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- Location:my apartment
- Mood:
creative - Music:see above
Soon We'll Be Found
My favorite performance is from Later... With Jools Holland, during which she had ( amazing vocals. )
Her performance on Letterman was also quite good and had a ( great background set. )
- Location:my apartment
- Mood:
artistic - Music:Soon We'll Be Found by Sia
Go to http://www.Urbandictionary.com and type in your answer to each question then write the FIRST definition it gives you for your responses
1) Your name? Helen
the fear of bananas
"i have an immense helen. even 1 little banana and i freak out."
2) Your age? 22
1) A .22 Caliber hand gun. .22 is a measurement of inches, not millimeters you fucking retards.
2)22 inch rims
"'22 inch rims on the Lac. I guess that was yo footprint in the sand carrying us on yo back' -David Banner"
3) One of your friends? Arde
someone who breaks the connection between people
"tessa is an arde because she didnt post a video of people who love each other."
( ...continued... )
I found this survey quite entertaining and am interested in what responses other people would get. If you end up taking the survey, feel free to post your results in the comments :)
- Location:my apartment
- Mood:
amused - Music:Elephants by Rachael Yamagata
- Mood: amused
- Music:Mama Who Bore Me (Remix) from Spring Awakening
- Music:So Natural by Toby Lightman
2008 VISA Championships
NBC
Saturday, June 7th
4 - 6pm EST
I am OBSESSED with gymnastics and visit 15 or so gymnastics blogs on a daily basis for info on international competitions, video clips, etc. This year is particularly exciting because the internal competition to get on the US Women's Team going to Beijing is very, very, competitive this year. As this post's title suggests, the US Nationals are taking place June 5-7th and Day 2 of the championships will be aired on NBC. Yay!!! Olympic Trials are June 19-22 and the final selection competition is July 16-20th. ( ...how the team is choosen... )
Though anyone who qualifies to Trials could theoretically make the team, three of the six spots are already locks, baring injury, for Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson, and Alicia Sacramone. The format for Olympic finals is three people per event with all scores counting so the remaining spots will be given to those who can fill the holes left by the these competitors. ( ...holes to fill... )
Basically, the final spots on the team will probably be given to two bar workers and a power individual who can perform well on vault/floor. Of the potential field, the main competitors are Sam Peszek, Shayla Whorley, Chellsie Memmel, Ivana Hong, Bridget Sloan, Jana Beiger, and
UPDATES: Ashley has retired from elite gymnastics completely :(. Shayla has pulled out of Nationals due to a lingering back injury but has successfully petitioned to Trials. A knee injured Chelsea was supposed to peform only on bars but has also pulled out and, I think, successfully petitioned to Trials. Bridget is only competing bars and beam as she recovers from a knee injury; she will be at Trials.
In addition to Nastia, Shawn, and Alicia, my ideal Olympic team would consist of Chellsie, Sam, and Shayla, with Bridget and Jana (or Ivana) as alternates. These are the people I am most rooting for. That being said, Nastia Liukin is my favorite gymnast. If she hits her routines, she has a potential to medal in the all-around, bars, and beam at the Beijing Olympic games. Here are two vids of her performing at the 2008 Pacific Rim Alliance Championships.
( Bars (7.7 A, 16.65) - tied for hardest bar routine in the world )
Beam (6.6 A, 16.4) - this is one of the most amazingly executed beam routines I have seen in a looooooong time
The End.
- Location:a2 apartment
- Mood:
anxious - Music:Business Time by Flight of the Conchords
With most of my friends graduated, I had a difficult time this school year because I had to build new social and academic groups from scratch. I did Arts Chorale again during fall semester and joined many of their group activities but most of the people who attended were already close friends and I often felt like a reserve player who knew her number wouldn't be called but was still welcome to participate in practice. Even so, I loved singing in Arts Chorale because it was a great creative outlet that helped alleviate the stress of whatever was happening in school during those few hours of rehearsal. Any break from my academic chaos was welcome because I had an insanely hard course load and my mom decided to stay with me here and there during the semester in a backfired attempt to help during exam times. ( ...continue :(... )
Good things did happen during winter semester, though. The most noteworthy discovery would be the amazingly awesome person commonly known as Ken. As microbiology lab partners, we laughed at our many experimental failures and enjoyed talking as we Gram stained the hell out of various microbes. It’s funny because it’s possible we could have never met. Neither one of us was actually required to take microbiology for our majors and, on a whim, signed up for the class to complete our schedules. He commutes from Canton, a city I generally associate with Swedish meatballs and IKEA...which, ironically, is a store he has never been to. ( ...continue :)... )
MOVIES
I saw 24 movies in a three day period. I felt compelled to finish all of my 2007 movies so that I could create a legitimate top 10 list before Oscar nominations came out (with the exception of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly which I believe may have made this list). It was an intense time, to say the least. ( ...Top 10 Movies of 2007... )
So far this year, I’ve seen three movies that have impressed me (though none were released this year).
