nihilists with good imaginations

well well well

2007-05-05T22:56:00.000-04:00

haven't done this in awhile. i want to say it's because my life's been too busy, but really, it hasn't. i'm just kinda truckin' along.

children of men

2007-01-21T21:46:00.000-05:00

at the beginning of the semester, i decided that i would take the time out of each month and go see a movie by myself.

to escape.

today i was feeling mildly unhappy, more like unfulfilled, so i decided today would be the perfect day to see that movie, so i saw children of men, starring clive owen

not only did this movie put me in a worse mood, but it got me thinking. it didn't put me in a bad mood because it was bad, but because it was so thoughtfully constructed. the film takes place in 2027 after a flu pandemic in 2008 whiped out most of the world, and now earth is plagued with male infertility. the first scene shows the youngest living person on earth, age 18, was murdered in london, and the film takes a very leftist social commentary-esque turn from there. within minutes we see how advertising and technology keeps thriving, but pollution and violence take over and London's government starts deporting all "fugees" from their borders (needless to say this is met with even more violence). but then, we meet a woman who is pregnant with a child, something not seen for nearly 20 years, and where in most films i can see this storyline turning into a 'glimmer-of-hope-for-humanity' type plot, this film kept on course with their politically charged agenda. minus a few muslim=terrorist references and a somewhat disappointing but necessary ending, this film is a must-see, but only if you're willing to think about it.

seriously don't mind me

2007-01-19T22:23:00.000-05:00

i've never been one to openly tell someone else what's going on in my head; whether what i'm thinking about is about myself, about others, or even about academia. i've always been someone who can write these thoughts down, but rarely do i share anything with others (self-preservation). growing up in a "don't ask, don't tell" sort of family does that to you, i guess. yes i keep a journal (95 single spaced Word pages as of today), but even something like an essay i feel needs to go from my hands to the prof's, or otherwise, it can become dangerous if someone else reads. people naturally like pointing out flaws in others, and when they're not doing that, they're claiming they 'understand' or they 'know'. polar opposites if you ask me, but everyone has these equal parts to them. what i want to meet is someone who actually knows how to be compassionate and knows how to break down the rules i've made for myself in order to survive and to remain relatively happy with my life, and be able to help me build new ones that are healthier and stronger and make me happier.

i want to be able to look at this list and smile, instead of being resentful of a life i refuse to live to its fullest

when have i been the happiest

-wandering around the streets of montreal in the middle of the night and taking pictures
-the first time a crying mother thanked me for moving in her first-born daughter during essex's move-in day
-being the skankiest lead that cawthra's ever had on stage and swearing like a sailor in front of my family, teachers and friends
-the many drives to wasaga beach with my oldest friends
-my 20th birthday party
-reflecting on the happiness of the grade 10 hallowe'en party for a year because the year following happened in silence

don't mind my mood. i've been alone all day and have been watching depressing, but great, movies (shortbus, little miss sunshine, garden state).

regina spektor sounds like bjork in some songs but sounds completely normal in other songs. what is up with that.

2006-11-08T12:16:00.000-05:00

c/o dlisted.com

2006-11-03T13:08:00.000-05:00

Can't Blame White People
by Bill Cosby

They're standing on the corner and they can't speak English.
I can't even talk the way these people talk:
Why you ain't,
Where you is,
What he drive,
Where he stay,
Where he work,
Who you be...
And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk.
And then I heard the father talk.
Everybody knows it's important to speak English...
except these knuckleheads.
You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your
mouth.
In fact you will never get any kind of job making a decent living.
People marched and were hit in the face with rocks to get an
education, and now we've got these knuckleheads walking around.
The lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal.
These people are not parenting.
They are buying things for kids. $500 sneakers for what?
And they won't spend $200 for Hooked on Phonics.
I am talking about these people who cry...when their son is standing there in an orange suit.
Where were you when he was 2?
Where were you when he was 12?
Where were you when he was 18?
And, how come you didn't know that he had a pistol?
And where is the father?
Or who is his father?
People putting their clothes on backward:
Isn't that a sign of something gone wrong?
People with their hats on backward, pants down around the crack,
isn't that a sign of something?
Or are you waiting for Jesus to pull his pants up?
Isn't it a sign of something when she has her dress all the way up
and got all type of needles piercing going through her body?
What part of Africa did this come from?
We are not Africans.
Those people are not Africans;
they don't know a thing about Africa.
With names like Shaniqua, Taliqua and Mohammed and all of that crap,
and all of them are in jail.
Brown or black versus the Board of Education is no longer the white person's problem.
We have got to take the neighborhood back.
People used to be ashamed.
Today a woman has eight children with eight different 'husbands' --
or men or whatever you call them now.
We have millionaire football players who cannot read.
We have million-dollar basketball players who can't write two paragraphs.
We as black folks have to do a better job.
Someone working at Wal-Mart with seven kids saying...
you are hurting us.
We have to start holding each other to a higher standard.
We cannot blame the white people any longer.
It is not for media or anyone of this time anymore to say whether I'm right or wrong.
It is time, ladies and gentlemen, to look at the numbers.
Fifty percent of our children are dropping out of high school.
Sixty percent of the incarcerated males happen to be illiterate.
There's a correlation.
Tell the media to stop asking me what I think about people who don't
believe what I'm saying or feel that I'm too harsh or feel that I'm just
running my mouth because I'm old.
Seventy percent of the teenagers pregnant happen to be African
American girls.
Don't ask me to soften my message.

Bill Cosby

2006-10-23T23:56:00.000-04:00

so basically, facebook has taken the place of blogging.

when facebook dies, i will blog again.

(this is sad.. isn't this sad?)

frosh.week.forever.

2006-09-08T17:24:00.000-04:00

(more to come)

2006-09-01T00:49:00.000-04:00

blog hiatus - be back soon

2006-08-23T01:39:00.000-04:00

2006-08-20T00:15:00.000-04:00

huh?!

2006-08-13T15:06:00.000-04:00

long time no update.. it seems as though, perhaps, facebook has become more of a 'portal' for information/pictures/stories, hence the lack of blog.

here is my current update:

Where's Laura?
-August 15th - Laura in Mississauga
-August 18th - Laura in London
-August 20th - Laura in Mississauga
-August 25th - Laura in London
-August 26th - Laura does Kit Stuffing
-August 30th - Laura does MIT SOPHS 2k6
-September 3rd -Laura does OWEEK 2k6

DVDs Laura Needs to Buy:
-Glengarry Glen Ross
-Outbreak
-Dead Poets' Society
-Sleepless in Seattle
-America's Sweethearts
-Hedwig and the Angry Itch

CDs Laura Needs to Buy:
-Rabbit Fur Coat by Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins (go down in price, damn you!)
-Taking the Long Way by the Dixie Chicks
-Black Holes and Revelations by Muse

from now until september, i'm pretty much not gonna be updating this blog with anything, unless something really important/hilarious happens. deal? deal.

no shocker there

2006-07-26T21:57:00.000-04:00

lance bass came out and is dating reichen (of reichen and chip from the amazing race)

hahahah bush said "shit"

2006-07-19T00:09:00.000-04:00

honestly, she's gonna be huge.

2006-07-09T21:30:00.000-04:00

buy corinne bailey rae's new cd. you will absolutely love it.
download 'put your records on'.

birthday week should just be called drunk week

2006-06-29T13:58:00.000-04:00

too bad

2006-06-25T01:48:00.000-04:00

clickies here

i miss being a music geek

2006-06-24T02:04:00.000-04:00

listening to bach's "orch. suite no 2" is definitely not something i'd recommend for night-time listening - its so chipper and dancing fairies, early-morning ish - it'll keep u awake.

also not good for night-time listening:
-stravinsky's "rite of spring" (when it debuted, flocks of people actually fled the opera house screaming and in shock because it was so disturbing..and i've actually woken up at night when it has come onto my ipod's playlist when i'm trying to fall asleep - its that tense)
-orff's "carmina burina", 'O Fortuna' movement - really creepy, but now ruined by bad horror movies
-grieg's "in the hall of the mountain king" - very 'someone's following you'ish

anyone have anything to add, classical or non?

2006-06-24T01:59:00.000-04:00

It's amazing. I can read so many people. But you were always a mystery to me. I could look into your eyes and see for miles and miles, but never really going anywhere at all. Only as far as you'd let me. And that was never more than a step forward in your mind, but two steps back in mine.

But now, you have me questioning whether it was ever really you, at all, who made these walls that separate us from each other. You have such a talent for tearing things down, though, I suppose these walls seem so trivial in your eyes. I must seem so trivial in your eyes.

a shitty way to start out pride... like fuck.

2006-06-20T23:43:00.000-04:00

click

living the life

2006-06-19T01:01:00.000-04:00

i'm sitting here watching the MuchMusic Video Awards and, for the first time, i'm actually not ashamed of the Canadian music industry as much as i had been in the past. it seems as though MuchMusic, and hence the MMVAs, have finally gotten some cred. it is a little strange tho to think that someone as "famous" as Paris Hilton would come to this little Toronto awards show to be on screen for a whole 2 minutes.

but at the same time, does anyone find it alarming that in order to gain this cred and popularity amongst its target audience, CHUM has to go and create an Americanized award show, with about 80% American bands and only about 20% Canadian and further this growing teenage mantra that Canadian music content is crap, and even the Canadian music channel thinks so too?

don't get me wrong, i think its great that Canada has finally gotten to a point where at least *one* of our "many" award shows has gotten some cred, but maybe it's more harmful than good..

and on that note, i talked to the Human Resources Director of the CBC today for like 20 minutes and she recommended jobs that i should apply for after i graduate. in the words of brendan, "jealous??...thought so....."

oh june.

