All righty tighties... brand spankin' new layout for y'all. I think the little boat is pretty goshdarn cute, myself. I drew it so be careful about using what's not yours. I still have to redo the links page, but everything else should be okay.

And now I am off to laze around some more before having to wake up in 12 hours for commuting fun.

French Open commentary: Oh dear goodness that Maria girl has quite the labor-imitating grunt. Anyone hear the high pitched one after she lost a point? Quite iffy. And I don't know how she runs on those stick legs, I really don't. But congrats to Capriati for coming back from a weak 2nd set!

New layout about done.. still tweaking and playing around with it but I quite like it! I reckon I know what creativity feels and is like now--sometimes in a flash, other times creeping on you without a sound. And it does use copious amounts of blue.

It is lovely not having to commute all the way to New York.. that is a vacation in and of itself. But long weekend, hurrah!! It is quite sad how holidays have now lost all meaning to today's generation except for the superficial--"We get a day off!!" Sometimes I feel like an old soul...complaining about how the goldarn chiluns today gots no appreciation.

I just have to say that I have made 573 posts in this blog. Oh dear goodness.

So it seems blue is going to be the next color, as two suggested it. We'll see what I can whip up, eh?

Lately I've noticed myself adding "eh?" to the end of my sentences like a Canadian. Yikes! No offense, Kalmeo.

I just thought you guys needed to see this: Snow Addict Seeks Sugar Mama. Yup. Craigslist personals are such jokes, I know. But they give me a chuckle, so they will probably give you one too.

I have a two hour commute every day. I always thought the notion of trains was romantic, until now.

Back to work!

Thanks to Jeff, Steph, and Arney for their suggestions. More suggestions are, as always, welcome. Not that the aforementioned three didn't have great suggestions.. just that more is always better, right?

Just as am about to go back to New York (tomorrow), am having lovely high school flashbacks of certain people and my histories with them. Now that have the benefit of nostalgic hindsight (which of course romanticizes to the utmost degree), I see that though the ole love life didn't rev up 'til senior year, there was still quite a bit crushin' and experiences that I somewhat miss.

Emphasize somewhat.

She remembered that she became vegetarian in part because he told her, looking so earnestly into her eyes, "Please be vegetarian, for me?" and how could she resist?

Also in addition to depressing thought of going back in one and half days am horribly uninspired for new layout. Maybe need guideline.

Attention readers: please name a color I ought to focus my next layout on. Perhaps then I'll be able to do something worth putting up.

Aghhhhh I don't want to go back no no no no.

Here in Minnesota, I can float along happily with the people I've been friends with for years without real thought to my actions or words, because they know me well enough to let things pass, or to respond without condescension. Back in New York, the people I know are hardly the same--I rarely feel comfortable enough to be free with myself. One does tire so of being judged all the time.

Besides, the weather in New York is muggy apparently right now and who wants to go from this lovely chill weather where one can wear flannel pajamas to mugginess and the chill of air conditioning?

Ah well. I will adapt as need be. And really, I have more resources than I give myself credit for sometimes.

Ooh, am O-Ren Ishii.. great.

Lazing about is lovely.

Played tennis today, panted like the old woman I am while playing a young whippersnapper, who is all of 3 years younger than me. Why is it that I begin breathing heavily after the barest amount of movement? Note to self: must exercise more.

Why is it that when one is out shopping, one feels as though one has nothing at home?

So now I'm home, where I can detoxify with genuinely nice people and no drama. This makes me happy. What doesn't make me happy is the realization that I'm going back to the toxic environment in 12 days. TWELVE DAYS. Oh dear lord.

What was I thinking, getting a summer job on the East Coast????

Let's introduce a new character to my little stories, shall we? Her name is Deborah and she is, shall we say, a tad overdramatic, but I truly had no issues with her until I found some nasty things out about her, mainly that she is a backstabbing little beyotch who desperately needs attention.

That is basically what I wanted to say.

I leave for home tomorrow, thank goodness! I can't wait to be in my own room with quiet and home smells and books and memories. Still hasn't really sunk in yet, that it is the end of my freshman year in college. Goodness gracious.

Meep.

