Close enough.

We're about a month into Third Year, folks. How terrifying is that? Well, if you're a twenty-year-old who yo-yos between being easily distracted from her work by anything going and Sudden Death Stress Mode, it's pretty damn scary. Things are going pretty well so far, though.

Well, barring that two week period (a.k.a. 'the first two weeks of classes') when I split my time between a hospital bed and my apartment.

Yep. The night after a glorious 'Welcome Back to College!' Star Wars marathon in our new flat I woke up all puffy and cute. Several trips to the hospital later, I was a medical mystery. It would have been cooler if Hugh Laurie were insulting my intelligence and popping pills all sexy-like, but, alas, most of my doctor dealings ran closer to the hospital scene from Idiocracy.

It's all gravy now. I think I've caused enough mental and emotional anguish for my loved ones for a while. Seriously. The levels of loveliness reached by everyone around me were borderline dangerous.

And Third Year Liz is a force to be reckoned with. She goes to bed early(ish), plans ahead, pays the bills, does (almost) all of her reading, and sends internship applications months before deadlines require. As I type this, I already have my schedule set to be in college all day.

'But you have no classes on Thursdays.'

'I know. I'd like to get into the library before my responsibilities start at noon. Secondary reading, you know.'

On the one hand, the fact that I am fast becoming the Squarest of Them All is making me sick. I mean, I never had much street-cred to begin with. This responsibility kick is going to seriously weaken my chances of getting into the T-Birds.

Por otro lado, I really hope it lasts. This kind of frenzy I've been working myself into reminds me of high school. Back in the day, I was a beast. I don't want to quite reach that level of insanity again, as I've become quite accustomed to more than three hours of sleep, but I do appreciate my down time a lot more when there is so little. My little cup of green tea tastes better because I earned that mofo. And because I treated myself to a super-neato trip to the tea shop, but whatever.

Things to keep in mind:

-I've only kept this nonsense up for a week and a half, so we'll see what happens.

-Buddy will always support me.

-

Follower Love-Fest #13: Anne Brown

Annie here loves to Vogue. She just can't get enough of it. Ask her, 'Whatchu' lookin' at?' I dare you. It's a sure-fire way to get this little lady snapping her fingers and striking a pose like it's going out of style. Really, Anne just loves Madonna. We nearly parted ways during a lunch when I said that Madonna's arms make me want to curl up in a ball and hide behind Michelle Obama. I wound up wearing Anne's slice of Key lime pie in my hair on the walk home. Who looked stupid? I did.

Well, that lasted long.

Pictured: Several of the rocks I've been hiding under.

I intend to be up and running, clogging your feeds with YouTube links and some reference to baked good or another in the next few days. Until then, I give you the entry I had meant to post about three weeks ago. Progress is progress.

-

Hello, kids. I'm a bad blogger and I know it. My constant dry spells and subsequent need for forgiveness are just part of my charm though, right? It was near-August when I last posted. Oops. Here are a few things I've learned since then.

-An instrument tuned to A440 'makes you a little nervous'. (Thank you, Steve Lindley.)

-Couples love me. I don't know what it is, ladies and gentlemen, but something about me puts romantic duos in a giving mood. Give me your spare water bottle? Sure. Let me move to the front row of the concert? But of course. Swipe me through when my MetroCard isn't working? Don't give it another thought.

-Teaching hospitals are considerably less fun than an episode of Scrubs when you're on the patient-side of things.*

-It is possible for me to send several letters to the wrong addresses. Twice.

-Rabbit is delicious.

-Telling your brain to shut up when a situation is entirely out of your hands will make for a much more enjoyable time. I mean, there's nothing you can do about potentially being trapped on a island, is there?

-Road rage is easier to manage with a rubber orca in the passenger's seat.

-Airport security personnel really appreciate winter-wear.

-Finding the ridiculous nightshirt of your dreams is well worth the risk of bed bugs.

-I am just as gullible as I was at five. Creator of that Mars hoax, you broke my heart.

