Home

Wow, so Washington is cold. But its good to be back, I have nothing planned while I'm home and I LOVE it! If anything exciting happens I'll be sure to write about it, but until then, I'm putting big warm socks on and watching Law and Order.
MUCH LOVE!

What would Jesus Buy?

I am reminded this holiday season, as I am every holiday season of what is most important, what I care for, and of course; what I want for Christmas. Every year I am the pain in the butt family member who refuses to make a list of cds and gift certificates and such that I want for Christmas. Its a struggle every year. As a Buddhist I don't need nor want material gifts from people. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate every gift that has ever been given to me. I don't look down on any one who gives or receives a gift because I understand the love behind it is what is actually important. So its difficult to make a list, of things when really I'd like to take out the middle man and just take the love you offer through the gifts. I always feel bad for my family and friends who feel obligated to buy me things despite my claims because they want to show their love, and since I don't make a list its always difficult to guess what I would want. But everyone needs to understand that the best way to show some stubborn, opinionated, college student, Buddhist that you love her is through the things that don't come in a box. Sit down and have a conversation with me, read my favorite book The Buddha and the Terrorist, Call me up unexpectedly just to chat, volunteer somewhere and tell me all about it, donate to a charity under my name, tell me something I don't know about you, introduce me to something new, ect. Of course, I can't deny that I too ask for things that I need like financial help for Semester at Sea or school in general. But i would honestly prefer anything from the prior list than a check any day. Just food for thought. Merry Christmas.

Smith Visit

My fabulous neighbor family came to visit during Thanksgiving. It was a much needed and appreciated trip.

They got to check out my crib:

The boys and I went to Capitola so they could see the beach:

We went to Denny's and ordered one of each of the desserts. Before:

After

During:

We had a lot of fun shopping for Karen's Bday gifts:
The boys got to see a Christmas Palm Tree at the mall:
Thank you for coming Smiths! I had an amazing time! See you all soon!

Thankful

1. My parents
2. My friends
3. My family, by blood, by marriage, and by love
4. Santa Clara University
5. Lake Joy
6. The direction of this country
7. My health
8. My faith
9. Life and Everything

Sac town

Sorry i haven't written in a while. Last week was absolute madness. I am in Sacramento with my Uncle Joe and cousins Dylan (11) and Amy (8). I get to stay with them for five days, Amy is really excited but I told her by day for she'll be wanting me out of her house:) I'm really glad Joe is putting me up this week I'd be alone in my dorm if he hadn't. We're going on a mini road trip tomorrow to the redwoods and I'm sure the rest of the week will just be hanging out, which is honestly how I'd like it. I'll keep you all posted if something fantabulous happens.

Surprise!!!!!!!!!!

Wow. What a weekend. I surprised my mom, surprised Evan, worked in the yard, surprised Dylan, hung out with my bros, saw Carrie's new house, met Carrie's roommies I didn't know, surprised my dad, took him out for lunch, worked in the yard, surprised Ali, hung with the Swifts, slept in my mommy's bed with her:), worked in the yard, went to Janice's birthday party, studied for my test, and did my homework. Thats a lot to cram into one weekend. I am exhausted... just in time for the craziest week of the quarter!!

Carrie's Visit

Well Carrie is leaving tonight and my life is going to get REALLY busy this week. I have a huge presentation in Lit on thursday that is going to kick my butt and I have a midterm in Stats on Friday that is sure to make me cry. Carrie's trip was relaxing, we got a lot done and had a lot of fun. Now its back to the real world.

Carrie's Here!

So Carrie flew in Thursday night and she's here until Tuesday! So far we've had quite a crazy time we.....

1. Saw Highschool Musical
2. Saw Saw 5
3. Snuck into Madagascar
4. Went to Church
5. Math homework
6. Physics homework
7. Stats homework
8. Sociology homework
9. Other homework
10. We've slept and ate some too

Its been pretty nuts, maybe we'll settle down for the next couple days of her visit. Good call.

