The Sky is Falling!

If you're reading this,  You survived the end of the world, according to the Mayans!
Congrats!
I don't actually believe in the end of the world but if I did, I'd reevaluate my life. So far my list of accomplishments reads: -Graduated 3rd in my class from high school -Got in the honors program in college -Semi-graduated college early
Yeah, that's about it. IF the world ends today, I literally will have spent most of my life in school. I was in preschool at age 2, and haven't stopped learning ever since.
If the world ends, here's a list of things I wish I HAD done: 1) Changed my mind earlier about my degree and graduated in 3 years instead of 3.25 2) Traveled more (I have 0 stamps in my passport!) 3) Cared less about family approval and spent more time caring about my own feelings 4) Met another blogger in real life (Some day I hope to finally meet Suz!) 5) Had more job experience, tried my hand at different fields 6) Read more books. 7) Learned more about my family's history
I'm sure the list would be longer, but my Internet access is ending soon. See you after the world ends!

Back to Regular Posting

After three back to back posts about the shootings, I think it may be time to lighten the mood around this space.
I am still grieving for the victims, don't get me wrong. However, life must go on, and we cannot dwell on dark times.
So, on to lighter topics! First off, everyone's favorite topic this time of year: CHRISTMAS! This year, since I am completely lacking in the money department, most presents will by DIY projects. I may share some of these after the holidays - some people who read this blog may be recieving these gifts, so I better not spoil the surprise!
Sadly, thsi year, I'm not really in the Christmas spirit.  At first it was school and moving stress, but now, I'm just feeling a little blah. I can't get a tree, due to lack of space,  and I can't afford presents for pretty much anybody.  Maybe it's just a one person pity party, but I'm just not in the holly jolly spirit.
However, thanks to the lack of funds, I have a lot more time to stay home and get caught up on reading. Anybody have any good book suggestions for me? My library card is brand new and needs to be broken in!

I don't want to forget.

The first post after posting about a tragedy is always the hardest to write. How do you go from the pain of hearing about 29 innocent lives being lost to writing a normal, every day post? How do you write about frivolous holiday joys when there are families who will never get to share with their loved ones?
Instead of a light post, this is a memorial post. Take a moment and pray, reflect, or even simply just read the names of the lives lost last week: In Connecticut:
Charlotte Bacon, 6
Daniel Barden, 7
Rachel Davino, 29
Olivia Engel, 6Josephine Gay, 7
Ana Marquez-Greene, 6
Dylan Hockley, 6
Dawn Hochsprung, 47Madeline Hsu, 6
Catherine Hubbard, 6Chase Kowalski, 7
Jesse Lewis, 6James Mattioli, 6
Grace McDonnell, 7Anne Marie Murphy, 52
Emilie Parker, 6Jack Pinto, 6
Noah Pozner, 6Caroline Previdi, 6
Jessica Rekos, 6
Avielle Richman, 6
Lauren Rousseau, 30Mary Sherlach, 56Victoria Soto, 27Benjamin Wheeler, 6
Allison Wyatt, 6

In Oregon:
Cindy Anne Yuille, 54
Steven Forsythe, 45

And take a moment to remember the lost men who committed these crimes, to wonder about why, and maybe to take a moment to forgive them and their families. Their families are suffering as well, as they have lost a loved one doubled with the cruel reality of being blamed for the events. These men took their reasons for what they did to the grave with them, so nobody will ever know why these tragedies occurred. These families are impacted just as much as the families of the young victims:
Jacob Tyler Roberts, 22
Adam Lanza, 20

(Please note, I do not condone the shootings in any way. I simply feel as though the families of the shooters deserve the same decencies as the families of the victims - it is not their fault. They did not cause the shootings, and they are just as shocked, hurt, and confused as the rest of the nation.)

