(4) Mon Dec 01 2003 18:23 After years of seeking: I have found EMPLOYMENT! Yippe! And not just a boring, dumb job, oh no. I am researching British women active on the front in WWI. I start as soon as I turn in the French paper.

My schedule is all good, too. I just need to fix that little GE problem. After all, everything can't be perfect! And once I finish up this little Cal app I'll have the rest of the week free to work on more apps, and fail French.

(1) Mon Dec 01 2003 23:36: crisbcreme (11:16:29 PM): but if you die, who will force me to read the HP books?

Wed Dec 03 2003 09:04: The days are long, the nights are short. I'm still trying to convince myself the Cal app wasn't a waste of $60. And that I am going to pass French. Better go study. Examen demain.

(4) Wed Dec 03 2003 12:08 Telemarketers get snotty!: Of all the nerve! And they really expect me to believe a legitimate company calls at 8 PM?

Sometimes I think I could live happily forever on a diet of Whole Foods salads.

Thu Dec 04 2003 04:41: Wow. I've been done with class for almost half an hour and just now realized it! Well, I don't really feel done because I still have two papers and two finals. I think I did ok on my French test. Passing is looking likely. We'll see how my paper went when I go to office hours in a few... *shudders*. I'me going to schedule, like, 20 hours to write this next paper. We'll see if I can get to 5 pages.

Prof Rosecrance read the same excerpt from Ulysses that Mom read at Aunt Jeuney's funeral:It may be that the gulfs will wash us down;/ It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,/ And see the great Achilles, whom we knew./ Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'/ We are not now that strength which in old days/ Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are,--/ One equal temper of heroic hearts,/ Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will/ To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. I like him. That's why I'm taking another class with him next quarter. Am Foreign Policy. Should be lots of fun.

Sat Dec 06 2003 04:43: I don't know what this is doing here, but I thought I'd add some text so it doesn't just sit here making my weblog look ugly. HONESTLY, computers confuse me sometimes. OK, a lot of the time.

(3) Fri Dec 05 2003 06:00: I give up. I must go buy chocolate chip cookies. I need lasgange for tonight, anyway. And more sleepytime extra. I'll think about French the whole time though, I swear.

I don't think people realize how special the comments make me feel, for if they did they would surely leave more. Hint, hint.

Sat Dec 06 2003 04:36 Currently: NOT working on French (obviously--but I will be momentarily) and listening to "Butterflies" by Norah Jones. It's annoying until you realize the voices in the background are from Casablanca, at which point it becomes the COOLEST song in the world. IM me and I'll send it to you.

Thanks to all who bought into my shameless plug from comments. I appreciate it, really.

I know how you feel about me, but I'm asking you to put that aside for something more important.

(2) Sat Dec 06 2003 08:18: Do you believe in Fate?

(1) Sat Dec 06 2003 14:02: rachnmi (9:51:03 PM): oh, man rachnmi (9:51:13 PM): I should not have discovered this internet thing

Sun Dec 07 2003 04:35 Let's see if this works:

Sun Dec 07 2003 04:43 Apparantly not...: Norah Jones is my new music obession. It's all very jazzy and mellow. Perfect for studying.

The good thing about my niffty chart thing is it makes guiltiness even more effective. Instead of thinking vaguely *I should be studying* I can look at my chart and think *I REALLY SHOULD be reading for my EU reserch paper*.

Which is what I am doing right now. This book, Reluctant Europeans has a coin on the cover with: a two sided face, I'm inferring from the hideousness is supposed to be Margaret Thatcher, "Neither one thing nor the other" around the circumfrence, and "*Wait and see*I'm not ruling it in & I'm not ruling it out*In, out shake it all about*" beneath. Very humourous, very apt, if you ask me.

This time tomorrow I'm going to be (for better or for worse) and hour into my econ final. I'm also going to start working. And hopefully by office hours on Tuesday, I'll have some semblense of a rough draft of my French paper.

Sun Dec 07 2003 16:31 <--- Time stamp is whackoo: I'm going to DIE!!!!!!!!!

Finals have never been this stressful. EVER.

Gets out carton of Ben and Jerry's to drown sorrows in.

(4) Sun Dec 07 2003 17:34: I'm getting *sniffle* my flu shot *cough* on Wed *yawn*. The question *sneeze* is: will it be *sniffle* too late?

Bed, then up at *empties kleenex box* 7 to continue studying.

(7) Mon Dec 08 2003 06:02: Oh, SURE. I'm *DYING* and NO ONE cares enough to leave comments to make me feel better.

Lets see, what's on my to do list:
Fail Econ (check)
Go insane (check)
Write suberbly crappy French paper (IP)
Fail Poli Sci
Find someone willing take over my lease (riiight)

Educate the masses on the important of the role of the US in Britain's descison to abstain from early European integration (oh, yeah)

(1) Tue Dec 09 2003 02:05:

crisbcreme (10:30:33 PM): you'll survive
crisbcreme (10:30:56 PM): cause if you don't, then you won't know what'll happen to Harry Potter
rachnmi (10:31:17 PM): oh, gosh, you're right
crisbcreme (10:31:20 PM): see
rachnmi (10:31:22 PM): I WILL survive
crisbcreme (10:31:29 PM): next movie, next book,
crisbcreme (10:31:32 PM): harry and you
ginny ginny

For the record, I *do* like school. I just don't like finals!

