smileyjess

i've decided to make my [not so triumphant] return to the blogging world.
but first... some ground rules.

1. no stressing
2. no complaining
3. no talking about things no one cares about
4. no being 'self absorbed'
5. no caring (too much) about what everyone thinks
6. have fun

i'm going to try to do it differently this time around. the plan is to be lighthearted and fun. i'm not saying that i actually have something worthwhile to say... quite yet. but hopefully, in time, i will. the only way to get better is to practice... so here's my practice.

let me know how it goes.

a post about snow

i know a lot of people out there like snow. possibly love it. i however... am not a fan. you all know i was totally born on the wrong coast. but, in keeping with my new promises, i am not going to complain. instead, i'm going to look on the bright side of snow.

((digs deep))

when it is snowing, and i am safe inside, i love snow. i used to love to 'curl up with a good book and some hot chocolate,' but who has time for that anymore? now i'm more of a sleep in and actually have an excuse to cancel plans kinda gal. you can forget about me ever driving in the snow. absolutely not. just the thought of it seriously places a hug ol lump in my throat.

this weekend i was really sick. for a change. heh. i think the late nights of homework, rich girls, and conan caught up to me. i guess it started on thursday. i wasnt into playing at practice at all. came home, took benadryl, slept some. friday morning was student of the month ceremony (ironically, i got it for english. go figure!) and i felt like crap. i actually was out of breath during the walk to the parking lot on friday afternoon. i had planned to go to rachs play but opted not to once i saw those flakes making their descent. (it was canceled anyways.) saturday i woke up and just couldnt breathe. after an 8 hour trip to the er i walked out with 6 prescriptions (prednisone, nebulizer inhalation, albuterol, allegra, flovent, intal) and a flu diagnosis. took today out of school and feel significantly better (though not 'great,' but when was the last time i [or anybody i know...] felt that?) have to go in tmw to pick electives or something. whatever.

so anyways, back to the snow.

it makes me want to take pictures. i havent been outside since i got home late saturday night. it looks beautiful outside, but also very cold.

often, when i tell people i hate snow, their response is something along the lines of: "but what would xmas be without snow?" i feel like saying "perfect." think about it- imagine being able to beach it on christmas? santa in swimming trunks? no uncomfortably heavy wool cowl neck sweaters? i know i'd love it.

ill try to take pictures for you tomorrow. if i'm not doing a ton of makeup work.

*please bear with me as i try to think of worthwhile stuff.

9 December 2003

4 things i learned today:

1. school is never fun when you're sick.
2. school is not fun when you stress out over insignificant details.
3. garden veggie sandwiches, sans gorgonzola, from panera bread are the yummiest things in the world.
4. i have the best hairstylist in the world- she moved some cutsomers around just so she could squeeze me in today. now i have highlights (pictures later?) [hope they look alright.]
5. 3 and 4 can fix 1 and 2.

oh boy. it is 621 and i am exhausted. this 'flu' thing has really got me down.

i'm quitting my job tomorrow. ive only been working since like... september? i cant do it anymore though. i never could from the beginning. i cant work during the weeknights, she put me on thurs and sun this weekend. thurs from 3-10 and sun from 12-6. yeah right. im lucky if i can get out of the student lot by 3. plus the fact that i have pep band until 430 was a dilemma. so i was like uh no. then she put me on saturday 3-10. but i told her months ago i had dave matthews tickets for that night. then she put me on friday. uhhh... first pep band game of the season, plus doctor's appointment immediately after school. fuck. im awful. so she put me on saturday 12-6 and sunday 12-6. did i mention i have a big ol' history paper due next week and also a 20% english essay? no? oh. i do.

thus, i cant work this weekend at all. ergo, i quit.

i'm not sure if its worth it anyways. the job thing. ive made something like 1500. i put about 750 in my account total (for college spending money). i decided that ill just go to class in pj's and not eat. i already dont drink (::lightweight::) my roommate will understand that im a shut in who hates crowds and will never invite me anywhere. bingo. (this also discourages any guy from dating me, as they would have to pick up the tab. great, now i wont be married until around 30-35... plenty of time to get a fews masters and my phd and travel the world.)

wow. told you i'd be optimistic this time around!!!

accidents happen... but not this often.

