It's been really nice out lately. About a week or so ago there was rain and I liked it since it doesn't rain that often where I live (curse of the desert). There are clouds that are big, heavy, and gray and then there were some that were small, fluffy, and white. What was quite astounding today was that some of the clouds were low and passing by. On my way to the library, I saw some amazing shots of clouds passing by the sun. I looked up over at the thin clouds and I was able to see the sun without being blinded!


Eye by ~80sStar on deviantART


Downtown Clouds by ~80sStar on deviantART


Between Two Palm Trees by ~80sStar on deviantART


Mysterious Eye by ~80sStar on deviantART


Passing By by ~80sStar on deviantART


Cannot Contain Me by ~80sStar on deviantART


Powerful Work by ~80sStar on deviantART

I've been able to avoid having my room being cleaned out by my Mom for almost the entire winter break. We went out for breakfast and got done with a few errands and I had planned to spend the day writing down ideas for my stories. However, I only got a chance to write some ideas when my mom said that it was time to clean my room. I don't understand why I have to have it clean. I already gone through my clothes and items that I don't want and I do take out the trash and bring down my clothes for washing. Heck, I do well in school and I have everything else organized, so why can't I have my room the way I want it?

I did managed to get rid of some crap that I don't want but I start my spring term on Tuesday and I had wanted to read/watch some stuff before school starts and give me distractions. Heh, my mom said that she should had started last week as that's how long it's going to take.

I planed to go to Adoration with my Mom so that I could get inspiration for my story and I also needed to get out of my house. I wanted to go with two more friends but neither of them showed up. I went in with my mom and I was able to get some thinking, brainstorming, and reflection going on. Good thing I brought down my bag; I needed some paper to write down my ideas. There were only two classes that came by. By the time first period was over, I was asked by Sensei to light up the candles that were on the altar with the Monstrance.

I tried to look for some matches but I never found any. I used a long candle and reached into an already lit candle that was placed beside the storage room. My Mom had said that the candles were already lit. The problem was that there was too much melted wax around them that the wick could not burn off the oxygen around it. So, I grabbed an empty jar/candle holder and dumped the melted wax in there. In my process, the candle went out. I grabbed the same candle that I used before and that went out. So, I wasn't quite sure what to do but I saw that there was one last candle that was lit and it was by the statue of Mary. When I set the wick on fire, it was huge! I quickly but steadily went to all 3 candles and lit them up...

I continued to stay just in case someone came by. There were two parents and a substitute teacher that came in as well as two teachers. I continued to stay in the back and just listen to what Sensei had to say. Apparently, we're all walking pinball machines and cannot stay quiet for even a moment (maybe that's why I like playing that game). Other times we are on a roller coaster of emotions but sometimes we need to get off it (easier said than done). All students were given a sheet that was written by some guy from way back then. I kinda liked it. After the students had left, I went around and picked up any sheets that fell off and made sure all the chairs had a paper on them. Good thing too since some of the classes were big.

Sensei: "How are you doing?"
Me: "Fine."
Sensei: "Are you hungry."
Me: "Actually, yeah, I am."
Sensei: *laughs*

I stayed the entire time inside the room. I was too afraid to leave since 1. Someone always has to be in that room and 2. I didn't sign in so I was kinda breaking the rules. When no one was in the room, I took some pictures for references. I also began to write down some thoughts and ideas in a composition notebook. I was in that room from 8-1 pm. I wasn't sure how long the Adoration thing was gonna be but after school I left since more people showed up. I waited in the main office but no one came. I did manage to talk to one of my old math teachers.

Me: "You play the violin, right? Since when?"
Simtion: "Since I was 4-and-a-half years old."
Me: "Well, I started to play in late August."
Simtion: "Best of luck to you."

I decided to just go to Sensei's room as there were some questions that I had from him. It didn't bother me that there were some other people but that man was just too hyper to sit still. I was just talking with some people about ASU, which was nice. It's good to know that there's something to do at ASU instead of NAU or U of A (ha ha). When everyone left, Sensei and I had our usual routine of him offering to drop me off somewhere and me refusing to let him. However, this time, the place I had to go wasn't really that far. My two siblings were at Burger King while our Mom was at Duke's getting her pictures taken. Really, it wasn't a big deal for me to just WALK there.

Monica: "Really, we can give you a ride; it's no problem."
Me: "Yeah, I know. I just enjoy giving that man a hard time."

On his way to dropping me off, I saw a friend of mine talking with her brother in the park... Dammit... Sensei had wanted to just kick me to the curb and dropped me off in the middle of a cross walk. I really had no clue at first what he had plan but I was too scared to leave the car with traffic coming in different directions. I had missed my opportunity to get out so Sensei had drive around but instead had plan to drop me off at the same place. I didn't want to go into another panic attack so I got off before he managed to get out of the parking lot.

