dinner & a bar

Andrew picked me up and he was really nice to take me to Target, and then we stopped at his place and had a drink before heading out, and went to the beach so I could continue my streak. Then we walked to dinner.

For dinner he wanted to take me to this Japanese place in Redondo Beach called Tokyo Blue. He said they had really good sushi there, so I was totally game. Well, it ended up being way more than just good sushi. For one, it was gorgeous inside (they basically had a little river running through the restaurant). For two, the food was *amazing*. We had a teriyaki fillet that was one of the best steaks I've ever had (if not the best), and the sushi was off the hook. I got a Philadelphia roll (my 2nd favorite roll, the first being a Father's roll which only exists at my Japanese place back home in Columbus) and it literally just melted in my mouth. Soo good. My mouth is still happy from it!

After dinner we got a cab to Saint Rocke, this bar in Redondo Beach that has live music. It was fun but I think I would have had a lot more fun if I wasn't so tired (I was plain exhausted). Sorry about that, Andrew. I thought the music was good but it wasn't really dancing music, so whatever. Got a cab to come back home, and got home before midnight. I fell asleep right away and had a solid 9 hours of sleep till this morning. I feel rested and I'm going to spend most of the day just resting, I think. Should be nice for preparation for tomorrow's first day of work!

adventure to griffith park

If you follow me on twitter you know all about my adventure yesterday...

Saturday I had planned to go on this hike at Griffith Park, this giant park (over 4000 acres) up by Hollywood. I found out about a free hike hosted by these people who run some kind of exercise "camp" type thing, and I wanted to go on it. I thought it'd be a fun adventure and I could meet some people, that sort of thing. So I got directions via bus (metro.net) to there and back. I needed to be on the first bus by 6.30am, so I got up at 5.30 and packed everything up and headed out. I caught that bus just fine. It took me to the stop at Rosecrans & Avalon and I got off. Then I realized that my directions were telling me where the next station to get on was via compass directions. So I got off in the SE corner and I needed to be in the SW corner for the next bus. I do not have a very good sense of NSEW direction (although I do have a VERY hard time getting lost based on other things), just ask Melissa, so yeah, definitely got on the bus going in the wrong direction. So that threw me a little bit. But it was all okay because the bus driver was really nice about it and let me off where there was a stop on the other side that I wanted. So I grabbed that bus, which came just after a couple minutes (nice, if you're used to having to wait at least 30 minutes). That one was supposed to take me all the way to Vermont & Hollywood.

Nope.

It took me to Vermont & Wilshire, which was its last stop so I didn't have a choice & I had to get off, which is kind of a shady part of town. Kind of is a little understatement. Actually, most of where I was while I was traveling to Griffith Park was super shady. Everything looks run down and gaudy and ugly. I probably should have been more nervous about where I was than I actually was, but to me everything is just one big adventure and I don't worry about things too much. As long as I keep paying attention to everything and keep my bag connected to me, I should be okay. 

So I ask the bus driver how to get to Vermont & Hollywood, and he says he doesn't know, but to call this number 1-800-COMMUTE, and they should tell me how to get there. It's already almost 9am and I'm supposed to meet this hiking group at 9.45 & Be On Time!. I had scheduled the trip so that I would get to the park about 9am so I would have plenty of time to find the group. Yeah, that didn't happen. Stupid metro.net telling me the wrong thing.

So I call this number, and the lady tells me to get on the 204 and ride it to Vermont & Santa Monica, then hop on the Hollywood Dash, get of at such-and-such, walk 2 blocks west and 1 block north and I'll be there. I didn't have a pen, and you remember about my NSEW failing. So I just rode the 204 to Vermont & Hollywood like I had originally planned and got off there. By now I was in a much nicer part of town. I started walking up Vermont and saw a Bank of America, so I decided to stop in and get directions. They didn't know where the entrance I wanted was (we were supposed to meet at Los Feliz & Fern Dell Dr), but they said if I just kept walking, the top of the hill would be Los Feliz and I could figure out where to go from there.

Apparently that is a very big hill. 

So I walked & walked and I definitely wasn't going to make the 9.45 time. So I called the lady who was running the hike and let her know, and she was really surprised that I was walking. She told me the route they were going to hike and I thanked her. (I never did find them.) I finally made it up to Los Feliz Blvd and saw an entrance to Griffith Park. I tried asking some people where Fern Dell Dr is and they didn't really know (how can you not know??), but they thought I should turn left. So I turned left and walked for a very long time and eventually gave up. So I turned around and asked this guy who was walking his dog. He was super helpful and told me that Fern Dell Dr was pretty far away, but I could take the entrance on Vermont and get to the observatory and all that pretty easily from there, and then he told me how to get to Fern Dell Dr from there.

