"Hold the ones you love close"

It's kind of like the cliffs of insanity, but you can't climb it with a rope. So although it's not really an excuse, this is why I haven't updated in a while. A little over two weeks ago, my family made the trek back up to Western to move me in for another exciting year of school. My last exciting year of school sadly, thanks to the Running Start program. I will be graduating this spring. The drive was a little stressful as instead of doing it all in one shot and then relaxing, we did one night with my dad's mom and stepdad and one night with his dad and stepmom. And while I love my grandparents and am glad for the chance to see them, I do not travel well. Something in my internal system freaks out and I have to eat mild foods like toast or noodles the whole trip until I get settled.

Plus, the stress was high between us on the drive. We take two cars when we move me, because that's the only way all my stuff fits. Now, before we left Federal Way that Sunday, Mom asked if we should fill up the cars. Dad said, "Nah, we have enough gas to make it at least most of the way." So off we went. We got stuck in some Seattle traffic, but as traffic goes it wasn't as terrible as it could have been. We lost Dad and Meg in the traffic (they were in one car with Meghan's friend Megan, while Mom and I were in my car with me driving) but that was okay because I knew exactly how to get there and hey, we had cell phones if we needed to stop. Right outside of Seattle, Meg calls Mom and says they're stopping for gas and the bathroom (because my sister has the bladder of a puppy). We decide to stop as well since breakfast wasn't sitting quite well with Mom and she needed the restroom as well. So Mom asks for the stop and directions to where they are.

Turns out Dad took the most complicated exit EVER. It was the exit for the ferry and had like three different branches and twisted around. We did manage to find them, but having uncertain directions handed to you in real time in not a very good way to drive. Because who knows if you can get back once you take that wrong turn? Now Dad, also doesn't do well in stressful situations which makes him a terrible partner on the Amazing Race. If he'd been in my place, he would have freaked out. As it was, he and Mom argued when we finally stopped. And then because it was a complicated exit, we needed to follow him and the GPS back to the freeway. Then when we were almost there, we hit this insane rain storm. Like "drive 50 in a 70 because you can't see" kind of storm. Needless to say, the move was not smooth or stressless.

But I got moved in alright and got back into the school routine. Our info fair went well, drawing in lots of interest from people for Browncoats and at least 12 new people showed up to our first meeting. Yay! But  then there is the insanity part of the quarter. Oh yes, the trip up should have been a sign (as should have been the financial aid mishaps). For you see, I decided to take 19 credits this quarter. I took 20 one of the quarters last year and was fine (I even had extra free time) so I figured this would be no big deal. But I didn't count on the fact that I took two writing classes that previous quarter and this quarter I took two lit courses. Fun lit courses to be sure, Children's Lit and Young Adult Lit. but still time consuming classes a lot of work to them.

Plus I'm taking the second year of Greek which focuses on vocabulary and while I like Diane, I don't love her the way I loved Byron (loved his teaching style, not loved him in a school-girl crush way). And she's changed the way it's all pronounced, so half the time i don't even recognize the words I really know. Probably won't take this again next quarter, but I like Alyssa and I won't see her if I don't take this class, so I'll stick it out for this quarter.

Aside from tons of reading, not much is happening in my life right now. I've seen Will again and it looks like while we'll never be close friends probably, we can laugh and be civil to each other. This quarter is going to be rough, but I am enjoying it. Come on, I get to read picture books and Harry Potter as assignments; I think I'm good. Be sure to check out my blog www.wouldbewritercantcook.blogspot.com. I'm going to try posting a book review video once a week.

Take Care
Reaper

I always tell myself, "I'm going to post more! I swear I'll pay more attention to this." And then maybe I'm good for a post or two until my intentions fall by the wayside. I almost have a legitimate excuse this time since I have a blog now and between that and the journal I keep (one that exists outside the computer) I feel like I don't have anything to say. But I am going to try and post more. *Raises right hand* I swear.

