I got a ticket to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
I got a ticket to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
I got a ticket to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
FOR FREE.
Stood in line, in the COLD rain, for two and a half hours, but it's so gonna be worth it. Also, I've never been to Universal Studios (been to Islands of Adventure though!), so I'm pretty excited.
This may be the first USEFUL thing UCF's ever done for me. :)))
Bixby is a really lousy swimmer. This is fact. Once, last summer, when he was still quite a baby, he accidentally fell in the pool. And instead of even trying to doggie paddle, he just sunk. Like a rock. And he looks up at you as he's sinking to the bottom of the pool, and it's just like, "This is it, I guess I'm dead." He doesn't even TRY.
Well, he fell in again today. He's a lot bigger now, but he did the EXACT same thing. He just plopped in and started to sink. He has ZERO swimming instincts. He's an instinct fail. Luckily, my Mom dragged him out and he's fine (just a little wet and bothered). But I think this summer I'll have to bring him in the pool and try to teach him to swim. Just a little bit. Like, maybe just to move his legs in the water or something. It's really pathetic.
He has a lot of little personality quirks. He collects rocks on his walks. He picks them up in his mouth and carries them home and puts them in a pile with the other stuff he collects. He had a small pile going outside on the pool deck, and one day it started to rain. So he goes out there, and one by one carries the rocks up under the eaves by the door. To keep them safe. While I think this habit is adorable and completely harmless, it drives my Mom crazy for some reason, so she's always tossing out his rock collections. He doesn't seem to mind, though. He just gathers more. I think he's building something when no one's looking.
My dad says he wears his heart on his sleeve, and this is utterly true. He cries about everything. When you give him a treat or a toy, he runs around crying because he's so happy with it. After he got out of the pool today, he sat on the pool deck crying because he was so upset. He cries when I leave for school. He cries when my car pulls up in the driveway. He's SUPER emotional.
I LOVE him. He is utterly ridiculous, not highly intelligent, and a really lousy watch dog, but he acts like I am God's gift to the Earth, and frankly, I'm not about to complain about it. He's such a little sweetie. And so different from Sassy. In EVERY way, which I think was good for me.
Let it put it this way: Sassy was a Slytherin. Bixby is a Hufflepuff. UCF colors = Hufflepuff colors. Just sayin'.
"...and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
I'm sure you've all heard about the horrendous tragedies affecting Japan. They are a reminder that regardless of all our advances, humanity is a small and helpless thing against the forces of nature. The trifecta of tragedies (earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear reactions) which still plague Japan are insurmountable, but here are some small ways in which we can help:
-The American Red Cross was among the first groups to offer relief in Japan, and their efforts continue to bring help to those in need.
-Catholic Relief Services has correspondents around the world, including the Pacific Circle, and have already started their relief efforts.
-Doctors Without Borders is one of my favorite charities because they send trained medical personnel into areas that are starved for medical care. They were tenacious in their efforts with the Haitian earthquake, and I don't doubt they'll do the same with Japan.
-I usually hate it when people (especially celebs) try to sell something for a good cause, but Lady Gaga is selling a wristband/bracelet, all the proceeds from which will go towards Japanese relief efforts. Regardless of your feelings towards Lady Gaga, here's the thing: she has probably one of the largest fanbases in the WORLD, and if all of her "little monsters" spent $5 on a bracelet, the results would be extremely helpful. Regardless of the fact that her wardrobe consists of underwear as outerwear, sequined masks, and a giant egg, her fans managed to raise over half a million dollars for Haiti, and I'm sure they would do the same for Japan. Way to make the most of having a voice people listen to, Gaga.
-Finally, a friend of mine plays these incredible instruments called pan drums, and he's compiling a CD with other hand pan artists to benefit Japanese aid. You can listen to the awesome, very chill music here and check back on updates regarding the CD here.
Most importantly, even if you can't afford to donate, keep Japan and its people in your thoughts and prayers. If you know of any other ways to help, PLEASE leave a comment! Spreading the word is the first step. :)
"Once by the Ocean," by Robert Frost The shattered water made a misty din. Great waves looked over others coming in, And thought of doing something to the shore That water never did to land before. The clouds were low and hairy in the skies, Like locks blown forward in the gleam of eyes. You could not tell, and yet it looked as if The shore was lucky in being backed by cliff, The cliff in being backed by continent; It looked as if a night of dark intent Was coming, and not only a night, an age. Someone had better be prepared for rage. There would be more than ocean-water broken Before God's last Put out the light was spoken.
I also committed the Cardinal Sin of English majors and students in general. I watched the movie instead of finishing the book. "Don't clap." This is not a moment I am proud of.
But Jane Austen: COME ON!!! I got 32 chapters into this book and NOTHING. HAPPENED. Like, really. It's probably one of the most uneventful and BORING novels I've ever had to read! And here I thought Jane Austen was perfect. She was a Goddess amongst authoresses. She could do no wrong.
Oh, but she did. And it's called MANSFIELD FREAKING PARK.
Plot Summary: Little poor girl goes to live with her rich aunts, uncle and cousins. She gets made fun of. It sucks. She falls in love WITH HER COUSIN. They grow up. Gratuitous mention of slavery. Enter two bad guys from London. Havoc ensues in the form of "scandalous" plays and toying with emotions. More nonsense happens. Aforementioned cousin becomes a pastor. One really weird and nostalgic trip back home, one wrecked marriage and FORTY-EIGHT chapters later, Fanny Price gets to marry her cousin. And no one CARED.
The reason this books sucks, ultimately, is because Fanny Price is a failure of an Austen heroine. She's sickly, for one. She's all quiet and submissive and opinionless for another. Oh, and did I mention SHE FALLS FOR HER FIRST COUSIN???
INCEST, JANE AUSTEN??? REALLY???
Not to mention, my computer crashed when I was on the last question of my online quiz for this sorry excuse of a novel. Overall, the whole experience was quite unpleasant. I'd liken it to swallowing squids, only I've never actually done that. But this book just writhes and slithers down your throat, leaving you feeling thoroughly creeped out and wishing you'd done something else instead.
So, my hair's in a really awkward grow-out phase. This is the lot of the Woman and Her Hair. When it's long, we dream of chopping it all off in favor of less work, a la Emma Watson. Then we do it, realize that it's probably more work than having it long and start to wonder just how immoral prostitution really is, and if that's maybe okay so we can afford extensions in favor of AVOIDING the awkward grow-out phase. But most of us decide that pushing drugs and selling ourselves is morally reprehensible, even for the sake of good hair. And so we end up looking like we have sixteen year old boy hair. Well, I'm neither 16 nor a boy, so I think that just means my hair looks lame.
Hell yes this is a Marie Antoinette wig. And I would wear this with jeans and act like nothing was out of the ordinary. And then I wonder why I'm still single. ;D And yeah...this is the White Queen from Burton's "Alice in Wonderland." I like white hair...SO WHAT, WHO CARES. ^^ This one is my FAVORITE. How cute?!?
Cosplay wigs are fun because then you look like a real life anime character. Clearly, this is something to aspire to.
I also like this in "blonde and burgundy" and this one in "aurora," for when I couldn't decide what color I'd like my hair to be.
:)))
Wouldn't this be fun?? It's perfectly styled and colored hair with no damage to YOUR hair in like, three seconds. SOCIETY. MAKE WIGS POPULAR AGAIN, THANKS.
