two June projects and an anniversary.

Hello out there, blogland!  I don't have very long to write but I just wanted to post this up really quick.

First, today is Rob's and my fifth anniversary together!  We've had a great relaxing day and even made a yummy dinner of chicken, mac & cheese, green beans, and dinner rolls.  I whipped up a special dessert yesterday for the occasion, which brings me to my first (well, second chronologically) June project.

 

Delicious cupcakes! I used my secret Sin Cake recipe to make cupcakes and then got a vanilla buttercream frosting recipe from a friend. I tried to color it a much deeper blue, but it didn't seem to want to get any bluer than this. Next time I'm going to try for a pink frosting and experiment with some vanilla cupcake recipes. I'm really going to miss all my kitchen equipment when I am in Orlando. :-(

My second June project is this Hermione Cable & Eyelet hat that I knitted earlier this month.  I love it!  The picture makes it look red, but it's really a wine-like color.  The ribbing turned out so-so, but the cables came out wonderfully.  I'm very proud of them.  Now I actually like knitting cables.  Go figure!  I'll definitely use this hat pattern again.

That's it for me today.  Take care!

Am I Reading the Right Blog?

Just wanted to make a quick note for my followers.  I know some of you probably found my profile from other WDW College Program blogs and so you decided to follow me, too.  Just wanted to give you a quick heads-up that you're in the wrong place. ;-)  This is my personal blog, and if you came here looking for my CP tales then you want to move along to this one.  I didn't want anyone confused in case that's the one you were looking for when you decided to follow my blog.

And if you want to stick around here for my personal ramblings and stuff, feel free!  I'm thrilled to have you following along. :-D  Have a great day!

Beginnings of Summer. a.k.a. Historian for Hire!

Wow.  I've totally ignored this blog!  I haven't posted here since before final exams started, which isn't entirely unusual but I have a couple of things I could have blogged about during that time.

I'm a college graduate!  That's right, historian for hire!  Or whatever.

Several of my relatives flew/drove into town for the ceremony, and we all had a pretty great visit while they were here.  It's too bad we can't all get together more often.

So now I'm staying with my parents for the summer before I leave for Orlando.  I kinda miss the privacy I had back at the apartment.  Not that my parents are all that invasive, but there's definitely a lack of the personal space that I was used to when I lived with Sarah and Kellie.  Plus I feel a bit cluttered because I'm in storage limbo here.  I'm slowly moving out of the apartment while cleaning out my stuff here at the same time.  So there are boxes and suitcases everywhere I turn.  And there's still a bunch of my stuff that will need to be packed up, moved, or purged.

This leads me to another point.  I'm in this weird hesitant mode lately.  There are projects or activities that I want/need to start, but I keep hesitating.  A few examples:
- Cleaning out my room.  I know that I have lots of time, but I really don't want to start.  It's just such a daunting task.
- Running.  Granted I need to finally pick out which shoes I want as a belated birthday gift before I can actually continue working on my running.  But that right there is another example.
- Knitting.  I have all of these projects in my head that I want to start, but I can't pick just one to begin.  "Ooh, I want to knit more hats!  Wait, I want to do a bajillion pairs of fingerless mitts!  But I think I may be ready to try socks, so maybe I should do that.  And I really want to learn how to sew buttons onto my work!"  Etc., etc.  Although I did just finish a hat for Rob and some mitts for my mom.  So it's not totally hopeless.
- Netflix.  Weird, right?  My queues for DVD and Watch Instantly are both very long but I just can't seem to make myself watch anything.  Right now I have a documentary on the Titanic and The Invention of Lying sitting by the DVD player.  And we just started up the Watch Instantly on my parents' Wii.  I have plenty to watch, I don't know why I don't do it.

Is it just hesitation to start new things?  Laziness?  Maybe I'm transferring my habit of procrastinating into real-life stuff now that I don't have schoolwork to do.  Whatever the reason is, I'd like to stop feeling so lethargic about accomplishing these tasks or even working on projects about which I'm excited.  I'm ready to get started with my summer!

