#2, #17, #24, #47, #77, #80, #90, Major Update

Wow. With a busy semester, I've been doing some serious neglecting of this blog. Anyway, to at least get into the swing of this again, I'm doing some really quick updating.

#2: I'm made a shawl for someone that my mom knows.

#17: The Aeneid, The Odyssey, Gulliver's Travels, and Utopia

#24: Beowulf

#47: We threw a surprise party for Deserie's 21's birthday at 4224.

#77: Brother/Sister Date - Seth and I went to see Beowulf and then went out to eat.

#80: Nailer's Game - 12/27/07 Wheeling 2 - Cincinnati 8

#90: Frau passed away a couple of months ago, which is why I wanted to get into contact with her. I knew that she wasn't doing well. I'll never be able to complete this, so I'm just going to cross it off.

#24 30 Days of Night, Saw 4, and Planet Terror

November 2nd was Horrorthon at the Clarion Destinta, and you better believe that JK, Deserie, Katie, and I were there!

It was glorious.

#4 Participate in a Swap on Craftster

I'm done!

This is the frame that I received:



My Favorite Pictures:








(because who doesn't love Ikea....)

#78 Make at least 15 New Friends (7/15)

1. Emily
2. Elise
3. TJ
4. Seth
5. Melissa
6.
7. Alicia

#24 Becoming Jane (3/15)

Katie and I decided today in Gemmell that we wanted to go see Becoming Jane spontaneously.

...and we did.

It was sappy, but I loved it.

#40 - Get Drunk

To commemorate the last day of band camp a few weeks ago, my apartment decided to have a party.

...'nuff said.

#17 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin

I'm a silly, silly girl. Why do I read novels like this? Oh well. I don't think that it was a good idea for me to have watched the movie so many times before reading this one. It took a lot of the surprise out the story because the movie follows the novel so closely.

I still like Jane Eyre more than any other romantic classic that I've ever read. Come on! There's a crazy lady in the attic! You can't beat that. Besides, I only bawled once during this one, and it took me the whole book to do. I normally bawl several times throughout Jane Eyre. Call me crazy, but it's the truth.

#46 Go to the Playground

I didn't just go to one playground yesterday; I went to two!

That's right. The Cecil Park playground AND one out in McGuffey by Joe Walker Elementary School. I have no idea what it was called. Franklin Park? Something like that. Well, since we are brilliant and went after it was dark to the one by Joe Walker, someone in the area must have "called" and sent someone out to check on us. Oh yeah. We were there for a little bit, and a truck randomly pulled into the parking lot. It just sat there for about five minutes. Then, the man pulled into a space and walked over to us. Megan, Jess, Sara, and I were all just sitting on the ground talking at this point in time. Apparently we weren't "doing anything wrong, but I took your license plate numbers just in case."

Lame. Very Lame. Oh well. We weren't supposed to be there anyway.

#24 Go to the Movies (2/15)

I've decided that my "watch more movies" goal is going to be "go to the movies at least 15 times." The other one was just put in place to give me some time to decide exactly how I wanted to approach the whole movie goal. After thinking about it tonight, I realized how little I actually go see movies in a theater. Therefore, I've decided to stray away from the original plan of watching a set number of classic movies to seeing movies in the theater.

That being said, I've seen the new Harry Potter movie and Hairspray this summer.

#21 Buy at Least 15 New Cds (2/15)

I technically only paid $1.25 for the new Tegan and Sara cd "The Con" at Target tonight. Allow me to explain. While I was bored at work a few days ago, I went through my wallet. Much to my surprise I found two Target gift cards left over from Christmases past. (In other words, who knows how old they are.) So I decided to take a chance and use them up. After the girl rang up my (ON SALE FOR $9.99) cd and scanned my cards, she looked at me and said, "That will be $1.25." GAH! Needless to say, I was happy.

#4 Participate in a Swap on Craftster

Gah! I'm totally in a swap. It's the Disposable Camera Swap on Craftster. Instead of crafting something, which is slightly intimidating to me, I get to take someone on a "picture tour" of where I'm from and send them the undeveloped camera. I think that I'm going to take half of my pictures in McDonald and the other half in Clarion since I don't have to send the camera out until August 20th.