I've learned a lot of things from this day but the most important is this: never EVER accept a ride from Sesnie EVER again!!!

As tradition, my family went out to see a movie with my grandparents. I had suggested The Princess and the Frog as I had wanted to stay home and watch Phineas and Ferb's Christmas marathon the day the movie had come out. We went to see the early showing but there were still a great number of people. I looked forward to seeing Disney's first American princess. I liked the movie. It was nicely placed together with awesome music, fantastic animation and amazing voice actors. I really liked the villain, too.

The Princess and the Frog was loosely based on the novel The Frog Princess and The Frog Prince. The Frog Princess is a young adult novel where the main character is a princess but she is clumsy. Princess Tiana is a strong woman who wants to make her dream of owning a restaurant with hard work. Prince Naveen is a lazy leech who has been kicked out of Maldonia, a fictional country, and has to get a job to earn money. The villain is a voodoo man who probably sold his soul to get magic. Other than the villain, my other favorite character was Louis, the alligator who plays the trumpet.

If you play the trumpet, you're just automatically cool.

I went down to Tucson to celebrate my cousin's daughter's birthday. Because it was on a Saturday, I had to try and rearrange my violin less and luckily I am able to make it up next week. I went with my mom and two sisters. I had listen to 2 hours of music on my iPod to kill time. We had to pick up my grandparents and cousin to take them to the Peter Piper Pizza place that the party was at. I was quite happy to by able to return to that pizza place as I only go there when there is a young kid's birthday to celebrate with family.

There really wasn't too many relatives that I normally see but I was happy to see those that I did. Despite me being in college, I was given 4 tokens to play games with (guess I still look like a young teen). I had used them to play Skee Ball. I had gotten some tickets and I didn't want them so I gave them to my one of my cousins. The pizza was actually good but I guess that's because it was warm and it had also been a good amount of time since the last time I had had their pizza. I really do like spending time with my family as I don't get to see them often.

Don't sit down if you can dance Don't throw away your chance - Here We Are by Bloom 06 I had made plans with a friend earlier in the month to hang out today. We were going to play our instruments together at the part. I was also excited that I was finally going to be able to play (They Long to Be) Close to You by The Carpenters for a certain someone. I was so excited that I had trouble sleeping. I had woke up right away and got everything ready for the day. I had my mom stop by the Einstein Brother's Beagle place to pick up a gift card for Sensei that was to be from me and my younger sister. When I had gotten to school, I was hoping to see other friends and students. A las, I saw no one. I decided to go into another classroom and talk with another teacher. I played for him one Christmas song and had shown him my group's finish project for the end of the semester. After he left I went into Sensei's room, there were two seniors and two students finishing up their finals. I had set up my stand and began to tune my violin. I had wanted to play it but Sensei was too busy writing some sort of letter for a senior. I didn't mind so much as I was waiting for my friend to show up. I had expected her to walk in at any moment or send me a text to let me where she was at. After an hour had passed, I kept checking my phone every 5 minutes to see if I had gotten any texts. After two hours had passes I decided to send her a text but I didn't get a reply from either number. Between that time, I had managed to separate, organized, and count several different worksheets that Sensei had used for his class. I had also cleaned up some papers, picked up pencils that were on the ground, straighten out the desks, and place in grades for one class. After waiting for a ridiculous amount of time, I just decided to walk with Sensei to his car and not argue with him dropping me off where I needed to go. I had him drop me off at the IHOP that's close to SM. Now he knows where that is. I'm not sure why, but for the past few car rides we've had together, he's been wanting to know what my race/ethnicity is. I told him the truth that I honestly don't know. I sat at a booth by myself and ordered a sundae. I called my mom to tell her what was going on and she told me that she'd pick me up on her way to Scottsdale. My younger brother had texted me his and our mom's order for them to eat. I was too upset to eat an actual meal and I had wanted to just go home but there would be no time for my mom to drop my brother off to do his service hours in Scottsdale, then drop me off at home, then go back to Scottsdale. I ended up having to go. It took my mom awhile to find the place as my brother only had the location of the Church but no actual directions. What a dork. We had arrived at the Church a bit too early so we went to a Target that was near by. My mom had wanted to go to Fashion Square Mall but there was too much traffic to make it there. So after dropping my brother off my mom and I went to Ross to see what was there. Really, there wasn't a whole lot but I did find a shirt that I liked and luckily it fit me. There was no way we could kill 3 hours just spending times in the stores. I got restless and wanted to go back and at least see what this Nativity thing was all about. The event was free so my mom and I went. I had found my brother watching the cage for the animals and allowing young kids in to pet the animals. As I was with my brother, I was surprised to see Sensei here. I had wanted to walk away but my brother had a tight grip on my shoulder and had called Sensei over. He had greeted me and was surprised to see me here. I decided to walk with him to see if he managed to get his tasks done and he had answered no. He had asked me if I wanted to help out with the volunteer work, which I had to think about and I eventually agreed as I had nothing else to do. There wasn't anything for me to do at the time so I just sat with my mom. Sensei had walked over and thanked my mom for coming and being at school for the Adoration thing. He had also said that we were at his Church that he goes to (not to self: never go into that area again). My mom and I had gone to see the Nativity show. I went to go see what my brother was doing and he was just making conversation with the care-taker of the animals. I took some pictures of the animals and the rabbit's furs were incredibly soft. Everyone then headed inside for hot dogs and entertainment provided by some young Hispanic dancers. I had gotten my mom and I a hot dog but my stomach was still upset that I could not eat. I decided to go and see what I could help out with. I placed on a glove and passed out bowls of chilly. Sensei was telling everyone that he was leaving so I decided to try and play for him before he left. I really had to persuade him to spare another 30 seconds leaving. I was really nervous and he had wanted to rush me, which he was half-jokingly. I had began to shake but I managed to finally play (They Long to Be) Close to You by The Carpenters. Even though I didn't have a music stand or even the music sheet out and had to play from memory, Sensei had loved that I managed to play one of his favorite songs. He thanks me and told me that if wasn't leaving, he would take me into the Church and play him Christmas music. That was OK; I just wanted to play that one song for him that I had spend roughly about 2 and a half months. I then helped clean up inside by picking up trash, straightening out the chairs, and cleaning up all the leftovers. I had also helped clean up the leftover hay with my younger brother and an older woman. I was happy that I was able to do something. I was quite pleased with myself for staying out and not be at home moping.

