Relative Dimension

I made dinner tonight, actual dinner from a recipe, and it was good. (Of course my way of cooking involves asking somebody a question about it every five minutes, because almost all of my previous dinner-making experience is limited to tuna melts.)

BUT I proved I could multitask by keeping an eye on three burners and the cookies in the oven all at once. Now I'm just fighting a Benadryl coma.

One thing that's not awesome about being home is my connection speed, or lack thereof. I'm seriously wondering about my ability to watch the last three Doctor Who episodes, because I have to online, and I might have to plug Andromeda into the router and hope that's fast enough to download the whole thing. I really don't want to wait until September. In the meantime I'm trying to catch up on the history of the old series by reading episode summaries, and waiting for my first two seasons to arrive. By all rights they should have been here today, but for some reason my card number didn't work the first time around, and the delivery date is now Monday. This does not please me. At least Erica's taping Stargate for me. I'd go over and watch with her, but my damn car has a headlight issue and I can't drive it at night. On the bright side, the Stargate season 10 dvd set is coming out next month, which is about six months earlier than normal, which means I can make a bunch of my videos sooner than I'd expected. Yay!

The yard looks awesome, the fish are gigantic, and the cats are happy to see me. And homemade food is the best. Sam's leaving for Korea in two weeks to teach kindergarteners English for a year. He's hurriedly learning Korean. There are little yellow notes all over the house labeling things. Mom has a digital camera and now she wants an iPod shuffle and a laptop (what's this world coming to?!). It took me forever to unpack all my junk. My room was a mess like I'd never seen before, and it was tough to pick a place to start. I had an easier time finding places for things in my room at school, which was half the size. But there were shelves and roomy drawers there. I need to get rid of some of my stuff again.

There are so many things I want to do now that I'm free from the burdens of homework and classes and I'm having trouble choosing. Maybe when I've caught up on all the lost sleep from recent weeks and need less than ten hours a night, I'll be able to do some of them.

Criminy, what a Monday this has been so far. Last night I had two hours of sleep, maybe. 8:00 final, done in 45 minutes, then off to the library to correct the little misunderstanding regarding my work schedule this week. They thought I was working TODAY which of course I was totally unable to do, because I had two exams this morning alone. Then at 10:15 was my second final, and I didn't to incredibly well on the first part but luckily the essay question I'd actually prepared for was on the final and I think I did all right on that one. I was done in an hour. I love being a fast test-taker. I think the mocha might have helped too, though I've had the shakes for the last two hours. Then to Grab 'n' Go to spend more points that I can't use later this week because I'm going home tomorrow (yay!) and now I have lots of food and drinks for next term. My fridge is now full and my food box is nearly so. I now have five and a half hours before my next (and last!) final exam, the one I'm not too worried about because I've been doing well in German thus far. Then we're supposedly going to dinner at Toshi's, which has amazing ramen noodles they make in the restaurant. Tomorrow I have to get up freakishly early again, but I work instead of take tests, which is infinitely better because I've grown to enjoy my job a bit.

THEN I GO HOME FOR TEN DAYS!!!!  WHEEE!!!!

I should maybe sleep now.

Wow, it's been a week. Okay.

So I'm back at school. The night we got back we had a round of Apples to Apples with Joe's new expansion pack until about two in the morning, even though we were already exhausted, because we hadn't seen each other in a month and Apples to Apples is so much more fun on sleep deprivation anyway. The next day was the first day of classes. I dropped two, Chinese Religions and Japanese Anime, because I'm going to be busy enough this term and apparently the anime one is open to the public anyway. I don't know anybody in my German class because I had to change teachers due to a schedule conflict. The room we're in sucks, and there's barely enough space for the desks, but at least it's warm. My Humanies class is in a lecture hall and I love the class. We've only had two sessions because on Friday the teacher was iced in, and tomorrow there's no school, but the reading is interesting (for a change) and my discussion group is small and our GTF is wired on coffee that early. Old English is also fun, even though we don't have Professor Bayless anymore, and there are fewer people. We may get to go on a field trip to the Mt. Angel monastery and, if we're lucky like last year's class, might get to see the old manuscripts in the vault. I'm crossing my fingers.

On Monday it was 60+ degrees, and on Thursday it was snowing. Go figure. Jessica got snow for her birthday, but it looks like I'll get rain for mine. On Monday nights I work at the library from 3-8, so I miss dinner with my friends at Barnhart. Fortunately there's a microwave on my floor and food at Grab 'n' Go. I will not be eating Campbell's Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup again. This week it's either three-cheese rotini or Spaghetti-os. I've been practically living in a friend's room on the third floor this week, huddling under a blanket because her heat's been out and watching either whatever's on tv or her play Twilight Princess and Lufia II. I haven't worked on my scarf much lately, but I might be joining a weekly knitting circle in my hall on Wednesdays if I don't have too much homework. We're trying to corrupt Anne-Marie's new roommate Hilary with our evil ways.

