Astral Weeks.

and so it begins...over 20,000 words of my past bloglife.

Mar. 17th, 2005 @ 11:23 pm

Current Music: Joni Mitchell "California"

So, it's spring break and I'm back from California, back from the cities, and at the rents' house for the night. We're headed to Milwaukee tomorrow to watch my brother swim in the State competition. He's pretty amazing. I haven't seen him (or the rest of my family for that matter) once before this, this semester.

It feels weird being home. And it felt weird being in California. Actually, the only place it doesn't really feel weird is in Minneapolis, where I live. And I think that end part was the key - where I live. I guess home really is where your stuff is at. Except I don't really consider where my stuff is at the highlight of my life. I think it's more appropriately named home is where your friends are. And I think the second I rode down that escalator and saw my man waiting there with a huge smile was the time when I really did feel at home.

Yes, California was incredible. I would even go as far as saying the best spring break experience I've ever had. I couldn't have asked for a better time, and Mikhaila was absolutely amazing. Every second was spent doing something glamorous and completely fun. It was really nice to spend a couple of days in her life, or at least where she lives. But I guess there's just something about coming home.

And it will be even sweeter once I dive into the life I'm so accustomed to. School, work. It's weird how much I can miss Middlebrook lunches with Evan or 7 Days rehearsals or frantically typing a paper on Eric's bed a couple hours before it is due. Or even just that freezing walk from the Daily to Murphy Hall. My nose might feel like it's about to fall off and I might be practically sprinting to catch that damn connector, but there is undoubtedly an amazing song playing in my ears and a little smirk on my face from something I remembered that made me laugh. And I guess that's really what home is to me.

It's weird how spring break has just become one day to the next to get me back to my routine life. Breaks are odd like that for me, they always have been. Maybe it's because college is kind of my element. I can't just put stuff on pause for a week, or 4 weeks, or 3 months. It's weird. I'm probably incredibly alone on this one, but breaks just kind of bother me. I don't like being out of the swing of things, as sometimes it can be super hard to get back into them.

There was an old lady at the Las Vegas airport that had the absolute most gigantic ankles I have ever seen. I kid you not, they were the size of two overflowing, blue-tinted glaciers. Her ankles were pouring out over her shoes, and at least twice the size of her actual foot width. You would not believe me without seeing them. She was not a large lady by any means. Actually now that I think of it, she was kind of small. She was short and frail, but just with two disproportionately unbelievable ankles. Hmm.

Anyway, so tonight mom and I blew a tire. It just happened - there really isn't any reason why. The car swerved a bit and I drove it off to the side. We had been waiting about 30 minutes for a service to come, which was about an hour past the point where I told myself I couldn't wait much longer before I absolutely had to go to the bathroom. So after a half hour of pretty much rocking back and forth and maybe even tearing at the eyes a little, I bit the bullet and ran into the woods. Snow got into my shoes. Branches ripped at my face. It wasn't pretty. But man - MAN was it good. Good, and completely necessary. After that, it was like being reborn. I couldn't fight the smile that was creeping around my face as I could finally breathe again after thinking that I might actually perish from this terrible feat.

Long story short, I had to pee very badly and then I did and then I felt better.

So I guess after all of these adventures, the only sane thing for me to do is retire by the fireplace as I watch a movie. I'm not sure which one, but it'll be good - I promise you that. It will be amazing.

do my taxes for me. no, seriously. do them.

Mar. 18th, 2005 @ 12:31 pm

Current Mood: lazy
Current Music: Counting Crows "Goodnight Elizabeth"

Ok so I've taken probably hundreds of classes in my life and probably completed thousands of monotonous and incredibly tedious assignments, but never, ever have I ever wanted to do something less than right now. I cannot make myself do my taxes. I'm told it takes about 10 minutes online, and I'm sitting here at the computer with all my information ready to go but I am doing anything and everything to possibly avoid completing this stupid task.

I'm that kind of hungry where you need food so badly that it makes you totally sick and not wanting to ever eat food. Yuck. I used to get morning sickness every single morning until I was like 16. Maybe I'm getting again because I'm at home. Or, I probably just need food.

Anyway, so I guess I'm just going to have to do these damn taxes. And it's not like it's even going to be that big of a deal, especially since I've only had two jobs the past year, and the income is not all that much to deal with (trust me).

Oh, and we got dumped on last night. DUMPED. We went from no snow to like 10 inches, which is just awesome because I'll be travelling all weekend. And I've been travelling all week. Meef.

suck it, taxes.

Mar. 18th, 2005 @ 04:58 pm

Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: Coldplay "Don't Panic" / Ben Kweller "Harriet's Got a Song"

Dear taxes,

First of all, I want to congratulate you on taking the last 45 minutes of my life. I know that you're pretty accustomed to taking precious time out of the entire country's lives, but I hope that you especially enjoyed taking it out of mine. It was poetic the way that you tricked me into believing I was almost done, and then you slapped my mom in the face with the realization that we need to fill out three seperate forms because I've had jobs in both Wisconsin and Minnesota over the last year. That was pretty crafty, taxes. And then, as we were addressing the envelopes, it was super cute how you made me come all the way downstairs to double-check the address for sending in my federal taxes. And then it was also just adorable on how you made that address pretty much impossible to find. Hey taxes, did you major in being a complete tool? If you did, I bet you graduated with top honors.

Well taxes, I did you. I did you hard, and I did you good. Now I don't expect to hear a peep out of you except to send me money in the form of tax returns for a good year. Is that understood?

Have a good year, taxes. See you when I'm 21.

Love, Anna

stuck.

Mar. 19th, 2005 @ 12:30 am

Current Mood: bored
Current Music: Mason Jennings "New York"

It's kind of funny the way this night turned out. In the end, there was just too much snow to drive to Milwaukee. So instead of driving an extra 12 hours in one day, I'm back at home until Sunday when I mooch a ride off one of the many parties traveling from here to MN. At first I was mad because I came home for pretty much nothing since I won't see any of my siblings (the ones that are nice to me, at least) and I'm going to be back here anyway for Easter.

But to be honest, I'm over it. It's kind of nice to just play some tunes, singing as loud and as terrible as I want, 2 floors away from the closest person. I'm almost never alone - and I really do prefer it that way. But I guess once in a while it's kind of nice. There's no one I have to be careful about not waking up, or bothering, or talking to, or anything. And that's super nice.

I'm going to be getting a lot of that in the next day and a half though, which is pretty much way in excess for me. So I think I should just sleep ALL day tomorrow and not wake up until it's time to go back to school. I don't even have laundry to do because I did it today. And our house is spotless so I won't clean. I don't have homework. Oh man, to have a car. To just have a car...sigh.

This is horrible. I forgot what it was like to be bored. Wow, this truly blows. Come, Sunday. Come.

THIS IS NOT HAPPENING.

Mar. 19th, 2005 @ 01:02 pm

Current Mood: infuriated
Current Music: Dave Matthews Band "Pig" (trying to calm myself down)

Oh my god. I can't even believe this I can't believe this I can't believe this. So ALL I wanted in the entire world today was to get back to the cities. And my chances were looking extremely slim. I basically had one chance left, and that was my friend Neil from work who was coming back from Milwaukee (were I was supposed to be today). If he was going back tonight, I was going to ask him to pick me up on the way and it would have been all good and I would have been back tonight. BUT I called him and as it turns out he is going tomorrow. So on an absolute whim, I decided to give my friend Emily from high school a call, thinking that she was probably already back in the cities. So I call her, and she's like "hey anna, I'm just driving from Eau Claire to the cities, what's up?" And I was like, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" She had apparently left TWENTY minutes ago. I was so sad and bothered that I literally cried.

So now I have to wait until tomorrow - and there isn't even FAMILY here for me to be with. I'm sure worse things could and have happened to me, but right now I literally want to just crawl into a whole and cry.

k I'm better now.

Mar. 19th, 2005 @ 03:41 pm

Current Mood: calm
Current Music: Third Eye Blind "Company"

Ok so I have settled down and feel totally better now. It's weird how just sort of waking up and getting ready for the day can make you feel pretty much 100% better.

Oh man I miss my boys.

Iseekyou: man i wish i had car. i would totally go pick up eric and then come bring you back to mn so we can hang out again.
satellitewalls: OH MY GOSH!
satellitewalls: that would have been SO awesome
satellitewalls: I would have loved you for all eternity.
satellitewalls: even though I already do, my plutonic love kitten.
Iseekyou: you had me a little worried there because being your son and all I thought I already had your eternal love *whew*

EmoBoy Eric: ohhh anna weggel
EmoBoy Eric: don't forget me by tomorrow

It's weird how my best friends in college have all pretty much been boys. I think that (with exceptions of course, i.e. mikhaila, anna leisa, roxie, etc.) girls can just be a little difficult at this age unless you get along with them really well. Or maybe I'm just a boy myself. Who knows.

Point being, I'm very thankful for my friends, I guess. Because even though I've been "alone" for like the past day, I've talked to probably over 10 really awesome people that I miss a lot.

So I'm feeling a ton better. And way not as lame. Yay.

Long Overdue.

Mar. 19th, 2005 @ 04:38 pm

Current Mood: nostalgic
Current Music: Snow Patrol "Chocolate"

Ok, so I totally did not give my spring break experience enough credit. So now I am going to write all about what I did every day and why it was so cool. Ready...go.

Friday: I caught a plane out of Minneapolis airport at 3. Eric and Josh dropped Roxie and I off at our respective airports. We all hugged, said goodbye, and I got through security and all of that and onto the plane. Once on the plane, I found out that the boy sitting next to me lives in my building. Yeah, my building. So we talked, and watched Napoleon Dynamite on his laptop. It was nice to have someone my age to kind of go through the experience with. He was super nice. The plane landed in Vegas and I had a bit of a layover. So I wrote in my journal, looked at interesting people, laughed at a mom and her daughter playing cards, and ate a pumpkin muffin. Once on the transfer plane, I had 3 seats to myself. The view was incredible. I just kind of breathed it all in - the lights and the magic of a new city. The flight was a mere 45 minutes, and I landed, grabbed my luggage, and saw my Mikhaila waiting there all dolled up and ready for a good time. Her roommate and friend were in the car outside of LAX, desperately trying to circle around, battle traffic, and angry security guards to get to us. Approximately 2,000 people asked me for money and every time I uncomfortably said my wallet was deep inside my baggage. It wasn't. Then we went back to their apartment and...had a good time.

Saturday: Kila and I woke up at 9 am and took a tour of the USC campus. It is beautiful and the most startling part about the campus is the trees. I was told that there was one tree from each state on campus, and I totally believe it. I tried to look for any midwestern ones but quickly got bored and probably distracted by something shiny or colorful. After the tour, we ate lunch and drove to Venice Beach with her friends Jessica and Mike. It was a cold day, so we didn't swim, but we walked along the beach and picked up shells and ran through birds and Kila and I got a chance to really talk, which is what I miss most of her. After we were sufficiently beachy, we got ice cream and I bought sunglasses and a bracelet. While we were walking along all the shops, we saw a Bronze Man and a Rollerblading Electric Guitar Man. We also went to Hollywood that night and saw the Walk of Fame and the Kodak Theater. That night, we ate at Inn and Out Burger, and went to the Groundlings Comedy Club. It was absolutely hilarious. My favorite skit was one with a lady who just sat in a chair on the lip of the stage with a steering wheel slowly mouthing a song, and getting most of the words wrong. I probably audibly laughed for 4 and a half minutes straight. After that, we spent the night at her brother Jay's house in West Hollywood. Needless to say, we all had a "good time" that night too.