Follower Love-Fest #12: Z

I love the mystery of Z. One letter is all you need, and it's just the right one when A-Y just won't do. Z is, as his (her? I really don't know.) picture will show, is a leather-clad warrior who is liable to take your ass down a peg or two if you so much as look at his Beanie Baby collection the wrong way.

-

*This one will come up again in our next edition, too. El ohh el.

Anyway, I'm trying out this new thing where I'm a truly productive member of society. I get up early, eat wholesome breakfasts, get all my work done, am highly involved in extracurriculars--all that kind of stuff. Or, at least, that's the idea. We'll see how it works out.

I hear my train a comin'

I've spent the better part of the last three days taking a break from my (terribly unsuccessful) job hunt, riding around on trains.

That statement is not exactly accurate.

I've left follow-up messages and applied to another dozen or so establishments, but that's still a lot less than I'd been doing before.

Mostly because I've run out of places to apply.

Besides, all the trains have been taking me to visit friends.

On Wednesday, I met up with two friends from college and we went to the Museum of Natural History. I don't know what it is about the summer time that always makes me want to look at dead animals, but I see to be there a lot when the pollen count is high. I was so happy to see them that it was difficult to wipe the big, stupid grin off of my face, even when staring down a T-Rex. After the museum, I had to rush to my not-so-little cousin's graduation from middle school. It was hot as Hell in the auditorium, but I didn't care. I was such an embarrassing mush. I remember when you were thiiiiiiiis big.

Yesterday, I went down to see mah buddeh in Philadelphia. I'd seen him once (maybe twice?) since we started university and, while that is shameful beyond belief, it's still more than a lot of people. I mostly marveled at his most glorious apartment. It is glorious. And then we just chilled, which was nice. I kind of hate that word, but that's just what it was. There's a lot to be said for spending six hours doing nothing but laughing with an old friend. Of course, there was about ten minutes where we were running in the lashing rain, but we laughed almost the whole way through that, too. Serves us right for venturing out into the world.

I guess that brings us to today. I'm just about to head to the train station to meet up with my friend and her family at their house down the Shore. She is one of the few people that I was able to keep up steady contact with since high school, and I love this girl and her family to Pluto and back. I mean, I love all of my friends to a degree that borders on obsession, but whatever. I am crazy-excited. I predict much hugging and movie-watching. I can live in hope that we will build sandcastles for the sole purpose of violently destroying them.

ALSO, I have received absurdly glorious letters and packages in the post. They are glaring at me with their wondrousness because, while I have most of my letters written, I have failed to post them yet. My glitter reserves are low and I refuse to send any parcel which is not bursting with that shimmering nuisance. I have rules.

I'm coming up on finishing my fifth non-coursework book, so I've packed something vaguely related to college for this round of trains. I don't know when I became such a slow reader. It would be annoying if I had any deadlines. As I do not, I'm mostly just confused.

Sent the next round of stuff for Fringe the other day, so I'll let you know when it's up.

Stay cool!

Follower Love-Fest #8: Tam Tran

Tam Tran is a master basket-weaver. This is no joke. After winning the Basket World Challenge from 1999-2009, she holds the record for consecutive awards in the international competition.

When not practicing her craft, Tran likes to take strolls on Saturn's rings. She says that the rings smell like wood pulp and, thus, remind her of her childhood. She grew up a few doors down from a paper factory. She makes a mean beef stroganoff.

Bad habits.

I've always had a few.

I bite my nails, chew my lips, crack my knuckles, play with my head (the whole thing) when I'm sleepy, and fidget.

Thank God I never actually went to cotillion, or the the instructor would have likely been arrested for attempting to beat these most unladylike qualities out of me.

And I just couldn't deal with the guilt.

My newest habit is leaving the updating of this blog for too long, and then falling behind on reading as well.

Shameful.

Quick recap:

-I'm twenty. Icky, but I think I'll get by.

-My parents came over and good times were had, as predicted. We went on a family trip and it was amazing and I can't wait to see them again in a few days.

-I'm going between packing, cleaning, editing photos from the trip, and taking spontaneous naps right now.

-My last Fringe post was lost in the Internet, due to my own position as a spaz, but it's up now. So, that's cool, even though I felt awful for mucking things up.

