friday five

Top 5 Albums

Though I'm from the "iPod generation," I still think the album as a whole (the narrative, the arc, the variation) is paramount in music. So, this is my homage to the albums that I can listen to without skipping a single song.

1. Beneath These Fireworks - Matt Nathanson
Of course, right? I hate being predictable, but there's no way this list could exist without this album. I still remember when Lex from Great Harvest burned me this album - it was love at first sound. I remember driving in Wheezy, blasting this CD, giving it to Jansy, letting it fill the places that were empty from all the heartbreaks with boys. I will always love this CD, and it kills me a little inside every time Matt Nathanson says that he feels this album was lacking in some way, because to me, it is perfection.

2. Leaving through the Window - Something Corporate
I first found Something Corporate through the song Konstantine. God, that song still gives me chills, especially in the acoustic version where Andrew, really quietly, says -instead of sings- "God, I miss you." When he sings things - even back before his bout with cancer - you can hear the sincerity and emotion in every word he sings. This album always makes me think of summer and my best friend and how playing piano became so cool when Andrew did it. I love the rawness of this album, it's got that energy that only a debut album can have, when the musicians are young and full of hope, before they get broken when the record label fucks them over.

3. Infinity on High - Fall Out Boy
This album always makes me think of New York and my crazy trip up there with the kids from Footloose. I think this was FOB's peak - FUCT was good, but IOH was really their shining moment. Pete wasn't crazy over Ashlee, Patrick's voice was rocking, they had money and support coming off of FUCT, so they really had all the materials and inspiration to make a wicked album. I'm a fan of Folie a'Deux as far as Patrick's voice, but Pete's songwriting took a turn for the worse in that album... kinda makes me hope he gets a divorce and finds something real to write about again.

4. Mad Season - Matchbox Twenty
Every time I feel like a sellout for liking Matchbox Twenty, I listen to this album and prove myself wrong. This album is the shit. The orchestration, the vocals, the overall energy? Fantastic. There's a maturity in this album that really shows the step up from Yourself or Someone Like You to Mad Season, especially lyrically. I just listened to this album last week, and messages I thought I got when I was 15 still hit me so heavy seven years later. I think this album also does a really good job of defining a concept for an album - for instance, a song from Mad Season would sound astronomically different that a song from their third album, More Than You Think You Are.

5. Say It Like You Mean It - The Starting Line
I was sick with pneumonia when I first saw this music video, Kenny with his waif-like face and bleached blonde hair (it's still a freaking hilarious video, in my opinion). Little did I know that this album would be one of my favorites, and this band would always have a special place in my heart, so many years later. I think this album does a fantastic job of not growing stale, which is so easy to do in that pop/punk sound. Each song stands out from the others, whether because of a riff, a lyric or a melody, and that makes this album so easy to put in and just let it play.

Friday Five

Top 5 Things that Make Me Nostalgic

Inspired by Adam's quote: "Nostalgia is powerful stuff."

1. The Starting Line. This band defined my teenage years. I was young, thought I was angsty, thought I was in love, thought no one understood me but musicians I had only met once (but who offered to "f****** kill" the dude who crowd surfed my head into a metal post.) They just released a live album and wow, do I miss them more than ever.

2. Justin. This is my old friend from Unos, who recently found me on Facebook after three years of not talking. I guess catching up with him really got me thinking about how much (and how little) changed in the past three years. And it makes me think about the days of Unos, and all that happened then. I look back at those times fondly now - I don't think that's necessarily a good thing.

3. 3x5 photographs. No one seems to print 3x5 photos any more (who died and made 4x6 king?!), but the majority of my childhood is captured in just those dimensions. I guess something about 3x5 photos screams film and time and memory lane to me. Plus, it has that pretty decent John Mayer song written about them.

4. NOVA. For some reason, every now and then, I get this intense desire to go back to the days of Acting Class, getting lunch in Cascades as a class, driving around and doing nothing. When it was good, it was really good - the crazy guys, the party girls. Now, I'm past all of that, but sometimes I miss it.

5. CDs. I wrote an entry a while back about purchasing CDs for the first time in a while, and it still holds true. Though I haven't bought a CD in several months, I still get the biggest high off of purchasing my own little musical, aesthetic experience. I always think of my friend Tricia for some reason, and if that's not nostalgia, I don't know what is.

friday five

Didn't think you'd ever see these again, didja!?

