I think I can be happy for a while. I have a roommate for the next year! I can stay in this nice apartment! Well, once she signs the lease and all and actually moves in, anyway. And hopefully she'll want to stick around for a while. I guess by this time next year I'll know where I'll be in the fall...scary to think about the future sometimes.

Anyway, the previous girl who came by the apartment really seemed to like it and the area, but there were no cookies because she came in the middle of the day. This girl came by after work last friday and I was able to make cookies (a little flat, but cookies nonetheless) and she stayed and chatted for an hour and called me back the next day before I headed out to the renaissance festival with Kate and said she wanted the apartment. Yay! Since the only differences between the two visits were time of day and cookie availability, I must conclude that it was the cookies. Even though they weren't warm by the time she got here because she was a little lost. Ok, my logic sucks, but you get the picture.

So Saturday was a good day. A new roommate and the Greater St. Louis Renaissance Festival in Wentzville (which isn't really St. Louis anymore, but whatever, it's closer than Kansas City). Kate seemed hesitant about going but she's a good friend and she knew I wanted to go very badly, so she was exceedingly nice and went with me anyway. She ended up having a good time which made me happy. She doesn't think she's up to the KC renfest yet though...hopefully Ross will be when he's back in town We saw jousting and a bit of the world bird demonstration, shopped, and saw a great show called Bardic Wind, a comedy/acrobatic act. It was funny and irreverent and quite amazing, some of the feats they performed. One of the guys...mmm, abs. mmm, tattoos. Sigh. I need a cute renaissance faire guy to dress up with I at least got to wear my hat that reminds May of Will's hat in PotC...which is sort of what I was going for. Though I don't have a Jack Sparrow to compliment me on my feathers. Yeah. Saw the resident hammered dulcimer player and bought a cd but I think I must have left it in Kate's car along with some excess change. Kind of like the leftovers from Applebee's tonight, which were either left at the restaurant or in the car of the person who drove. Ah well. Not doing too good with remembering everything in cars.

Today I went to Six Flags with Olga, her boyfriend and some of her friends. Got to go for free because she and Cesar (the bf) got season passes and had two free tickets. Yay! Rode the standard coasters (most seemed bumpy rather than fast today...perhaps it was the humidity) and the Scooby Doo ride where you shoot lasers at targets. I got 50,500 points, and I think I won. Yay for itchy trigger fingers. Then we headed over to Hurricane Harbor (the attached water park) and got wet. They have this new attraction called the Tornado where you go down a chute on a four-person raft and then into this giant funnel where you practically climb the walls. It was fun, but waaaay too short for the wait. Course, that's usually how those things go. But it being 6F and insanely expensive for things like lockers and tubes, I didn't bring in all of my extra clothes, which was good since they wouldn't fit, but it meant that I was pretty wet for a while afterwards. We headed to the aforementioned Applebee's and I was able to change, but that feeling of clammy dampness is one of the worst in the world.

It was a little weird today b/c Olga and her friends all speak spanish and I most certainly do not. I could pick out a few words here and there, but understanding I do not have, grasshopper. One of these days. Learning a new language is on my list of things to do before I die. Luckily they are nice and translated sometimes (paraphrased is probably a better term) and would speak english if I was talking to them, but there were certainly times when a particularly funny anecdote was shared and I was just sitting there watching them laugh. Oh well. Incentive to learn, I suppose. Muy fr�o en este restaurante.

Sleep soon I must..."new" job tomorrow. Wish my luck.

Posted by Jen at 9:52 PM | Permalink |

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So how about that $50-million first day Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith posted? I admit I did help that out in my small way. I took off a little early from work hoping that there would still be some space at the theater near my house, and lo and behold, there was. So I waited in line behind this nice couple and their two kids and read my Narnia books for an hour. Well, half-hour, really, since they let us in with 30 minutes to go. And apparently the theater got all fancy and had moving ads on the screen while we waited as opposed to your standard slides, which was cool. It was funny, took a little while to realize what was different.

And they started the trailers early. Which is good, I guess, and I know I've complained about 20 minutes of trailers before, but still, I now have to break the habit of feeling safe when I'm just a few minutes late because the trailers no longer start at the movie time, the movie starts at the movie time. Imagine that. Hey, what can I say, I like trailers. Especially the Narnia teaser trailer. It was great to see it on the computer, but it's even better in a theater with surround sound and a huge screen. Sigh: to have a home theater.

