Day 26: I still don't like making up these titles.

Day 26 – Mar. 2^nd, 2012

                        Today was long yet fun. I did my practice midterm for Algebra this morning and got 87%. Then I went to Rio to take the physical Midterm and got an 85% which really isn’t bad. It only took about 45 minutes. Carl and I went to Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe which id seen but hadn’t gone into yet. It smelled of lovely incense and had a great selection of books with a little bit of everything. I would like to go back and get a few little gifts I saw and check out Hoodlums next door. It’s a music and movie local store that looks very cool as well. We also got Jamba Juice and I got a Cold buster which I love because it really tastes great and wakes me up. When we got home everyone was hungry so Carl, Jeana, Carl Sr. and I went out to IHOP. I tried the new Lorax meal that’s with the Dr. Seuss movie. It had green eggs (spinach) and ham, hash browns and a blueberry-pancake-waffle cone thing. Delicious and yet fattening. We also had hot cocoa which was very sugary. We also visited Carl’s older brother Keith’s house to get some pirate gear for our adventure on Sunday at the Renaissance Faire. I finished my Psychology lesson on adolescence and completed the quiz and the essay on some cognitive changes in teenagers’ minds. Last I was having weird dreams about people dying; they were really vivid and intense. David Reynolds was hit by a semi along Shawnee Rd near Bacone in Oklahoma, my dad was crushed on a construction site by a falling girder near Huntington Beach in California, and Nikki Tsarnas was murdered and missing her legs by the music room at Anaheim High School, which is where we went to school in California. Then for some reason my brother Frank, adopted brother Jory and myself were driving my old Lincoln to get groceries because Mom was upset about dad dying. So we drove to an Albertsons in Santa Fe Springs. We got a cart of apples, eggs and tortillas. That’s when I woke up... What the heck is up with that? I looked it up and the closest Albertsons is off of Firestone Blvd 30 minutes away and there is one literally a block from my mom’s house less than 5 minutes away. My mind just must be over working or stressed. Ok kiddos nighty night!

Day 25 March MaDnE55!

Day 25 – Mar.1^st, 2012

                       Wow it’s already March! I’ve got a lot of birthdays this month to remember: Dad’s is the 6^th, cousin Jessie is the 7^th, cousin Erik is 12^th, Sara Johnson is 13^th, St. Patrick’s Day is the 17^th, the Tucson Lion’s Convention is 16^th-18^th, Baby Brian’s 1^st birthday is the 19^th, Mikey is the 20^th, and Mom is the 21^st. So much is going on, I feel as though I’m forgetting something/someone. Jeana, Carl, and I (and maybe Miranda) are going to the Renaissance Faire this weekend so that will be exciting. Carl and I met for the 2^nd time there last year. We’ve known each other over a year now. Today I did more Psychology reading about adolescence and then I made a study guide for my Math Midterm tomorrow. Studying for all that algebra seemed to take forever and hurts my brain. I’ll take the pre-test online in the morning on Rio-Learn. Around 2:30pm, I’ll head over to the school to take the exam at the Rio Testing Center. Maybe afterwards I’ll go by the AZ Mills mall where I worked at Lane Bryant, just took look around but I don’t know yet as I have more English/Psych reading to do. I think listening to Weird Al, Bloodhound Gang, Voltaire and Mindless Self Indulgence while you are studying something pretty serious makes it more fun by the way. G’Night!

Day(X). Substitute 12 for X and solve.

Day 12 – Feb. 17^th, 2012

                        Today was Carl’s birthday! He is 28 and he got lots of loving from me and is family today. His sister Jeanette and his dad Carl got him a new king-sized memory foam bed that I helped pick out and I bought a nice black and red plaid sheet set for it. Jeana also got him a wind-up red Dalek and the 10^th Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver which she placed on the TARDIS blue cake we ordered from Coldstone Creamery. It was really good but all of our mouths turned blue! The inside was red velvet Cake with Cake Batter ice cream with sprinkles and peanut butter cups on top. I also got him mini Lego Cybermen and a few comic books which he enjoys. He made meatloaf tonight that was very good as well. I had another long day of algebra but in the end I got a 100% on the Chapter 3 test so that’s amazing. I then started on Psychology and we are covering middle childhood which is about ages 6 to 12 and how their development grows. Then tomorrow I have my English essay to finish with a lovely break on Sunday to possibly play Skyrim or read. I’ve been in the mood for really rock-punk music lately. Right now I’m playing Ramones, earlier it was the Misfits and I keep replaying “Geek Stink Breath” by Greenday. Perhaps they are Junior High flashbacks? I never know how to end these things correctly, so here’s an awesome quote to think about and reflect upon:

"I reject your reality and substitute my own." -Adam Savage, Mythbusters.

Day 11... why is it eleven and not onety-one?