So I just went hiking by myself.

It was actually really nice. I could stop whenever I wanted and take pictures and all that jazz. I actually really love being by myself so it didn't bother me at all. I got to see this guy laying across the hood of a car video taping the people driving. And I got to see the observatory. There is a working Tesla coil in there, and it was AWESOME. And I  got to just walk around the park for a little bit. At this point I was pretty tired (I'd been up for almost 7 hours already) and hungry, since all I had been eating were some snacks like granola bars. So I decided to head out of the park and start my adventure back. I got to Fern Dell Dr and then found some people who told me how to get to the bus stop I wanted. I got on the bus and thought everything was great & it would take me to Crenshaw Station. Nope. It end-of-the-lined 4 stops before Crenshaw, so I had to wait for another bus to come take me there. That end-of-the-line was in another shady part of somewhere. And it was kind of chilly. Anyway, it all worked out and another bus came eventually and I got to the station. I had never taken the rail before in LA, and it was pretty awesome. Just like a normal metro that you think of in NYC or Europe. (I wish the LA bus system was this nice.) The rail was the first time I had seen another white person take the public transport system with me, and I had probably seen several hundred people that day on various buses. Yeah.

The rail was fast and it took me to Aviation Station, the LAX hub where you can get to the airport or from the airport and that sort of thing. I had an hour to wait for my bus, the Beach Cities Transit, so I called my mom and talked for a bit. Then these two guys started talking to me. I couldn't tell if they were drunk or high and at first I thought this one guy was Australian because I thought he had an accent (later I realized it was just because his teeth were weird and he couldn't talk right because of it). Anyway, that was nice & exciting. They talked to me the whole way until I luckily could get off the bus. They told me about their band and their cooking and all sorts of crazy stuff. And they called me Emily. Haha.

I finally made it home after about 8 hours of public transportation round trip. Yeah, it was pretty insane. It took me 4 hours to get to Griffith Park, and about 3.5 to get home (granted, a huge chunk of that was waiting for various buses). But it was definitely a fun adventure! I was dog tired when I got home so I took a nap (definitely not a long enough one), and showered, and got ready to go out to dinner with one of my friends out here, Andrew.

settling in

So, I got to the condo about 10.45am. Karen had mailed me the keys so I could just move in right away. Last summer I met John, one of her friends, with the keys and he let me in and helped me get my trunk up and such. He and his wife are on vacation right now so he couldn't do that. But really, I am glad that I just had the keys already. I don't like to bother people too much and I like being able to do things on my own schedule.

At first, Thelma, the cat, didn't remember me, but after about an hour she did and let me see her again. She always wants to be petted but I can't really pet her (I'm allergic), so that's kind of sad. She's a nice kitty. You know she must be because I really don't like cats :) Haha.

I just kind of threw my stuff down in my room, plugged in my computer, and let my mom know I was here. My body was telling me that it was 2pm back home and I hadn't eaten anything since 4.30 in the morning. Well, I had some crackers. But that was not nearly enough. So I went downtown El Segundo to this deli called Rinaldi's. I ate there for lunch the first day I was really on my own for meals last summer (Saturday; Friday I ate with Karen, John, and Meryl for both lunch and dinner), so I thought it'd be fun if I ate there again. I had a yummy meatball sandwich and a strawberry banana smoothie (they use real fruit, and it's so good). This guy I remembered from last year was still working there, and he was still as friendly as ever. He gave me some aluminum foil so I could take have the sandwich home (which became my dinner). 

After lunch I unpacked everything. I brought even less stuff than last summer. I like getting California-related stuff out here, so I try not to bring too many clothes and whatnot. Just enough to get by. After unpacking I walked to the grocery store, Ralph's, which is a little over 2 miles away. I needed groceries for the week and a bus pass. I brought two reusable grocery bags with me, so I knew that I could only buy enough groceries that could fit in those two bags. I also wanted to keep my first grocery bill under 50 dollars, since I don't have very much money to tide me over till the first paycheck, which is two weeks away. I succeeded in both ventures, so that made me feel pretty good. Then I walked back the two-plus miles to my condo, put everything away, and took a short break. 

