"Hold the ones you love close"

Wow...Laaaaaaate Update

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 18:58:05 GMT

Um, yeah. I kind of haven't updated this since uh *checks* September. So...yeah sorry about that. I did the crazy, crazy, CRAZY thing of taking 19 credits this past quarter. Two of which were literature classes. Fun literature classes to be sure, but I still read like twenty books this past quarter. Yeah, it was kind of intense. Buuuuuuuuuuut, (drum roll please) I managed to pull out a 4.0 quarter! Don't ask me how it happened; I have no idea. By all accounts, I don't think it should have happened though I'm very happy it did. I spent all of dead week working like a madwoman and I spent practically three straight days in the library during finals week. Between my first ever migraine (oh that was a fun trip), writing papers until two am, and my computer crashing right before finals week (luckily I didn't need it), it was a little insane.

I did however, bring part of the insanity on myself. Because even knowing this quarter was madness, I decided to do NaNoWriMo for the third year in a row. And by the time Thanksgiving break hit on the 24th, I was only at 23,000 words. Uh-oh. Now, a sane person gives up here, saying they made a good go of it, but it's not going to happen this year. Did I do that? No. Instead, I forsook all homework over the break (and whatever wasn't due the next day on the first two days back) in favor of making the deadline. And I would not let my procrastination be in vain. So for the third year in a row, I managed to win! Novel's not complete yet, but I decided to work on homework that was due within the last three days of dead week instead of writing. Crazy, I know, but I school comes first ;)

The computer crash happened Sunday before finals week. It got some virus that made it reboot over and over and wouldn't let you try to fix it even in safe mode. So I had to reinstall the entire operating system. And, although I thought I'd saved everything on an external hard drive, I had not. Which meant I lost most of my word documents. Now I'm a writer. Pictures and music can be replaced and built back up. Writing? Only some of the things I loved were saved. Luckily I do have most of my NaNo novels and a short story I loved. But it was still pretty devastating.

Now, onto something cheerful. I met a guy. I met him through I friend and we met over facebook so for the past month or so we've texted and phoned and skyped. And then last weekend we finally met in person. He came down for my 20th birthday and spent the night (sleeping on the couch. Mind out of gutter people). And I really really like him. He's funny and sweet and makes me feel special. And he remembers everything I tell him. Even the things i just mention in passing.

So that's what I've been up to recently. Right now I'm enjoying my winter break. I have this winter quarter and spring and then I'll be a college graduate. I probably won't do a ton of updates here, but I welcome you to check out my blog: www.wouldbewritercantcook.blogspot.com. I do book reviews almost every Friday.

Take Care,
Reaper

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The Quarter of INSANITY!

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 18:14:41 GMT

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

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Busy, busy, busy

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:47:34 GMT

Ugh, I do not want to pack another single item. But I do *hangs head*. I leave for my university on Friday. Move-in is on Sunday, but we're doing the grandparent pilgrimage on the way (Dad's mom and stepdad Friday night in Tenino and his dad and stepmom on Saturday). Which means I have to pack up all my crap this week. A daunting task, especially considering in nine months I just have to lug it all home again. But I pretty much have everything that can be packed (except my books) packed. Most of what's left I can't pack until Friday. Besides, I'm exhausted so no more packing today!

I did have some drama with my financial aid this week (not the week to have it since there's very little time before school begins making it high stress with few things happening to expend the restless energy on. Yay.) I didn't realize I hadn't had my parents file the application for their loan for the 2010-2011 school year. Which led to frantic completion of the form, panicky phone calls and a dash to Kinko's to fax the form. Then they further tried to kill me by saying that there was no power and the fax wouldn't go through for and couple of days. Noooooooooooo! Luckily, the form is there now. It'll take five business days to process and everything should be fine. I may even be able to receive the aid right when it's supposed to release. In any case, I'm glad I've already bought my books.

Other than that, my life's been pretty quiet. Watched the finale of True Blood last Monday and oh my god, the producers are trying to kill their viewers. Can't believe we don't get any more until next summer. Got a first day of school outfit, as well as a winter coat. My old one was too big and about five or six years old. I also finally got to put more money on my Lavamus account and download new music. Yippee! That's pretty much it though.

Take Care
Reaper

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Random Update from Guilt

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 21:10:36 GMT

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

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Sibling Rivalry

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:11:07 GMT

Have you ever had tried to tell a brother or sister something they do that annoys you, only to have them say you just need to lighten up? Does it not make you want to shake them until they look like a bobble-head? My sister has this thing where she makes little comments that criticize something about me. Just an offhand kind of "you should really wear make-up" or "you'd almost look cute if you did something with your hair." Or she makes a more direct, biting comment, like "your room is a disaster zone", and then laughs and says she was joking. Like this is her get out of jail free card.