I'm thinking about taking pictures of these things in McDonald:
-the "Welcome to McDonald sign"
-the Jay Livingston sign
-the Pittsburgh cookie company
-the one lane road under the railroad track
-my school
-the Pharmacy ice cream counter
-some cows

Clarion pictures perhaps?
-Clarion University sign
-the trestle

Oh gosh! I'm so excited to ride around taking pictures.

#17 Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban

Yet again, don't judge me.

I think that this might be my favorite out of all of the books. Now, don't start thinking, "How does she know!?! She's only read three of them!" I have seen all of the movies, and I believe this was my favorite movie as well. We'll just have to wait and see if I change my mind after I finish reading all of them.

#17 Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

I'm not sure how I feel about this one. It's the story of Bertha: the crazy lady that Mr. Rochester was "fooled" into marrying. It's not a very well written story in my opinion. If you haven't read Jane Eyre, this one wouldn't have any significance to you at all. Furthermore, names were almost never mentioned throughout the story, so it was even difficult for me to follow. I've only read Jane Eyre more times than I can remember.

It was interesting to see what someone thought happened to Bertha and Mr. Rochester. End of story.

#17 Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets

Don't judge me.

#85 Send a Secret to PostSecret

I made my postcard today, and I'm sending it tomorrow.

#17 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I finally gave in to peer pressure. I, Amy, read a Harry Potter book.

....and I completely loved every YA Lit minute of it. Look out world! I've only got six more to read before I go back to Clarion.

#98 Grow My Hair Out

After a year of growing, I declare my hair to be officially below my shoulders. It's been kinda an emotional ride, but I feel 100% better. If you want to know the details and why this was significant to me, just ask sometime.

Needless to say, it's good to be me again.

#17 On the Road by Jack Kerouac

This book seriously took me a month to finish, but don't judge me! Shh! I was a way a lot. (Camping, Bonnaroo, Cape May, Purdue. You get the picture.) However, I loved it! I can't wait until they come out with the new edition of On the Road with all of "beat" things that were taken out of the originally published version.

#38 Visit 5 Chapters of Kappa Kappa Psi That I've Never Been to Before (1/5)

Gamma Pi here I come!

...or rather, there I went. Yes, this past weekend I went with Karl, who was originally from Kappa Gamma, to Purdue University so that he could start moving things into he new apartment. Since he was stopping at my house to sleep halfway to and from Indiana, I declared myself his traveling buddy by default if he needed me, which he did. Since he is going to be living with a couple of Brothers, I was able to meet some of the Gamma Pi clan: RJ, Kim, and Bobby. I stayed with Kim and RJ at Karl's new apartment, and I ended up meeting Bobby when we went out to eat. Yes, I declare this to be one chapter visited. Only four more to go!

#43 Go to Bonnaroo

So, Pete and I just got back from Bonnaroo, and I'm exhausted. The actual dates for Bonnaroo this year were June 14-17. However, we left a day early so that we could make a stop half way there in Cincinnati, which, in and of itself, was exciting because I got to visit my cousin Brian for the night.

All and all, despite the whole exhausting thing, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

The list of musicians we saw includes:

Mute Math
The Lou Donaldson & Dr. Lonnie Smith Quartet (a favorite set)
The Whigs
James Blood Ulmer
Uncle Earl
Hot Chip
The Roots (a favorite set)
Tool
Super Jam
STS9
Old Crow Medicine Show
Regina Spektor
The Hold Steady
Keller Williams
The Police
The Flaming Lips
John Butler
Wolfmother
The Decemberists
North Mississippi Allstars
The White Stripes
Widespread Panic

p.s. I stole this from Pete:

#79 Go Camping With My Dad

I just got back from spending the last 5 nights with my Dad at Codorus State Park outside of Hanover, PA.

Woohoo!

#17 Are you there, God? It's me, Margaret. by Judy Blume

Ahh. To read a book about a normal 12 year old girl. It makes me kinda sad that I missed out on the whole girly excitement part of adolescence. Oh well. I've been reading a lot of stuff which is not on my booklist, and I figured, while I was at it, that I would read this YA classic.

...and now Jess can stop bothering me for never reading it.

