These are things that I keep hidden in my belly

focus

2010-09-30T16:19:00.000-04:00

I've been stressing over this wedding like crazy and I've got all the stress consequences to prove it. (Acne? Check. Skin disease that I'm apparently stuck with for life and chose to pop up now? Yep. Terrible sleep? Oh yeah.)

I'm trying not to lose track of the big picture. This wedding isn't just a big party, we're getting married that day. I'm going to be stuck with this kid for the rest of our lives.

Someone at work jokingly asked me who I was bringing to the office Christmas party (yeah, it's not even October and we're already talking about the Christmas party. Our parties are pretty rad and this year it will be at the JW downtown.).

I said, "I guess I'm bringing my boyfr---" and then I stopped and corrected myself.

"My husband. I'll be going with my husband."

Things I still need to do for this wedding thing that you may have heard about

2010-08-30T12:13:00.001-04:00

Finish invitations
Choose invitation mailing layout (include a parking info sheet, map and directions?)
Send invitations
Get dress tailored
Buy rings
Get Nick's outfit
Decide on a final color/scheme/layout/decoration idea
Buy decorations
Decide whether butcher paper table runners with crayons/colored pencils is lame, cheesy or awesome
Convince Mother Dearest to make a bunch of doilies
Settle the cake/cupcake deal
Schedule reception tasting
Make sure Nick has his groomspeople settled
Get (copies of) photos from relatives for centerpieces
Schedule counseling session
Decide on/buy shoes
Something old = dress, borrowed = dress, new = shoes, blue = ??/shoes??
Figure out jewelry

Don't stress out

Let's just say I don't feel like separating sentences right now

2010-07-08T01:49:00.001-04:00

I have sunburn for the second time in my life and it sucks even worse than the first time as I am not 10 years old and have to work. At least I only have sunburn on my back, shoulders and knees unlike poor Nick whose face is red and peeling. I learned long ago that the first place I put sunscreen on is my face, especially on my nose and ears.

I've been sick for about a week now, just congested and gross and haven't been able to taste food for that entire terrible week. I was starting to think I wouldn't be able to ever taste food again (I had nightmares about tasteless Popeye's chicken and I cried a little) so I went into the bathroom with half a box of Puffs and emerged victorious!

Speaking of Puffs, how great is it to be a company that has become a household name. I almost typed Kleenex before realizing I bought Puffs (because the only Kleenex at Meijer were the ones with lotion which gross me out and don't have nice, pretty boxes (Great selling point, companies! You've got me down pat. I take these to work and I want to look stylish while I wipe my nose every five minutes.)) and I was thinking about proprietary eponyms. Kleenex, Jello, Google, Vaseline, Q-Tips, Frisbee, Band-Aid, Velcro, Thermos...even Hi-Lighter. It's very interesting how our language has absorbed brand names as actual words. Maybe I'm just watching too much Mad Men.

I took a break from wedding planning for a week or two because I was having dreams about it and stressing out. Now I'm just more overwhelmed because apparently invitations are to be sent out 8 weeks before the wedding (which is the last weekend in August and OMFG IT IS JULY ALREADY) and I keep having to explain to people that yes, I'm getting married, no he hasn't proposed. After 6 years, we knew we were going to do this, I don't need some hard consolidated mineral matter on my finger to know that it's happening. Also, Nick lost his job which means we will soon need a cheaper and less awesome place to live which makes me sad but means more wedding money which we seriously need because my parents have said in the past that they aren't paying for it because they paid for their wedding so I can pay for mine. Although my mom did offer to help out after I called to tell her Nick lost his job. And I might need that help after seeing the price of these places.

Have you ever planned a wedding by the way? I don't know why in the world people want to stretch these things out over 6 months or even over a year! I'm stressed out already and I only have to deal with this for 4 months. I talked to Nick about it and he got me to calm down and figure out priorities which immediately made me want to throw up but I'm getting things done, kids (while throwing up)! I'm not actually calling anyone (because it's almost 2am and I talk to people on the phone all day at work) but I've sent out emails and I have a few days off next week so hopefully I can get the hardest parts (ceremony and reception location) out of the way so I can think about food and food.

Oh and you asked why I chose October 23. The short story is, Nick and I both already had the day off. The long story is I wanted July or August but didn't realize that oh hey those are coming up soon and oh hey we don't have money that soon and Nick need a day he could get off of work (ha ha that was necessary). On my way to work a few weeks ago, I called him up and said, "What day do we have off in October? Let's do it then." He didn't realize I was serious and here we are.

Okay, this is getting long and I want to go watch another Mad Men before I hop in my oatmeal bath so I'll stop now.

I miss you guys. I'm sorry I don't call, work has been crazy and all I do is sleep and work. It's no excuse but there it is.

2010-06-24T02:33:00.002-04:00

And today Nick, along with his entire department, lost his job.

Wedding is still on, despite my reservations.

STD

2010-06-19T02:32:00.000-04:00

Save the date, children.

October 23, 2010.

No, he didn't propose yet. Yes, we set a date with no "formal contract." Yes, I'm crazy. Yes, I'm planning it already.

I'll let you know when the big thing goes down (proposal, ring etc).

I just figured that if I'm going to get married by the end of the year, I should start planning.

(And I already know I'm getting married. A proposal isn't a surprise.)

I'm getting married for real. I'm more excited about this than I think I will be about the proposal.

#100

2010-05-17T05:34:00.001-04:00

I recently was promoted at work and am now a supervisor. It means nothing except never speaking French again. Not really but mostly. I rarely speak French now but still get paid for it.

I decided that I cannot start a blog right now because I have no time, energy or willpower to keep something going like that.

Nick has agreed (and expressed on his own, to my parents earlier today) that it would be nice to be married by the end of the year. He has not bought the ring yet (or he is lying to me...hmm... (He stated that he won't buy it until right before the proposal because he thinks I'd find it/find out. (Also I think it's because he gets too excited with surprises and would probably want to propose the second he got the ring (This has happened with many a Christmas present. It's adorable but the kid doesn't understand Christmas magic.)))) but has said that he knows when and how the proposal will go down. So keep the rest of the year open, ladies!

Nick's little sister is pregnant. The one whose wedding I was in back in October 2008. I thought I'd be jealous when this happened or upset but when I found out, I was so incredibly happy (and still am). It's a baby! A baby that I can play with and spoil and babysit and take care of and then give back. I am so excited. Nick's family is so adorable, they immediately bought tons of baby clothes, accessories, books etc. This is the first baby in the family in a long time. Nick said we'll use this as a test drive. This baby will probably determine if our baby timeline is moved forward, moved back or stays where it is. I am very excited. This is also the closest I have been to a pregnancy (personal relationship- and geographical location -wise) since I starting being all baby crazy and super aware of my imminent family timeline. So this is a lesson for me too. Have I mentioned how excited I am?

It is 5:30 AM and I can hear birds waking up. I don't have to work until 3:30 this afternoon. I love working second shift.

I'll hopefully be back more often. We will see. Also, I owe you all a bunch of phone calls and birthday wishes. I'm sorry. Love you kids.

Blah-g

2010-02-01T02:08:00.000-05:00

I do not know what I will blog about.

I am not interesting or particularly funny. All the blogs I read now are fashion, gossip, parenthood or wedding based. Or adorable pictures of animals to make me happy.

None of which I am any sort of expert on.

I was thinking of doing my Bible a Day and Qur'an a Day adventures on a real blog but Nick said it might just be weird and religion is always tense. And since that's more of a self-exploration than a sharing thing anyway, I agree with Nick.

So I don't know. It might just be a blog. And then we'll see how it goes. Nothing is going to start until I get a good name going anyway. I'm thinking of twisting Nick's last name into something awesome.

I just need a hobby. And since I can't craft and can barely bake but love writing, this seems perfect. It's an escape.

Why I want to have children

2010-01-30T23:14:00.001-05:00

2010-01-27T01:45:00.001-05:00

Did not get new position at NewJob. My supervisor was so nice about it and sent me encouraging emails.

Nick and I talked about realistic goals. He said I should start a blog. A real one. Which is something I've been thinking about doing for a while, I just thought it was silly.

So as soon as I think of a neat name and something to write about, I will be a blogger.

2010-01-25T04:00:00.000-05:00

I've been in a super bad funk for about a week and a half. I thought it would go away once my period did but nope.

I'm just so tired of where I'm at. I applied for another position at work before Christmas and I still haven't heard back on it.

I'm so upset that I don't have the life I want to have. I'm irrationally angry about other people being engaged when I'm not. And I'm upset that I might not be married this year. For some reason.

There's really no reason for me to be this upset or depressed. I just am. I hope this goes away in a little bit because I'm seriously considering just going crazy and fixing it the easy way... by getting rid of NewJob. But in a state with an employment rate of almost 15%, I know it's a terrible, terrible idea. We've been pretty poor lately as it is.

I'll keep you posted.

For serious

2010-01-19T03:30:00.001-05:00

Nick and I were talking about getting married this weekend and he mentioned that it probably won't happen this year.

For some reason I got really upset. If I don't get married this summer, I know I'm going to be disappointed. I'm already upset about it.

I decided I'm going to start planning. I'll get the costs all together and lay it out for him.

Did I tell you we looked at rings the other day? I fell in love with one but it was $2800. So then I was depressed for about a month.

This is happening. Weekend project.

P.S. Birthday month.

Cross-post...because I cannot write two separate posts

2010-01-10T03:05:00.002-05:00

I just watched Return to Me and then played some Assassin's Creed. I now have the world's strongest yearning to go back to Italy. Seriously.

I think Italian will be my next language to learn. After I finish my current goals, of course.

Oh, here are my New Year's whatevers:
(Check out that underline, this is official, kids.)

Read the Bible (that I've had since third grade) and blah-g about it.

Read the Qur'an (that I received from the wonderful CAIR) and blah-g about it.

Find a church that I like (and actually go and check it out) at least once a month (current prospects: Fountain Street Church and Grand Rapids Friends).

Get married (ha ha).

2009-12-23T02:20:00.001-05:00

Nick bought some wine to cook with because he has to make food for work tomorrow.

And of course I was all HEY WE SHOULD DRINK SOME since he already opened it.

It is cheap wine. It was eleven dollars. I like it/do not mind it. And the name is cute.

Nick does not like it.

So I am drinking it all. IT IS ALL MINE BWA HA HA.

Anyway it is this. I don't like wine and I think it is okay.

Drrrunk

Recent thoughts - duplicated for your enjoyment

2009-11-30T04:09:00.000-05:00

I like the idea of Montreal (much like one enjoys the idea having a baby but not the pushing it out of your own vagina part or the human being inside me thing or much like one may love the idea of organizing a bookshelf by color but not actually having said bookshelf (I cannot find any book I am searching for. Surprise, surprise, I do not remember my books by color.)) but that whole French thing always turns me off. Gravy and cheese curds on French fries? I am there. Calling it poutine? Sorry, I'll pass. Maybe next time. With bacon. And a not French name. Losers.

I think I might have mentioned it before but this I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant show is insane. How the fuck do you not know you are pregnant? "Oh I had missed my period two months in a row but I just thought it was stress." "I had a craving for tacos but I just like tacos, you know?" "I thought I had to poop and then a baby was in the toilet." What the fuck, kids? And they never have any prenatal care but the baby is always fine. While people who take care of themselves have sick babies. Also, what sexually-active woman is not hyper-aware of every single thing that is going on with her body period-wise?

I am having more and more dreams that involve someone sending me back to France for some reason. And I'm not allowed to leave for some other strange reason. Like I lose my passport or I lose a piece of luggage and cannot leave until it is found. I suppose that is what I get for speaking French all day.

Speaking of...speaking French, I think I speak more French in my average work day than I ever did during my 8 years of studying it in school. Probably even more than I did in an average day in France. I really hate myself for not speaking more French while I was there but whatever. I went to Budapest, bitches. French didn't matter. Now I talk about having votre numero de reservation and combien des chambres voudriez-vous and sorry, you need a carte de credit and who doesn't have an adresse email these days? My dreams are just filled with more French.

My sister is studying in Innsbruck, Austria next year. For the whole year. My mom didn't want her to go for the entire year because she didn't want to pay for Notre Dame with my sister not even being in the country but somehow they got over that. Also, next year is the motherfucking bicentennial of Oktoberfest so my friend and I were already planning on going to Munich. She lived in Germany for a long time and knows people we can stay with for free. We would only have to pay for airfare and food/drink money. My sister and I are planning a European tour since we can handle most countries with my French and her German.

I need to learn to play an instrument. I am thinking something terribly hipster like a ukulele or organ. I've always wanted a hurdy gurdy.

