oh danny boyle

I just finished watching Slumdog Millionaire, and I loved it. It's by Danny Boyle who made Millions. It was so good, though. And now I know what movie I'm rooting for at the Oscars. Beyond being a unique story told in a fresh, engaging way, A.R. Rahman composed the music for it. And the music is the finishing touch to the film. I don't have anything else to say, except that I loved it and highly recommend it.

sore, sore, everywhere

This afternoon, I worked out for the first time in ages. The new Van Andel Fieldhouse is finally open, and it is amazing. It's worth the $125 million it cost. Unfortunately, because the old fieldhouse was so inadequate and had poor hours, I barely worked out at all last semester. So now I am incredibly sore. And it gets progressively worse every hour. I'm not sure if I can get down from the top bunk in the morning. But it felt so good to finally work out and know that I can from now on and it won't be closed for construction.

not quite there yet

Today was my last day of class for the semester, and I couldn't be more relieved. I am so ready for a break and change of pace. But before that can happen, I have two papers and four finals. Somewhere around 11AM next Wednesday, I get out of my last final and then this train wreck of a semester will be over. Unfortunately, I don't get a break next semester. The only way I could do it was to take 17 credits, which is more than I have now. But I think I will like the classes better and I will definitely like my work hours better (fewer nights, more afternoons). Plus, interim should be fun. I'm hoping that I like my class and that the workload is manageable, because I'll be dorm president and treasurer while Jennifer is in London and Paris, as well as working more hours. I also want to have fun, because that is really what January is for. So here's hoping that I make it to Wednesday morning!

it's been awhile

This semester has been the hardest, most challenging time of my life. I have never been so busy or tried so hard. Between work, being dorm treasurer, and classes, I keep myself spinning. In the past month, I've also been figuring out 4 year plans for everything. I now have nearly every single class planned out from this point forward, and I'm for sure applying to go to York in the spring junior year.

On top of all this, my friends and I have been trying to figure out housing for the next two years. It looks like we may have found our place, but it has not been simple along the way finding it. The problem is that there are 12 of us and most of us are studying abroad at some point junior year, which means that people will be moving in and out during the year. What we decided to do is get two sides of a duplex, and that way, we can all live together without breaking too many housing laws about unrelated people living in the same house.

I was just realizing last night that one reason I am really disliking school this semester is because I don't like most of my classes. I abhor my spanish professor. I enjoyed spanish before I had her and now it's all I can do to force myself to go to that class. I am biding my time until spring semester when I am getting a better professor because any professor would be better than her. I also am getting fed up with my business professor. He doesn't know much of anything and his constant sexist remarks drive me up the wall. I don't think I am overly sensitive to sexist remarks, but when a prof calls you a mall rat just because you know what The Container Store sells or reels in shock when a girl (me) knows what chipboard is. I can tell that I am not the only girl who notices it either, and even guys pick up on it. He assumes that if a girl succeeds in business, it's because she is dating a successful guy in the field. I will not be writing him a good review at the end of the semester. Mostly, I get frustrated with him because I enjoy the textbook and I feel like I would enjoy business with any other professor but him. I am starting to appreciate aspects of International Politics and Relations, but no matter what I do, I cannot seem to do well in that class no matter how hard I try. I do like Self Defense most of the time, but we're working on bludgeon and knife attacks and I am horrible at it. Even my favorite class, Modern and Postmodern American Literature is overwhelming me. I have so much reading for that class, I automatically hate Monday and Wednesday nights because the class is on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I also am not doing well in it at all, no matter how much I am enjoying it.

So that is basically why I am so busy and stressed all the time. I've gotten quite a few gray hairs this semester (I'm not kidding, I have even gotten some solid white hairs). If you actually read this far, I give you mad props for listening to all my venting.

many men are living here by the zoo where there's homeless people everywhere

I've survived three weeks of school so far, and I have to say, I love being a sophomore. I like knowing where things are and what I'm doing (sort of). The hard thing is that professors know that I'm not a freshman and my classes are much harder this semester. I'm learning to juggle a job, treasurer, and student, but it isn't easy. Life is good, though and I'm so happy to be back at school with my friends. Calvin is my home right now and it feels right to be here.

And the title is a suggestion from my friend Jill, who is studying for Social Work (in case you were wondering).

back in grand rapids

Yesterday, I flew into Grand Rapids, and I move back into the dorms this afternoon. Pretty soon, life will get busy, because tonight, after we move in, all ACs start moving in freshmen. Monday and Wednesday are the big days for We-Haul, Tuesday is decorating, Thursday is training and orientation day, and Friday is hopefully a day off. I also start as a deskie in Boer-Bennink on Tuesday. So all in all, I'm looking at a full week, but it'll be good to get settled in before classes get started next week. And I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again.

Oh, here's a random tidbit: I've always wanted to have my suitcase come off first at baggage claim, and yesterday it did =).

a disappointment

While I was on vacation last week (which was great, by the way), I decided to read Twilight. Three or four people had told me that I had to read it, and how amazing it was. Supposedly it was the new Harry Potter. And I love Harry Potter, so I was eager to read something as engaging as the wonderful Harry. I tried to like Twilight, I really did. However, the book was a disappointing teen trash novel. The writing was over-the-top, and the dialog made me gag. It seemed like an unrealistic picture of the way things work. Obviously, it is fantasy, I get that, but what cool guy like Edward would actually like a girl like Bella? Frankly, I thought it was written to appeal to the part of girls that wants to be told that they are fascinating, interesting, perplexing creatures that guys don't understand, but just want to get to know better. Edward Cullen is like Mr. Wonderful, which is to say, unrealistic (and again, I get that he is a vampire and thus not realistic). Over time, Edward becomes more vapid and annoying in his glistening marble beauty that never ends and just keeps going on until you wonder if in the next scene, someone will fall dead from his radiant handsomeness. I mean, I suppose there is an appealing aspect to dating a vampire, because you get to feel all dangerous and different, but I don't think a real vampire would like Bella because she was a fairly boring and flat person. I'm not really sure what Edward saw in her; I agreed with Bella when she wonders what he loves about her--I was confused too. Ultimately, parts of the book were fun, and it was good, trashy beach reading, but my impression before reading it was that it was on a much higher tier than beach reading. So I guess I'm ranting because I had heard so many good things going into it. Thankfully, I read a much better book after Twilight called The Invisible Heart, but that deserves its own post. That's all for now.