Glee is wonderful.

Seriously, I love this show. It's unlike anything on television now. It's so witty and original. And will always make you laugh. This was by far my favorite episode since the season premiere a few months ago. Best scene from last night's episode- had me in stitches! I was surprised at how well the football team danced to Beyonce's, Single Ladies. Pretty light on their feet. haha. Enjoy.

Random thoughts for the day.

I spent my "weekend" reading articles and writing. Welcome to the world of graduate school, baby girl. 

I didn't understand an entire article I read. And it was nearly 30 pages. What was it about? Couldn't tell you. Not even the main idea. Turns out, we weren't supposed to really understand it. So said my professor who assigned it. What. A. Relief.

I missed a vital turn to get home tonight. And by the way, in New Jersey, you can't just make a U-turn. They are pretty much not allowed. And, the road I happened to be on was separated by concrete barricades. I came to a road that was familiar and I needed to make a left turn. A sign was posted, "no left turns." Fabulous. Well, with a little maneuvering I found my way home. 

I love that campus is only 10 minutes from my apartment.

I still missed the first half of the season premiere of House. The episode was so up my alley. It's a shame House was released at the end. I would have liked more episodes like the season premiere.

Be still my heart.

A vintage typewriter has been on my wish list for years. I have searched for the perfect one, but alas, have not found her yet (at least not one I could buy). I found a number of black vintage typewriters at flea markets, vintage stores, and an antique fair in Mount Dora last year. For some time, I thought I wanted an aqua typewriter, but have recently changed my mind. Now, my heart is set on this beauty... 

Truly, it was love at first site.  A seller on Etsy, PoeticHome has some fantastic vintage typewriters (she sold the one above a few weeks ago). She has 1950's typewriters in every color you could ever want (like retro red)- she even has had typewriters that type cursive. Unfortunately, she is way out of my price range. Her typewriters range from $250-600. And of course, the ones I love are in the $500-range. Like a bee to honey. Always. I have expensive taste, just like my mother. 

But, o how I love thee. 

The Marshmallow Test

This is too cute. Made me smile. And shows that children do have the will power to refuse instant gratification for the prospect of bigger and better things. Perhaps I should take a hint from them. Patience is a virtue. Follow link below.

The Marshmallow Test: Cute or Cruel? - ParentDish

Grey

The city today is shrouded in grey clouds and rain. 

An outline of the skyline, barely visible from my apartment window. 

A line, dark mist runs across the sky.

Parallel to the ground.

Rains beats down on my window.

Entering from the skies at a slant.

The trees sway with the wind.

Their leafs and branches wrap around my building.

For protection?

I don't know.

Perhaps.

The world seems quiet today.

Only sweet music in my head.

And occasional car horns bleep outside my window.

Sway, sway, sway go the trees.

Grey, grey, grey day.

How fitting, it is. 

Two words heard 'round the world.

On Countdown Keith Olbermann addressed Rep. Congressman Joe Wilson's outburst where he shouted, "you lie" during President Obama's speech to Congress. Olbermann declared the only thing more offensive and embarrassing than the lack of civility Wilson displayed, is that he was glaringly wrong in a comment that embarrassed the nation.

I frankly don't care that Wilson apologized (sincerity was not a motivating factor) because he shouldn't have said it in the first place. Even John McCain found his outburst disrespectful, stating he should apologize immediately. Republicans all over are giving Wilson the 'thumbs up' for his behavior. Go ahead, be happy for a man who expresses his views in a manner equivalent to that of a 3-year-old. How disappointing. 

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

You're awfully small to be so hugely irritating.

Marah Johnson is a friend of mine on Facebook. I absolutely LOVE her work and have always admired her. She is one cool chick, with a funky, kind of dark, but feminine style. She posted recently on her Facebook a Twilight inspired class she planned to teach. Last night she posted the details of her class, contents of her Twilight album kit, the price, and her PayPal address for all those who wanted to purchase the kit (and couldn't make her class...which is in Cali). She gave first "dibs" to all her Facebook freinds which I think is pretty awesome. She posted the class today on her blog after hearing from everyone who wanted the kits on FB last night. I was one of those people. I couldn't resist. I've been very good lately. I haven't bought one kit, not from Label Tulip, Studio Calico, Bad Girls, nada, for at least 6-7 months. And considering the idea, style, and look of the kit is centered around one of my favorite books, I decided I had to have it. She will be shipping out the first batch this Friday. I hope mine is in there!

Obama school address.

I love satire. Especially when used in politics. And this cartoon is truly perfect.

The issue of why President Obama wouldn't release his speech to the public was seriously 

overdramatized. This isn't the first time a United States President has addressed our nation's 

youth (Ronald Reagan and Clinton for example), so why the concern? So much concern, that 

parents have said they plan to keep their kids home from school or plan to go to school with 

them, on the day of Obama's speech. And now all their misguided concern (expressed mainly

by Republicans) seems pretty ridiculous, after it's release. I read the speech, and it's completely 

harmless. His message does nothing more than provide children with guidance, encouragement,

and a source for inspiration. Really, nothing that could ever be construed as indoctrination or 

"brainwashing," which is what some Republicans were asserting. I can't even find any subtle 

attempts to push his policy on students. Instead, he encourages children to do well in school, 

listen to their teachers and parents, and have goals for their future. It seems now, after the 

transcript's publication, opposition for his address seems fallacious at best. Was protest made 

because of concern for our children, or was it due to a personal dislike for the president 

himself (and a very partisan opposition to any policy decision or initiative made by the 

president)?