2006-06-07T13:26:00.000-04:00

so, terrorists aside, this has been a pretty "stellar" week

besides frequenting bars, shopping my ass off with a new friend, brendan's return to london, and getting visits from my crazy best friends, i also managed to start a new job which isn't too horrible

goooo me!

(plus, it's Sawyer month on my LOST calendar haahahaha)

((AND it's my birthday in 23 days))

(((AND i'm going to the O-Week Charity Weekend this weekend with the amazing Emily)))

that is all for now

2006-06-04T01:34:00.000-04:00

there were/are terrorists in my hometown of mississauga...

but i dont think i'm afraid.. and i dont know whether i even should be

what should i be thinking? how should i be feeling about this?

(and if you hadnt heard about this yet, please turn on your nightly news/open a newspaper.)

omgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomg

2006-05-28T23:56:00.000-04:00

Lovesick swan falls in love with swan paddle boat

BERLIN (Reuters) - A swan has fallen in love with a plastic swan-shaped paddle boat on a pond in the German town of Muenster and has spent the past three weeks flirting with the vessel five times its size, a sailing instructor said Friday.

Peter Overschmidt, who operates a sailing school and rents the two-seat paddle boat on the Aasee pond, said the black swan with a bright red beak has not left the white swan boat's side since it flew in one day in early May.

"It seems like he's fallen in love," said Overschmidt. "He protects it, sits next to it all the time and chases away any sail boats that get anywhere nearby. He thinks the boat is a strong and attractive swan."

Overschmidt said the swan will figure it out sooner or later but hopes he won't be too heartbroken.

"I'll wish him all the best and hope that he doesn't make the same mistake again," said Overschmidt."

yes i realize i'm 3 years behind the times, but...

2006-05-27T02:49:00.000-04:00

yeah, i caved and made a myspace

i think i did it because i keep on seeing on the tv stories about myspace...albeit on the cyber-predators that take advantage of it...but stories nonetheless

go me.

and, don't see x-men 3. i was really looking forward to it and it was horrible!!! ruined the entire series for me, really.

peace out

< 0 >

2006-05-23T01:45:00.000-04:00

Alias is done.

I am le sad.

They killed Jack and Irina. Sloane was buried alive for eternity. Vaughn and Syd ended up together. like DUH.

if this is how JJ Abrams ends his shows, i should just stop watching LOST now.

in the 10 days that i was in mississauga, I...

2006-05-21T01:41:00.000-04:00

-watched Rent twice
-saw The Da Vinci Code and thought it was pretty shitty
-played Drinko (think Plinko from Price is Right but with winning shots instead of money hahaha) with danielle, james and jay and ordered mcdonalds from a cab at 2:30 am
-became obsessed with The Lost Experience and am convinced that ABC is laughing at me on a daily basis
-got high at least 6 times (more like 9 or 10, im sure)
-smoked in my bathroom and bedroom with the danielle (we are so sketch)
-had waayy too much fast food (including 3 mcflurries and 4 wendys fries, ew.)
-got countless intoxicated emails/text messages/facebook messages from my lovelies
-stayed up til 4:30 in the morning watching random videos on YouTube including many of Idina Menzel (love her)
-wished i was back in london partying with the L.S.C.
-shopped like a mofo (Sephora!) and thus made me bring a bigger suitcase back to london with me

and tons more, i'm sure. goooodbyeee sauga, hellooo london! train gets in @ 6. get ready to partyyyy

the pros and cons of mississauga

2006-05-18T01:33:00.000-04:00

ok so for the past week i've been in mississauga because i'm currently in between jobs (and by 'in between' i mean that i left my first job in london because they were taking advantage of my neediness of a job and my next job (calling alumni on western's behalf and asking for money, ha) doesnt start for another 2 weeks).

anyways, so mississauga.

i have my beef with mississauga.

first of all, there's nothing to do. and i dont mean 'i live in kansas and there's nothing to do', i mean, compared to toronto (even london) there are no places to go drink, unless you wanna drink at the Jack Astors' or Moxies' smoking bars or the freakin Hare and Firkin chain of crappy bars. also, there's the whole living with your parents thing. after having 2 years of living on your own @ university, coming back into a house where your every move is watched and having to ask to go out with friends and having to go everywhere by car because taking a cab would cost 20 or 30 bucks or more SUCKS. when you're in mississauga, your television consumption doubles during the day. as in, this week, i have watched 2 episodes of montel, 3 episodes of jerry springer (??!), 2 episodes of Judge Joe Brown, infinite episodes of Star Trek and all of the the Ellens. also, i have managed to watch season 1 and 2 of Dead Like Me. ok, and living @ home in mississauga, you can't smoke drugs in your house. i reeeally miss that hahaha. plus you have to drive to get/smoke drugs with friends who live on the other end of town and drive home..or make them come to you and find a random sketchy park/parking lot where other sketchbags are also smoking drugs too.

but now after hating on mississauga, i feel like i should express some good things about it. there are PLENTY of places to shop, and you dont have to worry about bussing/cabbing it back home b/c u can drive there and often mommy will pick up the tab. actually, mommy pays for everything in mississauga.. from groceries to clothes to still shoving 20 bucks in my purse when im not looking each time i go out with friends. also, driving in mississauga means tunes while you travel. usually its an ipod connected to one of those cassette tape adapter things where we listen to those good cruising songs (currently it's Teddy Geiger's For You I Will *i'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence i have and cannonball into your mother* HA) as well as listening to our friend James's hundreds of karaoke song files he has for his karaoke business. in the past week, mainly out of boredom, my friends and i have driven in oakville, burlington, etobicoke, brampton, milton, caledon, and hamilton, along with everywhere in the saug. also, where i live in mississauga, there's a close proximity to the airport. luckily enough, there's not a runway over my house or anything, but the airport's about a 10 minute drive from my house. meaning that sometime soon, danielle and i are going to the airport bar with fake backpacks on and getting drunk in the afternoon and talking to randoms and making up stories about the amazing places we're going to. im also looking into going to the local CAA office and getting a bunch of free travel guides before going so we can lie more honestly to the drunken randoms we're gonna meet. yeah.

see, this is what bored 19 year olds do in mississauga.

i guess what im trying to say is that, even tho i feel like i can come up with billions of reasons why i hate living at home in mississauga, there's just that something about coming *home* that makes it all worthwhile. even tho parents can suck and driving everywhere can be hella annoying, it's where i've lived all my life, and nothing can change the security i feel here.

commentors - whats your favourite and least favourite thing about where you live?

a comic.

2006-05-09T15:44:00.000-04:00

well well well

2006-05-04T15:15:00.000-04:00

wow, so a lot has happened since i last updated:
-finished all my exams and thus, second year
-packed up my old house and moved into a new apartment
-gene and i christened our apartment with some mcflurries and the twisting of our new (steel) keys in our front door lock hahahaha
-got all (except 1) marks back for second semester and it's looking miiiighty good (ie- everything's above a 71 (even 202 woooot) which is fab for me)
-d rob the ultimate is on facebook and i poked him
-had a lil Rent/pizza/beer/pot party last night with a couple of members of the london summer crew at my new place (wiggedy wack)
-as of 10 minutes ago, everything is unpacked and in its proper place!

woot!

a little interlude

2006-04-27T15:04:00.000-04:00

wow ok so it's so close i can taste it
the only thing separating me from a glorious summer are 2 exams
one is on the Monkees, Madonna and the construction of the music video
and the other is on absolutely pointless shit that i couldn't care less about
then, i move into my new apartment with my new roomies
then i have a week to spend relaxing (at barneys) with the london summer crew and random mississaugians that decide to come visit
and then i start the easiest job ever at a call centre where i'm working full time for a week of training (under the supervision of a man named Floyd. ha.) then working 25 hours a week at $11/hr, meaning that i will not only be having time for myself, but i will be having the best summer everrrrrrrr
brendan, come back. i already miss you.
alrighty, back to studying, and by studying i mean packing/screaming show tunes at the top of my lungs.
taaaaaa.

from raymi

2006-04-26T00:47:00.000-04:00

Put your music player on shuffle. Press forward for each question. Use the song title as the answer to the question. Post on your blog. Comment back if you post it on your site. No comment regarding whatever songs that might come up.

