatever, I got some good stuff. After more Office, we went Ghosthunting! Super fun. Basically, we just ran around in the graveyard on campus and talked to some real ghost hunters who are allegedly getting their own show or something. Afterwards, we thought it would be fun to watch Supernatural, to stay in the mood. We were on Bloody Mary, the scariest episode. And Claire had just seen Paranormal Activity that afternoon, so she really freaked herself out. And the dorms were practically empty because everyone was in Seattle for the game. Needless to say, she slept on our floor that night. 

Sunday was kind of boring. Did homework, picked out Halloween costumes. I'm being a pumpkin. I just have a jack o'lantern t-shirt and a hat I'm going to wear. We're having hall trick or treating tomorrow night. XD We so cool. 

Alright, now I'm really going to do homework. But be proud of me for posting anything, haha.! ممتازة

 Well, I vanished for a very long time. 

RL will kind of do that to you...

Long story short, I graduated from high school, (yay!) and now I'm a freshman at the University of Oregon! Go Ducks! (Still!) University of Washington waitlisted me, so I decided to screw them and go to UO. So far, I'm very happy with the decision. 

I am seriously loving it here. Yes it's three thousand miles away from home, but that's what makes it great. My roommate is awesome and I think I've got a bit of a crush on a guy in my Arabic class...very cool. XD

I'm not sure how regular I'm going to be posting and stuff, because I doubt anyone actually reads this anymore. But I sort of have more time on my hands because I'm only taking three classes and I'm going to try to get back into writing. Probably no multi-chapter stories and I think I'm going to take the couple I have up down, but I've got a couple good one-shots I can post. 

Whatevs, just wanted to check in. 

I have done it.

I am completely done with my college applications. All I have to do is address the envelops and put them into guidence.

You have NO IDEA how good this feels.

Though it's kind of sad because now I can't wear my University of Washington sweatshirt until I get in. DX Blah and it's so warm!!!

So now all I have to do is wait...until those little envelops start coming in the mail.

So, I went to see Twilight today.

I know people are going to disagree with me but I really liked it.

Maybe because I went in with absolutely less than zero expectations. Judging by the way they were advertising it and the current new fanbase (who irritate me to no end) I thought it was going to be all goth and dramatic.

But it was funny. It was...in a word (that i will be criticized for using.) normal. It reminded me of the way I felt when I was first reading the books, before all this hype and obsession. Because people have been getting really insane about it lately which has been driving me crazy. And it's not that I'm not glad people are enjoying the book. I'm just turned off by the way they are doing so. Like when I went to the Breaking Dawn release party and everyone was dressed as like goth vampires it was kinda freakin me out. Like I always read the books as a romance story about people who happened to be vampires. The big thing I liked about it was how normal all the vampires were. I had an image in my mind as I started reading of these emo characters who were brooding and mysterious and right after she almost gets hit by the car, all of that went away. The characters were fun.

I've just been so turned off lately, that I'm really glad it's back to normal. But I don't think I'm going to discuss it with anyone else (besides Jeannine and Erin) for a while. (And maybe Kathryn.) I just don't want to be brought down by their negativity or...wierdness. (I can't think of any other way to say it.) Please don't hate me for this post, it's just my opinion. Like it or not. I don't care.

In other news, Jeannine is owed a round of applause for the play! She was AMAZING! **hugs for the JeanBean** XP

In FINAL news (I swear) I got a new phone! Yay! First time in like five years. I have to pay for it myself but at least it's not nextel and I can finally text!!! YAY!!!

I almost didn't write about this. I almost let it slide because I was too afraid that people would hate me. But then I decided that it was too important to not write about and that if someone hated me for this then I will promptly take them off my friends list because they have no right to hate me and I just don't care if they do.

Barack Obama, on January 20, will become our president.

I am insanely happy.

I did a lot of research for school and I can honestly say that I supported him (not voted though...don't turn 18 until February) because he was the right man for the job and not just because my parents are very solidly democrat. I honestly think that this was something our country really needed. I honestly hope that in a year or two I'll still be saying this but I'm not naive. Obama might not have been the right guy for the job and he was just able to spin a really promising campaign. I acknoledge this. But I really hope it's not the case. If he does even half of the things he says he will, I'll be happy. I understand as well that change is slow and much of the next year will probably look the same as the last one but I really think that we may actually be heading in a good direction. The international response is surely evident of that. The United States has been under such harsh criticisms in the last eight years though I might only be more aware of it since my social justice topic has to do with our international image in light of the Bush administration's decisions. I read an article in Reader's Digest a few weeks ago that polled other countries about who they would vote for, if they could vote. The response was overwhelmingly for Obama. And on the news the night after, they were showing the huge celebrations in London, Paris, Dublin. (Of course none as large as the one in Chicago.) And they were interviewing people on the streets in Kenya and an area of Palestine that they didn't specify that were really happy about the results. I think this happiness is going to help America's image. Hopefully we will be able to deserve a positive image in the next few years...(I smell an advocacy letter coming on!!! XP)

So, there's my piece on this insanely historic election. I'm really glad to have been an observer in all of this. It will be nice to say something, that I watched the first african american president be elected president. We're keeping the Patriot Ledger from the day after, but my mom really wanted the New York Times one. I told her to buy it on ebay.

