Short One

Well, I just finished my French midterm. Yay! It went much better than all the other little quizzes he's given us so far. However, after my Developmental Psych class, I have another test in my French Lab. I don't know what to expect from a French Lab test. Hopefully it will just be writing. But maybe he'll ask us to come in one by one, stand in front of him, and translate stuff just standing there looking at him. --yikes-- Or, even worse, maybe we'll need to do it one by one in front of the entire lab. I would melt into the floor out of mortification.

Aanyways, this is the week of midterms for me. I have my other ones on the 18th, 19th, and 20th, and then I'll need to start working on some projects for next week. Sweet. :( This means, of course, that I shouldn't be blogging. But I will be.

Hmm...interesting Christmas gift idea: I need a new scent. One that doesn't smell like an old lady, but youthful, and maaaaybe (?) I can up the level to a sophisticated but still not grandma smell. 'Cause the only perfume I ever had was, alas, in the bag that US Airways lost. Along with my wonderfully hideous orange, pink, and yellow toiletry case.

Someone's eating tuna right next to me in the computer lab. WHEW!!!

Christmas Gift Idea #4

Who wouldn't want this clock? Pretty colors...oooh.... Or, you know, you could just splurge and get me the Nabaztag bunny, and *that* would tell me my time. You know, either one. They're coming out with a new model, aren't they? NabaaaaazTAG! Do I really need it, though? Probably not.

Also, if anyone is planning on getting me clothes for Christmas, please don't get like one ridiculously nice thing. Chances are that, in my current lifestyle, I would be hard-pressed to wear it admid all my other clothes that are falling apart and gross. And my dry-clean only, by the way, never gets dry-cleaned. I just choose not to wear it, 'cause who wants to go and spend money getting clothes dry-cleaned? So, if anyone *is* thinking of getting me some clothes, go to a couple of thrift stores, and pick out some fun stuff for a dollar. (Medium in tops, 6 in pants, 7/7.5 in shoes[pretty much exactly Julie's size in shoes]). Or American Apparel or something. Not too expensive, though, I beg you. Feel free to get numerous very inexpensive things, though. :-D

Anne, where's that Christmas Gift post you were talking about? I keep checking, but it never appears.

I'm thinking ninja for Halloween right now.

Who else needs to go out and buy pumpkins??? And door hanging accoutrements?? It's not too early, right? I'll make roasted pumpkin seeds!!! <--loooove them

Pie Adventure

A: I'm very ticked off. Halfway through the OSU vs. Mich State game, the coverage suddenly switched over to Texas A&M vs. Missouri. Who cares about Texas A&M vs. Missouri?! Pas moi.

B: A little while earlier (like last month), I made fun of the How To Use Ctrl Alt Del to log in to your computer screen that came up on school computers. I have noticed, though, that it only comes up on the computers that professors are supposed to be using. Also, after meeting my French professor, I see that there may actually be very good reason for having that How-To thing. I've never seen someone so completely clueless about computers. He spends most of class saying, "What's going on? What's going on? Ahhh." Reminds me of The End of the World flash, with the Canadians: "What's goin' on, eh?"

C: Does this happen everywhere, or just Canada? When someone wants to pluralize "you" they either say "yous" or "yas." As in, "I'll see yas later." "What are yous doing?" Irritates me, I will admit.

D: After the frustrating OSU game debacle, Kale and Tim were playing Halo, and I was twiddling my thumbs, thinking, what should I do? Well, I had cherries, I had apples, and I had pie crusts. What could I do but make Cherry Apple Pie?? However, I've never made a pie before. Surprising, I know. Cake master, cookie master, pie novice, bread flunkie. Also, did you guys know that some pre-made pie crusts come alreadys shaped in little aluminum cake thingies??? It was news to me. I'm used to those ones that are wrapped up in quarters, and you unfold them into your own pan thing, and then lay the top layer over the fruit filling. So, instead of having two pie things with which I could do what I wished, I had two aluminum pie things with crust already shaped to them. So instead of making one covered fruit pie, I made two one crust fruit pies. I know nothing about pies, had no corn starch or tapioca whatever, so just sort of did it. What I ended up with weretwoa hideous-looking pies (as seen here) that didn't taste that bad. I should have added more sugar.