So yeah. The movie. It was good, I liked it, and if asked by someone I would probably see it again. The StL Post gave it two out of four stars, while I would probably give it 2 1/2 stars. The special effects redeem the (still) pretty poor acting, and the story has some flaws. I guess what bothered me the most is they just didn't quite make it believeable that Anakin would surrender so easily to the Dark Side. It happened too quickly. And while he had a valid reason, it wouldn't be what pushed me over the edge, I guess. Whatever. It was a good way to end the series, and I'm sure it's going to last all summer long. Bully for George Lucas.

So the next thing on my list is to learn GarageBand because I really want to write some songs of my own. I have to admit, as much as I want a PowerBook, the fact that an iBook comes with iLife (which includes GarageBand) made the iBook the only choice. Let's hope there are no exploding power adaptors associated with this computer, eh? So I finally got myself a book to help me out, and I've found a couple of places online that look great, like iComposition and MacJams so hopefully one day you too can hear my sweeping soundtrack-like songs. Er. Yeah.

That is, when I'm not studying for the MCAT. The closest I've come to that so far is looking at the instructions for signing up, which I suppose I ought to do soon. Why on earth is a stupid test like that $200? I don't understand why it costs so much when so many people are taking it. Bugger. Maybe the 'rents will help out. It's scary, that your future can sort of rest on how well you perform on an eight-hour test. Oy.

On the upside, Writer's Meetup tonight, and I AM going to go, and hopefully my friend who is Sexier Than A Duck will be there too, so yay. I have to figure out what bit of writing I would present. Eek! Some of the old Moonstone stuff is just crap. I know this, you know this if you read it, but really, I have to get to the end before I can fix the beginning. Seems odd to put it that way but I must move forward. I want to send off a query letter like STAD did And another upside is that even though Kate doesn't really know if she'll like the renfest, she's going with me next weekend. Yay! Perhaps I'll wear my newly-completed skirt. Or not, depending on whether or not I can stand to wear the bodice for a day. We'll see. I really need to start doing crunches.

Here's to making beautiful music. Or maybe just lunch.

Posted by Jen at 9:40 AM | Permalink |

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  GarageBand 2: Create and Record Music on a Mac
file under: movies

So, it's that time of year again. I figured I might make it a little easier on those people out there who, like me, don't want to pay some service to find a roommate but instead are smart and realize that Calenhiril, Etoiline, and I are the same person and are in fact looking for a roommate in St. Louis and can search for that. Sigh. Another roommate search. Two roommates in two years, boo. Not that I don't love my roomie or my former roomie. They are good people and friends. yay! Let's see if I can manage three in a row. I know as I get older it will be harder and harder to find a roommate, but it makes so much more sense. It's cheaper by a long shot. Until I can get a house, I guess. Seems weird to be even thinking about that.

Course, it's still faaaaar in the future as I still don't know what I'll be doing with my life. Wouldn't it be nice to study medicine in England? I could go to King's College (For those of you who don't know why that makes me happy, it's the college I decided my King Arthur reborn character should go to for my NaNoWriMo story. It's a kick. I want a british accent.)

So, there's a midnight premiere for Star Wars Episode III tonight (why is it starting on a Thursday? Weird.) at the Esquire...dunno if there are still tickets but perhaps I can find someone to go with me. If not I'm sure I'll see it some other time. Technically I could go to the theater and see Kingdom of Heaven again before the midnight show But I don't think I will. I really don't like going to the movies alone. Perhaps my new roommie will like fantasy/scifi like I do. I need more friends.

Ross leaves for Alaska on Thursday, so we won't be having any more movie dates this summer, alas. But at least I get to look forward to pretty pictures he's promised to send. Wish I was going to Alaska, though I doubt I'd do well in whatever sort of lawyerly thing he's going to be doing up there. I'd just want to hike some glaciers and stay up for the entire 22-hour day once or twice. See the whales, take a cruise, what have you, before Bush does his stupid drill-in-national-parks bit and destroys them all.

I really need a vacation. And a new bike. And a digital keyboard so I can play with GarageBand. And a digital camera so I can have better pictures of myself to post on dating websites, since I find myself getting more and more lonely without a guy. Especially when friends get married and ask me to bring a date to a wedding. Damnit, I don't have one! Sigh. Enough rant. Back to work.

Posted by Jen at 12:10 PM | Permalink |

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  Kingdom of Heaven sdtk
  A Clash of Kings, George RR Martin.
file under: working

And finally, Orgo is over. I know I did ok in my lab class, though I wish I could get my last paper back. I guess I could email the prof about it...it'd be interesting to see if I actually made any coherent thoughts during that crazy writing. I don't know about the grade in the lecture. I know that I was farther down the scale than I thought I was, and while I know I didn't perform spectacularly on the final, there were at least things that I did know...hopefully more than things I didn't. But at least I can breathe again. No more classes at night, no more labs saturday mornings, at least for a little while. I suppose I might take some classes later, but nothing now.