Will I get far in life? - Earth Angel by The Platters

How do my friends see me? -Two of Us by Aimee Mann

Where will I get married? - I'll Cry Tomorrow by Cauterize

What is my best friend's theme song? - I Woke Up In A Car by Something Corporate

What is the story of my life? - The View by Modest Mouse

What was high school like? - He Woke Me Up Again by Sufjan Stevens

How can I get ahead in life? - Ghetto Gospel by 2Pac and Elton John

What is the best thing about me? - Witness (Live) by Sarah McLachlan

How is today going to be? - Love Song by The Cure

What is in store for this weekend? - Swing Life Away by Rise Against

What song describes my parents? - Razorblade by The Strokes

My grandparents? - Silhouette by Thrice

How is my life going? - Everybody by Stabilo

What song will they play at my funeral? - Walnut Tree by Keane

How does the world see me? - For Whom the Bell Tolls (S&M Version) by Metallica

Will I have a happy life? - The Pros and Cons of Breathing by Fall Out Boy

What do my friends really think of me? - Death of an Interior Decorator by Death Cab for Cutie

Do people secretly lust after me? - Steal My Kisses by Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals

How can I make myself happy? - Slow Down by Alicia Keys

What should I do with my life? - 3 x 5 by John Mayer

Will I ever have children? - Wish I Could Forget You by Silverstein

What is some good advice? - Superman's Dead by Our Lady Peace

What is my signature dancing song? - Cold Hard Bitch by Jet

What do I think my current theme song is? - My Little Runaway by Del Shannon

What does everyone else think my current theme song is? - Family Business by Kanye West

What type of men/women do you like? - Stay (I Miss You) by Lisa Loeb

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111

2006-04-24T02:56:00.000-04:00

MICHAEL DAUSB READSINGS MT BLOG!!!!!!!11

COMMENT !!!!!!!

(EDIT- wow, i was really drunk when i wrote that...hahah great times last night, thanks to Rob for the pics, also on facebook)

pneumonia part 2

2006-04-18T20:53:00.000-04:00

turns out the prescription i'm on can be used to treat inhaled anthrax...

(i guess that beats the medicine they had me on last time that was used to treat AIDS patients with declining respiratory systems)

ps- thanks for the *hugs* and the like. i'm feeling a lot better today (ie- i can breathe without an oxygen mask helping me today) and we're just waiting on the chest x-rays to see whether i'll be back in london to write my last 4 exams or whether they will get deferred. i'll keep y'all posted. much love.

pps- please never EVER refer to the new Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes baby as "Tomkitten" to me. why? firstly, ew. and secondly, the name 'Suri' is far too pretty to be forgotten by the media in a stupid attempt to be witty

pneumonia

2006-04-18T13:57:00.000-04:00

yep. i have pneumonia.
and am currently bed-ridden.
i'm clearly just posting this for sympathy.

(so, go ahead).

jst call me fitty

2006-04-13T00:19:00.000-04:00

mit soph purple circles thread called "Freestyle Madness":

Howie:
I feel it is important that we, as the most gangsta community, drop it like it's hot. Here's the rules:

1) The last person to go leaves the topic (two unrelated things) of the next freestyle.

2) Bombs must be dropped.

First Topic: Neil Rimmer & Grocery Carts.

Hey yo, Neil awoke it was a Thursday, but so cold.

He went to eat, but the bread was more like mould,

So he picked up his chin,

Said lets begin,

and got his keys,

Sippin' mad syrup,

his gangstah mom was payin fees,

She left a grocery list, so long as if so biblical

Trekkin' through the aisles, his fatigue was unequivocal.

“I needs mofukkin basket, I needs mofukkin cart”

Bagboy said, "watch your language!"

Big Rimmz ripped him apart.

Because his life is gangsta, cappin bagboys, ending lives

Pushin mad flow in carts, but in sad movies he cries.

Rimmz is out on the street, servin justice, Righting wrongs

His day began so quiet, Buyin turkey for his moms.

Next Topic:

Evergreen Trees & Cowboy Boots.

Laura:
whoa. that shit is hype.
yo yo break it down

when i'm chillin wit mah boyz i jus wanna yell "YO"

when it's christmas time i just wanna scream "HO"

those evergreen trees over there are so fly

if i dont get one now, i might as well die

even tho tree dealers can be suspicious,

i'd like to say those things are crazy delicious

but the truth of the thang is that cowboy boots are better

cuz y'all can wear 'em in all kinds of weather

that's my rap, howie i know you will hate it

but that's aight yo, cuz only one of us can make it

(and that's me, wut.)

Next topic:
50 Cent vs. the Easter Bunny

---
ohhh the randomousity.... <3

god save the queen

2006-04-10T23:57:00.000-04:00

clickie

mit love beer good

2006-04-08T17:15:00.000-04:00

i just put my hair in pigtails and secretly enjoyed it

2006-04-03T00:19:00.000-04:00

(note the mullet)

omg

2006-03-31T23:33:00.000-05:00

i love LOST. map of the island. go to the website for a larger pic. i love online nerds. altho they are stupid and don't realize that "CVI" actually could stand for "56" rather than "CV 1" hahahah. losers. anyways. i love LOST. enjoy.

quite possibly the funniest news story i've ever read

2006-03-31T18:23:00.000-05:00

Crafty Sea Lion Befuddles Fish Biologists

By JOSEPH B. FRAZIER, Associated Press Writer

CASCADE LOCKS, Ore. - In his way, C404 is kind of cute, with those sea-lion whiskers, soft brown eyes and furry little head. But to many he is a sea lion either from hell - or from Harvard.

C404 has driven the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Bonneville Dam to near distraction as he and his ilk sit at the base and munch salmon gathered to continue upriver to spawn.

Numerous sea lions head for the dam each spring, but C404 is in a class by himself.

He has figured out how to get into fish ladders that help fish past the dam - where endangered salmon and other fish become his easy prey.

The engineers have used everything legal to get rid of the California sea lion, who may weigh 1,000 pounds or more. They have installed grated exclusion gates and tried huge firecackers, rockets, rubber bullets, and noises sea lions don't like.

But C404 has given them the flipper.

He and a handful of cohorts already are waiting for the spring run of chinook salmon, which starts in earnest in April.

Then C404, named because of a brand applied by a state and federal program, will personify a larger problem, as 100 or more of his buddies join him.

Last year they ate about 3.5 percent of the migrating run at a time when salmon numbers were down and demand was up. This year's commercial salmon season may be cancelled because of river problems elsewhere. The loss percentage is climbing.

Robert Stansell, a fish biologist at Bonneville with the Corps of Engineers, knows the lively and alert C404 all too well.

"If he were in a litter of puppies, he's the one you would pick," he said.

He said C404 has been showing up each year since at least 2003 and has learned to rub it in. Last year he appeared in a window where fish counters keep track of salmon migrating upstream. The data helps predict the size of future runs.

"He even rolled over a little so we could get a look at his brand," Stansell said.

Other marine mammals haven't learned to pull that trick off.

Stansell says the sea lions are intelligent and can be taught. He would rather they not be taught by C404.

But he said the animals are showing up earlier and in greater numbers, and they are staying later. Now they have begun crawling onto the rocks to rest.

"They're becoming comfortable here," he said.

The run peaks in about September, but the sea lions head back to southern California breeding grounds around late May when the water temperature in the river rises.

They'll be back next year with their friends, and maybe their friends' friends too.

The animals have always been in the river. But now that the fish mass at the base of the dam, they provide a quick and easy meal for the sea lions.

C404 and his kind aren't endangered, but they are protected under the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act and can't be killed.

Incorrigibles can be singled out for "lethal removal," a long, complicated process, Stansell said.

He said that nearly happened at the Ballard Locks in Seattle, where sea lions that nearly wiped out a winter steelhead run in the 1990s were marked for death.

But the Humane Society sued and then-President Clinton urged clemency. The worst of the miscreants were packed off to Sea World in Orlando, Fla.

Then-Vice President Al Gore called Sea World to say thanks.

it was like Phantom of the Opera meets 1984 meets Brazil meets MIT, and i loved every minute

2006-03-30T22:56:00.000-05:00

egads!

2006-03-27T02:30:00.000-05:00

my sister found my blog through googling her name and finding her name on one of my friend's blogs

i think heather put it best when she said "just when you thought the internet was comfortably huge enough to hide your thoughts in eh?"

well hellooo allison and welcome to the wonderful world of Western (in blog form)

please enjoy an uncensored tour of my university life as it takes you from one inebriated moment to the next

and please don't forget to click on the links to the pictures on the right hand side of the screen so that you can see how drunk i can be in public

as well, enjoy my lovely commentary on sex, drugs, and ... well ... politics?

and please, dont tell mom?

(love?)

2006-03-24T23:38:00.000-05:00

Space is limited
In a Haiku, so it's hard
To finish what you-

2006-03-23T20:10:00.000-05:00

2006-03-20T00:01:00.000-05:00

i've run out of hairstyles.
i need something new.
i'm thinking haircut?
something drastic?
thoughts?

im giving up my college ways... (maybe) ...(ok, not really)

2006-03-16T18:42:00.000-05:00

hahhahah ohhhhhhhh shit.

today, my landlord called and was like 'hey can i bring through a couple people to see the apartment', and i was like yeah no prob, whatever, right?

well, my landlord shows up 5 on the dot and who just happens to be the guy he's showing the apartment? it was none other than a random (yet semi-enjoyable) ceeps hookup from a couple weeks ago.

so i was like 'shit.' and that was quickly followed by 'i wonder if he remembers me?' which was quickly followed by him saying 'you look familiar..do i know you from somewhere?'