I decided I want to see the beach everyday that I'm here again this summer (I succeeded in this last summer, too. 81 days in a row!). So I walked the 1.2 miles down to the beach, enjoyed the view, and walked back. It was still cloudy and chilly, so there wasn't too much else to do besides be there for just a few minutes. 

After that I wanted to go to this surf shop to see the guy who took me surfing last year. I wanted to show him my skateboard with its modifications, because he also sells skateboarding stuff. Actually, he builds his own longboards to sell, and they are really sweet. You almost don't want to ride them because they're so beautiful. Anyway, I hopped over there, and he remembered exactly who I was and everything! It was pretty awesome. He was surprised to see me. He had a friend with him, and somehow we got onto the topics of bikes. I said that I didn't want to buy a bike out here because it's a huge investment, and I already have a bike at home, and I'd want to bring the bike I bought back with me, and then I'd have two bikes, which is silly. So this guy says he has an extra bike that he'd loan me for the summer. Sweet, right?! And for free! The only stipulation is that if something breaks I'll fix it. He also had a lock for me to use. What a way to be in the right place at the right time and know the right people! Crazy! So now I have a bike to use this summer. So, having the skateboard is kind of silly, because the bike will get me everywhere significantly faster. We'll see what I can do with it. I ended up hanging out for a lot more time at the surf shop and meeting all these other guys, friends of Mark who runs the shop, who surf and board. They're all at least 40 with wives and girlfriends and kids, but they still think they're 25. It was awesome to watch and listen to them talk about surfing and all sorts of other stuff. A couple guys were mad that Mark didn't have a TV at the shop so they couldn't watch the Lakers game. Haha.

I left about 7.30 from there, came home to the condo, and warmed up my meatball sandwich dinner. Karen came home about 8 and we had a good time catching up with everything. She has made some changes around the condo and everything is just beautiful! I will try to get some pictures and post them. We watched some TV (So You Think You Can Dance)  and then I realized that I was super tired and went to bed. I needed some energy for my big adventure on Saturday.

airplane travels

My flight from Indy to Chicago was great. The flight itself was so short (only about 45 minutes, sure beats driving 3.5 hours) so that was nice. I sat next to a very interesting lady named Jana on the plane. She spent 7 years in West Africa teaching women there how to read and write in their native language. Crazy, right? She did it through her church missionary group. Now, I don't particularly like missionary groups. (You might not know this about me.) Actually, I am not a big fan of globalization in general. Leave people alone. Leave their beliefs alone. That sort of thing. Also, I believe that if you are going to try to "do good" in the world, you should start at home. (There are plenty of people needing help in your own city!) However, if that's what you want to do, fine. And she was pretty passionate about it, which is great. Anyway, we had some really interesting conversation about that sort of thing. I ended up telling her about our Knitting for Nets project at school and she thought that was great. She had had malaria several times, and it's actually what forced her to come back to the States. She was hospitalized and her church people basically told her that she should come home. I guess she would have stayed in Africa forever if she could have. She was traveling to Missouri for a reunion of the people she went to Africa with and other people involved in that time of her life. Now, after being back in the States for 3 years, she's a registered nurse.

The second flight was less exciting. I was really tired and tried to get some sleep and epically failed. This made the flight last forever. They played Mall Cop on the TV, which I had already seen, so I listened to music and watched the TV without the sound on. Then I found out that TVs on planes now show regular ads just like normal TVs. I can't remember if I knew this before or not (I mean, I just flew in January! That's not that long ago). So I watched some Charles Schwabb commericals, and then there was a Nothing But Nets commercial! So it was kind of like Africa day for me. I sat next to a guy from Toronto, but originally from Iran, on that flight. We didn't talk too much because we were both trying to sleep (he really did sleep--the entire flight!).

As we landed, I got to look out the window. And to my surprise, the entirety of what I could see was clouds. Clouds! There were hardly any cloudy days at all last summer! And these clouds looked like rain clouds. What the heck? I went 3 months last summer without seeing a drop of rain. So the landing, which should have been sweet, was cloudy and I could barely see anything. I couldn't even see the ocean, which is only a couple of miles from LAX. Crazy. 

