Annual End-of-Year Post: Bye-Bye 2007!
Har! Time for that annual year’s end post, eh? Well, I'm LJ-Cuttin' like crazy! Firstly, I’d like to say thanks to everyone who reads my few-and-far-between posts. I’ve lost a lot of communication with my online friends, which sucks, but I’m not very much into blogging anymore. Don’t have the time.
To be honest, I’m typing this up on my pc, which I dragged to Robin’s parents’ house (which means it lacks internets) so that I may transfer it to the other pc to post, or wait until Jan. 5, 2008 to post, when we get back to Columbus.
Before I begin the summary of the year’s events, I’d like to shout out to a few of ye.
Bee: I WUVVLES AND MISSES YOU LOTS AND LOTS! You ish very speshul, Bee-chan. I hope everything ish going your way, CALL ME!
Kyle: Yo, ho. You’re a cool guy, and I like chatting with you when I can. Besides, there’s something insanely amusing about a guy who thrashes out to Iced Earth before sitting down to Azumanga. Glad I’m not the only one - my fiance doesn’t really like either (she’ll listen to Melancholy, but that’s about it…). Anyways, stay cool, and I read up on your LJ every chance I get.
By the way, clear this up for me: I didn’t find out until earlier this year that Barlow had left the band in 2004, right before the new album came out. About a week before Christmas, I heard that he returned to the band (along with a second band) in September. All I can think is…WTF?? I love Barlow and all, but I’m at a loss as to what the hell is going on.
Okami-san: Wuvvles much! I miss you since you’ve gone away to college, and I’ve been so scared that all of these changes you’ve been going through might do away with your open-mindedness and reason - I’m very glad to see that it is not true. Best of luck on your second semester.
Kristina: Hello, my aweshum friend way up north and west. I’m gonna try to call you before I put this up - if I don’t, I apologize. We need to catch up. Anyways, it means a lot that you’ve stuck by me as a friend - it really does. Life goes on, though, and right now I’m just trying to keep up.
Derald: Hi to you, too! I hope life has been treating you well since we last spoke. Columbus is awesome! XD I still miss your cooking, and those two months we stayed together are still among my favorite memories. We all miss you here. And…yeah…I lost your address…again…sorry ;-; You will get your $40 back…someday…
Liz: Baby girl, you are beautiful and special in every way. You’re a very dear friend to Robin and I, and I am so proud of you. You’ve stood up for yourself a good deal this year, more than you should’ve had to, and I’m proud of you for finding the strength look after yourself, though it hurt horribly. You’re worth more than that - thank you for realizing it. Robin and I will stick by you, no matter what, and we will come visit as soon as the opportunity arises. Stay strong, and stay sweet. You’re one of the most amazing people I know, and I know a lot of great people.
Robin: You are, simply put, my best friend. My everything. I love you more than I could ever say with any amount of words. I know I mess up quite often - I do my best, though, to show you day in and day out how much you mean to me. Without you, my life just wouldn’t be the same - everything just…sparkles with you in it. You’re so beautiful, and just a look from those green eyes sets me ablaze, whether you know it, or I show it, or not. I love you, and thank you for making this year as amazingly wonderful as it has been.
To my countless friends from Apalachee: You guys rock, and Robin and I miss you, talk about you, laugh about the fun we’ve had, and so much more every single day. You have all been a big influence on my life - Beth, Pirate, Erin, Cassie, Tori, Trapper, Melissa, Rebecca…Mrs. Hasty…. And many more. You guys made Apalachee bearable, at the least.
And now, the year’s summary:
2007 began as I was coming into my final semester of High School. My Senior year was awesome - I took AP Literature, which was a more than rewarding experience. It provided a sense of challenge I had NEVER felt before and kept me interested. We read some really amazing literature (Rosencratz and Guildenstern Are Dead), along with some that just really sucked (Heart of Darkness). I also took a second teaching class, which allowed me to get some experience in a classroom setting, as well as continue to mentor Tony and Tristan, two really cool little dudes.
I was duped into getting braces in February. My mom’s paying $5,000 on the damn things. Money that would be better-spent funding my education, rather than causing me grief. I HATE these things with such a burning, fiery passion that it rivals Hell (was it the 8th level? 6th? I forget…) in intensity.
April might have been the best month of the whole year, rivaled only by August, methinks… April 28, 2007, I proposed to Robin L. Shuler in the parking lot of Red Lobster as we were headed to Prom. And, though it took her a moment to realize what was happening, and a moment more to do anything but cry (I even had to help her continue standing…), she said yes. Then, we were just over a year and eight months into the relationship. We don’t have a date set yet…we’re trying to take things slowly and not rush into a marriage…but we’re looking forward to getting married.
Graduation was a blessing I had waited for all my life. Yeah, I felt a little remorse, thinking about everything that was behind me now - my whole life, as I had known it. But I’ve moved and had to change schools before, which helps you realize that such transitions are not the end of anything - Robin took it a little rougher than I did. She’s had to change schools, too…but her years at Apalachee were more defining for her than they had been for me. From the time she began attending there to graduation, four years later, she pretty much did a full 180* turn. Nonetheless, it was a remarkable night. A glorious end to the semester that felt as though it would never end. We cherished those moments with friends all the more as May drew closer. Friday afternoons will never be the same.
