Monday, November 13, 2006
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Stupid Blogger. And stupid me. I switched my Blogger account to Blogger beta thinking that I'd be able to easily upload a new layout and use all of the new features to make my blog better but now it just looks tacky because apparently it's impossible to "easily" upload a new layout. If I'd stuck with regular Blogger I'd have my layout up in about 20 minutes but Blogger beta doesn't like the XML example that I found so I'm stuck with this tacky layout until I can successfully navigate the code. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Dr. Robert M. Gates has been appointed as the new Secretary of Defense! This pleases me to no end, seriously. I'm sad that he's leaving A&M but THRILLED that one of us is going to be calling major shots in Washington! I'm sure this is all over the news right now and I'd give anything to watch it! If Gates gets as much crap as Rumsfeld did (he shouldn't) or if his character or ability is questioned by the media or the Dems this little Aggie is going to be mighty pissed.
I've been reading my own blog a lot this evening (shut up, you know you spend half the time on the internet looking at your own Facebook/Myspace/blog too) and I realized that I haven't officially announced that I changed my major yet, so guess what everyone! I'm an English major! Creative writing to be exact. (shock waves reverberate) Technically I am not a Spanish minor yet but I will be before the 2006-2007 school year is out.
Of course, I didn't just post because I wanted to make an announcement (especially because almost everyone who reads this thing has either heard it from me already or saw the change on Facebook). No, I posted because thinking about my spring semester and planning a new and improved future is the only thing I have going for me (school-wise) right now. What do I do when I'm supposed to be listening to a lecture on shear deformation in structures? I imagine myself 10 years from now writing for a magazine during the day and writing a novel at night in the company of my two cats Bianca and Brooklyn. When I'm building a bridge for studio my hands may be super-glued to the truss members but my mind is in Intro To Creative Writing: Prose. And when I'm supposed to be learning all about arrays and data types so I can fail another computer science test I'm instead divulging all the details of my decision to forsake the College of Architecture.
To be an Environmental Design major (and, I suspect, any other major as well) you have to be just a little bit proud of what you produce. You have to be confident in your ability to really be successful in your field. In short, to be an ENDS major you have to know that your designs are better than everyone else's. The biggest problem that I had with being an ENDS major was that I never thought that my designs were the best. They were always kind of plain and simple and boring and I was ready to trash them and make room in attic for more junk at 2:14 on the glorious Friday afternoon that I became an English major.
Now I'm on the creative writing track and I know that's where I need to be because I know I can write. I'm minoring in spanish because I know I can speak and understand it better than many of my fellow gringos. I know I can do these things in the same way that my viz track boyfriend knows he can make 3D models and in the same way that my electrical engineering brother knows he can rewire a television and in the same way that my elementary education friend knows she has the saintly patience required to teach little kids. It's not vanity, it's being self-aware.
I started reading chapter books in kindergarten, I wrote my first short story when I was 8 years old, I was gawked at in elementary school for having my nose in a book when I walked home from the bus stop, I typed a 16-page novel in 9th grade, I corrected more "Me and Bob went to the store"s than I probably should have, and I bite my tongue every time I read misused "your" vs. "you're"s. Two of my three goals in life are directly related to my new major and minor (publish a book and be fluent in spanish) and you can bet that the third one has nothing to do with being a graphic designer.
Ironically, when I was in high school I had every intention of majoring in English until I hit the brick wall that was AP English 3. That same year I took a web mastering class (and was subsequently introduced to Photoshop) and heard about Environmental Design when I visited A&M for the first time and the viz track sounded like a very fair alternative to the horror that (at the time) was English. But when I got here I quickly realized that the class that I missed the most from high school was English. I waxed nostalgic about AP English 4 for the first 3 months of college but accepted my place in the College of Architecture anyway.
When I was an ENDS major people automatically assumed that I was really artistic (laughable). Now when I tell people that I am ENGL major they may correctly assume that I a) like to read, b) like to write, and/or c) like to correct grammar mistakes with the same fiery conviction of a born-again Baptist minister on Sunday morning.
