11:11

I just love my PostSecret (for those of you who don't know,  PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard) so much, I think I might post one from the weekly post. I've been known to wish at 11:11, and my most recent wish actually has come true, so it may be something I continue to do.

In other news, I am really starting to enjoy this whole college thing. At first I was apprehensive, and I wasn't sure where I was going to fit, but I'm starting to figure it out. More than that, I'm making some really good friends. After sort of hanging around my dorm all morning, I went and got lunch alone, then I met up with someone I met a couple of days ago, and we just hung out in her dorm until three, when we met up with 2 more of her friends. Then, after visiting the bookstore and doing some other various stuff, we met up with a fifth friend for dinner, and attended the "when hello gets out of hand" skit/discussion and the campus life skit. After that, we decided to skip out on free rootbeer floats (saaaadddd) but the line was RIDICULOUSLY long, and we probably would have had to stand in line for 30 minutes minimum! We met up with another friend, who went on the canoe trip with me and was in my canoe, and was the editor of his high school newspaper, the Viking Vangaurd, and the six of us walked around, considered going to Seattle (one kid has a car) or down to 6th Ave. and eventually headed to a dorm to hang out. One girl has a double room in Schiff with a private bathroom TO HERSELF! Apparently her mom called the school and "made special arrangements" to get it for her. So the six of us chilled there and Facebook stalked some people, and really just had a good time!

I'm glad I'm starting to make some friends that feel close; friends that I can talk to and hang out with without feeling awkward. It is really really nice. And I know that once class starts, I'll meet even more people. I think the warming up to college has just taken me a little longer than it did for others. The first night they already had their party buddies, and I didn't really have anyone. But now I have several people that I like spending time with, and more to come surely.

More good news is that I got into all of the classes I wanted. My schedule looks like this, essentially:  Chinese 101 at 9am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and also at 9:20 on Tuesday. Geomythology at 10 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Advanced French (230) at 12:30 until 1:50 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Public Campaign Communications (COMM252) from 2 until 3:15 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Basically, Mondays and Wednesdays I will have all of my classes done before 11, which will be really good when I get a job.  Tuesdays I have a morning, a break, and my afternoon classes, and then Thursday can be a sleep-in day. 

But speaking of getting a job, besides cleaning off my desk tomorrow, I am also going to fill out the paperwork to go turn in at Howarth 101 in order to get (hopefully) an on campus or close to campus job. I also called the bank security and she said that they had no info on my card, it shouldn't be off, and there have been no warnings on it... so I don't know what the heck is going on. The finance office also wasn't available so I couldn't see about credit for my books, but I only have 2, maybe three to buy, so I'll do it tomorrow, I just have to pay with cash from my ATM card. Oh well.

Well, I have matriculation tomorrow, and I think I am going off campus to have dinner with my friends, so I'd better get my rest. Love you all! <3

the dorm (part two).

Here is the rest of the pictures documenting the place I now call home. I accidentally left out the picture of my bed earlier, so here it is. And the bottom picture is the HUGE spider that was in there. I honestly have never seen a bigger spider outside of animal planet. Luckily, it hasn't bothered me (that I know of) since. 

the dorm. (part 1)

Here are a few pictures of my loverly dorm! This is the first half of the installment, but as my internet has a bad attitude, this is all there is for the moment. I really like my dorm, it is pretty much perfect except that I would like a rug, some lights for around the pipes, and to hang up my sweet green organizer thingy. Once I have those, it will be the best dorm to ever live! I have the room all to myself, because Maddie is staying with her best friend while that friend's roommate is at passages. Well. i'm going to bed, and hopefully I don't get eaten by the GIANT spider that I had an argument earlier with. I took pictures to document, and will post them tomorrow.

In Today's Headlines.

Orientation has been such a ridiculous time of my life. I feel like I' m actually starting to open up though, which is a good thing. I laughed more today than I have the whole orientation. I was feeling a little down last night because although I've made about a thousand new acquaintances, I haven't made any close friends. But today really cheered me up. I met and hung out with quite a few people that I think will potentially become good friends. I did my urban plunge, still feeling like I wasn't tight with my group, and met some more people that I can actually remember the names of. After cutting out posters and making ribbons for the Pierce County Aids Walk, we took yet another yellow school bus back to campus to attend an "Ideas at Work and Play" dinner. I attended one about relationships and the science behind who we find attractive and why. A lot of it has to do with a chemical secreted by the immune system called MHC. Humans have the subconscious ability to smell that chemical and find someone that has very different chemical markers in their MHC. This ability to find differences protects against inbreeding and helps a person to find someone who will more effectively pass on their genetics to any offspring. There was also theories about visual attraction (an average of many faces is more attractive, masculine and feminine faces are attractive in different circumstances, symmetrical faces hint and good health) and how to stay in a relationship. After the dinner, I hung out with some more people I've just met, laughed hysterically with them, and we made our way to Schneebeck concert hall to see a hypnotist. I had a really great conversation with another girl from Regester and I think we'll probably be friends. The show was really hilariously funny. I almost peed myself. The hypnotist had those on stage pretend they were driving the most exotic car in the world and one girl was driving with her feet and when asked what kind of car it was told the hypnotist "Lazyboy." Another guy told her that he was driving a purple datsun. I laughed so so so hard! And now I'm off to bed, there are parties galore I could be attending, but I'm so fricken tired. I have a load of brights in the washer that I need to go move to the dryer and I'll do the other loads a different night because I am so ready for bed! Goodnight! <3

