More Halloween Fun

Rest of the Halloween Recap:
The Pumpkin Party was tons of fun. I was amazed we were able to turn the garage into crazy "spooky" venue for carving. The cider was a hit, and our pumpkins were all lovely (if not a lill burnt hehe) After carving we got pizza and watched Mr. Vampire. Mr. Vampire has now become a facebook group, the movie was so funny. You should all check it out if you haven't seen it and then ask to join the group after. ;)
Other points of Interest/discussion.
misa, Faraji, Erik and I went to a costume party on Friday night hosted by some former West High folks, and yes, I was pretty proud I didn't bring an IC townie with me. Though the banana did have to throw down for bragging rights upon our arrival. But, as any good fashion expert knows, it's all in the accessories. Because Erik had the sign and the maraccas, he can claim victory. I went as a devil, misa was a firewoman, (and I pointed out to her that really, with a viynl costume, she's probably be the first to go up in smoke) and Faraji was a vampire.
Saturday was spent doing something, but I can't remember what..(woo hoo for my memory being shot after a week, jeesh) Saturday night is the aforementioned post about Wylde Nept. And that, deer folks, was Halloween. Pictures, as promised, follow now...


and then:

Dead and Gone Like Me

Actually this title comes from a t.v. show I just discovered via Sci-Fi, which I now want to go out and rent the entire first season to watch. It's totally the type of shows (movies) I like. Dark Comedies are the defence mechanisms of the mundane daily existence for the rest of us I guess. Dead Like Me is an interesting premise with a well written script and it is also well acted. I caught this last night while my father and I watched t.v. and mom and I played Scrabble ( i beat her 219 to 216. yes, that's right TOm, I BEAT someone at Scrabble, imagine after all these years playing with you online, I simply needed the board in front of me to win, though I don't count a 3 point differential "kicking ass" or anything.)
In other news the "gone" part. I will be gone to Okoboji Iowa this weekend, through Tuesday for my family reunion. Much rejoicing and such will occur (or so I hope) though this gal has to apparently stay out of the sun! WHAT!?!?! stay out of the sun on a LAKE? are you kidding me? Doctors are on crack btw. Or at least those I apparently wind up seeing. I've been on an antibiotic (which I'm posed to be on for the whole month which says on the bottle "avoid prolonged exposure to the sun) okay, well, fine, I heed bottle warnings. I was out for all of an hour on Monday, wearing a new bikini (which makes me self-conscious enough anyways right?) and low and behold about half an hour later, I start to itch on my stomach...well surprise....rash city! lovely right? so I'm thinking, okay, go see the doc. Tuesday morning, i see the doctor, and he's like, stop taking that antibiotic, this is a photo-sensitivity rash, and you can develop allergic reactions to drugs even after taking them for a week and a half. so, tah-dah, I stop taking it call the doc that prescribed it, and she says, "NO, keep taking it, it doesn't cause photo-sensitivity." - Except that it has to, b.c otherwise they wouldn't put a label on the bottle warning about it right? and besides the other doctor that saw me actually saw the rash and diagnosed it...so I go with his answer.
I seem to have rotten luck with health these days :( blah. otherwise everything else is going well...still looking for that full time job, so I can move out of the basement, and the ability to pay rent somewhere else (perhaps moving in w. laura or pete or cassi? who knows!)
anyways, the "gone" part also means I'll be in Naperville next weekend - going to see the King Tut exhibit with Erik and his folks...hooray. I am looking forward to that. and I promise I won't collapse in the museum ---been there and done that already.
Hope all is well with the rest of you out there.

Happy Birthday Erik!
(this is past due, as his birthday was actually on 06/08, but alas, blogger wasn't cooperating, and I was also quite busy after the initial 3 tries.

And yes, I did decorate the cookie cake.

Multitasking My Life

OKay, so I'm posting this during the Superbowl, because I don't actually care about NFL, give me college football anyday. But, I am, however, like most people in America, intrigued by the commercials, because companies pay so much money to get those spots. I'm also reading about frames for my Info Architecture class, and chatting with folks online, so multitasking is definately the word of the evening.