Kangaroo Mother Care

Last night, there was a lecture given in the Millenium Center by Dr. Elise van Rooyen, from South Africa, on Kangaroo Mother Care. I've been pretty interested in this topic, so I dragged Tim with me (so I'd have someone to sit next to :-P) and went. What a lecture! Dr. Van Rooyen started up the first KMC center in her region of South Africa, and I guess the survival rates for premature babies have just shot up. Compared to many other areas where affluence is not an issue, KMC I think makes an especially big impact in this area where there is not enough technology, funding, or staffing to provide for premature infants without KMC. Here are two pictures of dads with their preterm babies. Intermittent KMC even has benefits while the babies are still being kept on oxygen in incubators, like this mom and baby are doing.


Aanyways, it was a really fun lecture.

Katie and Jessies (roomies) adopted two kittens from the animal society, and brought them home yesterday. Amusing thing is, they didn't ask if Kale (other roomie) is allergic to cats. He is. :-P Not very badly though, but he's already sneezing. The kittens are cute, and fight with each other nonstop. Jessie named hers Princess (????) and I think Tim, Kale, and I convinced Katie that hers is named Jibbles. Or Mr. Jibbles. If you think it sounds like a stupid name, just pause, say it in your head, and then shout it out loud, "Jibbllllllllles!!!" You will laugh at it, and this is why it's so great. It's a ridiculous, awesome name. JIBBLES!!!


To recap: If *you* have a baby, practice kangaroo care, even if it's full term (calms babies down a lot, increases weight gain and increased use of the parasympathetic nervous system rather than the sympathetic, which is just good allaround), and don't call it Jibbles.

Christmas Ideas

I know this is silly, but I always need long johns. Feel free to get me ridiculous childish florally ones if you like, or black or whatever, or the cheapest thing you can find. I just need an added layer. Legging long johns also appreciated. Floral long underwear reminds me of that time I got altitude sickness in Colorado....

This nightshirt is cute....

As always, I want the smallest authentic OSU jersey. However, it doesn't look like it's possible to find an authentic jersey that's in anything smaller than 3XL.

Time for Research Methods and Statistics for Psychology. Yuck.

Thanksgiving

Wow, I had an awesome time at the Grants'. The fall colors on the trees made for gorgeous driving in both directions, and the air was nice and crisp. When I went into Tim's house, there were cute little wreaths, a fire in the fireplace, and fresh-baked pies sitting out. Basically, everything got me totally in the mood for Thanksgiving/holidays, and the entire weekend was awesome. Since *today* is actually Thanksgiving, I supposed I should say happy Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving!

I've also determined that, as much as I may be in denial, I am in fact allergic to *something* in Tim's area of residence. Don't know if it's the local foliage, his house, or what, but within about half a day after arriving, my eyes and nose start itching, the inner corners of my eyes start pricking (if you know what I mean), and I sneeze nonstop. Thus, I assume that I have some sort of mild allergy. Oh well.

Speaking of allergies. Tomorrow, Katie and Jessie (my roomies) should be bringing two eight week old kittens into the house that they're adopting. This is funny, 'cause Kale is allergic to cats. Haha. :-P Not badly allergic or anything, just when he actually pets them a lot, and even then I get hte impression that he only gets mild symptoms. So, too bad for Kale. :) Kittens!

This blog would be sooo much more fun if I had my digital camera with me....

Why do so many restaurants serve cole slaw with *everything?* Is it that well-loved? Does everyone think that cole slaw is awesome? I hate cole slaw. It is GROSS.

Well, now that Thanksgiving weekend is over, I'll go back to calorie counting, to lose all the weight (so much) that I gained these last few days, until US Thanksgiving. At which point I will work on losing that weight until Christmas. And the cycle goes on....

Gripe

Has anyone else ever experienced this frustration?

I need to find my glasses. Unforunately, chances of finding them are slim, because I don't have my glasses. They're brown, and even the rims are slightly transparent. Unless I'm within four feet of them, I'm not going to be able to see them. I've been wandering around the house, frustrated and slightly amused at the situation, but increasingly in need of them.