Top 5 Reasons 21 was the Greatest Year

1. Being able to go anywhere. The tension between 20 and 21 breeds perhaps one of the most annoying countdowns EVER. And duh, I love being able to drink. It's an exciting world out there, kids, and alcohol proves to be a tasty guide to it all.

2. Having a boyfriend. If the past, oh, dozen entries haven't tipped you off, I am (still) ridiculously crazy over my BF. It will be ten months in about a week, which is SO INSANE for me. Having someone there to be your friend, your love, your comforter is such an amazing feeling. And I refuse to take him for granted.

3. Working at Wolf Trap. Parts of it sucked, REALLY sucked. But would I do it again? Hell yes. I got to shoot for hours and hours. I learned to trust myself and my equipment. I got some amazing friends and wicked good letter of recommendation out it. Working at WT solidified me in my decision that I want to, and am capable of, being a photographer.

4. School. Now, I'm not saying I enjoyed the ridiculous amounts of work. But during 21, I felt more at home there than ever before. I had friends that were my age to laugh with and complain with. I had a desk at the SG, and I could run to the Photo Lab for any other needs. And while my classes were effing hard, I definitely learned some things that semester that I'm very glad to have under my belt.

5. Money. Thanks to working three jobs in the summer and two currently, I have enough money to move into my new place the first week of December. Holy crap, she's growing up.

...Music Monday?

So, this is my attempt at making up for missing the past three Friday 5's. I figure as long as there's alliteration, I'm square.

Top 5 Ending Songs on Albums
I think the last song on an album is so key, and I think a lot of artists just sort of throw it away. Here's a toast to those that kept their ending just as strong as their beginning.


1. Hate This Place - Goo Goo Dolls - Dizzy Up the Girl
This song, as many of you know, was my theme song for my teenage years. Even though Johnny Rzeznik said this song was created in the style of the Replacements, I think it really complimented the rest of the Goo's 1999 release.

2. Kylie From Connecticut - Ben Folds - Way To Normal
I like this song because Folds ends his album in a totally different way than how he started. Most of "Way To Normal" is non-sensical and at times crude, but this bittersweet piano tune cuts back to Folds' more poignant ballads like Evaporated or The Luckiest.

3. I've Got All This Ringing in My Ears and None n My Finger - Fall Out Boy - Infinity On High
Though I'm a general fan of this whole album, this is probably my favorite song on the album. I don't know if it's the weird, driving intro or the way Patrick Stump sings "Tell the boys where the find my body" with that throwback almost jazz sound, but this song is definitely the best choice to close the album.

4. I'll Be the Wings that Keep Your Heart in the Clouds - Mayday Parade - A Lesson in Romantics
The title from a few entries ago ("I could stand here for hours just to ask God the question, 'Is everyone here make believe?'") came from this little gem from an otherwise ordinary pop-punk-emo band. I love the duo vocalists (harmony! counterpoint!) and the slow swinging guitar strumming and the mention of my home state. Virginia IS for lovers.

5. They Weren't There - Missy Higgins - The Sound of White
It's physically impossible for me to skip this song whenever it comes on my iTunes, and I was lucky enough to hear Missy play it when I saw her at the 9:30 club earlier this semester. God, this song is the quintessential post-relationship tune, but more than that, it is one of the best closers for an album I've ever heard. This song could teach others about how to really complete an album in its delivery, lyrics and general awesomeness.

what's a friday five?

Top 5 Upcoming Friday Fives
I know I've been absent, but there's been a lot of shit going down. As a disclaimer, these are not necessarily going to be the next five you see, just ones that may or may not arrive in the next couple of months. Credit to Adam for the idea. Have a suggestion for a future Top 5? Comment away.

1. Top 5 Lyrics - The main reason I haven't done this one is because there are SO FUCKING MANY lines out there that I adore - how can I narrow it down to five? I mean, I could do Top 5 Matt Nathanson lyrics, Top 5 90's lyrics, Top 5 lyrics from bands whose CDs I've stolen, Top 5 Lyrics that remind me of friends... talk about magnitude.

2. Top 5 Things I Like About Dating - Believe me, I will postpone this one for as long as I can, folks. I don't like the sappy, ridiculous posts any more than you do, but I think after all the ruminating I've done on the perks of being single, it's only fair to give the other side their turn as well.

