Before the Parade Passes By

cha-cha-cha-changes

2010-11-01T11:20:00.000-04:00

so i've decided to try to stop blogging and start tumbling. i don't really "blog" as it is. i just post random smatterings of information. which is more suited for tumblr.

i'm all set up over there, and imported my blogger archives.

if it doesn't work out, i'll be back here. but for now, i'm giving it a go.

thanks readers. i hope you click over to the new internet land to follow me.

CLICK HERE FOR MY TUMBLR

a turkey trot!

2010-10-30T20:12:00.001-04:00

cols, originally uploaded by brittlyou.

i guess i should make an attempt to get ready for my upcoming Turkey Trot so i hit the cold, leafy roads today.

only did 1.5 miles but i wanted to ease back into it.

not going to lie, it sucked.

happy halloween!

2010-10-29T11:39:00.001-04:00

i keep forgetting halloween is on saturday. my neighborhood trick or treat was last night so it feels "over". i'm not a huge halloween fan. i love autumn in general more than the holiday. regardless, i hope you all have a nice one! no one stole my mum's or political signs so it was a success in my book!

i'm bummed to miss the pet parade tomorrow. i was planning to enter watson and beat all the other inferior dogs (i joke..sorta). but it will be happening while i'm elbow deep in physics lab. le sigh.

i came an inch within being in a car accident this morning and it totally wasn't my fault. i was turning left onto a side street and a car was at the stop sign at the side street to turn left onto the main street i was on. i had my blinker on and everything. stop signs have to wait for people in the main road but she didn't, so we turned at the exact same time and i swerved and it was CLOSE. i mean i could reach out and grab her wiper blade. then she yelled profanities at me so i rolled my window down and asked why was she yelling, it was her fault. she just kept screaming F&#* YOU. it was odd and she seemed crazy.

i think i found a solution to my o-chem issue. see after next quarter (i got into my physics btw), i'm done with everything but o-chem. but my school and the other schools around here, only offer it during the day. and at weird times, so i'd basically have to quit my job to take it. but i did a lot of googling and a medical school in new england offers ochem I and II online with lab and it's accepted by most medical schools in the country. i'm not applying to any top tier schools so all my schools accept it.

the problem, it's expensive. but i won't register to take it until april (post-mcat) so i have time to save (but my new car/macbook pro dreams are gone) it's just a good option because i didn't know what i was planning to do.

speaking of mcat. studying starts this weekend.

let's see, what else? i'm anxiously awaiting my chemistry exam grade. i studied really hard. it was SOOOO math heavy but i did all the practice problems at least 7x each and actually felt confident. i finished the exam first and that makes me nervous but i went over each problem 2x and felt confident with my answers on all but 2. fingers crossed.

greys anatomy? last night killed me. i bawled. 1. mandy moore died. 2. arizona is moving to africa and i just know callie won't end up going with her. 3. karev was so sweet. 4. i'm tired of christina. if you're that damaged, which she has a right to be, but she should be in intensive therapy and not avoiding all responsibility at the hospital. i'm just over it. greys always does this. they drag a storyline into the point of nausea and then fix it. just fix it before i'm ready to stop watching.

oh and my internet at home is broke. the internet fixers are coming tomorrow evening to repair it.

that's a run down of my recent life. exciting right?

BOO! fill in the blanks!

2010-10-29T08:36:00.000-04:00

1. My Halloween plans this year will include nothing too halloweeny. it's a physics lab weekend which means my saturday is shot and sunday will be spent hospital volunteering and doing physics homework. i do plan to attend the Cbus halloween bash on saturday but just for a brief walk around to see the crazies.

2. My most memorable Halloween costume was when I was dorthy from the wizard of oz in kindergarden. that's probably one of my earliest memories period. i distinctly remember being dressed up at school and my mom having made my red glitter shoes and carrying a basket with toto.

3. For Halloween this year I'm going to be myself. cool huh?

4. I've always wanted to dress up as something original. I went to Ohio U for undergrad, home of the largest Halloween party in the US, so i saw thousands of costumes throughout my years there and i always wanted one that no one else thought of but it never happened.

5. Halloween free association! cold, blustery, wet roads, pumpkins, orange. etc.

6. The worst thing about Halloween is normally the hellish children who come into my neighborhood from other areas and trash the place, including stealing my pumpkins/mums, but this year was uneventful. absolutely nothing disappeared from my front steps. i think it was too cold for ruckus.

7. The best thing about Halloween is the decorations. especially in recent years. i can't wait until i have a proper house and can do a mad scientist lab theme and host a big party!

a good read

2010-10-28T15:49:00.000-04:00

"It would be inaccurate to say the Tea Partiers are racists. What they are, in truth, are narcissists. They're completely blind to how offensive the very nature of their rhetoric is to the rest of the country. I'm an ordinary middle-aged guy who pays taxes and lives in the suburbs with his wife and dog — and I'm a radical communist? I don't love my country? I'm a redcoat? Fuck you! These are the kinds of thoughts that go through your head as you listen to Tea Partiers expound at awesome length upon their cultural victimhood, surrounded as they are by America-haters like you and me or, in the case of foreign-born president Barack Obama, people who are literally not Americans in the way they are.

It's not like the Tea Partiers hate black people. It's just that they're shockingly willing to believe the appalling horseshit fantasy about how white people in the age of Obama are some kind of oppressed minority. That may not be racism, but it is incredibly, earth-shatteringly stupid. I hear this theme over and over — as I do on a recent trip to northern Kentucky, where I decide to stick on a Rand Paul button and sit in on a Tea Party event at a local amusement park. Before long, a group of about a half-dozen Tea Partiers begin speculating about how Obamacare will force emergency-room doctors to consult "death panels" that will evaluate your worth as a human being before deciding to treat you."

this is a great article in rolling stone about the tea party. a topic that enrages me too much to blog about it at any great length. it's both informative about how it was founded and fascinating to see the hypocrisy of these members.

i do think it'll impact politics for awhile because you'd be hard pressed to find something that motivates people more than racism and stupidity. and please make sure you understand me, if you support their cause i think you're both dumb and racist. are we clear?

these are people who think they are owed something from the government. they have expectations that they're special, or particularly plighted, and deserve the money, education, jobs, housing, food, etc. and more than that, they don't want minorities to have them. it's called narcissism. bigotry. stupidity. i hope someone coins a new term to encompass all those traits they possess.

their "political party" does nothing but bitch and complain without any understanding of how government works. cut spending? the top 7 categories of the US budget are security and medicare (not "obamacare"). are we just supposed to let you die of your self-inflicted diabetes after a lifetime of eating shit? or let those "terrorists" you love to talk about come and invade our country? go ahead, cut the defense budget and see what happens. best of luck.

the bottom line....they think everyone else is getting something they're not so they do what they've done their entire lives. they play the victim card. we all know them, the perpetual victims of everything. and now they get to rally together and complain.

it's no fluke that the most educated people in this country are liberal democrats and the least educated are conservative republicans.

see, i told you i shouldn't blog about the tea party.

all i want for christmas.

2010-10-27T10:45:00.000-04:00

is a macbook pro. $1000. never going to happen. but a girl can dream.

i need to do more

2010-10-27T10:17:00.002-04:00

"No generation has ever had as much of what it needs to change the world so early. In the long-run, however, whether we live up to that promise will be largely based on how we define success in our personal lives, and how that translates to our professional endeavors. If we decide in five years that money and comfort is the primary objective, we’ll compromise left and right and quickly learn to the next group to pick up where we left off. If, instead, we define success to include not only money but impact and engagement, it will change the entire structure of our economy."

some days i wake up with this persistent nagging that i'm not doing nearly enough, nothing really, to change the world. it aches so bad it almost hurts.

do all people feel this way? or just ones with a calling?

i hope all people feel this way, because i can't do it alone.

on a night like this...

2010-10-26T21:12:00.000-04:00

i keep forgetting i'm heading to nyc in a few weeks but i am and i happened to see on twitter that Dave Barnes is at Joe's Pub when i'm there!

so i snagged 2 tickets for Geoff + i. best part, $15 each!

i don't know if i'll see any broadway shows while i'm there, which is so rare but nothing is really standing out except Promises, Promises which Geoff already saw and i doubt i go alone.

i'm looking into a post-MCAT trip to see How to Succeed in Business (with Daniel Radcliffe), Evita, Anything Goes and Sister Act. 2011 may be one of the strongest seasons yet.

anyways, super excited for Dave Barnes!

oh i love this!

2010-10-26T09:56:00.000-04:00

source

a headache. of course.

2010-10-25T08:45:00.000-04:00

Do you see the Pre-Req? Physics 117 right? Which i'm currently taking.

However when I register, it says I need another math class. THAT IS NOT LISTED IN YOUR COURSE CATALOG!!!!!!!!

and the person i need to work with to have it waived is the jerk who wouldn't waive any pre-reqs for me a few quarters ago! i'm ready to vomit.

i hate this stupid school. HATE. nothing is EVER easy. and i actually thought "oh this quarter will be so easy because I don't have to get anything waived, i have all the pre-reqs, i can just register and then be done with Physics and Chem forever!" but of course not, why would it be easy?!

i'm convinced they do this to make more money. i have a degree, i've taken 5 math classes!!!!!! you can not tell me i need another math class for Physics II!

deep, cleansing breaths.

baby it's cold outside...

2010-10-23T22:10:00.002-04:00

fall in central ohio is frustrating. one day it's 40 and cold and the next week it's 70. regardless, i don't own a proper winter coat and haven't for a few years. i don't know why not. i usually wear a down vest and sweater or my spring Lands End coat and scarf.

i just didn't want to be cold walking to and from campus anymore so i've been on the hunt. i have a jcrew black dress coat for work, i just need something for daily use.

my criteria: it had to be waterproof bc when snow sticks to you, it's a pain, especially when you scrape your car and it piles up on your coat sleeves and it had to be warm but thin, no puff monster jacket.

i've been wanting the north face lauren trench for years but i can't pay $399 for a coat. even i have my limits.

but i finally found a winner. a Michael Kors long black coat that has down filling but isn't puffy. it's way cuter in person than that photo and i detached the hood.

best part, i only paid $50 at TJ Maxx compared to $90 on overstock.com and $200 full-price.

and i'm not returning it per usual. i'm actually really satisfied with my purchase.

now i just need it to snow.

remind me of this plea in april, when i'm in the depths of seasonal affective disorder and pleading for sunshine and flip flops!

a $200 saturday

2010-10-23T17:58:00.000-04:00

]

toby the taurus monster broke today. he's about 382 in car years so i can't be too upset. and it was fixable. his stability bar joint or something or other broke. $200 later and he's good as "new".

i just need him to last until after the mcat in april. if i do well, i'll be purchasing a "new" car since i'll likely need it before heading off to income-less medical school. if i bomb the mcat, i'll probably head to NYC and sell my car. just a few more months toby monster, you can do it.

in good news the service garage did a once over, checking all his bits and pieces and he got GREEN for GOOD in all categories. he's such a trooper. regardless if i replace him or sell him, i'll really miss him. he's been such a good car for all i put him through.

my savings account is moaning from emptiness. doesn't shit always happen like this? i had to register for the mcat, buy my mcat study materials and fix toby in the course of 3 weeks. poor poor savings.

i'm going to drown my sorrows in a nap.