Although now I get to start studying for the MCATs...and find a new job. Luigi's saying that someone else in the department might be interested in me, but that I've got to spend less time on the computer. Makes me sad. Seems to be a trend. Wish I knew how to be better dedicated to things other than those that make me happiest. If you find out, tell me how.

I really want a boyfriend right about now. Someone to hold me and tell me that it will be alright. Sure, either of my parents would do that and they are both wonderful loving people, but...just not the same. I'm just a little lonely, I guess. And worried. Stressed. Unsure. Slightly less so now that orgo is over, but still...damnit here I go quoting John Mayer, again:

I'm so tired of being alone, so hurry up and get here

On a happier note, forgot to mention that I saw Kingdom of Heaven again last night, after the test. Worked out quite well, really, my dad picked up Stroke of Midnight from the library for me yesterday, swung by after the test and got to have pizza and watch the HBO First Look for KOH, then headed over to Ronnie's 20 and the big screen. I would have been on time had I not stopped for popcorn, but I think they jumped the gun and actually started the movie exactly when they said they would, or they started the previews way early, since I was only a few minutes late into the theater, but already a few minutes into the movie. ah well. Not like I hadn't seen it before, and missing two minutes at the beginning doesn't take too much away from it

I'm glad I got to see it again, for a few reasons. You could appreciate the dialogue more, now that you knew what they were saying. Some of the lines that weren't clear the first time became clear. There was time to look at other things (other things than Orlando! Hah!). The screen was bigger, so that was nice, and the sound was good too, though the theater was next to another that was showing something with explosions so that didn't always mesh with what was going on onscreen. Unfortunately there weren't very many people there, but it was a Wednesday night at 10:20, so I guess that's not all that unusual. Stayed through the entire credits...apparently they used music from Blade II and a couple of pieces by Graeme Revell which surprised me. I have no idea where they were used, but perhaps Alex will let me borrow his Blade movies someday and I'll be able to pick it out. Seems odd that they didn't use all original music, but maybe they were in a hurry. Though the music doesn't sound like it.

I want to go back and see it again. I do like it, just not some parts of it, and I guess I'm quite picky with the editing. Here's hoping that the dvd will at least be a director's cut or somesuch, because there is a lot that got left out. But man, it's nice to stare at Orlando's bare stomach on the big screen. I need a guy.

Posted by Jen at 3:49 PM | Permalink |

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  Stroke of Midnight, Laurell K Hamilton. Finished in less than 24 hours. Entirely too short.
file under: education , orlando

There, you are not what you were born, but what you have it in yourself to be...
Godfrey of Ibelin

Sorry about the trite title. The quote above was supposed to make it into the layout, maybe even as the title, but I forgot, amazingly enough. Well, it's immortalized here, now. Beware, spoilers ahead! Quick review: Go see it. Orlando-ness **** movie ***

Alrighty then. Just saw Kingdom of Heaven a little while ago. Unfortunately though the sound was good the theater I went to was pretty small (and had the flimsiest tickets I've ever seen) so I didn't get quite as much Orli as I wanted

I thought it was a good movie overall. Much better as a whole than, say, Troy. I guess I wasn't quite satisfied with the ending, not sure why exactly. I guess I'm not one for surrender, though Balian did the best he could and saved the people by his 'right actions.'

Balian really did look tired at the beginning. You could see the shadows under his eyes, the ache in his heart even when he wasn't saying anything.

Sometimes it was hard to understand the dialogue, esp. with either Baldwin (because of the mask) or the muslims, because of the accent. I'm looking forward to the dvd when I can have captions on. Some of this could have been avoided, but that's a little nitpicky.

Poor Liam Neeson wasn't in it very long, was he? Alas. And David Thewlis...I like him, and the way he went off to fight, knowing it could be his death...

I was pleasantly surprised by Edward Norton's performance. Normally I don't like him, and I was worried after hearing him speak in the trailers that he wouldn't be convincing as a king. But he handled it well. And the image of him revealed...powerful.

I was sad that there wasn't more of a love scene, not so much because I wanted to see more of Orli...don't get me wrong, I *did* want to see more but that it just seemed so abrupt. There wasn't any flow. Also, did I blink-and-miss Sibylla's son? And what about the orchestra-conducting bit Orli did in the 'modern' trailer?

what was *with* Brendan Gleeson's dye job?

I'll agree that the editing at the beginning did seem a little choppy. I guess they figured backstory isn't as interesting as gore and the endgame. Everyone says there will be an extended edition or at least a directors cut so hopefully some of this will be addressed there.

