Nothing really much to write about, though I feel compelled to write at least something down.

Finals begin really tomorrow. So Psych and Bio I know I have B+'s in-I'm taking both finals though, because even though they're optional I got D's (ew!) in both the first tests, though I've raised them. It won't take much to knock off my Bio grade, but I need at least a 94 for an A- in Psych. But both aren't bad. Jesse's convincing me I'll have an A in Herbalism, which I hope. The only two I'm "worried" for are Film and Advertising, though I think I'll pull Bs in both. So hopefully I'm in the clear! :D

I need to finish my dad's scarf soon. I have a week & a half before Christmas, so I'm fine, but I'd like to get it done ASAP. And I still have to get him something else, which I'll get this weekend.... I only shopped for 4 people this year (Mom, Dad, Tom, and Allie). Everyone has scarves I made- Mom got homemade candles and a book, Allie's getting a necklace (once I finish making it!) and a figurine I got her, and Tom has a blanket from IKEA (which will go with the afghan Mom's making him as a family gift) . . . I didn't ask for anything this Christmas. Really, all I want is money for over winter break. Obviously, with both parents out of work, I'm not getting much, which is fine, but all I really want is, well, money. Though, I do know Tom bought me footie pajamas! And also something else he found and isn't telling me- I have a feeling it's jewelry, just cause I said I like funky jewelry, and how the promise ring he gave me (squee!) back in Sept. was fading (it's from Walmart, and supposed to be as he says, a "placeholder" for a real one)

Everything's going well right now :)

Countdown Check:
HOME! - 3 days
Tom and I's 8-month mark :) - 5 days
Christmas - 10 days

Highway run into the midnight sun
Wheels go round and round, you’re on my mind
Restless hearts sleep alone tonight
Sendin’ all my love along the wire

They say that the road ain’t no place to start a family
Right down the line it’s been you and me
And lovin’ a music man ain’t always what it’s supposed to be
Oh girl you stand by me
I’m forever yours...faithfully

Circus life under the big top world
We all need the clowns to make us smile
Through space and time, always another show
Wondering where I am, lost without you

And being apart ain’t easy on this love affair
Two strangers learn to fall in love again
I get the joy of rediscovering you
Oh girl, you stand by me
I’m forever yours...faithfully

Oh, oh, oh, oh
Faithfully, I’m still yours
I’m forever yours
Forever yours...faithfully

04.20.09.
08.23.09.
01.01.14.

So the semester is well past halfway over and I've grown up a lot more. Well, in the sense I'm turning into an old woman. I haven't gone out with friends nearly as much as I did last year. Mainly because of various factors:

1. I finally got all situated in my major, and now feel the looming responsibility to get those grades up. So this has extremely limited my wanting to go out- I honestly would rather just stay in and get work done rather then go out on a weekday night. Given, I still procrastinate like hell, but I've done much more work this semester.

2. Admittedly, I did some risky things last year, like smoking/drinking. All summer, I've done of them. Why? Because I'm home- given, I don't do them within my home, but all my friends back home don't partake in such things, and this past summer I made a bunch of really excellent friends who are very clean. So I get back to Amherst, and my friends still drink/smoke. I've lost all interest in doing both. Really, I think now it's almost juvenile. I'm going on 21 in just over 2 months, and I'm not going out for my birthday. I think it's always ridiculous to spend your 21st completely shitfaced.

3. Having a long-distance relationship kind of makes me a homebody. Over the summer, Tom and I would really just sit around and enjoy each other's company- not just because we're dating, but because we're each other's best friends. Given, we talk constantly each day, but it's the sense of happiness where, at the end of a long day, you just wanna talk to the person you love most, and not go out and go crazy. The other factor tying in with this, is that up until we started dating, I'd been single my whole life basically, so I'm not trying to go out and meet somebody.

4. Every year, at the beginning of each semester, I always meet new people, but eventually, the semester distills the people who are just 'others' from people who I can develop good friendships with. I've totally been able to figure out who of my friends out here I'm really close with- mainly it's just my friends here in my building, and a select few SPIRALS friends. Also, there's still my old roommates, despite that one of them I almost never talk to, two I see somewhat frequently, and the other I see, but on rare occasion. Plus, there's all my friends back home from Rehoboth, and now all my Taunton friends I met through Tom, and I've become close with a lot of them. So really, it's the difference of who's company I still enjoy at this point.


