Blue Roses

I tried to get online earlier, but it didn't happen. : ( It's been....a LONG day. Long, long, long. Thank God there's only 34 minutes left in 2002, as I type this. <.g>

So. Start out the morning at the ultrasound. The radiologist could tell it wasn't fluid filled cysts, but can't tell anything else. Mom's scheduled for a biopsy, both breasts, on the 9th. He did, however, say that they were both low suspicion. So mom is doing MUCH better today. It's perfectly possible that these two clumpy bits are just her and how she grows. <.shrug> That's what we're hoping for, anyway.

Then, Lisa and Baby Kate came over. I am so in love with Kate! Oh, I want her. <.g> She's adorable...she's not even 2 1/2, but she's so big and so cute and so sweet. She loves Harry Potter. LOL She adores the commericals. We have a HP poster up for josh, and she kept pointing at it and going "Harry! Harry Potter!" <.giggle> I got her a Cinderella princess sweatshirt and a Bear in the Big Blue House cup. She liked the sweatshirt, but LOVED the cup. She hugged it the whole time she was there. LOL She's so adorable.

Then, as they left, I brought in the mail. Report card. B+, some Bs....and an F. Yes, in anatomy. I cried. Mom and Dad were amazingly okay. I mean, I knew this was a possibility. For the last three weeks, I have alternated between hysterics, horror, and despair, before finally settling into, "It happened, it was a learning experience, it won't happen again, but it's not the end of the world." They seemed to be right there from the start. I think they feel bad for me...dad gave me a hug and mom keeps telling me she's sorry. Well, that and I should look into changing my major. Seems that she also noticed that my lowest grades are in my major. Funny, that, huh? <.sigh> But it's just too late to do that. Luckily, I've taken so many classes already that my senior year was going to be pretty easy....I should be able to fit a repeat of this class in pretty easily. Just sucks that I'm now on academic probation...I mean, geez, my GPA is a 2.9! That's not *SO bad. Thank God I'm going back into English classes next semester, though.

So, yeah. This was my day. What an end, huh? Towards the end, dad started getting cranky and grumpy, and he went to bed at, like, 7. Mom thinks it's because she made him worry so much with the tests, I think it's because of my grades. But who knows. Maybe he was just feeling sick. <.sigh> Ugh. I feel sick. But 2002 has to be better, right? I can make it better. Let's see....I should try for some reasonable resolutions.

1. Keep working out and eating well to lose weight.
2. Study hard...my name is now Hermione Granger.
3. Try to keep things in perspective...no freaking out. What happens happens, just go with the flow.

Kinda manageable, don't you think? I have Kate to help with number 1, I can set a study schedule when I get back to school that I have to stick to, and the third will be more challenging. LOL

Oh, mom and I watched MTV for the premiere of nsync's new video. Um, I really didn't like it. It was not worth watching MTV for. Once again, it was like, 90% Justin. The song sucks, Lance and Joey were almost nowhere to be found, and it was really pretty boring. I did like the Chris bits, however. And they introduced it, which was really cute...Justin was taping it. He was pretty excited to have the little "directed by Justin Timberlake" in the corner of the screen. Plus Lance talked the most. Maybe the video will grow on me more, but frankly, I'm just happy I won't feel the need to watch TRL for at least the next three months. <.g>

Well, the countdown begins. 18 minutes until the new year. I have to get ready to wake up my dad (or try to), so I shall wish you all a lovely New Year, and see you in 2002!!!

Posted by rina at 11:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mom's still pretty upset. She called Carol, and they talked for awhile. Carol has, of course, done a lot of research. Apparently the two on the right probably won't be a problem, but the one on the left is really close to the chest wall, which complicates things. <.sigh> She keeps calling all of her friends though, which is good, I guess. But she's so sad and upset and drunk, and it's hard. I have a hard enough time dealing with her drunkness without all this other stuff. I hate this not knowing. Carol said that if mom had told her earlier, she would have told mom to make sure they scheduled an ultrasound right after, just in case. So we didn't have to DO all this damn worrying. She probably won't be able to have that done until Wednesday now, and we're all going to be basket cases.

Happy, happy...need something happy to talk about. Got my hair cut today. Not very happy. I basically asked for Tea Leoni in The Family Man (which is similiar to Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail), and got Tea Leoni in The Naked Truth. Nothing more than a flippy bob with bangs and some layers. Kinda disappointing. I keep wavering about it. Sometimes I like it, other times I really don't. My face looks rounder, and when you're as roly poly as I am, that's not a good thing. And it's kinda juvenile. <.sigh> So. Yeah. Not happy. Trying again.

I installed Sims Hot Date tonight. That made me squeal and giggle. There are all sorts of new options that I tried out on SimShelley and SimJoey. There are now several different kinds of kisses. So, with Shelley selected, I chose "fiery kiss." She grabbed his shoulders and swung him down in a deep dip, kissing him. <.giggle> Then I tried a few more kisses with her selected. Deciding that she was doing all the work, I switched to Joey and went for hugs. There are now a few hugs. So I chose the "jump in arms" one. This is where I squealed...Joey took a running start and ended up being swung in Shelley's arms! I was cracking up. Then they went to the couch to watch TV, where I found there is now a cuddle option. So Shelley giggled, yawned, stretched and scooted close to Joey, slipping her arm around his shoulder. LOL! Then they sat all close together, heads leaning, stroking hands and watching TV. It was *adorable. I tried to hook up Shelley and Lance after this, and felt SO guilty. It was funny. <.g> So I decided to leave them alone as just friends and set Lance up with the single mom next door. He gave Shelley a polite kiss on the cheek goodbye, and I'll be damned if Shelley doesn't have a crush on him now. <.g> Oh, well, she's still fully in love with Joey. I like them now. LOL

So, that's my happy, I guess. Plus I saw a preview of nsync's new video, but that was mostly Justin, which is less fun. <.g> There was a brief shot of Lance, though, which will keep me going until New Year's Eve.

Posted by rina at 09:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh, boy. <.sigh> Mom had her first mammogram last week. A little late, yes, as she's 43. But not too bad. It went super fast...I went with her, and we were home in 30 minutes. But they warned her that since it was her baseline, they'd most likely call her back for more shots, just because it was the first time. Fine. They did call, and she went in today. They said it would be a little longer, and we figured that meant she'd get home at about 3:30, after a 2:45 appointment. She got back at 4:30. We were pretty nervous by then. She called from the car on her way home...she had been SO nervous about the callback. I mean, really nervous. And then what does she tell us? They found three...things. Cysts, tumors, who knows. She has to have ultrasounds next, and then biopsies. I mean, chances are they're just three fluid filled cysts, which would be good. She's just freaking that there are three of them, and not just one. It's hard for her. Her best friend was diagnosed with breast cancer in September, and mom takes her to chemo. So of course the worst is totally on her mind. Plus, Po got some blood test results back, and it seems the cancer spread to his lungs. He had a CAT scan yesterday, we're waiting for the results. So how can her mind not be in the worst place? There's cancer abounding right now. It's a very scary thing. But I'm sure it's going to be fine. Right? Right.

