Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone!

I hope you are having an awesome Halloween...even though it is on Monday.

I'm not really doing anything for Halloween, as far as I know. I feel like I do less and less on Halloween every year. I didn't even carve a pumpkin this year! (Although my friend Cassie did. And for one of them, she and her friends carved the letters "FSU" into it and threw it out a window. Awesome.) But I think this doing less and less business might in part be due to the fact that Halloween is on lamer and lamer days of the week each year. Last year it was Sunday, this year Monday, next Tuesday...ugh.

Anyway, I did go to a few Halloween parties. Here is my costume:

I am Carmen Sandiago. I couldn't find a hat, sadly enough. But I tried to make up for the lack-of-hat by giving super intense, super mysterious stares.
That's my friend Lindsay in the picture. She's dressed as Madeline, in case you can't tell. (What, you're not up on your picture books?) Her costume was really cute and apparently really cheap. She already had the dress, the shirt. She made the hat out of cardboard and bought some red felt for the tie. So crafty!

I also wore these earrings. Maybe it's a clue as to where I'll strike next. Or maybe it's well-placed decoy, designed to throw you off your trail. *Cue theme music* Man, now I really want to play that game again...

Anyway, as long as we're uploading pictures, let's take a look at some of my past Halloween costumes, shall we?

This was last year, with my friend Amanda. I was a fairy. The dress (which was purple, pink and yellow and sparkly) I already had from a dance costume. I bought the wings. Amanda was Kei$ha. Of course. Although some confused her for an Avril fan. WRONG! 

This was 2009, my first Halloween at UF. I was a cowgirl. I went over to Amanda's house, and we watched The Nightmare Before Christmas, which Amanda is obsessed with (It's actually a little crazy, no offense, Amanda. Like, she has a doll of the skeleton guy.) I think we also watched 27 Dresses, but that may have been a different night. All of the things I'm wearing I already owned, if you can believe that. 

2008, at UNC. I was Tonks, from Harry Potter. (Duh.) She is one of my favorite characters, but this was mostly just an excuse to dye my hair purple/pink. My shirt says "I <3 Lupin," in case you can't tell. I made it in high school, because I was Tonks for a couple years back then, too. In this picture, I'm with my friend Aislin (right) and Aislin's friend, whose name I don't remember. (In my defense, I had just met her that night. Her costume was cool, though.) Whoever she is, I sure hope she doesn't mind having her picture up on the internet...for all twenty of you to see.

And here I am holding my "wand" (a stick I found outside my dorm. It was destiny.)

Annnd, that concludes our trip down memory lane. I guess I could show you high school pictures, but it's just more of me with purple hair. I wanted to post childhood pictures but my scanner won't work! Ahhh! Oh well...next year...

Anyway, let's all go eat some candy and wear awesome costumes! What are YOU dressing up as?
Plus, now that Halloween is out of the way, it's officially time for my favorite part of the year: CHRISTMAS SEASON!

Choosing Grad Schools

Hello everyone! It's time for a SECOND Sunday post! Exciting.

So, someone just recently asked me how long it took me to decide where to go to grad school, and how I went about choosing.

Well, honestly, even though it's a pretty big decision, I didn't really take that long to decide on it. Not really, anyway.

You see, I didn't start to think about it seriously until after I took the GRE, which was less than a month ago. After that, I really started looking at the lists of the best schools, and that was when I picked the exact ones I wanted to apply to. I wanted to wait to do this until after the GRE, because, you know, certain schools have certain scores that you need to get to get in, and I wanted to know where I could realistically get in. I didn't want to get all my hopes up about some schools, only to later realize that I could never get in. Also, I like to take decisions like this one step at a time, and for me, it seemed like step one was to just take the test, and step two would be to decide.

In the end, though, I didn't need that much time to choose the schools. Basically, I took the following steps:  First, I went on to the US News list of best library schools. I know these lists are only so accurate, but it seemed like a good place to start. I did well enough on the GRE that I could get into the number 1 school (If it sounds like I'm being arrogant, keep in mind that library schools don't require crazy high scores). So I looked at the top ten general library programs, plus the more specific top ten list for archives. I eliminated any school that wasn't on both of those lists (except FSU, number 14, which I reluctantly left on the list because of the instate tuition.)

Then I eliminated all the schools located in places I wouldn't want to live, of which there were many (i.e. Seattle, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Syracuse, New York). This may seem like a silly way to pick your future, but I know myself, and I don't do well in cold. Plus, if all these schools are pretty much the same academically, why not start looking at other, non-academic factors? I only need one school, after all, and I don't want to fill out twenty applications (or pay twenty application fees). (Also, I did keep Pittsburgh on the list, even though it is cold there, because Pittsburgh was ranked #2 in archives.)

Anyway, so that's how I came up with the final list of four schools. I was also really fortunate in that the number one program happens to be at UNC, which is a school I already know I like and which is in a nice climate. (Although, according to Sarah Dessen, it was pretty cold there this weekend. And it does snow there. But snow can be pretty...I guess...)

To be fair, I did think about it a little before I took the GRE. It's hard not to, since it's going to be a big part of my life. Also, for practical purposes, you might want to have some idea about schools before you take the GRE, because at the end of the test you can send your scores to four schools for free. And trust me, that is a big savings. (Although you might be able to use those four freebies after the test day...I'm not sure.)

(Sidenote: Speaking of savings, I just want to brag about the fact that I took the GRE for 50% off the normal test price, because I took it in September, one of the first months of the new version. That just somehow makes me feel like I cheated the evil gods of standardized testing...and I like that.)

And that's your unsolicited advice for the day!

Okay, fine, just one more piece of advice before we go. If you are on the grad school track, I would recommend taking the GRE sooner rather than later. That way, you have time to take it again before your applications are do, if you need to. They have all these weird rules, like that you can't take it again until 60 days later or something. Also, start studying about six to four weeks ahead of time, except for the vocab, which you should start studying like...now. Get flashcards! And use the Princeton Review book to study! It's very helpful! And don't forget your lunch money! Oh, you kids grow up so fast...

Rejected drafts of my personal statement - Part 3

Dear UT,

I'm going to be honest with you here -- I don't know that much about you. And I don't know that much about Texas or Austin. But that doesn't mean I couldn't get to know you. And trust me, I like what I've seen so far. I mean, people say you have an awesome archive program.