Sunday: Kila and I went hiking in the Hollywood Hills, took pictures at the Mulholland Drive Overlook, went to Sunset Boulevard, drove through Bel Aire and Beverly Hills, and went to the Universal City Walk, then we saw Evita at the Pangages Theater. That night we drove back to Mikhaila's and stayed at the apartment.

Monday: Kila, Jessica, and I had lunch at the 29th Street Cafe. It was a beautiful day so we laid out on her roof, which we had to get to from a fireman-like ladder. Everything we wanted to take with us we had to strap to our back. We tried to watch Alias on her laptop but it was too sunny so we just listened to tunes and called a couple of our friends from high school. Then we went grocery shopping and bummed around the apartment the rest of the night. Oh, and we ate our 3rd bag of cheese puffs of the weekend.

Tuesday: Kila, Jess, and I went to California Adventure I think it's called, which is just kind of a branch of Disneyland. We rode lots of rollercoasters. Jess ate a frozen banana dipped in chocolate and a pickle. My favorite rollercoaster was called California Screamin'. It was a 45-minute wait but I can honestly say it was completely worth it. We rode the Tower of Terror two times. It was awesome. And then we came back to the apartment and bummed around more.

Wednesday: We slept in, and then went to the Dodger Stadium to take pictures for a certain boy I know that loves baseball, and then went straight to the airport. I said goodbye to my ladies and headed into the airport to travel home. The flights were incredibly turbulent but I made it through and down that escalator to home.

It was an amazing adventure. I spend 6 days with my best friend in the place where she lives and it just couldn't have gone better. I'm so excited to go back next year.

photo madness

Mar. 20th, 2005 @ 01:29 am

Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: James Taylor "Gaia"

I just scanned and cropped 3 rolls of film. It took freaking forever. If you want to see any of the 30 trillion pictures I took, just ask me. I tried to post them on here and it worked for a little bit then I think it got tired because it stopped working. So just ask!

a bittersweet return

Mar. 21st, 2005 @ 09:22 am

Current Mood: blah
Current Music: Lemon Jelly "Space Walk"

So I'm here and it feels good to be back home. But by home, I mean back on campus, with friends. I pretty much loathe this building. And I'm not purposely trying to avoid it, I just really am gone almost all of the time. It's not like I wake up and think "how can I avoid my dorm room today." I would be gone this much regardless of where I live or who I live with. I just hate coming back here because I feel like everyone hates when I come back here too. But I can do it. Less than 2 months.

You should try waking up some morning, realizing you have an hour and a half before class starts, then take a shower and get ready, then sit by the window and play Lemon Jelly's "Space Walk" and think about the world that day. It's pretty.

Today life gets back to normal. I'll go to class, eat lunch with Evan, go to work (my editor has already called today to see when I'm coming in), then skip class to head to St. Paul for an interview. I look all professional-like, but with soccer shoes because I left my dressy boots in California. I hope they don't miss me too much.

*dreamy sigh*

Mar. 22nd, 2005 @ 04:39 pm

Current Mood: touched
Current Music: Simon and Garfunkel "Only Living Boy in New York"

EmoBoy Eric: if it were up to me
EmoBoy Eric: everyone would have someone like you
EmoBoy Eric: cause then everyone would be happy

cloud pants

Mar. 26th, 2005 @ 12:24 am cloud pants

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Music: Dispatch "Open Up" Weezer "Across the Sea" G Love "Numbers"

I wish Israel Kamakawiwo'ole would not have died. I know his song is played far too much at the end of movies and random episodes of shows like ER, but he sings a version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World with a ukulele and it's really beautiful. That's all about that.

I'm home again. It's kind of nice, especially since I'm only going to be here tomorrow and party of Sunday. If I'm away from school too long, I get twitchy. Not twitchy like I'm having a seizure...but more like I feel out of place and just want to be back where it makes sense.

I feel like telling you the story of cloud pants. Many years ago, I was a high school sophomore and swimming pretty much was my entire life. It had to be, since we had to get up at 4:45 in the morning three times a week to have practice before school, then we had it for about 3 or 4 hours after school every day, not to mention weekend meets and other events. So, to get me through these long practices, I would usually think about one thing to take my mind off of the lap after lap that I would have to swim. This one thing...was a nonexistent pair of cloud pants.

You're probably wondering what cloud pants are. Well, you should, especially since they didn't even exist at the time. For some reason, I had this obsession of coming home to a warm, fresh, out-of-the-dryer pair of fleece pajama pants, with a cloud print. Since I had a friend at the time that was equally weird as I was about those kinds of things, I told her. Months went by, and one day I drove to her house and out she came from the front door with a folded, perfect pair of brand spanking new fleece cloud print pajama pants that she bought for me. It was a little piece of perfection in a crazy, mixed up world.

So after wearing them for a long time, they sort of just got lost in my closet. But, you guessed it, tonight they made their triumphant return. And man, were they missed.

and then you bring me home

Mar. 27th, 2005 @ 11:37 am

Current Mood: peaceful
Current Music: Something Corporate "Konstantine"

Ok so this is what I'm doing. It's Easter and I just got back from church and my siblings are dying eggs and my mom is carving the turkey. I just set the table and ducked downstairs for a few minutes to be alone. Except the whole experience is different...because I'm playing this song.

It's funny because Konstantine is a 9 minute 35 second song by Something Corporate that's sung by an angst-filled emo boy and accompanied by an intense piano score. But this song has pulled soooo much emotion out of me over the year that I've been listening to it that it's practically a mantra.

Except that it's not always the same emotion.

One time I was walking out of my night history class early because I was headed across campus to our union for a gig. So it was really dark outside, and quiet. There was hardly anyone on campus. This was during my "dark semester" where I probably smiled once a month and cried once an hour. I didn't find happiness in music, but more of an understanding. When you're depressed, it always helps to know that other people can be sad too. So, I was on my walk toward the union and this song came on my mp3 player, and I just blasted it, like I always do. I was walking on a back street and I saw a boy who, at first glance, looked like someone who used to mean a whole lot to me. I quickly realized it wasn't him, but that sight and the song made me burst out crying. And I wasn't crying just because of either, it's like it was welling up for so long and it was just the right time. I let myself cry. I didn't force it or even encourage it, it was just kind of an acceptance. And then I felt better, happy even for maybe a few minutes.

Then there's times like these when hardly anyone can get me down. To counter my dark semester, this semester has been deliriously happy for me. I can't even believe all of the things that have been great in my life lately. Amazing, really. And then when I play this song, it makes me want to cry again, but for all of the things I'm thankful for and all of the people I'm thankful for, and the sad semester that I'm thankful for because it makes me appreciate the good times. It kind of just reaffirms my contentment.

All hail the craziness.

Apr. 1st, 2005 @ 01:05 pm

Current Mood: busy
Current Music: Beck "Sexx Laws"

So, here are the reasons why I have not been able to update my blog as much as I would like.

-I've written five front page stories in five days.
-I had a big paper due this week.
-OL training.
-Volleyball.
-Desk meetings.
-Press conferences.
-Going to classes (sometimes).
-A cappella rehearsals.
-Play rehearsals.
-Driving back and forth from EC.
-Lease signing.
-Day desking.
-Daily forum.
-Dyad with Joe.
-Sleeping.

What is the good news, you might ask? It's Friday. I have one class down, and two to go, then it is home free for the weekend. I wrote and edited my Monday story early so I get to not come into work this weekend. Now I only have to work on a fiction portfolio, reporter profile, and three articles for next week.

Rock.

it's the ciiiiiircle of liiiiiiiiife

Apr. 13th, 2005 @ 12:48 pm

Current Mood: pensive
Current Music: Belle and Sabastian "If she wants me"

I had an amazing weekend. Two twins games, St. Cloud excursion, not to mention Lion King on BROADWAY (a dream that I've had since it came out). Lion King was amazing. The best part is during the first scene, Circle of Life, where Rafiki is singing and then animals slooowly start to come out. When the two giraffes come out and everyone gasps is the ultimate best part. My hand slapped up to my mouth and stayed there for the whole rest of the song. It literally was breathtaking.

And then this week has been good. There's so much stuff going on with the Strategic Positioning at the U. I had a big interview with Bruininks earlier this week. You can see it, word for word, here.

I have to talk to my friend tonight about something really important. I'm kind of nervous. But I hope it works out alright, and I think it will.

That's it.

oooh geez.

Apr. 13th, 2005 @ 12:54 pm

Two funny stories.

So it was last Monday, and I went to St. Cloud to meet Eric's parents and siblings. It was kind of a big deal, because if was the first time I was meeting them and they made a big steak dinner and such. So I had been there for about an hour, everything was going pretty well. Eric and I were sitting on the couch in his family room, watching baseball with his sister and his brother-in-law. His dad was close by. So his sister is teasing him, and she walks toward him with her hands out, ready to pounce on him and tickle his stomach. Eric is extremely fidgety, so the second she lunged he quickly curled up into a little ball...except her curled up so fast that he let out a big toot.

Immediately, his sister pulled back and we all stared at him. "Was that the couch?" his sister asked.

"LOOK AT WHAT YOU MADE ME DO IN FRONT OF MY GIRLFRIEND THE FIRST TIME SHE MEETS MY FAMILY!" he yelled. Mortified, he ran into his parents bedroom and locked the door. The rest of his family and I uncontrollably laughed while rolling around on the ground. A couple minutes later, he slowly came out of the room, face BEAT red, and completely embarrassed. It was beautiful.

Moving on.

Last night I was getting ready for bed in my dorm room. One of my roommates was in her bedroom, the other was out in the main room with her boyfriend. I was doing last minute things like setting my alarm, putting a few articles of clothing away, and undoing the covers. I happened to notice a nice fancy bottle of exfoliant lotion on my bed stand, which belonged to my roommate. My hands were a little dry, so I decided to just borrow a quick dab from her.

A quick dab turned into a bigger dab than I had anticipated, so I rubbed it on my hands, arms, and legs. But for some reason, it wasn't really rubbing in and the little exfoliant balls weren't turning into non-balls. So I picked up the bottle, and as I read it closer, I realized it was BODY WASH. Yeah...as in SOAP. After laughing silently for about 2 minutes, I grabbed my sandals and briskly walked to the bathroom, trying to stifle the smell as I walked by my roommate and her boyfriend. When I got into the bathroom, I put a little bit of water on my legs and immediately the wash started lathering and lathering. After a couple minutes, I got it all off and ran to tell my other roommate, who ended up laughing EXTREMELY hard with me about it.

At least I'm clean!

birthday lunch

Apr. 14th, 2005 @ 01:48 pm

Current Mood: silly
Current Music: Razorlight "Vice"

My friend Jeff and I have birthdays very close together. So every now and then, we'll have a "birthday lunch" or "birthday dinner" which helps us celebrate our birthday all year long. So today we grabbed lunch at the Union, and he told me a hilarious story.

Last Friday, he and his friend Dave were a little inebriated, and they were walking back from a party. Halfway back to their house, Jeff felt like sitting down, so he sat down on the grass by a tree. He started talking (drunkenly) about how disappointed he was that not one girl they met that night was what he would consider smart. And Jeff likes smart girls. Dave agreed, and when a couple of girls were coming up the street, Jeff asked them, "Hey, are you girls smart?"

Out of nowhere, a big guy LUNGED from the shadows behind the girls and started screaming at Jeff and Dave. He kept pushing Dave and saying, "What did you say? What did you say?" Jeff, being the pacifist he is, jumped in between the two and told the guy to settle down. But in his silly state, Jeff said words like, "Relax, just relax. Chill out man. Chill. Chillax. Relajarse, man." Which just made the guy furious. He probably doesn't understand spanish anyway.