OK, so enough venting. Well ranting. I've also had a few other changes in life:
1. I'm growing my hair back out and, if I can control myself, stop dying my hair. At this point, it's getting so long I'd almost need two boxes. And also, I'd like to have my natural hair back :)

2. I've begun knitting up a storm. I'm making A LOT of homemade gifts this holiday season, which is awesome, because instead of spending so much on this person and that person, I'm giving them all something I MADE for them. I'm making a bunch of scarves, which are coming out fabulous!

3. My fish is still around, after about 8 months of my care :D I kind of want another one, too, but I know one's plenty for now.

4. My current roommate and I are getting along really well. She's very sweet! Although, she's moving out to live in an apartment with her friend, so I'll have the room all to myself next semester! Which is going to ROCK.



Now that I've looked at the time, I've got to get back to studying for my test tomorrow. Bye bye! :D

I don't want to hear about it anymore,
It's a shame I've got to live without you anymore.
There's a fire in my heart,
A pounding in my brain, it's driving me crazy.

We don't need to talk about it anymore.
Yesterday's just a memory; can we close the door?
I just made one mistake,
I didn't know what to say when you called me baby.

Don't say goodnight,
Say you're gonna stay forever,
Oh, whoa, all the way.

Can you take me high enough
to fly me over yesterday?
Can you take me high enough?
It's never over and yesterday's just a memory,
Yesterday's just a memory.

And I don't want to live without you anymore.
Can't you see I'm in misery?
And you know for sure
I would live and die for you
And I'd know just what to do when you call me baby.

Don't say goodbye
Say you're gonna say forever,
Oh, whoa, all the way.

Can you take me high enough
Can you fly me over yesterday?
Can you take me high enough?
It's never over and yesterday's just a memory.

I was running
I was running for the door
Realizing now or never
I was running back for more
Oo, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Don't say goodbye
Say you're gonna stay forever,
Oh, whoa, all the way, all the way,
Come all the way, yeah.

Can you take me high enough
Can you fly me over yesterday?
Can you take me high enough?
It's never over, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Can you take me high enough
Won't you fly me over yesterday?
Can you take me high enough?
It's never over, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

(Note: even though the bridge may SOUND wrong, this was taken directly from
sheet music. The refrain actually sounds like this:

Away (Running)
I was running for the door
And the next thing I remembered
I was running back for more,
Oo, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

I figure I never update anymore. So I may as well now. I took LJ off my Bookmarks bar on Safari to make room for my other links, mainly for school-related pages.

So Tom came up this past weekend! So exciting =) I love getting the opportunity to see him. Given, we talk for hours a day, but going 3ish weeks without any physical contact drives me insane. We learned that showering together = so much fun! Nothing sexual though, because of our noticeable height difference, and a small shower. And we're goofballs anyways, so we had fun with it :P But we got to socialize and we went out to dinner :) He also bought me yummy chocolates and shiny lights for my room :)

Unfortunately, I got a yeast infection. Long story short --and I apologize if this is TMI-- I'm never relying on cheap, flavored lube again. My friend gave me a small, unopened bottle she had. Unfortunately, I failed to notice glycerine on the ingredient list. But I bought some stuff at CVS to help it go away, so it should *hopefully* be gone by Saturday!

Anyways, school blows. I wish I could be out -- not just for winter, but fast-forward through the next couple years. That way, I'll have established a job with the Air Force and I'll have relocated somewhere. Tom and I have decided that -provided we're still together- after we've graduated (which'll be at the same time) and I've finished officer training and been assigned somewhere, we'll move in together. I mean, given this plan sounds premature, since we've only been together about 6 months, but our relationship is very peaceful and natural.

Classes are OK, for the most part. But I'm also becoming, in a way, antisocial? It's not that, really. I've just come to see that you know, I'm better off staying in and concentrating on work, then constantly going out to socialize with people. It used to be, all the time both freshman/sophomore years, I was ALWAYS hanging out with friends. But now, I'm much more used to staying in, keeping to myself, and go out maybe once or twice a week with friends . . . Yes, I'm getting old.

Well. There's an update. I have to shower and sleep now. Goodnight!

I've been really tired today. I've also had a headache... not fun at all :(

I figured this would be a random update :P

I've decided that it's time to start changing a few things in my life...