(can i just say, ouch)

see, this is awkward. and hence, i hereby declare that i am going to be soon undergoing plastic surgery so that i dont have to deal with this shit ever again

well... at least not until the next time i go to the ceeps again and probably do the same thing, only to later see that dude at my house because he's friends with one of my roommates.

isnt this called.. karma?? did i do something to smite you, oh powerful gods? is my debt toward you now paid? see, cuz awkward embarrassment is really really horrible. so thanks sooo much.

missing you

2006-03-14T23:34:00.000-05:00

in other words, by the end of tmw i will have no friends

2006-03-14T14:43:00.000-05:00

i'm in one of those moods where i'm fed up with stupid people and i'm at the point of snapping.

i'm thinking tomorrow shall be the day of telling everyone exactly what i think of them, warranted or not.

thoughts?

i think mother nature is trying to tell us something

2006-03-14T12:53:00.000-05:00

the first step of my usual morning routine is open my window blinds to see what kind of weather it is out so i can dress accordingly.

well, today, i was so preoccupied with watching Richie Rich on TBS that I forgot, and, judging by yesterday's weather, i was all set to wear this nice little spring dressy shirt and jeans with a blazer.

i walk outside, and alas, it's snowing.

fucking hell.

london weather sucks.

i wish it were summer.

but dont you hate those days where you forget to look out the window?

nice.

2006-03-12T15:44:00.000-05:00

dance mix 93

2006-03-11T14:43:00.000-05:00

the track listing:
1 We Are Family by Unit Three UK
2 Humpin' Around by Bobby Brown
3 Jump Around by House Of Pain
4 Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) by C & C Music Factory
5 3 A.M. Eternal by KLF
6 Took My Love by (?)
7 Move This by Technotronic
8 Rhythm Is a Dancer by Snap
9 I Will Always Love You by Sarah Washington
10 Take Me in Your Arms by Lil Suzy
11 Whoomp! (There It Is) by Tag Team
12 Tribal Dance by Two Unlimited
13 No Limit by Two Unlimited
14 It's My Life by Doctor Alban
15 Are You Ready to Fly by Rozalla
16 Living in Ecstacy by BKS
17 People Everyday by Arrested Development

i can't wait for tonight

shit guy

2006-03-10T22:22:00.000-05:00

Pakistan imposes kite flying ban after strings laced with glass powder kill 7

ASIF SHAHZAD Fri Mar 10, 1:40 PM ET

LAHORE, Pakistan (CP) - The death of a four-year-old boy whose throat was slit by the glass-coated string of a low-flying kite has prompted authorities to forbid kite-flying in eastern Pakistan.

The ban, announced by the Punjab provincial government late Thursday, will take the wind out of this weekend's Basant festival, when Lahorites celebrate the coming of spring by flying thousands of colourful kites over the city.

It seems an innocent pastime, but some kite fliers reinforce strings with wire or ground glass for duelling other kites and betting on who wins. When strings cross in the congested sky, competitors attempt to cut loose the opponent's kite.

A similar competition is a central event in The Kite Runner, a popular novel by Afghani author Khaled Hosseini.

Seven people, including two children and a college student, have died in accidents involving such kite strings in Lahore in the last two weeks, all them as they rode on motorbikes. Outraged citizens have staged small protests, burning piles of kites and demanding authorities take action.

"I saw my son dying helplessly," said Mohammed Rizwan, father of four-year-old Shayan Ahmad who was killed Tuesday. "My son's death has ruined my life."

Shayan was sitting on the fuel tank of his father's bike as they rode together through the upscale Gulberg neighbourhood. The kite string caught Shayan in the throat and the bleeding boy collapsed in his father's lap. He died before they could reach a hospital.

Police have registered a murder case against the unidentified kite flier but apparently have no leads as to who it was.

Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, the top elected official in Punjab, announced the kite ban for an indefinite period after meeting with the boy's father.

A similar ban was ordered by the Lahore High Court two years ago after a stream of similar accidents, despite opposition from kite manufacturers who claimed that thousands of people could lose their jobs. The ruling was upheld in late 2005 by the Supreme Court but to little effect.

At least 19 people died and 200 were injured in February last year, before and during Basant.

Police now are vowing to enforce the ban strictly. They arrested 74 people Friday, including 22 shop owners, for selling or flying kites after the ban was announced, said Police Chief Amir Zulifquar.

Most Lahorites welcomed the ban, although it will likely take some of the fun and colour out of Basant, one of the city's most popular festivals, due to start Saturday night.

People usually crowd streets, parks and roof tops to fly kites, listen to music and party. Hardline Muslims, however, oppose it as a waste of money and consider it a Hindu festival. Basant means "yellow" in the Hindi language, and women often wear yellow dresses during the celebrations.

Tufail Ahmad, 35, praised the government for the ban. "It should have been done much earlier," he said.

Anis Ahmed, a university student, said authorities were depriving people of a centuries-old sport. "It should have allowed kite-flying at parks, instead banning it," he said, but added he opposed the use of sharp kite strings.

Police have arrested 1,100 people since March 5 for selling or manufacturing glass and chemical-coated kite string, said Khwaja Khalid Farooq, a senior Lahore police superintendent

a visual 'to do' list is in order

2006-03-09T15:10:00.000-05:00

-readings..this week and next week
-~~MITSC application~~
-~~MIT Soph application~~
-~~job interview downtown~~
-~~house viewing friday~~
-~~march break preview day meeting~~
-~~march break preview day tours at ncb~~
-~~formal (!) prep - LCBO, beautification (ha)~~
-read Citizens and Nations
-laundry
-st patrick's day shenanigans
-soph carousel
-mitsc and soph interviews
-mar 20- 204 writing assignment due
-~~march 27 - writing research essay due~~
-april 6 - 202 essay due on Citizens and Nations
-april 15- 204 exam
-april 17 - music video analysis due
-april 23 - 202 exam
-april 25 - writing exam
-april 28 - music and tv exam
-april 30 - soc 172 exam
-may 1 - move into new house
-may 2 - start new job

maybe next time will be your time

2006-03-06T14:11:00.000-05:00

(save your scissors by dallas green, download it.)

so tell me, what ever happened to reading week being all about relaxation and getting rid of the stress that builds up over the semester?

because seriously, coming back to london from a relatively stress-free week in mississauga, only to find a house full of carpenter ants really isn't that relaxing.

wellll then i got trashed at kristina's house and watched the oscars and spent the night in a beautiful hotel...so that was ok hahaha

but now i'm homeless til after my night class tonight, because my landlord is spraying the house with really smelly fumigation crap.

jesus.

on a lighter note, who's goin to the MIT/Arts (aka Ramtits) Formal on Saturday? Predrink @ Dewaards! i'm excited. have my dress and everything...but alas, no date as of yet...hmmm note to self, get on that.

hopefully i'll be back updating from home soon hahaha!

...of the moment

2006-03-03T00:20:00.000-05:00

songs...
1- both sides now by joni mitchell
2- waltz (better than fine) by fiona apple
3- does he love you? by rilo kiley
4- pink moon by nick drake
5- silver road by sarah harmer
6- layla (unplugged) by eric clapton
7- wreck of the day by anna nalick
8- bang bang (my baby shot me down) by nancy sinatra
9- cocaine cowgirl by matt mays and el torpedo
10- one song glory/light my candle/la vie boheme/i should tell you by the movie cast of Rent

movies...
1- sweet home alabama
2- the american president
3- walk the line
4- proof
5- as good as it gets

tv shows...
1- becker
2- deal or no deal
3- gilmore girls
4- project runway
5- star trek afternoons on spike tv 1-5 pm

other crap i like...
1- relearning to play guitar
2- xbox - james bond agent under fire - multiplayer mode with one shot kills and jet packs in the harbour map...(mid-air gunfights are AWESOME)
3- ~~intelligent~~ interesting conversation
4- driving alone at night
5- remembering how to write

closing ceremonies

2006-02-26T16:39:00.000-05:00

i don't understand Canada's fascination with Avril Lavigne!!

hundreds of musicians have come out of B.C.; most notably Bryan Adams, Michael Buble, Matt Good, Nelly Furtado, Diana Krall, and Sarah McLachlan

and yet

Vancouver's Olympic Committee chose fucking Ontario native Avril Lavigne to represent Vancouver.

(oh that's pride.)

stupid, stupid...

on another note, my Grandpa Ned told me today that he was taught at U of T by *the* Harold Innis. He taught him Canadian Economics in 1939-1940. Holy shit. My mind is fucking blown.

reading week is funner in london

2006-02-23T21:06:00.000-05:00

...

um....yyyyeah...

seeking pleasure (?)

2006-02-19T20:44:00.000-05:00

is it sick that i get immense pleasure from dirt-devilling random ants in my house?

i think it reeeeeally reeeally is.

thoughts?

2006-02-17T00:33:00.000-05:00

SHIT

death by milk truck (here's lookin at you, roland barthes!)