Posted by rina at 07:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Reading Kate's dream reminded me about my own...I've been having bizarre ones lately! Some centered around Lance and JC. LOL But last night's was really odd. I lived on the third floor of an apartment building in Jim and Carol's neighborhood with Jen, my roommate from last year. It was the top level, and the roof was ours, too. So I'm going down the street, heading home, but I'm in ice skates. Bear in mind that there's no ice anywhere. <.g> So I'm going along, and I see this really cute guy getting out of a car ahead of me. I stumbled, and somehow managed to slice my arm open with the skate blade. He sees, and starts to walk away. He turns back a few times, until finally he comes back and asks me if I need help. So he helps me upstairs, with my arm gaping open, and we run into Jen. I'm laughing about the fact that I'm in ice skates, since I haven't skated in years and didn't really even like it then. Which wasn't true, I was just talking for attention because Jen and the cute guy were hitting it off. LOL Then mom and Josh, who lived on the second floor with dad, came up and brought Lance and Kate. And so Lance and I were talking, as mom was freaking out about my arm. And then Lance and I were alone on our roof patio, with all the palm trees, and I woke up. <.g> My mind works in such bizarre ways. LOL

Posted by rina at 10:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yay, blogger is back! I missed blogging yesterday. <.g> I got some super cool presents for Christmas that I've been playing with...ram, a rewritable CDdrive (to be hooked up this weekend), some DVDs (Moulin Rouge, Pearl Harbor, Sound of Music and NSYNC. LOL), some blank video tapes, Sims Hot Date, Roanoke (the book on the sidebar under "wanted"), and a new addition to my Chirstmas village...a firestation! Very appropriate for this year, I think. Also, my big surprise....a gold and diamond tennis bracelet! It's incredibly gorgeous. It's like little gold and diamond x's. Very pretty.

Went to Liss's house today...saw half of her pictures, heard some stories and got my souveniers...a hand painted tile from Venice, a backpack from Paris's Latin quarter, and a lovely Parisian scarf. I've missed her SOOOOO much. Then we headed to her place so she could model some old clothes for me...she lost some weight in Paris (only on the top ) and we had to figure out what still fit and what didnt. Then tomorrow we're heading to Oakbrook to go shopping. Much fun!

The other thing we're doing tomorrow....haircuts. ACK!!!!! I'm going short. Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail/Tea Leoni in The Family Man short. With bangs. Kate and I are looking for pictures now. Pray for me that I don't end up looking silly. LOL

Posted by rina at 08:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So far, I am having a wonderful holiday, and I hope you all are too. {{{HUGS}}} Now do me a favor and pray that my daddy and I don't kill my computer as we try to help it. <.giggle> Yay for ram and rewritable CD drives!

Posted by rina at 01:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, feeling more like Christmas now. LOL Daddy came home, and we headed out to pick up Chinese for dinner. We also rented Legally Blonde and What Women Want for tomorrow...both were his choices, which is exciting. LOL If he hates them, he has only himself to blame. <.giggle> We're also all in our new pajamas...mine are red with blue moons and silver snowflakes. Pretty cute! So far, this year has been ten times better than last year. I have high hopes that tomorrow will go well. It would certainly be hard to beat last year, that's for sure! Possible, of course, let's not jinx myself, but I'm going to focus on the positives, and there have been a great many so far. : )

Carol and I were chatting about how we couldn't wait for tomorrow since we've both run out of things to read (only us. LOL), and so I sent her to Alicia's site to read In Every Dream. Then she was enjoying it so much (every five minutes I got an "AWWWW!" or "LOLOL!" IM from her, that I decided I needed to reread. LOL It's so sweet and fluffy, perfect happy Christmassy stuff!

Then, *completely out of the blue, Eric IMs me! We went to HS together...he's a year younger than me, goes to Cornell University now. Brilliant son of a bitch, and one hell of a sarcastic bastard. I love him. LOL We were always bantering and snarking at each other, and I've missed that. A conversation with us is sure to be interesting, and always intellectually stimulating. Sure, there have been multiple times he got me so riled I wanted to beat him repeatedly over the head, but hey, that's part of his charm. <.g>

So...my family together and happy, new pajamas, a fluffy story, and Eric. That's what I need to be happy, apparently. LOL

Merry Christmas, my loves! Hope you all have a wonderful day tomorrow. : )

Posted by rina at 10:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOL Kate's watching MTV and feeding me nsync facts. Like, Lance passed the preliminary test at NASA to be an astronaut. Which is cool. <.g> And in the early days, they went to school in the day and rehearsed at night. I'm guessing that's Justin and Lance, and not, like, Chris or something, but fun. LOL And from Carolyn I learned that Lance is Brianna's godfather. Very sweet! I'm adding to my nsync facts portion of my brain, which I don't know that I like so much. LOL I mean, I know way more about them than they'll ever know about me, and that's kinda freaky. I guess they put the info out there themselves. But, still. Makes me uncomfortable sometimes.

Posted by rina at 03:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

An update!! Gosh, dearie, when did you do that? I love the design! So pretty. I've missed you...I hope you have a wonderful Christmas, sweetie. {{{{{HUGS}}}}} Be sure and buy SOD this week if you haven't already...Sam and Nora!! And Biz, there's an interview with Lex from Smallville, so you might also wanna check it out. <.g>

Posted by rina at 03:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's Christmas eve!! I can't believe it! I am thrilled that it snowed, though. It's so pretty out!! But it still doesn't feel like Christmas. Don't know why....I decorated the tree yesterday, wrapped mom's presents (doing dad's now), we have Christmas music playing through the speaker system in every room, and there's SNOW on the ground! But it still doesn't feel right.

Busy morning today...we drove to the city to drop off presents and soup at Grandma Esther's, Great-Grandma Calahan's, and then Grammy and Po. They told us that Po has been gaining weight on the 4000 calories a day and is back up to 118, but I don't believe it. He looks much skinnier than he did at his 110 in August. It's horrible. But we were laughing and joking, and they're coming out this weekend. He's still driving, we have no clue how. He's bringing a list of Elvis songs, and we're going to make a CD together for him. <.g> I think it'll be fun.

Okay....I put five CDs into my CD player two days ago. Christmas nsync, nsync from Kate, Nutcracker, 1940s Christmas, and Mannheim Steamroller Christmas. I set it to random. It's not very random. LOL My CD player loves nysnc! It's cracking me up. It'll play like five songs in a row off an nsync CD, and finally switch to a different one...the other nsync CD. So funny. <.g> See, here's Tearin' Up My Heart, after Falling and Everything I Own. Not very Christmassy, but amusing nonetheless.

Probably should start wrapping now. LOL

Posted by rina at 03:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For goodness sakes!!! I forgot the excitement of the day! I'm sure you've all heard about the flight from Paris that had the guy with the C4 plastique stuff in his shoe that he tried to explode, right? Well, imagine my delight when I heard that, because guess who is coming home from Paris today? Yes, Melissa. We should have known somethng like this would happen...after all, she's the one who was supposed to be flying out there on September 12. <.g> But we called her parents, and luckily she was on a slightly later flight, one that was going to Atlanta and not Miami. <.sigh> Man. I know Liss loves to tell stories of what happens to her, but I am SO GLAD that this is not one of them!! But we were pretty worried there for awhile.

Posted by rina at 10:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Fun day!! Mom and I baked Christmas cookies. <.giggle> I made kolaczki and peanut butter cookies, she made holiday rice krispy treats. Tomorrow, Erin and I will finish off the rolled sugar cookies, and we'll do my Christmas shopping. I can't wait!

Oh, and I made mom watch NSYNC: Road to Celebrity while we baked. Can't you imagine how thrilled she was? <.g> I think she did enjoy it, though...she was laughing at them a lot with me. Like their first appearance on MTV, and the Armegged'n sync thing from the MTV movie awards. <.g> I told Josh about it, and he set MTV to be one of his favorite channels for easy access. So whenever Bye Bye Bye came on, I'd tell him and he'd flip immediately. It was so cute. <.g> Plus, it's kinda funny...mom and I will be doing something random, like the dishes or playing Family Feud with Josh, and she'll suddenly come out with an nysnc question. Like, do they and BSB really hate each other? Why did they have to sue to put out No Strings Attached? Why do people say they're from Florida when they're really not? I don't know where she hears half this stuff, nor do I know if I'm telling her the right answers (except the Florida thing, I know that much. <.g>), but it's just kinda funny to be peppered with such silly questions! LOL

I am SO sleepy right now. And we have to get up early to take Josh to Easter Seals for his speech therapy. He still sees Christine, she who hasn't even received her CCCs and has NO CLUE what she's doing, but now he also sees one of the top AAC therapists in the country. Mom is SO EXCITED that finally, Josh has a speech therapist that knows more than she does. <.giggle> I'm sure I'll learn a lot from watching Kathleen work with him.