When's the last time you smoked a cigarette?
I'd like to say beginning of May, but I took a drag off a clove cigarette last night.

Last night, did you go to sleep smiling?
I would believe so? I can never remember the exact moment I fall asleep.

Explain why you are single:
I'm not single actually :)

Does the number 5 have any significance to you?
Not that I am aware of... other than than in HS I had 5 really good friends.

Have you ever finished a game of monopoly?
Yes

Explain the last reason you were mad?
On the bus to class about two hours ago- took the same amount of time to get to class as if I had just walked. Because too many pedestrians were walking around. I hate people in general.

Do you currently have any hickeys on your neck?
Not right now, but I will tonight ;)

What does your hair look like right now?
It's down and unstyled... so wavyish

Who are the texts in your inbox from?
I have far too many. I believe Marina was the last person to text me.

Are you fan of Lil Wayne?
Not really, I like the song "Prom Queen" though

When's the last time you wanted to punch somebody?
Oh, today... numerous times...

Hollister, Abercrombie, or American Eagle?
How depressing is that I like them all? Well, AE is my top choice above all. But then again, I hate spending too much money on clothes that a majority of people in my demographic will most likely own as well.

Does anybody call you beautiful?
All the time :) :) :)

What color are your finger/toe nails?
Toe nails are a dark, sparkly red which need to be touched up... and my fingernails are glow-in-the-dark nail polish

What did you wear to sleep last night?
My 'Bono' Hard Rock Boston shirt & gray/white shorts

Quote a lyric from the song you are listening to right now:
"I wanna love you but I better not touch
I wanna hold you but my senses tell me to stop
I wanna kiss you but I want it too much
I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison"
- "Poison" by Groove Coverage, though it's a cover of the Alice Cooper song.

Do you hate anybody?
Nope

Is there someone you don't ever want to be out of your life?
Very much so.

Name the person who last called you?
Melissa

Left you a voicemail?
Melissa, same as above

Have you ever gotten alcohol poisoning?
Nope

Are you a mean person?
Not normally, but I am an Ice Queen...

Do you have a favorite color?
Sky Blue, Indigo

Who was the last person you argued with?
Nobody? Maybe one of my parents :P

What were you doing ten minutes ago?
Talking to Paula online and beginning to fill this out... We also found out our boyfriends are riding the same exact train to come up to Boston so they can travel to visit us for the weekend :D

Who was the last person that told you they loved you?
Tom :)

If you were stranded on a desert island would you survive?
I highly doubt that.

Whats the meanest thing you've done in the past three days?
Mmm, I'm not sure?

Have you ever thrown up on anybody?
Probably my mom or dad :P

Do you have any really close friends of the opposite sex?
Tom, for the obvious reason he's my best friend/boyfriend... then Adam follows suit. I have more guy friends, but those two are whom I'm closest to

Have you consumed any alcohol in the past 72 hours?
Nope

What if you had a baby with the last person you texted?
That would be my boy, and that would be pretty cool, actually. He'd make a good dad :) Though, he knows I'm not popping out any kiddies till I'm 30 XD

Be one hundred percent honest, do you care what people say about you?
I do, actually. I like being viewed as someone very sweet and caring and trustworthy, but I know I have shown my bitchy/insensitive side to some people on occasion, and it sucks because then I feel horrible and know I might have changed their view of me... so yeah, I do wanted to be regarded as a good person.

Where was the last place you went besides your house?
Big Y Supermarket, to get some milk and juice for the weekend

Do you get mad easily?
I can...

How much longer until your birthday?
4 months and one week.... yes, I have a countdown going. I'm gonna be 21. Enough said.

Do you play an instrument?
I can play a tambourine...

Would you say last night was enjoyable?
Sure?

What annoys you most?
Lots and lots...

What's the first thing you did when you woke up this morning?
Turned my cell's alarm off and tried to open my eyes

Where did you get the shirt you are wearing?
My mom got it for me at Ocean State Job Lot

Last person you rode in a car with under the age of 20?
Ben

So I'm all moved in and waiting for my roommate to come. Hopefully she's cool- I heard she's really nice from the other girls in our suite (they all met at their transfer orientation).

My room is pretty kickass & decked out. I can't operate if there's nothing on the walls, or if it's completely bare. Pictures will come later on, when I've stopped moving everything around :)

I hate being so neurotic about everything.

