I pronounce myself victorious over today! \o/

I went out into the town with a friend, rode buses, shopped (and did not get too angry when said friend’s “just a minute” in the game store turned into half an hour but the minute I showed interest in anything it was time to move on), bought three suitcases for $20, got some teeny tiny cans of V-8, had lunch with my friends, got rid of the friend I went shopping with (she just does not know when to go away, omg), and AHHHH SHE’S AT THE DOOR AGAIN. JESUS FUCK GO AWAY. I HAVE SPENT THREE DAYS WITH YOU TO THE EXCLUSION OF MY OTHER FRIENDS, MY HOMEWORK, AND MY LIFE, SIMPLY BECAUSE I DON’T WANT TO BE PUSHY. GO AWAY. THE FIRST TIME YOU CAME IN MY ROOM YOU STARTED GOING THROUGH MY STUFF. YOU HAVE NOT GROWN UP SINCE THEN.

Ahem. Sorry. I am just really sick of her constantly begging for attention, even when I’ve made it clear that I want nothing more than to be left alone - because, as I was getting to, I had a lovely migraine today. Which is mostly conquered, but I am exhausted and more than ready to go to bed. And this is the second time she’s knocked since we got back and had lunch together at 3. If I pay attention to her, she wants more attention. If I stop paying attention to her, she stops begging for attention. I wish there were a middle ground in which I can pay some attention, such as watching some Merlin or chatting about games, and not get hassled for days on end afterwards.

Anyway, you wouldn’t know it by this entry, but today was excellent! And I feel much better about life now, and much more prepared to deal with it! AWESOME.

I’m doing so well it’s ridiculous. XD Still very busy, but at this point it’s mostly because I’m tired of taking Bio notes and drag it out absurdly. But I have had enough time to read two books, provide critique for 6 chapters of someone’s manuscript (although it’s quite good and needs very little improvement), unlock my Limit Break 2 in FFXI, play Mario Cart on the Wii, and donate blood (although I admit that almost made me late to class despite having an hour and change to do it in).

Every time I donate blood here they tell me a little extra about how special it is. It’s… kinda nice. XD Donating in NH always felt kinda intimidating. But I’m starting to recognize the nurses here and everything. I wish the Red Cross kept track of how much I donate across state lines - This was my third donation here, and I think my 8th overall, and I want one of those special pins. I never got a pin! Down here they give you a pin the first time you donate. I feel left out. ;_;

I really have no idea why I like donating so much. It’s just… nice, somehow. Knowing that part of me is in someone else, keeping them alive, even while it’s keeping me alive. I guess that creeps some people out, but I also bear in mind that I am made of matter that has existed since the universe began and some part of it was probably dino poop, so it works for me. XD

I have just spent at least 6 hours staring longingly at bento supplies. I even made a whole new Amazon wishlist for it. This is not the first time I have stared longingly at bento supplies for hours. I need to find more bento boxes, though - the one I picked out would be excellent if I still worked at the factory, but I don’t. So yeah. The thing is, I think there is nothing cuter in this world than food with little faces drawn on it. Two words: nori punches. Yes. I could have happy food every day. I could even have food going >.< or D: or -_- or I dunno other crazy faces. Eggs shaped like fish! Rice shaped like bears! Cucumbers shaped like flowers! Edamame on skewers that have little blowfish on the end! And the thing is if I get a cheap bento box I could totally afford this crazy shit. It’s like $1-2 for most things if you know where to look. And I do. Now. After six hours of looking. D:

I finally started watching this, mostly because the Supernatural fans all seem to be migrating over to it - but I had a lot of doubts about it. It seemed like everyone was liking it because OMG THEY’RE SO GAAAAAAY and everything I heard was about how campy it is and how gaaaaay it is and in my head this translated into DO NOT WANT because I have a very high embarrassment squick and very low tolerance for campy humor (which involves embarrassing things happening 99% of the time). But then actual discussion happened, and it was mentioned that it’s campy like the original Star Trek, not campy like Torchwood (sorry Torchwood fans) and that it’s actually quite enjoyable on its own merits. Soooo I tried it.

I love it. :D The special effects are fantastic, the characters are engaging and interesting, the stories are fairly straightforward and the continuity is excellent. The usual objections to the show are that it’s anachronistic (oh god is it anachronistic), it completely reinterprets the Arthurian legend, and THE GAY IS TOO MUCH OH NOES. I personally am amused by the former, adore the second, and haven’t noticed the third at all (although I admit I’ve only seen two episodes of the 13). Also? The main character, Merlin, is adorably dorky with big ears and silly teeth - he looks like an actual human being. Guinevere? Is a person of color (or whatever the PC term is now, stop changing it guys) and TOTALLY ADORABLE and totally NOT a stereotype, which is fabulous. She reminds me a bit of Kitara from Avatar, but less motherly. The only surreally gorgeous people so far are Morgana and Arthur, for obvious reasons, i.e. they are totally royal yo. Oh yeah and Giles is the king. I did not even realize this until it was pointed out to me. He’s kinda scary and totally badass. So yeah, it’s a little silly and campy, but I adore it because it’s adorable and pretty and entertaining.

Also I cleaned my room and started packing up the stuff that I haven’t used all year. XD I don’t know why I decided to do it now. I think I just wanted it all out of the way. So now I have like, two packed boxes and a much emptier room. Made me realize all over again how little stuff I have, and how happy I am about that.