Plus, I do know one thing about Austin, which is that a very nice, older couple I know from volunteering lives there, and I'm going to bet that they have delicious dinners at their house. And I'm going to wager that if I were in Austin, I would be invited to one of these dinners. And hey, you might even score an invite, too, because I'm sure they would be overjoyed that you accepted me and would want to thank you somehow.

Just something to think about.

Love,

Julie

PS. Even if you accept me, I still will not vote for Rick Perry. Sorry.


***


Dear Pitt,
I don't really have anything to say to you, and I'm all out of funny ideas.


Sorry,
Julie


***


There is no letter for FSU.  Anyone who clicks on their admissions website is automatically accepted, so it wasn't really necessary.

***

PS. Readers - This concludes our tour through my drafts...at least for now. 

Rejected drafts of my personal statement - Part 2

Dear UNC,

Let's just cut to the chase. We both know there's something special here. I mean, we have history, and history, by definition, is not something that anyone can just have in five seconds. And, okay, I have to admit - things have been pretty serious with UF the past few years, and UF will always have a special place in my heart. I know you might be upset about that, but you must know that it pained me to leave you. Plus, people keep telling me that I HAVE to leave UF soon. So that's got me thinking about my future, and how maybe you could be a part of it. And sure, maybe it didn't work out perfectly the first time, but that doesn't mean it couldn't work this time. It also doesn't mean that the first time didn't have some good times (Ahh, double negative!). Don't you remember those good times, UNC? Don't you want them again?

Like, remember all those hours we spent studying together? I mean, sure, I was doing most of the studying, and you were doing most of the homework-assigning, but I didn't hold that against you. I knew you were just trying to make me better. And remember all the meals we shared? I gotta be honest, sometimes your cooking wasn't that great, but I always tried to like it, or, if nothing else, I would always eat one of those sandwiches or salads you made. You make a mean sandwich, UNC.

And remember when I cheered you all the way to basketball glory? Sure, some people might attribute your victory to Tyler Hansbrough or Roy, but I'd like to think that I had a part in it. Let's not forget that schools always win National Championships when members of my family are in attendance (See UF basketball 2006, 2007 and football 2006, 2008. Oh, whoops, sorry to bring up UF again).  Remember how we celebrated that victory late into the night? To this day, I still defend your honor whenever anyone tries to talk smack. I mean, I practically vomit every time I see a Duke shirt.

Plus, there are some practical things to consider. We've lived together before, so we know that's not going to be a problem. Plus, I'm still registered to vote in the the great state of North Carolina. What if I forgot to re-register in a new state before the 2012 election and I didn't vote? Don't you want to promote civic responsibility? Of course, I would never forget, because I'm such a mature, responsible student-citizen, but WHAT IF I did? Could you live with that guilt for the rest of your life? Plus, do we really want to go through all the paperwork of re-registering? Think of all the trees we could save. 

And yeah, I know you like your trees, UNC. Do you think I could forget all those special afternoons in the arboretum? Well, I couldn't, and I never will.

Love,

Julie

Remember these days?
I liked you even when you were COLD. 

PS. If you're confused: The arboretum is a place on UNC's campus with lots of trees and pretty flowers. Tyler Hansbrough was a player on the men's basketball team when they won the 2009 NCAA championship. He was very good. Roy is the basketball coach. The UNC dining hall had salad bars and sandwich bars, and not much other edible food (except cookies). And it snows in North Carolina. I know, crazy, right? Before I went there, I thought snow was just something that happened at well-timed moments in Christmas movies.

PPS. More letters tomorrow! For UT and Pitt...

Rejected drafts of my personal statement - Part 1

For those of you who don't know, I am applying to a Master's program in library science. Now that I've narrowed down my choices, it's time to start working on the application. And, of course, the most important part of the application is the personal statement. This could make or break you, they say. One helpful website recommended writing as many as six to twelve drafts of the essay before sending it in. Well, I haven't gotten that far yet, but I wrote a few. They were good, but just not quite good enough to make the cut for my Final Draft. Let's take a look:


The straightforward approach:

Dear UT/UNC/Pitt,

I want to be a librarian. Please accept me so that I don't have to go to FSU.

Love,
Julie

PS. Have you seen my GPA?

***

The philosophical approach:


To whom it may (or may not?) concern,

Why do I want to be a librarian, you ask? Why does anyone want to be a librarian? What is "being," exactly, and why does anyone want to "be" anything? Why do we dedicate ourselves to these single-minded pursuits, striving endlessly at a task until we fail at it, only to try and fail at another, all the while telling ourselves that this is meaningful, that we are important, that we are creating something, but really all that is created comes to ruin, and all of this -- this "life," as we call it -- is just a fast-foward, non-stop fight to the end.

You might as well let me in.

-Julie

***
The enthusiastic approach:

Dear Admissions Officials,

Why do I want to be a librarian? Great question! Because libraries are awesome! When I see all those books sitting on the shelf, I just want to check them out! To people, that is! Going to the library for me is like going to church for other people. The reference desk is my confessional. "Forgive me," I say, "for I have sinned. I have brought this book back two days late." The water fountain next the bathroom is my holy communion, the wine. The sort-of stale muffins of Starbucks, the bread.  Sometimes when I'm in the library, I just want to stand up and sing, tilt my head back to the ceiling and scream "THANK YOU!" But of course, I don't do that, because a library is a quiet place, for quiet contemplation, where we think about our homework and ourselves and, dare I say, discover who we truly are!

I would make such a good librarian! I would always wear long skirts and flat shoes, and if someone took out their cell phone, I would zap them with my lazer eyes (Yes, I have lazer eyes. Do any of the other candidates have that? I don't think so.) I would shush people before they even THOUGHT about speaking! Why? Don't you ask me why! Because this is a library, young man! My most favorite place on earth! So vote for me, Elle Woods, for the class of...Wait, where was I going with this?

LOVE,
Julie

PS. Blog readers- more tomorrow!

Simplicity

So, yesterday I talked a little bit about how the simple life in Macintosh might be really enjoyable. This got me thinking about the simple life in general. Is the simple life better? Let's investigate.