"oh my gobble!"

2010-10-22T12:00:00.001-04:00

before stuffing our face with turkey and mashed potatoes, me, alisha and mr. buckeye are hitting the depressing streets of perry twp. for a turkey trot!!!

so i guess that means i should start running again huh?

edit: quote attributed to geoff.

Fill 'um in!

2010-10-22T08:46:00.000-04:00

1. I am in a better mood today than i have been for the past week. i have no reason to be in a bitchy mood but sometimes it just happens. judging by my facebook, i'm not the only one. must be the zodiac.

2. I wish i had a weekend with nothing to do and i could go home and spend time with my family. this weekend physics & chem midterm studying makes that impossible.le sigh.

3. I like fall and lazy fridays. i pretty much can't wait to get home, change into something warm and comfy and watch 20/20!

4. I can practically taste thanksgiving dinner if i think hard enough. t-minus 1 month.i have home cooked food maybe 2x a year, thanksgiving and christmas. this is a big deal for me.

5. I hope for world peace. Cliche but true.

6. I think there's no better color than navy blue. classic and classy.

7. I was thinking about making it a Starbucks morning and i'm happy i did. it's amazing what a latte can do for a mood.

wednesday on a thursday

2010-10-21T12:28:00.000-04:00

{one} have you ever crawled through a window?

i'm sure i have but i can't really remember a particular time. i never crawled out windows to "sneak out" as a teen. if i have it was probably because i locked myself out of a house or something similar.

{two} what’s one subject that you wish you knew more about?

chemistry, then i wouldn't have to study so much. same goes for physics.

{three} who’s your favorite villain?

uma thurman in kill bill. is that considered a villain? regardless, she's bad ass.

{four} have you ever hit a jackpot on a slot machine?

i don't gamble. i find nothing more moronic than wasting money you earned.

{five} what is your favorite disney movie?

probably beauty and the beast? little mermaid? lion king? any of those types of movies, nothing recent.

{six} if the whole world were listening, what would you say?

stop the judgment and bigotry. please.

{seven} if you could choose one song to describe you or your life, what would it be?

"And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light, that shines on me, shine until tomorrow, let it be."

{eight} your desk: messy or organized?

usually organized but i've stopped caring.

{nine} have you ever had surgery?

negative.

{ten} if you could have any animal as a pet, what would you have?

more dogs or a micro pig.

this morning

2010-10-21T09:32:00.000-04:00

i couldn't get watson out from under my bed. when he knows i'm leaving, he'll run under there and hide in an attempt to avoid his crate, which is heart breaking enough but he's really perfected his hiding method.

he knows i can't reach him from one side if he scoots to the other, by the time i get around to the other side of the bed, he's scooted back to the other side.

i finally had to pull out the "go to grandma's" card, which is cruel and unusual bc he gets so excited he can't stand it. but desperate times call for desperate measures.

politics

2010-10-20T11:23:00.002-04:00

i don't feel much like blogging lately. i have nothing new to report. sorry.

i did think this was an interesting article on tax cuts. it's weird people don't remember they received a tax cut under obama.

"In a worrying sign for Democrats, the vast majority of Americans appear to have forgotten about President Obama's signature tax cut — if they ever noticed it at all. The Democratic stimulus package reduced income taxes by up to $400 a year for individuals and $800 for married couples, giving a recession boost to 95 percent of working families. But fewer than one in 10 respondents in a New York Times/CBS News Poll last month were aware of it, while a third actually thought their taxes had gone up. Why have the Democrats' tax cuts gone unnoticed?"

let's face it, the majority of americans are not educated enough on the political happenings in this country to hold an opinion that differs from the mainstream and when you have crazy right wing people screaming "TAXES WERE RAISED!" everyone believes it. you wanna know what they mean when they yell that? not your income taxes. but taxes on cigarettes (who opposes that? other than smokers) and taxes on tanning beds (once again, who opposes that other than tanning bed owners).

this used to be why i loved working politics. you can literally convince people of anything. ANYTHING. trust me. if you knew the people you elected to office, like really personally knew them, you'd poop your pants. you're just being marketed to the point where you choose to buy one product over another. that's all politics is. governing is different but that's a topic for another day.

i just wish people read more and learned to formulate opinion from fact and not spin.

that's all.

dry spell

2010-10-18T21:55:00.003-04:00

i have nothing to blog about so i'll answer amylouwho's questions to provide some reading material.

1. What is you favorite song right now? hmm Bruno Mars Marry Me or Joshua Radin Rock and Rolling Tide
2. Your Christmas traditions? Christmas Eve is the "big" celebration in our family v. Christmas Day. We don't have a lot of actual traditions anymore. As much as I love the Holiday season, they can be really stressful. Every year I hope that won't be the case. That would be a nice tradition right?
3. Name a favorite movie or several? Waiting for Guffman, The American President, any romantic comedy ever made or any movie musical.
4. Early Bird or Night Owl? I guess Early Bird. Not like 4am early but I rarely sleep past 8am unless I'm exhausted. I hate staying up past 11pm, on the weekend or weekdays, i get so grumpy when i'm up late.
5. What is your favorite perfume? I don't wear "perfume", i wear body sprays. I'm really sensitive to smells and perfumes are way too strong for me. I like PS I Love You body spray from Bath and Body Works or Heaven from Gap.
6. What item must be with you at all times? My blackberry or lip gloss. I'm rarely without either of those items.
7. Favorite childhood toy? The Cricket Doll. You would put tapes in her back and she'd tell you about all these different adventures. I would just listen to the tapes on my walkman at bed, my favorites was when she visited the County Fair and The Hospital (not at the same time). Eventually I performed "brain surgery" on her and cut her forehead open and her eye fell out through the suture line. I super glued it back together but it wasn't cute.
8. Your go to pair of jeans....you know the ones =)....what brand are they American Eagle. I'm in a bad jean phase, I can't find a pair I truly love.

let's fill some blanks

2010-10-15T08:30:00.000-04:00

1. Blogging is my documentation. what is that saying? we write to experience life twice, once is the current form and once in retrospect. that's my blogging creed.

2. A current fashion trend I wish I was brave enough to wear is those big awesome eye glasses. i'm sure they have an official trendy name but i think they are cute and i wish i could wear them.

3. My greatest accomplishment in life thus far is undetermined? i don't think i've accomplished anything out of the ordinary yet.

4. If I had to choose between a mountain or a beach vacation I'd choose beach 9 out of 10 times. but i wouldn't be opposed to mountain. i'm not an outdoors person but i think i'd enjoy being in solace, amongst nature.

5. A talent I wish I had is being good at math. if you are and don't consider that a talent, i'm telling you it is and i'm jealous of your skills. last night at chem the professor was doing all this shit with square roots and factoring and flipping fractions and i just stared blankly.

6. A talent I do have is writing? i swear this blog is not representative of my actual writing skills. i write for a living and i'm not half bad sometimes.

7. This week is getting a perfect ending with Ohio University Homecoming!!! OU OH YEA!

out of the office.

2010-10-14T23:05:00.000-04:00

for the next 24 hours, i'm at the happiest place on earth (athens, oh) celebrating my alma mater!

CHEERS!

glory glory hallelujiah

2010-10-14T10:06:00.001-04:00

for the past few months i feel like this is my life. standing on this long hilly road and i'm at the very beginning, lamenting over how far i have left to walk.

but today, i feel like i took some steps. good steps.

my volunteer assignment is being moved to the ER, which is positively perfect. i will have much more interaction with cases and physicians + it's my number 1 specialty choice at the moment so i will get more exposure to it.

and my first letter of recommendation, from a very important person, was submitted to interfolio and logged!!! this is such a big deal. it's been difficult to get it but i think it'll make a big difference.

and next qt. classes are posted and it looks like i'll have the same schedule, tue, thur, sat. chem + physics. then i'll be done with chem + physics + bio which blows my mind. all that's left? o-chem. dun dun dunnnn.

everyone keeps saying that things start moving so fast once mcat studying begins (in 17 days) and i believe it. things have already flown by so i imagine the next few months won't be any different.

i think it's so weird that a lot of schools don't like accepting non-traditional students. i think anyone whose graduated from college and has a "real" job, making a real income and makes a decision to give all of that up to take 2 years of science courses, study for and take the hellish mcat and go through 15 months of an application process is one of your most devoted candidates. but what do i know?

i can't help but think i may go through all of this and get no where. what if i don't get accepted? then what? i don't know. i try to push those thoughts out of my head as quickly as they come. why worry about something i have no control over?

but i keep walking, up one hill and down another.

so the journey goes.

things that suck:

2010-10-12T20:36:00.000-04:00

eating M&M's at lunch (stupid) which means i used up a whole shit ton of my WW points today and had to have pointless green beans + ketchup for dinner.

i won't be making that mistake again.

lately

2010-10-12T10:52:00.000-04:00

i'm into la croix sparkling water. no calories. no sweetners. no sodium. no nothing. it's just water with natural flavor added (lime, lemon, etc).

it tricks me into thinking i'm drinking soda but really i'm on my way to my 6 water servings a day.

it's a nice substitute for diet coke addicts like me.

OU-OH YEA!

2010-10-11T19:10:00.000-04:00

can't wait to be back this weekend for homecoming!

a weekend wrap-up

2010-10-10T21:20:00.001-04:00

watson and i sat on a park bench today for 20 minutes. i finally got too hot and had to come home but he could have sat there all day and let people pet him. he's particularly fluffy after his bath. i always wanted a dog people could pet but now i find it mildly annoying. today i thought this is how women must feel when people touch their babies.

this weekend was blah. i started my official volunteering duty at the hospital and it was a bust. after an hour my floor had nothing to do with me and sent me packing. i was raged. i wanted to go home saturday but stayed since i had to volunteer. had i known i'd be there for an hour, i coulda went to canton.

instead i delivered towels to sick people for 60 minutes and then saw Life as I Know It. it was super cute. i know people don't like katherine heigl but i find her refreshing. i'd say it's worth the $7 admission and 2 hrs of your time.

i also realized i know almost no one in my city anymore. all my friends have moved and meeting new friends post-school is so difficult. work is the best place but my workplace SUCKS for meeting friends. no one is social, we don't even have happy hours, and everyone is old and settled. and cranky.

anyways, this is a good week. i'm off work tomorrow for Columbus Day. thank you Christopher Columbus for "discovering America". and i'm off friday too for OU homecoming. the less time i have to spend at the boring pit of underachievement, the better.

night.

someone got a haircut

2010-10-09T18:10:00.001-04:00

watson, originally uploaded by brittlyou.

someone else got a B on the chem exam.

your guess on who's who.

fill in the blank friday

2010-10-08T09:19:00.000-04:00

1. The first thing I do in the morning to start my day is eat my breakfast and watch the news. or run around like a chicken with my head cut off when i'm running late.

2. Today I wish I was laying on a beach. but i'm not.

3. If I had an extra $100 in my bank account today I'd save it. i don't really need anything right now and i'm saving for upcoming expenses.