So I called her on it when she said something this afternoon. And she tells me that I just need to stop being so dumb and get over it. She claims she was making a joke and I take things too seriously. Maybe I am a little serious, but I know a joke and I know critique and I am friggin' tired of being told I need to be how she sees the world! I am fine the way I am. I am happy the way I am. If I want to change something I will but lay the hell off until I decide I want to make a change! Or I will snap and scream and there will be a no holds barred argument about how I feel.

In other news, I got contacts yesterday and they are also driving me a little crazy. I always hate adapting to a new prescription and this one makes it really hard for me to focus in on what I am looking at. Plus they get a little blurry from time to time when I try to concentrate on anything up close. And I'm still having a hard time putting them in and taking them out. But I'll get there I suppose. And then I won't have that dizzying disorientation that comes from one eye being clear and one eye being fuzzy.

Take Care
Reaper

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Hi Again and New Blog

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 20:04:34 GMT

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

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London Blog

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:22:48 GMT

So I am finally in London! Yes, I am here and while I'm feeling a little sick (which meant I couldn't go to London today. Dang it!) I'm pretty settled. I had plane issues and it took around 36 hours from the time I got up Tuesday to the time I arrived at the dorm on Wednesday. If you want to read about these issues and more of my exciting summer in London, I started a blog. It's called London: The Epic Adventure and can be found at www.ashleighslondonsummer.blogspot.com. I'll be updating it fairly regularly during my stay here.

Take Care
Reaper

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Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:01:02 GMT

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

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Late Update, But An Update All The Same

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 05:07:30 GMT

Yes, I know I missed a week of blogging. But last week was madness. Tuesday was Meg's graduation, which was awesome. Now, I give it maybe a week before she's bored out of her mind. Also, her puppy is freaking adorable, which is the only thing saving her. She's a chihuahua-dachshund mix. And she loves to snuggle with me while I'm on my laptop. On Wednesday, Dad and I drove up to Western to move me out. I took my last final, turned in my keys and moved out the rest of my stuff.

I also broke up with Will while I was up there. We just didn't fit as a couple. It hurt a little, but it had to be done. And he was confused and hurt at first, but we've talked a couple of times since and it looks like we're going to be able to stay friends. Dad was really great on that day. He let me be alone in my head without badgering me with questions, even well-meaning ones.

Got home on Thursday and picked up ten books from the library. Oh yeah, I have stuff to read. I also finally got to finish Angels and Demons. Which I liked better than The Da Vinci Code. Now I want to watch the movie. Yesterday we finally caught the cat under our house and took her to the Human Society.

On a side note, no one should be allowed to simply give up their pet without real consequences. That pet is like your child. The excuse "my pet barks too much and annoys the neighbors" is not a valid excuse. There really is no valid excuse, except maybe I'm dying of medical disorder that leaves me an invalid. We have solved what should happen to owners who wish to no longer keep a pet. They take it to the Dog Farm, where they can leave the pet but they pay an upkeep fee every month until the pet is adopted or must be put to sleep. Maybe then people would really think about whether they want a pet or not.

Okay, back from the rant. Today was our June Family Dinner where we did Father's Day celebrating. We had awesome food. I love corn on the cob so much. It's amazing. Plus there was red velvet cake, which I couldn't eat, but which looked awesome and was quite tasty from the two bites I had of Mom's slice. I also had a mini-meltdown over not having my own space. Yes, I know this sounds petty, but something malfunctions with me if I don't have my own space. Even borrowed space doesn't really cut it. So Dad went in when we got home and cleared off my bed so I at least have that bit of solace now. I still have crap all over the place, but this is a good start and give me my own space where the dogs don't awaken me at six in the morning by raking their talons across my face (I've been sleeping on the floor in the living room because I couldn't deal with sharing Meg's queen-size bed.)

Well this is pretty much it for now. I'd like to say I'll have book reviews up soon, but who knows.

Take Care
Reaper

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Help!

Mon, 31 May 2010 08:12:52 GMT

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

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"I'm okay!" Stomp "I'm still okay!"