I seriously do.

I also hate how the universe can plan things out for me to appease me tremendously, only to fuck me over not long after.

I realize this summer I haven't been posting as much on here. Well, I'm not on Facebook all the time like I was during this past school year.

Maybe I'll post a little about what's going down this Fall:

First off, I'll be taking 5 classes, but a total 18 credits. I should be taking a Biological Science, to fulfill a class requirement, but I may just take a history class instead. I'm taking Intro to Psych, which fulfills a requirement I need (so I'll only need two), two Comm classes (which I'll pretty much need a 3.5 minimum in each class if I want to get into the major), and Intensive Elementary Italian, which I'm taking Pass/Fail because it's 6 credits and I'll be able to finish 2 years/4 semesters of a language in 1 year (I'll be taking the second intensive class, also pass/fail, in the spring).
Hopefully, I'll be able to get into Comm, because a) I'm going to be working my ass off for once, and b) by the end of the semester, I'll have completed 8 classes, out of 12 needed for the major, so I could be graduating on time thank god!

I'm in a double at the moment, but I want to get into the single in my current suite (if it's open) when SPIRE allows for one last fall room switch in a couple weeks. Otherwise, I'm *praying* I don't get a roommate, because then after two weeks, I can buy out the room, and for the cost of a single room, I'll have a double to myself, which'll be great because I kinda require the space ^^

Hopefully Tom will get his driver's lisence/a car/a job soon so he can come up on some weekends. I'm planning on seeing him about one weekend a month, because it's gonna cost us way too much to see each other every other weekend. For me to come down and see him, I'd be taking a bus to Boston, and train to Bridgewater, so it'd run me up at lease $65-70 for that weekend. And because I've only worked one job, I'm probably gonna have like, $30 a week in spending money. If not $25. Which, would kind of be a really good thing. I was at $50 last year, and I would go through it like water. Maybe now I'll learn to cut my resources too, because I don't need a whole lot too.

I'm cleaning out EVERYTHING in my room, especially clothes. I've realized to stop wearing some of the clothes in my closet that I really love, because they've a) become too tight and look rather unflattering, and b) having become ratted, stained, torn, ect. So everything must go!

Well, I shall be off to clean now!!!

I think Sting's "Send Your Love" is the greatest song ever written. Possibly. He's just writes damn good songs. Anyways, Mom has a t-shirt from when she saw him on the tour he did when the CD released, that's got a quote from the song, and it reads "There's no religion but sex and music." . . . I kind of want to raid her closet and steal it from her ^^

Here's the lyrics, of course. I was looking back on it, and realized the lyrics, surprisingly, represent all my spiritual/religious beliefs, and everything else I believe in. Weird...
--------
Finding the world in the smallness of a grain of sand
And holding infinities in the palm of your hand
And Heaven's realms in the seedlings of this tiny flower
And eternities in the space of a single hour

Send your love into the future
Send your love into the distant dawn

Inside your mind is a relay station
A mission probe into the unknowing
We send a seed to a distant future
Then we can watch the galaxies growing

This ain't no time for doubting your power
This ain't no time for hiding your care
You're climbing down from an ivory tower
You've got a stake in the world we ought to share

You see the stars are moving so slowly
But still the earth is moving so fast
Can't you see the moon is so lonely
She's still trapped in the pain of the past

This is the time of the worlds colliding
This is the time of kingdoms falling
This is the time of the worlds dividing
Time to heed your call

Send your love into the future
Send your precious love into some distant time
And fix that wounded planet with the love of your healing
Send your love
Send your love

There's no religion but sex and music
There's no religion but sound and dancing
There's no religion but line and color
There's no religion but sacred trance

There's no religion but the endless ocean
There's no religion but the moon and stars
There's no religion but time and motion
There's no religion, just tribal scars

Throw a pebble in and watch the ocean
See the ripples vanish in the distance
It's just the same with all the emotions
It's just the same in every instance

There's no religion but the joys of rhythm
There's no religion but the rites of Spring
There's no religion in the path of hate
No prayer but the one I sing

Send your love into the future
Send your precious love into some distant time
And fix that wounded planet with the love of your healing
Send your love
Send your love

There's no religion but sex and music
There's no religion that's right or winning
There's no religion in the path of hatred
Ain't no prayer but the one I'm singing

Send your love
Send your love

Researchers created the first ever map of its kind is based on the results of a six year online survey of 620,000 people. They claim it reveals how certain types of people are more likely to live and flourish in different parts of the country and showed links between personality traits and social phenomenon, like crime rates.