I fell asleep a bit too early and woke up at 1:42 AM. After listening not being able to go back to sleep for over an hour I decided to listen to King of Lullaby by Eiffel 65. I love that song! I was happy (and a little sad) knowing that today was my last day of class for my first semester in college. The day started pretty interesting as I had received a text from a certain someone telling me to go and help Sensei after school. Now, I wasn't quite sure how to feel at the time. My class had started at 3:00 and ended at 4:15. There was no way I would be able to make it since the kids get out t 2:45. I kept trying to contact Sensei through text but I never got a replied. I was a little upset with myself for not going yesterday like I knew I should have. Eventually, I went to my class but at an earlier time- 1:30 and I got out at 2:45. I caught the 3:00 shuttle to Down Town.

I wasn't sure how long Sensei was going to be at school so I had to call him. I figured because he didn't have my number I was going to have to call multiple times to see how long he'd be there. Lucky for me, he said he'd be there for another hour. Great. It takes me 30 minutes to get from campus to my stop and then maybe 10 minutes to walk back to the school. I would have been there earlier but I ran into some friends and we talked for less than 5 minutes. By the time I had arrived in Sensei's classroom, he had two students helping him out with whatever it was I was suppose to do. ...........

The two students eventually left and so Sensei had me just type out a worksheet. I had honestly thought he needed help with something more important, like writing the finals for his class. Oh, well. I did what he wanted and I managed to at least fix some problems with Word. Since we have each others number, he'd call me from the print room and tell me what to fix and how the sheet turned out. Some of the other teachers came in and they talked about going to see the school's basketball game tonight. Because I was up since 1:42, I was ready to go home and sleep. However, Sensei had other plans.

Sensei: OK, we've managed to get everything done for today.
Me: ... So I can go home now?

It was pass 5 o'clock when we had finished everything up so Sensei wanted to take me to Ted's Hot Dog which was in Tempe. I kept denying but he eventually wore me down. I had heard that Ted's is within a reasonable distance from ASU Tempe so I thought that I could just be dropped off at the main campus and go back to West on the shuttle. There was some pretty interesting words exchange between the two of us. I had to re-show the man how to reply to a text and I also showed him how to work the web, start a text, make the screen bigger or smaller and I also placed in my number.

