I almost forgot that it was the 1st of July. My days here in Rome have been so hectic and long, they seem to run together so I can only think of them as "That one day we went to [insert place here]." And sadly? That's exactly how everybody else on this program is thinking, too. School six days a week suits me unwell.

On the bright side, MIDTERM BREAK!! Yay! I can sleep in (well, inasmuch as the market outside will let me). I also realized that, coming this Thursday/Friday, I'll be gone back to Washington in 2 weeks. It seems like such a short amount of time (both in how long I have and how long I've been here) and yet time is moving sluggishly, too.

I may have to camp out at the airport through the night of the 17-18th in order to catch my 7-something AM flight back to the States and get through security (I really should have kept a closer eye on the time when I booked the flight) because A) the Rome Center needs to check me out of my apartment, and I doubt they're going to open their doors at 3AM just for me. And 2) there's a subway that goes directly to the airport, but its hours are from about 5AM-11PM. Does not quite work for me. So, hangin' out at the Fiumicino Aeroporto para me!

As I've said, I'm considering going to Pompeii on my break. I'm also 95% decided to go to San Angelo Castel (I believe this is the place's name), which the only downside is that I have to pay my own entrance fee, of perhaps 7.50 euro. Oh well, I've heard it's an excellent place.

Speaking of places, we went individually to the Vatican Museum, where the "Torso of Apollo" is housed, as well as the Sistine Chapel. I actually met up with a girl outside the entrance and we went to see it together, and she didn't seem to get the intensity of the ceiling until she saw a miniature version in a poster/bookmark. The ceiling and the Final Judgement paintings are infinitely more intense in person than through other mediums, though I still mourned my inability to get a puzzle of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling (a box of 1000 pieces will never fit in my suitcase, le sigh).

In other news, our TV apparently works, but hates me. I sort of kinda short-circuited the TV when I was trying to plug my laptop in to charge the battery, and the TV refused to turn on for me, but did just fine with another girl in the house. Soooo...no longer going to fuss with the TV, which I'm not too sad about, since it does not show Doctor Who/Chuck/Firefly/Buffy/Justice League/Life on Mars/a whole lot of other shows.

Now I should go, since my battery is now at about 27%. Pictures might come tomorrow, but they won't be links to several pages' worth of photos.


Education: When in Doubt, Smile and Nod. Oh Daniel, how I love thee and your Chalkboard of Win (though Jack might not after Windows of Opportunity)

So, yeah, er...here comes my inner English!geekness. I saw these icons and, well, yeah, needed to have them.

First one I got:


Essentially sums up every single pet peeve I have whenever I read fanfiction or, *facepalm* peers' papers or *facepalm harder* published works (i.e. newspapers, magazines, etc.).

And saw this one today:


Sadly....this is pretty much my rule of thumb when I write papers and I don't want to sound entirely stupid (whether or not using these phrases makes me sound even more stupid is up for debate). Is it sad that I laughed and thoroughly enjoyed these grammar icons? Probably.

So, here endeth my icon!squee.

I'm loving my Chaucer class, even though it's throwing me for a loop. I'm used to the teachers demanding that students speak up, that if we don't participate 'you don't get participation points, which is ZOMG bad for your grade!!1!1!1111!!' But Remley, he just kinda sits on the desk (I think it may have something to do with the fact that the chair's too low for him) and rambles on about the mechanisms of Med. Lit and about Chaucer's sources and parodies, etc. etc., and if there's ever a hand raised he lets them speak up when he pauses to take a breath. It's a new method of teaching an English class for me. I like it, since it doesn't penalize me for being a quiet person in class and for not being able to say my point before someone else does. And in spite of the fact that The Canterbury Tales is technically a poem, I love reading it. So, all's good in my English class as it should be. *waves a banner happily*

I got my pasaporte, huzzah. And..well, I opened it and saw the picture used for my identification.....*winces* I think I kinda forgot about how bad it was, and it was a huge shock to my system to be reminded. People at the airport are gonna look at it, look at me, and tell me that I'm a horrible person for stealing somebody else's passport, I'm sure. Or make some comment to the effect that I've changed quite a bit. At least in my driver's license the blonde is a lot more hidden; I don't even remember when the picture was taken.

I'm finding myself getting drawn back to Darkwing Duck, which is bad because...well, that makes one too many shows for me to be watching. True, DW--er, DWD is over (sadness) but there's still 91 half-hour episodes for me to watch (minus the....6-7 episodes I've seen now), on top of Torchwood (though I am 1 episode away from being caught up) as well as Life on Mars (5 episodes from finishing) and Doctor Who (3 more days before another episode, YAY!!!!!), and soon House will be back on (Monday 21st) AND I'm still doing the 50 Books in a year thing, and am still stuck at trying to finish #6 (which I think is going to switch from The Secret Agent to The Canterbury Tales [Beidler Ed.]). *headdesk* I'm not even going to touch on what I need to do for school/Rome.

I need to make a trip down to B&N sometime this week (probably tomorrow) to finally pick up the last of my Chaucer textbooks, and also to pick up Metamorphoses by Ovid for Rome, and then hopefully I'll be done with books and such! I love books, I do, but having to constantly go out and come back only to go back out again and repeat the process practically 6 times makes me a little weary. Of course, in addition to the Ovid Rome is requiring another book which is out of print! Why can't they pick a different book which isn't out of print which may still cover the same material is beyond me. The email the program director sent to us didn't say explicitly we needed to buy the books, just read them, so....maybe I can just check it out from the library and read it and do it that way, yes/yes? I'll ask him at the info session at the end of the month, and hopefully he'll be agreeable. If not....to Amazon.com/Barnes&Noble.com I go.

