If you're good to Hannah...

I was messing with trashbags the other day when an older lady threathened her obnoxious granddaughter by saying "See that lady right there? If you don't stop, she'll put you in Wal-Mart jail and I won't be able to get you out." At the time, the comment was rather amusing but later I started thinking about what a flahoolickly cool idea Wal-Mart Jail would be. A place to stash hideously annoying and/or loud children where not even their spoiling grandparents can reach them? Sure, someone would have to watch them and make sure the brats don't kill each other, but I'm sure there are some out of work actors (or should be out of work--I'm looking at you, Carrot Top) who need money that desperately. Beyond that, if *I* were in charge, this entire idea becomes that much cooler. If nothing else, I picture myself like Queen Latifah in "Chicago": every inmate comes to you for help (which you over-charge them for each time), you get tickets to acts featuring your ex-inmates for evening plans, and occassionally get to belt out a song while wearing lots of feathers. Who wouldn't want a gig like that?

Speaking of things that bug me...

...do those emails ending with "if you're (or, more commonly, your) my friend, you'll send this back" bug anyone else? I don't know if it's from my immediate thought that people could actually think "if she doesn't send this back, I'm never talking to Hannah again!" or if I should just file it under my ability to handle extremes but not mild oddities, but I generally find such emails a waste of my time. I'm not upset with people for sending them to me (I add, knowing many people do and I don't want to alienate people from filling my inbox), I just hope nobody expects me to actually send them back most of the time.

So, just to prepare for the future: *I love all y'all out there in the wide world and I don't need an email to express that, especially as long as I have my blog. Ta da.*

File it under FYI

You'd think if an email was *actually* from the head of a major corporation (such as Hotmail), the president would use the free grammar check that came with his company computer before telling all Hotmail users they are about to lose their accounts. Just a thought.

This-or-That Gets a Theme Again

May 27: Personal Habits, Quirks, Routines, etc.

1. Do you prefer silence or do you like background sound (music, TV, etc)? silence generally drives me crazy after awhile, but I don't require much to consider something "background noise" (my typing on the keyboard counts right now)

2. Bathe/shower in morning or evening? I prefer in the evening so I don't have to mess with drying my hair, but it's hard to take a shower at 11 at night when everyone else is asleep, so I usually go for the morning

3. Sleeping in complete darkness, or with a nightlight on? after spending nine months with a street light shinning in my window, it's hard to fall asleep in complete darkness

4. Lay out clothes the night before, or just grab what's closest in the morning? what, you think I plan and coordinate all my jeans and t-shirts? Somebody has too much faith in me

5. Hang up/fold clothes neatly, or just toss them wherever? I usually fold everything...whether they get put away properly is another story

6. Work out at a gym, or at home on your own (or do you not bother with exercise)? Y'all I'm walking and running around Wal-Mart enought (and I had to go up and down those confounded stairs in Dobson) that I don't think about "real" exercise

7. Talk on the phone, or via IM/e-mail? I suck at talking on the phone and therefore try to avoid it, so internet is my best bet (although I never have time to do either)

8. Are you usually on time, or late? I try to be on time...

9. Spendthrift or frugal? Aren't they the same things with different connotations? (I'm not pulling out the dictionary to check)...I don't spend much, but I generally spend more than I should whenever I finally break out the cash/checkbook/whatever

10. Thought-Provoking Question of the Week: [replaced by one of my own because I didn't care for the official question] You cat always ignores you until you ignore her back, then she always seems to get in the way. How do you react? I'd give an answer, but Patches is blocking the keyboard right now.

I Did Survive

Despite some customers' best efforts, I managed to survive the holiday weekend. Of course, when the highlights of the weekend are hitting a customer with a box of flowers (not on purpose--it fell over the wall--but definitely not without enjoyment) and watching someone try to tie a very large chifferobe on top of his tiny car with only one package of rope (if only I had a picture).

I'm hoping life calms down enough again for me actually to have a life, but I'm afraid I'll get sucked back into Wal-Mart land like I did last summer. When you spend all your evenings at the same place, it's hard to get out and see people (unless they come find you, although that's not the best option because I'd probably keep on working instead of stopping to chat). Quality time with the cat and disenfranchised Wal-Mart employees (AKA: happily married women who keep trying to set me up with over-night workers...who knew I was such a catch?) are about all I have anymore.

I'll see a fair amount of people (and by that I mean the population of Sullivan) at graduation on Friday, although all you seniors will be too busy being important for me to grab you for a quick chat. Enjoy your last day of public education today, and don't die before graduation. (That's sorta a joke.) Good luck to the people who have to give [and still write] speeches and those who have to sing and even everyone else who has to sit there without going crazy for a couple hours. I've been there, I've done all three; God be with you.