I took a look at studmuffin's profile, since he commented on a post, and may I say, I should have followed that link awhile ago--great blog. And what should I be reminded of while looking at his profile but....Patricia Wrede's dragon series! Classic, funny fantasy. It kiiiind of takes the Shrek view of fantasy characters that aren't quite as they should be, then adds lots of funny details. I read these in my fifth to sixth grade years.

Last night, I had a dream about infant coping mechanisms for overstimulation. Psychology, I think, is getting a little out of hand in my life. :-P

Oh, and prooobably no posts 'til Tuesday, when I get back from New Brunswick. Back to searching for glasses....

Happy Anniversary....to Tim and me!

Today, Tim and I have been dating officially for one year. Yay! I made him a kickass photobook on shutterfly.com of pictures of us chronologically throughout the last year, and he wrote me a sweet poem. It was a very nice poem. Much better than I could have ever done. And no, I'm not sharing it. :-P

Tonight, we're not going to a crazy nice restaurant. A) We can't afford to go to a crazy nice restaurant and B) We are going back to the pizza place we went to on our first date. It's nicer than the average pizza place that comes to mind. Anybody know Pizza Delight/ite/whatever? Maybe Faith does. It's a Canadian chain that's sort of like Boston Pizza, but I think Boston Pizza might be Canadian too, despite the "Boston" in its name. Aaaanyways. Take the sports bar out of Boston Pizza, and that's what Pizza Delight/ite/whatever is like. And that's where we're going. The end. And I *will* get a ridiculously bad for me chocolate concoction for dessert, thank you.

Awesome news: My one Friday class (Research Methods and Statistics for Psychology) was cancelled! WERD! Why, you ask? Because this is Thanksgiving weekend, and my professor is as slack as we are! WERD! Canadian Thanksgiving falls on Mondays, which is too bad, because the uni only gives us Monday off. As a result, everyone goes home for Thanksgiving, but doesn't actually spend Thanksgiving with their family, because they all have to drive back on Monday to be in class on Tuesday. How annoying is that? Very annoying. Answering your own rhetorical question = fun. So, Tim's family invited me over for Thanksgiving, and after last year's Thanksgivingless debacle, I'm very excited. I'll help out with cooking, and make cranberry relish, and thousands and thousands of PIES!!!! YES! Maybe an applesauce gingerbread thing too. Or is that too Christmas-y? Oh well. So, tomorrow, when Tim's finished with classes (about five o'clock), we'll head out and drive back to Rothesay, New Brunswick. Yay!

I've often wondered what *exactly* Canadian Thanksgiving celebrated, so I asked quite a few of my friends. "What is your Thanksgiving for?" I ask. "Uhhh,I dunno," is the response I got from many. I mean, of course there's Thanksgiving to give thanks, but I wanted nitty gritty details. Americans had that super-hard winter and almost died, so they were super-freaked out happy when they had their first successful harvest the next year. So I went online. Ahhhh, the internet. My muse. (My muse? I don't know.) I clicked on the first website that came up when I typed in "Canadian Thanksgiving." And what did the website say? "Unlike the American tradition of remembering Pilgrims and settling in the New World, Canadians give thanks for a successful harvest." Because the only aspect of American Thanksgiving is remembering Pilgrims and Indians? It's not as though we were giving thanks for a successful harvest or anything. I just thought that website was really funny. Especially since the website goes on to say that Thanksgiving came to Canada with the British Colonial Loyalists who went North, so it's essentially the American Thanksgiving that Canada inherited, then subtracted the pilgrims and Native Americans. And it just sounded like that website was saying that as opposed to the Americans, we're celebrating a successful harvest.

I know, this is absolutely not a big deal, and the web site was probably just trying to make the distinction that they're aware that they don't have the whole Pilgrim and Indian thing going on. I just...started ranting.

