I am honestly in awe that this year has gone by so quickly. It just seems like a couple of months ago when I made this post welcoming 2007. 2007 has definitely been among the best in recent years. I accomplished a lot of things and had experiences outside of my "Jenny box" that helped me grow. Of course, like every year, it wasn't perfect. There were disappointments and failures but I gleaned the lessons from them in order to grow into a better person. Like I said in my post one year ago, every disappointment is made bearable with the loving support of my family.
I'm not a resolutions kind of gal. When I want to change something about myself, I just go ahead and try. I guess the only applicable "resolution" is that I be the best employee that I can! I start work on the 21st and I'm excited but nervous!
Whatever your plans may be for tonight, please stay safe! I wish all of you a New Year filled with blessings, love, and joy. For my Vox pals, thanks for letting me be part of your 'hood! I enjoy sharing my experiences and reading your own. And if anyone is reading this who isn't on my Vox friends list, thanks for your interest in my little misadventures :) Talk to you again in 2008!
It's nice and quiet in here, and Puppita is asleep on the recliner. This weekend was really productive! I'm officially financially independent from my parents. I had been paying my own bills, but the one bill they were still paying was my cell phone bill (since they have a family plan). This weekend my dad and I went in and I now have my own cell phone bill account. Plus, since I had kept my phone for almost 2 years, I was able to upgrade to a new one and get a great rebate. It's amazing how cell phone technology changes in just a year, right? The one I have now is so much thinner than my phone from 2 years ago. I sound kind of old now. I'll stop.
I'm really proud of myself because today, I went through my boxes and I THREW STUFF AWAY. I'm this overly sentimental person and if I don't watch myself, I can accumulate useless crap in a jiffy. I've gotten a lot better with it in the past year, actually. This is mainly because I keep reminding myself that if I save things I don't need, I have an 85% chance of turning into the eccentric seventy-year-old woman who no one wants to visit because her house is full of boxes with paper clips and rubber bands that she can't bear to throw away. Keeping this image in mind, I attacked my boxes with zeal. Some things I just can't throw away (like my old dolls and stuffed animals), but luckily the majority of my boxes were full of books, school papers, and mementos.
I gave away my Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley Middle School books, which I was obsessed with in middle school, to Half Price. That alone was a big step, but I reminded myself that I hadn't read these books in years and likely never would again. I kept all the good childhood books. I also had a strange habit of saving literally every test I'd ever taken in college, but I threw all those out (except the ones that showed a great score and made me feel smart). I also found a lot of things that I need to scrapbook. (I just want a basic scrapbook, I'm not going to be one of those suckers who spends $50 at scrapbooking stores for pretty paper). My dad was going through some of his boxes simultaneously, and it was fun to pick out really old items and reminsce. All in all, I threw/gave away about 3-4 boxes worth of crap. Also, for all the shit talking Patrick does about my boxes, he actually has more than I do. (Right now I have a respectable 7).
Tomorrow I need to get new tires for Pearl. The price is not something I'm looking forward to, but my grandpa and dad said that Pearl's tires are the worst and are not good for highway driving. I'd rather fork over the money now than have the tires blow out on me later.
So the Patriots are 16-0. One part of me was happy to see them get it, and the other half is still bitter from the Cowboy's loss. I hate the nu-Patriots fans, the ones that emerged in the past year just because they are one of the top teams. Man, even back when the Cowboys sucked, I would have told you they were my favorite team. I don't even follow football all that carefully, but still.
I can't believe tomorrow is New Year's Eve! This year went by unbelievably fast.
I don't know if it's because I'm older and more aware, but it seems like the news gets scarier with each passing year. I can't imagine living in such turmoil.
So the Iowa Caucus is coming up soon. I have certain candidates that I like; I'm not going to discuss my politics right now, but the candidates I do like aren't front runners. I will say that I consider myself an Independent. I'm trying to keep up with politics more. I know enough to make my own choices but I feel like there are certain issues that I can learn more in depth. There are only so many stories about Britney and her pregnant teenage sister you can read before you crave news with more substance (but no matter. I'll always be a celebrity gossip whore at heart).