3. Top 5 Things I Like to Photograph - I'm really excited about this particular one because each of my categories represent a particular facet of photography that inspires and moves me as an artist. One of the things keeping this one from going live is that I'm attempting to find one of my photographs that coincides with each topic, and we all know how much time I have to devote to that sort of a hunt.

4. Top 5 Things that Stress Me Out (Not school related) - Not the most uplifting topic, but you all should know. Just in case you decide you want to drive me crazy. The caveat about not being school related is because clearly, there are enough AU-based things to populate a list ten times that length.

5. Top 5 Weaknesses - I would like to think I don't have a ton, but there are clearly ways to get me. Some are funny, some are poignant and some are just pathetic.

friday five

Top 5 Male Vocalists
You know how some guys are butt guys? Well, I'm a voice girl.

1. Matt Nathanson. Duh, right? Goes without saying that I love his phrasing, his vibrato, his tambre. Everything about his voice makes me want to dance and sing and cry at the same time. He's got this one fan who had to have a surgery that would render her deaf - her last action before the surgery was going to hear Matt play. I honestly can't say I would've done anything different.

2. Norbert Leo Butz. So, I'm definitely not into the Broadway scene as much as I used to be, but a few days ago The Last 5 Years came on my iPod, and I was reminded of what an amazing singer he is. When he sings "Nobody Needs To Know," that man is untouchable.

3. Freddie Mercury. I know, I'm not even the biggest Queen fan, but his voice is absolutely killer. It's so light and strong and amazing! I don't know of a singer that can match his range, with the exception of Steve Perry, but they're both dead, so it's not much of a contest.

4. Scott Terry. The singer from Ohio-based Red Wanting Blue is absolutely AMAZING. Their music, in general, isn't anything incredibly original, but it becomes extraordinary when Scott leads them with his deep, resonating, almost country voice. He sounds like Toby Keith, Mac Powell and Erik Palmer all in one, it's a pretty rad mix.

5. Patrick Stump. I debated a long time whether Patrick Stump or Caleb Followill (from Kings of Leon) would nab this last slot on my oh-so-exclusive Friday 5, and though Caleb's perfect rasp is incredibly hot, Patrick will always have my heart. In Folie A Deux he really steps up his vocal game, and even live, he's pretty near awesome.

friday five - bonus edition!

So. I definitely missed last week... I am going to blame it on the frantic preparation for Founder's Day. However, to make up for my disappearance a week ago, I present a list of TEN items today for your reading pleasure. And I figure this list, of all of them, should definitely be the longest.

Top Ten I am Grateful For
We so easily become entitled. I'm going to eat a big piece of humble pie and list those things that I have no right to, but I am so blessed to have them anyway. --As a side note, this was a really difficult list to populate. Not because I'm not grateful, but because the point of taking something for granted is that... you take it for granted.


1. A car. My parents bought me Wheezy and Tim - and they pay for my insurance. I did not deserve a car at 16, not do I deserve to have gone this long without paying for anything other than gas or repairs, but they are so understanding of me and my transportation needs.

2. People that let me stay at their house. The top of the list is obviously the Rices - but people like Miranda and Adam both have my eternal thanks for letting me crash at their places when I couldn't drag myself all the way back from campus.

3. Attending AU. I know I bitch about school like it's my job, but when I put my own animosity aside, I see how incredibly fortunate I am to attend a school in our nation's capital, getting so much culture and exposure. I often feel like I "deserve" this because of my GPA or skills, but really, it's just luck that I'm there.

4. My friends. I have three people that I know have my back no matter what, and that is far more than I deserve. I have many other friends that support me and help me grow up and get over myself... from Tali to Matt to Tricia to Leigh and everyone in between, your different point of views and personalities are ridiculous, and I love you all.

5. Being told I'm wrong. I hate it, I fucking hate being wrong (I mean really, who enjoys it?). But I've realized this is how I learn best, and god, there is no better time to get into the habit of disowning your entitlement than when you're wrong.

6. When the road is smooth. Take it literally or figuratively - I should be far more thankful than I generally am when I get either.

7. Beds. After sleeping on the floor a few nights ago, my shoulders and back were very excited to have the Rice's Sleep Number bed welcome them back into the fold.

8. Buying things. Somehow, even though I work many several hours a week at a place of employment, I still take for granted this idea of spending money. I totally dig buying random shit, and I don't usually think about what my life would be like if I couldn't.