Which leads me to another point (sorry, sorry, I know my entries tend to ramble on): Why in pluperfect heck isn't this info session earlier?!?! As in, before the visa application is due??? It doesn't make sense to me why things are running late. Like the deposit? The application says the charge would show up a week after you send confirmation and you need to pay it then. That didn't happen. He later says in an email sent on the 4th, "but it is all straightened out and your deposit amounts should appear very soon". Um....no. Still nothing yet. *headdesk* He's done this at least once before, if not more than that....I'm not entirely certain why this year seems more behind. Did he do this last year, too? It doesn't seem likely to me, but....oh well. What happens happens.

I need to get out more, out to Seattle-proper and such. I'm thinking of a trip to Pike Place this weekend (not interrupting DW, of course!), simply so I can get out and about, but we'll see what happens. I tend to make plans and promise whole-heartedly that I will make good on them, but then it rolls around and I'm too lazy to get out. Maybe I need to drag Kathryn and Nikki and Freddie into it or something, who knows.

38% Geek

Col. O'Neill: I do appreciate that you were the one to come and see if I was okay. That... that means something.
Dr. Jackson: Ah... actually, no, it doesn't.
Col. O'Neill: No?
Dr. Jackson: Um... we, ah, we drew straws. I lost. --Stargate SG-1, Shades of Grey

Got to see the total lunar eclipse! Yay-ness. At first Nikki and I were a little afraid that we wouldn't get to see the moon, because there was a little cloud cover, but once we got past the trees we could see the moon. We wound up going to McMahon's patio, where we got a crystal-clear view of the mooooooon, along with several other people. ^____^ Happy times. Also ordered some Wing Zone buffalo wings, which are good and the leftovers are currently sitting nice and cozy in my somewhat empty fridge. I need to go to QFC and get some actual food-food in my fridge; I didn't realize how not-full of food it was until I looked.

Hopefully not very many people see the eclipsed moon and freak out; the world's not ending! Though, at this point if I were on Pern, Thread would be falling from the sky and the dragons would come to flame it out of the sky......that'd be kinda cool.

I tried to take a few pictures, but the clarity was really weak. I might upload some of the pictures that showcase how terrible of a photographer I am. ^.^

America's Next Top Model is on tonight. Woo. It'll give me something to do Wednesday nights, and a little connection to TV until House comes back on.

Watching ANTM right now. More thorough update later.

Edit 9:00: AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!! WHAT POSSESSES TYRA TO CHOOSE THE MOST IRRITATING, ANNOYING, CRINGE-WORTHY GIRLS?!?!?!?!?!?!

Okay. ANTM rant over (until next week).

Christopher Eccleston is made of WIN. Even if you don't know him from Doctor Who you should really get on that you should go type in "Christopher Eccleston Top Gear" in the YouTube search box and watch his Top Gear episode. ^.^ And for all those who are wondering, "Who the heck is Christopher Eccleston?" he was on Heroes as Claude (never saw it myself), in 28 Days Later, Gone in 60 Seconds, The Others, Othello (2001), and lots of other stuff. Go watch and laugh and revel in the wonder that is a 14-month driver driving an automatic where usually it's a manual.

And I just realized that I never mentioned this....I got a new digital camera for my birthday!! I did a little "research" on it, meaning I went to various websites and looked at the reviews people left for cameras and decided on the Canon PowerShot A560, because out of the 10 reviews I read, 9 of them were 10 stars and one was 9, and the 9-star one was because of price issues. It's all sleek and small and yes I did name it Kakashi, but I've now decided to name it Jack because I have so many Jacks in my fandom it's not even funny. ^.^ I'm happy with my purchase, especially since WalMart failed me and didn't have it in stock, resulting me in going to Best Buy to purchase it for $10 more. But I'm full of glee about it.

I also got new books with the B&N gift card Nikki gave me on my birthday, including The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Stories, Lord of the Flies, Lirael, and Abhorsen. Got some money, had a breakfast at IHOP courtesy of my sister, and lots of Korean food. ^.^

And now I've discovered that B&N is having a "buy 2 paperbacks get 3rd free" deal. *flails* Couldn't that have been this weekend?? Then.....then.....O.O So many books that could have been bought with $25........*flails some more*

But yes! On to pictures, because I now have time (though I am going to be watching some Torchwood after I finish with this entry....yay Jack!)

Seriously. SO MANY JACKS!!

( Pics )


Col. Jack O'Neill: I'm not a big fan of that "bark like a chicken, cluck like a dog" stuff. --Stargate SG-1, Fire and Water

College Drinking Games Lead to Higher Blood Alcohol Levels - washingtonpost.com

SUNDAY, Jan. 6 (HealthDay News) -- The first on-the-scene study of college drinking behavior shows that parties with drinking games result in higher blood alcohol levels, while themed parties encourage college women to drink more heavily than men, new research suggests.

Naaaahh! Really?! That are real insightful stuff--I's never knew drinking more alcohol makes me more drunker and give me higher blood alcohol level. Is this what I are supposed to learned in calledge? </purposefulstupidity>

As a friend of mine posted on Facebook--This just in: rain makes things wet!

