Exams Are Over....Now What?

The semester is OVER! Yippee!!! It was a very long stressful semester, but I managed to come out with a B in Microbiology, an A- in Genetics and an A in ISYS. Not too shabby. My exams finished early compared to most people, therefore, I was left with a little free time. My roomates and I decided that we wanted a beer pong table... we got the supplies and I was named master painter.

We all sat down and I sketched out some designs. We decided on a martini theme... yes, we know it's a beer pong table, but it's our table and we will make it as girlie as we choose. Kait and I picked up the supplies and I got down to work sketching and painting. IT LOOKS SO CUTE! We added the coats of sealant to make it water proof and are getting around to putting 2x4's around the edges to stop spills...."getting around to" because we have to find someone with a saw and a powerdrill.



The table....it's a sheet of plywood that goes on top of our dining room table. When we are done, we can just slide it behind the couch...Viola!




Stacked up olives...where the cups go



Close up of the martini

Tonight, Kait and I are finished with exams and are going to make Chirstmas cookies. After the baking festivities are over, D and Kp are going to join us to break in the table. We figured it would be best to bake before, rather than after....safety first.

It's All Fun and Games Until Someone Loses a Tail....

Halloween remnants...I hope....

Little Lady

Backlighting

Green Eyes

Guitar Hero, Buffalos, Mean Girls...Oh My!

Woohoo for Halloween! Let me tell you, this was a very fun-filled, drama packed weekend.

Friday: Christopher came to stay with me and showed up around 8:30pm. We had "girl talk," as he called it, until 12:30. We then joined my roomates for Guitar Hero 3......Most. Addicting. Game. Ever. I am terrible....TERRIBLE, but it was a riot.

Roomies on the couch....<3



Kait is so good, she doesn't even have to watch the screen...and D, well, D is a rock star.

Saturday: Deirdre, Kait and I got up and got around to go to Grand Valley. Chris left around 11:30am and so did we. We went to Kait's house for lunch with her parents and so she could grab some stuff for school. Then we jumped back in the car and head to GV for football tailgating/working in the Alumni tent. We got there at 2pm and worked until 7pm, when the game started. The tailgating for Ferris was sponsored by Buffalo Wild Wings and was a major hit! We helped clean up and then headed into the game....what a joke! We left at the end of the first quarter...the score was 28-0, GV. We decided it would be best to just pack up and go so we would have more time to transform ourselves into Mean Girls. :)

Kait, D, and I at the Alumni Tent....BRR!

It's a buffalo...check out his sweet shoes! He only tripped like 8 times...that we saw.

We got back to the apartment at about 9pm and it was a mad free-for-all of primping. We managed to get ourselves all dolled up and ready to go by about 10:15 or so and were ready to do photos. Derek, D's boyfriend, came over to take pictures and became our chauffer for the night.

Mean Girls! Just like the movie....sort of :)


I <3 my roomies!

The first party we went to was at our friends' apartment about 5 minutes away from ours, and it was....something. We obviously got there after it had been going for a while, and people were getting pretty obnoxious. We stayed for about an hour, but.....too many creepers plus too much alcohol= time to leave. We had to track down Kait because she had gone to a neighbor's for a different party, but after we found her, we all piled back into the car and headed to D's friends' house downtown. This party was a little slow and we didn't know very many people so we decided to leave and hit the bar.





It was costume night at the bar, always a good time. We immediately headed out to the dance floor and get our groove on. We saw a ton of people we knew, and they loved our costumes. However, things started to get ugly really fast... D ended up having a little too much to drink and getting in a fight with Derek. We didn't know the details, but we could tell something was up. Kait, KP and I all decided that it was time for us to head back, and when we found Derek and D again, she was crying and he was taking her home. Can you say, awkward car ride?