American-born Dr Jason Rentfrow, lecturer in social and political sciences at the University of Cambridge, led the study. He is from Louisiana where, according to his work, people are friendly but have high stress levels.
He said: "Although these are preliminary findings and require more evaluation, they did throw up some striking geographical trends.

"We did find pretty clear signs that there are meaningful differences in the personalities of people living in different areas of the United States.

"What is particularly impressive is that the results show the effects of personality on people's social habits, values and lifestyles are so pronounced that they have an impact on much bigger social forces."

The findings show that people living in eastern states such as New York are likely to be anxious, stressed, impulsive and prone to heart disease and cancer.

Religious fervour is most prevalent in states such as Kansas, Florida, Arizona, Missouri and Utah, where residents mostly exhibit the conscientious personality trait.

Rates of robbery and murder are highest in states populated by people with the openness personality trait such as Columbia, New York, Oregon, and California.

However, the openness trait also encourages curiosity, creativeness and people living in these states have the most liberal, tolerant values on marijuana, abortion and gay marriage.

The nicest Americans, who share the agreeableness personality trait and are said to be warm, co-operative and friendly, are from States such as North Dakota, North Carolina and Georgia.

The survey asked people from the US to read 44 short statements such as "I see myself as someone who is very religious" and mark their level of agreement on a scale of one to five.

The impact of personality traits was then matched with social trends such as religiosity, health, crime, employment and tolerance.

The results revealed clear patterns of personalities - neuroticism is highest in the east along a line stretching from Maine to Louisiana - the "stress belt".

The report, "The Geography Of Personality; A Theory of the Emergence, Persistence and Expression of Geographic Variation in Basic Traits" is published in the journal, Perspectives On Psychological Science.
Key findings:


EXTRAVERSION
Personality traits: Sociable, energetic and enthusiastic
High-scoring states: North Dakota, Wisconsin, District of Columbia, Nebraska, Minnesota, Georgia, South Dakota, Utah, Illinois, Florida
Low-scoring states: Vermont, Washington, Alaska, New Hampshire, Maryland, Idaho, Virginia, Oregon, Montana, Massachusetts


AGREEABLENESS
Personality traits: Warm, compassionate, co-operative and friendly.
Highest-scoring states: North Dakota, Minnesota, Mississippi, Utah, Wisconsin, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma, Nebraska.
Lowest-scoring states: New York, Nevada, Wyoming, District of Columbia, Alaska, Maine, Rhode Island, Virginia, Connecticut, Montana.


CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
Personality traits: Dutiful, responsible, self-disciplined.
Highest-scoring states: New Mexico, North Carolina, Georgia, Utah, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Florida, Arizona, Missouri.
Lowest-scoring states: Wyoming, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Maine, Alaska, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York.


NEUROTICISM
Personality traits: Anxious, stressful and impulsive.
Highest-scoring states: West Virginia, Rhode Island, New York, Mississippi, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, Arkansas.
Lowest-scoring states: Alaska, Oregon, South Dakota, Colorado, Utah, Washington, Arizona, Nebraska, North Dakota, Nevada.


OPENNESS
Personality traits: Curious, intellectual, creative.
Highest-scoring states: District of Columbia, New York, Oregon, Massachusetts, Washington, California, Vermont, Colorado, Nevada, Maryland.
Lowest-scoring states: Wisconsin, Alabama, Alaska, Wyoming, North Dakota, Hawaii, Kentucky, Nebraska, Iowa, Delaware.

Thanks to my boyfriend, I'll be quoting "Spaceballs" for the next week.

Also.... I think I have a zit on my back where my bra strap usually rests. Either that or probably a bug bite, but I go with the first. And it HURTS like a mo'fo. I also have a bunch of mosquito bites- thanks to a bunch of rain the whole month of June -gotta love Massachusetts- there's no doubt in my mind the population of those damned things has increased substantially.

I also need a second job. I applied to KFC... hoping they'll take me. I have fast food experience before!

Annnndddd.... I'm taking Italian in the fall! YAY!