I got a new ID card today (was going to do it Monday, but I decided I had better things to do than wait an hour for a card when I could do it later in five minutes). I hate my new picture; maybe it's the vanity in me talking, but I look horrible. Maybe I'll just stick the card next to my cell phone to make it fritz out again, and next time hopefully I'll be prepared for a picture...maybe?

I need to figure out a way to stay awake in my Weather class. It has nothing to do with the teacher, but when the lights go dim and he starts talking about things I already know....I just kinda stop taking notes and then the inactivity leads me to conking out on my desk--which, in just the second row, is a REALLY bad thing to do. I get 7-9 hours of sleep, and I really don't want to lose anymore of my waking hours just to make it 10-12 hours, but I also don't want to start guzzling down caffeine at 9 AM 'cause I prefer it later in the afternoon. *sigh* Maybe it'll be better once we've moved on from "Air is made of molecules which take up space. This is a drawing of a molecule....molecules are made of these little tiny things called atoms which are further made of protons and neutrons and electrons" and I can start taking notes. Or else I'm going to have to do something else in that class, which very well may make me miss key aspects of the class.

The UW's Career Discovery Week is coming up the last week of January, and of course one of the panels I want to attend--what to do with a Lit major--is when I have class. I realize I'm only a Lit major until I submit my Creative Writing application (which I'm hoping I will be able to get on it this weekend, or at least before the third Thursday of the quarter, which is one day before the app's due date), but it still would help me greatly, right? Right. *sigh* I don't want to skip class, but I may have to if I want to get in on that. There are other panels for careers which I'm interested in going to, but this is one of the ones that I most desperately wanted. *shakes fist at UW and their poor idea of scheduling "convenient" times* I'm also going to go to 2 grad school-related panels, which frightens the hell out of me, but I really need to start thinking about what I'm going to do after I graduate UW and can no longer be identified as "undergrad."

I had an oral test in Korean today. It was only 5 minutes long, and my partner and I prepared a dialogue beforehand, but still. I hate oral tests. I can't listen to and speak foreign languages for the life of me. The only good thing about it was that you went to her office for the 5 minutes in lieu of going to class, so I had a second hour break. But.....gaaaaaahh! Hate! *fumes* Tomorrow's a written test based on the 2 chapters we covered last quarter, so it's all review, so I'm good. I like written much better than the oral tests. I suppose you could say it's the practicals I hate and the written I love. That's why I want to be a writer who writes books, not a journalist or something along those lines. Maybe a publisher, or an editor....but the second you put me in a situation where I'm being tested and observed, and I freak. Yesterday Kim-sunsengnim was doing some listening comprehension exercises, and since she was reading slowly and enunciating every syllable, I got the first 2 sentences pretty well. She read the third sentence, pointed at me, and asked me what it was. I blanked and there was nothing I could do except be an idiot and say "I don't know." And then, of course, for the 4th sentence I knew what it was and could've told her, if she'd chosen that one for me instead of the third. Grrrrrrrrr.

Probably should've saved the update for later today. Oh well. 'Tis why there's an "Edit Entry" feature on lj.


Dr. Jackson: Jack?
Col. O'Neill: Daniel?
Dr. Jackson: Are you you?
Col. O'Neill: Yeah. You?
Dr. Jackson: What?
Col. O'Neill: Never mind.
[later]
Dr. Jackson: Don't shoot! Just let them tend to Xe'ls.
Col. O'Neill: How do I know you're the real Daniel?
Dr. Jackson: ....Because.
Col. O'Neill: [shrugs shoulders] ...yeah, okay. --Stargate SG-1, Spirits

Stargate: SG-1 the complete series: $230.00 at online Target, $239 at Suncoast
MacGyver the complete series: $130-169.00 at online Target
Doctor Who 2005, series 1, 2, and probably 3: $100 at Barnes and Noble stores

*headdesk repeatedly*

And I was just browsing through the Suncoast website, and they have a "Doctor Who Megaset" selling for $819.98!, but reduced down to $404.95 (a savings of $415.03, 51%, if you need to know)! 40 discs in that collection, though they don't state which or what have you. Obviously the old-skool Who, but still. Jeez.

Why is everything so expensive? Why does the world need money? (and no, I'm not looking for some philosophy/political science/economics major to come along and tell me the "purpose" of money; it's called a rhetorical question.)

The Haunted Hansee committe met for the first time today, but unfortunately I didn't get to do much because they meet at 4:30 and my poetry class doesn't get out til 4:50, if she doesn't run on and on. And she does. Still, I hope to contribute at least a little something to the Haunted House. If you've got any ideas for scary rooms or whatnot, I'm open to suggestions. And if you attend the University of Washington, volunteer! We need (wo)manpower the night of the event!

The Eureka season finale......*sigh*
( HUGE (as in, talking about the Season finale and S.2 in general) Spoilers lay beyond this cut....be careful! )



There's quite a bit of Eureka-fandom-insanity behind that cut (and just the tiniest bit of Grey's love, too). Thank goodness for lj-cuts.

I think my short story writing teacher actually can't keep his hands still. He was still tapping everything and whatnot, and I'm guessing he hasn't gone on any whirlwind trips for Monday. Of course, my poetry teacher is also the same way, so maybe it's just a writer's thing. Maybe someday in the future I'll be waving my arms around like a maniac and be utterly incapable of keeping them at rest. Hmmm.

