I no longer have a social life.

I forgot to mention: Green Mountain College is on Princeton review! We got the rankings “reefer madness” and “class discussions encouraged”.

There’s a reason why we like to joke about the name being GREEN Mountain College.

So, there’s a fairly good chance that I’ll be playing Nurse Ratched in my school’s production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Call backs are tonight and the role is between me and one other girl. I made the reader flinch when I auditioned for Nurse Ratched the first time—a good sign since I want to play this bitch like burning.

I’ve started going to belly dancing class and this weekend I’ll be eating dinner at a local Rabbi’s house for Jewish Culture Club. I’ll also be celebrating Rosh Hashanah at the synagogue.

Anyway, I’ve noticed that certain people tend to belittle me a lot. Is it because I’m a short female? Is it because I’m not hideously deformed (because non-ugly women must be unintelligent *eye roll*)? Is it because I actually use my “inside voice” when talking to people? Is it because I try to act cordial towards everyone I meet? What? Either way, I’m sick of it.

Last night I went to a mosque in Albany with my Islamic World class. It was an amazing, irreplaceable experience. It was a conservative Shiite mosque—which means that women have to cover their hair and that there was a screen between the men and women’s praying sections.

They had been celebrating Ramadan and yesterday was the day to break their fast. This is an important holiday because this was the time when Muhammad received the Qur’an.

We watched them pray, joined them for a feast, listened to a brief talk, and had a Q and A session.

During the prayer, I was struck by how informal it was. I was on the women’s side so I don’t really know what it was like for the men but the overall atmosphere was very relaxed and sociable. Women were wandering in and out of the room and talking with one another. Most were praying, naturally, but there was no rigid formality.

I really loved the clothing the women were wearing. They wore gorgeous outfits that looked really comfortable. I hope no one thought I was starring at them!

The food at the feast was really good. My fellow classmates and I hung back at first because we felt bad for taking the food first when they had been fasting and we hadn’t been but, they insisted. As we ate, we really experienced Muslim/Arab hospitality. One person in our group made an half hand comment about how good this one kind of food was and how she wished she had more. Upon hearing this, one of the Muslim women jumped up and grabbed a whole tray of food for her.

We then went back to the room they prayed in and listened to a verse of the Qur’an in Arabic and then in English. A fairly well known scholar spoke briefly on how so many people have a misconceptions of Islam and how there is no major religion that promotes violence. He said, “Out of all the people in the news, we are not the ones to fear.”

Islam is a religion that promotes peace and respect for one’s fellow human. The violence and the radicalism is not what Muhammad taught.

He answered all our questions and was a very interesting and knowledgeable man.

While at the mosque, I felt very welcomed. Many American Muslims are very willing to teach non-Muslims about Islam. If there is a mosque near you, you should go. I learned so much about Muslim culture just by being emerged in their life for a night.

Why in the HELL do I always get “back-to-school” nightmares the week before I go back? I’ve had them since I was a senior in high school.

This makes no sense; I’m one of those nerds who LIKE going back to school.

Then again, I’ve never been too taken with the college experience. Sigh.

Oh well, this summer was lame. I hate being unemployed.

Today I saw 500 Days of Summer and District 9.

I liked them both because they were atypical for their respective genres. 500 Days was a romantic comedy that was about having a falling out with someone rather than falling in love, and no, they didn’t get back together in the end (thank god, otherwise the story would have just been pointless). In District 9, the big scary aliens weren’t the bad guys.

Also, I hope District 9 is the beginning of a shift in mainstream sci-fi. The whole “oh noes! Aliens are invading Earth and cannot be reasoned with” storyline has been played to death. They even crammed that sort of storyline into the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still, which made the movie lose all the meaning that the original had. Kids, watch the original. It’s brilliant.

While I’m on the topic—hey Hollywood? Women like sci-fi, too. Don’t right off the entire genre as a “boys only” affair. Grrrrr *wants more female characters in sci-fi who are MORE than love interests with two lines**and boys kissing boys.*

Am I the only one that thinks that its telling that in “guy” movies there are few female characters and that those female characters are not on screen for very long? Most “guy” movies involve a lot of abs and ripped shirts with very little breasts to make up for it. Hmmm….

In short, moar womens should watch “guy” movies instead of chick flicks. That’ll show Hollywood.