Shortly before June began, I got a second job at Burger King. At Ingles, I was one of the best baggers, getting paid at $6/hour. Burger King snapped up my true claims of being somewhat of an expert at customer service, and I was paid $6.75/hour there. I wasn’t horrible at the job. I knew how to treat the customers, but it was so different from what I was used to. I wasn’t nearly fast enough, to begin with. HA! That was the most stressful job… I got better and faster, but I still couldn’t quite reach that Sonic speed that the managers wanted.
Later that summer, we took a vacation to Kentucky…to Jellystone National Park. Which was amusing. We saw Yogi there, but there was no sign of Boo-Boo. But I know what happened to him - they…did away with him. I was in the office there, browsing some of the stuff in the little store they have for campers, and I heard the lady there answer the phone and she proceeds to book Boo-Boo’s cabin! They killed him off so they could use his cabin for profit! EVIL CORPORATE AMERICA!!!
Also, while we were there, I drowned Robin’s phone. We walked up to the pool, and I had it in the back pocket of my trunks. We both forgot about it. She had to get a new phone when we got back.
Well, upon returning home I soon lost my job with Ingles. I put in my notice and get screwed due to a miscommunication. Later, I experience a similar loss at Burger King, but more painful because I had to walk out. There was some severe BS going on with that. So, since the beginning of August, I’ve been jobless.
Halfway through August, Robin and I moved two-and-a-half hours south to Columbus, GA to start college. First semester of college was pretty fun. I had English 1102 (AP Lit scores exempted me from 1101), Math 1101 (easiest math class worth credit - I only need one math class for my major, so no headaches for me!), Public Speaking (a SEVERE pain in my ass, and the only class I got a B in - everything else was A’s - though I did meet some good friends), U.S. History after 1865 (fun class), and Astronomy 1105 (really fun class, except for some of the higher-level math…).
Overall, our only problem with college has been money. Tuition is relatively cheap: only about $1400. Dorms are the pain. They price the cheapest dorms at $2200 per semester. They arrive at this price in a fairly logical manner. A four-bed, two-bath apartment in Columbus would average out to about $2200 for five months. Of course, they discard logic in favor of profit when they charge that same $2200 to each of the four students living in the dorm. Plus, since we’re living on campus, we are REQUIRED to have a meal plan, which allows for eight pre-paid meals per week at the cafeteria, plus $150 to spend at the on-campus Grille, Blimpie, or the Market downtown over the course of the semester. This costs $1300. Not a bad deal on paper. However, taking into consideration our schedule and their hours…Robin and I don’t even use FOUR of those meals in a week half the time. The cafeteria closes for dinner at seven Mon-Thu, doesn’t run dinner on Friday, is closed completely on Sat, and re-opens for dinner on Sun. There are gaps between each meal during which they are closed, so if you happen to come at the wrong time, you’re going hungry. And if you’re like me, going to classes from 4:30 to 7:15, you’re just screwed.
Robin and I know that it’ll be much cheaper to get an apartment. If we can find some decent, trustworthy roommates, it’ll be even cheaper. But there was a 10-month contract somewhere. I don’t recall it, but we signed it. There’s a $500 buy-out cost, which means we will be in dorms again for the upcoming semester.
But the liberty has been worth it. Other than trips back home for ortho appointments and holdays, we’re spending as much time as possible in Columbus. We’ve already made some great friends (surprisingly, the typical patterns have not held - we’ve befriended more guys than girls! O_O). We got lucky on the draw of roommates. Robin’s roommates are a buncha zany-yet-loveable black girls. I got Chris, Westley, and Donne (supposed to be an umlaut over that ‘e’…), Donne is the only one I would trade. He is very anti-social with us. :/ It’s irritating.
Chris is a funny white guy whose sarcasm knows no bounds. He reminds me a lot of Derald, except he’s smaller and scrawnier. But don’t let the word ‘scrawny’ confuse you - that was comparative. He’s only about average height, mebe a little shorter than me (I’m right at six feet), and he’s built. He’s a rock climber, so he is very much in shape. He likes to work out. Back to Derald-similarities, though: he has the eyes. THE eyes. Baby-blue, with eyelashes that would make girls jealous if they weren’t so ‘Oh-miGAAAhhhh’ and fainting over him. His girlfriend attends UGA, though, so I haven’t seen him take advantage of his looks yet. He’s very loyal and dependable. Upstanding, and an all-around great guy. He also kicks my ass at Halo. But it’s okay, cause I pwn him at SSBM.
Westley is one of the most amusing characters I have ever met. He’s a black guy from New Jersey. He came to Georgia because he just wanted a change of scenery. He is a clean freak, but lazy as a typical guy. Like Chris, he likes to work out, but once a week, he also takes the time to completely clean the house. He’s a very good cook (he made some effing AMAZING chicken parmesan a while back) as well. He likes his clothes crisp, and irons them before he wears them, unless he just has NO time. This is where it gets amusing, though. He is the biggest Naruto/Bleach fan I’ve ever seen. He’s a Marvel lover. He’s also the biggest homophobe, and afraid of feet to the point where it just gets weird. I usually take advantage of these fears - I’ll say something mildly forward just to watch him jump back and scream, “NO HOMO!!” The best yet was while he was ironing - I placed my hand lightly on his hip and said, “Hi, Westley…”
HAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!!!!!!! SOOOOOO much fun!
Anyways. That about does it. All I can remember for now, anyways. I left some stuff for Robin to tell because it involves her more than me. So let’s get down to the last few days, and my Christmas haul.
The shiniest presents came from Robin, of course. She got me:
All of Wolf’s Rain
All of Witch Hunter Robin
And a sweet little dragon necklace from Hot Topic.
