Wordpress Again

Well hi there. Happy New Year!

I have something up my sleeve this fine evening, and no, I'm not talking about dominoes from last night's game of Mexican Train. That was a fair win. Really.

Anyway, here's the thing: we all know that I love to write. We all know that I wish I wrote more, especially where blogging is concerned. And because I'm sick of constantly whining about my lack of dedication and constantly making excuses for it, I've decided to take drastic measures.

This year's New Year's Resolution: To write a blog post every day for an entire year.

Yes, it's bold. Yes, it's tough. But it's also very, very necessary. It's time I got my act together where writing is concerned. It's time I actually followed through with a New Year's Resolution. Plus, let's face it: if I can go without chocolate for 40 days (see Lent last year), then I can do anything.

Here's the other thing: I'm once again ditching you and running toward the shiny professionalism of Wordpress. Rest assured, I will come back. I always seem to.

But for now, this is where I'll be hanging out (http://holly365project.wordpress.com/). I hope to see you there.

A New Era

Merry Christmas!

Tonight, because I'm waiting for Dad to get out of the bathroom so I can get to my toothbrush, and because, self-centered as it may seem, I'm incredibly excited about the gifts I received today, I'm going to tell you about them.

Here's the haul:

A Clarisonic (yeah, I know I'm weird, but I love trying new beauty products/gadgets. And this one is supposed to help a lot with dry skin, which I have in abundance this time of year.)

A watch (so I can time myself running (or at least have the option. When it comes to running, sometimes I lie to myself about how long I actually go for. And yes, I do sleep well at night.)

2 movies (the new Jane Eyre (Amelia we're so watching this together sometime), and the final Harry Potter)

A lovely sweater

2 books (the prettiest edition of Gone With the Wind I've ever seen (my old one is a gross little paperback that looks like a trashy romance novel from a distance), and Inheritance (FINALLY I GET TO READ IT. I'VE HAD TO WAIT FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS)

A Madison rowing team t-shirt so I can cheer on my baby sister properly

Slippers

An itunes card

Mittens

A word of the day calendar (yes, yes: my family knows me well)

A pair of Tom's

Aaaanndd....an iphone.

I am now the proud owner of an iphone. It's so funny, because I didn't have an iphone on my list, and have never really hinted about wanting one. I mean, obviously I have always admired them and thought that down the line I'd like to own one. But they're just so expensive, and frankly, I didn't think I was cool enough or high tech enough for an iphone. I don't think I'm quite the type to carry around a fancy phone, just like I'm not the type to wear a pantsuit or apply eye shadow successfully or walk down the aisle on my wedding day without tripping (fingers crossed, folks). However, now that I have one, I think that maybe I can change.

This is a new era, my friends, and I'm beginning it proudly, with iphone in pocket and confidence in heart.

Merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve

Well, I know I've been MIA for awhile, but as it's Christmas Eve, and as I have a tradition of doing a post every Christmas Eve night, I thought I would pick up here.

Dad is currently watching Celtic Women on TV. I don't understand it, nor do I share this taste, but he just loves the Celtic Women. I catch him watching it all the time, and it's gotten bad enough that he knows which women have left the group to pursue solo careers, and which women put in hair extensions in between numbers. I worry about him sometimes.

Amy is curled up on the couch, puke bucket pulled close. She's been sick since this morning with the flu. We're all hoping she feels better for Christmas. Mom says I can't keep her presents if she doesn't.

I just finished making my study abroad slideshow on iphoto. If you see me on the street, I'll totally stop and show you this slideshow; I put in music and everything.

And now I think I'll settle down in bed with Gone With The Wind.

Tomorrow will be church and prime rib and ping pong on the table my cousins got from Grandma and wondering if I finally got the pony I've been begging for.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Stay gold.

December 8th, 2011

I hear the bells of Salzburg
Ringing for the Immaculate Conception.
Stores are closed today
in honor of the event.
Even the athletic field lights won't turn on tonight,
So instead, we toss the frisbee
back and forth
under the sunshine in the park
As couples stroll along, basking in December
The promise of a Savior
Hands wrapped around the spicy smell of Glühwein.