Quick Post

Sweet. For my research methods and statistics class (technically a psych class), we're doing these group projects. I hate group projects. Anyways. We needed to design three possible studies to do, and we were going to meet today at five in the library. Ididn't want to meet at five. At five, I want to go home. So, last night, while watching Miami Ink (I know, I know), I threw together two of the three ideas in Word. Today, in lab for that class, we were given time to work on the assignment. At which point I quickly came up with another design for a study. So now the entire assignment is complete, I did it, and I can go home today at five! Ahhh, contentment.

Now, time to run to Developmental Psychology.

Fretless!

So, go OSU. I honestly didn't think that they were playing particularly wonderfully, it just seemed like Iowa was making mistakes, which OSU successfully took advantage of. I love actually being able to watch the OSU games.

Yesterday was also homecoming for StFX. Jessie, Katie, Tim, and I went over to the football field, but because we were too cheap to pay to get in (I forgot to bring my student ID, silly me), we sat on this absurdly steep hill that actually gave a great view of the field. StFX's football team is actually supposed to be pretty good, and we frequently win what I guess would be considered nationals. However, from what I saw on Saturday, we are *not* good this year. Despite the little mini fireworks, blow-up things for the kids to bounce around in, and much cheering, we were soundly beaten by Acadia.

As I've been looking into graduate school more and more, it's making me worry. Hundreds of students apply, and around three are accepted per university, in many cases (this is just hte psychology department). How is anyone supposed to compete with those kind of acceptance rates???? You know what's cool? At the University of Toronto, graduate school is only like $8,000 a year, which you can most likely defray with a research assistant job under your supervising professor, but then your PhD doesn't cost *anything*. Nada. I want this very much.

Has anyone taken the GRE? Have any thoughts or observations about it? It looks like a vile, evil thing to me, and I'll need to take the psychology subject test, too. When is it recommended to take the GRE? At the end of the junior year, or beginning of the senior year or so? And do people typically take it more than once, or just once?

I thought the Navaratri festival type thing that Ben, Jaime, Moira, and Evie went to looked awesome. I wish I had a sari. They're so beautiful.

New Christmas present idea: Beginning Electric Bass Technique Book. 'Cause I really am horrible at this electric bass thing with the crazy frets. Ahhh1!!! Frets!!!! I should just go fretless.

Kronk and Banana Bars

The failed independent adventure of the health waiver form *did* eventually end successfully. It turns out that when the actual lady I need is there, she has this little booth thing set up with HEALTH PLAN OPT-OUT written on it in huge letters. Go figure. :-P

Surprisingly funny movie: The Emperor's New Groove. I know, I'm six years behind. But honestly, that movie just didn't look good to me. However, Tim wanted to see it, and we've been going through a Disney Extravaganza phase, so I was like, "Hey, why not." Cue about a half an hour into the movie, and I was dying of laughter. The one song in the movie is, by the way, horrible. But the guy that really stole the show was Kronk, the evil villain's stupid thug, who's actually a really sweet guy, and loves to cook, especially spinach puffs. He also points out in a humorous way all the things about movies where you think, "Hey, how did *that* happen?" but you just have to accept it and move on. It's funny. Anyways, two surprised thumbs are going way up for The Emperor's New Groove.

Also humorous was my attempt at making banana bread yesterday. Jennie, that recipe I gave you is *wrong*! I know, I think you prefer your mom's banana bread anyway, but I must have copied this wrong. The Callahan recipe for banana bread, which I've used before and it was excellent, calls for way too much flour. Waaaay too much flour. Basically, what I have now are reasonably yummy banana bars. That's how I've been introducing them to people. Would you like a Banana Bar?

It was a cold, grey, rainy day today, so I made leek and potato soup. Yaay! I didn't screw *that* up. And my roomie, Kale, conveniently had a hand puree-er. So, now I have a wonderful pot of low-calorie soup that I hope might last until Monday, and banana bars that I actually can't stop eating for some reason.

