Sleepless Nights and Phone Calls

Tell me you had bad dreams last night
'cause you were rolling in your sleep
...
Please close your eyes
Please if you don't want to say
Please close your eyes
Please, what keeps you awake?
(Close Your Eyes, by Jump Little Children)
------------------------------------------------

I could not sleep last night. Just couldn't do it. I tossed and turned and tried to slow my racing mind. I opened the window, I changed the blankets, I got a drink of water, I read, I got up and watched tv, I forced myself to lie perfectly still and do breathing techniques. Nothing. I think I finally got to sleep about 3am, which didn't leave much sleep time before showing and getting to class for 9:30.

Class this morning was interesting. It's a good thing it's such a good class, otherwise I'd probably have much more trouble motivating myself to get out of bed that early on mornings following nights such as the last one. Then, following the class, while I was visiting Jackie in her volunteer office hours I got a phone call from a very strange number. ###-###-#####. What the heck number is that? I point it out to Jackie and she (oh so wisely) says, "you sure it's not Africa"? OH! AFRICA! I picked it up, and it was Greg. Joy. Well, the news wasn't so hot: he has neither phone nor internet in his room, and even on campus will be not allowed to plug in his computer or use any sort of internet messaging service. That bites, somewhat a lot. But we'll cope! There will be emails and letters and occasional phone calls. I called my cell phone provider, since I don't have a land line this year, and because I have an awesome plan I can receive long distance calls for free, even if they're coming from South Africa, assuming I'm in my area code. Sweet eh? I always thought I was getting charged for incoming long distance...but I guess I just spend more time making outgoing long distance calls than I thought. It's not split up in my bill, so up until now I had no idea! So call, people! Call! Of course, since Greg has to call from a pay phone I can't so much call him. I'm going to have to mail some calling cards or something, assuming I can even buy them here for use in South Africa. Hmm...

That's pretty much about it. Did my presentation tonight, and it went fairly well. I'm getting even better at these things. I don't get nervous at all anymore. Well, maybe for a split second right before I start talking, and then I'm fine. Then I played Scrabble. I suck, but it's fun. We're such dorks.

And now, email time! And reading. And bed.

Song

Also, I'm now addicted (for obvious reasons) to a Bryan Adam's song, although I'm sure he didn't write it. I wonder who did it originally...

Wherever you go, whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes, or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

I wonder how we can survive, this romance
But in the end if I'm with you, I'll take the chance

Awww, schmoopy.

Fraud?

I'm a DVD addict. I admit it. Worse yet, I have a Columbia House membership. Of course, when I move at the end of this year it will get cut off (conveniently also when my phone number will change - no "please come back" messages for me!)

I got a flyer from them in the mail a few days ago, and only now am I noticing that it's addressed to "Mr. Haley P". Mr? I wonder, if they have my gender wrong, can I still be held accountable for the bills? After all, I'm not Mr. Haley P. Hmm....

Graduation

Phew, I just did it: I applied to graduate. This means that as of April 4th I am definitely done my years as an undergraduate, and as of June 8th I will be a certified BA graduate. Gah!

One Hundred and Thirty-Nine

Today is the first day of a very long series of days. I woke up this morning and my first thought was "It's too early to be awake", followed very quickly by, "139". One Hundred and Thirty-Nine. What's the significance of that specific number? Well, it's just this: there are 139 days until my sweetie is back from exchange. He flies out today for Africa, and gets in tomorrow. The flight is 14 hours long, but he gets there 21 hours later, due to the seven hour time difference.

As I showered and dressed this morning I was filled by a sense of loneliness and sad resignation. 139 days is a long time. That's 3336 hours, or 200 160 minutes, or 12 009 600 seconds. Over twelve million seconds! The thought was thoroughly depressing.