Furthermore, I got her all of Outlaw Star. Lots of good anime!
Everything else I/We got:
A new camera (self-bought)
A new DVD Player (borked, but shall be traded for one that works)
New Harry Potter DVD
New Brad Paisley album
Lots of cool clothes (not a bad shirt in the bunch!)
6 Qt CrockPot
10-pc pot/pan set
New casserole dishes
$700 cash
We’ll prolly get some cash from my grandfather as well. Going up to see him Dec. 29th.
Now…onto books I’ve read this year. Firth, though, a quick explanation: I rank the books 1-10. Books that rate a 9 or 10 I would recommend to just about anybody, unless it conflicts with some belief I know they hold dear (i.e. The Golden Compass/Subtle Knife/ Amber Spyglass). 7 or 8 means that they were good, even great, but they might not be ranked so high for some people due to particular interests. 5 or 6 is okay or decent - I can see the quality somewhere in it, but it just isn’t my taste, or wasn’t written well enough. Anything below that, I recommend just not even looking at. I’m also going to include books I’ve read in 2006, and some I am looking forward to reading in 2008. Here it is:
Books read in 2006
10 - Straken by Terry Brooks
10 - Dragon Champion by E.E. Knight
9 - Memiors of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
8 - Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
7 - Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
7 - Xenocide by Orson Scott Card
8 - Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card
4 - The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
8 - The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
6 - Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
7 - The Iliad by Homer
6 - Somebody Else's Children - Torey L. Hayden
10 - Dragonlance: Chronicles by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
6 - Oedipus Rex by Socrates
9 - Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
7 - The Grounding of Group Six by Julian F. Thompson
9 - The Divine Comedy, Inferno by Dante Alighieri
10 - The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
10 - Eragon by Christopher Paolini
8 - The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Books read in 2007
5 - Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
6 - Hamlet by Shakespeare
9 - Sabriel by Garth Nix
10 - Lirael by Garth Nix
8 - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard
10 - Abhorsen by Garth Nix
10 - Eldest by Christopher Paolini
6 - The Stranger by Albert Camus
4 - Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
10 - Armageddon’s Children by Terry Brooks
9 - Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
10 - Valley of Shadows by Frank Fradella
8 - Magic Kingdom For Sale…Sold! by Terry Brooks
4 - Chronicles of the Planeswalkers: Part Zero by B.T. Robertson (unfinished)
9 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
9 - Dragon Avenger by E.E. Knight
8 - Ironside by Holly Black
8 - Chickenhawk by Robert Mason
9 - The Elves of Cintra by Terry Brooks
9 - The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
8 - The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman
10 - The Amber Spyglass by Phillip Pullman
10 - Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
9 - LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
Books to read in 2008
- LOTR: The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
- LOTR: The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
- New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
- Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
- Way of the Wolf by E.E. Knight
Annals of The Black Company trilogy by Glen Cook (re-read)
Arena by Karen Hancock
Cell by Stephen King
Sword Dancer series by Jennifer Roberson
The Belgariad by David Eddings
If you want more detailed reviews to help you decide what to read, just ask. ^_^
Now…for music. I’ve gained a few new artists to be addicted to this year. Among them are: Vienna Teng, Imogen Heap, Hourglass, Symphony X, Metallica, Goo Goo Dolls, Foo Fighters, Muse, Silversun Pickups, and the new Nightwish vocalist, just to name a few.
Since I got my iPod, I’ve been keeping score of the most played songs on my iTunes. Well, it’s been two years, and one song has just hit 100 plays, finally (I’ve been trying to listen to the newer stuff as I get it so that I don’t wear myself out on the older favorites…). So, here’s the top 100 songs on my play list (songs with the same number of plays are alphabetical, as per iTunes default - there are a bunch around 65 or so plays because I would make a playlist without those top 25). Here they are in the following format: ###: Title - Artist:Album - PlayCount
(NOTE: Skip it if you want…just did this to help suggest new music. If you don’t see your favorite song, maybe I don’t have it, maybe I haven’t had it long enough. I’m always open to suggestions and I never mind people sending me music. XD)
001: Gravity - Vienna Teng: Waking Hour - 100
002: Trial of Tears: It's Raining/Deep in Heaven/The Wasteland - Dream Theater: Falling Into Infinity - 98
003: Full Moon - Sonata Arctica: The End of This Chapter - 95
004: Take Away My Pain - Dream Theater: Falling Into Infinity - 89
005: The End Of This Chapter - Sonata Arctica: Silence - 88
006: Lazarus - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 83
007: Tallulah - Sonata Arctica: Silence - 81
008: Voices - Dream Theater: Awake - 80
009: The Silent Man - Dream Theater: Awake - 80
010: Heaven's Not Enough - Steve Conte: Wolf's Rain 2 - 80
011: Fatal Tragedy - Dream Theater: Scenes from a Memory - 79
012: The Power Of One - Sonata Arctica: Silence - 77
013: Lifting Shadows Off a Dream - Dream Theater: Awake - 73
014: Congratulations [with Imogen Heap] - Blue October: Foiled - 72
015: Space-Dye Vest - Dream Theater: Awake - 72
