My 5 1/2 Minute Hallway

So I ordered a lovely new coat of ModCloth.com, due to arrive on Friday. I actually read the description of the coat thoroughly before buying (Seeing as it ended up costing about $90). Apparently however, reading the description of something online before purchase isn't a common practice...

It clearly states in the description that the pockets are stitched, but can easily be opened with a seam ripper. (As pockets in expensive pieces of clothing generally are...) And yet, guess what the biggest, most common complaint in the comments is? "OMG why are the pockets stitched up? I wish this had pockets :( This is stupid!"

*smh* I'm going to be sure to include something about the pockets in my review, hopefully people will maybe read it if they don't read the actual description of the coat. (Which also includes info on the material the coat is made of, as well as a basic temperature reading...so maybe people should read that so they won't be surprised and then bitch about how thin the coat is? It's obviously not a down-sub-zero coat, even just by the picture...)

Okay, I'm done. It just bothers me when people don't read directions and then complain because something doesn't work correctly.

(Also, why the hell would you complain about a coat being wrinkled on arrival? Obviously if something happens to it in transit, the company can't control that. And PS - That's what irons are for!) 

So while this will remain my personal/fandom/whatever journal (because I've had it since freshman year of highschool, goddamn), I've created another blog with an actual theme. A tumlr account no less. Aren't I cool and jumping on the bandwagon?

Anyway, A Storm of Pages will follow my escapades into the literary world, and my adventures as an aspiring writer. So, you know, if you're interested, or if you know people who might be interested, or if you know a good literary agent who might like me (!!!) come on over and check it out :) 

I'm going to post about writing, about getting into the business (I hope) and everything that goes along with that. Who knows, maybe someone will actually be interested ¬_¬ we shall see....

Made this one up for lunch today and it turned out really tasty...

Ingredients:
(amounts can vary depending on how much you want and your personal tastes)
1 large flour tortilla
Can of tuna
Pickle relish
Mayonnaise
2 slices smoked gouda cheese
Lettuce
Salsa

- Drain tuna, mix in a small bowl with pickle relish and mayo to desired consistency. 
- Spread a good amount of the tuna mix on the tortilla (I did it just in a thick strip down the middle, makes it easier to fold). Put the two slices of cheese on top of the tuna.
- Put the tortilla with tuna and cheese either in a toaster oven or on a skillet on the stove or in an actual oven (etc.) and heat until the cheese is at least a little bit melted. 
- Spread salsa on top of the melted cheese, add lettuce to your liking, roll/wrap/fold the tortilla so nothing escapes.
- Enjoy! (If you're having trouble holding it together while eating, try wrapping a strip of tinfoil around the bottom to hold it together :)) 

Notes:
- If you're in Milwaukee, WI I would highly recommend using the medium salsa from Beans & Barley over on the east side, it's fantastic!
- And of course you can substitute the smoked gouda with any of your favorite cheeses. The smokey flavor is quite delicious however...

Wow, another year done and holy crap I'm halfway through college. Where did the past two years of my life just go? Like, since when was I 20 years old and a junior in college? HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!!

I feel like this year was a lot about narrowing in on where I'm going in life. Last year was getting used to the whole being on my own thing, this year I got into my stride and took charge of things. I decided I wanted to go to London for a semester next year, and I made it happen. I had tons of fun and crazy times with my awesome friends, had a ton of fun, went through a few rough patches too, but managed to work those out, always.

Also worked my butt off in some of the most awesome classes I've ever taken. Creative writing made me realize even more that writing is what I want to do, especially hearing a published author say she thinks I have what it takes. Detective fiction was just hella fun, I mean, come on, Sherlock Holmes, and I discovered some other authors that I've fallen in love with. And of course Anthropology turned out to be the most enjoyable and coolest science class I've ever taken, I mean, Julie was with me and we had just the craziest and best TF  ever. Awesome moments in my life have often been marked by songs. Anthropology is the reason that the Ardipithecus Ramidus song is now among those songs.