I'm sorry if some people are upset by this but I've been considerably less vocal in my support for Obama because of fears of people not liking me, and I sincerely regret that. I wish I could have gotten over that enough to at least have worn my button on election day. I'm sorry if you hate me, but I just don't care because you shouldn't hate someone for making a different decision than you. Everyone is different. So no hating. This blog has officially become a no hate zone.

Good.

PS: I'm thinking of getting a new journal, because I want a new username. What do you guys think? I'd transfer all my entries and friends and stuff but I really don't like my username anymore. Any suggestions?

So, I'm being a terrible person and updating LJ instead of doing the work I'm sure I have. But hey, I have an entire hour free. Yay!

Not too much has been going on that's interesting. I started doing NaNoWriMo but I'm not sure if I'll finish it or not. To be honest, I'm not trying to terribly hard. I just have so much other crap going on that I can barely focus enough to write when I do have free time. And usually when I have time to write I'm writing college applications. I'm almost done with them though! I just have to write...all the essays.

Reminder to self: FIGURE OUT WHAT TO WRITE ESSAY ON

I wish I had been better with updating livejournal recently. I remember how good I was last year when I was all concerned with remembering everything after I go away to college. The other Tuesday (yes, random Tuesday) I went out to see High School Musical 3. (To date the only one I've actually seen.) I was actually quite depressing. They were at the end of their senior year, which was nice since now we know what to look forward to in terms of stress but it dealt with the whole 'I'm leaving' thing, which was hard. Since I'm looking at colleges so far away, I know that I'm going to have to say goodbye to absolutely everyone. Which is another reason I have to get better with updating livejournal. How are people supposed to know what I'm doing when I'm all the way in Washington?

Another thing I want to do before I leave for college is collect all my favorite pictures off facebook and print them out in real pictures at CVS then put them in an album or something. I know it sounds cheesy but it will make me feel better. XD

There are random moments nowadays when I actually feel like a senior. (And I'm not talking about those 'Ah freshman, I am more powerful than you' moments.) They usually occur after I've actually completed something, especially to do with college apps. I actually have moments of...gasp...high self esteem!!! I know!!! Crazy!

Hehe, I'm watching everyone run the mile. That's a reason I'm really glad I did cross-country. I'm actually fit though I have to take care to keep it that way now that XC has ended. I've been going to the Y which is fun. Since it's fairly close to my house, I can walk or ride my bike. Fun times...

Well, I'm going to stop my bored ramblings because it's lunchtime and I am hungry. XD

I don't know what it is, but today turned around really fast.

I started out having a completely crappy day. (No thanks to that asshole TOM) But now, I'm feeling so much better. And not just about the day, but about life in general. XD Maybe it was checking my naviance college list and seeing that instead of the 'Reach' I expected next to UW there was a 'Likely'. IVE BEEN UPGRADED TO LIKELY!!! I've spent so much time worrying over the fact that it's an insane reach and I'm crazy for trying it. Now, I feel soooo much better. (Just got to work on those essays now.)



Btw, that's the picture I'm going to show people when they ask me why I want to go to the University of Washington. XP

It is 3:52.

In the morning.

I've been working since 4.

IN THE AFTERNOON.

I have to get up at 6.

Two Hours and Eight minutes of sleep.

Thank you, Theology and English.

So, I just got off a red eye flight. (okay, it was like ten hours ago, whatever.) From Seattle.

I AM GOING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON IF IT KILLS ME!!!!!

Seriously, I was amazing. I loved it so much. I haven't downloaded the pictures yet but as soon as I do I will not have to answer the question, why do you like this college so much? I will be able to show you. It's a picture of the main library. Oh my God. It's like a freakin' cathedral. I love it soooo much. I actually think I annoyed my dad a bit saying "I really, really like it here". U of Oregon was nice too but not as nice. And I didn't really like Eugene...it was kind of in the middle of no where. I'm just thinking of having to get home. If I go to U of O, it would be a wicked long bus ride, then a wicked long plane ride. If I go to UW it's like a fifteen minute shuttle, then a long plane ride.

The red eye flight this time wasn't as bad as my last one. (From California, via Washington DC) I didn't even try to sleep on either flight. I did homework. Yes, I was that freak who has the light on for the entire red eye flight, reading a book on Ghost Planes and the True of the CIA Torture Program. (It's for a research paper, I swear.)