All-in-all, I would say the evening was a pretty good time. We had a blast getting ready together, but the parties/bar weren't quite up to our expectations. It's hard to not feel a little awkward at parties when you don't drink very much and everyone else is basically wasted. However, it's not as bad when you are in a group with those similar to you. There was a bit too much drama toward the end of the night for my liking, but overall, a good time. :)

Now, back to drudgeries....laundry and homework. Hope the week goes by quickly......REALLY looking forward to the coming weekend!

What's Happening....

Hello all! Yes, I know it's been quite a while since my last post. I have been pretty buried in school lately, so my blogging had to be put on the back burner for a while. I currently have about five weeks of class yet, and I CAN'T WAIT for this semester to be over. The combination of classes are causing me quite a bit of stress, but I am mucking my way through. I actually have an Organic Chemistry exam this morning, and I woke up at 6am to review again before I go. I'm now just doing a little relaxing to try and calm myself before I head over. I am seriously struggling in this class, again....I think I am missing that chunk of the brain that is wired for this stuff. Fortunately, I talked to Central, where I want to go for grad school, and they said not to worry about it. If I don't get a B this time around, next semester I will take Fundamental of Organic (easier hopefully) because that is all they actually require. Technically, the pressure for orgo is off, but I still put pressure on myself to do well....hopefully I can pull through this morning and rock this test. Keep your fingers crossed, por favor. :)

In other, less school related, areas of my life, IT'S HALLOWEEN WEEKEND!!! My favorite time of the year :D. This weekend is going to be a blast! Chris is coming to stay with me tonight and we are planning on hitting a costume party with my roomates. Tomorrow, Deirdre, Kait and I are headed to Grand Valley to tailgate/help in the alumni tent for the football game versus our school. We are planning on leaving at about half time and heading back here to get ready. Then it is out to another costume party at a friend's place. We are so excited.....we are going as "the plastics" from the movie Mean Girls. I am Regina so I will have a long blonde wig; it looks really classy, ahem white trash, with my black eyebrows. It's hilarious...I will post pics next week. : )

Some exciting news, at least I think so: I have a date next weekend! I should probably throw in at this point that Owen and I broke up a while back....he treated me like and obligation and an embarassment so I finally told him that I couldn't take it anymore. It was instant relief....like a ton of bricks removed from my chest....sometimes I wonder why I stay with things for so long when they are obviously so bad for me. Anywho....back to the happy news....Mom set me up on a date. Yup, sounds funny, but he is soooooo great. We have been talking for the last week or so for about an hour every night, and we have a ton in common; he is super easy to talk to. He is a new teacher at the school, just graduated from Central, and just bought a house in the area. He is super sweet and I can't wait for next weekend! He is coming out to the house and bringing his dog so we can take our pups for a walk, go quadding, have a bonfire, etc. OOO! If you can't tell, I'm excited. :D :D :D

So now you have two things to look forward to.....pics of halloween and juicy tidbits about my date.....I know you are excited ;)

MMMM, Tasty!

I made dinner tonight....it was de-lish. Here let me share...

5-6 tomatoes-cubed
2lbs fresh basil- finely chopped
2 small cloves of garlic- finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 box bowtie pasta


Cook pasta and set aside, covered so it will stay warm. Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Place tomatoes and garlic in pan, cooking until tomatoes are warmed and cooked through. Add in basil and allow to cook for 5 mintues, stirring often. Remove from heat and pour directly over pasta. Cover with 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese and serve.

MMMMM delicious!

Oh and as a side note...you might want to wear gloves. I can't get the garlic smell off my hands. I feel like that Eclipse gum commercial where the guy is in a giant onion suit....exccept I'm in a giant clove suit, stinking up the room. Bah....pass the gum.

Death Count Update

Plant: Alive (still hanging on by a thread...without water too, I might add.)

Fungus: Dead (shriveled up and died...might pluck it out and fry it in a lovely garlic, cream sauce.)

Fish: Alive (and kickin'! Still attacking his reflection. Maybe I should change his water...it's been a few days, er...ahem weeks.)