9. Being 21. Oh, how soon they forget. Only six months ago I was moaning the fact I couldn't drink - and now I go flit out for wine or cocktails whenever I feel like it.

10. The general good-health of my body. The saying is so true, "You don't know what you have until it's gone." My right wrist being broken was one of the most frustrating ordeals I've ever been through, and now that I'm down to a brace which I can remove, I am so thankful to have my best friend, my right hand, back. Don't take your un-broken self for granted, folks.

friday five

Top 5 Thoughts About My Relationships from Matt

He gets a lot of practice being my best guy friend.

1. "The art of conversation isn't completely dead, don't kill it."
If you can't tell, the brutal honesty keeps me in line. I get so tired of trying to reason with males and eventually give up - and then Matt says something like this.

2. "I don't deny that you're truly fine with things now, but if you keep being friends with benefits, you're going to keep liking him, most likely more, and then you're going to WANT more emotionally, and I don't think that process is going to take very long."
Matt can make me see things that I probably know deep down and just want to ignore. To this day, I'm not sure how he got to know me so well in so short a timespan. I think I attribute this to our friendship forged in theatre.

3. "I think I've come up with new theory that you should embrace. We'll call it "Traci, Version 2.0". Guys have fucked you over so badly that you're emotional psyche (at some points, not all) couldn't BE any worse (no offence) that at this point you should just be like, screw it, and go do whatever you want because you can't get more screwed over by people than you've already been."
An interesting perspective, and one I've never truly been able to embrace, though it definitely looks appealing on paper.

4. "If they're so immature that they can't be just friends with you, then they're dumb anyway."
Story of my life. I've found it's incredibly hard to backtrack once you've started down a particular path, especially for guys (or at least, the ones I'm attracted to). This flippant dismissal towards a boy I care about is literally one of the hardest things for me to do.

5. "If you were a bitch, and you still were attracted to assholes, than it would be a power struggle until you stopped dating and the whole relationship would be a roller-coaster in a different sense than how it usually is for you. But you're not a bitch, you're normal and nice, but you're still attracted to that same sort of guy so, eventually, he's just going to fuck you up and you won't have that effect on him. The level of sarcasm and wit you protray from the get go is RIGHT in the middle between "sarcastic but in a sweet way" and "sarcastic and bitchy" and so some guys just think it goes to the latter and go with it."
Perhaps one of the most significant, defining characterizations of my love life, ever. It's both straight forward and sympathetic, which is a very difficult balance to strike, but Matt does it pretty flawlessly. I actually learned to stop blaming myself, just a little less, after this conversation.

friday five

Current Top 5 Favorite People

I know I did this last semester, but it was the right choice for this week.

1. My parents. Maybe it's that I'm still riding the high from last weekend's rescue party, but in a way, I hope not. I think that I came to realize in a gut way how my parents are really for me, 100%. I guess I haven't always felt like that before, and it's pretty rad.

2. Seth/Maddie from the SG. God, these people are so refreshing. It's such an odd feeling to be appreciated for the work I do, especially when I'm doing it for fucking free. Seth has gotten into the habit of calling me "Traci J." in his special brand of Kentucky/Ohio accent, which makes me laugh.

3. Elie. In some ways, living with her has been feeling more and more like an extended sleepover (I'm thinking it's our late night chats when we're both in bed and should be sleeping). But regardless, it's so great to have a second family there for me, and a best friend who has a solid answer for anything I throw at her (and I'm pretty good at throwing the most ridiculous shit out for an SOS).

4. Will. This was my actor for Adam from The Shape of Things from last semester in Directing class. I ran into him by fluke today and we ended up having dinner and having one of the best, most refreshingly honest talks I've had in a while. He wrote his number on a napkin, and I just might call it one day.

5. Miranda. I love this girl even though we are as opposite as you can get (minus our shared OCD over school). I don't know how we're such good friends since I absolutely cannot fucking stand her beliefs and views, but fuck, I love that girl with a passion. Plus she way complimented my mix-making skills, that compliment basically made my fucking week.

friday five

Actually posting on Friday? Amazing.

Top 5 Things Every Girl Needs

1. A planner. I love these things so much that I have two of them. For me, writing in my planners keeps my sanity under control. But the flipside is that any time I'm bored/waiting/trying to look important, all I do is pull out my planner and start scribbling and taking notes and boom, problem solved.

