yay for academic advisors!

so i started a post last night but didn't finish it, and this one has nothing to do with it either but I just wanted to share my joy. I talked to my new academic advisor today about internships and registering for next semester! Although it is scary to think about next semester and about the future whether or not I will go to grad school it was super awesome to chat with him and have him be very supportive of the things I want to do. The thing I was most happy about was that he was cool with me not having a specific direction in psychology and that I am open to pretty much anything. And really why shouldn't I be? I don't know that much about psychology. Just what I have learned in classes and well I'll take all the real experience that I can take in all different forms. Plus why would I want to settle on a specific area when I haven't even experienced any of them?! Oh and it was also really good to hear him say that my plans of taking a year off and either working or interning is a good idea! YES! Dr. B is my new favorite person!he was very helpful and I am just full of appreciation for his advising skills! :-) That is all I have to say. going to look for classes now so that I can have an idea of classes. it definitely isn't going to be a slack semester next semester! :-P

my sock is too small

I am convinced that either I got two different size socks, or that my right foot is just bigger than the left. hmmmm.

Well i had a pretty good end to the night last night. Chatting with Natalie, Joe and Mel made my evening! I had not talked to any of them in awhile and I got the chance to reminisc about days past.:-) And i did finally go to bed and got some sleep, more than 2 1/2 hours that is... :-)

Yesterday was also great aside from lack of sleep, because i went to an internship meeting and I REALLY want one for J term! I will go anywhere! It would be heaps good if I could go to another state or country. I don't know if I have the money but I reckon that if I work over christmas break I'd be almost golden! Although maybe I should save the money for after graduation and for other things. Hmmm decisions decisions! I really just want to travel again! We'll see I might just end up doing one in Iowa or Minnesota and I'm pretty cool with that too. I am excited to get some work experience!

I got to hang out with Justin last night to do homework. I barely got through any of my info for my senior paper but I suppose I'll keep trucking. I feel a bit better about the fact that I've done something (a whole page of notes! :-P ) We had quite a lot of fun when we weren't studying too. Justin has some mad gymnastic skills. heheeh. Also we had a fun conversation about Punks and what it means to be punk. He mentioned an article that Brett gave him ( a soc prof) and i really want to read it now. Punk culture is sooo interesting! I should have done my paper on that! would be so cool! argh! Oh well.

Today Ben Folds is playing a show at First Avenue in Minneapolis and I wish I was going to be there! Sadly I will not be. I think I shall devote my day to Ben Folds and listen to just him. sigh... Well i have nothing else good to say... Oh well exciting news! Julia (a girl i work with) is back at school! She had mono! so sad, but so happy that she is feeling better!

oh why do I do this to myself?!

