Lime Flavored Coke.

I don't know what is up with me today...I had like 3 lime flavored cokes...that definitely cannot be good for my teeth, they are probably rotting away as we speak...God, lime flavored coke is good stuff...Anyways, I had a end of the year job evaluation this evening and it went really well. I earned decent markings and that encourages me to work even harder and do even better next year. My editor told me she hoped I wanted to stick with it and I was like "Are you kidding, I want this more than anything." Now I realize this may sound a bit dramatic, but I meant it, I love this job. I feel so great after finishing a story and then seeing my byline the next day on the front page. Reporting is not looked at as creative writing, but then again all writing is creative in a sense. There is indeed a style and some would say it is called 8th grade writing, but the fact that I get to sit at a computer everyday and write for work is good enough for me...

I am still apartment hunting and it is becoming a rather tedious task. A co-worker has an apartment open and it is adorable and has this huge closet for all my shit. I mean I could fit my car in there and use it as a garage if I wanted... It would be perfect if I was living there myself, but the rent is a little steep for only one occupant. I really want my own room, my own space... I kept trying to make sense out of having a roommate live in the closet so I could have my space, I mean it was huge! My close friend Ryan was like "Ang, you can't have someone LIVE in your closet to save money!" I am somewhat of a logical person and yet I kept trying to think of plausible ways I could make it work. I would just get quiet while I was looking at the rest of apartment and Ryan would be like "Ang, just stop now, I know your thinking about how you can have your way." I know it sounds funny, but I'm telling you this closet was huge!

I am currently waiting on a couple employment opportunities for the summer too. (AKA "call backs.") It is fustrating not knowing where I will live or what I will be doing for the next few months. I love knowing what is going on and what to expect. I love planning out things in life, for example, I have calendars and planners everywhere and write down everything I am or will be doing for that particular hour or day. Although, on the contrary I thrive off of spontaniety. Spontaniety is really great stuff...and so is lime flavored coke...

Turtles Bring Their Homes With Them Too.

My roommate and I have delcared that "We, Frances Elaine Doherty and I, Angela Nicole Jinhee Kalu Gray, will herby go to Spain in the the summer of 2006." Yestersday we randomly decided that we are going...So yeah that is that...We are going. I swear, two "onlies" if they say they want to do something they will do it. Come on people, we are used to getting our way! I have been researching work permits, housing, etc. I get chills thinking about our futuristic adventure...

Over hump day...yeah, now on to hump weekend...err, not just kidding. Anyways, I have an article to finish up for Friday's paper and my deadline is tomorrow at 5. I am researching differentiations in professor salaries here at the U. I have to interview the lowest and the highest paid professors. I interviewed the lowest paid prof ("Hey, so how does it feel to be the lowest paid professor at the University?") and need to interview the highest ("So, let me get this straight,.. you're loaded?")

My largest project for this week and the weekend will be hauling all my crap home ; I came here with a couple carts and ever since then have succeeded at bringing more and more shit. I just like having my surroundings feel like home and feel like me. Where ever I go, I obviously bring myself and therefore, I bring my home... In my room, I have pictures of people I have met, postcards of countries I have visited and closet doors with several quotes on small pieces of shredded paper from ceiling to floor. The walls are covered with global maps of the world at different points in time. Shelves filled with antique cameras, records and knacks I collect, my violin, guitar and sheet music. I have newspaper articles, monologues, and letters from or about important people in my life (maybe you, if your reading)...(doubt it, sorry) and people I get my aspirations from (Greek goddesses to U.S. Senators to Journalists to Revolutionists. ) I also have a rather extensive collection of books by Hemmingway, Franken, Chomsky and Zinn. My collection of documentaries matches ranging from (every documentary freak's favorite) "The Fog of War," (Robert "Strange" McNamara -- what were his parents thinking?), to any war documentary in the last century. Yes, I am a nerd.

Speaking of movies, you must see "Downfall," it is amazing. Extremely controversial in European countries over the humanization of Adolf Hitler, but I think it is important in history to gain multiple aspects and angles of figures like him. It is a 3 hour movie all in German...I saw it 3 times... A couple summers back a guy came into Ragstock where I worked at the time and asked for black hair dye and told me he was trying out for the part as Hitler for an upcoming movie. He even gave me a practice monologue--in the middle of the store for all to see, it was quite an interesting day at work to say the least.