2. A secret. Don't ask me why, but it seems a girl with a little mystery is always way cooler than one who seems like she's playing the game with an open hand. In my opinion, the secret should be something potentially exciting, not just what you and your cat ate for dinner last night. I think when you've got something to play closer to your heart, things are just a little spicier.

3. A good strapless bra. I know wearing one is basically as fun as going to the dentist, but a really good one is legit worth its weight in gold. It's difficult to find one that's supports, doesn't diminish your cleavage and won't leave bruises from where the boning digs into your flesh. If you do manage to discover one, hold it like you'll never let it go.

4. A hobby. Be it cooking, knitting, photography, drinking, writing, painting or pole dancing, I firmly believe a hobby is essential to your happiness in life. Without hobbies, it's so easy to get caught up the the spin of work, home, dinner, bed. But a hobby- one you love enough to make time for- will break that cycle and give you a relief from being a normal work drone. Hobbies give a sense of camaraderie and accomplishment that I think most humans- especially women- need.

5. The One Who Got Away/The Heartbreaker. Why do we need such a depressing thing in our lives? Because we need to know our limits. Having a man that, for whatever reason, left such a huge handprint on our hearts (in a less than positive way) shakes a girl out of her security and reminds her that nothing is for certain and sometimes, there's absolutely nothing we could have done to change the ending. Almost every single woman I know that has had such a disabling pinnacle in her life can now speak of it and give it its emotional heartache due, but more importantly, speak to the lessons she learned and how she remembers those principles daily. At least, that's what mine did for me.

friday five

I'm sorry this is late. But with my past week, you should be proud of me for even attempting.

Top 5 Reasons Short Hair Is Good
I'm warming up to it, and I figure this can't hurt.

1. Showering time is cut in half. I never knew how much time shampooing and conditioning all that hair really took, not to mention the time wringing water out of it via a towel. I can now shower and blow it dry it about the same time it took me to simply shower and clip it up before.

2. My earrings are now uber prominent. Not that you could miss the two inch silver angel wings before, but now that my earrings generally go past the tips of my hair, they're definitely noticeable. I like this. I take pride in my jewelry.

3. I'm more encouraged to wear scarves. I didn't always utilize my collection of a dozen scarves, but they're definitely making a comeback. Without hair to cover the back of my neck, it's now mandatory for me to be swathed in a scarf, or I'm one unhappy camper (like how I spun that negative into a positive?).

4. It's an adventure. With my long hair, I sort of knew what to expect, what styles would work well in what situations, how it would look if I did this or that. Now, it's like waking up and beginning a jungle safari with my hair. If I hold the brush at this angle, how will it ultimately dry? How much of this product is necessary? It's a constant guessing game, that's for sure.

5. I get a lot of compliments. Not going to lie, my ego sincerely appreciates it, since I can't shake the nasty feeling that I look like a boy.

friday five

Yes, it's late, and I apologize.

Top 5 Good Things About This Semester

Because the list was originally "Top 5 Bad Things" and then I realized, nobody likes a party pooper.

1. My awesome law professor. He came and spoke to my reporting class last semester and he was the coolest cat ever. He used to be a defense lawyer, so he had some pretty amazing stories, and he had this easy-going yet incredibly intelligent way about him that makes me think maybe my Monday night block will not be like stabbing myself in the eye with a spork.

2. Being 21. I know, it'd make more sense for this item to be in a "Top 5 Good Things About Last Semester" but think about it- for about 2/3 of last semester, I wasn't. So. Here's to being 21 for my final semester of school, and being able to drink whatever I want from January to May.

3. A Lighter Bag. I.E., I don't have FOUR classes in a row on Mondays and Thursdays. Elie and Mrs. Rice will attest to the ridiculousness of it the past semester, and thank god this semester the most classes I have in a row are two, and at the moment, neither of those have any books (and might not, because they're both news design/multimedia classes). Booyah!

4. A New Music Editor. Not that I love the Eagle any more (or to be more accurate, hate it any less), but the absence of One Ex Music Editor makes my heart sing and almost makes me excited enough to go back and actually work there as opposed to me coming up with my own story ideas and writing them because I feel like it. Almost.

5. The Election Is Over. No more "race for the White House." No more "controversy." Granted, we'll still have to examine Obama's presidency, but for the love of Mike, I don't want to hear another word about Sarah Palin. And considering my courses, I don't think I will.