Day of Silence

A Few Thoughts

This nation was rocked this week, with not only one tragic shock, but two horrible events within three days of each other. First, on Tuesday, my home state of Oregon was shocked by the shooting at the Clackamas Town Center, a shopping mall that is now marked with three deaths.  Then, the second deadliest school shooting in America's history happened on Friday. 
There are no words to express the grief, the horror felt at learning of these tragedies.  For some Oregonians, both of these events have brought back memories of the Thurston High School shooting in 1998, when Kip Kinkel murdered his parents and then proceeded to kill two students and injure 25 more. 
All of these tragedies are hard to comprehend.  It is impossible to understand what drives someone to commit these acts. All of these innocent lives lost, for no known reason. If you happen to believe in a particular faith, you pray in any way you know how. We donate any money we can to help the families of the victims. We turn political, debating gun laws and arguing for better mental health care. We hold our families a little longer, say "I love you" a little more freely.
For those of us who use the web as our platform, we can use our little corner of  the Internet to help as well. I normally avoid link ups or group posts, but this one is definitely one to join. Thanks to Erin's sharing, Neely, Michelle, and Meg's message is being passed along. Please read the following and do what you can to help:
To the Blog World and Anyone Else who Wants to Help,

Yesterday, tragedy struck so many of us in ways we did not foresee. An elementary school and small town in Connecticut was shattered by a mass shooting. We knew we wanted to help and we came up with this:



On Tuesday, December 18th, there will be a blogger day of silence. 
We will post the button and that's it. Please try to not post anything else that day if possible.

We are also raising money that will go to an organization in the memory of this tragedy. The organization is called The Newtown Family Youth and Family Services. Here is the official description of the support service we are donating to: 

"Newtown Youth and Family Services, Inc. is a licensed, non-profit, mental health clinic and youth services bureau dedicated to helping children and families achieve their highest potential. NYFS provides programs, services, activities, counseling, support groups and education throughout the Greater Newtown area.

ANY DONATIONS MADE TO NEWTOWN YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES WILL BE DONATED DIRECTLY TO THOSE EFFECTED BY THE SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOOTING."

Please visit THIS PAGE to make your donation.

We can't imagine how they must be feeling, especially this close to the holidays. We would love for you to spread the word on your own blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Let's make a difference and use blogging in a positive way. Thank you in advance for participating.

Love,
The Blog World 

p.s. If you would like to, copy-paste and repost any part of this, please do. Share on. 

Life as I knew it...

is all over. That's right folks. As of 10:45, Thursday, December 6, I was officially finished with college classes! Unofficially, I've graduated with my BA in English, emphasis on Literature.
Officially, though, I still have 6 months until I can call myself a graduate. Confused?
Well, I am in the Honors Program at WOU. In order to graduate, I have to complete a thesis. Super fun, right? And that thesis currently is stuck, awaiting a room of strangers to give my study the green light, again.
Basically, here's the rundown. The thesis process begins in junior year.  A proposal must be submitted after a full term of workshopping ideas and writing draft after draft. This proposal is given to the Honors Committee, a group of professors from various departments on campus. After the committee receives the proposals, they vote. A proposal must be approved with no major flags raised by teh entire committee - if a proposal fails, the student must give a presentation addressing the committee's concerns. Once the committee passes a proposal, the actual Honors program has nothing to do with the thesis again until it is time for publication. The student works solely with their chosen faculty advisor(s) to complete the project. Some projects, such as mine, have an extra step thrown in. If a project deals with any human subjects, or in my case, analyzes other people's work, it must pass the approval of the university's International Review Board (IRB).  The IRB requires its own application process, and, again, a group of strangers get to vote on whether or not my project is worthy - in other words, it will not cause any harm to any of the participants in the study.
This is the stage my thesis is stuck at. I am still finishing my IRB application, trying to complete it to my advisors' satisfaction, before I can even submit the application. I cannot begin my analysis until I have IRB approval, which means I am a couple months behind my own timeline. 
Thankfully, having five months to complete the analysis and writing without silly things such as classes getting in my way should be sufficient..... I hope....
For now, it's application writing for now (IRB and full-time job apps...) while celebrating my final term GPA of a solid 3.69. 


(I'll try to be a little more consistent with the posts, but seeing as how I am paying rent for 2 apartments this month, on top of Christmas costs, I can't afford internet at home and have to write while at work. Fingers crossed I get some posts scheduled for you guys this weekend!)

And the Most Terrible Blogger Award Goes to...