In my idling before class I googled 139, and I found something that made me feel infinitely better. If this guy could wait in line to see Star Wars for 139 days, then I can certainly survive as long. I'm not sitting on the street, and I won't stink to high heaven by the time my appointed day comes. I can't imagine what those poor people sitting around this guy in the theatre had to put up with. Ew. What I do take from this guy (however crazy he may be) is that if you love something, you can wait an awful long time to see it. I may not share the same love for Star Wars, but I may just yet be able to wait 139 days for someone I do love.

One Hundred and Thirty-Nine, and counting.

Have a nap...Then fire ze missiles!!

I'm sure that many of you have seen this already, but if not, go check out the End of the World.

A Piece of Happiness

Him: There's a crazy amount of traffic on this road some times. I don't know why, maybe people just avoiding Big Street over there.
Me: Could be. It's also a way out of the city though.
Is it?
Yeah, you take it out to the end and then connects with a rural highway out to the smaller townships. Could be people going home.
The traffic is normally in the other direction.
Oh, well maybe it's people coming in to work.
It'd be the wrong time of day for that.
Well fine! Shoot holes in all my ideas. (mock frustration)
It was a good theory! This is the Scientific Method. You bring up theories and then find problems with them.
Oooh, it's a good thing I love you. (accompanied by kidding scowls)
He grins, as he knows I don't share his boundless enthusiasm for the scientific method - it's an ongoing thing between us
Stop peer reviewing my suggestions!!
He bursts into laughter
That was such a good line.

Life Movies

SUPPOSEDLY if you've seen over 80 of these movies, you have no life.
Mark the ones you've seen. There are 190 movies on this list. Put your
score in header and repost!

(x) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean
( ) Boondock Saints
( ) The Mexican
(x) Fight Club
( )Starsky and Hutch
( ) Neverending Story
( ) Blazing Saddles
( ) Airplane

Total: 4/10

(x) The Princess Bride
(x) AnchorMan: The Legend of Ron Burgandy
(x) Napoleon Dynamite
( ) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
( ) Anger Management
(x) 50 First Dates

Total: 4/10

( ) Scream
( ) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
(x) Scary Movie
(x) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
(x) American Pie
(x) American Pie 2
(x) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp

Total: 5/10

(x) Harry Potter
(x) Harry Potter 2
(x) Harry Potter 3
(x) Harry Potter 4
( ) Resident Evil I
( ) Resident Evil 2
(x) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
(x) The Village
(x) Lilo & Stitch.
( ) Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch has a Glitch

Total: 7/11


(x) Finding Nemo
( ) Finding Neverland
( ) Signs
(x) The Grinch
( )Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1978)
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2004)
(x) White Chicks
(x) Butterfly Effect
( ) Thirteen Going on 30
(x) I, Robot

Total: 5/10

(x) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( ) Universal Soldier
( ) A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(x) Along Came Polly
( ) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
(x) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
(x) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt

Total: 5/11

( ) A Cinderella Story
(x) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
( ) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumb & Dumberer
( ) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination2
( ) Final destination3
( ) Halloween
( ) The Ring (Ringu)
( ) The Ring 2 (Ringu2)

Total: 1/12

( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
( ) Practical Magic
(x) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
(x) From Hell
( ) Hellboy
( ) Secret Window
( ) I Am Sam
( ) The Whole Nine Yards

Total: 2/9

( ) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child's Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
(x) TenThings I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
( ) Gothika
( ) Nightmare on Elm Street
( ) Sixteen Candles
( ) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter

Total: 1/11

( ) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Se7en
(x) Ocean's Eleven
(x) Ocean's Twelve
( ) Identity
( ) Lone Star
( ) Bedazzled
( ) Predator I
( ) Predator II

Total: 2/10

(x) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(x) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Boss' daughter
(x) Maid in Manhattan
( ) Frailty

Total: 3/10

( ) Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(x) She's All That
( ) Calendar Girls
(x) Sideways
( ) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(x) Ever After
(x) Forrest Gump
( ) Big Trouble in Little China

Total: 5/10

(x) X-Men
(x) X2
(x) Spider-Man
(x) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( )Jeepers Creepers 2
( ) Catch Me If You Can
( ) The Others
( ) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
(x) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick

