Loooong time, no update.

I realize it's been forever since I've updated, but I figured I keep this up for people at home, and during break I was there with all of you so I didn't need to update!

Anywhos, it's the second week back and I'm doing pretty well. Busy, but not quite as busy it seems. I'll be changing my class schedule on the side of this blog, so everyone knows when I'll be in class and such...

So, I'm in limbo right now. I was told that I could move from Washington suite to Nebraska suite, but the girl that was living there before me apparently is refusing to move her stuff out...or at least, isn't moving. I don't know if she's necessarily attached to that particular room (and if she's not then my case gets better), but regardless I'm still stuck in Washington, even though I'm practically already a part of Nebraska. Half the suite in Washington treats me as if I'm not living there already, and apparently they don't know where I'm living. Nice to see they care, huh? Ugh...oh well. At some point and time, I will move, whether it's in that certain room or not. I'll find a way out, so maybe I can be happier with the living situation.

Let's see, what else...ugh, I have to do laundry tomorrow. I think I have about two loads worth of stuff, so it's not too bad. Not as bad as I've seen it in the past, haha. I have some reading homework to catch up on, and then I really need to do a deep cleaning of my room.

Speaking of homework, I've really lucked out with my classes. Most of them seem to only have reading as homework, which is always nice. I know I'll have papers due at some point for different classes, but it's not that big of a deal. I feel like it's a lot more managable this semester. I think part of it is because I don't have hardly any homework for my science class. We don't even have an actual textbook. We just have our lab manual and a suppliment reading, and that's it. We never have homework, except doing the labs and the suppliment stuff, but that's only like three chapters for a whole unit. Definitely not bad...not bad at all. I seem to be understanding most of everything that's going on in class, so far, so that's always a good sign. Although, this week we have our first actual lab, so we'll see how that goes. Laura is in the class with me, so at least I've got a study buddy!

My favorite class, hands down, is film. I'm so excited about the class. So far, we've watched good movies and I'm looking forward to the other movies we'll be watching. Part of my final for the class is to make a film, so this will be my first film ever! Script, actors, directing, editing...the whole 9 yards! Granted, I'm not doing it completely by myself...we can work in groups, which is good. I think I'd go crazy doing ALL of that all by my lonesome. I'm stoked about the writing, but I'm also interested in the editing process. I've never really done anything as far as that goes, so it'll be a new learning experience.

Well, I can't think of much else to say, and it's 12:25 am currently, so I should be off to bed!

Oy vay.

I don't think Thanksgiving can come quick enough.

Man, I am just seriously feeling tension in the suite, and it's driving me crazy. I haven't been hanging out a lot in the suite, but when I am in there things just feel tense. There's this awkwardness, and I try to smooth things over, but it's like no matter what I do, things are just bad. On one hand, I feel like I need to spend time in the suite to make things better, but on the other hand I don't want to spend time in the suite because it's so bad. I don't feel happy there and I feel happier outside of the suite...I just think it's my responsibility to make sure I'm happy and my friends outside of the suite make me feel that way. But then there's the fact that I live with these people, and I can't just ignore them or cut them out of my life. I should make things better with them, but even when things are "good" (and I put those in quotes because when things are good in the suite, that doesn't necessarily mean they're actually good...) I'm still not happy.

I've considered moving into another suite next semester. There's a single that might be open in Nebraska suite and I really like the suite. If it's open and things are still bad (and I have a feeling they'll only get worse next semester with Diana coming back) then I might consider moving out. We'll see...

But don't worry (and that means you Mom.) I'm still having fun with my friends, and I'm just looking forward to going home and seeing all my favorite people! Love you all bunches!

It's about time...

So, I finally made a new layout. It's simple, but I love LOVE the new pictures. They're outtakes from an upcoming issue of InStyle Magazine, and needless to say, I will definitely be owning that magazine. My favorite picture by far is this one:

The others are good, though, as well. I've noticed Rob Pattinson has gotten better at taking photos...in the beginning I didn't think he was very photogenic, but as more and more stuff comes out, he looks better and just more relaxed in photos.