016: Snow ((Hey Oh)) - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 72
017: Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On - Dream Theater: Scenes from a Memory - 69
018: Fly - Blind Guardian: A Twist in the Myth - 68
019: Peacemaker - Sonata Arctica: Wolf & Raven - 68
020: Death Whispered a Lullaby - Opeth: Damnation - 67
021: Into The Ocean - Blue October: Foiled - 66
022: X Amount of Words - Blue October: Foiled - 66
023: Deadwing - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 66
024: Hump De Bump - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 66
025: Death Of A Martian - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 66
026: Black Sheep - Sonata Arctica: Silence - 66
027: Enigma - Trapt: Trapt - 66
028: Broken Wings - Alter Bridge: One Day Remains - 65
029: Carry The Blessed Home - Blind Guardian: A Twist in the Myth - 65
030: You Make Me Smile - Blue October: Foiled - 65
031: Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 65
032: Save Me - Shinedown: Us and Them - 65
033: Still Loving You - Sonata Arctica - 65
034: Dani California - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 64
035: Stranger Inside - Shinedown: Leave a Whisper - 64
036: Beyond The Sun - Shinedown: Us and Them - 63
037: 18th Floor Balcony - Blue October: Foiled - 62
038: Sound of Pulling Heaven Down - Blue October: Foiled - 62
039: Desecration Smile - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 62
040: Weathered - Creed: Greatest Hits - 61
041: The Unforgiven II - Metallica: Back in Black - 61
042: Otherland - Blind Guardian: A Twist in the Myth - 60
043: Bright Eyes - Blind Guardian: Imaginations From The Other Side - 59
044: Hollow Years - Dream Theater - 59
045: Especially In Michigan - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 59
046: Imaginations From The Other Side - Blind Guardian: Imaginations From The Other Side - 58
047: She's My Ride Home - Blue October: Foiled - 58
048: Bodies - Drowning Pool: Sinner - 58
049: Mellotron Scratch - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 58
050: Hopeless - Train: Drops of Jupiter - 58
051: Gravity - Maaya Sakamoto: Wolf's Rain - 57
052: Wet Sand - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 57
053: And Then There Was Silence - Blind Guardian: A Night at the Opera - 56
054: Don't Stop Dancing - Creed: Greatest Hits - 56
055: The Mirror - Dream Theater: Awake - 56
056: Just Let Me Breathe - Dream Theater: Falling Into Infinity - 56
057: Counting Bodies Like Sheep - A Perfect Circle - 56
058: Melancholy - Iced Earth: Something Wicked This Way Comes - 55
059: Innocence Faded - Dream Theater: Awake - 54
060: Wolf & Raven - Sonata Arctica: Wolf & Raven - 54
061: I'm Alive - Blind Guardian: Imaginations From The Other Side - 53
062: Stories - Trapt: Trapt - 53
063: With Arms Wide Open - Creed: Greatest Hits - 52
064: Who's Got My Back - Creed: Weathered - 52
065: Halo - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 52
066: Let It Roll - Train: Drops of Jupiter - 52
067: And The Story Ends - Blind Guardian: Imaginations From The Other Side - 51
068: Hate Me - Blue October: Foiled - 51
069: Torture Me - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 51
070: Tell Me Baby - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 51
071: Storm In A Teacup - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 51
072: Mississippi - Train: Drops of Jupiter - 51
073: Erotomania - Dream Theater: Awake - 50
074: Surrounded - Dream Theater: Images And Words - 50
075: I Dare You - Shinedown: Us and Them - 49
076: Skalds and Shadows - Blind Guardian: A Twist in the Myth - 48
077: Bullets - Creed: Greatest Hits - 48
078: The Dark Eternal Night - Dream Theater: Systematic Chaos - 48
079: Drive - Incubus: Make Yourself - 48
080: Arriving Somewhere But Not Here - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 48
081: She's Moved On - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 48
082: Stars - Switchfoot: Nothing Is Sound - 48
083: I Caught Fire - The Used: In Love And Death - 48
084: Shallow - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 47
085: Strip My Mind - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 47
086: What If We Could - Blue October: Foiled - 46
087: Victoria's Secret - Sonata Arctica: The End of This Chapter - 46
088: Liquid Man - Theatre of Tragedy: Assembly - 46
089: Drilled a Wire Through My Cheek - Blue October: Foiled - 45
090: Torn - Creed: Greatest Hits - 45
091: Love's Tragedy Asunder - Demons & Wizards: Touched by the Crimson King - 45
092: Daisy - Switchfoot: Nothing Is Sound - 45
093: [Hidden Track] - Blue October: Foiled - 44
094: Everlasting Friend - Blue October: Foiled - 44
095: Far Away - Nickelback: All The Right Reasons - 44
096: The Start of Something Beautiful - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 44
097: Burning Bright - Shinedown: Leave a Whisper - 44
098: .45 - Shinedown: Leave a Whisper - 44
099: In Loving Memory - Alter Bridge: One Day Remains - 43
100: Day Five: Voices - Ayreon: The Human Equation - 43
So…let’s see…top five groups according to this:
Dream Theater - 15 ( 4 in the top 10, 8 in top 25)
Red Hot Chili Peppers - 12 (all from Stadium Arcadium, 3 in top 25)
Blue October - 12 (all from the Foiled album, which has 14 tracks)
Blind Guardian - 9 (My favorite band)
Sonata Arctica - 9 (3 in top 10, 5 in top 25)
So, there we are. Events, X-mas, Literature, Music…the only thing I’m saying about games is:
I WANT A WII! AND I WANT SUPER SMASH BROS. BRAWL!!! NOW!!! ;-;
Yep. That’s about it. XD
Leave me a comment! I only post every now and then, you know…and not getting comments on those rare occasions makes me a very sad Chibi, indeed… ;-;
I'll check here again on Tuesday! Going away for teh weekend. Byes!
