AEPA

SO, on March 19th I took my Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments for professional knowledge and my subject area. I've been freaking out waiting for my scores for almost a month now.

It's not unheard of to have to take one or both tests more than once, and it can get pretty expensive to do so.

But today I got the news:

I passed!

Etsy?

As a part of a semi-resolution for 2011, Rachul and I have decided to spend more time doing productive things and less time being lame.

Sounds crazy, no?

Anywho, part of that productive thing is spending more time arting. We thought about maybe making an Etsy shop as an incentive to keep arting and also to let other people have pictures of Daleks, dinosaurs, mustaches, and other fine things if they want 'em.

I don't really know how many people buy pictures of things on the internets, but I suppose it won't hurt to try.

EXTERMINATE

Should I use the new Doctor Who logo, or the older, Eye of Sauron-ish logo?

The more colorful Daleks are definitely a la Moffat, but I like to pretend that the tenth Doctor is inside of the TARDIS still.

(Pssst--click for full-size)

It's not you, it's me. Actually, it's 2:36 a.m.

The Best Part of Waking Up

Is definitely not having a giant, arm nipple as a result of ant-nibbling in the night.

I don't know why the one thing I'm allergic to has to be everywhere. At least peanuts don't assault people.

Then again, at least ants aren't in the things I like to eat. Most of the time.

Star Trek Voyager and baking and art--OH MY

I effing love you.

7 of 9 is my Borg heart-throb.

Tuvok is a mind-melding whore.

<3<3<3 width="480" height="385">

We also have jack crap to do on a Saturday night, besides the aforementioned stuff, and so we went for a...WALK!

That would be more impressive if I told you that we were all legless stumps, but really we're just lazy. We don't go outside a lot. So we walked down to campus and attempted to go to the Secret Garden, but there was a bit of a hootenany going on, so we headed back. Kinda pathetic.

However

We did get to see a really wonderful art mural of sorts that is on a brick wall by the Physical Education East Building. Last time I saw it, it made my day, and it has only gotten larger.

If you're near the ASU Tempe campus, I'd suggest checking it out.

My Lifestyle Choice

Dear stuff,

You say goodbye, I say

Hello,
I love you,
and when times get tough
let's keep it off the epidermis
and shred paper instead
or punch a pillow
or a wall
or pull the heads off dolls
instead of squishing everything down
into that icky sticky worn-out spot
at this terrible horrible no good very bad moment
that we catch like clockwork

because
Hello?
I love you.
I love you, I love you, I love you.
And all those dangerous thoughts
they'll be the death of us
or so I've read
but I pinky-promise
we can soak up our crazy
and wring it out
with
streaming
screaming
snot-nosed
wretchedness
and let it run together
until there is no next time

but let's just stop
ok?
let's just not

this time

let's just not
go down the thin, glinting edge
of that graffiti-scarred road

and we can pass electronic notes
instead
when we feel like pouring out the contents of our heads
into the oven
or across the wall

because Hello,
I love you.
You're my favorite kind of trouble
and I'd love to be your sidekick until the end of time
but you kind of have to be there
and if we make a date
I promise to make it, too

because Hello,
I love you.
I love you, I love you, I love you,
and I'd like to see
if the rumors are true
and everything could be ok
even if we are just a couple of weathered
badass bitches at the end
there could be a double rainbow at the end of this shit-storm
That's one for each of us
so you'd better meet me there
or maybe we'll carpool
'cause you can't drive anyway.

Apparently

I like Everclear.

"Strawberry"

"Pale Green Stars"

"Summerland"

"Wonderful"

"I Will Buy You A New Life"

"Father of Mine"

wtf how did I not know this before now?

Looking Forward

I keep having dreams about graduation/post-graduation.

It's coming more quickly than I'd like to think. So I've got to start thinking: after December, 2011 what are my plans going to be?

I had thought that I'd be applying to high schools for a job, but now I'm not so sure.

Once upon a time I had slightly different goals--orchestra teacher, scientist (maybe science teacher), writing, and possibly Ph.D.

It seems terribly disappointing to give up on all of that, even if not giving up just means accomplishing some of that.

At any rate, if I did go to more school I could perhaps get another more marketable degree to add to my English and education background. The job market certainly isn't easy.