Quote Roundup

How else to sum up my first few days at Wal-Mart (besides the various other posts, of course)

* It's like you're coming out of the womb! [it must've been an interesting view everytime I pushed carts through the plastic]

* I'm stuck in cart oblivion [after four hours spent as a door greeter]

* Can you cover her for just a minute, please? Just to give her a break. [this *led* to the 4+ hours at the door]

* That better from a cute boy. [to the answering machine....it was Jennifer, so it wasn't really a loss]

* Attention associates: we have a Code Adam... [that's WM speak for a lost kid....he was hiding under the pillows]

* I found my happy thought: I saw this picture of Mel Gibson with his shirt off...no wonder he has a million kids! [I work with some crazy people]

* He could've been on fire and I wouldn't've *spit* on him! AND ...so I started singin' [another coworker relating stories about some of her first impressions of people she know likes]

Help Me Make it Through the...Day

I'm currently watching "The View" (guest co-host Melissa Rivers and Pop Star-Style Makeovers!), eating combos, about to put away my new palm tree glasses (with actual plastic palm leaves!), and my hair's in pigtails in the hopes that--after six hours of Memorial Day Wal-Mart fun--I'll be able to remember how happy and rested I feel at this moment and *not* yell at whatever customer insults me today. Oh, it'll happen. If people will insult my inteligence (and myself personally) on any random day, it'll definitly happen on a holiday.

Watchin' a Movie

Does it bug anyone else that--while that sword wouldn't pierce the metal of the suit (that's the point, remember?)--Ted would not have the time to get out of the suit, let alone carefully place the entire thing so it looked like someone was still inside? Anyone? Bueller?

Maybe it's just me. It often is.

"Celebrity" Sightings at Wal-Mart

* Richard Gere in line at the lawn and garden center

* Bruce Willis buying milk

* Mark Hamill pricing ironing boards in Homelines

* Dave Barry had a phone call at the service desk

Thanks a lot.

I'd like to send many thanks out there to all those who made my job *especially* interesting today....thanks to whoever pulled all the deep fryers out of their boxes and left the pieces all over the aisle....thanks to whoever programmed the music to continuously play melancholy romance songs and--whenever a decent bouncy song would come on--thanks to whoever kept interrupting the music to page the same people over and over again.....thanks to the cashier people who once more stuck me covering someone's break (this time, when I was about to go to lunch).....thanks also to them for sticking me at a register right as I was heading to my break.....thanks to whoever decided they didn't need that entire cart worth of groceries and instead left it outside the stationary aisle where I had to take care of it.....extra special thanks to whichever employee before me decided against actually trying to zone stationary and kitchen utentsils and instead left the area in a giant mess (agrivated by the fact that they decided to throw everything on the shelves, whether they fit or not)

Yeah, it's been a swell day.

Back on the Job

(AKA: Screwed by Wal-Mart, Pt. 2)

Yesterday was my first day back at the local hang-out known as Wal-Mart (a fact I believe even more since I saw nearly *everyone* I know in this confounded town). Things were supposed (italics indicate sarcasm) to be simple: since I hadn’t gotten cashier training last summer, I was going to spend my first two days learning the cash register ropes before moving back into homelines. [Yes, Pt. 1 of the “Screwed by Wal-Mart” series worked out. Apparently, two people quit between the time I called and when I showed up a week later.] I guess this is the quick course in cashier training. The first day, the newbie shadows another cashier and watches what that person does, asks questions, etc, but doesn’t actually get to try cashing. The second day, the now-not-so-newbie tries cashiering while the real cashier stands by in case of problems.

So much for that.

The first two hours, I actually shadowed like I was supposed to. I don’t know that I learned much (things don’t stick in my mind unless I do them myself), but at least I was standing there with a purpose. Then, one of the red vests asked me to cover a door greeter’s break “for just a moment.” Silly sheep that I am, I said yes and spent the next six hours (with a lunch break in between) fake smiling and providing carts to the population of Sullivan.

Door greeting isn’t hard. You make certain there’s enough carts for people to grab, put stickers on returns, move the electric carts in and out as needed, and—when the alarm goes off—chase people down to check receipts. But, three cart pushers quit yesterday (leaving poor Joel Gross to move *all* of them out of the parking lot, where I’d move them into the building [yeah, stick arms!]), people are always bringing in stuff that may or may not need a sticker, three people dropped off electric carts at the same time, making it even harder to move them back into the shed, and people never stop for the alarm anymore.

Since none of this requires much thought, your mind wanders all over the place. A sample of my random thoughts:

* If thick plastic had been around during the middle ages, I bet somebody would’ve hung sheets of it and forced people to walk through it as a form of torture.

* Nothing is more frightening than a possessed three-wheeled cart.

* Except perhaps a possessed door.

* Stephen Dazey cracks me up even more than ever after I watched him make everyone he knew talk on the phone to the poor person on the other end. (I recognized the voice, but couldn’t hear the name.)

* Whoever decided Movie Gallery’s spot should be replaced by a myriad of cacophonous video games should have to stand in the middle of it for a few hours. (Yes, this is the free Fye vocab point section.)

* “I Saw Her Standing There” becomes annoying after it stays in your head for over an hour.

* While I wasn’t surprised that David Kromery pretended I didn’t exist as he left the store, Danny Rubenstein’s (I’m pretty sure it was him) double take as he left and I came in from lunch felt particularly satisfying.