For more interesting points. I saw The Island this weekend, not a bad movie, esp cause I think Ewan McGregor is a decent actor and Scarlet Jo did a good job also. This was thanks to the IU Movie Channel. As I pointed out to Rena Friday night while getting food at Saraga, I've only been 2 two movies at the Showplace here in B-town, those being Garden State (which is one of my all time FAV movies) and Phantom of the Opera. I have seen another movie in B-town though - and that was Harry Potter with Erik and Trac and Philip, which was a fun time. I saw Capote also, while in Naperville last weekend. It was well done, and well acted, though I found myself somewhat squemish, which is odd, cause I'm usually not that way during movies. I think it was the graphic nature of the killings/hangings and perhaps that I knew it was based on a true story that Capote wrote In Cold Blood about. That was probably what made it more realistic to me, and caused the reaction. Kill Bill is so obviously hyper-realistic violence that they could spurt blood from just about any body part and it wouldn't make me look away, but Capote accomplished that action. I actually had to look away from the screen a few times. But, it was a good show.

Another good show was the Lifehouse concert. Highlights included: Erik tryin to explain how to use chopsticks to me, while demonstrating with my So Co and Cranberry drinking straws. Another highlight, Lifehouse begins to play the opening cords to Hanging by a Moment, stop, and turn to the audience to say "Well, you've heard enough of that bleeping song now haven't you?" Wade grabs another guitar and starts playing one of the songs off the newest album instead. That was also pretty funny. And afterwards, Erik went to get something to drink at the gas station, and settled on some ginseng filled tea. As we were leaving the gas station and walking to the car, a random guy talked to us and said "Hey you can't drink beer outside, they'll catch you." To which Erik replied, "It's tea, but thanks." And that made me laugh.

So I conclude this post by saying my multitasking ability also proves the theory that multitasking means you don't do any one thing really well, because I haven't read my chapter very closely, nor have I seen many of the commercials in detail, the online chatting is smooth but monosyllabic, and this post is rather lacking in a significant point. But then, I guess, that's my life and I mostly enjoy it.

Auld Lang Syne

So I'd promised to regale you all with the tale of my New Year's Eve. I deliver. :)
Friday morning I woke up with a sore throat, and then I worked at Barnes and Noble. I went to visit Christysissy as well, which was fun, and watched one of my fav. eps of Simpsons (lisa becomes a veggie) and then I hit the hay early.
I awoke at 6 am. Picked up the cohorts in crime at 7 am or so, with the extremely bright sunshine as a fourth companion. The drive to Chi-town went fairly quickly, with Pete serving as the IPOD DJ, and Misa and I chatted. All three of us lamented how we'd not gotten much sleep lately, and I also lamented the new found germs running through my system. Erik was kind enough to switch cars with me, and he drove us into the city...while I bogarted the BEST BLANKET IN THE WORLD, and tried to catch a little shut-eye, with no luck. We arrived early enough for Misa and Pete to get their tickets from WillCall, as we'd suspected that the mailman stole Pete's ticket AND would be present at Excalibur and Vision later that evening. We found thai food at the Siam House and then headed back to the HOJO for some much needed napping. Unfortunately for me, the pattern continued and I couldn't sleep...there's something wrong with me, but I can not sleep well if one of my nostrils is stuffed up and my throat is sore I guess. still with the lights off, I was at least able to close my eyes for a bit.