(2) Tue Dec 09 2003 20:20: Well, it's over and done with. I can now forget everything I know about 20th Century World Politics (NOT).

(2) Wed Dec 10 2003 02:13 Courtesy of Chris:

Twas the night before finals 
and all through the college 
the students were praying 
for last minute knowledge 
Most were quite sleepy 
but none touched their beds 
while visions of essays 
danced in their heads 
Out in the taverns 
a few were still drinking 
and hoping that liquor 
would loosen their thinking 
In my own apartment 
I had been pacing 
And dreading exams 
I soon would be facing 
My roomate was speechless 
His nose in his books 
and my comments to him 
Drew unfriendly looks 
I drained all the coffee 
And brewed a new pot 
No longer caring 
That my nerves were shot 
I stared at my notes 
but my thoughts were muddy 
my mind went ablur 
and I just couldn't study 
"some pizza might help" 
i said with a shiver 
but each place i called 
refused to deliver 
I'd nearly concluded 
that life was too cruel 
When futures depend 
on grades had in school 
when all of a sudden 
our door opened wide 
and Patron Saint "Put it off" 
ambled inside 
His spirit was careless 
his manner was mellow 
when all of a sudden 
he started to bellow: 
"What kind of student 
would make such a fuss 
to toss back at teachers 
what they tossed at us?" 
"On cliff notes! On crib notes! 
On last year's exams! 
On Wingit and Slingit 
and last minute crams!" 
His message delivered, 
he vanished from sight 
But we hear him laughing 
outside in the night 
Your teachers have pegged you 
So just do your best 
Happy Finals to all! 
And to all a good test!

Wed Dec 10 2003 12:15: I want to go back to bed and hide there for forever. It's Thursday morning, btw, time stamp is whackoo....

(1) Wed Dec 10 2003 16:37: I found a Tonks hair on my sweatshirt. I MISS MY BABY!!!

Wed Dec 10 2003 19:03 (Is really Thurs 3:30 PM): I just broke up with French, WAHOOOO!!!! Of course, is really more of a "break" than "break-up", but why mince words? I am happily single again!

Now must go integrate Europe.

Wed Dec 10 2003 19:55 Oh, the irony: The book on UK during early integration that I ordered through an inter-library loan came from UC Riverside.

(1) Thu Dec 11 2003 15:25 Fri 11:52 AM: *pants* *blinks weary eyes* *nearly collapses from exhastion* *opens yet another diet coke*

I'm... almost... done...

(5) Fri Dec 12 2003 16:09: Let me tell you a story, the story of a girl during the worst finals week of the worst quarter of her life. On the last day of that week, she put on jeans and makeup for the first time in who knows how long, and spent the rest of the day perfecting her European Studies paper and dreaming of the moment when she would be free of all academic obligations for the entire Winter break. At three o'clock, she went on campus for her final class session. But when she got to the classroom, she opened the door to find it dark and empty. A little alarmed, she checked her timetable--yes, 2174 Bunche. Now, even more alarmed, she sat down on the steps and checked her sylabus to discover the class was scheduled, not for three, as she had for some reason believed, but 11:30.

What is the fate of this girl, the stupidest idiot on the planet? We all wait, with baited breath...

Sat Dec 13 2003 17:55: I'm going to do my best to forget about (entry from yesterday) and have a happy holiday. I have a new quarter with fun classes and a new place to live to look forward to! Not to mention 3 weeks to do pretty much whatever I want. Yay! Home, here I come!

Sat Dec 13 2003 18:40: Yay I found my watch! AND a purse I forgot I had. I *love* moving!

Sat Dec 13 2003 22:26: After Eights! Mom has After Eights in a Christmas candy basket! Hope she doesn't mind if I eat one...

(1) Sun Dec 14 2003 16:42: "Now all they have to do is capture that George Bush guy and they'll be peace on earth!"--Mom

Mon Dec 15 2003 11:50: Some of you (ok, Alyson) have been asking about the final fiasco, of which we still do not know the outcome. I send my professor another email, and am trying not to worry about it. On the agenda for today: Mailing the UCLA application, mailing some other things, perhaps getting a tree with mom, etc etc... Yay.

Mon Dec 15 2003 12:02 FYI: My yahoophoto albums have been updated a bit... um... let me go find the link... ok, here it is: http://photos.yahoo.com/rachnmi. You can cut and paste, I am to lazy to do the linky thing.

(4) Tue Dec 16 2003 12:36: http://photos.yahoo.com/rachnmi">lots of new pictures! I just got back from getting my hair cut and jamba juice for mommy, who is sickie, so that means no Love, Actually. I'm going to go clean my room now; it has a lot of stuff in it.