-Mah buddeh took a five hour bus ride to visit me and I am so not worthy of her gloriousness. Where are Wayne and Garth when you need them?

Nevermind. I found them.

-Trying to get my act together in a big, bad way. I WILL READ YOUR BLOGS. Note the use of CAPS.

_

Follower Love-Fest #5: KLH

Okay, I'm going to be honest with you, kids. As with the first batch of lovely people, I can't click through to this young lady's profile. I hope she won't consider it libel if I just make things up. KLH's hair smells like fresh strawberries. She once made a cookie-pie big enough to feed all of the kindergardeners in her school district, and hand-delivered the slices to the twelve kids who were out sick with the chicken pox that day. Professor Utonium is her real dad.

_

And, just so you know, it's Judy Garland's birthday. I love this woman. Celebrating with a PB&J for dinner.

Happy birthday, Ms. Garland.

FDR, forever. I gotchu, girrrrrrl.

I couldn't avoid it if I wanted to, so just deal.

LOVE!

Just about twenty.

According to my clock, I've been twenty for almost three hours. No changes to report yet.

Some might say that this is because turning twenty isn't a big deal/time is relative/it's all a bunch of overblown poppycock.

I say that it's because I was born in a different time zone, and not at the stroke of midnight. In my books, I am still nineTEEN. Because I am nineTEEN, I am still allowed to capitalize portions of my words which would not otherwise be capitalized.

I am also allowed to tell you that I am up at this hour because I am super-excited that my parents will be here in four hours. I know it's not cool to get on with your parents, but I adore mine.

Yeah. I said it. And now, here's a picture of us all. Sort of.

They are somewhere over the Atlantic right now, watching episodes of The Big Bang Theory if I know my dad well.

Which I think I do.

Mama's more likely to be trying to sleep, then giving up and watching a film. How do I know? I just know, mmkay?

NEWSFLASH: The wind just slipped one of the locks on the front door, blew it open, and slammed it. Hard. The house shook. Scary bananas.

Anyway, I'm really excited. Not just because my heart rate is up now. Because I will see my folks for the first time since Christmas, and then they'll meet some of my friends, and there will be good times.

_

Follower Love-Fest #4: Katrin

Katrin is the bilingual babe behind reizende Rundungen. Hell, she might speak more languages because she's that great, but I just don't know. She has a seemingly endless army of cute clothes, especially dresses, but that's not the only reason I love this girl. It also has nothing to do with her glorious hair, or the fact that she got a kiss from Beth Ditto. These thing certainly don't hurt, but it's how her entries always make me smile. She's is funny, and strong, and I want to high five her constantly.

_

Still nineTEEN. Still allowed to have dance parties with Batman.

Second Year: Complete

I took my last exam yesterday morning and I still can't believe it.

At this very moment, I am half-way through my degree.

And next week I will be twenty.

Ew. This makes me feel that I ought to be doing all sorts of adult-type things. Ew

I've been sending out a dizzying number of e-mails, begging for work, but responses have been less than promising.

I sent my latest 'assignment' for Fringe a few days ago, so I'll let you all know how that goes.

So, until I get any responses from potential employers which don't begin with 'Thank you for you interest, but...' I've been effectively wasting time on Polyvore.

Haven't heard that word in a while.

Imagining outfits for romanticized versions of your possible-future-jobs is the first step toward actually getting said job, right?

Soap-Slinger by Liz OT featuring Naturalizer shoes

Items in this set:
- New Age & Spiritual Gifts at Pyramid Collection, $120
Naturalizer Boyer, $59
Jade Crystal Dots Resin Bangle, 40 EUR
Deena & Ozzy Tiny Straw Hat, $28
Coppertone - WaterBabies Sunscreen Lotion SPF50 236ml, $18

There is a chance that I might be working for a small company in my town which makes its own soaps and candles. While I understand that it is unlikely that my job would consist of delivering delightful bundles of scented glory in the manner of Kiki's Delivery Service, a girl can dream. Even in my daydreams I am aware of the danger the sun's rays pose to my pasty self. Ouch.