I'm going to try writing in my livejournal more. I've sort of gotten out of practice. Maybe I need a new layout...

Speaking of writing, I'm on the fence about doing nanowrimo this year. I mean, I'm already signed up and I have a couple good story ideas but I'm just so busy with school work and I have to get my UW application in by December 1 for financial aid consideration. Plus the several other colleges I have to apply to, for almost no reason. (Seriously, I have zero intention of going to St Anselms' but for some reason I'm applying.) What do you peeps think I should do?

Now, I really got to get back to my paper. I have four more books to read and I have to find the Geneva Conventions up on the internet somewhere. (I'm doing my social justice project on "War and Human Rights" Which basically means torture, with a focus on the prison conditions of not only high publicized prisons like Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib but also the secret CIA prisons and the CIA rendition program. (When the CIA brings suspected terroists to prisons in Egypt and Syria, where they know they are going to be tortured and then they use the information later in legitimate trials in Guantanamo and other more public institutions.) Okay, I'll stop writing my paper online. I gotta save it for the real thing.)

ttyl

School's good.

Organization is fun.

I'm seriously sick of hearing about Twilight.

I think all the obsessiveness has ruined Twilight for me.

Why are all the pieces of flair on facebook so conservative?

I just added like three Obama/Liberal ones, just to spite the thousand McCain/conservative ones out there.

I really hope Obama wins.

I wish I could vote.

I understood what my physics teacher was talking about, purely because I watch Numb3rs.

I think Numb3rs was the only reason I passed sophomore math.

My room is almost completely empty.

I'm moving into our office on Wednesday.

Wow, a piece of flair just called Barack Obama the anti-Christ.

Wow.

Sometimes I hate politics because people think that having a different opinion gives them the right to insult you.

Maybe it's just me that feels insulted.

Some of these pieces of flair are really rude though.

I should stop looking, I'm only going to piss myself off.

Okay, now I'm being 100% honest. No one can attack me for the next statement.

I'm also really sick of the God pieces of flair.

Oh, I'm gunna get hell for that.

How are people making the connection between Obama and Hitler?

I should have titled this the "Finally bitching about politics that have been making me angry for weeks" entry.

I'm going to stop before I say something that leaves me with zero friends.

I've been out of touch with everyone for what feels like forever. I just never feel like doing anything. I've just been sitting around my house, reading and watching TV. I got two seasons of NCIS (my new fav!!) and CSI: NY (Which, to be completely honest, I like better than the original CSI at times. The characters are more interesting.) I just finished reading A Thousand Slendid Suns. Not quite as amazing as the Kite Runner but it was still really good. (The ending made me cry.) Needless to say, I haven't started my summer reading yet. I am going to get them tomorrow!! 

I've also been doing some research on majors and possible careers and I have come to this conclusion: I have no idea what I want to do with my life. 

It's currently between majoring in English, focus on Creative Writing, or International Studies, with a minor/double major in at least one other language. On the English side, I would either want to work in the film industry or publishing. With International Studies, I could do something cool like translate or a bunch of other things. I love creating and writing (English) but I also want to make a difference in the world (International Studies). My parents aren't helping. My mom doesn't like International Studies because she "doesn't know what I'd do with that". Basically she's just saying that because she doesn't like me being involved in politics or something. Dad's never said anything bad about majoring in English but he got pretty excited with the International Studies thing. He was like "You could be a fighter pilot!" (He was in the Air Force, and being a pilot would have been a consideration but I'm fairly certain that you have to have 20/20 vision to be one, and I don't.) 

So if anyone has any advice, please comment!! I need help here!!!

I'm so terrible at updating during the summer, since like nothing ever goes on. Besides how I got to see my baby cousin on Sunday for the first time. XD She was so cute. She slept nearly the entire time. Also, just a random story that no one will really care about but the other night when I was washing dishes a glass exploded in my hand. DX It was wicked freaky. 

Tomorrow night I'm probably going to see Hellboy II with my brothers. (Though I might ditch them and re-watch Wanted. It was the GREATEST MOVIE EVER. MY BRAIN ESPLODED. **cough** James McAvoy is my new hero.) And sometime next week I HAVE to see The Dark Knight. The trailer was almost enough to esplode my brains. (See top of post.) 

Yesterday I did nothing besides watch almost the entirety of Arrested Development. I love summer. XD

I would wish you a happy 4th tomorrow, on the actual 4th of July but I'm going to Maine, and we don't have internet (or cable for that matter) in my aunt's mill. (Yes, its an old converted textile mill.) I'm sort of sad because I didn't get to go to the 4th on the Esplanade this year, but we did just get back from the rehersal concert. (Which wasn't as good because my mom has this stupid idea that we have to be in the house by 10 or we'll die or something so she made us leave like right after the Pops started playing. I almost stayed with my dad but I was going to be all alone with the paramedics and emts so I just went home. Next year I'll stay.) 