Tuesday Observations

A few observations:

Chai tea is gross. No matter how much you want to like it, no matter how convinced you are that you've finally become a tea drinker and can sip with the best of them, somehow you still can't stomach the odd gingerbread-y taste of chai tea. Even when the nice man behind the counter puts honey in it for you.

Swiss watches are expensive. And just because you're a college student, and want one for a Christmas present, and spotted the perfect one in a store window, doesn't mean that the price drops down from the thousands where it currently lingers with a Grinch-like grin.

The Year Without a Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! This is the fourth one we're celebrating together (if you can believe it).

There was the 2008 Thanksgiving Narrative

There was the 2009 Cranky Thanksgiving Post

And there was the 2010 Thankful Thanksgiving (yes, it took me three years to actually figure out the purpose of the holiday)

This year, however, is radically different. This year is the Year of No Thanksgiving.

They don't celebrate it over here, you see. I had classes today as usual. Stores are open. There are no touch football games going on in the park, and there are no driveways overflowing with out-of-town cars.

It's an ordinary day here in Austria, and I have to say, it makes me a little sad.

AIFS is trying to make it up to us by organizing a fancy dinner concert for tonight. We're going to the oldest restaurant in Europe to eat a three course meal (traditional Austrian food, not turkey) and listen to Mozart. Dresses and suits are required.
And while this is all very nice, and while I appreciate the program trying to make us feel less forlorn about missing Thanksgiving, I would much prefer jeans and sweatshirts to a cocktail dress. I would rather eat my Dad's homemade stuffing than schnitzel. I would rather sit across the table from my young cousins than from people who don't know the first thing about me. Heck, I would rather suffer through another Packer win than listen to a string quartet.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to study in Salzburg. I'm thankful for all that I've seen and experienced. I'm thankful for my health and my newfound independence and for my family and friends back home who love me. I'm thankful for Special K Cereal (red berries).

And I'm thankful for you, especially if you stuck with me after the 2009 Thanksgiving post (that was rough to reread).

Have a wonderful day, you guys. Eat plenty of turkey for me.

This Year's Fourth of July

The best thing about having a blog for almost-three years is that you can look back at posts. You can say, "I wonder what the younger, dorkier version of myself was doing on this day two years ago?" And then you can check. Of course, this checking back usually does come with quite a bit of humiliation. I just hang my head at some of the things I wrote about almost-three years ago.

Luckily, though, for this post, I only had to look back one year. Not so very embarrassing. One year ago, I spent the Fourth weekend on Lake Superior. I got terribly sunburned and had to walk around Target for the next few weeks with my nose peeling gorgeously. I tried (and failed) to read Crime and Punishment.

This year has been a little different.

I woke up at 11:15 this morning (only because my alarm made me). I stayed in bed until 11:40.
I had Crispex and milk for breakfast. I cleaned my bathroom immediately afterward because Mom was coming home and I had put off doing it all weekend. I took a shower in Mom and Dad's bathroom because my shower was filled with hazardous cleaning chemicals. I watched some Cake Boss on TV.
At 2:30 I took the dogs out to run around. I brought Dear Old Hemingway with me, but didn't end up reading much; it was much more fun to chase Ruby around with the hose. And then to attempt to chase Annie as well until she got smart and cowered by the steps, where Dear Old Hemingway lay. Darn dog knew I would never risk getting a book wet. Especially a library book. Darn dog.
The family got home at 3:06 and 3:10, respectively. I was happy to see them.
Then we all sat down at the kitchen table to plot things out. We decided on mini golf, and then some sort of dinner/ice cream combo afterwards.
I won at mini golf. I also got the only hole-in-one of the evening.
But I don't talk about that.
We decided to drive to S*** for dinner, which started out being a bad idea (it was packed), and ended up being a good idea (we ate on the river and it was delicious). We then sought out a place that has ridiculously huge ice creams (I got chocolate peanut butter-best thing in the world), and nearly died of thirst on the way home (ice cream always makes you thirsty, have you ever noticed?).
Also on the way home, we drove through S*** (different S***). Mom mentioned the time when Grandma, Grandpa, Amy and I set off to go to a nearby driving range and ended up lost in S*** due to my poor sense of direction. In my defense, I was only about 11. Also in my defense, I have a poor sense of direction.
At home, we all settled down on the couch to watch Love Actually, which is actually a really great movie. I'm currently trying to decide who I love more: Hugh Grant or Colin Firth. It's a toughie, right? Witty and down-to-earth and awkward or stoic and romantic and awkward? Notting Hill or Pride and Prejudice? Will ponder this, and consider moving to Britain, where a Hugh-Colin combo platter perfect man has to be waiting for me.