Besides that...I'm not sure I want to hitch myself to Arizona teaching just yet, you know? It's a lot harder to get going again if I find a teaching position and settle down.

I didn't venture out much in my undergrad career, and that was my own fault. Perhaps I should consider doing more before I call it quits?

Hrm

It's all in the details, really

What's the difference between an English Lit. Major and an English teacher?

(other than all that Grad school debt)

F Yes

That was today.

In other news...

Grad school is pretty interesting. There should never be 5 hour long classes, though. Internship (I have one of those now) is going well.

Going to the Counselors In Training Center for some cost-effective counseling. Let's hope that's not too shabby.

**EDIT** LOL JK NO COUNSELING HERE. We'll see how this sorts out.

Dane Cook makes a good point.

Birfday Birfday!

Today is my birthday, if you ask my first birth certificate (the no name one) or the federal government.

Tomorrow is my birthday, if you ask my parents or my schools or bank.

Birthdays are so nice, I had to do it twice.

EXTERMINATE

Karaoke karaoke karaoke
so fun

woo posse

"I touch myself" FTW and every other song we all sang together. except we were probably annoying. ah well

In other news...

registered for classes boo yahhh

AND Sunday or maybe Saturday is my b-day, depending on whether you're the government or tradition.

But I have stuff to do on both days

ohhh snap

You take high road, and I'll take the low road.

I love you, David Tennant.

Lefty Loo

Lefties FTW!

Can I just say as a southpaw there are a few things that bug me:

• Right-handed people coming up to me when I write or do something with my left hand and asking, "Ohh, are you left-handed?"

Do I come up to you and ask if you're right-handed? Nope. Do I come up to other people using their left hands to ask if they're left-handed? Nope. That's just weird.

• Scissors

Scissors are a bunch of bullshit. It's hard to cut when you're left-handed. And when I was younger, the only left-handed scissors were shitty, all-metal pieces of crap that wouldn't cut anything. I had to watch while all those right-handed kids had their snub-nosed, plastic-handled, super sweet scissors that actually cut things and try to jab at my paper in the hopes that I could stab it in the right shape.

• Smudges while writing

It's nearly impossible to write left-handed without smudging the ink, pencil, etc. on the paper and one's hand. It gets frustrating, and quite messy.

• Chalkboards/dry erase boards

I love to write on these things, but damned if it isn't one of the hardest things to do. Sure, smudges were already listed, but chalkboards and dry erase boards are even worse. The words don't just smudge, usually they get totally erased!

And most of all...

• Handshakes

Shaking hands is terrible. We're trained to go in with the right hand for the right hand, but my instinct always shouts "use the left, go for the left. left left left!" And when that happens, who has to change what she's doing? Me. You righties all look impressed when you see me writing with my left hand or using chopsticks with my left hand, but when it comes to hand shakes, you do not want to see a left hand doing anything. Well, that's a bunch of malarky!

Being a lefty is the bomb diggity. It means I can write backwards super easily just like Da Vinci and amaze all your right-handed brains :P

Socks

notebook and pencil!

converse socks

Therese Raquin, anyone?

Pandas!

Pirates!

These socks are effing fantastic!

Sweet Caroline

You know what's weird?

Once time I met a boy who was friends with a boy my friend was kinda dating.

And we sorta became friends for a sorta short while before we sorta stopped talking.

In fact, there are very few memories that stick out tied to this fellow in particular:

*Dancing with him and singing "Sweet Caroline" at the bar we karaoked at

*He told Rachul "this song is for you" when Nine Inch Nails' "Closer" came on

* We watched Repo with Rachul and Devin

and that's that.

But then he died. And I don't actually know how he died, just that he did.

And when I found that out, I cried a lot. Even though I'm not exactly sure why, because I didn't exactly know him.

And last Thursday at the Stray Cat someone sang "Sweet Caroline" and it made me happy and sad, because that was a good time.

How weird is it to have good times with strangers for such short whiles?

Some insects are just rude as hell.

Dear Cockroaches,

Hi. Please stop being fifty feet tall and stomping around the dumpster when I go to take my trash out.

It makes me look crazy when I leave with garbage and come back with garbage.

Also, if I keep all my trash in my house, you'll try to move in here, too.

Don't you realize that nobody likes you? Not even your mom.

Sheesh. Do us all a favor and fuck off. Far away.

Sincerely,

Amanda