To be honest, I’m typing this up on my pc, which I dragged to Robin’s parents’ house (which means it lacks internets) so that I may transfer it to the other pc to post, or wait until Jan. 5, 2008 to post, when we get back to Columbus.
Before I begin the summary of the year’s events, I’d like to shout out to a few of ye.
Bee: I WUVVLES AND MISSES YOU LOTS AND LOTS! You ish very speshul, Bee-chan. I hope everything ish going your way, CALL ME!
Kyle: Yo, ho. You’re a cool guy, and I like chatting with you when I can. Besides, there’s something insanely amusing about a guy who thrashes out to Iced Earth before sitting down to Azumanga. Glad I’m not the only one - my fiance doesn’t really like either (she’ll listen to Melancholy, but that’s about it…). Anyways, stay cool, and I read up on your LJ every chance I get.
By the way, clear this up for me: I didn’t find out until earlier this year that Barlow had left the band in 2004, right before the new album came out. About a week before Christmas, I heard that he returned to the band (along with a second band) in September. All I can think is…WTF?? I love Barlow and all, but I’m at a loss as to what the hell is going on.
Okami-san: Wuvvles much! I miss you since you’ve gone away to college, and I’ve been so scared that all of these changes you’ve been going through might do away with your open-mindedness and reason - I’m very glad to see that it is not true. Best of luck on your second semester.
Kristina: Hello, my aweshum friend way up north and west. I’m gonna try to call you before I put this up - if I don’t, I apologize. We need to catch up. Anyways, it means a lot that you’ve stuck by me as a friend - it really does. Life goes on, though, and right now I’m just trying to keep up.
Derald: Hi to you, too! I hope life has been treating you well since we last spoke. Columbus is awesome! XD I still miss your cooking, and those two months we stayed together are still among my favorite memories. We all miss you here. And…yeah…I lost your address…again…sorry ;-; You will get your $40 back…someday…
Liz: Baby girl, you are beautiful and special in every way. You’re a very dear friend to Robin and I, and I am so proud of you. You’ve stood up for yourself a good deal this year, more than you should’ve had to, and I’m proud of you for finding the strength look after yourself, though it hurt horribly. You’re worth more than that - thank you for realizing it. Robin and I will stick by you, no matter what, and we will come visit as soon as the opportunity arises. Stay strong, and stay sweet. You’re one of the most amazing people I know, and I know a lot of great people.
Robin: You are, simply put, my best friend. My everything. I love you more than I could ever say with any amount of words. I know I mess up quite often - I do my best, though, to show you day in and day out how much you mean to me. Without you, my life just wouldn’t be the same - everything just…sparkles with you in it. You’re so beautiful, and just a look from those green eyes sets me ablaze, whether you know it, or I show it, or not. I love you, and thank you for making this year as amazingly wonderful as it has been.
To my countless friends from Apalachee: You guys rock, and Robin and I miss you, talk about you, laugh about the fun we’ve had, and so much more every single day. You have all been a big influence on my life - Beth, Pirate, Erin, Cassie, Tori, Trapper, Melissa, Rebecca…Mrs. Hasty…. And many more. You guys made Apalachee bearable, at the least.
And now, the year’s summary:
2007 began as I was coming into my final semester of High School. My Senior year was awesome - I took AP Literature, which was a more than rewarding experience. It provided a sense of challenge I had NEVER felt before and kept me interested. We read some really amazing literature (Rosencratz and Guildenstern Are Dead), along with some that just really sucked (Heart of Darkness). I also took a second teaching class, which allowed me to get some experience in a classroom setting, as well as continue to mentor Tony and Tristan, two really cool little dudes.
I was duped into getting braces in February. My mom’s paying $5,000 on the damn things. Money that would be better-spent funding my education, rather than causing me grief. I HATE these things with such a burning, fiery passion that it rivals Hell (was it the 8th level? 6th? I forget…) in intensity.
April might have been the best month of the whole year, rivaled only by August, methinks… April 28, 2007, I proposed to Robin L. Shuler in the parking lot of Red Lobster as we were headed to Prom. And, though it took her a moment to realize what was happening, and a moment more to do anything but cry (I even had to help her continue standing…), she said yes. Then, we were just over a year and eight months into the relationship. We don’t have a date set yet…we’re trying to take things slowly and not rush into a marriage…but we’re looking forward to getting married.
Graduation was a blessing I had waited for all my life. Yeah, I felt a little remorse, thinking about everything that was behind me now - my whole life, as I had known it. But I’ve moved and had to change schools before, which helps you realize that such transitions are not the end of anything - Robin took it a little rougher than I did. She’s had to change schools, too…but her years at Apalachee were more defining for her than they had been for me. From the time she began attending there to graduation, four years later, she pretty much did a full 180* turn. Nonetheless, it was a remarkable night. A glorious end to the semester that felt as though it would never end. We cherished those moments with friends all the more as May drew closer. Friday afternoons will never be the same.
Shortly before June began, I got a second job at Burger King. At Ingles, I was one of the best baggers, getting paid at $6/hour. Burger King snapped up my true claims of being somewhat of an expert at customer service, and I was paid $6.75/hour there. I wasn’t horrible at the job. I knew how to treat the customers, but it was so different from what I was used to. I wasn’t nearly fast enough, to begin with. HA! That was the most stressful job… I got better and faster, but I still couldn’t quite reach that Sonic speed that the managers wanted.