Well, first, I think it depends on how you define "the simple life." In this case, I would define it as lifestyle where you don't have a lot because you don't need a lot. Yes, your basic needs are met, and you have a few close friends, and a good family. You don't have a big flashy job with lots of power and respect, you don't have to "network," and you don't go to parties with a hundred of your closest acquaintances. People don't give you things just for being you. Most people outside your community don't know who you are. But you make a decent living and you like what you do.

These lifestyle differences - and all the ones in between - have been on my mind a lot in recent months, as I've been making the decision to become a librarian. I've had many moments of doubt, where I wondered if maybe I should go to law school instead. Not because I have any passion for law, of course, but because I'm afraid of being a poor librarian. Now, I don't consider myself a very materialistic person, but it's still something I worry about. I want to be able to provide for myself and my family, and I don't want to have to count on my husband (if I get married) to do it. I mean, what if I decide to marry a teacher?

And then sometimes I think "Okay, I don't want that many things now, but what I do later on?" What if I become one of those women who wants expensive couches and fancy rugs? Now, I really hope I don't, because I feel like those people are just trying to impress their "friends," and real friends don't need to be impressed. Don't get me wrong - I want to live in nice, decent conditions. For example, I would like to, at some point, own pots and pans that won't give me cancer, or perhaps upgrade to nice bookshelves from the ones I have now (white, water-stained ones I bought off craigslist. They used to be in someone's garage. And he used to keep chemicals one them.) But I think I could live with it if I never did. But what if I don't feel that way in ten years?

Of course, there are expensive things in life that are necessary, such as health care and homes, but we're going to assume that my librarian job will give me healthcare, and as for the home - I don't really know. (I mean, it's not librarians don't make ANY money.)

And then I also wonder about my children. They will want things - children always do - and I will want to give them those things. What then? (Of course, children also want their parents around, something I hear doesn't always happen when you're a lawyer.)

Sometimes the stress of wondering about all these things gets a little overwhelming.

In fact, here's a (sort of) funny story about one day at the library when, while thinking about all of this, I (sort of) had a break down:

So, as I said, I was at the library where I work. I was making copies of some historical documents, and I had literally hundreds of pages to copies. So I had a lot of time to think. I was also already feeling frustrated and tired, even before I started thinking. The copy machine kept jamming, and I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before because my neighbors had been partying on their porch. (No joke.)  So there I was, standing at the copy machine,  and I asked myself, "Do I really want to do this for the rest of my life?" Then all the questions from above flooded through my mind, plus some others. Like:

Is this really the best thing I can do with my education? Don't I want to get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, instead of some modest amount? It didn't help that, the night before, I had been scrolling though one of those Occupy Wall Street tumblrs, with all the people holding up their stories. What if I become one of those people, I thought? Then the copier jammed again, making that awful noise of crushing paper, and that was the last straw.

Evil.

I quickly gathered up all the papers, ran out into the staff bathroom (which, mercifully, is a one-person type thing), and started to cry. Then I called my dad. I told him all my worries, how I was wondering if I should go to law school, how I was worried I would never be able to eat again, etc, etc.

After I had calmed down a little, and after we had talked through some of the bigger problems at hand, he started telling me about my grandpa. His father was, he told me, a man who almost never wanted anything. It wasn't a statement or anything. He just didn't. He was just that kind of person. His wife, my grandma, apparently used to get mad at him because he never wanted anything. And then my father told me that he thought this made my grandfather the richest man in the world. A man is rich, he said, if he feels good about what and how he is doing. A man is rich if he is happy with the things he has.

(He also morbidly pointed out that every single person on the planet right now is richer than Steve Jobs, because we are all still breathing.)

That is what I think of as the simple life: Being happy with what you have.

Of course, you could say that it's naive and idealistic to think that you can be happy without money.  And obviously you need some money. You need to eat, and it's nice to be able to go on vacations and buy a new computer.

But I also think that sometimes, as Tupac (the great philosopher of our time) said, more money means more problems. The more you have, the more you have to lose, and so the more energy and stress you devote to protecting yourself and your assets and investing that money, etc. etc, instead of focusing on yourself and your family.

Plus, my psychology classes tell me that people generally get used to whatever level they're at, as long as their basic needs are provided for. That is, if you're rich, at first it's exciting, but then it's just your life. And you get used to doing rich people things, like eating expensive meals, so you keep working to maintain that lifestyle, insteading of working less like maybe you promised yourself you would once you made your first million.

Then again, does having money, or working in a field like law, necessairly mean that you can't live the "simple life?" Does having money automatically make you materilasitic? I don't think it's always the case, but I think it happens a lot. In order to survive in one of those careers, you have to be dedicated to your job. More time at your job, less time with your family. Plus, if everyone around you is living a flashy lifestyle, you might start to want that too.

Anyway, I hate to make such generalizations, and I don't want to pretend that I know everything about the lawyer lifestyle, or even what I'm calling the "simple" lifestyle. Maybe the question I'm really asking here is, what makes for a good life? Either way, gross generalizations and pretending to be in expert in things are what blogging is all about! So I'm doing it!

Let's end with this quote from Tolstoy, made famous by the book, Into the Wild (which is a great book):

"I have lived through much, and now I think I have found what is needed for happiness. A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbor--such is my idea of happiness. And then, on top of all that, you for a mate, and children perhaps--what can more the heart of man desire?"


What do we think? Agree? Disagree? 

My idea of a perfect afternoon.

PS. Whoa - this was a little heavy, right? What, did you think we were all jokes here at See...er, I mean, Julie's Blog? (Man, this blog needs a name). Well, we're not! BUT this weekend is going to be all about the funny posts, posts full of wit and inneudo and self-deprecation. Get excited! See you tomorrow.

Macintosh Fall Fest

 This past Saturday, my friend Cassie and I went to the Macintosh Fall Festival, a big fair out in the countryside with crafts and food.

Okay, I know what you're thinking: "But wait? Didn't you go to the book sale on Saturday? You wrote us that hilarious letter! How is this possible!?"

 Well, my friends, I know it seems crazy, but I actually got to go to two amazing events on Saturday. Book sale in the morning, craft fair in the afternoon.Yes, it's a charmed life I lead (also, remarkably like the life of an eighty-year old woman...except that she would probably play bridge sometime in there, too).

Anyway...

Welcome to Macintosh.