A New Adventure--Failed, A New Adventure--Conceived

My latest independent adventure failed. Now that I've spoiled the end of this narrative, there's no need to read on. My mission was to find Linda MacDonald, the mysterious Health Services lady, and sign a waiver so that I would not be accepting health coverage plan thing for StFX, which costs an extra $800, which does not fly in dad's pocket-book. So, between French and Developmental Psychology, I stopped by the Student's Union Building (SUB), to try and find this mysterious Linda MacDonald. Someone had told me to try in the Health Clinic, so I went there--they were out to lunch. So I went to the bathroom, wandered around between some floors reading the names on the office plaques, and eventually did the only smart thing any girl like myself *could* do: I got on the computer. Finding someone on the internet is just a million times easier than finding them in person. Within two minutes, I knew that she in fact had her own little office on the fourth floor of the SUB. Magnificent! ....I'd never *been* up to the fourth floor of the SUB. The fourth floor is that type of place where the only people who go there are people who either belong there (with offices) or who have some very specific business that requires walking promptly to some office, and promptly back downstairs once that's finished.

So, despite my lack of an office number, I steeled myself for this adventure, and walked the long walk up to the fourth floor. At the top of the steps, I had no idea where to go. There was a vague sign with arrows, none of which told me what direction I needed. It was a big, open lounge with offices opening onto it, and people who were clearly doing actual jobs and belonged there scattered about. I was terrified. People could *see* that I didn't know what I was doing or where I was going. I managed to make my feet take a couple of staggering steps towards an office--the Chaplaincy. Not what I needed. Sister Mary Berthram. Also not what I needed. I almost panicked and ran down the stairs. But there it was!! Linda MacDonald-Health Services. I walked in the door. This was the most oddly arranged office ever. There was a quasi-sitting room inside, with two more offices opening off of it. Was there supposed to be a secretary in here? I looked at the office hours--I was within them. I suddenly recognized the guy sitting in one of hte two offices--Adam Hinton!!! YIKES. Student Union President, comes from some state nearby Ohio, in the International Society, and so nice and friendly that if I stood there one more moment, he was going to come out and say hi to me. I ran, as quickly as I could, back downstairs into the neutral third floor territory. Whew.

And I wonder why I have so few friends. :-P

However, I have conceived of a grand and wonderful independent adventure scheme. Tell me how possible this is, 'cause maybe I'm on crack. I probably am. But! I'd like to design my own short term developmental research study, get in contact with an early education place (preschool to late elementary), and carry out some particular observational study. Observational, because I'm just an undergrad nothing student. But, also, psychology internships seem to almsot all be pre-doctoral, but I want to start doing research *now,* myself. Another option I was considering would be if I could assist a psychologist somewhere with his/her research, doing the boring data collecting or questionnaire administering. I don't suppose anyone happens to have a buddy psychologist out there looking for a psych undergrad to be their stooge for a little while? 'Cause I'd be there in a flash. :-P Anyways, so yeah, designing my own research study. I know it wouldn't mean anything, but it'd be sort of a practical application of this year's work. Maybe I could spend a few weeks living with the Niblocks or Sam or something while doing this? Interesting thought....

Drugs and Alcohol

Right now, my house stinks so strongly of weed that I might as well be smoking it myself. And it's gone into my room, too. University seems like this big drinking and smoking extravaganza. Maybe it's 'cause this is such a party school or something. Plenty of people say that hte perceived rate of drinking is much higher than the *actual* rate of drinking, so students shouldn't feel as though they're pressured, but I absolutely don't believe that. So far, I haven't heard a single person say that they don't drink. Everyone goes to the bars, not only on the weekends, but also on Toonie Tuesdays, Wing Wednesday, and some clever Thursday name bar deal. Honestly, paying for a cover charge, and then four to five dollars at least for every drink doesn't strike me as very fun. Especially when the music's so loud that you can't talk to anyone, and *especially* when it's just a setting where you're supposed to dance. Dancing--no. Thus, no bars for me. And when I go to a friend's place, I often get welcomed with a handshake for my one hand, and a shot placed into my other.

I find the ever-present, mostly unspoken pressure to drink really annoying. I feel very uncool each time I tell another person that, no, I won't be going to the bar tonight. I have class tomorrow. Oh? I shouldn't let class get in the way of that? A little hangover the next day shouldn't stop me? Well, I like to be well-rested. :-P Aaaanyways.

I saw The Covenant. It was mildly entertaining, mindless fluff. I did, however, really like that main character girl's hair in the beginning of this scene -->

That winter edge has entered the air. Brrr!!!