Country Clubbin' by Liz OT featuring Arden B tops

Items in this set:
Tie Waist Ruffle Front Blouse - Women's Clothing and Apparel - Chic..., $49
Balenciaga Button front skirt, 335 GBP
Kat Maconie Blaize Nude Patent Pumps, 95 GBP
Alex Monroe Gold Hummingbird Necklace, 110 GBP
Loop Knot Headband, $16

More promising is the prospect of working at one of the local country clubs. I have no idea which positions, if any, are available (Towel Girl, Cabana Chick, Caddy), but I do know that my usual taste for mad prints and sundress would not go over well. If those shoes are in my possession, that's fine.

Happy Camper by Liz OT featuring Old Navy dresses

Items in this set:
Old Navy Womens Ruffled Jersey Cabana Dresses, $15
Knitted Pointelle Cardigan, $75
Duck Face Toe Ankle Socks, $6
CHUCK TAYLOR ALL STARS, 54 GBP
MARC BY MARC JACOBS Round Enamel Case Watch, $175

I've heard nothing back from the educational camps at the community college, but this situation would be ideal. I can't think of a better way to spend eight hours than hanging out with and teaching creative kids. Plus, I love making macaroni fish.

Pagemaster by Liz OT featuring Fly LONDON shoes

Items in this set:
Watermelon Delight Dress, $88
Joy :: Womenswear :: Knitwear :: Louche Essentials Boyfriend Cardigan, 29 GBP
Amazon.com: FLY London Women's Ikon T-Strap Pump: Shoes, $315
Token bags - Sheridan Bag-Large Dark Brown, $240
sniffty scented pen set, $12

Pretty sure working in the town library doesn't pay, but I just don't care. Unlimited access to books (though I hear you're not allowed to read them when you're on duty) and an excuse to expand my cardigan collection are reasons enough.

Free Bird by Liz OT featuring Steve Madden shoes

Items in this set:
Chrysalis Dress, $60
Steve Madden - Women's Flats, $80
Noah Love Birds Clutch- eBags.com, $110
SMALL VINTAGE RESIN PANSY POST EARRINGS, $32
American Eagle AE Women's Skinny Multi Braid Belt Brown, $20

Could be doing some freelance work for an artists and artisans group. In this fantasy, I am trusted with sexy cameras and a press pass so that I can get in and get the story, or whatever it is that the job entails.

Babysitter by Liz OT featuring Converse shoes

Items in this set:
Old Navy Boys DC Comics Superhero Hoodies, $15
Basic Mid Scoop Tee, $2.50
Bullhead Shorts - Womens - Vintage Cut Off Short, $37
Converse All Star Slim Leather Athletic Shoe, Black, at Journeys Shoes, $65
Crayola Color Bath Dropz - 3 Pack - Crayola - Babies "R" Us, $11

The ol' standby. Last summer the recession had people tightening their belts so much that they wouldn't even hire teenagers to watch their youngsters for a night of freedom. Here's hoping that will change this year if nothing else pops up. I'm good with kids. LET ME WATCH THEM. I can cook, clean, change diapers, teach arithmetic, give anti-drug lectures, build a better mousetrap--whatever you need, Parents of America.

A Likely Story by Liz OT featuring Deena & Ozzy sandals

Items in this set:
Miso Floral Eyelet Dress, 23 GBP
Deena & Ozzy Crisscross Slingback Sandal, $38
Large Linen Suitacase, 120 GBP
Librarian-Inspired Spring Fashion
Monkey Yellow Hooded Towel, $36

What will probably happen is that, as ever, I won't find work. Three and a half months will be spent swimming at the beach, reading, getting caught up on a year's worth of TV, and reorganizing my house room-by-room. This pleasant, though financially depressing, life of languor will be interspersed with trips to visit friends working in Boston, Washington, and Philadephia. I'll be selling my worldly possessions on the internet to generate gas money. Yee-haw!