Later that summer, we took a vacation to Kentucky…to Jellystone National Park. Which was amusing. We saw Yogi there, but there was no sign of Boo-Boo. But I know what happened to him - they…did away with him. I was in the office there, browsing some of the stuff in the little store they have for campers, and I heard the lady there answer the phone and she proceeds to book Boo-Boo’s cabin! They killed him off so they could use his cabin for profit! EVIL CORPORATE AMERICA!!!
Also, while we were there, I drowned Robin’s phone. We walked up to the pool, and I had it in the back pocket of my trunks. We both forgot about it. She had to get a new phone when we got back.
Well, upon returning home I soon lost my job with Ingles. I put in my notice and get screwed due to a miscommunication. Later, I experience a similar loss at Burger King, but more painful because I had to walk out. There was some severe BS going on with that. So, since the beginning of August, I’ve been jobless.
Halfway through August, Robin and I moved two-and-a-half hours south to Columbus, GA to start college. First semester of college was pretty fun. I had English 1102 (AP Lit scores exempted me from 1101), Math 1101 (easiest math class worth credit - I only need one math class for my major, so no headaches for me!), Public Speaking (a SEVERE pain in my ass, and the only class I got a B in - everything else was A’s - though I did meet some good friends), U.S. History after 1865 (fun class), and Astronomy 1105 (really fun class, except for some of the higher-level math…).
Overall, our only problem with college has been money. Tuition is relatively cheap: only about $1400. Dorms are the pain. They price the cheapest dorms at $2200 per semester. They arrive at this price in a fairly logical manner. A four-bed, two-bath apartment in Columbus would average out to about $2200 for five months. Of course, they discard logic in favor of profit when they charge that same $2200 to each of the four students living in the dorm. Plus, since we’re living on campus, we are REQUIRED to have a meal plan, which allows for eight pre-paid meals per week at the cafeteria, plus $150 to spend at the on-campus Grille, Blimpie, or the Market downtown over the course of the semester. This costs $1300. Not a bad deal on paper. However, taking into consideration our schedule and their hours…Robin and I don’t even use FOUR of those meals in a week half the time. The cafeteria closes for dinner at seven Mon-Thu, doesn’t run dinner on Friday, is closed completely on Sat, and re-opens for dinner on Sun. There are gaps between each meal during which they are closed, so if you happen to come at the wrong time, you’re going hungry. And if you’re like me, going to classes from 4:30 to 7:15, you’re just screwed.
Robin and I know that it’ll be much cheaper to get an apartment. If we can find some decent, trustworthy roommates, it’ll be even cheaper. But there was a 10-month contract somewhere. I don’t recall it, but we signed it. There’s a $500 buy-out cost, which means we will be in dorms again for the upcoming semester.
But the liberty has been worth it. Other than trips back home for ortho appointments and holdays, we’re spending as much time as possible in Columbus. We’ve already made some great friends (surprisingly, the typical patterns have not held - we’ve befriended more guys than girls! O_O). We got lucky on the draw of roommates. Robin’s roommates are a buncha zany-yet-loveable black girls. I got Chris, Westley, and Donne (supposed to be an umlaut over that ‘e’…), Donne is the only one I would trade. He is very anti-social with us. :/ It’s irritating.
Chris is a funny white guy whose sarcasm knows no bounds. He reminds me a lot of Derald, except he’s smaller and scrawnier. But don’t let the word ‘scrawny’ confuse you - that was comparative. He’s only about average height, mebe a little shorter than me (I’m right at six feet), and he’s built. He’s a rock climber, so he is very much in shape. He likes to work out. Back to Derald-similarities, though: he has the eyes. THE eyes. Baby-blue, with eyelashes that would make girls jealous if they weren’t so ‘Oh-miGAAAhhhh’ and fainting over him. His girlfriend attends UGA, though, so I haven’t seen him take advantage of his looks yet. He’s very loyal and dependable. Upstanding, and an all-around great guy. He also kicks my ass at Halo. But it’s okay, cause I pwn him at SSBM.
Westley is one of the most amusing characters I have ever met. He’s a black guy from New Jersey. He came to Georgia because he just wanted a change of scenery. He is a clean freak, but lazy as a typical guy. Like Chris, he likes to work out, but once a week, he also takes the time to completely clean the house. He’s a very good cook (he made some effing AMAZING chicken parmesan a while back) as well. He likes his clothes crisp, and irons them before he wears them, unless he just has NO time. This is where it gets amusing, though. He is the biggest Naruto/Bleach fan I’ve ever seen. He’s a Marvel lover. He’s also the biggest homophobe, and afraid of feet to the point where it just gets weird. I usually take advantage of these fears - I’ll say something mildly forward just to watch him jump back and scream, “NO HOMO!!” The best yet was while he was ironing - I placed my hand lightly on his hip and said, “Hi, Westley…”
HAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!!!!!!! SOOOOOO much fun!
Anyways. That about does it. All I can remember for now, anyways. I left some stuff for Robin to tell because it involves her more than me. So let’s get down to the last few days, and my Christmas haul.
The shiniest presents came from Robin, of course. She got me:
All of Wolf’s Rain
All of Witch Hunter Robin
And a sweet little dragon necklace from Hot Topic.
Furthermore, I got her all of Outlaw Star. Lots of good anime!