i never take pictures. ever. one of my resolutions for this current year was to take more photos (of friends, family, places, things....) as if i have time for these things. how now, jess. (you're talking to the chick who took a total of 7 pictures on one of the best trips of her life this past summer. nearly half of which were snapped after her first margarita.)

today they talked to us about electives for next year. i thought i'd trim it down to 3 ap classes, the required religion course, the physics class i dropped this year for ap chem, and a gym/free (also required). that left one more class, for me. for jess. ap spanish, ap english, and ap calculus already under my belt, would ap bio be feasible? fuck, no. so i was thinking maybe i'd opt for photography. something i'm definitely interested in. my mom's been snapping photos at every single solitary family/academic/athletic/musical event ever. she's got some nice zooms/lenses/flashes/whatever that i could definitely use, and learn to use correctly. the only good part of my school day today was thinking about how i might actually have fun again in a class that i like taking.

so anyway. that is why i picked up my parents' Sony DSCP92 Cybershot 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom.

and this is why i dropped it:

because.
i.
suck.

10 december 2003

you know that feeling... yes, that one... when, for a second, you turn on your radio, discman, mp3 player, whatever... and hear a lyric snippet that you feel is totally and completely applicable to whatever that feeling is?

i love that feeling. part of the fun of a new cd is to read the liner notes and find good lyrics.

you really dont have to read this if you dont want to.

i just wanted to say that it is so relieving when you hear something by someone else that relates to you, that feeling can make you feel so much better. it's like:: "okay, this is my song." (on the flip side, it sucks when your song is popular)

but when a song is yours, all yours, and you can sit there- in your car, in your room, in your headphones- and repeat it, and never get sick of it.... that... is awesome. my favorite part is 'overplaying' it for awhile, then taking a break of a month or two. then going back to it. it's like an old friend. understanding. there (if not always there)

for once though, i would love to just climb inside my own mind, and write something meaningful. i need to be more creative. i think this is the result of a scientific mind. i am completely inable to write something worthwhile. i can't seem to step back from reality, draw that fine line between here and there, and sit back to let the creative thoughts roll in. something is always rushing through my mind: should i be sitting up straighter? did i do all my homework? should i be studying for that history test- you didn't do so hot on that last one, after all? are my parents proud of me? am i proud of me? will i succeed? how come i havent written anything yet?

yes. all that. in one sitting.

what i'm driving at here is... i want to be able to write. i want to be able to someday have an effect on someone with words as much as the words of others have had an effect on me. this is so incredibly nerdy, but words are fascinating (possibly as fascinating as numbers? ... ahhh... a debate for another day!) they can be so... captivating... evlusive... ambiguous... enthralling...

i think it'd be pretty cool if i could those things too.

my 2nd favorite celebrity couple ever (after gwen and gavin)

chris and gwyn married

what cool parents they are going to be!!

11 december 2003

i spend a lot of my time thinking about where i want to live when i am older. aside from extensive plans to travel the world with the one and only r.e.d., i got nothing. since i was very small, i have essentially been dictated everything that i'm supposed to do. go to school. get good grades. go to college. succeed.

no one ever specified where exactly i have to succeed. so, in the process of succeeding, i try to allot a certain amount of time a day to where the success will take place.

i am convinced i will live in california when i am older. this comes as no surprise to you guys. after all, i am the embodiment of 'blondifornia' (a.l., 2003), am i not?

i know this sounds ridiculous, but it only just occured to me the other day that i could live in another country. sure, i've always planned on visiting as many as i wanted-- but really live in another? hadnt really ever crossed my mind. i think that would be awesome. hot british accents and paris nightclubs. oh. man.

i dont think i'll ever be one to 'settle down.' traveling is definitely something in my blood. or maybe its just because i want- no-- need--- to get out of rhode island. this state is too small and i feel claustrophobic. everyone knows everyone and i hate it. give me a place where the highest point of elevation is actually over 700 feet. give me mountains. give me skyscrapers. i need so much more than i have.

you know those movies when the chick must choose between what she's always wanted to do and some guy? and usually you want her to pick the guy because it's 'love' and 'fate' and mush? yeah, well-- i just know ill be the one running onto the plane.

because i am not sticking around anywhere.