Day 11 – Feb.16^th, 2012

                        It was an uneventful day really but I am excited because its Carl’s 28^th birthday tomorrow. I choose my English essay which will be on the gay teen suicide being common or a myth. It will make for quiet an interesting read indeed especially because the article calling it a myth enraged me so by throwing in statements about how “homosexuals shouldn’t be allowed near schools”. ARGH! Then I began my algebra homework for chapter 3: Graphs of Linear Equations and Inequalities in Two Variables. I’m going to take the test on it tomorrow and start my Psychology reading and do my English essay on Saturday. Seems like an overwhelming week in the homework area for some reason. I think it just got behind but if I catch up I’ll be ok. I got a nice Valentine’s Day card from my mommy today and she got a teddy bear I sent her as well. She sends me coupons too which is really helpful because she knows what I like lol. I really want to see VNV Nation (3/17/2012 in Mesa) and Mindless Self Indulgence (4/1/2012 in Tempe) here this year I hope that I have the money. It would be super cool and I’ve never been to a show with Carl. We ordered Chinese food for dinner and I got sweet & sour chicken which was delicious. My back is killing me tonight so I need to go grab some Excedrin and chill out. Nighty!

Day 6... Things you see in a parking lot.

Day 6 – Feb.11^th, 2012

                        Today was the second day of White Cane. Carl and I got at Fry’s about 930am to set up the card tables and a folding chair at each entrance. Carl the elder (my Carl’s dad who is 80) and Mikey (Carl’s nephew who is 17) stood at one entrance and Carl and I stood at the entrance by the pharmacy. Things went pretty well, some of the first folks we had gave us $5 bills and what not. We got a few people excited about attending a meeting or contacting us with their old glasses or wanting to help. There were a couple of men who had been helped by a Lions Club as children and gotten eyeglasses and they were the ones that usually threw in a wad of cash. There were a few downers though as they were rude or made remarks such as “Well I can barely walk in my age, so I can’t help you.” I hate that attitude because there are Lions in wheelchairs and canes or who are blind themselves and they put in time for volunteering, so don’t give me that bitchy remark. Carl really saved the day being the good person he is because he helped an elderly gentleman who was 82 to get home. He had driven to the market but was very confused about everything, could hardly walk, wasn’t sure what was going on and it had seemed as though he had possibly had a stroke. We noticed him wandering the parking lot and starting to get into a car. Our club Secretary John had come to help with White Cane and called the Gilbert Police to help the gentleman out. They escorted him home and his wife hadn’t known he’d left or where he went. Everyone said that by helping him before he drove away, Carl probably avoided an accident. You see a lot of strange things when you are outside of a market by a parking lot for 6 hours. We saw a few crazies, an obviously high on something guy, lots of kids and lots of generous donators. Other than that I got an 88% on my Algebra Ch2 test. Time to relax!

Day 5. Hawaii 5-0... Cinco

Day 5 – Feb. 10^th, 2012

            Today has been so slow and yet long. I didn’t really do much of anything except Algebra homework. I went to the White Cane Days for the Lions Club at 10am with Carl but I was only needed for about a half an hour before I got to come back here. I just finally got done with all that algebra, its midnight now. The test is due before midnight tomorrow and that’s the last thing I’ve got to do so that’s good. Got to get up in the morning for the second day of White Cane and I’ll be there about 6 hrs. We are collecting money for needy children to afford glasses and eye care. It’s mostly what the Lions are all about other than the work they do with the disabled camp, environment and many other community services. Check out the website for the international one or your local chapter. Even if you don’t want to join, you can always give them your old glasses and they recycle them into new ones for the poor. We are outside the Fry’s Food & Drug Store in Gilbert, AZ off Baseline Rd. & Gilbert Rd. for most of the day. On a random note, Carl got me a collection of Alice in Wonderland (Disney ‘50s) earrings and I love them all but my favorite ones are the ones that look like the White Rabbit’s pocket watch. So cute in my ears! I’ve been forgetting to repeat my personal affirmation: I am a creative, intelligent, encouraging woman, serving others in need. Make up your own using this template, fill it in with 3 positive adjectives and one verb describing something you do. I am a/an ________, ________, ________ man/woman, _______ing ________. Another example: I am an intelligent, confident, unique man, working hard toward my goals. J

Day 4... Math attack

Day 4 – Feb. 9^th, 2012

                        Today was my Math/Algebra day. I completely hate it! Doing the whole “Solve for x” in a linear equation business. Some of them were longer and now we are doing the “many solutions/no solution” thing as well. I did half my work today and the rest will be tomorrow after noon. I’m so glad for my TI-83 Plus calculator to help me through it. Today was kind of slow but I did get to Game Stop to renew my GI subscription and got the game guide for Skyrim. That thing is huge, bigger than a Bible! We ended up eating at Five Guys and they have delicious real French fries. This morning I woke up with an incredibly horrible stuffy nose and now my nose is red from sneezing all day. I don’t like being sick, I get so achy and I don’t like feeling like that when I’m studying. I finished my book Flowers for Algernon and it was so good but very sad. I’d recommend anyone read it especially if you are going into a Psychological related field as I am. It shows how the mind changes with more or less intelligence. Charlie Gordon was a different person completely depending on his IQ level. I’ve decided to start reading Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser and see what that’s all about. It’ll probably scare me out of eating at those places for a while lol. I hope tomorrow and Saturday go well because we are doing the White Cane even for Lion’s Club here in Gilbert. I’ll let ya’ll know how that goes. Well that’s all folks!