Everything else I/We got:
A new camera (self-bought)
A new DVD Player (borked, but shall be traded for one that works)
New Harry Potter DVD
New Brad Paisley album
Lots of cool clothes (not a bad shirt in the bunch!)
6 Qt CrockPot
10-pc pot/pan set
New casserole dishes
$700 cash
We’ll prolly get some cash from my grandfather as well. Going up to see him Dec. 29th.
Now…onto books I’ve read this year. Firth, though, a quick explanation: I rank the books 1-10. Books that rate a 9 or 10 I would recommend to just about anybody, unless it conflicts with some belief I know they hold dear (i.e. The Golden Compass/Subtle Knife/ Amber Spyglass). 7 or 8 means that they were good, even great, but they might not be ranked so high for some people due to particular interests. 5 or 6 is okay or decent - I can see the quality somewhere in it, but it just isn’t my taste, or wasn’t written well enough. Anything below that, I recommend just not even looking at. I’m also going to include books I’ve read in 2006, and some I am looking forward to reading in 2008. Here it is:
Books read in 2006
10 - Straken by Terry Brooks
10 - Dragon Champion by E.E. Knight
9 - Memiors of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
8 - Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
7 - Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
7 - Xenocide by Orson Scott Card
8 - Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card
4 - The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
8 - The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
6 - Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
7 - The Iliad by Homer
6 - Somebody Else's Children - Torey L. Hayden
10 - Dragonlance: Chronicles by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
6 - Oedipus Rex by Socrates
9 - Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
7 - The Grounding of Group Six by Julian F. Thompson
9 - The Divine Comedy, Inferno by Dante Alighieri
10 - The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
10 - Eragon by Christopher Paolini
8 - The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Books read in 2007
5 - Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
6 - Hamlet by Shakespeare
9 - Sabriel by Garth Nix
10 - Lirael by Garth Nix
8 - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard
10 - Abhorsen by Garth Nix
10 - Eldest by Christopher Paolini
6 - The Stranger by Albert Camus
4 - Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
10 - Armageddon’s Children by Terry Brooks
9 - Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
10 - Valley of Shadows by Frank Fradella
8 - Magic Kingdom For Sale…Sold! by Terry Brooks
4 - Chronicles of the Planeswalkers: Part Zero by B.T. Robertson (unfinished)
9 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
9 - Dragon Avenger by E.E. Knight
8 - Ironside by Holly Black
8 - Chickenhawk by Robert Mason
9 - The Elves of Cintra by Terry Brooks
9 - The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
8 - The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman
10 - The Amber Spyglass by Phillip Pullman
10 - Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
9 - LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
Books to read in 2008
- LOTR: The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
- LOTR: The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
- New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
- Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
- Way of the Wolf by E.E. Knight
Annals of The Black Company trilogy by Glen Cook (re-read)
Arena by Karen Hancock
Cell by Stephen King
Sword Dancer series by Jennifer Roberson
The Belgariad by David Eddings
If you want more detailed reviews to help you decide what to read, just ask. ^_^
Now…for music. I’ve gained a few new artists to be addicted to this year. Among them are: Vienna Teng, Imogen Heap, Hourglass, Symphony X, Metallica, Goo Goo Dolls, Foo Fighters, Muse, Silversun Pickups, and the new Nightwish vocalist, just to name a few.
Since I got my iPod, I’ve been keeping score of the most played songs on my iTunes. Well, it’s been two years, and one song has just hit 100 plays, finally (I’ve been trying to listen to the newer stuff as I get it so that I don’t wear myself out on the older favorites…). So, here’s the top 100 songs on my play list (songs with the same number of plays are alphabetical, as per iTunes default - there are a bunch around 65 or so plays because I would make a playlist without those top 25). Here they are in the following format: ###: Title - Artist:Album - PlayCount
(NOTE: Skip it if you want…just did this to help suggest new music. If you don’t see your favorite song, maybe I don’t have it, maybe I haven’t had it long enough. I’m always open to suggestions and I never mind people sending me music. XD)
001: Gravity - Vienna Teng: Waking Hour - 100
002: Trial of Tears: It's Raining/Deep in Heaven/The Wasteland - Dream Theater: Falling Into Infinity - 98
003: Full Moon - Sonata Arctica: The End of This Chapter - 95
004: Take Away My Pain - Dream Theater: Falling Into Infinity - 89
005: The End Of This Chapter - Sonata Arctica: Silence - 88
006: Lazarus - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 83
007: Tallulah - Sonata Arctica: Silence - 81
008: Voices - Dream Theater: Awake - 80
009: The Silent Man - Dream Theater: Awake - 80
010: Heaven's Not Enough - Steve Conte: Wolf's Rain 2 - 80
011: Fatal Tragedy - Dream Theater: Scenes from a Memory - 79
012: The Power Of One - Sonata Arctica: Silence - 77
013: Lifting Shadows Off a Dream - Dream Theater: Awake - 73
014: Congratulations [with Imogen Heap] - Blue October: Foiled - 72
015: Space-Dye Vest - Dream Theater: Awake - 72