So the guy threw Jeff to the ground and popped him in the eye. The girls were screaming at the dude so he got up and Jeff and Dave got together and the dude and the girls left. So now, Jeff has a nice shiner (that he's really proud of) and he knows to not tell a big drunk fighting dude to "chillax," or relajarse.

Oh Jeff. Thanks for the story. :)

how would you like it if I spilled pants on you, ketchup?

Apr. 15th, 2005 @ 06:04 pm

Current Mood: frustrated
Current Music: Bright Eyes "Land Locked Blues"

So I spilled ketchup on my pants. And then I was adjusting them and a belt loop broke off.

And they're my favorite pants. Now they are in a heap in my hamper, with stain stick rubbed all over the ketchup spot and missing a belt loop. Is this the way to treat a favorite pair of pants?

I blame the ketchup.

have I really ever been happier than right now?

Apr. 17th, 2005 @ 08:07 pm

Current Mood: ecstatic
Current Music: U2 "sometimes you can't make it on your own"

So, I'm sitting on a big blanket on Northrop Mall. It's 8:07 pm and it's still beautiful outside. Eric, Evan, and Nik are playing frisbee around me and I just wrote two papers. My internet works in the middle of a freaking field (all hail U of M wireless) and I'm at the height of productivity which means I am going to have a super easy homework week. This ridiculously beautiful U2 song is playing on my laptop and the occasional bug flies in front of my face which means summer is coming.

Oh, and a little fuzzy leaf just fell onto my pant leg.

a minor incident

Apr. 18th, 2005 @ 10:47 pm

Current Mood: pretty good
Current Music: You put the lime in the Coke, you nut.

So I have a meeting at 8 am tomorrow to officially become an English minor. I decided on a whim to get one today, because there's a class I guess I'll take that requires one. I've always flipped back and forth about minors, since Journalism majors are encouraged to have one, but I didn't really want political science and foreign language minors are discouraged, so I guess that I will go for the English minor. I've always wanted to secretly be an English teacher anyway. Actually, my secret DREAM is to be a secretary some day, which is weird because no one ever wants to be a secretary and I don't anyway, but there's something just awesomely appealing about organizing someone's schedule and answering phone calls and typing up things.

Point being, come tomorrow morning I am officially going to be working towards an English minor. And no, I am not going to be a secretary. I'm going to be a journalist, ok?

Other than that, it's Ross's birthday today and Johnny grilled out for everyone. The entire 10th and 4th house was all on the porch at THE SAME TIME which was very rare and quite cool. It was also quite an experience to have Surge and Kelsey in the same room because I do still have trouble telling the difference between them. But now I think I have it. I tried to eat a hamburger but after a couple bites I thought I was going to die so Eric and I at Boca burgers and after that I felt a lot better. Apparently, Eric ate half of a watermelon and then got really full. But it's not a new thing for him to be full way before me anyway. I do loooove the eats.

as written, scribbled down in my gopher guide during my creative writing lecture

Apr. 19th, 2005 @ 07:44 pm

Current Mood: happy
Current Music: Friends of Distinction "Grazin' in the Grass"

Today I had an 8 am appointment in Lind Hall to declare my minor. I was running a little late, so I took my bike. But by the end of my appointment, it was pouring so I made it to B16 Johnston Hall by way of tunnels and a quick sprint past Northrop. After that, I tunneled to Coffman, rode the escalator down a floor (which never ceases to thrill me) and walked into the bookstore. There was a big rack of umbrellas in the front of the store. I, of course, picked the bright purple one. It doesn't seem like my purchase was that big of a deal, but I have just been so completely pleased with this thing. It's a crappy umbrella. It actually broke immediately, but I fixed it with a paper clip. It's just so awesome to be able to walk on the street and be completely dry when it is just pouring all around you. I wasn't cold, the temperature was perfect. But I just love my purple umbrella. I love the way it opens and closes. I love the little haven it creates for me.

I can just walk straight through the rain like it's nobody's business.

yellow bird

Apr. 20th, 2005 @ 12:54 am

Current Mood: pleased
Current Music: spiritualized "stop your crying"

I just realized that all it takes is "night sweet girl" to make me melt into a puddle of lovestruck biomass.

*dreamy sigh.

living dolls, air streams, and strategic positioning

Apr. 25th, 2005 @ 06:50 pm

Current Mood: antsy
Current Music: "Ain't Nothin Like the Real Thing"

So I went to pop culture today, which is notable in itself. But we watched the end of a documentary called "Living Dolls" which examines the lives of 5-year-old little girls that grow up doing beauty pageants. It was so freaky I almost screamed out loud because the girls aren't allowed to bend their arms. You can only imagine the freakiness level of their smiles when they are forced to hold them for minutes at a time. Their hair is done up Dolly Parton style, and infants are give real hair extensions. The makeup is caked, CAKED on their faces and their legs are so skinny they're just a small line with a knob in the middle that is supposed to be their knee. Remind me if I ever have a little girl, to encourage her to play football. Or be a swimmer. Or take freaking ballet. Anything but be a living doll.

This weekend was interesting. Friday I had rehearsal because 7 Days is recording in a studio tomorrow. The rehearsal was unnecessary to say the least. But fun. Then I brought my friend Alyson over to Eric's house to meet his friend. I love watching Garden State with people who haven't seen it before. Saturday we had PoP rehearsal, which is Pieces of the Puzzle, which is a play that the orientation leaders put on for the freshmen every day for orientation. I will be playing Julie in "Inside Thoughts" and I will be singing "See my Chest," for all you Minnesotans who have any clue what I'm talking about. Then Nick J. and I indulged in a fabulous Gap/Target shopping spree. I learned that I now have a new shopping buddy, and that excites me greatly. Then Nick, Kristin, and I ran to Annie's to celebrate Roxie's birthday, which ended up being me at the end of a really long table and acting like an ass. We were super hyper that night for some reason. In fact, I was being so obnoxious that at one point I moved to lick Kristin's water glass, but instead spilled a HUGE dollop of water all the way down the front of my shirt and in a big puddle on my new bag. Which is purple. And yes, two guys (that I didn't know) saw, which was just mortifying. If I hadn't have been acting like such an ass it wouldn't have been bad.

Then I hung out with my beautiful OL friends to celebrate Roxie's 20th year and I drank a green substance out of a Hello Kitty water jug. But it's ok, and here's why. Kristin made it, and she made it for me, and I heart Kristin. So it's all good. Then Eric picked me up and we drove to St. Cloud to spend the rest of the weekend hanging out with his family. They own land in an air stream park so we spent the day driving golf carts, coloring, and playing with Alex, his nephew. He had a cold so every time he got really happy he'd smile and a huge gob of phlegm and spit would come pouring out of his mouth. Much of the time he was really happy was spent on Eric's shoulders, so a lot of those gobs got on Eric's head and shoulders, but I don't think he noticed/minded. Then we drove back and watched America's Funniest Home videos on his parents' awesome bed. I want a bed like that as soon as I get my own place, or enough money. Either one. Anyway, for some reason the videos were so funny I almost had a seizure, and then I almost had one for being so ashamed I was laughing that hard at America's Funniest Home videos. Then I met Eric's grandparents Marge and Dick Yanke (yes, Richard Yanke is right) and drove back home to a messy room and grape nuts.

And today I decided to turn a big article outlining all of the proposed future structural changes at the University into a three part series, which will run next week. This is great because not only do I get 4 extra days to work on and organize them, but I will get to focus on making them comprehensive and interesting, which is hard to do on deadline.

I do love my purple purse though. Don't think I forgot about it.

was this day REALLY what I woke up to?

Apr. 26th, 2005 @ 11:01 am

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Music: "Southern Energy" Phish

So I went to bed late last night, telling myself everything is going to be ok because I didn't have class until 11:15 today, and I was going to be able to sleep in until 10 at least. Then 7 am rolls around and I get not one, not two, not three, not four, but FIVE calls from the Daily telling me about a crisis that they're having. Apparently, due to a late photo editing session for the Daily's "Day in the Life" piece, none of our 30,000 papers got distributed by our hired distribution company this morning. So what does that mean for us? The staff had to do it. So my luxurious 10 am sleeping in time was a frantic, crisis-filled 7 am, resulting in Kari and I filling her car to the brim with papers and delivering them to all the classrooms on Church St.. And to pick a paper up, you grab the two sharp wiry strings that the bundles are are held together with, in packs of 50. I had no idea the EE/CS building kids read FOUR-HUNDRED Daily's a day, but they do. Oh, and it was sweet that it started raining halfway through.

People better freaking LOVE their papers today.

damn you breaking news! DAMN YOU!

Apr. 28th, 2005 @ 05:08 pm

Current Mood: freaking OUT
Current Music: The Carpenters "Superstar"

Just when you think you're about to wrap up and go home for the day this little voice from the other side of the newsroom goes, "Anna...what do you have going on right now?" and you know you're doomed for the next 2 hours.

DAMN YOU BREAKING NEWS!!!

http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2005/04/29/64426

spring jammin'

May. 1st, 2005 @ 02:01 am

This year's spring jam brought:

A bitchy band who yells at their audience called Everclear.
Lots of drinking.
About a hundred amazing OL's and co-chairs.
My first mosh pit.
The wonderful Luke saving my life from my first mosh pit.
Rain that I don't mind because I was warm from other's body heat.
Evan commenting on his crotch availability in tight 70's pants.
Numb lips/cheeks.
About a million crazy phone calls back and forth.
Two trips to Dinnakin, two to Pioneer, three to Coffman and one to Joe's.
One happy, happy Anna.

Thanks to all my cohorts. You know who you are.

Shhhhhhhh

May. 1st, 2005 @ 12:55 pm

Walking around campus this morning, it's like everyone at the University has a secret. Most people just had the slightest corner of a smile on their faces as they probably thought back (hazily) on whatever the hell happened to them last night.

oh man oh man oh man oh man oh man

May. 3rd, 2005 @ 10:03 am

Current Mood: ecstatic
Current Music: Weezer "American Girls"

I'M SEEING WEEZER TONIGHT!!!

sweaty Weezer and new job

May. 4th, 2005 @ 01:58 pm

Current Mood: complacent
Current Music: anything Weezer

The weezer concert was amazing. Roxie, Than's hoard, and I were in the third row right in front of the bassist and Rivers. Except...if you've ever been to a Weezer concert you know what it's like. The people push so hard that it's literally body upon body upon body. I was spooning this blonde girl whose hair kept getting in my mouth and eyes. People were pushed so close to me that at one point I could have lifted up my feet and been completely supported on all sides so that I would be held up straight in the air with no leg support at all. Oh, and it was about 115-120 degrees, so everyone was soaked in their sweat and other people's sweat. But here's a bit of advice for any girls with long hair that may be attending a concert like this. PUT IT UP! I didn't, and neither did Roxie, so it kept getting stuck between our arms and other people's arms/faces and then you can't move your head in any direction until you yank it out, which makes it ratty from all the friction. So tie it up ladies and gents. I should have.

BUT! It was AMAZING. They played all of my favorites and a lot of great new songs and I would go to another Weezer concert in a second.

Beyond that, I just got hired as the Freelance Editor for the Minnesota Daily for the summer so I'm super excited about that. It will be a challenge with orientation leading every hour of ever day but I can do it because I am super Anna.