4. Tomorrow I get to sleep in! hip hip hooray!

5. Two things that don't go together are dr. teddy altman and grey's. i think she's the oddest addition to that show and just takes up screen time from good plot lines.

6. Something I can never pass up at the grocery store is cleaning supplies. i am always woo'ed by the latest and greatest lysol or scrubbing bubbles.

7. The last time I tried something new was this morning when i joined weight watchers. i feel like a big fat fatty but the jennifer hudson commercials sucked me in. she looks awesome.

for you, from me.

2010-10-07T21:08:00.001-04:00

i always like to share gift ideas because i think gift buying is so difficult. i have a work bridal shower tomorrow. i did a "cleaning" theme. designer rubber gloves, kitchen towels, designed dish scrubber and dish soap holder. all in a cheapo $2.99 vase. the whole shabang cost $17.

chem exam wasn't too bad.

and i have no remaining homework/studying tonight so im going to melt on the couch and watch my favorite evening of tv.

ciao.

gulp.

2010-10-06T17:35:00.004-04:00

no turning back now. unless i wanna lose a lot of benjamins. it seems so real now that i know a date. so so real.

but april is a long ways away. tomorrow is not. and that's my first chem exam of the quarter. my professor is just wonderful and went over a great review session in the last class and i buried myself at the library tonight. result = i feel pretty good about things. so much better than i ever felt last quarter. we'll see how it goes tho.

i'm in training at work for another day, which is good bc it means im not sitting at my desk, i can wear jeans, and i got to sleep in 30 minutes later than usual today (not tomorrow, gotta get up early to read my notes again).

and monday is columbus day. which is a work holiday for us government lackies. my favorite one in fact because no one else is off.

and it's going to warm back up, i wasn't ready for 40 degree evenings so this is good.

oh and next weekend is OU homecoming. i can only go friday/saturday morning bc i have physics lab saturday afternoon but it's better than nothing.

so all positives to report on my end.

hope your week is just as enjoyable!

note to self: bond order, non bonding-bonding divided by 2. breaking bond +. formal charge = column number - indiv lone pair electrons - bond pairs. high lattice energy (charge product + ion size) = high boiling point = strong bond. 2=sp, 3=sp2, 4=sp3, 5=sp3d, 6=sp3d2 ok i just needed to solidify that stuff in my head.

the mcat. part 1.

2010-10-05T11:07:00.000-04:00


from TPRH Biology book but I thought a nice description of the test for those unfamiliar with the hell i'm about to endure.

lesson 1: when AAMC site says "registration dates released in Fall '10" make sure you click that link to see when it is. because for me. it's tomorrow. thank goodness i clicked that link today.

lesson 2: don't keep your life savings buttoned in an online savings account that takes 2 days to transfer to your checking account. because the registration is tomorrow. my money won't arrive til thursday.

le sigh.

other than those 2 lessons. ahead we forge.

hopefully seats at my area testing centers don't fill tomorrow. that would suck right? all this prep and i miss my test registration because my $270 is floating through bank wires somewhere. ugh.

anyways, as you can see my Princeton Review Bio book arrived today. Verbal is at my mom's house. Ordering Chem from Berkley Review on Friday. it's sorta surreal this is happening. time flies when you're planning your future.

over there ---> i posted my practice test schedule, starting 127 days out from the exam. however my studying starts Nov 1st with content review for 4 wks. then practice tests/questions begin in December. rapid testing (several a week) starts 6 wks out (recommended).

why the 4 wks of content review? some say it isn't necessary but i'm not as strong in my sciences as the majority of test takers since my undergrad was Poli Sci and i'm barely a year into my pre-reqs. so i want to get a good refresher before launching into my MCAT studying (which consists of a bunch of question review/practice exams)

so what is the MCAT? a beast of an exam consisting of 4 sections; biological sciences, physical sciences, verbal and writing. it's timed.

but like that description says, these aren't "what is the outer membrane of a cell called?" type questions, these are longggg passages with questions following that requires you to not apply knowledge, but apply technique and understanding. no watch/timer. no calculators allows (gulp).

how is scored? it's scaled. so it's not like if you get X questions correct, you get X score. it's based on the individual test, on that date, at that time slot. it's scored 1x by a human. 1x by a computer. 3rd time by a human if needed. it isn't uncommon for most test takers to think they totally failed it only to end up with a decent score. they actually say the harder you think the test was, the better scoring may end up.

you can score from 1-15 on each section (not writing) and 3-45 overall. 45 is genius. 27-33 is average. i need to be at least average. i'm expecting to start well below average.

my study plan: i have to start early bc i work full-time and go to school full-time. so i can't do the 8hrs a day for 6 wks thing. so i'm looking at my studying in 3 chunks:

my 4 wks of content review.

my early testing period + content review.

my 6 wk out rapid period (i live and breathe mcat)

as i get closer to december, i'll post a detailed schedule.

fingers crossed for my registration tomorrow. here goes nothing!

so fresh and so clean clean

2010-10-04T12:17:00.000-04:00

this weekend i laundered to my hearts content. i washed everything not nailed down. clothes, sheets, blankets, towels, etc.

isn't that the best? when you look around and know everything in your house is clean, folded and smells like gain (my favorite laundry scent but man is it getting pricey these days!)?

laundry is probably my most favorite chore. my least favorite? taking out the trash. i hate it with the passion of a thousand suns.

i have nothing else to say on this topic. i'm just really proud of my laundering.

i broke out the fleece

2010-10-03T15:21:00.000-04:00

did anyone else have a dreary wet autumn weekend? it required me to break out my fleece pjs and the snuggie. it's amazing how the minute it becomes 50 and rainy, i become a house hermit.

i watched fall/winter movies all night last night and this morning.

now i'm finally motivating myself to go to the library and finish homework/studying.

i love me some fall.

important

2010-10-01T17:22:00.000-04:00

i thought all day about how i wanted to blog about Raymond Chase, Tyler Clementi, Seth Walsh, Asher Brown and Billy Lucas. I wrote big paragraph and small thoughts. i thanked those who grieve with us who are devastated over their suicides. i condemned those who didn't. i tried to educate. mobilize. sympathize. and yet here i am, with an empty blog because nothing seemed right. or good enough.

how do you explain how wrong it is that 5 young boys killed themselves this week after being bullied to the point of feeling unworthy of life? shouldn't it just be human nature to understand the wrongness? how do i explain to those of you who sit in judgement, not compassion, that Raymond, Tyler, Seth, Asher and Billy didn't chose their gayness anymore than they chose their hair color or eye color. They were excepted to deal with it, in communities with too little understanding and too much hate. what a tremendous burden to place on the shoulders of lonely children.

and saddest part is they didn't realize that it gets better. and brighter. and an entire world exists beyond their small towns and vanilla suburbs, with millions of people who have nothing but open arms for diversity and tolerance.

5 young men with life and love and talents to offer this world were made to believe they had no value because they are gay.

that should make your stomach hurt with pain. it should make you want to rise up and say NO MORE.

there is a misconception that in order to sympathize with the gay community, you have to be gay yourself.

and i can't say it any better than JK Rowling said herself, so i'll let her close out my blog post:

"Unlike any other creature on this planet, humans can learn and understand, without having experienced. They can think themselves into other people’s places.

And many prefer not to exercise their imaginations at all. They choose to remain comfortably within the bounds of their own experience, never troubling to wonder how it would feel to have been born other than they are.

They can refuse to hear screams or to peer inside cages; they can close their minds and hearts to any suffering that does not touch them personally; they can refuse to know.

I might be tempted to envy people who can live that way, except that I do not think they have any fewer nightmares than I do.

Choosing to live in narrow spaces leads to a form of mental agoraphobia, and that brings its own terrors. I think the wilfully unimaginative see more monsters.

They are often more afraid.

What is more, those who choose not to empathise enable real monsters. For without ever committing an act of outright evil ourselves, we collude with it, through our own apathy." -JK Rowling, Harvard Commencement

is it thanksgiving yet?

2010-10-01T08:59:00.000-04:00

well it's october 1st which means it's time for me to rush the season and get excited for thanksgiving! the beginning of september i decorated for halloween. it's how i roll, 2 months ahead of schedule.

all next week is 60 and sunny. perfect fall weather with crisp evenings! i wish i liked to eat pumpkin and squash because that would really ring in autumn but i don't, so i bought frankenberry fruit-roll up's instead.

my first chem exam is already next week! isn't that crazy!? didn't i just start this quarter?!

did everyone watch greys? my biggest Shonda Rhimes complaint is she always starts seasons sooo slow. it's good but never as good as the end of the seasons.

private practice is pretty solid though. i just love Addison and Sam together but they don't seem to be showing much of them. it's more about Pete and Violet these days.

and that's my life, school + thursday tv reviews. i signed up for a new 5k. in december. that's cold weather.

oh and i ordered my Verbal section study materials. i went with Exam Krackers because everyone says that's absolutely the best. i don't think i'll have trouble with Verbal because of my strong background in writing and reading but it's the lowest scoring section on the MCAT so maybe i'm totally wrong.

have a good weekend!

fill in the blank friday

2010-10-01T08:33:00.000-04:00

1. True happiness is found in the most unusual places.some of the best days of your life start off so unassuming.

2. The most surreal moment of my life was finding out my dad died.

3. My favorite texture is a blend. i don't think you can have just 1 texture of anything; clothing, food, decorating, it's all better with multiple textures involved.

4. My signature color is navy blue? i own a ton of navy blue sweaters. or brown maybe.

5. My signature style is jcrew. i basically dress from that store or replicate that store. preppy.

6. If I could choose one store to spend my life savings at, it would be jcrew or madewell. i never ever get sick of their clothes.

7. My best thing about autumn is the smell/feel of the crisp air. it's so unique to the season and i especially love the time around Thanksgiving. i even like the cold grey rainy days. i just love fall!

just a wee bit

2010-09-29T20:42:00.001-04:00

{one} what is your happiest childhood memory?

summers at our pool. all the family would come over and we'd swim all day (allllll day) and eat lunch together in the screened-in porch. i loved those memories.

{two} what is your middle name?

ann no e

{three} what’s the habit you’re most proud of breaking?

sleeping on my parents floor. i slept there nightly until i was like 16? 17? i have no idea why. i don't think i was scared, i think it was just more comfortable? 10 years later it's a good thing i've transitioned to a bed.

{four} what do you order when you order chinese food?

i don't eat chinese food.

{five} what’s the best bargain you’ve ever found at a garage sale or thrift store?

my "desk" made from a door. i got the brand new door, perfect size, for a few bucks at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. it's a great "desk".

{six} what’s the best costume you’ve ever worn?

i used to be obsessed with wizard of oz (OBSESSED) and for kindergarten my mom made me a dorthy costume that was pretty great. and i remember my mom making me a scarecrow costume too that i got a lot of compliments on. oh and she made me and my friend abby a dice costume and we were a pair of dice, that was cool. she usually made my costumes vs. buying them and they all turned out pretty great.

{seven} who’s your favorite game show host?

alex trebeck. i love jeopardy.