BONUS (because I feel mildly bad that I legit missed my friday five)

6. This Is A New Semester. A lot, and I mean a LOT, of shit happened in Fall '08. Some of it made me better, but some of it made me a whole lot worse. By the simple fact that This Is Not That Semester, Spring '09 has to be something good.

Friday Five

Didja miss me? I took last Friday off since it was the day after Christmas and all, but the extra week gave me time to compile this extremely difficult and selective list. As a disclaimer, I specifically did not use any entries from people I know personally, because favoritism is never pretty.

Top 5 Journal Entries (Not Mine)
I read a lot of blogs. But these are the five, brutally honest works that inspire me to keep writing in this journal and to keep attempting to find the words to express my thoughts. Please note the asterisk'd entries contain objectionable content, and a double asterisk implies extremely graphic content. You have been warned.

1. I Loved You - from Unknown
I don't remember how I found this entry, but it was so poignant that I felt the need to post it in Jewelness the first time I discovered it. There's just something about the perfect blend of stream-of-consciousness and emotion that created an entry I have never forgotten.

2. Not Everyone Can Be November, You Know - from lightsfallup
This entry, passed on to me by MoreToKnow (another of my favorite bloggers), immediately resounded with me because, well, it's about November. It thrilled me to see November finally getting its due (we always get the suckiest photos in calendars), and in one of the most abstract and poetic ways I've ever seen. The paragraph starting with "not everyone can be november, you know. not the way you mean it..." is one of two "lyrics" that I know I could tattoo on my body and be content the rest of my life.

3. *The Perfect Woman, Moments, The Glass - from VK's Empire of Dirt
VK is one of the bloggers I found through Roissy (who, though a misogynist and Kevin all over, is one of the most entertaining bloggers I've ever read), when VK hosted a week where a circle of bloggers wrote entires on "The Perfect Woman." This entry, though mildly explicit, shows such a vulnerable, emotional side of a man who is only a few steps below Roissy on the player scale, that it is worthy of this list.

4. **L - from (title withheld but a link here for the depraved)
Here's the best part of the entry, for those who aren't going to read the rest because of its double asterisk:
"And it’s not at that moment or this one that I feel L has been misused. It is that in this effort for connection, in this testing of bonds, we all are. Where there is need or want there is danger. We introduce ourselves to disappointment, time and time again. We create illusion and crash ourselves against it. "
Wow. For an entry about having sex with a single mother... that is perhaps the most profound statement I've ever heard. I feel like this writer, whoever he is, somehow sold his soul to the devil in exchange for sleeping with every woman under the sun, and somehow managed to find the impossible nuggets of truth that stick out of his writing like little diamonds.


5. Kindness and Abs. - from Matt Nathanson's Journal
So, this is not the quintessential Matty Nay blog I think of when I think of his blog (it's actually the one about Britney Spears playing basketball on the Ellen Degeneres show). But ever since he signed to Vanguard, his archives got hidden in the depths of the Internet, and this was the next best entry. If you ever hear me utter "Thank you, Mark Wahlberg," you now know why.

Friday Five

Top Five Items Found While Cleaning My Room and/or Tim:

Because I'm sure Freud could find some deep meaning in the most frequently used and disposed items of my life

1. Bobby pins - Everywhere. On desks, in teacups, in sock drawers and in almost every single purse (except, of course, in the purse I'm currently carrying when I need them). I honestly think they grow legs, have little pin parties and multiply and then strategically place themselves around my room. Not that I don't appreciate the army of bobby pins, but I'm tired of finding them on my floor no matter how many I pick up.

2. Receipts - For some reason, I suck at throwing the damn things away. And it's not that I keep them to balance a checkbook or track my debit card, I just keep a vague running tally in my head that (more often than not) fails me. Every now and then I do save an important receipt, and those I keep in my drawer in an envelope. But Unos, Target, Claires and Books-A-Million? Let's just waste those trees.

3. Paper Scraps - I'll broaden this to include ripped pieces of notebook paper and the rogue sticky note (because those certainly dominate my turf), but it's really the scrapbooking paper scraps I'm referring to. I have a bad habit of working on a project, completing the project, and then half-heartedly putting away the supplies. And since every single little piece of scrapbooking paper can be used in one way or another, I can never justify throwing away anything, even as small as an inch. I guess I'm making up for those receipts.