I've been a little bored lately, just waiting for school to start again (which doesn't happen for another two weeks). I've watched more TV than I care to admit, read fourteen books since I returned from London (I actually read two books and started a third in the course of about 48 hours, sleep included), and logged countless games of Bejeweled via Facebook. I did finally get to chapter 4 in the first novel of the trilogy I'm writing, which is great. But I'm going to have to log some serious writing time to finish it before November so that I can work on the second book for NaNoWriMo. Because if I start the second one before the first is complete, I just know there's going to be some major plot twist I never saw coming in that first book that screws up everything I write in the future.

Last time I mentioned I got contacts. They still give me problems sometimes when they're in (just feels like I have an eyelash in my eye) but I can get them in and out in a single try now. And the prescription has stopped making me dizzy. The adjustment time is even getting faster when I switch from contacts to my glasses. I find it hard to recognize myself now though. I look a little different in contacts, but then when I put the glasses on, I look a little different too.

I do feel very proud of myself though. I am slowly sucking my family into my brand of geekery. Well, I don't have to pull Dad very far since he's been reading my books since I was 13. But I finally got Mom hooked on a paranormal romance series. It's the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost. I have worked for probably three years to make this happen. I got her to read Twilight, but those don't really count as real paranormal books. Not like what I wanted to get her into.

Then last night, I got my whole family to watch A Very Potter Musical with me! (I had taken the YouTube videos and burned them to a DVD. I still have to go back and find either a different burner or buy the professional version so I don't get the green disclaimer screen that pops up between every video, but I'm close!) And they liked it! They sat and watched the entire 2 hours and 45 minutes and laughed and had fun. It was great! Next stop, A Very Potter Sequel.

Take Care
Reaper

Hey everyone, I'm back from London. Actually been back for about two weeks now and I had an absolutely marvelous time. I cannot believe how quickly it went or how much I grew personally while i was there. If a month could change my life, I wonder what a semester would have done? If you want to read more about my trip, you can go to www.ashleighslondonsummer.blogspot.com.

The last two weeks have been pretty chill. I checked out twelve books from the library and I'm slowly working my way through those. Okay, not exactly slowly since I finish another book about every three days, but it feels slow. My parents rented a storage unit for all the crap in our house (well, the major crap like the desks we don't use and the Christmas decorations) so my room is fully my own again. Still a mess, but the mess is all mine. I also sent my desk to storage because a) I never really use it and b) I want to buy a third bookcase to put in there so my current bookcases can become a little more orderly. Right now pretty much every shelf is two lines deep with books.

I also recently started a new blog called Diary of a Would-Be Writer (And Mildly Deadly Cook). That last part almost sounds like I'm a ninja, but it actually means that you eat what I cook at your own peril. I'm not sure exactly what it's about or how often it'll be updated, but I found that I loved writing the one in London. So there you go. Have fun with it.

I swear, there will be some book reviews soon. I have read a ton of books (94 this year and counting) and have reviews I just haven't posted yet. I'll try to get them up in the next day or so. It's not like I have a whole lot of other stuff keeping me from it.

Take Care
Reaper

This is the chant going through my head right now. I leave for London tomorrow morning and I am a bit of a twisted mess. I'm excited and nervous and wired and panicked and ecstatic. It's all wrapped up into a ball of emotion I'm trying to keep under control so I don't get sick. My doctor did give me a mild tranquilizer if I flip out too badly and get sick on the trip. We did a test run of these and found that it actually takes 2 pills to really affect me. And then I get loopy; not sleepy, just loopy. It was funny to watch yesterday and felt like what happens when I stay up too late. Mom thinks I should just take 1.5 when on the plane.

This trip has also shown me what a light packer I am. I have one checked suitcase and a backpack (both made to survive a nuclear war) and my small purse. And that's all I need. The suitcase isn't stuffed and it even has a quilt that drapes over the sides of a twin bed. Plus my laptop and all my school supplies and a couple changes of clothes and two books are in the backpack. I don't know that there's a lot of room left over for souvenirs, but if I need to, I can get another carry-on and put the purse in my backpack.