Oh laptop

So my laptop cord is broken, no excuse for not blogging, just letting you all know.
Recap of life the past week:
I'm sick:(
Laptop cord broke:(
Camera broke:(
Obama is my new Hero!:) (see a year ago in my blog when I made phone calls for him:))
I have soooo much homework to do:(
I missed church on Sunday from being sick:(
While there's a lot of frowny faces up there, I'm actually in a really good mood. I feel like my body just can't handle my perkiness right now:)
ooo and as for classes....
Physics: A
Sociology: A
Statistics: ?!?!?! probably B something
English: A-?

Semester at Sea

I am SO doing this. I will sell everything I own to be able to afford it, but it is happening! Canada, Turkey, Croatia, Egypt, Morocco, Japan, India, China, Vietnam and Hawaii... imagine how interesting my blog will be then!!!!!!! You can check out the website at semesteratsea.org. Nothing is official seeing that I still have to get accepted into the nation wide program and find out a way to pay but I couldn't afford Santa Clara and I made my way here so I've got luck on my side!

P.S. anyone wanna buy a waterbed:)?

A much needed beach night

After a long day of laziness and nothingness we (the gang shown above) decided to spice things up with a midnight drive to the beach. We got there and there were five bon fires already going... but no people. Not a person in sight, just five huge bon fires in the fog. Probably the creepiest thing ever. But we stayed anyway... ya know like the smart wise decision making college students we are. Don't worry dad the Mace's safety was off and it was in my hand the whole night, despite paranoid comments from my friends:)

Thank You Mom

for taking care of yourself
for my christmas present finally happening
for our beautiful home
for all the unconditional love
for the really nice blue water bottle that I stole from you before I left for cali that you didn't know about till just now....
for my stud earrings that I wear everyday
for letting me wear your spinny ring since mine was lost
for the pictures you sent in the mail
for talking to me on the phone even when your tired
for teaching me how to be a kind, generous person

o....and for my cushy rug and screen that were pictured in an earlier post:)

Update

So blogspot hasn't been letting me publish anything which is the reason for the long break then overwhelming amount of posts. Here is a brief update of what I would have wrote about had it been working...
1. Classes have gotten harder... much harder.
2. Nov 4th could not come soon enough.
3. I love my new church!
4. I have no pants left without holes!
5. Going to bed at four AM is fun!
6. I bought some new pants!:)
7. Spider Solitaire consumes my life
8. Going to bed at one is a lot more fun.

L PARTY!!!!

It was Laura and Laura's Birthday party and for once I actually decided to go out! It was an L party... everyone had to dress up as something that started with L. I contemplated Loser or Lazy but ended up getting into the spirit as a Librarian complete with book and glasses! I probably only stayed forty minutes tops but it counts as a social life right?

Lady in Red, Librarian, Life guard, Leprechaun, Leopard, and Lindsey Lohan (Lindsey Lohan's Lesbian Lover is not pictured but was at the party)

Lady in Red and the Librarian (who did impersonations of Sarah Palin the whole night)

Ali, my Roomie (who went as Love) and Sarah and me having a bathroom party at the party!

Jimmy Buffet Concert!

Who knew about this HUGE Jimmy Buffet Nation!?! Well I got a chance to find out on Tuesday when my friend Alex and her parents invited Kelsey, Mikey, and I to go to the concert at the outdoor ampitheater. It was absolutely AMAZING! So much fun, so many song I had no idea were Buffet's, so many pirates, and fins, and PARROTHEADS!

Here are some pirates we met... they were pretty nice...after they stole our booty of course

This is us girls rockin out to Cheeseburger in Paradise!

Yeah thats Mikey getting interviewed by a news station. He talked, he laughed... he SANG.

Look Jazz I'm sitting on your blanket! It doesn't smell like you anymore though... don't know whether to put a smiley face or a sad face there:)(

So we were a little far away. . . who cares man! I'm officially a Parrothead!

Family

Everyday I realize more and more how amazing my family is. How important they are in my life. How much they've supported me. How much they believe in me. To everyone who I'm related to, by blood, by marriage, by love; Thank you. I love you all so much.

