The school is now selling an energy drink (not that that’s new) but this is a new one to our SMU community. Don’t get me wrong, it is the most delicious thing I have ever tasted.

But if you just saw the bottle what would you think?

Resembles a certain type of vodka, no?

Turn it around and VOILA:

I love the not-so-subtle implication that it will improve your sexual performance…

Another new addition to SMU, the bookstore is now selling THESE. No not the id card, but the plastic holder!!!

Before we could only buy these flimsy clear name tag holders like you would get at conferences, and you would always have to take the card out for your meal plan and it was easy for them to fall out. Not so anymore. These nametag holders are sweeping the campus, for only $1.98 they are a fabulous deal. The plastic is hard and tight enough that you can slide your card in but it will not fall out, and the magnetized strip is exposed so the card can be swiped without removal.

I don’t know how many of you get to experience the phenomenon that is Fred Meyer night, but every year the local Fred Meyer closes out its store to the public at ten pm, gets a DJ, has a raffle, and gives out courtesy gifts. Oh yeah, and did I forget to mention that Ramen is usually about 1/2 off?

They also hand out a bunch of great coupons so a lot people get things for their rooms at a largely reduced price.

This year the gift bags were bomb!

I got this:

and 2 bottle openers (that’ll be great with our dry Residence Halls…)

and cool razors, and a keychain, and organic shampoo samples, and a sweet mix cd.

I purchased THIS beauty for $12:

It has become a vital part of my morning, I fill it up in the evening and then flip the switch on my way to the shower in the morning. I don’t have the filters or grounds for making coffee, but it is a great way to get a lot of tea in the morning and oatmeal, and tastes better than microwaving.

On a final note: as a vocal major I know that about 80% of vocal issues could have been prevented if the person had just drank more water. (This goes for non-singers too!) I also know that drinking more water is a vital part of becoming a healthier person.

In order to better monitor my drinking, I have adopted the timeless adage “Pee Clear.” And I have been using my favorite purchase from last year to do so: This stainless steel water bottle is a great asset, it keeps cool things cool all day, I’ve put warm things in, it makes a great weapon, and the seal on top makes a cool rubber noise when I open it.

I had been drinking a couple of bottles a day.

But now…I’m not even sure. I probably drink a bottle an hour. Well…maybe not quite that much…but my pee is pretty clear.
It has also had a (not-so-unexpected) side effect in that I have to pee ALL THE TIME. I can barely make it through a class period without dancing by the end.  But I have been feeling better. Except for a dreadful stuffy nose in the morning.

A side effect I was not expecting–now I am also thirsty all the time. I finish a bottle and I immediately want to fill it back up again (after going to the bathroom of course). Also–yesterday I couldn’t refill my bottle as often as I have been because of various things (like a fire evacuation) and I started getting a small headache until I was able to drink a bottle of water. Yikes. I guess my body got greedy.

I am also only drinking water and tea now. Nothing else. No matter how good the mango-orange juice twist looks because I know that a lot of my calories come from beverages. Which means no coffee drinks, no nummy juices, NO SODA. I am trying to eat better in the cafeteria, but it is kind of torture because those french fries look so damn good…

Now I have to implement the next step–more exercise. But where’s the time?

Ok time for makeup then a little food then INTRO TO DRAMA. We’re doing Antigone now, I’ve always loved the Greeks.

Sincerely,

Emilie

Well…

First I went camping with the Church. (No service there)

Then I was at Ocean Shores with Campus Ministry for some training and bonding. (No Service there).

I had a blast and stayed in a nice cabin with no internet.

Then I was back at SMU for a couple of hours in which I

1-bought a clearance SMU sweatshirt for $10

2-Got my scholarship fixed at Student Acoounts

3-Turned in my enrollment confirmation

4-Waived my insurance

5-took a shower.

Then I went to Red Robin for dinner with the RES LIFE staff.

Next morning we were all off to Lambert Lodge (the lodge the monks own on the water).

We played RES LIFE Survivor. Our original team was The Fifth Element (Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, together we ARE the Fifth Element!) We kicked ass. We won the make a shelter out of food conest, we won the presentation for name contest, we totally KILLED in the build an egg-dropper contest. Then…sad sad sad sad sad sad

On the next competition we had to race the other team to grab soap out of a water bucket. And while each of our team members bled for the competition (my elbow aand ankle were gouged, a team member’s leg was gushing, and another team members arm was oozing) we got second place. Which meant that we finally had to give up the immunity idol.

But instead of getting a member cut, we had members switch teams.

So of course (just my luck) my name was drawn out of the cup and I was shoved to the last place team.

5th element still won at the end by about 30 points. But they lost one more competition right at the end, and a second ex-team member of mine was jolted to the last place team with me. So then prizes were dolled out and one person of the 5th element had only participated in one challenge with them, and the other only two.

