Wow This Is Long . . . Thats What She Said

Time. It goes by slow and quick all at once. I am sitting here, wasting time of course, and just thinking. Thinking is something I tend to find myself doing a lot, there is not much else to do in my life. As fantastic as online college is, I do find myself lacking in the social department of life. I know I need to get out more, just go do something. This lack of a social life is probably why I miss high school so much. In high school your social life is why you wake up and go to school everyday, at least for most people it is. I went from having a fairly large inner circle of friends, to really only having one friend. I do want to get out, meet new people, get new friends, but I would be lying if I said that did not terrify me.

So how do I do this? Meet new people that is. Do I go to the mall and introduce myself to someone who I would think I would get along with? Or would that come across as weird? Is their clubs that I can join? Like a young adult book club or something like that?

Or is my best bet getting my associates degree finished and then transfering to a traditional university to meet people there? I know a handful of my high school friends would encourage me to transfer to their college, but is that what I want? I do not want to be a hermit, so I need to do something.

Anyway's, back to school. I finished my first set of classes this last Sunday. A 86 % in my financial planning class, and a 98% in my university studies class. Overall I am pretty happy with how I did during my first quarter. I should have started classes yesterday, however my financial aid was still in processing last week, so they bumped me to start next week. This does not really bother me all that much considering it gives me a nice week break. I am really looking forward to my new classes though. I am in my first communications class, which is the equivalent to any english 101 class, and I am also in a health and welness class.

Since I had an unexpected free week though I have been giving myself a head start on the upcoming reading material. The communications class text is simple enough, it is stuff I have read or heard in english classes many a time before. My health class is covering similar subjects as my high school health class did, but the text is actually pretty interesting. This health class is based upon the idea that health is more then your physical wellbeing, which I actually agree.

I want to do well in both classes, so I need to keep up on my reading this quarter. That was actually probably my only downfall last quarter was that I would get behind on reading and have to catch up before the midterm and the final. I still did well considering.

University of Phoenix is amazing though, I am really loving how it is set up. I still worry about the claims that employers do not even consider it a real degree and toss the applications in the trash with its name on it. However, I know people who have friends or family who graduated from Phoenix and are working and had a simple time getting their job. Still though, I think it might be best if I transfer to recieve my bachelors, then maybe transfer back for my masters and doctorite. I really do want to experience traditional University.

I went to the beach a couple weeks ago, and had a wonderful time. I was accompanied by my mom, stepdad, and my best friend Sierra. It was such a nice trip. We left on a Tuesday morning, bright and early. We drove along the Oregon side of the Columbia river, stopping at Multenomah Falls, and a Subway/Popeye's for lunch. It was about 1:30 PM when we arrived at our hotel in Seaside, OR. We were early so we drove through town to get a lay of the land, and then headed back to the hotel after getting the all clear to do so.

Once there we set all of our belongings down, used the restroom, and did anything else that we needed. Then we headed to the main strip and parked the Jeep and began to explore oneside off the shops. We looked at the beach for about five minutes knowing we would spend more time with it later. Then we went to the aquarium and fed the seals, which was just as fun and adorable as I remembered, and then ate dinner. The second day we travelled to Astoria so Sierra could see the town, and house, where "Goonies" was filmed. We also watched the wild seals on the dock. They just sit there in the sun, ocassionally bickering. It was adorable.

After the seals we climbed a hill and saw the Astoria towed. It was an amazing view from the hill, one of the prettiest I have ever seen. The weather was perfect up there too. It was sunny, but the alititude cooled the air and so did the slight breeze. The only downfall of the experience was an actual fall. Yes, I the master of clumsy, fell. And guess what, I re-hurt my weak ankle too. But it is better now, so it does not matter.

When we got back to Seaside we headed to the beach. Sierra and I spent the next two and half hours I believe, in the ocean. It was not cold like it had been so many times before, but the absolute perfect temperature. Neither of us had initially planned to go in the water, but it drew us out further and further, until we were waist deep. It was amazing. I love the beach so much. We ended up in Cannon Beach for a few hours, and had a very enjoyable time there as well.

Thursday we finished the Seaside walk. Also, we drove all the way down to Lincoln City, about a two hour drive, just so my mom and stepdad could gamble at the casino there. It was not a bad trip though, we actually had a lot of fun in the car and at all the site stops along the way. We especially loved seeing the marshmellow looking hay.

The next morning we headed home, sadly. On the way however we stopped at the Portland zoo, and ending the trip on an extremely high note.

Well, I have probably bored who ever, if anyone, reading this, so I will stop for now.

Reading = Happiness

For some odd reason in the last few weeks I have become obsessed with reading again. It makes me happy to, because I have missed that joy of sitting down and reading and getting absorbed in it.