My brain: Jury still out. (Orgo exam week ago last friday...bombed it. Genetics test last Wednesday...rocked it. Microbiology exam tomorrow....iffy. I think I may have contracted a prion, which, by definition is an animal virus that causes spongiform encephalopathies. Yup, good ol' sponge brain.....That one better be on the exam.)

Back to the books. *sigh*

Surprise!

This is my plant....looks sickly, I know. It really doesn't get enough sun where it is, but I don't have a place closer to the window to move it. Oh, and it probably doesn't help that I forget to water it. So, sitting at my desk tonight, gazing at my sickly, dying plant, WHAT'S THIS?

Yup, look closer folks.....

It's fungus. Somehow, a 'shroom has sprouted right smack dab in the front of my plant dish. Don't ask me where it came from....that dirt is as dry as the desert. It's kinda ugly, but I'm thinking it may be the only thing I can keep alive....maybe I will just rip out the plants after they finally bite the dust and grow a fungus bowl. That would be lovely, don'tcha think?

Oh, and speaking of keeping things alive.....fishy number three.......is still alive. Shocking, I know....resiliant little bugger.

Another One Bites The Dust

One of my new fish died....and no soap was involved this time.

I think the smaller fish beat him to death...I found the little one poking the floating dead one around the tank and swimming around like he was the boss.

Hmm...maybe I'm not meant to own a fish. Gerbil, perhaps?

Our Beautiful Living Room....

.....cuz I forgot to post the pics earlier. :D

Comfiest couch.....evah...and we will also be getting a recliner in hunter green from kaitlyn's family and it will go at an angle next to the end table closest to the front of this picture (near the front door)

View from the front door.....

Our free BIG screen TV....wooo! Gotta love free stuff!

And So It Has Begun....

My first week of classes has come and gone...the school year has officially started. I think it is going to be a great semester. I love my professors, and my schedule is excellent. My organic class already is sooooooooooooo much better than last year. The prof does a really great job of explaining and helping us to understand. My genetics class is going to be a little harder than I expected, but the prof is my mentor, so at least I can get extra help if I need it. My microbiology class seems like it is going to be a blast...the prof is hilarious and loves what he teaches. Last but not least, my ISYS class is a total waste of time, but it will be an easy "A"...I'll take it.

I started my job on thursday as a stockroom assistant for the chemistry labs. I love love love it! It is so much fun, and my boss is super nice. I wash glassware, organize the stockroom and hand out items students need for experiments. It's only three hours a week, but my boss is trying to get me more hours. :)

Owen came to visit me on Saturday...I missed him...quite a bit actually. Something with him is different...and in a good way. It always seemed that before, he had a wall up. I always felt that he was holding part of himself back, but now, that seems to have completely changed. I think he was waiting to see how things would go when school started....to be honest, I was too. I think being apart is good for us; I miss him a lot, but it allows us to get all our school stuff done without too much distraction. We'll see how it goes, but so far, so good. :)

I bought a new fish to replace my other one...two actually- two minature black goldfish. I still feel guilty though. :/

Mmmk...that's all the news for now. I tried really hard to get all my homework done on Friday, but I didn't exactly succeed....I probably should get on that. ;)

Shh....Don't Tell PETA

Oh...I feel so guilty. Icky, horrible guilt.

My fish is dead. I killed him.

My fish made all kinds of noise; he would go to the top of the water and blow bubbles...blurp blurp blurp....and the go to the bottom and move the glass stones in his tank....tink tink tink....so loud he would wake me up, if I was lucky enough to fall asleep in the first place. Last night he was so loud, I took him to the kitchen. This morning I talked to Mom and she said I should just flush him...okay, sounds easy enough. Well, I told the girls what I was going to do, and they flipped...."Don't flush a live fish! I don't want him swimming in our toilet!" Yeah, yeah, yeah, alright....and besides, he was looking at me like he knew what was coming.