Oh, quick awesome thing before I head to bed...I did a random search for my name before, while searching for something else, and found out that the Waterboro library in Maine links to my disabilities bibliography!! How awesome is that?? I was so excited. <.g>

Posted by rina at 10:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My computer is finally hooked up!! Yay! Happy to be back. Home's been good so far...watched Titanic with Josh on Sunday and last night, was his snuggle buddy the last two nights, hung out with mom quite a bit. Tomorrow we go to her mammogram appointment, then grab the boys to see Harry Potter, and out to dinner at IHOP. Should be a fun time. : )

Huh. I had things to say, but just don't feel like typing or saying much at all. I've been having odd dreams I'd like to investigate more. One was pretty damn obvious, but the last few haven't been. We'll see what I find out.

Oooh, Kate made a site for Alicia and her nsync stories. Go check them out! In Every Dream is huge, but the vignettes are short and really well done. Not that IED isn't well done, it is...it's just easier to start with the short ones, because IED is seriously like a novel. What is it, over 140 pages so far? And not even close to done, really? LOL It's definitely worth tackling, though. So keep busy with those, my lovelies, and maybe I'll be more chatty tomorrow. : )

Posted by rina at 10:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh, and I forgot to mention....Abby and James posted more Domestic Pirhana. WHOOOOOO!!!!!!! Of course, it's 11 parts and I don't quite have time to read them all right now. <.g> But the first part was quite good. Poor Wesley. : (

Posted by rina at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, I have 2-3 hours to get ready. Really just a short list of things that I need to do...pack and vacuum. And work more on my story. <.g> With other little optional things like put up the scary shelves and see if I can start a grocery list for January. Sarah and Aarti left for the wedding, so I have the whole place to myself once again. Wheeee! <.g>

Okay, but getting ready means that I have to miss part of my movie. <.pout> I'm so used to being able to watch TCM in bed on weekend mornings! I'll miss that. Today is The Blue Dahlia, with Veronica Lake and Alan Ladd, about a war vet trying to prove he didn't kill his wife. It's very good. I have it on a list of videos to rent (along with Smilin' Through, which I started to watch last night before falling asleep), but I can almost never find the movies on TCM at any video store. It's very obnoxious. Someone needs to start a video store with only classic movies from before the 60s.

Posted by rina at 09:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

See, back. There must have been something wrong with the code I was using to make them all go away like that. But now they're there, and less painful to the eye. <.giggle>

Posted by rina at 06:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, except now the archives seem to have gone away. LOL Oh, well, they'll find their way back eventually.

"Hello, gay now!" Willow's so cute.

Posted by rina at 06:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Spike! Spike with chocolates, beating his Buffy-quin over the head in a rage after trying to explain and apologize for showing her Riley and the vamps. And then starting over! "Buffy. There's something I wanted to tell you." I adore this episode.

I'm playing with my archives, trying to make them look prettier. Lookin' pretty good so far, but I'm still futzing. Man, I could seriously go to bed right now. LOL But where's the fun in that?

Posted by rina at 06:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Miraculous love! They have a miraculous love. I knew I'd remember it at some point. LOL

Posted by rina at 06:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hee hee, mom gave me more songs to download! I love her taste in music. Now I have Long Tall Cool Woman in a Black Dress by the Hollies (which I already knew, but didn't know a name for), Saturday in the Park by Chicago (I need to cave in and buy a Chicago CD. I adore them), I Just Want to Celebrate by Rare Earth, Tiny Dancer by Elton John, and two that I found on my own...Billy Joel's For the Longest Time and a JC song from MMC. Yes, another. <.g> Oh, the Rare Earth song is playing now...I know this one, too! I am so bad with song names. LOL So I knew all of the songs. Excellent.

No one else is here, and I'm rather taking advantage of that fact. LOL Music blaring, etc etc. Hey, I had to put up with the guy next door warbleing some tune, he can put up with my classic rock. <.g> I keep reading the directions for these "easy to install" shelves that don't do anything to the wall. For something that's so easy and non-damaging, it sure seems scary. <.g> "Don't touch here, here, or here. Practice clicking the switch before you attempt on a wall. Practice in a discreet area before putting it up where people will see it." Eeek. LOL I figure I need the extra room for my newest additions. We exchanged Christmas gifts last night...Kate made me an nysnc mix CD of my favorite songs and those heavy on the Lance and Joey, plus an nsync Barbie doll. LOL Not the one with Lance's card, but that's fine...I got Joey! Plus, I liked this doll's clothes better, anyway. LOL So that's cool. Then I opened Aarti's gifts...I got the cutest little flexible doggie picture frame that nearly made me burst into tears. Of course, we all know what condition I was in last night, so who's surprised? LOL But I'll have to try and find a little Liesl pic to stick in there over break. But then I opened the other gift from her, and almost burst into tears for a different reason. LOL She freaking got me the Lance bobblehead from Best Buy! It's an ugly, evil looking motherfucker, let me tell you. LOL But yeah, now I need shelf room for the evil Lance and Barbie. <.g>

Whoa, insaneness! I turned on FX at 5 for Buffy, and it wasn't FX, it was Fox Sports. Or maybe Fox sports stuff broadcasting on FX, I don't know. But I turned on Xena instead, flipped to FX just to check one last time, and it was Mutant Enemy. So apparently Buffy came on at SOME point in the hour, and the next is on now. Riley's gone...I don't think I mind missing that episode. <.g> Anya and Xander are so cool...they're my favorite couple. Anya telling Xander that if he leaves, she wants a warning, like a ticking bomb that's going to go off, only they pull the right wire with three seconds left and he doesn't leave her. <.g> So cute. Oh, I think this is Triangle, maybe! Or the one before it. Where Buffy sobs on Tara's shoulder about Xander and Anya's beautiful love. No, not beautiful...something more melodramatic than that. <.g> And oh, here's Buffy asking the nun how the abjuring of men works out for her. <.g> "Do you have to be super religious? How's the food?" So fun.

Posted by rina at 06:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I AM DONE!!!!!!! Done, I say! WHOOOOO!! About damned time. <.g> Lang dev was okay...not what I had expected, that's for sure. I read the book a few times, read my notes a few times, and did and reviewed the study guide. Two questions were from the study guide, maybe five from the book. <.g> I'm not sure where she got half the questions! They seemed to be from earlier units. Oh, well. I knew a great deal, got the extra credit, and I think I did well. And I'm DONE!!!! ::dances crazy like Anya::

Posted by rina at 02:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Time for the Friday Five!!
1. What did you want to be when you grew up? Me being me, I went through a few different stages. <.g> The ones that lasted the longest, however, were an archeologist and a writer. Plus, I always knew I would have a big family. Speech pathology didn't get in there until senior year in HS, and it's still not what I want to be, just what I am going to be. The closest I'll come to being an archeologist was the Archeology and the Bible class I took last sem, the closest I'll be to a writer is writing for fun, but I still have high hopes for the big family. <.g>

2. Do you have any nicknames? Yup. Lots and lots and lots. Most relate to the name I don't use here, though. ; ) Rina wise, I'm called Rina-doll and Rina-Rina, and Rina Bass. <.g> My mom calls me Beans.

3. If you could change something about yourself what would it be? Well, besides my entire body? LOL I guess I don't like how I focus so completely on one thing for a short period of time. I wish that I could find one thing I love and stick to it. I'm so shallow, bouncing around from interest to interest.