Sun, 23 May 2010 17:45:09 GMT

I thought of Road to Eldorado when typing the title so there you go. I am still not dead. I am a very sucky poster apparently and I cannot believe it's been over two months since my last post. *Cringes* Sorry about the lack of updating. So it's been a pretty quiet Spring Quarter. Actually it's been a dead Spring Quarter. I have one class that actually has homework so I've been very bored. Don't get me wrong, i love having a little time for whatever I want to do, but I need to at least have something I should be working on. I read 17 books last month. 17. I love that I got to read but come on, give me something to do! I'm completely done with my classwork aside from revising my final story and taking the Mythology exam.

Next quarter should be very fun though, and a little less tedious. I get to take Studies in Young Adult Literature and an Editing and Publishing class. Hopefully, I will also get to take the Children's Literature class that I can't register for now because it is major restricted. Here's hoping it doesn't fill up and I can snag a spot. I'm excited to take YA Lit because I love YA. It's always been one of my favorite genres. Now, if there was a paranormal romance/urban fantasy class, I'd be all over that in a heartbeat.

I'm also gearing up for London this summer. Yes, I got into the program, have everything paid and worked out, and I leave the 28th of June! I can't believe I get to spend an entire month in London! I also joined the Facebook group for the trip and found some people who want to go to King's Cross with me and find Platform 9 3/4. We're also going to find a telephone booth and go to the Ministry of Magic. :D This summer is going to be absolutely amazing!

Within the past month I also started dating Will. We've been going out for five weeks and I really like him. He's a great guy and he seems to really care about me. Which is good because he's accrued various threats from people in my church and family of what will happen if he hurts me. We've each met the other's parents and my parents liked him (thought he was rather quiet, but nice) while his parents seemed to like me as well. This is the first time I've actually seriously dated someone. I had one and a half boyfriends in the past (I say half because I broke up with him after five days) but I didn't cared about them like I do Will. And he hasn't dated anyone before me. It's kind of nice. I don't know if we'll last, but I like what's happening now.

I will try and get some book reviews up soon and I'll try to be more on top of posting. I'm going to aim for once a week.

Take Care
Reaper

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Book Pimp and Getting Lost in My Head

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:02:59 GMT

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

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Visit and FAFSA

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:50:03 GMT

I've become quite convinced that the FAFSA is the evil love child produced when the Federal Government and the Bureaucracy of Secondary Education Institutions combine into an unstoppable super alliance of Red Tape. It's insane trying to fill that thing out, especially if you haven't gotten your taxes done yet! The priority deadline is in mid-February while taxes aren't due until April! What madness is this? Bah, I'm just glad I finally got it finished this evening. Now I can wash my hands of it and walk away.

In other news, my parents are coming up for a visit this weekend and I'm super excited. They're staying in on-campus guest housing which means they will actually stay the weekend with me rather than coming up just for a day and then going back to Federal Way before returning home. In fact, it means I get to take them to Nerf Wars and introduce them to some of the friends I've made here. They haven't actually met anyone I've become friends with here. And they get to meet Cameron (see previous post as to the importance of this). Dad especially is psyched for Nerf Wars. They went shopping for guns last weekend and Dad got this monster of a gun and he's planning to modify his gun and his darts so they fly farther, faster, and straighter. Plus he colored it completely black. I would be surprised if her showed up with a bandana on in camo pants and said "Let's do this" while cocking his gun. But I'm excited for their visit anyway. Plus I've described my dad's antics to Cameron who thinks he sounds awesome.

They will also come back in April because our Glee Club (like an actual show choir sort of club) is having a showcase! It's going to be so awesome! My small group is doing Way Back Into Love from Music and Lyrics, which I love, and I'm going to try and get a solo. Plus I'm going to try and do a solo piece (Lift Me Up by Kate Voegele). I cannot wait for it all!

School has been going pretty well. I got my first essay exam back from Dr. Margaritis. Now, Margaritis' tests are all essays. You have no clue what questions he will ask you, you can't use notes or books, you have to write it in class, and you have to be very specific about your examples. I spent two nights creating study sheets and memorizing nine different quotes about fate, which we had discussed a lot in class. I got the exam and not a single question was on fate! So I did my best and when I got the essay back, I had an A-! Oh, and his base grade is a C. If you do all your work and meet the requirements, you can get a C. If you do really good work, you can get a B. If you do absolutely exceptional work you can get an A. So either I'm smarter than I think, or I'm brilliant at BSing my way through an essay. I just finished a short story for my fiction class that I'm actually really proud of. Yes, it has vampires and supernatural beings, but my preliminary group found it funny and descriptive and entertaining. So we'll see next Tuesday how the entire group likes the completed story. I'll also be reading a short story collection by Edgar Allan Poe for the next few days since I have a paper about the collection due the first part of March. So I'm off to read about insane, but fun, people and death. Luckily I like Poe much better than the author I read before.