This could have an obvious source, and that would be Harry Potter. The final movie came out midnight this morning, and it is definately the end of the era. I have not seen it yet, I am waiting until later in the week, but I am sure it will be a difficult experience for me. I have literally grown up with the characters (movie time line, not book), so for me it is especially hard. I remember watch The Sorcerors Stone for the first time, I was in fourth grade when it came out and when it finally released on DVD I remember begging my dad to go buy it, and he did. I still have the my original VHS copy of the movie tucked away on my shelf. I became so enthralled by this movie, the cute boys, and Hermione, this girl who I could scarily relate too. I had always been a fiction and science fiction nut, thanks to my dad, and the plot and creatures amazed me. From that moment on I was in love. It took me almost a year to start reading the books, because when the movie came out I was not th reader I am now. I went to Packwood, a little mountain town, for their swap meet over labor day weekend. During the weekend I met the grand daughter of one of my mom and stepdads friends, and we were attached at the hip for the rest of the weekend. One night I slept in her tent with her, like a camping sleep over, and before going to bed she read out loud the book she was reading, The Chamber of Secrets. I was so surprised as to how much I enjoyed even just the first few chapters of the book, any book really. When I returned home I immediatly checked it out from my school library, and by the end of the year I had gotten completly caught up with the series. That year the second movie also came out, and it just furthered my love for the series. Every year since I either got a new book in the series (up until 2007) or a new movie, and I am proud to say I am a Potterhead through and through. So the series ending, book and movie, I am a little emotional. Okay, a lot emotional. I have other series to follow, however, Harry Potter is the series that made me fall in love with reading. And without my love for reading, I fell for writing.

Okay, enough about that.

Like Garfield on a Monday

Monday's, they definitely are an anomaly. Its the first official day of the week, that day you begrudgingly go back to work or school. For me, in high school at least, it was that day that felt like an obstacle. The odd thing is though, that Tuesdays aren't much better, they tend to be just as boring. Wednesday is the day in the week where time gets tolerable, its that hump day, from there on out you know that the weekend is almost their. But nothing beats the feeling you get on Friday. Rebbecca Black may get a lot of flack for her song, but in truth it does capture the feeling of Friday almost spot on. Friday's give you that feeling of accomplishment, you survived another week. Not to mention its the day that the party part of the week begins. Its the peak of the week.

On to what happened in my day. It started off as many of my days have for the last few weeks, late. I woke up, brushed my teeth, and began sitting and watching TV with my mom and step dad. I made lunch, and then sat and read the manga "Ouran High School Host Club".

Speaking of which, I might as well discuss my love for this series. This last week I came across it on Netflix while browsing, and with having had good experience with a few animes before, I decided to watch it. By the end of the next day I had finished both seasons, realizing how good it was. The show ended rather abruptly, and I was of course interested in what happened next. Initially I intended to go to Barnes and Noble and buy a few of the manga, but I got impatient and decided to look it up online. To my utter joy I found it, and now I am on chapter 42, which I think is in the eighth volume. I still plan to by hard copies of it, because I know I will want to read it again someday.

The first anime I watched was Inuyasha, a first time watchers go to. I enjoyed it as well. But after watching Love Hena, I realized that I liked comedic based ones far more then the drama.

Now I am waiting for the missionaries to come and go, and maybe to watch some prime time television with my family. Just another day in my life.

M is for mornings, which I wish wouldn't come.

O is for over, which I wish it would be.

N is for never-ending, which is how it feels.

D is for daydream, which I know I will do.

A is for antsy, which I know that I am all day.

Y is for yawn, which happens several times.

Miss USA Pageant

As you can probably tell from the title, I, like many other Americans right now, am watching the Miss USA Pageant, I already know who wins, but its still fun to watch. And I am happy to announce my favorite wins, which is something that oddly happens a lot. I kind of love the concept of the Miss USA pageant, its a good idea. I think its a commendable thing to acknowledge these women for being poised, talented, and beautiful. So many people bash on this competition, and it makes me sad that people totally miss the point. I know I couldn't do what these women do, so I am amazed.

Today was a nice day. We had a BBQ for fathers day and my step brothers, who I rarely get to see, came over. We all ate a nice meal and laughed and joked. It made me happy.

Other then that I don't really have much to say.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,

Confidence is the key.

Love yourself and be bolder,

And then everyone will see.

New Beginnings

Wow, new beginnings. . . That's a phrase I have seemed to use a lot today. I guess that is mostly what I am hoping for: a fresh start. This last year feels almost non-existent, like it did not happen. I know why it feels this way too. Honestly, what did I accomplish in this last year? I took unimportant classes, only a single college level course to be exact. Nothing rather impressive there.

I managed to spend a majority of my time by myself, with the exception of my family, and a pretty much weekly visit from Sierra. I most definitely have been a social recluse. Its not completely my fault, but I know I need to take some responsibility for my lack of a social life this past year. I thought graduating from high school was going to be a mind boggling thing.

I assumed that my life would take off, and I was disappointed to say the least when it didn't. But here I am, only days from turning nineteen. With this birthday I am ready to embark on a new journey in my life. By the end of this month I will have started in a new school, University of Phoenix online. But that is not the only change that's going to happen. I am also stepping foot into a new career path.

Do not think though that I haven't given much thought to my new major, because I have. To be honest, it is a career I have considered since I was in elementary school. Psychology is a great field, with so many options for me to choose from. At this moment in time I am leaning towards becoming a social worker, but who knows how I will feel in a year from now.

Something else is on the horizon for me as well, I don't know exactly what it is, but I can feel it. I am nervous and excited for what the future holds for me, but I am ready to embrace it like an old friend. So I will leave you with a little poem,

I see my path,

Now shrouded in mist,

And I walk into it blindly.

Although I do not know

Where this road will lead,

I hope it will treat me kindly.