My poetry teacher read a poem to us by Marge Piercy called, "For the Young Who Want To." (http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/for-the-young-who-want-to/ ) It struck me because it so aptly describes what I feel as a writer.

I didn't know Robert Jordan had died on Sept. 16, 2007 until...well, I don't even actually know when I found out, but I had. He died without officially finishing his Wheel of Time series, leaving the work of finishing #12 to his family. While I only read 2 books out of the 12 in the series, I do respect the loss of the fans. I hadn't even been a fan of Douglas Adams at the time of his death, and I was distressed to learn he had died. And Madeleine L'Engle...late as it is, may she rest in peace as well.

Off to watch House. And possibly eat. That'd probably be good.

*Edit 10:32* Sam's Dad was on House!!! It sort of makes me sad that all the Stargate SG-1 people are having to go out and get new roles, though of course Carmen Argenziano no longer had an actual character since his died. But still. Major Davis/Colin Cunningham, Dr. Frasier/Teryl Rothery, and Daniel Jackson/Michael Shanks all came into Eureka (still waiting on all those Eureka/Stargate crossovers, especially since Rothery's character's husband who died was named "Daniel"....actually, I'm a little puzzled as to why they haven't cropped up yet...) but it just makes me nostalgic finding my SG-1 actors in other shows I watch. I miss my good ol' SG-1 getting into trouble on planets and ticking off the Goa'uld and getting their brains all mushed with the knowledge of the Ancients. Yes, if you couldn't tell, I miss SG-1 of season 1-7. Couldn't bear to watch Jack get relegated to the desk job, and then they had Farscapers come in and rob take over "star" in the show (which, if you ask me, is pretty much what killed it, along with terrible story arcs).

Yes. This was an update mostly in the fandom genre. Yesterday was the "real life" update. Who needs that, anyhow...?



These are, as I began, cumbersome ways/to kill a man. Simpler, direct, and much more neat/is to see that he is living somewhere in the middle/of the twentieth century, and leave him there. --Edwin Brock, Five Ways to Kill a Man. Something cheerful for everyone out there to think about. (I chose the less-morbid poem to quote from for people's sanity [and so people wouldn't question mine]. That should make you raise a brow).

The countdown for Harry Potter 7 begins......well, actually, I think it began sometime in like, December '06, but I'm not quite that obsessed. And my mother is unfairly threatening me to make lots of outings come up on Saturday so that I can't read the book in 1 day. Grr. I don't think I'm going to the midnight party today at B&N, but whenever I do get my book I think I will have to indulge myself and also get some Cheesefactory Cheesecake they sell in the little cafe area. ^________^

We were supposed to go to Westport on Tuesday so my mother could get seafood and whatnot, but Washington decided it wanted to live up to its reputation and began to rain, and has continued to do so since then (if anyone in the region of Western Washington claims 'drought' as their most compelling reason for water conservation I will be most displeased). So...we haven't gone yet. I can only hope it absolutely POURS on Saturday to dissuade my mother from going, and that Sunday shines nice and bright (because by Sunday I'll have finished the book, obviously).

I got the EUReKA Season 1 DVD set Wednesday! I was happy because I thought it had just come out, but then I found it had been out since July 3 or so and....well, then I was just happy that I had it. The DVD trays are pretty ineffective in holding the DVDs in place, as they keep popping out, not to mention they keep getting blue fuzzies all over them. But....THEY HAVE THE WEBISODES! Yay-ness. Hee. I also have the full collection of the Justice League/Unlimited series, so I can actually see all the episodes I missed in the 4th season. I just wish there was a 5th.

Bra'tac: And where is your false god now, Teal'c?
Teal'c: He will come.
Col. O'Neill: I don't think so buddy. I know we've been over this a few times, but in case you weren't listening, I am one hundred percent s-sure...
[Col. O'Neill trades glances with Maj. Carter and Dr. Jackson, both of whom appear skeptical since Apophis has come back numerous times from 'death']
Col. O'Neill: Ninety nine percent sure Apophis is dead. --Threshold, Stargate SG-1

Where had this last week gone? I don't know why I spent most of it in a tired state, but hopefully all I need is some downtime. All that stands between me and that are two finals, so.....I'm screwed. Yay.

Beyond that, there isn't much to update. Just felt like doing some quizzes/memes.

( Really really long list of memes and answers behind here. )

"Where there's a will, there's an or." Jack O'Neill, Stargate SG-1 *is now inspired to go searching for SG-1 icons*

Just something for me to do, because I'm bored. Plus, it sort of goes with the post below.

If you happen to be working on some creative writing project, fanfiction or NaNoWriMo or what have you, post exactly one sentence (or more) from each of your current work(s) in progress in your journal. It should probably be your favorite or most intriguing sentence so far, but what you choose is entirely your discretion. Mention the title (and genre) if you like, but don't mention anything else -- this is merely to whet the general appetite for your forthcoming work(s).

I went ahead and pasted 2 sentences, because giving only 1 is less interesting and can be taken far too easily out of context. But as you may see from the extensive list....I have a LOT of ideas. Just no ability to flesh them out into wonderfully-completed works.