4. Have you ever bought anything from an infomercial? Yeah, ProActiv acne stuff. From Judith Light? Great product.

5. How do you plan to spend your weekend? Tonight, I'm going to relax, watch Speed on FX, and write my story. Tomorrow I'm heading back home for a month, and God knows what I'll do Sunday. Wish I was back here, possibly. <.g>

Posted by rina at 02:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, finished nysnc and the review sheet. It all seems pretty basic. I read the chapters, I did the questions, I know the answers...I don't think there's much more I can do! I guess I'll keep reviewing, but it seems like overkill at this point. LOL I could clean my room, I could get my few things together that I'm bringing home, but that's what I have planned for this afternoon and tomorrow morning. <.g> Oh, well. I honestly hadn't planned on the audiology exam taking less than an hour. <.g>

Posted by rina at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh, my gosh!! So I went down to eat breakfast. Poured myself some cereal, sat down to my review sheet, and looked up almost every one of them. Got up to dump my bowl of cereal out before leaving, because I had been too nervous to eat much. It didn't sound like rain anymore, but something was certainly coming down. I opened the door, and just stood there, stunned. It was snowing! These were HUGE snowflakes, too. I mean, HUGE. It was a snowglobe winter wonderland out there!! I was absolutely delighted. So I walked to the exam with a big smile on my face, happily being lambasted by snowflakes. And then when I got there and got the scantron sheet, my name fit in! It never ever ever has before. <.g> So I counted that as a lucky thing. Then I got the exam....it was the review sheet plus 20 more questions. How freaking lovely is that? I love Dr. Gooler.

So, yes, last night's freaking out wasn't quite necessary. LOL But it's done and I think I did well, and that's what counts! Now to copy some nysnc things before finishing my lang dev study guide. : )

Posted by rina at 09:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wow, mom said that it snowed at home!! I checked here, and all we have is rain, though. <.g> Damn...first snow is supposed t to be lucky and all that stuff. It's what Frosty is made of, you know. LOL

Okay, time for breakfast and studying with Buffy. Wish me luck!! The exam is from 8-11, although I doubt it'll last that long. But I need all the help and support possible. <.g>

Posted by rina at 07:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

You know, there's a large amount of sleeping involved on Buffy...at least the ones that start at 6am. <.giggle> Riley just covered Dawn with his jacket as she slept. Not fair! Although I'm kinda feeling more awake now. And substantially calmer than I was during the last post. <.g> Luckily Gen came back right about when I posted that, and we talked for over an hour. Poor thing, it was her night off, too, but I had to talk to someone! She helped a lot. I went back to studying and realized that I knew more than I thought I had, and a lot more seemed familiar. Plus I learned a few diseases, and I think I got the tymps straight. So, 100 multiple choice questions? I can do it. I'll just study a bit more this morning as I go, and everything will be fine.

Posted by rina at 06:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Stress...stress...stress...I am so tense, I am ready to snap. I could explode at the next nice person to walk by, or I could burst into tears with the next nsync song. I am just sick. I'm terrified about my anatomy grade. I'm terrified about my audiology exam and grade. I shouldn't be. I got a C on the first exam, didn't check the second, got all my points on the assignment, did mostly well in the labs. I should be getting a C+ or a B in the class right now. But I feel like I know nothing. I know that I do know some things, but I don't think I know enough. Thank God this next nsync song isn't a ballad, because Here and Now was thisclose to making me cry. I'm going insane. I need someone to talk to and no one's online. Thank God the internet came back because I needed to blog this out. Not that I actually am, but the act of random typing is helping even though studying is what would really help and I'm so upset that I can't study. And now AIM doesn't seem to be working, is this even going to go through? God, I need this week over. Next semester will be better. This sem was science and hearing, and I knew I'd do badly. Next sem is English and speech, and I do good in those classes. Good thing, 'cause communication is what I'm aiming for here and science and audiology aren't quite it.

Posted by rina at 07:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hmmm. So I got an e-mail from a guy at the undergrad library, asking if I want hours next semester. He gave a few, I can only work one of the shifts, but I think I can move a class to pick up a second. I told him that. He responded about half an hour later...in German! I'm guessing the guy has my resume and application in front of him. <.g> It just really freaked me out to open the e-mail and see the foreign language. LOL Especially since my German is rusty, and I only was able to pick out about half the words. <.giggle> So I responded, few sentences in German and a few in English to confirm what I think he said. <.g> We'll see if I get a response. LOL

Posted by rina at 02:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I think the exam went quite well, actually. Yay! The mandatory question was my favorite of the four, which I was excited about. And she gave us a choice for the last one, and neither was the fourth question that I didn't pay much attention to. <.g> So that went well. Plus Lance kept popping up on my watch for luck. LOL Oh, but our professor is so cute...after an hour, she was like, "pens down." We looked around at each other, confused, 'cause we had 2 hours left. <.g> She told us we'd been writing for an hour, we needed to take a break, shake our hands out, and she told us a little story. LOL She's so fun. Of course, I had been in the middle of my last sentence, and it was kinda hard to finish it after the break, but I managed to get a train of thought back. LOL

I'm back at Kazaa...my computer must hate me. <.g> I downloaded 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins, a song that I adore. Then I asked mom for a suggestion, 'cause I was at a loss. So now I have Brand New Key by Melanie, Windy by the Associations, These Boots are Made for Walking by Nancy Sinatra, and Me, You and a Dog Named Boo by Lobo. LOL Quite the mix, huh? Super fun.

Now I really need to start audiology. I have an 85 question review sheet to go over. Joy. I think I'll start at noon, give myself a tiny break between final and studying.

Posted by rina at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Eeeek!! Send me happy, lucky thoughts that I can churn out some decent sounding essays, please. <.sigh>

Posted by rina at 07:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, I love the opening to Family. Willow under the covers, all cute and sleepy, and asks Tara to tell her a story. Tara tells her a silly little story, and Willow says she's very sleepy. Tara asks if she can leave the light on to work on spells, Willow says that's fine, she "doesn't need to be snuggled." Tara grins at her and says, "Vixen," before putting away her books, climbing into bed, and snuggling her. Really sweet and adorable, right? It's freaking CRUEL at 6:01 in the morning to a girl who has to be awake to take a final in 2 hours. AHHHH!

Like Willow I'm pretty damn sleepy. <.g> Unlike her, I can't go to bed, snuggled or not. Sucks. LOL I totally don't want to do EPS anymore. I hope my notes are enough to write whatever two essays she gives us! I have learned the usefullness of outlines and such (thanks to years of hearing Krissy rave), but I do also have this slight nagging problem that if I was able to get it so nice and concisely into a short space, why drag it out longer into a long essay? LOL But I'm thinking that once I get started babbling, things'll be fine. I mean, it's a final...we're writing these in limited amounts of time, and he has limited time to grade. It works out well for everyone. <.g>

Anya and Xander are so cute. LOL I love Anya and her money. Adorable. "With Willow, she has this whole new thing in her life, but she's still Willow. I can always figure her out. But Tara, all I know about her is that she likes Willow, but she already has one of those." <.g> Poor Tara, they don't know what to get for her birthday. LOL "You're in a magic shop, and you can't think what Tara would like?" Spike and Buffy...ye Gods, I always forget this scene. LOL With her legs wrapped around his face and his "Come and get me!" "Oh, I'm coming, all right. I'm coming right now."

Hey, how'd it get to be Thursday already?? Finals week is zipping by, and I'm not sure how much I like that. <.g> I need to take a shower before the awesome ending of Family, and so I can tape Fool For Love. See, I'm so much less cranky waking up early to Buffy. Of course, these were pretty much the two best Buffy episodes of last season, which just makes this 6am thing even more bearable. LOL

Posted by rina at 06:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

(being written at 9:45pm) Done, done, done! Did I finish before West Wing? Hell, no! But it's done! LOL

Oddly enough, the internet is down, but I can still get outlook express mail. No one else, just me. Bizarreness!

Okay, so I didn't study at all for audiology. But then, I didn't expect to spend 5 hours sleeping this morning, either. If I had been able to work then, things probably would have gone a little more smoothly. Oh, well. It'll get done, just maybe not as completely as I would have liked. Really wish it wasn't cumulative, though. LOL I'm not really worried about lang dev...it's only over one chapter, and it's not really new information for me. So tomorrow I concentrate on Audiology. After I get through with EPS...I feel like I've put in so much effort this afternoon that I should be done now. Sadly, it doesn't work that way.