2006-02-15T12:39:00.000-05:00

so
i'm at weldon
apparently
reading/studying
definitely not happening
instead i'm on
facebook
blogger
myspace
and making fun of
graham spry and
robert mcchesney
because they're
tools
also,
i realized today
that i am not a
petty person
i used to think i was
but turns out
nope
im looking forward to
reading week
as my bffs
are comin down
to hang out/
drink/
smoke/
be tard-asses
i finally got
on the rilo kiley
bandwagon
fucking amazing
paid 10 bucks
on itunes
to buy the cd
amazing shit
belle and sebastian
have a new cd
its ok
nothing new
apparently
im to start listening
to thirteen senses (?)
my friend beth
who ive known
for 16 years
highly recommends them
thus
i will be listening
fuck
i dont want to study
i hate you midterms
but by this time
next week
i will have written
four.
yes.
four.

fuck.

schmalentines

2006-02-14T17:52:00.000-05:00

luke danes doesn't know it yet, but he's my valentine.

we watched the monkees in music and tv class today. that must be the most cracked out show ever. who freaking knew.

also, tonight, i am buying many many things off this fucking AMAZING website, particularly the axis of evil puppet set, the ghandi, shakespeare, foucault, jung, and einstein finger puppets, the 'what would freud do' t-shirt, and the freudian slippers. i was contemplating the 'pop-up book of phobias', the wind-up Last Supper pillow, and the 'tickle me freud', but i thought that was getting a bit ridiculous hahhahahaa

and, i know i've shown a bunch of u guys this site already, but i fucking love it and cant get enough of it.

ps anyone else uber excited at the use of anna nalick's songs in greys anatomy on sunday? i fucking love her. download citadel and consider this and wreck of the day....

how funny is this too? i fucking love conan.. and the ousted muchmusic vj hopeful who looks like him

ummmm im scroungin up things to talk about here... ummm... nick drake is amazing?

sex issue of the gazette...ive been hearing mixed reviews about the issue... im not quite sure what to think of it..definitely a gutsy issue

have you seen the new becel commercial about being stuck on an escalator?! i fucking crack up every time. amazing.

ack, im sure more crazy links will come soon.

i think i actually have gone crazy.

2006-02-14T12:33:00.000-05:00

this is a msn conversation between me and my frosh's best friend.
ps- my 'second' msn name thing is - 'fuck cupid and his fabricated holiday'

you and me are floating on a tidal wave, together. says:
I AGREE.

Laura - grr.says:
lol CUPID APPARENTLY CAN'T AIM!

you and me are floating on a tidal wave, together. says:
hahaha

Laura - grr. says:
so WHY give into this shitty ass holiday!? lol

Laura - grr. says:
IT'S NOT EVEN A HOLIDAY!!!

Laura - grr. says:
what, did the PILGRIMS celebrate it?!

you and me are floating on a tidal wave, together. says:
nope its not

Laura - grr. says:
NO!

you and me are floating on a tidal wave, together. says:
hahah

Laura - grr. says:
does it recognize our COUNTRY'S NATIONALISTIC PRIDE?!

Laura - grr. says:
NO!

Laura - grr. says:
hahah sorry.. i *hate* this day.

Laura - grr. says:
instead, i make plans for st patty's day lol

you and me are floating on a tidal wave, together. says:
oh no i agree with you...st.pattys day has wayyy more credentials thatn this day

Laura - grr. says:
hahahahahahaha serious

Laura - grr. says:
well im glad that someone else hasnt bought into this lame-ass excuse for buying chocolates and flowers and jewellery lol

you and me are floating on a tidal wave, together. says:
me too

Laura - grr. says:
fucking hallmark

Laura - grr. says:
hahahah i hate CARDS

Laura - grr. says:
my GRANDPA sent me a valentines card

Laura - grr. says:
lol you know what i say? STEVEN LECCE CREATED VALENTINE'S DAY!

Laura - grr. says:
KILL HIM!!!!!!!!!!!

-ten minutes pass-

Laura - grr. says:
hahaha too far?

do not wish me a happy valentines

2006-02-13T20:17:00.000-05:00

new blog of the week

check it out.

(is it too soon to start making st patrick's day plans?)

everybody's free (to wear sunscreen)

2006-02-12T17:32:00.000-05:00

"Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth."

i wonder if seth cohen's getting stoned again tonight...

2006-02-09T16:42:00.000-05:00

i want 20 random comments about anything

topics could include valentine's day, usc elections, furbies, anything on this site, stupid people, nursery rhymes, bottled water, the olympics, bumblebees....

...so actually, anything you want.

ps- i'm not gonna update again til i get 20 comments, because lets face it, im lazy, and im far more interested in what you guys have to say than what i have to

pps- SATURDAY NIGHT - BRENDAN'S 20th BIRTHDAY PARTY! COME TO MY HOUSE AT LIKE 8 or 9 FOR A PREDRINK AND WE'RE GOIN TO ALEX P KEATON'S BY 10:30 THEN TO THE CEEPS LATER! ALL WELCOME, CALL MY CELL TO FIND OUT WHERE WE ARE!

im not even joking

2006-02-08T15:24:00.000-05:00

hideous

apathy will kill ya, if gout doesn't get ya first

2006-02-08T14:01:00.000-05:00

do i argue in a paper something really controversial that i truly don't believe in, just because it's easier?

i know it sounds like a simple question, but i really really try not to do this, as i think my personal writing style gets lost in there....

i think im full of crap.. onward i go.

i ain't gotta fuck ray-ray's broke ass no more

2006-02-08T12:13:00.000-05:00

(ps - i've been listening to our MIT frosh cd today when writing my writing 121 essay, hence the title lol. who's idea was it anyway to put the kanye on the cd? soo jokes.)

ANYWAYS

there's nothing important to discuss except for these three points:
-a new addition to my blog -> top right hand corner, i am going to be like the Gazette and have a blog of the week. this week is a blog by this female taxicab driver in NYC, documenting all the crazy things she sees on a daily basis both with stories AND pictures! it's a great blog, check it out.
-steven harper has already proven he's gonna be a horrible PM - yeah i chose 4 different news articles to make my point..however outwardly biased they are... but this isn't even 'the tip of the iceberg' of anti-harper news that has been circulating lately
-my grandpa has been sending selected pages from his daily record that he has kept up-to-date daily since the mid-60s. yesterday, i received the pages outlining the days surrounding and on my birth lol.

here are some highlights:
Monday, June 30th, 1986 - Laura Kathleen Muirhead born at 4:43 PM
-Sunny, coolish, lovely
-Phone call from Pat from Johns car at 9:30 AM. On the way to St. Joseph's Hospital. Laura Kathleen Muirhead born at 4:43 PM. Almost 8 lbs 1 oz. John phoned a half hour later and we could hear the baby crying. Talked to Pat. She says strong lungs and a good strong grip. Everything all ok.
-Everyone very pleased with Laura K.

Thursday, July 3rd, 1986
-Sunny and cooler
-Pat says that Laura eating well and that if there are characteristics they might be:
1- Same direct look as Allison had
2-Same shape of face
3-When hungry, tends to chew her fist for quite a while before hollering. Allison just hollered.

amazing lol.

don't you just love headlines?

2006-02-07T20:53:00.000-05:00

look at the purple one:

i think they're too late.

omfg.

2006-02-06T19:38:00.000-05:00

i simply cannot believe this!!!!!!!

birthday present anyone?

"she has my mcdreamy, stole my mcdog....she has my mclife"

2006-02-06T14:25:00.000-05:00

i'm again being loner creepy girl, except this time, i'm sitting in the hallway of ncb, plugging in my laptop and watching the science and mit people go by.

i think this world needs to hug more.

the only people i've seen hug today are two elderly custodial workers.

oh also, the tim horton's ladies at ncb know me by name and order.

and i'm fucking sick of people asking me for help on this fucking 204 essay. get your own brain.

i've been sitting here for like 30 minutes now, and i honestly haven't recognized anyone. i think that's a problem.

i hate girls who try too goddamn hard to wear 'nice' clothes and do their hair according to fashion magazines in order to impess people who in 5 years won't even remember your name.

to people everywhere - i'd really appreciate knowing in advance if you have plans to screw me over, or go behind my back, thanks.

wow, this is gonna be a bitter day hahahah.

---Edit---
Ok, so it's 3:15 and i'm still sitting out in the hallway in NCB, but i've seen and talked to like 5 people I know, so things are looking up slightly lol. but i think i still should keep the title - "Creepy Loner Girl".. i think it suits me well.

blogging the superbowl

2006-02-05T22:21:00.000-05:00

i'm stuck in my room watching the superbowl tonight, and how convenient is it that my computer happens to be right next to it! i'll be updating frequently during the game; if all goes well, i'll save every commercial break hahaha.

the superbowl (*GO STEELERS*), by laura

pregame
-motown tribute, not bad. john legend is fucking hot. mics sucked, but what can you expect. dancers were annoying, as usual.
-global tv wants to be 'hip' so they host a concert with the craptastic INXS and then proceed to cut them off to go to commercial. amazing, really.
-also, global seems to have changed their logos (again) to this greater-than ( > ) sort of symbol. stupid stupid people.
-sugar pie honey bunch playing over top of john madden's commentary pre-game just made my life.
-i fucking hope roethlisberger does really well..he so fiiiine. and if the steelers win tonight, he'll be the youngest QB to win in Superbowl history.... but that hasselbeck guy is a fucking amazing QB and pretty cute too.. hmmm...
-tom brady is fucking hot. wow, am i horny or something?
-john elway has aged really badly.
-wait, why the hell are they introducing all the MVPs of the past? this makes no sense! get to the fucking coin toss with the commemorative coin already!!
-apparently Gillette has come out with a razor with 5 blades... that reminds me of that commercial spoof, the 'Quintippio' razor with 15 blades! hahahah wow.. 5 blades on your face = 5 ways to bleed haahhaha
-HAHAHAHAH why the FUCK is Bittersweet Symphony by the Verve the song that the Seahawks ran out to?!! hahahahahahahahahah pussies.
-HAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH they had a shot of Aaron Neville (aka a really old singer) when they introduced Aretha Franklin for the the anthem hahahaha amazing.
-EWWWWWW CONDOLEEZA RICE WITH HER HAND ON HER HEART! ANTICHRIST!
-really crappy singing, aretha and aaron.. shame shame
-HARRISON FORD!? WTF?! OH THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!? WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?! A WAY TO AMUSE THE DRUNK PEOPLE WATCHING? (harrison has an earring?)
- ahhhhhahahahahahah i'm laughing so hard...
-seahawks won the coin toss and chose to receive *thumbs down*