Mortal Kombat:
( Ice Cream-Capade )

( Untitled One-Shot )

( Untitled )

( One-Shot with its Sequel )

( Untitled Multi-chaptered fic )

( 2nd Untitled Multi-chaptered fic )

Final Fantasy X/-2:
( Dress Rehearsal--Chapter 3: Trainer )

( Crash-Course Parenting )

( Voiceless Witness )

( Untitled One-Shot )

Eureka:
( Untitled Multi-chaptered fic )

( Untitled One-Shot )

( Dartboard of Eureka )

Crossover(s):
( No Three in Teamwork )

( Naruto/MK X-over )

( Firefly/BtVS/Stargate/MK X-over )

I would put quotes here, but.....I think I'm going to consider all those 2-sentences my quotes for this entry.

The writers/producers/director of the 200th episode of Stargate: SG-1 were on CRACK!

....I hope?

It was hilarious as all get-out, and the part where they had portrayed the SGC using puppets a la Team America was slightly creepy, and I really appreciated them bringing back Jack and Gen. Hammond (if only in voice acting, *sigh*), but......wow. They just....kinda took everything they probably been wanting to do for a while and just stuck it all in there and forgot to stir until smooth.......Almost exactly how they said it was in the commercials.

Still kinda weird, but I liked it. It's almost made me consider buying the tenth (Tenth? Okay, yeah, tenth) season. But I think I'm probably going to go with the original plan and just stop at 7. Thereafter Stargate kinda....loses luster. They just did away with so many of the originals, and I understand that it wasn't the writers' choice but the actors' mostly, but still. After losing Janet (I'm still not happy about that, *Insert ANGRY NOT-HAPPY FACE*) and then Hammond and then (the straw breaking the goat's back...or camel, if you're so insistent) Jack, I kinda lost interest. So, yeah, I'm thinking 7th's it for me.

But yeah. 200th episode? Way wacky. I'm positive I didn't get all the references. But the shipper in me was wishing that the wedding between Jack and Sam had been real (and the side comment Daniel made about people thinking he and Jack were the real couple was AWESOMELY FUNNY! And I swear it was a nod to the fanfiction community as well!). But at least we are assured in the fate of the Earth for the next ten years.....unless there's 20 seasons of Stargate, in which case that fate is no longer assured.

Going off the topic of Stargate (but not Sci-fi in general, so you non-Sci-Fi-ers [wow, that's a lot of hyphens] ought to skip down a bit) I like EUReKA (yes, the caps are intentional; if you see the title of the show you'd understand). It's enough zany-ness and seriousness and non-reality that it appeals to me. I'm trying not to get attached, though; most of my shows that I LOVE have a tendency to go *poof* because damn network executives are MORONS! (I'm still very bitter toward Fox about the Tru Calling and Firefly cancellations). But I like Jack Carter (though they could have picked a name that wasn't so common-place) because he's not the typical hero--people don't laugh at his jokes, he's not uber-quick on the uptake, and he's very much fallible while knowing how to fix his mistakes. The scene where he apologizes to his house for not calling ahead to inform it about being late (....yeah, I'm not going to explain it) is a hoot, and I love Henry (jack-of-all-trades indeed). But alas........it'll probably end before it has a chance to explore all its possibilities. Yes, I'm very pessimistic about my shows =P

I can't let any of my fanfics go as they are. Ever. I told myself I wouldn't write it, but I did it anyway. I wrote a prequel to my "Happy Birthday, Get Well Soon" fanfic *cue disappointed sighs by all the FFX fans*. I just had 2 little lines that popped up into my head, and then all of a sudden there's 3 pages written in a Word document. Why can't I ever just let one fic rest? *sigh*

I considered re-typing it onto my PC and posting it solely on LJ, but....with less than a month before I go back to school, I'm thinking I'll postpone it. Though I'm debating whether to post it on FF.net or not. Probably will, but it's only a 95% chance.

Don't have much more to write......So I'll end it here. Exciting conclusion, isn't it? Yeah, I thought so.

[after swerving the car off the road)
Carter: Are you okay?
Zoe: You call *this* protective custody?!
Carter: (groans) Oh, you're okay.

Zoe: Where are you going?!
Carter: To check the damage.
Zoe [in the back of a police car, grating and all]: And what if you don't make it back? I'll be stuck in here like those guys in the plane who had to eat each other!
Carter: You're right. (leans over to the glove box)
Zoe: I know!
Carter: Here, here's some ketchup. Start at your feet, work your way up.

Fargo: Um, you might want to be careful with this. It's a portable generator.
Carter: So?
Fargo: Ah, fission powered portable generator.
Carter: Okay. Don't sleep on the nuclear powered device. Good safety tip.

Jack: What's up?
Zoe: Organic chemistry is gonna kill me. What happened to you?
Jack: Organic chemistry almost killed me. --EUReKA

Well, it's the first of a new month, so I decided to give my journal an update. Maybe it'll be a routine of mine, maybe it'll be one of those things that I think, "hey, what an awesomely cool idea, I should do this EVERY first of the month!" but when it rolls around I'll forget and/or be too busy and/or not want to, as is usually what happens to me.

Less than 2 months before I go back to school, and I'm finding that I'm kinda ready to get back. Cabin fever and whatnot. Because, even though my sister and mother make me go and do their errands with nary a 'thank you' (more on that later....if I'm up to ranting) most of the time I wind up staying at home the majority of the day, and it's kinda making me a little cranky. 'Course, I also need to really sit down and study my Korean, so that I'm not the dumbest kid in the class (one of my worst fears).