Sensei: *lowers the window on my side*
Me: Can you please put the window back up?
Sensei- Why? Don't you just love the cold air?
Me: You know, I have your phone in my hands and I can easily drop this out the window and onto the high way, right?
Sensei- *puts the window back up*

When we arrived there were only a handful of people there, mainly older people. Behind us I could hear two ASU students talking about what finals they had to take. I've never been to Ted's so I wasn't quite sure what to order but int he end I had an all beef hot dog, fries, and a medium Pepsi. I was quite surprised that the employees, well at least one of them, knew Sensei as a regular. It was a little awkward of me to be standing in line with him so to calm myself down I hummed the Quirky Work Song from Phineas and Ferb. Lucky for me there was Christmas music blasting so he didn't hear me hum. I felt really bad for him paying for me. I had money! I could easily paid for myself! He kept insititing to pay for it. (Bebe, I now know how you feel.)

We sat down over at a big table. I looked up at the ceiling and saw that the lights were covered with a screen tile with a picture of clouds. They looked really pretty. As we prayed for our meal, Sensei had thanked God for the food and having me, his "buddy", with him for dinner. I don't remember specifically what we talked about but there were little conversations about my two younger siblings and poker. He also kept putting emphasis how close this place as to ASU Main. After we left he then wanted to take me back to where he usually drops me off as we were going back into the same direction. I reluctantly agreed.

Sensei: *has his phone back* *lowers the window*
Me: *thinks* Shit, I need something quick! *grabs a book from the shotgun's door* I can easily toss this out the window.
Sensei: *puts the window back up* That's a great book, isn't it?

We managed to get back to the Down Town campus in time for one of the buses to leave. After I got out Sensei wanted to call me back to let me know how soon I need to help him again. He then drove off pretty fast to catch the basketball game. To my dismay, the shuttle was going back to Tempe. I thought about getting on but I really just wanted to go home. I was stuck down there for another 30 minutes. I killed time by finishing off my fries and soda while reading a manga book that I checked out earlier. I was really glad to be back at school and I went home with my sister. Sensei called me to see where I was and if I made it back to my destination OK. He informed me that he left the game early to take back on of the teacher's home but I kept telling him that I was alright.

Whenever I listen to King of Lullaby, it just feels like everything will be OK. Eiffel 65, you still make magical things happen.

I finally saw that movie! I've been meaning to see it the moment I saw the trailer with a friend. I've been trying to get other people to see it with me but things keep popping up. I would've seen it earlier today but there were no show times anymore and that movie is going to be taken out soon.

I really did enjoyed it! I was pleased to learn that the movie was a based on a series of books, there being 12 in all. I really liked the opening credits even though they had little to do with the actual story. The story at the beginning was interesting because it had started off with the funeral, worked backwards and then moved forward with the plot. The only problem was that the story was portrayed as a little too broad but then again it was rated PG-13. What I also liked about the movie was the musical score.

So there are 4 trilogies and each one comes with 3 books so there are 12 books in all. There also is a manga adaption to series which I may try and get my hands on. I can't wait for it to come out on DVD!

So for my IAP 201 class I have to make a 7 minute presenation with a group of people using what we have learned in class. We at first decided to do a video with images from children songs but then we decided to do Christmas. There are many Christmas songs but we decided on 12 Days of Christmas because it's a long song and there are many funny versions of it. My group plans to draw and color winter theme drawings with crayons, markers, and computer animations. At the end we want to put a picture of ourselves wishing everyone happy holidays. Even though I'm not the biggest fan of Christmas, I'm still psych for the idea and can't wait to get started!

I had to go see an Opera for my Intro to Interdisciplinary Arts class for the Music section. At first I thought, "Cool, I already know a lot about classical music and hopefully it'll be something good." I was wrong. Instead, we were all assign and opera. The only thing that was playing right now is Nixon in China, the story about President Nixon going to China in 1972 to discuss some issues over Taiwan. I had read the summary and the actual event on Wikipedia to gain some information about what I was going to see.

For our review, we have to listen to the orchestra, the choir, and the actors/singers. I had arrived 10 minutes late and had to wait outside until scene 2. I got some great seats for only $5! My instructor had posted a link where students could get seats anywhere in the hall for $5. Because I had never been to Symphony Hall before, I had chosen what I thought to be modern seats. My mom and I were guided through the rows by ushers and they were pretty good seats. By the time intermission came, I found where my original seats were but I decided to stay in my new one because the view was better...for the most part. The first time I moved was because the guy in front of me kept stretching and blocking my view, I'm guessing he wasn't at all interested in the show. After I moved, there was a tall woman on my right so it was difficult for me to see. To continue to kill time, I managed to do a few answers in the crossword puzzle.

The show itself sucked; it was REALLY pointless. Did the guy have nothing better to do with his time? I did liked hearing the orchestra but listening to the opera singers was a new experience. There was a screen above the orchestra that showed authentic live photos of what took place in 1972 and subtitles for the audience to follow along. I can't say anything about the beginning but the ending had me confused. It just left off with the orchestra playing a a picture of Nixon and Mao along with the Communistic sign and stars. I left right away as soon as it was done.

