Getting ready for November

Well the later part of October was certainly busy, but good.
Microbiology continues to dominate my life, but on the plus side Spanish is remarkably easy for a 7-credit class. Plus, any class that gives you extra credit for having TWITTER has to be awesome, right? Speaking of which, I did finally break down and get twitter, but just to keep in touch with a certain friend of mine, and of course, for Spanish.
Of course, I also am fully back into the swing of debate, and have never been happier. :D

This past weekend was the Gig Harbor tournament - season opener, and I tried LD debate for the first time ever. My coach, being the wonderful woman she is, threw me into JV so that was a disadvantage, but I did as well as could be expected. Duo was another...um...yeah never mind.
Impromptu was lots of fun, I had Mitch in all three of my rounds which made each round exponentially more interesting but didn't help me win - or did it? 2 of the 3 rounds I actually beat him placing 1st to his 2nd. It was fun to reconnect with him, and also with Ariel, Kate, Vincent..etc. I love my debate friends, it sucks that so many of them are applying to out-of-state colleges.
I am reminded at the oddest times that this blog is, in fact, public, although I really don't understand why anyone would want to read it. That being said, I am omitting my...more personal opinions on certain people. :D
As far as the debate team this year, I think we have a really good team, and the freshman definitely have a lot of potential which I think will really rebuild the team when I and Ali leave. I would really love to coach a team of my own someday, although I just know my kids would hate me. I have a feeling I would demand a lot, but who knows - I might just be one of those awesome coaches that everyone loves (like my coach.) At the very least, I'd love to judge the high school pool.
I talked to a Kamiak college debater who was one of my judges and she really cautioned me against college-level policy unless I want to go into politics because it's all messed up. Which I should have seen coming, but which still sucks. So I think if I do end up doing college debate I would love to do parli, and I know the UW has a parli team. Gonzaga, however, just does competitive policy, so I don't know...

As far as life life, I'm basically fed up with most of my friends from sthme/yfl at the moment. But then again, keep in mind I often get fed up with people/get tired of socializing. I'm a very independent person, which is why I still sometimes think about the religious life. I have no idea what my vocation is, because I love children but I just couldn't see myself as a parent. I do want to get married, but kids kind of go along with that. However, I could end up joining a religious order, but I just don't know about that. Fortunately I don't have to make those decisions for a while, and for now I'm just buckling down trying to finish out senior year without any drama or stupid decisions (*cough cough Birmingham & Vegas) Once I get to college I can relax, get a job, start enjoying life and not working too hard. That's actually how I've positioned myself - all my hardest classes I'm taking now, so by the time I get to UW I will have only 4-6 more classes to take so I can really concentrate on getting some life experience for nursing school.

On a beautiful ending note, http://emailsfromcrazypeople.com/2009/10/27/persistence-doesnt-always-pay-off/#more-291
Really reminds me of this one guy Isaac...

More useless crap...

I am feeling especially amazing today because I had my first microbiology midterm and completely showed it who's boss. I had at least 4 friends who specifically didn't take micro at EdCC because the teacher here has such a reputation for being tough and she even told us herself that she is known for giving hard tests plus there were like fifty billion (slight exaggeration, more like a few dozen) bacteria that we could have very easily have had to identify a picture of, correctly name, state their method of reproduction, habitat, metabolism, diseases they cause as well as any unique characteristics. In other words, kill ourselves.
However, while the test was completely thorough, I really felt like I did well and after talking to one of the best students afterwards about it I am confident I did pretty well. The great wave of relief is so sweet, so welcome, so refreshing.

Now I have a week and a half to write two LD cases (AFF and NEG) on Resolved: Public Health Concerns Justify Compulsory Immunization using philosophy such as utilitarianism or independence or categorical imperative.
I love my life...

In other news, I got tonight off from Spanish class so I'm going to celebrate that by not going to YFL. We also got our kitties neutered yesterday so they are now a few stones short of a vegetable garden. I also judged the Kamiak Novice Tourney on Saturday and survived through Extemp, Imp, PF, and HI. The end result:


Yeah. It was fun though, and I loved seeing all my old debate friends again. Judging PF was pretty fun - my friends Sean and Vincent came and helped me/passed notes to each other about how the novices were pronouncing Nuclear wrong/ mourned with me the absence of any mention whatsoever of anarchy throughout the round. The resolution was about frikin FAILED NATIONS for cryin out loud! Hellooooooo...
I'm also finishing up my college applications - I think all that is left is to send in my high school transcripts and of course hit "Submit" for my applications. A stoic gesture marking the end of high school, the onset of senoritis, and the beginning of thinking about life after grade school. Sometimes I can't wait and other times I feel like just yesterday I was starting 1st grade.