I'm eating pork chops right now, and for about 2 seconds it tasted like ramen (the authentic Korean ramen, not the Top Ramen). O.o Weeeeirrrrd.

Back to the school topic, I'm trying to gather my thoughts on what I need to buy for school. Single-subject spiral notebooks are at the top of my list, since I've discovered that using 3-subject spirals tend to distract me and I wind up drawing/writing in the other 2 subjects during lecture. And that's a no-no. I'm also thinking about a new backpack that gives me a pouch especially for laptops, but it all depends on the money situation, since I have a carrying case for my laptop and a backpack that's in one piece (but steadiy coming apart at the seams). I considered getting a new laundry-thing, one of the fabric-meshy types, but since I have a plastic one that'll last longer, I'm not going to waste money on it. Besides, I know myself and I know it's just me wanting to buy something new for the sake of it being new.

I've discovered that I'm very picky about which "classics" I read. 'Jane Eyre' I loved, I like 'Count of Monte Cristo,' and 'Wuthering Heights' was something I could march my way through (though I HATED discussing it--damn AP English Lit classes) but that's just about where my love ends. I tried reading 'My Antonia,' and I'm about halfway through, but I just couldn't stand reading it anymore. Don't know why, because it's not particularly bad. I guess I just need an obvious plot, and 'Antonia' just seems like a long journal of a boy's encounters with a girl (whose mother irks me to no end). Not really enthralling, but maybe I just haven't gotten to the part where things pick up. *shrugs* I'll pick it up later, probably.....at least, before I start reading 'Crime and Punishment,' 'War and Peace,' 'Anna Karenina,' and 'Brothers Karamozov,' all of which I was *supposed* to read for my Russian Masterpieces class (except Brothers K, which got taken off the reading list b/c the prof didn't realize how little time we had to read) and never quite did -.-'

My fanfiction is kinda at a pause right now, which is relatively normal for me. Write loads one week, then the next few are kinda here-and-there while my Muse goes on vacation, laughing hysterically. Worse than my Pet Genius that way (private joke; even my roomie who is one of my oldest friends doesn't understand too well). I have this one MK fic I *want* to finish and post before the summer's over, but it ain't getting there. I have the sequel to it done, but you can't very well post the sequel before the first one......Unless you're George Lucas in the 1970s filming Star Wars IV. But if I ever do get that one finished, it'll probably be the last fic I post while at home; everything else is going to wait until I get back to school, because my PC is totally freaking out (we really need to get some spyware stuff) and it's making the Internet and typing hell, which for retyping really long fics, is not so fun.

And on a related note, my PC just did the thing again where it completely shuts down all my Internet windows randomly. But haha, LJ has its autodraft-saving thing, so my terrible, horrible, no good, very bad computer lost! Na na na na na!

The ICC Muse is kinda defeating itself, because I'm getting ideas for chapters, but none of them want to flesh out and become one whole, pretty pretty chapter. Damn the Stryker Muse for his overactive imagination. And I think Auron, my CCP Muse is totally leading a revolt because of my focus on MK, and it won't let me write Chapter 13. *sighs deeply* On the bright side, I thought of a new (new for me, anyhow) idea for FFX. 'Tis based on Isaaru and what happens after our dear little Yunie beats him up in the prison. Yay for new venues. And Rat Pack is sorta at a 'where do I go from here?' spot, because I want to leap ahead in time, but then I miss out on so much stuff in-between. Grrrrr on indecisiveness and one-shots that won't stay one-shots. Grrrrrr.

I think I know why my mouse isn't working on my laptop....at least, I hope I do. It may be that I need to update the driver. I'll try this out when I get to school before seriously committing to buying a new mouse. Because while there is the touchpad, it's annoying and I prefer the clicky-click-ness of the mouse and the scroll wheel. It's a tactile-thing, I think.

Not much more for me to say. The weather's nice, not too hot and not freezing, and I haven't been made to go out and run my family's errands for them. That's another thing I could address here, but I like my mood the way it is now and I'd rather not make it all black and icky-like.

Everybody: [Rachel is supposed to be cutting up her credit cards] Cut, cut, cut, cut.
Rachel: [Cuts a card] You know what? I think we can leave it at that. Kind of like a symbolic gesture...
Monica: Rachel, that was a library card.
[Everybody cheers her on, and she reluctantly cuts a credit card]
Chandler: You know, if you listen closely, you can hear a thousand retailers scream.

Discussing baby names)
Ross: What about Julia?
Carol: Julia!
Susan: We agreed on Minnie.
Ross: It's funny, we (Gestures to Carol) agreed we'd spend the rest of our lives together. Things change, roll with the punches!

Chandler: , I think for us, kissing is pretty much like an opening act, y'know? I mean it's like the stand-up comedian you have to sit through before Pink Floyd comes out.
Ross : Yeah, and-and it's not that we don't like the comedian, it's that-that... that's not why we bought the ticket.
Chandler : The problem is, though, after the concert's over, no matter how great the show was, you girls are always looking for the comedian again, y'know? I mean, we're in the car, we're fighting traffic... basically just trying to stay awake.
Rachel : Yeah, well, word of advice: Bring back the comedian. Otherwise next time you're gonna find yourself sitting at home, listening to that album alone.
Joey : (PAUSE)....Are we still talking about sex?