So, would I go see another opera? Unless it's Pagliacci, then no.

Well, I've been doing pretty well with my goals. Yesterday when I was working out at the gym, I notice that lifting some of the weights had become easier. I also cycle for 15 minutes rather than 10. Running on the treadmill doesn't hurt my legs as much. I have extended my exercise program because now I have nice songs to run to and cool down with. I guess one reason why I like doing this is because I no longer have a coach to continue to push me to do my best. I have to do this on my own until the start of swim season next year. The pain that I feel in my legs feels good, just like how my muscles would ache after practice. It's a good pain that athletes feel that tell them they had done a good job.

As for food, I have chosen better food choices. I try to bring a lunch with me to school so I won't be tempted to buy an unhealthy lunch. I have had one too many sodas but I did need the caffeine. Today I had also tried cooked broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. I will admit that they do taste good and there isn't a lot of sodium in them so I'll be eating more of those with my meals. In all I have lost about 3 pounds.


Also, today I drove for the first time at night! It was a little scary but I managed to do it.I'm just glad that it wasn't in rush hour traffic. I was a little sore from running so my legs hurt when pushing on the pedals. I also filled up the tank to my car (yes, my car) for the first time. Interesting times.

I had to read some articles for my Computer Literacy class. They were discussion the fact that people who use computers at work spend too much time on Facebook, YouTube, playing poker, making travel plans, or doing useless research rather than doing their job. Many people have excuses for not doing their job such as it gives them an "escape" but in reality they are just causing their company to loose money.

Then again, I am also guilty to having such an addiction. As I was typing my assignment, I wrote that it was really hard for me to NOT check any messages while doing homework. Heck, even as I type this entry I'm also exploring 5 different websites. I also had to write my greatest and hope and fear for using technology in the work place. My greatest hope is to be able to use my knowledge to help my company and my greatest fear is abusing my Internet privileges. It's really hard to not use the Internet while doing homework or when you're bored.

My Internet wasn't working for a few days and so I had to go to school and use it there. When I took my laptop, I killed three hours of homework time just browsing websites that I'm addicted to. Currently, I'm very obsessive with DeviantArt.com because I spend all my time looking at fan art then photos and then original stuff. It just starts out with looking though someone's favorites and then I go into other people's profile and from there I see other interesting people and art work. It can take some time to sort through everything.

Also, when my Internet was shut off, I was bored. I kept thinking about my messages and needing to respond to them. I also had to rearrange my schedule so that I could use the Web at school. I did use my laptop twice but without the Internet, it's pretty difficult to use it. But even after my Internet was back, I used it for awhile then got off. But when it is working, I get on and off. I spend hours on dumb things. Hmm... Maybe I need help? Off to the web to find help!

I haven't written down any goals in awhile. I spent this afternoon cleaning my room and work area. I had bought an accordion folder to keep all of mu school papers in order. I had sort though a LOT of papers and decide which one to recycle, which ones to keep, and which ones that I can keep for scrap paper. I also picked up my clothes, hung the ones that needed hangers, sort though all the bags that I had bought stuff and took out my trash. The whole thing took about two and half hours. Now it feels I can breath and I can see most my floor in my room!

Goals for November:

1. Pull up grade from D to B in math class.
a. do homework
b. study
c. see teacher for help
d. do well on midterm and final

2. Exercise
a. take stairs, not elevators (I'm pretty good at doing that)
b. go the gym everyday with a set goal in mind
c. record all workouts

3. Eating better
a. eat good breakfast
b. pack a healthy lunch (sandwich, juice box, bake chips, carrots)
c. avoid sodas until weekend or when going out
d. go out to eat once a week

4. Have a better attitude for classes
a. do homework
b. ask for help
c. don't be so negative

I was forced to go Trick-or-Treating last night. I had told my parents early in the month that I was going to dress up but I was going to pass out candy to the kids even though there aren't a lot of people or houses in my area. After I came back from studying at school, my sister and I went to Sonic to get dinner. All of the family sat down and ate together which is something we haven't done in awhile and watch the Addams Family series on TV. As we ate, our door bell would ring and someone would go give the candy. I went to go change into my costume because I wanted to. Everyone thought I was going out but I kept saying no. I was eventually forced by my dad because my younger sister wouldn't shut up about going Trick-or-Treating. It's her fault though since she did not call her friends and make plans. So, after some yelling I took her around the neighborhood. I didn't expect me to get any candy but I did and I stuffed it into my pocket.