Happy Fourth everyone.

P.S. It just occured to me that in my effort to *** town names for the sake of privacy, I actually succeeded in making it look like I was ***-ing out profanities. And when you read this post, mentally subbing in said profanities, it's kind of funny. Sorry. I'm immature.

In Which Holly Gets Off The Couch

I haven't done much today.

Actually, I haven't really done anything all week. Well, that's not true. Yesterday Mom and I went to the Apple Store so I could get my computer's battery replaced. Once that was done, we walked through Macy's on our way out to the parking lot. Darn Macy's! I knew there was a reason why I hate department stores!

I dropped my laptop in Macy's.

And even though it was in its case, the bottom right corner of the screen got bent, so that whenever I try to close my laptop, the bent corner scratches the corresponding corner of the base.

So tomorrow I get to bring Mac back in to the Apple Store for another repair.

Anyway, I haven't done much today.

Amy's working on sewing her prom dress (long story), Mom's grading middle school science fair projects (she has the same spring break as me), and Dad's at work...working.

As for me, I've been lying on the couch all day reading the Duggar's book (how I love that family) and petting the dog, who has finally gotten over her traditional 2-day aversion to me (happens every time I come home on a break from school).

To make up for my lack of productivity, then, I volunteered to make dinner. Now, this isn't really such a big deal. I'm not one of those kids who has never had to make dinner in her life. On the contrary, one year both my parents had to work extra late, so guess who had to cook every night? Plus, I watch the Food Network religiously. Plus, I actually LIKE to cook.

But still, you just never know how things are going to turn out.

So here goes-Pizza Margherita, courtesy of Emeril Lagasse. It's nice to be off that couch.

Lenten Resolution Revealed (among other things)

This morning I sat in Turtle Mountain Cafe, reading Langston Hughes, eating my breakfast yogurt, and sipping a hot chocolate that would have tasted better had I not witnessed the worker making it. She dumped a few scoops of powder into hot water and stirred it around. No whipped cream or anything. So much for Fat Tuesday.

I'm giving up chocolate for Lent (and any admiration for my sacrifice is much appreciated-I think chocolate is probably the hardest thing I can possibly give up, save reading, which would not even be realistic), so I thought I'd better get as much in as I can while I can. Will eat a Kit Kat later as well.

I've also been dreaming of Spring Break. 1 exam, 1 four page paper, and 3 days are all that stand between me and home.

I Carry Your Heart With Me

A few things I've done today:

1. Took a German test (horrific. I was so tired last night, and the Nyquil was kicking in, and I just stopped caring about dative verbs. It happens, although I certainly hope I get my act together for the next test)

2. Walked to Subway with my roommate for dinner. The girl behind the counter was quite chatty: "You know Andrea broke up with her boyfriend of 2 months and she called in to say she couldn't work. When I broke up with my boyfriend of 2 and a half years I worked every single day!"

Can I just have my Italian BMT please?

3. Played intramural volleyball. We had an off night, which was really okay. The not so okay part was two members of our team being poor sports and huffing off the court afterwards like they wanted nothing to do with the rest of us. If there's anything I've learned playing sports, it's that any loss (or win) is a culmination of events. Bad serves, missed blocks, out-of-bounds spikes, etc. It's incredibly unfortunate when people choose to point fingers and dwell on individual plays.

4. Went to community council, which was interesting and fairly heated as usual. I spoke up against spending money on things like paint-your-own-piggy-banks and tie-dye-shirts, and was instead in favor of using our money for something more permanent, like lamps or chairs or a Blu-Ray player. I don't think I made a whole lot of friends at that meeting.


I guess this hasn't been a very Valentine-y post, but here's a Valentine-y poem I found to love things up a bit:

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

-E.E. Cummings (I Carry Your Heart With Me)

No Assembly Required

It's funny to think that almost exactly a year ago, I was lying on the couch at Grandma's, staring at a fake Christmas tree, and blogging about the Minivan Miracle in Marathon, Wisconsin (for the full story, see last year's post).