Monica: Where's Joey?
Chandler: Joey ate my last stick of gum so I killed him. Do you think that was wrong?

Rachel: [opening pay check] Isn't this exciting! I earned this, I wiped tables for it, I steamed milk for it and it was totally...not worth it. Who's FICA? Why's he getting all my money?

And then......a random Stargate quote, 'cause I think it's funny (yes, I'm lame. =P)

Dr. Jackson: Their world is in flames and we're offering them gasoline!
Teal'c: We are in fact offering them water.
Dr. Jackson: Um, I was using a metaphor.
Col. O'Neill: Well stop it, it's not fair to Teal'c.

I didn't know, but...Hollywood film directors have a SCAPEGOAT for their bad films!!!!! He's called Alan Smithee, and whenever the directors petition to a panel in order to get away from some of their bad works, they can use the name Alan Smithee!!!! It's HI-larious (if you're wondering why the 'hi' part of hilarious is cap-locked, see Firefly's Out of Gas episode).

Saturday I get to move out of the dorms...While this isn't a bad thing in and of itself, it's the process that I have an issue with. Nessa and I are all the way on 6th floor, which means we need to use the elevator to move a fridge, a 19"+ TV, and everything else that has our crap in it. This means we need a cart. And there's only THREE! (that's 3!) carts for the WHOLE BUILDING! And there are more than 3 people that are moving out on that day. Can we begin to see the issue here?

And THEN we need to move out BY 11:30 at the LATEST!! Or else we get hit by "improper check-out" fines and stuff. ICKY!! AND we need to rearrange the furniture (WHICH IS NOT LIGHT!!!) AND vaccuum the room, and there are ONLY 3 VACCUUMS!!!!! PLUS! there is commencement traffic at the hour that we have to leave campus.

*Breathes deeply, exhales slowly*

So.....obviously.....Saturday is NOT a good day to tell me to go do something. OBVIOUSLY.

My friend Nicole came up to our dorm to hang out. Yay-ness, because she's a cool fox (borrowing slang from her, with the fox-ness -.^). Nessa treated her to Sizzler for the first time, and she enjoyed it well.

Time for lots and lots and lots of Stargate: SG-1 Quotes. Because I'm bored and have nothing better to do...except pack....and check my laundry....and update my fanfiction..............shut up.

Teal'c: What is an Oprah?

Dr. Jackson: How is it that you always manage to come up with the worst case scenario?
Col. O'Neill: I practice.

Col. O'Neill: Oh, I got in a little wrestling match with Carter.
Dr. Jackson: Why?
Col. O'Neill: I guess she's got whatever Johnson's got. Had to drag her off to the infirmary.
Dr. Jackson: What, did she start a fight with you, like Johnson did with Teal'c?
Col. O'Neill: No, she, uh, tried to seduce me.
[pause]
Dr. Jackson: Oh. You...poor man...

Captain Carter: Where's Daniel?
Col. O'Neill: Oh, Ernest is showing him a new toy.
Captain Carter: Oh, really, what?
Col. O'Neill: Some fancy light show that may be the key to our existence or something like that.

Col. O'Neill: So Merrin, I understand you're a reactor expert.
Merrin: Yes.
Col. O'Neill: How old are you?
Merrin: I am eleven. How old are you?
Col. O'Neill: So...Merrin, I understand you're a reactor expert.

Col. O'Neill: Do you read the Bible, Teal'c?
Teal'c: It is a significant part of your Western culture. Have you not read the Bible, O'Neill?
Col O'Neill: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Not all of it. Actually, I'm listening to it on tape. Don't tell me how it ends.

Captain Kyle Rogers: You are all casualties until 1400 hours.
Col. O'Neill: Would that be Daylight Savings or Standard?

Captain Kyle Rogers: We extracted high-level information from the prisoners. [slyly] Corn and cotton are indigenous to North America.
Col. O'Neill: And that information could save your life one day.

Narim: No harm will come to you. The Tollan will guarantee it.
Col. O'Neill: Is that a 'money back if you're not completely alive' guarantee?

Col. O'Neill: If we make it out of here alive, remind me to harm Daniel severely.

Nick Ballard: Forgive me, he is here. Daniel is here.
Dr. Jackson: Repeat what I'm saying; I'm standing right beside you.
Nick Ballard: Standing right beside me.
Col. O'Neill: He's lost a few pounds.
Dr. Jackson: Jack, don't be an ass!
Nick Ballard: Jack, don't be an ass.
Col. O'Neill: ....Daniel?

O’Neill: Look, I’m sick of laying around. Help me up.
Teal'c: Dr Frasier believes you are not strong enough to undertake such a mission.
O’Neill: Yeah, whatever.
[He tries to get up and succeeds in rolling off the bed and onto the floor.]
Teal'c: Dr Frasier is usually correct in such matters.
[He bends down and hauls O’Neill back onto the bed to lie facedown.]
O’Neill[muffled]: Thank you.
Teal'c: You are welcome, O’Neill.

Col. O'Neill: General, sir, about the obviously impending court martial...
Gen. Hammond: You were all under the influence of an alien technology, Colonel. That's a pretty solid defense.
Col. O'Neill: Even so, I'm sorry.
Major Carter: Me too.
Dr. Jackson: Me three.
[pause]
Teal'c: I have no need to apologize. (which is truthful)

Dr. Markov: If you're insinuating that everything Russian-made is of poor quality, the sub is Swiss.
Dr. Jackson: So it occassionally catches fire but keeps perfect time?