Totally aced my Bio lab today. :D This may not seem like a big deal - lab happens every week! But the teacher got part of a clue and actually told us what to draw, and I got a clue and figured out which sources he wants us to copy out of. Seriously, I needed to look at the slide for exactly one thing, because the book didn’t have a photo of it. So, ten drawings done, labelled, colored, and handed in. ACED IT. :D Also got a 70 on the surprise test from last whenever, so I’m happy about that. I hadn’t caught my notes up to the material being covered at that point, so it’s not unexpected at all, and a 70 on one test is fine. I am totally chill with that.

Feeling a lot better lately, though I wish we’d get more sun to go along with the heat wave. We did have some sun the other day, and I ended up flopped on my floor basking in it with a lovely warm breeze coming in my window. Instant mood lift. :D I wish I could bottle the smell of spring after a long winter.

Today there was a random thing going on in the Student Union, which happens sometimes (last semester I stuffed a bear and named it Cheyenne or something), and this time it was Vintage Name Art! I was curious, so I checked it out - turned out it was “pick a bunch of photographs of random things that look kinda like letters and spell your name.” So I got one, and it fits awesomely on my desk, which I finally organized so it’s clutter-free and much less distracting. Yet somehow I always end up doing my homework on my bed…

Been really off-balance lately, but I think I’m doing better today. If I have time I’ll go sit on a rock in the river and get some vitamin D. I kinda have to skip gym today anyway - last night I snapped my kneecap (don’t ask me what that means, all I know is that it hurt) and it’s still pretty sore. Interesting sidenote: when I kneel, I can’t touch my butt to my feet. My muscles are so tense they hold me up in the air. Also, kneeling makes my kneecap move in interesting ways.

What? It’s normal, right? Sure.

It’s sooooo nice out. I’m practically dying in here writing my Morality paper. XD I wanna go for a waaaaalk! It must be like 40F, so waaarm. But schoolwork comes first. Just smelling the melt is enough to refresh me for now.

ahhhh i wanna go walk in some woods but there are no woods here

Last night I dreamed that the President was killed. I woke up crying.

I read this book called Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker. It was wonderful, extremely well-written and fun and sad and weird and creepy and adorable. To give you the most basic spoilers (the narrator tells you this in the first chapter, okay), it’s about a demon who is possessing the book. He keeps exhorting you to burn the book. By the end I actually wanted to - not out of horror or whatever reasons people usually want to burn books, but because it would be more terrible to NOT burn it. The very fact that I considered doing this for even a moment is testament to the author’s awesomeness. The entire book is an immersive experience, with faux-aged pages and worn-off gilt lettering on the cover… Not sure I can really explain why that’s so awesome. You’d have to read the book.

No class today, just studying, writing a paper, gym, laundry, and shower. I’m getting more and more nervous about rock wall climbing in March. Every time I go by the wall to get to the gym, I get dizzy. Probably not a good thing. Tai Chi, though, is an exciting prospect.

Being psycho about my future again. What’s the point of going to UNH for a Biology degree? What schools are even known for their Bio departments? York is a science school. Which is better, being closer to home or being with my friends here? I don’t know. I can’t figure this stuff out. Just going to do my work and keep my head down. I just want someone to tell me what to do.

I almost agreed to start a Bio2 study group today. Then I remembered that I’ve figured out how to learn it myself, and it already takes up all my time, and I really don’t care much if other people pass or not. I care if I do, and I don’t think I can if I’m running a study group every week.

That said, I’m not sure if I love or hate bio2 labs. We draw pictures. And label them. That’s it. Last semester we played with E.coli and phosphorescence and DNA extraction. Last semester was awesome.

I adore American Government. It’s such a fun class! I have a great teacher (he has awesome sleeve tats, shaves his head, talks about what Obama is like in bed, and his wife brings his tiny daughter over every day) and he really enjoys the subject and knows how to work a class. It’s the only class I’ve been in where we can have a lively discussion while raising our hands to speak. And if you have less than 3 absences all semester he goes easy on you - last semester those people didn’t have to take the final. Srsly. He’s so cool. Also, I like learning about the foundations of our government. I don’t know why, it just hits that happy place in my brain.

So yeah. Enjoying school, even though it’s hard work. I have to write a paper on three major theories of personal morality or something. And I have some dinky tests in HumanComm, but I’m acing everything so far. I rock.

Today I had a little bit of an epiphany on how to deal with my psycho Bio class, and I feel a lot more confident now. The class will still take up most of my time, but I feel better about it. XD Here’s the general idea:

1. Read and highlight the book.
2. Go to class (pretend to pay attention as teacher quotes the exact things I highlighted)
3. Copy out highlighted parts in a way that makes sense to me
4. Do mini-quizzes after chapters
5. Memorize answers to mini-quizzes
6. Ace the tests

Note that Step 3 is the only one that actually involves learning anything. Sigh.

We managed to evade a big snowstorm, keeping our lovely spring-ish temperatures between 30 and 40F. I am delighted - if it keep up, Friday I’ll go check out the Rail Trail. I hear there is one, at any rate. Wish I had a camera - there’s a lovely dilapidated building by the tracks that catches the evening light perfectly. But anyway, things here are good, although I’m slacking on actually communicating with people back home. I guess I’m still pretty overwhelmed - I’m literally working every waking moment, although my schedule is kinda relaxed. Oh, and I saw my Archery teacher today! We said hey, got all caught up, it was really nice. I can’t wait until Tai Chi starts, but I admit I’m dreading Rock Wall Climbing. It was a bad idea, and I knew it when I signed up for it, but it’s just too tempting. I mean, nevermind that I have no upper body strength (I’m working on that), my toe is going to cripple me. It gets pinched by my shoes a lot. If I could climb in socks, that would be totally different. Oh well, we’ll see what happens.

Oh, and I’m afraid of heights.