Whew, what a day it was! I've got to start trying a bit harder not to forget days that I have papers due. But I got it done, so that's what really counts. I'd really like to write a good, meaningful entry in here...but honestly I'm too tired today. So I thought I'd leave you with the links to a couple of my favorites instead. :)

Feminist/Republican
Labia Blog-a-Thon (Entry #1, Entry #2, Entry #3, Entry #4)
Body Image

These soy beans are not nearly the quality of my last bag of roasted soy beans. Therefore I will no longer be purchasing soy beans from Walmart. Next weekend, I'm going to start looking for a nice health food store...and if I can't find one, then all my soy beans will come from Food Lion.

Everytime I pee lately, it looks like I've swallowed a highlighter.

Of course, that was more information than you needed to know really. But I felt like sharing anyway. And, since this is my blog, if I want to inform the world that my urine is neon yellow, I most certainly can. First amendment rights, baby! Oh yeah.

Anyway, now that that's been said...

I'm not really sure what else there is that really needs to be said. I've had a suprisingly decent day today. I got most of what I needed to do, done. Sorta at least. I arranged to get a video camera for the weekend, so now I just have to figure out exactly what I want to do for this video resume. S'all right though.

I want that cloak with the fur collar that Madonna wears in Dick Tracy. That's pretty snazzy looking. Not that I'd really have anyplace to wear it, but it'd be cool anyway.

Oh, which brings up another point...what should I be for Halloween? I'm not even sure what we're doing, or where we might be going, but I'll probably need a costume of some sort. So, what do you think I should wear? Anybody got a brilliant idea? Please share.

I feel like I should write something deep and meaningful today. But I feel almost at a loss about what to write. I've read what other people have said, and have been deeply moved by it. I'm not sure what I can say that will be new, or different in any way, or that will fully capture the mood today.

As I walked to lunch today, I realized how quiet everything is. In the middle of a college campus, at noon, it's generally bustling and loud. However today is different. People are still smiling and talking, but in quieter voices. Nearly everyone is wearing red, white, and blue today. The 'Hope and Rememberance Tree' once again bears many strips of cloth. I'll go out later today and add mine to those already hanging there. I have nothing that's new to say, and I know that there are those who feel this day so much more than I do. I know that there are people who are more eloquent and more original that I am. But I still feel like I need to mark the day somehow.

Danny's blog lists the names of those lost that day. And Uncle Bob has a list of things to do today. And many others have had beautiful things to say about the memory of what happened.

The quiet today is both unsettling in some ways, and extremely appropriate. People seem to be reflecting more. I think it really struck me this morning when I woke up that at this time last year, while I was safely sleeping in my bed, people were dying. Now in and of itself, this realization should not be so striking. People die of old age, cancer, war, and many other causes while the rest of the world eats, sleeps, and works around them with little notice of their passing. But somehow this day was different. While I was asleep, planes fell from the sky, buildings crashed, and so many people died.

This tragedy affected us all in one way or another. For me, I began praying again consistently. But today I realized that lately I hadn't been praying for the families affected by this tragedy. Somehow, all the media coverage and the inescapability of it all seemed to have almost numbed me toward it. This morning was another wake up call. I will remember to pray again.

Amy Wynn is such a hottie. Really, definately a hottie. My boy and I watched the episode of A Makeover Story that Amy Wynn was on today. I saw it yesterday and didn't think to call him when it was on so that he could watch too. So, when I saw it was on today, I ICQ'd him to let him know, and we watched it together...600 miles apart, of course, but together. Nothing like watching TV on ICQ. :)

Alright, so for all of you keeping score at home, my boy has been forgiven. Last night was just not the ideal time for me to get pissy with him. He'd had a rather "blah" evening too and just really didn't need the added stress. But surprisingly enough, things turned out remarkably well. We had a very long, very serious talk about us. And I actually feel like we accomplished something, which is a very good thing.

