Sunday, December 26, 2004

 So, Christmas was pretty sweeeet. Uh, nobody actually woke up until my brother got here at 8:30, so we ended up opening our stockings together anyway! It was gloomy and rainy and cold all day, which was kind of nice. Made it cozy. It's still cold today, by some kind of Christmas miracle! It should never be warm in the winter, i'm telling you. Anyway, i got a lot of cds and a loooooot of dvds (i think i asked for more this year than any other year. HOO BUDDY.) and some other stuff. The only thing i asked for and didn't get was Arrested Development on dvd, but that's because by the time my parents went to get them, everywhere they looked was sold out. LAME. I'm going to get them, though! YES I AM! And Alias s3, that set is actually really pretty. I like the blue. I'm almost excited to watch them! Not quite, but ALMOST! I can't waaaaaaait to cap Prisoner of Azkaban. I've been looking forward to that since... the first time i saw it in the theatre, when i literally remember thinking- during the movie- "i can't wait for the dvd!" I'm a neeeeeeeerd. But yeah, Christmas is swell. Yay capitalism!

- 5:06 PM

Thursday, December 23, 2004

 So, my brother finally stayed at his house last night. He's still got stuff over here, but he's generally moved out now. It's so WEIRD. And, i mean, sometimes he's not my favorite person in the world, but it's just sort of sad that he doesn't live here anymore. Granted, he's only five minutes away, but i like watching tv with him and stuff, and generally... having him around. And now my younger brother is going to move into his old room, and EVERYTHING'S CHANGING!

My grandparents are here for Christmas just like every other year, but since there's that extra room now, and my pull-out bed is over at school, they won't be staying in my room. Which has NEVER EVER happened before. So this Christmas will be the first ever that i have actually slept in my own room on Christmas Eve. AND, my brother's just going to stay at his house and come over on Christmas morning. Which is also weird, because we always get up together and open our stockings and check out the Santa presents while we're half-asleep, but now it'll just be me and my younger brother. Not to mention that the past few years, Christmas just hasn't been the same for me. I don't get sickeningly giddy or have trouble sleeping on Christmas Eve anymore. It's not as hugely exciting as it used to be. That's so DEPRESSING. I hate growing up.

My shopping is almost done, though! I finally bought stuff yesterday. Haaaaaaa. Yeah. And MAN, it's warm out again. It was really cold for, like, two days. Stupid goddamn Florida. IT NEVER JUST STAYS COLD.

Heh, last night, my brothers were watching tv and flipping channels, and they told me they saw Sawyer on CSI. HEEE. I love that my whole family likes Lost. My older brother usually scoffs at mainstream stuff that i like.

- 4:08 PM

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

 I saw A Series of Unfortunate Events, and it was SO GOOD. It wasn't a dead set interpretation of the books, which i don't really mind because i haven't read them in a while anyway, and is also entirely understandable considering they were putting three books into one movie. It was like Prisoner of Azkaban in that sense- it played better as a movie by not going word-for-word out of the books. It worked out well the way they did it. And oh man, the STYLE? Was exactly perfect. The old-fashioned gloominess to it, the clothes, the music, the colors- it was all absolutely friggin gorgeous. Like i said before, the kids don't look how i imagine them, but... dude. PRETTY. Sunny was just as awesome as she is in the books. And Uncle Monty! I loooove The Reptile Room, Uncle Monty was my favorite, and he's SO great in the movie. Everyone was actually a really good interpretation (Olaf's acting troupe! YES), and it all was very sad (of course) and funny (obviously). Oh, the intro. HILARIOUS. And when the kids are doing their thing being smart and kicking ass, it's so great. And WHOAH, the end credits. COOLEST THING EVER. The music and the visuals, just... completely awesome (plus nods to later books, yay!). And... did i mention how GODDAMN INSANELY PRETTY it was? Holy jeeeez.