Macintosh is a small town outside about thirty-minutes outside Gainesville, full of old southern houses and mossy trees, and every year it holds this festival, which always seems to take place on the most perfect, sunny (but not too hot) day. The booths at the fair feature homemade crafts, such as carved benches and canned goods, as well as food that you can eat right there, like fried pickles and lemonade. My personal favorite was the ice cream. I got chocolate-raspberry truffle. It was so delicious and creamy.

Booths at the fair. Side note: booth is a weird word.

I also love to see all the quirky crafts, like this, a college football Christmas wreath:

There was gator stuff everywhere: purses, furniture, earrings, shorts...

But my favorite part is the town itself. I love to look at the houses, with their bright colors and big porches. I just imagine that life in Macintosh must be so simple and pleasant. People just sit out on their porches with their families, and everyone knows their neighbors. The kids play in the well-kept park, which is right in the center of town. Everyone goes to one of the three churches on Sunday, and everyone knows your business. I suppose it could be suffocating for some people, or at some times, but to me it seems like the good would outweigh the bad.

I especially love this house. Notice how it has a porch upstairs AND downstairs. So extravagant!

My dream house.

I got to experience a taste of what it might be like to live there, because on the day of the festival, people were allowed to sit on the side porch. So, Cassie and I sat down, ate our ice cream and fried pickles, and enjoyed the sliding chair. (Yes, they had a sliding chair. I'm telling you, this house is perfect.)

Oh, and look what was right across from the porch:

The view from the porch.

The ice cream truck (left) and the lemonade stand (right)! My two favorite things.

And this is Cassie's favorite house:

Cassie's dream house

And here we are, posing outside town hall as we left the fair:

Spanish moss...Southern living.

PS. Interested in experiencing a fall fest for yourself? Well, the Macintosh one may be over, but Micanopy, another small town outside Gainesville, holds one, too. The Micanopy one is actually bigger than Macintosh, with more booths and vendors. Although the town lacks some of the charm of Macintosh, in my opinion, the fair is still lots of fun. It will be open this Saturday, October 29th, from 9-5, and on Sunday from 9-4. Find out more at the official website.

And now for a few more pictures:

A random shack behind Cassie's dream house

Creeping on the back of Cassie's dream house

Self explanatory.

The Snow Cone stand. Yum!

PS. Okay, another name: How do we feel about "The Five Blocks?" Or "The Long Five Blocks?" The title refers to the five blocks I walk home everyday from school, which is where I come up with most of my blog posts.

Poem Tuesday

Hello! It's Poem Tuesday! And, since I'm feeling extra-generous after the book sale this weekend, today is actually two-poem Tuesday. Also, I feel that these two poems need to go together.

The first is Dover Beach, By Matthew Arnold. It is admittedly pretty depressing, and it has confused me ever since I read it Freshman year, and it still confuses me today, especially all those parts about the Agean sea and human misery and blah blah blah. BUT I love the last few lines (ignorant armies and all that.) Here, just read it:

The sea is calm to-night.
The tide is full, the moon lies fair
Upon the straits; on the French coast the light
Gleams and is gone; the cliffs of England stand;
Glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay.
Come to the window, sweet is the night-air!
Only, from the long line of spray
Where the sea meets the moon-blanched land,
Listen! you hear the grating roar
Of pebbles which the waves draw back, and fling,
At their return, up the high strand,
Begin, and cease, and then again begin,
With tremulous cadence slow, and bring
The eternal note of sadness in.

Sophocles long ago
Heard it on the Agaean, and it brought
Into his mind the turbid ebb and flow
Of human misery; we
Find also in the sound a thought,
Hearing it by this distant northern sea.

The Sea of Faith
Was once, too, at the full, and round earth's shore
Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled.
But now I only hear
Its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar,
Retreating, to the breath
Of the night-wind, down the vast edges drear
And naked shingles of the world.

Ah, love, let us be true
To one another! for the world, which seems
To lie before us like a land of dreams,
So various, so beautiful, so new,
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;
And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night.

The White Cliffs of Dover, England

And now for the second, a witty response to this poem, called Dover Bitch, by Anthony Hetch, which imagines the night Arnold describes from the perspective of his companion. 

So there stood Matthew Arnold and this girl

With the cliffs of England crumbling away behind them,

And he said to her, 'Try to be true to me,

And I'll do the same for you, for things are bad

All over, etc., etc.'

Well now, I knew this girl. It's true she had read

Sophocles in a fairly good translation

And caught that bitter allusion to the sea,

But all the time he was talking she had in mind

The notion of what his whiskers would feel like

On the back of her neck. She told me later on

That after a while she got to looking out

At the lights across the channel, and really felt sad,

Thinking of all the wine and enormous beds

And blandishments in French and the perfumes.

And then she got really angry. To have been brought

All the way down from London, and then be addressed

As a sort of mournful cosmic last resort

Is really tough on a girl, and she was pretty.

Anyway, she watched him pace the room

And finger his watch-chain and seem to sweat a bit,

And then she said one or two unprintable things.

But you mustn't judge her by that. What I mean to say is,

She's really all right. I still see her once in a while

And she always treats me right. We have a drink

And I give her a good time, and perhaps it's a year

Before I see her again, but there she is,

Running to fat, but dependable as they come.

And sometimes I bring her a bottle of Nuit d' Amour.

(PS. Nuit d'Amour is french for Night of Love, and I remember that the TA for the class where I first read this poem found that endlessly amusing. And I was like...okay, it's not that hilarious. But still..the poem, overall, I think is pretty funny.)

PPS. Photo credit

Blog name?

And the great blog naming saga continues...

Please help me decide on one of these names! I'm begging you!

1) Strange encounters with English People. The URL would be toseepeople.blogspot.com or possibly seeppl.blogspot.com, because seepeople.blogspot.com is already taken by some jerk who wrote exactly one wall post in 2007. I like the poetic-ness of "toseepeople."

2) Sprialsparrow.blogspot.com - This is the English-ification of my favorite latin motto (yes, I have a favorite latin motto). The motto is "Dum Spiro Spero" (phonetically: dumb sp-eye-row spare-row), which means "While I breathe, I hope." I like this one, except that it just seems sooo blogger-y, like the kind of thing some fourteen year old girl names her super emo blog where she goes to rant about her crushes. Or maybe that's just me? Plus, would the title be "Spiral Sparrow"? And then if so, how would people know what the blog is all about when they come here? Plus, I feel like sprial sparrow sounds kind of trippy, and could possibly attract hippies looking for other hippies, and then they will be so angry when they get here and find that I am not a hippie. And nobody wants an angry hippie.