When I was an ENDS major I didn't want to think about the internship that I was going to have to face a year from now. I didn't like to think about where I'd be after I graduated. I could see myself enduring a job during the day and writing when I got home. I'd thought about working in graphic design for a few years and then going back to school to get my English degree. And then, after the slightest nudge from my mom, I realized that that was probably the stupidest idea I'd ever had in my life. I was really dreading the direction in which my old life was heading. I didn't want to grow up and leave school because my only prospect was a minimally enjoyable graphic design career. Now I'm excited about graduating! I'm excited to work for a magazine and to try to publish a novel and now I will proudly proclaim to anyone who asks me what I plan on doing with my degree, "I'm going to be a writer!".
Gosh I must really have it in for my GPA. Either that or I just hate programming. Yeah, that last one.
Of course, I didn't just post because I wanted to make an announcement (especially because almost everyone who reads this thing has either heard it from me already or saw the change on Facebook). No, I posted because thinking about my spring semester and planning a new and improved future is the only thing I have going for me (school-wise) right now. What do I do when I'm supposed to be listening to a lecture on shear deformation in structures? I imagine myself 10 years from now writing for a magazine during the day and writing a novel at night in the company of my two cats Bianca and Brooklyn. When I'm building a bridge for studio my hands may be super-glued to the truss members but my mind is in Intro To Creative Writing: Prose. And when I'm supposed to be learning all about arrays and data types so I can fail another computer science test I'm instead divulging all the details of my decision to forsake the College of Architecture.
To be an Environmental Design major (and, I suspect, any other major as well) you have to be just a little bit proud of what you produce. You have to be confident in your ability to really be successful in your field. In short, to be an ENDS major you have to know that your designs are better than everyone else's. The biggest problem that I had with being an ENDS major was that I never thought that my designs were the best. They were always kind of plain and simple and boring and I was ready to trash them and make room in attic for more junk at 2:14 on the glorious Friday afternoon that I became an English major.
Now I'm on the creative writing track and I know that's where I need to be because I know I can write. I'm minoring in spanish because I know I can speak and understand it better than many of my fellow gringos. I know I can do these things in the same way that my viz track boyfriend knows he can make 3D models and in the same way that my electrical engineering brother knows he can rewire a television and in the same way that my elementary education friend knows she has the saintly patience required to teach little kids. It's not vanity, it's being self-aware.
I started reading chapter books in kindergarten, I wrote my first short story when I was 8 years old, I was gawked at in elementary school for having my nose in a book when I walked home from the bus stop, I typed a 16-page novel in 9th grade, I corrected more "Me and Bob went to the store"s than I probably should have, and I bite my tongue every time I read misused "your" vs. "you're"s. Two of my three goals in life are directly related to my new major and minor (publish a book and be fluent in spanish) and you can bet that the third one has nothing to do with being a graphic designer.
Ironically, when I was in high school I had every intention of majoring in English until I hit the brick wall that was AP English 3. That same year I took a web mastering class (and was subsequently introduced to Photoshop) and heard about Environmental Design when I visited A&M for the first time and the viz track sounded like a very fair alternative to the horror that (at the time) was English. But when I got here I quickly realized that the class that I missed the most from high school was English. I waxed nostalgic about AP English 4 for the first 3 months of college but accepted my place in the College of Architecture anyway.
When I was an ENDS major people automatically assumed that I was really artistic (laughable). Now when I tell people that I am ENGL major they may correctly assume that I a) like to read, b) like to write, and/or c) like to correct grammar mistakes with the same fiery conviction of a born-again Baptist minister on Sunday morning.
When I was an ENDS major I didn't want to think about the internship that I was going to have to face a year from now. I didn't like to think about where I'd be after I graduated. I could see myself enduring a job during the day and writing when I got home. I'd thought about working in graphic design for a few years and then going back to school to get my English degree. And then, after the slightest nudge from my mom, I realized that that was probably the stupidest idea I'd ever had in my life. I was really dreading the direction in which my old life was heading. I didn't want to grow up and leave school because my only prospect was a minimally enjoyable graphic design career. Now I'm excited about graduating! I'm excited to work for a magazine and to try to publish a novel and now I will proudly proclaim to anyone who asks me what I plan on doing with my degree, "I'm going to be a writer!".
Gosh I must really have it in for my GPA. Either that or I just hate programming. Yeah, that last one.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
I'm having a narcissistic night. Bear with me.