* I’m proud of myself for *not* flinching when the odd person I didn’t know told me the story about his cat that loves to chew on ears and grabbed my own ear to demonstrate.

This or That-ness

1. Large or small family? small...I don't really want any children (although I've been assured that I will someday)

2. Potato chips or pretzels? pretzels, with ranch dressing

3. House or apartment? I figure I'll start out in an apartment, and--depending on where I end up in life--possibly moving up to a house someday

4. Zebras or giraffes? um...both are cool but penguins rock (yeah, penguins!)

5. Candles or potpourri? bleck, neither

6. Flowers or trees? you can climb trees or just sit underneath and appreciate the shade while reading outside. You can't really do either with flowers (unless they're some tropical stuff)

7. Right or left-handed? one of my goals in life is to teach myself to be ambidextrous, just in case I ever break an arm or hand or something and have to switch (well, that and it'd be cool)

8. Model trains or dolls/stuffed animals? stuffed animals, if nothing else because they're cuddly

9. Comedy or drama? both have their good points, but if I just trying to randomly pick a movie, it'll probably be a comedy

10. Thought-provoking question of the week: The city of Boston has recently banned smoking in all restaurants and bars. Would you want to see such a law passed in your city/town/country, or not? I don't smoke, but I know lots of people who do (can I hear a hi from half the Truman theatre department?) so that would limit the number of people I can hang out with.

Is anybody else having problems getting the website to work? I know the sidebar had disappeared completely (last I checked), but now I can't seem to get the page to even appear. Do me a favor, y'all: if you can pull up the page (in any capacity), leave me a note in the comment board. Maybe it's just something on my end (it's happened before), and that'll tell me easily.

Well, once it finally appears on my end again, at least. I sense a problem, but I don't know how else to do it, short of everyone emailing me. Okay, maybe we should go with that. In case the sidebar link isn't up (and you just can't remember), drop me a line at tadaish@hotmail.com

Thanks!

Just like those fun commercials!

*Finally finding something you misplaced - good

*Finally finding something you misplaced after checking every other possible place - great

*Finally finding something you misplaced after checking every other possible place right as music cresendos on the radio - priceless

(I'm Canadian, remember?)

Happy Victoria Day, eh!

Good Ol'-Fashioned FYI

I sold my soul back to Wal-Mart for another summer in homelines and start back up this Thursday, May 22. That means, once more, I'll be stuck there from 2-11 most days (except for Tuesdays, when I'll go to the Muny with Hope and company in the evenings) instead of going to movies and generally having a much better time with all the rest of y'all. Not that I'd completely discourage hunting me out while I'm working, although the Wal-Mart staff probably feels that way. Do with this info what you will, I'm off to organize music files (yay!)

Hey there! Hi there! Ho there--You're as welcome as can be!

An awful long title-thingy just to say hi to Sandy, who signed the guestbook. Howdy!

"I just can't get you outta my head..."

The dream thing is starting to get a little frightening, especially since I've *never* remember this many consecutive dreams before. (Ack, that's lousy grammar contruction.) Thursday night didn't feature Kirksville heavily, especially since I was either in St. Louis or Chicago, but I know the location only because Ben (not my old scene partner, but the one who's in London right now [well, maybe not *right* right now, but soon]) was talking about the World Series between the Cardinals and the Cubs. Talk about dreams. Last night, I was sitting in on the Acting III class with either Sarah from my one-act or Terri, the absolutely adorable girl who looks just like Sarah. Anyway, the actual students in the class were playing a game where everybody had slips of paper with obscure foreign phrases written on them. The students had to say the phrases, using subtext to further the conversation, nevermind what the phrase actually meant, and try not to stumble over the weird pronunciation at the same time. If I'm ever a drama teacher (which could happen--I have considered going pre-MAE [pre Masters of Education, it would mean an extra year after I finish my BA to gain my masters of teaching], although I don't think I need to tack it onto my double major/possible extra minor), that'll defintiely be an exercise I use with my classes, right after I have them over-dramaticly read aloud tabloid articles.

This is for you, bro

(Stolen from Dave Barry's Blog, just like nearly every weird link featured on this site)

Too good to be true, Text-Only "Where's Waldo?", for your general amusement.

Dream a Little Dream of Me

It's an odd way to miss college, but I've had dreams featuring college people (although all theatre people, which is weird in itself) for the past three nights. As with all my dreams, none of them make much sense, but I feel like sharing anyway. [Non-TSU people bear with me as I college-name and place drop all over the place. Thanks.]

Monday night was possibly the weirdst of the three, so I'll keep it short. Not only was I competing in a beauty pagent featuring a robe/pajamas category (much like the swimsuit one, it was all about legs), but Matt Lagemann was my fashion coordinator. I woke up before I heard his decision, but I think he was going to pick the plaid robe.