first half
-so it begins!
-the energy is so high, it's disgusting
-ye-eah yellow flag on seattle!!
-offence's turn and it's a false start.. goddamn. let roethlisberger play already!
-godammn steelers! stop starting falsely!
-i got one of those toning balls in my box of vector cereal...i filled it up with water and i've been doing pilates whenever the seahawks are on offence hahaa
-YES penalty on seahawks - vicious, vicious team, trying to choke their competitors..
-i really dont like ABC's score..bar..thing... its stupid that's at the bottom of the page.. dumbasses. (PS - did i mention that i may be blogging about television for ABC? oooooweeee i'll elaborate later)
-aight 5:34 left in the 1st quarter, and still a scoreless game... college football is more exciting than this..
-roethlisberger needs to shave
-in their introductions, these football players said their name, then what college they went to...i wonder how many of these guys got their university education solely because of a football scholarship, and how many are actually academics. i wonder if any of them were in engineering...hmm..i wonder if i can find that online...
-DIET PEPSI COMMERCIAL WITH P DIDDY! actually.. it was pretty bad/stupid/unoriginal. i'm just waiting for the pizza hut commercial with jessica simpson so i can laugh at her
-the seahawks are playing a really good game so far... their coach looks like a douche tho.
-FUCK! Seahawk touchdown! but there's a yellow flag...HECK YES! DOESN'T COUNT!! HALLELUJAH!
-i'm gonna miss football season
-the olympics start in 5 days.. i love the opening ceremonies.. remind me to go get some Canada clothing from the Bay
-fuck you seahawks, 3-0.
-i hear "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder...i must say, the music today has been relatively diverse and pretty good
-it's the 2nd quarter now
-i love all of these penalities against the seahawks..
-whoa ok so i'm totally not paying attention to the game anymore. my mom emailled me, all excited because somebody wrote a Wikipedia article on Mississauga and i've been so enthralled at reading it lol. At the bottom of the article is a list of "Notable People Who Live In Mississauga" and two friends (i use the term loosely) from Cawthra (my high school) are on it because they're on Degrassi: The Next Generation hahahah apparently there are fan websites for them, and ongoing debates on IMDB on their hotness and whether or not they are gay in real life hahahahahaha If only I wanted to tell people the truth... hahahah L Downs (my roomie, also from my highschool) and I have been laughing about this for a good hour or so
-ok so the score is still 3-0 for the Seahawks and there is like 5:30 left in the 2nd quarter.
-YEAH!! STEELERS SCORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRE!!!!!!!
-uh oh. review of the goal....Goal stands! 1 point conversion! 7-3 STEELERS!
-it's almost HALFTIME! 1:47 left in the 2nd!
-Ok, we had some close calls there with the Seahawks almost getting a couple of touchdowns, but they didnt, so yay!
-it's halftime babyeeeee

halftime report
-well well well, i am sooo underqualified to report on the status of the first half, its amazing. basically, the steelers are amazing and the seahawks suck, and that's the way it should be.
-its time for the Sprint Halftime show with the Stones... I wonder what Mick is wearing....
-OOH a 40 Licks shaped stage!
-Mick Jagger is as freakishly skinny as Brendan
-everytime i hear 'Start Me Up', i think of Sarstock because of that one minute of archive footage that every news station had on alllllll the time
-Mick is actually sounding really good... i wonder if he's lipsyncing, because he's relatively on pitch
-Mick has the flattest stomach i have ever seen on a man.
-the purple shirt on that drummer guy (no, i dont know his name lol) is beyond hilarious
-the song 'satisfaction' is ruined for me because of britney spears
-mick jagger also says 'twide' instead of 'tried'.. simply amazing.
-keith richards is hot for an old guy hahahaha
-sparkly shirts never look good on men...neither do spandex football leggings, for that matter...hmmm..conspiracy?
-i love it when people take pictures with a flash in a stadium, trying to take pictures of fireworks... dumbasses.
-i hate how every single aspect of this game is sponsored by one company or another - the Sprint Halftime Show, the Cadillac Post-Game Show, etc..
-anyways, the last thing i will say about the first half is that both teams are pretty much evenly matched, and at this point it is definitely ~~anyone's~~ the Steeler's game

second half
-YESSSSSSSS ALREADY A STEELERS TOUCHDOWN!!! 75 YARDS!!!!!! FUCK YAH!!!!!!
-i love this game.
-BEAVER COMMERCIAL? WTF?! is that beaver dead? The end of the commercial leads you to frankandgordon.ca
-wow. sorry about the lack of updating for a few minutes there. in the past day, i have had 3 friends from elementary school add me to facebook and it's kinda tripping me out lol. facebook is like a fucking timewarp!!! seriously, i never ever thought i would see or hear from these people ever again, but here I am, talking to them on the stupidest (yet most addictive) website ever!!!
-ooo Steelers are soooo close to another touchdown - 3rd and 6... GODDAMN!!! INTERCEPTION AS I WAS TYPING!! FUCK YOU SEAHAWKS!!!!
-Ashlee Simpson's "Boyfriend" playing in the background made this situation slightly better.
-FUCKKKK SEAHAWKS SCORED. i think that vein in my forhead is throbbing again.. hahaha
- its ok.. its ok... Steeler's are still leading 14-10. everything's ok. really.
-umm ok so i actually just went to the frankandgordon website above and its fucking tripping me out. actually the worst website ever.
-can perrier water go bad? because i've been sipping on this 750ml bottle since friday, with minimal refrigeration, and im scared hahaha.
-3:33 left in the 3rd.. bad luck, i think...but for who? (whom?)
-ok so nothing exciting is going on anymore... its still 14-10, but now its the 4th quarter
-commercial for Titanic 2? hahahahah it's called Poseidon...original..really.. with Emmy Rossum from Phantom of the Opera... great casting... really..
-i really really really really really hate global's new advertising campaign. really.
-tariq says he's worried for the Steelers. i think he has nothing to worry about. the Lombardi Trophy is ALL PITTSBURGH'S!
-fuckpissshitcockballs i have to start my mit 250 essay. it'd due next week, but this weekend is disgustingly booked solid with two birthdays, vaginas and operas.
-FUCK YEAH!!!!! INTERCEPTION!!! I LOOOOOVE THE STEELERS!!!!
-HECK YES, STEELER TOUCHDOWN!!!!
-i put my cartilidge piercing back in my ear after like 4 years of not wearing it. it's different, but i like it.
-global's new slogan is ' "get the full story" only on Global' .....@#$%^&*@&#^%$#
-BALL RECOVERY BY THE STEELERS!!! FIRST DOWN PITTSBURGH!!!!!! maybe.. we have to wait til after the commercial break to find out whether the challenge goes through or not.. intense.
-ok, back from commercial.. they reviewed the tapes and, crap, no fumble.
-its ok tho, steelers are still ahead. nothing to worry about.
-"sacky sack sack again!" (c/o Tariq)
-steelers rock my socks.
-the american commentator just said 'canada'. i giggled with glee.
-ooo black eyed peas in the backgroun during a time out.. im sure that really pleased the crowd....
-hahahahah the umpire just jumped in to the pile of men!! amazing.
-ooo the grammys are on weds..if i listened to mainstream music regularly, i would probably watch.... fuck, what am i saying, of course i listen to mainstream music.. i really try not to tho.. its just so goddamn addictive and catchy.
-fuck you, lou pearlman
-awwww jerome bettis is such a leader amongst his team!! soooooo cute!!!
-i can only imagine how annoying it must be for these players to have to play with a new football with every play, in order so that the NFL can sell the footballs that have been "used in the Superbowl".
-ben roethlisberger really really really needs to shave... serious.
-the commentators are hilarious. loves it
-2 MINUTE WARNING!
-one minute left!!!!! soooo close to a Steeler victory!!!!
-34 seconds!!!
-27 seconds!!!
-3 SECONDS!!!

-STEELERS WIN!!!!!!!!!!

post game
-WATCH THE LATEST SUPERBOWL COMMERCIALS HERE
-i love the look of the Lombardi Trophy.. it so pretty.
-MVP - Hines Ward - won a HUGE black Cadillac Escalade.. holy shit.
-i love watching the players with their kids... sooo cute.
-Jerome Bettis (the Bus) is leaving the NFL!!! oh no! he's soo cute!
-ok well, it has been very nice commentating on this, the 40th Superbowl in Detroit, however, i am going to sign off now so i can get comfy for Grey's Anatomy!!!

HELL YES FOR FOOTBALL!!!!!!

mmmhmmm...

2006-02-05T15:42:00.000-05:00

yeah, so, screwed?

2006-02-05T13:19:00.000-05:00

hahaha ok

so my landlord is coming over in 10 minutes and bringing "a large group" of people to come look at my apartment.

yeah, so my best friend came up for the weekend and we were drunk/stoned/fast-food-binging/ridiculous the entire weekend, and my house looks disgusting..

good planning landlord..

and here are some pictures from some recent weekend partying, with more to come when danielle uploads her pics from this weekend! (if u wanna see more pics, check out my facebook profile/photo albums - links on the top right of this page!)