I have no clue what to get anyone for Christmas. Personne, kids. Not even Nick. It is terrible. I know what Nick wants but I can't buy him a 400 dollar laptop/netbook or whatever. And I can think of things I would like for him but nothing he would actually like. You know how guys are. I can think of about twenty things I think he would like but he would just say "oh, thanks." And not really enjoy them because it's nothing he wants. You know? And of course if you ask him what he wants, he never knows.

Nick does many things to annoy the heck out of me because he thinks I'm cute when I'm mad. One of these is not putting the new toilet paper roll on the holder. He knows it drives me insane, so he doesn't do it. Every single time he does(n't do) it, I fake yell at him for it. It's what we do. It's our joke. Anyway, the other day, I was joking with him about it and he said he'll always do it. It's his thing, and it won't ever stop. And I said, "Just like it's never lupus." So today when I went to shout at him about it, he said, "It's never lupus."

I am torn about Monk ending this week. It jumped the shark years ago but it has always been one of my favorite shows. I almost have Nick hooked on it but I think it will be like West Wing, I will talk about it for years and he won't watch it until it's OFN and then he'll fall in love with it and talk about it like it's something new.

I read about the newest game from Team Ico and it looks like it's going to be only for the PS3. This may be the game that forces my hand into buying a stupid PS3. Damn you, Team Ico. DAMN YOU.

Nick's parents got us an electric fireplace for Christmas (and already gave it to us, obviously) and it is awesome. The smart cat has only slept on it once so far but their favorite thing seems to being going behind it for some reason. Silly cats. We totally tripped a breaker with it already too. Which was bound to happen since it's on the same plug with the xbox and the router and the modem and the TV and the cable box and the surround sound and the Wii.

I've typed for about an hour now so I think that more than makes up for my silence. I'm out, kids.

I love you all &c.

↑D8

2009-11-24T03:47:00.000-05:00

At NewJob for the past two weeks, I was the acting Senior. A Senior is between the Team Lead (supervisor) and the underlings. They help out if something needs escalated or anyone has a question that needs answered. One of our two Seniors left our team for another shift and they needed a substitute to cover until someone new was hired in. And I was chosen.

It was nice because I got to be off the phones. And I help people out anyway. It was just a bonus thing.

NewJob posted a new position in another department that I'm going to apply for. Intentional vagueness just in case.

I was nauseated for 12 days straight and when I went to the doctor I was told I need to eat better. The end. Just glad that's over.

I am so excited for Thanksgiving, kids. So excited. We're doing Nick's family first then probably just paying a video game or two at my parent's house. Food.

How I've been

2009-10-29T02:49:00.000-04:00

Hate my job hate my job hate my job hate my job hate my job hate my job hate my job hate my job hate my job hate my job hate my job hate my job hate my job which just makes me depressed and hate my life and the only time in my day that I actually enjoy spans about an hour and half after Nick picks me up from work and before he goes to bed.

I hate my job.

Rings

2009-10-16T20:50:00.000-04:00

After an unsuccessful conversation with Nick the other day, I got myself this ring.

It is gorgeous. I am going to wear it forever.

The Future

2009-10-15T00:40:00.003-04:00

Is it terrible of me to be disappointed that I won't be engaged within the next six to eight months?

I mean, we've been together for over 5 years. Come on already.

Is it okay to talk about a wedding and expect a proposal any day now?

But unless Nick's tricking me, it doesn't look like it's going to happen anytime soon. Nick wants to go back to school and he wants that to happen before he proposes.

Because once again, he has this grand idea in his head that I want something I don't. This time he thinks I want an expensive engagement ring when I am perfectly happy with spending $125 or $150 or $200 or still $200. But no. He wants to get me a diamond ring or something equally gross and normal.

I am thinking of proposing to him. Just so I can get this party started already.

Life summary

2009-08-08T00:30:00.004-04:00

Real quick.

Found a place to live that was awesome. It was great. The owner ran out of money and said it wouldn't be done until October. The property management company found us other places to stay in until it was done. 2 were really, really awful.

One was okay and I was all for it but Nick didn't like it. I just wanted a place to live. We looked at that place on Monday. That's when the property management guy told us that our dream place won't be done until the end of October. Maybe. But we really shouldn't hold out hope.

So that was that.

Then Nick was cruising Craigslist and I was drowning my sorrows in sleep. We found a place on Monroe Center, looked at it Friday at noon, loved it, told the guy then and there that we'd take it and now we have a place to live.

In other news, I am sick of this job. The other French girl on my team is leaving on August 21 so I will be the only French speaker after 10pm. I hate speaking French so hard.

And that's what my life's been like.

UGH

2009-05-30T15:56:00.002-04:00

So our application was denied. For zero reason. It costs 140 dollars more than our old apartment and we're making double what we did back then.

But we still don't make enough somehow.

I don't want to look at any more places. I am so tired of this. We have less than a month to find a new place.

Ugh. I hate this so much.

Movin' on up!

2009-05-23T19:39:00.003-04:00

Nick and I found an apartment. Finally. And because we are now earning twice as much as before (yay! full time job!), we can afford an awesome apartment in an awesome neighborhood downtown.

Yes, I am an adult.

We looked at this building when we first moved in together but it was condos back then and WAY above our budget.

Friends, I give to you our future apartment (As long as they accept our application. But as I said, they turned these condos into apartments so they are pretty desperate.):

Yes, it's the floorplan just rotated around but I like it better the second way. I think you can see the layout better. The door is at the bottom and the balcony at the top just like when you walk into the apartment.

Here's the website with photos but our kitchen is a lot bigger than the one they show.

There is an exercise room (and room for the Wii fit in the apartment!) and a movie room that you can reserve with big leather seats with cupholders and a big screen. There is a trash chute on every floor (and one right outside our potential apartment), recycling downstairs and a two-story heated garage in which we will have a reserved parking spot.

My parents are trying to convince Nick and I to just buy a house already. Since we don't want to stay in Michigan and don't know how long we'll be here, we decided to just get another apartment until our plans sort themselves out.

On the new job end, things are getting better. This job is going to be so, so easy. The hardest part is going to be speaking French but seriously? It's not going to kill me. And my accent already tells them that I'm not French so any mistakes after that will be a given.

I got in a giant French sucks fight earlier this week but let's leave that for later.

Yay! New apartment! Yay! Being an adult!

Being an adult sucks

2009-05-13T21:42:00.003-04:00

I don't know about this job yet and don't feel like talking about it/have the time to but I have a story to tell you:

Today, we had a trainer come in and teach us Google Earth. Before we started, he went around the room and asked our names and for us to say something in our language. He was French African.

Please tell me you are feeling the same thing I was: DREAD. PANIC. DREAD.

So we go around the room and everyone is saying five bajillion sentences and the other two French people have great accents and each have two paragraphs prepared already.

So he gets to me and all I can think to say is "ta mère est un pamplemousse." I can't call his mother a grapefruit! Who knows what connotation that has! I am probably calling her a whore or something.

What do I do? What do I do? OH! MAKE A JOKE! People love jokes! They will be so busy laughing that they won't notice that you say "Bone-jewurrr y'all"! Make a joke, Rachel.

Do I say my name in French or English? What did the Hope girl say? KAH-Rhen? Okay, so French.

"Je m'appelle Rachelle et je ne parle pas français."

Everyone is staring at me. Why are they staring? Did I miss an article? "Parlez-vous anglais?" No. No article needed. I said the "ne" but they can forgive that, I was nervous, I had to prepare a simple sentence. THIS IS A JOKE. I just said "I don't speak French" in French! Ha ha. Laugh already. No one is laughing. Okay.

"Ceci n'est pas une pipe...?"

Did they get it? Okay. He got it. And I got a little laugh. Ugh. Do these people have no sense of humor? Hope girl is staring at me. I'm not even looking at British guy. Heaven forbid he judge me. He's British. We left them for a reason. And Hope girl liked France. Screw them.

Reasoning doesn't stop the embarrassment. I can feel myself turning red. I am warm, it's warm in here. Ugh. I am a retard. Why did I think this job would be okay? I can no longer get away with the fact that I don't speak French.

I told them up front. I told them it was terrible! It's not my fault!

During break, I am furiously checking the internet as I have chosen sleep over Google Reader for the past week and have 97 unread items. I AM STARING AT THE SCREEN AND NOT WELCOMING CONTACT.

Hope girl turns around. TURN BACK AROUND, GIRL. DO NOT WANT YOUR HUMORLESS FACE LOOKING AT ME. AM ON THE INTERNETS.

"Bonjour, Rachelle."

Cut her off, cut her off! There's no way I'm speaking French to her and letting her judge me. I AM NOT YOUR FRIEND. I hate France! I hate French! I just told you I don't speak French.

"Oh, no. I cannot think to speak French today." Still staring at my 97 Google Reader items. Must label all interesting things.

"Oh. I was just... I was wondering why you said you didn't speak French."

I looked over at her. Oh, God. She is looking at me with pity and concern. Cut it off quick! No friends! No pity! No French!

"It was A JOKE."

"Oh." She turns back around quickly. The conversation is over.

Was I just a bitch to her? I think I was just a bitch. Whatever. She's not talking to me.

Ugh. Why don't these people get jokes?

At least they are all nice.

2009-04-28T12:53:00.002-04:00

Nick's coworker also passed away Sunday night. He was 35, divorced, had two daughters and had a massive heart attack in his sleep.

See why I hate April?

omgwtf

2009-04-27T23:11:00.004-04:00

One of my friends (as Nick enjoys pointing out frequently, my internet friends (that I have never met in my life but talk to all the time (and sometimes I think of/see things that they would totally love (and then tell them about it later and of course they love it/already know about it)))) lives in NYC. She's finishing up grad school in forensics right now, at the same time I'm finishing up college. We are bonding over last minute exams and papers.

She works for the NYPD. She was working in forensics but is now working in narcotics. She's very good friends with her coworkers as many of them are/were classmates.

One of these coworkers was found stabbed to death this morning.

And even though I don't really know her, even though we've never met, I still feel just as upset and sickened as I would if we were close friends. But unlike my other friends, I can't hop in the car and go see her. Or call her and meet up somewhere. I can't be there for her. I can't hug her and tell her everything will be okay. So I am just reassuring her everywhere I can. Facebook, her journal, everywhere.

Ugh ugh ugh. I was just thinking about how awesome my life has been so far, how little of a dent 22 years is, and looking forward to the rest of awesomeness. I only hope that her life was just as good. And that her friends and coworkers can just keep breathing, just keep moving.

Update

2009-04-20T14:13:00.007-04:00

Bad news comes in threes, right?

Nick's grandmother (the one on his father's side, the one his parents are staying with)'s best friend passed away yesterday. Four years ago on the 15th, Nick's grandfather (her husband) passed away.

So at 9 Sunday morning, we all got up and drove up to the house to basically house-sit while Grandma got out.

I got to see the house in daylight on Sunday. I don't know what was the worst thing to see: how small the hole is...the hole that used to be the house, the steps that led to the front door that are now cement steps to nothing, how little is left or the charred leaves and grass surrounding the house, the charred path carved out behind the house to the man who started it all, the ash that threatened to jump the road to take out another house. I don't know.

I think I was in shock before then because Sunday night it really hit me that it was all gone. And Nick's parents are spending their days making lists of everything they had, trying to remember everything they lived with, how old it was, where they bought it and quoting things that have no price. Things like Nick's grandfather's woodworking tools, the baby clothes, his great-grandmother's handmade quilts, his grandfather's guns, the bunk bed his father made, his mother's wedding dress, Jess' cake and all the pictures of everyone and everything.

I feel like I need to be helping out more but there's nothing we can do. I can make food, I guess. I can give hugs. But these lists, the insurance stuff, everything. I can't help.

When they start to look for places to live, then I can help.

Thanks for everything, kids. Love ya.

I baked food, kids!

2009-04-12T00:08:00.032-04:00

(If you click "Read more" at the end of this entry, it will take you to this entry on its own page and the recipe will be right below this text, before the rest of my blabbing. I did this so you don't have to scroll past a lot of stuff to see my other entries and you don't have to scroll down to see the recipe. And because I am that cool.)

It is below because I don't like the code I found.