Woo!

back at schoo'

May. 8th, 2005 @ 09:12 pm

Current Music: "This is such a pity" Weezer

After a trip home to the EC that included a surprise visit from my sister and brother-in-law, an introduction of a special boy I know to the Weggel clan, and a house full of mothers day decorations, I am back on campus for the last week of school. Except one would think that a girl who only has one final (rock history) on saturday would have a pretty easy week - BUT - lo and behold she does not. I will be spending the week studying, editing my professor's nonfiction novel, setting up my new office (come visit me lots), and getting ready to move on saturday. Five days will bring the Anna/Nicky J/Dave apartment to it's commencement, and the good times will begin.

I bought a new fan that will be my own to be placed directly at my face every night, just how I like it.

Oooooo it's gonna be a good summer.

my hero

May. 9th, 2005 @ 01:59 am

Current Mood: grateful
Current Music: star wars theme song

Thank goodness for boyfriends who come and pick you up at 1:45 in the morning when you are sexiled TWICE in one night from your very own room.

bleeding heart, gallon of wine, and the cloud town

May. 11th, 2005 @ 08:21 pm

Current Mood: happy
Current Music: "Bitches aint Shit" Ben Folds

And thus concludes another visit to the cloud town.

This week's visit brought the following things:

-a night's sleep alone in the biggest bed I've ever slept in.
-four Family Guy episodes, two of which were watched with a disapproving middle-aged woman.
-delicious rhubarb pie made by my very domestic bf.
-a crazy birthday party that included a tall boy I know playing a 2-hour game of Go and lugging around a gallon of wine.
-a shower with really good smelling shampoo. (I just smelled my hair and it still smells good.)
-me having to kiss a baby's cheek two times in front of lots of people who know him better than me.
-a shopping spree at Gap outlet, which is really just amazingly fabulous.
-the most beautiful flower I've ever seen, which is called a Bleeding Heart.
-lots of free really good food.

And a lot of other generally good stuff.

Kristin and I are studying in Coffman but the kind of studying where you're not really studying but rather listening to crazy songs and half watching an episode of That 70's Show while sending files back and forth to each other and calling friends, and I just realized I am so ridiculously happy. I had a really great weekend and week and I have 2 kick ass jobs for the summer and I have one final and then I'm done with school for a really long time. I'm moving into my first apartment on Saturday and life is just sickeningly good.

it can be done.

May. 13th, 2005 @ 11:30 pm

Current Mood: hopeful

One more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day one more day!

"I got soul but I'm not a soldier!!"

May. 15th, 2005 @ 11:48 pm

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: "all these things that I've done" the killers

Hey, look at me! I'm in my new apartment!

So, the notion that I actually have more than one place to sit in the place that I live is totally astonishing. In the res hall, I could sit at my desk or lay on the bed. Here, I can sit on the bed, at my desk, at my other chair in my room, at one of two couches, at one of two chairs in the main room, on tables, on the counter, on the floor, at nick or dave's desk, etc, etc, etc.

My roommates are ridiculously nice and fun and I went grocery shopping just for myself for the first time ever today. I bet you want to know what I got. I got...pitas, hummus, bread, super chunky peanut butter, grape jelly, cheese, cheesy pringles, milk, and apple passion mango juice. Oh, and baggies. And it was $25. Question: am I weird for never seeing a grocery store where you have to bag your own groceries until this semester? I didn't know they did that. But it's cool though. I like it.

I've also come to the conclusion that moving is difficult. Even when you are moving 2 blocks over. But special thanks goes out to my moving all-stars (in no particular order) Alyson, Kristin, Nick, and Eric. You are my super movers and I heart you all very very much. It sort of sucks that I have to quasi-move again Sunday, but at least it will be only a week's worth of material at a time.

You may wonder what my plans are for the remainder of this fine Sunday evening but I'm here to tell you that it's really up in the air. Midnight before a morning when I get to sleep in means I could do anything. Reading? Maybe. Watch Dave play tecmo superbowl? It's possible. Watch episodes of Sex and the City on my laptop until I fall asleep? Sure. Stare out my window onto U Liquors and Burger King? Yep, I could. But the point is...LOOK AT ME I'M IN MY FIRST APARTMENT EVER!

my most humble apologies

May. 16th, 2005 @ 09:51 pm

Current Mood: forgetful
Current Music: "Hold Me" Weezer

I would like to offer my most sincere apologies to my good friend Nik for spelling his name wrong. How could I place that revolting C in the middle of his name, thus forth defiling all that is good and great in his heritage? I am deeply ashamed at my contempt and neglect.

Niko, I am sorry.

I would also like to offer my thanks to you, on this day of our loneliness. May we always find comfort in each other as we pine over our loved ones when they remain too distant to chase away our discontent.

story time, kids.

May. 19th, 2005 @ 06:35 pm

Current Mood: giggly
Current Music: "Everything's not Lost" Coldplay

Ohhh man I'm going to get killed for writing this.

So...I was home in EC for two days for appointments and stuff like that, but I had no way to get back to the cities because I don't have a car. So instead of me taking a bus, my awesome bf offered to come spend the night and then take me back. So after we went to my high school's Pops concert and hung out with my friends for a few hours, we went back home and watched a movie. So it was really super late when we went to bed, but halfway through the night I was startled to find a very shaken up Eric in my bedroom. "Oh my gosh oh my gosh you will not BELIEVE what just happened," he whispered/screamed.

Apparently, he had woken up, confused, in the middle of the night and thought my 14-year-old brother who was sleeping in the bunk above him was ME. So he half laid on top of him and put his face up to his and said "Hey Sweetie."

"Umm...this isn't Anna's bed anymore...this is Willie," he said to Eric. Immediately, Eric FREAKED OUT and apologized profusely before running into my room to tell me what happened.

Ohhhh man, Eric. You're too much.

it's begun.

May. 24th, 2005 @ 10:56 pm

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Music: "There is" Boxcar Racer

Well orientation leading has officially started and with that comes...

14-16 hour work days - EVERY DAY.
tiredness all the time.
more information in 2 days then I've ever gotten in my life.

But...it's great. And I'm really happy. :)

ok wow I'm still alive.

Jul. 5th, 2005 @ 12:45 pm ok wow I'm still alive.

Look, it's me, and I'm writing in my livejournal! Ok ready go.

So, orientation leading has been great. We work from about 7 or 8 am to about 11 pm almost every day. And then we get the weekends off. But when we do work, every single minute of the day is planned out and often times you are stationed to one place for less than 15 minutes, so the schedule is incredibly meticulous. So then when the weekend rolls around, it is so open-ended that I actually feel uncomfortable. It's weird and unsettling to be able to wake up whenever I want and to just go where the breeze takes me. I need those multicolored 8-point-font schedules!

But since we have this week off, I've been adjusting better. I went to the cabin this weekend and skied for the first time this summer. Needless to say, it was with 5 other people at the same time so we stayed up for over 15 minutes, which was absolute torture on my lower back and forearms. I was closing a door behind me the other day and it was so difficult because I was so sore that I thought my arm might fall off. And then when I have to pick up something from the floor, I have to kind of slowly lean my straight body forward until I fall on the ground (but I catch myself, sort of, with my arms) and then I pick it up and then maneuver myself back upward while trying to still keep my back straight. I feel like I'm 89.

But I am getting to spend some good time with my Mikhaila. Yesterday after a stupid stupid stupid move on my part, I erased about 15 gigs of music off my iPod in under 2 seconds and I was so depressed that I could barely breathe when Ki called, but she just said "Settle down and come open the door. I'm in your driveway." And then when I was whining and saying I didn't want to move because I was so sad she was like "I'm buying you ice cream. Let's go." And then I was whining about ice cream and how I don't like it and she was like, "FINE. I'M BUYING YOU A BREAD BOWL. WITH RANCH DRESSING. LET'S GO." And a breadbowl with ranch dressing from Perkins was my favorite treat in high school so she definitely got me up with that one.

Then we went to the fireworks and I got to see my high school buddy Eric and we had an intense stare down that probably made me laugh harder than I have in months. Oh wait, the last time I laughed anywhere near that hard was actually this weekend when my cousin Abby told me about a girl in her school that dropped her entire lunch, which was on a tray, on a bunch of stairs in her high school and she was so embarrassed that she picked everything off the floor and still ate it. And she even had like a beef patty that had rolled and slid on the ground, but she put it back together with the buns and still ate it. Ohhhhh tray dropping. Everyone experiences it once in a lifetime. And for most people...many times.

Back to fireworks. So they were playing songs like "Burning Ring of Fire" when there was big fire bursts as part of the show, then "Proud to be an American" when there was a light up flag pattern...but then all of the sudden the DJ plays "Hollaback Girl" as in...this shit's bananas...b.a.n.a.n.a.s. And I was like WHAT? Is this really happening?? SO random and wildly inappropriate.

But my one task that I have to complete before going to the cities tomorrow (besides tubing down the river, having a girly sleepover, going grocery shopping, and buying deodorent and iPod speakers) is this: my brother recently took my room because it has a phone and bathroom, so he and my mom moved every single thing I have that isn't with me at college into his old room, in a heap up to the ceiling. So I have to sort through all of that TODAY. I said my mom should pay me $5 an hour to do that but she just laughed. And it wasn't like a "oh anna you're so charming you're the light of my life" laugh, it was like a "HA!"

Oh man. Let the sorting begin.

oh you silly electronic device.

Jul. 9th, 2005 @ 02:20 am

Current Mood: frustrated
Current Music: whatever the hell CD I'm ripping at the moment

Yes, I AM talking about my iPod.

Did you know you can be punished for loving your iPod too much? Well, you can. So I was at my parents' house earlier this week just gingerly playing with my iPod and iBook when all of the sudden the thought occurred to me that I should probably take off some of my playlists, since I have way too many. I thought this would be a simple process, but it proved to be much more difficult then I had imagined.

Apparently, the attempt was a fatal one because in a matter of seconds, maybe TWO seconds, the entire memory was wiped from my iPod.

And you probably are thinking "Calm down Anna, all your music is right there in your iBook. Just reload it and everything will be fine." Yeah, that WOULD be the case, if my music WAS all on my computer. However, when I got my iPod I took all of my CD's and ripped them onto the computer, labeling most by hand because they are mostly burned CD's and so iTunes didn't pick up the track lists. Then, when I put them all on the iPod, I figured I could erase them because who needs them on your computer...if they're ON YOUR IPOD.

So here I am, on hour four of ripping CD's and guess how many I have done? 20. Yep, that's it. 20. And I probably have upwards of 150 more that I have to put on there. WHY IS IT SO EASY TO ERASE THE ENTIRE MEMORY OF IPODS? And why is it so hard to take off a stinking playlist?!?

IPod, I still love you. I need you to know that. But I want you to know that you have really frustrated me, not to mention taken up many many hours of my time on this, my week off of work. I do applaud your excellent timing, as I do have this week off and therefore are able to devote time just to you, but if you craved my attention so much why didn't you just say something like any civilized appliance would? You don't have to go behind my back and underhandedly erase all of my music, which has taken tens of years of my life to collect.

I care about you, iPod. But when you do things like this, it's hard for me to respect you for the highly intelligent device you are. So please, keep your sophistication in mind next time you decide to hold grudges and play tricks.

Not cool, iPod. Not cool at all.

I really expect better out of you from now on.

So lost.