12 december 2003

^the first official night of pep band^ we've had many practices (twice a week!), a gig at the dunk, and a homecoming fiasco. but man. what a good time it was tonight. might i add that we sounded awesome. especially nick :)

just got in a little bit ago from hanging out with will andy pat and mike. wanted to write before i fell asleep. (thank you, nyquil)

pep band is.... 40 musicians- piccolos, saxes, trombones, trumpets, flutes, clarinets, drums, tubas, basses, and of course guitars. we play at all home boys and girls basketball games. and we rock. random duct taping (you're never safe...), togas, pot lucks.... we do it all.

unfortunately, due to my combined flu/pneumonia diagnosis, i was unable to attend the pre game pot luck this evening (drs appt). but i was there for the game itself. mucho divertido. we lost a few seniors, but we gained some dancers. corey had a great night on drums, and the new bassist andy rocks my socks, as well as timmy fox who had to cover the keys tonight by himself! a round of applause for all.

being a friday, it was- of course- a creamery night. andy graced us with his presence, as did will. nick and corey came for the first time ever! we took the place over around 915 and left about 1045ish. i never even eat anything on creamery nights. we just have so much fun fooling around. and honestly, npc food sucks (sorry motta). but just sitting there, planning parties for will's apartment and listening to andy's interesting... times... observing everyone else and listening to laughter explode from different booths.... it's just the epitome of high school. and i love it. i always feel like im in one of those saved by the bell episodes where they're all just chillaxing, in the same booth, at the same place, with the same waitress, as if they arent worried about what time practice starts or if their homework is finished.

this weekend's promising to be a busy one. a history term paper (trail of tears). 20% english essay (macbeth... it really pays to have an aunt that just got her english masters :)). infinity times 100 chem problems. analysis im not quite understanding. spanish test sometime next week.

and dont you dare forget-
dave matthews and friends at the dunk with: rach liz rye andy tom and also: dan chris zach greg pete

such a wonderful feeling:

waking up. from a 2 hour nap. after completing a 6 page history paper in record time. and a wicked good dream. that you dont really want to wake up from. but its really okay. because andy liz rach rye chris chris and greg are soon arriving and then you're all going to leave for a dave matthews concert.

your third in 3 months.

eat drink and be merry, kids.

[---i wish i could feel like this every day---]

oh, dave.

14 december 2003

dave = god

blasphemy my ass

well, duh the show was beyond excellent.

incredible covers. hey bulldog, tell me something good, will it go around in circles.

old stuff. new stuff.

good quotes too:

"today is better than yesterday and tomorrows gunna be better than today you can bet your fucking life on it"

"and he asked... if i could... spare a couple a dollars... and i thought... if anyone could spare a couple a dollars... its me... so i gave him enough for lunch... and a good buzzzzzzzzz"

"ive got a thing in my rug"

"time to make the donuts" (ohhhhh! dunkin donuts center, he's so clever)

trey anastasio was great, but im not quite fully converted to a phishhead. i wouldnt say he was better than dave. he had way too many pedals. it was like musical pedals. i thought he was tap dancing. dave doesnt use any such effects, and thats wicked raw/hot. because he doesnt need them. and another guy had my fire engine red fender american stratocaster and i thought i was just going to die because it looked so good under the lights. i wonder if it looked that good when i played at the dunk a few weeks back... im thinking no.

i learned a few things at this concert, as i do at every dave concert. several realizations. i planned out my whole life. go to stanford, drop out, take a year off for a personal sabbatical and do nothing but play acoustic guitar and drink water, sell n2o2 at dave concerts (chemistry), and become daves mistress.

sounds good to me. meg is going to get g love, so i figured that g love and dave are friends and she said shell have GL call dave for me so everything works out okay.

im happy i dont do drugs because the concert was good enough as it was. zach chris chris liz rye rach and andy came over before the show, then we all drove there, met up with tom (who i really hope had a good time!) and then we all went to the cheesecake factory afterwards for comida so we could get our parking ticket validated. yeah tropical smoothie.

tell me something good!