Here's the recipe in American (with my notes in italics):

Prep time: 1 hour
Baking time: 25-30 min. (Either my oven was really hot or was preheated for a long time but mine only took 23 minutes)

Ingredients (yields about 8 egg-cupcakes):
6 TBSP and 2 TSP butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
8 eggs (medium or large, shells only) ONLY USE 3 for the batter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
~2 tbsp eggnog (I don't know where you can get eggnog all year round. Maybe you can make it using your other five eggs. It's just for white egg-cupcakes. Just make chocolate ones and you'll be fine. Or, please, please for the love of all that is holy, use a box mix.)
1 tbsp cacao powder (Cocoa powder. Stupid British.)
~2 tbsp milk
sunflower oil for greasing the eggs (I used vegetable oil and it was fine.)
aluminum foil (I used these awesome disposable mini-muffin/cupcake aluminum foil tins that Katti bought for mini-quiches. It was perfect, like it was made for this recipe. She bought them at Meijer and they came in a pack of four or so with wrappers.)

Poke a tiny whole in the bottom side of the egg by using a needle or an egg poker. (I gently cracked the top of the egg on the table then poked a hole with a toothpick. I then just broke a bigger hole with my finger. It ended up being pretty big, about an inch.) Carefully enlarge the hole using a pointy knife, make sure to only break small pieces of the egg shell to better control the size of the hole, about 1cm (or .5") would be perfect. Turn the eggs upside down and empty them in a small bowl (ONLY DUMP THREE EGG INSIDES INTO ONE BOWL. Dump the other five eggs in another bowl AS YOU USE ONLY THREE EGGS FOR THE BATTER like a terrible, wasteful person. Make an omelet for breakfast or something.), some of the egg white/yolk will be used later for the cake batter (three eggs). If the yolk and egg white refuse to come out, take a wooden skewer and poke inside the egg. (I used the toothpick to drag the yolk out. It is really gross and sounds gross and feels weird and seems really hard but after the first one it is really easy.)

Clean the shells in cold water and prepare a bowl with salt water (I put a bunch of salt in warm water and stirred it with my fingers until it dissolved), fully immerse the egg shell, make sure there's no air trapped inside. Remove them after about half an hour, rinse them under cold water and let them dry on a paper towel, with the hole pointing down. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 355°F. (I rinsed out the eggs in cold water both before and after the salt water soak. Don't worry, eggshells are actually pretty thick and strong. Just don't turn the tap on all the way or YOU WILL WASTE ANOTHER EGG YOU TERRIBLE PERSON.)

Baking prep: A muffin tray works great, use little pieces of aluminum foil to form rings, which will help the eggs to stand upright during the filling and baking process. (Again, I used Katti's awesome disposable mini pan. Really, this can wait because this other stuff is so annoying. Unless you are using cake mix. Then it is awesome.)

In a large bowl beat the soft butter together with the sugar until the sugar has dissolved, then add three eggs. (ONLY THREE EGGS. The three that you oh so wisely separated from the other five earlier when I told you so. It is okay if you didn't. Eggs are awesome and tend to stay in their own eggy package so just pour three out.) Beat well until the batter gets a creamy consistency, then add the flour together with the baking powder. Whisk until evenly combined. (Just buy a mix, people. The beating and the whisking is so hard. So, so hard. And so annoying. I hate beating butter. And creaming butter. ugh ugh ugh. I wish I could pay someone to cream butter for me so I would never have to do it again. Sigh. And whisking that concoction? I made Nick help me toward the end because it was really thick and my arm started to hurt.)

Divide the batter into two separate bowls. (This is only important if you are making both white and chocolate egg-cupcakes. Otherwise, just keep it in the one bowl.) Add the eggnog to one, the cacao (COCOA!) to the other. If it is too thick, you may want to add some more eggnog (for the yellowish batter) or a bit more milk (for the brown batter) (Mine was thick back there when they tried to make me whisk rubber cement. I actually didn't have to add any extra liquid here.)

Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of sunflower oil (Vegetable oil is A-OKAY!) in each egg and turn/flip it in your hand until the inside is completely covered. Get rid of any excess oil. (I put a little bit of oil in the first egg, swirled it around then dumped the excess in the next egg, swirled it around and dumped the excess in the next egg etc, doing the same for the rest of the eggs. I was already wasting five eggs, man.)

The hardest part is to fill the eggs, you can do it with a teaspoon and A LOT OF patience or you use a piping bag with a small nozzle. (Katti reminded me that I could MacGuyver a piping bag out of a regular ziploc bag. I just filled it up and cut a hole in the corner like I've seen good old Alton Brown do hundreds of times.) If you want bicolored cake eggs, start with one batter and finish with the second batter. Fill the eggs up to half and two thirds full, sort of trial and error - I seem to never hit the exact amount: Sometimes it is too few and the eggs will look incomplete or it is too much and the batter escapes through the holes, making a mess. You can easily remove the excess parts after they're cooled down, so better add a bit more. (It is really hard to tell how full the eggs are. Make sure to have a bright light source around to hold the eggs up to. Maybe I had small eggs (probably) but filling them up to two thirds full totally made them overflow. But this kid is right, just pick off the extra when it has cooled down a bit and you are fine. It was super easy.)

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. (Again, mine were great after 23 minutes because my stove is crazy lame) A wooden skewer should come out clean, if the cake eggs are done. (Or a loyal toothpick!) Remove from the oven and let cool down completely before cracking them open and peeling off the shell. (I am sorry but the coolest part is the fact that you cooked them in the shell. Leave the shell on, stick them in an egg carton, and be proud of yourself. You just cooked cupcakes in eggshells! If you just want egg-shaped cupcakes, get a jello mold, loser.)

Again, I'll let you guys know how they taste and if the cake mix really does make it easier. I am thinking of using my five extra eggs to make iles flottantes tomorrow night. If I do, there will totally be pictures. I'll keep you posted!

I made these today:

We are going to Nick's parents' house linner tomorrow and I've wanted to make these awesome egg-cupcakes for about a year. I sadly found the recipe right after Easter last year.

I would have taken pictures of the process but somebody couldn't find my camera the last time I wanted it and wouldn't wake up when I tried to get it from them this time.

So I used their cupcake pan ha ha.

I can tell you one thing, you definitely have to have a lot of patience. I thought "this is the hardest part" at every single step. I still don't know which part was the worst. Probably the last.

I just made chocolate ones because I don't know where to find eggnog at this time of year. The only bad part about that was the fact that they overflowed and looked really...gross when they came out of the oven. And I only cooked them for 23 minutes instead of the 25-30. Oh and I had to convert the recipe to American. ~~I'll post my converted recipe at the end of this.~~ The converted recipe can be found by clicking "read more" at the end of this post. It will take you to a new page that has the recipe right at the beginning of this post so you don't have to scroll past it and I can be awesome.

It was a lot of fun though. I'll let you guys know what the in-laws think of them tomorrow. I kept them in their shells and put them back in an egg carton for maximum awesomeosity. I'd take a picture but...

Next time I make them (probably Monday night for work on Tuesday), I'll just use cake mix instead of making it from scratch. It's pretty silly to make cupcake mix from scratch when I can just buy a box and save myself so much trouble. And there will be pictures.

Funny story, kids

2009-04-02T20:22:00.002-04:00

I can't believe I left this out!

I did not apply for the job I have an interview for next week.

They found me.

On one of the many sites my resume is on, they found me.

So thanks for the congratulations on my bravery but I am not worthy.

Dudes stalked me.

2009-04-01T22:10:00.003-04:00

I have an interview next week for a bilingual customer service job.

The other language being French.

The other language being a language I hate speaking.

What am I doing?

Nick said it can just be an in between. A job I have for a while before I hear back from the government jobs I've applied to.

But what if I don't get those either? What if I'm stuck speaking French for the next year or two. I don't know if I can do it.

We'll see. I mean, I don't even have it yet.

Ugh. I don't know. I guess it's cool but I hate French. Why am I majoring in it? I like writing it. And I love translating it. It's like a puzzle. I love figuring it out. But I can't stand speaking it.

I think I'm just ready to graduate already. I have three or four more papers to write plus tons of homework and I'm already done done done.

Vicki McMilli-update

2009-03-27T01:39:00.003-04:00

She looks and sounds great!

She is at home for the rest of the semester and I don't know who is teaching her classes.

I saw her at the library the other day and stopped very quickly to give her a hug as she was talking to a bunch of librarians. She likes my haircut. She looked fantastic, as usual.

She is undergoing radiation to get rid of any residual tumors.

And she asks that we keep her in our prayers.

I am so happy that she's doing well.

More wedding talk while I'm still not engaged because I know you kids love it

2009-03-16T23:08:00.008-04:00

I have been rethinking wearing my mom's dress for imaginary future wedding. I looked at the pictures of my mom and grandmother wearing it for the bajillionth time. It's a nice looking dress but I am beginning to feel a little apprehensive. It is really dated and it appears to be shiny... Maybe it is just not a good photo dress?

I don't really like any other dresses either. Well that isn't true. I fell in love with one when Jess was getting married. I wish I could just buy a bunch and wear them all the time. I love dresses. Maybe I will just wear a dress I really like.

Whenever this boy proposes to me, I am definitely going to try it on and we'll see from there. It might just need updating.

My mom said that if I don't find a job right away, Nick and I should get married so I can be on his health insurance. That is the first time she has shown open approval of our relationship. The first time in almost five years.

I'll take what I can get.

I received my graduation packet in the mail. I am so ready to be done.

I am nervous about getting a real job though. I mean Ashley is still there and she's been done for almost a year.

I'm still pretty chill. What will happen, will happen whether I freak out or not. I can either be worried about what might happen or I can just let it happen. I'd rather not be worried about it.

My brother's birthday is this weekend. He is going to be 16. Oh. Man. I met Nick when we were 16.

Kids, I need your help

2009-03-13T20:10:00.005-04:00

I saw this movie, long ago, and I cannot remember what it was called.

It was on a ship? or a submarine? and the two ships/submarines were fighting against each other but then they all got sick so they banded together and housed the sick people on their ships/submarines. One of them was probably a German shipmarine.

This movie was probably a terrible movie. Every time I watch a submarine movie, I want to watch this mystery one.

Children, what is this movie?

I do not remember who is in it. Probably some men.

It is not U571. They just get blown up and the one guy drowns.

Mark your calendars, kids

2009-03-07T22:27:00.003-05:00

Nick has mentioned that we will get engaged before my plan of 2012. He also has said that we won't get engaged unless we can afford to get married.

He just recently mentioned that 26 is the perfect age to have a kid. That makes 2013 The Year of The First Child (not the year of the snake like those Chinese want to tell you).

It's crazy to think about having a kid in the next four years. Four years ago, Nick and I had been dating for a year. Four years from now, I don't even know where I'll be living or where I'll be working.

But Nick'll be there. Nick and a baby.

Vando Calrissian

2009-03-02T20:05:00.004-05:00

I was going to write this awesome post about how cool the car is but I have a headache so you get to look at pictures instead!

Ladies and gentlemen...I present to you Vando Calrissian, former administrator of Cloud City and General in the Rebel Alliance.

2009-02-25T21:38:00.003-05:00

Nick and I went to McDonald's on Monday and came home with food poisoning! YAY!

I never had it before so it was awesome.

Missed all my classes and work on Tuesday and am still not feeling 100%. At least I can stand up and not feel nauseated.

Sad part was that I missed classes on Friday because of my death cramps so I haven't been to my Tuesday/Friday classes in a week.

Nick still isn't feeling well.

funny story is below...now this is serious

2009-02-19T01:07:00.000-05:00

In other news, McMillan is in the hospital. She was teaching a class the other day and couldn't remember what she was talking about. She kept searching for a word and couldn't think of it. She said everything went out of her head, she couldn't remember anything and she thought she was having a stroke. She collapsed or started shaking or something and the nursing students helped her out and called Nurse Kim. She's been in the hospital since then. They took an MRI and there was a teardrop shape that was floating on her brain. They think she has a brain tumor but won't know for sure until the test results come back. Cindy and Pat went to see her and said she wasn't wearing a hospital gown, she was just wearing her normal clothes. How very McMillan.

I hope she's okay.

Killer Balloon

2009-02-19T00:49:00.004-05:00

I received two birthday balloons. One I received on my birthday. This balloon is still alive somehow. It still touches the ceiling and everything.

Today, this balloon stalked Katti. I was sitting in my room watching TV after work and it floated across the room to Nick's desk by the door. It appeared to be plotting something with my other balloon. I returned to watching Jon & Kate Plus 8 reruns and at some point it escaped my bedroom. I didn't notice it leave but Katti came to talk to me and the balloon was waiting for her right outside her door. To get to this point, it needed to float down from the ceiling and through my doorway. It proceeded to follow Katti down the hallway and then made a break for the kitchen. In order to get to the kitchen, it had to float down from the ceiling to get around a part where the ceiling lowered a little to make room for the ducts/vents. AND IT DID IT. It then turned a corner to stop in the middle of the kitchen.