We woke up about 6 or so and primped for our night. Headed to the buffet dinner about 7:30 ish, and then started the night off right, by getting drinks from the open bar and stocking up on food.
After dinner we circled the club a few times, it was nice and big which meant the smoke wasn't too bad for my allergies - or the newly forming cold - and the alchy made swallowing a tad easier for my sore throat as the night went on. Eventually we made our way to the dance floor and hung out there for most of the evening. It was a blast! Good dj, good techno music and nice vibes. Plus the bartender at the upper bar was awesome. Misa disappeared to the bathroom, Pete to the bar, and Erik to go find his friend Ryan, so I was left for about ten minutes upstairs near the dance floor to just take in the crowd and people watch. it was fun, but I got a lill weirded out by some guys behind me who seemed to be staring at me, so I was happy when everybody else returned. Besides, it was getting close to midnight anyways....
The clock struck, balloons fell and people cheered...ringing in the New Year in a quite traditional way. Though I will say it was fun to watch Erik's reaction to the replays of the White Sox victory footage upon the countdown. I also found it amusing that despite my best efforts to get Pete to kiss one of the balloons at Midnight, he found enormous glee from popping them instead. (He later informed me that he normally HATES the sound of popping balloons, but apparently while drinking, it's joyous) Of course I had a better place to plant my new years eve kiss *wink*
We stayed at the club until almost 3 am or so, when we were all exhausted, covered in sweat, and ready to leave - after a fun ice fight, i might add.

So we headed back to the hotel. On the way home, a couple who had just gotten mcdonalds food called out...their reasoning....Erik saw a billboard of heather graham and couldn't control himself, haha. The guy of said couple called out "Now that's a real good way to spend new year's eve!" To which I had to reply "Hey, he's got a REAL girl to spend it with!" and at that Erik picked me up, and starting walking toward the hotel - and the guy yelled out "Okay, that's the REAL way to spend New Year's Eve" too funny!
We ate in the morning at the resturaunt near the hotel, and then switched cars back in Naperville, and after meeting Erik's folks and Kristie (the dog) and noticing Kyle passed out on the couch - we were on our way back to IC.
Misa and I dropped off Pete, then witnessed a fire at Panchero's and ate with Aaron....then i went home and CRASHED!! :)
That was my nye. now you've all been informed. the end.

Yule Tide Greetings to ye all. Happy Holidays and required well wishing :) I hope you've all spent the Christmas evening and day and Christmas Day Evening (yes steve, I did type that) with loved ones. I am very lucky that I've got so many people I count in that "loved ones" category, so yay to you all.

On a more well, grounded note...I had a relaxing Christmas Eve after some rather interesting experiences in the holiday book selling retail world. I'd just like to say thank you to everyone visiting Barnes and Noble for not asking me where the non-fiction section is, and I hope I was able to help you find satisfactory gifts for your friends/sisters/fathers and grandparents who play Scrabble.

I've watched alot of movies, I've eaten alot of food, I've spent some time with friends and family, all in all, it's been a good break so far, and I'm looking forward to the rest of it!

Which means New Year's Eve in Chicago with Erik, Misa, Pete and one of Erik's friends who is home for the holiday. :):) SOOOO excited!!! Will update again soon, and eventually I'll figure out how to put up some pics on this thing...HTML has failed me thus far in that effort...

You HAVEN"T read the book!?!

Dear Indiana, Mom/Dad, Tina's, Waitress, PF. Chang's, Little Tibet, IMA, Residence Inn, B-town Theater, Trac, Erik, Rena, Jon, Steve, Becks, Misa, Aaron, Lenny's, Circle Center Mall,

Thanks for a nice drive to/from Indianapolis on Wednesday to pick up "Alaskaboy." Thanks also for a fine and somewhat windy drive to Indianapolis on Thursday for Thanksgiving festivies with my folks. Thanks also for not being too annoying with traffic or weather and delivering the other travelers safely to your state. Thanks also for not having the police decide that 10 miles over the speed limit was worthy of pulling over the blond in the civic...

Thanks to mom and dad for driving Thanksgiving food across three "I" states and sending me home with ALL of the leftovers. Thanks to Tina's in Bloomington for delivering a scrumptous pie. Thanks to the waitress at the Hilton hotel resturaunt for carding me and taking a long time to find my date of birth. Serves her right, haha. No thanks to P.F. Chang's mushrooms, though depositing them on other people's plates was a tad entertaining and the pin noddle soup made up for this slight problem with fungus. Thanks to Little Tibet for still serving their Iced Thai tea..sooo yummy.