Take Care
Reaper

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Jeaniene Frost Squee

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:52:05 GMT

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

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Mondo Book Review Post

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 02:44:47 GMT

Here it is. The moment you've all been waiting for with baited breath. Six new book reviews. There would be more, but I actually have to do reading for school and I've been stuck on one book for the past week and a half. So here are the reviews.

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan. It's come down to the final battle for Percy Jackson and Camp Half-Blood. Titan's forces are moving to take Manhattan and they are all that stands between the gods and destruction. Lives are on the line, and some may not survive the battle. Can Percy and his friends prevent the Titan uprising? Spoilers in the review.
( The Last Olympian )

The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox. Lizzie has always just been a normal woman. But on her thirtieth birthday her life is turned upside down when her biker Grandmother locks her in a bathroom and then saves her from a demon. Lizzie's meant to be the family's next demon slayer and there's bad stuff coming for her fast. But what does a sexy griffin have to do with that? Lizzie better learn her lessons quick before the crap hits the fan. No spoilers here
( The Accidental Demon Slayer )

Snow Queen by Emma Harrison. Tomboy Aubrey came to Vermont with her best friend to see some snow and play some hockey. When she finds out she's been entered in the annual Snow Queen pagent, she wants to get out as quick as possible. But after meeting Grayson, the competition isn't looking so bad. Too bad his sister is determined to bring hell for anyone who gets in the way of her winning the Snow Queen Crown. Can Aubrey find win the crown and Grayson or will it all avalanche to disaster? No spoilers here
( Snow Queen )

The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison. I'm not quite sure how to give a blurb for this book. Secrets is the key words. Secrets shall be revealed. Major spoilers ahead
( The Outlaw Demon Wails )

The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan. The companion guide to The Percy Jackson series. No spoilers
( The Demigod Files )

Storm Front by Jim Butcher. Harry Dresden is the only wizard in Chicago's phonebook. As a detective he works for the Chicago PD on some of their more supernatural cases. When a particularly hairy murder turns up, he has to solve it quick or he could be next. Spoilers for the book and later in the series.
( Storm Front )

Take Care
Reaper

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Girly Crush Post

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 21:03:08 GMT

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

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I'm either crazy or I have too much time on my hands

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:48:45 GMT

So I don't know if I mentioned it here before, but I decided to take 20 credits this quarter. Only four classes, but yes, 20 credits worth of work, jam-packed into ten weeks. I just really wanted to take the next quarter of Ancient Greek and I need the 15 credits for my English major. So I'll suck it up and deal. On the plus side, I get done by two everyday and don't start class until ten. So yay there. But I was also really nervous about one class when I read the syllabus before the quarter started. The teacher sounded really strict and his base grade is a C. If you do all of your work, you can get a C. If you do interesting, insightful work you can get a B. If you do truly excellent work you can get an A. So I was wary of that one class. But it turned out that the teacher of that class is amazing. He's funny and interesting and makes class really entertaining.

But this was my first weekend with homework from classes. And it looked like I had seven or eight things to do. But I got all of them done yesterday. And I got a two page scene written for my fiction class, plus attended and wrote up one of the three Live Literature Events I have to go to at get an A. I'm wondering if maybe I really just have too much time on my hands and taking 20 credits will help me use that extra time more productively than say, play three hours of Bejeweled on Facebook. And I still have time for pleasure reading.

I hope that I'll be updating more regularly than I have been. So until next time...
Take Care
Reaper

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Update

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 23:14:39 GMT

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

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Winter Break Week 1

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:04:55 GMT

So I absolutely adore winter break. It's so nice not having to worry about essays or tests or projects. I can just sit and relax, read some new books, sleep in late because I stayed up. I know that unless I do eventually become an author, this sort of leisure will disappear when I leave school and I have to say, I really will miss it. I had my birthday family dinner with my Mom's side of the family (we have dinner once a month to celebrate anniversaries and birthdays. And I used to be the only one in December until my uncle started dating his girlfriend. She had a son whose birthday is the 23rd) and my gifts had a Twilight Saga theme to them. I got Twilight Scene-It, a New Moon board game, and an Edward blanket (which is sooooo coming back to Western with me in January) plus the new Harry Potter movie and a gift card. I know I always complain about having my b-day in December, but I have to say, when December finally comes around it's nice to have both Christmas and my birthday. And I still can't believe I'll be 19 on Saturday. It just blows my mind to think that I'm already 19. And now I really do have to figure out what the hell I'm going to do with the rest of my life (aside from being an author). It's really starting to freak me out.