Hi readers! I am alive, no worries. Just getting through my last three weeks as a college student.....
Yeah, that last sentence terrifies me a little bit. This kid has a two day week next week, dead week, and then finals. Then, hello, big scary world of reality!
So, a quick study break catch up session for everyone. My mom is doing very well - her meds are still getting straightened out, but the re-inflation for her implants has started. All in all, she's back to work most of the time and doing good. I applied for an apartment today! It will be the first time I have ever lived alone. Yikes. Luckily my sister's friend lives in the same complex - opposite side, but still within walking distance. I also have started applying for full time positions. I am gonna take a year or two to work and start paying off debt before I apply to grad school, so let the job hunting begin! (Any tips?? Please??)
The best news? This kid went and got herself a new boyfriend.  I'm gonna keep him off of here for awhile, until we're good and settled in with each other. But our anniversary will be easy to remember: Halloween just became a favorite holiday! I just might introduce him here at some point, but let's just say this is the best situation for me.
Well, now I have a 15-20 page seminar paper, a 10-12 page paper, and a 5 page bio lab write up to work on.
I'll be back soon!

Some news and a PSA

While exploring a local bookstore with my mama today, she mentioned my aunt ordered a book I had reviewed on my blog. My reaction immediately was "Mimi reads my blog?!?!" followed shortly by "Whoops, I haven't posted in awhile..." So, thanks to my wonderful aunt (HI MIMI!!!!) I finally remembered to stop in and give y'all an update!
Sadly, there isn't much to report. It's midterms, so my life has been full of studying and working. It all paid off for once - 92% on my bio midterm!  (Take THAT, adviser who doubted my science abilities) other than that, it's just been keeping my head down and getting through. At the end of the summer I was thrown a few curve balls, and looking back (and getting permission) I have decided it's an appropriate time to share.
My family got hit with a huge blow. The last week in August, the last Tuesday as a matter of fact, I received a phone call from my mother. She had had a breast biopsy the day before, and her doctor called in her results as soon as possible. 
My mom had low grade breast cancer.
This is not the first time my family has dealt with cancer. Both of my biological grandmothers and one of my step-grandmothers have fought lymphoma, as has my mom's brother. My great aunt passed away from lung cancer. My great grandfather passed away from melanoma. 
Not many of you know my mom. We have definitely had our ups and downs in the past, but ever since I started college we have grown a lot closer.  My mom is incredible.  She goes above and beyond when she can for those she loves (even when they don't deserve it.) She is always the calm, cool, collected one in crisis,  putting on a strong front to support everyone else.
This time, we had to be strong for her.
The breast biopsy came after her regular, routine mammogram. (Ladies, who cares if it's uncomfortable. Do yourself and your loved ones a favor - get 'em checked!) Soon after the biopsy results came back, mom's friend, an oncology doctor (and former boss), managed to get her an appointment the same week. Surgery was the best route.  Mom, being the optimist that she is, chose a double mastectomy over a lumpectomy with radiation. "I finally get my boob reduction!" was her explanation.  (Everyone in my family has a large chest. Mom and I were the same size - 38DD) A few doctors appointments later, Mom had a surgery date. 
September 19th was the day my mom had both breasts removed. (She helped move my sister's large furniture the night before.) I asked her beforehand if she was nervous. Joker that mom is, she simply replied "my boobies are." Surgery went amazingly well. A six hour long procedure and she was sent home the very next day. She even joked about twenty minutes after she was brought back to her room that this is the flattest she has been since she was ten years old. She is currently doing extremely well. There is no sign of cancer anymore, and as long as she stays on her meds for five years, we can tentatively say she's cancer-free. She is getting reconstructive surgery early next year.
 My mom is a breast cancer survivor. 
That is one sentence I never thought I would say, but I am damn glad I get to use the word survivor. October is conveniently Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Consider this the closest I will ever come to a PSA.
Ladies, do self checks once a month. get your yearly mammogram after age 40. Pay attention to your body. Please.

I don't get it...

My brain is fried from studying my Bio lab for tomorrow, so tonight you get a list.
Here's what I am just not getting right now:
1. Why the hell do humanities majors have to study the science? (Disclaimer: I love all sciences except biology. Thanks high school bio teacher for ruining cells.)
2. Why the eff is healthy food so much more expensive than crappy food?
3. My neighbors have a party every single night. How are they passing college???
4. Why can I never start a project and then actually finish it??
5. Why is American Short Story putting me to sleep, but Nigerian Lit keeping me super awake?
6. Freshman. 'nough said.
7. Relationships, why are they so freaking fracking complicated??
8. Why wasn't I born a spoiled rotten trust funder? 
9. Also, why is life so expensive?
10. Why are so many bloggers more worried about their follower number than the actual content of their posts?
11. Why can't my body ever be normal? I've got Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), over-corrective eyes (they make a fake nearsightedness to correct for my left eye's farsightedness), and now I get to go to physical therapy because my kneecap is tilted and doesn't fit in the proper notch.
12. Why am I so grumpy/whiny/exhausted ALL WEEK LONG?
So, as you can see, this really isn't my most understanding week ever. Sorry for the rant. Maybe this weekend I'll post something happy.

