Kingdom of Rust

Love this song and this video.

A random assortment of thoughts

-I'm literally melting in my dorm due to the lack of air conditioning. And it's only going to get worse in the next two weeks. Thanks, Ohio State Housing Department. Fuckers.

-Tomorrow, the Nursing Council is having a pizza party for the newly accepted students. One of my really good friends has not yet been accepted or denied to the program. Which is, in my opinion, absolute bull shit. I can guarantee that many people with higher GPA's (including myself) will not put as much heart into nursing as Jenny will. She's got the personality, the heart and the drive for it--so why the hell does a Chemistry grade get to determine everything?

-For MD (Muscular Dystrophy) camp this summer, I'm given responsibility of an individual camper. I recently received her basic information from my camp director. Her name is Jessica and she's 15-years-old. Interests and hobbies include swimming, horseback riding, canoeing, reading, video games and friends. Needs assistance with stairs, standing and transfer. Has a powered wheelchair and has occasional chocking problems.

I have her phone number so I can contact her parents to introduce myself and address any special needs. But, for some reason, I keep chickening out every time I reach for the phone. I'm terribly nervous and I can't understand why. I guess I feel inexperienced when I know I shouldn't. I've dealt with hypoglycemic attacks at three in the morning at diabetes camp. But I've never worked with someone who has a physical disability--especially at such a young age. I'm just afraid that I won't be knowledgeable or fun enough...

-Friends getting drunk on Tuesday nights and leaving video messages on your Facebook is extremely entertaining. I love video messages!

-I have a monster bruise and massive scar tissue build-up on each thigh from giving insulin shots there too often. But it's my favorite spot. Fuck my life.

-Uncle Tim and Dad have officially decided to ride their bikes across the country together (third time for Pops) in the summer of 2010. Tim will be raising money for his food banks in California while Dad will be raising money for JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) again. I'm really excited for both of them!

-Another Glendale Girl wedding is taking place on June 19. Danielle and Dan are getting ready to tie the knot. If one of the girls in my sorority can lend me an ID for the evening, I might get to go to the Bachelorette Party next Saturday!

-If you want to be creeped out by a piece of music, listen to Penderecki's "Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima." It sounds like it inspired the music for The Shining or something. Penderecki meant for it to sound like an atomic bomb going off. I kind of hate it and appreciate it at the same time.

-I am going through a phase where I hate every song on my iTunes. Any suggestions for good music?

Faster

The Third Eye Blind concert was amazing last night. They played "Faster," which is where the name of this blog came from.

Now, I'm headed home to Cincinnati for the weekend! I've missed it.

4'33"

Today, in my classical music class, we listened to John Cage's 1952 "composition," 4'33". The reason I place the word composition in quotations is because the piece is four minutes and 33 seconds of silence. He didn't compose anything. He wanted the silence--or the daily sounds going on around you--to be the music. So we listened to some jack hammering, creaky desks, birds chirping, etc.

Cage was a very strange composer (he was big on this thing called "prepared piano," which is where you stick random things in between the strings in order to produce weird ass noises).

I don't know how I feel about the avant-garde, experimental composers yet, I'm still deciding...

Google is so clever

Wouldn't you love to be the guy/girl who gets to think up and create those clever Google graphics on the home page--such as the one that appeared today?

I'll take it as a good sign

Three weeks of classes left and one week of exams until summer. I take my last final on Wednesday June 10 but I'm planning to stay with everyone on my floor until Friday.

I'm having mixed emotions about it all. On the one hand, I'm incredibly excited to hang out with my friends in Cincinnati but, on the other hand, I'm really going to miss all of my friends in Columbus (and from all over).

I just have to remind myself that this is not a bad thing; it only means that I'm really happy with where I am. I'll take it as a good sign. Plus, who in their right mind would possibly want to delay summertime?!

Maybe It's Because You're Irish

I've finally uncovered the reason why I am powerless in resisting the lure of potatoes in any shape or form...it's because I'm Irish.

I'VE BEEN ACCEPTED...

...TO THE OHIO STATE SCHOOL OF NURSING! BOOM.

My life...

As sad, fucked up, crazy, awkward, and weird it can often be...I would never trade it.

I am continually learning from my mistakes and, honestly, I'm enjoying every second of the sometimes painful process. I actually like that, when I think I've got it all figured out, I really haven't got a clue. And I probably never will. I'm learning to live with that.

Right now I'm 19 years old and I feel like I'm enjoying my life as best as I know how. I'm doing the things that I want to do (and still I haven't even skimmed the surface).

I am still incredibly stupid, naive, selfish, immature, and oblivious, but I'm happy. That's all I could want for myself right now.

Why do women cry more than men?

Because the lacrimal bone, found in the orbit of the eye, is smaller in women than in men.

Tears, which are formed in the lacrimal sac, drain into the nasal cavity via the lacrimal duct. This duct is narrower in women than in men. Which explains why a woman's tears seem to overflow uncontrollably. And why men just seem to get the sniffles.

So it's actually more about science than manliness.

"You got to steal the time from a life that's passing by..."

My friend got me Third Eye Blind concert tickets for my birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Are we human or are we dancer?"

I was born 19 years ago today! During the halftime of an NBA playoff game, according to my dad.

Here are some pictures from the freaking awesome Killers concert last night (which was a much better way to ring in my birthday than last year when I was studying for the IB History exam)...

The Best Week Ever Continues...

...with The Killers concert tonight!

I love my life.

"This Swine Flew"

I finished my first half-marathon today! I feel incredible.

The Cincinnati Flying Pig started at 6:30 AM this morning and I finished in two hours and 30 minutes!

It was such an amazing experience. I had the chance to see some of my city's most beautiful areas (especially in Eden Park), thousands upon thousands of people rallying together (many dressed in wacky costumes) and a choir comprised entirely of the cutest red-suited old men (there were various entertainers scattered throughout the race course, including an Elvis impersonator). I raised money for several good causes, made Swine Flu jokes (hence the title of this post, which was written on the back of a woman's pink t-shirt and above her curly pig tail) and I did something I'm really proud of.

I'm ready for the next one. Seriously. After I take a 13.1 hour nap.

R.I.P. Larry Skrownek

I remember when you and Jody would catch me singing in the crab apple tree beside your house. Thank you for being a part of my childhood.

You will be missed.

The greatest birthday party ever...

...for real.

T.G.I.F. (sort of)

It's an incredibly bittersweet Friday. On the one hand, I'm so so so excited for my birthday party tonight, especially because Paige and Melissa are coming! And all of my friends will be under one roof (shout out to Katydid in Chicago). I'm done with my school week from hell--and I think I did well. Plus, I have a new dress and $200+ of booze.

On the other hand, however, my dad gave me really terrible news this morning. My next door neighbor at home, Larry, had his second serious stroke. They don't think he's going to make it this time. He's only five years older than my dad.

I asked my dad whether we should visit him in the hospital and he said it's likely Larry is on life support. God. I can't stop thinking about his wife, Jody, their five children and their eleven grandchildren who we spent Thanksgiving Eve with this year. I'm going to try not to worry about the family until I get back to Cincinnati tomorrow. I haven't lost faith yet.

Everyone have a good weekend and have fun! It's May! It's the best month out of the year, don't ya know?