Posted by rina at 06:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wooo, half done! LOL The goal is to be done by West Wing, which is brand new. I think it's do-able. <.g>

Buffy ROCKS!!!! Tonight was Family and Fool for Love. I had thought FFL was on tomorrow, but I guess I was wrong. I thought there was an ep between the two last year...kinda odd to have two eps in a row about minor characters. But hey, not going to complain. LOL I think I'll tape it tomorrow morning to show Aarti a "normal" looking Spike. <.g> He was so cute...I still laugh so hard with "Ow. Ow ow. Ow ow ow!" <.g> I'll be able to watch both tomorrow morning, since my exam is at 8am. Eeek. LOL

But now I need dinner and to finish the last two essay notes.

Posted by rina at 06:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

AIM was cranky, so I finally upgraded. Went from, like, v.4.3 to v.4.7. LOL Seems pretty nice, even if it took me awhile to find my sounds again. Man, I have gotten NOTHING done. I don't want to get anything done. I need to get things done. <.sigh> It's just such a grey, rainy day, and I want more sleep. Maybe if I just skip the first question for now, the second one won't block me.

Posted by rina at 02:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Gotta stop with the quizzes! LOL Blame Miggie. LOL (BTW, watch out for her new trick...I decided to keep it for this post, too. <.eg>)

Posted by rina at 01:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Very cute quiz. <.g>

Take the What Cat Are You? test by webkin!

Posted by rina at 01:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Christmas survey from Sagan!

1. Do you buy a real tree (live or cut)? Do you have it flocked? Do you drag the colossal box down from the attic (or up from the basement) and spend an afternoon sorting the J4 branches from the K3's and fitting them in their appropriate slots?

We've always had a live tree. It's one of my favorite parts of the season, going tree shopping. My mother, however, hates it. She looks at it as a six foot pricky thing leaking sap all over her living room. So this is probably our last year of a real one. : ( Does anyone have recs on how to make a fake tree smell like a real one, at least? <.g>

2. What special ornaments are a MUST for your tree?

We have several that were on my great-grandma's tree that my mother adores. Those are pretty important. We also have the paper links that she made in kindergarten, I made in kindergarten, and my brother made in kindergarten. They look remarkably similar, but I love them. I also have a set of Disney character ones I got when I was 2 from my great-grandmother when she lived by Disneyland. Those are all the first things to go up.

3. Garland or icicles?

Tinsel! I'm tinsel gal. No one else in my family can stand putting it on, but I love it. Not one strand at a time, mind you, but I don't just throw it, either. <.g>

4. White lights or multi-colored? Blink or non-blinking?

Nonblinking rainbows for the tree. Blue lights for around the house. White is elegant, and we use it on the fir tree in our backyard (because my mom prefers those), but I need rainbow. I love going in there late at night, taking my glasses off, and just seeing the glow of the colors because yes, I am that blind. LOL It doesn't have the same look when they're all white. As
for blinking, I just don't like it ve much. Plus the action is bad for my brother's seizure disorder.

5. Do you decorate outside with a creche? Icicle lights? The new rope lights? Santa and Rudolph on the roof?

We mostly do lights outside now...the netting ones are cool for the bushes. Oh, and we have a few lighted snowmen out there because my mom adores snowmen. (She's not a very Christmassy person, so anytime she shows interest in something Christmas, we almost always do it for her. ) We used to go all out for decorating, but no one really wants to anymore. Well, I do, but I'm deathly afraid of heights and therefore can't go up ladders. We had toy soldiers along our wall, angels on either side of the door, a Santa on the roof by the chimney, and reindeer flying between the trees.

6. Church? Midnight mass? Christmas caroling?

None of the above, anymore. I used to be in the children's choir, from 5-8th grades, and I sang at Christmas Eve mass every year then. I did love it...there was something about the atmosphere and the songs that always got to me. But when I left that, we never went again. We're not a very church-going family. I always had a hankering to go to midnight mass, though. I think that would be lovely. And caroling would be tons of fun...especially if I could actually sing. LOL

7. Christmas music: Are you more the classics kinda gal (Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Ray Coniff singers, etc.) the modern Christmas tunes ("A Very Special Christmas" 1-5, Country, Rap etc.) or do you prefer orchestral/chorale music?

All of the above. <.g> Really, I've listened to three Christmas CDs today...hits from 1935-1955, nsync, and the Nutcracker. I adore the Nutcracker....every year since I was 6, I've listened to that on Christmas eve as I fell asleep. Christmas music in general makes me very, very happy, whether it be Frank Sinatra or Kenny G, or whatever. All great in my book. I just have one quibble about one nsync Christmas song, however. It's track two...it's about waiting all day to be together under the tree, two becoming one, etc etc. Sounds sweet. Until the line "I wish that Santa could be here to see." Voyeurism is just peachy if it floats your boat, but does it have to be SANTA? I think we found my second squick. LOL

8. What about food? Are you a sucker for Aunt Ruby's Eggnog? Do you use the annual fruitcake for a doorstop? Do you make fudge or candies and cookies for your friends and co-workers or neighbors? Share a recipe.

Not much to share here. Sometimes my mom and I make cookies, and we plan to this year, but it's not a usual thing. All the recipes are at home, sorry!

9. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

One Christmas eve, the rest Christmas morning. And Christmas eve is always pajamas...so we look good in the pictures the next morning.

10. What's the ONE thing you have to have/see/do/eat that makes it feel like Christmas?

For me, I think it's the lights. If I don't have lights up, it's not Christmas.

11. Tell us about your favorite Christmas memory.

Wow, I had to think about this. <.g> The last few have been pretty bad, so a lot of the good has been buried and forgotten. But I found one!

It was just after we'd moved from Chicago to the suburbs. We were driving around, looking at all the Christmas decorations. I was 10, Josh was 2, and it was getting late. We were all a little cranky. My dad was like, "Just a little bit longer, and then we'll go home." I agreed, and we drove down one last street. I had my head turned to look down side streets, and my jaw
DROPPED. We had just driven past the most decorated street in the entire world. I called my dad's attention to it, and we made a quick U-turn. It was amazing. Every single house on the block was decorated, be it for Christmas or Hannukah. We drove around the entire subdivision, just staring in wonder at everything. And then we got lost in it. <.g> We found a road that we thought led out. It didn't, it led us to another subdivision, and this one had toy soldiers lining every street. It was beautiful. We finally exited out of there, and went home. Now, every year, it's part of our traditions to drive down those areas. They're less decorated now, but enough people still participate to make it look lovely. So, I guess if you live near Westchester, IL, go check out Beckett and Wakefield streets, near the Dominicks. Wakefield is off of Ogden, and Beckett is off of 31st.

Posted by rina at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Justin in in Elton John's new video, playing a younger Elton John. He doesn't even look like himself! Great costuming and make up job. And you have to give the kid credit for being pretty secure with his sexuality...he was totally flaming in On the Line, and now he's playing Elton John. LOL

Okay, so no, I haven't started studying yet. <.g> But I did respond to a topic of Scullyfic about Christmas, and I think I'll post here as a survey for y'all to steal and take. LOL

Posted by rina at 12:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's noon. What I have done, you may ask? Well, the notes got moved from my drawer to my bed. <.g> And I took lots of naps. I got up, moved around, felt like crap, got in bed, fell asleep, got up, moved around, felt like crap, got in bed, fell asleep, and so on. LOL So now I really do need to work. I think I'm going to implement a one hour rule...one hour per topic. I mean, that's all I'm using to write them tomorrow, so that's all I should use to prepare for them, right? Then I'll be done about 4 or so. Well, knowing me, closer to 5, with breaks in there. LOL

Oh, damn. <.pout> Janet just called...they don't need help at the clinic over break. <.sigh> Apparently they usually just close for the week or two around Christmas except for any therapists who want to work. But she does want me to work there over summer vacation, and maybe spring. Neither which helps me greatly...I kinda wanted to stay here this summer, you know? But if that's where I can get a job, what can I do? It's an option, I guess. And maybe there is a place I can get over the summer in LaGrange...there are colleges around, some students might want to sublet. But La Grange might be just a wee bit out of my price range. <.g> I guess we'll see what happens.

