so.. I have this need.

to go shopping here. soon.

banana-berry.

Okay, so that last blog was very irrational. I don't actually hate college, and I am actually grateful to be learning all of these amazing things. I think it's just that I don't like my classes this semester (except for e-commerce!), particularly Interpersonal Communication. It's like one big therapy session. Gahh. We have this journaling assignment where we are to write down issues or experiences in our lives where we have encountered communication problems. So, like any good student I did this. Today, however, I get my journal back with a C grade. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??! My very insightful professor told me "Alisha, you need to give me examples where you have worked on your communication weaknesses." Really? Wow.

MOVING ON.

Promise not to rant for a long while now... 

or as long as I can :)

Today is the second day in a row where I have had a spectacular banana-berry smoothie from Wanda's. This makes me happy! Often times they make them too yogurt-y, or too ice-y, and it's just no bueno. But these past two days, all of the ingredients have been meshed together so well!

Only 27 days left of school. YAYYY! I think I can make it. I just need to get my head in the game and pull it out with some B's. Last semester I got mostly A's, but sadly I don't think that will happen this semester. Oh well, no one really pays attention to your GPA after you graduate.. unless of course you're planning on going to Grad School. Which I might :s.. okay, have to do better.

I think I'll end with one of my favorite quotes, 

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, Live the life you've always imagined." - Henry David Thoreau 

Procrastination Master

I can procrastinate with the best of them. No, seriously. I'll find any excuse not to do something that I really need to do. It's definitely a curse.

Anyway, I haven't blogged in forever. I know, I said I'd get better about it, but things have been NUTS. In February we found out some not so pleasant news about Mom, and it seems like the whole family has been on an emotional rollercoaster ever since. But we've all decided to let God handle everything. This seems like a good ideas since absolutely no one knows the future and we can't change it either, so give it to someone who can. 

Aunt Mary also moved out here to here to help out. She has really been a blessing, even though it has taken a while for everyone to get used to having someone new around. Not that she's "new", but it's a little bit of culture shock for everyone when a person breaks up the equilibrium. She's absolutely amazing though, leaving her job and everything. Wow.

Soo... Not that anyone really reads this, but since it is MY blog, I guess you want to know what I've been up to.. or maybe you don't, but it's mine.. so, tough :)

I effing HATE school. Well, mostly the whole academic part of it. Everything other than that is okay, but I have officially caught a bad case of Senioritis (it is a real disease, look it up) and it is driving me CRAZY. 

I don't care about meaningless assignments or tasks that I'm supposed to do to graduate and get that sacred "piece of paper" that will open doors for me. Eff that. College is a joke and I can't believe I'm paying upwards of $80,000 for this. I don't feel like I've learned anything to great to warrant that price tag.

So.. what I've decided to do is: the bare minimum. Yep, the least amount of work to get this semester done. This always seems to happen spring semester. Fall semester is better.

Also, I was gonna graduate in December, but there are 2 classes I need to graduate that aren't being offered in the Fall. So.. that's that. But I think it's a blessing in disguise because since I have not had an internship yet, it's kind of scary to think that I'd be out in the "real world" in less than 9 months.

Another reason I'm over school is because I am so sick of living with people. It's not like living at home, and don't get me wrong, I love my roommates (for the most part) but I just feel like we're all living on top of each other ALL the time. Eff my life, I can't wait to live alone. Or at least move home for the summer. I miss my family ALL the time. I'm such a baby.

In other news.. I got bangs! Yep, the straight-across kind. They took some getting used to in the beginning, but now I love them! Brooklyn even took some really cool pictures right after I got them and we discovered my alter-ego.. Chloe Fisher. Long story, but you can check them out here.

I just got off spring break, and it was WAYYY too short. I didn't really do anything but hang out at home.. it was rather nice though :) Went and saw Duplicity, and almost walked out of it, but glad that I didn't. It ended up being realllly good! I also went to a Rascal Flatts concert!!! That's a story for another post though :)

Alright, well since I'm procrastinating right now actually, I better get to work and crank this little bastard out. So I can have a life, and money, and success. All because I put together a "topic memo". Ugh, give me a break. 

Goodnight to those of you that are relaxing and enjoying your night. I envy you.

xoxo

p.s. I know that this was kind of scatterbrained, but I'm really tired. I planned on saying way more, but alas, this will bring me back for more blogging!

Decorating the Apartment!

So this week I thought the roomies and I should try a little DIY. Our bathroom was in dire need of a makeover but we didn't have many resources available to us, and we definitely needed to do this on a budget. The first thing we needed was a new vanity mirror. Robern had some really cute ones, and ones that wouldn't break the bank.  The mirror we chose  really goes with the modern motif we have planned. I think we're going to do the walls a light sage green or blue to set off the mirror, and probably silver or nickel accents. Well.. thats all for now, but I'll be sure to keep you updated :)

Ron Burgundy and the Jazz Flute

So.. last night Brooklyn and I decided we wanted to actually do something out of the Friday night norms. (Go to the movies, sit at the apartment, go to dinner, party.. etc.) We frantically searched online for concerts, comedy clubs, free things, just fun things to do that we don't do normally. Eventually I ran across an ad for the L.A. Philharmonic playing at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa. Perfect!

