After looking at my new (!) degree plan, I found out that I am really close to getting all of my core, mass comm core, and print classes out of the way. Which I think *although I'd have to check with whoever my new adviser turns out to be) means I'll be able to take almost all electives during my last two semesters. If I wanted to.

I am inordinately excited about that.

Also, my gramma is trying to guilt trip me into visiting this summer. She is really good at that. Not that I don't want to visit! Just... the woman has skills, that's all I'm saying.

Why am I so tired.

In other news, I'm thinking I might take a day or two off work this week to clean up and check out apartments. Although I still don't have my Texas ID or all the paperwork I need to get it (it's being processed, I believe) so it's sort of pointless right now, but... I'm driving myself crazy worrying about moving and I think this will help.

My mom's not exactly being helpful, either. One minute she's supportive and encouraging me to leave, the next she'll be pulling that "But are you really sure?" schtick Moms are so good at. Ugh.

Other than that, though, life is good.

So, who's taking lunch break time to update their LJ because their computer's been down for about a week? Not me. Never me.

Anyway, I had a great time visiting my family in Dallas and Austin. My sister is growing up to be a seriously cool kid, you guys, and I was really happy to see she loved the gift I gave her. (Season 1 set of Magic Knight Rayearth DVDs - on sale, thank goodness.) I also finally got to meet my aunt and uncle on my dad's side! They're very cool, laid back people. Also, I went on a shopping trip with them, sis, and my gramma and Aunt Patty. Shopping with Gramma and Patty is always fun and I got some really cute clothes out of it! Hurrah. Oh, and I saw my stepmom again, and Sally is cool as always. She gave me and Mom some homemade soaps for Christmas. Tons of them, I should say. I haven't tried them all yet but the mocha scrub is to die for. It smells soooo good. Dad got me cash (like always) with which I bought a really great book, Planet Simpson, which is a very in-depth analysis of the show, the characters, the satire, the writing, the production, and its impact.

And thus sums up my vacation.

I haven't done much since but dread the day the next semester starts. I am not looking forward to Advertising/PR classes at all. Desktop Publishing will be great, and Law will be hella hard but interesting, while Advertising and PR don't interest me at all.

I've also been looking at apartments. I don't plan on moving out soon, but I tentatively plan to after this semester, and there's a place offering a lot of close apartments in my price range. (I think.)

Oh god, Mai-HiME is the most emotionally wrenching anime I've seen in ages. End of story. Well... not quite. All I have to say is, if you haven't seen it, do check it out. The beginning is quite funny, the characters are great, and the ending is just... I could stop watching or crying.

In other news, the noodle seafood soup at our local Thai place is so good!!! Super-spicy but soooo good.

Also, today I saw two friends I hadn't seen in a long time. That made me really happy.

Oh, and I'm off work until the New Year. Which is nice, I have to admit. I've been coming in later now that school's out, but I've been working a lot longer, too. It was getting kind of tiring.

And I am SO EXCITED about getting to see my family! Oh, and excited about Christmas with the rest of my family, too, of course!

First, a meme snagged from trelali.

1. Comment with any ship [or character] from a fandom that you know I like, or at least have some knowledge about.

2. I will ramble for about 100 words (I may go over a bit) about the aforementioned ship. This may be incoherent gushing or exclamations of disgust, depending on what it is.

3. Put this on your LJ, if you are so inclined.

Second, for those of you who were wondering if I died or something...nope! Unfortunately, studies have proven that I'm like a cockroach. I even have feelers! I was/am just ambushed by a lot of work. Hurrah! Projects, papers, articles, and homework due next week. Oh, I'm so excited. Can you tell?

Aaand -- happy birthday, mom. I wuv ooo.

It occurs to me that looking for a job would be easier if I could freaking drive.

Last week, I went up to the Student Center and looked at the job ads. Over half of the ones available required that I have a driver's license. It was most frustrating. It's strange to realize that, even though I really would like to know how to drive, there's no way I can learn right now. We don't have money for lessons and we don't have a car, so I can't teach myself. I suppose I could seduce convince one of my guy friends to teach me. By seduction. (Why is it only they have cars?) That's a thought.

In the meantime, I'll just have to settle for one of the jobs that doesn't require a car. Oddly enough, dishwasher is kind of appealing. STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT! I know it's gross and tedious because I did plenty of it in my last job, but it is kind of relaxing in a way. Plus, I don't have to put up with people!

We shall see. Perhaps there will be more appealing jobs available today.

Speaking of which, I think I'm doing a decent job of keeping my New Years's resolution to lose weight get in shape. Once again, I really really really love the fact that my campus has its very own weight room that anybody can use. The only downside is that the walk there is pretty long, but I'm getting used to it. I really like walking. I always have. And of course, it's awesome getting to hang out with Christina. The second downside to the weight room, though, is that it has no punching bags upon which we could vent our frustrations at the academic world. Alas.