This Christmas, I'm quite displaced. For one thing, I'm in my own bed. At home. In Minnesota.
Two German Shepherd dogs lie on the kitchen floor. The younger one (who wasn't even alive last Christmas) is sleeping comically on her back with her paws up in the air. The older one sleeps more sedately, and she pricks her ears as I wander past to look at the tree.
Our tree is very real (evidenced by the constant dropping of pine needles, which drives Dad nuts), very tall, and surrounded by presents of various sizes (displaying various levels of wrapping expertise). As I stare at it, bare feet cold against the wood floor, I can't help but think that by this time tomorrow, Christmas will be ending. The magic of the season, which has been present ever since Thanksgiving, will be packed away with the bulbs and nut dishes and empty, sad stockings. The tree will remain for a week or so, but then it too will be cast aside, thrown up and over the deck rail to slowly rot in the snow. In the spring, what's left of the tree will fuel a bonfire down by the lake. By this time tomorrow, all of the presents will be unwrapped. They will be glorious, undoubtedly, but they will lose a little of their glimmer as soon as they are opened.

I've watched quite a few Christmas movies over this past week, and it seems that in every single one, the 'moral' is that Christmas is about more than presents. Christmas is a feeling, a state of mind, and even an action. Christmas, it seems, is good old generosity and kindness all wrapped up in red and green and gold. The 'moral' part of Christmas is truly the part that doesn't dim over time. Generosity doesn't run out of batteries. Kindness can't be cracked or broken. The very best part of Christmas is the lasting part.

So may your caskets remain unblown, may your stockings bulge with promise, and may you enjoy this blessed holiday surrounded by those you love most.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

A Christmas List

After days of thought (I'm serious. Days) I have compiled the following list:

Holly Lynn Gruntner's Absolute Favorite Christmas Movies of All Time:

1. The Year Without a Santa Claus-My favorite of what I fondly call the "furry" animated Christmas films (you know what I mean-they're all on ABC every Christmas). Why do I like this one in particular so much? Two reasons: Snow Miser and Heat Miser.

2. Heidi (Shirley Temple version)-When my sister and I were little, my grandparents bought us a dozen Shirley Temple films on VHS. They had grown up seeing Shirley on the big screen, and wanted to pass her down. Heidi isn't my favorite S.T., but it's certainly the most Christmassy. Also, as in all the S.T.'s, there are plenty of wholesome, ridiculous, genuinely hilarious moments.

3. The Family Stone-This is one of the few on my list that came out fairly recently. Featuring an ensemble cast (think Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Luke Wilson...), The Family Stone is first and foremost about (you guessed it) a family. A quirky, judgemental, close-knit family who has a little trouble accepting a certain outsider into their midst. I would highly highly recommend this one.

4. The Santa Claus-You've all seen it. You all probably love it. Bernard the Elf makes me laugh harder than any other sarcastic, dread-locked elf I know.

5. Joyeux Noel-I first saw this one in high school, in a War History class. It's about a moment in history I never knew about: during World War I, there was something called the Christmas Truce, when opposing sides stopped their shooting and got together for a celebration. Beautiful, beautiful film.

6. Home Alone-Again, you know this one. In my family, we actually watch Home Alone on Thanksgiving, but since it's still technically a Christmas film, I thought I'd list it.

7. It's a Wonderful Life-Only seen this one once, but I hope to get a hold of it this year as well.

8. Gremlins (yes, I consider this a Christmas movie)-Steven Spielberg. Green Goblins. Snow White. Furbies. Christmas. What better combination is there?

9. Love Actually-I hope you've seen this one. Please tell me you have. I don't know how to describe it. Romantic comedy, ensemble cast, and it's about...well...you know.

10. Elf-I KNOW HIM!

Finals Finale

I'm done.
After about a week solid of sleeping 4 hours a night, after writing 3 papers and taking 2 exams, finals are finally, finally over.
I have to say, I don't remember finals being this bad last year.
I also have to say I'm proud of myself. Around this time on Sunday, I wasn't sure I could do it.
But I did. Somehow. And actually, I'm feeling good about what I've accomplished. My honors paper (as I told you) was pretty bad, but my Understanding Writing reflection paper was probably the best thing I've written for that class yet, and my Icelandic Sagas paper (which I finished about 3 hours ago) was decent as well.