~

Follower Love-Fest #4: Geri

After a short break--during which she was missed immensely--this lovely lady is back to blogging at Lovely as a Car.ous.ill. Whether it's hilarious YouTube videos, new music, or photos from her daily goings-ons, no entry comes without a smile for the reader. She is also a girl who understands the magic and importance of sparkly nail polish. That counts as a virtue way more than Patience does. If you're in the mood to salivate madly, then her food blog, edu.plate, is for you. :D

'You're not such a bad volcano, Eyjafjallajokull.'

I am halfway done with exams now and it feels pretty damn good. I'm still in a Panic Mode of sorts, but nothing that can't be managed with tea.

And this guy.

I think that Josh Ritter is one of the greatest musical artists of whatever you would call the time period we're living in now. This is not going to devolve into a creepy love letter about how he is the voice of our age or any of that other mawkish bullshit. But I really adore his music and he just seems like a lovely person. Not a god. Not a prophet. A talented artist and a decent human being (a Good Man, you might say--har har) and his music has made my world a more enjoyable place to live. Be prepared for a lot of links and embedded songs.

My only beef with him has been that he has always had the inability to be in the same place as me when he is performing. As in, less than a week after I flew back to Dublin he played twenty minutes from my home in New Jersey. Similar instances have occurred--on both sides of that infernal ocean--for the better part of five years. This past Tuesday, all that changed.

Did I care that the venue wasn't built when I bought the tickets? Nope.

Did I care that the concert was the sandwiched between two exams, one being at 9:30 the next morning? No way.

Did I care that the tickets were well out of my price range and I knew that I would probably wind up stuck with extras when my more sensible friends couldn't go because of the exam schedule? Not in the least.

And I regret nothing.

Correction: I regret assuming that I wouldn't be allowed to bring my camera in, leaving it, and then spending the concert hating every flashbulb that went off.

Back to the concert. It was amazing. I am using short-ish sentences and words to contain my overflowing joy at the memory of it.

First off, we were a couple of minutes late getting in for the opening act, which we all felt awful about because he great. It could be argued that I'm just a sucker for 'that kind of music', and I wouldn't fight back. It's true. Anyway, his name is Joe Pug and he is tops.

Mr. Ritter and the band were fantastic. It is not a matter of debate or opinion. Every member played wonderfully and they all seemed to be having such a great time that you couldn't help but smile through the whole performance. I am actually typing this with a huge smile on my face and I probably sound like a gushing idiot. Don't care.

The most energetic and giddy-energy-inducing number was definitely this baybeh.

So much of his music is melodic and close that the livelier songs like this are startling in the most pleasant of ways.

He also played one of my favourite songs, Harrisburg, which definitely needs to be experienced live. Wow. That's a douchey thing to say. What I mean is that it's one of those songs which is wonderfully strong, but has a flexibility in it for the best kind of ad libbing, if you can say that with music.

Kind of selfish on our part, but it makes the audience feel special.

A fair portion of the night was songs off of his new album, and that is not a complaint. So Runs the World Away is nothing short of an achievement and I'd be lying if I said it has not been racking up a significant play count on my iTunes. Overused as the phrase is, I'm in no headspace to think of a better one to describe The Curse than 'hauntingly beautiful'. It is that. Simply.

The amazing thing about the performance, especially this song, is that it was scarcely a performance at all. A talented songwriter and singer though he is, Ritter is not much of a showman. The audience is undoubtedly entertained and, more than that, enthralled while he and the band are playing, but he doesn't have the gaudy, pleading insistence of a showman, which I really appreciate. When he sang this song, though, he grew kind of stiff and curled into himself, his movements laboured and slow, like those of a mummy in a silent film. Not frightening or comical, but just right.

The rendition of In the Dark was done in silence. The band left the stage, all of the instruments were turned off, he stepped away from the microphones, and just filled the theatre with his voice.

Okay. I think I should cut myself off here. You get the picture. I had a fanfuckingtastic time and hope that it won't be too long before I can see him again.

Website: JoshRitter.com

Blog: Book of Jubilations

New CD: So Runs the World Away (Not out until the fourth in America.)

Oh, and he did dedicate a song to everyone's favourite plane-stopping volcano.