Tuesday night was the weekly Smith-Slaby trip to the Muny (if the Muny suddenly looked like one of those show pavillions at Walt Disney World and performed every show of the season each night), somehow run by my one-act stage manager, Jami, who made me go and introduce each show. I'd just gotten back from introducing "Tom Sawyer"--which I'd introduced as "Showboat," I think--when I heard a "Hannah?" from behind. I turned around, and saw John (who, for the record, actually works at the Muny and thus is the only TSU person I'll have a chance to see this summer without making much effort), who said hi and went off to talk to other people, including A.J.

Wednesday [last] night, Truman was putting on a talent show in VH1000, where they show movies all the time. I was hanging out with Steve, my second scene partner and listening to Stephanie Bell sing a medley of "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and "Somewhere Out There" (the last of which performed in the style of the mouse--although I don't think that was intentional). I was supposed to sing after her, but suddenly couldn't remember what I was supposed to sing. Mrs. Hewkin (who was the accompanist, for some reason) didn't have any music on the piano, so I started brainstorming with Rachel Kempf [from my one-act] until I finally woke up.

I miss you already!

I've been on the internet with dial-up for about half an hour, and I already desperately miss my college broadband. (What? Oh, I miss my college friends and campus life and all, also, but it shouldn't take this long to pull up my email, thanks.)

Rest up, broadband, we're gonna be great friends again in August.

The last post from my dorm room in Dobson

1. Packrat or minimalist? judging by the pile of *crap* around me, I'm going to have to go with packrat

2. Computer: desktop or laptop? I used to love laptops, but now I adore Merv (though he doesn't always like me)

3. Seashore or mountains? seashore, no contest

4. Carpeting or bare floors? carpet squares! I'm going to miss my carpet squares! Ryle only has bare tile.....geez, now this has turned into the "Hannah's nostalgic for her freshman year" post

5. Drinking water: bottled or tap? tap, it's free

6. Shopping websites: eBay or Amazon? I never buy, but I love to look at the vintage dresses on eBay

7. Cute little kitties or big scary tigers? big scary tigers--I love to live dangerously

8. Front door or back door? I'd guess a back door would be good to escape out in case the police came, so I'll go with that (great logic, huh?)

9. Lots of jewelry, or little/none? little to none--I already have enough stuff to lose without carrying it on myself

10. Thought-provoking question of the week: At the last minute, you obtain tickets to an event you're dying to attend. However, you have to work that day! Do you ask the boss for the time off, or just call in sick? I say, call in sick, yet in real life I'd probably beg for time off

It's no Brit Lit...

....but I'm still not doing it. All I have left is my calculus final [tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m.--Good God, help me], and I've reached the point where I simply don't care anymore. Sure, I'll care about 8:00 tomorrow when I'm finished with all the problems I can actually do and still have, oh...4/5 of the test left, but not so much now at 8:37 (computer lab time).

If I *really* wanted to be semi-productive without studying, I'd work on packing, since I [looks around, whispers] haven't really started yet. Egads, I know, but I *do* have until 6-ish tomorrow evening. I'll probably spend the most time trying to move my furniture back into its original spot since I won't have people down the hall to help move it all like those I helped today. I swear, when your greatest accomplishment for the morning (beyond the history final--don't get worried, Mom) is not dying while re-lofting a bed, it's an interesting way to go about your day. I'm sure that's going to be one of those moments that I really wish I took pictures, although the chunks missing from my rubber mallet are probably evidence enough.

I don't know why, but I keep trying to spell "probably" as "probalby." I'd guess I was rushing, but why do I want to go back to calculus?

I just had a sandwich and some chips for supper today, and then I stayed there for over an hour--just hanging out with people I won't see for three months. I'm happy to go home and leave behind tests and papers and etc. and have time to myself again, yet I'm already mourning the loss of my college freedom, friends, and craziness. I suppose it'll hit me even harder tomorrow when everything's packed and ready to disappear the moment my dad knocks on the door, but I'm trying not to focus on it tonight. It's hard enough to think about calculus of my own volition, let alone with other thoughts popping in, also.

Thanks there, Becky!

Not only did I make it into Acting II [for the spring semester, I'm not screwing with my schedule now], but I'm also in the same class as all my favorite people from Acting I this semester. Yay and happiness!

Helpful College Cooking Tip

While it's apparently okay to eat cold fried rice from the nice Chinese restaurant, you definitely should re-heat the sweet and sour chicken after taking it out of the fridge and before eating it (in that order). Do not go to bed before your 7:30 a.m. final with a gigantic stomach ache.

Not that I would know this in particular or anything...says the girl with "yum, day-old Chinese rice" as her MSN screenname.

Just some FYI

I can't believe I forgot my absolute favorite joke of the entire tornado party: arguing about whether or not it would be wrong to order pizza purely because we knew it would be free since the guy couldn't get there in half an hour. As Cathy from across the hall said, "That's pure evil...let's do it!"

"And so it goes..."

I finished working on my history final essays and, for lack of anything better, decided to take down stuff on my walls. This included photos on the wall, everything on my wardrobe doors, even the glow-in-the-dark sheep (stars are boring) on my ceiling. Oddly enough, I think I was okay before I pried the little sheep off my ceiling. I may end up sticking them back up in the middle of the night, even if they're beyond glowing for the night. It'll be a little weird to go to bed without the sheep to keep me company.