"A World War II newscaster, in describing the brutally cold conditions of the Russian front, stated that at least Minnesotans could understand it" - Minnesota: A History

tee hee. The very environmental conditions that kicked both Napoleon and Hitler's asses-- similar to what I used to play in as a child.

Also, two guys from Minnesota on Project Runway! Both were in the top three for the first challenge, one of them won it!

Two of my summer traditions: The Montreal International Jazz Festival and the Rocky Horror Show in Portsmouth.

I have done both ergo, the summer of 2009 can end.

I’m getting really disappointed with Rocky Horror. The audience has sucked the past two years and the show’s sound is getting really crappy. You really have to strain yourself to hear what the actors are saying or singing.

However, I’m more disappointed with the quality of the audience. This year and last year the house was filled with clueless people who just didn’t seem to *get* what Rocky Horror is all about.

On another note, why in the HELL did I turn down a motorcycle ride with a cute boy? Seriously.

I mean, I wasn’t in a flirtatious mood (partly because my mom was with me) but that didn’t mean I couldn’t have gone with him.

Some of the people in the group I went with are friends with him...maybe another opportunity will present its self?

(if I haven’t mentioned it already, I want to get my master’s in the UK and right now I’m interested in Swansea University in Wales)

So, it turns out that I’ll need a working knowledge of French or German if I want to get my master’s in Ancient Egyptian Civilization at Swansea University.

I’m going to try to learn French. Reasons: I’ve wanted to learn it for awhile, French is more commonly spoken than German, and the French love the Ancient Egyptians (it was a Frenchman who decoded the Rosetta Stone after all).

Or, I could just get my master’s in Ancient History…which has no language requirement.

However, I need to find out if I can even get into either program. To get into a master’s program in the UK all you need is a 3.00 gpa in a relevant major. Soc/Anthro, one of my majors, seems relevant enough but I don't know what the school thinks.

Also, I should look into some other schools and make sure I want this degree. Nonetheless, I want to learn French.

Hey, I have two more years to think about this.

Man, most of LJ’s default layouts are ugly. Don’t people realize that some colors just shouldn’t go together?

So yeah, I chose a new layout. I’m too lazy to figure out how to make and/or apply a custom one. I also really don’t care that much I suppose. Meh.

I’m really restless and frustrated. I’m not satisfied with any of my current projects. I’ve also just been feeling like such a fucking neeeeerd.

Usually I’m fine with my nerdy self. I see it as a badge of honor, given the context. To me a nerd (or geek or what have you) means “someone who is into stuff most people aren’t into/don’t get.” However, like a ying to its yang, there is another kind of nerd. This nerd goes by the more common definition: “a lifeless loser”.

Writing this in my LJ does NOT make me feel any better, by the way. But hey, if I can’t whine in my LJ, where can I?

Also, mom ate all the ice cream and the sorbet was too frozen to enjoy, woe is me and FML ;_; /sarcasm

I’m going to the Rocky Horror Show this weekend. Nothing like dressing up like a deranged, creepy whore to lift my spirits.

Anyway, I hate it when people aren’t clever with their graffiti. There are two stop signs I always see that are prime examples of this. One says “boob” and the other says “Sex”. I’m guessing there’s a roving gang of eleven year old boys behind this.

"STOP boob"? Is boob an acronym of some sort of league of evil doers (The Badass Offenders’ Odyssey Band?)?

"STOP sex"? Are straight edge kids (are they still "in"?) into defacing public property or is this the work of Shakers? Either way, I want to write “don’t” on the top of the “STOP Sex” sign. I should also write "jobs" on the bottom of the "STOP boob" sign. Who wants to help? Come on guys...it would be for great justice.... We can even write "hammer time" on another stop sign on the way home.... I'll let you think about it.

Anyway! Hoodlums of New Hampshire, I’m very disappointed with you.

Also, I miss the kitty nightie I had when I was a kid. It had a picture on it of three cats chasing butterflies and it was supper fly. Sorry, I was just thinking about it....

A kitten, a puppy, some milk and cookies, a blanket made with love by grandma, and the Zapruder film playing on repeat with coded messages from Hitler's ghost and our lord Satan.

However, if the Zapruder film isn’t contemporary enough for the children, it may be replaced with “Two Girls, One Cup.”

Or maybe both can play at the same time?

...
...

What the hell is this?