~

Follower Love Fest #3: Lillian Boren

What can I say about Lillian? More importantly, what can't I say? She knits the the best fake stoles this side of the International Date Line. She is a really talented gal. Not just a master in the art of wielding big fucking needles, she has fabulous hair, a contagious smile, and enough cardigans to start a family/kill a horse/sell water to a drowning man. And the wit on her. I've gotten many a dirty look in the library while trying to hold in teh lulz that she provokes in her entries at L is for Lillian. You should head there while supplies last!

Zombie Jesus Day!

I failed to go to church, make brunch, or dye eggs this year.

Between the assumed --unless I'm told that he can make a recovery on Tuesday--death of Mortimer, college, and a rather startling arrangement of personal problems, I just couldn't find the time to get into the manic groove that all commercially-endorsed holidays bring out in me.

My housemates have been beyond beyond the past couple of days.

Sure, we're living in a rather disgusting structure, comprised of dirty dishes, newspapers, breadcrumbs, and ants, all posing as a house, but it's kind of nice.

Until the other day, I hadn't seen most of my loves in a week. Some I still haven't seen.

We gots the looooove, though.

When I came home a sleep-deprived mess (six hours' sleep, spread over four days is apparently not enough for a functioning human being), two of my housemates were sitting, watching Glee and eating homemade lemon muffins.

They listened to me rant, then we hugged, ate the deliciousness, and I finally succumbed to Glee's awesome power.

I repeat, 'awesome'.

Right now, I'm waiting for the call from home when the phone will be passed around to every available relative and we will scream love at each other.

Also contemplating whether or not it's worth it to finish an essay which I will probably be failed for anyway.

Either way, I am running off to the shop to see if there is any chocolate left for me to sneakily hide in my housemate's pillows.

Final note: I hope you're all full of love and chocolate/roast/Peeps/whatever you gave up for Lent, if you did. But mostly love. For tradition's sake, I give you

The Baaaaall

Okay, I snagged a few photos off of some friends and will now be flinging them at all of you lovelies. I totally want to show how how sexy my friends looked in their costumes (I mean, I think I'm surrounded by some pretty foooiiiine people every day, but in their formal wear--awwww yeah), though I don't want to freak them out with the idea of their pictures being all over the ol' WWW. So I'll just post a few.

First, proof that we were, in fact, on a boat.

Loveliest person I know and myself before the ball. I think that she looks fucking fabulous in the wig, as did everyone else, but she's just not having it.

Is she wrong, or is she wrong?

Two of my other totally foxy friends, partying like it's 1928. Words are not enough to convey the levels of badass achieved here.

I don't really know this kid, but he seems nice enough and we share far too many mutual friends for me to assume him anything other than awesome. Also, this is the only photo in which I am not making a ridiculous face.

More of my beloveds looking schweet.

The band. They came on at around 8:30 and didn't stop until we all had to leave the boat. In short, they were gods.

A friend and myself failing to get the attention of the barman at the afterparty. I don't know who took this picture, actually, but I do appreciate them giving a shot of my shoes.

Now, get out there and enjoy your Fridays, beautiful people!

Happy St. Patrick's Day, kids!

I will gush about the ball once more in another post.

Today, however, is Paddy's Day and needs its own internetzing.

Since I promised my mama I wouldn't dye my hair any outlandish colours again, my greenery (hah) is confined to my nails. Certainly not classy brands, but green and glittery are always en vogue, yes?

One of my housemates may have sold himself into slavery last night, as he was paid 30e to spend the night in a hotel and push a float in the parade today. We shall see.

After wading through oceans of drunk children last year, I've decided to stay as far away from the parade as possible.

I'm running off to go to a celebratory barbeque at some friends' house, where we will have a bird's-eye view of the mess that is Temple Bar.

Afterward, another friends (and quite possibly the loveliest person I know) is making me dinner. We shall then watch The Three Amigos and possibly Mystery Men. Do you remember this gem? I didn't, and I am currently basking in its rediscovered glory.