This is where it stayed and waited for us after we got back from the grocery store. I cleaned the cat's litter box and threw it back in our bedroom, hoping that it would stay there and stay away from me.

I started to get ready for bed and I went to kick it out of our room when I noticed it wasn't in the room. I searched the apartment and couldn't find it. I finally called Oliver out to see if I had just gone blind and couldn't see it but he couldn't find it either. I decided that if I was looking for it, I might as well look everywhere and opened the door to the third bedroom (the door that stays shut to conserve heat) and the balloon was hovering on the other side of the room, past some boxes.

I am keeping it in there. This other balloon better watch it or it might get kicked out too.

2009-02-17T00:57:00.001-05:00

I only need one class to graduate and that is the one class that I am too lazy to do the work for. Ugh.

I love our country

2009-02-11T15:51:00.005-05:00

First Lady Michelle Obama visited Howard University today, where she assured a crowd of college students that hey, it's ok if you're not sure exactly what you want to do with your life.

"There is no one right way to do any of this. And the choices and the decisions will change, given your circumstances.

The person I was when I was in college is very different than the person that I am today. That person is very different than the person who was single and married. I was different when I was -- not -- but single and not married. I was different when I was married. I was different when I was married with kids. (Laughter.) I was different when I was married with kids in certain types of jobs. And every step of the way, I wondered whether I was doing the right thing.

So know that in your struggle to figure these things out as women, as professionals, that you have to do what's right for you at any given time, and that's going to change -- from week to week, from month to month, from year to year.

The question that I hate most that we ask of young people is, 'What are you going to be when you grow up?' And the truth is, I still don't know, and I'm 45 years old. All I know is that it's important for you to be true to yourselves, not to worry too much about what other people are going to think or make of your choices, because everyone will question what you do and tell you you should've done it the other way."

White House.gov

Tattoos, cont.

2009-02-10T22:59:00.003-05:00

I would like the number 143. It will be under the infinite heart on the same wrist. I am adding it to the previous list.

"[Mister] Rogers came 'to see that number as a gift…' because, as he says, 'the number 143 means ‘I love you.’ It takes one letter to say ‘I’ and four letters to say ‘love’ and three letters to say ‘you.’ One hundred and forty-three."

I read that article and cried. I can only hope that I can be as nice and as good of a person as he was.

Tats I am currently wanting, location of said tattoos, their commemorative occasion and how long my lust has been brewing

2009-02-10T13:06:00.010-05:00

I was bored in Philosophy so I decided to make this list. Quotes denote the actual word or phrase, descriptions accompany pictures/designs.

1. "Orpheus", behind my ear (left? right?) upon my engagement. Lust for this one has been brewing for over two years. Nick doesn't like tattoos (he thinks they're stupid) but I've talked to him about the ones I want and I think (?) he's okay with it. He still thinks they are stupid.

2. Infinite heart (infinity sign with heart on one loop), on my right wrist (in white?) whenever I am with Laura and we are drunks. Lust for this one has been brewing for four to five months.

3. "Music is my aeroplane", unknown location, unknown commemorative event. Lust for this one has only been brewing for a month or so making it the second sketchiest.

4. "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Or the one.", unknown location, upon birth of first child. Lust has only been brewing for two hours making this one the one I'll probably nix. Also people probably already have it so I will need to google the heck out of it when I get home.

5. "143", below the infinite heart on my right wrist, upon the birth of my first child. Totally pretentious awesomeness? "CXLIII". Did you know google will do Roman numeral translation like it does math equations? It's great. Lust has been brewing for...20 minutes?

This is here so I can reference it, talk it over with you kids and refer to it when brewing more ideas.

NEWS! THAT IS GOOD! GOOD NEWS!

2009-02-08T23:28:00.007-05:00

I know I mentioned this to you guys in passing but it seems to be actually happening so I feel like I can really talk about this now.

Nick's parents bought a ~~car~~ van and are fixing it up for Nick and I. They estimate it will cost about $1000 to fix everything on it (dented driver's door, dented panel above driver's side front tire, no driver's side mirror--all from the accident that put it in Nick's parents' possession) and they are giving us a year to pay them back. We definitely don't need that long to pay that small amount but it is so very nice of them to give us an extended amount of time. The interior needs to be cleaned out (cheerios, crumbs, children wreckage etc) but other than that, it should be ready for us in the next couple of weeks!

It is a 2002 Chrysler Town and Country minivan. It has heated seats (!), automatic sliding and hatch doors along with cap'n seats, a four disc CD changer and leather seats.

I have not seen it yet and I do not know what color it is so it has not a name. I only know it is awesome and we are so very blessed. I am so thankful. If we really end up moving like we want to, this will be perfect for our big move out of state.

And it makes me want to have/steal a baby to make it useful. Also, road trips: this time it's for real.

Hey, news media!

2009-02-07T23:21:00.007-05:00

I don't hate Nadya Suleman because the economy is bad, news media. I would hate her even if I was the richest person in the world and everyone else was happy and had tons of money.

I hate her because she is a single, unemployed mom who already has six kids under the age of eight who is living with her mother. I hate her because one of those six kids is autistic. I hate her because none of her children will get the special attention they need. I hate her because she thinks she can breastfeed all eight of the kids she just had. I hate her because there are people out there trying for just one kid, and never able to have that one kid, while she gets 14. I hate her because she's an idiot.

I want to have kids too but you don't see me running out and getting knocked up. I know that I can't afford to support even one kid right now. How in the world did she think she could support 14? I'm sorry but she cannot have eight more kids and rely on sponsors or media support. I don't think she thought this through at all.

And what kind of doctor transfers six embryos when she has six kids already and is younger than 35? This is just a fucked up situation all around.

ALSO! Do not have babies because you want to be loved. Have babies because you have love to give.

Birthdupdate

2009-01-31T23:27:00.010-05:00

See what I did there? Remember when I promised you a birthday update and then nothing happened? Well I slept in today and can't sleep so here it is! Finally.

I worked on B-Day because otherwise I would have just sat at home. Alone. And I wouldn't have gotten as many birthday wishes. Work had a mini party for Cindy and I (her birthday is the day after mine) and I realized that I do not want to be working there indefinitely like Ashley. After work I waited for Nick to get home and we went to meet my parents for dinner at Palace of India. My dad was out of town (like he tends to be on my birthday. I don't know if you remember but he was out of town the day I left for France. And he felt awful about it.) but he made it just in time. The food was delicious. My family was awesome. My mom gave Nick a hug (A HUG!) so I think she's finally decided that he is sticking around for a while. Mind you we have been only dating for almost five years, Mother. But whatever. She's weird.

I got a cool retro red dress that I would find and link to for you but I have a cute cat on my lap. I also got a shirt that says "I got an A+ in 'French'" and John Hodgman's new book (autographed!). Oh and a board game I wanted for Christmas that Katti has already found out how to win. Yay!

Thursday, Friday and Saturday we didn't do anything. I got moody (see below) and hid in Nick's car to surprise him at work. That "ruined his surprise" of buying himself ice skates so we can go ice skating together all the time. We planned to go ice skating that night but got sleepy and napped instead. We didn't go Sunday because of the game and finally went Monday.

Monday I got out of class early and went to dinner with Nick's parents (and Jess and Ryan and roommates). We went to Logan's and it was delicious. It turns out that they bought this 2002 Chrysler Town and Country and are fixing it up for me and Nick! After they fix everything it should only cost $1000 and they'll give us a year to pay them back. So soon Nick and I will have an awesome, pimpin', working van/car to drive! This means road trips, kids! And happy Rachel again! Yay!

Nick took me ice skating after dinner. I had to relearn everything but it came back to me quickly. And I wore my own ice skates! I don't know what it is with ice skating but I didn't stop smiling the entire time. It was perfect.

Then we got home and I wasn't feeling well. My nose starting running and I seriously said "oh no I better not be getting a cold" and went to bed early. I woke up with a death cold. Stage 2 of Nick's death cold. I've been sleeping ever since.

Anyway my birthday week was awesome and I'm blessed to have such awesome friends and family. Thank you all for the birthday wishes and presents. Moi, I seriously cannot wait until I get my period again so I can whip that cute little case out. Or my next hot date.

I love you all.

I may be in a mood...

2009-01-31T15:05:00.005-05:00

Dear Life (formerly of The Cereal, now Comma My),

Thank you for the awesome birthday week. It was great to have dinner with my parents at a delicious Indian restaurant and I'm glad you let me drag Nick along while he suffered through the terminal stages of Extended Man Cold™.

I am blessed to have awesome friends that wished me a happy birthday all week long. Although work has become super lame since you decided my favorite kid needed to get fired and you brought my arch-nemesis back from Spain, it was great to have to work on my birthday and celebrate with the people I have been stuck with for the past four years. You made me look forward to graduation and leaving this town so much more!

I've got to say though, the coolest part of this birthday week has to be all the plans you decided weren't awesome enough to actually work! Instead of going ice skating with my boyfriend, you gave him a cold and death cough for a week and a half more -- just long enough for him to be whiny, unbearable and asleep by eight o'clock every night of my birthday week. It was also really nice of you to give my roommate a great car, tempt us with a Sonic located closer to us and then decide that her car needed a new alternator the day before the planned trip, trapping us at my school for an hour and a half longer than we really wanted to be there. That was great.

I have one thing to thank you for though. For my birthday weekend, I will pay rent, pay all overdue bills (most likely on my own) and get a haircut then be unable to eat or do anything for the rest of the week. Thank you so much! This is even better than the time you tempted me with seeing the friends I hadn't seen since August and then decided that all six backup plans wouldn't work. And I thought that was awesome. Oh man, I didn't even know you were going to get me a birthday present!

I guess I wanted to just say thanks. Now I know that I really should never plan anything ever again.

However, if you want to come to my graduation, I was just planning on becoming poor and homeless afterward. I don't need a new car, we only need one door to be able to open really and who doesn't love scraping off the outside and inside of the car? I also was just planning on staying in Michigan and never getting a job with my bachelor's degree. Maybe I should plan on drowning in all my debt? Alone? Because I'm planning on never being engaged or married and I never truly wanted kids.

If you want to ruin those plans, go ahead.

Love,
Rachel

P.S. No, I did not get to make that birthday cake, Toi. Because I planned on it and I wanted to.

This totally just happened

2009-01-29T00:57:00.003-05:00

(Nick's asleep in bed sideways, covered up by my blanket. He needs to move to his side of the bed and take his blanket and his pillows. Also the bed has moved away from the wall and needs to be pushed against the wall again. I cannot do this while he slumbers. The bed is pretty big and heavy and Nick makes it impossible to move. This whole conversation takes place with Nick half asleep, eyes closed. Intermittent snores are heard.)

Me: Nick?

(I proceed to say his name about ten more times.)

Me: Open your eyes so I know you're listening to me.

(He keeps his eyes closed and, for some reason, raises his left hand.)

Me: Nick? Open your eyes.

(He does not open his eyes. He puts his left hand down and raises his right hand, smashing me in the face and putting his pinky up my nose. His eyes open for a second. He is immediately asleep again.)

Me: Why did you raise your hand?

(He's totally asleep again.)

Me: Nick. Nick, move. You need to move.

(He wiggles.)

Me: You want to move? To your side of the bed?

Nick: Nnnnnmnnnn

(He sort of moves over a little but he's still laying on the bed sideways. Now he's totally in my spot. I decide to let him wake up a little bit and continue talking to him.)

Me: Nick? Did you set your alarm?

Nick: Yes.

(He's awake! Sort of. I pick up his clock. The alarm is not set. He is totally just sleep talking to me.)

Me: What time do you want to wake up?

Nick: mnnnnnnnm 10:09.

(He has to work at 10. He has a meeting at 11. He has to leave the house at 9:30. He is so totally still asleep. I decided that only continuous talking will rouse him from his slumber.)

Me: You have to be at work at 10, Nick. What time do you want to wake up?

Nick: 10:30.

(I start setting the alarm clock for the time I think he usually wakes up, 8:45.)

Me: You didn't answer me. Or move. What time do you want to wake up?

Nick: I TOLD YOU ALREADY!

(This is shouted at me like I'm the crazy one in this conversation. He finally moves to his side of the bed, resumes sleep.)

Me: You need to get up, I need to fix the bed.

Nick: mmnnnnnnmmmmm

(He stands up. I don't think his eyes are ever open. He somehow navigates to the end of the bed and pushes it against the wall. He gets back in bed and is asleep in seconds.)

Me: Do you want pillows? Do you have enough pillows? Nick?

(I receive snores in response. I hate that he can fall asleep this quickly. I hate it because I am jealous. I bet you five bucks he does not remember any of this conversation in the morning. I set two extra alarms to get him up because he is dead tired.)