(thanks, dan)

12/13/03 (Sat) Dunkin' Donuts Center - Providence, RI

Too Much
Typical Situation
Where Are You Going
Don't Drink the Water
Lie in Our Graves
Dancing Nancies
Dodo
Up and Away >
Stay or Leave
Trouble
Baby
Solsbury Hill**
Spanish Moon ^
Some Devil
Oh
Gravedigger >
Grey Blue Eyes
Will It Go Round In Circles ~ >
So Damn Lucky
American Tune +
Up On Cripple Creek ^^
Save Me

E1: Too High
Tell Me Something Good ++

E2: Hey Bulldog ***

Comment:
** Peter Gabriel cover
^ Little Feat cover w/ Trey on vocals
~ Billy Preston cover
+ Paul Simon cover
^^ The Band cover w/ Trey on vocals
++ Stevie Wonder cover
*** Beatles cover

saddam and foulke* in the same weekend?

que fabuloso

*does it make me a bad person if i'm way more excited about getting the best reliever in the league than a militant president?

15 december 2003

i love coming home and not having homework. well. of course i have homework. let me rephrase that. i love coming home and not doing homework. there we go, that's a bit more accurate.

i'm spending the day in new york city tomorrow. it's sure to be a good time. UN tour, then shopping for like:: 6 hours in and around rockefeller plaza. i'm walking to sephora to buy some expensive makeup that ill never use to cover up those bits of ugly ("hey... jess... you've got a little bit of ugly on your face." i love mis amigos.) so that's why i'm not doing any homework. i really should. i miraculously finished my 20% english paper a day ahead of time... so i'm using that as my excuse to not do any work tonight. i figure i wouldnt have been able to do work tonight because under normal procrastinating circumstances, i would have spent all this afternoon and tonight writing that thing. so instead im sitting here with some jakob dylan and the wallflowers playing. he's so damn hot. irish, guitar, sideburns, pothead. we've got all bases covered.

ap chem is wicked stressing me out. last week he made me give all my data from the last lab to another chick who was out that day. today i got the lab back and he accused us of cheating. i was like listen, pal. you told me to give her that info. and he also expected us to be ready for a test this thursday with a test bank of 285 questions. uh, no. i really dont think so. we managed to extend that to after vacation, miraculously.

if you think for even a second im going to do school related work of any sort over vaca, you are crazy. the end. love jess.

oh. my little sister (12? 11?) has a boyfriend. she even got a necklace out of this relationship already. this makes me realize just how much i suck.

im going xmas shopping tonight. everyone (except liz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) paid me back for the dave tix the other night so possess cash for once.
let me clarify my xmas shopping process:

1. see something i like for a friend.
2. buy it for me.

awesome. i cant wait to start.

10 days until california. i cannot wait to surf, drive across the border to ensenada, sip some jamba, sit in the sun, run at 430 in the morning on beach sand, and listen to nothing but sublime and no doubt.

more later gangsters.

xmas shopping went well. i bought stuff for other people, w00t.

heres what i treated myself to:

g love and special sauce- g love and special sauce
g love and special sauce- electric mile
g love and special sauce- best of g love and special sauce

you know. just for something to listen to on the bus to nyc tomorrow
:)

ps philadelphonic is fabuloso as well.

i love nyc. it was such a good time. we had to be at school at like:: 645. i think they planned it just so that we could hit a ton of traffic. because that's exactly what we did. but no worries. i inherited the sleeping genes from my dad. if you place me in a moving vehicle, and i know ill be there for awhile, i have the ability to fall asleep within 5 minutes. ((which is ironic considering i get 3-4 hours of sleep each night)) so yeah, i put in g.l.a.s.s. and slept for roughly the whole 5 hours. not extremely deeply, but enough that i felt wicked refreshed like i havent in awhile. first stop was the UN. i havent been post 911... major security processing now. we did the tour, had a svedish (yah) tour guide, hopped back on the bus and headed to rockefeller center. i was ready to shop it up, so cory joined me on our 5th ave expedition because some people were hungry. i can eat anytime, but i cant shop anytime. so we hit up saks; it felt like rich girls. walked to h & m. oh man. i love that store. the one in the providence place just does not compare to this one. soooo much stuff. i bought a bunch of xmas presents. then we headed to times square, met up with patty mal mark celeste rach marco (polo!!!!). dragged the guys to sephora. i heart that store. i only ended up buying a few things. alas- they did not have any of the marshmallow stuff that i was looking for. merely the lickable stuff. which could have been er fun. i definitely tested it out. ::shrug:: ended up buying some lip glosses, bath salts, and random other stuff for gifts. we spent like at least 45 minutes in there. then corey rach marco and celeste wanted to go to bloomie's. so i hung back with pfabby, mal, and mark. (no o). we went all over. i got a cd at the virgin megastore. we were all on tv ...sidenote... i hate TRL. i got suckered into standing there for all of 10 minutes so mal and patty could watch. but elijah wood, liv tyler, and random hobbits were all on. mark and i decided to depart and meet up with them later so we went to the virgin megastore and i got some john mayer. (yummy.) then we found this beyond huge place with mucho sheet music, pero no tenia la musica para g love. :( que triste. (however, james showed me some chords during free that i want to work on) then it was almost time for dinner, so we had to meet with the other 40 or so people from school at mars 2112. i was not impressed. so many restaurants and they picked a wicked random one with such... typical food. we left around 730 or so, were back at school a little after 11.