You Are the Suburbs

You've got a bad rap, but you think people are just jealous of how good you've got it. You prefer to live somewhere that's clean, safe, and cheap. What could be wrong with that? You're not going to apologize for liking chain restaurant and good schools. While you may not be as sophisticated as the city, you're content with your life. Plus, there's more to do in the suburbs than people think. Besides, you can visit the city anytime you'd like. And when you're fun in town is done, you have a comfy suburban house to come home to.

Not surprising but I'm proud.

Your Primary Mood Color is Red

You are a very passionate and fiery person. You have strong emotions, and you don't hold back. You are bold and quick acting. You aren't afraid to take the first step or make the first move. You are an attention seeker, and you love to be the center of things. You've learned how to entertain people well. You are the type of person who the subject of speculation and gossip, and that's fine with you. You like to be talked about.

OK?

You Are Silver

You are down to earth and unpretentious. You don't feel like you need to show off, and you're very secure with your place in the world. You are understated and elegant. You carry yourself with poise, and you're more known for what you don't do than what you do. You can fit in anywhere from a country western bar to a black tie gala. You are adaptable and adventurous. You are blind to social class and background. You see people as who they are ... not as where they came from or how much money they have.

You Should Be a Clown for Halloween

You are funny and playful. You enjoy making others laugh, and you'll keep trying new jokes on people until you have them cracking up. When you get dressed up for Halloween, you try all sorts of wacky combinations. You love throwing a couple unexpected props into the mix. You are super hyper and always "on." Some people find you to be a bit overwhelming. But no mater what, when friends of yours needs a pick-me-up, they always turn to you. You're guaranteed to make them smile.

You Are Black

You are a serious and thoughtful person. You spend a lot of time in quiet reflection. You are a friend of the honesty, and you don't sugar coat anything. You prefer the truth in all its complexity. While you may relate to the color black, it doesn't necessarily mean you're a dark person. You just don't hide from the dark side of life. If anything, you tend to be sophisticated and classic. You don't follow trends, and you have your own style of doing things.

Is it really? I went down to the Phoenix Art Museum to take a look at some paintings for my class. I haven't been there in years. It's changed a lot since I was in elementary school! I went today because my instructor was going to be there and admission was free. I liked getting in for free but my mom and sister came along. I originally planned to go to the library and then to the museum then back to school. Anyways, I walked around the entire modern art area of what students were allowed to exam for 15 minutes. It was very difficult to stare at some paint on a canvas for 15 minutes. I saw a historic one, a surreal, and an abstract painting. Guess I'm just drawn to that type of stuff (no pun intended).

I brought my notebook with me to see what I was suppose to be looking for specifically. After staring at paint for some time, I began to see other points of view other than just seeing an image. I gave all other artwork a glance then kept moving. I enjoyed looking at all the different ideas and styles. Students were suppose to notice things, such as why an artist would do a specific design, pattern or color for a certain area.

The whole thing inspired me to go out and buy canvases and acrylic paint. I want to start painting Pierrot again. I have so many ideas! Of course, this still doesn't change my mind about art. I would like to go only when something I'm interesting in is there. Or at least whenever there is a free day.

Wow, I can't believe that it's been only one week since my first 1st Friday. I told my mom that I'd be at the library to work. I went downtown to the library and met Bebe there. We didn't have any major conversations but she managed to complete one page of her comic and I was able to write more about my first chapter for my latest work, One More Day. We did managed to talk about the possibility of moving in together with another friend. I would like to be able to get a well-paying job so that I can move into a nice apartment. I figure we move into a 2 bedroom apartment seeing as none of us are sexually attracted to each other. Right now I'm just exploring options that I might consider after I graduate and get a job. It also depends on where my job is located at. Granted, by the time I move out I should have a car and my license. Bebe can just take a bus and she does plan to drive but we are both worried about Eamon.

You Have a Fairly Strong Willpower

Temptation doesn't get the better of you all that often. If you set your mind on a goal, you'll do your best to achieve it. And while you don't have a perfect record with willpower, you do okay. If you fall off the wagon with something, you're usually not off the wagon for long.

You Are Australia

You are friendly, laid back, and casual. Not much gets under your skin. You are an open book and very easy to talk to. You always have a great story to tell... you've been on many adventures. You are highly independent and a bit of a loner. You have carved your own path in life, and you don't have many who want to join you on your voyage. You are energetic and focused. You like to be productive, and you like to keep moving. You love being outdoors.

Deep Down You Are Intuitive

You're the type of person who understands other people and the world very well. You don't let on to how much you know. You can tell so much from someone's facial expressions or tone of voice. And you always know when you're being lied to. You show the world exactly what you want to show. Besides being good at reading people, you also know how you're being read. You know when you're being manipulated, and you know how to manipulate someone if you have to. You usually don't resort to it though!