So, to fix the live-fish-in-toilet problem, we decide to kill the fish in the bowl first and then flush him. Deirdre suggested soap; a quick swallow or two and he would be dead. We saw no problem with this logic so she added a big squirt.....yup, we soaped him. Did he die? NO....in fact, he seizured a couple time and then started bleeding from his gills. We are all screaming..."Oh God! I killed him! Wait, he's bleeding.....AHHHH make him go away!! DIE...Why won't you DIE?!?" We could take it anymore and so I took him to the bathroom. The little bugger sat directly in the middle of his tank, staring at me, and feebly opening and closing his mouth. Greeeaaat....that sight is going to haunt me for a while. I finally tipped his bowl into the toilet and sent him swirling to his final fishy resting place. He's gone, but I still feel guilty....I'm a fish killer....a big soap-squirting, fish killer. :(

New Year, New Schedule

Monday:
9-10am: Organic Lecture
10-11am: ISYS
1:30-2:45pm: Microbiology Lab
3-4:15pm: Genetics

Tuesday:
9-10am: Organic Lecture
12-3pm: Organic Lab
3-4pm: Microbiology Lecture

Wednesday:
9-10am: Organic Lecture
10-11am: ISYS
1:30-2:45pm: Microbiology Lab
3-4:15pm: Genetics

Thursday:
12-3pm: Work
3-4: Microbiology Lecture

Friday:
9-10am: Organic Lecture
10-11am: ISYS

Hello from College!

Hello all! I am all moved in to my apartment back at school and I LOVE it!! We have a townhouse style apartment, so we have a living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, and storage closet downstairs and four bedrooms, a bathroom and a linen closet. Our dining room and kitchen are completely put together...all cupboards are organized, etc. The living room is a little scattered yet; we are waiting on some furniture that is being brought by Mom and Dad tomorrow.






Kaitlyn and I are sharing the downstairs bathroom. It is done in black, white and yellow and is plain, but cute and very functional.

My room is soooooooo great. I love the way it turned out; the pictures look great and it is super cozy. I love being in my room, and it will be great for studying.

The view from the door....


The wall to the right inside the door....

The wall across from the door (same wall as looking in).....
The wall to the left of the door....The wall the door is on (looking into my closet)......

The girls and I are acclimating to living with each other in such close quarters. We are getting along very well and having a really great time. Deirdre and I went today to go grocery shopping for the first time which was fun, but eye opening at the same time; I didn't realize how expensive groceries are and how tempting it is to just throw things in the cart....thank goodness we made a list first! Dee and I also went to the gym this morning. We walked there....chances of gaining lots of weight this year are slim to none if we continue to walk everywhere...quite a little hike!

I feel like this is going to be a really great year for me. I love the apartment and our neighbors. We are already making friends. The maintainence guys for the complex are our age and live across from us. We met when we first moved in and made a point to talk and get to know them. We are getting to be pretty good friends and now we are getting all the problems in our apartment fixed in dang good time! I feel like I am in an environment that is going to be really great socially as well as for classes. Everyone is really friendly and the apartment/my room is perfect for studying. I am soooooo happy!

Junior Pictures At Dow Gardens

Because it was a lovely day, we were bored, and we are just that cool, the girls and I hit up the gardens to take "senior pictures"....even though we are juniors....so um, junior pictures then.

Admit it....we're sweet....we know :).

Rants.....And A Raving Good Time

Oi! What a morning.... I got up early this morning to run some errands in town. I made myself presentable and headed into the bank; I needed a money order made. I went today to have fingerprinting done for my job, and the company that does the background check only accepts money orders. I had a lovely little chat with the teller-fellow at the bank and got my money order, no problem. I then headed over for my appointment to have my printing done, made my way to the third floor, followed all their signs to a dark deserted classroom and come to find out...no fingerprinting for me. The woman behind the desk informed me that I had the wrong form, even though I got it from them. Apparently, I was supposed to just know that the form was for teachers getting background checks, not people in the health field. Well, how stupid of me. Turns out, my employer has to go online, register me, fill out a form and then I can go get fingerprints. Now, this would not have been so frustrating (I was trying very hard not to kick the lady in the shin...or face) if this was the first time something went wrong with my fingerprinting.