{eight} what’s your favorite breakfast food?

cinnamon toast + butter

{nine} what’s your least favorite word?

pus. moist. bulge. slither. anus.

{ten} describe something that happened to you for which you have no explanation.

hmm. when we had to put my childhood dog Riley down, i had the most vivid dream that Riley was at our old house barking at the mailman (which he was infamous for doing) and my dad (who has passed) rode up on his riding lawn mower, picked Riley up and rode off down 14th street with him. i was so upset to lose Riley but found such comfort in that dream. i've also dreamed my dad picked me up in his old white car and we rode around his cemetery and he didn't say a word but we just drove together. i'm not a believer in spirits and angels but i do think my dad has the ability to come to me in my dreams. he hasn't visited me in years though so maybe he lost his power or something.

step 1

2010-09-29T11:51:00.000-04:00

well i ordered my very first mcat study material today. i was working my budget spreadsheet through december and realized i have some huge expenses coming up; mcat registration ($220), mcat study materials ($500), a couch for when heather returns from CA and rightfully wants her back ($350), nyc trip in november ($400)

so i decided to get a head start on ordering my books in pieces (1 per pay period) so it's not as much of a hit to the budget

i'm starting with biology because for me, i think it'll be easiest and hopefully i can get it out of the way early and come back for practice review throughout my study schedule.

i was debating between Princeton Review Hyperlearning and Berekely Review. ultimately, after much reading, i went TPRH Biology because it seems like a fair mix of difficult questions that appear on the test. a lot of testers said BR is amazing but much harder than you actually need.

no turning back now!

Letters of Recommendation

2010-09-29T09:02:00.002-04:00

by far the most tedious part of the application process so far has been letters of recommendation. i've already started requesting mine and it's giving me a headache. i can't imagine if i didn't have months of lead time and was rushing!

most schools require a committee letter from your school or 2 science faculty letters if your school doesn't have a committee (mine doesnt). i never speak in class. i deeply regret that when it comes time to say "hey remember me, i got an A but never said a word, can you write me a letter?". it sucks.

i'm gathering 2 science faculty LOR, 1 DO letter (required by the majority of my schools, so i have to find one to shadow long enough where they'll write me a letter) and 1 personal letter (2 personal letters for my top choice school because i know someone who was given an award by the school).

most schools don't even want your letters until secondaries or interviews, which means a year from now for me but i'm hoping to have most of mine locked in by early 2011 so i don't have to worry about it.

1 science faculty LOR is in the process of being written. 1 personal letter request has been accepted but i have no idea where they are in the letter writing stage because they ignored my 2 latest "checking in" emails (panic). and i'm volunteering at a local hospital where i hope to secure a doctor to shadow and write me a LOR.

i know it's kosher to meet with the person face to face to request the letter but so far, i've found very professional emails to be acceptable. i did meet with my science professor to give her a packet i made of my draft personal statement, resume, academic + personal achievements and letter writing guidelines (must be on letterhead, how to submit the letter to interfolio, etc.) and an addressed stamped envelope to interfolio.

most med schools accept interfolio + virtual evals as a letter of recommendation clearinghouse. i signed up for a 1 year Interfolio account for $20 (i will need to extend it next year) and all my letters are sent from writer to Interfolio. it's very important you waive your right to review the letter. adcom's (admissions committee-the people who interview and decide if you're in or out) basically throw out letters that have not been waived.

i'm already chasing down my 1 big personal letter. the letter writer said they'd do it and asked for information, which i supplied ASAP. now i've emailed twice, stating my deadline and making sure they know what to do and no response.

to letter writers; that's shitty. it's not like i'm applying to applebees and want a letter. i worked long, hard hours for the office i requested from and it's not a lot to ask to get one letter in return.

everyone i talk to says this is totally normal and it happened to them and they promise it'll work out. i'm not so sure but who knows.

so my letter of recommendation experience so far:

1. don't request letters until you have your draft personal statement ready (doesn't need to be final) or at least a story of your medical school journey. i've found letter writers want to know this to personalize your letter.

2. have a "go" packet of information such as resume, academic history, achievements, letter writers guidelines (what do adcom's want to see and technical details like use letterhead and sign it), submission guidelines and your draft personal statement.

3. request WAY in advance. i read 6-8 wks and that makes me panic. i say months in advance just to be safe but SET A DEADLINE. don't leave it open ended. i just said in order to be fully prepared for the upcoming application season, i'm requesting letter submission by X.

4. adcom's don't like to see letters from years ago. i could have requested my science letters a year ago but then they'd be almost 3 years old by the time admissions season arrives. so i waited so they'll only be a year old. this means i had more academic history to convey to my letter writers but i also risked them forgetting me. i figured they forgot me the week after the quarter was over anyways so it didn't matter a whole lot.

5. thank them. i don't know how i plan to thank my letter writers yet but one thing i read was when you're accepted buy them mugs or something from the school, which i love. but i'll need an interim thanks since acceptance season is a year away.

so that's my latest piece of the application puzzle.

next up, my mcat study schedule + materials, which begins in 1 month. eek!

irony! just heard from my personal letter writer that it should be ready to go end of this week!!! yay!

3rd time is the charm

2010-09-28T11:55:00.000-04:00

a year or two ago the tree directly next to my house crashed into my neighbors window. last night the tree 2 houses down fell on my neighbors car. i'm absolutely positive my tree will be next, seeing as how it's one of the last few standing on the street.

at 6am, watson and i went outside to potty (him not me) and that's the first time we saw the tree in the pitch black and he growled. i've NEVER heard Watson growl before. it scared me so much we ran back inside. i don't know what he thought the tree was but i think the sound he made surprised him too! good to know he has the ability to be manly when need be.

never a dull moment in the german village.

hello.

2010-09-27T21:24:00.000-04:00

sorry readers. i forgot i had a blog to maintain. i'm back in the school swing and that leaves me with real life tunnel vision.

good news, took my first physics quiz and got a 100%. sure it took me 2 nights to complete and at least 12 sheets of paper but dammit i figured out every last problem!

strangly i sorta enjoy physics and chemistry. i think because i can grasp the math (it's practical not abstract) so it makes me feel like a superhero.

tonight i made buffalo chicken soup. and finished physics before 8pm. and watched tv. um, sarah palin being booed on dancing with the stars was like christmas morning for me. all in all, a perfect evening.

not much else to report. watson is bugging me for cuddle time.

over and out.

coolest wedding invites ever

2010-09-24T12:33:00.000-04:00

from

fill in the blank friday!

2010-09-24T10:25:00.000-04:00

1. In the story of my life the actor who would play me would be Sandra Bullock? We both have brown hair!

2. If I could change one thing about the world it would be eliminate bigotry. that would solve 99% of our worlds problems.

3. Yesterday i had a very runny nose. gross.

4. My favorite comfort food is my mom's mashed potatoes.

5. My new favorite blog find is the world is my oyster. i like people with creative lives who don't just blog about design stuff but their day to day life too. she's a grad student in nyc and i like reading about her experiences.

6. If I could meet any blog friend (who I haven't met yet) in real life, I'd choose to meet the writers of dlisted. funniest people ever.

7. My favorite breakfast food is cinnamon toast. i'm not a big breakfast person. especially eating out for breakfast, i never know what to get.

I'm very drippy.

2010-09-23T08:22:00.002-04:00

happy first day of fall!

2010-09-21T21:37:00.000-04:00

it's almost wednesday and i've been blog awol. i have no good reasons. well i went home this weekend and now i'm just soaking up my final 2 days of freedom before class starts on thursday.

fun story: i was all ready for school yesterday and checked my schedule to see what class i needed to head to today and noticed school doesnt start until tomorrow, which means my first class isn't until thursday. that woulda been embarassing.

did you all watch house? i wanted Cuddy and House together but eh i didn't love the episode. it felt so forced or something. hopefully it gets better. however Raising Hope on Fox is hilarious.

in not great news, my throat hurts. it tickled yesterday and i ignored it but as today wore on, it genuinely hurts. hopefully it's just a fluke. i'm not ready for my first cold of the season.

it didn't stop me from running 2 miles tonight. my feet were tired and i wanted to be on my couch but i did it.

do you like my self portrait? courtesy of 3 year old Emerson. a true masterpiece!

bedtime. nighto.

a new series

2010-09-17T13:39:00.002-04:00

i decided to formalize my school postings so they just don't go to waste. over the next few days i'm going to sort through my archives and finally label my posts (yes i know, a long time coming). i write a lot about certain topics and then they are lost in the archives.

i search always search blogs for information because people are/have experienced whatever i'm searching for and you can learn a lot of first hand information from their opinions/experiences.

my disclaimer: i have not yet been accepted nor started the application process so all of my experiences and advice may totally suck and get me no where. follow at your own risk. (i'm applying in Spring 2011).

since this will be the first post in the series, i thought i'd do a little intro of my story so if a year from now someone finds my blog, they can find out where i started.

10 things to know about me before continuing:

first off. i'm a non-trad applicant (finished my undergrad, then worked a few years, now going back to school while working full-time) so if you're applying out of undergrad, i know nothing about that experience.

1. i earned my undergrad degree in political management & communications. everything i ever thought i'd do with my degree, i did. i was/am successful. i'm good at my job. i've had a lot of different experiences/opportunities. it's just not what i want to do for the rest of my life. i've always had an interest in medicine and a desire to pursue a career in a medical field. early on, i battled a lot between going into advanced nursing or medical school (i wrote a lot about my struggles, i'll link up at some point).

2. i started from SCRATCH with my pre-reqs. my undergrad required 2 sciences and i took plant bio and some geography course and called it a day. in a way, this is nice because i don't have to clean up bad undergrad grades. but it's a pain because it's a lot of coursework and i work full-time at my normal job (in media/communications for elected officials).

3. i'm not a genius and i suck at math. like if you think you're bad at math, multiply that by 9000 (then tell me the answer because i won't know it). people confuse becoming a doctor with being brilliant. i have above average intelligence (A-B student) but i'm not a rocket scientist (seriously, math is the devil). the key is working really hard and having a good memory. i can memorize like a champ and i put in the hours at the library (a lot of hours).

4. i'm applying only osteopathic so i don't know much about the allopathic application process and it should be inferred everything i discuss is osteopathic focused.

5. why osteopathic? mainly because i appreciate the philosophy of whole body wellness and believe in treating disease and not just medicating it. i also appreciate the focus on treating underserved areas. 2nd, my undergrad institution has a medical school and i liked/loved my undergrad school and would love to go back. 3rd, osteopathic schools are more favorable to non-trads and appreciate life experience.

(if you don't think a DO is a "doctor", i urge you to google information and educate yourself. there is no professional difference or limitations between MD and DO. the American Medical Association says so)

6. i'm taking pre-reqs at a community college. i guarantee i'll get a thousand people visit this blog for writing that sentence alone. it's a big debate and i have no advice for you other than list your top choice schools and contact them asking if they accept community college credits. none of mine had a problem with it and they don't weigh them differently. they however encouraged me to take upper-level bios at a 4 year school because my CC doesn't offer them. i am trying to figure out a way to take at least one or two at a local 4 year school in the next several quarters.