Observe the extended opening scene with my love. (Not the only reason I'm loving it, as I had no idea who he was when the film came out. 'Bonus.')

Not going to lie, I'll probably have another post dedicated entirely to this film, complete with some loose attempts to call it studying.

The prospect of heading into City Centre right now is terrifying. Wish me luck.

About this ball thing.

Tonight is the ball!

As of right now, I have no dress, montage music, or army of rodent seamstresses, but I'm not worried.

It is perfectly acceptable to skip one's first lecture of the day if it's in pursuit of a dress.

Right?

Anyway, I'm off to find the magical dress of my dreams.

And, yes, I've only painted the nails on one hand.

Hope you're all having a lovely Monday/had a great weekend!

Update: The ball was at least twenty-eight trillion kinds of amazing. Everyone looked gorgeous and just gahhhhhhhhhh. So good. My camera is too big to bring to these things, but I will be more than happy to steal some from my friends' photos once they're sorted.

This was my dress, which I got for more than half off. Hell to the yes, TKMaxx!

I wound up completely ignoring the theme, shy of my feathers and makeup, but that's fiiiiiine.

Nothing better than Photobooth pictures for now, I'm afraid.

And these shoes.

As much as I love these babies, dancing for six hours nonstop has killed my tootsies.

The music was not right for the decade, but it was glorious. When Minnie the Moocher came on, I pretty much lost my mind.

Love!

Trying to get better

...at posting in something resembling a timely fashion. Next week is my reading week (no tutorials!), so expect all sorts of garbage from yours truly. When I'm not knee-deep in my favourite volume of Post-Colonial criticism, of course.

Right now, I just want to do a quick post about a charity that my former high school is running.

SDA Operation: Prom Dress is not a new idea, but it is a very nice one all the same. We're collecting donations of any and all prom gear for the girls of Hudson County who can't afford the luxury of prom night on their own. While whether or not girls go to their proms is not a story that will make headlines, prom night is an experience that most wouldn't want to be denied. Getting cooperation has been slightly more difficult than originally anticipated, but here's what I've collected so far.

I'm not going to demand, dear readers, that you ship ballgowns to a high school in New Jersey. This just brightens my day because I enjoy when people are nice to one another for the purpose of being nice, and I want to hear about things that have made you happy recently.

Or, tell me about your prom. Was it amazing? Awful? What did you wear? Do you have any baking recipes for those of us who can't effectively use measuring cups?

Chacha now, y'all!

'You have work. We get it.'

I assume that's what you lovelies are thinking every time I mention this essay or that exam.

Fear not--they're all over!

Well, until March, but who cares about that silly old month?

The answer: Not Liz.

Last week I handed in my last essay for that term. Even with two extensions and several all-nighters, it was not my best work by several thousand miles. It will not wow my deliciously dorky tutor to the point where he would like to discuss it over several glasses of wine, but it might upset him so much that we have to explore over several cups of tea what made it such a disaster. Either one of those is fine with me.

When it was all done and handed in, I took the long way home. Meaning, I stopped in every charity shop and bakery on my way home. At one of said bakeries, my delirious state of mind had me convinced that a mountain of croissants was exactly what I needed in my life to rid it of the stain of Chaucer's use of narrative devices. Don't worry. I thought better of it and got the most delicious lemon tart of my life instead. No pictures because it quickly found it's way into my tummy.

That's not to say that I didn't make any other ridiculous impulse buys.

We've not stopped playing since I brought this home.

For a Euro, you wouldn't have said 'No' either, so don't even play.

Weird, beady hat? Maybe not the best choice I made.

A far better grab was this beauty. Just under a fiver may be a bit steep for a charity shop, but I have a remarkably large head and I never find non-knitted hats to fit it. I think it's pretty schweet.

I got home and napped for a bit. At least, I think I did. I lost a few hours and then one of my housemates was baking cookies. I am a useless baker, so my job was to turn these

into this,

which became these.

Deliciousness.

She also bought some mad fruit.

Completely unrelated, but I am in love with these pens.

They're pretty much fine-tip markers, but they're cheap they don't bleed and I love them.

It's a dork thing.

Love!