ALBA

This past weekend nine other people in my dorm and I went to ALBA, a farm where immigrants can learn how to organically farm. They are given half an acre and can buy more. They grow their own plants, sell them at markets, and eventually move up the ladder gaining more land and more skills until they are ready to go out and farm on their own. We got to go and spend the night in their class room and then wake up and help them during a U pick day. They needed help weeding, harvesting, and communicating with the families trying to buy things since most of the farmers only speak Spanish. It felt really good to work outside; it reminded me a lot of my mom and made me miss her bunches. After only half a row was weeded and the aftermath of hundreds of nettles burned on my arm we called it a day and went back to our warm dorms with comfy beds where we can access good food any time we want.

The fabulous ALBA girls rocking the COW gang sign. You can thank Carnation for that gem.

We slept on the floor in the classroom, this is Mike. He didn't snore.
This is me being safe at night time with a ginormous tractor.
This is me being REALLY safe.
This is the only shot Kristin got of the actual work we were there for. My nettle picking didn't make the cut. The strawberries were AMAZING though.

Camera Broke:(

I have so many fabulous pictures to show you but my camera my mom just bought me before I went to school won't turn on:( Soooooo..... untill I hit a best buy, looks like my blog will be....wordy.

Town Hall?

I don't know if you've been to a Town Hall legislator meeting but I have. It doesn't look ANYTHING like what I just watched on NBC. The purpose of the town hall debates in my mind is to have a more open forum with the people. That's why there is no podium, just chairs. No dark, invisible audience, just people in the light sitting up close and personal surrounding the candidates. The candidates can look in the eye of the questioner, walk to them, talk directly to them. This is the idea, not the reality. The questions seemed scripted and could have easily been read by the moderator. It was not an open discussion like the town hall meeting I went to where if you asked a legislator a question and they danced around it, you could raise your hand again and hold them accountable asking them to clarify or I don't know actually answer it. I'm glad we made Senator McCain comfortable since this is his "style" but I wish we could have held true to the actual purpose of a town hall style debate.

Who knew I missed math!?

So I haven't had math since Junior Year at Cedarcrest. I thought I was glad to be rid of such a nasty concept that everyone loves to hate so much. The fact that my math brain was so rusty gave me extra nerves coming into my statistics class which is extremely.... mathy. Turns out I LOVE math. I had forgotten all the reasons why, but now I remember! Math is learning at its very best. You learn how to do something and you are tested on the application and whether or not you can DO it. It's not memorizing facts, or comparing concepts, or even giving your own insight. The reason I chose a social science major is because I'd rather learn how to think than a bunch of facts I'll forget later about a specific subject, but I forgot how much fun both types of learning are. My stats class is challenging in a way I haven't experienced in a while. If your an avid Morgan Clare's Most Excellent Adventure reader you'll remember fall quarter last year when I had biotechnology. Same thing. Hard, but AMAZING.

P.S. got my first stats quiz back today. 100%:)

One week in....

My classes after week one....
Stats: still really easy, just had my first quiz which I feel really good about, only 20 people left in the class
Physics: horribly boring and easy, today I sat through the same lecture on powers of ten as I did when I was in 7th grade, only 11 people left in this class
Race, Class, and Gender in the US: class is boring, but reading is REALLY interesting, 20 people in this class
Literature in Religion: Love it, want to take it forever, I would pay to take this class... oh wait:) only 14 people in this class.


As life slowly works its way into a routine, I'm finding I have a lot more time than I thought I would have partly because I get all my homework done when I am working at the RLCA or dorm desk and partly because I don't sleep at night. All good things:)

Presidential Debate

Things I liked about the debate:
1. The fact that McCain showed up
2. "In 16 months we should be able to REDUCE our troops" -Obama
3. "orgy of spending" -Obama
4. "I think we need MORE troops"(in Afghanistan) -Obama
5. McCain's s whistle
6. "I have not been elected Ms. Congeniality in the Senate" (he said this twice) -McCain
7. The random coughs from the pitch black audience

So let me get this straight in one corner we have Obama who will pull us out of Iraq eventually and put us in Afghanistan and Pakistan. And it's the other guy that's the war monger? And in the other corner we have McCain who wants to freeze spending on EVERYTHING except defense (war, killing people, having our own soldiers killed) and veteran health (but not health for the rest of the country). I'm honestly not sure how I feel about all this.