But, as I've realized at so many points today, I've never felt so sure of myself before in my life. I feel like I'm where I should be, doing exactly what I should be doing. Thinking back, I don't think I could have imagined I'd be where I am now, going to school in Boston, about to go to London...but it's amazing. I'm so grateful for everything and everyone in my life, I'm so excited to see where its going to take me next. You know that old cliche about the whole wide world being spread out before you? I really know what that means now.

My life is awesome. True story.

So much has been going on lately. Good things first...I'm going to London in the Fall! And not just for a little trip either, oh no, it's going to be a whole semester in an apartment in the swanky neighborhood of South Kensington. Study abroad, you are a wonderful invention.

Basically, I'll be spending my time studying, exploring, hunting down the Jack the Ripper murder sites and 221B Baker Street (my two top priorities!), getting down to Brighton for a weekend with my dear love, taking awesome classes taught by people with British accents (maybe picking up a few odd words), trying to remember not to comment on people's 'pants' because that means underwear, and other lovely and amazing things. This is going to be epic.

I think one of the best things about growing up is the realization that I can basically go anywhere and do anything, as long as I'm willing to work for it. (That sounds cliche, yes, but it's true!)

Friday night was fun, I went to a 4 hour rock concert at Harper's Ferry with my friend Rebecca. She's just awesome, we met at orientation the summer before we started, and though we haven't hung out nearly enough this year, she's also going to London and we're going to request to be roommates so I'm sure we'll see plenty of each other then ;) The concert was pretty awesome though, got hit on by a skeezy drunk guy, talked to by a rather adorakble drunk guy, got to witness some band drama as well as a crazy drunk 40-something-cougar-lady trying to seduce the lead guitarist of Rebecca's-boyfriend's-band (yes, that was amusing for everyone but the poor guy who said he thought the lady was going to shank him if he tried to leave...)

I was watching Stargate SG-1 today. Oh, SG-1, I missed you! I now want to write fanfiction. Speaking of which, I went over to fanfiction.net and realize that I opened my account there nearly 6 years ago! Holy crap! I've got some really old-ass stories sitting around that I'm terrified to go back and read for how bad they might be. I may leave them up, thankfully they have dates on them so people can see that they're from my earlier years...

Whew. Anyway, so that's what's been going on. I'm just counting down the days until school is over (last day of classes is April 29th, then I just have to survive finals week...) I can't wait to have my own room back for a couple months. I can't wait to be home with my parents and my kitty cats and my own bed. I'll enjoy that for a bit then go fly across the ocean ;)

Title: [Untitled]
Author:scifichick2012 
Rating: Mature
Genre: Romance
Spoilers: Brief mention of something unimportant from ‘Haunted.’
Characters: Helen/John
Summary: A brief one-shot when Helen wakes in the night.
Disclaimer: Not mine, just borrowing ;)
Author’s Note: Quote is from Nietzsche’s ‘Beyond Good and Evil.’


( Through the open window came the smell of rain, of something like wet ashes and early spring air... )

So I've been feeling particularly on the ball lately. Maybe it's the whole falling in love thing, or maybe I've actually just been working really hard and reaping the benefits. Like the A on my last latin test, or the feeling that I haven't actually been slacking off at all this semester. Go me!

Okay so most of my mind is on London. I'm applying for the study abroad program over there, and while I had hoped I could do it next spring, it's only being offered in the fall semester. Which sucks on many levels, but I want this bad enough that I'll deal with it.

I'm really proud of myself though. I've been making necessary connections, asking questions, doing research and filling out forms. Even though you only need one faculty recommendation, with a second one being optional, I bit the bullet and emailed one of my teachers from last semester, and he's more than happy to do my second one (my adviser is doing my first). So now I just have to get those done, write my 1 page personal statement, send in the app with the fee, and I'm all set to go.

Got my fingers crossed that I'll get in. I want this so bad, I can't even say.

So I'm in Cleveland at the moment, visiting relatives out here. Just spent the whole day in the car, yay. Of course the minute I took my turn driving it turned into a white out, so I got to enjoy the worst of the weather. Luckily, being new year's day, there weren't many cars out on the road.

And now I'm tucked in a random corner of my grandma's living room because it's the only place in her apartment that I can get a decent wireless internet signal, hahaha. Me and my technology.

It's snowing out though, and really pretty.