it is already after 1am and I am still up on a sunday night. I ask myself over and over again as I sit here typing away at an assignment why it is that I do this to myself? I clearly had ample time to get my homework done this weekend but I once again procrastinated. I tend to like to make excuses. Clearly friday night talking to friends online and watching movies were much more important. And clearly watching "Girl, Interrupted" while trying to type this assignment was much needed! :-P And although I spent most of the morning into the afternoon in the library I did not get anything done but writing notes and studying for my psych exams next week. Have I started my senior paper? nope! AUGH! I am a mess! Saturday evening... well those plans were quite set in stone. There was no way i wasn't going to hang out with the girls and go to a birthday party for Britta and Sasha! And of course i needed to drink all of that alcohol and then just spew it up again later! ha! (it was quite the fun night though, no doubt! loved it!) And then even after waking up at a decent hour I decided that a long breakfast and tv and discussion with Krista, Maggie, Marissa and Frenchie (krista's boy) was far more important than again working on my assignment. Frisbee practice was a must and then a long hot shower and some soup afterwards, especially since I was feeling quite bummed about my bike gone missing! And then it was off to my study abroad meeting. SO wonderful. To have Terry from the study abroad office ask Bre, Leah and I all about our trips to Australia was fantastic. Also just chatting with the girls about what we saw and what we experienced in the different cities we were in was great! I so hope that I can chat with them again sometime and share photos and the likes! They are wonderful girls and Terry was awesome! She has got to be the one person that has wanted to know just about EVERYTHING from my trip! :-) Well after the meeting I showed up late for Suzanne's voice recital. Well only late to help out. Her recital was fantastic and it was so nice that we did not have to stay too late to help clean up the food afterwards. Krista and I had planned on a movie this evening so after some chai (mine tasting mostly of just warm milk) we came back home and then I at least tried to do some work only to find a message on AIM telling me of sad news of a friend in Australia. I am quite worried and feel very helpless but wish i could help. Although part of this news came to me on Friday it seemed even worse this evening. So sad to learn that things are not going well for Sarah again. So after returning a phone call to dad I could not think very straight. Started to chat with Maggie and Krista, promised to do homework but ended up on the phone with Amber. This was quite a relief and helped in sorting through my thoughts over sarah because I knew Amber would understand the whole situation. Was so nice to chat with her in general. Finally we started the movie, Krista, Maggie and I. Emma was quite the lovely movie and I enjoyed it immensely but oh goodness... it did take awhile to watch and now I am afraid that I will not get much sleep at because it is now almost half past one and I still need to finish this assignment. Oh goodness. I have so much other work I could have gotten done too! And so of course instead of writing the assignment I felt the need to lament over it by writing on here. Goodness, I'm off. I really do need some sleep tonight... have to work in the morning again! many things to get done tomorrow! :-P

cheers,
em

Playing in the Leaves! :-)

i love fall days! Today after my first class I found Jordan walking by and we stopped to chat and to make a leaf pile. Sadly with only fifteen minutes between classes we did not get far. Also we had no rake and it was just the two of us. So i tell Jordan that since he's done with class he needs to come back and make a pile for me since he was to meet with more people later. As I left Valders this afternoon after trying to get something to print in the lab, I got a call over to the leaf pile and there was Jordan, Nathan, Nate's gf Ingrid, Cassie, and Aaron! The pile was bigger so we all had some fun jumping and playing in it. This is why my afternoon was so good, even after getting a shitty paper back (I am scared about getting a C in learning and behavior) We played for quite awhile and although the pile could probably get even bigger if we had all of us with rakes....OH WOW that pile would be good! Maybe another day. Well i think I swallowed bits of leaf and actually feel a bit sick to my stomach over it. :-P bleh. overall a wonderful afternoon of leaf pile jumping! I *heart* my friends! Good end to the school day. :-)

MirrorMask

Went to see MirrorMask this evening with Davina and it was FANTASTIC! i guess I have to say that I didn't know much about the story before I went to see it, only that I knew Shannon said it would probably be great. Neil Gaiman and Dave McKeen are quite the talented folk. Granted I've read one of their children's books, but i don't know much more about them except again from what Shannon has told me. I recommend this movie though to anyone. It was so fascinating!I was intrigued by the story and the fantastic art the whole time. I couldn't have asked for a better date movie to see with Davina! Overall we had an excellent time. I don't know how many times I can say that it was great! I don't know what else to say, except go see it! I was glad that I did!

Anyway tomorrow must head back to school. :-P Fall break was nice. I had a lot of good social time with Davina and it was nice to see Kareem again and also the family although I did not see much of dad. He was very busy with scouts. sigh... oh well. one more month and I'll be back for some thanksgiving. One thing I did not get done while here was getting a start on my genogram assignment for Abnormal. Oh well. Well looking forward, I guess, to getting back to Luther. Did some shopping with mom today, got a haircut (nothing drastic), had a good dinner and then saw the movie. Was not very productive today, but whatever. Starting the trip back to school with some lunch with Kayla and Tyler and then home to Luther we go. Once I get back it will be back to studying.... got to finish up those assignments that are due on friday! gross!