Anyway, i think it was a loose enough interpretation (fairly faithful, just not including every detail or anything) that it won't mess with how i see the books in my head. Much. I really really need to start reading again- i still haven't read the last book, let alone the newest one. I'm so scared about how it's all going to end. I worry about those kids, man. I love them so much and want them to be happy! Even though that's very obviously not going to happen! Way to pay attention to the entire basis of the story, Marina. It's unfortunate, get it? GET IT?

- 7:42 PM

Monday, December 20, 2004

 I finally started Christmas shopping tonight. I didn't GET anything, but i looked. I have ideas for a few things, but generally... i don't know what to get these people. Egh. I keep thinking of things I want, but they're all dvds and cds and books, which i've already asked for a billion of and nobody likes to get me because they're so boring.

How the hell is Christmas so SOON already? The past few holiday seasons have just flown by. That sucks.

It's cooooold outside. Like... 50 degrees. Which sounds so goddamn wimpy, but man, it's FLORIDA and i get cold very EASILY. The worst thing is that my feet freeze- even with two pairs of socks and shoes or slippers, they're still blocks of ice. I hate that. But at least it IS cold out! It's such a novelty, considering it only lasts for, oh, TWO WEEKS OUT OF THE WHOLE YEAR.

- 10:26 PM

Saturday, December 18, 2004

 I went over to my older brother's house today to help out a little bit. I hadn't been there since the summer when i was over there painting, so it's changed a LOT, and holy crap it looks awesome. It was basically a piece of shit inside when they bought it, the previous owners pretty much didn't know anything about, uh, anything. Things weren't put together right, it was painted hideously, and it was just... astounding, how much it needed to be fixed up (the only really nice thing was a new set of french doors out to the back yard, but... they were installed wrong, so my parents had to take them out and reinstall them). But now? It looks CLASSY. The kitchen has these great wood cabinets and marble countertops, and pretty lights, and the bathroom is completely redone (that was the most fucked up part of the place, the shower was done so wrong it even amazed the house inspector), it's all re-painted (thanks in part to who? Oh, ME.), the new carpet is in, and there's already some furniture over there, and it just looks so, so nice. Plus, most of the light comes in from the back of the house late in the day, which is my favorite kind of light, so it looks extra pretty! I'm jealous. The place is really small (although the yard is HUGE- i think it's bigger than the whole house), but it's like, pretty and cozy now, instead of... a tiny pile of junk. The thing has taken way longer and cost way more money than my parents intended, and they're seriously sick of it now (they had originally thought they would get done with it and my brother could move in by the end of the summer. Uhh... HAH.), but it's really looking good. They've done pretty much all of it themselves, too, except for like, major installations that you need professionals for, like carpet and vents and shit. But yeah, basically... it's AWESOME.

- 6:09 PM

Friday, December 17, 2004

 Holy shit, i got three A's and two B's for the semester. I got a freaking A in my violence class. The one with the 15-page paper and presentation and take-home exam that i left till the last minute? Yeah, that one. And i actually pulled off a B in the online class that i TOTALLY HALF-ASSED. B in bookmaking because i, uh, am not so good at it (the neatness and planning it requires... egh), and then A's in drawing and painting. AWESOME.

- 11:57 PM

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

 I had an MRI done today. Err, there's nothing really wrong with me, it was just for my jaw. My orthodontist is having trouble fixing my overbite, and he had me do this to see if the, uh, cartilage thingies where my jaw connects to my skull are the problem. Anyway, it was weeeeeeird. It was an open-air scanner doohickey, but when they roll you in there it's still really close, like, the thing you're inside is just a couple inches from your face. I'm not claustrophobic, but it was slightly freaky at first. And i had to lay there completely still for 25 minutes (which is difficult when you're, like, thinking about it), and the thing was noisy as hell, they gave me earplugs and everything. It wasn't deafening, but it was like a jackhammer or a lawnmower and it droned on and on. It wasn't uncomfortable to just lay there, but it was nice to, you know, get out and move again. I looked at the images they took, too, and YOU CAN SEE MY BRAIN. That's just... really weird, to see a picture of a brain and know it's yours, that that's what's inside your head right now. Like, you know it's in there and you know what brains look like, but you never see your own. WEIRD.