But on to less stressful topics. I finally saw New Moon with my family. I have to say, overall it was a pretty good movie. And they did a great job of sticking to the book. Although the part with Alice's vision with Aro was just cheesy. I mean, I love cheesy, but seriously, I had to giggle at that part. And I love Charlie. He's such a great dad.

I really can't wait for Christmas to come, but I'm really having fun just being home. On Sunday I'm having my birthday party with about ten of my friends while my mom and dad go to a Christmas party. It's the first time I've been left home alone with a large group of my friends. Should be fun. We're mostly just going to hang out, but I haven't really seen any of them since I went away to Western. I do think they've learned not to play Monopoly with me though. Maybe we'll do that trivia game I have. Mostly I'll just be glad to see my friends.

Now onto the book reviews I promised a while back. I swear I do have them; I just get distracted and forget to post them but here they are. And just a warning, there's quite a slew of them.

The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan: Percy Jackson is back in his third adventure. This time he must go on a quest to save Artemis, goddess of the hunt, as well as Artemis. But what is the secret behind the two new half-bloods Percy meets? And how will Thalia affect the Big Three Prophecy as she nears 16? With Kronos's army growing and the Titan himself gaining power, Percy and his friends will need to work together before it's too late. Spoiler-free review under the cut.
( Titan's Curse )

He's With Me by Tamara Summers: Lexie's always had a huge crush on Jake. And when Jake needs a girlfriend to keep the most popular girl at school from making him her new squeeze, having Lexie pretend to be that girlfriend is the perfect plan right? But what happens when Lexie doesn't want to pretend anymore? Spoiler-free review under the cut
( He's With Me )

62: A Model Kit by Julio Cortazar: I really couldn't tell you what this book was about. I read it for school (finished the entire thing on time) and still don't understand it. I have no clue how I could give spoilers, but the review is under the cut.
( Model Kit? )

Kitty Takes a Holiday: After her public kidnapping and being outted as a werewolf, Kitty decides to take a vacation away from it all. Her peace is interrupted though when Cormac brings a badly injured Ben to her cabin door. And what is up with creepy things happening around her cabin? Spoilers ahoy! Read at your own risk.
( Kitty Takes a Holiday )

Bite Marks by Jennifer Rardin: Jaz and Vayl are off to Australia to save the Space program from a group of fanatic gnomes. But Jaz has someone in her head, making her a liability. And in a mission where not all is as it seems, not keeping her wits about her may just get her or her group killed. Mild spoilers under the cut.
( Bite Marks )

A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison: Rachel's off to Mackinaw when Nick and Jax turn up missing. But it turns out that what Nick has is something all the races would kill for. To keep a power struggle in Cincinnati at bay, Rachel must rescue them and hide the knowledge Nick possesses or the world will come crashing down. No pressure. Lots of spoilery goodness
( A Fistful of Charms )

Night Pleasure by Sherrilyn Kenyon: Kyrian of Tharce has been charged with an important and ancient duty. To protect the human race, he's been given power and immortality. But when he meets Amanda, for once he wishes he could be normal once more. Can love conquer past wrongs? Or will Kyrian be doomed to loneliness? Spoilers under the cut
( Night Pleasures )

Forbidden Nights with a Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks: Vanda shut off her heart long ago to avoid the hurts of the past. But Phil had always intrigued her. Can he crack the wall she's built around herself? And can she still love him when his secret is revealed? Spoiler-free review under the cut
( Forbidden Nights )

Touch the Dark by Karen Chance: Cassie is a clairvoyant on the run. She escaped from the vampire who killed her parents a couple years ago and hasn't stopped running. But now that vampire has found her and her only hope is the vampire Senate. The Senate wants her for their own reasons and the price of Cassie's freedom may be more than she can pay. Spoilers in the review.
( Touch The Dark )

Snowed In by Rachel Hawthorne: Ashleigh's dad is getting remarried and her mom has just moved them to a small (freezing!) island to open a bed and breakfast. Ashleigh's always tried to play the field, never settling on one guy. But when she meets Jake, she may have to take back that stance and finally let someone into her heart. No spoilers
( Snowed In )

For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison: There's a war brewing in the Hollows and Rachel's right in the thick of it. When Weres start turning up dead, could the focus be involved? And can Rachel find a balance between the two vamps she loves in her life? Or will it tear them all apart? Spoilers! Be afeared!
( For a Few Demons More )

Take Care
Reaper

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Bad Reaper!