Jul. 17th, 2005 @ 10:35 pm

Current Mood: gloomy
Current Music: Nick Drake "Ride"

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITHOUT ORIENTATION?!

email I just got

Jul. 19th, 2005 @ 06:31 pm

Current Mood: busy
Current Music: Rocko's Modern Life theme song

This is an email I just got:

Hello my hope!
I am not sure you get this message but if you got I want you to know that I want to travel to your country to work in two weeks and I just want to meet right man.I live in Russia and my goal is to leave this country because it is impossible to live here for young pretty woman. if you have not wife or girlfriend ,maybe we could try to meet? I am Tayana ,I am 25 years old ,please write to me directly to my mail - lapa203@pochta.ru , See you soon!!!

(Consequently...I DON'T think I'm going to be emailing her.)

adventures at the Vu

Jul. 19th, 2005 @ 06:32 pm

Current Mood: winding down
Current Music: still Rocko's Modern Life theme song

I have a confession to make. Last night Mike and Nick forced Kristin and I to go to the Vu. Yes, the strip club. As in...boobs in faces...dollar bills in thongs...fergurner everywhere you turn...etc. It was fine and lots of fun (because is it every really not fun when a few OL's get together?) but then after a rousing game of pool (I'm sorry for missing every shot Mike - it was blondes against brunettes) we decided to go up to the second floor. We grabbed some nice comfy seats up towards the front and soon enough the bendiest stripper walked straight up to us, made boob grabbing motions to my breasts and said "oo la la." She asked us if we wanted a lap dance at all and we politely declined, as we didn't really feel like paying $20 (or getting a lap dance, in Kristin and my cases). Then she said "How about you two kiss?" motioning to Mike and Nick, "then she and I will kiss" motioning to me. I sheepishly laughed and politely said "No thanks, hee hee." Then she got a really pissed look on her face, said "it was just a joke" and stormed off.

Not to mention another stripper avoided us the whole night because she was from Kristin's high school. But the whole night I couldn't stop giggling at Mike's nickname for a stripper in a bright blue dress. He called her "Blue Lagoon."

Oh, and Kristin and I used toilet paper that we found on the floor and so we probably both have scabies (or is it scavies?), or some sort of STD, STI, VD, or whatever the kids are calling it these days.

for those of you who are bored.

Jul. 21st, 2005 @ 07:54 pm

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: "Feels like Home" JD Vernon

A good idea on a nice day in the Twin Cities is to bike to the Old Spaghetti Factory. When you get there, it takes a while for them to seat you (20 min. usually) so you can take that time to cool off and let your stomach settle. By the time it does and you're starving, you get served a 3 course delicious meal for a small amount of money.

Mmmmmm.

oh south Dakota

Jul. 28th, 2005 @ 02:23 am

Current Mood: content
Current Music: the big wu "precious hands"

A pre-entry note...Isn't it hard to recap a big trip the day after? I find it literally impossible. it's like a big test. when you're done you just let it go and you can't think of one question that was even on the test.

So I spent the last three days in South Dakota. Here are some of the highlights:

-I played with steer, donkeys, tiny barn kittens, cows, sheep, a dog, a fish, frogs, and baby calves.
-I spent three days with Kristin, Gary, Joe, Evan, and Mike (what I like to call an all-star cast).
-We drove with 5 people in a tiny car, 5.5 hours each way.
-I might have a horrible terribly embarrassing secret that may have been revealed during the trip. Oh wait, yeah I really did.
-The little calves were way into sucking anything they could get near, which meant our hands, fists, and sweatshirts.
-We fit 6 people on a four-wheeler, which meant Gary and I had to sit on a huge metal saw in the front.
-Two pasture cows ate out of my HANDS, which is really rare and awesome.
-Kristin, Gary and I were able to weasel two nights of back to back chick flicks.
-We all slept in a huge combination of an L shaped couch, piled gym mats, bean bags, blankets and pillows.
-We went to Storybook Land in Aberdeen where I followed the yellow brick road, climbed Jack and Jill's hill, and bought a T-shirt in a little white house. Oh, I also slid down a shoe and yelled inside a room-sized pumpkin. Oh, and I drove a pirate ship and posed naughtily with a scarecrow. Oh yeah, I also rid a balloon which spun at a trillion miles an hour and bought a blow pop for 11 cents and sat on a train with three people in a two-person seat.
-I delightfully consumed more junk food than I may have this entire summer.
-I took Dramamine twice and got car sick zero times.

And many more memories which I will remember immediately after I press "update journal."

Hey, South Dakota, it was nice to meet you. You're a sweet, welcoming place to be. However, I felt a sigh of relief pass over all of us once we slid into those beautiful cities. You are awesome, South Dakota, and some day you will find someone who thinks you are just as great a place to be as any other, but to be honest? If you really want me to tell the truth? You got nothin' on the TC.

the times they are a-changin'

Aug. 8th, 2005 @ 02:18 am

Current Mood: content
Current Music: "Golden Touch" Razorlight

Let me know if you feel me on this one.

So is anyone finding, in your old age, that you often prefer a night in to partying? I find myself out of the stage where I'm desperate to find friendship with as many people as possible, but rather valuing the deep, worthwhile friendships that I have made. And now that I have them, I'm usually like - eh, I could put on some uncomfortable clothes and drink some awful beverage and giggle inapropriately all night long, or I can throw a pan of pizza rolls in the oven, hoard up in my room, and watch as many episodes of Sex and the City as I want until I feel like doing something else.

See, the thought of that just brings a smile to my face.

You feel me?

it's the little things.

Aug. 13th, 2005 @ 12:42 am

Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: Willy Porter "Watercolor Sunrise"

I have a friend who has the most interesting and compelling blog I've ever read, and I love reading it every couple of days. It's nothing incredibly special or amazing, it's just interesting recollections of normal things that happen in everyday life. But I guess the entries are just so genuinely interesting, that today I realized it had been a few lines before I remembered to blink, then my eye watered! I'm not creepy, I promise. I just enjoyed reading it so much that I forgot to blink. Remember...I'm normal...not creepy.

But it made me think about how it's silly things that have been making me so happy and content lately. Here's a random list of examples of these things.

-interesting people's blogs
-pizza rolls
-my new book
(I thought I'd never find another acceptable book again after reading Harry Potter 6. How can you compare any book to this one? I was honestly concerned no other book would ever satisfy me again. Consequently, I found Memoirs of a Geisha.)
-watering my plant
-being sneaky
-remembering to wear my watch to work
-old music that I forgot about that I used to love
-organizing things and having a clean room
-having three jobs next semester
-wearing my OL polo on the way to work and having people look oddly at me

And other various tidbits.

*sigh. ahhh the little things.

one is the lonliest number

Aug. 15th, 2005 @ 01:10 pm

Current Mood: nostalgic
Current Music: MHS showchoir "How can we say Goodbye?"

So my roommates have all moved out. Goodbye you princes of 508, you players of nintendo.

And here I am. All by my lonesome until that fateful day when my landlord calls me and tells me my new room is ready. The day in which I will have a total of 24 hours to move every possession I own into my new apartment before they kick me out of the old. What awaits me is a new, lovely large applianced, heavily closeted 2 bedroom apartment with a big shower and a huge sink room. But don't worry, I won't be stepping out onto the bare floor when I get out of the shower because yes, I did buy a bathmat yesterday and yes, it does have ducks on it. Fear not, toes! You will not have to grace the cold, tiled (and probably dusty) floor by your lonesomes.

And I'm going to put my bed up to the top notch on the posts so that it isn't bunked, but tall enough to put LOTS of stuff underneath like storage compartments and winter clothes, as well as myself for when I hide under there and scare people. It will be a bit of a hop for when I need to get in bed, but I'm a pretty tall girl, hey.

Things I have acquired from roommates who carelessly moved out without caring about stuff they left behind: lots of food, beer, a can opener, salt/pepper shakers, a coffee mug, a glass, a ceramic dish, women's sunglasses, marti gras beads, a load of cleaning supplies, hundreds of plastic bags, washcloths, kleenex, a shower caddy, about 80 sets of silverware, and other various items I will gingerly encounter and consider for possession over the next few days.

But I do lack vital necessities since they have left. Those being a pan, ziploc baggies, a DVD player, and the company of those crazy boys. Who is going to say "Good morning, precious!" in an oh-so-condescending way when I stagger out of bed in the morning, looking like hell? Who is going to rhythmically march into my bedroom two-by-two until I force them to leave after they get home from a party? Who is going to sit through movies like Raise Your Voice, The First Daughter, and Eight-Legged Freaks with me? Who is going to embarrass me in front of all of my friends?

*sigh. Oh how I will miss them, and oh how I will miss 508. Goodbye you hangout place which is equivalent to Save By the Bell's "The Max," you first apartment of mine. May your next inhabitants come to appreciate all that you are, and all that you can be.

Godspeed!

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Aug. 22nd, 2005 @ 12:39 pm

Current Mood: ecstatic
Current Music: anything super happy

I'M AN ASSOCIATE EDITOR FOR THE MINNESOTA DAILY!!!!

trying kila's format

Aug. 24th, 2005 @ 12:24 am

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Music: Annie "Maybe"

Something new, something crap, something cool, did I nap...

Something new: I am the editor for the campus desk at the Daily and I'm really excited for that.
Something crap: I have really bad morning sickness whenever I have to get up before 8 (and no I'm not preggers) and tomorrow I work 7-4.
Something cool: I've been using the voice dial feature on my phone lately, which I really like.
Did I nap?: I tried to, but I just ended up watching the OC in my bed for 1 hour then going to Applebees with friends. But I promise I'm going to bed early tonight to make up for it.

And...scene.

Goodbye, life. (but not in the creepy suicidal way.)

Sep. 5th, 2005 @ 09:17 pm

Current Mood: anxious
Current Music: Rufus Wainwright "The Consort"

So, for me this semester brings...4 jobs that equal over 50 hours a week, 13 credits, and another year of a cappella-ness.

Does anyone feel on this last day of our freedom you see your life flashing before your eyes? I fear that the actual end to any sort of shred of relaxation that I have ever felt is coming in a matter of hours. Will I be able to even attend my classes? Will I ever read a book for fun again? Will I be able to eat snacks, much less meals? I know I won't be sleeping more than a few hours a night, but will I even get those? What about showering - will there be time for that?

Don't get me wrong. I feel completely honored to be taking on a bunch of awesome positions, and a great internship, and interesting classes. I wouldn't have it any other way. But...I think I'm just going to have to get through it week by week. And it's just 15 total. Anyone can do that.

Right?

just a note.

Oct. 2nd, 2005 @ 06:00 pm

Excuse my while I go to a Weezer/Foo Fighters concert.

:)

Oct. 5th, 2005 @ 07:41 pm (no subject)

The concert was great.

Oct. 5th, 2005 @ 07:42 pm (no subject)

Something new: Today I got to sleep in for the first time this semester (including weekends).

Something crap: I got a little teary-eyed today when I tried to talk to my teacher about my participation grade because of him not knowing my name yet. How can I get a good grade, regardless of the amount that I actually participate, if he doesn't know my name? It just doesn't make sense. Oh, and he totally denied not using my name, even though he couldn't even use it during our discussion. Oh, and he won't call on me in class unless there's no one else raising their hand. In that case, he just points at me and goes "yeah?"

Something cool: My homework mainly consists on reading novels. Some are super hard, though.

Did I nap?

No.

just going to jump back in

Nov. 20th, 2005 @ 01:27 am

Current Mood: calm
Current Music: Brand New

Since Naomi directly requested it, I shall update. But I can't really catch up the last - oh - five months so I'll start with tonight.