So my teammate and I did not get a prize but these two people who had been losing consistantly got these awesome prizes.

LAME.

Oh well.

We swam in the salt water with the jelly fish, saw a sea lion, put out a grass fire, had s’mores, saw lots of movies, and got to hang out with everybody.

We are on a quick break right now.

Now I have to go back to the group and begin the real training.

So now you know why I’ve been out of touch.

And why I will continue to be so. Training is a beast.

But I am so(x102343294239804203894) happy to be back!

Sincerely,

Emilie

Why is it so hot? Thank goodness for air conditioning.

That is all.

Sincerely,

Emilie

As promised here are the projects I have been prattling on about recently.

Here is the first dress I made, completed just in time to wear it on the 4th of July:

And this is a fun sun dress I wore the day I got my cartilage peirced (which I unfortunately do not have a picture of):

Here is the skirt I just finished today (it is by far my favorite piece):

This is the jacket I also finished today:

Here is a look at the tag I made (I make tags for everything I sew):

Here is a close up of the tag:

And yes, this is in fact, the long awaited for look at my Fawkes costume for the Harry Potter midnight premiere. When I get the other pics I’ll show them, as this cuts out my legs.

I am still miffed that I didn’t win the costume contest…

I also finally finished knitting my scarf–next stop leg warmers! I would’ve included a pic but me madre’s camera died (as mine is somewhere in California)…

Wishing you some sewing love,

Sincerely,

Emilie

P.S. Oh I finally gave in to Kimmi’s and Justin’s numerous shout outs to Grapes of Rad and started listening to the podcast.

And now I cannot stop. It is, indeed, amazing.

I was productive today.

First a baby shower, then…

I made this skirt:

but I am going to add some vintage-esque side panels. Here is vaguely what it will look like (I just draped some fabric on one side to see what it would look like, in the real deal they will be equal and summetrical, and will be about the size of the larger one.)

Whaddya think? I tried asking for opinions on whether I should do it or not on twitter and FB but only one person responded so I am going for it.

I also made a jacket (I still have to insert the sleeves)…I’m not loving the style but it was a pattern I happened to have lying around.

I need to buy new patterns because I have made everything that I have and I want to try new stuff. I’m really loving the vintage dresses/skirts, and I would also be interested in top patterns and I want to make a dress coat.

So I need to go pattern shopping. Plus I need zippers, hook n’ eyes, elastic, and findings galore. And some more fusible interfacing.

Sincerely,

Emilie

For those of you who missed my Hope Concert performance here it is just for you

Yikes I really need to work on the transition in my break, getting the meat of my voice into the b,c range. But anywho I hope you enjoy. The song is from the musical Little Women.

Oh yeah, and here is a little slice of what I go through during the year

AND just because I love it so much I want to share it with anyone who hasn’t had the good fortune to see it yet. Here is part one, the rest is on YouTube of A Very Potter Musical.

If this isn’t enough to get your attention in the rest of the musical Voldemort tap dances makes a channel on floo-tube and makes a friend out of Quirrel, a battle for the house cup ensues, Malfoy DOES not get to Pigfarts (but Dumbledore does), just wait until you meet Cho Chang and most importantly WHAT THE HELL IS A HUFFLEPUFF? Snape is a riot, and the Spiderman reference kills me every time. I’ve watched it straight through a few times and every time I my eyes water because I am laughing so hard. As a theatre person I also love the way they actualize the spells and creatures, the way they use the sets and choreography. It is written by UofM students (btb I’d love to be here). Trust me–it only gets better. Find both acts on StarKidPotter’s channel on youtube.

That had better qualify as video Prozac.

Sincerely,

Emilie

Over the last year or so I have come to tolerate (if not like) a couple of things I never thought I would:

sour cream

guacamole

avocado (yes i know this is  a staple in guacamole)

pudding pie

potato salad

plain eggs

and yes, I can now TOLERATE cheesecake, but I take little pleasure in it.

Some other skills I’ve been developing–I’ve been working on sewing, I’ve tried slacklining, I am really good at filling out incident reports in third person now , and I have discovered that I am good at figuring things out. Whether it be directions on a package or just a logistical  problem, I have creative ways of fixing things.

Now if only I could like more vegetables and improve my hammering. Seriously, I am really bad at it. When I was using the nail set to put the nails a little deeper in the molding on my closet I was slipping more than setting. So I want to get a tool set and start practicing. It’s frustrating not being good at things!

Sincerely,

Emilie

I have several events to tell you about but I want pictures to go along and since I no longer have a camera I have to wait until everyone else takes pity on me and sends me the pictures.

Some things you will be seeing eventually–my sewing projects!

Puncture wounds!

BRILLIANT costuming!

And MORE!!!

So don’t worry my return will be worth it.