Thanks to the IMA for having a real Norman Rockwell painting, which my dad found worthwhile and interesting to see (as so often I feel I drag him to art museums and subject him to lots of cultural things he could care less about.)

Thanks to the Residence Inn for having a hot tub! SCORE! :)

Thanks to the B-town theater for hosting a lovely and interesting affair called a matinee of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Thanks to Trac for pointing out things that are different between the movie and the book, since no, I HAVEN"T actually read this one (grad school got in the way). Thanks to Erik AND Trac for the combined effort to engrain the words "It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time" in my brain probably until I die. Thanks to Erik for attending some after movie dinner beer time at Lenny's. Thanks to Rena for letting us bug her afterwards.

Thanks to those I talked to on the phone: Jon, Steve, Becks, Misa, Aaron

No thanks are in order for Lenny's being out of my newly discovered Ruby beer. No thanks are allowed for the Friday morning 6 am wake up call for Circle Center Mall shopping, and no thanks for the fact that it was the record low for the past 16 or some odd years at 17 degrees upon the 4
block walk to said venue.

But THANKS overall for a good break.

Signed,
one of your visiting students from Iowa


PS: According to Trac - I should also thank Martha and her Baking Handbook something. :)

PPS: Faraji wants me to thank him also, even though I technically didn't talk to him over Thanksgiving weekend, but this evening - so thanks Faraji 11/30/05

First, congratulations go out to the happy couples that were recently married. Both those that I witnessed in person, and those I've heard about through the SLIS grapevine ;) may you all attain the happiness and dreams that come from sharing your lives with another!
Second, this week was just a crazy and strange one in my book. I must amend the earlier post through this supplemental addition (oh ya, librarian terms). Other highlights included: trying Lennies for the first time, and actually drinking a beer other than Killians. The GnR cover band at Axis. Japanese curry and omelettes. My knee finally feeling slightly less out of whack. Comic book nerdness at the Lilly. And lastly, kudos to the Chi-town Sox on the victory tonight. Myself, not really a baseball fan in the past, being a semi-converted "jump-on-the-bandwagon" type now. having been to one CR minor league game last summer (thanks jon and kik) I understood the 7th inning stretch. Now, thanks to another avid baseball fan, I know terminology like "knuckle ball" and "RBI." If this new found knowledge wins me a Trivial Pursuit game in the future, so much the better!

Coming to you Live...

Location: Reference Room - Wells library
Listening to: Lauryn Hill, Miseducation Of,
Why?: Testing out the wireless card, AND working on my philosophy resources guide for class Wednesday.

Props to my friends for joining the blogger bandwagon. I must also give props to Faraji for having a blog that actually keeps up with current events and isn't just a rambling mass like mine. Go you Scandalous sexy almost "21" year old.

This weekend was an entire blast. I have to say, after the blah week I had, Friday night was just what was needed. I did my first client interview for L570 at noon, and the woman is really nice and very energetic and fun, so I think this project is off on the correct foot. Then Traci and I worked on Dialog almost all afternoon (due to her cataloging class being cancelled) We also attended a very short ALA-SC meeting, where candy was involved. We headed back to my apartment and got ready for the shin-dig. Neither of us went last year, and we didn't know we were goin to this year until Suzanne mentioned it the other day, and i'm really glad we decided to go. it was a total blast. the food was good, the socializing was actually a lot of fun...normally I'm not too big on huge group affairs where I know only a couple people and feel like small talk is the order of the day, but this event came off surprisingly well. After the reception a group of us, a LARGE and massive group at that, went to the vid. (one of the local bars) Traci got to let her hair down a bit, so to speak, and we had a really good time. I played some crappy pool, but more, it was just about getting to know people in my program that I've always thought would be fun to get to know, but haven't had the chance. It was also fun to see the professors in another environment besides the classroom.