016: Snow ((Hey Oh)) - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 72
017: Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On - Dream Theater: Scenes from a Memory - 69
018: Fly - Blind Guardian: A Twist in the Myth - 68
019: Peacemaker - Sonata Arctica: Wolf & Raven - 68
020: Death Whispered a Lullaby - Opeth: Damnation - 67
021: Into The Ocean - Blue October: Foiled - 66
022: X Amount of Words - Blue October: Foiled - 66
023: Deadwing - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 66
024: Hump De Bump - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 66
025: Death Of A Martian - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 66
026: Black Sheep - Sonata Arctica: Silence - 66
027: Enigma - Trapt: Trapt - 66
028: Broken Wings - Alter Bridge: One Day Remains - 65
029: Carry The Blessed Home - Blind Guardian: A Twist in the Myth - 65
030: You Make Me Smile - Blue October: Foiled - 65
031: Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 65
032: Save Me - Shinedown: Us and Them - 65
033: Still Loving You - Sonata Arctica - 65
034: Dani California - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 64
035: Stranger Inside - Shinedown: Leave a Whisper - 64
036: Beyond The Sun - Shinedown: Us and Them - 63
037: 18th Floor Balcony - Blue October: Foiled - 62
038: Sound of Pulling Heaven Down - Blue October: Foiled - 62
039: Desecration Smile - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 62
040: Weathered - Creed: Greatest Hits - 61
041: The Unforgiven II - Metallica: Back in Black - 61
042: Otherland - Blind Guardian: A Twist in the Myth - 60
043: Bright Eyes - Blind Guardian: Imaginations From The Other Side - 59
044: Hollow Years - Dream Theater - 59
045: Especially In Michigan - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 59
046: Imaginations From The Other Side - Blind Guardian: Imaginations From The Other Side - 58
047: She's My Ride Home - Blue October: Foiled - 58
048: Bodies - Drowning Pool: Sinner - 58
049: Mellotron Scratch - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 58
050: Hopeless - Train: Drops of Jupiter - 58
051: Gravity - Maaya Sakamoto: Wolf's Rain - 57
052: Wet Sand - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 57
053: And Then There Was Silence - Blind Guardian: A Night at the Opera - 56
054: Don't Stop Dancing - Creed: Greatest Hits - 56
055: The Mirror - Dream Theater: Awake - 56
056: Just Let Me Breathe - Dream Theater: Falling Into Infinity - 56
057: Counting Bodies Like Sheep - A Perfect Circle - 56
058: Melancholy - Iced Earth: Something Wicked This Way Comes - 55
059: Innocence Faded - Dream Theater: Awake - 54
060: Wolf & Raven - Sonata Arctica: Wolf & Raven - 54
061: I'm Alive - Blind Guardian: Imaginations From The Other Side - 53
062: Stories - Trapt: Trapt - 53
063: With Arms Wide Open - Creed: Greatest Hits - 52
064: Who's Got My Back - Creed: Weathered - 52
065: Halo - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 52
066: Let It Roll - Train: Drops of Jupiter - 52
067: And The Story Ends - Blind Guardian: Imaginations From The Other Side - 51
068: Hate Me - Blue October: Foiled - 51
069: Torture Me - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 51
070: Tell Me Baby - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 51
071: Storm In A Teacup - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 51
072: Mississippi - Train: Drops of Jupiter - 51
073: Erotomania - Dream Theater: Awake - 50
074: Surrounded - Dream Theater: Images And Words - 50
075: I Dare You - Shinedown: Us and Them - 49
076: Skalds and Shadows - Blind Guardian: A Twist in the Myth - 48
077: Bullets - Creed: Greatest Hits - 48
078: The Dark Eternal Night - Dream Theater: Systematic Chaos - 48
079: Drive - Incubus: Make Yourself - 48
080: Arriving Somewhere But Not Here - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 48
081: She's Moved On - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 48
082: Stars - Switchfoot: Nothing Is Sound - 48
083: I Caught Fire - The Used: In Love And Death - 48
084: Shallow - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 47
085: Strip My Mind - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium - 47
086: What If We Could - Blue October: Foiled - 46
087: Victoria's Secret - Sonata Arctica: The End of This Chapter - 46
088: Liquid Man - Theatre of Tragedy: Assembly - 46
089: Drilled a Wire Through My Cheek - Blue October: Foiled - 45
090: Torn - Creed: Greatest Hits - 45
091: Love's Tragedy Asunder - Demons & Wizards: Touched by the Crimson King - 45
092: Daisy - Switchfoot: Nothing Is Sound - 45
093: [Hidden Track] - Blue October: Foiled - 44
094: Everlasting Friend - Blue October: Foiled - 44
095: Far Away - Nickelback: All The Right Reasons - 44
096: The Start of Something Beautiful - Porcupine Tree: Deadwing - 44
097: Burning Bright - Shinedown: Leave a Whisper - 44
098: .45 - Shinedown: Leave a Whisper - 44
099: In Loving Memory - Alter Bridge: One Day Remains - 43
100: Day Five: Voices - Ayreon: The Human Equation - 43
So…let’s see…top five groups according to this:
Dream Theater - 15 ( 4 in the top 10, 8 in top 25)
Red Hot Chili Peppers - 12 (all from Stadium Arcadium, 3 in top 25)
Blue October - 12 (all from the Foiled album, which has 14 tracks)
Blind Guardian - 9 (My favorite band)
Sonata Arctica - 9 (3 in top 10, 5 in top 25)
So, there we are. Events, X-mas, Literature, Music…the only thing I’m saying about games is:
I WANT A WII! AND I WANT SUPER SMASH BROS. BRAWL!!! NOW!!! ;-;
Yep. That’s about it. XD
Leave me a comment! I only post every now and then, you know…and not getting comments on those rare occasions makes me a very sad Chibi, indeed… ;-;
I'll check here again on Tuesday! Going away for teh weekend. Byes!