As Frank Luntz, a onetime strategist for Republican candidates stated, "Conservative critics need to pick your battles, or at some point the public will stop listening." I couldn't agree more. Republicans are ready to oppose any and all things proposed by our President, even in instances where it might help our economy and citizens in need.

Below is a link to the transcript of the school address:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/

The more you look, the less you see...

Things that make me happy [right now]

- Taco Bell less than 5 minutes from my apartment

- 3-way light bulbs

- Criminal Minds marathons on A&E

- Getting to see the sunset/skyline each night from my apartment windows

- Knowing how to get to and from campus without my GPS (and in the dark)

- Being surrounded by people who can intelligently discuss politics

- Wegmans- the most amazing grocery store you will ever know

- Wegmans' blueberry muffins (they're the kind with sugar on top)

- Temperatures in the 70's in September (3 months earlier than Florida)

- Imogen Heap, sweet, sweet music

- Shoe stores with 4 aisles of boots, instead of flip flops

- Ulta eyeshadows

- Avocados and tomatoes* (with mayo)

- My new 'X' and 'O' earrings (one 'X' and one 'O')

* How I went from hating tomatoes, to loving them is a mystery to me. I, for 20+ years absolutely refused to eat them, except in pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce. Mom tried hiding them in her dishes, but it never worked. She really wanted me to like tomatoes. I'm sure the texture is what turned me off. I still don't like their mooshy centers (that's why Grape tomatoes are great), I scoop it out with a spoon, but I've been eating tomatoes more and more lately. Great meal: scrambled eggs, slices of tomatoes and avocados with mayo. Add a few slices of cheese, and the meal is golden. 

We won't have to drive too far, just 'cross the border and into the city

Driving adventure of the day: trying to find a nearby Bank of America. My GPS said it was only "1.6 miles" away." 1.6 miles turned into 25 minutes, and her re-caluculating about a dozen times and me driving on the same road 9 different times going in each direction, followed by me, going in circles. Sometimes when I look at the GPS screen, I just laugh. The highlighted route often looks like a bowl of spaghetti with winding roads, clover leafs, and jughandles. It's no wonder I'm always getting lost! I'm not sure how long it's going to take me to "get" the roads and highway system in New Jersey, but I'm definitely nowhere close. Dad, on the other hand, mastered it in a week. He is the one giving me driving directions and suggested routes over the phone, from Florida.  He has an obvious propensity for anything related to driving and directions. Unfortunately, I didn't inherit this quality. 

Throw a stranger an unexpected smile...with big intention.

I woke up today with the worst headache. Now I know I'm starting to get back into "school-mode." A headache is one way my body reacts to stress. After attending my first class as a graduate student, my worst fears were affirmed. My career as a graduate student is going to constantly force me outside my comfort zone, engaging in activities such as public speaking and class discussions. All things, I know, should be mastered in order to be successful. But this fact doesn't make those "things" any easier. My Research Methods professor is funny and thank goodness for that, because research methods isn't what I would call a "scintillating" subject. I met Dr. Duffy back in April when I visited Rutgers, in hopes that meeting faculty members would help in my decision-making process (and it did just that). During my meeting with him, he put on this mask, a mask he got during one of his trips to Japan:

Yep. That's one of my professors. And he actually kept the mask on for part of our meeting. His class is going to be challenging, but considering it is graduate school, it's not meant to be easy. In his class, I have to do a mini thesis, with a thesis proposal to the class in about a month. Despite it being at a much smaller scale than an actual Masters thesis, I still have to come up with a topic, find subjects, collect data, record results, write a paper (15 pages), and present my findings to the class. For one of my other classes, Intro to Psychological Science, we have a project as well, and it's a bit more tedious. Presentations are 35 minutes and they start in 3 weeks! Our paper is 20 pages long. Our topics are due this coming Tuesday and I have NO idea what I want to do. 

The sweeping insensitivity of this still life.

Over the past several days, my blog has truly been the "online journal" that it was meant to be. Of course, being that I *just* started graduate school today, I'm not sure how well I will do at keeping this up. I imagine my schedule is going to fill up fairly quickly with reading, studying, conceptualizing, theorizing, reading, writing, and...more reading. 

I've had trouble sleeping lately. During my time as an undergraduate, I really put my body through hell. I didn't eat healthy. I didn't exercise. And I usually went to bed between 1-2 in the morning. As a result, my body got used to this new, and debilitating schedule. Even during my year off from school, I continued going to bed too late. Now, I'm trying to "re-train" my body. I've been trying to go to bed at midnight which to most, still seems too late, but for me it's early. By going to bed at midnight, I can wake up before 11, which is progress. Ideally, I would like to align my internal clock with the normal, outside world and actually go to sleep at a decent hour and wake up at 9 (or earlier if needed). But alas, my efforts are proving more difficult. I can't fall asleep earlier than 1 and when I try, I just lie in bed, wide awake. It's mind-numbingly frustrating. I'm going to try reading in bed (hell, I should just read one of my textbooks!). I know it will take time, but I'm hoping I can get my body to want to SLEEP before midnight because these restless and sleepless nights are killing me. In addition, it probably doesn't help that I have several football fields worth of information in my brain at the moment. 

My new sleep-schedule caused my sister to go into freak-out mode last week. She called me around 11pm to chat, which for us, is a normal time to talk, and I didn't answer. She texted me (several times), and I still didn't reply. Reason being, I was in bed and my cell was on silent. I actually got to sleep relatively early that night, but Ash didn't know. She, of course, thought the worst had happened to me. Now that I no longer live at home, she can't call mom or dad to verify my whereabouts. And I'm over 1000 miles away which doesn't help alleviate any stress or concern. 

Tomorrow, I plan to blog about my "first day" as a graduate student, but now, I have a date with the sandman.