i went home, did a bunch of homework, studied for analysis. watched g love and jack johnson on last call (god i cant stand carson daly.... ) woke up at 530. picked up patty, who proceeded to make fun of me and my musical interests the whole ride to school. tutored in chem at 730. got help with analysis. i was up 3 hours before school even started--- that wicked sucks. thank god for uber short wednesdays. and long period frees.

i have a history term paper due tomorrow that i need to wrap up. and by wrap up i mean: write a page, cite all my sources, and do a bibliography. no worries......... i got this one guys.......

so... check you later.

the time: 1109pm (17.12.03)
due (to turnitin.com) by: 1200am (18.12.03)

look at that. i was done a whole 51 minutes ahead of time.

one may say i procrastinate. and they'd be somewhat right. but really- i honestly just have not had the time at all to do finish this before tonight.

at least i'm handing mine in. i know people that arent even bothering until friday.

it's done. and i also got to take a break to go shopping.

alright well... time for dinner. who's up for a bagel with pb and some friends @ 11? oh... wait.... chem lab. i'm on it like white on rice.

chuck palahniuk + marshmallow fluff = true love

now please excuse me, i think i hear a strat calling me

let vacation begin.

why can't i write? i've sat here at my computer for the past 20 minutes (at least!) trying to write something. i start... and backspace. or i write... highlight... delete. how am i supposed to type my thoughts when i really dont want to even acknowledge them? i'd so much rather read, or pick up the guitar, or watch bad vh1 countdowns, or sleep.

am i supposed to write about my day? am i supposed to sound happy? sad? wise? funny? heres something that happened to me today: i wrote an essay (worth 30 points) in ap us history. a couple of periods later, someone asked me how it went. and i for the life of me could not even think of a name, a date, anything (!) that i had written in it. i couldnt even tell him the topic. and as i sit here to write this, i cant think of what i want to write. it's on the tip of my tongue- but i cant bring myself to say (type) it. not so much because i dont want to but rather more because i literally cannot. all of my thoughts are just scattering all over the place and i'm desperately trying to chase after all of them, snatch them up, put them in a bag, and say "there. that's who i am and what i am made up of." and i'd tie them up tightly so they dont escape.

i've been trying to do this for months. it's taken a pretty big toll on me i think. the perfectionist in me will not allow me to give up, though. but hopefully she'll grant me a break.

official start of vacation. how wonderful. i had the best night also. good company, good times.

guys i drove all the way to bristol yesterday!!! it was nuts!!! furthest ive ever driven! i ended up going to school yesterday. xmas at school was fun. dan scorp si and i laughed the whole time. bralph came over to yell at us. ah well, it didnt matter, we were in the balcony anyways and its not like we were bothering anyone! seniors got to leave right after the assembly, but we juniors still had two classes to go. drove to meg's house to pick up stuff, headed back to my house. later liz and rach picked us up and we headed over to becka's surprise party. mucho divertido! we got there a little after 630 or so. (meg and i exposed liz and rach to the wonder of g love on the way there) the party was at becka's mom's apartment. a bunch of us helped set up and becka came around 730. it was great, she was uber surprised~ it was a fabulous evening - me liz rach meg amy sarah steph dan (aka "the enforcer") the other dan lally tom gerry will and nick. (3 vegetarians! yay! we united--) basically we spent the whole night just talking, playing dirty minds, listening to bob marley, and then dan and tom played guitar for us. rach liz meg and i left a little after 1030. came home, meg and i watched fight club. brad pitt and ed norton ::swoon::

this is the first saturday in forever i havent had to go to the library. i plan on sleeping the day away, and i love that my only real plans include going over andys tonight.

lets hear it for homework free saturdays.