Posted by rina at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My roommates are insane. <.g> I woke up to a note in the bathroom that said, "Good morning, Rina Bass! How are you, my dear?" written with hearts *everywhere. Especially on the !. LOL

It did make me giggle, though, something I definitely needed as I popped three Tylenol for the cramps. LOL I woke up at 7 to watch Buffy (the one where she discovers that Dawn isn't really her sister), but kinda dozed through it. Then woke up for the Tylenol, and went back to sleep for an hour that passed FAR too quickly. I do feel better now, though, and I put up Christmas lights in my bedroom last night, and those are making me hppy. <.g> So I guess I could give up that hour this morning, but I really do have a lot to do today. EPS is tomorrow, and while I'm not nervous about it, I have four essays to write notes/outlines for today. Plus I haven't even begun studying for audiology on Friday morning. Eeek! So that's what I have to do today. Fun, huh?

Oh, last night, I made a pretty Lance wallpaper. <.g> I just cloned and pasted a better Lance over the one she used in hers. I'm not entirely thrilled with how it looks yet, even though it's probably one of the best I've done like this, so JC is still gracing my computer screen. LOL I have a few ideas on how to make Lance better, though, which hopefully I'll have time to play with tonight!

Posted by rina at 09:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I am suddenly in the holiday mood. LOL It's been a long time coming...my sites may be decorated, the apartment kinda was, but it never really got me. Suddenly, I'm got. LOL Sarah and Tony put up lights in the stairwells, which probably helped a lot. Then, Kate and I found really cool nsync wallpapers that has a band member looking out of a snowy decorated window. They're so beautiful...we each have a JC one up now. Her Lance one was horrendous, so I'm gonna try and make my own similar to hers but with a better Lance one. <.g> If I can't, well, JC's cute. So my computer looks much more holiday-ish now, which I love.

Oh, and stats? I love math. Math is beautiful. <.g> The first forty questions or so of the exam, I breezed through. The last thirty kinda went downhill from there, but I know I got a bunch of them right. Plus five extra credit points for doing all my notes. Very exciting!

Geez, compliment JC and my computer goes nuts...it played Up Against the Wall, followed by a JC centric song (featuring nysnc) called Give In To Me, then Buffy, and now it's playing JC's Now and Forever, from MMC. LOL

So, off to try and find a snowy window picture or make my own, and insert Lance. <.giggle> Tomorrow I have to do all my EPS notes and start Audiology, but tonight is just for me.

Posted by rina at 09:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Having some definite problems concentrating here. LOL I don't want to study anymore! And I really do need to. I mean, sure I got solid Bs on all three exams without a lot of studying. But those exams were kinda awhile ago and it would be bad to have forgotten everything I learned for all of them. <.g> So I should study so I don't forget things, but I really, really don't want to. And I'm afraid I'll sit down to the exam tonight and be amazed at all that I don't remember.

So, yes, studying. After lunch. <.g>

Posted by rina at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kazaa is evil! LOL I keep downloading songs. I did a search there for Remember WENN, though, and nothing came up. So I headed to Rodney's page and downloaded the Christmas songs in my share folder. Now there's a bunch for people to find, plus I get to listen to Christmas songs. Everyone wins!

I can't believe I've been awake since 6am. LOL I was so tired yesterday, I went to bed at 10. So I decided to set my alarm for 6 and watch Buffy this morning. It was a lot of fun. <.g> Good way to wake up. LOL I still need to study, though. When I got out of bed, I kinda started working on my story, got another page done. LOL Which is super fun, but I still need to get actual work done. LOL The exam is at 7 tonight, but I don't need to study *that much. I mean, I'm getting an 85 or 86 in the class...not much can kill my grade, or make it an A. So I'm not too concerned...I know my stuff. And it's multiple choice! So I'm gonna finish watching Xena (Gabby had her baby yesterday), and get cracking. Such fun.

Posted by rina at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh, Tom Cruise is going to be on Rosie again! On Wednesday. I'll totally be watching that...I remember the first time he was on. She was so excited! LOL I bet it'll be fun.

Okay, she's interviewing Penelope Cruz now...they're not communicating well. LOL I didn't know Penelope's English was so poor. How does she do movies here?

Posted by rina at 03:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, it's over. There were 20 questions I know I nailed...cranial nerves and swallowing, mostly. Then maybe 10-20 more that I'm pretty sure I knew. Then the rest (about 40), I could eliminate down to 2-3 choices and make educated guesses on. There were only 2 that I had no clue on whatsoever. So I don't think I failed. I'm thinking a C or so here. Could be worse.

Oh, David and Tea are going to have another baby!! This one is also due in the spring (West was born in April...right by Krissy's birthday!). How totally awesome for them.

Okay, I need to crash about now. <.g> I'm going to hide my A&P book and do something *completely fluffy and without meaning for a few hours. LOL

Posted by rina at 03:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Must breathe, must breathe...trying to relax with the Buffy movie on FX. <.g> Pretty fun. But still with the note reading. Anyway, wish me luck! Happy thoughts will be most appreciated the next three hours or so. LOL

Posted by rina at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There are four stages of swallowing. Oral prep (chewing), oral (moving the bolus to be swallowed), pharyngeal (pushing it down the pharnyx, terminated when it hits the esophagus), and esophageal (finishing swallowing by pushing it to the stomach). The first two are voluntary, the other two are involuntary. The pharyngeal stage can ONLY be done in humans if there is food or liquid in the mouth. The last stage is the longest, at 8-20 seconds, the others are about 1 second each.

See, I do know things. I know a lot of things. I just can't help feeling that the things I know are really basic and that he'll be testing us on more complex things. I always feel that way...if I know it, everyone does, so I should be knowing more than I do. I wish I knew if I knew enough. I worked my ass off for this.

Posted by rina at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Twelve cranial nerves
1. smell
2. vision
3. visual accomodation
4. moving eyes
5. chewing
6. moving eyes
7. taste and salivation
8. hearing and balance
9. taste and salivation
10. swallowing, breathing, digestion
11. swallowing
12. swallowing

So, that sums up most of what I know about cranial nerves. <.sigh> I'm figuring that since I know what each nerve *does, I can therefore suss out what muscles go with them (vision will be eyes, taste will be tongue, swallowing will be the palate and phaynyx and stuff) and therefore also disorders that match them. That sounds logical, right? <.sigh> I'm still gonna be studying until 1, though. I'm getting nervous again.

Posted by rina at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

FX! FX! Kate just told me we get FX!!!!! BUFFY!!!!!! I can watch BUFFY!!!! This is a good day so far! Very good indeed!! This bodes well, right?? <.giggle>

Posted by rina at 09:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm so sleepy!!! Geez. Kate and I went to sign our lease...we put down the security deposit and signed an application. So we didn't actually sign the lease, but it's pretty much a guarantee. We checked out the apartment today...#206. Really nice place! Plus, apparently, we can have pets, since they had a cat. LOL (A fact we're hiding from my mother, who would freak out. I'm pretty damn allergic, so we'll just clean it *really well when we move in!) So that's kinda exciting. But I took those 2 hours off to go do that and run errands with Kate, and now I'm sleepy and lethargic and totally want to be asleep. <.g> But I shall perservere, because now it's a matter of pride. LOL

So, back to the grindstone.