In other news, my summer's been going good. Meg's puppy is almost fully potty trained. I have been able to sleep in my bed (my room's still not clean, but Mom promises it will be when I get back). I've mostly been reading and watching Joan of Arcadia with my family. That show makes me much less panicked about the fact that my books haven't arrived. Maybe I'm meant to go to a bookstore in London to buy them and I'll meet someone who'll be a great friend (or hot English boyfriend). Maybe I'll share with someone in class and we'll bond over studying late at night.  just know that I'm going to try and be open to all opportunities and not stay as a hermit in my room (which I will have all to myself, along with my own bathroom).

Oh and I almost forgot one of the biggest things: I learned how to cook! At least a little. Since the dorms in London have a shared kitchen area, Mom's been having me make dinner the last four nights and she's sending recipe cards with me. I feel so accomplished being about to make something that doesn't come from a box or consist mostly of bread.

Well, that's all for now. My next update shall be from London!
Take Care.
Reaper

So I promised I'd try to update once a week or so. I may be a little off, but I say this counts. First of all, I competed in a spelling bee in my dorm last Friday...there were only two of us there, and I placed second. But I only was behind by twelve words and I still got a crown. Yes, it's childish, but have you ever noticed how wearing a crown can make you feel so good? I think that part of why children want to be princes and princesses; it just feels good. I also started packing up my stuff for move-out. I'm taking half home on Friday, but everything will be packed up them. It's kind of sad, but at the same time, it's rather nice to be going home. Don't know where I'm going to put my stuff when I get it home since Mom still hasn't cleaned out my room, but at least I can still get to my bed. I have to climb over the edge, but I can still sleep in it. The week's been pretty chill though, not a lot going on and everything for the quarter is pretty much finished.

Now, the real reason I'm awake at 1 in the morning is because I feel conflicted about my boyfriend, Will. Yes, I know the first time you heard about him was last week, but we've been dating for six weeks now. My problem is, I like him a lot and I think he's a wonderful guy. But I think we work better as friends. I like having someone I can hold hands with and hug if I need to. But I don't feel that spark you're supposed to feel when you're with that someone you love. He's a great friend, he can make me smile, but I don't think we'd ever be more than friends. I can't see myself marrying him or ever sleeping with him or having kids together. I think we're good friends and I don't want to lose that, but I don't think we're meant to be more than that.
But then I wonder if maybe I've been reading too many romance novels and have unrealistic expectations and my mind gets confused. I don't want to hurt Will but I wonder if letting this continue and breaking it off later will hurt him more. Ugh, what I really want is to talk with my sister. She may be the younger sister, but she has a lot more experience in this area and I could use her help.

Anyway, I haven't gotten around to the book reviews yet, but I hope to have them soon.
Take Care
Reaper

I feel so terrible about not posting more recently. I got caught up at school (last final was on Monday and now I'm hanging out at home.) and just didn't have anything to say. Except I'm going to London for a month this summer! I found a study abroad program at Kingston University and somehow actually got the financing to go! I'm super excited and cannot believe I get to go. I've wanted to go to London forever and now I have the chance to be there for a month! And one of my first stops, when I get a chance to sight-see is going to be King's Cross Station, for Platform 9 3/4. As a Harry Potter fan, it would be blasphemy not to go. I just cannot wait for July.