My new classes!

So today is day two which means I have had all of my classes. I'm pretty pumped about them all.
First on Monday/Wednesday/Fridays I have Statistics at 10:30. As you can imagine I was pretty nervous for the class that is famous for tears shed and exams failed. But Professor Urdan who looks a little bit too much like Bob Saget made everyones nerves disappear. The man is amazing. He HATED stats and didn't take a single math class all through college. He hated his stats class so much that he wrote his own book "Statistics in Plain English" so that he could prevent some poor college sap (me) to hate stats as much as he did. A huge chunk of our grade is homework that he gives full credit for effort and couldn't care less if your answers are correct. There is also a TA in the class to help with homework or studying. This, I am still unclear about because there are only 22 people in the class so I'm not really sure why a TA in necessary. But whatever one more person to help! After that class I book it to Physics. This class I am far less excited about. Prof Daffer is no Mr. Moran my fabulous high school Physics class. The class in for non science majors so its pretty dumbed down and all the topics we'll be learning I learned my sophomore year of high school so I'm banking on it all coming back. The prof is pretty serious but there are only 13 people in the class and all girls so it'll be an interesting dynamic.
On Tuesdays/Thursdays I start at 9:55 with Race/Class/Gender in the US. The class sounded really interesting and still may be, but honestly after day one I don't have high hopes. It seems sociology is REALLY interesting the first time you take it, then every other class is like "ok I get it. Social Constructs are everywhere. cool." This is not a good mind set to have being that I'm still planning on majoring in Soc. We'll see. My last class is going to be my favorite by far! It is taught by Diane Dreher the same fabulous lady who taught me English one. But now the reigns are off and she is free to teach what she wants in an upper division. She is so chill and wants you to discover yourself. Her vocation is helping people find their vocations. Its pretty fabulous. So some ok classes some interesting classes and a fabulous class. Should be an interesting quarter.

Drinking

At the end of last year I really started thinking about having a glass of wine. Not getting wasted. But being able to take a sip, I thought it wasn't that big of a deal. I didn't do it and when I went home for summer it was an easy thing to forget since Carrie doesn't drink. So, I thought coming back here i would have the urge. Boy was I wrong! College is where I remember how ridiculous drinking is. Its been two nights since my friends and everyone else moved back in. There have been transports to the hospital, couches thrown up on, sick girls in every stall, drunken hook ups, ect. Thank god! It reminds me I'd rather be listening to and witnessing the drunken madness than being apart of it.

Perspectives

During formation, the senior staff train the student leaders about all sorts of things. We discuss everything from the paperwork to fill out if ordering food over $200 to sexual harassment. But the biggest point of discussion is definately diversity. This topic is important for CF's because they are the student leaders in the dorms that the freshman need to feel comfortable coming to with any kind of question or concern. So we've talked a lot about people from different groups and their different perspectives. Everyone is being asked to consider what its like to be different. One of the things in my life that I am most thankful for, but never realized until now is the diversity in my family. Different races, abilities, religeons, sexual orientations, political views, and personalities. I love that I feel a connection with so many groups. That not only do I sympathize for all different kinds of people, but I love them; as my family.

Formation!

Formation is where I am, but that means little to everyone. Formation is the three week training and prep for my new job on RLCA (Residential Learning Community Association). Basically the six of us on RLCA plan events for all students living on-campus. Part of my personal job is being the liason for all the leadership teams in each dorm and picking out the movies for the on-campus movie channel! Both things very exciting. We share our formation with the 73 CFs (Community Facilitators) these are the RAs that plan programs for their floor or wing and write people up when theyre bad. So basically there are about 90 of us on campus right now living in the dorms. All very enthusiastic, semi responsible, involved, leadershipy, awesome people. I'm loving it! Since RLCA is special we get to do all the fun things and skip the boring meetings about paper work that don't apply to us. We get to have dinner with a different dorm group each night so we get to meet EVERYONE. It is a lot of fun and I've already met so many people that will be close friends for the rest of the year for sure.