I think that is all. sorry nothing else interesting.

cheers!
em

ps. one thing I decided this weekend... while at the 90s... malibu and coke... SO yummy (this is why I made mom buy me some coke while at the store today ;-)... now I just gotta go get some Malibu!;-) )

Gay 90s

yesterday I took my first trip to the Gay 90s in downtown Minneapolis. First of all I LOVE Minneapolis and hope I live in the actual city sometime. Second, the night was a blast! My sister and I met up at her house, and drove on over the 90s. It was so awesome to be able to go to a club in the cities and be 21! Oh the freedom! Anyway sunday nights are quite fun at the Gay 90s... they have a great drag show! I automatically was thinking "Priscilla Queen of the Desert". Drag Queens are so awesome and so entertaining! These ladies put on a great show and they are quite the lookers. It kind of makes you a bit jealous being a girl and knowing that a man looks better in a dress and heels than you do! sigh...

But yes, it was quite the show and was very entertaining. AJ and I spent two hours there and sadly I missed finding Kayla, but we continue to live and breathe. All is well. After a night of fun, came home to talk to all the Aussies online which proved to be wonderful

Today i was of course unproductive, and slept as much as possible. Later in the evening Davina and I studied for about three hours at Caffetto. I still have heaps to do over the next couple of days.Studying was good and we saw Kareem, Sarah and Kristin there. Apparently Caffetto was the place to be because there were barely any seats!

ps. life is good and i have nothing else to say. Am hoping that Carson will not be shitty... maybe his move to LA will make him funnier

Art Crawl and other fun

being home is really nice. One thing I have to watch out for is when I am driving to keep my eyes on the road. Driving through the neighborhoods gets me looking at the beautifully color changing trees! So nice. There's a couple great one going back into Davina's neighborhood that I am just in awe of! I could sit and look at them all day although I reckon the people who own the yard where these trees are would probably think me crazy.

I got to spend the whole day with Davina yesterday and then most of it with my sister! Davina and i started the day with coffee and studying of course, but little studying got done on my part. After that my sister invited us along to go on an "Art Crawl" in St. Paul. It was SO cool. We went from building to building where a bunch of artists have studios and had set them up with their art work! So great! I don't know heaps about art, but I do know I like looking at it. It was quite the adventure and I really enjoyed the whole day until i felt like keeling over from lack of food. What was also great was the weather, and of course the company, but to add to that my sister was taking photos again. I feel she hasn't in awhile and I also feel that being at this art show got her a little bit revved up to do so again. I asked her like ten times to make me copies of photos as christmas presents. Overall we saw just a crazy amount of fantastic artitsts and enjoyed the day. Later we caught some dinner at Cossetta's (mmm mmm good). Their pizza is fantastic. THen a very tired Davina and I made our way back to Fridley. I spent the evening taking a nap, chatting to mom and then Kareem came over. To fill my desire for some soda we walked across the street to the gas station and bought junk food and then sat down to watch Young Frankenstein. So funny! :-) To end the night well I got a phone call from an intoxicated Amber and had the most lovely chat with her! Oh Amber I do love you! :-) You are great! :-)

Anyway that is life back in MN. Only a few more days at home and then it's back to school. Tonight the plans are to go to the 90s. Should be fun. Tomorrow and Tuesdays plans for me are to study and catch up on work! I really need to!

cheers

em

i'm getting the BEST christmas gift this year!

Well made it home to good old F-town this evening after a good three hour car ride with Joanie, Kayla and Tyler. It felt good to roll into town and immeadiately see the lights again and also to head out to get coffee with my FAVORITE coffee buddy of them all Davina! One of my favorite things to do at the coffee shops in Minneapolis is to pick up the flyers for different concerts and art shows and what not and also to pick up a City Pages to see what's going on. I was so excited (but then so disappointed ) to find some amazing concerts coming up! as in... Ben Folds! Oct. 25th, Bad Religion w/ Pennywise and AntiFlag Nov. 9th, and let's not forget BTE, Ben Lee, Our Lady Peace, and 311. I was mostly excited for the first three, but of course they are on week nights when I will be down in Decorah! AHHHHH I want to see BR and Ben Folds SOOOO BAD! I love Minneapolis. I don't know if I can ever leave! I know I want to live hear again after school even if it's just for the night life and the concerts that come into town! SIGH... here's hoping i can find a way to these concerts or something! AHHHH Maybe I will just devote those days to those bands by listening to their music ALL day! It's just not the same though and I've only seen Bad Religion once! How good would a punk concert be?! AHHHHH ! :-) And how can one not love Ben Folds?! Sigh... again...