Today I went shopping for more apartment things. I'm looking for good, quality items on sale because I don't want to empty out my savings on crap. For example, Target has really cute stuff but the cuter the item, the steeper the price. I refuse to spend $40 for a shower curtain with fucking Egyptian cotton.
I bought some really nice dishes on sale at Linens N' Things. I also bought a really cute giraffe figurine for the coffee table and a painting of a cello (orchestra background represent!) for under $20 at the mall! I'm trying to find more paintings for my place. In the dorm, I used to tear out nature pictures from my calendars to hang on the wall, but now I'm going for something a little less ghetto. I'm not going to rush it. Target had some cute items but I didn't feel like spending the money on it. I guess I should be wary of mass-produced art, right? I don't care. I'm not an art snob and I have no artistic integrity. I don't care if every other hipster has the same painting as long as it's cute.
Blah blah blah apartment stuff.
Got some errands accomplished today, which was good. I also exercised. I need to give up Dr Pepper again. I was so good before I came home-I stopped having soda every day and saved Dr Pepper for special treats (like when I went to eat out). But my dad is a Dr Pepper fiend like me and I can't resist getting a Dr Pepper when he does.
I have some personal projects in the works. I have a list and I'm giving myself two years to accomplish the items on it.
I'm getting sleepy and this entry is getting mundane, so adios.
The past couple of days have been fun but really busy! Patrick's 20th birthday was on Monday. He got an acoustic guitar, and my mom actually didn't give a hint of the surprise! Shocking!
During the holiday season, I always make struffoli. These are Neopolitan treats that are absolutely delicious. Here's a link of the recipe I use. It can be a little time-intensive (my mom fries them, which is a big help!) Also, I add at least 3 tablespoons of vanilla and about 3/4 cup of sugar to the linked recipe, because I find that it is sweeter. Here is my end result:
I talked to my grandparents, which was nice, since I haven't talked to them in awhile. Then the family sat down for a feast-clams, lobster, steak, stuffed jalapenos. On Christmas morning, Santa was very generous. My parents got me a beautiful watch bracelet for a Christmas/graduation gift, and Patrick got me Rock Band! (Rock Band has such an awesome selection of original tracks too.) Then Terry came over for a little while. Afterward, we walked Little Dog.
Last night we watched It's a Wonderful Life. It was my second time seeing it, and I really enjoyed it. The first time I saw it, I was a sophomore in college and, after a difficult semester, I thought I had failed a class (I ended up making a B in it, btw). So I entered the theater on campus feeling depressed and low, and let me tell you-that movie made me realize how silly I was being! Seeing a movie like that really put my stupid problems into perspective. I just think it's funny how Mary's terrible fate if George hadn't been born was that of an old maid's. I could have thought of far worse to happen to Mary (i.e. being married to a mean and abusive husband, prostitution, meth addiction), but I guess the screenwriters were not that creative.
Anyhow, I had a really wonderful Christmas with my family and friends. I hope all of you are having a great holiday season as well!
I'm feeling a little sleepy because we had a really busy day today. We went into the city and I bought furniture for my apartment. I now have a bedroom set, living room set, a small table w/chairs, and a mattress. I got really good deals-I probably paid half of what it would have cost me at home!
I'm going to go relax because tomorrow is going to be errand day. Let's see if I can't sneak a visit to Target for dish shopping!
What was the last good movie you watched?
The last good movie that I've already seen before was A Christmas Story. I love that movie. The last good movie I've seen for the first time is Walk Hard. I liked it! I know it has been getting mixed reactions. If you walk into the movie expecting a high-brow satire, this movie is not for you. If you enjoy over-the-top satires along the line of Not Another Teen Movie, then you'll really like Walk Hard. I loved how it poked fun at pop music during each decade-my favorites were Dewey Cox's Bob Dylan and "Pet Sounds" phases. I've been hearing grumbling that it dares to make fun of Johnny Cash, but it really isn't spoofing Johnny Cash. It's mainly making fun of all the music biopics from the last couple of years (i.e. when Dewey Cox gets upset, he'll just tear sink after sink out of the wall.)