Anyway, the landing was great, and our bags came out really fast. I took a taxi to the condo, like last year, but it was more expensive than last year. I took a different company (the company I took last time wasn't there). The driver kind of looked like he was part of the Italian mafia or something. Kind of scary but exciting too. Not friendly at all though.

so much happened

I am going to break this weekend down into several posts. A LOT has happened and I want to tell about it in detail so I don't forget all of it! So check out the next couple of posts for my weekend adventuring.

heading out

Woke up at 4am. I think I had just gotten to sleep, too, so that was sad haha. Left the house about 4.45 (perfect), got to the airport at 5.45, checked in -- they freakin' charged me to check a bag! WTF? I guess I have just avoided airlines that charge you to check ONE bag. That really made me mad. It's unfortunate that I cannot pack 3 months of life into a carry on. Screw you, United.

The security was really fun, actually. Usually it's my least favorite part (I always get searched somehow, and the people are generally in bad moods...), but today it was awesome. The people were so friendly! And considerate. Of course I got searched, or rather, my bag did, because I stuff it so full of cameras and other goodies that they can't see inside the bag. But I need all that :) Also, thank goodness by skateboard trucks got through. I was quite worried about those, honestly. Afraid they would be deemed a weapon or something...ugh. They're just my mode of transportation!

K, well, I'm going to bet O'Hare doesn't have free wireless like Indy (I love the Indianapolis Airport), so I probably won't have a real update till sometime later this afternoon, after I'm all settled back in at Karen's. I'll update my twitter via phone though, if you're interested.

indiana summer goodbye

Tomorrow morning I leave my hot & humid Indiana home for the warm and dry Los Angeles-area summer. As much as I love LA and all it brings (read: ocean), there are some things I'm really going to miss about my little town in Indiana, especially during the summer. This list is in no particular order, by the way...

o Thunderstorms: And rain in general. (I spent 3 months in ES/LA last summer and didn't see a drop of rain. I am not kidding.) But summer storms are one of my favorite things ever so going without them is pretty tough on me. (Admittedly, having 70 degree sunny perfect days every day is nice for event planning...but I do like rain too.)

o Stars: I can't see the stars very well from the condo I'll be living in. Also, going down to the beach at night to try to find some stars over the ocean is kind of scary. It really shouldn't be (ES is the safest city in LA county) but it still is. Active imagination and all. But looking at stars one of my favorite things to do regardless of season.

o My car: I love my car, or maybe it's just the fact that I *have* a car that I can get places with when I want/need to. Having to rely on LA public transport, or trying to get someone to drive me somewhere on their time, is not really my cup of tea. I also just adore driving, so I'm going to miss it an awful lot.

o Walmart: I am totally not kidding, and actually that makes me kind of sad. But Walmart is so incredibly convenient and cheap, and it seems like nothing in LA is either one of those things, that it would just be nice to have around. The closest Target to me is in MB and that is too far to walk or board to (it's nowhere near the beach, which would make it sooo easy) and I don't know about the busses there. 

o My family & friends: I miss them when I'm away, even if they're also away in other places.

insults

If, for any reason, you wish to insult me, here are some easy topics for which to do so:

o Tell me I'm taking an easy course load: I want to see you simultaneously take the hardest class in your major, plus an intense independent study, plus a couple other courses that will be time-intensive, plus run cross country, and still be able to work two demanding campus jobs, take over a big community knitting project, see your friends, study for & take the GREs, apply to grad school, and have time to sleep. Oh, and keep up a good enough GPA to graduate (at least) magna cum laude. Because I don't call that an easy course load, even though on my transcript it's going to say I'm only taking 3.5 credits for Fall 09.

o Tell me I'm stupid: The GPA bit mentioned above kind of disproves this, but everyone knows you can be book smart yet have no common sense. I'm pretty sure I have a lot of street smarts, too. I also have a decent vocabulary, one area I tend to judge people's knowledge by, and I read a fair amount. I also don't think I know everything, which I think is the first step to being able to learn.

o Tell me I don't appreciate what you're doing for me: Trust me, I do. I might not be able to verbalize it very well, but I do. I think about the sorts of things people have done for me all the time and feel very lucky to have those people in my life.

o Tell me I don't love you if I say I love you: I only say I love you if I actually mean it. This goes for any sense of the phrase, romantic or friend.

o Tell me I don't mean something I say: To elaborate on the above, I am one of those people who says what I mean and mean what I say -- or at least I try very hard to be like that. Actually, I find that a lot of the time this sort of thinking gets me in big trouble.

o Call me some derogatory word (and mean it): Sometimes, I get it, these words are said jokingly. But sometimes they are not. I guarantee that I do not think of myself as anything like this so I sure hope you don't either.

o Insult my friends, family, or interests: I choose my friends carefully, so this one will really hurt me. I didn't choose my family but they are very important to me, and I love them very much, so this will also hurt me. I also choose my interests and try to build myself up with them, so please don't call me lame for liking something. (I guess I get this most with "geeky" hobbies.)

packing

I leave Friday morning (7am) to go back to El Segundo, CA (by Los Angeles) for the summer. I am interning again at The Aerospace Corporation.

