A little bit of ketchup

I've had an excellent week. I drove up to John's house the day after Christmas (Monday) and we headed out to Virginia to visit his extended family. His family is pretty awesome. I like them. They adore me, for some reason I can't quite figure out. They even got me Christmas presents before they met me! I have a lot of thank you notes to write this year... sadly, all my stationary is at school, so they'll take a while.

I think when I send out thank you notes, I'll also write Christmas cards, and send out a newsletter about what's been going on in my life. That way I don't have to write the same thing a gazillion times.

Anyway. We're back at John's house, and he and I are going to drive back to my place so he can stay with us for a while. He's been doing some work for my dad.

It's just been an awesome time. I finally feel like I've had a Christmas break: I've been chilling out, watching movies with John, talking to his family and gaining more and more of his mother's trust, and getting to know the guy I'm going to marry one day.

So now I'm going to get off of his laptop, and go brush my teeth. I think we're going to get pizza today, and then get COLDSTONE!!! (he found out I like coldstone because we were reading my book, the one about the two kids who meet over facebook and fall in love? if you want more info on that, email me ;))

anyway.

I'll be home by this afternoon. :)

We got back from virginia last night (i visited John's g-ma) and today we're going to the mall, dinner, movie, and icecream. This finally feels like Xmas break.

Sick. John left his place at 6am and got here by 8. He brought me an espresso and some cough drops. What a sweetie. I love this guy.

I'm going to make a video

called "10 things you didn't know about me."

Here's the list. the video will be online eventually, but I won't link it. if you know my firstnamelastname you can search it on youtube.

1. I have multiple identities online. This is only one of them. mwaahhahahhaa! (but don't worry, they're all used for good and not evil)

2. I have a strange fascination with flicking my pocket knife open and closed.

3. I was forced to get my ears pierced when I was fourteen! My ballet teacher told me I had to wear earrings with my costume, and unless it was against my parent's rules, I needed to get them pierced so I could wear earrings for the show. today, I hardly ever wear earrings because I'm allergic to all of them, even silver plated. I can't wear anything else except silver plated because my holes will bleed and turn black, and I can't wear nice quality ones for more than a few hours.

4. I'm allergic to makeup. it makes my eyes water and burn and itch. performance days were always a nightmare.

5. I listen to ballet music on my laptop, in the car, on my phone, while I'm studying, etc. because I'm so used to focusing and relaxing and thinking clearly when I hear it, that it has that effect on me now.

6. I'm extremely flexible. My ballet teacher called me Gumbi Girl because I just sort of stretch like a rubber band.

7. I can't seem to find jeans that fit me. If they fit my hips, they're too short. If they're long enough, they're too loose. So most of the time, I either wear a kid's belt that I've punched extra holes in, or I wear overalls. because overalls don't fall down.

8. I'm allergic to chocolate. it makes my throat burn and my eyes water and I cough and gag.

9. I bite my fingers like crazy but I'm trying to stop. my thumbs are almost healed now! yay!

10. I'm Dyslexic. I'm a book reviewer and a writer, but I'm dyslexic. this is why I play the piano and the recorder by ear: I can't read music.

Do you prefer candy or popcorn at the movies?

candy. and i always sneak it in.

John used to work at a movie theater, and he told me stories about popcorn...like how they save it from the night before and recycle it and how he would find whole bags and boxes of unopened candy in the seats, and of the...ahem...things...he had to clean up from the theater. EWWWW.

I will never go to a movie the same way again.

Ask me anything

back home

well, we made it alive. we had to drop off one of Sis's friends in Charlotte, and we got stuck in traffic for an hour and a half. then it was raining. and on the last leg of the trip (about 2.5 hours) we both got food poisoning and had to pull over at a Harris Teeter and take a bathroom break.

C'est la vie.

or as John says it, Vie la C'est.

or as John accidently says it sometimes, Cie la Vey.

Whatever.

We got to John's house Friday night at about 11:30. Sis and I talked with him and his folks for a little while, and then they went to bed. John and I went upstairs and hung out until 2:30 in the morning, which was so much fun I can't even explain it. It was just so nice to sit and talk face to face (and, okay, he is so warm and soft and is an awesome hugger. and there may have been a kiss or two thrown in there too). we ended the night by watching Family Guy, which is his favorite tv show (in case you don't know what it is, it's so dumb, but it's hilarious.)

next morning John's mom and Sis and I went to Starbucks and got coffee (because she loves to dote on us) and then she showed us some of her really cool Christmas ornaments. then John and I took Sis to a MtG shop where she hung out for a few hours, and then we went downtown to a knitting shop, an antique shop, a tea shop, and a CHOCOLATE BAKERY. omg. he got me this yummy thing that idk what it was, chocolate covered cheesecake with cream and fudge or something. man it was yummy.

then we took Sis to the mall and walked around a little and looked at sweaters and I got really inspired.

then we left. that was the sad part. but Sis drove so I didn't have to.

we're finally back. now we're just chilling at home. I'm eating a microwaved chicken pot pie.