Posted by rina at 05:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From Biz, Are you as interesting as your blog? Me:

Good to know! LOL Wonder how *true it is, though. <.g>

Posted by rina at 01:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I HATE studying. I am so ready to be done. But I'm kinda proud of myself...I'm really getting into this. I'm doing all the reading, reviewing notes, things are sticking, and I'm actually making connections. So this may actually go well. Of course, the way his tests are, it's probably doing no good. But that's not a postive way of thinking....I am studying, I am learning, and I know way more than I think I do. Probably would have helped to have been doing this all along, but oh, well. <.g> This is probably the most I've ever spent studying on one test in my life. I'm sure it's gonna work out well. Because damn it, I'm putting in EFFORT!! Plus, it'll be over in about 25 hours. That's a lovely thought. 'Cause my second test is stats, and I know I'll do well there.

See, I'm gonna get through this! Just wish it was over already. LOL

Posted by rina at 01:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My mother cracks me up. <.giggle> We were chatting after they got home, and she was like, "I don't think I can survive Josh's teen years. You were too easy. We didn't get buffed up for this. This is all your fault!" LOL I apologized and offered to give it a whack now. I mean, Kate and Aarti would help me, right? <.g> Anyway, Josh is very anti-mom right now. Probably since they spend all day together and she homeschools and stuff. So he was quite upset when she left him and dad in the car to help me carry in things, and then <.the horror> Came Back! LOL He was yelling all the way to the highway, poor child. <.g> Mom says that while I'm home, expect her and dad NOT to be. <.g> So I'll be hanging out with him a lot this break...won't he be excited?? I can teach him Pop, we can read Harry Potter, we can do yoga, and he'll be so sick of me, he'll welcome mom back into his life. <.giggle>

Posted by rina at 08:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh, my gosh!!!!!!! My parents told me to expect a package today, so not to leave. Mom calls about 1pm, I look out my window....there they were!!! They drove down to surprise me!!!! They took me out to lunch and brought me a bunch of food, like the raspberry chicken salad that I love so much from our local deli, and it was so awesome! That was so totally awesome of them. I was grinning like an idiot for such a long time. <.giggle> Wow, that made me so happy! I love my family. I'm not even looking at it as three hours of studying I missed out on, 'cause really, this was so much more important.

I seriously still can't believe they did this. I'm still smiling!! LOL

Posted by rina at 03:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm a silly girl....wearing Christmas clothes to keep me happy while studying. LOL

Posted by rina at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From Brendan, How british are you? Me:

Yesterday was 60 years since Pearl Harbor. Amazing, really, that so much time has passed. And I have to agree with Biz that it's about freaking TIME people remembered our day of national remberance. All of the special things they're doing this year is what they should have been doing all along. I hope they continue these specials every year...it's so important to remember what happened, and thank God for the men who defended our parents and grandparents with their lives.

I'm watching the History Channel, which is reairing their Parade and Live from Pearl Harbor salute from yesterday. It's really fantastic. I can't imagine what it would like to be there, especially yesterday, but I would love to. Oh, this guy who was a sergeant during the attack is almost in tears while he's talking. It's almost enough to make me cry! Almost this entire show is, with the fly overs and now the soliders and their wives dropping flowers down into the wishing well on the Arizona Memorial, for the dead. Wow.

Well, yesterday was the 60th anniversary of the attack, and today is therefore the anniversary of FDR's a date which will live in infamy speech. I have that one on my MP3 player, and it came up several times yesterday. Now he was a gifted speaker.

Posted by rina at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I am now downloading 4 JC songs, a Joey song, two nysnc songs, and three Bach pieces performed by Yo Yo Ma. This joins the two Britney and Shaggy songs I downloaded earlier. Never let it be said I am not very open minded. <.g>

Okay, now I'm studying. And eating. Because I've been stuffing my face ALL DAY. PMS and finals...lovely combination.

Posted by rina at 08:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Man, maybe I was better off without the internet. LOL I keep heading to Kazaa and looking for more music to download. Right now, I somehow got onto a JC kick. LOL He covered a lot of Richard Marx songs while on MMC, and I'm curious as to how they came out. Then I found a song Lance did with O-Town, and a song that Joey apparently did on his own. So they're all downloading, and my computer will hate me. <.g> I did get my Stats done, though...five bonus points on the exam for me! yay! And everything is on my bed waiting for me to review the three A&P labs we'll be tested on. Of course, two of them were on yesterday's quiz, so they should be pretty well known. Then I can read the chapters. That's my plan.

But first I think I need more pretty music.

Posted by rina at 08:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Copying cool kids again! Comin' at you is my Friday Five.
1. If you were to go to a movie this weekend, which one would you pick? Harry Potter, of course! <.giggle>

2. What movie would you like to rent this weekend? Something Christmassy! Maybe Holiday Inn. Or Miracle at Morgan's Creek.

3. What one TV show do you always try to watch? Just ONE? LOL I have a few. I guess Buffy. And West Wing, Xena and Angel!

4. If you (and your S.O.) were cool with it, what five celebrities (at the most) would it be 'ok' for you to have a fling with? The nsync boys? LOL I think they'd all fling pretty well, in their own ways. Well, except Lance - I don't know why, but I prefer to not think of him as a flingy guy. <.g> So maybe I'l subtract him out and add in Gillian. Maybe. (And yes, I'm just weird enough to think that the one I like least, Justin, would fling the best and therefore prefer him to my favorite, Lance. LOL)

5. How do you plan to spend your weekend? Studying for finals. <.whimper> But my daddy sent me a package that should arrive tomorrow, full of some finals time treatskas. (Just realized that I've never typed that out before, just said it. LOL Huh. <.g>) Oh, and Kate and I are signing a lease on an apartment for next year. So, yeah. Super exciting, huh? But geez....this is my last weekend here before break. AHHHH!

Posted by rina at 06:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was telling Kristine that I had deleted a lot of nsync songs this week, and that reminded me! LOL I opened my St. Nick's gifts yesterday, and I got the nsync calendar. It's so funny...Kate and Aarti have been, like, coming in to borrow it. LOL There are some really fantastic pictures in there. Sadly, few are of Lance. LOL I mean, Lance is in just as many as the other guys, he just looks...not fantastic. <.g> Seriously, the guy needs to spike his hair. See them from China. When it's flat, it's just bad in many ways. <.g> But other than that, my only complaint is that the pictures are very long, about 3/4 of the page, leaving a very tiny area for the calendar portion. Then, the dates part doesn't have boxes to write in, just stars with the dates in big numbers in the middle. And each month is a different color, and most of them are too dark to write in anything but silver or white. What's the point of a calendar if you can't keep track of things on it?!?! That made me go grrrr. But it is a pretty nice calendar, and I love the font they use....I've used it before for story graphics. Matura Capitals, or something like that. Oh, and they also label each of the boys's birthdays...I could have lived without that. LOL But all in all? Much pretty fun.

Posted by rina at 02:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wow, it's been a full year that I've been blogging here! It seems like I've been doing it forever. This has been a total rollercoaster year, and I'm so glad I always had this place to come to. I've met such awesome people, and it's been a great experience all around. Happy anniversary to me!

Posted by rina at 01:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

46 FREAKING HOURS without the internet!!!!! I've been going insane. LOL but the guy finally fixed us up and got us online. Now to read my thousands of pieces of mail (or delete them) and get started studying. Because classes are done with, and now there's only finals remaining!

Posted by rina at 12:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Following the cool kids once again, I decided to see what piece of art I am.

If I were a work of art, I would be Piet Mondrian's Composition A. I am rigidly organised and regimented, although my cold and unapproachable exterior hides a clever way of thinking and a rebellious and innovative nature. A lot of people don't understand me, but I can still affect them on an emotional level. Which work of art would you be? The Art Test

That might be pretty accurate, actually. Hmmm. Now is that good or bad? LOL

Today was my last Anatomy class and it was SHORT! We were out at 2, instead of 2:30. Pure bliss. I'm free! Until the exam. And next semester.