But I still kind of like that name.

3) Bone, Biscuit, Almond and Oak. URL yet to be determined. I just like how this sounds. But it's also kind of bland. And also gives you no clue as to what the blog is like. I mean, not like "Strange Encounters" does a super great job of that, but I think it does clue you in that this is kind of a funny blog. Which it is...right?

5) Julie's Jumble...or something like that. Or maybe Queen of the Jumble. Actually that sounds really dumb. Let's nix that.

6) Chaos to Order. This comes from a quote by Vonnegut (sp?) where he says "let others bring order to chaos. I will bring chaos to order." I like it because you kind of can't tell if he means he'll like, organize chaos, like "bring a class to order," or if he's going to add some chaos to an orderly situation (bring chaos to order), like give all that order a bit of chaos. Know what I mean? Ah this sounds weird. Anyway, I like it.
OH except I just checked, and some STUPID person already has the URL chaostoorder.blogspot.com and they wrote exactly ONE entry in 2005. Google should really delete some of these.
Anyway, I guess I could come up with a different URL.

You know what title I really like? "I was told there'd be cake" by Sloane Crosley. I want a title like that. But I don't want to out and out copy it, with something like "I was told there'd be cookies" or something.

Hm...

Okay, well, we'll keep thinking about it, right? Maybe it will come to me. Oh, and please tell me what you think of the names. I need some feedback. I know you guys are trying to be all cool and pretend you don't read this, but the fact is - I can see how many hits I get, and I get about seven to twenty hits a day. So someone is reading! So talk to me on twitter, facebook, etc, etc, because I'm sure we're probably friends on there.

[Update]
Okay, I thought of one other possibility: Lined Paper. This one comes from one of my favorite quotes, which starts one of my favorite books, Fahrenheit 451. The quote is "If they give you lined paper, write the other way"

OR something from this quote, from the Great Gastby:
“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
Like...Sunshine and bursts of leaves...great bursts of leaves on trees...I don't know

OR something from Mr. Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan, like "sillohuted by the sea" or "the circus sands" or "the diamond sky" or "to dance beneath the diamond sky"
Okay, I'm getting carried away. And Bob Dylan might also bring in the hippies so that could be a no...Hm...

Book Sale Wrap-up

As you all probably know by now, the semi-annual Friends of the Library book sale was this past Saturday.

So, Saturday morning, I got up at 7:45 AM, the same time, coincidentally, that I got up for the GRE about a month ago.

Temperatures were in the 40s overnight,  so it was hard to get out of bed. The wood floor in my room felt like ice, and I was all toasty in my bed. But then I pictured all the piles and piles of wonderful, cheap books waiting for me in that warehouse downtown, and I practically leapt up.

I got dressed and got together my book sale survival kit: Cloth grocery bags (for carrying books), cash, my check book (just in case I wanted to buy A LOT), breakfast bars, a banana, and comfortable shoes. Then I drove up the street to pick up my friend Laura, and off we went!

By the time we got there, people were already lined up around the blook. About seventy people stood in front of us, I'd say, maybe more. Finally, nine o'clock rolled around, and they opened the doors. Once inside, Laura and I went our separate ways - her to the magazines and me off to the non-fiction in hopes of finding Bossypants. It's easier, I'd say, to go around the book sale alone, since everyone has different interests. And then  at the end you can surprise each other with what you found!

Well, my friends, it saddens me to say that I did not find Bossypants. In fact, I didn't find any of the books I wanted. The biographies section (where I thought Bossypants might be hiding) mostly consisted of books about 90s celebrities (Bill and Hilary Clinton, Diana), and then tons of copies of The Greatest Generation. Oh, and Angela's Ashes, which happens to be one of my all-time favorites. I wanted to secretly shove that one (and many others) into other people's piles, because they should read it, and it's too good to be left on the shelf.

For about the first thirty minutes, I felt pretty down, since I wasn't finding anything from my list. Not even The Help! Can you believe that? I thought it'd be everywhere. But then, of course, I did eventually find some things I wanted. It started with What is the What. I got excited about that, and then, with my spirits lifted, I found more things. Maybe once I stopped obsessing about The Help I was able to see the other stuff on the shelves. (Kind of like when you finally get over a crush on some really dumb guy and then you realize you could do so much better. But I digress.)

So, here is what I ended up with, once I opened my eyes:

In case you can't read that, it is:

• Native Son by Richard Wright. I grabbed it because it was cheap (fifty cents?) and it's kind of a classic
• Overheard in New York - basically what it sounds like it is. Funnily enough, I really wanted this book back in high school, when I was obsessed with New York, but I never ended up getting it.
• A Lesson Before Dying - Again, it was pretty cheap, and someone at the sale recommended it. Plus I think the title is cool, in a morbid way. 
• Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (Whoa hard to spell). This is a YA book that I kept seeing everywhere. So I'm very excited to finally have it, even though it wasn't something I actually went in looking for.
• What is the What 
• White Tiger - It had all sorts of raving reviews on the cover, in the first few pages, etc, and it won some prizes. I've had good luck grabbing things with good reviews. I found one of my most favorite books (Special Topics in Calamity Physics) that way. 
• Feeling Sorry for Celia - I got this book out of the library in middle school and I remember thinking that it was life-changing. I mean, I loved it. I'm curious to see how I like it now.
• Little Bee 
• Bastard Out of Carolina
• The Book of Lost Things - I somehow stumbled upon this book one time while clicking through Amazon and I remember thinking that it looked so cool. The cover is beautiful, and I love the title. This might be my favorite find.
• Invisible Man
• The Year of Secret Assignments - by the same author as Feeling Sorry for Celia, so I had to grab it to round out my collection.

Oh...and there was one more....

Kardashian Konfidential!!! I am embarrassingly excited about this one. I found it for seventy-five cents! What a bargain. I just recently got into the show over the summer, when I was in Costa Rica, because it was the only thing on TV. Like, literally, the only thing. But now I'm hooked. I just find their lives so strangely fascinating (maybe partly because I find everyone's lives fascinating), and apparently this book goes even deeper than the TV show does (not that that's tough to beat). I will be sure to share any interesting tid-bits I discover. I know you're all dying to hear them. 