Here are examples of its humor, from my favorite scenes in the movie:
That's right! I passed that ginormous F.E. test, and can now officially call myself an Engineer-In-Training. I don't know how I passed it, considering the studying I put into it (little to none). I really think graduate environmental engineering courses helped me out. I'm so happy I don't have to spend another 8 hours taking that test. I took it before back in October 2005 without studying, and failed by one point. A point! Ugh! So passing it this time (7 points higher, don't ask me how) made me really happy.
So the past two days have been really good. On Thursday we picked up my little godsister Raquel. She's talking a lot more now, though she's still shy. She smiles and laughs more too, and it was a lot of fun having her over. I can't believe that only 2 Christmases ago, she was this tiny little baby who would curl up on my chest as I read. After we dropped Raquel off at her house, we all went to work out. It was nice to work out again after my stupid little cold.
Today was great. I talked to one of my oldest friends for the first time in 15 years! I know I keep on bringing up Myspace stories, but here is another. One of my earliest and oldest friends were three girls named Jessica, Laura, and Jennifer. All four of us were Neopolitan girls with American, military dads, and our moms became really close friends. Jessica is ten years older than I am, so I was closest with Laurie and Jennifer, who are about 6 and 4.5 years older than me. I've known them since I was three. We used to go over their house all the time until they moved back to Italy when I was 8 or 9. I have so many wonderful memories from those times. Anyway, the last time I'd talked to Jennifer was back in 1998, but I haven't talked to Laurie since 1992 or 1993. Well, I had a message from Laurie today in my inbox! We talked on the phone and it was like we talked to each other last week instead of 15 years ago. I was so, so happy to hear from her. Now she's married with these two adorable kids, and her Italian accent is just incredible! (Why am I not fluent yet?) She has a memory like mine (i.e. an elephant's), so it was fun to reminisce about things. I'm really excited to be back in touch with them!
Tonight my family and Terry took me out to eat to celebrate my graduation. It was fun! I also wrapped all the gifts today. I'm the de facto gift wrapper in this family, not because I'm the best (though I've gotten much better). No one else wants to do it. The first couple gifts I wrap are always pretty nice, and by the end, I'm too impatient to put any more effort into it.
I've been watching VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the 90's" this past week. VH1 is so great for the nostalgia programming that sucks away 5 hours of your life. However, these 5 hours have been very educational. For example, did you know that "Jump Around" is sung by a bunch of white Irish guys, or that "Semi-Charmed Life" is really about sex and meth addiction? I DIDN'T EITHER! "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is number 1, like I told Pat they would be. I like Nirvana, though I really find them overrated. Still, I'd much rather Nirvana make number 1 than Whitney Houston or Celine Dion. The list was missing some really iconic songs (like "Gangsta's Paradise," for one), but they mostly had really good, representative songs. It made me miss the 90's a little when I wasn't laughing at the bad fashion or ridiculous artists/songs (like the preteens in Kris Kross acting like hardcore gangsters, or anything to do with Color Me Badd.)
Okay, it's getting late. Tomorrow I want to see Walk Hard. It's happening!
I'm getting over this sexy cold right now. Seriously-the stuffy nose, random coughing, sallow face-I've never felt hotter. And as if having a stuffy nose isn't bad enough, why do we have to lose our ability to taste along with it? That just seems unnecessary and cruel.
Anyway, I've decided to make another beauty entry to cheer myself from this weenie little cold. As I told you all in a previous entry, the excess alcohol in Clinique products was threatening to send me down the Rachel Zoe route in another ten years. Tired of spending money on beauty products at the mall, I decided to go on a personal mission and see if the adage "You get what you pay for" applies to skin products, and see if those products that cost 5 times less in my local drugstore are any better. I've been on this experiment for less than 2 months, and I can already tell you that both my skin and bank account have never been happier. Here are some products I've tried recently.
1. St. Ives Apricot Renew & Firm Scrub
I love St. Ives products. And I always loved their apricot scrubs, because your skin felt so fresh and clean after using it. The only problem-the scrub was the equivalent of rubbing sandpaper on your face. So I was a little apprehensive bringing this scrub home.
There was no need for me to worry. This scrub is so gentle that you can use it twice a day. Not only does it clean dead skin cells without scrubbing your epidermis off, but it uses an Alpha-Hydroxy Complex. I don't know if it's just the power of advertising, but my skin really does feel softer and more firm after use. Best of all, you can get this for about five dollars at any local drugstore or Target. A.