The weekend is finally coming!

As of 6:30pm this evening, I'm officially in the single digits of my graduation countdown!  Insert dance break! :)

I turned in my senior thesis.  We had the option of requesting extensive feedback from the professor if we want to know more about how the finished product turned out, so I definitely asked for that.  After working so hard on it, I want to know what she thinks of the completed project as opposed to just sections here and there.  I have to take my Personal Finance exam tomorrow afternoon, but it should be fairly easy.  And then the weekend will finally be here!  Even though it will be spent studying, I'm excited.

After waiting for over a month, I was finally able to watch the newest episode of The Tudors last night.  Remind me why it was a good idea to watch the leaked episodes so far in advance, only to be later burdened with waiting that much longer?  So... I had some more thoughts/reactions/ramblings.

• Sarah Bolger.  OMIGOD.  I think I love her more with every episode, seriously.  This is the only performance of hers that I've seen, but I intend to keep up with her career after the show ends.  I've said it before and I'll say it again: I desperately wish they were continuing on with the reigns of Henry's children.  As for Edward, eh whatever.  But Mary!  Sarah could do so much with this role and it's tremendously unfair that we'll never get to see more.  And on a superficial note, she is definitely in second place to Natalie Dormer on my list of girl-crushes from The Tudors.
• And the Mary/Chapuys alliance is still going!  So cute.  I don't really like Eustace historically, but on the show he's okay.  It makes me happy that he continually has her back.
• Thomas Culpepper... I don't even...  Why does everybody make him so swoon-worthy but despicable at the same time?  I love it and hate it.
• I'm probably one of the only people alive who sympathizes with both Anne Boleyn and Jane Boleyn historically speaking, and I am not surprised that they are continuing the jealous/bitchy/villianous approach with Jane's character.  Everybody does that, so it's nothing new.  But "peeping tom" Jane?  Just... what.
• Was Charles Brandon even in this episode?  I think I saw him at a table at one point chatting in the background...
• Aw!  Little Edward!
• I usually love Elizabeth, but I am lukewarm on her involvement in the show at this point.  I don't know, she just doesn't seem to fit with the action right now.  Maybe later this season she'll be able to play a more prominent role, but for now it's just moments of "Hey Henry!  Remember this daughter, too!!"
• Henry and Anne... WHAT. THE. HELL.  That scene was just so weird.  And not to be strange, but did they actually have sex or was there just cuddling?  Because they were both in their PJs...  You have to see sex or nudity on this show to know for certain, I'm not kidding.  For all I know they had sex and then put on nightgowns.  It's just so... odd.
• I'm a bit confused on the whole anti-Earl of Surrey thing.
• That ceremony for the Order of the Garter!  Hilarious!  All those men flashing legs with embroidered garters on them made me giggle, I'm sorry.  I can be immature.
• Poor Henry and his impending old age.  Crisis, much?
• Ugh.  Un-sexiest place to have sex that I've seen on this show so far.  Like, really?  We're not talking about a bathroom that's been sprayed down with Lysol and whatnot.  That's just sick.

Well I need to get to bed!

Catch-up post.

Just a few ramblings about what's been going on over the last few days and what's coming up soon!

Well, the final copy of my senior thesis is due Monday.  Then it goes into my university's archives forever.  Actually, I'm imagining something like that last scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark.  But still, it's a scary thought!  From what I understand, future students and faculty will be able to access it.  For what reason, I don't know.  But they might!  So today I've been working heavily on revisions and I intend to still be working late tonight.  And probably tomorrow.  I can be a bit of a perfectionist so if I have until Monday afternoon to submit this, then I will still be proofreading Monday morning!  And if you read my earlier posts, you know that I've really been enjoying this project (most of the time).  So I'm a bit sad to be finishing and don't feel ready to part with it.  Regardless, I have a bottle of champagne ready to be opened Monday evening!  I also fill out my exit forms for the department that afternoon.  So it's a big day graduation-wise!