As for the exams, well, I don't know. For German we had to write a 200 word essay in 2 hours (in German, obviously). The upside was that we could use our books. Having learned from the practice essay we wrote a few weeks ago, I made things easy for myself and wrote simple sentences. You know, "I gave my mother a book." That type of thing.

American Lit. was harder than I expected, truthfully. I studied the authors' names and work titles until I knew absolutely all of them, but maybe I should have made sure I knew what was in their works also. Oh well. The essay part was awesome! For the prompt I chose, I had to pick a character and explain (using Puritan, Enlightenment, and Romantic/Transcendentalist principles) why that character was unAmerican (hmm that word looks strange, but spell check is accepting it, so whatever). I wrote about Bartleby from Bartleby the Scrivener. I hope the essay turned out as well as I thought it did, because near the end of it I was so desperate to be done that I think I may have rambled a bit. Hopefully the ramblings were coherent.

Anyway, I'm all packed and ready to go home, just waiting for Mom to come get me.

I have to say, it still hasn't hit me that I'm actually finished with this semester, and that I'll have a whole month off to read and work and sit around. I kind of feel like I've been the energizer bunny all semester, just going and going and going, and now I've suddenly hit a brick wall, and I'm still lying stunned on the sidewalk, unable to comprehend what happened.

I'm sure I'll recover soon enough. In the mean time, "Be well, do good work, and keep in touch."

Things I'm Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving. I recall last year (or was it the year before?) I didn't want to talk about Thanksgiving. Not because I don't love it, but because there didn't seem to be anything new to say about it. Same old food, family, gratitude, etc. Rinse and repeat.
The thing is, though, this year the repeat part is what I'm especially thankful for. I'm thankful that we have a tradition like Thanksgiving that is the same year after year.

Right now I'm laying on my back in my old comfy bed. My laptop is propped on my knees. My throat hurts like the dickens. So does my head. Of course I haven't had so much as a sniffle the whole semester at school, but the instant I was home I got sick. So it goes.
I'm thankful for Nyquil. Is it okay for one to be thankful for drugs?

Other things I'm thankful for (besides the obvious (but still important) friends family health food shelter etc):
1. Sweats
2. Books
3. Cousins that aren't so little anymore
4. Dogs
5. Paul McCartney
6. Optimism
7. Garfield comics
8. The color blue
9. Strangers who smile
10. Part time jobs
11. Snow

Goodnight everyone. I'll see you tomorrow for some mad Black Friday shopping. I'll be the red-eyed one toting the Kleenex box. Hopefully I'll be smiling.

Spend a Day With Benjamin Franklin

Well, after nearly a whole day of reading Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography, I find that I have a newfound respect for the man. I mean, I knew he was brilliant before. I remembered from high school AP History that he sort of stormed the Founding Fathers and pushed through some points that were certainly important to push through. I'm afraid I don't remember any specifics.

I suppose if my vague history remembrances don't prove his worth, you can always look at his well-known scientific achievements. The guy flew a kite in a lightning storm, for goodness' sakes! If that doesn't make him a hero, I don't know what does.

Anyway, as I said, I liked Benjamin Franklin before I read his autobiography. Now I completely admire him. Just listen to a bit of his introduction:

"So would I if I might, besides correcting the Faults, change some sinister Accidents and Events of it for others more favorable, but tho' this were denied, I should still accept the Offer. However, since such a Repetition is not to be expected, the Thing most like living one's Life over again, seems to be a Recollection of that Life; and to make that Recollection as durable as possible, the putting it down in Writing. Hereby, too, I shall indulge the Inclination so natural in old Men, to be talking of themselves and their own past Actions, and I shall indulge it, without being troublesome to others who thro' respect to Age might think themselves oblig'd to give me a Hearing, since this may be read or not as any one pleases. And lastly, (I may as well confess it, since my denial of it will be believ'd by no body) perhaps I shall a good deal gratify my own Vanity. Indeed I scarce ever heard or saw the introductory Words, Without Vanity I may say, etc. but some vain thing immediately follow'd. Most People dislike Vanity in others whatever Share they have of it themselves, but I give it fair Quarter wherever I meet with it, being persuaded that it is often productive of Good to the Possessor and to others that are within his Sphere of Action: And therefore in many Cases it would not be quite absurd if a Man were to thank God for his Vanity among the other Comforts of Life."