Tomorrow I'm going to Kansas City! Woot! Let's see...today I cleaned my room, which was much needed. I'm finally allowing people to come into my room now, haha. My Twilight wall has been growing, with a few wonderful additions from the newest Entertainment Weekly, with two photos of Rob. Laura flipped over one picture because the shirt he's wearing has  small polka-dots on it, and she's obsessed with polka-dots. I'll probably post some pictures soon of any new additions I've made to my room. Surprisingly enough, I haven't moved the furniture around yet...but I've been dying to. It's just so hard with a small room, but I feel like I want to do something different with it...I just don't know what yet.

Well, things have really been changing for me lately. I've made some really good friends outside of the suite, which means I've been spending less time there. I feel so much happier now, because spending all my time in the suite wasn't a good thing. My personality and the things I look for in friends...I just wasn't finding that in the suite. I was feeling tense all the time, and I just felt like there was something I was missing. I've become really good friends with Laura (a freshman who lives in Nebraska suite) and Virginia (freshman, Seaboard suite), and I've been hanging out with Taylor (Arizona freshman, Cal-Weller suite) a lot more. I feel so much better...they are the kind of friends I need.

With these girls, we hug each other, we high-five each other, we tickle each other...we're just genuine friends. By hanging out with only my suitemates for so long, whenever someone would give me a hug I kind of didn't know what to do at first. There's like no physical interaction between us, and our only verbal interaction is usually us making fun of each other. It kind of wears on the spirit, if that makes sense--you can only take so much teasing. I need that affectionate, loving interaction among my friends, and I most certainly was not getting that from my suitemates. Now, though, with Laura, Virginia and Taylor, I'm feeling like my old self again. And when I go back home and I get to spend time with the family and with Kristyna, I think I'll feel even better. But, yes, this was a new lesson I learned this semester: I need both emotional and physical affection from my friends. Without it, I'm just not myself and it tends to put me into a negative attitude. Affection = happiness for me, and luckily I have found friends at college that feel the same way. I think it's funny, however, that my good friends here at Cottey are all freshmen...and I was worried about losing all my friends after the seniors graduated!

Speaking of seniors, however, my senior from last year Katie visited! I was so excited to see her, I think I could have kissed her! I was laying down to take a nap, and my phone rang. This was the conversation:

Me: (groggily) Hello?

Katie: Whatchya doin'?

Me: Laying in bed.

Katie: Well, what are you doing that for!?

Me: Taking a nap...

Katie: I think you should get up.

Me: Eh...what?

Katie: Why are you in bed? You should get up!

(At this point I hear the suite door open, and I can hear Katie talking into her phone before I actually hear it over the phone)

Me: But I'm tired.

Katie: You should get up, Gwenie! Do it!

Me: (already out of bed and unlocking my door) KATIE!

Katie: You bum! Your door was locked...I was going to come in and wake you up!

Anywhos, I got a lovely surprise from Katie, and I can't believe how much I missed her. Granted, we texted and talked quite a bit over the summer and during this semester, but there's nothing like seeing someone you've missed in person. I gave her the biggest hug ever! It's kind of odd to think back to last year, and see how at the beginning I didn't really like her...well, actually, I didn't really know her, because she was never in the suite. But second semester the whole suite got really close, and by graduation I was sobbing at the idea of not seeing Katie everyday. But anyways, it was really amazing to see her! I'm taking her to Kansas City with Laura and I so she can get to her motel. She's staying the night up in KC, then flying out Monday.