So today I decided to pack. Last year I packed like 2 weeks in advance...that was kind of silly. So this time around I am only packing 2 days in advance.

Packing is very easy for me. I make a list of everything I need, then go find the items on the list and put them in the suitcase. Very simple. I am also very good at packing light and mostly only bring what I really need. My downfall is always in the electronics area - I insist on having my computer, my external hard drive, my nice camera, my not-as-nice camera, and my video camera. That makes for a heavy carry-on bag!

because I feel like it?

I love taking surveys. So, here is a lot of information you probably didn't want to know about me, all in one place! I will probably do one or two of these a week - awesome conversation topics, you know. Plus, Facebook notes contain a wealth of them, so I should never run out of questions to answer. : )

LAYER 1: ON THE OUTSIDE.
Name: Maria Ilyusha Schwartzman
Birth Date: 28 November 1987
Current Location: Columbus, IN
Hair Color: Brown, with some blond
Righty/Lefty: Bothy. I write right-handed and do almost everything else left-handed. I'm also both footed (soccer).

LAYER 2: ON THE INSIDE.
Your fear: I have a big fear of being alone forever, and/or losing the people I love.
Your dream of the perfect date: This is actually pretty hard. I like being able to talk a lot, so probably going to a coffee shop or something. Or taking a walk somewhere. The beach is always good, as are parks and woods, etc. I like outdoors-related things.
Your best friend: I have several, and I think they know who they are.

LAYER 3: YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW.
Your thoughts first waking up: I looked at my watch and wished it wasn't so late
Your best physical feature: I really don't know, but I like my eyes because they change color.
Your bed time: During the school year I go to bed around 10.30. In the summer during down time it could be whenever, usually closer to 1. During work it's 9.30. I get up super early then, 5.30.
Your most missed memory: There are quite a few. : )

LAYER 4: YOUR PICK.
Pepsi or Coke: I don't drink soda
McDonald's or Burger King: I don't usually eat fast food, but if I had to I'd pick McDonald's
Single or Group Dates: I think I prefer single dates, but groups are fun too
Adidas or Nike: Well, neither fit me.
Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate hands down.
Cappuccino or Coffee: Neither.

LAYER 5: DO YOU.
Smoke: No
Cuss: Yes
Take showers: Yes
Have a crush: Yes lol...there is almost never a time when I don't have a crush : )
Like(d) school: I adore school
Believe in yourself: Sure
Believe what goes around comes around: Usually. Karma has its ways of working out
Believe everything happens for a reason: Yeah
Think you're a health freak: Not a freak per se, but I love running and soccer and I generally eat very well.

LAYER 6: IN THE PAST MONTH.
Gone to the mall: Yes
Been on stage: Unfortunately no
Eaten sushi: Wait, no! I will this week though
Been hurt: Yes
Dyed your hair: No

LAYER 7: HAVE YOU EVER.
Played a stripping game: I might have
Got beaten up: No
Changed who you were to fit in: A little bit, I think, but it was what I wanted

LAYER 8: GETTING OLD.
Age you're hoping to be married by: I'd like to be married between 25-27.
Number of kids you're planning on having: I don't really want kids but everyone tells me I'll change my mind. We'll see. I think it depends a lot on who I'm with and what's going on in my life. There's a lot I want to do that kids are not condusive to.

LAYER 9: IN A GIRL/GUY.
Best eye color: I'm a sucker for blue and green, but I like all colors
Best hair color: I'm a sucker for black, but very honestly it doesn't matter. I also really like blond.
Short or long hair: It depends on the person. I usually like short hair, but sometimes I dig the shaggy look too
Fat or fit: Fit. My favorites are skinny guys.
Looks or personality: Personality is very important, but I should also be physically attracted to the person.
Fun or serious: Fun, but should know when to be serious.