7. i'm not rich. if you're panicked over the financing of your post-bach courses, i was/am too. i'm taking a little federal loan $ (i'm "degree seeking" status) and paying out of pocket. if this doesn't work out, i figure i'll have put about $12-15k into it. so that sucks.

8. i'm a first generation medical school attemptee. no one in my family is a doctor, or my extended family. i have no advisor because i'm at a community college so i get 100% of my information from talking to medical school friends, contacting my 1st choice school and asking questions and blogs/message boards. i search student doctor network like a champ for questions but i rarely post on there. most of the time i wish someone close to me knew more about the process. it's a long long long lonely stressful road to slog alone.

9. ideally, i'm taking the MCAT in April 2011 and applying June 2011. i'm applying without finishing O-Chem (i'll finish before interviews) but my top choice schools said that was perfectly fine. yes i'm worried about taking the MCAT with only 1 O-Chem course but i have a solid study plan and have asked a lot of people their thoughts and none thought it should stop me from taking it in April. i will be linking to my mcat study calendar when it's finished and detailing the books i purchase. i won't be taking a formal prep course. i don't have the time or $ (if i find the money, i may take a weekend course).

10. i'm balls to the wall. i mean this is it, i've got a year into this thing and a lot of money, blood, sweat, tears. not being successful isn't an option for me. if you have that attitude, you'll get up at 5am too to volunteer at a hospital before going to your real job. and you'll like it. most of the time.

happy weekend

2010-09-17T08:57:00.000-04:00

i can't believe my week off school is already ending. next week it's back to the grind. i surprisingly feel refreshed but not necessarily motivated. i just keep thinking how close i am to the promise land of MCATs and my application cycle. i've come way too far to quit now.

this morning i was up and at 'em at 5am to get to the hospital and do some volunteer orientation stuff. i honestly have no problem being up that early because it's something i enjoy. even though the hospital smelled like poop today.

this weekend is filled with OU v. OSU fun. it's the one weekend where i cheer against OSU. we're scrappy and there always has to be an upset right?

i really should have taken today as a vacation day to enjoy my final weekend of freedom. not sure why i didn't think of that.

before signing off, how cute is my Watson, all snug as bug in bed!

fill in the blank friday...

2010-09-17T08:05:00.000-04:00

i literally do nothing on this blog but fill out questionnaires. i just don't have a lot going on at the moment so im lacking inspiration. i know it's been that way for a year now but i dont want to shut it down in case something exciting does eventually happen. anyways, let's fill um in...

1. When I get a day to myself I like to run errands. not boring errands like the bank or post office but fun stuff like target and the mall.

2. High school was....normal.i wasn't popular or unpopular, i just had a nice group of friends. i was heavily involved in speech and theatre which i enjoyed. never thought to drink, smoke, etc. just a really normal midwestern high school experience.

3. A little dream I have is to go on a medical mission. not of the religious variety but with doctors without borders or something similar.

4. A big dream I have is to change the world. is that even possible anymore? i guess i'll find out.

5. If I could drive any car my pick would be a prius. i think a car purchase is an easy way to be a responsible citizen. plus i love "hatchback" looking cars.

6. A time that I felt really and truly beautiful was fall homecoming 2001. i had a simple black dress, my hair turned out incredibly cute and my best friend matty was my date. i look back on those pictures and still think i looked really beautiful.

7. Tomorrow I will be cheering on the Ohio University Bobcats as they take on The Ohio State University Buckeyes! We are fighters, us Bobcats!

a wee bit of wednesday

2010-09-15T12:26:00.000-04:00

{one} have you ever won a trophy? if yes, for what?

i was a member of our high school Speech team and my senior year, i competed in the category of impromptu speech. you drew a prompt and had like 2 minutes to formulate a 7 minute speech in your head about the topic. i found my niche and placed 1st or 2nd in almost every tournament of the season (you compete against tons of other school teams at tournaments hosted by certain high schools in the state). i ended up finishing 3rd in the state but only because i was so nervous my final round i wanted to die.

{two} what was your favorite subject in school?

us history. it was incredibly easy. you just had to memorize stuff. that's why i went into political science in undergrad (another easy subject). i'm a really good memorizer of facts/details. i liked english too.

{three} what time do you get up in the morning?

6-6:45. on good days when i'm ahead of schedule, i'm up around 6am. on lazy days (almost everyday) i rush out of bed at 6:45. it's a good thing i live .5 miles from my office.

{four} if you could open your own business, what would it be?

i'd love to open a health clinic in an underserved area.

{five} if you could spend the evening with one rock star/band, who would it be?

hmm. i'm not that into music. i love singer/songwriters but i don't think i'd be beside myself to hang out with one of them. i honestly don't know.

{six} what sitcom character reminds you of you?

probably miranda from sex and the city. that's pretty spot on.

{seven} what are the 3 most important things to you?

family (watson included), personal integrity, equality

{eight} chips or popcorn?

i'm not a snacky person. i'd rarely eat any of these things. i guess with a meal, chips. at a movie, popcorn.

{nine} have you ever ordered anything from an infomercial?

tae-bo back in the day. and proactiv.

{ten} what is one thing that you are grateful for today?

my strength.

fat ass.

2010-09-14T19:54:00.000-04:00

things your mom probably didn't raise you to do: yell "fat ass" at someone running for fitness purposes. or anyone really.

somedays it's hard to maintain faith in the world.

but anyways. -----> click on my nike+ sensor over to the right to load my running page. it automatically tracks my runs thanks to my nike+ sportband (really worthwhile purchase).

today i cranked out 2.06 miles in 24 minutes. which is mega awesome for me! even if i am a fat ass.

30 day challenge| 23

2010-09-14T16:22:00.000-04:00

23| a show you're currently addicted to

i've said it a lot but i'm a huge TV person. i've always love tv series and get really into them. i don't know what i love about them so much but i think it's the best form of entertainment. i'm not a reality TV person at all but scripted tv shows are like my lifeblood!

that being said. it's not like i watch "critically acclaimed" tv series or anything. a girl only has so many options without cable.

monday|
house
chuck
castle

tuesday|
the biggest loser (just bc nothing else is on)
the good wife

wednesday|
the middle
modern family
cougartown
law and order svu

thursday|
bones
greys anatomy
private practice
parks & rec
30 rock

i end up watching a lot of these on hulu. the only shows i absolutely try not to miss are greys and private practice (imma shonda rhimes lover).

30 Day Challenge| Catch Up; Days 20, 21, 22

2010-09-13T21:31:00.001-04:00

day 20| dream wedding

i used to think big was the way to go but obviously tastes change. i can't imagine a better wedding than just close friends/family in autumn, with a big meal and great singer/songwriter band under strand lights. and smores at bonfires at dusk.

day 20| my favorite restaurant

i have the most average, mid-western pallet in the world. my favorite restaurant choices reflect that. oh well, that's just the way it goes.

day 22| my town

i grew up in canton, ohio. but no one actually ever goes to downtown canton. i mean EVER. i went when i had to go to traffic court at 16 and when i had to pick up costumes for the high school play. and never again. i hear it's been reinvented a bit and people go down there now but i've yet to visit.

everyone lives life in the townships around canton. which is bizarre but true. like perry and jackson is where all the restaurants and mall and stores are at. it's the most vanilla suburban place in the world. literally and figuratively.

i currently live in columbus, ohio. specifically, german village (a little neighborhood in the southern end of dowtown)...

i actually live to the right of this photo (schiller park) on a little street. it's beautiful and i scored the real estate lottery finding it.

every christmas there is a village lights celebration where the entire neighborhood lights paper luminaries along the park and streets. it's breathtaking!

i'm a history lover so i like this area a lot. it was settled by german immigrants in the mid 1800's. and is on the historic registry. it was a really affluent area of town and they built these huge beautiful historic homes (it still is, the house beside me is for sale for $750k). then WWI happened and people hated the germans so it kinda fell into disrepair but in the 1950s it was restored and remains one of the largest historical neighborhoods in the country.

my house was built in 1908. it's been renovated a bit but needs some serious love. but it has charm and character and i like it a lot.

i love columbus as a whole. downtown columbus specifically. the suburbs are a nightmare. but most people don't know downtown is really artsy.

we have a neighborhood in the northern end of downtown called the Short North which is full of little boutiques, local restaurants and art galleries. the new york times loves to write about because it's this secret gem of talented artists.

the young professionals who live in downtown cbus are incredibly passionate about our city. most of us are committed to staying and devoting our talents and resources into further building it into a city of the future. i have a friend who says "columbus isn't a small town, it's a big family". that's pretty accurate.

most folks (not the OSU students but the young professionals) are involved in grassroots movements and you know a lot of them from being out and about.

i'd like to live somewhere else eventually but just to say i did but i think i'll probably end up back here.

i know very few people from downtown cbus who don't have wonderful things to say about our town. it's creative and fun and people are incredibly welcoming and inclusive! you should visit sometime!

my weekend.

2010-09-13T15:04:00.000-04:00

was most enjoyable. having no homework, looming test dates or other commitments was glorious.

i spent it hanging with friends, cheering on the bucks and doing house-stuff. like sewing covers for my couch pillows and decorating the front steps for autumn.

schools starts up again a week from tomorrow.

le sigh.

30 day blog challenge| day 19

2010-09-10T11:54:00.000-04:00

day 19: a photo of an animal you’d love to keep as a pet.

a baby watson. wasn't he adorable?

current watson. they turn "wheat" colored as they get older!

i'm a huge dog person. i just think they are the funniest, sweetest creatures. so if i could have any animal as a pet, i'd probably have a gaggle of dogs like Oprah (but only if i had people to help me take care of them). watson is such a handful on his own! he has a big personality!

if i could have other dogs though i'd have:


a bulldog


a weimaraner, i think they are so cute

a basset hound named lemon

an old english sheepdog

a micro piglet! pigs are incredibly smart and clean despite public stereotype!

fill 'um in!

2010-09-10T09:15:00.001-04:00

1. The strangest thing I've ever eaten is tofu? i don't do strange.

2. I wouldn't be caught dead in skinny jeans. not for me.

3. When I am 75 I will feel 50. i hope i never feel "old". i want to be 90, feel 70 and have a massive brain aneurysm in my sleep that kills me instantly. i can't think of a better way to go!

4. If I had to be named after a place I would want to be named Britton (variation of Britain). It's my mom's maiden name and doesn't sound like a stripper name like "Brittany".

5. My name is "Brittany" - after my mom's maiden name, Britton - "Ann" - a family middle name held by all the girls. i don't like my name. it's hard being a professional "brittany". i mostly go by Britt when possible.

6. My all time favorite photo is a group photo of my extended family together at my brother's wedding. it's before people started dying like flies so it's complete. and probably one of the last photos i have of everyone together.

7. If I could afford it I would quit work and go to school full-time to finish these damn pre-reqs. if i could REALLY afford it, i would move to NYC and finish the pre-reqs. ;)

coming up for air.