P.S. BIRTHDAY UPDATES WILL COMMENCE TOMORROW.

ME

2009-01-28T00:14:00.003-05:00

It is my birthday!

Nick got me drunk last night FOR ZERO REASONS.

Then I went to class. And work.

THIS NEWS AND MORE... AT 11.

Woman things

2009-01-26T21:02:00.003-05:00

If Baby!Bro or Nick are reading, they may want to stop now. In fact, the ladies might want to look away too.

I have started using tampons. And I can't believe I ever said a word against them. I feel like I'm not even bleeding out my baby hole. And I bleed for two days less than I used to. I'm still trying to find out how often I need to change it because it seems like day one is fine but days two and three are crazy.

I blasted through my first box (of 40) in two periods. I ran out at my parents' house and despite (or because of?) not bleeding for the past eight years, my mom had extra tampons lying around. She said they were on sale so she threw a box at me. They're deodorizing (which means they smell) and have a different applicator and...tampon part than the other ones. I don't like them. It's weird having brand loyalty when I've only been using tampons for two months.

I don't remember why I'm writing.

I feel like I'm producing a lot more waste with tampons than with pads. There's the wrapping, the applicator (plastic) and the actual cotton wad compared to the pad and two little wrappers. And the blood. Gross.

So I'm thinking that I might start using the Diva Cup. Because I feel like this waste is ridiculous. And how hard will it be to have that up there after a tampon anyway?

France

2009-01-24T20:15:00.002-05:00

Glad we didn't go this year. This storm would've been a hell of a welcome party.

Poor Jean. Looks like late nights for him.

Also, why did I not hear about this plane crash?

Birthday week!

2009-01-21T00:02:00.006-05:00

I decided that my birthday week (a week-long celebration of your birthday beginning the week of your birthday) will begin tomorrow as my birthday is too close to the end of the month for actual birthday week enjoyment.

Nick and I commenced birthday week by making frozen pizzas and drinking sparkling wine. Both of us being quite buzzed, Nick is now asleep.

I think I'll let him sleep.

I went with Katti and Oliver today to get this. Do you see that brush? It's really a comb. It's weird. But it was free.

I've never done the whole makeup thing so it is taking a little bit of time to get used to. I am not looking forward to taking it off.

And I poked myself in the eye a couple of times. Now my eye is bloodshot. But it is gorgeously bloodshot.

I am going to look for my camera tonight and tomorrow so you guys can have photographic proof of the awesomeness that is birthday week.

P.S. I totally am still laughing about my facebook fight. One of her skanky friends messaged me and I can't figure out why. I think she was trying to defend her but I seriously asked her why she was contacting me.

Second week of classes

2009-01-19T13:30:00.003-05:00

I hate the first couple weeks of every semester. The freshmen get to their classes a half an hour early and take up all the seats so I have to sit in the front of class. In order to get to class a half an hour early, they need to park very early. So by the time I get to Fulton lot, there aren't any spots open.

Plus, the parking lot isn't plowed and these freshman apparently have no spatial skills. The parking lot is a mess. Cars are all over the place, making the lane wide enough for one car to drive through at a time. Especially at the back of the parking lot.

Thank goodness they haven't discovered the flood lot yet. There were six cars parked there, including mine. I'm definitely clinging to the hope that they will never find it. I don't know where I'm going to park once it rains. They better have gotten their act together by then.

This is apparently the stupidest group of freshmen we've ever had. They don't know how to schedule classes or listen when you answer their questions. And I don't know if I've become a genius overnight, if I'm good at reading comprehension or if these four years have really beefed up my school skills, but these kids in ~~my English class~~ ALL OF MY CLASSES must be mentally disabled. We read a short story for my English class that was narrated by a nameless boy and girl. It wasn't even hard to tell them apart because the girl's text was bold and not capitalized. Half the kids thought the girl was telling the entire story and the bold parts were flashbacks. And this one girl couldn't believe that the boy and girl would use the same phrases. Even though they were lovers. And they weren't necessarily writing at the same moment. That was when the story was unbelievable to her. And she almost started crying when she was telling all of us this...which was weird.

In my philosophy class, we are only reading nine chapters of our first book. These nine chapters don't need to be read all at once but gradually during the upcoming weeks. I seriously heard multiple people say they couldn't read 200 pages at a time and they were thankful we were reading it slowly. TWO HUNDRED PAGES. HOW THE HELL DID YOU PEOPLE GET THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL/LIFE? OMFG.

Reflections...also, the boots.

2009-01-15T01:35:00.007-05:00

I reread Lamb because I received it for Christmas and I have a few things to say: my semi-crisis of faith is over. Jesus rocks. Also, that God guy is pretty cool. Again, I kept hoping somehow, someway, Jesus wouldn't have to die but (spoiler alert) he did. And I cried.

P.S.
These are the boots. Along with this dress/shirt/thing, my mother and sister agreed that I was a very, very strange person.

THE DRESS THING:
...it needs leggings.

P.P.S. Did everyone always say "happy new year" when seeing you for the first time after the new year? Because I don't remember that. And it's a lot like saying "cheers" to me. I freeze up and have no idea what to say. I'm glad your Gregorian calendar turned a new page? New Year's Eve/Day means nothing to me. I drank one Smirnoff thing by myself because no one else wanted to drink and woke Nick up to watch the ball drop. Woo, our human-made construct of time measurement continues! I am one year closer to maybe getting proposed to!

P.P.P.S. Speaking of which, one of my friends from high school (who has had a crush on me since 7th grade and who, after I made out with him once, went totally downhill into drugs and has a kid) is engaged now. To get married in DECEMBER OF 2012 THAT BITCH.

P.P.P.P.S. I don't know if I've ever talked about our hatred for Belly. That post is coming.

P.P.P.P.P.S. I should take a shower maybe.

oh btw...my schedule

2009-01-14T00:50:00.003-05:00

Since Nick and Oliver work together now, they have the car Tuesdays through Saturdays. I get to drive myself on Monday and Katti drops me off on the other days.

Monday
Intro to Fiction 10:50-12:05...I needed the credits. Chesley is awesome.

I drive home to eat lunch or whatever. I took a nap yesterday with Nick. It was the best day ever.

Desktop Publishing 3:05-4:20...I needed the credit.

Tuesday
Intro to Philosophy 10:50-12:05...my one required class for the semester. THE ONLY ONE. All we have are four essays. No tests. So. Excited. Also, attractive 35 year old = win.

Lunch or whatever. At school because Katti drives me.

French Translation Concepts 1:40-2:55...we didn't have this class today because he's still in France but three of us didn't know and came to class only to sit around for fifteen minutes. I don't know how it will be but Pichot assured me that quite a bit of English will be spoken.

Work from 3 until 5.

Wednesday
I work from noon to 5. Katti drives me.

Thursday
Intro to Fiction 10:50-12:05...again.

Work at 1 until 4 because I don't have the car.

Database 4:30-5:45...because I need the credits and it sounded interesting.

Friday
Intro to Philosophy 10:50-12:05...again.

Nom nom nom.

French Translation Concepts 1:40-2:55...again.

Work from 3 to 4:30. I think. That sounds silly now. I will check. Later.

So I am super excited for this semester because it will be so easy but I'm kind of nervous about it because I am already getting the urge to skip.

P.S. I got rainboots for Christmas and they cheer me up.

LIFE UPDATE, STAT!

2009-01-14T00:08:00.004-05:00

Exam week
I had two exams. They were easy. I got a C+ in my art class and cried. I found out that my favorite new kid at work got fired and cried. Bieneman said we could turn in our final projects on Friday but the weather was bad and our internet was out so I didn't. I emailed him on December 23rd to let him know it was coming. I looked at my grade and saw it was an F and emailed him apologizing on its tardiness.

CHRISTMAS
The Eve: Nick worked until 4:30 so we weren't able to leave until he got home. Then, me being awesome, I had to wrap all the presents with pirate and wedding wrapping paper. Or I would have if I didn't drag Katti to Meijer with me to grab the first wrapping paper I saw. I quickly wrapped all the things I had made in my art class for my family and gathered up the roomies. Around 6 we finally started up to my parents' house where we exchanged family gifts and Nick got money then we went up to Nick's parents' house and pigged out. We spent the night there and I barely slept because I always get so excited for Christmas.

I'm boring myself.

I got awesome PJs from my dad and everyone loved them. Christmas Day was weird because I'm usually there to see everyone open their presents but this was the first year I didn't.

I got ice skates from my parents and cried.

BREAK
I played WoW with Katti and Oliver and only worked last week. I found out that Bieneman actually meant to give me an incomplete and put in the wrong date so he's okay that I'm handing it in super late. I still have to do it and I'm lazy but that's my project for this week.

Oliver started at Comcast on the 6th. Which is cool because now they have money and they will maybe pay bills for the third time since we've lived together.

I also found out that the book I requested through interlibrary loan last semester finally came in. So I can start my French paper before the incomplete deadline and get both my incompletes done early.

If I'm not lazy.

Nick got me WiiFit. Did not cry but felt guilty.

So that's what you've been missing.

I am already excited for this semester to be over and it's only the first week.

Graduation, here I come!

P.S. Ben and his stupid girlfriend got engaged. Everyone hates her and the two of them as a couple. They have not been together a year. They are so poor, both their parents are helping to pay their bills and rent. Ben did not tell us they were engaged, facebook did. Katti railed on Ben for not telling us. He said he didn't know facebook told everyone and he was planning on telling us. He suggested we all get together to celebrate some weekend. Katti's reply: "Oliver works on Saturday." We (Katti, Oliver, Nick and I) agreed that we would never celebrate their engagement because we are not happy for them. And that was that.

12-12-2012

2009-01-11T04:45:00.003-05:00

BLAHG

I am tired of this apartment. I can't wait to get a real job and move anywhere but here. I am already sick of winter and I still have at least three more months of it to suffer through.

I'll do a life recap tomorrow/today when I've had one more day to absorb the crazy-, awesome-, cool-, lame-ness that was this break.

December 12, 2012 is my goal, Moi. It's just long enough away that it allows for any crazy things that might get in our way or delay it but it's close enough that I'm setting a goal for us. I love the repetitiveness it has to it too. I was all about 10-10-2010 but Nick's sister stole October and I don't think we'll be engaged by then. Also, 12-12-2012 gets it in right before the next apocalypse.

Numbers

2008-12-14T17:25:00.003-05:00

Nick and I have known each other for 2164 days.

Nick and I have been together for 1646 days.

Nick and I have lived together for 512 days.

I have been a college student for 1210 days.

I have been alive for 7991 days.

On the day I met Nick, I was 5827 days old.

On Tuesday, December 25, 2018, I will have known Nick for as many days as I was old when I met him.

If we get married on the day I want to get married and don't have kids until we have talked about having kids, I will be 28 or 29 years old when I have my first child. I always wanted to have a kid before that. My mom had me when she was 29 and turned 30 when I was three months old. I want to have a kid before I turn 30 because I want my kids to spend more time with their grandmother than I did with mine. Nick's grandmother is still alive and they get to talk with her and share everything with her. I want my kids to drink and party with their grandmother like Nick and Katti do with theirs.

I hate Windows

2008-12-12T22:17:00.003-05:00

Me: Hey, I wanna play this game with my 360 controller.

Windows: Oh okay.

Me: This game says it's the coolest with the controller.

Windows: Mmhmm.

Me: It says it does rumble.

Windows: Yes.

Me: So, I'm gonna plug it in...and you should...see it right?

Windows: Sure.

Me: Okay, it's there.

Windows: I'm not seeing it.

Me: Well, it's there.

Windows: Still not seeing it.

Me: Let me unplug it and I'll put it back in.

Windows: Uh no. Nothing.

Me: Um. So. Do you need a driver or something for this?

Windows: I'm not quite sure.

Me: Can you check?

Windows: No.

Me: Well, I'm going to ask Google. He always knows.

Windows: I can wait.

Me: He says you do.

Windows: Okay.

Me: I went to your website and you just wanted me to buy a controller.

Windows: Well, yeah. You need one to play the game.

Me: Yeah, well. I have one right here. Remember? It's plugged in.

Windows: Oh. Yeah. I can't see it though.

Me: Right.

Windows: Right.

Me: So, I'm going to go ask Google again. Maybe he knows a better place.

Windows: Okay.

Me: He told me to go to your website again.

Windows: Yeah, it's probably there.

Me: Well, the link they sent me to? It doesn't work.

Windows: Huh.

Me: So. I'm going to look around a little.

Windows: Okay.

