Things should be different

I went into South Quad today to buy some food, and I was shocked and appalled to see this sign on the wall: "Elevators ---> Because we're not West Quad."

They're just jealous that they always lose to us in the snow ball fight.

Not for sensitive eyes

Or the story of how I went blind for 5 hours.

On Labor Day, I didn't really have anything to do besides get ready for classes the next day, so I got up, got a lazy start, hung around my room. about ten minutes after putting my contacts in, I noticed that everything seemed a little... hazy. After about half an hour of wondering if all those horror stories I heard about your contacts slowly causing eye damage were true, I took my contacts out, washed them, and put them back in. It didn't do anything. Not only did it not clear up my vision, but everything was still hazy without my contacts in at all. It was driving me crazy, so I just took them out and went about the rest of my day with very limited vision.

I tried to ignore the fact that my eyes were burning. It wasn't much at first, but by late afternoon when I was out drinking my peppermint mocha frappucino and plotting out my next screenplay on the Diag, I had to close my eyes.

And then I couldn't open them. It was only for a few minutes, but I decided that it was time to give up on the beautiful day and head back inside while I was able to keep my eyes open. When I got back to my room I took a look in the mirror - my eyes were bloodshot like Frankenstein's bride, really. However, I was still able to keep them mostly open at this point, and so went out to meet up with a friend and go hang out at her house (instead of going to the movies like the original plan was. At least I was smart enough to realize that sitting in a dark room with a huge blindingly bright screen shining in your face would not be good for sensitive eyes). But when we got to said friend's house, I sat down, closed my eyes, and that was pretty much when my 5 hours of legal blindness started.

Long story short, be careful to not wear contaminated contacts. They cause double eye infections. Diane had to lead me around by the arm in CVS on our way to the pharmaceutical counter, my sunglasses on, my eyes tearing and my nose running like I was having an emotional breakdown. Two rounds of eye drops and a sound only version of "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" later, I could open my eyes enough to walk home by myself. I bet everyone was wondering, though, who that pompous girl was to think it was cool to wear her sunglasses at night.

Matthew 5:43-48

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Would you believe that a quiet game could last for fifteen minutes in a car three adults and two teenage boys that are all overstimulated and over tired? Yeah, I was surprised too..

I started watching "Bones" and now I'm hooked

If you give your college age daughter a gift card to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast one day, you'll never see it again. Or maybe if that's just if you give it to me...

I just saw a "It's ten o'clock. Do you know where your children are?" ad. They still have those?

So in my previous post I talked about how I feel that, since the last two of my three scripts have sucked royally, I really need to make the next one count. Lucky for me, the next one will probably be a collaboration piece with a friend who came to me with a great idea. But a thread sprang up on Wordplayer that has to do with self doubt that I've found helpful. Some people are like, "Well, get it out, even if it sucks. It's all practice." Other people are like "I've never understood that. It's only practice if you're practicing the right things and it will be good." Bill M. had a great response here about how everyone makes mistakes as they learn. Anticipate the mess, but don't get sloppy. I should know this. I've been writing long enough to know that what I'm doing now will not be as good as what I'll write later. It's part of perfecting the craft. Everyone's going to doubt now and then. It's all in about how you handle it.

Films/Theatre I've seen recently:

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare in the Park - Good. I always enjoy Shakespeare in the Park, and I really liked the main story. I always have mixed feelings about the play within a play, because they did it really well and we laughed a lot, but at the same time you're like, why? I'm sure there's a grand interpretation, but that was the only time I got fidgety.

Trust the Man - Really, I want to love this movie. I like it. This is the second time I've seen it. It's just, can we deal with relationships and be funny without being crass? It's just the last scene - it saves the entire movie. I love that scene, it's perfect, especially what Billy Crudup's character says. This gives us an important lesson about the last scene and how crucial it is. It can swing your viewer/reader (as long as they've made it that far).

Mary Poppins, Broadway - Not my favourite Disney movie, but they offered us reasonable tickets. And I was absolutely delighted. Really a fun, amazing show, and even with all we know about the tricks of Broadway, I found myself wonder about how they did things. I definitely recommend it for anyone visiting New York. Great singing, great acting, great numbers. Not that I've ever had any experiences like that, a nanny in England...

Factory Girl - Sad movie. Fascinating and engaging (though here, too, are scenes that...) And Hayden Christensen looks great. ; ) Good movie, but definitely not a light one.

I have Russian Ark sitting by my bed. A movie shot all in one take, a choice that amazes me. I really want to watch it, but... I'm going to go back up my poor, beat up computer instead. I found out I'm eligible for a battery recall. That's great because my battery can only hold ten minutes. But it's not being recalled because it can't hold a charge. Oh no, it's being recalled because it tends to catch fire.

What can I say? It's a Mac. It's hott.

I forget who I stole this from...

It's a funny feeling when you realize that the dreams you once had aren't going to be the ones you live out (and it's okay).

The Atlantic was born today, and I'll tell you how:
The clouds above opened up and let it out.

I was standing on the surface of a perforated sphere
When the water filled every hole.
And thousands upon thousands made an ocean,
Making islands where no island should go.
Oh no.

Most people were overjoyed; they took to their boats.
I thought it less like a lake and more like a moat.
The rhythm of my footsteps crossing floodlands to your door
Have been silenced forever more.
The distance is quite simply much too far for me to row
It seems farther than ever before
Oh no.

I need you so much closer
I need you so much closer
I need you so much closer...

So come on, come on

- "Transatlanticism" by Death Cab for Cutie

"Niiiiice."

I'm not sure what it is, but apparently two girls wolfing down pizza and cookies as they stumble down the streets of New York is attractive to some guys. The theme of the trip is "Oh, we *were* going the right way."

Heather and I stumbled upon Power Rangers (in Space) on TV tonight. Creep-ers.

Heather and I are great at making up stories about people. Put two writers together in one of the biggest cities in the world and hilarity ensues. We almost waited out to see if this man and a woman were going to conquer the silence barrier and talk to each other like they had obviously been thinking about but it was getting cold and dark so we had to leave and we never found out if the man gathered up enough nerve to finally talk to her.

Power Rangers is getting really intense and emotional. Quite surprising.

I'm getting a little stressed about school. I just don't know how everything works for fall semester, you know? And after I gave that little speech about how I can still appreciate the mess in life, I need to, well, remember it. Sometimes I wish we could all just.... grow up.

It's Shakespeare in the Park tomorrow. A Midsummer's Night Dream. My favourite. I'm excited. : )

"E-clep-tor!"

Blast the radio, roll down the windows, scream at the top of your lungs

I love life. Sure, that's lacking my usual subtlety, but that's just the way I feel right now. Content, and excited, and happy. I think those moments when you fall in love with life are all the more precious when it hasn't always been that way and that it won't always be that way, either. Part of loving life is loving the mess that comes with it. I feel a little bit sad for those people who take the problems of their lives and become bitter and angry over them. And it's not like I'm looking for more ways to mess up my life or that I'm reveling in those things that present concerns to me, but really. My problems are there, but so are my answers. I wish people understood how to make the most out of their lives. I'm trying to learn. Ever felt like life was humming? This beautiful peace and joy. My future husband, Mat Kearney, said it best, "Father's got the best plan." : P


"I can tap dance. You want to see me tap dance?"
"I would love to see you tap dance."
- Garden State