Oh, i'm home now, by the way. And my computer is with me. WHEW.

- 5:45 PM

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

 I went to a free screening of The Life Aquatic tonight! It was awwwwwesome. I love the style of Wes Anderson movies so much, and the humor, and oh man, the music? You just... you've gotta see it. I don't have much to say besides that. It's great. It's Wes Anderson.

I saw Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for the first time yesterday, so i've been singing the songs all day today. That title song sure is catchy as hell. And toot sweets! And the posh posh traveling life, the traveling life for me! Bang bang chitty chitty bang bang, our fine four-fendered friend! Hooooooooooo boy.

- 1:24 AM

Saturday, December 11, 2004

 Well. I got my first ever speeding ticket today. And i'm a really, really big wimp, so it basically TRAUMATIZED ME. Getting in trouble or getting yelled at or anything is the stuff that i just can't handle. I have an incredibly guilty conscience and i'm really overly sensitive, so it haunts me forever. I'm not kidding, i can still remember very specific instances of all the times i've gotten in trouble, lame stuff that would be completely inconsequential to anyone else. I would never, ever make it as a criminal.

The whole thing was completely my fault, because i'm a fucking moron and wasn't paying attention to anything. I was on the highway (on my way to Disney), and it was a construction area so the speed limit was lower, and i was going 75 in a 55, and apparently there were workers present, so the fine is doubled ($352.50. SO, I REALLY FUCKED MYSELF OVER.) And when i saw the lights in my rearview mirror, i thought... i don't know, that it was a mistake or it wasn't really happening or something, and it took me a long time to actually pull over because there wasn't really any PLACE to and i didn't know what the hell to do because THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE. And the officer asked me why i didn't pull over immediately like you're supposed to, and he had to describe to me how ridiculously fast i was going (dude, the only reason i drive fast is because EVERYONE ELSE DOES and i hate getting fucking tailgated and passed all the time) and he said that when i passed him i looked like i was "laughing and having a good time" and he asked me if i was on a cellphone (i can't talk on the phone while driving! i have no coordination!) and i told him "i... was just... listening... to music..." (i was. I was listening to a cd and singing along. THAT'S WHAT I DO IN THE CAR.) He acted really mean at first, and i fumbled with my license and took forever to find my registration and insurance and was shaking and crying and HORRIFIED, and he lightened up a little bit once he probably realized that i was just a really dumb kid. I was a huge sobbing mess for the rest of the drive (seriously, I CAN'T HANDLE SHIT LIKE THAT), but when i told my parents when i met up with them, they were really supportive and made me feel better (my dad actually just got a ticket not so long ago for the exact same reason). Still, i can't stop feeling incredibly upset and thinking about how completely fucking stupid i was.

And i mean, the thing is so goddamn expensive, and it's almost Christmas and i have no money and my parents are spending so much on my brother's new house, and it just... sucks. I can do the traffic school thing (online, no less!) to get the fine reduced, but just having to pay it in the first place is total ass. And it's all my own goddamn fault.

LESSON: DON'T SPEED, KIDS. UNLESS THERE IS A BOMB ON YOUR CAR THAT WON'T ALLOW YOU TO GO BELOW A CERTAIN SPEED OR ELSE YOU EXPLODE.

- 9:29 PM

 It's! finally! over! Ahhh. That's nice.

My roommates and i went shopping for our Christmas presents for each other... together. Basically, we went around Target saying "do you want this?", and then pretended to be surprised when we gave them to each other when we got home. It was AWESOME. I got Clueless and Romeo + Juliet (omg middle school rocked!) on dvd because those are ones that i've wanted for a long time but never got around to getting. But now i have them, yay! Oh, my formative fangirl years. How i miss you. AND, i got Green Day's American Idiot for one of my roommates, but since i wanted it too, she burned me a copy. SWEET.

- 2:36 AM