Total: 5/14

( ) Swimfan
( ) Miracle
( ) Old School
(x) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
(x) Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
(x) Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
(x) Walk to Remember
( ) Boogeyman

Total: 5/10

(x) Hitch
( ) The Fifth Element
(x) Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace
(x) Star Wars Episode II Attack of TheClones
(x) Star Wars Episode III Revenge of The Sith
(x) Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Episode VI Return of The Jedi
( ) Troop Beverly Hills
( ) Swimming with Sharks

Total: 7/10

( ) Air Force One
( ) For Richer or Poorer
(x) Trainspotting
( ) People Under the Stairs
( ) Blue Velvet
(x) Sound of Music
(x) Parent Trap
( ) Parent Trap Re-make
(x) The Birds
(x) The Terminator
(x) Terminator-2
(x) T-3

Total: 7/12

( ) Empire Records
( ) SLC Punk
( ) Meet Joe Black
(x) Nightmare Before Christmas
(x) The Silence of the Lambs
(x) Sleepy Hollow
( ) I Heart Huckabees
( ) 24 Hour Party People
( ) Blood In Blood Out

Total: 3/9

( ) Thirteen
( ) Manic
(x) American History X
( ) Deep Blue Sea
(x) George of the Jungle
( ) Canadian Bacon
( ) Big Black Titties
( ) How High
( ) The Jacket
( ) My Litte Pony 1986

Total: 2/10

Score: 73

Phew, all that just to prove that I HAVE a life. Although, one must wonder: if I just spent this long doing this thing to prove that I have a life, do I really have a life?

---
Edit: The boyfriend pointed out the fourth last movie (Big Black Titties) and said that he thought someone along the meme line had edited the list for fun. Upon further pressing he confessed to having looked it up on the IMDB to prove that it didn't exist. I can always trust him to do the research. Baha.

And...it's 2007.

I'm not dead! You might think so, given that it's been almost a month now since I posted, but no: I am fully alive. You can tell, because of the way that I'm stressed.

Stress is due, in part, to the process that I started today to have a grade removed from my transcript which I received during the catastrophic period that was last summer. This involved much phone calling and explaining and form filling out and reliving. Something I'm not exactly keen to do.

I suppose I can now unveil the large project that I'm working on with the Anthro exec, and that is to run a benefit concert in early March with the proceeds going towards the Stephen Lewis Foundation, and the fight against AIDS. In order to avoid the cash crunch that comes with setting one of these things up, we've partnered with the campus events team, which is somewhat brilliant and advantageous, and somewhat a giant pain in my butt since it means I now have the intense pleasure of working with (by which I mean, chasing around) the guy that deals with bands and concerts and such at my university. He's a nice enough guy, but busy, and my event is obviously not a priority on his list. Can't say as I blame him, really, since the university wants to MAKE money, not give it away to charities. -End Sarcastic Tirade-

I'm taking five courses this term, the normal course load:
Culture as Performance
Cross-Cultural Issues of Change
Contemporary Theory in Anthropology
Tourists, Tourism and the Globe
Women and Development
All of them are awesome looking except for Theory (because, ew, bane of my existence), and Women and Development which is thus far nothing more than development theory, modernization theory, and a prof who reads directly off of her powerpoint presentation and repeats herself.

The boyfriend is in town for another few days before going on exchange to South Africa for four months. Needless to say, much of my time has been spent with him, which I use as an excuse for not blogging. I'm sure you'll forgive me.

I need to find a new job. I'm not getting enough hours at this one, and it ends in April anyways. Campus restaurants get no business over the summer, so they close. Logically it makes sense, but it puts me out of work. Something I'm not thrilled about. I hate job hunting with the firey passion of a thousand suns. I have no idea where that expression comes from, but I like it.

And that's it for now, folks. I have to eat lunch and read six pages and get to my next class (10 minute walk away) ...all in 45 minutes. It can be done. Really. Do not fear: I am back to blogging and will return again.