2. Neutrogena Deep Clean Dual Action Toner
I wanted to get a really good toner since it often dries my skin out too much. I finally found one that doesn't:
I feel like this toner refreshes and cleanses my skin without drying it out too much. It also includes salicylic acid to prevent future breakouts. A.
3. Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer
Though I'd given the Oil of Olay Regenerist moisturizer a good review in my last beauty entry, I had one small problem with it-it did not allow for an easy application of makeup. I found my foundation clumping along some parts of my face, and since I like my makeup to look as natural as possible, this was a problem.
Luckily, I found a great substitution:
If you have sensitive skin, then this is the product for you. Not only is it oil-free, but it is also free of any fragrances. It leaves the skin feeling soft and moisturized, and my foundation can be applied flawlessly with it. A+
4. Ambi Even & Clear Targeted Mark Minimizer
A pimple isn't forever, but the mark it leaves behind sure can be. What's a girl to do? Luckily, Ambi has the solution:
The Ambi website targets its products to women of "African, Latin, or South Asian descent" (clearly I am none of the above), but I've done my homework and found that women who are just as pale as I am rave about it. Seriously-this little product is great. I'm not saying to expect any red marks to vanish from your face within a week, but in the 2-3 weeks I've been using this product, I have seen some visible fading. Even better, the product contains vitamins C and E, and leaves your skin feeling soft. This is the best fading product I've used, and at $10 at your local drugstore or Target, it's half the price of anything you'd find at the mall. A
5. Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum
I can't believe I'm writing about hair products, because talking about hair can put me to sleep in about five minutes. But seriously, you guys (girls?), this product is amazing:
I have wavy hair that quickly turns frizzy without any heated intervention, and even I DO style it with a blow dryer and flat iron, it frizzes up. Combine this fact with many humid Texan days, and my hair is not happy. I apply this Super Skinny Serum to my hair right after blow drying and right before applying the flat iron. My hair has never been so straight as when I use this product. It moisturizes the hair without making it look greasy and creates hair so straight, you'd think you just came from the salon. When my mom actually starts complimenting how I do my hair (I have little patience with my hair, and I usually end up rushing when I style it), then you KNOW this product is good. Be prepared to pay a little more for it (average price is about $17), but it's well-worth the price. A+
1. Stay up late for at least a week doing such tasks as stressing out about finishing exams and packing
2. Repeatedly hug a sick person
3. Announce to friends and family how you never get sick and haven't gotten sick in a whole year
4. Ignore signs of a weakening immune system (like taking naps during mid-day) and go exercise
5. Stay up late one more time, for no reason
If you follow these steps carefully, you should wake up with a sore throat the morning after completing step 5! Good luck!
Dear Jessica Simpson,
Bitch, we only lost one game this whole season until you have to show up and watch the game. Please leave Tony Romo alone. At least until off-season.
Not sincerely,
Jennifer
I love this little song. And I know it's supposed to be about a break-up, but I've never heard it in that context. I heard this song played during my freshman orientation camp, when we were supposed to reflect on high school and what we were leaving behind. I've heard it used for class songs, too. So maybe I'm as delusional as those people who choose "Every Breath You Take" and "I Will Always Love You" as first dance songs at their weddings, but this song sums up my college experience for me.
I couldn't have done it alone, and I will keep this brief, because those who are important to me already know how much they matter. I couldn't have done it without my parents' incredible support, and I think my success in college is more of a reflection on their own hard work and struggles when we were little than my own.
To Patrick-thank you for being an insomniac and letting me rant all the time.
To my friends-thank you for keeping me sane. Even though some of you may be far from here, I still care about you all. Thank you for the hyper marshmallow nights, dorm crushes, basketball games, making up an entire fake band and naming songs after environmental engineering subjects, rolling down hills, "Old woman in a shoe," trading Chuck Norris jokes online, talking for hours on the phone about our crushes and boyfriends, the margarita/Scrabble/ghetto taco night, "Gettin' chiggy wit it," dinners at Pita Pit before class, and the study sessions where no one really studied.
To the handful of professors who genuinely care-thank you.
Thanks for the memories. Goodbye, Cowboy Country.