#94 Update - Keep My Room Clean for a Month

I'm pathetic. After only 16 days, my room is a complete and total mess. There are fabric and sewing supplies everywhere, and my "craft bin" is spilling out all over the floor.

It looks like I'll be starting #94 from scratch again tomorrow.

#15 and #17 Animal Farm by George Orwell

I loved this book! I can definitely see why this book is popular to teach on the high school level. There's so much symbolism! Yes, I'm a sucker for symbolism; I can't help it.

In other words, have pity for my future English students. I already have lesson plans dancing around in my head...

hehehe.

#15 and #17 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

I've owned this book for years and have never been able to finish it. Finishing it didn't even change my opinion of the novel. It's not my style of book, and, because of that, I hated every minute of it.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is one book that I will not be teaching.

#21 Buy at Least 15 New CDs (1/15)

I couldn't help myself. When I was out with Megan tonight, I saw the new Shin's cd and decided to splurge. This is my first new cd since Christmas; I'm so excited!

#74 Donate all the Clothing That I Haven't Worn Since High School

Before I could unpack and put all of my clothing away that I brought home from school, I needed to make room in my dressers. (Yes. I said dressers.) So, I went ahead and bagged everything that I'm sending off to Goodwill.

I had a particularly hard time letting this one go:


Why, yes! That IS a Care Bear hoodie with ears.

#94 Keep My Room Clean for a Month

I spent the better part of the day cleaning my room at home. Seriously, I should probably clean it more than once a year. (I think that the dust bunnies under my dresser were breeding to take over the world.) I figured that it would probably be a good idea to start working on this goal early, and, considering I'm at home, this is going to be especially challenging. (I actually try at school.) This means in particular I have to:

1. actually keep my floor clean of clothing
2. avoid making big piles of books on the floor
3. keep my sewing box materials in my sewing box and not all over the floor


Basically, as long as I keep things off of my floor, I'm golden. Woohoo! Here's to hoping this month will be a successful one.

The Book List

Well, last night was my first night home for the summer, and it was an exciting one. Okay. So maybe for me it was. I don't expect anyone else to have the same nerdy standards. Anyway, I sat at home, ate Chinese, watched movies with Seth (I don't count this towards our brother/sister date.), and started to compile my book list. This is what I have so far:

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austin
To The Lighthouse - Virgina Woolfe
On the Road - Jack Kerouac
A Room with a View - E. M. Forster
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
Tender is the Night - F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jackson
Animal Farm - George Orwell
Ulysses - James Joyce
Sister Carrie - Evelyn Waugh
The Wapshot Chronicles - John Cheever
Wide Sargasso Sea - Jean Rhys
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert Pirsig
Breakfast of Champions - Vonnegut
Welcome to the Monkey House - Vonnegut
Hocus Pocus - Vonnegut
The Sirens of Titan - Vonnegut
Mother Night - Vonnegut
Jailbird - Vonnegut
Player Piano - Vonnegut
The Chocolate War - Robert Cormier
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret - Judy Blume
How to Eat Fried Worms - Thomas Rockwell

*Added*
The Time Traveler's Wife - Audery Niffenegger
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
Middlesex: A Novel - Jeffrey Eugenides
Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
1984 - George Orwell
The Illiad - Homer
The Odyssey - Homer
The Aneid - Virgil
The Screwtape Letters - C. S. Lewis
Gulliver's Travels - Jonathan Swift
Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
Everything is Illuminated - Jonathan Safran Foer
Franny and Zooey - J. D. Salinger
Life of Pi - Yann Martel
Herland - Charlotte Perkins-Gilman
Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
Rough Magic: A Biography of Sylvia Plath - Paul Alexander
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Ken Kesey (I've started it about 3 times now)
Animal Farm - George Orwell (Another one I've started but never finished)
Harry Potter (all of them!)
Utopia - Thomas More

It's a lot shorter than I wanted it to be, so any suggestions are appreciated!

In Progress Already

Well, with only a couple days before the official "start" of my 1001 days, I'm slightly nervous. I have no idea if I'll be able to complete this whole list. However, I did cheat some; I put things that I'm already in the process of completing.

#3. start a knitting club on campus:
I was just too lazy/busy to get it started. We already have most of the constitution written and an adviser picked out.