I call the box office to see if there are any $30 tickets left, and the woman says no, but then asks if we are students. She then proceeds to tell me that you can by a student ticket.. and they are 2 for $15. Sounds good to me! So, then I call back just to be sure that they will have the tickets when we get there and that the performance starts @ 9:30. Yep, everything was a go.

Brooklyn and I then try and get ready fairly quickly and end up leaving by 7:45-ish. We map out our destination on her trusty iPhone and are then on our way! Around 8:30 we arrive at the O.C. Performing Arts Center, park, and walk down the maze to the theater. Somehow, not surprisingly we get to the door and the usher informs us that the performance did indeed start at 8:00 (like it had said online, which is why I called.. TWICE) and that there were not any student tickets. She then proceeds to tell us that the woman I spoke with on the phone must have been talking about the 9:30 jazz performance that was going on in the smaller theater.

So, figuring that we might as well check it out, we did, and it was Amazzzzzing!

We bought our tickets and still had about 15 minutes til the show started so we bought some drinks (Sprite with lime.) and waited  around. Noticing that our tickets said "1 seat at table 156" we got interested. Was this going to be a theater like the Golden Globes where we got to sit around at swanky tables and watch the show??

Well, it ended up being kind of like that! The room was dimly lit and had about 100 small four person tables, complete with cocktail waitresses to take your order. Very nice. 

Then the band started and we were blown away! They were awesome. I've never really been into jazz all that much, but these guys were good. They played for about and hour and then came back for a 15 minute encore. (Thats them up there in the picture in case you didn't know.. They're called the Blue Note 7, and were paying tribute to the Blue Note Records 70th anniversary.)

So, after that was over we were starved! Again, using the trusty services of UrbanSpoon and Google Maps we found a BJ's (even though the Google Maps got very angry at us when I missed an exit and basically threw us off the planet. we ended up finding our way the 'old fashioned' way). This was the perfect answer to our hunger! Our dinner consisted of water, pizza, a pomegranate margarita, and the most amazing chocolate chip pizookie known to man. I had forgotten how much I LOVED those :)

All in all, it was a fabulous night, and to tell the truth, I think this is going to be a somewhat regular happening.

a brand new year.

i always hate new years. 

mostly because it feels like every year there is absolutely nothing going on, and i end up sitting on the couch in my sweats, drinking Martinelli's, and watching some lame MTV new years special. it's not that i don't like lounging in my sweats, but i mean, it's new years! you are supposed to get dress up in glitter and sequins and party the night away until midnight, and the usher in the new year like its 1999! (or actually 2009 in this case!)

so.

to remedy this vicious cycle i told alexis to have a new years party, so she did. and man, did she go all out! i'm talking dressed up, dancing, disco-ball fun! but let's start the story from the beginning.

alexis decided that all of the girls were going to get dressed up, so i was on a mission to find a dress. i searched high and low, whilst going through various emotional high and lows, for the perfect dress. no. such. luck. so.... i ended up wearing a dress that i already owned that i had worn just once before. i wasn't too fond of it.. it was a little black dress with some rhinestone detail and an empire waist, nothing special. but then my mom helped me accessorize, and that made all the difference! we added a cape-like black thing because it was going to be cold outside and then my new silver heels that i bought for just $15 :).. i was happy with the outcome.

so.. i'm getting ready and such, finally done and head out to get alexis because we decided that we were going to go to dinner before the big shin-dig. i chose assagio's because of the fact that town pump was horrible last time i ate there. anyway.. we walk in, the place is absolutely packed,  and i kind of look like a giant with my heels on standing next to alexis (think: a flagpole next to the eiffel tower, yeah i was really tall). and all of a sudden who do i see? valerie guizar turns and looks at me from across the restaurant, i feel a pit of nervousness develop in my abdomen. slowly, the rest of the people at the table turn their heads and look in our direction. right at the freaking large eiffel tower woman. that last person to turn and look was none other than the dreaded C. yeah. haven't seen him in forever. 

anyway.. the little asian woman comes over and asks if we have a reservation. unfortunately, we did not, but they were able to seat us! whew.. i could sit and get out of view. shortly after that, kenz and d show up, i start chugging water and chill out. i'm fine. seriously.

so, we order and start visiting. i love nights like these with my girls. but then lex gets a call from justin saying that he is already at her house and needs to get in to put the alcohol away. lame! so she has to leave before we even eat. then, about five minutes later i see a green blob out of the corner of my eye, and that old familiar feeling resonates in the pit of my stomach. he wasn't coming over to our table, right? wrong. he was.

and oh how perfect it was that the only empty seat at our table was right across from me.. greaaaaat. ugh. so, C comes over, touches me on the shoulder, we all exchange greetings, then he sits. to say that awkward conversation was what followed would be an understatement. he proceeded to ask what us girls were up to that night, and where the party was.. i know right?.. as i was saying where it was we planned to ring the night in, D butts in and starts rambling on about God knows what, kenz is saying anything, and i'm sitting there smiling like a porcelain doll. wow....finally he leaves.

to make a long story short... i know this seems kind of ironic at this point, but bear with me.