6 days.

not much has gone down yet today- very bored- liz is coming over later tonight-

andys fiesta was fun. i love how i've been to his house many a time but i still passed the street. go, jess. there was a handful of juniors representing. mostly last years graduating class, which was cool. nick came up to me and was like heyyyy how areeeeee youuuuu and im like good... you? and he's like drunnnnnnnnnnk. yeah that was cool. glad i got to see will again. and of course andy. hung out with beth and pat most of the evening, listened to college shenanigans. andy and will showed me some hilarious pics from when will and mark went to nk to visit andy at uri. we almost had a reenactment of the pouring of water all over a passed out will. then i had to make andy unparallel park my car for me- i was stuck between wills truck and a bmw. caught the last bit of best of will farrell dos when i got home.

all ive done so far today is veg, eat xmas cookies, and finish up survivor by chuck palaniuk. extremely good, highly recommended. oh. and i went to church for the first time in months. my mom dad and sister go every week but usually my mom convinces my dad to let me sleep in because sunday is usually the one day i get more than 3-4 hours of sleep. but since its vaca... i went. :shrug: dont really feel like commenting much on it. ran for the first time since ive gotten sick. im almost done with xmas shopping- went to wickford today. oh, p.s.-it really sucks to wrap presents when you're a perfectionist. trying to get the paper to line up and the tape straight...

ok well i need to practice those g love songs...

5 days until california

yeah, liz and i definitely watched titanic last night. and we definitely sat there and laughed at the complete lack of chemistry between kate and leo. but notice that we did not (could not?) change the channel. we had originally settled in to watch caddyshack or the birdcage or monty python or contact. and ended up watching titanic. we make me sick. but yeah, at the end, in case you're wondering, she says "jack" 11 times and "come back" 8 times. oh, and the old lady has a mullet. but dear god leonardo is wicked hot and i dont care what anyone else says

we did the gift exchange shindig. liz gave me this book, which i really want to get started on. and also a red hawaiian fish ornament that matches my guitar strap. oh and she made me a necklace! it's beauteous.

so today i slept late, ate pancakes, went back to bed, went for a glorious run, watched true life (i'm so addicted to those shows-- "you're fat! you're fat and you're ugly! now get on the trampoline!"), practiced rodeo clowns, i76, and this ain't livin, and started reading death comes for the archbishop for academic decathalon. :-/

tonight i want to see lotr3.

mr. picassohead is mucho divertido.

maybe ill post an entry of more substance later. if you're good.

dudes, i cleaned today!

recently our cleaning service up and quit. my perfect parents and sister have, of course, continued to diligently clean their respective rooms of the house, while i have instead neglected cleaning duties and resorted to living in extreme messiness and squalor.

this afternoon, as i was peacefully at ease during true life: i'm a clubber- i mean- reading that acadec book- mi madre me habla por telefono. she suggested that i clean my room. i suggested i dont. she threatened to throw everything away while i was in cali. i cowered and pulled out the vacuum. and the swiffer dry. and the swiffer wet jet. and the dusting stuff. and the benadryl (for the allergies). and live in central park.

here are the results:

xmas eve at my place--- always un tiempo bueno. they're due to start arriving any minute. not too many people, but enough. too bad i dont eat any of the food i helped my mom make today. all seafood, typical italian style. thats okay. ill throw in a bagel or something and then eat way too many cookies for dessert. ahhhh, the holidays. when im older im totally going to throw huge christmas parties like the one we went to last night. 80-100 people in a huge ol' house on the waterfront just outside of boston. bartender. caterers. yeah.

slept really late today, felt wicked crappy about being a sloth, dragged myself out of bed for a run, watched one (or three) snl episodes, helped cook, practiced, read. it's really great to just be able to relax, but i must admit that i'm getting bored and need something to do. i know, i know. relaxation is good. but i'm one of those people that needs a project at all times. i know that when i'm in cali, there will be no sleeping in or resting at any time, and i cant wait. it sounds as if my cousin has planned every minute of the 8 days ill be out there. day trip to joshua tree, surf, check out some local music, surf, drive up the coast, hit ensenada for a bit, new year's eve... it's just going to rock and i'm so stoked. i did some of my homework today so that i dont have to do it all when i come home, but no matter how hard i try to concentrate i cant. i did like... half of a chem lab. and theres no way i can begin studying for that test we have the second day back (would have been the first, but chem drops out that day...). eh. i dont care enough about school right now. it's really just great to chillax and do whatever i want without worrying about school. i could really get used to this.

saw lotr3 yesterday with rye. despite needing an intermission, it was still uberexcellent. i really need to read those books. saw the trailer for hp3 and was way too excited about it. the third one is my favorite. (yes, i read harry potter. what are you gunna do about it?)

ok well... a bunch of people are here. i need to go be social.

later gangsters.

happy christmas eve.