So I started reading the novel "The Invention of Everything Else" by Samantha Hunt. It's about Nikola Tesla. And so far it's fantastic. And I'm only in like 2 chapters so far.

I also have come to the conclusion, after studying him for the past six months or so, that I love Tesla (well, in the way one slightly crazy college girl could love a really crazy dead inventor). I don't think enough people give this man the respect he deserves, so I'm overcompensating. <3 Maybe I should start a Tesla fangirl club or something. We can have a pigeon as our mascot and no one will be allowed to wear pearl earrings.

Or something.

tagged by shelma32

FIRST: If you've been tagged, you must write your answers in your own LJ and replace any question that you dislike with a new, original question.

SECOND: Tag eight people. (Yeah, whatever, if you're reading this...tag you're it.)

1. Who sleeps in bed next to you?
My stuffed tiger and unicorn.

2. What did you last eat?
Brownie with m&ms on it.

3. What kinds of books do you read?
Mostly textbooks/novels for school. In my freetime...anything, really.

4. What are you reading right now?
"The Meaning of Night" by Michael Cox

5. If you could be anywhere right now, where would it be?
Home, in Milwaukee.

6. Tell me something interesting that happened today.
Totally changed something dramatic about my appearance. I'm trying to surprise my parents, so don't tell them, shhhh.

7. Name some odd items within three feet of you.
*looks around* printed out picture of Helen Magnus, baggie full of Latin vocabulary flashcards, poem I wrote about Nikola Tesla...stapler shaped like a dragon...

8. What's your current fandom obsession/addiction?
Sanctuary. Fangirl worshiping Amanda Tapping.

9. What did you really want to do today that you didn't?
Hmmm...study for my history final. Haha. Not. Write a story, I guess. or get some reading done.

10. What are you most excited for?
Going home for winter break!!!!

11. What websites do you always visit when you go online?
Livejournal, syfy.com...

12. What was the last thing you bought?
Uhhhhhmmmmmm...index cards, orange mango juice, microwaveable campbells chicken noodle soup.

13.What do you want right now, off the top of your head?
To live in the Sanctuary. And be BFF's with Helen Magnus.

14. What's your biggest procrastination method?
Besides staring out the window? Playing bejewelled blitz on Facebook.

15. Are there any bits of childhood you miss?
The innocence, not having to worry about life.

16. Spring, summer, fall, or winter?
Fall.

17. Say something to/about the person/s who tagged you.
We've written some pretty epic adventures for Helen and Henry together. They're stuck on a boat at the moment ;)

I just realized, I always go on about how much I want that romantic sort of starving artist lifestyle, living in a tiny apartment and struggling to get my stories done on time...and right now I think the fates or whatever the hell is up there, are testing my resolve. I'm low on cash, living in a small room, and struggling to get all my writing done on time. Yeah not so romantic at the moment. But then again I don't have a cute artistic boyfriend who works in a coffee shop and plays some musical instrument.

Long story short, this week is going to be such hell. My two actual final exams are going to feel like a welcome relief after this. Lets see...

I have readings to do for History and English (those are on wed. and thur.) Papers due for both of those by thursday. Long papers. Long, research papers.
I have a two page short play scene to do for Creative writing on friday.
I have my portfolio for creative writing on friday (revising a short story, two poems and a short play)
I have reviewing for latin to do.
And I somehow have to fit work in there so I can have enough money to buy textbooks for next semester...

Good news? Uhm, my creative writing teacher thinks I'm a really good writer and I've got what it takes to be a novelist. And apparently my poems were so good she had to take them to one of her poet friends to get some advice on critiquing them (I wasn't the only one in the class, but that was still nice to hear). So I may not be able to contain stories into a short format, but I think she has faith in me. It's always nice to be told by a published author that you're a good writer :3 I'll just focus on that, try to find the other good things in my life...

I'm going home soon...
I beat NaNoWriMo and now have a 51,000+ word, 73 page novel waiting for my love and attention.
It's almost the holidays.
I have wonderful, loving friends that keep me smiling even on my worst days (*sniff sniff*)
Sanctuary tonight!!! So excited. I'm going through withdrawal, I swear. I need more of Amanda Tapping's amazing acting.