I don't know if it will win any awards. The music is superb, though in some parts overly loud and bombastic. Then again, war is loud and bombastic, so I guess that's ok. *I* think Orli did well with his part, acting with sufficient gravitas to inhabit the role, but there were definitely parts of dialogue to which he didn't do justice, and a few anachronistic replies that really didn't belong. The other actors played their parts with aplomb. Eva Green is sometimes a little too wide-eyed for my taste. But I can see why guys love her.

I was really hoping for some sort of ceremony when Balian gets his Knight of Jerusalem kit (you know, the blue tunic of the King vs the burgundy/gold of Ibelin) before the seige. But it's just one day he's in the Ibelin colors and the next in the blue. Perhaps that will show up in the dvd.

Random thought: he certainly learned to fight like a knight rather quickly, eh? With one lesson he goes from peasant to 'high guard'...

I want to see it again, absorb the things I missed the first time, see it on a bigger screen...maybe that's what I'll do after o rgo is over. Of course by then it will probably fall to a smaller screen anyway, but whatever. Definitely a movie I want to see multiple times on a big screen.

There's probably things I forgot, but it is after 2 am, and I should get to bed so I can get up and study like a madman tomorrow. Er. later today. And Sunday. And monday, tuesday, and wednesday, when I will finally be taking a day off, though it won't be much of one, since I will undoubtedly need to it study. Wish me luck. Just make it to Weds, I think...then I can see KoH again

Saw it with Ross and Tony and Cat, which was nice. Glad to not see a movie by myself for a change. Movies are so much more fun with friends. Cat and Tony and I went to Bread Co before the show, and Ross met us there. The theater was full, not quite sold-out, but close, surprising since we saw a latea one. We saw the 9:45 show, really late for me to wait (man, I was anxious all day) because Tony said he had a doubleheader softball. It turned out that he only had the one, so we could have gotten to an earlier showing, but Ross was out for dinner with some friends so we couldn't. Afterward Ross finally got to see the apartment, and looks quite dashing in a musketeer hat. Maybe we'll get to the StL renfaire before he goes to Alaska (?) for a law internship (?) in a few weeks. He brought it up, honestly! He'll be gone till August. Sigh. Guess there's always the KCrenfest...

It always cracks me up when I recognize KOH as not standing for Kingdom of Heaven but for potassium hydroxide, a very strong base used in organic chemistry reactions. Wish I could tell you some of the various things it does, but alas, my brain is empty of reactions and full of the dirty!man!knight! Balian and how fine he was. I'll admit my fangirlyness and say even if the rest of the movie was bad I'd probably want to see it again for Orli. That is, once my orgo final is over. And when I have a job. And a new bike.

If you're in town and want to see KOH, please let me know I'll go with, gladly.

Posted by Jen at 2:38 AM | Permalink |

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  Fear, Sarah McLachlan (the Roswell 'connection' song)

file under: orlando

Well, today's the day. Kingdom of Heaven comes out. Due to scheduling conflicts I won't be able to see it until rather late (you know I would be out of here in a flash to see it right now, if I could), but at least I'm seeing it, and seeing it with other people, which is a big bonus. And it's going to be at a cool theater (as long as it's not sold out, which would be my luck) that I've never been to. So, yay.

And, how do you like the new layout? It didn't take me very long, more because of lack of time to do it than it was easy. Luckily I've got most of the kinks out of updating MT so that part goes relatively smoothly. Don't forget to check out the archives, which also has a neat new layout, if I do say so myself.

In case you're curious: reviews of KOH from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Riverfront Times. It got three out of four stars from the PD. Yay! I have a feeling this will either be a movie that critics hate but the general public loves, or everybody hates/loves it. Kind of like National Treasure. Critics thought it was horribly formulaic but I enjoyed it thoroughly. Hopefully this will be the same way. I have high hopes.

[edit: for those of you who came by and saw absolutely nothing aside from pretty pictures on this blog, it was purely an error on my part, but somehow a) two of the same entry were posted and b) there was an incorrect tag in at least one of the entries so it crucked up all the actual blog content. Fixed now. Yay. And at least one person likes the layout...you should have your say too. /edit]

Posted by Jen at 1:12 PM | Permalink |

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  Kingdom of Heaven Soundtrack

file under: movies , orlando

So tomorrow Kingdom of Heaven comes out. Looks like it will be a small group of us, I asked quite a few people but it looks like only boys are all that interested lol. Ross is coming, and Tony said yes. Perhaps he'll bring Cat along and I won't feel quite as silly with the big grin that I have whenever I see Orli. I can't seem to control it. At least I'm not a screaming fangirl.