Also, another surprise this weekend: I found out Diana, my suitemate from last year who didn't come back this year, is actually coming back at semester. I was...surprised, to say the least. To say the most, I was pretty upset. I mean, she didn't get along with any of us last year, so there's nothing really to make me believe it'll be different this year. Not only that, but this year there's a lot stronger personalities in the suite than last year...and I know for a fact that Diana will not like Marina and Tiffany. Tiffany is too loud for Diana, and Marina is too...bluntly honest. She says whatever she thinks or feels and doesn't really think of how her words affect others. Diana is a very--fragile person, I guess you could say, and sometimes in dealing with Diana you have to soften things, if that makes sense. Well, trust me, Marina does not soften things, and she hates it when others do. So, yeah, it's going to be very awkward next semester. I'm just glad that I've made friends outside of the suite...Laura kept saying that her extra bed (she has a double-single) is always open. I have a feeling I might be spending some quality time up there next semester.

Also, speaking of next semester (man, I'm on a roll!) I got my options for modules for the Italy trip. For those who don't know, modules are basically like little programs the faculty sets up, so there's some actual learning going on during our trip. We have to attend at least one module for each city (so one in Rome and one in Florence), and these are the ones I'm looking at:

Moda Italiana: The Politics and Influence of Fashion in Defining Glamour and Modernity (Florence, Italy)

Cost: $12

Summary: Italy, where unforms of the police are designed by Armani, has always played a moajor role in international fashion. It was the wedding of Italian born Catherine de Medici in 1533 whith the Duke of Orleans in France that brought high heels in vogue for women. It is rumored that Leonardo di Vinci invented the high heel. Historians and archaeologists suggest the bikini has been around since the beginning of the Roman Empire. How does fashion affect popular culture? What is the significance or meaning of fashion? What influence do male designers have on both fashion and perfumes? Does fashion itself affect body image, or does the media's protrayal of fashion have a separate influence? Does fashion define modernity? Is fashion too frivolous for feminists?

Walking Tour to include the following points of interest related to module materials:

• Start at the Pitti Palace, and go to the Costume Museum (history of fashion in Italy), and the Silver and Porcelain Museums
• Walk through part of the Bobuli Gardens, and go to Ponte Vecchio (1345 Bridge) which Corridorio Casariano designed to keep the wealthy Medici family from shopping with the masses. Observe leather goods such as purses, custom glovemakers.
• Observe the trendy Ferragamo Hotels, a block from the Bridge: Hotel Lungarno featuring bellboys with pillbox hats, Gallery Hotel Art, designed by Christian Liaigre, and the Continentale-very 1950s white formica and Pucci-pink wools
• Walk by the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo (1898-1960)-closed on Tuesdays but students may return Wednesday to tour
• Go to the Palazzo Strozzi and walk around the free areas. They have a Centre for Contemporary Culture. It is another palace that has been transformed into a museum.
• Proceed to Versace, Armani, Bulgari, Prada, Gucci stores on Via de' Tornabuoni, and to Louis Vuitton, and Dolce and Gabbana by Palazzo Strozzi
• See the Officina Profumo Farmeceutia di Santa Maria Novella--oldest perfumery, originally by Dominican friars in the 13th century
• End at the Mercato Centrale (1874)--large Italian outdoor market with Italian delicacies

And the module I'm looking at for Rome is the Coliseum. I really want to take a module that gives a walking tour of the Forum and Palatine Hill, and I want to do the Underground Rome tour, but those are both during the Coiseum session that I want to go on. I figured I'd better do the Coliseum with Cottey, because otherwise it might be quite difficult to get in to on my own.

Well, I didn't think this entry was going to be so long, but alas, it is. Oh well...y'all can deal with it! =] Kidding...

LOVE EVERYONE AND MISS YOU ALL! BIG HUGS!

Update!

Sorry, I know it's been awhile since I've updated. Anywho...