Passages

I have returned from Camp Parsons (a little sore but) in one piece. The experience was pretty radical. Hood Canal is very very beautiful and I absolutely love the ocean. After a two hour bus ride under my pile of stuff and above a heater that was burning my legs, we arrived at the camp in the most beautiful green forest. The leaders were slightly too energetic for a group of freshman that had just woken up from a 2 hour nap. We played a lot of games and sang some songs that I basically heard all summer, so I was ahead of the game. After our arrival, our group packed, ate lunch, and hung out. We then did a swim test. We had to jump into the FREEZING ocean! But it was super fun and then we got to jump off the pier and it was a really good time. After waiting it out for the downpour to stop, we left for our overnight canoe trip. We went about five miles in a mild drizzle, but as it started to get sunny 2 full double rainbows appeared over the mountains and water. It was so beautiful. As we got closer to our destination a group of seals started following us, and when we reached the stream, at least twenty were watching us and wondering what we were. We then reached a stream, rolled up our pant legs, and dragged our canoes upstream. We reached the campsite, changed, got set up, ate, and went to bed. We slept in the next morning and ate oatmeal with fresh blackberries that we had collected. At noonish we headed out and ate lunch out floating in the ocean. When we reached camp our group just hung out before eating dinner and going to the hoedown. I wasn't a huge fan of the hoedown, but it was something to do, and I met quite a few more people. The third day, we had our choice of activites, and in the morning my group went to a David Sedaris reading on the pier. We napped all morning. Then in the afternoon, we split up, and I chose to attend a discussion on gender in America. It was really interesting and a lot of people had very interesting and scholarly points to make. After that, we ate dinner and went to our closing campfire. We didn't get on the bus until nine-fricken-o'clock. I was so dirty and disgusting that when I got back, I raced straight for the shower! After I was squeaky clean, I headed to bed. It was a good couple of days, but I am very glad to be back on campus! 

deerest.

Traffic

Today. Today is the day that it all starts. This new phase. This independent phase; something I've been mentally preparing myself for for weeks and months and years. The trip out was fabulous: rain, sun, cold and warm. I sat in the stuffed backseat and simply watched Dexter (which I highly highly recommend.) We are in Tacoma as I write this. My dad was driving, my mom was freaking, and I was contemplating the similarities between freeway traffic and my own life. I'm moving so quickly in the direction of my future. As I  careen down these 6 lanes of my life, there are a lot of exits, but I don't bother getting off. I just keep moving. I have to slam the brakes sometimes. I swear sometimes. I apologize sometimes, and sometimes I just don't give a crap whether I am completely in control or totally reckless. And as I go, I ask myself a few questions: Am I moving at a speed I can handle? Am I controlling this car, or is it controlling me? Should I slow down so I can see the scenery passing me by? Am I following some kind of compass or just my own instincts? Should I be following something besides why my own insides tell me? Where is this road taking me? Does it even matter as long as I get there?

Oh well...I probably would have let some of this stuff get to me before. But I'm making a conscious decision. Do what you want. I'm on to brighter things. Today.

the cut-and-dye

I cut my hair with a razor and attempted to dye it it's natural colour last night. I loved being a redhead and I am definately going to miss having light bright hair, but I've decided that it isn't going to be worth the work (I am SO lazy!) I like the result, although it isn't quite my natural colour. Hopefully it fades a little and brightens a little and gets back to what it used to be in the old days.

Before:

After:

The top one is a mor accurate picture of the colour, the bottom is better of the cut. I don't think I did half bad considering!

The Bebes!

These little faces are two that I will miss very much when I leave. 

Harlee, my Magoo, is getting more beautiful and smart every time I see her. She never fails to surprise me and make me smile, even when she is having a meltdown. She loves her books, and I love reading to her and buying new books for her. When you tell her to smile for the camera, she makes the best face (as shown above) and when swimming, she will demand bubbles by name! I love buying clothes for her and can't wait until she is old enough to enjoy shopping as much as I do. 

Nicholas, my Ollie, although a little similar to a toad always makes my heart melt when he manages to focus his big blue eyes on me. Although I won't hold him for long periods of time for fear he'll pee on me (I've managed to forgive him for peeing on the Nemo rug, but I don't know if I could deal with him peeing on me), I'm the first one to jump up when I hear him making noise. I'm sad that I won't get to know him like I did Harlee. She lived in the same house as me, and I've seen her every week since she was born. But here I am, leaving Ollie after only a few weeks. When I come back at Christmas, he will be a very different boy.

I can't wait until the two of them are a little older and I can have them stay with me and spoil the crap out of them (not that I don't already).

Megan.

Megan is the greatest sport ever! She is totally radical, not to mention gorgeous, and she lets me drag her around town and take her picture. I have no doubt that this girl is going to be the next big thing considering she is super smart, and she can sing, and play guitar, and design, and model, and pretty much everything. Keep an eye out for her somewhere in the spotlight in the next few years!

In other news, my countdown is down to four days. Four ridiculously short days. I'm trying to get everything packed, but I have so much STUFF in my room that it is a difficult task. Luckily most of my clothes are packed; next shoes, then other stuff. I'm excited to go to Tacoma, to meet people, take classes, live on my own(ish)... but at the same time, I'm anxious about leaving my family (especially Harlee) and the home I have lived in all of my life.

The past week of my life, since I've returned from camp has been one of the happiest I've had in over a year. I just realized that so much pressure is gone after all the crap I've gone through this summer. I had an epiphany, and in my moment of total clarity, I realize that I won't miss a lot about great falls, and that a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I can breathe again. And I also realized that I have done a lot of growing up this summer than I never would have been able to handle before. All I need is my family and solidarity in my individuality and I am set. I'm not going to find myself by blindly searching, so I'm going to have to create myself instead. And I'm happy with that. I'm happy with the pieces of my life that are falling together into a beautiful puzzle-scene.

few final looks at Great Falls.

anxious.

ahhh postsecret...