What brand shirt are you wearing?
It's a t-shirt so who really worries about that?
How many kids do you want to have?
If I have children I'd like two - a boy and a girl or two girls.
Do you have a good relationship with your parents?
Heavens yes. I love them...
Do you wanna change your name?
...despite the fact that they christened me with the most common name EVER.
What did you do for your last birthday?
Ate really fattening (read: delicious) food and opened presents I'm sure.
What time did you wake up today?
11:30am
What were you doing at midnight last night?
Structures homework!
Name something you CANNOT wait to do?
Finish this God-awful semester and begin my new life as an English major! Seriously, "creative writing track" makes my heart race in ways that "viz track" never could. Salacious!
Last time you saw your dad?
Two weekends ago?
What is one thing you wish you could change about your life?
I wish I could drop all of my classes and spend the rest of the semester reading and watching the Food Network. Oh well.
Last thing you ate?
Cinnamon/Splenda "baked" apple! And caramel tea!
What's your favorite month?
October-November-December (in reverse order)
Least favorite month?
June-July-August (in that order)
Are you in a relationship?
It'll be one year in 3.5 weeks. Whoa.
Who's getting on your nerves right now?
Wouldn't you like to know?
Most visited webpage?
http://www.weightwatchers.com/! I'm sort of obsessed with it (but not in a "dear, if I checked your knuckles after dinner would I find abrasions?" way...it's more of an "if I had a million dollars and a friend who's diet food tolerance matched mine I would try every 1-5 Point recipe on this site!" obsession).
Last person to make you sad?
Don't know
Would you help your best friend fight if he/she is losing?
I'd imagine I would
coke or pepsi?
Coke Zero is absolutely celestial
Have you been kissed by anyone in the last week?
Of course :)
DO YOU SNORE?
Sometimes
ARE YOU A LOVER OR A FIGHTER?
Lover I guess
WHAT'S YOUR WORST FEAR?
Making a big bad decision and being stuck with it for the rest of my life (like if I'd decided not to change my major and been stuck doing something I was only mildly interested in forever)
AS A KID, WERE YOU A LEGO MANIAC?
Nope
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF "REALITY" TV?
Most reality shows are DUMB unless they are America's Next Top Model, Extreme Makeover, The Amazing Race, or Mythbusters (does that even count?)
DO YOU CHEW ON YOUR STRAWS?
No
WERE YOU A CUTE BABY?
I think so
IS THE SINGLE LIFE FOR YOU?
It wasn't when I was single
WHAT COLOR IS YOUR KEYBOARD?
Black with white letters
DO YOU SING IN THE SHOWER?
No
HAVE YOU EVER BUNGEE JUMPED?
No
ANY SECRET TALENTS
Haha any talents that I have are probably not secret
WHAT'S YOUR IDEAL VACATION SPOT?
Europe! Or New York City
CAN YOU SWIM?
Of course.
HAVE YOU SEEN THE MOVIE DONNIE DARKO?
Sort of...I was falling asleep
DO YOU GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE OZONE?
Yes if someone brings it up
HOW MANY LICKS DOES IT TAKE TO GET TO THE CENTER OF A TOOTSIE POP?
The world may never know
CAN YOU SING THE ALPHABET BACKWARDS?
Hahaha it would take like 10 minutes
DO YOU PREFER ELECTRIC OR MANUAL PENCIL SHARPENER?
Electric but I try to avoid pencils that require sharpening
WHAT'S YOUR STAND ON HUNTING?
I'd never do it. I can barely kill roaches! I'd break down if I had to kill something warm and fuzzy.
IS MARRIAGE IN YOUR FUTURE?
If it is it's at the bottom of my current list of priorities. I'm way too young to be worried about that right now.
DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
It's alright
WHAT ARE YOU ALLERGIC TO?
The normal things I guess. Sometimes I itch when I go outside and sometimes I wake up with headaches.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAID, "I LOVE YOU" ?
Last night when I said goodbye to my mommy
DO YOU CRY AT WEDDINGS?
A little
HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR EGGS?
Fried! or scrambled. But now I usually "like" them without the yolk!
ARE BLONDES DUMB?
Um, no we are all geniuses!
WHERE DOES THE OTHER SOCK END UP?