"Careful! Don't die!"

I'll say this, nothing interrupts studying for a history final like a tornado warning (that's the one where there's actually one in your area, for those of you who can't keep them straight). When you're on the fourth floor and suddenly realize a tornado is a mere twenty miles from your window, you don't waste any time moving to the first floor lounge.

Happily, that was the same idea everyone else on my floor had, so we called it a mini-house party. We made fun of the local weatherman's name (Thor Bensler, anyone?), laughed at the SA who showed up covered in mud (though he had a good point: "It'd be bad enough to be sucked up in a funnel fully clothed, let alone-" "GLICK!" "Sorry."), and made a pact that, if we weren't dead by 5:00 [the tornado was supposed to hit around 4:50], that we'd go to dinner. Then, there was the ongoing "Don't die!" anytime someone left the lounge and more Thor jokes ("Oh, I *bet* Thor knows!"). Things got a little quieter when the hail hit around 4:48, though then we started a countdown to 5:00 and livened things back up. I also bet the other dorms didn't have people cheer every time The Weather Channel mentioned Adair County and Kirksville ("Woo! We're famous!") or truly hope for "just a little bit" of the roof to blow off because, in the words of my SA, "I could do without some finals." If only.

Snaps to you!

I don't know if she *always* plays something by them, but I have to give a quick thanks shout-out to Tiffani for play both B-52s and True Men this afternoon. Rock on!

"Are you the queen or something?"

I just got back from the annual theatre banquet downtown (which didn't feature as many ostentatious outfits as I was hoping), and....my feet are *killing* me!

Yes, that means I had a great time.

I wore my birthday boa and tiara (just because), so people could always find me, since the tiara adds about three inches (well, and the boa's hot pink. My only hope for hiding would've been among flamingos). I should offer thanks to John for giving me a ride, as this was the most fun I had all day [I'd say week, but yesterday's birthday-ing blows away all the competition.] and it would've sucked to walk. I ate truly fabulous food (including to die for chocolate brownies with cherries buried in them), fake swing-danced (yeah, high school show choir!), mocked Christina Aguillera surprisingly often throughout the night, and saw many of the seniors for what will probably become the last time.

It was a good night and I need to download some music now. Good morning.

"Please Mr. Postman"

I was really ticked when I first found out, but now I'm kinda happy Dobson didn't deliver mail for three days straight because it means I received all my birthday, etc. cards on the same day. Hee hee--the stack of mail makes me happy.

"We got hosed, Davey"

(Man, I love that commercial.)

Wal-Mart's decided to start screwing me over early this year, which makes me happy that I've used my discount card for the entire time I haven't been employed by them. Despite what the told me in March, they filled my position in Homelines so I can either work in the Deli or as a cashier ("although you never know what might happen by June," offered the personel lady). I figured cashier would work best, but now that I'm off the phone, I wonder if I could switch to deli just so I don't have to stay in a box the entire time.

*Sigh.* I hope someone quits before then so I can end up somewhere else. Here's hoping!

"There's your trouble, there's your trouble..."

Apparently, the reason why I haven't gotten any birthday cards from *anyone* yet is because nobody's sorted the mail for three days. I don't think many people know this, since I wouldn't if I hadn't had a package down there for a couple days now, necessitating a phone call from the hall desk to pick it up. One single person is trying to sort all the mail, and she was aiming to finish it before her shift ended at 1:30. Let's all wish her luck, huh?

Another B-day Post (is this annoying yet?)

I'm sitting here, not-so-patiently waiting for my mother to call so I can go back across the hall and watch Empire Records, as promised by Cathy and Lindsey. Now that I'm actually back in the room, she seems to be taking her good sweet time.

Thanks, Mom.

Anyway, I still cannot believe how wonderful and marvelous my Truman people are. Not only did I get chalkings and balloons, I also ended up with a secret shindig thing after supper (though it was cut short for my Spanish final) which included absolutely fabulous cake (I broke it out while watching ER with my Empire Records people), a gigantic purple plastic ball (my new chair!), and a bag of goodies including a pink feather boa and a tiara.

Yes, I'm wearing the tiara as I type. Yes, I've worn it since I got it. Yes, this includes during my Spanish final. (Did you even need to ask any of that?)

Snaps must also go to my brother, who left a hilarious message on my machine....and then *another* correcting the first, which only added to my amusement. Sorry I didn't get to call you; I was at supper when you called and then at my final until after eight. I almost called the Missourian office (just because), but then I decided to take advantage of the empty (and quiet!) room to practice my monologues for my acting final tomorrow. I think this was a good idea. Perhaps we'll chat tomorrow?

Mom still hasn't called. *Sigh.* Sometimes I wonder if I'm turning into my mother or if she's morphing into me.

I think I'm going to dial her up.

Currently the Rockin'-est B-day EVER

I'm eating Pop Rocks and I'm watching Empire Records tonight. My life is fabulous.

Sunshine day!

Okay, so actually it's hideously cloudy outside, but I think my gigantic birthday smile is brightening things up a bit.