You Are Sophisticated and Well Mannered

You're the type of person who can sit all day entertaining guests with witty banter. You believe in presenting yourself in the best light possible. You like to be seen as classy. You give a first impression of being upper class and even a bit snooty. And you're the first to admit you're a little guilty of that. You are an armchair critic. You can detect quality easily, and you want the best things you can find.

You Believe That You're Fearless

You may not be the strongest person, but you have a lot of perseverance. You don't give up easily, and you're in it for the long run. You have incredible endurance. You respect people who are brave and try to do their best. Effort counts for a lot in your book. You have no respect for people who are paralyzed by their fears. In your opinion, that's just a life wasted.

I've been looking forward to going to my first 1st Friday. It's just a gathering of artist, musicians, and freaks gathering and then showing stuff off. I've been meaning to go ever since my senior year in high school. Unfortunately, I never went. So, I've been counting down the days until my adventure with friends downtown.

I basically only had one class today. I went to my last class, IAP 201, and my instructor canceled class for that day. He walked in, counted the number of people in the room, and realized there was only half of us here. So he asked out loud, "How many people showed up for this class? How many people only have class for today? Would you kill me if I canceled class for today?" I was in the front row and answered, "No, but I'd be sad if you did." Really, that's the only class that I look forward to. My instructor had a meeting today so he just went ahead and said that we'll continue next week. So, looking at the clock I ran to the bus stop and was on my way to St. Mary's!

I was so happy to see other people. After everyone left I went up to Sensei's classroom. I was a bit worried that he wasn't getting his stuff done. So, I offered to do something for him like I old times. I tried to focus on making sure he wasn't slacking off. It was difficult as the Cross Country team came in. They decided to play with that dumb riffle ball. After the members left, I was finishing up the last batch when he decided to leave. As we were walking, I had asked him when he was getting to school. He had said that he goes to school early to attend the daily mass but my sister says that he doesn't get to school until the bell rings.....

Sensei: "So what do you plan to do today?"
Me: "Um... I'm not sure cuz I'm waiting for a reply from my friend."
Sensei: "Is this the young lady that I met last time?"
Me: "Yes, my invisible friend Thomas?... Well, if you can see her too then that mean I'm not crazy!"
Sensei: "....... Ok then, crazy person."

So he offered to take me off to where ever I needed to go. I felt bad because I didn't want him to go out of his way just to drop me off somewhere. He then randomly decided to go off to that Einstein Beagle place for a sandwich. I felt really embarrassed to go with him but it wasn't as bad as seeing to be with him in front of St Mary's students. He wanted a sandwich but then decided not to because he didn't like the guy who made the sandwiches for that shift. As we got into the car he said, "That was just a little detour. What plans do you have for college?"

Me: "Well, I'm trying to get all of my basics done first."
Sensei: "Have you thought about joining the military?"
Me: "Yes, but it's not cut out for me. I know some people who are in the military."
Sensei: "And how do they like it?"
Me: "It's good for them. I'll just do what God has plan for me."
Sensei: "What is that?"
Me: "What isn't it?"
Sensei in a somewhat of an angry tone: "Don't answer my question with another question!"

After the man dropped me off, he wanted me to shake his hand and told me to call anytime. I kinda just ran off after that. I went inside the plaza area and waited for about 30 seconds for people to show up. I then left for the library... At the time I did not know the cross roads of the library know did I know how to get there. Relatively speaking, I should have just asked to be dropped off near the IHOP. I walked into the library and saw there were too many minors and went to the non fiction section. I just waited and waited and draw until I got a response from Bebe. After she arrived an hour later, we talked then went out for pizza at the place I was dropped off earlier...

We were in that place for about an hour and left one slice for Art. We then decided to walk around when we ran into old friends. We were all heading towards 1st Friday so we just walked over together. After running into more people, we went our separate ways. After seeing interesting art pieces, all of us went to a cafe to just sit and talked. We all so happy to see Art after all this time apart! We talked, showed pictures and made some rude jokes. We weren't sure how long we'd be out so I just decided to call my parents when I was ready to be picked up. None of us were focused on the art pieces so we left for the IHOP. I paid for Art's ticket and the Light Rail was crowded! So many people getting to and from 1st Friday. We all just ate and drank at the IHOP. I can't wait for next month!

The play that I had recently saw is still going on in my mind. Overall I did like it but when I break it down in my thoughts or even on paper, I'm finding a lot of reasons why I didn't like it. One part that keeps playing over and over again is where the main character has a conversation with the Old Man. I mean it really did remind me of a relationship with a certain person. I was very shock to find out that out all of people, the Old Man was a real spy from Russia in American history.