Okay, so now, for those of you who might still be thinking about going, or if you're going back for half price Tuesday, I have put together some handy dandy tips. I consider myself a bit of an expert on the book sale now.  Also, it seems like giving unasked-for advice is a very blogger-y thing to do, and I'm really feeling the bulleted lists tonight. So, here it goes:

• Grab whatever looks good, even if you're not sure you want it. It probably won't be there thirty minutes later, and you can always put it back before you check-out.
• If you see another copy of a book you've already grabbed, compare the prices. I've noticed that sometimes they put two different prices on the same book, and I have saved anywhere from a few cents to a dollar by comparing in the past. It adds up! 
• Also, with the classics - make sure to look for the more beat-up versions of the book you want, as these are usually cheaper (unless you want it in pristine condition, of course). These books are often in the boxes under the tables. 
• Don't get too pushy. Even if it might be tempting to shove that slow-walking person aside, remember that these are people who love reading and love scoring deals, just like you. Plus, if you can't find something you really want, or if someone gets it before you, you could just buy it. It would support the author. Or get it from the library.
• Speaking of the library, when considering a book to buy, ask yourself if this is something you'll want to read over and over, if it's really special, or if it's something really popular that might have a long wait list. If it is, buy it. If it's not, maybe just get it from the library. Trust me, you won't want to lug around that many books every time you move, and we college students move a lot. 
• Once you've hit your favorite sections, go check out the other ones, too, if you still have the time,  money, and stamina. You might be surprised what you find. Also, sometimes the way they think to shelve things is not the way you would've. For example, a friend of mine once found Stephen King's memoir On Writing in the linguistics section. I would've looked for that in the non-fiction.
• Try to push your favorite books on people, the ones you already have or have already read. There's nothing more rewarding than seeing someone walk off with your favorite books. But don't bother trying to warn people about bad books. They'll just give you dirty looks. And then I'm always like, okay, find, don't listen to me. It's not like I have an almost-Bachelor's degree in this stuff or something. 
• Go back on half-price day! There is still amazing stuff left. Plus, that is when you can take risks on new things that you're not sure you'll like, since you probably won't pay more than fifty cents. 
• And lastly, and most importantly, make sure to glare at the people who are clearly buying books for their stores. They are truly evil, and so easy to spot, as they'll often be grabbing things without looking at titles or will have multiple copies of books. Are you really buying five copies of The Corrections for yourself? I don't think so.

And... that's everything!

Ah...another book sale come and gone. Well, at least there's still half-price day!

Oh - one last note - as with every year, it's always really great to see so many people out early in the morning, lining up for books, even if these people kind of annoy you at the time because they're grabbing your books. But really, it's wonderful to see kids buying Harry Potter, or parents helping them pick out their first picture books, and adults of all walks of life looking for all different books. If someone says people don't read anymore, he obviously hasn't been to the Gainesville book sale at 8:59 on a Saturday morning. 

IT'S BOOK SALE DAY!!!

My dearest friends,

As you read this, I am most likely making my way around the semi-annual Friends of the Library Book Sale. If this is true, then I am most certainly right now in the most divine state of bliss. Yes, despite the annoying woman shoving me with her stroller, I am content, because, you see, there all these books here, and they are all so cheap. So perhaps, right now, I am searching for the last book on my list, maybe in the memoirs section, or the new fiction, or maybe stocking up on a year's supply of Southern Living. Or maybe, by now, I have given up on the list, and am content to just wander through the shelves, feeling astonished by all the random things people in Gainesville read while grabbing all the books I never knew I needed.

If it is the afternoon, then perhaps I am back home, basking in the after-glow of the book sale. I am turning through the pages of my new books, admiring their covers, and thinking to myself, "God, I can't believe I found that one!" And okay, it's possible I might be feeling the tiniest tinge of regret about how much money I just spent. But no! No regrets! There is nothing more worthwhile than books! (Except maybe, you know, food.)

So enjoy your Saturday, my friends. I shall be back soon, sharing tales of bounty and blessings, speaking in hushed, reverent tones of the titles I have (hopefully) found: Percy Jackson. The Help. Bossypants. Such poetry! And I will more than likely post photos, so fear not, my friends - Soon you too shall be privy to the wonders of the book sale.

Until the morrow,
Julie

Under Construction

Dear Readers,

Please excuse the lame layout of this blog. It is temporary. I am trying to come up with new title, one that I'm not embarrassed to tell people. Yes, Strange Encounters...was kinda catchy, but I'm just not sure I want my life forever associated with hobos. But who knows...maybe I'll go back to that one. It was a pretty intriguing title, no?

Another thing - I want to write about my job and stuff on here, but I'm not sure the Honorable Senator Bob Graham would want to be associated with hobos. Especially not English ones.

But then again, that's a slippery slope. Because then I might start to think that the Big G might not want to be associated with the other stuff I write about on here.

That is always one thing that has bothered me about the internet...like, as long as I'm not talking about murder or something, is it really so bad? And isn't it my business what I do after-hours? Who cares as long as I do a good job at work the next day?

Anyway. I will hopefully be able to come up with an equally as catchy title. I was trying to come up with one while making copies today but, alas, no inspiration stuck.  I am open to suggestions if you have any. I don't want something that is from a song/book/etc because I would like it to be something I came up with myself. Maybe an interesting combination of words.

I also want it to be short b/c I hate when you have to type out a URL and it's like hellothisisablogkeeptypingyesthatsrightmorewords.blogspot.com. It's just annoying.

I don't want something cheesy.

Some blog titles I like:
The Current Conscience (uggh so good and catchy! Why didn't I come up with that...except that conscience is hard to spell.)
Thought Catalog

And...that's it.

What I Wore is a good one, but not really what I'm going for.

A few I have come up with:
-Pregret (the regret you feel before doing something)
-Bone, Biscuit, Almond and Oak (obv the URL would be shorter) - This is the name of an amusing short story I wrote Freshman year about a man trying to buy a toilet seat. Yes, these are the kind of things I occupy my time with.
-The Miracle of the Copy Machine

I guess it's kind of like coming up with a band name. So I should just think of what I would name my band if I had one...and then use it for a blog name instead. I think I've actually thought of some good band names before,  but of course I can't think of any now. Darn it.

Okay.

See you later. Thanks for sticking with me through this time of plain-ness.