7 Days had a gig (second in two days) at Coffman at the Cube. "Walkin' on Broken Glass" got a standing ovation, but...it was just (slightly drunk) Kristin doing the standing. But I appreciated it still. :) Then I went and actually spent time with my friends, which I can hardly believe. It was sooooo nice to see them; but I did find out that the house of OL's I am investing in for my senior year will probably be a party house. But who am I kidding...I think I knew it deep down.

And so now I am back on my typical spot on the futon, typing away at emails or homework or nothing at all; the only place that truly, I think, makes me feel at home.

"What time are you getting up tomorrow, pumpkin?" Eric just said. Yes, my lovely W.O.W. addicted boyfriend trying to get to level 49 is the ever-present part of my home.

But don't worry, I will get up soon enough. I mean, I'm going to need a snack at some point.

It's too much too high

Nov. 27th, 2005 @ 11:45 pm

Current Music: Jem "flying high"

Thanksgiving break was so long. I couldn't wait to see my family, since I hadn't seen them since the summer. But I think the excitement was quick to wear off, as I realized what it's like to live with my family. They're amazing, truly, but I feel far too old to live with anyone that birthed me, even for a couple of days. I think it's just more of a hassle than anything else.

I missed Eric much. But then I got used to it. It's weird how we get panicky when someone is taken out of our life for a second, but it's just for that second, until it starts to become habitual. When you're used to coming home to someone, it's hard to relay the same things you'd talk about in person to being the same on the telephone. Conversations were like "So...how was the wedding? Oh yeah that's right, you mentioned that yesterday. Um...I miss you!"

As much as I complain about the number of jobs I have, the amount of homework I have to do, and the fraction of sleep I get a night, I definitely prefer that crazy lifestyle to the lackadaisical, boring to a fault disposition that I find myself in at the cabin. All there is to do, is nothing. A delightful nothing (at first). I don't know what I would do if it wasn't for books. Books are like television...but without feeling guilty about it.

I'm pretty sure that I'm 20 years old. But sometimes I wonder if that is actually true, like when my stomach physically climbs up my throat and hangs out the window when I see certain people on the street, or at a gas station. You think you grow out of something, or out of someone, but I guess it takes longer than you think. Or maybe you just don't. 60,000 people here and it has to happen to me at least a couple times a month. Such is life.

I've just found myself a sort of haven in Than's room. AL was watching a movie in the main room and I didn't feel like being in my bedroom. I created a little nook on the leaf couch. And I ate a bologna and cheese sandwich there. I could probably use this haven at least once a day and he wouldn't be the wiser. But it doesn't matter. He's a good roommate. I'd give him an 8/10 (Than, I'll be willing to discuss that number and it's possible progression up the ladder if you start doing dishes). Also, buy TP already. I'm sick of stealing it. :)

I think a musician that is way underrated is Rachael Yamagata. Please inquire within if you wish to listen/have her music.

That being said, I like how my iBook warms my lap when I'm chilly.

falun gong falun gong falun gong

Nov. 29th, 2005 @ 09:10 pm

Current Music: Badly Drawn Boy "File Me Away"

So when you've written 1744 words on the Chinese government's persecution of Falun Gong and you still have 756 to go what do you do? Drink a peach Fresca, buck up, and watch MTV.

See you roughly in an hour, paper. Maybe 45 minutes if your LUCKY!

when it's love, it's love.

Dec. 2nd, 2005 @ 08:13 am

Current Music: whatever was on Making the Band 3 last night. what?

So...I'm in love.

I'm in love with a shoe.

His name is Mr. Chuck Taylor.

I have a beloved size 6 (8 in women) blue low-top, buuut I've had it for about 5 or 6 years and it isn't exactly, let's say, conducive to dryness or warmth. So my natural option was to get a new pair of Chucks. So I got black, same size, same style.

Yep, they're still not conducive to dryness or warmth.

And yep, I will wear them every day.

anything from RENT

Dec. 4th, 2005 @ 11:12 am

Things I am currently in love with:

Minnesota Daily Holiday Party.

RENT.

My bf's new guitar.

My skirt.

K that's all for now.

Wednesday night musings

Dec. 8th, 2005 @ 01:11 am

Current Music: whatever Than is playing. maybe you shook me all night long?

My spring semester is shaking up to be potentially outrageous. I mean, pure ridiculousness. Currently, I am enrolled in 5 classes (although it may end up being as little as 2 or 3), I'm associate editing, I have an internship with the Downtown Journal, and I may potentially work part-time for the St. Cloud Times...in St. Cloud. If this turns out to be something I do, I would have to purchase a car this month. My first car. Yeah, I've been able to get through 20 years of life without even a remnant of a car. And now I might own one in a couple weeks. This is weird. And costly.

And then who in god's name knows what my summer is going to turn out to be. It could be anything from a far away internship (although those offers are dropping like flies), to a cities internship, to work at the Daily, to orientation stuff, to...I don't know...selling tacos. Oh how I love tacos. I want a taco...

But I digress. For a person who revels in knowing exactly what the next year entails, this waiting around to hear back from people is less than desirable.

In other news, I decorated our apartment with two luminous strands of multi-colored christmas lights. They compliment Than's mini-tree that sits on Eric's WOW table well. Then they can go in my room next year when us crazy OL's move into our house. By the way, we still have to find a house. We should get on that. I also made cookies yesterday, but the grand total was (ready for it?) five. Five cookies. That's all I had dough for. Though it's the only thing I ever purchase, I feel very constricted by the cut-out dough squares...because there's no deviation from the cut outs. I mean, that's like blasphemy.

removal of the mane

Dec. 9th, 2005 @ 10:34 am

Current Music: rent, rent, and more rent

So you know how every college girl, her mother and/or her grandmother has a black, puffy coat with a furry hood? Yeah. I fell trap to the deliciously beautiful coats as well this winter.

I got it under the thinking that I was going to take the fur off the hood (because I'm far too cool to wear fur on a winter coat), but it just looked so beautiful and glamorous that I kept it on for a couple weeks.

But last night I finally came to my senses and took the icky fur off. Now it's like a have a beautiful new coat to wear and I don't have to feel like Nala (although...I may have liked that...just a little bit).

In other news, I think I consume more bagels than anyone else ever. I would probably starve if it weren't for bagels.

oh my god.

Dec. 12th, 2005 @ 11:12 pm

Current Music: "off to the races again" newsies

I don't think I have ever laughed harder in my life.

This is a holiday photo my roomates and I made, as a joke.




And this is the response I got back from my grandmother, Arlene.

Hi Anna: I'm just on my way to bed & always check out my email. What a neat surprise to see that beautiful picture of you three girls. Real magic & seasonal goodness!!!! Now I can have pleasant dreams thinking about it. Thanks again for the neat picture, really some sharp looking girls. <3gma<3>

we'll call it even

Dec. 14th, 2005 @ 01:13 am

Current Music: Dresden Dolls "Truth"

What a night this was. And it all started with three words.

And if we should meet through some misunderstanding
I'll be very sweet very patient and forgiving

And if we should see one another in passing
Despite these techniques there is sometimes no avoiding

We'll raise high our white flags and bow heads and shake hands
Declaring the land we're on unamerican

We'll call it even

satellitewalls: why does some stuff never go away
EmoBoy Eric: I dunno pumpkin

memoirs of a pizza collector

Dec. 14th, 2005 @ 03:13 pm

Current Music: The Decemberists

Two out of four of my classes today had pizza parties. I feel 5. And it's fabulous.

We've got one lunch-time pizza party down, one to go 'round dinner time. Kyle and I, after a pre-class intense strategy/planning session about the appropriate amounts of pizza to take, a navigation system to get to the pizza, and an extremely meticulous pizza-putting-on-place/soda-putting-in-cup plan, managed to down two plus sodas each and FIVE PIECES of PIZZA A PIECE. That's right, bitches.

What? Our teacher ordered 15 pizzas for 25 people. I got a stern yelling at from Ting, our TA, for not finishing all of the pizza like I promised I would. But she only had one piece. At least I tried.

My pants are wet like the bottom tenth of me has been dipped in a lake. Despite the weather reports and my knowledge of the pile of snow that got dumped on us last night, I STILL wore my chucks. I keep telling myself that "next time" I'll wear regular shoes, but that never happens. And it probably never will, and I'll probably continue to complain about my wet pants.

So something has been bugging me for a while. I know it, my roommates make fun of me for it...but I have this thing where after I get my shoes, coat, hat, mittens, and headphones on, and my keys are in hand, I have to walk back to our sink room, wait for the light to turn on (there's a slight delay), then look at the whole picture in the mirror. This bothered me for a long time. I didn't think I was THAT self-absorbed. But then I figured it out.

I love my coat.

And that's it! It's not because I'm worried about what I look like or if the package works together, it's just that my coat is really pretty. And I like looking at it. Because it's pretty. And I love it.

Ho ho ho? I say ho hum.

Dec. 24th, 2005 @ 04:03 pm

Current Music: Rent "santa fe"

Christmas is great and all but I miss the cities like a mofo.

Wake me up when it's time to go home (or open presents).

WICKED!

Jan. 4th, 2006 @ 05:23 pm

Current Music: "Defying Gravity" Wicked

So I went to Madison to visit my sister and brother-in-law for new years. On a whim, we decided to head to Chicago for a day trip on Saturday. We decided to get there around 11:30 in order to enter our names in a Borders contest for last minute tickets to their mid-day showing of Wicked. So we got there with only about 5 minutes to spare, ran around until we were in the right place, and threw our names in the hat. When it was time to draw the names (two hours before curtain), about 200 people had shown up for the drawing, so we weren't too optimistic. But lo and behold...the third name they called (out of ten) was my SISTER! So we won (get this) two FRONT ROW CENTER tickets to Wicked on Broadway.

But it doesn't even end there.

So an hour and a half later, we were sitting in the theater, in the front row mind you, about 2 or 3 feet from the stage (our feet were up against the orchestra pit, in which we had a full view), perusing the Playbill. I was looking through the cast and the name "Ana Gasteyer" caught my eye because I had been watching her for years on Saturday Night Live. She was always one of my favorites. But then, a few minutes after the play started (in all its glory), I realized she was the MAIN CHARACTER - Elphaba, the wicked witch. She was unbelievable. The entire thing blew my mind. I'm pretty sure I was bawling within one minute of the curtain going up. I mean, we were three feet from the actors. Sometimes they looked right into my eyes, it was literally unbelievable.

And so now I'm constantly listening to the soundtrack and I'm even wearing the shirt. I'm such a nerd. But I will never ever ever forget it and I doubt I will ever have a better theater experience in my whole life.

*dreamy sigh*

tidbit

Jan. 7th, 2006 @ 01:31 am

Current Music: Rent "Without you (reprise)"

I honestly don't know what I would do without show tunes.

spring break!!

Jan. 8th, 2006 @ 06:58 pm

Current Music: U2 "One"

This is the itenerary for my spring break plans in LA! My friend Mikhaila who I'm visiting emailed them to me today! Wooo!

Friday night--get into the city, scream and hug, go to my apartment. On the way, stop downtown to go to a swank bar at the top of one of the sky scrapers and toast the start of vacation! Back at my place, gossip, giggle, and gorge on munchies until the wee hours of the morning.

Saturday--Hit up the spa to de-stress from school and look radiant for the rest of break. Afterwards, head to the beach to get rid of the pasty-ness of the Midwest winter. Then back to my place to get dolled up for an LA Saturday night! We'll see the famous Groundlings improv comedy troupe. Post-show entertainment can either include a late dinner in Beverly Hills, drinks in West Hollywood, or a Club on Sunset Blvd.