Anyway so after some good fun at the coffee shop Davina and I decided that we are both getting sick. Hopefully I am not really getting sick...but it kind of feels like it. Other stuff about home... so many people's yards are full of cut up branches and trees, no doubt from the big storm that passed through a few weeks ago! We even have some in our yard! so crazy. Davina tried to explain what her neighborhood looked like that day. SO I get home from coffee, get online and start to check my email. I find an email from Kaz (Karen, my dear friend and frisbee captain from Australia--amazingly cool chick!). Not only does she tell me she has my Adelaide Uni Frisbee club shirt in and that she will send it to me if I shoot her my address, but.... here's the best part... KAZ IS COMING HOME WITH WILL FOR CHRISTMAS! (this is the best christmas gift I am referring to) She'll be in the cities for Christmas! !!!!!! Not only will I get to see Will, but I get to see Kaz too! I so hope they come down to Luther to visit, but if not I really hope I get to see them in general! I *heart* these two SOOOOO MUCH! I'm SO SO SO SO SO excited! To top off this excitement... it was great to come home and find messages on my phone from friends and my sister saying they are excited to have me home. THe plan for the weekend.. coffee in the morning with D along with some homework, an art show with my sister around 1ish, hopefully dinner with mom later, and then I really really really want to go see Mirrormask which JUST came out in theaters here in Minneapolis! It's playin in Uptown! yay! Oh and Sunday night... Gay 90s here I come! soooo pumped! My sister is going to go too and D! Will hopefully meet up with Kayla and Tyler too. I'm really looking forward to this weekend. I am in love with life right now and all of these things that just happend. I can't even express enough how excited I am for Christmas now. I Love Kaz and Will! Oh joy!!!

love!
em

IT'S OVER!

oh finally! that biodiversity test is over! I hope I did alright on it. Definitely were things on there that I did not have in my notes! gross! oh well. Here's hoping for an alright grade! :-P My paper for Learning and Behavior is done too! Just printed it! yay! I'm running off a random amount of sleep right now and caffeine! Skipped work this morning (first time I have ever done so!) Two more classes and then I am DONE for the day and it's off to home for some sitting around and well, catching up on homework! Oh it is such a nice day and I am really looking forward to enjoying the day!i feel like my eyes will drop out of my head soon but I can't express enough how good it feels to be done with this work! in honor of the title, I reckon I will go watch an episode of Teen Girl Squad before I go to class! w00t!

cheers!
em

by george I think i've got it!

so this morning over some abnormal psych reading, coffee, cheese and crackers and "The Exhibitionists" I think I figured out more of my life! How awesome! :-) I was reading about perspectives on depression when I came across this little blurb on the side stating: "Insurance influences the type of treatment people receive for depression. Privately insured patients are more likely then Medicaid patients to receive psychotherapy. And among those on medications, the privately insured are more likely to receive second-generation anti depressants than the cheaper tricyclics" (Melf et al., 1999). What does this all mean to me? Well I realized that along with abnormal psychology I have a great passion for wanting to help people who are less fortunate. This statement found in my book kind of bugs me. It makes me sad/mad that people who are on the government's Medicaid are possibly receiving crappy help with their illnesses (I'm guessing it's also not just in the psychological area too). I want to help change that I've decided. How exactly that's going to happen I don't know. I want to see more people who are in poverty or of lower socioeconomic status receive more equal care for things. I want to help people psychologically and socially function more effectively. Does this all make sense? I think it does and I think I need to now find an academic advisor and let them know this and not be afraid to tell them my ideas. I am hoping for some answers as to how to pursue my ideas and passions. Oh this feels pretty good.

on another note... check out photos of my sister running the marathon! how cool is this?! she ran a marathon! : http://www.asiorders.com/go.asp?6858754

also photos of us girls from flamingo ball:

the house mates!(Minus Maggie) Krista, Me, Kayla, Britta, Marissa

This is Me, Kayla and Megan... check out mine and kayla's hot thrift store dresses!