Weekend!!

Tonight is a deluxe night out. Subway, and then going to see The Covenant. I never go out to eat, so Subway actually *is* special, sadly. I will even *drive* there<--more deluxe, 'cause that is valuable gas, my friend.

Yes, I know that The Covenant will be terrible. Awful. Just disgusting. However, remember that I live in a one screen cinema kind of town. The cinema's like St. Andrews', only smaller. Like Calais, only smaller, but with better sound and the one screen is bigger. It is also like Calais in that generally the movies that are shown there cater to a limited audience and are pretty terrible. Undoubtedly, after The Covenant is finished, Jackass: II will start showing. So, yes, I want to go see a movie, and so I will go see The Covenant.

Movie surprise of the summer? Bon Cop Bad Cop. I suggest that everyone see it, *especially* Jennie. Perhaps I was just in a good mood while watching it, or I find the "Quebecoise" vs. straight-laced Ontario a pretty funny subject.

Halo time.

Shot Down Again!

Today was day two of the blood donor clinic. After my drawing class ended at five, I scuttled over to the student union building, and got in line! Yay! I love donating blood! I got an appointment for 40 minutes later, and since I hadn't eaten anything all day, and didn't want to have blood drawn on an empty stomach, Tim and I ran down to the cafeteria. Chili and pizza! And a large Diet Pepsi! Boring details. Anyways. We ran back upstairs, with Tim balancing the tray with our beloved food on it (he was great about the idea of waiting forever for me to finish this), and I hopped in to one of the open desk spots, to go through my initial check-out clearance. The nurse got all my information, and as I saw we were getting to the iron bit, I warned her that I thought my chances of having a high enough iron level were low. So, instead of trying my blood in the floater thingy, she skipped straight to the iron level machine. What's that? 12.4 instead of 12.5? That's right, my iron levels are too low. At least I hadn't filled out all that paperwork yet. So, I turned away, my blood once more scorned by the world. :-P At least I tried.

But, I already have an appointment for next November! Score! They can't stop me from trying to donate!

I'd consider donating bone marrow and stuff, but that sounds...really painful. Does anyone know what that entails? There's just *no* way that that can be pleasant. Wow, just researched it. That is heavy duty. I'd totally do that. It involves waiting until a match for your marrow is finally found, with lots of testing, and then one day you go under anasthaetic, and they get the marrow out of your hips, with syringes so big they leave scars. Whew. Who wants to donate bone marrow with me?? :)

The Lost Bag

This, Madame, is a faithful narrative of all my dealings with US Airways.

A little bit of background: I *never* check bags. If the trip isn't longer than a week, I fit everything into a backpack or little mini- (super mini) duffel, and carry it on with me. Unfortunately, that liquid bomb thing happened, and we're no longer allowed to take liquids on. So, I was forced to check my bag, 'cause I have things like my facewash and facelotion that I had to bring. I put everything into it, 'cause I didn't want to lose something while travelling just because I'm absentminded and happened to be holding it in my hand in the airport. Remember that time with the blowguns in Brazil, Ben K? Classic absentminded Mandy. So I put my wallet in there (except for my driver's license, that went into the back pocket), my recently acquired Stitch'n Bitches book with my newly purchased needles and yarn (Ann Niblock taught me to do the seed/moss stitch while Julie was in labor). My Golas (most highly worshipped shoes) were in there, as well as my American Apparel skirt (present from Anne), my cell phone charger (yes, I did actually keep my cell phone on my person in case I missed a flight), my digital camera, and who can remember what else. Luckily, I'm a light packer, so it couldn't have been *that* much else.