Lets go to Newport!

We drove seven hours to go visit some friends in Newport Beach!
Lounging in the best place a person can lounge.... the beach.
Me and my buddy Jeremy having a sweet moment on the board walk... it wasn't staged i swear;)
Wave catching is a lot more fun in So Cal.... where the water is warm.

The New Digs

So this is my desk/table/kitchen area. Note the real plant, swivel chair, and curtains.
This is the new and improved bed. Its comfier, bluer, and has a special shelf thing.
This is the room from the door. I have lights, they just weren't on. You can't see the furry rug very well... but that is by far the best part of the room.
This is the sink area segregated by a fancy three fold room divider from Ross:) Complete with a shmancy rug from TJ Maxx.

You may be asking yourself, geez why did Morgan take pictures of her room without picking up first or making her bed? Well... I didn't want to feel like a fraud. That's why.

Back in the dorm

Wow. After a 15 hour drive, here I am again... sitting in my dorm room. But tonight my roomie is my dad before he leaves tomorrow:) The dorm is completely empty because even all the people showing up early for formation don't show till tomorrow. I am absolutely exhausted but I can't go to sleep until the laundry is dry and I can put the sheets on my bed. I really have no stories to tell but I did want to write to keep a promise that I would be back at it as a dedicated blogger right when I return to school... so here I am. Once people move in and life begins I'll have much more entertaining things to write about:)

Going back

Summer 2008 in a nut shell:
Tonsilectomy
Stick Shift
Boy drama
Montana
Carrie Franks
Tan
Swimming
Most fabulous job ever
More scary movies than I thought existed
Mariners
Heat Waves
Thunder Storms

Sophomore Year Goals:
1. Figure out how to graduate in three years
2. Kick butt at my new job
3. Make enough money to completely pay for next year without dipping into savings
4. Meet my soul mate:) small joke
5. Stay sober
6. Get in Shape
7. Stay on the Dean's List
8. Fix my neck and settle the claim
9. Find a house for next year
10. Go on tons and tons of adventures

Final Blog of the Year

one more night in this back breaking bed, three more meals of that freakishly funky food, one more shower with shoes on, three more finals to freak out over, one more intense room clean up, one more bag stuffing session, then I leave. I leave the place I've called home for the past nine months. It was too fast, too hard, too fun, too exciting, too exhausting. My blogs this summer will be fewer and far less interesting. What will I say? "So it rained today." "I watched a good Tyra this morning." "I swam." "I sat." "I slept." "I ate." Hopefully to keep the attention of my devout readers I will do things that are worth writing about. I feel like I should be a lot more emotional then I am. I write like I'm upset, excited, something. But I'm not. I have no feelings. It was kind of like the anti climatic moment my dad drove away when he first dropped me off here last summer. I expected to cry... tears of joy of course:). Or be nervous, or excited, or a little scared. But I wasn't anything. I simply walked back to my dorm made a few funny comments at the floor meeting, made some friends, and went to bed. I feel the same way now. Kind of like a whatever feeling. Yeah its summer, yeah it will be fun. But I am neither sad to leave, or excited to be home. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a sad blog. I am quite content. I am happy here, I'll be happy at home. I just lack the emotional response of most of my crying girl friends upset to leave, or my ancy guy friends excited to get the heck out of here. I figure this is a good thing though; my contentedness. Until next time...

Dear Sophomore Morgan,

Don't procrastinate as much, be more organized, eat more veggies, spend more time in that huge new library, leave half your wardrobe at home, keep studying spanish even without a class, communicate with your roommate, no more midnight pizza, call your family more, do not buy any more Santa Clara University merchandise, hang out with more people from the clean and sober club, laugh more (if thats possible:)), go to mass every sunday, do the dishes more than once a week, cook more, eat out less, sing in the shower even though everyone can hear you, don't have pizza the night before you go to college (thanks a lot Uncle Hose Nose), your bed's comfort should preceed all concerns about price of memory foam, start making friends with the psyc and soc department so you can get amazing internships in foreign countries, don't ever take a 9:15 class again in your life, listen to the radio more so when your at parties you can sing along to the music, plan at least six months before Beta Breakers, make your school reading a priority over the books your dad sends you, be healthy, be happy, love life.