Sunday--UNIVERSAL STUDIOS! Studio tour of sets from Desperate Housewives, Jurassic Park, War of the Worlds, Psycho, and HUNDREDS more. And then rides and shows and a haunted house that diminishes me to a whimpering 2-year-old. That night, we'll take off to San Diego.

Monday--Tijuana, Mexico!! Cheap margaritas, beer, and great Mexican food (duh). Also, bartering! The best deals for silver jewelry, leather jackets, and woven blankets. Also, everyone has to ride the mechanical bull!!! There is also a possibility of leaving early to go hang-gliding.

Tuesday--DISNEYLAND!!! This needs no further explanation.

Wednesday--Catch-all day. Anything goes! Possible TV show tapings, hiking, more beach, whatever makes us happy. Then, sadly, Anna Weggel will take off for MN.

Thursday--Venice beach during the day and at night, Hollywood Boulevard!!! The walk of fame, the famous Mann Chinese Theater w/ hand&foot prints of famous people, and the absolute BEST movie theater experience available in the world!

Friday--Anna O. leaves at the butt crack of dawn. Mikhaila enters depression phase of break.

I'm so bored I'm so bored I could dieeeeeeeeee

Jan. 10th, 2006 @ 11:52 am

Current Music: West Wing theme

OK so being an orientation leader is great, mind you. But every once in a while this thing called "Graduate Student Writing Workshop" comes along in which one OL is assigned to sit outside the door of the workshop from 8:55 until 5:30. Yep. I'm on hour 3 of 8.5.

So far I have...watched an episode of Seinfeld and an episode of the West Wing on my laptop, along with reading some of my book, talking on the phone, and eating crackers.

Lunch should be soon. Please make lunch be soon.

oh man.

Jan. 17th, 2006 @ 02:46 pm

Current Music: the ring tone that comes up when kristin calls

So, two out of my four classes so far are looking to be pretty boring, which is really bad for me because I usually can't pay attention well unless I'm adequately engaged. And the classes I have left are American Literature (which I'm excited for, but it's a really long night class) and public affairs reporting.

This semester may be on the dull side for classes, but (without even really trying that hard) I was able to not have any classes on Fridays this semester, which is something I never really thought would happen.

But if nothing else, I'll be reading at least 8 works of Shakespeare and at least 10 novels done by American authors. That's got to be kind of fun, right? RIGHT?

pure and unadulterated bliss.

Jan. 20th, 2006 @ 04:14 pm

Current Music: The Eels

I would like to formally announce that I know what I am doing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And if that doesn't work, I have a back up plan!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh thank god. Thank everyone and everything that has ever lived.

Woooooooooooooooooo!!

whew

Jan. 21st, 2006 @ 02:38 pm

Current Music: Wicked "For Good"

Alright, so I officially don't have to worry about turning down another internship now because when I got called for my interview, at the beginning of the conversation we were both like "yeah...this probably isn't going to work time wise" because I would have had to do 10+ hours on Saturdays along with some additional work during the week (in addition to 4 classes, another internship, and a full-time job at the Daily). So now, I feel 100% better that I don't have to turn something down that could have been offered to me, which I would have felt guilty for. Also, now I can hold off on buying a car for a while, which will save a little money and as long as I can use buses I will.

I kind of love the bus, like when it will take me wherever I want to go with a flick of my pass...
But I kind of hate it when I am harassed, sung to, paid attention to, or told I'm pretty. Don't get me wrong, I'm a girl. Anyone can tell me I'm pretty if they really feel compelled to do so (which happens sooooo often...not) except it's probably not appropriate when you're a stranger and you're yelling it at me over and over in front of a packed standing-room only bus. That's when the "this is not safe" radar goes off.

Ok I think I need to plug in some decorative lights, drink a black cherry fresca, and do homework then watch the west wing. Deal.

this awful guy in one of my classes

Jan. 26th, 2006 @ 05:17 pm

Current Music: 3 different radios around me (I'm at work).

I really can't fathom the behavior of 2 kids in my Shakespeare class. It's pretty much beyond belief. I have this older, distinguished, very intelligent professor (PHD from Harvard) who often stops what we're doing to ramble a lot - but his ramblings are of course very relevant and interesting. There is this awful, pretentious, idiotic loser who sits right by the teacher with his jerk female counterpart (budding classroom romance, except revolting instead of interesting or cute). All they do is argue with the teacher and whisper to each other/flirt during class. The height of the awfulness was when we had stopped our in-class play reading to listen to about a 5 to 10 minute ramble from the teacher. After minutes of their visual displays of disgust and audible displays as well, the guy said out loud to the professor (as he was teaching us) "could we PLEASE finish reading this act??" but the professor didn't hear or pay attention to what the student said. Then, after another minute or two he said it AGAIN and the teacher heard him and just dropped his head, and quietly said "oh, sure. we can read more." Everyone else in the class was furious with disgust at this awful show of disrespect. Besides that incident, he argued explicitly with the professor about what act we were going to read vs. what act he said we were going to read 5 minutes earlier. The conversation went like this:

prof: "Ok we're going to all read act 5 scene 2 now."
ass: "but you told us we're going to read 3:2."
prof: "oh, well we're going to do 5.2 now. The one we've been talking about all class period."
ass: "but you just said we're going to do 3:2 a minute ago so I was just wondering why you told us that if it wasn't true."

He actually talks like that to the teacher! GOD! And then whenever he's done talking, he audibly bashes the teacher in front of everyone (we all face each other) to his sidekick. I HATE HIM.

it's mine, mine, mine for the taking

Feb. 8th, 2006 @ 12:17 am

Current Music: anything Coldplay or Dresden Dolls

I'm sorry I'm too busy celebrating my birthday month to post. You know how it goes.

happy birthday to me

Feb. 12th, 2006 @ 01:29 pm

I never really thought that I would be as lucky as I am to have been able to spend my 21st birthday in a 10-hour car ride to Urbana, Illinois.

But I was that lucky.

And by lucky, I mean severely, severely unlucky.

So I woke up around 9:30 on Friday, the same day that I came out the womb 21 years ago. I was feelin' good, you know, the way you feel when you wake up on your birthday. It's like, "ok this is kind of anticlimactic, but I'm feelin' good, because it's my birthday and I'm the queen of this day." I frantically took a shower so as not to be late to my birthday lunch at Applebees. I got 4 phone calls in the shower, and answered 3. I got 3 more while I was changing, and made about 4 during this time. But then I finally got there, and dined with 5 delicious orientation leader friends.

As Nick J., January, and I were leaving, we were wondering why we didn't order drinks. Then, we turned around, walked back to Applebees, and ordered drinks. I am proud to say that my first legal drop of alcohol was that of my first sip of a Bahama Mama. I told my mom I drank it in honor of her, my mama. Whilst looking at a picture of the occasion, her comment was that the drink was "as big as my head," and to be "careful of fruity drinks because they can sneak up on you." Jeannie Weggel, you are the cutest.

So then I got home, not drunk in the slightest, packed for the a cappella competition in Illinois that my group is singing in, and watched 2 episodes of Arrested Development. Then 6:30 pm rolled around and it was time for Anna Leisa, Michael, Anthony, Alanna and me to enter the abyss that was to be the next 10 hours of our lives.

It was a blur. There were some trees, some loud music, some desperately trying to complete a spot of homework with one tiny fraction of booklight shared by three normal-sized adults crammed into a backseat of an extremely tiny car. There was some gas stations, some candy, some complaining, some stinky feet, some space issues, but then we arrived at our hotel at 4:30 am. Which brings me to the hotel.

Our hotel. Poop-stained towels, pee-stained walls and mattresses, creepy red warm light in the bathroom, and a loose toilet seat. Sleep.

We wake up at 11:30, rehearse at the University for 2 hours, eat pizza/dress for 1 hour, then spend the rest of the night at the competition, of which took home nothing from. We didn't receive any individual prizes and we didn't advance to the next round. But we did well, you know, for us. It was just kind of LONG to drive for such an empty-handed return.

So the competition ended at 11:30 pm, which was hours upon hours later than we thought it was going to. We got on the road at 12 pm, grabbed McDonalds, and drove off into another abyss of driving land. I started to panic when I thought we had been driving for an hour or two, when I looked at the clock and realized it was only 12:30. Anna Leisa and Michael panicked when they realized it was only 2. But then 4 rolled around, then 6, then the sun came up, and we were home by 9:30. Then I slept for approximately 2 hours before I woke up, took a shower, and ran (literally) to work for a 12 pm desk meeting.

And here I am. *sigh. On two hours of sleep, at work. *sigh.

What a birthday.

worst decision EVER.

Feb. 17th, 2006 @ 01:16 am

Current Music: Fiona Apple "Never is a Promise"

I am nothing short of ashamed to tell you that I went to the sneak preview of Date Movie today. I really need to not talk about it, but all I'm going to say is that it's absolutely horrendous. Not funny at all. Unless you think overweight people, little people, and beating up the homeless is funny. Ok, I tried, I tried SO hard to get into it and laugh and take things lightly, but when the main character took a pliers to her fist-sized whitehead, I had to turn away. Please just know that the tickets were free.

In other news, my plants need to be watered, I laugh at our vice president and his silly shooting-his-friends habit, and I really can't seem to get enough of Quiznos' broccoli cheese soup lately.

just around the corner

Mar. 2nd, 2006 @ 10:06 pm

Current Music: johnny cash a la purple onion

If ever there has been a girl to need a spring break vacation in LA it's this one. Thank gooooooooooooooooood it's coming next week.

Here's what I've been up to.

-going crazy (as usual)
-interning (trying to)
-editing/managing (being a mom)
-homeworking (not often enough)
-future-ing (applying for a big job)
-a cappella-ing (we have 4 new members yay)
-trying out a new hairstyle (I did that one day)
-working out (it lasted 3 days and I haven't since)
-sleeping (sometimes)
-eating (all the time)
-watching tv (the office, sex/city, mtv)
-playing with my roommates (anna, eric, and than when he's home)
-reading (endless amounts of shakespeare, amer lit, and journalism stuff)
-drinking (primarily water but a lot of white hot chocolates too)
-dressing up more (trying to look professional-like)
-etc. (everything else)

Friday CANNOT come soon enough!!

oh man oh man oh man oh man oh man

Mar. 9th, 2006 @ 07:24 pm

I'M GOING TO LA I'M GOING TO LA!

Ok see you when I get back, deal ok bye.

Mar. 26th, 2006 @ 05:04 pm

The long-awaited spring break update:

Friday: I got to LA at about 1:10 am (LA time - so about 3:10 am for
me) and Anne-Elise and Mikhaila greeted me at the airport. We waited a
long time for my luggage to come through (Sun Country is really slow
with luggage) then we drove to Mikhaila's house. Her room is just
bigger than the size of a twin bed, then it's connected to a tiny
kitchen through a tiny bathroom. I'm amazed we all fit in there - we
did it by taking a mattress off the bed, putting it on the floor, and
putting a mat in the space left to make 3 places to sleep. I had the
mattress on the floor.

Saturday: Ki and I woke up at 8:15 am and then I got my hair cut by a
British lady named Charlie at Modem Salon. It was WAY to expensive but
she did a fantastic job. They really know how to cut hair in LA. Then
Ki, Anna, and I got facials and a back massage. The facial was nice but
at one point in the back rub she dumped a cup full
of oil on my head, which ruined the hairstyle the (expensive) Charlie
gave me so I was sad. But it was overall a good experience, of course.
The beds are pre-heated and they play soothing music, which is always
nice. Then we all drove to Mikhaila's brother Jay's house which we got
to use because he was out of town (it's much, much bigger than Ki's
house). We got dolled up and went to a really fancy restaurant called
The Stinking Rose. It is Italian and puts garlic in everything you
order. We spent $97 on 3 meals, a white zinfindel bottle of wine,
garlic mashed potatoes and garlic fries, and dessert. Good thing Mrs.
Aaseng volunteered to pay. :) After that we went back to Jay's place
and went to sleep.