Thursday was Pirate Night, which I was going to dress up and go to (they had pizza and watched POTC) but none of my friends were going so I watched Grey's Anatomy with them instead. I don't think I'd watch it by myself ever, but it's very fun with them, and it's how I met them in the first place. On Friday we started introducing Jessica to Harry Potter, and she's convinced that Dumbledore is a dirty old man. We'll finish the marathon tonight or tomorrow. Yesterday, in celebration of my and Jessica's birthdays, we ate at Sakura (ELEVEN of us), which has very yummy sushi. Areum gave me an adorable pink umbrella from Korea. Also, the heat was out for the whole building for most of the day. I was so pleased this morning when there was hot water. Today it's about 30 degrees outside.

I have a new PEBL phone, which is blue, and the number is 503 560-3352. Seriously, our family plan has more minutes than we can use in a month, and nights and weekends are apparently free. I absolutely love the thing and I take it everywhere because it's my newest toy and it's so adorable. It is my precious.

Jessica told me that she thought I looked "neat" when she first saw me and wanted to get to know me. How cool is that?! I swear the two of us share a brain or something, we're freakishly alike. Except I like bright colors and she's better at video games than me.

I've got a crapload of reading and translating homework to do, not to mention a couple of papers to start working on. I'm still reeling from the change of pace and lack of sleep, and I seem to be having trouble staying asleep after 7 am. I have no idea why.

I need to stop going to the library with only my German homework, because the basic stuff takes about five minutes and it's kind of embarrassing to only stay there for that long. I don't like to drag all my books around because my backpack is heavy enough with all the German crap I have to take to class every day. Maybe after I gain some muscle from all the walking I can start carrying my computer. And after my parents bring the futon thing I can start sleeping normally again. Let's hope. I wish I could sleep on the couch in the library CPS staff break room.

I think I'm turning pseudo-vegetarian. WTF? Do NOT ask me how this happened. It wasn't really a conscious choice; I'm just not as into meat as I used to be. I think I've eaten meat once in the week since I've been here, and at that meal there really wasn't a lot of variety. Tonight I tried a couple of vegetarian nuggets, and they weren't bad. I don't know. I often go through phases with food, maybe this is one of them.

I'm starting to remember some of the frustrations I'd forgotten about when learning new languages. Namely the other people in the class who just don't get it. People who don't even try to pronounce the words they way they should be pronounced. People who can't read a word on the board that to me is painfully simple. I know I have a tendency to be arrogant about that sort of thing. But god, sometimes I wish I could study one-on-one. At least there don't seem to be any characters in my classes who monopolize the instructor's time (and mine!) by asking ten thousand questions about everything. Today in Old English we learned how to say "snot." I'm going to enjoy that class.

One of the British guys lives three doors down from me. 

OMG OOTP photos on Yahoo!!! ALL THE BOYS CUT THEIR HAIR!!!! NOOOOOOO!!!!!

Of all the experiences I figured having a roommate would involve, a cultural exchange was not one I expected. It honestly had never even crossed my mind. And unless she's really into American stuff, there will likely be a big exchange of music and tv favorites and a whole load of stuff I probably won't have thought of. It later occurred to me that she's probably an exchange student and will only be here for this year. I hadn't thought of changing roommates either, but it's possible that would have happened anyway. It's different, this college thing. I'm very glad I get to be a part of it. I'd probably be content living at home indefinitely, but I find myself really looking forward to this. I'm also eager to make friends who do things. I love my friends who still live close by, but they don't like to go anywhere other than the movies and it's getting a bit boring. I think I've finally hit my teen years.

I've been brushing up on my Japanese (which really sucks, since I haven't studied in over seven years). With that and the two I'm studying this term in class, I'm going to be in language heaven (or hell) this coming fall.

Yesterday Sam spent ALL DAY preparing dinner, which was Peking duck and pork dumplings. And I must say, it was very good. He's going to make some girl very happy one day (not to mention well-fed). Sometime after dinner Erica and I saw My Super Ex-Girlfriend. I cannot remember the last time I saw a romantic comedy in the theater. This is one of the few I have ever seen and enjoyed. I'd even see it again when it comes out on video. Of course, Ivan Reitman (the director) has done some of my favorite comedies ever, including both Ghostbusters, Evolution, and Twins. I guess that shows that my favorites among that type of movie involve stuff beyond the normal goings-on.

I measured my room at home and it looks as if my dorm might be twice as big. Yowsers.

The right side of my lower jaw is full of novacaine, but I'm starting to get some feeling back in my tongue. I stopped at Sally's on the way home and got some fun hair products, which cheered me up a bit. Especially since I got $5 off. My hair is very interesting and probably smells like coconut. When we got back from the dentist Sam and Mom and I wrapped homemade tamales in the kitchen. There's a bowl full of the things wrapped and tied in three very different ways.

Last night I slept in my pajamas and everything! I even turned the fan off. That's what summer should be like here. Our trip to Cali may be delayed for the Explorer to have the AC fixed. And I had my new duffle packed and everything. More or less. But I will enjoy staying in less-than-100 degree weather for a short while longer. Grandma reports it's bloody hot down there. She told Mom she'd keep the air conditioning at 80 around the clock, which Mom seems to think is too warm. However, when the outside temperature is 107 or so, it should feel nice. 80's in my (rather small) comfort zone. Except maybe at night. I like to sleep when it's chilly and under a lot of blankets.

I need to decide which books I'm taking down there because it will be boring.