I must apologize to Erik for essentially falling asleep while talkin to him online when I got home...ya know when you think you were just blinking, and then you realize it's two and half hours later? Oh ya, I know I'm just a rock star.

Saturday was spent with my nose in the books, and dishes, and laundry. Well not actually having my nose in the dishes...ewww, but you get the idea. I also have started investigating possible halloween costumes...

Sunday, well this is Sunday, and I'm doing homework in the reference room, then going to work in like ten minutes from now, then it's home to watch Family Guy and surprise...do more homework...

at least I got out on Friday night. That was fantastic, oh, and traci might say we "broke in" to Woodburn house after ten minutes of waiting outside...I prefer the term "snuck in" afterall, we future librarian types are not heathens, drinkers, or pool players, no sir-e.

Listening to: Streaming Itunes Music One
Mood: eh, whatever

So, this weekend was pretty fun, despite my hawks losing to ISU. Blah! Oh well, at least it doesn't count for the Big Ten Season, and really, I think we'd have played better if Tate was in the whole game. Friday I ran errands with Rena, and I was proud of myself. I cooked parmesan ranch chicken and steamed veggies and ate grapes. So very good and healthy of me right? Then I met Christa at Ashton and we went to see the Hitchcock double feature at IUB City lights. That was alot of fun. We say Strangers on a Train and Shadow of a Doubt. I have to say, that old school hitchcock, ala 1940's style, has a romantic quality about it, even though the sound was not synced well to the movement of the mouths. It slightly resembled badly dubed japanese movies. However, I was still entertained. Perhaps the most interesting portion of the evening was when Christa, who always gets very invovled in movies while she's watching them, shouted out "JERK" very loudly at one of the characters, who, in deed, was acting like a jerk. I just laughed a little though, because she's usually so amicable and peaceful, so to hear her get animated about anything, much less a movie, and to shout, in an auditorium where other people were present, was pretty funny. Yesterday I tackled my first assignment for Info in the Humanities...it did not go well. I did finish the rough draft by 3 am though. I had such a case of writer's block, it was quite horrible. This was not helped by the fact that some of the IC friends were watching pirates and hanging out together. At least they talked to me online for awhile, and the phone was passed around some. Still, I think that's the hardest part about being in grad school right now in another state. It's knowing they are doing something that's fun, when I'm not. Course I did have my fun moments for the weekend too, so I can't complain too much. I also stayed up way too late on thursday night, and did nothing productive, even though i'd had coffee in order to stay up and be productive, but, instead, I talked online, and then read Tuttle's latest play. I love that he still sends me the rough drafts. I hope he didn't find my comments to punchy, as I finished reading about 3 am, and then read Rule of 4 for another two hours. Went to bed at 5 am. I really need to get out of that habit and start paying attention to school and school reading. I have to revise my paper, I have to start these long term projects, and I have to really start my exercise and diet program to keep me sane before heading home for jaime's wedding in October. We hope to have a game night soon too. :) We've got a few slis kids that are board game players, so that will be exciting if it can happen. I also would still like to go into Chicago some weekend with Traci to visit Erik, so her around Chicago (she's not been downtown yet) and perhaps go clubbing with some Iowa friends who can make the drive over. I must send a bday shout out to the bride to be, Jaime will turn 25 tomorrow. ;) HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Tonight after family guy, i will go to starbucks and try to really concentrate and get some studying done. Then tomorrow morning, another week will start again. Hopefully things will go better at work, and my topic ideas will pan out for all of my projects.
that's the update folks. BTW, certain people need to send me an email. It is LONG overdue. No matter how busy you are at a new job, that is no excuse to not keep in touch and drop me a line and tell me about what the job entails, your life, and your thoughts. This means you Will!!! (and yes, I'm doing this in the blog, on the chance you still read it every once in awhile)
peace out

