Year of 20/20 Vision

What I'm Listening To: I'm the World's Greatest-R. Kelly

It was my birthday today. Usually I write in my diary about my reflections upon the past year and how I thought it was. It's funny because usually people think that each year is going to be a good year, which I guess is good because it keeps down pessimism. I learned a lot of things this year, and I keep asking myself if it will ever get any easier. In lieu of the diary entry, I thought I'd just write this post. Everything has suddenly drastically shifted in my life and I am left having to wonder where I'm supposed to go from now. Eventually it will all sort itself out, as it usually does, but when you're going through something, you usually don't think about such things. You usually think it's the end of the world, well kind of...

I brought cookies for people at my new job and they loved them. I'm glad I'm getting to know more people and I can't wait until my first pay check next week. I started on Tuesday and I think I'm getting the hang of things. I don't like to make a huge fuss about my birthday. I hate drawing attention to it so most of the time I don't even mention it when it's the day. Jeff, Britt (the two besties) and I went to eat at Maharajah, the Indian restaurant on the east side of Milwaukee. You know how Chinese food never fills you up? Indian food does the opposite. They brought out these little bowls and I almost was like come on, we paid $15 and you think THAT'S going to fill us up? Britt and I didn't even finish half we were so full. Tomorrow we're taking the party up to Madison to have lunch at Takara and see Sex and the City 2 with people. I'm excited because I can't wait to eat sushi again. Now I have to be good and reply to all of the people on Facebook that wished me happy birthday. Here goes another stab at another year....

Lions, Pythons, & Raccoons

What I'm Listening To: Vienna-Billy Joel

The title is exactly what it sounds like outside. This storm is ridiculous with all of the raging lightening and thunder. Finals are almost over for me and I am relieved to be almost over with another year. It's confusing when people ask me what my rank is in school. Technically I'll be a junior but credit-wise I'm a senior. That is the reason why I keep getting notifications in my student center from administration asking WHY AREN'T YOU GRADUATING? and a lot of times it allows me, or prevents me from getting into the classes that I want. People have been asking me about next year as well. "Where are you living next year?" and "What classes are you taking?" and "Are you going to continue your work with Prime Magazine?" are a lot of the questions that I've been getting. It's been frustrating and exciting to answer that I'll be in Spain and I don't know what I'll be doing next year or where I'll be living. I do know that I'll be going to La Tomatina on August 25th and I am both excited and scared for my life.

La Tomatina is the largest food fight in the world. Weapon of choice: tomatoes. Lots of them. Approximately 90,000 lbs to be precise. And they are thrown all over the little village of Bunol for about an hour until a whistle blows. It's absolutely insane and I'm going to be right in the middle of it. La Tomatina has been going on for years in Bunol, a village about 3 miles over from Valencia, where I'll be heading to at first. Now all  need to do is book a plane ticket and find a good hostel. After the festival, I'm arriving in Madrid earlier than most of my study abroad companions from Madison to just take in the city and familiarize myself with Madrid. They'll come on the 31st (which is the same day as the orientation so they will be jet lagged out of their minds) but I plan on leaving Valencia on the 28 and arriving in Madrid the same day.

Also, my co-workers and I went to Sushi Fest at Takara Restaurant on State Street. I love sushi. It's amazing. Before, I didn't understand why people ate it and now I'm a borderline fanatic. I've managed to convert my dad, but the rest of my family doesn't understand my obsession. However, I do joke that I eat fake sushi because I will only eat a few things raw and they have to be in the maki rolls. Salmon, tuna (occasionally), eel, crab, shrimp. My favorite roll is the Philadelphia (I tend to gravitate toward rolls that have avocado and/or cream cheese in them) and after that the Hawaiian. Do you enjoy sushi? Why or why not and if so, which rolls are your favorite? If not, have you tried it and simply don't like it?

5 more weeks I'll go crazy...

What I'm Listening To: Be on You-Flo Rida ft. Ne-Yo

Census. Student Council Elections. Today has been a blur. Classes are getting ridiculous. I think it's interesting that college students have to count themselves at college and not at their homes. I've been stressed, hence I've been buying up the world. New dresses and clothes. At least it's not my other stress reliever (chocolate) because that would end up being worse in the long run. I know that you have to treat yourself, but I treat myself entirely too well sometimes. Ergo, the Chanel No. 5 perfume. Sometimes I have a Queen of Sheba complex--next thing you know I'll be trying to get their limited edition Black Satin nail polish. I really want it. It's black with a platinum finish that makes your nails look silky smooth and shiny like patent leather. Everyone is out of it in the U.S. and the polish made in France doesn't have the platinum finish that the one in the U.S. had. They say that black onyx by OPI is similar but I already have a cheaper black nail polish and I already bought a ton of China Glaze nail polish. I'll have to review them after I try them because I haven't tried these polish brands before. See this is what I mean by treating myself with little things. Food as well. I gave up sushi for Lent and immediately afterward treated myself to a sushi weekend. Perfumes and shoes are next on the list. Question: if any of you have tried Armani Code or Armani White Diamonds please tell me which one is better?

Weird topic in class, we studied dialects. African American English was basically the case study. I have another question for you, which dialect sounds the worst to you and which one is the best?

I think I'm going to try to submit to some more contests for Nostalgia, but I'm done submitting to agents for a bit. I'm going to continue writing my new book because my target date for that is by the end of the summer, right before I leave for Spain, and I'm really excited for both events. Now if I could just get an internship...