This weekend was fantastic! I was so excited to see Mandy and Abby and Amanda and her kids...it was just great to get a break from Cottey and spend some time with people I love. It was unbelievably cold in Iowa...in fact, it was colder there than down in Missouri. I asked my suitemates if they had gotten any snow while I was gone and they hadn't...while Iowa was in the 30 degree range, it was still in the 50s here in Nevada. But besides the cold and a little bit a snow (you can hardly call it that), it was so much fun. I drove up Friday night and we went to Wal-Mart then to P.F. Chang's. I had never been there before, and it was actually really good! Then we finally made it back to the hotel and went to bed after awhile. The next day, we went to the mall and shopped around...we didn't get to do much Saturday, simply because I had to leave early enough to give myself time to get back to Cottey. I bought some clothes and a few magazines at Barnes and Noble. I said goodbye, then drove back down. When I got back, I really wanted s'mores again, but we were out of chocolate, so Becky, Tiffany and I drove to Wal-Mart to get some more. Then, we were bored so we played the Ouiji board game. Kind of lame...I'm still convinced that Tiffany was moving it around just to mess with us.

According to the board game, I'm going to marry someone named Larry, who's two years older than me, and I'll meet him in my mid-twenties. I'm going to live in a mansion in L.A. and I'll have 5 kids, all but 1 will be boys. I'm not going to be a screenwriter, but I'll be an author, and what I'm working on now will be what gets my career started. I'll be going to college in Florida (even though I'm not even applying to any schools in Florida, despite how much I love it there), and I'll die when I'm 90. Crazy, right? Yeah, I don't believe any of it either. There's no way on this green Earth that I'm pushing out FIVE kids and marrying a guy named LARRY. Just...no. But anyways, it was a fun game to play...it was interesting to see what kind of responses we got.

Let's see, what else has been going on...tomorrow, I have another show (Mandy knows what I'm talking about haha) and I get to see The Maine!! I'm so excited about that...they're the whole reason why I'm going in the first place. I was going to make a shirt for the concert, but I don't think I'll have time to...oh well. Hopefully, I get to meet the guys again! Fingers crossed! And this time I'll bring my camera for sure...every time I either forget the camera or I bring it and the batteries die...I just can't seem to win.

Anywhos...hope everyone is doing well! I miss everyone from back home, and I can't wait for Thanksgiving! Love you all bunches!

Finally!

Before I write anything, by request here's a picture:

(You can see my gigantic Edward poster in the background haha)

I need to take a shower and put my new batteries into my camera and then I will post more new pictures.

Wow, I have many things to blog about lately.

First, anyone like the new layout? I made the last layout myself, and I made this one myself as well. I found that picture on a site called deviant art and it's by a very talented artist. Also, the lyrics are from a song called "Decode" by Paramore! This is the first single off of the Twilight soundtrack, and I absolutely love the song! So yes...I know it's dark, but I thought it'd be a good fall layout.

Second, I know it's been awhile since I've updated on what's going on. This weekend, my senior from last year, Miranda, drove down to stay the weekend with us! I was so excited to see her, and I realized how much I miss that crazy kid. We had a blast, but I felt kind of bad--all we did were watch movies and hang out at AJ's Coffee Rush. But I guess that's all we EVER do here, so it wasn't too big of a deal. This weekend I saw a ton of movies:

• The Goonies
• Yours, Mine & Ours
• Eagle Eye
• Burn After Reading
• Bridget Jones's Diary 2: The Edge of Reason
• Nights in Rodanthe

The three new movies were all very good, but very different. Eagle Eye was very action-packed, but it kept me entertained. The only problem I had was the chemistry between the two leads, and the casting of the lead characters. It was a little awkward. Burn After Reading was funny...but I honestly couldn't tell you what happened. The weird thing was, none of the characters in the movie had any idea what was going on either, and I think that's what made it so funny. Brad Pitt was brilliant in it, although his character was definitely less than brilliant. He played a personal trainer in this gym, and man did he do a good job at that! I would suggest seeing the movie just to see a goofy Brad Pitt. Nights in Rodanthe was...well, I guess all I have to say is this: it's by the same guy that did A Walk to Remember and The Notebook. Nicholas Sparks is an evil, evil man. He gets a thrill out of making women (and some men) cry like a baby on the day it was born. I bawled...literally. I was hiccuping and there were snot bubbles...it was bad. The crying, not the movie. The movie was incredible, but very sad.