What a guy. And he writes like that throughout his entire Autobiography, constantly referencing what he called his "Erratum," or his grave life mistakes, and earnestly (and oftentimes humorously) taking us along on his quest for self-improvement.
Benjamin Franklin strived to better himself in all ways, from experimenting with vegetarianism, to starting an academic club, to creating a respectful reputation for himself both in business and in personal dealings.
In fact, much of what I've read so far about Benjamin Franklin can be summed up in one of his quotes: "Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man."

Happy Labor Day everyone.

Something Russian

Okay so I'm just going to blog I think. It's about 1:39 a.m. here, and I've been trying to fall asleep for the past 4 hours. No joke. I've done just about everything to try to help myself fall asleep:
I started reading Crime and Punishment.
I put aloe on my sunburn.
I crept out of bed and turned on the air conditioning.
I imagined things.

But if there's one thing I've learned in my almost 20 years of life, it's that there's absolutely no point to tossing and turning in bed when you know you won't be able to sleep.

My Fourth of July (if you'll excuse the abrupt change of topic,) has actually been fairly uneventful (in fact, if you're having trouble sleeping as well, this post may help you). We spent part of the weekend anchored in Big Bay, Madeline Island, Lake Superior, Wisconsin (sorry but I felt clarification was necessary). While Mom and Dad chatted and waded on shore with a bunch of other, older boaters, Amy and I pretty much sat on the back deck with the dogs and read all day Saturday. Hence the sunburn.

We headed back to the harbor Saturday night, and I happily slept through the first few hours of the Fourth. This morning (or yesterday morning technically, but you know what I mean) I awoke to the boat rocking fairly violently. Apparently, there was some sort of storm coming, so we decided to just pack up and start the drive home early so as to avoid it. While everyone else carried stuff to the car, I sat by the dogs to make sure Ruby didn't do another nose dive into the water (she did one Saturday morning and one of our neighbors had to rescue her; she can swim and all, but since she was tied up the leash was sort of strangling her as she paddled).

Once we were home and unpacked, I promptly got into bed and slept for three hours (certainly a factor of my current insomnia). After dinner we played Mexican train, and then drifted off to do separate things. I showered and headed back to bed. And here I am, 4 hours later. Still here, still awake.

You know, I wouldn't mind this at all if I weren't so sure that work will be an absolute nightmare tomorrow if I'm exhausted from lack of sleep. I really do like this time of night (or day (again, if we're being technical)).

Crime and Punishment, eh (gosh, I fail at segues)? I guess I can elaborate on that a bit. I got the book for a graduation present from a neighbor who lives down the street from me. It was actually really sweet of him to give it to me; I don't know him especially well or anything like that. It's a beautiful edition, too. Heavy and green and embossed with gold on the side. Beautifully intimidating.

I've been meaning to read it for this past year, but just haven't got around to it. It is a rather large undertaking. It is Russian. But I'm hoping that if I make a goal of getting through a few chapters a day, and if I have another book going on the side, it won't be too bad. Oh no, I'm sorry if I'm making this out to be a punishment (no pun intended with the title) of sorts. I'm sure that I'll enjoy it once I get started (it's not a classic for nothing), it's simply that with books like this, getting started is usually the tough part.

What is really making me adamant about reading Crime and Punishment (you might as well know before you erect a statue in my honor), is that I had a dream about it the other night. I don't remember much of the dream, just that in it I read Crime and Punishment, and I was telling someone that I had read it, and they were quite impressed with me. That's it.

Above all else, though, I think I'm slightly being guilted by the fact that a 19-almost-20-year-old English major who has never read anything Russian is slightly disappointing, and slightly at a disadvantage to all the other 19-almost-20 English majors who have read heavy Russian novels.

Alright, I think I'll leave off on the rambling and try once again to get to sleep.
A final shout out to the neighbors: the Fourth of July has been over for two hours and twelve minutes now. Please cease the fireworks and the wild hollering so that your lovely neighbor's upcoming attempt to drift off will not be in vain. Thanks much.

A Good Year

I think that's the title of a movie, actually. No problem; I like double meanings (or double references, if you prefer).