In keeping with the theme from September's post I will also include some of the top movie's I've watched in the last month:

The Sasquatch Gang (2007) PG-13 Comedy, ****/*

Starring no-names and dorks, this Napoleon Dynamite spin-off is absolutely hilarious. Join three loser teenage medieval swordsmen, three loser 'gang' members, and two...just plain losers. Also joining the cast is Sophie, the kind-of girlfriend of the least dorky swordsman, who has been made fun of for being fat one too many times and has had her jaw wired shut. By FAR the best part of the movie are the two loser losers, who remind me of Uncle Rico in his early years and a druggie surfer. The only way these three groups of people relate is A) they're all loser and B) they all have a hand in the 'mysterious' Sasquatch sighting. If you liked Napoleon Dynamite this movie is for you, otherwise you're wasting your time.

State of Play (2009) PG-13 Suspense, Political Thriller ****

Starring Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdams (The Notebook) the movie is fast-paced and thoroughly intriguing. It's one of those movies where you give up trying to figure out the puzzle 5 minutes into it because it's way too confusing and just sit back and enjoy the twists and turns. Crowe and McAdams play investigative journalists looking into the death of an aide to Senator so-and-so. Affairs, corruption, secret friendships, pride, and counter-investigations all play into this awesome movie. It had all the makings for a Bourne or Oceans finish until...it didn't. The ending had enormous potential - everything was leading up to a huge explosion, but instead there were just a few shots. Still a great movie.


Still of the Night (1982) PG-13? Suspense, Mystery, Thriller ****

Meryl Streep dazzles the screen as only she can in this Hitchockesque thriller. As twisted and creepy as any authentic Hitchock, she delivers a spotless performance as a young girl working at an auction house with too many secrets. Roy Schnieder plays a psychiatrist who realizes someone is out to kill him after one of his patient's dies. How Streep plays in is anybody's guess and there was one scene I was literally hanging on the closest arm I could find because it was so suspenseful! The ending was awesome in that you could clearly see all the pieces fitting together, but fell short of the five-star Hitchock thrillers. It was about as good a try as they come, and I would definitely recommend it.

Pickles Fermenting by an Open Fire...

...kind of sad, I know.

Anyways, to commiserate that I have but one week of summer left and also celebrate going back to school I'm going to post movie reviews of some of my favorite summer movies, because I'm just that cool.




I'm Reed Fish (2006) PG-13 **** Indie, Romantic Comedy

Super cute film. The main actor is by no means good-looking, but he's adorkable and pretty perfect for the part. Alexis Bledel also does a great job and the pair is joined by a slew of wonderful obscure actors. The movie is set in a small, rural town with Reed Fish providing the town's only source of amusement - his radio show The Fish. He is engaged to Bledel; however, when his old high school flame comes back from school things get messy. He is torn between the two girls and no matter what he does, he suffers for it since news travels fast in a small town. This movie isn't a sit-back-and-zone-out kind of movie though, it really makes you think, especially with an added twist about half-way through. I enjoyed it a lot, and while the ending could very easily have bombed,it was done very well and definitely added a lot to the film.


Bob the Butler (2005) PG **** Indie, Comedy

I hadn't even reached the title in the movie before I was laughing. Picture a talking Mr. Bean on steroids. That is Bob (Tom Green.) He's essentially a loser with a hampster who's life ambition is to go through the phonebook and try every profession available. After being fired from a Burger joint he decides to go to Butler school, lands a job, and awkwardly attempts to butler a super rich family while appeasing the children from hell and the germ-phobic over-achiever mother (Brooke Shields). Oh, the mother also has a psycho french boyfriend which makes EVERYTHING better. The movie is hilarious.



Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008) PG-13 *** Indie, Romantic Comedy

Strike one for this movie was Michael Cera, whom I cannot stand. The movie takes place entirely within one night, which is pretty cool. Norah wants to one-up her rival at school so she asks Nick to be her boyfriend for five minutes. Problem is, Nick is the rival's ex. Nick and Norah are joined by Norah's drunk best friend who gets lost pretty quickly on. They go for a wild goose chase through the city trying to find her, and figure out each other. Nick is joined by his gay band members who are pretty dang funny. Strike two was the stick of gum Norah's BFF chews through the entire movie - it goes in some REALLY disgusting places and I couldn't concentrate on the movie towards the end because I was grossed out by the gum being chewed. The movie was all right, but I prpobably wouldn't watch it again.


Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009) PG ***** Romantic Comedy

This movie ends my Summer Indie streak! Isla Fisher plays a (gorgeous) compulsive shopper. After landing a $16,000 credit card bill she decides to piece her life back together and lands a job at a financial magazine. Her boss (Hugh Dancy) doesn't quite know what to make of her, but when her first article is wildly successful, chemistry becomes apparent. Throughout the movie, her debt, and debt collectors loom, and her habit of lying threatens to come to a head at any moment. A Devil Wears Pradaesque fashion magazine upstairs also beckons her, and in the end she must decide who she really is. Hugh Dancy is super cute, but probably takes 2nd to James McAvoy (Becoming Jane, Ella Enchanted) Definitely recommend the movie.