( Grave of the Fireflies (1989) (5 stars) )
( The Lives of Others (2006) (4.75 stars) )
( Teeth (2007) (4.25 stars)...VAGINA DENTATA!! )
MUSIC
- I’ve been learning to beatbox. I can do a decent basic beat but I’m having issues with increasing the difficulty because that requires good breathing techniques, which I don’t have, and I can get lightheaded if I start improvising.
- My vocal range is now around a C3/D3 – E6, with an occasional B3 or F6. Very cool. (For reference, middle C is a C4; C3 is an octave below and C5 is an octave above.)
- The music of Spring Awakening is consuming my life. I found a decent camcorded video of the entire musical during fall break and the soundtrack has been on repeat ever since. It’s also a great vocal warm-up for me because the songs hit both the low and high end of my range, and it has probably contributed to my increased vocal range.
( ...new musicians I like... )
FOOD/DRINK
- Sava’s Café = my food heaven. I’ve eaten there quite a few times already and I continue to order the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with a side of fries. They also have some tasty pierogies. Speaking of which…
- I discovered Mrs. T’s Four Cheese & Potato Pierogies. I am obsessed and Meijer frequently has these on sale as a “buy one, get one free” item.
- Monster, the energy drink. Before March, I had never had an energy drink before but some microbio study sessions with Ken introduced me to the substance. I have to pace myself when drinking it because I crash soon after finishing a can.
- "Sex pasta" ( ...recipies... )
...I'm sure I forgot something but that's it for now...
- Location:My apartment's couch/bed
- Music:Walking On Air by Kerli
I read Harry Potter and the Deadly Hollows in about 6 hours Saturday afternoon/evening. Pleasantly surprised, I actually enjoyed the book; its quality was much higher than that of book 6, which is my least favorite. In comparison with the other six books of the series, this book is the most character driven because the book does not revolve around the predictability of school (ie. tests, breaks, teachers, etc.). I actually lost track of time within the story a couple of times because I was so involved with the characters.
Also, since June 18th, I have seen 134 movies. The first week, I received my new dvd drive on the day of my final exam for Anthropology 101. I ended up watching 32 movies completely (which means no fast-forwarding was involved) during that week, a feat which will not happen again for a loooong time. I only fast-forward during boring, predictable parts or during bad movies. For the rest of the movies, I probably watched 60% without fast-forwarding, 30% with some fast-forwarding, and 10% with significant fast-forwarding. Either way, I feel comfortable in claiming I have seen all of these movies. Here is a list of the movies with ratings out of 5 stars (with 5 being the highest score):
- Music:Love Song by Sara Bareilles
- Mood: amused
- Music:Babies by Natasha Bedingfield
I am mildly in love with Veronica Mars. The Show...the characters...the actors...the music...the clothes...the wit...everything. Our courtship began a couple years ago but, unfortunately, it may end soon as the ratings have not been very high during the current and past two seasons. The fate of its return is mysteriously uncertain so I've decided to advertise in a last ditch effort to keep it on the air. Though it is mid-season, don't worry about being confused with plot lines. The rest of this season's episodes are all supposedly self-contained so you can just watch them, enjoy them,...and spread the word.
P.S. I would have posted this last week had it not been for the Vicodin withdrawal.
- Mood:
thoughtful - Music:We Used To Be Friends
Don't you hate it when you step in a partially dried soft drink spill and end up walking the rest of the day with an unwavering suction on one foot?
- Location:Michigan Union
- Mood:
annoyed - Music:Dandy Warhols
As I'm sure everyone knows, taking exams really sucks. It stinks worse than the biology hall during fetal pig dissections. Ugh. I just had my orgo 2 exam this morning, which went better than expected, and I have one more for neurobiology on Wednesday morning. I will be moving out on Wednesday and Thursday to our Ann Arbor apartment (where I'll be living in the summer). Then, on Friday, I'll be getting my wisdom teeth out at 8:50 am. Busy, busy week. In order to remain sane and positive, I have decided to overlook the bad and search for the good. Here are some of the fruits of my labor:
Coolest Praying Mantis:
Coolest fruit holder:
Coolest use of CD tower container: Coolest Packaged Meat:
- Mood:
optimistic - Music:Rufus Wainwright - Another Believer
I think "disturbed" may not be a strong enough word.
I honestly haven't been looking for all of these face imaging programs. I just came across them on another's blog or a link was sent to me. In any case, I found this program called Face Transformer that will morph your face to different genders, races, and ages, among other things. The photo above is what I would look like as a man, and all I have to say that I am one ugly dude.