Me: Why isn't it on the page with the controller? You know. Under related topics or links or whatever.

Windows: Shrug.

Me: Huh.

Windows: ...

Me: Oh well I'm going to go to this product download link.

Windows: Mmhmm.

Me: Why do you need to know what I'm downloading it for? I told you on that other page.

Windows: I forgot.

Me: ...

Windows: I can't see it. I forgot.

Me: ...

Windows: ...

Me: Okay, well it's downloading.

Windows: What?

Me: A driver or something. I don't know. It's downloading.

Windows: Okay.

Me: Why is it going to take five minutes?

Windows: I don't know.

Me: Okay.

Windows: ...

Me: Well, it's done.

Windows: Okay.

Me: So, it's installing.

Windows: Okay.

Me: You know, my OS came out after the 360.

Windows: Yeah.

Me: So why didn't you just include the driver with the OS?

Windows: I don't know.

Me: I have a lot of useless stuff from you already. Why didn't you just include it?

Windows: I don't know.

Me: Okay it's done.

Windows: Okay.

Me: Why the hell do you always want me to restart? The light is lit up. Why do I have to restart?

Windows: I don't know.

Me: Bill Gates doesn't even know why I have to restart.

Windows: Well...we don't talk anymore.

Me: Huh. Well, I'm not restarting.

Windows: Okay.

Me: I'm going to go play my game now.

Windows: We'll see...

Me: Wait.

Windows: What?

Me: Why's the program still there?

Windows: Which one?

Me: The one I installed the driver with.

Windows: I don't know.

Me: Why couldn't you just delete it after it installed?

Windows: I don't know.

Me: And what's this Windows Update thing?

Windows: Hm?

Me: You just installed the driver and already you need to fix it.

Windows: Well... This is an update just for you.

Me: You couldn't just put the latest version on your website?

Windows: No.

Me: You asked me what OS I was using.

Windows: Yes. Yes I did.

Me: So. You could have just the latest one for my OS there. On that special page. For me.

Windows: Yeah.

Me: Huh.

Windows: Yeah.

Me: You want me to restart again.

Windows: Yeah.

Me: Fine.

Windows: See you later.

Me: Whatever.

The Way We Were and Holiday Inn

2008-12-08T00:05:00.003-05:00

I finally got to watch the end of The Way We Were. I watched part of it before we went to France but Nick and I had to leave for some reason so I never saw the end of it. Well. It suffered from Roman Holiday syndrome in that spoiler alert the main characters don't get together and I end up being upset with my ovaries in overdrive.

Then today I watched (my favorite holiday movie) Holiday Inn. Every single time I watch that movie I forget how racist it is. Blackface? Check. Minstrel show? Check. African American cook with terrible racist lines and a racist role? Check. Besides Lincoln's birthday, it's great! And it's good to see where the song White Christmas came from too. And Bing Crosby? Sigh...that man and Irving Berlin will always have my heart.

And that was my weekend.

Oh and remember how our car only had two doors that would open from the outside? Well after work on Friday those two doors were frozen shut. I tried for half an hour to get into the car before my boss' boss came by and I asked him for help. He got me into the car but he broke one of the handles. So now we have one door that opens from the outside. He felt awful about it. I told him it was just a door handle. He's probably going to offer to pay for it tomorrow but he was just trying to help. There's no way I can take his money.

And our cats still have fleas.

2008-12-05T21:23:00.005-05:00

I was going to write this great story about how, while watching The Way We Were, Nick had a great observation about handsome movie stars (past and present) looking alike but apparently this isn't a new conclusion.

Here it is anyway:

Robert Redford and Brad Pitt look exactly the same. Especially when RR smiles.

The end.

P.S. Toi noted that the level I was stuck on was the last level of the best timesuck ever so I decided to savor it until I can convince myself that there will be awesome games after this one. Sigh.

P.P.S. Even though I am a big fan of peace etc, I cannot resist a man in uniform.

Amusement

2008-12-03T02:06:00.004-05:00

Okay, kids. Do me a favor and go play this game. And turn your sound on because it is gorgeous.

Why must you play this game? Because it's a lot of fun and really pretty.

Also, I'm stuck on a level and I need your help.

UPDATE!: I am stuck on 3.6. I was stuck on 3.4 for an hour but I wiped it from my memory so I don't remember how I did it. I wish I could go back and figure it out.

Especially in Michigan

2008-12-02T01:56:00.005-05:00

I am very blessed. I have a boyfriend who loves me (and lets me sleep and makes me bagels with cream cheese and turkey (when I don't feel well and when he thinks it sounds disgusting)) and whom I love. I have a family that despite my coming home from a semester in Europe and immediately moving out, still loves me.

I am blessed because I had two Thanksgivings. And I will have two Christmases.

I talked to one of the new student workers today. His father lost his factory job and his mother lost her greenhouse job. Downsizing. He had Spaghetti O's for Thanksgiving. In his dorm room. He says Christmas doesn't look too great either.

I left work crying.

I've always had a Christmas. I've always had a Thanksgiving. No matter how poor my parents said they were that year. I can't imagine not having one. But this kid did. This kid will.

2008-11-28T17:17:00.003-05:00

My mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas and if I had made a list. She told me to scale my wants to the current economy.

I truthfully haven't even thought about it. Even when I did think about it, I couldn't think of a single thing.

I don't really want anything but I can't send her a blank list. Maybe books or clothes or something...?

I don't know. I haven't wanted anything lately.

Wedding pictures are up (finally)

2008-11-26T21:24:00.013-05:00

I chose the ones I looked the best in (and defied copyright by using PrintScreen hahaha. And all I have is Paint so they're grainy.). Behold the Palin hair (clicken to enbiggen):

My future family: Katti, Dad, Oliver, Mom, Jess (the bride), Ryan (the groom), Nick and me.

Nick's grandmother and grandfather on his mother's side. I don't know when this happened but oh man, I love her. This is the one that's a lot of fun if she's been drinking. We were at Nick's parents' house the other weekend and she knocked over three glasses by the end of the night. She blamed the last glass on her boobs. I'm not kidding.

Katti was gorgeous. She's with Nick's five year old cousin here. The last time I saw her was two years ago. She didn't remember me but we went blueberry picking with her before the wedding and then played games at her grandmother's house for hours after Katti got tired so I think we're pretty good friends now. She's adorable and really shy but she warms up to you pretty quickly.

I love Nick's family. Coming up next, Mr. Hazen = Stalin?

2008-11-26T15:20:00.003-05:00

I'm watching Justice for Annie. I hope I see her mom get Justice this time.

I am so excited for Thanksgiving tomorrow. The food, pies, food, family, food. And I will finally be able to listen to Christmas music without getting lectured by Katti the grouch. I'm making hot brandy apple cinder for tomorrow. I'm excited for it. Katti made it a year ago and it was so good.

Our Thanksgiving plans: We're going up to Nick and Katti's parents' first tomorrow. We're eating at 1 there then going to my parents' after dropping Katti and Oliver off at Oliver's brother's house. His brother lives a street down from my parents' house. Then we're lying around and not doing anything for the rest of the week.

Oliver got a call from Comcast and he has an interview next week. .الحمد لله They gave him shift times already too and Nick thinks it's in the bag. I hope so.

It's hard to split all of these holidays between our two families. I told Nick we can swap holidays (my family one year, his the next) but it's hard.

Nick put some of our Christmas lights up on Sunday. Yay! I'm going to start listening to my Christmas albums and Katti can't stop me. I get to wear my Christmas earrings soon too.

2008-11-20T19:39:00.004-05:00

So the unemployment benefits that Oliver totally was going to get and sit on while he didn't look for a job?

He didn't get them.

So Katti and Oliver have barely any money. They just received their stimulus check in the mail so there's that.

But other than that?

Rent is due in two weeks. They haven't paid us for cable, gas or electric since we moved in.

Nick and I cannot afford to do this but we can't afford to do it alone either.

Bummer.

Things I heard from the latest winner of ANTM

2008-11-20T09:40:00.003-05:00

Alter-alias
Calls herself McKey ... real name Brittany
...her voice

Okay, the only things that bugged me were her voice and how she kept calling McKey her alter-alias. Like it was a real word. Since she's only 19 and a sophomore, maybe she hasn't gotten to the English class where they teach you real words.

I thought the blond girl was cuter. Also, this one slouched.

The United States of US!

2008-11-05T12:46:00.004-05:00

We won.

I don't mean me. I don't mean my liberal buddies. I don't mean democrats.

I mean us. We.

We won.

I know not all of you like what happened last night. I know that some of you are quite upset. But no matter who you voted for, you have to understand that we all won.

America won last night.

For the first time in American history, we have a black president. Do you understand how big this is? Whether you like it or not, this is huge. And this is good.

Your children will learn about this in school. They will ask you about it. Where were you? What did you think?

What will you tell them?

Will you tell them that you were upset that the old white guy didn't win like he has won every single election since the United States was born?

Or will you tell them that it was a great time to be an American. A great moment to have watched, to have participated in, no matter which side the winner was on.

This is a big deal kids. This is history.

-------

I cried last night. I couldn't stop smiling and I cried so many times. This is a big deal. This is huge. This is great.

For the first time in my life, I am proud to be an American.

--------

Obama will be sworn in January 20th, 2009. It will mark the 100th anniversary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Obama got his start in politics in Springfield, Illinois. It was a race riot in Springfield, Illinois that led to the creation of NAACP.

For African Americans, when their children said, "I want to be a doctor, I want to be a lawyer, I want to be a politician, I want to be an astronaut." They always could point to an African American who achieved it. But whenever a kid said, "I want to be president," I literally saw black parents saying, "Son (or daughter), you might think of being something else." I have nine nieces and four nephews. When I talk to them, I can actually say that and mean it.
-Roland S. Martin

I got a sticker. And candy.

2008-11-04T13:16:00.003-05:00

I voted. It took no time at all and I wrote my dad in for drain commissioner (and all the other ones he writes himself in for).

2008-11-04T00:27:00.002-05:00

I AM VOTING IN MY FIRST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TOMORROW AND I AM SO EXCITED OMGOMGOMG.

2008-10-26T02:06:00.004-04:00

I am sick and tired of polisci kids thinking that because they are a polisci major they somehow are more worldly and knowledgeable than I am. That they are somehow better than I am.

And this not voting shit? WHAT THE FUCK.

I don't care if your hippie ideals don't fit with the world you live in. You live here. I'm sorry your dreams are being crushed but this is the real world.

For fuck's sake, you're a woman! I hate to pull the starving children in China routine but you are damn lucky you even have this opportunity. I don't care if you think your vote is supporting some corrupt system. If your vote doesn't count, as you say it doesn't, how could it support anything.

Sitting at home not voting and thinking about how the world could be better does nothing. I'm not saying voting will but at that point, doing anything will.

The world won't change in a day. It won't change with your increasing polisci knowledge, it won't change with my vote. But maybe the person I vote for will change something small.

Even if that doesn't happen, I can do something. You can do something. Wars aren't won as wars, they are won as battles. My vote changes something. In that decision, universes split off.

I just don't understand how someone as intelligent as you are can be so stupid.

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."

Fred Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park

2008-10-25T22:32:00.001-04:00

2008-10-25T16:27:00.003-04:00

Every presidential candidate should visit one of Michigan's unemployment offices.

Oliver lost his job last week. Katti and I accompanied him to ~~the unemployment office~~ Michigan Works!. I can only assume the office was named by someone who actually has a job in Michigan. Not the 25+ people I saw who didn't.

In the ten minutes we were there, I saw three different people who represented what is happening today to average American citizens.

One man was on the phone with his bank (or trying to be on the phone with his bank...no one was answering his phone calls) trying to figure why his house was being foreclosed. The bank he had his mortgage through went under and another bank bought it out. He was upset that he didn't have a say in what happened with his money and his house.

Another man was wondering why he needed his birth certificate for his new job.

And then there was Oliver. Oliver worked for two and a half years at the same job, was making $14 an hour plus commissions. He was not allowed to take time off when his niece had a funeral for the baby she miscarried. He almost couldn't take time off for his sister-in-law's wedding and rehearsal dinner. Then he slowly got crappier and crappier shifts as they brought in new people who they could pay less and the company went under. He was just an average unemployed guy and like every average unemployed person in that room, he had no idea how to apply for unemployment.

The unemployment website and process is confusing. He did everything that he thought he needed to do, and they told him he was okay but he still had no idea if he was done, getting unemployment or if he still needed to do something. And he's pretty smart.

How can a system help people when the system can't even explain itself well enough for those who need it to understand what they need to do?