Usually stuck inside of a pant leg
WHAT TIME IS IT?
3:22
DO YOU HAVE A NICKNAME?
No. I wish I did though.
IS MCDONALD'S DISGUSTING?
McDonalds has good fries and low-fat vanilla yogurt!
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE IN A CAR?
Last night
DO YOU PREFER BATHS OR SHOWERS?
Showers
IS SANTA CLAUS REAL?
Duh
DO YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR NECK KISSED?
It tickles me A LOT
ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?
No
WHAT ARE YOU ADDICTED TO?
Food and TV
CRUNCHY OR CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER?
Creamy
CAN YOU CRACK YOUR NECK?
Never have been able to
HAVE YOU EVER RIDDEN IN AN AMBULANCE?
Nope
IS DRUG FREE THE WAY TO BE?
Yes
ARE YOU A HEAVY SLEEPER?
YES!
WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR EYES?
Technically blue but usually grey and sometimes "green"
DO YOU LIKE YOUR LIFE?
Yeah
ARE YOU PSYCHIC?
Nope
HAVE YOU READ CATCHER IN THE RYE?
I'd like to
DO YOU PLAY ANY INSTRUMENTS?
Ha!
HAVE YOU EVER STOLEN MONEY?
No
CAN YOU SNOWBOARD?
Yeah right
DO YOU LIKE CAMPING?
Yes! I am going next weekend!
DO YOU SNORT WHEN YOU LAUGH?
Not usually
DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC?
No
ARE DOGS A MAN'S BEST FRIEND?
Yes. And cats are a woman's best friend!
YOU BELIEVE IN DIVORCE?
Not unless there's some kind of abuse (mental, physical, etc) involved. I think the current idea that marriage is just kind of the next step in the dating process is ridiculous. You should only marry someone if you are sure you want to spend the rest of your life with them.
CAN YOU DO THE MOONWALK?
No
DO YOU MAKE A LOT OF MISTAKES?
Um...I don't know maybe?
IS IT COLD OUTSIDE TODAY?
No it's Texas.
WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
A chicken sandwich
DO YOU WEAR NAIL POLISH?
Rarely
HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU LIKE RIGHT NOW?
Quite a few
WHAT'S THE MOST ANNOYING TV COMMERCIAL?
There's a local one with an awful song that drives me nuts and Geico commercials suck as well.
DO YOU SHOP AT AMERICAN EAGLE?
Not that often
FAVORITE SONG AT THE MOMENT?
Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol)
Sometimes
ARE YOU A LOVER OR A FIGHTER?
Lover I guess
WHAT'S YOUR WORST FEAR?
Making a big bad decision and being stuck with it for the rest of my life (like if I'd decided not to change my major and been stuck doing something I was only mildly interested in forever)
AS A KID, WERE YOU A LEGO MANIAC?
Nope
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF "REALITY" TV?
Most reality shows are DUMB unless they are America's Next Top Model, Extreme Makeover, The Amazing Race, or Mythbusters (does that even count?)
DO YOU CHEW ON YOUR STRAWS?
No
WERE YOU A CUTE BABY?
I think so
IS THE SINGLE LIFE FOR YOU?
It wasn't when I was single
WHAT COLOR IS YOUR KEYBOARD?
Black with white letters
DO YOU SING IN THE SHOWER?
No
HAVE YOU EVER BUNGEE JUMPED?
No
ANY SECRET TALENTS
Haha any talents that I have are probably not secret
WHAT'S YOUR IDEAL VACATION SPOT?
Europe! Or New York City
CAN YOU SWIM?
Of course.
HAVE YOU SEEN THE MOVIE DONNIE DARKO?
Sort of...I was falling asleep
DO YOU GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE OZONE?
Yes if someone brings it up
HOW MANY LICKS DOES IT TAKE TO GET TO THE CENTER OF A TOOTSIE POP?
The world may never know
CAN YOU SING THE ALPHABET BACKWARDS?
Hahaha it would take like 10 minutes
DO YOU PREFER ELECTRIC OR MANUAL PENCIL SHARPENER?
Electric but I try to avoid pencils that require sharpening
WHAT'S YOUR STAND ON HUNTING?