4. Vitamin Water Bottles - Empty as well as in varying degrees of fullness. It's really sad, and I whole heartedly blame the Rices for fueling my addition. These mostly live in Tim, but often find their way into the house and my room as I enter, drinking out of one, and there they sit, forlorn, waiting til I carry five of them down to the recycling bin.

5. American University Sticky Notes - Elie will mock me, but they're everywhere. In bags, in Tim's dashboard compartment, in Tim's backseat, on my desk, on my shelves, in my planner. Little pads of them (mainly the ninja) that are just... everywhere. I had no idea I'd (ahem) picked up so many of them. At least, now I don't have to worry about running out over break.

Friday Five

Here we go, with a slightly egotistical version of the Friday Five. For those of you who didn't read while I kept my old journal, jewelness, here is a smattering of entries that I, as a blogger, critic and human being happened to like.

My Top 5 Journal Entries

1. Covered in White Out - June 26, 2007

Just one of many entries about the asshole from Connecticut. This one makes the list, though, because though inspired by the boy situation, I think the entry itself spoke to a larger emotional issue that goes beyond my one time heartbreak.

2. I Can't Forget What Happened Here - January 22, 2006

This entry, obviously about my brother and his departure to college, rings true because it was sort of the culmination on my mini-series on the struggles of being his sister. I don't know if my parents ever knew how difficult it was (and sometimes, still is).

3. Photo Survey - October 11, 2005
I thought this was particularly amusing. Nothing deep, but we all need a break from the gut-wrenching entries.

4. The Process of Letting Go - July 20, 2003
Again, just one of many entries detailing my first painful fall into love. I wrote it after I went to prom.

5. You Don't Care A Bit - June 12, 2006
Of all the relationships, this one prompted (I think) the best writing. It went beyond journal entries and expanded into songs and poems as well. I suppose that means I should be grateful. I'm not.

Friday Five

I WIN.  Friday 5, on Friday.

Literally every single one of these things made me laugh out loud, at least once.

Top 5 Things that Amused Me This Week

1.  "You can't touch Daniel Radcliff, and you can't touch the animals!"  -Miranda, on a dinner conversation containing bestiality, pedophilia, zoos, "The Goat" and "Equus."  

2.  The Levi 501 commercial.  If you haven't seen this, go now.  Saw it while slightly inebriated - but just as funny, if not more so, when sober.

3.  My favorite Wikipedia find this week: The Hipster PDA.  I mistakenly thought it was a stroke of Adam's brilliance... not so much.  Make sure you read the sidebar on the right. 

4.  I unwrapped two Starbursts in my mouth.  I've done it before, but generally the wrappers come out a soggy, shredded mess, but this time, those wrappers were totally intact.  Yes, boys, I am available. 

5.  CraigsList.  HOLY EFF.  Remember the Boy Scout?  His crazy ex?  Well, here she is, for the win.  

That is the sound of me being validated. 

Friday Five

Current Top 5 Activities

1. Use Genius to make playlists. Have you tried this feature? For some reason, I absolutely adore it. Now, I'm a huge mixtape snob and normally would turn my nose up at such a generic device that takes all emotion out of making a mix, but Genius is not half bad at knowing when to stretch the boundaries of similar music styles so I don't get tired of six acoustic guitar songs in a row.

2. Drinking in bars. No, I'm not an alcoholic. I'm hooked on the environment, the company, the good deals on food. Last conversation in a bar, I threw in the word "cartographer." I was pretty proud of myself.

3. Writing in my planner. Either one of them. I just love that feeling of writing in my .05 pens and recording history in my books. This speaks to the greater need of concrete memories and tangible artifacts to prove events and emotions are valid - but this is no place for that deep, after midnight philosophizing. This is just a quick list.

4. Sleeping. This is always a favorite. Lots of pillows, a few stuffed animals, a big bed and numerous blankets... it's excellent. I miss having a person to share said bed with, but my body pillow more or less does the trick.

5. Cleaning my room/Tim. Who ever would've thought I could ever list cleaning as one of my favorite activities? But I've realized I need a clean environment to function, and the current state of my bedroom is absolutely shameful. My dresser has so many teacups filled with jewelry stacked on top of one another, and I sneeze whenever I try to find a necklace. The sad thing is, with so many papers due Monday, I have no time to actually do the cleansweep I would like to. And give up going to IOTA Saturday to do it? Pshaw. I'm not that much of a koniophobic.

friday five

I apologize that this is not, in fact, posted on Friday.  But life happens.  You know how it is.

