Anna's major: UN ambassador to Saturn's biggest moon, Titan

Last night my friend Kate missed her train, so Heidi and I decided on a whim to drive her to her originally intended destination . . . Portland. So we had a lovely last minute spur of the moment road trip, spent the night in her lovely adorable house with her lovely adorable family (whom i embarrassed myself in front of immediately by laughing so hard i spit out my water all over their hard wood floor) and then drove back to PLU this afternoon. An entirely enjoyable experience.

Ok, so Friday night was good

Not only did Hot Cookie Bar Friday make each and everyone of us somewhat ill (which we expect, yet still eat them anyways), but we also managed to consume 3 bags of chips, Pina Coladas, Margaritas, and play Twister in a somewhat drunken stupor. Watching QAF is always a good time as well. My bowels are not happy.

We had rented snowshoes to go cavorting around late at night, but due to the sub-zero temperatures, we decided to stay inside and play games involving thoughts such as "Most like to have sex with an animal" and "Most likely to give up their parachute". Good times.

Anna's major: Makechicagowarmerology

So, I have plans to cavort around the Northwestern campus with snowshoes rented from our student center, of which, there are only 3 pairs!! We cleaned 'em out!

Hmm, Friday is hot cookie bar night at our dining hall. There are mobs, and people fight in line, its a great thing.

Mood: foggy
Song: "in your wildest dreams" by Moody blues
Sleep?: not enough, dammit
Anna's major: benign dictator of lichtenstein

It is sunny. And Raining. Only in the Pacific Northwest.
Yesterday I watched Pride and Prejudice. The five hour version. MY friend Heidi wanted to see Colin Firth jump into a lake.
I have a five day weekend, and so far my goals are to vacuum my sickly gross carpet and pull a 2K in under 8 min 20 seconds on an erg.

I second Petey's motion

Mood: Achy
Song: wirring computer
Sleep?: dude!
Anna's major: Translator

Mood:Exhausted and irritable for no real reason
Song:Stairway to Heaven
Sleep?:Not a lot, fucking car alarms. College students shouldn't have to have them.

Its dang cold out there. Brrr. Love!

Mood:Bah
Song:Rock and Roll High School, by the Ramones
Sleep?: Yes, I get to sleep in tomorrow! Unfortunately, its because my prof broke her ankle and is having surgery. Sigh, I feel a little guilty for looking forward to sleeping in, knowing she's having pins put in her leg. Oh well, then she becomes more like a cyborg, and cyborgs are pretty cool, so I guess I don't feel that bad.

Mood: clean hair (even though it is super dry here so it's not doing the fun, flippy humidity thing it did in Mexico)
Song: Shut up by the black eyes peas
Sleep?: um, actually over jet lag (yeehaw)

When I am a rich and famous writer with a study all my own, I will have a grandfather clock that chimes every quarter hour.

Mood: puttering
Song: Do you Believe in magic (Lovin Spoonful)
Sleep?: Hells bells yes. a solid 9.35 hours, mostly uninterrupted by anxiety dreams about school. I say MOSTLY...

Vell kiddos, I finally purged my books. I have at least 20 or so to take to the book exchange. I did not, however, manage to slim down the number I'm taking to school. Midway through deciding which to pack I had a "SCREW IT" moment and was like "hey, I'm in COLLEGE, I should get to have as many books as I damn well please" and just started stacking them in the box. Of course not like I'll have a bookshelf or anything...
My roommate continues to sound cool, asking me what kind of rug she should buy at tjmaxx (she suggested "something dark to hide stains" smart girl), and then not buying it because she'd lost the urge to go to tjmaxx... both of which I appreciate.
Going to attempt developing 120mm film now. Wish me luck...

Mood: content
Song: "i'm only happy when it rains" by garbage
Sleep?: just took the most satisfying nap in ages.

Last night aroudn 10 pm I went broomballing. for the uninitiated, it involves thirty people on the ice wearing sneakers and helmets, holding plastic brooms. Basically hockey with a ball, only more violent and less graceful. The best part was that absolutely everyone looks ridiculously uncoordinated when running on ice. Came home with a smile on my face and minimal brusing on my body.

Mood: HA! I got the first blog of the day! (even though it's night)
Song: I don't mind you coming here, and wasting all my time, 'cause when you're standing oh so near, I kinda lose my mind. mmmmmmmmm
Sleep?: I don't mind you coming here, and talking in your sleep -- oh, I mean, five REM cycles. Whoo hoo!

'sup yall? I'm just back from an intense few hours of climbing and my hands smell like sweat and chalk. In other words, tasty. I learned of a ten year old girl who has the tested grip of a pro football player and can climb with the pros. She didn't learn to climb walls like most people did though, she grew up in africa and played all day with the monkeys in the trees. she has no technique but she has huge padded hands that are really cool. the message? god is great, and so are monkey-kids. Its good that I have the blog to release on because otherwise all my remotely-creative writing skills would be sucked up by my Inventing America teacher. maybe I guess thats all right now... calculus is really hard when you're constantly on the spot (only 7 people in my 8AM class) and haven't done it for more than half a year... links to blogs of those who have thier own would be appreciated... ciao now.