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:55:20 GMT

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

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Slew of Book Reviews

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:41:04 GMT

So I took a bit longer than I had planned to get these book reviews up. I got caught up in Halloween, which was fantastic with the Disney Club caroling I did, and starting Nanowrimo. I'm slowly but surely doing some pretty good writing. I like Charly much better than last year's heroine. Charly has some spunk. But anyway, I have eleven book reviews for you! Yes, I've read twelve books in the last six weeks or so. So let's get started shall we?

The Devil You Know by Jenna Black. This is the second in the series and in it Morgan has to face some dark secrets in her past. Secrets she could never imagine. After her escape in the last book, Lugh's brother has sent an assassin after her. She no longer knows who she can trust and could even those she believes to be on her side have ulterior motives? No spoilers under the cut except for previous books
( The Devil You Know )

The Princess by Jude Deveraux. When JT Montgomery rescues a young woman from those trying to kill her, he's shocked when she informs him she's a princess and demands he wait on her hand and foot. He's even more shocked when he returns home and the government asks him to keep her safe. He never thought he find himself falling for the passionate girl he finds. But can their bond survive when they must return to her kingdom? There are spoilers here. Beware!( The Princess )

1001 Things Every College Student Should Know. This is actually not so much a novel as an advice book. Covering pretty much every aspect of college life, it give it's reads tips for adjusting so they don't flunk out and head home degree-less.
( 1001 Things Every College Student Should Know )

Secret Life of a Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks. As the illegitimate son of Cassanova, Jack knows about lust and seduction. And no one throws a bachelor party like Jack. But when it gets out of hand, he gets the shock of his undead life in Officer Lara Boucher. She's immune to mind control and that makes her dangerous. But Jack can't resist her charms. Will he be able to find true love or will she betray the vampires' secret to the world? No spoilers

( Secret Life of a Vampire )

Last Nights of Paris by Phillipe Soupault. I'll be honest, I only have a vague idea what this book is about. The nameless narrator spends his night wandering Paris, looking for an end to his monotonous life. He finds this in part by following a young prostitute through the streets of Paris, being sucked in to the group she associates with. No spoilers, but not a favorable review
( Last Nights of Paris )

Covet by JR Ward. Jim doesn't care about anything but laying low to stay under the radar of his old bosses. But it's endgame between the Angels and the Demons (as in the ones in Heaven and Hell) and Jim is the one guy they decided on to tip the scales. Seven souls to save or damn and Jim is the one standing between world peace and total oblivion. No pressure. Soul Number One belongs to Vin DiPietro, a businessman as cold as the cash he brings in. But when he starts falling for a woman with a secret past, can Jim help them to their happily every after? Or will the demons claim Soul One as their prize.
( Covet )

Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster. The author's memoir about falling from her cushy job to near homelessness. Avoiding foreclosure, working temp jobs, doing self waxes along the way, Jen shares her experiences and puts even the most desperate situations in a funny light. No spoilers
( Bitter is the New Black )

Down and Out In Paris and London by George Orwell. Follow the author as he becomes destitute in Paris and spends a few days starving while searching for work. Then to London where it is "impossible to starve". An interesting look at the lives of poor immigrants in Paris and London and their living conditions No spoilers
( Down and Out in Paris and London )

Ill Wind by Rachel Caine. Joanne is a Weather Warden, giving her control over the air and water. Well not so much control as ability to fight air and water. But when one of her superiors screws her over, she's getting blamed for something she couldn't avoid. Now she's racing for her life, trying to reach an old friend's protection. But with the weather pursuing here as well as the Wardens she runs from, is there any way she can escape? Spoilers ahoy. Be afraid.
( Ill Wind )

Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey. A retelling of the Ballad of Mulan. When Mulan's mother dies in childbirth, her father is so brokenhearted he seems to forget about his only child. While he's gone, Mulan grows into an unusual combination of young woman with the skills of a young man. After her father returns and war breaks out again, Mulan takes his place to save him. But will her feelings towards the Prince make her reveal her secret? And what happens when she is found out? No Spoilers
( Wild Orchid )

Every Which Way but Dead by Kim Harrison. Rachel made a deal with a demon to put a dangerous vamp behind bars and now she has to pony up, becoming his familiar. On top of that, Ivy's old "friend" is making Rachel question just how far Ivy will go to claim her; Nick is acting weird and distant; and Kisten keeps trying to seduce her. And she likes it. But if she can find a way to outwit a demon, everything else should be a piece of cake right? Yeah, don't hold your breath. No spoilers
( Every Which Way But Dead )