Also, is the prompter asking me to *father* a currently active baseball player (which would be damn near impossible being that I'm female and the player was already born) or does “sire” mean something different in sports?

(Or do they mean "hire"? They must.)

Epic fail.

EDIT: Sweet zombie Jesus….Some people are trolling the prompter’s LJ. Now that’s the real epic fail.

Still, I find this prompt both baffling and hilarious.

If all goes according to plan, I will have my masters in Ancient History (or Egyptology) by the time this movie comes out.

(as far as villains go, I still want Harley Quinn to be in it, despite the fact that my opinion doesn't matter)

My wheel is okay! I only blew out the tire!

The short version!

Today I drove to Newburyport and caught up with Michelle and Sarah. We had lunch and hung out. It was great to see them again!

The trip its self was the longest I have ever driven alone—it was over an hour long and my solitary drives before had never lasted more than a half hour (the longest I have *ever* driven is two and a half hours and that was with my mom). The drive was very easy, until I entered Newburyport and thought “that was way easier than I expected”. That was the very moment when I began to have trouble.

First, I found a great parking spot right on the street, and then I realized I hadn’t parallel parked in three years. When I attempted to do so I failed. Epically. I then went the wrong way down a one way street and almost hit a car.

When I finally did find a parking spot (that I could get into without any of this parallel business), I thought that my car trouble was over. Nope.

When I left, I got too close to a curb while making a right turn and messed up my back wheel. I don’t know what happened. I just heard a loud bang and a tire quickly deflating. My dad thinks a broke the wheel somehow and I hope to god I didn’t.

Anyway, I pulled into a parking lot and called my mom (because my first thought, being a totally mature adult, was “Ahhh! I want my mommy!”). She told me to call AAA and I did. The guy who fixed my car was nice. However, my spare wasn’t a real tire—which meant that I couldn’t drive over 50 (yes, I did start singing “I can’t drive 55” or whatever it’s called at one point). Ergo, I couldn’t take the highway home. Instead, I took a bunch of back roads home and cultivated a new appreciation for how insane New England road systems are (nice rural neighborhood by a lake then –WOAH sleazy downtown Manchester!). I had no idea where I was most of the time, but it was a pretty drive and I somehow got back home.

The trip back was two hours long, and that was only because I got lost a few times and my GPS at some point led me to a dead end (wtf). I also spent most of the drive jumping at every sound my car made.

Whatever, in the end it was still a pretty good day. I just keep thinking: if I knew how to parallel park, I wouldn’t have needed to make that right turn into disaster….

Sorry if I’m on crack right now…. I just hope this was coherent enough. I still haven’t really calmed down and I have a million thoughts rushing around my head. Mostly money related ones.

However, don't cry for me. Overall, I would say I had a good day!

Today I watched Watchmen: Director’s Cut with Alex. It is MUCH better than the theatrical cut. Also, I am convinced that the writers and/or crew are slashers.

Tomorrow, I go to Newburyport to see friends :3

PS:

Like Father, Like Son
Fandom: Watchmen
Summary: AU, Walter Kovacs/Rorschach is raised by his father.

( Read more... )

Holy shit, it's only tuesday.

Can I just say that I hate it when people make comments like “they must have been on drugs, LOL” after reading a book, watching something, etc.

I find it very insulting, even if the creator was on drugs when they made it. The attitude implies that anything that is not dull, cliche, or, the norm can only be achieved in an altered state of mind. It implies that the piece of art does not belong to its creator but to some other-wordly force. It really diminishes the power of human thought and creativity.

I’m just tired of others branding almost everything remotely interesting as “something inspired by a shit ton of drugs” and/or “only someone on drugs could understand THAT”.

Besides, even if the creator(s) were on drugs, it doesn’t make them more creative or talented than they already were. Taking drugs doesn’t let you in on some grand secret. Drugs enhance the senses and take away inhibition, they don’t reward you with superpowers (regardless of how you feel while on them).

I have nothing against drugs or people who occasionally partake in them (that would make me a giant hypocrite). I do have a problem with nitwits who can’t see beyond themselves. Let alone think deeply about something.

" Say not, "I have found the truth," but rather, "I have found a truth."
Say not, "I have found the path of the soul." say rather, "I have met the soul walking upon my path."
For the soul walks upon all paths.
The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed.
The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals."

-Khalil Gibran “The Prophet”