And hopefully tomorrow (or later tonight, if I can get it uploaded) there will be a new layout in tribute to aforesaid movie. It's all Orli, so I'm sorry to those of you who don't like him. I do, and really, that's all that matters I figure I visit my own website more than any of you do, so it ought to be something I like, eh? And given the response to my laste entry about my late lamented *stolen* bike, which was nearly nil (thanks, adam) obviously there's not going to be too many people to complain. Hope you can appreciate the design that went into it, anyway.

Until tomorrow, then.

ETA: Leo loves me. And she reminded me that I was going to mention Feliz Cinco de Mayo! Have a margarita. I guess I could make one, I think I have some tequila at home...that sounds so odd. Me talking about alcohol. I haven't had a drink in some time. It's about time, then! ¡arriba!

Earth Dragon

Buy this Poster at AllPosters.com

Just thought it was pretty.

Posted by Jen at 10:57 AM | Permalink |

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  A Game of Thrones, George RR Martin
file under: orlando

I cannot fucking believe it. Someone stole my bike. Yes, that bike, the bike that was eaten by squirrels and at least six years old, was stolen off the back porch last night. Now, I did everything right. The bike lock I had was from the WashU police, so the bike was registered with them. It was locked up. Admittedly, due to the height of the deck railing it was only locked through the frame and not the frame and the wheel, but still, it was locked, unlike the bike next door, which was not locked at all, and not taken (probably because when I knocked on the door to tell them that my bike had been stolen he told me that his chain was broken. still, I should think it would be rather easier to replace a broken chain at any store than it would be to get a bike lock cut off...). I did call the police, so a nice police officer came by to take a look at the damage (yes, they pried the railing off and broke it to take the bike) and get the info. And the WU police will look into it, since it is registered with them. Nice of them, since I don't actually go to school there any more.

Guess I won't get the bike repaired, then. I just hope it causes the theif much pain when he (or she, I suppose it could be a she, but I doubt it) realizes he can't shift past the 4th gear or whatever it is. Why on earth would you want a ratty old squirrel-eaten bike that doesn't shift properly?

And then there's the bit where I'm a little freaked because someone came up on the deck and broke the railing and was right there, and I didn't know. Admittedly, I (on the good side of things) had the last orgo lab on saturday and turned in my paper (after being up until 4:30 saturday morning) and came home, watched Ever After, went to a school renaissance festival with the parents, had a very early dinner, read a bit, then crashed about 7 to sleep til 1 am, so it's very possible that I slept through it. Still. Spooky.

In case you didn't get how this was ironic: You remember how I "had" to get a new computer because the old one just completly futzed on me? How I'd been talking of getting a new one for years, but was forced into it? Well, you've probably heard me gripe about getting a new bike for a few months now, but this time I really *can't* get a new one. Not when I don't know if I'll have a job in a month.

I'll call my aunt tomorrow and see if we can work out some sort of month-to-month lease option, because I certainly can't pay for this apartment without a job, but I don't know if I'll have one in 30 days, so I can't exactly give a 30 day notice. And of course the contact at HR was out of the office for the beginning of last week, so nothing there yet. Luigi did tell me they might be starting something that would have me doing just about what I do right now, but nothing's final and he doesn't know when it would be. And that I need to stay off the computer. Problem is, I'm not quite sure that I would want to be doing the same things. New experience is good. And possibly in another direction that has a little more to do with what I'm thinking I like. Maybe I don't know what I like. A shame I can't get a job reading books. I'm really good at that.

Sigh. The fortune teller person at the renaissance faire said I should work with words. Well, once someone starts paying me to do that, sure. Until then I fear my novel shall never be finished. It's that whole, can't get an agent until you finish a novel, but can't finish a novel until you have an agent to get you money. Maybe I don't understand the system. But really, it's a moot point, since I don't have a finished book, nor even how the book is *going* to finish.

I'm sure they won't find the bike. My mom pointed out that if I had ever gotten around to getting renter's insurance they probably would have given me something for the bike. Alas. I didn't want to have another monthly payment. Besides, up until now it would have been the same pay-for-something-you'll-never-use, like the warranty on my computer. Runs out before things like backlights go out so they don't do a thing except cost more money. God, I'm a cynic.

On the good side, Ross said that he would be interested in seeing Kingdom of Heaven with me and whoever else comes on friday. Yay. Now all I have to do is get through this week, study alot for the final next wednesday, and orgo will be done and I will have seen Orlando on the big screen. But I won't have a new bike yet. I swear. Irony magnet.

Posted by Jen at 12:23 AM | Permalink |

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  Jars of Clay: God Will Lift Up Your Head, Redemption Songs

file under: rants