September Book Club

So I'm almost a week late with this link up (So sorry!). In my defense, last week was the first week of classes, so I've been a little busy studying and all that fun stuff. Since I never received my book from the swap, I decided I'm gonna review not one, but two books recommended by none other than Miss Abbi. (seriously the girl is my literary twin.) Both are by amazing author John Green. First up is his first novel:

image via. Goodreads provided the following summary: "Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps." This book is absolutely stunning. Green draws the reader in to this little club of friends, so much that you care just as much as they all do. You can feel the adrenaline of the group pulling pranks. You can feel the teenage angst, lust, and friendship. This book made me cry, laugh, and fall in love. One of the best novels I have read in a long, long time. I give it 5/5 stars. Next is Green's most recent (and extremely popular in the blog world) novel:

image via. Goodreads's summary: "Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. 

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. 

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind" I actually read this first, after seeing it on several blogs, including Abbi's and Danielle's. Do yourself a favor, reader.  Run out and buy a copy of this beautiful novel RIGHT NOW. Or in the morning, I guess, if you can wait that long. This novel is hauntingly gorgeous, a pure love surrounded by terrible circumstance. Seriously, this book gave me a worse book hangover than Harry Potter, and that is definitely saying something. It's heartbreaking, but worth every damn tear it forces you to shed. It may also be because it came into my life when I needed it most, but this novel instantly became a favorite. I give it 6/5 stars. 

I got lost in this big old world

To say I'm not having a good week would really be an understatement. Family problems, money problems, and work problems all slammed me this week.
I don't handle stress very well. I've gotten better at it, actually recognizing when I'm stressed and trying to deal with it somehow without taking it out on those around me. Sometimes I succeed, but more often than not, I fail. I lash out at my roommate, the easiest target.  Her habits that bug me become magnified and I just get super grumpy whenever I'm home.
I am still trying to learn how to handle everything that has been thrown at me,  so stick with me.  I know I am almost the least consistent blogger ever, but I will promise to try harder.
Oddly enough, I hate writing. I don't know what it is, but writing was never fun for me. I guess somehow, blogging just doesn't feel like writing. I live in a world of words, where books and letters and poetry communicate feeling beautifully. Here, I try to channel my world onto a screen,  trying to bring sense to myself by pushing buttons and making words appear. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Right now, I feel slightly better just apologizing you, my dear readers. You stick with me through dry spells, and for that, I thank you. I know this post is a little all over the place, but then again, so is my head.
In short, I am stressed to the nth degree, and classes don't even start until tomorrow. I've got some ideas for this space, so don't give up on me yet!

My first time as a guest poster!

Just stopping in to let you all know that I am guest posting for the very first time today! You can check it out on Suz's blog, 30 Before 30 List. You'll get to see my own "If You Really Knew Me" post, inspired by Danielle. Check it out, and then, once you're there, keep reading! Suz is one of my favorite bloggers, so I know you'll enjoy reading!

Just a quick hello...

So sorry for falling off the face of the earth, guys.
Life has kinda blown up in my little world.
As I may have mentioned, this term is going to by my final term as an undergrad.  That is both terrifying and amazing all rolled into one. But it also means I have to start preparing for real adult life now. I've been apartment hunting like crazy, trying to find a place close to work that isn't a kajillion dollars. Who knew small university towns were so expensive??
My life has also blown up on the personal level. My best friend since seventh grade recently got engaged, and yours truly is one of the maids of honor. Oh, and she also makes the seventh wedding to attend next summer. My life is insane.
So between cramming in a few more full time weeks at work, planning my best friend's wedding, and some personal family stuff, this little space has become neglected.
It may be awhile before I get back to this - my calendar literally has at least one appointment a day for the next three weeks.
I'll pop in and read other blogs, and maybe I can convince one or two people to throw me a bone and guest post? We'll have to play it by ear and see what happens!