Hm...I think I'm also developing an honest-to-god common hobby with my sister. Yes, she's turned into a video game junkie, too. It might just be that she's really enjoying a new toy, but we'll see. She wants to borrow my copy of Soul Calibur 3. I think I'll definitely bring it next time I come to Austin.

Oh, and yes, Valentine's Day is tomorrow. I completely forgot until yesterday, which is nothing new. Once again, I find that I really don't care. Perhaps I have discovered the advantage of perma-single-hood! Holidays like this just blow by, so you don't really feel that loneliness that other people do. Mostly, I just think of it as Georgia Gets EVEN MORE Chocolate Day. Is that strange? Should I care?

me-sense:  cheerful
music: The Beatles - She Came in Through the Bathroom Window

Notes for the Day

TO SELF: Stop this beating yourself up shit, it's not going to help anything. Get some sleep and study your ass off tomorrow. You really can focus long enough, and not be compelled to waste your time doing obsessive-compulsive crap on the interwebs. I promise.

TO CATS: Felines of the house, you are all fed and watered and well-cared for. Your litter-box is clean and your masters are not stopping your big incestuous orgy. (Incestivus?) We even gave you kitty marijuana today -- so chill the fuck out!

TO THEFANLISTINGS.ORG: There is too a relationship between Fred and Illyria.

TO FANFIC AUTHOR: When you post an AU about Melissa and David being part of the original Animorphs, I want to read it. I want a story. I want to know why Melissa is Princess Melissa. I want to know why Melissa and Cassie aren't friends with Rachel anymore. I want to know where Jake disappeared to. I don't want continous dialog with no description whatsoever, it makes me a sad panda.

TO SELF, AGAIN: Write said author a review. Ask them to write a real story about this, please. Also, pay attention when the author says their story is a transcript, Dorkface.

TO FATHER'S FAMILY: Your game playing ways amuse me.

TO SELF, YET AGAIN: Take pride in the fact that you made Final Fantasy fans out of your sister, stepmother, and father. Booyeah, baby.

TO SELF, NUMERO QUATRE: Watch more House. Continue fangirling over characters with canes, it's good for you.

TO SELF, FIFTH VERSE SAME THE FIRST: Don't start looking for Kim Possible fanfics just because you used the word "Booyeah". No, don't. Stop giving into temptation right now.

me-sense:  silly and  sleepy
music: Fridge Humming

Someday, I will be able to have a conversation with my mom about guys, dating, and relationships and not hear Mom end the conversation with "I wish you'd date The Douche."

And that day will be great. But for now, my head and desk are going to have to mate. The baby's due in nine months.

...Yes, my choice in music is on purpose.

me-sense:  annoyed
music: Loudon Wainwright - I Wish I Was a Lesbian

Finished my first semester of college.

Celebrated by buying Astonishing X-Men Vol: 1 and mind-numbingly delicious Amaretto/peppermint Pocky knockoffs.

Then I slept for two days.

Spent Wednesday with Kate and Christina, where we walked around the malls and were odd. It was a lot of fun, really nice seeing people I haven't seen in forever. Even nicer getting out of the freaking house. XD I also ran into Ithica (the One-Act kid who had a thing for fire?) too, which was surprising! Oh, and I bought baby sis Final Fantasy X-2 for X-Mas. Dad's getting her a PS2, and she wanted a girly game, so I got the girliest game I have ever seen. I think she'll have a lot of fun with it, but I'm a little worried about how she might take the costumes (take a gander, if you haven't seen them). Fanservice much? But oh well, it's not like it's that different from what she sees on TV anyway. I figure the positive effects of playing a bunch of girls out to save the world negates the damage done by having them barely dressed. I hope. I also recommended Dad get her Kingdom Hearts, because a) I couldn't afford it and b) she'll love it. Why, no, I'm not trying to get my sister to follow in my footsteps and become an RPG junkie, why do you ask?

Other than that? Um, I slept. Did a lot of that. I think I'll be spending tonight writing fanfics, though. Talking at with lizzypaulabout her Marco/Ax ship_manifestoessay has really gotten me in the mood to write things. Besides, I'm getting pretty close to pushing my deadline for those 30_kissesLoren/Elfangor stories...

me-sense:  happy
music: The Black Mages - Fight With Seymour

So, I think I may have gotten a job and lost it within two days. I'm not exactly sure. My boss didn't say "you're fired", just told me that he'd only be using me when he needed someone to fill in for everyone else. So I guess my job will just be taking even less of my time than I expected.

In other words: CURSE YOU, INABILITY TO DRIVE!

However, this little conversation was priceless:

Boss: You do have a Texas driver's license, right?
Me: Um...no? No, I really don't.