Well, happy reading everyone! I now have to Nano my brains out so that I can at least try to keep up with the daily goal.
Take Care
Reaper

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Huge Catch-up Post

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:48:37 GMT

I feel so bad for neglecting my Dreamwidth journal. I haven't posted here in like six weeks and it saddens me. So here's the lowdown on what's been going on for the past month or so. I moved into my dorm, which is actually pretty sweet as far as dorm rooms go. Our bathroom is attached to the room and shared with just four girls (including myself) instead of an entire floor. We have a huge window and my bed fits in a little alcove-y space. This weekend when my parents visited we hung drapes so that when my roommate is still awake at night I can sleep without having light issues. And I bought a lamp so I can just live in the cave now, coming out occasionally for snacks and classes. I was sadly poster deficient when I first got here, so I also bought a bunch of posters. One of my favorites is the Procrastinator's creed. It has like ten rules of being a Procrastinator. "I believe anything worth doing would have been done already." "I shall never forget that the probability of a miracle, while infinitesimally small, is not exactly zero." and "I shall always decide not to decide, unless of course I decide to change my mind". I also have a Serenity poster (which is awesome) and a Blues Brothers poster that reminds me of my dad. The only real downside to my dorm (which is more a downside for other people, not so much for me) is the fact that our quiet hours start at nine in the evening and go until nine in the morning. So it's a really quiet study dorm, not so much of a party dorm.

Which is not to say we haven't had some fun events. The very first night here there was an ice-cream social and I stayed up until midnight, one in the morning, playing games with some of the people who live in the Edens/Higginson dorms. There's actually three dorms that all sort of hang out together. And my first Saturday here we had an 80's Night where everyone dressed up and had fun dancing and hanging out. Plus just last Saturday there was a Pre-Halloween dance with a chocolate fountain and all these fun spooky decorations. There was also a costume contest which was a lot of fun. The first Friday here there was a carnival for the entire campus which was awesome. There was a caricaturist and a face painter which was so much fun. All these thing have kept me pretty busy.

I also got involved in quite a few clubs, which take up quite a bit of time as well. On Wednesdays I have Harry Potter club, which is fan-freakin'-tastic! We are all divided into the houses and there's a house cup competition. You get points for bringing food to events, dressing up for parties, house teams winning games, playing Quidditch, etc. We've played Harry Potter Jeopardy which was actually super challenging. The questions were often obscure things and you had to have read the books to get most of it. Ravenclaw (my house) won that night because we're awesome and brilliant. We also had Nearly Headless Nick's Death Day party just last night, which I went as Tonks to. There was Telephone Pictionary, which ended up being really dirty in some cases and just plain bizarre in others (elephant bowling with Harry Potter's head for instance). We also played just plain Harry Potter Pictionary, which the Ravenclaws kicked ass at! We totally annihilated the competition. We had like 17 points where the next highest team only had 7. It rocked. On Thursday I have Glee club, which is actually doing singing and dancing like on Glee. We sang together for the first time on Tuesday and it was so good! This club has the potential to be really awesome. I also do Disney club on Thursdays. We started out as a Disney Karaoke club and then became a Disney Fan club. We've done a karaoke night and Halloween is going to be awesome. We're watching Nightmare Before Christmas and carving pumpkins in the afternoon. Then we're going to dress up and trek across campus singing Disney songs and throwing out candy. I can't wait. Fridays I am involved in something call CCF. It stands for Christian Campus Fellowship and it's like my church while I'm in college. We also meet in smaller groups for each dorm on Wednesdays. It's a great time of worship and fellowship with other college student Christians and I'm really happy to be a part of it. The girls in my group are just awesome and I'm glad I get to know so many people who share my beliefs. It's great.

My classes are also pretty awesome. My Greek class is by far my favorite over all. The language is so interesting and my teacher is amazing. He's hilarious and teaches from his own textbook so he doesn't have to conform to the way other textbooks are set up. Plus it means that we didn't have to buy a book as he posts what we need online. It's sweet. My linguistics class isn't too bad, but it's a lot of new terminology and I don't even really have a building block to build off of. So it can be a bit challenging to grasp new terms. And my Plot and Narrative class isn't super hard, but it's a lot of reading. And reading books that aren't particularly riveting. Although the assignments consist mostly of three papers, so that's pretty awesome.