I babysat for the first time in like forever last night. The kids were awesome, I really missed them. (They were the cool ones who like anime so whenever I went over we would like watch Trinity Blood and stuff. Awesome.) We also went to Friendlys for dinner. (I <3 Friendly's grilled cheese.) And I watched this pretty good documentary on school shootings, which was kind of creepy since for a couple days this year I was a tinsy winsy bit nervous that that might happen. (I really was an overreaction but I have a stupidly vivid imagination and I do tend to get anxiety over completely irrational things.)

My irrationality is what brings us back to the present. I'll be incommunicado for the next three days and hopefully I'll come back refreshed. (Odd sounding, I know.) But I've been feeling sort of socially weird for the past few days/week and I'm not 100% sure why. It may be because I just am socially awkward and I realize this at very random intervals. Or because I had a really, really wierd, vivid, slightly disturbing dream about a friend that I can't even recount and every time I think about that I feel really wierd and sort of insecure about my social life. Or because this weekend for the first time since middle school I'm going to have to interact with someone who was one of my best friends and basically, for lack of a better term, broke my heart and made me into the paranoid, insecure person am today. Or it's just TOM. I hope it's just TOM. 

Well, anyways, have a good 4th of July weekend everyone. Hopefully I'll return from Maine cleared of psychological scars, or at least without any new ones.

I just watched Hot Fuzz. 

That was the most badass movie I have even seen. 

I think my brain just esploded.  

So, I finally did it. I uploaded pictures from Spain. XD I am proud of myself.

 
Omg, finally done.

I. Am. Getting. Him. 

I'm dead serious. XD My mom made a deal with me that if I got honors on my last report card (which I did!!!) she would get me something. (It was mainly a bribe to do my math homework.) So, after I succeeded I said I wanted her to pay for half a new ipod, I would pay the other half. But I'm switching to this. I think she'll be pleased, especially since this is like a hundred dollars less. And since I'm getting a mac next year for college, I'll probably get a free ipod in their little deal, so it's pointless to get one now when Steve (my ipod) is functioning perfectly. But yes. As soon as my mom gets home tomorrow I am ordering him. I'm also waiting for the brown cow to get back in stock. He es very cute too! 

Yes. This is basically all I did today. (Except escort my brother on the T to MGH for his doctor's appointment and then sit around Mass General for a grand total of two hours. Fun times...) (I also made Mac N Cheese.) 

I have found a new obsession. www.squishable.com 

I need these things.

I've been like obsessed with this music video since school got out like two weeks ago. For what reason? None. Should I be doing something more productive with my time? No. Why? Because it's summer and I have nothing else productive to do. XD

Though that's not entirely true. I have been working (2 nights this week! cha-ching!!!) and hanging out with people. On...I think it was Tuesday...yeah Tuesday, Sarah and I went to see The Happening (which isn't as bad as everyone says!) and to the mall. (Yes, I will go shopping with you again. You just have to feed my energy drinks beforehand. XD) And....I think Thursday (? I can't keep track of days during the summer.) I went to the library with Keith and a book club for New Moon with Bean, Erin, and Shannon. It was really cool but I think I talked too much. Oops. And I also found out that Barnes and Noble is having a midnight party for Breaking Dawn too! Why are they making me choose!?!?!?!?! Barnes and Noble v. Borders. Rawr. On a normal day, I would say Barnes and Noble because it's easier to get to and I have a membership card but I guess it depends on where everyone else is going....oh well, I don't have to decide this until like August. 

Random Work Story: There was a woman at the mall today. With a BUNNY. Seriously, she was carrying it around like it was a toy poodle. It was sort of creepy and sort of sad. I felt bad for the bunny. If I were a bunny I would want to be frolicking around in a yard somewhere with tons of carrots, not at the mall. (It was a fat bunny too...I couldn't believe she held it the entire time.)

So, other than those events, I haven't done much. Finished a couple more books. Another season of Charmed. (The first...well almost...I skipped a bunch of eps.) Read a LOT of fanfiction. Wrote some. Lost said written fanfiction because Vista decided to spaz and somehow erase it from my USB drive. Yes, thank you Dad's Laptop. Mom's going to take me to get my laptop fixed on Monday, so hopefully all this running around with the removable disk crap will end. Though I still intend to save most of my stuff to a USB drive in case the laptop crashes again. I also might rebuild my itunes library on the desktop, so if something happens to my laptop again I'll have practically a duplicate of my library...

...Anyway, I'm going to stop boring you with my ranting about nothing. I was just bored and thought I should update SOMETHING. TTYL (Ironically, that was the latest book I finished. XD) 

EDIT: I just realized, as of June 7 (quite a while ago) I've had this journal for a year! (There are entries before that but those were posted in from another journal. Woot, year anniversary!