That is all I have for now. Will probably get more photos up here or on a yahoo site soon! Sigh... think it will be a good day today! and I think noodle soup will make it even better... off to make some lunch! Love to all!

cheers

em

a lot of stuff....

first of all this is a bit late but HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRITTA! her birthday was on friday the 30th! she's old now! The best part of that day was when the housemates got together and went out for some very yummy breakfast in town! So good to start off the day with something yummy in my tummy! Oh and lets not forget that this weekend was also Schwarz's birthday. happy birthday to him! Although I am quite fuzzy on the details of the actual day of his birthday. I do hear that his party was quite a good one though. (My apologies for not getting a start on the idea of swimming earlier! my bad)

other than birthdays... (this is a few days old now... but to continue...)

We had a frisbee tourney over the weekend and it was a lot of fun. Exit 69 in Northfield,MN was a blast. The weather was lovely minus the wind that came about.Overall a good time had by all. We went 4-2 over the weekend and had a bit of a tif with one of the teams about time cap. Oh well.The girls were fun to hang out with and nothing says cozy like stuffing 13? girls into one hotel room:-)

------------------------------------------------

alright seriously i put this off all week and so now I will actually finish this post. Last weekend was quite fun up in Northfield. Since last weekend though it was quite a week I guess... academic-wise... kind of bad. Two tests came back to me on friday with not such great grades. I decided to look on the bright side and think about how I have seven weeks I can use to improve those grades! HOPEFULLY. Plus Fall break starts next weekend which gives me a few days at home and away from school and hopefully will help me get caught up on homework. Paper status: the Biodiversity one... not started, apparently my topic isn't good enough. Am pretty confused about that one and pretty bummed that I have to talk to the professor about it. SHOOT! Have another paper due this week and still need an article or two. Am a little scared to write it because my article reviews have been kind of crap already for the same class. The senior paper... didn't work on it at all this week! Not good. Got the book I asked for through the library though. Eek! i just want to write it! Happy thing academic-wise... Laura and I are all caught up on our experiments with our rat!

Enough about academics... life in general ... I LOVE my friends. It's been a good week with them. The frisbee girls are so great! we played in our Luther tournament yesterday with the men because well, no women's teams came! We had a great time though! They are so awesome. Kristin...definitely my new favorite! She wore a gorilla's mask to the games and she tackled Rookie! Oh it was just fantastic and I really hope that someone has a photo of her in the mask! Seriously it is so great to have so many friends. These girls are growing on me and they seem to really like me too! Also yesterday I went to my first wedding. After missing out on three of them because I was first away in Australia and then back at school, I got to finally see a friend get married! Kari and Bryan got married yesterday and it was great. Good weather, good service, nice reception! Plus I got to see friends from home which was also very lovely! I went up to the wedding, and then came back down to school so that I could go to the homecoming dance which was also fabulous! Oh did I also mention that it was Leah's birthday yesterday?! HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEAH! oh and I think it's Elena's today! So many birthdays!

other things that I wanted to write about in this blog from last weekend... my brother got a job at a restaraunt as a cook! I guess he doesn't cook anything fancy yet, but how cool?!? He has a job and that's exciting! :-) Also my sister did something really really cool! She ran a freaking marathon! Finished in 5hours and 10 mins! How awesome is that?! i feel like I should try that some day. Seriously i just think it's so cool that she ran a marathon. My cousin Jesse ran the same marathon (Twin Cities Marathon) and he was trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Not sure how he did but he had to get something like 3 hours i think. That's all quite an accomplishment. Maybe I can train with AJ sometime to run one some day! That would be so cool.

Alright as to keep this from getting too long I will stop here. I'm getting kind of a mental block too anyway. no doubt I will think of something I wanted to inform you probably five people who still read this. I'm quite surprised I haven't been yelled at by Mel to update :-) (ps. Mel so sorry that I'm never online! I am very bummed that we haven't been able to chat in awhile! miss you heaps!)

cheers
em