2010-09-09T20:53:00.000-04:00

i'm aliveeeeeeeeeeeeee!

as of this evening, i wrapped up my finals and i'm a free woman for 11 days! honestly. this is better than christmas. knowing i can come home from work and just stay home or run errands or watch tv is the best news ever.

i'm going out this weekend. i'm getting back into regular running. i'm driving to OU to get stuff for the OU-OSU game next week. i'm soaking up every minute until Fall Qt starts on Sept 21st! then i'm diving in with renewed motivation!

as you can see, i started decorating for autumn. i refuse to hear it's too early. maybe i'll work on the front door/steps this weekend.

lets see...what else?

if you need a new CD, download Sara Bareilles Kaleidoscope Heart. it's wonderful!

1 week until awesome TV starts again! maybe that's more like my christmas?

im going to go read my O Magazine and be a couch blob.

ah it's nice to be bored!

a random post.

2010-09-07T22:47:00.000-04:00

i have a long night of math studying ahead of me for tomorrow's final. but i need a quick mental break.

the chem final didn't go well. i studied sooo hard. and i knew all the stuff. i mean i could ramble any electron configuration you'd ever want to hear. but my asshole professor and his typewriter tests were just too much for my mediocre brain apparently.

i wasn't the only one, the average was a 57%. and i did way better than that.

i was devastated at first. but i feel better after talking it out with folks. i mean i didn't fail the class. i just didn't get the grade i needed/wanted.

but onward and upward. i learned valuable lessons.

i can't wait to wrap up finals on thursday night and have a nice 10 days off school.

i have a really fun weekend planned too. lots of saying goodbye to Heather before she ships off to Palo Alto, CA!

happy wednesday.

t-minus 22 hours

2010-09-06T18:52:00.000-04:00

until my chem final.

i need at least an 81.

fingers crossed for me.

then algebra wednesday. physics thursday.

see ya friday.

happy 3rd birthday watson jefferson!

2010-09-06T13:13:00.000-04:00

he doesn't look a day over 2 does he?

30 Day Challenge| Day 14

2010-09-05T15:50:00.000-04:00

day 14: plans/dreams/goals you have

i'm a big planner. i like to have an idea of where i'm going to be in the future. i don't think i've been right yet but it puts my mind at ease thinking i have a plan.

career: well i hope i get into medical school. i feel completely at peace with my decision to apply and i think it's the right career for me. so that's my immediate goal.

longterm, if i don't get in this cycle, i think i'll apply a 2nd cycle. then if i wouldn't get in, i don't know. maybe nursing? maybe physician assistant? maybe a graduate program in healthcare administration or higher-education administration? i'm not sure. hopefully i will never have to think about it further than this.

ultimately i'd like a career where i can directly impact the lives of others and gives me the opportunity to not only work in my field but volunteer my skills in under-served areas.

family life: hmm i don't know. i go between wanting 6 kids and wanting none. i'm sure i'll end up having kids but probably not for at least 10 years. i'm in no rush and i'm too focused on my career. thanks to longer lifespans and the advances in modern medicine, women can have kids at a later age. if that isn't possible for me, i'm totally open to adoption without hesitation. so waiting is A-OK with me.

where i want to live: this changes with the weather. most days i think i'll end up in ohio since my family is here and i really enjoy being close with them. but i'm not nuts about ohio in general. people are narrow minded (for the most part, columbus is awesome) and opportunities don't exist like they do on the coasts. if i have kids, i'd like them to be raised in a hub of culture and diversity. i easily could see myself on the NE coast (NY, CT, MA, etc) or the NW coast (portland/seattle).

other goals:

i always live my life thinking "what will be the first line of my obituary". it seems morbid but it's a nice compass for making decisions. so i hope i find a way to give back to the world and feel content with my contributions.
i want to travel and see other parts of the world as often as possible.
i'd like to renovate a little cottage/house at some point and make it my own.
i'd maybe like to teach later in my career, as another way of giving back.
i hope my future kids like to read and are intrigued by learning. i hope they feel inspired to give back to the world.
i want to have good memories with friends and family.

30 Day Challege| Day 13

2010-09-04T20:08:00.000-04:00

day 13: day thirteen: someone you would want to switch lives with for one day + why.

i missed day 12: take a picture of your lunch but i tried to remember for 2 days now and couldn't so i'm skipping it.

onto lucky 13.

i want to switch lives with Mother Oprah. i think she's pretty much the coolest person on the face of the planet. i'm a huge fan and not really because she's famous. i think she's so wise and zen and just on a different medium than most people. she has an awesome spirit. she's an old soul and they are rare in this world. when i'm struggling with something or need inspiration, i always google her commencement speeches (read them if you haven't, Duke and Stanford) and quotations. i have a book of her thoughts on my coffee table. i really just find her incredible.

i'd love to see what it's like to walk in her shoes. she runs a huge company and takes incredible care of her employees and is arguably one of the most powerful people in the world. what awesome responsibility she yields.

runner-up:

not nearly as inspirational. i just really like greys anatomy and would like to see what it's like on set. i don't even want to "act". i would switch places with their janitor.

Fill in the Blank Friday

2010-09-03T08:32:00.000-04:00

i swear this isn't just a blog of questionnaires. i just don't have much else to blog about for the moment so it keeps me posting. anyways, here's my regular Fill in the Blank Friday.

1. If I didn't have to work anymore I would travel for a year and then still work. definitely go to medical school but work in underprivileged areas all around the country. maybe open a free health clinic in whatever city i want to settle in. don't get me wrong, i wouldn't work all day everyday, but i'd still work.

2. My favorite thing about a vacation is doing something different. i swear i live in groundhog day. my job isn't exciting, school isn't exciting, it's just this routine for the time being and i'm not a routine person. it drives me nuts.

3. When packing for a trip I always think i need a new wardrobe. what is it about vacations and current clothes not being good enough? like i'm ever going to see those people again?

4. If I could go on a road trip with anyone (dead OR alive) I would choose my dad. and tina fey. that'd be a great road trip.

5. My top 3 absolute travel essentials are 1. my pillow (unless i'm driving) 2. good music (a must if i'm driving) and 3. an endless supply of diet coke and snacks.

6. Vacations are few and far between in my world.

7. On vacation you must always eat too much food. no matter where you go, this should be a goal. unless you go to punta cana where the food is disgusting and you live on rolls for 5 days.

wee bit of me wednesdays

2010-09-02T20:09:00.000-04:00

{one} what’s your favorite day of the week and why?
thursday. great tv night. tomorrow is friday. i just feel like people are happy on thursdays.

{two} if you could have a glimpse of your future, would you choose to see it and what time would you want to see?
yes. i'd like to see 6 months from today and find out if i am accepted into med school. it would save me a lot of time, money and stress.

{three} if you could be any animal, which animal would you be?
a wheaten terrier. i've never seen a happier, funnier dog. watson acts like every single morning is christmas morning. i've never witnessed any living think wake up in a better mood, day after day.

{four} do you have a lucky number?
8.

{five} if you could bring one famous person back from the dead, who would it be and why?
famous? hmm. probably abe lincoln. he was wicked smart and i'd love to pick his brain.

{six} fill in the blank: peanut butter and ____________.
celery. i've always liked that combo.

{seven} would you rather live by the mountains or by the beach?
the beach. but in all fairness i've never spent time in the mountains. i still don't think i'd like driving those roads in the winter. i'd poop my pants.

{eight} do you have any tattoos?
yes 3. we all go through stages. mine just happen to be permanently inked on my skin.

{nine} if you could retire tomorrow, what would you do?
go to medical school. honestly. they say your dream job is the one you'd do if you didn't have to work. i'd definitely still go to medical school. probably just in new york city or somewhere cooler than ohio.

{ten} what is your favorite all time movie?
waiting for guffman. so funny. the american president is great too.

30 Day Challenge| Day 11

2010-09-02T19:28:00.000-04:00

day 11 prompt: put your iPod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play.

i'm archaic and only own an ipod shuffle so i'm using my itunes.

1. just the way you are- bruno mars (my new favorite song!)
2. halo- beyonce
3. fearless love- melissa etheridge
4. close your eyes- dave barnes
5. telegram to mars- little & ashley
6. you and i- ingrid michaelson
7. i made it- kevin rudolf (good running song)
8. you and me- rosie thomas
9. angel- ernie halter
10. if only you knew- shinedown

i'm surprised how "normal" this shuffle list turned out to be. at least 60% of my itunes library is broadway music. i was nervous i'd be typing really nerdy stuff.

baby got back.

2010-09-01T22:06:00.001-04:00

not my pelvis. pretty sure that's a male pelvis too (they are longer and narrower)

i visited Dr.Chiro today. i really like him. he's only a year older than me and really cool. we would probably be friends in real life (bc doctors offices are fake life), i can tell he's good people.

my lower back pain is due to a jacked up pelvis. the xrays were disturbing. which makes sense bc my lower back pain always goes right into my hips. i'm always bitching about hip pain. which i attributed to my back but it is kinda visa versa.

anyways, a few months of adjustments and he thinks i'll be better than ever. i'm a big believer in healing through manipulation. had i gone to a medical doctor for this issue, they'd give me a pain pill or muscle relaxer. chiros (and DO's) use manual adjustments to correct the issues and relieve pain. win-win.

i'd never had a chiropractic adjustment before but it was sorta awesome. doesn't hurt a lick but you can feel them snap the vertebrae back into place. there's a little crunching popping noise. it actually feels good. like how you feel after a big stretch and yawn?

i just thought the experience was interesting so i decided to throw it on the blog in case others were contemplating a chiropractor visit. i mean i'll know more in a few weeks if it actually works but so far i'm really impressed.

plus i get a free 8 minute massage after every adjustment. score!

30 Day Challenge| Day 10

2010-09-01T08:32:00.001-04:00

 day 10 prompt: a picture of you and your family.

left to right counterclockwise; ashley, brian, nicol, brock, alisha, patrick, aimee, ellery, kiley, me, courtney, scott k.

i don't have a picture of my immediate family (mom, dad, brother and i) on this computer but in all honesty, i don't even know if i have one anywhere that doesn't contain me as a toddler. my parents weren't "picture people" growing up. which really sucks now. it'd be nice to have snap shots of us together past the age of 5. but i'm sure life was hectic and sometimes you just don't think to grab a camera.

i do however have a few "cousin" pictures. which is what i posted up there.

i was raised incredibly close with my cousins which i deeply appreciate. they are pretty much like sibilings as far as i'm concerned. i have a really nice extended family. just really nice solid kind people. we aren't those families that only see one another 2x a year. we grew up within a few mile radius of one another.

i always think it's so weird when people barely know their cousins but i know people at work are always like "wait how many sibilings do you have?" because i talk about them all the time, so i'm sure they think it's weird i'm so close with cousins.

happy happy september!