Mood:Blah, blah blah...
Song:Fuck its cold in the library (recently made up by yours truly)
Sleep?:Yes, too much this weekend, and not enough work. Oh well, sleeping 11 hours both nights was definately needed.

So, I'm writing (well, not this instant, but planning) this paper for my Germans and Jews class. In this class, I can barely hear the professor, and I kinda understand the texts. Oh well, I'm tired and slightly sore from midnight ultimate last night. It was good time, although I was tackled several times, and fell on my own accord do the the layer of ice underneath the 2 inches of snow. I saw Gypsy friday night, whoo hoo for booby tassles!! Blech, blach, blah... Less than 2 months until Belize... ahh, warmth...

Love!

There is a "severe weather watch" for Tacoma on the online weather page.... which amounts to a slight chance of snow.

hey there everyone. I'm, back on the blog after a long break. I would have written more earlier but I had to spend a few days to read all the other entries first. All is awesome. I'm basking in the relative green warmness of portland now, however it is also annoyingly wet. I'm going to try to do it all this semester; picked up another class for a maxed-out total of 19 credits. also climbing twice a week, swimming three times a week, sailing (I took over the sailing club yesterday, yarrrrr), jamming, backpacking, and just about everything else. The classes are all good except one, I have possibly the worst (assistant) professor at the school for a class (Inventing America) that I don't even want to be in. Her name is Bond. Kelly Bond, and even though she's young, shes scary as hell and never smiles and we spent the whole first day being lectured about the difference between a D paper and an F paper. no fun. I'm tying to be optimistic but its fading quick. Also interesting is my calculus professor, who almost instantly--in manners of speech, movement, and blinking alot--reminded me of Ms. Copley. I then almost fell out of my seat when she passed out the syllabus in the standard Copley font! I'm going to have to fingure out if they're related. Maybe she's copley's evil (except good) sister.... Recent events include a huge mud fight (I'm still finding dirt in random places like my belly button) and an airsoft-gun war in the physics building and around campus.... I think that's all for now... the sun is coming... Instead of playing in it, I have to write two papers... already... ugh...

Mood: pissed at the friggin expensive bookstore
Song: La Castilla Romantica.... it's a tango
Sleep?: not recently, and not any time soon either

What did we think of the State of the Union, kids?

Mood:Euphoric, finished with first midterm!!
Song:Sportscenter theme song
Sleep?:Yes, Friday afternoons are good for that

I'm going to see Northwestern's production of Gypsy tonight, I'm very excited about it. Its in double digits today, which is very exciting, and there is slight dusting of snow on the ground. I hope all is well. Much love.

Mood: Manic
Song: none
Sleep?: ha! Who do you think I am?

I am on the other side of the puddle now sitting in the USO office waiting for a bus to come at take me to Bittburg to visit my aunt. Europe is weird

Mood: lonely and at loose ends
Song: "Southern Anthem" (Iron and Wine)
Sleep: Attempting a (relatively) normal sleep cycle of some kind
Who started this "summary" thing?

bother. Everyone's left. Larke and Ascott managed to leave within 24 hours of each other, which I find just rude. On the plus side, I baked a pie and the crust is nice and crispy. I'm foreseeing much baking in the next week or so, seeing as I have nothing else to do.
I also talked to my roommate today; she's from Long Island, spent the fall with an outdoors program hiking and boating all around the Southwest, is "really into vinyl" right now and is it alright if she brings a turntable, and used both the words "grand" and "Curious" (as in "curious-er and curious-er") in the course of our conversation. I take these as good signs.

Mood:can't stop tapping my foot
Song:Dancing Queen ABBA
Sleep?: I could only be so lucky

Mood: post dancing high
Song: never be another you
Sleep?: naw, who needs it.

so I'm taking a dance class... or rather Randy and I are going to it, but we never registered. Which makes it akward when the instructor strikes up a conversation with us. Hope he doesn't learn our names. :)

Chris, you have the most stream-of-concious writing style ever.

Mood: ooooooaaaaaiiik
Song: war
Sleep?: mmmmmmm

Found out today that Sam Bowers, the high priest of the KKK during the civil rights movement possesses a Religion degree from Pacific Lutheran University that he earned while imprisoned nearby in Washington. I wonder if he's on the list of celebrities that have attended PLU on the Alumni newsletter?

People, I have a four day weekend, which feels absolutely absurd because J-term is basicaly one huge weekend anyway.
I recieved a calculator and a "congrats on being in college" card from my third grade teacher today. How random is that?
I'm going to IKEA tomorrow, where I will likely spend much more money than is adviseable on lamps to put in my room, and plan to come away thrilled about it.