Sincerely,

Emilie

If you ever have the …err… fortune of going on a trip with my mother make sure that she is NOT in charge of the directions. And actually if you could keep her from driving do that as well. However if the choice is between her driving or her giving directions (ie there are only two of you) it may be safer for you to let her drive. Because she is terrible at following directions. And if something doesn’t go according to the directions she gets flustered. And then upset. And then Angry. and Confrontational. and then it is all YOUR FAULT (or your father’s if he is there) that she is terrible at reading directions.

Much the same result of she is driving but at least you will end up at the destination because you will be telling her where to go.

On another note I think I’ve had a slight epiphany.

The reason I hate summer break so much (well there are many reasons) but the largest–at school I am respected and treated and spoken to like an equal adult. I have my own identity, no one knows my parents, I am judged purely by my own actions.

At home everyone still treats me like I am seven. At first I tried being responsible, kind, helpful at home but everyone still felt the need to tell me what to do at all times (and more annoying–how to do it. I mean really, after all these years I think I know how to do my own laundry. So stop folding my underwear. It’s creepy. I don’t touch your underthings don’t touch mine!) So then I stopped being as nice. Churlish would probably be the kindest adjective you could apply to me lately. I don’t like behaving this way but my parents and live-in uncle seem to have a knack for and delight in pushing all my buttons. It is my own choice and I know I am being an ass, but I hate not being treated like an adult so I’ve stopped acting quite as well as I usually do (since it doesn’t seem to make a  difference). Maybe I’m just a late bloomer, finally hitting that teenage rebellion as a junior in college (right before I leave my teen years behind forever.) Doesn’t everyone deserve a little bit of angst?

This seems to be really affecting me at church as well. I really hate going to morning church. There are just so many double standards I see reflected, and everyone still treats me like the daughter of my parents. I want my own identity. (Not to mention how old and…well…white everything is.)

But that’s all the angsty reflection for today.

Sidenote–anybody else notice that when adults think they are talking to “children” they talk like everything is in quotes. (Kind of how in comedies actors slow down their speech and amp it up in volume when talking to foreigners.) Also the adult speaks for the “child” and then makes the “child” reiterate what they just said (probably trying to tell the kid “see” “THIS” “is” “how” “GROWN-ups” “taaaaallllllkkkkk”.)

Example:

Parent: Oh yes Mrs. Whoeveryouare, this is my daughter Emilie and she just LOVES acting. (pause) DON’T you, Emilie?

Emilie: noncommital grunt

Parent: Emilie has THREE JOBS on campus. She is a tour guide and an RA and….well, what DO you DOOOO, Emilie?

Emilie: terse. I’m an RA and a Tour Guide and I work in Campus Ministry.

Parent: Yes Emilie works so hard and is such a great student (EMILIE turns away in disgust and sinks into a disgruntled embarrassed silence) and you’ll never guess what she did the other day! What DID you do? (no response from pissed EMILIE) Well she…..

Bonus Best Friend points to anyone who knows the reference in my title without looking it up!

Sincerely, (your newly-anointed angsty almost-not-teen)

Emilie

Life has been pretty chill…

Watched Cruel Intentions and finished Season One of Dexter with Kels.

Spent Tuesday working out, cleaning house, and other sundry chores. Also watched Sweet Charity and listened to Parade (multiple times), Sweeney Todd, watched Sweeney Todd the musical to which I reply with a hmmph…  Although the two young boys were quite good (apparently the Anthony boy is in New Moon as Caius and will also be in HP. *thanks PH). I also checked out Seussical, Man of La Mancha (which I’ve heard about half of) and In The Heights, I have great hopes for the latter. Still knee-deep in plays I am reading for SMU.

Today I woke up at 8:30 but managed to daydream until about 10. I swear not having school is killing my getting-out-of-bed umph!

Then my mom took a half day (that was a surprise to me) and her car was finished so we drove to Pt. Orchard while listening to Parade (which I am in love with) and then we went and saw Transformers. I always forget how much swearing, potty jokes, and sexual references there are in a movie until I’m watching it with my mom…

Then we drove home and had tacos.

I next proceeded to belt out Legally Blonde and Aida while going through all of my brother’s books (he wanted all the titles to decide which to ship to him and which to give to me). Halfway through My Strongest Suit (reprise) my Dad came in and asked me to go to Wal-Mart to buy a drier hose and eggs. I made it in record time, found what I was looking for and came right back. I am a speed shopper!

Dad is installing our brand new washer and dryer!!!!! YAY!!!!!   Our clothes really have needed it!!!!

Tomorrow the G’rents and Kansas Cousins are over for a day and that night the G’rents will be taking my bed. Lame. I hate no longer having a guest room due to our permanent guest.

This means I shall have to clean my room so that it is not an utter pigsty when they come.

Tomorrow I have to clean my room, mow the lawn, and I would love to get started on organizing my books. (They got all out of order when I redid my room).

Wishing you a lovely summer,

Emilie