First up: Meredith, Krista, Megan, etc...you guys rock! For those of you who aren't college students (especially Truman ones), the main way of communicating to the general population is to go out and write your message in chalk on the sidewalks spanning campus. The three of them (and unknown minions) went all over the campus (ALL over--I'm sure I haven't seen half of it yet) and chalked up different (both in variety and style) birthday messages. I'm using SO MUCH film taking pictures of all of them (or at least, some of the better ones, though I'm bummed that there's no good way to take a picture of the one in the fountain).

Ooh! Sun just popped out!

Secondly: I don't know who had my name on the birthday committee, but y'all did a gosh-darn-it wonderful job on my door. I was a little bummed not to have decorations when I left for my Brit Lit final (which when fine, thanks), but youns made up for it when I came back and had a door covered in balloons and streamers. Unfortunately, the open window [good, creepy story] in my room made it a little hard to actually close the door. I spent a good five minutes trying to close the door without catching *all* the streamers. It didn't quite work and I think half of them fell down, but I was laughing too hard to notice.

I've been laughing a lot today. I'm not doing song cues as much as yesterday, but I'm laughing like an eight-year-old with a container of bubbles. Maybe I should stop eating my candy bracelet and let the sugar leave my system.

And I don't want to write a dumb paper on my b-day.

I swear, someone's going to end up documenting me by the end of the night, what with all the hyena-esque laughter I'm throwing off between the "gum would be perfection" inner monologue and Tiffani's spouting about me being 100 years younger than good ol' Harry S.

Sheesh. And I thought I was in trouble when I was eating candy necklaces and yelling out my window to the lovely people in the courtyard.

Why, yes, I *am* going to obsess!

B-day present #2: gum. Yes, I find this fabulous, for, after all, in all occassions "gum would be perfection."

Ten points to anyone who can name that reference. Yes, you can use IMDB; I know I would.

Thanks, dah-ling!

It's such total sweetness to pull up Tiffani's blog and see both "Hannah was fabulous" and "Hannah is awesome" near the top. It's good to have a self-esteem boost, especially after all that depressing Eliot crap.

Just saving you from yourselves (you're welcome)

The combination of Cherry Coke and Ice Breakers tastes much like dirt. Trust me.

Some Trivia about Hannah

* half the time I'm typing on msn/blogger/papers, the keyboard rests on top of my printer because my desk is so covered with books and papers

* I just bought a snack at the downstairs machine entirely in nickels (and I would've used pennies if they'd let me)

* I enjoyed the fake trailers and blooper reel more than the actual latest filmclub offering (though it was also good)

* Current fav soundtrack: "Music from or Semi-Related to 'Women and Wallace'" (everyone in my one-act got one)

* it's not their purpose at all, but I eat Ice Breakers like candy

Aw, you remembered!

I received an absolutely *hilarious* postcard from my Kumquat (Todd Mesger, for those of you not in the drama know) today, which I'm going to count as my first birthday present (if from the universe for its great timing, if nothing else) because, well, I can. So there.

Needless to say, Todd's upped the bar for this birthday (and he doesn't even know it). Although, at this point, I'll accept anything ostentatious, especially one of those "It's My Birthday!" paper crowns, so I can make a disturbance during all my finals tomorrow.

Or a Vespa. I'm not looking for much.

From the person who brought you "Dress the Squirrel"

Now I'll never study for finals, I'll be flying around.

Acceptable Gifts for My Birthday

(As found in the FYI section of today's Kansas City Star)

* a Vespa (preferably purple or black)

* J.K. Rowling's salary

* Hugh Jackman

* a cell phone with "Low Rider," by War as the ringer

It even sounds good right *now*

I'm studying for my Brit Lit final on Thursday (there are much better presents you could've gotten me, TSU), and I swear I found this exact note written in my notebook:

right now, at 11:38 a.m., in Brit Lit, I am suddenly craving Kraft Macaroni and Cheese -- I say "Kraft" b/c there's always the possibility of the dining hall having real mac and cheese, and that just won't work right now. 4-15-03

Birthday Greetings!

Happy birthday Gage and Kendall! (not that either of them read this or even know it exists, but I felt like spreading word)

I wonder if I'll keep this up this summer

The Media Edition

1. TV or radio? I won't go into the roommate situation right now, but we'll just say that sometimes radio is all I have.

2. On the radio: talk or music station? I can't study to talk, but I'm anxiously awaiting the day someone I know ends up with a radio talk show and I can come on to blabber to all of Kirksville.

3. Actual books or books-on-tape (or e-books)? e-Books before real books? Sacriledge! (Not that I can spell it.)

4. Actual newspaper, or web version? Yet again, give me real or give me....um, nothing!

5. Wall Street Journal or National Enquirer? Money is boring. Give me weird gossip!

6. TV news...news channel such as CNN, or your local broadcast news? Not that I ever get to see anything, but local broadcast.

7. A movie you've been looking forward to seeing gets bad reviews all around. See it anyway, or pass? See it anyway...now I get to mock it!