Yo
I write from what was once sunny Baja Mexico (it is now rainy thundering Mexico) we just got back to civilization after five days kiacking about a deserted desert island. It was rainy and cold but on the last two days it got sunny and glorious. So I thankfully have something to show for my time here. What is it about Mexico that makes people drink. The second we landed my parents and their four friends went in serch of Alcoholic beverages and discovered to their joy (and my horror) that it is legal to drink and drive. eh ehm. But this also ment that they have been mildly drunk the entire time here. And so have I. I am now enjoying a beer next to my father. this feels a little weird. and last night my father mixed me a tequila and pinapple juice extreamly strong. And aside from three or four fights we have all been getting along. wonder of wonders. Also yesterday I took a shower in a waterfall, got stung my two jelly fish while snorkoling (damable little buggerts) found a cave and cave writings, and kiacked through the most beatuiful cove. yah, life is swell.

2:30 a.m., very foggy out in Missoula which I find stunningly beautiful, a box of Cheez-Its in my hand and Velvet Underground on the stereo. What should Ascott and I make a music video of?

i have become absurdly domestic. when i have time on my hands, i cross-stitch, knit, or crochet. any normal college student would be watching tv, getting drunk, or having sex. I go to stitch and bitches. someone save me.

I'm sitting in my room, listening to some screams from the sorority quads, ahh, rush. Can someone explain the whole greek thing to me?

Dear me. I've rearranged my room as a result of insomnia for the second time in a week. This is a bad sign, people.

Spent the day cross country skiing near (but not on...avalanche warnings doncha know) Mt. Rainier. It was beautiful... but I forgot that snow doesn't mean cold here, and had far too many layers along. I can't wait to have that warm achey feeling when i try to get out of bed tomorrow. I just love being reminded that I did something energetic the day before with every step. I know.
hm. I don't want the box of eloise stationary, but i'd love a letter written on it, despite its pinkness, Ledah.

Had a marvelous day of skating on Michigan Avenue yesterday with Zach and some friends. We then proceeded to walk Chicago for a bit, then indulged ourselves on some fine Mexican food. Came back to the lovely town of Evanston, had some vodka, and played a wicked and hilarious game of Truth or Dare. It was sunny and beautiful today, and I spent it inside the library, desparetely trying to make up my homework. Love to all.

Caitlin

there was the most enormous ring around the moon the other night at like 2 a.m. Isn't that supposed to be a bad omen or something?
If anyone is interested in a box of very pink Eloise stationary, I have one I would like to get rid of. Not that I don't adore Eloise like my own flesh and blood, but I will never use it up. Pink and all, dont'cha know.
I babysat for Amie's 3 year old twins, Ella and Abigail, tonight. Wow, they're impossibly cute. I got to give them a bath, and there was much debate between the two of them as to whether or not I should get in the bathtub as well. They both wanted me in it, actually, but Abigail kept saying "I don't want you to be naked." and Ella would say "I do." Adorable. Wow, observe kids, this is Ledah swooning over children. Please don't rub this in my face.

people here just don't understand it when I pull out my pocket knife and use it. Like slicing up an apple. Or sharpening a pencil. "why not, when you have a knife in your pocket?" i ask... and they say "crazy Montanan."

lord how I hate dial-up

so I made a live journal for my adventures. the things kinda make me nervious but I think Ill just pretend no one is reading. http://www.livejournal.com/users/larkticus/

I became so starved for news on my Italy journey (MTV news just doesn't cut it, especially when it's in Italian) that I've just spent the greater part of the afternoon finding news websites, bookmarking them, reading articles, listening to NPR shows that happened while I was gone etc... that my roomate is telling me I'd best be a poli-sci major.

Oh, and there was enough snow in Tacoma yesterday that class got cancelled. Sure. The day I spend 15 hours on an airplane, and they decide to have a snow day. I didn't even get to make a snowangel before it turned to nasty wet slush! Still, it looks pretty from a distance... If I squint I can pretend I'm in Missoula.

I am also absurdly happy to be back at PLU. Sign that I picked the right school, or sign that I spent too many nights sleeping in the same room as my parents? We may never know.

Blog this, baby!
New music: "spoon" and "my bloody valentine" also the song "headphone world" by the busy signals.
for those of you who may not know, while our dear ms. cates is in Nicaragua she'll be live journaling it. The link is http://www.livejournal.com/users/tgfmx/
I'm reading this book, Bel Canto, and contemplating becoming a translator. Gen, the translator character in it, is so absolutely incredible. I think I'm in love with him.
Poll: Is it weird to develop romantic attachments to characters in books?

I am currently unable to speak. Well ok, physically I can emit sound but it sounds like a cross between a puberesent boy and a cat in heat... (long pause for dramatic effect) So I choose to keep my mouth shut.

Everyone, I am in Rome, I am enjoying it, eating massive amounts of pasta, and am just about ready to be home. Luckily, I fly home on Tuesday, so timing is just about perfect. Unfortunately, I am missing my Montana home entirely, and am just returing to PLU. I love you all... I am not sure if my last blog showed up at all, so everyone who is still in Missoula, kindly run around hugging each other on my behalf, eh wot? Go catch a snowflake on your tongue for me.

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S!!!!!