- Mood: scared
- Music:ImogenHeap-Just for Now
I'm kinda a reading nut, bookworm, etc. and an avid listener of audio books. Usually I go for novels but lately I've started reading and appreciating short stories. Recently, I read a novella by William Shunn titled "Inclination" that I strongly recommend to everyone. It was even nominated for a Hugo and a Nebula Award. For anyone who doesn't know what these are, a Hugo is a award given to a variety of SciFi works every year, while a Nebula is another SciFi award given to US fiction published every two years. Essentially, if a book wins or gets nominated for either of these awards...it generally kicks ass. As it so happens, an audio book of "Inclination" has been made.
Here are the three audio book links as well as a text link:
Part 1: http://www.shunn.net/radio/mp3/inclinati
Part 2: http://www.shunn.net/radio/mp3/inclinati
Part 3: http://www.shunn.net/radio/mp3/inclinati
Text: http://www.asimovs.com/_issue_0704/Incli
Seriously...read it.
Also, I found some good writing advice from the recently deceased Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (author of Slaughterhouse-Five, Cat's Cradle, and Breakfast of Champions, among other classics) on the subject of short stories.
- Mood:
good - Music:Nickel Creek - Toxic
http://www.myheritage.com
- Mood: amused
- Music:Missy Higgins - Steer (video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7yEOVDTrhE )
"Numb is the new deep, done with the old me, and talk is the same cheap it's been." - John Mayer
There's something about the dentist's office that always brightens up my day. Especially when two visits are needed. In the same day. I think it might be the overhead lamp.
During my first visit at 2 pm, I found out that not only do I need hefty amount of fillings but one of my molars will be needing a crown. This kingly tooth could only be partially serviced, though, during an additional appointment later at 6 pm. Apparently, it wasn't possible to complete the process until I get my fat, ugly, and useless wisdom teeth removed. ARG!
On the bright side, the dental practice to which I go just had a new wing installed and their chairs have massagers built into the back. How cool is that? Also, my face is numb. Now, I know I am easily amused but this takes the cake. I CAN'T FEEL MY NOSE! I keep on pushing it and tapping it, which I'm sure makes me look like I'm picking my nose, but I don't really care and I can't stop. If I didn't have aichmophobia (ie. needles suck) and actually liked how this fashion looks on most people, I may have entertained the possibility of piercing my nose. Actually, the entire left side of my face from my cheek to my chin is fairly numb as well so maybe I should get that tattoo I always wanted but was too scared to get. Who cares if it isn't on my lower back? I'll be like Mike Tyson.
On a final note, I think this might be a sign from God...
- Mood:
enthralled - Music:Mika - Grace Kelly (video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzA0nG_PurQ )
This is sooo wrong...though I am thankful for the invention of peeps. Enjoy!
- Location:above ground
- Mood:
energetic - Music:PJ Harvey - This Mess We're In
If you haven't noticed I've finally been sucked into the whole livejournal craze. Feel free to be entertained.
I remember that when I was little I desperately tried to write diaries/journals because I loved the idea of someone reacting to my thoughts as a kid after I had become a "grown up." Is this normal? I think I felt a need to be remembered for something. It's like I did it to keep up apperances. Either that…or I wanted to be Harriet the Spy. I think it might have been a combination of both.
Well, I registered for classes today. I would have registered on Monday except I didn’t get an e-mail from the amazing administrators working at wolverineaccess. I probably should have checked online anyway, as I figured this process would happen soon anyway. As of now, I’m taking the following classes this fall:
French 231: Continuing Second-Year French
MCDB 422: Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology
MCDB 423: Intro to Research in Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology
MCDB 427: Molecular Biology
The problem with switching to LS&A is that they have many more requirements for students than the Engineering department. Suddenly, I have to take classes that fulfill the upper-level writing and race and ethnicity requirements in addition to 4 social science credits. Why the heck do I need to take a race and ethnicity class? I understand that some people who have led more sheltered life may become more aware of problems they hadn’t experienced. However, I shouldn’t be required to take a class I that won’t enhance my life significantly enough to attend. Fortunately for me, I will be taking Anthropology 101 this spring, which fulfills the RE and 4 SS credit requirement. Thank god there is a class fulfills two requirements and an interesting (or so I’ve heard, anyway). A friend of mine ended up taking what she called an “urban environment” class during her last semester at the university. Poor her. This summer, I’ll also be taking English 325: The Magnificence of Writing Prose…or some other pretentious title…and, probably, Statistics 350 because, according to my mom, it will make me more marketable to employers. I’ll be studying for my GREs as well so…yea…fun, fun, fun.
I'm a-watching the Colbert Report so I’ll leave with a great quote from today's guest:
“Armageddon is not a foreign policy.” – Madeline Albright
- Location:between four pillows and a stuffed animal
- Mood:
relaxed - Music:Vanessa Carlton - Heroes and Thieves