(some things never change)

dad is drawing. Sis and Joe (her guy friend) and Ears are playing magic. Fish is coming down with a cough. Mom is watching Holiday Inn upstairs.

And I am on my period exactly when I'm supposed to be. The birth control worked. I also didn't have ANY mood crashes this month, thanks to the anxiety meds. I have never been so happy to have a period.

Of course it's not exactly comfortable, so I'm not really enjoying myself, but I feel like a functional woman, and that's nice.

the only thing I have to do now is find some jeans that won't fall off. John wants to get me some for Christmas. I might let him. :)

He's coming up soon. in a few days. He'll spend some time here before Christmas, and then stay for the day-before-christmas-eve party, and then go home with his parents. and then the day after Christmas I'm going up there and visiting some family with them.

yay. this is going to be a fun Christmas.

also.

I'M DONE WITH SCHOOL FOR THE SEMESTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH MY GOSH I AM SO HAPPY.

that is all.

lost friends

Sometimes I listen to ballet barre music to relax. Maybe it's a conditioned response, but man do I feel relaxed and focused when I listen to Josu Gallastegui. I think I might burn copies for my car.

There's this girl in my french class, we'll call her Rachel. She isn't a Christian. She swears like a sailor and she talks about sex like it's her hobby. It might become one, since she recently broke up with her boyfriend, an event that put her in the hospital. when she told me about that, I saw what I should have seen sooner: not only is she lost, she's dead and searching for meaning in life, and looking for real love that doesn't leave you over stupid immature things.

Next semester we're going to work out together. We're going to get up early—5:30!—and run, and I'm going to teach her pilates and some ballet exercises for her feet (she's very physically broken) and she's going to teach me martial arts. Which is cool because then John and I will be able to do that together!

Anyway, I know as a workout buddy there is a lot of talking. I'm asking for prayer for Rachel and for me. I can see God working in her life. He's putting her though things, and breaking her down. I'd like to think He's softening her heart. I want to be the took He uses to draw her to Him. But I'm going to need courage.

Anyway, that's what's been pressing on my mind lately. Not so much the French test that we take this afternoon at 1 (which I'd also appreciate prayer about…) but more about her. I can't imagine what her life must be like, thinking that sex is crucial to have a relationship with a guy, or that the coolest job on earth would be working in a bar.

The thing is, she's a really cool person. She's just wrong about some things.

Anyway.

I need to stop starting my sentences with "Anyway."

I GET TO SEE JOHN TODAY.

AND I GET TO SEE MY FAMILY TOMORROW!

JOY.

Some college students are stupid.

Some college student robbed the State credit union out here. Moron! He only got $300 and then, of all dumb choices, he went back to his apartment that was walking distance from the credit union.

Everyone thought he was on campus, so they sent out shelter-in-place and we were locked down for two hours. He never ended up coming on campus though.

during the course of the lockdown, I filmed my podcast (which you can find by searching my firstnamelastname on youtube) talked to John on the phone, and took a call from my possible future employer for my summer internship (more on that when my plans get finalized!).

Speaking of the internship, the place I'm thinking about going has very limited wi-fi, and no cell service. That means no boyfriend phone calls and no skyping. which means there will be lots of blog posts and probably some video blogging on my youtube channel.

Anyway. More updates soon.

Three more finals for me! An online English test, an essay I need to turn in, and a French test. Then I'll be out of here. YAY!

<3

random stuff I found on my computer that I've been meaning to post

My favorite words

dictionary of my favorite words. Some exist, some are mine. the ones that are blank still need true definitions. please leave suggestions in the comments!!

Anti-engishified: when a sentence has more than three negatives.

Awkwad:

Examified:

Forlorney:

Mamihlapinatapai: (ma-me-la-pi-nat-a-pie) a look which two people share that shows they both desire something but neither is willing to act upon it.

Haemolacria: a disease in which the victim cries blood

Homolacria: when you cry rainbows

HIPPOPOTOMONSTROSESQUIPEDALIOPHOBIA: fear of long words

Incrazy:

Lack-age:

Normaler—more normal than someone else. Example: “She is normaler than me.”

Relationshnip: the snipping of a relationship. Not to be confused with “shnip.”

Shnip: A really bad haircut.

Stupdi:

Swaning: going on a walk with your boyfriend to look at swans.