I'd never do it. I can barely kill roaches! I'd break down if I had to kill something warm and fuzzy.
IS MARRIAGE IN YOUR FUTURE?
If it is it's at the bottom of my current list of priorities. I'm way too young to be worried about that right now.
DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
It's alright
WHAT ARE YOU ALLERGIC TO?
The normal things I guess. Sometimes I itch when I go outside and sometimes I wake up with headaches.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAID, "I LOVE YOU" ?
Last night when I said goodbye to my mommy
DO YOU CRY AT WEDDINGS?
A little
HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR EGGS?
Fried! or scrambled. But now I usually "like" them without the yolk!
ARE BLONDES DUMB?
Um, no we are all geniuses!
WHERE DOES THE OTHER SOCK END UP?
Usually stuck inside of a pant leg
WHAT TIME IS IT?
3:22
DO YOU HAVE A NICKNAME?
No. I wish I did though.
IS MCDONALD'S DISGUSTING?
McDonalds has good fries and low-fat vanilla yogurt!
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE IN A CAR?
Last night
DO YOU PREFER BATHS OR SHOWERS?
Showers
IS SANTA CLAUS REAL?
Duh
DO YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR NECK KISSED?
It tickles me A LOT
ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?
No
WHAT ARE YOU ADDICTED TO?
Food and TV
CRUNCHY OR CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER?
Creamy
CAN YOU CRACK YOUR NECK?
Never have been able to
HAVE YOU EVER RIDDEN IN AN AMBULANCE?
Nope
IS DRUG FREE THE WAY TO BE?
Yes
ARE YOU A HEAVY SLEEPER?
YES!
WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR EYES?
Technically blue but usually grey and sometimes "green"
DO YOU LIKE YOUR LIFE?
Yeah
ARE YOU PSYCHIC?
Nope
HAVE YOU READ CATCHER IN THE RYE?
I'd like to
DO YOU PLAY ANY INSTRUMENTS?
Ha!
HAVE YOU EVER STOLEN MONEY?
No
CAN YOU SNOWBOARD?
Yeah right
DO YOU LIKE CAMPING?
Yes! I am going next weekend!
DO YOU SNORT WHEN YOU LAUGH?
Not usually
DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC?
No
ARE DOGS A MAN'S BEST FRIEND?
Yes. And cats are a woman's best friend!
YOU BELIEVE IN DIVORCE?
Not unless there's some kind of abuse (mental, physical, etc) involved. I think the current idea that marriage is just kind of the next step in the dating process is ridiculous. You should only marry someone if you are sure you want to spend the rest of your life with them.
CAN YOU DO THE MOONWALK?
No
DO YOU MAKE A LOT OF MISTAKES?
Um...I don't know maybe?
IS IT COLD OUTSIDE TODAY?
No it's Texas.
WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
A chicken sandwich
DO YOU WEAR NAIL POLISH?
Rarely
HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU LIKE RIGHT NOW?
Quite a few
WHAT'S THE MOST ANNOYING TV COMMERCIAL?
There's a local one with an awful song that drives me nuts and Geico commercials suck as well.
DO YOU SHOP AT AMERICAN EAGLE?
Not that often
FAVORITE SONG AT THE MOMENT?
Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol)
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Three people were standing outside of Koldus this morning picketting Transportation Services and judging by the Nazi soldier signs they were toting, I'd imagine they were trying to compare TS to an anti-Semetic communist dictatorship. I almost busted out laughing but I didn't want people to look at me funny. Of course, I suppose I would be justified in joining their cause because Chasing Cars came on the radio on the bus this morning and the bus driver changed the station just as I was getting into it. Nazis indeed.
If you get a chance, you should search for me in the A&M directory. I almost kissed my monitor when I saw what my major was listed as. Of course, this was after I'd gotten 3 e-mails from my new advisor. These 4.5 months might be the worst of my life, but at least there's a big stack of literature waiting to be analyzed and emulated at the end of the tunnel.
If you get a chance, you should search for me in the A&M directory. I almost kissed my monitor when I saw what my major was listed as. Of course, this was after I'd gotten 3 e-mails from my new advisor. These 4.5 months might be the worst of my life, but at least there's a big stack of literature waiting to be analyzed and emulated at the end of the tunnel.
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