So, the story:

I reported my bag as lost at the airport. They called me asking for clarification of contents, since the tag had fallen off. (Since my wallet is in there with my name in plenty of places, this seems kind of silly to me.) I called them back with what I could remember was in the bag. When I called again to check on the status, they said they no longer had the file. Since the claim was now more than ten days old, I needed to call US Airways Central Baggage Claim. I called Central Baggage Claim with my cell phone, sat on hold for five minutes, and gave up (didn't want my battery to die, since my cell phone charger is in that bag). I tried again one or two days later, and got through. The lady I spoke to said that I had to submit a "Central Baggage Resolution" online under the Contact Us section. So I submit a Central Baggage Resolution thing. I called back four days later to see if anything had happened. The lady informs me that it would be at *least* a week before I got a response to that Central Baggage Resolution form, and then after that it would be 6-8 weeks before I got a definitive answer about my bag. A week and a half later (yesterday), I got an email Which said, "Ms. Kessler,Thank you for contacting the Central Baggage Resolution Office at thenew US Airways, the combination of US Airways and America West. I regret our records do not reflect receipt of your correspondence. Please resubmit your claim paperwork to our office at the address or fax below." So there's this claim paperwork that that woman hadn't told me about, which I found, but I don't even have a printer, so I can't print it off!! And what do they want us to include with this claim paperwork??

ITEMS NEEDED TO PROCESS CLAIM

Copy of flight ticket or ticketless receipt

Copy of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Notification of Baggage Inspection, if
applicable

Baggage Claim Check(s)

Receipt for items with value of $100 or higher

Receipt if Excess Value was declared and purchased

Signatures of all affected customers

Notary seal if claim exceeds $500 (required for U.S. residents)

So does this mean that I need the receipt for the camera and for the yarn (which was in a little yarn store that barely had the technology to *make* a receipt!)?? And they want me to give them my Baggage Claim Checks? If I give them my baggage claim checks and flight tickets, what proof do I have left that I ever even *went* on that flight, and that they ever had my bags. I feel like they can just screw me over then, and now I feel like a yelling conspiracy theorist! So they're never getting they're sticky little fingers on *my* baggage claim checks. I would just copy them...but I don't have a copier.

Oh, and what do they call my lost bag on the receipt they gave me that says I told them about it? Property Irregularity Receipt. I find that verrrry funny. Irregularity.

Anyways, I was so upset last night when I got that email from US Airways, that I was planning on just giving up. I could buy myself a cheap digital camera sometime, my Golas were dying anyways, the skirt I can get again, and I can find some new yarn. Dad, however, is determined not to let this rest. So, now I'm on to write an email to him about *when* I made these calls, and what my flights were, and what my baggage claim numbers are, and it will continue to keep me from feeling well. I don't know why. But it will.

Christmas Gift Idea

My first Christmas gift idea (other than an OSU jersey) is the book Blankets, by Craig Thompson. It's a 600-page graphic novel about becoming an adult, falling in love for the first time, and (I think) coming to terms with your own individual spirituality (the two brothers the story focus on are growing up under an extremely fundamentalist Christian roof). So, I thought that sounded kind of cool.

Oh my goodness. I just finally got an email back from US Airways. I'm so frustrated. I'm never getting my bag back. The camera dad gave me for graduation was in there, as well as the yarn I bought to make Ella her blanket. That's really nice yarn! Oh gr.

The Planning Bug

That Planning Bug bit me today while I was doing some psych reading. Do other people have this planning bug problem? One moment, I was sitting there reading, then the next moment, I had an image of needing to apply to graduate school, and having no idea what standards I was going to need to meet, and where I was going to apply. And then finding out that I'd been slacking off, because I needed all A's, and all I had were high B's! AHHH!!! What a nightmare. So, two seconds later, I was out of bed and on my computer, researching universities to attend for graduate studies. U of Toronto is looking good. They say they only admit students who are definitely going on to pursue their PhD in psychology, and that their MA program is only one year. Is this possible???

So, for MA, I'm sort of looking at the big ones: U of T, McGill, UBC, and with a little bit of time, maybe I'll look at some American and European ones. American ones scare me (too many options, as previously stated) and I just don't know what's really out there European-wise, other than the obvious ones from family experience.

Ugh...eating too many pretzels. My stomach's becoming one giant doughy ball of partially digested pretzel. Lovely.

Do you guys know about the Puma Mongolian Shoe Barbecue? I went there in an attempt to make a shoe similar to my poor, irreplaceable Golas. My magnificent Golas. They wore like slippers and were completely kickass. They're currently in my forever lost bag. Evil evil EVIL Us Airways. But that is a story for another day. Anyways. I designed some fun shoes on the Puma thing, but they don't let you choose the actual shoe *type.* I'm telling you, brown suede and ridiculous gold silk: Priceless.