2010-08-31T21:33:00.000-04:00

i can't believe we're already heading into september! it seems like this year just started and now we're in the homestretch!?! where does the time go?!

september = fall, my favorite season! i had to resist buying mums at the store this weekend, it just felt a bit rushed. i mean it's still 90 degrees outside. i showed self restraint and will be waiting until it's at least 80 degrees.

honestly i'm just aiming to get through next week. i have finals tue, wed, thur. i'll be living in the library this weekend + monday. but there's a light at the end of the tunnel and then we'll head into Fall Qt.

things are moving so fast. i feel like i just started this process and i'm already preparing to schedule my MCAT test date (April 16th, 2011...EEKKKKKK).

today i started a spreadsheet of the schools i'm applying to, it isn't complete because i'm still researching but i'm ideally budgeting for application to around 15-20 ($620-800) schools.

i currently have a solid top 8 schools that i know i like and are in desirable locations, so i have some list building to reach 15-20 schools but a lot goes into an application decision so i want to make sure i'm making the right one.

plus all schools require different secondary information and i can't be rushed getting that organized during MCAT studying so i'm doing it now.

fact: chasing down letters of recommendation SUCKS. i wish someone told me to set up an Interfolio account years ago and just collect letters as I go (although I wouldn't have realized I needed them for med school at that time) but still, IT SUCKS.

tomorrow is a busy day, i have to be at the hospital at 7am for a TB test for volunteering and then off to work, then a chiropractor appt. at 3:30 to review my xrays and outline a treatment plan, then math final exam review.

and homework.

see you in a few days! happy september!!!

a new oval office

2010-08-31T12:35:00.000-04:00

the oval office got a makeover last week!

i love stuff like this. pointless in the grand scheme but interesting.

looks spiffy! i love the muted brown palette.

and stop your bitching, no taxpayer dollars were spent (oval office redesigns, done by every new president, are paid for by a historical society) and they are all american products.

30 Day Blog Challenge| Day 9

2010-08-31T10:16:00.002-04:00

day 9 prompt: a song for every mood

contemplative mood: can i stay? ray lamontagne, on a night like this, dave barnes, the story, brandi carlile or anything singer/songwriter

happy mood: i gotta feeling, black eyed peas

there are moods in between those two but those are my staples i seek out on my itunes.

my 30 days| a blogging challenge: day 7 & 8

2010-08-30T20:50:00.000-04:00

i'm starting in a little late on this fun blog challenge but it looks interesting and saves my dear readers (those of you left) from reading another post about studying. basically this rad chick becca gives the prompt and away i write.

day 7 prompt: a picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you

michael, will, cade, luca and emerson.

i'm the youngest in my family so i never really knew babies until the next generation came along. i had no idea how much fun babies could be and how you just love them to pieces. i don't get to see them nearly enough (which i hate) but i think they are all the sweetest, cutest, funniest kids and they had a huge impact on me. i'm a proud aunt, i tell everyone about these kids who will listen and show off pics on my phone. i need to get better with sending care packages. that's on my "TO DO" list!

day 8 prompt: 4 simple short term goals for the month + reasons why you picked them.

1. continue my "Clean & Green" eating

2. take Watson to the park daily

3. get back into running

4. don't procrastinate on school work

why i picked them:

#1 is, i hope, a long term life style change but i want to make sure to stay on track. i'd like to visit the farmers market on a regular basis for fruits & veggies.
#2, watson and i don't get to the park much in the summer bc it's so hot and he's not a hot weather dog. he barely makes it to the corner before he lays down and refuses to move. with fall moving in, i hope we'll make it back there on a regular basis. i'm sure he misses his regular park-bench-sitting.
#3 i talk about a lot. next qt i only have 2 classes (3 days a week) which sure beats 3 classes, 5 days a week. i should have more time during the week to run. but i'm picking up 2 volunteer shifts at a hospital in the evenings so i may end up just as busy. le sigh.
#4. i'm a horrible procrastinator and i hate it. if i have 20 minutes to finish something, i'll wait 15 minutes to start. i've got to get better at this!

best award show opening EVER.

2010-08-30T08:25:00.002-04:00

clean and green

2010-08-28T19:47:00.001-04:00

post physics lab i tackled my grocery shopping. ever since cleaning out my food supply (did i blog about that? i think did.) i've decided to only purchase organic and/or local foods when possible. i know i won't be perfect but i'm making a big effort.

this doesn't include all my food. i still drink diet coke like a champ. and i love pepperidge farm cinnamon bread for breakfast. etc. but if an organic/local option is available for something i'm buying, i'll get that.

have you watched Food Inc? if not, i highly recommend you rent it (or watch it on Amazon On Demand). but only if you're prepared to make changes to your diet, otherwise i worry you'll never consume food again.

it completely opened my eyes to the crap we pump into our bodies. and the industrialization of food.

i've said it before but i wish i could learn to love veggies and beans more so i could kick meat all together. i'm down to only white meat and now i'm only purchasing organic, local chicken and turkey but i still feel horrible about it. little changes.

my groceries this week cost $50. my bi-weekly budget is $50-65 depending on what i need. the only thing not shown up there is the bagged salad i used for my lunches (didn't have at Whole Foods).

there's a huge myth that organic or local is more $. and i guess in some instances it is but not enough that i notice and not enough for me to justify buying peaches from mexico shipped in chemicals v. peaches from down the street at an organic farm.

if you're interested in going organic, i encourage you to start with your milk. i swear you won't notice a single difference in taste but it's so much better for you and the sweet friendly cows who deliver that milk live much happier lives!

here's to a happy healthy week to you and yours.

We hope you enjoy your weekend!

2010-08-27T17:27:00.001-04:00

so, originally uploaded by brittlyou.

itz a fridayyyyyyyy

2010-08-27T10:51:00.001-04:00

can't you see the excitement on his face about the upcoming weekend!? it's there. i promise.

this morning i kicked off the day with a visit to the chiropractor. it was a really nice experience. i was nervous but my doc is super cool (AND HOT!) and could already tell i have misalignment in my neck and lower back. he even knew i suffered from a lot of colds due to my misalignment in my neck (i never even said a word to him about it). the human body is incredible.

he said i should be good as new with a few visits and i'll see remarkable improvement in my immune system. awesome.

this weekend will be another study weekend. i have 2 physics quizzes to crank out and i need to wrap up math homework and start on chem studying. i need a really good score on my chem final so i'm starting early.

not much else to add. i dyed my hair last night since it all washed out from my last hair appt. i have naturally dark hair so it's never too scary going back to dark. just make sure to buy ash or natural browns to avoid a copper/brass tone. works like a charm. i avoid any "warm" or "chestnut" labels. those mean redish.

ok, peace out homeslices.

Fill in the Blankssssssss......

2010-08-27T09:40:00.001-04:00

1. The most adventurous thing I've ever done is cut my hair off in the 9th grade. that takes a lot of guts. it didn't work in my favor, in case you were wondering.

2. If I were a pair of shoes I would be a pair of navy blue wellies. i'm practical, strong and can be adorable in certain situations.

3. My preferred mode of digital communication is texting or gchat. anything but talking on the phone.

4. I feel happiest when I am by myself. that's so anti-social but it's true. i love being alone.

5. A little dream I have for my life is to help people. cliche' but i just can't imagine working a job for monetary purposes only when you could choose so many careers that directly impact the lives of others.if i don't make it as a doctor, i'll still redirect my career. there's no more vapid industry to work in than politics and public relations, i gotta get out.

6. The one modern convenience I could NOT do without is a hair straightener. i was just thinking this morning what in the world i'd look like on a daily basis if i couldn't use a hair straightener. it would be so bad.

7. Music, movies, TV or books: if I could only choose one to enjoy I would pick TV. hands down. i love TV. I would marry TV if possible.

deal alert

2010-08-25T11:13:00.000-04:00

use this coupon from thursday to sunday, as many times as you want, at Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy or the factory outlet stores for 30% your entire purchase.

best part, 5% of your purchase goes to The Leukemia and Lymphoma society!

i want this.

2010-08-24T22:25:00.000-04:00

just needed to remind myself.

forgiven.

2010-08-23T13:55:00.000-04:00

Nate and I recently had a falling out because after I secured 2 tickets for a taping in early August (i couldn't attend but 2 friends in NY attended under my name), they have been nonstop contacting me to attend another taping.

To the point of multiple emails and phone calls a day even after I told them NO.

Yesterday shit hit the fan when I received 2 emails and a phone call to attend a show. On a Sunday.

I'm pretty sure the issue is they are running multiple lists because the emails i get arrive from different people, so no one probably has any idea who else is being contacted.

Anyways, I asked him on Twitter to step back, he was smothering me.

Today, he apologized:

Nate_Berkus @bthompchomp I apologize, had no idea. Forgive me, will take care of today

1. i love the power of twitter

2. we're friends again

O.M.G

2010-08-23T08:58:00.000-04:00

word on the street is Sandra Bullock and Tom Hanks are signing on to star in Extremely Loud, Incredibly Close, a movie version of my FAVORITE. BOOK. EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

it's set to be released in 2012!

i just can't imagine they can do justice to such a wonderful story but i'm anxious to see how it turns out! i haven't been this excited for a movie in a really long time!!!

i don't picture Sandra Bullock as the mom (as much as i love her), i saw more of a Laura Linney type, but i'm sure Sandy will be wonderful. Tom Hanks, if he's playing the father, would be lovely. I'm thinking he may also be cast as The Renter, which isn't how I saw that role but does Tom do anything bad?

if you haven't read it, RUN, don't walk, to your nearest book store/library, etc and scoop it up. it's so fantastic. one of the best books in the history of the world.

if you have read it, who did you picture in the roles?

a weekend in review

2010-08-22T21:21:00.000-04:00

weekends go by so fast. it just isn't fair.

this weekend was supposed to be devoted to studying but i just didn't get nearly enough accomplished. i still have tomorrow and tuesday so i'm not in panic mode yet.

i pulled my back on friday night (lifting Watson i think) and i'm in some serious serious pain. i've had lower back issues for years (a combo of softball pitching i think and pulling it lifting my childhood dog Riley) and if it gets aggravated, it's horrible. i've literally laid in bed, half propped on pillows, for almost 24 hours.

i did manage to conquer some shopping on saturday before it hurt too bad. i had my $50 groupon at Gap but didn't find anything. instead I stocked up on clothes at JCrew. I haven't shopped for multiple clothing items in quite a while, usually i just pick up 1 piece at a time, so it was nice to invest in some useful clothes.

i should have bought clothes for work bc they are needed but life clothes always wins out when i'm deciding.

word on the street (from amazon shipping) is my nike+ sportband will arrive tomorrow! won't be able to try her out until this weekend (if my back is OK) but i'm still excited!

hey labor day is in 2 weeks. huzzah!

a good read

2010-08-22T16:36:00.002-04:00

Ten Rules for Being Human

by Cherie Carter-Scott

1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it's yours to keep for the entire period.
2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called, "life."
3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error, and experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately "work."
4. Lessons are repeated until they are learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.
5. Learning lessons does not end. There's no part of life that doesn't contain its lessons. If you're alive, that means there are still lessons to be learned.
6. "There" is no better a place than "here." When your "there" has become a "here", you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here."
7. Other people are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.
8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
9. Your answers lie within you. The answers to life's questions lie within you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.
10. You will forget all this.

weekend update: ouch

2010-08-21T23:07:00.000-04:00

i pulled/aggravated my back to the point i can barely walk. i honestly want to just cry. or vomit. or both.

but i have to study for a chemistry exam.

god speed to me.

happy weekend

2010-08-20T12:52:00.001-04:00

wats, originally uploaded by brittlyou.

we're going to be sleeping in tomorrow.

we hope you enjoy yours.

see you monday!