And graduation itself is approaching quickly.  The ceremony is two weeks from tonight, actually.  Some complications have arisen which I'd rather not get into right now, but they are relevant.  The short story is that I've had some really bad anxiety attacks this week due to stress from school.  And I haven't been sleeping well at all over the last couple of weeks.  I'll spare you unpleasant details, but I was getting really sick from all the anxiety.  And that's highly unusual for me, even at my most stressed.  So my doctor put me on some short-term medication to help me relax, sleep, and curb panic attacks.  I know that once the next two weeks or so are over, my stress levels will quickly decrease.  But it was quickly getting out of hand and having a horrible effect on me.

For a quick rundown of my final days of class, here is the schedule.  Thesis due Monday, last paper of undergrad due Wednesday, final exam Thursday.  Then the next week I have a final Monday, one Tuesday, and my last exam is Friday.  Yup, the day before the graduation ceremony!  I could opt to take it two days early, but I'm really going to need those two days to study for it.  And I have several family members coming into town for the ceremony, so the first days after school ends will be busy.  But at least I'll be able to relax a lot more!

I can't wait to get back to knitting.  Earlier this afternoon I was taking a break from revising by looking up knitting patterns on Ravelry, and I felt inspired!  At the moment I have a mental list of potential Christmas gifts to knit, and I'm ready to get started!  With Netflix and knitting, I'll be set for relaxation!  And I still really want to learn to crochet this summer.

Rambling about My Birthday

So tomorrow is my 22nd birthday.  Maybe it's just because I'm extremely busy with school stuff, but I really don't care.  I don't feel like celebrating in any way tomorrow.  I've noticed that I care about my birthday less and less every year, though.  But I was never really one to make a huge deal of it.  The last time I had an actual birthday party was when I turned 14.  Over the past few years my birthday has fallen into a routine of going out to dinner with my family, coming home and having cake, opening presents, and that's it.  And the monotony of it has made me extremely bored.  No offense to my family, but you can only do that so many times and now we just do it because they think it's what I want.  So last year I shook things up and went to Disney World for my birthday.  It was really fun and I'm glad that I did it.

This year is a different story.  I've got so much schoolwork to do that I planned on just letting it go by with no notice.  Class all day, come home and work on papers.  My sister invited me out to dinner tomorrow night, though.  And I'm pretty sure my parents talked her into it, because they think I was going to sit around being depressed.  I don't want to seem ungrateful, but I'd rather just be by myself than receive pity.  Maybe there's the chance my sister thought to invite me on her own, but I doubt it because we're not close.  And my parents are really into "tradition" so they probably think I'll be upset if I don't get to go out to dinner on my birthday.  Not really.  But I hate hurting people's feelings, so of course I'm going out with my sister.  I'm really in no mood for forced birthday celebrations, though.

This post is kinda rambly and selfish, I know.

Picspam: Audrey Hepburn

So I actually had a totally different idea for what to write about today, but I think I'll save that for tomorrow.  At some point, my post for today became focused on Audrey Hepburn.  And I find this incredibly amusing, given Audrey's captivating nature.  I admit I haven't seen very many of her movies (my Netflix queue has a few waiting!).  So far the ones I've watched are Sabrina, My Fair Lady, and Roman Holiday.  It's crazy what an icon she is.  I mean, how many women do you see who try to be like her in one way or another, whether they want to dress like her or imitate her grace?  She seems like the embodiment of poise and style, even today.  So here are some pictures and quotes that I hope will brighten your day!  And believe me, it was really difficult to pick on a few favorite photos to share.

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."

~ Audrey Hepburn

"The best thing to hold onto in life is each other." 

~ Audrey Hepburn

"Let's face it, a nice creamy chocolate cake does a lot for a lot of people; it does for me."

~ Audrey Hepburn

"The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she knows." 