Sunday: Universal Studios. We went on The Mummy ride, T2 3D, Shrek 4D,
Van Helsing Haunted House, Jurrasic Park ride, special effects stage,
a tram tour, Back to the Future ride. My favorite was the Mummy ride
because it was fast and fun. On the tram tour I saw the house from The
Great Outdoors, the hotel and house from Psycho, buildings from
whoville from The Grinch, and parts of the set from War of the Worlds.
I took pictures of everything. After that, we got all our stuff from
Jay's and drove to San Diego. We met Mikhaila's brother Maury and his
girlfriend Char, and watched an episode of Lost. (Since then I have
seen 20 episodes of it in a week - I'm hooked.)

Monday: We woke up, went to the Hotel del Coronado, walked around the
hotel, climbed rocks on the beach, and waded in the freezing water.
(It was freezing the whole time I was in LA and San Diego
unfortunately.) Then we went downtown, walked around, I got some
jewelry, and we went to Hennesy's Irish Bar. But I didn't drink
anything - I had water and balanced my checkbook (I actually did do
that). Then we went back to Maury's apartment, Kila tried Chipotle for
the first time (a favorite of Anna's and mine), and we watched more
Lost, and the move Happy Endings.

Tuesday: Disneyland! We went on every big ride, and many small ones
including...Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, Winnie
the Pooh, tea cups, small world, alice in wonderland, Materhorn, space
mountain, buzz lightyear, star tours, peter pan, snow white,
pinnochio, mr. toad's wild ride. We went to the bathroom a lot (I
drank a lot of water) and had strawberry shortcake. I bought Eric and
my roommate Anna Leisa (not to be confused with Anne-Elise) mugs, and
I got a sweatshirt and a princess flip brush. :) We saw the parade and
a huge fireworks display, then got lost in Anaheim looking for the
Angels stadium to take photos of for Eric. Then we drove back to
Kila's, had Digiorno pizza (which is so good) then crashed.

Wednesday: We slept in, went to Venice Beach, and the Santa Monica
pier and 3rd street promenade. At night we saw the Groundlings comedy
troupe (they are so awesome) then they drove me to LAX and I flew
home! My plane got in at 6:30 am (my time).

After that I spent the rest of the week in St. Cloud with Eric's
family, who are great and lots of fun (but not as cool as the Weggel
clan of course).

Photos should be available here http://minnesota.facebook.com/photos.php?id=13900594&l=b98f6.

Things

Apr. 7th, 2006 @ 03:43 pm

Current Music: Garden State soundtrack (a la Bordertown)

Fine! I'll update already.

Sheesh.

Alright so what's up with me. I'm getting plans set for the summer/fall. I will be interning at the Business Journal this summer, which will be fun because it will be the first internship I ever get hourly paid for, and actually now that I look back on it the most I've ever gotten paid for a job. Wow that's sad. Also, it turns out that a fellow swimmer that grew up across the street from me is a reporter there. She recently informed me that I make the fourth Old Abe that will be working for the BJ, which is extremely odd. Apparently, one is like 60, so he should be awesome. ("Old Abe" is my high school mascot.)

And if you don't know yet, I'm running for EIC of the Daily which has been nothing but awesome. It's a great experience. All the waiting will be over come April 26, so come April 26 you shall find me a content lady. (I like knowing what I'm doing and going from there.)

I signed a lease Monday. Starting September 1 I will be the proud tenant of BJ squared, back in the Como/Hennepin area. I would tell you where it is, but I always get that little twinge that I shouldn't put out the public info of where I live in case my stalkers are smart. (They must be pretty dumb if they're stalking me though.) I will be living with Kristin Martin, Nick Johnson, and Evan Heier, hence BJ squared. Orientation leaders have this play called Pieces of the Puzzle that we put on for the first-year students, and the OL's are separated into 2 casts. It just happened that Nick and I played Bill and Julie in the "Inside thoughts" skit for our cast, and Kristin and Evan played Bill and Julie in their cast. In the skit, we are on a date and you can hear our thoughts in the background. Personally, I think it's hilarious. You might think it's silly. Either way, we all did it, thus our house name.

Other than that, I finished up my DTJ internship which has filled up some glorious time to devote to homework and anything else in my life that I've been neglecting (like health).

So now, I guess I just play the waiting game, the homework game, and the finishing up the semester game.

Apr. 9th, 2006 @ 11:29 pm

Mama you can choose the rain


but I choose the sun

Lost!

Apr. 11th, 2006 @ 09:20 am

I love Lost. I am not a proud owner of an iTunes season pass to season 2.

*beams with pride*

A season pass is when you buy the season from iTunes for about $35 then it downloads all the episodes that have aired so far (in my case, 18) then it downloads each episode as it airs. And it's awesome.

on showering

Apr. 17th, 2006 @ 03:52 pm

I figured out today that I think I only run when I am trying to motivate myself to shower. The internal battle will be like "hmm should I take a shower? my hair looks decent, and it would take so much time. well, I guess if I got all sweaty I would need to shower. ok I guess I'll go for a run. then I'll have to take a shower."

oh god.

Apr. 25th, 2006 @ 10:36 pm

Tomorrow the next year of my life will be decided.

bliss.

Apr. 27th, 2006 @ 12:45 am

Current Music: Polyphonic Spree "Light & Day"

I got it.

For the next year, I will eat, sleep, breathe, and live editor in chief of the minnesota daily.

:)

yikes.

May. 6th, 2006 @ 09:28 pm

OK...so...about this job. It's gonna be harder than I could have ever imagined. All the time.

summa (as in the season, not the cum laude)

Jun. 23rd, 2006 @ 11:16 am

Ok so here's what I do; what I've been doing. I wake up at 7 am (which really means snoozing until 7:30) if it's monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday or friday. I put on dress clothes, brush my teeth, grab my bag and leave. I almost always just miss a bus, wait 5 minutes, then catch one. It's usually crowded so I stand or crunch in next to someone. Then I get off at my stop, walk to work, go up 9 floors, plop my bag down, and sit there, occasionally working, until noon. Then I pick up my bag, go down 9 floors, walk back to the bus stop, wait, then bus back to campus. I usually eat lunch at home, change, then go to the Daily. I stay there until things are fixed, a couple things on a list are crossed out, and everyone knows what they are doing. I leave anywhere from I'd say 4:30 to 8:30. Then I come home, do assorted things with friends like go to dinner or happy hour. Then I crawl into bed at midnight.

If it's the weekend, I have no idea. Random things. Not work.

So that's what I've been up to.

I'm excited for fall.

(no subject)

Aug. 15th, 2006 @ 06:21 pm

I washed that man right out of my hair. Twice. Haircuts are the best.

Besides the fact that hairdressers feel the need to drench your hair in unbelievable amounts of gel, smelly goop, and some more smelly goop, I love it. Plus they messaaaaaaaaage your head which no one on earth could possibly dislike. If you dislike getting your head shampooed...I don't care to know you.

Today I laughed harder than I have in a long time when I was complaining about all the time I have to spend on finding things that I lose in the single corner pile that is my living space right now, and my hairdresser said "yeah, think of ALL THE THINGS you could have spent doing if you didn't have to look for your stuff, such as bring a plant to it's full gestation or ween a kitten off it's mother's milk." Who is that funny? Honestly?

But really, as I stare at the popcorn power stuffed promotional animal that got sent to my work in the mail, I think about Sally's $2 cheeseburgers and how much I would like to taste one. But alas, my friends are all in limbo, just like me, crashing at friends' houses or sleeping at the rent's. Sometimes I really think I won't be able to stand the three weeks of "crashing" until we get to move into the house.

But the time will come. Oh will it come.

on your knees

Aug. 15th, 2006 @ 06:28 pm

I can't believe I've gone this long without mentioning that I am a part of a company volleyball team.

Yep. It's made up of my coworkers at The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal and we're called "The Newsroom." Our average is 0-16. And by average, I mean we've won 0 out of 16 games. Either that or 0 out of 19. Does it really matter?

We've got a bunch of old people on our team, and bad young people. But I knew, as I was cornered in the company kitchen and I reluctantly agreed to join, that I really wasn't very good and I really didn't want to do it. So I figured I would bring one Gary Tashima to act as two things on my first game 1. a buffer and 2. the greatest contribution I could give to the team. He is an incredible volleyball player.

I just didn't understand how, let's just say "nonincredible" everyone else would be. I have never played a sport so dependent on your teammates. No matter what you do, how good your hits are, how perfect your serves are, someone's going to drop it. Someone's going to do a simple bump, yet it's going to end up 5 courts away somehow because they are just THAT bad. I never thought I was very competitive but I do miss the athletic independence that you get when you're a swimmer. Even if you're on a relay, you are working on one thing - your individual split. If you get your goal time, you've done your part. It's hard to get let down unless someone DQ's.

But there has been a highlight of the season. We've got a 50-something woman on the team named "Jeannie" and during our second game a few people were taking some dives (it's a sand volleyball team) and Jeannie was getting excited, so she decides to yell "On your knees for the BJ!" not realizing that our nickname for the Business Journal has double connotations. Oh Jeannie. Oh middle-aged people. Let me never become that old.

bc the madam said I should

Sep. 4th, 2006 @ 10:19 pm

Here are some slices of my life as of late.

My room is the color vineyard - a lavender. It's fabulous.

So I realized I've spent over $500 in a week and I really don't have anything that incredibly amazing to show for it. But I'm not frivolous.

My friend and I just went on a double date that was uncool to say the least.

I absolutely and unequivocally cannot believe classes start tomorrow.

I wrote my first editorial and first column EVER last week. Look for them in tomorrow's (huge) Daily.

I prefer making cd player-friendly mixes for people, but lately there's been so much music that I want to share with people that I have to make data discs with just the files of the songs on them. It's a toss up - it's not as special but then I don't have to burn disc after disc for people.

I hate black beans and onions with a fiery passion but my friend made a soup that turned my world upside down. I don't know who I am anymore.

I'm secretly happy that my roommate's girlfriend is going abroad for the semester in 2 days so we can spend more time with him.

I still can't believe I have my own room. Every once in a while I remember it and it punches me in the face with happiness.

Last week I experienced the best 3 seconds of my life during a Daily photo shoot. I was sitting there in a bland pose while Ania was taking pictures then I decided to shake it up and do three crazy poses and during each one, on the dot, Ania snapped the photo perfectly. It's like our brains were connected. It also fulfilled my dream of being a model for 3 seconds. And it wasn't just that it fulfilled it for 3 seconds - my actual dream is to only be a model for 3 seconds, not 2, not 4, 3. And that....just...happened.

Plus I've always wanted to be a backup singer. I'm still working on that one.

There's some sort of chemical in my new house that makes me hungry at all times. Then when I wake up from a nap or from sleeping I feel fuller than I've ever felt before.

We have hoards and hoards of new employees at the Daily and one of my biggest fears is calling them by the incorrect names. It's already happened (Re: I called "Michael" "Eric").

Michael Jackson's song in Free Willy 1 is way underrated. We're talking WAY, WAY underrated. Especially when he starts whispering/crying in the end.

Ok time to watch Wet Hot American Summer. If you haven't seen it yet, please join me at my new house for a special viewing starring you.