I'm currently looking for Halloween costumes. Jedi knight? Padme? Boba Fett?

Anne Marie and Jaime's posts on children as evangelizers were very very interesting. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I connected with many of the things Anne said. Three cheers to both Jaime and Anne Marie!! Well said. I think I probably have deeper "heathen" issues than is normal in this family (understatement?) but I definitely did and do *try* to come to a more Christian understanding. It pretty much fails, though, and I'm starting to just call myself an agnostic. Which is at least better than an atheist! 'Cause, honestly, how can an atheist honestly think s/he knows for sure that God doesn't exist? Ridiculous! Random om? Yes.

Moving on...

Padme, anyone? I'm considering it.

Accepted

Katie, Tim, and I went to see Accepted last night. We weren't really expecting anything particularly wonderful, but just felt like we needed to do *something* on a Saturday night. First off, the movie takes place in Ohio: big bonus points there. I enjoyed seeing all the Ohio license plates. Of course, it was filmed in LA. :-P Nobody saw *that* coming, I'm sure. Aaanyways. Just in case you don't know what it's about: This kid (Justin Long) got rejected from every college he applied to, so, in a panic, he fabricates a university just to make his parents think that he's going somewhere. There's a little glitch in the plan, though, which is that other college rejects find out about it, and come in droves. So, yadda yadda yadda, they make this LIBERAL liberal arts college, and fight the good fight against their snooty traditional college neighbors. Anyways, it was actually pretty funny in that un-original kind of way, and I had, surprisingly, a blast watching it.

After watching this movie, and seeing them showing the high school kids talking about their SAT scores, and freaking out about getting in, and writing essays, I realized that compared to many kids, I didn't have that freaking out about college experience. This is especially shocking considering my Bexley upbringing. I didn't have parents breathing down my neck, taking me on college visits, telling me to study for the SATs, telling me to *take* the SAT, or asking how my essays were going, had I applied, and was I goign to take the SAT IIs? Instead, I just wandered in to take the SAT one Saturday morning my junior year. Some kids' parents actually fill out their applications for them (weird), whereas I at least got Ben's helpful hand as I procrastinatorally (w/e) was rushed to the post office to send off my apps in time.

I hate you, College Board, and your evil prep books.

Canadians have it totally different though. Faith will be able to tell me if I'm totally wron ghere or not. Maybe it's different in "populated Canada," instead of this sparse area of Nova Scotia where I am. But! No one here has taken the SATs. There are very very very few universities around. So few that I already know of every single one in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. So when they're thinking about what uni. they want to go to, they don't buy three 4,000 page books on what colleges there are out there, with every statistic and rating you could want. My friends (from many parts of Canada) just sat down, easily contemplated most of the choices without difficulty, probably did a visit or two, and here they are! No three essays on their applications, no SATs and SAT IIs required. Just. like. that. So, yeah, I just find this entirely different experience both weird and refreshing. Seems like most of these students haven't spent 6+ years of their lives stressing about whether they'll get into a prestigious university or not. Btw, I can't even *find* adequate nit-picky statistics on StFX.

I have a bad habit of putting fruit stickers everywhere.

Hair Dyeing Adventure!!

Okay, so....I did it. And it's definitely not a horrible thing, but I'm not certain if it's a fabulous thing either.

You guys know what it looked like before coloring. Here I am coloring-->
And here is my bathroom, btw. Ooooh, aaaaah, it's so unique and unlike any bathroom you've ever seen before. Yeah....


But! Here is what I know you're *really* interested in ('cause why shouldn't my hair coloring be the be-all end-all of your world?). The final color:

It's actually a bit darker than this, but matches my glasses really well. Also, this color looks better with this haircut than my natural one does. All in all, I'd call this not a disaster, but a fun experience. Now, let the judgement rain down upon me. :-P

Now, time to go see Accepted. Probably bad, but at least a bit amusing, and something to do on a slow Saturday night.