Can anybody tell me what's wrong with my boyfriend? I mean, he's got this incredibly sexy goddess of a girlfriend (alright, I'm talking about me, so yes, that is an exaggeration) who has spent a long time missing the fact that she couldn't email him multiple times during the day. So finally now that he's back at school, she can email him and does so. And he doesn't email her back! Sometimes he does (which just to be fair, he does do sometimes, but I can only count on getting one volley of emails a day then, unlike the old days of multiple emailings from both parties), just so you don't think I'm beating up on him. And today he even got a highly suggestive email...and did his goddess of a girlfriend get a reply? Nope, of course not.

So, if the afore mentioned boyfriend happens to read this...he really ought to email his girlfriend back and at least say thanks for his highly suggest email that she sent sometime around 1pm today. He should also probably try to come up with the best excuse he can for his lack of emailing...because the afore mentioned goddess is about to have some spike-shoed elves dancing in her uterus, and she is not only rather sexually frustrated today, but also has a rather short fuse and wants attention now! :) Now of course the goddess still loves him and will still look upon him with favor this evening...but he is still in trouble, and will have to do some sort of penance for this oversight. The goddess will let him choose his own penance, but she will decide when he is sufficiently sorry and shall be forgiven. :)

I realized something tonight. Apparently I cannot be a Feminist and a Republican at the same time...at least not by the definitions of those in charge of these sorts of organizations. While I may choose personally to identify both ways, I can only pledge actual group membership to one or the other. This is a very bizarre state of affairs, if you ask me. I don't like being neatly catagorized into one or the other. My opinions lie in both camps. Why may I only have membership in one? I went to the College Republicans meeting tonight, I paid my $5 and got my tshirt that reads "The Best Party on Campus". But I really think that maybe I need a shirt that reads "I Swing Both Ways" instead. Some of what I heard tonight I don't strictly agree with. I don't feel that I should go out in support of a governor or senator when I don't really know the political situation in this state. I'm not even from here, and I don't vote here. And frankly I don't agree with some of what I've heard those canidates stand for (such as them being anti-income tax...I personally think it's about damn time this state got an income tax, these wretched 8.25% and 9.25% sales taxes are killing me and everyone else who doesn't work here, or who does work here and actually lives someplace where they do have an income tax [if you're not a legal resident of this state, and don't pay state income tax, then they tax your income in the state you're from...so essentially you're getting screwed twice]). Some of this stuff is just utter bullshit and I refuse to be involved in supporting someone who I can't vote for and who I don't agree with just because they run under the label of "Republican". Although I suppose that's the decent thing about this, I don't have to be involved in anything I don't want to be involved in. If I choose not to go out in support of these local canidates, then I don't have to. And frankly, I won't.

Now of course, that's not to say that I disagree completely with the Republicans and agree completely with the Feminists. I think some of the Feminist canidates and policies (specifically the really radical ones) are bullshit too. Both camps have something to offer that I like. While I may have conservative attitudes about the budget, science funding, the right to bear arms, and defense spending...I also want equal pay and the right to decide what choices I make about my own body. And apparently in the rhelm of party politics, there is no name for that (I don't believe in being a "moderate").

You're probably asking then, why did I just go out and join the campus Republican party? Well, firstly, I do believe it's important to be involved and make one's voice heard. And since there are some things that they support that I feel are very important, I do believe I need to be involved in some way. Also, I belive that being within that structure gives me a forum to express my feelings that are contrary to what they are saying. It's easier to bring about change from within a camp than from without. Thirdly, and possibly for the worst reason of all...I needed another activity. I haven't really been involved in anything on campus here, and being involved in a political group makes sense for a communication studies major. Frankly, and sadly, it looks better to most corporate employers if you've been involved in the Republican party rather than the Feminist party.

I just feel like it's a rather strange place to be, and an annoying one at that.

Oh my gosh, I am such a dork. Through an email mix-up, I thought a meeting I was going to attend was tonight rather than LAST NIGHT, the way it was really supposed to be. Ack, I hate it when that happens!

Ever tried roasted soy beans? I tried them a while ago, and while they were a bit difficult to get used to at first, now I really love the taste. In fact, they're quite addictive. I really like the ones with the added garlic powder. Those taste very snazzy.

I can't believe I have to wait until the end of the month for the Alias season premier. I want my Michael Vartan! NOW!

The grand irony of the day:

I'm watching NASCAR and reading Hamlet.