In other news, I feel like the book pimp of my family. Or maybe a dealer would be more accurate. My family comes to me when they want something new to read. It started with my dad who, since I would leave my books in the bathroom, starting reading some of my books on a whim. Now he comes to me when he finishes a book and asks if I have anything else to read. This dealing has led me to scour ebay and used bookstores for the rest of the Kim Harrison series (we got him the first book for Christmas). And I'm actually running out of books to give him. He loves paranormal romance and urban fantasy as much as I do, but all the series I own, and that I find worthwhile, he's already read, or is close to finishing. Hopefully I'll find something before he finishes the Kim Harrison and Charlaine Harris series.
With my mom, I'm luring her in slowly, giving her the most engaging and wonderful books in the paranormal romance genre, without giving her something too dark right off the bat (like the Black Dagger Brotherhood for instance.) Right now she has my Jeaniene Frost books which she had to forcibly stop herself from reading during the school quarter since she got too sucked in to concentrate on homework. I think the mission is going well. And with my sister, I know I will never get her hooked on paranormal reads. Vamps, Weres, and Witches just aren't her thing. But I sucked her into reading another way. I gave her some of my cheesy teen romance books. And while she scoffs that these things would never happen, she keeps coming back and asking if I have any more. And she's not a big reader. I have a new book that's over 500 pages that I'm going to give her and seeing her finish that happily will mean I have successfully sucked her into reading.

Last, I wanted to ask if anyone has ever had the sensation of ending a book or TV show or movie and forgetting where they are for a moment? Like you got sucked in so far that you can't remember where in the real world you are. I didn't used to have it happen a ton, unless the book or show was really enthralling, but more and more recently I forget where I am. Not in a really bad way, but just an "Oh, that's right I'm here" sort of moment. I'm also wondering if maybe I should be worried about dementia later on.

Take Care
Reaper

I'll try to do a real update soon, but for now, here's a link to the first 20% of First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost. This is a spin off book that I absolutely cannot wait for! For those of you who haven't read her books, go and find Halfway to the Grave. I know you'll be hooked

http://browseinside.harpercollins.com/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061583223

Take Care
Reaper

Please feel free to disregard this post as girly obsession.

Okay, so I'm not really the sort of girl to fall into crushes all the time and get obsessed with them. I'm level-headed. The most major crush I had was six and half years ago on one of my now best friends. I've had exactly two what I'd call boyfriends, although one lasted a mere five days and since we were in high school and neither of us could drive, I didn't really go out on dates in either situation. I actually swore off dating for all of high school because I didn't think I could deal with it.

But now I met this guy here in college and I have a major crush on him. I thought at first it was just a "hey he's a nice guy friend" sort of thing. But I keep finding myself wanting to hang out with him, feeling all special when he says nice things about me or walks me back to my dorm at night because it's dark. I actually have spent the last three days going to clubs with him at night. And I had a great time being his DDR partner on Friday night. Between our turns we watched Iron Man on his laptop and I watched him draw. I know that a lot of this just sounds like things that friends would do together, but I keep finding myself wondering what it would be like to go on a date with him, or even kiss him.

I don't know if he likes me that way, although I wonder if maybe he's dropping hints and I'm just dense. He mentioned on Thursday when we were walking back across campus how he stumbles over his words sometimes when he's talking to a girl he likes. And he sort of stumbled over saying that. I'm probably just being crazy and reading too much in it. I sometimes have an overactive imagination (like I keep imagining a scenario from Greek, since I'm in some clubs with the guy's friend, where I date my crush but he gets suspicious or jealous because I'm spending a lot of time with his friend as well). I'm probably going to wait for him to make the first move since 1) I'm not good with confrontations, even friendly ones, and 2) I don't want to mess up a friendship with him.

Sorry about sounding like such a basket-case/teen girl. I swear I'm actually not crazy or whiny. I also swear that I will spend some time either today or tomorrow putting up the mondo book review post.
Take Care
Reaper

I know, I know I'm terrible about updating. I'd say I'm going to try and be better, but I always say that. Well, the end of December was really eventful. I turned 19, which still seems ludicrous to me since I everyone who meets me thinks I'm maybe fourteen or fifteen. I really don't feel like I'm 19 yet. Maybe it'll just take a while to soak in. Christmas was great. I got an archery bow from my parents and I love it. I mean, yeah it's a child's bow since I can't really draw anything with a high poundage yet, but I'll get there. I never want to hunt with it or anything, but I'm a fantasy nut so it's cool to have. I'm getting okay with it, although I can't practice much because of the rain. I already sustained an archery injury from the feathered part of the arrow (which I think is made of plastic) hit my hand and leave a small, but painful, wound. I didn't think it was that bad at first but then it started to bleed. And it burned for a good twelve hours or so. But it's healing.