I'm not sure if I'll actually go out of my way to see another play. A Bad Friend was OK and so was The Ash Girl: A Cinderella Story (I saw in high school last year). It's different to see a performance live as oppose to seeing it all edited and fixed into an hour or so film. On stage the actors had to make due with what they had and shuffle through the darkness as the next stage was set. At least with movies we get to have popcorn and snacks. But I do wonder why plays have intermission and not movies? With movies we just sit through and stare and laugh at all the corny jokes that had to be acted over and over again. I guess with theater, make up has to be updated and the actors need to change for the next scene or something. Movies just have cuts and finished up editing.

I do like plays because they make us thing. Movies are just for entertainment, for the most part anyways. But like all forms of media, they are all bound to be bias, whether it be political or social matters. But plays and movies contain stories and characters that we like and dislike. I liked the FBI agent and the Old Man but I pretty much well disliked all the other characters. The main character, as I stated before, was such a bitch.

I guess another reason why people don't see plays are because they are so expensive! Lucky for me, tickets were only $8 a piece. One dollar more than for a movie ticket. Also, many of the theaters are where rich/ culture people live. There was no way I was going to Tempe or Mesa just to see a play. A movie is located everywhere and I think people go see movies because 1. every one is seeing it and 2. they tend to have more "hot" people in the film. The audience is also different. I saw a lot of older people, probably people with theater knowledge or those who were in their high school drama club. A film audience is target but anyone can buy a ticket and see it and laugh at all the corny jokes and completely miss the message of the film.

I had to see a play for my Introduction to Interdisciplinary Arts class. Right now we are learning about plays and their structure. There were three plays that students had choices to see: A Bad Friend, A Comedy of Errors, and Blackbird. Blackbird was considered to be for a "mature" audience and also had a lot of controversial to it. A Comedy of Errors was written by Shakespeare but I'm into his type of writing. I went with A Bad Friend because it sounded interesting with talk about Joseph Stalin, the Communist Party, and Anti-Sentimentalism, plus it was close by as oppose to going down to Tempe or Mesa.

The play is about a high school student age girl was lives in a family that support Joseph Stalin and his party in Brooklyn New York in 1953. She has an uncle who writes western screen plays for movies. In winter, she meets an old man and they begin to know each other through conversation, first with art then books and her family. She does not agree 100% of the time with them and so she is confuse on what is the truth. Her parents read pamphlets and other non fiction pieces that support the Communist Party and try to impose their ideas on to her. While going on with her thoughts, she occasionally is asked questions by some F.B.I. agent who tries to get her to talk about her family. The only two people the girl can talk to are her Uncle Morty and Old Man. The Old Man gives her a book, An American Tragedy, and she uses the plot to play around with the FBI agent. The FBI agent later targets the Old Man and there is some slander about the Old Man being a spy. The main character worries about him while her family worries about themselves and the fact that they are a communist family in America. After finally leaking information, her Uncle goes to court and states under oath that he, along with his sister, were part of the Communist Party. Years later, the father dies and the uncle wins an award and dedicates it to his sister.


Yeah...... I just have a vague idea about the entire play. I wish I had seen it earlier so I could see it again and get my facts straight. I have looked every where on the net to find a plot summery so I could know what the heck was going on. I knew the history of America but some things I was left in the dark. The acting was very good but the main character, not the actress, was a bitch. I really did like the Old Man character but I am unsure if he really was a spy. I was also confuse on where the parents took a stand for some issues. I have to write a review for it. I did like it but it's hard to explain why or give an opinion on something that you don't clearly understand.

I had to take "How Stressful Are You?" type quiz for my ASU 101 class. The questions went from something drastic to every day stressors, such as a death of a friend or difficulty with a roommate. The score ranged from 0-150 (mild), 151-300 (moderate), and 300+ (severe). What did I score? 454...... What do you mean I'm over stress? Many people, even myself, consider me to a very laid back person. I didn't answer all the severe questions but I said yes to all the little and mild problems. Guess all those little ones added up. A friend of mine had a very low score but he considers himself to be a perfectionist and therefor he is a stressful person.

My instructor for this class had said that people need to find safe ways to deal with stress. Anyone who uses a technique to deal with their problems in an ineffective way is crazy. Insanity, after all, is define as a person who does something over and over again with no positive results. Great. Not only am I overly-stressed, I'm also crazy!

Now that I think about it, it does make sense. I don't push myself hard enough to complete my homework or even check my online assignments, I procrastinate to do all homework and quizzes, I don't study, and some of habits (such as sleeping and eating) have changed dramatically. So, in order to fix this, I need to push myself.