Followed by stunned silence, of course, because everyone in the world can drive! Right? Right! It's not like there's people that aren't a) abled or b) able to afford driving lessons or c) owning a car. That's crazy talk! (Translation: No, I can't drive, because I never got those driving lessons Mom insisted I get, what with my being disabled and all. Why not? We're poor. Also, we don't have a car, so I couldn't learn from at home and/or from a friend anyway.)

On the plus side, though, my boss is giving my application to the editor. So maybe I'll get a job actually writing for the paper. It's a slim chance, no doubt, but it is possible. And I'll be getting a check for the work I did over the weekend. So...not all is gloom, at least not yet.

Anyway, like I said before I decided to edit this post, I'm off to Austin in a few hours. Won't be back 'til Saturday. I can't wait to see the geek in training my little sister, dad, stepmom, and everybody else. Plus, there'll be the annual feeding of Georgia's addiction big 'ol can of olivies. Plus, Austin. I love Austin. I can't wait!

(However, the assignments I still have to finish? They can die. Especially if my editor assigns something over the break, because then I will be forced to kill her horribly.)

Also, because I love pushing crack: Kenny and Kyle from South Park, as bishounen. Utena-style bishounen (I'm not yanking your chain, check out the art) and really good fanfic about Drode.

Have a great holiday, all!

My baby sister has just emailed me. This is FANTASTIC.

And if you think I'm giving her the address to either this or my Xanga, you are out of your skull crazy. I want my baby ickle sis to stay pure and innocent and marginally uncorrupted by her big sister.

Until she's old enough for corruption, that is. That sounds wrong. Didn't mean it like that.

In other news, I am going to see GEORGE CARLIN at the end of the month. Is that an event that deserves abuse of caps? WHY, YES IT IS. IT VERY MUCH IS.

PS: College work is going to kill me, for the record.

PPS: I wish I had more icon slots.

It's like my life...but in a montage!

Or, a small summary of fun and/or sweet moments I've had in the past few days.

First, a girl I know from Anime Club said on her Xanga that I was easy to talk to. That made me feel warm, fuzzy, and special.

Second, I watched Mulan with Mom the other day. Some amusing exchanges occured.

"There's some things I know they're bound to notice!" shouts the Eddie Murphy dragon (Mushu) as all the men start running to the pond where Mulan (a woman, hiding her identity, in case you haven't seen the flick) is.

And without a second's pause, I respond with "Depends on how flat she is."

Third, in the middle of the movie, Mom turns to me and whispers "B.D. Wong (doing a voice in the flick, pic of him here) is SO HOT."
"I KNOW," I say. "I know."

We drool for about three minutes.

Then we remember he's gay, and we are sad.

Fourth. "Oh yeah, I hate not being a lesbian," is a funny thing to say when it's said to the guy who's often made me wish I was a lesbian.

Fifth, my neighbor/boss is making a habit out of making me and mom dinners. I'm kind of taken aback by it, I admit, but it's sweet.

Now, onto the not-so-happy (or funny) stuff.

My Great Grandmother, on my Dad's side, is about to pass away. I don't know her well, since we only met once, but I feel sad about it. Sad she's dying at all, of course, but mostly sad for my Dad and Grandma. I hope it comes soon, though, because I don't want her to suffer. She's in the hospital right now because she broke her hip -- and her condition's just worsening, and beyond giving her blood transfusions, there's not really anything the doctors can do. So, good thoughts and/or prayers for my family would be appreciated.

Also, my Uncle (on my Mom's side) is acting very strangely. It's really starting to upset my Mom and my Aunt...and me too. I say he's probably just been having a few hard days at work and that kind of thing, but Mom is worried it might be something worse. I hope she's wrong. I really, really hope she's wrong. My uncle can kind of be a pain in the butt sometimes but I like the old grump a lot. I don't want to think about something bad happening to him.

Other than that? All my days will now be spent counting the days until HBP comes out.

Well, I just remembered something worth posting about happened today. My dad got a job. It's not the teaching job he mentioned last week, but I'm happy for him. Though -- we were talking about fireworks and he said, off-handely, "The place we're moving to will have a firework place." (Not exact wording, but it's been a few hours.)

My reaction (which I did not voice): What. The. HELL?! Moving?! AGAIN?!

I think he might've just got his words messed up, though, 'cause after that he told me that he and Sally didn't got to see the fireworks because Sarah's in Dallas. Huh.

I really hope they're not moving, especially 'cause it'll probably make it even harder for me to visit them when I go to college, or invite Sarah to stay with me. Which I want to do when I have the money and a place. And Christina? If/When that happens, please tell the others to not corrupt my baby sister too much. That's my job.

One of the weirdest most unexpected things ever happened last night.

I got a job.
( The sordid details. )

( Shrek 2 and Castle in the Attic. )

( I wouldn't be me if I didn't add some angst into all this. )

Now I think I'm going to wrap this up, check my email, and write that fluffy Marco/Ax-Tobias-POV plot bunny I got last night.