Wed Dec 17 2003 12:12: I guess it's ok for me to sleep for a ridiculously long time every night, because I am still recovering from The Worst Quarter of My Life (TM). Xochitl has decided to either tolerate me or pretend to for the sake of another warm bed to sleep in. It's about time, too. I've only known her for what, a year?

(2) Wed Dec 17 2003 17:03: Floating around online, and everytime I *almost* feel guilty I remember I am on vaca, and have nothing I *have* to do, and am *supposed* to be doing lots of non-thinking to rest up for next quarter (ugh). Yay! I think I will go sit in my room, listening to christmas music, and cut things out of magazines.

(2) Wed Dec 17 2003 20:29: Covering a spiral notebook is a lot harder than covering a composition book. I think I'll have the hang of it next time I attempt it.

Found susie's black music notebook, which is good because it has all the good songs in it. Yay for Christmas traditions of singing and making cookies and dropping them and gretel eating them... so it goes.

Since some people (Alyson) expressed interest, my scedule for next quarter is as of yet undecided. Two defs are celtic mythology and american foreign diplomacy, oceanography is a possibility, and then something else which has yet to be determined. Also, I got an email from my ES professor, which said nothing, but very nicely, so I am taking that as a good sign.

(6) Thu Dec 18 2003 16:43 10 things NOT to do in Church:

1. Talk loudly about how much you loved "Love, Actually."

2. Give a standing ovation after a spiritual number, stomping your feet and yelling "Bravo! Encore!"

3. During testimonies, ask loudly, "Who is this Joseph Smith guy everyone keeps talking about?"

4. Gobble up the entire tray of sacremental bread, then yell "what?" at everyone who turns to stare.

5. Wear an "I am the face of pro-choice America" T-shirt to homemaking meeting.

6. When people start asking "So... when are you getting married?" say, "As soon as same sex marriages are made legal."

7. Bring a Starbucks gift card to the Christmas exchange.

8. Read a Nora Roberts book during Sunday School, then show the steamiest passage to everyone who asks what you are reading.

9. Announce you are bringing a non-member friend to the ward pot luck, then show up with your dog.

10. Go around asking the mother of every missionary when their son is coming home, and when they answer, say, "When should we start planning the wedding?"

(1) Sat Dec 20 2003 22:28: Mom and I did Christmas things today, and got a tree. Then we went to Megan Lewis' wedding reception, which was just... wow. Mom used a picture in which my eyes are closed for the christmas letter. She says you can't tell, but you can.

Sun Dec 21 2003 12:09: Just this time last year I was absorbing my last few moments on English soil (and hurriedly re-packing my bags so the weight was more evenly distributed...). I don't remember anything about the people I sat next to on the plane, but if they were nice, they would have given me a tissue.

Sun Dec 21 2003 15:55: Finally got up the nerve to check my grades, and URSA is not up right now. Maybe it's a sign...

Mon Dec 22 2003 09:31: Yesterday mom and I went to dinner at the Davis', and they have this niffty video game thing where you sing kareoke and it gives you points based on how well you hit the notes. They also lent us OOTP book n CD for our cross-continental voyage, so that is exciting. I think I might stay in my PJs all day today, we'll see.

Tue Dec 23 2003 11:01: Had the ace gang over dinner last night. Everyone really liked their (oops, almost said what it was, and some people haven't recieved theirs yet!) presents, which was a relief to me. Amanda recieved Bend it like Beckham, so maybe I'll finally be able to see it.

Now I'm going to hop into the shower to be clean for when my sissy arrives!

(1) Wed Dec 24 2003 12:18 Happy Christmas Eve, All! : Susie and John are here, so there is much piano-playing and eating going on. I expect this will up an notch whenever Leonard and Sumana arrive. Here's a thought; I am the only one of my siblings without a significant other. But I DO get to puppy-sit little Zoey, and I am off to get her now! Oh, except Leonard and Sumana just got here... Bye!

Fri Dec 26 2003 18:46: Susie made me a Gryffindor Scarf!!! (I got lots of other super cool prezzies, too!). The only problem is, I can't wear it to school, because fanatic Bruins will think I'm an USCer and shoot me or throw cups of scalding coffee from the Nescafe machines.

Sun Dec 28 2003 14:38: This one goes out to Jason from Calgary Alberta Canada, who was curious to email me about how the final fiasco turned out. I got an A- in ES, all is well, and also recieved a B- in French, nothing short of a miracle.

(3) Wed Dec 31 2003 15:12: Now in San Antonio (is that SPELLED right?) in Aunt Anne's house. I can hear Mom negociating the addition of a new one to our household in the next room, where hordes or relatives are. A definite UP since the first day of the trip, when I drove ten hours straight then got food poisioning from Taco Bell and was throwing up all night. Happy New Year everyone. *Looks back...* Has it really been a YEAR? What have I been DOING this whole time???