3 eeeeeeeeeasy!!
i miss you elgin!

step-on-me

2006-02-02T14:41:00.000-05:00

"Full House" Star Admits Meth Problem

Former Full House cutie Jodie Sweetin has earned herself a spot on the lengthy list of child stars gone wrong.

During an appearance on Good Morning America Wednesday, Sweetin, who played middle sister Stephanie Tanner on the hit sitcom, revealed that she is a recovering meth addict and once battled a daily drug habit.

The ex-actress, 24, said she had trouble figuring out how to adjust to a regular childhood existence after Full House ended its run in 1995.

"There is a certain sense of loss when a series ends," Sweetin said. "It is kind of hard to figure out who you are when you've lost your job at age 13, when that was basically how you identified yourself."

In an attempt to lead a "normal" kid's life, Sweetin attended high school and college, graduating with a degree in liberal arts. In 2002, she married a Los Angeles police officer.

Though she occasionally appeared in bit parts on TV series, including Party of Five and Yes, Dear, Sweetin's acting career essentially stalled after Full House.Two years ago, bored and unemployed, the former child star began experimenting with drugs as a way to pass the time. She was soon addicted to methamphetamine and using the debilitating drug every day.

Though Sweetin stops short of blaming her addiction on her child star lifestyle, she concedes that her career may have stripped her of some of the benefits of a typical childhood.

"Growing up in the business you have to grow up very fast--you do have a different type of childhood, that has its benefits and it has its drawbacks," Sweetin said Wednesday.

After a particularly bad three-day bender, which reportedly resulted in an intervention staged by her former Full House costars, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, John Stamos and Bob Saget, Sweetin checked herself into Promises rehab facility for six weeks of intensive therapy.

Clean and sober since March of last year, Sweetin now admits she was "living a total double life."

"I was married to a police officer--we are going through a divorce right now--he had no idea," she said.

Since kicking her addiction, Sweetin says she now hopes to get back into acting.

"I want to make movies, TV series, wherever the career takes me," she said. "I really hope this isn't the last people hear of me. In fact, I would like to make this a footnote in my career, not the end."

bah bah bah, bah barbara ann

2006-02-02T14:06:00.000-05:00

i fucking hate the movie 'the merchants of cool'

as an mit student, i have seen this movie over and over and over again

and now in my one non-mit class, we're watching it again.

.................

danielle's coming up tomorrow, around dinner time, but i dont know what time.. remind me to ask her.

.................

i got my hair done yesterday, and i love it. and compared to t.o. it was soooo inexpensive.

.................

i think im gonna go home and watch adaptation tonight while cleaning up my room for danielle's arrival. yeah...

i want it

2006-02-01T01:18:00.000-05:00

click
click again
click this one too
and this
and this, most of all

scared...sad...frustrated...furious...

2006-01-31T23:38:00.000-05:00

Activist Cindy Sheehan Arrested at Capitol

By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a fallen soldier in
Iraq who reinvigorated the anti-war movement, was arrested and removed from the House gallery Tuesday night just before President Bush's State of the Union address, a police spokeswoman said.

Sheehan, who was invited to attend the speech by Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., was charged with demonstrating in the Capitol building, said Capitol Police Sgt. Kimberly Schneider. The charge was later changed to unlawful conduct, Schneider said. Both charges are misdemeanors.

Sheehan was taken in handcuffs from the Capitol to police headquarters a few blocks away. Her case was processed as Bush spoke.

Schneider said Sheehan had worn a T-shirt with an anti-war slogan to the speech and covered it up until she took her seat. Police warned her that such displays were not allowed, but she did not respond, the spokeswoman said.

Police handcuffed Sheehan and removed her from the gallery before Bush arrived. Sheehan was to be released on her own recognizance, Schneider said.

"I'm proud that Cindy's my guest tonight," Woolsey said in an interview before the speech. "She has made a difference in the debate to bring our troops home from Iraq."

Woolsey offered Sheehan a ticket to the speech — Gallery 5, seat 7, row A — earlier Tuesday while Sheehan was attending an "alternative state of the union" press conference by CODEPINK, a group pushing for an end to the Iraq war.

Sheehan, wrapped in a bright pink scarf against the cold, protested outside the White House with a handful of others before heading to the Capitol Tuesday evening. There were no cameras around, but the small band faced the executive mansion and repeatedly shouted, "You're evicted! Get out of our house!"

Sheehan was arrested in September with about 300 other anti-war activists in front of the White House after a weekend of protests against the war in Iraq. In August, she spent 26 days camped near Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, where he was spending a working vacation.

nancy sinatra and the dixie chicks don't lie

2006-01-31T16:19:00.000-05:00

i saw regis philbin sing a duet of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with jimmy kimmel last night...

needless to say, amazing

i'm at ncb looking out at the thames river, and seriously, this is the most depressing day, weather-wise, ever. everything's all muddy and brown and dead, and the river is fast flowing but murky and gross. and there are squirrels out running around in this!! aren't they meant to be hibernating? shittt i just noticed there's a dead bird outside...its quite funny actually...its tail feather is sticking up straight up in the air hahahahah...

i wonder if it has west nile..

i'm horrible, dont listen to me hahaha.

decisions..

2006-01-29T16:47:00.000-05:00

...
i'm going to apply for MPI next year.

i've loved him since the DNC and i want him to be president.

2006-01-29T15:27:00.000-05:00

Sen. Obama Criticizes Filibuster Tactic

By HOPE YEN, Associated Press Writer 35 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - To more effectively oppose Supreme Court nominees in the future, Democrats need to convince the public "their values are at stake" rather than use stalling tactics to try to thwart the president, said a senator who opposes Samuel Alito's confirmation.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., predicted on Sunday that an effort to try to block a final vote on Alito would fail on Monday. That would clear the way for Senate approval Tuesday of the federal appeals court judge picked to succeed the retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

Democrats fear he would shift the court rightward on abortion rights, affirmative action, the death penalty and other issues.

"We need to recognize, because Judge Alito will be confirmed, that, if we're going to oppose a nominee that we've got to persuade the American people that, in fact, their values are at stake," Obama said.

"There is an over-reliance on the part of Democrats for procedural maneuvers," he told ABC's "This Week."

Sens. John Kerry and Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts are urging fellow Democrats to support a filibuster, citing in part Alito's conservative record on abortion and deference to executive power.

Alito's supporters must produce 60 votes to cut off a filibuster; an Associated Press tally shows at least 62.

The AP tally also shows that at least 53 Republicans and three Democrats intend to vote to confirm Alito; that is well over the required majority.

President Bush said Saturday in his weekly radio address that senators should have an up-or-down on a nominee "who understands that the role of a judge is to strictly interpret the law."

Obama cast Alito as a judge "who is contrary to core American values, not just liberal values."

But Obama joined some Democrats, including Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Charles Schumer of New York, in expressing his unhappiness with the filibuster bid.

"There's one way to guarantee that the judges who are appointed to the Supreme Court are judges that reflect our values. And that's to win elections," Obama said.

Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.), said he, too, would support the filibuster attempt but agreed that it was not particularly wise.

"I think a filibuster make sense when you have a prospect of actually succeeding," Biden said on CNN's "Late Edition." "I will vote one time to say to continue the debate. but the truth of the matter" is that Alito will be confirmed, he said.

crazy Laura

2006-01-28T21:51:00.000-05:00

i just got back from celebrating Chinese New Year's Eve with 35 friends at the Mandarin.

last night, i got so drunk and high that i puked for about thirty minutes this morning.

(what was i thinking?)

(when can i do it again?)

tell me about it

2006-01-27T00:40:00.000-05:00

hahah yes i know the layout is screwed up, but i was just searching the net and stumbled across this layout and i thought, 'i MUST have it'

so im trying, so bear with me.

its just too late to keep going now hahaha

--Laura

IT WORKS BEST IN FIREFOX, SO IF YOU DONT HAVE IT, GET IT NOW!

2006-01-26T23:02:00.000-05:00

david letterman said that it is proven that yesterday, january 25th, is actually the most depressing day of the year, because the excitement from christmas is gone and there is nothing for people to look forward to

2006-01-26T14:34:00.000-05:00

i wanna be in london for a week and not go to class.

i've watched star trek all day.

and not gone to class yet.

i also realized that i have a huge crush on commander riker.

and surprisingly, captain picard too.

i'm sad that this month is almost finished.

on my lost calendar, january is matthew fox month.

next month is jin and sun.

not as exciting.

i have a jewelled picture frame from the pottery barn.

i got it for christmas, but still haven't found the right picture to go in it yet.

speaking of christmas, i opened a bag of happy holiday m&ms yesterday.

soo good.

alright, star trek commercial break over.

update later for sure.

galangalangalang

2006-01-25T13:45:00.000-05:00

in my desparate attempt to be creepy loner girl at the spoke, i have been doing some people watching

in about 3 hours, i have seen people who look like her, him, him, and a younger him, all of which must mean that i am on drugs because none of these people go here anymore (or never have/will).

and i now have spent 20 minutes trying to find a good picture of link #3.

wow. what a life.

somewhat mit perhaps

2006-01-25T12:22:00.000-05:00

i'm reading a book right now called "The Reality TV Handbook"

amongst other delights, it tells you how to:
-fly under the radar
-form an alliance (and keep it)
-use alcohol to your advantage
-display emotion on cue
-lie and get away with it
-discern whether your date is actually wealthy
-make fire
-swallow a live bug

this actually might come in handy in REAL life...

i like looking at the photo albums

2006-01-25T11:08:00.000-05:00

so addicted to facebook.

its coming up in conversations with friends, classes, people i just met...

for those on the "outside", they don't get what makes it so great.

and its hard to explain..

but if you're one of like 3 people left who aren't on facebook, sign up.

do it. do it now.