Speaking of books, I will try within the next few days to post a slew of the book reviews I've done. I really have been reading, I just keep forgetting to post the reviews. Bad Reaper, you need to keep up with everything. I think this is about everything that's been happening with me. Oh, by the way, I am typing this from a shiny new laptop hand delivered by my family this past weekend. Having loan money does have some advantages.

Take Care
Reaper

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A Slew of Book Reviews

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:41:13 GMT

Wow, I haven't posted here in a long time. And I'm sorry for that. I just got wrapped up in doing things the last two weeks before going away to college. I spent all this last week packing and I leave for my new home on Saturday. Plus I've been trying to hang out with my friends a little before I go, since I probably won't see them until Christmas. It's been a little crazy. But I have been reading and I wanted to post the book reviews for you.

The first book is Geek Magnet by Kieran Scott. This book is about a girl who attracts these really geeky and sometimes obnoxious guys. They all flock to her and want to be her friend or even more. The girl KJ is the stage manager for the show Grease at her high school and the book is broken up into acts. It's a really fun book. Review is under the cut and beware of spoilers
( Geek Magnet )

Next I read Kitty Goes to Washington. This is the sequel to Kitty and the Midnight Hour which I reviewed a little while ago. In this one, Kitty is brought to Washington DC to speak to a committee about the existence of paranormal creatures. She meets new people and learns bit about how a pack doesn't have to be like the one she had before. She also has another run-in with Smith, the nut-job who boasts a cure. Review is under the cut. Beware the spoilers
( Kitty Goes to Washington )

Last book is I Was A Non-Blonde Cheerleader by Kieran Scott. This book is about a girl named Annisa who moves from New Jersey to Florida when her dad gets a new job. Everyone at her new school is blonde, even those who wouldn't naturally be blonde. Oh, and they all hate her for various reasons. So when se tries out for the cheerleading team, can it only lead to disaster? Review under the cut, but no spoilers here.
( I Was Non-Blonde Cheerleader )

Take Care
Reaper

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Book Review: The Good, The Bad, and the Undead by Kim Harrison

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:58:46 GMT

I spent yesterday at my mom's friend's house while mom and her friend scrapbooked. Now I got a lot of reading and writing done, but there was also a small child who kept interrupting me. I think I have a small child beacon that draws them to me when all I want is to be left alone. She kept trying to get me to scrapbook (which I don't do because I suck at it) and she would sit next to me and read. But she had to read out loud and then show me stuff. And it didn't work to pretend I was engrossed in my book because she would just repeat it over and over until I paid attention. I was so glad when the girl's mom finally came to take her home.
But I did get to finish one book: The Good, The Bad and the Undead by Kim Harrison. This is the second book in Kim Harrison's Hollows series. And I have to say, I'm really enjoying the series so far. I think I'll ask for the set for Christmas. This book was about Rachel Morgan, former I.S. runner, tracking down a serial killer who was hunting ley line witches. For this case, she's teamed up with the FIB, who've hired her as a consultant, and she's working with this guy Glenn who is one of the few humans not intimidated by the fact that Rachel's a witch. It's a really good book. Review is under the cut and beware the spoilers.

( The Good, The Bad and the Undead )

Take care
Reaper

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Book Review: Goddess Boot Camp by Tera Lynn Childs

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:55:15 GMT

Haven't posted in a couple days, even though I finished this book a little while ago. It was my sister's birthday today and we had her party last Saturday. It was a lot of fun. We did a scavenger hunt and this game where you had to unfurl a frozen tee shirt first. Plus the cake was cool. We made it with white cake mix and food coloring so it was rainbow. I have to say though, I'm getting tired of my sister making me feel like crap because I can't eat certain foods or get sick if I eat too much. Today I went to look for the leftover ice-cream, only to discover it's gone. Mom, Meg, and Meg's friend had finished it off. I was disappointed so I said, "Oh, I didn't get any." Meg said, "Well you should have had some at the party" knowing full well that I'd already had macaroni salad, diet coke, and cake. If I pushed it, I was going to be sick. The digs are eventually going to push me over the edge I've been slowly approaching due to my, now more restrictive, diet. I just have to make it another twenty days though, thirteen of which she'll be in school and I won't have to deal with her until mid-afternoon.
Anyway, back to the book review. This book is Goddess Boot Camp by Tera Lynn Childs. It's the sequel to Oh. My. Gods. and it continues to follow Phoebe, who still doesn't have control of her demi-god powers. So she's forced to attend a camp that'll help get her powers under control. Review is under the cut and this time there aren't really spoilers, unless you missed the first book.
( Goddess Boot Camp )

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