8. See movies when they first come out, or wait a few weeks for the lines at the theater to get shorter? Most movies I wait, but for whatever reason when it's a big movie (X2, Harry Potter), I have to see it right away.

9. TV: cable, satellite dish, or just plain old antenna? I never get to spend time with it, but I really love cable.

10. Thought-provoking question of the week: If you had to choose only one form of media to come into your home, which would you choose...print (newspapers, magazines) or electronic (TV, internet)? Why? I know I just bashed it above, but I'd pick electronic simply because that's the main way I maintain contact with those around me.

"if you walk without rhythm you'll never learn"

My Spanish studying is suffering from the three flashing MSN message boxes and my "gotta delete something" watching of the video files on my computer (I will never *ever* delete Christopher Walken dancing to Fatboy Slim off Merv. Ever.), so I figured I might as well add blogging to the list.

[flashy box]

It's been a relativly normal day here at TSU. [flashy box] I listened to my calc prof spout off weird one-liners (without her knowing I was transcribing them all down in my notebook), had people fight over my pop-tart Simpsons stickers, [flashy box] got attacked for a pencil, ate lunch in the fountain while waving to practically everyone I know on campus (who all apparently wanted to eat at the SUB today), [flashy box] helped someone skip Spanish class, nearly fell asleep in the language lab, talked to my friend's salad at supper, and celebrated finding old episodes of "Pete and Pete" on the network.

[flashy box] [flashy box] [flashy box]

It's kinda odd to think that my last day of freshman classes occurs tomorrow. It's even odder to think about my birthday in a few days, finals, packing up all my stuff and going back to Sullivan. But I'll save all that for some other time. [flashy box] When I don't have interruptions.

[flashy box]

Maybe I'm just tired...

...but this is infinitely cool right now. See how you measure up! (Yeah, squirrels!)

[Not Quite] Desperate Plea for Help

Can someone teach me to play percussion (beyond the THUMP-THUMP-THUMP of bass drum) enough to start up a band? I've got the perfect name--"Broadsided By Life"--and I feel ready to fullfill my dream to become a rocked-out punk princess. I want to wear jeans with holes in them, vintage t-shirts, and forget all thoughts of "do I need to wash my hair?" I want to wear too much eye make-up, because that's how it looks when I put it on anyway. I want to avoid pink at all costs, except when used in an ironic sense. This could include a photo shoot for a major publication or the first album ("original cast recording") cover. I'll wear fake [for variety sake] tattoos and too many beaded bracelets on my arm. We'll become famous for covers of songs like "Danny Boy" and "He's a Tramp." I already have the drum sticks, I just need one brave soul to make it all come true. Volunteers?

The post for one specific person that probably should've stayed in my journal

I was just sitting there onstage, freshly done with my last line, when I suddenly I thought I heard you laugh. I swear I must've jumped straight off my box, the sound threw me so much. I couldn't turn around to look (I didn't have my glasses on, anyway), but I was suddenly both amazed and thrilled. I kept telling myself it couldn't be you, but there still remained the possibility, as senseless as it may seem now. I hadn't asked you to come and yet, there you [apparently] were and there I was, with half the show left.

As much as I tried to focus ("Focus on the show, Hannah. Hannah. The show. The show, Hannah..."), I kept going back to you. Wondering if you'd liked my scenes. Thinking about what kind of flowers you might have brought. Telling myself it couldn't be you, pondering how to react if I actually saw you standing in the lobby, waiting for me afterward. Mentally preparing myself how to react when you weren't there; mentally preparing myself how to react when you were.

Obviously, you weren't there. And, I suppose by that point I wasn't really expecting you anymore since I didn't hear you laugh again. It's funny, but I was still a little disappointed. Not a lot, but enough for it to bug me.

And, *no,* I did not fall off a box

Though I did throw Jujyfruits all over the stage, as I was using a freshly opened box instead of my "I ate half and then the cast ate another fourth" box from dress rehersal. My other big problem of the night: somebody decided to put as much peanut butter on the sandwich as you would in real life, and--when I took a nice big bite, like normal--I suddenly knew I'd never be able to swallow all the bread and butter before my next scene. Yeah, that was me spitting peanut butter onto the stage during the blackout as I desperately tried to switch my pig-tails to an '80s side ponytail.

The rest of the show was fabulous, though (if you don't count the loud pounding that occured through most, which I discovered after the show were from the SAB fireworks bonanza). I was hideously nervous, ate tons on gummy bears, and then had a great show. I don't know that it's connected.

"Jerry, I am freaking out"

I apparently don't have enough distraction anymore, or else all the distraction that I managed to fit in all morning/afternoon (math paper, X2, cleaning, talking on MSN, etc) only meant that I was putting off what has now formed into it's own *fun* bundle of nervous energy bouncing around inside my guts. I know I'll be fine. I know my part, I can certainly sit on a box for half an hour, I won't be able to see anyone in the audience because I take my glasses off, and--as long as I don't fall off a block--there's nothing to sweat.

Or so I tell myself.