As of this moment, I have only slept a half hour since 9 AM yesterday morning. Gahhhhhhhhh I just KNOW this is going to crash down on me tonight. But I need to finish packing!!!! Tip to those still at college: start packing now. Seriously. I did NOT think it would take me this long, but it did. And I'm still not completely finished. Then again, my situation is a little more complicated as I have to in essence pack three times: stuff to store, stuff to take to Maliha's for the summer, stuff to take home.

In any case. Had my last exam yesterday. Whoa, I just spaced out there for like five minutes. Blah... I want to sleep but I have laundry going and I still have to finish... argh!! My aunt is coming in 3 hours and 50 minutes. Yikesssssss! Started packing at 12 AM after having a doubleheader at the movies.. watched Mean Girls and 13 Going on 30 again. Good deal yo.

Wow. Will write more when am coherent and awake.

I really really really am hearting Hoobastank's "The Reason." Always heard people say they loved Hoobastank, but never knew who they meant. Now I do, and I love 'em too.

OMG!!!!!! I love you Blogger, you gave us comments now!!!!!!! Everyone leave me comments now! You can even be anonymous!

Meow. Yesterday was an action-packed day. Well, action-packed if you're a high fashion loving girl like moi... so I decided to tramp round New York in a last hurrah before I went back home. So, I determined I needed to go up the Empire State, visit the New York Public Library, and visit the midtown fashion stores. Chris came with, cause I had originally tried to go up the Empire State Thursday night with him, but it had closed 20 minutes earlier. In any case, we didn't go up again because there were wayyy too many people there. Another day...

Next we headed up to the New York Public Library, the one with the big stone lions, and looked through the exhibition, "Russia Engages the World." It was actually rather fascinating--much of it was in French so we had a fun time trying to decipher it, and I had a fun time pronouncing it. I do love doing all the nasal bits and whatnot that constitute a good French accent. Then we were really hungry, so we went to Rockefeller Plaza which had many tourists and bought chicken from a vendor. Chris showed me the watch he wanted from Movado, which really is gorgeous and in very good taste, with a dark steel blue face and silver links. Brookstone was there to offer free massage chairs--I heart you Brookstone. Then, it was time for the midtown stores.

First store we hit up was Cartier. Luckily, none of the storepeople pay you much attention, cause I think they're used to having people come in and gawk. I thought their jewellry was actually kind of garish, much too bold. Of course, they did have their exquisite pieces, but for the most part.. yeah. Gucci was a little break before... Tiffany's!!!!!!!!!! I have wanted to go to Tiffany's ever since that wonderful movie Breakfast at Tiffany's, and so of course, I approached going with some trepidation--that it wouldn't be what I thought, that they would be hopelessly snobby.

Turns out I needn't have worried, not about the latter at least. The main floor was overrun with tourists, so I felt free to walk around and look at the jewellry. They had rather elegant things, but of course, but what I really wanted to see were the engagement rings. So we took the elevator up and when our floor dinged, the elevator man said, "Engagement rings, wedding bands, and mild heart attacks." Everyone laughed, and we got out. Now, this floor is what I had been expecting of Tiffany's. Air-conditioned, air laden with the fragrance of fresh lilies, and the quiet cultured murmurs of the well-to-do. We walked round, and Chris overheard someone saying, "That ring is $224,000." Yup. Chris kept urging me to try it on, but hey, I was taking it one step at a time. Maybe next time, and I'll report back of course.

After Tiffany's (oh, how I want one of those aquamarine bags), we headed over to Bergdorf's for men, cause I felt bad dragging Chris round to all these girly things. It turned out to be great. They were having a trunk show, I think, because they were offering drinks: either orange vodka cranberry or Pellegrino with lime. I chose the Pellegrino and I swear to you, it was the best tasting water EVER. Lime really adds something, I think.

Anyway, that was my fabulous New York day. Last night, I just chilled and watched Chappelle's show to relax. Doo doo doo. I can't believe it's my last Sunday here, in this same situation. People have left from the floor already... I just can't believe it's gone by so quickly. Time is such a strange concept, isn't it? It flies and drags and in general is very subjective. But now that I look back, I can still remember the first day I came to Rubin, depressed as all hell from my UHall roomies, and how happy I was to be with nice people. Well, the perception of certain people have changed, and I've grown closer and further apart with others, but for the most part, I really liked the people here.

