Amanda Goes East (and other stories)

Two blogs in a row, MAN I AM ON A ROLL!

Some of you may have noticed something different. Yes, I made an addition to the title. I decided that the old title didn't really fit any more. I'm not really going east anymore. No...well...that's not true. I am going (south)east to Tennessee pretty soon, but that's not really the point. The point is that I've been to Russia and back, and now it's time for some new adventures (which hopefully won't just be restricted to courses in an eastern direction...northwest is pretty cool...and maybe south, I hear they have beaches there).

Oh...and, um....I added a new background. Yeah.

Ok, I'm being modest. I think it's an awesome background and I'm really proud of myself because it took me forever to figure out how to put it up. That's really why I'm writing. I keep finding myself straying back to my page to admire what I've done, so I figured in the time I'm here I might as well do something useful, right?

I've been feeling a little philosophical lately. Sometimes you just get hit with pensive moods, and lately I've been a little bit troubled by something. I've realized I don't truly know what I look like. I have a set picture in my mind, the girl that I see every day in the mirror. Then I'll run across a picture of myself and have to do a double-take. You think to yourself "wait..really?? That's what I look like??" I'll elaborate:


What I think I look like



What I actually look like

Notice that my bangs are on the opposite side of my face. I think I look like the mirror image of myself, not what everyone else sees! I don't even know what I look like!!! My life is a lie!!!!!!!

Alright, maybe it's not that extreme. But seriously, doesn't that bug you a little bit?

I've also been thinking about how weird living itself is. Looking back time has gone by so fast, and I know I'm only 21, but 21 years is still a lot of years to have gone by so fast. In some ways you just want time to go by faster because you're curious about the future -- who you'll marry, what you'll do, where you'll live, if you'll have children or grandchildren, will advanced math ever actually get used on a daily basis like they assured us it would in middle school? But at the same time, you wish life would just stop so you could fully process just what exactly is going on. Have you ever just gone through a day, and then stopped to think about it, and realize that you've done a whole lot of things, but haven't really thought about any of them? Your average person only lives into their 70s or 80s, so it's quite unfair that you don't even realize how valuable time is until you've gone through a quarter of your life. It just seems to emphasize that there must be something after life, otherwise what would the point be? In the grand scheme of things 80 years is nothing. Although I guess we can be glad it's not a couple of weeks like flies (but who could really stand being a fly longer than that). This reminds me though that I've had a fly stuck in my house for what seems like forever, and I wish it would hurry up and die, because I certainly am incapable of killing it (believe me I've tried).

I also think it's silly to make plastic spatulas. I mean, really? They're plastic, that means they melt. No one wants a melty spatula, because then it gets in your food, and that's just gross. Why not more metal? I'm bringing this up because today my favorite spatula was leaving bits of plastic on the ham I was heating up. No.....I am not a bad cook. I am a lazy cook, but I am not so awful that I would inadvertantly melt spatulas. Clearly the flaw is in the design. The worst of it is that of 4 spatulas, 3 are plastic. At least this is the first one I've noticed melting.

Sex and the City is actually a decent show.

How do you know if you've had a power outage, when none of your clocks are plugged in? Moreover, how do you know if you've had a power outage, when your home is run by oil and is not connected by powerlines. And if the powersource is right next to your house, how could you have had a power outage?? That seems like it would be pretty serious! This morning I turned on the tv, and it had the menu screen (like usually happens if it gets unplugged or the power goes out), and the oven clock was flashing.....but the microwave clock was not. I know there is plenty of fuel, because I checked yesterday. Everything is still working...soooo....I guess it was just a fluke?

I miss cats.

Why does everyone think snuggies are so ridiculous? They get picked on mercilessly, but I think they were a good idea. I have had many a time when I've been trying to use my hands in a cold room, but have to sacrifice my arms from the elbows down or my shoulders. Then you can always try just rolling over and using one hand...but then when you're reading it gets hard to turn the page. An alternative is a robe. However, then your feet are exposed!! My feet and hands are the coldest parts of my body. The only problem with snuggies is that they have to be restricted to the couch. If you tried to use it as a blanket you'd have holes in your blanket..which is the worst. So give snuggies a break. I do agree though that the name is kinda silly.

Cherry yogurt is delicious.