Love,
Freshman Morgan

I give a whole new level to procrastination

I have a page and a half done of my essay!!! But here's the thing... It needs to be ten pages, I still have research to do, and most unfortunately... it's due tomorrow. Here's the real kicker... I am writing a blog about it right now instead of working on it. I'll let you all know how it goes.

PS I got an A- my psyc midterm and i feel FABULOUS!

Stinson Beach!

Jimmy's fabulous mom rented us a beach house at Stinson Beach for Memorial Day weekend. It was AMAZING! The house was right on the lagoon and right accross the street from the beach. Here are some pics:
Me on our dock, loving life. Thats my happy dance.
Comforting Jimmy after an attack on the beach.

Thank you Paula Bennet for this INCREDIBLE place!
The gang... being awesome.
Katie being my kayak slave.
This was my tree. I probably spent the majority of the trip in it. I'm taking this picture (the sneaker is mine) looking down on everyone on lower branches.

the trip was needed. Now back to the real world........

Nietzche

Just in case you didn't know. Nietzche thinks that philosophy is bad and that art is the only way we can really be happy and shelter ourselves from the horrible truth of life. So don't read him. He wouldn't want you to waste your time reading his philosophy books. Go listen to music. Lets do Nietzche a favor, give him what he wants, and burn all of his books. As long as we are dancing around the fire he'd be happy.

Bay to Breakers

Every year in San Francisco there is a huge race from the Bay to the Breakers. The event is pronounced Beta Breakers and it is populated by serious runners, semi serious joggers, walkers, nudists, drunk college students, high old people, and pretty much anyone in the bay area who owns a ridiculous outfit (or can put one together). We decided to attend the event to really soak in the culture.... now we are drench with culture.... among other things.

Our morning started at 1:00 am when we went to sleep. well i guess that's when our night ended.
Our morning really began three hours later when we woke up... AT 4:00!!!
Next we walked to the Cal Train station, so that we, like every other student at Santa Clara could ride to San Fran.

So the train was quite full.
And we rode in the bathroom. literally. stood in the bathroom. for the hour and half trip. and yes... people still used the bath room... the one we were in. (I have pictures of that but I might get sued)
We were all looking our best. Trying to fit in. We though we went all out. We were wrong.
You can't tell very well in this pic. But the multi colored blur all the way back between the trees... yeah thats hundreds.. thousands more people.
everyone had RIDICULOUS costumes on. Here we are with Tetris. Most pictures we took with the other walkers are too inappropriate, and I hear my grandma reads this every now and then. Lets just say there was a lot of drinking, drug use, and nudity. Complete, full, old people, nudity.

It was probably the most fun I've ever had in San Fran. And next year... we'll be prepared.

Mass

Sometimes all you need is to go someplace where the incense smells good, the music is soothing, the architecture is beautiful, and God is thick like butter.

Unexpected lessons from College:

1. How to sew up holes in jeans, shirts, jackets
2. How to get as much free food as possible by attending events based on catering
3. How to fix your lap top network over and over and over again
4. How to sweet talk a professor
5. How to give yourself a french manicure cause $30 bucks is WAY too much to spend
6. How to scrape unidentified mold from week old dishes
7. How to hide weird lingering dorm room smells
8. How to make your documents incompatible with other computers so professors can't open unfinished assignments you had to turn in through email
9. How to write an essay on a book you didn't read
10. How to appear awake in a small lecture class using only a pen and bangs
11. How to cook everything with just a microwave
12. How to swing a lanyard without hurting yourself
13. How to text, while reading your assignment, while walking to class, while talking with friends, while fixing your hair
14. How to get ready for your 9:15AM class in about five minutes
15. How to power nap
16. How to choose classes based on time, walking distance, ease, and the professors rating online
17. How to order something from in n out that's not on the menu
18. How to tell the difference between a cool professor and a cool professor who is going to flunk you anyway
19. How to determine which books you really need to buy for a class
20. How to use public transportation

sick of being sad

so I'm not going to be anymore. ready.... GO!

oh yeah...