Instead of going to big rallies and stupid debates where they repeat the same things over and over, someone needs to see what's happening here. Someone needs to talk to us, to find out what we need.

Because we need help.

Names have been removed so you don't hunt me down and kill me

2008-10-16T15:00:00.003-04:00

I knew you were head over heels for God but I didn't know it was the spirit healing, homosexual-hating, anti-abortion, god.

I should have guessed as much when you couldn't live with your fiancé before you got married but I held on to hope that our god was the same god. It apparently is not.

RE:[...]HATES living in GR, and wants to move, and is terrified because someone tried to break into our house last night, after breaking into our car AGAIN! ugh!

"Crime happens everywhere and once it happens to you it puts fear in you. Did [...] ever have anyone pray through that house before he moved in? The property? We should come over and anoint the house, the property, and your vehicles. I'd be happy to do that and I'm sure I can find some others to do that with us. I think you will see a big difference. Now is not a good time to sell your house so we need to pray and let God show you what a great protector He can be."

2008-10-10T10:13:00.002-04:00

Project Runway is dead to me.

That is all.

Crosslisted

2008-10-06T19:44:00.002-04:00

Nick's little sister got married on Saturday. She turns 20 in November. As much of a horrible ideas as I thought getting married at that age was, after it all, I am so happy for Jess and Ryan. They obviously love and care for each other quite a bit and share the same ideas and faith. They're both silly and a little ditzy. And besides, people probably think the idea of Nick and I getting married is ridiculous too.

In the end, I had so much fun dancing and dressing up and partying and celebrating with them that none of it mattered. Not waking up at 7 to get my hair sprayed into a fake updo with 38 bobbypins at 8:45. Not getting my makeup done and feeling guilty about Nick's mom spending over 200 dollars. Not the stupid fights we had only weeks before. The only thing that mattered was seeing Jess walk down that aisle yesterday and feeling so happy for her. For everyone.

Congratulations, you two. And good luck.

I love you all.

P.S. I did not cry at the wedding (I almost did when she walked down the aisle and was sure I would) but I cried writing this.

The Wedding: a schedule

2008-10-02T09:26:00.003-04:00

For those of you who are visiting this weekend, and wish to see me all done up, the wedding schedule follows.

Friday: I have class and work until 3. Everyone else is cleaning and decorating the church and reception hall. Dinner is at 5. I have not determined what I am wearing yet. It all depends upon the weather and if I want to shave my legs.

Saturday: Katti, Jess, Hazen Mom and I are getting our hair done at 8 or 9 and our makeup done at 10. (at this point, one car will be taken up to Rockford since someone had the genius idea of having the wedding in Ada and the reception in Rockford.) At noon, we go to the church where we get ready and have prep photos taken. Jess and Ryan will have their photos taken at one, we all hang around until two or so then group photos start. These photo sessions are supposed to last until the wedding at 5. After the wedding, we help move decorations and carpool up to Rockford for the reception. Then we socialize until it is the appropriate time to bail.

It's a pretty crazy day. If you want to see me all dolled up, I don't know when or where you want to be. Maybe I'll just call you when we're finally home. Let me know.

A few things

2008-09-17T20:07:00.005-04:00

First, I bought this book over the weekend. The first 80 pages are full of primers on all the tools and techniques you use for the projects. Needless to say, I was a bit overwhelmed.

I decided to ignore everything except what I needed for the first project and I feel a lot better about the book now. At the beginning, I said I was going to make everything in the book but I really didn't think I'd actually make anything.

So I got to it and I decided to make the first project in the book, figuring it would be the easiest.

It's an LED bracelet. I bought what I could for it today, including online purchases. It was funny being in Home Depot because no one who wanted to help us had any idea what or where the stuff I needed was. It's was like an adventure. Only it was really annoying.

Secondly, will.i.am is going to be at AQ this Sunday at 11. Who is pumped? I am pumped.

Thirdly, I would like to go see Cloud Cult sometime this fall. Rumor has it, this is their last tour and their last album before an indefinite hiatus. Luckily (for me), almost all the upcoming tour dates are near your new homes. They will be in DC on November 10, Boston on November 13, Bethlehem, PA on November 14 and Menominee, WI on November 17. I threw the WI one in there because Nick's aunt and uncle live in WI somewhere. I don't know which one I'm going to choose yet but I'm going to talk it over with Nick and look at trains so let me know if any dates work out for you two.

I also am planning a Lansing/Ann Arbor trip sometime soon, so steel yourself, Toi. If this trip actually goes through, I'll be traveling with Katti, Oliver and maybe a few of our friends. Katti and Oliver have a friend who lives in Lansing so we could all crash with him.

2008-09-12T15:01:00.003-04:00

The president's son brought his dog in today. To work. Apparently the RR wanted to see it. She isn't in today.

It's a big dog.

Why I feel the need (suddenly) to become a member of the Grand Rapids Art Museum

2008-09-12T12:48:00.007-04:00

"Sign up for membership before October 2 and recieve an exclusive invitation to the Member Preview Party with Special Guest Speaker, Nigel Barker. Enhanced Members are invited to reserve seats."

Totally. Going.

How I remember

2008-09-11T20:05:00.001-04:00

Quickie

2008-09-08T11:36:00.003-04:00

ED's last day was Friday. Admissions had two parties for her, one on Thursday and one on Friday.

Our office was not invited to either of them. Neither were any other offices.

What's the point of an in-office party? Especially since we all really love ED? We invite them to all of our parties.

Now I totally hate Admissions. It's like the cool kids had a party and talked all about it. And no one else was invited.

! الحمد لله

2008-09-04T22:47:00.003-04:00

I am so sorry that I haven't updated lately but things have been crazy. On Mondays and Thursdays, I have class from 9am - 7pm with 5 minutes between classes and work crammed in there too. Otherwise, I have one or two classes.

Here's the rundown:

Mondays/Thursdays
I have Cartography at 9. This class is awesome because I've always wanted to be a useless cartographer and it's taught by Bieneman. Did I ever tell you I had his wife in elementary school? She was my fourth grade teacher. Her mother passed away this week.

At 10:50, I go to work until 1:25.

Don't even get me started on these new kids. They deserve their own post.

At 1:40, I have French Film and Lit. It's only the second week of school and I already am just reading the SparkNotes. The class would be so much less painful with you girls but I'm surviving okay with...the one girl whose name I still don't know after four years and some other girl.

Five minutes after the end of French class, I have Ceramics. It's really just a class to help me calm down but I've already broken two pots and found two very not artistic buddies. I am so not artsy.

Five minutes after the end of feeling dumb, I have Arabic. Which is, quite frankly, awesome. It is difficult but a ton of fun. I feel like such a genius when I get a word right or when I understand what's going on. Also: heritage! I hope I get to talk to my mom's relatives before the kick the bucket because now I know my blood languages (as my mom calls it).

Tuesdays/Fridays
I have a confession to make. Because I couldn't afford the textbook and he stressed homework so much, I dropped my history class. So now I have to take it next semester.

In other news, at 10:50, I have Tai Chi. Which is reaching Folk and Square Dance in awesomeness. The prof learned Tai Chi directly from some famous family who created a form of Tai Chi. He is a hoot. I have a thousand stories from him. He fell off a curb and landed on cement about a year ago and had trouble walking again. His hip hurt when he walked so he couldn't walk across the room until he tried doing Tai Chi. When he walked by doing his Tai Chi moves, his hip didn't hurt any more. Since he is injured, his wife does most of the demonstrations. She also helps him remember how old he is when he adds thirteen years to his age. Both of them are pretty old, 60s and 70s, but they are hilarious. He calls himself Monk and his wife Natalie Teager. Most of the class is taken up by his stories.

On Tuesdays, I have Arabic at 6 (work before that (10:50 to 5) but I have Arabic only Mondays through Thursdays so I just have Tai Chi and work on Fridays.

On Wednesdays, I am not working for the first time in my life. So all I have is Arabic at 6. I sleep, I read, I do homework, I relax.

Overall, this semester is awesome but very stressful. I have a lot of work ahead of me.

2008-08-24T23:28:00.003-04:00

So tomorrow is the first day of my last year in college.

And that is terribly depressing.

I am trying very hard to just breathe. I've tried every meditation exercise from my Nutrition, Exercise and Stress class (best. class. ever. I still, obviously, use the meditation techniques we did every day in that class.) but lately I have been returning to my France mantra.

It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. I'm okay. It's okay.

I've been crying over every little thing. Which, you know, would be fine except I had finally gotten over my uber-sensitive crying phase.

Dude. Depressing emo blog man. I shall stop now and go eat something before winding down and going to bed.

I love you dudes.

Work is weird sometimes.

2008-08-14T13:42:00.004-04:00

So. At work.

Someone turned in a CE application. Dee was sitting at her desk, going through it and she started getting a headache. She kept asking if a student was up front with me but I kept telling her no, no one's here.

She finally came to me, held out the application and told me to smell it.

Whoever was applying had sprayed their application all pretty. It stank like a magazine.

I was hoping she just spilled her perfume or whatever on the application but Dee thinks she sprayed it. "Like a love letter," she said.

I hope not.

Olympics

2008-08-10T01:39:00.003-04:00

Those opening ceremonies? Man. DUDE.

DUDE.

I haven't seen a whole lot of Olympics being only 21 but the opening ceremonies are always my favorite part. And this year? Shit. Dude. They were awesome.

PR - from the hip

2008-08-07T14:25:00.004-04:00

Sleezebag has never seen the Olympic Opening Ceremony? Ever?

Leatha is driving me insane.

Keith is getting the bitch cut.

Thank God another twin is gone. Now I can tell everyone apart.

Done

2008-08-06T01:57:00.003-04:00

I found out something tonight that, while it may explain the fact that Katie has not spoken to me yet and has been distant for the past year, is kind of something you tell your best friend. While I have not been involved anything to the degree that she has, when I did it/it happened to me I did tell my best friend. Sadly, she wasn't there to be that friend.

So I've resigned myself to the fact that we're not doing this friend thing anymore. I called her earlier today and she called back while I was napping (I tend to think too much when I'm sad/stressed/whatever and this thinking thing earned me two hours of sleep before a long work day). I have not returned her call and I don't think I will. If she happens to call while I'm home, I might pick up. I might not.

I probably won't.

I'm dropping all internet connections with her and we'll see how things go.

The ball's in her court now. I've always been the bigger person. I am not doing that anymore. I have put too much effort into this black hole of a relationship to keep going. I'm not doing that to myself. I've done it my entire life. I know better.

Although I might not have consciously believed it, I stopped calling her my best friend a long time ago. I should have seen the warning signs but I had hope. I mean, I hadn't received a call or postcard or letter or anything from her while she was away but I had a thousand excuses for that.

Oh well.

It's all for the best really.

This should be the last I'll talk about this here. Sorry about this. Sometimes it feels better if I just let it all out and everyone else just wants to fix it, not to listen.

I'm glad you all understand. Thank you for all the support. It's hard to lose a friend you've had for such a long time. Especially since, with all the moving during my childhood, I've never had one for that long. This whole situation is quite new to me. I've had my heart broken many a time but never by a friend.

Blah blah emo etc

Love you all.

2008-08-04T00:42:00.001-04:00

So still no "hey I'm back."

I had a rational moment this weekend where I remembered that Saturday was only her first whole day back so it was reasonable to have not heard anything from her. However, I had to hear something from her Sunday at the very least. Or Monday, even.

Nope.

I've gone from being very, very pissed to feeling ill. I feel sick.

It's funny, it's like broken heart/breakup pains. And all she did so far was not call or tell anyone she was back.

And then I was thinking maybe she doesn't have my phone number. That's obviously why she hasn't called. But my cell phone number is the same as it was a year ago. And we've had each other's home phone numbers memorized since tenth grade.

She must just be busy.

I just called my house to make sure she hadn't called home and someone just forgot to tell me. No. No call.

This is driving me crazy. It is like a bad breakup.

Did I just lose my best friend? Or was she already gone?

I'm just overreacting.

Right?

On a slightly more serious note.

2008-08-03T04:08:00.001-04:00

So.

I'm kind of very upset right now. I'm going to try to talk myself through this but I really wish you guys were here. I need you like whoa.

My best friend from high school, Katie (not to be confused with Nick's sister, Katti), went to study in Germany for a year last June. I got back from France at the beginning of June and she left at the end of June. Needless to say, we didn't hang out that much in between.

Before I even left for France, our relationship was strained. She went to Western but I always found time to visit her during Fall and Spring Break.

She started dating some guy before she left for Germany. It was a big deal for her because she didn't really do the dating thing. It just made our beginning to be weird relationship even stranger.