Fill in the Blank Friday: TV Edition!

2010-08-20T08:22:00.002-04:00

shazam! i'm a lover of all things tv shows so this weeks Fill in the Blank Friday is double-rainbow awesome in my book! let's go...

1. My favorite current TV show is Grey's Anatomy (stop judging me)!! i love a lot of other shows but nothing compares to Grey's. but i also like Private Practice, The Good Wife, Castle, Law & Order SVU, Rookie Blue, The Middle, Modern Family, Cougartown, etc. etc.

2. The TV character I can relate to most is Liz Lemon, 30 Rock. without the cool job. but my life is as awkward as hers. one time i went to get a bang trim and had just ate ice cream and the hair dresser found dried ice cream in my hair he had to comb out. that's a liz lemon moment.

3. My life is like a mix of Parks and Rec and Community. I work in public service and i'm finishing my pre-med reqs at a Community College. nearly everyday i encounter a situation that could be featured on one of those sitcoms.

4. My all time favorite TV show is The West Wing. that was an amazing show and i watch it on DVD all the time.

5. A TV show that is ridiculously stupid, but I continue to watch is i don't have cable so that eliminates a lot of ridiculous shows and i don't like reality tv that much. i guess American Idol? i hate watching it but i always get sucked in.

6. My favorite TV couple is oohh so many. i get so invested in tv couples. i'd be a horrible sitcom writer because i'd always pair them together and never break them up!

7. One TV episode I could watch over and over again is the episode of Grey's Anatomy where Izzie gets married to Alex. Geoff and I re-live that episode via YouTube at least once a week. I didn't even like Izzie but the monologues and writing is just beautiful. "Did you say it? 'I love you. I don't ever want to live without you. You changed my life.' Did you say it?" Ahhh that kills me! This seasons Greys finale was amazing too.

hahahha

2010-08-19T11:11:00.002-04:00

good deals

2010-08-19T08:19:00.002-04:00

ever heard of Groupon? it's a great site. you personalize it to your city and every day there is a good deal you can "buy into". if enough people buy into it, you get the deal. i've never seen one not say "the deal is on!" so i think they set the numbers pretty low.

you can get some really good deals. like today, for $25, i got $50 at the Gap. good on anything, including sale items!

enjoy your savings!

failure to launch.

2010-08-18T21:06:00.002-04:00

really interesting article about my generation and why it takes us so long to reach adulthood. it's so spot on and i'm smack in the middle of the stereotype.

"The 20s are a black box, and there is a lot of churning in there. One-third of people in their 20s move to a new residence every year. Forty percent move back home with their parents at least once. They go through an average of seven jobs in their 20s, more job changes than in any other stretch...."

if you want to understand my generation. read it.

wednesday.

2010-08-18T08:29:00.002-04:00

i'm an upstanding, model citizen this morning. i paid my parking tickets and library fines. i'm no longer a wanted criminal in my fair city.

and i bought a Nike Sportband. i'm excited to get back into running in 2 wks when my school schedule eases and now i (and you) can track my runs online! awesome!

i have my eye on a November race as a motivator.

i can't wait for fall! and fall tv! omg, fall tv...just a few more weekssssss!

weird.

2010-08-17T21:32:00.003-04:00

i have no allergies to speak of. except to punta cana.

and now, yoplait delights caramel flavor.

i couldn't figure out why i was getting an intermittent stuffy nose, watery eyes, really itchy face and hands (my fingers are soooo itchy) for the past 2 days. until i just had one of these 100 calorie devils as dessert to my dinner and within 15 minutes the symptoms set in.

no idea what i'd be allergic to in them but i want to itch my face off.

oh well, they tasted like ass anyways.

time flies

2010-08-16T22:45:00.000-04:00

he's 4!

the girlies 5

2010-08-15T19:56:00.002-04:00

a beautiful weekend wedding with a beautiful family!

Fill in the Blank Friday!

2010-08-13T08:16:00.002-04:00

She has blanks! Let's fill them in!

1. Birthdays are: a reminder of the unfinished. i keep thinking i should have so much more accomplished by X birthday. obviously i'm a glass half empty type girl.

2. My favorite birthday memory was Nick and I's first joint birthday celebration. That was a lot of fun.

3. A birthday tradition I (or my family) has is we used to all go to dinner together for one another's birthday but i haven't had a "birthday dinner" in years, so i'm not sure what happened there. I always buy myself a gift i guess.

4. If I had to choose one birthday meal to eat for the rest of my birthdays hence forward, I would choose yikes, only one? probably mexican. i could be happy eating mexican every March 28th from here on out.

5. My birthday is on March 28th. Same as Kate Gosselin. Which just makes the day 10x less cool.

6. If I could take a birthday trip I would go to this year? Portland. I really want to go to Portland.

7. The best gift I've ever received for my birthday was a flat screen TV. i bought it for myself for my 25th birthday. thanks self!

i want.

2010-08-12T15:13:00.003-04:00

ever since i saw the first preview for Eat Pray Love, i've been jonesing for those sunglasses

i'm not the only one. when i googled it, it filled in the sentence for me.

everyone keeps saying they are ray-ban polarized aviators but they look much darker. i wonder if they designed special ones for the movie? i love the solid black look.

that's all.

dizzy.

2010-08-12T12:06:00.002-04:00

---i've been dizzy all day. like i feel like i'm on a boat. with a headache. probably tired but maybe i'm stroking out? we won't know until it's too late i guess.

---i'm sure it's partially from fighting with my school financial aid office. my favorite past-time. they are just worthless. i'm sorry but it's true. none of them know what is happening. they all give different answers. they all have horrible attitudes.

i was approved for a little financial aid and filled out the appropriate form online (through studentloans.gov), received a confirmation email 8 days ago. well my school says they never received confirmation of me completing the form. i offer to send my copy of the email. they won't accept it. i ask to speak to a manager. they transfer me to someone who has no idea what im talking about.

i've talked to the federal loan people 3x who tell me it's 100% confirmed on their end, it's my school who is f*&)@* up. finally today some woman swears it's been worked out and everything should be fine on Monday. yea i'll believe it when i see it.

---still no math exam grade. my professor said if he didn't post grades last night, it wouldn't be until this weekend. so i wait.

---i have nothing else to talk about but school because i haven't done a single social activity in 3 weeks. such is life.

---in better news, i found a black dress in my closet i forgot i owned so i don't have to find anything for a wedding this weekend. that is such a relief bc i would have had to leave work early tomorrow to go find something. i just need jewelry and shoes. 1 trip to Target and i should be good.

---i need/want a nap.

tired.

2010-08-10T21:29:00.002-04:00

i feel a lot like this lion. i just wanna hang somewhere, not moving a muscle.

but good news: my 2 exams are over. no word on my math exam grade yet but Chem was mildly successful. better than i thought, not as good as i wanted. i still have a B in the class and 2 more exams (1 worth 30% the grade) left. i'm in decent position.

i should be reading Physics right now but i'm just too tired. i've been studying like crazy since Friday. i'm taking tonight off and i'll catch up tomorrow.

i'm looking forward to heading home to Canton this weekend for a wedding. i haven't been home in so long and it'll be nice to see everyone. a mom hug sounds nice.

anyways, i'm going to bed. i need to catch up on my Z's.

night.

new product alert: Boots Instant Matte

2010-08-09T15:56:00.002-04:00

i read about this online. $5.99 at Target. Boots is a huge beauty brand in the UK that is only at Target in the US.

it can be applied over or under makeup and it actually works!

i've been using it for a few days now on my forehead and nose and see a noticeable difference in shine!

you don't get much product but you also don't use much, just a drop or two, and $5.99 is hardly breaking the bank.

enjoy your matteness.

studying with watson

2010-08-09T15:37:00.002-04:00

IMG02151-20100807-1551, originally uploaded by brittlyou.

i wouldn't mind if he knew how to factor rational equations.

a case of the monday's

2010-08-09T09:35:00.002-04:00

we're not feeling the start of a new week. especially since this week is kicked off by 2 exams.

c'est la vie

hope your monday is more enjoyable than mine!

chocolate hair

2010-08-07T19:40:00.003-04:00

hair, originally uploaded by brittlyou.

what up peeps?

i've been studying for 7 hours. my mind is mush. good news, i've learned SO much algebra today! bad news, i still have more to go and a full day of chem studying tomorrow.

there's NO WAY i could have given up today studying to go to Canton so i'm glad i made my decision to stay in Cbus and hit the books. i've seriously been learning for 7 hours.

early this morning i got a hair cut and color.

i decided to go brown-er for the fall. i always get sick of highlights by mid-summer. such a waste of money! i just got a trim, i like my hair cut, no need to change it.

it turned out cute. it was just super expensive for a sorta boring change. i didn't want solid brown hair so she had to go in and break up some color and then tone it. $$$.

i think imma go watch an hour of tv and then hit the math books again. i hope to wrap up most of my math studying so i can focus on chem only tomorrow. we'll see.

this is a no-fun weekend.

announcement: greyson has been kicked off the baby name list. pruitt has been moved to #2. lincoln still holds the #1 spot. girls list remains unchanged.

you may now return to regularly scheduled programming.

happy weekend.

2010-08-06T12:06:00.004-04:00

i thoroughly enjoy this room. it's so calm and precise.

it's friday but i'm not too excited for the weekend. i have so much studying to do i'm just overwhelmed before starting.

i started with math last night and surprisingly taught myself the first page of the review sheet. 3 more pages to go.

sending good mojo into the universe for my cousin kiley who is the hospital with an infection in her finger. yikes.

i hope my nephew doesn't notice i'm not at his birthday party this weekend. it has me wrecked.

off to deliver edible food to the sick cuz. peace.

holy s*#( it's friday? let's fill it in.

2010-08-06T09:29:00.004-04:00

1. Today for breakfast I ate 2 slices of cinnamon swirl toast with butter and a diet coke. same breakfast everyday. does a body good.

2. My go to/never fail recipe is something italian? i rarely mess up italian dishes. everything else is fair game.

3. Something I eat that other people think is weird is i dip green beans in ketchup, people think that's odd. it's delicious. i dip almost anything, in something. usually ketchup or italian dressing. imma dipper.

4. My worst cooking disaster ever was i vividly remember making brownies, when i was a teenager, in a pan that my parents had cooked fish in. i still think about those fish flavored brownies and want to vomit.

5. If I could only eat one flavor of ice cream the rest of my life it would be Jeni's Salty Caramel but i haven't had ice cream a single time this summer so i'd be fine without any. i'm not a dessert person.

6. One food I hate and avoid at all costs is almost everything. i'm a horribly picky eater with a very limited diet. it sucks, it's my own fault, it's just how it is. i absolutely will not eat seafood though. i mean no way. NO WAY.

7. What is your favorite meal? Breakfast, lunch, or dinner? Dinner. i could do without lunch most days and breakfast is always 2 slices of cinnamon toast. i like a nice dinner to round out my day.