I still have two hours to kill before I go to a quick end-show practice. I'm not breathing all that affectively right now, I think, though I won't pass out on the ground or anything. My parents should show up sometime soon (at least, I think that was Mom on the weird message on my machine when I returned from the movies--it doesn't really sound like her, but I don't know who else it could be), and then I'll be anxious to get the show over with. I wish the dining halls were open for supper right now so I could eat, get nauseous, lose it all, and still have time to eat something else. That sounds really horrible, doesn't it? At least I don't lose meals over techie work; another plus for the stage manager thing. But tonight, I have to be a kid. With eighties hair. [Hair that I do during a blackout, no less.]

I'd end with a "I'll tell you how it goes" thing, but I'll probably have another frantic post around 5 (if the parents aren't here by then) unless I can manage to control myself not to do so and find something more productive. Like, studying for finals or something. Bleck--that's almost worse than nerves; actually considering to do homework. How sad for me.

Hey, Y'all!

Apparently I should check my guestbook more often, because today I found two new entries from two new people. Amazing!

First off, we have Lac from Washington (I suddenly feel like a game show host), who I've never heard of before so......my first offical straggler! (Well, to sign the guestbook at least.) Hey!

Secondly, we have the lady who taught me everything I need to know about theatre (which I promptly forgot before college, much to my current acting teacher's enjoyment, I'm sure), Carolyn Kovar, who offers a fun virtual makeover thing, for your enjoyment. Yes, you.

Do Me Proud!

Good luck at state music contest today, Sullivanites!

By the Numbers

Number of...

* bruises on my legs: 8

* bruises on my legs specifically from the one-acts: 5

* times I've felt nauseous (so far): 0

* times I'll feel nauseous by tonight: 37

* times I fell asleep during the movie last night: 3

* times I hit my alarm this morning: 1

* Rubbermaid containers of stuff I'm sending home with my parents: 3

* hours until call tonight: 10 (or so)

* times I've seen that same dumb Jewel video within one day: 2

If you're going to chastise anyone, pick my bro

I came back from the one-acts last night to find this popped up as a message on Kazaa.

[from CopyrightInfingement_Warning132@kazaa.com]

COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT WARNING:
It appears that you are offering copyrighted music to others from your computer. Distributing or downloading copyrighted music on the Internet without permission from the copyright owner is ILLEGAL. It hurts songwriters who create and musicians who perform the music you love, and all the other people who bring you music.

When you break the law, you risk legal penalties. There is a simple way to avoid that risk: DON'T STEAL MUSIC, either by offering it to others to copy or downloading it on a "file-sharing" system like this.

When you offer music on these systems, you are not anonymous and you can easily be identified. You also may have unlocked and exposed your computer and your private files to anyone on the Internet. Don't take these chances. Disable the share feature or uninstall your "file-sharing" software. For more information on how, go to http://www.musicunited.net/5_takeoff.html.

This warning comes from artists, songwriters, musicians, music publishers, record labels and hundreds of thousands of people who work at creating and distributing the music you enjoy. We are unable to receive direct replies to this message. For more information about this Copyright Warning, go to www.musicunited.net.

I swear, guys, if my 2388 files bug you that much, drop CD prices and put Gilmore Girls onto DVD. That is all.

I'm not so sure about that bleeding toe thing, though

I feel very dancer-esque right now. I'm wearing a pink top, which for some reason always makes me think of ballet, and my jeans that are ever so cosy I feel like I could bend all over the place. If I didn't have to go outside, I'd stick on my silver slippers that look like ballet shoes and pretend I have a recital to attend. As it is, I have on flat shoes and I keep unintentially standing in fifth position (but without the high neck thing). I swear, if I pulled my hair back into a bun right now, I'd be all set to star in Center Stage 2 or something. (What other ballet movies are there--I'm sure there's something.)

So Completely Serious

I need someone to make me cry right now. My monologue's not working right because I suddenly can't find anything sad, and I'm calling in reinforcements. Yes, I know most people try to avoid all those who might have a talent at making others cry, but right now I'm asking for someone to pretty please act like scum and make me burst into tears so I can figure out how to recreate it for my monologue. Thanks. I'll probably never ask again.

Of *course* it's for tomorrow

I finally picked a monologue for my audition workshop in tomorrow's acting class. It's not like I've had lots of time to think about it (although, for the longest time I was going to perform something I wrote myself), and I really don't have the time to memorize it tonight, either. It's relatively short and simple, I'm just concerned that I'll fall apart at the end when I'm....well, fall apart, but in a vastly different way. The end lines just scream for me to cry (and I can feel tears start to gather), but I don't know that I'll actually manage to burst into tears like I should. I need to practice, but I feel awkward with Debbie just sitting there [watching TV, but I didn't need to say that, I'm sure it was implied] and me watching ever sad movie on my computer in an effort to figure out exactly how I physically cry. In theory--at least, I hope--once I know exactly how I start to cry (does my nose crinkle up? Do I start to heave a little?), I can mimic the same motions and bring out tears. I think that's how my textbook explained it. I dunno. No matter what I do right now, I *still* might become nervous tomorrow and screw everything up.

I have such confidence in myself--it's just amazing. *sigh*