#96. have a Little Brother:
Right now I have a Little at the GCC colony.

#98. grow my hair out to below my shoulders:
Hehe. I've been working on this one since about March '06.

Before the first fateful haircut:

(June '05)

When it got ridiculously short:

(March '06)

I was also tempted to do #40 this weekend, but, alas, I'm broke. It wasn't an option.

Making the List

I've decided to participate in the 101 in 1001 days project. Now it's time for the hard part: getting started. I'm going to officially start my 1001 days on May 9, 2007, and end on February 3, 2010.

The List:

Crafting
1. learn how to crochet
2. knit an article of clothing for someone other than myself
3. start a knitting club on campus
4. participate in a swap on craftster
5. participate in the world wide KIP day
6. make a scrapbook of my college memories
7. participate in a craft show
8. design and make a dress for myself
9. subscribe to a knitting magazine
10. screen print a shirt for someone
11. knit a pair of socks
12. knit mittens
13. teach someone else how to knit

Reading and Writing
14. get a poem published
15. read all of the books that I own but haven't read yet
16. finish a paper 3 days before it is actually due
17. read more (specifics to follow)
18. read the bible cover-to-cover
19. participate in Banned Books Week
20. discover 3 more favorite poets

Music and Movies
21. buy at least 15 cds (0/15) [I burn too many]
22. get a better record player
23. buy 10 records
24. watch more movies (specifics to follow)
25. go to the movies by myself
26. go see a movie premier at midnight

Learning New Things
27. learn how to play the guitar
28. learn how to swing dance
29. learn how to drive a standard
30. learn how to make Belgian pie all on my own
31. learn how to play Euchre

Traveling
32. visit a national park
33. travel outside of the US
34. go to New York City
35. go on a roadtrip to nowhere in particular (more than one day long)
36. fly in a plane
37. get a passport
38. travel to at least 5 chapters of KKPsi that I've never been to before
39. travel to National Headquarters in Stillwater, Oklahoma

Fun Things
40. get drunk
41. see Ben Kweller in concert
42. see The Phantom of the Opera
43. go to Bonnaroo
44. sing karaoke in public
45. finish an entire coloring book
46. go to the playground
47. throw a surprise party
48. grow a flower from seed
49. go ice skating
50. go to the drive-in
51. go to Phipps conservatory
52. see Rocky Horror live
53. go to a DCI show
54. go out in my paddle boat 5 times
55. win something
56. fly a kite
57. take my niece and nephew sled ridding

Health and Fitness
58. floss my teeth once a day every day for a month
59. get at least 8 hours of sleep for one week straight
60. go to the rec twice a week for a month
61. bike the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania
62. go on a walk every day for 2 weeks
63. buy a Richard Simmons work-out video
64. use said video three times a week for a month!
65. do the "big chop"
66. try out polyphasic sleep

Growing Up
67. put the neon to pasture and get a newer car
68. graduate
69. find a teaching job
70. save $1001
71. vote [I'm register but have never done it]
72. actually keep track of my checkbook for a month straight
73. get my own phone plan
74. donate all clothing that I haven't worn since high school

Family and Friends
75. write a letter to my mother telling why I love her
76. arrange for a family picture to be taken
77. go out on a brother/sister date with Seth
78. make at least 15 new friends
79. go camping with my dad
80. go to a nailer's game with my dad
81. make dinner for my family including dessert
82. make an iMovie for my Mom and Dad
83. spend at least two weekends with Megan at Cal

Misc
84.go a week without the internet
85. send a secret to PostSecret
86. complete 26 things
87. donate blood three times
88. make a half-batch of gullets on my own and give them away
89. randomly make someone a present
90. contact Frau Schaller
91. get my picture taken with someone famous
92. fall in love
93. buy a chocolate fountain
94. keep my room clean for a month
95. solve a rubik's cube
96. Help a Little become a Brother [my last little dropped out]
97. wake up for one month without hitting the snooze button [a challenge by G18]
98. grow my hair out to below my shoulders
99. make this blog pretty
100. donate a dollar for every task not completed at the end of my 1001 days
101. write a new list


And as a special request by Jess Kline:
102. have a bun in the oven (evidently she finds this hilarious)