Update:
Apparently I cannot use Pregret because some jerk who hasn't updated their blog in like two years already has that URL.

I supposed I could change it to like...Strange Encounters with English Majors or something...except that I am going to graduate soon...

Last Friday Night: The Haunted Corn Maze

Every October, the Hodge Farm has a "haunted corn maze" on weekend nights, and last Friday night, my friends and I decided to go.  We drove to Newberry, thirty minutes outside Gainesville and a whole other world, full of families with thick southern accents and too many children, wide open spaces, and, of course, corn. Out there, we could actually see the stars, away from the light pollution of the city.

We started the night out at the petting zoo, before tackling the more terrifying attractions.  This was personally my favorite part. I petted an adorable horse named Skittles. We hand fed goats little brown tablets and I experienced the very weird sensation of goat-tongue on my hand. It tickled, and was kind of sticky. But then, it was time for something much worse than goat-slobber: the haunted house. *Dun dun dun*

We stood in the long line, which was caged in with barbed wire, willing ourselves not to chicken out. I should say here that, while I can't speak for my friends, I personally am a huge chicken and didn't even want to go through the house. But we did.

The "house" was actually in a barn (of course), but to get to it, you first had to make your way through the narrow aisle-ways of an old bus. Inside, it was splatted with glow paint and lit only by a strobe light, which, frankly is overkill in my opinion. Aren't school buses scary enough without all those extras? All they really needed was some beefy bully in the back seat poking at your head, maybe some boys with jokes about sex that would scar you for the next five years. Instead, at the back of the bus, there was a skeleton, cloaked in a black rope. "You're gonna die" he cackled as we walked by him, to which I stoically replied "Well, aren't we all someday?"

Just kidding. I think I actually said, "Probably not because then we would sue" or something snarky like that. Snarkiness, in my opinion, is a good shield in a haunted house.

Another fun approach s to be really, really overly, jokingly scared, so that your actual fear becomes part of the joke. You could scream OH MY GOD OH MY GOD LOOK AT THAT even when nothing is happening, or perhaps narrate the whole experience like "Ooooh, we're walking into a black room. Someone is probably going to jump out. Oh, this girl is starring at me with her creepy eyes. Why won't she stop staring?"

Of course, there are probably some of you out there who don't want a shield in a haunted house. Some people really enjoy being scared, at least from what I saw at the farm. Groups of people stumbled out of the haunted house, and, in between gasping breaths, yelled "That was awesome." One guy in line literally couldn't wait to get in. "Oh, this is going to be so good," he said, practically bouncing with excitement. I do not understand these people. Why would you enjoy being followed around by some creep in a clown mask? I'm sure they're are all kinds of psychological reasons for this, like that some people want to face death and fear in an environment where they know, in the back of their minds, that they won't really get hurt. But let's not get too into that right now.

Some people enjoy spending time with this guy.

Anyway, some highlights of the haunted house: The aforementioned creepy girl, who stared you down. Actually there were two of them, on either side of our path. Twins? Mirror trick? I still haven't been able to figure it out. They were pretty good actors, I have to say, and the haunted, demonic look in their eyes made me want to look away, but even then I could feel them staring. Also, at one point, we had to walk through this, like, giant balloon. It's hard to explain. It was as if they stuck inflatable parachutes on both walls, and then filled them with air, so we had to push our way through this giant white blob to get out.  And then there were all the people who popped out when I never expected it. You got me good, Newberry corn maze.

But what bothered me the most were the people who popped out and then wouldn't go away. They just kept following you, and they got very, very close to you. For me, it was not so much a fear of their masks or fake blood, but the very real fear that these people might be major creeps. Like, in real life. After all, what kind of person works at haunted corn maze? Do they even background check these people?, I wondered. They're acting students, my friend Cassie insisted. (Actually, I later found out, much to my relief, that many of the workers are members of Newberry High School's Future Farmer's of America club, which the corn maze raises money for.) Still, I didn't like these people invading my personal space.

After the haunted house, which took all of about four minutes to kept through, we made our way over to the actual corn maze. We were not very successful at the maze. We went in a couple times, decided we would get lost without a flashlight. Then we borrowed a flashlight from the security guard, wandered around a little bit, decided that we had had enough, and left. The "haunted" aspect of the maze, by the way, was that it was filled with men in masks wielding chain saws who, like their friends in the haunted house, would get very close to you and not go away. 

The hay ride

Finally, it was time for the hay ride. Now, I was really looking forward to the hayride, because I thought was just going to be a relaxing little ride around the farm, something for the kids, you know, and well, me. But then  we actually got on the hay wagon and the little boy next to me informed me that he couldn't wait to see the murderous clown. Oh, I thought, disappointed, this is haunted to.

But actually, it was pretty fun, except when this guy in an animal mask jumped onto the cart, right behind me, and leaned over till his face was inches away from mine. And then he stayed like that for several minutes and I was like...well, this is just kind of awkward. Anyway, at one point, they drove a tractor right up behind our wagon, one of those numbers with the spinning things underneath, for grabbing corn, like it was some psychopath driving and he wanted you for the fall harvest, not the corn! That was fun...farm horror.

Now...just imagine that that child in the Florida shirt is me

Afterwards, we left and drove to Perkins, my friends exchanging stories about ghosts and haunting along the way. I listened, skeptically, thinking of logical explanations for their experiences in my mind. I've never been much of a believer in that stuff, to be honest. I mean, why, if you're dead and can do anything, why would you  go back and bother people? But who knows. This does remind me of a quote a like, though, and this is what I'll leave you with. It's from Poe, who apparently said "I don't believe in ghosts, but they've been chasing me my whole life."

They also had "corn boxes." Like a sand box, but with corn.

Note: All photos from the Hodge Farm Myspace

Important New Update

Hello SeeHobos Readers,
This is Julie, with some important news. For those of you following this story about Fiance boy,  we have just heard of some new developments.

We have just heard from some trustworthy sources (i.e. me eavesdropping in class) that Fiance boy, is in fact, engaged. He was heard talking in class about wedding plans, venues, receptions, etc. So I guess she said yes. Darn it.

Just kidding. Seriously. I wasn't even that interested in him. It was like a five second thing, like when you pass a guy on the sidewalk and think, oh, he's kinda cute.

So, really, I'm very excited for them. I wish the happy couple the best of luck.