Don't get me wrong, the second day I got back from France, she was the first person I visited. The day before I left, she was the last person I saw.

Like I said, she left for Germany at the end of June. She came back to visit for a few days in October. She flew straight into Kalamazoo, spent time with her boyfriend, saw her family a little, and flew back.

She did this all as a surprise to her parents and her boyfriend of six months. Without telling anyone she was visiting (or coming to visit) and only letting everyone else (who wasn't her Mom, Dad, brother or boyfriend (i.e.: her friends)) know that she'd been in the country once she was back in Germany.

I was a little pissed then.

While in Germany, she constantly complained about not receiving mails or phone calls from anyone back home. Which I understood because I only received three letters in France. One of which was from school. But the thing is, she actually got letters. A lot of them. As in, more than ten.

Which I guess just made me jealous, not really mad.

Here's the thing that really pissed me off. Here's the reason I want to scream and cry and yell and punch someone in the face:

She's home.

She's done with her program, she came home on Friday and she didn't let any of her friends know.

She didn't let me know. She hasn't told me. She hasn't called me.

She didn't update her journal saying she was almost done with her program and leaving next week or next month or whatever.

She was just magically home.

Oh and how did I find out if she hasn't told anyone? I found out because I checked her flickr photos and she had pictures of the airport. And her boyfriend.

I told people when I was coming home. I told them the flight number and time and I called people and told them far ahead of time and...

So.

I don't know what our friend status is but I just don't care anymore.

No. I do care. I care a lot.

But I don't want to.

I really wish you guys were here. I really need you right now.

Project Runway Addendum Post

2008-07-30T21:26:00.001-04:00

I think my new favorite blog says it best:

On the Beardy man: "Joe, you're going to need to have a crying fit or a fight with the judges or make a vow to destroy one of your competitors because we have trouble remembering you're even there."

On O Tanny Boy: "Coming so close on the heels of last season's exhausting (and overt) push of Christian Siriano star-making, we feel like we just got finished babysitting a friend's kid when another friend unexpectedly showed up to drop their flamboyant little attention-seeking child off. Sure, we'll watch them for you but we're wiped out, so we're probably going to ignore them a lot and let them play with drycleaning bags."

On Suede's winning dress: "Lorenzo thinks she looks like a frozen pizza."

ALSO!!! BRAVO'S NEW SHOW!

"FASHION HOUSE (working title), a creative competition program based on the British format of the same name, replicates the workings of the fashion business through a fashion house. Teams of designers will live together and work to create not just a single item of clothing but an entire, cohesive line. These collections are created on deadline and are presented to commercial buyers with the opportunity of having the designers' line mass marketed."

Eat that, Project Runway leaving me and turning suck!

Anyway. I'm off to watch the latest episode. You should read that blizog.

Project Lameway

2008-07-30T10:26:00.001-04:00

Moi mentioned that Project Runway is really lame this season and it really is. It's like the producers realized that the only people we liked in the past were characters so they needed a whole season of characters. But it was an awful idea.

Because I hate nearly all of them.

And they don't even have names to me, they all have shticks and that is what they are...shticks. Even the one (or two) that I don't mind have their own little pigeonhole.

Oh and if they don't have a thing? They look exactly like another person.

Here's a rundown:

Jerry Tam - Bland asian middle-aged guy. Spoiler alert - Don't get attached. He's gone already.

Wesley Nault - New England trust fund guy. Spoiler alert - boring and gone.

Blayne Walsh - Tanning kid.

Daniel Feld - Is he the black guy? Oh no, he's what's his face. Sleezeball. He gives me the heeble-jeebles.

Emily Brandle - The Bettie Page girl. Oh no. The shy girl. Oh no. The other one. The one that's not any of these.

Korto Momolu - The African girl. Trust me, she'll remind you in every interview just which one she is.

Jennifer Diederich - The one that looks like Leanne and is overlooked like Leanne.

Jerell Scott - This one's the black guy, right?

Joe Faris - Hey, he's from Michigan. I don't remember who he is though. Beard guy? Yeah, beard guy. The one that isn't anyone else.

Keith Bryce - The you-are-really-cute-why-aren't-you-straight guy.

Kelli Martin - The blond Bettie Page.

Kenley Collins - The original Bettie Page.

Leanne Marshall - The quiet one that looks like Jennifer and is overlooked like Jennifer.

Stella Zotis - The one who likes leather. And wears hooker clothes that are WAY too young for her.

Stephen "Suede" Baum - He calls himself Suede. He talks in the third person. 'Nuff said.

Terri Stevens - The black woman.

2008-07-22T21:13:00.001-04:00

We are finally out of the old apartment and the second I walked out the door (after cleaning for three days, scrubbing and smelling icky chemicals for at least two hours) a gigantic weight was lifted off my shoulders.

Work has been hella crazy lately. Ashley and I are working on this giant project and maybe have an eighth of it done between the both of us. I am supposed to be working for financial aid sometime too but I feel bad abandoning Ashley when it's so crazy. And I would have to go and do it up in admissions. Which is always awkward because I feel like an outsider.

Anyway life is pretty good. Katti says I can ride her bike to work. I bought a helmet this weekend and all I need now is a bike lock. I'm pretty pumped.

I started thinking about this upcoming semester and got really sad so I don't want to think about it until August 25. Thank you.

2008-07-20T01:53:00.001-04:00

I have a multi-tiered confession to make.

I was at WAL-MART the other day and saw some wedges that I thought looked really cute. And I almost bought a pair. Then I thought about rolling my ankle in them all the time and realized what I was doing and dropped them and quickly walked away.

Luckily I did not try them on.

Recap of Rachel's life

2008-07-06T23:15:00.001-04:00

Since you all abandoned me to your happy little homes, here's what has happened:

Nick and I decided to move in with Katti/Oliver (in their GIANT house) because it would be way cheaper. I didn't really want to but $250ish compared to the $805 that we're paying where we are sounded great. (House residents: Katti, Oliver, Ben, Ben's new gf, Elliott, Dickhead, Mumbling Man, Jeremy)

The only problem was, they didn't have a room for us.

So they decided to kick out one of the two roommates who were not paying rent on time.

Once that was decided, one of Katti/Oliver's roommates, Dickhead, made a pass at me. I didn't care but Nick refused to move in with Katti/Oliver after that. He later recanted but it didn't matter because....

Two days later, while she was trying to tell him he was a douchebag (but in a nice way) Dickhead made a pass at Ben's new girlfriend, WannabeWinehouse.

WW told Ben they couldn't live in the house anymore.

Katti/Oliver were just going to try to find new roommates when they found out that Dickhead knew he screwed up and hit on WW just to screw everyone over.

Ben kicked Dickhead out.

Mumbling Man left. Without paying rent. Without telling everyone.

So Katti/Oliver decided to forget about living in the awesome house and I suggested we find a place together since our lease was up at the same time (August 1st).

We were leisurely looking at places and everything was going smoothly until Nick and I found out our lease was actually up June 30. Not August 1st.

Nick, Katti, Oliver and I went into frantic apartment hunting mode. Every place we looked at was too small for Katti.

Finally Nick and I decided to just pay fifty dollars more to stay at our apartment for another month.

After looking at a few more places (each too small for all the things Katti/Oliver had gathered during their six and a half years together) someone had the brilliant idea of looking at a three bedroom apartment in the apartment complex we are in now.

We checked it out, it passed and we decided to take it.

We sign the lease on Friday. And Nick and I are going to move all our stuff in on that same day.

We can manage this because the three bedroom apartment is across the sidewalk from our current apartment. So it's down the stairs, out the door, across a sidewalk and ta da!

I am just so excited that this whole thing is over. Finally.

Confessions/Rants

2008-06-15T23:17:00.002-04:00

I recently discovered the truth about myself. I have kept it hidden from so many people for so long but I feel that now you must know the truth.

I am a multilevel dork.

I am a closeted comic book nerd. I am excited for the Captain America and Thor movies that are not due out for years.

I like using HTML more than being able to press ctrl b here. I'd rather less than b greater than rather than do this ctrl thing. It makes me feel common.

I love Mario Kart but when I get frustrated with it, I pop in GTA IV and go work for the mob or drive down sidewalks taking down everyone in my path.

If a band is popular, I ~~no longer like it.~~ only like it ironically.

I think Angelina Jolie is a crazy whore.

I hate people who don't use blinkers. Especially when they change lanes.

I always drive the speed limit.

When we saw the preview for the new X-Files movie (BOTH TIMES), I squealed and flailed (BOTH TIMES).

Whenever there was an in-joke during the Hulk movie, I was excited.

I have not watched Trapped in the Closet since my last update.

I do not have a place to live after July 31 and this fact worries me more every day. Sadly, I am tired of looking at apartments already.

The Smiths will forever be my favorite band.

Music is very important to me. I cannot write papers without music. I clean with music. It is hard for me to drive our car because we don't have a radio and I, therefore, have no music.

Improper spelling drives me insane. I don't care where it is. Firefox automatically corrects your spelling. Get it, losers. In this same vein, I did not label one of my boxes "accessories" because I could not remember if both letters were doubled and it would pain me if I was incorrect. It instead got an &c.

People who cannot use the correct your/there drive me insane. I can always see it like it is jumping off the page/screen. Nick is one of these people. It should bother me more but when he does it, I never notice.

CHAPTER FIVE

2008-05-24T15:18:00.001-04:00

dude. He sang the bleep. Awesome.

I love hypocrites. R Kelly, you done cheated on her too.

There's the beretta! Okay. Sex with the gun on? Wow.

I don't know how this one will have a cliffhanger. She cheated on him, he cheated on her. The end.

Oh. That's how. I guess he didn't sing the I got pulled over bit.

So. Gwen has a friend Roxanne who knows Chuck and Rufus (the gays from the beginning). Rufus' wife Kathy, with whom R Kelly had an affair, went to high school with Gwen. Kathy introduced Gwen to Police Officer who made R Kelly a cuckold.

CHAPTER FOUR

2008-05-24T15:17:00.001-04:00

This is some stylistic driving shit.

Woo woo. I will never hear sirens the same way again.

Are police officers allowed to smoke on the job?

Gwen is an awesome liar.

I am going to try singing/narrating every sex scene from now on. Oh and this sex with pants on thing? Fantastic!

Nice cover up, lying Gwen. TOO BAD IT DIDN'T WORK.

CHAPTER THREE

2008-05-24T15:16:00.004-04:00

Okay, pastor with a gay lover, totally cool. Whatever. But your wife picked up some baretta-wielding guy at the club who is now threatening to kill you both and this is the moment you choose to be all hey I'm gay? POOR PLANNING, SIR.

WHY IS R KELLY STILL THERE? Flee the coop! Flee! This ain't none of y'all's bidness.

Okay, shooting commences. I hope no one lives upstairs. Geez.

Who calls it a cellular? Oh R Kelly and your vernacular.

OMG IS HIS WIFE A CHEATIN TOO?

Okay. If she is, why would she let her lover pick up the phooooone? seriously.

I guess we'll find out in...CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER TWO

2008-05-24T15:16:00.003-04:00

Kathy looks like she was told to look scared. And she didn't know how.

What the hell is mack shit? I need me a dictionary all up in here.

Click. Who sings the sound you make when you hang up the phone? Really. I wish I'd written this.

Oh no! Who is on the phone!? Why are they coming back? I think I remember this part.

Okay, he is going to shoot both of them because he doesn't know who is walking up the stairs? I don't know how people with guns roll but this is silly.

CHAPTER ONE

2008-05-24T15:13:00.001-04:00

I forgot how awesomely bad this episodic adventure was. Just the title screen makes me giggle.

That damn dripping water sound is going to drive me insane.

Omg he's in two places at once! On the bed and in the closet.

Woman move out my way! ... Shu shu quiet. Man, this is classic. There he goes to the closet. There's the upstanding husband...

OH NO HIS PHONE IS RINGING!

OMG OMG DON'T LOOK IN THE CLOSET!

Okay, if this story is to be believed, who brings their beretta to the club? I mean, really.

NOW HE'S AT THE CLOSET NOW HE'S OPENING THE CLOSET. Classy lines, man.

Trapped in the Closet

2008-05-24T15:03:00.001-04:00

The first time I watched Trapped in the Closet was three years ago with Micah at AQ. It must have been after some SAC thing. He dragged a bunch of us over to St Joe's and we crowded around someone's laptop, watching the first 11 chapters (if there were more back then, we would have been all over it).

Yesterday, on a whim, I decided to google it and found all TWENTY-TWO CHAPTERS up on ifc.com. Now, I have not watched them all yet but I thought it would be a great way to kick of my liveblog.

Because, really, is there anything better out there?