In all seriousness, however, it has been a good year. A year of changes, for sure. I've done so many things in 2009 that I had zero experience with in previous years.
For example:

1. I had my first two real boyfriends. Both were wonderful, both ended up being just friends, and both taught me a lot.

2. I graduated high school.

3. I went off to college.

4. I began to seriously consider my writing.

5. I went to state for speech.

6. I went to New York City (my first time out East).

There are many more things that should be on this list, but I think I'll keep things moving forward.
I'm not going to write my New Year's resolutions here. I think the whole point of such resolutions is that you keep them secret, and that you are responsible for keeping yourself dedicated to fulfilling them. I will say, however, that my resolutions this year focus on growing up, mainly, and making myself into the adult I want to be.

Honestly, I intended this entry to be a bit more epic, especially considering the occasion. I'm sorry to have let you down, but I think for now I'll focus on enjoying what's left of 2009.

Happy New Year, dear bloggers. I hope it's as bright as the last one was.

A Griswold Christmas, or How My Family Blew a Gasket

First of all, Merry Christmas dear bloggers. I hope that your day is wonderful. We're only ten minutes into the blessed holiday and so far things are looking good.

I'm sitting on the couch in my Grandma's living room in pitch darkness. My sister is asleep on an air mattress below me, and the Christmas tree (small and fake as it is) sits somewhere ahead of me on a table. I can almost make out the silhouette of the thing against the pink outside the window.

Suddenly I am struck with an urge to put out milk and cookies for Santa. This task, besides being childish, would prove near impossible due to the lack of light and of cookies. Still, I hope Santa understands that despite the lack of refreshment, the nineteen-year-old sleeping on the couch has been quite good this year and deserves due reward. And her sister should get a little something too, I suppose.

I guess that you're wondering about the title of this post. It's a reference to the National Lampoons in honor of the very Griswold-y time we had actually getting to Grandma's house.

For starters, our van began overheating while we were driving on the freeway, about two hours from Grandma's. Luckily, there was an exit nearby, and we were able to just barely pull into the parking lot of a gas station/McDonald's before the van completely died. Dad went inside to buy some coolant, but upon pouring it in he discovered that there was a part missing, and that the coolant was just leaking back out.

Luckily (again) there was a mechanic on duty, and he walked out to look at the van. He promptly determined that something was wrong with the casket (don't ask me what that is, but it sounds like gasket, which I found funny), and that the problem would take days to fix. He offered to loan us a van (bless him), and went to get it from his garage and to put a dealer liscense plate on it. Technically, you aren't supposed to let people just borrow vehicles like that, but he told us that if we got pulled over for some reason, we should just say that we're taking the van 'for a test drive.'

When he came back with the 'rental' van, we piled all of our stuff into it. We had a lot of stuff, too. Two duffel bags each plus four laundry baskets of gifts, four pairs of snow boots, two backpacks, and two pairs of snowshoes. Dad joked that all we were missing was Grandma in the trunk (another Lampoon reference, sorry).

Finally we were on our way, leaving our van and the small town of Marathon, Wisconsin behind. I know this ordeal sounds like just some dumb car trouble, and maybe it was, but how lucky that our van began breaking down so close to an exit, and that that exit led to a gas station with a mechanic willing to lend us a van so we could finish our trip? Not to be cheesy, but around Christmastime especially, I think this qualifies as a minor miracle.

I should be off to bed now. Or off to couch, if you prefer.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

I Live An Amazing Life

For example:

Last night, my roommate Ally and I realized that December 6th is St. Nicholas Day. On the eve of this day, you're supposed to put your shoes outside of your bedroom door in hopes that St. Nicholas will stop by and fill them with goodies. I convinced Ally that we should each put a shoe in the hallway outside our dorm room, though we we didn't really think that they would be filled when we woke up.

This morning, Ally woke me up by screaming, "He came, he came!"

In each of our shoes were two packs of gum, a package of hot chocolate, and a package of popcorn.

St. Nicholas is real.

Things I've Accomplished Today (So Far)

1. Prepared another gift for my Secret Squirrel
2. Made plans for a sleepover this Friday night
3. Spread Christmas cheer to my roommate
4. Took a two hour nap
5. Wrote one sentence of my article
6. Gotten into a disagreement over something fairly stupid


That is all.