Forgot to mention my new job. I just got hired onto the executive council of the residential learning community association (RLCA). Its a leadership position that I get paid for! They cover the cost to live in the dorms so now tuition and housing is covered. Now I just have to find a way for Santa Clara to pay for my food! Then I'll be coming here for scott free!!! The job is pretty tough though, I have to plan fun events.. kind of like what I do now on Xavier Leadership Council, and I have to attend meetings...kind of like what I do now for all the other groups I'm in, and I have to do two hours of desk time a week in the office... kind of like what I do now at my current job as a desk receptionist at my dorm. Sooooo... I think I'll be able to handle getting paid for what I already do now:)

So much for an easy spring quarter....

Update:
Spanish: just got a B- on my first exam. In Morgan World that means I failed!
Philosophy: my first essay i haven't gotten back yet, but lets just say because of some stress I didn't even get together with my partner to understand what the prompt even meant until ten the night before it was due. So I'm not holding my breath.
English: I got an A- on my first essay but I have another essay due Friday comparing two works I haven't read.
Psychology: this is surprisingly my best class. I got an A- on the first test when the average is a C-. But then again, it only gets more difficult.
In summation: BUH.

Better to have loved and lost than never loved at all

thats all for now about that.

SAN FRAN!

SanFran Weekend:

Lots of pics...
clubbin
shoppin!
street modelin!
huggin!

Philosphy 13

This is word for word the first paragraph of the notes my professor gave me about the reading he is asking us to do for the next two weeks:
Hegel is a very difficult philosopher to read-there is nothing that can be done about that. You cannot read him the way you read other philosophers - say, like Hume. Hume you can read line by line and not go on until you understand each point. If you try that with Hegel, you will never get anywhere. You have to understand the whole of Hegel's philosophy - his total vision - before you can understand the parts. you almost have to know ahead of time what he is saying in any paragraph before you can see that he is saying it. So what do you do? Well you have to read in a circle - and go through the circle many times before particular paragraphs become clear. However, some paragraphs just will never become clear.

Thanks for clearing that up Professor Kain. I was really worried I wouldn't be able to understand this jibber jabber. I am now reassured.

Forecast

Santa Clara's actual forecast for tomorrow on weather.com:
Partly Cloudy. High 72. Precip 10%. Duvall's actual forecast for tomorrow on weather.com:
Showers. High 45. Precip 70%.


Question: Why am I flying to Washington tomorrow?
Answer: I am a disgrace.

TO DO

So I watched the Biggest Loser Finale and got goose bumps over and over again. It was so powerful, a bunch of people who wanted to change, who did. Knowing that I have that power makes me feel so amazing. So I have a goal. I was in a car accident in August and my neck is really messed up. I tried to fix it myself doing daily exercises I got from a physical therapist but after so long it just wasn't working. I still can't run or jump with out severe soreness. My neck hurts in the morning and after a long day. If I get stressed or upset I can't even hold my head up my neck is so weak. I will not sit by and let this continue!! So I have battled with insurance companies and am starting physical therapy! I will do my exercises religiously and do everything that wonderful man tells me to do. Twice a week I will go visit him and be tortured with message and positioning. Most times I will want to just quit because a lot of the exercises and positioning hurts but now I have goals!!! By next year I want to be able to go to sky high with my friends, a place with lots of trampolines. I went once this year and almost died afterward. I couldn't move my neck for days. So that's goal number one. Goal number two: RUN. I can't run. For two reasons. one: I'm out of shape. two: the up and down motions KILLS my neck. So those are my goals. Once I can run and jump on a trampoline I'll be set. Wish me luck on my journey. It will probably take the rest of this school year and all summer but with hard work, dedication, and the inspiration of the finale of biggest loser I WILL SUCCEED!!!!! go neck!

You know what really grinds my gears...

I feel as though my blog has become a place for me to vent. So I'm sorry. I can't promise it will stop. I can only promise I'll be remorseful about it.