I'm back....sorta

Uhm, 
I love country music.
Seriously, the festival just keeps getting better and better. Last year, it was Little Big Town, Alan Jackson, and Blake Shelton. This year, it was Rodney Atkins, Sugarland, Lee Brice, Billy Currington, Martina McBride, Jana Kramer, The Band Perry, and Trace Adkins.
Next year, they have announced Carrie Underwood on Friday and Brad Paisley on Saturday!!!!
I'll post pictures from this weekend sometime in the near future, I pinky promise.
However, I came home with a head cold, and I have to go back to full-time work. Blech.
Recap soon!

Five.

Five more weeks. That's how long I have left. Five weeks of summer break (if you can call it that) Five weeks left as an almost full-time employee. (Just switching back to my regular hours, not losing my job hopefully...)
The weird part? I cannot WAIT for these next five weeks to fly past.
Yeah, I am excited to get back to classes,  but mostly I am sick of full-time at my work.
Normally, I love my job. I work evenings and weekends,  so it's usually just me and one other person in my department.
Full time is not fun. Some of my coworkers don't get along. I get caught in the middle. I am also currently training on scheduling, and let's just say some coworkers are much better at teaching than others.
I cannot wait to get back to my domain, the world of books and writing. I am both anxiously awaiting and dreading this coming term, as it will be my last as an undergrad.  Scary and exciting, all at once.
Five. More. Weeks.
However, in the meantime, this weekend I will be attending this awesome music festival and getting to see awesome country acts. Back in a week!

90's TV and YA Novels

What can I say? I read a lot. (understatement of the century) However, I've been on a YA novel kick, mainly books about America in the future, also known as "The Society", "Panem", and other various new names.
Yep, I've been reading and re-reading these beauties:

Goodreads Summary:

"Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that? Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever."

Goodreads Summary:

"Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning? In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love."

Goodreads Summary:

"Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow."

Goodreads Summary:

"Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love."

I clearly have a Hunger Games withdrawal issue.
I tend to do this when I finish a series:
I HAVE to find a similar novel,
or at least something new to obsess with.

 I do the same thing with TV shows...
I just finished:

via.

And immediately moved on to:

via.

Thank goodness for Netflix and the library.

Any suggestions for TV or books that are a must see/read?

Day 7 Part 2 - The Rest of Universal

Thanks for coming back after my Harry Potter picture dump!Now, we didn't spend ALL day at Harry Potter - I could have, but I was outvoted. You can only ride 3 rides so many times...So, we ventured out around the Island of Adventure.This theme park had Harry Potter, Dr. Seuss, Marvel, Toon Town, and Jurassic Park, all rolled into one.We skipped Toon Town, but toured the rest of the park in the afternoon.
We started off back in time, visiting the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park.We rode the raft ride, during which - I ashamedly admit - I kept my eyes closed as soon as we veered off toward the warehouse. I rode the ride when I was little and remembered the T-Rex giving me nightmares for weeks, so I hid my head in my arms like a small child.Disclaimer: I really, really, really don't like when things jump out of nowhere at me.

After one more quick stop at Harry Potter to do some shopping, it was off to Suess!
I've always been a fan of Theodor Seuss Geisel,also known as Dr. Suess. His children's books are all based on his political opinions:The Sneetchs are WWII,The Lorax is the environmental concerns,etc.Suess's Landing on the Islands of Adventure was full of the wacky doodles and rhymes the good doctor was known for:

Next stop, Marvel Comics!

Now, I am not a comic person - I collected Archie and Friends, but never really got into hard-core collecting; I always just picked up the newest edition by the check stand at Safeway.

That being said,

Marvel's park was pretty spectacular.

We rode the Amazing Adventures of Spiderman (a must-do if you're at the park - avoid if you get motion sickness easily though), the Incredible Hulk rollercoaster (even I got sick... and I don't get sick easily), and Storm's Acceleratron (basically, the teacups, X-Men style).

And who doesn't love a roasted turkey leg to settle your stomach at the end of the day?

We made several trips back to Harry Potter World through out the day, riding the dragon ride that had been closed earlier, getting caught in a thunderstorm, enjoying Butterbeer, shopping 'til we (er, make that just me...) ran out of money, sending letters with a Hogsmeade postmark, and enjoying the genius of J.K. Rowling.
Sadly, this was the last of our adventure - we flew home the day after this, with no pictures to document the travelling. Thanks for enjoying my adventures with me!

All pictures taken by my family.Please ask permission before using.