~ Audrey Hepburn

"I'm not beautiful. My mother once called me an ugly duckling. But, listed separately, I have a few good features."

~ Audrey Hepburn

"There is more to sex appeal than just measurements. I don't need a bedroom to prove my womanliness. I can convey just as much sex appeal, picking apples off a tree or standing in the rain."

~ Audrey Hepburn

In which I share some strange thoughts.

Four weeks left!  14 days left of classes, then three days for final exams.  It feels so good.

Time for me to get weird.  If you've seen (or read) Julie & Julia, then you'll recall the feeling that Julie had that she knew the woman she was writing about and learning from.  You know, when you spend so much time focusing on one person, their life, and their characteristics that you truly feel like you are close to them?  If you don't know what I'm talking about, then just go with me on this.  That's how I feel about my senior thesis.  As if I didn't already love this woman, now I feel even more passionate about her life and who she was.  I feel that way about many people from this time period, but about her especially.  It's just.. crazy.  It's like writing about a friend.  I'm so ridiculously attached at this point that I am actually sad that this project is coming to an end.  As much as I complained about some of the work (mostly the writing process and actually putting my thoughts on the page), I will miss it.  But at least I can continue all the independent study I want and eventually travel to where they lived and try to imagine what their experiences were really like.  It's crazy that it took so much of my college career to get to this point, where I am studying what I love.  And genuinely feeling passionate about it again.  Sometimes the hoop-jumping made me forget why I came here, but it's to do exactly what I'm doing right now.  I'm studying people and places about which I already cared so much in a new way, and that's what I'll miss about this project and about college in general.

Oh my goodness!

So I'm sitting here working, working, working on my thesis (yup, another all-nighter!) and it hit me just how little time is left for me in college.  Well, at least with undergrad.  But let's not kill my buzz. :-)

Anyway, I've thought about it several times but it seemed like a revelation tonight anyway.

I have five weeks left of school.  Five weeks between me and my diploma.

22 days left of classes/finals (34 days counting weekends and non-class days).

Less than 850 hours?

Three book responses, one research paper, one huge test, four final exams, and the final draft of my senior thesis.  That means roughly... 34 pages to write for various assignments, including revisions.

It seems like so little but so much at the same time!  Well, now I need to stop counting and get back to writing/editing.

Bedroom post!

I've been thinking about what to bring with me to Orlando.  Originally I was going to bring the sheets, pillows, and comforter that I have at my apartment here and just leave my room at my parents' house the way it is.  Then I was visiting them recently and it hit me how messy my bedroom there is.  There is junk everywhere (I am a notorious packrat) and the whole room desperately needs to be cleaned out.  And this is pretty gross, but I'm pretty sure there are bugs living in the closet because it hasn't been properly cleaned since I moved out in 2008.  Shockingly, this makes me even less eager to clean it. :-/  Plus, I've basically had all of the same furniture since I was 11 (some of it is actually older than I am) so it could stand to be updated.  The last time I even moved anything around was in 2005 when we re-carpeted.

So anyway my parents and I chatted about it and we're going to work on re-doing the bedroom this summer. They already have a guest room, so they don't intend to do anything different with it in the near future.  The first goal is to clean out the room extensively... bugs and all.  Then we plan to paint it.  Pink is still my favorite color, but my bedroom has been light pink for more than a decade (mostly out of laziness) and it's definitely not appropriate for my age.  I still want it to be a bright color though.  I'm thinking maybe a nice blue-green.  Then we're going to get rid of the bed I have there and most likely replace it with the one I have here in the apartment.  That way we won't have to store it while I'm in FL, and I still get to keep it!  The mattress is the most comfortable ever, so I don't want to part with it yet!  And I'm too cheap to go for an upgrade for my bedroom at my parents' house; I'll just save the moolah for a bigger bed for wherever I move later.

I'm kind of excited to be changing the room so much.  The only thing I'm not looking forward to is the cleaning.  Not too keen on bug encounters and having to part with massive amounts of knick-knacks.