Mood: somber
Listening to: CNN
Classes are done for the first week. I am looking forward to the weekend and having some fun. My headache is finally gone. I've had fun catching up with the friends back home this week. Happy birthday shout out to Aaron is in order. I think it's funny that Cassi called to ask me if she could go to my parents house and borrow season four of buffy, which I forgot there, when I moved back to B-town. Call is out to the parents for a nice time that she can stop by and do that...will be interesting to hear their reactions - as Cas was like the 2nd daughter there this summer anyways. I'm somewhat apprehensive about other things related to school, but i think that stuff will all get worked out when I've got topics picked for all of these projects and start to get the time management in place. I'd like to schedule exercise time at least half an hour every day. I'll work up to that though, as I am lacking the "in shape" factor that i had last semester at IU. I like that they offer free classes in kickboxing and dance here, and will partake I hope. I am looking forward to visiting the Trojan Horse tomorrow night with Erik. Hooray for actually experiencing decent ethnic food. I have decided that I CAN actually cook some stuff successfully at my apartment, but that I am lazy about doing so. The apartment is also looking more "lived in" mostly because there are dishes in the sink, and I did actually hang the posters and a few pics are on the fridge now. I couldn't go to Sandusky with Misa and Lis this weekend (cause i work sunday night and monday morning) blah...but, on the good note Erik will visit and that'll make it okay I think.
I am feeling somber though, as I listen to and see pictures of the aftermath of katrina. I went to New Orleans the summer after my freshman year of college and really enjoyed myself down there. Even met some people at Cafe du monde that were from the Iowa Writer's Workshop. (small world iowa moments happen almost everywhere I go it seems) It is hard to think that the coast is now under water. My thoughts are with Kamber and her boyfriend (who was to start med school at Tulane now) I hope that you guys are safe and sound and doing all right. My hope is that everybody can recover quickly and the town will be able to rebuild as soon as possible, and I am sure that will be the case, as resiliance is the only real retaliation against such a disaster.
I was happy today though, because I got to speak some "art history-eze" with Aaron, who is preping to spend next summer in Spain. I have learned about so many famous paintings and monuments, and been so fortunate to see a number of them in my short 24 years of life (and have a much longer list of ones I hope to see before I die). At any rate, it was nice to show my dorky and over zealous "art history" side to another of the friends. BTW, he says he'll attempt to teach me the rules of cricket, or at least what he can understand of them at some point. And I will close this by saying, I enjoy watching the History Channel and am currently watching Modern Marvels: Paint.
So ya, summation: i can't watch more about katrina, and instead need to just be dorky for awhile.,

listening to: Goo Goo Dolls Iris
Well, on the countdown to a new semester of graduate school, I've decided to write again. Imagine that. I think this will hopefully be a good semester to follow a wonderful summer. I had such a fabulous time hanging out with the friends back home, I miss you guys! It was a jam-packed three months, full of lots of work at a bookstore and a library, some nights out drinking and socializing, a few movies, and alot of Burnout III. That will now be replaced with 4 months of work at a library, some socializing and alot of homework/reading. I am excited though, as friends from IC and elsewhere have promised to come and visit this time around. I am also enjoying the decorating process of my apartment. Hopefully people will likely come and hang out here throughout the semester as well. My trip to Ohio on Wednesday was a blast. Went to the Columbus zoo, hung out with a friend i hadn't seen in almost two years, drank a smoothie, ate chinese buffet, it was like old times ;) I am hoping to swing a trip to Sandusky to Cedar Point with Lis and Mees, though it doesn't seem like that will happen :( since i have to work on labor day, and the sunday night before, plus i can't really spend $ on more trips now that i've got the aprt to pay for, I'd like to see them again though. Hopefully misa is in the category of those coming to visit me through out the semester, as is Erik, and perhaps Cassi. :) others are always welcome too ya know :)
okay, well this is a short entry, and not too informative, but I'm gonna go and work out now instead. so happy semester's beginning and happy friday to folks!