What else...ooh, today I had off. It was our one day that we get off other than the three major breaks. I did absolutely nothing today, but I'm okay with that. It's nice to have a break like that...although every weekend I do absolutely nothing. I guess it's because I'm so busy during the week, I just need the weekend to catch up on sleep and just getting some good rest in.

I've been working on my (gasp) novel. It feels weird saying I'm working on a novel, but I've gotten far enough in the writing that it feels like it's moved on from just being a "story" to a novel. When I'm done with the synopsis of the whole thing, I might be brave and send it to the family. This is the first thing that I've felt confident enough in to have other people read it. Most things I write, I keep to myself...which probably isn't a good thing, especially since I plan on making my career in writing. I have to get over that fear, and I feel like what I'm writing now will help me with that.

Things have been going...okay...in the suite. There's been some tension between Kaeli and I, and I really don't know why. I know I need to talk to her about it and not let it just fester, but it's like when I get the nerve to talk to her about it, things get a little better between us and then I feel like I don't need to talk to her. Then something will happen later on, and I feel the tension again. It's weird. But, I've decided I need to hang out with other people. I think I'll start in Ohio Suite...I'll just go up there when I'm bored and start hanging out with them. I know a few girls up there, so it'll be good. And I believe I'll hang out with Taylor some more (she's from Mesa too). We're already going to a concert together and she'll be driving back home with me, so it'll be cool to hang out with Taylor some more.

Speaking of driving home, so far I have two other passengers for the ride back to Arizona. Paige and Taylor both will be riding with me, however Paige won't be driving back with me until we get to New Mexico. I'd like to possibly find one more person perhaps, for at least some of the way...then I think we'll be good. I don't want to get the car too full, because it's a long drive and no one wants to be uncomfortable for 1200 miles.

Stupid Facebook is acting up with me. I keep trying to comment to Kristyna and it won't let me. Arg...oh, and I got another girl hooked on Twilight. I gave her the first book the night before last, and she's already pretty far into New Moon. I know I'm going to have a ginormous group going with me to the midnight showing, so that'll be exciting. It's always fun to go to those kinds of things with a big group of people. I wish that the movie theatre here in Nevada would show Twilight. If they did, I bet Cottey could set up a thing where they rent out a whole theatre...they'd need it with as many Cottey girls who are fans of the books. It's crazy at how many fans are here on campus...but that's good! It's always nice to see people excited about reading for a change.

Lastly, you need to watch this video. Seriously.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNW5A0HfzDM

Fun times on YouTube.

Haha good times...

So right now Tiffany, my freshmen, is recording random videos on YouTube. One of them is "Milkshake" by Kelis in operatic style...the other one, she's talking out "My Humps" by The Black Eyed Peas. I know it sounds lame, but it's quite funny watching her.

Anyways, tonight we had another tradition. VAC Hour...yeah, this is when the freshmen get their baby blues to wear during the traditions. Anywho, it was a lot of fun and it's awesome being a senior and you get to be in on all the traditions.

Ugh, this is awkward. My other freshmen, Marina, is talking to her boyfriend over the webcam, and the video is facing out into the whole suite so he can see all of us...it's just a little awkward. I don't really want him to see me right now, especially since I'm in my pajamas. Although, that's not much of difference from what I wear any other time of the day.

Wow, it's late. I guess I should be going to bed soon. Tomorrow, I have PEP, a meeting instead of work, class then class again. Basically, tomorrow is my busiest day.

Hope everyone is doing well, and I miss the family!

Oh boy...

This is not good.

Now a fourth suitemate of mine is sick...and it's not just "I have a cold, I don't feel good," it's a "I can't leave the bathroom because I'll puke everywhere" sick. Kaeli has had it for three or so days now, Marina has been sick for the last two days, and Tiffany just started getting sick early this morning. Arlette has had a different kind of sickness, but she's ill nevertheless.

Looks like it's Becky and me next. This can't be good. They should quarantine our suite...maybe I should go sleep in another suite until they all start feeling better. But if they're sick and it's spreading this fast, it looks like it'll probably spread around the school in no time. Oy vay.