Christmas Song by Dave Matthews Band

She was his girl; he was her boyfriend

She be his wife; take him as her husband

A surprise on the way, any day, any day

One healthy little giggling dribbling baby boy

The wise men came three made their way

To shower him with love

While he lay in the hay

Shower him with love love love

Love love love

Love love is all around

Not very much of his childhood was known

Kept his mother Mary worried

Always out on his own

He met another Mary for a reasonable fee, less than

Reputable as known to be

His heart was full of love love love

Love love love

Love love is all around

When Jesus Christ was nailed to the his tree

Said "oh, Daddy-o I can see how it all soon will be

I came to shed a little light on this darkening scene

Instead I fear I spill the blood of my children all around"

The blood of our children all around

The blood of our children all around

The blood of our children all around

So the story goes, so I'm told

The people he knew were

Less than golden hearted

Gamblers and robbers

Drinkers and jokers, all soul searchers

Like you and me

Rumors insisited he soon would be

For his deviations

Taken into custody by the authorities

Less informed than he.

Drinkers and jokers. all soul searchers

Searching for love love love

Love love love

Love love is all around

Preparations were made

For his celebration day

He said "eat this bread and think of it as me

Drink this wine and dream it will be

The blood of our children all around

The blood of our children all around"

The blood of our children all around

Father up above, why in all this anger have you fill

Me up with love

Fill me love love love

Love love love

Love love

it was a jolly day. we had to wake up relatively early to go to mass because my sister was scheduled to serve. we got home around 1030 or so and opened up presents with mom and dad then. i didn't think i'd really get anything good since they paid for my plane ticket... which was definitely enough for this christmas and next.

around 1 we headed to nana's to meet up with my mom's side of the family. there were like 25 of us all packed into my nana's little cape. it was great. ryan graced us with his presence around 3 and stayed until 630ish. he's so cool around jacknmatt. he gave me a compilation of all sorts of random stuff that was just perfect. we watched a christmas story and some snl. i just got home a little while ago and i'm dead tired. i still have to pack. i kind of/not really have packed already.

i don't have that many pictures loaded yet, but i've got a couple here. this is our tree last night and my nana's company room
when we arrived.

the flight here was beyond smooth. i was asleep before we had even left the runway, so it also seemed extremely quick for me. :) we got here around 1 o'clock cali time and immediately headed for el morro valley for a great hike. the park was closing at sunset, but we were too far to make it back in time. we thought maybe they'd lock the gates on us and we'd just jog home, but instead they gave us a nice $89 ticket. but we're going to petition, since it was written a mere 12 minutes before we made it back.

walked in the hills this morning and then we drove down to san diego- about 1 hour south of irvine. first stop was torrey pines, a beautiful bluff right on the pacific. climbed the rocks around there for a good two hours, i took a ton of pictures- ill have to post some when i get home. then it was off to check out UCSD. beautiful campus. unbelievable. dr. seuss (communist!!) designed their library. pretty picturesque. then it was off to USD, my cousin's alma mater. again, awesome campus. it was designed after the architecture of a small village in spain. how cool is that? tres. by now it was about 3 and we were feeling some hunger pains, so we stopped at this little hut that my cousin loves. the name escapes me right now. but they had these crazy breakfast burritos.... mmmm. we got home around 6 and have just been chilling since.

tomorrow we're visiting the valley relatives- diane, tom, johnny, cassandra, and tommy. exchange gifts and watch the celtics/lakers game. sure to be a good time.

ok yeah so my shins are positively killing me and i'm dead tired and matt just mentioned some mountain biking in the morning, so i am definitely going to need to get some zzz's.

p.s. i got a sunburn. how masochistic is it of me if i'm uberhappy about that? :)