LAYER 10: WHAT WERE YOU DOING.
1 MINUTE AGO: Filling out this survey, talking on AIM, checking Twitter, etc.
1 HOUR AGO: Deciding to stop cleaning the basement
1 WEEK AGO: I think I was sleeping
1 YEAR AGO: Being incredibly excited to be leaving for California in a couple days.

LAYER 11: FINISH THE SENTENCE.
I FEEL: Hopeful
I HATE: Leaving when good things might be happening
I HIDE: A lot of thoughts from people
I NEED: To be wanted
I LOVE: My friends

What is a food that you'd hate to be allergic to?: Chocolate and Asian foods. 

What color was the last towel you used?: I think it was green.

Would you prefer to date someone taller, shorter, or the same height as you? Taller or the same height.

When was the last time your nose bled? It bleeds randomly in the winter sometimes. 

How old are you turning this year?: 22. Holy.

What is your favorite thing to snack on while watching a movie?: I am quite fond of Kettle corn 

Swimming pool or hot tub?: Depends on a lot of things. I do really like hot tubs.

Can you swim well?: I have been told I have an excellent breast stroke, but I am terrible at the other strokes. But my breast stroke gets me by pretty well

What body part do you wash first in the shower?: Hair always goes first, then stomach.

Who would you allow to read your thoughts for one day?: I suppose whoever wanted to. They might be pretty shocked though lol

What kind of first impression do you think you make? It depends on the person and my mood. I vary from fading into the background to talking a lot.

Name your last reason for using a camera? I never need a reason to use a camera! But the last picture I took was of Mary and me at the airport.

Where was the last place you fell asleep other than your bed? At Nathan's, in the basement, on my air mattress.

What are you excited about? Seeing good friends tomorrow

Seven days from now, will you be in a relationship? That would be kind of awesome, but is highly improbable

Are you a happy person? Generally yes

When was the last time you laughed really hard & why? I don't remember. That's probably bad. It was probably at Nathan's though, with everyone. Or at school before the year ended.

What are you wearing? Jeans and a tank top

What do you want? Happiness is usually a good answer here : )

Did you enjoy your weekend? Yes

Do you regret anything you've done recently? No

Is there anybody you wish you could see? Yes, so many people

Have you ever kissed anyone with a name that starts with J or M? Haha, yes.

How many people of the opposite sex do you fully trust? 7.

Do you think you’ll be married in 10 years? I really hope so.

What makes you mad most about girls? About girls? They are complicated. Guys are more open I think.

Have you ever been given roses? Yes, several times actually

Do you even like getting flowers? I love getting flowers

What's your favorite flowers? Roses, carnations, tulips, lillies, lavendar, and the list goes on. I like all flowers really.

Will you be in a relationship 4 months from now?: I hope so. That would be a nice change lol.

Does it bother you when your friends bring up your past mistakes? Yes. I already felt bad about it once, what more do you want me to do?

Could you go out in public looking like you do now? Yes but I wouldn't be happy about it

Can you be your complete self around the person you like? I would hope so

Whose the first person you texted today? Uh...I think it was Andrew

Would you move to another state to be with the person you loved? It depends

Do you ever get a text saying good morning? Not usually

Last movie you watched and who did you watch it with? The Gamers with Nathan, Mary, D

What are you doing tomorrow? Seeing Amanda and Dan and probably hanging with my family since it's a holidy

How's the weather today? It was cloudy but not bad

Where is the person you need most right now? I don't know. I might not know them yet.

What color are your eyes? Green, but they change depending on my mood.

Do you like poptarts? The Smores kind, yes. But only if I am in a hurry and don't have time for a real breakfast, like waffles or pancakes.

Where will you be 12 hours from now? Probably in Bloomington

Is it easy for others to make you feel intimidated? Sometimes

Do you know what you are going to wear tomorrow? Jeans and a nice shirt

Where's your girlfriend/boyfriend at? I don't have a boyfriend.

Are you on a desktop or laptop? Laptop

Does anyone hate you for no reason? I hope not

Can you make yourself cry? Yeah, especially right now

Play an instrument? Yes

Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? Maybe

What are your favorite colors? I love black. And blue and green.

Where did you get the underwear you are wearing right now? From the store lol

Have you ever kissed someone whose name starts with an R? No

Have you ever passed out? Yep

Are you easily confused? Not really

Do you think you would make a good wife/husband? I would make an awesome wife

What's your favorite kind of ice cream? Edy's double chocolate fudge. I also like their Colts ice cream.