Queen Latifa is allowed to be racist... if she's funny

Beauty Shop is a spin off of Barber Shop a movie about a family shop in a black neighborhood trying to survive while a commercialized mega hair salon moves in across the street. Barber Shop uses wit and satire to talk about real racism issues. The characters debate issues and put everything in context. Where Barber Shop succeeded, Beauty Shop crashes and burns. It is probably the most racist movie I have ever seen. Every single white character is a harsh stereotype; including a flamboyantly guy man, a southern white trash girl trying to act black, a naive uptown women who gives her keys to a random black man on the street thinking he is valet, and a racist uptown b-word. The white trash wannabe works in the beauty shop and is continuously ostracized because of her race. Every time the other girls are laughing and having fun this lone white girl tries to play along and is stopped because she obviously can't talk with the black girls. They even get upset with her for using Denzel Washington as an example as a good love scene actor. Like she doesn't have the right to bring up a black actor. Throughout the movie they shoot her harsh looks and say "funny" things about how she doesn't understand. Switch the races. There is a movie about a bunch of white girls leaving out a black girl cause of her race, making racist comments. Comedy? I think not. I read an article on the web about the movie and they sited the "funny reverse-racism." Like racism against white people isn't racism. I understand that all and all the minorities have dealt with A LOT more racism than your average middle aged white guy, but does that excuse it? Is that what Beauty Shop is trying to do? Even out the racism?

I life in Cali

So its been 85 the past three days. And I kind of like it. Tan lines in April... works for me:) Just wanted to make some washingtonians jealous!

What the he!! should I do?

So I'm bored... and procrastinating... and honestly just exited to be on the Internet since it happens rarely in my laptopless life (my precious computer comes back tomorrow!). So anyway... I stare at the screen not wanting to write an essay in Spanish and decide to play my favorite internet game... GOOGLE! I google random words and learn about them. So I'm pondering what to google and I think about the book I'm reading. It is the 8th book in the Left Behind series "The Desecration." Basically the serious is about what happens after Jesus comes back and takes all his believers and leaves the rest of us to deal with the Antichrist. So I google "hell." First on the list is images... yeah I'm sure. Second is dear old Wikipedia. If college has taught me anything its never trust Wikipedia. So I click on the next link "The Truth About Hell." Sounds compelling. After reading the warning to not take this site lightly I continue on down and read about the "true" hell. Mostly their proof is random texts from the Bible and a lot of lava and how the middle of the earth is the actual location of hell and that's why its really hot. I like when Christians tell me that hell is like heaven.. not a physical place we can travel to... sounds more believable that way. So I read on and they inform me what Jesus said about hell and at the end there is a smiley face with a disclaimer that says if this frightens me... I can simply say these words and mean them with all my heart and I will be saved. So yeah. Not the best site for proving hell but honestly I didn't think hell was a place that needed proof what with "faith" and all that. So I move on to the next website on google Hell.com. Don't go there. Pretty sure its a virus. Anyway I meander on down and find a good one and click on www.what-the-hell-is-hell.com/. Sounds informative. This website is different. Its proving that hell is a made up place and concept made by Roman Catholics to scare people into being good. The website doesn't deny Jesus, or Christianity as a whole but uses the Bible to prove that hell isn't real. And it's not our fault for reading that it is. The translation was wrong. Turns out the Hebrew word for "unseen" is translated into "hell" numerous times and so whenever anyone dies and becomes "unseen" they are going to hell! So this isn't as bad as some ridiculous anti bible things I've laughed at. This is real. And scholars are looking at the translations more and more and determining the one word that you really could translate to being "hell" is an actual place, a valley in the middle east. So now I'm really confused. If anyone has any light they would like to shed, or if you're as confused as I, pick up a bible and go to that website and see for yourself. If not, if the people that created that website are lying heretics, if they are going against the word of god, I bet they're going to hell.

SANTA CRUZ!!!!

For those of you who don't know... I am a foot ball goddess!!!!! Look at my stance!
This is Ali, my future Roomie!!!!
This is a hole. Later Jimbo (white boy in back) will be burried in it against his will.