So there you have it! I've watched other movies this summer, but these were probably the highlights, for one reason or another. I suppose I'll do some book and song reviews later on, but these should be enough for now. Enjoy!

17 Nickels

Hello out there,

I miss you all at college already.


Also, stealing this off of Erin's blog: www.givemehope.com

If it wasn't so late at night for me I wouldn't say this, but right now I don't care: by page 4 I was ready to cry. Granted I've had a roller coaster kind of day, but still, if you know me, you'd know it takes a lot to make me cry. I guess that is just what I needed right now.
Next I should go to bed and continue working on college applications and math and life.
I've been really drawing into myself lately. I could just sit wrapped in silence thinking for hours if I had time. I've been going on walks almost every day to end up sitting at a park, lost in contemplation.

Also, I'm listning to Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley right now which I think is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard.

And now I'm going to get off my emotional soapbox and go to bed - because if you also knew me, you'd know I am a morning person, and this is extremely late for me and when it gets this late I often do/say things I wouldn't normally.

Good night.

how tall was the trojan horse

First of all....excuse me? I seriously find the best titles for blog posts just going through past subjects. I'll give you a few runners-up:

- back to those raw foods
- Cats Rule! Dogs, well you know the rest...
- daddeeeeeeeeeeeeee, i waaaaaaaaaant one!
- Had an odd experience at the garden nursery yesterday
- eatin' stuff rocks

...And these are just a FEW of the myriad which grace the screen and save me from writers block. Which I never have. Because I can always talk about myself.

Anyways...life! Well, I had a great time in Mexico. Everyone was amazing and Erika's cousins are AWESOME. There were 7 of us 13-17 yr. old girls in one corner of the girl's bunkhouse and I had hence to thought that I had finally outgrown giggly teenage girl slumber parties. Nooooooot so. They follow me like a curse. On a diamond. The. size. of. my. HEAD.
Quite the contrast to debate-laden Birmingham.

Speaking of debate, (my 2nd favorite past time, my first being debate itself) I finished the first rough cut of my Duo for next year and am fairly happy with it. It's running 12 minutes or so so I'm going to need to shave off another 3-4 minutes but I'm excited about it. It's a really theatrical piece, so it has lots of potential for really cool effects. I'm also excited to see how my duo partner will like the piece. He's agreed to do it with me but hasn't actually seen the script yet. He's a great actor - he's been in productions everywhere from 5th Avenue to Seattle Opera but he's a really reluctant sort of person so I'm looking forward to pushing him with this piece. It's dramatic (YES.) and I am sure he can do it, he just needs to be confident in his abilities. That is the unsurity.
I've decided for next year for Pattern A I'll do Duo and when my partner can't make it I'll do extemp (God save us all) and B will be Imp, and possibly an IR to shake things up. It would be on bubble gum, btw. As for debate, I'm going to do LD but definitely keep in the congress circuit. I would really like to effect some permanent, competitive changes in WA congress before I graduate, but it's a daunting task. I hear Brandi Spani (My congress hero) tried it and failed. But we'll see, I know most of the major congressmen in the state and I think if we all work together along with our coaches and parli's and judges from our respective schools that would be a good start. (One of them, Jon Mount, goes to TJ and if we could get Turnner on board I think we would have a VERY good chance.)
I don't know, though, because part of me likes the way Congress is a great entry event for all the newbies who just want to see what debate is like. They might get overwhelmed if we make it too like National-style congress, but on the other hand we more experienced congressmen need the experience. Gah, what to do, what to do.
Well...damn I like talking about debate. :D
On the home front, I'm reading some really interesting books this summer:

- Gaspipe *finished* - non-fiction account of American Mofia. Really exciting!
- War of Nerves *in progress* - non-fiction history of international chemical warfare. HIGHLY interesting.
- Zeno's Conscience *in progress* - fictional Italian classic, apparently, of man called upon by psychiatrist to remember & recount life's story. It was great until he started cheating on his wife. :( The book translated beautifully though, the language is incredibly humorous and the story is witty and imaginative.
And as always, these are balanced out by liberal amounts of Pearls Before Swine, my personal favorite comic book. :D

The rest of my summer consists of A&P2 and incredibly odd talks with my lab partner. I kind of got all my socializing in two huge doses in Birmingham and Mexico so right now I'm loving being largely on my own but I'll probably start being social more by the end of summer. Perfect timing, I know.

Until then, have a happy and safe summer! I'd love to hear from you - correspondence is always welcome (although I think I owe most of you emails/letters. Sikes...)


(And to answer the title "over two stories." and I used quotation marks because I am automatically skeptical of wikipedia due to my forensics background.)