Now, if anyone needs me, I'll just be over in this corner here with my seven cats...

Grad School Pro/Con List

So, for those of you who don't know,  I am applying to go to grad school for Library Science. Mostly that means that I stare at the computer for hours and hours, typing my address over and over again. BUT by far the hardest part of the whole process has been deciding where to apply. Maybe even harder than undergraduate, because the stakes, it seems, are higher.

For example, the place I choose could affect my job placement and how much money I make later on, or even where I live when I get out. (And, as my mother likes to remind me, it could be the the place where I meet the future Mr. Julie SeeHobos.) (Just kidding, mom. Don't get mad.) (But seriously, she does say that like, all the time.) (But I know it's just because she wants what's best, right, mom?)

So, to help with this difficult decision, I have made a handy-dandy pro-con list, and I have decided to share it with you. as it is quite hilarious.

(If you're extra curious, before we start you might want to check out the library science rankings, by our friend U.S. News, which may or may not be one of my most-visited pages.)

But without further ado...the list:

FSU

Pro: Cheap, instate tuition (The only reason I'm considering it. UF doesn't have a library science program.)

Cons: Where do I even begin? It's pure evil. Arch nemisis. Plus, I would have an FSU email address, and I would wear their stupid colors on my graduation day and so then I would probably barf, and I might even, horror of horrors, have to join the FSU Facebook network. Plus, for the rest of my life, I would have that FSU diploma, framed, over my desk. So every day I would have to resist burning my own diploma, because that's what I want to do whenever I see those three words written somewhere. I'm just not sure that's something I'm prepared to deal with.

University of North Carolina
Pros: Decent weather (although more snow than I would like.) Sweet tea. Southern Gentlemen. I could try to befriend Sarah Dessen. Already got a couple Tar Heel tee-shirts, so I'm all set.
But seriously, it is the best MILS program in the country. Plus, it's already sort of familiar, but not so familiar that I'll be bored with it, and I already know some awesome people up there. Also, Chapel Hill is super pretty and a really nice college town, like Gainesville, only less sketchy. (But you know I love you, Gville.) And I've realized recently that I really like being in college town, at least while I'm, ya know, in college. Oh, and if I went there, I could finally end this four year craving for Yo-Po.

Cons: Kinda expensive, didn't work out so well the first time. For those of you who don't know, I went there originally before transferring to UF, and it was awesome, but also really stressful for a variety of reasons (none of them really having to do with school). But I don't think any of those reasons would really be an issue this time. I know this sounds sketchy. Maybe I'll talk about it later.

Con: This stadium is a little small.

Simmons

Pros: It would be cool to live in Boston for a year (and one year only, as I think that's about as much winter as I can take), I could visit all my New England friends. I could maybe even go skiing! Plus, cities are fun (for a year), and there are  lots of young people in Boston, since there are like eighty college in there. Then there's the Harvard gentlemen (?). And I could try to befriend Noam Chomsky.

Cons: The possibility of dying of frostbite. Plus, it's expensive, high cost of living, the undergrad population is all female, and I'd imagine the grad school is quite small.

It's all so pretty before it gets covered in snow.

The University of Texas at Austin
Pros: Well, in case you didn't consult the detailed US News List (how could you?), UT has the best archive program. I know I said UNC is the best library program, but that's just overall. Apparently UT wins in the archive category (though UNC is a strong number 5). Other pros: I know some really nice people in Austin. The weather. And the city of Austin is supposed to be pretty cool. Plus, I could finally fulfill my lifelong dream of wearing a cowboy hat on a daily basis.

Cons: I would probably get shot.

The artist's rendition of Texas

I am also considering the University of Pittsburgh, but I don't have anything interesting to say about that, so I'll spare you. (Except that I guess I could become a crazy Steelers fan. That could be fun...)

So there it is. The list. I also breifly considered going to UCLA, but LA seems gross. And so far away. Same with the University of Seattle. Too cold. Burrr. And there are vampires there, you know. (Twilight jokes anyone?)

So, what do we think? Any votes? 

PS. Okay, in reality, I'm probably going to apply to all the places listed here, and then just see where I get in/where I get the most scholarship money. So after I  get all my decision letters, I'll probably have to make another pro/con list. Yay!

If...

Today, I've decided to take a few questions from that book up there. It's called "If...Questions for the Game of Life." I bought it a few years ago at a thrift store (of course).  Seems like it could be fun...let's go!

"If you could have a telegram from one person in history, who would it be from and what would it say?"
Oooh, this is a good one. So many possibilities. I am tempted to ask for a telegram from someone who lived during a time a major religion was founded, who could confirm that what people say happened actually happened, especially since we've been studying Morman religion lately in my New Religious Movements class.  BUT then I realize that even if this person said it was true/untrue, we still wouldn't know for sure. In fact, even if we went back in time and tried to witness it ourself, we still might not be sure.

So since that one is shot...I think I'd want William Faulkner to tell me what his inspiration was for  The Sound and the Fury and how he managed to make it so awesome...because I just wonder sometimes...

OKAY! Next question!

Speaking of new religious movements...
"If one part of your body were to become a religious relic, which part would you like it to be?"
I would like there to be a cult dedicated to worshipping my back. To show their devotion, members must give me back rubs on a regular basis. Ahhh...
Alternatively, we could have one devoted to my stomach, and devotees will provide me with delicious food.

"If you had to choose one person currently in the US government to control the nuclear forces instead of the president, who would it be?"
I would like someone to step up and call for nuclear disarmament. Blow bubbles not bombs, ya'll.

"If you had to choose the worst work of art ever created, what would you choose?"
This one, from the Tate Modern in London.

Seriously, what is it?

"If you could be on the cover of any magazine next month, which magazine would you want it to be, and what would the caption say?"
Oh man, this question is going to be so dated in about 20 years when there are no more magazines. Anyway, I would like to be on the cover of writer's digest or something like that, and I would like to the caption to say "Interview with best-selling, Nobel Prize and Printz-winning author."

Yeah, dream big.

And now, THE BEST QUESTION:
"If you could change the ending of any book ever written, which one would you pick and how would you change it?"
Okay, this question is so good that I can't answer it right away.  I want to give it the time it deserves. I'll get back to you in like...a week...or a month. Oooh man it's going to be tough.


If you have some good answers (or can think of any good "If questions), tell me!