My roommate and I are actually hanging out this weekend; we're going to a formal cocktail party together. I love drinking with my roommate, we have fun and she takes care of me...she has to considering a shot and a half of tequila and I am bombed! I can't stand emotional drunks. I laugh at the girls sitting in the corner on their cells crying and smearing their mascara all over so they look like Marilyn Manson. I know there are guys like that too, so don't accuse me of ripping on girls... I mean I dislike the girls who dislike girls and only have guy friends...i s s u e s... Anyways, I am such a happy drunk, it's great really, sometimes I lie, usually when I get bored, and sometimes I am more blunt (yes, for those who know me, "more" blunt, if that is possible) and loss regard for the content that pours out of my mouth. For example, one night my roommate and I were at a party and I started giving a rather in depth, 15 minute long explanation of my favorite male body parts. (Legs...) I fucking just kept going and going. Nonetheless, I am a good time...

I've always had a leg fetish, I cannot say why. It's like a guy's legs can tell a lot about him, where he has been, what he does, etc. It is kind of awkward, "Hey baby can I feel up you manly swirls of leg hair, yumm." I love the runner legs, but it can vary. I mean I am attracted to a lot of different types of people. I like the athlete (not a jersy chaser, but like the idea of being active and competitive), the artist (whether photographer or painter, something so sexy about creativity and being able to express it), the outdoors enthusiast (love the outdoors!), the musician (the whole romantic acoustic showing of "write me a song, sing it and whisper it in my ear shit), and the nerd, I love nerds, (intelligence is hot). I ultimately, like a "man's man," (not a beer chuggin', truck drivin', SOB.) I like a guy who is headstrong, knows who he is and can carry himself well; and therefore, my theology is if he can do that he can carry me with at his side.

I'm not a bra burning, flaming (no pun intended) feminist, but I disregard many female stereotypes and love the idea of the strong and modern woman. But I swear...it is a tragic downfall how when I meet someone who meets the criteria listed above the sensitive and sweet side peaks it's ugly head. Don't tell anyone that someone could actually posess that power over me...or that I have a sensitive side...Please...I beg of you.

Bands, Bands, Bands...

Weekend came and went yet again. The individual days seem long, but the weeks feel short; I feel like I am skipping from weekend to weekend. I always feel like "Wow, I'm already over hump day, and tomorrow is already Friday!" By the way, I love that phrase "hump day." I just picture random people on the streets humping each other... Saturday was awesome, I missed a banquet for work, and thought that was that for the night, but then my friend and I randomly decided to go see a concert at the whole in Coffman. It was amazing, the three bands were so impressive. Half of the people there I knew from back home or high school; I felt like it was a fucking reunion. I doubt anyone reads this, I mean if I was someone else I wouldn't want to read about me either. But if for some odd reason or miracle from god someone does in deed land upon this blog, check out "daybreak"; "Cicero"; and "Shoreline." Daybreak has great vocals and sounds very well put together; Cicero has a unique sound to them and incorportate a lot of creativity; and Shoreline are fantastic performers, especially their lead singer, he's fucking incredable, and the band as a whole has good onstage chemisty. The funnest part was simply doing something so spontaneous; I thrive off spontaniety, hence, with work and school everything feels planned out to the very week/day/hour.

After the show, my friend Drew and I watched "Good Will Hunting," and afterwards I swear it made me want to go read a book. While we were watching the movie I was laying in my bed and I gave Drew one of my friend's pillow to use it to lay on the floor. Well after the movie he was going to put it back and was like "Wait a minute, what the-" "Is this a heated pillow...with a battery pack or something?" Then he pulled out a big, blue, textured "thing"...The funniest part was that for the first 20 seconds we weren't quite sure what it was. We both were rolling on the floor laughing. I literally could not fall asleep because every 10 seconds I would end up cracking up!

This weekend a good friend I have known since jr high is coming up to go job hunting with me. I was looking online and they had some appealing "work abroad" type programs. I would love to travel to Europe again. I would hate to take the road overly taken and go to London or Barcelona like a lot of college students, but there are a lot of opportunities in those locations. India or Africa would be amazing too. Before I ever even think about settling down, I want to have traveled and researched and be well educated as to have the ability to pass the knowledge and experience on. I just really want to get away, there is not much holding me back right now (other than my work.) When you are younger and live with your family you live for your parents, and when you get married you will live for your spouse, and when you have children you will live for them...Which means that right now in college is the only time in your life when you live for you...That is a fairly powerful statement if you think about it. It justifies my selfishness that's for sure...In terms of upcoming opportunities of traveling or internships or work this is the first time in my life I could actually get up and go without a second thought.

I can smell summer and I cannot wait...the first thing I am doing when school gets out is driving up to my cabin, taking my boat out and going fishing. I think I owe some of my best summer memories that that cabin. It helps that my bestfriends cabin is on the same lake and the mere fact that it is gorgeous up there. I want to work a lot this summer, but alotting time for trips to the lake is a must.

Second Chance.

