accumulation {and letting go}

in this whole moving process, nothing so far has been more satisfactory than going through large boxes of crap and determining what stays, what goes, and what gets donated.  it amazes me how much stuff just accumulates--especially unimportant stuff. also, the therapeutic power of dumping papers and books and odds/ends which have a negative history feels so liberating! being able to ask honestly: "do i really need this?" and being able to say "no" is quite nice too.

now, if only there was a quick and relatively painless/time non-intensive way to make some cash for items that are actually worth something...i may just have to bite the bullet and list a few things on craigslist.

may 20th, 2011-->mark your calendar!

i have been (keep your fingers crossed!) granted permission to participate in graduation! i can walk with my co-horts! woot! double woot! triple woot!

now, all i have to do to get the damn diploma is: 1. write a 20 page paper for one class 2. come up with and execute a prject on policy change for my other class 3. find a VIABLE summer language class ( i have one in the works, it still needs to be approved, then finagled from 3 credits to 4 credits) 4. finish the summer class 5. get my diploma

can i do it folks, with less than a month to go??? will i sleep? will i lose my sanity? will i drrive my family and friends up the wall?

JAPAN--->part 2

if you watched the video posted in my last update, you will know that it is a multi-part project.

Here's PART 2

please please PLEASE take the time to watch it (3 minutes!) and re-blog, tweet, facebook, email it to as many people you know. for reals.

and i promise a more academically related post in the near future. this "final semester" is really taking its toll on me.

Let's Help JAPAN!!!!!!

JPRI Japan Relief Fund w/ Give2Asia

JPRI (Japan Policy Research Institute) in collaboration with Give2Asia (a highly respected organization that works DIRECTLY with locally-based NGOs) has created a fund which will go directly to locally-based aid efforts on the ground in Japan.

Unlike many other aid organizations, one of the awesome criteria of Give2Asia is that relief supplies must be bought in the LOCAL COMMUNITY. that's right--->supporting retailers, groceries, doctors, hospitals, etc. who are in the effected disaster zone. by utilizing this approach, not only are immediate needs being met, but the local economy is strengthen, providing for the future.

twentyten

here's to a prosperous new year to all!


i have never been one for making resolutions. but this year/this decade feels auspiciously perfect for new beginnings. so, while i would hesitate to call the below "resolutions", i will think of them as steps/guidelines for living abundantly in this new year.

1. nurture my creative spirit (even if it's only on the small scale): i managed  to score a copy of "the artists way" for $1 at the creative reuse depot. while i can't guarantee that i will follow it religiously, i think using it as a tool may be helpful. the part about artist dates in particular. i have no "goal" of finishing it in the 12-week manner it proponents but i will be working my way through it.

2. make better choices in taking care of myself: this one will require lots of baby steps and covers a range of issues. from making sure that i eat when i feel hungry (and not just ignore it) to staying properly hydrated. also things like following through on regular or semi-regular acupuncture, learning to like/accept myself/ compliment myself/ get my mojo back, consuming less (in the consumerism sense) and consuming less of things that are bad for me.

3. re-find my faith. in myself. in g_d. in humanity. in the greater good. in optimism. this on is also a tall order. it helps that, when the semester begins, my main class will be on asian philosophy and religion. what a great place to start! as for the others, with all the other work i'll be doing, i can only hope they will fall into place---but i'm not expecting miracles. it's hard to have any amount of faith in humanity as a whole--the minute something amazing and awe inspiring happens, giving me hope that people *don't* suck, i get reminded of the fact that people close to me believe any of the following: that sarah palin would make a great vicepresidential candidate; that our current president is a secret muslim terrorist because he won't 'support' the national day of prayer; that there is NO SUCH THING as global warming, etc. etc. etc.

here is to new beginnings!

i wrote a paper

i think it is rather brilliant. when i figure out how to post it BEHIND a link (so you can chose to read it if you want) and how to make sure someone doesn't plagiarize it before wednesday, i will put it up here.

any one know what's its called/ how to make a "link" to hide part of your post????

oh the places you will go

i accomplished so frakin' much today and feel like a ROCKSTAR. there is seriously nothing more satisfactory than getting work done and feeling like you may actually understand what you are doing. 2 of my 4 supplementary readings: read. responses: written, but informally. i'm waiting to hear back from the prof if they need to be formalized. verb chat for studying-common present positive, common past positive, common present negative, past common negative, imperative and formal tenses: DONE.

and i even had time to do the dishes and make a casserole.

i am a goddess!!!!!!

sha ka khan!!!!

first class---DOWN! i deliberately went to campus early to try and print off the handouts and lo-and-behold, my ID card wouldn't let me into the library! WTF?!?! seriously now. my ID let me into the office for my grad program but *not* the library???!?! grrrrr....

and i'd go visit IT, except that, my school's campus doesn't have a single map/directory in sight. you can find one online but guess what??? my shiny new netbook could connect to the internet because i don't know my ID and password.

why? because my ID is my student ID # which, for some bizarro reason, isn't on my student ID card? huh? really?!?! and....where *IS* my student ID #???in an email, which i can't access. fucknuggets!!!

but, on the POSITIVE side (because i promised aunt p it wouldn't all be depressing)- i rocked the shit out of my language class. okay, so not REALLY but...i didn't feel totally lost and...i even knew/remember some things that the other 2 girls didn't so i felt pretty good about that. while i'm not totally confident about where my skills are currently at, i feel alright going forward....:::sigh:::

and that's a good feeling....