Man, this is getting to be long, and I'm depressing myself, and I need to pack, so I'm signing off.

Well the finals are over for this week. It's strange not having anything to do until Monday. I almost didn't know what to do with myself this afternoon. So I went to the library, ate at Weinstein, and read weekly mags at the NYU Bookstore.

I talked last night to Coley about Kathy and Polly and Meg* on the whole, I feel better about the whole thing, because we noticed a pattern: Polly sucks up to Kathy who sucks up to Meg who sucks up to no one and is very much her own person. So interesting, girls' relationships with each other. Indeed.

Okay, seriously, who else loves N.E.R.D.'s "She Wants to Move?" I heart it to death. The video is rather odd. But the song is kickin'.

I'm very frightened for my opera final. In fact, I am so frightened that I've rather given up and am very relaxed, strangely. Not letting myself panic. Whooooooo. Breathe in, breathe out.

I wish I could scream in the streets without looking crazy. I was walking back from the library and really felt the need to let some stress out, but because of silly things like being called a psycho and possibly being arrested, I didn't.

I still feel like a certain girl on the floor doesn't like me, which sometimes distresses me and other times I just think, hmm, I really don't care because you're really opinionated in a bad way and kind of closed-minded. Kathy* is nice and friendly, when she wants to be, but most of the time I just feel awkward around her because she has this way of making me feel like a complete airhead, which I don't like, hard as that may be to believe. I think her and Polly* are perfect for each other--they are quite similar in many aspects, aspects which I don't like in people. So, best of luck to you two.

It's been a long time since I've talked about people using pseudonyms...I find I've missed it.

Watched Little Women again today and it made me desperately sad because I so want to be Jo except I would pick Laurie and not Professor Bhaer. The musical score is gorgeous--really accents and highlights the best bits in the movie.

*=names have been changed to protect the guilty

Today was a very New York day.

I took my friend Chris out to lunch at this lovely French place, Fleur de Sel. The servers were all very courteous and even picked up on the fact that it was his birthday, cause when his raspberry feuillete came, they had put a candle on it and written "Happy Birthday" in chocolate sauce on his plate. In any case, I do believe I need to talk about the food--seeing as how it is one of the main loves of my life.

We decided to choose dishes so that we could taste everything--if I picked A, he would pick B, etc. So I ended up with tuna tartare for appetizer, scallops for entree, and banana mousse for dessert. He got white asparagus soup, duck, and the rapsberry feuillete. The tartare was unbelievable! So fresh, bursting with flavor without being oversalty like Le Cirque. Then I do believe I had the best damn scallops I've ever had in my entire life--usually I dislike scallops because they are dry or stringy. But these scallops--oh, they were heaven! Succulent, moist, and perfectly seasoned. And oh dear Lord, the dessert was just as good--on his way out, an older man told us the banana mousse was to die for, and it literally was. I would literally die for that banana mousse again. Also, the presentation of the foods was whimsical, adding to the atmosphere.

The one strange mark on the whole restaurant experience was when suddenly, Chris says, "There's a woman in the window pointing her camera at me." I look, but there's a curtain blocking my view. So I strain a bit, and there she is! A woman with a foot long lens pointing it straight at Chris! It was so very odd! She stood there for a very long time, and we mused over the reasons for her presence. The most plausible one we came up with was that she believed him to be Randy from Real World San Diego, because he looks exactly like him. At length, she walked away, and to this moment, we still don't know why she was there.

Anyway, after lunch, to complete our high class/culture afternoon, we went to the Met for their special exhibit entitled, "Dangerous Liasons: 18th century furniture and fashion." It took us 4 guards giving us directions before we finally found it, but it was so worth it. They had set up little scenes with mannequins dressed and coiffed circa 18th century, and some were rather scandalous. In one, a man-nequin had his hand on the breast of the woman-nequin. In another little closet display, two mannequins were going at it. Yup. It was great!

Then we visited the Impressionists, because I hadn't gone to see them in a long while. It was so stange to think that I live in a city where access to this sort of art is easy--the glory of Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne, all just a subway ride away. It's overwhelming for a girl whose home city boasts one "art center" which usually displays local artists. Can't say I'm hatin' this easy access either.

BTW: Loved Mean Girls. Loved loved loved it. Jonathan Bennett is too gorgeous.