I have already been fingerprinted. Yup, by the state police. Why again, then you ask? Well, because the police were being very organized and lost them. Four weeks after the fact, I call looking for my results, and they can't find them anywhere....no record of any kind. "Um, are you sure you had them done?" Well, I might have imagined the burly little cop waddling down the hall in front of me and trying unsuccessfully to make convo, but no, I have a receipt stating that I payed you $65 dollars to jerk me around, thanks. Well, not only did they lose my prints, they also decided that they no longer are doing printing....too hard to keep track of, maybe? Right, anyway, so they sent me a check refunding my money and sent me to the idiots I encountered today.





After 2 hours of run-around, I said screw it. This is technically my employer's responsiblity. She has to have the information for the state, and if she can't find the form or figure out what she needs to do, that's not my problem. She wants this information so she won't be fined by the state, yet I am paying the money to have it done.....she can at least find the correct freakin' form.





Ok....rant done and blood pressure slowly returning to normal. Thank you for your patience. Now, happier things....





Mom and Dad went out of town the other day (this is not the happier thing, just the start to the story). Michael and I decided to fight boredom together and go get coffee downtown. We took my laptop and fiddled for an hour, and then decided to go play with my camera for a while. *side note....does anyone else feel touristy carrying a camera around downtown? I sure do. But we aren't just snapping photos of those nice statues-we like to defile them with slightly dirty acts... anywho, moving on* We took a bunch around by the Tridge and at Emerson Park...'twas good fun :).

Later, we headed home and made chicken alfredo and cherry cheesecake for din-din....mmm tasty. Nothing beats boredom like a little quality sibling-time :D.

One Stem and Four Flowers...It's a Mutant

In Serious Need Of A Drink

Yup...dry and shriveled...mmm taste as good as they look. BRING ON THE RAIN!

Golden Views

Where I've Been

Sorry....due to the lack of high speed internet, my blogging has taken a bit of a break. So to update you...this is where I have been.

Work:

Same old, same old. My last day is the 21st and I don't think I will be coming back to work for this place.....I love the residents, but the staff, not so much. No major problems, just don't agree with their methods and treatment of the residents.

Walmart, Meijer's, Etc:

Buying stuff for the apartment...YAY!!!!! We move in on the 23rd....CAN'T WAIT,CAN'T WAIT, CAN'T WAIT!

Leland, Lelanau, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Traverse City, Charlevoix, Harbor Springs:

Owen and I took a day trip all along the west side of the state. We got horribly lost and didn't get home until 3am, but it was so much fun!....Minus the part where I cartwheeled down a giant sand dune.

Yup, I thought I could run down this giat hill....wrong. I couldn't control my legs. I tried to tuck and roll which actually turned out to be a face plant. However, I was going so fast, my body flipped over my face and I landed on my back....with 18 pounds of sand up my nose.

This is me and Owen after the fall....no, I don't look very happy, cuz well, I'm not....No major injuries, besides my ego. If you look closely, you can see the sand in my hair....lovely.




Payne Lake:
All the girls I am living with this year, the girl I lived with last year and I got together at Kait's cottage for a girls' weekend. We learned to waterski, went tubing and soaked up some sun. It was a blast, and the sunburn/peeling has finally subsided. ;)

L to R: Kait D, Megan, Kait P, Deirdre, Me

Me learning to ski.....on the short rope.....

Deidre.....

Kaitlyn.....

Ok, well that about covers it....don't worry, once I get back to school, posts will be more frequent. Only 19 more days......WAHOO!!!!! :D :D :D