Top 5 Weird Jobs I'm Considering

1.  Wedding planner

For someone who is so vehemently opposed to getting near a big white dress and "I do," I think I would be perhaps the most phenomenal wedding planner to walk this earth.  I'm organized, I have a good eye for design and color and I can crunch the numbers to make sure the bride and groom stay within the budget.  I'm a multi-tasker - I can do hair, I've got loads of creative solutions for those last minute problems right before she walks down the aisle and I've got a great power walk and menacing upwards loom for any catering staff that would DARE to tell me they don't have enough of the lemon chicken we ordered.  

Brides would love me.  I'd probably end up hating all of them.

2.  Bartender

I've always wanted to bartend.  I'm not sure why.  Perhaps it's my general amusement by alcohol and those under its influence in the happy, safe and ridiculous kind of way.  My parents would be abhorred that their child would be one to perpetuate domestic violence and the general slide into immorality, but dude.  Bartenders, good ones, and even okay ones, can make bank.  And considering I'm a pretty good conversationalist, I've got great hair and I'm female, I think I would be one to make bank.

3.  Secretary

I know, how boring and blah and what a waste of all that creativity you have percolating inside of you, jewel... but really?  Think of me in an office, surrounded by paper clips, dry erase markers, calendars, sticky notes, manila folders, pens and a computer?  I think I'd basically fall over myself to sit in that swirly office chair.  Another bonus of a secretarial position is that you wouldn't "take the work home" with you.  You go, 9-5 with the envelopes, and then leave.  Free.

Maybe I should just work at Staples instead.

4.  Painter

Not like, in the artiste sort of way.  I mean an interior painter.  With rollers and Duron and co-workers who most likely don't speak English.  I don't know, this has always been my joking fallback option if being an actor didn't work out.  I like colors, and I always dream about painting my own room wacky and ridiculous colors, it'd be pretty cool to paint everyone else's instead.

5.  Personal Assistant

Now, Jamie warned me off of this, saying it was frustrating and you had to do the stupid jobs that no one wants to do, but I still think it would be really ridiculous to be a PA.  I'm totally down for getting dry cleaning, coffee, going grocery shopping or planning my boss's dinners with clients.  This kind of reads into the Wedding Planner, but my talent for multitasking and simply getting shit done would make me a phenomenal PA.  

The added bonus is that then I'd be so busy managing someone else's life, I wouldn't have the time to worry about mine.

Friday Five

okay, so i know it's not exactly friday any longer.  but today was spent teaching, getting a costume together, and then seeing a movie, so i couldn't exactly fit into the proper time frame...

Friday Five:  

Current Top 5 Favorite People

(in no particular order)

1.  Leigh - Leigh and I met in my African American Performing Arts Experience class (yes, that's a real class).  She correctly identified my Matt Nathanson shirt - can you say love at first sight?  She's really one of the most awesome people I've ever met, and I'm going to be really sad when she's abroad in Amsterdam next semester.

2.  Elie - I feel cheesy putting my best friend slash roommate down on this list, but really, it's pretty impossible for Elie not to be one of my current favorite people.  When you live with someone, you either love them or hate them, and I definitely love Elie.  She basically keeps me sane by letting me vent and then amuses me by one of her own tirades - you have not lived life until you've seen Ferocious Pez in action.  

3.  Adam - Perhaps one of the oddest people I've ever met - this boy carries a stack of index cards and calls it his "hipster PDA."  But he's not a hipster in that "I shit gold and wear my sunglasses 24/7" way, he's much cooler than that.  He loves polaroids and actually showed me how to make a picture frame out of an empty polaroid film container.  We tell each other riddles and are ridiculously snarky to one another.  I call him Jew, it's pretty excellent.

4.  Jason - Yes, my brother.  And though he really doesn't deserve to be on this list since he just told me he's playing a gig instead of flying home to celebrate my 21st birthday with me... I had already planned this list out before he told me that, so if I take him off, I'll have to think of someone else to take his place, and that's stupid.  So.  Yes he's on the list, but in the probation kind of way.

5.  Mrs. Rice - Another Rice to make the list!  But seriously.  She buys me my favorite foods, makes me breakfast every Thursday and doesn't mind me living in her house and leaving my shit all over the place.  It's absolutely incredible how selfless she is and how quickly she adopted me into the family.