2006-01-24T02:54:00.000-05:00

.
.
.
is this my Canada?
.
.
.

we're not talkin politics...

2006-01-22T16:39:00.000-05:00

...we're talkin gooooooooooood times

i'm not crazy about him, but this pretty much sums shit up

2006-01-21T14:35:00.000-05:00

From MichaelMoore.com

Friday, January 20th, 2006
Michael Moore Statement on Canadian Election

Michael Moore is currently in production on his next movie. As an avid lover of all things Canadian, he has issued the following statement regarding Canada's upcoming election on Monday:

Oh, Canada -- you're not really going to elect a Conservative majority on Monday, are you? That's a joke, right? I know you have a great sense of humor, and certainly a well-developed sense of irony, but this is no longer funny. Maybe it's a new form of Canadian irony -- reverse irony! OK, now I get it. First, you have the courage to stand against the war in Iraq -- and then you elect a prime minister who's for it. You declare gay people have equal rights -- and then you elect a man who says they don't. You give your native peoples their own autonomy and their own territory -- and then you vote for a man who wants to cut aid to these poorest of your citizens. Wow, that is intense! Only Canadians could pull off a hat trick of humor like that. My hat's off to you.

Far be it from me, as an American, to suggest what you should do. You already have too many Americans telling you what to do. Well, actually, you've got just one American who keeps telling you to roll over and fetch and sit. I hope you don't feel this appeal of mine is too intrusive but I just couldn't sit by, as your friend, and say nothing. Yes, I agree, the Liberals have some 'splainin' to do. And yes, one party in power for more than a decade gets a little... long. But you have a parliamentary system (I'll bet you didn't know that -- see, that's why you need Americans telling you things!). There are ways at the polls to have your voices heard other than throwing the baby out with the bath water.

These are no ordinary times, and as you go to the polls on Monday, you do so while a man running the nation to the south of you is hoping you can lend him a hand by picking Stephen Harper because he's a man who shares his world view. Do you want to help George Bush by turning Canada into his latest conquest? Is that how you want millions of us down here to see you from now on? The next notch in the cowboy belt? C'mon, where's your Canadian pride? I mean, if you're going to reduce Canada to a cheap download of Bush & Co., then at least don't surrender so easily. Can't you wait until he threatens to bomb Regina? Make him work for it, for Pete's sake.

But seriously, I know you're not going to elect a guy who should really be running for governor of Utah. Whew! I knew it! You almost had me there. Very funny. Don't do that again. God, I love you, you crazy cold wonderful neighbors to my north. Don't ever change.

Michael Moore

(Mr. Moore is not available for interviews because he now needs to address the situation in Azerbaijan. But he could be talked into it for a couple of tickets to a Leaf's game.)

holy shit

2006-01-20T14:01:00.000-05:00

this is fucking amazing

it takes a minute to load, so be patient, but SERIOUSLY

click

(it's a new honda ad, courtesy of boingboing)

gimme passion, gimme feeling, gimme something to believe in

2006-01-18T18:35:00.000-05:00

i've been feelin kinda down for the past week or so, and i really had no idea why.

i mean, everything's been great - new classes, lots of parties, good friends, been shopping - i'm really lucky, in every sense of the word.

but, i dunno.. it's just been hard, going to class and seeing so many people who are passionate about so many things, as large or as small an issue they are, when all i feel like is that i personally have lost all of my passion.

i know that sounds like a drastic thing to say

and i know my primary new years resolution was to get that passion back into my life

(and believe me, i have tried)

but everything that i once felt passionate about has just disappeared from my life, with no hope for their return.

so im thinking, im in university - this is the place for me to develop new passions, see the world in a completely different light - and i know that mit is definitely the program to be in to do this

but i find that even when something interests me in a class, i dont feel the same way that i used to about singing, or writing, or photography, or even the lame arts and crafts that i used to do when i was in kindergarten.

and the (lack) of passion in my life in the other sense of the word has always been an issue with me too... yeah there are always guys, but those guys are never the guys that i feel passionate about.. those guys just aren't there

so what am i to do

anything?

well, the obvious thing is that i need to get the passion back into my life, but it seems like the path that i am currently on is not allowing that for me.

something needs to change and i dont even know where to start or what to do or who to go to or whether i should even bother

(ok, comments on, but i dont want answers to my rhetorical questions)

snakes on a plane, the greatest movie of all time

2006-01-15T00:39:00.000-05:00

(please note i dont use quotation marks even though i should and thus i am stealing. gracious apologies.)

as i logged onto my msn this morning, i happened to see two of my frosh's msn names in particular. they were as follows:

snakes on a plane. august 18th.
snakes. planes. samuel l. jackson. mutha fucking terrorists. august 18th.

needless to say, i was intrigued.

so, i employed some searching skills, and found this, this, and this and it turns out that there is in fact a movie coming out in the summer starring Sammy, called Snakes on a Plane.

Snakes. Snakes on a plane, not in a milk-crate, not under a rock; on a plane.

So many questions. How many snakes? What kind of snakes? What kind of relationship does Sammy have with the snakes? Does he see his childhood in their eyes? Can snakes love? Can snakes love...on a plane? Can snakes love a plane?

This is going to be emotional, I can tell. It's going to have heart.

I don't think America is ready for Snakes on a Plane. Then again, I don't think it will ever be possible to ever truly be ready for Snakes on a Plane.

It just simply exists on a higher level than us humans could ever imagine.

who knew?

2006-01-14T23:59:00.000-05:00

apparently you can make meth from cold medication

click

ps - i saw colin mocherie and brad sherwood do an improv show tonight and it was sooo good. i didnt get called on stage, but they did use my suggestion that i yelled out for the game where there are lines in a hat and they pick one out and use one in the middle of the skit... and their finale dealt with blindfolds and mousetraps...
ask me about it when you see me (it's one of those stories that are funnier in person lol.)

i love this picture hahaha

2006-01-13T03:48:00.000-05:00

thanks to boucher for taking it

surprising what an old journal can remind you of

2006-01-13T03:24:00.000-05:00

Past regrets
With their steady gaze
And fixed stare,
They watch me.
Decipher me.
Observe me.
I am their puzzle.

Reduced to memories
And photographs,
They sit above me,
Hiding their secrets,
Letting me make their mistakes.
They aren't here to warn me.

I am listening to
Pictures laughing at me
From their permanent place
On the wall.

i currently cant feel my face

2006-01-12T03:38:00.000-05:00

some random drunk chick at call the office tonight told will, eric and i she had so much sex on her trip to las vegas that her "titties are bruised"

young girl's love for her chickens gives her bird flu

2006-01-10T17:17:00.000-05:00

(click title for original post)

An eight-year-old girl in Van, Turkey who raised chickens in her back yard apparently has become infected with bird flu after kissing and hugging her dying feathered friends. Fortunately, her health is improving and she's expected to be released from the hospital soon.

From the Associated Press:

When her mother saw Sumeyya holding one of the dying chickens, she yelled at her and hit the girl to get her away.

Sumeyya began to cry. She wiped her tears with the hand she'd been using to comfort the dying chicken.

"She wiped her face," said her father, speaking in broken Turkish and wearing a leather jacket and a typical Kurdish headdress in their bright, clean home. "She started to swell. She had a really high fever...."

Even if not animal lovers like Sumeyya, children in poor agricultural towns tend to be extremely comfortable with the animals they share their lives with. It has been particularly difficult to convince them that this proximity can now be dangerous.

----

is it horrible that i want to laugh?

i want this show to be a hit

2006-01-08T00:10:00.000-05:00

anyone happen to catch the premiere of The Book of Daniel on NBC/CH on Friday night?

if you know me, you know i watch a lot of tv...so you know this is coming from a qualified source when i say that this is the most promising mid-season replacement show i've seen in a lonnnnnnnnnnng time. yet so many christian activist groups have been up in arms about the content of the show, which i hope just means that it will hang around longer rather than disappearing like so many good and contraversial shows nowadays

in case you missed it, allow me to sum up:
-a Vicodin-popping priest tries to keep his family together while they face various modern family issues
-for example, his wife is an alcoholic, his 15 year old daughter gets caught selling weed and gets put in jail, his eldest son is gay and has to keep it secret from his grandparents, and his Japanese adoptive son will stop at nothing to have sex with his girlfriend (who just happens to be the daughter of a co-worker of the priest)
-also, the priest's father is a strict bishop and his mother is battling dementia and barely recognizes any of her family
-if this isn't enough to offend pretty much anybody, the priest also has visions of Jesus and talks to him throughout each episode

aka i'm in love with this show

its like a freaky hybrid of six feet under, joan of arcadia and weeds.

please watch it! its amazing!