Do you like coffee? No

Do you like summer? Yes

Is your current hair color mostly your natural hair color? Mostly

What color are your socks? I rarely wear socks in the summer unless I'm running

Where were you at 8am this morning? Sleeping

Do you fall for people easily? For sure, easily and hard

Have you ever dated someone more than once? No, but I've considered it

Last thing you got in the mail? Keys to my condo this summer

What is your current crave? Nothing

What color nail polish is on your toes? I have French tips

Do you find members of the preferred sex confusing? Yes

What are you listening to right now? Nothing

How has the week been so far? Up and down

Is there something you wish you could tell someone but can't? Of course

What are your biggest turn offs? Not being social, not being able to spell, smoking, several more but there are really too many to list

Favorite shirt to wear? I like this black tank top that's cute

Favorite drink? Water and chocolate soy milk

Last person to say 'I love you' to you? My mom and dad

Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? No

What's your favorite color gummy bear? I like them all

What is the nicest part of the opposite sex's body? Eyes, smile, abs, calves

Have you ever run into a dishwasher? Yes. It's on the corner of the kitchen counter thing

Ever had a song sung about/for you? Yes. I've had a song written specifically for me, actually.

Is there a baby in the room with you right now? No thank god

Do you know how to dance? Sure

Where do you sing the most, in the car, the shower or other? Anytime there is music on and I know the words I am singing

What is your favorite thing that is green? Trees

What did your last text message say? One that I received -- "On Ihthef if huyoo". Yeah, the person who sent it was not sober.

What is the way to your heart? Be yourself. Care about what I'm saying and listen. Do the little things because they matter a lot.

What do you smell like? Probably like my soap or shampoo.

What's in your pocket? My phone, my pocketknife, and a bunch of bobby pins

Anything in your mouth? Nope

Ever hurt yourself playing Wii? Haha, no

Do you have freckles? A couple come out in the sun

How many languages can you say "Hello" in? At least 6, but probably more.

What's the last movie you saw in the theater? STAR TREK <3

Ever jumped/fallen/been pushed in a pool with your clothes on? No, but I really want to be thrown in a pool sometime. When I don't have anything in my pockets, of course.

Are you wearing any clothes that you wore yesterday? Yes, the jeans

Name a song that you know all the words to: October 16 by Faulter. I know all the words to hundreds and hundreds of songs; this is just the one that's on my mind right now.

What's the last thing you watched on TV? The Cleveland/Orlando NBA game

What's the last video game you played? I can't remember. Likely DDR or Smash Bros.

Can you do the alphabet in sign language? Yes

Do you wear glasses? Yes, unfortunately.

Did you feel better or worse or the same yesterday? Better

What was your favorite childhood show? I loved the Jetsons. Showing my geek side early.

Are you close to your siblings? Yes

Do you bite your nails? Yes

Do you like your feet? Sure

Do you sleep well at night? It depends

haircut!

I got a haircut today. I just got a haircut a couple months ago but it grew back very quickly. For the past couple of years I have been cutting my own hair, but recently I have felt like getting it cut. We have had some good coupons so I don't feel so bad :)

Before the haircut:

After the haircut:

Let me know what you think! It probably won't be straight that often. She blowdryed it, which makes it pretty straight, and combed it an awful lot. I usually let it air dry so it curls :)

lists

I make lists for everything. My homework gets organized via list, my bucket list is obviously a list, I write down to-dos in lists like nobody's business. So why not make a list of everything I want to do in LA this summer? I used Slashlists (developed by Kelly Sutton of HackCollege while he's in Berlin...how did he have enough time?) and you can find my list here. I'll probably be making more lists over the course of the next few days, and adding things to this list. 

Observation about my California list: it revolves very much around traveling, experiences, and food.

If you have anything I should add to this list let me know! I did many things last summer that I didn't include in order to give me some more time to experience new things :)

Boxes

My life is currently living in 12+ boxes, even more bags, and all are strewn about my room. I don't know what to do with it all. I can't get rid of very much because I need it for next year and beyond. Suggestions?

class of 2009

Some of the my best friends in the entire world graduated from college today.

This is me getting all dressed up for their ceremony.

Our president (Brian Casey) at the beginning of the ceremony.

I don't want to think about how that'll be me in the cap & gown in just one year.