Major Carter: Ok, it's flashing green. Is that good?
Dr. Jackson: No.
Major Carter: Bad?
Dr. Jackson: Bad.
Major Carter: How bad?
Dr. Jackson: Very bad.
Major Carter: DAD!

Gen. Hammond: Are you saying Colonel O'Neill has, somehow, regressed more than 30 years overnight?
Dr. Jackson: Stranger things have happened.
Teal'c: Name but one.
Dr. Jackson: Well, there was the time he got really old, the time he became a caveman, the time we all swapped bodies…

Col. O'Neill: It's time for Plan B.
Major Carter: We have a Plan B?
Col. O'Neill: No, but it's time for one.

Something I couldn't say down (or up, as the case may be) in the music box: Man, I wish I had more of BSB's old school music. And you have *no* idea how depressed that made me feel that I referred to their music as 'old school.' That's just...wrong. *I'm* not old, it's my parents' music that are old.....*sigh*

Finals next week. Hoo-rah. Space & Space Travel 3:30PM Today, Archaeology 8:30AM Monday, English 8:30AM Wednesday, and Greek & Roman Myth 8:30PM Thursday. Waaaah. Plus I've got to go return books, buy books, and prepare for work next week. Spring break? Not really happening, with my job. Grr.

I'm making it a point, though, to get together with my friends and just hang out. Plus to go to the high school and visit (haunt) teachers. I just kinda wish I could simply use the break to veg out, but that's doubtful. *sigh*

I've got my schedule for next quarter. 9:30 Europe and the Modern World; 10:30 Intro to Psych; 11:30 Russian Masterpieces. That's class one after another. This is every day, except for Friday when I have a quiz section for Euro/ModWorld at 11:30 rather than lecture. I'm going to be on the run for the morning, but on the bright side I get the afternoon off, just the way I like it. The thing I hated most about Winter Quarter was that I WASN'T DONE til 4:30 most days, except Tuesday where I wasn't done til 10! Icky icky icky poo.

I wanted to take Murder, but the quiz section closed, which meant I couldn't take the class even though there was space in the lecture. GRRRRRR *!!!!!!!angerangerangerangerangerangeranger!!!!!!*


O'Neill (accusing): You know, you told me to give Anubis that eye.
Carter: According to reports from our allies, Anubis is quickly conquering the other system lords.
Teal'c: He will dominate the galaxy in a very short time.
O'Neill: I only did it because you said we could whup ass with what we find in this lost city.
Daniel: Wh-if I said that, then I-I hope it's true, but…but Look, all I know is that the place you're searching right now is not it.
O'Neill: Then where is it ?
Daniel: Did I just say 'all I know'?
O'Neill (glares at Daniel): Everyone, turn away. I want no witnesses.
(Daniel blinks, completely innocent) Stargate: SG-1

I actually got homework done. Whee! That's kinda a good feeling....Of course, I've yet to finish Dante's Inferno, so I might ought to do that. Ah well.

Nothing huge to update. Sixteen days until my birthday; I catch up with my friends and turn 19. =D

Bra'tac: "The shield generators are far below. There, in the very bowels of the ship. We must climb down several decks, through the length of the ship, then taking our weapons we must...." [O'Neill, having decided early that he wants to do it a simpler way, struts to the edge, drops two grenades, and the shield generators go boom.]
O'Neill[proud smirk]: "Grenades."
Teal'c: This vessel is no longer protected by an energy field.
Carter: So that's it?
Teal'c: That is it.
O'Neill: "I think what the Captain is asking is 'What now?'"
Bra'tac: "Now we die."
O'Neill: "Well, that's a bad plan." --Stargate SG-1. It's funnier when you watch it, just because the facial expressions are so dead-on.

Mweh. This weekend felt so meshed together it's not even funny. My Friday never even really had an end. I woke up at 8:56 a.m. Friday and didn't go to bed until 3:16 a.m. Saturday. I accompanied my roomie to her class, went on the road down to PLU to pick up my friend Jared, went further south to OlyTumLac to do bank things and to a Target until 5 ish, drove back up to seattle and got there about 8, then went back down to PLU to pick up our other friend Nicole because her ride didn't come through at about 11. We went to a gay dance club for about 3 hours til 2 in the morning and got back about 3. Woke up at 9:15, showed Jared around campus, ate a wonderful breakfast, showed Nicole around campus, drove down to PLU to drop off Jared, drove back up to Auburn to watch a marching band competition, drove to Applebee's for dinner, drove down to PLU to drop off Nicole, and went down to Olympia and arrived home about 9 p.m. Saturday.

Phew.

Now I'm watching ABC for Grey's Anatomy, and just getting caught up in my email. Music will also be downloaded tonight, massive amounts! Thank you UW for makign a deal with Napster! w00t!

Daniel: "It was a procedure often done in the Middle Ages. They... well, they'd drill a hole in the person's head. By drilling a hole the evil spirits are released, thus saving the person from eternal damnation."
Jack O'Neill: "Thus... *saving* the person?"
Daniel: "Well, they didn't call them the Dark Ages because it was *dark*." - Jack & Daniel, Stargate SG-1