Posted by rina at 02:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I don't know why, but I've been totally remembering my dreams this week! First there was the Anya/Xander one. The next night, I dreamed about Jon and Austin...like Jon and I driving around as he told me the "real" story about Austin's birth and us just kinda hanging out together. Then last night it was nysnc, but Not. Like there was something about a Brooklyn orphanage and Joey was in charge of it. Then there was a Lance one that wasn't a happy one, and then there was one at a mental institution during "Gone." It was weird...I woke up several times last night remembering the dream, going, "What the HELL was that?" and falling back asleep into another bizarro one. I wish I could remember the "Lance" one...something about death, I think. That was the one where I was like, "Okay, not going back into that sucker." <.g> But it wasn't really them, just some things that made me think of them. <.shrug> I don't know. LOL

You know what today is? My LAST Anatomy class!!!!!! Of course, that means the final is on Monday, but you take what you can get, you know what I mean? Today, I really have to study for tomorrow's quiz...I feel extremely confident about lab 11, but I would be happier if I could FIND lab 12. LOL It's gotta be in a notebook somewhere. Hopefully Meghan will bring her copy and I can copy it during lunch and give it back to her.

Oh, gotta remember to download this song I heard this morning...by The Calling? Forgot the song title, oops. LOL And I think it's time to delete some of my nysnc MP3s...I don't need all of those clogging up my space! There are some songs I like, but are on CD, and I just go past them whenever they try and play, anyway.

Posted by rina at 07:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Whooo! Got my 383 project done and stats. Know what this means? Story time!!

My mom is SO cute! She, too, was watching the Billboard Awards and came on to tell me to watch. Of course, I already was...the three of us were downstairs watching on the big TV. LOL But she gets many points for knowing the song, knowing Lance, commenting that Joey's hair was growing out, and that Chris must be freaking out with his phobia as he grips the handrail of the scaffold. <.giggle> And hey, JC looked awesome...his hair was perfect. And Lance was dressed normally! They all were, really, in tan and white. Quite yummy, indeed.

Posted by rina at 08:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I do have things I could be doing now. I could be studying. I could be typing out my 383 project I did last night. I could typing up my EPS and hoping more comes to me. Am I? Nope. Writing a story.

Posted by rina at 02:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If I didn't have to go to EPS and pick up th exam questions, I SO would be asleep right now <.g> I don't know why I'm so tried lately...I slept late all weekend, I went to bed at 10:30 last night, and I wanna be asleep right now.

Oh, I love Max's hair in this episode...with Jill's dad? The guy's a bastard, but her hair looks nice. Plus, she sure has an interesting relationship with Jimmy. And Jill. Seriously...what is up with this? I do love this show, but the relationships and characters are pretty convoluted.

Posted by rina at 08:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hmmm. You know, kinda sucks, but it also kinda cool, to be the only one awake at such an hour where everything is dark but not exactly. I did a solo abbreviated workout, and now back to bed. <.giggle> Perk of not having class for, oh, over 3 hours.

Posted by rina at 06:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So I was in A&P today, and working on my story. (Hush, all right? I also discovered that because I studied so much this weekend, I knew the muscles he was talking about. I was highly excited <.g>) Anyway, the story was just coming out, and it was cool. I was rereading what I had, though, and realized that it wasn't my usual style. I'm not sure if it's because the character was talking through me, or because it's a sleepy boy talking to himself at 3 am, or if my style is just changing, based on betaing Kate's stories and Ev's, and everyone else's. Just made me think. <.g> I finished the story in class, so I guess I'll just have to pick up a new one and see how that character goes.

Meghan said that the 383 project only took her about 30 minutes, so I'm gonna start that soon, and just get it done today. If I do that, I'll be satisfied. I did some studying and EPS writing during lunch, when Lauren and I split some Chinese food. Yummy yummy! I'm still not sure what else I can say about the role of a teacher inside and outside the classroom, though. If you have opinions on the topic, e-mail me or leave a comment! I'd love to hear what you think.

Posted by rina at 04:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh!! Look at Amy's holiday design!! It's so awesome. I love it! And Hilary is all Christmassy, too! So very cool and awesome. I love the countdown!

Posted by rina at 08:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

See, Gone is on MTV now, and I'm just cracking up. Read the lyrics, keeping in mind she's been at the beauty parlor for three hours, and tell me you're not laughing at the words. <.g> It's even funnier watching the video, 'cause it's all melodramatic and stuff. LOL

Posted by rina at 07:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Awwww, I missed the Lois and Clark finale! But now we're back in season one again, where the good eps are. <.g>

I had the oddest dream last night...it was Anya/Xander, except I was Xander, and she was writing a paper for me. And it was hysterical because it was in her stilted, overly explanatory and descriptive talk. It's making me giggle just thinking about it! I so didn't want to get up this morning. LOL When I went to bed, I was really warm, so I put on my little ducky tank top, took off my socks and threw the covers to the foot of the bed. By morning, I was snuggled very securely under the flannel sheets, curled up in a little ball. Very comfy, and not conducive to actually getting out of bed. <.giggle>

So. Goodness....this is my last week of classes. AHHHHHH!!!!! LOL Today, I have to write some EPS, study A&P, and start the Lang Dev project. I can do EPS and A&P at lunch, and the project shouldn't take long. Then I can study again this evening. ::nods:: That's my plan.

Posted by rina at 07:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, I can NEVER listen to Gone again without cracking up. It's such a sad song, right? Not anymore. <.g> Carolyn heard Justin say he wrote it while Britney was gone...at the beauty parlor. <.g> Apparently she was gone for, like, three hours and he was wondering what the hell could be taking so long, so he wrote the song. LOL The words have such a new meaning now, and they make me laugh!

Posted by rina at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

ARGH! Every time I restart my computer, my color settings go back to the dark! But then all I have to do is go into the color preferences, and it automatically goes back to where I set it, without me having to click anything. Why can't it do that from the start?! It's so obnoxious.

Posted by rina at 04:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have done nothing today. I'm even still in pajamas!! LOL I woke up at 11 today, which horrified me - I hate sleeping that late! And then I sat down to my computer and haven't quite moved. I found some Lance fan journals, found a Lance quiz (I'm 48% addicted to him, as is Kate. Where's Lance's scar and how did he get it? We lost two questions not knowing that he had one. <.g>), and found LOTS of Lance wavs. Lots and lots and lots. Most came from the nsync hotline phone game, where you get random calls from the boys. I refuse to buy this game, but the wavs are hysterical. (I do want to find the other boys's, though. Kate's had no luck finding JC.) I added some that I found to my sounds...when I open a program, Lance says "Awww, you're sweet!" When I close it, he says "Oh, man. Oh, my goodness. WHOA!" When I restore a screen up, he says, "Hi, this is Lance. I love ya!" There about about 6 other Lance sounds on my computer now. <.sob> I can't believe it. Oh, well. It's cute. Makes me laugh. Although I put wavs where I hadn't had any before (pretty much those I just quoted), and they may drive me insane soon, so I'll lose them. LOL We'll see.

Okay, I AM going to study. If I do nothing else today, I will study, damn it. Should probably eat at some point, too...

Posted by rina at 03:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UGH!!! LOL I am SO nsync-ed out, man. Seriously. I spent the morning sleeping after Kate's party (and going to bed at 4:30am, thank you very much), spent the afternoon reading nysnc stories, then watched about *7 hours* of nsync. GAH! LOL I never want to see those boys again. Or at least for a few hours. <.g> Kate was doing Miggie's tape, so I was in her room while she did it. LOL We started at 6, with the Atlantis concert. Then she left and I watched Buffy, which totally freaked me out. Then at 8, we started again, and I swear we *just finished. But I was a good girl during all of this - I wrote half of my EPS paper and studied a lot for Thursday's A&P quiz. Plus we checked out apartments this afternoon. So I did manage to get everything done on my list for today. Yay! Tomorrow I study more, finish the EPS, and come up with topics for g-w this week. Pretty manageable, I think.

But now I must sleep. I cannot believe I am up this late. ARGH!

Posted by rina at 01:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)