-party was a blast. disco ball was definitely a hit. however i will have to wait another year for my new year's kiss. but hey, at least i'm no longer a kissing virgin! (that sounds bad. i swear it's not.)

-left with peri, chels, rach, roxy, jordan, and mark. as we were taking roxy home we almost run C over.. weird right?? hahahaha

-all in all, it was a great night. not one for the books, but one i'll always remember.

____________________________

moving on to the obligatory new years resolution part of the blog

____________________________

1) lose weight. i know this is what everyone says, but i'm for reals this time. i am going to look damn good by summer.

2) get right with God. it's been too long, and the small steps i've already taken feel so good.

3) blog more. i also know that i've said this before and not done it.. but it's kind of a release for me.. like free therapy!.. so yeah, i need to do it more.

4) keep my already established relationships growing, and find new ones to grow.

5) keep a regular hobby. i'm thinking i want to take pictures. or start playing golf again. that was magical.

6) dye my hair back blonde. being a brunette was fun but it's not my nature.

7) get all A's. shouldn't be hard.

8) decide on a career. wow. thats a big one.

9) meet a celeb.

10) stop reading gossip blogs. who am i kidding, as long as perez is around this won't happen.

11) go to new york.

12) study abroad?. yeah.

13) keep my soul, mind, and body healthy.

&

last..

but not least..

14) get a massage every month. because i deserve it. so HMPH!

:)

hopefully this will be a regular occurrence.

like weekly.

hopefully daily.

xo,

alisha

Happy Holidays?

i HATE that expression. yes, there are multiple holidays that fall into the month of December, but why can't you address them by name? "Happy Hanukkah" , "Merry Christmas", "Happy Kwanzaa", "Happy New Year". Why can't we go back to basics? I'll tell you why.. it's because people in the United States are more worried about being politically correct than keeping up with traditions that have been around for thousands and thousands of years. 

Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly has repeatedly shed light on the country's "War on Christmas". Because of this, more of the general public has come to know what is going on. Basically, organizations like the NAACP, and ACLU have declared a "war" on Christmas because it offends too many people. Let me just clarify one thing.. wishing someone Merry Christmas does not mean that you are shoving Christianity down their throats!!!!!! Yes, the true meaning of Christmas is that Jesus was born to save the world and we are thus celebrating that, but we have commercialized Christmas to the point of no one even remembering what the true reason for the season is. So, even if you don't believe that, then go ahead and celebrate Santa and the elves. Just don't take away from my Christmas. 

Now, this being said, I feel like I've been stuck in a Happy Holidays rutt.

I am most definitely not in the Christmas Spirit, for a few key reasons:

1) school is stressing the hell out of me. I have projects up the ying-yang and this is making that magical day of next Thursday when I FINALLY get to go home for Christmas seem ages away.

2) my school cut this year's Christmas break down to only 2 1/2 weeks. ughhhh! I think I rightfully deserve my full 3 weeks off!!

3) I've yet to do any of my Christmas shopping because I'm so poor. the way my school does payroll really, really sucks. everyone I work with is always complaining that it is too long between paychecks. it's awful :(

4) my apartment is hardly decorated for Christmas, always smells, is rarely clean, and currently has a rodent in it. isn't that fabulous?

5) i miss my family.

I have got to get out of this funk! I want to be filled with the Christmas spirit to the point where I annoy people, not in this Scrooge state that I'm currently in. I know that when I get home I'll be in the Christmas spirit, but that seems too long to wait! that means only being in the Christmas spirit for only 6 days. NOT acceptable. 

oh well, I guess there isn't anything I can do  but try and see the goodness and happiness in each day. even if it seems like everyone around me always puts me in a bad mood (especially this mouse issue, if they don't come hunt this little beast down and kill it by tomorrow, i am going to raise absolute HELL, the Kathleen in me will definitely show itself!)

anyway..

through the midst of all of my "holiday" depression, I have managed to compile a pretty sweet Christmas playlist on iTunes.

Here are a few of my favs:

-santa claus is comin' to town: bruce springsteen

-ave maria: celine dion

-merry christmas, happy holidays: *nsync

-christmas (baby please come home): death cab for cutie

-happy xmas, war is over: john lennon

-baby it's cold outside: bing crosby and doris day

-the entire john berry christmas cd

-the entire kenny g christmas cd

-please come home for christmas: the eagles

-santa baby: eartha kitt

may these bring Christmas cheer to everyone who reads this. (is that anybody?) okay, enough with the pessimism. 

merry Christmas :)