Well, I'm still adapting to the "world of blogs." I feel like the people who constantly blog (AKA bloggers) are people with too much time on their hands and/or have issues. And yet, here I am ...hopping on the bandwagon. Maybe one day I will go back and read this and laugh at how "God Like" I thought I was.

This week panned out decently, and what made the week even better was knowing there are only 10 days left of classes. I am ready for a new adventure...which will most likely be me working and taking summer classes...not too thrilling like your typical adventure, but something new and exciting nonetheless. I had two days of shooting for Thomson West this week and I ended up missing a couple labs and class discussions. The shoots were long and tiring; a million outfit changes, having my hair brushed, sprayed, curled, straightened; my face powdered, eyelashes pulled, and lips blotted over and over. I really should not complain, the money will be a nice addition for my "education funds." I also missed an audition for Best Buy from Wehmanns because of the shoot. I decided to get my portfolio updated at the end of the summer. It will be expensive and sketchy considering school and work will be starting and will soon take over.

Speaking of this summer, I do not know where I will be working for sure. I am going to freelance and possibly intern at a couple local newspapers and a young authors magazine, but we will see. I'd love to work outside. I've love to do construction, landscaping, lawn care, or paint houses or something. I think it would be good for me. I have been working since I turned 14 and had any job from fastfood restaurants to Victoria Secret. I love working, and making my own money and such. It makes me feel independent and efficient. As much as I would love an outdoor summer job I wonder if it would be difficult for me to find one without sexist hiring standards and such. I'd love to take a men's studies course, I bet the course material would touch on the stereotypical occupational roles.

This weekend I am looking at houses and apartments. My roommate just signed a lease for new apartment and has been moving her things into it. She said she laid on her bed in her new room and was like "Wow, I have my own apartment, it's crazy!" And her words are true, I cannot wait until I have my own place. It is too bad I cannot live with my current roommate again, we are very much alike. We're not buddy-buddy and hang out together and do things on weekends, but being "only children" and growing up in similar situations in the burbs' and with similar economic backgrounds it makes us able to relate and understand eachother so well. We have this undeclared bond where we just do favors for eachother and are supportive like sisters. Not that I would know...But I hope this is what having a sister feels like. Whether it is about family, relationships, being open and personable to new people, being ambitious and independent yet sensitive, we are alike. Some nights after both working all day and going to classes and studying our asses off we'll crack open a bottle of wine and just let ourselves go for a little while. We'll just talk and tell stories and reflect on whatever is running through our chaotic minds. I truly believe we understand where one another is coming from and hence, end up respecting eachother to the upmost. I tell her funny stories and not so funny jokes and she tells me I don't sleep enough and to take it easy. Both being messy people (I am messy like drop my bag and coat on the floor, she is messy like "oops I dropped peanutbutter on the floor, guess I'll leave it there.") I will let you in on a secret, 98.8 % of the time our place is actually clean a young man is coming over. We both want so much out of life and have similar futuristic goals. It is like having two ambitious "Athenas" together in one room all the time. I guess it just works...

Virgin Blogger.

I just don't understand these things...I, along with many other adolescent females and young aspiring writers have kept a journal/diary whatever you want to call it, since I was of the ripe age of 12. To me, journals/diaries are intended to be private and personnal...Where is the logic? I am a private person, but simultaneously, I am open to strangers, aquaintances, friend and foe...Now it is you, the readers turn to ask where is the logic? This I cannot tell you.

The end of last week along with the weekend were quite nice. I attended the Minneapolis mayoral debates and felt inspired when I left. I am possibly vulnerbale and at times naive, but things that truly inspire me I do not take for granted. I have seen debates ranging from the first televised debate with the ol' Nixon and everyone's favorite charmer Kennedy, to the recent debates between Bush and Kerry. (Editors note: Ralph Nader should have been included; he was quoted saying he wanted to wear a cape and run across the stage during the next presidential debates.) But this debate between mayoral candidates was local which made the issues relative to me. Watching those two men and the way they worked their charm (I swear it was a contest to see who could smile the most.) and professionalism made me say "I could do that." And it was also amazing seeing all the fire fighters, teamsters, and other local union workers supporting the commissioner.

The weekend was devoted to mostly work and studying, but I did attend the statewide college republicans convention. Why you may ask; were you comsuming a vile combination of jack and coke -- (not the pop)? (It was for an article I was assigned to.) I could not believe how organized the organization was; have to give them props. However, the entire time I wanted to stand up and argue with the speakers, including governor Pawlenty, Norm Coleman, and Gil Gutknecht. It was kind of brain washing; I mean comparing the pope to Bush and Abe seems a little far fetched, if you will. When I left I was like "I feel like getting drunk." I could continue ranting, but I will save it. There was another small "reason" I enjoyed work this weekend, but I might save that for another time too...