I'm looking forward to getting back to school, but at the same time I want to stay at home. I love the clubs and activities I get to be involved in on campus, but I've missed having my own space. Here, I can sequester myself in my room and be completely alone. It's been a great time of relaxation. I'm going to be doing 20 credits starting on Tuesday (oh lord help me) but it should be fun. I'm glad I get to do Greek again this quarter and I get to do some of the fun classes for my major.  Now I just hope it doesn't snow before Monday since I really want to drive back, not take the train.

As for looking to 2010, I don't really have any resolutions, except maybe to finish the editing of Best Maid Plans so I can try and send it out to agents or publishers. I do know that I'm going to finish at least the rough draft of the first two books in my trilogy. 2009 was crazy. I finished high school, completed my Associate's degree, started at Western, became almost dangerously thin, had an increase in my IBS restrictions, completed NaNoWriMo for the second year in a row, pretty much failed all my resolutions from last year, attended my first Yule ball, attended Prom, and read 115 books. It's been a year of highs and lows, but overall a good year. I hope 2010 will be a good one too.
I'll try to have some book reviews up in a couple of days.

Take Care
Reaper

I feel so bad about neglecting my Dreamwidth account (although I've neglected my LJ as well). I think when I write constantly in my journal (the bound one with paper) I tend to neglect my blogging sites.

So, I'm winding down my first quarter at the university and it's actually been really great. I spent Thursday afternoon cutting snowflakes and listening to Christmas music while everyone around me freaks out about finals. My only finals are the Greek final, which should be easy because it's the same stuff we've been repeating all quarter, and my Linguistics final, which is open book, open note. I don't think either will be too terribly difficult. Hopefully.

I was also absent recently because I was furiously working on my Nano novel! Which I finished with time to spare. Well, a little time to spare. See, I stayed sort of on track so that by the time Thanksgiving rolled around I was only 18,000 words from the end, rather than 25,000 like last year. So I wrote during my break, and I wrote a lot since I was at my grandmother's house out in the boonies with no internet. (On a side note, I saw X-Men: Wolverine again and I think Gambit needs his own movie!). By Sunday night I had 48,000 words. I was getting ready to go to bed when my roommate, who's known me for four years now, said, "You're not going to stay up and finish? Do you really want me to beat you?" Now, I have a highly competitive nature so of course I wasn't going to let her beat me. I wanted to win first! So even though I had class in the morning and don't get enough sleep anyway, I stayed up and finished my Nano at 12:33 AM on Monday, November 30th. And the whole story actually turned out a lot differently than I thought it was going to. My characters reacted differently than I planned. Oh well, it still ended happily.

I am super excited for Christmas and my nineteenth birthday which is in 14 days. I'm so excited to go home and be home for longer than just an extended weekend. I got my dad Angel for his birthday and we will probably spend a lot of time watching that. Because it is freakin' awesome from what I've seen in the first three episodes! Plus I get to do some baking (okay, I'll probably sit nearby and read while taste-testing, but the sentiment's the same. And I'm not not helping because I'm lazy, but because I really can't cook or bake.) and watch chick flicks with my mom. Mom and I are really close and I know it's really hard on her  that I went away to college. She wants me to have this experience, but she misses me a ton.

I know she misses me because she agreed to play Monopoly with me over the break. And my family calls me the Monopoly Nazi. Like I said above, I'm very competitive. And since I'm as uncoordinated as a newborn giraffe, the only way I can express this is when playing board games or trivia games. I'm not a bad loser or winner when I win or lose, but I really, really want to win! Which causes me to be a bit overzealous when playing Monopoly.

Anyway, very excited for break. Even though I'll be the one putting lights on the roof since my dad's knees are really bad. I just hope it doesn't snow, so I can drive home. I'll try to post a couple of book reviews soon.
Take Care
Reaper